Episode 9. The Perfect Threat
Even Kassius couldn't figure out why, whenever he met Renisha's eyes, he obediently followed her orders.
Was it because Renisha resembled Duke Lottera? Was that really all?
That's why he found himself agreeing with Laxus's nonsense.
"Wash away Lottera's sins?"
Everyone in the Hientri Empire knew that Lottera was innocent. It was none other than Laxus who had made Lottera a criminal and exterminated her clan.
"That's right! You agree. You know the natural order of things! Now, look! It's the birth of a new Duke Lottera! What are you all doing? Should we all applaud and celebrate?"
Everyone's eyes were fixed on Renisha.
She was drinking the tea that had been placed in her seat, her face serene.
Their gaze was filled with pity, sympathy, jealousy, and tension.
Each of them had a different way of looking at Renisha, but it was clear they were watching her closely.
Laxus also looked at her.
His lips twisted.
“Oh, right. The Empress was here, wasn’t she?”
Laxus shoved Kassius aside and placed his hand on Renisha’s shoulder.
The shoulder he had gripped so tightly turned pale. Laxus gritted his teeth and suppressed a scream.
“Idiot.”
“Whew!”
He finally felt like he could breathe.
Curses swirled through his head.
He felt as if the battlefield was much better.
He felt reduced to a puppet, meticulously watching the Emperor's every move.
'You must endure. He's mad. But what can you do when the Emperor is mad? There's a reason they say if you don't like the priest, leave the temple. You must become a noble of this empire. Don't forget those who follow you... and those you must protect. Please, Hasham.'
The detestable Therian.
Hasham. Therian appropriately used that forgotten title.
Kassius was born as the heir to a foreign kingdom.
Hasham was the title used to refer to the king of a foreign kingdom.
Clearly, Kassius was destined to be called Hasham, too.
Until the foreign kingdom was destroyed and absorbed by Histain.
Kassius, a member of the royal family, was brought here as a slave, and the people of the foreign kingdom were scattered.
Kassius, as Hasham, had a responsibility to protect them.
So, he endured.
Now, it was a forgotten secret of his origins, one that no one should know.
It was no secret that Kassius was of foreign descent, but the fact that he was the heir to Hasham was a closely guarded secret. This was because Kassius was the sole surviving member of the royal family.
Kassius ran his tongue through his mouth, which had burst from holding back. A pungent smell assaulted his nostrils.
Kassius sighed deeply and was about to take another step when a hand suddenly appeared and grabbed his wrist.
It was a slender, small hand.
The grip wasn't particularly strong, but Kassius couldn't resist and was drawn in.
It was because of the familiar scent.
With every movement, it felt like wild roses were blooming profusely.
Empress Renisha.
It was Renisha.
Renisha, perhaps familiar with this labyrinthine place, held Kassius in her arms and led him deep into the garden.
No one followed him.
And when they reached a place where no one had come near, Renisha pushed Kassius against the wall.
Compared to the massive Kassius, she was small, yet where did such force come from?
Renisha reached out and touched Kassius's chest.
Then she slowly raised her head.
Kassius unconsciously held his breath until their eyes met.
"Sir Kassius,"
Renisha called him softly.
His heart sank again.
She was the only person he remembered most vividly in this castle, yet this was the first time they had spoken so directly.
She had been dominating Kassius' thoughts since the day they first met.
Renisha pursed her lips.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she'd endured this day to make this moment.
She'd endured Laxus's scheming, endured Canary's rudeness, and swallowed the pity offered by the nobles.
Renisha was a beast.
A beast that knew how to wait quietly for its prey to let its guard down.
Renisha stroked the back of her neck and cheek and asked Kassius,
"Do you have any spare handkerchiefs?"
Renisha fumbled with Kassius's pocket, who didn't respond.
With a nonchalant expression, she pulled out a handkerchief and rubbed the back of her neck, cheek, and earlobe.
The frost flushed her pale skin, but Renisha remained unfazed.
"It's dirty. Phew."
Renisha folded the handkerchief again and placed it in Kassius' pocket.
Kassius had to grit his teeth at the sensation of a small hand entering and exiting his pocket.
His body tensed for some reason. It felt like heat was being drawn downward.
“I think you have something to tell me...”
Renisha trailed off, tapping Kassius’s chin.
The hand on his chest remained still, and Kassius remained motionless.
Did that small hand find these gestures threatening?
This woman was barely half his size!
Even Kassius couldn't figure out why, whenever he met Renisha's eyes, he obediently followed her orders.
Was it because Renisha resembled Duke Lottera? Was that really all?
