“Under the pretext of taking revenge on me for betraying you.”
Shd was speechless. But Ivan's accusations weren't entirely false, so she couldn't say no.
“...You said you would save Ian.”
“That’s why I said I would spare your life.”
“It’s not like just saving someone’s life is enough!”
Amelia screamed.
“Even though his own father is right next to him, he doesn’t even know it, and he lives serving that child as his master. Is that living?”
She wanted to ask if that was the life her son deserved. Ivan smiled, as if he sensed it.
“Wouldn’t it have been fortunate if he had just survived?”
There was a hint of humor in his words, but it didn't feel like any joy. Ivan's tone was closer to mockery.
“That child. In fact, I’m asking if he wasn’t destined to die the moment he was born.”
“...”
“Shouldn’t you have thought that it would be fortunate if he could just live a few years safely?”
It wasn't a wrong statement. At first, when she thought that it was the Emperor who took Ian away, not the Ivan she knew, she was glad that she didn't have to see him die at Aaron's hands. There were times when she thought that if Ian could breathe in this world for even one more day, that would be enough.
But ever since she found out that it was the Ivan she knew, and since she had come to live in the palace, she had come to expect things he had not promised. It was true.
“Thanks to your stupid decision, Ian won’t even be able to enjoy that anymore.”
Ivan coldly added his true feelings and blamed Amelia. Amelia, who was unable to reveal that Ian was her child or Ivan's child due to her own fault, crumpled her face in sorrow.
If she reveals that Ian is her child, the Priestess, who lost her divine powers, will say that she dared to forge an oracle, and if she reveals that Ian is Ivan's child, Ivan will deny it, saying that it is nonsense. Even if the Duke of Russell believes her, as Ivan says, Ian will be used as Ivan's political enemy and die.
“Yeah. It’s my fault.”
“...”
“But you don’t want Ian to die either. You can’t stand to watch that happen. That’s why you jumped into the pond and saved him.”
Amelia whispered earnestly, hoping that the man who had come back late at night to check on the child's safety was sincere.
"Yes."
Ivan looked down at his hand, which was comfortably resting on the armrest of the chair. He could see the long fingers that Ian had been holding. It still felt lukewarm and smooth.
“I saved that child, and I can’t deny that I was interested in him without realizing it.”
A baby who can't pronounce a single proper word, and all he does is blink his eyes and do some squatting. Still, he's grown quite plump since he was born, and his face is quite cute. His palms are also soft and small, as if he's gained weight.
Admit it. The moment he saw Ian's face smiling bashfully as if he was trying to figure out who he was, Ivan began to wish that Ian was still breathing. Whether it was fatherly love or a natural human emotion, he didn't know.
“But I always come first as the Emperor.”
“...”
“In no decision can he be considered above me.”
But that doesn't mean Ivan was swayed by Ian's presence alone. Anything beyond that was a separate matter. He didn't want to pay any attention to it.
“And if you want to ask me a favor, be polite, Amelia Escliffe. Don’t force me, but ask me properly to save the child.”
“...”
“Do you think we’re still the same as we were before? I despise you for killing innocent people with a single oracle.”
Ivan stood up. The man, like the winter wind, approached her as if he had once done at the welcome party. He seemed about to pass Amelia, who was still on her knees, and kick open the door.
“Please save Ian.”
“...”
“I don’t know how to stop those people.”
Every word she said was sincere. It was the price for hurting the pride of an arrogant man. Amelia closed her eyes tightly. She couldn't help but cling to him.
“Ian, Ian. Please.”
Can't you see it now? Amelia couldn't do anything properly on her own. Instead of properly understanding the situation, she just made things worse. If this continued, even her own child would be swept away by the wind.
“If I do what you want, what can you give me?”
“...”
“Are you planning to make me a fool who follows fake trusts and does not pay the appropriate price?”
But Ivan was at least a savage who could stand up to them. And although he held grudges against her, he was not the kind of person who could harm or kill Ian with his own hands. So now, ironically, the only person she could trust was the cruel man in front of her.
“I was wrong. I’ll do anything. Whatever it is, whatever I can do...”
Amelia's face crumpled, and tears fell. Clear tears fell between her fingers, darkening the dark green carpet.
“It’s okay if I don’t mean anything to you. I’m okay with just being left behind. I won’t be greedy and ask you to be Ian's father.”
She begged, and at the same time, with a voice full of contempt, to spare her child.
"I can testify in front of everyone as you wish. The sacred legends are all lies, and I am also a lie...”
Amelia knew that was all Ivan wanted, so she had no choice but to plead that she would do whatever she could.
“What if I save the victims of the Oracle?”
"That..."
“Don’t tell me you can do anything. I don’t trust you in the first place, Amelia Escliffe.”
But Ivan's cold voice cut off Amelia's words.
“And if you talk nonsense in front of people again, if you suddenly start screwing me over again because you’re hurt, you’ll only make my situation look ridiculous.”
“Oh, no. I won’t do that. I will never, ever do that. Even Ian can do it!”
