TASITEB - Chapter 17

Episode 17. Useless Worries


Renisha's hopes of a peaceful sleep were dashed.

With pale eyes, Renisha stared at Laxus, who stood before the bedroom door.

Who would have thought she'd see that bitterly smiling face again in her bedroom?

Renisha forced a smile, then spoke to Laxus.

"What brings you here, Your Majesty?"

"Did I come to a place I shouldn't? You don't look happy, Renisha."

"...No way. I guess I was flustered because you came without notice and I wasn't prepared."

Renisha tried to control her emotions. She couldn't reveal anything to Laxus.

She couldn't forget how Laxus could change.

Renisha chewed the flesh in her mouth.

Then, her smile became a little more natural.

“It’s been a while since I’ve visited the Empress, so I’m starting to feel a bit strange myself. Oh, come to think of it, the Empress has never even come to see me. Weren’t we really a couple that was quite distant?”

“It must have been because Your Majesty was busy with official business,”

Renisha said softly to Lindy.

“Bring me some light tea for bedtime.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“No, that’s unnecessary. Everyone, please leave.”

Laxus shooed away Lindy and the other servants.

The servants looked at Renisha with worried expressions before leaving the bedroom.

Renisha and Laxus were left alone. Laxus looked around the room and then sat down on the bed.

“Come here.”

Laxus held out his hand to Renisha. Renisha slowly took it.

“Can I kill him?”

Laxus was completely defenseless.

There was no need to turn back, and now might be the opportunity.

Renisha had just finished her bath and was wearing a robe, and there was nothing that could be used as a weapon...

A candlestick.

A poker poking the fireplace.

A vase.

They were all far away, just out of reach.

With such thoughts, Renisha grabbed Laxus's hand.

Laxus pulled her away, as if to disperse her thoughts.

"Your Majesty?"

Laxus smiled coolly.

"Sit down."

Laxus gestured to the floor with an imperious air.

Renisha stared at him with calm eyes.

There was no way Renisha could defeat Laxus in a physical fight.

No matter how much Laxus manipulated her body, he was still a man.

Renisha was a noblewoman who had never even held a sword.

Renisha slowly knelt on the floor.

Sitting between Laxus's spread legs, Renisha clenched her fist with her uncovered hand.

Laxus let go of Renisha's hand and lifted her chin.
　
Renisha's pink eyes shimmered in the firelight.

Her eyes didn't easily reveal any emotion.

Even in this situation, Renisha stared at Laxus impassively.

"Well, you're always the same."

But why was it different for him? Why?

Laxus lowered his head toward her.

The anger he'd felt that afternoon was welling up in his heart.

He kissed her. He pulled her chin open, prying her lips open, and delved inside.

Her mouth was cold. For some reason, he could almost smell blood.

Laxus moved roughly and pulled his lips away.

Renisha was clearly being submissive, but it seemed as if she was baring her teeth at him.

Laxus tugged at her hair in annoyance.

Renisha gritted her teeth and swallowed a groan.

"Renisha. I don't know why you're making such a fuss."

Laxus muttered with gleaming eyes.

"Your Majesty..."

Renisha's voice flowed softly.

Her voice remained trembling, for she wasn't afraid in the slightest.

With a dry hand, Laxus pushed away Renisha's gown.

Her dazzlingly pale skin was revealed under the light.

Even in this state, Renisha's expression remained impassive.

"You still look like a stiff piece of wood."

Laxus gritted his teeth and threw Renisha onto the bed.

Her hair, disheveled by the sudden movement, scattered around her.

Renisha blinked like a doll.

Laxus grabbed Renisha's face, turned it to him, and whispered softly,

"When I held you, it felt like I was holding a cold corpse. It still hasn't changed. It's disgusting."

That was fortunate.

Even Renisha was barely able to endure the disgusting sight of Laxus.

Laxus pulled away from her.

With a look of displeasure, he closed his robe.

Leaving Renisha like that, Laxus left the bedroom.

Renisha, who had been listening to the sound of retreating footsteps, let out a sharp laugh.

“Who would have thought that?”

Renisha tugged at the rope with a fierce hand.

The servants, who had already been waiting anxiously, rushed in.

“Please, fill the bath.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

She doesn’t know what brought him here, but this unwelcome visitor seemed to have ruined her sleep.

She couldn’t fall asleep until she washed away all traces of Laxus.

***

Laxus opened Canary’s bedroom door in annoyance.

“Gah, Your Majesty! I was changing...!”

Laxus grabbed Canary’s half-naked cheek and kissed her roughly.

Canary blinked and then hugged him.

The quick-witted maid closed the bedroom door and left. Laxus threw off her robe.

Pushing Canary back, he fell to the floor and climbed on top of her.

