Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Ripple
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"Here she is."
The stench of rotting corpses filled the air. All the coffins were open. At the knight's words, Asherad strode over. The moment he saw the woman inside the coffin, Asherad let out a hollow laugh.
"Ha...."
The woman in the coffin was asleep. Despite the commotion of opening it, she slumbered deeply, breathtakingly beautiful.
Radiant golden hair, long lashes, red lips. A rosy flush.
"Daphne."
She was so beautiful, and Asherad acknowledged it. He lifted his woman, who lay in the coffin like a corpse. The corners of his mouth lifted.
He wanted to force her awake from her sleep and shatter that innocent world. Suppressing that twisted urge, he gazed at Daphne for a long while.
At first, when he heard the report that Daphne had tried to run, he truly considered killing her. A sensation of something shattering, accompanied by a sharp ache tearing at his chest. He thought of eliminating the cause.
Yet the woman in his arms was so small and beautiful.
The warmth in those two hands, her innocence as she slept unknowing—it was endearing. Asherad smiled brightly at Daphne.
Thank goodness. Thank goodness I caught her again. Thank goodness she's in my hands.
Despite the rotten corpse stench, he pressed his cheek to her flushed one. Then, he kissed her softly. Yohannis watched the ecstatic man with a hardened expression.
* * *
Blood dripped steadily. Daphne stared wide-eyed at Asherad gripping the blade. He lowered his gaze, looking back and forth between the dagger and Daphne.
"Ha...."
He let out a hollow laugh. It was an empty sound. Asherad looked at the one who had tried to kill him. Startled, Daphne let go of the dagger. He stared at the gleaming blue dagger. Then he picked it up and hurled it away.
"Eek!"
Daphne squeezed her eyes shut, but soon the cold clang of metal hitting the floor rang out. When she opened her eyes, Asherad was looking at her. He raised his hand to stroke her cheek. A warm, wet sensation and thick metallic blood scent assaulted her. Asherad had smeared his wounded hand across her face.
"If you were going to kill me, you should have stabbed harder. This is just a graze."
"...."
"Did you... want to kill me?"
There was a slight tremor in his words, but Daphne didn't notice. Even if she had, she would have thought it natural for the owner to be shocked when the pet bit him.
Daphne had simply been scared. Scared of herself for swinging a blade at someone, scared of what an enraged Asherad might do to her.
"I, I...."
Daphne couldn't continue. Asherad whispered to her.
"I'll let it slide this once, Daphne."
"...."
"Go on, pick it up."
Her trembling hand grasped the dagger, and Asherad pointed at her with his finger. It meant death.
Her heart pounded wildly. Daphne stared at the coldly glinting silver blade.
He would surely watch every detail of her death. If she raised the blade to her heart, she would die. Bleeding out, just like that.
If she died, she could see her mother. Escape all this, finally flee that loathsome man.
But why should I die?
The thought flashed through her mind, and in that instant, she couldn't do anything.
Why?
That single small question stopped her from choosing death.
Am I to decide my life or death by his command? Stabbing my heart with the blade would hurt. She hated pain.
A life of punishment, a life of imprisonment. And now, a life forced to choose death to escape it.
She didn't want to end her life like that.
She wanted a different life. One where she was the master, not dictated by someone else. So she didn't even want her death decided this way.
No, she wanted to be honest.
I'm scared.
She was terrified.
Terrified of ending her own life.
And the man noticed her hesitation immediately. His hand snatched the dagger from her wrist. He spoke to the shuddering Daphne.
"See?"
"...."
"You couldn't do it, could you?"
"...."
"If you can't die, you'll have to live by my side forever."
At that horrifying declaration, Daphne shook her head frantically. No, no, no! But as he gazed at her small resistance endearingly, Asherad said,
"Daphne. Don't we have one more conversation to finish?"
"...."
He cupped her chin, lifting it, and stroked her cheek. That tenderness was chilling. Asherad lowered his voice to a whisper.
"Be honest."
Daphne flinched.
"Which bastard helped you?"
Daphne's eyes widened.
"No one...."
Had the Rocania Count been caught? Or... Sara? No, that couldn't be. Asherad said,
"Do you think I don't know you took two female maids as your close attendants?"
"...."
"Daphne, do you really think I know nothing? Really?"
Daphne wanted to pull away from his touch. But Asherad gripped her chin tightly, immobilizing her.
