Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Secret Meeting (5)
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I was momentarily stunned, unaware of the later developments.
Eri grinned and poked my shoulder.
"Surprised? It's the first time I've seen Duke Derek make that face."
"I never imagined a refined lady like Miss Eri would have such tastes."
The pink-haired woman slightly lifted the brim of her white hat.
She lightly tilted her pure, innocent face once more.
"Everyone wants to possess the things they love, don't they? That's what I meant."
"Ah, I see. Good thing it's not about locking someone up and torturing them."
She was the one startled by the word "torture."
Eri brushed back her lustrous hair and countered.
"Of course not. The role reversal stems purely from love. It's about protecting her from threats and keeping her isolated."
"Protecting from threats... I think I get the feeling."
If that's the intent, I could totally relate.
After all, I was protecting women like Myoran and Anje from outside dangers.
Every time I saw them slowly regaining their humanity, I felt immensely proud.
Even when the Grand Elder swallowed his anger toward his son and gave them a chance, I was glad to see their relationships gradually improving.
Sure, I had them imprisoned, but I had a clear goal: reformation.
The woman before me must be thinking along similar lines.
Just look at how steadfastly she'd endured the examiners' filthy leers—it spoke volumes about her character.
"By the way, Duke Derek. How far did you get in my novel?"
"I haven't read it all. Just up to the midpoint, where their feelings shift from pity to love."
Honestly, I hadn't reached the steamy scenes they'd mentioned.
But so what? It was content women enjoyed, none of my business.
"Hmm, I see. That's a relief."
Eri covered her lips with her fist and turned her face away.
Her voice grew a bit quieter as she continued.
"Things get a little more intense after that. I wouldn't want to show it to you, Duke Derek..."
I didn't respond right away, so she clasped her hands between her thighs.
"It's a novel for adults, so that's understandable."
"Still, promise me. Absolutely don't read any further."
Was she embarrassed?
Yeah, it'd be awkward for someone she knew to read the risqué scenes she'd written.
"Understood. I'm sure you'd handle it beautifully anyway, Miss Eri."
"Thank you for thinking so."
With my firm assurance, the young lady let out a sigh of relief.
Her richly emotional display made me chuckle despite myself.
I'd been managing these enormous, inscrutable beings whose thoughts I could never quite fathom.
Seeing such a heartfelt woman felt oddly endearing.
"Then I'll go catch that young master campaigning outside."
"All right. I'll wait here quietly."
The examiners were all tied up and dumped in the corner.
The prim woman seemed frightened by the violence and said she'd wait obediently in the parlor.
If only our Anje took after her even halfway.
She might have claimed just one man with her abilities and spared the Empire.
I chuckled and rose from the examiner's desk.
I lightly stretched my even more honed body and stepped outside.
"......"
The woman left alone quietly watched the warden's retreating back.
Once the parlor door fully closed...
She slyly pulled out her contest manuscript—the pages that had spilled on the floor while the warden beat the examiners.
The untold later content went like this.
Anna had a woman's body but overwhelming magical power.
She fell into the trap set by the male lead, Dave, and ended up confined in his home.
However, it was actually to protect her from a death sentence.
Anna had killed people because they'd murdered her parents and sold her into slavery.
Dave recognized her tragic circumstances and exceptional martial prowess, so he isolated her from the world and attempted to reform her.
He provided lavish meals every day and tried talking to her.
In time, she came to appreciate his sincerity and slowly opened her heart to Dave.
As time passed, Dave realized she'd regained much of her humanity.
He let her move freely within the house, and the two grew even closer.
But then...
Dave started coming home less and less.
Eventually, he announced he'd been selected as a candidate for knight captain.
He'd soon be transferred, so he planned to release Anna.
Having lived with her, he was confident she could thrive in society.
Yet Anna asked if he was really leaving, knowing she loved him.
"No choice. If I become knight captain, your criminal record will put you in even greater danger."
"......"
Dave clearly loved her too.
But he didn't want her living a confined life again because of him.
"So from today, you're free. Go chase your dreams to your heart's content."
"My dream is you..."
The silver-haired woman's expression darkened.
"All right. Then before you go, let's have one last dinner together."
Dave gladly agreed.
And that day...
Anna slipped a powerful sedative into the meal she cooked herself.
A drug so potent even a Swordmaster would sleep for weeks.
"Ugh... What happened? My head..."
When the man awoke, he felt his body incredibly heavy.
He tried to move, but thick shackles bound his ankles.
Dave knew those shackles well.
They were the ones he'd used to restrain Anna's overwhelming power.
He quickly realized he'd been locked in the very place he'd confined her.
"Awake?"
He blankly raised his head toward Anna's voice.
In that moment...
"W-what the hell is this?"
He stared up in a daze.
At Anna, returned in a bloodstained maid outfit.
