Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Fear
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“You pulled off another flashy, extreme stunt.”
“…….”
“Even if it went according to plan, wasn’t it too much?”
Yohannis spoke to Asherad, who was wiping blood from the room.
The day of the hunting tournament had been long. The dark moonlit night had risen, and its faint light made Asherad’s skin appear even whiter. The red blood splattered on his cheek stood out starkly.
“How is she?”
Yohannis shook his head at Asherad’s question. Instead of answering that, he asked about Daphne’s condition.
“She’s sleeping. No poison in the wound, and the injury on her chest isn’t deep either.”
“…….”
“That’s a relief.”
“A relief?”
Asherad lifted the corner of his mouth. Utter disgust filled his eyes.
Yohannis wondered what had caused that disgust.
Asherad had mocked her as his pawn and cherished Callista, even going that far with her. What had he gained?
He always possessed rational reason. He was always an exception with Daphne, but mostly that was the case. Yohannis asked curiously.
“Why are you so angry?”
“......”
“Asherad, you’re angry right now.”
Yohannis placed a hand on Asherad’s shoulder. Then Yohannis flinched as if burned and pulled his hand away.
“You’re trembling.”
“......”
“Asherad.”
Asherad said nothing. The shadow cast by the dim lamp conveyed only his trembling. Yohannis gazed silently at the quivering man, likened to the Sun God, so fragile.
The man was lonely, shabby like an old man, and afraid like a child.
“What if, just what if she had died.”
Asherad said no more. But that one sentence was enough for Yohannis.
Asherad was afraid right now. He had chosen Daphne as a means to check Callista by grasping her weakness. But the intrusion of the third force, the Children of Symer, had put Daphne’s life truly in danger.
He had nearly lost Daphne completely.
His always perfect plan had nearly suffered a massive loss due to an unexpected variable.
That loss was Daphne’s life, which could never be recovered. Yohannis’s stern face softened. A warmth like seeing a baby bird hatching from an egg settled in Yohannis’s eyes.
“Asherad. In my view, you’ve learned fear.”
“Fear?”
Asherad furrowed his brow as if wondering what nonsense that was. Yohannis said flatly.
“Yes. The fear that someone else could die because of you.”
It was such a weak, childish emotion.
That he had felt such a ‘normal’ emotion?
Asherad stared blankly, lost in thought. Once he understood the reason for this trembling, he found his shaking body pathetic. Grinding his teeth, he said.
“There’s no way I’d have that kind of altruism. That woman could have her head chopped off right now for all I care!”
It was nothing but empty bravado. After desperately searching for Daphne, after rushing to embrace her when he saw her tied to the tree bleeding, he was pretending otherwise. Even though his heart had sunk. Even though he had held her tight and screamed to save her.
“In that plan you only thought with your head, you probably never considered the girl dying.”
“......”
“You’re afraid of that girl dying.”
Asherad ground his teeth as if to scream no. His eyes blazed with anger toward Yohannis. But in the end, he couldn’t shout anything.
“Asherad, cherishing someone isn’t a sin. Whether that woman is the culprit who made your life hell or the one who killed your mother.”
“......”
“Before you both ruin each other more, find the answer.”
“......”
“You’re capable of it.”
Yohannis placed his hand on his shoulder again. Asherad looked up blankly. Yohannis was like a calm night sea. Asherad said dazedly.
“What am I supposed to do now.”
“What else? Comfort the girl first.”
Yohannis said. At Asherad’s request, Yohannis had ridden in the carriage with Daphne for her protection. He had noticed Daphne’s uneasy demeanor.
Moreover, that Daphne subtly resented Asherad.
“Even though that’s how the situation turned out, no one apologized to that poor girl.”
“......”
“Soothe her heart. That comes first.”
That was all Yohannis could say. Hoping this immature, clumsy, ignorant man would become a bit more honest.
* * *
Daphne blinked. She couldn’t believe the person kneeling before her. Who on earth was this?
Of course, she knew who it was. He wasn’t even hiding his face.
She just couldn’t believe it was the person she knew. Wasn’t it bizarre for the Empress Dowager to kneel to a mere emperor’s concubine?
“Your Majesty, please rise. Why on earth…….”
“I’m sorry.”
“......”
“I’m sorry. You were in great danger because of me.”
Callista looked out of her mind at first glance. She forced a smile like a doll, lifting the corner of her mouth. The smile on her beautiful face was quite eerie.
“What are you talking about?”
“I should have taken good care of you, but I chased you away, and that’s what caused this mess.”
“That’s…… not Your Majesty’s fault. It’s those attackers’ doing.”
Daphne hoped someone would resolve this awkward situation. She couldn’t force the Empress Dowager to stand, nor was she in a position to ‘generously’ forgive the apology.
While Daphne was at a loss, it happened.
“Empress Dowager, Your Majesty. Doing this here will only provoke His Imperial Majesty’s anger further.”
A familiar voice rang out. Daphne made a puzzled face.
The owner of the stiff, emotionless voice was Yohannis. He strode forward, stood before the Empress Dowager, and bowed deeply to her.
“Viscount Turbul, no. I must receive forgiveness. From that girl…….”
“This won’t make His Majesty forgive you.”
“......”
“Don’t put Miss Daphne in a difficult position.”
It was beyond direct to the Empress Dowager, the eldest of the imperial family—it was almost disrespectful. Daphne blinked at his attitude.
Callista’s eyes trembled. She trembled with anger at the corner of her mouth.
“I’m purely seeking forgiveness……!”
“Have you honestly told her what you did?”
At those words, Callista shut her mouth. Yohannis stared straight into Callista’s eyes. His stone-hard pupils held no disgust, contempt, or scorn. But that alone made Callista flinch.
“Even if you cause such a public commotion, His Majesty won’t forgive you. He’ll only grow angrier.”
“......”
“His Imperial Majesty knows all the obvious moves. Don’t tarnish your face further and leave.”
At Yohannis’s words, Callista rose. She glared at Daphne for a long while, then turned to glare murderously at Yohannis before disappearing with quick steps.
“When a superior kneels to an inferior in a place like this, the fault falls on the inferior.”
Daphne was dumbfounded. She couldn’t understand what he was saying.
“Pardon? What do you…….”
“Even if the superior is at fault, letting them kneel and ‘forgiving’ them is presumptuous for the inferior.”
“......”
“First of all, you did well not unconditionally forgiving to escape the situation. However, you need the rhetoric to make them withdraw.”
Daphne looked at Yohannis. This man, who had barely spoken even while escorting her to the carriage, was talkative today. She found him a bit uncomfortable. She couldn’t read his thoughts, different from Asherad’s.
He seemed distant one moment, kind the next. Moreover, he was the son of Duke Turbul, who had tried to kill her. She worried he might secretly view her as the seductress’s daughter.
“Why are you here?”
“I’ve been assigned to protect you, miss.”
Daphne’s eyes widened. What? The heir of the kingdom’s famous ducal house was to guard her? Why?
“It’s His Majesty’s order.”
Asherad to her? Yohannis said to the confused Daphne.
“His Majesty feels very sorry toward you, Miss Daphne.”
“......”
Why was he the one saying that? And why tell her this?
“From now on, I’ll take responsibility for Miss Daphne’s safety. I’ll also educate you on how to handle such situations.”
“......”
“Additionally, I’ll offer you hazard pay.”
Yohannis asked, looking at Daphne’s confused face.
“But first, I have one question.”
“......”
“Do you love His Majesty?”
The dark-haired man stared at Daphne with a stiff expression. Was this a test, or mere curiosity? Daphne bit her lip.