Chapter 95
Translator: uly
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: What Kind of Adult Have I Become?
Daphne both loved and feared this imperial palace. She had fallen asleep to her mother's lullaby, only to wake up in a luxurious, unfamiliar place. How terrifying that was. On top of that, her body wouldn't move properly.
When she asked what had happened, they told her she had collapsed from illness. The one who had nursed her through it was Asherad.
When she asked for her mother, Asherad honestly told her that her mother had already died and that she had lost her memories. Daphne was so shocked to learn she was breathing and living in a world without her mother after just one day that she burst into tears. She couldn't accept this suddenly changed world. Even amid all that, Asherad took tender care of her and comforted her.
Asherad even went with her to her mother's grave.
When they visited the house where she used to live, it was in ruins. Rotten wood, broken windows, a garden overrun with weeds. Daphne, who hadn't wanted to believe it, had no choice but to accept the truth upon seeing it. Overnight, she had lost her home and her mother.
Was it true that she had lost her memories?
Once she accepted her mother's death, the tears stopped flowing. It was as if she had already grieved as much as she could. Yet a faint ache lingered in her chest. The sorrow hadn't flown away; it hadn't vanished.
Had the "me" before losing her memories lived with this sorrow tucked away in a corner of her heart?
Had she thought of her mother and, on some days, writhed with that aching pain in her chest?
But it was okay. Asherad was there.
She was grateful just to have Asherad, her beloved lover.
'We were in love.'
That was what Asherad had whispered. Every time she saw him, her heart raced, so it didn't seem like a lie. Daphne had never once forgotten Asherad. That must be why she still loved him even after growing up.
She had become an adult in a very short time.
What would it be like to become an adult?
As a child, she had wondered what she would be like as an adult.
And the circumstances of her sudden adulthood felt good yet strangely peculiar.
Her golden hair, which she had always disliked for its dull color, had turned a deep, molten gold, and the freckles she hated had vanished, leaving her skin flawless. She loved how much more beautiful she was than the person she had wanted to become. Daphne was pleased with her new appearance.
She could wear mature clothes as she pleased, and above all, Asherad was there. Though she had suffered a sad loss, her situation wasn't bad.
The maids were all kind, which was nice. Except for that one maid, Sara. That maid without fingers always seemed to scrutinize her, as if searching for something. For some reason, Daphne couldn't meet her eyes in those moments.
Every time she looked at Sara, her heart felt like it was tearing apart. Sara's face was burdensome to behold, yet she took meticulous care of Daphne and always stayed by her side.
Sara said Daphne had forgotten her own mistakes. What mistakes could she have made while growing up? What should she do? Daphne always fell into strange thoughts whenever she looked at Sara.
What kind of adult had she become?
She had lost her mother, become a beautiful person, and was living in the imperial palace with her beloved.
However, people sometimes looked at her strangely. She still couldn't guess what had happened.
* * *
Daphne strolled through the garden. The weather, entering summer, was at least cool enough to walk in as the sun set. This was one of the good things about the imperial palace. The beautiful flowers blooming in the vast garden delighted her eyes.
The garden was much larger than her house, she had plenty of clothes, and there was plenty of delicious food. The room she stayed in was nice too. The bed was soft, and the blanket—made of some wondrous fabric—felt cool and breathable even when covered. And the size of the room? It was bigger than her old one. Compared to that dank place with its low, moldy ceiling like a coffin...
'Huh?'
Daphne's eyes widened. What had she just thought? Some room? Recalling that room made her mood plummet rapidly. It felt like the scent of mold was tickling her nose, so she suddenly bent down and inhaled the fragrance of the blooming stockesia flowers. The lingering smell at the tip of her nose seemed to fade a bit.
That was when her strangely pounding heart began to slow.
"Daphne."
Daphne soon heard someone's voice. Her lover, Asherad, was approaching. Golden sunlight illuminated him. Dressed in pure white, he looked like the incarnation of a god. His curly hair sparkled in the sunlight. The ornate gold-thread embroidery on the white fabric suited him so strikingly well. His straight nose and red lips curved into a smile. And those beautiful eyes. The moment his stunning green eyes took her in, filled with light, she couldn't bear it.
She ran to him with a radiant smile and threw her arms around him. Hugging him tightly filled her chest with his distinctive, heavy scent. She stood on tiptoe and buried her face in his chest. The richer fragrance enveloped her. Daphne loved the scent wafting from him. Giggling, she lifted her head to gaze at her lover.
But the man who should have smiled brightly back stared at her with a blank face. It felt like shock at witnessing something impossible. Daphne realized his body had gone rigid.
She had done this often with her mother—was it wrong? As she flinched, Asherad's lips curved up again, and he hugged her tightly.
"Ah, Daphne, Daphne...."
She felt his ragged breathing. Just as his embrace grew hot, Asherad quickly pulled away.
"What are you doing?"
"I was taking a walk because I felt stuffy."
"Stuffy?"
