#137. Returning the favor
It was three days after everything was settled that the Count of Locania arrived at the mainland of the Kingdom of Thalassa. Derek's army and the Thalassa army had won a great victory. Before Asherad fell, they were evenly matched, but without a general, they quickly collapsed. In the end, his revenge was victorious!
How thrilling it was! He wanted to spend days drinking and with women, but he had to complete his revenge. But even that was such a headache.
King Thalassa, with whom he had formed a temporary alliance, was running wild, insisting that Asherad be saved and that his bloodline be acknowledged. But that would only make Count Locania a vassal.
When he was told that he would give him the land, he laughed, and when he accepted it, she said, "Is this because he is your grandson?" Well, he knows that, too. It must be because he doesn't want to admit to his daughter's infidelity.
The deceased Empress Sabrina is the eldest daughter of King Thalassa. If the eldest daughter had an affair with another man, it would be a shameful thing for him to be unable to raise his head.
The Count of Locania entered Asopos. The country, which had almost fallen, was in an uproar celebrating its victory in the war. He covered his head. The negotiations with King Thalassa, that cowardly old man in the back room, had to be concluded.
Daphne went down to the dungeon. No one stopped her. Asherad was sleeping quietly, and only the swaying sunlight showed the shadows on his face, which was so swollen that it was unrecognizable.
Was he being tortured? Or was he just being brutally beaten? Of course, others had suffered this level of violence. Asherad was paying for his sins. And yet, she couldn't stand feeling sorry for him.
A few hours ago, shr heard that Count Locania had arrived.
What she had asked Derek had failed. Derek would never see Daphne again. Now, Asherad would pay for his sins. In the end, revenge was something she could not do on her own, and she felt helpless as she followed the big picture of 'Revenge for Count Locania'.
She wanted to go into the prison, but was refused. Daphne came up to the surface weakly and entered the room where Ian was sleeping. Ian, who was staring blankly at the window, said.
"Mom."
"Hmm?"
“Dad, when will he die?”
Ian bit his lip. Ian, whose parents had once meant the world to him, seemed to realize that they were helpless. His mother wrapped her arms around her son's head as he spoke with his lips, not saying a word to save him.
“Ian, I’m sorry.”
I feel so sorry for you. Daphne burst into tears. You, too, will be raised without a father, just like me. Neither of you was a proper father, and when you tried to be attached to them, you lost both of them.
In this tragedy, she was a helpless person. Then there was a knock on the door. When she opened the door, a man came in.
He was the Count of Locania.
With victory on his back, he seemed like a true Emperor. He stroked his reddish-brown beard with his hand and lifted his hand to make Daphne and Ian sit down as they tried to get up.
“I heard that you were caught.”
"Yes."
“I guess that guy saw his real father.”
Ian hid behind Daphne and saw the Count of Locania. He recognized the Count. It was the man that his mother had been afraid of, and the man that Derek had been afraid of. The Count narrowed his eyes and said.
“Still, you seem pretty sad because he's your dad?”
“Absolutely not!”
Daphne stood up, blocking the view between her and Ian. As her lips quivered, the Count of Locania glared at her with a sharp expression.
Could it be that Derek had told Count Locania about her change of heart? She didn't mind being hurt by that man's anger. But she couldn't let the sparks fly to Ian...
“Why, when you actually see him, your heart doesn’t feel good?”
“...”
"You..."
“Count, please! Not in front of Ian!”
Daphne shouted, covering Ian's ears. The Count snapped his fingers, and the knights came and took Ian away. When she was startled and tried to stop him, he said,
“Don’t worry. I’ll make him have some tea in the next room.”
Count Locania had an inscrutable face. He acted generously, as if he would do anything for Daphne.
“Daphne. You. Now, shouldn’t you repay me?”
"Yes?"
“Didn’t you promise me that you would do anything to repay the favor?”
Daphne flinched at those words. Could it be? Could this man also want to have her body? She knew it. This man likes women.