That's why he found himself agreeing with Laxus's nonsense.
"Wash away Lottera's sins?"
Everyone in the Hientri Empire knew that Lottera was innocent. It was none other than Laxus who had made Lottera a criminal and exterminated her clan.
"That's right! You agree. You know the natural order of things! Now, look! It's the birth of a new Duke Lottera! What are you all doing? Should we all applaud and celebrate?"
Everyone's eyes were fixed on Renisha.
She was drinking the tea that had been placed in her seat, her face serene.
Their gaze was filled with pity, sympathy, jealousy, and tension.
Each of them had a different way of looking at Renisha, but it was clear they were watching her closely.
Laxus also looked at her.
His lips twisted.
“Oh, right. The Empress was here, wasn’t she?”
Laxus shoved Kassius aside and placed his hand on Renisha’s shoulder.
The shoulder he had gripped so tightly turned pale. Laxus gritted his teeth and suppressed a scream.
“Idiot.”
It wasn’t like she didn’t understand why Laxus was acting this way.
He was consumed by malice toward the Lottera family and a damned inferiority complex.
Out of a sense of morality, people simply watched Renisha’s every move.
Laxus had a narrow mind that couldn’t tolerate even that.
Laxus bent down toward her.
He pressed his lips to Renisha’s cheek and then moved them to her ear.
It felt like a weasel was crawling all over her.
Renisha endured all the insults with a pale smile.
“Now, Renisha. My Empress. Tell me. What do you think? Don’t you think it’s fortunate that Kassius was able to atone for Lottera’s sins? Yes?”
He was consumed by malice toward the Lottera family and a damned inferiority complex.
Out of a sense of morality, people simply watched Renisha’s every move.
Laxus had a narrow mind that couldn’t tolerate even that.
Laxus bent down toward her.
He pressed his lips to Renisha’s cheek and then moved them to her ear.
It felt like a weasel was crawling all over her.
Renisha endured all the insults with a pale smile.
“Now, Renisha. My Empress. Tell me. What do you think? Don’t you think it’s fortunate that Kassius was able to atone for Lottera’s sins? Yes?”
Kassius barely managed to resist the urge to tear off Laxus and fling it to the floor.
It was because Renisha was holding on.
And everyone in the banquet hall was holding on.
Meanwhile, Canary added,
“Your Majesty, what are you doing? The Emperor is waiting. Please answer quickly.”
Her tone was laced with a hint of humor.
Canary seemed quite pleased with the situation.
This place was full of incomprehensible things.
Then.
Renisha raised her slender hands.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
The crackling sound of their palms clashing reverberated through the silent banquet hall.
Renisha spoke with a drawn smile.
“Your Majesty is right. Thanks to you, Loterra has been cleansed. Thank you, Sir Kassius. What are you all doing? We should celebrate this.”
“Ha, hahahahaha... That’s right. We should celebrate!”
“Thank you, Sir Kassius! For giving us back a purified Loterra!”
The nobles began to applaud hysterically.
Laxus watched with satisfaction.
Pulling away from Renisha, Laxus patted Kassius on the shoulder.
“You will inherit Loterra’s rights. And you will receive Hiloshine and some of the wealth that Loterra once owned. Is that enough?”
He meant that he would only give him what he had eaten and regurgitated like excrement.
Kassius unconsciously glanced at Renisha.
Renisha was not looking at Kassius.
Renisha was the Empress and was respected by the people. Moreover, she had lived her entire life as a noble.
But why did she look so weak?
Kassius bowed his head and replied,
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
It was over, and he wanted to rescue Renisha from here.
Kassius clenched his fist.
His heart pounded as if it would burst.
The anger he had to suppress was tearing at his chest and coursing through his veins.
He knew he had to hold it back. Kassius had too many people to protect.
But Renisha.
Renisha, the daughter of Loterra, was not someone who deserved to be treated like that.
Their daughter, whom Loterra had protected...!
Slurp.
Dark red scales sprouted over his fist and quickly subsided.
Laxus, fortunately oblivious, returned to his seat.
The suffocating banquet began.
“Now that we’ve done our work, let’s all start eating. Oh, by the way. Don’t you think it looks good sitting side by side like this?”
Kassius was certain.
The food here would be worse than the sandy bread he’d chewed on the battlefield.
Kassius pulled down the bow tie that was strangling his throat.
As expected, everything he’d eaten had piled up. He could barely suppress the nausea that threatened to vomit.
“Even that kind of thing is an Emperor!”
Kassius walked roughly.
The other nobles had taken a different path from him.
Mixing in with them had become suffocating, and he had deviated.
