Episode 23. I Want to See You Up Close
Laxus's gaze wandered around the banquet hall.
All the lead actors for the play he had prepared were gathered here.
Renisha and Kassius. The two lead actors.
Laxus gripped the armrest, his fingers curling like hooks.
He saw Kassius's gaze occasionally drifting to Renisha, who sat next to him.
Laxus noticed that the emotions in Kassius's eyes weren't entirely pure.
The man was looking at the woman.
"Renisha."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Renisha answered softly.
Renisha always pretended to obey Laxus, but was that true on the inside?
Laxus slowly turned his head and scanned Renisha's innocent face.
He, too, was curious about what was inside.
Laxus's violet eyes sank wetly.
The orange glow of the ornate chandelier and candelabra formed a dazzling scene behind Renisha.
Laxus's eyelids fluttered.
Renisha was the same as before.
A cold, indifferent expression.
The same expression she had when she opened the family gates for Laxus.
A blank, indifferent expression.
An expression devoid of pity, love, or hatred.
Laxus bit his lower lip.
To Laxus, Renisha was his salvation.
His only lifeline. Only Renisha could save him, whom no one else could.
That day, Renisha was light in Laxus's eyes.
What did Renisha think when she looked at Laxus that day?
To Laxus, Renisha was still the same.
She was like the light streaming down her back.
"You idiot."
He chewed down the self-deprecating insults directed at him.
He wanted to crush Renisha into a swamp.
To level with Laxus, to reveal everything about her.
But Renisha wouldn't crumble no matter what he did.
Even now, she was staring at him with an indifferent expression, as if nothing had happened.
"Loser."
It felt like a stone had been thrown into the abyss.
Perhaps things would have been different if Renisha had clung to his feet and begged.
If Renisha had treated him as something emotional, this tragedy might not have happened.
It was the same now.
He would have known what Renisha was thinking.
A plan to make her miserable.
Canary had told her, the Chamberlain had told her.
"Beg."
He urged with his eyes.
"Please don't send me away."
Even now, he could turn the tables.
Tonight was her last night.
Renisha would be dethroned tomorrow and leave this palace.
"Tell me you don't want to go."
Even though Renisha must have seen the boiling emotions, she remained unfazed.
Laxus let out a dejected sigh.
“It’s all your fault, Renisha.”
He shifted all the blame onto Renisha.
His heart was pounding.
Overcome with emotion, Laxus reached out.
He cupped Renisha’s cheek and held her chin, speaking softly.
“You should have loved me, Renisha.”
It was the clearest and most confident voice he’d ever heard.
He tilted his head and kissed Renisha’s lips.
He couldn’t hold onto Renisha, so he would abandon her miserably.
This was his final farewell to Renisha.
“You brought this upon yourself.”
Laxus whispered.
Laxus's gaze wandered around the banquet hall.
All the lead actors for the play he had prepared were gathered here.
Renisha and Kassius. The two lead actors.
Laxus gripped the armrest, his fingers curling like hooks.
He saw Kassius's gaze occasionally drifting to Renisha, who sat next to him.
Laxus noticed that the emotions in Kassius's eyes weren't entirely pure.
The man was looking at the woman.
"Renisha."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Renisha answered softly.
Renisha always pretended to obey Laxus, but was that true on the inside?
Laxus slowly turned his head and scanned Renisha's innocent face.
He, too, was curious about what was inside.
Laxus's violet eyes sank wetly.
The orange glow of the ornate chandelier and candelabra formed a dazzling scene behind Renisha.
Laxus's eyelids fluttered.
Renisha was the same as before.
A cold, indifferent expression.
The same expression she had when she opened the family gates for Laxus.
A blank, indifferent expression.
An expression devoid of pity, love, or hatred.
Laxus bit his lower lip.
To Laxus, Renisha was his salvation.
His only lifeline. Only Renisha could save him, whom no one else could.
That day, Renisha was light in Laxus's eyes.
What did Renisha think when she looked at Laxus that day?
To Laxus, Renisha was still the same.
She was like the light streaming down her back.
"You idiot."
He chewed down the self-deprecating insults directed at him.
He wanted to crush Renisha into a swamp.
To level with Laxus, to reveal everything about her.
