Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: The Reason I Didn't Die
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Even seeing Daphne's resigned face, the man continued hurling his venomous words.
"If your life is that worthless, it has no value. Why struggle on like a filthy maggot? A disaster like you would be better off dead."
Daphne gasped for breath. He was right. Her life held no value. She was a disaster.
How many people had ultimately died because of her? Most people carried guilt for a lifetime over a single death, yet countless had perished due to Daphne.
What drove her even madder was not even knowing how many had died.
Daphne sobbed for a long while.
"Answer me! Why didn't you die? Did you want to live? Did you desperately want to crawl on the ground like vermin? Groveling to the Emperor and offering up your heart!"
The man bellowed. Daphne bit her lip to hold back her tears.
"What right do you have? Get lost! You cuckoo like wretch! Just be honest! Admit you wanted to live no matter who else died! Whether it was freedom or mockery, you just wanted to bask in luxury!"
At the man's words, Daphne shuddered without realizing it. That wasn't it. She hadn't done it for luxury.
"Answer me! That man who loved you so much died because of you—why didn't you die?!"
A red-haired man flashed across the blue sky. She recalled the man who had smiled at her. After Fabian's death, she remembered her hellish life.
Days when even breathing felt like swallowing shards of glass.
That agony resurfaced. To the family that branded her a whore, she wanted to defend herself too.
"I wanted to die!"
It came out like a scream of rage, a final desperate wail, a lament like a death throe. On the brink of death, Daphne cried out as if she might lose consciousness.
"I wanted to die, but they threatened to kill them if I did!"
"Threatened? What?!"
The man faltered. He was listening to the dying Daphne's desperate outburst.
"My precious people! They died because of me, and they threatened to kill their families too! I couldn't die!"
Daphne bit her lip until it stung. Fabian. Her feelings for him had faded. Her guilt toward his family had grown dim. But that was because she'd forced herself to forget. She hadn't forgotten Fabian.
How could she forget the one who had shown her freedom? It always lingered in her heart, a constant regret.
"It's true I wanted to live! But I thought dying would be better too. But, but... they said they'd kill them, so I couldn't die."
"......"
The man's eyes trembled beneath the mask. Now she saw it—those eyes resembled Fabian's. As if seeing something longed for, she spoke.
"He said he loved his mother. He said he loved his little sister too. I knew how much he cherished his family. He looked happy whenever he talked about them."
"......"
"If I died, they'd kill them too. I already felt sorry for Fabian dying because of me, and now they said his family had to die because of me too."
The masked man stood frozen, listening to Daphne. She meant every word. She'd tried so hard to forget Fabian but couldn't.
Daphne bent at the waist and wept. How nice it would be to drown in her tears.
"I'm sorry for living. I'm sorry for breathing."
"......"
"I think this kind of life is better off gone too."
Tears and snot streamed down Daphne's face. The masked man looked down at her. His breath trembled. A heavy silence settled.
The man stared piercingly at Daphne as if lost in thought. That scream was no lie. The face of a woman who had lived in an empty hell revealed itself.
Was it the seductress's charm? The man watched her for a long time before letting out a low sigh and removing his mask.
"Father!"
A voice called out.
The middle-aged man's beard was red. As expected, he was connected to Fabian. Daphne looked at him with her tear-streaked face.
"That child... He never talked about his father, did he?"
Daphne nodded. He spoke with reddened eyes.
"Try to remember, my dear. He must have said something about his father. That boy had his quirks. But he loved me all the same."
Daphne searched her memories. She wanted to share a precious recollection with the man who had Fabian's eyes.
'My dad's an idiot.'
She recalled Fabian grumbling it.
"He called you... an idiot."
"Ha, that figures... That's just like him."
He turned his head and exhaled, huff, huff. Then, one masked man approached Fabian's father and spoke.
"Leader, we need to execute her. The Emperor will notice the disturbance."
"......"
The middle-aged man gazed gravely at the bound Daphne. His eyes flashed with killing intent, then shifted to deep sorrow. Then fury toward Daphne again, followed by anguished eyes.
Who could fathom such swirling emotions? Then the leader asked in a stiff voice.
"So. You really didn't die for Fabian's family?"
"......"
"For Fabian's mother and sister?"
