《Who Stole The Empress》 CH 1 The cold lips touch her thin, scarred ankle.? ? Her frightened body contracts spontaneously.? ? The lips that had fallen after lightly touching her thin ankle attach themselves softly again. She can feel the moist tongue sucking her skin in.? ? ¡°Ugh¡­.!¡±? ? The more she swallows a moan and bit her lip, the more arousing the kisses attacking her ankle becomes.? ? Her ankle is where the sensation was becoming numb.? ? But the touch of his lips feels strange. Is it because his lips are too cold or the wound on her ankle is too hot?? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? A strange burning sensation scorches beneath her pale skin. A tingling sensation rises up from the inside of her thighs, hot all the way down to her navel.? ? Her toes naturally contract.? ? After kissing her wounded ankle respectfully, he slowly lifts his eyes and stares at her. His red eyes, like the blazing sun in Amor¡¯s blue sky, trap her.? ? She looks at him with an expressionless face. She tries not to be caught as she bites the flesh inside her lips and swallows the moaning sound.? ? The man¡¯s red eyes narrow as he observes her, and soon he drops his gaze and concentrates on the kissing again.? ? ¡°Uh, it¡¯s¡­¡±? ? It¡¯s only then that she finally let out a few labored breaths.? ? She always has to hold her breath like this when his lips touch her skin.? ? Licking her ankles and kissing her knees with impunity.? ? It¡¯s strange of a man to embrace her useless leg like a holy grail of God, in exchange for a bargain.? ? The hot lips that always spew bad words become softer every time they kiss.? ? It¡¯s the same for the sharp tongue that spat out sharp words.? ? The sharp kissing sensation slowly makes her shudder every time and she desperately ignores it.? ? She holds her breath and pretends to be unconcerned with her expressionless face.? ? Because she doesn¡¯t want to let the man know how he makes her feel.? ? The man¡¯s lips rise up over her shins, and he covers her beautiful knees with his hot breath.? ? ¡°You still can¡¯t feel anything?¡±? ? ¡°¡­it¡¯s just a useless leg, as it always has been.¡±? ? The man laughs at her words, deliberately nonchalant.? ? His laughter touches her saliva-soaked skin. The delicacy and dignity of it make her feel a tingling sensation below her navel.? ? Surely, it¡¯s a useless leg, and she gave it to him without a second thought.? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? That¡¯s why he¡¯s the owner of this leg, not her.? ? The man who¡¯s constantly kissing her thin ankles, as if performing some pious ritual, murmurs. A slow, weighted voice cries out quietly in the darkness.? ? ¡°Never forget.¡±? ? His eyes bend with vigor.? ? He was her enemy at one time, but now he is the man who wants her.? ? He looks up at her with his pious, innocent eyes.? ? What is that thing that fills his dark, shimmering red eyes?? ? What is that hot thing that flicks under the thick collar like a starving animal for days?? ? It¡¯s as if she saw something she shouldn¡¯t have.? ? Her instincts tell her she¡¯s in danger, as if she knows something she shouldn¡¯t. She silently pushes away the strange tension that tickles her stomach and lowers her eyes.? ? Slowly, once again, the man¡¯s cold lips touch her leg. The moist tip of his tongue contained her ankle bone.? ? As if to claim his ownership, his hot lips rub against her skin again and again.? ? As if to regain his appetite, the man slightly bites her skin several times. It seems like she would be eaten by him at any moment.? ? This man is a poisonous plant.? ? If she got a taste of it, it would get her addicted, demotivate her, and make her lose her purpose.? ? ¡®Yes, I shouldn¡¯t get involved.¡¯? ? The kissing marks of the man¡¯s lips linger on her legs, which she cannot walk.? ? She used to be the Empress of a far away empire.? ? But what¡¯s happened just now is one of the days that Empress Alan Roselyn, who had abandoned the name of the past, experiences.? ? ***? ? Chapter 1? ? ***? ? *The past*? ? ¡°Please stop¡­¡±? ? The emperor¡¯s mistress, Natasha Roanti, whispered softly into the emperor¡¯s ear.? ? ¡°Kill the Empress.¡±? ? Her voice was as warm as winter cotton, and her smiling green eyes were as green as the new sprouts of spring that had survived the winter.? ? Natasha, whose face was full of compassion as if she was full of love, whispered.? ? ¡°Kill her and achieve prosperity. My poor Majesty.¡±? ? Her arms, which were as smooth as white snakes, hugged the emperor¡¯s stiff and rigid shoulders.? ? The poor emperor, who always failed to fulfill his desires because of the empress¡¯ authority.? ? ¡°Please use Natasha, Your Majesty.¡±? ? She whispered, gently caressing the shoulders of the emperor, who was tightly united with persistence and arrogance.? ? ¡°I am your faithful servant. You can use me as much as you like for your greatness. It is my pleasure, my splendor. Get rid of the Empress who worries you and lay the foundation for your glorious authority.¡±? ? Everything in this country, in this land, belonged to the Emperor Gillotti.? ? Why couldn¡¯t the Lord of all things dispose of the wealth in the safe at will without the approval of the Empress?? ? The emperor clenched his teeth and stared into space.? ? He stared at the sky with his eyes strained sharply, as if the face of the lone empress was painted on that black void.? ? Natasha kissed the emperor¡¯s earlobe and whispered sweetly.? ? ¡°Give me the Empress¡¯s brother. In a few months, he will be an infidel who would blackmail and plunder the emperor¡¯s government.¡±? ? The emperor began to have a different look in his eyes.? ? ¡°The Empress will try to save him. But the harder she tries, the more ugly she will become. She will be blinded by jealousy and clumsy by protecting her shameless brother.¡±? ? Haha. Her laughter was innocent, but her words were cold.? ? The young emperor with his tightly shut lips, listened to Natasha without a sound.? ? His eyes, glistening beneath his bristly hair, shone as they devoured the depths of the darkness.? ? The black desire that coiled around his heart slowly came to his head at the sound of Natasha¡¯s voice.? ? ¡°There will be evidence of treason in the chamber of the Empress¡¯s brother. Someone on our side will say that the Empress is envious of the beautiful Natasha and hates His Majesty.¡±? ? Her whispering voice was so sweet¡­¡­¡­..? ? The emperor closed his eyes and became more and more addicted to Natasha¡¯s voice.? ? ¡°But first¡­¡­ I have a request for you, Your Majesty.¡±? ? Natasha¡¯s warm, soft white hand with red fingertips stroked the Emperor¡¯s angular chin.? ? ¡°You must cut off all her limbs. Get rid of the people she loves.¡±? ? Even though it¡¯s a light and refreshing gesture like caring for a baby, at the end of the act, there was a slightly tight grip.? ? ¡°The empire must be made aware of the fact that they were killed for trying to betray the Empress. Rumors are so scary that they even create monsters that aren¡¯t there.¡±? ? Natasha¡¯s hand slid down the emperor¡¯s neck, over his shoulders, and gently into his open shirt.? ? ¡°The maidservants she cherishes, her entourage, distant relatives with whom she has shared a long friendship, and even the brother, whom she loves.¡±? ? Her hand that had been groping the emperor¡¯s chest roamed around his stomach.? ? The emperor¡¯s calm breath gradually became rough.? ? Natasha whispered in a lovely voice as she leaned her head against the emperor¡¯s shoulder like a little girl.? ? ¡°Kill them all.¡±? ? Her gentle hand drifted over his pants playfully as if it wanted to enter.? ? The Emperor¡¯s eyes began to turn red.? ? ¡°Natasha will fall down at the grand party, grabbing the Empress¡¯s dress. The poor Natasha, whom the Empress¡¯s brother tried to take her innocence away, would cry out, blood staining the edge of her white dress. Just then, the doctor will start shouting¡­..¡±? ? Is the mother¡¯s voice singing a child¡¯s lullaby this gentle?? ? ¡°There¡¯s a precious imperial descendant in Natasha¡¯s belly.¡±? ? With that voice, Natasha continued telling her plot to draw out the Empress.? ? ¡°Then the empress will become a filthy woman who tries to kill the Imperial Son for speculation, for her beastly brother. Oh, how refreshing, Your Majesty?¡±? ? Despite the innocent sound of her giggling voice, her hand was lewdly making its way into the emperor¡¯s pants little by little.? ? ¡°Her entourage and her family will try to protect the Empress. Then¡­.¡±? ? Natasha¡¯s small hand didn¡¯t hesitate to invade between the emperor¡¯s undergarments.? ? As the emperor¡¯s manhood showed and he couldn¡¯t hide his excitement, she whispered , clutching it, which rose inexorably hot.? ? ¡°Just then, you will pull out the knife.¡± CH 2 Natasha¡¯s voice, which had been toying with the emperor without hesitation, quickened slightly. It raised the emperor¡¯s heart like a soprano towards the climax of a play.? ? ¡°Spray red blood everywhere, so that the empress cannot find a way to survive with her cunning head.¡±? ? Her flamboyant skirt was rolled up as far as it would go, and her actions were lewd to the extreme, but only her pink face as she gazed at the emperor was as shy and pretty as a girl who had not yet grown up.? ? Without hesitation, Natasha released the front of her shirt.? ? Her round and nicely shaped breasts distorted the emperor¡¯s eyes.? ? She raised and lowered her hips with laughter as she proudly took them out in front of the greedy emperor.? ? Her round bottoms thrust up and down powerfully. An impatient moan came from the emperor¡¯s mouth.? ? ¡°No matter how smart the empress is¡­. If all the people she needs to protect are dead, what will she do? Ahhh¡­.She¡¯s, uh¡­To get rid of ¡­¡­ you have to get rid of her hands first.¡±? ? Natasha rode the emperor like a horseman riding a horse. (*She is doing a cowgirl¡¯s style¡­)? ? She grabbed him and shook him as she wished, moving her hips freely. The emperor was swayed by her as the pleasure took over.? ? ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ You can do it. Right?¡±? ? Her breathing became ragged, and a hasty hand reached out toward her.? ? The emperor, who seized Natasha¡¯s slender waist, lifted her up and lowered her down vigorously just like she did a while ago.? ? There was no mercy in his hands as he struck with force. He slammed her hips down harshly.? ? Natasha closed her eyes and squeezed him with all her strength.? ? She didn¡¯t rest for a moment until he cried out in satisfaction.? ? ¡°Natasha! Ahhhh¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡±? ? The suppressed moan of the emperor was always thrilling.? ? No one would have known how sweet it was to have the greatest power in the land in your control and hear him groan.? ? Natasha looked at the Emperor, smiling like a cat. Her eyes were buoyant and cloudy with heat.? ? ¡°So, Your Majesty¡­¡±? ? Her face immediately flushed a delicious pink.? ? Then she saw the greedy eyes of the Emperor glaring at her as if devouring her.? ? Natasha smiled happily and whispered.? ? ¡°Please use me to get rid of that disgusting empress.¡±? ? It was the smile of a demoness leading the emperor to ruin.? ? ***? ? The 17th empress of Tanatos, the kingdom of ice and gold, was a cripple.? ? She was not born that way but was the result of a noble sacrifice she had made in an attempt to save the emperor and his poor children.? ? Roselyn V. Sunset.? ? She was an iron-blooded empress with her glittering silver hair that looked as if it was made with moonlight and her elegant purple eyes.? ? Roselyn was considered the noblest, most beautiful, and most perfect empress in the history of Empire Tanatos.? ? No one could point fingers at her even if such an Empress limped one leg.? ? She was a genius strategist, a perfect diplomat who could fluently speak six languages, and a kind empress who established a national medical institution to take care of the poor.? ? Despite the fact that she had only a few facial expressions compared to her beautiful appearance and her inability to enjoy a party, it did not change the fact that she was a great person worthy of respect.? ? The Empress¡¯s leg injury was a glorious achievement as the parent of this kingdom.? ? The people were busy exchanging mythical stories about her and praising the Empress.? ? ¡°Great Empress who saved the emperor and her children! She is the pride of this country!¡±? ? The Empress¡¯s family, the Sunset family, had a high reputation for being exceptionally generous to the people.? ? Articles supporting the Empress and her family filled the daily newspapers on a daily basis.? ? It was a routine of the people to talk about the Empress every day.? ? Everyone loved Empress Roselyn, except for one person.? ? The Emperor.? ? ¡°I heard that the Emperor locked Count Cainely in the underground prison last night!¡±? ? Roselyn walked silently down the dark corridor.? ? It was said that the Emperor caught her brother, and locked him in a dungeon.? ? The Emperor¡¯s Special Order of Knights prevented Roselyn from approaching and threw Count Cainely into the underground prison where the thugs were confined.? ? Her heart skipped a beat.? ? She worried about her brother. Roselyn bit her lip gently.? ? ¡°The Emperor took Count Cainely last night¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡±? ? Screaming voices rushed into her ears like waves.? ? The Emperor.? ? Lord of the throne, the great Tanatos¡¯s ruler, and her husband.? ? A foolish man blinded by greed and jealousy.? ? Roselyn walked silently down the cold corridor, thinking of the Emperor¡¯s fine face.? ? Tap. Tap. Tap.? ? Different, unbalanced footsteps echoed sluggishly in the dark hallway.? ? Roselyn walked down the wide, empty hallway.? ? Despite the presence of the Empress¡¯s maidservants, the only sound in the corridor was the sound of her footsteps.? ? Her footsteps were very unsteady but stubborn.? ? Unlike the rest of the people, the nobles pointed at the crippled Empress.? ? The Empress, who rarely laughed and knew no pleasures, was secretly mocked, saying that she had become a doll with a broken leg.? ? But to Roselyn, their taunts did not hurt her at all. It was only the emperor¡¯s incompetence and remorse that could gouge her wounds.? ? It had been a long time since they were a couple only in appearance.? ? She was not damaged by any love.? ? Her purpose in life was to rule this country, to lead those who trusted and followed her to safety and to achieve greater prosperity.? ? Protect her family, protect her people, and protect her country.? ? That was the goal and purpose of Roselyn V. Sunset.? ? But Gillotti Tanatos destroyed all of that.? ? This cold country she loved, the people who followed her, and even her family¡­¡­¡­..? ? ¡®Not yet¡­..¡¯? ? Roselyn walked straighter, putting more strength into her thin neck.? ? ¡®I can¡¯t collapse yet.¡¯? ? She lifted her blurry gaze straight up.? ? Her pale cheeks, her silver hair shining as smooth as a frozen lake, and her angry purple eyes, shone coldly as they reflected the moonlight.? ? Roselyn pulled her hair upwards as if to tighten the feeling that she was about to collapse.? ? It made her white face, which reflected the moonlight, unusually cold.? ? Tears welled up from the eyes of Countess Puglish, Roselyn¡¯s maid of honor, who was watching her back.? ? ¡®Oh, my poor Empress.¡¯? ? Her poor Empress, who had lost everything she had worked so hard to build for the sake of an ugly emperor.? ? The Countess had been with Roselyn since she was a child, so she knew Roselyn¡¯s sacrifice better than anyone else.? ? Even when the previous emperor asked her to break her engagement to her planned fianc¨¦ and become the Crown Princess, Roselyn never rebelled.? ? Not once did she waver when the ¡°vulgar ladies¡± tried to humiliate her, clinging to the emperor with innocent faces.? ? Even when she came back with one of her legs torn beyond repair due to the emperor¡¯s shortage, she never complained a single word, saying she just wanted to live.? ? Could it be that she was so upright that this terrible fate was trying to break her again and again?? ? Countess Puglish bowed her head, unable to look at the Empress¡¯s posterior, which reflected the moonlight.? ? Her heart, as a third party, was this heavy, so the Empress¡¯s feelings must be heavy thousand times more. It was just that the Empress didn¡¯t want to express it¡­¡­¡­..? ? Roselyn Sunset stood in front of the door, entering the grand banquet hall.? ? The faint sound of music coming from behind the closed doors mocked her.? ? It had only been a few hours ago that her brother was framed and taken to a dirty underground prison.? ? With such an order, the Emperor attended the banquet and sipped his tea without a care in the world.? ? ¡±¡­¡­. It¡¯s just the beginning.¡±? ? Roselyn took a deep breath. The harsh, bleak winds of winter pierced her lungs as she said her prayers.? ? It was the feel of the notorious winter wind of Tanatos. An empire of ice and gold imbued with fragments of God.? ? She had never been so glad to see the sharp coldness of this barren land.? ? She scoffed and raised her head straighter.? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.Your Majesty.¡±? ? Her maidservant, Countess Puglish, who was holding the doorknob, called out to Roselyn in a faint voice that seemed to disappear.? ? Their eyes tangled in the dark air.? ? She could see the beautiful brown eyes of her old friend, filled with sadness and anger, worry and grief.? ? They had been close friends since they were children.? ? Their parents were close friends, so it was only natural.? ? A dear friend who always reached out to her first and protected her, as Roselyn had been rational and blunt since she was a child.? ? The Countess was persuaded to come to Roselyn¡¯s side without greed or ambition.? ? And now Roselyn regretted doing it.? ? ¡°I brought you to such a desolate and frightening court and made you suffer, didn¡¯t I?¡±? ? Roselyn smiled gently as she looked at Countess Puglish with pitiful eyes.? ? White moonlight slid down her pure white forehead and gentle nose.? ? ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°Can you please open the door?¡±? ? Staring into her best friend¡¯s shimmering eyes briefly, Roselyn raised her head and stared straight ahead.? ? She would not bend.? ? Even if her foolish husband, the emperor who should have been so noble, has turned his back on her family, with whom he shared the beginnings of this country.? ? She would never bow to cowardice and ignorance. CH 3 Roselyn slowly swallowed a sigh.? ? It was an unwanted marriage, but she tried to make it work.? ? It was foolish.? ? Throbbing.? ? The cold wind penetrated under her ankles, where one of her ankles couldn¡¯t feel anything anymore.? ? Feeling pain that should not be felt, Roselyn pulled herself together.? ? ¡°I will accompany you, Your Majesty. To the end, Your Majesty. I will always be ¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Anna.¡±? ? Roselyn called her by the name she¡¯d called Countess Puglish when she was a child. She smiled obliquely and shook her head.? ? Some accidents and illnesses had caused her entourage to leave her side.? ? Lady Charlotte, her beloved maid of honor; Count Thomson, her strong supporter in the palace; and Vice-Commander Cartren, her protector.? ? But everyone knew who stood behind those deaths, and who was responsible for them.? ? Anna was the last person left.? ? She couldn¡¯t afford to lose Anna, too. Anna was the only one who was ¡­¡­.? ? A tidal wave of misfortune swept over her. It was a misfortune fabricated by the most powerful authority and greedy desires.? ? She had endured well until now, but now her brother had fallen into the pit and everything had gone astray.? ? Roselyn clenched her fists and held on.? ? If she collapsed here, they would eat every last piece of Roselyn¡¯s bones like a swarm of starving locusts.? ? Dying was okay. But she didn¡¯t want to fill them up with her flesh and bones.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Anna. I guess I didn¡¯t do a good job of preventing it. That¡¯s why I¡¯m in trouble.¡±? ? ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡­.¡±? ? Roselyn smiled bitterly, feeling Tanatos¡¯s cold air once more.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate to leave. To the safest place far away¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Your Majesty!¡±? ? Countess Puglish raised her voice unknowingly with a pale face. Roselyn smiled and patted her cheek as she whispered.? ? ¡°I¡¯ve got everything you need in Noem¡¯s seaside residence just in case.¡±? ? ¡°Why do you say that? Why would I want to ¡­¡­¡­¡­Your Majesty?¡±? ? Countess Puglish, Anna¡¯s voice trembled.? ? ¡°Leave me¡­.Rosie.¡±? ? In the end, Countess Puglish burst into tears.? ? Her voice trembled with the watery air as Roselyn called Anna¡¯s childhood nickname. To Anna, at that moment, Roselyn was her childhood friend, not the Empress.? ? The Empress, who was actually standing at the center of this storm, smiled quietly, but why was she showing tears?? ? Anna bit her lip in grief.? ? ¡°Rosie ¡­¡­I haven¡¯t heard this name in a while.¡±? ? ¡°Just bear with me for a few days. Count Sorrento is also putting in a lot of effort. Are there one or two people who are on your side? Don¡¯t worry too much. The Sunset family won¡¯t collapse.¡±? ? Roselyn replied with an ambiguous smile.? ? She looked at the closed door again. Countess Puglish also wiped her tears and put on a strong expression.? ? It was too early to be relieved, but there was nothing good about showing an agitated appearance.? ? It was something she had learned while guarding the Empress¡¯ side for a long time.? ? After a deep breath, Countess Puglish opened the tightly closed door.? ? ¡°Here comes Her Majesty, the Empress!¡±? ? The music stopped as Viscount Hudson raised his voice to announce Roselyn¡¯s arrival.? ? In the silence, Roselyn lifted her head and entered the banquet hall, not bothering to hide her unbalanced footsteps.? ? Tap. Tap.? ? In the midst of that glamorous party, a beastly scheme awaited her, baring its poisonous teeth at her¡­? ? She strengthened her right leg, which felt no sensation and walked straight into it.? ? ****? ? ¡°Look over there. The Empress is here.¡±? ? At Ronasso¡¯s words, Tamon stopped looking at the snow that began to flutter from beyond the balcony.? ? The sturdy, massive body of a man who had served as a general slowly turned backwards.? ? His broad shoulders, in particular, twisted into a long shadow.? ? Tamon¡¯s red eyes stared at the Empress, who appeared from afar with her gray hair dancing in the cold wind.? ? ¡°She¡¯s really here¡­¡±? ? Tamon chuckled.? ? ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the message I sent?¡±? ? Surely, when has that woman ever acted in accordance with his expectations?? ? She was good at catching him off guard with her cold face.? ? Tamon leaned his back against the balcony railing where the white snow was falling and stared at the back of the woman as she walked across the banquet hall.? ? She seemed to be walking restlessly as she always did.? ? Every time he saw her, he thought¡­¡­..? ? Her silver hair that was tightly rolled up, and the back of her neck that was clearly exposed, looked delicious.? ? If he were an animal, he had a desire to bite and break it at once.? ? Tamon¡¯s red eyes were blazing as he followed the Empress¡¯s back.? ? The emotions involved in the deep gaze were complicated.? ? He was too big to be cold, too young to be hot.? ? ¡°Roselyn V. Sunset.¡±? ? Even her name that rolled on his tongue was a mixture of sharpness and sweetness.? ? The Empress of Tanatos, who was as good as an enemy, and the only woman bold enough to look Tamon straight in his red eyes.? ? Tamon Krasis was Amor¡¯s diplomatic general, who was on good terms with Tanatos.? ? Until just a few years ago, he was running around the battlefield under the title of General, and his vigor was distinctly different from the nobility.? ? His red eyes, which carried the stigma of having contact with the devil or being stained with too much blood from the enemy camp, also contributed to his threatening atmosphere.? ? No one wanted to make eye contact with him. But because of his beautiful appearance, the noble ladies were always mesmerized by his smile.? ? His red eyes, which glowed gorgeously when he smiled and were as beautiful as rubies, attracted people.? ? It was all nonsense.? ? Neither did he mix with demons nor bathe in blood.? ? It was just rumors created by fear, but Tamon let them make as much noise as they wanted.? ? The more the stories about him spread, the more advantage he had.? ? It didn¡¯t matter if it was fear, mystery or admiration.? ? He could use anything if it was advantageous in the negotiations.? ? But that woman.? ? Only the Empress of Tanatos did not show any emotion or agitation towards him.? ? Rather, Tamon was tempted by her.? ? ¡°It¡¯s amazing. I think she¡¯s a woman made of ice at this point. What do you think? Do you think she¡¯s human?¡±? ? Ronasso Baschel, commander of the First Order of Barnes, who accompanied Tamon as a delegation said as he poked Tamon on the side.? ? He whispered happily about what he had heard as if he thought Tamon had never heard the rumors.? ? ¡°The former emperor of Tanatos was so worried about his incompetent son becoming emperor that he offered a sculpted statue made of ice to be made into an empress? I think the rumor has credibility.¡±? ? ¡°Nonsense¡­.¡±? ? As he said to himself, Tamon castigated Ronasso and brushed away his useless thoughts.? ? Sipping the red wine, he kept his eyes on the Empress of Tanatos as she approached the Emperor.? ? Just a month ago, she negotiated as if tightening his leash.? ? ¡°I cannot allow it.¡±? ? ¡°This is a win-win deal for both Amor and Tanatos. Don¡¯t you always think of the Sniorans from the Katulan Islands as an eyesore? We will subdue them and prevent them from bothering you forever.¡±? ? ¡°Give you the island in return for keeping the pirates at bay? If the island falls, Tanatos¡¯s territorial waters will shrink by about 3,000 meters. And did you think I didn¡¯t know that those three thousand meters include some of the waters in dispute with the Legar nation?¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s only 3,000 meters. Also, the disputed area claimed by the Legar is cleverly located away from there, so there is no need to worry about it. If you really worry, I will choose an island that is not part of the disputed area. Yeah, that Oyster stone island would do.¡±? ? At Tamon¡¯s words, the Empress stared at him and smiled softly.? ? ¡°So that¡¯s what you wanted.¡±? ? Her smile made him flinch for a moment, but Tamon quickly turned to face her with an unconcerned look.? ? ¡°What do you think¡­¡­¡­?¡±? ? ¡°Amor¡¯s ship was wrecked near Guldor Island.¡±? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? ¡°It seems there was something covert aboard that crude ship.¡±? ? She looked down with a painted smirk on her face.? ? Tamon knew that it was a habit that came out when the Empress of the enemy country deepened her thoughts.? ? It was the result of observing her for a very long time.? ? A competent negotiator must be aware of the opponent¡¯s habits.? ? For example, she would bite her lips when she was upset, she would frown when she was bored, and she would lick her lips with her red tongue just before she cornered her opponents.? ? Whenever he saw that red tongue, Tamon felt his throat tighten in a strange way.? ? There were times when his blood boiled up and his body stiffened.? ? More than once, he crossed his legs, pretending to be unconcerned, because of the strong sensation below the waist.? ? ¡®Damn, my lewd body.¡¯? ? ¡°By the way, I¡¯m sorry about the ship¡­¡± Tamon said.? ? The Empress smiled at Tamon, who didn¡¯t look the least bit sorry.? ? ¡°The ship is ¡­¡­ already hauled away by my country.¡± Tamon said. CH 4 ¡°¡­¡±? ? Tamon tried hard not to show his emotions, but he was also a skillful negotiator.? ? He had already noticed the Empress¡¯s agitation, although she hid it well. She changed her voice to a much friendlier one than before.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll give you everything that¡¯s out there. Instead¡­¡­give me your red cocoons.¡±? ? The whole situation changed at once.? ? She sneered and pulled out the best silk, obtaining sole trading rights to the red cocoons grown only in Amor.? ? Instead, she could retrieve everything from the shipwreck.¡­¡­¡­.? ? That woman, the Empress of Tanatos, was such an annoying and difficult person.? ? Once she became the empress, she enjoyed power as she saw fit, and acted methodically on the diplomatic front at every turn.? ? But on the other hand, he admired her boldness, her determination, and her graceful tactics.? ? She never raised her voice. Another way to put it was she never once showed signs of excitement or panic.? ? Nor did she ever push the weaker nations with what she had.? ? She didn¡¯t even bother trying to make the opponent feel awkward with her unskilled laughter.? ? What an ancient and noble tactic.? ? But the Emperor of this country was trying to get rid of such a woman.? ? Tamon glared at the Emperor, who was sitting on the upper seat, then looked at the Empress with a gaze full of derision.? ? ¡®He¡¯s an idiot.¡¯? ? Ronasso¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at Tamon¡¯s swearing.? ? ¡°Me¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s not you, Ronasso.¡±? ? Tamon shoved his face away as Ronasso approached him.? ? He couldn¡¯t understand why the Emperor was rumored to have made such a wish to God.? ? The Emperor, who didn¡¯t even know what kind of jewel* he had, stupid rotten to the eyeballs¡­? ? (*The Empress is the jewel)? ? A monarch.? ? This country had been holding on so well to its past glory. It was that very woman who maintained that glory, and now her husband was trying to take it down.? ? It was as if he was jealous of the jewel that he had.? ? He was a pathetic man.? ? It was more humiliating and frustrating for him to deal with such a man.? ? It wasn¡¯t worth it, nor was it fun.? ? Ronasso noticed where Tamon¡¯s gaze was going as he growled. Looking at the Empress, Ronasso clicked his tongue.? ? ¡°By the way, the Empress is truly amazing. With everything going on with her family, she looks fine. I never thought she¡¯d show up with such a calm face.¡±? ? A few hours ago, the Empress¡¯s brother was taken to an underground prison for treason.? ? The story was told secretly by Gichi, the only remaining spy in this imperial palace.? ? There were seven concubines that Tamon had planted in the Imperial Palace of Tanatos. However, six of them were captured by the Empress and ousted.? ? ¡®It¡¯s just amazing.¡¯? ? They were all people who were born and raised in this country and had been educated about Tanatos for more than a decade.? ? However, they couldn¡¯t even last a year and disappeared in the eyes of the Empress.? ? Most of them were probably dead. That bloodless, stern woman would never let a spy who infiltrated her country live.? ? It didn¡¯t matter.? ? He never felt sorry for the people who tried to take what was his either¡­? ? When you want something that belongs to someone else, you have to be willing to risk it.? ? Even death, of course.? ? In Natasha¡¯s palace, Count Cainely¡¯s evidence of treason was found, and he was imprisoned as a result.? ? It was only one line, but it was enough for Tamon to grasp the situation.? ? Natasha, the emperor¡¯s beloved concubine, the sly woman must have penetrated and framed Count Cainely.? ? Fabricating evidence, well, that was easier than flipping the palm of the hand, the problem was creating circumstantial evidence¡­¡­.? ? But how did Count Cainely get in and out of Natasha¡¯s palace?? ? The righteous Count Cainely would never have fallen into Natasha¡¯s trap, but it was strange.? ? ¡°She probably didn¡¯t sleep a wink all night, but her expression hasn¡¯t changed a bit. I¡¯d say she has more thick skin than you.¡±? ? Ronasso marveled in a huff.? ? Tamon raised one eyebrow in a grimace, but Ronasso, his best friend of twenty years, wasn¡¯t one to be afraid of him.? ? ¡°Why? Did I say something wrong? Weren¡¯t you the one who sat down the aristocrat that took away the Dali¡¯s power at the negotiation table and made him apologize a few years ago? And weren¡¯t you the one that wanted to squeeze everything of value from him?¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s preposterous.¡±? ? ¡°An outstanding shift in attitude, embracing yesterday¡¯s enemies as today¡¯s friends. Oh, and didn¡¯t you once secretly invite Lady McBirther to a dinner party last year? You¡¯re such a sly fox.¡±? ? At this rate, the past history was going to start coming out one after another, Tamon thought, kicking Ronasso in the shin.? ? ¡°Shut up and give me what you¡¯ve got.¡±? ? Ugh.? ? Tamon was trying to act like a noble but it was hard to deal with Ronasso. Only a few years ago he was a great general, running around the battlefields every day.? ? He was a gladiator, a swordsman, an archer, and a cavalryman.? ? In a word, he was a soldier who was good at everything.? ? Such a kick from Tamon was the same as getting hit with a hammer. However, Ronasso could not show his painful expression because he was the Knight commander after all.? ? ¡°Judging by the kick, your retirement must have been all a sham.¡±? ? ¡°Ronasso.¡±? ? ¡°All right, all right.¡±? ? Ronasso pouted with his thick lips and passed on the information he had gained while roaming like a shadow in the court earlier.? ? ¡°The Emperor and Natasha were secretly on a tangent. I could see a hint of nervousness as they whispered about something. The imperial palace, the white dress, the last¡­. Sounded like they were planning something¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The troops waiting behind the grand ballroom are also extraordinary.¡±? ? ¡±How about ¡­¡­¡­ Sunset Mansion?¡±? ? ¡°Since dawn, the Duke of Sunset and his children have disappeared at once. Maybe that¡¯s why the empress came out. There¡¯s nothing to tell us about the whereabouts of her family members.¡±? ? The Emperor and the Empress were talking to each other without making eye contact.? ? The young emperor, with his pale honey blonde hair, turned his head and glared at the Empress, who was staring straight ahead.? ? He was objectively praised as a beautiful Emperor, but to Tamon¡¯s eyes, the Emperor¡¯s face now looked like nothing more than an ugly sweet potato.? ? How shabby he looked when he couldn¡¯t kill the Empress right away and acted fine with a blushing face.? ? In comparison, the Empress sat quietly, making eye contact with the noble guests one by one as she stared into their eyes.? ? It was a scene that made one think that the Emperor was the one who was caught off guard last night.? ? ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange?¡±? ? ¡°What is?¡±? ? ¡°The Empress is now thoroughly isolated.¡±? ? Ronasso spoke in a rather heartfelt and passionate tone as if he was watching an interesting play.? ? ¡°In her lifetime of loyalty and affection!¡±? ? Tamon did not reply to Ronasso, who was talking and giggling.? ? Isolation.? ? That¡¯s right. She was isolated.? ? But why was that fact so unreliable? It was as uncomfortable as hearing ugly news about a parent you don¡¯t want to know about.? ? ¡®Yeah, it has nothing to do with me.¡¯? ? Tamon thought cynically and poured himself a glass of cold wine.? ? He even took the risk and issued a warning, but she didn¡¯t listen to it.? ? Therefore, it did not matter whether the Empress of this country was betrayed, executed, or exiled.? ? In fact, the more Tanatos¡¯s imperial family was disturbed, the better it was for Amor country, which was in a subtle feud, as there was a benefit to be gained in that gap.? ? How great it would be to sit on the side and enjoy the benefits while others fought against each other.? ? Because the gravy that would come out if he took even a bite out of this prosperous country would be substantial.? ? It was unimaginable until just a few months ago, but things were happening right before his eyes, more than any other incident.? ? Tamon¡¯s eyes were fixed on the ice doll-like profile of the Empress.? ? Ronasso fidgeted, foretelling the end of this skit.? ? ¡°I can assure you. Perhaps the Empress¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? At that moment, Roselyn and Tamon¡¯s gazes intertwined.? ? His red eyes that were as hot as fire and her violet eyes that were as dark as the ice of the deep sea, no one seemed to have anything to say and slowly moved away.? ? That was just it¡­¡­¡­? ? He began to feel thirsty.? ? His body became hot.? ? Even though their gazes were only intertwined, it felt like something about her and him was secretly mixed.? ? A confusingly hot heat was surging through his hard lower body.? ? A thirst so intense that it immediately burned his throat.? ? It was as if he had swallowed something he shouldn¡¯t have.? ? ¡®I¡¯m not going to make it through this season, I¡¯m going to die.¡¯? ? The Empress¡¯s violet eyes could not be erased. The cold stare she gave pierced into him.? ? His mind boiled and his body became overheated.? ? The desire that he had been forcing himself to suppress suddenly felt like a volcano about to erupt.? ? A lewd voice disturbed Tamon¡¯s ears.? ? ¡®Would the Empress¡¯s skin be as cold as her eyes?¡¯? ? A devilish whisper filled Tamon¡¯s head. CH 5 As the door to the banquet hall opened and the Empress appeared, the Emperor thought to himself,? ? ¡®How did this happen?¡¯? ? Yes, perhaps it was wrong for the Empress to become another Sun of Tanatos. (*Sun as in ruler.)? ? There were two Suns in the Empire of Tanatos.? ? One was Gillotti Tanatos, who accidentally became Emperor after the accidental death of his eldest brother, and the other was Roselyn V Sunset, Empress of the Sunset family, who helped found the Tanatos Empire.? ? The young emperor was bright and bold but dark on state affairs.? ? He had blonde hair as beautiful as the sun, a solid body, and charming speech, but he was incompetent.? ? Knowing the incompetence of the Crown Prince, the previous Emperor begged the Secretary of State of House Sunset to bring his daughter in as the Crown Princess.? ? The Sunset family was a family of overlords who supported the imperial family from the time the Tanatos Empire was founded.? ? Not to mention their power, they were highly envied by the people.? ? The family had produced not only the previous empresses and grand duchesses, but also a number of important officials who remained in the history books.? ? Roselyn, the daughter of the Duke of Sunset, the Secretary of State, was also a capable daughter who was in charge of state affairs with her father for several years.? ? During her reign, the region of Roania was prosperous, and she discovered and patronized artists who were buried in poverty, producing many wonderful works.? ? She also took a keen interest in technology, and was generous in her support of poor engineers and scholars.? ? She studied about flowers and plants that could be grown for food, about the steam engine that would bring about advances in transportation, and even about the importation of exotic and unfamiliar spices.? ? As a result, Roselyn achieved amazing results with everything she did.? ? Is there anyone for whom the word ¡°perfect¡± fits so well?? ? Despite the fact that she was not a friendly person, there were many people around Roselyn. Even though she didn¡¯t talk much, everyone knew that she was a warm and responsible person.? ? ¡°What if she didn¡¯t talk much? She¡¯s such an amazing person!¡±? ? ¡°She¡¯s very nice.¡±? ? ¡°Even though she doesn¡¯t smile much, she is always lovely in my eyes.¡±? ? Everyone loved her.? ? Beautiful and smart Roselyn, with delicate silver hair like silver threads, long and lush eyelashes, pure white skin, and mysterious purple eyes.? ? When they heard that she was going to be the empress, they all nodded as if it was natural. Was there anyone more noble and brilliant than her?? ? They all agreed that the position of Empress should be hers, of course.? ? Gillotti, the emperor and her husband, thought so too at first.? ? He thought she would be the perfect Empress for him as the Emperor.? ? He was proud of her grace and her beauty.? ? He sat next to her, nodding his head and praising her for being such a noble person.? ? That was, until ¡®the thing¡¯ happened.? ? ***? ? ¡°Kyaaaah!¡±? ? ¡°Everyone protects His Majesty! What are you doing! Where is Empress Peha? Move quickly!¡±? ? With a tearing scream, a jaguar with the horns of a bull, the face of a pig, and the skin of a snake appeared, wildly overtaking the area, and monsters appeared that should not be in the capital.? ? This happened during an event at the Imperial Nursery School. It was a large event with over 700 children and 150 nobles participating.? ? There were two infantry divisions guarding them, and more than one hundred knights brought by each nobleman, but the situation was devastated by eight monsters that got in from the ¡°gap.¡±? ? ¡±No, how could there be a gap here!¡±? ? ¡°Move faster! Move faster!¡±? ? Unfortunately, the wooden building was destroyed and the emperor and empress, who were the first to evacuate, were isolated. They were with their twenty children.? ? Many of the nobles were scattered, which delayed the action of the infantry corps.? ? The knights jumped in and helped take care of the beasts as best as they could. All they had to do was hold out until the Imperial Guards arrived.? ? ¡°There are just ten of them!¡±? ? ¡°We must prevent them from approaching the altar where the Emperor and Empress are trapped! The three infantry groups will draw attention and the knights will attack. The rest of you should all focus on defense!¡±? ? Thanks to the quick decision, they fortunately evacuated the majority of people.? ? They were monsters with terrifying grips and toxic claws. It was not easy to kill them, though, because their heart was on their back, and it wasn¡¯t easy to aim for their backs either.? ? ¡°We¡¯re in trouble, Lord Weakley! One of the beasts dug into the altar!¡±? ? ¡°What? Hurry up!¡±? ? When he finally calmed down, the beast rushed towards the Emperor and Empress¡¯s location.? ? Weakley Danhover, who was in charge of the 2nd Infantry Division, recalled the escapade of the Emperor and the Empress.? ? They prayed to God that they could hold out for ten minutes, but God was not on their side at the time.? ? ¡°Damn it! Damn it!¡±? ? The Emperor looked dumbfounded at the knight Lenovo, who had fallen in a bloody heap in front of him.? ? The knight, who lost one shoulder while protecting the Emperor when the wooden building collapsed, stopped the monster¡¯s attack only twice and collapsed.? ? In such a situation, he was a worthy knight even if he only drove his sword into the monster¡¯s thigh, but that didn¡¯t matter to the Emperor.? ? ¡°What a useless¡­.!¡±? ? ¡°Your Majesty ¡­¡­¡±? ? ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry, Empress, I¡¯ve also learned swordsmanship. I¡¯m not good at it, but¡­¡­¡­I might be able to stop that beast.¡±? ? Seeing the Empress hugging the trembling children, the Emperor took out a decorative jeweled sword.? ? Just like he said, he also trained with swords and received not bad grades.? ? Even after he ascended the throne, he had to wield his sword for an hour at a time as a natural duty of an emperor.? ? He was confident that he could handle a beast or two because of his skill.? ? When he was a child, people said that he was a genius.? ? ¡±Your Majesty, please be careful!¡±? ? The Empress had injured her ankle trying to protect the children with Lenovo among the collapsing buildings.? ? A sharp piece of wood pierced her Achilles¡¯ tendon.? ? It was half of a large piece of wood but the Empress did her best not to scream. She clenched her teeth and swallowed the pain, trying not to attract the monster.? ? ¡®I can¡¯t scream.¡¯? ? However, all of her teeth-clenching efforts were wasted by the Emperor.? ? ¡°Come, you hideous things. I will cut your throat today and show you the majesty of the Emperor!¡±? ? The emperor waved his sword majestically. Then, he fell forward with a blow from the monster.? ? ¡°Argh!¡±? ? He fell on his nose and his handsome face collapsed in an instant.? ? Blood trickled down his crushed nose. The young emperor threw away his sword and crawled over to the empress, pinching his nose.? ? ¡°My nose¡­¡­¡­. Ahhhhhh!¡±? ? ¡°Your Majesty¡­..!¡±? ? ¡°Oh, my face, how dare you, how dare you! Argh!¡±? ? The emperor pushed aside the injured child that the empress was holding and revealed his indignation as he lay in her arms. His bloody face contorted in pain and embarrassment.? ? The Empress, who stared with complicated eyes at the Emperor as he crawled into her arms, silently held the hand of the child that was pushed aside.? ? The boy she saw before this place collapsed was looking at her with a very beautiful face.? ? Just before the Empress could congratulate the child by patting him on the shoulder, the monsters appeared and the building collapsed.? ? Right in front of the Empress¡¯s eyes, the child¡¯s flesh ripped open as he was struck by the fallen pillar. The empress quickly hugged and whispered to the trembling child, holding his torn cheek.? ? ¡°Shh, don¡¯t scream. The monster is very sensitive to sound.¡±? ? The trembling child, who could barely open his eyes, admirably obeyed the Empress and clenched his teeth to endure the unbearable pain. And even a child this small could hold back¡­¡­..? ? ¡°What are the Imperial Knights doing? Ah! Kill this thing right now! Kill it! Kill it!¡±? ? The emperor had lost his mind and was screaming loudly.? ? Just as the Empress had predicted earlier, the emperor¡¯s screams irritated the monsters more and more. The monster¡¯s breathing became ragged, and its black eyeballs gradually turned red.? ? The Empress held her breath.? ? If the monster¡¯s eyes turned red, it meant it was gathering poisonous energy in its claws. Then its claws turned black. The Emperor saw it and screamed furiously.? ? ¡°Oh, don¡¯t come. I am the Emperor. I am the Lord of this land¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? The Emperor, who slipped out of the Empress¡¯s arms, retreated to his buttocks with a look of horror on his face.? ? ¡°Your Majesty¡­!¡±? ? The Empress stared at the Emperor. The moment their eyes met, she realized that this man would leave them and run away.? ? ¡°Argh!¡±? ? At that moment, the monster bared its teeth and roared deafeningly. CH 6 ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡±? ? The emperor retreated faster than ever.? ? He pushed the injured empress and children forward and crawled to the edge of the shivering children.? ? In addition to that, he pulled out the children hiding in the gap of the collapsed wooden post and crawled there to hide himself.? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? The Empress was shocked and could not help but be taken aback.? ? She couldn¡¯t even keep her mouth shut at the ugly and cowardly appearance of the emperor, her husband.? ? ¡°Oh my God!¡±? ? But she couldn¡¯t just sit idly by in this critical situation. Even though she was shocked she had to stay alert.? ? Roselyn quickly scanned her surroundings, taking in the terrain. They needed a place where they could step on and hide.? ? The powerful monster that became toxic when it was angry, was slower than she expected.? ? And more importantly, it had a weakness: its back. It was a weak point that could crush that huge body with a single blow.? ? The Empress stood up, keeping a close eye on her constantly bleeding Achilles tendon, which was painful and bitter, but she had to endure.? ? ¡±Empress¡­¡±? ? The injured child, who was pushed by the Emperor, followed her with blurred vision.? ? The Empress, who was glancing at the child, raised the tip of her pale lips and said with a smile,? ? ¡°Can you run?¡±? ? ¡°¡­.Yes.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s great. Run away as fast as you can. You must go in the exact opposite direction that I am going. If you can, shout loudly.¡±? ? The monster came running.? ? The child looked at the Empress with blurred vision and nodded firmly.? ? ¡±Thank you very much. I will be sure to ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? Asking the child to scream was a lure so that the monster could show its back.? ? ¡°Be careful, child.¡±? ? The child nodded bravely, though he knew what he was about to do was dangerous.? ? Roselyn knew using the child as a lure was wrong, and it hurt her heart.? ? The more sorry she felt, the more she felt a heavy responsibility to save these children, without fail.? ? She took a deep breath and pulled out the piece of wood stuck in her ankle.? ? ¡°Ah¡­¡±? ? It was painful as her flesh was torn.? ? She didn¡¯t pull it out with the doctor¡¯s help, so there was a good chance that her foot would be severely damaged.? ? Still, Roselyn stood up with her trembling legs.? ? ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? The horrified, pale faced child finally burst into tears when he saw the noble Empress breaking into a cold sweat to endure the pain.? ? ¡°Please¡­¡±? ? The child, who was crying with his mouth closed, jumped up and ran towards the other side, making a loud noise at Roselyn¡¯s request.? ? ¡°Heyyyyyyy!¡±? ? His scream rang out in the darkness.? ? When the monster showed its back in the direction the child was fleeing, the Empress quickly lifted the Knight Lenovo¡¯s sword.? ? It was a step that ripped her flesh and bone.? ? The Empress rushed as fast as she could towards the back of the monster that was chasing the child.? ? ***? ? ¡®It¡¯s disgusting¡­.¡¯? ? The Emperor, awakened from his reverie, mumbled as he watched the Empress approaching him with a limp and gloomy walk.? ? She was a woman with a more noble figure than him, the Emperor, who was born of royal blood.? ? He felt a shiver run down his spine as he looked at the Empress, who, despite knowing that her brother was imprisoned for blackmailing the Emperor¡¯s mistress, came to the banquet.? ? ¡®Is she even a human?¡¯? ? Ever since Roselyn became a cripple, she hadn¡¯t laughed, and the few words she had to say had become even fewer.? ? No matter how beautiful she was, how could a woman like that be called human?? ? ¡®She¡¯s a witch.¡¯? ? The Emperor grinned cruelly, biting the inner flesh of his lips. It was a mocking smile.? ? Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw the Empress of that day. The Empress was covered in monster¡¯s blood with one of her torn ankles.? ? The frosty look in her eyes as she stared at the Emperor, who was hiding behind the wooden pole like a scared cat.? ? Following her gaze, the hidden children also looked back at the Emperor.? ? Twenty-four pairs of eyes stared at him with equal temperature.? ? He was the cowardly, foolish, and shabby Emperor of this land.? ? Their eyes touched the heartbreak that Gillotti had struggled to suppress.? ? Even though he survived without any fatal injuries, the memory of that day left a great scar on the emperor. It was a great humiliation, a day of disgrace that he wanted to hide.? ? That said, even if he were to return to the past again, he wouldn¡¯t be able to stab the monster to death like the Empress did.? ? That was why he hated the Empress even more. To the point of disgust.? ? She was a different kind of woman.? ? She was a woman with the ¡°ability¡± that his father wanted.? ? She had grace, wisdom, and courage.? ? Having a woman like that as his companion, Gillotti would never become greater.? ? In fact, the Empress¡¯s light made him look half-baked. Standing in front of her, the Emperor was nothing more than a weak child.? ? The Emperor hated the Empress. He hated her more than anything.? ? The Empress made the Emperor look ridiculous.? ? The more amazing she became, the more shabby he would seem.? ? The Emperor had no need for such an Empress.? ? Furthermore, the prosperity of the country would not disappear without a single Empress.? ? ¡®So she must be gone.¡¯? ? His twitching lips quivered as he looked at the Empress up close with cold eyes.? ? ¡°How could you come to the banquet with your crooked leg?¡±? ? Without looking around at the noisy crowd, the Empress sat resolutely.? ? Looking ahead with her back straight, Roselyn¡¯s lips quivered quietly.? ? ¡°Just because my leg is crooked doesn¡¯t mean the path I walk is bent, Your Majesty.¡±? ? Emperor Gillotti¡¯s eyes narrowed as he gazed at Roselyn.? ? She felt the sharpness of the Emperor¡¯s gaze, but she did not falter. For the first time in forever, her voice continued once more.? ? Even a mouse will bite when cornered, so how could she remain silent?? ? ¡°Wobbling won¡¯t lead me down the wrong path. I¡¯ll always look ahead more carefully to make sure I don¡¯t get lost or fall.¡±? ? Roselyn was now in a tight spot. No, more accurately, she was at the edge of a cliff and there was nothing more she could do.? ? Whether she went forward or backward, she would die. If that was the case, then she would have to make the last effort before she died.? ? ¡®Please, I hope that the boy will make it out of this palace safely.¡¯? ? Roselyn looked up more firmly.? ? She could see that her situation was as dangerous as if she was standing alone on a thorny road. But that wasn¡¯t important right now.? ? Roselyn clenched her cold fingers. Her clenched fists were shaking.? ? ¡®Mother and father¡­.¡¯? ? She hoped her parents were safe.? ? She wanted to be the only one to fall.? ? She prayed more than ever that if anything happened to her, they would be safe.? ? This was the national treasure that the Sunset family held.? ? That was the only thing she had to hold onto.? ? If anything happened to her, the Emperor would take it first. Therefore, the last place for negotiation must be held tightly.? ? It was also the reason why she showed up in this uninteresting banquet hall.? ? To turn all eyes on her.? ? Roselyn clenched her fists and inhaled deeply.? ? And, perchance, as she averted her gaze to see the suspicious eyes watching her, Roselyn suddenly spotted someone unexpected.? ? It was Tamon Krasis of Amor.? ? He was a predator who wielded great power over all of Amor¡¯s diplomacy and finances.? ? He was much more bulky than a full-blooded nobleman, with a huge body and a steely gaze as menacing as that of a warrior.? ? With someone who had been guarding the front lines of Amor for over a decade and serving as a great general, it was no surprise that he had a gruesome energy.? ? Even the blood disease that had passed down in his family about four years ago did not manifest itself in him, he was a man who had been, and still was, holding down the frontier and crushing the surrounding countries with carnage.? ? Unashamed in his celebration of his retirement, he threatened the surrounding nations in other ways.? ? It was doubtful if he was someone who had used only his body for the last fifteen years.? ? He was a general who left politics behind and went to war, but he was very smart and quick-witted.? ? Roselyn bumped into him several times right after he¡¯d come out on the diplomatic line.? ? Whether it was adjusting the territorial waters of the Avent Strait, or looking at the final agreement on Noronia¡¯s war supply rights, or the friendly agreement between Tanatos and Amor¡­.? ? He was the most tenacious negotiator and a skilled threat.? ? ¡®If that man grabbed you by the neck, he¡¯d bite your every bone.¡¯? ? She never let her guard down even once. She was scared.? ? Not once did she leave any room for weakness. Because she didn¡¯t know what would happen next.? ? He was the one who made her feel most nervous and at the same time most alive.? ? He was looking at her as if he was going to swallow her up with his eyes. CH 7 Perhaps this situation now was painful for her.? ? Wasn¡¯t she the Empress of the enemy nation who fought so hard and never cooperated?? ? She was leading the charge against him more than anyone else.? ? Roselyn looked at Tamon with a slippery gaze.? ? Beneath the gray hair that resembled a winter wolf, blood red eyes stared back at her.? ? No matter how far away they were, no matter how short the time, his gaze was always as clear as a thorn.? ? She averted her gaze.? ? That man was her enemy.? ? They were dog-eat-dog rivals.? ? Roselyn had waged unparalleled wars with Tamon Krasis on many occasions, taking profits from his country.? ? All of this was for the good of her country, its people, and the prosperity of the Imperial family.? ? The two of them fought like enemies and checked each other as fiercely as if they were fighting on a battlefield.? ? For this reason, Roselyn wished that man to be the only one who did not pity her for being like this now.? ? It was better to be laughed at harshly.? ? She felt that the sympathy she received from an enemy that she had fought equally with would destroy her pride.? ? That was when it happened.? ? Suddenly, the air changed.? ? At the same time, a faint voice called out to her, like the sound of wind among the grass and trees.? ? ¡±Empress.¡±? ? It was a voice that could not possibly be there at that moment.? ? The Empress¡¯s gaze staggered to the woman who was in front of her.? ? The nobles, who had gathered in whispers, kept their mouths shut and gave way to the beautiful woman.? ? Dressed in disarray, her eyes red and swollen, her honey blonde hair loosely tied up, she appeared.? ? Natasha.? ? Natasha Roanti.? ? She was as beautiful as the spring sunshine, despite having given birth to two children, each of a different man.? ? ¡°Your Majesty.¡±? ? One said that her fate was a strange one.? ? Born as such a beautiful flower, she lamented how she lived a sad life of being bent and trampled.? ? The woman with exceptionally red lips, white skin, and orange eyes that captivated people was the enemy and envy of all women.? ? All the men went mad when they saw her. They lusted after her and were blinded by her.? ? Everyone was afraid that the Empress¡¯s husband, her son, and her brother would be possessed by her.? ? But fortunately, she became the Emperor¡¯s woman and some of the people were relieved.? ? Because no matter how fearless the women were, they would not mess with the Emperor¡¯s woman recklessly.? ? ¡°Punish me.¡±? ? Tears trickled from Natasha¡¯s big eyes, her lips quivering.? ? ¡°Why are you here?¡±? ? ¡°Please punish me, Empress.¡±? ? But then came the one who dared to disrespect the Emperor¡¯s woman.? ? Roselyn¡¯s face hardened, she stared at Natasha who approached her on her knees.? ? ¡°It¡¯s my fault, Your Majesty. Please forgive him.¡± (*She pretends to tell the Emperor to forgive the Empress¡¯s brother.)? ? Natasha said, crying with a pretty face.? ? She moved over to the feet of the stiff Emperor, hugged his ankles, and pleaded with him.? ? ¡°I, I¡­If I didn¡¯t tell him that I was carrying your child, he wouldn¡¯t have gone berserk!¡±? ? ¡°I have the Emperor¡¯s child!¡±? ? The Emperor slowly lowered his head and looked at his weak lover.? ? No, everyone there stared at Natasha.? ? The banquet hall buzzed with shock, and Roselyn rose to her feet, glaring at Natasha.? ? With her back to everyone, Natasha, who was looking only at the Emperor and Empress, turned to face the Empress.? ? The expression on her face, laced with sadness, regression, and fear, changed little by little, like the sky when the sun was setting.? ? Natasha, holding the hem of Roselyn¡¯s skirt like a vine, slumped down and looked up at Roselyn.? ? Her slender arms bunched the imperial eagle pattern embroidered on the hem of the Empress¡¯s skirt.? ? In a direction that no one else could see, but only the Emperor and Empress could.? ? Natasha approached closer¡­.? ? ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡±? ? Natasha smiled and pleaded nonchalantly in a wistful voice.? ? She stared at Roselyn, her orange eyes adding taunts and tears¡­? ? ¡°So, please, have mercy¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? Natasha¡¯s slender fingers trembled on the hem of Roselyn¡¯s dress.? ? The shoulders, which were shaking enough to make everyone feel sorry for her, would make her look as if she were sobbing desperately.? ? In reality, she was biting her lips while pretending to be sobbing and smiling.¡­¡­.? ? A woman whose front and back were so different was Natasha Roanti.? ? A woman with the face of an angel, spitting out words like a viper and using tricks like a demon.? ? Smiling as she sobbed, she grabbed the skirt of the empress and crawled closer.? ? Who dared to pull the hem of the Empress¡¯s dress so desperately?? ? It was a rude, brave, and insulting act that only Natasha Roanti could pull off.? ? The Imperial Physician, who appeared later, was loudly astonished.? ? ¡°No, Lady Natasha, you have to take it easy¡­.¡±? ? He shouted at the top of his lungs at this great banquet, not to blame her for her disrespect to the Empress, but for the safety and peril of the Emperor¡¯s mistress.? ? Roselyn looked down at Natasha with a cold face.? ? She had a strong feeling that everything was already going in a predetermined order.? ? They were just waiting for her to jump into this fire pit that they set themselves.? ? ¡®¡­¡­ I thought it was strange.¡¯? ? Despite her people dying one by one and her brother being captured for treason, there were constant parties in the imperial palace.? ? And the emperor persisted in sending invitations to those parties.? ? Roselyn did not attend the parties for mere amusement.? ? But today, this party, attended by delegations from many countries, was originally the occasion for the Empress to attend.? ? Of course, if it wasn¡¯t for Count Cainely¡¯s capture a few hours before¡­.Roselyn wouldn¡¯t have been here either.? ? She inevitably fell into their trap at the party she attended to divert their attention.? ? Even though it was somewhat expected, it was appalling nonetheless.? ? She knew they were up to something, but¡­she didn¡¯t think there was any room for negotiation.? ? It seemed that the Emperor and Natasha had intended to have her executed without any demands.? ? From the greedy look in their eyes, it seemed they had decided to loot her instead of negotiating.? ? Roselyn chuckled in disgust. This was the imperial family she was trying to protect to the end.? ? Natasha, who had been sobbing, finally crawled her way up to her neck with her vine-like hands.? ? ¡°Your Majesty, Empress, please¡­¡­.¡±? ? She whispered faintly into Roselyn¡¯s ear in a soft voice.? ? ¡°Goodbye.¡±? ? Natasha smiled, her eyes narrowed and folded, and then she collapsed.? ? The red blood soaked Natasha¡¯s pure white skirt, which was scattered under the Empress¡¯ feet.? ? ¡°Hey! Hey! Move Lady Natasha, move Lady Natasha at once!¡±? ? People gathered near the Empress, who was standing alone like an ice statue.? ? They all passed the Empress and took care of Natasha, who was scattered like a flower on the floor.? ? Only Tamon Krasis was watching the Empress with her fists clenched.? ? ***? ? ¡°Lock the Empress up!¡±? ? Natasha Roanti bled and collapsed, the precious imperial child the emperor had so much wished for was probably dead.? ? Some said it was because of the Empress¡¯s brother, Cainely Sunset, who had tried to plunder her a few days ago.? ? Someone also said it was because of the wine the Empress had given Natasha recently.? ? It didn¡¯t matter who was right, or if there was any other truth to it.? ? The Emperor was furious as fire and went mad, saying he would strike the Empress in the neck.? ? It was the Duke of Sunset who jumped in front of him and prevented the Emperor from doing so.? ? For the honor of the family, for the sake of his children, the Duke and Duchess opposed the Emperor.? ? The Sunset family was a family of merit with a long history and power. If they had a little time, they would have the power to stop the Emperor¡¯s violence.? ? However, the Emperor, like a madman, without any procedure or rational dialogue, took his sword and slashed the Duke¡¯s throat on the spot.? ? Even the Duchess, who was so surprised that she couldn¡¯t even cry, was cut down with a single stroke.? ? People were speechless before this cruel and violent power.? ? They were the Sunset family.? ? The founder of this country. One of the three pillars supporting the country, they were his supporters and partners who had helped the emperor and protected this country until now.? ? But the current Emperor has just casually destroyed them!? ? Ah! What will happen to this country now?? ? People united their minds and worried about the future, but they bowed their heads in fear that their heads would soon fall off.? ? It was the beginning of tyranny.? ? Without hesitation, the Emperor abolished the empress and locked her up in an underground prison. The Empress did not sob, but walked nonchalantly as if she had already anticipated everything.? ? Even her appearance seemed to be contemptuous, and the Emperor shouted viciously.? ? ¡°Not a drop of water until the Empress tells where the treasure is!¡±? ? After 10 days of imprisonment and torture, the Empress was banished to the Kralturian Ice Mountains in the form of a conveyance.? ? The Emperor wanted to kill the Empress himself, but he could not.? ? Thousands of people knocked on the gates every day, begging him to save her.? ? Although he didn¡¯t kill her, he kicked her out into the harsh ice mountain.? ? So that the snowstorm would take her life without getting his hands dirty.? ? The Empress, no, the abolished Empress Roselyn was dumped in a blizzard just like that. CH 8 Creak.? ? The thick gate opened and a group of people walked out in perfect order.? ? One by one, they were part of the delegation of nations leaving Tanatos.? ? ¡°I am sorry that we were not able to give you a proper reception. After the situation is stabilized, we will politely invite you back.¡±? ? The arrogant Emperor of Tanatos drove out the lions of the nations who had taken the trouble to gather there.? ? The delegation was prepared for months for a trade agreement over the Strait of Centica.? ? It was an important meeting in the interests of the seven nations, but the Emperor of the Empire drove them away as if he had no interest in it.? ? This was an act of deceiving the seven nations that had sent the delegation.? ? No matter how powerful Tanatos was, the seven nations were equal partners or allies.? ? How could he be so proud and arrogant?? ? The envoys from each country were all seething with indignation.? ? If the situation in the country hadn¡¯t been so tumultuous, they would have stayed and paid back at all costs.? ? The expulsion of the Empress, who was closer to them than the Emperor, was a particularly shocking incident for all of the envoys.? ? Several of them had formed quite an alliance with the Empress and nearly complained bitterly in front of the Emperor.? ? ¡°Please be patient!¡±? ? But everyone stopped them. They all felt the same indignation, but that didn¡¯t mean they should let it slip out.? ? Tanatos had become the most powerful nation, and not just because of the gold that constantly came out of the land.? ? It was because of the terrifying power of the country¡¯s royal family to kill anyone if they wanted to.? ? Of course, there was also the royalty of other countries with corresponding abilities.? ? But, the Emperor of Tanatos did not have the ability to wield it as freely as he could.? ? It was a myth that implicitly circulated that death was inevitable if one came to incur his wrath.? ? ¡®But the Empress, whom he most wanted to kill, could not even be touched by his power.¡¯? ? At the time of his marriage vows, the Emperor would drop blood into his holy water for his empress to drink.? ? By doing so, the Emperor¡¯s ability was able to avoid the Empress.? ? It was one of the rituals that the couple should not inevitably point their swords at each other.? ? Gillotti Tanatos was thus unable to deal with the Empress directly and had driven her away to the Kralturian Mountains, the most severe in this land of ice.? ? A blizzard came.? ? It was a very heavy blizzard.? ? The day the Emperor abandoned the Empress, the day the delegation left Tanatos, there was the first severe blizzard in months.? ? With his red eyes glowing under his black robes, Tamon toured the Imperial Palace of Tanatos, which was obscured by the blizzard.? ? He stared at the castle with the hot burning eyes that melted even the coldest snow.? ? He couldn¡¯t figure out why he was so angry, so irritated, something he had never experienced before.? ? He felt as if he had lava boiling in his heart.? ? If the Emperor of Tanatos was right in front of him, he would not be able to hold back and would punch him in the face.? ? Instead of the Emperor of Tanatos, who could not be killed, Tamon stared at the glamorous palace of this country that harbored him.? ? That glamorous palace would surely fall in the near future.? ? The proud and incompetent Emperor, whom the mistress debauched and manipulated with the width of her skirt, and the incompetence of the nobles who knew about it but couldn¡¯t stop him, would hasten the downfall of this country.? ? ¡°It must. If it doesn¡¯t happen, I will make it happen.¡±? ? As if to symbolize arrogance, the Imperial Palace consisted of many spires. Behind the pointed spires, he could see the Kralturian Mountains hidden by the blizzard.? ? The white blizzard raged brutally.? ? How much crueler is this country trying to be to that woman?? ? As far as he knew, it was the Empress who loved this country the most.? ? And yet, this country produced unprecedented blizzards, as if it was going to kill such an empress.? ? Tamon shuddered at the cruelty of the sky.? ? He couldn¡¯t calm down at all, knowing that he didn¡¯t have a single reason to be angry like this.? ? ¡°They tried to kill the empress, and since she¡¯s such an amazing empress, would the ice kill her? They made all kinds of ridiculous jokes about how the Emperor would reinstate her and forgive her for her sins if she came back alive after this.¡±? ? Ronasso hid and spilled what he¡¯d heard in disgust.? ? Tamon sneered.? ? Forgiveness?? ? Who should forgive whom?? ? She was the one who was betrayed and exploited from the beginning to the end of the hilarious skit.? ? There was a hint of murderous energy in his blood-red eyes.? ? The well-hidden sword that he had hidden tightly in his heart permeated. The anger kept rising. He couldn¡¯t control the way his mind was leaning towards the snowstorm.? ? ¡°What are you staring at? Ugh, it¡¯s cold. Anyway, it¡¯s a bad omen for the emperor. I can¡¯t believe he kicked out all the envoys on such a cold day.¡±? ? Ronasso stepped forward, rubbing his arms.? ? The front row for departure was almost ready to go.? ? As long as they got permission from Tamon, who led the delegation, they would leave immediately.? ? However, while all the other delegations departed for their home countries, their own leader remained unconcerned.? ? He was staring beyond the golden castle of Tanatos.? ? ¡®What is he looking at? Is he aiming for the Emperor?¡¯? ? Unable to wait, Ronasso secretly looked up to where Tamon was looking. Nothing was visible in the void.? ? After a moment, as if he remembered something, Ronasso snapped his cold fingers and let out a sound.? ? ¡°Ah..¡±? ? It was too cold to make much of a sound, but after making as light a sound as possible, he sneakily poke Tamon in the side.? ? ¡°Maybe she turned into an ice statue by now. How could he abandon his wife and Empress of this country so miserably? The Emperor is such an ugly man.¡±? ? As if he was afraid people would hear his curse, he said in whispers.? ? Ronasso inwardly clicked his tongue and took off the fur hat he was wearing and placed it on his chest. ¡°I paid my respects to the Ice Mountains of Kralturian,¡± he said.? ? ¡°For the death of the Empress, who was stronger, more beautiful, and more pathetic than any woman I had ever seen¡­¡±? ? Death.? ? Death¡­.!? ? The word came close to hitting Tamon on the back of the head.? ? Tamon grabbed the reins, which he held tightly.? ? And before Ronasso could finish his salute.? ? ¡°Heya!¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­. Hey! Where are you going?¡±? ? Tamon Krasis drove into the blinding blizzard.? ? ***? ? ¡®Am I dead?¡¯? ? The moment the pure white snow that covered the black night felt warm, the Empress could see the death that loomed before her.? ? It had been a short and long ten days.? ? Horrible things swirled around her like a raging storm.? ? Her best friend died.? ? Her father died.? ? Her mother died.? ? Hated as she was, she had to watch it all happen.? ? ¡°Oh, damn Gillotti.¡±? ? A stupid man.? ? For the first time in her life, the vulgar words she had never uttered flowed out her lips.? ? She laughed bitterly, wriggling her torn and frozen lips.? ? A drop of tear flowed down the side of her cold eyes. It felt hot.? ? She couldn¡¯t easily close her eyes, for the faces of those she could not protect came to mind again and again.? ? She laughed like she was crying.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Charlotte.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, brother.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Father. Mother.¡±? ? ¡°I couldn¡¯t protect you.¡±? ? Is this how it feels like to have a broken heart?? ? All her nails were missing, and her limbs, tattered by all the humiliation and terrible punishment, had already lost their feeling.? ? ¡°Why is this pathetic body still alive? What is it that I regret so terribly?¡±? ? Was it because of the blessing of the Northern Witch that Roselyn¡¯s mother had struggled for months to find on her childhood day?? ? Her body, which had not caught a cold once, was struggling to overcome the freezing weather.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t be sick, my Empress, the pain makes you miserable, sad, and unjust¡­Live a strong, healthy, and happy life.¡±? ? The time when she was lying in bed with an injured ankle, the Duchess came running and patted Roselyn¡¯s cheek with sad tears.? ? She was sorry that she couldn¡¯t replace Roselyn¡¯s pain herself, and nursed her close for days and days.? ? Mother.? ? Why did he cut off the head of that innocent person too?? ? No, if you think about it, the one who died was rather merciful and fortunate.? ? It was better to return to God¡¯s arms with loved ones than to live and wander in the pain of a broken heart.? ? How did she end up like this?? ? She just wanted to do well.? ? Very well¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.? ? She just wanted to be a good empress.? ? ¡°No, this is not my fault.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not my fault.¡±? ? ¡°How could such a huge misfortune be my fault?¡±? ? She tried hard to console herself that it was not her fault.? ? She tried to keep her spirits up. But ¡­¡­¡­¡­..? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­ No, maybe it¡¯s all my fault. Yes, I am to blame.¡±? ? ¡°If I had prepared better, if I hadn¡¯t let my guard down, if I hadn¡¯t looked at Gillotti¡¯s murderous eyes that were staring at me¡­.¡±? ? They wouldn¡¯t have died so unjustly.? ? She was too upset and felt empty. Her heart was broken.? ? The helplessness of not being able to protect the people she loved was tearing at her soul.? ? There was nothing wrong with her broken body. It was only the sadness of not being able to protect them that invaded her.? ? ¡°Ah¡­.I¡¯ll be there soon.¡±? ? Her breathing became slower and slower.? ? She finally felt her body, which was unnecessarily strong against the cold, freezing.? ? The intuition that the happy death was just around the corner, she then closed her stiff eyes.? ? ¡°Come, death.¡±? ? ¡°Come quickly, wrap me up and lead me close to my loved ones.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m going to embrace them and grovel at their feet, begging for forgiveness.¡±? ? Just then¡­.? ? ¡°Whaaaaaa¡­.¡±? ? The sound of the animal crying penetrated her muffled ears. CH 9 ¡°Is that a cry?¡±? ? It was a sound that brought Roselyn to consciousness like a continuous sunbeam.? ? She lifted her closed eyelids and stared into the air. Her head was immovable.? ? Her body was already frozen.? ? She managed to turn her eyes and stared at the huge figure coming through the snowstorm.? ? Blink.? ? Something pitch black flickered across her increasingly blurred vision.? ? It was the presence of someone huge, approaching at a frightening speed.? ? And when it became clear what it was, Roselyn laughed bitterly.? ? ¡°Why, of all people, would I be seeing a vision of that man¡­?¡±? ? Why would the general of an enemy country, the man who had always gazed most deliciously at her neck¡­?? ? Roselyn was numb even as the apparition stopped nearby.? ? All she could do was raise her blood-frozen lips slackly and smile.? ? The man standing atop the horse looked at Roselyn and growled in a beastly voice.? ? ¡°You were banished to death, but you¡¯re still lying here in this snow, as if you¡¯re going to rule over it.¡±? ? The voice was far too vivid for an illusion.? ? ¡°It¡¯s so like you, Empress.¡±? ? Roselyn barely grasped at her dull consciousness.? ? She slowly closed her eyes and opened it again, but incredibly, the figure did not disappear.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Tamon¡­Kra¡­¡±? ? The man laughed like an angry beast as Roselyn stammered his name as if he liked it very much.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t see any will to live in your eyes.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡­apparently she wasn¡¯t seeing things.? ? The man wasn¡¯t an illusion. He approached her as a real entity.? ? His hot hands reached under her cold, frozen, scarred flesh.? ? The burning hot hand embraced the poor empress, sloppily touching her spine.? ? ¡°Do you want to die?¡±? ? He asked the obvious.? ? ¡°There¡¯s no reason to live.¡±? ? ¡°Why?¡±? ? Was it because death was really coming?? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t hear his question very well.? ? Even her white vision, which she assumed was due to the blizzard, seemed to be a sign of her senses dying.? ? She looked at Tamon with a fading gaze.? ? ¡°Rather, you have many reasons to live now¡­¡±? ? She thought to herself as she faintly heard his voice.? ? ¡®I¡¯m tired of everything. I had no reason to live, no desire to live.¡¯? ? She just wanted to die like this.? ? Tamon pulled Roselyn close to him and asked as his hot breath touched her ear,? ? ¡°Are you throwing yourself away?¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­. What?¡±? ? She asked with faintly open eyes.? ? ¡°Yourself.¡±? ? Tamon whispered again, his face as sharp and grim as a sculpted statue made from a crude blade.? ? ¡°It¡¯s a life that¡¯s barely hanging on.¡±? ? It was a life that would be gone anyway. There was no need to answer.? ? ¡°The love for this country. Do you have any of that left?¡±? ? Indeed, she remembered the voices of the people who had knocked on the gates begging for her life until the end.? ? ¡°It¡¯s a longing for what¡¯s left of my life.¡±? ? But still, there was no will to live at all.? ? ¡°Why on earth would I want to live?¡±? ? Roselyn slowly closed her empty eyes.? ? That was her final answer.? ? Somehow, she felt the strength in the hands of the man holding her back.? ? It was as if his warmth, contrast to her icy skin, had left marks on her skin.? ? As Tamon hugged Roselyn with his forceful arms, he whispered in her ear as she closed her eyes.? ? ¡°All right, if you throw yourself away like that¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s breath was almost gone.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll gladly pick you up and run away.¡±? ? His voice sounded so distant, like a hallucination, that Roselyn had no strength at all to react.? ? Just then.? ? Something hot covered her lips. It shook her with a jolt so powerful that it brought her out of her near-disappearing state.? ? ¡°¡­.!¡±? ? She opened her eyes wide, her vision filled with Tamon Krasis. With a white blizzard behind him, Tamon was staring at her relentlessly with his red eyes.? ? What is the meaning of this?? ? At that moment, something flowed into her on the connected lips.? ? Something so hot that it scorched her throat.? ? A huge life force that shook her whole body.? ? ¡°Huh!¡±? ? Roselyn pushed him away in a fit. But his lips pressed harder and harder against hers, opening them up.? ? A stream of hot saliva ran down her thin chin, rising in a haze of steam beneath the two lips that had bitten each other wide open.? ? ¡°Ah¡­!¡±? ? His red tongue was pushed viciously past her tongue and down her deep, wet throat.? ? It stirred her throat as hard as it could and sucked in her powerless tongue.? ? The Empress¡¯s thin body shuddered and her limp body grabbed the man¡¯s thick shoulders like she was having a seizure.? ? Her breath caught in a messy rush.? ? His tongue tangled in her mouth.? ? More dangerous was the wild force that roused her life force, which was fading fast.? ? The man¡¯s lips, which were despicably rough on the Empress¡¯s, finally fell after a few moments.? ? Roselyn squeezed his shoulders as she shuddered with the soaring vitality in her body.? ? Her whole body was boiling with heat, but strangely enough, she had no strength at all.? ? ¡°Now ¡­¡­ you are mine, Empress.¡±? ? His voice cut off the thin saliva that had continued like incontinence.? ? At the same time, Roselyn¡¯s consciousness, which had come back with a flash, lost again.? ? ¡®You, what are you talking about?¡¯? ? She gasped and grabbed Tamon desperately by the cuff of his shirt, but she didn¡¯t have the strength to catch her diminishing consciousness.? ? ***? ? Tamon¡¯s horse rode briskly through the blizzard.? ? The cold wind passed by, scratching her cheeks like sharp claws, but it couldn¡¯t touch a single expression on Tamon¡¯s face.? ? He even took off his thick cloak to wrap Roselyn and held her in his arms.? ? The leather armor he wore was tremendously vulnerable to the cold, but he only casually quickened the ride, unconcerned as a winter beast that felt no cold.? ? Taking the reins of his fast-running horse in one hand, he looked down at the small body he was holding in the other.? ? A woman with a pale complexion who could not open her eyes, wrapped tightly in his cloak.? ? ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m holding this woman in my arms.¡¯? ? It was a strange feeling.? ? I felt as if the sweetness of some primordial and naked desire was floating on his tongue.? ? It was as if he was holding a forbidden fruit that he was not allowed to eat, not even to look at, not even to think about.? ? Even though he knew it was a poisonous fruit, it was so fragrant and sweet that he didn¡¯t even want to swallow it.? ? He had no intention of spitting it out again, not even a little.? ? He thought of that rough kiss again. Then his throat started to choke up. He swallowed hard and rough as if he was trying to quench his thirst.? ? Like a piece of bread that he ate while starving, he just wanted to swallow it even though he might choke. His appetite, which was rising fast, was not curbed at all.? ? ¡°¡­..¡±? ? His lower muscles that were bulging like they were tearing beneath the leather armor swelled violently. Tamon was more than a little disturbed by this outburst of desire that he couldn¡¯t quite understand.? ? He had no choice but to kiss her, but his body was running wild.? ? Nevertheless, it was fortunate that he was calm as if he had taken a walk.? ? He stared at the abolished empress of the hostile country, who held him with quiet, piercing eyes, as if his beastly, angry desires were not his own.? ? Her face fell back and opened gently, angular and deadly, still covered in blood, revealing her white, dry lips.? ? How could she have such a sweet tongue inside those rough, cold lips¡­¡±? ? It was something he never really cared about, but now that he knew, he couldn¡¯t help it.? ? Now that he has it, he wants to covet it to the fullest.? ? ¡®So you have to live. Unconditionally¡­¡­¡­.¡¯? ? He laughed like a hungry beast, and lowered himself close¡­? ? The blizzard, which had been quiet for a while, hit hard again.? ? The white snow tried to block his view, but it couldn¡¯t block his running feet.? ? Tamon jumped into the middle of the crowd, who was waiting for him, and shouted sharply at his men.? ? ¡°Get out of Tanatos at full speed now! Anyone who comes after me will be banished! We¡¯re leaving!¡± CH 10 The first group of troops ran through the voracious snow.? ? The situation in which dozens of knights were running at a fierce speed all at once was unusual.? ? Dozens of horses sprinted at full speed, followed by a mist of snow.? ? Since every single one of them was a knight of the same race, the speed at which they left the empire was beyond the common sense of ordinary people.? ? The knights of Tamon broke through the Arcandium Plain, the largest plain in Tanatos, in just two days.? ? After running for another two days like that, they finally slowed down and stopped their horses when they were all exhausted.? ? It took them only four days to cover the distance that would have taken an ordinary person ten days.? ? ¡°We¡¯ll camp here today!¡±? ? The weary Ronasso exclaimed as they settled into a suitable spot.? ? The knights began to set up their tents, looking like corpses. The feeling of needing a place to lie down and rest as soon as possible made their hands move faster.? ? In the blink of an eye, a colony was created.? ? Ronasso, who had been kicking his tongue as if he felt sorry for them, generously handed over a bottle of whiskey.? ? ¡°All right, people! Drink and fall asleep like a corpse.¡±? ? ¡°Wow!¡±? ? A bottle of whiskey had everyone shouting for joy. They had been running as if being pulled by a monster.? ? For the past two days, they had been running with minimal sleep. They wanted to sleep well even for a few hours.? ? Coming from the land of only spring and summer, the winter in Tanatos was exceptionally harsh to them.? ? ¡°Oh, it¡¯s cold. It¡¯s so cold. ¡°? ? Deputy Commander Max shivered and crouched down by the fire. He was particularly vulnerable to the cold, and his lips were shivering even though he was wearing far more layers of clothing than the other knights.? ? ¡°It¡¯s freezing cold. How the hell do people in Tanatos live in this cold? I don¡¯t know.¡±? ? Their country, Amor, had a hot climate in all four seasons. It was a little too hot in the summer, but it was still better than this cold.? ? A country with unmelted ice mountains.? ? It seemed that Max could never live in such a cold country, no matter how rich the country was, no matter how much money it constantly produced.? ? ¡°I think I¡¯d rather run as fast as I can and get out of here as soon as possible. When I get back, I¡¯ll sleep for a week.¡±? ? Max shuddered, and Roman, the longest serving old soldier at his side, brought him a whiskey and added a word.? ? ¡°Even if we were chased by enemies, we wouldn¡¯t be running like this.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I was talking about! I thought I was exiled.¡±? ? ¡°Of course, your wife would have followed you here, wouldn¡¯t she?¡±? ? ¡°Hahaha! Then someone should tell her I¡¯m dead on the way!¡±? ? ¡°No, if she finds out later, Anasha will crack your head and the liar¡¯s head side by side.¡±? ? ¡°Your wife is very strong! Hahahaha! If you don¡¯t want to die, you should just stay with your wife.¡±? ? ¡°Oh my gosh, I miss my wife!¡±? ? ¡°Go to sleep!¡±? ? Except when they sat down for a while to eat their meals, they were running almost all the time, seventeen hours a day.? ? The general who was leading their pack ran relentlessly. He was right, it was a very brutal move, the personnel who lagged behind would never be able to make it.? ? Horses and people ran almost to the point of passing out, and finally settled down earlier today.? ? Four hellish days had passed, and the Knights smiled as they sat on the ground. They had finally got some rest.? ? Tamon, who was glancing at the knights, gave Ronasso something. Belatedly, after receiving a heavy pocket from him, Ronasso approached the knights and said in a lively voice.? ? ¡°Here¡¯s the General¡¯s jerky! After all that hard work, you must need to replenish your calories, right? I¡¯ve also unloaded some extra whiskey, so eat this and get a good night¡¯s sleep. We¡¯ll have to leave again at dawn.¡±? ? ¡°Wow! It¡¯s jerky!¡±? ? ¡°Chat as much as you can, and then go to bed. Anyone who fails to wake up tomorrow morning will be banished.¡±? ? Ronasso imitated Tamon and left the knights to return to his seat. It was also his sincere desire to get home quickly.? ? ¡°Our general is so good at tightening and loosening!¡±? ? When someone shouted, a burst of laughter erupted.? ? Glancing back and laughing at the knights¡¯ commotion, Ronasso saw a tent erected a short distance away.? ? A heavy tent made of the thickest fabric.? ? It was their captain who had already gone inside and settled down, the one Ronasso trusted the most and his benefactor.? ? Ronasso¡¯s eyes wavered as he was about to explore the tent Tamon had entered.? ? ¡®What was that thing he was holding in his arms earlier¡­.¡¯? ? There was a suspicion in the air.? ? ¡®It¡¯s her.¡¯? ? The late Empress of this country.? ? No, the Empress that this country wanted to kill¡­.? ? Tamon went to the ice mountain where the woman was abandoned.? ? He hadn¡¯t seen what Tamon was holding yet, but his hunch was that it was that woman.? ? ¡®He didn¡¯t hold a corpse, did he?¡¯? ? Because even if Tamon Krasis was a madman, he wouldn¡¯t be a man who had gone that crazy.? ? Ronasso was sure Tamon was not that impatient to take revenge by bringing her dead body, no matter how much he hated the Empress.? ? Yes, he wouldn¡¯t¡­¡­..? ? ¡°But why am I so anxious¡­.?¡±? ? Ronasso stared at Tamon¡¯s tent with shaky eyes, then shook his head and turned away.? ? It had taken him a long time to learn that no matter how anxious he was, he could not win or change Tamon.? ? He just has to believe and follow.? ? That was the way Ronasso had sworn when he chose Tamon to be his leader.? ? About that time, the light that was leaking from the tent flickered.? ? ***? ? Roselyn could smell the forest and the earth.? ? It was that very scent that lifted her up again and again as her consciousness darkened.? ? The smell of soil, soaking wet from the rain.? ? The smell of the trees that have sprouted green leaves on the ground.? ? It was a clean and refreshing scent that no perfumes could have.? ? ¡°I want more, more, more¡­¡­.¡±? ? A hot fever rose in her. The hotter her body felt, the more the purity of the scent attracted her.? ? It seemed that the painful heat would subside if she deeply immersed herself in the scent.? ? Her throat was so hot that she wanted to swallow even seawater, but oddly enough, she couldn¡¯t connect with her consciousness.? ? ¡°¡­Are you thirsty?¡±? ? A cool voice whispered in her ear.? ? That alone seemed to quench her thirst. Roselyn rushed to the direction of the voice.? ? She felt like a seed tossed into the cool, damp forest.? ? Instinctively, she curled up and reached out to catch a handful of life-giving soil.? ? Grabbing it tightly, she heard a laugh. It seemed that Roselyn had scratched his neck.? ? As soon as she heard the sound, Roselyn let go of what she was holding.? ? ¡°No, no, no. No, no, no. No, no.¡±? ? She struggled to free her hands. An annoying heat consumed her entire body.? ? Cold sweat broke out as she unconsciously tried to overcome her instincts.? ? ¡°Huh ¡­¡­ ah¡­¡­¡±? ? She moaned, curled her body up tightly and endured the pain. She shook her head and tried her best to overcome her desire.? ? Pitiful.? ? ¡°Are you rejecting your instinct to live?¡±? ? Tamon looked at Roselyn with curious eyes as her body struggled to live while her soul was trying to die.? ? Her pale face with cold sweat, the wispy silver hair, the bloodless lips and the pitiful, dry, trembling body¡­.? ? ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Despite her humble appearance.? ? Why ¡­¡­ Why did he have such an appetite for this woman?? ? In the meantime, considering what this woman had done to him, it was insignificant even if he bit her and tore her up.? ? How much of a surprise had the Empress caught him off guard so far? How many times had she held his breath?? ? Tamon gritted his teeth, but on the other hand, he gasped at her mastery.? ? She always seemed to be someone who could see further than Tamon.? ? She either sensed what he wanted before he did, or she sought out the pitfalls he sold her like a demon god.? ? Although her cleverness annoyed him, he always wanted her.? ? Why was this woman born in Tanatos?? ? Why did she stay with such a trashy man?? ? Why did this woman¡­this woman¡­¡­¡­.? ? Why couldn¡¯t he meet her first? CH 11 Tamon reached out his calloused hands and grabbed Roselyn¡¯s neck.? ? Her neck was so thin that it could be broken with just one hand and little force.? ? The neck that had always been straight and upright.? ? It would be much more satisfying if he could just break this neck with a lot of force.? ? Keeping the abandoned Empress of Tanatos alive was to make the enemy a more troublesome foe. It was a foolish thing to lose flesh and blood and embrace the sword.? ? If he abandoned this woman now, nothing would bother him.? ? But still¡­? ? But still¡­? ? ¡°¡­ Why do I hate you so much?¡±? ? ¡°Why am I so desperate to save you?¡±? ? He was an enemy she wanted to kill¡­¡­¡­..? ? He has always been a thorn in her eyes¡­¡­? ? Tamon took off all the clothes he was wearing.? ? His body, with not a single thread left, received the flickering candle and created various shades.? ? As his muscles bulged and moved, the clothes Roselyn was wearing disappeared, one, two at a time.? ? ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±? ? When all the clothes that had been covering her body were gone, Roselyn felt a cold chill and opened her eyes faintly.? ? The huge, sturdy body that loomed in her blurred vision was not the body of her husband that she knew.? ? ¡®Why on earth would he¡­¡­¡­¡­ Why?¡¯? ? Tamon lowered himself gradually, making eye contact with her. His heavy body completely interlocked with her soft body.? ? Every time their skin rubbed against each other, Roselyn flinched in surprise.? ? His skin was sweetly cold.? ? It was so cold that it made her thirsty.? ? She was so thirsty that she wanted to cling to him.? ? She wanted to cling vulgarly to his body, begging him to lower his sweet lips to quench her thirst.? ? She wanted to cling to him.? ? She wanted to touch him.? ? She wanted to hold his body with her whole body.? ? With him in her arms, the man¡¯s overflowing vitality seemed to soak her up.? ? ¡°No, no, no¡­. I don¡¯t want to.¡±? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t want to live.? ? She resisted helplessly in front of the temptation, which lay appetizingly before her eyes.? ? The man¡¯s lips parted and laughed, as if mocking her.? ? ¡°No.¡±? ? Nonetheless, Tamon¡¯s lips held on to hers.? ? ¡°You have to live.¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s dry lips parted open, and his thick, hard tongue entered, stirring her insides with its root.? ? ***? ? ¡°Ah¡­¡­!¡±? ? She felt the thirst that had been gnawing at her dissipate with each swipe of his saliva in her mouth.? ? His tongue pushed his life force deep into her lips, which he tried hard to keep it from closing.? ? Roselyn¡¯s lips tore each time Tamon opened them as he intended.? ? The taste of blood spurting from Roselyn¡¯s lips seeped between the overlapping tongues as Tamon caught her rejecting tongue and let his life force in.? ? ¡°Ugh¡­..¡±? ? The thicker the saliva that was coming in, the more her body was coming back to life.? ? She could feel her internal organs capturing and pulling at her consciousness that was dissipating.? ? ¡®No!¡¯? ? ¡®Why is he trying to save me?¡¯? ? ¡®Why would he, of all people, hold me back? Why?¡¯? ? ¡°Let go¡­¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s damaged vocal cords squeezed out a scratchy sound.? ? Tamon smirked and leaned in even closer, pretending not to hear her words. With one thick arm wrapped around her waist, he unhurriedly undressed her.? ? So easily, so effortlessly. The last of Empress Tanatos, Roselyn V Sunset¡¯s clothes were off.? ? And revealed a shabby, skinny, mottled, bruised body.? ? Her nails had fallen out, her toes were shabby, and her body was no better than a rotting corpse.? ? The man, who had no need to be ashamed of, looked down slowly and tediously at Roselyn¡¯s shabby body, as if he was looking at something rare.? ? From the thin shoulders that were skinny and bony to the small breasts, the ribs protruding under the thin skin, and the narrow hips and belly that were too dry and hollow.? ? And to the depths, where no one had ever seen her before, and to the thin ankles that have long scars¡­¡­¡­¡­.? ? His gaze was deftly meticulous and persistent to the point of obsession.? ? After examining every inch of her flesh, Tamon¡¯s face distorted. He also looked somewhat shocked.? ? ¡®¡­.. Why?¡¯? ? For the first time, a heavy spit lodged in his throat.? ? He tightened his jaw and clenched his teeth. In a subdued voice, Tamon retorted violently.? ? ¡°How come you don¡¯t want revenge?¡±? ? It must have been a mistake, but somehow he seemed angry at her condition.? ? Roselyn¡¯s dry body that had turned into a rag, her empty eyes, her moaning as if she was not even in pain. Tamon was boiling with anger.? ? ¡®It can¡¯t be. Why is this man because of me¡­¡­.¡¯? ? Roselyn stared at him, chuckling to herself.? ? Shame and embarrassment were nothing but emptiness in the face of death.? ? ¡°Why me?¡±? ? There was nothing to protect, nothing to defend.? ? ¡°¡­.Why me?¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s brows furrowed at Roselyn¡¯s disappointed murmur.? ? ¡°You can¡¯t find the will to take revenge even though you¡¯re in this state?¡±? ? Her body could not be called the body of the most noble woman in the empire.? ? Ten days. Only ten days.? ? What did that damn Emperor do to the Empress?? ? Did that foolish emperor have the least bit of reverence for the woman who led this country and was his wife?? ? Tamon, who had seen all that the Empress had become, was appalled. It was as if a thousand fires had broken out in his heart.? ? More than half of the nails on the Empress¡¯s hands and feet were gone, and the rest were rotten and sore.? ? The fingerprints on her fingers were gone, as if they had sunk into the heat.? ? There was not a part of this little body that was not a dark blue lump.? ? Her knees were torn, revealing the flesh inside, and both ankles were swollen as if they had two fists attached to them.? ? The Empress¡¯s back, which touched Tamon¡¯s palm, was even more unsightly.? ? There was not a single clean spot left on the tattered back.? ? She must have been beaten dozens of times with a watered-soaked leather whip.? ? But for a body like this, she never once moaned. She was a strong woman¡­.? ? Why did the Emperor torture the empress?? ? He could have her exiled or even killed her.? ? ¡®Right. There was something he wanted to take from her.¡¯? ? So did he really get what he wanted from the Empress?? ? ¡°Did you give the Emperor what he wanted?¡±? ? Roselyn stared at Tamon, and for the first time she raised her lips and smiled faintly.? ? ¡°Never.¡±? ? That was enough.? ? In spite of the cruel pain of torturing, she kept her mouth shut.? ? That¡¯s right. That was this woman.? ? It was the Roselyn V. Sunset he knew.? ? Tamon smiled softly and pleased. This kind of stubbornness and strength were enough to bring her back to life.? ? He chuckled in relief and slowly kissed her neck. He tasted her so nakedly that she felt a little gagged.? ? The tip of his tongue licking at her slender neck was tight. It licked and sucked gently, as if he was cherishing sweet things.? ? Startled by the unfamiliar sensation, Roselyn¡¯s hands grabbed Tamon¡¯s thick shoulders.? ? She wanted to push him away, but she had no strength. He bit her lip as a painful sound came out.? ? ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to bite your neck.¡±? ? Hair sprouted on the back of her neck where he made contact every time he spoke.? ? Roselyn replied, purposely ignoring him.? ? ¡°Then bite it off and kill me¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? These were words that were very much like her.? ? The tip of Tamon¡¯s nose rubbed against her soft neck. He murmured casually, acting intimately as if he was burying his nose in his mother¡¯s neck.? ? ¡°It would be a waste to bite it just once¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s heart sank heavily at his words.? ? ¡®Waste.¡¯? ? What was it about the word that made Roselyn¡¯s heart soar?? ? How dare he spared the life of this lowly body of hers hanging on the edge of a cliff?? ? ¡°Ha¡­¡±? ? As if she were crying, Roselyn let out a sighing laugh.? ? To be told that she was a waste from the mouth of her enemy, not her country, not her people.? ? It was somehow satisfying.? ? The desire to die vainly seemed a little comforting.? ? That¡¯s right. If she was to die, she would rather die by the hand of interest.? ? In the hands of the man, who had always fought with her fiercely and stared straight at her.? ? Roselyn reached out her powerless hands and grabbed Tamon¡¯s wrist.? ? As if wanting to know what Roselyn was doing, Tamon quietly held out his hand.? ? She pulled one of his hands with both of hers and placed it on her neck.? ? A handful.? ? Just one hand.? ? With such a thick, firm hand, only a little force should be enough to snap her neck.? ? Roselyn¡¯s cold purple eyes and Tamon¡¯s hot red eyes intertwined.? ? She laughed as she stared straight at Tamon.? ? ¡°¡­Now, like this.¡±? ? And soothingly.? ? ¡°Put a little pressure on it.¡±? ? As if to entangle him.? ? ¡°Just a little more, just a little more pressure.¡±? ? She whispered in a sweet voice.? ? ¡°You can kill me.¡± CH 12 ¡®If you can do it, do it quickly.¡¯? ? Roselyn whispered in a voice that melted his ears, asking him to hurry up and put some strength into those proud hands of his.? ? At the sound of that fawning voice, Tamon almost tightened his hands without realizing it.? ? Then he noticed the shade of Roselyn¡¯s long eyelashes fluttered and curled like the wings of a butterfly.? ? ¡®I almost fell for her trap again.¡±? ? Tamon laughed in exasperation, but on the other hand, he gritted his teeth as his heart burned.? ? Empress of Tanatos, Roselyn V Sunset.? ? She was under his grasp as he watched her from a reasonable distance.? ? It stimulated his insidious mind.? ? In addition, he was pleased to be able to give such a self-deprecating, arrogant woman a big payback for once.? ? ¡°You want to die so badly, but I won¡¯t kill you.¡±? ? Tamon whispered with a gentle smile.? ? Then he put his finger gently between her lips.? ? The soft tip of her tongue caught his finger.? ? His finger touched her tongue, stimulating it.? ? Soon his finger was soggy and wet.? ? He put another finger in.? ? Roselyn finally frowned at the barbaric act.? ? Tamon pushed his fingers deeply in her mouth, unconcerned, and doused them with her saliva.? ? ¡°We¡¯ve always been enemies.¡±? ? He pulled out the fingers that had stirred the inside of her mouth.? ? Then he murmured.? ? ¡°I¡¯ve never been in a position where I had to listen to your commands.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s wet fingers skimmed over her thin chest and down her hollow belly. Roselyn¡¯s dead senses came back. She was horrified and out of breath.? ? ¡°You think you¡¯ll get what you want from me?¡±? ? There was a force between her shivering legs that she didn¡¯t even know she had.? ? Roselyn¡¯s hand caught his hand, but her fingers were sore.? ? Her fingers that had burned so badly that red skin was exposed, all crumbled and ugly.? ? Over her distorted brow Tamon kissed reverently and affectionately.? ? Then he raised Roselyn¡¯s hand which had caught his and took her fingers in his mouth.? ? She gazed at him blankly.? ? He happily took her frayed fingers in his mouth and licked them, as if they were not dirty at all.? ? Her fingers, frozen from the cold, burned as they entered his hot lips.? ? In a daze, she felt her fingers moist and wet.? ? ¡°¡­.!¡±? ? Tamon whispered in the gentlest voice Roselyn had never heard as he stared at her.? ? ¡°Fight, Empress.¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s eyes widened as she looked up at him, her purple irises filled with Tamon¡¯s image.? ? He smiled very contentedly and showed her how again.? ? ¡°Fight and win. You can take as much as you want.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, no, no. Stop trying to¡­ ¡­¡±? ? Roselyn was out of breath.? ? Her heart was overwhelmed with a ridiculous foreign feeling. She felt his presence where there should not be.? ? Roselyn stared at Tamon in disbelief. Before she could say anything, she felt his hand moving slowly.? ? ¡°Wasn¡¯t that the way we worked together?¡±? ? Suddenly, Tamon¡¯s tongue opened her lips.? ? His tongue held on to hers, stirring inside her sweet lips.? ? His body advanced forcefully into hers.? ? ***? ? With each time he came in, a hot life force spread through her body.? ? Roselyn¡¯s face distorted and hit Tamon¡¯s shoulder with a blunt fist as he relentlessly pushing in.? ? The force went in her body was strong enough to make her skinny flesh shake and fall lightly.? ? The force became an energy that nurtured her dying life force.? ? ¡®No, no, no! What the hell is he doing to me?¡¯? ? Every time he came into her, her whole body ached as if she was being reborn.? ? The heat he spewed out burned her, waking her up again, awakening her.? ? Tamon Krasis.? ? She stubbornly contained the rising heat.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t do it, don¡¯t do it.¡±? ? Then she grabbed the neck of the enemy who was trying to save her life without permission.? ? Far from pushing away, her anger flared up at the fragile power of not being able to strangle that unprotected throat.? ? ¡°Yeah, like that. Put some pressure on it. I¡¯ll gladly die at your hands.¡±? ? Tamon smiled happily and bounced his hips faster.? ? Roselyn¡¯s small body shook helplessly and her fingers relaxed.? ? It was a shame to see her little body flopping around like a bird that lost its wings, Tamon said as he picked Roselyn up with all his might.? ? As he did, her body was placed on his thick thighs and she had no choice but to accept him more deeply.? ? It was unmanageable.? ? It was out of control.? ? Roselyn was ashamed and resentful.? ? A rush of emotions filled her, especially when Tamon kissed her tenderly, as if he was holding the most lovely woman.? ? An unidentified resentment rose up in her as the fine kisses were constantly engraved on her dry, bruised body.? ? Her purple eyes, which had been cold and somber, were now filled with rage.? ? She bit the strong shoulders of the man holding her tightly.? ? There was no strength, so she couldn¡¯t bit him as hard as she wanted, but she bit him with her teeth as hard as she could.? ? She felt Tamon¡¯s laugh.? ? Roselyn still didn¡¯t recognize at that moment.? ? That the anger she had was the source of life.? ? ¡°Is your anger only that much? Put more force into it, more blade. Empress.¡±? ? ¡ªMore, more.? ? Tamon devoured the empress.? ? She was tossed about and burned in his indiscriminate march, finally reborn as a whole new life force.? ? ¡­..Tamon Krasis.? ? It was his hidden ability.? ? It was the power of life.? ? ***? ? A curious god gathered ingredients to create human beings.? ? Chaos said,? ? ¡°I¡¯m getting interested in what you make. May I give you a little present?¡±? ? God graciously accepted.? ? Hope, who had been watching, hastened to tell God.? ? ¡°I¡¯m scared of what Chaos give you. I¡¯ll give you a little bit of my power.¡±? ? They thought God could create very interesting things.? ? The joy that had been watching jumped in. The sadness that had been beside, rushed in with it.? ? All the things that had grown boring after enduring eternity poured their gifts into what God was going to make.? ? Nonetheless, a boring human being was created.? ? God wished there was something more intense.? ? Anger interrupted with laughter.? ? ¡°Let me lend you my brazier.¡±? ? The brazier of anger plunged into a corner of the human heart.? ? It was only then that something plausible was created.? ? God was satisfied.? ? Sorrow and despair, frustration and joy, anger and love, and friendship came together to create a human being who never lost hope in the tangle of chaos.? ? And God wanted to show this to Absolute Good.? ? But when God looked away for a moment, Evil, who was watching God, approached him with a smile.? ? And secretly, he put one of his fingers in it.? ? Humans were angry, desperate, and confused at the boundary between good and evil.? ? They were frustrated with hope and rejoiced with sorrow.? ? They harmed others through their joy and sorrow, sometimes starting wars for no reason at all, children abandoning their parents, wives abandoning their husbands.? ? And so at last¡­. The first death was born by humans.? ? The Death that was born was so powerful that it threatened everything in its beginning.? ? Later, when Absolute Good learned of this, he became enraged and tore the God who created humans into 15 pieces and scattered them throughout the human world.? ? He meant that God should take care of what he created himself.? ? Six pieces of God were thus placed in great things, five in the human body, and the four largest in the earth, sea, sky and time.? ? So, this world of confusion and joy, hope and malice was created.? ? The humans who dedicated themselves to the carvings of the gods used their unique abilities to guide the humans.? ? The heir to the throne of the Golden Empire, Tanatos, had been passed down through the generations.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Is he dead?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure.¡±? ? The very power that angered the Absolute Good.? ? ¡°How can you be sure when there is no body?¡±? ? ¡°We found bloodstains that must have been gnawed by some beast of the mountain. There were traces of several wolves eating a piece of meat.¡±? ? It was the very force that had caused the ¡°death.¡± CH 13 Gillotti also inherited his power with the crown of the Emperor.? ? However, the size of this powerful power differed depending on the vessel that accepted it.? ? Gillotti¡¯s power was, well¡­ not that great.? ? His power was to quietly plant a plague and die a long and painful death.? ? There were also restrictions on using the power.? ? He would only use it on humans.? ? He also had to feel a lot of fatigue every time he exerted it.? ? He recently used this power four times in recent years, and was now suffering from severe fatigue.? ? This was the first time he had ever used it in succession like that.? ? Surprisingly, all the people he removed with his power were his own citizens, nobles of this country, Tanatos.? ? The Knight Commander who followed the Empress, the Duchess of Sunset who tried to seek help from her family, the King of Noamtia, and the Courtesan who helped the Empress to find a way for her to escape¡­.. The dear Empress¡­? ? However, his power did not work on the Empress.? ? In the ritual he performed at the time of their marriage, Gillotti¡¯s power was unable to kill the Empress.? ? In addition to his power, he also tried to use other methods. But each time, he always failed.? ? The reason was that one of the five holy objects, which were believed to be inhabited by God, protected her.? ? ¡°What about the holy object?¡±? ? ¡°Not yet found. It seems to have been swept aside a long time ago. No matter how many times I look for it, I can¡¯t find it.¡±? ? ¡°No, the fact that the sacred object protected the Empress means that it was in her possession until most recently. So it¡¯s not far away. Search everything about the Empress.¡±? ? ¡°I obey, and bless the dazzling sun of Tanatos.¡±? ? Cannos, the head of the Knights in this case, bowed his head deeply and obeyed the Emperor¡¯s order.? ? With tremendous fatigue, the Emperor closed his eyes and leaned back. He didn¡¯t even have the strength to lift his fingers.? ? ¡°I think I¡¯m going to throw up.¡±? ? He had never felt so lethargic and heavy like this before.? ? He was too exhausted to even want to hear Natasha¡¯s sweet whisper.? ? He leaned loosely against the chair and stared at the painting of the coronation of the Emperor and Empress hanging in front of him.? ? His green eyes wandered on the painting for a long time.? ? His sullen gaze stared intently at the face of Roselyn V Sunset, who had just become the Empress.? ? Her face looked a little younger than it did now, but the only thing that was the same was her straightforward gaze without a trace of disturbance.? ? ¡°I loved Roselyn back then.¡±? ? ¡­.Like a fool.? ? ¡°Hahaha.¡±? ? Gillotti¡¯s face distorted as he couldn¡¯t control the laughter that suddenly erupted.? ? ¡°Hahahahhhaha.¡±? ? It became a crazy, loud laugh.? ? He held his stomach and laughed out loud, his face scrunching up.? ? ¡°The Empress is dead!¡±? ? ¡°Damn it, she¡¯s like a thorn! At last! She¡¯s dead!¡±? ? ¡°Hahahahaha! It¡¯s a good thing! It¡¯s good! Very good!¡±? ? Gillotti rolled on the floor, unable to stop laughing.? ? Empress Roselyn, a thorn in his eyes.? ? The disgusting woman whom his power was useless against, finally dead.? ? The emperor, who was rolling and laughing, lay on the floor.? ? His stomach hurt from laughing too much.? ? He was out of breath.? ? At that moment.? ? Crack! Crack! Crack!? ? There was a sound of something breaking, the coronation painting that was hanging intact fell to the floor.? ? Crash! Bang!? ? There was a crack in the middle of the fallen painting.? ? The crack that had precisely torn between the emperor and empress grew larger, and the space between them completely widened. One of the sides fell completely to the floor.? ? ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡±? ? ¡°Your Majesty!¡±? ? The knights and the chief of staff who were guarding the outside gathered at once. They stared in amazement at the fallen emperor and the broken painting.? ? ¡°What¡­.?¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­. It¡¯s no big deal, just help me up.¡±? ? The attendants and maidservants rushed over and raised the Emperor. Gillotti was tired.? ? He staggered and stood up.? ? The knights hurried to pull up the huge fallen painting.? ? ¡°Get rid of it.¡±? ? Turning away with a cumbersome wave of his hand, Gillotti paused.? ? He slowly turned back to stare at the painting, which had parted in two directions.? ? Gillotti¡¯s face contorted at once.? ? His face were completely broken. It was wrinkled and torn, so cruelly broken that it was unrecognizable.? ? The Empress¡¯ painting, on the other hand, was clean and without the slightest scratch.? ? ¡­¡­ Why, why!? ? How could that woman make him so angry even when she¡¯s dead?? ? Gillotti rushed over like a madman and took the sword from the knight who was putting away the painting.? ? The arm that was powerless tore through the air with great force.? ? Bang! Bang!? ? The splendid painting of the Empress was cut off diagonally.? ? ¡°Hahaha! Aaaaah! Die! Die! Die!¡±? ? The scream of the Emperor rang loudly in the small conference room.? ? Everyone in the room bowed their heads.? ? It seemed that the Empress was dead, but somehow not dead.? ? No, did the Empress really die?? ? The Knight Commander of the Black Forest boasted that the Empress was dead, but really¡­¡­¡­Was she really dead?? ? No one could casually say that the person did not exist in this world.? ? The shadow she left behind was too great.? ? It was enough to drive an emperor mad. The Emperor who killed the Empress with his own hands.? ? ***? ? ¡°It¡¯s hot.¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s country, Tanatos, was a winter country.? ? It snowed half the year, and the other half of the year the weather was anything but warm.? ? One of the divine objects of God that was scattered in the world created the winter.? ? Tanatos was a country built right in the center of it, so it was cold all year round.? ? On the contrary, Amor was a very warm country.? ? It was too cool to call it summer and too warm to call it spring.? ? Unlike Tanatos, the spring was accompanied by winter and summer.? ? Amor was a country where you could experience very short winters, but also close to summer.? ? Everything in this land was full of life force.? ? Perhaps that was why it was the land of fertility and love.? ? It was a free country where men and women do not point fingers at each other even if they have concubines and partners.? ? It was a strange country where jealousy was hot, but no restraint.? ? ¡°It¡¯s hot¡­¡­.¡±? ? Roselyn, who had lived in cold county, woke up in the heat as soon as she arrived at the Amor frontier.? ? How many days did she accept him?? ? It seemed that her whole body had become sore. She fainted and woke up again and again.? ? At one point, she woke up and found herself on a running horse, held in Tamon¡¯s arms.? ? In the meantime, she was amazed at how he could run at such a fierce speed in this position.? ? But when she was in a daze again, she fell asleep before she knew it, and when she woke up, she was in Tamon¡¯s embrace again.? ? When she made eye contact with him, their tongues tangled.? ? With the lips that Roselyn bit off several times, he opened her mouth well.? ? Through clenched teeth, she choked him again, scratched his back and nipped at his shoulder.? ? Each time, it seemed like Tamon was enjoying it.? ? ¡°That¡¯s good. You¡¯ve got more energy than yesterday.¡±? ? Her breath caught in her throat at the enormity of him coming at her with a bang.? ? No matter how many times she accepted it, it was a size and force she could never get used to.? ? Yet, oddly enough, the more entangled she got, the lighter her body felt.? ? Her fingertips, which were rotting, had somehow become moist and pink with flesh, and the scabs on her back where she was whipped and tore were gone.? ? She hadn¡¯t applied or taken any special medicine, but her body was healed at an unbelievable speed.? ? Most importantly, Roselyn was sleeping strangely after having a relationship with Tamon.? ? At first, she thought it was simply because she lost her stamina and her body was completely damaged.? ? However, the deeper she fell into a deep sleep, the stranger it was to wake up with a cool, clear feeling.? ? At that moment, the sharpness in her head gave her an incredible speculation.? ? ¡®The interest is ¡­¡­.No, it can¡¯t be.¡¯? ? How could this man be the fifth fragment of God, which had not appeared in the last few hundred years?? ? If her guess was right, why didn¡¯t he reveal himself until now?? ? She hoped it wasn¡¯t it, but¡­.? ? No matter how much she denied it, her changing body was proof. Evidence of a miracle that even if everyone else didn¡¯t believe it, she was the only one who had to believe it.? ? Roselyn bit her lips and desperately pushed him away.? ? Her powerless hand couldn¡¯t push him away in the slightest, but she continued to resist.? ? ¡°It¡¯s outrageous¡­¡­ I can always die again.¡±? ? ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±? ? Tamon whispered as he bit Roselyn¡¯s neck.? ? ¡°Because ¡­¡­ I¡¯ll save you again and again.¡±? ? He had no intention of letting her go now that he had her in his grip.? ? And so more than ten nights passed.? ? When Roselyn¡¯s body was boiling with heat which she had never experienced, they finally arrived at the capital of Amor.? ? ¡°Look over there. My capital.¡±? ? As soon as Tamon finished speaking, the gates of Ginesh, the capital of Amor, opened. CH 14 You won¡¯t be disappointed, the couple¡¯s tension is out of this world and you will learn about Tamon¡¯s new side.? ? ***? ? Hundreds of people cried out for Tamon¡¯s returning party.? ? ¡°The great Tamon!¡±? ? They called his name on the top of their lungs, as if they were welcoming the people who had just returned from war, even though they had only gone on a mission.? ? The surging crowd was out of control.? ? Roselyn¡¯s feverish eyes narrowed as she stared at the cheering crowd.? ? ¡®There are too many. I feel sick¡­¡¯? ? They ran towards the delegation as they entered the gate, their faces were full of joy and excitement.? ? ¡°There are too many. Hold on tight. If you¡¯re separated from me, you may die immediately as you wish.¡±? ? Tamon was right. If Roselyn let go of him, she would surely be trampled to death by the people. She wouldn¡¯t even be able to scream.? ? ¡®I think that¡¯s good.¡¯? ? Tamon wrapped his firm hands around Roselyn¡¯s waist. He clicked his tongue.? ? ¡°You probably will do it anyway.¡±? ? He murmured in a low voice into Roselyn¡¯s ear.? ? Roselyn grinned.? ? It was a faint smile, so faintly that she didn¡¯t realize that it was the first smile of a person who was brought back to life from the dead.? ? Tamon, who had been watching the crowd for sometime, took a firm hold of the reins.? ? ¡°Ronasso!¡±? ? He called out in a powerful voice to Ronasso, who was at the front line. With a sense of foreboding, Ronasso turned around and shouted, ¡°No!? ? But Tamon¡¯s horse was already backing away.? ? ¡°I¡¯m leaving, Ronasso! Lead them!¡±? ? ¡°Oh..ho..you¡¯re running away all by yourself? Oh my God!¡±? ? ¡°General, general!¡±? ? Ronasso and the men shouted at Tamon in a hushed voice. But Tamon¡¯s horse was forcefully turned back the way they had come.? ? The speed increased and the rattling became louder. Roselyn reflexively tightened her grip on Tamon¡¯s shirt.? ? It was hot. And with Tamon behind her, she was soaked with sweat in the blanket.? ? The signs of horrible torture she was subjected to in Tanatos was almost gone, but the heat seemed to be killing her once again.? ? It was strange to feel like she was going to die from the heat, a feeling she had never felt before. That made it feel even worse.? ? Tamon chuckled at the sight of her sweating hotly, he said in a clear and teasing tone.? ? ¡°The Ice Queen is melting. Does it feel worse to you? Well, once you get used to it, you¡¯ll be fine.¡±? ? ¡®What?¡¯? ? Roselyn thought she would rather freeze to death than be hot like this.? ? The cold could be endured with a fire and a few woolen clothing. How could people survive in this heat? Nonetheless, she felt that Amor was amazing.? ? ¡°You must be having a hard time. It¡¯s not that hot right now because it¡¯s spring. Summer in this country is as harsh as your winter, but you shouldn¡¯t be sick already.¡±? ? ¡°Even hotter than this?¡±? ? Roselyn replied in a weak and surprised voice.? ? ¡°Fortunately, I¡¯m not going to be alive until then¡­¡±? ? ¡°Nonsense. You will get to greet all the seasons in this country. Summer is hot and brilliant, so look forward to it.¡±? ? Tamon looked happy somehow.? ? Roselyn wanted to spoil his mood, but she didn¡¯t have the energy to do it.? ? She thought only the cold was scary, but the heat was also harsh.? ? ¡°Wait a moment. I¡¯ll have you cooled down in no time.¡±? ? Roselyn closed her eyes without further answer.? ? She felt so weak and stuffy that she didn¡¯t want to care about anything.? ? ¡®I shouldn¡¯t be, I shouldn¡¯t be so lethargic.¡­¡­¡¯? ? Roselyn forced herself to picture her parents and their faces, the sacrifices they made because of her.? ? A cold sweat broke out on her back, and she felt goosebumps. But she couldn¡¯t think about anything else as she was in the blanket and endured the heat.? ? Her body, which had yet to fully recover, also played a part in her lethargy.? ? Roselyn¡¯s neck snapped back incessantly. Tamon hugged her lightly but he didn¡¯t know if she was fainting or asleep.? ? He was tired of being attached, but he was frustrated that he didn¡¯t have the strength to push her away.? ? The only good thing was that Roselyn could feel some wind from the moment the horse started running.? ? How long did he run like that?? ? It seemed that the speed gradually slowed down, and at some point it stopped completely.? ? With her eyes closed, she heard his voice faintly in her ears.? ? ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±? ? Roselyn slowly opened her eyes and glanced over to where Tamon was looking.? ? The low-rise white brick mansion with overgrown green trees. And there was a faint smell of the ocean.? ? ¡°Welcome to my mansion.¡±? ? With his back against the sun, Tamon chuckled.? ? The residence of Tamon Krasis.? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t believe she had come all this way.¡­.? ? It didn¡¯t feel too real.? ? Roselyn glared at him blankly, but before she knew it, she closed her eyes.? ? Tamon, who was staring at the unconscious Roselyn, grabbed her.? ? He walked broadly to his mansion with Roselyn in his arms. He held her tightly as if not to let even an inch of space unused.? ? A smile rose from his lips with satisfaction.? ? ***? ? ¡°Oh, my God! General!¡±? ? ¡°Everyone, the Lord is here!¡±? ? Dozens of servants poured out with the uproar. Tamon walked right past them as if it was annoying and quickly went inside.? ? ¡°Oh, how did he get here so quickly? Did you get what he wanted? He¡¯s safe, right? And what¡¯s that thing he¡¯s holding? ¡°? ? ¡°You¡¯re too noisy. Did you get the water?? ? ¡°Yes? Yes! I¡¯m sorry. I got it!¡±? ? The chief attendant, who had been taking care of the mansion for a long time, breathlessly opened the door to the bathroom and filled the tub with water in advance.? ? Amor was a country where people loved to bathe. They enjoyed bathing and swimming whenever they could because the water was plentiful and the days were often hot.? ? The more prestigious the residence, the better bathrooms.? ? And Tamon, he was the most powerful man in the country.? ? His mansion had the nicest bathrooms in the country that even the royal family would envy. And then some.? ? ¡°Move. No one is allowed in here.¡±? ? Tamon, who had pushed aside the attendants who were trying to follow him into the bathroom, firmly closed the door.? ? The door to the huge bathroom slammed shut and the smoke from the warm water created an enclosed room.? ? Tamon shook his head as he looked down at Roselyn, who was lifeless as if she was beaten by the heat.? ? It wasn¡¯t even that hot in Amor, but for a young lady from the land of winter, it seemed unbearable.? ? Come to think of it, she must have been hot when she was wrapped in the blanket.? ? With Roselyn in his arms, Tamon strode to the tub.? ? As he walked, he also took off the blanket and outer clothing that surrounded her. The dagger and the cumbersome mithril he was wearing were also roughly thrown on the bathtub railing.? ? When he placed her in the warm water tub, Roselyn, who he thought had fainted, twitched and shivered.? ? It seemed that she was out of energy, not fainted.? ? He quickly looked over her body.? ? The bruises that were speckled all over her body had disappeared before he knew it.? ? Instead, in their place, the marks he had left on her body were spread out like hot flowers everywhere.? ? Looking through them one by one, Tamon was somewhat irresistibly satisfied.? ? Even though after a long ride, he finally returned to his home base, Tamon couldn¡¯t release any of his tension.? ? It must have been an exhausting march, even for Tamon, but strangely enough, he didn¡¯t feel a bit tired.? ? He was filled with a burning sense of satiety, as if he was coming back from a huge victory.? ? Feeling more alive and energized than tired, Tamon didn¡¯t hesitate and get into the tub.? ? Splash, the deeper he went inside, the deeper the water became. The water that started at his ankles soon reached his waist.? ? The warm water forced Roselyn¡¯s consciousness, which had completely descended, floated to the surface.? ? ¡°Ah!¡±? ? She jumped up in surprise and stumbled, unable to keep her balance. Tamon deftly reached out and grabbed her by her thin waist.? ? Roselyn opened her eyes and stared at Tamon with a frown. Tamon chuckled and said,? ? ¡°You must have come to your senses.¡± CH 15 Roselyn looked around with cautious eyes. Her body was heavy, either from being wet or from lack of energy.? ? ¡°¡­ Where am I?¡±? ? A raspy voice came out from her scratchy throat.? ? ¡°My bathroom.¡±? ? ¡®Bathroom.¡¯? ? With that one word, Roselyn¡¯s mind spontaneously remembered Amor¡¯s custom. A country where water was abundant, heat was plentiful and all the people enjoyed bathing. The ecology of Tanatos and Amor was completely different, and they formed different cultures. Bathing was a luxury in Tanatos.? ? There was no shortage of water due to heavy snowfall, but there was a lot of energy that went into heating the water, and filling the tube with hot water was one of the most luxurious activities.? ? An extravagant pastime enjoyed by royalty or high-ranking nobles.? ? Roselyn looked around the bathroom, which she was missing, forgetting the situation for a moment.? ? The water with the right temperature filled the large bathtub which was large enough for 10 men of Tamon¡¯s size, still, it would have plenty of space.? ? The aroma that filled the interior also relaxed the body and soul.? ? A much more vivid sense of reality pierced her than when she had just looked at the entrance of the mansion with vaguely open eyes earlier.? ? ¡®I¡¯m really ¡­¡­¡­ here in Amor?¡¯? ? It was an unfamiliar climate, an unfamiliar place, an unfamiliar landscape¡­..? ? Roselyn suddenly came to her senses. No, it was more true that she suddenly remembered her true reality.? ? A terrible scene flashed before her eyes.? ? People were dying and dying again.? ? Someone had their hands and feet cut off, someone had lost their eyes and tongues.? ? Someone crawled on the floor in front of her, pleading with her to kill them.? ? They were all Roselyn¡¯s people.? ? People who obeyed her and loved her¡­.? ? The purple eyes that had been boiling had sunk once more. Cold eyes filled with sadness, anger, and emptiness stared at Tamon, who had forced her back to life.? ? Tamon was staring at her too.? ? Looking into his red eyes, Roselyn couldn¡¯t help but be curious.? ? What was his purpose?? ? Why in the world did he hide her and bring her here?? ? Most importantly, why did he bring her back from the brink of death?? ? And how she went from a tattered state to such a fine state without seeing any healers or taking any medicine.? ? ¡®What am I doing to myself? It¡¯s just a curiosity that doesn¡¯t need anything anyway.¡¯? ? The question boiled over and quickly cooled.? ? ¡°Oh, ¡­¡­ why do you have that deathly look in your eyes again?¡±? ? Tamon mumbled, the edges of his eyebrows lifting lazily in disapproval. Yet, the edge of his mouth was slightly raised in a smile.? ? It was hard to tell if he was smiling or frowning.? ? Tamon Krasis.? ? He was always like that.? ? He was the kind of person who could make a scowl in an advantageous situation and smile with ease in a disadvantageous one.? ? So it was always difficult to read his expression.? ? But then again, that was the difficulty when you wanted something from him.? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t want anything from Tamon.? ? She just wanted to die.? ? To go after the people she loved and apologize to them.? ? To atone for her inability to protect them properly.? ? And to get out of this painful life.? ? That was the only thing she wanted to do.? ? But Tamon was standing in her way.? ? Roselyn narrowed her eyes and stared at Tamon.? ? The heat in the bathroom stood between them like a hindrance.? ? Roselyn¡¯s gaze slid over his shoulder to take a quick look at his clothing on the tub railing. A glinting weapon was visible.? ? She quickly lowered her eyes so that Tamon wouldn¡¯t notice her intentions. Then she looked up with a small sigh.? ? ¡°You made the wrong choice.¡±? ? Because Tamon was holding Roselyn¡¯s waist, the distance between them was too close together. Her muffled voice was powerless. Tamon lowered his voice to match hers.? ? ¡°¡®I will decide if my choice is right or wrong.¡±? ? ¡®¡­.arrogant.¡¯? ? He was a good talker anyway.? ? Roselyn snarled at him in her mind without saying a word. His gaze was too close. Roselyn subtly changed direction, pushing him with her powerless hand.? ? Trying to turn her back to the other side¡­¡­? ? Then she took a few cautious steps backwards under pressure that he was too close to her.? ? Tamon didn¡¯t take his eyes off Roselyn for a second.? ? It was a difficult situation.? ? He was still too close.? ? She wasn¡¯t energetic, and she wasn¡¯t fast. At such a close distance, he must have caught her at once.? ? A little nervous, Roselyn bit her lower lip.? ? Tamon¡¯s gaze touched her red lips, where all the crack and dry skin were all gone and now had new flesh on them. She gulped involuntarily.? ? She could feel his gaze moving from her lips to her neck and along her thin collarbone.? ? Tamon was by no means irascible.? ? His gaze did the same over and over. He stared at her lips, her neck, her collarbone, but then he looked into her eyes again. He smiled spontaneously, and licked his lips.? ? Roselyn¡¯s face flushed even though he hadn¡¯t done anything.? ? All he did was licking his lips and smiled spontaneously, but it felt like he was reaching out, grabbing and touching her.? ? He was truly a debaucherous man. A subtle sense of danger tightened around her that she didn¡¯t feel when she saw him at the spacious table in the huge banquet hall. Roselyn backed away spontaneously.? ? ¡°What is your purpose of bringing me here?¡±? ? ¡°Purpose?¡±? ? Tamon asked back, slowly savoring her with his eyes.? ? The droplets of water that had collected on her chin fell. Her clothes were too thin and wet, showing nakedly where the water droplets had soaked into them.? ? Tamon¡¯s gaze followed the droplet as it fell down the tub.? ? Goosebumps broke out inside her thin fabric that was sticking to her skin. A lovely drift rose up to show off her figure.? ? Tamon wanted her openly. Then his eyes narrowed and he licked his tongue.? ? Roselyn felt a rare sense of shame. She opened her shoulders wider, trying to not to shrink. She couldn¡¯t help the reddening cheeks and earlobes, but that didn¡¯t mean she was shy. She was in his eyes.? ? She glared at him with even more force.? ? ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Tamon of Amor could brighten up so much at the sight of a woman.¡±? ? He wasn¡¯t fazed at all. Rather, he smiled as if he was glad to hear her sharp voice.? ? ¡°Yes. I guess I didn¡¯t know either¡­.that I¡¯m the kind of guy who would lust after the empress of an enemy country.¡±? ? He said as he looked at her as if he was chewing on her.? ? Roselyn had a thin, flabby body.? ? Even her slender waist was too thin. Nor did she have the voluptuousness of many women who boasted of their attractiveness to men.? ? In her appearance, she was as frail as a fawn.? ? Of course, if she bared her teeth, she had the steepest teeth of them all, but at least those big, beautiful purple eyes were seemingly harmless.? ? Tamon liked it.? ? There was no weakness to be found. He didn¡¯t like the idea of women wobbling around, depending on others to hold on to life or live off of.? ? She had to be at least a little venomous.? ? That¡¯s exactly what he saw in her.? ? Tamon looked Roselyn over thoroughly. Licking her with his eyes was more accurate. He looked like he was about to jump on her and bite her neck.? ? Roselyn stepped back once more, just enough to shrivel up.? ? Just a little more to go.? ? Roselyn was wary of him, trying not to be aware of the consequences.? ? There was also a sense of wonder.? ? What was with her shabby body, and why was this man drooling as if he was in front of such delicious looking food?? ? No one had ever looked at Roselyn with such a profane and lecherous gaze before.? ? No man had ever made eye contact with her and smiled so openly.? ? It was the first time someone had ever stared at her in such a strange or amused way.? ? ¡°If you need a woman, find someone else. The women who want you must be plenty.¡±? ? ¡°Of course. But those women aren¡¯t you.¡±? ? Roselyn gasped.? ? ¡°That sounds as if I¡¯m the only one who wants you.¡±? ? Tamon laughed, not replying. CH 16 Tamon calmly looked her in the eye and began to remove the rest of his clothes.? ? He pulled up his shirt with both arms, revealing his rock-like abs muscles.? ? His arms and shoulders were much thicker compared to Gillotti¡¯s. His body was a healthy brown, as Roselyn looked at it straight with her widened eyes under the sunlight that came in through the huge window.? ? It was more vibrant and solid than she had seen in the blurry light.? ? Seeing that even the skin of his chest was brown, it must be under the sun for many days. The thick rib cage was covered with scars in various shapes.? ? There was also a long line of a large cut running down the back of his flank where the muscle had split into small pieces.? ? She had been held by him many times while coming here, but she didn¡¯t see his flesh properly, and now it was all in front of her eyes.? ? She fainted, or was driven to the point of fainting most of the time coming here anyway.? ? When she was so tired that she couldn¡¯t move her hands, she couldn¡¯t stand the sluggishness and fell asleep.? ? When she woke up, she was on a horse or eating something, or was in his embrace¡­? ? Roselyn once again suppressed the question that was creeping up on her.? ? ¡®I don¡¯t want to know. I have no desire or will to know.¡¯? ? While she was thinking, Tamon took off his pants without a care in the water. Startled, Roselyn hurriedly averted her gaze.? ? Tamon chuckled briefly in a low voice.? ? Roselyn bit her lips in annoyance.? ? It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d seen the man¡¯s body, and she wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would be embarrassed by something like this, but that man had shattered her sense of normalcy.? ? Dropping her gaze was as weak an action as sticking out her neck.? ? The man, who was dedicated to Roselyn¡¯s education, was her grandfather, the Duke of Sunset.? ? He didn¡¯t like to keep his eyes down as much as his posture did.? ? ¡°No matter what is in front of you, you must face it straight. Rosie, the moment you avoid your opponent¡¯s eyes, he¡¯ll be ready to bite you in the neck.¡±? ? Her grandfather¡¯s voice was vivid as he repeated what he said over and over again.? ? Roselyn looked up straight at Tamon.? ? She could see the energetic body of the man who had turned away from her. She looked at his body with her big eyes with envy.? ? It was an awe-inspiring perfect body.? ? Not to mention the muscles of his taut chest and shoulders, even the scars that were evidence of many battles were as perfect as the delicate patterns.? ? Compared to his massive ribcage, the sharp lines of his hips gave an oddly strange impression. And on top of the thin skin that covered it, thick blood vessels connected along the lower half of his body.? ? Her gaze, which had been moving through the veins, stopped dead in its tracks.? ? Roselyn was startled and gasped.? ? ¡®I can¡¯t believe it. Did he get ¡­¡­that thing into me?¡¯? ? Roselyn was stunned and went blank.? ? At that moment, however, she heard a voice that contained laughter.? ? ¡°I think you¡¯re staring at one place too hard.¡±? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? Startled, Roselyn involuntarily backed away.? ? The man was a monster. He was definitely a monster.? ? God¡¯s profanity seemed to have gone to him.? ? Roselyn thought and stepped back a little further. At that moment, the wall touched her back.? ? At last, she reached the desired point.? ? Roselyn took a short, deep breath. Then she deliberately called out to him, trying to get his attention.? ? ¡°So, you brought me here without wanting anything?¡±? ? ¡°I don¡¯t think I ever said I didn¡¯t want anything¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Then what is it that you want?¡±? ? Tamon chuckled.? ? His smile was oddly dazzling in the sunlight.? ? Had she expected the man to smile so hostilely? Roselyn thought as she groped at the wall behind her, trying to get her bearings.? ? ¡°What you have now.¡±? ? ¡°What a ridiculous thing to say. I don¡¯t have anything right now.¡±? ? ¡°What makes you think you don¡¯t? You have many things.¡±? ? ¡°Many things?¡±? ? ¡°Your experience, your wisdom, your body, your mind, your eyes¡­.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s red eyes filled with Roselyn.? ? ¡°Everything about you.¡±? ? Tamon was a strange man. Strange¡­very strange.? ? Roselyn smiled hazily.? ? ¡°Then I¡¯m really sorry.¡±? ? ¡°For what?¡±? ? ¡°¡­I can¡¯t give you anything.¡±? ? As soon as Roselyn finished speaking, she reached for Tamon¡¯s dagger, which hung casually on the bath railing.? ? At that moment, bewilderment flashed across Tamon¡¯s face.? ? The expression on his face at that moment was so sweet. Roselyn drew the dagger without hesitation and slit her throat.? ? She wasn¡¯t strong enough to shatter the bones in her neck. But the well drawn blade cut through her pale skin in one swift motion.? ? It happened in a flash.? ? And in a split second Tamon approached and pulled her hand which Roselyn was trying to decapitate herself again.? ? ¡°Damn it! This damn woman!¡±? ? A gush of blood seeped along her throat and into the warm water. Tamon was seriously angry and lifted her up quickly.? ? ¡°I¡¯ve kept you alive, and you¡¯re doing this again?¡±? ? Tamon bared his teeth like an enraged wolf. Roselyn laughed bloodily at his distraught appearance.? ? One person tried to brutally kill her, and then one person got mad at her for struggling to die¡­? ? It was funny, it was totally strange¡­¡­..? ? She really didn¡¯t know what it was like to be alive, to be human.? ? Tamon didn¡¯t hesitate to suck on her neck as the blood flowed. The sound of squirming and sucking blood echoed in the bathroom.? ? Roselyn grabbed onto his shoulders with her weak hands.? ? ¡°Ah ¡­¡­!¡±? ? At some point the sucking pressure was gone, and she felt Tamon¡¯s soft tongue licking her wound.? ? The open wound tingled. It was too embarrassing to call it pain. She gasped and grabbed Tamon¡¯s head.? ? Something was wrong.? ? Something was wrong.? ? The feeling of her neck being sucked was so vivid, it didn¡¯t hurt at all.? ? Tamon looked up just as Roselyn¡¯s head was spinning with suspicion.? ? Tamon¡¯s mouth was stained bright red with her blood. It was very strange to see him smiling loosely in such a state. He licked the blood from his lips slowly with his tongue and murmured.? ? ¡°It tastes better than I thought.¡±? ? ¡­¡­ He was a madman.? ? The distance between them was too close because he was holding Roselyn with his strong arms.? ? How in the world did he manage to push her to the wall? Her back touched the wall and she was trapped in Tamon¡¯s arms.? ? Roselyn was perplexed.? ? She cut herself so deep, and yet she didn¡¯t die. She was bleeding profusely and her head was spinning, but there was no pain in her neck that she should have felt.? ? Staring at Roselyn, Tamon smirked and licked her blood from his lips again. It gave her goosebumps.? ? Tamon glared at her with a grin. He was angry and his voice became even lower.? ? ¡°How dare you come back to die in front of me again.¡±? ? Dare.? ? It was the first time Tamon had used the word ¡°dare¡± in front of her.? ? Roselyn glared at him in amazement, bewildered as his red eyes clashed with the many emotions.? ? The anger she saw on the surface was natural. But up close, there was more to his expression than just anger.? ? It was a mixture of anxiety, frustration, bewilderment and irritation. On the other hand, Roselyn felt relieved.? ? ¡®Why on earth do you look like that ¡­¡¯? ? Roselyn wanted to ask him, but she could only gasp for breaths. The wound had healed, but she shed so much blood. Roselyn felt dizzy.? ? ¡°As I told you that day.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s wet hand slid down her chin. He casually nudged her neck, which was supposed to split.? ? The crack was perfectly healed, though it left a thin scar.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ you threw yourself away, and I picked it up.¡±? ? A sinking feeling seeped into his hands as they wrapped around her neck. Frowning and smiling somewhat nervously, Tamon grabbed Roselyn firmly by the scruff of her neck.? ? ¡°The one who throws it away doesn¡¯t deserve it.¡±? ? As if to say, he was the one who was holding her life in his hands.? ? His hand slid down to her chest. He gently pressed near her heart as if caressing something precious.? ? The hair on her skin raised at the man¡¯s greedy touch.? ? ¡°You are¡­¡­.¡±? ? Roselyn gasped. Her chest bone that his hand touched rose and fell dramatically.? ? ¡°I poured out my life and saved you.¡±? ? Tamon touched her poor rib with his hands. He kissed her lips gently, his eyes wide opened.? ? ¡°¡­I¡¯m trying hard to hold on to you.¡±? ? His tongue, which felt like a snake, dug in with heat.? ? ¡°So you should know better¡­..that you are mine now.¡±? ? It was a blizzard night. A strange power penetrated her body, one she had felt when she was unconscious.? ? **** CH 17 ¡°Ronasso Bashel!¡±? ? A loud voice full of joy called out to Ronasso.? ? Surprised, Ronasso closed his eyes, not even looking back.? ? ¡®¡­.. Tamon, Tamon, Tamon Krasis!¡¯ Ronasso angrily whispered Tamon¡¯s name.? ? The next time, if possible, he was surely going to strangle Tamon once. If he could¡­¡­..? ? ¡®What the hell did you do to me?¡¯? ? It was Tamon who was in charge! Not him.? ? ¡°What is it, Ronasso? Can¡¯t you hear me?¡±? ? At the voice of the king, Ronasso took a short deep breath and turned around with a clean smile as always.? ? ¡°No way, Your Majesty. Have you been well? Haha! We arrived safely. If you¡¯re ready, we will return to the palace.¡±? ? With perfect politeness, Ronasso bowed deeply and greeted the king, Theo Lantifu, the Red Lion.? ? Theo hugged Ronasso with a bright smile.? ? ¡°Even though you were moving fast, I didn¡¯t expect you to come back today! But when I went to the hunting grounds, I saw the march and immediately came back. Did you have a good trip?¡±? ? ¡°Oh, yes. Did you have a good harvest, Your Majesty?¡±? ? ¡°What, they always have good catch. By the way, where¡¯s Tamon? Where did he go?¡±? ? The king asked about Tamon.? ? Despite the fact that it was obvious, Ronasso couldn¡¯t help but flinched. He quickly made up an excuse for Tamon.? ? ¡°Ah¡­¡­, perhaps because he was in too much of a hurry to get home, or perhaps because the emperor of Tanatos made him so mad that his disease came back, he couldn¡¯t bear to tell his men, so he went straight to his mansion. I was going to report to you as soon as I got to the palace, but I didn¡¯t expect to see you here, Your Majesty.¡±? ? ¡°What? His illness came back? Why? Ah! It¡¯s true that when you see the Emperor of Tanatos, you can¡¯t help but get sick. He is so disgusting that as soon as I look into his eyes, I feel nauseous.¡±? ? Theo rebuked the emperor of Tanatos without hesitation.? ? Theo Lantifu detested Tanatos, or more accurately, the imperial family of that country.? ? He never forgot his humiliating past, and he even had the ambition to pay it back one day without fail.? ? It was Tamon who persuaded Theo that he would not share a single bean with that country.? ? ¡°You must keep your enemy in the closest position.¡±? ? Tamon convinced Theo by saying that only then would they be able to closely monitor the enemy¡¯s movements and weaknesses.? ? This made Tamon responsible for almost all diplomacy, but it was no loss for Theo.? ? ¡°I¡¯m worried. This is the first time that his illness came back this badly, right? Oh, I should go see him right now.¡±? ? ¡°Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Well, if you don¡¯t mind, would you be so kind as to welcome us first? Give your friend some time to recover from his travels, and he¡¯ll come visit you properly.¡±? ? ¡°Really?¡±? ? ¡°You¡¯ve heard that the emperor of Tanatos did something crazy this time, haven¡¯t you? Wouldn¡¯t you like to hear more about it?¡±? ? Theo¡¯s eyes lit up at Ronasso¡¯s words.? ? ¡°Okay, let¡¯s start with the welcoming ceremony. All to the royal palace! Welcome, gentlemen!¡±? ? Following the king¡¯s order, they all cheered and spoke in unison.? ? Ronaso took the rest of the people with him, so they could not see. One of the envoys was called by the king before long.? ? ***? ? Earlier Tamon told Roselyn that he used his life force to save her.? ? ¡®I¡¯ve never heard of such a method before.¡¯? ? However, this continent was a place created by God. It was a place where time could be turned back, and there was no limit to the amount of times people could save others.? ? Although the method was terribly suspicious and brutal¡­? ? Roselyn bit down on her tongue. Then she breathed in and glared at him.? ? Tamon chuckled as he locked eyes with her.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t stare at me like that. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ll turn into a beast at the sight of an enemy empress again, even when she was a woman who looked like a dying corpse.¡±? ? He whispered bluntly.? ? ¡°Actually, the sight of you grinding your teeth like that is both unfamiliar and attractive in its own way.¡±? ? Roselyn was more confused by what Tamon had just said than by any other words. She had no idea what the hell that guy was talking about. She was Roselyn V Sunset.? ? Before she was Empress, she was Crown Princess, and before she was Crown Princess, she was a high-ranking daughter of one of the most prestigious families in Tanatos.? ? Before she was a girl, before she was a woman, she was already an authority figure. She was the Crown Princess and the Empress.? ? ¡°Oh, intimate time with her is even colder than holding an ice doll. You guys have no idea. I think it would freeze me as well.¡±? ? For a moment, the sound of Gillotti¡¯s voice passed through her head.? ? It was the cold, vulgar voice that trampled her to the limit.? ? But Gillotti¡¯s and now Tamon¡¯s words felt completely different.? ? They both spat out as much as they could, but if Gillotti¡¯s words felt the malice that he so desperately wanted to hurt her¡­¡­? ? This man was¡­.? ? It was like he was trying to provoke her any way he could¡­? ? It was fascinating.? ? There were no words that didn¡¯t match Roselyn well. Oh, there were the only words that would be used for Natasha Roanti. It was all that referred to her.? ? Roselyn had to be the reigning one. Terribly calm. Sometimes compassionate.? ? She kept her eyes downcast to hide her confusion. It was fortunate that her facial expressions were not diverse at times like this.? ? She didn¡¯t have to show any kind of cheeky blush reaction to such low-class words from the man¡­.? ? Roselyn said, pushing him away without effort.? ? ¡°Leave me alone, Tamon of Amor.¡±? ? ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡±? ? His breath tickled her lips.? ? All of these sensations were unfamiliar and strange. She looked at him, trying not to burn up.? ? ¡°¡­ If I don¡¯t like it, why would I have to take orders from you?¡±? ? Roselyn echoed exactly what Tamon had said to her sometime ago. Then, in a colder, clearer voice, she said,? ? ¡°Do you think that you can do anything just because you picked up the life that I abandoned?¡±? ? For a moment, the glint in the eyes of the Ice Empress of Tanatos returned.? ? ¡°Live or die, it¡¯s all my choice.¡±? ? Tamon shivered at the sound of Roselyn¡¯s cold voice.? ? ¡®This is it.¡¯? ? Roselyn¡¯s stern gaze as she stared straight at him. Stubborn eyes. Everything about it made Tamon¡¯s blood boil.? ? At least when she looked at him like that, she had a clear purpose.? ? She was far more beautiful than the desperate face that lusted for death.? ? Tamon quickly raised his hand and grabbed her cheek, stroking it near her purple eyes. Roselyn felt a jittery movement.? ? ¡°Touch ¡­.¡±? ? She didn¡¯t continue any further. Tamon¡¯s lips held her lips in one move.? ? ¡°Hmm¡­!¡±? ? His thighs pushed in between her shaking legs.? ? ¡°Oh, no¡­hmm¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡±? ? Life force.? ? Was this what he called life force? Roselyn could feel the immense power that rode his saliva as it entered her.? ? The more she mixed her tongue with his, the hotter her body became.? ? She wasn¡¯t sure if this was because of the ¡°life force¡± as he called it, or because of this man¡¯s wild and sensational use of his tongue.? ? Roselyn was not used to this kind of kissing or this kind of close contact.? ? Intimate times with Gillotti had always been a form of plunder. He liked to make her lie on her back, grab her by the hair and forcefully insert himself into her.? ? Like the cheap consolation of conquering her at that moment.? ? The act of licking, sucking, caressing each other¡¯s lips¡­by far, never happened.? ? ¡°Ah¡­¡±? ? Her tongue that was being sucked in by Tamon twitched finely. Her breathing became ragged and her whole body melted.? ? He was soft and intense, rough and friendly.? ? He was a completely unrecognizable man.? ? Roselyn gasped and held him back, maybe because of his unusual strength, even though she was sure her body felt much lighter, unusually weak.? ? Roselyn bit his tongue as he invaded her, and she felt him laugh lightly.? ? Then he pushed his tongue in deeper. As if to tell her to listen more, to respond more strongly.? ? Roselyn opened her mouth as wide as it could, but it didn¡¯t give any more force.? ? She flinched and before she knew it, Tamon lifted her and placed her on one of his thighs. Roselyn grabbed his shoulders, trying to hold on.? ? His other hand was supporting her waist, and Roselyn felt strangely crumpled, even though she knew she wasn¡¯t going to fall.? ? The soft tongue swept the delicate flesh of her mouth.? ? Roselyn shuddered involuntarily at that soft contact. She¡¯d never felt anything like this before, and she was panicked and didn¡¯t know what to do.? ? She would have to put up with it, but her weakened body wouldn¡¯t do as she wished. All she could do was stifle her moans and keep her back straight.? ? The longer Tamon kissed her, the fuzzier her head became as if she was falling asleep again.? ? Roselyn gasped and barely managed to get her back upright. But before she knew it, she was lying down in the large space by the bathroom.? ? ¡°What in the world are you doing to me¡­?¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m giving you everything I have.¡±? ? ¡°What?