#135. Hometown
The battle that took place in Asopos, the capital of the Kingdom of Thalassa, ended in about three days. The reinforcements of the Count of Locania and the soldiers of the Kingdom of Thalassa returned and defeated the combined forces of the Kingdom of Pindus and the Empire of Peneus. In the process, the King of Pindus was killed, and the Emperor of the Empire of Peneus was captured while wounded.
Daphne was in a daze in the room the palace had prepared for her. Her mind was filled with self-destructive desires. She could no longer think of herself as Olivia.
What good is changing your name? I was still Daphne after all. The image of Asherad dying kept repeating in Daphne's head.
However, she heard that he was somehow alive and receiving treatment. What if that was the case? Will he be able to survive? Daphne's heart began to burn with anxiety.
Meanwhile, Derek was watching. He almost, almost lost them both.
Their reunion should have been a touching one. But Daphne was crying, embracing the man, the Emperor, and in her room, lost in thought. Ian was no different. The boy was so shocked to have survived the battle that he spent the whole day crying in Daphne's arms, but he would also look for Asherad.
Why?
Derek was lost in thought. Wasn't Asherad the one who invaded by force to get Daphne? Of course, he knew Asherad had been shot in the back while protecting them.
What is that? Is it really worth going this far?
Derek couldn't do anything. All he could say was a muffled grumble of displeasure.
“Olivia. Don’t show yourself like this when the Count comes.”
“...”
“If you show that kind of attitude for that guy, the Count won’t let you off easy.”
Daphne didn't nod or shake her head when she heard that. She just held Ian, who was still sleeping, and stared at the floor with a sullen look in her eyes, like a corpse about to die. Derek felt his anger well up in him when he saw that.
“Olivia, what the hell are you doing right now?”
“...”
“You hated that kid, you wanted to run away!”
“Derek, Ian is awake.”
Derek took a deep breath at Daphne's words. It was suffocating. It was all over now. Daphne no longer had to fear Asherad coming. She didn't have to hide. She was free! Shouldn't she be smiling now? But why was she making that face?
“I barely saved your life once!”
Ian opened his eyes at Derek's voice. He looked at Derek and burst into tears. He felt like a bad guy. Derek left. Everything was a mess.
When Asherad opened his eyes, he was in a cold stone prison. It seemed that King Thalassa had personally opened the dungeon for his grandson.
Asherad forced himself to get up. His back, pierced by the cold stone arrows, ached. However, judging by the bandages that were neatly tied, it seemed that considerable effort had been put into the treatment. At that moment, the door opened.
“It looks good.”
Asherad raised his head with an indifferent expression. The King of Thalassa was there. He looked good. He was saying this after seeing his grandson, who almost went to the world of Ceres due to bleeding. When Asherad did not answer, the King of Thalassa spoke.
“The wound has been treated well.”
Asherad didn't do the stupid thing of taking it as a favor. It would have been more meaningful to execute him than to have him die in prison.
Asherad looked at King Thalassa. There was no warmth between them. The King treated Asherad with long-term words. He did not give him affection or warmth, even in words. He ignored the help he received in his childhood and wanted to live as if they were not related.
So he wanted to get his hands on the country of Asherad, and eventually won the war. Asherad finally opened his mouth.
“What a nice room, Grandpa.”
Asherad raised the corners of his mouth. Then the King's brow furrowed.
“You punk, you killed Kalista and still call me grandfather!”
“Let’s be honest with each other. It’s not like you particularly cared about that woman.”
“...”
“I know that Grandpa was trying to kill that woman.”
“What kind of baseless talk is that!”
“You must have received a large quantity of firearms from the Count of Locania, and... at least three duchies.”
That was exactly right.
“Congratulations, Grandpa. You won the war against your grandson.”
Asherad laughed heartily. He decided not to think about the misfortune that would befall him now, or the remaining Duke of Turbol.
“I tried to spare your life, but this kid... is so arrogant...”
Save my life? Why? Asherad tilted his head.
“Why? Are you doing this to kill me?”
Asherad was truly surprised. He spared his life. Was it because of blood ties? Of course not. There had to be something he wanted.
“You, marrying Thalassa’s daughter...”
Ah, of course, he burst out laughing.
“What family’s daughter is it this time? What does she look like?”
“...”
“Are you going to give Thalassa’s precious blood to a son of impurity who is not even of the Emperor’s blood?”
"Shut up!"
The King shouted. Asherad was not particularly good at understanding delicate emotions, but he knew the feelings of these people.
There is a man who always reigns over others and believes that he is a better person than others. If his daughter commits adultery, what will happen to the child of that adultery?
