Episode 10. Pretty
“...I think I’m right.”
Kassius answered, hoping it was right even if it wasn’t.
“Then I seem to know you well.”
Renisha remembered smiling often while reading the letter, seeing the Duke of Loterra looking happy.
“It was my will to give these clothes as a gift, but it was your will to accept them. I’m going to gamble on you, someone my father trusted.”
“...”
“My blood relatives are alive,”
Renisha said slowly, quietly, but surely.
Without blinking, Renisha poured out her words.
“My brother and his wife, and even my niece Isabella. Brixton Loterra and Heylin Nova Loterra. Find them secretly. Protect them from Laxus.”
“...What happens if I refuse?”
“I don’t know.”
Renisha pulled her hand away from Kassius.
Kassius felt a fleeting regret at seeing Renisha drift away.
Renisha coldly glared at him.
“You heard my secret, so you’ll die. Right here, right here.”
With such a small body, she was so good at threatening.
Not a single mark remained on his wrist where Renisha had held it.
What on earth was she thinking, so boldly?
If it was a bluff, it would be truly remarkable, and if she had managed to hide it...
Kassius was fiddling with his wrist absentmindedly when he felt cold metal against his neck.
He raised his head, reacting to the sharp, murderous intent.
He saw the knights, who had approached at any moment, aiming their swords at him.
Their ferocious gazes seemed poised to kill him at any moment.
“Oh dear,”
Kassius groaned.
He had let his guard down. Or perhaps he had been captivated by Renisha.
How could he not even notice them approaching?
“These are the elite knights of Lottera, left to me by my father. No matter how exceptional you are, you won’t be able to break through them and escape unscathed.”
She was a woman who wielded both sweet honey and a whip. Were all the women of the Empire like this?
“You’ll get all the gifts I gave you back, Sir Kassius. So choose wisely, won’t you?”
It was a threat to strip her completely naked.
Kassius clicked his tongue at the smiling Renisha.
Kassius had truly seen the person.
Renisha wasn’t just a gorgeous and pretty flower.
She hid sharp thorns within her.
A wind blew. Renisha’s scent enveloped Kassius.
It was an offer he had no intention of refusing.
Since Renisha was Lottera’s daughter, Kassius couldn’t refuse her. After all, she was the daughter of the benefactor who had taken in a runaway slave and destroyed his origins. The Duke of Lottera was the only one who knew that Kassius was the heir to a foreign kingdom.
“You have red hair. Hair as red as fire.”
"I've heard rumors that the extinct royal families of foreign lands had tattoos like yours...?"
The Duke of Lottera recognized the Mark of Hasham engraved on Kassius's shoulder.
He had personally burned it off.
"Pride doesn't rest on such marks. You have pride only when you survive. It's better to eliminate dangerous elements. Now you've become nothing more than a knight from slavery."
Kassius owed the Duke of Lottera a great debt.
Even if he hadn't done this, Kassius would have followed Renisha's wishes.
"I will inquire secretly. I will find them and protect them with my life."
"Very well."
Renisha gestured.
The knights sheathed their swords and retreated as if they had never been there in the first place.
Renisha stroked Kassius's clothes.
Kassius inhaled as they drew closer again.
How could they move so freely...?
"Are they playing with people?"
Kassius bit his lip.
Renisha gently adjusted his clothes.
She fastened the buttons that had been undone and straightened the bow tie that was barely hanging on. She even fixed the tight vest and jacket.
Renisha, who had restored Kassius to the way he had looked when he first entered the place, smiled again.
Kassius stared at her dazzling eyes as if entranced.
The round, pink eyes beneath her eyelashes, which seemed to have shattered moonlight, swayed the heart.
Kassius swallowed involuntarily.
“It’s a shame, since I came all this way to make you look pretty.”
“...Pretty?”
“Yes, beautifully. This outfit really suits you, sir.”
Renisha tapped Kassius on the cheek.
Only then did Kassius come to his senses.
“Now, you should go back. My person will escort you out.”
“Wait. I have something to tell you...!”