But Renisha wouldn't crumble no matter what he did.
Even now, she was staring at him with an indifferent expression, as if nothing had happened.
"Loser."
It felt like a stone had been thrown into the abyss.
Perhaps things would have been different if Renisha had clung to his feet and begged.
If Renisha had treated him as something emotional, this tragedy might not have happened.
It was the same now.
He would have known what Renisha was thinking.
A plan to make her miserable.
Canary had told her, the Chamberlain had told her.
"Beg."
He urged with his eyes.
"Please don't send me away."
Even now, he could turn the tables.
Tonight was her last night.
Renisha would be dethroned tomorrow and leave this palace.
"Tell me you don't want to go."
Even though Renisha must have seen the boiling emotions, she remained unfazed.
Laxus let out a dejected sigh.
“It’s all your fault, Renisha.”
He shifted all the blame onto Renisha.
His heart was pounding.
Overcome with emotion, Laxus reached out.
He cupped Renisha’s cheek and held her chin, speaking softly.
“You should have loved me, Renisha.”
It was the clearest and most confident voice he’d ever heard.
He tilted his head and kissed Renisha’s lips.
He couldn’t hold onto Renisha, so he would abandon her miserably.
This was his final farewell to Renisha.
“You brought this upon yourself.”
Laxus whispered.
***
Renisha leaned back on the sofa, smiling.
Kassius’s gleaming eyes, staring at her, made her shudder.
They were like reptilian eyes.
Renisha licked her lips in a soft voice.
“Kassius?”
“...Your Majesty, the Empress.”
Kassius, pushed into the Emperor’s bedroom, had a face filled with bewilderment.
Unlike Renisha, who was leaning against the sofa in her dressing gown, he smiled languidly.
Laxus had chosen the most base and dirty method.
It was Laxus who had called her to the Emperor’s bedroom.
She didn’t think he had called her for a normal married couple’s business.
She thought there must have been some ulterior motive.
After bathing and waiting for about an hour, her mind finally felt at ease.
And when Renisha opened the bedroom door and saw Kassius enter, she felt a sense of relief.
All her complicated thoughts flew away.
This was Laxus's move.
The mad Empress, who had dragged her lover into the Emperor's bedroom.
He was trying to make Renisha the center of a dirty scandal.
"Seeing her here feels new again."
Kassius’s gleaming eyes, staring at her, made her shudder.
They were like reptilian eyes.
Renisha licked her lips in a soft voice.
“Kassius?”
“...Your Majesty, the Empress.”
Kassius, pushed into the Emperor’s bedroom, had a face filled with bewilderment.
Unlike Renisha, who was leaning against the sofa in her dressing gown, he smiled languidly.
Laxus had chosen the most base and dirty method.
It was Laxus who had called her to the Emperor’s bedroom.
She didn’t think he had called her for a normal married couple’s business.
She thought there must have been some ulterior motive.
After bathing and waiting for about an hour, her mind finally felt at ease.
And when Renisha opened the bedroom door and saw Kassius enter, she felt a sense of relief.
All her complicated thoughts flew away.
This was Laxus's move.
The mad Empress, who had dragged her lover into the Emperor's bedroom.
He was trying to make Renisha the center of a dirty scandal.
"Seeing her here feels new again."
"You didn't love her, did you? "
This, too, was Renisha's own doing.
That's right.
Renisha had chosen Laxus, and that was why she had brought all this upon herself.
"You look flustered."
"What the hell... I didn't mean to come in."
Kassius frowned.
He had only come because the Emperor had called, and he had never imagined Renisha would be in his bedroom like that.
Kassius, at a loss, turned his head abruptly, refusing to let Renisha's defenseless appearance be exposed.
Kassius, who had been turning the handle as if to go out again, opened his eyes wide.
Click.
The door was locked.
“...It's best not to waste your energy, Sir Kassius. The Emperor's bedroom can be locked from the outside. It can't be tampered with from the inside.”
Renisha said, her chin still clenched. She was suggesting that Kassius's efforts were futile.
Kassius jerked his head to stare at Renisha.
He knew what this meant.
Even as a social outsider, he knew how far this would push Renisha to the brink.
Kassius gritted his teeth.