“That’s not it. I’m tired of arguing with the girls I have now.”
“...”
“It’s very simple. Son. Give me your son.”
Daphne's eyes widened at those words. Ian? Why Ian?
“I thought about it, and this complicated problem could be solved if there were a bloodline to succeed Asherad.”
“What is that...”
King Thalassa's stance was firm. He was different when he went to the bathroom, and when he came back, he was shameless. It seemed that he was so offended by the issue of bloodline. He shouted that his daughter would not commit such an injustice, and said that he would take Emperor Askelad for his education.
The intention was obvious. It seemed as if he was giving the Count of Locania full authority over the empire, but when a successor was born, he would use that as an excuse to interfere in internal affairs.
However, there was something King Thalassa did not know. That was the fact that the son of Asherad was alive! What would happen if Count Locania made Ian the Emperor? As he said, he would acknowledge the 'bloodline of Asherad'. That would be a perfect excuse. The 'seed of Asherad' would no longer be needed. Furthermore, the suspicion of the scribe would be cleared. He would be making the son of the poor woman who had been trampled by the tyranny of the Emperor Asherad, and the tyrant's hand would be made the Emperor.
The regent will naturally be the Count of Locania. Daphne and Ian have no choice but to follow. In addition, the hidden Duke of Turbol will also be loyal if he is the 'son of Asherad'.
“If you want to repay the favor, give me your child.”
“...”
“I kept you alive on purpose, so you should do that much for me, right?”
Daphne's eyes widened at these words. She said she would do anything, but only for herself. However, the Count, who was so smart, had made her escape and kept Asherad's son alive because of this calculation.
I see, this helps. I should have thought of being used. She was grateful for the help she received from Count Locania, but she didn't know it would come at such a painful price.
“No.”
“...”
“Ian, please, no.”
“Didn’t you say you’d do anything? This is a good opportunity for your child, too.”
“I... don’t like it!”
Daphne cried out. But Count Locania had left. Daphne remembered that the knight had taken Ian away.
“Wait, Ian! Ian!”
“...”
“Ian, where are you, Ian!”
No one answered. Daphne's face turned pale. She opened her eyes, and Ian was taken away. She walked around the castle calling Ian's name, but was stopped by the knights. Finally, she ran to Derek's room.
"Derek!"
She screamed his name. Derek looked back with a cold expression.
“Your father took Ian!”
Derek's eyes narrowed at the word 'father.'
"Why?"
“Put Ian on the throne... as a puppet!”
“...”
“Did your father want this? To use Ian...!”
She grabbed Derek as if she were hanging on.
“Derek, no, Ian is a kid. We can’t leave him in a place like that.”
“...”
“Please, I beg you, please!”
Ian's ending was obvious. Daphne and Ian would break up. Count Locania would not let them get close. To effectively control Ian, he would have to work hard for the sake of his 'mother'. Isn't that the way the nobles work?
“Ian... is going to live in hell...”
She looked up at Derek with tearful eyes. However, Derek's expression was devoid of warmth. At least the one who thought he could be angry with her spoke quietly.
"So?"
“...”
“Daphne, so what? What does that have to do with me?”
She looked like she had been hit in the head.
“You already chose that bastard to be his father.”
“...”
“Why should I choose Ian?”
At those words, she came to her senses. Yes, Derek had no obligation to help. She had taken it for granted that he had only helped her so far.
Derek believed him when he said he was a father. But she didn't know that their relationship would end right away when Daphne said no.
She thought so shamelessly.
The end of this war was not her liberation. It was her loss. She was used for uncontrollable revenge, and even her son was lost.
Daphne was in despair.
She was helpless. So helpless. That's why she never had any decision-making power. She needed strength, strength. She was weak, but she wanted to survive, so she ended up like this.
To make any choice, you had to have authority; to survive, you had to have strength. Her eyes turned bloodshot. There was no sign of weakness anywhere, only an angry human being.