Asherad was a mistake. The mistake of Sabrina, the Empress of the empire and Princess of Thalassa.
“You are of royal blood until the end! That is all that matters!”
But that violent reaction alone taught him what was true: the act of ignoring Asherad while somehow trying to leave it as valuable.
Asherad felt like he was back home. The time he had spent living with a harmless woman and child seemed like a dream.
“The Count of Locania dared to insult my daughter! He slandered her to bring you down! You are of the Emperor’s blood! That wicked thing was not born of injustice!”
“Were you that angry that my mother had an affair with another man?”
The King shouted at those words, mixing in curses. Asherad looked at the man with cold eyes. This man probably didn’t particularly love his daughter. However, he probably wanted to hide the fact that his daughter, who had been sold to a foreign country, had committed adultery. Sabrina was his first daughter, and she should have been a noble and proud daughter who had married into the best family.
“How did you know?”
It was pure curiosity. How could Asherad know about his mother's infidelity? They must not have been close friends. The king grabbed Asherad by the collar.
“How did you know? Because that crazy bitch blew it with her own mouth!”
“...”
“When I went to find her, she was another man’s child! Belenus, he asked if I was okay with selling her to that man! The eldest Princess! How dirty!”
King Thalassa glared at Asherad as if he were going to kill him. Count Locania wants to deny Asherad's bloodline, and King Thalassa thinks it is 'his mistake'. Therefore, he tries to save him at all costs.
“Do you understand? Do as I say, you filthy bastard.”
“...”
“Have your children. That is your way of living.”
The King beat Asherad. His tattered back hit the hard floor, and a sharp pain shot up. He crouched in pain, but King Thalassa came out regardless. When the pain stopped, Asherad burst into laughter.
“Haha, hahahaha!”
He thought he was living in a strange place. This was natural. His dead mother and he were all in hell. And this hell was his hometown.
Why did I become the Emperor? He thought of the heaven where he had stayed for a moment in a cold and dark place. The eyes of a woman smiling brightly, Ian's hair as soft as gold. Asherad smiled.
He will no longer be the Emperor. He will be dethroned. That was his life's goal, and he wanted to get it back because he didn't know how to live any other way. But he has no regrets anymore.
Asherad stared blankly at the sky. At that moment, the iron door creaked open again. Asherad frowned as he watched the person coming in.
It was Fabian. The red-haired man was looking at Asherad with a cold, hard expression. Asherad looked closely and saw that it wasn't Fabian.
“I thought the dead had come back to life.”
Then the man came and grabbed Asherad by the collar. Asherad stared at the man. Was he trying to take out his anger on his brother?
“What the hell did you do to Olivia?”
“Ah, Olivia...”
He looked at the red-haired man's face.
“You are Derek.”
The voice became ominous. It was clearly a man destined for death, but it conveyed a vivid sense of life like the eyes of a wild beast.
“What on earth did you do to Olivia, and what tricks did you put into her?”
“Why Daphne?”
“Because of you, she can’t sleep properly or eat properly!”
Asherad chuckled. Another joy appeared in his eyes.
“It’s not my fault, Derek.”
“Where are you trying to hide it? You deliberately targeted the place where Olivia is!!”
Oh, what sweet news. But it was funny. Daphne and this guy both seemed to think of themselves as such. They indeed did such things.
“Well, I wonder how it was.”
"...you!"
“Did I find out where that kid is and go there on purpose? And then brainwash her countless times into thinking she can’t live without me?”
Asherad smiled brightly with a clean face. When Derek didn't speak, Askerad continued to ask.
“Did Daphne do that?”
Derek flinched at the question.
“Derek, that woman will never do that to me again. She never gave me a single shred of affection.”
At those words, Derek looked down at Asherad. The Emperor's face was as beautiful as a demon's, and his speech was cunning. Derek knew that. He killed Fabian out of jealousy.
“It looks like you came here to vent your anger.”
“...”
“Because that woman isn’t doing what you want. I’m going to ask her.”
Asherad was still whispering softly. That's right. Venting. Derek had come to laugh at Asherad's pitiful words while he was captured. He wanted to show off his superiority outside the prison. Asherad saw through that base desire and began to wag his snake-like tongue.
“How did your brother die...”
Bam! Derek swung his fist without holding back. The punch wasn't the end. He kicked several times until his anger subsided. I wish this man would die! That stubborn thing shouldn't be left in the world! This demon shouldn't be alive!
He trampled Asherad with brutal violence again and again. Over and over again, with violence, as if to prove that he was in the upper hand.