¡±? ? It was hard to understand what he was saying.? ? But Roselyn didn¡¯t have time to think about it. Tamon¡¯s lips left a fine trail of marks along the texture of her skin.? ? Roselyn bit her lips once more as Tamon¡¯s lips moved slowly down to her neck and her collarbones.? ? At that moment she noticed that all the wounds on her lips, where Tamon had been chewing on, healed. It was the same for the soft skin inside her mouth.? ? She could feel his breath roaming over her wet navel. Roselyn shuddered at the feeling. She arched her back. Then Tamon lightly bit her thigh and smiled.? ? ¡®Oh, no,you can¡¯t. No¡­¡­¡¯? ? Was this how the Emperor felt about the drugs he secretly enjoyed on the island of Hitat?? ? The sensation of guilt turned to pleasure as he held her down. Holding her breath and shaking her head, she tried to deny the sensations that surged through her, but it was no use.? ? The pleasure poured out of her was violent.? ? Realizing that Tamon¡¯s lips were moving downward, Roselyn hurriedly grabbed his shoulders. It was hard to grasp what was going on as she felt faint.? ? But she could tell that he was about to do something that she had never experienced before.? ? Tamon lifted her helpless thighs with both hands.? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? She could feel his breathing was close to her flower garden.? ? ¡°Oh, no¡­.!¡±? ? ¡°You probably threw it away anyway. I picked it up. So I guess it¡¯s mine now¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? Roselyn knew exactly what he was saying now. His high nose tickled her lower belly.? ? ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯d take pretty good care of you if you were mine.¡±? ? He kissed her flower gently, soothing her as she tried to shrug more and more in surprise.? ? ¡®Does this man know where he is kissing?¡¯? ? Roselyn shook her head and brushed away the shiver that was creeping up her spine. But the kisses deepened, and her cries now almost echoed.? ? ¡°¡®Stop, please. Don¡¯t¡­..!¡±? ? Just one word.? ? With that one word, everything he had done to push her over the edge came to a halt.? ? Tamon slowly raised his head and looked at Roselyn.? ? Her heated eyes were full of moisture of bewilderment and shame.? ? Tamon slowly raised his head and kissed her shimmering eyes.? ? ¡°I won¡¯t do it.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°If you say no, I won¡¯t do it.¡±? ? ¡°Don¡¯t you hate me?¡±? ? ¡®Then why, why on earth would you do it this way?¡¯? ? Without asking aloud, her question was conveyed by Tamon.? ? ¡°I¡¯ve never hated you.¡±? ? He rubbed his lips over the edge of her eyes.? ? More and more Roselyn¡¯s mind was in turmoil.? ? ¡°But¡­¡­.There were many things I was curious about.¡±? ? *** CH 18 Tamon was just as confused.? ? Why couldn¡¯t he just leave her alone?? ? He had hated her so much, and she was such an irritating woman.? ? A woman whom he never had a single decent conversation with, a woman he had watched for years as an enemy.? ? A beautiful, strong, but a pathetic woman who caused him so much trouble every time.? ? ¡°I have given you all the life force you need.¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s brows crinkled.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±? ? Tamon smiled at the look in her eyes.? ? ¡°If there¡¯s no reason to live¡­We can make one¡­..Don¡¯t you think?¡±? ? His hand cupped her thin cheek.? ? ¡°What do you want? Hatred? Revenge? How about the downfall of Tanatos?¡±? ? ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want¡­ That¡¯s not fair enough.¡±? ? Roselyn mumbled bitterly.? ? Even that was losing its power, and she felt like she was about to fall apart.? ? The damp bathroom air surrounded them both. Roselyn was thin, but only her lips were plump and glossy. Tamon suppressed the desire that was rising selfishly in him.? ? Suppressing instincts that run rampant like a beast was one of the best things he could do.? ? But it never worked in front of this woman.? ? ¡°Then how about love?¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s reactions spoke louder than any words Tamon ever heard.? ? He could see her frowning gaze, her tingling eyes, her chest rose up and down faintly, as if she had just heard something incredible.? ? Tamon smiled happily and said,? ? ¡°That¡¯s a good expression. I think I got you.¡±? ? Tamon sprang up from his seat. Their tightly clasped bodies parted, revealing his furious body in all its glory. Roselyn was startled and quickly averted her gaze.? ? He seemed unconcerned as he picked Roselyn up and went straight into the bathtub.? ? ¡°You¡¯re getting sleepy, why don¡¯t you get some more sleep?¡±? ? Roselyn struggled to escape him.? ? It was really strange to sit with his skin against hers in the hot water.? ? But this solid man wouldn¡¯t let her go, no matter how much she struggled.? ? ¡°The more you move, the more I¡¯ll be stimulated.¡±? ? Roselyn finally stopped moving at those words. Tamon pressed her cheek against his chest and murmured lazily, as if to say well done.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t know if you understand, but the hot water is the best cure for travel fatigue.¡±? ? The sound of his heart beating vigorously resonated clearly in her ears.? ? Giving up, Roselyn listened to Tamon¡¯s heartbeat, and closed her eyes at the violent sleepiness that came over her.? ? ***? ? ¡®This smell¡­¡¯? ? The months with the best weather in Tanatos were June and July.? ? It was also warmer around December and January, but it couldn¡¯t compare to June and July.? ? The snow stopped around May, and from the end of June, the new green was revealed.? ? That was also the time of the month when the children would run and play to their heart¡¯s content. It was warmer and the imperial family and nobles went out more often. It was the time of the so-called social season.? ? Roselyn¡¯s favorite month was July, just before the snow started to fall again.? ? It was the time when everyone became even quieter as they prepared for another winter.? ? But she still liked the warm days.? ? She could smell the wind and the earth, and when the sunshine caressed her face, her body melted with the warm feeling.? ? Roselyn could smell the scent of that time.? ? It was the scent of the forest at that very moment, when the sun was warm enough to melt the frozen soil, and the grass and trees sprouted.? ? Its clean and pure air.? ? She opened her eyes. It seemed that she had been asleep for some time.? ? She was puzzled for a moment by Tamon¡¯s big chest in front of her.? ? It was a rare scene in her 26 years of life.? ? Then, she remembered how she got here and what had happened just before she had fallen asleep.? ? Once the memory came to mind, it became clearer as time went by.? ? And the memories became more and more vivid¡­¡­¡­.? ? Roselyn unknowingly shrugged as the sensation that her body was being licked came back to her.? ? Did he feel the little movement she just made?? ? Tamon¡¯s arms, which were holding Roselyn, grew stronger.? ? He held her tighter and tighter, as if he was trying to push her in his pocket.? ? It was frustrating¡­? ? This man¡¯s body was too hot.? ? Roselyn struggled to get away from him, then gave up.? ? She didn¡¯t want to lose her strength over something she couldn¡¯t do.? ? ¡®What am I doing now?¡¯? ? Roselyn looked at her fingers as she pushed him out.? ? The fingers, somehow distinctly colored, were as soft and pliable as a baby¡¯s skin.? ? The nails that had fallen off hadn¡¯t yet grown back, but the areas that were black and distorted by inflammation and bruising had healed nicely. Naturally, there was no pain of any kind.? ? How did the nails come off?? ? Ah.? ? To protect her father, her middle finger¡¯s nail came off, and the other nails came off for her mother and brother.? ? Gillotti brutally dragged the dead body of her father to threaten her. It was disgraceful and shameful to call him the Emperor of a country.? ? The location of the sacred object.? ? ¡°Say it,¡± said the Emperor, threatening to humiliate the corpse.? ? ¡°If you don¡¯t, your nails will come off,¡± said Gillotti, taunting and mocking her.? ? These nails¡­ They were removed in honor of her mother, father, and brother.? ? Inwardly, she felt fortunate that her grandfather died early.? ? If that upright man had seen this, he might have cried tears of blood.? ? Roselyn sighed as opened her healed hand.? ? Six sacred objects that were said to be the fragments of God.? ? The one Roselyn was holding was a chain.? ? The sacred object could be transformed according to its master, and it was recognized by the mysterious jewels embedded in it.? ? Eternal Shine, a gem that contained the sky, the sea, and the wind.? ? Originally, it should not have left Roselyn¡¯s body, but she took it out without anyone¡¯s knowledge just before things happened.? ? ¡°Grandfather¡­.¡±? ? The chain was left behind by her grandfather, the previous Duke Maxim V Sunset.? ? He was a nobleman famous for his strictness.? ? He loved discipline and rules, and he left much knowledge and wisdom to Roselyn. He was the one who loved her more than anyone else.? ? ¡°She already has a fianc¨¦e. You can never do that. It¡¯s against the law, Your Majesty.¡±? ? He also was the one who opposed the previous Emperor¡¯s order to the very end.? ? He repeatedly refused the Emperor¡¯s wishes, saying that Roselyn already had a fianc¨¦, even mentioning the old promise between her parents.? ? She wondered why. He was the one who was proud of the fact that the Sunset family had produced splendid Empresses and ministers¡­.? ? Why was he so opposed to Roselyn becoming the Crown Princess?? ? At the moment of his death, he left a holy object to Roselyn, not her father or her mother.? ? Looking back on it now, it seemed that her grandfather somehow knew that things would turn out this way¡­¡­¡­? ? That was why he left her a holy object that would protect those who have it. Roselyn looked silently at the darkened, unfamiliar ceiling.? ? ¡°I love you, Rosie.¡±? ? Even without closing her eyes, she could clearly hear her grandfather¡¯s voice.? ? ¡°I should have protected you more. You¡¯re upset that I always say harsh things, right?¡±? ? ¡°No, I¡¯m not, grandfather.¡±? ? ¡°I should have lived longer, but I left you behind.¡­¡­I shouldn¡¯t have gone first.¡±? ? ¡®No, no, no. I¡¯m really glad you died first. If you had seen this, how broken your heart must have been. You would have been sad, angry, and choked with pain. So, how fortunate you are to be the first to go to the sky with ease.¡¯? ? The Sacred object. Gillotti tortured her severely to find it.? ? Perhaps it was just an excuse.? ? Perhaps the Emperor just wanted to see the Empress crumble and be miserable.? ? ¡®Is he gonna be alright?¡¯? ? Roselyn remembered the child who was trying to escape with the sacred object.? ? It seemed that she put too much strain on the small child, and it bothered her.? ? ¡®I¡¯m sorry, child. If you are ever reborn again, be sure to be reborn as my child. I will cherish and love you dearly¡­¡­¡¯? ? Roselyn made a final prayer to God.? ? Then she slowly took a deep breath and left the room.? ? Fortunately, Tamon¡¯s arm was loosened, perhaps because he was sleeping deeply in the meantime.? ? Roselyn slipped out of bed, breathing quietly.? ? One step, two steps.? ? Her chest throbbed with the tension.? ? She could hear her bare feet sticking to the cold marble floor as she stepped.? ? It was only about ten steps, but she was getting choked up with tension.? ? Roselyn went with caution to the other side of the bed. Then she surreptitiously stuck her hand under the pile of pillows. A cold metallic object grazed her fingertips.? ? ¡®I found it.¡¯? ? There was no way this man wouldn¡¯t have hidden some sort of self-defense dagger in his bedroom.? ? It was fortunate that he was lying on his side when he was holding her.? ? Roselyn cautiously pulled the dagger out from the pillows and stepped back.? ? There would be no good in working beside Tamon, so she had to move on.? ? But she couldn¡¯t leave the room without being caught¡­¡­¡­? ? Roselyn approached the balcony, wary of Tamon.? ? The moment she stepped behind the curtains, which were gently opened and rustling in the night breeze, she froze. CH 19 ¡°The sea¡­¡­.¡±? ? A huge sea of moon and stars spread before Roselyn.? ? The moon and stars were sprinkling their brilliant lights like jewels over the black sea.? ? ¡°Oh.¡±? ? No gold, silver, or treasure had ever shone so beautifully.? ? Humans may be able to imitate such splendor, but it was absolutely impossible to surpass it.? ? Day and night, sky, wind, stars, and time were all God¡¯s territory.? ? It was a marvelous landscape.? ? Forgetting that she was holding the dagger, Roselyn stared at the glowing sea for a while.? ? ¡°This kind of world existed.¡±? ? Roselyn was born into a noble family and held all the good things in her hands, but she had never seen anything like this.? ? She slowly closed her eyes and immersed in the moonlight.? ? She even felt grateful that the last landscape she saw was so beautiful.? ? The white blizzard that she loved wasn¡¯t bad, but it couldn¡¯t compare to the wonders that she was experiencing.? ? She was also grateful to Tamon Krasis for letting her see such a landscape.? ? If it wasn¡¯t for him, who would dare run away with the abandoned Empress, avoiding the eyes of the Emperor?? ? With a smile Roselyn slowly took out the dagger.? ? A clear sound echoed liltingly.? ? Just before grabbing it with both hands and thrusting it towards her chest, the blade well separated.? ? Clank!? ? ¡°You can¡¯t be too careful, not even the moment you¡¯re sleeping.¡±? ? A gentle force grabbed her wrists.? ? Roselyn looked at Tamon in surprise. She couldn¡¯t believe he was so so close to her but she didn¡¯t hear any sounds¡­.? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­ From now on, I¡¯ll have to put all these things away.¡±? ? His red eyes looked at Roselyn quietly.? ? She got caught. She failed.? ? ¡®I wish I hadn¡¯t been mesmerized by that sea view.¡¯? ? Roselyn looked down at the dagger on the floor with disappointed eyes.? ? The hand that missed the dagger felt like a bulky, dry leaf.? ? Roselyn, who was gazing at the dagger on the floor, looked up nervously and stared at Tamon.? ? ¡°¡­Interrupter.¡± She said.? ? Tamon squinted as if he was dumbfounded.? ? Tamon, who was staring at her with small eyes, smiled wryly.? ? ¡°Come to think of it¡­¡±? ? He grabbed her wrist and whispered as he cornered her.? ? ¡°Whenever you¡¯re injured or sick, I¡¯m going to heal you. Even if a hair falls from this beautiful neck¡­. I will do whatever it takes to save you.¡±? ? He laughed, muttering the creepy words casually.? ? ¡°You¡¯re a clever woman, so you¡¯ve probably already figured out that I use a special method to heal you. A very debaucherous method.¡±? ? Roselyn was well aware.? ? She managed to suppress the heat on her face as she remembered the moment in the bathroom.? ? She still couldn¡¯t forget the confusion she felt when his breath entered her down below.? ? Staring into Roselyn¡¯s subtly flickering eyes, Tamon whispered.? ? ¡°Still, the fact that you continue to make these attempts means that you want it, right?¡±? ? ¡°What?¡±? ? Roselyn was speechless. Tamon approached with a smile and snatched her cheek.? ? ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, you can just say it. You don¡¯t have to go to the trouble like this, I¡¯ll listen to you as much as you want.¡±? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t answer.? ? She just pushed him away and looked under the balcony railing.? ? When she looked around, as if searching for something, Tamon asked,? ? ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±? ? ¡°There¡¯s a dog barking in the middle of the night without shame.¡±? ? Tamon couldn¡¯t help but laugh lightly at her reply.? ? Roselyn scowled at him with an expressionless face as he laughed, but Tamon didn¡¯t care.? ? At that very moment, Tamon put his hands under her knees and quickly lifted her up.? ? ¡°What are you doing?¡±? ? ¡°While you¡¯re awake, shall we go for a walk?? ? ¡°I¡¯m not going. Let me down¡­¡­!¡±? ? With a slight disregard for her wishes, Tamon¡¯s long legs strode out of the room.? ? In no time at all, the two of them were outside through the hallway.? ? ¡°Where are you going?¡±? ? ¡°I don¡¯t know. A nice place?¡±? ? Where in the world is a nice place at this early dawn?? ? Tamon was nimble and firm in his movements.? ? Before she knew it, they were at the stable. Tamon went in and came out in an instant, riding a horse.? ? Then he pulled Roselyn up with one hand.? ? ¡°Hold on tight.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? Roselyn purposely narrowed her eyes and glared at Tamon. Tamon smirked and ruffled her hair.? ? Roselyn panicked at the tender touch. It felt like she was giving away a part of her that she had never given to anyone in her entire life.? ? Of course, he was a man who had touched and licked her deeper places with impunity, but now that hand was somehow unnerving her even more.? ? She also felt a little embarrassed. Roselyn silently glared at him, but that brazen man didn¡¯t care at all.? ? ¡°Neighhhh.¡±? ? The splendid horse recognized his master as soon as he got on. It ran unbelievably fast.? ? They were quickly out of the mansion¡¯s territory and into the deserted dark forest.? ? With one hand on the rein, and with the other, Tamon skillfully held a simple lantern to light the way ahead. A brighter than expected light streamed out from the small lantern. The surroundings were so dark that even that small light seemed to appear larger.? ? It was only when they came deeper into the empty forest that Roselyn felt a little curious as to where on earth this man was taking her.? ? ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡±? ? He whispered in Roselyn¡¯s ear as if he could read her mind.? ? It was too quiet and his voice sounded closer and closer. Small fluffy hair stood up behind her back.? ? Roselyn clenched her teeth and tried not to be disturbed.? ? Tamon¡¯s every move was spontaneous and improvisational.? ? Perhaps it was one of those actions that had brought Roselyn from the iceberg.? ? Until then, she had no idea that Tamon was such an improvisational man.? ? He looked sharp and solid, and always seemed to be as precise as a sharp sword. He also sometimes acted like one.? ? The Tamon Krasis she knew and the Tamon Krasis she met just before her death were completely different.? ? ¡°Where ¡­¡­ Oh, there it is.¡±? ? Tamon jumped off the horse, sweeping up his hair in the wind.? ? Roselyn looked down at the outstretched hands. her. She didn¡¯t know how to treat this man, who was more mysterious than before.? ? She pushed his hands away and jumped off the horse herself.? ? She had a hard time balancing herself because of her injured leg, and the man had already seen how she walked countless times, so it didn¡¯t matter if she fell anyway.? ? ¡°Where do we go?¡±? ? Tamon, who was empty handed, smiled and took the lead.? ? ¡°This way.¡±? ? He led her to the deepest part of the forest.? ? This was Tamon¡¯s private forest.? ? It was a place that existed for a long time, but there were more interesting things here than anyone would expect.? ? He discovered it not so long ago.? ? It would be about three years at most.? ? Five years ago, his body used to get too hot after the outbreak of blood disease. At first, I thought it was the aftereffect of overcoming the disease, but it turned out not.? ? It was the amplification of his life force.? ? It was also by chance that he learned about it.? ? If he hadn¡¯t looked at the worn-out book he found in the family¡¯s library, he might not have known it until now.? ? He didn¡¯t know that the fifth generation of the blood disease was Krasis.? ? It was a fact that neither the emperors of each country nor the parties of the family knew.? ? The five fragments of God. Five humans received it.? ? They have a special history.? ? However, there had only been five people who had actually inherited this legend.? ? The fifth one didn¡¯t appear until after the first manifestation, and then it was considered a lost power.? ? But that was because no one had ever been overcome by the power before.? ? After the power manifested, his body became very hot.? ? It was burning hot, in fact, that for a while, he had to relieve himself of it or his heart would be overwhelmed.? ? The way to relieve the heat was amazing and strange. It was spewing out something that made up his body. It could be sweat, tears, or even blood.? ? His life force escaped through his body fluids. However, draining the sweat and blood came with some restrictions. In the end, there were two ways.? ? *** CH 20 Tears or fluids.? ? No matter how hard he squeezed, the tears wouldn¡¯t come out, but the body fluids¡­ well¡­ a man with a lot of energy could extract as much as he wanted.? ? Perhaps, Roselyn wouldn¡¯t believe this but Tamon wasn¡¯t that comfortable with holding women.? ? He never really wanted to hug or look at someone.? ? It was only when he was younger that he was able to relieve his desire through combat.? ? That¡¯s not to say that there weren¡¯t women who fell in love with him and stuck around, but strangely enough, he didn¡¯t feel like it. It¡¯s that strange awkwardness.? ? More than anything, the problem was his keen sense of smell.? ? It was not a matter of smell, it was a matter of each person¡¯s scent.? ? At a distance where he could have a normal conversation, the scent was faint or hardly noticeable.? ? However, if the distance was close enough to where they have to take off their clothes or kiss, it was a different story.? ? It wasn¡¯t a matter of liking it or not. It was just the awkwardness of all the scent of others that could be felt up close.? ? Except for one person.? ? Roselyn, Empress of Tanatos.? ? While walking ahead, Tamon turned his head and stared at Roselyn.? ? Roselyn stared at him as if to ask why.? ? A few years ago, she was much thinner when he first saw her, but only her eyes were deeper.? ? Purple eyes were not common, but they weren¡¯t very rare colors, but when Tamon first made eye contact with her, he got a strange shock.? ? A bright purple color that shone densely under her thick eyelashes.? ? There was hardly any expression on her face, but she had the power to make people unable to move just by staring at them. (*Not the literal power that freezes people, it¡¯s her scary stare that makes people afraid.)? ? And at this very moment, it was no different.? ? Tamon held out his hand, looking at the brilliant purple eyes on Roselyn¡¯s expressionless face.? ? Roselyn¡¯s neatly curved eyebrows came together as if to ask, ¡°What the hell does this mean?¡±? ? Nonetheless, Tamon grabbed Roselyn¡¯s hand, which hung still and unconcerned.? ? ¡°There are a lot of swarms here.¡±? ? ¡°I can walk on my own¡­ ¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Once you¡¯re stuck, you can¡¯t get out.¡±? ? Holding her tightly in his arms, he whispered in a low voice.? ? ¡°Sounds like me.¡±? ? Roselyn stared at him blankly, not smiling at his joke.? ? Tamon chuckled and strode out of the muck. He stopped just as Roselyn came to her senses and told him to put her down.? ? ¡°Here it is.¡±? ? Roselyn followed Tamon¡¯s gaze.? ? As soon as she turned to look, she was struck by the illusion that the starlight that was scattered over the sea earlier had landed right in front of her.? ? Roselyn became dazed.? ? Moonflies. Luminous butterflies that appear when the moon rises. It was said they don¡¯t live in cold places.? ? ¡®I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen one in my country.¡¯? ? Roselyn was told that there were butterflies like this, but it was impossible to bring them to Tanatos because butterflies have a long larval life and a short life span when they metamorphose into a butterfly.? ? ¡°They hold on for ten months before they can change into what it is now. After that, they fly around and play for 10 days and mate for two days. Three days later, they lay their eggs and die. It¡¯s a short life.¡±? ? Tamon tugged on Roselyn¡¯s hand as she watched the butterflies dance in a daze.? ? Then he walked between them nonchalantly and lay down on the lush grass. Tamon¡¯s large hand covered her eyes.? ? ¡°Let me show you how the stars dance.¡±? ? Tamon happily retreated the hand that covered Roselyn¡¯s eyes. Roselyn slowly opened her eyes and looked at the sky.? ? It wasn¡¯t the stars dancing. The sky, the whole sky was filled with moonflies. Their lights flickered in front of her.? ? ¡°These butterflies will start to lay their eggs soon. It¡¯s just the right time.¡±? ? Even his voice felt like a fragment of a star.? ? Is this what it feels like to live in a dream?? ? ¡°Do you know what makes the butterflies glow?¡±? ? Roselyn looked at Tamon as if demanding a response. Tamon murmured as he looked up at the sky.? ? ¡°To live.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°To live is why they flap their wings so desperately and send light.¡±? ? ¡°But isn¡¯t it the same as laying an egg and dying?¡±? ? Tamon looked back at Roselyn.? ? Keeping eye contact with her, he said.? ? ¡°No, it¡¯s not. You either die, leaving an egg behind, or you become nothing but dust.¡±? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s a big difference.¡±? ? It was strange.? ? Because Tamon¡¯s voice sounded like he was saying something else.? ? Are you going to die with nothing, or¡­.? ? Do you want to die leaving something behind?? ? It was as if he was asking Roselyn to choose.? ? ***? ? Ronasso Bashel scrambled to Tamon¡¯s mansion.? ? It¡¯s only been a day since they returned.? ? ¡®I¡¯m in trouble.¡¯? ? Originally, Tamon should have gone to the royal palace immediately to report the return.? ? He used his heart condition as an excuse to push Ronasso to the royal palace.? ? Ronasso could make the report on the spot, but the final report should be made by Tamon in person within a few days. In any case, it was a fact that everyone knew that the king, the highest echelon of power in this country, favored him, especially since he was a distant cousin of the king.? ? Though a very distant cousin, the blood continued a bit, and it was already well known that Tamon had helped the king in his fight for the throne.? ? However, the basic character of the current king was enterprising and belligerent.? ? If he wanted something, he would draw his sword with a smile, and if he thought a person was an enemy, he would strangle him without hesitation.? ? Even if that person was a loyal subject until yesterday, the king would not hesitate to act when he thought otherwise.? ? ¡°I heard that the General brought something back with him from Tanatos, and I¡¯m wondering what it is.¡±? ? There were minions of the king among the delegation that had gone to Tanatos.? ? There were about thirty of them at most, and they were all members of the Knights of Barnes. Half of them were chosen by Ronasso himself. The rest were Tamon¡¯s replacements.? ? Who is it that is working for the king?? ? ¡®Damn it, that¡¯s not the point. What the hell does Tamon think he¡¯s doing?¡¯? ? Ronasso gasped as he stormed into Tamon¡¯s mansion.? ? ¡°Where is the General?¡±? ? At the words of his hurried search for Tamon, the chamberlain jumped out and said in bewilderment.? ? ¡°He¡¯s resting in the annex¡­¡­¡­¡­Lord Ronasso! You cannot disturb him¡­ ¡°? ? ¡°We¡¯ve been rolling around together until yesterday, and what¡¯s the difference of going in today? Get out of the way, it¡¯s very important. It¡¯s the king¡¯s business!¡±? ? How could the chamberlain stop Ronasso when he mentioned the king?? ? If it was really important, he might have brought the king¡¯s anger.? ? But the chamberlain, Satine, was somehow more afraid of his master than the king.? ? Tamon Krasis was never an angry person.? ? But they all knew how terrible he could be once he got angry.? ? ¡®Oh, I don¡¯t know if this is a good idea¡­¡¯? ? Satine stomped after Ronasso.? ? However, he wasn¡¯t so worried because he knew that it was Ronasso who would be scolded, not him.? ? Arriving at the annex, Ronasso opened the door without knocking, calling Tamon loudly.? ? ¡°It¡¯s me, we have a big problem¡­.ack!¡±? ? A dagger suddenly flew with a whoosh and accurately grazed Ronasso¡¯s cheek and pierced the wall.? ? Ronasso, who opened his eyes wide in surprise, heard a deep, low-pitched voice even before he came to his senses.? ? ¡°Get out.¡±? ? A cracked, tired voice.? ? Startled, Ronasso opened his eyes and stared at the bed.? ? Standing up from the bed, Tamon¡¯s red eyes glared at Ronasso.? ? ¡°Get out before I throw another one.¡±? ? In Tamon¡¯s bed, Ronasso saw a small form that had not yet awakened. It was a woman, and a silver-haired one at that.? ? ¡®¡­¡­ I knew it. It¡¯s her.¡¯? ? It was the figure in the blanket that Tamon had carried during the trip back from Tanatos.? ? His nervous men did not dare to ask him.? ? The only person who spoke to him was Ronasso, but even Ronasso could not stare at the blanket he was holding. So Ronasso told himself not to pay attention.? ? Ronasso stepped back with a sense of desperation.? ? He thought that he would take care of it himself.? ? A small part of him hoped that the person in bed might not be the woman.? ? ¡®Of course it¡¯s her. There¡¯s only one with silver hair and purple eyes.¡¯? ? But Tanatos officially announced that the Empress was dead.? ? ¡®It couldn¡¯t be her¡­.¡¯? ? But why did the figure look like her¡­..?? ? ¡°You don¡¯t need two eyes to see, right?¡±? ? Tamon took out his dagger again.? ? Startled, Ronasso ran out the door as if escaping.? ? ¡®Where the hell did he hide the daggers like that?¡¯ CH 21 It wasn¡¯t where anyone could see it, but a quick reach under the covers and there it was again, the dagger. Tamon was his boss, but he was a crazy kid.? ? ¡®How can you hide several knives in a place where you are sleeping?¡¯? ? ¡°¡­¡­ that¡¯s why I told you not to go in there¡­¡±? ? The chamberlain sighed and held out a plain white handkerchief that had been ironed.? ? ¡°What is it for?¡±? ? ¡°There¡¯s blood. Lord Ronasso.¡±? ? The chamberlain tapped his cheek lightly.? ? Ronasso finally noticed a small scratch on his cheek. It was the first threat, a trace that grazed past his face.? ? ¡°I¡¯m going to pry. It¡¯s not like my abilities are rusty¡­¡±? ? Both heartbroken and happy, Ronasso smiled, but he felt that despite being the First Knight Commander of Barnes, he was still far from keeping up with Tamon.? ? Ronasso looked even a little frustrated, but on the other hand, he was proud that Tamon¡¯s skills remained the same.? ? If it wasn¡¯t for the blood disease or something, he would still be a grudge on the battlefield, and would only make his enemies tremble in fear.? ? ¡®Pull it together! I can¡¯t be told I¡¯m worse than a sick man!¡¯? ? It wasn¡¯t enough that he had almost died from the dagger, the chamberlain shook his head all the while at the sight of Ronasso laughing despite the blood.? ? He had watched them for a long time, and the friendship between the two was truly strange.? ? In the past, the Bashel family had a significant presence, so Ronasso belonged to a higher class than Tamon.? ? The Krasis family had been frontier count families for generations, and the area they were entrusted with was rugged and not rich.? ? Tamon was born, and the previous Count Krasis decided to send him to the Royal School. Because he judged that Tamon¡¯s outstanding talent could not be wasted.? ? It was at that time that Tamon met Ronasso Bashel and Prince Theo Lantifu.? ? Ronasso was quite arrogant at the time and tormented Tamon who came from far away.? ? Tamon ignored Ronasso until the academy was over.? ? During that first battle,Tamon and Ronasso had an accident where they fell together into a dark cliff¡­ When Ronasso saw Tamon, he was helpless. (*Ronasso saw something about Tamon)? ? Only the people involved knew what had happened. They wouldn¡¯t tell¡­? ? But something bigger happened after that. By some kind of trickery, the Bashel were driven into rebellion.? ? The Bashel were caught in the middle of a power struggle, and the head (leader) was slain to prevent the downfall of the family.? ? However, this led to the fall of Ronasso¡¯s sister, who died shortly thereafter.? ? With the exception of distant relatives, only Ronasso remained in the direct line of descent.? ? However, it was Tamon Krasis who relieved the Bashel family¡¯s injustice.? ? They also clear the stigma of being a traitorous family.? ? Anyway, since then, the two had a master-servant relationship, but they were rivals, friends and a strange relationship with one sided respect.? ? ***? ? ¡°I can¡¯t help it. Just tell him quietly that I¡¯ll be waiting for him.¡±? ? Ronasso patted his cheek and headed for the parlor.? ? Seeing Ronasso¡¯s back as he walked swaggeringly, the chamberlain quietly swallowed the words, ¡°I can¡¯t go in there either.¡±? ? ¡°What the hell? What¡¯s the matter?¡±? ? Tamon came out into the parlor a few moments later, not properly dressed.? ? Ronasso looked at him strangely as Tamon yawned briefly in the dangling gown as if he was tired.? ? Tamon was always the one who went to bed the latest and woke up the first in the academy.? ? From the time he studied at the Royal School until he joined the battle, his pattern was never once broken.? ? Tired? That word wasn¡¯t in Tamon Krasis¡¯s vocabulary.? ? Sleep deprivation? What a total crush that monster was, and he was a man who could stay up all night for three days and still bare his teeth.? ? For the first time in his life, Ronasso saw Tamon yawning, it was like an illusion.? ? ¡°Why do you think that? I came to see if the Tamon Krasis I know is okay.¡±? ? ¡°Nonsense, tell me what¡¯s going on. I¡¯m busy.¡±? ? Tamon leaned back on the large, soft velvet couch, rubbing his stiff shoulders.? ? He was dressed in a loosely tied gown, and as he leaned back against the couch, his solid thighs were fully visible through the gap in his opened gown.? ? Along the hardened muscles, the roughly split thighs looked as hard and smooth as a sculpted statue.? ? ¡®I have thighs too¡­¡¯? ? Ronasso, who looked at Tamon¡¯s thighs as thick as logs, sat cross-legged. He told himself that it wasn¡¯t an act of trying to erase his comparative mind.? ? ¡°Ahem. It¡¯s time for you to have a little more open dialogue with me, don¡¯t you think? Tamon brought you ¡®the woman¡¯, didn¡¯t you?¡±? ? ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±? ? Tamon took a cigarette from under the table with an expressionless face.? ? Inhaling the smoke deeply until his head was foggy, he let out a big breath. The unique white smoke scattered like fog.? ? ¡°The woman from before!¡±? ? Tamon, who¡¯d been staring at Ronasso, lowered his head and asked.? ? ¡°Did you see her?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, of course! I saw her!¡¯? ? ¡®Few strands of hair¡­¡¯? ? Ronasso thought to himself.? ? ¡°Hmmm.¡±? ? Tamon took another deep gulp of his cigarette.? ? He inhaled so hard that his cheeks scrunched up, then exhaled the smoke like a sigh and asked again.? ? ¡°How much?¡±? ? Ronasso, who couldn¡¯t say a few strands of hair, answered boldly.? ? ¡°All!¡±? ? Tamon said with a chuckle.? ? ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to pull out your eyes.¡±? ? ¡°I didn¡¯t see¡­¡­!¡±? ? Ronasso hastily stepped back and raised his hand.? ? ¡°Well, I only saw a few strands of hair! But it was uncommon hair.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s silver hair. Come out and say it.¡±? ? ¡°So you rescued a silver-haired woman while the delegation was all rushing and held her for twenty days?¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±? ? ¡°Ha! Now it makes sense. That¡¯s why His Majesty asked about it. It doesn¡¯t matter, but it¡¯s a message!¡±? ? ¡°Why the sudden mention of His Majesty?¡±? ? It was then that Ronasso brought up the main topic.? ? ¡°One knight said that His Majesty had summoned him and asked him what it was that Tamon had come back with.¡±? ? He also remembered to tell us that there was a king¡¯s care within the mission.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t care. What a big deal¡­¡±? ? Tamon rubbed his cigarette into a thick glass ashtray and distinguished it, then stood up from his seat and stretched for a long time.? ? After a few painful movements of his body, he heard the sound of crunching and tearing muscles.? ? ¡°Perhaps the one who delivered the words to His Majesty is Axion. A few years ago, when he was a member of the emperor¡¯s infantry corps, he was beaten a lot. I guess he didn¡¯t want to get beaten anymore.¡±? ? ¡°Axion¡­¡­ You traitor!? ? ¡°Let it go. Don¡¯t we belong to the emperor anyway?¡±? ? ¡°Even if Axion is¡­¡­. What are you going to do about it?¡±? ? ¡°What am I going to do?¡±? ? At Tamon¡¯s blunt words, Ronasso tapped his chest.? ? ¡°Her! Are you going to tell me?¡±? ? Tamon stared at Ronasso.? ? He tapped the table ponderously for a moment, then chuckled and said,? ? ¡°No.¡±? ? Ronasso looked at Tamon as if he didn¡¯t know what to make of him. Tamon stretched out and basked in the sunshine that poured in through the window.? ? The exhaustion on his face seemed to fade away.? ? After looking at Tamon for a while, as if he had made up his mind, Ronasso spoke.? ? ¡°Okay. If you¡¯re right, I¡¯ll do my best to match your opinion, but I think it would be easier for you if we just agreed on something. If His Highness finds out, he¡¯ll certainly try to take her away.¡±? ? At Ronasso¡¯s words, Tamon turned around and looked at him.? ? Ronasso bit his lip, trembling. Probably from the nervousness that he had to deceive the king.? ? In front of Tamon, Ronasso showed all kinds of emotions, but when it came time to be in front of others, he was a pretty imposing Knight Commander.? ? They had been best friends for a long time, and after the accidental sharing of life and death with him, Ronasso has shown him his true feelings.? ? However, not all of them were reasonable enough for him to dare to lie to the king.? ? At least that was Tamon¡¯s point of view.? ? To deceive the king.? ? It was not easy to deceive Theo Lantifu, a sharp blade, and he didn¡¯t know what would happen if he got caught later.? ? And yet, that friend offered to lie for him so easily and willingly.? ? ¡°Ronasso.¡±? ? ¡°Yes.¡±? ? Sighing, Ronasso lifted a glass of water from the table to soothe his burning senses.? ? He took a gulp, thinking that the water would soothe him a little, even if it wasn¡¯t cold.? ? ¡°Are you in love with me?¡±? ? ¡°Ack! Ack!¡±? ? The water that Ronasso had gulped down spurted straight out. CH 22 Ronasso, who had been tapping his stingy chest, stared at Tamon with a warped face.? ? ¡°What ridiculous thing are you talking about?¡±? ? ¡°I was wondering why you would lie for me, even risking your life¡­..When a man does that, isn¡¯t it power or love?¡±? ? Ronasso looked dumbfounded at Tamon, who answered so calmly. He wiped the moisture from his mouth and said with a high-pitched voice.? ? ¡°You are my benefactor and my friend. I can¡¯t let you fall into danger by yourself.¡±? ? It was a beautiful line that sounded like something out of a fairy tale. And yet, somehow, Tamon thought it was like Ronasso.? ? He was an honest and innocent friend who still harbored romantic feelings even after all that hard work¡­¡­¡­.? ? For this reason, Tamon believed Ronasso.? ? ¡°Then, as a reward for your life-giving friendship, shall I tell you one of my secrets?¡±? ? At the word secret, Ronasso¡¯s ears perked up.? ? For he did not know how great a burden and obligation this great secret would impose upon him.? ? Tamon opened his mouth with a devilish smile that teased Ronasso.? ? ¡°Actually¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? ***? ? ¡°Rosie!¡±? ? Anna had a lot of freckles when she was little.? ? When she smiled brightly with her little face full of red freckles, it seemed to brighten the world around her. To Roselyn, Anna was a friend like sunshine.? ? ¡°I like Cain, you know.¡±? ? Young Anna liked Roselyn¡¯s brother.? ? At the time, Roselyn couldn¡¯t understand why a girl as pretty and loving as Anna would like her brother.? ? From Roselyn¡¯s point of view, her brother was an unsociable, uninteresting man¡­? ? They met often, with Roselyn between them, and sometimes she saw them smile at each other as they looked into each other¡¯s eyes. It was a childhood story of a boy and a girl.? ? But as soon as her brother graduated from the academy, he had to go to Lehelm¡¯s delegation at the Emperor¡¯s command.? ? Lehelm was a place that took two years to get to and from by ship. Her brother returned after three years, and Anna became Countess Puglish in the meantime.? ? After that, the two did not see each other often.? ? Only once did Roselyn see her brother looking at Anna from a distance.? ? At a distance beyond reach, he just looked at her and turned away.? ? Since then, she had never seen him call Anna or look at her.? ? He didn¡¯t even try to see the other woman.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll meet her when the time comes. I hope she will be as kind as you are. Rosie.¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s brother, Count Cainely, said with a smile on his face.? ? Her brother, who had nothing to do with the emperor¡¯s lover or tried to harm the emperor¡¯s child.? ? ¡°Rosie!¡±? ? Anna, at her happiest and prettiest, sat on a wide mat and called for Roselyn. On the mat, there was also her brother reading a book.? ? ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll pour you a really nice cup of tea this time. I¡¯ve brought you a snack as well.¡±? ? Roselyn sat down next to Anna and stared at the red tea that trickled down. Roselyn lifted her cup and stared at the tea.? ? Suddenly, the tea in the teacup became redder and redder, like blood.? ? Startled, she dropped the cup and before she knew it, the floor was filled with red blood.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Your Majesty.¡±? ? ¡°Charlotte?¡±? ? Charlotte, the maid of honor who took care of Roselyn, sat in her torture chair and stared at her. Her limbs were all twisted painfully.? ? Roselyn rushed over to Charlotte and tried to untie her limbs that were tied to the chair.? ? Then something plopped down on Charlotte¡¯s lap. It was her hair.? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? ¡°No, this isn¡¯t it¡­This isn¡¯t it!¡±? ? Roselyn stepped back in surprise and felt something touch her back.? ? ¡°My adorable Rosie.¡±? ? It was her mother¡¯s gentle voice.? ? ¡°Your Majesty, you must always be strong.¡±? ? It was the firm voice of her father.? ? Roselyn raised her trembling head and looked behind her. Before she knew it, heavy tears flowed down her cheeks. She saw her father without his head and her mother with a hole in her chest.? ? Roselyn ran. How could life give her hell when she always did her best! She was beyond angry and sad that she wanted to turn away. She wanted to follow them.? ? Someone caught her as she ran toward the darkness.? ? ¡°If there¡¯s no reason to live¡­¡­¡­ you can make it. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±? ? His hands cupped her thin cheeks.? ? It was warm hands.? ? ¡°What do you want? Hatred? Revenge? How about the downfall of Tanatos?¡±? ? A sweet voice whispered in her ear.? ? She didn¡¯t want any of it.? ? She just felt lethargic, empty, deflated.? ? ¡®What¡¯s the point of me being alive? And why was I the only one left alive?¡¯? ? ¡®Innocent people have died and been injured because of me, but how can I live?¡¯? ? No, Roselyn didn¡¯t even want to live.? ? She just wanted to rest.? ? ¡°What about love?¡±? ? ¡°Love?¡±? ? Her mind was boggled by so much nonsense talk.? ? It was even more so because it was something unexpected. And from a man who she had never imagined saying such a thing.? ? Roselyn raised her head and looked at the man holding her. He was the only man who had color in this terrible gray nightmare. The man¡¯s red eyes laughed as he stared straight at her. He reached out with a large hand and cupped her cheek, opened her lips and pushed his hot tongue in. Roselyn was confused. So she thought she should be further away from this man.? ? The man kept finding her as she tried to escape. Then he pulled her again and kissed her. She hid and he found her, pulling her out of her hiding place.? ? ¡°You have to live.¡±? ? The man¡¯s voice stubbornly followed her.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Until then, I will save you again and again.¡±? ? Many times.? ? So many times.? ? As if she couldn¡¯t be left alone to die.? ? ¡®Like someone who doesn¡¯t want me to die.¡¯? ? ***? ? ¡°Aah!¡±? ? Roselyn woke up, breathing heavily like someone who just came up from underwater.? ? When she sat up quickly and touched her face, it was filled with wet tears.? ? Her forehead was also covered in cold sweat, and her whole body was dripping like someone who had fallen into water.? ? It was a terrible nightmare. Even now that she was awake, her limbs were shaking.? ? She looked down at her trembling hands with a blank face.? ? Her fingers, like tree branches, were so thin that even a child could easily break them. She closed her bitter eyes and opened them.? ? Her heart, where the blade of grief had cut her, painfully tightened.? ? The lives, which she could not protect, choked her.? ? Would it be okay if her heart ached this much? She hit her chest with her small fist.? ? No matter how hard she hit, they would not come back. She wanted to die, but she couldn¡¯t.? ? As the sadness of the nightmare disappeared for a moment, frustration began to set in. She hated the man for not letting her die at her own wish.? ? The remorse and regret of surviving as deep as the sadness weighed heavily on her.? ? Roselyn resented the man for selfishly holding her, selfishly saving her, and selfishly locking her in his place.? ? At that moment, the door opened with a bang and a group of people came in.? ? ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡±? ? A bright and cheerful voice brought out her consciousness, which had been dimmed and subdued.? ? ¡°Wow, you have silver hair.¡±? ? ¡°Hello, I¡¯m here to serve the Young Lady with the master¡¯s order.¡±? ? Not one, not two, but three women flocked to Roselyn¡¯s bed. Two were twins and a middle aged woman.? ? Before Roselyn had time to react in any way, she was instantly surrounded by them, and she blinked at the brown-skinned woman watching her at her side.? ? She looked very much like someone Roselyn knew.? ? ¡°Kanya?¡±? ? ¡°Kanya? Kanya! It means ¡°kind¡± in our language. It¡¯s a beautiful word. Oh, hello. I¡¯m Asrell.¡±? ? Asrell smiled happily and looked at Roselyn¡¯s complexion.? ? This large woman with slightly sallow skin, light green eyes, was an Athesian.? ? A wandering nomad whose land was stolen by the Empire.? ? They were a tragic race that sold as slaves to the lowest of the low, due to their strong, healthy bodies and somewhat laid-back ethnicity.? ? Today, slavery was mostly gone, but the treatment for them was still not good. It was because it had not completely disappeared to the customs and perceptions.? ? The Sunset family also had an Athesian servant.? ? Kanya, who was Roselyn¡¯s nurse and had carried her on her back since she was a child.? ? The tears that had been choking her began to well up once more. She stared blankly at the middle-aged woman, who was trying to help her up.? ? ¡°Are you still feeling unwell? Do you still feel sleepy? Would you like a glass of cold water?¡±? ? The light green-eyed woman that comforted Roselyn with her gentle touch was familiar.? ? The moment her large hand touched Roselyn¡¯s forehead, the tears in her hazy eyes spilled over. CH 23 ¡°Lady!¡±? ? Surprised, Asrell bent her knees to examine Roselyn.? ? Her face and features were different, but this middle-aged maid reminded Roselyn of Kanya.? ? She was also one of the people Roselyn had failed to protect and had died.? ? ¡°Kanya¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Ah¡­. Why does the beautiful young lady look so sad? Really.¡±? ? Asrell knelt down and looked up at Roselyn, who was crying. She looked at her for just a few seconds, and it was a face that Roselyn couldn¡¯t forget, feeling frustrated that she was crying in front of a stranger helplessly.? ? Roselyn stopped, reaching for the maid.? ? She wondered what she would do if the skin of this person she saw in front of her was as cold as Kanya¡¯s, who had died in front of her.? ? She was terrified, even though she knew it couldn¡¯t be. She had never felt this way before.? ? ¡°¡®Oh my God. What¡¯s going on here¡­?¡±? ? Unable to help herself, Asrell grabbed Roselyn¡¯s hand, which was halfway extended, and comforted her.? ? ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay. Please don¡¯t cry¡­¡­¡­. What in the world happened to make these poor eyes so full of sorrow?¡±? ? After a moment of hesitation, Asrell reached out and hugged Roselyn. The gentle, caressing touch was like Roselyn¡¯s mother¡¯s.? ? It was sweet and warm.? ? ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay. Ralph¡¯s blessing will protect you. Lersha Resha.¡±? ? Lersha Resha.? ? Ah!? ? Kanya.? ? This was what Kanya said as she comforted Roselyn before.? ? ¡°God will bless you.¡±? ? Lersha Resha.? ? However, God has never once helped them.? ? If there really was a God they followed so faithfully, and if they were so proud with their faith¡­..? ? The poor Athesians would not have had such a tragic history.? ? Yet they believed in God. They prayed to God again and again.? ? Roselyn loved that faithful Kanya. Very much.? ? The maid patted Roselyn¡¯s back with her big hand.? ? It was really strange. Even if it was Kanya, she could not touch Roselyn casually. But all the people Roselyn met in this country touched her without hesitation.? ? Roselyn closed her eyes, feeling the warmth within her reach.? ? The dead Kanya was not here. There was no coldness of the dead.? ? It was just the warmth that only the living could give.? ? ¡°My Lord!¡±? ? ¡°My lord! General!¡±? ? With similar but different voices, the twin maids came running, shouting when they saw Tamon.? ? Tamon, who was returning after kicking Ronasso out of the door, stared at the running twins.? ? ¡°I¡¯m going to fall. Don¡¯t run.¡±? ? Tamon walked slowly on his long legs, his bulky head twitching lazily.? ? Meanwhile, the twins came rushing in like lightning, surrounding him on both sides and waving noisily.? ? ¡°My lord, my lord, my lord!¡±? ? ¡°Master, oh¡­ my breath!¡±? ? ¡°Do we have to agree on whether to call me ¡®lord¡¯ or ¡®master¡¯?¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s right, Master!¡±? ? Tasha, the older sister , raised her head first.? ? ¡°The woman, the woman!¡±? ? ¡°Who is she?? ? ¡°She¡¯s incredibly beautiful. You told us to take care of her.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, she¡¯s very, very beautiful! I¡¯ve never seen anyone so beautiful in my life, though I couldn¡¯t compare her to Halo. Isn¡¯t that what a fairy would look like if she came down? Isn¡¯t that right, Louie?¡±? ? ¡°Yes! Really! I was so surprised at first, I had hiccups!¡±? ? At Tasha¡¯s words, her sister Louie nodded her head as if her head was going to fall off and tried to explain the emotional moment that filled her heart.? ? The twins had never seen anyone so beautiful in their lives. But they wondered if the Snow Queen they heard so many times in fairy tales looked like that.? ? Or was she a fairy? A snow fairy. The twins couldn¡¯t even breathe, let alone get close, but Asrell was really amazing.? ? Asrell got closer, talked to her, and even touched the fairy¡¯s cold forehead.? ? Tamon, who was looking at the twins¡¯ fuss with a grin, abruptly stopped walking.? ? ¡°What happened?¡±? ? The twins punched each other in the forehead to regain their composure.? ? It¡¯s such a stupid thing to do!? ? They were running in amazement and their souls slipped out of their bodies as they thought of that person¡¯s beauty again.? ? It was a very beautiful face that deceived people whether they were looking at it or not.? ? Oh, this was not the important thing.? ? The beautiful one held Asrell and was shedding tears like holy water. That was the important thing!? ? ¡°She¡¯s crying! She¡¯s crying!¡±? ? Yes! She¡¯s crying! She is crying and holding Asrell! Please go quickly ¡­¡­..!¡±? ? For a moment, the twins thought they were getting winded.? ? But it was only when they blinked that they realized that it was an afterimage of Tamon moving like the wind.? ? Tasha and Louie looked at each other. Their eyes were the same, only the color of their eyes was different, and they both turned at the same time.? ? They lowered their voices and whispered to each other, even though no one was there .? ? ¡°I knew it¡­¡±? ? ¡°Right. Let¡¯s go and watch. Come on!¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m so nervous!? ? And the twins, who were whispering and laughing, hurriedly ran after Tamon.? ? ***? ? She cried aloud.? ? Roselyn only realized this when her tears stopped.? ? It was embarrassing.? ? She wasn¡¯t crying physiologically due to pain and suffering, she was crying because she was really sad.? ? She hadn¡¯t heard herself cry since she was a child.? ? Her ears turned red with belated embarrassment. For no reason, she stretched her neck and sat up straight, but the embarrassment still persisted.? ? ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡±? ? Asrell asked softly as she sat beside Roselyn, comforting her.? ? Roselyn gave a small nod, smiling at Asrell to mean that she was fine.? ? ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Oh my, you are more beautiful than spring flowers. How can you have such beautiful eyes?¡±? ? Asrel was stunned for a while by Roselyn¡¯s smile.? ? Is this what it feels like to have your eyes purified?? ? It was as if all the radiance in the world could not compare to her smile.? ? Asrell¡¯s face reddened and she didn¡¯t know what to do, she looked at Roselyn again and let out a small cry.? ? ¡°Oh, my God, I¡¯m being silly. I¡¯m stupid. I keep peeking without realizing it.¡±? ? ¡°Don¡¯t peek, just look at me as I am, Asrell. You have to see me face to face in order to have a dialogue.¡±? ? ¡°Hehe, now let me look at you with confidence. Oh, it¡¯s dazzling.¡±? ? Asrell smiled brightly, her eyes widened mischievously.? ? Roselyn felt her innocent smile soften her heart.? ? She had heard so many compliments about her beauty.? ? They were compliments filled with dark ulterior motives, trying to rely on her authority and power as an empress.? ? Perhaps that was why. Roselyn had rarely been impressed by the word beautiful.? ? But now it wasn¡¯t so bad to hear Asrell say it.? ? It was just as heartwarming as that time when her mother had told her that she was beautiful, that she was lovely.? ? It seemed to be because of those warm, green eyes full of fondness.? ? ¡°Do your eyes hurt? Would you like some water?¡±? ? Roselyn took a sip of the water that Asrell gave her.? ? That sip of water pushed away something that had been hanging on Roselyn¡¯s chest.? ? At that moment, the closed door slammed open and a huge man appeared.? ? Asrell stood up quickly and greeted him.? ? ¡°You¡¯re here, Master.¡±? ? Asrell shifted in her seat. Roselyn looked at Tamon, who was trudging towards her, and turned her face away.? ? She didn¡¯t want to show him her face, which still had traces of tears.? ? It was embarrassing.? ? She averted her gaze and silently bit her lips.? ? Standing in front of Roselyn, Tamon stared at her sharply.? ? He lifted her chin gently.? ? ¡°Red.¡±? ? When Roselyn didn¡¯t answer, Tamon turned her head around and looked at her face.? ? Roselyn let out a small sigh and pushed his hand away from her chin.? ? Tamon, who missed her chin, looked at the nape of her neck this time. He raised her hand and carefully examined her wrist as well.? ? ¡°I see you didn¡¯t hurt yourself anywhere. I¡¯m glad.¡±? ? Roselyn was dumbfounded and stared at him.? ? At that moment his hand gripped her chin again.? ? ¡°What about your tongue?¡± CH 24 Roselyn was silent this time, so Tamon thought he would look at her tongue.? ? Did he think she was tongue-tied?? ? But it didn¡¯t matter what Tamon thought, she couldn¡¯t just stick her tongue out comically like that.? ? Roselyn was stubbornly silent.? ? ¡°I¡¯d like to see it..¡­.¡±? ? Tamon tapped her little chin as if to tell her to hold her tongue out.? ? Roselyn looked at him, her brow furrowed.? ? The sharp Asrell quietly left the room.? ? The two of them were left alone again in the warm, sunny room.? ? Only the faint sound of the breeze rustling could be heard in the room.? ? Tamon chuckled and murmured.? ? ¡°You¡¯re not the kind of person to hold your tongue out, are you?¡±? ? As he said this, Tamon bent down.? ? Roselyn felt his face close and Tamon took her lips in a flash. With a gentle kiss, he parted her lips, catching her off guard.? ? Soft, warm flesh pushed in and quickly passed through her mouth.? ? When she regained consciousness, Roselyn pulled her head back.? ? ¡°Why¡­..!¡±? ? ¡°There¡¯s no taste of blood. That¡¯s good.¡±? ? Tamon, who checked Roselyn¡¯s mouth, smiled as relaxed as usual.? ? Roselyn glared at him with a look of frustration.? ? ¡°Do you have to confirm it with a kiss?¡±? ? ¡°Because you wouldn¡¯t open your mouth for me.¡±? ? ¡°You can ask Asrell.¡±? ? ¡°Ah. I didn¡¯t think that way.¡±? ? Tamon chuckled, a look of realization on his face as he took a step back.? ? ¡°But I prefer the way I did¡­¡±? ? He mumbled and licked his lips as if tasting something.? ? Roselyn¡¯s face reddened even more with his vulgar tongue. She lowered her head, not wanting to see Tamon¡¯s wild eyes.? ? ¡°Why are you avoiding eye contact?¡±? ? Tamon bent his knees to follow her gaze.? ? He lowered his posture, revealing his massive thighs beneath his loosely tied gown.? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t even know where to look.? ? When she turned her head to the side, Tamon grabbed her by the chin again.? ? ¡°Huh?¡±? ? She tried several times to avoid his gaze, but he followed her eyes persistently.? ? ¡®You¡¯re such a troublesome man.¡¯? ? Roselyn looked at him with a look of resignation.? ? However, she would rather look into his eyes rather than near his gown, which was just barely closed.? ? Staring at her intently, Tamon lifted a finger and swept around her reddened eyes.? ? His hand was so big that her face was covered in the palm of his hand.? ? He was fiddling around Roselyn¡¯s bright reddened eye when he asked curiously.? ? ¡°You didn¡¯t cry after all that, so why did you cry now?¡±? ? He meant when she was dumped in the snowy mountains.? ? Roselyn fell silent, suppressing the fever that was trying to rise.? ? ¡°¡­It¡¯s pretty and red, but I don¡¯t like it very much.¡±? ? Tamon mumbled something she didn¡¯t understand.? ? His hand touched her cheek, then her neck.? ? It was where Roselyn had cut her neck. Fortunately, the wound on her skin had healed well.? ? He lowered his hand and lifted her hand up.? ? Her nails were still growing, and her fingertips were also nicely covered in pink flesh.? ? Tamon smiled, the corner of his lips lifted up as if he liked it.? ? And then, one moment, he started kissing Roselyn¡¯s pink fingertips.? ? Roselyn winced as his warm, plump lips sucked on her fingers.? ? He stared up at her, looking only into her eyes. Then he went straight to kissing every one of her fingers.? ? ¡®Why am I so thirsty?¡¯ This kind of tension was awkward. Roselyn slowly chewed and swallowed the hard spit that was trying to make her lose her temper, and deliberately kept her expression.? ? ¡°I guess I can¡¯t do anything about the speed your nails are growing.¡±? ? He mumbled something as if he regretted it.? ? Then he kissed the back of her hand and put it down. It was then that Roselyn finally let out the breath she¡¯d been holding in.? ? As soon as she was relieved, however, his hand grabbed her ankle.? ? ¡°What are you doing ¡­¡­!¡±? ? ¡®I¡¯ve let my guard down.¡¯? ? He held up her ankle which was covered with old wounds.? ? It was where a piece of wood had penetrated from the heel to the Achilles tendon.? ? That wasn¡¯t enough, the heel was cut in half before he barely reattached it.? ? There was also a tear on the top of her foot, and the shape of it was a little crooked because it was bent after she forced herself to run.? ? No matter how much she looked at it, it was not a pretty foot.? ? To top it all off, even the toenails were pulled out by Gillotti¡¯s torture.? ? Roselyn had never been ashamed of her feet nor was she atrophied by it. But even so, it wasn¡¯t something she was proud enough to show off publicly to others. Tamon casually kissed her hideous foot.? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? The words choked in her throat, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what you¡¯re doing is¡­..¡±? ? Small toes, skinny feet, and thin ankles.. ¡­¡­¡­.? ? He kissed her finely, without haste.? ? There was no lewdness or irritation like when he kissed her.? ? It was so leisurely and carefully that it seemed pious in a way.? ? ¡®What do you mean ¡®pious¡¯?¡¯? ? Roselyn cursed to herself as she rambled on.? ? It couldn¡¯t be, but her eyes were too stupid to see the phenomenon properly.? ? ¡°Doesn¡¯t this foot hurt?¡±? ? ¡°Not at all.¡±? ? Actually, it did hurt sometimes.? ? But it wasn¡¯t really pain from the tingling of the wound, it was mental pain.? ? Tamon explored her ankle in detail. He delicately rubbed the twisted and torn scar with his fingertips.? ? Gillotti made a game of it when Roselyn¡¯s ankle was even slightly exposed.? ? He threw things at her, and insulted her with every word he could.? ? ¡°You¡¯re very good, huh? Can¡¯t you get rid of those hideous feet right away? You think you¡¯re a hero just because you¡¯ve eliminated one of those monsters, don¡¯t you? You¡¯re a fool! Foolish!¡±? ? His screechy voice was still vivid in Roselyn¡¯s ears.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ you don¡¯t find my feet horrifying?¡±? ? Tamon glanced up at her.? ? ¡°Not at all.¡±? ? He kissed the back of Roselyn¡¯s foot once more, not taking his eyes off her.? ? ¡°They¡¯re just pretty¡­I¡¯d love to suck it.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡®What on earth is the brain of this man made of?¡¯? ? There was no doubt that it was full of lust and debauchery.? ? Tamon, watching Roselyn¡¯s scrunched up face, laughed, narrowing the edges of his eyes.? ? ¡°¡­¡­. I¡¯d like to lick it.¡±? ? How could he say something like that with a smile?? ? It was as phenomenal as this.? ? He laughed, his shimmering eyes looking at her in amusement.? ? The way he looked at her was like a demon of lust. Roselyn didn¡¯t know if there was such a thing, but if there was, it would have looked like that.? ? Prodigal, sexy, lewd, and regal was the perfect description.? ? ¡®Ugh.¡¯? ? She looked down at his thighs, which were folded thickly, and stood out.? ? In the meantime, the open gown blocked out the center, but it wasn¡¯t much.? ? Roselyn spoke as she hastily averted her eyes? ? ¡°You really are¡­don¡¯t you have any shame?¡±? ? ¡°I guess I don¡¯t.¡±? ? He replied casually, already licking her ankle.? ? He even bit her ankle like a puppy.? ? ¡°What are you doing?¡±? ? Roselyn panicked and strained to pull her leg out.? ? Tamon, who she thought would not let her go, let her go very easily.? ? Tamon quickly picked her up when she almost fell backwards because she had put too much effort into it.? ? ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Do you want something to eat?¡±? ? He spoke as if to ask, but he did not wait for her reply.? ? Tamon held her in his arms and walked on.? ? Roselyn was curious about his gown, which hung loosely from earlier, but she just couldn¡¯t bring herself to say ¡°get dressed¡±.? ? Sigh¡­.? ? It wasn¡¯t her place to be concerned. Roselyn leaned in desperately.? ? Her reddened eyes, as if she had cried, returned. CH 25 The boy ran for a week, day and night.? ? No, actually, he ran straight through, not even knowing how long it had been.? ? He just ran barefoot most of the time, except when passing through the Laosen region with the help of a farmer¡¯s cart.? ? He had very little to eat and his head hurt. His skinny legs were wobbly and my swollen lips were torn with blood.? ? ¡®A little more¡­.¡¯? ? It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t have money, he was afraid to stop at the village. The boy just ran madly towards the sea, fearing that they would track him.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s okay to fail because I asked you this favor. If ¡­ If you think it¡¯s too dangerous, don¡¯t hesitate to give up.¡±? ? It was an order from the dazzlingly beautiful Empress.? ? No, this wasn¡¯t an order.? ? In fact, Arsene begged her.? ? ¡°Let me do anything for you, please use me¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? At the feet of the country¡¯s best woman, 15-year-old Arsene dared to beg.? ? ¡°¡­.Are you sure you¡¯re okay with this?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, please¡­Let me do whatever I can for the Empress, please.¡±? ? One of the boy¡¯s cheeks was faintly scarred from a long-lasting injury.? ? It was the same child, who was with the Empress under the collapsed building when the demons attacked.? ? That day the child suffered a long torn wound from under his eye to his chin.? ? Fortunately, with the help of the Empress, he was treated in the temple and the wound disappeared, leaving only a faint mark. They said that the mark will fade more as the child grows older.? ? As if to atone for his courage that day, Arsene received much support from the Empress.? ? When it came down to it, the emperor they had saved that day would not open his mouth to talk about it.? ? He even hated the children who were there that day.? ? Why? After that day, the Emperor even kept the empress away. No, he began to hate her. Everyone knew that day was the starting point, but they didn¡¯t speak of it recklessly.? ? A filthy Emperor.? ? Arsene did not think that the Lord of the Land was the Emperor. How could an Emperor who abandoned his people be the master of this country? The real master was the Empress. It had to be her.? ? The boy vowed that he would always be a knight for the Empress.? ? When the Empress said he could have anything for rewards, Arsene bravely replied that he wanted to attend the Imperial Academy.? ? The Empress accepted the boy¡¯s wish with a more beautiful smile than anyone else.? ? That was only three years ago.? ? The boy was now finally a knight of the fourth level.? ? It was a great achievement after three years, but he was never good enough to do anything for the Empress, who was trapped by the Emperor¡¯s schemes.? ? The child was still a child.? ? He cried sadly when he visited the Empress.? ? He got down at her feet and begged.? ? ¡°Please, let me do anything.¡±? ? And the Empress, after a long time of worry, gave the child something.? ? ¡°Then¡­¡­¡­ Hey, can you bring this to Louvre?¡±? ? Louvre was a port town on the northeastern end of Tanatos.? ? ¡°There¡¯s a sea merchant named Red Snake, you can give this to him before he crosses Thalia.¡±? ? Thalia was the name of the sea bordering Louvre.? ? Tanatos, Amor, Ortu, and Mach.? ? All he knew was that it was a sea of great diplomatic importance, an intermediate sea surrounded by the four countries.? ? In Thalia, a fearsome chieftain appeared and the four nations took turns to defeat him.? ? Each time the chieftain was defeated, trade took place actively for about two months.? ? This time was called the ¡°trading month.¡±? ? Various marine plants and seafood that could only be gathered in Thalia could also be gathered during the ¡°trading month¡±.? ? They had defeated the chieftain in Ortu about a month and a half ago, and now it was time to trade.? ? It was almost time for even that to come to an end, so there was a good chance that if the merchants got on a ship, it would be the last ship of this trading month.? ? If he missed this ship this time, he would have to wait for the merchant, Red Snake, three months later. Then it would be too late. Arsene bit his lip.? ? It took eight days to get from the capital of Tanatos to Louvre by horse, and ten days by carriage.? ? But how long did it take the boy to run on his feet ¡­¡­¡­?? ? Arsene didn¡¯t do the math.? ? He only considered the purpose. There was no point in thinking about how long it would take, how hard, or how difficult it was.? ? Unconditionally, he did it.? ? It was the Empress¡¯s first order, her request, and possibly her last mission.? ? Arsene really wanted to get it done.? ? Gasp. Gasp. Gasp.? ? He ran, walked, and snuck into a passing wagon and came quite a distance.? ? Arsene thought that perhaps he would lose the thing the Empress had given him, so he wrapped it around his wrist.? ? The object mysteriously changed size on its own, changing to a length that fit the boy¡¯s wrist.? ? At first it looked like a necklace, but once it was in Arsene¡¯s wrist, it was like a bracelet.? ? ¡°Someone can track you down. This object can either protect you or put you in danger. But ¡­¡­ are you okay?¡±? ? Hesitating for a long time, the Empress asked in a heavy voice.? ? Arsene nodded his head strongly.? ? A pure white hand stroked Arsene¡¯s hair. She even kissed the boy gently on the cheek.? ? ¡°Thank you, Arsene.¡±? ? That was enough for Arsene.? ? Just hearing his name in the Empress¡¯s voice was the greatest honor in his life.? ? Arsene wanted to be the proud knight.? ? A knight of pride that would protect the Empress and not cause her any trouble¡­? ? But what¡¯s the point of it all without her.? ? The boy pressed down on the tear-filled eyes with his dirty sleeves.? ? He was not going to cry over something like this.? ? Her Majesty had been through so much worse than this.? ? He didn¡¯t see it, but he crouched down in the farmer¡¯s cart and listened to what they were saying.? ? ¡°What? Torture her? The emperor has finally gone mad!¡±? ? ¡°Shhhh, be quiet. There¡¯s nothing good about saying it loudly. What if someone hears it?¡±? ? ¡°Who¡¯s listening out here on the street? Oh, the kid you picked up in the back? Go back and put him in the coffin. I¡¯ll go get my legendary pickaxe and give it a go!¡±? ? ¡°Legendary pickaxe? If it¡¯s really there, why don¡¯t you go beat the Emperor?¡±? ? ¡°Earlier you said you were afraid of who would listen¡­. ¡­¡­¡±? ? ¡°No one will be able to hear you on the street. Eek, tsk! What is it, really! It¡¯s not enough that he betrayed her, he has to torture her? It¡¯s a shame that such a man is the emperor of this country. I must have his balls removed!¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I think! Is it Natasha, or Tasha, or whatever¡­.. Oh, I don¡¯t know what will happen to the country now.¡±? ? Arsene clenched his teeth so hard that they bled as he listened to the conversation.? ? ¡°That lowly emperor!¡±? ? The boy had never thought of himself as smart.? ? But he thought he could be more reasonable than that idiotic emperor.? ? ¡®He doesn¡¯t even know what¡¯s important¡­¡¯? ? The boy opened his reddened eyes and made an effort not to shed a tear. The warmth of the Empress who stroked his hair was still fresh on his head.? ? He just ran toward the Louvre like an ant looking for its own burrow, and then ran again.? ? He was lucky enough to be able to rent a carriage and ride again. It was an old carriage belonging to an old merchant on his way to the Louvre.? ? He clung to the old man who looked suspiciously at Arsene, who looked like a beggar.? ? Arsene pleaded with the old man that he had to enter the merchant ship to make money for his brother¡¯s medicine and that if he was late, his brother would die.? ? And so the old man gave up his seat at the end of the carriage.? ? ¡°¡­¡­Just a little more¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? Arsene took the bottle water from his pocket and moistened his mouth just a little. As he was putting back the hard water bottle in his pocket, he heard a rattling sound of coins clinking together.? ? It was the money that the Empress had given him separately. She gave the boy quite a bit of money, telling him to spend it if he needed it.? ? ¡°Take only one silver and one gold coin. If you have a lot of money, it will also look suspicious.¡±? ? He put the money in his inner pocket just in case.? ? She gave him some fine jerky, saying she was sorry she didn¡¯t have time to take care of him. Arsene cut off a small piece of the dried meat the Empress had given him and ate it, desperately trying to stave off hunger.? ? ¡°¡­Be sure to bear in mind that there is no need to accomplish this task while putting yourself in danger.¡±? ? The look in the Empress¡¯s eyes as she said this was very apologetic and sorrowful.? ? It was him who had bowed his head at her feet and begged her to use him, so why did she feel so sorry?? ? ¡®It must be very important.¡¯? ? Arsene closed his tired eyes as he felt the carriage moving. He wasn¡¯t going to doze off, but his body was already ragged from the arduous journey.? ? Arsene was determined to complete this task.? ? However, this was also the end of the road once he arrived in Louvre.? ? Just a little bit¡­ just a little bit more patience.? ? Rattle.? ? At the sign of the carriage stopping, Arsene realized that he had dozed off. It seemed that the voices of the people had increased.? ? ¡®Did we arrive at Louvre?¡¯? ? He also felt the air was a little different. It was a little more humid, full of unfamiliar scents¡­.? ? Arsene rubbed his eyes to wake himself up. At that moment, the cover of the carriage that had been closed was lifted up.? ? ¡°Did we arrive¡­.¡±? ? It was before Arsene even finished all his words.? ? Psssst!? ? The stinging smoke hit Arsene¡¯s eyes. Startled, he turned but something blunt struck his back.? ? ¡°Ugh¡­¡±? ? In the blink of an eye, Arsene lost consciousness. CH 26 Roselyn raised her gaze and stared out at the open sea.? ? The surface of the sea, reflecting the light of the rising sun, sparkled like a jewel. The sea shone with a different light every moment, but every moment was as beautiful as a jewel.? ? Roselyn was distracted by the surging sea, forgetting that food was placed in front of her. It didn¡¯t stay still for a second, but she felt strangely calm.? ? ¡®This is what the ocean is like.¡¯? ? Last night, she was also blinded by the pitch-black sea that contained the moon.? ? But the midday sea embracing the sun had a completely different face from the night sea. Night and day, the sea was truly a vast and beautiful place.? ? It was strange and mesmerizing. It was so amazing that admiration was inevitable.? ? When Roselyn turned her gaze away from the sea, Tamon said unexpectedly.? ? ¡°You must like the sea.¡±? ? Roselyn glanced at him, then moved the fork.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t have to like it. It¡¯s my first time seeing it.¡±? ? She took a small portion of the food and put it on her plate, then cast her gaze to the sea again.? ? ¡°First time? You¡¯re really seeing the ocean for the first time?¡±? ? Tamon asked back in disbelief.? ? Without accepting or denying, Roselyn cut another small piece of seafood from her plate.? ? ¡°Why? Tanatos is not an inland empire.¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°I couldn¡¯t leave the palace unattended.¡±? ? Roselyn replied nonchalantly.? ? When she was a child, she couldn¡¯t go outside the capital frequently because it was dangerous.? ? At best, she followed her grandfather around the provinces near the capital, or she and Anna stayed at her mother¡¯s villa for a while, which was all the traveling she did.? ? When she was old enough to get married, she became the Crown Princess by order of the Emperor, and then it was a series of practical affairs.? ? Gillotti, on the other hand, roamed around quite freely. Whenever he wanted to go to the sea and mountains or fields, he went without hesitation.? ? It was always Roselyn who took care of the Imperial Palace and handled important matters on his behalf.? ? Being an Empress did not come with many privileges.? ? Rather, she worked on behalf of the emperor, but it didn¡¯t mean that she could seize the emperor¡¯s power.? ? She had no such greed.? ? Moreover, her family considered honesty to be the highest virtue, and she was raised that way.? ? Her grandfather always believed that even a nobleman will always fall if he thinks only of enjoying himself rather than taking care of his family.? ? And he said that this idea was passed down from his grandfather¡¯s grandfather¡¯s generation.? ? Whenever she was given a task, she had to complete it.? ? No matter how much she didn¡¯t want to do it, it was not in her nature to handle it in a lax manner.? ? She loved the joy that came when everything was handled neatly.? ? The more rambunctious Gillotti became, the more she immersed herself in the Imperial Palace work. It was necessary for her to concentrate so as not to be distracted.? ? But the more she did so, the harder Gillotti¡¯s gaze on her became.? ? So much so that she could feel his hatred through her skin.? ? So ever since joining the imperial family of Tanatos, there was no room for Roselyn to enjoy looking at the sea or the mountains.? ? ¡°I see.¡±? ? Tamon didn¡¯t ask for more in-depth insights after that one word. He was a witty man, and that should have been enough.? ? Roselyn cut the seafood into smaller pieces and put them in her mouth. Fresh seafood was flavorful even without any special sauce.? ? Seafood eaten directly from its place of origin could be so delicious.? ? She thought vaguely.? ? Come to think of it, Natasha always bragged about the food she ate when she and Gillotti went to Louvre.? ? She would swoon and fuss over how delicious the horribly shaped fish, giant squid, fresh shellfish and oysters were.? ? She gently tilted her head to look at the bright white, round thing on her plate.? ? Speaking of which, what is this?? ? She put it on her plate without thinking, but she had never seen it before.? ? It didn¡¯t look like an oyster or a shellfish. She thought it might be squid, but it was a little different from what she knew.? ? When she pressed it with my knife, it was soft and felt like a mushroom.? ? ¡°Those are scallops.¡±? ? Tamon, who had been watching her closely, said.? ? ¡± What?¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s the part that comes out of the big shell and it¡¯s quite tasty. You can cut it into thin slices and eat it raw, or you can cook it.¡±? ? He kindly explained what she was looking at and casually put one piece in his mouth.? ? ¡°Hmmm.¡±? ? Tamon chuckled as he savored the taste.? ? Hesitantly, Roselyn also put a small piece of scallop into her mouth.? ? The flavor was good, as if it had been baked in fine butter. Not to mention the texture.? ? Without saying a word, she took another piece of scallop and cut it. Tamon, who was watching her closely, smiled softly and gently pushed the seafood plate in front of her.? ? Roselyn felt as if a little of the toxicity in her body was released.? ? She had never been emotionally inclined in her life.? ? It was the first time in her life that she had been that stubborn and desperate.? ? Maybe it was the power of her past, where she had been taught to never waver and to always have a sense of normalcy. Before she knew it, she was herself again.? ? Roselyn sighed briefly.? ? The man in front of her was determined to bring her back to life after Gillotti tortured and killed her.? ? The man in front of her brought back to life what Gillotti tortured and wanted to kill. Even when she cut her throat, he recovered it at once.? ? Trying to die in front of this man was probably pointless.? ? If she really wanted to die, she had to get away from this man first.? ? Roselyn raised her head again and looked at the ocean.? ? If she crossed this ocean, she would see Tanatos.? ? Tamon lived in Ginesh, the capital of Amor, and across the sea of Ginesh, Louvre appeared.? ? Louvre.? ? Come to think of it, she wonder if Arsene made it to Louvre safely.? ? Roselyn remembered the boy who clung to her feet and cried, begging her to let him do anything for her.? ? Leaving ¡°it¡± to him was an impulsive decision.? ? Originally, it was Vice Commander Katren who would take care of it.? ? Then, a few days before it happened, he was thrown into the Demon Forest on the Emperor¡¯s orders.? ? She heard that Katren¡¯s apprentice accidentally lost the Emperor¡¯s sword in the Demon Forest.? ? ¡°Therefore, shouldn¡¯t you be held responsible for the mistake of your students, since it was a precious sword that the Prior King had gifted to me?¡±? ? That was tantamount to an order to die.? ? Roselyn, of course, was adamantly opposed.? ? She said she would run her own army and find the sword for him.? ? The emperor seemed to retreat for a while, but that night he pulled out only Kathren¡¯s apprentice and pushed him into the forest.? ? ¡°If I go now, I will be back soon. I¡¯ll be right there.¡±? ? Katren left in a hurry to find his apprentice and did not come back that night.? ? And the next day, and the day after that¡­¡­.? ? It wasn¡¯t until Katren was gone, that Roselyn really felt the pain of having all her limbs cut off.? ? The nobles who had sided with her were quickly dying of a mysterious disease. The same was true for her cherished people.? ? Soon after, Charlotte, who had said she was going to have an engagement ceremony for her daughter, suddenly died of lung disease.? ? How did the Palace Secretary Thomson die?? ? Yes, he suddenly contracted a strange disease that caused his limbs to rot.? ? He was always the one who sided with the Empress in front of the Emperor. He was also the one the Emperor considered the most troublesome.? ? That¡¯s how he died, and died, and died again.? ? ¡°Stop it.¡±? ? ¡°No.¡±? ? ¡°Why are you going this far?¡±? ? ¡°Because I hate you that much.¡±? ? Gillotti walked past Roselyn with a smile on his face.? ? A few days later, Roselyn¡¯s brother was captured and imprisoned.? ? ¡®All of this happened because I¡¯m not good enough.¡¯? ? Roselyn lagged a step behind and clenched her teeth.? ? No matter how many times she hit her chest they didn¡¯t come back.? ? And she couldn¡¯t die easily.? ? She stared at the man in front of her with renewed eyes.? ? She hated the handsome face of this selfish, stubborn man who never let her die.? ? Even though she knew that all of this was not his fault, she glared at Tamon and resented him.? ? The slightly relaxed look in her eyes became more venomous again.? ? Tamon, who quickly devoured the hunk of meat in front of him, raised his head as if he felt her gaze.? ? He chuckled and shook his head.? ? ¡°That look, it¡¯s not good¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s the look you want to die again. Right?¡±? ? Roselyn lowered her eyes without saying a word.? ? But Tamon¡¯s gaze was insistent as he noticed the change in her. He stared at her.? ? ¡°Let me ask you this.¡±? ? He put down his fork and sipped at his cold white wine.? ? ¡°Why on earth would you want to die so badly?¡±? ? She didn¡¯t want to talk to him now.? ? But Tamon was persistent today, as he always was.? ? He waited, gazing at her leisurely, as if there was no need to hurry.? ? Sometimes he would even look at the ocean, filled his empty plate again.? ? One minute, two minutes, ten minutes, several minutes.? ? Eventually, Roselyn put down her fork, which she hadn¡¯t held many times, and answered slowly.? ? ¡°¡­¡­.Nothing.¡±? ? ¡°Nothing?¡±? ? Tamon urged her.? ? ¡°Because I couldn¡¯t protect anything.¡±? ? ¡°Do you think that¡¯s your fault?¡±? ? ¡°Yes.¡±? ? Tamon tapped the table as he stared at her.? ? After a few moments of silence, he asked.? ? ¡°It¡¯s strange. How can you say you¡¯re sorry and use their deaths for your sake?¡± CH 27 Roselyn stopped breathing at his words.? ? ¡°What?¡±? ? ¡°Why should their deaths be an excuse for you to die?¡±? ? Excuse? Excuse¡­¡­¡­¡­!? ? Roselyn glared at him with fire in her eye.? ? But Tamon maintained his serene face even in front of her stern gaze.? ? In fact, her anger sometimes made him laugh in amusement.? ? ¡°It¡¯s a sin to fail to protect¡­Yes, that¡¯s possible. But who told you that your death would pay for your sins against the death of that many people?¡±? ? ¡°Because they¡¯re dead!¡±? ? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Dead people don¡¯t talk. So the idea of dying for the price of sin is ultimately your idea and your feeling.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s words became a hammer, pounding her down harder and harder.? ? Her fists, which had been clenched tightly to withstand it, shuddered.? ? ¡°Does that mean I should pretend I don¡¯t know about the sacrifices of the dead? Because I can¡¯t hear their voices any more.¡±? ? Tamon shrugged at her retort.? ? ¡°So do you think they want you to die?¡±? ? ¡°It wasn¡¯t like they wanted to die¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Aha! They died unfairly. So you¡¯re saying you want to die on your own excuses, and you don¡¯t need their thoughts anymore? You¡¯re really ignorant, you know that.¡±? ? ¡°Don¡¯t say my mind is an excuse.¡±? ? ¡°Then should I call it stubbornness or avoidance?¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­.!¡±? ? Roselyn opened her mouth to refute him and then stopped in surprise.? ? She had rarely been this excited.? ? Not in everyday conversation, not at the round table, not with anyone.? ? ¡®Why am I doing this?¡¯? ? Startled, Roselyn fell silent.? ? Tamon, who had been looking at Roselyn pityingly, continued to speak again.? ? ¡°Could it be that they want you to survive to the end so you can bring them justice?? ? ¡°They¡¯re not that kind of people.¡±? ? ¡°Really? Well, yes¡­. You know them best. So I ask you. Do the dead really want you to die like this?¡±? ? The faces of those who died passed in front of Roselyn¡¯s eyes.? ? Her chest tightened with guilt and grief. She still wanted to go after them right now.? ? The truth was, she was tired too.? ? She wanted to go after them, shouting, ¡°I¡¯m tired of being the wise, intelligent, resolute empress.¡±? ? She just couldn¡¯t understand at all why she had to be hated for living righteously, and why, her precious ones, had to die because of it.? ? She was so frustrated and heartbroken too¡­¡­¡­¡­? ? That was why she wanted to go on crying like that.? ? ¡°If it were me¡­¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s voice softened.? ? ¡°If I died protecting someone I loved. But my loved one blames herself for my death.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯d love to come back from hell and tell her.¡±? ? His gentle voice made Roselyn raise her head, which was hanging low.? ? When their eyes met, Tamon didn¡¯t chuckle as he usually did.? ? He just faced her nonchalantly and said, (*Tamon¡¯s words are what the dead would tell Roselyn.)? ? ¡°I¡¯m fine, you know.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°So I hope you¡¯re okay too.¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s eyes were distorted. Even though they didn¡¯t sound alike, their voices and Tamon¡¯s now overlapped.? ? Why was that, she wondered?? ? ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±? ? The tip of her nose hurt as if she had eaten something spicy. Roselyn struggled to chew the thin flesh in her mouth and suppress the emotions that were building up.? ? ¡°Live, more brilliantly than anyone¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? Roselyn turned away and gazed once more at the dazzling sea.? ? ¡°Be happier than anyone.¡±? ? Tears ran down her dry cheeks, but she didn¡¯t wipe them away.? ? Roselyn pretended not to know that she was crying.? ? Luckily, the man in front of her also pretended not to notice it.? ? The first meal in Amor passed so quietly.? ? ***? ? ¡°What is this place!¡±? ? Gillotti woke up frustrated.? ? Everything around him had gone black.? ? Not only was it black. Something black and sticky was caked all over his body, holding him down heavily.? ? ¡°Get off! Hello! Is there no one there? Come and clean this up immediately!¡±? ? He ordered nervously.? ? But there was no one rushing over. He struggled with his whole body as he cursed.? ? At that moment someone stood in front of him. It was someone with a very large and terrible sense of momentum. Gillotti knew someone who could give him such an intimidating feeling.? ? His father.? ? ¡°Oh, oh, you idiot. You¡¯re a pathetic one. If I had one more child left, I wouldn¡¯t pass on the throne to you.¡±? ? Blue eyes flashed in the darkness.? ? Immediately, a bolt of lightning flashed and Gillotti¡¯s face got whipped. His cheeks burned.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be ruined if I leave my country to a man like you! What is the golden empire? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re the one who¡¯s gonna break it down!¡¯? ? The previous emperor was very angry.? ? He visited the Duke¡¯s residence.? ? He had a favor to ask.? ? ¡°Because of you. It¡¯s your fault that you¡¯re not enough!¡±? ? He asked the Duke¡¯s daughter, who was already engaged to be married, to be the Crown Princess.? ? The Lady of Sunset family, famous for her cleverness in many fields. She was the granddaughter carefully raised by the previous Duke of Sunset, who was a former Secretary of State and Prime Minister.? ? Roselyn V. Sunset.? ? ¡°If I die and there is anything you do not know, be sure to consult with your Empress. Never make any decision on your own. Do you understand? I asked you if you understand!¡±? ? The previous emperor¡¯s roar was still fresh in Gillotti¡¯s ears.? ? Gillotti, startled, and replied repeatedly. ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡±? ? The previous Emperor had oppressed him even to the moment of his death.? ? Hilariously, the very words that the previous emperor muttered right up until he died were, ¡°You fool.¡±? ? The one that¡¯s not enough. Not enough to be an Emperor. He was like a bug who was lucky enough to become the Emperor.? ? ¡°Aaah!¡±? ? Gillotti shouted as he pushed aside the darkness that was gripping him. He still was immobilized. And it never let go of him.? ? As he struggled, they became more and more insistent, choking the life out of him.? ? ¡°What the hell am I missing? ¡­¡­! What am I missing? What is it?¡±? ? That was the moment.? ? Something bright burst in front of him.? ? Standing in the center of the light was the Empress.? ? She looked at him with a brighter and clearer face than ever, instead of the emaciated, tortured figure that he saw the last time.? ? ¡°Your Majesty.¡±? ? She was vivid and beautiful.? ? Just like the first time he saw her.? ? No, much more than that.? ? ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stop?¡±? ? ¡°You¡¯re dead.¡±? ? ¡°Its power will kill you. All your evil deeds will become your karma.¡±? ? The glowing butterflies roamed around her.? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­ It will come straight to you, Your Majesty.¡±? ? The butterflies fluttered up as if to protect her and offer her protection.? ? ¡°You¡¯re already dead!¡±? ? Gillotti shouted through his clenched teeth. Then all the fluttering butterflies that were protecting her flew in unison toward Gillotti.? ? ¡°Ah!¡±? ? He was on fire from the glowing butterflies. As the light cleared the darkness around Gillotti, the identity of the heavy black thing that had been hanging over him was revealed.? ? ¡°Your Majesty.¡±? ? ¡°Your Majesty.¡±? ? ¡°Gillotti¡­¡±? ? ¡°You killed us¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Your Majesty!¡±? ? ¡°Gillotti Tanatos!¡±? ? ¡°Emperor!¡±? ? With that, they, who were innocently dead, grabbed Gillotti and dragged him down.? ? Dead and black, they desperately held him back and cried out.? ? ¡°Ahhh!¡±? ? Gillotti screamed and jumped up. He was covered in cold sweat.? ? ¡°¡­Your Majesty?¡±? ? Natasha, who was sleeping next to him, was awakened by Gillotti¡¯s scream.? ? She stood up with a sleepy face and gently patted him on his shoulder as he gasped for breath.? ? ¡°Did you have a bad dream?¡±? ? ¡°The Empress is alive. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s alive! I knew it. That tough woman is still alive!¡±? ? Gillotti held his head, shivering with chills. He mumbled incessantly as if he hadn¡¯t yet woken up from his dream.? ? ¡°¡®O¡­¡­¡­.. if father finds out. He¡¯ll hit me on the cheek. No, no, no! I¡¯m missing something, what is it? What is it?¡±? ? ¡°My poor Your Majesty¡­.The Empress is dead.¡±? ? Natasha held the trembling emperor in her arms.? ? Gillotti trembled for a long time in Natasha¡¯s soft arms and then unexpectedly stood up.? ? Natasha fell to the side of the bed under Gillotti¡¯s unexpected movement.? ? ¡°I need to find out if the Empress is really dead. She¡¯s alive, and she must be alive!¡±? ? Gillotti scurried out of the room without looking at the fallen Natasha.? ? Natasha sat down at the foot of the bed and stared in dismay at the emperor¡¯s back as he left the room without even looking back.? ? Her cheeks reddened with embarrassment, even though there was no one around. She gritted her teeth and stared at the emperor as he disappeared.? ? ¡°Really Your Majesty? I thought everything would be fine if the Empress disappeared.¡­¡­.¡±? ? It wasn¡¯t.? ? Her orange eyes, like spring sunshine, glistened fiercely.? ? She took a deep breath as she stroked her raised stomach.? ? ¡°Well, I¡¯m fine.¡±? ? Her face had somehow returned to being gentle and kind.? ? Natasha slowly stood up and crawled to the center of the huge emperor¡¯s bed.? ? She smiled as she patted the fluffy pillow and the bedding stitched with gold thread, and then patted her stomach with both hands.? ? ¡°Someday this will all be yours, child.¡±? ? The sky was on Natasha Roanti¡¯s side.? ? She was pregnant when the Empress died and disappeared.? ? ¡°Be born and push your foolish father away. Until then, your mother must support him well.¡±? ? Natasha took a slow deep breath and lay down in the middle of the bed. Her body and mind were stable as if this place was hers.? ? Her golden hair was scattered on the red-colored bedding.? ? She quickly fell asleep as if nothing had happened. CH 28 After Roselyn finished her meal, she sat there for a while and continued to look out at the ocean.? ? A cool breeze blew past her, grazing her hair.? ? It was the first time she had sat in such light clothes.? ? Nevertheless, it was unfamiliar that it was not cold at all.? ? She could feel the wind grazing on her skin beneath the thin fabric. Roselyn touched her arms.? ? She suddenly heard a sigh next to her.? ? ¡°¡­It¡¯s hot.¡±? ? Tamon, who was sitting beside her, drinking two cups of ice cold drinks in a row, frowned.? ? She looked at him with some boredom as he raised his third glass.? ? The man¡¯s food was about ten times the size of hers.? ? After finishing three servings of juicy meat, two plates of salad with plenty of vegetables and seafood.? ? He also ate steamed rice, fruit, and fried rice with meat.? ? Then three more glasses of cold water and soda.? ? Where on earth would he put so much food and drink?? ? Suddenly, his body, hardened with rigid muscles, came into Roselyn¡¯s view.? ? He looked like a completely different creature from her, a huge body¡­.? ? The strength that came through her whole body.? ? Perhaps it takes a lot of food to maintain such a body.? ? She could see the drink being gulped down by the thick neck.? ? Her eyes met his as he set his glass down, watching mesmerized as his Adam apple moved up and down.? ? Tamon chuckled as he wiped his watery lips with his thumb.? ? His rough eyes curved up into a slightly roguish face. And he looked like a bad boy.? ? He said lucidly as he set the glass down with a bang.? ? ¡°I¡¯ve decided.¡±? ? ¡°¡­What is it?? ? ¡°Your new name.¡±? ? ¡°My new name?? ? ¡°Aranrose.¡±? ? Tamon stood up.? ? He rubbed her silver hair gently, grasping it with his fingers as it danced in the wind.? ? ¡°Aranrose.¡±? ? What does that mean?? ? Roselyn was fluent in six languages.? ? There were also two more languages that she could speak, though poorly.? ? However, Aranrose was not a word she knew. What was it, she wondered, and while she was wondering, Tamon lifted a strand of her hair and kissed her lightly.? ? It tickled her as if the tips of her hair touched her lips.? ? ¡°It¡¯s hot and I¡¯m sleepy.¡±? ? Tamon rose from his seat with a short yawn.? ? ¡°No good. I need to get some sleep.¡±? ? He grabbed Roselyn¡¯s wrist and pulled on it as she sat still and stared at him.? ? Her paper-thin body was pulled up quickly with light force.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t understand why ¡­¡­¡±? ? ¡°Sleep with me.¡±? ? ¡°What?¡±? ? Her attempt to hold on faded.? ? In less than a second, Roselyn was hoisted up into his arms.? ? When her eyes widened in surprise, Tamon kissed her.? ? ¡°If you keep looking at me like that, I¡¯ll be worse again.¡±? ? ¡°Where the hell did you learn such vulgar language?¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s not that I learned it, it¡¯s just that I was born messy.¡±? ? He snuggled her with a big smile and stepped off.? ? ¡°The sun is nice, so we can sleep together. I don¡¯t know what else you¡¯re gonna do if I leave you alone, so I¡¯m gonna have to hold you in my arms.¡±? ? ¡°Huh? I¡¯m not sleepy.¡±? ? ¡°Then just lie down and rest. I¡¯ll do the sleeping.¡±? ? Perhaps it was because of his long legs, but before she knew it, they were already in the bedroom.? ? Despite the bright daylight, he lay down on the bed without a care in the world.? ? This was the first time in Roselyn¡¯s life.? ? As a human being, she naturally had to do productive work when the sun was up.? ? It wasn¡¯t even night, so she couldn¡¯t just lie there with a full stomach and say she was sleepy. She had never been this lazy and neglectful.? ? The more Roselyn tried to get up, the tighter Tamon hugged her.? ? ¡°I¡¯m suffocating. Can you¡­..¡±? ? ¡°Stay with me. I¡¯m anxious.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything¡­¡­ just let me go.¡±? ? ¡°If I let you go, what are you going to do? Do you have anything to do?¡±? ? Tamon asked again, and there was no response.? ? Roselyn stopped talking, perplexed. It was the first time she was speechless.? ? ¡°See, you¡¯ve got nothing to do¡­¡±? ? At that, Tamon hugged her waist more tightly.? ? His breath ran close to her eyes as she was completely embraced by his huge body.? ? Tamon¡¯s body was too hot.? ? Perhaps that was why his presence felt so strong.? ? His body was as hot as the sun, the field was his breath, and the thick arms and legs that bound her so tightly¡­¡­.? ? When she became conscious of it, Roselyn felt stiff. The tension that had risen once was unrelenting and building momentum.? ? ¡°I¡­¡±? ? Roselyn took a calming breath and searched for the right words.? ? ¡°I¡­¡±? ? Tam exhaled in unison, his eyes closed, as if he was already asleep.? ? ¡°I want to see more of the ocean.¡±? ? That made her relax a little.? ? Her stiff shoulders also gently dropped. She figured there was no point in talking to someone who had already fallen asleep.? ? But at that moment, the man she thought had fallen asleep woke up again.? ? ¡°¡­¡­You should have told me sooner.¡±? ? His voice was somber as if he had truly awakened from sleep. His limbs that didn¡¯t falter even when she struggled to get out fell off at once.? ? Tamon stood up quickly and reached out to Roselyn again.? ? She stood up stiffly and looked at him silently as if she was trying to figure out his intentions. Tamon waved his hand at her to take it.? ? ¡°Come on.¡±? ? ¡°Is it necessary to hold hands?¡±? ? ¡°You walk slow and I¡¯m very sleepy. I want to go back to sleep.¡±? ? The words, ¡°Then you should just let me go¡±, came up to her chin.? ? But Roselyn held back because she knew that it was pointless to fight with the man in front of her.? ? Roselyn frowned briefly in frustration at the weakness that surged through her, and took his hand.? ? For a man who was all big, his hands were also inhumanly large. In his hands, her hands looked as cute as a child¡¯s.? ? As soon as she held his hand, he said, ¡°Ah!¡± Tamon let out a squeal.? ? ¡°Come to think of it, we have to go up the stairs.¡±? ? ¡°What?¡±? ? ¡°So instead of holding hands, it would be better if I just held you.¡±? ? Muttering a few words to himself, Tamon grabbed her hand, and lifted her up at once.? ? Roselyn was puzzled. If he wanted to go quickly, he could go ahead. The best thing to do would be to leave her alone.? ? ¡°Put me down. I can walk on my own.¡±? ? ¡°I know. I didn¡¯t hold you because you couldn¡¯t walk.¡±? ? ¡°Then why!¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­¡­. Not fast enough?¡±? ? Roselyn pushed his shoulders away, glaring at Tamon.? ? Even if it were made of stone, it would be softer than this.? ? He didn¡¯t even wince, but strode forward.? ? ¡°Tamon Krasis!¡±? ? Frustrated, she called his name like a scream.? ? ¡°Sounds nice. Keep singing.¡±? ? ¡°I hate you so much.¡±? ? Tamon seemed completely unharmed by her angry voice.? ? He smiled lazily and said in a gentle voice as if teasing her.? ? ¡°There will be a time when you will scream in that voice that you love so much. Oh, it¡¯s thrilling just to think about it.¡±? ? ¡°How can you be so shameless¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? Tamon laughed in amusement even as Roselyn berated him with a red face.? ? Biting her lip tightly, Roselyn clenched her fist and punched him in the shoulder. She pushed him out with her elbow as well and jerked, but he still didn¡¯t move.? ? ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡±? ? He walked up the stairs and down the hall on his long legs and quickly reached his destination.? ? He pushed open a spacious door with his foot and strode inside.? ? He opened another door and entered the connected room, there was a room with a window in the front.? ? The room wasn¡¯t large, but a large bed that took up about half of the room¡¯s size was present in an intimidating way.? ? However, there was no bed in sight for Roselyn.? ? Rather, the full view that stretched out just in front of the bed caught her eye more.? ? Through the unusual half-open, half-folded front window, the full view of the wide blue sea was dazzling.? ? Perhaps it was the high altitude of the room, but there was nothing to obscure the front or sides. All she could see were waves crashing against waves and rocks of different colors.? ? Tamon placed her on the bed, unable to take her eyes off the window. He laid himself down beside her and stretched out his arms to hold her close to his chest.? ? Roselyn, who was transfixed by the scene beyond the window, later reached out and firmed her body against his hand wrapped around her waist, but it was too late.? ? Her body tilted, and she was trapped again in Tamon¡¯s arms.? ? ¡°You lie down like this and look at the sea. I¡¯ll sleep with the ocean in my arms.¡±? ? Tamon murmured, his face buried on the back of her neck. CH 29 Tamon was really sleepy and his voice quickly faded.? ? In no time at all, she heard a gentle breathing coming from the back of her neck. It was a quiet breath, unlike his figure.? ? After a moment, Roselyn relaxed her stiffened body.? ? She glanced over at the sleeping man, and his face was calm. She watched his face vigilantly for several minutes.? ? His deeply closed eyelids did not move slightly. His eyelashes were so unexpectedly lush. He had a strong impression because of his deep eyes and dark eyebrows, but his face was unexpectedly beautiful.? ? His nose was high and his tightly closed lips were stubborn. There was a small scar between his eyebrows and a deep scar on his cheek. From the shape of it, it looked like a sword wound.? ? The color of her hair, which looked pitch black in the dark night, was a very peculiar gray under the sunlight.? ? Smooth glossy, disheveled hair was like the tail hair of a baby wolf that she had seen once.? ? ¡®¡­¡­¡­What am I doing now?¡¯? ? Roselyn, who had been observing Tamon¡¯s sleeping face, consciously turned her head away from him.? ? ¡®What¡¯s the point of observing this man¡¯s face?¡¯? ? She forced herself to look up at the ceiling with a painful bite on her lower lip.? ? Unlike the easygoing man, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep. The room was quiet, and the sound of the waves was as soothing as a children¡¯s lullaby, but somehow her mind was becoming clearer and clearer.? ? She hesitated for a moment, then turned onto her side, moving her shoulders lightly.? ? Surprisingly, her body moved easily. She thought maybe Tamon really had fallen asleep and lost his strength, so she pushed him out more. But oddly enough, he didn¡¯t move any further.? ? She gave up immediately after several efforts to lift his heavy arms while cooing.? ? It wasn¡¯t a weight and strength she could carry. The more she tried to get out, the more her body clung to him. She felt that if she tried harder, Tamon would wake up.? ? She turned on her side and looked out at the ocean.? ? She didn¡¯t notice it when she was nervous, but there was a thin piece of cloth and paper, nicely colored, under the open window.? ? Chime. Chime.? ? It made an irregular sound as it swayed with the wind. Roselyn looked out the window for a moment, letting go of all thoughts and feelings.? ? Ding ding ding ding.? ? She slowly inhaled and exhaled. The moment she closed her eyes, the faces of the people she loved, who loved her, appeared before her eyes.? ? How long has it been? It¡¯s only been about a month.? ? It was not known exactly how many days had passed. It was because Tamon came to Amor after passing Tanatos in a few days.? ? All she thought about was dying. As soon as she got her energy back, she tried to follow them.? ? She thought that would be her atonement.? ? Because she felt guilty living alone.? ? ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit cowardly to use them as an excuse for your death?¡±? ? Earlier, Tamon¡¯s words pierced Roselyn¡¯s heart like an awl.? ? ¡®Is that so?? ? Was I also trying to give up easily under the pretext of their death¡­¡­¡­¡­.?? ? Why not? What¡¯s wrong with that?¡¯? ? An unfamiliar voice whispered. At that moment, Tamon pulled her into his hot arms.? ? A heavy breath dug deep into her neck.? ? ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine from now on.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±? ? ¡°So, stay alive and shine brighter than anyone else¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s voice countered the awful voice on her behalf.? ? ¡°You¡¯re the one who knows them the best. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking. Do you really think the dead would want you to die so badly?¡±? ? Her father, her mother, her brother, Charlotte¡­¡­ all the passing faces looked back at her.? ? None of them gave her a vicious look and told her to come over here immediately. In fact, Roselyn knew that they were not that kind of people.? ? The wide open sea was dazzling. Chilling. It was chillingly beautiful. It was a sight she could not have seen if she had died in the blizzard.? ? Whether she meant it or not, she came back to life.? ? She came back.? ? No matter how hard she tried to die, she somehow survived.? ? Yes, she was safe.? ? No one is born with the intention of being born.? ? When you are born, you come to live, and when you live, you come back to life.? ? Ding ding ding ding.? ? The sound of the small bell soothed her dizzy ears.? ? Roselyn slowly closed her eyes, feeling the salty sea breeze.? ? Strangely enough, she didn¡¯t feel like dying anymore.? ? She felt the watery air flowing down her cheeks and slowly drifted off to sleep.? ? The heavy, hot body temperature that was hugging her waist wasn¡¯t too bad. She thought.? ? ***? ? How long did she sleep?? ? Roselyn woke up with the feeling of excessive heat on her back. She also heard something that sounded like a beast¡¯s cry.? ? She turned over in a daze and felt hot breath plunging into her neck.? ? ¡®What is it?¡¯? ? She could see the reddening sky in her faintly opened eyes.? ? Fluttering her heavy eyelids, Roselyn rubbed her eyes and turned her body back where she heard a groan.? ? When she awoke, she stared at the owner of the clinging hand. Tamon¡¯s brow wrinkled and he broke out in a cold sweat.? ? ¡°You, what is it¡­¡±? ? ¡°Grrrr¡­.¡±? ? He sounded similar to that of a growling beast. He was breathing heavily, his face contorted.? ? Roselyn observed his condition with surprise. It was strange. His whole body was as hot as a blast furnace.? ? ¡°Wake up. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±? ? Small muscles stood in his jaw as he clenched his teeth. The gasping sounded louder, as if he couldn¡¯t hold his breath. He curled up and clutched at his heart.? ? ¡°Ugh!¡±? ? ¡®Could it be¡­ that?¡¯? ? The ¡°bloodline disease¡± that Tamon Krasis suffered from came to her mind.? ? A unique disease that was passed on only to the people of this family.? ? Historically, many of the Krasis had been killed by the same disease.? ? This man, Tamon Krasis, was the only one who survived the disease¡­¡­? ? He said that the disease always appeared in one person per generation.? ? He said it was mainly an abnormality on the side of the heart, that the pain would progressively get worse and before long it would swell excessively.? ? It was a family disease with almost no name, no symptoms, and no history of improvement.? ? So there was no way to know what to do about it. Moreover, Roselyn, an outlander, became more and more unsure of what to do.? ? ¡°Kuaaah!¡±? ? Tamon grabbed the duvet cover he was cowering under and moaned. How hard he clenched his fist, his thick veins popped up.? ? Surprised, Roselyn backed away, and Tamon¡¯s hand grabbed her ankle as she fled.? ? ¡°Ha!¡±? ? Her vision flipped while she was flinching.The force was so strong that he pulled her helplessly back with only one hand.? ? ¡°What the¡­!¡±? ? There was nothing she could do about it, and the huge body attacked her. His face twisted like an angry beast and he glared at her.? ? She saw an unfamiliar color in his bright red eyes.? ? ¡®What is that?¡¯? ? They kept contracting and dilating in his pupils as if a golden energy was exploding.? ? Tamon¡¯s head began to sway while her eyes were transfixed on those strange eyes. The kiss was rough as he pushed.? ? ¡°Ah¡­!¡±? ? Roselyn tried to push him away.? ? But for some reason, she couldn¡¯t muster any strength at all. Flames seemed to pour through the lips that met.? ? Roselyn grabbed Tamon by the shoulders. She twisted as hard as she could, but he didn¡¯t wince.? ? ¡°¡®Ah¡­uh¡­!¡±? ? It was like a thunderstorm in her head. A chilling shiver ran down her back. A sense of exhilaration dominated her, not knowing how to express this.? ? It was as if her whole body was responding to him. It was as if all of her senses were opening up to him. She had a similar experience like this before.? ? Yes, the first time Tamon kissed her in that blizzard.? ? At that moment, she felt an immense power surging through her.? ? At the same time, her body felt hot and her head felt dizzy.? ? It was a debilitating physical experience, and she passed out afterwards, but she also felt like this back then.? ? Now it was more intense and carnal, but the blubbering, quivering lips opened helplessly. He coveted the inside of her lips.? ? Roselyn sensed that something was wrong. They were similar, but different. It was more wild, more violent, and more powerful.? ? Roselyn tried desperately to keep up. She pushed Tamon away, pinched and scratched at his hands, which he held tightly as if to warp her, and screamed.? ? ¡°Stop it! No, don¡¯t¡­!¡±? ? Tamon lunged forward as hard as a fierce lion. There seemed to be no reason in his red eyes that flickered with golden flames.? ? Gritting her teeth, Roselyn resolutely shouted his name.? ? ¡°Tamon!¡±? ? At that moment, his rough behavior came to a halt.? ? Gasp. Gasp. Gasp.? ? Tamon¡¯s hot forehead brushed against her shoulder. He breathed so heavily that she could almost see his chest shaking.? ? ¡°Ah¡­ah.!¡±? ? It was a moan, as if he was trying to control something. Roselyn froze stiffly, making sure he was calming down.? ? With her trapped in his arms, Tamon¡¯s arms trembled as he clenched his fists.? ? Immediately Tamon stood up and moved away from her. Then he punched himself on the head with his clenched fist.? ? Boom, boom, boom, boom!? ? The sound was so loud and menacing that Roselyn couldn¡¯t help but stand up and reach for him.? ? ¡°There ¡­¡­¡±? ? With a hoarse voice, Tamon hurriedly pushed her away.? ? His head shook violently as he shook his hands. It was so rough that it seemed like his neck would break if he kept on shaking.? ? ¡°Stay where you are!¡± CH 30 Aside from the dizziness in his head, his heart was extremely hot.? ? No, his whole body was hot.? ? He felt as if he had been swallowed by a giant ball of fire. The heat that came up from his heart had gone all the way to his brain.? ? Tamon gritted his teeth once more.? ? He bit it hard and his jaw ached. He hit his head again and again to control himself.? ? His body didn¡¯t settle down easily, even though he hit it hard.? ? Faintly, Roselyn knew what this was.? ? An outburst of power.? ? It was a reaction to forcing him to use his life force. It was a side effect of suddenly raising too much power at once.? ? Before, he poured his power into Roselyn in a sustained manner, so he was fine. Because he used as much power as he raised it.? ? But when the power was raised to the point of overload, it couldn¡¯t release properly, the force was trapped inside.? ? ¡°D*mn it.¡±? ? Tamon grabbed his heart, which was taking off in leaps and bounds.? ? In fact, he didn¡¯t even know what he was capable of.? ? Not only were there not that many manifestations of the power itself, but since no one had ever manifested such an ability, there was not even a record of it.? ? A power that was carved by the gods but could only be used if you have a solid body and strong will to operate it properly.? ? Too many people from the family had died because they could not withstand this power.? ? Tamon accepted this power that no one had been able to pass on for hundreds of years. It took him a year to subdue the rampaging power and made it his own.? ? If he hadn¡¯t overcome it then he would have also become a tragic figure who died of blood disease, just like many people in his family.? ? ¡®I think I only need to solve it one more time¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¯? ? Tamon gritted his teeth. He could feel his heart swelling once more.? ? He strove to somehow tighten the power in his body.? ? He didn¡¯t know how, but he instinctively measured and adjusted his strength. Therefore, even if he was a little off guard, the power that was exploding tried to dominate his body.? ? ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? Roselyn suddenly approached him.? ? ¡°There.¡±? ? Tamon grabbed his feverishly rising face with one hand and blocked her approach with the other.? ? ¡°¡­¡­stay where you are.¡±? ? His brain seemed to shake from her body scent, which he could feel intensely even with his eyes closed.? ? ¡®¡­Oh, I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯? ? Roselyn V. Sunset.? ? She had a peculiar scent that resembled her name.? ? It was a scent that drifted in and out of the air, and instead of getting faded, it constantly hit his nose.? ? More, more, more. A little more. More.? ? The scent that stimulated him even in his normal state shook him violently and strongly now that all his senses were awake and acute.? ? He breathed heavily as he curled up his shoulders.? ? His heart felt like it was going to burst. It was as painful as when the power first manifested itself.? ? No, it felt even worse than that.? ? It was because Roselyn was right beside him. Her scent stimulated him, drawing him in.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll call someone¡­.¡±? ? Hesitantly, Roselyn rose from her seat. Tamon quickly grabbed her wrist .? ? ¡°No!¡±? ? Her skin was so sweet as it clung to his palm.? ? If he could absorb anything with his skin, he would have eaten her already touching the palm of his hand.? ? It seemed less painful to poke his heart with an awl.? ? He gritted his teeth and shook his head.? ? ¡°No¡­?¡±? ? He had to let her go, but once he touched her, he couldn¡¯t let go of her skin.? ? Tamon struggled to hold back his strength.? ? The force was strong, urging him to pull the woman to him.? ? ¡®No..¡¯? ? He promised.? ? ¡®If she says no, I won¡¯t do it.¡¯? ? He couldn¡¯t break it in less than three days. His pride did not allow it.? ? ¡°¡­is it because of your power? It¡¯s still a secret that you have that power, isn¡¯t it?¡±? ? As expected, Roselyn was sharp. She immediately realized his intentions and didn¡¯t ask any more questions.? ? No one, yet, should be trusted.? ? Of course, his mansion was full of people he trusted, but there had to be one or two attendants hiding among them who were spies for the king or his enemies.? ? He had to keep the secret.? ? The mastermind of using this secret had to be himself.? ? ¡°Gasp¡­¡­¡­! Argh!¡±? ? Tamon bellowed roughly, unable to suppress his groans. He wanted to trap himself in the ice. His mind kept going blank and then black.? ? When he felt like he was going to pass out, he hit his head on the floor. How much time had passed?? ? Roselyn, who had been watching him closely, said,? ? ¡°If I¡¯m ¡­¡­¡­..can I help you?¡±? ? Her voice pierced him vividly.? ? He quickly looked up and stared at her. There was a hint of mad obsession and suppressed joy in his glowing eyes.? ? ¡°Seriously, ha, ugh ¡­¡­ you mean?¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯ve never taken back what I¡¯ve spat out.¡±? ? Roselyn replied nonchalantly.? ? That was enough.? ? Tamon scratched his neck and laughed wildly.? ? He wasn¡¯t a gentleman, and he wasn¡¯t a shyster who reserved himself for appearances when what he wanted came rolling in.? ? With fire in his eyes, Tamon reached out with a quick rise of his stiff hips.? ? Roselyn¡¯s tense face came close in front of him.? ? In an instant, he had her lying beneath him and whispered with a wild laugh.? ? ¡°Well then¡­I won¡¯t say no.¡±? ? The feverish man¡¯s lips quickly clamped down on Roselyn¡¯s defenseless, open lips.? ? ***? ? Roselyn embraced the fire.? ? Is this what it feels like to jump naked into a blast furnace?? ? It was hot, hot, hot again. Once the heat rose, the body didn¡¯t know how to cool down. It was a really terrible heat.? ? Tamon came in, bringing her to the peak of her pleasure.? ? She felt herself corrupted.? ? Roselyn let herself go again and again as she felt a pleasure she had never experienced before.? ? It was so intense that it made her cry out. She moaned and clung to him, sobbing.? ? He didn¡¯t let go of her once.? ? He used everything he had to eat her.? ? He didn¡¯t even let a single tear drop to the floor, the tears Roselyn spilled.? ? She could feel the sores on every part of her that he had eaten.? ? When he tried to heal the swollen and sore areas with his lips, Roselyn cried out and even hit him on the head.? ? ¡°Stop it, stop it¡­ ¡­¡­¡­!¡±? ? Roselyn nervously pushed him away, but not the body that was in contact with him.? ? She couldn¡¯t count how many hours had passed, or how many times he was inside her.? ? The constant rush of climaxes exhausted her, but at the same time the life force coming in from him aroused her.? ? Her heart beat faster. Her body was certainly tired, but her soul felt even hotter.? ? The passion that began in the early evening burned the dawn to its full extent, and did not extinguish until morning.? ? The next day¡¯s noon passed in a blur as he sent away the attendants who had rushed to the room three times, startled by the screams and cries.? ? ¡°Please¡­.¡±? ? Roselyn dismissed him pleadingly in a faint voice. She knew for the first time that just being intimate could be this exhausting.? ? Suddenly, Gillotti¡¯s insults came to mind, boiled up on its own accord.? ? ¡°Just a little more¡­¡­..¡±? ? Tamon mumbled as he buried his face in her chest, which had turned so red that it was hard to find a place where it wasn¡¯t. Roselyn clawed at his shoulder as she sobbed.? ? ¡°I want to sleep. Please. That¡¯s enough.¡±? ? She was completely worn out.? ? Tamon, on the other hand, gradually came back to his normal state.? ? Fortunately or unfortunately, his symptoms quickly subsided.? ? That heat he had felt for the first time was pretty much gone, and he didn¡¯t scream in pain.? ? Roselyn turned her wet eyes to look at his heart.? ? When he took off his gown, his heart shone red.? ? The red light leaked through the pale skin as if the power trapped there would burst out immediately.? ? Now it was cool and quiet¡­¡­¡­? ? ¡®That¡¯s good.¡¯? ? Once Roselyn checked his chest, which was now quiet, she felt the sleepiness that she had been forcing out of her come over her. This time, she couldn¡¯t resist at all.? ? She felt a pinch on her neck.? ? Tamon was biting her neck like an animal with clenched teeth.? ? Roselyn bit his shoulder nervously.? ? She bit as hard as she could, but even that was weak and non-threatening.? ? She heard a chuckle from the man at her reaction.? ? It was the last thing she heard. CH 31 Tamon kissed Roselyn gently on her white shoulder.? ? There were red traces of last night all over her shoulders, down to her neck and chest.? ? Looking at them made Tamon hungry again.? ? It was a lust of color, to be exact, but what made him hungry was little different from it.? ? ¡°Aranrose¡­¡±? ? Tamon mumbled the name he gave her as he stared at the sleeping Roselyn.? ? Roselyn needed a new identity.? ? Roselyn V. Sunset, the Empress of Tanatos, died in a blizzard.? ? Both her country and the Emperor had abandoned her.? ? There was absolutely no reason for Roselyn to have any attachment to that country.? ? A rotten, golden empire on the brink of defeat.? ? The current emperor was a piece of trash, but the previous emperor, who was the father of the current emperor, was no slouch.? ? If the current emperor tormented his own people, the previous emperor was a man who wielded an iron hammer and tormented the surrounding countries.? ? *Talking about the past- Gillotti¡¯s parents*? ? Plundering, robbing, and trampling was the pleasure of his predecessor, King Gridley II.? ? The funny thing was that the 10 women he brought in from the countries he plundered, but they were all infertile.? ? However, Nircia Karar, the empress, gave birth to a son and a daughter. But the daughter died of illness, and the lone remaining child was Gillotti Tanatos.? ? The ulterior motive for bringing the princesses of the weaker countries, even if forced to do so, was because of the desire to have children even from concubines.? ? However, as the heavens abandoned him, he could not bear any more children.? ? So, he was forced to give up the throne to Gillotti, who had nothing good except his face. His victim was Roselyn.? ? It was this woman.? ? Tamon stared at the woman with a serene face, exhaling soft breaths.? ? From afar, the woman was just cold and resolute, but up close, there was a human side to her that desperately endured, crying out and throwing tantrums.? ? He chuckled and touched his shoulder, which Roselyn bit nervously before falling asleep.? ? She seemed to bite it quite hard with her teeth, but oddly enough, it didn¡¯t hurt at all.? ? In fact, he even hoped that she would leave him more marks like this. Every nook and cranny.? ? Tamon lay down on his side and stared at Roselyn¡¯s face as she was sleeping with one arm folded.? ? Even though he was only looking at her, he felt the heat that had made him hot to the point of exploding seemed to ignite again.? ? Tamon, as had become his habit, put his nose on her neck. A unique, sweet scent filled his sense of smell.? ? He wished that his world could be filled with only this scent.? ? Then he would feel better with every breath he took.? ? He felt like he could afford to laugh and move on.? ? ¡°It¡¯s weird, really.¡±? ? ¡ªWhere in the world does this feeling of satisfaction come from?? ? He didn¡¯t care if this woman bit him or cursed him.? ? Even if she kicked him and accused him of being a lustful maniac, it didn¡¯t seem to matter as long as he did so in front of her.? ? Bringing this woman into his life was an impulsive decision, but it was more satisfying than any prudent decision he had ever made.? ? Sometimes his instincts were surprisingly satisfying to him.? ? Tamon kissed her shoulder once more.? ? Roselyn¡¯s skin and the warm afternoon sun together made him feel full.? ? ¡°This is paradise.¡±? ? He moaned with satisfaction. He thought it would be nice if this moment could last forever.? ? But as soon as he thought about it, a guest arrived as if he had waited.? ? ¡°¡­Oh no! Your Highness!¡±? ? The voice of the Commander-in-Chief echoed through the house.? ? ¡°Your Highness?¡±? ? Tamon quickly stood up.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t pretend like you can¡¯t hear me. It¡¯s very clever. Who wouldn¡¯t be Tamon Krasis¡¯s subordinate. Oh, my.¡±? ? The sour voice definitely belonged to him.? ? Tamon swept his forehead with a sigh.? ? Then he put on the crumpled gown he had thrown on at random and opened the door.? ? The king of Amor, Theo Lantifu, stood at the door.? ? The king did not like the hassle of having attendants.? ? He came with about five of them at the plea of his aides, but when he stormed into Tamon¡¯s mansion, he let more of them go.? ? Now there were two of them following him.? ? Because that was the condition for him to be able to enter Tamon¡¯s mansion without permission.? ? ¡°Well, it¡¯s nice to finally meet you!¡±? ? He chuckled and bent over with his arm on his chest as he watched Tamon walk out of the room, his auburn hair held high in a bun.? ? The king greeted Tamon in a posture of the nobles when they met a king.? ? ¡°Finally, this humble king is able to meet his beloved and respected foreign minister.¡±? ? ¡°What¡¯s going on in the morning, Your Majesty?¡±? ? ¡°Morning? Did you say morning? Let¡¯s see, since when is three o¡¯clock in the afternoon morning?¡±? ? ¡°Oh, is it that time already¡­? I¡¯m still not feeling well, so it¡¯s not easy for me to get out of bed.¡±? ? Tamon said back brusquely and closed the door.? ? At that moment, Theo¡¯s hand quickly grabbed the door.? ? ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside for a moment.¡±? ? ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you want to talk in my bedroom. I¡¯ll take you to the parlor.¡±? ? ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not it, Tamon. I got a report that you brought something suspicious from Tanatos. I waited a long time for you to come to inform me, but you never did. That¡¯s why I came here myself. So that¡¯s what you brought in there, right?¡±? ? ¡°Since when did Your Majesty take such an interest in the inside of my bedroom? Excessive interest can be a burden.¡±? ? There was a series of confrontations between Tamon and the king at the door.? ? The king, who grabbed the door trying to enter, and Tamon, who grasped the king¡¯s wrist without hesitation, were both stubborn as could be, and the conflict dragged on.? ? ¡°To stand in the way of the king. It¡¯s a call for beheading, Tamon.¡±? ? ¡°It won¡¯t work in my mansion. So why did you come here? I was going to see you today, but ¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°What did I just say? Oh, that¡¯s right. I told you it was 3:00 p.m. If you just woke up and planned to come to the palace today, does that mean you tried to come late at night? Oh! You¡¯re going to join my chamber, aren¡¯t you?¡±? ? ¡°No way.¡±? ? ¡°The rejection was so adamant that it hurt my heart.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. But, when are you going to let go of the door?¡±? ? ¡°Tamon, don¡¯t you know it¡¯s more suspicious if you¡¯re trying to hide like this?¡±? ? ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about¡­¡­..¡±? ? ¡°If you have nothing to hide, let go of this hand. I¡¯ll check it myself.¡±? ? ¡°Inside is a poor woman shuddering without her clothes on. Shouldn¡¯t a man protect his woman from shame?¡±? ? The king¡¯s brow furrowed at Tamon¡¯s straightforward answer.? ? Then he was immediately startled.? ? ¡°No,wait a minute¡­¡­ You hold women? Are you sure that¡¯s a woman in there?¡±? ? He sounded more suspicious than before.? ? ¡°I assumed you were naturally asexual¡­¡­?¡±? ? This time Tamon gasped at the king¡¯s words.? ? ¡°No way. I¡¯m more passionate and lustful than anyone else, but¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°But I¡¯ve never met anyone before. And moreover, did you not kick out the Queen of Foucault who ran naked from the battlefield into your barracks?¡±? ? ¡°Why should I embrace a crazy woman?¡±? ? ¡°But she was a very beautiful mad woman, wasn¡¯t she?¡±? ? The Queen of Foucault was a woman who had had twelve lovers just because of her beauty.? ? The partners varied, but she enjoyed a free-spirited love affair with lowborn, nobles, and princes of other countries. There was even a popular belief that a man who went under her skirt would never be able to get out again.? ? ¡°What does that matter?¡±? ? Such a woman made up her mind and attacked the hut of Tamon Krasis. She wore little clothes and did everything she could to tempt him, but he was not fazed.? ? The Queen of Foucault was so angry that she made a lot of noise about the Tamon being gay or asexual.? ? And the rumor spread quite convincingly.? ? Tamon didn¡¯t know that even the king of his country, whom he had known half his life, would agree with the rumor.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ No, on top of that, the Queen ran away in shame. So I even suspected that you and Ronasso might have that kind of relationship.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s face was distorted roughly as if he had chewed a stone. CH 32 ¡°I¡¯m going to pretend I didn¡¯t hear what you just said. I think I need to wash my ears now.¡±? ? ¡°Judging by your reaction, you¡¯re certainly not like the rumor said. Well, that¡¯s good¡­.¡±? ? The king let go of the door handle he was holding, as if he had given up.? ? He raised her hands in the air as if to say I¡¯ll do what you want, and then stepped back and said in a deflated voice.? ? ¡°I¡¯m the king, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the king in front of you, so it hurts my pride.¡±? ? ¡°No way, Your Majesty. You¡¯re more sincere than anyone else.¡±? ? ¡°No, it¡¯s not a tell-tale sign, so I¡¯ll say this: why don¡¯t you take this opportunity and join my chamber? I think the general and I would make a pretty good couple.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s a very good proposal, but I¡¯ll have to give you my sincere refusal.¡±? ? Theo and Tamon had been trained at the same academy since they were nine years old.? ? At that time, the royal family of Amor trained their princes and princesses in the academy along with the noble children until the heir to the throne was decided.? ? They were given new names, made them look like children of distant local nobles, and integrated deeply into the noble society.? ? Then, at the age of 13, they would reveal themselves as royalty.? ? Tamon, Ronasso, and Theo were close at that time.? ? At that time, Theo Lantifu was the king¡¯s fifth child.? ? He had only two more brothers under him, so a total of seven siblings.? ? Theo held the throne proudly among many successors.? ? The biggest achievement was sweeping away the Kashan Cloud Sea pirates, which he did together with Tamon and Ronasso, and retrieving the national treasure that was stolen by Tanatos.? ? He also stopped the Rohikan invasion as well as rescued the youngest prince who was kidnapped and taken away¡­¡­¡­..? ? For Theo, Tamon was his most reliable ally, but he was like a sword in his pocket that could stab him in the heart if handled incorrectly.? ? Now he acted like a lion with a path, but Theo knew that Tamon was not yet fully on his side.? ? Therefore, while Theo maintained a close relationship with Tamon, he was wary of him.? ? ¡°Think about it, Tamon, if you and I combine our forces, we can subdue the anti-King faction that is devouring me on the neck.¡±? ? The king said, putting his arm around Tamon¡¯s shoulder in a friendly manner.? ? Tamon closed the door softly and replied.? ? ¡°Isn¡¯t that only good for Your Majesty?¡±? ? ¡°If it¡¯s good for me, it¡¯s good for you too, right? It¡¯s a good thing if we combined.¡±? ? ¡°Don¡¯t try to restrain me, Your Majesty. If you keep doing that, won¡¯t I want to run away?¡±? ? Tamon smiled lazily and once again refused the king¡¯s blunt offer.? ? Theo put a hand on Tamon¡¯s shoulder and strove to win him over.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t run away and hold hands with me. Yes?¡±? ? He looked coarse, like a city clerk, not a king.? ? Tamon shook his head and gracefully removed Theo¡¯s hand from his shoulder and shook his hand.? ? ¡°We¡¯re already holding hands. Like this.¡±? ? ¡°No, I need a more secure alliance with you.¡±? ? ¡°As I said before, it is in the human mind to want to escape if you try to restrain them. Your Majesty.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­Oh, your mouth.¡±? ? The king clenched his fist with a grim expression. He wanted to hit Tamon with his fist right now.? ? The king¡¯s fist was clenched tightly.? ? Tamon laughed and let his guard down at the sight of him.? ? At that very moment, Theo made his move.? ? It happened in a flash.? ? Quickly slipping behind him, Theo flung open the closed door and the two guards who followed Theo blocked Tamon from entering.? ? ¡°Get out of my way!¡±? ? ¡°Now, let¡¯s find out what you¡¯re hiding so secretly, shall we?¡±? ? The king laughed loudly and quickly ran inside the room.? ? Although Tamon had the advantage in terms of strength, Theo was also a fine gladiator who had traversed the battlefield with Tamon.? ? In particular, Theo neatly subdued his opponent with his speedy and precise movements, and was in the process of demonstrating his abilities to the fullest.? ? He strode to the large bed in front of the window with swift and precise movements.? ? With both hands, Tamon grabbed the necks of the guards who were blocking him.? ? He threw them on the floor at once.? ? Theo¡¯s red face turned red with humiliation, but he had already expected this since the opponent was Tamon.? ? ¡°Let¡¯s see what kind of girl you tried to hide so badly.¡±? ? Theo lifted the blanket.? ? Fluttering under the open blanket, a woman looking up at him.? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? The king¡¯s eyes went wide.? ? The disordered, dazzling silver hair, the glittering purple eyes and delicate features¡­.? ? Theo thought the Queen of Foucault was beautiful.? ? She was a gorgeous woman and drooled over Tamon. Theo admired her as a truly strange and beautiful woman, but she was like faded brass compared to the woman in front of him now.? ? No, it was impossible to compare the Queen to this woman.? ? Theo was mesmerized and admired her without realizing it.? ? A fragile silhouette beneath a thin slip dress that hung narrowly.? ? The traces left by Tamon on her slender body, scars, and bruised limbs also added a strange atmosphere.? ? It was also strange that even though she was dressed like that, she didn¡¯t look vulgar or debaucherous at all.? ? It was even stranger that her purple eyes, staring straight at him, were amazingly beautiful.? ? ¡°¡­You¡¯ve crossed the line.¡±? ? Tamon, who was close by, stood between the two of them, protecting Roselyn. Theo, who couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the woman, finally saw Tamon then.? ? ¡°Dazzling silver hair, purple crystal eyes ¡­.¡±? ? Theo murmured absently. He stared at Tamon as if trying to read his expression, but his face did not waver in the slightest.? ? ¡°¡­¡­I think I¡¯ve heard about this appearance somewhere before.¡±? ? The king¡¯s eyes narrowed.? ? Theo had never seen the Empress of Tanatos in person before.? ? She rarely left her country, and Theo hated Tanatos so much that they never ran into each other.? ? But that didn¡¯t mean that he didn¡¯t know the existence of the Emperor and Empress of the Empire.? ? There were plenty of self-portraits available of the royal families of major countries, and Empress Tanatos was actually one of the most famous ones.? ? Theo also had a clear understanding of how Tanatos¡¯ political situation was going.? ? ¡°¡­¡­Is this the woman you brought from Tanatos?¡±? ? Theo asked back in a cold voice. Tamon replied, frowning at Theo¡¯s changed expression.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t know where you got the wrong information.¡±? ? His voice was unshakably nonchalant.? ? ¡°Have anyone seen what I¡¯ve brought from Tanatos?¡±? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? ¡°I have never shown it, so how in the world did you get that report?? ? I don¡¯t know who told you, but that person must be charged with reporting false information as if it were real.¡±? ? With his arms loosely crossed, his demeanor was regal as Tamon spoke his opinion properly.? ? The look in his eyes as he stared at the king was also firm. It was impossible for Theo to notice if he showed even the slightest hint of strangeness.? ? That arrogance, which seemed rather unpleasant than nonchalant, and as usual, confused Theo.? ? ¡°Fine. If you¡¯re so confident, tell me what you brought.¡±? ? Tamon sighed briefly at Theo¡¯s words.? ? He looked at the king with a look that said, ¡®Do I have to?¡¯? ? ¡°Say it quickly. It¡¯s the king¡¯s order.¡± Theo urged.? ? Tamon said with a short sigh, as if he had no choice.? ? ¡°The fur of a silver deer.¡±? ? ¡± What¡­.?¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s called the fur of the silver deer.¡±? ? Theo¡¯s eyes widened at his words.? ? ¡°Um, is it really the fur of the silver deer?¡±? ? Theo cheered when Tamon nodded.? ? It was the animal Theo had been looking for for a very long time.? ? Silver deers were famous for their magnificent antlers, but their skins were also very valuable.? ? In particular, the skin of the silver deer was the only leather that did not contain the toxicity of demon or beast blood.? ? Unfortunately, however, the silver deers were only found in the Winter Lands and were in danger of extinction due to overhunting.? ? Currently, they have almost disappeared in other winter countries, and there have been occasional stories of success in hunting only in Tanatos.? ? Most of the ones that were caught ended up in the Imperial treasury.? ? ¡°But why didn¡¯t you bring it to me sooner? You knew how desperately I was looking for it!¡±? ? ¡°Why did you think I would offer it to you, Your Majesty? I went through a lot of trouble to get it¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Tamon, you clever man! Tell me what you want!¡±? ? ¡°You want me to say it now, dressed like this?¡±? ? ¡°Haha! It¡¯s cool¡­But come on, your heart looks fine. Get dressed and get out of here. I need to reward you for the long trip. So, what do you want to eat or have?¡±? ? The king immediately changed his attitude and patted Tamon on the back.? ? Tamon got to his feet, as if he had no choice but to be swept away by the king¡¯s hand.? ? But at that moment, as they were walking out of the room, the king turned his head and looked at the woman who was sitting still on the bed.? ? ***? ? T/N : *I smell trouble. CH 33 ¡°No, then who is the woman?¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s the woman I bought at a special price from the slave market in Nyrux.¡±? ? ¡°What? You bought a woman? You?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, I had a hard time buying her. I paid four times more to get her.¡±? ? With that, Tamon laughed contentedly. He reached out boldly and lightly touched Roselyn¡¯s cheek as she was staring at them.? ? Tamon noticed Roseline¡¯s eyes had become fierce for a moment, but he could only laugh.? ? She was a quick witted woman, and he trusted that she should be able to understand his words appropriately.? ? ¡°Tamon Krasis bought a girl. Why all of a sudden?¡±? ? A man, who until yesterday Theo thought was asexual or gay, bought a female slave.? ? Theo couldn¡¯t believe it.? ? Above all, Tamon was a man who was always skeptical about slavery. So it was hard to believe he bought a slave for himself.? ? Belatedly, Tamon answered.? ? ¡°¡­because she looks like someone.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, yes.¡±? ? A sigh escaped the king¡¯s mouth.? ? Yes, the reason was convincing.? ? In fact, it was always Tamon who came into full conflict with Tanatos. It was an empire with the power of death, so Amor couldn¡¯t go to war recklessly, they had to continue establishing diplomatic relations.? ? The interests of many nations were intertwined, so Tamon, as the chief diplomat, always took the lead in clashing with them.? ? When asked to name the person who confronted him the most and annoyed him the most, the first person who would come up was the Empress of Tanatos, Roselyn V. Sunset.? ? An empress who did not follow the imperial family name.? ? She was wise, full of dignity, and strong.? ? However, it was very annoying and troublesome to keep such a person as an enemy. Theo knew very well that Tamon had gritted his teeth many times when he thought of her.? ? ¡°Oh, I see. Yes. Well, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m not convinced. She does look like her. So where are you from?¡±? ? Theo asked suddenly, turning to Roselyn. Roselyn was staring at the two when she suddenly looked scared and asked Tamon.? ? [¡­¡­ Who is this person? Will he kick me out? How am I supposed to answer?]? ? *[ ] speaking in another language*? ? It was a foreign language that Roselyn spoke fluently.? ? It was not the official language of Amor and Tanatos, but the language of Hirusha, which was very far away.? ? How did she pick Hirusha, of all places?? ? Tamon forced himself not to laugh at Roselyn¡¯s wit.? ? Hirusha was the hometown of Theo¡¯s mother, the former queen Galatea Roaman.? ? She married to Amor when she was very young, and Theo often heard stories about Hirusha from his mother.? ? Perhaps that was why Theo tended to be generous to the people of Hirusha.? ? Could it be that Roselyn had calculated this and spoke the language?? ? Tamon was once again impressed by Roselyn, but he couldn¡¯t help but wonder how far she knew.? ? Tamon looked deep into the purple eyes that were staring at him.? ? Did she know that her eyes were too proud and elegant to be a slave¡¯s¡­? ? It was not the eyes of one who served her master, but the eyes of one who made her master kneel at her feet.? ? Tamon grinned and said in a heavy voice.? ? [This man is the king of this land. You have nothing to fear, my silver fox. And he knows that you have no home.]? ? Theo, who was listening to their conversation, opened his eyes in surprise.? ? ¡°What? You¡¯re from Hirusha but were sold in Nyrux?¡±? ? ¡°She seems to be from there, yes. Her official language of Amor is not that good.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°Oh, why would a girl from Hirusha come to Nyrux¡­?¡±? ? Theo clicked his tongue and looked at Roselyn pitifully. Roselyn averted her gaze and made it look like she was scared.? ? ¡°Look at this poor girl, she has nobody. Her hands and feet are covered in scars. It seems she had gone through a great deal of trouble.¡±? ? ¡°Well¡­.her limbs don¡¯t seem to be the problem. I don¡¯t know how much she suffered, but look at her neck and shoulders, it¡¯s all red.¡±? ? Theo clicked his tongue at Tamon as he was unhappy with what Tamon did to the poor woman. Tamon made him acknowledge the important fact one more time.? ? ¡°I would like to remind you again who brought the silver deer¡¯s fur.¡±? ? ¡°The d*mn Tamon Krasis.¡±? ? Theo glared at Tamon with a nice but disapproving expression. He asked Roselyn in a voice softer than before.? ? [Where in Hirsha are you from?]? ? [¡­¡­ Raem. I¡¯m from Raem.]? ? [Raem? I¡¯m not sure where that is. It¡¯s not a city near the capital, is it?]? ? [It¡¯s a very small territory on the northeast side of Hirusha. We mainly herd sheep to eat¡­¡­¡­.]? ? [Ah, I see¡­]? ? Roselyn¡¯s accent was so perfect that even the locals couldn¡¯t distinguish it, so the king didn¡¯t have any doubt about her tone.? ? The term ¡°linguistic genius¡± was indeed not wrong.? ? ¡°Raem. Raem¡­ hmm.¡±? ? Theo, who was pensive for a while, suddenly asked very naturally.? ? ¡°What is your name, by the way?¡±? ? At that moment, Roselyn said in an unsure voice, biting her lower lip.? ? [I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m still not very good at the official language, so I didn¡¯t understand what you said. If you could ask me again, please ¡­.]? ? Tamon breathed a low sigh of relief.? ? The wise and wicked king tested Roselyn again. Of course, this woman wasn¡¯t easy to fall into Theo¡¯s cute trap.? ? Tamon was more surprised that she pretended to be foolish to deceive Theo, rather than easily identifying the trap he had sowed.? ? He¡¯d thought she wouldn¡¯t understand flexibility, but to be able to lie and look like that¡­? ? The slightly unsure voice was also something he couldn¡¯t imagine in her usual appearance.? ? Oh, the more he knew, the more amazing and interesting she was.? ? Theo casually asked again.? ? [What is your name?]? ? [Oh, my name is¡­¡­]? ? Roselyn hesitated for a moment.? ? Then, after staring at Tamon, she slowly opened her mouth to answer.? ? [My name is Aranrosia¡­..]? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? [I¡¯m Aranrosia.]? ? That name Tamon gave her began to flow out of her lips.? ? Oh.? ? This woman.? ? Now that she received the name as her own and became the ¡®sea¡¯.? ? Aranrosia.? ? It was an ancient language that Amor had forgotten¡­¡­? ? It was ¡°the most beautiful sea.¡±? ? ***? ? A storm passed by.? ? Roselyn collapsed, exhausted.? ? The body that Tamon had eaten all night was staggering like rusty armor, and the sudden appearance of the King of Amor seemed to make her feel faint.? ? ¡®I¡¯m tired.¡¯? ? The day passed by so fast.? ? Maybe it was because she hadn¡¯t slept much, and she felt lightheaded. In the midst of it all, the conversation with the king of Amor and Tamon kept running through her mind.? ? The most memorable of them all was¡­¡­.? ? ¡°I thought you were naturally asexual¡­¡­..?¡±? ? ¡­Asexual.? ? Roselyn¡¯s body, which was bullied all night, proved that it was not true. Not only Tamon wasn¡¯t asexual, but he was full of lust and passion.? ? A lustful pervert, a sexual deviant, a sexual predator. A monster¡­? ? The words that were used to describe the man last night came to her mind like a fountain.? ? How could such a man pretend to be asexual? Come to think of it, not a single line of information she gathered indicated that the man had ever been involved with a woman.? ? The incident where he insulted the Queen of Foucault and kicked her out was something Roselyn knew about.? ? The Queen of Foucault was an amazingly beautiful woman who made men feel lustful just by looking at her once. Roselyn couldn¡¯t believe Tamon refused such a woman.? ? The Tamon of last night and the Tamon in the story seemed to be two completely different men.? ? ¡®Yesterday happened might have been because of the mysterious power.¡¯? ? Certainly he was not normal last night. Therefore, there was a great possibility that Tamon in his normal state was asexual, as King Amor had said earlier.? ? So yesterday, it could have been some sort of accident.? ? Roseline, who thought so and tried to relax, turned pale.? ? Come to think of it, Tamon embraced her every night when he brought her to Amor. His actions did not stop until she awoke to his kisses and fainted.? ? Was it just a ¡°burst¡± from last night to this morning?? ? No, it seemed he really wasn¡¯t asexual like rumors said.? ? ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter to me¡­¡¯? ? The man looked so distressed last night that she had no choice but to help.? ? Whether she liked it or not, he saved her life.? ? She was not saved by her own will, but now she¡¯s alive¡­? ? As long as she made up her mind not to die anymore, the fact that he had saved her was an indelible fact.? ? She only gave herself once or twice in return for what she received.? ? Roselyn quickly brushed away the thoughts that disturbed her mind and thought of another story.? ? ¡­The silver deer. CH 34 This animal was on the verge of extinction.? ? In other countries, it almost disappeared, but it was only occasionally seen in parts of Tanatos.? ? But that¡¯s just the word of the public who didn¡¯t know the hidden story.? ? In fact, the previous emperor of Tanatos deliberately exterminated the other country¡¯s silver-horned deer.? ? Secretly, he sent hunters to periodically hunt them and kill them, or took them to Tanatos and raised them.? ? The silver deer were menacing animals, as big as bears and their beautiful antlers were sharper and harder than any blade.? ? Taming them was much harder than hunting them.? ? They never ate anything but the food they hunted themselves.? ? In a group, they would take turns sleeping and keeping vigil. If a cub was born during this time, the whole pack would work together to protect it.? ? The silver deer were solitary animals that would rather kill themselves than be tamed.? ? In order to ¡°breed¡± deer, the emperor deliberately put children in the deer herd.? ? Many children were killed by the highly guarded deer.? ? However, there were also some children who blended into the deer herd quite naturally.? ? They would hide their presence as if they were dead, deliberately stay away, and mix with the deer herd like stones for a long time, and eventually, the scent of the deer would be buried in the children.? ? From that moment on, the boundaries of the deer will collapse.? ? The deer will think that these children are culled from somewhere else, and protect them in their herd.? ? The children then begin to tame the deer while living in the herd.? ? Of course, they have to be careful because the deer may become alarmed again.? ? If they make a mistake in the process, they have to start all over again.? ? The children bridge the gap between the outside and the deer, exchanging what they need.? ? The deer produce better quality antlers, leather and meat with the good quality meat and nutrients brought by the children.? ? As the herd grew, the children would pretend to go hunting together and pull out the deer one by one.? ? Or they would bring in deer that had died of old age.? ? Thanatos called them ¡°La-Gorlesi,¡± or the children of the white deer, because he sent mainly lightly pigmented children in order to lower the boundary of the deer as much as possible.? ? The irony was that those children were now adults and no longer ¡°children,¡± but they were still ¡°La-Gorlesi.¡±? ? And there were only two La-Gorlesi who survived so far.? ? They were Mira and Lucentia.? ? The siblings, who had lived with the deer since they were seven years old, were anything but ordinary.? ? They understood and comprehended the language of the deer, and even communicated their own intentions. They had a strong attachment to the deer and did not want them to be sacrificed.? ? To be honest, the two of them were even closer to deer than to humans.? ? Roselyn was the only person that the siblings adored.? ? ¡°We will only listen to the Empress¡¯s words.¡±? ? ¡°So, Empress, please pity us. Think lightly of the deer. Protect us so that the merciless emperor cannot slaughter us.¡±? ? Roselyn sat up from her lying position and sat on the bed.? ? Then she looked out at the orange sea through the open window. Then she stared across the sea at Thanatos.? ? ¡®If I decide to live, I have to remind myself of the promise that is still valid.¡¯? ? ¡°Those children¡­must be protected.¡±? ? They were precious silver deer, and more precious than that, ¡°the children of the white deer,¡± so Gillotti would not be able to do anything recklessly.? ? However, since the deer were so delicate, there was a possibility that they would all kill themselves.? ? The same was true for Mira and Lucentia. If the need arose, their children would also commit suicide.? ? Before that, she wanted to free the deer, the children, from Tanatos¡¯ watchful eye.? ? There were only six months left until the next payment.? ? Gillotti wouldn¡¯t be in a good mood right now, so he wouldn¡¯t worry about the Ice Mountains just yet.? ? ¡®So what will I have to do within six months?¡¯? ? ¡®What can I do with this empty body?¡¯? ? ¡°What in the world is my silver fox thinking, sitting there in a daze not knowing that a person came in?¡±? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? Startled, Roselyn leaned back.? ? But Tamon stretched his hand out faster and grabbed her waist.? ? [You were worried you might get kicked out.]? ? He whispered in Hirusha language to her as he smiled.? ? It looked like he wanted to continue the ridiculous play Roselyn had just shown before the King of Amor.? ? Roselyn pushed his shoulders with her hands and said,? ? ¡°Stop it. I don¡¯t want to be your bedroom slave.¡±? ? ¡°Oh. Then how about being my bedroom lover? Isn¡¯t this a pretty quick rise in status?¡±? ? His lips passed over her cheeks and earlobes, tickling them.? ? The more she tried to push him away, the tighter held her in place.? ? It wasn¡¯t enough that he was treating her like a slave in the bedroom, he wanted to treat her like a lover.? ? Roselyn was appalled.? ? But she was also aware of their tightly closed bodies, and it felt strange.? ? With the heavy aftermath of last night still lingering in many parts of her body, her body instinctively tried to react.? ? Roselyn ignored the reactions of her body that had nothing to do with her will.? ? Maintaining her composure, she deliberately said in an even colder voice,? ? ¡°As I said yesterday, I hate you.¡±? ? ¡°But wasn¡¯t it pretty intense for someone you dislike? How can you mix your body so passionately with someone you hate?¡±? ? His breath tickled her neck as he spoke.? ? Tamon whispered again as he slowly made eye contact with her, keeping the close distance.? ? ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡±? ? This man was like a poisonous plant.? ? It looked fancy and smelled sweet, but it always upset her stomach when she ate it.? ? Even now, she couldn¡¯t guess the inside of this man who was quick to provoke, tease, and play tricks on her.? ? ¡®Is he trying to achieve a sense of superiority by making fun of me for annoying him so far?¡¯? ? Until this happened, there had been no emotional exchange between them.? ? So she could not trust him even more.? ? Betrayal is easy, trust is hard.? ? Even her husband, who lived with her for years, brutally betrayed her.? ? There was more to their marriage than just love, and yet he betrayed her with impunity. Gillotti was not the only one.? ? Her position was special, and all she had done was play politics with black-hearted people. Of course, there were those who thought the same as they seemed. People who were pure and innocent and followed as they were led¡­? ? But by all accounts, this man was not one of those people.? ? He was a man whom she did not know what he was really thinking, a man whom she should not let her guard down for even a moment.? ? That was what Roselyn thought of Tamon Krasis.? ? ¡°What in the world is it that you want?