“We’ll meet again soon, sir Kassius. This won’t be the end of our relationship. I’ll hear that story another time.”
Renisha pulled away from Kassius.
A signal came. It was a signal that someone was coming this way.
“Ah. Hiloshine is not what it seems. It’s a land of gold, honey, and the blessings of the gods that no one knows about.”
Renisha, who had left behind an unintelligible word, disappeared as suddenly as she had appeared.
It felt like a dream.
If it weren’t for the maid Renisha had left behind, he might have really thought so.
“...Is that how you always were?”
“Yes?”
The maid asked with a surprised look as she led the way.
“Your Majesty. It’s always been like that...”
On her own?
Or how should I put it?
Kassius paused for a moment.
He couldn't find the words to describe Renisha.
Instead, the maid offered an answer.
"She's wonderful! Beautiful, intelligent... and powerful... I adore Her Majesty the Empress!"
The maid was simply expressing her feelings.
What Kassius had in mind weren't such light and fluttery emotions. It was a heaviness, a sense of heart-sinking weight. That was it...
Kassius shook his head.
What did it matter?
Kassius had secured land to live on and a chance to repay the favor he received from the Duke of Lottera.
Everything was going well.
After a good night's sleep with Canary, Laxus sat up and leaned against a tree.
Silence descended on the imperial palace garden.
The dinner was satisfactory.
Just as he had wished, he sat Renisha and Kassius side by side and insulted her.
Renisha's expression was as calm as ever, but her insides must have been rotten.
It had to be this way.
Everything Laxus was doing right now was to destroy Renisha.
Since he couldn't kill her, strangely enough, Renisha alone couldn't be killed, so he should lay down her life.
Laxus smiled maniacally.
Renisha had been noble from the moment she was born.
He looked forward to seeing her ousted from the throne as Empress and departing for Hiloshine with Kassius. A wave of tangled emotions raced through him.
But...
But...
"You're too good together,"
Laxus muttered irritably.
That was the only thing he didn't like.
Renisha, sitting next to Kassius, looked quite nice.
They were two polar opposites, after all.
"Yes? What are you saying, Your Majesty?"
Canary rubbed her sleepy eyes and buried her head in Laxus's clothes.
“Renisha and Kassius, didn’t they get along well?”
“Hmm... Canary doesn’t know about it. Haaam, come here, Your Majesty.”
Of course, he wanted to gloat about how that slave was perfect for Renisha, but he wasn’t in the mood.
Something seemed to have offended Laxus.
Canary spread her arms with an innocent, innocent face.
Canary was the only one in this empire who could lie down and indulge in the Emperor’s garden like this.
She wanted to enjoy this privilege for the rest of her life. And even now.
“It’s cold, Your Majesty. Are you going to leave Canary cold like this? Please warm me up,”
Canary cooed sweetly.
Laxus turned his head to stare at Canary, who had revealed herself.
“Have you no shame?”
“Should Canary have such a thing? I like it when Your Majesty is happy.”
Laxus smiled.
It was an obvious lie, but it was so sweet that he wanted to fall for it.
Even though he knew that sweetness was a poison that ruined people, he didn't want to let it go.
Laxus grabbed Canary's waist.
"Yes. You just pretend you don't know anything. Keep talking."
Canary smiled, hiding her true feelings and pretending she truly knew nothing.
Today was a perfect day.
Laxus had humiliated Renisha in front of everyone.
A slave could wash away Loterra's sins!
What must have been going through Renisha's mind as she applauded?
"Ah, those eyes."
Canary reminisced about that perfect day once more.
Then, with a lovely laugh, she hugged Laxus.
She could have hugged Laxus countless times if only he had made Renisha like that.
Today, at least, Laxus was her lovable lover.
Terion led the horse, glancing at Kassius with a strange gaze.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You look so fine."
"What?"
"I thought you'd come here already with your hair down. You looked so fierce when you tied your bow tie."
Kassius cleared his throat.
Of course, he had pulled off his bow tie as soon as he left the banquet hall.
