Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: What You Will Embrace
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At twenty-one, Daphne smiled bitterly as she recalled that past. How could seventeen-year-old Daphne have been so foolish?
Why had she let herself be swayed by Asherad’s words, rejoicing or despairing at them?
No, wouldn’t it be the same even now? After Belenus’s death, when she had been dragged back to the now-emperor Asherad, she hadn’t put up any resistance.
“His Majesty wishes to see you.”
His Majesty.
The noble Asherad, who had always been addressed as Your Highness, had become an emperor to whom the title suited perfectly.
The emperor’s attendant eyed her with displeasure. It was familiar. The attendant, Leon, had always looked at her that way. Daphne followed behind him, consumed by regret upon regret.
She should have just fled into the mountains instead of waiting for Asherad’s return.
Why had she stayed, longing to see his face, only to get caught again? Because of that lingering attachment, she had missed her chance at freedom.
The sound of a door opening rang out. Daphne headed into the ‘emperor’s chamber.’ It had happened before like this. But back then, it had been the ‘crown prince’s chamber.’
The emperor’s chamber was, naturally, larger than the crown prince’s. It was the room used by that greedy, cruel man who had been desperate to ruin her life until his death. Now, Asherad occupied it.
Daphne raised her head. Outside the window, a golden moon hung full and bright, and bathed in its light, Asherad stood like a golden statue.
He wore a translucent robe, lifting the corners of his red lips.
The moon created by the genesis god, and the creature standing against it. He swept his black hair back, making his face even more visible.
The dim lantern light in the room illuminated his face. Deep, dark shadows draped over it.
His face was still beautiful, but the body revealed through the gaps in his robe was covered in small scars. The young noble once mocked for holing up in the imperial palace had returned as a warrior of war and the sun god, Lu-Ravda.
“You’ve come, Daphne?”
In the past, she had been enraptured by that sight. There were times when his gaze alone had made her mad with joy. But now, it was horrifying.
“Why have you summoned me?”
“Why?”
A low chuckle escaped his lips. He approached her step by step, then undid her neatly pinned hair.
It was strange. Men had always liked her with her hair down.
Asherad, and his father too.
As if gently combing her hair with his fingers, Asherad suddenly grabbed a fistful and crashed his lips against hers.
“Hmph, hmph!”
Daphne shook her head in refusal, but soon a soft tongue pushed into her mouth. For a moment, it felt like her airway was blocked. She pushed at his shoulders, but they were heavy and firm, refusing to budge, instead pressing her body closer.
She squeezed her eyes shut and unwittingly stepped back against his body, only for Asherad to wrap an arm around her waist and pull her tight. Daphne flinched at the massive desire already pressing against her stomach.
“Why?”
Asherad pulled his lips away. His voice had already deepened.
Air filled her mouth. Seeing her exhale deeply, Asherad traced her lips with his thumb, then slipped his finger inside.
She flinched again at the sensation against her stomach, and Asherad smiled thinly as if only then realizing.
“Why? It’s not like this is our first time.”
“…….”
“It’s yours.”
“…….”
“What you’ll embrace.”
With the hand that had touched her lips, Asherad slowly stroked himself.
Why, why was he doing this? Why was this man giving her—her, a mere ‘pet’—what others coveted so desperately?
“Why on earth.”
“…….”
“Why are you doing this to me, Your Majesty?”
“…….”
“You could marry any empress you wanted, even if it’s not me…….”
“Even if it’s not you?”
He leisurely echoed the end of her words.
“Even if it’s not me, there are plenty of women who want to sleep with you. Why me, someone so lowly…….”
Asherad caressed Daphne’s body. Staring at her nape for a long while with eyes flowing with feral madness and lust, he spoke.
“Do you remember, Daphne?”
“…….”
“What happened at the jousting tournament.”
Daphne flinched. She too had recalled exactly that moment when summoned by Asherad.
“Eut…….”
At the same time, Asherad buried his nose in her nape. Soon, something slick slid over it. Goosebumps rose. Asherad whispered in her ear.
“Back then, I got hard just looking at you. Me.”
“…….”
“From that moment, I wanted to devour you.”
* * *
Four years ago again,
The shadow of death cast over the imperial palace by the empress’s passing had vanished forever as the seasons changed.
The weather had turned fully summer, draping verdant greenery, and early autumn brought cool winds once more.
Daphne had never sought out Asherad, and Asherad had never sought her. Daphne, desperately trying to forget her memories of him, floundered in ongoing despair, dragging herself through each day.
In the meantime, the imperial family ran smoothly without an empress. At some point, the emperor had erased every trace of her. All remnants of grief vanished like a mirage.
The emperor, who had rarely visited the empress’s palace even before, never went again. As talks of the emperor’s remarriage surfaced, he promptly announced a jousting tournament, as if he had been waiting.