His usual smile was gone, his expression cold. Kassius's eyes gleamed like a snake's.
Perhaps it felt even more so because his eyes were golden.
The golden eyes gleamed in the darkness.
Slurp.
Red scales appeared and subsided across Kassius's cheeks.
Renisha's smile faded at Kassius's agitation.
"You crazy bastard,"
Kassius muttered softly. He couldn't have done something like this without the Emperor's permission.
"Why are you acting so calm? Why are you acting so indifferent..."
"Because I really am,"
Renisha said sternly.
This, too, was Renisha's own doing.
That's right.
Renisha had chosen Laxus, and that was why she had brought all this upon herself.
"You look flustered."
"What the hell... I didn't mean to come in."
Kassius frowned.
He had only come because the Emperor had called, and he had never imagined Renisha would be in his bedroom like that.
Kassius, at a loss, turned his head abruptly, refusing to let Renisha's defenseless appearance be exposed.
Kassius, who had been turning the handle as if to go out again, opened his eyes wide.
Click.
The door was locked.
“...It's best not to waste your energy, Sir Kassius. The Emperor's bedroom can be locked from the outside. It can't be tampered with from the inside.”
Renisha said, her chin still clenched. She was suggesting that Kassius's efforts were futile.
Kassius jerked his head to stare at Renisha.
He knew what this meant.
Even as a social outsider, he knew how far this would push Renisha to the brink.
Kassius gritted his teeth.
His usual smile was gone, his expression cold. Kassius's eyes gleamed like a snake's.
Perhaps it felt even more so because his eyes were golden.
The golden eyes gleamed in the darkness.
Slurp.
Red scales appeared and subsided across Kassius's cheeks.
Renisha's smile faded at Kassius's agitation.
"You crazy bastard,"
Kassius muttered softly. He couldn't have done something like this without the Emperor's permission.
"Why are you acting so calm? Why are you acting so indifferent..."
"Because I really am,"
Renisha said sternly.
"I can be so calm because I really am, Sir Kassius."
A calm voice cut through the darkness.
"Your Majesty...!"
"This is Emperor Hientri's bedroom."
Renisha closed her eyes and smiled.
"The Emperor is giving up his bedroom to put on a show like this, so shouldn't we go along with it?"
Renisha's tone became lighter.
Kassius ran a hand through his hair.
No man in the world would treat his wife like this.
At least not in the world Kassius knew.
He wanted to grab the Emperor by the collar and shake him right now.
'Wake up, you crazy bastard!!'
Even now, he was desperately trying to explain the situation and calm Renisha.
Both Renisha and Kassius reflected on the end of today's banquet, which had ended with Laxus's madness.
"Kassius, the hero of our empire! I must bestow upon you the most precious and wonderful gift. Let us see what this empire's most precious treasure is!"
A smiling voice rang out, and Canary whispered beside him.
Canary's warped eyes, glinting with malice, and the slender finger pointed to the person.
"That's right! I had an Empress! I have countless women, but isn't the Empress the most precious? Kassius, I grant you my Empress."
A calm voice cut through the darkness.
"Your Majesty...!"
"This is Emperor Hientri's bedroom."
Renisha closed her eyes and smiled.
"The Emperor is giving up his bedroom to put on a show like this, so shouldn't we go along with it?"
Renisha's tone became lighter.
Kassius ran a hand through his hair.
No man in the world would treat his wife like this.
At least not in the world Kassius knew.
He wanted to grab the Emperor by the collar and shake him right now.
'Wake up, you crazy bastard!!'
Today, in public, the Emperor kissed the Empress.
At that moment, an inexplicable emotion overwhelmed Jassius.
He wanted to tear Laxus away from Renisha.
He clenched his fist without realizing it and let out a sigh.
But he had no right to do so.
He couldn't even understand why he was arguing about qualifications.
But Laxus was a brat who didn't even have the right to kiss Renisha.
Kassius let out a deep breath.
He doesn't understand this situation, and he doesn't like it either.
Laxus was a ridiculous little brat.
However, in a situation like this, what good would it do to question Laxus's state of mind?
Kassius spoke as bluntly as possible to avoid any misunderstanding.