"But why are you looking so fine? What happened? Did she say she'd cut your head off if you took it off?"
“No. There must be something more important than that right now. The Emperor has finally given us land.”
“Yes? Where is it? And the title?”
“Dukeship.”
“Wow! What’s going on! Is the Emperor crazy? No, he’s already crazy!”
Terion fussed.
“Since he gave me the title of Duke of Loterra, I guess I’m a real lunatic, huh?”
“Ues?”
Therion’s eyes almost popped out.
Kassius pushed Terion aside, his mouth trembling, and mounted his horse. He was exhausted for various reasons and wanted to quickly return to the mansion.
Terion shook his head, then mounted another horse.
Therion rode beside Kassius.
“Didn’t the Empress say anything? The Dukeship of Loterra? Has the Emperor really lost his mind... So where is your territory?”
“Hiloshine.”
“Yes?”
“He said Hiloshine.”
“...You ruined.”
“Why are you reacting like that?”
“...Don’t you know about Hiloshine? That barren land where not a single blade of grass grows...! We’re all destined to starve. The Emperor wasn’t crazy. He only collected and threw away what he was about to throw away!”
“Well, I don’t know.”
Renisha didn’t say that.
When Renisha said that, he thought there must be a reason.
The Duke of Lottera recognized the Mark of Hasham engraved on Kassius's shoulder.
He had personally burned it off.
"Pride doesn't rest on such marks. You have pride only when you survive. It's better to eliminate dangerous elements. Now you've become nothing more than a knight from slavery."
Kassius owed the Duke of Lottera a great debt.
Even if he hadn't done this, Kassius would have followed Renisha's wishes.
"I will inquire secretly. I will find them and protect them with my life."
"Very well."
Renisha gestured.
The knights sheathed their swords and retreated as if they had never been there in the first place.
Renisha stroked Kassius's clothes.
Kassius inhaled as they drew closer again.
How could they move so freely...?
"Are they playing with people?"
Kassius bit his lip.
Renisha gently adjusted his clothes.
She fastened the buttons that had been undone and straightened the bow tie that was barely hanging on. She even fixed the tight vest and jacket.
Renisha, who had restored Kassius to the way he had looked when he first entered the place, smiled again.
Kassius stared at her dazzling eyes as if entranced.
The round, pink eyes beneath her eyelashes, which seemed to have shattered moonlight, swayed the heart.
Kassius swallowed involuntarily.
“It’s a shame, since I came all this way to make you look pretty.”
“...Pretty?”
“Yes, beautifully. This outfit really suits you, sir.”
Renisha tapped Kassius on the cheek.
Only then did Kassius come to his senses.
“Now, you should go back. My person will escort you out.”
“Wait. I have something to tell you...!”
“We’ll meet again soon, sir Kassius. This won’t be the end of our relationship. I’ll hear that story another time.”
Renisha pulled away from Kassius.
A signal came. It was a signal that someone was coming this way.
“Ah. Hiloshine is not what it seems. It’s a land of gold, honey, and the blessings of the gods that no one knows about.”
Renisha, who had left behind an unintelligible word, disappeared as suddenly as she had appeared.
It felt like a dream.
If it weren’t for the maid Renisha had left behind, he might have really thought so.
“...Is that how you always were?”
“Yes?”
The maid asked with a surprised look as she led the way.
“Your Majesty. It’s always been like that...”
On her own?
Or how should I put it?
Kassius paused for a moment.
He couldn't find the words to describe Renisha.
Instead, the maid offered an answer.
"She's wonderful! Beautiful, intelligent... and powerful... I adore Her Majesty the Empress!"
The maid was simply expressing her feelings.
What Kassius had in mind weren't such light and fluttery emotions. It was a heaviness, a sense of heart-sinking weight. That was it...
Kassius shook his head.
What did it matter?
Kassius had secured land to live on and a chance to repay the favor he received from the Duke of Lottera.
Everything was going well.
***
After a good night's sleep with Canary, Laxus sat up and leaned against a tree.