Those who met Kassius’s gaze as he walked randomly avoided him.
Kassius, who had been walking without a clue where he was going, stopped with both hands on his waist.
His clothes were already disheveled.
It was because Renisha was holding on.
And everyone in the banquet hall was holding on.
Meanwhile, Canary added,
“Your Majesty, what are you doing? The Emperor is waiting. Please answer quickly.”
Her tone was laced with a hint of humor.
Canary seemed quite pleased with the situation.
This place was full of incomprehensible things.
Then.
Renisha raised her slender hands.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
The crackling sound of their palms clashing reverberated through the silent banquet hall.
Renisha spoke with a drawn smile.
“Your Majesty is right. Thanks to you, Loterra has been cleansed. Thank you, Sir Kassius. What are you all doing? We should celebrate this.”
“Ha, hahahahaha... That’s right. We should celebrate!”
“Thank you, Sir Kassius! For giving us back a purified Loterra!”
The nobles began to applaud hysterically.
Laxus watched with satisfaction.
Pulling away from Renisha, Laxus patted Kassius on the shoulder.
“You will inherit Loterra’s rights. And you will receive Hiloshine and some of the wealth that Loterra once owned. Is that enough?”
He meant that he would only give him what he had eaten and regurgitated like excrement.
Kassius unconsciously glanced at Renisha.
Renisha was not looking at Kassius.
Renisha was the Empress and was respected by the people. Moreover, she had lived her entire life as a noble.
But why did she look so weak?
Kassius bowed his head and replied,
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
It was over, and he wanted to rescue Renisha from here.
Kassius clenched his fist.
His heart pounded as if it would burst.
The anger he had to suppress was tearing at his chest and coursing through his veins.
He knew he had to hold it back. Kassius had too many people to protect.
But Renisha.
Renisha, the daughter of Loterra, was not someone who deserved to be treated like that.
Their daughter, whom Loterra had protected...!
Slurp.
Dark red scales sprouted over his fist and quickly subsided.
Laxus, fortunately oblivious, returned to his seat.
The suffocating banquet began.
“Now that we’ve done our work, let’s all start eating. Oh, by the way. Don’t you think it looks good sitting side by side like this?”
Kassius was certain.
The food here would be worse than the sandy bread he’d chewed on the battlefield.
***
Kassius pulled down the bow tie that was strangling his throat.
As expected, everything he’d eaten had piled up. He could barely suppress the nausea that threatened to vomit.
“Even that kind of thing is an Emperor!”
Kassius walked roughly.
The other nobles had taken a different path from him.
Mixing in with them had become suffocating, and he had deviated.
Those who met Kassius’s gaze as he walked randomly avoided him.
Kassius, who had been walking without a clue where he was going, stopped with both hands on his waist.
His clothes were already disheveled.
“Whew!”
He finally felt like he could breathe.
Curses swirled through his head.
He felt as if the battlefield was much better.
He felt reduced to a puppet, meticulously watching the Emperor's every move.
'You must endure. He's mad. But what can you do when the Emperor is mad? There's a reason they say if you don't like the priest, leave the temple. You must become a noble of this empire. Don't forget those who follow you... and those you must protect. Please, Hasham.'
The detestable Therian.
Hasham. Therian appropriately used that forgotten title.
Kassius was born as the heir to a foreign kingdom.
Hasham was the title used to refer to the king of a foreign kingdom.
Clearly, Kassius was destined to be called Hasham, too.
Until the foreign kingdom was destroyed and absorbed by Histain.
Kassius, a member of the royal family, was brought here as a slave, and the people of the foreign kingdom were scattered.
Kassius, as Hasham, had a responsibility to protect them.
So, he endured.
Now, it was a forgotten secret of his origins, one that no one should know.
It was no secret that Kassius was of foreign descent, but the fact that he was the heir to Hasham was a closely guarded secret. This was because Kassius was the sole surviving member of the royal family.
Kassius ran his tongue through his mouth, which had burst from holding back. A pungent smell assaulted his nostrils.
Kassius sighed deeply and was about to take another step when a hand suddenly appeared and grabbed his wrist.
It was a slender, small hand.
The grip wasn't particularly strong, but Kassius couldn't resist and was drawn in.
It was because of the familiar scent.
With every movement, it felt like wild roses were blooming profusely.
Empress Renisha.
It was Renisha.
Renisha, perhaps familiar with this labyrinthine place, held Kassius in her arms and led him deep into the garden.
No one followed him.
And when they reached a place where no one had come near, Renisha pushed Kassius against the wall.