The battle that took place in Asopos, the capital of the Kingdom of Thalassa, ended in about three days. The reinforcements of the Count of Locania and the soldiers of the Kingdom of Thalassa returned and defeated the combined forces of the Kingdom of Pindus and the Empire of Peneus. In the process, the King of Pindus was killed, and the Emperor of the Empire of Peneus was captured while wounded.
Daphne was in a daze in the room the palace had prepared for her. Her mind was filled with self-destructive desires. She could no longer think of herself as Olivia.
What good is changing your name? I was still Daphne after all. The image of Asherad dying kept repeating in Daphne's head.
However, she heard that he was somehow alive and receiving treatment. What if that was the case? Will he be able to survive? Daphne's heart began to burn with anxiety.
Meanwhile, Derek was watching. He almost, almost lost them both.
Their reunion should have been a touching one. But Daphne was crying, embracing the man, the Emperor, and in her room, lost in thought. Ian was no different. The boy was so shocked to have survived the battle that he spent the whole day crying in Daphne's arms, but he would also look for Asherad.
Why?
Derek was lost in thought. Wasn't Asherad the one who invaded by force to get Daphne? Of course, he knew Asherad had been shot in the back while protecting them.
What is that? Is it really worth going this far?
Derek couldn't do anything. All he could say was a muffled grumble of displeasure.
“Olivia. Don’t show yourself like this when the Count comes.”
“...”
“If you show that kind of attitude for that guy, the Count won’t let you off easy.”
Daphne didn't nod or shake her head when she heard that. She just held Ian, who was still sleeping, and stared at the floor with a sullen look in her eyes, like a corpse about to die. Derek felt his anger well up in him when he saw that.
“Olivia, what the hell are you doing right now?”
“...”
“You hated that kid, you wanted to run away!”
“Derek, Ian is awake.”
Derek took a deep breath at Daphne's words. It was suffocating. It was all over now. Daphne no longer had to fear Asherad coming. She didn't have to hide. She was free! Shouldn't she be smiling now? But why was she making that face?
“I barely saved your life once!”
Ian opened his eyes at Derek's voice. He looked at Derek and burst into tears. He felt like a bad guy. Derek left. Everything was a mess.
***
When Asherad opened his eyes, he was in a cold stone prison. It seemed that King Thalassa had personally opened the dungeon for his grandson.
Asherad forced himself to get up. His back, pierced by the cold stone arrows, ached. However, judging by the bandages that were neatly tied, it seemed that considerable effort had been put into the treatment. At that moment, the door opened.
“It looks good.”
Asherad raised his head with an indifferent expression. The King of Thalassa was there. He looked good. He was saying this after seeing his grandson, who almost went to the world of Ceres due to bleeding. When Asherad did not answer, the King of Thalassa spoke.
“The wound has been treated well.”
Asherad didn't do the stupid thing of taking it as a favor. It would have been more meaningful to execute him than to have him die in prison.
Asherad looked at King Thalassa. There was no warmth between them. The King treated Asherad with long-term words. He did not give him affection or warmth, even in words. He ignored the help he received in his childhood and wanted to live as if they were not related.
So he wanted to get his hands on the country of Asherad, and eventually won the war. Asherad finally opened his mouth.
“What a nice room, Grandpa.”
Asherad raised the corners of his mouth. Then the King's brow furrowed.
“You punk, you killed Kalista and still call me grandfather!”
“Let’s be honest with each other. It’s not like you particularly cared about that woman.”
“...”
“I know that Grandpa was trying to kill that woman.”
“What kind of baseless talk is that!”
“You must have received a large quantity of firearms from the Count of Locania, and... at least three duchies.”
That was exactly right.
“Congratulations, Grandpa. You won the war against your grandson.”
Asherad laughed heartily. He decided not to think about the misfortune that would befall him now, or the remaining Duke of Turbol.
“I tried to spare your life, but this kid... is so arrogant...”
Save my life? Why? Asherad tilted his head.
“Why? Are you doing this to kill me?”
Asherad was truly surprised. He spared his life. Was it because of blood ties? Of course not. There had to be something he wanted.
“You, marrying Thalassa’s daughter...”
Ah, of course, he burst out laughing.
“What family’s daughter is it this time? What does she look like?”
“...”
“Are you going to give Thalassa’s precious blood to a son of impurity who is not even of the Emperor’s blood?”
"Shut up!"
The King shouted. Asherad was not particularly good at understanding delicate emotions, but he knew the feelings of these people.
There is a man who always reigns over others and believes that he is a better person than others. If his daughter commits adultery, what will happen to the child of that adultery?
