#138. Tree
Derek looked out the window. It was raining. Maybe it was because of the sticky, humid air. A feeling of discomfort crept up his body. The straight lines of raindrops on the window seemed to prick him. His head hurt. His angry face slowly relaxed. A terrible sense of self-reproach came over him.
He was furious at Daphne's betrayal. It was a betrayal. He thought they had feelings for each other. A woman who must have loved her enemy and begged for his life. Where is this miserable betrayal?
However, his heart ached when he thought of that one child.
Ian.
The Count of Locania had taken Ian. He must have intended to use the child. Derek knew his father, the Count of Locania, well. He seemed to be kind and generous to people, but he also had a sinister side. For example, he had never allowed any capable illegitimate children into his castle. He even turned a blind eye to the Countess’s restraint at times.
Why would he run away from home? It was because of Count Locania, who seemed to love his children but watched them suffer.
It's ridiculous to start a war just because his son's life was taken away.
Derek thought of Ian. The boy's eyes had lost their vitality after seeing the horrors of the battlefield.
Derek admitted that he had been selfish. If it had been Fabian, he would not have done that. He would have certainly saved Ian without hesitation. Whether Daphne loved Asherad or not.
Only then did he see what he had to do. He bit his lip. First, he went to see Daphne, whom he had ignored. Daphne had entered the royal palace of Thalassa as the 'concubine of Count Locania.'
Fortunately, the people of the palace didn't really care about Daphne's presence. If they knew that she was carrying Asherad's child, they wouldn't let it go. In any case, Derek realized that he had to take care of Daphne.
Daphne is weak. He is powerless. He must be confident. He knocked on the door. Daphne did not answer. He knocked again, but there was no answer, so Derek finally pushed the door open. The unlocked door opened easily.
“Olivia, it’s me.”
“...”
“Olivia, I’m going in.”
Could she be asleep? Surely, she wasn’t thinking bad thoughts? He frowned as he took a step into the room. At first, he thought there was a human-sized doll standing there. The narrow room was dark because the curtains were drawn. However, there was just one ray of light that could be seen inside. Daphne was standing in the middle of it all, looking at the ray of light through the window and the curtains. He didn’t know why she was looking at the very small amount of light that was coming in.
Was she hoping to be happy just by seeing that light, or was she just out of her mind after losing her child? Other than blinking, she didn't move at all.
"Daphne."
He called out the name that he was completely unfamiliar with. Then Daphne turned her head. Derek sighed as he looked at her face, which had become haggard over the past few days.
“I’m sorry. I was angry.”
“...”
“I'll try.”
He spoke as if he were making excuses. However, he also knew. He was still dissatisfied with Daphne’s love for Asherad, and what moved him was a bit of affection and sympathy for Ian.
How nice it would be if this foolish woman would look at him, if she would kiss his feet and tell him she was wrong. He thought that maybe Daphne would look at him.
"Daphne..."
Derek reached out to Daphne, but she looked at his hand and spoke coldly.
“Please take that hand off me.”
It was a strong rejection. He flinched. Was she angry? At him? But Derek was also holding back. He didn't know what Daphne was thinking until that moment.
“I was wrong.”
At Daphne's words, he thought they could now resolve their misunderstandings. However, what Daphne said next was unexpected.
“I was cruel to you. Revealing that I had feelings for that person meant giving up on getting your help.”
The toneless voice made him cringe even more, Derek said.
"I..."
“But you are Ian’s father.”
“...”
“I thought you would think about him at least a little bit. No matter what I look like.”
“...”
“That must have been the difference.”
At that, his heart sank. He knew the difference without even having to be told.
Yes. Depending on his anger, he either acts as a father or not. It's a matter of choice whether or not he lives as a father. A real father wouldn't decide whether or not to be a 'father' based on his emotions. Just like his father. Derek felt embarrassed for a moment and tried to apologize. However, Daphne said.
“I don’t need your help anymore.”
“...”
“I’ll take care of it. I will.”
There was anger in that frail voice. The Daphne he knew was always fragile, as if she would break if you hugged her too tightly. He also thought of her as a flower that could not survive without someone’s help.
But Daphne broke out of the egg and decided not to ask for help anymore. Daphne was a tree, not a flower.
King Thalassa looked at Asherad. He was still in the dungeon. He was groaning from his wounds. Asherad looked like he was dying. However, the King did not particularly care. He had no feelings for his grandson, no matter what he looked like.
“Tsk tsk.”