Compared to the massive Kassius, she was small, yet where did such force come from?
Renisha reached out and touched Kassius's chest.
Then she slowly raised her head.
Kassius unconsciously held his breath until their eyes met.
"Sir Kassius,"
Renisha called him softly.
His heart sank again.
She was the only person he remembered most vividly in this castle, yet this was the first time they had spoken so directly.
She had been dominating Kassius' thoughts since the day they first met.
Renisha pursed her lips.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she'd endured this day to make this moment.
She'd endured Laxus's scheming, endured Canary's rudeness, and swallowed the pity offered by the nobles.
Renisha was a beast.
A beast that knew how to wait quietly for its prey to let its guard down.
Renisha stroked the back of her neck and cheek and asked Kassius,
"Do you have any spare handkerchiefs?"
Renisha fumbled with Kassius's pocket, who didn't respond.
With a nonchalant expression, she pulled out a handkerchief and rubbed the back of her neck, cheek, and earlobe.
The frost flushed her pale skin, but Renisha remained unfazed.
"It's dirty. Phew."
Renisha folded the handkerchief again and placed it in Kassius' pocket.
Kassius had to grit his teeth at the sensation of a small hand entering and exiting his pocket.
His body tensed for some reason. It felt like heat was being drawn downward.
“I think you have something to tell me...”
Renisha trailed off, tapping Kassius’s chin.
The hand on his chest remained still, and Kassius remained motionless.
Did that small hand find these gestures threatening?
This woman was barely half his size!
...It was utterly menacing.
It wouldn’t be surprising if his heart stopped beating at this rate.
Kassius turned his blushing face away.
“Do you have any questions?”
“...Yes,”
Kassius muttered.
He barely managed to breathe.
Renisha watched his chest rise and fall with curiosity.
Laxus was quite large, but perhaps not as much as Kassius.
She liked the way he surrendered to Renisha’s hand like a docile animal.
Unlike Laxus, who only wanted to swing ferociously.
“You’re really being nice.”
Renisha smiled.
“What? Tell me quickly. I followed you all the way here to hear that story.”
“...Why did you send me these clothes? Do you know me? Why do you act like you know me?”
“That’s why I gave you the clothes. I sent them because I also had something to receive.”
“Is there anything you could ask of me?”
Renisha nodded.
“Do you know about the gentleman? I know a little more than most. I know what kind of swordsmanship you use and how skilled you are. I also know that you have a sweet tooth.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I think it’s the gentleman. The young knight my father praised so highly.”
It was by chance that Renisha recalled the letters she had exchanged with the Duke of Lottera. She pondered the name Kassius, remembering that he had been a knight under the Duke of Lottera.
Then, she remembered the story of the young knight who was exceptionally skilled with a sword.
The Duke of Lottera had often spoken of the young knight with blazing red hair.
"My father used to say that you were like a life burning fiercely on the battlefield. He said you had the power to capture attention. I remembered you because you seemed so happy after such a long time."
Kassius's face was surprised.
'Me... The Duke mentioned me?'
His heart swelled with emotion for another reason.
It wouldn’t be surprising if his heart stopped beating at this rate.
Kassius turned his blushing face away.
“Do you have any questions?”
“...Yes,”
Kassius muttered.
He barely managed to breathe.
Renisha watched his chest rise and fall with curiosity.
Laxus was quite large, but perhaps not as much as Kassius.
She liked the way he surrendered to Renisha’s hand like a docile animal.
Unlike Laxus, who only wanted to swing ferociously.
“You’re really being nice.”
Renisha smiled.
“What? Tell me quickly. I followed you all the way here to hear that story.”
“...Why did you send me these clothes? Do you know me? Why do you act like you know me?”
“That’s why I gave you the clothes. I sent them because I also had something to receive.”
“Is there anything you could ask of me?”
Renisha nodded.
“Do you know about the gentleman? I know a little more than most. I know what kind of swordsmanship you use and how skilled you are. I also know that you have a sweet tooth.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I think it’s the gentleman. The young knight my father praised so highly.”
It was by chance that Renisha recalled the letters she had exchanged with the Duke of Lottera. She pondered the name Kassius, remembering that he had been a knight under the Duke of Lottera.
Then, she remembered the story of the young knight who was exceptionally skilled with a sword.
The Duke of Lottera had often spoken of the young knight with blazing red hair.
"My father used to say that you were like a life burning fiercely on the battlefield. He said you had the power to capture attention. I remembered you because you seemed so happy after such a long time."
Kassius's face was surprised.
'Me... The Duke mentioned me?'
His heart swelled with emotion for another reason.
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