There was no need to think further. Daphne shook her head.
"At first, that's why I couldn't die. But I think I didn't want to die either."
Her tear-choked voice was calm.
"It was a horrific life like a worm's, and I wanted to die. But I wanted to live too, I think that's how it was for me."
"......"
"If I'd truly worried about them, I wouldn't have even thought of running away."
Daphne grew a little more honest.
Yes, if she'd truly cared for Fabian's family, she wouldn't have chosen to run. Of course, she'd fled three years ago thinking Asherad had forgotten her. This time, she was prepared to abandon everything.
"So please just kill me now."
She hadn't always thought this day would come. Asherad was absolute.
But now the time had come.
From the moment she realized this man was connected to Fabian, Daphne had given up on her life.
Whatever pain awaited, she'd accept it. No screaming pathetically, no begging for mercy. Daphne smiled.
Ah, if death meant finding freedom, that would be joyful too.
She wanted to follow her mother.
Apologize to Fabian for being sorry.
Escape that loathsome man.
"Now I understand why Fabian liked you, miss."
"......"
"That's how it must have been. He was always ridiculously hung up on responsibility."
"......"
"I won't kill you now, miss. Do you know what would happen to my wife and daughter if I did?"
There was a strange playfulness in his words. But Daphne saw the hatred in his eyes. It wasn't directed at her.
"You'll live and repay the debt, miss."
He smiled at Daphne. Then a horn sounded.
"Leader!"
At the urging voice, the man smirked.
"See you later, Miss Daphne."
"Ugh!"
He thrust a dagger into Daphne's chest. Daphne's eyes widened. Was it the poison on the blade? Her consciousness blurred.
"Sorry, we can't afford any suspicion between us."
After his curt words, Daphne lost consciousness.
* * *
The cold touch of ice roused Daphne. It was dim somewhere. She realized this was inside a tent.
"Daphne!"
Asherad hugged her, holding her hand. Daphne leaned blankly into his embrace. She felt strangely sleepy.
"I... was clearly stabbed with a knife."
At Daphne's murmur, Asherad pulled her away from his body.
"They said it luckily wasn't deep."
Come to think of it, it hadn't felt like a deep stab. If anything, more like a poke. Daphne casually had grim thoughts as she looked around. The sun was still the same, and being in a tent meant she was still in Ilun Forest.
Considering patients were usually moved to the Imperial Palace, she'd only been unconscious for a very short time.
"The one who stabbed me..."
"We're tracking them, don't worry, Daphne."
Asherad said softly. Her chest stung. Thankfully, Fabian's father hadn't been caught. Then someone entered the tent. It was the Knight Commander.
"Report."
At Asherad's command, the Knight Commander bowed at the waist and spoke.
"Your Majesty. We surrounded and searched the forest, but found no one."
"......"
"It seems we lost them."
Daphne unwittingly sighed in relief. Good. Daphne sat up. Asherad supported her.
"What of Count Rocania?"
"Your Majesty. No unusual activity on the west side either."
Daphne glanced that way and nearly screamed. The man who had just stabbed her was there giving a report. Why was Fabian's father standing there?
Fearing her shock would be noticed, she wrapped her arms around Asherad's neck and buried her face in his chest. A hand stroked the back of her neck.
Her heart pounded.
"You've done well, Count Rocania."
"Not at all."
"Following Duke Turbul, your retainers always work so hard."
"It is merely fulfilling my duty as the empire's sword."
Humble words. The conversation between the hidden culprit and the one trying to uncover him was utterly serene. Thus, only Daphne listening broke out in cold sweat. Count Rocania. So Fabian was the count's son...
"Most of them vanished like a mirage in that forest? Ah."
Asherad made a knowing expression.
"Not that the tracks mixed with the hunting contest participants, but that one of the participants was part of the subversive faction. Ensure none of the participants escape, and search their bodies."
Daphne gripped Asherad's collar. He'd hit the mark. Daphne subtly lifted her head. Count Rocania's beard twitched slightly too.
"Your Majesty, if I may. Searching nobles' bodies will surely displease some."
Count Rocania gently dissuaded him. Asherad then smiled.
"What, are you the intruder, Count Rocania?"
The atmosphere turned icy cold.