¡±? ? ¡°You asked me the same question the other day¡­ Was my reply not enough then?¡±? ? Roselyn narrowed her eyes at his answer.? ? What did he say to her at that time?? ? Yes, he said he wanted her all.? ? ¡°You want me¡­?¡±? ? ¡°You remember exactly.¡±? ? Tamon chuckled softly in admiration. Roselyn lowered her gaze, which was fixed on him.? ? There was something odd about this.? ? How could he even trick the king of his own country simply because he wanted her?? ? Why on earth would he want her?? ? Was it because of her ability as an empress? Because of the knowledge she possessed? Or because he wants to know the secrets of Tanatos?? ? But the way he spoke as if he didn¡¯t want Tanatos.? ? ¡®¡­Is it real?¡¯? ? Doubts coursed through her mind.? ? Above all, Tamon was a politician like her.? ? No matter how mysterious he saved her and deceived the king to hide her¡­¡­¡­ not yet, she couldn¡¯t fully trust him.? ? ¡°What are you thinking?¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°¡­¡­ your ulterior motive.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°I think my motive is transparent.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°It seems that the meaning of the word transparent changed while I fainted.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Roselyn replied in an indifferent voice.? ? Tamon burst into laughter, as if he was enjoying what he was hearing.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t try to doubt me. For I have no desire to play any games with you.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°How can I believe that?¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°Believe it or not, you have freedom. But you should know one thing. You¡¯ve already come into my possession, and no matter how suspicious you are of me and push me away¡­¡­..¡± (Tamon)? ? Under his low whispered voice, deep and dark emotions were intertwined.? ? ¡°You¡¯ll never be able to get away from me.¡± CH 35 Roselyn didn¡¯t know what kind of emotions he was showing.? ? It was an emotion that had a distinctly different temperature and viscosity than what she knew.? ? She raised her eyes to meet his red ones.? ? She could see the lust that filled his red eyes. He wanted her all over again.? ? How could she look at a man like this and not have desire ¡­¡­¡­.?? ? It was unbelievable.? ? Because, at least as far as she knew, Tamon was lustful if he saw her.? ? Roselyn was curious.? ? Gillotti told her that she has a body colder than ice.? ? He said an iron doll would be warmer than she was.? ? Gillotti made a lot of fun of her, saying that she would not be able to bear a child with such a body.? ? He even spoke of it in front of the nobility, causing her loving father, the Duke of Sunset, to stand up and knock down the table.? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t know how to treat Gillotti.? ? When she tried to be nice to him, he resented her for her hypocrisy, and when she pretended not to know him, he came and violated her when she ignored him.? ? Gillotti visited her almost every week, without fail, and taunted her.? ? Since she couldn¡¯t prevent him using any of these methods, she had to leave him alone to make noise. After some point, she couldn¡¯t help but think that she really was that stiff person, just like he said.? ? Then Natasha Roanti, who appeared just in time, made Gillotti¡¯s mockery about Roselyn¡¯s body even more solid.? ? Compared to Natasha, who was like the sunshine of spring, Roselyn really felt like she was an ice doll.? ? However, that wasn¡¯t a bad thing.? ? Her goal was to accomplish the work she was given in a respectable manner without wavering, so she thought that maybe that hard figure was close to her goal.? ? ¡®But why is he looking at me like that?¡¯? ? ¡®Is it because of his red eyes?¡¯? ? The image of herself in his eyes looked alive, raw and hot.? ? He looked at her as if he were looking at something interesting. With those red eyes shining brilliantly.? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? Roselyn reached out her slender hand and carefully swept Tamon¡¯s eyes.? ? He looked confident and arrogant, and she could feel flinched.? ? A strange sense of satisfaction tickled her stomach.? ? In his red eyes, she didn¡¯t see the golden crack like last night.? ? ¡°What happened yesterday¡­..Are you going to have it again?¡±? ? ¡°Probably.¡±? ? ¡°What is the cause?? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? Tamon was quiet for the first time when she asked.? ? Roselyn knew why he didn¡¯t answer.? ? ¡°¡­Is it because of that weird ability you have?¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Maybe.¡±? ? ¡°So, you have a lot of power and you saved me with it?¡±? ? A different look came into Tamon¡¯s eyes.? ? He stared at her as if her clarity was so endearing that she could analogize the reason without difficulty.? ? ¡°Half right, half wrong.¡±? ? ¡°What is right and what is wrong?¡±? ? ¡°Well, first of all, the reason my power went out of control was because I put it into an unmarked opponent. I¡¯m not certain of that either. I also don¡¯t know exactly what my power is yet. That¡¯s why half of it is right and half of it is wrong.¡±? ? ¡°Isn¡¯t your power divine power? I¡¯ve never heard of this method of releasing it by mixing bodies before.¡±? ? ¡°Well, everything is different. Before I had this power, I didn¡¯t even know that such an ability existed.¡±? ? ¡°What did the power look like?¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s a blood disease.¡±? ? ¡°Ah, yes.¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s eyes widened momentarily.? ? She¡¯d heard that Tamon Krasis was sick before, and so it was this disease.? ? There was very little known about it, but she did know to the extent that there was a blood disease that had been passed down for generations in the Krasis family, and those who contracted it rarely survived.? ? The only person who had survived it was the very person in front of her now, Tamon.? ? ¡°This disease ¡­..It isn¡¯t a disease, is it?¡±? ? ¡°I like that you understand quickly.¡±? ? Tamon chuckled and patted Roselyn¡¯s little chin.? ? ¡°So if you mixed your body with a marked opponent, you won¡¯t have power overload like yesterday?¡±? ? ¡°That too, maybe¡­ but there¡¯s no way to be sure. I don¡¯t have a record of it, so I have to face it myself.¡±? ? ¡°Ah.¡±? ? Then the mixing body was an unknown method for now.? ? ¡°But¡­ but if you don¡¯t release it, you will always be out of control?¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯ve never used it with this much power before, but ¡­¡­. From now on, I¡¯ll have to release it or it¡¯ll be in trouble.¡±? ? ¡°How do you know that?¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­ I just feel it. I can tell.¡±? ? Tamon rubbed his heart.? ? Roselyn knew something had changed. A greater power had come into her body. She also had a feeling that her fate would depend on how she handled this.? ? ¡°Then why don¡¯t you just release it into someone quickly.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡±? ? At Tamon¡¯s words, Roselyn gave him a curious look. Somehow, she felt his eyes were smiling.? ? ¡°As you may have noticed, my life force is primarily made up of ¡®fluids¡¯ and ¡®contact¡¯. This means that I have to constantly do it.¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s face hardened.? ? She remembered last night when he ate her up and gave her life force.? ? ¡°Your power resembles you. Shameless.¡±? ? ¡°Well, there is a way to treat it without having to mix bodies, but¡­ you can¡¯t do that every time, right?¡±? ? She felt his body heating up. Roselyn looked at him in a panic.? ? ¡°What¡­¡­?¡±? ? ¡°See, I have such energy, such healthy desire. But I can¡¯t even get into a relationship because of my power.¡±? ? Ah!? ? It was only then that Roselyn understood why the rumors said Tamon was asexual or gay.? ? The moment he mixed bodies, his power would pour into the other person.? ? Then it was only natural that he couldn¡¯t have a relationship with them recklessly.? ? ¡°There¡¯s a risk that my power might be exposed here and there if I¡¯m not careful, and mixing my body with unmarked opponents only gives them strength unilaterally, so it¡¯s too much for me, too. If I did that, my power would go out of control again.¡±? ? It was a lie.? ? Tamon was very nonchalantly lying, but only his expression was more frank than ever.? ? Actually, just mixing bodies does drain his power.? ? Even though he wasn¡¯t used to this power, it didn¡¯t mean that he couldn¡¯t control the extent of it.? ? However, if he didn¡¯t say so much, Roselyn would never take his bait.? ? So he was willing to lie to her.? ? In his mind, he made up an excuse, ¡°This much lying is cute,¡± and gave her a sincere expression.? ? ¡°So my choices are limited.¡±? ? He rubbed at his heart again, wrinkling one eyebrow in a showy manner.? ? Her purple eyes stared at him.? ? The look was a mixture of suspicion and concern. Tamon couldn¡¯t help but smile a little.? ? ¡®Look at this.¡¯? ? This woman was born incapable of evil.? ? She said she hated him so much, but look how she assimilated his words.? ? He saw things in her eyes that he couldn¡¯t see when he looked at her from a distance.? ? It was a variety of emotions, wavering eyes, and passionate reactions that were hidden beneath the blank expression.? ? ¡®You can¡¯t let your guard down on me already.¡¯? ? He tried to make a decent expression.? ? Of course, his body, which was touching her skin, had been showing an ungodly temper for some time.? ? ¡°We did all night last night, so maybe I¡¯ll be fine for a while.¡±? ? ¡°And after a while?¡±? ? ¡°I don¡¯t know, either. Will the situation like yesterday happen again, or will it remain quiet¡­ ¡­I guess we¡¯ll just have to wait and see.¡±? ? Roselyn became serious at his words.? ? Of course, he didn¡¯t make her do it, but still, Roselyn hated to force herself on someone else.? ? There was a corner of her mind where she still felt guilty that the deaths of her family, her best friend, and the nobles who followed her were because of her.? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t want to put anyone else in it.? ? Especially Tamon Krasis, she was even more reluctant.? ? ¡°It¡¯s funny.¡±? ? Tamon laughed, his face twisting slightly. His voice went lower.? ? ¡°Are you feeling guilty about what you did?¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°I thought you hated me so much you wanted to kill me. But you didn¡¯t yell at me that you didn¡¯t want to.¡±? ? Roselyn frowned and glared at him.? ? Tamon smirked, his eyes narrowed.? ? ¡°You¡¯re too weak for someone you don¡¯t like. We seem to get along better than I thought, what do you think? ¡±? ? ¡°Please, shut your mouth.¡±? ? Roselyn let out a small scream, her face red with embarrassment.? ? With an exasperated groan, she pushed his shoulders out with her fists, but Tamon didn¡¯t move an inch.? ? The weight that was pressing down on her was only increased.? ? ¡°You¡¯re a beast.¡±? ? ¡°And you moaned when you had that beast inside you.¡±? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? Every word he said provoked her shame.? ? It was impossible for her to listen to him.? ? She gave up trying to get rid of him and covered his mouth with her hands.? ? Tamon chuckled and grabbed Roselyn¡¯s hand that was covering his mouth. Then he began to lick her palms, tasting it.? ? ¡°What, what are you doing?¡±? ? Roselyn tried to pull her hand away in frustration, but it was too late.? ? He rubbed her palms with his thick lips and licked them with the tip of his tongue.? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? Her stimulated palms tickled like crazy. She was out of breath even though Tamon hadn¡¯t done anything.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t be weak, Roselyn. No¡­¡­ Aranrosia.¡±? ? Tamon whispered. CH 36 ¡°You may do so in my presence, but you must not do so elsewhere.¡±? ? ¡°¡­What?¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s lips gently grazed her cheek. His large, firm hand wrapped the back of Roselyn¡¯s head.? ? His voice was serious and calm, unlike the voice that had teased her earlier.? ? ¡°I never want to see you crumble again.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? The man¡¯s thick, sensual lips came to rest on her cheek, then moved against her lips.? ? ¡°So hang in there. Don¡¯t hold back your anger. It¡¯s okay to get angry and swear. You can do that.¡±? ? It was very unfamiliar to receive a slow kiss.? ? Perhaps it was because Roselyn wasn¡¯t used to it, and her body froze more.? ? Her heart swelled little by little as she forgot to breathe.? ? Tamon did not do anything except whisper and kiss, but Roselyn felt as if something had hit her on the head.? ? This man was a poisonous plant.? ? It smelled sweet, and its lushness bewitched her.? ? But what would happen if she swallowed it?? ? Roselyn stared blankly into Tamon¡¯s eyes.? ? His flame-red eyes blazed brightly. Hot and fervent as if to burn her all right away.? ? As she gazed at him, exhaling slowly and shallowly, Tamon moved.? ? He came closer, soft and slithery like a snake, and entwined his lips with hers.? ? Their breaths intertwined and her lips opened.? ? His tongue slowly occupied the inside of her mouth, as if expanding its territory little by little.? ? Roselyn stepped back just as he approached, licking and sweeping her with soft movements, as if she herself was not a threat.? ? ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ What?¡±? ? ¡°Whatever it is.¡±? ? A muffled voice broke into her earl? ? ¡°You¡¯re not to blame.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Don¡¯t.¡±? ? Tamon told her not to be weak.? ? But did he know that he was making her weak?? ? After all, Tamon was difficult to deal with.? ? He was complicated and annoying.? ? Roselyn closed her eyes.? ? As he had said, she didn¡¯t want to be weak anymore.? ? So she closed her eyes and put up with it, her face distorted.? ? ¡°It was my will that released the power to keep you alive. It was my choice. So this pain you are experiencing now is merely my responsibility for my choice.¡±? ? ¡°¡­Yes, you¡¯re right, you tried to keep me alive. But I have never asked for your help.¡±? ? Tamon laughed. The low voice dissipated with a suitable echo.? ? ¡°That¡¯s right. But, why do you look so sorry?¡±? ? ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±? ? ¡°No, look at me.¡±? ? He lifted her chin.? ? When she stubbornly closed her eyes, his lips once again held her lips.? ? She frowned and opened her eyes nervously with a tingling sensation.? ? She bit her lip tightly and he laughed.? ? ¡°Look, you do feel slightly responsible. You feel responsible for my outbursts. Even though it just happened by itself.¡±? ? ¡°I said it wasn¡¯t.¡±? ? ¡°Well, okay. If you feel a tinge of burden and responsibility for me, I¡¯m good. Because in return for that sense of burden, you¡¯ll be helping me.¡±? ? He sounded like a clever man.? ? Roselyn gave him a desperate glare.? ? He didn¡¯t care for the irritated look in her eyes and brushed his lips over hers.? ? ¡°Aren¡¯t I a generous master? I¡¯m giving you a choice. Help me.¡±? ? ¡°Who¡¯s the master of whom? Don¡¯t be arrogant about something I¡¯ve never given.¡±? ? ¡°Why are you sad now? You were thrown away. It¡¯s me who saved you. It¡¯s me who¡¯s saying it¡¯s okay, and I¡¯m hugging you and kissing you.¡±? ? It was a man whose tongue was poisonous.? ? Roselyn was dumbfounded and didn¡¯t reply.? ? He was a man who laughed so much.? ? He smiled again, obliquely, and while she was off guard, he spoke again.? ? ¡°Be with me, Aranrosia.¡±? ? He selfishly called her Aranrosia.? ? ¡°¡­¡­Why would I?¡±? ? ¡°If you stay with me, my power will stabilize, and you can have the same strength as me.¡±? ? ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±? ? ¡°You won¡¯t die easily. If you don¡¯t like that, yes¡­¡­ What can I give you? I¡¯ll listen to what you want.¡±? ? ¡°Nothing. Nothing.¡±? ? ¡°Gold and silver treasure? You¡¯ve probably seen enough of this stuff. Then¡­¡­.¡±? ? His lips rubbed endlessly over her cheeks and chin.? ? Roselyn frowned, and no matter how much she pushed him away, it was useless.? ? What about a beast that will remain loyal to you forever?¡±? ? ¡°You seem to know that you yourself are a beast.¡±? ? Tamon didn¡¯t seem to mind her sarcasm.? ? What a strange man he was.? ? Is he a lunatic?? ? She looked at him with more sober eyes, but her expression seemed to pose no threat to him.? ? ¡°I swear, I¡¯ll never betray you.¡±? ? ¡°A man¡¯s heart is secretive, and you will betray me if need be.¡±? ? ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡±? ? ¡°You are very confident.¡±? ? ¡°You are, too.¡±? ? ¡°¡­ You¡¯re not me.¡±? ? ¡°Lie, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s always been at the top. It¡¯s a place where you have to use your confidence.¡±? ? Roselyn realized something new. It wasn¡¯t easy to beat this man with words.? ? Yes, what¡¯s the point of beating him now?? ? She took a step back.? ? Roselyn said in a slightly softer voice.? ? ¡°You know, your heart is now more of an impulse¡­¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s eyes changed a little more intensely.? ? He placed his forehead against hers and lowered his voice.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t take the liberty of sticking a measuring stick into my heart. Did you judge all your men who swore allegiance to you with such eyes? They always betray you? But, why do you forgive those who betray you and why do you feel guilty about their deaths?¡±? ? It was a sharp rebuttal.? ? But that didn¡¯t change the idea that his heart was an impulse.? ? The distrust was also not easily lifted. No, she wasn¡¯t obligated to trust him in the first place.? ? After staring at her for a while without replying, Tamon sighed and stood up.? ? ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer right now. Tell me whenever you change your mind. I hope it¡¯s before my outburst comes back.¡±? ? (*His outburst is his sickness which his power overload and needs to be released by mixing bodies (have s*x) with her.)? ? Tamon held out his hand to her, ignoring his swollen manhood.? ? ¡°It¡¯s time to eat. Let¡¯s go get something to eat.¡±? ? Roselyn stared at the large hand in front of her.? ? The large, scarred hand didn¡¯t even move as if it was guarding the spot until she grabbed it.? ? Roselyn ignored the hand and stood up.? ? Tamon grabbed her hand as she tried to walk past.? ? Holding her stiff white hand, Tamon said pleadingly in a soft tone.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t leave me like that. I¡¯ll be hurt.¡±? ? Every word he said sounded like a joke. Why does he laugh when he only sees her?? ? It was hard not to trust someone who faced her with laughter.? ? The warmth bound in his cold fingers was unfamiliar.? ? **? ? *[ ] speaking in another language*? ? [Move quickly! If we get caught, they¡¯ll confiscate everything!]? ? [Be quiet! Don¡¯t you know that security is circling right now?]? ? [I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you to hurry. Come on!]? ? The noisy voices woke up Arsene. He could barely open his eyes due to his headache. However, just because he was awake didn¡¯t mean that he could see.? ? Everything around him was black. Arsen raised his heavy body and traced his surroundings.? ? ¡®A cage¡­?¡¯? ? He couldn¡¯t see clearly, but he was trapped in a narrow cage. A black cloth covered it.? ? [We¡¯ll leave when you¡¯re finished loading everything.]? ? [ I finally got rid of them. We need to leave right now!]? ? What the hell is this noise?? ? He could hear them talking, but it was in a language Arsene could not understand. It wasn¡¯t an official Tanatos language. It was a language used by the Nyruxians. (*Nyrux is a place where Tamon told Theo that he bought Roselyn.)? ? No way¡­? ? At that moment, Arsene¡¯s face grew even paler.? ? Slavery was still existed in Tanatos.? ? Since even the previous emperor had developed numerous businesses through slaves, the current emperor also thought that slavery was a natural thing.? ? The nobles also had no reason to oppose it, since they got to live a convenient life while using humans like dogs and pigs.? ? The problem was the Empress.? ? She insisted that if she could not abolish slavery, she would at least have to improve the current system.? ? And she declared that slaves by fair trade and abduction would not be allowed, and that slaves without permission could become free people at any time.? ? She also enacted a law that if slaves died from unreasonable orders or harsh punishments, they had to be compensated.? ? The Empress and Emperor factions fought over this for a long time.? ? In the midst of this, the Empress won the exclusive right to trade red cocoons in Amor.? ? She handed over the trading rights to some of the imperialists on unbeatable terms, further empowering the Empress to have her say.? ? After a long confrontation, it ended in victory for the Empress, but that was only 2~3 years ago.? ? There was a time lag between the enactment and enforcement of the law. The system was much improved in the areas controlled by the imperial family, but not in the provinces where they could not see.? ? Looting, kidnapping, and illegal trade were still prevalent. And if the area was within the Emperor¡¯s sphere of influence, there was even less need to be concerned.? ? ¡®Is Louvre the emperor¡¯s territory?¡¯? ? If that was the case, there was no way the Empress would have told Arsene to go to Louvre. Something was wrong.? ? Arsene listened more closely to the sounds coming from outside, shaking with the anxiety that was coming over him.? ? It was that moment. He felt the floor shake and heard the sound of splashing water.? ? ¡®Ship¡­.?¡¯? ? This was definitely a ship. Arsene was now being loaded onto the ship.? ? ¡®Human trafficking ¡­¡­!¡¯ CH 37 Pale, Arsene hurriedly raised his voice and shook the bars.? ? ¡°Hey, hey! Let me out! Let me out! This is kidnapping! You filthy criminal b*st*rds!¡±? ? Clatter! Clatter!? ? [What, where is that sound coming from? Sifal! Keep them quiet!]? ? [What are you doing while the guards are still around! Do you want us all to get caught?]? ? Heavy footsteps were heard along with cussing.? ? Arsen fought against the bars, waving his hands in the air.? ? ¡°Human trafficking! Abduction! Let me go, you criminals! Let me go!¡±? ? [Here it is!]? ? [Be quiet, you punk!]? ? One of the men hit the bars with something.? ? The cage where Arsene was imprisoned rattled and shook menacingly.? ? Another man reprimanded the man who hit the bars.? ? [Hey, hey! You¡¯re making more noise! I told you to be quiet, but why are you making a louder noise?]? ? [Ha! That¡¯s right. Sorry]? ? Arsen, who was listening to their conversation, pleaded again.? ? ¡°Hey, hey! Hey, let me go! I have to go out! Please¡­!¡±? ? [Hey, you, you¡¯re being very loud.]? ? [Hey, you, be quiet. Do you want to drown in the ocean while you¡¯re trapped? Eh?]? ? The voice coming from outside became more shrill.? ? Arsene couldn¡¯t understand what they were saying, but he could tell that the situation was getting worse.? ? However, that didn¡¯t mean that I wanted to give up.? ? He had to get out somehow before the ship completely sailed away.? ? ¡°Please, let me go! I belong to the Imperial Academy! I have the support of the Imperial Family¡­¡­¡­¡­..!¡±? ? I deliberately mentioned the Imperial Family, but it was useless.? ? They said a few more words in their language, and then covered the black cloth over the cage again.? ? Then they threw something into it.? ? ¡°Ugh!? ? In no time at all, smoke filled the cage.? ? As soon as Arsene smelled the smoke, he immediately felt dizzy.? ? [Is that too strong? It can make him dumb.]? ? [What would a slave do if he¡¯s smart? That could be better for him]? ? [Yeah, that¡¯s true, too! Anyway, you¡¯re pretty smart.]? ? [Right? Hahahaha!]? ? The men started laughing as if it was amusing. Arsene gritted his teeth, but he had no energy to even get angry.? ? His whole body weakened.? ? ¡°No¡­¡­¡±? ? Arsene collapsed. His eyelids slowly closed.? ? He wasn¡¯t sleepy, but he couldn¡¯t muster any strength.? ? The Empress¡¯s bracelet on his wrist was caught in his fluttering, slowly closing eyes.? ? ¡°¡­what¡­? ¡­.light¡­¡±? ? Before he could wonder, Arsene¡¯s eyes closed completely.? ? ****? ? Nothing happened for a few days to the point of wonder.? ? Roselyn felt unfamiliar with those lazy days.? ? Of course, Tamon wouldn¡¯t let her go at night.? ? But there was nothing lewd or promiscuous about the act.? ? He just fell asleep holding her tightly with his thick arms.? ? Roselyn would push him away and fall asleep, limp and tired.? ? When she woke up in the morning, he was gone.? ? Instead, Asrell and the twins came in to take care of her, and they took her soul completely.? ? The twins, Louie, claimed to be good with her hands, and rubbed Roselyn¡¯s limbs diligently.? ? She was very good at applying special oil and rubbing with appropriate force.? ? Tasha was a good talker and chatted constantly, but her tone wasn¡¯t particularly loud and she was witty, she knew when to talk and when to stop.? ? Maybe that¡¯s why Roselyn didn¡¯t mind listening to Tasha at all, in fact it was enjoyable.? ? Particularly interesting was the story of Tasha and Louie writing a novel.? ? Amor people, even the lower classes, were educated in writing, and it was true.? ? It was a wonder they could just read and write, but to write a novel?? ? Roselyn listened to the girls, inwardly marveling at their stories.? ? Then Roselyn almost spit out the tea she was drinking when she heard their novel was about a silver-haired beauty captured as a prisoner from another country and the red-eyed Tamon, the great General of a desert country¡­.? ? ¡°It¡¯s a romantic story between a Princess from the winter land and a man from a fiery desert. The obsessive general won¡¯t leave the Princess alone for even a moment, and the Princess begins to drown in the General¡¯s love¡­.I¡¯ve written about half of it, and the response from the printers has been very positive.¡±? ? The twins confessed that they used Roselyn¡¯s appearance for the female protagonist in the novel.? ? Roselyn said nothing to Tasha, who was overly excited.? ? They said they had to write the Princess to be the most beautiful woman and all they could think of was Roselyn.? ? ¡°¡­Um, where is that place? Oh, the Empress of Tanatos has silver hair and purple eyes too. She¡¯s rumored to be very beautiful. She¡¯s a role model for many people.¡±? ? ¡°¡­Of course, but in our opinion, Lady Aranrosia is much more beautiful than that person!¡±? ? Roselyn just smiled silently.? ? It was rather a gain for her if the twins¡¯ romance novel became popular and was read everywhere.? ? Roselyn¡¯s silver hair and purple eyes were not a common occurrence.? ? However, with such widespread depiction in novels, people would unconsciously get used to the silver hair and purple eyes.? ? Because then, there would be fewer people who would think of her as the Empress of Tanatos.? ? ¡°Thank you very much. It looks really interesting. Can you show it to me later when you finish it?¡±? ? ¡°Of course!¡±? ? The twins nodded so strongly that she thought their heads would just fall off.? ? They even hugged each other happily and let out voiceless screams.? ? ¡°Oh, please stop. That kind of romance novel is very dirty, My Lady.¡±? ? Asrell stopped Tasha with a wave of her hand. Not to be outdone by Asrell¡¯s crumbled face, the twins answered.? ? ¡°Physical relations are essential to the love between a man and a woman, Asrell! You have three children. Don¡¯t you know that? Having three babies means¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Stop it! What does that have to do with me having children¡­.?¡±? ? ¡°Asrell, your face is so red!¡±? ? ¡°Your face is on fire. What were you thinking about?¡±? ? Asrell¡¯s innocent face turned red as if it was on fire.? ? Roselyn, who was watching her, also blushed and turned her gaze to the book she was struggling to hold. In this way, she ate breakfast, listened to stories, and looked at the ocean, and before she knew it, the day had passed.? ? Before midnight, Roselyn fell asleep. Then at some point, she felt the seat next to her was filling up.? ? ¡°I want to sleep.¡±? ? ¡°Your eyes say you want to see me. I don¡¯t have to sleep¡­¡­. Let¡¯s talk some more, shall we?¡±? ? Then a hand gently plunged into her waist, and Roselyn was startled to hear a quiet laugh as she squeezed her eyes shut.? ? Then a moment later Tamon gently patted her back.? ? To deny that his touch was affectionate, Roselyn closed her eyes and tried to sleep.? ? Many peaceful Amor nights passed like this.? ? ***? ? ¡°Why don¡¯t you go out a little today? You¡¯ll be tired of staying inside too much.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, My Lady. It¡¯s a beautiful day. Why don¡¯t you go for a walk? You haven¡¯t been out yet.? ? As soon as the twins put away the lunch, they suggested going for a walk.? ? At their suggestion, Roselyn finally remembered that she hadn¡¯t left the mansion since she had been here.? ? The place Roselyn was staying was on the top floor of an annex with a good view of the ocean.? ? The annex was three stories high, but it was built on a hill with an ocean view.? ? Roselyn had the entire floor to herself.? ? There were several rooms, but her place was the main bedroom.? ? The rest of the annex had a library, reception rooms, and bathrooms.? ? They were guarded by guards. There were three in front of Roselyn¡¯s main sleeping quarters, and two each in the middle hallway and in front of the stairs.? ? There would probably be a few more at the bottom of the stairs as well.? ? Roselyn naturally assumed they were there to keep an eye on her.? ? Or a means to lock her up.? ? ¡®¡­Can I go out?¡¯? ? So she didn¡¯t think it was okay to go out.? ? No, actually, she had never even tried.? ? But judging by the reactions of the twins and Asrell, it didn¡¯t look like she was trapped.? ? ¡°Will that be alright?¡± CH 38 After looking out the window for a while, Roselyn got up from her seat.? ? The clothes she was wearing were too thin and flimsy, so after putting on her jacket, she slowly walked down the hallway to the stairs. Because of the bandage on her ankle from the injury the other day, Tasha held her arm to support her.? ? ¡°I¡¯m fine, I can walk with a little limp.¡±? ? ¡°But stairs can be dangerous. I¡¯m nervous watching.¡±? ? Not wanting to fight about this, Roselyn let Tasha help her.? ? Then, she turned around and saw the three guards who were guarding the front of her room following her.? ? ¡®There are three guards in the mansion¡­¡­¡¯? ? Roselyn looked dumbfounded, but still wasted no time in trying to leave, so she moved forward.? ? But oddly enough, it sounded like there were a few more footsteps following her.? ? When she turned around again, she saw that there were seven guards¡­? ? And there were the twins and Asrell¡­¡­¡­? ? She didn¡¯t have that many guards when she was Empress.? ? Roselyn looked back at the ten people following her, sighed, and turned back again.? ? ¡°I think I¡¯d better stay in my room.¡±? ? ¡°Huh? Why? It¡¯s nice and warm with the breeze outside¡­¡­..?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, it is. I¡¯ve also prepared a cart!¡±? ? What is a cart?? ? It seemed like something that was ridden by a lazy nobleman. It was something like a rickshaw pulled by a man¡­ As expected, it¡¯s better not to go out,? ? The twins¡¯ reaction gave her the feeling that there were probably more people waiting downstairs.? ? Who would assign this many guards for a bedroom slave? And for a slave to ride a cart for a mere walk¡­.? ? Even if it was in Tamon¡¯s mansion, the words would leak out among the servants.? ? It was bound to raise interest in her, not to mention lower his prestige.? ? Roselyn felt burdened by it.? ? Up until now, she had only wanted to be known as a little pretty foreign slave, who could be cut loose at any moment.? ? At first glance, she even resembled the dead Empress of Tanatos.? ? Roselyn sighed and walked up the stairs again.? ? That¡¯s when it happened.? ? ¡°Why aren¡¯t you coming down?¡±? ? Suddenly a familiar low tone stopped her.? ? At that moment, the air changed.? ? The knights who had been following her knelt in unison and gave a modest bow.? ? Asrell and the twins, who had been snuggled up close to Roselyn, also took two steps backward to show their respect.? ? ¡°Aren¡¯t you going for a walk?¡±? ? The sound of thumping footsteps approached.? ? She could tell who he was without looking back.? ? Roselyn slowly turned around and looked at Tamon.? ? It felt like it had been a very long time since she saw him under the sun.? ? Perhaps that was why her lips became dry at the sight of him in the sunshine¡­.? ? Yes, it was probably just the tension she felt again after so long.? ? [¡­There are too many people following me¡­]? ? Roselyn used Hirusha language deliberately, aware of the guards behind her.? ? Tamon smiled curiously at Roselyn¡¯s Hirusha accent.? ? [There are only ten of them.]? ? [Even in Tanatos, there weren¡¯t many people following me like this.]? ? [Lie. There were more than five maidens followed you there.]? ? [There were only three guards. And most importantly, I were an Empress back then, but not now.]? ? Tamon¡¯s eyes bent beautifully at her words.? ? His red eyes glowed smoothly.? ? He reached out and stroked the tips of Roselyn¡¯s hair under the sunlight.? ? A satisfied voice was flowing out lazily.? ? [Yes, you¡¯re not Empress of Tanatos now, you¡¯re Aranrosia of Amor. My beautiful bedroom slave.]? ? Roselyn scowled at him, her eyes narrowed.? ? She didn¡¯t like his words, which he deliberately passed on knowing that she hated it.? ? [I think I need to see if there¡¯s a chance to die again. I¡¯d rather die than live as your bedroom slave.]? ? [You are very clever. You must have realized that the word ¡°die¡± is a threat to me. So the humble Tamon must bow to the noble slave.]? ? Tamon bowed curtly and kissed Roselyn¡¯s stiffened lips quickly.? ? Roselyn was startled and quickly pushed him away.? ? She was just amazed at how someone could kiss in places with people in broad daylight.? ? [What kind of lewdness is this? In a place where everyone sees it¡­]? ? [So it¡¯s okay to do more where there¡¯s no people? I don¡¯t mind, but¡­]? ? ¡­ Ah, isn¡¯t this man really crazy?? ? It seemed that the disease of his bloodline made him this lewd.? ? Roselyn glared at him with an absurd face and took a step back.? ? It was better to run away than to deal with a madman.? ? Tamon, who was staring at Roselyn, reached out and snatched her wrist just before she turned around.? ? [I¡¯ll stop joking, so don¡¯t run away. As I said then.¡±]? ? Tamon said in a serious voice, placing his hand near his heart in Roselyn¡¯s suspicious eyes.? ? [I¡¯ll get hurt.]? ? Roselyn was almost fooled by how serious his handsome face was.? ? But it wasn¡¯t enough to kill Roselyn, who was tired of looking at his beautiful appearance.? ? Roselyn, who was still looking at him suspiciously, suddenly felt the gaze of the fierce melodramatic novelists behind her, who were watching the two of them with sparkling eyes.? ? Fearing that she would read about this very moment in their novel, Roselyn sighed and reluctantly replied,? ? [I understand. Now, let go of my wrist¡­.]? ? Tamon stared at her slender wrist he was holding onto.? ? He let it go gently and chuckled.? ? Roselyn thought a smile like that was a bit ominous, and as expected¡­..? ? [I¡¯ll hold your hand if you don¡¯t like me to hold your wrist.]? ? A large, rough hand encircled Roselyn¡¯s pure white, small hand.? ? How can he manipulate her easily all the time?? ? Roselyn was truly amazed.? ? She had no idea that Tamon Krasis, the man who had made her so nervous, was so rude and crazy¡­¡­? ? [Hand-holding is what children do. Aren¡¯t you afraid you¡¯ll loose your authority?]? ? [I don¡¯t have any authority]? ? [Then, why don¡¯t you pay attention to your reputation?]? ? [What for. For them, it would be fun to see a lustful master blinded by a foreign slave. A generous master would not deprive his attendants of their enjoyment.]? ? Tamon grumbled, leading a distracted Roselyn down the stairs.? ? Before she knew it, the seven guards fell back, and the twins were being pulled away by Asrell.? ? As Tasha had said, there was a glittering cart waiting in the lobby.? ? Roselyn averted her gaze and walked as Tamon led her.? ? Tamon walked slowly, as if he was aware of her limp.? ? At first glance, he looked like a nobleman enjoying a leisurely stroll.? ? Roselyn glanced down at her wrapped hand.? ? The rough palm looked more like a piece of wood than a hand.? ? How hot his hand was.? ? She couldn¡¯t help but frown at the embarrassed, annoying feeling.? ? ¡®I¡¯m a crazy person, really.¡¯? ? She deliberately averted her gaze to avoid being conscious.? ? The road outside was very peaceful as she stepped out for the first time.? ? Warmth sunray stung her eyes.? ? Even though she had only been walking for about five minutes, Roselyn felt a little hot.? ? The body, which felt only cold, seemed very weak in the heat.? ? Phew.? ? She swallowed a hot rising breath.? ? At the sound of her voice, Tamon looked at her and asked curiously,? ? ¡°Is it hot?¡±? ? ¡°¡­.a little.¡±? ? ¡°It hasn¡¯t even started to get really hot yet. You need something nourishing to eat before the summer comes.¡±? ? Tamon spoke casually as he picked her up when he started down the dune.? ? ¡°It¡¯s a little steep here. You don¡¯t mind if I hold you, do you?¡±? ? He had already lifted her up in a flutter, so why was he pretending to ask now?? ? ¡°If you¡¯re not going to listen to my answer, why are you asking?¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°To make you feel better?¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°That¡¯s weird. I¡¯m not feeling very good about it.¡±? ? ¡°Really? It looks pretty good to me.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°What makes you think I¡¯m lying?¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°I¡¯m the one who can see your face now.¡± (Tamon)? ? At his words, Roselyn frowned even more and turned her head away.? ? Her heart pounded for no reason, as if she was someone who had been caught doing something she shouldn¡¯t have been caught doing.? ? Tamon was a poisonous plant. A poisonous plant that could destroy her.? ? He walked across the beach with Roselyn in his arms in broad strides while she constantly ruminated on him about the superfluous spell.? ? On one side of the beach was a wooden deck that stretched straight out into the ocean.? ? He climbed onto it and walked straight down to the deepest part.? ? ¡°I bet you¡¯ve never seen the ocean this close before.¡±? ? Tamon said as he set her down.? ? He was right. It was the first time she¡¯d seen the ocean this close.? ? ¡°What do you think? Isn¡¯t it vast?¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? Standing on the deep seated deck, she felt as if she was standing in the middle of the ocean.? ? The expansive horizon was ecstatically beautiful from afar, but the difference in emotion was different from seeing it up close.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ I feel like I could stand here all day. The ocean is constantly moving and there¡¯s never a dull moment.¡±? ? Roselyn nodded slowly at Tamon¡¯s words.? ? ¡°Yes, it¡¯s really, really beautiful.¡±? ? ¡®Why am I so sad?? ? Is it because all the people who wanted to see this beautiful world with me had left? For what purpose did I become an empress and take care of the royal family to death? I was betrayed by an idiot who had never done anything for me and for those I loved.? ? No, I cannot call it betrayal. Because he blatantly hated me.? ? It was my fault for taking the easy way out.¡¯? ? Roselyn, who had been quietly gazing out to sea, turned to Tamon.? ? ¡°Did you say you want to be with me?¡± CH 39 Tamon, who was standing beside her, turned and stared at her.? ? His sun-kissed red eyes were just as beautiful as clear pomegranate seeds, rather than the color of the demon that the world fussed over.? ? ¡°I¡¯m not the same person I was when I decided to die or I was when I decided to live.¡±? ? Roselyn spoke plainly of her current state of mind.? ? ¡°You forced my hand, and you must take responsibility for it. Are you ready for that?¡±? ? Tamon chuckled.? ? ¡°Now you sound like you used to be.¡±? ? She had the blue ocean at her back. Her silver hair was mysterious because of the way it reflected and glistened in the sun¡¯s rays.? ? Is this what dazzling looks like? Roselyn smiled faintly. It was the first time she smiled at Tamon.Tamon didn¡¯t want to miss a second of it, so he stared at her without blinking an eye.? ? He thought at that moment.? ? If God gives him another divine ability. To say, he would replay this moment forever without hesitation.? ? His breath tightened as if someone was strangling his neck.? ? His hot breath was burning with desire and obsession for her. He wanted her.? ? He wanted to own this moment, that smile, that woman¡¯s gaze¡­¡­He wanted to own them all completely. He had never felt such intense emotions before.? ? ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be your partner. In exchange, you will have to do what I want.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°It seems like you want to make a deal.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a deal.¡±? ? Roselyn calmly said.? ? ¡°Make a deal with me. Tamon Krasis.¡±? ? A faint flame flickered in her cold purple eyes. Tamon couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her. How long has he been waiting for that gaze to come alive?? ? Thump. Thump.? ? His heart beat wildly. A shiver ran through him that he didn¡¯t understand.? ? ¡°I¡¯m glad you said that.¡±? ? Tamon chuckled.? ? ¡°If it¡¯s a deal, shouldn¡¯t we say what we each want?? ? Roselyn nodded.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll grant you three things that you desire in return for being my partner.¡±? ? One of Roselyn¡¯s eyebrows went up in a lazy motion. That look meant she didn¡¯t like something.? ? ¡°Three things are too few in return for preventing your desired outbursts. Let¡¯s do about five.¡±? ? Oh, good.? ? Tamon liked her refusal to give in, even at a time like this.? ? ¡®Be more greedy, more, more¡­Desire something, Aranrosia.¡¯? ? A black voice, towering like a snake, whispered to him constantly. It was a voice he could not hear, but it whispered to him more intensely than anyone else.? ? ¡°All right. Let¡¯s make it five.¡±? ? ¡°And then another.¡±? ? Did his voice reach her? Roselyn was greedy once more.? ? Tamon smiled leisurely.? ? Until she finished her words.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t love me.¡±? ? His smile paused. Roselyn looked him straight in the eyes and said.? ? ¡°I know you desire me. But I hope that¡¯s as far as it goes.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s cold hardening face was reflected in her transparent purple eyes. While looking at him, Roselyn clearly spoke in a calm, rather brazen voice.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t love me.¡±? ? Despite her unshaken voice, her fingers were getting cold and her legs were shaking.? ? ¡° ¡­ Do you think I will love you? You¡¯re arrogant.¡±? ? ¡°If not, that¡¯s a relief.¡±? ? For some incomprehensible reason, Tamon¡¯s mood worsened.? ? Roselyn hadn¡¯t said anything unspeakable, but it felt as if thousand arrows stabbed his heart. This was the woman whom he tried so hard to save, and yet, at this moment, he wanted to strangle her.? ? Part of him wanted to grab her slim shoulders and shake her so hard because she said crazy things. Tamon said with a twisted smile on his face.? ? ¡°What if I refuse that condition?¡±? ? ¡°Then let¡¯s pretend we never had a deal.¡±? ? As if that was all, Roselyn shrugged lightly. Once again, Tamon¡¯s mood soured. He wanted to punch the black voice inside him that had mumbled something useless earlier.? ? Tamon turned around. He gazed at the wide open ocean for a while, and then opened his mouth again.? ? ¡°Sometimes the human mind doesn¡¯t work the way you want it to. What if I fall in love with you without realizing it?¡±? ? ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to stop the relationship yourself.¡±? ? ¡°I don¡¯t think the outburst is that easy to break.¡±? ? **¡±The previous pledge will work instead.¡±? ? Huh, that¡¯s the last of that woman.? ? Tamon glared at Roselyn like he was going to kill her again. He was so angry that he didn¡¯t even know what was so wrong with him.? ? The pledge from before made use of divine power, and the content of the pledge made in God¡¯s name was enforced by His power. It was God¡¯s power that ensured that the pledge was kept.? ? Since Tamon¡¯s different abilities and the outbursts associated with it were also God-related, there was a possibility that the previous could have some power instead. Of course, it would have to be a pledge with a high density of divine power.? ? ¡°Since I have one high tier pledge, let¡¯s make use of it.¡±? ? And just like that, Roselyn has a High Tier pledge that says only one comes out in a year. Tamon gasped and glared at her more and more, chewing in an irritated voice. **? ? **-** To be honest, I have no idea what they are talking about. I apologize.? ? ¡°You didn¡¯t have anything. Where is it?¡±? ? ¡°You can get it by requesting it at the temple. I kept it under a different name.¡±? ? This made Tamon feel defeated. He wanted to somehow shake that pale face, those lips that spoke of love as she liked. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll regret her words one day.? ? ¡°That¡¯s fine. By the way, what are you going to do if you fall in love with me?¡± (Tamon)? ? Roselyn¡¯s brow furrowed, as if she had never wondered about that before. Tamon didn¡¯t like that look on Roselyn¡¯s face either.? ? He just didn¡¯t like it all.? ? ¡°I know you don¡¯t, but if it happens¡­¡±? ? Hesitantly, Roselyn took a short deep breath and added as if she had made a big decision.? ? ¡°You can do as you wish then. If you want to keep me as your partner, you do it, and I¡¯ll go away when you don¡¯t.¡±? ? Tamon muttered gloomily with a twisted smile.? ? ¡°That¡¯s the only thing you like about it, isn¡¯t it?¡±? ? Roselyn let out a nervous gasp at his unusual glare.? ? ¡°Now let¡¯s draw up the deal like this.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°Wait a minute. You¡¯ve only made your demands unilaterally. I need to add my demands as well.¡± (Tamon)? ? Roselyn was a little confused, as she didn¡¯t expect him to have any additional demands. In truth, she didn¡¯t have much to give to him.? ? She had already given him what he wanted most, so she didn¡¯t think there was anything more she could give. But his gaze was intense.? ? She nodded slightly as if she understood.? ? ¡°Your right foot.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ What?¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s white face grew increasingly pale. She furrowed her brow as if she didn¡¯t understand his words, but then asked back in an uncharacteristically cautious voice.? ? ¡°Oh¡­ you want to cut my foot off?¡±? ? Tamon almost laughed out loud for a moment.? ? She looked so cautious and confused.? ? As that elegant face displayed different expressions, Tamon felt the urge to shake her more and play tricks on her.? ? ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t like that foot?¡±? ? ¡°Well¡­.. But wouldn¡¯t it be better if I have all my limbs attached? In many ways.¡±? ? ¡°So?¡±? ? ¡°All you have to do is say you¡¯ll give it to me.¡±? ? ¡°Are you asking for my consent?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, I just need your consent.¡±? ? It was very suspicious, but there was nothing Roselyn couldn¡¯t do. And with her right foot, the Achilles tendon had already been destroyed and very little feeling left.? ? ¡°What a useless thing to ask for.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m asking you to give it to me because it¡¯s useless. If you don¡¯t need it anyway, just give it to me.¡±? ? Tamon Krasis was a strange man.? ? Roselyn stared at him. This man acted as if he wanted everything from her. He even said that he wanted this useless foot.? ? ¡°What the hell are you going to do with my foot?¡±? ? ¡°Well, this and that.¡±? ? Roselyn stared at him with a stunned expression.? ? The way he said ¡°this and that¡± made her look serious and, for a moment, even a little scared. Tamon was a man who could torment her in many ways she did not know.? ? ¡°You mean you can¡¯t give it to me?¡±? ? After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Roselyn opened her mouth.? ? ¡°Only if you promise not to behave in such a lascivious manner¡­.¡±? ? ¡°What do you mean?¡±? ? Roselyn bit her lip.? ? ¡°Isn¡¯t the basis of the contract an exact statement? Tell me exactly what you mean, and I¡¯ll try not to do just that.¡±? ? Tamon stared at her lips, which were tightly closed as if he was curious to see what words would come out of her mouth.? ? ¡°If you need some time to think about it?¡±? ? Roselyn resisted the urge to blush. And she couldn¡¯t think of anything strange that could be done with her foot.? ? It was because she had very little knowledge. Nevertheless, instinctively she feared that Tamon would try anything.? ? She looked down at her right foot, which she could barely feel, at the heel.? ? What¡¯s the big deal?? ? In fact, she received much more from him.? ? Even though she didn¡¯t want to, she still felt embarrassed being indebted to him.? ? Wasn¡¯t he the one who took her outrageous request to not love her seriously?? ? So she could do at least this. It was a damaged foot anyway.? ? ¡°¡­¡­Okay. I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± CH 40 A satisfied smile appeared on Tamon¡¯s lips.? ? Then, in a flash, he knelt down and grabbed her by the ankle.? ? ¡°Well then, I guess this is mine now.¡±? ? Surprised, Roselyn tried to back away, but it was only after the captured ankle had already been lifted.? ? Roselyn grabbed a post supporting the deck for balance. Tamon kissed her casually on the top of her gently lifted ankle.? ? Once again, Roselyn was sure of her thoughts.? ? Tamon was a pervert¡­? ? ***? ? Kak!? ? A dry cough poured out as if tearing up his lungs.? ? Gillotti covered his mouth as he coughed.? ? Kak¡­Kak¡­kak!? ? The coughing sound continued.? ? Nervously rubbing his forehead, he couldn¡¯t take it anymore and called for his immediate attendant.? ? ¡°Attendant!? Bring me the medicine! Right now!¡±? ? At his shout, a servant came running in with a pale face.? ? As soon as he saw the servant, Gillotti threw the pillow he was holding at him.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t think the medicine has a single effect! Now, bring me another potion immediately!¡±? ? ¡°Your Majesty! Dr. Heintzel said that any more medicine would only worsen the symptoms. Even though it¡¯s painful, please be patient for a little while!¡±? ? ¡°D*mn it! My heart is about to break! Do you want me to endure? You want me to die right now! Aren¡¯t you still a pawn of the dead empress!¡±? ? ¡°What are you talking about? Your Majesty! I am John Narteso, attendant to Your Majesty since I was ten years old. How can I deceive Your Majesty!¡±? ? Tsk, tsk, tsk!¡±? ? Crouched on bed, Gillotti gritted his teeth as he breathed heavily.? ? After the Empress died, Gillotti¡¯s headaches had gotten worse, until one day he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore unless he took medicine.? ? He even developed a cough, which he hadn¡¯t had before, and his voice cracked, and he didn¡¯t even want to listen to anyone.? ? ¡°It¡¯s the Empress¡¯ curse. That woman. It¡¯s her curse!¡±? ? Gillotti gritted her teeth as she thought of Roselyn, who tormented him even after death.? ? Those piercing purple eyes that looked straight at him when he stared at her as she lay dying in the underground prison.? ? Roselyn¡¯s purple eyes had always been so feminine, even when he held her cold body in his arms shortly after they were married.? ? The eyes that were forced to look down with a slight frown, as if enduring a hard time.? ? She didn¡¯t let out a groan, nor did she make any effort to do so.? ? Just thinking about those shining purple eyes, as if they could see through him, made him angrier.? ? ¡°Evil woman!¡±? ? He pulled out all of Roselyn¡¯s nails, but she didn¡¯t even scream. Instead, her venom flared up and she spat out a ridiculous curse at him.? ? ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you. Gillotti Tanatos, I will never forgive you.¡±? ? Gillotti whipped Roselyn¡¯s smooth back until there were no more signs of skin.? ? ¡°How dare you curse me? You came in for me and you had to obey me! You shouldn¡¯t have looked at me like my father!¡±? ? Tears of blood flowed from Roselyn¡¯s eyes.? ? Her white cheeks were stained with tears and blood, and her purple eyes, which were shining brightly above them, were terrifying.? ? ¡°I should have cut out those eyes.¡±? ? Gillotti gritted his teeth. He was being generous because she was already in a miserable state.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Yes, let¡¯s see if you win or I win, Empress.¡±? ? Gillotti, who had opened his eyes wide, jumped up from his seat.? ? ¡°It must be completely uprooted. It must be erased from this country!¡±? ? When he was this angry, Natasha used to come over and comfort him.? ? She would hug him in her soft arms. Her embrace was as warm as spring and as soft as a mother¡¯s.? ? But she began to deftly avoid him when Gillotti began to cough.? ? ¡°Didn¡¯t His Majesty¡¯s precious seed get planted in Natasha¡¯s belly¡­¡­¡­¡­? Mothers endure hard times, sometimes holding back what they miss and the food they want to eat for the sake of their children. Your Majesty, this is all for the sake of your child, so please understand.¡±? ? Gillotti didn¡¯t know how to endure for the sake of a child who was yet to be born. He immediately got angry and came to get her.? ? At first he tried to have her, despite the doctor¡¯s order that he had to be careful.? ? No, if it wasn¡¯t for Natasha¡¯s amazing tricks, he would have.? ? ¡°Isn¡¯t it necessary to take Your Majesty to your climax? Your Majesty, don¡¯t suffer too much. If you suffer, Natasha will be even more sad¡­. I will soothe Your Majesty with Natasha¡¯s humble talent.¡±? ? He thought she only had a talent for pouring out sweet words, but her mouth had a great variety of uses.? ? However, that was only once or twice.? ? ¡°I am your woman, even though the fever in my body is boiling up and killing me,¡± and behaved cautiously so as not to see him from now on.? ? ¡°B*tch¡­.¡±? ? Breathing roughly, Gillotti immediately called for the infantry.? ? The commander of the 2nd Infantry rushed to him and knelt before him.? ? ¡°Go at once and burn Roselyn¡¯s mansion. Burn it all down so that nothing is left.¡±? ? The infantry commander didn¡¯t raise his head, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel his shoulders tremble slightly.? ? With his head down, he clenched his teeth.? ? ¡®I have to be patient. I could endure it then, I can endure it now.¡¯? ? But the Emperor¡¯s next words made him raise his head.? ? ¡°And¡­.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°Dig up the tombs of her ancestors and throw it into its flames.¡±? ? The infantry commander stared at the emperor with white, frightened eyes. His eyes, which had opened in shock, were trembling.? ? ¡°What are you doing! Go and execute it right now!¡±? ? ¡°Your Majesty! That¡¯s¡­..that¡¯s¡­¡­¡­¡­..!¡±? ? It was to humiliate the deceased.? ? They were great aristocrats who devoted their lives to this country.? ? But digging up the tombs of the predecessors of Sunset, who were devoted to Tanatos from the previous Emperor and this Emperor himself¡­.? ? The infantry commander banged his head on the floor and begged for the order to be withdrawn.? ? But what came back was a kick from Gillotti.? ? ¡°Do you think there is no one to carry out the order but you! Hey, put him in the dungeon right away!¡±? ? ¡°Your Majesty, I beg you, no more¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡±? ? Betrayal of the Heavenly Law!? ? The 2nd Infantry Commander Weekley Danhover pleaded to the end, but Gillotti coldly averted his gaze.? ? ****? ? After the walk on the beach, Tamon and Roselyn took a seat on the terrace overlooking the seaside and had a little early dinner.? ? Since coming to Amor, Roselyn has been well taken care of every day.? ? It was literally.? ? It was ¡®what happened¡¯.? ? She slept, ate, rested, read, and listened to music.? ? During the day, she cooled off the heat with moderately cold water, and at night, after taking a bath with warm water, she slept with the breeze blowing gently.? ? In the meantime, her broken limbs had fully recovered.? ? Not only the new flesh, but also the nails and toenails that were pulled out raw came out beautifully.? ? The whip marks on her back and the chain marks on her ankles also completely disappeared, returning to her snow-white flesh.? ? Asrell and the twins didn¡¯t ask what happened, though they were amazed at Roselyn¡¯s remarkable resilience.? ? They thought that she was saved by the priests of the temple or the precious medicines of royalty.? ? In this world, where divine power still lingered in some places, sometimes the events were quite absurd.? ? Anyway, while Roselyn was being taken care of in such a generous manner, Tamon said that he had taken care of some business that had been piling up.? ? ¡°Our king is a skeptic, and one whose senses have developed by leaps and bounds. He¡¯s also simple. I managed to get away with it at the time with the silver deer, but there is still something strange about it. There are now more watchers around.¡±? ? At Tamon¡¯s words, Roselyn asked in a worried voice.? ? ¡°Or inside this mansion¡­¡­¡­?¡±? ? ¡°Yeah, maybe?¡±? ? He shrugged and smiled as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal.? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t help but be amazed at Tamon¡¯s relaxation.? ? ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you and the king are not on bad terms, so why is he keeping an eye on you?¡±? ? Tamon replied indifferently.? ? ¡°Well, we¡¯re close. We¡¯ve helped each other out a lot. But I told you earlier. Theo has good instincts. And he trusts his instincts.¡±? ? ¡°That means he sensed something strange about you. Or maybe he sensed it when she saw me that day. ¡­¡­¡±? ? ¡°Probably both. He¡¯s suspicious about us, but he couldn¡¯t interrogate us and there was no evidence, so he put surveillance on us.¡±? ? He replied leisurely, slicing the third chunk of meat.? ? Roselyn glanced tiredly at the fourth plate of meat being filled in front of him, then gently lowered her fork.? ? Just one plate of seafood and a salad seasoned with lemon sauce was enough to fill her up.? ? ¡°Why don¡¯t you eat more?¡±? ? ¡°I had enough.¡±? ? ¡°It might be hard to hold on to that.¡±? ? Tamon responded by slicing a piece of meat the size of a hand.? ? ¡°Hold on? What do you mean?¡±? ? As he rinsed his mouth with cool ice water, Roselyn tilted her head and asked. Tamon looked at her, slicing his leftover meat and shoving it into his mouth.? ? The rhythmic articulation of his jaw was relaxed, like a beast of prey enjoying its food after a hunt.? ? Gulp.? ? A small bite of flesh was sucked into his throat. At that moment, Roselyn realized what he was talking about.? ? ¡®Make love.¡¯? ? She didn¡¯t think that was the way¡­. ¡­..? ? Her face flushed red and began to pale immediately.? ? She wanted to ask if her guess was right, but she couldn¡¯t open her mouth. With only her red lips twitching, Tamon chuckled and said.? ? ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking right now.¡± CH 41 Chapter 41. The Bride''s Scream? ? ¡­¡­crazy.? ? Roselyn quickly averted her gaze and looked out the window.? ? She didn¡¯t want to, but her face kept heating up. It reminded her of the night a few days ago when she had ¡®helped¡¯ him from his power overload.? ? Just thinking about it made her whole body red and her lower stomach feel numb.? ? ¡°¡­Is that the only way to release your power outburst?¡±? ? ¡°Probably.¡±? ? She scowled at Tamon. The fact that he was smiling so nonchalantly made her think that he wouldn¡¯t tell her if there was another way.? ? To think she has to go through that again¡­? ? The dying climax, the pleasure that came one after the other, the intensity of the pounding that was so intense that it felt cruel, caused Roselyn to collapse several times.? ? But, when she decided to be his partner, she was prepared for it to some extent. ¡­¡­..? ? ¡°Is there a problem?¡±? ? Tamon asked back with a look on his face that made it clear he was teasing her. Roselyn didn¡¯t say anything, just glared at him and took a few swallows of ice water.? ? As careful as she was when making decisions, she rarely reversed her mind once she had made it.? ? It was one of Roseline¡¯s small beliefs.? ? ¡°Many.¡±? ? ¡°Is that right? I thought so.¡±? ? She hated his face that was smiling so strangely at her earlier. While she was wondering if she should step on his foot, Tamon¡¯s plate was filled once more.? ? Unlike before, it was light seafood. She glanced at him, wondering if the carnivore would finally finish his meal.? ? ¡°It¡¯s called Sarfish Oyster, but it¡¯s not easy to get.¡±? ? He described the seafood on his plate.? ? ¡°Sarfish oysters are oysters, aren¡¯t they?¡± ? ? ¡°Yes, they are. They only come out this time of year, but they are very popular.¡±? ? ¡°They must taste good.¡±? ? ¡°Well, yes, it is.¡±? ? Tamon chuckled as he picked the oyster and placed it on her small plate.? ? ¡°You should try it. It¡¯s an interesting taste.¡±? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t resist her curiosity, so she cut the oyster in half and popped it into her mouth.? ? It was very tender and had a savory taste, perhaps because it was cooked. In between the creamy texture, she could taste something crunchy, and Tamon was right, it was quite an interesting taste.? ? Roselyn nodded to indicate that she agreed with him, and Tamon, who was watching the scene with a smile on his face, keeping his chin propped up, added.? ? ¡°That oyster has a nickname. Aren¡¯t you curious?¡±? ? ¡°What is it?¡±? ? ¡°The bride¡¯s scream.¡±? ? It was a bizarre nickname.? ? ¡®Does it mean it tastes so good that it makes you scream? ¡­¡­ By the way, why the bride of all people?¡¯? ? Roselyn took the other half piece of the cut oyster and brought it to her mouth again. Tamon, who was staring at her lips as she munched, added an explanation.? ? ¡°It¡¯s a food usually eaten on the first night of marriage. Eating it forces the bride to scream out at night¡­¡±? ? ¡°Kak! Kak! Kak!¡± Roselyn coughed.? ? ¡°¡­I understand that such a situation will be created. Good. Today we can check to see if that nickname is real.¡±? ? ¡°Tamon Krasis!¡±? ? Roselyn glared at him with a bright red face and threw the fork she was holding with a pop.? ? Tamon dodged the flying fork and laughed out loud.? ? The low tone with laughter spread widely. Roselyn kicked his shin under the table, as she thought a moment ago.? ? ¡°Ugh.¡±? ? He laughed when she punched him last time, and he laughed again this time for what it¡¯s worth.? ? ¡°I can¡¯t believe you kicked my leg. What a naughty mistress.¡±? ? ¡°Please shut up.¡±? ? ¡°As you wish.¡±? ? Tamon closed his mouth mischievously. Roselyn turned quickly to the side and stared at the waves shimmering in the sunlight.? ? She thought that the waves swaying in the wind were just like her, but she bit her lips and erased useless thoughts.? ? The sound of Tamon¡¯s laughter echoed quietly, as if he was trying to hold back.? ? The revived heart beat violently.? ? ***? ? Ronasso Bashel came to Tamon¡¯s mansion in a hurry.? ? He told the chamberlain that he had something to tell Tamon right now, but Tamon hadn¡¯t shown up yet.? ? ¡°Did he drown in the hot water and die, and why hasn¡¯t he come?¡±? ? Ronasso hurriedly circled the room. More than thirty minutes had passed since Tamon had gone to wash up.? ? Before Ronasso came, Tamon had already entered the bath, so about 40 minutes had passed.? ? ¡°No, is he the new groom who is grooming himself on the first night or what? Why is he taking so long?¡±? ? After waiting for another twenty minutes, Ronasso finally lost his patience and was just about to go find him.? ? Quickly, the door opened and a drenched Tamon walked in with a particularly clear face.? ? ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? Why did you come at this late night?¡±? ? Tamon, whose face was dirty and wrinkled compared to his clear, clean face, looked unpleasant and spoke to Ronasso.? ? ¡°Why so long¡­ah, what is it? Did you enter the land of perfumes?¡±? ? A cool, refreshing scent could be detected from the approaching Tamon. Ronasso looked at Tamon with slightly surprised eyes.? ? ¡°I thought you said you didn¡¯t want scented water. Then you said you didn¡¯t like herbs either.¡±? ? ¡°People change, you know.¡±? ? Tamon said flatly and sat leaning back on the couch.? ? His beautiful face looked a little more excited today, and he also looked impatient.? ? ¡°What is it ¡­¡­?¡±? ? When Ronasso narrowed his eyes at the subtle change in his best friend, Tamon urged him nervously.? ? ¡°I thought you said it was urgent. What are you looking at?¡±? ? ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Did you know that His Majesty has also put a watch on my residence? When I was coming over, I saw them hiding outside your residence as well.¡±? ? ¡°Leave it be. He¡¯s not the one who would let you go just because you¡¯re angry.¡±? ? Ronasso jumped up and down at Tamon¡¯s carefree words.? ? ¡°What if he finds out?¡± ? ? ¡°He already knows.¡±? ? ¡°What do you mean?¡±? ? Ronasso wondered if Tamon had wings on his buttocks. He rose higher than before.? ? ¡°How?¡±? ? ¡°He came in. Our great Majesty. He opened other people¡¯s bedrooms without hesitation.¡±? ? ¡°And what did you do?¡±? ? ¡°I made up a rough story. I said that I brought a slave who looked like her.¡±? ? ¡°Did he believe you?¡±? ? ¡°If he believed me, there wouldn¡¯t be people outside watching me like that.¡±? ? ¡°Oh.¡±? ? With a blank face, Ronasso looked out the window.? ? Those people couldn¡¯t have gotten inside the high raised walls anyway.? ? Tamon¡¯s private escort team was wary of the surroundings, and the shadows guarding him must also be keeping an eye out somewhere.? ? Only those who were allowed could enter Tamon¡¯s private residence.? ? Even the King could only bring five guards authorized by the owner.? ? It was a subtle refraction of this relationship, bound together by loyalty and trust.? ? The King showed that he trusted Tamon as accompanied by a minimum escort, and Tamon proved his loyalty by allowing the king to enter his residence at any time.? ? ¡°¡­But he still put surveillance outside. It¡¯s really an ironic relationship, knowing that and leaving the gate open with impunity.¡±? ? Ronasso paced around irritably, ruffling his hair.? ? ¡°If the king is suspicious, the truth may be revealed at any time. What are you going to do?¡±? ? ¡°If he finds out that she¡¯s that woman, he will definitely try to hurt her.¡±? ? The king, Theo Lantifu, hated Tanatos.? ? The word disgust was not enough. Yes, the emotion was close to hatred.? ? Tanatos¡¯ predecessor made Amor King kneel in front them and his brothers.? ? Thousands and tens of thousands of Tanatos soldiers watched as the king of Amor kneel down and kiss Emperor Tanatos on the back of his feet.? ? And he saved the lives of some 12,000 people.? ? Even though they lost part of their territory and some of their fertile islands, they were able to keep their children¡¯s parents, siblings, old people, and soldiers alive.? ? That day was called the Day of Sorrows.? ? In the agreement signed that day, Amor was promised 100 years of peace.? ? It all came to a cruel end because of one traitor.? ? Marcus.? ? He was the one who betrayed his own country, handed over the information, and fled to Tanatos.? ? Tamon was the one who found the traitor who had been hiding in plain sight and executed him thoroughly.? ? The one who instructed Tamon was none other than Theo.? ? In any case, the King hated Tanatos, and he hated everything about stepping on that land and seeing the royal family of that land.? ? So Tamon took care of all the diplomatic activities going that way.? ? If it was known that Tamon had secretly taken the woman who was the Empress of that country, no matter how important Tamon was, he would not be able to avoid a conflict with the king.? ? ¡°No matter how much he suspected, it¡¯s all useless if there¡¯s no confirmation. A person who looks alike can appear at any time.¡±? ? Tamon looked indifferent as he crossed his legs and pulled out a cigar to chew on.? ? When Tamon, who was looking for a fire, flinched, he put down the cigar he was holding.? ? ¡°And what if he found evidence? Do you think he can take her away from me?¡±? ? Smirking, Tamon leaned back on the couch and lifted his head.? ? He looked at the air with a sluggish expression, his demeanor somewhat rambling.? ? Well, when he was not like that?? ? Ronasso looked at Tamon with a bit of concern, and then took a step back.? ? ¡®Well, he knows what to do better than I do. I should stop worrying¡­¡¯? ? Ronasso took out a small jewelry box that he had hidden in his pocket. ? ? When the lid opened, a ring with a brilliant green sapphire was revealed. Glancing at the jewelry box, Tamon shook his head and murmured seriously.? ? ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t look good in green¡­¡± ? ? Tamon flushed at Ronasso, as if he didn¡¯t know. ? ? Ronasso firmly said to Tamon as if he was dumbfounded. ? ? ¡°I¡¯m not giving it to you. Are you crazy?¡± CH 42 Chapter 42. You Are Like A Gift? ? ¡°This jewel belongs to Amelia. Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±? ? Amelia was a distant relative who had been close to Ronasso since childhood. She was like a sister to him.? ? After looking around for a special gift for Amelia¡¯s coming up wedding, Ronasso bought this green jewel.? ? ¡°Tamon, this is what you need to see.¡±? ? Ronasso pulled out a note that lay underneath the jewelry box.? ? ¡®Why do you want me to look at the paper, not the jewel?¡¯? ? Tamon glanced over at Ronasso suspiciously and unfolded paper.? ? ¡°Look at the last page.¡±? ? Slowly, Tamon¡¯s eyes narrowed as he looked at the writing on the page.? ? ¡°Where did you get this?¡±? ? ¡°Rodelg.¡±? ? ¡°Rodelg. Aha..¡­.¡±? ? A little past the capital of Amor, there was a very small and ordinary city.? ? The city, which was not particularly beautiful and not developed in terms of agriculture and fishing, had quite a lot of visitors, but it was all for the monthly market.? ? The market held in the daytime was called Mork, and the market held at night was called Rodelk.? ? Rodelk was the place where auctions were held.? ? Sometimes there were illegal transactions, and disturbances, but Rodelg was still an interesting place.? ? For this reason, even the royal family tolerated their transactions to some extent.? ? The taxes paid there were also substantial.? ? The interesting thing about the Rodelg auction was that no one knew what the item of the day would be until just before the auction was held.? ? Furthermore, even the Marwich family, who ran the auction house, was known to be untouchable at the auction.? ? This was because they shared their interest in the auction house fairly with other families.? ? Sometimes the items were eye-poppingly rare, and sometimes they were inevitably unidentifiable.? ? But not once was there an auction that was not interesting.? ? It was also interesting to note that any time an item was bought or sold at an auction, no matter when or who it was, there would always be some incident.? ? Well, this auction was. ¡­.? ? [O Life. Engrave* before the sixth moon rises and the twelfth night passes. And let her know that the Iron Child is crossing the sea. If the child cannot be saved before it reaches land, her treasure will fall back to her death.]? ? It looked like that very interesting and riveting incident was about to happen from Ronasso and Tamon.? ? *TL: I want to explain the word ¡®engrave¡¯ a little bit. In order to help Tamon to get over his power overload (the heart disease that caused death in his family for generations) which turns him into a monster, the process ¡®engraving¡¯ aka having s*x, needed to occur. And the deal between Roselyn and Tamon was that if Roselyn ¡®engrave¡¯ with him, he will give her five wishes. Few earlier chapters when Tamon asked her to be ¡®his partner¡¯, he meant to ask her to be his ¡®mark¡¯, to ¡®engrave¡¯ him. And this note, which seemed like a direct message to Tamon and Roselyn to tell them to ¡®engrave¡¯ in that certain time, and to tell Roselyn about the child crossing the sea. The child is Arsene who had Roselyn¡¯s treasure, was abducted and was now on the ship crossing the sea. I¡¯ll use the term ¡®engrave¡¯ now instead of ¡®s*x¡¯ since I explained it.? ? ****? ? Tamon rubbed his clean shaven chin as he looked at the paper that Ronasso had given him.? ? He narrowed his eyes, as if thinking, and then asked in his characteristic low tone, ? ? ¡°Did you ever tell anyone you¡¯re looking for something like this?¡±? ? ¡°No! Of course not! Amelia said she didn¡¯t want a present, and I was secretly preparing one for her!¡±? ? Even if someone knew that Ronasso would go to the Rodelk, they couldn¡¯t possibly know whether or not Ronasso would get this exact jewel.? ? No one knew if this jewel would be there or not.? ? But the written message¡­.? ? Life, Engrave, Death¡­¡­.? ? There was no exact name, but this certainly included Tamon, Roselyn, and Gillotti. It was about hidden relationships and their abilities.? ? Plus the language of the message.? ? It wasn¡¯t any other language, it was the language of Hirusha.? ? How could so many coincidences come together?? ? No, it wasn¡¯t a coincidence.? ? Tamon opened his narrowed eyes and stared at the elegant handwriting on the small piece of paper. ? ? Somebody knew his secret.? ? ***? ? Pong.? ? Water droplets fell from between her white fingers over the calm surface of the water.? ? Roselyn, who entered the bath alone, refusing the twins¡¯ help, watched the droplets falling through her fingers endlessly.? ? She had always been used to being taken care of, but now she was going to have to work harder to do it herself.? ? It was a different life now, and she wanted to embrace it. Because she had risen from the depths of despair, she could not live the same life as before.? ? ¡­Phew.? ? Roselyn exhaled hotly and submerged herself in the warm water. Through the open glass window, she could see the moon floating high in the sky.? ? A gentle breeze blew, and the heat brushed her cheeks.? ? The water was lukewarm, but strangely enough, her whole body was hot.? ? ¡°¡­¡­. It¡¯s only an engrave.¡± (*see my explain for ¡®engrave¡¯ above)? ? There was no other reason.? ? A deal between her and him.? ? It was the only act.? ? But why is it so¡­¡­? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? Roselyn gripped her slightly trembling fingers.? ? Unlike her hot body, her fingers were cold. It was a sign that she was nervous.? ? Nervous?? ? Why on earth?? ? She deliberately chose to breathe.? ? She didn¡¯t want to be nervous because of the man, nor did she want to give off the impression that she was nervous.? ? But, why does her body feel so hot?? ? Roselyn splashed water over and over on her stiff muscles to relax her body.? ? There was an abundance of various fragrances the twins had prepared for her, but she purposely didn¡¯t use any of them.? ? She scrubbed her body with the water soap that was provided.? ? ¡®Try to atone for my mistakes, try to atone for my past.¡¯ She said this with all sincerity.? ? Wiping herself off, she tied the waist of her thin nightgown tightly.? ? She straightened her shoulders and back, as if she was going out in public for the first time as Empress.? ? Deal.? ? Yes, it was just a deal.? ? A contract, that was all.? ? She whispered to herself incessantly and walked down the hallway to her bedroom with her legs straining.? ? Was it her imagination?? ? The sensation in her broken leg felt slightly different.? ? It felt like the limp was decreasing and the strength in her legs increased.? ? ¡®I¡¯m more aware of many things now.¡¯? ? Roselyn gave a slight shake of her head and slowly opened the bedroom door. Fortunately or unfortunately, Tamon was not in the bedroom yet.? ? ¡®What should I do?¡¯? ? She signed a contract and she had to carry out the transaction, but there was no involved party.? ? She stood there for a while and then slowly sat down on the bed. She stretched out her back and waited for Tamon to come with her eyes raised.? ? Then she thought of the days when she had to sleep with the Emperor.? ? She sat neatly like this even then, waiting for Gillotti.? ? She sat in the easy chair provided next to the large matrimonial bed and waited for the emperor who was promised to come.? ? Then, very late in the night, a drunken Gillotti arrived.? ? Gillotti, completely drunk, approached as he frowned at Roselyn, who sat stiffly waiting for him.? ? ¡°The invoice. How do you expect me to hold you when you¡¯re so white?¡±? ? He would lie on the bed, fussing. It was Roselyn¡¯s luck if he fell asleep like that.? ? Sometimes he couldn¡¯t stand the frustration and jumped up, then he would take off Roselyn¡¯s pajamas roughly.? ? Ignoring Roselyn¡¯s words that do it slowly, he forced her to lie face down, showing her back. It was unknown whether it was violent or relevant.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t look back, Empress, do you know how frightening that look can be to a man? You have unlucky eyes. Purple is the color of the dead. You are a dead person. Your emotions, your joy, aren¡¯t they?¡±? ? These were the insulting words that he spat into her ear while grabbing her hair and thrusting violently. Roselyn clutched the comforter without any response and endured the moment through clenched teeth.? ? ¡®Yes. I endured it.¡¯? ? She had to endure it.? ? The many obligations that rested on her shoulders.? ? The worries and cares of those she loved.? ? The grief and suffering of the people she had to take care of.? ? She had too much on her plate and she had to live with it.? ? It had to be done, she thought.? ? It had to be done.? ? Ring ring.? ? A breeze blew in through the open window.? ? As she closed my eyes and felt it, she suddenly felt that her shoulders were not so heavy.? ? That¡¯s right.? ? The Roselyn of the past died.? ? After admitting it, she felt significantly relieved.? ? Her expression finally relaxed. Very slightly, the corners of her mouth went up, but she didn¡¯t notice.? ? It was just then.? ? ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I¡¯m so honored that I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±? ? Tamon spoke as he quietly walked in.? ? Roselyn turned to look at him, showing no sign of surprise.? ? He stared at her with his arms crossed under the archway that connected the rooms. ? ? Roselyn was used to moments like this.? ? It was Gillotti, who used to stare at her as she sat on the bed waiting to do her duty.? ? Gillotti¡¯s voice was nightmarishly haunting.? ? At that moment, looking at her quietly, Tamon smiled and spoke slowly.? ? ¡°You must.¡±? ? His red eyes did not leave hers for a moment.? ? ¡°Very pretty, precious, waiting for a very long time¡­¡±? ? With unshaken eyes and an unshaken voice.? ? ¡°You¡¯re sitting there like a gift.¡±? ? He said a completely different word than nightmare. CH 43 Chapter 43. Ensemble Drink? ? A very small ripple spread across Roselyn¡¯s chest.? ? Tamon approached her spontaneously and diligently, as if he were walking into the ripples.? ? ¡°You¡¯re so unrealistically beautiful, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a human being¡­¡­.¡±? ? The word ¡°beautiful¡± tickled her earlobes as if she¡¯d never heard it before.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I didn¡¯t do anything to get you excited. I¡¯ll be there before it starts.¡±? ? How could he be so incapable of managing his facial expressions?? ? It sounded like he didn¡¯t mind such vulgar and naked words.? ? It was strange.? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t know what expression he was making anymore, and it scared her.? ? She strained her face so she didn¡¯t look disturbed.? ? She didn¡¯t want him to see that underneath the awkward expression was a poorly made Roselyn who was confused by his words.? ? ¡°¡­ You¡¯re always flattering me.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s my charm.¡±? ? Then Tamon smiled very charmingly.? ? ¡°Let¡¯s have a drink. To relax.¡±? ? Tamon pulled her along as he lifted the bottle in one hand.? ? He led her to a small table set up on the expansive terrace.? ? He took out a wine glass in one corner of the room and held it out in front of her. The clear liquor filled the two glasses.? ? He lifted his glass first, and then Roselyn, a little hesitantly, lifted hers.? ? Tamon bumped his glass against hers.? ? ¡°For a complete and perfect deal.¡±? ? He emptied the glass in one gulp.? ? Roselyn followed him and emptied her glass. It was a crisp white wine. A moderately sweet liquor enveloped her mouth.? ? While she was examining the wine, the glass was filled once more.? ? ¡°This is what they do in the East¡­¡­¡±? ? He raised his glass again, and Roselyn did not hesitate to take it from him.? ? Tamon, who was staring at her with lowered, relaxed eyes, suddenly murmured mischievously,? ? ¡°I heard it¡¯s an ensemble drink.¡± ? ? (*I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s the right term. Let me know if you know the term.¡±? ? ¡®Ensemble?¡¯? ? As a Roselyn who knew what that meant, she was a little confused. It was because it didn¡¯t seem like an appropriate word in this situation.? ? ¡°It¡¯s a drink for a man and a woman getting married.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s also a drink that a man and a woman drink before spending the night together, right?¡±? ? She didn¡¯t think Tamon knew the other meanings. Roselyn nodded, a step behind.? ? ¡°¡­¡­yes.¡±? ? ¡°Then this is also our ensemble drink, is it not?¡±? ? ¡°Now¡­.is it a romantic moment?¡±? ? ¡°My heart is beating so fast that I thought it¡¯s romantic¡­. Am I the only one who felt that way? This is very upsetting¡­¡±? ? His laid-back tone made her feel a little dumbfounded, a little soul-less.? ? He was also really handy at not making people look slighted when he said things or made expressions like that.? ? Shaking her head, Roselyn calmly replied.? ? ¡°When your pounding heart truly bursts, then I will believe your words wholeheartedly. I hope that you can somehow buy my trust.¡±? ? ¡°How can you be so cruel with those sweet lips that have kissed me so many times?¡±? ? How could he say such things as ¡°kissed¡± and ¡°sweet lips¡± in front of her?? ? Roselyn felt strange and embarrassed to hear those words.? ? She said, laying out the admonition with a stiff face that hid a slight flush.? ? ¡°Your words are frivolous. You sound like a man who knows no shame. Don¡¯t you know that you don¡¯t say such words unnecessarily outside the house? If you don¡¯t know that, why don¡¯t you learn it now?¡±? ? Roselyn taught him manners and etiquette with a face that she tried to keep quiet and composed. Little did she know that the more she did, the more Tamon would want to tease her.? ? He was staring at the small, white Roselyn, who was looking at him with a solemn expression, and he nodded very seriously.? ? ¡°Shame ¡­¡­. Why do you keep looking for things that I don¡¯t have?¡±? ? ¡°It can¡¯t be. It must be somewhere inside you, so look carefully.¡±? ? ¡°Is that so? But why do I want to talk about your good moans and the touch of your hot tongue hidden inside your lips¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± ? ? ¡°Tamon!¡±? ? She screamed his name and covered his mouth in surprise.? ? Roselyn had never seen anyone talk so openly about such lewdness. It was truly astonishing debauchery. Looking at her expression, Tamon laughed profusely.? ? ¡°You look like you want to strangle me right now, don¡¯t you?¡±? ? ¡°You got that right. So please, shut your obscene mouth for a moment.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s too bad. It was such a wonderful ecstasy that I could comment on it for days.¡±? ? ¡°¡­Say one more word and I¡¯ll jump off that parapet without hesitation.¡±? ? Her face flushed red, she clenched her fists resolutely. At the look in her eyes that oozed true feelings, Tamon finally raised his hand.? ? ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s stop. I don¡¯t want to see any more of you covered in blood.¡±? ? Roselyn sighed weakly as she was finally relieved.? ? If he said more things like that. Even before jumping off the parapet, she felt like her head was going to burst with embarrassment.? ? Tamon, who was watching her with a look of amusement on his face, spoke to her humanely.? ? ¡°While I¡¯m off guard, you can strangle me at least once. But I don¡¯t think you can break my neck with those tiny hands.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­. I¡¯ll really do my best.¡±? ? Tamon laughed lowly at her sincere answer.? ? He lifted his second cup in a pleasant low tone.? ? The feverish Roselyn also filled and emptied her glass. The cold wine flowed sweetly down her throat. One glass did not cool the fever, so she emptied another one faster.? ? The wine was more potent than she expected, and she felt her drunkenness rising after 3 glasses. ? ? It wasn¡¯t too much, just enough to make her feel good. Finally, Roselyn could feel the tension that had been wafting from the bathroom loosening up.? ? She didn¡¯t realize now that Tamon¡¯s outrageous joke had also helped her relax.? ? ¡°Shall we have another drink?¡±? ? She wanted to borrow a little more alcohol for her fast-pulsing heart. She was as thirsty as if she had swallowed a lump of fire.? ? ¡°Stop.¡±? ? But Tamon caught her wrist as she tried to take the wine.? ? He shook his head with a laugh as he frowned.? ? ¡°You like alcohol more than I thought. I¡¯ll keep that in mind. But I think it would be better if you drank less now.¡±? ? ¡°Why?¡±? ? ¡°Well, you know.¡±? ? He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her in tight. Tamon and Roselyn¡¯s faces immediately came closer together.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t get too relaxed.¡±? ? He murmured as he gently wiped his lips over hers at a passing distance.? ? Her body stiffened a little, as if she had found out what he really meant. She deliberately said in a harder voice with a serious expression.? ? ¡°Who ¡­who said it was nervous?¡±? ? He replied with a gentle laugh.? ? ¡°I did.¡±? ? ¡°You were so nervous, but now you¡¯re finally relieved. So¡­¡±? ? Every time he spoke, their lips rubbed softly together like feathers colliding.? ? ¡°Let¡¯s go to bed now.¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s slightly opened lower lip that was sucked into his lips.? ? ****? ? An intense light shone.? ? An immense force slipped out of him and surged back in, as if to break through his body.? ? Engraving was more than just giving.? ? As much as he gave away, some of her flowed into him.? ? Each time he thrusted harder into her, Roselyn¡¯s tiny body shuddered as she squeezed him tightly.? ? ¡°Ah¡­¡±? ? Her small, open red lips flinched and shook, unsure of what to do. Tamon held her close to his body, licking her tiny earlobe and whispering, ? ? ¡°Say my name, Asha¡­¡­.¡± (*Roselyn¡¯s new name was Aranrosia Asha)? ? ¡°Tamon¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Tamon!¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s power caused her waist to flex at the narrowest point. Her red apex tempted him with its scent, and Tamon didn¡¯t hesitate to suck her in.? ? The scent of her flesh, the warmth of her body, drove him crazy.? ? At this rate, he was going to be a madman inside her. He could range as far as he wanted. He could go mad with pleasure.? ? If only he could hold her, if only he could possess this scent.? ? ¡°Aranrosia.¡±? ? ¡°No. ¡­¡­. Oh, no¡­. ¡­¡­!¡±? ? Unable to hold back her dizziness, Roselyn bit Tamon¡¯s shoulder.? ? Tamon laughed like a beast at the adorable pain the little teeth gave him, and he held her up tightly with both arms.? ? Then he struck her down. The sound of wetness echoed faintly in the air.? ? The sea breeze blew coolly through the open window, but sweat pooled on their hot flesh.? ? The sound of sweat tingling between the skin that was in contact with the small waves lapping against it was nakedly audible.? ? ¡°¡­.!¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s power penetrated Roselyn very deeply. Deep, so deep that it shook her soul and settled into its roots.? ? ¡®My engraver, my little ocean.¡¯? ? Tamon dug into her open lips, occupying the inside of her mouth.? ? He sought out her escaping little tongue and grabbed it, breathing over it.? ? Her breath filled him. His chest rose full of the great satisfaction that washed over him like a wave.? ? With a firmness that could not be broken, he engraved himself in her.? ? So that the hateful lips that said she would never love him cry out for him one day¡­.? ? So that all this body, soul, and memories of pleasure would bind her forever.? ? ¡®I won¡¯t let you go.¡¯? ? Tamon¡¯s firm arms held her tightly .? ? ¡®Never.¡¯? ? He held her tightly, feeling her tiny body squirming inside him, ever so lovely, as if she was going to collapse.? ? He could see her thin neck flinching. And he was drooling.? ? The pure white, thin neck stimulated his appetite and lust at the same time. He didn¡¯t hesitate and bit her neck.? ? ¡°Ah¡­!¡±? ? He left a large, red mark that was incomparably larger than her teeth marks from earlier.? ? Tamon bared his teeth in full satisfaction, laughing and lacing her open lips with his.? ? It was sweet.? ? The sweet, refreshing taste and aroma filled him.? ? Even if he was to die after taking this bite now, he would be too happy and fragrant to give it up. Tamon greedily bit her into his mouth.? ? He bit and licked until her small, white body turned bright red and he was satisfied to leave his marks. ? ? It was a very filling night, so filling that the hungry beast laughed. CH 44 Chapter 44. I Think It¡¯s Her? ? ¡°It¡¯s bright¡­..¡±? ? Even though her eyes were closed, Roselyn could feel the glare.? ? She turned her head away, frowning. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to wake up.¡±? ? Her whole body felt sluggish and throbbing, but strangely refreshed.? ? This made Roselyn even more reluctant to open her eyes.? ? She didn¡¯t want to wake up and feel as if this refreshing and languid feeling would fly away.? ? She didn¡¯t feel any tiredness, not even from the headache that had been hanging over her every day since she joined the royal family.? ? ¡°So refreshing.¡±? ? She loved it. So much that she dug into the blanket like a child.? ? At that moment, something hot and heavy dug into her thighs.? ? Thick, heavy arms hugged her waist, and something warm and wet slid down her shoulders to her chest.? ? ¡°Huh¡­¡±? ? It was soft and ticklish and nice, but very annoying.? ? She tried to push away, but it was tangled more powerfully.? ? ¡°I¡¯m tired¡­.¡±? ? The thick and firm texture actually felt pretty good, so she eventually let it go as it did.? ? Eventually she realized later that it was human skin.? ? ¡®human¡­..?¡¯? ? Her eyes immediately lit up.? ? In the meantime, Tamon¡¯s lips, which had been closely leaving traces, passed over her shoulder and down below her collarbone, near the pretty breasts.? ? ¡°Ah¡­¡±? ? Sometimes people are so surprised that they are at a loss for words.? ? That¡¯s exactly what Roselyn was now.? ? It was so obscene that she couldn¡¯t believe what she saw as soon as she woke up.? ? She never thought she¡¯d see Tamon¡¯s well-formed face trailing across her chest on such a sunny morning¡­¡­? ? ¡°Now¡­¡­ What¡­.?¡±? ? The white skin that was covered with colorful marks last night was getting hotter and hotter.? ? Tamon curled up the corners of his mouth and smiled and spoke softly.? ? ¡°Good morning.¡±? ? Isn¡¯t this too inappropriate for a morning greeting?? ? Roselyn¡¯s eyes grew larger and larger as she looked at him with a puzzled expression.? ? It was due to the fact that Tamon was going down lower and lower, keeping eye contact with her.? ? Then he opened his lips and licked his tongue.? ? Then he engulfed her flower into his mouth all at once, red and swollen from being tormented all night long.? ? ¡°Ah!¡±? ? She felt as if her eyes were turning red.? ? Her hips twitched at the warmth and soft touch felt in her sensitive flower.? ? With an incredulous look on her face, she quickly pushed Tamon away.? ? No, she tried to push him away.? ? Until she was surprised by a tingling pain felt in her flower. Startled, Roselyn gave a small yelp with her reddened face, even though there was no one to hear her.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t bite me!¡±? ? Still not letting go of it, Tamon erupted in laughter. ? ? (*oh mischievous Tamon ) ? ? ***? ? ¡°Really? No one is coming out?¡±? ? ¡°Yes. No one has been out yet.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s unusual. No matter how big that mansion is, it must be frustrating¡­¡±? ? Amor was a beautiful country.? ? Especially when the seasons were usually warm and sunny, and people were rarely at home.? ? It would be a waste not to enjoy such a beautiful country, beautiful land and sea.? ? ¡°That¡¯s strange. Is she imprisoned?¡±? ? ¡°¡­..what?¡±? ? ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s possible. Tamon is a rather obsessed person, so he may lock her up and not let her go out.¡±? ? He nodded as if to give strength to his thoughts.? ? Theo Lantifu.? ? He was the current young king of Amor, who was strengthening his kingdom with strong drive and determination.? ? The power base he held was also backed by the Krasis family.? ? But that didn¡¯t mean that Tamon and Theo were in a relationship of faith that was completely united.? ? Neither of them trusted each other and even if they did believe, they knew they could change at any time.? ? But no matter how much so, Tamon was not the kind of person who would suddenly betray Theo.? ? Theo had been watching Tamon closely for quite some time.? ? Tamon was belligerent but cautious, and his sharp impressions intimidated his enemies, but his often-smiling face made him likable in contrast.? ? In particular, his voice, which sounded slow, had the power to make one listen beyond reason and genders, beyond nationality.? ? He was a clever man who was interested in all studies except those related to public administration, and especially in learning a variety of foreign languages and using them for various things.? ? He was as reliable as a thousand horses, but when such a person became an enemy, he was more troublesome and annoying than anyone else.? ? Noticing him early on, Theo decided to keep him by his side, and it seemed to have worked so far.? ? Theo saved his brother, and Tamon avenged his enemies.? ? It balanced the relationship quite well, but Theo needed a stronger heart than this.? ? If it was his loyalty, there would be nothing more he could wish for.¡­¡­¡­¡­? ? ¡°If that¡¯s not good enough, we can just match our understanding. I have no idea how that guy feels.¡¯? ? Theo¡¯s goal was to make this country, Amor, stronger than Tanatos.? ? In order to do so, he needed a useful person named Tamon.? ? Until now, it wasn¡¯t difficult to ¡°use¡± this useful human resource according to Theo¡¯s preference.? ? Fortunately, for Tamon, there was no particular goal.? ? He just enjoyed fighting, competing with his opponents whether it was on the battlefield or in a venue.? ? Although he never said it, his favorite opponent was the Empress of Tanatos.? ? Theo had heard many stories about her being extremely intelligent, but that didn¡¯t make her special to him.? ? She wasn¡¯t belligerent or combative in her diplomacy, and she was just good enough to cultivate what she had by making good use of defense and offense as appropriate.? ? ¡°It is very difficult, Your Majesty. It¡¯s a matter of maintaining balance, staying in line with the goals you set, and sticking to them. It¡¯s not easy for everyone, but she does it really well. You can¡¯t let your guard down.¡±? ? ¡°..hmmmp!¡±? ? Theo snickered.? ? She would never let her guard down, but she was finally ousted by the Emperor.? ? Making a good impression on the outside would not help. After all, if you mixed it up in your mind, it was over.? ? Theo loathed Tanatos.? ? He hated it and thought of it as miserable.? ? He still hadn¡¯t forgotten that day when his father pleaded with Tanatos, banging his forehead on the ground. As evidence of the alliance, his little sister was taken and he still did not know if she was dead or alive.? ? ¡°Lana.¡±? ? According to Tanatos¡¯ side of the story, Lana ran away from the academy herself¡­¡­¡­.? ? It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like that. The young but clever Lana would never have run away from home so recklessly.? ? ¡°Phew.¡±? ? Theo gritted his teeth, still frustrated at the thought of Lana.? ? His hatred for Tanatos grew in volume by the day.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get my chance soon. I¡¯m sure I will.¡±? ? The Empress, who had been so great, was gone, and even the Sunset family that had supported the country was gone.? ? The people were angry, and the Emperor was now in a bad shape. How could the foolish Tanatos, the Emperor¡¯s own self-interest, not prevail and shake the very foundations of the country?? ? That man¡¯s arrogance drove Tanatos to its death.? ? ¡°It is said the Sunset family was destroyed, but there are still two families left. I didn¡¯t know how Tanatos is able to get a steady supply of silver deer.¡±? ? The silver horned deer was an important beast on the continent.? ? Maybe it was because of ¡°divine intervention,¡± but this world was somewhat uneasy.? ? One day, a ¡°gap¡± occurred, and unheard-of monsters began to flood the world.? ? The temples of each country tried their best to fill it, but it wasn¡¯t easy.? ? The sky, the sea, and the earth all had ¡°gaps¡± in them.? ? Fortunately, the number of infiltrations was not very large, but the poison emitted by the monsters was so strong that it was difficult to overpower each and every one.? ? The most useful items used in defeating these monsters were the antlers and leather of the silver deer, the Laxicon and Demeter of the Ores of God, and the Holy Objects.? ? God¡¯s ability worked against monsters, but most of the people who possessed it were royalty.? ? It was not easy for them to come to the fore.? ? As a result, the antlers and leather of silver deer, and how much Laxicon and Demeter they had were an important indicator of the country¡¯s defense.? ? The other day, Tamon brought him a silver antlered deer, which was actually a ridiculously large harvest.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ But why do I feel uncomfortable?¡±? ? Theo tilted his head back, scratching his head.? ? He wasn¡¯t actually a brainiac. ? ? He had good sense and luck, but it was hard to manipulate something by using his brain.? ? ¡°I think it¡¯s her.¡±? ? ¡ªA beautiful silver-haired slave.? ? It was Tamon¡¯s slave, who resembled the Empress of the enemy country.? ? Theo had always said it proudly. He trusted his senses more than his head.? ? And his sense kept pointing at the woman.? ? He thought of her as if she was someone Tamon had fallen in love with at first sight. But something was bothering him, but he couldn¡¯t figure out what it was exactly.? ? ¡°It¡¯s all suspicious. It¡¯s just weird.¡±? ? The strangest thing was Tamon.? ? Theo had never seen Tamon¡¯s eyes so full of desire. He even suspected him of being homosexual.? ? But how could he look like that at a slave he just bought? He was seemingly quite calm and dark, although the depth of his emotions could not be easily guessed.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t think it was love at first sight or anything, though.¡±? ? Such a look was by no means a depth occured in a day or two. Theo was troubled, biting the inner flesh of his lip, as was his habit.? ? ¡°It¡¯s weird. No matter what I think, something¡¯s wrong¡­ ¡­. Ugh, it¡¯s this stone head.¡±? ? Theo was struggling to breathe, standing up and rubbing his face frustratingly.? ? ¡°Keep watching and when she comes outside¡­¡±? ? Theo thought of Tamon for a moment, but quickly put him out of his mind.? ? No matter what he did with a single slave, Tamon couldn¡¯t harm the King. And best of all, Tamon would never know.? ? ¡°Anyway, bring her to me.¡±? ? Theo was confident that he could coax at least one slave into helping him.? ? ¡°If she refuses¡­.¡±? ? Theo ordered with a smirk.? ? ¡°Bring her to me by any means and methods. Even if you have to kidnap her.¡±? ? ¡ªif she was a ¡°real slave¡±. CH 45 Chapter 45. Exactly One Month? ? Roselyn held the paper Tamon had given her in her hand, and she read the words over and over again.? ? [O life] Engrave before the sixth moon rises and the fifth night passes. And let her know that the Iron Child is crossing the sea. If the child cannot be saved before it reaches land, her treasure will fall back to death.]? ? The word ¡°life¡± referred to Tamon.? ? It was clear that the word ¡°death¡± referred to Gillotti.? ? Then there was the Iron Child¡­.? ? Roselyn remembered Arsene.? ? Arsene was a child abandoned by a blacksmith.? ? The old blacksmith raised Arsene, but when he was ten years old, even the old man died, and Arsene had to go into a shelter.? ? The child was good with his hands and did chores at the shelter, but he always missed the smell of iron. However, after he took the sword, the nostalgia had faded and all he did was practice.? ? ¡°Iron Child¡­.¡±? ? If these were the words referring to Arsene, then the treasure written here must surely be the sacred object she had entrusted to him.? ? Roselyn made up her mind.? ? ¡°I must find the Iron Child.¡±? ? ¡°Do you know who the Iron Child is?¡±? ? She said with a short nod.? ? ¡°He is the child I entrusted with the treasure.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s expression changed at her words.? ? ¡°So the words written here¡­¡±? ? ¡°Yes, it seems that someone knows about this situation right now. So we must hurry. We must find the holy relic before the child crosses the sea.¡±? ? Holy relics.? ? The holy relics were as important as the abilities. There were 6 carvings of God that were said to have fallen into this world.? ? They played an important role in dealing with the monsters that slipped through the gap. It was also the only thing that could stand up to the gifted. (People with power)? ? Surely, the Sunset clan was completely destroyed and all the treasures they possessed would be confiscated by the imperial family.? ? Roselyn knew that this would happen and hid the holy relic beforehand.? ? ¡°The child¡¯s name is Arsene. He was on his way to Louvre at my request. I see that the message mentioned the sea, and it seems like he was caught near Louvre¡­¡­¡­ I don¡¯t know where that ship is going.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s close. We¡¯re at the point where the trade month is almost over, so even if we start tracking it now, we¡¯ll most likely be late.¡±? ? After pondering for a while, Tamon pulled out a map from somewhere.? ? He unfolded the map widely and pointed to the four countries that encircled the Talia Sea like a crescent moon and the narrow strait outside Talia Sea, the Sentica.? ? ¡°There are only five places you can go if you take a ship in Louvre, but some of the Sentica chieftains have already reared their heads again, so it wouldn¡¯t be Tanatos if you took a ship in Louvre, and there are only three countries left, Amor, Ortu, and Mach.¡±? ? ¡°Amor won¡¯t be easy because of the complicated procedures for entering the port. Mach is the farthest country from Louvre, so it¡¯s more likely to reach us once the trading month is over, then it¡¯s the only one left.¡±? ? Roselyn pointed to Ortu.? ? ¡°Ortu has close ties with Nilux. That¡¯s how generous they are with the slave trade, and it seemes likely that they went this way.¡±? ? Tamon bowed his head slightly to Roselyn, who looked up at him as if to say, ¡°What do you think?¡±? ? He smiled briefly and nodded in agreement.? ? Roselyn clenched her fists nervously.? ? ¡°Arsene¡­¡±? ? ¡®Why did I ask that child for a favor?¡¯? ? At the time, Roselyn was isolated and was likely to die.? ? No matter how much, it was too much to ask a child who hid in secret.? ? She wanted to know where Arsene was, and not just for the sake of the holy relic.? ? The original Roselyn would have managed to find the child¡¯s whereabouts. If she had the status and power of an empress, that is.? ? But now she was too penniless. All she has now is¡­¡­? ? Roselyn looked at the man standing in front of her. As if he was waiting for her next words, Tamon politely made eye contact with her without saying a word.? ? Roselyn asked, not hiding her nervousness.? ? ¡°Can you save the child?¡±? ? Tamon laughed, as if he had been waiting for her.? ? ¡°One month.¡±? ? He was the only card she was holding.? ? ¡°In exactly one month, I will bring him before you.¡± ? ? Tamon kissed the back of her hand.? ? (*can I have Tamon, please)? ? ***? ? After that night, it became difficult for Roselyn to look at Tamon.? ? Whatever he was planning or doing, he was frequently out and about, sometimes coming home soaked in blood.? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t wait for him.? ? Instead, she spent all day in Tamon¡¯s bedroom. To be more precise, a secret room hidden inside of his bedroom.? ? Tamon handed her a number of keys.? ? ¡°What are all these?¡±? ? ¡°Keys to my private realm.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­ Isn¡¯t this mansion already your private realm?¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s much deeper than that, it¡¯s a secret place.¡±? ? He led Roselyn by the hand into a secret room at the back of his bedroom.? ? A small door that opened by pressing a secret button hidden in a tapestry, and a staircase leading down to the basement behind it.? ? Perhaps the room had been designed from the time the mansion was built, or it was just an underground room, but the sun was shining in from somewhere.? ? In the center of the room where the sunlight shone in, there were a few flower pots.? ? No one would be able to get in if it was a secret space, so was Tamon taking care of those plants himself?? ? With the questions in mind, Roselyn averted her gaze and looked around at the books and papers that filled the walls.? ? On a huge desk with one wall behind it, fountain pens and papers were piled up, indicating that it was a desk in use.? ? ¡°This is where I come when I plan something or have some alone time. Sometimes I use it to avoid troublesome visitors.¡± ? ? Tamon said and plopped down on a very comfortable looking sofa.? ? ¡°Well, from now on, you can use it to make your own plan.¡±? ? Despite the fact that he had just surrendered his secret space, Tamon didn¡¯t seem hesitant in any way.? ? No, in fact, he looked at Roselyn, who occupied her space, as if she was something interesting.? ? He had a strange personality, after all.? ? Roselyn ignored Tamon¡¯s gaze and looked around the secret study.? ? The first thing she saw was books on the bookshelves.? ? Books in his secret room¡­. Is there anything that gets to know him better than this?? ? Because the books he was hiding meant the thoughts and future he was hiding.? ? Roselyn¡¯s gaze slowly scanned through the bookshelves.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ¡®He¡¯s more curious about the world than I thought.¡¯? ? Some have searched for their secrets in past history, some have harbored counter-questions, and some have boldly questioned the revolution or power structure.? ? There was nothing good about this being known outside. Especially those who are known as the pro-king faction like Tamon.? ? The King and the Krasis had an absolute friendship. It was known, but could there be an ¡°absolute¡± in politics?? ? The relationship between a king and his subjects was different from friendship or love.? ? When trust was broken, life could come and go, so room for betrayal had to be given without mercy. ? ? Roselyn imagined Tamon¡¯s head falling for a while and shook her head in surprise.? ? It didn¡¯t matter to her if he died or not, or was decapitated or not.? ? Roselyn kept her mind at a distance, but on the other hand, she knew that this room must not be discovered.? ? Of course, Tamon could do it properly himself.? ? Thus passed a day of exploring his secret study.? ? After that day, Roselyn went to and fro in his bedroom even when he was not there.? ? Sometimes she would fall asleep in her bedroom when it was late or when she was lost in thought.? ? Of course, no one stopped her.? ? Well, she was known as a slave¡­? ? ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m a bedroom slave.¡±? ? Her new identity was once again ridiculous.? ? She wondered how she ended up in this position, but she wasn¡¯t really angry or amused.? ? She was dead once anyway. She had thrown away her existing status and honor in the snowfield of Tanatos.? ? So it didn¡¯t matter what this body, which was only an external form, was called.? ? Rather, she was even light-hearted after shedding her heavy position.? ? Moreover, none of the servants in the east annex ignored the fact that she was from slavery.? ? ¡®They¡¯re well disciplined.¡¯? ? The servants who ran errands and even the knights who guarded here and there were disciplined and dignified.? ? No one looked away or opened their mouths recklessly.? ? They concentrated on their own work, minding their own business.? ? Thanks to this, Roselyn was able to spend her time freely in the east annex.? ? Even more freely than when she was in the Sunset family¡¯s mansion before she became the Crown Princess. ? ? She could walk around barefoot if she felt like it, and she didn¡¯t mind if her clothes got a little messy. ? ? She didn¡¯t have to worry about anyone¡¯s eyes on her, and she didn¡¯t have to be nervous that someone would hurt her.? ? She didn¡¯t have to worry that her words and actions would disturb her family and close friends.? ? No one put strict standards on her.? ? Roselyn approached the balcony and stared out at the ocean. The endless expanse of the ocean was a marvel to behold.? ? ¡®If I died without seeing this, I think I would be disappointed.¡¯? ? ¡®If the world was so big, why was I always trapped in the ice?¡¯? ? ¡°The empress is not in a position to walk around leisurely because of her busy work. Unlike me, who is incompetent.¡±? ? Every time she tried to melt, Gillotti froze her again and again. So that she would never get out of there.? ? But not anymore¡­..? ? She¡¯s going to break the ice herself.? ? CH 46 Chapter 46. I¡¯m Disappointed? ? ¡°¡­.My poor Majesty.¡±? ? Natasha ran her soft hand over Gillotti¡¯s greasy-sweating forehead.? ? He had been fine for the last few days, but today he collapsed again.? ? A cough started a month ago, and now he has a fever.? ? There was no reason and no sign.? ? It wasn¡¯t even a simple cold or injury.? ? ¡°Your Majesty. This is something that even the temple can¡¯t do anything about¡­. We can only watch and wait. All things are God¡¯s will.¡±? ? In other words, it didn¡¯t matter if he was Emperor, he had no choice but to suffer.? ? Fortunately, after having such a hard time for a few days, he was back on his feet, but then the process repeated.? ? ¡°Your Majesty, how did you become so thin? Natasha¡¯s heart hurt so much.¡±? ? Natasha stroked his pale cheeks and forehead, and then his neck, repeating the word ¡°poor¡± as she did so.? ? Gillotti, who was breathing heavily, opened his eyes tiredly and looked at her.? ? ¡°¡­..Tasha.¡±? ? ¡°Your Majesty.¡±? ? Natasha grabbed Gillotti¡¯s thin hand tightly.? ? ¡°How long did I sleep?¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s been exactly twelve hours since you collapsed this morning.¡±? ? ¡°Of course. In the meantime, you¡­ protected¡­ me¡­. Kakak!¡±? ? Gillotti coughed.? ? Natasha quickly pulled her hand out, got up and fetched a glass of water for him.? ? ¡°Shh. My Majesty, my Gillotti. It¡¯s only natural for me to protect you. So don¡¯t worry about anything, and sleep tight.¡±? ? ¡°Natasha¡­Natasha ¡­¡­¡±? ? Gillotti¡¯s cloudy eyes filled Natasha¡¯s exhausted face.? ? A moist face that mixed love, concern, anxiety, and faith together.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ my love, I must have you as an Empress¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Gillotti, oh, Gillotti, I don¡¯t care about that. I¡¯m not guarding His Majesty¡¯s side because I want to be an empress.I just want to be there for His Majesty ¡­¡­¡­ whenever he¡¯s sick, whenever he¡¯s weak, whenever he needs me.¡±? ? Natasha said with a face full of tears.? ? She put her forehead in his hands and shook her shoulders as she sobbed.? ? Gillotti¡¯s eyes filled with tears as he looked at her head, which was trembling weakly.? ? Was there ever anyone who loved him this much?? ? By far, there was not a single person.? ? As expected, Natasha was his recording. She was a green meadow and spring.? ? ¡°I must¡­¡±? ? Gillotti¡¯s voice became distant. He fell asleep again.? ? Natasha, who had been sobbing with her forehead on Gillotti¡¯s hand, looked up. Ironically, her eyes were dry as if they had never been wet at any time. ? ? Staring at Gillotti, she patted his dry cheek with a dry touch.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t worry, My Majesty. Natasha will take care of everything for you.¡±? ? She heaved herself up. Her belly was already round.? ? It was hard.? ? On the surface, she was only four or five months pregnant, but when she looked at her belly, it definitely looked like it was seven or eight months old.? ? It wasn¡¯t her first baby, so her stomach was filling up at a much faster rate¡­¡­¡­. Natasha, who covered her stomach with a wide skirt, grabbed the open door and looked back.? ? Gillotti thought she¡¯d been with him all night, but that couldn¡¯t be¡­.? ? It was just luck.? ? She had only been in his room for about five minutes.? ? ¡°Your Majesty, you must never die. Never.¡±? ? ¡°For Natasha¡¯s sake, and for the sake of our children.¡±? ? She patted her swollen belly affectionately and quietly slipped out of the emperor¡¯s bedroom.? ? Thick tapestries were hung all over the castle to keep out the cold.? ? Thick carpets were also laid on the floor.? ? Due to the severe cold that started last month, each layer became even thicker.? ? Thanks to this, Natasha¡¯s footsteps were completely buried in the darkness.? ? Dark shadows loomed over her face, which had been like the sunshine of spring.? ? ¡®But what if he really dies?¡¯? ? She couldn¡¯t believe that Gillotti¡¯s power was such a useless power.? ? Natasha sighed deeply, not hiding her pity.? ? How many people did she have to kill?? ? It seemed more efficient to raise assassins well.? ? The magnitude of the emperor¡¯s power this time was very small compared to previous emperors.? ? Every time she looked at it, it wasn¡¯t not enough.? ? She patted her round, raised belly.? ? Until this child was born safely and was announced that he was the Emperor¡¯s child, Gillotti could not die.? ? She had to keep him alive by any means necessary.? ? She chose him because she thought he was the strongest man, but it was lamentable that he was so insignificant.? ? ¡°Natasha is disappointed, Your Majesty.¡±? ? She mumbled to herself in front of the huge portrait of Gillotti at the end of the hallway.? ? ¡°I¡¯m very, very disappointed.¡±? ? Natasha¡¯s orange eyes, which had been shining as warmly as the spring sun, stared coldly at Gillotti in the portrait.? ? They were not the eyes of the person who had whispered her love earlier. It was natural.? ? She had never loved him from before to now.? ? Love was not a big deal to Natasha. It was just a way to change who she was and how she was being looked at.? ? To her, the emperor was just such a being. A fake love with a greater status.? ? She didn¡¯t know if he was going to die or not, but she had to hurry her plans because he was so weak. The child had to be raised to the position of prince and the gold mine owned by the imperial family had to be returned to her personal fortune.? ? It would be nice if she could ascend to the position of Empress, but it didn¡¯t have to be that way.? ? But the position had to be high.? ? It would not only allow her other children to inherit the title, but it would also give her an advantage if she had to flee to another country.? ? ¡°I heard Amor is a better place to live.¡± ? ? (* oh no, don¡¯t you dare go to Amor)? ? However, the head of the kingdom was a female king.? ? (*Theo is a woman? The translation was like this so I¡¯ll leave it here for now.)? ? It was said the King hated Tanatos exceptionally and specifically.? ? It was easier for Natasha if the person in power was a man anyway.? ? It was much easier to stir up pity, to touch their desires, and to gouge out their weaknesses.? ? Men were enamored with Natasha Roanti, who was weak and adorable and had a tragic past.? ? By embracing her, they flaunted their superiority and toughness and pride.? ? It¡¯s as if they were her saviors, as if she was their greatness as well.? ? ¡°It¡¯s like a worm.¡±? ? However, she was no different from a worm, living as a parasite on that worm.? ? Natasha survived in the way she most despised and hated. And she would continue to live this way.? ? It didn¡¯t matter.? ? If only she could survive in any way, and live in a way that did not threaten her children so that no one could ignore her¡­¡­¡­? ? She was willing to be a bug a thousand times, ten thousand times over.? ? And she still had the highest authority in this country that way.? ? Natasha patted her round belly carefully.? ? ¡°I will be the most powerful person in this country.¡±? ? So the mother and her children would become noble blood vessels of the imperial family.? ? ¡°This shallow Natasha will become part of the royal family of the great golden empire of Tanatos!¡±? ? She was the only woman left in this imperial family.? ? But still, it was too early to be relieved.? ? What the differently-abled nations considered most important was ¡°who inherited the divine ability¡±.? ? The fact that they possessed different abilities was no different from the story that they had received God¡¯s choice. The current emperor, Gillotti, had no children, and his only sister was dead. ? ? The greatest threat came from the brother of the previous emperor and Gillotti¡¯s uncle, Grand Duke Lopes. However, he was already fifty-five years old and had no power.? ? It was a bit concerning to know that he had twelve children, all nobles who occupied seats in the council.? ? Still, it was no match for the powerful weapon of the current emperor¡¯s bloodline.? ? Natasha carefully patted her belly again.? ? The baby wriggled, as if it had read its mother¡¯s uneasy thoughts. Natasha gazed at it lovingly.? ? ¡°However, we must be prepared when things go wrong.¡±? ? The last of the wildly evil women of Yasa in history ended up looking at the present, rampaging through it, and getting their heads cut off foolishly. Such a thing should not have happened.? ? How could she have survived all this time and then die in vain like that?? ? ¡°I think it¡¯s better to make connections with other countries just in case.¡±? ? It seemed that Amor, where it was good to live and was hostile to Tanatos, would be good.? ? The king who hated Tanatos, but he wouldn¡¯t hate Tanatos as a whole.? ? In fact, his hatred was her advantage.? ? A woman who had been used and discarded by Tanatos was more likely to permeate into the gap of ¡°hate.¡±? ? ¡®I suppose I should start reaching out to Amor¡¯s diplomat now. Tamon Krasis is the one.¡¯? ? He was a man she had met many times at banquets, but had never once laid eyes on her.? ? Instead, he was caught by her eyes on more than one occasion.? ? The men of Tanatos were generally pale and sharp looking.? ? Due to the cold weather, they always wore thick clothes, but when the body got bigger, it looked dull.? ? Hobbies that involved internal activities rather than external ones were preferable, and physical work was something for the lower class people to do. ? ? But the climate of Amor was opposite.? ? Amor men were big and healthy, with brown skin. It was hot there and they were not afraid to show their bodies in light clothes.? ? Amor men were strong and tireless.? ? They lived in a place where the weather was always nice, so their personalities were usually relaxed and easy-going.? ? But the Amor men are savage and promiscuous. They say it¡¯s easy to meet and part. Marriage is a sacred family contract, so how can it be so easy to meet?? ? The ladies were busy whispering and sneaking when Amor¡¯s Tamon Krasis appeared.? ? They glanced at him, blushed, and even wandered around him for no apparent reason.? ? ¡°Savage and promiscuous¡­¡­ That¡¯s exactly the kind of country I¡¯m after.¡±? ? Smirking, Natasha stood in front of the last room in the corridor.? ? Looking at the heavy door, she raised her pale hand and knocked naturally on the door.? ? Once, twice, and a little later.? ? The door opened as if it had been waiting for her.? ? ¡°Natasha!¡±? ? The person, who hurriedly opened the door and appeared, hugged Natasha.? ? Cradled in his chest, Natasha gently brushed the man¡¯s golden hair.? ? ¡°His Majesty woke up and didn¡¯t let me go.¡±? ? ¡°¡­That d*mn Emperor!¡±? ? ¡°Shhhh, be careful, Roxon, this is the Imperial Palace.¡±? ? Natasha pushed him into the door with a gentle hand.? ? They were pulled into the room in a tangled mess. His hands hurried to embrace Natasha.? ? ¡°The Emperor has fallen and it is I, Roxon Bake, who do all the affairs of state, so who can harm me?¡±? ? He talked arrogantly.? ? ¡°Of course. Who dares. That¡¯s right.¡± ? ? Natasha leaned her head lightly on his shoulder.? ? Through the window, Roxon held Natasha.? ? He had blond hair, green eyes, and a tall, slender figure.? ? It was hard to distinguish him from the emperor.? ? Of course, his facial features were very different from the emperor, the most beautiful man in the empire.? ? Marquis Roxon Bake.? ? He was a distant cousin of the Emperor. He was very clever and ambitious,and he was crowned Prime Minister with the help of his relatives.? ? His ambition and Natasha¡¯s black heart came together.? ? Strangely enough, no matter how many nights she spent with the Emperor, she never got pregnant.? ? As the next best option, Natasha chose Marquis Roxon Bake, a distant relative of the emperor. She whispered in his ear as she patted her rounded belly.? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­You¡¯ll help my child become Emperor, right?¡± ? ? At Natasha¡¯s words, Roxon smiled confidently and lifted Natasha¡¯s chin, their lips locked together deeply. ? ? ¡°Of course, Natasha, you have nothing to worry about. Everything will be fine.¡±? ? Natasha smiled, relieved by Roxon¡¯s words. Yes, what¡¯s there to worry about?? ? The Empress, who was like a thorn in her eyes, died, and the Emperor, who had nothing to look at, was bedridden.? ? As Roxon said, all will be well. ? ? Everything is as Natasha wants¡­¡­. CH 47 Chapter 47. She Doesn¡¯t Know? ? Whoosh!? ? A squall passed by in a brief blur.? ? A sound that he couldn¡¯t tell if it was wind or rain covered the area around Tamon¡¯s mansion.? ? It sounded so desolate that if you listened for a moment, it sounded like a woman crying.? ? Walking down the corridor, Tamon looked out the window at the pitch black emptiness of the sky.? ? He had heard the sound of such a cold wind sometime before.? ? It was even rougher than this, the sound of Tanatos¡¯ harsh snow wind.? ? Was it already three years ago?? ? It was so deafening that he really thought someone was crying.? ? Of course, he wasn¡¯t the type to be bothered by any noblewoman crying in the corner.? ? Rather, he hurried, fearing that someone would catch him.? ? Trying to avoid the nobles, he came across a group of lovers enjoying a secret meeting. ? ? He came into the wrong path, pretending not to see them and getting out of the way.? ? Tamon stepped into a deep place in the main palace.? ? He was trying to get out of there as quickly as possible but he caught a glimpse of silver hair.? ? Of all places, that sound coincided with the afterimage of silver hair.? ? He wondered if it was the sound of her crying.? ? The new Empress of Tanatos.? ? The woman who was forced into the position of empress when the previous emperor died and his only rambunctious son became emperor.? ? A hint of curiosity led him to her.? ? Someone was standing on the secret terrace, a short distance from the banquet hall.? ? His guess was right. It was her.? ? Empress of Tanatos, standing staring up at the sky with fallen snow.? ? She looked at the snowy sky for a while. He could see her red, frozen face.? ? He thought she was crying, but that voice wasn¡¯t crying, it was singing.? ? The humming was a traditional Tanatos song that he had never heard before.? ? The light melody that children would sing echoed quietly through the thin voice.? ? For some reason, Tamon couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the figure in front of him.? ? The woman standing next to the emperor was like a cold, hard piece of ice, whereas the woman standing alone, with everyone behind, was like a snowman standing in the sun.? ? Like a snowman slowly melting in the sunlight, dangerous and lovely.? ? ¡°Lovely?¡±? ? It was too personal a sentiment to hold for an empress of another country.? ? Tamon gave a faint laugh and turned to leave.? ? ¡°Charlotte, could you pass me my drink that I put there?¡±? ? But a gentle voice, one he had never heard before, politely echoed in her voice.? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? If it was a nobleman¡¯s courtesy, he had to show his presence and shed his voice so that she would not mistake him for others.? ? But Tamon couldn¡¯t do that.? ? Instead, with a slightly more careful hand, he handed her her drink.? ? Perhaps it was because it was dark, or perhaps it was because she didn¡¯t expect another person to be there of course.? ? She just gently tilted her head to the side and said thank you.? ? From the lukewarm, mumbled last pronunciation, it seemed that she was already a little drunk.? ? Roselyn, who was sipping a strong drink of ice, suddenly smiled.? ? ¡°By the way, for what it¡¯s worth, the person really seems to have lost his mind.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°How dare he try to take the Garolf Mine back from this country? His Majesty is also terrible. How could he be so enchanted by crystal salt?¡­ I told him that that mine has a high potential future value.¡±? ? Tamon listened to her words silently, his eyes narrowing in amusement.? ? The Garolf mine was part of the mountain range east of Tanatos that he had tried to secretly pull out of the meeting today morning.? ? So the person the Empress¡¯s mentioned as ¡®a lunatic¡¯ was probably referring to him.? ? ¡®I thought you didn¡¯t care. You seem to think I¡¯m crazy.¡¯? ? Despite the feeling that he had to turn his back, his steps were heavy.? ? There were constant warnings that he had to sneak out, but Tamon just stood there, pretending not to hear a glimmer.? ? Oh, this was all that woman¡¯s fault.? ? It was that woman¡¯s fault that he was hiding so vulnerably in her own castle, in her own secret place.? ? ¡®Yes, I have to be more careful.¡¯? ? Wasn¡¯t this the time when delegations from various countries were coming and going?? ? Unlike her cold and calm appearance, she seemed to have a bit of a defenseless side.? ? But she built such a wall of ice in the morning meeting.? ? ¡°Disapproved. It is Tanatos¡¯ law that the emperor alone cannot dispose of the imperial property placed on the books. Since I, the Empress, do not approve of this transaction, this contract is not officially valid. Also, if you try to handle things this way again in a meeting without me, I will be out of all future meetings with Amor.¡±? ? The upright neck and cold purple eyes.? ? It was Tamon who encountered dozens and hundreds of nobles as he clashed with the many nations.? ? The new Empress of Tanatos was neither the best of them, nor the most perfect of monarchs. But there was something about her that chilled people¡¯s hearts.? ? But¡­.? ? ¡°Charlotte, do you know? It is said that when the full moon is large and the snowflakes fall, the souls come down during the snowfall.¡±? ? She said as she reached for the scattering snowflakes.? ? ¡°Today¡¯s the anniversary of my grandfather¡¯s death. Oh my grandfather¡­.. I wonder if he¡¯s here.¡±? ? Tamon never knew a woman who looked so cold could be so vulnerable when no one was around.? ? ¡°I wanted to say at least once that I should have listened to my grandfather, but¡­When will he come¡­?¡±? ? He wanted to keep an eye on her for a little longer, but he had to hide himself as the presence of people approached.? ? He had no further contact with the Empress after that.? ? Aside from running into each other, they had never spoken in private.? ? Neither of them had ever looked at the other with any kind of fondness.? ? And yet, Tamon kept staring at her.? ? He was fascinated by her all the time. There were times when he deliberately tried to get her attention, but still without any success, he started to look at her again.? ? Sometimes he admired her, sometimes he felt sorry for her¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­? ? Sometimes he wanted to reach out to her like crazy, and sometimes he tried to run away, saying he was sick of it, but eventually he stared at her again.? ? She was another man¡¯s wife, the Empress of an enemy country.? ? He consoled himself that he was no more than interested, but maybe he was already then¡­¡­¡­? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? Tamon stopped in front of the door to Roselyn¡¯s room.? ? Her voice had been hovering in his ear a few days ago as he stood still, holding the door.? ? ¡°Why do I have to mix my body with yours all the time? The life force is ¡­¡­. There doesn¡¯t seem to be any need for it.¡±? ? He kissed her ankles in his spare time.? ? The ankles were not the only place his lips touched.? ? He left traces of himself everywhere his gaze reached.? ? It was the marks of Tamon¡¯s lust, but it was also an act to push his life force into her, who still hadn¡¯t recovered her strength¡­.? ? The desire stirred him.? ? It urged him to bring every excuse he had on his behalf to hold her.? ? Need? That¡¯s what she said because she didn¡¯t know.? ? Tamon needed her every moment.? ? His re-stabilized body wanted her more than ever before, and even the sight of Roselyn¡¯s red lips tormented him with a burning thirst.? ? So he really needed her every moment.? ? He was in desperate need of her.? ? If he could, he didn¡¯t want to remove Roselyn from his body.? ? No, he didn¡¯t want to get out of her forever. ? ? ¡°But my upright Majesty (Roselyn) will not understand¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? Smirking, Tamon took out his dagger.? ? He had struggled for several days to prepare for his departure, but simply holding her and sleeping with her was not enough.? ? With a disinterested glance, he cut his arm with the dagger.? ? It was not enough to bleed just a little.? ? To buy Roselyn¡¯s peace of mind, to get her off her guard, this slight cut would have to be ¡­¡­? ? The sharp edge of the blade made a long, deep gash from the inside of his elbow to his wrist.? ? ¡°My lord¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Stay away.¡±? ? The dark sliver of shadow guarding Tamon came into view in a panic at his action of wounding himself.? ? Tamon stopped the approaching shadow.? ? Hesitantly, the shadow silently hid itself in the darkness.? ? Tamon put a little more strength into the hand that held his dagger. The wound became deeper. The weight of the blood dripping down was getting heavier.? ? He roughly wrapped his handkerchief around the wound and threw the knife he was holding into the dark.? ? ¡°Take care of it.¡±? ? The darkness shook briefly, and Tamon opened the door with one hand, his handkerchief stained red.? ? Roselyn¡¯s panicked gaze fell on him as he approached.? ? ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your arms..¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Surprise attack, an assassin.¡±? ? ¡°¡­What?¡±? ? ¡°I bled out too much. I¡¯m dizzy.¡±? ? ¡®Shameless.¡¯? ? Tamon inwardly complained to himself, but on the surface he sighed as he walked up to her, holding out his arms.? ? Her panicked purple eyes were adorable.? ? He had the feeling that maybe he really was a crazy person.? ? How could he possibly try get this woman¡¯s attention every moment?? ? How and why is he so crazy when the person in question does not have a single intention to do so?? ? ¡°Heal me¡­..¡±? ? Looking up at him, Roselyn approached him with a sigh.? ? Looking at her as she approached, he had the feeling that living madly wasn¡¯t so bad.? ? If Roselyn was crazy enough that she wasn¡¯t afraid of him, if she was crazy enough that she didn¡¯t know about his own madness¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­? ? Would that be okay? CH 48 Chapter 48. To The Lady Of The Pink Rose Forest? ? The warmest region in Tanatos was the southeast.? ? Centered on the Kralturian Mountains, the northwest was Bern, the capital, and the southeast was Noem, where fishing was well developed.? ? Noem had a large land but there were not many households.? ? Despite the advantage of being the warmest region in this harsh winter country, it was very difficult to cross the Kralturian Mountains.? ? However, those who had once crossed the mountain range would not go back to the northwest.? ? They were settled in Noem, a simple but warm, rustic but peaceful place to live.? ? The imperial control was weak, so as long as the lord was good, they could live without suffering. Noem was originally ruled by Viscount Tulpe.? ? Five years ago, his domain collapsed due to a tsunami, and he went bankrupt after spending all his money on restoration work.? ? So the ownership of the land changed, and it was the Count of Puglish who bought the land. ? ? The Puglish was a central aristocracy, and they owned the Laminoa region, not far from the capital.? ? Compared to the size of the land, Laminoa was a rich region where beans and turnips were farmed well.? ? It was neither a large nor a small power, and its reputation was not bad.? ? The Countess of Puglish was well known as the Empress¡¯s confidante, but that didn¡¯t mean that she received a great barony or salary from the Empress.? ? However, the Countess Puglish had a good eye for land and was very successful in each area she purchased.? ? Whenever she bought a farm, there was always a good harvest the following year, and whenever she bought a mountain range, something was discovered in the mountains.? ? Iron ore, silver and gold, and even hot springs have been found in the area.? ? Some said that the empress might have passed on the information for the sake of her entourage of maids, but Countess Puglish refrained from saying anything.? ? Anyway, Noem was one of the lands that the Countess Puglish had purchased.? ? Everyone watched to see what great things would happen in Noem, but after six months or a year, there was no news.? ? By the time two years had passed, no one was interested in Noem, because there were bigger problems than the good news of the land the Countess had bought. The Emperor had killed the empress, and the Emperor¡¯s lecherous mistress had given birth to the Emperor¡¯s child.? ? It was such a terrible event that a year, or even years of fussing would not be enough.? ? It didn¡¯t matter that the Countess Puglish, the Empress¡¯s confidante, had disappeared from society without anyone¡¯s knowledge.? ? ***? ? It was a three-story mansion built on a low cliff, in the sunshine.? ? At the back of the mansion, there was a swing made by stringing together the branches of a huge seasonal tree. ? ? Anna sat on the swing and gazed endlessly across the sea.? ? This was the land that Roselyn had originally sought and purchased.? ? It had a view of the ocean, it wasn¡¯t too cold, and it was a short distance from the capital.? ? So Anna was happy to buy the land for her.? ? It was a no-brainer, but it was worth it just for what Roselyn wanted.? ? But the person who wanted it wasn¡¯t here, and she was the only one left looking out at that empty sea.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Anna. I guess I didn¡¯t stop it well enough. That¡¯s why something is happening to me.¡± ? ? ¡°Your Majesty ¡­¡­¡±? ? ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t hesitate to leave ¡­¡­¡­¡­. It¡¯s the safest place, and it¡¯s far away. Very far away.¡±? ? ¡°Your Majesty.¡±? ? ¡°I have prepared what you will need at the seaside residence in Noem, just in case.¡±? ? ¡°Why do you say that? How can I¡­¡±? ? The last conversation she had with Roselyn was clear in her ears. And her last words she said to her.? ? ¡°Leave, Rosie.¡±? ? Anna thought of those words under her breath once more. The tears she had been holding back flowed down her cheeks as the cold sea breeze grazed her eyes.? ? Just like Roselyn had said, Noem¡¯s mansion had a lot of things she needed.? ? A way to protect her fortune, a new identity that would allow her to go anywhere, and even a few documents that would allow her to protect Anna¡¯s family home, Rotrega.? ? Count Puglish abandoned Anna as soon as the Empress was cut off by the Emperor.? ? Originally, the two had not married out of love, but merely as an inter-household bond.? ? However, during that time, they had lived not so badly.? ? Anna was the most important maidservant of the Empress. She also appreciated Anna¡¯s ability to increase her wealth.? ? However, when the Empress was dismissed by the Emperor, the position of maidservant became the most dangerous position.? ? Count Puglish kicked Anna out so that he and his family could live.? ? ¡°This is the way for everyone. You can go wherever you want. You can go back to your parents¡¯ house or you can go far away, but you will have to leave all the wealth you¡¯ve accumulated as Countess Puglish.¡±? ? If she didn¡¯t take Roselyn¡¯s advice and divulged more than half of her estate, she would definitely be broke.? ? Anna left the capital, disappointed by the cold duplicity of her husband who had lived skin to skin with her.? ? Noem was another piece of land that was about to be taken from her if she hadn¡¯t handled it beforehand.? ? She was glad that she was able to protect it.? ? ¡°I didn¡¯t want to come here alone¡­¡±? ? This was the ocean that Roselyn had wanted so much.? ? Her mansion in particular was spectacular at the scene of the rising sun.? ? If Rosie had seen it, she would have no doubt quietly been happy with her pure white cheeks turning red¡­¡­? ? Anna couldn¡¯t get over the feeling of emptiness.? ? Even though she was alive, she didn¡¯t feel like she was alive. She felt like she was falling into a swamp of emptiness and suffocating.? ? ¡°¡­ Cain.¡± (Roselyn¡¯s brother)? ? If she had rather waited for him, if she had waited for him even in conflict with her mother, maybe she would be here now with Cain.? ? Without falling into Natasha¡¯s dirty scheme, Roselyn, Cain, and she could have come here for summer vacation together.? ? ¡­It was a ridiculous fantasy.? ? Even if she had married Cain, there was no way that the insufficient emperor would not have been jealous and envious of his wife.? ? He would have pushed Roselyn and Cain into the grave by any means necessary.? ? He probably couldn¡¯t overcome his inferiority complex and wanted to kill his wife and all her family.? ? But it didn¡¯t matter.? ? Because at least she would have walked the path of death with them.? ? ¡°How could I be the only one who survived¡­?¡±? ? ¡°What the hell is the point of this life?¡±? ? Anna slowly got up from the swing and stood in front of the cliff.? ? Roselyn left her a fake identity and a huge fortune.? ? ¡°If anything happens to me, I hope you will be happy to use all of this.¡±? ? The reality that Roselyn had given Anna was all the property she had received from her family.? ? 200,000 hectares of land in the east, tens of millions of gold accounts, even her prized artifacts and patrons.? ? ¡°When did she prepare all of this?¡±? ? ¡°Did she know she was going to die?¡±? ? ¡°She should¡¯ve thought about running away first! She should¡¯ve!¡±? ? No.? ? Anna knew better that Roselyn was not someone to prioritize her own safety.? ? Even when Anna, at eight years old, pecked and climbed a tree in the yard and fell, little Roselyn would shield Anna with her weak body.? ? Even in front of her grandfather, whom Rosie loved and feared more than anything in the world, she never told him that she and Anna had climbed the tree and fallen.? ? ¡°I climbed it alone. Why, just because. I¡¯m just a kid who likes to be naughty once in a while. Grandpa.¡±? ? If Roselyn leaked Anna¡¯s name, her grandfather would not only shout at Roselyn¡¯s parents, who had failed to educate her properly, but also at Anna¡¯s parents.? ? That was how scary and strict Roselyn¡¯s grandfather was.? ? It was Roselyn who loved her fearsome and strict grandfather the most.? ? Still, Roselyn did not rat out Anna.? ? Only later did the two burst into laughter, saying that her grandfather actually knew.? ? Rosie was such a child and became such an adult.? ? Anna¡¯s most reliable friend who shared infinite love with the people she cared about. ? ? ¡°My Majesty.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ What am I doing now?¡±? ? Anna moved forward slowly.? ? She had no master to whom she had sworn allegiance, no friend to whom she shared her life, no companion whom she had sworn to love.? ? With no one to share her joys and sorrows, life was an emptiness itself.? ? ¡°Oh, I¡¯m floundering in such a lazy depression because I don¡¯t have to worry about making a living.¡±? ? Anna knew it, but she couldn¡¯t get out of it.? ? She didn¡¯t have the energy to get out of it.? ? It wasn¡¯t a bad idea to fall into melancholy and settle for a life of emptiness like an arrogant and weak nobleman.? ? What could anyone say to her?? ? Anna Puglish was gone, and Anna Rotrega¡¯s life was meaningless.? ? A deep depression drew Anna into an endless darkness.? ? She had endured all this time, waiting for something without knowing why, but now she wanted to stop.? ? Anna trudged to the edge of the cliff.? ? The sea shook quietly today, as it had yesterday.? ? Anna walked slowly towards it, which beckoned her gently to come.? ? ¡°Lady!¡±? ? Anna¡¯s nanny, Rwanda, called to her like a madwoman.? ? ¡°Stop, please stop, Miss! The letter! I¡¯ve got a letter for you! Miss!.¡±? ? ¡°A letter?¡±? ? The word ¡°letter¡± made Anna stop in her tracks, but it was too late.? ? A chilly wind blew.? ? The creepy energy of death pulled her down the cliff.? ? ¡°¡­.!¡±? ? Slowly, slowly, her body tilted.? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ No!¡±? ? Anna, who was willing to jump towards it earlier, twisted frantically.? ? She saw Rwanda¡¯s hands reaching towards her with a blank face.? ? The seal of the yellow letter that her hand was holding caught her eye.? ? She didn¡¯t know why, but she knew she had to see it.? ? ¡°No!¡±? ? Anna twisted frantically as she fell, clinging to the edge of the cliff.? ? The ground crumbled as it hit her, spewing dust into the sea. She swallowed hard as her hands clawed its way up the cliff edge which she was hanging narrowly. ? ? ¡°Oh, Miss!¡±? ? Rwanda came running over and grabbed Anna¡¯s hands.? ? ¡°Ah¡­hu!¡±? ? In a flash, cold sweat poured down her back.? ? Anna hugged Rwanda with trembling hands.? ? ¡°You can¡¯t go so dangerously close to that edge. Are you hurt?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. But, Rwanda, what kind of letter is this?¡±? ? At Anna¡¯s question, Rwanda held out the letter to her.? ? Anna tore opened the letter quickly with her shaking hands.? ? Perhaps because she almost died then came back to life, her heart beat wildly.? ? [To the lady of the pink rose forest.]? ? As soon as Anna read the first sentence, her body shook. The familiar, beautiful handwriting filled white paper.? ? ¡°Ah, ah, ah!¡±? ? Anna burst into tears, unable to read even half of the letter.? ? ¡°It¡¯s impossible. It¡¯s impossible. ¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡±? ? ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense¡­..¡±? ? She really wished this nonsense was real. She hoped it wasn¡¯t a lie, or a dream.? ? ¡°Oh, God¡­¡­.!¡±? ? Is this what relief feels like when a heart broken into ten pieces joins into one? Anna¡¯s chest trembled from the flood of emotions.? ? She held the letter to her chest and wept incessantly.? ? ¡°Oh, my. What¡¯s wrong, Miss? Stop crying, please. Why do you cry so much?¡±? ? Rwanda, who was also in tears at the sight of Anna crying so sadly, suddenly hugged Anna and patted her shoulders repeatedly.? ? Anna muttered the same words in a daze.? ? ¡°She¡¯s alive¡­she¡¯s alive. She¡¯s alive!¡±? ? ¡­¡­ Rosie¡­Roselyn is alive! CH 49 Chapter 49. Red Stigma On The Chest? ? The day Roselyn decided to engrave with Tamon, she immediately wrote a letter to Anna.? ? Anna¡¯s character would make an extreme choice with the idea of remaining alone, even if she had all kinds of gold and silver treasures.? ? ¡°Oh, I should have hurried a little more.¡±? ? ¡°I should have tried to help as many people as I could, instead of letting death eat away at me, unready for this life.¡±? ? ¡°I feel like an idiot.¡±? ? ¡°I can¡¯t believe I can¡¯t think of the people I left behind because I feel lost¡­¡±? ? Roselyn gazed across the sea, blaming herself.? ? She asked for the fastest and most secretive mailman through Tamon.? ? But even with the fastest delivery, the letter would barely make it from Amor to Tanatos, let alone Noem on the southeastern edge of Tanatos.? ? ¡°Anna, let¡¯s find out.¡±¡®? ? No matter how urgent it was, she couldn¡¯t send it with her name on it.? ? In case the letter was lost or clandestine, Roselyn used the pseudonyms and ciphers that they both liked to use when they were children.? ? For example, Anna was the young lady of the Pink Rose Forest, and Roselyn was the farmer of the carrot farm.? ? And sometimes Cain would interrupt, but Cain was a hedge of thorns.? ? She couldn¡¯t quite remember how they came up with those names.? ? But they were children, and they laughed at each other, saying that the names suit each other beautifully.? ? The memory of that time always shone brilliantly in Roselyn¡¯s eyes, like a jewel that never lost its light.? ? It was a beautiful memory that she would take with her even in death.? ? She averted her gaze from staring at the sea and looked at the white paper that had filled the black letters.? ? The letter was sent to Mahan.? ? ¡°Please, I need her to still be there.¡±? ? Roselyn quickly wrote the letter.? ? ¡°And next is¡­.¡±? ? Roselyn took out another piece of paper. This time it wasn¡¯t a letter that was written, but a detailed description of Tanatos¡¯ power structure.? ? The most important people were those who would be helpful to her.? ? The Sunset family had disappeared, and now there were two pillars left in the empire.? ? One was the Duke of Gertium, the imperial Beacon, and the other was the Marquis of Helio, the governor of the northwestern region.? ? As befits his nickname as the Beacon, Duke Gertium was blindly loyal to the imperial family of Tanatos. Even after succeeding generations, the family style did not change.? ? The former Duke Gertium cut off one of his ears as a sign that he exclusively listened to the words of the Emperor.? ? Many noblemen approached Gertium, but his eyes and ears were directed only to the imperial family.? ? This loyalty without conditions was closer to faith than to a special cordial relationship.? ? They gave up thinking and making decisions for themselves and just followed the orders of the masters they served.? ? The previous master was notable for this, and the current master was not so different from his father when it came to loyalty.? ? Except for one, three years ago.? ? ¡°Henrik Alpatio.¡±? ? He disobeyed the Emperor¡¯s order to seek interest.? ? Roselyn wrote up Henrik with great effort.? ? He wasn¡¯t that great a person. He was a mediocre provincial self-made man with no great achievements.? ? He was just a childhood teacher of Perso Gertium.? ? Even though he was Duke Gertium¡¯s teacher, he did not have tremendous skills.? ? However, through interest, Duke Gertium laid the foundation for his swordsmanship skills.? ? He was Gertium¡¯s teacher for exactly five years, from the age of eight to thirteen.? ? There were many other masters besides Henrik at the time, but Gertium especially followed him.? ? A father even cut off one of his own ears on the emperor¡¯s orders.? ? The successive deaths of his brothers, who had been taking care of the emperor on his father¡¯s orders.? ? A mother in depression after losing her children one after another.? ? For Perso, who was the youngest, that period must have been very difficult, lonely and vague.? ? It must have been more cruel, as the martial arts were not easy.? ? Henrik was the only person who opened his heart to him during that time.? ? The master who went out to the fields with him, read books with him, and took care of him when he was sick.? ? Henrik was Perso Gertium¡¯s mentor, father, brother, and hiding place.? ? So¡­Perso Gertium¡¯s weakness was Henrik Alpatio. Interest was needed to pocket the imperial guard dog. However, Perso also knew that Henrik was his weakness, so he thoroughly protected him.? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t even know where he was anymore, but she already knew someone who might be able to contact him.? ? Gary Rotrega, known as one of Henrik¡¯s best friends.? ? He was Anna¡¯s father and Roselyn¡¯s father¡¯s best friend.? ? Gary had always been well-connected and approachable. It was said that there was not a nobleman in the 38 provinces of the wide continent of Tanatos who did not know him.? ? Among the ten people who were considered to be particularly close to him, Henrik was among them.? ? ¡°Anna¡­¡±? ? Roselyn left this task to Anna.? ? She (Roselyn) was a heartless best friend who had suddenly left Anna a job before the shock wore off.? ? However, she knew Anna would accept her request at all costs.? ? It was often said that Tanatos was rotten, but it was still a country that had held out for a thousand years.? ? A power that has held on for a thousand years was never going to fall easily.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ However, the higher something is piled, the more easily it will collapse if the foundation is shaken.¡±? ? It was a country where gold comes out like water. It was a world like a fairy tale where the world was covered in white.? ? All the people in the world did not know how ugly and dirty things were piled up under that white snow.? ? And at the top of all that filth was their emperor.? ? There was Gillotti Tanatos.? ? He and his lover Natasha Roanti would deceive the world with their well-dressed faces.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ you thought I didn¡¯t know.¡±? ? Roselyn pretended not to know.? ? Roselyn looked at the sharp tip of the pen. ? ? Ink oozed out of the nib touching the paper like blood.? ? The pitch-black ink turned to bright red blood, and in the ink were her father and mother and brother, who were dying luridly.? ? There were the soldiers who protected her, the nobles who supported her, and the friends who were devoted to her.? ? ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll not die in vain.¡±? ? ¡°I will live to see their decline, their suffering, and their fall.¡±? ? ¡°And when their bodies piled up, I will die on top of the pile of bodies with a face brighter and more joyful than anyone else.¡±? ? ¡°Phew.¡±? ? At that moment, a corner of her chest burned, and Roselyn looked down in surprise. She looked down and saw the area just above where her heart was was red, and there was a strange pattern on it.? ? ¡°What is this?¡±? ? It was a strange pattern, like a name, like a star.? ? She took the mirror and looked at it carefully.? ? The letters were clearly written ¡®Tamon¡¯. (*oh my god)? ? ¡°¡­¡­. Is this a stigma of the engrave?¡±? ? Roselyn looked at the stigma on her chest with a stiff face and sighed lowly.? ? She couldn¡¯t believe she was stigmatized.? ? It was the power of the God who desired it.? ? The ability was¡­.? ? This ability can be offset with holy things.? ? But not all holy things could do that. This was because each person had a different ability.? ? The holy relic of the Sunset family, with its power of protection, was the most powerful shield against the imperial¡¯s power of death.? ? Of course, that powerful shield was also lost due to the tyranny of Gillotti¡­? ? ¡®Did I mention that Gillotti jumped out directly with his sword and cut off my head?¡¯? ? It was also Gillotti who cut out the warm heart of Roselyn¡¯s mother, who was like home to Roselyn.? ? The brutal man had babbled such things without a care in the world before her who was struggling with torture.? ? Words like how he had killed her parents, and in what manner.? ? Roselyn clenched her teeth. Her jaw went numb from all the strength she¡¯d put into clenching. ? ? ¡°I have to take away his ability.¡±? ? The power of the gods, the most powerful basis on which Tanatos could claim the throne, had to be destroyed.? ? ¡°No, I want to make sure that there would be no other power in Tanatos.¡±? ? She knew that the strength was weakening a lot over hundreds of years. Being weak means that she could make it disappear someday.? ? If possible, Roselyn wanted to speed up the period further.? ? ¡°But how¡­¡­..?¡±? ? As for the powers and holy relics, it was strictly a secret.? ? It was even more of a secret because of the many wars that had been fought over the holy relics.? ? The chain that had been passed down as a family heirloom from the Sunset family, the golden cup that was said to be kept in the Lumosha royal family, and the flute from the Temple of Amor.? ? They were places where no one could take them without permission.? ? ¡°Divine power can only be destroyed by divine power.