He clicked his tongue when he saw what happened to Asherad. It was a clear sign of violence. The attendant went in and wiped Asherad's face, who was lying helplessly. The bloody face was now somewhat more worthwhile to look at.
“That son of that scoundrel Count made you like this.”
“...”
As the dry towel wiped his face, his skin stung. Asherad woke up, squirming. He could tell who was speaking from beyond his subconscious.
“Really, that’s too bad. What am I going to say to that kid?”
Only then did Asherad understand what the man had said. He was sorry; he was just talking nonsense. He seemed to be taking issue with Derek’s violence, but who would have controlled his access? It was King Thalassa. He seemed to be trying to use carrots and sticks. Asherad had been Emperor once, and he had done this many times. His mind was gradually clearing.
“So, have you made a decision?”
“...”
“If you have decided, I will get you out of prison right now. The woman who will be your bride will treat you very well.”
Asherad got up from his seat, supported by his servant. If he just nodded here, King Thalassa would lead him to the house of the woman he had assigned. In this country's customs that valued chastity, he would force himself to have sex with that woman right away, with his tattered body like a rag. It was the beginning of his life as a stallion.
“How is she? Will she have a good baby?”
"I've got it covered with my sturdy teeth. Don't worry."
Derek looked out the window. It was raining. Maybe it was because of the sticky, humid air. A feeling of discomfort crept up his body. The straight lines of raindrops on the window seemed to prick him. His head hurt. His angry face slowly relaxed. A terrible sense of self-reproach came over him.
He was furious at Daphne's betrayal. It was a betrayal. He thought they had feelings for each other. A woman who must have loved her enemy and begged for his life. Where is this miserable betrayal?
However, his heart ached when he thought of that one child.
Ian.
The Count of Locania had taken Ian. He must have intended to use the child. Derek knew his father, the Count of Locania, well. He seemed to be kind and generous to people, but he also had a sinister side. For example, he had never allowed any capable illegitimate children into his castle. He even turned a blind eye to the Countess’s restraint at times.
Why would he run away from home? It was because of Count Locania, who seemed to love his children but watched them suffer.
It's ridiculous to start a war just because his son's life was taken away.
Derek thought of Ian. The boy's eyes had lost their vitality after seeing the horrors of the battlefield.
Derek admitted that he had been selfish. If it had been Fabian, he would not have done that. He would have certainly saved Ian without hesitation. Whether Daphne loved Asherad or not.
Only then did he see what he had to do. He bit his lip. First, he went to see Daphne, whom he had ignored. Daphne had entered the royal palace of Thalassa as the 'concubine of Count Locania.'
Fortunately, the people of the palace didn't really care about Daphne's presence. If they knew that she was carrying Asherad's child, they wouldn't let it go. In any case, Derek realized that he had to take care of Daphne.
Daphne is weak. He is powerless. He must be confident. He knocked on the door. Daphne did not answer. He knocked again, but there was no answer, so Derek finally pushed the door open. The unlocked door opened easily.
“Olivia, it’s me.”
“...”
“Olivia, I’m going in.”
Could she be asleep? Surely, she wasn’t thinking bad thoughts? He frowned as he took a step into the room. At first, he thought there was a human-sized doll standing there. The narrow room was dark because the curtains were drawn. However, there was just one ray of light that could be seen inside. Daphne was standing in the middle of it all, looking at the ray of light through the window and the curtains. He didn’t know why she was looking at the very small amount of light that was coming in.
Was she hoping to be happy just by seeing that light, or was she just out of her mind after losing her child? Other than blinking, she didn't move at all.
"Daphne."
He called out the name that he was completely unfamiliar with. Then Daphne turned her head. Derek sighed as he looked at her face, which had become haggard over the past few days.
“I’m sorry. I was angry.”
“...”
“I'll try.”
He spoke as if he were making excuses. However, he also knew. He was still dissatisfied with Daphne’s love for Asherad, and what moved him was a bit of affection and sympathy for Ian.
How nice it would be if this foolish woman would look at him, if she would kiss his feet and tell him she was wrong. He thought that maybe Daphne would look at him.
"Daphne..."
Derek reached out to Daphne, but she looked at his hand and spoke coldly.
“Please take that hand off me.”
It was a strong rejection. He flinched. Was she angry? At him? But Derek was also holding back. He didn't know what Daphne was thinking until that moment.
“I was wrong.”
At Daphne's words, he thought they could now resolve their misunderstandings. However, what Daphne said next was unexpected.
“I was cruel to you. Revealing that I had feelings for that person meant giving up on getting your help.”