The imperial palace workers grew even busier. Daphne, in charge of cleaning and odd jobs, had to go help at the jousting grounds too.
It was the emperor’s order.
The emperor would remember Daphne’s existence whenever it slipped his mind, observing how wretchedly she lived and how far she had fallen. It was the fitting end for one who had dared deceive his seed.
Daphne had to clean the stands in front of the emperor.
“Clean harder, harder!”
“…….”
“You useless thing. Even after all these years, you’re still a slow worm.”
Daphne pretended not to hear the emperor’s shouting.
In truth, this alone warranted execution, but the emperor’s goal was to humiliate her endlessly, so he didn’t kill her. Daphne knew that.
“The prince of Pindus lusted after you, didn’t he? Did you flirt like your mother?”
“…….”
“Lowborn like your mother.”
“…….”
It was revolting.
Whenever the emperor passed by and saw Daphne, he would make a show of his displeasure and pick at her to vent.
But ashamed to rage at a mere girl himself, whenever he wanted to torment her, he would dismiss the others and insult her alone.
“You must be good at coquetry, just like your mother.”
The insults directed at her were tolerable, but those at her mother never were.
Daphne clenched her fist around the dry cloth. Then the emperor rushed over and grabbed her hair. The emperor’s eyes met Daphne’s face.
“How old are you now?”
“Seventeen.”
“You’re of age.”
The twisted old man looked at her face and began to leer as if realizing something.
After that, for some reason, Daphne was excluded from all duties.
* * *
With Daphne excluded from all tasks, all she could do was wander the imperial palace. The maids pointed fingers at her, but staying in that musty room made her feel like mold growing on herself. As soon as she walked the corridors, panicked voices rang out.
“His Highness the Crown Prince is hurt!”
“Really?!”
Hearing the maids whisper, Daphne’s eyes widened.
Why? Why Asherad? Was it serious? Daphne approached where the maids were murmuring.
“What happened to His Highness?”
At Daphne’s words, they all fell silent for a moment and stared at her. Whenever she spoke, people would exchange glances in silence before responding.
“Why do you care?”
Ariel lifted the corner of her mouth as she spoke. The others burst into giggles.
“Why not ask him yourself if you’re so curious?”
“…….”
“As if His Highness the Crown Prince would spare a thought for you.”
At those words, Daphne bowed her head and said no more.
“I heard a lance grazed his shoulder during the joust. He’s fine.”
Daphne turned at the voice. Sara smiled gently as she explained.
“Why tell her that!”
Sara shook her head at Amanda’s voice.
“You’re just too soft-hearted…….”
The maids sighed in exasperation.
Daphne nodded gratefully at Sara. Leaving the maids behind, she stood in a corner behind the palace, eyes wide, lost in thought.
A lance grazed his shoulder? How much does that hurt? He wouldn’t lose use of his arm again, right? Her hands fidgeted anxiously. Her heart pounded.
She wanted to see if he was okay.
Her chest felt like it would burst with worry. She wanted to rush to the crown prince’s chamber right then, but she now knew her place.
She didn’t even have the right to worry. Her concern meant nothing to Asherad anyway. There were too many people worrying for him, and hers was worse than none at all.
And above all, she was nothing to Asherad.
Three days later.
“His Highness the Crown Prince summons you.”
That day too, as she spent it thinking of Asherad, his attendant arrived. Daphne’s eyes sparkled like a puppy awaiting its master.
Daphne followed the attendant to the crown prince’s chamber.
Why had he called her? A strange excitement bubbled up. Her scalp tingled with that itchy anticipation. He hadn’t forgotten her.
Asherad, His Highness the Crown Prince, remembered her.
That fact alone made Daphne feel special once more.
The attendant who brought her left with a parting shot.
“Don’t anger His Highness.”
“…….”
Anger? Was he mad? In any case, Daphne couldn’t understand. As always, she opened the door and entered.
“You’ve come?”
A soft voice greeted her immediately. It came quickly, as if he had been waiting.
It was a voice so tender it brought tears to her eyes. Daphne hesitated for a moment, recalling the past. Even when he had thrown her to the prince of Pindus, his voice had been this gentle.
The base joy and delight vanished, leaving only betrayal and sorrow in their place.
“Daphne.”
“You summoned me.”
Even as her name was called, Daphne kept her head bowed and answered softly.
“Lift your head, Daphne.”
Daphne raised her head. She faced Asherad, standing against the window. His flesh gleamed in the moonlight.
He always wore neat, well-fitted clothes, but his attire had long been disheveled. His shirt, fully unbuttoned, barely hung on his shoulders. Through the gap, taut muscles were revealed.
“Come here, Daphne.”
Exposing his exquisitely beautiful body, he welcomed her.