¡±? ? It was like the certificate of the Great Temple that was used to make the contract between Roselyn and Tamon.? ? Fragments of God with the power to stand up to monsters in the gap comparable to the talented.? ? Roselyn raised her head. She was getting more and more impatient.? ? ¡°We need to collect the treasures.¡± (Holy relics)? ? Of course, tracking down all six treasures and collecting them were all difficult. ? ? However, Roselyn knew someone who could help her find the treasures. ? ? Ketone Hertz, who possessed the gift of prophecy.? ? ¡°We must find him.¡± CH 50 Chapter 50. That Person Will Come? ? Tamon¡¯s knights stood impatiently.? ? It was because their master had suddenly acted strangely in this peaceful time.? ? ¡°Are you sure you want to do this? This is too reckless. The trade month is coming to an end, and you are forcing us to do this¡­¡±? ? Captain Rubent Pahar pleaded again with a serious face.? ? The scar that covered his left cheek from the tip of his nose was badly distorted.? ? He was what they called the brown bear of House Krasis because of his bushy red hair and scars, but he was also the most caring and attentive of all.? ? He was also the one who was the strongest in stopping Tamon from going on the ship at this dangerous time when the trading month was almost over.? ? Satin, who was listening, helped him with a look of righteousness.? ? ¡°Rubent¡¯s right. Master, can¡¯t we wait a little longer and leave for the next trading month? Or tell us why we must go now.¡±? ? Tamon looked down at the map, unfazed by Satin¡¯s pleading words.? ? ¡°We can get to the port of Lesso in a day, right? If we take a fast boat from here.¡±? ? He said as he pointed precisely to the middle of Amor sea.? ? The commanders of each knightly order who were watching reluctantly nodded in reply.? ? ¡°It¡¯s not far from Lesso Harbor. We¡¯ll be there in a day.¡±? ? ¡°What about the navigator?¡±? ? ¡°I gave him 3 times the amount he asked for.¡±? ? ¡°Good job. I thought you would have to give about five times as much, but you got his approval sooner than I thought.¡±? ? Tamon smiled and praised the knights.? ? Knight Commander Lily Rex and Knight Commander Pansy Anshe were both pale and touched their foreheads. ? ? Just then, Jorge, who had been looking for an opportunity, interrupted them.? ? ¡°Oh, Master (Tamon), who will go this time? Looking at this place, I¡¯m sure Rex wouldn¡¯t be averse to the idea of the sea, and I¡¯m sure Anshe has his daughter¡¯s wedding this month. Then the remaining men are myself and. ¡­¡­¡­¡­ Oh, it¡¯s me!¡±? ? Jorge, with wavy brown hair and brown eyes, wrinkled his freckled nose and laughed out loud.? ? As Jorge said, there were not many remaining knights.? ? The Tulip Knights and the Adonis Knights had been dispatched to Count Bellburn¡¯s order, and the only remaining knights were the Platanus Knights.? ? All the knights named after flowers by the previous generation¡¯s predecessor, House Krasis. ? ? It was not easy to rename them since they had already been with the family for over 300 years.? ? But Platanus, named after the tree, was the Order that Tamon had taken in four years ago.? ? It was an Order made up of those who had the ability but no money, no opportunity, or no basics.? ? It was far more belligerent and jovial than the other four knightly Orders.? ? Instead, it has broken procedures and order.? ? Anyway, Jorge, the leader of the Knights of Platanus, was almost begging Tamon to take him whenever he went, as if he needed some action.? ? ¡°This time you will take me with you, won¡¯t you? Master always takes Ronasso every time.¡±? ? ¡°Jorge¡­.Who¡¯s going now is not important. Isn¡¯t your master¡¯s safety important to you?¡±? ? ¡°Our General won¡¯t die. Don¡¯t you know? He can knock down 100 monsters!¡±? ? ¡°This madman, who wouldn¡¯t die? Stop talking nonsense and be quiet.¡±? ? Jorge fidgeted, ¡°What, there could be someone like that, who kills people just by looking at them.¡±? ? After disturbing Jorge¡¯s fumbling head, Anshe sighed and reviewed the map.? ? ¡°It¡¯s too close to the time of the ringleaders¡¯ appearance. Even if we were to leave and capture the ship, the risk of hitting the monsters is very high.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s right. And we¡¯re unprepared.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s really annoying. You can beat the ringleaders. Isn¡¯t it the season for catching Mach¡¯s ringleaders anyway? We can take this opportunity to pretend to do them a favor and reap the benefits later.¡±? ? Tamon brushed aside Rubent and Anshe¡¯s words as if they were no big deal.? ? His minions would eventually agree with him, but the one person who was not so naive was none other than Satin.? ? Satin began to pull out a white handkerchief from his pocket.? ? ¡°Oh, Satin.¡±? ? Tamon hated it and took away Satin¡¯s white handkerchief.? ? As if he knew Tamon would do that, Satin took out another white handkerchief from his other pocket and pretended to be in tears.? ? ¡°Master, how can you throw yourself into danger again, when it was only four or five years ago that I was happy that Master would not jump into the deadly place. I can¡¯t help but worry. Master! What? I don¡¯t know why, but I¡¯d rather you send me or Largo. Whaaa!¡±? ? Satin squeezed his tears into a handkerchief.? ? Tamon, who was watching him with a pain in his head, touched his forehead.? ? ¡°If you could go and solve the problem, I would send you, but it¡¯s not possible. Are old Satin and Largo going to be able to withstand the voyage and fight monsters? If the old man is brave, he will only break bones. Don¡¯t be harsh and take good care of the mansion.¡±? ? ¡°But¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Satin.¡±? ? Tamon waved Satin aside as if to tell him to stop.? ? It was just about the end of Satin¡¯s blustering.? ? Satin¡¯s sullen shoulders drooped.? ? Every time Satin did this, Asrell would slap him on the back, but he didn¡¯t care.? ? It was because there were times when the complaints of such an old man worked.? ? Of course, it didn¡¯t work today.? ? ¡°We have to find the child. We need to chase the stowaways, so speed and agility are of the utmost importance, and like you said, it¡¯s the end of the trading month season, so we need to be quick and come back. And if it¡¯s not now, it¡¯ll be difficult to track the child on that stowaway ship.¡±? ? ¡°If it¡¯s a child from a stowaway ship, there¡¯s a good chance they¡¯re going to Nilux¡¯s slave market.¡±? ? ¡°What about the pirates you mentioned then?¡±? ? ¡°I got a clue a short while ago. They said there was a ship that passed this area two days ago.¡±? ? Rex pointed to the entrance to the Amor sea.? ? Fortunately, the date matched exactly what Tamon thought it was.? ? ¡°Then we¡¯ll leave tomorrow morning. Let¡¯s just say that the name of the trip is to retrieve the plundered goods of the looted family.¡±? ? It was an excuse to prepare for the pursuit of the Port Authority and the King.? ? However, there would be no problem since Tamon had put some money into the Administration beforehand.? ? ¡°¡®Great! So are you taking someone with you?¡±? ? Taking advantage of the opportunity, Jorge pestered him again.? ? He looked like a puppy craving juicy meat. The knights didn¡¯t have the manpower to take him anyway.? ? Water battles were dangerous, so it was difficult to accompany them unless they were quite competent.? ? No need to bring a lot of manpower for a job that has to be done quickly.? ? The method was rough, but the Order of Platanus was no less than the other four Orders in terms of survival and ability.? ? ¡°Water battle, are you okay? I mean, are you confident that even if a monster appears, none of the members will die?¡±? ? ¡°Of course. My boys will kill them all!¡±? ? Jorge spat out his big words.? ? Again, it wasn¡¯t as if his confident appearance was born out of superior ability. Objectively speaking, Jorge was not a great knight. No, he was not a knight in the first place, but a fighter.? ? But he survived many life-and-death struggles with more real-world experience and sense than most knights.? ? As pretentious as it sounds, Jorge was also the one who survived more desperately than anyone else when he was in danger.? ? Tamon liked Jorge¡¯s way of surviving by exactly those means and methods. After all, he had a strange personality.? ? Even though he had such a strong attachment to life, seeing as how he fought in ¡®death-defying¡¯ battles, it seemed like he enjoyed the danger.? ? Tamon chuckled and replied with a rough wave of his hand at an earnest-looking Jorge.? ? ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow, so make sure you¡¯re ready.¡±? ? ¡°Oh yeah!¡± ? ? Jorge danced his way out of the room.? ? After that, Rubent, the training captain, stopped him several times, but to no avail.? ? Eventually, he slipped out of the office, deciding that it was better to help him prepare than to stop Tamon.? ? ¡°¡­Why aren¡¯t you leaving, Satin?¡± ? ? Tamon asked, wondering why Satin was still there. Satin opened his mouth cautiously.? ? ¡°You seem to have forgotten the date of the upcoming visit of Lord Cassion to the capital. This time he will arrive a little earlier than expected.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s face twisted strangely at the name Cassion.? ? Tap. Tap.? ? His dry fingers tapped the top of the bookshelf.? ? ¡°When¡­?? ? ¡°That¡¯s¡­..¡±? ? Satin sighed briefly as he reluctantly spoke.? ? ¡°He¡¯ll be here in a week.¡± CH 51 Chapter 51. Smile Next Time? ? Roselyn, who was about to go to bed early, rose from her seat again when she saw Tamon visiting her a step later.? ? ¡°Are you going to bed already?¡±? ? Tamon came in last night, saying that he was injured in a sudden attack or something.? ? She was so surprised and bandaged his arm because there was something strange about the way he was bleeding and holding out his arm without a care in the world.? ? After that, he tormented her all night long.? ? All night to the point of losing strength all through this afternoon.? ? ¡°Why are you here again? What part of your body is injured this time?? ? ¡°I¡¯m sad. We can¡¯t see each other unless I get hurt.¡±? ? Roselyn stared at his arm as he stared at her.? ? The place, which had been torn enough to show the flesh, had become clean without a trace.? ? It was always strange to experience this amazing ability.? ? In Tamon¡¯s words, the more he bonded with her, the more powerful he felt.? ? In fact, Roselynn also had a hard time spending the night back then, but when it passed, she felt strangely refreshed.? ? Of course, physical limitations were unavoidable.? ? Tamon came up to Roselyn and gently stroked her cheek.? ? He knew she would flinch, but he didn¡¯t let go of his hand.? ? It was as if he was insisting that she should get used to his touch.? ? ¡°I¡¯m leaving early tomorrow morning.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­ tomorrow?¡±? ? The word ¡®tomorrow¡¯ took Roselyn a little by surprise.? ? In just three or four days, he had the ship ready, finished preparing it for sailing, and recruited knights to go with him.? ? It was amazing how fast he could move. She stared at Tamon for a moment with a firm face.? ? What she wanted to say lingered in her mouth, it didn¡¯t come out easily.? ? ¡®I asked him to do this, and now I can¡¯t even say thank you or sorry¡­¡¯? ? She felt sick at her strong and selfish attitude.? ? She calmly proposed a deal with him, but the value of what she received was ridiculously high compared to what he was offering her.? ? This was an unfair deal.? ? She knew this, yet she shamelessly demanded it. And Tamon accepted it willingly.? ? When she met Tamon¡¯s red eyes staring intently at her, her heart pounded strangely.? ? A dour, demented remorse shook her. It was a mockery of herself.? ? ¡®He saved me without asking, but now I asked him for help.¡¯? ? She hated herself for that.? ? ¡°Why ¡­¡­ What¡¯s with that look? You¡¯re not worried about me, are you?¡±? ? The hand that had been touching Roselyn¡¯s cheek pressed down on her lips.? ? The slightly slanted mouth twisted up as if teasing her.? ? ¡°That¡¯s a face that bites back the words ¡®thank you¡¯.¡±? ? Her mind was revealed, and she¡¯d failed miserably at hiding her expression.? ? At that moment, Tamon sucked her open lips in.? ? The hot flesh roamed around her mouth, making a mess.? ? He attacked her so vigorously that she didn¡¯t have a chance to breathe, and in a flash, he was away again.? ? But as if the unrequited love wasn¡¯t enough, he gently nibbled on her bottom lip and sucked it in.? ? Her breath hastened at the tantalizing sensation.? ? ¡°You can only make that kind of expression in front of me.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­what expression?¡±? ? ¡°An expression that turns people upside down. A look that drives me crazy and makes me want to do something.¡±? ? Embarrassed, Roselyn pushed his face away.? ? Her face grew hot, but she struggled to move away from him, who was wrapping her waist with an effortless expression on his face.? ? ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve never made a face like that.¡±? ? ¡°You have. You still do. Come and see. How naughty it is.¡±? ? Tamon quickly lifted her up, ignoring the hand that was pushing him away.? ? He walked with a broad stride and brought her in front of the large mirror in the connecting room.? ? ¡°Come on, look at your face.¡±? ? Tamon walked closer to the mirror, holding her like a baby.? ? No matter how she looked at it, her face was grimacing, but what the hell was wrong with her face?? ? ¡°I looked. I look very unhappy with this situation right now.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, you are correct.¡±? ? ¡°Don¡¯t play words with me and put me down.¡±? ? Tamon gave a small laugh and pulled her up with more force.? ? Then he spun around and hugged her a little higher, leaning his back against the mirror on the wall.? ? Her face was visible in front of the mirror.? ? ¡°Look again. What kind of face is it?¡±? ? Even though she didn¡¯t want to see it, she couldn¡¯t help but see it because the mirror was so close.? ? She could see her reddened eyes, the crumbled eyebrows in embarrassment, the pale cheeks and the disheveled silver hair.? ? It was the same face she always had.? ? If there was one part that was slightly different, it was that her emotions seemed more naked.? ? ¡°What do you think?¡±? ? ¡°What do you mean?¡±? ? ¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡±? ? Roselyn looked at him in astonishment. He smiled and hugged her.? ? Then he carefully kissed the tip of her chin as she tried to pull away.? ? It was a kiss that made her feel stranger than mixing tongues.? ? ¡°You look so much better than when you were stuck in the snow. You have to be in good spirits to be frustrated.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m not frustrated, I¡¯m angry.¡±? ? ¡°It takes more energy to be angry. So it¡¯s even better.¡±? ? Roselyn really couldn¡¯t understand this man.? ? He selfishly kept her alive, selfishly provoked her, and now he brought her here and told her she was beautiful even though she struggled to not like it.? ? Thump.? ? Her heart, which was beating slowly, suddenly stimulated her chest.? ? She softened her expression, bit her lip and swallowed another word.? ? ¡°Why are you so beautiful?¡±? ? ¡°¡­.. Please don¡¯t.¡±? ? The lust in his red eyes was embarrassing.? ? Those red eyes, looking up at her as if he would do anything for her if she wanted, were making her feel strange.? ? Roselyn reached out and covered his eyes.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that.¡±? ? She felt him laughing quietly. Tamon whispered again without caring.? ? ¡°Why were you born in Tanatos of all places?¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°Why weren¡¯t you born in Amor? Why didn¡¯t you meet me first?¡±? ? It was really strange.? ? Roselyn¡¯s heart was pounding and she couldn¡¯t stand it.? ? She was bewildered, perplexed, and even angry. ? ? Why was he constantly trying to shake her selfishly when she told him to stop?? ? Fearing that more words would come out, Roselyn hastily put down the hand that was covering his eyes and covered his mouth.? ? Tamon, who was staring intently at Roselyn, curled his eyebrows and smiled.? ? Tamon rubbed the hollow of her palm with his smiling lips.? ? He licked her palm with his hot, sizzling tongue.? ? He gently turned his head, kissing the palm, and licked every crease on the palm.? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? She could feel his tongue moving densely and leisurely along the shape.? ? Before she could pull away in surprise, he lowered her down to his eye level.? ? Then he pressed his face toward hers, and her lips were now touching the back of her hand.? ? ¡°¡­.!¡±? ? Her eyes widened at the sight of her mouth on the back of her hand.? ? Without the hand, the two lips would have been overlapped without fail.? ? Their eyes met at a very close distance. He continued to kiss her without flinching. Her palm was crazily stimulated.? ? Her heart was pounding and she felt like it was going to explode. Every time she felt his tongue move, she felt like she was going to burst out into a moan.? ? It was a good thing she was being held by him. Otherwise, she would have fallen from the loss of strength in her legs.? ? Her hands shook uncontrollably.? ? Tamon¡¯s eyes, facing her, seemed to swallow her whole.? ? How could he be so lewd?? ? Roselyn gasped for breath and eventually avoided his eyes.? ? She was ashamed of her wet undergarment. She felt really strange about herself.? ? ¡°Next time¡­¡±? ? After lingering for a while, Tamon finally spoke.? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t lift her eyes because of how lewd his wet lips were.? ? As soon as he pulled away, her weak hand dropped down.? ? She quickly grabbed him by the shoulders and opened her lips in search of something to say, but nothing came out.? ? Watching her, she smiled and whispered.? ? ¡°Next time, smile. I haven¡¯t seen you smile.¡±? ? Finally, the breath broke.? ? It was then that Roselyn finally realized she was holding her breath.? ? He put her down from the mirror and took her to the bedroom in his arms.? ? It was fortunate.? ? Because her legs were weak.? ? ***? ? The small body that had been tossing and turning crawled to the edge of the bed.? ? Tamon glanced over to the side and chuckled.? ? Her desperate effort to get as far away from him as possible was insignificant and endearing.? ? On the other hand, it was also a little irritating.? ? ¡®I want to surprise you.¡¯? ? Is that what a cat looks like with its fur stand up?? ? No, not really. He could barely compare her to a cat.? ? That¡¯s right.? ? The silver deer that lived in the snowy mountains was like that.? ? It was a beast that used its sharp horns as a weapon of caution and would choose to commit suicide if anyone tried to capture it.? ? If he tried to tame it, he would lose it forever.? ? Tarmon never intended to tame Roselyn either.? ? As a matter of fact, he never had any intentions with her in the beginning.? ? At first he just wanted to keep her alive, and then he wanted to see Aranrosia react to him.? ? But now¡­.? ? Tamon rubbed the area near his heart.? ? ¡®Now I just want to watch over you.¡¯ CH 52 Chapter 52. I¡¯m The Owner Of That Leg? ? But it wasn¡¯t easy to just watch. He wanted to touch her when he saw her, and when he made eye contact, he wanted to talk to her.? ? It may have been childish of him, but when he looked into those purple eyes, he was itching to do something.? ? Tamon rubbed his heart again. The red wound was palpable.? ? The night of the engraving was over, and at one point, it appeared on his chest.? ? The strange thing was that the pattern didn¡¯t say ¡°Roselyn¡±, but ¡°Aranrosia¡±.? ? Roselyn seemed flustered, but Tamon was very pleased.? ? The Roselyn of the past died. And now it was Aranrosia who was by his side.? ? He laid the foundation and gave her a new name, Aranrosia Asha.? ? Even though it was not her will to be reborn, Tamon wanted to give her a whole new life.? ? Not to Roselyn, who was the Empress, but to Aranrosia, the imprinter of Tamon Krasis.? ? Tamon turned his body to the side and stared at her gracefully curved back.? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? Even though he cared so much, he thought she would still crumble if he touched her wrong.? ? Tamon wanted to reach out every time he saw Asha limping.? ? When did he not?? ? Actually, come to think of it, it had been that way since the first time he saw her trapped in that cold ice castle.? ? Tamon, who had been admiring her slender shoulders and the curves leading from her waist to her hips, reached out and pulled her to him.? ? Without saying a word, he felt her body stiffen.? ? ¡°I have to leave before the morning sun rises, but I can¡¯t fall asleep.¡±? ? He held her in his arms, whining as if he was a baby.? ? ¡°I need to get some energy like this.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ You don¡¯t get tired, do you?¡±? ? ¡°Is that so?¡±? ? Smiling, Tamon rubbed his nose on her fragrant neck.? ? He felt her pulse and naturally calmed down.? ? It was strange.? ? Even though they held each other like this, he still felt as if she was sad like she did when she was dying.? ? Just like the time she cut her throat right in front of his eyes.? ? ¡°A ship believed to be a stowaway has entered Amor sea since yesterday.¡±? ? Tamon put more strength into his arms as he hugged her.? ? ¡°How do you know?¡±? ? ¡°If you keep a proper friendship with the pirates, the news on the sea will be at your hands.¡±? ? ¡°I see, that¡¯s a clever way to do it.¡±? ? Roselyn gave a small nod, as if she liked his method.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t leave this mansion as much as possible while I¡¯m away. No, you¡¯d better not go out of the annex.¡±? ? ¡°Is that a threat?¡¯? ? ¡°No, I beg you. I¡¯ll increase the guard and escort, but I don¡¯t know if there are people who want to approach you knowing that I¡¯m not here. Rumors of my involvement with women have already spread everywhere.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­.You mean they¡¯ll hurt me?¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s possible. Sometimes there are kids who are blinded. They lose their fear and jump on you like crazy.¡±? ? He warned in an elegant voice.? ? The forces that tried to harm her were the ones with power whom Roselyn couldn¡¯t have known about.? ? Roselyn nodded obediently.? ? If it was when she rushed to death, she would not listen, but now it was different.? ? ¡°And¡­.¡±? ? He continued a little slowly as if he had remembered something late.? ? ¡°My brother will be here in a few days.¡±? ? ¡°Your brother?¡±? ? Tamon Krasis has a brother?? ? Roselyn searched her memory intently.? ? Oh, yes, he had a brother who was weak.? ? A brother who had crossed the pass of death many times.? ? However, he had persevered and was now said to be in good health.? ? Little was known because there were so many rumors.? ? However, she had heard rumors that Tamon was fully supporting him and sincerely taking care of him.? ? ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your brother?¡±? ? ¡°He comes to pick up his medicine. He does so once or twice a year, and it seems that this time period coincides with the time I¡¯m going away.¡±? ? ¡°Ah¡­.¡±? ? ¡°He doesn¡¯t stay but for a few days, so you don¡¯t have to worry about him, but if you run into him¡­¡­.¡±? ? His voice was subtly dry.? ? ¡°Ignore him.¡±? ? ¡°Ignore him?¡±? ? It was a tone that didn¡¯t feel like an attitude towards his brother that he fully supported and sincerely took care of him.? ? Tamon sighed faintly and murmured in a tired voice.? ? ¡°Cassion, no, Satin will come and inform you when my brother arrives. During that period, you just have to take extra care of yourself. If you¡¯re frustrated, tell Asrell. I¡¯ll block off the beach below the cliffs so he can¡¯t come in.¡±? ? Tamon killed his voice as if he didn¡¯t want to talk anymore.? ? Somehow, she felt a bit confused, but Roselyn didn¡¯t ask.? ? Because the important thing was that Tamon was leaving tomorrow.? ? She tried to sleep nonchalantly, but she was strangely depressed.? ? Roselyn opened her eyes several times, and did not fall asleep until late in the night.? ? Not long after she fell asleep, Tamon got up.? ? ***? ? The sound of a faint presence came as clearly as thunder.? ? Roselyn quickly lifted her closed eyes.? ? It was dawn, and yet Tamon, already clothed, was preparing to leave.? ? ¡°You¡¯re leaving now?¡±? ? Roselyn sat up on the bed.? ? Looking back, Tamon whispered in an apologetic voice.? ? ¡°I think I woke you up even though I¡¯m leaving quietly.¡±? ? Roselyn hesitated wondering if she should say goodbye.? ? It was confusing because she and Tamon weren¡¯t in a relationship where they would greet each other friendly.? ? Staring at her in the dim light, Tamon chuckled.? ? When he laughed like that, Roselyn felt her heart crumpled like a piece of paper making a rustling sound.? ? She felt like a kid who was caught playing hide-and-seek.? ? Tamon sat down on the bed and touched her ankle, which was hidden under the blanket.? ? ¡°Just in case, don¡¯t do nonsense while I¡¯m away.¡±? ? ¡°¡­..Nonsense?¡±? ? When Roselyn opened her purple eyes grimly, Tamon laughed and tugged on her ankle.? ? ¡°Run away, die, or¡­¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s cold lips touched her thin ankle that had been worn out by the wound.? ? ¡°Or get injured.¡±? ? Her body contracted spontaneously, startled when the breath that touched her skin.? ? ¡°Or disappear, or something like that.¡±? ? He touched her slender ankle lightly and then his lips, which had fallen off, stuck on her ankle softly again.? ? She could feel the wetness of his tongue sucking at her skin.? ? The more she struggled to pull her foot away, the stronger the grip on her ankle and the pressure of his lips on it became.? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? A strange burning sensation scorched beneath her pale skin.? ? A tingling sensation rose up from the inside of her thighs, hot all the way down to her navel. Her toes naturally contracted.? ? Kissing her wounded ankle respectfully, Tamon slowly lifted his eyelids and looked at her.? ? His red eyes, as hot as the sun scorching in Amor¡¯s blue sky, trapped her.? ? ¡°¡­ You have such useless thoughts.¡±? ? She looked at him pretending to be expressionless.? ? She made an effort not to be caught as she bit the inside of her lips and swallowed a moan.? ? Tamon¡¯s red eyes narrowed as he observed her, and soon he dropped his gaze again and became absorbed in the act.? ? ¡°Ah¡­¡±? ? It was only then that she finally let out a few labored breaths.? ? Why on earth would this man cherish this useless leg as if it were a holy object?? ? She had to endure the burning sensation every time he licked it.? ? She had to hold her breath and pretend to be unconcerned with an expressionless face.? ? Tamon¡¯s lips came up over her thin shins and touched her pretty knees.? ? He showered her knees with hot breaths.? ? ¡°You still feel nothing?¡±? ? ¡°It just doesn¡¯t work, as it always has.¡±? ? Tamon laughed at her calm words.? ? ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s an unusable leg, so I guess you gave it to me without any regrets.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m the owner of this leg, not you.¡±? ? Tamon, who had been constantly kissing her dry ankles and knees, as if performing some pious ritual, murmured.? ? A slow, heavy voice rang out in the darkness.? ? ¡°Never forget.¡±? ? His eyes bent dangerously.? ? At one time he was her enemy, but now, he was the man who coveted her.? ? He looked up at her with reverent and innocent eyes.? ? What is that thing that is packed in his dark, flickering red eyes? ? ? What is that hot thing that gulped down the thick neck like a starving animal for days? ? ? She felt as if she had seen something she shouldn¡¯t have.? ? Just as she knew what she shouldn¡¯t know, instinct informed her of the danger. Pushing away the strange tension that tickled her stomach silently, Roselyn lowered her eyes.? ? Slowly, once again, Tamon¡¯s cold lips reached her legs. The moist tip of his tongue contained her ankle.? ? As if to claim his ownership, the hot lips rubbed against her skin again and again. ? ? He left a series of teeth marks as he licked it. She felt like she was being eaten by him.? ? This man was a poisonous plant.? ? If she tasted it, it would addict her, demotivate her, and make her lose her purpose. ? ? His teeth marks remained like fire on her ankle, who could not walk.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡±? ? Tamon smiled leisurely and turned away, as if he was going out for a bit.? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t see him off.? ? She just leaned against the window and watched his back as he left the mansion. ? ? Watching Tamon¡¯s back as he walked away, she suddenly felt a sense of reality.? ? The sense of reality that her journey has really begun.? ? CH 53 Tasha and Louie were twin sisters who were now 21 years old.? ? Although they had been adults for quite some time, many people saw them as younger than their age because of their bright shining eyes, round faces, and high toned voices.? ? Although they were twins, they were not difficult to distinguish.? ? Both had bright orange hair and crisp green eyes, but their colors were slightly different.? ? If Tasha¡¯s were yellow-green like the leaves of a small tree with new sprouts, Louie¡¯s eyes were dark green like the entire surface of a majestic, huge forest.? ? Louie had cute freckles on her nose.? ? Louie¡¯s freckles were from her mother. Her father called her ¡®strawberry¡¯.? ? And when Louie was born, he laughed, saying that a small strawberry was born.? ? Tasha and Louie grew up happily in a large family of seven.? ? That was, until they were sixteen.? ? ¡°The twins are here! It¡¯s just in time. This is the first edition.¡±? ? As soon as they entered the printing house, the smell of paper welcomed the twins with open arms.? ? But what was more welcome was Bookman¡¯s words, the owner of the printing shop.? ? ¡°Whoa! Is this really our book?¡±? ? ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really amazing! The cover is so beautiful, sir! Is this ours? Are you sure?¡±? ? Tasha, who ran in first, quickly took the book from Bookman¡¯s hands.? ? The binding was pure white, decorated with gold, and the title was beautifully embroidered.? ? The book had three hundred pages, and that was an awful lot for a single volume novel from a living author.? ? Louie, who was looking at the book late, spoke in surprise.? ? ¡°It¡¯s much fancier than I thought, Mr. Bookman.¡±? ? ¡°The sponsorship is very strong. If we can get a good response, I think we can print about two hundred more copies.¡±? ? ¡°Really? 200 more copies?¡±? ? About ten days ago, a benefactor suddenly showed up at the print shop to sponsor the twins.? ? The anonymous benefactor had expanded the budget ten times that could print 100 copies of cheap papers.? ? This made it possible to publish the twins¡¯ first novel as a bound book on plain white paper, not an old clearing.? ? The design was beautiful, not too different from a novel that the ladies would read in a shop.? ? ¡°I assure you, it is the most exclusive and sophisticated book published in the capital this year.¡±? ? The book was designed by Bookman¡¯s daughter, Marianne, who was the first secretary of the Central Library.? ? Bookman ran the largest printing shop in Ginesh, the capital of Amor.? ? His printing shop was booming, so much so that he belonged to a wealthy class of commoners called the Bourgeois.? ? He published most of the books in the capital, and was rewarded ¡°the best book published in the capital of the year¡±.? ? This was no nonsense.? ? ¡°Louie!¡±? ? ¡°Tasha!¡±? ? The twins jumped up and down as they held each other¡¯s hands.? ? They both loved to read and write.? ? Although they were poor and did not have access to a high quality education, all of their siblings were willing to buy them books if they wanted to read.? ? Their dream from the age of 12 finally came true, and it turned out to be a beautiful book.? ? They couldn¡¯t be happier.? ? ¡°I¡¯m so excited! It¡¯s amazing, really!¡±? ? ¡°Yes, it is! Wow! We¡¯ve really published a book. If our siblings know, they would be very surprised.¡±? ? ¡°Hahahaha! That¡¯s right. They teased us like that. We should definitely take this book on the due date to surprise everyone.¡±? ? The twins giggled as they held each other¡¯s hands.? ? Only Bookman, who was watching them, smiled sadly.? ? The twins came up to the capital after losing their family in a fire five years ago. ? ? They were at a young age when they started preschool and when they became independent.? ? Holding hands tightly, the two came to the capital in search of a patron.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back. I promise.¡±? ? With red faces that still bore the sorrow of losing their family, the girls made a strong request for their patronage.? ? That¡¯s right. The children demanded proudly.? ? They didn¡¯t beg, they didn¡¯t pester, they didn¡¯t use their misery as a weapon.? ? It was this look in their eyes that led Bookman to sponsor the twins at a sponsorship meeting he attended by chance.? ? He was concerned because they were the same age as his daughter.? ? Anyway, Tasha and Louie helped out at the printing shop for a year and a half, and as soon as they came of age, they looked for work themselves.? ? With only a poor letter of recommendation from Bookman, the twins, who had somehow made it into the Krasis¡¯ mansion, were well established.? ? ¡°We¡¯ll come to make a book someday. You¡¯re going to make it for us, right?¡±? ? The art of printing was a very expensive craft, paper itself was an expensive material, and there weren¡¯t many technicians.? ? The time and labor it took to produce a book was also considerable, and appointments were booked all year round.? ? But Bookman smiled proudly and said,? ? ¡°I promise I will make your book with more sincerity than any other book. You must come!¡±? ? And now, five years later.? ? Seeking patronage with unflinching eyes, the twins really did come to print their own book.? ? Bookman was so proud of the twins that he even cried.? ? ¡°Ah! Sir, you¡¯re crying!¡±? ? ¡°Huh? Huh? If you cry now, I¡¯ll tell Lady Marche!¡±? ? ¡°Be quiet, you punks!¡±? ? Bookman, who shouted, quickly turned around and pressed his nose.? ? The employees of the print shop chuckled under their breath at his appearance.? ? ¡°Hmph, hmph! That¡¯s it! And this is the first edition, the rest of the printing will go in after the first inspection today. Please take your time and look at it and tell me if there is anything that needs to be fixed or anything that doesn¡¯t look right. If it¡¯s going to be published, it has to be perfect.¡±? ? The twins faced each other with the two first editions in their hands.? ? Then they nodded at each other, as if they had read each other¡¯s minds, though they said nothing.? ? ¡°We are going to keep this one book, but there is someone we would like to give it to.¡±? ? ¡°Are you talking about the one you are serving?¡±? ? ¡°Yes!¡± ? ? Tasha said, staring into the air as if she was dreaming.? ? ¡°She is so beautiful. I feel like my soul is being cleansed just by looking at her. Sir Bookman will never know what this feels like.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s right. Should I say that my eyes become clearer and the world becomes brighter? If I were her, I would be full just looking in the mirror all day.¡±? ? ¡°Wow, just like that heroine in your book.¡±? ? Tasha and Louie didn¡¯t deny it, they just laughed.? ? ¡°Actually, she had lost her entire family in an accident, too.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, dear¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why it bothers me even more. Still, we do have each other, don¡¯t we?¡±? ? Tasha looked at Louie. Louie also looked at Tasha and nodded.? ? ¡°She was the only one left. I just want to be nicer to her. It doesn¡¯t matter who she is, or where she¡¯s from.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. We want to treat her well, to make her feel better, to tell her it¡¯s okay. We just want to do that for her.¡±? ? ¡°Just like you did that for us.¡±? ? Tasha and Louie smiled brightly, looking at Bookman.? ? At those last words, Bookman¡¯s tears, which he had been trying so hard to hold back, streamed down.? ? ¡°You punks!¡±? ? Bookman was the only one who was embarrassed for no reason, and his voice shook as he shouted. He then hugged the twins.? ? ¡°You two! You two!¡±? ? Bookman patted the twins with tears streaming down his face.? ? ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you. Tasha, Louie! You two are really impressive!¡±? ? At Bookman¡¯s words, Tasha and Louie also swallowed tears by rubbing their noses.? ? The smiling twins¡¯ wet eyes sparkled beautifully.? ? ***? ? ¡°Have they found Arsene?¡±? ? It was already the sixth day since Tamon left.? ? Tamon said that they would be able to track down the ship Arsene was on in about a week after they left.? ? Taking longer meant there was a possibility of the monsters appearing.? ? Her mind was complicated.? ? Roselyn looked out the window at the ocean, searching for his invisible ship.? ? Her hand touched the smooth surface of the book.? ? Aside from the bracelet Arsene kept, there were five other holy relics.? ? One of them was said to have been destroyed by an angry god.? ? The object, known as a small wristwatch, was said to have been sealed with the ability to turn back time. ? ? The conditions for the expression of the ability were quite strict, but it was a very difficult ability, so they managed to use it. ? ? So, as the order of time was disrupted and the chaos in the world grew, the god of order himself came down and destroyed the holy object.? ? ¡­that was the legend.? ? If the story was true, there were two implications. CH 54 One was that holy relics could be destroyed, and the other was that divine intervention could be extracted from holy relics.? ? They both sound absurd.? ? But if it was possible, there was no condition more solid than this.? ? She wanted to get rid of that very ability that inhabits a human body.? ? Roselyn¡¯s fingers tapped the book again.? ? The ancient books said that when holy relics were gathered in one place, they created a special vibration. In the temples, it was written that the power of the gods resonated.? ? The gods that the Empire worshipped were not like ordinary gods.? ? Rockman of chaos that shakes everything.? ? Hylia of hope, who never loses her smile until the end.? ? Grish of joy that dances and sings.? ? Kakaro of sorrow, the master of mature tears.? ? Renia of anger who destroys everything.? ? Eros of love that embraces life.? ? (*all these gods¡¯ names might be wrong due to variations of translation)? ? They were all Gods derived from primal, essential forces.? ? They were gods of a different dimension than the gods of sun and war, sea and earth, who claimed to exist beyond the continents. ? ? This huge continent of Pantheon, including Tanatos, all worshipped these six Gods.? ? ¡°Do the Gods really exist?¡±? ? The primordial question came first.? ? When born, they naturally accept diplomatic relations. It was the same for all Imperials.? ? Just about every country, not just this continent, had a religion and a God to follow.? ? There were temples, priests, and archbishops, but no one ever claimed to have seen God.? ? Some people say they heard God¡¯s voice¡­¡­¡­¡­.? ? ¡®How can I believe that when I didn¡¯t hear it?¡¯? ? Roselyn tapped her forehead with a cynical laugh.? ? ¡°I have to collect them all. But if the holy relics are not the answer¡­¡±? ? Then she would need to find a way to cut off Gillotti¡¯s limbs to offset his power.? ? Roselyn glanced away, and saw the gossip magazine on the table.? ? In that gossip magazine, which was published twice a month, there was an article about the collapse of Emperor Tanatos.? ? The article made a fuss about an illness of unknown cause and unknown reason. It also said that it was the curse of Empress Tanatos, who died unfairly.? ? Roselyn burst into laughter.? ? ¡°¡­.. The curse hasn¡¯t even started yet. What curse?¡±? ? Roselyn clenched her fists as she muttered coldly.? ? Unfortunately, that gossip magazine didn¡¯t do much with the Tanatos story.? ? It devoted about half a page to the fall of the Emperor of the Empire, but everything else was about Amor¡¯s noblemen, or an outrageous scandal, or a fad.? ? She was about to ask Asrell to check out the other gossip papers when Asrell, who had gone on an errand, came back.? ? ***? ? ¡°I have contacted the postman who will be able to reach Tanatos and Mach in the shortest possible time via an unknown sender as you said.¡±? ? Roselyn asked Asrell to find her a particularly fast and credible post office.? ? It was not a domestic post office, but a post office that had to go to Mach and Tanatos.? ? She had to send a letter as a secret, so she asked Asrell to find a trustworthy place no matter how much it would cost.? ? ¡°And this is the amount after it was spent.¡±? ? And Roselyn also asked Asrell to attract her deposit which is deposited in the Lebes Bank.? ? It was the account of the virtual person ¡®Karen Turasia¡¯ and could only be withdrawn with a special code and specified method, so anyone could withdraw the money if they knew the code and method, not just Roselyn.? ? Roselyn had about three such accounts.? ? They all had different names and different codes, but she remembered them all without forgetting a single one.? ? It was possible because the names were taken from a role-playing game that she and her grandfather had often played since she was a child. The cipher was also related to that.? ? ¡°This is for Asrell.¡±? ? After checking the checkbook and gold coins, Roselyn handed the entire bag of gold coins to Asrell. Surprised, Asrell waved her hand.? ? ¡°No, Miss Asha. It¡¯s my duty to do the errands for the one I serve. I¡¯m not looking for any other compensation.¡±? ? As if she knew Asrell would say so, Roselyn replied with a wry smile.? ? ¡°This means that I want Asrel to be committed not only to today¡¯s work, but to other work as well. And if there are any funds needed for the work that needs to be done in the future, make sure to use this.¡±? ? ¡°¡­Is there such a need for that much money?¡±? ? ¡°We won¡¯t know that until we are there. And one more thing, these gold coins have a series of numbers written on them. It¡¯s the number I gave you so you can track when these gold coins were used.¡±? ? At Roseline¡¯s words, Asrell had to try not to look surprised.? ? Her methods were too brilliant to be a slave¡¯s.? ? No, for now, the amount of money in the account she was asked to keep was also too much for a slave to have.? ? The gold in the pocket was enough for a year¡¯s worth of living expenses for a small family, but to come up with that much money was astonishing in itself. And she gave her that much without hesitation.? ? ¡°Lady Asha¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°This is a sum to buy Asrell¡¯s hard work and trust. Not my trust, but Asrell¡¯s trust. I know it¡¯s not the most pleasant way to do it, but since you and I haven¡¯t spent much time together, this is the only way I can think of.¡±? ? Asrell saw ¡°Tamon¡± from Roselyn¡¯s face as she slowly chuckled at that.? ? That was the face of a monarch.? ? Not the face of someone who was controlled by someone else.? ? It was the face of someone who commanded, who directed, who controlled the situation.? ? It was the face of a person who, only a few days ago, cried incessantly in her arms, but now it looked so different that Asrell wondered if Roselyn was the same person.? ? ¡®Who on earth is this person¡­¡­¡­?¡¯? ? Asrell hesitated for a moment, then took the gold coin Roselyn offered.? ? It wasn¡¯t like there were many options anyway.? ? Asrell was from the Krasis family. Her entire family depended on the Krasis family.? ? Among them, Asrell was Tamon¡¯s person. She was one of the people who had taken care of him since he was a child, and she was one of the people who supported him in everything he did.? ? The loyalty of an Athesian was eternal.? ? Until the ice melts a hundred times, and the sun burns a hundred times.? ? So it was clear that this unidentified, beautiful and noble slave brought by her master was also someone she should serve.? ? Also, Asrell could not forget the way Roselyn sobbed while calling ¡°Kanya¡± under her strong purple eyes.? ? It meant that she was one of the people who truly loved this foolish Athesian.? ? That alone was enough for Asrell to gladly take it upon herself to be the messenger for this beautiful noblewoman in the mask of a slave.? ? ¡°The money will be spent wherever you like, Lady Aranrosia. The twins are either quick to act and have excellent mastery but they have a somewhat goofy habit, so please leave important errands to me or Satin only.¡±? ? Roselyn laughed, relieved at Asrell¡¯s polite acceptance.? ? Asrell smiled, then left to prepare lunch with the twins.? ? After Asrell left, Roselyn looked for a moment at the checkbook.? ? ¡°KarenTurasia, she was a small and beautiful tropical island lady. She went into exile in the neighboring country of Neuton with ambitions. Neuton was a very strong and authoritative country with developed commerce. Do you know what was the first thing she did when she swallowed the country¡¯s social circles with her unique atmosphere and refreshing way of speaking?¡±? ? ¡°No. What is it, Grandfather?¡±? ? ¡°She distributed her country¡¯s poisonous herbs to Neuton. The deadly poison called the colorless, odorless, silent killer, had completely infiltrated society¡¯s noblewomen. That year, the society in Neuton was in an uproar.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Did the noblewomen kill someone?¡±? ? ¡°Of course they did. But who did they murder?¡±? ? ¡°No way! You don¡¯t mean they murdered their husbands, do you?¡± ? ? ¡°Clever Rosie, you guessed right away. At this time, a third of the nobles were dead, and the ladies took over the titles. Of course, the poisonous herbs brought in by Karen Turasia were immediately banned, but she was not punished. Rather, she became the monarch of the society and received absolute support.¡±? ? ¡°So the women who inherited the title were on Karen¡¯s side?¡± ? ? ¡°That¡¯s right. So the poisonous herb was named after her. A poisonous herb that can sneak in anywhere and somehow triumph. Today we¡¯re going to paint a picture of exactly what happened when Karen Turasia seeped into Tanatos.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, very interesting. Hurry up and give me your card, grandfather!¡±? ? Roselyn raised her hazy eyes and stared out across the sea.? ? Her grandfather left her a very large inheritance.? ? As much as the pain in her heart.? ? ***? ? ¡°Hmmm. Hmm.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..!? ? Roselyn, who had been resting for a while after an early dinner, looked at the twins, who were coughing unnaturally, as if their throats were sore.? ? ¡°Kek! Kek!¡±? ? ¡°Kek, kek!¡±? ? The pecking at each other¡¯s arm as they looked at each other seemed to indicate that they had something to say to Roselyn.? ? Roselyn, who was waiting for them to speak, spoke first.? ? ¡°Tasha, Louie have anything to say to me, you can say it.¡±? ? ¡°Lady Asha!¡±? ? ¡°Oh! I guess we were obvious.¡±? ? The twins were embarrassed and their faces turned red as they stomped on the ground.? ? The reaction was immediate, and Roselyn burst out laughing.? ? One day, the twins called Roselyn ¡°Lady Asha¡± when Tamon was not around.? ? Tamon told his servants that Roselyn was ¡°Aranrosia Asha¡±.? ? Satin and Asrell always called her by her full name in a polite tone, but only the twins were different.? ? ¡°If you don¡¯t feel comfortable to be called like this, please let me know!¡±? ? It was not uncomfortable.? ? In fact, Aranrosia wasn¡¯t even her original name, because she was known as a slave.? ? But somehow, no one, not even the soldiers of Tamon, not to mention Satin, Asrell, and the twins, looked down on her as if they were her subordinates.? ? Either their master¡¯s discipline was strong, or else Tamon chose his men carefully.? ? Either way, she felt that the system was well organized.? ? Of course, the brave twins secretly and continuously called Roselyn by her nickname when Tamon was not around.? ? As for Roselyn, Tasha and Louie, who secretly glance at Tamon¡¯s eyes, were cute.? ? Of course, Tamon, who always glanced at her, was not cute at all. CH 55 Chapter 55. Red Passion In The Desert? ? Tamon was unhappy when others mentioned the name, as if the word ¡°Asya¡± was his own.? ? ¡®Is he claiming ownership of the name he gave me?¡¯? ? Roselyn thought lightly.? ? ¡°Since it came to this anyway, I¡¯ll tell you what. Please take our book.¡±? ? Tasha bravely took out the book that she had hidden and immediately presented it to Roselyn.? ? ¡°What is this?¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s our book!¡±? ? ¡°¡­book?¡±? ? Roselyn wondered, ¡°What do you mean ¡®book¡¯?¡± and as she eyed the cover, the title caught her eye.? ? [Red Passion in the Desert.]? ? What the hell is this¡­? ? When Roselyn raised her puzzled gaze and looked at Louie and Tasha, the girls added their explanations with excited faces.? ? ¡°Didn¡¯t we once say we were writing a romance novel? That¡¯s exactly what this is! We actually didn¡¯t expect it to come out so soon, but an anonymous benefactor helped us get it published.¡±? ? ¡°¡­a romance novel?¡±? ? Ah.? ? Come to think of it, she heard a story sometime ago about a silver-haired beauty who was taken prisoner in a foreign country and the red-eyed Kamon, the great general of a desert country.? ? She never thought it would actually be published, and so soon.? ? Roselyn fumbled with the book in her hands. Louie spoke quickly, unable to hide her excitement.? ? ¡°It¡¯s not fully published yet, it¡¯s the first edition that came out today for the purpose of acceptance inspection!¡±? ? ¡°We will start printing once the first round of acceptance is complete. It will take ten days to make three hundred copies.¡±? ? As if to show her exuberance, the cute freckles on her nose stood out even more. Laughing softly because it was so adorable, Roselyn looked at the book again in her hand. It was a book with a dark blue thick cover beautifully decorated with gold.? ? At first glance, it looked more like a classic novel favored by the nobles than a novel with love stories.? ? With this cover, even the most facetious aristocrat might be able to sneak it into his study.? ? ¡°I¡¯d like to give it first to Lady Asha, who inspired us.¡±? ? ¡°It wasn¡¯t until we met Lady Asha that we were able to complete our novel.¡±? ? A variety of expressions appeared on the twins¡¯ faces. Excitement, embarrassment, and anticipation.? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t ignore their expectations.? ? They wanted nothing but her to receive a copy of their book.? ? Roselyn was rather grateful for the twins¡¯ desire to give her their first printed book.? ? ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll read it well.¡±? ? ¡°Yes!¡±? ? ¡°Yes!¡±? ? She felt strange as she looked at the twins who answered cheerfully.? ? They were definitely younger than her, and they were always so bright and cute, but these two somehow made an effort to give Roselyn a hug.? ? They didn¡¯t seem to want anything from her, which made it even stranger.? ? But, the title was grand.? ? Red Passion in the Desert. What does that mean?? ? Roselyn had read many books in her life, but she had never read a book with such a provocative title.? ? Her family was highly educated and respectful for generations. Roselyn¡¯s education was the sole responsibility of her grandfather, who was the previous generation¡¯s Duke, so she had never been exposed to novels like this one.? ? But that didn¡¯t stop Roselyn from being interested in these fields.? ? During her short time at the Academy, she had heard of some of the young ladies who loved adult novels, but that was all.? ? After the engagement, she left the Academy and studied at home. After that, it was much the same routine.? ? When she came back to her room, Roselyn was about to go to Tamon¡¯s bedroom¡¯s study, but she sat down with the book of the twins¡¯.? ? The book, which was a mere 100 pages, was easy to read in an hour at her speed.? ? ¡°Since they gave me the first edition¡­.should I read it like inspecting it?¡±? ? Roselyn was also curious what the story was about.? ? She slowly opened the book.? ? [Her beautiful silver hair spread gorgeously over the bed. Gazing ecstatically at the waves of hair that resembled the Milky Way in the sky, Kamon tightened his grip on the woman¡¯s hands and said.? ? -I can¡¯t believe you dare to run away from me. ? ? The man¡¯s expression, despite his angry voice, was sad and miserable. ? ? Leela, the owner of hair, responded without avoiding his gaze.? ? -I will never submit to you. I will run away from you again and again and again!? ? Kamon¡¯s face twisted. He held her roughly by her angry lips, unable to accept her words.? ? His tongue dug through Leela¡¯s closed lips, and his tongue¡­.]? ? To her bewilderment, the scene was the act of making love of the male and female protagonists from the very first chapter.? ? ¡°Ha¡­.¡±? ? Looking around, Roselyn carefully turned the page, coughing with a reddened face.? ? After that, it was time for some serious reading.? ? ***? ? ¡®What did I just read?¡¯? ? Roselyn looked up at the sky in a daze.? ? Her face, which had been pale, had somehow turned a peachy looking pink.? ? She felt a faint fever rising and couldn¡¯t sit still. She jumped up and went out on the balcony to get some wind.? ? A cool sea breeze blew past her, gently brushing her heated cheeks.? ? ¡°Why is my heart throbbing so much?¡±? ? Roselyn shook her head, tapping lightly near her heart for no apparent reason.? ? The novel was interesting. It was a pity that it was so short. Roselyn loved it.? ? There was a feeling that the vocabulary was a bit crude in describing the scenes, but the characters¡¯ emotions were more richly drawn than in other novels.? ? A foreign princess was brought as a prisoner in the desert, and Kamon, the great general of the desert country, saved her.? ? It was plausible that the words were ¡®saved her¡¯, but in fact, he devoured her.? ? The process of Abigail, the foreign princess, fleeing to the selfishness of the male protagonist and the male protagonist going crazy to find her was very detailed.? ? It was very interesting to see how he did so many things that he regretted and then later held her with tears of blood.? ? ¡®¡­I wonder if the Princess would be able to forgive that man.¡¯? ? Before she knew it, she was immersed in the novel.? ? Kamon ignored the Princess¡¯ personality. He did many things he shouldn¡¯t do. How he hurt and desecrated her heart in the name of jealousy.? ? It seemed that Roselyn would never forgive him.? ? But when she considered his unhappy childhood hidden under Kamon¡¯s selfish words and actions¡­ ¡­It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t understand the actions of the male protagonist.? ? That confused her.? ? He did wrong, but was that really the original sin of this man?? ? He did not learn to love, and everything he had was taken from him.? ? If it was discovered that Kamon wanted something, the author, his brother, took it away or destroyed it by any means and method he could.? ? The more Kamon cared, the more he treated the Princess indifferently.? ? The more he liked someone, the more bitter he was and the more thoroughly he treated them coldly. That was his way of caring for someone.? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m so distressed after reading an adult novel.¡±? ? But philosophically, it was a very meaningful novel.? ? Roselyn touched the small book, inwardly marveling. The twins were tremendously talented.? ? Of course, the occasional physical scenes that followed were exciting enough to make her take several deep breaths while reading.? ? The detailed descriptions of Roselyn as the heroine were also amazing. ? ? ¡°Tamon ¡­..¡±? ? Roselyn thought that character was a pervert.? ? Roselyn¡¯s face reddened and she thought of the intimate scenes in the novel. Its description wasn¡¯t much different from all the things Tamon did to her.? ? Everything from how he put his face and mouth on her private parts and kissed it was described vividly in the novel.? ? The nights she spent with Gillotti as Empress was only part of the painful duty.? ? There was no heat and passion.? ? But do all other lovers and couples do all those things in novels?? ? A question arose that she had never had before.? ? And the person who would tell her the answer appeared knocking on the door.? ? ¡°Lady Asha, I have brought you your afternoon snack. I¡¯ve prepared a mushroom potage (soup) for you to enjoy lightly.¡±? ? Tasha and Louie came in looking cheerful as they pushed the cart. The twins¡¯ eyes went to Roselyn¡¯s hand and laughter spread.? ? ¡°Ah! Were you reading our book?¡±? ? Louie asked excitedly as she saw Roselyn standing there with their book.? ? Tasha, who had brought a table near the balcony where she was standing, also looked at her expectantly.? ? Roselyn tried not to blush and nodded resolutely.? ? ¡°It¡¯s not long, so I read it quickly. It¡¯s very¡­.¡±? ? Her voice broke slowly, and the twins stared at her with their mouths open.? ? When Roselyn hesitated, the twins repeated her last word as if urging her.? ? ¡°Very¡­¡­?¡±? ? Two pairs of green eyes of different luminosity glowed frighteningly.? ? Their wide open eyes became burdensome, as if to tell Roselyn to respond quickly.? ? Roselyn stiffly continued her last words, trying not to blush.? ? ¡°Interesting¡­¡± CH 56 Chapter 56. Cassion Krasis? ? Because Roselyn had an ambiguous expression, Tasha and Louie shook their heads as they looked at each other.? ? ¡°It wasn¡¯t good?¡±? ? ¡°No! No, it was. I found it very interesting. It¡¯s more interesting than I thought it would be.¡±? ? The twins¡¯ faces finally brightened at the hastily added words.? ? The twins, who had set up the table with fast and skillful hands, adjusted themselves comfortably.? ? ¡°Actually, we¡¯re very confused because it¡¯s our first publication! Of course, it¡¯s not a book that can fit into a library like the novels that the nobles read, but I think we can at least fit into the bookstores on Reinleset Street. Oh, Reinleset Street is a bookstore district. It has about ten stores, and they sell a variety of books, from used to new!¡±? ? ¡­A bookstore district?? ? In Tanatos, books were classified as a high culture of the nobility.? ? The illiteracy rate was close to 50%. It may actually be larger, as the lower class people might not have been included in the research.? ? Therefore, things like book stores also belonged to the high class stores used by the nobles.? ? However, it was surprising that there were so many of them in Amor.? ? ¡°I¡¯m curious about the bookstore district.¡±? ? ¡°By the way, Lady Asha, you haven¡¯t gone out yet, have you? When Master returns, let¡¯s go out together! Speaking of which, isn¡¯t there going to be a flower offering festival next month?¡±? ? ¡°Oh, yes. Last year, it was around the time when the daisy flowers were blooming, so it will open soon.¡±? ? The chattering twins began to make their own plans for the outing.? ? Roselyn had to go out with the utmost caution, so she had to dress up in costumes, search the secret passages, and so on.? ? It seemed as senseless as children¡¯s escape plans, and on the other hand as serious as adventurers on a journey, and even Roselyn, who was listening, was buoyant.? ? ¡°Yes. I¡¯d love to go there.¡±? ? Roselyn smiled and nodded.? ? The potage, a little redder than usual, was warm and delicious.? ? As Roselyn happily emptied the soup bowl, Tasha and Louie clapped their hands, having successfully selected the menu.? ? Roselyn smiled shyly for no reason, wondering why they would react so well to something like this.? ? ¡°But how did you write a novel like this? The story is very¡­¡±? ? ¡°Yes? Very¡­.?¡±? ? Roselyn, who was hesitant to say something like this, boldly opened her mouth. It was just too disturbing, and her mouth moved naturally.? ? ¡°I thought it was very racy.¡±? ? ¡°Huh? It¡¯s racy?¡±? ? ¡°My God! This doesn¡¯t even put you in the naughty group, Lady Asha!¡±? ? The twins erupted in laughter as they stared at each other.? ? The new young lady was even more adorable now, with her elegant and graceful face, and her cheeks reddened.? ? Surely, their master was famous for never letting her leave the bedroom¡­? ? And while they were taking care of her bath, they saw countless traces of their engraving¡­? ? How could she make such an innocent statement?? ? The two stepped towards Roselyn with a twinkle in their eyes.? ? ¡°Do you really think this is vulgar?¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s eyes shook finely at the twins¡¯ serious question. She hesitated and nodded.? ? ¡°Done. We succeeded, Louie.¡±? ? ¡°Yes! We are on the road to money, Tasha. What should we do when we have money?¡±? ? The twins mischievously patted each other on the back and debated success.? ? Looking at the reactions of the two, it seemed to have a very positive impact on sales.? ? Somehow, Roselyn knew why.? ? Roselyn put her hand on her hot cheek and meekly caught her breath.? ? ¡°But really, this isn¡¯t even racy, Lady Asha. Is this the first time you¡¯ve read a novel like this?¡±? ? Roselyn nodded, and Tasha and Louie laughed with mischievous looks on their faces.? ? ¡°Some of them are very thick, and some of them are very famous novels¡­do you want us to bring them to you? It would be interesting to read when you¡¯re bored.¡±? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t really want to read that many. This novel of manners and customs was not a useful kind of book.? ? It did not discuss any particular knowledge or ideas, nor did it share any information.? ? But ¡­¡­ Roselyn couldn¡¯t really say it. Yes, she just found out for the first time that there was this kind of world, but she didn¡¯t have to reject it.? ? And it was kind of fun.? ? She didn¡¯t know how long it had been since she had read a book purely for fun.? ? ¡°We¡¯ll have plenty for you this evening!¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯ve read a lot of books for us and even modeled for us.¡±? ? ¡°Oh. Did you notice anything that bothered you while reading? You¡¯re the main character of the novel so please tell me if anything is wrong.¡±? ? Actually, the heroine of the novel was very different from her when Roselyn read it, with only similarities in hair and eye color.? ? Abigail, the heroine of the novel, was more passionate and extreme than Roselyn was.? ? Abigail didn¡¯t hesitate to jump into the flames to get away from the male protagonist, and she even found out who betrayed her and cut off his head directly.? ? How could she compare herself to such a hero?? ? Roselyn shook her head with an elegant smile.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s no such thing.¡±? ? ¡°Still, I think we should ask Asha¡¯s permission first. You¡¯re the model for our novel, and if our novel becomes very famous, there will be people who will think of our novel when they see Lady Asha.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s not like people often have such beautiful silver hair! I hope that in the future this book can have a more positive impact on Lady Asha!¡±? ? Didn¡¯t they say they were going to publish 300 copies?? ? Roselyn was puzzled for a moment. The twins¡¯ ambition was even more amazing than she thought.? ? Looking into their eyes, she could see the ambition to create an echo across the entire continent with this 100-page novel.? ? The ambition of a promising stock was a little worrisome and on the other hand, admirable.? ? Roselyn chose to boost the twins¡¯ expectations rather than dampen them.? ? And this short story was pretty interesting. After pondering for a while, Roselyn thought of a scene.? ? ¡°Thank you. If you say so¡­.then can I ask for one thing?¡±? ? ¡°Yes! Please say anything you want.¡±? ? ¡°Can you change one scene a little?¡±? ? ¡°A scene?¡±? ? Tasha and Louie looked at each other and nodded.? ? ¡°Yes! Go ahead!¡±? ? Roselyn told them about the scene that was bothering her.? ? The twins listened, nodding their heads, and agreed as they knew what it was.? ? ¡°Good, we¡¯re a little stuck on that scene too¡­¡­¡­.. Okay! I¡¯ll change it that way!¡±? ? ¡°I can change it within today!¡±? ? The twins replied with a strong nod.? ? Roselyn was worried that she had violated the rights of the creators, but the twins responded pleasantly.? ? By the time Roselyn sighed in relief and drank a cup of hot tea.? ? ¡°Ah¡­.!¡±? ? A sharp voice came from outside.? ? It was actually someone that had been making a bit of noise earlier.? ? She thought it was knights in training passing by, but she could tell the noise was getting louder and louder.? ? The twins were the first to react.? ? ¡°Why is it so loud out there? Tasha, you go out and check.¡±? ? Tasha quickly stood up and was just about to open the door when someone had already opened it from the outside. It was Asrell.? ? ¡°Hi Asha, I went to run an errand. Did Tasha and Louie prepare your afternoon snack properly?¡±? ? Asrell, in her outdoor clothes, walked in with a smiling face. Louie asked as she saw her.? ? ¡°Asrell, why is it so noisy outside? Did you see it when you came in?¡±? ? ¡°Oh. Outside.¡±? ? Asrell turned to Roselyn with a troubled expression.? ? ¡°That¡¯s why I came right away without changing my clothes.¡±? ? With a sigh, she spoke in a quiet voice.? ? ¡°Master Cassion is here.¡±? ? Cassion? Ah¡­? ? It was an unfamiliar name and Roselyn couldn¡¯t immediately think of who it was.? ? It seemed that Tamon¡¯s brother had finally arrived.? ? ***? ? ¡°Why can¡¯t I use the east annex?¡±? ? Cassion Krasis asked sharply with a tired face from a long trip.? ? It was already the third time he asked.? ? ¡°The east annex has been sealed off for the time being. There was a small fire inside. So please use the west annex this time.¡±? ? Satin Noham, who was in charge of housekeeping at the Krasis mansion, said in a calm voice to explain the situation.? ? He also repeated the same words for the third time.? ? ¡°So, where is the fire? There¡¯s not a speck of soot. Oh, that¡¯s enough. I¡¯ll use the third floor anyway, so it doesn¡¯t matter. The third floor is fine, right?¡±? ? Cassion walked past Satin with a stern face as if he didn¡¯t want to hear any more.? ? Naturally, he acted as if he thought Satin would not be able to stop him. But his thinking was wrong.? ? ¨C Ah.? ? Satin, of course, but the Knights of Krasis who were waiting behind Satin prevented Cassion from doing so. CH 57 Cassion¡¯s face turned red with shock.? ? ¡°Huh¡­? What is this?¡±? ? Cassion gritted his teeth, unable to hide his displeasure.? ? He couldn¡¯t believe they dared to block him.There was a faint hint of anger in his voice.? ? Satin sighed and soothed him, his voice softer and more persuasive than before.? ? ¡°There¡¯s still soot in the air. You can still smell the smoke. It will have a bad effect on Master Cassion, who has bad lungs. I¡¯ve cleaned the outside, but the inside isn¡¯t as nice looking.¡±? ? Cassion looked down at Satin in doubt.? ? ¡°It doesn¡¯t even smell like burning, you¡¯re lying¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°This is what Master Tamon had ordered. I was ordered not to let anyone inside the East annex.¡±? ? When Tamon¡¯s name was mentioned, Cassion, who was about to question Satin further, frowned and went silent.? ? He paced around with a nervous look on his face.? ? Whenever he came to the mansion in the capital, he always stayed in this east annex. The view of the ocean from the main room on the third floor was particularly spectacular.? ? Having lived mostly inland, he loved a room with a view of the sea.? ? Tamon also always took care of Cassion¡¯s needs. Tamon would give him any room he wanted. Cassion thought it was natural.? ? He didn¡¯t think there would be anything in the past, present, or future that would prevent Tamon from doing the same for him.(Cassion)? ? Cassion frowned and looked around, he couldn¡¯t believe there was a fire.? ? He didn¡¯t see any soot, let alone broken parts, but still, they said it was fire.? ? ¡°When did the fire start?¡±? ? ¡°It happened last week. It was the day Master Tamon left, so he decided to block it in a hurry and restore it slowly. I ask for your understanding.¡±? ? Satin replied politely, bowing his head deeply in coercion.? ? ¡°¡®Please, I beg you. Let¡¯s go to the west annex. I filled the west garden this year with Master Cassion¡¯s favorite Ahamoni flowers. It¡¯s spectacular as well.¡±? ? Satin has been with the Krasis family for a long time as a butler.? ? Of course, it was Tamon to whom he owed his allegiance, but he had also often taken care of Cassion since he was a child.? ? Cassion stared at Satin¡¯s head and had no choice but to look away.? ? ¡°Oh, well.¡±? ? He could make a fuss, but he didn¡¯t need to be so hung up on the east annex.? ? And if what Satin said was true, it was nothing good for Cassion to stay there, because as Satin said, he didn¡¯t have very good lungs. Fortunately, he hadn¡¯t had any pain for two years now, but there was nothing wrong with being careful.? ? It was miserable to lie in a sickbed. He had enough of lying down when he was a child.? ? ¡°Okay. Then take me to the west annex, Satin.¡±? ? ¡°Thank you for your understanding. This way, please, Master Cassion. Thank you for coming all this way. Did you have a good time on this trip?¡±? ? Satin smiled and tried to get Cassion in a good mood.? ? Satin hurried over to guide him, but the knights guarding the East annex didn¡¯t falter.? ? Cassion, who was walking behind Satin, turned around and stared at the motionless knights.? ? After staring at them for a while, he smiled brightly.? ? ¡°You put up knights to prevent people from entering the annex just because of the fire? Aren¡¯t they my brother¡¯s elite knights?¡±? ? Cassion was young and ignorant of politics, but that didn¡¯t mean he was stupid.? ? He approached them again, staring at the knights.? ? ¡°Step aside. I won¡¯t stay here, but I have to see what¡¯s inside. Did you lie? I need to see if it¡¯s not.¡±? ? ¡°Master Cassion! Ah! Why? You¡¯re looking a little pale, you should come in and get some rest.¡±? ? ¡°You¡¯d better listen when I¡¯m still being nice. I thought I told you to get out of the way.¡±? ? But no matter how many horrible Cassion looked or said, no one retreated.? ? Cassion was more than a little perplexed, and on the other hand, he was angry. ? ? He had never seen anything like this before. No one in his life has ever blocked him.? ? Not even his brother, the Devil of War, had ever established any authority over Cassion.? ? He was, and he deserved to be treated as such. ? ? ¡°My brother¡­.would never have instructed you to stop me. Out of my way, Satin. I don¡¯t believe a word you¡¯re saying.¡±? ? This was the Krasis family townhouse. The mansion in the capital.? ? Cassion was also a member of the Krasis family and was one of the owners. He, too, had a right to this mansion, a right that Tamon had guaranteed him.? ? ¡®That¡¯s not true, because my brother would never block me.¡®? ? So now there was something strange about the situation. ? ? ¡°Master Cassion¡­.¡±? ? ¡°This mansion belongs to my brother, but it also belongs to me. Listen to your master!¡±? ? Sighing, Satin¡¯s earlier irritated expression disappeared and he put on a determined face.? ? ¡°Strictly speaking, my master is Tamon Krasis. Likewise, the master of this mansion is the stern Tamon Krasis. I am following my master¡¯s orders.¡±? ? It was a hard, cold voice that Cassion had never heard before. Satin quietly took out a letter from his pocket and unfolded it.? ? ¡°I have a message from Master Tamon to tell you that there may be something you do not understand.¡±? ? Cassion frowned as he took the paper Satin.? ? The words written in the paper were brief.? ? [Close the east annex and not let anyone in. Until I come back, no one else is allowed.]? ? The word ¡°no one,¡± written with such force, referred to Cassion. He knew it right away.? ? He gritted his teeth silently.? ? ¡°. ¡­¡­ Why on earth?¡±? ? His eyes crumbled as he stared at the east annex. Whenever he came to the capital, it was this east annex that he mainly used. It was a fact that had never changed over the past twenty years.? ? ¡°¡­¡­Get out of my way!¡±? ? ¡°If you don¡¯t obey me, I will use force to subdue you.¡±? ? Despite Cassion¡¯s shouting, Satin was calm. Cassion was confused.? ? ¡®This can¡¯t be happening. My brother wouldn¡¯t do this¡­¡¯? ? His head tangled in a jumble.? ? Cassion clenched his teeth as he tried to yell again. Then, after glaring at Satin, who didn¡¯t flinch like a stone, he kicked him in the shin.? ? ¡°¡®I¡¯m not going in! I¡¯m not going! I¡¯m really going to the west annex!¡± ? ? Cassion turned back with a huff.? ? Somewhere in the east annex, Roselyn was watching Cassion.? ? *** ? ? ¡°¡­How old is he?¡±? ? ¡°He just turned 20.¡±? ? Asrell said, smiling gently .? ? Roselyn stared at the back of the distant black hair.? ? Cassion was tall and large. The brothers looked alike.? ? At first glance, all were similar from the energy, moods, the style of their clothes, and even the way they walk. Was this how Tamon looked when he was younger?? ? No.? ? They might look alike on the outside, but Roselyn could tell they were different. His attitude toward people, the pitch of his voice, the faint look in his eyes when he was trying to get what he wanted, were all completely different.? ? Tamon was very good at delving into people¡¯s minds and getting what he wanted out of them.? ? He could appear menacing or smile gently, depending on the situation, but he never showed any emotional turmoil.? ? Even when Tamon was younger, he must have been as supple and spontaneous as a young snake.? ? He wasn¡¯t a shrewd person who became skilled in a year or two. More than half of it was innate, Roselyn could have sworn.? ? In contrast, Cassion Krasis was more hostile.? ? He looked furious and didn¡¯t hide it. He wasn¡¯t good at dealing with it.? ? ¡°He may look like that, but he¡¯s really not that bad.¡±? ? ¡°What?¡±? ? ¡°Master Cassion.¡±? ? Asrell, who was making Roselyn¡¯s bed, quietly opened her mouth, and Roselyn looked back at Asrell.? ? ¡°He was born with a weak body. To give you an idea of how weak he was, all the doctors in the kingdom said he couldn¡¯t make it past the age of ten.¡±? ? It was something that Roselyn also knew.? ? Because she was well aware of the story of Tamon¡¯s brother, who had gone to the countryside because of his bad health.? ? ¡°My grandfather¡¯s grandfather came into the Krasis family as a gardener, and ever since then my family stayed with the Krasis. Now, my parents are still guarding the Krasis headquarters on the northeast border. But they are not gardeners, they¡¯re chefs.¡±? ? Asrell was originally born in Krasis territory, spent all of her childhood in her parents¡¯ home, and came up to the capital and worked for Tamon.? ? She hinted that she remembered the Krasis more clearly than she remembered her work.? ? ¡°When Master Cassion went through several near-death crises, his mother started looking for fortune tellers instead of doctors. She didn¡¯t believe in the temple either. She gave them huge amounts of money many times, but Master Cassion never got better.? ? The fortune teller she found said to separate the two brothers.¡±? ? So they stayed in Belbourn, the most rugged region of Amor.? ? ¡°The Lady of the house (*Cassion¡¯s mother) left to the countryside immediately. The Count stopped her, but no one could stop her strong will.¡±? ? ¡°She was desperate, wasn¡¯t she?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Because ¡­¡­ she had already lost her first son to the same disease.¡± CH 58 Roselyn opened her eyes wide in surprise.? ? He didn¡¯t know Tamon had more siblings¡­.? ? It was also new to her that he had lost his siblings when he was very young.? ? As if she had expected such a reaction from Roselyn, Asrell smiled.? ? ¡°The first son was like the Countess, dazzling blonde and as lovely as an angel. He was like a fairy that the former Master* and his wife* loved him very much.¡±? ? (*Former master= Tamon and Cassion¡¯s father. )? ? Unfortunately, the child passed away too soon, and the previous Countess was too frail to have a second child.? ? For the sake of the family, the Count embraced another woman. The person who was born after that was ¡­? ? ¡°Yes, it¡¯s my current master, Tamon.¡±? ? Roselyn tried not to look surprised. There was no mention of Tamon Krasis being an illegitimate child that she knew.? ? Amor country had a more liberal view of sexuality than other countries.? ? It was natural for men and women to meet and separate. One person could have several lovers or spouses if they both agreed to it.? ? However, that was also a thing of the past. There were many crimes committed due to lust, inheritance, and cheating, and the state recommended one thousand and one copies as much as possible.? ? ¡°Of course, Master Tamon wasn¡¯t here from the start. The Countess didn¡¯t approve of the child the Count had with another woman. But after two or three years of not being able to have children, she accepted Master Tamon and he became a member of the Krasis family through formalities the year Master Tamon turned five.¡±? ? ¡°Five years old is a very young age.¡±? ? ¡°Even as a child he was very smart and strong. He understood the atmosphere of the house from the start. It was heartbreaking to see him like that.¡±? ? From the moment he entered the mansion, Tamon put all his efforts into everything he did.? ? He was perfect in his studies, swordsmanship, etiquette, and even social skills.? ? Due to his efforts, the previous Countess also gradually became more relaxed.? ? She had suffered from hating someone, even a child, for quite a long time because her mind was not evil by nature.? ? ¡°The Master was a little odd from an early age. Or should I say he was very mature? He never complained.¡±? ? After arranging the bed, Asrell opened the window and the fresh sea breeze filled the room.? ? ¡°It was the year Master Tamon turned ten, the Countess suddenly began to have morning sickness and Master Cassion was born.¡±? ? (*Tamon and Cassion had the same father but different mothers)? ? Apparently, Roselyn didn¡¯t need to hear the rest of the story to understand.? ? It was obvious without looking closely at the story what kind of love and attraction the weak Countess, who had lost her first born to illness, had for the second born after ten years.? ? Tamon had been wise from an early age, so it was impossible for him not to be able to read the subtly changing atmosphere of the house.? ? He must have sensed that his position had become ambiguous and that his parents¡¯ attitude had changed.? ? ¡°Master Cassion, who seemed to be in good health, began to feel ill around the age of four or five. He had the same symptoms as the dead first master. The Countess panicked, and the entire house was on thin ice.¡±? ? Asrell smiled bitterly as she remembered that moment. On days when Cassion collapsed, the mansion became as quiet as a haunted house. Those were the days when no one could laugh.? ? ¡°Then she met the fortune teller and he told them to move Master Cassion to the countryside¡­.It was amazing.¡±? ? Since then, the previous Countess never left Cassion. Not once.? ? Of course, there was no way she could afford to pay attention to Tamon. The Count was the same way. He was too busy to do anything for his newborn son. They had to be on their toes, always on the lookout for intruders.? ? ¡°The Count said Master Tamon was very smart and a quick learner¡­ so no one teached him anymore. The Count sent Master Tamon to the Royal School in the capital. After that, Master Tamon settled here.¡±? ? ¡°¡­Then what about the current territory?¡±? ? ¡°Ah! That¡¯s where Master¡¯s Knights are there now. Master Tamon comes down there periodically as well.¡±? ? ¡°I see.¡±? ? Roselyn felt like she just saw Tamon¡¯s shadow. She said she would look into Tamon, but she didn¡¯t even know this childhood situation was like that. It was neither important nor something she wanted to know.? ? But why was she so curious about it now?? ? ¡°Master Tamon has a soft spot for Master Cassion. He listens to everything Master Cassion wants.¡±? ? Roselyn gathered her brows curiously at Asrell¡¯s words.? ? There was no connection between Cassion and Tamon anywhere that she knew.? ? They lived apart and seemed to have not a single memory of each other, because Cassion was weak.? ? However, how could Tamon Krasis, who couldn¡¯t be more wary of others, be soft and weak to someone else?? ? It was a little strange somehow.? ? ¡°Because¡­the Count and the Countess died for my Master.¡±? ? ¡°What?¡±? ? Asrell shrugged at Roselyn, who asked back in surprise.? ? ¡°They died when I first came to the capital to see Master Tamon. That¡¯s all I know. I¡¯m sure only the two brothers know more details.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°Oh! If Master Tamon finds out that I told you this story, he may strangle me.¡± ? ? Asrell shrank as if she was scared, but her bright smile told a different story.? ? ¡°But, well, he still wouldn¡¯t kill me. Hahaha! He still needs me to take care of Lady Asha.¡±? ? Roselyn also smiled helplessly at Asrell, who was confident.? ? ***? ? ¡°Why in the world did my brother close off the east annex?¡±? ? It was the morning of the third day after Cassion Krasis arrived in the capital.? ? The first day he passed out from exhaustion, the second day he passed out again of all the partying with his friends.? ? And on the morning of the third day, Satin dosed him with the medicine he had brought, and Cassion, exhausted after a while, remembered the first day¡¯s commotion.? ? ¡°I haven¡¯t seen them doing any construction work in the last three days?¡±? ? Cassion got up and frowned. When he frowned, he looked just like Tamon.? ? The difference was that Tamon had eyes as bright red as rubies, while Cassion had eyes as blue as the ocean.? ? His black hair swayed with every movement he made. His wide shoulders and strong limbs made him stand out even more.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone in? How could my brother do that to me? What the hell is the big deal?¡±? ? Cassion stood up quickly with his mouth agape.? ? He didn¡¯t know how to be patient.? ? That¡¯s how he had grown up and that¡¯s how he was going to live.? ? Tamon¡¯s powerful handwriting from the message scrawled in front of him made him dizzy, but he quickly shook it off.? ? He knew Tamon Krasis, a man who never blinked in anger, no matter what he did. (Cassion)? ? Moreover, even if Cassion had really set that place on fire, his brother would not do anything to him.? ? ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m not going to hold back¡­¡­¡±? ? He smiled obliquely and walked outside.? ? ***? ? ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s arrived by now.¡±? ? Standing at the bow of the ship, Tamon turned and looked in the direction of Amor¡¯s Capital.? ? It was time for Cassion to arrive at the mansion.? ? He usually left the capital in ten days at the most and four to five days at the shortest.? ? Since he had regained his health, he had always moved about in a hurry, as if wandering and traveling and living well was his whole life.? ? This time, too, Tamon wished Cassion would leave sooner, but life didn¡¯t always work out the way he wanted it to.? ? ¡°Satin and Asrell will do well ¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? Tamon shook his head with a sigh.? ? Maybe Cassion had been playing around too much.? ? Maybe he¡¯ll ignore Tamon¡¯s warning this time and do whatever he wants. In the past, Tamon wouldn¡¯t have minded if Cassion had burned down the capital¡¯s mansion.? ? He had money and he could rebuild. No matter how much Cassion spent, they wouldn¡¯t go bankrupt.? ? But this time was different.? ? ¡°Cassion¡­¡±? ? Tamon stared across the water with a stiff face and turned away.? ? Now was not the time to be worrying about the mansion.? ? It had been ten days. He was chasing a ship on the fastest rapid, but it wasn¡¯t easy to follow.? ? The fog that suddenly appeared there was also a problem.? ? The fog was an omen that the monsters would appear.? ? The fog that had been rising in the distance since yesterday afternoon was getting thicker and thicker. At this rate, it would be two days at the shortest, and if he was unlucky, the monsters would appear.? ? ¡®¡­¡­..but this is much faster than I calculated.¡¯? ? Originally, the time for the fog to occur would not have been now.? ? About a week or so later, the fog would arise and the monsters would start appearing ten days from now.? ? He didn¡¯t know why, but he was pretty sure the timing was moved up.? ? ¡®I¡¯ll have to hurry up a little bit more.¡¯? ? He clenched his fists as he stared through the faint fog.? ? The fog grew thicker and thicker. The air currents were becoming increasingly unsettling.? ? The few knights who had been vigilant outside also sensed it, and their tension changed. It was that moment.? ? ¡°It¡¯s here¡­!¡±? ? One of the knights who had climbed the mast and was looking around with a telescope shouted loudly. Everyone jumped to their feet. CH 59 Tamon, who had been staring in the direction of the sailor on the mast, frowned.? ? His eyes immediately looked down to the sea where the ship was floating.? ? rumbling ¡­¡­¡­!? ? It was an ominous vibrating sound spreading from very deep.? ? ¡°It¡¯s coming.¡±? ? Jorge, who was watching Tamon, jumped up and lifted the spear.? ? His speciality was not swords, but spears, and his spear weighed more than any weapon and boasted great destructive power.? ? ¡°There it is.¡±? ? Tamon, who had taken out his sword, moved.? ? ¡°Ah, general! There¡¯s another one!¡±? ? With two leaps, Tamon jumped over the ship¡¯s railing at once.? ? He briefly shouted at Jorge, who was startled and tried to follow.? ? ¡°Cover outside. There¡¯s more than one of them.¡±? ? ¡°¡­D*mn it! So sudden!¡±? ? Jorge said in a panic, but he had already sent a hand signal before Tamon could say anything.? ? The spearmen who had been waiting drew their bows in unison. Jorge also let go of his own spear and raised his sharp harpoon. And¡­.? ? Splash!? ? Without hesitation, Tamon jumped into the sea.? ? ***? ? ¡°¡­¡­Ah!¡±? ? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ What was that?? ? Roselyn wrinkled her brow as she looked at the black hair rising from the sea.? ? She was looking at a person. The immature younger brother of Tamon Krasis.? ? ¡°Ah¡­..!¡±? ? Suddenly, the dark hair came up the seashore, looked around the area and found Roselyn sitting on the beach.? ? While he opened his eyes wide and was briefly mesmerized, the distracted twins quickly blocked Roselyn and shouted.? ? ¡°Guards! Guards!¡±? ? ¡°Intruder! Intruder! Guards!¡± ? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Hey! Hey, guys, shut up! No, I¡¯m not!¡±? ? Startled by the loud shouting of the girls, Cassion hurriedly rushed out of the sea.? ? The twins who were standing in front of Roselyn had nowhere to run and their mouths were covered as they were grabbed by Cassion.? ? ¡°Argh!¡± ? ? ¡°Kyaa¡­¡­¡­¡­ ugh!¡±? ? But since there were two twins and only one Cashion, one of them escaped and shouted.? ? ¡°Hey! Guards! Guards!¡±? ? ¡°Hey! Be quiet! Don¡¯t you people know who I am?¡±? ? Cassion shouted threateningly, but the brave twins did not care. Slipping out of his grasp, Tasha quickly replied.? ? ¡°I know! I know, so I¡¯ll scream!¡±? ? ¡°Why are you screaming when you know!?¡±? ? ¡°Because we can¡¯t do anything, that¡¯s why we have to call someone else!¡±? ? ¡°Ha, you!¡±? ? Cassion¡¯s face turned red with a smart response.? ? He grabbed the fleeing Tasha and quickly covered both of the twins¡¯ mouths at the same time.? ? ¡°Oooooohhh! Ughhhh! Ugh!¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ ugh! Ugh-Ugh!? ? Tasha and Louie were small in stature. They were very ordinary women who had never learned anything like self defense.? ? The story went that Cassion, who had been sickly when she was small but had exercised tirelessly to build up his strength after his illness, was enough to subdue them.? ? Roselyn, who had been watching the scene from a distance, let out a small sigh.? ? The twins had shouted so hard that it worked, and the knights who had been guarding a short distance away rushed to the scene.? ? At that moment, a look of dismay crossed Cassion¡¯s face, but it was quickly erased.? ? It was replaced by a bold expression.? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t help but let out a giggle.? ? ¡®That¡¯s a great confidence.¡¯? ? Cassion turned his head and looked at Roselyn.? ? ¡°I can¡¯t believe it was a woman that my brother hid. It¡¯s a woman¡­¡­¡­ha.¡±? ? Even though he smiled in vain as if it were absurd, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Roselyn¡¯s face. He frowned his forehead to the fullest, but his gaze toward her was shaking helplessly.? ? Roselyn just watched Cassion, who was confused as he looked at her.? ? She didn¡¯t take any action, nothing at all. She did so even though she knew it was making Cassion more confused.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Master Cassion!¡±? ? From afar, Satin came running with the knights.? ? Cassion, who glanced at him, asked Roselyn in an annoyed voice.? ? ¡°You! What¡¯s your name?¡±? ? ¡®Shall I answer or not?¡¯? ? Tamon didn¡¯t want his brother to see her. Probably because he would make trouble.? ? And she didn¡¯t want things to get too noisy or tiring here either.? ? Roselyn silently raised her eyebrows as if she didn¡¯t understand.? ? Cassion, who was waiting for her answer, frowned in frustration.? ? ¡°You can¡¯t tell me? Or did my brother tell you not to answer me?¡±? ? Cassion¡¯s sharp tone caused the twins who were being held silent by him, to struggle and fuss again.? ? ¡°Uuuup! Uh-oup! Kuuuuup!¡±? ? ¡°Uh-uh, uh-uh!¡±? ? ¡°Be quiet for a minute. You guys! It¡¯s so loud it¡¯s killing me.¡±? ? ¡°Uupuuup! U-p-u-p! Uppuup!¡±? ? ¡°Kuuuuup! Kuuuuup! Kuuuuuck! Kuujig¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? Tasha and Louie didn¡¯t give in and shouted.? ? ¡°Ahhh¡­!¡±? ? He bared his teeth and growled, frowning grimly when he saw the knights running closer.? ? ¡°¡­Hey, how come the old Satin is so fast?¡±? ? He didn¡¯t like Satin, whose short legs ran so fast.? ? It made him (Cassion) upset to think that he (Satin) had to run so desperately to catch him. (Cassion)? ? ¡°Master Cassion! Oh, hah hah! Did you come in? Oh my god! You¡¯re all wet! Did you just swim here? Oh my! If you catch a cold, you¡¯ll be in big trouble!¡±? ? Satin quickly wrapped the large towel around his shoulders.? ? ¡°Oh, Master Cassion, please let the twins go.¡±? ? ¡°They¡¯re too noisy.¡±? ? ¡°Master Cashion jumped out of the water so suddenly, they all must have been surprised!¡± ? ? ¡°Hmph! These kids know who I am, and yet they squealed and squealed as if they saw an intruder!¡±? ? ¡°Because you¡¯re an intruder!¡±? ? ¡°Satin!¡±? ? Satin laughed with a surprised look on his face when Cassion snapped at him angrily.? ? ¡°Stop it, Master Cassion. Yes? Come on, come on, let¡¯s go home. How on earth did you get here?¡± ? ? ¡°¡­¡­..Because of that woman, isn¡¯t it? The reason you closed the east annex.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. Master Cassion. I¡¯m not the one who gives the orders.¡±? ? ¡°Do you think it makes sense that you, the butler, doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in the mansion?¡±? ? ¡°I didn¡¯t know. How could I have known that Master Cassion would swim across the sea and jump out onto the remote beach of the east annex?¡±? ? Cassion hit his chest as if he was frustrated by Satin¡¯s words escaping like a sly snake.? ? Meanwhile, the knights, who received Satin¡¯s wink, grabbed Cassion from both sides and lifted him with force.? ? ¡°What are you doing? Let go! Who told me to touch my body carelessly?¡±? ? Cassion growled. When the knights flinched, Satin patted Cassion¡¯s back and soothed him.? ? ¡°You¡¯ll catch a cold. Aren¡¯t you suffering from pneumonia? Come on, let¡¯s go quickly. What? Oh, Tasha! What are you doing? Tell the chef to serve hot tea!¡±? ? ¡°Yes, sir!¡±? ? ¡°No! No! No! No! I¡¯m not going! Let me down? Do you want to die? Oh, my God! What are you doing?¡±? ? Cassion struggled desperately, but he could not escape the hands of the knights who had seized him.? ? Unable to bear his anger, Cassion turned his head and shouted at Roselyn.? ? ¡°You! What is your name?¡±? ? ¡®Why are you so obsessed with names? What are you going to do with it?¡¯? ? Roselyn silently turned her head away. Cassion¡¯s angry voice echoed across the beach.? ? ¡°You there! Hey! Aah!¡±? ? ¡­brothers side by side were first in line to pluck a man¡¯s soul.? ? ***? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t want to see any more of Cassion.? ? Satin was becoming more and more alert, and the number of guards had increased.? ? She also decided to restrain herself from walking on the beach until Cassion left the mansion.? ? A few days, yes. That night when she thought she would never see him again because he would be leaving soon.? ? After daring an early morning swim, Cassion was soaking wet and tapped on her window.? ? Knock. Knock.? ? ****? ? ¡®Should I shout?¡¯? ? Roselyn stared at the shivering Cassion through the balcony window with a troubled face. ? ? No matter how warm this country was, even the sea at night couldn¡¯t be warm. ? ? He tapped on the balcony window with a pale face, but didn¡¯t make a fuss. ? ? It was only natural, since the knights were on the lookout for the area night and day.? ? He couldn¡¯t have known that, but it was a very drastic move indeed. ? ? Knock. Knock.? ? Cassion tapped on the window again as if to tell her to open it quickly. The shivering figure was like a wet rat.? ? ¡°What should I do?¡±? ? Looking at him with a troubled face, Roselyn quietly approached the window. Cassion¡¯s face brightened.? ? Staring at him as he eagerly gestured and pointed to unfasten the clasp, Roselyn reached out and grasped the curtain.? ? Then she pulled it slowly as she looked at Cassion¡¯s face.? ? Just before the curtain closed, she caught a glimpse of Cassion¡¯s puzzled face.? ? ¡°No, what! Hey, open it! Open it!¡±? ? She could hear Cassion¡¯s voice shouting in a small, startled way from behind the closed door. It was a whisper, not loud enough to draw attention.? ? Roselyn pretended not to hear it and dug under the covers. CH 60 Rustle.? ? Roselyn pulled down the covers that covered the top of her head.? ? With a weary look on her face, she looked out the balcony window where the curtains were closed.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ It¡¯s been three days already.¡±? ? She thought she could just pretend she didn¡¯t know him and ignore him and he would leave, but he was relentless, just like his brother, and he had visited her every dawn for three days.? ? ¡°Should I have told Asrell?¡±? ? She didn¡¯t want the disturbance, and she didn¡¯t want that panicked attitude that came to her room at dawn, so she ignored it.? ? But she didn¡¯t expect Cassion to stay on the balcony for an hour. The two days ago he only stayed for a few minutes, but he has been holding out for a long time today.? ? ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±? ? She was curious about the fact that Cassion was weak. Didn¡¯t Satin also make a big deal out of seeing Cassion soaked in water?? ? Exhausted, Roselyn stopped pretending not to know.? ? ¡°Let¡¯s call Asrell.¡±? ? Currently, only a minimum of guards remained in the east annex,so no servants were available at dawn to respond to Roselyn.? ? Instead, Asrell¡¯s room was close by.? ? Roselyn felt a little bad about waking her, but she also knew that she couldn¡¯t leave Cassion like that forever.? ? But as soon as she stepped out into the hallway, she had to change her mind.? ? ¡°Excuse me¡­¡­. where are you going?¡±? ? Roselyn had never been out at dawn before, so she didn¡¯t expect to find people guarding her until now.? ? Roselyn looked at the tanned man who had quietly appeared before her with slightly startled eyes. He didn¡¯t look like the knights that roamed around here every day. He was much darker and more insidious.? ? ¡®Is he one of the ¡­¡­ assassins?¡¯? ? Roselyn speculated that there would be more of these men somewhere in the hallway and the next room. They didn¡¯t seem to have come into the room, though.? ? She hesitated for a moment, then quietly brought up an excuse.? ? ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I thought I¡¯d go out to the beach.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s not safe to go for a walk at dawn, and for your own safety, please stay in your room at night.¡± ? ? ¡°¡­¡­ I understand.¡±? ? Roselyn nodded obediently and was about to enter the room when she turned around again.? ? ¡°Please tell Asrell to bring me a cup of warm ginger tea.¡±? ? ¡°¡­ Okay.¡±? ? Click.? ? Roselyn closed the door and listened carefully for a moment. She didn¡¯t hear any footsteps, as she had expected.? ? She held on for a few more minutes in the darkness. Soon she heard footsteps and Asrell entered the door with a small tap.? ? Asrell was flabbergasted to see Roselyn standing in front of the door, but quickly recovered her expression.? ? ¡°You can¡¯t sleep? Here, I brought you some hot ginger tea.¡±? ? ¡°Asrell.¡±? ? ¡°Yes?¡±? ? Roselyn tugged on Asrell¡¯s hand as she placed the ginger tea properly on the table.? ? Before opening the curtains that covered the window, Roselyn kept her fingers above her lips.? ? Asrell¡¯s eyes widened as if she didn¡¯t understand. Roselyn opened the curtain to let her know why.? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? Asrell quickly covered her mouth in surprise. She alternately stared at Cassion and Roselyn, who were shaking with wide open eyes.? ? Roselyn sighed with a stiff face and whispered.? ? ¡°He swam in the ocean.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±? ? Asrell was startled by a very small sound.? ? ***? ? ¡°Finally, we¡¯re seeing each other!¡±? ? Cassion, who had just walked in, looked elated and shivered. Roselyn hissed at Cassion, asking him to be quiet.? ? ¡°Oh, Young Master¡­.¡±? ? Asrell grabbed her forehead as if her head hurt and hurriedly covered Cassion¡¯s wet body with a blanket.? ? Asrel¡¯s face was full of questions and things she wanted to pursue, but she didn¡¯t speak easily. She was afraid that once she opened her mouth, it would explode.? ? While Asrell covered Cassion with a blanket, Roselyn gently closed the door of the parlor that led to the bedroom.? ? She didn¡¯t know how fortunate it was that her bedroom wasn¡¯t immediately connected to the hallway.? ? ¡°Oh¡­¡­! Come to think of it, there must be some dry clothes of Master Tamon in this closet. I¡¯ll bring it.¡±? ? Asrell hurried into the small closet that was connected to Roselyn¡¯s room as if she remembered now.? ? Tamon¡¯s clothes were always all over the place.? ? It was the same in this room. If there were no clothes, a gown was hanging.? ? Roselyn took the ginger tea that Asrell had brought to Cassion.? ? Even in the short distance she walked across the room, Cassion could tell that her gait was unsteady.? ? ¡°How did you get hurt there¡­¡­?¡±? ? Cassion stared at her limping leg in amazement. It looked more so because of the bandage that was wrapped around her ankle.? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t care and offered him some ginger tea.? ? ¡°¡­Thank you. Hmm.¡±? ? Cassion was touched by the ginger tea she offered.? ? Of course he was touched. It was a situation where he wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything if Roselyn poured the tea on his head¡­? ? Roselyn turned and stared at the pitch black sea. What kind of courage did he have to swim through that black sea?? ? Wasn¡¯t he afraid of it even though he said he was weak? He seemed to be like a young wild boar, who would come at you if he could see his goal.? ? No, Roselyn was wondering how she became the purpose of the young boar.? ? ¡°Ack, ack¡±? ? The sound of coughing caused Roselyn to turn around and before she knew it, a dressed Cassion was standing there. He looked at Roselyn vaguely as she made eye contact and hurriedly asked.? ? ¡°You¡­.are you my brother¡¯s mistress?¡±? ? A silence fell.? ? Asrell studied Roselyn with an anxious look on her face. She looked like she had a lot to say, but was holding back.? ? ¡°No?¡±? ? Cassion urged Roselyn. But Roselyn was not obliged to respond to his words. Didn¡¯t Tamon tell her, if she met him, to ignore him?? ? Instead of replying, she asked a question.? ? [Why do you keep coming to see me?]? ? Cassion looked back at Asrell with a puzzled look at the sudden spoken Hirusha language. Asrell pretended not to know and lowered her gaze.? ? [Even if I were a bedchamber slave or a mistress, I wouldn¡¯t be the one you¡¯ll come to]? ? She cornered him, but Cassion just scowled with a blank look on his face.? ? ¡°Oh, no, what is it? Don¡¯t you speak the commonlanguage? Asrell. What does this woman say? D*mn it¡­!¡±? ? Cassion ruffled his hair in frustration. Roselyn put her finger in front of her lips once more, worried that people could hear him.? ? Actually, there was nothing wrong with him being ¡­¡­ found.? ? It would be a little bit strange that it could cause misunderstanding, but what was the difference even if people misunderstood it?? ? She was not one who was afraid of being abandoned by Tamon¡­? ? But it was not a pleasant situation. If a scandal arose, there would be a headache¡­? ? Roselyn sighed and continued her conversation, which had no nutritional value.? ? [Why on earth would you sneak into the room of someone you consider to be your brother¡¯s lady?] ? ? ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±? ? ¡®Should I just use a common language?¡¯ (Roselyn)? ? ¡®No. If I do, I might have to deal with many questions.¡¯? ? Above all, she was known to the outside world as Hirusha¡¯s slave.? ? Everyone thought she was a Hirushan, except for her caretakers, Asrell, Satin, the twins and some of Tamon¡¯s men.? ? Oh, and some of the guards who were protecting her, too.? ? Probably they all thought that Tamon had left them by her side because they were trustworthy people.? ? But Cassion still couldn¡¯t trust them.? ? Sometimes family was the hardest one to trust.? ? Roselyn sighed and pointed with her finger to the window where Cassion had come in through. Cassion opened his eyes wide and was startled.? ? ¡°¡­.. What? What do you want me to do?¡± ? ? [Leave. Don¡¯t come back.]? ? Even if he didn¡¯t understand Hirusha language, this was fully understandable.? ? Because from the look on Roselyn¡¯s face and the pointing fingers, it meant to go.? ? Cassion turned away quickly with a wrinkled face.? ? ¡°My name is Cassion. I¡¯m Cassion Krasis. I will not leave until you say your name.¡±? ? [I don¡¯t want to know your name, nor do I want to tell you mine.]? ? Roselyn replied coldly, but Cassion was not disappointed.? ? Certainly, he would not be disappointed if he could not understand.? ? The confrontation continued for a while.? ? Only Asrell, who was watching the situation, was flabbergasted.? ? ¡°Master Cassion¡­¡±? ? The immature Master has caused another accident. Tamon was very forgiving of almost everything that Cassion did, but this¡­? ? Asrell thought it would be different this time. ? ? She looked at Roselyn with worried eyes. Cassion, who had been confronting Roselyn for a long time, suddenly blushed and said.? ? ¡°You, though, are ¡­¡­¡­ really beautiful.¡±? ? Hearing this, Asrell grabbed her forehead. Roselyn¡¯s expression grew colder and colder.? ? ¡°You¡¯re the prettiest person I¡¯ve ever seen¡­Are you really my brother¡¯s mistress? He doesn¡¯t usually get close to women¡­.¡±? ? Cassion, who had been looking at her blankly, reached out.? ? He grabbed the silvery tips of her hair, which sparkled beautifully even in the pitch black night.? ? ¡°How does it get to be this color?¡±? ? Smack!? ? Roselyn said as she hit his hand.? ? [Go!] CH 61 Cassion stared alternately at Roselyn and the hand was rejected by her .? ? Roselyn took another step back and shook her head.? ? It was an obvious indication to stay away.? ? Asrell decided that she should step up. So, as she took a step closer towards Cassion, surprising words came out.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­¡­¡­. I didn¡¯t mean to offend you.¡±? ? Cassion suddenly blushed and apologized.? ? ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything to you. I just came here because I was really curious.¡±? ? Cassion was serious.? ? From the bottom of his heart, he truly felt the greatest curiosity of his life and came to visit her.? ? First of all, he was surprised that it was a woman that his brother had hidden, but he was also surprised once again that the woman had a beauty that was apparently not of this world.? ? As he swam through the ocean, he saw the silvery hair reflecting the bright Amor sunshine, and for the first time he felt his soul being sucked in.? ? He was curious what in the world so amazing could make his brother go this far.? ? And the moment he saw the reason, Cassion could understand his brother.? ? His brother didn¡¯t want to show it to anyone, and didn¡¯t want to share it with anyone.? ? He couldn¡¯t believe it was a woman, a mere woman!? ? ¡­.was too beautiful a woman to be angry with.? ? Afterwards, the knights took him back to the west annex, but he couldn¡¯t think about anything else for the rest of the day.? ? His head, eyes and ears were all open, facing east. ? ? At the end of the day, there were some misconceptions that he might have had a hallucination.? ? He wanted to see those cold purple eyes again. He wondered what color the voice that came out between those red lips would be.? ? He wanted to know, he felt like he was going crazy.? ? When you live a life where you don¡¯t know when you will die, the present is sometimes the most important value.? ? That was why he dared to go swimming at night, even though he knew it was crazy.? ? Of course, he wasn¡¯t a stone head, so he didn¡¯t swim the black sea alone from the beginning.? ? Cassion brought his second-in-command, Owen.? ? When he said he would go alone, Owen had no choice but to follow him.? ? The next day, however, Owen grabbed Cassion¡¯s pants and held him back.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re my Master, please, just stay still! You can¡¯t do this, Master Cassion!¡±? ? He made so much noise that Cassion has to pretend to be asleep on the second day.? ? Then, after he fell asleep and it was a deeper dawn, he swam the ocean. The result was the same as the first day¡­.? ? After three days of doing that, he was finally able to see her face.? ? And Cassion did not regret that crazy thing he did.? ? Even the expressionless face of the woman who was staring at him made his heart flutter terribly.? ? ¡°What is your name? Please.¡±? ? He sighed tiredly, and whatever Roselyn said, he couldn¡¯t make out a single thing.? ? Roselyn¡¯s finger pointed to the window again. Her expression stiffened, and Cassion¡¯s lips twitched in piqued surprise.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll go if you promise to go outside in the daylight tomorrow! No, have lunch with me.¡±? ? Roselyn frowned. Cassion, who thought she didn¡¯t understand, pulled out all Hirusha words he knew and said,? ? [Tomorrow. Lunch, together]? ? He gestured with his hands and feet, but he couldn¡¯t be sure Roselyn understood. He couldn¡¯t read the expression on the woman¡¯s face as she stared at him with a stiff face like a doll.? ? She might not understand¡­.? ? But it didn¡¯t matter. Because Cassion will definitely have lunch with the woman tomorrow.? ? [I don¡¯t want to.]? ? ¡°It seems like you said no¡­¡­¡­? No, Let¡¯s eat together. What¡¯s your favorite food? I¡¯ll bring you everything. Oh, I have some wine I bought from Norssen the other day, would you like to drink it with me?¡± ? ? [I won¡¯t drink.]? ? ¡°What? You don¡¯t mind? I recommend it. Then I¡¯ll have to look for the finest Einschultz cheese.¡±? ? [¡­]? ? It was arbitrary. Roselyn put her hand on her forehead and sighed.? ? She then slowly tapped her forehead with her fingers. It meant that she didn¡¯t feel good.? ? Without realizing it, Cassion stole a look at Roselyn¡¯s slender fingers.? ? There were many scars on her fingers, as if she had been treated badly. But they didn¡¯t look rough because of her white skin. It was an interesting hand.? ? [¡­¡­okay]? ? ¡°Yes?¡±? ? Cassion, who was distracted by her fingers, suddenly raised his head.? ? [Tomorrow, lunch, together] ? ? Roselyn mimicked Cassion¡¯s words verbatim. Cassion¡¯s expression brightened.? ? ¡°You mean we¡¯ll eat together, right?¡±? ? Roselyn gave a light nod and raised a finger, pointing to the very window where Cassion had come in.? ? ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave. But we still have to have lunch together tomorrow.¡±? ? Whatever Cassion said, Roselyn opened the balcony window wide with her own hands.? ? Excitedly, Cassion waved his hand with a yahoo and jumped down the water pipe.? ? Roselyn stared coldly at Cassion¡¯s black hair as it melted in the darkness then turned around.? ? The next day, Roselyn went outside to have lunch with him as promised.? ? ¡°Hello, Master Cashion!¡±? ? ¡°Hello, this is Tasha.¡±? ? ¡°Welcome, Master Cassion!¡±? ? ***? ? Cassion glared at the dozen or so people around his table and Roselyn¡¯s with an absurd expression.? ? They stared at him without blinking, as if they were watching with both eyes wide open to see what he would do¡­? ? ¡°Ha¡­¡±? ? He had to admit he felt intrigued.? ? He was going to have lunch with a guest at his house, and everyone was looking at him.? ? Of course, it was probably because the guest was the mistress his brother had been hiding.? ? Anyway, in Cassion¡¯s head, the situation did make any sense and it was irritating.? ? ¡°¡­.it¡¯s so uncomfortable. How can I eat like this?¡±? ? He mumbled irritably, and Louie, who had been standing by, added without missing a beat.? ? ¡°Oh, If you¡¯re finished eating. Shall we clean up?¡±? ? He could sense that they wanted him to leave immediately.? ? Even more annoyed, Cassion cut the meat into pieces and chewed it very slowly.? ? ¡°Why are you all so fussy? We¡¯re sharing a meal together.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s bound to be a fuss. Who would break into your brother¡¯s lady¡¯s room at dawn? It¡¯s not a big deal, but it¡¯s a very barbaric and lascivious act.¡±? ? Satin¡¯s voice was even colder than usual.? ? Cassion stared at Roselyn with a frown.? ? He thought they would hide her from him since they didn¡¯t seem to say anything for the past two days.? ? ¡°This should never happen again. I¡¯ve decided to triple our defenses starting today.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s appalling. You¡¯re putting more than fifty people to protect a single slave because of me?¡±? ? ¡°Thanks to Master Cassion, we¡¯ve identified a hole in our security so we need to reinforce it.¡±? ? ¡°Satin, is my brother here now?¡±? ? Cassion asked angrily. Satin answered bluntly.? ? ¡°No, he is not here.¡±? ? ¡°Forgive me, but who is the master you must serve when my brother is not here?¡±? ? Satin answered without hesitation.? ? ¡°Even if he is not here, there is only one whom I serve. I will carry out the orders he has left me with the highest priority.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­.loyal.¡±? ? Cassion was even more annoyed.? ? It was always like this.? ? Tamon has it all. A healthy body, the fame of a hero, the king¡¯s favor. And even the Krasis family and their loyal subjects.? ? Perhaps everything Cassion could have, Tamon had.? ? Even Cassion knew it was because of Tamon¡¯s superior abilities.? ? Even if they were in the same place, Cassion wouldn¡¯t have been able to have everything as much as Tamon did.? ? But knowing and accepting were two different things.? ? Unfortunately, unlike his calm and intelligent brother, he was a man with a much bigger heart.? ? Having crossed the threshold of death many times, he began to grow somewhat sensitive, giving meaning to the present, to what he had, and to everything he felt.? ? This was why, as in the past few days, he went blind and hid in his brother¡¯s mistress¡¯s bedroom. ? ? Cassion stared at the woman in front of him who cut the meat and put it in her mouth. ? ? Looking back, he had never seen anyone so beautiful in his life.? ? Her silvery hair was even more dazzling in the sunlight, and her purple eyes, which he couldn¡¯t see clearly, shone like jewels.? ? His brother¡¯s woman.? ? Because of this Hirushan that his brother, who has never had a scandal in his life, has closed down the annex and put his personal soldiers on guard.? ? Cassion laughed bitterly.? ? He tapped Roselyn¡¯s plate with the fork he was holding to get her attention.? ? ¡°I brought an interpreter today.¡±? ? As soon as he woke up in the morning, he looked around for someone who could speak Hirusha and brought him here.? ? At Cassion¡¯s gesture, Owen dragged the person waiting behind him to the front.? ? Roselyn glanced at the one who was called interpreter, then looked at Satin again.? ? Sighing, Satin warned Cassion meekly.? ? ¡°You are not allowed to bring outsiders.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, I see. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know that. I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡±? ? Cashion skipped roughly and called the interpreter to his side.? ? ¡°Tell her my name is Cassion Krasis. And ask what her name is.¡±? ? The interpreter, who hesitated, told Roselyn what Cassion said. Roselyn grinned and put her fork down. ? ? [Tell him I don¡¯t want to tell him.] CH 62 When the interpreter heard her words, he looked at Cassion with a troubled face.? ? When Cassion, who was curious about what she said, urged him, the interpreter said as he did not have a choice.? ? ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to tell you¡­..¡±? ? ¡°What? Why not?¡±? ? This time, before the interpreter could translate, Roselyn spoke first.? ? [Why do I have to tell you? And to a rude man like this?] ? ? ¡°She said why she should tell the rude man her name.¡±? ? Cassion¡¯s face wrinkled at the interpreter¡¯s words.? ? His face turned slightly red because it was not wrong, but he was still confident.? ? ¡°I want to be friends with you!¡±? ? His brave answer instantly caused Satin, Asrell and the twins to open their eyes wide.? ? They shouldn¡¯t have laughed, but Cassian¡¯s reply was so unexpected and innocent that it made them burst out laughing.? ? Owen grabbed his forehead and sighed, as if he had expected that.? ? His master was childish.? ? In truth, he had to be that way because he had spent his entire childhood on the sickbed, never really interacting with his friends or engaging in social activities, just living incoherently.? ? Tamon Krasis also did whatever Cassion wanted. ? ? Cassion grew up to be a free-spirited and senseless adult. Of course, Owen liked the purity of his master.? ? Until the last few days when he jumped into the sea fearlessly and went to the east annex.? ? ¡°¡­Don¡¯t laugh.¡±? ? Cassion warned Satin who was stifling a laugh, Asrell looked as if she didn¡¯t know what she had just heard, and the twins just looked surprised.? ? But Roselyn did not laugh. She seemed to be really angry. She was staring at him sternly with frosty eyes, as if she were the queen of a country, on the subject of slavery and concubines.? ? Cassion felt a twinge in one side of his heart. He lifted his head and puffed out his chest, as if to stifle the shrinking of his heart just like a mountain beast puffing out its body when it meets an enemy. ? ? ¡°I am going to ask my brother to give you to me, so you should know my name. You¡¯ll have to get to know me anyway.¡±? ? The air around the table was buzzing with Cassion¡¯s outrageous words. Even in the midst of it all, Cassion was imposing, as if he had said what needed to be said.? ? [You are very ignorant of your brother.]? ? Roselyn, who had been silent for a while, replied in a chilling voice.? ? The surprised interpreter looked at her, wondering if he should deliver those words.? ? ¡°What did she say?¡±? ? Cassion hurried the interpreter on, and the interpreter had no choice but to tell the truth. ? ? ¡°She said that you are ignorant of your brother.¡±? ? Owen was the first to react. He stared at Satin with a pale complexion.? ? Satin¡¯s expression did not change.? ? It was difficult to read his eyes, which were fixed downward. Still, for some reason, Owen couldn¡¯t sit still as if he were sitting on a cushion of thorns.? ? [The head of this family.]? ? Roselyn casually revealed something that everyone knew, but hadn¡¯t said.? ? Startled, Cassion raised his chin and responded proudly.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t ignore him, I just enjoy the rights he stole from me. Everything that my brother is enjoying is originally mine anyway.¡±? ? Roselyn laughed for the first time at his words.? ? [Why do you think it¡¯s yours?]? ? ¡°My brother is a bastard and I¡¯m a legitimate son, of course I¡¯m the original heir if you look at the legitimacy, but he¡¯s now the Lord of Krasis. So it¡¯s right to take back what is mine.¡±? ? [If you were the Krasis¡¯s master, would you have raised the status of Krasis to what it is now? I don¡¯t think so]? ? The interpreter, who had been busily interpreting, went silent at the force of Cassion slamming of the table.? ? ¡°How dare you! What do you know?¡±? ? Just now Roselyn¡¯s words dug right into Cassion¡¯s heart.? ? Cassion had an inferiority complex with Tamon. His brother was so perfect. She never saw anyone better than him in every way.? ? That was why Cassion was jealous. That was why he was upset.? ? It was as if it was natural for Tamon to take what Cassion should have enjoyed¡­¡­¡­.? ? ¡°I¡¯m good enough¡­¡­! D*mn it! What the hell do you know about anything! You¡¯re arrogant!¡±? ? How dare a mere slave touch his complex without fear!? ? Cassion looked unhinged, every angry emotion grazing his face.? ? Staring at him, Roselyn said.? ? [So you¡¯re going to hold a whip?]? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ I don¡¯t go around beating people up like someone else.¡±? ? He replied through clenched teeth.? ? Perhaps that someone was his older brother, who was rumored to be a god of war, a demon, or some other rumor-spewing creature.? ? His inferiority complex was palpable in his words.? ? Her voice became even lower.? ? [But who is it? ¡­¡­¡­..that swam in the sea at night, climbed up the wall and knocked on some woman¡¯s window.]? ? Roselyn¡¯s purple eyes glowed coldly in the sunlight.? ? It was at that moment that everyone in the room felt strange.? ? A beautiful woman brought by Tamon.? ? Externally, she was known as the slave he had brought from Nilux, but¡­¡­? ? If anyone talked to her even a little, they could tell that she was not a ¡°just¡± slave.? ? Even though she spoke a completely different language, she was able to subdue Cassion.? ? The ruffian of the Krasis family, Cassion Krasis, was trembling as his face turned red at the mere sight of a woman¡¯s gaze.? ? According to Cassion¡¯s words, she dared to hold the nobility on the subject of slavery.? ? ¡®This lady¡­¡¯? ? Satin glanced at Roselyn with concern and awe.? ? Of course, his master had brought her here, so he knew she was no ordinary woman.? ? Judging from the condition of her limbs and the wounds, they were the marks of torture.? ? But he was beginning to think that perhaps she was an important person, more than he expected.? ? Satin lowered his eyes more deeply. ? ? He liked Roselyn. He liked her calm personality, and it was also good to see his master who changed into a human being only in front of her.? ? But what he liked most of all was that she represented Tamon.? ? Satin¡¯s lips lifted a little.? ? ****? ? Roselyn was annoyed.? ? She wasn¡¯t angry that he had disturbed her sleep for three days. She was angry at Cassion¡¯s rudeness.? ? Regardless of the actual situation, she was now Tamon¡¯s woman. At least that was what was clearly known in the mansion.? ? But how could a younger brother be so brazen as to invade the bedroom of his older brother¡¯s woman?? ? This was an act of disregard for her, but it was also an act of disregard for Tamon.? ? Regardless of personal matters, the head of this family was Tamon.? ? Now Cassion was letting his personal feelings shake the family name.? ? [To ignore your brother would be to ignore your family name, and to ignore your family name would be to deny your very roots.]? ? ¡°My roots¡­!¡±? ? [Krasis, right?]? ? At her decisive words, Cassion stopped talking.? ? [Remember that all that has been given to you is because you¡¯re Krasis. And right now, that Krasis Lord is not you, but your brother, Tamon Krasis.]? ? Tamon told Roselyn to ignore Cassion when she saw him.? ? Roselyn had planned to do the same at first.? ? However, she was strangely unhappy with Cassion¡¯s attitude of hatred towards Tamon.? ? She could see at once that Cassion was a child. He was a man with no maturity, only a body that had grown up.? ? [You can never be a Tamon Krasis, even if you have what Tamon has.]? ? But that didn¡¯t mean he was a bad kid. He was just arrogant and disrespectful¡­? ? Roselyn was offended.? ? [Please don¡¯t come again, for I do not deal with children who do not learn courtesy and manners.]? ? Roselyn rose from her seat.? ? Not only was the Empress¡¯s position, but also when she was just Roselyn V Sunset, she had never been this aggressive or mannerless to anyone.? ? But on the contrary, no one had ever been this unmannerly before her.? ? It was her way of giving back exactly what she received.? ? Not a plus, not a minus.? ? Roselyn dealt with Cassion with just that level of rudeness.? ? ¡°Oh, you.. ¡­..!¡±? ? In a daze, Cassion later called out to her, who suddenly moved away.? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t look back and the twins hurriedly followed her out of the room.? ? It wasn¡¯t until Roselyn had completely disappeared that Cassion finally realized that he had not yet heard her name. CH 63 [Screaming]? ? Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!? ? The ship shook with an uproarious scream.? ? Arsene kept a firm grip on his iron cane and squeezed it over the mouth of the rising nausea.? ? It was not a good time to be throwing up.? ? ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±? ? Arsene had already spent a few days trapped in the iron gut.? ? Fortunately, he didn¡¯t get severe motion sickness, so he was able to tolerate the shaking of the ship.? ? The cloth over the cage somehow folded up and left in place, allowing him to distinguish day and night.? ? There were several small open windows in the ceiling of the ship and he could see the outside.? ? Through them, he could see a small amount of sunlight and hear the voices of the sailors, albeit faintly.? ? There was a row of cages of children locked up like Arsene in a huge shipping compartment stacked with goods. ? ? Some of them were so sick that it already smelled like vomit.? ? If they rebelled, they would be anesthetized so all the children shriveled up.? ? Arsene stopped himself from rebelling any further.? ? Now was not the time to run away.? ? By the time they were off the ship, he was going to take his chances and escape.? ? The days on the ship had passed, but he did not know when he would reach his destination. This made the boy very anxious.? ? ¡°I have to get there as soon as possible¡­¡­..¡±? ? Then all of a sudden, the atmosphere became strange since last night.? ? [Fog. D*mn. It¡¯s foggy. Oh, my God.]? ? [Everyone, speed up! We¡¯ve gotta get through fast before the fog gets too thick!]? ? [Hurry up!]? ? There was a sense of urgency in the voices of the sailors who had been making noise outside.? ? It felt as if the ship¡¯s speed had increased.? ? At some point, however, it slowed down completely, but with extreme caution.? ? As night fell, the ranting and raving of the sailors all died down.? ? Even the children in the cages, who had been listening to the sounds outside, scarily held their breaths. ? ? Rumble.? ? It was Arsene¡¯s stomach, of all people, that broke the silence. He gasped and clutched his stomach tightly.? ? He didn¡¯t even know he was hungry because of the tension, but come to think of it, he hadn¡¯t eaten anything since last night.? ? He was hungry, and so were the other kids. Especially the one who had been throwing up for a long time, who had run out of energy and collapsed and was short of breath all the time.? ? But that didn¡¯t stop him from screaming for food.? ? The children knew that the air outside was unusual. It was then. Something rolled under Arsene¡¯s feet. ? ? ¡°..bread?¡±? ? It was a round piece of bread the size of a baby¡¯s fist.? ? It looked like a piece of bread from the last meal they had served.? ? Arsene raised his head to look where the bread had rolled.? ? Arsene¡¯s cage was located at the very end.? ? One side was a wall and the other side was bordered by other cages.? ? In the other cage, there was a girl, smaller than Arsene, but with an unusual hair color.? ? It was a unique color that looked gray with chapped ends. Arsene couldn¡¯t see the girl¡¯s eyes because of her long bangs.? ? With cracked white lips, the girl spoke in a whisper.? ? ¡°Eat.¡±? ? Then she quietly raised her finger and brought it in front of her lips.? ? As if to say, ¡®Eat without making a sound.¡¯? ? Arsene held the bread and stared blankly at the girl.? ? He remembered the size of this wheat bread they gave them last night. It was exactly twice the size of the one he was holding now.? ? The girl ate only half of it and gave him the leftovers from last night.? ? ¡­Why?? ? He wanted to ask, but the girl shook her head and indicated that he should eat it.? ? Hesitantly, Arsene finally took a bite of the bread.? ? To his surprise, the bread didn¡¯t get any harder than yesterday, even though it had been outside all night.? ? In fact, it felt softer than when he ate it yesterday.? ? But when he shoved the bread into his dry mouth, he felt thirsty.? ? However, even wishing for water seemed to be a shameful wish.? ? In the midst of all this, there was something strange about him eating the bread and the girl who had given it to him. But before Arsene could wrap his head around it, something happened.? ? ¡°Monster!¡±? ? The ship shook with a tearing scream.? ? There was a thud, and then the ship rocked violently as if it were going to tip over.? ? ¡°Monster ¡­¡­.¡±? ? Arsene closed his eyes tightly.? ? It¡¯s the monster, Herpes.? ? It appeared.? ? ¡®It¡¯s over. It¡¯s over.¡¯? ? He had assumed that this would be the case, since the ship had sailed perilously close to the end of the trade month.? ? But he was hoping that those kidnappers had some brains and would take a path to avoid it to some extent¡­? ? ¡°Empress.¡±? ? Arsene burst into tears as he touched the bracelet around his wrist.? ? He couldn¡¯t do anything.? ? The task she had entrusted him with was not complicated, but he was ridiculously kidnapped, and now he was about to be bitten to death by a monster on the sea.? ? His life was blessed, but he felt frustrated with his first and last mission, which he failed to fulfill.? ? [Argh! Save me]? ? The children cried out and shook the cage in horror at the horrible screams coming from outside, their whole bodies shaking on their own.? ? The seawater flowing in through the small windows of the cabin made a sound as insidious as the children¡¯s fear.? ? ¡°Hold on tight.¡±? ? ¡°What?¡±? ? At that moment, the girl who had given Arsene the bread whispered.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t miss it.¡±? ? Unlike the other children who screamed, the girl¡¯s voice was calm.? ? And this was the very moment.? ? Boom!? ? The ship tipped over.? ? Arsene squeezed his eyes shut in surprise, but he didn¡¯t notice that his whole body was shaking like crazy.? ? Arsene unconsciously gave strength to the hand holding the bars.? ? A tremendous amount of seawater came in flooding.? ? He had no idea what was going on. The iron grate, which had been rolling around, distorted at one moment and the door opened wide.? ? ¡°Now.¡±? ? The girl said, as if she had been waiting. Arsene could not remember in what spirit he had escaped the cage.? ? But before he knew it, a cold hand clutched his, and he was dragged out of the water-filled shipping room.? ? It wasn¡¯t a better situation out there, but there was a little more hope than sinking with the ship.? ? ¡°My breath. I¡¯m choking. I¡¯m dying.¡¯? ? The ship had already sunk and the corridors were full of seawater. Nonetheless, Arsene did not faint.? ? It was because the cold hands holding on to him kept pulling him closer. He opened his eyes, which were not easy to open, and looked at the girl.? ? And as soon as he made eye contact with the girl, Arsene realized.? ? ¡®I need to get my head straight.¡¯? ? ¡®I can survive.¡¯? ? -swoosh ? ? It was then.? ? A faint light flowed from the bracelet on Arsene¡¯s wrist, enveloping him and the girl.? ? It was the very bracelet he received from the Empress.? ? ¡°This thing can protect you or put you in danger. Still¡­ Are you okay with it?¡±? ? It was a wonder.? ? From the moment he was enveloped in the light, he wasn¡¯t choking at all, and the churning of the water that shook the bodies of the two children didn¡¯t seem as great as it had earlier.? ? Arsene looked at the girl who held his hand tightly.? ? The girl¡¯s white hair shone mysteriously in the light.? ? The bracelet protected not only Arsene but also the girl.? ? The girl looked at the light curiously flowing along her body and Arsene¡¯s and suddenly turned her head away.? ? The girl, who was staring at the opposite corridor, tugged on Arsene¡¯s hand.? ? ¡°This way, quickly.¡±? ? In response to the impending urging, Arsene held the girl¡¯s hand and swam madly. The pressure of the water and the current were frightening.? ? When he managed to get through it and finally got out, Arsene despaired once more.? ? ¡°Monsters¡­.¡±? ? Not one, but three were swimming around.? ? In the shape of snakes, long tentacles grew on their heads.? ? They had wings, and their sharp teeth were as large and insidious as those of mountain beasts.? ? With Arsene¡¯s education, it was said that Herpes would wrap its long body around the object and bite it off with those huge teeth.? ? Herpes¡¯ venom was much more deadly than the monsters on the ground.? ? ¡°We need to escape.¡±? ? Arsene grabbed the girl¡¯s hand and hid behind the slowly sinking ship.? ? The monsters were hovering around and swallowing sailors floundering in the sea one by one. He couldn¡¯t see the way. He couldn¡¯t just go down to the bottom of the ocean with the ship. ? ? Even if they did manage to get up there, it was a matter of survival, and now the monsters were there¡­. Arsene¡¯s hope was fading. As if noticing this, the girl grabbed his hand once more.? ? Arsene looked back at the girl with painful eyes. The girl¡¯s eyes had a mysterious golden color that never lost its light even in the sea.? ? ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡±? ? Arsene crumbled and asked back.? ? ¡°¡­How?¡±? ? Then the girl raised her finger and pointed somewhere. Arsene¡¯s eyes opened wide as he turned his head along the girl¡¯s finger.? ? There was a man.? ? A huge man was unbelievably tearing the Herpes apart with his bare hands. (*my gosh Tamon is a monster himself)? ? The black blood of the herpes was turbulent in the water like a shimmer. The rest of the Herpes hesitated, realizing that the man¡¯s momentum was unusual.? ? The man slowly turned his head to where Arsene was.? ? The man¡¯s red eyes blazed bright red under his wavering black hair. The man stretched his hand towards Arsene.? ? The girl encouraged Arsene who hesitated. It was the moment Arsene tried to move his body towards the man.? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? Two Herpes puffed up their gills and bit the man at the same time.? ? ¡°No!¡±? ? Instead of the black blood of the Herpes, bright red human blood splashed into the seawater. CH 64 Roselyn suddenly dropped the letter she was holding in the pain that threatened to tear her arm off.? ? ¡°What is it?¡±? ? She nearly screamed instantly at the burning pain.? ? Asrell, who had given her the letter, looked worriedly at Roselyn, who suddenly began to break out in a cold sweat.? ? ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you suddenly uncomfortable somewhere? ? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Suddenly my arm.¡±? ? ¡°Your arm? What¡¯s wrong with your arm?¡±? ? Roselyn pulled out the thin cloth that had been covering her arm. Asrell sucked in a breath.? ? ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this?¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? A red scar had formed, spreading from Roselyn¡¯s shoulder all the way down her arm.? ? Roselyn explored the pattern of the scars with her teeth clenched in a cold sweat.? ? ¡®¡¯Teeth marks¡­¡­¡­?¡±? ? At a quick glance, it just looked like a series of red spots, but closer inspection revealed that they were spaced apart at regular intervals.? ? It spread throughout the shoulder in the shape of swallowing the entire arm.? ? ¡°No way¡­.¡±? ? Roselyn stared at the ocean through the window as the sun began to set.? ? The cold sweat kept running down her face, but the pain had subsided.? ? ¡®What happened? Did he meet monsters and they got his arm?¡¯? ? The leader of the Talia Sea was Herpes.? ? Herpes had a deadly poison in its teeth, and when a giant shark or whale bitten by its poisonous teeth would die in half a day.? ? A human was likely to die instantly in less than half a day.? ? Roselyn squeezed her eyes shut.? ? ¡®Please, please, please, I hope it¡¯s not a big deal.¡¯? ? Tamon Krasis was only moving for her.? ? She was the one who was going to die, the man shouldn¡¯t die. ? ? An unknown nervousness weighed her down, but Roselyn tried to shake it off.? ? He was also a man who overcame the blood disease that no one had won for hundreds of years. He was a strong man who had survived hundreds of battles with a smile on his face.? ? She believed in Tamon¡¯s strength.? ? Also, if anything happened to him, some abnormal symptoms would appear on her.? ? Tamon pushed his life force into her and engraved each other¡¯s soul¡­..? ? Roselyn slowly caught her breath and lifted the dropped letter again.? ? Then she slowly read what was written in it.? ? It was a reply letter from Anna. It was the letter she had sent to Mach.? ? Fortunately, it seemed that Anna was still there.? ? It said that she would be happy to answer Roselyn¡¯s request.? ? And one more thing.? ? ¡ªThe Prophet, Hartz. They must hurry to find him.? ? The one with the gift of prophecy.? ? The one remaining royal family of Keton, a defeated nation about ten years ago.? ? He has been on the run using his ability and has been hard to catch.? ? In order to proceed with the job, Roselyn needed money.? ? Fortunately, she had a fortune that she had hidden away just in case. ? ? She also had an account that she had created under a borrowed name. ? ? But before all that could proceed, there was someone she had to meet first.? ? Roselyn stared at the small stack of papers she had finished making. ? ? Who will make the best use of this?? ? The King of Amor.? ? ****? ? [Even if you have what Tamon has, you can never be Tamon Krasis]? ? Cassion hung his shoulders and stared at the sea beneath the precipice.? ? When he retracted his head, he could see a little distance to the east, but he didn¡¯t move. ? ? According to the original schedule, he should have left a week ago. ? ? However, he was deeply troubled about leaving the mansion or going anywhere.? ? ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡±? ? He slumped over like a depressed puppy, but he felt a strange uplift in his mood.? ? His chest was heaving, but he didn¡¯t know if it was because he was depressed.? ? To be frank, he was very angry at first.? ? The woman was ignoring him even though she was only his brother¡¯s mistress.? ? And yet, he was strangely unable to move.? ? That strange sense of oppression that was coldly staring down at him with purple eyes¡­.? ? It was too overwhelming for a mistress to possess.? ? Even though she spoke in another language, an unexcited voice, Cassion felt weighed down by her.? ? ¡°Where in the world does that momentum come from in her thin body?¡±? ? Was she really a mere mistress?? ? It would be believable enough if she was a princess of a defeated country.? ? It wasn¡¯t like she was the youngest princess either, but the eldest daughter who had just finished fighting with her brothers for the throne¡­? ? ¡°I have some really strange thoughts.¡±? ? Her limbs covered with scars, her leg limping with bandages wrapped around her ankle, her thin silhouette as if she was treated badly.? ? ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m having this fantasy after seeing them with my own eyes.¡±? ? When he was mesmerized by her beauty, he thought that he could naturally take her away. He thought his brother would naturally let him have her. His brother had never refused a request before.? ? However, it didn¡¯t seem to be a matter of asking.? ? Originally, the life value of a slave was money.? ? Slavery led to brilliant results in many fields, so most countries ignored it even though they knew the absurdity of it.? ? The sacrifice was not theirs anyway, and they could only suck the sweetness of the sacrifice. Power and might could shake everything. Isn¡¯t that what the first gods did?? ? They seized irreversible power to ¡°enslave¡± humans. Isn¡¯t that the logic behind the fact that death and life are determined by God¡¯s mischief?? ? There was nothing to change just because they were human. Since they were created by God, it was only natural for them to resemble Him.? ? But¡­. she was a slave, no different from money or things, but she acted as if she was not giving herself away. It was as if the master of her life and body would be herself.? ? No matter how much Cassion tried to take her away, no matter what he did, she would not be taken away. Because she has never given anyone her confidence.? ? Cassion stealthily moved to a position where he could see the east annex. It was not a place where he could see the inside of the villa, but maybe he could at least see her walking in front of it.? ? But to his surprise, he saw her, whom he didn¡¯t expect to see.? ? She was walking towards the beach with a shawl on her shoulder.? ? Cassion stared at her silver hair reflecting the sunlight absentmindedly and hurried down the hill.? ? ***? ? Roselyn had already noticed that a black-haired beast was hovering around her.? ? The way it fidgeted like a kitten going about its business was distracting, but she just pretended not to know.? ? Perhaps because there was no longer any reason to close the east annex, the guards guarding it were disbanded. However, the knights still guarding her here and there in the distance were still the same. ? ? There were also supposed to be shadows in invisible places guarding her. Roselyn took a leisurely stroll.? ? Cassion, who was purring like a curious puppy, sneaked up on her.? ? ¡°Excuse me. You¡­.¡±? ? The twins who followed Roselyn stood close behind her with caution.? ? Roselyn pretended not to know and walked on, only looking ahead.? ? ¡°Hey¡­¡­!¡±? ? He doesn¡¯t understand Hirusha language but why does he keep following her around? Roselyn thought.? ? Roselyn stopped and looked back at Cassion.? ? Staring into her cold eyes, Cassion flinched and took a step back.? ? His face turned red as he belatedly became aware of it.? ? ¡°¡­., I don¡¯t know Hirusha language, but I¡¯m telling you because you seem to understand what I¡¯m saying.¡±? ? Before Cassion could finish, Roselyn turned around and walked away.? ? Just as Cassion was running after her, he tripped over a stone and fell.? ? ¡°Ah¡­¡±? ? Roselyn, who was moving, couldn¡¯t help but stop walking at the falling sound.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Oh, my nose is bleeding.¡±? ? Cassion even got a nosebleed.? ? With a sigh, Roselyn glanced at Tasha.? ? Tasha rushed over to Cassion and helped him.? ? Roselyn turned and looked at him.? ? ¡®What in the world am I supposed to do with this puppy?¡¯? ? His body was that of a grown man, his face was handsome, but his face was dyed red with blood and full of sand¡­? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry ¡­¡­.¡±? ? Roselyn raised her eyebrows softly at the unexpected words.? ? ¡°I went to visit you in your room like that¡­¡­¡­. I¡¯ve never done it before.¡±? ? Roselyn stared at Cassion. He wasn¡¯t as tall as Tamon, but had a good frame and broad shoulders.? ? His face was still as pure as a boy¡¯s, but he didn¡¯t seem to be mean or evil.? ? But sometimes the purity of a child can be crueler than the selfishness of an adult. Such was the case with Cassion.? ? [I¡¯m sure there are more people you need to apologize to besides me.]? ? ¡°Huh? What did you just say? Ah, ¡­¡­! Twins, do you know Hirusha?¡±? ? In desperation, Cassion grabbed Tasha and urged her on. But neither Tasha nor Louie knew the language.? ? ¡°What are you saying, really? I want to understand¡­¡­¡±? ? He stamped his feet in frustration.? ? Just before Roselyn, who was sighing, about to speak Amor official language to Cassion.? ? ¡°It¡¯s Master ¡­¡­!¡±? ? From afar, Asrell came running in with a pale face, gasping for breath. At a quick glance, her expression was unusual.? ? Roselyn felt something strange and walked in the direction Asrell was running. Gradually, her steps became faster.? ? The clearer Asrell¡¯s face became, the stranger Roselyn¡¯s heart pounded.? ? And that was the moment when Asrell said his name.? ? ¡°Master Tamon has returned!¡±? ? Boom.? ? Her heart sank.? ? He¡¯s back.? ? At last. CH 65 ¡®Should I say that heaven helped me or abandoned me?¡¯? ? It was unfortunate that they encountered the Herpes earlier, as the fog pushed in earlier than expected.? ? But it did allow them to catch the criminals who took the children and tried to sell them before they could.? ? The knights that Tamon had taken with him had done very well.? ? The problem was that when Tamon found the ship, the Herpes had already destroyed it.? ? The ship was already split in half.? ? ¡°Say it. Where are your children?¡±? ? Tamon immediately rescued one of the desperately floating men and pursued him.? ? [I, I, I do not understand the official language. I¡¯m ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡±]? ? The man spoke Nyrux language.? ? As expected, the ship was an illegal stowaway to sell the children to Nyrux.? ? Tamon frowned and asked again.? ? [Where are your children?]? ? The man¡¯s eyes opened wide in surprise at the masterful Nyrux speech.? ? But he didn¡¯t have time to admire it, because Tamon lifted the man up.? ? [The children!]? ? [Ah, in the shipping compartment¡­..but it¡¯s alright sinking¡­]? ? With a blank face, the man pointed at the ship that was already sinking into the sea.? ? No matter how good the knights were, it was impossible to fight underwater.? ? Even just fighting the few Herpes on the sea surface was already overwhelming.? ? The water snakes were swimming, swirling their long tails.? ? Tamon commanded the knights, who were each using their own weapons against the Herpes in the water.? ? ¡°Use the musk monkey powder! I¡¯ll deal with the ones in the water!¡±? ? With a shout came from Jorge, but Tamon was already making his way into that deep sea. He didn¡¯t know how much time he would have to hold his breath.? ? But what was certain was that it would be much easier to bear than he thought. In any case, he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d die from breathing difficulties.? ? ¡®¡­¡­¡­¡­ Is this the power of this ability?¡¯? ? No matter how bright the day was, it wasn¡¯t any brighter in the ocean than it was outside.? ? Tamon saw that his body was glowing faintly and thought that this was definitely another effect of the awakened power.? ? But he didn¡¯t have time to carefully observe the workings of the force.? ? Boom!? ? The tail of the Herpes tried to pierce through him like a spear.? ? Tamon turned his body lightly to the side to avoid it, and caught the thick monster¡¯s tail with both hands.? ? Then the Herpes reversed itself and wrapped his body around its own long torso.? ? Tamon laughed savagely as Herpes lunged at him fiercely with its mouth wide open.? ? The body of the Herpes, which wrapped around him like a rope, trembled, and for a while the strength was released.? ? Herpes, which was approaching with its mouth wide open, was startled.? ? Tamon grabbed its opened jaws. ? ? Then, with all his might, he spread it up and down.? ? ¨C Crack!? ? In the blink of an eye, the open mouth split in two. ? ? The black blood from Herpes¡¯ torn flesh sprayed out like a shimmer.? ? Two of the Herpes that had been watching jumped at him at the same time. ? ? When two monsters rushed at once, it was chaotic. But that didn¡¯t mean that Tamon couldn¡¯t handle them.? ? But if three of them jumped on him at once, it would be dangerous.? ? Fortunately, thanks to the musk monkey powder spread by Jorge, the other half flocked to the sea. The musk monkey powder had an outstanding effect in attracting the monsters. ? ? Just sprinkle musk monkey powder and all the monsters, regardless of their species, would flock to it.? ? Their eyes turned half way like a flock of cats flocking to catnip.? ? The powder was effective when using the attractant strategy, but it was too dangerous to carry around on a regular basis. Tamon trapped the two swimming monsters in his arms and burst them open with force. The black blood became even thicker.? ? He could feel the power rushing through every part of his body.? ? It was abnormally powerful, even though it had been a long time since he fought in a battle. It wasn¡¯t like this even when he finished his awakening¡­¡­¡­¡­? ? As time went on, he felt his heart grow hotter.? ? A mysterious power flowed from it, leaping like it was about to explode.? ? ¡®Is this the effects of engraving?¡¯? ? He touched his chest and thought of Roselyn.? ? ¡®Do you feel this heat, this intense beating of your heart too?¡¯? ? He was glad of the power that boiled over him, the proof that he was connected to her.? ? Another two Herpes that were a short distance away approached, smelling blood and baring their teeth.? ? Tamon glanced at the debris of the ship as it gradually descended.? ? It was already quite late in the day. It was enough time for a normal child to suffocate to death.? ? He had to get the child out of the ship before the rest of the monsters attacked him.? ? Then it happened.? ? Two small shadows came up from the broken pieces of the broken half ship.? ? They were two children, hand in hand, staring at him as he approached. A faint light was streaming from the children¡¯s bodies, just as it was from Tamon¡¯s body.? ? And so their breathing was not in the least bit impaired.? ? Tamon recognized him immediately. The boy was the one that Roselyn had been looking for, the Iron Child.? ? Tamon reached out his hand toward the children.? ? And at that very moment.? ? The biggest and fastest Herpes attacked him.? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? It was in a different class than the one Tamon had dealt with.? ? The teeth were twice as big and the body was much longer.? ? The tips of the sharp teeth were blackened, but they must surely have contained deadly poison.? ? ¡°Roarrrrrr!¡±? ? It grabbed Tamon¡¯s body and tried to knock him down with all the strength it could muster.? ? Tamon gritted his teeth and tried his best to hold out. The monster did not waver.? ? It bared its teeth as hard as it could and quickly tried to swallow him.? ? He managed to untangle his body and get out of his teeth, but its tail flew at him right away.? ? It spiked like a long spear, and it aimed for Tamon¡¯s neck.? ? He dodged, and held the tail with his both arms.? ? It was too strong.? ? It pushed him away and shook as he struggled.? ? Gritting his teeth, Tamon laughed devilishly and drove his claws into its torso.? ? ¡°Arghhhhhhhh!¡±? ? It was in pain, and its movements became rougher.? ? It was wobbling and it reared its head again.? ? With its tail tied around his legs and arms, it managed to get its teeth into Tamon¡¯s shoulder.? ? ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡±? ? He thought he caught a glimpse of the monster¡¯s smile.? ? Tamon¡¯s left arm was bitten by the Herpes, and Tamon¡¯s right hand was stuck in Herpes¡¯ body.? ? In the quiet sea, the monster and Tamon stared at each other. Tamon gritted his teeth and aimed at the gap.? ? The Herpes poison was permeating his arm.? ? No matter how immortal his body was, he was not entirely free of the aftermath of the poison. It felt like he had been poked in the shoulder with an iron bar.? ? It was a pain as if pouring hot soup and pepper on top of the unhealed wound.? ? Tamon¡¯s face twisted into a smile.? ? Finally, he thought ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡®Do you think you got me?¡¯? ? Tamon¡¯s hands dug further into the monster¡¯s body. Then, with all his might, he grabbed its spine.? ? Shriek!? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? The monster¡¯s mouth opened in the agony of its spine being pulled out.? ? ¡°Roarrrrrrrrr!¡±? ? A horrible scream filled with air bubbles echoed through the sea.? ? It was more like a resonance and vibration than a sound.? ? Tamon¡¯s arm was ripped half off his shoulder by the struggling monster¡¯s teeth.? ? One arm, ravaged by the black venom, was ripped almost to shreds, but Tamon didn¡¯t stop straining his hand.? ? ¡°Roaarr!¡±? ? Finally, the bone was completely pulled out of the monster¡¯s flesh, and it stopped moving. Black blood swirled around Tamon.? ? Mixed in between was the red blood that spurted from Tamon¡¯s shoulder.? ? Gathering short breaths, Tamon held out his hand to the children who were watching him blankly from a distance.? ? The children held Tamon¡¯s hand and came up to the top of the sea.? ? ***? ? ¡°How is Master?? ? ¡°His arms are tattered! Probably because of the first grade holy water from the temple that was poured into it, his arms weren¡¯t poisoned, but he is constantly saying strange things without looking at his arms!¡±? ? Jorge complained violently to Satin who came running. Jorge¡¯s appearance was a mess, how urgent he had been running.? ? He had water stains around his eyes from crying and fussing, and his head and body was covered in dust all over, as if he hadn¡¯t washed it in a long time.? ? Jorge was famous for being neat and tidy within the Order. But now he looked so beggarly that his acquaintances could not recognize Jorge when they saw him.? ? It was only natural.? ? They spent four days on the fast boat, running days and nights, and when they got to the dock, they rode their horses to death, dragging Tamon along with them.? ? Even running fast, it took them three days to run and get here, so he was in a state of disrepair.? ? ¡°Please help our general! I can¡¯t watch my captain die in front of my eyes!¡±? ? Jorge, with thick muscles, was much larger than most knights.? ? Even though he was crying and begging, his threatening appearance remained unchanged.? ? Jorge grabbed Satin and wailed like a child.? ? ¡°Calm down, Jorge. I¡¯ll take a look at Master¡¯s condition first.¡±? ? The other knights and the children who were saved from the water were running behind. It would probably take a couple of days to get here.? ? Jorge and Tamon rushed home first to take care of Tamon¡¯s wounds.? ? Satin looked down at Jorge¡¯s appearance and felt heavy.? ? He was relieved to see that he had not suffered any injuries¡­? ? Satin soothed a crying Jorge as they came to the central bathroom where Tamon had gone straight in.? ? ¡°Master, it¡¯s Satin. Can I come in for a moment?¡±? ? He didn¡¯t hear an immediate reply.? ? A slow, slightly sleepy voice sounded one tempo later.? ? ¡°Bring Asha.¡± CH 66 ¡°¡­¡­ Yes?¡±? ? ¡°Don¡¯t make me say it twice, Satin.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, yes. I understand. I¡¯ll send Lady Aranrosia Asha. In the meantime, can I take a look at Master¡¯s condition?¡±? ? ¡°No need. Just bring Asha.¡±? ? At Tamon¡¯s decisive words, Jorge hit his chest hard, as if to say, ¡°Look at that!¡±? ? That seemed to be the strange sound that Jorge had heard.? ? Satin was briefly distressed, then quickly turned away.? ? Fortunately, he met Asrell, who brought in Aranrosia.? ? ¡°How¡¯s your master¡¯s condition?¡±? ? Satin shook his head briefly to indicate that he didn¡¯t know either, and looked at Roselyn.? ? ¡°Master wishes to see you.¡±? ? Roselyn nodded as if she knew, and stepped away quickly.? ? Just behind her, Cassion followed, but he couldn¡¯t get in. For he read the urgency visible on their faces.? ? ¡°Master is in the central bathroom!¡±? ? Roselyn moved her feet with all her might, leaving Satin¡¯s words behind as he shouted at the top of his voice.? ? Her feet were so fast that it was hard to tell if she was walking or running.? ? Cassion¡¯s gaze, which had been following her back, reached her feet. With a strange feeling, Cassion stared at her.? ? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Has her foot healed?? ? Roselyn was running without limping.? ? ***? ? ¡°They said he¡¯s badly hurt!¡±? ? Thinking of Asrell¡¯s words, Roselyn touched her throbbing left shoulder. She could feel the extent of his injury without asking.? ? As expected, the pain she felt at that time was not nothing.? ? Engraving connected her to him.? ? His name carved red over her heart, burning hot again and again.? ? Roselyn took a deep breath and knocked on the bathroom door.? ? ¡°¡­ I¡¯m coming in.