#148. Begging
“Don’t leave me!”
"What?"
“Let me live as a dog, please!”
“Don’t leave me!”
"What?"
“Let me live as a dog, please!”
As he said that, Asherad knelt before Daphne. Asherad had no other choice. All he could do was beg.
It was just like a child throwing a tantrum. Daphne was dumbfounded. He had been making such a humiliating expression... But it wasn’t entirely surprising.
How did he react when she said he would abandon Asherad to find out the secret passage? Asherad became too honest. In fact, Daphne did not trust Asherad. Count Locania was also half-doubting.
With the death of the Count and the Duke, it is known that Asherad told the truth. However, Daphne thought it was because of Ian. Or maybe she thought that if he were abandoned, the only ending would be death at the hands of the Count of Locania.
So, what she meant was that she was sure that this person would tell her the secret passage, but she never thought that he would want to live as a dog.
She knew this person loved her, but she didn't think it would be to this extent. She didn't think he would be this crazy...
“Asherad, I decided to take Ian to Derek.”
“Don’t tell that kid to take Ian!”
Asherad gritted his teeth and shouted.
“You, you, just become a proper Emperor. Daphne, why are you so foolish and weak? You are strange!”
“...”
“Why are you different from me?! It’s so annoying!”
Asherad shouted. Daphne sighed softly as she watched. Asherad's concubine. The daughter of a seductress. The Count of Locania somehow managed to claim that she was the true blood of Belenus, but he had no idea if that was true.
If they really insist on legitimacy, Daphne, who has no power to defend herself, will be taken advantage of. Asherad must know that, too, so why is she acting like that?
“I am, I am, your dog!”
“...”
“I will be a dog. If you want. I will be a really good dog.”
“Asherad.”
“...”
“Listen to me.”
Askeladd finally understood the essential difference between himself and Daphne. However, he hugged Daphne. Daphne closed her eyes.
“I love you. I love you, Daphne. I love you.”
“...”
“I love you. I love you. I, I, I’ll take care of everything. So...”
Don't throw me away.
His voice echoed in Daphne's head. It was truly immature love. They were not yet fully grown up to be parents, and were so immature that they hated each other to the point of killing each other, got angry, and then shouted that they loved each other again, and became dogs again.
Daphne decided to say what she didn't know she could say anymore.
“I love you too.”
But Daphne didn't want to act like a child anymore. She looked at Asherad, who had said he would be her dog. The moment she was about to say something, the servant's voice was heard.
“Your Majesty. The nobles have arrived.”
Daphne's eyes widened. Did the nobles arrive before Derek? Daphne bit her lip.
“Leave.”
Daphne walked behind him. There must be soldiers at the palace. Daphne walked to the audience room like a convict being led to execution and sat on the throne. She looked at the nobles who had come to see her. Daphne had a puzzled expression.
First of all, there was no sense of a murderous threat. This was because all the nobles were unarmed. There were no armed knights or soldiers, but strangely, all of those gathered were from families on the military side. The reason Daphne knew this was because they were the families she had to be most wary of. They were not friendly to the Count of Locania.
They were the ones who followed the Turbol family. The heavy atmosphere typical of nobles was conveyed. Daphne tried to look at them calmly. She didn't want them to reveal their true colors yet.
“Welcome, my lords.”
Daphne looked down at them with a hard expression. She would do her best to meet them before they reached out to her and Ian... Daphne gripped the armrests tightly, her joints turning white. What would they want? A peaceful surrender? Or suicide? Or just another puppet?
That was when.
“Your Majesty. I have come to pledge my loyalty to Your Majesty!”
Suddenly? Although she didn't show it on her face, Daphne was momentarily speechless, showing her embarrassment. She tried to interpret the truth of those words negatively. It seemed to be a puppet show after all. They continued.
“Your Majesty. The death of Count Locania was clearly my own doing. I blinded Your Majesty’s vision and indulged in greed.”
“Instead of the Count of Locania, we pledge our loyalty to Your Majesty.”
