Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Cuckoo Lady
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“ Come to your aunt, Asherad.”
The youngest princess of the Thalassa Kingdom, Calista, opened her arms to Asherad. Seeing this, Asherad approached her with a smile lighting up his face and embraced her.
“You must be tired from the long journey.”
“Not at all.”
The Thalassa Kingdom was the homeland of Asherad’s late mother, Sabrina.
The eldest princess Sabrina and the visiting Calista had almost no connection. It was only natural. Calista was, in a way, an adopted child.
Sabrina had been born to the late queen, while Calista was the daughter of a consort the king had taken.
The king had boldly courted Calista’s mother, a young and beautiful widow he admired. In the end, he took Calista in as his daughter on the condition of making her mother his queen.
Calista gazed at her handsome nephew with a beaming smile. The king’s “youngest daughter” Calista was as spoiled as she was loved.
“But where is His Majesty?”
“His Majesty is in the audience chamber, Aunt.”
Calista nodded and looked at Asherad. He was just three years younger than her.
‘He’s the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.’
His glossy jet-black hair with a slight curl. A straight nose and large eyes with sharp lines.
The young man approaching twenty clearly had a dangerously alluring charm. His thick eyelashes, lowered just a touch, were beautiful.
“Asherad.”
“Yes, Aunt.”
Calista couldn’t tear her eyes away from her nephew’s face.
“I’ll escort you.”
Her heart raced as she took Asherad’s hand.
* * *
“She’s a princess from the Thalassa Kingdom.”
“Isn’t he going to marry her?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. She’s the younger sister of the late Empress.”
Daphne watched the two strolling down the corridor. The woman with reddish-blonde hair and amber eyes exuded undeniable nobility. Asherad held her hand and smiled brightly.
“What are you talking about? Strictly speaking, they’re not even blood-related.”
Daphne bit her lip as she overheard the maids chattering. The two standing face-to-face in the corridor looked utterly perfect together.
“The Crown Prince will probably take a fiancée soon anyway.”
“Come on, even so, she’s his aunt. Is that okay?”
People whispered about the flawless picture they made. Daphne bowed her head.
“Daphne, come here.”
Daphne looked up at Sara’s warm voice. Lately, Sara had been speaking to her. How was she supposed to interpret this...?
“Sara! Are you crazy?”
Amanda reached out as if to stop her, but Sara shook her head. Daphne approached Sara.
“Don’t wander off so far.”
“Okay...”
Daphne bowed her head even lower, her throat tightening at Sara’s kind words. She stole a glance between them as she passed by with the maids.
It was breathtakingly beautiful.
“What are we going to do?”
Sara added some comfort. Daphne hung her head with a gloomy expression.
* * *
“Why are you here?”
Daphne tilted her head at the red-haired knight. Most people who spoke to her only said negative things.
Get lost, get out. You’re filthy.
‘Why are you here’ might sound like a demand to leave this place, but this man’s face showed pure curiosity.
“I-I’m sorry.”
“Did you come to see Crown Prince Asherad?”
“...”
“The Crown Prince won’t be looking for you for a while.”
She knew that, but it was a cold statement. Without thinking, she had come to the Crown Prince Palace, the place Asherad had called her to before.
She just wanted to see his face. She wished even the breeze brushing past him would brush past her. The man sighed as he saw her face.
“Ah, this is frustrating. You’re obviously younger than me, so I’ll just speak casually.”
“...”
“Hey, don’t you have work? Why do you keep hanging around here?”
His speech became informal, but Daphne didn’t feel awkward. In truth, whether a knight used formal speech with a commoner lady was entirely up to the knight’s discretion.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“His Majesty suddenly removed me from all my duties.”
“That’s weird. Won’t the other maids resent you if you don’t work? Are you trying to get scolded again like before?”
It stung again. Just as the man said, she was being ostracized. She was already hated so much there was no room left for more hate. Daphne lowered her head.
Come to think of it, did this man know she’d been scolded by Olga before?
‘Rumors about me always spread.’
Daphne wore a gloomy expression.
“Ah, sorry, sorry.”
The knight spoke softly and stood beside Daphne.
“Do you think Crown Prince Asherad will show up from here?”
It had been since Noel that someone approached her so friendly. Daphne stepped back in surprise.
“Why?”
“...”
“Oh, I’m Fabian.”
The man stood against the clear blue sky, grinning as he extended his hand. Daphne was startled. Why, why was he offering his hand to her?
Everyone except Asherad had been hostile to her. They all mocked her and tried to ‘punish’ her?