¡±? ? She didn¡¯t bother to wait for an answer.? ? She slowly opened the heavy bathroom door.? ? Only 23 days.? ? They had only been apart for a little more than three weeks.? ? Considering the time she knew him, it wasn¡¯t that long ago, but her heart beat violently.? ? Was this disturbing beating due to nervousness or worry?? ? The damp central bathroom of the main building was the very place where Tamon placed her when she first arrived at the mansion.? ? It was also the place where Roselyn slit her own throat.? ? She walked straight across the center of the familiar and unfamiliar place.? ? Through the dampness of the heat, she could see the silhouette of a huge man leaning loosely against the bathtub. His red eyes shone clearly through the faint smoke.? ? Ah, that was it. The eyes of obsession, full of appetite.? ? It was Tamon¡¯s eyes.? ? ¡ª. One step, two steps, three steps.? ? As she got closer, the outline of his face became clearer. That, plus his left shoulder, which was turning pitch black.? ? Roselyn closed her eyes tightly, then slowly opened them.? ? ¡ªIt didn¡¯t look good.? ? That was a form of flesh falling off then forcing itself together for all to see.? ? The joints were tattered, perhaps because the arm was completely torn and reattached.? ? Looking at her, Tamon laughed.? ? ¡°No matter how much, I¡¯m still better than you back then.¡± ? ? (*He meant the time when she was tortured and left to die in the snow.)? ? His face was rough, as if he¡¯d been through a lot. Roselyn scanned over his gaunt face, then slowly lowered her gaze.? ? As he did to her back then, she looked at the droplets that were hanging over his body one by one.? ? The last thing she looked at was his torn shoulder.? ? ¡°The Iron Child is now coming with the Knights.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ I know.¡±? ? Roselyn was inwardly terribly dismayed by his words.? ? She had gone to look for Arsene, but it was because she couldn¡¯t remember the boy until just now.? ? Luckily, the look on her face didn¡¯t give it away ¡­¡­¡­.? ? She was more distracted by Tamon¡¯s injuries than the child she was looking for.? ? ¡®How can that happen?¡¯? ? She thought he would never get hurt, but he came back injured.? ? On the one hand, her heart sank because her guess that he was injured was correct.? ? Yes, this had to be because of the engraving.? ? All the nerves that were being poured over Tamon¡¯s injury, all the heartache that was driving her crazy, had to be because of the engraving she had with him.? ? Unaware of her confusion, Tamon laughed and held out his hand.? ? ¡°If you know, why are you hesitating?¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°You have to give me what you promised.¡±? ? Promise¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.? ? ¡°¡­Ah.¡±? ? How could such a thing come to his mind in such a situation?? ? Roselyn burst out laughing thinking it was ridiculous.? ? ¡°Aren¡¯t you being mean? I sacrificed an arm to keep my promise, but you¡¯re being uptight about this.¡±? ? ¡®Is he really rushing me right now?¡¯? ? He laughed as he said it, but the look in his eyes was too serious to be considered a joke.? ? After glaring at him, Roselyn slowly stepped into the water.? ? The temperature was high, actually it was slightly hot. It made her body heat up immediately.? ? She put her hand on his hand, which was held out to her as if to tell her to come this way.? ? Tamon pulled her gently towards him.? ? Roselyn approached him without resistance. Tamon held her hand over his lips.? ? His slightly rough lips grazed Roselyn¡¯s palm.? ? He kept his eyes closed, gently tasting her palm to his heart¡¯s content. His lips were now hidden.? ? It was a ridiculous fantasy, but he looked like a giant wild beast spoiled in the palm of her hand.? ? A fierce beast, accustomed only to her, indulging as if asking her to pet him.? ? ¡°Ah¡­.¡±? ? He rubbed his lips in the hollow of her palm, licking the scent, and looked up into her eyes.? ? His eyes were clouded with lust and Roselyn¡¯s lips, which had hardened, spontaneously opened and she gasped for air.? ? Roselyn tightened her overflowing breathing as she chewed on the thin flesh in her mouth.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ How long are you going to make me wait?¡±? ? He bit down on her palm.? ? ¡°I seem fine, but I¡¯m in a lot of pain right now¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? He frowned with a painful look on his face.? ? ¡°I need something to keep the pain at bay.¡±? ? His gaze returned to his shoulder.? ? His shoulder was healing itself from the wounds through repeated necrosis and recovery.? ? It wasn¡¯t the kind of thing that could be endured with a smile, even from the eyes of Roselyn, who knew pain better than anyone.? ? The sweat on his wet forehead must have been caused by more than just the heat of the water.? ? Roselyn moved her hesitant hand and gently brushed his cheek.? ? Tamon took a slow breath and closed his eyes.? ? As if to savor her tantalizingly quiet touch without missing a single touch.? ? The appearance was gentle.? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t help but shudder at the unfathomable pleasure.? ? A faint pleasure rising faintly from below her lower stomach.? ? Gradually, it spread and stiffened as it passed over her chest and to her neck.? ? It was a strange feeling of satisfaction.? ? Is this what it feels like when you have tamed something that no one else can tame?? ? This gentle look that the heavenly Tamon Krasis gave her. The hand gestures, eyes, and sighs¡­? ? Roselyn¡¯s slender fingers slowly scanned his face as if savoring his expression.? ? His slender cheeks, the high nose that creates long shadows, and his slightly rough lips.? ? ¡®I touch his lips, but why are my lips burning?¡¯? ? A hot breath flowed out between Tamon¡¯s slightly open lips. It was a mixture of sighs and moans.? ? Exploring it with her fingers, Roselyn lowered her head.? ? Not taking her eyes off his open lips, she faltered and slowly approached his lips.? ? Tamon looked at her with eyes full of anticipation and delight.? ? ¡°Smile for me next time.¡±? ? For someone who was once dead, that was nothing special.? ? Roselyn¡¯s eyes softened and curved, and she welcomed him with an almost touching distance.? ? ¡°Welcome back¡­.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s lips quivered. Unable to resist, he swallowed her lips roughly. CH 67 Although Tamon had the power of life, it did not mean that he did not feel pain.? ? He also had a human body, and although he was recovering fast, it didn¡¯t mean that he could endure the monster¡¯s raging poison without any kind of pain.? ? Perhaps that was why the days back at the mansion were such a hellish time.? ? He clenched my teeth as he swallowed swearing over and over again, which caused him to spit out blood.? ? He didn¡¯t have time to worry about Jorge, who was surprised to see his arm, which was more than half torn, recovering naturally.? ? After a little while, he finally made his excuse that it was because of the holy water from the temple. The clumsy Jorge seemed convinced without much doubt.? ? The wounds tingled days and nights as if spitting out herpes poison.? ? When the pain made him nauseous, he arrived at the mansion.? ? He immediately went to the bathroom and soaked in the hot water. His heart was hot from the moment he arrived near the mansion. His body was searching for Roselyn.? ? The heat engulfed him. When he felt it, she came.? ? His ocean.? ? More beautiful than ice, hotter than the sun, she was his imprint.? ? The inside of her lips was a sweet oasis, and her inner flesh was like precious food to nourish his stomach.? ? ¡°Call my name. Come on¡­¡­!¡±? ? Tamon swallowed a ragged breath and urged her on. The water in the bathroom made a wet, sloshing sound. ? ? No matter how much he hugged her with both arms, it didn¡¯t seem like enough because of her thin body.? ? He was afraid that if he tried to trap her in his arms, she would scatter like sand in a stream.? ? ¡°Oh, ugh ¡­¡­!Ahh¡­..!¡±? ? He bit his lip when she called his name.? ? She was a stubborn woman.? ? She didn¡¯t give him what he wanted at once.? ? Whatever it was, she only allowed it after he coaxed, soothed, begged and begged again.? ? He was grumpy and hugged her even rougher. His hand came down along the thin line, found the wet spot without hesitation, and he dug in gently.? ? When he saw her startled and tried to move away, Tamon made a fuss.? ? ¡°My shoulder hurts. ¡­¡±? ? He didn¡¯t mean to say it hurt where it didn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t a lie.? ? But it was just funny that he was trembling in an attempt to get her attention, a weakness he had never done before. He enjoyed watching the purple eyes shaking by his exaggeration while having doubts.? ? Enough to feel that it was worth trembling.? ? ¡°Look. We are one body.¡±? ? ¡°Please, don¡¯t say weird things¡­.¡±? ? He plunged in sweetly and launched his hips at her off guard.? ? He felt her contract completely in surprise. Roselyn stared at Tamon with a face that was red with embarrassment. She was out of breath, but did not relax her hands holding him.? ? Seeing her expression, the pain didn¡¯t feel like pain.? ? Even though one of his arms had been torn off to fulfill her request, the process just felt exhilarating.? ? ¡®Is he becoming a madman?¡¯? ? Was it because of the effects of the engraving?? ? The wounds on his left shoulder, which had been slower than expected, accelerated.? ? Her life force filled him. A fullness of power flooded his body, filling him up.? ? ¡°Call my name before I bother you more.¡±? ? He urged her again.? ? Her stubbornly clenched mouth opened with a scream at his vulgarity, persistently thrusting and tormenting her.? ? ¡°Stop it, stop it¡­..Tamon!¡±? ? Tamon laughed and placed his lips against hers. He drenched her, rubbing his lips against hers like the kissing of friendly birds. A satisfying moan flowed out wildly as if it scratched his throat.? ? It was only three weeks.? ? Just over twenty days.? ? He missed her.? ? He missed her so much, so desperately that he felt abnormal himself¡­¡­¡­¡­.? ? ***? ? Arsene arrived three days after Tamon.? ? They arrived with a bit of time to spare. But the child who had experienced the abduction and shipwreck was already half dead.? ? What was it like before he was abducted? He ran days and nights to fulfill Roselyn¡¯s favor.? ? Perhaps the aftermath left Arsene in a semi-conscious state the whole way to the mansion.? ? Roselyn went to pick up the child and turned back when she saw the fainted Arsene.? ? She returned to her room, making sure not to wake him until he was awake.? ? The mansion became busy. They locked the gate tighter, not allowing anyone to enter.? ? No one had to know that Tamon Krasis was injured.? ? What his injury was related to, who caused it, or where he went had to be kept completely secret.? ? He carried out the mission, knowing that there were people who were secretly cowering behind the closed gates of the Krasis mansion, which had never been closed before.? ? The various speculations and conjectures were just buried due to the exotic slave that he brought in.? ? It was said that the noble Tamon Krasis was possessed by the woman and had not come out of his mansion.? ? Even a hero who protected his country couldn¡¯t help it when he fell in love.? ? ¡°I can¡¯t believe he finally lost his heart to a slave. So the b*stard¡­¡±? ? ¡°He is a foolish man who disrupts Her Majesty¡¯s feelings without knowing her kindness.¡±? ? There were many who jumped at the idea that time was of the essence and took the hard way.? ? They were desperate to pull him down and take his place in the king¡¯s full favor.? ? But that didn¡¯t mean Theo was going to freak out. She watched the voices of the nobles as she laughed and tried to talk more.? ? She even said good words and covered for him.? ? Theo and Tamon had a symbiotic relationship.? ? If Tamon collapsed, Theo¡¯s position would not be safe. For now, Tamon was the foundation of her position, honor, and power.? ? For Theo, Tamon was the sharpest sword and the hardest shield.? ? There was no reason for her to dare to push him away to get something lesser when its blade was still so sharp.? ? People, who said Tamon was arrogant and told the King to get rid of him, didn¡¯t seem to know that they behaved more arrogantly.? ? In any case, the Krasis mansion kept a racy calm, as if standing in the eye of the storm.? ? *** ? ? ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s okay?¡±? ? ¡°Yes. Yes, he seemed to be fine. And he¡¯s still eating as much as ever.¡±? ? Jorge, who was waiting for Asrell who had gone to serve Tamon a meal, asked her several times with a pale face.? ? Jorge looked at her as if he really didn¡¯t understand.? ? Tamon and Roselyn did not come out of their bedroom once, except when they went out to pick up Arsene.? ? It was also dawn when Arsene arrived, and the children were already asleep, so there was no time for anyone to catch them and ask them anything.? ? Jorge was also busy taking care of his own knights who had returned.? ? Therefore, no one in this mansion has seen Tamon¡¯s wounds yet. Jorge, who knew how horrible his condition was, was only confused.? ? ¡°That¡¯s strange¡­it doesn¡¯t make sense because his torn arm had poison in it¡­.¡±? ? Jorge panicked, but that didn¡¯t stop him from pouncing on his master and captain, asking him to show him the wounds.? ? The sight of his Master appearing so fine three days later was as if the brutal wounds he had sustained that day in the ocean were a dream.? ? (*Did they do ¡®it¡¯ for 3 days straight¡­.?¡¯? ? ¡®It¡¯s really strange. His shoulder was completely torn¡­¡­.. Was the holy water of the Great Temple really that great?¡¯? ? Jorge couldn¡¯t get a good look at Tamon because of the bandages on his shoulders and arms, but in any case, Tamon appeared far too healthy to look injured.? ? His complexion was good and his expression was vivid.? ? Only Jorge¡¯s face, which had been hanging around worrying about him, had aged.? ? He wondered how many times his colleagues and Rubent had yelled at him for not being able to protect his Master, even though he had gone there voluntarily¡­ He was charged with high treason and bruised for two days and nights.? ? Jorge¡¯s mind, which had already become worn out, had a significant damage.? ? ¡°Well¡­I¡¯m glad he¡¯s in a better condition than I thought.¡±? ? Jorge stopped worrying and waited for Tamon.? ? A few moments later, Tamon entered the parlor with Roselyn.? ? ***? ? Arsene was sitting on the sofa in the waiting room, full of tension.? ? The boy couldn¡¯t believe the fact that he was now in Amor.? ? How did he come to Amor when he was on his way to Nyrux? ? ? From Tanatos to Lourve to the slave smuggler to the monster Herpes¡­¡­¡­¡­ The entire itinerary felt like a long and terrible nightmare.? ? The horror of that death he had felt when his memory and stomach turned over and submerged in the water in the terrible cage was still fresh in his mind.? ? Arsene stared at the trembling hands in his lap.? ? ¡®I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m alive.¡¯? ? The boy closed his eyes tightly. The road he had to go was still far away. He couldn¡¯t believe he was shaking so much over this¡­. He wanted to be a little stronger. A little more, for sure.? ? That¡¯s right. Just like that man*. (*Tamon) CH 68 Arsene finally woke up from his long sleep.? ? Perhaps because he still was out of his mind, he couldn¡¯t figure out where he was at first.? ? The pain and hardship he had to go through was so great that Arsene remained laying down for a while even after he opened his eyes.? ? ¡®I really am alive and well.¡¯? ? He couldn¡¯t believe that despite meeting with monsters in the middle of the ocean, he made it to land without a single injury.? ? Even now, when he closed his eyes, the scene in the ocean came alive vividly in his mind.? ? The red-eyed man who floated freely in the water as if he was flying in the sky, in the dark sea he held the brilliant rays of the sun¡­.? ? Even though his shoulder was torn off by the teeth of a poisonous monster, his eyes had no fear of death. ? ? ¡®I can¡¯t believe he ripped the herpes apart with his bare hands.¡¯? ? Thinking of that horrible scene made him feel like he was still having a horrible dream.? ? Arsene also encountered monsters a while back.? ? Only a few of them attacked the children, the Emperor and the Empress in a small building.? ? The Emperor fled trembling in front of them, and the brave Empress injured her leg saving them.? ? Otherworldly monsters came out of the ¡®gap¡¯¡­¡­? ? Those monsters that break rocks, rot the ground, and tear up the sky.? ? And the man casually ripped them open with his bare hands¡­¡­¡­..? ? The red eyes that were shining brilliantly in the black water floated up.? ? When he reached out, Arsene couldn¡¯t help but hesitate, knowing that it was the only option.? ? He was afraid that he might hold the devil¡¯s hand to avoid the monster.? ? It was one thing that led Arsene.? ? Knock, knock.? ? Arsene stood up at the sound of knocking on the door.? ? Gently the door opened and the little girl came in.? ? ¡°Let¡¯s go, Arsene.¡±? ? Hannah casually held his hand.? ? Arsene held her hand with a strange ease.? ? The white-haired girl who had given Arsene the bread and pulled his hand to help him get out of his cage.? ? Was it because they had experienced the danger of dying together?? ? Arsene felt a strange trust towards Hannah. It was a vague feeling that he could not explain why. Hannah and Arsene followed the attendants who led them into a large room.? ? The two children sat side by side, waiting for someone to open the door and come in.? ? Hannah looked unconcerned, unlike the nervous Arsene. Neatly and nicely dressed, Hannah was very pretty, like a noblewoman of the house. ? ? There was very little expression on her face, but her golden eyes that shone reverently under her white eyelashes had changed. Her hair, which was almost gray, was white with a hint of pink under the light.? ? She said her hair color was originally pink, but a series of events turned it white. She didn¡¯t say what had happened, but it felt like it was a big enough incident to change the color. ? ? So Arsene didn¡¯t ask Hannah anymore.? ? Hannah was unique.? ? Sometimes she looked blank, but sometimes she looked impossibly perceptive, and sometimes she predicted what was going to happen next with a brilliant face.? ? Like now.? ? ¡°She¡¯s coming.¡± (Hannah)? ? ¡°Who¡­.?¡± (Arsene)? ? ¡°She¡¯s here.¡± (Hannah)? ? Hannah, who was staring blankly in the air, straightened her back.? ? And she glanced at Arsene and held his hand slightly. She looked mature.? ? The door opened a few seconds later.? ? And an incredible person appeared.? ? ¡°Emp¡­¡± (Arsene) ? ? ¡°Shhh.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Just before Arsene¡¯s words were completed, Roselyn lightly shook her head, hinting not to say anything.? ? In the reception room, besides Arsene and Hannah, were Jorge, Satin, and the twins.? ? Tamon watched for a moment and then instructed everyone to leave.? ? A stony silence descended.? ? The scene in the white parlor, with the sunlight shining bright, felt like a dream.? ? Arsene lifted his heavy eyelids and stared.? ? In the boy¡¯s trembling eyes, he saw not Tanatos¡¯ blizzard, but Amor¡¯s silver hair reflecting the golden sun.? ? The purple eyes, so warm and emotional, showed a diverse light, unlike those days back then.? ? She looked like the empress Arsene knew, but so different that it was hard to believe it was the same person.? ? ¡°How¡­¡­?¡±? ? As far as the boy knew, the Empress was dead.? ? The whole nation thought so.? ? ¡°Her Majesty is ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? It was said that the Emperor, who killed her family and friends and even tortured her, had her banished to the cruel Kralturian Ice Mountains.? ? Did people even say that a snow wolf ate the Empress¡¯s corpse?? ? An unconfirmed ghost story spread throughout the empire.? ? Even the slave traders who smuggled and kidnapped children also talked about the story.? ? ¡°Arsene.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.Your Majesty? Are you really Your Majesty?¡±? ? A mixture of squeal and surprise passed into a shudder. A wet voice gasped and confirmed it was really her.? ? Roselyn reached out and stroked Arsene¡¯s cheek.? ? Tears welled up in Arsene¡¯s eyes the moment her cool fingers touched his cheek.? ? ¡®Oh, she¡¯s alive. She¡¯s really alive.¡¯? ? The young boy did not know what kind of feeling this was.? ? He was overwhelmed. The edges of his eyes were burning, and his heart felt like it was going to sink.? ? To Arsene, Roselyn was God.? ? She was the boy¡¯s future and the most respected person. She was the one who had given him hope, floating in the sky like the moon, but always ready to hold his hand if he reached out.? ? When it was said that such a person had fallen under the severe hardship of the evil Emperor, the familiar darkness descended on Arsene¡¯s world.? ? He became a knight for that person. The light of hope that he had when he made up his mind to do so disappeared and only melancholy and sadness remained.? ? ¡°¡­..You suffered so much because of my request.¡±? ? But the light did not go out.? ? It reappeared in front of the boy miraculously.? ? ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡®Thank you for being alive, and it¡¯s an honor to see you again.¡¯ Was what he wanted to say, but all he could do was burst into tears.? ? ¡°You must have gone through a lot.¡±? ? Roselyn chuckled emotionally and patted Arsene¡¯s eyes.? ? The boy¡¯s reddened eyes with warmed tears wet her fingertips.? ? Many people had died because of her.? ? Someone to protect her, someone to take her place, someone to honor her. Maybe this boy also disappeared easily after adversity to do her a favor.? ? But Arsene came back alive, and that was the weight of her life she had to take responsibility for.? ? She would watch over him like the others, and she could not afford to lose him.? ? She would protect him, so that his life will not be in vain just because he followed her.? ? ¡°For staying alive, for surviving.¡±? ? Roselyn reached out and embraced the boy¡¯s stiff shoulders. The strong boy shuddered in her arms.? ? ¡°Thank you, Arsene.¡±? ? ***? ? Arsene finally calmed down and returned the thing on his wrist.? ? The bracelet became the necklace again in Roselyn¡¯s hand. Just as she was about to put it around her neck, Tamon, who had been watching, came up to her.? ? ¡°Let me do it.¡±? ? With a soft touch he took the chain from her hands. Then he casually wrapped the necklace around her neck.? ? It didn¡¯t seem like a crude hand, but the hand that applied the chain was delicate.? ? Roselyn, who was waiting for the act to end with her hair raised to one side, trembled at Tamon¡¯s lips kissing the back of her neck.? ? Giving him a warning glance to remind him that they were in front of the children, Tamon smiled shamelessly.? ? ¡°It looks good on you.¡±? ? Arsene looked at the two of them blankly and quickly bowed his head.? ? The boy¡¯s earlobes were red. Roselyn¡¯s earlobes tickled for no reason, too.? ? The necklace spontaneously transformed itself into two necklaces, shaped to fit perfectly around her neck.? ? Strangely enough, it was similar in shape to the other necklaces worn in Tanatos.? ? Between the two chains that encircled her neck closely, Eternal Shine, the core of the holy relic, glittered.? ? ¡°That necklace helped me.¡±? ? ¡°What do you mean?¡±? ? ¡°I fell into the sea, but the shine from the necklace made it easier for me to breathe. Then¡­.¡±? ? Hesitantly, Arsene reiterated the situation at the time.? ? ¡°It may have been my imagination, but¡­..I could feel that the monsters were scared.¡±? ? The basic property of Roselyn¡¯s chain was protection. It was the role of this chain to protect its master and prevent any forced external pressure from passing through.? ? However, it could not do anything about the laws of physical force and could not protect him until he fell or was stabbed with a blade.? ? It had to defend itself with its own power.? ? The power of this holy relic was protection from magic, poison, power, or some other invisible pressure.? ? Since the monsters were also an alien force that had slipped through the ¡®gap¡¯, this chain of protection was able to protect its master.? ? That was why she was able to attack the monster last time in the nursery in Tanatos.? ? But there was nothing she could do about her ankle, which was pierced by a piece of wood on the crumbling platform.? ? Remembering that moment, Roselyn stroked the necklace once.? ? It was then that Hannah, who had been sitting like a stuffed animal by Arsene¡¯s side, stood up and approached her.? ? She bent her knees slightly and introduced herself which made Roselyn startled.? ? ¡°The young disciple of the Prophet Hartz sees the future of Tanatos.¡±? ? Roselyn held her breath.? ? Prophet Hartz.? ? Hannah came to Roselyn on her own. CH 69 According to legend, there were a total of five human beings who were given superpowers by absorbing the fragments of the gods.? ? However, one ability disappeared midway through the process, and only the remaining four abilities carried on the lifeblood.? ? These were the Tanatos¡¯ death, life of Amor, the enchantment of Lumosha, and the foresight of Keton.? ? They were divine powers of God, and most of those who inherited them were considered sacred and ruled the land.? ? Royalty was mostly used to protect the country, as the power would return like a curse if it was used for evil purposes.? ? For the cause rather than blind sacrifices, for mercy rather than a war.? ? But there was a royal family that fell even with their unique ability to see the future in advance, a royal family with the power of prophecy.? ? You can¡¯t prevent the future from coming, even if you know about it¡­¡­? ? Just as you can¡¯t stop a typhoon even though you know it¡¯s coming¡­? ? Just as you know that a drought will come, but you can¡¯t stop the sun.? ? But you can prepare for it and minimize the damage.? ? It¡¯s like taking shelter in a safe place in case of a typhoon, or building a stockpile to alleviate the pain of a drought.? ? Keton¡¯s demise was a fate that could not be prevented. In the aftermath of the wisdom power that had been detailed for generations, Keton suffered all the misfortunes.? ? The royal family fell into decline, and most of them who were gifted with different powers died young.? ? In just over twenty years, the master of the throne changed no less than five times.? ? Frequent shifts in royal power weakened the country, and Keton became a powerful gold mine for neighboring countries.? ? The country became more and more ruined in spite of the support of God¡¯s power.? ? Hartz¡¯s father, former King Keton, was a wise man. He knew that the country would fall in his generation.? ? He had his son, Hartz, who would inherit his power, and his trusted men, flee the country.? ? And he himself stayed behind alone, accepting the end of his kingdom without the greatest possible sacrifice of his people.? ? Keton was destroyed completely and was taken by the surrounding countries.? ? The fallen royalty of Keton became a drifter.? ? Many nations tried to swallow him up, but Hartz used his ability to avoid them and wandered around constantly.? ? His talents were both significant and insignificant.? ? He could only see a few hours or days ahead.? ? There was nothing like the destruction of the world or the coming of a god, and he could barely know that someone was going to attack him in a few hours.? ? It was just enough to fulfill a desperate request to find something.? ? Later, they found out that his ability was poor, so fewer people tried to catch him.? ? ¡°He the incapacitated Hartz. Hartz, the prophet who cannot look ahead. He is the abandoned son of God.¡±? ? He lived with all the taunts.? ? His fate changed a few years ago after he saved a pair of young siblings. ? ? The two siblings cowered in each other¡¯s arms, holding each other tightly.? ? ¡°Help us, and we will never forget your kindness. We¡¯ll definitely help you.¡±? ? While holding his younger sister who had a long illness, the older brother grabbed Hartz and begged.? ? It seemed strange at first. Of all the people passing by, the siblings clung to the most ragged-looking self that seemed most useless.? ? The way he clung to him, as if he had been waiting for him to show up.? ? Hartz looked down at the child with troubled eyes.? ? The older looking up at him, and the younger sister being held in his arms, breathing out painfully and looking at him with narrowed eyes¡­? ? The moment he met those golden eyes.? ? Hartz¡¯s mind exploded. ? ? It felt like his blocked precognition exploded inside him.? ? Events of the future shone so many times before his eyes.? ? His life was completely changed starting from that day.? ? ¡°¡­.was that already four years ago?¡±? ? Hartz mumbled, stroking his goatee.? ? Mana, who was picking out clothes, turned and smiled.? ? ¡°It¡¯s been four years since I picked up Hartz.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.Mana, it seems the subject has changed. I¡¯m the one who picked you up.¡± ? ? ¡°Yes, it¡¯s fine if you think so.¡± ? ? ¡°Mana!¡±? ? Mana smiled graciously at Hartz and threw the coat over his shoulders.? ? Four years ago, Mana, who thought he would be only twelve years old, was actually fifteen, and the one who he thought would be five or six was nine years old.? ? Under Hartz¡¯s care, the children began to eat and sleep well, and they grew so fast that they finally seemed to be their own age.? ? And during those four years, they became a family.? ? Hartz looked at Hannah with a worried look on his face and spoke.? ? ¡°Never open the door to anyone. You know that, don¡¯t you? You shouldn¡¯t even be alone.¡±? ? ¡°You are a prophet, but you are so afraid of the world? Why is that? Did you see a bad future with me being alone?¡±? ? ¡°Of course not! If I did, I definitely wouldn¡¯t be sitting here so leisurely.¡±? ? ¡°No way. We are waiting. I said it had to be here. By the way, isn¡¯t it almost time for it to come?¡±? ? Mana said casually, looking up at the sky through the window and pestering Hartz.? ? ¡°Why are you and Hannah so brave, the hell. You have absolutely no fear.¡±? ? ¡°You¡¯re always afraid for us. Please be careful many times over. That¡¯s why we¡¯re brave, trusting in you, Hartz.¡±? ? Mana¡¯s words made Hartz stop speaking and stare at him for a moment.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ You¡¯re touched again¡­.¡±? ? Mana didn¡¯t need to look to know that his face was twisted with emotion through his tousled hair and beard.? ? He would look much neater if it weren¡¯t for that beard, but he never shaved his beard or trimmed his hair.? ? He said he looked respectable like that, indeed, what he said was somewhat right.? ? His face, hidden beneath that hair and beard, looked genuinely young, and it didn¡¯t help him at all in his wanderings.? ? Besides, he was prone to tears.? ? ¡°I¡¯m worried about you, and I¡¯m worried about one thing. You are still so small and young¡­.¡±? ? It was hard to sniffle at this point. He couldn¡¯t let the kid see him crying.? ? ¡°Hartz, stop. Quickly sort out your expression and get out. I can hear footsteps outside.¡±? ? Mana looked through the wooden door of the cabin, a little nervous.? ? There was a blizzard blowing across the hut, and the uninvited guests were approaching. They were the uninvited guests that Hartz and Mana had been waiting for.? ? Hartz¡¯s languid expression disappeared and he straightened his shoulders with a respectful look.? ? It wasn¡¯t long before he finished his short, deep breath.? ? Thump. Thump.? ? They heard a pounding on the door.? ? ¡°Prophet Hartz, open this door and receive the Emperor¡¯s command.¡±? ? Mana went in front of Hartz and grabbed the handle of the door. Then he slowly opened the door for him.? ? ¡°Go ahead.¡±? ? Hartz walked past Mana and looked at the soldiers waiting solemnly in the white blizzard.? ? The momentum of the soldiers was dark, perhaps because they were Imperial soldiers who dealt with the death.? ? Hartz stood in front of them, swallowing a laugh under his beard.? ? ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting, soldiers of Tanatos.¡±? ? They were Gillotti¡¯s soldiers.? ? ****? ? ¡°Hartz asked me to deliver this.¡±? ? Hannah approached Roselyn and held out a strange square shaped box. Adorned with mother-of-pearl inlays and jewels, the box looked at first glance like a fine toy, and then like a small jewel.? ? Arsene, who was watching, tilted his head.? ? ¡®How did you manage to hide that thing in the cage?¡¯? ? Indeed, the children were locked in the bars with everything they had taken from them.? ? Arsene¡¯s bracelet had also been found. But strangely enough, when they pulled Arsene¡¯s bracelet, it had become a shabby silver bracelet that had lost its original color and light.? ? It was an old bangle that was not worth the money to take it. They made a disappointing sound and took no action.? ? Arsene held his breath and marveled as he saw it regain its original light as soon as it was out of their sight.? ? But how did Hannah keep that thing hidden and in her possession?? ? ¡°What is this?¡±? ? Roselyn asked, pointing to the box that Hannah placed on the table.? ? ¡°This is an incense burner. If you press the moon here.¡±? ? As Hannah¡¯s hand pressed the moon, which was carved in mother-of-pearl inlays, the shape of the box began to change. The square face of the box expanded to reveal a shell-shaped sculpture inside.? ? A black gem-like object was placed inside the shell, like a pearl.? ? ¡°If you light this stone, the fragrance will spread. It will cause a temporary hallucination, but I have heard that it will allow the person smelling the scent to see what they desire.¡±? ? At these words, Roselyn looked at Tamon.? ? Their gazes tangled in surprise.? ? ¡°Largon¡¯s incense burner.¡±? ? It was the very same holy relic that had been lost at sea by two brothers who had fought over it nearly three hundred years ago. CH 70 It was small in appearance, but it could hallucinate up to thousands of people at a time.? ? It was not deadly, but it was one of the most dangerous holy relics.? ? No one knew what those who smelled it would see in their illusions.? ? ¡°How can this be¡­¡±? ? ¡°Master Hartz said you¡¯re collecting holy relics. So I bring this to you. He also told me the location of the golden cup of Lumosha.¡±? ? The ability of prophecy was such an amazing thing.? ? Roselyn felt goosebumps on her back.? ? Keton¡¯s Hartz. A wandering prophet. A champion of the exiled.? ? Originally, he had a humble ability, but after a lot of hard work, he got the Eye of the Sun, which allowed him to see the past, future, and present at the same time.? ? Roselyn wanted to know how much he knew.? ? And on the other hand, she had a feeling that his helping her plan meant that her plan had been executed at a certain moment in the future.? ? It was unknown if it ended in success or failure, but the appearance of the prophet Hartz gave it a lot of meaning.? ? ¡°One moment.¡±? ? Tamon, who was listening to their conversation, interrupted as if he remembered something.? ? ¡°Was it your master who sent me the message?¡±? ? Hannah¡¯s gaze landed on Tamon, and the child¡¯s golden eyes flashed brightly . She paused for a moment then nodded slowly.? ? ¡°That¡¯s right. We knew you would come to save us. If you had come with the engraving, you would have had a difficult time dealing with the monsters. Your ability should not be known to the world yet, but you shouldn¡¯t be in danger because of them. If you could engrave, you would become powerful.¡±? ? Now all the scattered clues were finally coming together.? ? Speaking of the Prophet, it was understandable that he knew Tamon¡¯s secret.? ? He could have found the items Ronasso was looking for at the auction beforehand and hidden the letter in them.? ? But why would he take all this risk?? ? If something happened to Tamon or Roselyn, it should have nothing to do with him.? ? Perhaps she was thinking the same thing as Tamon, Roselyn asked a similar question.? ? ¡°Why is he approaching us? And I don¡¯t understand his intentions in giving us this item.¡±? ? ¡°He¡¯s ¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? Hannah stopped speaking for a moment and looked at Roselyn.? ? The child¡¯s golden eyes stared into her purple ones. It was strange. The golden eyes glowed as they pierced through her.? ? It was horrifying.? ? She was so small that she was only at Roselyn¡¯s waist.? ? Not a lot of facial expressions, not a high or low voice, quiet and petite¡­? ? But the child¡¯s golden eyes were the only thing that didn¡¯t seem ordinary. Like a wise man who had realized all the truths of the world, they penetrated her with a slightly senile and gentle light.? ? ¡°He said that there must be an end to have a beginning.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­ what?¡±? ? ¡°Your anger is at an end, but your soul leads it to a beginning. You hold death in one hand and life in the other, as is your paradoxical destiny.¡±? ? As she said this, Hannah slowly kissed the back of Roselyn¡¯s hand.? ? It was on the back of a hand that Roselyn had been kissed many times when she was born as Roselyn V Sunset and became the Empress of Tanatos.? ? The child¡¯s kiss was unlike any of the other kisses.? ? There was nothing different about it, yet it was something completely different.? ? ¡°Master Hartz is being held captive in Tanatos. He said it was something unavoidable. Save him. If you don¡¯t save him before the first full moon of July rises, Master Hartz will die.¡±? ? Hannah bent her knees toward Roselyn and Tamon, begging in a quiet, stiff voice.? ? Roselyn alternated between Hannah slumped in front of her and Arsene with a tired expression.? ? She didn¡¯t ask for details, but the two children went through something they didn¡¯t have to go through because of her.? ? Arsene was very anxious to do what she asked, and this child was very sincere to give her his heart and words.? ? Even though she didn¡¯t directly contribute to this, it was complicated because she seemed to have put the children through a lot of unnecessary hardship.? ? ¡°Did you get caught on purpose to tell me this?¡±? ? Hannah looked up at Roselyn and smiled faintly.? ? ¡°It¡¯s okay, I wasn¡¯t worried at all.¡±? ? Hannah looked at Tamon, who was standing like a rock behind Roselyn.? ? ¡°I was told you would come to help.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s red eyes narrowed as he observed Hannah.? ? Hannah smiled and grabbed Arsene¡¯s hand as he stood there blankly.? ? ¡°And hope shines at the end of despair, right, Arsene?¡±? ? The scenery in the sea passed by Arsene, who was looking at Tamon along with Hannah.? ? At that moment when he thought he was going to die helplessly, the owner of the red eyes held out his hand to him in the sea stained with the black blood of monsters.? ? Hannah was right.? ? The hand of hope held out in the midst of despair.? ? Arsene would never forget that day.? ? ***? ? Tamon and Roselyn returned the children to their rooms for the moment.? ? Asrell and Satin took care of the children without asking anything, but Roselyn said she owed them and that was all she could do for them.? ? ¡°If it¡¯s the first full moon of July, it¡¯s 3 months away.¡±? ? Tamon talked to himself, rubbing his chin.? ? July.? ? It was Roselyn¡¯s favorite season in Tanatos. It was the month of the great founding festival and the social season when all the local nobility came to visit.? ? It was also a spectacular sight to see the ice mountains of Kralturian reflecting the dazzling July sunshine like a glass. It was the most dazzling and beautiful season in Tanatos.? ? ¡®Can I go back there?¡¯? ? Roselyn clenched her fists.? ? Her plans were just beginning.? ? She was going to finally plant the seeds and slowly harvest the crops.? ? Three months was sooner than she had expected. But she couldn¡¯t help but save the prophet.? ? ¡°If you wish¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? Tamon, who had been quietly watching Roselyn¡¯s contemplation, opened his mouth.? ? Roselyn, who was lost in her pondering, turned and stared at him.? ? ¡°I will save the Prophet.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°What do you mean?¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°It means I¡¯ll handle it so that you don¡¯t have to go there in person.¡± (Tamon)? ? Standing leaning on the opposite table, he slowly approached her. His numb fingers lifted her small chin and made her look at him.? ? ¡°He asked to help him, so he didn¡¯t ask you to come directly to him, did he?¡± (Tamon)? ? A strange color rose in the red eyes that stared at Roselyn.? ? The glowing red color gave off consideration for her. Rather, it gave Roselyn the feeling that he did not want her to go to Tanatos.? ? Roselyn looked at his shoulder, which had torn and was now reattached again. The teeth marks were still there, but fortunately the tears were gone.? ? Like Roselyn, whose torture marks had disappeared, the scars on her skin no longer showed any trace, but only the marks of the poisonous teeth were clear. Hannah said if they didn¡¯t engrave, ? ? his wounds would have been much deeper and worse now.? ? But if she hadn¡¯t engraved with Tamon¡­. Would he have gone to save the children?? ? ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±? ? His hand rubbed her chin and lips. It was almost burned from the hot hand rubbing them.? ? Roselyn raised her dry hand and moved it along Tamon¡¯s arm as he touched her lips.? ? Finally, her hand reached where she wanted it. It was his shoulder, which still had teeth marks on it.? ? Funny enough, she could feel Tamon¡¯s body reacting to the light touch with a jolt.? ? It was a strange pleasure to feel.? ? Perhaps because of the tight muscles, the shoulder she felt under her fingers was as hard as if it was made of stone. Roselyn didn¡¯t pull her hand from his shoulder, knowing that his eyes were growing darker.? ? It was the first time she had ever touched a human body as if it was her own.? ? She had never touched his body before, even though they engraved each other many times.? ? But now, she knew it was okay.? ? ¡°If you do this, I¡¯ll misunderstand¡­..¡±? ? Tamon snatched and held her hand curiously,? ? Unlike her hands, which were lightly passing by, Tamon¡¯s hands were hot and full of energy. The large and callused hands were very strong. And yet, it didn¡¯t feel like it hurt, which was odd.? ? She suddenly took a quick look at his body blocking her front, and her mouth dropped open in dismay. Her cheeks flushed with heat, unlike before when she was calm and collected.? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ What did I do?¡±? ? Amor¡¯s clothing, as in any hot country, was more revealing than concealing, and even where it was concealed, it was mainly made of material so thin that the skin was still transparent.? ? The most heinous part of his flesh swelled in size.? ? And yet, he was doing so right in front of her, and he was looking at her in a truly regal and brazen way.? ? ¡®How can he be so shameless?¡¯? ? ¡®You can always act vulgar like this right?¡¯ CH 71 Chapter 71. A Mean Woman? ? Now she was really impressed with Tamon like that.? ? At this point, it looked almost like a beast¡­.? ? Even though she didn¡¯t want to see it, her eyes went unnoticed in a strange, confused, and curious mind.? ? ¡°If you¡¯re going to keep peeking at me like that, you should¡¯ve touched it.¡± (Tamon)? ? In a voice that was clearly mischievous, he tried to move her hand which he was holding.? ? Roselyn was startled and tried to shake off his hand, but it didn¡¯t move.? ? The hand held by him seemed to be pulled to the place where his manhood rose lewdly.? ? ¡°Oh, no, don¡¯t.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°When was the last time you touched me without permission, and why are you pulling away now?¡± (Tamon)? ? Her heart pounded with a sense of danger.? ? Roselyn stared desperately at him with a red face.? ? ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°It¡¯s outrageous that you would dodge responsibility like that. It¡¯s not fair¡­¡­¡­..¡± (Tamon)? ? He spoke in a regretful voice, but his lips were raised scornfully.? ? What kind of responsibility and avoidance is here? It was pure coercion.? ? It was Tamon who had turned lewd just because she rubbed his shoulder once.? ? ¡®It¡¯s absurd that he put the blame on me alone.¡¯? ? ¡°You¡¯re the one who turned¡­.!¡±? ? Roselyn immediately fell silent.? ? ¡°What? What? What is it?¡± (Tamon)? ? Tamon asked back quickly, as if he¡¯d found something to tease her.? ? ¡®Oh, no.¡¯? ? If she struggled any further, she was bound to fall for Tamon¡¯s tricks. Frustrated and looking for a way out, Roselyn looked at her hand, which was being held by Tamon. She immediately bit the back of Tamon¡¯s hand.? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? She bit it with all her might, but all that did was make Tamon flinched.? ? But that was enough.? ? Roselyn quickly shook his hand off and jumped up from her seat, moving away from him.? ? Tamon stood there looking at his hand as if it was ridiculous.? ? Roselyn stepped back a couple of paces in front of him and lifted her chin.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll go to Tanatos myself.¡±? ? She was really proud of her teeth marks that remained red on the back of his hand.? ? How about that face that had taken a hit?? ? She smiled at Tamon, feeling completely satisfied.? ? Tamon, who was alternately looking at the back of his hand, where the teeth marks remained, and at Roselyn, who had moved away, suddenly turned his head.? ? He stared up at the sky for a moment, and then put a hand to his forehead. A weak breathing resonated, not knowing whether it was a sigh or not.? ? ¡®He seems to be confused.¡¯? ? Watching him, Roselyn felt a little more confident.? ? A sense of triumph.? ? Tamon turned around again after a moment, touching his mouth.? ? Fortunately, it was only after his debauched and disheveled goods were back in place.? ? ¡°Hmmm, do you really want to go?¡± (Tamon)? ? He asked as he took a slow breath.Roselyn nodded as if it was obvious and said,? ? ¡°I¡¯ll go. And I¡¯ll provide the necessary expenses.¡±? ? ¡°You¡¯re going to pay for the expenses? How?¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°I have several separate accounts. Some of them were set up by my grandfather and some by me.¡±? ? Her grandfather gave her quite a few of them away as rewards for her studies and as extra prizes for chess games within the family.? ? At the time she wondered if she would ever get around to using it, but it felt very strange to actually have to use it for this now.? ? Her grandfather¡¯s insight always surprised and delighted her.? ? ¡°That¡¯s right. You set up a borrowing account, didn¡¯t you?¡±? ? Roselyn said she would pay him because she couldn¡¯t rely on him, but Tamon tilted his head, apparently very unhappy about something.? ? ¡°Do you have to use that?¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°Why not? I¡¯m going to pay with my own money and pay you the amount I owe you.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Tamon¡¯s mouth twisted into a full-on laugh at her words.? ? He sighed quietly but said firmly.? ? ¡°I won¡¯t take it.¡± ? ? ¡°What?¡±? ? ¡°As I said back then, I just picked up what you threw away. Why should I get paid when it¡¯s my responsibility to take care of you?¡±(Tamon)? ? He quickly closed the distance she had retreated from.? ? Then he grabbed Roselyn¡¯s wrist and pulled her tightly against him as she tried to run away in surprise.? ? They were so close that their breaths overlapped, and Roselyn¡¯s lowered voice warned him.? ? ¡°As I said back then, I never said I would give it to you.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°If you want to claim ownership, you shouldn¡¯t have thrown it away in the first place.¡± (Tamon)? ? His lips hovered near her earlobe.? ? Her skin was hot when he touched it. His angry growl was fierce.? ? But compared to his temper, his hands that grabbed her wrists and his lips that came close to kiss her immediately were very calm.? ? As she turned away with a frown, Tamon whispered with a smile.? ? ¡°I told you, I won¡¯t force you.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°But next time, don¡¯t say you¡¯ll return what I gave you.¡± (Tamon)? ? He kissed her cheek softly, hiding the ferocious momentum he had revealed.? ? ¡°Never.¡± (Tamon)? ? It was a tight kiss that went from her right cheek to her left cheek, then connected the bridge to the tip of her nose.? ? Who had ever kissed her so sweetly?? ? She had to admit it.? ? Roselyn liked the warmth and peace this man¡¯s huge chest gave her so much it made her shiver.? ? Even her mother, father, grandfather, and brother, who had loved her so much, had never kissed her so tenderly.? ? This gentle touch was slowly and surely poisoning her like an aphrodisiac.? ? It was dangerous.? ? Roselyn held her breath and forced herself to suppress her elated feelings.? ? Get out. Don¡¯t get trapped. Don¡¯t be at ease.? ? She repeated the word ¡°no¡± countless times. Only then would she be able to fully brace herself.? ? Tamon¡¯s shoulder with a trail of poisonous teeth marks came in Roselyn¡¯s shaky vision.? ? This was the man who had endured the pain of his shoulder tearing off to fulfill her request.? ? Now he was still looking at her as if he could bring her anything she wanted just by saying it.? ? She really couldn¡¯t understand Tamon. ? ? ¡®Why, why, why do you crave me so much?¡¯? ? ¡®I¡¯ve never given you anything, I¡¯ve never done anything for you, so why do you ¡­¡­¡­¡¯? ? She had to stay away from him.? ? Even if she gave him her body, she didn¡¯t want him to take her heart away. ? ? Tamon¡¯s lips came down from her chin and circled around it.? ? The sound of their breaths mingled where they brushed against each other.? ? Just before the light overlapping of lips spread, and the hot tongue entered her intimate depths.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t love me.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Roselyn forced her hardened tongue to move.? ? It was a good thing that her voice was harder because of that. All movements stopped.? ? He who had been giving her warmth, and Roselyn whose lips trembled at his warmth¡­.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t forget your promise.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Tamon¡¯s red eyes shook violently. But it was only for a moment.? ? Before she knew it, he opened his eyes and moved his lips that had stopped.? ? ¡°I won¡¯t do it.¡± (Tamon)? ? At the same time, the two lips laced tenaciously.? ? Tamon bit and sucked her lips relentlessly.? ? Tormented by the relentless pursuit, he even swallowed her red tongue that tried to escape.? ? She thought she heard such a sound from his rough breathing.? ? But it was too intense a kiss to pay attention to that.? ? Her lips opened wide and a helpless stream of saliva ran down her chin.? ? Roselyn pushed him away, moaning as she sobbed, but she didn¡¯t want to miss this heat, this depravity that made her brain quiver.? ? The two bodies, which were urgently overlapped, longed for each other more strongly than ever.? ? While biting and scratching, the strength in their arms that held each other did not drop. ? ? At some point, all the clothes they were wearing came off and they hugged each other naked.? ? The sound of viscous water heated the room.? ? A breath that belonged to no one in particular became a scream-like moan.? ? ¡°Do you know that?¡±? ? Tamon mumbled, biting her shoulder.? ? ¡°Sometimes you behave in a mean way.¡±? ? The husky voice penetrated Roselyn¡¯s ears loud and clear.? ? It was the voice of a man who was as debauched as he was lustful.? ? ¡°How upsetting that is.¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s body shook wildly as he thrust in.? ? It was a shock she couldn¡¯t bear without digging her nails into his hard back.? ? ¡°¡­¡­You know that, don¡¯t you?¡±? ? He laughed savagely.? ? Roselyn gritted her teeth and hugged his shoulder .? ? She didn¡¯t have anything to say to him yet.? ? As time passed, she might have something to say.? ? But now, at least now, she just wanted to take his warmth silently.? ? As he said, she knew she was acting cleverly.? ? But didn¡¯t he say feel free to use him?? ? So would it be okay?? ? ¡®If I pretend like I don¡¯t know and be greedy¡­¡¯ CH 72 Chapter 72. Ronasso''s Adversity? ? Anna packed up her things right away that day.? ? Having received Roselyn¡¯s letter, she couldn¡¯t sit idly by.? ? The letter was short and to the point.? ? ¡°It¡¯s important that you find Henrik Alpatio.¡± That was it.? ? But in that brief sentence, Anna could read all the words Roselyn wanted to convey.? ? ¡®Rosie will come back.¡¯? ? But in order for her to come back, she needed Henrik Alpatio.? ? From the moment Roselyn became Empress, Anna had stood by her.? ? There was a reason for all of Roselyn¡¯s actions.? ? Because of her cautious nature, she never stepped forward to create something, but once she did, Roselyn always brought out the desired result.? ? ¡®¡­¡­¡­I have to help Rosie.¡¯? ? Anna gritted her teeth.? ? While Roselyn was locked up in the dungeon, Anna watched the Sunset family¡¯s tragic end.? ? The Puglish locked her (Anna) up, fearing that she might cause trouble, but Anna couldn¡¯t help but get out.? ? The corpses of the dead Duke and his wife, and Cain, who held them and cried.? ? ¡­¡­. Cain.? ? His head fell without closing his eyes properly.? ? It was only a few moments before the blade of a bright blue sword slit his throat, and she felt her eyes meet his.? ? She couldn¡¯t be sure because she couldn¡¯t watch the scene and closed her eyes tightly¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­? ? The scene of the day has been lying on her chest with a grave dug into her.? ? At any time, Cain, whose neck was cut off, seemed to come back to life and grab her.? ? ¡°Where are you going, My Lady?¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m going to my father.¡±? ? ¡°To Viscount Rotrega? Where do you think he is now¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°I know where he is most of the time. He always goes to Uncle George¡¯s at this time of year.¡±? ? ¡°Oh yes! He always goes to Uncle George¡¯s because he says the salmon caught there is delicious.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s not too far from here.¡±? ? From Noem, on the southeastern edge of the country, it would take six days by carriage to the tail of the Kralturian Mountains.? ? The shallow mountain range was easy to cross, and there was a region with a spectacular view of a large river connected to the sea, where Count George was. ? ? The Count, who had a friendship of almost fifty years with Viscount Rotrega, was also closely related to Henrik Alpatio.? ? This was because Henrik¡¯s third sister was Countess Marktopp.? ? ¡®I should go there first.¡¯? ? Anna got on the carriage without delay.? ? ****? ? Sigh.? ? Ronasso left the royal palace and sighed for a long time.? ? ¡°Why am I Ronasso Bashel!¡±? ? Like the protagonist in a tragic play, he huddled his forehead against the wall and mumbled melancholy. His head was a jumble.? ? The king summoned him and commanded with a nasty look.? ? ¡°Bring me the secret of Tamon Krasis.¡±? ? ¡°Um, what¡¯s that¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Ronasso Bashel, you must remember who it is that you have sworn allegiance to.¡±? ? Theo¡¯s smile, as she said this, looked crueler than ever.? ? If he didn¡¯t tell the secret of his best friend within 10 days, Ronasso and his Knights would be forced to leave for labor in the northeastern Gargarsia Mountains, where gaps were concentrated.? ? Of course, it was going to be quite a burden for the king to send the First Order to such an outlying and distant place.? ? And yet, the fact that Theo ordered him with threats was because she knew very well how much Ronasso cared for his Knights.? ? ¡°My God, why do you put me through this ordeal!¡±? ? Ronasso swallowed tears as he trudged through the noisy streets in preparation for the festival.? ? Friendship or loyalty, that was the question.? ? ¡®And Tamon Krasis has more than one or two secrets.¡¯? ? The first was that he had awakened a ¡®different power¡¯ that could shake the continent; the second was that he had sheltered the Empress of Tanatos, whom the king thought of as an enemy; and the third was that Tamon and the Empress of that very enemy country¡­.? ? ¡°No! No, no, no! Don¡¯t think that far.¡±? ? Ronasso hastily shook his head and shouted angrily.? ? At a glance, he acted like a handsome madman.? ? Some of the people who passed by him whispered in hushed tones, but his knightly armor prevented them from raising their voices in an imposing manner.? ? Ronasso suddenly looked around at the crowded area.? ? He wondered why there were so many people there, and then he saw the colorful lanterns decorating the sky.? ? ¡®Ah, yes. It¡¯s the flower offering festival.¡¯? ? The other day, when he brought Amelia a wedding gift, they had a conversation about the flower festival was just around the corner.? ? Amelia smiled shyly, saying she set a date to avoid the festival period so that the wedding would not be distracted.? ? She was a lovely girl.? ? Even when the Ronasso family was in turmoil, Amelia casually approached him and held out her hand.? ? ¡®She was very young to know such things.¡¯? ? Ronasso was fifteen and Amelia was nine.? ? Time passed and the affection of that time remained, and after the death of her uncle and his wife, Ronasso became Amelia¡¯s guardian and took care of her.? ? This was possible because of the change in royal power and the brilliant achievements of Tamon and Ronasso.? ? Thanks to Tamon, Ronasso washed away the stigma of the past.¡­¡­¡­? ? ¡°Tamon¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ What about him?¡±? ? Ronasso , who was staring up at the wind lamp blankly, turned his head.? ? He hurried his steps and ran to Tamon.? ? ***? ? ¡°What?¡±? ? Hearing only two words, Ronasso realized that Tamon wasn¡¯t in very good condition right now.? ? ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±? ? He wasn¡¯t even tired, but the red eyes looked much deeper as his under eye bags disappeared. The dim look in his eyes was grim. If he touched him a little, it was for sure Tamon would bite him off.? ? ¡®Did I come at the wrong time?¡¯? ? Tamon usually wore loose clothing when he was at his private residence, but today his clothes were perfectly arranged.? ? The fact that Tamon was dressed like that meant that he was ready for battle at any time.? ? ¡°On such a good day, why do you look like you¡¯re going to beat someone up?¡±? ? And he had a feeling that it would be him who would be beaten in the end.? ? However, having come this far, he couldn¡¯t just back out.? ? ¡°It¡¯s noisy when it¡¯s a festival outside, but it¡¯s quiet here.¡±? ? ¡°I have something to say.¡±? ? Ronasso said in a tense voice with bated breath.? ? ¡°Her Majesty has summoned me.¡± (Ronasso)? ? ¡°Because you are the Commander of the Royal Guards.¡± (Tamon)? ? Tamon replied indifferently, ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡±? ? Ronasso replied a little frustrated.? ? ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a big deal if she called me about the Royal affairs, but isn¡¯t it a big deal because I was called because of you?¡± ? ? ¡°It depends on the reason.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°She wants me to share your secrets!¡± (Ronasso)? ? Unable to stand it, Ronasso hit his chest and shouted loudly.? ? Then Tamon glanced up and chuckled.? ? ¡°She¡¯s desperate. She ordered a friend to tell you a friend¡¯s secret.¡±? ? ¡°She threatened to send the First Order to the Gargarsia Mountains if I didn¡¯t bring her your secrets.¡±? ? Tamon shook his head at Ronasso¡¯s words.? ? Leaning back on the sofa and staring into the void, Tamon rubbed his chin for a moment and said.? ? ¡°I¡¯m actually allergic to peaches.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°¡­.. what?¡±? ? ¡°Go there and tell her.¡± (Tamon)? ? Ronasso¡¯s expression crumpled as he wondered what Tamon meant.? ? ¡°You want me to get beaten, don¡¯t you?¡± (Ronasso)? ? ¡°Hmm¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. What else is there? Oh, that¡¯s right. Also tell her that I deliberately lost the end-of-semester evaluation in my third year at the Academy.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°And here¡¯s a real secret¡­¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? ¡°I have a mole on my little toe.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°Oh, come on!¡± (Ronasso)? ? Eventually Ronasso exploded and woke up screaming.? ? He breathed heavily and paced around the parlor for a while. Then he sat down on the sofa again.? ? ¡°You¡¯re not even worried? It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re Tamon Krasis, the secret you have now can get you killed. At least she¡¯ll have a good reason to order your exile.¡± (Ronasso)? ? ¡°Even if she doesn¡¯t, I¡¯m diverting my wealth just in case. Ah! This is also a secret. Please don¡¯t tell Her Majesty about this, Ronasso. It really is a secret.¡±? ? Tamon covered his lips with his fingers and made a shush sound.? ? It seemed that he was trying to relieve the stress of the day by toying with Ronasso.? ? Ronasso sighed deeply, trying to suppress the rising anger in his chest.? ? The eyes of the storm were quiet, and yet he felt more distressed watching it.? ? He shouldn¡¯t but he couldn¡¯t wait to see Tamon smile when he had to stand at the cliff himself.? ? ¡°Hahhh.¡±? ? Then he sighed loudly. Tamon heard it but was just looking at the void without a care in the world.? ? As if he remembered now, Tamon searched for the cigar box he had placed under the table.? ? He put it in his mouth, and lit it with a match and exhaled a puff of white smoke. ? ? The room was quickly filled with white smoke.? ? The distinctive aroma of the cigar hit Ronasso¡¯s nose.? ? It was a scent that he had never liked much to begin with, but he had gotten used to it when he was around Tamon. Tamon had found this cigar at the onset of his blood disease.? ? It served to reduce the pain and simplify his complicated mind. ? ? Ronasso sometimes wondered how painful the sickness was for a strong man like Tamon to need this cigar.? ? Then suddenly a strange feeling of discomfort made Ronasso tilt his head.? ? ¡°But you¡­ you¡¯re not in pain anymore, are you?¡± CH 73 Tamon replied with a slight nod.? ? ¡°No.¡±? ? ¡°Then why are you smoking?¡±? ? ¡°Well, I just¡­¡±? ? ¡°You just smoke cigars? A strong one?¡±? ? ¡°Well, when I hold it in my mouth, it makes my mind simple.¡±? ? Tamon smiled at the white smoke as it fluttered and disappeared.? ? He hoped that the words he heard last night would disappear from his mind like that.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t love me.¡±? ? Why not? Why can¡¯t I ? Why? Why? Why in the world?? ? He was in a bad mood.? ? How could she hold him with such a face when she was saying such things?? ? Last night, she was different from usual. She was much more aggressive and exciting.? ? He felt as if he could clear his desires alone for the next hundred days with only the memories hidden inside him.? ? Tsk, tsk.? ? He rubbed his cigar roughly and put it out.? ? In the end, this didn¡¯t do much to drown out the complexity in his head either.? ? He turned to his target again.? ? ¡°The secret reminded me of something¡­¡­.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°What is it?¡± (Ronasso)? ? Ronasso¡¯s expressions were clear and Tamon could see his expression change.? ? The good news was that he (Ronasso) was very expressive, but he had the unfortunate disadvantage of not being able to hide his expressions most of the time.? ? ¡°You and Her Majesty did it at the Academy, didn¡¯t you?¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? ¡°So that time, in the prayer room. ¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°Hey¡­.. How do you know about that?¡± (Ronasso)? ? ¡°The altar on the second floor of the prayer room was good for hiding and taking a nap. No one goes in there.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°Ha-ha-ha-ha.¡±? ? Ronaso¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as he shuddered remembering the scene.? ? His soft brown hair trembled helplessly.? ? Tamon laughed nastily and put his finger in front of his lips again, just like before.? ? ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡±? ? Shhhh.? ? Ronasso¡¯s mouth stiffened as if the shock didn¡¯t go away.? ? He looked afraid of how far Tamon knew.? ? ¡°You, you don¡¯t have to go that far, I¡¯ll ¡­¡­I don¡¯t go around revealing your secrets!¡±? ? Ronasso squeezed both fists in frustration.? ? It was a position that looked very cute to some people, but when Ronasso did it, it suddenly looked like he was trying to intimidate Tamon.? ? But that didn¡¯t mean that Tamon Krasis was a great man to be threatened.? ? ¡°Bad guy. If you knew, you should have said so or pretended that you didn¡¯t know! Come on, you brute!¡±? ? In his rage, Ronasso sat down on the floor and swept his hair roughly.? ? ¡°I pledge allegiance to Her Majesty and will protect her until the day of this life, but at least¡­. My faith belongs to you.¡± ? ? His voice was grumpy.? ? He was too serious.? ? Tamon stared at Ronasso, smirked, and Ronasso¡¯s ruffled hair, which was even worse.? ? ¡°I know, I know.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°It must be hard, trying to find out the secret, or keeping the secret.¡± ? ? ¡°Thank you for understanding it now¡­¡±? ? Embarrassed and piqued, Ronasso quickly rose from his seat.? ? He was an incredibly good man with resilience.? ? ¡°Nevertheless, you should tell Her Majesty about it sometime. It¡¯s too big a secret to keep, so it will come out someday.¡±? ? ¡°Well, I suppose you¡¯re right. I¡¯ll discuss it first.¡±? ? Discuss?? ? Ronasso tilted his head.? ? He had never seen that arrogant, haughty fellow Tamon engage in the human communication of ¡®discuss¡¯ with anyone.? ? A king? A friend? A loyal chamberlain? Who in the world would he discuss with?? ? ¡°With whom?¡±? ? ¡®It¡¯s not me. Then with whom?¡¯? ? For some reason, Ronasso felt unfair.? ? It was not him, the dirty, sad, frustrated friend who had been so patient with him, who was he going to talk to?? ? ¡°Who? My beautiful and noble slave is the one I should discuss this with. It¡¯s about her anyway.¡± (Tamon)? ? Ronasso¡¯s mouth gaped open.? ? This lunatic.? ? He¡¯s been thinking about it for a while now, but it was obvious that Tamon was spinning his wheels right now.? ? He didn¡¯t even know what kind of dangerous woman he was holding, and he¡¯s got such an upside down look in his eyes.? ? To top it all off, Tamon was different than usual when he mentioned her.? ? The expression on his face was ¡­¡­¡­.? ? ¡°When did this happen?¡± (Ronasso)? ? ¡°What?¡± (Tamon)? ? Since when did you fall in love with that woman!¡± (Ronasso)? ? ¡°I hope it¡¯s not true.¡± (Ronasso)? ? ¡°You¡¯ve lost your mind.¡± (Ronasso)? ? ¡°What does it matter? If she hadn¡¯t been abandoned, if she was happy there, the fact that I had stolen her would never have happened.¡± (Tamon)? ? It was a desire that Tamon had buried so deep that he could not even realize it himself.? ? It was all Gillotti Tanatos that made him dig it up and let it out.? ? ¡®Thank goodness for that.¡¯? ? Tamon thought with a cold smile.? ? He was grateful that Gillotti let her go foolishly, so that he (Tamon) could hold her hand proudly. The problem was that the interest (Roselyn) kept trying to let go of his (Tamon¡¯s) hand.? ? ¡°Oh, by the way, earlier.¡±? ? Tamon suddenly looked out the window.? ? Then he remembered.? ? ¡°You told me we¡¯re in the middle of a festival, didn¡¯t you?¡±? ? ¡­¡­¡­¡­ Had she ever been outside the mansion?? ? ***? ? ¡°Wow! Why does this dress look so good on you?¡±? ? ¡°Wow, how come you don¡¯t have a single blemish on your skin? How come your eyelashes are so long?¡±? ? ¡°Let¡¯s also try on this hat! The jewels all seem to look good on you no matter what you wear.¡±? ? ¡°But still, this blue dress looks the best on you.¡±? ? Roselyn was distracted by the twins¡¯ fuss.? ? Suddenly, the twins have brought all kinds of dressing goods, so Roselyn had to try them out.? ? It wasn¡¯t Tanatos¡¯ outfit, nor Amor¡¯s, but a dress from the far west.? ? The thin, fluffy fabric resembled Amor¡¯s clothes at first glance, but it was a completely different design.? ? First, Amor dresses connected using strings.? ? But there was a lot more sewing involved in this outfit than what she could see.? ? It had a deep neckline and short sleeves. The strings were tightened below the chest, and the skirt was slid at the legs. ? ? (*I think it¡¯s the dress she wore on the cover picture)? ? If she wore a small, cute hat and a netting to lightly cover her head and forehead, the outfit would be completed.? ? It would be fashionable if she wore lace gloves, but the outfit was so hastily prepared that they didn¡¯t even get the gloves.? ? Instead, the twins gave her a silk bracelet, and jewelry.? ? They looked very nice for having prepared so quickly.? ? At that point, Roselyn couldn¡¯t help but wonder.? ? Unless the twins suddenly took her to play with costumes, this was obviously outdoor clothes.? ? ¡°Where do you want me to go?¡±? ? ¡°Ah! Haven¡¯t you heard anything yet? There¡¯s a festival going on in the capital right now! It lasts about five days, and today is the first day.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful! Especially on the last night, when the lanterns are filled with flowers and flown into the sky, it¡¯s really spectacular.¡±? ? The flower offering festival was something she remembered hearing about.? ? It was a festival to send light and flowers to the six gods that support the continent and pray for their health in the coming year.? ? Flowers would be placed on wind lanterns and flown over the sea.? ? They prayed that the gods of the sea and wind will bring these wind lanterns to the world of the gods, which was invisible to the human eyes.? ? Not everyone could fly a wind lantern.? ? Only about 100 pre-selected nobles and lucky commoners were able to fly the lanterns directly into the sky. The rest had to place their wishes on the flying lanterns, but even that was considered a spiritual experience. ? ? ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s a festival day that comes only once a year.¡±? ? A festival ¡­..? ? Roselyn was curious what festivals in other countries looked like.? ? We¡¯re they majestic and pious like in Tanatos? Or would it be as vibrant and crowded as she had read about?? ? Because of the nature of Amor, she thought it would be closer to the latter.? ? ¡°Are you reluctant to go outside?¡±? ? Tasha asked cautiously, as if she had read Roselyn¡¯s thoughtful expression differently.? ? Roselyn looked up and shook her head with a smile.? ? ¡°No, I¡¯m a little curious. What does it look like out there?¡±? ? Since she came back to life anyway, she wanted to see as much as she could of what she couldn¡¯t see back then.? ? Then when she dies again, she won¡¯t regret it.? ? ¡°If you¡¯re ready, can we go?¡±? ? ¡°Yes!¡±? ? Roselyn gladly took the hand that the twins offered her and left the room.? ? ****? ? It was still afternoon, the sun has not set.? ? Tamon sent Ronasso out and quickly prepared to go out.? ? Tamon was quite famous in the kingdom, so some disguise was necessary.? ? He matched the costume he had given to Roselyn and imitated an exotic nobleman visiting from another country.? ? After all, there were crowds of people at the festival, and some of them were dressed in strange outfits to attract attention, so it would be easier to blend in.? ? After finishing his preparations, he went to the rear gate instead of the main gate.? ? There were many men spying at the main gate, so he was going to take the carriage and leave from the back gate.? ? The most troublesome thing was the eyes of the king.? ? Now, he had obediently maintained a degree of ¡°watch¡±, but if they sensed anything strange, there was no telling how it would suddenly change.? ? He still didn¡¯t know how Roselyn¡¯s plan would play out, so he couldn¡¯t carelessly alarm the king.? ? From what Asrell had told him, it was more likely that Roselyn was trying to secure her own allies through activities such as looking for accounts and sending out letters.? ? ¡®I wish she asked me for help, but of course she wouldn¡¯t want to do that.¡¯ ? ? It was only a mere request to save the Iron Child in exchange for a contract. (* he lost his arm but he thought it was a mere request lol)? ? ¡®What will she use the other four requests for?¡¯? ? (* the contract they signed was if Roselyn agreed to be his partner to do the engraving, Roselyn could have 5 requests)? ? Tamon was very curious to know what she would demand of him.? ? It would be nice if it was a demand that was extremely private and intimate request. ? ? ¡®I don¡¯t think so.¡¯? ? I laughed out loud at the silly thought.? ? Before he could board the carriage that was waiting at the back gate, an unexpected person called out to him.? ? ¡°¡­..Brother.¡±? ? As if he had been waiting for Tamon to come out, Cassion stood there. CH 74 Tamon stared at him, his face scrunched up.? ? While he was gone, he heard that Cassion had broken into Asha¡¯s room.? ? Dark hair, pale skin, at first glance he looked just like him¡­.? ? Although Cassion was smaller, anyone could tell that Tamon and Cassion were brothers.? ? But how could a brother who claimed to share blood with each other deceive him with such an innocent face?? ? Was it an ulterior motive to claim that the woman Tamon had risked his life to bring here was also in the mansion, and that she might have been his?? ? Tamon felt a surge of anger, but he held back once. ? ? He was a weak and clumsy Cassion.? ? He was the legitimate son of Krasis who was loved by everyone.? ? Fortunately, Roselyn handled him properly, so Tamon let it go.? ? It was not enough to tremble with anger because he knew that Cassion did not break in with a wild mind to do something about Roselyn.? ? Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t want to see more of Cassion.? ? Tamon looked at his half-brother, who stood in front of him with deliberately calm eyes.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t you understand why you¡¯re not leaving, Cassion?¡±? ? Cassion¡¯s face flushed red from the obvious order for him to leave.? ? ¡°¡­.. This is my mansion as well!¡±? ? ¡°But you are not the master. And you have been rude to your host.¡± ? ? ¡°Brother!¡±? ? Cassion exclaimed with an expression of being unfair.? ? ¡°Krasis was mine to begin with, and shouldn¡¯t what brother enjoys have been mine to begin with as well? But how can you say that to me?¡±? ? Cassion shouted in frustration.? ? Like a child, his eyes shook with tears.? ? ¡®I¡¯m sick of this.¡¯? ? ¡°This is originally mine!¡±? ? With that word, Cassion pressed Tamon every time.? ? But that didn¡¯t mean that Cassion wanted Krasis back.? ? It was just that this family was originally his, so he pushed through his infantile idea of giving him a better treatment for his concessions. ? ? Tamon pointed to the luxury shoes that Cassion was wearing.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll ask, Cassion. Who is the original owner of the shoes you are wearing?¡±? ? ¡°They are originally mine¡­¡­..¡±? ? ¡°No, according to your logic, the original owner of that shoe belongs to the shoemaker who made it. The same goes for the clothes you¡¯re wearing right now.¡±? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? ¡°I ask again. ¡°Do you think this Krasis originally belonged to your parents?¡±? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Father said that his uncle died and he had no choice but to inherit the family line. Did this family originally belong to the uncle?¡±? ? ¡°Oh, that¡¯s too much!¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re right, it is impossible. You¡¯re forcing me to do it now.¡±? ? Tamon stared at Cassion with cold eyes. His face, without a smile, was like a cold stone statue.? ? ¡°Cassion. I am not generous to those who originally wanted what was mine. But since you are my only blood brother, I have shown you mercy once.¡±? ? His voice was as gentle and calm as it had always been.? ? ¡°If you were not my father¡¯s son, perhaps I would have pulled out your eyes, cut your tongue, cut off your ankles and left you somewhere by the sea.¡±? ? But the words he spat out became a sharp sword, gouging at Cassion¡¯s chest.? ? ¡°¡­It won¡¯t happen again, Cassion. Your mother and father have asked me to take care of you, and I will do so until today.¡±? ? Tamon walked past Cassion and got into the carriage.? ? Asrell, who had been watching them in the distance, tugged on Cassion¡¯s wrist, who was shivering with a pale, weary face.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll give you some warm cocoa. Come this way, young master.¡± ? ? ¡°Asrell¡­¡±? ? Cassion¡¯s lips were tightly pressed together and his bright red eyes shook as he didn¡¯t know what to do.? ? Asrell tugged on Cassion¡¯s hand again without saying a word.? ? As a lowly servant, how could she be involved in the quarrel of the owners?? ? However, it was Cassion¡¯s desire for anything that belonged to his brother.? ? Tamon¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t abandon him even though he ignored him.? ? Asrell, who has been watching over them since they were born, was sad because she knew what they were thinking.? ? ¡°We¡¯re brothers, but why don¡¯t I have anything? I want to be just like my brother.¡± (Cassion)? ? ¡°There¡¯s nothing really mine in this mansion, Asrell. So someday¡­.I¡¯d like to have at least one that¡¯s completely mine.¡±? ? Each of the brothers¡¯ voices grazed Asrell¡¯s ears.? ? Their hearts were similar to each other in a way, hating but not hating, craving but not craving.? ? ¡°Let¡¯s go, Master Cassion. Come on.¡±? ? Cassion stared in the direction of Tamon¡¯s disappearance in the carriage for a long time and trudged his feet as Asrell led him with his big shoulders drooping.? ? ****? ? Roselyn rode out in the carriage with the twins.? ? Then, on the way, they changed once more to another carriage before entering the inner castle square where the festival was being held.? ? ¡°Wow!¡±? ? It was a spectacular sight to behold.? ? People of all nationalities and races had gathered there. The large square was full of energy and vitality.? ? The streets were cleared for the festival, and all the merchants who had been waiting for this one day of the year jumped out to show off their wares.? ? It was hard to find someone who wasn¡¯t smiling, and the scene was very busy.? ? ¡°On the first day, there was a torch ceremony hosted by the temple, followed by two days of square parties. Then on the fourth day, they show a play or opera, but I don¡¯t know what they will do this year yet. The wind lanterns will be on last night.¡±? ? The twins gave her a detailed schedule of the festival.? ? It was a great schedule, but Roselyn was not sure she could enjoy the festival for all five days.? ? She glanced at the sky.? ? It was not yet dark, but in a few moments the sunset would turn red.? ? What would the scene be like then?? ? It shouldn¡¯t, but it was somewhat relaxing to see the peaceful festive scene.? ? She had to move as soon as possible to go help the Prophet¡­. ? ? But it was okay to enjoy this unfamiliar festival for at least one day.? ? Roselyn smiled softly as she felt the refreshing Amor breeze coming in through the carriage window, and then the carriage stopped.? ? Knock knock. The door opened with the sound of knocking.? ? As if he had been waiting for her, Tamon smiled as soon as he saw Roselyn.? ? Tamon¡¯s red eyes, known as the ¡°devil¡¯s eyes,¡± blazed gently at her, just like the setting sun at dusk.? ? ¡°Just in time.¡±? ? Roselyn stared at Tamon as he held the carriage door open and offered his hand to her.? ? He stood there, too, dressed in a strange outfit as she did.? ? His hand stuck out like a petal dancing in the wind.? ? She didn¡¯t know why, but the air at this moment was strangely itchy as she tried to hold his hand.? ? ¡°Lady Asha?¡±? ? Tasha called her softly, as if wondering why she wasn¡¯t getting off the carriage.? ? Roselyn stopped hesitating and placed her hand on Tamon¡¯s, which was still waiting for her in the air.? ? The warmth of his overlapping hands didn¡¯t feel as strange as it did before.? ? ****? ? Boom!? ? When the drums sounded, a dance troupe of a dozen or so people came flying out.? ? It didn¡¯t matter if they were male or female, they wore similar clothes, but strangely enough, the clothes couldn¡¯t compartmentalize gender. Amor¡¯s costume, which was very revealing due to the heat. The thin fabric was transparent, but they even showed their arms and legs.? ? Boom!? ? The drums sounded again, and this time the sound of flutes spread.? ? Then, one tempo slower, the melody of the harp gently enveloped the air.? ? Thump-thump-thump¡­? ? Before she knew it, the number of dancers had grown to more than twenty, and they danced in groups to the music. The exotic costumes spread like flower petals as the dancers moved, and then repeated again and again.? ? Each time the dancers did this, the people who were watching them shouted in admiration.? ? The dance is called ¡®flower radish¡¯, and every year there is a different flower of the year in Amor, and they often make the costumes to match the different flowers each year. ? ? Tamon explained in a low voice.? ? The low-pitched voice ringing in her ears was itchy, so she shrank her shoulders without realizing it.? ? As if he had noticed the small movement, Tamon laughed.? ? She glanced at him and saw that Tamon was looking right at her with an expressionless face, as if to say, ¡°When did I ever do that?¡±? ? ¡®I hate him.¡¯? ? Roselyn shook her head and couldn¡¯t help but look at him again.? ? He was unfamiliar to her in his exotic formal attire.? ? And it was strange to see herself dressed as unfamiliar as Tamon.? ? Standing side by side like this, it was as if neither of them were Amor¡¯s Tamon, nor Roselyn of Tanatos.? ? They looked like a couple of tourists who had come from afar looking for an unfamiliar and exciting place to travel, unaware of what was going on and just enjoying the moment.? ? Clothing had such a strange power.? ? Wearing it like that made her feel like she really was one of those people.? ? The unfamiliar air, the mood and the scenery brought her a step closer to the ground.? ? It was strange to feel completely different without doing anything.? ? Roselyn inhaled deeply until her chest full. She wanted to keep the air of this moment deep in her soul. ? ? At that moment, a large, strong force intertwined her fingers that hung without effort.? ? ¡°¡­Because I can¡¯t lose my precious engraver.¡±? ? Tamon murmured in an indifferent voice, keeping his gaze fixed on the front. CH 75 ¡®Precious engraver¡­¡­.?¡¯? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t help but laugh.? ? She liked the same nickname for something that felt like nothing and also important.? ? The thin skin where his fingers and hers touched focused all her senses.? ? The sensation was more covert and hotter than when their flesh went against each other.? ? Boom!? ? A drumming sound similar to Roselyn¡¯s heartbeat resonated magnificently throughout the square.? ? At the same time, the narrowly gathered dancers began to roll around and spread outward.? ? One of the dancers who rushed to the front, right in front of Roselyn and Tamon, smiled as she looked at Roselyn.? ? As if in some kind of performance, the dozens or so dancers spun around her who was standing at the very front.? ? She was surprised and confused, and the dancers started laughing.? ? When Tamon stepped back, the dancers began to move more aggressively. At that moment, the dancer¡¯s voice grazed her ear.? ? ¡°Smile, Rosie.¡±? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? The voice was as clear as the wind, and seemed to melt away like a shimmer.? ? ¡®Did I mishear her?¡¯? ? As the startled Roselyn stiffened, the dancer grabbed her hand and kissed it.? ? The whispered voice once again grazed Roselyn like a haze.? ? ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Blessings will be with you, but don¡¯t let go of your weapon in your hands.¡±? ? Strange flames flared in the golden eyes that stared straight at Roselyn.? ? But before she had time to look even deeper into the eyes, the dancer turned her body and ran towards the center of the stage.? ? They were as light as they were when they came to her, but faster, like the wind.? ? Roselyn closed and opened her eyes, but the dancer who was circling around her disappeared.? ? Who in the world was it?? ? Her heart fluttered with a chill feeling.? ? ¡°Smile, Rosie.¡±? ? ¡®¡­¡­ How did that dancer know my name?¡¯? ? ****? ? The atmosphere in the square at the festival was loud and lively, but there were some things that were not.? ? These included the upper floors of stores unrelated to the festival, gaps in old alleys, and the rooftops of abandoned buildings.? ? Three or four dimly dressed men were gathered in a narrow alleyway overlooking the central square.? ? One of the group was wedged in between them like a spectator at a festival, and two were up on a high rooftop looking around.? ? They were all excellent and capable, but they couldn¡¯t easily get close to their targets.? ? This was because next to their targets, there were more talented people than them all put together.? ? ¡°It¡¯s a headache.¡±? ? Nebua Ramchester, who was leading them, touched at his throbbing forehead.? ? He was too careful and his goal was about to crack.? ? He was pouring all his energy into the area, so much so that he was tingling just from the wind brushing his skin.? ? ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we do it now?¡±? ? ¡°No, we must not act carelessly. You never know where the shadows might appear.¡±? ? ¡°But if we don¡¯t do it now, we may lose our chance.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ I can see that. But you have to wait. We may be attacked first before we even get close to our target.¡±? ? The shadow knight who was escorting Tamon was famous for his skills.? ? There was no sound, no words, no trace of anything left behind.? ? His face, his age, his name, his voice¡­¡­¡­? ? Since nothing was known about him, it was also difficult to analogize it.? ? There was a story about how Tamon had saved the life of a warrior from the far east and made him his servant, but no one could be sure of that either.? ? ¡°Just wait for now. The festival hasn¡¯t even started yet¡­¡­¡±? ? The knight was in a hurry, and in a hurry he was bound to screw things up.? ? It was a truth of life that Nebua had learned through a few mistakes and a few sacrifices.? ? *Nebua hid deeper into the darkness and stared at the targets wandering around the square.? ? (*I think they¡¯re the king¡¯s guards who are trying to kidnap Roselyn.)? ? The woman¡¯s gait was unsteady as she walked, but she was so beautiful that it didn¡¯t seem real.? ? Nebua felt a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, a woman who looked so good in any foreign aristocratic costume.? ? ¡®¡­Wasn¡¯t she a slave from Nyrux?¡¯? ? The woman¡¯s behavior was extremely aristocratic, even though she was wearing unfamiliar clothes.? ? She looked at her surroundings curiously, but not at all lightly or noisily, and even though she was walking with a limp, her posture was dignified.? ? It was not a conscious gesture.? ? It was an elegant gesture that seemed to have ingrained into the marrow of her bones.? ? ¡®She must be a noble from some countries, was she sold?¡¯? ? Then that elegant atmosphere and noble appearance would make sense.? ? And yet, there was still an uncomfortable feeling somewhere that he couldn¡¯t fathom, but now was not the time to be thinking about that. The two men who had been watching the targets made their move.? ? ****? ? Roselyn gave the twins some free time.? ? Since Roselyn has never been outside, the twins didn¡¯t get to enjoy outside time either.? ? They ran simple errands and short outings, but the majority of their time was only at the mansion because they were taking care of Roselyn.? ? The hesitant twins ran excitedly without looking back as soon as Tamon beckoned them to go quickly. ? ? ¡°Send someone to the biggest printing shop if you need us! We¡¯ll be right back!¡±? ? At the same time, how skillful it was to announce their destination.? ? Roselyn smiled and sent the girls on their way, and soon watched the dance.? ? The streets had darkened before she knew it, and colorful lights decorated the sky.? ? Delicious smells wafted from the food stands scattered busily on the streets.? ? Roselyn had little appetite, but she couldn¡¯t resist the smell of grilled meat that stimulated her stomach.? ? ¡°Would you like some?¡± (Tamon)? ? When did he notice her? Tamon sneakily grabbed her hand and led her.? ? ¡°Come! It¡¯s grilled skewers that are so delicious that you wouldn¡¯t know someone standing next to you died while eating it. Do you want octopus or rock show*?¡± (Tamon)? ? (*it¡¯s a name of the food but I don¡¯t know what it say exactly)? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­ Rock show?¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°It¡¯s meat from a pig¡¯s thigh marinated in sauce and grilled. It¡¯s very tasty when it¡¯s grilled with fruits like that.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°What does it taste like?¡± (Roselyn)? ? Roselyn involuntarily swallowed dry saliva.? ? She heard Tamon laughing, but pretended not to know.? ? Just as Tamon was about to put his hand in his pocket, Roselyn blocked him.? ? ¡°I¡¯m going to buy it and eat it.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°Do you have money?¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°Yes, I do. A lot.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Tucking out her chin proudly, Roselyn took out some money she asked Asrell got from her bank a while back.? ? She was proud of herself, thinking that she was glad to bring the money just in case, and asked the merchant carefully.? ? ¡°How much is it?¡± ? ? ¡°It¡¯s 20 shillings per piece and 40 shillings per two.¡±? ? ¡®Two?¡¯? ? At her puzzled expression, the merchant pointed to her side.? ? ¡°They look delicious. I¡¯ll take it.¡± (Tamon)? ? Before she knew it, Tamon was holding another skewer just like hers and smiled brightly.? ? ¡°¡­..¡±? ? She was slightly perplexed, but it wasn¡¯t something she couldn¡¯t afford, so she gladly paid for it.? ? No, on second thought, considering what he had given her so far, she was willing to buy it for him.? ? ¡°Uncle, can I have another one with octopus?¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°Octopus? Yes!¡±? ? The skewer master, with his mustache growing in a cool way, hurriedly applied the sauce and handed her a skewer with a grilled octopus.? ? Roselyn stuck out an octopus skewer without looking at him.? ? Tamon stared at her in surprise.? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­ mine?¡±? ? ¡°One is not enough for you.¡±? ? ¡°So I guess that means it¡¯s mine, right?¡±? ? As if asking why do you keep asking, Roselyn stared Tamon.? ? She feigned an expressionless face, but her ears were slightly red.? ? Tamon burst into laughter for some reason, and took a big bite of the octopus in Roselyn¡¯s hand.? ? Roselyn watched in amazement as a third of that large skewer disappeared at once.? ? ¡°That¡¯s the best octopus skewer I¡¯ve ever had.¡±? ? Tamon spoke in an excited voice.? ? ¡°It¡¯s really good.¡±? ? Roselyn was also strangely excited by the voice.? ? She raised her chin and nodded slightly as if it was obvious.? ? Tamon watched her for a moment, then took the octopus skewer from her, grabbed her empty hand, and kissed the back of her hand.? ? ¡°I want to kiss your lips, but I¡¯m not sure you¡¯d like that since I just ate the food.¡±? ? ¡°Still shamelessly vulgar in such a crowded place.¡±? ? Seeming to have grown somewhat accustomed to his promiscuity, Roselyn berated him, looking no more surprised than before.? ? What was so amusing about that again, Tamon burst out laughing incessantly.? ? He was, after all, a man with a smile.? ? Shaking her head lightly, Roselyn took a bite out of her skewer.? ? Like he said, it was really delicious. CH 76 ¡°If you¡¯re tired, we can go home.¡±? ? Roselyn had barely seen half of the festival, and the sky was somehow covered in complete darkness.? ? There was so much to see that she had to stop after three steps, walk four steps, and stop again.? ? It had been a long time since she had walked and stood for such a long time.? ? But her legs felt much better than she thought they would.? ? Originally, her feet would throb after an hour of walking and she had to take painkillers.? ? ¡°I¡¯m still fine.¡±? ? She said indifferently as if she wasn¡¯t disappointed, but Tamon, who observed her expression, clearly saw the lingering regret.? ? ¡°Really?¡±? ? The late time didn¡¯t reduce the number of people. Rather, there were far more than before. The laughter of the people sitting in the street cafes having tea time and the children running and playing all over the city was vivacious.? ? ¡°You can come out again tomorrow. You don¡¯t have to be so disappointed.¡±? ? ¡°Tomorrow? I can come out again tomorrow?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, you can. With Arsene.¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s eyes brightened at the mention of Arsene¡¯s name.? ? She was concerned about the children, and she was surprised that Tamon had brought up the children¡¯s subject first.? ? ¡°You¡¯re right, we can come again tomorrow.¡±? ? Tamon laughed at her immediate change in attitude.? ? His hand, which was behind her back, fell slowly, as if it was regrettable.? ? ¡°It¡¯s true that you have some regrets.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°Don¡¯t nitpick at me like that.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Roselyn glared at him as she hid her flushed cheeks.? ? ¡°Why don¡¯t you think that I¡¯m listening to everything you say?¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡®You¡¯re really good at talking anyway.¡¯? ? Roselyn chuckled.? ? They had to walk a little further to get to where the carriage parked.? ? She tried to appease today¡¯s disappointment with those ten minutes.? ? They walked about halfway there.? ? The center of the square was shining brightly, signaling the start of the Flower Festival.? ? Dozens of lights and torches surrounded the square, and there were more than seven platforms and targets hanging in the center.? ? What caught her attention more than anything else was the sight of beautifully dressed men and women holding up ornate jewelry boxes with their hands.? ? ¡°Hello, everyone!¡±? ? A man dressed as handsome as he was ran up to the top of the platform with a loudspeaker in his hand.? ? He seemed to be a man who was accustomed to exaggerating every action.? ? The crowd was immediately drawn to the man on the stage.? ? ¡°An event that involved arrows made out of the laxicon given to you by Her Royal Highness the King, and covering them with silver and gold treasures made by the royal weaponsmith, Master Turtz!¡±? ? Loud voices echoed through the square.? ? ¡°The royal family will be hosting an archery match!¡±? ? Exclamations resonated everywhere.? ? Matches that were held for the sake of watching always arouse people¡¯s excitement.? ? The people who had been buzzing about gathered around the square.? ? ¡°¡­.. It¡¯s an archery match.¡±? ? Tamon mumbled and looked at Roselyn.? ? To the word archery, Roselyn also raised her head as if involuntarily reacting.? ? Tamon murmured with a playful smile at the sight of her.? ? ¡°Come to think of it, did the Empress of Tanatos say she was good with a bow?¡±? ? Roselyn stared at the gathered crowd, pretending not to hear Tamon¡¯s words.? ? It seemed that the women¡¯s and men¡¯s sections were being recruited separately and on the spot.? ? ¡®The prize is very high-end for an impromptu event¡­¡¯? ? Laxicon was an ore that could threaten the monsters, like silver deer antlers.? ? Although it was in much greater supply than silver deer or demeter, the demand for it was so high that it was traded at a high price.? ? Also, the technology to handle it itself was extremely valuable.? ? Compared to other minerals, it was less hard and more difficult to smelt.? ? It was almost impossible to make the mineral itself hard, so it was made into a powder through several processes, and then coated or mixed into the surface of weapons.? ? A ¡°bow¡± was just what was needed.? ? Roselyn thought hard.? ? As he said, archery was Roselyn¡¯s speciality. ? ? She had practiced swordsmanship steadily to some extent, but she couldn¡¯t do that after her leg got injured.? ? She couldn¡¯t even think about it, because even the doctors insisted that she should never use her leg for sword fighting or any difficult physical activities. ? ? So she didn¡¯t look at the bow anymore. As her position became higher, it was essential for her to learn at least one or two martial arts to defend herself. ? ? She had hardly practiced lately, so she was a little worried about her stiff fingers¡­ ? ? She looked back at Tamon, who was still staring at her. ? ? ¡°My specialty¡­Do you want me to show you?¡±? ? His eyes opened wide as if he was surprised.? ? Seeing Tamon¡¯s surprised face strangely always put her in a good mood.? ? With a little smile, Roselyn walked towards the host.? ? ****? ? The archery match was divided into men and women.? ? Basically, the matches were played by those who could handle a bow, and the tournament format made for fast progress.? ? Bows could only be shot three times, and the one who scored higher in three times advanced to the next game.? ? Then, when it came to the semifinals, it turned into hitting something that was not a normal target.? ? Roselyn, who hadn¡¯t touched a bow in a while and was worried about it, fortunately made it to the semifinals without any difficulty.? ? There were four people left in the men¡¯s and women¡¯s divisions, respectively.? ? Originally, the men¡¯s division had to play the semifinals before the women¡¯s division, but suddenly the two candidates who made it to the semifinals withdrew themselves.? ? ¡°That man is Count Bach Kania, full of money, desire to win, and desire to show off.¡±? ? Tamon said secretly, and she could guess it without difficulty.? ? Roselyn looked at the women who had come up to the stage. The three women¡¯s eyes glittered as they competed with each other. Two of the women looked like noblewomen at a glance, while the other was a foreigner.? ? ¡®I can¡¯t believe nobles are hanging out with commoners¡­¡­¡¯? ? It was a fascinating sight even when she saw it with her own eyes.? ? It was a figure that could be seen because Amor was not strong in aristocracy.? ? This was especially true at this time of year, when the port was close by and tourists from all walks of life were visiting.? ? Even the high aristocrats, who placed importance on their physical appearance, went out in great numbers to enjoy the festivities outside, hiding their faces or dressing up shabbily.? ? The people on the stage now were probably such people.? ? Since archery was basically a high-class sport that aristocrats could learn, the fact that they were so skilled meant that they were bourgeois or aristocrats of the wealthy class.? ? Perhaps that was the reason why they were going to give a high class prize.? ? ¡°Wow! So many different people made it to the semifinals! They¡¯re all better than I expected, so Baron Gustav is surprised!¡±? ? The host made a humorous and surprised look, livening up the atmosphere leisurely.? ? It must have been a position bought with money rather than a real baron.? ? Or had he temporarily allowed himself the status of a nobleman for today?? ? ¡°Then! For the sake of these wonderfully talented people, let¡¯s target something interesting in the semifinals!? ? The host laughed coyly and placed three fruits on the spot where the target was placed.? ? There was an apple, a strawberry, and a grape.? ? ¡°This is too much! Who would guess such a thing?¡±? ? ¡°Hahahaha! But you can guess the apple, can¡¯t you? Look at how plump it is.¡±? ? The presenter threw an extra prepared apple at the person and replied mischievously.? ? ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll give the apple 10 points, the strawberry 20 points, and finally this lovely grape 30 points.¡±? ? Actually, it wasn¡¯t such an unreasonable goal, if only to apologize.? ? First of all, the distance to the target was not very far, and apples were often used in archery matches.? ? Knowing this, the first candidate also drew his bow in a suitably angry manner.? ? The posture of holding the bow was very good. Roselyn could tell that he had taken long lessons from a good master. ? ? He shot the target with a confident look, unlike the person who was huffing and angry.? ? swoosh!? ? With a light sound, the first arrow pierced the center of the apple.? ? ¡°Wow!¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡±? ? There were shouts of admiration all around.? ? The woman aimed the next arrow at the strawberry, but missed it, and the last arrow was safely aimed at the apple.? ? She clenched her fists in disappointment, but smiled at the solid voice somewhere cheering her on.? ? ¡°Ronald!¡±? ? She was amused as she threw a kiss at the man who appeared to be her boyfriend.? ? The next candidate began with the apple as the first woman.? ? However, perhaps she couldn¡¯t control the quiver, and the second arrow went completely off.? ? After standing there for a while with a dismayed look on her face, the woman lowered her bow without even shooting the third arrow.? ? ¡°I give up,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m going to lose anyway, and I don¡¯t want to sell my face on the stage.¡±? ? She smiled brightly and turned around without any regrets.? ? ¡°Ronald! Maybe I¡¯ll come in first place!¡±? ? The first candidate whispered, wrapping her arms around her lover¡¯s neck.? ? Seeing that she was making a lot of noise to be heard, it was definitely a shallow ploy to try to sway the next candidate.? ? However, unlike the first candidate¡¯s idea, the third candidate was not one to be swayed by such things at all. CH 77 The third candidate was a petite oriental woman with pitch black hair and exotic features.? ? ¡°Wow! This third contestant is a very important guest from a very faraway place! It must be an honor for the match to see the ability of this precious guest. hahaha!¡±? ? In the midst of the host¡¯s hustle and bustle, the dark-haired woman kept a calm expression on her face as she stared at the target.? ? She kept her bow pointed and pulled the string.? ? She aimed boldly at the strawberry at the first shot.? ? The moment when the bow was released from the taut bowstring.? ? ¡®It¡¯s going in ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡¯? ? Roselyn squinted.? ? She shot the strawberry correctly from the first shot.? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? Needless to say, she was a solid performer. There was a thumping sound from all over the room.? ? Everyone buzzed as if they hadn¡¯t expected it. Some of them had stiffened their expressions. It was a crowd worried that foreigners would take their valuables. The whispering voices were not good.? ? But still the woman pulled the strings without wavering.? ? She released the second arrow with a calm face, even though the rustling sound was very noisy.? ? swoosh!? ? The woman¡¯s arrow hit the middle of the strawberry.? ? ¡°Oh, my¡­.¡±? ? ¡°She¡¯s really good! ¡°? ? ¡°She seems to be from the East¡­ That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve heard that people from that country are good with bows.¡±? ? ¡®¡¯Oh no, that¡¯s troubling. It looks like we¡¯re going to have to give away that treasure to someone from a faraway country.¡±? ? The whispering voices got louder.? ? Some of the other tourists cheered in direct contrast to the local public opinions.? ? The woman held her last arrow, and the arrowhead was aimed at the small grape.? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous.? ? It was such a fun moment, she thought, to feel this kind of tension in a mere eventful bow and arrow match at a festival.? ? Maybe it was because it was the last bow, or maybe the woman was a little nervous, but she took a short deep breath.? ? During that brief moment of holding the arrow and aiming, everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on the woman¡¯s fingers.? ? swoosh!? ? The arrow cut through the wind and pierced the target.? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? ¡°I can¡¯t believe it!¡±? ? It wasn¡¯t right in the middle, but her arrow hit the grape!? ? As if the host did not expect it, he could not say anything with his mouth wide open.? ? However, it seemed that skill was inevitable, and it was the host who first came to his senses.? ? ¡°Oh, you got it! You hit the grape! Oh my gosh! What an ability!¡±? ? The host, Baron Gustav, raised his voice noisily, unable to hide his excitement.? ? Even those who were talking about the possibility of losing valuable goods to a traveler from distant eastern countries, not neighboring countries, were excited as if they had become one for that moment.? ? They whispered that she was sure to win.? ? ¡°Now! The pressure on the last candidate will be considerable. Let¡¯s use this momentum to see how good the last candidate is.¡±? ? It was Roselyn¡¯s turn.? ? Just before Roselyn stepped onto the stage, Tamon grabbed her hand and spun her around.? ? ¡°I hope the god of victory will be in this hand¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? Tamon whispered and kissed the back of her hand.? ? Roselyn stared at him blankly, then nodded briefly and turned around.? ? That was it,? ? But somehow Tamon felt that he gave her confidence.? ? He looked at her walking up the stairs to the podium.? ? And her foot, still limping as ever.? ? ¡®No, it¡¯s mine. That foot is definitely mine.¡¯? ? He stared at her back with lustful eyes.? ? It was the foot that the stern woman had given him a direct right to.? ? Even wounded, scarred, and limped, it was the most valuable foot he had ever seen.? ? No matter how sincere he was, he would kiss it without missing a day.? ? Actually, even that was not enough.? ? Because whenever he had a little free time, he wanted to touch and feel that thin ankle.? ? But then daily life itself would be possible, but he had to restrain himself.? ? His stomach was always hot whenever he thought about her.? ? His whole body flared up like a boiling fever.? ? The woman had such a cold attitude, how could he be so hot alone just by looking into her eyes?? ? Was it because he was too lewd?? ? Tamon smiled and looked at Roselyn climbing up the platform.? ? When she stepped up to the platform, several people who had been waiting for her to come up cheered.? ? Tamon¡¯s narrowed eyes stared coldly at the crowd of vulgar cheers.? ? ¡°Yay!¡±? ? ¡°At last, the goddess is here!¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you!¡±? ? These were the same men who had been giving frivolous cheers since Roselyn played in the preliminary round.? ? Tamon didn¡¯t like them one bit.? ? A rather cruel smile, like that of a villain, faintly crept over Tamon¡¯s lips.? ? ¡°Oh, my¡­..¡±? ? Some who saw the skill of the third woman even clicked their tongues as if they were sorry.? ? Roselyn wore a dress that showed her ankles, so they could see the white bandages wrapped around her ankles.? ? ¡°Can an injured person beat that skill?¡±? ? ¡°Tsk. This game is already over!¡±? ? ¡°But that beautiful woman also had a good ability when I saw her earlier¡­ ¡­¡±? ? ¡°Well, still, it makes me feel weird to see her limping.¡±? ? Roselyn walked nonchalantly past the whispering people.? ? Perhaps it was because they had seen so much skill of the third candidate earlier, the crowd didn¡¯t expect much from Roselyn.? ? They were busy buzzing and debating the abilities of the dark-haired woman they had just seen.? ? They seemed to be uniformly unable to concentrate.? ? Except for one person, Tamon.? ? He didn¡¯t take his eyes off her for a second. She could feel his gaze on her even if she didn¡¯t look at him.? ? ¡°Then, please receive the bow and arrow here!¡±? ? The host also greeted her in a calmer voice than before.? ? The way he smiled and handed her a bow and arrow turned out to be his intention to relax and enjoy this last play, which was obvious at the end.? ? This level of neglect and disregard didn¡¯t even tickle Roselyn.? ? Of course.? ? Even Gillotti, who almost succeeded in killing her, Roselyn could endure it all.? ? Compared to Gillotti, it felt rather kind of the host to click his tongue at the poor thing and smile at her as if he had no expectations.? ? And then there was Tamon, who, unlike most people, stared at her like she was the only one on the planet.? ? There was no reason to worry about the eyes of other people when he was looking at her with such a terrifying gaze.? ? Roselyn glanced at Tamon and couldn¡¯t help but laugh.? ? Unlike other people who stood to enjoy the festival, he alone was exuding a terrifying aura.? ? And it was really funny to see he glanced at the men who booed or said vulgar things with those eyes.? ? Shaking her head slightly, Roselyn pulled the string.? ? The firm and tight feeling that touched her fingers after a long time was so good that she got goosebumps.? ? ¡®Tomorrow I¡¯ll start shooting my bow again.¡¯? ? She smiled and shot the bow calmly.? ? With a cool sound that went with the wind, Roselyn¡¯s arrow inserted the center of the bright red strawberry with precision.? ? ¡°¡­.!¡±? ? The mouths of the people who had been buzzing opened in an instant.? ? Some of them rubbed their eyes, doubting that they might have seen it wrong.? ? ¡°Wow¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ oh, it¡¯s a strawberry! You have 20 points right away! That¡¯s amazing!¡±? ? The host relayed the news in a voice that sounded as if it had wilted at any moment.? ? The people who had been secretly ignoring her were surprised.? ? ¡°How can a pretty wounded person shoot a bow properly?¡±? ? ¡°It seems that there are a lot of talented people this year. hahaha.¡±? ? ¡°Wow, this is going to be interesting until the end.¡± ? ? The buzz of the curious crowd increased.? ? Roselyn quickly raised her second arrow.? ? The first arrow was aimed at the strawberry in case the bow and arrow felt unfamiliar, but fortunately, the hand steadily remembered its senses.? ? She pulled the string without hesitation, and soon the arrow went flying.? ? ¡°Wow!¡±? ? ¡°Wow, that¡¯s outrageous!¡±? ? The aim wasn¡¯t even that long.? ? She just aimed and shot¡­¡­¡­? ? ¡°Four, four, thirty points!¡±? ? Her arrow pierced right through the middle of the small grain. The voices of the people who had been buzzing became even quieter.? ? No matter how far away she was, she could hit that accurately? Even in the midst of such a rush, Roselyn didn¡¯t seem to be the least bit perturbed.? ? She deserved to be a little nervous, but she just calmly picked up the arrow again. Roselyn pulled the last arrow.? ? The people watched her bow and arrow in a completely different silence. It was so quiet that she wondered how such silence could be possible in such a noisy festival. Someone swallowed hard, unable to bear the tension.? ? As if from that, Roselyn¡¯s arrow flew through the air.? ? Wooosh!? ? Immediately behind the playful rows of fruits, the sound of flesh sticking into the hard wooden board wall spread fiercely. Those who were watching the scene without breathing covered their mouths.? ? ¡°It can¡¯t be!¡±? ? ¡°Oh, you did it! You shot that little grape right through the center!¡± CH 78 The host shouted and cheered, unable to hide his excitement.? ? Then the astonished people cheered and applauded.? ? ¡°Wow! The foreign woman is really amazing!¡±? ? ¡°I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s so talented!¡±? ? ¡°Beautiful lady!¡±? ? The other candidates, who had been watching her with nervous eyes, were applauding loudly. ? ? The black-haired woman just before Roselyn stood up smiling as if she was not disappointed at all.? ? Roselyn, who had somehow become the protagonist of the little event, looked back, blushing a little at the cheers that flooded in without any restraint.? ? It was unfamiliar to see people¡¯s gazes without any desires, expectation, prejudice or hatred for idols, just plain cheering.? ? She felt like she was praised for nothing.? ? It was like having her toes dangling a little above the clouds.? ? At that moment, her eyes met Tamon¡¯s, who was watching her at the very front.? ? He chuckled and shook his head. It was a look that said ¡°I¡¯ve seen your special skill¡±.? ? Roselyn raised her head as if she hadn¡¯t seen that look, but at that moment, she couldn¡¯t help but turn around again.? ? ¡°Hannah ¡­?¡±? ? She saw a slightly familiar child in the crowd.? ? The child¡¯s peculiar hair color stood out no matter how far away she was.? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure I saw Hannah.¡±? ? ¡®Did I see it wrong?¡¯? ? Tamon, who had read that Roselyn¡¯s strange expression, also turned around.? ? However, there was no one in the direction the two looked at.? ? ¡°Hold on, everyone! Just now, the young lady, who¡¯s going to the semifinals of the women¡¯s division, said she will withdraw from the game. Then the winner of the women¡¯s division is¡­¡­¡­!¡±? ? The dark-haired woman said she quit the game.? ? The host raised his voice, relayed this wonderful moment.? ? The whole sitting got louder and louder.? ? Originally, the men¡¯s and women¡¯s divisions were different, so the competition was divided, but not as much as the final.? ? It was also a showdown of the best players who had reached the final, and it was a shallow attempt to subtly separate the women and men to make it more exciting.? ? ¡°So now I will announce the final showdown event for the final victor!¡±? ? With the Baron¡¯s words, the sighting board woke up simultaneously around the stage, except for the audience seats. ? ? As if they had been staged in advance for a dramatic scene, the sighting boards all rose up in unison.? ? ¡°Until these little candles go out! The method is to hit all twenty targets surrounded by the perimeter and then add up the scores!¡±? ? The people cheered at the words of the host. Most of them were looking at Roselyn with great anticipation because they all knew that the winner of the men¡¯s division came up by default.? ? Count Kentwell, the winner of the men¡¯s division, bit his lips with a white, weary face.? ? It was a face that said this was against him.? ? ¡°This is an absurd match! And isn¡¯t it disrespectful to hand over the treasures of Her Royal Highness the King to a foreigner!¡±? ? Count Kentwell made a ridiculous accusation, and a barrage of abuse was hurled at him.? ? At that moment.? ? ¡­¡­. Crack!? ? An ominous voice came to Roselyn¡¯s sensitive ears.? ? The eerie feeling gave her a chill.? ? A sound that was thoroughly foreign to the commotion of the buzzing people.? ? Her eyes, which were looking around, raised to the sky where she could feel the sound.? ? Crack! Crack!? ? Roselyn¡¯s face went pale as she looked at Tamon.? ? He was staring at her with a stiff face too.? ? Crack!? ? The ¡°gap¡± had been torn.? ? ****? ? Chitty, chitty, chitty!? ? Chitty, chitty! Chitty-chitty! Tsk, tsk!? ? A monstrous cry, not a sound spreading from the throat, but a vibrating sound of some kind, filled the square.? ? Dozens of monsters overflowed out of the gap that widened as if the sky was tearing apart.? ? Among them were by far the largest number of Titus, a huge insectoid monster that emitted strange noises from between its wings behind it, and Jagma, a creature with the horns of a bull, the face of a pig, and the skin of a snake.? ? ¡°Run!¡±? ? ¡°Kiyaaaa!¡±? ? ¡°Help me! Monsters, monsters!¡±? ? Suddenly, the entire square was turned into ruins by the monsters streaming down from the sky.? ? The scene that had been full of only joy and fun at the festival was instantly filled with confusion and fear, and the cries and screams of the children were reminiscent of a war.? ? Eeek!? ? Caw! Kuu! Kuuuuuck!? ? Monsters that were susceptible to the tiniest of sounds, of all things, this commotion was all the more difficult.? ? Fortunately, the waiting guard was quickly evacuating people.? ? ¡°Everyone get over here! The Royal Knights will be here soon! Come on! This way!¡±? ? The panic-stricken people fleeing came rushing out like waves.? ? Tamon ran through them towards Roselyn.? ? ¡°Asha!¡±? ? Roselyn grabbed Tamon¡¯s arm as he approached and hurriedly mumbled.? ? ¡°The monsters that have just slipped through the gap are slow to act until they adapt to this world. We must hurry to deal with them.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°It¡¯ll done by the security forces, and you are to take cover.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°We should handle it now! Or it¡¯ll be late!¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°Please listen to me!¡± (Tamon)? ? What the hell was going through this woman¡¯s little head?? ? Her own safety, worry, and anxiety¡­¡­¡­¡­..? ? Are there any of these things in there at all?? ? In the midst of this, Tamon was anxious and worried about Roselyn, who seemed to have no intention of running away.? ? He heard that the injury of her foot was also due to the monsters poured out of the gap, but this woman didn¡¯t seem to know how to learn fear.? ? He was struck with anger that she was thinking about dealing with them even in this mess.? ? ¡®Why do I get a thousand fires in my chest when you behave like this? Why is there no place for me in your huge heart? Why!¡¯ (Tamon)? ? ¡°Stop talking nonsense and follow me at once.¡± (Tamon)? ? Tamon grabbed her wrist with an angry voice.? ? If he could, he wanted to forcibly carry her on his shoulder and take her away from the space full of risks and threats as soon as possible.? ? No, he thought, if she wouldn¡¯t listen to him, the right thing to do was to force her.? ? ¡°If we don¡¯t deal with the monsters here and now, the casualty count will be tremendous. It¡¯s a festival and there are so many civilians.¡± (Roselyn)? ? But Asha didn¡¯t even look at Tamon, all she cared about was the monsters that were big enough to bite and swallow her.? ? ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you and I can handle all thirty-plus monsters at once, so stop thinking and evacuate!¡± (Tamon)? ? Roselyn gritted her teeth.? ? Even if she couldn¡¯t handle all of those thirty or so monsters like Tamon had said, she had to find a way.? ? At the very least, if those monsters scattered on their own and started killing everywhere, it would be the end of not only this festival, but also the innocent lives of this town.? ? ¡®No, if we leave it like that, we won¡¯t be able to prevent it.¡¯? ? ¡®We have to find a way.¡¯? ? ¡®Now, when the monsters aren¡¯t strong enough yet¡­..!¡¯? ? ¡°Asha!¡±? ? ¡°Stop yelling! I¡¯m not going to die! You said that!¡± (Roselyn)? ? Roselyn grabbed his arms with a white face.? ? ¡°You said so! As long as we engrave, we can¡¯t die unless we do something wrong! We¡¯re the only ones who can move here!¡± (Roselyn)? ? Mission? Destiny? Or duty?? ? There was no way she could have such a noble thing right now.? ? Just a learned sense of responsibility filled her to the brim.? ? She had learned and was learning to cope faster and smarter in crisis situations.? ? If there was something in front of her that she could do, she would never run away.? ? That was Roselyn V Sunset, that was her identity and the pride of the Sunset family. Roselyn¡¯s eyes scanned the surroundings carefully.? ? In the meantime, some of the small monsters, who came to their senses first, began to move quickly.? ? Of all of them, the one closest to Roselyn was the one who woke up the fastest.? ? ¡°¡­a woman to die for.¡±? ? It was also at that moment that Tamon made his move.? ? He drew his sword on Jagma as it staggered towards Roselyn.? ? Before he knew it, the shadow knight guarding Tamon drew his sword along with him without a sound.? ? ¡°Jagma are back¡­¡±? ? ¡°I know, I know.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯ll cut off its limbs. You stab it in the back.¡±? ? Shadow nodded at Tamon¡¯s words.? ? (*The knight is called Shadow, how cool is that)? ? Fortunately, the screams and fear that had filled the square had dissipated to some degree.? ? ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±? ? Tamon was the first to move, blocking Jagma¡¯s arms as he leapt at it. Quickly, as if Shadow was one body with him, he climbed onto the giant Jagma¡¯s back.? ? Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, he plunged his sword into the red, beating heart on Jagma¡¯s back.? ? ¡°Ackkkkkkkkkk!¡±? ? Red and black blood spurted everywhere.? ? That was just the beginning. The monsters around them began to move faster. CH 79 ¡°¡­.what? There¡¯s a ¡®gap¡¯ in the square?¡±? ? Theo¡¯s face dyed black as she made her way around the festival site to thank the captain for his urgent report.? ? ¡°Why on earth? No, no. This is not the time to think about it. Take all the guards and knights with you! God!¡±? ? Theo couldn¡¯t resist the harsh swear and ran with her weapon at once.? ? What do you mean, a gap in the middle of the capital!? ? This has never happened in Amor¡¯s history.? ? And to top it all off, they were in the middle of a festival, where it was crowded with civilians.? ? Theo gritted her teeth.? ? Having a ¡°gap¡± was like a disaster, but it could still lead to a national conflict if all the foreign guests were killed.? ? The Amor nobles were also out in the field of the festival, as they were supposed to be the Theban, was to turn the country upside down.? ? ¡°¡®Go and fetch Ronasso and Tamon at once! Hurry up!¡±? ? The captain of the guard reported that there were more than thirty monsters alone that had fallen from the gap.? ? There were dozens of ordinary soldiers had to hang on to deal with one single monster.? ? A captain-level person or a general was better.? ? If two or three of them fight together, they could at least handle one.? ? ¡®Ronasso and Tamon would be the best, but they arrive, the situation may already be over.¡¯? ? Theo gritted her teeth and ran to the square.? ? It was still a good situation if the monsters were all crowded in one place.? ? With her understanding, she could somehow manage to defuse the situation with minimal sacrifice.? ? However, if they were already spreading, the situation would be serious.? ? ¡®At that time, we have to catch each and every one of them.¡¯? ? ¡®Oh, please, stay where you are, you monsters!¡¯? ? When Theo and her soldiers hurriedly turned the narrow corner towards the square.? ? ¡°Your Majesty!¡±? ? Familiar faces darted in front of her. Theo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.? ? ¡°What the hell, why are you guys here?¡±? ? They were the men who had been ordered to watch Tamon and bring Tamon¡¯s slave to her, even if they had to kidnap the target.? ? Theo¡¯s eyes began to take on a different look.? ? ¡°So that¡¯s it! Tamon is already there!¡±? ? A sigh of relief flooded through her now that Tamon and his troops were dealing with the monsters.? ? ¡°Oh, Tamon! You¡¯re my strong sword!¡±? ? When Theo moved with the momentum of jumping into the square, the knights standing in front of her blocked her.? ? ¡°Your Majesty, Tamon is not the only one there.¡±? ? ¡°Then? Is Ronasso there too?¡±? ? ¡°No, not Ronasso. He¡¯s with that silver-haired slave.¡±? ? ¡°But why are you blocking me?¡±? ? The captain of the watchers bit his lip then opened his mouth. ? ? ¡°It¡¯s a bit strange. Please see it for yourself.¡±? ? It¡¯s not the time to be that relaxed.¡­¡­¡­? ? Theo stood and looked at what they had given her with a suspicious look on her face.? ? Immediately her expression changed.? ? ***? ? Roselyn gritted her teeth and grabbed her head.? ? ¡°Think, Roselyn, think¡­.. There is a way!¡±? ? Then, unexpectedly, a voice rang out as if it had been waiting for the moment.? ? ¡°Blessings will be with you, but don¡¯t let go of your weapon.¡±? ? Weapon ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.That¡¯s right.? ? Yes, weapon!? ? Roselyn looked down at her bow, which had been in dire need of it.? ? Bow, arrows, and monsters in a circle of multiples¡­.? ? Titus was afraid of fire.? ? Titus was the only one she could deal with without using silver deer or demeter!? ? If there was fire.? ? Engulfed in flames, Titus became increasingly violent. Enemies and allies alike in the vicinity spread their sword-sharp wings and the surrounding area became scorched earth.? ? Until every body was burnt to a crisp.? ? Roselyn quickly broke the lanterns around her and started a fire.? ? Then she quickly tore up the cloth and threw it in, strengthening the flames.? ? However, this was far from enough. Roselyn gathered the arrows scattered around her.? ? She cracked open the other lights and applied the oil that had accumulated in them to the tips of the arrowheads and immediately set them on fire.? ? The tips of the arrows that had absorbed the oil burned sharply. This arrow, popularized for prank-like event, had the good fortune to be an inexpensive wooden arrow. Roselyn didn¡¯t hesitate to pull the string. The flaming arrowhead hung narrowly at the end of the arrow pole.? ? ¡ªAim and pull!? ? Whoosh!? ? The arrow that was stuck right in the middle brought fire to the entire sighting platform in no time.? ? ¡®Done.¡¯? ? After that, her body moved even further.? ? In a matter of seconds, she hit all of the 20-something sighting strips with an arrow that was on fire.? ? Unfortunately, the sighting strips were scattered all over the place, but the flames covering the area were enough to startle Titus.? ? Killrrrrr! Ki, kkk! Kie! Kie! Kieu! Kiew!? ? Titus moved faster and faster, and they flapped their wings violently at each other.? ? Some of the Titus¡¯ wings began to open, but this was not enough.? ? ¡°I have to send the flames to that center where the monster fell.¡±? ? Roselyn gathered up the rest of the arrows. But alas, there were no more than a few arrows left.? ? Even if she lit the arrows on fire and shot them, they were bound to be unsuccessful if they fell to the ground.? ? ¡°There has to be enough in there to set the flames alight.¡¯? ? Roselyn¡¯s eyes caught sight of a seating tent that was a mess from people fleeing.? ? She had to set that place on fire. Once she did, she rummaged through the tents.? ? Meanwhile, some monsters rushed at her.? ? Just before the Jagma¡¯s claws slashed at her head.? ? Boom!? ? A clear light quickly wrapped around her body, repelling the Jagma¡¯s claws.? ? ¡®Chain of Guardian!¡¯ ? ? (*it¡¯s the necklace Arsene gave it back to her. It has the power of protection)? ? While the startled Roselyn was relieved, Tamon rushed in front of her and grabbed the Jagma¡¯s claws with his bare hands as it pounced again.? ? ¡°I¡¯m glad we found the Iron Child. Otherwise, the chain wouldn¡¯t have protected your head today.¡± (Tamon)? ? Tamon slashed Jagma¡¯s arms with a tremendous force as it savagely attacked him.? ? Shadow, who had teamed up with him to deal with the monsters, was still struggling alone, surrounded by Titus.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re going to do, but I¡¯m waiting for you for you in a hurry.¡± (Tamon)? ? Roselyn gritted her teeth and nodded. She ripped the fabric from her skirt and wrapped it around the arrow, anointing it with oil.? ? Then the fire pulled at the string of the arrows she had lit.? ? The fire at the tip of the arrow was much bigger than before because the cloth was wrapped around it. As a result, the fingertips that held the end of the bow touched the flames.? ? Crackling!? ? Her skin was being scorched.? ? Even with the horrible pain of her fingertips getting burn, Roselyn gritted her teeth and pulled the bow and shot the arrow.? ? swoosh!? ? The sound of the arrow flying was a little different because of the fire, but the arrow hit where she wanted it to.? ? Arrrrrrrrgh!? ? It was right in the middle, on the back of Titus, who was shaking its wings.? ? Titus, with its back on fire, spread its wings and attacked the area, and Roselyn didn¡¯t stop, she shot two in quick succession.? ? Titus and the others, their backs on fire from Roselyn¡¯s arrows, ran around the square, swinging their blade-like wings.? ? ¡°Ah.¡±? ? Roselyn turned around quickly at a sudden groan.? ? A long scar appeared on Tamon¡¯s chest as Zagma and Titus unleashed a series of attacks.? ? ¡°Tamon.¡±? ? ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, just finish everything you¡¯re trying to do!¡±? ? Hesitantly, Roselyn moved the fire to the tent she had gathered. The idea was to fill the last opening in the round siege camp with flames.? ? ¡°Tamon! Get out of the way!¡±? ? At her shout, Tamon immediately tore off the side of the Jagma he was holding with his hands.? ? Kukuku! Kukuku! Arhhhhhhgh!? ? With a deafening scream, the Jagma fell to the floor.? ? Its heart was intact so it didn¡¯t die.? ? It was that monster that could survive for ten days with only the heart intact and the body torn off.? ? ¡°Come here!¡±? ? Meanwhile, Tamon came running to Roselyn, grabbed her and ran outside.? ? Shadow also quickly escape, but when he passed by the monsters, he was surrounded by them.? ? The key was whether he could hold out until the Imperial Knights arrived.? ? ¡°There is not enough fire. If there are more arrows¡­!¡±? ? ¡°We¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± (Theo)? ? As if they had been waiting, a cool voice struck them.? ? Roselyn turned around, still in Tamon¡¯s arms.? ? Likewise, Tamon was already looking back at the voice that had spoken to them.? ? ¡°You are here, Your Majesty.¡±? ? Tamon raised his lips in a smile as if he was not surprised and showed insincere courtesy.? ? Theo, who was staring at Tamon, sighed and raised her hand.? ? ¡°We can talk after we¡¯re done with this place. Tamon, you and¡­..the supposedly dead Empress of Tanatos.¡± ? ? As soon as Theo¡¯s words were over, a faint light flashed from her hands and the surroundings began to be filled with wind.? ? A moderate gust of wind raised the flames of the square, and the strange whirlwind controlled the wind so that the flames that grew in size as a tornado could not escape from the square.? ? Boom!? ? In the meantime, a dry thunderbolt struck.? ? The very power that the Amor monarch, which Roselyn had only heard of it, was displayed in front of her eyes.? ? Theo had the ability to control the weather. CH 80 The chaos in the square was quickly brought under control.? ? Fortunately, there were no casualties, which did not add to the people¡¯s fear.? ? The Knights and Infantry swarmed in and took control of the disordered streets, and the nobles involved in the administration were called the Royal Court.? ? ¡°How in the world there¡¯s a gap?¡±? ? ¡°How am I supposed to know? I¡¯ve never even seen a gap in the capital before!¡±? ? ¡°Look here, Marquis Ralph! How much money did you take to study the ¡°gap¡± phenomenon and that¡¯s the answer!¡±? ? How much money did you take with you to study the ¡®crevice phenomenon¡¯ and you think that¡¯s the answer to ¡ª¡ª?¡±? ? ¡°Come on! That¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now! First of all, we need to add expenses so that there is no gap again during the rest of the festival. How much did you invest in this festival? You can¡¯t end it like this, right?¡±? ? ¡°If we add expenses unnecessarily¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°But still, just in case¡­.!¡±? ? ¡°Then let¡¯s fix the situation first.¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? The lights in the royal palace conference room became brighter. The voices exchanging opinions were more divided than ever.? ? They were called to come in at dawn, out of breath, but no one could complain.? ? They arrived at the square later, for they had only seen the scene of the king sweeping away the monsters with her power.? ? The nobles, who had been told that people with abilities were scary but had no idea that it was such a powerful force, woke up.? ? They thought it would only affect a good harvest, but it was a scary enough skill to sweep away the monsters.? ? Since they were only wary of the king¡¯s swords, Ronasso and Tamon, they had no idea that the king herself possessed such a terrifying power! The nobles bent down and put their heads together to put this incident to rest. ? ? When it came down to it, the king they cared about was not there, but elsewhere, guarding the others.? ? ***? ? Dark reality and high ceilings.? ? Theoransha sat on her throne and leaned forward.? ? She had returned to the royal palace as soon as the incident in the square was under control, and an unfazed-looking Roselyn and Tamon were with her.? ? Glancing at them, Theo lost her energy again.? ? ¡°Ha.¡±? ? She was silent for a moment as she leaned on her sword, which she had brought from the square, for support.? ? She was speechless with dismay.? ? ¡°I¡¯m a fool.¡± (Theo)? ? Theo pressed her throbbing forehead against the handle of her sword.? ? ¡°I¡¯m the idiot who fell for your funny skit!¡± (Theo)? ? She raised her head quickly with a toothy grin.? ? ¡°You two fooled me well.¡± ? ? Theo¡¯s voice, low and raspy, flowed like scratching iron.? ? ¡°I did it to survive.¡±? ? Roselyn replied nonchalantly. Indeed, she didn¡¯t do anything wrong.? ? For there was not a single reason for a woman who was the empress of an enemy nation to show Theo any faith and trust.? ? Tamon, however, was different.? ? Theo glared at Tamon.? ? ¡°I am greatly disappointed in you, Tamon.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty.¡±? ? Tamon replied with a bow.? ? He understood her disappointment, but he was confident that he had not done anything wrong.? ? Maybe not, but that¡¯s how Theo saw it anyway.? ? Theo gritted her teeth as she grabbed the handle of her sword.? ? ¡®Shall I just kill you?¡¯? ? ¡®Would it make me feel any better?¡¯? ? Despite such betrayal, Theo felt ridiculous that she was not able to pull out her sword.? ? She didn¡¯t know if it was because of the triviality of their friendship, or because of her own stupidity in believing it nonetheless.? ? ¡°You betrayed me!¡± ( Theo)? ? ¡°I make no excuses.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°This is such high treason that I could cut off your head and no one can say anything!¡±? ? Tamon recited calmly, keeping his gaze downcast even in the face of Theo¡¯s seething anger.? ? ¡°Please, have mercy on me like the River Sea.¡±? ? His nonchalant attitude instead caused Theo¡¯s heart burn.? ? Oh, no.? ? Whatever the case, she had to cut off that child¡¯s neck to feel better.? ? ¡°You, you punk¡­!¡±? ? Theo picked up her sword with shaky hands and started running.? ? It seemed like she had to run at once like she was going to kill him, whether or not she could.? ? It was Roselyn Sunset, former Empress of Tanatos, who stopped her from attacking Tamon with deadly eyes.? ? ¡°Wait a minute, why don¡¯t you listen to what I have to say first?¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°Don¡¯t try to confuse me with your useless words!¡± (Theo)? ? Theo gritted her teeth as she glared fiercely at Roselyn.? ? ¡°It¡¯ll only take a moment.¡±? ? Roselyn raised her hands as if blocking her.? ? At that moment, Theo¡¯s eyes caught sight of her burned and sore fingers.? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? All of the red flesh was revealed, and the hands were swollen with insufficient concentration.? ? It was a hand whose skin had completely melted from the flames.? ? Burns were said to be the highest pain when quantifying human pain.? ? Even if it was only the size of a fingernail, burns made even a trained knight cry out in pain.? ? However, this woman had not once moaned or shown any sign of pain while coming here from the square.? ? ¡®I heard she¡¯s strong. Very different.¡¯? ? The image of the woman in the square, running around by herself against those horrible monsters and shooting fire arrows, came to Theo¡¯s mind.? ? She didn¡¯t think her own generals could do that well.? ? What kind of courage and guts did that woman have to take on those monsters, when she had never been in a proper war? ? ? Slowly looking at Roselyn¡¯s condition, Theo¡¯s excited heart slowly subsided. It was because she couldn¡¯t get angry anymore when she looked at Roselyn¡¯s haggard complexion, her torn skirt, her sore and shabby figure, and her cheeks that were covered with ashes and blood. ? ? No matter how much she hated the empress of the enemy country, she was not so narrow-minded as to forget the fact that Roselyn had fought so desperately for the sake of Amor¡¯s own people. ? ? ¡®¡­damn it.¡¯? ? Roselyn¡¯s justice was adamant, but Theo valued hers that much.? ? Her country, her bloodline, her people.? ? And she was generous to those who cared for her as much as she did.? ? Clank!? ? Theo threw her sword on the floor.? ? Then she crossed her arms and said belligerently.? ? ¡°Did you say you tricked me to survive?mOkay, then¡­¡­ Even now, try to live somewhere. If you know how much hatred I have for your country and in the imperial family of that country, I hope you know that I¡¯m enduring a lot even in this moment.¡± (Theo)? ? Roselyn knew about it.? ? It was the humiliation of that day, known among the Amorites as the Day of Sorrows.? ? It happened when Roselyn was very young, but it was a famous incident because of the poor and brutal way it had been done.? ? She was told that the current king of Amor was one of the people who witnessed it.? ? Theo could not forget the humiliation of that day, so she executed the traitor and regained the authority of the country.? ? She was a king filled with pride and love for Amor.? ? Perhaps hef hatred for Tanatos should have been that much more overflowing.? ? Perhaps as much as Roselyn¡¯s hatred for ¡­¡­ Gillotti.? ? ¡°I will kill Gillotti Tanatos.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±? ? ¡°So¡­..¡± (Roselyn)? ? Roselyn held out her tattered hand towards Theo.? ? ¡°Let¡¯s join hands with me.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Roselyn¡¯s tattered hand was again placed in front of Theo¡¯s eyes.? ? The hand that had come to save the people of her (Theo¡¯s) country now wanted to shake her (Roselyn¡¯s) enemy¡¯s hand.? ? Is this some kind of ridiculous comedy?? ? ¡°Ha-ha-ha-ha! Hahahahaha!¡±? ? Theo, who was staring at Roselyn¡¯s hand in a daze, burst into laughter.? ? She even spilled a few tears, but then stopped and glared at Roselyn.? ? ¡°You¡¯ve gone mad. Do you think I¡¯ll believe you?¡± (Theo)? ? ¡°There¡¯s no reason why you can¡¯t believe it, right?¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°Have you forgotten who you are?¡± (Theo)? ? ¡ªIt couldn¡¯t be.? ? Roselyn laughed.? ? ¡°Born the eldest daughter of the House of Sunset, forced to become the Empress of Tanatos, and lost my family, my best friend, and my people at the hands of my husband, the Emperor¡­ ¡­¡­..¡±? ? Never forget. Can¡¯t never forget.? ? It¡¯s a person called ¡°I.¡±? ? ¡°It was Roselyn V Sunset.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°¡­And already. I want to abandon the name I once had, drag down the incompetent and greedy emperor of Tanatos, and avenge the deaths that have passed¡­.¡±? ? Roselyn felt out of breath, even though she wasn¡¯t doing anything.? ? It was only when she got here that she fully accepted her changed name, her fate.? ? ¡°Aranrosia ¡­¡­ That¡¯s who I am now.¡±? ? Roselyn took a slow breath.? ? Yes, Roselyn died completely in the snowfield at that day.? ? The soul was dead, and Tamon Krasis had finally brought what was left of it, only the shell.? ? Only resentment and revenge remained in the emptiness.? ? Regretting the past made her boil.? ? She won¡¯t die. Not now, anyway.? ? She was going to end all this revenge, relieve the injustice of her people, and die laughing while strangling Gillotti Tanatos.? ? Her heart ached.? ? Every time she thought about dying, her heart ached,, as if to remind her not to forget something that was etched there.? ? The place where the mark of the engraving was carved, of all places.? ? ¡°If you give me two days, I will bring you proof that you can trust me.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­ Two days?¡± (Theo)? ? ¡°Everything¡¯s already been revealed. I¡¯m not a rat in a trap now. So, please wait two days. It will never be your loss.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Two days.? ? In just two days, the seeds of the past she had sown will arrive here. CH 81 Rattle.? ? The carriage Roselyn and Tamon were riding in smoothly crossed the royal gardens.? ? The rest of the evening passed like a storm before their shaky vision.? ? The festival was full of excitement, the monsters poured out from the gap, the burning square and the meeting with King Amor.? ? ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been this chaotic.¡¯? ? Roselyn swallowed a sigh and looked out the window.? ? The morning sun rays streamed smoothly in through the carriage window. ? ? The marvelous blue recording that was always visible in her tired eyes swayed as it reflected the sunlight.? ? The green seemed to have a mystical power. Her tired mind softened even more when she looked at the scenery.? ? The gardeners, who had come out to sort out the weeds and leaves that had grown so quickly overnight, politely took off their hats to greet the carriage as it passed.? ? Their appearance reminded Roselyn of Tanatos one day.? ? Most people didn¡¯t have gardens there because of the snow and wind, but the garden was renovated for a short time during the months of June and July.? ? It was a vivid reminder of the Imperial Palace garden that she had grown tired of seeing over the years, but she couldn¡¯t help but wonder.? ? It even felt alien, as if someone else¡¯s memories had been planted in it.? ? It was as if Roselyn had really died in Tanatos.? ? Thump, thump, thump.? ? Tamon tapped briefly on the window, calling her to him as she was deep in thoughts.? ? She stared at him as if to ask why, and a large, firm hand was held out to her.? ? ¡°Your hand, give it to me.¡± (Tamon)? ? The large, strong hand held out toward her.? ? Now it seemed that Tamon always reached out to her like this. First she refused, then she hesitated, but now¡­.? ? ¡®From now on, I won¡¯t hesitate to catch it.¡¯? ? Staring at Tamon¡¯s hand, Roselyn placed her hand on his big hand.? ? Tamon, who was gazing at Roselyn¡¯s hand for a while, mumbled something that sounded like a sigh.? ? ¡°It¡¯s awful.¡± (Tamon)? ? He grabbed her ruined hand with both of his hands.? ? ¡°Didn¡¯t it hurt?¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°¡­¡­ It hurt.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°But why didn¡¯t you let me know that it hurt?¡± (Tamon)? ? He frowned and kissed her fingers gently.? ? Her hand was stained with blood, burn, and ash.? ? He did not hesitate to take such a hand, which was not very clean or pretty, to his lips.? ? The dampness and softness tickled her sensitive fingertips.? ? All the while, a dull ache spiked in front of her lips, probably because of the tension.? ? It was painful.? ? ¡®Why didn¡¯t I feel it earlier?¡¯? ? ¡°Nothing will change even if I make it obvious.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°Why not? I would have known sooner.¡± (Tamon)? ? His saliva soaked into her red fingers.? ? Her hand, which was recovering slowly, healed in an instant at the time his saliva touched.? ? It was always a strange and marvelous sight.? ? ¡°Come to think of it, it seems that even if I am your engraver, I will never have the ability to fully recover like you do.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°Well, that¡¯s right. But I can pour my life force infinitely only into you. If your heart doesn¡¯t stop, you will be saved.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡®That is if my heart doesn¡¯t stop¡­¡­..¡¯? ? ¡®Then when I run away from him, it seems like I have to find a way to quickly and completely stop my heart.¡¯ ? ? (*don¡¯t think it like that, Roselyn)? ? Throb.? ? Throb.? ? Also, thinking of death, his name engraved near her heart provoked a sharp pain.? ? Roselyn glanced at Tamon, then quickly dropped her gaze.? ? ¡®I can¡¯t make it obvious.¡¯? ? Roselyn took a deep breath and stilled the pain.? ? In hindsight, she thought she understood the reason for this pain.? ? The engraving was to deny her ¡®death¡¯.? ? Roselyn cynically ignored the pain.? ? One life was enough that even her death could not be done at will.? ? Even if it was a divine ability, she didn¡¯t want to let him wield it.? ? ¡®I will not forget. Never.¡¯? ? ¡®I will never forget how I survived and how I let all those people die.¡¯? ? Her chest tightened, burning like a chain tied to her heart.? ? The guilt she felt for them only grew heavier by the day, even the landscape of Tanatos blurred.? ? ¡°Again, that face.¡± (Tamon)? ? Tamon glanced at Roselyn, who was looking down, and clicked his tongue.? ? He had kissed all ten of her fingers, not just the five that had been burned, and swept the corners of her eyes.? ? ¡°You¡¯ve got eyes that look elsewhere.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°I¡¯m just a little dazed.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Pulling out her soft fingers, she turned her face away.? ? His fingers touched the tip of his tongue were tickled.? ? ¡®By the way, didn¡¯t he also get hurt?¡¯? ? Roselyn turned back to look at Tamon. She couldn¡¯t assess his injury because of the new shirt he changed into.? ? ¡°Didn¡¯t you get hurt too?¡± (Roselyn)? ? It was then that Tamon finally remembered and glanced down at his chest.? ? ¡°Well¡­.I¡¯m almost healed.¡± (Tamon)? ? That couldn¡¯t have happened.? ? The Jagma¡¯s claws had a powerful poison in them. It was a poison that could not even be detoxified by common antidote herbs.? ? Roselyn also remembered his slow recovery from the herpes poisoning he had come across when Tamon went to save Arsene.? ? Roselyn approached him a little closer and unbuttoned his shirt.? ? ¡°What are you doing?¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°I thought you had to engrave in order to heal wounds like this.¡±(Roselyn)? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°Let me see your wound.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Tap tap tap.? ? Whenever the button was undone, the strange silence subsided.? ? The reddish-black claw marks of the monster were clearly visible through the slowly opening shirt.? ? Thick, deep scratches with bubbles on top.? ? It was in such an unusual state that it made her eyes narrow.? ? ¡°Liar.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Tamon laughed soundlessly at her scold.? ? ¡°Sometimes there are necessary lies.¡± (Tamon)? ? Tamon grabbed Roselyn¡¯s hand, which had loosened all of his buttons.? ? ¡°But now that I¡¯ve been exposed, I have no choice.¡± (Tamon)? ? He whispered in a covert voice as he once again meticulously kissed Roselyn¡¯s fleshy pink fingertips.? ? ¡°Heal me.¡± (Tamon)? ? Could the voice of a child begging for candies be this sweet?? ? His long arms hugged her waist tightly.? ? He quietly lowered his eyes as if to ask her to hurry up and heal him.? ? Roselyn reached out and gently brushed his open lips.? ? ¡°I thought you were going to be beheaded because of me¡­¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°Well, no matter how hard the king tries, she won¡¯t cut off my neck. I¡¯m still useful.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°You¡¯re so calm.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°If she decides to cut my head, I can¡¯t help it, but my heart..¡­¡­¡­¡± (Tamon)? ? As if Tamon couldn¡¯t wait, he rubbed his lips against hers, which were breathing quietly in front of him.? ? They were soft and plump like cotton wool, and it felt as if all of his senses were revolting.? ? ¡°Even if I die like this, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll regret it.¡± (Tamon)? ? Rattle.? ? The carriage shook once more. The two overlapping bodies became even closer together.? ? He pushed his face closer.? ? Roselyn¡¯s lips were being engulfed by him like crazy.? ? His skin, his temperature, his gentle eyes became a world that drew her in. ? ? Oh, to think that a mere kiss with her could mask the regret of death! ? ? His lust and obsession came violently as if mocking her hardened heart.? ? Confusion and hope danced and shook her on their own accord.? ? She wanted to finish all these tasks and die without regrets, but Tamon was constantly trying to break her heart and leave her unfulfilled.? ? She hated herself for being so shaken.? ? She reached out and pulled his neck with all her might.? ? The situation quickly reversed, and her tongue that had been hiding moved into Tamon¡¯s mouth.? ? The sound of friction between the two lips resonated harshly in the narrow, rattling carriage.? ? Pulling his thick shoulders and neck toward her, Roselyn dug her fingers into Tamon¡¯s hair.? ? He grabbed his hair just enough to keep it from hurting and he looked up at her.? ? She looked him straight in the eye as she spoke.? ? ¡°This is nothing.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Her lips covered his lips.? ? Gently she dug deep into Tamon¡¯s lips, mixing her breath with the sweet flesh.? ? Tamon¡¯s arms hugged her body tightly with a desire to trap her in his body if he could.? ? Her kisses were never skillful.? ? Despite the momentum of her attack, the force of her tongue rolling was weak, and she was panting even louder than when she was suffering.? ? Still, it was so sweet, Tamon couldn¡¯t come to his senses.? ? What she said was wrong.? ? How can this be nothing?? ? This clumsy, hot, cruel kiss was so good and good to him.? ? It was so good that her next words felt cruel.? ? ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I don¡¯t have any feelings whatsoever.¡± (Roselyn)? ? For some reason, a corner of Tamon¡¯s chest collapsed.? ? He smiled bitterly.? ? He thought it was amazing to see himself smiling even in this situation.? ? ¡°Yes, I know. You said I should never love you.¡± (Tamon)? ? The words came out of his mouth, but he had no way of knowing why his heart kept pounding.? ? ¡®Damn you Roselyn, no, damn you Aranrosia.¡¯? ? ¡®Why did I like it when you smile?¡¯? ? ¡®Why did this fate give me room?¡¯? ? ¡®Why did they abandon you in the snow, whom I thought could never be mine, and make me go to reap you like a madman?¡¯? ? ¡°So please be quiet now and continue to heal me.¡± (Tamon)? ? Tamon didn¡¯t want to continue the cruel conversation any longer. ? ? It was only necessary to cover her mouth which always spoke cruel words and exchange sweet saliva.? ? Rattle.? ? It was about an hour from the Royal Palace to Tamon¡¯s mansion¡­.? ? It was far enough to have a lovely time under the guise of treatment. CH 82 Toooooooot! ? ? The ship¡¯s horn announcing its arrival loudly across the sky.? ? Standing at the stern of the ship, the woman stared at the approaching land.? ? The edge of the woman¡¯s mouth lifted slightly.? ? ¡°It¡¯s been a long time.¡±? ? She came here so long ago that she could vaguely remember now.? ? She had been crying so much that all her memories were filled with tears, yet the only thing that was clear was when she looked at that landing from this spot.? ? It was that regret, resentment, and sadness from that moment.? ? In fact, she still remembered the feelings of that time rather than the scene of that time.? ? The woman slowly took off her cloak and looked up at the sky.? ? The sky was very blue, as if it was welcoming her back home.? ? She patted her stomach, which was round, in gratitude for her safe voyage.? ? The man who had gone to pack the bags for the woman hugged her back and kissed her.? ? ¡°Is the wind cold?¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s perfect.¡±? ? Breathing in the salty air, the woman gently leaned her head on the man¡¯s shoulder.? ? Her dark red hair, tied high, flew about in the wind.? ? ¡°You must be nervous. It¡¯s been a long time since you¡¯ve seen her, hasn¡¯t it?¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m both nervous and tense. In fact, I¡¯m a little scared, too.¡±? ? At his honest words, the woman kissed him gently on the cheek.? ? ¡°How could I not say so. It¡¯s been five years.¡±? ? The man nodded and kissed his wife.? ? ¡°I¡¯m more worried about you than me, but aren¡¯t you nervous?¡±? ? The man with bright orange hair and a lightly freckled face smiled naively at his wife¡¯s words and patted her cheek.? ? ¡°Look. Did you forget how bold and brave I am? I¡¯m fine. Why don¡¯t you finish your work early and go home so you can see our baby without worry?¡±? ? The eighth month of pregnancy was close to the last month.? ? It was a time when the stomach big enough to stop everyone from traveling long distances.? ? Still, the woman pushed ahead with the itinerary.? ? If she could finish her work early, she could be back within a month.? ? Mach was in a country adjacent to Amor, so she was able to cleverly avoid the stronghold of the monsters.? ? If it was Ortu, which she had to come across the central waterway, it would have been impossible to come.? ? ¡°So all of this must be God¡¯s arrangement.¡±? ? The woman felt the warmth of a child kicking its feet loudly in her stomach.? ? The man standing beside her also caressed his wife round stomach.? ? The two smiled at each other as they locked eyes.? ? ¡°Come on. She¡¯s be waiting for you.¡±? ? The ship¡¯s horn blowed again, signaling that their ship had arrived.? ? ***? ? Two days had passed since she told the King.? ? Roselyn stood by the window and looked out at the shining sea the same way as yesterday. No, the words ¡°exactly the same¡± were a deception to the sea.? ? How can you say that the sea is the same when it always flows without stopping?? ? It only looked the same as today and tomorrow, but the contents were completely different.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯ll be here.¡±? ? She would be lying if she said she didn¡¯t feel nervous.? ? But that didn¡¯t mean she could pull or delay the passage of time now.? ? All she could do was to wait silently like this.? ? Knock. Knock.? ? Roselyn stopped and turned at the sound of a polite tap on the door.? ? It was Asrell.? ? ¡°Asrell, what¡¯s going on?? ? Asrell, who was came inside, was mesmerized for a moment as he watched Aranrosia standing quietly in front of the terrace.? ? The scent of lily that the twins decorated the room was a wonderful match for her.? ? Asrell¡¯s eyes were low and ignorant of things like beauty and art, but every once in a while, when she gazed at Aranrosia, she wondered if this was the heart of those who pursued beauty.? ? This was the kind of mind that was willing to lose itself and stare at it as if it were oblivious to time.? ? How can she be so beautiful that it takes her breath away?? ? To be precise, it made Asrell forget to breathe¡­¡­¡­¡­..? ? ¡°Asrell?? ? ¡®Oh, look at my mind.