#141. You are my dog
Asherad looked at the cold stone wall.
“Daphne, this is Peneus’ torture chamber. You’ve come this far alive.”
At Asherad's words, Daphne looked around the prison with a blank expression. The one who always looked down was Asherad. He looked at Daphne from afar as if he was stepping on an ant and toyed with fate. But now, things were different. Asherad looked at Daphne's clothes. It was incomparably more splendid than when she used to live as a commoner.
“Your clothes are really pretty, Daphne. They’re much better.”
“...”
“What about Ian?”
Daphne answered those words.
“Ian, have a good day.”
Asherad looked at the cold stone wall.
“Daphne, this is Peneus’ torture chamber. You’ve come this far alive.”
At Asherad's words, Daphne looked around the prison with a blank expression. The one who always looked down was Asherad. He looked at Daphne from afar as if he was stepping on an ant and toyed with fate. But now, things were different. Asherad looked at Daphne's clothes. It was incomparably more splendid than when she used to live as a commoner.
“Your clothes are really pretty, Daphne. They’re much better.”
“...”
“What about Ian?”
Daphne answered those words.
“Ian, have a good day.”
“Really? Then where is he?”
Asherad, who had been asking, suddenly frowned as if he had realized something and looked at Daphne. He let out a hollow laugh.
“I see you have become the Emperor.”
As expected, he was quick to judge the situation. Daphne didn't say anything. It was an attitude he had already expected. The smile disappeared from Asherad's face. Was he waiting for this moment? don't know. But now, he was glad that she didn't have to worry about anything anymore.
“This time, you decided to become the dog of Count Locania? Daphne.”
Daphne spoke softly in that gentle voice.
“If it worked once, why can’t it work twice?”
Daphne knelt down and met Asherad's eyes. The bruises on his face, which had been scarred by the treatment, had long since disappeared. Looking at his face, which was only a bruise, Daphne wondered why they had come all the way here.
Daphne looked at Asherad, who was gritting his teeth and glaring at her. It was only natural for him to make such an expression. His eyes were red. He had handed over the throne he had been guarding so desperately to a woman who knew nothing about it. To a woman who treated him like a dog. Where could such a deception be possible?
“Count Locania, that son of a bitch...”
Daphne looked at his face. For some reason, Asherad's face was strange as he spat out curses.
***
“What is going on!”
Derek shouted. Count Locania sighed as he was suddenly awakened by a guest.
“Let’s get some rest. It’s been a while since I’ve been home.”
“Do you think this, this, makes sense right now?!”
“Why doesn’t that make sense?”
Count Locania woke up and yawned. Derek said to him.
“Ollie... Daphne is the Emperor? She’s just... just too...”
“Why, is it too equal?”
He chuckled. Count Locania lowered his face.
“What do you mean it didn’t work out? Even though I’m not as good as Asherad, I did receive the Emperor’s education.”
“...”
“The girl that Belenus had gnashed his teeth against has ascended to the throne, and Asherad has also lost his throne to the woman he treated like a dog. Where can you find such perfect revenge? I have now completed my revenge.”
As Derek's momentum continued to show no sign of abating, the Count lowered his voice and spoke.
“She said she would become Emperor herself.”
“It’s because of Ian! Even if the Count hadn’t done that!”
“Yeah, it must be because of the kid. But is that all?”
"What!"
“That child has never taken revenge on her own. Everything was done under my hands.”
“...”
“I just gave her the power to take revenge.”
His voice was locked. Derek ground his teeth.
“So, she's saying you crawled back into that hellish palace now? Just for that reason?”
The daily life at the Dens Port was peaceful. She could go back. But, she gave it up? Daphne certainly looked happy. But, why on earth?!
“Derek, no one is free from their past.”
He reached out to the water the servant had brought and washed his face elegantly. His face, wiped with a damp towel, looked even older. The Count looked tired.
“Why did you take care of the woman who mixed flesh and blood with your enemy in the first place? Wasn’t it because of Fabian? Why did you turn that bastard’s face into a mess, Asherad?”
“...”
“She also chose to be stuck in the past. You have no right to stop that, Derek.”
Derek thought to himself of the cold words. Is it not possible to escape from the past? Then, would Daphne and Asherad continue to look at each other? Even if the hatred remains, under the pretext of revenge, for the rest of their lives? Derek closed his eyes.
***
A new Emperor had ascended to the throne. Since most of the nobles already followed the Count of Locania, the opposing nobles could not question the legitimacy of the new Emperor. Even the legitimacy of Emperor Asherad itself was already shaken. The poor Empress had committed adultery with the Duke of Turbol, and all the maids brought by the Count of Locania testified to it.
Yes, even when Asherad was the ill-fated Prince, Duke Turbol was always visiting the Empress's chambers. Those who knew the Empress when she was alive also know how close she was to Duke Turbol.
It may be fabricated evidence. But would there be a nobleman so bold as to deny the evidence brought by Count Locania? In the end, the civil war was successful, and Asherad was brought down.