“It was the Emperor who sent me here. I did not come here of my own volition. I had no intention of deceiving the Empress.”
“I know.”
Renisha said with a smile in her voice.
Every time she saw Cassius, she thought he was a surprisingly sincere and kind man.
Both Renisha and Kassius reflected on the end of today's banquet, which had ended with Laxus's madness.
"Kassius, the hero of our empire! I must bestow upon you the most precious and wonderful gift. Let us see what this empire's most precious treasure is!"
A smiling voice rang out, and Canary whispered beside him.
Canary's warped eyes, glinting with malice, and the slender finger pointed to the person.
"That's right! I had an Empress! I have countless women, but isn't the Empress the most precious? Kassius, I grant you my Empress."
The stunned crowd's mocking gazes were directed at Renisha.
Kassius, as soon as the Emperor finished speaking, tried to escape, biting back curses, but failed.
The knights blocking him shook their heads.
Without that signal, Kassius would have either fled or beheaded the Emperor.
The Emperor was now mad.
He was a man who could behead someone for the mere sound of his government's laughter, which he had been listening to all night.
Hientri's imperial power was solid, built on the atrocities of the Emperor's madness.
It stemmed from the fear that he might be consumed by madness and die.
Kassius often thought that the nobles of this country had become "stupid in their peace."
So they weren't thinking of striking down the Emperor.
And under the Emperor's madness, Kassius had truly been forced into the bedroom.
Renisha and Kassius, who had the same thought, met eyes.
Renisha let out a small laugh.
Renisha's mysterious platinum hair spilled over the sides of her face.
Her contrasting pink eyes, unlike their spring-like color, held a winter chill.
Renisha pursed her lips.
"You know, it's not your fault. And it's not mine either. So don't be nervous."
Renisha looked disheveled today. She seemed tired.
It was the complete opposite of her usual upright posture.
"I think it's best to stay. If either you or I leaves now, we'll both die."
Renisha gently gestured across from her.
"So come and sit here, Sir Kassius. You can't stand like that forever."
A soft smile spread across Renisha's lips.
Kassius swallowed involuntarily.
Renisha now looked once again like a perfect moon fairy.
This sight of Renisha in such disarray was truly a first.
Reflected in Kassius's eyes, Renisha was now utterly magical.
It was almost as if he forgot he was in the Emperor's bedroom.
Renisha spoke sweetly.
"I want to see you up close, Sir Kassius. How well do your new clothes suit you?"
An inexplicable tension seemed to choke Kassius's throat.
Kassius, as soon as the Emperor finished speaking, tried to escape, biting back curses, but failed.
The knights blocking him shook their heads.
Without that signal, Kassius would have either fled or beheaded the Emperor.
The Emperor was now mad.
He was a man who could behead someone for the mere sound of his government's laughter, which he had been listening to all night.
Hientri's imperial power was solid, built on the atrocities of the Emperor's madness.
It stemmed from the fear that he might be consumed by madness and die.
Kassius often thought that the nobles of this country had become "stupid in their peace."
So they weren't thinking of striking down the Emperor.
And under the Emperor's madness, Kassius had truly been forced into the bedroom.
Renisha and Kassius, who had the same thought, met eyes.
Renisha let out a small laugh.
Renisha's mysterious platinum hair spilled over the sides of her face.
Her contrasting pink eyes, unlike their spring-like color, held a winter chill.
Renisha pursed her lips.
"You know, it's not your fault. And it's not mine either. So don't be nervous."
Renisha looked disheveled today. She seemed tired.
It was the complete opposite of her usual upright posture.
"I think it's best to stay. If either you or I leaves now, we'll both die."
Renisha gently gestured across from her.
"So come and sit here, Sir Kassius. You can't stand like that forever."
A soft smile spread across Renisha's lips.
Kassius swallowed involuntarily.
Renisha now looked once again like a perfect moon fairy.
This sight of Renisha in such disarray was truly a first.
Reflected in Kassius's eyes, Renisha was now utterly magical.
It was almost as if he forgot he was in the Emperor's bedroom.
Renisha spoke sweetly.
"I want to see you up close, Sir Kassius. How well do your new clothes suit you?"
An inexplicable tension seemed to choke Kassius's throat.
Comments
Post a Comment