¡¯? ? Asrell immediately came to her senses when she saw Aranrosia¡¯s face tilting stealthily, as if to say why she was looking at her so closely.? ? ¡°Two visitors wish to see Lady Aranrosia. They said you would know if tell you they¡¯re from Mach.¡±? ? ¡®You¡¯re here.¡¯? ? Roselyn took a deep breath and jumped up from her seat.? ? It was enough that she didn¡¯t have to ask who it was.? ? There was only one visitor coming to visit her from Mach.? ? ¡°Hurry up and guide me, Asrell.¡±? ? It was her witness, her guest, whom Roselyn was waiting for.? ? ***? ? Before Roselyn entered the parlor, she asked Asrell to go get Tamon.? ? If he hadn¡¯t gone out, he would be at the training grounds.? ? After taking a short, deep breath, Roselyn opened the parlor door.? ? ¡°Asha.¡±? ? Tasha and Louie, who were tending to the guests in the parlor, were the first to welcome her.? ? The man and woman who had been sitting on the couch in the spacious hall jumped up and turned around at the twins¡¯ reaction.? ? ¡°Majest¡­!¡±? ? The woman who was about to call Roselyn ¡°Your Majesty¡± immediately stopped talking.? ? Roselyn smiled as she approached the woman and told her her current name.? ? ¡°Please call me Aranrosia.¡±? ? The woman approached her with a complicated smile on her face as Roselyn spoke.? ? ¡°That¡¯s your new name?¡±? ? Roselyn nodded then her eyes shifted to the woman¡¯s round belly.? ? At Roselyn¡¯s surprised expression, the woman smiled and patted her stomach.? ? ¡°It¡¯s been eight months. He¡¯s kicking his legs so badly, I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s a boy. Targen says it might be a daughter like me, though.¡±? ? The woman said, pointing at the man standing behind her.? ? Roselyn looked at the familiar man and smiled.? ? ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Targen.¡±? ? The man with the trembling face knelt down and carefully kissed the back of Roselyn¡¯s hand.? ? ¡°I heard the news too late. I apologize.¡±? ? ¡°Stop. I¡¯m not the one you should be protecting anymore. There is no need to be sorry.¡±? ? Even with Roselyn¡¯s words, a faint sense of guilt remained on Targen¡¯s face that he couldn¡¯t take back.? ? His longtime companions had all died defending Sunset family.? ? Targen Oheim.? ? He was the eldest son of Oheim, one of the loyal subjects of House Sunset.? ? He had been guarding the Sunset family and Roselyn V Sunset since before his knighthood.? ? In order for Roselyn to enter the academy, she needed a knight of her own age, and that was where Targen was chosen.? ? During that time at the academy, the two developed an unwitting friendship.? ? It was based on loyalty and trust, but it was a feeling that had a unique brightness of peers.? ? Shortly after Roselyn became Crown Princess, she gave the most special and secret instructions to her most cherished knight friend.? ? ¡°I have more people here to protect me than I can count. And I can protect myself, too. But she has no power. But it¡¯s dangerous because her will to get away is so clear. Targen, I want you to protect her. You are the one I can trust the most.¡±? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t want Targen to protect her, but the woman. No matter how much Roselyn¡¯s request and order were, Targen said he could not comply with it.? ? Roselyn nudged him, soothed him, then asked him to protect the woman for just a year.? ? Exactly one year. With those words, Targen has now been protecting the woman for five years. As Roselyn recall, after a year, the choice to protect the woman was all his.? ? ¡°If I knew you¡¯re full term, I wouldn¡¯t have¡­..¡±? ? Roselyn looked apologetically at the woman¡¯s swollen belly. The woman shook her head, smiling brightly.? ? ¡°Even if I was giving birth, I would have run to you if you called me.¡±? ? At teh willing words, Roselyn hugged the woman. At the moment, Tamon entered the parlor.? ? ¡°I heard we have visitors.¡±? ? Tamon walked in nonchalantly, covered in sweat, as if he had come straight from training, but he was wearing a short, tight black top that covered only one shoulder and arm, whether it was for activity or to cover his injured shoulder.? ? This unusual garment, not seen in other countries, accentuated his wild beauty.? ? The clothes concealed his one shoulder but exposed everything below his chest, so his abdomen, with its tight six packs, was clearly visible today.? ? Startled, Roselyn opened her eyes in embarrassment.? ? However, it seemed that Roselyn was the only one who embarrassed on the spot.? ? Mach was also a country with a strong sun. Their clothes were also short and light, and the knights there often wore training clothes like that.? ? It was a familiar costume to the Targen who settled in Mach or to the woman.? ? ¡°I¡¯m Tamon Krasis, welcome.¡±? ? He walked up to the woman and man and shook their hands.? ? The woman, who had taken his hand and was shaking it, suddenly chuckled.? ? ¡°We haven¡¯t met before, so you don¡¯t recognize us.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s expression gradually changed as he gathered his brows in wonder at her words.? ? He opened his eyes wide and looked back at Roselyn.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s ¡­¡­¡±? ? After a few moments of stifled bewilderment, Roselyn nodded and introduced the woman.? ? ¡°This is Lana Lantifu. King Amor¡¯s sister, who successfully escaped Tanatos.¡±? ? (*Lana, Theo¡¯s sister, was brought to Tanatos long ago. Roselyn helped her escape when Roselyn was the Crown Princess.)? ? ¡°Do you remember now? I saw you a few times before with my sister Theo.¡± (Lana)? ? ¡°What?¡±? ? Tamon, who was looking at Roselyn and Lana alternately in bewilderment, covered his face and smiled vainly. ? ? Lana Lantifu was Roselyn¡¯s secret witness!? ? ¡°So there really was a reason why you were so confident in your winning, huh?¡± ? ? Tamon laughed in amusement, as if he¡¯d been given a shot. CH 83 Chapter 83. An Unexpected Guest? ? ¡°Why hasn¡¯t she come yet? Don¡¯t tell me she escaped?¡±? ? ¡­It can¡¯t be.? ? Theo paced around the office and ran outside.? ? Even though she was deliberately distracted by the meeting this morning, her nerves didn¡¯t die and it reminded her of Tamon and the woman.? ? Theo barged into the palace¡¯s administrative office and turned them inside out once.? ? The sun set dimly as she checked each one of them with her eyes of a hawk for irregularities and corruption, and to see if the numbers were well written.? ? She got out of there by the time a dozen administrative officials groaned.? ? Behind her, aides and servants, Lucy and Haxen, and three attendant knights followed one after another.? ? ¡°You¡¯re in my way. Everyone gets out except for Lucy!¡±? ? Only Lucy Liliana, the entourage attendant, was left. Theo looked around and asked Lucy as if talking to herself.? ? ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t come? If Tamon flees, it¡¯s hard to catch him.¡±? ? Lucy looked at Theo and said, ¡°He¡¯s not the most obvious of men. Rumor has it that the Empress of Tanatos is not one to run away.¡±? ? Theo ruffled her hair nervously at Lucy¡¯s words.? ? ¡°I think so too, but why aren¡¯t they here!¡±? ? ¡°Please wait, Your Majesty. It¡¯s not a good habit to be in a hurry.¡±? ? Lucy politely offered her a sweet treat. Shoving something sweet into Theo¡¯s mouth worked wonders when it came to soothing her.? ? Today¡¯s snack was a red bean paste cake cut into thin slices and topped with fragrant fried walnuts. ? ? Theo shoveled it into her mouth in one gulp.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ It¡¯s delicious. Bring more.¡±? ? Theo even ordered tea to eat with it.? ? By the time all the dessert and the cup of tea were all gone.? ? ¡°Your Majesty, the General of Foreign Affairs* is here.¡± (*it¡¯s Tamon¡¯s position)? ? The people, who Theo was so anxious about, came.? ? ****? ? Boom! ? ? Without any notice, the door to the audience hall suddenly opened.? ? The four who had been waiting turned around, startled by the king¡¯s appearance.? ? In fact, only the cloaked Lana and Targen were surprised, while Tamon and Roselyn looked calm, as if they had expected it to some extent.? ? Theo lifted her chin in a showy manner and walked past Tamon and Roselyn.? ? She walked with such force in her legs that her cloak fluttered violently with each step she took.? ? Sitting stolidly on her throne, Theo leaned her upper body forward and stared at the four people standing in front of her.? ? ¡°You are late.¡±? ? ¡°The sun hasn¡¯t set yet, Your Majesty.¡±? ? ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you, Tamon.¡±? ? Smiling, Roselyn replied lightly.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I kept you waiting.¡±? ? ¡°¡­. Nothing in particular, I wasn¡¯t waiting for you.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡±? ? Theo was disturbed by Roselyn¡¯s more than relaxed attitude.? ? It was that woman who might get her head cut off if the king of the enemy country found out who she was, so why was it her (Theo) and not her (Roselyn) who was anxious all day long?? ? ¡®She¡¯s a strange woman.¡¯? ? When Theo looked at the woman like this, Theo could understand why Tamon was so fascinated by that woman every time he went to Tanatos.? ? She has a way of revealing people¡¯s hearts without them having to do anything.? ? Theo, who had been staring at Roselyn with narrowed eyes, looked at the two people standing behind her and asked, ? ? ¡°Are they the ones who will make me believe what you said?¡±? ? Theo wondered what in the world Roselyn was going to bring to the table, but at most she brought two people with her.? ? Theo sobered, disappointed in herself for expecting something so amazing.? ? Roselyn nodded and led the people who stood behind her.? ? At first glance, the two people wearing cloaks were a man and a woman p.? ? The woman was small and slender, while the man was large, no smaller than Tamon.? ? ¡°Yes, let¡¯s take a look to see who on earth it is that can move me.¡±? ? Beneath the shadows that hid her face, the woman began to smile.? ? The woman slowly took off the hood of her cloak with a hand that was never hurried.? ? When she did so, her face was completely revealed, and Theo, who had been elbowing her knees in a bent-over position, jumped out of her seat.? ? ¡°What¡­¡­..¡±? ? Theo¡¯s voice trembled.? ? She had never been so surprised in her entire life. The surprise was too great for her to get used to, so she forgot how she should react.? ? ¡°You, you ¡­¡­ you!¡±? ? She exhaled intermittently and ran all the way down the stairs where the throne was.? ? ¡°Lana! Oh, oh my gosh! Are you really Lana?¡±? ? Theo¡¯s hands that didn¡¯t know what to do squeezed both cheeks of her sister who had parted when she was a child.? ? What tugged at her pale fingers was the warmth of a living person.? ? ¡°Is this true? Tell me! Is it you? Say your name! Tell me you¡¯re not fake!¡±? ? Theo¡¯s words and actions gradually became more and more extreme, to the point that Targen¡¯s body twitched as he watched. ? ? As if searching for a sister she had lost long ago, Theo urged Lana to respond.? ? Taking a short, deep breath, Lana reached out and patted Theo¡¯s right forehead.? ? ¡°It¡¯s still there. The scar when you and I fought without each other.¡±? ? ¡°¡­.!¡±? ? ¡°Mother scolded me a lot at that time¡­¡±? ? ¡®That¡¯s right. It¡¯s my sister Lana Lantifu.¡¯? ? Theo closed her eyes and hugged Lana.? ? At that moment, Lana said, pushing Theo away and said.? ? ¡°If you hug me that much, my baby will be surprised.¡±? ? ¡°¡­.. baby?¡±? ? Theo looked down at the space between Lana and her. She didn¡¯t notice because Lana was wearing a big cloak, but the thickness of the front was unusual.? ? Startled, Theo couldn¡¯t help but reach out and touch the rounded, raised area.? ? ¡°What?!¡±? ? Lana gave a small laugh as she stepped back.? ? ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡±? ? ¡°You¡¯re pregnant? Now you¡¯re in this ¡­¡­¡­¡­ Oh, you¡¯re married?¡± ? ? ¡°Yes. I did, with this guy.¡±? ? Lana laughed softly and held out her hand to Targen, who stood behind her.? ? Targen took her hand and took off his cloak.? ? With the corners of his eyes downcast and his hair short, Targen reminded Theo of a huge, obedient puppy when she glanced at him.? ? This way or that, it was never a strong impression.? ? ¡°¡®Nice to meet you. My name is Targen Oheim.¡±? ? Unable to dare to ask for a handshake, Targen gladly knelt on one knee to extend his courtesy to the neighboring king.? ? Theo, who was looking at him blankly, wrinkled her face grimly and grabbed Targen by the chest.? ? ¡°You punk!¡±? ? ¡°Sister! What are you doing!¡± (Lana)? ? ¡°Who do you think you are? How dare you to my sister? Do you know what family she came from?¡± (Theo)? ? ¡°Let him go, sister!¡± (Lana)? ? Lana screamed in a high-pitched voice and wrapped her arms around her stomach.? ? ¡°Oh¡­.¡±? ? As soon as Lana let out a faint moan with a pale face, Targen, who was helplessly holding onto Theo, moved.? ? ¡°Are you okay? Lean on me. Please don¡¯t ever overreact.¡±? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? Theo stared at her crouched sister, unsure of what to do.? ? Her face was in a state of confusion.? ? It wasn¡¯t enough that she was reunited with her sister, who had left over a decade ago, without preparation, and now she was even married and pregnant without her knowledge.? ? Her little sister, whom she had thought to be dead.? ? Theo was surprised, happy, and angry.? ? All the emotions she had felt in the past, worrying about Lana, came together with the faces of her parents who had died without seeing her.? ? There must have been some reason for this, but none of it came to Theo¡¯s mind.? ? Theo¡¯s face contorted and she covered her eyes with her hands.? ? She took a short breath and shook her head, trying her best to shake off the distractions.? ? What mattered now was not the past, but the state of her sister, who was holding her big belly.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m too excited¡­ are you okay? I¡¯ll call the doctor¡­.¡± (Theo)? ? ¡°Sister was always like that.¡± (Lana)? ? Hmmm.? ? Sighing briefly, Lana slowly straightened up.? ? There was a light blush on her face, but her complexion wasn¡¯t bad.? ? As soon as the thought of relief passed through Theo¡¯s head, Lana opened her mouth again.? ? ¡°You always run looking ahead, like a racehorse that doesn¡¯t measure the front and back. The royal family, the people, and the country are more important than anything to you, right?¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s a given as a royal born¡­¡­¡­¡± (Theo)? ? ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why my sister is more deserving of being king than anyone else. That¡¯s why father and mother sent me to Tanatos instead of you.¡± (Lana)? ? Theo held her breath at the first mention.? ? The word ¡°instead¡± contained the word ¡°originally¡± in it.? ? So it was Theoransha who was originally supposed to go to Tanatos?? ? ¡°What do you mean? Please tell me exactly what you mean.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s exactly what you heard. But it¡¯s okay. I already made up my mind when I left Amor, and I¡¯d be lying if I didn¡¯t feel sad, but I¡¯ve been able to accept it to some extent.¡± (Lana)? ? ¡°Lana!¡±? ? ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time, are you going to keep yelling?¡± ? ? Lana pretended to hide in Targen¡¯s arms as if she was scared, glancing coyly.? ? ¡°Please don¡¯t look at me like that. And don¡¯t be rash with my husband, I understand that my sister is the king, but Targen is my whole world. He was the life that sustained me, the roof that held me. And then¡­.¡±? ? Lana turned and smiled at Roselyn, who was silently watching the two sisters bickering.? ? ¡°Her Majesty, no, Aranrosia, was a benefactor of my life, my roof, and my future.¡± CH 84 Chapter 84. Love That Couldn''t Overcome Hatred? ? She was a foreign princess who spun out of control at the academy.? ? She came to Tanatos as a prisoner of war. A ghost student who was always wandering alone.? ? Lana, a soft captive with nowhere to turn for bullying, was such a presence in Tanatos.? ? The Tanatos imperial family that brought her in as a prisoner didn¡¯t care a bit for Lana, and Amor, who sent her, was disgusted that she was in Tanatos.? ? There were quite a few messages and dispatches sent by the king and queen, but that didn¡¯t mean they really took a very great interest in her.? ? Lana was becoming more and more isolated.? ? Being a princess of a country was of no use to her status as a prisoner of war.? ? In fact, it was a life inferior to that of a lower class noble.? ? Rather, for the lower class nobles of the academy with bad character, she was often the object of ridicule, the poor quality air wafting through the academy, the gaze that whispered secretly in the shadows. ? ? [Um¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Miss Lana. If you don¡¯t mind, can you teach me the language of Amor?¡±]? ? The only person who didn¡¯t pretend not to know her was Roselyn V Sunset.? ? Even before Roselyn became Crown Princess, she was the only one who had taken an interest in Lana Lantifu.? ? [I knew that there was an ancient Amor language, but I saw very few people who had mastered it. But I heard that royalty learn it to some extent. Would you mind teaching me a bit of it ¡­]? ? The supreme lady of this ice empire approached her discreetly.? ? It was Roselyn.? ? She was the forbidden golden jade of the Sunset family, and the only woman that the students of the academy adored without prejudice.? ? At the time, Lana was only sixteen years old.? ? She was brought here as a prisoner of war at the age of fourteen, and spent two ghostly years there, when she had first come face to face with the ice Princess, Lana still couldn¡¯t forget how it felt.? ? Because of her cold looking silver hair, Roselyn¡¯s nickname was mainly associated with ice and snow.? ? But to Lana, it was different.? ? Roselyn shone like the Amor sun, warmer than a bonfire on a blizzard night.? ? It made Lana hate her past self so much that she wanted to beat herself to death for not studying the ancient Amor language diligently.? ? [I know only a little of it. I¡¯m embarrassed to admit that I didn¡¯t take it seriously either.]? ? [Oh, I see. Then why don¡¯t you study with me, Lana?]? ? Lana stayed trying not to bother her too much.? ? Perhaps it was because of Roselyn that the insidious harassment that had been going on with Lana disappeared.? ? It happened at a time when Lana felt that life was still a bit worth living, if not for the cold.? ? Rumors spread that Roselyn was going to become the Crown Princess.? ? And with that, she was no longer attending the Academy.? ? And as soon as Roselyn was gone, the harassment began.? ? [You¡¯re an abandoned princess! Do you think that just because you have a little bit of royal blood in your veins that you¡¯ve become some kind of a great person? Be quiet, don¡¯t play around and don¡¯t show your ambition!]? ? Her shield disappeared and she was attacked.? ? [You can¡¯t even go back to Amor anyway, so make sure you get a good dowry from the royal family. Then I¡¯ll take care of you.]? ? At that time, Lana became the target of harassment.? ? And by the time the harassment was turned into violence, Lana planned to run away.? ? But when the brilliant Roselyn noticed a strange presence in Lana, whom she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time, she found out all about her escape plan.? ? Lana thought Roselyn would stop her.? ? Lana thought Roselyn would tell her not to do it. However¡­.? ? [Where do you want to go?]? ? [What?]? ? [I¡¯ll help you. If you have somewhere to go, go. Do you want to go back to Amor?]? ? Lana looked up at Roselyn, stunned.? ? She didn¡¯t know why she cried at that moment.? ? The tears that were flowing wildly finally came out in a childish wailing sound.? ? [You must have had a hard time. I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know my friend was having a hard time and I couldn¡¯t help her fast enough.] (Young Roselyn)? ? [No, no. No, no, no. Absolutely not.]? ? Lana didn¡¯t want to go back to Amor.? ? It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t like her family for not taking care of her. It was that she understood their hearts.? ? Did her father have a disease that weakened his heart?? ? She heard the news that he was losing weight day by day.? ? Her mother was pregnant with another little brother late. The child was a blessing, but she was too old to rejoice in the blessing.? ? The throne of Amor said that it would change owners at the earliest opportunity.? ? Lana had no doubt that its master would be her oldest sister, Theoransha.? ? They were close when they were young, but she and Theo had very different inclinations.? ? Returning now, the vacillation would have been the same for Tanatos and Amor.? ? [I¡¯m going to Mach.] (Lana)? ? [Mach?] (Young Roselyn)? ? [I have a lot of good memories there.] (Lana)? ? [¡­¡­ I see. Okay, Lana. You have to promise me one thing. Let me know that you are safe. I¡¯ll find a reliable mail carrier at Mach. So that we can ask how each other is doing, even if not often.] (Young Roselyn)? ? With Roselyn¡¯s help, Lana escaped Tanatos about six months later, where Lana became an adult.? ? Targen, who was Roselyn¡¯s bodyguard, helped Lana.? ? In the beginning, the two did not get along well.? ? Targen treated her as a child, and Lana thought Targen was an old man.? ? But the old man saved her life many times, and the little girl endured many humiliations to live an independent life.? ? They spent a year, two years, three years understanding each other and finally accepted that they had come to love each other.? ? The simple life they had come to live together was so lovely.? ? *back to present*? ? Lana gripped Targen¡¯s hand tightly.? ? Targen¡¯s hand, full of calluses, supported her firmly.? ? ¡°There is no seat for me in this country anyway. I have more memories of living outside this country than I have of living here. I don¡¯t have to tell you about my memories. All of them, one by one, I have nurtured and won. I am no longer the Lana Lantifu of Amor.¡±? ? Theo could not believe the situation at all.? ? The Lana in front of her was not the little girl Theo knew, the mean and sweet little girl.? ? Lana had become an adult who knew how to shine her eyes as coldly as Theo.? ? Facing her sister, who had become an adult without her knowledge, made her feel strange beyond words.? ? ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for helping Her Majesty, I probably wouldn¡¯t have come back here until I was dead.¡±? ? ¡°Lana, why do you say that? You are still a member of this royal family and you¡¯re of the Lantifu bloodline! Oh my god, how can you say that? You don¡¯t know how much I¡¯ve been searching for you.¡± (Theo)? ? ¡°You searched for me? My sister? When? After you became king and everything was stable?¡± (Lana)? ? Theo gritted her teeth and shouted, to which Lana replied with a whispered laugh.? ? ¡°Yes, we were very close sisters. I loved my sister, and she loved me. But that was just the end of it.¡±? ? Lana replied nonchalantly and looked at Theo.? ? ¡°Because my sister¡¯s love couldn¡¯t overcome her hatred.¡±? ? ¡°Couldn¡¯t get past the hatred?¡± (Theo)? ? ¡°Sister, how come you never came to me once while I was there? I sent you countless letters, why? Didn¡¯t I write countless letters telling you how hard it was and how lonely I was, and how much I missed my sister and brother to death?¡± (Lana)? ? ¡°At that time, father collapsed and there was no one to take charge of the national affairs¡­.¡± (Theo)? ? Theo clicked her tongue, because even as she spoke, it felt like an excuse.? ? ¡°You see, that was the end of it.¡±? ? Even though the king was still alive, the princess and the prince, Theo had never once considered going to Tanatos because she had to see to the affairs of state.? ? Maybe being busy was just an excuse for the hatred that never overcame love, as Lana had said.? ? No, that was certain.? ? Theo wouldn¡¯t even want to see what Tanatos looked like. It was a land of disgrace and disillusionment. Just looking at it, it was enough to make her want to fight.? ? ¡®Oh, why hadn¡¯t I thought of my sister¡¯s endurance in that hellish place at the time?¡¯ (Theo)? ? ¡°I have nothing to say¡­.¡± (Theo)? ? Theo¡¯s shoulders drooped. Her blood began to run cold with shame, not unlike the shame she felt when she remembered Tanatos. Lana, who had been staring at the face of her sister, smiled softly and reached out her hand.? ? ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±? ? A hand, so rough that it could never be considered a royal hand, gently caressed Theo¡¯s cheek.? ? Even though she would never be able to forget the memory of that moment, she was happy that most of the feelings seemed to have been washed away. (Lana)? ? She was so happy that she felt that no one could be happier than her at that time. All of this was thanks to her courageous escape, and thanks to Roselyn, who helped her escape. (Lana)? ? For that reason, she had a duty to help Roselyn.? ? If it was something she could do, she had to do her best to help.? ? ¡°But, Theo, my sister. If you still have any love and friendship left for me, please don¡¯t point your sword to the only person who has ever helped me, saved me, and reached out to me.¡±? ? Theo¡¯s eyes shook finely.? ? Theo was shocked as if she was hit by a hammer by Lana¡¯s unexpected sincerity.? ? ¡°That¡¯s the only reason I came here after a long game of hide-and-seek.¡± (Lana)? ? Lana smiled gently and said decisively.? ? ¡°All my remaining rights in this royal family, my sister¡¯s guilt and love for me, and compensation for the damage done to the sixth princess who was taken prisoner¡­¡­¡­¡­. to dedicate to this person.¡± (Lana)? ? Lana grasped Roselyn¡¯s hand firmly.? ? ¡°That¡¯s why I was willing to rush here, even in my last month of pregnancy. I hope that you, my sister, the king of this land, will understand what this means.¡± CH 85 Chapter 85. Aranrosia? ? Lana stayed at the palace for a day at Theo¡¯s request.? ? Roselyn wasn¡¯t sure what the sisters had or hadn¡¯t talked about that night.? ? Lana¡¯s expression, which looked lighter when she came to say goodbye before going back to Mach.? ? ¡°Are you really going back to Mach so soon?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, we should. That¡¯s where we have all the stuff we made for the baby. I want to welcome our baby in that house that we built together.¡±? ? Lana smiled brightly and answered bravely.? ? She used to be disappointed, but now Amor was no longer her home. Lana and Targen immediately set sail the next day without looking back.? ? Because of Lana¡¯s swollen belly, Roselyn couldn¡¯t hold them any longer.? ? Before leaving, Roselyn asked them if there was anything they wanted. ? ? She was grateful for their willingness to come to her when Lana was so close to giving birth, and she wanted to congratulate them on their new life.? ? Lana and Targen looked into each other¡¯s eyes and smiled, saying there was something they wanted to ask for.? ? ¡°Anything you want, just ask.¡±? ? ¡°Really, anything?¡±? ? Roselyn nodded resolutely as Lana asked again, wondering how great a thing Lana would ask for.? ? Lana, who was laughing, said something unexpected.? ? ¡°In that case, can you pass your name to our child?¡±? ? ¡°My name?¡±? ? ¡°Yes. The name of the former Empress of Tanatos, who is no longer with us and whom I loved the most.¡±? ? Roselyn.? ? Lana wants to use that name.? ? ¡°But it could be a boy¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? ¡°Then, I will give him another name. But if it¡¯s a girl, I want to name her after you, who I thought was the most noble.¡±? ? Roselyn blushed and was dismayed.? ? ¡°Is that really the request you both want?¡±? ? ¡°Yes. We don¡¯t want to have anything else besides this.¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s ears reddened at their honest reply, but she carefully gave her consent.? ? ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, feel free to use it.¡±? ? ¡°Thank you. ¡­.Majest¡­ No, Aranrosia.¡±? ? Roselyn and Tamon personally saw the two off.? ? Mach was right next door to Amor, but they figured the fastest way to get to Amor was by boat.? ? Since it was an urgent matter, they took the boat, but they chose to take a carriage because they wanted to travel leisurely on the way back. Also they tried to reduce the risk.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll go next time.¡±? ? ¡°¡®I will be waiting for you. Please come.¡±? ? Lana hugged Roselyn. The round belly felt strange and great as they touched each other.? ? Just before they left, Targen looked at Tamon, not at Roselyn.? ? Targen also knew who the Interest was.? ? The countless records he had left behind on the battlefield and in combat were seared all over the place, regardless of nation or race.? ? There were many men who would go to taverns and make a lot of noise, inflating the fact that they had been in battle with him.? ? Any knight, or armed men, knew the name Tamon Krasis.? ? Hesitantly, Targen said in a polite voice.? ? ¡°If she has a goal, she will work hard. Even if she had fear, she doesn¡¯t show it, and she thinks it¡¯s better to get hurt alone than to hurt many people.¡±? ? Everyone in the room knew who Targen was talking about.? ? Of course it was Roselyn, the person he was talking about.? ? ¡°Shamefully, can I pass on all the risks that should be mine to you?¡± (Targen asked Tamon to take care of Roselyn for him.)? ? ¡°Targen!¡±? ? Roselyn called his name in embarrassment.? ? But Tamon was quicker than her.? ? Tamon, who was smirking, answered casually as he lightly pushed Targen¡¯s shoulder.? ? ¡°You¡¯re being arrogant but go ahead with your life. I¡¯ll take over the risks.¡±? ? Tamon raised Roselyn¡¯s hand, kissed it, and said,? ? ¡°I will hold this one tightly until I die.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s answer was met with a nod from Targen and Lana, who looked at each other smiling.? ? Just before they boarded the comfortable carriage the royal family had provided, Lana rushed to Roselyn¡¯s side.? ? ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Lana?¡±? ? ¡°I thought I forgot, but just now I remembered.¡±? ? ¡°What is it?¡±? ? Lana, who was smiling, put her lips to Roselyn¡¯s ear.? ? Glancing at Tamon, Lana whispered in a quiet voice that he couldn¡¯t hear.? ? Roselyn¡¯s expression changed subtly as she listened.? ? ¡°You two look very good together, Aranrosia.¡±? ? Lana, who had been smiling, went back into the carriage.? ? ¡°We¡¯re leaving now! We¡¯ll see you again soon!¡±? ? Lana waved cheerfully, and Targen politely bowed his head through the carriage window to show courtesy.? ? The carriage carrying them grew further and further away.? ? Tamon saw them off and glanced at the low hill where he could see the entrance to the outer castle.? ? A dark-haired woman sitting atop a powerful white horse quickly turned away and disappeared. (It¡¯s Theo watching Lana leave from far away)? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? Tamon chuckled and grabbed the reins.? ? His eyes met Roselyn¡¯s for a moment.? ? ¡®Why does she have that face?¡¯? ? That was definitely that face.? ? It was the face Roselyn made when she was faced with an unexpected counterattack.? ? Looking at him with that face, Roselyn sprinted, grabbing the reins before Tamon could say anything.? ? ****? ? As soon as they returned to the mansion, Roselyn went to Tamon¡¯s basement study. ? ? ¡°Don¡¯t worry about my sister. She is a single-minded person and a bit stubborn, but she thinks more than anyone else about what is best for the country. She won¡¯t let this opportunity pass by.¡± (Lana)? ? Saying that they had to leave immediately, Lana told Roselyn not to worry. ? ? It wasn¡¯t that Roselyn was worried about anything.? ? She had done her best, and all that remained was to wait for the outcome. ? ? Even Tamon had spoken to her last night in similar words as Lana.? ? ¡°When it comes to overthrowing Tanatos, Theo would be the one who wanted most. She has good instincts and rarely misses an opportunity.¡±? ? The two people who were most knowledgeable about King Amor¡¯s past and present spoke in unison, so Roselyn had no reason to be worried.? ? Sitting in her seat, Roselyn quickly made her next plan.? ? She unfolded the note that Hannah gave her.? ? It was a note that showed where another holy relic was located.? ? [The golden cup must be buried in the tomb of the king who served the eclipse. In the lush forest of Laurel trees, under a tree struck by lightning, lies the tomb of the king].? ? It was the golden cup that was said to produce the most powerful poison in the world.? ? The only thing that could detoxify the poison from the cup was the Red Dagger, the fourth holy relic of detoxifying all the poison in the world.? ? In order to get all the holy relics before July, she had to find a way to collect these two at once.? ? ¡°There was a rumor that a merchant in Nyrux was collecting daggers¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? The tomb of the king who served the eclipse was probably a term referring to the tomb of the 9th king of Lumosha.? ? Unable to inherit this ability, he plundered the throne through violence and military force.? ? He was one of those who worshipped this ability despite the fact that he did not have it, but his methods were so bizarre and cruel that it made many people tremble in fear.? ? On a black night when the moon disappeared, the king sacrificed the heads of 100 slaves.? ? Of course, he had no divine powers. The unusual ability to be gifted from heaven was manifested itself in his half-brother, whom he could not kill.? ? The ninth king was not at peace even after his death, and suffered much resentment.? ? His tomb was dug up so many times that Lumosha had no choice but to move his tomb to another place, not the capital.? ? It was the furthest away from people¡¯s attention.? ? Somewhere along the border of the country.? ? Roselyn checked her note again.? ? ¡°¡­I¡¯ll have to find an area where Laurel trees are famous.¡±? ? It felt tight trying to do everything in three months.? ? But that didn¡¯t mean she would give up or delay.? ? ¡®I won¡¯t let anyone die but me.¡¯? ? Roselyn leaned deeper into her chair, covering her eyes with her arms.? ? She had just started and her body already felt tired.? ? Looking at the ocean seemed to calm the heavy feeling¡­¡­.? ? As she was about to go outside, she shook her head and crouched more on the sofa for no reason.? ? Earlier, as soon as they arrived at the mansion, she told Tamon not to come downstairs because she had something to do.? ? Tamon nodded, puzzled, but understood.? ? ¡°My most beautiful sea. Or my brilliant sea¡­¡±? ? Before leaving, Lana¡¯s whispered voice floated in Roselyn¡¯s ears.? ? ¡°Aranrosia is an Amor language that means exactly that.¡±? ? The Tanatos people worshiped the cruel Ice Mountains.? ? They were always in awe and fear of its huge and great nature.? ? Conversely, the Amor people worshipped the sea the most.? ? They love and fear the ocean more than anyone else, and yet they are grateful for the many things it gives them.? ? Tamon called her the sea.? ? She didn¡¯t even know that Tamon¡¯s heart for her was in that name.? ? ¡°Hmmmm.¡±? ? Roselyn closed her eyes, playing with the tips of her reddened ears.? ? It was a night when Roselyn¡¯s troubles deepened. CH 86 Chapter 86. The Rightful Owner? ? The next day at dawn, a messenger came from the palace.? ? It was a morning when dawn had barely begun to break.? ? The messenger, who had flown in at an hour when no ordinary nobleman would be awake, urged him on.? ? ¡°¡­¡­Her Majesty wants to see him now?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, Her Majesty wanted the General to come now.¡±? ? The king¡¯s messenger stood in the lobby waiting for Tamon, as if he could not leave without him.? ? But that didn¡¯t mean Tamon was in a hurry.? ? He approached Roselyn, who was still asleep.? ? Silver-like hair scattered over a white pillow glistened in the morning sun.? ? Tamon looked at Roselyn¡¯s sleeping face for a moment, then reached out to her.? ? He lightly caressed her pink cheek.? ? The feel of her skin under his fingers was so soft that it made his body shudder.? ? He didn¡¯t know what she was thinking with this little headache of hers, but last night, when the moon came up, Roselyn didn¡¯t come up from his study.? ? He waited and waited, but she didn¡¯t come, so he ignored her words not to come until after midnight and went down to the basement.? ? Asha was crouched on the sofa, asleep.? ? She was so small and fragile that he felt like she could fit in his one hand.? ? Although she looked this small and frail, the world she held was too big and solid.? ? He was drawn to her and it was driving him crazy right now.? ? If possible, he wanted to lock her in his arms and let her see only what he would show her, and hear only the words he would tell her.? ? The urge to protect her forever in a world where she could not get hurt, where she could not know sacrifice, where she could not be reckless, tormented him every moment.? ? But then, this woman might lose the meaning of her life again.? ? She would throw away her life once again without a second thought.? ? ¡®¡­. I can¡¯t do that.¡¯? ? Tamon held her in his arms as she slept and came upstairs.? ? There was a large and magnificent bed in his study, but he wanted to take her in his arms and go up to his room on the third floor.? ? ¡°I want to see the ocean more.¡±? ? That was the first desire she said.? ? It was etched in his brain. Since that day, that third floor has been completely hers.? ? He didn¡¯t want to let anyone share what she loved.? ? He wanted to make sure that she was the only one who could enjoy and own it completely.? ? Why does he want to listen to whatever Asha says when she is such a great woman who had grown up without lacking anything?? ? Tamon stroked her face with his fingers.? ? The hand that didn¡¯t seem to know how to touch her was not one of his usual mischievous or naughty attitudes, just polite.? ? Knock. Knock.? ? With a small tap on the door, Satin walked inside.? ? ¡°Master, Her Majesty¡­¡­..¡±? ? Tamon quickly raised his hand to stop him from speaking.? ? Bringing his finger to his lips as if to tell Satin to be quiet, he bent down and carefully kissed her ankle. It was a ritual he never missed a day of.? ? More than any other act, the secret, heartfelt exhalation of awareness was filled with a strong possessiveness.? ? His traces remained pink on her thin white ankle.? ? Tamon stood up, smiling with satisfaction.? ? Even the moment he left the room, the sunlight in the room was still as if careful.? ? Roselyn, who knew nothing, was still sleeping peacefully.? ? ****? ? ¡°When did I come to his room and sleep?¡±? ? ¡°Is it because I was tired?¡±? ? Roselyn woke up later than usual. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, startled by the bright sunlight through the curtains.? ? ¡°I slept late again.¡±? ? When she was in Tanatos, she had never overslept. It was the same when she was in the Sunset family before she became Empress.? ? Generally, her family was very hardworking and most wary of laziness.? ? After entering the Imperial Palace, she had so much work that she had no time to sleep.? ? Recently, however, she had been sleeping in till late.? ? Each time, she would slap her cheek, embarrassed for no reason.? ? ¡°I should hurry up and go out. I have something to tell Tamon.¡±? ? She had to hurry up with the schedule. She had to seek his opinion on how far he could pull and adjust.? ? She warmed up lightly and stepped out of bed.? ? At that moment, she felt something a little out of the ordinary.? ? ¡°My ankle doesn¡¯t hurt¡­¡­.?¡±? ? Normally, most of her senses in the injured ankle were dead, especially when she took her first step in the morning and felt a stinging pain.? ? Today was particularly good.? ? She stroked her ankle curiously a few times before meeting the twins who had quietly walked in.? ? ¡°Huh? You¡¯re awake!¡±? ? ¡°Did you sleep well, Asha?¡±? ? The bright voices of the twins blew away any remaining sleep.? ? ¡°You must be hungry. I¡¯ll bring you some hot soup right away. The chef says the tomato soup is artistic!¡±? ? ¡°Here you go, Asha. It¡¯s lukewarm water.¡±? ? Tasha hurried off to get breakfast. When she got out, Louie brought Roselyn some water.? ? After drinking the water, she sometimes mesmerized when looking at the scenery outside the wide open window.? ? At times like this, there was a strange feeling that filled her deep in her heart, but she couldn¡¯t figure out what it was.? ? It was not a sigh with heavy emotions like worry or concern, but a sigh with hot emotions that came up naturally.? ? Looking out the window as if time had stopped, she belatedly came to her senses and asked Louie.? ? ¡°Where is he?¡±? ? There was only one man Roselyn was looking for.? ? ¡°Master went to the palace early this morning. Her Majesty summoned him at dawn.¡±? ? How could the king of Amor call him in the morning?? ? She had a feeling she knew what she was going to say to him.? ? In the meantime, Tasha came back.? ? ¡°Oh, Asha!¡±? ? But Tasha didn¡¯t have breakfast in her hand, she was holding a large, shiny box.? ? ¡°What¡¯s that, Tasha?¡±? ? Louie asked with her eyes wide open.? ? Instead of answering, Tasha quickly brought the box in front of Roselyn.? ? The moment she saw the World Tree Seal stamped on the box, Roselyn also became quizzical.? ? It was the seal of the royal family of Amor. It meant that the box was a gift from the palace.? ? ¡°Can you open it for me, Tasha?¡±? ? ¡°Yes!¡±? ? Without a single creak, the ornately decorated box opened.? ? Inside was a fancy crossbow. ? ? ¡°A bow?¡±? ? Roselyn lifted the bow with surprised eyes.? ? The bow was made of Angel woods, which was said to be light and strong, and between the two was a well-smelted iron track.? ? The bow was inlaid with fine jewels, it was the monarch¡¯s bow, not too glamorous and refined.? ? When the bow was lifted up, the thirty arrows that lay underneath it were revealed.? ? With eyes even more surprised than when looking at the bow, Roselyn pulled out one of the arrows.? ? ¡°It¡¯s a Laxicon arrow.¡±? ? The arrowhead, shiny black with a hint of pink, was made of Laxicon. ? ? ¡°Lady Asha, there¡¯s a small letter in there.¡±? ? Louie handed Roselyn a white envelope, which was placed on top of the arrows.? ? When she opened the envelope, a concise sentence was written in a powerful handwriting.? ? [I¡¯ll give it back to the rightful owner. Thank you for the courage of the day]? ? ¡®Oh, I see¡­¡­¡­.¡¯? ? ¡°She¡¯s a person who thinks more than anyone else about what¡¯s good for this country. She won¡¯t miss this opportunity.¡± (*Lana was talking about Theo)? ? Lana was right.? ? Roselyn smiled without realizing it.? ? ¡®You* really are not one to miss an opportunity, are you?¡¯ (*Theo)? ? It said ¡®return it¡¯, but this bow and arrow were much better than what Roselyn saw at the festival that day.? ? Such a roundabout way of expressing an alliance¡­ ¡­¡­¡­..? ? ¡®Isn¡¯t she* very cute?¡¯ (*Theo)? ? She smiled and looked out the window at the ocean.? ? Come to think of it, today would be the last day of the festival.? ? As a result of the quick disposal of the monsters that day, the flower offering festival was able to continue without difficulty.? ? If anything, it further increased the excitement of the festival, and instilled confidence that even if dozens of monsters came rushing in during the festival, Amor would be able to handle them all at once.? ? And the people who witnessed the day also brought up the story of Roselyn, who surrounded the monsters with fire arrows.? ? Because an incident in which a gorgeous silver-haired exotic lady rendered dozens of monsters immobile with a single bow was just the right material for the extravagant people to make a fuss about.? ? Roselyn pondered for a moment and then asked the twins.? ? ¡°Didn¡¯t you say they would fly lanterns on the last day of the festival?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, on the last day of the festival, the event will be held at the last moment!¡±? ? ¡°So there¡¯s still time.¡±? ? Roselyn hurriedly called Satin. It was also a nuisance to go out recklessly in the absence of Tamon.? ? ¡°You can go out anytime you want. Master said that Aranrosia can do whatever she wants, so she¡¯s free to go out.¡±? ? ¡°Ohhh¡­¡­.¡±? ? Satin smiled softly when Roselyn was surprised by his unexpected words.? ? ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to be well guarded. Please bear that in mind.¡±? ? It was so obvious that Roselyn complied honestly.? ? Roselyn asked the twins, who were making a fuss about preparing clothes in a hurry, for a colored veil.? ? ¡°I think it¡¯d be better to cover my hair a little.¡±? ? The twins also knew about the rumor about the exotic silver-haired lady buzzing on the street.? ? They hurried off to get a costume and veil that they thought their master would like.? ? Asrell filled their empty seats.? ? After a relaxed morning, Roselyn asked Asrell for one more favor.? ? Asrell responded to her request with a smile.? ? ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll prepare it right now.¡± CH 87 Chapter 87. Can I Trust You?? ? Hannah, who was sitting in the garden reading a book, and Arsene, who was begging Rubent to train him in basic swordsmanship, were caught by the servants and got ready to go out.? ? By the time they were done getting ready, the sky had somehow turned dark orange.? ? They didn¡¯t have time to ask why they had to do this, as the servants busily helped them get dressed.? ? ¡°Oh, you have to tell me where we¡¯re going. Tasha, Louie!¡± ? ? ¡°What, Arsene, didn¡¯t you hear where you were going?¡±? ? Arsene was dragged along slyly, and nodded in frustration.? ? Hannah was meekly holding Louie¡¯s hand as they made their way down the stairs as if she already knew.? ? ¡°Lady Asha said she wanted to go out with you guys, so we hurriedly prepared. Oh, she is there first!¡±? ? ¡­¡­. Her Majesty?? ? Arsene¡¯s eyes widened as he ran with joy.? ? Roselyn, who was waiting by the carriage, turned and smiled, as she heard Arsene.? ? ¡°I asked them to prepare for the outing, but I guess I didn¡¯t explain the situation well enough when I made the arrangements on such short notice. I¡¯m sorry, please understand.¡±? ? Arsene forgot to reply and gazed at Roselyn blankly without knowing it.? ? She was wearing a fluttering black satin dress with a mesh veil that hid half her face, and even a black jeweled ornament on top of it, which gave her a completely different look.? ? She exuded a mysterious atmosphere, as if she were a witch with a secret.? ? It was fortunate that she covered her face with a veil.? ? If she didn¡¯t, all the people passing by must have been gazing up at her in fascination.? ? ¡°Why do you look like that? Arsene? ¡°? ? ¡°¡®¡­¡­ Oh, yes. God, it¡¯s so amazing.¡±? ? ¡°What is it?¡±? ? ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen you dressed in black before.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, I see.¡±? ? Roselyn looked down at her figure.? ? Empresses and emperors mainly preferred to wear white or red robes.? ? Occasionally, they wore blue attire for special occasions, but rarely black. This was because black used to be regarded as an ominous color in Tanatos, who revered white.? ? Smiling, Roselyn asked Hannah and Arsene.? ? ¡°Is it strange? I like it¡­..¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s not strange! It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not used to it. You look good in any outfit, Asha!¡±? ? Following Arsene¡¯s hurried reply, Hannah whispered, ¡°You¡¯re very beautiful.¡±? ? Roselyn patted the children on the head and said,? ? ¡°Thank you. You two look very nice, too.¡±? ? Arsene blushed in embarrassment and Hannah bent her knees slightly to show her appreciation.? ? About that time, the carriage carrying them arrived in front of the lobby.? ? The four plainclothes knights who would escort them were also on horseback.? ? ¡°Hello, my name is Jorge Crusoe, and I¡¯ve been assigned to escort you.¡±? ? He was a man with a large figure, but the only thing that made him look as innocent as a boy was the way he smiled with a scowl on his nose.? ? He lightly dismounted from his horse and greeted Roselyn.? ? Just before Roselyn, who accepted the familiar greeting, got on the carriage with the children.? ? ¡°You deceived me.¡±? ? A whispering voice called out to her.? ? Cassion, who was far away, came running at a large trot, his face was red with uncontrollable anger.? ? ¡°Why, why did you lie to me?¡±? ? Roselyn looked closely at Cassion, who was looking at her with a face of resentment.? ? ¡®Why does he still remain in the mansion without leaving?¡¯? ? She thought he would leave as soon as he got his medicine. Even after receiving all the medicine, he remained motionless until Tamon returned and ordered him to leave.? ? From what the twins spilled, Roselyn heard that Tamon scolded him badly.? ? ¡®Are you really going to make fun of Tamon?¡¯? ? Roselyn narrowed her eyes.? ? Even a single assumption made her blood cold. But as she looked closely at Cassion¡¯s face, she thought that maybe her assumption was wrong.? ? ¡®Come to think of it, rather than ignoring it¡­¡­¡­.¡¯? ? Just when she thought she knew something, Cassion asked again with a red face.? ? ¡°Are you going to be a mute again this time? You¡¯ve been pretending you don¡¯t know the official language of Amor, and now you¡¯re going to pretend you can¡¯t speak it!¡± ? ? ¡°I don¡¯t pretend to be dumb.¡±? ? The official language flowed through Roselyn¡¯s lips, and Cassion¡¯s lips quivered in shock again, even though he understood it.? ? ¡°Why ¡­¡­?¡±? ? ¡°I thought it wouldn¡¯t be too much trouble if I couldn¡¯t speak the language.¡±? ? The exact answer was that it was annoying.? ? Cassion clenched his fists at the insulting remarks spewed out in an indifferent manner.? ? ¡°But I was wrong¡­.¡± (Roselyn) ? ? ¡°What?¡± ? ? ¡°You bothered me even though you didn¡¯t understand.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Why do you say that?¡±? ? Cassion got angry, but Roselyn clicked her tongue low.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t get angry about this, you were the one who acted rudely to me first. It is too late for you to look for courtesy from me now.¡±? ? Spitting out the cold, emotionless words, Roselyn returned to the carriage, holding the hands of the children.? ? ¡°Hey, wait a minute!¡±? ? Cassion followed her, limping as she walked.? ? ¡°You¡¯re going out? I¡¯m coming with you.¡±? ? ¡ªWow, look at how shameless he is!? ? The twins, who were watching from behind, almost shouted in unison.? ? Roselyn shook her head and climbed into the carriage.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll protect you! You need escorts anyway!¡± (Cassion)? ? Jorge, who had been standing by, laughed awkwardly at Cassion¡¯s shout.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll protect you too, Master Cassion! Haha!¡±? ? Seeing Jorge and three of his men waiting side by side, Cassion hastily added.? ? ¡°The more guards we have, the better!¡±? ? Who in the world is going to protect whom¡­?? ? Roselyn said to Cassion through the window of the carriage.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t use me as a means to get your brother¡¯s attention, Cassion Krasis.¡±? ? Her words made Cassion¡¯s face turn red and his lips quiver.? ? Roselyn urged the horseman to start the carriage.? ? ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not like that!¡±? ? A loud voice followed a step later, loud enough to ring out, but Roselyn didn¡¯t even snicker, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes.? ? It was a comfortable move.? ? ***? ? Clank! ? ? Clank! Clank!? ? The sound of wooden swords clashing inside the palace training grounds was noisy.? ? Tamon wondered why Theo called him in the morning, but she suddenly threw a wooden sword at him and then called for a match.? ? Not even a real sword, just a wooden sword¡­? ? Feeling like he knew why, Tamon silently changed into his training clothes.? ? ¡°Ha!¡±? ? Theo¡¯s sword swiftly attacked Tamon.? ? It was a classic and graceful sword technique. It was so fast that the average person could not even see the direction of the sword with the naked eye.? ? On the other hand, Tamon¡¯s sword technique was more destructive and anomalous.? ? He used to give up one of his arms and cut off his opponent¡¯s head.? ? Of course, he didn¡¯t use this method when he was dealing with small people.? ? When it came to the final blow, or when he met the best of the best, he would use a part of himself as bait to make sure he cut off their heads.? ? However, that was not the case with Tamon¡¯s current swordsmanship.? ? He was the type of person who was so resourceful and strong that Theo couldn¡¯t predict the direction of the sword, but now, Theo could see how Tamon¡¯s sword was moving in her eyes. He seemed to have lost about half of his strength as well.? ? Theo said, her mouth curling up in a sarcastic smile.? ? ¡°You¡¯re going easy on me, aren¡¯t you?¡±? ? ¡°Of course not.¡±? ? ¡°If you¡¯re going to go easy then do it. The purpose of this match is not to win anyway¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? Theo¡¯s sword hit Tamon¡¯s shoulder.? ? ¡°Ha!¡±? ? Tamon smirked at his opponent¡¯s nakedly revealing purpose and threw the training wooden sword he was holding.? ? It was a lie if it didn¡¯t hurt. That said, it wasn¡¯t painful enough to make him scream out loud.? ? Frankly, he was prepared for this level of Theo¡¯s frustration to some extent.? ? ¡°Then, don¡¯t pretend to be clumsy and just beat me.¡±? ? ¡°Then It¡¯ll be over too quickly.¡±? ? Theo replied with a grumpy smile.? ? Tamon chuckled at her words.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sure I could endure even longer than Your Majesty if I hold out. Are you confident that you won¡¯t fall before I do?¡±? ? ¡®Oh, he¡¯s so arrogant.¡¯? ? Theo looked up at the sky for a moment.? ? ¡®Why did I think he was on my side?¡¯? ? As soon as she thought, ¡°If I¡¯m going to go back in time, I should get rid of him,¡± Theo recalled the many scenes where Tamon had helped her.? ? ¡®¡ªYes, I admit it.¡¯? ? ¡®It seemed that even if I went back to the past, I couldn¡¯t get rid of him.¡¯? ? As expected, humans must be faithful to the present.? ? Theo let out a deep, heavy sigh and fixed the wooden sword.? ? ¡°You¡¯re right. If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll hit you unilaterally from now on. I feel like cutting off your head isn¡¯t enough, but as you know, I¡¯m a very generous king.¡±? ? Watching Theo muttering, Tamon took a short deep breath and lowered his posture.? ? ¡°Please come.¡± ? ? ¡°Right. Let¡¯s go.¡±? ? From that moment on, it was truly time for every bout in earnest.? ? The gruesome thing was that Tamon was silently receiving the repeated attack of the wooden sword as he stood there, except for defending his head.? ? Lucy, who had been watching the scene from afar, turned away with a blank look on her face after about an hour had passed.? ? ¡°Ha, ha, ha!¡±? ? It was Theo who hit hard, became exhausted and was on the verge of falling.? ? The sight of Tamon, who was being beaten without moving, and two broken swords later, made people watching him gasp.? ? ¡°Oh, really? You monster!¡±? ? Theo¡¯s language became rough.? ? She was a king who was far from being elegant and refined.? ? Normally, she still tried to control herself, but now the reins were completely loosened.? ? What did self-restraint mean when it came to condemning traitors!? ? Theo didn¡¯t let it slide and beat Tamon. Tamon didn¡¯t move and endured silently.? ? Finally, when she heard one of Tamon¡¯s bones snap, Theo lowered her third wooden sword in satisfaction.? ? ¡°Ha, ha, ha¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? Theoransha, lying down on the ground, took a moment to catch her breath and said.? ? ¡°I put the priest in the next room. Go get treatment.¡±? ? ¡°You¡¯re meticulous. I didn¡¯t realize that you had been thinking about beating me since dawn until I needed a priest¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Be quiet or I¡¯ll cut out your tongue first.¡± ? ? ¡°Are you okay now?¡±? ? ¡°No, but I¡¯m going to stop here for today. I¡¯m tired and I can¡¯t do any more.¡±? ? ¡°You need more strength.¡±? ? ¡°Your tongue!¡±? ? Theo glared at Tamon with murderous eyes, as if she would gouge out his tongue in a heartbeat.? ? Tamon, who shrugged his shoulders, meekly stopped talking, as if he understood.? ? And so a few minutes passed.? ? After being silent for a while, Theo opened his mouth with a trembling voice.? ? ¡°Tamon.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±? ? Theo, who was hesitating, finally asked, ? ? ¡°Can I trust you?¡±? ? Tamon answered without hesitation.? ? ¡°No.¡±? ? Theo jumped up with an absurd look on her face. CH 88 Chapter 88. A Blind Man? ? ¡°You¡¯re a brazen one!¡±? ? Tamon smiled elegantly at Theo¡¯s angry voice.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t trust me. Don¡¯t trust Lucy either. If possible, don¡¯t trust anyone. Trust only yourself.¡±? ? ¡°You¡¯re good at talking.¡±? ? Tamon chuckled.? ? ¡°Thank you for the compliment.¡±? ? Theo wondered how it had come to this, but stopped.? ? What¡¯s the point of thinking about that?? ? It couldn¡¯t have been something she could have stopped.? ? She looked at Tamon, who was leaning against the wall with his body slightly tilted as if his ribs were broken.? ? Theo had never seen Tamon so messed up before.? ? It was Tamon who always maintained a certain amount of composure.? ? Tamon wiped his bleeding lips with the back of his hand.? ? Theo could even see a blue bruise under his chin, which he frowned at the sight of the blood.? ? To see his own blood on that face instead of the blood of his enemies, Theo was thrilled about this¡­? ? Theo also knew that the fact that Tamon had silently followed this stupid order to just be beaten, no matter how much it was her order, was in itself redemption in this man¡¯s own way.? ? He probably would not rebel even if Theo broke every bone in his body, but he was a demonic man.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t trust me¡± he said, but he would act like he could give his life for her.? ? Theo finally understood what Ronasso had said about Tamon¡¯s going out as a delegation to confuse the nobles of other countries ¡°like a fox¡±.? ? Theo threw the wooden sword she was holding at Tamon and stood up quickly.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll decide who to believe and who not to believe!¡± ? ? ¡°Of course you do.¡±? ? However, Theo believed in her instincts.? ? ¡°I believe you.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯ll believe you.¡±? ? Even if she was fooled again, Theo only wanted to believe Tamon again.? ? ¡°Because no matter how blinded you are by women, you will not be a thug who betrays your own country!¡±? ? Hmph, snickering soundly, Theo quickly turned around.? ? She strode out of the training hall quickly.? ? Tamon, who was watching Theo¡¯s back as she disappeared, leaning against the wall, lifted his lips in a bitter smile.? ? ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m blinded by women, Your Majesty.¡±? ? He muttered as if mocking himself.? ? ¡°In fact, this is love.¡±? ? Even though he couldn¡¯t express it out loud in front of the woman.? ? Yes, this is love.? ? Even at the moment of his ribs broken, there was no other explanation for this crazy state of being that he was happy just because he had an excuse to rely on her*. (*Roselyn)? ? If this is not love, what is it?? ? Tamon closed his eyes, biting back his vain confession.? ? ***? ? ¡°Wow¡­¡­ ¡°? ? Arsene¡¯s turquoise eyes shone with surprise as he looked around the area.? ? The boy¡¯s childhood was filled with iron and fire, and after that day of the accident when he had run into Jagma, he had wielded only swords.? ? In the small world of his childhood, he had never seen such a rare sight.? ? He could see all the colors of hair in the world, and the unusual things blinded him.? ? Some people walked around with long wooden sticks as shoes, and even some men wore dresses.? ? In the streets, unidentifiable foreign singers sang songs and people danced and laughed along with them.? ? What surprised Arsene the most was that people who were definitely nobles were also dancing in the streets.? ? How could nobles dance so freely in a place where commoners were passing by!? ? ¡­He felt like he was in a strange land.? ? No matter how many times he rubbed his eyes at the unbelievable scenery, the scene remained unchanged.? ? Roselyn smiled at Arsene¡¯s dazed expression.? ? Arsene¡¯s emotions were all too understandable.? ? In fact, it wasn¡¯t because of her that she had seen more of the world than Ars¨¨ne.? ? This was the first place she had actually seen the world, except for what she had learned beyond the books. ? ? It was no exaggeration to say that most of the places she had felt and experienced with her senses were brutally cold Tanatos, the capital city of Bern among them. ? ? So even for Roselyn, as an adult, she couldn¡¯t help but feel that this landscape was like another world at this moment. ? ? ¡°What! Asha! What is that?¡±? ? Arsene looked at the whole roasted octopus and backed away with surprise. That was, for all intents and purposes, a baby sea monster, but people were carrying it around on a skewer.? ? ¡°Look, Hannah! Look at that one!¡±? ? Arsene tugged on Hannah¡¯s hand, as if he could not look at it alone. Hana, who was half dozing off, opened her eyes wide in surprise.? ? Seeing what Arsene was pointing at, Hannah took a startled step backwards. She gently squeezed Arsene¡¯s arm in fear.? ? ¡°It¡¯s called an octopus. It is very fragrant and firm when grilled.¡±? ? ¡°What? You¡¯re going to eat it?¡±? ? ¡°Yes. Shall I buy one for you?¡±? ? At Roselyn¡¯s offer, Arsene and Hannah shook their heads aggressively.? ? The sight was so cute that Roselyn, the twins, and Jorge, who had been meekly following behind, all burst out laughing.? ? Roselyn glanced at Hannah who was attached to Arsene¡¯s side.? ? ¡°I have one name. That¡¯s all there is to it. I lost my parents when I was very young. Master Hartz offered me his last name, but I said no. So it¡¯s just Hannah.¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s first impression of Hannah was ¡®mature¡¯.? ? Yes, even though she was smaller than Arsene, Hannah acted and looked ¡®mature¡¯.? ? However, that appearance was only for the first day.? ? The next day, Hannah dozed off, read fairy tales, and took a walk with the house animals.? ? She still had that mature impression now.? ? But Roselyn felt like she was looking at a completely different person from the first day.? ? It was the same now.? ? The image of Hannah who left the mansion was similar to that of the first day.? ? She* was a little spaced out, but determined, and no matter what she* saw, she* was not surprised. (*Hannah)? ? In fact, she even smiled at Arsene, who was excited, as if he was cute.? ? However, Hannah who was now holding Arsene¡¯s hand was looking at the world with the same wonderment as Arsene.? ? She* opened her eyes in surprise at a single octopus skewer, her cheeks reddening, and gave a small laugh as she* locked eyes with Arsene. (*Hannah)? ? Looking at Hannah, Roselyn felt ¡®something¡¯ strange.? ? But she didn¡¯t know what that ¡®something¡¯ was, she just felt frustrated.? ? It wasn¡¯t that she could detect anything evil with such a small and cute girl.? ? She just felt a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.? ? Suddenly, Roselyn remembered seeing the child on the first day of the festival when the monsters broke out.? ? Or more accurately, she remembered seeing Hannah. This particular pink hair color stood out, and she was sure of it.? ? ¡°Hannah.¡±? ? ¡°Yes?¡±? ? The child looked up at Roselyn with her fine golden eyes. Her white cheeks turned pink.? ? ¡°By any chance¡­ Did you come out a few days ago?¡±? ? Hannah opened her eyes wide as if to say something, but slowly shook her head to the side.? ? Arsene, who was listening nearby, added.? ? ¡°It¡¯s our first time here today, aren¡¯t we? What¡¯s the matter?¡±? ? ¡°No, it¡¯s just that a few days ago I saw a girl who looked like Hannah.¡±? ? ¡°A girl who looks like Hannah? Wow, you mean there is another one with a hair color like this? Amor is just another world.¡±? ? Arsene marveled once more and looked around with eyes that were still shining after all this time. ? ? It wasn¡¯t a single bit cold at night, and even though it was the last day of the festival, it was still packed with people. ? ? No matter how special the occasion, it was a landscape where nobles and commoners didn¡¯t hate each other, and where no one crawled or begged¡­ ? ? Arsene, who was slowly looking around, said in a voice that crept in, his cheeks reddening. ? ? ¡°Is it because it never snows in Amor? The people here all seem to be melting. In Tanatos, everyone looked frozen¡­¡±? ? At Arsene¡¯s words, Roselyn looked around the area anew. She marveled. After listening to the child¡¯s words, it really did look like that. ? ? She thought the smiles of the people who regained their true form after the ice melted were like that. Of course, everyone¡¯s circumstances were different and were shadows beyond the light, but at least the darkness didn¡¯t cover the whole area. ? ? ¡°I see.¡±? ? Well, at least everyone didn¡¯t look frozen. Before she knew it, the sky had gone from dark purple to deep indigo.? ? ¡°Asha, it¡¯s getting late. Let¡¯s go quickly!¡±? ? The twins, who were looking up at the night sky, urged Roselyn and the children to hurry.? ? Even though they arrived a little earlier than scheduled, the cliff where the wind lantern ceremony was held was packed with people.? ? There were several layers of safety fences around the cliff, as the ceremony was held here every year.? ? ¡°Oh no¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be our turn.¡±? ? Roselyn looked ruefully at the people holding lanterns.? ? Tasha and Louie chuckled as they looked at the worried Roselyn.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Asha. We¡¯ll take care of it. Black traders always appear before the lantern ceremony! We¡¯ll get it for you!¡±? ? The twins poked Jorge in the side and said.? ? ¡°Jorge, please take care of Asha and the kids! You have to protect them well before we come back!¡±? ? Jorge nodded at the twins as he puffed out his shoulders.? ? ¡°Go quickly and don¡¯t cause any accidents. If anything happens, shout out!¡±? ? ¡°Hahahaha! We will!¡±? ? Tasha and Louie disappeared through the crowd, chuckling.? ? Roselyn looked worriedly at where the twins had disappeared and looked down at the hand of someone pulling her.? ? ¡°Hannah?¡± CH 89 Chapter 89. The Wind Lantern Ceremony? ? ¡°Please buy me a flower¡­.¡±? ? Roselyn looked at where Hannah pointed, and saw children decorated like flower spirits, each with a basket full of flowers for sale.? ? ¡°Those who couldn¡¯t attend the flower offering ceremony would write their wishes on the flowers and float them on the ocean. Strangely enough, not once did the flowers wash up on land.¡±? ? Jorge, who was watching, stepped in and explained.? ? ¡°I see. Thank you for your explanation.¡±? ? Roselyn sent a polite thank you, and Jorge laughed ¡®haha¡¯ with a face that couldn¡¯t hide his happiness.? ? ¡°What flowers shall I buy then?¡±? ? What Roselyn saw right now were yellow roses, lilies, and purple statice.? ? All the flowers were beautiful, and just when Roselyn was not sure what to choose, Hannah grabbed the hem of her skirt again.? ? ¡°There ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ over there.¡±? ? Hannah ran with Roselyn¡¯s hand in hers as if to tell her to follow.? ? In no time at all, Roselyn was already in the middle of the crowd with the child holding on to her.? ? Fortunately, Hannah stopped without going more than a few steps.? ? ¡°Here. I like this flower.¡±? ? At the place where Hannah stopped, there was a boy holding a basket of flowers, which looked particularly small compared to the flowers of other children, but was still very much intact.? ? ¡°Buy some flowers! Daisy means hope. All my blessings for your future, beautiful customer¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? The child was reciting the words he must have memorized, he couldn¡¯t even lift his head to offer the flowers. The stems of the flower were crushed and the petals were shaking.? ? Roselyn looked at the basket. It seemed that he hadn¡¯t sold a single flower yet.? ? ¡°They¡¯re beautiful daisies.¡±? ? Roselyn looked at the basket full of white flowers.? ? Daisies were flowers that bloomed in warm places. They were also very rare in cold Tanatos.? ? ¡°How much is it?¡±? ? ¡°10 shillings per flower¡­¡±? ? No, how much is a whole basket?¡±? ? The child¡¯s eyes opened wide in surprise at Roselyn¡¯s words.? ? The child had very pretty purple eyes.? ? Roselyn was happy to see the same eye color as hers and smiled ? ? small under her veil.? ? ¡°Well, now really¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s see. It looks like there are 100 flowers in the basket. Then this is good enough. Right?¡±? ? Roselyn held out a small bag of gold coins to the child.? ? The pocket contained about 10 gold.? ? When the boy checked the pocket, he was startled and gave the money back to her.? ? ¡°It¡¯s too much, precious Lady! I can¡¯t take this much!¡±? ? ¡°If you sell 100 shillings each, you will get 10 golds.¡±? ? But the price of ten shillings per flower was a price that the boy called high in the hope that they would bargain for it.? ? He was very grateful to the lady in front of him who paid for everything, but he also felt sorry for her.? ? ¡°Take it, I was looking for a child who could sell a whole basket like this, not just one or two flowers. Other children had sold half of their baskets. You¡¯re the precious child I finally found, so you can have it.¡±? ? The gentle sound of the noblewoman¡¯s voice made the boy stare upward in a daze.? ? Tears began to trickle up into the boy¡¯s large eyes.? ? He was born as the fourth of five siblings.? ? He was disliked by his siblings. The words ¡°precious child¡± were the most enchanting words he had ever heard in his life.? ? ¡°Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡±? ? He was even more grateful that the lady was the first person to say ¡°precious¡± to him than that she bought the flowers.? ? With trembling hands, the boy accepted the pocket Roselyn had offered him.? ? The sobbing child wiped away his tears with his fist and even took off the daisy crown that he wore on his head.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t have anything for you. This is a flower crown I made myself this morning. Please accept it.¡±? ? The boy, who bowed down and greeted, quickly moved away.? ? Somehow, he couldn¡¯t seem to stop crying.? ? Roselyn looked at the flower crown the child had left and placed it on Hannah¡¯s head.? ? ¡°The daisies look good on you, Hannah.¡±? ? ¡°Thank you¡­¡­.¡±? ? With the flower crown on her head and the flower basket in her hand, Hannah looked like the boy selling flowers.? ? The difference was that unlike the boy holding the flower basket, many people asked if they could buy flowers as soon as Hannah was holding the basket.? ? Hannah, who shook her head like a child who couldn¡¯t speak, glanced back.? ? Roselyn looked in the same place, wondering if the boy had returned, but she couldn¡¯t spot him.? ? ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d buy them all.¡±? ? Hannah murmured, hugging the flower basket tightly.? ? ¡°I think it would be beautiful in my room.¡±? ? For some reason, Hannah seemed to like daisies very much.? ? She even smiled, which she didn¡¯t show very often, and held the flower basket tightly.? ? They returned to the side of the group that had been watching them from a short distance away, and before she knew it, the twins were standing there with three tickets.? ? ¡°It¡¯s already sold out and there are only three. So I think Asha and the cuties can use this.¡±? ? Saying that they themselves had done it last year, the twins got the tickets for the children.? ? Hesitantly, Arsene happily took the tickets firmly in his hand.? ? Without saying a word, Tasha patted Arsene on the head.? ? Ding ding-? ? The bell rang that the ceremony would soon begin. Roselyn hurried to her seat.? ? ****? ? The priests of the temple appeared, pulling a large cart with wind lanterns on it.? ? The lantern ceremony consisted of ten people at a time, each holding a ticket for a lantern, and when it was their turn, they would step forward and take their turn to fly the lantern.? ? First, the royalty, nobles, and temple priests, whose turn was predetermined, would fly the lanterns while wearing the yellow Heritia flower, the symbol of Amor.? ? The language of the Heritia flower was prosperity and hope.? ? Then it was the turn of a hundred or so citizens, drawn at random.? ? Ten lanterns flew at a time. (10 people, 1 each)? ? Each of them flew the lantern into the sky with a sincere wish that it would reach the six gods.? ? On the other hand, the temple orchestra sang a sacred song in high spirits so that the lanterns they flew would reach the gods safely.? ? After all the lanterns have flown for an hour, those who could not fly float flowers into the sea with their wishes.? ? That concluded the entire flower offering ceremony.? ? Roselyn gazed in wonder at the lanterns hanging with flowers as they soared into the sky.? ? She wondered if it was really going to float, the way the flower wobbled so heavily, but before she knew it, they were let go and the lanterns floated up to the highest point.? ? ¡°Come to the God who is far, very high, in that high place. So that this plan could be accomplished successfully.¡±? ? But on second thought, it was a little funny.? ? Daisy flower¡¯s language was hope, peace, and innocence.? ? However, her plan (kill Gillotti) was far from hope, peace or innocence.? ? It was messy, snobbish, and terribly calculating.? ? And yet, to hope that the flower of hope would reach God¡­. ¡­..? ? It was a very foolish and shameless wish.? ? ¡°It will come true. Asha¡¯s wish.¡±? ? As if she could read her mind, Hannah grabbed Roselyn¡¯s dress and said so.? ? The child¡¯s clear golden eyes shone as if they wanted to give her hope.? ? Roselyn carefully stroked Hannah¡¯s hair, thinking the child¡¯s heart was so beautiful.? ? ¡°Thank you. Your wish will come true, too. Hannah.¡±? ? Hannah who was looking up at Roselyn nodded in reply.? ? Then Hannah, who turned around and stared somewhere, suddenly started running.? ? ¡°Hannah?¡±? ? ¡°Hannah! Where are you going?¡±? ? Because anyone could stop him, the startled Arsene chased after Hannah.? ? ¡°Arsene, please stop!¡±? ? Too many people were walking back from the cliff after the ceremony was over, as if the waves were receding.? ? Hannah and Arsene disappeared in the waves of people.? ? ¡°Jorge!¡±? ? Roselyn hurriedly called Jorge. The men accompanying her moved at Jorge¡¯s gesture.? ? ¡°There are too many people, the place is too big! We have to spread out and search. We¡¯ll search in pairs and meet back here in twenty minutes.¡±? ? ¡°Then the twins will go together and I¡¯ll go with Asha¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ? ? ¡°No. I think it would be better if Tasha and Jorge, who are faster on your feet, go together. I¡¯ll go with Louie as she knows her way around.¡±? ? It was more efficient for two highly mobile people to move together.? ? Because Roselyn, who was limping, would certainly move slower.? ? However, Jorge could not do so.? ? Roselyn smiled and said, as if she understood how Jorge felt.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Shadow is always around to protect me.¡±? ? Shadow!? ? He was Tamon¡¯s personal guard who was always invisible.? ? Jorge¡¯s expression became lighter as he remembered the existence of Shadow.? ? ¡°I understand. Let¡¯s gather here every twenty minutes until we find the children.¡±? ? Lasha and Jorge rushed away. Roselyn hastily looked around with Louie.? ? ¡°Why did Hannah run away so suddenly?¡±? ? Roselyn suddenly recalled Hannah¡¯s actions. For some reason, Hannah kept looking back the whole time.? ? What exactly did Hannah see?? ? Being a disciple of the Prophet Hartz, perhaps Hannah saw something that would happen in the future.? ? ¡®No, that¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now.¡¯? ? It was urgent to find the children as soon as possible.? ? ¡°The knights are fast on their feet and have a wide radius of action, so we should look again where they had searched to be sure, Louie.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, Asha.¡±? ? Roselyn and Louie searched everywhere in the alleyways.? ? Then at some point.? ? Arghhhh!? ? A faint scream could be heard from behind a gloomy building.? ? Roselyn and Louie slowed their footsteps and quietly walked over to where the scream was coming from.? ? And the scene they found made Roselyn and Louie¡¯s eyes widen in surprise. CH 90 Chapter 90. If You''re There, Come Out? ? ¡°These b*stards are just having a hard time, aren¡¯t they bad at skills?¡±? ? ¡°Did you rush to beat me? These idiots. Take what you got!¡±? ? There were four rough looking men.? ? And against those men¡­. There were two more men who were being beaten¡­¡­.? ? There was one child who fainted behind the men, and another girl who was protecting the fainted child. They were all faces that Roselyn knew.? ? ¡°Cassion?¡±? ? The men who were being beaten were Cassion and his guard Owen.? ? And the girl they were protecting was Hannah, and Hannah was holding the boy who sold daisies.? ? Just by looking at it like this, Roselyn could see what was going on.? ? She didn¡¯t know why Cassion was beaten there. Anyway, she was right about the situation protecting the children.? ? ¡°There are no countermeasures, really.¡±? ? Roselyn shook her head and scanned the area.? ? ¡°If you¡¯re there, come out.¡±? ? There was no name called, but Shadow appeared as if he knew Roselyn was calling him.? ? ¡°Ah!¡±? ? Louie started hiccupping when she suddenly spotted the man who was by their side, unbeknownst to anyone else.? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t have time to worry about Louie, who covered her mouth with her hands for fear of the sound leaking out.? ? ¡°Can you help those people, please?¡±? ? Shadow stared at Roselyn without answering.? ? Contrary to the name ¡°Shadow,¡± the man was very simple and ordinary.? ? ¡®As I recall, the last time I saw him at the mansion, he was all black¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¯? ? The strange thing was that she couldn¡¯t remember his face at all, even though she had seen it last time.? ? He was literally like a shadow.? ? It was just a black shape, but the entity itself was not clearly visible.? ? While Roselyn was observing him, there was another scream from the alley.? ? ¡°Ahh!¡±? ? But somehow Shadow remained motionless and only stared at Roselyn.? ? Furthermore, wasn¡¯t the person screaming in pain in there flesh and blood of the master that he served? ? ? (*She meant Cassion is Tamon¡¯s brother, and Tamon¡¯s Shadow¡¯s master, but Shadow doesn¡¯t care for Cassion)? ? And yet, nothing wavered.? ? It was as if the only person he had to protect was Roselyn.? ? ¡®That¡¯s right, you are literally carrying out an order that you must protect only me.¡¯? ? He would protect her, but she wasn¡¯t his master, so he had no reason to grant her wish.? ? Also, if he listened to Roselyn¡¯s request to save those people, he would be negligent in watching her, which was his original duty, so he would not move.? ? It was a horrifyingly perfect execution of orders.? ? So what would it take to move Shadow?? ? Roselyn jumped into the alley without delay.? ? ¡°Stop the violence there.¡±? ? The men who had been kicking their feet at the fallen Cassion and Owen, who was holding Cassion protectively, quickly raised their heads at the sound of Roselyn¡¯s voice.? ? ¡°What¡¯s with the woman?¡±? ? ¡°She¡¯s not scared¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Hey, I guess you want to be tough, too.¡±? ? The men smiled foully at Roselyn.? ? Roselyn approached the men without a care in the world.? ? Tap. Tap. Tap.? ? She made a loud noise of hitting her cane on the floor, deliberately to be heard.? ? Cassion lifted his stiff face.? ? ¡°Go! Call my brother ¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? ¡°Shut up, b*stard!¡±? ? The man standing behind him stomped on Cassion¡¯s hand. ? ? A curse word came out of Cassion¡¯s mouth, and Owen, who was out of his mind for a while, quickly pushed the man away, protecting Cassion.? ? ¡°B*stard!¡±? ? The man standing behind him kept hitting the fallen Cassion and Owen repeatedly.? ? The other two were approaching, drooling over the limping woman who walked towards them fearlessly, covering half her face.? ? She looked like a foreign aristocrat who had come to see a festival full of righteousness and naivety.? ? There was no food that looked more delicious than this.? ? ¡°Now, let me see your hidden face¡­.¡±? ? The moment the man standing in front of her reached for the veil that was hiding Roselyn¡¯s face, Shadow approached without a sound and grabbed the man¡¯s arm.? ? ¡°What, what is it, brother, arghhhhh!¡±? ? Crack!? ? The sound of bones breaking in the desolate alley was clear and precise.? ? A man who was neither large nor strong, but merely looked as ordinary as a passerby, dealt with the men without expression.? ? ¡°D*mn, what is this again? Since I don¡¯t think things are going to work out, everyone is interrupting!¡± ? ? ¡°You, you, you b*stard!¡±? ? The men shook at the sight of their companion, who instantly got one broken arm.? ? But they decided that they had the advantage, both in terms of size and number of people, so they quickly took up arms.? ? ¡°Attack!¡±? ? The three of them rushed to Shadow.? ? Three large men jumped at him, but Shadow didn¡¯t even flinch.? ? He was holding a small, sharp dagger in his hand.? ? Roselyn took advantage of the chaos and approached the fallen Cassion and the children.? ? ¡°Everyone, are you okay?¡±? ? Cassion was conscious but could barely raise his body, and his second-in-command was completely unconscious.? ? Fortunately, Hannah was clean and without a scratch, but the child who sold the flowers held in Hannah¡¯s arms was already out of his mind.? ? Roselyn methodically searched the head of the child who was held tightly in Hannah¡¯s arms.? ? Fortunately, there were no serious wounds to the head and body.? ? ¡°Louie, you go get Jorge.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, yes!¡±? ? On Roselyn¡¯s orders, Louie quickly ran away.? ? That was when it happened.? ? ¡°This woman¡­!¡±? ? The man who had fallen with a broken arm somehow took out a knife and jumped at Roselyn. ? ? Realizing that things were going to go against them, he was going to take Roselyn hostage.? ? Shadow, who had already dealt with the three angry men, turned to protect Roselyn.? ? Clank!? ? But Roselyn¡¯s hands were much faster.? ? She hit the hand of the man with the knife with the cane she was holding. It was a clean and precise move.? ? Clank!? ? The knife flew to the wall and the man fell back in surprise.? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t stop there, but swung the cane again at the fallen man.? ? ¡°Ah!¡±? ? The man¡¯s head turned around and he fell back without being able to make another sound.? ? Since there were children, it was better to knock them out.? ? She didn¡¯t know what kind of trouble they would make if she let them go.? ? How dare these people jump on them without a second thought?? ? Shaking off the end of the cane, Roselyn straightened up.? ? As she turned to look behind her, she made eye contact with Cassion, who was lying on the floor.? ? His bruised lips were wide open as if surprised by Roselyn¡¯s resoluteness.? ? Standing up straight, Roselyn held out her hand toward Cassion.? ? ¡°Those who are sane and those who have lost their minds should also be dealt with. Don¡¯t procrastinate.¡±? ? It sounded a bit cold, but at the same time, it was a sound that aroused the spirit of Cassion.? ? Cassion grabbed Roselyn¡¯s hand and got up.? ? He then looked at Owen, who was completely out from protecting him.? ? At that time.? ? ¡°Asha!¡±? ? Jorge, the Knights, and the twins came rushing into the alley.? ? Shadow had already disappeared.? ? ****? ? ¡°Oh! What the hell happened?¡±? ? As soon as they got back to the house, Satin was in a panic.? ? Fortunately or unfortunately, only Cassian and his second-in-command were injured, but by the look of it, something had happened.? ? When Tamon returned to the mansion, he would definitely punish them.? ? ¡°Doctor, call the doctor!¡± (Satin)? ? Fortunately, Cassion only suffered a scraped arm and a few hits to the face.? ? Owen, however, had one of his legs and ribs broken.? ? The resident doctor rushed in to check Owen and the child who sold flowers.? ? Roselyn caught up with Asrell as she pulled Cassion to heal his wounds.? ? ¡°Asrell, I¡¯ll do it.¡±? ? It was unexpected, but Asrell didn¡¯t complain.? ? She just quietly handed Roselyn the first aid kit she had brought with her.? ? Roselyn took the hesitant Cassion into a small parlor.? ? walked into the small room with a faltering Cashion.? ? ¡°Did you follow us?¡±? ? Cassion turned his head away without answering. Still, the reaction was enough.? ? ¡°Why?¡±? ? Roselyn wiped Cassion¡¯s palms with a clean cloth and alcohol.? ? ¡°¡­Ugh.¡±? ? Cassion, who bit his lips and endured the sharp pain, hesitated and opened his mouth after a long silence.? ? ¡°You are a strange woman.¡±? ? Roselyn glanced at Cassion. He was looking at Roselyn with a complicated expression.? ? ¡°Even though you¡¯re my brother¡¯s woman, you¡¯re not at all submissive¡­..Most ordinary women or people shrivel up in front of my brother, but you¡¯re different.¡±? ? For Roselyn it was normal.? ? But she was under no obligation to tell Cassion about the post-war situation. So she said nothing and kept silent.? ? ¡°Has my brother ever mentioned me to you?¡±? ? ¡°Ignore him.¡±? ? Roselyn pretended not to know Tamon¡¯s voice that came to her mind at that moment.? ? These brothers were somehow twisted.? ? She had no intention of interfering with it for no reason and making it even more twisted.? ? ¡°Nothing.¡±? ? ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything?¡±? ? ¡­However, Cassion was hurt more by her words. CH 91 ¡®I didn¡¯t know you were hurt¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡¯? ? After all, Cassion must have really wanted to be in Tamon¡¯s eyes.? ? ¡®Is it a twisted longing for his brother?¡¯? ? When Roselyn thought about it, she felt like Cassion¡¯s rudeness was just a child¡¯s need to have his brother to pay attention to him.? ? He was such a child who didn¡¯t know how to do anything but scratch others.? ? How did this brother get so twisted?? ? Asrell told Roselyn a bit about Cassion, but it wasn¡¯t complete information.? ? Even though Roselyn was interested in Tamon¡¯s family history and wanted to know it, her heart fluttered in a strange way.? ? This was just curiosity.? ? It would be rude to expose a very personal family matter out of curiosity.? ? No matter how many times she repeated that she shouldn¡¯t get closer to him, her mind didn¡¯t move as much as she wanted.? ? ¡°I heard you have been sick since you were a child.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, hmmm. I¡¯m fine now. I may not be as strong as my brother, but I¡¯m strong enough now that I won¡¯t get pneumonia from swimming in the ocean.¡±? ? Roselyn shook her head at the past she was reminded of.? ? ¡°The medicine my brother gave me is very effective. If it wasn¡¯t for that, I would still be lying on the sick bed.¡±? ? ¡°Medicine?¡±? ? Come to think of it, Cassion¡¯s original purpose for coming to this mansion was to get medicine.? ? ¡°That¡¯s amazing. It¡¯s a medicine that makes even those who have been lying on the bed for half their lives jump up and walk.¡± ? ? ¡°Right? I wondered the same thing, but I couldn¡¯t ask around. My brother obtained the medicine in secret, and it has no name or manufacturer. He wouldn¡¯t tell me how he got it.¡±? ? Roselyn, who was listening to Cassion, suddenly felt suspicious.? ? She finished bandaging, then asked.? ? ¡°What kind of medicine is that? Do you have it now?¡±? ? Cassion hurriedly answered Roselyn¡¯s question.? ? ¡°The medicine is in my room. It¡¯s a blood-red liquid medicine¡­. Anyway, it¡¯s strange. At first I was very suspicious and skeptical about it, but after taking it for a month as my brother told me, I felt like my sick body was washed away. The doctor said it was a miracle and asked me to tell them what kind of medicine I used, but my brother said it was a secret.¡±? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t help but laugh as she listened to all of his mumbled explanations.? ? It was a miracle drug of unknown origin.? ? It was a blood-red liquid.? ? Roselyn seemed to have a pretty good idea of what was in it.? ? It was strange.? ? It was obvious that Tamon was annoyed by Cassion.? ? But it seemed Tamon didn¡¯t really hate his bloodline.? ? With his personality, if he really wanted not to be disturbed by Cassion or get in his way, he would have already removed Cassion and left him behind without anyone knowing.? ? But when Cassion went on a rampage, he didn¡¯t care. Tamon secretly gave his blood to Cassion so he wouldn¡¯t die.? ? ¡®I don¡¯t know. Is Tamon more compassionate than I thought?¡¯? ? It seemed that the more she learned about Tamon, the more she discovered parts of him that she never expected it.? ? What else is there?? ? Her curiosity came back again. She tried to suppress her instincts and erased her thoughts of Tamon.? ? ¡°I¡¯ve heard this before¡­¡±? ? Cassion, who had been watching Roselyn as if observing her, hesitated and spoke.? ? ¡°I think you¡¯re a little similar to my brother in some ways.¡±? ? ¡°Is that so¡­?¡±? ? Despite Roselyn¡¯s reluctant retort, Cassion continued to speak.? ? ¡°Mysterious expressions and eyes that look at the world..¡­¡­. The difference is that my brother smiles, but you don¡¯t.¡±? ? ¡®Did I not smile that much?¡¯? ? ¡®I wasn¡¯t the one with no facial expressions at all.¡¯? ? ¡®When I was with Anna and Cain, I smiled a lot more.¡¯? ? But after Roselyn entered the Imperial Palace, she had to manage her facial expressions.? ? There was no time to laugh or make noise for even a single day, and since she had gotten used to it, it had become her daily routine to worry about something serious and agonize over it.? ? It was as if she had forgotten how to smile, and her expression was gone. There was no time for laughter, no such thing.? ? As she remembered the cold, painful past, her expression naturally returned to the past.? ? Staring at her stiff expression, Cassion chuckled and said.? ? ¡°That expression really resembles you.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°You always look at me with that expression. I hear you smile a lot, but you rarely smile at me.¡±? ? ¡°Is that what¡¯s bothering you so much?¡±? ? Cassion was about to say something when a white cloth covered with yellow ointment was pressed on his cheek.? ? ¡°Ahhhhh!¡±? ? The stinging medicine seeped into the torn wound.? ? As a result, the words He was trying to protest were swallowed back in.? ? ¡°Ugh¡­.ouch.¡±? ? Instead, all was heard was a series of grunting sounds of pain.? ? Roselyn mumbled as she carefully spread the medicine on his cheek.? ? ¡°Thank you for protecting the children.¡±? ? ¡°Huh?¡±? ? ¡°It was unpleasant that you followed us, but thanks to you, the children are safe, so¡­¡±? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? The unexpected words of gratitude made Cassion¡¯s eyes shake.? ? ¡°I beat them a lot¡­¡­..¡± ? ? ¡°I don¡¯t think you hit them at all.¡±? ? ¡°Huh, I did hit him once!¡±? ? ¡°I got it. Well done.¡±? ? When Cassion shouted angrily, Roselyn responded firmly.? ? She didn¡¯t know why, but her heartless reply made him blush.? ? ¡°I¡¯m just an unlucky person.¡±? ? Cassion let out a muffled grunt that sounded almost inaudible.? ? Roselyn smiled silently.? ? ¡°When you¡¯re feeling better, why don¡¯t you start learning some martial arts now? Even self-defense would be good.¡±? ? ¡°Are you worried about me?¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry if it sounded that way.¡±? ? Casino pouted his lips at Roselyn¡¯s serious words.? ? But still, he seemed to be in a good mood.? ? ¡°Strangely, being scolded by you doesn¡¯t feel so bad.¡±? ? ¡®No, when did I scold you¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¯? ? Roselyn looked at Cassion with a frown.? ? ¡°But come to think of it, no one ever scolds me. But, you would casually tell me to fix things by saying the right words. That¡¯s a little rough and a little embarrassing, but I don¡¯t mind it at all.¡±? ? Looking at Cassion¡¯s embarrassed and reddened face, Roselyn was just perplexed.? ? This made her think the two brothers were really brothers.? ? ¡°You have a part that resembles your brother, too.¡±? ? ¡°What is it? In what way?¡±? ? ¡®A bit perverted.¡¯? ? Muttering quietly in her mind, Roselyn moved away from him.? ? ¡®Since you¡¯re fine, go see your guard already. All his ribs were broken trying to protect you. Do you have this much free time to hang out with me like this?¡±? ? Her tingling word startled Cassion out of his seat.? ? ¡°Oh right. I should go to Owen!¡±? ? Cassion rushed out of the small parlor.? ? Roselyn stared at his back and smiled weakly.? ? The back that looked like a wild boar that could only rush forward looked like a big dog that couldn¡¯t stand loneliness and rubbed its head here and there.? ? ¡®Oh, he* looks like that too.¡¯ (*Tamon)? ? It was annoying but strangely at some point, Roselyn didn¡¯t hate it.? ? ***? ? Tamon was finally able to return to the mansion late at night.? ? Theo wouldn¡¯t let him go, stopping him by saying she was going to treat him, but in the end she told him to have a drink.? ? On top of that, around the middle, Ronasso and his knights even joined Theo and held him back.? ? More than a dozen knights rushed at once, saying they were disappointed that they accompanied him to Tanatos but never got greeted properly after they came back to Amor.? ? (*It was about the few beginning chapters, when Tamon rescued Roselyn from the snow and secretly brought her back to Amor. All the knights ran days and nights, but when they arrived at Amor, Tamon brought Roselyn to his mansion without saying anything to his knights and disappeared for days. So that¡¯s what the knights meant.)? ? Ronasso enjoyed watching Tamon being surrounded by the king and the knights from afar.? ? ¡°Drink! I¡¯m feeling so good today, I¡¯ll let you drink whatever you want!¡±? ? The festival that they had been preparing for months came to an end without a hitch, even with the sudden appearance of the monsters, and although Theo was shocked, she found her lost sister.? ? Was that all? On the plus side, she got to beat that arrogant Tamon.? ? Theo had never had such a good day.? ? Of course, it would be much better than this if Tanatos would be destroyed one day..l.? ? As a result, Tamon had to join the drunken Theo and the Knights, and even Ronasso, and surpassed them until late before able to leave.? ? However, if he had heard beforehand that Aranrhosia had taken the children to the wind lantern ceremony and had run into bad men, he would not stay then.? ? Bang!? ? ¡°Asha!¡±? ? As soon as he heard the story Satin had told him, Tamon ran up to the third floor without even changing his clothes. He was told that Asha wasn¡¯t injured in any way, but he couldn¡¯t relax until he saw her clearly with his own eyes. ? ? He knew in his head that she was not a person who could be easily beaten no matter where she went. However, no matter how much his head tried to convince him, his heart was stubborn enough to not listen unless he saw and felt it firsthand.? ? ¡°Asha!¡±? ? The moment he slammed open the door to the bedroom and stepped inside, he bumped into Roselyn who was trying to get out.? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? Tamon quickly grabbed Roselyn and picked her up, who was about to fall limply as she tried to back away.? ? ¡°What¡­¡­..what¡¯s going on?¡±? ? Roselyn asked with eyes wide open in surprise.? ? Instead of answering, Tamon looked carefully at her complexion and limbs first.? ? Fortunately, she didn¡¯t appear to be injured.? ? Sighing quietly, Tamon laid her down on the bed.? ? ¡°Next time, don¡¯t go out without me.¡±? ? ¡°What?¡±? ? ¡°You get in trouble without me.¡±? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t help but laugh gleefully at Tamon¡¯s outrageous words.? ? ¡®Is he doing this after hearing that I met a couple of bullies outside?¡¯? ? ¡°If I get injured, I¡¯ll be fine in no time. You¡¯re the one who said you wouldn¡¯t let me die even if I died¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Not dying is one thing, not getting hurt is another. Can¡¯t you get that through your clever head?¡±? ? ¡°In case you haven¡¯t heard, I didn¡¯t get hurt today.¡±? ? ¡°What¡¯s the big deal about doing well when you could have been injured?¡±? ? Tamon clicked his tongue as if she was the one who had made the mistake.? ? He was getting more and more ridiculous.? ? Roselyn pushed him off her, but she was stuck as if trapped in a rock.? ? She knew she couldn¡¯t use force, so she grabbed his shoulder and bit him hard.? ? Tamon laughed at the ticklish attack.? ? ¡°If you¡¯re going to kiss me, do it on my lips, not the shoulder.¡±? ? ¡ªShe thought wrongly.? ? She realized too late that trying to bite the rock would only hurt her.? ? Tamon, ignoring her teeth marks with impunity, swallowed her lips at once. CH 92 Chapter 92. Ignorance Is Bravery? ? ¡°Gillotti, if you have anything important to say, be sure to consult with Your Empress. I¡¯m sure you will!¡± ? ? ¡°If you hadn¡¯t inherited that ability¡­¡­ Huh, why is it that there is only one fool like you left as crown prince, why!¡±? ? ¡°Keep that in mind, Gillotti. You must hold on to the Empress tightly. Keep it in mind ¡­.!¡±? ? ¡°Gillotti, Gillotti¡­¡± ? ? The voice of the dead grabbed and shook Gillotti¡¯s brain.? ? He wanted to scream out loud, but all he heard was the sound of whimpering, as if someone had blocked his mouth.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t want to. I don¡¯t want to, father. I hate it!¡±? ? He struggled to get up, kicking off the bed with a thud.? ? His whole body was drenched in cold sweat.? ? He gritted his teeth as he grabbed on his throbbing forehead.? ? As soon as he was better, the Empress¡¯ name came as a nightmare again.? ? Of course, it was always the voice of his father, the previous emperor, that strangled him.? ? He dreaded to look at his face, but his father¡¯s shadow and voice kept appearing.? ? That alone was enough to scare Gillotti.? ? Huh, why do those two torment me like a curse even when they¡¯re dead?? ? Gillotti, who chewed the flesh inside his mouth and swallowed the cussing, pulled the rope and called the servants.? ? ¡°Hello! Get Natasha! What is Natasha doing here and not showing up!¡±? ? At Gillotti¡¯s shout, the servants moved hastily.? ? ¡°Oh, I see His Majesty is not feeling well today!¡±? ? They closed their eyes, grabbed their trembling heart, and kept running.? ? After ¡°the incident,¡± the Imperial Palace had turned into a sheet of ice.? ? The emperor had fallen or run out of time, and Natasha had covered his eyes and acted as if she was the master of this palace as well.? ? She took advantage of the situation, filled the court with her own people, driving out those who worked well in the main government positions, not to mention trying to control the imperial finances at will.? ? And that wasn¡¯t all.? ? The sons of the concubines took over the palace and acted as if they were Princes as well.? ? This disregard for procedure and law caused some of the nobles to protest.? ? No one knew that Natasha Roanti was behind them.? ? Just one person.? ? The Emperor still embraced her and hung onto her, calling her ¡°July sunshine¡± and ¡°the only warmth left¡±.? ? In any case, things were not looking good for the current Tanatos.? ? The current emperor, who has no heir, has fallen at any rate, and the mistress of the emperor of unknown origin has continued her tyranny in the shadows, with her belly full.? ? Even the full and lazy nobles have recently gathered to worry about the current situation.? ? They hinted at their fears that if things continue as they were, this thousand-year empire, Tanatos, would be destroyed.? ? ¡°I should have protected the Empress at that time¡­!¡±? ? The nobles in hiding pretended to regret it.? ? However, it was all in vain.? ? Who would really be able to prevent that mad emperor?? ? Even the Duke of Sunset, one of the three pillars of the empire, was slaughtered by the Emperor with his eyes wide open.? ? The Sunset had been a protective sacrament for generations, keeping the imperial family in check, but the Emperor just jumped barefoot out of the middle of the imperial palace and cut off the Duke¡¯s head there like a madman.? ? It was a diabolical and brutal execution never to be seen again in history, and an incredibly appalling death even in the eyes of the nobles.? ? ¡°Ah! They say ignorance is bravery! How can the Emperor be so brave and ignorant! It¡¯s pathetic!¡±? ? There was a good reason why the Sunset family was called a pillar.? ? The history and political and economic influence it has contributed to the empire so far, and even the intricate diplomatic issues involved.? ? It was never a good idea to so easily, so simply and so cruelly eliminate a family that was a major pillar of the empire.? ? First, it was a loss of public sentiment, and second, it was an opportunity to shake the trust of the loyal subjects who had been the lifeblood of the empire. ? ? Is that all?? ? The lives of most of the small nobles and peasants who lived in the House of Sunset were destroyed.? ? The emperor had casually exploited the forcibly confiscated lands of the Sunset family.? ? The vassals of the family bravely fled with some of their goods before the emperor could take everything.? ? This was the highly respected Sunset family.? ? The vassals kept each other well hidden, hoping that one day their hidden heir would take it back. As if to mock them, the emperor burned the Sunset family¡¯s house to the ground.? ? It was a delusion.? ? This was definitely a delusion.? ? Some of the nobles were already casually preparing to emigrate or go into exile.? ? However, it was a problem because everyone couldn¡¯t just leave. They were nobles with money, so they could emigrate elsewhere¡­? ? The suffering of the commoners who had lived their entire lives here was incomparable to that of the nobles.? ? Summer was here, more than ever, and the life force was overflowing, but this summer for Tanatos was just dark and hopeless. ? ? Of course, there was always someone cheerful in the midst of it all.? ? ¡°Your Majesty! Your Majesty, I hear you¡¯re looking for Natasha?¡±? ? Natasha ran in front of the emperor, holding her round belly tightly.? ? As soon as Gillotti, who had taken the trouble to put on his uniform, saw Natasha, he pouted his lips as if to complain.? ? ¡°What did I say? Didn¡¯t I tell you that you should always be where I can see you as soon as I wake up?¡± ? ? ¡°Well, a light walk is a must for pregnant women. This was all for the sake of our child.¡±? ? Natasha chuckled and held Gillotti.? ? She rubbed her soft cheek against his chest in a pampering manner, and soon Gillotti¡¯s expression relaxed.? ? ¡°No, what walk do you do every day? In the morning, at night, any time.¡± ? ? ¡°Please don¡¯t say that. I don¡¯t want to get fat just because I have a child. What if I lose Your Majesty¡¯s love? Natasha wants to be always beautiful for you.¡±? ? Her weepy orange eyes shone with innocence.? ? Natasha¡¯s words made Gillotti¡¯s pale face glow with desire.? ? He did not hesitate to advance to her lips.? ? He kissed her wildly and fiercely, like a ravenous beast hunting herbivores.? ? Natasha responded politely by wrapping her arms around his neck.? ? Sometimes she fled as if stricken with fear, sometimes she seduced him as if she was throwing him bait.? ? Each time, Gillotti fell head over heels in love with her.? ? ¡°Oh, Natasha¡­I want you.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, no. No, no, not now. It¡¯s a dangerous time.¡±? ? She soothed him by rubbing her lips against Gillotti¡¯s, as if she was more disappointed.? ? ¡°Heck, you say that all the time!¡±? ? ¡°Please, please.¡±? ? ¡®I¡¯m not sure why he¡¯s so energetic when he¡¯s more and more exhausted.¡¯? ? Natasha swallowed a sigh several times behind her smiling face and held back her swearing.? ? The crown prince-turned-emperor could not possibly have learned to be considerate of others.? ? Not only was it in bed, but it was the same for the woman who had his child.? ? It was hard for Natasha to appease such an emperor every time, no matter how much she tried.? ? ¡°Please, Natasha.¡±? ? ¡°Your Majesty, you have more urgent matters to attend to than me.¡±? ? Natasha had to change the subject if she really thought it was a bad idea.? ? Natasha was just doing him a favor and reminding him of something important that he had almost forgotten.? ? ¡°We must first find a way to make His Majesty¡¯s condition better for the Prophet Hartz. He is our last hope, isn¡¯t he? We must hurry.¡±? ? Gillotti¡¯s eyes changed at the mention of the prophet Hartz.? ? As if he had forgotten about it for a while, he scrunched up his face and rubbed his chin.? ? Hartz the Prophet, Prophet of the Exiled.? ? Finding him was not an easy task.? ? Gillotti spent a great deal of manpower and money looking for him, based on rumors.? ? If he (Hartz) hadn¡¯t stopped by Tanatos, it would have been impossible to catch him. Fate, or rather the gods, helped him*. (*Gillotti)? ? The breath of Caimon, goddess of the harsh winter winds, caught his feet.? ? Even Hartz, the prophet who said he was free as the wind, had to kneel to the breath of this sharp winter god after all.? ? As if Hartz knew that resistance was pointless, he obediently followed the soldiers into the Imperial Palace.? ? That was two days ago.? ? Locked in the west tower, he still looked docile.? ? Since he was widely known as a man who was unpredictable, a lot of surveillance was put up. ? ? If it hadn¡¯t been for a sudden seizure the day before yesterday, Gillotti would have pursued Hartz already.? ? ¡°We must hurry. What if something happens to His Majesty¡¯s body again? Your Majesty, please love me to your heart¡¯s content after you are well.¡±? ? Natasha hugged him, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment.? ? What she said was right.? ? He would have plenty of time to hold her once his body was feeling better, but if he missed the right time, he could cut that time in half.? ? ¡°Wise Natasha, you are right.¡±? ? Gillotti hurried along the hurried path.? ? ¡°Bring me that one who is locked in the west tower!¡±? ? Natasha patted her chest, feeling relieved and followed him.? ? ****? ? Hartz raised his head and took a slow, deep breath, catching the sunlight through the small window.? ? ¡°The soldiers will be here soon.¡±? ? The west tower he was trapped in was as dark as any prison and the windows were small.? ? It was all due to the vicious Tanatos weather.? ? Even though the walls of the tower were surrounded by layers of tapestry, the cold air was still coming in.? ? Still, it was a heartwarming place with a fireplace, otherwise he would freeze to death indoors.? ? Hartz couldn¡¯t help but sigh.? ? ¡®I can¡¯t believe I have to endure another two and a half months in a place like this.¡¯ CH 93 Chapter 93. I Can Tell You? ? Hartz was worried about himself sticking around here, but he was more worried about Mana being alone.? ? Strangely enough, he was more worried about Mana than Hannah, who was much younger.? ? ¡®I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t even snort for worrying about him, though.¡¯? ? Hartz took a deep breath, thinking of Hannah and Mana.? ? Mana was right.? ? Who was he (Hartz) to worry for them when he himself was in prison?? ? Hartz mustered up the energy to fight the coming Death.? ? Emperor Tanatos, a violent and fierce being with a beautiful skin to spare.? ? The Emperor was never loved by his mother, and his father, a perfectionist, never gave him a single hug.? ? How could a child who has so much wealth and has not learned love and tolerance grow up to be undistorted?? ? He was the one who, in a moment of crisis, threw even what he held in his hands to the floor and stomped on it with his feet.? ? It was the woman who needed to be watched out for more than the Emperor. Natasha Roanti.? ? She has a face like a flower and a soul like a snake.? ? She was a woman who would do anything for the survival of herself and her child.? ? It wasn¡¯t that it was very bad, but it was problematic, mainly because the woman¡¯s methods were unjustified and insidious.? ? Tap.tap.? ? Hartz began to hear footsteps climbing the tower. It was definitely the sound of soldiers.? ? Hartz got up first before the soldiers came in.? ? He refused to be dragged under any circumstances.? ? As soon as the door suddenly opened, he spoke first.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll go down on my feet. If you treat me roughly, I will tell you of your future disgrace; if you treat me politely, I will tell you of people you should be especially careful of.¡±? ? The momentum of the soldiers who had stiffened at his words came to a flinching halt.? ? Hartz calmly walked down between them.? ? No one held him like a sinner.? ? It was good to have the power of prophecy, Hartz thought with satisfaction once more.? ? ****? ? Natasha stepped back, frowning slightly at the appearance of the shaggy man who had appeared with the soldiers.? ? His hair wasn¡¯t gray, but with only a bushy beard and long hair covering his eyes, he looked like an old man, well over sixty.? ? Gillotti said that there wasn¡¯t that much difference between Hartz¡¯s age and his own.? ? It was only about a decade ago that Keton collapsed, and Hartz at that time had just graduated from the Academy.? ? If so, he would be only thirty-two years old at an estimate, but he looked much over forty in this way.? ? Was it because he was wearing rags?? ? She didn¡¯t know what the man had to go through to look like that, but he was badly dressed.? ? Natasha clicked her tongue invisibly and hid behind Gillotti, who was at least ostensibly nice. Gillotti, who thought Natasha was afraid of the man, smiled in satisfaction and hugged Natasha¡¯s shoulders tightly.? ? Hartz, blindfolded by his bangs, clicked his tongue soundlessly at their shameless appearance.? ? ¡°Are you Prophet Hartz?¡±? ? ¡°The humble prophet is in the presence of the Emperor of Tanatos.¡±? ? Gillotti¡¯s eyes wriggled with Hartz¡¯s somewhat rude tone.? ? Although his country was destroyed, Hartz was still a legitimate Prince of a country, and if it had not been destroyed, Hartz would have been crowned king.? ? With that in mind, Gillotti, who had deliberately suppressed his anger, immediately spoke.? ? ¡°Since you said you have such an amazing talent, I¡¯m sure you know already why your were caught.¡±? ? ¡®Caught¡­¡­¡­¡¯? ? Gillotti spoke arrogantly, completely unaware that Hartz willingly surrendered himself.? ? It was a coercive tone, as if he was being scolded if he didn¡¯t answer his words properly.? ? Hartz didn¡¯t reply, but stared at Gillotti and Natasha.? ? The high emperor¡¯s position, and standing beside him, the woman¡¯s shadow was short.? ? A faint image flashed before Hartz¡¯s eyes.? ? Hertz slowly closed his eyes and looked back at the scene that had passed.? ? When he opened his eyes again, his voice was determined.? ? ¡°I see the future, not the past, and if there is anything you wish to hear, please ask clearly.¡±? ? Just before Gillotti, who frowned, tried to spit out more harsh words, Natasha gently rubbed his shoulder.? ? ¡°We need to know why His Majesty¡¯s health is deteriorating. If we don¡¯t know why, we¡¯d like to know how to make him better from now on.¡±? ? Natasha asked earnestly in a voice of sincere concern for Gillotti.? ? Hartz looked at them both and said.? ? ¡°Do you know the saying that if you use your powers for evil purposes, they will return like a curse?¡±? ? Gillotti¡¯s and Natasha¡¯s expressions hardened at Hartz¡¯s words.? ? It was an unspoken discipline that one must use it for the greater good rather than justice, and for helping others rather than war.? ? It was not that the emperor didn¡¯t know, he just pretended not to know.? ? It was all about killing a few people, and he wondered how great an aftermath it would bring back.? ? But, in the words of the prophet Hartz, all of Gillotti¡¯s symptoms now are the repercussions of using his power in the wrong direction?? ? ¡°Don¡¯t lie! This power is completely mine! How can you say that my power will harm me when I¡¯m using it for my benefit!¡±? ? ¡°Why can¡¯t you believe it? Aren¡¯t the descendants of the kings who used different powers and perished right in front of you?¡±? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? Gillotti¡¯s mouth naturally froze in surprise.? ? It was as if Hartz¡¯s words were saying that Gillotti¡¯s future would be like that.? ? Gillotti¡¯s hand, which was gripping the armrest, trembled.? ? ¡®No, it can¡¯t be. I am the one who was chosen to be Emperor. What is wrong with an emperor who kills only fifteen people? No, I don¡¯t think so.¡¯? ? Gillotti felt like he was about to have another seizure.? ? The quick-witted Natasha stepped forward to quickly mediate between them.? ? Holding her big belly, she asked Hartz with a pitiful look on her face.? ? ¡°I understand why. Then we must also know how to alleviate this disease, mustn¡¯t we? O great prophet, please help my emperor. Please don¡¯t leave my child¡¯s father in despair.¡±? ? She was indeed a rare sorceress.? ? With a round belly and moist eyes, Natasha¡¯s pleading figure was just like a soft and beautiful woman who was worried about the sick husband.? ? Sadness and fear filled her reddened face.? ? Hartz was lucky that his hair covered his face.? ? Otherwise, he might have made an outrageous expression.? ? ¡°Please, I beg you. Please don¡¯t let His Majesty die. Never ¡­¡­. for the sake of the poor people of Tanatos and the future of this child. Absolutely!¡±? ? Hartz¡¯s throat tickled. He wanted to say, ¡°Actually, for the sake of his poor people, it would be better for him to leave this world soon.¡±? ? However, he had to bite his tongue in his mouth to get a grip on his twitching lips.? ? The whole country knew all about what a mistake that stupid emperor had made.? ? Perhaps it was the people of Tanatos who know best of all.? ? The lives of the people, exhausted and impoverished in the mere months since the Empress disappeared from the land, were a wail itself.? ? Do the two really not know that the sighs that have accumulated throughout the country with nostalgia for the deceased Empress and the hopelessness of life to come are piling up like a mountain every day?? ? ¡®They call this kind of thing karma in the far east.¡¯? ? The accumulation of this karma was bound to eventually lead them to self-destruction.? ? ¡°How¡­..¡±? ? Hartz closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.? ? The image of Gillotti and Natasha passed before his darkened eyes once more.? ? All the paintings were scattered, as if shards of glass with engraved pictures had broken, but as time went on, the pieces were coming together.? ? Perhaps the Empress, or rather the former Empress was moving, and the imperfect future would be fully in place.? ? ¡°It¡¯s not perfect, but there is one possible way.¡±? ? ¡°What is it?¡±? ? Gillotti urgently asked.? ? Unlike the excited Gillotti, Hartz¡¯s voice was gentler and more relaxed than ever.? ? ¡°They say that collecting holy relics creates a special resonance. They said it¡¯s God¡¯s response. When they are gathered, they say you can make a special offering and pray for your wishes to be granted.¡±? ? Holy relics!? ? Holy relics imbued with divine carvings, like the descendants of those who had been endowed with extraordinary powers.? ? There were six holy relics at the beginning of time, but one was destroyed by the gods, and there were only five known to remain today.? ? One of them was the chain of protection held by Roselyn V Sunset.? ? ¡®That evil woman!¡¯? ? And it remained missing because of the clever Roselyn.? ? Gillotti was angry, his teeth chattering.? ? The woman was useless like a speck of dust anyway.? ? Natasha¡¯s face also tightened as she realized why he was so furious.? ? ¡®I should have robbed you of that holy relic beforehand!¡¯? ? It was past time to regret it now. Gillotti¡¯s head tingled with helplessness and frustration.? ? If the Empress was right in front of him, he would want to strangle her again.? ? ¡®Oh, what should I do?¡¯? ? Since even the most easily obtainable chain of protection was thus far away, it was going to be even more difficult to gather other holy relics.? ? ¡®If the sickness continued to get worse¡­¡­¡­..¡¯? ? Gillotti glanced once more at the prophet in front of him.? ? A beggar-like man whose authority and power have disappeared and function only as guardians of this power.? ? It was terrible and disgusting to think that would be his future. ? ? Hartz spoke, not caring about Gillotti¡¯s gaze.? ? ¡°If you¡¯re curious about the location of the holy relics, I can tell you.¡± CH 94 Chapter 94. Hartz¡¯s Conditions? ? Gillotti raised his head high in surprise.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll only tell you one thing at a time.¡±? ? ¡°Well, say it! Say it, immediately!¡±? ? Gillotti hurried him on. Natasha also clenched her fists in excitement.? ? Hartz glanced around the audience chamber.? ? As it was the golden empire, the splendor of the main palace was on a different level than in many countries.? ? Crystal and gold, silver and sapphire.? ? Not only was the emperor¡¯s crown decorated with various jewels, but the ceiling engravings and the jeweled chandeliers were the height of glamour.? ? Hartz didn¡¯t know how they did it, but this large area was much warmer than the smaller west tower.? ? Perhaps it was the same in the East Palace, where the emperor lived.? ? Hartz, who grinned, mumbled indignantly.? ? ¡°By the way, it¡¯s very cold in the west tower.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ What?¡±? ? ¡°It was so cold that it made my hair stand on end. Should I say that my brain is going to freeze and my memory is going to decline?¡±? ? What ¡­¡­?? ? Gillotti¡¯s brow furrowed as he spoke in an angry tone.? ? ¡°Are you trying to negotiate with me now?¡±? ? ¡°Negotiation¡­It¡¯s not that grand. Should I say it¡¯s just a normal deal?¡±? ? Hartz laughed, his voice deliberately vulgar and snobbish.? ? ¡°It¡¯s all about my convenience while I help you get what you want.¡±? ? ¡°You are so cocky. Who should suggest a deal to whom? Even though we are the same talented, you may die here if I want you to.¡±? ? Hartz laughed aloud at Gillotti¡¯s words of arrogance and vainness.? ? hahahaha!? ? It was a loud laugh, and Gillotti immediately scrunched up his face.? ? He got up and ran towards Hartz.? ? With a bright red face, he grabbed Hartz by the chest, but due to his lack of energy, he couldn¡¯t lift him up.? ? It was partly because Hartz was bigger than he expected.? ? ¡°You¡¯re a prince of a ruined country, and you¡¯re arrogant for having a single ability?¡±? ? ¡°Who¡¯s being arrogant? Me?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, you are. If you don¡¯t want to die, meekly submit your information. Don¡¯t give me your boring complaints.? ? Gillotti¡¯s eyes lit up dangerously.? ? Hartz, who was looking deep into his eyes, chuckled.? ? Hartz¡¯s strange eyes shone through his long bangs.? ? ¡°As soon as you kill me, your life will be cut in half.¡±? ? The eyes were a strange mixture of blue and gold.? ? It was a strange and bizarre look.? ? It gave Gillotti strange goosebumps.? ? ¡°The more you try to harm me, the more of your lifespan will disappear by the handful.¡±? ? ¡°¡­What?¡±? ? ¡°You don¡¯t know how much of your lifespan you have left, but I do.¡±? ? Hartz folded his eyes and whispered with a smile.? ? His voice, which had changed like a snake, insidiously entered Gillotti¡¯s ears.? ? ¡®If you¡¯re down by half from that place, then yes.. ¡­I think I¡¯d better start preparing from your will at this hour. ¡­¡­..¡± ? ? ¡°You¡­.you!¡±? ? ¡°Your Majesty!¡±? ? Natasha hurried down, holding the heavy belly.? ? She pulled Hartz and Gillotti apart and quickly soothed Gillotti.? ? Now was not the time to handle things with anger.? ? This foolish emperor had often ruined things by trying to handle them according to his nature.? ? ¡°I understand your anger, but now is not the time to handle business with a brazier. I don¡¯t want to take the slightest chance of harming you. Please, listen to this poor Natasha.¡±? ? She grabbed Gillotti¡¯s hand and kissed it with her sobbing lips.? ? It seemed to be the plea of a woman who, by all accounts, cared most for his safety.? ? Even Gillotti, who was full of anger, could not help but relax at her appearance.? ? How can one¡¯s heart not weaken when a woman, as beautiful as a spring flower, is pleading in such a piteous manner?? ? Gillotti glared at Hartz for a long time, and murmured a sneer.? ? ¡°I will move your residence. You will tell me the location of the holy relics.¡±? ? Done.? ? Hartz, who swallowed a bitter smile, gently revealed the location of the first holy relic.? ? ¡°Among the merchants of Nyrux stationed in the Caliphate Sea, a merchant wearing the crest of a red octopus has a dagger.¡±? ? An antidote dagger!? ? It was a holy relic that had once appeared on the black market several times.? ? But even that had completely disappeared over twenty years ago, and the merchant of Nyrux had hidden it.? ? A quick light flashed across Gillotti¡¯s face. Hartz, who was watching him, put up another condition.? ? ¡°However, a specific person must go there to retrieve it.¡±? ? ¡°A specific person? Who is it? Are you asking me to go directly?¡±? ? Gillotti frowned, displeased.? ? ¡®I don¡¯t think so.¡¯? ? The only reason Hartz attempted this negotiation was for this very moment.? ? Hartz replied, shaking his head gently.? ? ¡°Marquis Helio, stationed in the northwest. He is the only one who can retrieve this dagger. If Marquis Helio does not find the merchant until around the 10th of next month, the dagger will probably be lost forever.¡±? ? Marquis Helio?? ? For the first time, a hint of bewilderment flashed across Gillotti¡¯s face.? ? After the Empress, the Marquis was the most difficult person to deal with.? ? Not that the Marquis had a close relationship with the Empress, but they had a subtle similarity in politics and a similarity in seriousness.? ? Gillotti, who had a hard time dealing with a single Empress, pushed the Marquis to the frontier with Natasha¡¯s help.? ? The northwest was the most rugged and harsh region of Tanatos.? ? Because it was too cold, the population was small and there was no such thing as crops in the region. In order to live there, people always had to get help from the people around them or from the Imperial Palace. ? ? The Marquis¡¯s wife could not stand the cold and died of an endemic disease in the first year after the order was issued.? ? Of the three daughters, it was said that the eldest was hurriedly married off and the second daughter, who was not much older, was kept with her out of necessity, and was having a hard time suffering from the same endemic disease as her mother.? ? Despite these hardships, the Marquis¡¯s momentum never waned, and it was Gillotti who had suffered the hardship.? ? Gillotti even marveled at the Marquis¡¯s ability to create a force in such a remote and rugged place.? ? In a short time, he was even given another name, the ¡°Ice Wolf¡± of the Northwest.? ? ¡®¡­That guy is trouble.¡¯? ? Gillotti wrinkled his brow. Why Marquis Helio, of all people¡­.? ? He was the one whom Gillotti had not even thought of removing so he had to push him far away.? ? As his nickname suggested, the Marquis had a wolf nature.? ? He was not particularly tamed by authority, and because of his skillful leadership, he would create his own pack. He must be seething because the emperor had driven him to the cliff and ? ? even caused the death of his family.? ? ¡°Does it always have to be that person?¡±? ? ¡°It must. It has to be him. The others will die before they find the dagger.¡±? ? D*mn it.? ? In the past, it would have been a matter of calling the Marquis in, ordering him to do the job, and then kill him with his* ability. (*Gilliotti¡¯s ability is death)? ? But now Gillotti¡¯s illness was side effects of using his ability, so he couldn¡¯t use that ability now.? ? And, the Marquis¡¯ sword skills were too superior to send the assassin.? ? ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯ll summon him and put him to work.¡±? ? Natasha interrupted in a gentle voice.? ? She smiled softly, grasping Gillotti¡¯s hand tightly and said.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I have a way.¡±? ? Gillotti was already familiar with that look in Natasha¡¯s eyes.? ? When she had driven out the Empress, and when she had cast Marquis Helio into the pit and driven him out to the frontier, Natasha whispered to him with that smile.? ? There was nothing more reliable than that smile.? ? ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re my treasure. Clever Natasha.¡±? ? Gillotti pulled Natasha close and kissed her, looking satisfied.? ? Hartz stared at them silently.? ? *Marquis Helio is the one Roselyn asked Anna to find for her plan. Hartz predicted it and now he purposely tricked the Emperor to send Marquis Helio.*? ? ****? ? ¡°Your body¡­¡­¡±? ? The moment she saw Tamon¡¯s body as he fumbled to take off his clothes, Roselyn¡¯s eyes secretly trembled in confusion.? ? ¡°What happened?¡±? ? Where the hell did he come back from and what did he do, his body was covered in bruises everywhere and anywhere.? ? ¡°The king needed to beat me to make her feel better..¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? Tamon said it like it was nothing, but he looked like he was in immediate pain.? ? ¡°Look. Some of your ribs are broken.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? Roselyn gently touched around his ribs with a look of impossibility.? ? The bones were really broken and she could catch them on her fingers.? ? She knew Theo was going to reprimand Tamon, but she didn¡¯t think that Theo would do this.? ? How could the king beat a high ranking nobleman herself?? ? It was a method that Roselyn could not imagine.? ? ¡°At this point, it¡¯s not me who get into trouble when we¡¯re far apart, it¡¯s you.¡±? ? Tamon chuckled quietly as Roselyn mumbled in exasperation.? ? ¡°Why aren¡¯t you getting treatment?¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°I¡¯m not used to showing my body to other people unnecessarily¡­¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Don¡¯t talk, just go and get the treatment!¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I really can¡¯t get treatment from anyone. I have a separate dedicated healer for me.¡± (Tamon) ? ? ¡°What? Is there such a thing? Is it a full-time thing?¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°Yes, there is such a thing. That¡¯s why I¡¯m not going to unnecessarily go out and get treatment from others. Even if I am in danger of dying, only my healer can save me.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°¡­Strange.¡±? ? Tamon persevered through Theo¡¯s nostalgia and snide remarks, refusing to get treatment.? ? He couldn¡¯t pass up an opportunity to be this injured.? ? For him, injury was an opportunity.? ? A very sweet opportunity to receive Asha¡¯s care justly. CH 95 Chapter 95. If You Kiss Me? ? If he didn¡¯t give up his body for the king to relive her anger, he would miss this opportunity.? ? Thankfully, the king even broke his ribs. The throbbing was a bit annoying, but Tamon deliberately kept his resilience low and endured the pain. ? ? In the evening, he was unavoidably caught by the knights, but even then he endured the pain by lowering his body¡¯s recovery as much as possible.? ? This level of bruising was, in fact, bearable. There was nothing he couldn¡¯t bear considering muscle pain. ? ? He wasn¡¯t cut, slashed, or poisoned. Not even a single drop of sweat break out at the mere thought of having one or two ribs pulled out. ? ? Thinking about the sweet reward that would come after that he could endure for days. ? ? ¡°It looks like you¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to have an accident when you go outside, not me.¡± (Roselyn) ? ? In spite of Roselyn¡¯s reproachful words, Tamon only smiled leisurely. ? ? ¡°You¡¯ve been injured without a single clean area on your entire body, what¡¯s the point of laughing when you¡¯re good?¡±? ? Roselyn bullied Tamon in a language similar to his.? ? ¡°Please be gentle, I¡¯m hurt.¡±? ? Tamon exaggeratedly acting hurt and reached out and hugged Roselyn.? ? Oh, I see.? ? This is the cure.? ? As soon as he touched her body, his whole body relaxed sluggishly.? ? When he heard that she met bullies when she was at the festival, his eyes turned upside down.? ? However, when he calmed down and thought about it, he realized that this woman was not the kind of woman who would be beaten by a few thugs.? ? His heart was filled with joy when he saw that she wasn¡¯t injured in the slightest.? ? Her strength was endearing.? ? It reassured him that she was strong, whether internally or externally.? ? So Tamon decided to indulge her rather reassuringly.? ? ¡°It hurts.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°Looking at you, you seem to be exaggerating, too. Every time you get hurt, how¡­..¡±? ? Roselyn looked at the huge man who was holding her tightly. ? ? Tamon did not care and buried his lips in her neck.? ? ¡°When one is ill, one¡¯s mind is confused by nature.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be hurting that much.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Tamon burst into laughter at Roselyn¡¯s reluctant suspicion.? ? If he let her talk any longer, she was going to end up suspecting him for a long time for nothing. ? ? Without saying more, he crawled up her lips like a snake and swallowed her lips at once.? ? The feel of her sweet lips was driving him crazy.? ? Was this what it feels like to dip his brain in honey?? ? Should these lips, which caught the man¡¯s breath quickly, be lascivious or sacred?? ? He closed his eyes and breathed in all the enraptured feeling her lips gave him.? ? He felt physically energized.? ? He felt a strong tension in his lower body.? ? In a panic, Roselyn gently moved back and ended up lying on the bed.? ? Tamon smiled and licked her lips, kissed her on the chin and held her close.? ? ¡®I¡¯m a spoiled brat.¡¯? ? Yes, this was spoiled.? ? He sweetened Asha¡¯s small breasts over and over again, as if he were a huge beast that wanted to be held in the small arms.? ? It was the only moment he had the rights to claim her justly when he needed medical attention.? ? From the moment he recognized it, Tamon did not hesitate to hurt himself.? ? In fact, the bigger and more certain the wound, the better. When it came to compensation, he was willing to abuse his body as much as he could.? ? Because the more hurt he got, the greater his right to take her.? ? What a self-destructive obsession.? ? This kind of love he couldn¡¯t speak up recklessly.? ? And yet, it was too precious and pathetic to dare to demand the same feelings from the other person, but only to pretend to be ignorant and indulgent.? ? ¡°Call my name.¡±? ? ¡°¡­Tamon.¡±? ? ¡°Again, please.¡±? ? Tamon demanded, biting Roselyn¡¯s soft earlobe, and Roselyn called his name softly.? ? ¡°Tamon.¡±? ? He loved the way her soft voice whispered his name so nonchalantly.? ? When she gasped and screamed, or when she sobbed and muttered like she couldn¡¯t take it anymore.? ? It was just nice to hear hix name bursting out of these lips.? ? Asha drove him crazy.? ? Tamon wanted to make Asha crazy too.? ? Even if it wasn¡¯t as much as this feeling he felt, he wished this arrogant, poor woman felt something like him.? ? ¡°No, no, no!¡±? ? A hot feeling was rising up.? ? ¡°Tamon!¡±? ? As his lips went lower to her moist valley, the more intense her muffled cries became.? ? She pushed his head out and clutched it again, shuddering but holding him tightly with both legs.? ? She didn¡¯t let go of him with her thin hands, as if letting him go would send her falling off a cliff.? ? Oh, this moment was so good he could barely breathe.? ? Tamon was going crazy, loving her strength, her hands, and her legs as she bound him.? ? His lips and tongue moved true to their instincts as if responding to her reaction. ? ? He drank as much of her fountain as he could in the name of therapy.? ? Her red cheeks were addictive like a drug as she felt ashamed.? ? He loved the honest struggle with which she responded to the pleasure at the end.? ? ¡®Oh, no. It¡¯s weird.¡¯? ? The evening breeze drifted in through the window.? ? The light curtain fluttered in the night breeze, blocking out the light and scattering it.? ? Roselyn felt her eyes blur before her with a raging rush of pleasure.? ? The border between light and dark was faintly visible.? ? Vision became meaningless, and only the smell and feel of his body flitted about.? ? Unable to resist, she grabbed Tamon by both cheeks and made him look at her.? ? Gasping for breath as their eyes met, Tamon kissed her palms and held her.? ? ¡°Do you want me to stop¡­?¡± (Tamon)? ? He whispered with a smile on his wet lips.? ? Was that the lustful devil¡¯s smile that seeped into the bed of a wife who had lost her partner?? ? It was strange.? ? Obviously, she couldn¡¯t stand it, so she grabbed him, but she had no willingness to stop.? ? The pleasure that was coming over her was unmanageable, but it was not enough to ask him to stop.? ? ¡®Oh, have I already been tainted by this debaucherous demon?¡¯? ? As if he could read Roselyn¡¯s hesitation, Tamon straightened up and moved closer.? ? Leaning his lips against her earlobe, he made a secret suggestion in a polite voice.? ? ¡°Or, just a little slower¡­¡­¡­?¡±? ? Roselyn nodded with a reddened face, and Tamon smiled in satisfaction. ? ? ¡°If you kiss me.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°Now?¡± (Roselyn)? ? He looked at her as if she was asking the obvious.? ? Roselyn looked at his lips and cheeks, glistening with moisture, with bewildered eyes.? ? If the scene of the novel of the twins had not passed momentarily, she might possibly have stopped at that moment forever.? ? Of course, Tamon wouldn¡¯t have left it like that¡­.? ? The novel.? ? Yes, the racy novel was the problem.? ? The racy scenes of that novel, which had made Roselyn close the page many times and take a deep breath, swirled in her head for a moment.? ? It gave her a surge of courage.? ? That pathetic indirect experience made even this unnerving request of Tamon ¡°possible¡±.? ? With bated breath, she gently brushed his lips with her fingers.? ? His moist lips conveyed a feeling of lewdness.? ? He licked his lips, smiling.? ? Oh, this man must really be crazy.? ? Roselyn grabbed his shoulders, glaring at him avengingly, and slowly moved her lips towards Tamon¡¯s.? ? Softly, her lips pressed against his.? ? At first she was surprised that it wasn¡¯t as bad as she thought it would be.? ? The lips that were touched stuck together and fell apart a few times.? ? ¡°It¡¯s sweeter than you thought, right?¡± (Tamon)? ? He asked with a nonchalant look on his face. ? ? Roselyn bit her lip as her face turned bright red.? ? Tamon smiled and pushed in. Their hot bodies overlapped at once.? ? The more his body was pushed up and down, the more Tamon¡¯s bruises faded.? ? He thrust so fiercely that the broken ribs were of no consequence.? ? The hot and earnest night did not end until dawn.? ? When the dawn came, Tamon, who had finally fallen asleep, woke up¡­¡­¡­? ? ¡°Ugh¡­.hic hic.¡±? ? It was when he heard a sobbing sound from Roselyn¡¯s lips, who was sleeping in a tight hug.? ? ****? ? She was trembling.? ? It was the first time he had seen her like this.? ? When he picked her up from the snowfield, she didn¡¯t even cry then. She wasn¡¯t nervous. She didn¡¯t even sob.? ? She was resolute in her acceptance of death.? ? No, she insisted on dying.? ? But now she was crying and trembling.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ father, mother.¡±? ? Roselyn was trembling with pain.? ? She was suffering as she called the dead in her dreams, sobbing and apologizing for not being able to keep them safe.? ? ¡®She¡¯s a foolish woman.¡¯? ? Tamon was angry and frustrated. ? ? He couldn¡¯t understand her feeling guilty when they had already gone to that world. ? ? He felt hopeless because he couldn¡¯t understand it.? ? Feeling the limit of emotions he could not reach, it made him angry.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡±? ? ¡°Hic hic.¡±? ? This was not the kind of sobbing that Tamon wanted to hear from Asha.? ? ¡°No, Charlotte, no¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? This was not the kind of tears he wanted to see.? ? He wanted to see her cry with pleasure, arching her back, unable to control herself under his embrace.? ? He didn¡¯t want to see her bite her tongue in fear of a nightmare.? ? ¡°D*mn¡­..Don¡¯t cry.¡±? ? Tamon hugged her curled up body tightly with both arms and whispered desperately.? ? It was the first time he didn¡¯t know what to do. He felt like he was drowning in darkness. CH 96 Chapter 96. Change? ? Is this what it feels like to be crushed into sand? ? ? For the first time in his life, a feeling of helplessness overtook him. ? ? ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± (Cain)? ? ¡° No, it¡¯s not. No, Cain, Anna¡­!¡± ? ? ¡°Roselyn, it¡¯s okay.¡± (Cain)? ? How on earth do you comfort a crying woman? And what the hell do you do with a sobbing woman who is still tied up in a nightmare! ? ? Tamon frustrated and soothed her with countless kisses on her wet face. ? ? ¡°Gillotti¡­!¡±? ? The name came out from between the wailing and crying, not even a bite was enough. Unlike the name that had been screamed sadly, it was a name filled with thick, dark anger.? ? The hands that clenched into a fist trembled white with the effort she put into it. Her nails dug into her palms. Tamon stretched out her fingers one by one.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± (Tamon)? ? The nail marks that remained deep in the open palm were clear.? ? ¡®¡¯I will be your claw, your sword, your beast¡­¡­¡­.¡± (Tamon)? ? The claw marks that were clearly etched on the softly white palm of her hand bothered her.? ? He was sorry that it bothered him, and his heart throbbed with disappointment.? ? His heart, which had become crushed sand, fell to the bottom.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ don¡¯t cry.¡±? ? ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡±? ? ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Asha.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯ll make everything okay.¡±? ? Oh, his sea, which he barely got his hands on, fluctuated.? ? Unable to stop the flowing water, Tamon was submerged in it.? ? Her tears that kept leaking out seemed to hold his breath.? ? ***? ? ¡°My head hurts.¡±? ? Roselyn thought she woke up from a good sleep, but her head was pounding.? ? Roselyn woke up in a daze in her bed and glimpsed the glowing sunlight through the curtains.? ? She looked sideways to see how swollen her eyes were.? ? ¡°Why are my eyes ¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? She remembered that she suffered from terrible nightmares.? ? They were nightmares that usually came once in a while. Most of the time, she had them when she was sleeping alone.? ? But last night, she didn¡¯t sleep alone, and she didn¡¯t have the mental or physical strength to dream.? ? ¡®But, why on earth did I have such a dream?¡¯? ? When she thought about it, she remembered that her dream was a little different from usual.? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? Roselyn raised her skinny hand and looked at it.? ? At the moment when she was terribly lonely and desperate, someone held her very strong and firm.? ? It was the first time.? ? ¡°I¡¯m ¡­¡­¡­ with you¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? Most of the nightmares that tormented her were of a dark blood color.? ? Terrible dreams where the floor was full of other people¡¯s blood, not hers, and the heads of the people she loved rolled around. ? ? And then there was Gillotti and Natasha, who were looking down on Roselyn from that high place.? ? A figure so hateful that her teeth clenched and her fists bit into her flesh.? ? She crawled up to them with her bare hands and the dream was over.? ? Immediately after the nightmare, she clenched her fists so tightly that her palms tingled and her joints throbbed.? ? But last night¡­..? ? There was warmth.? ? Big hands clenched her fists together. A hand as hard as a rock stepped forward with her, holding her hand.? ? Then the precipice, which had been steep, turned into a ramp that seemed to climb.? ? Gillotti and Natasha, who had seemed so far away, were now close by.? ? The hand she had been holding became a sword, and the bright red blood that had pooled on the floor became a blue sea, lighting up her world.? ? The nightmare that had been dark and insidious was now brightened by the light of the blue sea.? ? Roselyn tossed and turned all night, fighting the nightmare.? ? With that strong hand holding her hand tightly.? ? Last night¡¯s dream hovered over her closed eyes.? ? It wasn¡¯t a nightmare anymore.? ? It had turned into a whole new dream and brought her out of the darkness.? ? Strangely enough, the warmth of the hand, which she had squeezed so tightly in the dream, felt like it was still there.? ? Roselyn raised her head and looked around.? ? ¡°Where did he go?¡±? ? She was sleeping with Tamon last night, but when she woke up, she was alone.? ? This was a rare case.? ? She thought that perhaps the night she spent with him last night was also a dream. But the evidence on her body when she looked to check was so certain that she couldn¡¯t doubt it. ? ? ¡°Again, the marks¡­..¡±? ? Roselyn looked down at her red marked flesh everywhere, sighing.? ? There wasn¡¯t a spot on her neck, arms, or anywhere else that didn¡¯t have teeth marks on it.? ? Tamon¡¯s favorite spot was near the chest where the word ¡°Tamon¡± was engraved.? ? It was all red, as if it were an area marker.? ? She had to meet the king tomorrow, and as it was, finding a suitable Amor costume was a difficult task.? ? Well, the twins had already gotten used to it and have often searched for clothes that could hide the marks properly.? ? ¡®If it doesn¡¯t work, I have to cover it with accessories.¡¯? ? As she was sighing, the door to the connecting room opened and Tamon walked in, looking like he had just had a bath.? ? Tamon glanced at her as she sat up, the corners of his mouth lifting in a loose smile.? ? ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±? ? His eyes glistened like rubies under the sunlight.? ? Roselyn tried to say something to him, but she couldn¡¯t speak well.? ? Maybe it was the lukewarm headache, but last night felt like a dream.? ? She saw Tamon¡¯s hand squeezing a wet towel.? ? ¡®Was it that hand that held my hand ¡­¡­¡­?¡¯? ? He came close to her and murmured as he placed the towel on her forehead, which looked like it had been deliberately wetted with water.? ? ¡°Crybaby.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡­That¡¯s right.? ? Roselyn swallowed a sigh and buried her feverish face in the soaked towel.? ? Because of this, she couldn¡¯t tell what expression Tamon was giving her.? ? ****? ? Fortunately, and rightfully so, her nightmare didn¡¯t last until the next day.? ? But perhaps because he witnessed Roselyn crying, Tamon stubbornly had to sleep with her in his arms, saying something ridiculous about Amor¡¯s strict national law against letting crybaby sleep alone.? ? ¡®Crybaby¡­.¡¯? ? It was the first time Roselyn had heard the word in her life.? ? It was so ridiculous that it didn¡¯t even make her angry.? ? When she said she had never heard such a word before, the man smiled like a bad boy and said,? ? ¡°It sounds like I¡¯m the only one who saw you cry like that.¡±? ? ¡®¡­¡­ Why did you cry so much?¡¯? ? Tamon stared at her with a silent smile.? ? The red eyes, which were rumored to have been obtained from the demon, sparkled warmly.? ? Those who saw those beautiful red eyes and thought of ¡°demons¡± must have been living with them in their hearts.? ? Roselyn silently swallowed the compliment she could not utter and turned her face away.? ? Since yesterday, there were many trees and flower arrangements in the room that resembled the scent of the forest.? ? They were the result of the twins¡¯ diligent efforts to decorate the room.? ? Since the room was decorated with flowers and tree branches, a clean scent like being in a forest was faintly spread. She didn¡¯t have any special decorations in her room to begin with, but she liked this strangely.? ? Tamon, who had been staring at Roselyn looking at the flower decorations beside her, left the room saying, ¡°I need to get ready to go out.¡±? ? As soon as he left, the twins and Asrell came in.? ? ¡°Woo! Woo!¡±? ? Once inside the room, however, the twins¡¯ expressions were anything but ordinary.? ? ¡°The time we¡¯ve been waiting for has arrived, Asha.¡±? ? ¡°You said you were going to the royal palace. We will give you the power!¡±? ? ¡°Calm down¡­¡±? ? ¡°We will do our best to decorate you to the fullest.¡±? ? ¡°Well, since Asha¡¯s face is already more gorgeous than most jewels, we¡¯ll only add a little, just a little, seasoning!¡±? ? ¡°Yes!¡±? ? ¡°Mmm-hmm! Yes!¡±? ? Today, the twins, whose fingers were particularly strong, rushed to carry the clothes and accessories.? ? Asrell shook her head at the sight of them, saying she was going to do some mending, and brought out another vase with flower branches.? ? It was the one that had also been placed at her bedside.? ? It was the branches of a fragrant flowering tree with pretty, white flowers.? ? ¡°What¡¯s the name of that flower, Asrell?¡±? ? Oh, it¡¯s a flowering plant called Lillesh. It¡¯s a tree that¡¯s planted a lot when you go east of Amor.¡± ? ? ¡°It smells nice.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a flower that each house has during the blooming season because it chases away nightmares.¡±? ? At Asrell¡¯s words, Roselyn paused and looked back.? ? ¡®It¡¯s a flower that chases away nightmares.¡¯? ? The timing of the flower¡¯s appearance was truly wonderful.? ? She looked at the branches of the flower for a moment, then looked at Asrell.? ? ¡°He¡¯s really great, the owner here.¡±? ? Asrell replied with a smirk.? ? ¡°He may look burly, but he¡¯s much more delicate and considerate than I thought. Others don¡¯t know that, but who cares if they don¡¯t know. We can keep it to ourselves. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±? ? Asrell winked one eye and laughed.? ? The wrinkles around the middle-aged woman¡¯s eyes were folded like blooming petals.? ? The space between those wrinkles was filled with affection.? ? Roselyn also smiled silently and left herself in the hands of the twins.? ? A languid drowsiness fell over her as they brushed her hair.? ? The room was full of warmth and security. CH 97 Boom, boom, boom!? ? ¡°Open the door! Hello!¡±? ? Anna pounded her fist on the tightly closed castle gate and called for someone.? ? Her frozen hands were as hard as stone, and her trembling body had long since lost its senses to the cold.? ? ¡°There¡¯s a horse-drawn carriage overturned!¡±? ? The carriage had completely broken down after rolling across the snowfield, and to make matters worse, the horses were released from the carriage and ran away from their own.? ? ¡°My Lady!¡±? ? ¡°Shh ¨C It¡¯s okay, nanny, there¡¯s going to be someone soon. Nanny stays still.¡±? ? ¡°My Lady, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s not the nanny¡¯s fault, what are you sorry for? It¡¯s cold, so stay still, nanny.¡±? ? Anna calmed the shivering Rwanda down and said softly.? ? The carriage flipped over, breaking Rwanda¡¯s wrist.? ? Fortunately, the place where the carriage overturned was not far from the castle she needed to find.? ? Taking only the most necessary things, Anna supported Rwanda and arrived at the castle after half a day of walking.? ? But it was getting dark, and very late in the day.? ? ¡®If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn¡¯t have refused and waited for my father to go together.¡¯? ? The belated regret came over Anna.? ? While Count Marktup was away from his mansion, Anna¡¯s father had been in charge of the place for some time.? ? There was a big fire on the border of the estate, and since it was the work of the intruder, the Count had to go.? ? Meanwhile, her father was guarding the mansion in place of his best friend, saying that there was a possibility of another attack on the castle. Anna couldn¡¯t wait for the Count to come back without knowing when. She was very impatient.? ? ¡°Father, do you know where Uncle Henrik is now? Please tell me. I have something very important to tell him.¡±? ? After much pestering of her troubled father, Anna finally found the place where Henrik Alpatio was likely to be.? ? He was in the famously cold region of Hashantia, two days¡¯ drive from Count Marktup¡¯s estate.? ? Anna did not hesitate to leave immediately.? ? Rwanda followed her forced march with anxiety.? ? It was Rwanda who dressed, fed and always took care of Anna.? ? Rwanda who had a hard time meeting the wrong owner, but even now she was just shivering, afraid Anna would be in trouble.? ? Anna clenched her fists once more.? ? She didn¡¯t have the strength to protect the people she loved until now.? ? She had to lose them right in front of her eyes.? ? ¡®I can¡¯t let that happen again. Because Rosie is still alive. Rosie, she¡¯s still alive!¡¯? ? Boom! Boom!? ? ¡°Hey! Isn¡¯t there anyone here? Uncle Henrik! I know you¡¯re here, Uncle Henrik!¡±? ? It was then that a voice rumbled through the silent darkness.? ? Creakkkkkk!? ? The thick gate of the castle, which had been so tightly closed, slowly opened a crack.? ? A huge man stepped out of the gap as the startled Anna jerked back.? ? ¡°Who are you? What is your name?¡±? ? Dark green eyes, like a swamp, looked down at her darkly through dark red hair.? ? ¡°¡­.!¡±? ? Anna¡¯s body froze in surprise.? ? In his hand was a large sword of frightening size.? ? ****? ? ¡°Ugh!Ahhhhhh!¡±? ? The moans of the woman writhing in pain were heard insidiously in the dimly lit hallway. ? ? She couldn¡¯t scream if it hurt too much, and she couldn¡¯t raise her voice, so she gasped for air.? ? ¡°What is that?¡±? ? Anna, who had been walking behind the man who had gone on ahead of her, looked around the area with anxious eyes.? ? There was not a single passing servant in the old castle, which was neither that big nor that small.? ? The only figures that she occasionally saw were armed knights guarding here and there.? ? When the man turned around, he only stared at Anna with eyes full of suspicion, but made no reply.? ? Anna held Rwanda in her arms and stared straight into the eyes of the mindless man. ? ? In the dimly lit corridor, the huge shadow of the man held her down.? ? The eyes, which showed no emotion, felt oddly hot.? ? The only red was the color of the man¡¯s hair, but there was a harsh intensity in his eyes, as if he was holding some kind of flame.? ? ¡°That¡¯s what it is¡­¡±? ? Anna took a short deep breath, trying not to deflate.? ? ¡®Don¡¯t be discouraged.¡¯? ? Her face was pale with cold and exhaustion, but her eyes glowed sharply as she stared at the man.? ? No matter how honest and innocent she was, she had endured several years in the imperial palace, where all kinds of dirty things were rampant, and that too behind the Empress¡¯ back.? ? The fact that humans would not faint because of the eyes that stare at them has already been experienced countless times back then.? ? ¡°¡­..¡±? ? The man, who had been looking at Anna for a while, frowned strangely, and immediately turned his face away. ? ? Then he walked on as if nothing had happened, and eventually reached the front of the room where the screaming had been eerily heard.? ? The man looked back at Anna again. A horrified look came into his eyes as he stared at her.? ? ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±? ? ¡°Anna, daughter of Viscount Rotrega, you would know.¡±? ? As if to confirm, she said it clearly.? ? Fortunately, the man didn¡¯t behave quite so rudely to her, with only an overbearing look in his eyes.? ? ¡°Please wait¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? The man gave a look to the soldiers guarding the door as if to ask them to protect her, and went inside.? ? And shortly after, she came into the room and Henrik Alpatio greeted her with a blank look on his face.? ? ¡°Anna. Yes, I remember. Haha, it¡¯s been a while.¡±? ? ¡°Uncle Henrik, hello¡­¡­¡±? ? ¡°Ugh! Ugh!¡±? ? Before Anna could finish her greeting, a moan came from across the room where Henrik had his back turned.? ? It sounded like the sound of someone enduring torture, or the sound of a choked cry.? ? It was a half-dead scream, and Anna stared at the closed door.? ? Henrik explained heavily, frowning in pain.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The timing is not good. My second daughter¡¯s amniotic fluid burst earlier than her due date¡­¡±? ? ¡°!¡±? ? At that word, both Anna and Rwanda, who was being supported by Anna, could only open their mouths in surprise.? ? So then, this sound that they had been hearing from earlier must be the scream of a woman giving birth.? ? ¡°Uuuuu! Ugh! Aah!¡±? ? ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m sorry, Anna. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m also in a panic right now. The midwife who was supposed to come couldn¡¯t¡­.¡±? ? ¡°There¡¯s no midwife right now?¡±? ? Henrik just bowed his head as Anna asked in surprise.? ? ¡°So, who¡¯s in there?