Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: The Accomplice's Smile
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Daphne's eyes widened. No way had she been caught, right? When she looked at the Rocania Count, the count burst into a hearty laugh.
"Your Majesty, how can you say something so frightening?"
Asherad gave no reply to that. The strange standoff continued.
Asherad seemed lost in thought for a moment before lifting the corners of his mouth. It really had just been a joke, it seemed.
"If you've been up to something like that, you must not have been able to focus on the hunt at all. Rocania Count, investigate the families with the fewest kills and report back."
"Understood."
The count bowed and exited the tent. Her heart pounded. Exactly as he'd said—if they had few kills, it would draw suspicion. Daphne prayed the count had managed a good haul.
"Daphne."
At the sound of her name again, Daphne snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Asherad.
"What are you thinking?"
Seeing those green eyes trying to pry into her gaps, she deliberately averted her gaze. Asherad's stare pursued her relentlessly.
"Nothing."
"Why? Does someone come to mind?"
"They were all wearing masks, so I couldn't see."
As she spoke, Daphne gauged Asherad's reaction. He didn't seem suspicious. He was frowning slightly as he looked at her face.
"Don't worry. This won't happen again."
He reached out and stroked her hand. Hers was cold compared to his. Asherad gripped the chilled hand tightly.
"It's true. Nothing like this will happen again."
Why was this man trying to reassure her? Daphne lowered her head slightly to look at the hand he had enveloped. His hand was long and large.
Large enough to wrap both of hers at once. It felt like he was forcibly warming her cooling fingers.
This man would protect her?
This man?
The one who had never once taken her side, who had only ever been focused on imprisoning her?
The one who hadn't lifted a finger to help even when she was on the brink of death?
The one who knew Callista would abandon her if left alone, yet had let it happen?
Daphne swallowed the emotion rising in her throat.
It was resentment.
What would Asherad do if she voiced it? Would he get angry, saying she wanted too much? Would he mock her, asking what an lover could possibly expect? Or would he rejoice, realizing she loved him after all?
None of those were what Daphne wanted.
She knew the fire burning inside her wasn't pure hatred toward him.
It was a sticky blend of affection and anger clinging tightly together. The extremes of emotion—within that, Daphne closed her eyes and then opened them.
Especially now, with her feelings for Fabian aching so intensely, she realized she couldn't truly see Asherad.
"I'm fine."
Daphne smiled brightly.
"Your Majesty. I'm really fine."
"......"
"And Your Majesty ended up saving me, didn't you? You're feeling guilty about it, right?"
At her warm words, Asherad's eyes widened briefly before curving. In the shadowed tent, she couldn't tell what he was thinking. The one certain thing was that he was smiling.
"Yes. I'm sorry to you."
"......"
"It feels like that's the right thing."
Asherad pulled Daphne into his arms once more. For some reason, she thought he was trembling. As she nestled into his embrace, Daphne thought this had created one more secret he didn't know.
* * *
Some time later, as Daphne headed to the carriage. It was the announcement of the hunt's winner. Daphne's eyes went wide. The Rocania Count wore a laurel crown signifying victory in the hunt. Not just few kills—he had won outright?
Daphne glanced at the dead game before boarding the carriage. The assault seemed far from over. Just then, her eyes met the Rocania Count's. The count gave an enigmatic smile. The smile of an accomplice.
"Come with me."
Daphne looked at the person who had abruptly offered his hand. She blinked in surprise at the unexpected figure. Yohannis Turbul, Viscount Turbul.
He had used informal speech last time, but now he was being polite.
* * *
Callista's face was deathly pale. She was so drained she couldn't even smash the room's furnishings, her specialty today. Why? Why? Why?
She trembled as she gazed at Asherad seated in the chair. In this moment, all titles like the empire's foremost lady and the imperial family's greatest elder were gone.
She was a sinner kneeling before Asherad.
"Will you explain, Mother?"
Asherad spoke with a gentle expression. Knights stood beside him, legs crossed, while bound and fallen men lay before the knights.
"Why did this happen?"
A soft question. But all the more chilling for it. No one was more terrifying than someone suppressing their emotions in such a situation. Callista's lips turned white.
"Why did these insolent thugs invade a forest that's practically my mother's garden?"
Asherad twisted the corners of his mouth upward.
"I-I don't know!"
"You don't?"
At his glance, one of the prone men came to. Realizing where he was, he let out a short scream and curled up.
"Pledge your respects to His Majesty!"
A knight kicked his stomach, and the man shouted.
"Forgive me. I've committed a grave sin, Your Majesty! I was just following orders..."
He recited it flawlessly, as if it were a prepared line.
"So who gave the orders?"
The man looked at the Empress Dowager standing behind him. Without hesitation, he shouted.
"That woman! The Empress Dowager!"
"You damned wretch!"
Callista couldn't hold back and yelled. The madman! Assassins lived by secrecy. Even with a blade to their throat, they wouldn't reveal the client! Yet he spat it out like he'd been waiting?
"No! Your Majesty, this is a frame-up!"
"A frame-up by whom?"
"By those jealous of me, of course! Have there not been many incidents lately?"
Callista shouted with feigned boldness. They had no evidence; this was just to extract a confession.
Their testimony could be nullified with the magic word "frame-up"! Astonishingly, she cleverly recalled a few unlucky families.
She would eliminate them this chance.
"I see..."
He nodded. Color returned to Callista's face. As expected, Asherad was weak to her. He'd believe whatever she said.
He descended from the throne and approached. He met Callista's eyes and smiled faintly.
"Even with one last chance, you ignore it entirely..."
Before Callista could speak, he drew his sword. The blade flashed.
"Kyaaack!"
Callista screamed piercingly and collapsed. The short-haired maid beside her spewed blood and died. Covered in blood, Callista shrieked at the top of her lungs. For her, raised more preciously than greenhouse flowers, this was an unprecedented terror.
"This woman lured Daphne to that spot for a walk, correct?"
Asherad asked in a voice laced with amusement. It was impossibly clean and alluring, unbelievable that he'd just killed someone.
Who had said the Empress Dowager held Asherad in her palm? Asherad had merely been tolerating her.
"A-Asherad, I was wrong!"
"......"
"I was wrong! Spare me, Asherad! Don't do this to me!"
He extended a hand to Callista, who had fallen on her rear. She flinched away at first, then realized it was offered to help her up and grasped it. Slick with the stench of blood, it slipped. Callista stood.
"Of course, Mother. I won't kill you."
"......"
"I cherish you greatly, after all."
Asherad smiled beautifully, his face splattered with blood droplets. Callista trembled before that bewitching devil's visage.
"As long as you don't pull stunts like this. I promise you a sweet world, Mother."
He reached out and elegantly kissed the back of Callista's hand. The hand that had killed the woman. Threatened by Asherad. In that maddening space, Callista forced a smile.
Ah, yes. Asherad. Asherad must be angry!
I'm fine! If he forgives even this mistake, he must really like me!
Asherad loves me!
As the gap between her perceived thoughts and reality widened, Callista's delusions didn't shatter—they grew even more solid.
She chose to submit to the sweet reality under his offered hand and live on. But something was budding in her as well.
She was learning what despair truly was.