It was three days after everything was settled that the Count of Locania arrived at the mainland of the Kingdom of Thalassa. Derek's army and the Thalassa army had won a great victory. Before Asherad fell, they were evenly matched, but without a general, they quickly collapsed. In the end, his revenge was victorious!
How thrilling it was! He wanted to spend days drinking and with women, but he had to complete his revenge. But even that was such a headache.
King Thalassa, with whom he had formed a temporary alliance, was running wild, insisting that Asherad be saved and that his bloodline be acknowledged. But that would only make Count Locania a vassal.
When he was told that he would give him the land, he laughed, and when he accepted it, she said, "Is this because he is your grandson?" Well, he knows that, too. It must be because he doesn't want to admit to his daughter's infidelity.
The deceased Empress Sabrina is the eldest daughter of King Thalassa. If the eldest daughter had an affair with another man, it would be a shameful thing for him to be unable to raise his head.
The Count of Locania entered Asopos. The country, which had almost fallen, was in an uproar celebrating its victory in the war. He covered his head. The negotiations with King Thalassa, that cowardly old man in the back room, had to be concluded.
***
Daphne went down to the dungeon. No one stopped her. Asherad was sleeping quietly, and only the swaying sunlight showed the shadows on his face, which was so swollen that it was unrecognizable.
Was he being tortured? Or was he just being brutally beaten? Of course, others had suffered this level of violence. Asherad was paying for his sins. And yet, she couldn't stand feeling sorry for him.
A few hours ago, shr heard that Count Locania had arrived.
What she had asked Derek had failed. Derek would never see Daphne again. Now, Asherad would pay for his sins. In the end, revenge was something she could not do on her own, and she felt helpless as she followed the big picture of 'Revenge for Count Locania'.
She wanted to go into the prison, but was refused. Daphne came up to the surface weakly and entered the room where Ian was sleeping. Ian, who was staring blankly at the window, said.
"Mom."
"Hmm?"
“Dad, when will he die?”
Ian bit his lip. Ian, whose parents had once meant the world to him, seemed to realize that they were helpless. His mother wrapped her arms around her son's head as he spoke with his lips, not saying a word to save him.
“Ian, I’m sorry.”
I feel so sorry for you. Daphne burst into tears. You, too, will be raised without a father, just like me. Neither of you was a proper father, and when you tried to be attached to them, you lost both of them.
In this tragedy, she was a helpless person. Then there was a knock on the door. When she opened the door, a man came in.
He was the Count of Locania.
With victory on his back, he seemed like a true Emperor. He stroked his reddish-brown beard with his hand and lifted his hand to make Daphne and Ian sit down as they tried to get up.
“I heard that you were caught.”
"Yes."
“I guess that guy saw his real father.”
Ian hid behind Daphne and saw the Count of Locania. He recognized the Count. It was the man that his mother had been afraid of, and the man that Derek had been afraid of. The Count narrowed his eyes and said.
“Still, you seem pretty sad because he's your dad?”
“Absolutely not!”
Daphne stood up, blocking the view between her and Ian. As her lips quivered, the Count of Locania glared at her with a sharp expression.
Could it be that Derek had told Count Locania about her change of heart? She didn't mind being hurt by that man's anger. But she couldn't let the sparks fly to Ian...
“Why, when you actually see him, your heart doesn’t feel good?”
“...”
"You..."
“Count, please! Not in front of Ian!”
Daphne shouted, covering Ian's ears. The Count snapped his fingers, and the knights came and took Ian away. When she was startled and tried to stop him, he said,
“Don’t worry. I’ll make him have some tea in the next room.”
Count Locania had an inscrutable face. He acted generously, as if he would do anything for Daphne.
“Daphne. You. Now, shouldn’t you repay me?”
"Yes?"
“Didn’t you promise me that you would do anything to repay the favor?”
Daphne flinched at those words. Could it be? Could this man also want to have her body? She knew it. This man likes women.