¡±? ? ¡°My wife¡­¡­ But she doesn¡¯t know what to do, she¡¯s just holding her hand.¡±? ? Henrik swept his hair roughly as if he was going crazy and looked at Anna with a pale smile.? ? ¡°You¡¯ve come a long way to visit but the timing is not good. I¡¯ll give you a room so you can rest and some medicine for your wound.¡±? ? Sighing impatiently, Henrik made an effort to reassure Anna. ? ? The middle-aged man¡¯s pale face was twisted into a scowl of worry and anxiety. ? ? In Tanatos, it was common for mothers and babies to die during childbirth.? ? There were many midwives and doctors in the capital city, but the further into the countryside, the harder it was to find an experienced midwife.? ? And even if there was a skilled midwife, if the mother was weak, if she went into labor on a cold day¡­..? ? The survival rate of the mother and the baby will be extremely low.? ? Fortunately, today was not an extremely cold day. But it was unbelievable that there was no midwife¡­..? ? ¡°Is there only your wife inside? What about the servants?¡±? ? ¡°The maid was in there but she¡¯s very young and naive. She couldn¡¯t help.¡±? ? Henrik scratched nervously between his fingers.? ? His hands were scratched all over the place, as if it was a habitual behavior when he was nervous. For a moment, the surroundings seemed to darken, and then the huge man who had brought Anna in grabbed Henrik¡¯s wrist.? ? ¡°Oh, I¡¯m doing it again. Hahahaha.¡±? ? Henrik put his hand down with an embarrassed laugh. Meanwhile, another shrill scream came from the back room.? ? Startled, Henrik moved to the door of the room and quickly turned his head away.? ? There was a heavy buzzing around him.? ? There was a young man in the room besides Henrik, and the one who had not moved in front of the door banged his head against the wall.? ? ¡°Come on.This isn¡¯t going to end quickly.¡±? ? ¡°My son in law. At times like this, you have to hold out more firmly. You¡¯re her husband.¡±? ? The man bit his lip and clenched his fist at Henrik¡¯s words.? ? He seemed to be the husband of the woman who was giving birth, Henrik¡¯s son-in-law.? ? ¡®The time is not good.¡¯? ? Anna clenched her fists, feeling the suffocating air.? ? Just then, Rwanda, who was standing close to Anna, asked, ? ? ¡°Did you bring plenty of hot water and clean towels?¡±? ? ¡°¡­ What?¡±? ? ¡°I hope you¡¯ve also included a few things that the mother might hold onto and give her strength.¡±? ? Rwanda, who couldn¡¯t stand it, interrupted cautiously.? ? A startled Anna stared at her.? ? The gazes of the men, who had no choice but to stand there, all turned to the middle-aged woman who was physically injured and tired.? ? With a tired and pained look on her face, Rwanda whispered quietly in Anna¡¯s ear.? ? ¡°You came here because you need their help, didn¡¯t you, young lady?¡±? ? When Anna stared at her in surprise, Rwanda gently smiled and nodded.? ? Then, unlike Rwanda¡¯s haggard face, a calm voice came out.? ? ¡°I¡¯m the one who received the lady. Of course, I¡¯m not a midwife¡­¡­¡­¡­ Still, I have a few experiences of going into the birthing room.¡±? ? ¡°Rwanda¡­.¡±? ? Anna wanted to say that she didn¡¯t have to push herself too hard for her (Anna) own good.? ? But the pained groaning coming from the room stopped her from speaking.? ? Rwanda took another step toward Henrik.? ? ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can I help your daughter give birth?¡± ? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­Of course!¡±? ? Only at that moment did Henrik¡¯s face light up. As he tried to hold Rwanda¡¯s hand, he was surprised to see her swollen arm and asked.? ? ¡°How can you do that with your arm¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°My Lady.¡±? ? Rwanda looked back at Anna.? ? At this moment, Rwanda¡¯s face couldn¡¯t help but freeze in tension.? ? ¡°Will you be my hand, young lady?¡±? ? Anna gasped in surprise. CH 98 Anna doubted if she could do it at the moment.? ? She was scared, too.? ? She was scared to go in there and see what she would see, and she was scared that I wouldn¡¯t be able to do it. What if something would go wrong with the mother or baby¡­¡­¡­¡­?? ? The moment she went in there, she had to think about the disadvantages or risks she would face if something went wrong.? ? However¡­? ? ¡®This is an opportunity¡­I can¡¯t miss it.¡¯? ? A sharp, keen mind ended with the sharp decision.? ? Just the thought of entering the birthing room made her break out in a cold sweat, but nothing could change if she just shrank back in fear.? ? On the other hand, she felt that there was nothing she couldn¡¯t do if she could be of any use in creating and saving life.? ? It was worth a thousand times more to try to keep them alive than to watch them die.? ? ¡°Yes.¡±? ? Anna nodded towards Henrik. The slight smile was meant to reassure him.? ? ¡°If I can be of any help, I¡¯d be willing.¡±? ? Having made up her mind, Anna removed the heavy robe she was wearing.? ? ***? ? Chirp. Chirp.? ? When Roselyn arrived at the Amor Royal Palace, she looked up at the sky at the sound of a familiar bird crying.? ? She saw a small beak with a red crown that she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time.? ? A little surprised, a little happy. Roselyn smiled.? ? It was a bird Anna used to have¡­¡­¡­? ? She called it ¡°Pippi¡±.? ? Anna had it when it was very young and raised it until it died.? ? It was a cute, intelligent bird with lots of affection.? ? Once the owner was made, it would not fly far if the cage was opened and it would sleep by its owner¡¯s side at night.? ? It was a bird that Roselyn loved very much because of its unusual and adorable nature.? ? She even stayed with Anna when she made a small grave for the dead bird.? ? Hugging Anna, who was shedding tears, Roselyn also rubbed her eyes slightly.? ? When was that?? ? Come to think of it, it was already six or seven years ago.? ? ¡®Is Anna okay?¡¯? ? Roselyn was worried about Anna after all this time.? ? Was she safe? Did she receive the letter well? Was she overwhelmed right now?? ? Roselyn was worried about everything.? ? Anna was her best friend who was gentle and soft hearted.? ? Yes, they were around the same age, but Roselyn always felt a strange sense of obligation to take better care of Anna herself.? ? However, she was a good friend who was able to get things done quickly and well before Roselyn could help her¡­? ? ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±? ? ¡°Birds. Because the birds are so beautiful.¡±? ? ¡°The birds?¡±? ? Tamon, who was escorting Roselyn, looked after her.? ? Amor¡¯s royal palace, which boasted lush gardens, had all kinds of small birds roaming about.? ? There were six birds that immediately caught his attention, but he didn¡¯t know what bird Roselyn was talking about. ? ? ¡°They¡¯ve already flown away. I¡¯ll wait.¡±? ? She first averted her gaze and looked ahead.? ? Now was not the time to be frightened and worried about Anna.? ? She had to talk to Theo about how to get back to Tanatos.? ? ¡®I¡¯ll be there soon, Anna.¡¯? ? Roselyn straightened her back as she walked through Amor Imperial Palace.? ? Tamon took Anna¡¯s place and walked with her, guarding her side.? ? ****? ? Theoransha Lantifu¡¯s office was overflowing with papers of every kind.? ? Lucy Liliana, a close aide, cleaned up every day, but the office was messy several times a day due to Theo¡¯s personality, who was not very organized.? ? What was interesting was that Theo was good at finding the documents she wanted among the chaotic piles.? ? So there were times when she couldn¡¯t tell more about the need for organization.? ? Documents about local taxes, noble taxes, new bills, security in the capital, and barbarians targeting the frontier came up every day without boredom.? ? She wondered why she had to go through so much trouble herself when the role of the king of another country was so easy.? ? ¡°It¡¯s because Your Majesty puts off your work every day and handles it all at once.¡±? ? Lucy stood calmly beside Theo and mumbled with red eyes.? ? ¡°I¡¯m not putting it off.¡±? ? ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never served a king other than Your Majesty, so there¡¯s no comparison.¡±? ? ¡°Don¡¯t be so bitter. Why don¡¯t you help me, Lucy?¡±? ? ¡°How can I so recklessly take the King¡¯s seal of state? Unfortunately, this is all a matter for Your Majesty has to deal with directly. Anything I can do is already done and over with by me.¡±? ? Theo glared at Lucy hatefully, but there was no way she could win.? ? There were two opponents that Theo had a hard time winning against, the first was Tamon Krasis, and the second was right here, Lucy Liliana.? ? ¡°Is it bad luck for everyone to be clever?¡±? ? ¡°Thank you for calling me clever. I take that as a compliment.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s not a compliment.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Yes, think as you please.¡±? ? Theo lifted her head brightly, remembering her afternoon appointment after being tormented by papers all morning.? ? ¡°She would be here today, right?¡±? ? ¡°You mean the woman from General Krasis¡¯s residence?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, Aranrosia.¡±? ? Aranrosia.? ? Lucy, who had studied the ancient Amor language, thought it was a very romantic name.? ? ¡®He doesn¡¯t look like it, but he¡¯s more romantic than I thought.¡¯? ? Tamon was the only man in this country who could defeat demons.? ? Thinking about the formidable war record and appearance of the General and the diplomatic chief, Lucy still couldn¡¯t believe Tamon came up with that name.? ? ¡®Well, it¡¯s a name that suits that woman well¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡¯? ? Lucy recalled the former Empress of Tanatos, who had become Aranrosia.? ? It was a first class secret, but Theo had no secrets from Lucy.? ? That was how absolute Lucy¡¯s loyalty was.? ? She didn¡¯t show it so much on the outside, though.? ? ¡°Have you made up your mind to join her?¡±? ? ¡°She had brought evidence of trust, and I must show my trust in the evidence.¡±? ? Theo sat leisurely leaning against the chair and looked up at the sky.? ? It was another beautiful day, clear and sunny enough to be called Amor¡¯s blessing.? ? She didn¡¯t want to work, and the weather was perfect.? ? It was an afternoon of waiting to see what the woman had planned to bring to her.? ? Soon, she received the news that the guest she had been waiting for had arrived.? ? Without hesitation, Theo slipped out of his office.? ? ¡°Ha.¡±? ? Seeing the scattered desks, Lucy intuited that she would be working the night shift again today, then followed the King, who led the way into the distance.? ? ***? ? ¡°There are only two families left within Tanatos that can threaten Gillotti.¡±? ? Theo nodded knowingly at Roselyn¡¯s words.? ? ¡°You mean Marquis Helio and the Duke of Gertium?¡±? ? ¡°Yes.¡±? ? Roselyn moved two glasses that had been placed on the table.? ? She pointed to the blue teacup on the right and said, ¡°Helio,¡± and the other one, ¡°Gertium.¡±? ? ¡°Now that the Sunset family has collapsed, Helio is probably the family the Emperor of Tanatos now fears the most. I¡¯m sure they are also well prepared for the defeat of Gillotti, who was crazy and destroyed the Sunset in an instant.¡±? ? Marquis Helio must also be aware of the fact that he was like an enemy in the eyes of the Emperor. ? ? He also didn¡¯t know when the emperor¡¯s ability would attack him, which even led to an uneasy situation.? ? Fortunately, however, Gillotti¡¯s power of death could not overcome geographical limitations.? ? It was a matter unknown to the outside world, but Gillotti¡¯s ability was subject to many restrictions.? ? It could not be extended beyond tens of thousands of kilometers.? ? The previous emperor had killed all the generals of the enemy army with his ability alone, but that was impossible for Gillotti. His ability was too indirect.? ? He had to be close to his opponent, and he had to make precise eye contact with that opponent.? ? For this reason, the previous emperor always treated Gillotti as insufficient.? ? It was an obscenely crude ability to call it a different ability. ? ? The previous emperor was always ashamed of Gillotti because of his son¡¯s insufficient ability.? ? It was certain that Gillotti¡¯s ability was less than those of his predecessors, but the outside world was not informed of the extent to which his ability was lacking.? ? But Roselyn knew.? ? ¡®It¡¯s a couple of kilometers radius at most. He has to look directly at the face.¡¯? ? It was impossible to kill even that at once, so he limited himself to planting diseases and bad luck.? ? For this reason, Roselyn also did not think at first that it was Gillotti¡¯s gain that caused my people to die. Charlotte began to have a mild cough, and one day she began to feel much worse.? ? Thomson, who was enjoying an excellent ride, suddenly fainted on his horse¡­.? ? It was an all too common and routine death.? ? There was only one strange thing about such things happening, especially around Roselyn.? ? ¡®Come to think of it, my father was sick a lot, too.¡¯? ? ¡­¡­ Yes, Gillotti must have already been messing with her family at that time.? ? It was probably for this very reason that her father died by Gillotti¡¯s sword at once.? ? No matter how old he was, her father was still a knight with some skill.? ? The fact that Gillotti was able to defeat her father in one blow with his absurd ability was something that would never have happened.? ? There was a murderous spark in Roselyn¡¯s eyes.? ? ¡®How could I have been so foolish as to serve a man who was willing to kill my entire family?¡¯? ? ¡®That I had to embrace him, no matter how hateful and ugly he was!¡¯? ? Roselyn was overcome by her own stupidity, and once more she clenched her fists.? ? ¡°The Gertinums are essentially called the imperial watchdogs, but the truth is, that was a long time ago. Of course, they have shown a different level of loyalty than the other nobles, but this Duke Gertium is worth trying to convince him.¡±? ? ¡°How do you say?¡±? ? ¡°Gillotti sent the previous Duke of Gertium and his brother to their deaths on the grounds that it was an imperial order.¡±? ? ¡°Since then, the current Duke of Gertium has been going around the frontier on the pretext of border protection.¡±? ? ¡°Nevertheless, if the emperor is faced with a crisis, won¡¯t he come running?¡±? ? ¡°He would run. But isn¡¯t that what he can do if he doesn¡¯t protect the emperor?¡±? ? ¡°Are you saying that you will convince him to do so?¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s eyes sank calmly.? ? ¡°I will try. And if it doesn¡¯t work¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? ¡®I¡¯ll have to remove it.¡¯ CH 99 Chapter 99. The Prophet''s Gamble? ? Roselyn stared at Gertium¡¯s glass with a thin gaze.? ? She will not wait and see if that huge family will stand on the side of the Gillotti.? ? All things change. Those that can¡¯t adapt to the changes will be eliminated.? ? Isn¡¯t it time for their unconditional ¡®outdated allegiance¡¯ to change as well?? ? ¡°That¡¯s for Gertium, well then, what are you going to do about Helio?¡±? ? Roselyn replied with a leisurely smile.? ? ¡°You have to conciliate.¡±? ? ¡°Comforting?¡±? ? She meant to attract him to her side.? ? ¡°It¡¯s a family with strong power, and it¡¯s excellent in ability. The emperor knows that, so he keeps it in check.¡±? ? ¡°How do you plan to win them over?¡±? ? ¡°The bait has already been thrown in his (Helio) direction.¡±? ? Roselyn has sent letters to Helio countless times.? ? In them, she wrote about the many evil deeds that Gillotti had committed to keep Marquis Helio in check.? ? And some temporary measures to counter Gillotti¡¯s power.? ? ¡°Things may not work out as easily as I think. But if you don¡¯t commit to it, you can¡¯t surpass it. Just as Gillotti did.¡±? ? The conversation between Theo and Roselyn deepened.? ? So far all Tamon had done was pour tea for Roselyn or played with Roselyn¡¯s hair.? ? Sometimes he chimed in, sometimes he chided, but his opinion was not among them.? ? There was only fierce support.? ? Roselyn and Theo felt it, too.? ? ¡°¡­That traitor.¡±? ? It was a moment when it was hard to tell who was the King.? ? Theo quickly brushed Tamon¡¯s shin under the table, as if to say, come on.? ? Of course, Tamon just laughed and didn¡¯t even flinch.? ? ¡°Persuasion and conciliation. Why would you want to persuade and seduce those two? I¡¯m sure you have some idea of their weaknesses, don¡¯t you?¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s necessary.¡±? ? ¡°Necessary? If you¡¯re trying to destroy Tanatos, wouldn¡¯t it be better to remove them than to persuade and appease them?¡±? ? It was an extremely hostile idea.? ? Roselyn shook her head with a faint laugh.? ? ¡°What I want is the downfall of the Imperial family of Tanatos, not the disappearance of Tanatos itself.¡±? ? Theo¡¯s brows twitched as she heard Roselyn¡¯s words.? ? Tamon, who had been silently watching their conversation, quietly leaned forward and pushed himself between the two of them.? ? ¡°I think you¡¯re saying something different from the beginning.¡±? ? ¡°No. Not at all.¡±? ? Roselyn said, smiling and speaking clearly in a steady voice.? ? ¡°I¡¯m going to kill Gillotti.¡±? ? These were the words she had shouted earlier that day, her sore fingertips clenched in a fist, sadly.? ? Looking back, Roselyn said in the same voice and tone.? ? ¡°That¡¯s what I said that day. Can¡¯t you remember?¡±? ? Of course, she looked more comfortable than she did then.? ? Theo rubbed her chin at Roselyn¡¯s words, remembering that morning.? ? Yes, it was certain that that woman didn¡¯t say she would bring Tanatos down.? ? She only said she was going to kill Gillotti.? ? Only then did Theo think it was a mistake.? ? ¡®Oh.¡¯? ? ¡®I¡¯ve fallen into the language trap that woman dug up for me.¡¯? ? Theo belatedly clicked her tongue.? ? As fragile and brittle as this alliance has been, she didn¡¯t want to do anything so dirty now.? ? The only thing was, it seemed she had to rethink things clearly.? ? ¡°I want the complete downfall of Tanatos, and you only want the death of Gillotti Tanatos?¡±? ? Roselyn shook her head slowly.? ? ¡°The downfall of Tanatos will proceed in a natural order. It would be arrogant to say that the country is the same as it was before when the mainstay families, not to mention the imperial family, disappear or change.¡± ? ? ¡°Which means that in the end, I want Tanatos to perish¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? ¡°But if a country so huge and delicious was destroyed, the surrounding countries would not let the prey go free.¡±? ? Tanatos was a country that had endured for hundreds of years, nearly a thousand years, as the strongest country among the surrounding countries.? ? A golden land with vast enough assets to overcome the barren environment.? ? Who would not want to sink their teeth into this huge prey once?? ? ¡°If that happens, it will not be the fallen imperial family that will suffer in the end, but the people of Tanatos.¡±? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t want as much as that.? ? The glorious and great imperial family did not rule the people with such tolerance.? ? But did the commoners of Tanatos rake in the resources of the country?? ? No, they did not. They simply lived their lives in the harsh environment.? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t want those innocent people to suffer the pain of their superiors¡¯ political struggles.? ? ¡°I will change that, but I will keep the sacrifices to a minimum.¡±? ? Roselyn gave a small smile towards Theo.? ? ¡°I trust that you will understand my heart.¡±? ? Theoransha Lantifu.? ? She was the king who loved this country more than anyone else.? ? Then she must understand Roselyn¡¯s heart now.? ? Theo stiffened, but sighed with a hand on her forehead.? ? ¡°I understand. Then what is the method?¡±? ? ¡°Rebellion.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°Rebel?¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s gaze landed on the two glasses on the table.? ? ¡°¡­The leader of the rebellion will be one of these two.¡±? ? ¡°Easy for you to say.¡±? ? ¡°It has to be that way.¡±? ? Smirking, Roselyn looked back at Tamon, who had been playing with her hair.? ? ¡°If you help me.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s red eyes peered deep into Roselyn¡¯s.? ? He didn¡¯t expect that she would say these words to him, and he even looked somewhat surprised.? ? He licked his lips and carefully kissed the tips of Roselyn¡¯s long hair.? ? ¡°Is that your third wish?¡±? ? In a voice that had no will to resist, he gently complied.? ? ¡°If so, I¡¯m willing to listen to it.¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s lips rose smoothly, as if she knew it.? ? ***? ? Theo, who was left alone, stood in a daze in front of the huge window.? ? Through the bright, open window overlooking the city, she could see her beloved Ginesh. (The capital of Amor)? ? The red sunset spread like a mist over the colorful city.? ? The red evening glow hung over the spiky Prochade Cathedral, over the shady greenery planted all over the city, and over the very small looking squares.? ? She caught a glimpse of white flowers blooming on the daisies they had planted around the small rivers that make the city shine for the festive season.? ? It was not too grand, not too ordinary.? ? It was the kind of scenery that wasn¡¯t too overwhelming but it would raise the eyes and people wouldn¡¯t get tired of looking at it for a while.? ? It was a precious panoramic view that she would not have been able to see if she had not laid down her peace.? ? ¡°Keep the sacrifices to a minimum.¡±? ? ¡°I trust that you will understand my heart.¡±? ? Roselyn stated that she wished for the downfall of the Imperial family, but not for the downfall of the entire country.? ? And she knew exactly how Theo felt about that.? ? ¡°She¡¯s a clever woman.¡±? ? Theo murmured with a chuckle.? ? The way Roselyn did things was a little different, but her fox-like face was just like Tamon¡¯s.? ? ¡®Hm, isn¡¯t it? Tamon is a bit more of the flirtatious type, and this woman seems to be the overt type.¡¯? ? Theo rubbed her chin and shook her head after worrying about useless things.? ? What does it matter that one of them is a snake and one of them is a fox?? ? What matters now is that she has a hand in the downfall of Tanatos, or rather the Tanatos royal family.? ? ¡°Your Majesty.¡±? ? Lucy caught Theo¡¯s gaze as she handed her the icy rum.? ? ¡°Do you really intend to visit with the Princess of Lumosha?¡±? ? ¡°I promised, so I¡¯ll go and come back.¡±? ? Theo replied disinterestedly, killing her lips with a piquant swallow.? ? The scent of rum that came in this year was amazing.? ? She drank a little more slowly, savoring the aroma.? ? Hesitating, Lucy said again.? ? ¡°You¡¯re going to get rid of your powers. Is that ¡ª is that possible?¡±? ? Theo was silent for a moment at Lucy¡¯s words.? ? Roselyn¡¯s voice echoed in her ears.? ? ¡°If what they believe in is power, then it will be destroyed.¡± ? ? ¡°You mean to get rid of¡­ the ability?¡±? ? These were words that sent shivers down Theo¡¯s spine as she, too, had a different ability.? ? But on the other hand, she had a feeling that everything would be much easier if the mad man with power that ruled Tanatos was gone.? ? Of course, even without the power, the country¡¯s assets were enough to give it the appearance of a powerful country. So, in other words, the country would not be completely destroyed just because it did not have a single ability.? ? And the woman seemed to be well aware of that.? ? ¡°They say that when holy relics are gathered together, they produce a special resonance. On the temple side, they call it the voice of God. They said that in the distant past, someone had collected them and made a wish, and it had come true. I¡¯m going to bet on that.¡±? ? In a way, it was a vain story. It could have been dismissed as a fairy tale-like argument that made no sense.? ? But ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­? ? Theo looked down at her palm for a moment.? ? This itself is an incredible power to begin with.? ? It is a destructive power that ordinary people cannot even dream of.? ? It was a special ability given to only five people, or maybe now only four.? ? ¡°But it¡¯s also true that it¡¯s getting weaker and weaker.¡±? ? Theo rubbed her chin gently.? ? She had a feeling that something was changing. She couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on what it was, but slowly, surely, a change was coming.? ? She clenched her fists several times and then released it.? ? The last ¡°gap¡± phenomenon was unusual.? ? The gaps occurred mainly in the outskirts of the city, and even when they did occur within the city, almost only a few monsters poured out.? ? There had been about 17.5 reports of gaps being found within Amor in the past year.? ? This was a decrease of 2.1 times based on last year, and a decrease of about 3 times the year before last.? ? Theo looked at data from other countries to be sure, and got similar results for Lumosha and Nyrux.? ? The gap phenomenon was decreasing, and the power was getting weaker.? ? Besides¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­? ? ¡°Prophet Hartz passed on the secret. With his help, we¡¯ll be able to locate other holy relics.¡±? ? ¡° Do you know what that means?¡±? ? ¡°He wants us to collect the holy relics.¡±? ? A prophet who was helping her, who was gathering holy relics to get rid of the mad man¡¯s power.? ? ¡°Ha, that¡¯s amazing.¡±? ? ¡°Huh?¡± ? ? ¡°It¡¯s quite astonishing¡­¡­..!¡±? ? Ha!? ? Theo drank down the glass she was holding in one gulp.? ? Then, with a light clink, she set the glass on the table.? ? ¡°The prophet of the Future has placed a bet on Aranrosia. What do you think that means, Lucy?¡±? ? ¡°What does that mean¡­..¡±? ? ¡°It means that he has placed a bet on the future she will create!¡±? ? Now the fog in her mind finally lifted.? ? ¡°Times will be different. Hartz must have foreseen that in advance!¡±? ? Roselyn, or Aranrosia, will undoubtedly eliminate Gillotti¡¯s ability. And a new era will be opened! CH 100 Chapter 100. Because He''s So Good At It? ? Rattle.? ? It didn¡¯t seem like a long conversation, but the sun was already setting on the way home.? ? Roselyn looked out over the carriage at the sunset.? ? It was a completely different scene than the one she¡¯d seen a few days ago, when she¡¯d had to deal with monsters and had to return early in the morning. The sunset was buried like red sugar on the green trees that hung all the way down by the carriage road.? ? Her heart, which had been frozen with tension at the sight of the warmth, quietly softened.? ? ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±? ? After being transfixed by the scenery for a while, Tamon gently turned her cheek and made her look at him.? ? ¡°I¡¯m going to be really busy now.¡±? ? ¡°Well, you can take it a little slower if you wish.¡±? ? Roselyn chuckled and shook her head.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t want to slow down. The faster the better.¡±? ? Why? Is your life boring?¡±? ? It couldn¡¯t be.? ? Roselyn chuckled and fell silent.? ? ¡°I just want them to burn as soon as possible.¡±? ? The deep hatred in the cool purple eyes was young.? ? Night after night, it was a dream that tormented her.? ? A past that was even more cruel the harder she tried.? ? She couldn¡¯t say she was happy, but she did her best, and that moment brought her back from the dead.? ? ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? Tamon stared at the red emotion that filled her eyes. They were lovely, her eyes shining sharply.? ? ¡°I¡¯m willing to obey.¡±? ? Whatever it was that filled them, those raw, dynamic eyes amused him.? ? He was most satisfied that it wasn¡¯t a murderous intent against him.? ? That¡¯s right. If she wants to kill someone, she should kill them (Gillotti and Natasha), not herself.? ? Why did this woman have to die?? ? It was not possible, it was really not possible.? ? Tamon happily kissed the back of her hand and said mischievously.? ? ¡°You¡¯ll have to pay for your tears.¡±? ? In an instant, Roselyn¡¯s face turned bright red.? ? Quickly turning to the side, she took her hand off from his grasp and showed her displeasure.? ? Tamon didn¡¯t expect such an intense reaction.? ? ¡®Are you embarrassed?¡¯? ? Even in the morning, she was stiff somehow, he wondered if she was embarrassed by the reaction.? ? Tamon followed her relentlessly as she avoided his gaze. Her reddened earlobes and the way she softly bit her lip as if she was in trouble were adorable.? ? Roselyn glared at him as if she had surrendered to his gaze chasing her around.? ? ¡°That¡¯s bad. People sometimes cry because of nightmares.¡±? ? ¡®You can¡¯t avoid it, so you¡¯re going to scream?¡¯? ? Tamon chuckled and responded.? ? ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sure it happens often enough. I think so too.¡±? ? ¡°But why do you keep teasing me?¡±? ? ¡°You think I¡¯m teasing you?¡±? ? Tamon said with a pitiful expression on his face, putting his hand on his chest as if he was sincerely hurt.? ? ¡°Really?¡±? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? ¡®Oh my innocent sea.¡¯? ? Her eyes wavered in confusion.? ? It was a private expression of hers that she never showed in public.? ? Tamon made an effort not to laugh pleasantly and said with the best cautious face he could muster.? ? ¡°I wasn¡¯t teasing you, I was just trying to comfort you.¡±? ? Between narrowed eyes, purple eyes glinted suspiciously.? ? Tamon had to look harder and more serious than ever.? ? ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±? ? He sincerely kissed the back of her pure white hand.? ? I kept kissing between the knot thin fingers and on the palm of her hand.? ? Her white fingers trembled.? ? Like petals, her fingertips were stained red, and they were hideously floppy and savage.? ? It was so lovely and loving again that Tamon kissed them deeply once more.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t cry, I hope you don¡¯t have to.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°If you¡¯re crying because you¡¯re happy, no, even if you¡¯re satisfied and happy. Please don¡¯t cry.¡±? ? She was beautiful, her wet eyes gleaming with tears like clear jewels.? ? She was also beautiful, crying like a child who had lost her parents.? ? Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t want to see it again.? ? He tried to imagine her crying for him, too.? ? It was so ecstatic that his whole body was tingling.? ? His Asha, crying with reddened eyes at the thought of him¡­.? ? Even his peripheral nerves were getting hot just imagining it.? ? Where could he find such ecstasy?? ? But still, he didn¡¯t want her to cry.? ? ¡°It¡¯s a waste.¡±? ? Tamon smiled softly and swept down her eyes with her thumb.? ? Purple crystal eyes that stared at him as if to grasp his true intentions.? ? He felt the urge to drain his sincerity from his heart.? ? He understood her need to sharpen her mind harshly, to be wary and suspicious.? ? There was not a single mistake this woman had made.? ? It was all the fault of Gillotti and Natasha, who had beaten her to death.? ? When she felt her breath heated up a little, Tamon moved closer to her, bowing his head slightly.? ? Unlike the usual rough way they normally devoured each other, very softly like snowflakes that gently attached themselves to the branches.? ? He placed his lips on hers.? ? He licked her slightly open lips as if knocking, and penetrated deep, as if searching for an answer from her labored breath.? ? Today, her fountain felt exceptionally sweet.? ? He grabbed her soft tongue, which refused to escape.? ? He hugged her tightly, and her hesitant hands finally held his neck.? ? It was moments like this that drove him crazy.? ? She was subtly weak to temptation, and her reactions, subtly frank with pleasure, drove him crazy.? ? ¡°Hmm¡­.stop.¡±? ? Their lips deepened and Tamon¡¯s hand began to touch her secret entrance.? ? The more distraught their breaths were, the hotter they became for each other.? ? The problem was that this was a carriage.? ? Behind the thin, rattling valence, there was a horseman and a chambermaid.? ? Roselyn closed her open legs and grabbed his hair.? ? ¡°We can¡¯t do this here.¡±? ? She shook her head firmly with a disapproving expression.? ? Tamon sucked her bottom lip in again, a look of regret on his face.? ? How naughty was the lower lip curled up into his mouth and then coming out¡­On the spot without knowing¡­? ? ¡®No, no, no.¡¯? ? ¡®If I follow my instincts, she¡¯ll hate me.¡¯? ? Tamon organized his breathing briefly and released Roselyn from his embrace.? ? ¡®Am I going to go crazy?¡¯? ? Roselyn adjusted her distraught appearance, keeping her slightly reddened face averted to the side.? ? Even for a moment, she imagined lying down with him in this carriage.? ? It was a brief moment, but she couldn¡¯t believe she thought of it herself.? ? ¡®This man¡­¡­Because he¡¯s good at it.¡¯? ? Roselyn tried to blame Tamon for no reason. Actually, it wasn¡¯t wrong.? ? It wasn¡¯t until she met Tamon that she realized how much lust between a man and a woman could shake her brain.? ? There had been many novels that had blinded the characters from reasoning with love, but they filed them away as fiction in a novel.? ? But just now, briefly, did she realize that it might not be just fiction.? ? Amazing.? ? She took a breath, keeping her gaze fixed on the scenery through the carriage window.? ? Before she knew it, the carriage had completely left the royal palace and was entering the city through a river full of white flowers.? ? Passing through, there was a square, and beside the square was a pointed cathedral and between the cathedral were shops selling goods.? ? It was always a beautiful place to see.? ? The city was really clean compared to all the people bustling about.? ? There were people working hard to clean the city.? ? No matter how many people were hired at the royal palace, it would take a lot of effort by the people who lived here to keep the city so clean and neat.? ? ¡®Come to think of it, aren¡¯t there any poor villages here?¡¯? ? No matter how rich a country was, there was no city that didn¡¯t have a poor village.? ? It was in the nature of things that where there was wealth, there was poverty¡­¡­.? ? ¡°Is there such a thing as a favela here?¡±? ? Tamon shook his head at Roselyn¡¯s question.? ? ¡°There is. However, if you were classified as thoroughly vulnerable, the royal court had some control over you. If you pass a few screenings, they will even provide you with a residence under the royal palace.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Can it be controlled?¡±? ? ¡°Those who cannot be controlled are exiled. We mainly accept women and children, and the elderly who are sick are accepted in the same order.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s going to take a lot of budget.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s our King¡¯s idea that would be better than a sudden change into criminals, but that doesn¡¯t mean we don¡¯t have criminals.¡±? ? Tamon replied lightly, but to Roselyn all his answers were close to shocking.? ? How could the country be so proactive in helping the poor?? ? Tamon said that it was a policy that only applied in the capital, not in the entire kingdom.? ? Poor people from all over the country heard rumors and visited, but they couldn¡¯t accept all, so the screening process was very strict.? ? In fact, he said that being able to live in the capital was somewhat like preferential treatment in this country.? ? ¡°We¡¯re trying to placate the local lords so that they don¡¯t concentrate only on the capital, and so that they don¡¯t get too thin-skinned in their rescue efforts. Fortunately, the country has good land and a warm climate, so there¡¯s plenty to work with if they¡¯re willing.¡±? ? ¡°As long as the lords don¡¯t go overboard with their deprivation, there won¡¯t be many people leaving the region.¡±? ? Even if it¡¯s a little hard, people don¡¯t easily abandon their homes when they can live to some extent with effort.? ? At the end of poverty. There is no more place to run away. Unless they live in a place that destroys themselves.? ? That is why Roselyn herself had to endure and live in that hellish Tanatos.? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ I am amazed.¡±? ? For the first time, she felt a little jealous of the King of Amor.? ? If she were to adopt such a policy, the emperor¡¯s nobles would probably be against it. She would never be able to prevent exploitation.? ? ¡®¡­¡­¡­ because they were all wary of Gillotti.¡¯? ? How could the Imperial Palace be so happy or sad at the words of that idiot? Defeat was already a set procedure. Just need a little more time.? ? She could see the square with its beautiful sunset.? ? Strangely enough, most of the people passing by seemed happy.? ? Most of the expressions on the faces of everyone she met here in Amor were like that.? ? Satin, Asrell, the twins and the other attendants she had seen much of, and even Tamon.? ? Glancing back at Tamon, she impulsively opened her mouth.? ? ¡°Stop here for a moment.¡±? ? ¡°Here? Why all of a sudden?¡±? ? Hesitating a bit, Roselyn spoke with an awkward smile.? ? ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to take a look at the shopping district.¡±? ? There was no need to think, Tamon immediately stopped the carriage. CH 101 Chapter 101. A Mysterious Trend? ? A light tension descended on the scene.? ? The actors raised their heads behind the translucent curtain.? ? With the sound of a small bell, the lips of the actor with the most beautiful voice opened.? ? ¡°Is this the punishment you speak of?¡±? ? Luella lifted her chin arrogantly as the man asked back in an amused tone.? ? ¡°At least you are the only one who will be punished.¡±? ? Because you are so arrogant that you can¡¯t release your anger unless you do everything your way.? ? Luella swallowed the words and smiled slightly.? ? She then walked behind the man and tied the man¡¯s thick wrists in a secure knot with a leather strap she had brought with her.? ? ¡°You¡¯re good at tying your hair. Is it the first time?¡±? ? The man, Camon asked, not hiding his slight displeasure.? ? Luella laughed, as if to tease him, and whispered seductively in his ear.? ? ¡°No. ¨C That¡¯s right. What number would you be?¡±? ? Camon¡¯s brows furrowed at her words.? ? His red eyes filled with obsession, jealousy, and possessiveness.? ? Ironically, he didn¡¯t mind the way Luella looked at him like that. Transparent, naked lust and greed bound her everywhere.? ? Even though his hands were tied, his eyes wanted to swallow her up right away.? ? ¡°As promised, if you can¡¯t stand this, you lose.¡±? ? Camon¡¯s eyes narrowed.? ? He took a step away, for Luella had begun to undress.? ? ¡°If you lose, you give me my freedom; if I lose¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? One by one, the clothes came off, and finally they all fell to the ground, and the pure white moonlight crashed down on her dazzling naked body.? ? Already at that moment, Camon intuited that he had placed a gamble that was too risky.? ? ¡°I give you all of me.¡±? ? ¡°¡­..¡±? ? ¡°I will not rebel.¡±? ? ¡°D*mn it.¡±? ? A dazzlingly beautiful white body approached him as if dancing.? ? Just the mere sight of it made him lose his breath. His angry lower body swelled in size of its own accord.? ? Her hands, always on the run, were on his shoulders.? ? That alone made him feel defeated. How could a mere touch be so completely uplifting?? ? He was almost mocking himself with his initial helplessness.? ? Her soft thighs rested on Camon¡¯s thighs.? ? Luella brushed his ear and whispered.? ? ¡°Start.¡±? ? It was the perfect temptation to swear by.? ? .? ? .? ? .? ? Ding. Ding. Ding.? ? The salon¡¯s owner Marshall appeared, ringing a small bell. Wearing her symbolic purple flower mask, she raised her voice.? ? ¡°Do you want to stop here for a while?¡± ? ? ¡°No! This is the highlight of the day!¡±? ? ¡°Calm down, Anemo. There are people who will be in trouble if we don¡¯t stop here.¡±? ? ¡°You mean me? Oh no. You¡¯ve forgotten how to breathe, haven¡¯t you?¡±? ? ¡°Me too!¡±? ? Each of the ladies in flower masks fanned their hands and drank a cool drink.? ? The women gathered around were having a heated discussion in whispers, unable to hide their excitement. ? ? In the Garden, the secret salon of the upper class women, they acquired a racy book that had appeared on the market a few days ago. ? ? [Red Passion in the Desert]? ? It was a book that caused a sellout the day after the first 300 copies were sold. Because of that, the ladies who couldn¡¯t get their hands on the book gathered to share it at a reading session. ? ? There was even a line of people eagerly waiting for the Rodelg auction to open, where they could get various items early.? ? A few lucky people even got their books for four or five times the first edition price.? ? There were many stories about how the price skyrocketed every day, and now they couldn¡¯t get it even if they would give ten times more. ? ? First of all, the cover of the book was so luxurious that it evoked a desire to own it, and the contents inside were unbelievable and intriguing. Amor people were generally passionate about love. ? ? They were also very frank in their expressions. That was why the book, which was so racy and yet somehow secretive, captivated the Amor people at once.? ? ¡°Phew. It¡¯s really hot, and the actors are doing a great job!¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m having a great time. I haven¡¯t had any interesting books lately, but it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had this much fun again.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a pity that it¡¯s a new author who appeared like a comet. If they have more books, I¡¯ll get more.¡±? ? The salon was in full bloom with the story of [Red Passion in the Desert.]? ? In the garden, actors were invited specially for the reading session to make the book more realistic.? ? The response was so great that people wanted to come to the readings at the Garden.? ? However, the owner limited the readings to twice a week and raised the price of admission.? ? He also went one step ahead and exclusively hired talented voice actors to ensure a much higher quality than the other salons.? ? In fact, this act of creating profits from other people¡¯s creations was illegal because they did not have permission or license from the original creator.? ? ¡°I would be more than happy to see the original author appear. I¡¯ll give compensation and give a personal contract to exclusive novels.¡±? ? The owner of the garden, Marshall, hid a smile behind a fan made of peacock feathers and counted the bill.? ? It was for this reason that she really hoped the author would show up in person soon.? ? She could give as much money as she wanted as long as she showed up.? ? She was proud to say that she had a good eye for business.? ? She was a commoner, the fifth of six brothers and sisters, the hardest of them all, who had never slept, never eaten.? ? She was.? ? But look at her. Isn¡¯t she the wealthiest of all her siblings now?? ? Because she has a lot of money, she has also attained noble status.? ? She met an educated, polite, somewhat indecisive, but kind man.? ? He was a poor and fallen nobleman, but that was not an important condition for Marshall.? ? She had a lot of money, and he didn¡¯t have a lot of money, so they could fill in each other¡¯s gaps rather well.? ? They were natural born spouses.? ? Marriage was satisfying.? ? With aristocratic status came easy accumulation of wealth.? ? She had already figured out how lightly the purses of high-ranking noblewomen opened.? ? It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that she was making a lot of money now with it.? ? If she got the ¡°next exclusive¡± and only gave readings in her salon, the ladies would be lining up to get in.? ? Marshall thought and licked her lips.? ? Tasha and Louie, the author of Red Passion in the Desert, were tremendous newcomers.? ? The writing wasn¡¯t perfect or polished, but there was something about the narrative that made people¡¯s hearts clench.? ? He was a friend who, if polished well, could have been a perfect gem.? ? The problem was that the Bookman that printed the book would never let her know the author.? ? No matter how much money she gave him, he never accepted it. He said he would pass on the word to the author, but it wasn¡¯t enough.? ? By the time Marshall swept the surface of the beautiful book several times out of regret, the women resting by the window chatted.? ? ¡°I¡¯ve heard that this scene was revised later.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, really?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, my maid has a very close friend who works in the printing office, and she happened to hear about it. Originally, there was no scene to bind the hands.¡±? ? ¡°No way, it was one of the gods! It¡¯s one of my favorite scenes.¡±? ? Lady Red Rose, who was attending the reading for the third time, clenched her fists and said excitedly,? ? ¡°I like this scene best, too. This is a rumor¡­The leather store said the soft leather strap is already sold out of stock. Especially the one that ties hands and feet¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? ¡°Oh my! I hadn¡¯t thought of that! I¡¯ll make a few reservations too¡­¡­.!¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s not all. I went to a dinner party yesterday, where Lady Russell dyed her hair silver. It wasn¡¯t as silver as the moonlight reflecting off the surface of the water as described in the book, but I keep looking at it without even knowing it.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, I actually ordered one of those wigs once. When I asked the wig maker about it, he said that it was already gone, just like the silver hair leather straps. Anyway, everyone is fast.¡±? ? In social circles, there was an annual trend.? ? One year, the dress of an imperial Princess who came on a delegation was popular, and another year, the ¡°princess makeup¡± that announced her marriage to the Crown Prince of the Empire was popular.? ? This year, maybe silver hair and leather straps would be in style.? ? Marshall, who was eavesdropping on the conversation, recalled in her mind some leather workers she knew.? ? If she brings in some leather straps that match the cover of the book as a privilege, the price of the salon tickets will go up even more.? ? ¡°¡­Oh my god. Does that person dye her hair, too? The color is so beautiful.¡±? ? Lady Red Rose, standing by the window, looked down at the square and murmured.? ? Lady Neuvirth, who had been chatting passionately with her, also glanced out and said admiringly.? ? ¡°That¡¯s exactly the silvery color of the moon reflected in the water, isn¡¯t it? Where did she get such a beautiful color?¡± ? ? ¡°I want to go out and ask right away, but I shouldn¡¯t, should I? Hahaha.¡±? ? ¡°Of course, you can¡¯t leave the room with the mask on. Hahaha.¡±? ? The two women erupted in laughter, and when they glanced under the window again, the beautiful silver-haired woman was long gone.? ? ****? ? Roselyn, who had purchased two high-end fountain pens and two fountain pen holders with nice gold-rimmed ornaments side by side, turned back, sighing gloomily at the huge shadow towering in front of her.? ? ¡°Can¡¯t I just look around by myself?¡±? ? She had already pushed Tamon away several times, but he was still wandering around like glue. Roselyn was annoyed.? ? Tamon responded as if he was disappointed by her cold-hearted remarks.? ? ¡°I¡¯m just following you. It¡¯s not annoying.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s a pain.¡±? ? ¡°How can you say such a cold thing casually? And those are the same lips that were kissing me a moment ago¡­¡± ? ? ¡°Tamon!¡±? ? Startled, Roselyn quickly covered his lips.? ? Her flushed face was as red as an apple.? ? ¡°Please close your mouth. It¡¯s too much!¡±? ? ¡°So are you taking me with you?¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s voice was filled with anger.? ? ¡°Never! I will never take you with me. Never!¡±? ? Even at the moment of intimidation, the upraised purple eyes were shining like jewels.? ? How sensual the glowing eyes, the lips, and the faintly twisted brows were, Tamon wanted to stay like this and lick the palm of her hand that was covering his mouth.? ? ¡®If I do that, she¡¯ll really strangle me.¡¯? ? How could she strangle him with those small, white hands?? ? When he thought about it, it didn¡¯t seem too bad either.? ? For Asha, Tamon seemed to be able to give himself up with joy without resistance and doubt.? ? ¡®I think I¡¯m going crazy today.¡¯ CH 102 Chapter 102. The Conditions Of The Gift? ? Tamon stepped back from her with a self-mocking laugh.? ? ¡°I¡¯m disappointed. But it¡¯s okay. Now, if you promise to buy a gift for me as well, I¡¯ll wait outside meekly.¡±? ? Roselyn tried to protest, but quickly fell silent.? ? Then, without affirming or denying, she gave him a quick glare and then moved away.? ? That was enough of a reply.? ? If it was rejection, she would have expressed it clearly, because he knew her.? ? Tamon slowly watched Roselyn¡¯s back as she walked upstairs, then he walked out of the store.? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t notice, but from the moment they entered, this store was under control. The store was closed for a while and Shadow was keeping an eye on her.? ? No one could interfere with her shopping.? ? ¡®I have to be the only one who could disturb her and get in her way.¡¯ Tamon thought.? ? He was sitting on a huge bench in front of a shopping mall, leisurely watching the sunset, when he suddenly looked up and looked around the area.? ? The stores here and there in the alleys, like a shopping district, dealt in a variety of goods.? ? The high-class aristocrats didn¡¯t enjoy shopping in these shopping streets, which mainly sold ready-made goods.? ? They would go out once in a while for a change of pace, but for dresses and accessories, they would usually call a designer to come to their house and make custom-made items. ? ? Tamon and Satin also regularly called upon designers to order clothes for them.? ? In fact, shopping today was the first time for him due to lack of desire for clothes and accessories.? ? So he followed Roselyn around a bit. He wanted to know what she was looking at and what she was interested in.? ? Even though she kicked him out.? ? As he clicked his tongue, heartbreakingly, the store opposite him suddenly came into his eyes.? ? A different color turned in his eyes.? ? There was a store like that¡­¡­¡­¡­.? ? His eyes sparkled with pure interest and mischievousness, and he quickly got up from his seat.? ? Come to think of it, he had to give a thank you gift if Roselyn was going to give him a gift.? ? Without hesitation, he entered the store across the street.? ? ***? ? Roselyn bought a soft handkerchief for Satin, an ivory headband for Asrell, and a nourishing tonic to give to Jorge.? ? The reason for buying all their gifts at once was that the day of leaving was not far away.? ? It wasn¡¯t a very long time staying in Amor, but it was funny how quickly she felt at home.? ? Perhaps it was because the vacancy of her dead loved ones was too big. She was grateful for their (the people in Tamon¡¯s mansion) small and insignificant kindness that caressed her dark and cold heart, because when a small light shone in the deep darkness, it made it seem so much brighter. That small warmth for her, as much as it was suspicious, not knowing where it came from.? ? Of course, there must have been their master¡¯s orders, and because they were professional servants, they must have been very good at hiding any disagreeable behavior.? ? But anyway, Roselyn felt affectionate towards them.? ? That was enough for her.? ? The affection and gratitude that she couldn¡¯t give to her loved ones, which they left hurriedly, remained regrettable.? ? She did not want to regret any more.? ? She would not postpone or delay expressing her feelings any longer.? ? Hesitantly, she turned her face away for the last gift. It was the most difficult gift.? ? ¡®Tamon¡­.What on earth should I buy for that person?¡¯? ? Perhaps because it was a fairly large miscellaneous store, there were many various items, but all of them were not satisfactory.? ? It was hard to bring out Tamon¡¯s feel in the ready-made products.? ? That said, there wasn¡¯t enough time to order and manufacture anything now.? ? Distressed, Roselyn asked the shopkeeper for the best antique store in the area.? ? ¡°I think there¡¯s a store right in front of us that might have a lot of stuff you can use. That store has been around for over three generations now.¡±? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t hesitate to walk out when the owner of the general store said the antique store was over 100 years old.? ? Maybe it was because the time of day was ambiguous, but the stores and the town were all busy.? ? ¡°Speaking of which, where did Tamon go?¡±? ? He might have gone to the carriage because he promised to wait quietly.? ? ¡®Quiet¡­¡­¡¯? ? It was a word that didn¡¯t suit the man very well.? ? But that didn¡¯t mean he was going to be frivolous or boisterous again.? ? ¡®I¡¯m not sure what he¡¯s doing in the background, but he¡¯s smiling broadly, and there¡¯s a shadiness to it. But that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s vicious again¡­¡­¡­¡­It¡¯s complicated. It¡¯s not good, it¡¯s not evil.¡¯? ? But when you think about it, do we always need to divide people into good and evil?? ? ¡®I might be a compassionate and kind person to someone, but I can¡¯t also be somewhat cold and brutal for a purpose.¡¯? ? Ding.? ? As Roselyn opened the small door and entered the quiet antique store, she could smell the fresh yet nostalgic scent peculiar to old things.? ? Inside the store, bathed in the appropriate amount of sunlight, sat an old man dozing off, unaware that a customer had just entered.? ? Instead of waking the owner, Roselyn quietly looked around the store.? ? The store was full of old and worn out things, just like the word ¡°over a hundred years ago¡±.? ? Bronze porcelain with teeth missing, velvet chairs that were worn and faded into strange colors, and exotic decorations that looked like they came from far away across the sea.? ? As Roselyn was looking around the nondescript place, a single, very red, jewel-encrusted pocket watch came into her view.? ? The grain was thick and hard, and the engraved inscriptions were very dense.? ? The circular pattern was also quite delicate.? ? As if possessed, she lifted the watch and looked inside to find that the clasp and minute hand had stopped.? ? When she wound the mainspring, the clasp and minute hand moved smoothly.? ? Fortunately, it didn¡¯t seem to be broken or too old to use.? ? ¡°The gem inlaid on it is a ruby. It is a fine piece.¡±? ? Startled by the sudden voice she heard, Roselyn turned around to see an old man who had been dozing off, rubbing his eyes as he approached her.? ? ¡°The stuff is nice, but it¡¯s so rugged and burly that women don¡¯t really pick it out. Is it for a gift?¡±? ? The old man was right, the watch was a bit heavy and rugged to carry around.? ? But it was antique.? ? It had an elegance that was completely different from other pocket watches on the market.? ? Just like Tamon¡¯s.? ? Roselyn stared at the watch and nodded.? ? ¡°This will do, please.¡±? ? ****? ? ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±? ? The shopping trip, which she had tried to make short, turned out to be quite long.? ? They got out of the carriage just as the sun was setting a bit, but it was already dark outside.? ? After buying all the things, Roselyn came back to the carriage and found a small, cute box by Tamon¡¯s side.? ? When she looked at him curiously, Tamon answered honestly, ? ? ¡°It¡¯s a thank you gift.¡±? ? ¡°A thank-you gift?¡±? ? ¡°When you receive a gift, you give thanks. I¡¯ve prepared it in advance.¡±? ? Tamon smiled at her like a boy hoping to be complimented.? ? Roselyn felt strangely chilled by his mischievous eyes, but she tried to ignore it.? ? Instead, she strove to pay attention to the delicacy with which he had so brazenly requested a gift from her and prepared one in return.? ? As Asrell had said, the more she looked at him, the more he seemed to be a man with more details than she expected.? ? How could he think of giving her something in return for that short time¡­?? ? ¡°Now, should I get my present first?¡±? ? Tamon hurriedly held out his hand. ? ? He had an impatient look on his face, as if he wanted to get it as soon as possible.? ? He was pretending to be deliberate, but he couldn¡¯t hide the expectant look in his eyes.? ? Roselyn shook her head as she pushed his hand away. ? ? ¡°Please wait. I¡¯ll give it to you in the morning.¡±? ? ¡°Tomorrow morning? Why tomorrow morning? ? ? ¡°It¡¯s a gift with conditions.¡±? ? Tamon raised one eyebrow in interest at Roselyn¡¯s words.? ? ¡°Wasn¡¯t it a condition of your gift that I stay out quietly?¡±? ? Roselyn added casually.? ? ¡°I added one more condition.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­What? I didn¡¯t even know about it?¡±? ? The look of dismay on his face was very painful.? ? It was a little frustrating that this man would embarrass her every chance he got, so she wanted to give it back once.? ? Roselyn nodded with a very brazen smile on her face.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s what happened.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s expression stirred once more at her brazen demeanor.? ? As soon as he looked at her with strange eyes, Roselyn added in a voice that she was not disappointed at all.? ? ¡°Just tell me if you don¡¯t want it¡­..¡±? ? ¡°What¡¯s the condition?¡±? ? Tamon asked right back.? ? It was ridiculous, but he looked like he was willing to lose.? ? He had a face that surrendered peacefully, without a hint of regret.? ? Roselyn whispered in an elegant voice, ¡°You¡¯ll find breakfast tomorrow very agreeable.¡±? ? It was a simpler condition than he thought.? ? If the condition was to have breakfast with her. It was easy.? ? ¡°Is that all?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s all.¡±? ? That can¡¯t be right¡­¡­¡­..? ? Tamon stared at Roselyn with suspicious eyes.? ? There was no way she could have made a condition so simple with such a mysterious smile.? ? It was an expression with plans.? ? But even if she had set a trap, the bait she had set looked very tasty.? ? He wondered what she had really chosen for him, and what it was.? ? He wasn¡¯t the type of person who wanted things, but he wanted to make sure that he won the ¡°gift¡± that Asha had bought for him.? ? So he had to fall into the trap knowingly and willingly.? ? ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine. Then I¡¯ll have to give you my thank you gift tomorrow morning.¡±? ? Roselyn glanced at the gift box he had prepared and nodded lightly.? ? And the next day, as soon as they reached the place where the breakfast table was set, he knew immediately why she had said ¡°agreeable¡±. CH 103 Chapter 103. The Tips Of His Ears? ? The faces of the two men who confirmed each other hardened at almost the same speed.? ? Roselyn smiled obliquely, looking at the two who looked alike, ¡°Brothers are brothers indeed,¡± she thought.? ? She sat down at the table first, and said to them,? ? ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit down instead of standing like that? You seem to have been standing for a while now.¡±? ? ¡°Why is Cassion here? I don¡¯t remember calling him.¡±? ? ¡°Because I called him.¡±? ? Tamon looked at Roselyn with a look of displeasure.? ? Or, more accurately, he seemed to be uncomfortable with this situation right now.? ? Roselyn smiled gracefully and said the word.? ? ¡°Cooperation.¡±? ? He must be ¡®cooperative¡¯ for breakfast.? ? Yes, that was her condition. It meant that she had this situation in mind from the beginning.? ? Tamon glared at Roselyn with a reluctant face and meekly sat down in his seat.? ? Cassion, who was watching Tamon take his seat, hesitantly found his own seat and sat down without saying a word.? ? It was not a dining room table, so the table was not large.? ? So the three of them were very close. To the point they could see each other¡¯s expressions clearly.? ? Tamon lifted the fork with a weak sigh.? ? He didn¡¯t understand Roselyn¡¯s intentions.? ? He came here to see what interesting thing she had done, but it turned out it was Cassion.? ? The seat was uncomfortable, and so was Cassion.? ? Lady Aranrosia said she invited him to breakfast, and Asrell came to pick him up.? ? He couldn¡¯t believe she asked him to have breakfast with her first.? ? Cassion was so surprised and perplexed that he threw the wooden sword he had been wielding tenaciously all morning and hurriedly followed Asrell.? ? But it was disappointing that the person he met was his brother.? ? ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were leaving?¡±? ? Tamon, who had eaten the appetizer with his fork a few times, told him to get a plate and opened his mouth first.? ? ¡°I plan to stay here until Owen recovers. I¡¯ll take care of him until then. Brother.¡±? ? Cassion¡¯s voice was stiff as he answered, but it wasn¡¯t out of defiance or rebellion.? ? He was nervous.? ? It was Tamon who didn¡¯t pay attention to Cassion no matter what he did.? ? Tamon had never refused and listened to all the demands even if they were childish or wild.? ? At that time, Cassion thought it was natural.? ? His older brother who took care of him, who was weak and he took care of the family and fulfilled all his needs.? ? In his arrogance, he took it for granted.? ? That was his brother¡¯s affection for him and guilt.? ? But it was not.? ? ¡°Cassion, I¡¯m not generous to those who want to covet what is mine. But since you are my one and only flesh and blood, I have been merciful once.¡±? ? The coldest voice Cassion had ever heard rang in his ears.? ? It was also the same brutal voice that said if he was not his flesh and blood, Tamon would have pulled out both Cassion¡¯s eyes and cut off his ankles by now.? ? His older brother didn¡¯t love him, or feel sorry for him, so he indulged him.? ? He was a thorn in his eyes.? ? Cassion self mocked himself sadly.? ? His illness was cured, and his confidence, which he felt as if everything in the world belonged to him, was gone in an instant.? ? He was nothing.? ? And that was the truth he hid under the words, ¡°It was mine to begin with.¡±? ? He no longer had the arrogant pride of being a follower of the great Tamon Krasis.? ? So he didn¡¯t know what to do.? ? He felt gloomy and listless.? ? Even being in his parents¡¯ house was a thorn in his side, but it was not easy to leave. It seemed that if he left, he would be far away forever.? ? Even though he heard harsh words from Tamon, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it.? ? ¡®Am I a fool? No, that doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s any solution¡­¡¯? ? If Aranrosia didn¡¯t tell him to learn self-defense, he might have locked himself in his room and done nothing.? ? Cassion glanced sideways at the man and the woman sitting like a painting.? ? As he felt at some point, the two of them unknowingly resemble each other.? ? They seemed to be completely different, but the odd resemblance made the two of them seem more relaxed. ? ? ¡®What is it?¡¯? ? Cassion glanced at Roselyn and made eye contact.? ? His face flushed like someone who had been caught doing something wrong.? ? She stared at him casually, and glanced at his hand holding the knife. ? ? ¡°I heard you¡¯re working hard. You¡¯re practicing.¡±? ? ¡°Did you hear that?¡±? ? Cassion looked up in surprise and joy, and he glanced at Tamon, who only glanced at Cassion, but Cassion¡¯s heart seemed to throb even at that.? ? ¡°I also heard from Jorge that you seem to have a talent for spearmanship.¡±? ? Cassion¡¯s expression brightened at once. He was glad that she understood his efforts.? ? Cassion bit his lips tightly with a face that seemed to be shaking hard if he had a tail.? ? If he hadn¡¯t put so much effort into it, he would have laughed himself silly.? ? ¡°Well, it¡¯s all thanks to being healthy.¡±? ? Cassion looked at Tamon¡¯s face as he quietly recited.? ? ¡°You must be healthy thanks to the good medicine.¡±? ? Roselyn smiled quietly and corrected Cassion¡¯s words.? ? The brothers¡¯ eyes turned to Roselyn.? ? Roselyn finished her appetizer, not caring about that cold stare. ? ? Just before the next plate came out, Roselyn took out a small box that had been placed beside her and offered it to Cassion. ? ? ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±? ? Cassion asked with his eyes wide open, as if he didn¡¯t think it was his. ? ? ¡°Open it.¡±? ? Cassion opened the box as if he was possessed. Inside was a pair of practice gloves used by beginners. ? ? The faint blue ornament embedded on the back of the gloves was similar to the color of Cassion¡¯s eyes. ? ? ¡°You¡¯re giving it to me? A gift for me?¡±? ? Cassion¡¯s voice trembled faintly. The unexpected gift made him forget Tamon¡¯s existence.? ? Tamon, on the other hand, stared at Roselyn as if to say, ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±? ? Roselyn tugged again on the end of the box she had offered to Cassion.? ? ¡°I¡¯m not giving it to you for free.¡±? ? ¡°What?¡±? ? It wasn¡¯t actually that great of a gift, but she lifted her chin as if she were a queen bestowing great things.? ? ¡°First, don¡¯t say ¡®It was originally mine¡¯ again.¡±? ? Surprised, the area around Cassion¡¯s eyes turned red.? ? ¡°Second, say thank you for the medicine.¡±? ? The word ¡°to whom¡± was omitted, but it didn¡¯t need to be said, everyone knew what she meant.? ? ¡°Um, what¡¯s that¡­¡±? ? ¡°Who would you like to be thanked by¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? The two brothers opened their mouths at the same time.? ? Roselyn raised her finger and brought it up to her lips.? ? ¡°Shh,¡± she said, looking at Tamon this time, as she signaled for him to be quiet.? ? ¡°You¡¯re going to have to accept it.¡±? ? Tamon stared at Asha for a moment with a gasp.? ? A heavy silence fell on the table.? ? Asrell, who had been carrying the plates, stepped back.? ? She cheered Aranrosia with quiet and enthusiastic eyes.? ? Aranrosia was the only one who could bully those brothers who could neither hate nor love each other. ? ? And after provoking them both at the same time, how encouraging and reassuring it was to see them so calm and composed.? ? Asrell could see why Satin shed tears whenever he was moved.? ? Because she wanted to do the same now.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the type to do this.¡±? ? Tamon said in a quiet, somber voice.? ? Roselyn did not deny it.? ? ¡°If it was before, I would not have interfered in such a personal matter, but now I want to interrupt. It¡¯s for my own good.¡±? ? ¡°What do you mean, for you?? ? ¡°Just, this is my vicarious satisfaction, not for the two, but for me. So I just want you to cooperate.¡±? ? ¡°Vicarious satisfaction?¡±? ? Cassion intervened, asking what that meant.? ? Whether it was intentional or not, Roselyn¡¯s voice changed.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t have a brother to say thank you, I¡¯m sorry, I miss you anymore.¡±? ? Depending on how one listened, it sounded really sad.? ? They could even see the sadness in her slightly lowered eyes.? ? Even after observing her for a long time, Tamon couldn¡¯t tell if it was a real face or a fake face.? ? She would sometimes create a dramatic voice to express her opinions in meetings. ? ? ¡°So I hope the two of you are willing to cooperate.¡±? ? He couldn¡¯t believe she was making such an insolent request in such a gloomy voice.? ? ¡­But he couldn¡¯t help but listen.? ? Tamon laughed hollowly, shaking his head lightly as if he couldn¡¯t win.? ? He looked at Cassion and shook his head as if to tell him to hurry.? ? Cassion had no idea what was going on right now.? ? Nothing came into his mind about what was going on, but the only thing that was certain was that now was the opportunity.? ? Hesitantly, Cassion quickly rose from his seat.? ? He clenched his shaking fists, reddened his earlobes, and squeezed his throat.? ? ¡°I know it¡¯s too late, but actually, ah, thank you, brother!¡±? ? His voice that burst out was louder than expected.? ? Even the listeners felt uneasy with his trembling voice.? ? ¡°I¡¯m immature and I¡¯m not very good at expressing myself¡­¡­.I didn¡¯t mean to be mean to brother. So, please don¡¯t hate me too much.¡±? ? Cassion squeezed his eyes shut.? ? The tips of Tamon¡¯s ears turned red as well.? ? He was not sure how to take this.? ? ¡°Uh¡­.I see.¡±? ? He sat cross-legged, looking uncomfortable.? ? Rarely bewildered eyes prowled the table with Roselyn, and he added a word like a sigh.? ? ¡°I know what you mean, uh, I see¡­¡±? ? ¡°Um, I¡­.I¡­¡±? ? ¡°Cassion.¡±? ? He swept his hair like he was hot, shaking his head to tell Cassion to stop now.? ? ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±? ? Still, the tips of his ears stained red. CH 104 Chapter 104. The Meaning Of Yellow Lily? ? Cassion, who was only pursing his lips, searching for what words to say, ran out of the place with a red face that seemed to burst.? ? ¡°Cassion¡­¡­¡±? ? Tamon, who stood up to catch him, looked at the back of Cassion, who had already ran away, and then sat back down.? ? Suddenly he was unsettled about what this was all about.? ? Then, from somewhere, he heard someone giggling.? ? Roselyn was laughing aloud with her mouth covered.? ? Tamon stared at her as she laughed, forgetting what he was going to say to her.? ? It wasn¡¯t an oblique smile or a self-deprecating smile. It was a fun smile.? ? How could she smile like that?? ? At that moment, Tamon understood the meaning of the word ¡®blindness.¡¯? ? It was a smile that was even more gorgeous than the sunshine on the most dazzling day on the sea.? ? Does that woman know how precious that smile is?? ? ¡°Is it funny to you?¡±? ? Forcing himself to keep his voice low, Tamon deliberately pretended to be angry.? ? It was fun how he kept stealing sideways glances at her like a young boy.? ? ¡°Well, a little.¡±? ? It was nice and warm with the sun shining down on her.? ? The sea breeze, especially soft today, was gentle and reassuring.? ? Tamon¡¯s brow wrinkled deliberately, hiding his wonder so that she could laugh freely.? ? ¡°I can¡¯t believe I make trouble and have fun.¡±? ? A small wrinkle appeared on her nose as she mumbled absent-mindedly with her chin propped up.? ? Tamon was suffocated by her appearance.? ? How can she hide such a pretty smile?? ? Is it because it¡¯s so dazzling and precious that she doesn¡¯t want to show it?? ? If that¡¯s the case, well, he had to admit it.? ? A casual thought stuck in his head.? ? ¡°Okay, this is the promise.¡±? ? Seeming to recognize that it was her turn to placate him, Roselyn held out another box.? ? It was the very gift she had promised to give Tamon.? ? Tamon didn¡¯t waste any time talking and quickly grabbed the box.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t take it out.¡±? ? ¡°I won¡¯t but you¡¯re the one who won¡¯t give things away easily.¡±? ? ¡°Well, it¡¯s a different story for you. Because you already took a lot.¡±? ? ¡°I have? What?¡±? ? Tamon smiled silently and tightly clenched the gift she gave him.? ? ¡°Look. You took so much that you didn¡¯t even know what you took.¡± ? ? ¡°That¡¯s weird. I don¡¯t think I have anything.¡±? ? ¡°So you can¡¯t take this.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ No, I¡¯m taking it.¡±? ? No matter how many times Roselyn said it, Tamon wouldn¡¯t let go of the gift in his hand.? ? Roselyn glared at him, and Tamon just laughed.? ? Asrell, who had been standing there like air, smiled softly and filled the plates again.? ? It was a week before they left for Tanatos.? ? ***? ? ¡°Hyaa!¡±? ? Marquis Helio¡¯s roar made the horse run faster. Already the horse¡¯s eye sockets were bright red and white foam was rising in its mouth, but it could not rest.? ? ¡°Sorry, try a little harder. There¡¯s only a few days left until the given deadline.¡±? ? These were the words written on the emperor¡¯s seal pigeon that flew over in a hurry.? ? [Merchant from Nyrux stationed in the Calif waters. Among them, collect the Dagger from the merchant who has red octopus seal.]? ? Of course, this was not simply the only thing that was written.? ? There was a list of items that would be given to him if he successfully carried out the order and a condition that he must arrive there around the 10th of next month.? ? It was all useless.? ? Except for one thing.? ? Tulasha¡¯s powder.? ? It was a poisonous and medicinal herb that was important in curing the endemic disease of Arkins in the northwest, where the Marquis Helio was now stationed.? ? It was a very horrible disease that started from the toes and eventually hardened the heart.? ? He had already lost his wife to Arkins.? ? Even his lovely second child had contracted Arkins and his legs were hardened.? ? It wasn¡¯t just his family that was affected by this endemic disease.? ? The Northwest region suffered more than a hundred deaths a year from Arkins.? ? About 100 people.? ? In a way, it was not a large number, but in the northwest, when the population was not large, it was not such a negligible number.? ? The only medicinal herb that could cure Arkins was ¡°Tulasha¡±.? ? However, because it was purchased in large quantities from the water supply, and even from specific herbalists, the supply and demand was too tight.? ? Hyaa!? ? Helio gritted his teeth.? ? There was frost in his blue eyes.? ? Lumatia, the herbal company which was blocking the distribution of Tulasha.? ? It was not a big herbal company, but one day it grew big and started to trade with the Imperial Palace.? ? At some point, Lumatia was in charge of all the medicinal herbs offered to the Imperial Palace.? ? The first thing that Lumatia got their hands on was Tulasha.? ? However, the timing was very strange, as Helio was assigned to the Northwest on charges of inadequate continental defense and illegal property accumulation.? ? The known top master of Lumatia was a man named Berry Closset.? ? And the person behind him was¡­¡­¡­..Natasha Roanti.? ? That was her.? ? A serpentine woman who used all manner of expedients and evils to hinder the circulation of the Tulasha.? ? Especially in the polar regions like the northwest, it was increasingly difficult to obtain medicinal herbs.? ? The woman knew this very well and drove him to the northwest to seize the right to distribute the Tulasha. She wa a clever woman.? ? The emperor was already in Natasha¡¯s hands.? ? No, perhaps Helio himself was in the hands of that snake woman. ? ? She was a woman with a great talent for blocking the eyes and ears of the emperor.? ? Helio gritted his teeth.? ? Emperor? Power? Actually, those things didn¡¯t matter much to Helio.? ? The only thing he felt was a sincere sense of danger that the country would die out if things didn¡¯t change.? ? Hyaaa!? ? The forced march that lasted for more than ten days finally resulted in a dropout.? ? The last horse that was running collapsed with foam in its mouth.? ? The driver of the horse was already on the verge of a stroke.? ? ¡°Jackson! Are you okay?¡±? ? Helio stopped and hurriedly approached the fallen knight.? ? He had to move fast, so there were only five knights following him.? ? The knight, called Jackson, twisted his face and bowed his head.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry.¡±? ? The knight apologized, banging his head on the ground as if he blamed himself for the fall.? ? Helio raised the knight up. ? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, too. Don¡¯t be sorry. It¡¯s my fault making you run without rest. I think it¡¯s time for you to rest now. Let¡¯s just rest here for today!¡±? ? The knights who had followed Helio¡¯s order were happily looking for a place to spend the night.? ? It was a relief at least that the temperature wasn¡¯t too low due to being out of Tanatos.? ? A fire was made and everyone sat down side by side.? ? After satisfying their hunger with a decent meal and leaving knights to rest, Helio took out the letter he had in his pocket and read it.? ? [Today I am going to write to you about why I sent you this letter.]? ? The neat handwriting continues nicely.? ? This was the fifth letter.? ? It was also the letter that told him how Tulasha¡¯s circulation had been closed.? ? It also told him where his confiscated property had gone and where each of his disciples who had tried to protect him had been scattered.? ? The owner of the letter, like a stranger, gave him the information he craved.? ? Who in the world was sending this letter?? ? Looking at the neat and sophisticated handwriting, it must be someone with advanced education.? ? Every word and every sentence that followed indicated that the sender was not someone who had been writing for a year or two.? ? [There are no peasants who think of a country like a parent, where there is no one to respect.? ? Just as it is easy for darkness to dwell in the hearts of children who have lost their parents, it must also dwell in the hearts of the people of this country who have lost the emperor they rely on.? ? And I think Marquis Helio knows this well.]? ? Who could it be¡­?? ? [I¡¯m the same one who tried to make the best of a warm place sometime ago.]? ? Helio¡¯s heart pulsed wildly.? ? He remembered seeing this delicate, graceful handwriting.? ? [Obviously, I am still alive, though my hands holding the sword have been cut off and the yellow lily it guarded are gone.]? ? Yellow lily.? ? And the protective sword.? ? Goosebumps broke out on Helio¡¯s back.? ? Two swords that protect the noble yellow lily.? ? It was the seal of the oldest family in the land.? ? [Do you remember that day? The day the great former Marquis of Helio returned to earth, my father secretly put the family flower over his white, frightened face.]? ? Ah! Roselyn V Sunset!? ? The lost Empress!? ? [I will be coming to see you soon.]? ? Startled, Helio jumped up.? ? Could this be true?? ? The news was so startling that it caused suspicion and anxiety. ? ? Is this another trick of the adulterous Natasha?? ? No matter how cunning her mind was, how could she have gone this far? Helio took a heavy step. No.? ? On the day of his father¡¯s funeral, the Duke of Sunset put yellow lilies instead of white ones, known only to him, his brothers, and the former Empress who was present with them. ? ? There was no way that Natasha would know that. ? ? Helio¡¯ eyes, shining with courage, stared at the sky. A wildfire broke out in his chest.? ? If this letter really came from ¡®her¡¯.? ? ¡°I¡¯m going to the capital as soon as my work is done.¡±? ? I have to meet this person. CH 105 Chapter 105. God, Please Take Care Of Them? ? Knock. Knock.? ? With a light tap on the door, Asrell entered the room.? ? Roselyn, who was wearing riding gloves, smiled at Asrell as she walked into the room.? ? ¡°The hairpiece suits you well, Asrell.? ? Asrell smiled at Roselyn¡¯s compliment.? ? ¡°Thank you. Perhaps it¡¯s because it¡¯s so nice, it¡¯s beautiful no matter how you put it.¡±? ? The sun rose early in the morning, so even though it was early, it was bright outside.? ? Thanks to this, Asrell could see Roselyn clearly in her outdoor pants and shirt.? ? The day of her departure was dawning.? ? It was close to dawn, so the mansion was still quiet, but with the upcoming farewell, the mansion was shaking quietly.? ? ¡°Are you coming back?¡±? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t answer, but only smiled when the twins asked her last night with a look that said they believed she was coming back.? ? The twins told her that she must come back, and that they would write a masterpiece with this fountain pen in time for her return, and even then they pleaded without pity to receive their book.? ? And now Asrell was about to load her luggage with a swollen face, as if she had cried all night.? ? ¡°Asha, I¡¯ll tie up your hair so you can move around easier.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, please.¡±? ? Asrell stood behind Roselyn at the dressing table. She carefully combed her silver hair with a clumpy hand.? ? There was no special skill involved, but the hair that was entrusted to her felt very cool.? ? Asrell, who had been carefully combing her hair for a long time, tied Roselyn¡¯s silver hair into a single knot and said.? ? ¡°I hear it¡¯s quite a long journey.¡±? ? ¡°Maybe or maybe not.¡±? ? ¡°I hear it¡¯s not a trading month and you can¡¯t take a boat, so you have to travel only on horseback?¡±? ? ¡°Hmm, we have to move fast or else we may not make it in time. We may have to ride the horses all month long.¡±? ? ¡°It will be hard. It¡¯s going to take a lot of hands.¡±? ? ¡°We¡¯re taking the least amount of luggage to reduce the traffic flow and speed up the process.¡±? ? ¡°I see. Then there¡¯s not much I need to prepare.¡±? ? With those last words, Roselyn stared at Asrell through the mirror.? ? Asrell laughed as she faced Roselyn¡¯s clear purple eyes as if asking what she meant.? ? ¡°The loyalty of the Athesians is insistent. Until the sun burns them a hundred times and the ice melts a hundred times.¡± ? ? ¡°But¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°I heard there needs to be at least one person like me. I don¡¯t feel comfortable sending Asha like this. Please allow me to go with you.¡±? ? ¡°Asrell.¡±? ? Panicked, Roselyn called her again in a low voice.? ? However, Asrell¡¯s resolve seemed firm.? ? Asrell kissed the tips of Roselyn¡¯s hair carefully.? ? ¡°If I¡¯m not too much of a burden, please.¡±? ? She looked strong, politely persuading with a friendly smile.? ? Perhaps if Roselyn said ¡®no¡¯, it wouldn¡¯t bother her.? ? ***? ? [No matter what happens, I will find the golden cup and flute and bring them to you before the July Festival.]? ? [I¡¯ll polish my eyes clean, and you must surely show me his downfall!] ? ? Tamon smiled as he read Theo¡¯s message from the royal palace.? ? On that day, the three assigned their respective roles in the face-to-face meeting.? ? Asha was to persuade Helio to revolt and ensure that Gillotti would be suffocated.? ? Tamon would protect her and be at the forefront in case of a clash with Gertium.? ? And even more important than the two of them was Theoransha.? ? ¡°Very well. Then I will give you a fighting chance.¡± (Theo)? ? There was not much time for Roselyn and Tamon to finish everything before the founding festival in July as the prophet said.? ? Theo was willing to devote her time and effort to this rhetoric.? ? To overthrow Tanatos! She decided that it was well worth it.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll get the other two holy relics for you. You go to Tanatos and proceed as planned.¡± (Theo)? ? She made a game of it.? ? Theo promised to bring in both holy relics herself.? ? Of course, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to make such a decision so easily if one of the two holy relics didn¡¯t belong to the royal family of Amos, who owed her a great deal.? ? Amos owed her a debt that needed to be paid.? ? She was going to ask her to pay it off this time.? ? ¡°You have never been to Tanatos.¡±? ? ¡°I didn¡¯t go there because it was dirty, not because I was afraid. But for the downfall of that imperial family, I¡¯m obligated to enjoy it the most.¡± (Theo)? ? Having said that, Theo packed up her things really quickly and left for Amos.? ? As a result, the royal palace was filled with the screams of her aides and attendants who had to take care of all her business, but there was no way to stop the king in action.? ? ¡°What makes you look and laugh like that?¡±? ? Ronasso, who had come out to see him off, asked grimly as he saw Tamon chuckling to himself.? ? Unfortunately, Ronasso was unable to go with him on this outing.? ? The time between the King and Tamon being out of their seats at the same time was too great, and even the First Knight Commander had to keep his seat.? ? Ronasso, complained loudly that he couldn¡¯t go this time, was very disappointed and rushed early in the morning to see Tamon off.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t set up too much because I can¡¯t go.¡± (Ronasso)? ? ¡°I¡¯ll have a very quiet trip without you.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°I heard you said that you would be very lonely without me.¡± (Ronasso) ? ? ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you rinse your ears? It seems to have lost its original function.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°Hey!¡±? ? Ronasso punched Tamon¡¯s stony arm with his fist.? ? Unfortunately, Tamon didn¡¯t budge.? ? Ronasso clenched his fists and said.? ? ¡°I¡¯m going to join you when the King heads to Tanatos, so don¡¯t be disappointed.¡± (Ronasso)? ? ¡°I¡¯m not upset about anything. Why do you keep telling me not to be upset?¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°You¡¯re really mean. Do you know that?¡± (Ronasso)? ? Tamon chuckled and didn¡¯t deny it.? ? At this moment, Ronasso envied Theo for having beat up Tamon so greatly at least once.? ? If only he had the chance, he too would have liked to beat Tamon up just once, without any real great desire.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with such lustful eyes. It¡¯s too hot and it¡¯s a burden.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°Okay. Get out of here.¡±? ? ¡°The one I¡¯m waiting for still hasn¡¯t come yet¡­.oh, there she is.¡±? ? Asrell and a simply dressed Asha came out.? ? Behind them the twins were sobbing with red swollen eyes.? ? The carriages and horses were all set up.? ? If the departing people got on their horses, they would be off.? ? ¡°Arsene, Hana, and Asrell will go to the Orkins region with the Platanus Knights. Asha and I will stop by the Calif and meet up with you in Orkins.¡±? ? They had to retrieve the dagger from a Nyrux merchant who was said to be stationed in the Calif waters.? ? Hannah urged the two to hurry.? ? ¡°I wish you all good luck. I will see you safely in Orkins.¡±? ? ¡°Have a safe trip, Master.¡±? ? Satin greeted politely, pressing the corners of his eyes with the handkerchief Roselyn had given him.? ? ¡°You too, Asha.¡±? ? Roselyn should have felt odd to see herself included at the end of the greeting. It was strange to see Satin looking at her as if he was sure she would come back.? ? To her, who had almost no family or friends left, and they were all waiting for her here¡­? ? It was almost as if they were protecting the place she was coming back to.? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t reply to Satin easily.? ? Still, she felt strangely emotional.? ? ¡°Please come back!¡±? ? ¡±I¡¯ll be waiting, Asha!¡±? ? The twins hung on Roselyn¡¯s shoes as she mounted her horse.? ? When it came to the moment of departure, the twins did not shed a tear.? ? They squeezed Roselyn¡¯s hands together, straining their red, swollen eyes.? ? The girls¡¯ eyes blazed, and they were ready to give Roselyn trouble if she didn¡¯t come back.? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the sight of them.? ? She didn¡¯t answer this time either.? ? Instead, she took the twins¡¯ hands in hers and whispered as she kissed the back of each hand.? ? ¡°Lersha, Lersha.¡±? ? God, take care of them.? ? She blessed the twins in a whispered, light but never forgotten voice. The hands of the twins with calluses trembled.? ? Asha¡¯s voice pierced their heart, and the twins whispered together, still holding Roselyn¡¯s hand.? ? ¡°Lersha, Lersha!¡±? ? ¡°Lersha, Lersha!¡±? ? They tried to hold back, but finally the tears spilled over.? ? They knew this was not going to be an eternal farewell, but they just couldn¡¯t bear to part with her.? ? Maybe it was because they had a hunch that the future of this beautiful lady they had chosen to serve was not going to be smooth.? ? At the sound, Hana, who was sitting in the carriage, stuck her head out and looked at them.? ? Roselyn patted the twins on the head and then turned to Tamon.? ? ¡°It¡¯s time to leave.¡±? ? Tamon, who had been waiting silently, gently kissed the back of her hand.? ? His lips were not, exactly the same as when his lips had first touched hers.? ? ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±? ? With her words, the horses set off in force.? ? At last, the road to Tanatos had begun. CH 106 Chapter 106. I''d Like To Meet Him? ? Waaaaa!? ? A baby¡¯s cry roared through the old castle.? ? How good the voice was, every time she cried, the whole castle would ring loudly.? ? The first person to come running to the baby¡¯s cry was not the baby¡¯s mother, father or the maid, but the baby¡¯s grandfather, who was sweating profusely.? ? ¡°Oh, you punk. It looks like another big one. If you eat that much, you¡¯re bound to have a big bowel movement.¡±? ? As soon as Henrik held the baby in his arms, despite the smell, he laughed and caressed the baby, perhaps because he had shared the moment of birth with him, and he was particularly fond of his second daughter.? ? ¡°Oaky. Let¡¯s change her diaper right away.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯ll do it. It¡¯s a baby girl, I can¡¯t let the grandfather change her.¡±? ? Rwanda, who had just come in holding a dry diaper, took the baby from Henrik.? ? ¡°Our little girl eats well, sleeps well, and she¡¯ll grow up very quickly.¡±? ? After placing Zenith in the crib, Rwanda changed the diaper with quick and precise hands.? ? She also had a good hand for carefully wiping the baby¡¯s fragile bottom with a soft cloth wetted with warm water.? ? After this, the order was set.? ? She would cry when she was hungry after a little while.? ? But it had only been half an hour since they had given her milk.? ? Zenith¡¯s mother was exhausted and had fallen asleep, so the only way to buy a little more time was to hold the baby and let her sleep.? ? Anna, who had been waiting for the right moment, quickly extended her hand.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll put her to sleep. She¡¯ll sleep better on my chest.¡±? ? ¡°Lady, you need to rest. I¡¯ll do it.¡±? ? As Rwanda pushed Anna out of the room, Henrik quickly stepped in.? ? ¡°Then I¡¯ll just¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? ¡°Are you going to make her cry again? Arthur. I¡¯ll hold her and put her down. You two need to get some rest. Do you think I don¡¯t know that you¡¯ve been hanging around here for a while now? Hurry up and go.¡±? ? Unaware of her grandfather¡¯s love for her, Zenith would not sleep in Henrik¡¯s arms no matter what.? ? Mostly because he kept the baby so close to his bearded face. They understood his love for the cute baby, but the beard was too rough on the baby¡¯s fragile skin.? ? When he moved his face away, he looked at the baby incessantly with his head raised.? ? He cut his beard because of that, but the problem was that the more he looked at the baby, the more beautiful and irresistible his sniffling became.? ? It was so bothersome that when Zenith started crying again, he panicked.? ? This was repeated many times.? ? Rwanda decided not to let Henrik hold the baby to sleep, and everyone agreed.? ? ¡°I even shaved my beard¡­..¡±? ? ¡°The runny nose is still the same, isn¡¯t it? No, you can¡¯t. If the child sleeps even a little bit, Sarah will have a good night¡¯s rest, too.¡±? ? Henrik had to watch with regret as Rwanda walked into the darkened room with the baby in her arms.? ? ¡°I can¡¯t not breathe¡­¡±? ? Henrik scratched his forehead, clicked his tongue ruefully.? ? Anna swallowed her laugh at Henrik¡¯s somber appearance as he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the room with the baby in it. It had only been a week since the baby was born.? ? The castle, which had been all dark and dour, was now filled with the presence of the baby.? ? As soon as it was born, ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful and cute,¡± said Viscountess Alpatio, wailing as she held the bright red baby in her arms.? ? She whispered the words ¡°thank you¡± dozens of times as she hugged Anna and Rwanda, who had helped her daughter with the birth.? ? The two of them were like benefactors to the Alpatio family.? ? In addition, Anna was not just a noble.? ? She was a noblewoman who had served as the Empress¡¯s closest maid. And yet, she helped with the birth where blood and amniotic fluid gushed out.? ? She was a great benefactor to Henrik, and in fact, to the entire Alpatio family.? ? ¡°Shall we have some tea?¡±? ? And that was something Anna knew very well, too.? ? ****? ? Henrik was delighted with her suggestion and invited her to his office.? ? The black castle she had seen that day seemed to have been brightened by the open windows. The weather was gradually getting warmer, like a blessing after the day Zenith was born. It was fortunate.? ? That didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t cold, but it was enough to allow them to ventilate like this once or twice a day.? ? This castle was given to Henrik as a gift from the current Duke of Gertium about ten years ago. Ten years ago was before the current Duke Gertium had taken over the title. What he did right after his first achievement was to give Henrik the castle as a gift¡­? ? ¡°This is my mother¡¯s hometown. It holds a lot of memories from my childhood.¡±? ? Henrik flicked open the large window of his office.? ? The view of the lake in the distance was spectacular.? ? ¡°I haven¡¯t been here much since I received this castle¡­ But now Sarah has given birth here.¡±? ? Henrik chuckled amiably and sank into the old, soft couch.? ? He ordered in advance on the way to the office, so the servant brought in the hot tea right away.? ? As the cup was filled, the white steam rose up in a shimmering stream.? ? It wasn¡¯t a high-grade tea, but a fragrant aroma spread from the tea produced in this region.? ? It was a heartwarming scent of tea.? ? ¡°I was so preoccupied during that time that I couldn¡¯t even thank you properly.¡±? ? Anna raised her head and saw Henrik¡¯s crooked dark brown hair tangled intricately in front of her.? ? Henrik roughly swept his hair, staring at Anna with a gentle smile.? ? ¡°Your wife and Sarah thank me every time they run into me, so much so that I already avoid them.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, really? Hahahaha.¡±? ? Henrik rubbed his chin and laughed, as if cutting off the beard he had been sprouting for ten years was making him uncomfortable.? ? ¡°But Anna, I think there¡¯s a reason why you came all the way here. Will you tell me why.¡±? ? Behind the good-natured smile, Henrik¡¯s keen, wise eyes could be seen.? ? Anna tried not to panic and smiled resolutely.? ? There was no need to panic.? ? The more perplexed she was, the calmer she should be.? ? Don¡¯t let your opponent see your agitation.? ? Make good use of what¡¯s in front of you.? ? Unbeknownst to him, Anna remembered what Roselyn had taught her and blew on the teacup that would make her feel relieved and cool down.? ? After taking a sip of the lukewarm tea, she finally said what she wanted to say.? ? ¡°It¡¯s just as you said, Uncle. I¡¯m here on an errand, and it¡¯s entirely up to you whether you¡¯ll listen to me or not.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be difficult for me to refuse whatever you ask. Just say it.¡±? ? Henrik answered frankly and blandly.? ? Anna did not linger, but brought up the subject.? ? ¡°I would like to meet Duke Perso Gertium.¡±? ? ¡°¡­What?¡±? ? Henrik was unusually flustered when Anna said a name he hadn¡¯t expected at all. How could Anna, of all people, ask to meet Perso Gertium? Weren¡¯t the two people who had no connection whatsoever?? ? ¡°Can I ask why you want to meet him?¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±? ? It was difficult to explain why, but it was troubling to ask for a favor without explaining. Anna hesitated for a moment, then finally answered,? ? It¡¯s difficult to tell you because it¡¯s a personal matter. I¡¯ll tell you after I meet him.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, I see. I see.¡±? ? Henrik rubbed his chin, which had become smooth as a matter of habit. He was troubled for a moment and then nodded, laughing again. Anna was his, or rather Alpatio¡¯s benefactor anyway. He wanted to give a positive answer.? ? ¡°¡¯All right. I¡¯ll find out. By the way, do you want me to be there with you?¡±? ? Anna replied with a laugh.? ? ¡®¡¯I heard that man is very scary. I think I would be less scared if my uncle were there with me.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, yes. Haha.¡±? ? Henrik laughed, as if Anna¡¯s words had convinced him.? ? ¡°I heard that there are rumors in the capital that Gertium eats live animals. Is that true?¡±? ? ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s really a ridiculous rumor, in battle you have to adjust the condition rather better. If you eat like that, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll die first from food poisoning before you meet the enemy, don¡¯t you think?¡±? ? ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡±? ? After a few small chats, Anna left Henrik¡¯s office.? ? Henrik poured another cup of tea without getting up.? ? A few moments later, through the large tapestry that occupied one corner of Henrik¡¯s office, a door opened with a rattle.? ? A huge man with red hair appeared, tilting the heavy tapestry with winter trees.? ? It was the very man with the piercing eyes who had let Anna into the castle.? ? Henrik laughed, offered the man a cup of tea, and said.? ? ¡°What do you think, Duke Perso?¡± CH 107 Perso Gertium, the red-haired man, stared at the seat where Anna sat.? ? ¡°Rotrega said his daughter is fearless, but she¡¯s not without a head. I think she¡¯s smart and a good judge of situations.¡±? ? Perso approached the window without saying a word. He looked out the window. He was huge and intimidatingly large and covered half of the window.? ? Anna, who was sitting here and chatting a while ago, was walking toward the lake hill.? ? A small woman was walking diligently filled his green eyes.? ? ¡°Anna used to be the Empress¡¯s closest maid of honor, but now she has no power. Well, of course, I¡¯m sure you know more than I do.¡±? ? ¡°Why did she ask to see me?¡±? ? A question with a heavy voice echoed through the air.? ? If the Empress were still alive, he would be able to guess at least a little about her intentions.? ? But no forces or intentions were being read from Anna now.? ? ¡°A little bit¡­ However, I heard that Anna¡¯s situation changed badly after the Puglish kicked her out. Since His Majesty doesn¡¯t even want to see the traces of the Empress.¡±? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? The current emperor, Gillotti Tanatos, had become increasingly obsessed with the Empress after her death.? ? Anna¡¯s situation was not good, because the Emperor wanted to erase every trace of the Empress. He wanted to kill anyone who was related to her.? ? He even set the Sunset family¡¯s mansion on fire, and dug up the tombs of her predecessors.? ? Even Perso thought it was an excessive treatment. ? ? After the downfall of the Sunset family, the emperor did not pursue the Sunset family¡¯s crimes as when he was angry before.? ? The truth was that he just buried the case completely.? ? And so it should be.? ? Since Cainely Sunset* was innocent. (*Roselyn¡¯s brother.¡±? ? Gertium didn¡¯t know the exact circumstances of how Natasha had framed Cainely Sunset.? ? However, he could tell that Cain knew it was dangerous and that the safety of the people around him was more at stake than his own safety in following her lead to visit.? ? Perso planted one of his own subordinates in one of Natasha¡¯s manipulators.? ? She also needed warriors, so she had no hesitation to make Gertium the imperial dog.? ? Of course, she wasn¡¯t afraid to kill him, either.? ? One of her orders was to investigate Anna Puglish.? ? This meant that one of the cards that Natasha had grabbed and blackmailed Cain was Anna.? ? Perso looked at the back of the woman as she moved away with an increasingly intense look in his eyes.? ? ¡°I¡¯m Anna Rotrega. You should know because I¡¯m the daughter of Viscount Rotrega.¡±? ? Her brown eyes shone as she said her name so clearly.? ? It was the first time a woman didn¡¯t look away while facing him.? ? She didn¡¯t panic, she wasn¡¯t afraid, but she maintained her calm composure.? ? That was nothing, and the brown eyes he met in that darkness were clearly imprinted.? ? She was so small and fragile, who came up just about his chest, but the way she looked straight into his eyes was just as piercing as those of knights who had crossed the hardships of life and death many times.? ? ¡°Oh, maybe¡­¡±? ? Henrik opened his mouth again, as if he had realized something afterwards.? ? Perso looked at Henrik with eyes that had been following Anna¡¯s back as she disappeared over the hill.? ? ¡°Let me tell you this¡­. Could it be ¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡±? ? ¡°You pause again.¡±? ? Perso, who hated Henrik for not getting straight to the point, narrowed his eyes and nudged Henrik.? ? Henrik, who had been rolling his eyeballs this way and that, rubbed his chin and opened his mouth as if he had made up his mind.? ? ¡°Is Anna going to ask for protection from DuKe Perso?¡±? ? Perso¡¯s brow furrowed at the completely unexpected words.? ? It was a habit that always came out when he was in a panic.? ? ¡°What do you mean?¡±? ? Henrik replied, tapping the table when Perso asked back in a hard voice.? ? ¡°Actually, now that I think about it, Duke Perso is the only force that can protect Anna from the Empire. Now that Sunset is gone, the two major forces are Gertium and Helio. Among them, Helio is considered to be the enemy of His Majesty as well as the Sunset family, so you never know when something might happen again, right?¡±? ? All the nobles, even Anna¡¯s husband, had abandoned her.? ? In the eyes of the emperor, she was sure to be as good as dead.? ? She would need a roof over her head to hide her and protect her.? ? And Henrik had said that Anna might have sought out Perso as that roof. Perso¡¯s gaze followed Anna¡¯s back as she disappeared behind the hill again.? ? ¡°Well, that¡¯s just my guess.¡±? ? Ha, ha, ha.? ? Henrik chuckled and gulped down the cold tea.? ? Until that moment, Perso¡¯s gaze hadn¡¯t left the hill where the sun was setting.? ? ***? ? ¡®I guess it¡¯s time for another letter from Rosie¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¯? ? Anna thought as she gazed blankly at the icy lake.? ? Before leaving Noem¡¯s mansion, Anna told Roselyn to send the letter to Count Marktop¡¯s residence, where her father was, within a month.? ? So that if the letter arrived during her father¡¯s stay, he could send it to her immediately.? ? Rosie said that she needed Henrik Alpatio.? ? She also added that she needed a card to shake Perso Gertium.? ? Of course, there were no details, but that was enough reason for Anna to meet with Henrik and Perso.? ? And in order to sway them¡­.? ? ¡®I can¡¯t end up being mere benefactors. Oh, and if Rosie can give me any hints, I¡¯ll be ready to try to convince or sway them.¡¯? ? It wasn¡¯t enough to keep this up.? ? Anna took a deep breath. This was not the time to hurry.? ? It was a fact that even a walking child knew that Gertium was on the side of the imperial family.? ? What could be the reason for Rosie to want to convince him who was on the Emperor¡¯s side?? ? Was it so that the Emperor couldn¡¯t use Gertium? ? ? ¡®¡­¡­¡­¡­ But this guess is not enough, so hasty judgment may interfere with Rosie.¡¯? ? Anna tried to resign herself to the fact that she was in a hurry.? ? She took another deep breath and looked out at the lake.? ? There was a cold breeze blowing that chilled her nose, but it felt cooler than ever.? ? It was perfect for emptying her head.? ? Crunch.? ? Anna turned around, startled by the sudden sound of a presence.? ? A huge shadow was approaching, and Anna took a step back without realizing it.? ? ¡®¡¯You¡¯re the knight.¡±? ? It was the very knight that had guided her to Henrik.? ? His red hair looked even redder when viewed under the sunset sky.? ? The man was standing three or four paces away from Anna.? ? ¡°Is the knight out for a walk?¡±? ? ¡°No, it was almost sundown and I saw that you were going far away, so I followed you.¡±? ? ¡°What?¡± ? ? ¡°I saw you went up a while ago, but you didn¡¯t come down¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? ¡°Oh.¡±? ? ¡®He saw me go this way.¡¯? ? It sounded like he was worried about Anna because she didn¡¯t come back when the sun was setting.? ? He was more caring than she thought.? ? Anna stared at him with a look of surprise.? ? In her large eyes, she could see the blunt man.? ? The man¡¯s eyes, which had looked black, now looked quite green.? ? After standing facing each other for a while, the man narrowed his forehead and said.? ? ¡°¡­I see you have a habit of staring at people.¡±? ? Anna lowered her gaze quickly, startled.? ? It was a habit that Cain and Rosie had pointed out to her several times.? ? She had a habit of staring when she was nervous, and she had been warned many times that strangers might feel uncomfortable.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I offended you. I have a bit of an observational habit¡­¡­.¡±? ? Anna¡¯s cheeks turned red with embarrassment. The man just stood there, not even saying it was okay.? ? When she thought she should leave, the man opened his mouth.? ? ¡°Would you mind telling me what you observed about me?¡± ? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Yes?¡±? ? Anna asked back, but the man did not repeat the question.? ? Anna looked at him again, wondering what to say.? ? He stared at her as if waiting for a response.? ? ¡°Your eyes¡­¡±? ? ¡°My eyes?¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..I found your eyes to be more beautiful than I thought.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°Green eyes under the red hair are very beautiful.¡±? ? Anna let out an awkward smile.? ? She couldn¡¯t believe she said ¡®beautiful¡¯ to a blunt knight.? ? It was a strange thought.? ? ¡°But saying it¡¯s beautiful would be rude to the knight, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±? ? Anna couldn¡¯t hide her awkwardness and walked past him with her head down.? ? Perso watched her as she walked past, and when Anna had completely disappeared, he raised his hand and touched his eyes.? ? There was a sweet scent that he smelled for the first time when she had passed.? ? ****? ? ¡°Whoa!¡±? ? After running for a while, Tamon stopped as he looked up at the sky where the sun was about to set.? ? He had been running from this morning until now, except when he had to eat.? ? He was fine, but it wasn¡¯t an easy schedule for Asha, whose body was revived on the way to death and who had barely recovered her strength.? ? They had to find a place to sleep before nightfall. There were no villages or houses around here, so they had to find a suitable place to sleep nearby.? ? It was still twilight, so it would be completely dark in another thirty to forty minutes.? ? Even Roselyn, who was exhausted from the sudden forced march as expected, rejected his suggestion. ? ? ¡°Do we have to camp out?¡±? ? ¡°Hmm, perhaps we can find some kind of abandoned hunting shack in the neighborhood, but in the meantime, there is a river, so let¡¯s move over there.¡±? ? Tamon led her skillfully.? ? In truth, Roselyn had never slept or camped out in the wild before.? ? Born into high nobility, she was the Crown Princess and Empress, but there was no way she would ever experience that.? ? If she had traveled anywhere, it would have been in a huge carriage where she could sleep in.? ? That said, she didn¡¯t want to come across as lacking or weak here.? ? This whole itinerary was for her.? ? And she didn¡¯t want to complain too openly about it.? ? ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful here. The riverside is close by.¡±? ? Tamon found a sunny spot among the overgrown trees where the sand was dry.? ? He quickly gathered the branches and made a fire.? ? In the meantime, all Roselyn tied up the horses and watered them. When Roselyn saw how well he had laid out the sleeping bag, she said with no small amount of admiration.? ? ¡°You¡¯re good.¡±? ? ¡°In war, it¡¯s not always possible to build barracks.¡±? ? He made a wide sleeping area. ? ? ¡°This is my place. You can sleep by the fire. By the way, there are a lot of snakes in this area, so be careful not to stay too far away from me.¡±? ? He grabbed his spot to sleep calmly then mentioned the snakes.? ? Roselyn, who had gently placed her bottoms on a fairly comfortable position, gave him a sideways glare as if to say, ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡± However, Tamon smiled and shrugged, saying it wasn¡¯t a joke.? ? After roughly unpacking and relieved her hunger, her body began to stiffen from riding all day.? ? Contrary to the idea of wanting to wash up by the river, Roselyn¡¯s body was lying down on a fluffy sleeping bag.? ? ¡°Hisssss¡­..¡±? ? A long, grimy, vine snake.? ? She had seen it once before in a greenhouse sometime ago, but she just backed away from it.? ? She had never seen many creatures before.? ? Even as she was drifting off to sleep, Roselyn couldn¡¯t help but secretly stuck close to Tamon¡¯s warmth.? ? Tamon, who had been looking up at the sky, glanced over at Roselyn, who was closer to him than before and smiled in satisfaction.? ? ¡°Cute.¡±? ? He whispered words she couldn¡¯t hear. CH 108 Chapter 108. What Do You Want Me To Do?? ? Tamon was a nobleman, but he didn¡¯t mind sleeping outdoors.? ? He enjoyed the smell of the earth and wind closest to him, and looking up at the open sky. ? ? It was not a very tiring journey for Tamon, even though he had ridden all day on horseback.? ? When he brought Asha to Amor, he rode for more than twenty whole days with her in his arms.? ? He wouldn¡¯t have stopped if the horse hadn¡¯t gotten tired and fallen down.? ? Except for when he had to take breaks for the knights and the horses, he rode out of Tanatos at full speed.? ? Not only that, he ran with her in his arms, and he didn¡¯t even know it was hard.? ? Rather, he felt incredible strength as he felt the tiny warmth of her in his body.? ? He really wanted to pull her away from that cold and cruel world.? ? He didn¡¯t know why, but he was definitely dazed at that time.? ? He didn¡¯t regret letting things happen without knowing what to do next.? ? Since she was not a woman to die like that, it was natural to save her.? ? There was an innocent thought in him that maybe his ability was ignited for that moment.? ? Tamon smiled and looked at Asha, who was lying next to him, asleep.? ? Even with a sleeping bag underneath her, it must have been very uncomfortable, but she fell asleep without complaining.? ? He couldn¡¯t understand why she was so cute that she secretly snuggled up to him and slept.? ? Why was she so cute sleeping in a straight position, like a well-made doll, not moving an inch?? ? Tamon carefully stroked down her milk-white cheeks with his fingertips.? ? The silky smooth skin was always so seductive.? ? The skin that grazed his fingertips was so fragile.? ? Even a light pinch of the skin left a red mark.? ? It was a waste to kiss it with his lips, so he bit her sometimes and left teeth marks.? ? But that man (Gillotti) whipped her back until it was tattered.? ? All the nails on her hands and feet were pulled out, and her bound wrists and ankles had all the skin peeled off.? ? ¡®¡­¡­ How in the world should I kill that man?¡¯? ? Gillotti Tanatos.? ? Just remembering that name made Tamon want to kill him right away.? ? When it came down to it, being stupid was a sin.? ? There were dozens and hundreds of people who died because of that man¡¯s stupidity, so he was sinful.? ? Since that man was born a Crown Prince, he had never been hit once, had he?? ? Probably he just got slapped by the previous King at best.? ? ¡®So why don¡¯t I give him a light tap first?¡¯? ? Then, the more he struggles, the more poisonous shackles will tighten his limbs.? ? It would be nice to cut off his tongue and his fingers and toes.? ? That man broke Asha¡¯s beautiful fingernails, so it would be fair to cut all his limbs off.? ? Tamon was willing to revive the man over and over again so that he wouldn¡¯t die.? ? So the man could live in hell until he asked to be killed.? ? It was a cruel thought indeed, but when it came down to it, Tamon¡¯s expression was calm.? ? Perhaps Asha would stop him from doing so.? ? She had a softer side than the stern appearance she gave off.? ? She would tell him to kill the man at once instead.? ? Then he (Tamon) would try to persuade her somehow and make her nostalgic.? ? He couldn¡¯t stain Asha¡¯s eyes, so she wouldn¡¯t see the cruelty of it.? ? Mutiny.? ? It was a sweet word.? ? In all its history, there had never been a rebellion that had not been accompanied by a bloodbath.? ? Tamon was more than willing to give his blood.? ? He could have shed as much as he needed to punish Gillotti Tanatos and his abominable mistress.? ? But he would have to shed many times, if not dozens of times more than the amount of his blood.? ? Perhaps the bonfire was too hot, Asha turned and lay a little closer to him.? ? He couldn¡¯t help but love the way her small body curled up his arms.? ? He could give her anything she wanted.? ? There weren¡¯t many soldiers who could immediately prepare for the relatively sudden departure.? ? However, the Amor Imperial knights and his personal soldiers were all elite troops.? ? Unlike Tanatos, who had been steeped in peace for a long time, Amor had been constantly engaged in frontier wars.? ? Of course, he had to be wary of Gertium¡¯s soldiers, but there was no reason why Tamon couldn¡¯t win if he were to directly confront Gertium¡¯s soldiers.? ? ¡®The key is that the soldiers have to come at exactly the time we expect.¡¯? ? However, he wasn¡¯t too worried about that either, since he had Ronasso.? ? His close friend was a more respectable Knight Commander and General than he had expected. ? ? Tamon listened to the sounds of the grass, which sounded like a lullaby.? ? This unromantic woman was exhausted and fell asleep, but he didn¡¯t want to waste this moment with sleep.? ? Before he got busy, before the blood storm hit, he didn¡¯t want to waste his time sleeping.? ? However, the forest didn¡¯t seem to like Tamon¡¯s romance.? ? A hint of dampness at the bottom woke Tamon up.? ? ¡®I seem to be behaving carelessly.¡¯? ? He looked down at the snake that was tangling around his ankles with its tail, mocking him.? ? It stared straight at him, its head raised as if to let him know that it was the predator of this forest.? ? It had already wrapped itself around Tamon¡¯s ankles, its eyes filled with the certainty that victory was its own. The snake was quite thick and long.? ? If it were stretched out, it would have been well over Asha¡¯s height.? ? The body was not so much as a real snake.? ? Hisssssss!? ? The snake bared its teeth and flapped its cracked tongue.? ? It swung itself slightly low, as if to compare with her, and stealthily covered Asha¡¯s ankles with its tail.? ? ¡®Ha.¡¯? ? Tamon smiled obliquely, and immediately reached out and snatched the snake by the neck.? ? Shh, shh, shh!? ? Startled, the snake quickly untied its tail and wrapped Tamon¡¯s arms.? ? The force with which it tightened his arms was quite strong.? ? ¡®If you¡¯re going to play, you¡¯re going to have to play with me. Sleeping people aren¡¯t meant to be touched. Isn¡¯t that right?¡¯? ? Tamon grinned and put more pressure on the hand that was gripping the snake¡¯s neck.? ? It growled frantically, and finally succeeded in driving its teeth between Tamon¡¯s fingers.? ? The snake¡¯s eyes parted in a straight line and it glared viciously at Tamon.? ? ¡®I see you¡¯re poisonous.¡¯? ? The sting was not unbearable, but it wasn¡¯t pleasant.? ? His body had neutralized the herpes poison, but this much was like a bug bite. ? ? The snake panicked when the bite didn¡¯t change the appearance of Tamon at all. But It couldn¡¯t fight back and slowly stopped breathing.? ? With its long, writhing body wrapped around Tamon¡¯s arms and shoulders, it tried with all its might, but to no avail. ? ? Tamon watched the snake die with his silent eyes and threw its slumped body into the fire. It was a big one so the fire couldn¡¯t burn it all and the flame flickered off.? ? He thought about lighting it more, but decided not to.? ? against it. If he mischievously lit up the fire and called up other mountain beasts, he could wake up Asya, who was sleeping soundly. ? ? When Asha woke up from her slumber, she shouldn¡¯t have to see that disgusting sight¡­? ? But no matter how much he looked around, he could find nothing to cover the snake¡¯s corpse. It seemed that it was better to just take it to the nearest place. ? ? ¡®It¡¯s annoying.¡¯? ? Tamon gently kissed the sleeping Asha¡¯s cheek and got up. However, the sensation woke her up.? ? ¡°¡­Where are you going?¡±? ? In a sleepy voice Roselyn grabbed the hem of his shirt tightly.? ? It must have been an unconscious act, but Tamon couldn¡¯t move.? ? She caught him.? ? Asha caught him.? ? The body that raised up subsided completely.? ? Tamon touched her forehead and whispered.? ? ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±? ? ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere.¡±? ? Her mumbled words hit him in the chest. His legs lost strength and he couldn¡¯t move.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll never go. Even if you tell me to go, I won¡¯t go.¡±? ? ¡®Because you caught me.¡¯? ? So be it.? ? Tamon stroked Roselyn¡¯s cheek and caressed her forehead, unable to move as if he turned to stone.? ? It was a very romantic evening, though it did smell of roasting meat on the fire.? ? ***? ? *Let me be clear about the use of Roselyn and Asha. When Asha being mentioned in the sentence meant Tamon was doing the thinking so he called her Asha for intimacy. And the name Roselyn was use by the narrator. ? ? ***? ? It wasn¡¯t until two hours later that Roselyn woke up.? ? It was so dark that it was not even dawn yet.? ? The smell of burning flesh aroused her sense of smell, stimulating her nose.? ? She was thirsty and tried to sit up, when suddenly a water bottle popped up in front of her as if it had been waiting.? ? ¡°Water.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, thank you.¡±? ? While drinking the water, she unconsciously looked at the bonfire. Startled, Roselyn coughed.? ? Cough.? ? ¡°What the hell is that¡­?¡±? ? The tail of a snake, bigger than a bonfire, was out in the open.? ? The head and part of the body were already gone as if they had been burned, but the unburned part was still there.? ? ¡°Snakes, I told you there were a lot of snakes.¡±? ? Tamon calmly said as if there were no surprises.? ? And he didn¡¯t forget to gently thrust out his arm with the snake bite mark in front of her.? ? ¡°I got bitten.¡±? ? The two clearly visible holes made Roselyn panic once more.? ? It was definitely a bite mark, but honestly, this was not a serious injury. He knew it, and she knew it, but the viciously large figure of the man spoke in an exaggerated manner.? ? ¡°It hurts.¡±? ? ¡®¡­What do you want me to do?¡¯? ? Roselyn stared at him with bewilderment.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t look at me coldly like that. Aren¡¯t you going to do anything when your engraving partner hurts like this?¡± (Tamon)? ? Grasping the arm with the snake¡¯s teeth marks, Tamon pretended to grunt.? ? ¡®Oh, what in the world should I do with this guy?¡¯ (Roselyn) CH 109 Chapter 109. There''s Only Two Of Us? ? By the time the sighs poured on the back of his neck deepened, he raised himself.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m going to take a bath.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°What?¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°It¡¯s hot.¡± (Tamon)? ? There was not a drop of sweat on his forehead as such, but his face looked desperate.? ? Roselyn unconsciously grabbed the hem of his clothes, aware of the smell of burning flesh that was still faint in the air.? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? She caught him, and with a more surprised look on her face, Roselyn let go of the hem of his clothes.? ? Just the thought of a snake was vaguely disgusting, but when she finally saw a dead snake, it was even more horrifying.? ? ¡°If you¡¯re going to go, leave your dagger with me.¡±? ? Roselyn rattled off an excuse that wasn¡¯t an excuse for catching him late.? ? She barely had to suppress the flush on her face, wondering why she was pathetic. Looking at her intently, Tamon pulled something out of his luggage bag and sprinkled it around.? ? ¡°What is it?¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s monster¡¯s bone powder.¡±? ? His words caught Roselyn off guard for a moment.? ? Monster¡¯s bone powder.? ? Come to think of it, why didn¡¯t she think Tamon would have that?? ? It was a powder made by drying and grinding the most useless parts of the monster¡¯s remains.? ? It was a necessity for travelers, when they passed through or stayed in dangerous areas, they could avoid a few considerable beast attacks by sprinkling it around them.? ? ¡°If you had that, why didn¡¯t you sprinkle it earlier?¡± (Roselyn)? ? Tamon laughed at the gasp-inducing question.? ? The way she looked at him was even more amusing.? ? It looked like he did it on purpose.? ? ¡®I don¡¯t know if I should call him a fox or a wolf.¡¯? ? ¡°I¡¯ve sprinkled this on the ground, so it won¡¯t attract too many mountain animals. I¡¯ll be right by the riverbank, so if anything happens, just holler at me.¡±? ? Tamon spoke briskly, then stood up quickly.? ? And as soon as Tamon sat up, Roselyn immediately realized why he was hot.? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? She bowed her head, startled.? ? She seemed to be in a panic every time she saw it. (*she saw his erect manhood¡­)? ? ¡®Why did he do that again¡­?¡¯ ? ? Roselyn really didn¡¯t do anything, so she couldn¡¯t understand how it had happened.? ? The words, ¡°I can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s a fox or a wolf,¡± were canceled.? ? Tamon was a full-blown wolf in a fox mask.? ? Unable to raise his red face and fidgeting, Tamon laughed and ruffled her hair.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll cool it down on my own, so stay here.¡± (Tamon)? ? Roselyn didn¡¯t answer, but stared at Tamon¡¯s back as he moved away.? ? The back of him who crept into the darkness felt strangely friendly.? ? ***? ? ¡°Why isn¡¯t he coming?¡±? ? It had been a while since Tamon had gone to the riverside.? ? Once he left, sleep did not return, and Roselyn counted all the stars in the sky, but even then Tamon did not come back.? ? There was no way anything could happen to the man, but he still didn¡¯t come back, and that bothered her inwardly.? ? ¡°¡­Let¡¯s wait a little longer.¡±? ? Roselyn glanced in the direction he had disappeared, then counted the stars again.? ? Just as jewels were hiding through the spilled black ink, stars in the darkness shone brightly.? ? She counted the stars from this side of the sky to that side of the sky, but Tamon still did not come back.? ? ¡°Did he drown in the water?¡±? ? Eventually, Roselyn got up from her seat.? ? She stared into the darkness where he had disappeared.? ? Come to think of it, she had fallen asleep as soon as she lay down and couldn¡¯t even wash her face.? ? ¡°I¡¯m not going to go look for him, I¡¯m going to wash my face. I¡¯m going to wash my hands¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? She muttered an excuse, and stepped cautiously.? ? The quiet darkness made her cower in the shade of the trees.? ? Only the sound of shuffling footsteps echoed quietly as she stepped on the dry soil and leaves.? ? After a few steps in this way, she heard the sound of water.? ? Tamon said the riverside was near, but it seemed really close.? ? The moon was bright as she passed through the shade of the trees. It was not at all difficult to see ahead.? ? The river was quite large and wide, and the current was appropriate.? ? Round stones were seen in transparent water.? ? ¡°It¡¯s cool.¡±? ? When she gently dipped her hand, she realized that her body was hot.? ? It felt good to put her hands in the cool, clear water.? ? After washing her hands up to her elbows, she looked around, but she couldn¡¯t see Tamon.? ? Roselyn looked around some more.? ? When she looked at the side where the river bent and the huge rock interfered with the flow velocity, she saw a familiar back.? ? ¡®Tamon¡¯, she tried to call out, but her tongue froze.? ? The huge back, wet and reflecting the moonlight, wriggled flexibly.? ? The thick shoulders and taut, tense muscles under the moonlight was perfect, illuminating the movement of those muscles as they were. The water flowed smoothly near his firm buttocks.? ? She could see his tense jaws, even the creased forehead as he roughly swept his wet hair.? ? Roselyn dipped her hand directly into the water to see how cold the water in that river was.? ? The water temperature was so cold that it cooled down the hot heat at once.? ? Tamon must have spent quite a long time in that water.? ? Yet he still looked as hot as ever.? ? His shoulders tense with languid tension, his lips exhaling slowly, and his heat, which could not be helped by the cold water, reached her a few steps away.? ? He was in a state of rage that was unlikely to subside.? ? She could see his lips and his hands and arms moving up and down nervously at a moderate speed.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ha.¡±? ? The low, sinking voice, laced with sighs, could be heard by Roselyn.? ? Was this why he said he would go to calm himself down and didn¡¯t come back?? ? Tamon¡¯s body, half submerged in water, was as beautiful as a sculpture, and Roselyn stared at his appearance, unable to take her eyes off him.? ? His strong body was the toughness itself.? ? Tamon¡¯s body was so sensual that it could have been the most beautifully made form of every muscle in his body.? ? Nevertheless, this was not right.? ? It was definitely not right to peek into someone¡¯s secret time. (Masturbating)? ? Her mouth felt dry as if she was in a desert. The sound of her beating heart was cutting through her ribs and threatening to burst out.? ? Holding her breath, Roselyn stepped back with her trembling legs.? ? At that moment, Tamon turned back around.? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t move as her eyes met his.? ? However, he just looked at her calmly with a face that was neither surprised nor ashamed.? ? ¡°It¡¯s because you didn¡¯t come back¡­¡­..¡±? ? That was another excuse.? ? Roselyn was self-mocking, but she couldn¡¯t quickly come up with a better one.? ? It was an excuse, but it was true, and it was true, but she felt somewhat ashamed.? ? At her whispering words, Tamon suddenly smiled drowsily.? ? Then he sped up his hand¡¯s movements as he watched her.? ? Roselyn struggled to breathe, and the way he looked at her even more debauched.? ? Why this man¡­..? ? When Roselyn breathed heavily in surprise, Tamon bit his lips and smiled.? ? Roselyn¡¯s heart felt like it was going to burst once more.? ? No, she didn¡¯t even know it was already broken.? ? How could the man be so debaucherous in a new way every time?? ? Or maybe his eyes have already been corrupted by the way he looked at her.? ? ¡°Asha¡­¡±? ? The voice calling for her was wet and seductive.? ? With that sound, all of Roselyn¡¯s movements were shut down.? ? ¡°Asha¡­¡±? ? Tamon called her again.? ? Despite his obscenity, his voice calling her was affectionate.? ? With a devilish smile, he held out his hand towards her, trying to play God.? ? ¡°Come here.¡±? ? She saw his hand reaching out towards her.? ? It was the hand that had been held out to her so many times after she came back to life.? ? At some point, she was so used to that hand that she wanted to hold it as soon as she saw it.? ? After a short deep breath, Roselyn took off her clothes.? ? Unlike the panicked look on her face earlier, her hands were calm as she slowly took off her jacket.? ? Tamon watched her without missing a single thing.? ? His red eyes, a mixture of reverence, praise and admiration, and deep desire, stared passionately at her as if they were burning her.? ? Roselyn¡¯s mind was strangely quiet, unlike when she stole a glance at him by accident.? ? Leaving her thin slip dress behind, Roselyn walked into the river.? ? She was standing in front of Tamon when the water from her calves reached her thighs and then hit her waist.? ? ¡°There¡¯s only two of us here.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡±? ? With a water-soaked hand, Tamon stroked her cheek.? ? ¡°We don¡¯t have to worry about anything, it¡¯s just the two of us.¡±? ? His wet lips caressed her earlobes.? ? She liked what Tamon said.? ? As he said, at this moment, she felt as if only he and her existed in the world.? ? No regrets, no revenge, no feeling of inadequacy, no enemy, no calculated relationship, just the two of them.? ? ¡°Yes.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s lips, which came down slowly, held her lips.? ? Roselyn wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes.? ? His hard body pressed up against hers. Tamon. Tamon Krasis. She hugged him without thinking, without calculating anything. There was nothing but heat for this man. ? ? The heat, the fierceness, and the blind faith in her. ? ? ¡°So, for now, don¡¯t think about anything else.¡±? ? Roselyn smiled faintly at his words. Nothing but his heart overflowed and warmed her. It was so naked, so full, that it made her heart throb.? ? ¡°You¡¯re really.¡±? ? ¡­So exhilarating, so dangerous. And she was greedy for more.? ? Roselyn suppressed her jumping heart and bit Tamon¡¯s lips as if devouring it.? ? The moonlight was shining brightly on them. CH 110 Chapter 110. Even If It Hurts A Little, It Will Last A Long Time? ? Hannah, Arsene, and the Knights of Platanus had already arrived in Orkins in the late afternoon.? ? Even though they didn¡¯t rush the schedule, it didn¡¯t take them long, since Orkins was a straight shot from the capital.? ? Arsene recalled that Hannah, who had been sitting in a daze in the carriage all day, had not eaten a single meal properly.? ? ¡°Where did Hannah go?¡±? ? The boy got watery soup and soft bread from the inn he was using as his accommodation and came out to find Hannah.? ? The innkeeper also added a few fluffy potatoes, saying they had just steamed them.? ? ¡°She said she was going for a walk, so she must be near.¡±? ? The inn was large enough to encompass all of the Knights, but it was old and outdated.? ? Arsene took a small tray of food and entered a small clearing behind the stable.? ? He could see crude training scarecrows made by hand and what looked like wooden posts, as if the knights who were staying there had prepared it for them to use when warming up.? ? ¡°Is this the place?¡±? ? By the time Arsene tilted his head, a singing sound was heard from somewhere? ? ¡®¡­¡­ That was good. Better than I expected¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? It was definitely Hannah¡¯s voice.? ? Arsene took quick steps to where the sound came from .? ? ¡°¡­¡­. It¡¯s not simple.¡±? ? ¡®Where is she?¡¯? ? Arsene, looking around, found Hannah dangling over a large tree.? ? ¡°Hannah? Are you there?¡± ? ? ¡°Arsene?¡±? ? Arsene looked up from under the tree.? ? He could definitely hear people talking, but Hannah was alone.? ? ¡®Did I hear it wrong?¡¯? ? No sooner had Arsene wondered than Hannah jumped off the tree branch.? ? ¡°Did you come to find me?¡±? ? As Hannah moved, a firefly hovering near her flew high in the sky in a circle.? ? Hannah tapped Arsene on the shoulder as his eyes followed the tail of the firefly as it flew away, wondering if there was a firefly habitat nearby.? ? ¡°You brought these for me?¡±? ? ¡°Oh, oh, yes. Because you don¡¯t didn¡¯t eat much all day.¡±? ? ¡°Thank you. Let¡¯s eat together. I don¡¯t think I can eat it all by myself.¡±? ? Hannah grabbed a warm potato and sat down at the foot of a low tree.? ? ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡±? ? With the still steamy potatoes in her mouth, Hannah called out to Arsene.? ? ¡°You should try some, too. It¡¯s perfectly seasoned.¡±? ? Arsene also sat down next to her and popped a piece of warm potato into his mouth.? ? The potatoes were ripe and delicious, even though he was not hungry.? ? ¡°The sky is so beautiful. Can you see that?¡±? ? ¡°Yes.¡±? ? ¡°Sometimes when I look at the sky like this, my eyes become clearer.¡±? ? In the carriage coming to Orkins, Hannah was quiet the whole time.? ? She just looked out the window with sleepy, half-blinked eyes, dozed off and on, and was quiet without a word.? ? When night fell again, her eyes lit up as if she was in a daze.? ? One day she was dazed even until she went to bed, and another day she was full of life in the morning.? ? After repeating this several times, Arsene became a little worried.? ? When Hannah had eaten half of the potatoes, Arsene asked carefully.? ? ¡°Do you have insomnia?¡±? ? ¡°Insomnia?¡±? ? ¡°Yes. Insomnia is when you have trouble sleeping at night. You can¡¯t sleep well at night, right?¡±? ? Arsene¡¯s voice was very cautious and full of concern.? ? Hannah stared at Arsene and smiled.? ? ¡°You¡¯re worried about me.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, my body seems to feel different every day¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m fine, really.¡±? ? ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, it¡¯ll be over soon.¡±? ? ¡°Over? What is?¡±? ? Hannah just smiled without answering.? ? She was looking at the sky as if it was pouring down and murmured in a somber voice.? ? ¡°Everyone left.¡±? ? ¡®Who is everyone?¡¯? ? Arsene wanted to ask back, but Hannah¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t fall from the sky, so he kept silent.? ? Hannah¡¯s mysterious golden eyes shone like stars.? ? As the hot soup turned cold, Hannah turned to look at Arsene.? ? ¡°When this is all over, will you take good care of me too, Arsene?¡±? ? ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand what you are saying. What¡¯s all going to be over?¡±? ? ¡°This journey right now.¡±? ? Arsene at least knew that this journey was not so simple and easy.? ? The Empress, who was officially considered dead in the Empire, came back alive.? ? Although he didn¡¯t know Lady Asha¡¯s exact plans, Arsene at least knew that she would never return with a happy heart.? ? And that was exactly what Arsene wished for.? ? ¡®The Emperor! You son of a b*tch!¡¯? ? The low and cowardly way he used the Empress and the children as a shield was still vivid in his memory.? ? Lady Asha had risked her life to save such an emperor.? ? Such Asha was brought down by the emperor who had gone mad with an inferiority complex.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll be a loyal person.¡±? ? ¡°¡­Hmm?¡±? ? Arsene said with a solemn face as he did that day he decided to become a knight. ? ? ¡°You saved my life, Hannah. I will not abandon my savior. So I will protect you to the end.¡±? ? The boy¡¯s eyes, shining with determination, resembled the stars in the sky. Hannah, who had been watching him intently, nodded with a smile. ? ? ¡°Yes. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±? ? Hannah, who had covered her mouth with her fist and smiled, pointed to Arsene¡¯s faint wound. ? ? ¡°It was injured during the monster encounter, right?¡±? ? ¡°Yes.¡±? ? ¡°Did that person save you then?¡±? ? ¡°She didn¡¯t just save me. Everyone was able to live thanks to her. Instead, she injured her leg.¡± ? ? (*they are talking about Roselyn had saved everyone and her leg got injured when the demons attacked when she was Empress in Tanatos)? ? Arsene mumbled sadly, as if he had lost his own leg.? ? ¡°You really like that person, don¡¯t you?¡±? ? ¡°Who, Asha?¡± ? ? ¡°Yes.¡±? ? ¡°Because she¡¯s a good person! I know there are many good people in this world, but I don¡¯t think there is anyone as good as her!¡±? ? When the monsters suddenly started appearing, even the emperor who had the terrifying power trembled with fear. Even if he had this ability, he was not a god.? ? Rather, the emperor was the ugliest and weakest of all humans.? ? He was a selfish man who tried to live on his own, using his children and Empress as a shield.? ? Yet Asha came forward, even though she was smaller and less powerful than the Emperor. Arsene couldn¡¯t forget her hand, which stroked his cheek at that moment. The hand that was trembling, frightened and pale, that white, beautiful hand that was cold as ice.? ? She put on an unshakable face, but that person¡¯s hand could not hide its true feelings.? ? She was scared too.? ? It was difficult to face the monster in a normal state, but she had to face it with a piece of wood embedded in her Achilles tendon.? ? Alone, without support or help, she stepped forward to protect the children. ? ? Arsene wanted to be a knight who could swear allegiance to that person. ? ? How could he not respect and like her after going through all that? Even though Arsene was still young, he knew how serious and stubborn she was. ? ? So he dared to say that this hot heart will last for a long time.? ? ¡°I am a righteous Arsene. Once a savior, always a savior to the end.¡±? ? Arsene got up and tapped his chest. ? ? ¡°The same goes for you. Hannah is my savior too. I will never forget your kindness.¡±? ? Hannah burst into laughter at the words he said with a runny nose as if he was excited.? ? How could soup and bread that had already gone cold taste so good?? ? Arsene¡¯s sweetness was more fragrant than any other sweetener.? ? ¡°If so, she¡¯d better live a little longer. Right?¡±? ? ¡°Hmm? What do you mean?¡±? ? ¡°Even if it hurts a little, it will last a long time.¡± ? ? ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, Hannah.¡± ? ? ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go in now.¡±? ? Hannah brushed her skirt and got up.? ? Arsene followed her and stood up with the tray. ? ? Hannah was in the middle of eating the rest of the bread on the tray, when Arsene didn¡¯t see her, she spun around and threw some of the pieces of bread into the darkness.? ? The darkness buzzed and a single firefly flew up.? ? Hannah glanced at it and hurriedly called out for Arsene.? ? ¡°Arsene, Arsene¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Huh?¡±? ? ¡°Don¡¯t be too surprised, I¡¯m about to faint¡­¡­¡±? ? Before Hannah could finish her words, her body dropped to the floor.? ? ¡°Hannah!¡±? ? Obviously Hannah told him not to be surprised, but Arsene ? ? dropped the tray and hurriedly picked her up.? ? Darkness buzzed in the vacant lot where the two children had disappeared.? ? ***? ? By the time she came out of the river, Roselyn was exhausted. ? ? The river water was quite cold, but she only noticed it was cold after a few hours. Perhaps because of the deed, they felt closer to each other.? ? She couldn¡¯t tell if the heat that enveloped her whole body was her own or the running water.? ? ¡°Oh no. I can¡¯t sleep for hours.¡±? ? Amazingly, Roselyn muttered in a drowsy voice.? ? She let her instincts take over, with no regard for what came before or after.? ? She couldn¡¯t understand why she did it.? ? What was even more appalling was that there was no regret or self criticism.? ? All that was left was a thrill and huge ecstasy.? ? Roselyn felt that she had changed a little.? ? And at the center of that change was this man.? ? ¡°You might be cold, so warm yourself up.¡±? ? Tamon took out a thin, dry towel from his backpack and carefully wiped Roselyn¡¯s hair and fingers.? ? He was just as drenched, but Tamon didn¡¯t seem to have the slightest intention of taking care of himself.? ? He carefully wiped her legs and toes, ignoring the water that was dripping from his own hair.? ? ¡°It tickles.¡±? ? She curled her toes and started laughing, and Tamon, who was glancing up at her, gave her a similar smile. CH 111 Chapter 111. Does This Make Sense?? ? Their eyes met, and they kissed as if drawn by a magnet. It was a natural act, no need to say who was first. ? ? With her lower lip still contained, Tamon sighed. This woman would never know how crazy these pale, purple eyes could drive him.? ? Looking at her alone, made him feel a burning thirst. His whole body twisted and turned, but it would never be as painful as this. Oh, if only it were as painful. ? ? An even bigger problem was the ecstasy that overwhelmed the suffering. The deathly joy and shivers paralyzed his rational mind. Tamon murmured, filled with lust. ? ? ¡°I¡¯m going to eat you up one day.¡±? ? Roselyn laughed snidely at the great threat. He licked the tops of her feet and ankles, biting her knees and fingers as if to send a warning. ? ? ¡°Why don¡¯t you just go ahead and eat me now?¡±? ? At his act of licking her like a starving beast, Roselyn couldn¡¯t hold back her laughter and pushed him away.? ? ¡°No. I must save it.¡±? ? ¡°What does it taste like?¡±? ? ¡°Delicious. It¡¯s very sweet and refreshing.¡±? ? His lips bit the inside of her knees. She fell down on her back again. She didn¡¯t have the strength to continue, she thought, but then she heard the sound of his lips grazing her skin and her heart was going crazy again. ? ? It was a wet sound. His lips, which had been kissing her ankles carefully as always, brushed the inside of her knees. Roselyn grabbed onto his shoulders more and more . ? ? ¡°I need to get some sleep.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯ll hold you while you¡¯re sleeping.¡±? ? It was kind of unsettling to think that Tamon might actually do that. Roselyn sighed and pushed his shoulder away with the ankle that was caught by him.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t say nonsense.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±? ? ¡°Seriously, don¡¯t say nonsense.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡±? ? Tamon grabbed her ankle as she moved away and drove his teeth into it again. She tried not to laugh, but it came out again. ? ? She lay down with her head on Tamon¡¯s fluffy sleeping bag. The sky was particularly dark, probably because it was just before dawn. ? ? And in that pitch black night, she could see the stars shining as if they were embroidered.? ? Even though she was not lying on an expensive bed, she felt more comfortable than ever.? ? Roughly worn clothes, dragonflies, the smell of wood and soil, Tamon¡¯s heat¡­? ? Everything was unfamiliar, yet strangely comforting.? ? Was that why?? ? Her lips moved on their own.? ? ¡°In hindsight, I might have some idea of why Gillotti hated me.¡±? ? As she began to whisper, Tamon turned his body to look at her.? ? ¡°I¡¯ve never once tried to understand him.¡±? ? Roselyn mumbled as she fixed her gaze somewhere in the void, not looking at Tamon.? ? ¡°I already knew how he had been treated by his father. I also knew in my head that it had made him a demon. But ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? She had never thought of it as her own business.? ? She looked at the portrait of the previous Emperor, and the numerous emotions in Gillotti¡¯s eyes.? ? She could read them, but she could not empathize with them.? ? It was an emotion she could not relate to.? ? She had never experienced the violence, the hunger, the comparison, the jealousy, the timing, the misery of poverty. It wasn¡¯t something she had to experience, so she did her best to try to understand it in her head, but that was all she could do.? ? She was also never jealous of anyone.? ? It was more accurate to say she had never felt any big, deep emotions.? ? ¡°That was it. I thought that the emotions he was going through were something he had to deal with. He was the emperor. As I pushed myself as Empress, so should he.¡±? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why Gillotti hated me more.¡±? ? The look in her eyes as she looked at Gillotti was probably similar to the previous Emperor whom he hated so much. She didn¡¯t blame him or accuse him, but she couldn¡¯t quite understand his inability to do what he rightfully should have done. That was probably why her eyes were so cold.? ? ¡°Are you going to understand him now?¡± ? ? Tamon asked in a very low voice. His brows were furrowed in a way that indicated he didn¡¯t like something very much right now. Looking at him, Roselyn smiled and rubbed his forehead gently.? ? ¡°I just thought so. It¡¯s not a kind feeling of understanding or forgiveness. The same goes for his woman..¡±? ? ¡°But, why do you say that?¡±? ? ¡®Because you have expanded my world.¡¯? ? Roselyn¡¯s throat tickled with those words that she just couldn¡¯t get it out. The more she learned about what she didn¡¯t know, the more she naturally understood the parts of the world she thought she would never understand. ? ? Gillotti and Natasha.? ? She didn¡¯t want to forgive the two of them, but she felt that perhaps it was her ignorance that had caused the situation to reach this point.? ? She wondered if her sidelong glance, her heartlessness, her coldness, had fostered a hatred of inferiority in Gillotti¡­ ? ? Tamon, who had been staring at Roselyn with a stiff face, sighed deeply.? ? He grabbed her cheek with his rough hand and made her look at him.? ? ¡°You¡¯re not at all at fault.¡±? ? Seemingly reading her mind, Tamon said in a decisive voice.? ? ¡°As you said, Gillotti, he is nothing but a weakling who has failed to overcome what he should have overcome. You did not become the Empress to be his nanny or teacher. Not only that, but you were not willingly entrusted with the position. And¡­¡­.¡±? ? The hand stroking Roselyn¡¯s cheek was as soft as ever, despite the cold, calm words spitting out so quickly.? ? ¡°You were very young then, too.¡±? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Once again, don¡¯t be too hard on yourself. You did the best you could back then.¡±? ? The words she had thrown at him one day pushed him over the edge.? ? ¡°You can¡¯t love me.¡±? ? ¡°No, don¡¯t ever love me.¡±? ? ¡°You can only hate him completely. Asha. Don¡¯t try to understand him. But if you still feel like trying to understand him¡­ Just put me in there.¡±? ? The words of the past became thorns and poked his heart.? ? His limbs went numb with a pain he had never experienced before.? ? ¡°Think of me, understand me, feel me, put me in these two beautiful eyes. That alone will fill my heart with joy.¡± ? ? After all the revenge, Roselyn was going to end her life laughing over the dead bodies of her enemies.? ? She thought there were no regrets in this world where all the people she loved were gone. She was just going to finish all her unfinished obligations and go after them.? ? But why?? ? He seemed to be letting her know that she shouldn¡¯t do that.? ? ¡°¡­Why did you want to go to Tanatos, Tamon?¡±? ? ¡°What do you mean?¡±? ? ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have to help me this much.¡±? ? It didn¡¯t matter if she was his engraving partner, she thought there was no reason for him to cling to him and cared about her business.? ? There was no reason for him to try to kill Gillotti with eyes more angry than hers, no reason for him to become her partner in this reckless rebellion.? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? Tamon fell silent for the first time.? ? His stiff face seemed to already have an answer to her question.? ? But he didn¡¯t answer aloud.? ? Roselyn knew why.? ? ¡°If the conditions that I told you at that time¡­¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°If I told you I would revoke them, would you answer me now?¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°The conditions¡­¡­?¡± (*the conditions when they became the engraving partners was that Roselyn told Tamon don¡¯t love her)? ? Tamon asked as if he didn¡¯t know.? ? Roselyn was confused.? ? It was because she realized later what he was trying to say.? ? Why did she want to hear his answer when she already knew? What was she going to do if he told her himself?? ? ¡°Asha.¡±? ? Seeming to have realized something, Tamon called out to her urgently.? ? Roselyn turned away from him, biting her open lips.? ? ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°It¡¯s not? I think you were about to say something very important just now. ¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°No, it¡¯s not¡­.¡±? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t bear to face him.? ? She turned away and stared at the fire with confusion in her eyes instead of looking at him. (*she has feelings for Tamon but in denial)? ? It was at that very moment that she saw a strange black dot in the land beyond the fire.? ? ¡®No way¡­.¡¯? ? Startled, she raised her head and looked beyond the fire.? ? Her shaking eyes hardened coldly.? ? The unusual expression on Roselyn¡¯s face instantly changed Tamon¡¯s face, who had been following her gaze, as well.? ? Ekkkkk.? ? At the same time, the black dot instantly expanded in volume and turned into a huge black portal.? ? The two got up and backed away.? ? Tamon, holding his sword quickly, pushed Roselyn behind him.? ? Grrrrrrrrrr!? ? The monster¡¯s head appeared from an even larger hole.? ? ¡°What is this all of a sudden¡ª!¡±? ? It was a good thing they were wearing clothes. If they hadn¡¯t, they would have been running away naked.? ? Roselyn quickly checked the position of the horses.? ? The horses, which were tied to a wooden post, began to get scared at the appearance of the giant monster stepping out of the black hole.? ? As if that were not enough, the horses were tied up behind the black hollow.? ? Roselyn gritted her teeth.? ? ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡±? ? When the monster was fully revealed, Tamon had to admit that he was even more confused than before.? ? Green horns, three eyes, and a living, moving red tail.? ? ¡°¡­It¡¯s Perharz.¡±? ? That one word, said like a groan, made Roselyn¡¯s face go pale.? ? Perharz.? ? In the history of the world, many monsters had come out from the black gap, but there were only two records of that green horns and red tail Perharz appearing.? ? And the two records were more disastrous than those left by any other monsters.? ? ¡°D*mn it, does this make sense?¡±? ? It was so ridiculous that Tamon burst out laughing. CH 112 Chapter 112. With Both Feet? ? At an unexpected time, in an unexpected place, an unexpected monster appeared.? ? The only fortunate thing was that only one of them, not several, made an appearance.? ? Arghhhhhhhh!? ? Every time Perharz exhaled roughly, a green poisonous mist erupted.? ? Even the breath it exhaled was a poisonous monster.? ? Its body was about the same as the other monsters, but its attack power was on a different level.? ? Roselyn and Tamon sank their bodies with tension.? ? This was the first time the two of them had seen a Perharz in person.? ? Since it was, they couldn¡¯t quite believe it when they saw it in person themselves.? ? It had poisonous green horns, three ugly eyes that moved in all directions, and even a tail that lived and moved like a limb.? ? ¡°How do the records say you killed that thing?¡±? ? ¡°The tail¡­..so, we have to get rid of that tail first. If we cut off the tail, it would set off the balance.¡±? ? ¡°What about the strength of the skin?¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s strong enough to be penetrated by Laxicon. But it said that the resilience was terrifying.¡±? ? ¡°So we have to kill it before it recovers?¡±? ? Just grazing those green horns will start the necrosis of the skin.? ? The tail moved like a tentacle to block the opponent¡¯s movements.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it by myself, so stay back.¡±? ? ¡°But¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ? ? ¡°Are you going to make me into a man who can¡¯t handle that alone?¡±? ? At Tamon¡¯s arrogant smile, Roselynn had no choice but to keep her mouth shut.? ? She believed Tamon.? ? She believed in his strength and pride.? ? She knew that he was not a man who would fall down easily in front of any enemy.? ? Roselyn¡¯s lips tightened and retreated, carefully watching him.? ? Perhaps that was the signal that made the monster¡¯s tail move.? ? Not wanting to miss her, its long, snake-like tail leapt towards her.? ? ¡°Oh, you¡¯re making fun of me, aren¡¯t you?¡±? ? Tamon took out his sword, which he had hidden near his sleeping bag.? ? It was his favorite sword for close range combat.? ? It was shorter than a long sword, longer than a dagger, and the blade was sharp.? ? The blade of the sword was made of synthetic Laxicon, and the handle of the sword was covered with silver antler deerskin.? ? He quickly skimmed the scattered tails.? ? Then, he grabbed the one remaining tail with his hand.? ? ¡°Just play with me only.¡±? ? He wrapped it around his hand and wrist like a whip, then ran in the opposite direction of where Roselyn was and yanked the tail.? ? Ahhhhh!? ? The force was stronger than he expected, and Perharz¡¯s stocky body was pulled toward Tamon.? ? As if that made it angry, Perharz exposed it.? ? A green smoke flowed from the rough breathing.? ? It was an inherent poison that Perharz possessed. ? ? The green spewing out was getting darker and darker.? ? Fortunately, neither Tamon nor Roselyn would get the poison.? ? Because it was Tamon who had the power of life, which itself neutralized the toxicity, and because Roselyn had a protective chain.? ? Fiddling with her necklace, Roselyn watched carefully as Tamon and the monster engaged in a flesh-and-blood battle.? ? The guardian chain could protect her to a certain extent, but there was nothing she could do about the flying debris from the extreme fighting.? ? Moreover, the monster, as if to prove that it had three eyes, constantly extended its tail towards her while fighting Tamon.? ? ¡°D*mn, that¡¯s a troublesome tail!¡±? ? Tamon, who was pushed back to the tree behind him by Perharz¡¯s attack, jumped up to block Roselyn.? ? There was only one monster, but because of that tentacle-like tail, he was flopping around like he was dealing with several of them at once.? ? ¡°Asha! Go over there!¡±? ? The black hole still hadn¡¯t disappeared, leaving an insidious hole gaping open.? ? As the gap widened, the surrounding terrain collapsed, and trees around the pit collapsed.? ? Even the horses, which were tied to the huge trees with no gaps between them, were running wild as the battle began. Tamon¡¯s beloved horse, who was relatively well trained, was excited to be on the ground, but the horse Roselyn rode was different.? ? ¡®If I leave it like that, the horse will run away.