Amelia stammered as she held onto the man's hand that was lifting her chin. Their eyes met. Ivan gently stroked Amelia's cheek with his thumb. The warmth of his fingers was eerily hot.
“What should I do...”
Amelia asked, seeming possessed. It seemed as if she could grant Ivan anything he asked.
“This time, you will be my doll.”
“...”
“If you reveal to everyone with your own mouth that the temple is plotting treason in collusion with the noble families, including the Russell Dukes.”
Ivan opened his mouth softly, as if whispering the sweetest words in the world.
“If you can do that, I might as well give that fake trust a try.”
“How could I... I don’t even know who those people are.”
“You have to find out from now on.”
Suddenly, Amelia came to her senses. What he was asking for wasn't just to collect evidence of treason.
“...Are you telling me to die?”
It was a request to save Ian at the cost of her own death. She could at least make excuses for deceiving the country and claiming to be a victim, but her relationship with those who had instigated the treason was beyond her ability to make excuses.
In that situation, the only hope Amelia could rely on was Ivan's mercy. But Ivan had no intention of protecting Amelia. She could tell by looking into Ivan's eyes.
That was the price she paid for betraying him once.
“Even if you die, your children will live as they wish. Isn’t that a good deal for you? Plus, you’ll get revenge on those who ruined your life.”
The Emperor of Escliffe, Ivan Wade Escliffe, smiled proudly. The large hands that stroked her small face were warm and gentle. Unlike the coldness that mocked the heart of a mother begging for her child's life.
“If you can’t do it, you don’t have to do it.”
“You devilish human. I hate you. Now, really...”
“Of course, I hate you as much as your life is full of lies.”
Ivan whispered sweetly. Tears distorted with sadness, hatred, contempt, and self-loathing fell to the floor.
“I shouldn’t have met you...”
If that had been the case, at least she wouldn't have given birth to Ian, and she wouldn't have developed such a desperate desire to protect something. Maybe she would have just accepted her ugly fate and lived on. Then she wouldn't have known such sadness.
“It would have been better if you hadn’t been in this world.”
Ivan even mocked Amelia's birth. Amelia laughed in vain. She didn't even shed tears anymore.
A hundred years ago, God sent Amelia, a Priestess with black hair and black eyes, to the empire. She neither ages nor dies, and she became a being who conveyed the divine revelations to the earth. No one doubted her existence.
“Yes, no. Die for your child. If you have such a fervent heart, even that damned god will allow you to die. Isn’t that so?”
Except for one thing, the man in front of her, who turned Amelia into a woman and got her drunk.
At one time, she had thought it was fortunate that he had realized that she was an ordinary woman, but now she could not tell if it was really fortunate.
Shd was speechless. But Ivan's accusations weren't entirely false, so she couldn't say no.
“...You said you would save Ian.”
“That’s why I said I would spare your life.”
“It’s not like just saving someone’s life is enough!”
Amelia screamed.
“Even though his own father is right next to him, he doesn’t even know it, and he lives serving that child as his master. Is that living?”
She wanted to ask if that was the life her son deserved. Ivan smiled, as if he sensed it.
“Wouldn’t it have been fortunate if he had just survived?”
There was a hint of humor in his words, but it didn't feel like any joy. Ivan's tone was closer to mockery.
“That child. In fact, I’m asking if he wasn’t destined to die the moment he was born.”
“...”
“Shouldn’t you have thought that it would be fortunate if he could just live a few years safely?”
It wasn't a wrong statement. At first, when she thought that it was the Emperor who took Ian away, not the Ivan she knew, she was glad that she didn't have to see him die at Aaron's hands. There were times when she thought that if Ian could breathe in this world for even one more day, that would be enough.
But ever since she found out that it was the Ivan she knew, and since she had come to live in the palace, she had come to expect things he had not promised. It was true.
“Thanks to your stupid decision, Ian won’t even be able to enjoy that anymore.”
Ivan coldly added his true feelings and blamed Amelia. Amelia, who was unable to reveal that Ian was her child or Ivan's child due to her own fault, crumpled her face in sorrow.
If she reveals that Ian is her child, the Priestess, who lost her divine powers, will say that she dared to forge an oracle, and if she reveals that Ian is Ivan's child, Ivan will deny it, saying that it is nonsense. Even if the Duke of Russell believes her, as Ivan says, Ian will be used as Ivan's political enemy and die.
“Yeah. It’s my fault.”
“...”
“But you don’t want Ian to die either. You can’t stand to watch that happen. That’s why you jumped into the pond and saved him.”
Amelia whispered earnestly, hoping that the man who had come back late at night to check on the child's safety was sincere.
"Yes."
Ivan looked down at his hand, which was comfortably resting on the armrest of the chair. He could see the long fingers that Ian had been holding. It still felt lukewarm and smooth.
“I saved that child, and I can’t deny that I was interested in him without realizing it.”
A baby who can't pronounce a single proper word, and all he does is blink his eyes and do some squatting. Still, he's grown quite plump since he was born, and his face is quite cute. His palms are also soft and small, as if he's gained weight.
Admit it. The moment he saw Ian's face smiling bashfully as if he was trying to figure out who he was, Ivan began to wish that Ian was still breathing. Whether it was fatherly love or a natural human emotion, he didn't know.