“That’s not it. I’m tired of arguing with the girls I have now.”
“...”
“It’s very simple. Son. Give me your son.”
Daphne's eyes widened at those words. Ian? Why Ian?
“I thought about it, and this complicated problem could be solved if there were a bloodline to succeed Asherad.”
“What is that...”
King Thalassa's stance was firm. He was different when he went to the bathroom, and when he came back, he was shameless. It seemed that he was so offended by the issue of bloodline. He shouted that his daughter would not commit such an injustice, and said that he would take Emperor Askelad for his education.
The intention was obvious. It seemed as if he was giving the Count of Locania full authority over the empire, but when a successor was born, he would use that as an excuse to interfere in internal affairs.
However, there was something King Thalassa did not know. That was the fact that the son of Asherad was alive! What would happen if Count Locania made Ian the Emperor? As he said, he would acknowledge the 'bloodline of Asherad'. That would be a perfect excuse. The 'seed of Asherad' would no longer be needed. Furthermore, the suspicion of the scribe would be cleared. He would be making the son of the poor woman who had been trampled by the tyranny of the Emperor Asherad, and the tyrant's hand would be made the Emperor.
The regent will naturally be the Count of Locania. Daphne and Ian have no choice but to follow. In addition, the hidden Duke of Turbol will also be loyal if he is the 'son of Asherad'.
“If you want to repay the favor, give me your child.”
“...”
“I kept you alive on purpose, so you should do that much for me, right?”
Daphne's eyes widened at these words. She said she would do anything, but only for herself. However, the Count, who was so smart, had made her escape and kept Asherad's son alive because of this calculation.
I see, this helps. I should have thought of being used. She was grateful for the help she received from Count Locania, but she didn't know it would come at such a painful price.
“No.”
“...”
“Ian, please, no.”
“Didn’t you say you’d do anything? This is a good opportunity for your child, too.”
“I... don’t like it!”
Daphne cried out. But Count Locania had left. Daphne remembered that the knight had taken Ian away.
“Wait, Ian! Ian!”
“...”
“Ian, where are you, Ian!”
No one answered. Daphne's face turned pale. She opened her eyes, and Ian was taken away. She walked around the castle calling Ian's name, but was stopped by the knights. Finally, she ran to Derek's room.
"Derek!"
She screamed his name. Derek looked back with a cold expression.
“Your father took Ian!”
Derek's eyes narrowed at the word 'father.'
"Why?"
“Put Ian on the throne... as a puppet!”
“...”
“Did your father want this? To use Ian...!”
She grabbed Derek as if she were hanging on.
“Derek, no, Ian is a kid. We can’t leave him in a place like that.”
“...”
“Please, I beg you, please!”
Ian's ending was obvious. Daphne and Ian would break up. Count Locania would not let them get close. To effectively control Ian, he would have to work hard for the sake of his 'mother'. Isn't that the way the nobles work?
“Ian... is going to live in hell...”
She looked up at Derek with tearful eyes. However, Derek's expression was devoid of warmth. At least the one who thought he could be angry with her spoke quietly.
"So?"
“...”
“Daphne, so what? What does that have to do with me?”
She looked like she had been hit in the head.
“You already chose that bastard to be his father.”
“...”
“Why should I choose Ian?”
At those words, she came to her senses. Yes, Derek had no obligation to help. She had taken it for granted that he had only helped her so far.
Derek believed him when he said he was a father. But she didn't know that their relationship would end right away when Daphne said no.
She thought so shamelessly.
The end of this war was not her liberation. It was her loss. She was used for uncontrollable revenge, and even her son was lost.
Daphne was in despair.
She was helpless. So helpless. That's why she never had any decision-making power. She needed strength, strength. She was weak, but she wanted to survive, so she ended up like this.
To make any choice, you had to have authority; to survive, you had to have strength. Her eyes turned bloodshot. There was no sign of weakness anywhere, only an angry human being.
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