"Did you think I wouldn't know you'd run away someday?"
"...."
"Yes, there was a time I nearly believed in you, blinded by foolish love."
He chuckled. Daphne couldn't understand. Why did he look betrayed? She was the one deceived and mocked in the end. So why?
"The moment I heard you'd run, I thought, 'Of course.'"
He dragged his finger across her cheek. Even without force, it burned like fire. Amid the thick blood scent, Daphne closed her eyes.
"Daphne, did you really think I went on that inspection?"
"...."
It felt like she was in the palm of his hand. Was he truly a devil? Or a god? How did he...
"I was just curious about your accomplice."
Did that mean the inspection was a lie? To uncover her accomplice? Daphne bit her chapped lips.
"Tell me."
"I just... ran away on my own."
"No, you're lying, Daphne. For you to be there, someone must have promised to get you out."
It was a sharp observation. Her heart thumped.
"Tell me, and I'll forgive you. I'm even willing to pretend this never happened."
Asherad whispered sweetly. Of course, Daphne didn't believe him. What was done was done. She thought quickly. The fact that he was asking like this meant he hadn't uncovered the Rocania Count.
"The Empress Dowager...."
"...."
"The Empress Dowager... she did it."
Daphne squeezed her eyes shut. Her voice trembled. But she had her own calculations. Even Veronica, who had nearly assassinated the former emperor, had survived thanks to Asherad and returned to her homeland.
Kalista, who had merely helped Daphne escape. Even if she had aided the flight, Asherad couldn't punish or torment Kalista recklessly.
Suppressing the surging guilt, Daphne named Kalista. He stared intently at her face. Asherad seemed to scrutinize her eyes, judging truth from lie.
Daphne met his green gaze, trembling. At last, Asherad looked away. Did he believe her? Before a sliver of hope could form, Asherad said,
"Come in."
The door opened, and someone entered. Daphne's eyes widened. The ones who came in were her maid Amanda and... Yohannis Turbul.
"What...."
Daphne looked at Yohannis, but he wouldn't even meet her eyes. He stood behind the puzzled Amanda, guarding the room. Blood trickled down one side of Daphne's cheek, and Asherad's hand bled too.
As Daphne moved toward Yohannis, Asherad gently took her hand. He whispered in her ear.
"I've been thinking, Daphne."
"...."
"What should I do? Kill you outright? Turn you, reeking of corpses after running, into an actual corpse?"
"...."
Daphne let out a pained groan. His hand gripping hers tightened painfully.
"So I left it to your choice."
"...."
"You're the one who didn't want to die."
His gaze flicked to the bloodied dagger on the side table. Right. Daphne hadn't been able to do it. And the one wounded was Asherad, not her.
"But I still need to give you some punishment."
Punishment? What kind? Daphne tried to pull her hand free, but it was futile. Instead, his pull made her lose balance. Asherad spun her body, forcing her to face forward. A foreboding premonition hit her.
"Yohannis."
Daphne looked at Yohannis. Amanda still wore a clueless expression. Yohannis shook his head at her desperate gaze.
"N-no, don't do it."
Daphne shook her head tearfully. Perhaps at the moment Yohannis entered, she had felt relief. He had always been considerate by her side. Helping her paint in secret, complaining that his title was too low.
He would stop Asherad.
"D-don't do it!"
Daphne cried out sobbingly. Amanda looked puzzled at her scream-like plea. Then, seeing the blood on Daphne's face, fear slowly crept over Amanda's features.
"Why? You ran while I was at the battlefield too. Didn't you think your close maid would die then? And now you say no?"
"Because I thought you wouldn't care about me while you were gone!"
Daphne shouted. Yes, that's how it was. She had thought his attention would be off her while he was at war.
"Aren't you curious about that maid too?"
"Please, Your Majesty. Please!"
Daphne screamed desperately. Amanda's eyes wavered before Yohannis. She realized from Daphne's outburst what was about to happen to her.
"L-let me l-live... Ack!"
Daphne's eyes widened. Time seemed to stop. Daphne watched the horror unfold before her, unable to even breathe.
What protruded from Amanda's stomach was unmistakably Yohannis's sword.
Strange, why was Yohannis behind her? Daphne wondered. But as the sword piercing her stomach was swiftly withdrawn and Yohannis flicked the blood from his blade, Daphne understood what had happened.
Yohannis had killed Amanda.