Asherad was a mistake. The mistake of Sabrina, the Empress of the empire and Princess of Thalassa.
“You are of royal blood until the end! That is all that matters!”
But that violent reaction alone taught him what was true: the act of ignoring Asherad while somehow trying to leave it as valuable.
Asherad felt like he was back home. The time he had spent living with a harmless woman and child seemed like a dream.
“The Count of Locania dared to insult my daughter! He slandered her to bring you down! You are of the Emperor’s blood! That wicked thing was not born of injustice!”
“Were you that angry that my mother had an affair with another man?”
The King shouted at those words, mixing in curses. Asherad looked at the man with cold eyes. This man probably didn’t particularly love his daughter. However, he probably wanted to hide the fact that his daughter, who had been sold to a foreign country, had committed adultery. Sabrina was his first daughter, and she should have been a noble and proud daughter who had married into the best family.
“How did you know?”
It was pure curiosity. How could Asherad know about his mother's infidelity? They must not have been close friends. The king grabbed Asherad by the collar.
“How did you know? Because that crazy bitch blew it with her own mouth!”
“...”
“When I went to find her, she was another man’s child! Belenus, he asked if I was okay with selling her to that man! The eldest Princess! How dirty!”
King Thalassa glared at Asherad as if he were going to kill him. Count Locania wants to deny Asherad's bloodline, and King Thalassa thinks it is 'his mistake'. Therefore, he tries to save him at all costs.
“Do you understand? Do as I say, you filthy bastard.”
“...”
“Have your children. That is your way of living.”
The King beat Asherad. His tattered back hit the hard floor, and a sharp pain shot up. He crouched in pain, but King Thalassa came out regardless. When the pain stopped, Asherad burst into laughter.
“Haha, hahahaha!”
He thought he was living in a strange place. This was natural. His dead mother and he were all in hell. And this hell was his hometown.
Why did I become the Emperor? He thought of the heaven where he had stayed for a moment in a cold and dark place. The eyes of a woman smiling brightly, Ian's hair as soft as gold. Asherad smiled.
He will no longer be the Emperor. He will be dethroned. That was his life's goal, and he wanted to get it back because he didn't know how to live any other way. But he has no regrets anymore.
Asherad stared blankly at the sky. At that moment, the iron door creaked open again. Asherad frowned as he watched the person coming in.
It was Fabian. The red-haired man was looking at Asherad with a cold, hard expression. Asherad looked closely and saw that it wasn't Fabian.
“I thought the dead had come back to life.”
Then the man came and grabbed Asherad by the collar. Asherad stared at the man. Was he trying to take out his anger on his brother?
“What the hell did you do to Olivia?”
“Ah, Olivia...”
He looked at the red-haired man's face.
“You are Derek.”
The voice became ominous. It was clearly a man destined for death, but it conveyed a vivid sense of life like the eyes of a wild beast.
“What on earth did you do to Olivia, and what tricks did you put into her?”
“Why Daphne?”
“Because of you, she can’t sleep properly or eat properly!”
Asherad chuckled. Another joy appeared in his eyes.
“It’s not my fault, Derek.”
“Where are you trying to hide it? You deliberately targeted the place where Olivia is!!”
Oh, what sweet news. But it was funny. Daphne and this guy both seemed to think of themselves as such. They indeed did such things.
“Well, I wonder how it was.”
"...you!"
“Did I find out where that kid is and go there on purpose? And then brainwash her countless times into thinking she can’t live without me?”
Asherad smiled brightly with a clean face. When Derek didn't speak, Askerad continued to ask.
“Did Daphne do that?”
Derek flinched at the question.
“Derek, that woman will never do that to me again. She never gave me a single shred of affection.”
At those words, Derek looked down at Asherad. The Emperor's face was as beautiful as a demon's, and his speech was cunning. Derek knew that. He killed Fabian out of jealousy.
“It looks like you came here to vent your anger.”
“...”
“Because that woman isn’t doing what you want. I’m going to ask her.”
Asherad was still whispering softly. That's right. Venting. Derek had come to laugh at Asherad's pitiful words while he was captured. He wanted to show off his superiority outside the prison. Asherad saw through that base desire and began to wag his snake-like tongue.
“How did your brother die...”
Bam! Derek swung his fist without holding back. The punch wasn't the end. He kicked several times until his anger subsided. I wish this man would die! That stubborn thing shouldn't be left in the world! This demon shouldn't be alive!
He trampled Asherad with brutal violence again and again. Over and over again, with violence, as if to prove that he was in the upper hand.
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