Silence descended on the imperial palace garden.
The dinner was satisfactory.
Just as he had wished, he sat Renisha and Kassius side by side and insulted her.
Renisha's expression was as calm as ever, but her insides must have been rotten.
It had to be this way.
Everything Laxus was doing right now was to destroy Renisha.
Since he couldn't kill her, strangely enough, Renisha alone couldn't be killed, so he should lay down her life.
Laxus smiled maniacally.
Renisha had been noble from the moment she was born.
He looked forward to seeing her ousted from the throne as Empress and departing for Hiloshine with Kassius. A wave of tangled emotions raced through him.
But...
But...
"You're too good together,"
Laxus muttered irritably.
That was the only thing he didn't like.
Renisha, sitting next to Kassius, looked quite nice.
They were two polar opposites, after all.
"Yes? What are you saying, Your Majesty?"
Canary rubbed her sleepy eyes and buried her head in Laxus's clothes.
“Renisha and Kassius, didn’t they get along well?”
“Hmm... Canary doesn’t know about it. Haaam, come here, Your Majesty.”
Of course, he wanted to gloat about how that slave was perfect for Renisha, but he wasn’t in the mood.
Something seemed to have offended Laxus.
Canary spread her arms with an innocent, innocent face.
Canary was the only one in this empire who could lie down and indulge in the Emperor’s garden like this.
She wanted to enjoy this privilege for the rest of her life. And even now.
“It’s cold, Your Majesty. Are you going to leave Canary cold like this? Please warm me up,”
Canary cooed sweetly.
Laxus turned his head to stare at Canary, who had revealed herself.
“Have you no shame?”
“Should Canary have such a thing? I like it when Your Majesty is happy.”
Laxus smiled.
It was an obvious lie, but it was so sweet that he wanted to fall for it.
Even though he knew that sweetness was a poison that ruined people, he didn't want to let it go.
Laxus grabbed Canary's waist.
"Yes. You just pretend you don't know anything. Keep talking."
Canary smiled, hiding her true feelings and pretending she truly knew nothing.
Today was a perfect day.
Laxus had humiliated Renisha in front of everyone.
A slave could wash away Loterra's sins!
What must have been going through Renisha's mind as she applauded?
"Ah, those eyes."
Canary reminisced about that perfect day once more.
Then, with a lovely laugh, she hugged Laxus.
She could have hugged Laxus countless times if only he had made Renisha like that.
Today, at least, Laxus was her lovable lover.
***
Terion led the horse, glancing at Kassius with a strange gaze.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You look so fine."
"What?"
"I thought you'd come here already with your hair down. You looked so fierce when you tied your bow tie."
Kassius cleared his throat.
Of course, he had pulled off his bow tie as soon as he left the banquet hall.
"But why are you looking so fine? What happened? Did she say she'd cut your head off if you took it off?"
“No. There must be something more important than that right now. The Emperor has finally given us land.”
“Yes? Where is it? And the title?”
“Dukeship.”
“Wow! What’s going on! Is the Emperor crazy? No, he’s already crazy!”
Terion fussed.
“Since he gave me the title of Duke of Loterra, I guess I’m a real lunatic, huh?”
“Ues?”
Therion’s eyes almost popped out.
Kassius pushed Terion aside, his mouth trembling, and mounted his horse. He was exhausted for various reasons and wanted to quickly return to the mansion.
Terion shook his head, then mounted another horse.
Therion rode beside Kassius.
“Didn’t the Empress say anything? The Dukeship of Loterra? Has the Emperor really lost his mind... So where is your territory?”
“Hiloshine.”
“Yes?”
“He said Hiloshine.”
“...You ruined.”
“Why are you reacting like that?”
“...Don’t you know about Hiloshine? That barren land where not a single blade of grass grows...! We’re all destined to starve. The Emperor wasn’t crazy. He only collected and threw away what he was about to throw away!”
“Well, I don’t know.”
Renisha didn’t say that.
When Renisha said that, he thought there must be a reason.
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