Daphne blinked. They had no reason to do this. Was this some kind of high-level political maneuver? But they weren't intimidating. She decided to ask them outright.
“I am not an Emperor worthy of your lordship, am I?”
“...”
“What is the reason for doing this?”
Of course, if these families support them, Daphne's worries will not happen. Daphne will be able to maintain her throne, and she will not evacuate Ian. She will be able to turn back those who are heading to the palace now.
But what price is required for their loyalty? What kind of puppets are they asking us to become?
“We simply want to be loyal to our country.”
“There are no other dark intentions.”
“Please accept my loyalty.”
But they looked pretty desperate.
A lifesaving hand was extended to Daphne, who was about to give up everything. Daphne stood up and accepted their loyalty. At that moment, the door to the audience room opened again.
“Your Majesty. The new Count of Locania also pledges his loyalty!”
Daphne looked at the place with a hardened face. Count Rocania? Why on earth? Everyone was shocked, but the person who came in paid no attention.
Derek stood in front of her.
What the...
Why, he became a Count... Derek looked up at Daphne with warm blue eyes.
“Why are you here!”
The crowd was noisy and pushing Derek. But he spoke confidently, without showing any sign of being overwhelmed by their energy.
“The Count has designated me as his successor.”
Derek didn't even blink.
“...Now, you’re saying that the illegitimate child has become the successor!”
“It was a legitimate succession to the title, and the legitimate heir consented to it. The law of discrimination against legitimate heirs has been abolished, and there is no problem under imperial law.”
They were astonished at Derek's words.
"Ha!"
Derek came up to Daphne's throne and knelt down.
“Your Majesty. Our family will protect only You with our lives.”
“...”
“So, Your Majesty, please rest assured.”
There was a small commotion, but Daphne was relieved. A faint smile appeared on her lips and then disappeared.
“Your Majesty, please rest assured.”
Daphne nodded.
***
“Please explain what happened, Pond, no, Count Locania.”
“It’s simple. The late Count wanted to bring me and Your Majesty the Emperor together.”
After the commotion in the audience room, all the soldiers heading to the palace disappeared. Upon hearing this news, Daphne had a chat with Derek.
Marriage to Derek. That's it. She was pouring tea, but she seemed thirsty. Derek continued.
“How could an illegitimate child who doesn’t even receive a title be married to the Emperor of a country? It is said that he had already made a will and stated that he would give me a title.”
“...”
“My father is a very courageous man. Perhaps he even allowed me to stay in the Kingdom of Thalassa with Your Majesty. I think he may have had this kind of calculation in mind.”
Daphne sighed. As the Count of Locania, she couldn't see everything. Her decision to become the Emperor was due to various factors. However, it was clear that his son was the one who was saying that his intentions were not entirely pure.
A father who was full of compassion and started a war with his children, or a sinister and scheming father. Which was his true self? Daphne felt bitter.
“George, the eldest son of the Count of Locania, unexpectedly handed everything over to me.”
“...”
“It seems he had no desire for the title. He only asked me to continue his research on firearms.”
Derek sighed. There had been complaints from other enemies, but this, too, was resolved when Geordie moved. So Derek, though a wanderer, was granted a title. He was even fully trained in firearms.
“Derek. I...”
“I will protect Your Majesty. I want to use the power I have gained for what I want.”
“...”
“So, Your Majesty. Now that you have gained the power, use it for the right purpose.”
Daphne nodded. The daughter of a lowly courtesan in the palace. A being worse than a piece of trash, she became a concubine, and then suddenly became the Emperor. It was not a life she had chosen. Nevertheless, this was a position she had to work hard to live in.
"And..."
“...”
“Please remember that the families you have just supported were the ardent supporters of Duke Turbol.”
“...”
“Who would have earned the loyalty of those nobles?”
Daphne knew what that meant.
“Asherad, right?”
“He is a scary person.”
Derek began to say what he had been hesitating to say. Daphne's eyes widened and then narrowed as she heard him.
“He killed your father.”
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