The toneless voice made him cringe even more, Derek said.
"I..."
“But you are Ian’s father.”
“...”
“I thought you would think about him at least a little bit. No matter what I look like.”
“...”
“That must have been the difference.”
At that, his heart sank. He knew the difference without even having to be told.
Yes. Depending on his anger, he either acts as a father or not. It's a matter of choice whether or not he lives as a father. A real father wouldn't decide whether or not to be a 'father' based on his emotions. Just like his father. Derek felt embarrassed for a moment and tried to apologize. However, Daphne said.
“I don’t need your help anymore.”
“...”
“I’ll take care of it. I will.”
There was anger in that frail voice. The Daphne he knew was always fragile, as if she would break if you hugged her too tightly. He also thought of her as a flower that could not survive without someone’s help.
But Daphne broke out of the egg and decided not to ask for help anymore. Daphne was a tree, not a flower.
***
King Thalassa looked at Asherad. He was still in the dungeon. He was groaning from his wounds. Asherad looked like he was dying. However, the King did not particularly care. He had no feelings for his grandson, no matter what he looked like.
“Tsk tsk.”
He clicked his tongue when he saw what happened to Asherad. It was a clear sign of violence. The attendant went in and wiped Asherad's face, who was lying helplessly. The bloody face was now somewhat more worthwhile to look at.
“That son of that scoundrel Count made you like this.”
“...”
As the dry towel wiped his face, his skin stung. Asherad woke up, squirming. He could tell who was speaking from beyond his subconscious.
“Really, that’s too bad. What am I going to say to that kid?”
Only then did Asherad understand what the man had said. He was sorry; he was just talking nonsense. He seemed to be taking issue with Derek’s violence, but who would have controlled his access? It was King Thalassa. He seemed to be trying to use carrots and sticks. Asherad had been Emperor once, and he had done this many times. His mind was gradually clearing.
“So, have you made a decision?”
“...”
“If you have decided, I will get you out of prison right now. The woman who will be your bride will treat you very well.”
Asherad got up from his seat, supported by his servant. If he just nodded here, King Thalassa would lead him to the house of the woman he had assigned. In this country's customs that valued chastity, he would force himself to have sex with that woman right away, with his tattered body like a rag. It was the beginning of his life as a stallion.
“How is she? Will she have a good baby?”
"I've got it covered with my sturdy teeth. Don't worry."
The woman he was going to register as his daughter was nothing more than a mare. He laughed.
“Since I don’t have any children anyway, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a child now.”
“Yeah, that’s right!”
King Thalassa was excited. However, Asherad narrowed his eyes. If Daphne came here, she must be staying in the palace. This man does not know about Ian and Daphne. Asherad said after looking around for a while and seeing someone so excited.
“I refuse.”
“...”
“I have already cut ties with the Kingdom of Thalassa. I will keep my word.”
“You, you! If this keeps up, what will happen to you?”
“There is someone else who can save me, Grandfather. It is not you.”
Asherad smiled at the ugly old man. Asherad leaned helplessly against the cold stone wall.
“If you try to force me to have sex with that woman, I will bite my tongue and die at that moment.”
“This son of a bitch...”
“Before that, I will admit that I was born illegitimately.”
“...”
“And if you don’t know, how could I not have children?”
"what?!"
“The Duke of Turbol is under protection.”
“This is fucking shit!”
Asherad laughed heartily. Now, the kingdom of Thalassa would abandon Asherad. But that was okay. He didn't care what his fate would be. It wasn't bad to wait for the end.
“Are you kidding me? How dare you!”
The King of Thalassa ordered his servant to kick him again. Asherad was tied up. Now the King of Thalassa must be thinking a lot.
Whether to rely on Duke Turbol to strengthen Asherad's bloodline, or to admit his daughter's infidelity and abandon Asherad and his bloodline. It doesn't matter. Asherad smiled with a hazy face.
Now, nothing mattered. It didn't matter if I died like this. But... maybe.
Asherad smiled softly. The King cursed Asherad and left. Not long after, another visitor came to the dungeon. Asherad smiled at the visitor. It was the Count of Locania.
“This son of a bitch.”
“...”
“You will be executed in Peneus.”
“Has King Thalassa decided to let me go?”
“Yes. You poor thing, abandoned even by your maternal grandfather.”
I know it's not because I feel so sorry. Asherad nodded. Things were going well. The only certain thing was that King Thalassa was weak in gathering information and had missed the most important piece of information that was right next to him.
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