"I looked into it. They chose you as captain to send you to a battlefield they're sure to lose."
She lightly licked the blood from the back of her hand.
"They planned to pin the losing war on you and execute you to silence everyone."
"How do you know that...?"
She pulled out the badge of the superior who'd appointed him as a candidate.
And tossed the blood-soaked item at his feet.
"You're too pure for your own good. That's the problem."
Just like that knight captain who'd killed Anje without knowing the Empire's future.
"Though I love you all the more for it."
The silver-haired woman in maid disguise slowly approached.
Gazing down at the man who'd tried to abandon her and die, with eyes full of love and hate.
"This world still seems too harsh for someone as gentle as you."
"What does that mean...? Anna, you've lost your mind."
Anna smiled innocently and shook her head.
"No, I'm perfectly fine. I could rattle off every injustice the Empire has done to you without pause."
She gently brushed aside his messy bangs.
Revealing his bright blue eyes.
"From now on, until a beautiful new world is born, I'll be keeping you with me."
"What...?"
Flustered, Dave struggled to escape the room.
"No use. If I couldn't break free from those, what makes you think you can?"
Anna gently embraced him.
Pressing their ample chests together until they could hear each other's heartbeats.
"Until the perfect world is rebuilt, I'll hold you warm."
"Anna, please... I gave you your freedom. Why...?"
The black-haired man shook his head in disbelief.
Anna placed both hands on his broad back, feeling its width.
"To me, you are freedom itself."
His broad frame brought her a sense of liberation.
"Don't worry. I'll take care of everything for you here too."
This small room had brought her joy with him in it.
Now she'd give him the same pleasure.
"Mm..."
She gripped his chin and pressed her red lips to his.
Her pale, delicate hands stroked his lower body.
"This is your fault. You made me feel emotions I never knew."
Beautiful even as a criminal, evoking pity.
After avenging her parents, she'd had no goals left in the world.
Dave himself had planted a new dream in her.
From that day, Anna kept the man nestled between her thighs every night.
She soothed his desire for freedom and his overflowing youthful vigor with love each day.
She gave him pleasures so sweet he'd never regain his senses, no matter how strong he grew.
Pleasures no man could escape.
That was the story's ending.
"Good thing. I wouldn't want to show him even this delusion."
She had zero dating experience, in truth.
She'd imagined even higher intensity, but lacked the knowledge to flesh it out.
"Can't let Derek see this."
Left alone, Anje bit her lip like a blushing girl.
She hurriedly slipped her manuscript among the other entrants' papers.
Lately, her urge to write had surged.
Back when she was imprisoned in the Holy See's basement, she'd only scrawled her rage at the world.
Waiting for the prophet from the scriptures to come save her someday.
But recently, her style had shifted.
To creating a prophet who'd bring her happiness directly.
Eri gazed steadily at the warden visible through the window.
The man currently imprisoning her, yet treating her with freedom.
Even when everyone called her a monster and approached with dark intentions.
He alone considered her feelings, with pure intent to build a world where they could live together.
"Prophets really are cute."
The innocent face reflected in the window reverted to that of the fake saintess.
Like the novel's heroine Anna: slaying his enemies outside, returning inside as a maid to love him.
"Has it gotten cold again?"
At the bookstore entrance, I crossed my arms alone, with Berryhill's young lord bound nearby.
A brief chill ran down my spine.
But no killing intent, so probably just coincidence.
Soon, Lord Berryhill appeared in the distance, riding over.
A stern-faced, broad-shouldered, stalwart middle-aged man.
Still time before the princess's summoned soldiers arrived.
He'd brought a few elite knights and glared down at me coldly.
Like he planned to crush this much-younger punk with sheer presence and turn the tables.
"Are you the one who bound my son and the territory's citizens?"
"Yes. Derek Minster, Warden of Berryhill Prison."
I looked up with emotionless, hollow eyes.
He instinctively frowned at the rare emptiness in my gaze.
"Insolent tone. Are all Minsters this rude?"
"You're a backwater lord. I'm head of a national institution."
I gripped the horse's reins and spoke.
Like in the days when I slaughtered everything hastening doom.
"Dismount. Unless you want to fall with your horse."
"......"
The countryside king fell silent before my unnatural madness.
Come to think of it, most Berryhill wardens didn't last a week.
Yet this new warden had held out for weeks.
Thriving in that hell meant he was no pushover.
Lord Rupert ultimately dismounted for dialogue.
Onlookers often recoiled from my fierce features.
All sent fearful gazes my way.
But...
One gaze from behind felt oddly not cold.
Rather, moist and warm.
Puzzled, I scratched the back of my head and turned.
It was toward the parlor window where Eri had been moments ago.
'Did I imagine it?'
Perhaps my heightened realm sharpened my senses.
I felt like I could now detect auras I'd missed before.