“But I always come first as the Emperor.”
“...”
“In no decision can he be considered above me.”
But that doesn't mean Ivan was swayed by Ian's presence alone. Anything beyond that was a separate matter. He didn't want to pay any attention to it.
“And if you want to ask me a favor, be polite, Amelia Escliffe. Don’t force me, but ask me properly to save the child.”
“...”
“Do you think we’re still the same as we were before? I despise you for killing innocent people with a single oracle.”
Ivan stood up. The man, like the winter wind, approached her as if he had once done at the welcome party. He seemed about to pass Amelia, who was still on her knees, and kick open the door.
“Please save Ian.”
“...”
“I don’t know how to stop those people.”
Every word she said was sincere. It was the price for hurting the pride of an arrogant man. Amelia closed her eyes tightly. She couldn't help but cling to him.
“Ian, Ian. Please.”
Can't you see it now? Amelia couldn't do anything properly on her own. Instead of properly understanding the situation, she just made things worse. If this continued, even her own child would be swept away by the wind.
“If I do what you want, what can you give me?”
“...”
“Are you planning to make me a fool who follows fake trusts and does not pay the appropriate price?”
But Ivan was at least a savage who could stand up to them. And although he held grudges against her, he was not the kind of person who could harm or kill Ian with his own hands. So now, ironically, the only person she could trust was the cruel man in front of her.
“I was wrong. I’ll do anything. Whatever it is, whatever I can do...”
Amelia's face crumpled, and tears fell. Clear tears fell between her fingers, darkening the dark green carpet.
“It’s okay if I don’t mean anything to you. I’m okay with just being left behind. I won’t be greedy and ask you to be Ian's father.”
She begged, and at the same time, with a voice full of contempt, to spare her child.
"I can testify in front of everyone as you wish. The sacred legends are all lies, and I am also a lie...”
Amelia knew that was all Ivan wanted, so she had no choice but to plead that she would do whatever she could.
“What if I save the victims of the Oracle?”
"That..."
“Don’t tell me you can do anything. I don’t trust you in the first place, Amelia Escliffe.”
But Ivan's cold voice cut off Amelia's words.
“And if you talk nonsense in front of people again, if you suddenly start screwing me over again because you’re hurt, you’ll only make my situation look ridiculous.”
“Oh, no. I won’t do that. I will never, ever do that. Even Ian can do it!”
Amelia stammered as she held onto the man's hand that was lifting her chin. Their eyes met. Ivan gently stroked Amelia's cheek with his thumb. The warmth of his fingers was eerily hot.
“What should I do...”
Amelia asked, seeming possessed. It seemed as if she could grant Ivan anything he asked.
“This time, you will be my doll.”
“...”
“If you reveal to everyone with your own mouth that the temple is plotting treason in collusion with the noble families, including the Russell Dukes.”
Ivan opened his mouth softly, as if whispering the sweetest words in the world.
“If you can do that, I might as well give that fake trust a try.”
“How could I... I don’t even know who those people are.”
“You have to find out from now on.”
Suddenly, Amelia came to her senses. What he was asking for wasn't just to collect evidence of treason.
“...Are you telling me to die?”
It was a request to save Ian at the cost of her own death. She could at least make excuses for deceiving the country and claiming to be a victim, but her relationship with those who had instigated the treason was beyond her ability to make excuses.
In that situation, the only hope Amelia could rely on was Ivan's mercy. But Ivan had no intention of protecting Amelia. She could tell by looking into Ivan's eyes.
That was the price she paid for betraying him once.
“Even if you die, your children will live as they wish. Isn’t that a good deal for you? Plus, you’ll get revenge on those who ruined your life.”
The Emperor of Escliffe, Ivan Wade Escliffe, smiled proudly. The large hands that stroked her small face were warm and gentle. Unlike the coldness that mocked the heart of a mother begging for her child's life.
“If you can’t do it, you don’t have to do it.”
“You devilish human. I hate you. Now, really...”
“Of course, I hate you as much as your life is full of lies.”
Ivan whispered sweetly. Tears distorted with sadness, hatred, contempt, and self-loathing fell to the floor.
“I shouldn’t have met you...”
If that had been the case, at least she wouldn't have given birth to Ian, and she wouldn't have developed such a desperate desire to protect something. Maybe she would have just accepted her ugly fate and lived on. Then she wouldn't have known such sadness.
“It would have been better if you hadn’t been in this world.”
Ivan even mocked Amelia's birth. Amelia laughed in vain. She didn't even shed tears anymore.
A hundred years ago, God sent Amelia, a Priestess with black hair and black eyes, to the empire. She neither ages nor dies, and she became a being who conveyed the divine revelations to the earth. No one doubted her existence.
“Yes, no. Die for your child. If you have such a fervent heart, even that damned god will allow you to die. Isn’t that so?”
Except for one thing, the man in front of her, who turned Amelia into a woman and got her drunk.
At one time, she had thought it was fortunate that he had realized that she was an ordinary woman, but now she could not tell if it was really fortunate.
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