“I-I’m the daughter of the cuckoo?”
That was why. Daphne squeezed her eyes shut and shouted without thinking. Fabian burst into laughter.
“The cuckoo’s daughter is your name?”
“...”
“That’s a fun name, Cuckoo Lady.”
Fabian chuckled. Normally, people would back off at that.
“I-I’m sorry, but... I...”
She hated insulting her own mother, but Daphne bit her lip. This man clearly didn’t know who she was.
“I know. You’re the child of that seductress who deceived that family.”
“...”
He knew? And he was still doing this? She’d incur the emperor’s wrath?
“But still, that’s too much. It’s been years since then, and they’re still shunning you?”
“...”
“It’s strange. Really.”
“It’s because I’m the daughter of a criminal. It’s only natural.”
“Cuckoo Lady, you’re not a criminal.”
No one but Asherad had ever said that to her. Fabian tossed it out casually to Daphne, whose eyes widened in surprise.
“And besides, you’re so pretty.”
In an instant, Daphne’s face flushed red.
“And I like cuckoos.”
That was Fabian and Daphne’s proper first meeting.
* * *
Daphne woke from sleep. Tears streamed down her face. The overly fluffy bed enveloped her body. She propped herself up.
The unfamiliar place came into view. This was the emperor’s room—Asherad’s room.
The room’s owner, Asherad, slept with his eyes closed. A ray of sunlight leaked through the blackout curtains, shining on his eyes.
The boyish look he’d had before heading to the battlefield was long gone. A sharp jawline, firm lips. A broadened chest.
Yet the thick black eyelashes visible when his eyes were closed and the red lips that had ceaselessly explored her body remained the same.
Daphne, who had been admiring his face, looked down at herself. Traces of Asherad marked her everywhere. Though not visible, her neck and chest were surely covered in red marks too.
Her body ached faintly.
Daphne sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the window where sunlight seeped in for a long while.
For the first time in ages, that man had appeared in her dream.
“Fabian...”
A cracked voice escaped Daphne’s parched lips. The man she’d met at seventeen. That playful rogue with boyish blue eyes and red hair. Tears welled up.
Fabian.
She could still see him approaching, calling her pretty. It was all because of her. Because of her...
“Do you still remember that bastard?”
A chilling voice rang out. Daphne whipped around in shock. Through a beam of sunlight, cool green eyes met hers.
Daphne’s face stiffened. It was such a quiet voice it wouldn’t wake someone from sleep...
Those green eyes flashed with madness for a moment. Fear surged through her at Asherad’s face, and as she tried to rise, her wrist was yanked, pulling her sideways onto the bed.
“Ngh...”
His hand slipped under her side, and with one arm around her waist, Asherad pulled her tightly against him.
Daphne tried to turn her head, but his teeth already sank into her nape.
“Do you remember that bastard’s name?”
“...”
Daphne couldn’t speak. One hand gripped her breast. The lingering heat from their night together made her quickly aroused by his touch.
He hiked up her slip, his large hand stroking her soft thigh before spreading them wide.
“Why do you remember?”
Daphne exhaled hot breaths. The slick sounds made her mind hazy.
“Y-Your Majesty...”
“You call that bastard by name, but I’m just ‘Your Majesty’?”
Squelching wet sounds flowed out. Facing away from Asherad, she couldn’t see his face.
But the displeasure and anger in his voice, his quickened breaths, and the hardness pressing against her hips told her of his arousal.
“Hn, ah!”
She bit her lips shut, but his hands overwhelmed her, and sounds escaped.
“Do you like that bastard?”
“...”
“Enough to throw me away and choose him?”
“...”
“Did you love that bastard?”
Asherad whispered the same words as back then. His hands stimulating her sped up. Daphne gasped in excitement, desperately shaking her head as she cried out.
“Ah, hn! If it hadn’t been for me!”
“...”
“If it hadn’t been for me, he wouldn’t have had to die!”
Daphne sobbed, exhaling hot breaths. But Asherad ignored her sobs, looking down at her.
Gem-like tears fell from Daphne’s eyes. Asherad lifted the corner of his mouth.
Just a mere knight. A half-blooded swordsman with no noble lineage to speak of. Not even comparable to Asherad.
Yet Asherad’s face, gazing down at Daphne, was darkened with shadow.
“Spread your legs.”
As always, Daphne obeyed. Her body, tormented all night, accepted him easily.
“Don’t cry.”
“...”
“I said don’t cry.”
Asherad licked her tears again and again. As if swallowing them would erase even that sticky sorrow.