“Huh, huh?”

Canary cautiously called out to Laxus, who was groaning in frustration.

It was the first time she’d seen Laxus since he left that afternoon.

He seemed cold and settled, somehow.

“What happened?”

Perhaps he saw Cassius and Renisha together.

The Emperor might have been angry, knowingly or unknowingly, fixated on the Empress.

Canary pouted.

“Why are you so angry?”

“It’s because it’s cold. I couldn’t stand the cold.”

Laxus snuggled into Canary’s arms.

Canary hugged Laxus, who was still holding him without doing anything. She didn’t know exactly what had happened, but being in Canary’s arms was enough.

Canary kissed Laxus's forehead.

"Oh, dear. Be like a child. Canary will keep you warm."

Just like that, Laxus often acted like a child begging for his mother's embrace.

Canary stroked his back as he simply closed his eyes and exhaled.

"Sing, Canary."

At Laxus's command, Canary sang sweetly.

It was a talent Canary could confidently count on.

Canary was truly living up to her reputation. She had even charmed the Emperor with her bird-like, beautiful song.

Laxus closed his eyes in Canary's embrace.

Listening to Canary's song, everything else in the world seemed to fade away.

This was precisely why Laxus kept Canary by his side.

The power of Canary's song! Laxus exhaled evenly.

His deep sense of inferiority.

And the fear hidden deep within his heart vanished.

Fear.

That was another emotion Laxus felt when he looked at Lottera.

It was the fear that, just as he had made Laxus emperor, he could be thrown back into the mud.

The great shadow of Lottera had vanished, but the dreadful feeling of returning to a past where he couldn't sleep properly remained.

Every time he saw Duke Lottera, the girl who had saved him, every time he saw Renisha, he couldn't help but feel that same feeling.

A deathly drowsiness washed over him.

For once, he felt he could sleep.

***

Kassius woke up.

He hadn't slept a wink the night before.

Renisha had said she felt like she'd finally been able to sleep soundly, but Kassius felt the opposite.

Sitting on the bed, Kassius tore his hair wildly.

"Ugh!"

Seriously. I'm going crazy!

Kassius clutched his hair as if he were going to tear it out.

Renisha kept coming back to him, driving him crazy.

The warmth of her leaning against his chest, the sound of her sobbing, couldn't leave his mind.

His chest had been aching for days, like a burn. Now...

Kassius exhaled deeply and jumped to his feet.

Swinging his sword was the best way to clear these distracting thoughts.

"Ah."

Kassius paused in his movement.

"That crazy bastard." 

He'd been so absorbed in Renisha that he'd completely forgotten about Laxus planning Kassius's wedding.

He stuck out his tongue in frustration and held his hand to his waist.

A rabid lunatic was trying to manipulate her marriage, and now he's throwing it away...

"Kassius, come to your senses."

Kassius scolded himself and went into the bathroom.

He didn't know what kind of woman he was planning to bring, but her life was pitiful. She'd be a scapegoat for Laxus.

He thought he should discuss this with Terion.

There was a reason the mad Emperor hadn't sent Kassius to Hiloshine and had kept him.

Kassius immersed himself in the hot water.

***

"Yes? Marriage?"

"Yes. Marriage."

Terion's eyes widened.

Kassius glared at Terion, who was pacing in place.

What was he trying to say with that face?

Kassius pursed his lips as he said this.

"Marriage...is someone who can do it."

"What?"

"No, well."

Terion smiled awkwardly.

“I never thought you’d get married. I thought Sir Kassius might be single his entire life.”

“Why?”

“Why... why, well, that’s just how it is. Sir Kassius, have you ever even touched a woman’s fingertips?”

Renisha came to mind.

“Or have you ever spoken alone with a woman?”

Renisha came to mind again.

“Or have you even exchanged glances with a woman?”

Renisha came to mind again, again.

Terion must be a useless loyalist.

He had barely managed to banish Renisha from his mind, so he brought her back.

Kassius glared sharply at Terion.

“Why do you think so? I only said the right things! Do you know the knights made a bet? That Sir Kassius was an eunuch, a homosexual, or asexual.”

Terion chuckled, adding that no one had ever bet on heterosexuality.

Kassius asked this distantly.

“What kind of bastards...!”

“By the way, I bet on the eunuch.”

Terion smiled brightly.

Kassius threw the towel he was holding.

There wasn’t a single sane person. There’s no one else to consult with.

When Kassius was about to regret it, Terion smiled and said,

“What are you worrying about? The Emperor’s will will come true anyway. For now, just think about safely settling in Hiloshine and bringing the tribesmen back.”

Kassius lowered his hand.

“...I see.”

This was no time for foolish worries.

The weight of Hasham was still weighing down on Kassius.

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