Daphne nodded. His face hardened seriously, filled with guilt. Surprised, Daphne shook her head and cried out.
"I meant staying cooped up in the room felt stuffy! Not that this place is stuffy."
"......"
"All I need is you by my side, Asherad."
The smile on her lips was warm. Asherad gazed at it, unable to speak for a long while. He looked at her innocent face and broke into an ecstatic smile.
He should have done this sooner. He should have bought the memory-loss potion and made her drink it long ago.
Now their relationship could start anew like this. He vowed never to make the same mistake again. Asherad pulled her head close and hugged it tightly.
"Not bored?"
"Not bored at all."
But her child's face was honest. Spending every day playing, eating, and strolling here could certainly grow tedious with the repetition.
"Isn't there anything you want to do? Like shopping for clothes. Or looking at jewels. Or I could bring some young animals."
"Animals?"
"Like a puppy."
At that, Daphne's eyes widened, and she shook her head vehemently.
"No, I hate dogs! No dogs!"
"Why? They're small, cute, and loyal to you."
"Don't ever bring a dog, I hate them, hate them!"
She shook her head wildly, as if having a fit. Startled, Asherad grabbed her shoulders.
"Okay, I won't bring one. I promise."
"No, please, dogs are the worst thing in the world!"
"Okay."
Did Daphne have some trauma with puppies? Some people did fear them.... Asherad quelled his uneasy feeling. Daphne calmed down as he soothed her. Once her panting breaths eased, he cautiously spoke.
"Isn't there anything you want to do? I'll make anything happen. I just want you not to find this place boring."
At Asherad's words, Daphne thought with a listless face before smiling brightly.
"Painting!"
"What?"
"I want to learn painting."
Asherad's eyes trembled. He looked at her with displeasure before nodding.
"Fine. I'll make it happen."
"Hehe."
As Asherad was about to spend time with Daphne, a servant came running in a fluster.
"Your Majes—"
Asherad's icy glare pierced the servant, who gasped and corrected himself.
"The Prince of Pindus has arrived."
"Got it."
Asherad replied with a displeased face. He regretfully stroked Daphne's hair.
"Asherad, you have to go to work, right?"
Daphne gently pushed him away with a mature expression. He grumbled as he looked at her face.
"Daphne, doesn't it bother you when I leave?"
"Of course I'm lonely. But you can't get scolded by His Imperial Majesty."
"......"
Asherad's face stiffened. She still thought "His Imperial Majesty"—that is, the late Emperor Belenus—was alive. He had told her Belenus was bedridden and had forgotten her, but it was only a matter of time before Daphne learned the truth.
What the child Daphne knew was that she was the late emperor's fake daughter.
He didn't know how she would react if she learned Asherad was the real son.
He decided to hide it as much as possible.
* * *
The Prince of Pindus was irritated. Naturally, it was because of Asherad. He had dismissed the pompous crown prince, only for him to ascend the throne and look down on him now. It was laughable.
He had no negotiating skills, forcing them to sell off their trade goods—coral and pearls—at a loss. It was all because of that incompetent fool.
Now, returning home, he dreaded what his father would say. It was all Asherad's fault. The man was so slick-tongued he could bewitch anyone.
"That damn bastard!"
He had come out at dawn to vent his anger. The flowery scent in the garden annoyed him, so he trampled the flowers viciously. Let anyone dare cross him.
Stomping his feet, he wandered deeper into the garden.
For some reason, a sweet fragrance wafted toward him. Not the cloying flower scent, but something unobtrusive. Following it into a narrow path, he spotted a servants' passage. Why had he come here? As he turned to leave, he heard footsteps.
The prince's eyes widened. In the lingering moonlight, golden hair gleamed brilliantly. The back of the woman in white was breathtakingly beautiful.
Who was she? A noble's daughter?
Her hair, dyed in the color of moonlight, was dazzling. If a noble's daughter was out at this hour, was she meeting a lover in secret? What did her face look like?
He licked his lips. Then, the woman turned around.
Oh!
The lecherous prince recognized her immediately. It was that maid from before! How could he forget that pretty face? The gracefully flowing blonde hair, the bright blue eyes. Even in Pindus, he had thought of her endlessly. She was like a pearl in an oyster shell. He had wondered how stunning she would be adorned, cursing the death god's priests who had interrupted back then.
Indeed, his eye hadn't been wrong. With such a delicate face, no wonder his body had stirred.
Sneaking a peek at Daphne, he smirked.
Now he saw she was wearing loose white nightclothes that revealed her undergarments. The moonlight filtering through the fabric cast shadows of her black legs in the most provocative way. Wasn't this the perfect seductress luring a man?
Perfect timing. She was just right for blowing off steam.
The Prince of Pindus crept up to the dazed woman. The moment he stood behind Daphne, his thick hand clamped over her mouth before she could scream.
He was an expert at this.
"Mmph!"
He overpowered the struggling Daphne and dragged her into the dark shadows. The night swallowed everything.