His anger was justified, and he singled out 'the seductress Beatrice' as the victim of a foolish Emperor and Empress.
Beatrice was poisoned by the Empress. This was also a fact that the Emperor's entourage knew. Could it not have been possible for such an Empress to have manipulated Daphne's birth? The Emperor cherished Daphne until she was ten years old, and neglected Asherad. What if he cherished her because she was the daughter of his beloved concubine, and it was due to the attraction of blood?
No, Emperor Belenus may have known this while he was alive. Strangely enough, he kept Asherad at a distance. Therefore, no one doubted Daphne's birth. Even if they did, they did not say anything.
It was also impossible to tell who was the offspring of whom, such as by mixing each other's blood in warm water, through superstitious means. How could one tell the difference, when the corpse of the late Emperor Belenus had already long since rotted?
Even the priest of Ceres, the goddess of death, shook his head, saying he could not tell.
It was a scandal of bloodlines. The very foundation of the throne was shaken. However, the funny thing was that the child the Emperor brought to the throne was the one who realized it when he saw the child's face.
Son of Asherad.
The remaining entourage of Asherad knew all too well how obsessed Asherad had been with Daphne. Just as the late Emperor had been with Beatrice, he was so obsessed that he didn't know what to do.
In the end, they had a child!
Even if Daphne's legitimacy is questioned, her son will succeed her as Emperor. Can a fully grown Prince leave alone those who question his mother's legitimacy?
On the other hand, those who support Daphne and Count Locania will have no problem raising their voices about Asherad's disposition. The child will not care what happens to his father.
A man and a woman who each claim to be of the Emperor's blood. A child born between them.
A relationship that is immoral, but not immoral.
It was a truly dirty relationship. Because of that, it also served as a perfect defense shield. The nobles were muttering. It was because Daphne, who they thought was the doll of Count Locania, had suddenly summoned the nobles.
No one would go, because it was about Asherad disposal.
If the daughter of a witch was treated with contempt because it was the previous Empress's trick, then Asherad was a sinner worthy of heavenly punishment. In the palace, the knights brought by Count Locania stood menacingly, and the Empress was inside, quiet as a doll.
The thought that came to their mind when they saw the Empress was that she was beautiful.
Daphne resembled Beatrice, the Queen, no, the Empress's mother, and had a dazzling beauty. Bright blond hair, milky skin, and blue eyes. People were momentarily dazzled by her enchanting appearance.
“Welcome.”
Those who had seen Daphne even once knew how timid she was. The only image they remembered of her was that of her being held captive by Asherad and shedding tears. However, that image disappeared, and Daphne sat on the throne and received greetings from the nobles.
Then Daphne said.
“Today, as I have said, I will punish in front of all of you the outrageous man who has dared to claim to be the Emperor’s bloodline and has brought misfortune to the Peneus Empire.”
A thin voice was heavy. At Daphne’s gesture, the knights dragged Asherad, who was tied up. It was truly a shameful speech from the Empress. Those who had lost their daughters to the Emperor cursed Asherad, and those who had sided with Asherad had no choice but to turn their gazes away from the pitiful appearance of their subject. The neutrals exchanged glances. What kind of punishment were they going to hand down? Was it beheading? Or was it a beheading?
“I know misery.”
Daphne said, looking into Asherad's eyes that seemed to suck her in.
“I know what it is to be trampled on. For daring to say that I am of the Emperor’s blood, I was turned into a dog at a young age.”
The softly ringing voice gradually began to contain anger.
“It wasn’t my fault. I believed it because my parents said so. I was not an accomplice in my parents’ crimes. But. I was dragged to the palace by the wrath of the previous Emperor, no, my father.”
Father. Daphne laughed coldly at that. How could she call that man her father? But for this moment, Daphne was willing to call him her father.
“So, my life became a punishment and a curse.”
The people swallowed their saliva quietly at Daphne's words. The Emperor brought the daughter of the seductress who dared to deceive him. However, it was not kindness that saved her. She was once the daughter of a concubine and a substitute for Asherad, but he made her a maid and brutally murdered those around her. Furthermore, he tried to reach out to her again.
What about Asherad? He was no different. He took Daphne and brutally killed everyone around her. If it was the tragedy of the cuckoo maid Daphne, then they might not have cared.
But the past of Daphne, the real Emperor of this country, became a tragedy that made them feel sad.
“And this man, too, trampled on me.”
Asherad raised his head and stared at Daphne. His gaze was so calm that it was impossible to read what he was thinking.
"But I survived the warmth, and here I stand. What I didn't know was usury, but usury will pay for my mistakes."
“...”
“So, I...”
Before answering, Daphne's lips trembled. The corners of her mouth lifted.
“Asherad, I will make you my dog.”
Daphne's eyes suddenly sparkled with something. But the people didn't know it and just watched the pathetic words of Asherad. Daphne spoke with a cold face.
“Asherad, from today onwards you are my dog.”
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