¡¯? ? Among her belongings, which she had unloaded near the horse, was the Laxicon bow and arrows she had received from the king of Amor.? ? She had to go over that gap, as Tamon said.? ? But ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­? ? Roselyn stared at the black gap with her pale face.? ? ¡®Can I get over that huge hole?¡¯? ? It was wide enough for a normal person to climb over.? ? It was long and wide but if she jumped over it with all her might, it would be wide enough for Arsene or a child to climb over.? ? ¡®But with my legs¡­ would that be possible?¡¯? ? While Roselyn flinched, the tail extended towards her once more.? ? Tamon hastily lifted his sword high and swung the tail down with all his might.? ? With red and black blood, one of the tails was cut off. The tail flapped on the floor as if it was alive even after being cut.? ? This caused the blood to splatter from the cut area. The soil with the monster¡¯s blood on it and the wood rotted away.? ? The blood was also toxic.? ? Kaaaaa!? ? Tamon¡¯s skin, which blocked the poison with his arms, also burned quickly.? ? ¡°Ha¡­¡±? ? The good thing was that he was recovering faster than usual.? ? That didn¡¯t mean the pain disappeared, but it was bearable, and the pain went away quickly as the new flesh grew.? ? He hesitated for a moment in surprise, but the monster twisted and moved towards Asha.? ? It seemed to be trying to deal with the easy opponent first.? ? ¡°Ka!¡±? ? Tamon leaped hard and drove his sword into the monster¡¯s back with all his might.? ? He could feel the sword graze the steel-hard bones as it broke through the monster¡¯s tough skin.? ? Aaaaah!!? ? Enraged, Perharz hit Tamon hard.? ? At the same time, two tails attacked him like a harpoon.? ? Ka!? ? ¡°Asha!¡±? ? Tamon shouted, knocking out one tail with one hand and wrapping the rest of the tails with the other.? ? The sight of Tamon struggling alone made Roselyn¡¯s heart quicken.? ? Gritting her teeth, she grabbed the skirt that wrapped around her legs.? ? ¡±I can do it, I can do it¡­ ¡­¡­¡­!¡±? ? When she took a big deep breath and tried to cross the gap, a black hole sloughed open.? ? ¡°¡­.!¡±? ? Originally, when a monster appeared, the gap would disappear.? ? However, that gap didn¡¯t even disappear, it just got even bigger.? ? ¡°Asha!¡±? ? She had to jump over there¡­ ¡­? ? That was how she could shoot her arrow¡­.? ? She was determined, but when she looked at the gap that was even wider, she wasn¡¯t sure.? ? ¡®No, pull yourself together, Roselyn. You¡¯ve been through countless crises.¡¯? ? Roselyn strengthened herself and chewed the flesh in her mouth.? ? How hard did she chew, the taste of fishy blood came out.? ? Thump, thump, her heart was pounding like crazy.? ? If she couldn¡¯t run, she would be sucked into the gap.? ? She was dizzy and her hands were sweating.? ? That was when it happened.? ? ¡°Asha! You¡¯re no longer limping!¡±? ? Tamon shouted at her as he blocked Perharz¡¯s sharp attack.? ? Startled, Roselyn looked at him.? ? As she hesitated, Tamon had injured himself a little more. Bright red blood flowed down from his torn forehead.? ? Tamon stared at Roselyn with his eyes wide open.? ? ¡°It¡¯s okay. Trust me.¡±? ? Tamon reassured her, smiling like a beast. ? ? ¡°Run, Asha!¡±? ? Roselyn¡¯s chest heaved with excitement.? ? As if Tamon¡¯s words were a catalyst for courage, she stomped her feet vigorously.? ? ¡®It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡¯? ? She too felt it from a certain moment.? ? That her feet didn¡¯t hurt as much as they used to.? ? The moment she woke up in the morning and took the first step, she was not afraid anymore. But the pain remained a habit, and the traces of the past that she had acquired did not allow her to easily recognize the change.? ? She became accustomed to limping rather than walking straight. She was fooled by that familiarity and didn¡¯t face reality. Roselyn took a big step forward.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±? ? Her feet, which had been lightly on the ground, kicked and jumped up.? ? The black gap that had been shaking widened the area again. But Roselyn¡¯s feet were faster and more powerful. Her body leapt to a great height and flew over the black hole.? ? The moment seemed longer than ever.? ? She felt like she was soaring over the river of time, jumping over the waves of minutes and seconds.? ? ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±? ? Just as she was sure of it, her toes touched the ground on the other side.? ? Roselyn could probably swear that she would never forget this moment.? ? Oh, is this the feeling of being reborn?? ? She couldn¡¯t believe she could jump up and down with both feet without pain.? ? Her heart was full to bursting.? ? But before she had time to feel it, she ran again.? ? ¡°Ka!¡±? ? It was okay to prolong the excitement a bit.? ? What good would it do her if she died as soon as she regained her normal legs?? ? Neighhh!? ? The horse came storming over.? ? Stroking Tamon¡¯s horse and holding back her excitement, Roselyn quickly grabbed the Laxicon bow in her pack.? ? She had to hurry.? ? While jumping over the black gap, Roselyn saw another monster trying to get out through the open gap.? ? In an instant, she took out her bow and arrow and aimed at yet another monster, which was showing its head through the wider hole.? ? Luckily, it wasn¡¯t Perharz this time.? ? ¡®I need to deal with it before it goes through the gap¡­¡¯? ? At the same time as she thought, Roselyn¡¯s bow penetrated the monster¡¯s eyeball as it just had its head pushed out of the gap. CH 113 Chapter 113. Instinct? ? Arggggggh! ? ? The monster startled and growled like it was having a seizure.? ? Roselyn took the opportunity and shot another arrow into the monster¡¯s other eyes.? ? Keeeeeeet! ? ? The monster struggled and fell into the black gap again. Finally, the gap began to shrink. ? ? It meant that there were no more monsters that would escape from that gap. Roselyn picked up the other arrows without delay.? ? She could see Perharz¡¯s two tails were torn off by Tamon¡¯s sword. ? ? Perharz with one of his eyeballs caved in, and Tamon covered in blood. ? ? The floor was already full of holes from Perharz¡¯s blood. Not only the floor, but also the surrounding trees had fallen or been dented by the claws and poisonous air. ? ? It was a wretched feeling, reminiscent of a battlefield. There was so much blood that the monster had shed that the ground pooled. ? ? Clankkkkk! ? ? Once again, Perharz¡¯s attack was stopped by Tamon¡¯s sword.? ? The monster was so angry that it spat out green poisonous gas from its entire body.? ? Of course, the attack wasn¡¯t fatal to Tamon. It only slightly numbed his skin.? ? However, Tamon also felt that his body was much slower than it was at first because of the many wounds and the small amount that had seeped in.? ? ¡®We can¡¯t let this drag on any longer.¡¯? ? He glanced down and saw that the tail he had first cut off was slowly recovering.? ? Even the small gash on the steel-like shell had since disappeared without a trace.? ? Perharz was a monster approaching three meters in height.? ? Its body was slender, the arms were oddly long, and its claws were vicious.? ? Tamon had attacked all of the Perharz so far, whether it was its tail, torso, arms, or legs, but he had been unable to inflict a fatal wound anywhere.? ? When he cut off its tail, it wobbled for a while, but that was it.? ? With only one less tool to attack, the monster¡¯s fury did not diminish.? ? He had to look for other weaknesses instead of the tails.? ? In his experience, the heart of each of the monsters was in a different position.? ? But the heart wasn¡¯t the only weakness of life forms.? ? Tamon¡¯s eyes grew sharper and sharper.? ? If he can¡¯t handle even one monster properly, wouldn¡¯t it be a shame for him to be titled ¡®Those with Different Abilities¡¯?? ? Of course, even if that monster was one that had a history of single-handedly killing the knights of a country.? ? Boom! ? ? Perharz and Tamon clashed again. The pitch-black sky had disappeared and the dim dawn sun had risen.? ? The dust caused by the monster and Tamon made the surroundings thick.? ? In addition to that, the strange green poison fog was combined, making his vision dizzy.? ? Kaaaaa!? ? Tamon leaped high and jumped up onto the monster¡¯s shoulders.? ? As he struck off the arm that was about to catch him, the monster¡¯s posture collapsed.? ? Seizing the moment, Tamon grabbed the sword with both hands and shoved it into the monster¡¯s third eye. ? ? Aahhhhhhhhh! ? ? Perharz, who hadn¡¯t reacted much no matter where he cut, staggered back.? ? That third eye must have been the monster¡¯s weakness.? ? But it wasn¡¯t enough to kill the monster. Taking advantage of the monster¡¯s staggering, Tamon quickly rushed at it once again.? ? Perharz¡¯s blood made his eyes sting and hurt.? ? The numbness in his fingers was more accelerated.? ? The sword blade was also turning black from Perharz¡¯s toxicity.? ? ¡°Let¡¯s hurry!¡±? ? Tamon quickly checked Roselyn, who was drawing her bow from a distance.? ? She had safely moved away from the radius and was supporting his side.? ? She was, in many ways, a lovely woman.? ? Just looking at her calmed his mind. Tamon didn¡¯t dawdle any longer, and reengaged the monster.? ? Funny enough, the monster significantly lost its sense of balance even though it had two more eyes.? ? The third eye seemed to be Perharz¡¯s other weakness.? ? Tamon accelerated his attack by hitting the claws that Perharz was wielding so ineffectively.? ? But the sword, which was beginning to lose its durability, was a problem. At some point, the cracked sword broke in half.? ? Clankkkk!? ? The broken sword blade flew somewhere in the void.? ? ¡°Tamon.¡±? ? A startled Roselyn called out to him.? ? However, Tamon did not panic, as he had expected it to some extent.? ? ¡°Kaaaa!¡±? ? Tamon didn¡¯t dodge, but instead just pushed the monster with his shoulder. Perharz, who had lost his sense of balance, collapsed backwards.? ? Tamon climbed on top of it and grabbed its jaw with both hands.? ? ¡°Your teeth will fall off, won¡¯t they?¡±? ? Tamon laughed savagely, his face covered in blood.? ? He was out of breath, but if anything, it made Tamon even more excited.? ? Kaaaaaa!? ? He held Perharz down by both thighs as he struggled, and forced the monster¡¯s mouth open.? ? Kaaaa!? ? The monster¡¯s blood, breath, and venom were all poisonous, so there was no way that its saliva was not poisonous. However, Tamon didn¡¯t hesitate to reach into the monster¡¯s mouth. The longer he hesitated, the more likely he was to die.? ? In battle, a bold strategy was sometimes necessary for a sure victory.? ? ¡°Shall I choose?¡±? ? He laughed brutally and caught the sharpest fang of the giant monster.? ? The monster waved its loud arms around, hoping to somehow catch Tamon.? ? At that moment, Roselyn¡¯s arrow, which had been waiting, pierced through the elbow of the monster that had attacked Tamon.? ? Kaaaa!? ? Whoosh!? ? As if that wasn¡¯t enough, Roselyn continued to fire arrows, rendering one of the monster¡¯s arms useless.? ? ¡°If you have a plan, hurry up, Tamon!¡±? ? ¡°Yes, my lady.¡±? ? He didn¡¯t care that his hands were already ragged from the toxicity of Perharz¡¯s saliva.? ? ¡°Haaaaaa¡­!¡±? ? With one force, Tamon heard a crunching sound, so he gritted his teeth and put in more force.? ? The sound became more audible, and finally the monster¡¯s sharp fang fell out.? ? He pulled out the fang, which was similar in size to a small dagger, and drove it straight into Perharz¡¯s neck.? ? Blood spurted out with a hiss.? ? It was strange that the skin on its neck was so thick that the sword did not come off well.? ? He had guessed correctly that the skin was thicker because that was probably the critical weak point, and there was more blood spurting out than from the previous wound. Tamon quickly fell off the monster. Roselyn, who had been watching him, couldn¡¯t take it any longer and ran to him.? ? ¡°Tamon!¡±? ? ¡°Not yet¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.I¡¯m not dead yet.¡±? ? Tamon stopped Roselyn from running right in front of him.? ? It wasn¡¯t enough that the hand he lifted had already lost its original color, his body was so burned that the bones were visible.? ? With such a hand, Tamon finally pulled out Perharz¡¯s fang and even attacked it.? ? Even so, he didn¡¯t frown once.? ? Arggghhhhh!? ? Did the monster intuit that it would die? It threw itself at Tamon, growling with all its strength.? ? Tamon narrowly avoided it, but the attack itself was a trap.? ? Perharz¡¯s tail, already half regenerated and dark green, swung at Tamon¡¯s back.? ? ¡°¡­.!¡±? ? The distance and time were too vague for the bow to shoot.? ? Roselyn, who had been watching from a step away, involuntarily jumped to her feet.? ? It was strange.? ? She didn¡¯t think or expect.? ? The moment she saw what happened, her legs just moved.? ? ¡®No. ¡­¡­ I can¡¯t let that man get more pain. I can¡¯t leave him to injure himself further.¡¯? ? A mute voice engulfed her brain.? ? It was a cry that felt so urgent that she tuned in to it. Like a mother¡¯s instinct to protect her child, she rushed to Tamon and pushed him away.? ? It had never occurred to her that Tamon was much stronger than she was, or that he had such a tenacious life force that he would survive even a fatal wound.? ? It was literally just an instinctive move to really want to protect him.? ? ¡°¡­.!¡±? ? Where did she gain such strength, Roselyn fell down, hugging him with a force so fierce that it pushed the huge Tamon out of the way. ? ? The force caused Tamon to topple over as well, and fortunately the monster¡¯s tail missed him. Unfortunately, it grazed Roselyn with the tip of its venomous, sharp tail. ? ? It was a poison so powerful that just a slight graze of her neck would paralyze her entire body at once. ? ? ¡°Ha¡­.¡±? ? Her breathing began to quicken. The poison that had seeped into Roselyn¡¯s throat quickly spread throughout her body. ? ? ¡°Asha!¡±? ? Until that moment, Roselyn¡¯s arms were holding Tamon tightly. Her arms were trembling, not wanting to be defeated by the poison.? ? Fortunately, Perharz hung to the ground as if it was its last attack. It seemed to be a quick death as not a single sound was heard. ? ? Tamon turned white when he saw the green venom spreading from Roselyn¡¯s throat.? ? ¡°D*mn it, what are you doing?¡±? ? Tamon shouted with Roselyn in his arms, then ran quickly to the riverside. Roselyn gasped for air and said in a small voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±? ? Sorry? Sorry? What on earth could she possibly be sorry for? Tamon jumped into the river with his confused head.? ? He quickly sucked Roselyn¡¯s throat, diluting the poison on her body with water.? ? It was too toxic and soaked in too quickly, but he really wanted to suck it all out.? ? ¡°Ha¡­.!¡±? ? If there was one thing that was fortunate, it was that Roselyn, like Tamon, had a much stronger power of life than usual.? ? It seemed to be because they had engraved just a few hours ago.? ? Tamon and his engraving partner, with their different abilities, served to stabilize and amplify the power.? ? Even if it was not necessary, the closer they were to each other, the more helpful it seemed to stabilize the power.? ? ¡°Why? Why? Why? Damn it, did you think I couldn¡¯t handle a monster like that?¡±? ? Tamon scolded and scolded Roselyn, who looked worse than he did.? ? The white figure looked like she was about to pass out.? ? ¡°¡­No, whatever, you¡¯re not enough¡­I can solve this.¡±? ? ¡°But why?!¡±? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t reply to the question.? ? How could she explain it when she herself didn¡¯t know the exact reason?? ? ¡°Shut up, Tamon.¡±? ? Her body just moved at that moment.? ? ¡°You can hold me, though¡­¡­¡­..¡± (Roselyn)? ? Roselyn mumbled tiredly, closing her confused eyes.? ? ¡°If you collapse, I can¡¯t hold you.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°That¡¯s what I was saying¡­¡­..!¡± (Roselyn)? ? It worried her a lot that every time she caused Tamon to get hurt like he was going to die for her.? ? It was strange.? ? Why would she not want this man to be injured to death when she herself had tried to die in front of him so many times?? ? ¡®You are a bundle of contradictions, Roselyn.¡¯ (Roselyn)? ? ¡°¡­.Take the poison out. Hurry up.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°After you are healed. I won¡¯t let you get away with it.¡± (Tamon)? ? He sucked her neck forcefully, as if threatening her.? ? ¡°Ha¡­.¡±? ? While she groaned, all her clothes, stained with dust and blood, came off.? ? The coldness of the river water that she had become accustomed to somehow shielded her.? ? Roselyn gave up her neck, hugging Tamon¡¯s shoulders with her weak hands.? ? The two hot bodies overlapped and held each other as if they were one once more.? ? They wanted each other¡¯s flesh with a desire that was completely different from the dawn.? ? Roselyn laughed even harder as Tamon¡¯s distorted eyes looked as if he was in some kind of wailing agony.? ? ¡°You said I wouldn¡¯t die anyway. So don¡¯t make that face.¡±? ? At Roselyn¡¯s whisper, Tamon spat out a series of swear words.? ? ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡± (Tamon)? ? Tamon cursed himself because it seemed like she was getting hurt more because of what he said.? ? ¡°Ha!¡±? ? Tamon thrust in as hard as he could into Roselyn, who had no energy.? ? His presence, which should have been felt tremendously, made Roselyn feel steady as she gasped for breath. It didn¡¯t seem so bad to be united like this.? ? She thought it would be okay for this man to share about half of her body.? ? She even thought that maybe he cared more about that half than herself. She thought it was enough and fine if it was this man. ? ? ¡°Tamon, Tamon.¡±? ? He was as hot as the sun.? ? This was the man who had introduced her to a new world.? ? The man who perhaps cared for her even more than she cared for herself.? ? The sun, which had been dim, appeared dazzlingly over the river. ? ? The sunlight pouring down was so bright that it was very difficult to keep her eyes open.? ? Roselyn hugged the hot Tamon¡¯s body tightly and then passed out. CH 114 Chapter 114. Did It Happen?? ? [ ¡­ ah¡­ hmm¡­ noah¡­ hmm¡­]? ? [Yes¡­yes¡­Kera¡­]? ? [I¡¯m ¡­¡­ wino¡­¡­¡­. lar. ¡­¡­¡­¡­.]? ? She heard very distant and unfamiliar voices.? ? It was a voice that flowed from beyond her distant memories that she had never thought of.? ? The voice, which struck and chilled her in some unknown way, sounded like it was singing or even whispering.? ? But the strange thing was that even though it was not a loud sound, it pierced her ears.? ? ¡®What the hell is this sound?¡¯? ? Roselyn managed to lift her sleepy eyelids, twitching her ears.? ? She thought she was hearing a foreign language she didn¡¯t know.? ? But no matter how much she heard, she had no idea what the language was.? ? It wasn¡¯t Tamon¡¯s voice¡­¡­¡­..? ? Roselyn woke up with sluggish, blinking eyes.? ? At that moment, a gentle, warm hand gently patted her head.? ? Roselyn looked up and saw ¡®someone¡¯ stroking her head.? ? It was strange. There was definitely a shape, but the face looked like a whitish watercolor.? ? She panicked and opened her mouth and a voice that was not hers at all came out.? ? Nyaa. This was a definite animal cry. It was a very cute and charming sound of a baby animal.? ? ¡°Shh.¡±? ? The ¡°she¡± who had been patting Roselyn¡¯s head raised a finger.? ? No, to be honest, Roselyn couldn¡¯t even tell if it was a ¡°she¡±. She could see ¡®her¡¯, but ¡®she¡¯ was scattered like a shimmer, and she had no idea what ¡®she¡¯ looked like. ? ? Even the voice she heard was difficult to distinguish between male and female. But still, the master of the hand stroking her head seemed to be a ¡°she¡±. ? ? ¡®¡­Is it a dream?¡¯? ? When she thought to herself, she must be dreaming something strange, then the voice, which had sounded like a foreign language, began to sound more and more vivid.? ? [You¡¯re dancing to the max, but the damage level is much greater.]? ? [Yes! If we leave it like this, I think the demons of Tumulus will try to eat that world!] ? ? [If you take your eyes off them for a moment, they make ¡®gaps¡¯ all over the place¡­it¡¯s so diligent.]? ? When Roselyn heard the ¡®similar¡¯ voices clearly, each one of them had their own personality. The first voice was meek, while the next one seemed to be holding back its anger.? ? The last voice was strangely full of water. It was too unfamiliar to be a dream.? ? Weren¡¯t dreams originally based on something you knew or imagined?? ? While Roselyn was unsettled, ¡°she¡± who had been stroking her head said in a gentle voice: ? ? [It¡¯s a natural result since they¡¯re tearing up the barrier. But I think the bigger problem is that their interest in ¡®that world¡¯ has disappeared.]? ? At a word from her or him, all the voices fell silent.? ? Then Roselyn caught sight of them.? ? There was no table, but seven chairs, each towering at a different height, and there they ¡°were¡±.? ? In a way they were very far away, in a way they were very close, but they were glowing with their own colors, without their exact appearance appearing.? ? The being who had been stroking Roselyn¡¯s head said to the multicolored lights,? ? [Please don¡¯t feel so uncomfortable. I invited you here to finish this matter.]? ? [¡­¡­¡­ finish?]? ? [Tumulus¡¯ dogs will eventually break the gap to feed on our remaining ¡°talented¡±. If you leave power halfway there, something halfway there will interrupt you. Are you about letting go of ¡®that world¡¯?]? ? [¡­¡­ No. It means it¡¯s time to make it an ¡®independent world¡¯.]? ? [Independence?]? ? [The seeds we sowed have finally sprouted. It¡¯s time to harvest them. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to leave it alone to create a world entirely on its own, rather than leave it as it is and let Tumulus¡¯ dogs consume it?]? ? [Can you tell me exactly what kind of harvest this is? The child we had been watching began to collect the ¡°relics.¡± What that child wants is to eliminate ¡®Hormus¡¯ influence forever.]? ? The air buzzed quietly with her words.? ? The blue light that had been watching intently said.? ? [If we can use the device to make a direct appearance, then we can completely collect the ¡®talented¡¯ we¡¯ve spread. Yes. My child is there, I can collect it through him. If only you would give me the authority to do so.]? ? At her last words the light shapes sank quietly.? ? But after a moment, one of them jumped up.? ? [The conversation was over, wasn¡¯t it? I will give the ticket to you.]? ? The red light handed her something and disappeared from her seat.? ? The other lights then promptly made their decisions. All the ¡®they¡¯ that left similar words disappeared.? ? Only ¡®the being¡¯ that had been holding Roselyn, on the floor and ceiling unknown, remained.? ? With a soft hand, ¡®she¡¯ patted Roselyn¡¯s head lightly.? ? ¡°It¡¯s your turn now, child.¡±? ? She said, not in their language, but in a language familiar to Roselyn.? ? ¡°If you live, your memories will grow again, and the things you love will grow each time.¡±? ? Roselyn began to feel sleepy as ¡®she¡¯ sang the words to her.? ? ¡°It¡¯s only when you¡¯ve experienced great sorrow that the small and trivial things become important. Yes, you know it well enough¡­¡­¡±? ? The voice that passed was very gentle and reminded Roselyn of her mother.? ? Her voice was very similar to her mother¡¯s voice when she was a little girl singing lullabies to her.? ? ¡°I like the story of you getting back up even after losing everything.¡±? ? ¡°Ah¡­..¡±? ? Roselyn wanted to talk to ¡®her¡¯.? ? She wanted to ask if this was really a dream, ¡®who are you and why am I having this dream?¡¯? ? But ¡®she¡¯ did not listen to Roselyn¡¯s voice.? ? ¡®She¡¯ just smiled quietly, as if ¡®she¡¯ didn¡¯t need to hear it.? ? ¡°What¡¯s important is that time passes.¡±? ? The whispering voice became more and more distant.? ? ¡°¡­Time is a force that gives sorrow and joy their fair share. What is more important than memories and remembrances is to accept them as your own and move forward.¡±? ? Finally, Roselyn¡¯s eyes flickered shut.? ? ¡°Go on, child. To your¡­¡±? ? When Roselyn opened her eyes at a slow speed, a certain moment the space changed.? ? ¡®¡­¡­ What is this, another dream?¡¯? ? The blinding light and ¡°she¡± disappeared, and Roselyn came to a familiar place.? ? When she was a child, she had caught a bad cold.? ? It was then that she saw her mother, who had nursed her through the night.? ? She could also see young Cain peeking into the room from behind the slightly opened door. Her mother whispered to her as she placed a cold towel on top of her forehead.? ? ¡°It¡¯s okay, Rosie. You¡¯re strong. I¡¯m sure all the pain will pass.¡±? ? ¡°¡­Mother.¡±? ? It was a word she had never called her. Her mother smiled affectionately and patted Roselyn¡¯s forehead. ? ? It was almost impossible to distinguish the voice of ¡®she¡¯ from that of ¡®mother.¡¯ But the hand stroking her forehead was so nostalgic and gentle that Roselyn didn¡¯t want to let it go. As if to comfort Roselyn¡¯s heart, a large hand stroked her cheek. ? ? ¡°Rosie, be brave and open your eyes¡­ you have something new and precious, don¡¯t you?¡±? ? Roselyn reached out her hand, struggling. Then she hastily seized the hand that had been caressing her cheek. ? ? Fortunately, the warmth didn¡¯t disappear and stayed on her cheek. The gentle fingertips gently rubbed her cheek. ? ? At that moment, Roselyn opened her eyes. The entity of warmth faced her right in front of her. It had red eyes as beautiful as jewels.? ? ¡°¡­Tamon?¡±? ? ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±? ? For the first few seconds she was in a daze.? ? She felt like she was wandering around in a dream she didn¡¯t understand and then forcibly brought back to reality.? ? It wasn¡¯t just a feeling.? ? ¡°Are you okay? You didn¡¯t wake up.¡±? ? Tamon, who had been staring at Roselyn, asked in a low voice.? ? Hearing his voice, a sense of reality flooded in.? ? It was a voice that clearly distinguished the boundary between dreams and reality.? ? Her hands trembled as she grasped for reality, and she couldn¡¯t help but squeeze Tamon¡¯s hand with all the strength she could muster.? ? ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere, so you don¡¯t have to grab it so tightly.¡±? ? Tamon spoke slowly, as if teasing, and kissed her cheek.? ? The red eyes that loomed in front of her were full of affection.? ? The large hand caressing her cheek was the exact hand that had caressed her in her dream.? ? ¡°Rosie¡­ Didn¡¯t you find something new and precious?¡±? ? The voice she had heard in her dream filled her mind again.? ? Her heart pounded as if she had been reborn.? ? Her neck, bandaged, was heavy with pain.? ? The unfamiliar and awkward emotions surged through her all at once, as if the dam had broken.? ? ¡°Asha¡­.?¡±? ? Roselyn pushed the handsome man away.? ? ¡®A new and important one¡­¡­.¡¯? ? As she looked at Tamon¡¯s handsome face, she felt her face grow strangely redder and redder.? ? ¡®Did it happen?¡¯? ? She tried to deny it so hard that it was ridiculous, an unfamiliar and gentle emotion flowing in like water.? ? ¡°Please¡­..¡±? ? ¡°Tell me anything.¡±? ? ¡°Please leave me alone for a moment.¡±? ? She could see Tamon¡¯s panicked face. Roselyn sighed and pulled the covers over her. It was time to organize her mind. CH 115 Chapter 115. One Step, Two Steps? ? ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±? ? Tamon was pushed away by Asha, almost as if he was being thrown out. Perhaps she had an unusual dream, because as soon as she woke up, she immediately made a strange face.? ? ¡®You didn¡¯t have a nightmare again, did you?¡¯? ? Tamon¡¯s expression darkened. When Asha wasn¡¯t feeling well, most likely she had a nightmare. Each time, Tamon would watch her sleep, unable to close his eyes.? ? She tried to keep her expression like a habit even when she had nightmares. Clenching her teeth, she broke out in a cold sweat and twisted her body and curled up pitifully. And only then did the sobbing pour out as if a dam burst. At that time, Tamon would hold her hand until she calmed down. ? ? When that wasn¡¯t enough, he would hug her and comfort her all night long. Yes, go ahead and cry. Yet another moment, he wanted her to please not cry. ? ? Then again, if it wasn¡¯t a moment like this, he sometimes wanted to let this woman cry because he wondered when she would cry at ease.? ? ¡®I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m out of my mind too.¡¯? ? Anyway, shortly after he learned that she was suffering from nightmares, Tamon slept with her more on purpose.? ? He was the only person who could reach out to her when she was wandering through her nightmares.? ? ¡®All right. If it¡¯s not me, there¡¯s no way.¡¯? ? He had no desire or inclination to give the role to anyone else.? ? As a matter of fact, he even wanted to carry the nightmares that Asha had if possible.? ? If it was hers, he would gladly bear a drop of tear or a piece of nightmare.? ? ¡°You¡¯re so pure-hearted¡­¡­.¡±? ? A very amazing pure-hearted man came out.? ? He laughed.? ? ¡°What do you mean pure?¡± ? ? It was a very beautiful and dreamy word. No, all emotions could not be packaged in such pretty words. This was greed.? ? How amazing would it be if his desire to possess her according to his own greed.? ? Tamon wanted every hair of her, every shred of emotion and experience, all to himself.? ? For a moment, he wondered how he could completely monopolize her gaze, if he only hid it behind a plausible mask.? ? Such blindness, as if the poor child wished for the attention of an indifferent mother¡­¡­¡­¡­? ? Tamon chose to breathe slowly as he stood in the room where Asha was sleeping.? ? It wasn¡¯t time to be in a daze like this.? ? He rubbed his bitter mouth and came to his senses.? ? While she was passed out, they had already arrived at the Caliphate.? ? It had taken Tamon half a day to come to the Caliphate with her in his arms.? ? Nyrux¡¯s pirates or whatever, Asha came first. His subordinates greeted him.? ? He took her to a secret private house not far from the city center.? ? It wasn¡¯t until half a day later that Asha opened her eyes.? ? Of course, he knew that she would not die.? ? Tamon¡¯s wild life force raged inside her like a fury.? ? Still, his heart sank when he looked at that corpse-pale face again.? ? How could he drive Asha so close to death when she was by his side? ? ? ¡®I swear, I will not let this happen again. Even if my own life will end, I¡¯m sure of it.¡¯? ? Tarmon, who had captured his expression, looked at the closed door for a while and turned away.? ? On the first floor, Tamon¡¯s men were waiting for him.? ? They were the personnel he had planted in Nyrux beforehand a few days ago to find a merchant who used the ¡®Red Octopus.¡¯? ? ¡°Your orders are being carried out, My Lord. I¡¯ve also located the merchant of the ¡®Red Octopus¡¯ you mentioned.¡± ? ? ¡°Well done. Did you recover the monster¡¯s body?¡±? ? ¡°I sent people there. They will be back by mid-afternoon, and I¡¯ll let you know as soon as it arrives.¡±? ? Leading Nyrux¡¯s men, the man with the eye patch spoke quietly, prepared words. Sitting on the couch, Tamon beckoned for him to bring things.? ? At his gesture, a thick box made of silver deerskin was placed in front of him. Tamon opened the box and checked the green horns that lay inside.? ? Even though the horns had been cut from a corpse, they were still highly poisonous. ? ? ¡°It¡¯s not something you can touch recklessly, my lord.¡±? ? Ferrick, the man with the eye patch, nodded and said.? ? Tamon nodded, apparently expecting such an answer.? ? He needed a dismantler who was capable of handling the venom of monsters. Especially since this was the poison of Perharz, which was no ordinary monster, special care was required. Most of the dismantlers with the ability to handle monsters¡¯ venom were controlled by the government.? ? Of course, there were those who worked without permission in the underworld.? ? ¡°Now then, the Royal Palace¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? Tamon, about to give the order, paused. ? ? He tapped the table and changed the order. ? ? ¡°Take care of it and bring it with you when you leave.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ this?¡±? ? ¡°I think something will happen.¡±? ? Ferrick couldn¡¯t believe he had to leave with poison horns with this much venom in it.? ? It was so terrifying that a normal person could die instantly just by touching it.? ? Ferrick packed the box carefully, nervous at the thought that no one else should die today. In the meantime, Tamon checked the time and stood up.? ? This much seemed to give her (Asha) enough time to think.? ? ¡°Have the food ready.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, sir.¡±? ? ****? ? Roselyn, who had been lying in bed, slowly got up. Her hot face had regained its original color, and her breathing was the same as usual.? ? ¡°My neck¡­¡±? ? Roselyn raised her hand and touched the poisoned neck.? ? It was bandaged, but there was no pain or discomfort.? ? ¡°Oh.¡±? ? There was absolutely nothing wrong with her voice, after all.? ? ¡°¡­he has a great talent.¡±? ? She couldn¡¯t believe he (Tamon) detoxified Perharz¡¯s poison at once.? ? It was also a neck wound.? ? ¡°Speaking of which, is Tamon okay?¡±? ? Roselyn was only slightly touched once by the poison in Perharz¡¯s tail, but Tamon had taken on Perharz alone.? ? He even ran all night long to get here with her in his arms, despite his whole body being poisoned by the venom of the monster.? ? ¡°Tamon of Amor can play the role of a thousand knights all by himself!¡±? ? Those words, which the people had made such a fuss over, were not a lie.? ? ¡®Anyway, he is even more monstrous than a monster.¡¯? ? Smiling as she nodded her head, Roselyn was suddenly aware of her feet under the covers.? ? There wasn¡¯t a single thing that was different from normal.? ? They were naturally there, just like her hands and hair. They were part of her body.? ? She licked her pretty lips. ? ? She could feel her whole body tense up, her chest thumping as hard as it did then.? ? After a deep breath, she tried to put her feet on the floor. It was then¡­? ? Knock. Knock. ? ? Tamon came in with a small knocking sound.? ? ¡°I think you need to eat something.¡±? ? Stopping where she was, Roselyn stared at Tamon as he approached.? ? When she didn¡¯t say anything and just watched, the approaching Tamon stood and frowned in annoyance.? ? ¡°¡­¡­.. Should I leave again? Do you need more time?¡±? ? She didn¡¯t know why, but he said he would be considerate.? ? Roselyn shook her head and asked.? ? ¡°Is this Nyrux?¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s a small city near the Caliphate sea. I¡¯ve sent word to the Order. Tell them to stay in Orkins as we are going to be a day late.¡±? ? Roselyn glanced outside at Tamon¡¯s words.? ? The sun hadn¡¯t set, but by the shadows, it was well past noon.? ? ¡°We don¡¯t have much time. When are you leaving? I¡¯ll get ready¡­¡±? ? ¡°Asha.¡±? ? Tamon called out to her in a firm voice.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll go and get the ¡®red octopus¡¯ alone.¡± ? ? (*I can¡¯t remember clearly but ¡®red octopus¡¯ is a holy relic ¡®cup¡¯ that can neutralize all poisons.)? ? She looked at Tamon with a look of incomprehension.? ? ¡°You¡¯ve been injured.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°I rested enough.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°It¡¯s a long trip.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°Weren¡¯t you injured too?¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°I¡¯m fine. Look.¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°If that¡¯s your logic, I¡¯m fine too, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°I¡¯m not taking you with me.¡± (Tamon)? ? Roselyn¡¯s face immediately hardened at his words. ? ? She straightened her back and corrected Tamon¡¯s words in her usual cold, calm voice.? ? ¡°Tamon, I am not your subordinate.¡±? ? Tamon touched his forehead in a pitiful manner. Sighing briefly, he apologized in a brisk voice.? ? ¡°I misspoke. You¡¯re right. You¡¯re not the one I carry along, you¡¯re my companion.¡±? ? ¡°So where you go, I have the right to go too. ¡°? ? ¡°Don¡¯t be so hard about it, Asha. We are here and I can go collect the holy relics. I¡¯m going to make sure my men do their job.¡±? ? Tamon persuaded her in a gentle voice.? ? But it was difficult to break Roselyn¡¯s willpower.? ? When Hannah had told her about this place, Roselyn had also said that she would go with him wherever he went. ? ? Roselyn thought that Hannah was not an ordinary child.? ? She couldn¡¯t explain it exactly, but there was a strange trust in the child¡¯s world.? ? ¡°I know you¡¯ll be handling more of the work than I will when we get there anyway. So it doesn¡¯t matter if I¡¯m there or not.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m saying.¡±(Tamon)? ? ¡°So I¡¯ll go with you. Just treat me like someone invisible.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡®Oh, she¡¯s stubborn as hell.¡¯? ? He would never win Asha with words or his adherence.? ? It was even more frustrating because it was Tamon who knew that better than anyone.? ? ¡°Can¡¯t you just trust me and wait for me?¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°I trust you and I¡¯m coming with you.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡®Look at this¡­¡­.I can¡¯t win with words.¡¯ (Tamon)? ? Tamon scoffed, his face distorted.? ? He didn¡¯t think he could beat Asha at anything else either.? ? ¡°Tamon.¡±? ? This time Roselyn called his name softly.? ? When she called him with a voice like that, Tamon noticed the presence of his name again every time.? ? It felt like his name was being reborn, Tamon, like a new meaning was being given to it in a new language.? ? ¡°I trust you.¡± (Roselyn)? ? She slowly got up from her seat.? ? She took a deep breath and stepped toward Tamon, who was frozen in place.? ? Step by step.? ? She walked straight towards him with neither shaking or limping. ? ? As if watching a baby taking its first steps, Tamon watched her intensely without taking his eyes off her. Even though it was only three or four steps, there were numerous emotions and the past packed in those few steps.? ? ¡°So you too¡­¡± (Roselyn)? ? She came up to him, opened her arms and hugged him.? ? ¡°Trust me¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡®I can¡¯t win. I¡¯ll probably never win.¡¯ (Tamon)? ? But then he thought, ¡®So what if I don¡¯t win? This woman said she believed in me.¡¯? ? Tamon couldn¡¯t do anything about it but to lose his expression and hugged Roselyn¡¯s waist tightly with both arms.? ? He felt impatient and desperate not to let her escape.? ? ¡°¡­Then eat all the food before we go.¡±? ? Roselyn nodded with a smile. CH 116 Chapter 116. A Familiar Voice? ? ***? ? The food was so sumptuous that it was hard to believe they were on a dangerous journey.? ? The food was mostly soft, probably because of Roselyn¡¯s injured neck.? ? Perhaps because they were in front of the beach, there was a lot of fresh seafood that wasn¡¯t usually seen.? ? The seafood they ate at Tamon¡¯s mansion was much fresher than in Tanatos, but what they were eating in the region was much more amazing.? ? Roselyn looked curiously at the transparent-looking thinly sliced fish meat.? ? ¡°Is fish meat supposed to be eaten raw like this?¡±? ? ¡°The fresher the fish, the more flavorful it is when eaten raw. You also eat raw beef, right?¡±? ? Of course, Tanatos had dishes that could be eaten raw.? ? However, Roselyn didn¡¯t really enjoy such food.? ? The red blood that piled up on her plate just looked cruel and brutal.? ? Of course, Gillotti was a big fan of the food. ¡­¡­¡­¡­.? ? He sometimes ridiculed her that meat, whether cooked or raw, was just meat, but she was making such a fuss about it.? ? It wasn¡¯t wrong, but a symbol was a symbol.? ? ¡°You can¡¯t eat like this unless you come here. It¡¯s my favorite food too.¡±? ? Tamon neatly placed the thinly sliced fish meat into his mouth along with some fresh vegetables.? ? He smiled in satisfaction and took up the fish meat again.? ? However, as if one was not enough, he added two more pieces of fish meat.? ? The plentiful pile of vegetables and fish disappeared quickly into Tamon¡¯s mouth.? ? ¡°Sashimi is in season right now.¡±? ? Tamon didn¡¯t recommend Roselyn to try it.? ? But seeing the food so quickly devoured, she felt a little hungry.? ? ¡°I wonder if it tastes that good.¡±? ? Tamon was a big eater, so he wasn¡¯t a man with a dull palate.? ? Of all the foods he¡¯d described as tasty, nothing had ever appealed to Roselyn¡¯s palate.? ? As a result, she was very curious about the taste of that ¡°sashimi¡± that he was eating the most deliciously now.? ? Anyway, that white fish was not bloody, so it didn¡¯t look disgusting at all.? ? She carefully picked up a piece of sashimi and quickly sprinkled it with Tamon¡¯s recommended spices.? ? Tamon, glancing at her, put some vegetables on top. ? ? ¡°It¡¯s even better when you eat it together.¡±? ? Hesitantly, Roselyn opened her tiny mouth and shoved the food in.? ? The first taste was tangy, but the freshness of the vegetables and the plump, chewy fish that followed were magnificent.? ? It didn¡¯t taste fishy or gritty at all, but rather fresh, perhaps because it was served on a cold stone.? ? ¡°Does it taste good?¡±? ? Roselyn couldn¡¯t deny it, so she nodded. Tamon, who was smiling, asked for another plate of sashimi.? ? Perhaps because it was a precious food, there were only a few pieces of meat on a cold stone.? ? ¡°Try the other seasonings, too. If not now, it¡¯s hard to eat this delicious raw fish.¡±? ? Roselyn, who was just trying to fill her hunger, had a longer meal time.? ? The meal wasn¡¯t finished until she even emptied the porridge with abalone.? ? By that time, the sun had completely set.? ? After finishing their meal with more delight than expected, Roselyn and Tamon finally moved on to catch the ¡°red octopus.¡±? ? ***? ? The merchant of ¡®red octopus¡¯ was based not far from Tamon¡¯s secret residence.? ? It was only a twenty minute ride on horseback.? ? The merchants were originally pirates.? ? They were mainly in the business of selling their plundered goods on the black market, and wore the sign ¡°Trader¡± as a blindfold.? ? The leader of the Red Octopus was a man named Bonemdelk, who had been in this business since his father¡¯s father, and was a pirate with an unexpectedly long history.? ? ¡°According to him, his predecessor once plundered the ship of a high-ranking nobleman, who had a lot of valuable things. The nobleman was an avid collector of antiques, and the dagger was one of the items he received.¡±? ? ¡°But why did he keep it instead of selling it? If black market trading is the main brand, he should have sold it.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this, but I think it might have been 10 years ago. ¡­¡­¡­ There was a time when Bonemdelk was young when he was almost poisoned. But there is a story that he came back to life without any antidote.¡±? ? ¡°Oh ¡­¡­¡±? ? Listening to Tamon, she could guess why the merchant didn¡¯t sell the dagger. (*the dagger is the relic they are looking for.)? ? Pirates also gave up their lives, so they probably needed a secret weapon to protect their lives.? ? Especially when they live on the sea, they often suffer from sea food poisoning without even knowing it.? ? Perhaps, Bonemdelk chose the practical benefit of using it himself rather than selling it.? ? It would have been even better if he actually had a record of saving lives.? ? ¡°It won¡¯t be easy to negotiate.¡±? ? If he needed the money, he would have sold it long ago, but seeing as how he was stoutly holding onto it.? ? Tamon smirked at the innocent Roselyn¡¯s words.? ? ¡°Do we need to persuade him?¡±? ? ¡°What?¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m going to steal it.¡±? ? When Roselyn stared at him in surprise, Tamon whispered as he kissed her earlobe.? ? ¡°Let¡¯s try to plunder it as gently as we can.¡±? ? He sounded very unreliable.? ? ***? ? However, Tamon¡¯s opportunity to loot was thwarted by uninvited guests who had arrived earlier.? ? Tamon¡¯s men who were on watch pointed nervously at a few horses standing in front of the ¡®red octopus¡¯ building.? ? As if they had traveled a long way, all the horses were exhausted and full of dust.? ? It meant that they were not visitors to the area.? ? ¡°By horse count, I¡¯d say about six.¡±? ? The number of people was about the same as Tamon¡¯s party.? ? ¡®¡¯What are we going to do?¡±? ? ¡®¡¯We have to go in.¡±? ? He replied pleasantly.? ? There was not a trace of nervousness in his step as he walked into enemy territory.? ? Roselyn followed closely behind him. It was much easier to follow him now because she no longer limped.? ? ¡°I think we should all cover our faces, just in case.¡±? ? Tamon covered his face with his mask first.? ? Roselyn secretly laughed when she saw what he had hidden.? ? Despite the fact that he had covered everything under his eyes, it was ¡°Tamon Krasis¡± no matter who looked at it.? ? How many people in this country have such beautiful, clear red eyes?? ? He was a stoutly built man who stood out even among the knights.? ? No matter how much he hid more than half of his face, just looking at those red eyes and the solid body, that man was still just Tamon Krasis.? ? ¡°Why are you laughing?¡±? ? ¡° ¡­¡­ No, it¡¯s just¡­¡±? ? Roselyn shook her head as if it was nothing and followed him, hiding her face.? ? The veil that she had prepared beforehand wrapped not only her face but also her head perfectly.? ? The veil was good for covering her face, but had the disadvantage of obstructing her vision.? ? Especially in the dark.? ? But, well, the battle wasn¡¯t hers to fight this time, so it was fine.? ? Tamon entered the building first.? ? Perhaps it was the skill of the uninvited guests who had arrived earlier, but I could see passed out guards all over the building.? ? They all collapsed neatly, as if they had been knocked out at once.? ? ¡°They seem to have come a long way, but their skills seem to be good.¡±? ? Tamon made an indifferent assessment and then went upstairs.? ? A short walk down the hallway and he heard voices.? ? Tamon listened carefully at the door of the room where he could hear a few more voices.? ? Roselyn, who had snuggled in close, also listened by the door.? ? The building was built of wood, so fortunately it was not soundproofed.? ? The voices in the room carried directly through the door.? ? ¡°As I told you before, we are not here to see blood. I hope you¡¯ll negotiate with us.¡±? ? ¡°Well, what kind of negotiation is this? This is a threat!¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s good that you noticed. That was quick.¡±? ? ¡®This accent¡­¡¯ (Roselyn)? ? They used the official language, but each country had its own specific accent.? ? Of course, Roselyn used the traditional and standard pronunciation due to her grandfather¡¯s strict teaching, but there were many people who used pronunciation that was imbued with regional colors.? ? And this accent she was hearing now was familiar to Roselyn.? ? ¡®This is the accent used by the Tanatos people.¡¯? ? ¨C ¡®??¡¯- a much stronger pronunciation.? ? It would be hard to tell if not hearing it carefully, but it was a feature that only Roselyn, who was confident in the linguistic aspect, would notice immediately.? ? ¡®And this voice¡­Where did I hear it?¡¯? ? It was a familiar voice with Tanatos¡¯ accent¡­.? ? Roselyn listened in more.? ? ¡°I¡¯m not going to take it. I will pay the price in full.¡±? ? ¡°Really? Huh! You know how much the Sacred Object is worth, don¡¯t you?¡±? ? There was the sound of something heavy being thrown on the floor, making a clattering sound.? ? ¡°Two million.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s only two million!¡±? ? ¡°And the rest will be considered as the cost of your life.¡±? ? Silence fell over the room with the man¡¯s last words.? ? Tamon beckoned to his men who had followed him to stand by.? ? It was not a good time to enter now.? ? It would be better if he came in after the uninvited guest had sorted out the situation, so he could have handled the job more cleanly.? ? ¡°Who are you? Where did you come from? And how did you know that I had the dagger in my possession?¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. I don¡¯t have enough time right now, so I want to conclude this negotiation quickly.¡±? ? The man¡¯s voice was full of fatigue.? ? Nonetheless, the tone was polite without rushing. Roselyn knew a man who spoke this way, and having listened intently to the conversation, quickly raised her head.? ? ¡°Do you accept it?¡±? ? ¡®I just remembered¡­..¡¯ CH 117 ¡°Tamon.¡±? ? Roselyn called out to Tamon with a small voice.? ? She beckoned to Tamon, who stared at her as if to ask why.? ? Confidently, she said she was going in there.? ? Why?? ? He asked with his facial expression. His voice soundless but oozing with his incomprehensibility, Roselyn beckoned to Tamon again and whispered quietly in his ear as he approached.? ? ¡°He¡¯s someone I know.¡±? ? It was very tiny, but to Tamon¡¯s ears, it sounded clear.? ? Tamon raised one eyebrow in surprise, and nodded in understanding.? ? Then he whispered. ? ? ¡±I will protect you.¡±? ? He meant she could open the door with confidence.? ? He patted her gently on the shoulder as if to disprove his intention.? ? Roselyn glanced at him involuntarily.? ? As she was about to enter, Tamon was paying attention with a different nervous face than before.? ? His eyes sank captive with a tension like he was about to attack and kill the enemy.? ? It was a really strange feeling.? ? Tamon glanced at her as if he felt her eyes on him. Roselyn quickly averted her gaze and took a deep breath. ? ? Then she boldly opened the door.? ? Click!? ? ¡°¡­.!¡±? ? She didn¡¯t open so violently, but the atmosphere was so quiet that the sound of the door opening rang heavily.? ? The people in the room were startled and stared at Roselyn and her group as they entered the room.? ? ¡°Who are you?¡±? ? The man with the sword had a mask covering his face, just like Tamon and Roselyn were.? ? But as soon as Roselyn saw the man¡¯s eyes, she knew at once that her guess was correct.? ? ¡°Who are these again¡­¡­¡­..?¡±? ? The man on the bed, who appeared to be the master of the red octopus, stared at his new enemy with a blank face.? ? Roselyn took a further step towards the man with the sword.? ? The man glared at Roselyn with sharp eyes, but did not move carelessly.? ? ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, hasn¡¯t it?¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°¡­What?¡± (The swordsman)? ? ¡°Have you forgotten about me already?¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°What¡­¡­¡±? ? Smiling lightly, Roselyn slowly removed her veil.? ? Her silvery hair, shining brightly even in the darkness, appeared.? ? The masked man¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.? ? ¡°Did you receive the letter I sent you?¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°¡­.!¡±? ? The startled man dropped his sword. His subordinates stared at Marquis Helio with an even more surprised expression.? ? It was the first time that the Marquis showed enough agitation to miss the sword.? ? ¡°Is it really you?¡±? ? He asked back incredulously, and Roselyn murmured the singsong words of House of the Sunset.? ? ¡°Yellow lilies are unbeatable even in winter.¡±? ? The man with the sword, Marquis Helio, squeezed his eyes shut.? ? His breath hitched, as if something incredible and unbelievable had just happened.? ? He knelt down in front of Roselyn without hesitation. In an emotional voice he whispered.? ? ¡°I see the glory of winter.¡±? ? ***? ? Tamon walked out of there, taking Roselyn with him. Of course, he didn¡¯t forget to take the dagger before he left.? ? However, giving up a dagger did not mean that the owner of the red octopus was safe. If he let him be, bad things would happen. ? ? Tamon quietly took care of the owner, not daring to inform Roselyn. ? ? Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if she didn¡¯t know about it, but neither of them dared to expose it. ? ? ¡°Let¡¯s go to my house first.¡±? ? Tamon, who was in the lead, went around the back and gathered the Marquis¡¯ men. ? ? ¡°Are these reliable people?¡±? ? At Tamon¡¯s words, Roselyn and Helio¡¯s eyes turned. The faces of the five who had been following them all stiffened at once .The sharp tension descended once again. Helio stood in front of his men, blocking Tamon¡¯s gaze.? ? ¡°They are no different from my other lives.¡±? ? At Helio¡¯s decisive words, Tamon didn¡¯t say anything else. He only nodded slightly as if to say he understood. Tamon led them all back to the company housing. Tamon¡¯s men stayed behind and cleaned up the mess.? ? ¡°¡­this place.¡±? ? ¡°You look very tired. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to take a rest?¡±? ? Tamon gave the room to the Marquis and his men.? ? ¡°You guys go ahead and first. I will talk to this person separately.¡±? ? ¡°¡­Yes, Marquis.¡±? ? However, the men didn¡¯t move easily as if they didn¡¯t want to leave Helio by himself. Helio patted them on the shoulder to reassure them. Even though they saw the Marquis kneel in front of Roselyn, they still couldn¡¯t move.? ? ¡°Rest. It¡¯s an order.¡±? ? When the Marquis gave the order decisively, the men went to their feet, as if they had no choice. Roselyn, who had been watching him, spoke quietly.? ? ¡°They seem genuinely worried about you.¡±? ? ¡°They¡¯re all the ones I raised like sons. Maybe that¡¯s why they worry too much.¡±? ? Helio looked at Roselyn with a nervous laugh. The veil had been removed and Roselyn was fully revealed. Dazzling silver hair, brilliant purple eyes that shone with intelligence. ? ? Even her beautiful smile and gestures with grace. She was the Empress of Tanatos who no one else could imitate. ? ? ¡°It really is you.¡±? ? Helio murmured, still in disbelief, unable to hide his trembling.? ? ¡°Can you tell me what happened?¡±? ? ¡°There have been many things that happened.¡±? ? Roselyn looked at Tamon, who stood beside her.? ? How could she describe all that has happened in a few words?? ? Death that had come close to life.? ? A foot that wasn¡¯t going to live.? ? The obsession that he had said he would keep her alive until the end.? ? Even his blind attachment for her.? ? It was too much to say in one word.? ? So Roselyn decided to show, not tell.? ? She boldly cut herself in the arm with the dagger she was holding.? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? It happened in a flash.? ? Both men were startled and woke up almost simultaneously.? ? But Tamon¡¯s reaction was quicker.? ? Without the slightest hesitation, he grabbed her arm and licked it.? ? A lot of blood spurted out from the wound, which was deeper than he expected.? ? Tamon licked every bit of it, as if it were sweet fruit juice.? ? Helio¡¯s face twisted strangely at the weird and eerie sight.? ? He couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing, no, he couldn¡¯t believe what that man had dared to do to the empress of a country.? ? But when the man started talking, something incredible happened in front of his eyes.? ? The wound¡­.? ? The wound that had been cut so deep that he could see the red flesh disappeared without a trace.? ? All that could be seen was a thin white arm, as if nothing had happened.? ? Tamon, who was licking blood from his lips, said to Roselyn as if he were scolding her.? ? ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind, but you shouldn¡¯t cut it so deep¡­¡±? ? ¡°I think I got unintentionally excited. I wasn¡¯t able to adjust my strength.¡±? ? Roselyn smiled as if to say she was sorry.? ? Then she looked back at Helio, who was frozen in place like ice.? ? ¡°If it is death that leads Tanatos, then it is this very power that has saved me and led me. It is life.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Life¡­!? ? It was the name of another forgotten ability.? ? Helio¡¯s heart pulsed violently.? ? The most powerful power and name that the rampaging emperor had ever occupied on the throne!? ? That was the ability.? ? But before his very eyes, a new power had appeared that would overthrow it completely.? ? ¡°Your Majesty!¡±? ? Hans knelt down, clutching his throbbing chest.? ? ¡°Please come back, Tanatos needs you!¡±? ? Roselyn shook her head at the urgency in his voice.? ? She then helped him to his feet and corrected his words.? ? ¡°I am no longer Your Majesty, nor do I intend to return to that position in the future. However, I do have the will to overthrow the Imperial House of Tanatos.¡±? ? ¡°Ha¡­¡±? ? Shock seeped into the middle-aged man¡¯s face. He stared at her, wide-eyed, as if he had just heard the unbelievable.? ? Roselyn smiled gently and said.? ? ¡°And I hope you can lead it.¡±? ? ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s Aranrosia.¡±? ? She interrupted Helio¡¯s words.? ? She gave him her new name with a quiet smile.? ? ¡°Aranrosia. That¡¯s my new name.¡±? ? Helio bit his lips.? ? Did his Empress abandon Tanatos? Despair covered his eyes.? ? Who could not see how the Emperor had betrayed her?? ? Helio knew very well how she had been abandoned from all the pain, so he did not dare to blame her.? ? ¡°You must think I abandoned Tanatos.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Didn¡¯t you?¡± ? ? ¡°If I abandoned Tanatos, why am I now back to Tanatos again?¡±? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Is it simply to take revenge on Gillotti Tanatos?¡±? ? Helio¡¯s eyes wavered.? ? ¡°Of course, this journey is a journey of revenge, but I still love the cold country where I grew up.¡±? ? ¡°Then, can¡¯t you come back to us?¡±? ? Roselyn just smiled still.? ? ¡°My role is to bring down Gillotti and disqualify him.¡±? ? Roselyn straightened her back.? ? ¡°Marquis, do you have any idea why I seeked you out and told you all of my secrets?¡±? ? Helio¡¯s eyebrows arched at her question. He was a clever man, so he had already grasped the significance implied in her words.? ? Helio stared at Roselyn with a pale face.? ? ¡°You.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Then, as if to confirm his guess, she said in a calm and composed voice.? ? ¡°Would you like to wear the Emperor¡¯s crown?¡± (Roselyn) CH 118 Chapter 118. That''s Why It''s Not Me? ? ***? ? *Apparently Marquis Helio¡¯s name is Hans. I¡¯ll use ¡®Hans¡¯ more often from now on.*? ? ***? ? Hans of Helio was the overlord of the northwestern region. Although he had the title of ¡°lord,¡± he didn¡¯t have much status or wealth. ? ? Due to the nature of the northwestern region, the land was barren and there were many violent animals. In addition, different ethnic groups crossed the border from time to time, so they always had to be ready for battle. ? ? Good minerals such as copper, coal, and iron ore could be obtained, but there was not enough manpower to excavate them. The population was small and the stony land was vast.? ? It became a barren land that no noble wanted to visit, a place where battles between starving animals and tribes took place almost daily.? ? Hans¡¯s main domain was Leshanta, which was the most prosperous area in this northwest region. It was more appropriately described as the edge of the northeast than the northwest, but it combined the disadvantages of the northwest with the strengths of the northeast. ? ? Leshanta was a fiefdom with a long history and tradition, and the master of Leshanta, Helio, had been one of the main families guarding the frontier for hundreds of years.? ? However, the region was too far from the capital and too difficult a place to fight for power and to quickly get close to the central power. Hans was no different. ? ? From the day he became the new landlord of Helio at the age of 20, he was solely concerned with the prosperity and stability of his land. He studied farming methods and took the initiative to grow plants that would survive the winter.? ? However, winter farming methods and plants were not the decisive factors in Leshanta¡¯s rise to fame. The survival rate of children was extremely high in Leshanta compared to other areas.? ? Because it was not the capital city, winter was a dangerous season for children, and many children died every year.? ? After the harsh February and March, not only in Leshanta but in all areas, there was always a lot of weeping and wailing from parents who had lost their young children.? ? Hans tried to solve this problem somehow.? ? And after much worrying, he created the ¡°Pediatric Clinic¡±.? ? It was also a clinic with the full support of the permanent residents, and with very unbeatable conditions for children under the age of ten, who didn¡¯t have to pay for medication.? ? Many of Helio vassals stopped him, saying that it was like pouring water into a broken bottle; there was no profit, only diminishing money.? ? But Hans did not waver and pushed through.? ? And for the first time, he picked up his pen and wrote a letter to the imperial family.? ? He promised the imperial family that if they sponsor this outrageous project, he would send them a full report on the operation of the ¡°Pediatric clinic¡± and its future influence.? ? He will also share the results of whether or not this could have a positive impact on infant mortality in the future.? ? He also stressed again and again that the source of the patronage would be disclosed clearly and transparently. However, the emperor¡¯s reaction was cold.? ? He sternly advised him, ¡°The greatest generosity he can show is not to further increase the taxes of Leshanta,¡± and closed his mouth.? ? The crown prince had no reply, and the prime minister dismissed him, saying that he had no funds to spend on such an outrageous charity.? ? Everyone laughed at or ignored his pediatric clinic, but there was only one person.? ? [I¡¯ll sponsor it even if it¡¯s a small amount compared to the importance of what you¡¯re trying to do. I hope you¡¯ll show me a good result.]? ? The young Crown Princess responded with an enthusiastic patronage.? ? He later found out that the amount she sent me was not from the royal treasury, but from her personal funds.? ? After persuading the Duke of Sunset to give her some more support, the Crown Princess actively supported and endorsed Hans.? ? She was the intelligent and beautiful granddaughter that the previous Duke of Sunset had cherished.? ? She was the very Roselyn V Sunset whom the emperor had tried to bring in even if she had to break her previous engagement.? ? After that, Hans became the most active supporter of the Crown Princess, or rather the Empress.? ? Fortunately, the pediatric clinic brought tangible results within two years.? ? The survival rate of children increased, and the birth rate was also higher due to the confidence in their safety. As the satisfaction with the management of the estate increased, the loyalty of the estate¡¯s people had no choice but to naturally increase.? ? They voluntarily worked hard and trusted and relied on their lord.? ? As the children became healthy, the social activity rate of adults was also bound to improve.? ? Finances were always tight for the children¡¯s clinic, but Leshanta was turning into a different place day by day.? ? As they were able to afford human resources, they cultivated farmland and increased the number of soldiers.? ? Although it was not his intention, Hans¡¯s fame grew more and more.? ? It was so natural that more and more people followed him, who was clean and honest.? ? It was also at this time that Roselyn began to pay attention to the nobleman Hans of Helio.? ? Hans did not have the charisma to imprint on someone or overwhelm them into immobility.? ? He had a good bearing, but he was not a sword wielder, nor was he a deceiver with his words.? ? He was just a listener.? ? He was a person who listened, figured out what was needed, and tried to find the right answer for the situation.? ? That was why many people followed him.? ? And that was exactly why the imperial family was wary of him, despite the fact that he was a nobleman who had never made it to the center.? ? Gillotti, after borrowing Natasha¡¯s idea and making all kinds of excuses, sent him away to the northwest, the more extreme region.? ? He was driven out.? ? He was ordered to leave the Northwest only until his ¡°crime¡± was removed, though the Emperor never touched his main estate, Leshanta.? ? It wasn¡¯t enough that he was neither a knight nor a prosecutor to force him to give up his ¡°crime of failing to protect the frontier,¡± it was nothing short of banishment that drove him to a region where he fought battles every day.? ? Still, Hans did not give up.? ? With the same brilliance that had made Leschanta prosperous, he strove to protect the northwestern part of the country, a place of extreme evil, at all costs.? ? When the young nobles who followed him made a move to get their act together, Gillotti cut them off.? ? He decided to cover Hans¡¯ hands, feet, eyes and mouth.? ? A strange situation was created.? ? Because of Hans¡¯ superior personality and abilities, Gillotti was extremely aware of Hans.? ? Perhaps it was an instinctive hostility.? ? Just as Gillotti was wary of Roselyn, he probably saw Hans as a threat to him.? ? Their competence make Gillotti¡¯s incompetence stand out more!? ? The emperor must have felt that his position and status were threatened because of this.? ? It was for this reason that Gillotti did not hesitate to drive out capable and competent people.? ? He did not know that this was a shortcut to his eventual downfall.? ? ¡°If you¡¯re blind to too close practicality, you¡¯ll miss the future.¡±? ? ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡±? ? ¡°What? What did you say just now¡­.?¡±? ? Asha, who was seeing Hans off, shook her head, brushing aside the brief recap of what had just happened.? ? Unable to get back on his horse, Hans looked at Asha with a mixture of concern and worry in his eyes.? ? ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±? ? His heavy question was laced with many worries.? ? The biggest worry of them all was probably whether it was okay to send him this way.? ? ¡°Are you really imposing such a tremendous and large task on me?¡±? ? ¡°The decision is yours, but I bet my future on you.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m nothing.¡±? ? ¡° I was also nothing. Didn¡¯t you believe in me like that back then?¡±? ? ¡°But ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±? ? Hans gritted his teeth.? ? For the first time in his life, his body trembled.? ? The horror was natural. But the problem was that this shaking wasn¡¯t created by fear alone.? ? Boom. Boom. Boom. ? ? After their earlier conversation, his heart was pounding.? ? Vitality was rampant in his body to the point where he couldn¡¯t believe that he had barely slept.? ? ¡°Do you really believe in me?¡±? ? At Hans¡¯ question, Asha stared into his eyes.? ? Hans¡¯ blue eyes were oddly similar to her grandfather¡¯s.? ? It was a warm, nostalgic look in his eyes.? ? Asha smiled quietly, then asked back.? ? ¡°Are you not confident that you will become emperor?¡±? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Then say it now. I¡¯ll find someone else.¡±? ? ¡°Why!¡±? ? Hans¡¯s voice was urgent.? ? He asked her in a suppressed voice.? ? ¡°Why ¡­¡­? Why don¡¯t you take the throne?¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°I think you are the most deserving person of all.¡±? ? Asha did not answer clearly.? ? She knew very well why Hans felt that way.? ? The answer, however, was clear.? ? She answered in a slightly lighter voice.? ? ¡°Because I don¡¯t want it.¡±? ? ¡°¡­What?¡±? ? ¡°I don¡¯t want to involve myself in something I don¡¯t want to do any more. I was just up there by the will of someone else. And as I learned and learned, I had to do my duties according to my position, and so I acted.¡±? ? Of course, it wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t like her job as Empress.? ? To some extent, it was her natural job, and she even enjoyed it in her own way.? ? However, that was not why she should become ¡°emperor¡±.? ? As ¡®Aranrosia Asha¡¯ and not Roselyn, she didn¡¯t want to be an empress or emperor anymore. Her role was to be the cornerstone of reversing the tide of war, and the helper to make it complete.? ? That was the role she wanted.? ? ¡°But you¡¯re not different.¡± (Roselyn)? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Because you also want Tanatos to be better, to be a better country, and to have a more honorable leader.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Roselyn smiled slightly as she walked past and stood in his path.? ? Her legs no longer wavered or limped as she walked ahead of him.? ? Hans looked at her with a strange look in his eyes as she walked normally.? ? ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re better suited for this than I am.¡± (Roselyn)? ? Reaching out a hand, she looked back at Hans.? ? ¡°Go.¡±? ? It¡¯s your path.? ? Hans stared at Roselyn and mounted his horse.? ? His men were already waiting for him in front of him.? ? Roselyn greeted him with a quiet, gentle smile.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll see you there.¡± ? ? ¡°¡­I¡¯ll see you there.¡±? ? He gave a short salute and turned away without looking back.? ? Tamon came up to Roselyn as she was watching the back of Hans running vigorously.? ? ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay to send him like this?¡±? ? Roselyn smiled and nodded.? ? ¡°This will be sufficient.¡±? ? She felt relieved.? ? ***? ? *Just a reminder: every time you see the name Asha being used, it¡¯s either from the point of view of mostly Tamon, or someone close to her like Arsene..or just the people in Amor in general.? ? And the name Roselyn is mostly from the narrator. CH 119 Chapter 119. . It Was A Flash? ? Not only was the schedule delayed due to Perharz¡¯s appearance, but also because they met Hans Helio.? ? They communicated with Orkins in advance, but it was well past the expected time.? ? Tamon reorganized his luggage and hurried off.? ? The rest of the work after this was up to Tamon¡¯s men.? ? They always did their jobs well, so there wasn¡¯t much to worry about.? ? Gallop. Gallop.? ? Asha and Tamon ran vigorously.? ? It seemed that if they quickened their pace, they would be able to arrive before the sun set.? ? They ran for about two hours without saying a word and stopped for a while to quench their thirst.? ? Tamon, who was glancing at Asha as she watered the horses, asked her to check.? ? ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay to give that dagger to that person like that?¡±? ? He was talking about that dagger that he took from the merchant of the red octopus.? ? ¡°Oh, that dagger¡­.It was fascinating.¡±? ? She, who was laughing, recalled what happened a while ago.? ? Asha had asked why Hans was there, and he told her that he was there under orders from the Emperor.? ? Hans didn¡¯t know why Gillotti was given such an order, but he ordered him to bring the dagger anyway. If Hans went back without the dagger, the Emperor might send him back.? ? Or he could use this as an excuse to give Hans another cruel order. ? ? ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Lady Asha can have it. If you¡¯re going to give the dagger to the emperor, I¡¯d rather I get in trouble.¡± (Hans)? ? Hans wanted Asha to keep the dagger. But Asha had a different idea. ? ? ¡°I¡¯m going to Tanatos anyway, and I want it there when I get there. For that reason, it would be better not to leave the eyes of the emperor.¡±? ? If she entered the Imperial Palace, she knew where Gillotti would hide the dagger. If he hid it anywhere, she was confident she could get Gillotti to bring it to her. Provoking Gillotti was one of the things she was best at.? ? ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t know if this is really the Sword of Decipherment. How does it decipher poisons?¡±? ? It was not a symbol of recovery or healing, but a tool for killing. However, Hans wondered how this dagger could ¡°decipher¡± poisons. If the red octopus pirate had given the wrong object, Hans¡¯ position could have been rather embarrassing.? ? ¡°Then let me prove it to you¡­¡±? ? Tamon, who had been waiting, came with a box made from the skin of a silver deer. Asha couldn¡¯t help but stare with downcast eyes at the white fur that wrapped the box.? ? But as soon as the box was opened, the worry that weighed on her heart burst out.? ? ¡°Is this ¡­¡­?¡±? ? ¡°Yes. It¡¯s Perharz¡¯s horn.¡±? ? Hans was startled out of his seat by Tamon¡¯s words.? ? ¡°Ha, you mean that Perharz has appeared? I¡¯ve never heard such a report¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Of course you didn¡¯t hear about it. Because I took care of it a few days ago before anyone else knew about it.¡±? ? ¡°¡­.!¡±? ? Hans seemed more shocked to hear that a single person handled it alone without any commotion than Perharz¡¯s appearance.? ? Why wouldn¡¯t he be surprised? Asha understood Hans¡¯ reaction.? ? Perhaps if it hadn¡¯t been Tamon who had said those words, he might have thought it was just some bluffs from some crazy people in the city.? ? Tamon calmly lifted Perharz¡¯s horn, which was placed in the box.? ? Even though it was a dead Perharz¡¯s horn, Tamon¡¯s hands slowly began to turn black, even though he was only holding the poisonous crystal.? ? ¡°Tamon..!¡±? ? Asha grabbed Tamon¡¯s arm in surprise. Tamon only smiled at her when she told him to let it go quickly.? ? ¡°You have a tool to decipher it.¡±? ? ¡°You don¡¯t have to use Perharz¡¯s poison!¡±? ? ¡°Since we have the most powerful poison, shouldn¡¯t we test it out?¡±? ? Asha bit her lip at Tamon¡¯s stubborn words and glared at him.? ? Tamon, who had tried to endure the horrible look in her eyes a little longer, had no choice but to let go of the horn.? ? ¡°¡­You have a much scarier look in your eyes than Perharz.¡±? ? The horn fell from Tamon¡¯s hand and Asha could finally feel relief.? ? But after only a minute or two of holding it, Tamon¡¯s hand had taken on a sinister black color.? ? What¡¯s more, she could see that black poison slowly creeping up his wrist.? ? ¡°It hurts quite a bit. There¡¯s a slight burning pain.¡±? ? Tamon casually described his symptoms about Perharz¡¯s venom.? ? Asha pulled out the dagger, grinding her teeth as if she was about to kill Tamon. The use of it was to cut his skin.? ? It was not yet clear, but in order for the sword to have an ¡®antidote¡¯ effect, it had to cut through the wound.? ? Finishing with her thoughts, Asha cut the skin of Tamon¡¯s blackened hand without hesitation.? ? She didn¡¯t know how far she should give strength, and the wound was quite deep.? ? Tamon frowned in one eye as if that was quite painful, but that was all.? ? He was a strong man, not a single moan, despite the knife cut deep on his hand.? ? The amazing thing happened next.? ? ¡°¡­.!¡±? ? A dim light spread from where the dagger had cut, purifying the black poison.? ? What was even more amazing was that where the poison had disappeared, the wound that was made by the dagger was also gone.? ? The white light that was spreading gradually finally spread to the entire palm of his hand.? ? ¡°The poison of Perharz, said to be the most poisonous in the world, was gone in less than 10 seconds. ¡­¡­ This makes it clear that this dagger is a holy relic.¡±? ? After confirming the truth about the dagger, Tamon handed the dagger to Hans.? ? Hans then decided to take the dagger with him, and as soon as Tamon walked out of the room, his foot was stepped on by Asha. Very hard.? ? ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone as reckless as you in my life.¡±? ? Asha got back on her horse and rebuked him.? ? ¡°You¡¯re stuck with me because I¡¯m reckless.¡±? ? Tamon chuckled and kissed the back of her hand as she mounted her horse.? ? ¡°Instead, why don¡¯t you give me a kiss to make sure I¡¯ve healed properly?¡±? ? There was no mischievousness in the way he looked up at her.? ? The infinitely serious look in his eyes tickled her heart.? ? Tamon was right.? ? If he hadn¡¯t been so reckless, he wouldn¡¯t have stolen the dying empress in secret.? ? Thus, he would not have encouraged her to live again and seek revenge.? ? His recklessness had shaken her and finally overturned her.? ? It was all because of this man¡¯s recklessness that Roselyn was able to become Aranrosia Asha.? ? Looking down at him with her expression habitually muffled, Asha lifted his chin just before Tamon retreated.? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? It was a flash.? ? It was a miraculous moment that passed in a flash, as if something that shouldn¡¯t have happened had happened.? ? Pushing away Tamon, who was mesmerized, Asha kicked the horse on the side with her foot.? ? The sound was silent and Asha departed ahead of him without turning around.? ? Tamon, who was briefly mesmerized, hurriedly chased her after touching his lips as if he couldn¡¯t believe what just happened.? ? (*Roselyn kissed Tamon!)? ? ***? ? ¡°Asha!¡±? ? Despite their hurried run, Tamon and Roselyn finally arrived at Orkins after dark.? ? Everyone was waiting for the two without sleeping, perhaps because they had been informed in advance that they would only arrive tonight.? ? The person who jumped out before the sound of horses¡¯ hooves could be heard was Arsene and Hannah.? ? ¡°Asha!¡±? ? Arsene and Hannah, who had been standing on the ground, jumped towards Asha, who was dismounting from her horse.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Something unexpected happened.¡±? ? ¡°We¡¯re fine! We were just resting here! Are you injured anywhere? What happened?¡±? ? Arsene stomped his feet to see if Asha was hurt.? ? Asha smiled graciously and left the children to look at her condition for a while.? ? The Knights of Platanus, who had been waiting in the cabin, also rushed out.? ? As Tamon handed them their horses and luggage, the knights moved busily.? ? Tamon said he had something to discuss with the Knights for a while and went into the cabin first.? ? Asha entered the resting place with Hannah and Arsene.? ? ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re not injured. Asha.¡±? ? Hannah grabbed Asha by the scruff of her dress, her eyes shining.? ? She seemed to be very happy.? ? ¡°It¡¯s a relief that you didn¡¯t get hurt.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s late today, so we¡¯re going to stay here for the night. We¡¯ll leave early tomorrow morning.¡± ? ? ¡°Still, I think we¡¯ll be up all night if we leave now. It¡¯s late and you couldn¡¯t sleep because you were waiting for us.¡±? ? ¡°We slept like crazy for two days! You two need more rest than we do.¡±? ? Arsene said as he took Asha¡¯s things and put them away himself.? ? Hannah took the role of showing Asha to the room.? ? There was one large villa with two cabins attached to it, as if it had been converted from a hunter¡¯s hut.? ? Hannah led Asha to the best room of them all.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll ask for some hot water. You can rest here!¡±? ? Seeing the twinkle in her eyes and the swiftness of her actions, Asha felt touched.? ? With gratitude, Asha took off the cumbersome outerwear.? ? Hannah, who was going outside, held the doorknob and suddenly looked back at Asha.? ? ¡°Why?¡± (Asha)? ? Hannah, who was shaking her head as if it was nothing, smiled and said.? ? ¡°Asha, there will be more precious things in the future.¡±? ? ¡°¡­What?¡±? ? ¡°More, much more than now.¡±? ? After saying that, Hannah was about to close the door.? ? ¡°Hannah?¡±? ? Asha hurried to call Hannah.? ? Between inside and outside, Hannah standing in the doorway looked back at Asha.? ? Hannah¡¯s eyes turned golden.? ? Even after calling her, Asha hesitated.? ? ¡®Can I ask you what it is?¡¯? ? As if she had read Asha¡¯s mind, Hannah smiled and shook her head.? ? ¡°No, Asha.¡±? ? A still young voice whispered.? ? ¡°Not yet.¡±? ? Hannah closed the door and left the room, as if he had nothing more to say.? ? Asha could only look with wonder at the door where Hannah had disappeared. CH 120 Chapter 120. When The Revenge Is Over? ? The room she was shown seemed to be the biggest and best room in this little mansion.? ? It was somewhat old, but the bed was large enough for three people to lie down on. ? ? It wasn¡¯t luxurious, but the bedding was clean and the temperature in the room was appropriate. ? ? As soon as Asha took a bath, she crawled into bed without delay. It had been less than a week since their departure but her body was already tired. However, the upcoming itinerary was going to be longer and harder than ever. ? ? So it was better to get as much sleep and rest as possible.? ? ¡®Why is it so cool?¡¯? ? She was so used to the hot and blustery weather in Amor that she started to feel a chill in her body as the place she was now closer to Tanatos.? ? That didn¡¯t mean that the room was cold.? ? Asha wriggled, buried in her blanket. When she was dozing off, she heard the door of her room open. ? ? ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t think you were already asleep.¡±? ? Tamon came into the room, drying off his wet hair, as if he had come right after washing up. ? ? Whether it was hot in the shower or not, he only covered his bottom and naturally sat down by the bed where Asha was lying.? ? Tamon got up from his seat, rubbing his neck if it was stiff.? ? ¡°You must be tired. You need more sleep. After my hair is dry, I¡¯ll go to sleep too.¡±? ? Asha, half-awake in a dreamy state, couldn¡¯t answer and looked at his movements in a daze. She could see the angular muscles that made up the shadows under the red, dark lights.? ? Just drying his hair with a dry towel and gently turning his shoulders made this large room feel full. ? ? It was only then that Asha realized that the chill she had felt earlier had vanished without a shadow of a doubt. Was it that man¡¯s very presence that made such a cool room so hot so quickly? ? ? Or was it the absence of that man that made her feel the chill? ? ? Asha looked at Tamon with dismay and slumped down under the covers. How long had she been with him to feel such a chill when he was absent? ? ? Apparently, without knowing it, she had become accustomed to Tamon¡¯s warmth. Asha sighed low and touched her forehead.? ? As she did so, Tamon naturally laid himself down beside her, perhaps he had completely dried off his hair.? ? ¡°Hmm, the bed is smaller than I thought.¡± (Tamon)? ? The bed that Asha thought would be enough for the three people to lie on had quickly become a small bed. Tamon, who was grunting very inconveniently, reached out without hesitation and hugged Asha¡¯s neck and waist. ? ? ¡°We¡¯ll sleep tight together.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? Asha lost her words as she looked down at the arms hugging her tightly.? ? She wasn¡¯t sure if this bed really felt smaller to him, but she was sure that Tamon¡¯s brazenness was becoming more natural by the day.? ? The warmth of the slightly cooler room was hot now.? ? The blanket that had been raised to the tip of her chin was now cumbersome.? ? Instead of trying to push him away, she pulled the blanket down to her waist. ? ? It was warm behind her, reasonably cool to breathe in, and much more comfortable than earlier.? ? The only inconvenience was that, due to the overly snug fit, his presence felt too great all the way down to her waist and thighs.? ? Tamon raked his hands over her fragrant neck incessantly.? ? His soft touch finely swept her slender waist and narrow shoulders.? ? It was just a light touch, like a massage, but strangely her breathing became more and more ragged.? ? Then at some point, she suddenly felt the fingers swept through her sternum down her chest.? ? When the slip dress button had become undone, it was cold near her exposed chest.? ? Startled, Asha spun around to look at him.? ? Tamon stared at her with a look of casualness on his face, then naturally lowered his eyes.? ? Before she knew it, his lips had moved closer, and he was gently pressing them against her lips.? ? They were as plump as jelly, as soft as whipped cream as he kissed her.? ? Surprised and frozen, Asha¡¯s tongue was pulled as Tamon soothed her.? ? The sound of wetness echoed softly in the quiet room.? ? The kiss was so soft and covert, as if taking into account her startled state.? ? She felt like melting as his calloused hand squeezed her breasts.? ? ¡°Wait¡­¡­¡±? ? She came to her senses late and stopped, holding onto Tamon¡¯s naked shoulders.? ? Tamon furrowed his brow in frustration.? ? But she was the one who was dumbfounded.? ? ¡°Why does this become so natural?¡±? ? The two of them had already had a relationship many times since they left Amor, to say the least.? ? In other words, it didn¡¯t matter if it was outside, inside, or time.? ? She wondered why she felt like she was becoming more and more of an animal.? ? It dismayed Asha.? ? It was only six months ago that they became engraving partners for the sake of succession. She couldn¡¯t have imagined the engraving had become so naturally like this at that time.? ? Of course, she had also realized that s*x had a different meaning with the twins¡¯ book, but she was still too naive to fully accept the change.? ? ¡°This¡­¡­.Tamon¡­¡­¡­. This is far too frequent.¡±? ? Asha persuaded him in a rather serious voice.? ? ¡°What is it?¡±? ? Tamon kissed her on the chin and asked back in a gentle voice as if he had no idea what she was talking about.? ? It was a sweet, low voice, as if it were the voice of a demon determined to seduce her.? ? ¡°Now, this¡­I mean this.¡±? ? Asha tried to push him out with her weak hands. ? ? It was easy for the body, already used to temptation, to react on its own.? ? Her hips twisted even as his hands stroked lightly, and her toes curled.? ? The familiar part of her body seemed to be more sensitive.? ? Tamon murmured against her earlobe, mumbling like candy.? ? ¡°We must always work together like this, for our mutual survival.¡±? ? Goosebumps rose on her spine as her body curved like a twisted bow at the low rumble that echoed right next to her ear.? ? Tamon gently swept her waist with a rugged hand, soothing her.? ? ¡°You said the same reason yesterday, right out loud.¡±? ? Tamon laughed low at Asha¡¯s words, scolding him to the end even as she gasped.? ? ¡°It¡¯s the same reason to eat every day to live, Asha.¡±? ? He added, kissing her neck.? ? After experiencing Perharz, she realized even more keenly that their union was essential.? ? That said, she didn¡¯t think it needed to be this often, every day. ? ? But Tamon¡¯s touch became stronger.? ? ¡°Share your energy. So that I can fight for you at any time.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? Sure, she wanted to say back that he was using excuses and he was demanding, but the sincere kiss was sweeter than ever.? ? It was also largely due to the fact that she¡¯d already learned how big of an ecstasy and tenderness those lips could produce.? ? On the other hand, she also felt that Tamon¡¯s words were not unconvincing in the least. They had to camp tomorrow for a few days and she needed more energy.? ? ¡®¡­Who am I making excuses for now?¡¯? ? She didn¡¯t know if this was really for the both of them, or if it was an excuse for her honest desires.? ? As if he had already grabbed her weak heart, Tamon¡¯s hand continued without any hesitation.? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? The hand that invaded without hesitation gently wrapped around the plump flesh.? ? At the same time, the lips that had been clenched into the neck, licked and sucked her peaks.? ? His caresses sucked at her skin without any gaps, and Asha¡¯s head became even more dizzy.? ? ¡°Haaa¡­¡±? ? He casually took the pointed flesh in his mouth and rolled it around with his tongue as if he was eating sweet candy.? ? Asha couldn¡¯t close her mouth.? ? Why was it that every time an unfamiliar sensation, unknown even to her, stimulated her in such a new and varied way that it became shocking?? ? How could she pretend to be human when she imprinted with a man like a beast?? ? Asha thought to herself mockingly and accepted her condition.? ? Then her hesitant heart felt better.? ? She let go of her thoughts and grabbed Tamon¡¯s head with both hands.? ? Tamon¡¯s breath and Asha¡¯s breath merged into one.? ? The room immediately became hot with indistinguishable gasps and moans.? ? ***? ? ¡°Asha?¡±? ? Suddenly, Tamon woke up to the coolness of the empty spot next to him. ? ? He groped around and found that there was still warmth in the empty spot. It wasn¡¯t like he was tired, but he didn¡¯t even know that Asha was leaving his side. ? ? That one fact woke him up. He got up to find Asha sitting on the railing of the terrace of the room.? ? She was looking up at the moon in her nightgown.? ? Tamon also put on his nightgown and walked to the terrace where Asha was sitting.? ? The sight of Asha looking up at the sky with furrowed brows made him feel strangely uneasy.? ? ¡°I think I went too easy on you. Seeing that you¡¯re out watching the moon without sleeping all night.¡±? ? Suddenly, his voice startled Asha, and she looked back at him with wide eyes.? ? ¡°You surprise me every time. It¡¯s really strange to see you walking around with such a big body without any noise.¡±? ? ¡°You can¡¯t sleep?¡±? ? ¡°I woke up a little thirsty, but the moon looked especially big.¡±? ? She was right, the moon hanging in the middle of the sky looked very big.? ? It was a round, white moon that lit up the area brightly in the dark, cloudless night sky. There was a strange grandeur to it, different from the sun.? ? ¡°It¡¯s a motionless moon, but time flies when you look at it.¡±? ? She kept her eyes fixed on the moon, unable to take her gaze away. But the important thing was that Tamon couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of Asha, no matter how bright and beautiful the moon was.? ? Tamon, who was staring at her intently, impulsively opened his mouth.? ? ¡°When this revenge is over.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°What are you going to do then?¡± CH 121 Chapter 121. What Will He Get?? ? Life after revenge.? ? Asha looked at the moon in the sky for a moment and then looked at Tamon.? ? What was this man like the first time she saw him?? ? Yes, that¡¯s right.? ? He thought his eyes were straighter.? ? He seemed to be stubborn and decided that he was a man who did not easily reveal his inner feelings.? ? His tone was not frivolous, and he knew how to smile at the right time, and she felt that it would be difficult for her to change the atmosphere according to her own will whenever necessary.? ? All of that was an evaluation of ¡®Tamon Krasis¡¯.? ? They were meant to figure out how to deal with a man named Tamon Krasis.? ? He wasn¡¯t an easy opponent, so she paid more attention and tried to find his weakness.? ? But now it was different.? ? She wanted to protect this man¡¯s weakness.? ? No matter how strong a man he was, she wanted to prevent Tamon from getting hurt because of her.? ? It was comfortable to eat with him at the end of the day, and she enjoyed talking with him in response to his lame pranks and jokes.? ? Cold was always natural to her, but since meeting Tamon, warmth has become more natural.? ? She didn¡¯t want to take the cold for granted anymore.? ? She hated living in tension all the time, and the speed of a cage where I had no choice but to grope for the type when she was thirsty for curiosity.? ? ¡°I thought my world was over then.¡±? ? The time when she lost all her family and subordinates and was abandoned to rot in the cold.? ? At that time, she was caught in death and both hope and joy were cumbersome and uncomfortable.? ? ¡°As if to thank you for saving me, I was going to end my life after revenge ended.¡±? ? ¡°Asha!¡±? ? At her words of mentioning death again, Tamon called out her name, gritting his teeth.? ? Anger, sadness, and despair were intertwined in his desperate voice.? ? Asha smiled and shook her head.? ? ¡°But not now.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s eyes narrowed as if doubting her words.? ? Asha spoke again in a slow, determined tone.? ? ¡°I didn¡¯t have any regrets back then, but now it¡¯s different.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°I have lingering feelings.¡±? ? The purple eyes that reflected the moonlight and shined brightly stared up at the sky again.? ? As she gazed at the still moonlight and smiled quietly, Tamon¡¯s eyes seemed to burn.? ? Is this how it feels to look at the rising sunflowers while longing for the sun?? ? ¡°Asha¡­.¡±? ? He couldn¡¯t figure out what he was longing for.? ? But one thing was certain, her eyes not looking at him made him suffocate.? ? As if wings would sprout from behind her crouched back, and she would fly away, far away, without showing any regrets.? ? Like a person who would run away, holding his breath and soul in both hands, leaving only his shell behind.? ? It felt so heartbreaking.? ? ¡°Asha.¡±? ? When he called her name one more time, she turned and looked at him.? ? One day, she looked at him with the smile he had longed for.? ? That benevolent smile made Tamon anxious.? ? ¡®Why am I feeling this?¡¯? ? His name was engraved in her heart, and Asha¡¯s name was in his heart.? ? Even though it was engraved that they were each other¡¯s only existence, they were thirsty enough to think it was strange.? ? Why is she doing this, why? why?? ? Because love was forbidden?? ? Because she gave up and showed a smile and laughter that was so rare to see? Because of the despair of not being able to contain a single word of ¡®love¡¯?? ? Tamon was led by Asha like a weak lamb led by fate.? ? He clasped her soft cheeks, fixed her gaze on him, and whispered in a tense voice.? ? ¡°Tell me that¡¯s me, Asha.¡±? ? A trembling sigh escaped Asha¡¯s slightly gaping lips.? ? ¡°Tell me that your lingering feeling is me.¡±? ? ¡°Tamon.¡±? ? ¡°I can be precious even if you don¡¯t love me, right?¡±? ? A soft, cautious voice as if conciliatory, anxiously urged her.? ? ¡°So, tell me it¡¯s me.¡±? ? His lips rubbed hers and opened the gap and entered.? ? He pulled out his hidden tongue and tickled hers as if begging for an answer.? ? Perhaps because of the tongues that seemed to have become one, Asha could not utter a proper pronunciation.? ? As if to calm him down, she placed her hand on the back of Tamon¡¯s hand that grabbed her cheek.? ? Asha, who was gasping for breath from the kiss, bit her lip and spoke heavily.? ? ¡°I ¡­ ¡±? ? If she told him with those pretty lips that her lingering feeling for life was him, Tamon could take out his heart and offer it to her right now.? ? Hesitating because her cheeks were blushing and Tamon was biting her lips nervously so she couldn¡¯t give him the answer he wanted.? ? Even though he saved her life at his will, if she could accept his foolishness and tell him he was the reason for her new life¡­? ? He would dedicate all the beautiful and precious things in this world to Asha.? ? If she wanted to, he would bring the most terrifying and heinous thing in the world.? ? Even if his body was destroyed and damaged over and over again, as long as she put him in the reason for her life with those pretty lips, he could do it all.? ? ¡®But what if?¡¯? ? What if she doesn¡¯t answer and pushes him away because he¡¯s being terribly greedy?? ? Just thinking about it made his heart ache.? ? Ironically, Tamon realized anew that whether she wanted him or not, his heart was already hers.? ? ¡°Thank you.¡±? ? Asha barely uttered those words in a whispering voice that wasn¡¯t like her.? ? ¡°But you¡¯re not my lingering feeling. Rather you¡¯re¡­¡­¡±? ? She bit her lip as if looking for another word.? ? Her face flushed red, like an inexperienced student struggling to find an answer.? ? One second felt like eternity.? ? Tamon couldn¡¯t stand the dizziness of that moment and swallowed Asha¡¯s lips again.? ? Useful talent?? ? An obedient beast that doesn¡¯t die even if she kills it?? ? If he was not the lingering feeling that made her want to live again, what was he?? ? Or, the general of an enemy country whom she still couldn¡¯t understand what was inside¡­?? ? Tamon licked Asha¡¯s sweet lips, thinking hard that it didn¡¯t matter what he was to her.? ? The important thing was that Asha was by his side.? ? Because he just needed her.? ? ¡°Tamon.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to tell me.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? ¡°You are mine, anyway.¡±? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Whatever I am to you. Asha, you are my imprinter. That¡¯s enough.¡±? ? Tamon hugged her as if to crumble her and filled his heart.? ? It was said that love turned a man into a coward.? ? The weakness he didn¡¯t know made fun of him.? ? But it didn¡¯t matter.? ? Even though his love was so cowardly and difficult, he will embrace it until the end.? ? ***? ? ¡°Send a pigeon to the Krasis¡¯s residence. If the need arises, stand by at a distance where they can reach Tanatos¡¯ main castle within a day.¡±? ? ¡°All right. I will tell them to leave immediately.¡±? ? The next day, even before sunrise, Tamon gathered the Platanus knights and formed a line.? ? In Tanatos¡¯s July festival, he was able to bring only one Order in the name of Amor¡¯s General of Foreign Affairs.? ? It was the same with Theoransha, who would come separately.? ? She would also be able to bring only the Knights of Barnes.? ? In any case, since they came separately, the two Orders of Amor were able to enter legally.? ? Although they were the two most powerful Orders in Amor, if an event that could shake the situation of a country occurred, two Orders would not be enough.? ? Theo will also secretly deploy her own personnel at the border.? ? No, she might have persuaded Tanatos¡¯ neighboring countries to come.? ? Whatever it was, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing to have enough reserve forces.? ? It would be best to end it with the purge without a major war as much as possible.? ? ¡°Are you ready for departure? Let¡¯s leave as soon as the sun rises. When the work is done, I won¡¯t let you be disappointed with the reward you want.¡±? ? ¡°Woo!¡±? ? At Tamon¡¯s last words, the members of the Platanus knights cheered and scattered at once.? ? As long as they finished this schedule as soon as possible, a reward awaited.? ? Since he was not a cheap owner, they seemed to be looking forward to the rewards. ? ? Jorge was the only one left in the small conference room where everyone had left.? ? Tamon put on a thin robe and glanced at Jorge.? ? ¡°Why, your face has something you want to say, what is it?¡±? ? ¡°You know, Captain.¡±? ? As if waiting for the right time, Jorge opened his mouth.? ? Jorge followed closely behind Tamon, who left the meeting room. Even though he asked, he showed no interest.? ? ¡°I really don¡¯t understand.¡±? ? ¡°What?¡± ? ? ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±? ? At Jorge¡¯s words, Tamon glanced down at him and grinned.? ? ¡°I can¡¯t understand myself either, so who do you think you are to understand me?¡±? ? ¡°Look! The captain doesn¡¯t understand yourself, so why are you doing this, really?¡±? ? It was also Tamon who jumped into the sea and saved the children.? ? He rescued the children and brought them back and lost an arm. Jorge only later found out that it was all for Aranrosia.? ? That was why he couldn¡¯t understand the captain at all.? ? Who the hell was Aranrosia, and what kind of existence was it that his master sacrificed so much for?? ? ¡°You said you would reward us at the end of this journey, right? Then¡­.. After all this is over, what does the captain get?¡±? ? At the question that seemed frustrated, Tamon looked at Asha, who was rushing to prepare for departure. At the end of this journey, he thought he would have Asha entirely, but now it didn¡¯t seem possible.? ? ¡®Then, should I just break those wings?¡¯? ? So she could only look at him. Only think of him.? ? Tamon smiled bitterly and shook his head.? ? He hated himself for thinking that he wanted to break the wings again after giving them to her.? ? Since when did he become such a naive man?? ? Tamon, who swept his complicated head, slapped Jorge in the back of the head for nothing.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t ask useless questions, do your job well. Go and help them with their luggage.¡±? ? It was quite painful, so Jorge grabbed the back of his head and disappeared. Tamon shook his head and looked at Asha again.? ? As if she had already discovered him, she was also looking at Tamon.? ? Purple eyes looking straight at him, a smile hanging faintly as if relieved.? ? Perhaps, what he will get would not be a visible reward.? ? Perhaps a small space in Asha¡¯s heart after she shook off her lingering affection for Tanatos.? ? The vacancy that once contained her hatred and revenge, which would remain like scraps, would be the reward for him.? ? Unbeknownst to Asha herself, Tamon was planning to fill her gaps tightly. So, let Asha¡¯s life be filled with only him.? ? ¡°Tamon!¡± ? ? ¡°Asha.¡±? ? Tamon, as always, walked straight towards her with a smile after he had wiped away his filthy obsession and desperate possessiveness.? ? CH 122 Chapter 122. What Is Your Name?? ? Twenty days had passed since Anna had arrived at Henrik¡¯s castle.? ? It had been a week since she had requested Henrik to meet the Duke of Gertium. ? ? ¡®How long do I have to wait?¡¯? ? Anna, who was getting ready to go out, sighed briefly, estimating the days that had passed.? ? Time had flown by without her having accomplished anything.? ? She hadn¡¯t even been able to meet the ¡°Perso Gertium¡± Rosie had asked her to meet, let alone convince him.? ? Of course, finding the man, wherever he might be, in such a short period of time turned out to be great greed in itself.? ? Probably Rosie wouldn¡¯t think that Anna would definitely pull it off in a short period of time either.? ? She would have already had other plans well in advance.? ? But ¡­¡­¡­¡­ still Anna wanted to make a move for Roselyn.? ? She wanted to do anything for Rosie.? ? Anna buttoned up her coat in frustration. The more impatient she became, the more her hands began to shake.? ? ¡®Calm down, please.¡¯? ? But it wasn¡¯t that easy. ¡®Didn¡¯t you lose your precious people in front of your eyes after letting go of your hands in peace?¡¯? ? That shouldn¡¯t have happened anymore.? ? Anything¡­I really have to do something.? ? But, what should I do?? ? What else can I do?? ? Anna sighed in frustration and clenched her fists.? ? It was too early to be weak. Try everything, do your best, and then it wouldn¡¯t be too late to fall apart.? ? ¡®Let¡¯s go to the city first.¡¯? ? Anna purposely muttered more cheerfully as she walked out.? ? She didn¡¯t intend to kill time leisurely in this mansion, where there were few servants.? ? Once a week, they went out to the village to buy the necessities of life for the castle. ? ? Today, Anna took on that role herself. ? ? It wasn¡¯t a difficult task, and she could just go lightly with a chambermaid and horseman who would carry her bags. ? ? But when she went outside, the servant whom Anna was expecting was not seen.? ? Instead, there was a man waiting for her, too big and intimidating to be an errand boy.? ? ¡°Why is the knight here¡­¡­.?¡±? ? (*Anna still doesn¡¯t know the knight is Duke Perso Gertium who she is looking for.)? ? She asked tersely, and Perso bowed and pointed to the carriage.? ? ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡±? ? ¡®Where do you want us to go together?¡¯? ? Anna hesitated for a moment, then pointed to the waiting carriage with a look of disbelief.? ? ¡°The village?¡±? ? She asked awkwardly, and Perso held out his hand as if it were natural.? ? He meant that he would escort her to the carriage.? ? Anna looked at the outstretched hand and the dark green eyes which were like a swamp staring at her silently.? ? She had no choice but to take his hand and sit alongside him in the front carriage of the wagon, and she glanced at Perso, who sat next to her.? ? ¡®Are there no other servants today?¡¯? ? After watching him for a few days, the man was mostly the knight who accompanied Uncle Henrik.? ? There were more knights than squires in the castle, but half of them patrolled the perimeter, while the other half guarded the castle.? ? Anna had lived in the Imperial Palace for a long time, so she knew when she saw some level of knighthood.? ? Judging from their well-defined and undisturbed momentum, it was clear that they were all senior knights.? ? But this knight must be a high rank, so why did he follow her around?? ? ¡®¡­Does he have some business in town?¡¯? ? Or perhaps this man wasn¡¯t as high of a rank as she thought he was.? ? Otherwise, he may have been tired of protecting the castle, or he might have come to do chores because he had nothing to do.? ? Well, in fact, it was none of her business.? ? Anna thought absent-mindedly and stared at the front of the carriage as it drove away at a reasonable speed. The carriage soon arrived at the village.? ? ***? ? ¡°You can go if you have other errands to run.¡±? ? When Anna said so, Perso stared at her.? ? He didn¡¯t talk much or have much expression, so it was difficult to read what he was thinking.? ? Anna moved her eyes uncomfortably and added one more thing.? ? ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me..¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡°? ? ¡°My business is to go with Miss Anna.¡±? ? ¡°Ah¡­.¡±? ? Anna could no longer push him at the heavy low voice.? ? Hesitantly, she went around the village, saying okay.? ? The first thing she bought was what was needed for the child.? ? There was a shortage of diapers, and not enough nutritious food for Sarah, the birth mother, to eat.? ? Then she had to look at baby supplies like rattles, wooden boards and bandages for knights.? ? Anna put the items in with a firm jog of her memory.? ? The items needed for the castle were bought first, followed by her personal shopping.? ? ¡®Now that I¡¯ve bought everything, let¡¯s go and buy my things.¡¯? ? In fact, one of the reasons she wanted to go to the village today was because she had some things she wanted to buy. ? ? Anna packed her things.? ? Most of them were things like fresh fruits, sweets, breads, and candies. ? ? She had a sweet tooth to begin with.? ? In fact, she liked desserts so much that they became a meal replacement beyond her level of liking.? ? However, after what happened to Roselyn, her appetite had dropped completely, and after she received the letter from Roselyn, she had run incessantly to Henrik.? ? It was so hectic, she didn¡¯t have time to remember dessert.? ? But a few days ago, she had a craving for something sweet again.? ? She wanted to eat something sweet, even if it wasn¡¯t the fancy dessert she had at the Imperial Palace.? ? And while she was here to buy it anyway, she wanted to make sure she had enough to share with the people in the castle. ? ? Maybe that was why her dessert basket was much bigger than the basket filled with the castle¡¯s things.? ? ¡®Did I buy too much?¡¯? ? She didn¡¯t realize it when she was engrossed in it, but after she finished buying it, she finally became aware of Perso who was following her.? ? By all accounts, a knight with a scary face was holding Anna¡¯s large dessert basket.? ? Glancing at him, Anna¡¯s cheeks reddened and said as if making excuses.? ? ¡°Ha, I¡¯m not going to eat alone.¡±? ? Perso silently looked at Anna and answered with a short nod.? ? There was no particular expression or special gesture.? ? He just silently followed her around.? ? All he did was watch with her what she chose, what she collected, what she looked at.? ? Anna had never met this type of person before, so she was a little confused.? ? She had no idea how to deal with this type of person, because he was so unpredictable.? ? However, it wasn¡¯t uncomfortable. In fact, she was with him for about an hour, and she even felt comfortable with his quietness.? ? That¡¯s why at the end of the day, she wasn¡¯t conscious of him and even put in a lot of desserts.? ? Anna cleared her throat briefly and said she would finish her shopping.? ? ¡°Well, it looks like I bought everything, so let¡¯s go.¡±? ? ¡°Please wait a moment.¡±? ? Perso, who hadn¡¯t said a word during the shopping trip, stopped her.? ? Anna looked at him in surprise.? ? ¡°Why?¡±? ? Standing in front of the carriage, Perso slowly examined the items Anna had bought.? ? There was one basket of daily necessities and a pile of desserts two or three times the size of the cart.? ? Perso looked at the items and Anna in turn with strange eyes.? ? Then he asked in a cautious voice.? ? ¡°Are you sure you bought everything?¡±? ? ¡°Yes? Yes, yes. I think I¡¯ve bought everything needed for the castle¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡±? ? ¡®Why do you look at me like that?¡¯? ? When Anna stared at Perso with this face, Perso, who was looking at her, suddenly closed his mouth and burst out laughing.? ? Anna was even more perplexed than when he had held her back.? ? How could a man with hardly any words and expressions, let alone a smile, suddenly laugh?? ? Firstly, she was puzzled as to why he was laughing, and secondly, as soon as the stern look in his eyes changed, she was surprised to see how much his impression had changed.? ? ¡®When he smiles, he looks younger than I expected¡­¡¯? ? He looked younger, but a little smile made the man seem much more gentle and handsome.? ? Perso adjusted his expression as if he realized he had laughed and spoke cautiously to Anna.? ? ¡°You have a surprising side to you, Miss Anna.¡±? ? ¡°What? What do you mean by that¡­¡±? ? To Anna¡¯s panic, instead of a long explanation, Perso re-entered the grocery store they had just entered with the words ¡®please wait a moment.¡¯? ? A few moments later, he came in with two baskets even bigger than the one Anna had bought.? ? ¡°Huh, what¡¯s all this?¡±? ? ¡°There are more than twenty people in the castle. The diapers and elixirs are for personal use, but other items need twice as much as Miss Anna bought.¡±? ? ¡°Ah¡­..¡±? ? Anna¡¯s face turned red at her mistake.? ? She had only lived as an aristocrat, so this practical aspect of her life was still no different from a child¡¯s perspective.? ? She was good at numbers, but there were many other things she was clumsy in.? ? Most of them were taken care of by Rwanda before she could resolve them.? ? Anna was embarrassed, as if her shameful part had been discovered.? ? As if he could understand Anna¡¯s feelings, the quiet Perso added a few words.? ? ¡°You don¡¯t know the number of knights in detail, so you may not know how much you need. Don¡¯t worry too much about the fact that knights wear more bandages than you think.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m so embarrassed. I bought so many snacks.¡±? ? ¡°This is something that Miss Anna often bought, so you could have measured the amount enough, but you probably couldn¡¯t estimate the other items because you¡¯ve never bought them yourself. It¡¯s okay, everyone has their first time.¡±? ? It was really strange.? ? In the twenty days Anna had been here, she had never seen him talk that much.? ? However, he seemed to be a man with a kinder side than he appeared to be, as most of his words were words to comfort her.? ? ¡°It makes me feel a little better to hear you say that. Thank you, knight.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±? ? His voice sounded even softer, though he still had no expression on his face.? ? It was then that Anna realized that she didn¡¯t even know the man¡¯s name.? ? ¡°Come to think of it, we went around together for half a day and I didn¡¯t even know the knight¡¯s name.¡± ? ? ¡°My name is¡­.¡±? ? The man paused for a moment and spoke in a soft voice. CH 123 Chapter 123. Sweet? ? ¡°It¡¯s Perso.¡±? ? ¡®¡­¡­Perso?¡¯? ? ¡®Where did I hear that name?¡¯? ? Anna was troubled for a while, and soon remembered that the name was the same as the current Duke of Gertium.? ? She was a little surprised but largely unconcerned.? ? ¡®It¡¯s not that unique a name, so there can be someone else with that name.¡¯? ? How could this young man, who carried her luggage and patrolled the castle every day, be Duke Perso Gertium?? ? The clothes that this knight wore were not that expensive or aristocratic.? ? He wore leather protective gear and comfortable pants and shirt that looked as sturdy as those of ordinary knights.? ? Also, the coat he wore over it was an old, sturdy-looking wool that was out of fashion.? ? ¡°Thanks to knight Perso, I was able to return to the castle without embarrassment. As a thank you, I would like to give you a gift, is there anything you want?¡±? ? She asked desperately, and Perso refused.? ? ¡°But¡­..¡±? ? ¡°If you really want, there is a diner near here that serves good deer food. Would you like to go there with me?¡±? ? It was a little early for dinner, but that didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t time to eat.? ? Just in time, she felt a little hungry for the long shopping trip.? ? Anna was happy to comply with his request.? ? ¡°I¡¯d like that, too. Do you know where it is?¡±? ? ***? ? The nearest restaurant was in the center of the city, in the biggest building of all.? ? It had a realistic drawing of a deer head on the sign, as if to tell the customers that the restaurant specialized in deer cuisine.? ? It was probably the most popular restaurant in this small town, and there were quite a few people inside even though it wasn¡¯t dinner time.? ? Perso took her well up to the third floor.? ? ¡°It¡¯s pretty big.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s famous. Some people even come from other nearby territories to sample the cuisine.¡±? ? As he said, there was even a separate carriage waiting area in front of the restaurant for customers who came from far away.? ? The first floor was an open terrace that was crowded with people enjoying drinks and food, the second floor was for dining, and the third floor was for people with money, perhaps, where the tables were spacious and the atmosphere was even more luxurious.? ? A staff member waiting on the third floor escorted them like a chambermaid escorting a nobleman.? ? It was somewhat crude by Anna¡¯s standards at the Imperial Palace, but it was quite proper manners to see in the dining room of such a small estate.? ? ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was a restaurant like this here.¡±? ? ¡°It looks like this, but it¡¯s been here for over 30 years. It¡¯s quite famous in the northeast.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ I see.¡±? ? Anna looked at Perso carefully.? ? They were just going out for a bit and coming in for a quick meal, but she had a strange feeling that he was escorting her.? ? This was not any kind of meeting, banquet, or invitation.? ? ¡°Do you like deer food?¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯ve tried it a few times. I didn¡¯t enjoy eating it.¡±? ? ¡°Then may I make a recommendation?¡±? ? ¡°Order as much as you like. I¡¯m ready.¡±? ? Perso stared at Anna with a smile.? ? His expression was still unreadable, but his staring gaze was very strong.? ? Anna turned to face him, trying hard not to blush.? ? For a few moments, they stared at each other in silence.? ? She didn¡¯t want to look away at all to see what the misnomer was.? ? How many seconds had passed?? ? Suddenly, Perso lowered his gaze with a smile.? ? At that moment, for some reason, Anna¡¯s efforts not to blush were ruined.? ? She averted her gaze, sighing so quietly at the heat that had swept over her face in an instant.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll order a soft stew of tomatoes and a thigh dish steamed in pine wood. We¡¯ll also order one of the local wines to go with it, as they are very flavorful.¡±? ? A man in an old coat and an old shirt ordered a fine meal naturally and skillfully.? ? Suddenly, Anna realized that he was showing her around with more perfect posture and manners than any nobleman she had ever seen at the Imperial Palace.? ? ¡®Is he really a knight?¡¯? ? A senior knight escorting a local noble.? ? There was a time when those who had the ability worked for local nobles, although they did not operate in the capital for various reasons.? ? However, the status of knights in this country was not that high.? ? No matter how high the rank, it was difficult to go above the rank of baron.? ? Unless he was a member of the imperial family¡¯s Order or a captain of the Kingsguard.? ? It got even weirder when the food was served.? ? The order of using the forks, the manner of eating, nothing was missing.? ? He didn¡¯t talk a lot, but he didn¡¯t keep it completely silent to make the atmosphere uncomfortable.? ? Anna observed Perso curiously and sipped the region¡¯s specialty wine, which had the best acidity.? ? Seeing his perfect manners, she became even more curious about the identity of the knight.? ? It was true that he was a knight who directly escorted Uncle Henrik, so he wasn¡¯t just nobody without manners.? ? Gertium was a family that was more dedicated than any other noble house in training competent knights.? ? It was famous for accepting commoners, fallen nobles, and foreigners without prejudice, not to mention gender, as long as they were competent.? ? Perhaps this man in front of her could also be from a fallen nobleman or a nobleman from another country.? ? There were many countries that used the official language, so there would be no difference in language¡­? ? And really, maybe, for some unavoidable reason, he was working alone in this faraway place, away from his beloved family.? ? It was a real pity.? ? Anna was someone who knew better than anyone the pain of separation due to those ¡°unavoidable¡± reasons.? ? So was that why?? ? Her lips, which had been squeezed shut, asked him a question arbitrarily.? ? ¡°Is your lady here with you?¡±? ? Perso, who had been gracefully cutting the meat, raised his head at her question.? ? ¡®Oh no, I must be drunk.¡¯? ? Anna smiled awkwardly as she realized her question.? ? ¡°I was wondering if she might be far away for some reason.¡±? ? Perso stared at her as if to catch Anna¡¯s meaning and replied blandly.? ? ¡°I¡¯m not married yet. I don¡¯t have a lady either.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, I see.¡±? ? As if she was thirsty, Anna drank another glass of wine.? ? From her seat on the third floor, she could clearly see the red sky of the sunset.? ? She smiled lightly as she watched the sunset turn red.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Why are you smiling?¡±? ? ¡°No, it¡¯s just that the sunset is so beautiful when you see it like this.¡±? ? It was a meaningless smile.? ? It was just a smile that came naturally because she was feeling strangely at peace at this moment.? ? ¡°I see.¡±? ? His reaction was calm.? ? Anna liked this quiet knight more and more.? ? Rather than liking him as a man, she liked the way he protected her side.? ? It had been very noisy around her so far.? ? When she was a chambermaid in the empress¡¯s entourage, many of them would stick to her in their spare time and try to stop her from doing anything.? ? It was the same in the Puglish family.? ? Her husband asked her every day how the imperial palace was doing and where and what kind of land she was going to buy.? ? Her husband¡¯s mother also called on Anna in her spare time for nothing.? ? Her mother in law was busy bragging about how powerful her daughter-in-law was with the empress and how much money she had made from the land she bought.? ? Her husband, who did not love her but wanted to be close to her as much as possible, interfered with her every step.? ? Even interfering with what she wore and what she ate.? ? He used to say how she looked tacky wearing this and that and eating like this would make her fat.? ? ¡®Come to think of it, I lived a really tiring life.¡¯? ? Smiling bitterly, Anna realized that she was drunk.? ? ¡°If you¡¯re not married yet, I hope you will marry with love, knight.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Nobles almost always marry for political reasons. The women, in particular, can¡¯t stay home long, as if it would be a big deal if they missed the right time. In the meantime, they often marry without knowing who the other person is, and when they actually get married, there are many areas where they don¡¯t match and many couples fall out.¡±? ? Perso didn¡¯t say anything, but listened to Anna¡¯s story.? ? Anna sipped her wine and continued.? ? ¡°That¡¯s really no fun. Married life.¡±? ? Anna looked at Perso, who was staring at her, and smiled awkwardly.? ? ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s my story. I was married that way and it was really boring.¡±? ? Her face grew redder and redder, perhaps because of the alcohol, or perhaps because she was ashamed of herself for saying this to a man she didn¡¯t know well.? ? However, her red color was supposed to be well covered by that sunset.? ? It was a day when she let go of strict rules and etiquette.? ? When she came back to the mansion, she would come back to her senses again.? ? So, if it¡¯s just a moment like now, just a little moment.? ? ¡®It¡¯s okay to relieve the tension once ¡­¡­. I¡¯m drunk too.¡¯? ? ¡°Then, Anna¡­.¡±? ? Perso, who had listened to her silently, asked a surprising question.? ? ¡°If you are going to get married again, do you want a love marriage?¡±? ? Anna¡¯s expression became complicated at his question.? ? ¡°When you say get married again, do you mean go back in time or do you mean remarry?¡±? ? ¡°I mean remarry.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, you mean remarry.¡±? ? Anna started to laugh.? ? She poured the last of the wine from the bottle and shrugged.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t know. The person* I wanted to love is no longer in this world.¡± ? ? (*she¡¯s talking about Cain. Roselyn¡¯s brother)? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can love again.¡±? ? Anna, who had mumbled the last words as if whispering, glanced up, as if coming to her senses now.? ? She sat straight up with a frown on her face as she finally realized what she had just said.? ? ¡°I think I¡¯m drunk. I said a lot of useless things¡­Please pretend that you didn¡¯t hear what I just said.¡±? ? She fanned her hands hotly and said with an apologetic look on her face.? ? ¡°I¡¯m going to go down first to sober up, take your time and you can come down later. Strange, it¡¯s a bit hot today.¡±? ? It was clear that she was embarrassed, but the moment she avoided her seat, she was calm enough to keep her manners.? ? With her hands covering her flushed cheeks, she went downstairs a little faster than usual.? ? Perso looked in the direction she¡¯d disappeared and lifted the glass of wine she¡¯d left behind.? ? The lukewarm wine flowing into his mouth was dizzyingly sweet.? ? He sighed low and looked at the seat where Anna was sitting.? ? The redness in her cheeks and lips like the wine, and the wrinkles around her folded eyes, stayed sweetly in his mouth.? ? After a few moments, Perso went downstairs, picked up Anna who was waiting in front of the carriage, and returned to the castle.? ? Somehow, the lights in the castle were all bright and there was a visitor.? ? ¡°Hi!¡±? ? It was Viscount Rotrega, Anna¡¯s father and Henrik¡¯s longtime friend. CH 124 Chapter 124. Black Canyon (1)? ? ¡°Father!¡±? ? Anna rushed over and hugged Viscount Rotrega.? ? He had been running all night, and he was filled with the smell of wind and sweat.? ? He smiled compassionately as he patted his skinny daughter on the shoulder with his thick hand.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t come early enough. You¡¯ve done some very great things here, haven¡¯t you?¡±? ? Viscount Rotrega asked with an admiring look on his face as he held Anna in his arms.? ? Anna smiled gently and responded humbly.? ? ¡°I just did what Rwanda taught me. It would have been dangerous if we didn¡¯t help each other, so of course we had to do it.¡±? ? ¡°No, without Anna¡¯s help at that time, we would certainly have held a funeral now. I¡¯ve been greatly indebted to your daughter.¡±? ? Henrik Alpatio praised Anna and gave Viscount Rotrega a squeeze on the shoulder.? ? Anna replied with an embarrassed smile.? ? ¡°Come on, stop it, let¡¯s get in quick. Father came too hurriedly and didn¡¯t seem to have a proper meal.¡±? ? ¡°I feel a little dizzy. Come on, let¡¯s go in.¡±? ? **? ? ¡°Oh, by the way, Anna. I have a letter that came from you.¡±? ? Having eaten outside, Anna decided to go to her room for a while to organize her luggage and change out her outdoor clothes.? ? She was in a hurry to get to her room, but Rotrega caught her and handed her a letter.? ? ¡°This is the letter you told me about, isn¡¯t it?¡±? ? It was a letter with a rose-patterned seal on it. The same seal was attached to the letter Roselyn sent last time.? ? Anna hugged the letter given by Viscount Rotrega with a brightened expression.? ? Because of the long-awaited letter, she could not manage her expression.? ? With a flushed face she hastily seized the letter and ran upstairs.? ? There were green eyes watching Anna from a distance, but Anna was too excited to notice them.? ? Anna read the letter even before she changed her clothes.? ? She carefully removed the seal and read the beautifully written letter.? ? The flowing writing began with ¡°To the lady of the pink rose forest.¡±? ? [It appears that I will be attending the July Festival.? ? I don¡¯t want to see my ¡®ex-husband¡¯ destroy any more of our ¡®family¡¯. I also owe you a debt that I have to pay back.? ? I hope I can see you then.? ? With love,? ? From a farmer at a carrot farm.]? ? ¡°Oh my God.¡± ? ? A farmer at a carrot farm. Anna burst into tears as she read each letter of her best friend¡¯s cute nickname.? ? ¡®She¡¯s coming.¡¯ Anna was happy to be able to see Roselyn much sooner than she expected. It was somewhat hectic, but she was just grateful that she might be able to see Roselyn safe. ? ? ¡°Thank God, thank God. I¡¯m really glad¡­¡±? ? Anna patted her chest several times, then carefully opened the envelope of the letter. Roselyn didn¡¯t leave any really important information in the letter. She used deep and thick envelopes, especially when writing secret contents. ? ? And this time again¡­.? ? When Anna opened the envelope of the letter, there were small letters written tightly in the deepest part. ? ? [Anna, maybe something big will happen at the July festival. So if you come, come secretly and carefully. I just want to see you safe.? ? Have you met ¡°the man¡± by any chance? If you haven¡¯t, you don¡¯t have to try too hard. Nothing can take precedence over your safety. ? ? If you can¡¯t win him over, don¡¯t be too hurt. It¡¯s difficult enough as it is. We just have to hold him back a little bit when it happens.? ? If we can¡¯t do that, I¡¯m ready and willing to deal with him.? ? I¡¯m ready and able to take anything that comes my way.? ? So let¡¯s just think about seeing each other again, safe and sound.]? ? Anna took a deep breath.? ? This letter was Roselyn herself.? ? Rosie¡¯s words, Rosie¡¯s kindness, Rosie¡¯s resoluteness were still blended into her letter.? ? ¡®Oh, you¡¯re really safe, Rosie.¡¯? ? Anna felt relieved after all this time.? ? She was proud to see Roselyn so much safer and stronger after such a terrible experience.? ? ¡°That¡¯s my Empress.¡±? ? Anna frowned and sobbed, her eyes turning red for no reason.? ? It was reassuring to receive Roselyn¡¯s letter.? ? It made her feel even lighter, as if she had been walking through a hazy fog.? ? ¡®July Festival.¡¯? ? She had to leave now to arrive before it started.? ? Anna was getting more and more nervous.? ? ***? ? When Anna returned after changing her clothes and finally drying her reddened eyes, Viscount Rotrega had already finished his meal.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I came down too late.¡±? ? After a few moments of looking into Anna¡¯s apologetic eyes, Viscount Rotrega hugged his daughter tightly again.? ? ¡°What are you sorry for? It¡¯s all right, it can take a while for a woman to change her clothes. I was hungry too, so I ate in a hurry, hahaha!¡±? ? ¡°¡­father.¡±? ? ¡°By the way, I rode the horse for a long time, so I¡¯m tired. How about we rest today and talk again tomorrow?¡±? ? Laughing softly, Viscount Rotrega patted Anna on the head.? ? Anna was married and took the position of the Empress¡¯s maid of honor, but somehow the attitude of Viscount towards Anna seemed to have returned to her childhood.? ? Her father, who was always out and about due to his extroverted nature, always held Anna in his arms when he came home.? ? Anna felt a strange surge of emotion at that moment.? ? ¡°Good night. I¡¯ll go up first.¡±? ? The Viscount went up to the room where he was guided.? ? Anna turned and watched her father ascend the stairs.? ? At that moment, Henrik was coming out of the dining room.? ? ¡°Uncle Henrik¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Hi.¡±? ? They both called out to each other at the same time.? ? Henrik, smiling obliquely, spoke first.? ? ¡°Let¡¯s talk for a minute. I think it¡¯s time for me to do what you asked.¡±? ? ***? ? Henrik walked up to the office with Anna.? ? Anna sat in the seat she had taken before, and Henrik took a seat on the couch across from her instead of the top seat he had at the time.? ? ¡°Would you like some tea?¡±? ? ¡°No, thank you.¡± ? ? ¡°All right. Okay. It¡¯s time he comes¡­¡­..¡±? ? As soon as he finished speaking, the door to the office opened with a light tap on the door.? ? It was Perso.? ? ¡®Why is that person?¡¯? ? Henrik walked around with Perso when they were outside, but Perso did not wait or escort him inside the office.? ? Moreover, now it was time for Anna and Henrik to talk privately.? ? Anna stared at Perso with surprised eyes.? ? Perso gave Anna a slight nod and a brief greeting, then sat down in the upper chair as he walked by her.? ? His demeanor was so natural that it almost felt arrogant.? ? It wasn¡¯t an arrogance that made the other person uncomfortable, but the very kind of arrogance that was natural to someone who had been raised to be a noble from birth.? ? From that moment on, an uneasy ripple spread in a corner of Anna¡¯s heart.? ? And as if to confirm that uneasy feeling, Henrik called Anna with a sorry smile.? ? ¡°I couldn¡¯t have said anything before. I didn¡¯t mean to deceive you, but I want you to understand that there were circumstances.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ What do you mean?¡±? ? Anna clenched her fists nervously and looked at Henrik with shaky eyes.? ? Henrik¡¯s gaze turned from Anna to Perso.? ? ¡°This is Duke Perso Gertium.¡±? ? The surprised Anna held her breath.? ? ***? ? Tamon, Asha, and the knights, passing Orkins, entered Tanatos through Nylux quickly.? ? The forced march was repeated as they rode all day on horseback, then slept in their sleeping bags on the hard floor, and then rode again.? ? Even so, they were fine when it was warm, but from the moment they entered Tanatos, the harsh cold wind was too much for them to bear with just a sleeping bag.? ? ¡°From today on, we must build a barracks, even if it is simply for sleeping.¡±? ? ¡°It seems we must slow down our march a bit. If we don¡¯t, we¡¯ll collapse before we arrive.¡±? ? ¡°There are children here. Please, let¡¯s take a break, General. Hmm?¡±? ? Asha also agreed with the words of the Platanus knights who looked like they were dying.? ? She had been silently running after them so far, but she was also reaching her limit.? ? And it wasn¡¯t just the knights and Asha who were tired.? ? The children in the fast-moving carriage and Asrell also suffered to the point of throwing up once or twice a day. Their physical strength had already reached the bottom.? ? ¡°¡­This is no good. We¡¯ll have to adjust our speed.¡±? ? There was a huge difference physically and psychologically between running a forced march in a warm place and running in extremely cold weather.? ? At least since they had entered Tanatos, they certainly had to march in good physical condition.? ? Tamon saw Asha nod and reached out a hand to point to the plains.? ? ¡°That¡¯s where we¡¯ll rest for the day, since it¡¯s out of the wind. The sooner we can get the tents up, the sooner we can rest even for half an hour.¡±? ? ¡°Yay!¡±? ? ¡°Let¡¯s build the barracks before it gets dark, guys!¡±? ? The knights¡¯ hands and feet became faster in order to rest as quickly as possible.? ? As expected, they were so skilled that the twenty or so knights rushed in and built five barracks.? ? Asha went inside the barracks that was assigned to Tamon and herself.? ? It was just a sleeping bag with some fluffy wool bedding on top, but she was so tired that her body sank.? ? There was a small brazier in the hut, but it didn¡¯t convey any great heat, but just looking at it made her feel relaxed.? ? Asha rubbed her stiff legs and feet as she sat on the thick, woolen blanket, waiting for Tamon.? ? Wooooooooo!? ? The beast¡¯s cry rang out for a long time, as if it was watching them from somewhere.? ? ¡®Yes, the white wolves have been inhabiting the area.¡¯? ? Asha scanned the location, recalling the map of Tanatos.? ? The topography of Tanatos came to her mind vividly.? ? Only a day¡¯s walk from here and they¡¯ll reach the Black Canyon.? ? After passing through the Black Canyon and following a narrow mountain road for about five days, they will reach the Kralturian? ? Mountains.? ? The Kralturian Mountains were said to be guarded by the spirits of snow and ice.? ? Below that, Bern, the city of snow, ice, and gold.? ? It was the capital of Tanatos.? ? It was the place where Roselyn was born and raised.? ? ¡°Lady Asha, Asrel said it¡¯s almost dinner time.¡±? ? Arsene walked in quietly to tell Asha about dinner, but quickly fell silent.? ? Asha, who had never shown her tiredness throughout the run, fell asleep as if she were collapsing on her bed.? ? Arsene quickly covered his mouth with his hand and quietly stepped out of her barracks.? ? Around that time, Tamon was entering the forest beyond the campsite alone without having dinner.? ? CH 125 Chapter 125. Black Canyon (2)? ? ¡®The smell of animals is everywhere.¡¯? ? Tamon looked around the area with serious eyes.? ? Even if it was a forest, Amor¡¯s forest and Tanatos¡¯ forest were very different.? ? The trees, the terrain, the wind, the humidity, the smells, and the insects and worms that filled the forest invisibly.? ? Nothing was the same.? ? The more places where there was nothing to eat, the more violent it would become. Be it humans, beasts, or insects.? ? Even before the Knights¡¯ pleas, Tamon was already trying to settle down early for the day.? ? If he had marched a little further, they would have had to make camp somewhere in this wild forest.? ? He thought of Tanatos¡¯ map.? ? He had to cross this forest for two days starting tomorrow.? ? In the meantime, there was the infamous Black Canyon, the ¡°Monster¡¯s Habitat¡±.? ? This huge forest was an area that even people of Tanatos avoided.? ? It was true that it was the fastest way to the capital, but no matter how urgent it was, crossing this forest was dangerous enough to give up one¡¯s life.? ? ¡°If we use monster¡¯s bone powder, most beasts will avoid us. The place to be most careful about is the Black Canyon, which is quite calm when the sun rises.¡­. Although it is said to be dangerous, the imperial palace sent subjugation about once a year. I remember the points we should avoid, so we¡¯ll just avoid them.¡± (Asha)? ? Asha, who was adorable and smart.? ? That was the reply Asha gave when the word came out that they had to cross this forest.? ? She knew it was dangerous to some extent, but she trusted Tamon and his knights and had decided to use this path that she knew enough from her knowledge.? ? So, he had to live up to Asha¡¯s expectations.? ? Tamon breathed deeply as if pressing down his boiling blood.? ? It was time to hunt.? ? * * *? ? ¡°No, I¡¯ll take this one alone¡­¡­.!¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s a monster!¡±? ? ¡°Oh, it¡¯s tomorrow morning. ¡­.¡±? ? Loud voices woke her from her sleep.? ? ¡±When did I fall asleep?¡±? ? Asha opened her eyes sluggishly and looked around with bewildered eyes.? ? The sparks in the small brazier looked like they were about to go out, and the cold stew in a small bowl was placed next to it.? ? She collected her thoughts about this and that as she stared blankly at the sparks in the brazier, but she didn¡¯t remember anything after that.? ? She couldn¡¯t wait to eat and seemed to have fallen asleep.? ? ¡°Snake!¡±? ? At that moment, an unfamiliar word pierced her ears as it was suddenly popping out.? ? The noisy sound seemed to be coming from outside the barracks.? ? ¡®¡­¡­ Why? There are snakes nearby?¡¯? ? Speaking of snakes, there was one person who naturally came to her mind.? ? Asha finally realized that there was someone who should be in the barracks but wasn¡¯t.? ? ¡®Where did Tamon go?¡¯? ? It wasn¡¯t a very big barracks, but she couldn¡¯t feel his warmth.? ? Just the fact that his presence was not felt made the space feel colder.? ? It was as if she was too used to his huge presence.? ? She got up, and just before she stepped out of the bed, she heard the sound of footsteps.? ? She knew who these footsteps belonged to, as they stepped forcefully on the earthen floor.? ? Then, as if her prediction had come true, Tamon walked into the barracks, smelling of fresh blood.? ? Asha, who was watching the door, and Tamon, who had walked in, had their gazes tangled.? ? ¡°You weren¡¯t asleep yet?¡±? ? ¡°I woke up¡­.¡±? ? ¡°You must wake up because of all the noise outside. Jorge makes a big fuss¡­¡­.¡±? ? Tamon laughed tiredly and ruffled his hair.? ? As he approached, she could smell a variety of smells besides blood.? ? She could feel the dampness from his hair, which was wet as if he had just washed it, the smell of soil from his dusty clothes, and the smell of wind.? ? Observing him, Asha found small abrasions on Tamon¡¯s knuckles and cheeks.? ? ¡°Have you been out there fighting some kind of battle alone?¡±? ? ¡°Fighting? No, I hunt.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Hunting?¡±? ? She asked curiously, to which Tamon replied casually, fumbling with the dying embers of the brazier.? ? ¡°There were some animals wandering around nearby. I figured they would sneak in at dawn if I left them there, so I went and took care of them.l¡±? ? Asha looked at Tamon with more than a little surprise in her eyes.? ? She couldn¡¯t believe he had the strength to go out hunting by himself after that forced march¡­? ? Anyway, in another way, a monster was a monster.? ? ¡°You don¡¯t need to look at me with such startled eyes. Originally, when you settle down near the wild, you have to go hunting at least once. And while we¡¯re at it, we have some meat.¡±? ? Tamon took off his dirty, filthy clothes as if to throw them off and lay down on the fluffy wool bed.? ? He lay down with his head on his crossed hands and closed his eyes tiredly.? ? Asha was inwardly worried about him not eating, but she didn¡¯t say anything.? ? ¡°¡­.. Don¡¯t look at me like that, just go to sleep. Tomorrow we have to pass the Black Canyon, so we¡¯ll have a more tense day ahead.¡±? ? Looking at Tamon¡¯s eyelids, which were closed tightly as he slept, Asha sensed something different from the usual atmosphere.? ? It was the same as usual, but somehow not oddly similar.? ? ¡®Yeah, what is it ¡­¡­?¡¯? ? She was proud of being a witty person, but that was just the political side of things.? ? She hadn¡¯t yet gained that much experience and background in reading the man¡¯s mind, or the atmosphere between a man and a woman.? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? With a bad feeling, Asha looked at the sleeping Tamon.? ? But she was also exhausted, and the observation time didn¡¯t last long.? ? ¡®Once I get a clear head tomorrow, I¡¯ll be able to figure it out¡­¡­.¡¯? ? She will think about it then.? ? She was huddled like a baby beside Tamon and fell asleep.? ? When Asha¡¯s breathing became better, Tamon opened his eyes.? ? He turned his body and watched Asha for a moment as she let out a calm breath.? ? Unlike Asha, who quickly fell asleep, his gaze continued for quite a long time until dawn deepened.? ? £ª £ª £ª? ? ¡°¡­..a wild boar?¡±? ? ¡°Not only that, Asha! He also caught a snake bigger than Asha¡¯s height, and a deer! And there was a snake, and a wolf!¡±? ? The next morning, Roselyn finally understood why Jorge had made such a fuss about Tamon¡¯s hunt earlier yesterday.? ? It seemed that Tamon, alone in the forest, had caught two wild boars, a deer, a huge snake, and even a wolf.? ? ¡°Is it possible for a human to catch all these beasts by himself?¡±? ? ¡°No! Impossible, just one! Not if you¡¯re a normal human!¡±? ? ¡°¡­.a normal human.¡±? ? Arsene, Hannah and Asrell made an exaggerated noise while taking care of Asha¡¯s breakfast.? ? There was a lot of meat in the stew for the first time in a long time, perhaps from the ¡®wild boar¡¯ Tamon had caught yesterday.? ? ¡°With this much, there should be enough food to last until we get to the capital.¡±? ? Asrell murmured with satisfaction.? ? The itinerary was strenuous, and the knights were always short of food, as they were basically very well-fed.? ? In the meantime, the other knights had made several attempts to hunt, but only a few rabbits could be caught.? ? Tamon, however, turned them over in a single day.? ? As Arsene said, he was not a ¡°normal human being¡± anyway.? ? Different abilities or not.? ? Asha finished her meal early and looked at Tamon, who was looking at a topographical map with Jorge.? ? Normally he would have found her as soon as she turned to look at him, but lately it had become difficult to make eye contact.? ? ¡®He¡¯s been like that ever since he left Orkins¡­..¡¯? ? With a calmer mind, Asha traced her thoughts back to just before she fell asleep last night, and she recognized something that had changed in Tamon.? ? Distance.? ? She felt a sense of distance from Tamon.? ? It was hard to shake the feeling that he was somehow wary of her.? ? Asha¡¯s narrowed eyes kept watching Tamon as he fidgeted.? ? Suddenly, he distanced himself from her?? ? She didn¡¯t know why, but it made her feel very angry.? ? But there was no time for her to clear up her finding, and the group was busy preparing to leave again.? ? Their next destination was the Black Canyon.? ? A place that required extreme caution, and she couldn¡¯t relax for a moment.? ? Asha buried her trivial feelings deep inside and hurried to prepare for departure.? ? * * *? ? The Black Canyon.? ? It was a dangerous area with thick, black fog hanging over it all day long.? ? The location of the canyon was not large, but once they set foot in that place, few people ever made it out alive.? ? That black fog was no ordinary fog, but people wouldn¡¯t know it at first, but the more they inhaled, the more their sense of pain would become numb.? ? There was almost no pain, but the longer they inhaled, the more their whole body became numb, which was never a good thing.? ? ¡°You have to watch out for these hollows and the roads in the middle. That¡¯s where they say the monsters come out of nowhere.¡±? ? ¡°Monsters?¡±? ? ¡°Well, not exactly the monsters that come out of the gap. It¡¯s a kind of beast, a monstrous beast that only lives in the canyon. And some of them look like monsters. ¡­.¡±? ? These were the strange animals that were caught at a time when the defeats took place.? ? ¡°They were bears with horns on their heads, wolves with tails that split in two, and snakes with legs.¡±? ? At her words, Tamon stared strangely at the entrance to the black canyon in the distance.? ? They were going to avoid that entrance, but the black fog that came out of there spread vaguely to the surrounding forest.? ? Maybe that was why the smell of the beasts was lighter in the forest near the canyon than in other places.? ? ¡°By the way¡­..how in the world did those strange beasts survive in there?¡±? ? ¡°It seems that sometimes injured animals use the canyon fog to forget their pain. Even though they are beasts, they are clever. Animals that were hunted by humans gather in the most inhospitable places, and this forest seems to be a constant stream of such animals.¡±? ? ¡°Anyway, animals are better than monstrous monsters. We should go around the forest rather than go near the canyon.¡±? ? ¡°I think so too.¡±? ? ¡°Let¡¯s hurry then.¡±? ? The horses¡¯ running speed quickened at Tamon¡¯s urging.? ? However, no matter how much he urged them, the speed at which they ran through the forest without a path was restrictive.? ? In the end, they could not reach halfway to where they wanted to be and had to watch the incoming sun.? ? ¡°I think we should look for an encampment before it gets much darker.¡±? ? Jorge voiced his opinion cautiously.? ? Jorge was right to set up a barracks before the sun was completely set and patrol the surrounding area.? ? The group found a vacant lot that they could use and made their beds.? ? As expected, it was made in less than half an hour by the skilled hands of the knights.? ? ¡°While the meal is being prepared, the Knights and I will go and patrol the surroundings.¡±? ? It was just a patrol, and they were quite far from the vicinity of the Black Canyon, so they went on their way without any worries.? ? But when they returned an hour later, Asha could only be surprised by the sight of a small beast that was in Tamon¡¯s arms. CH 126 Chapter 126. A Twisted Doubt? ? The capital of Tanatos.? ? Bern.? ? ¡°The flowers that will decorate the main hall will naturally be white mayplas, symbolizing Tanatos. And the flower garden in front of the castle gate will be turned over and made anew. I just can¡¯t do it. Every time I see purple, it makes me upset. Let¡¯s make it red again.¡±? ? At Natasha¡¯s words, the face of Cecil, the new head maid, turned white.? ? She had already followed Natasha¡¯s orders and overturned the entire flower garden in the castle.? ? Natasha told her to go and find purple flowers that were not even in season, but when she tried to decorate them, Natasha said that purple was bad luck and ordered her to make a new garden with red flowers.? ? But in doing so, not only do we not have enough time, it would also far exceed the proposed budget¡­..¡±? ? ¡°Cecil.¡±? ? Natasha called Cecil in a gentle, kind voice.? ? She gently patted Cecil¡¯s startled face.? ? ¡°I know you can. Can¡¯t you?¡±? ? The look in her eyes as she spoke softly, holding her large, swollen belly, was as compassionate as the honored saint in church.? ? But to Cecil, the hand that grazed her cheek felt as cold as a corpse.? ? Natasha stared at Cecil, who was too troubled to speak recklessly, and urged her to answer.? ? ¡°Cecil, you have to answer.¡±? ? The lowered voice was as cold as the wind in the Kralturian Mountains.? ? Cecil cringed and lowered her eyes.? ? Of course, Cecil had no choice but to obey Natasha.? ? How were the maids who did not obey her be treated?? ? Cecil was afraid of Natasha.? ? ¡°Yes, Lady Natasha.¡±? ? It was then that Natasha¡¯s face smiled brightly like a usual spring flower.? ? ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going to go take a break. My body is too heavy to do much work in a day.¡±? ? Natasha¡¯s known due date was still two months away, but her high, distended belly was no different from a soon-to-be mother.? ? Natasha walked cautiously, breathing slowly.? ? ¡®It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s still worth it.¡¯? ? She gritted her teeth and reprimanded herself once more for her past, her mistakes.? ? It was a month and a half of not having relations with the Emperor, ? ? and a baby came into the world that month.? ? And that month-plus time was also the time that Roxon* and her sleeping together.? ? (*I think Roxon is the emperor¡¯s cousin if I¡¯m not mistaken.)? ? ¡®¡­.belatedly I discovered that Roxon left a strange mark.¡¯? ? Natasha let out a deep sigh.? ? At first Natasha didn¡¯t know that he was going to leave a mark under her buttocks without her even knowing it.? ? The emperor was a man who was used to receiving caresses rather than giving them.? ? No matter how much he played promiscuously with Natasha, he would never put his face between Natasha¡¯s legs.? ? So if he had found someone else¡¯s trace between her legs, it must have been evidence of foul play.? ? Roxon left more marks secretly many times after that, so it took more than a month for the marks to disappear.? ? It was a month and a half if she included the time the emperor was sick.? ? She didn¡¯t think she would be pregnant so suddenly at that time, during so many periods.? ? She was so confused that her stomach filled up faster than expected.? ? Being pregnant for the third time, even if her belly had filled up a little earlier, it was too early to feel the movement.? ? She denied and tried her best to endure it, but her anxiety piled up like a mountain.? ? Unable to bear it, Natasha secretly found a midwife, who had received hundreds of children.? ? Natasha dressed like a servant and sneaked out of the castle.? ? ¡®Because it might not be true. I¡¯m just checking, just to be sure. ¡­Just to be sure.¡¯? ? The midwife had a reputation for astonishingly guessing the due date of birth.? ? That was exactly what Natasha needed.? ? She needed to know when the baby would be born and how much time she had left to prepare for it.? ? Whatever the emperor heard from the imperial doctor, he wasn¡¯t pleased.? ? ¡°That¡¯s strange. It¡¯s not the time yet, so why¡­¡­¡±? ? ¡®D*mn it, I don¡¯t care what you think!¡¯? ? Natasha circled the alley nervously.? ? This alley was one that Natasha knew well enough to walk around even with her eyes closed.? ? She carefully made her way to the appointed place, turning several times along the streets that an ordinary person would never be able to follow.? ? When she opened the old wooden door and entered, her heart pounded like it was going to burst.? ? ¡°Welcome. I thought you wouldn¡¯t come because you haven¡¯t been here so long.¡±? ? An old woman greeted Natasha with a hood up over her head.? ? ¡°You must be in a hurry. Come here and lie down.¡±? ? Perhaps reading Natasha¡¯s impatience, the old woman quickly laid her down on the old bed.? ? Without taking off her hood, Natasha lay down on the bed and unbuttoned her clothes.? ? The old woman touched Natasha¡¯s swollen stomach as it appeared, towering like a mountain.? ? Strangely enough, the quiet child flapped his feet in response to the old woman¡¯s hand.? ? ¡°Hmmm ¡­¡­ looking at the size of your belly, the baby will probably be out the first week of July. Seeing the baby kicking his feet, hopefully it will come out days earlier¡­. It looks like the mother ate well or the baby is pretty big.¡±? ? July is too early, but it can come out even earlier than that¡­¡­.? ? The blood drained from Natasha¡¯s face.? ? ¡®No, no. It¡¯s too fast.¡¯? ? What¡¯s more, if the child was bigger, she couldn¡¯t just play it off as a premature birth.? ? ¡®What should I do?¡¯? ? The birth mother glanced at Natasha¡¯s face hidden under the shadows and spoke.? ? ¡°It looks like your baby shouldn¡¯t be born too soon.¡±? ? Startled, Natasha did not say anything but glared at the old woman.? ? As if it was insignificant, the old woman mumbled in a monotonous voice as she patted Natasha¡¯s belly.? ? ¡°I have seen so many cases. The high nobles who have to hide their illegitimate children, a mother with foreign children, even a young noblewoman who became pregnant with a child she could not raise¡­¡­¡±? ? ¡®What is this woman saying?¡¯? ? Natasha narrowed her eyes and glanced at the birth mother with a skeptical look on her face.? ? The old woman, who had been chuckling, said in a sluggish voice.? ? ¡°Most of the time two methods are used.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Two methods?¡±? ? ¡°Would you like to know?¡±? ? Unable to resist her curiosity, Natasha eventually pressed the birth mother.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t delay, tell me quickly.¡±? ? The woman smiled, pressed her wrinkled lips as she looked at Natasha, who hurried her on.? ? Nearly a minute passed.? ? This was just before Natasha, who couldn¡¯t stand the anger, was about to jump out of her seat. ? ? ¡°First, give birth to the child and pretend to be pregnant throughout the remainder of the time.¡±? ? Natasha held her breath and stared at the birth mother.? ? The old woman laughed as if nothing and continued with her next words.? ? ¡°Secondly, secretly switch the child you gave birth to.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­!¡±? ? Startled, Natasha¡¯s eyes widened.? ? The birth mother¡¯s words bored into her ears like thorns.? ? ¡°Oh, it is often the case that a child is born and then abandoned. They will say it died.¡±? ? The old woman spoke brutally with a benevolent face.? ? Natasha frowned at the last words.? ? She had never touched a child, though she chose any means and methods to achieve her ends.? ? This was because Natasha lacked many emotions, but the only one that was still in her was maternal love.? ? But sacrificing another child to protect her own child¡­.? ? Natasha, bit her lips, glanced at the birth mother with a pale face.? ? The old woman was acting leisurely, as if she already knew Natasha¡¯s mind.? ? ¡°I need a child. And I don¡¯t want this child to die.¡±? ? ¡°Then¡­¡­. It seems the first method is the most appropriate for you.¡±? ? Her chest throbbed.? ? ¡®First I have the child, then pretend to be pregnant all the time¡­¡­.¡¯? ? How can she do that without being discovered?? ? The Emperor looked for her every day.? ? Sometimes he even put his hand on her belly to feel the fetal movement, as if her belly was strange.? ? ¡®But he might only think it¡¯s strange if the child was born too soon. He might not feel bad¡­¡¯? ? The other day, after a meeting about the July Festival, Natasha had a brief discussion with the Prime Minister.? ? It was just a mundane discussion about the proposed budget and the date and time, but Gillotti kept looking at her.? ? Looking back, Natasha shrank as she met his gaze.? ? It wasn¡¯t just a look. His gaze was sharp and closely observing as if something was wrong.? ? ¡°You seemed very friendly to the Prime Minister. Did you two get close while I was sick?¡±? ? ¡°It couldn¡¯t have been, Your Majesty. I was just curious about the budget proposal and asked to be clear.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Is that right?¡±? ? For the first time, Natasha forced herself to smile at Gillotti.? ? She tried hard not to notice that her palms were soaking wet.? ? Natasha took a slow deep breath, keeping her eyes downcast.? ? Then she pulled her hood up even deeper and said to the birth mother in a low voice.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll call you if I need you, so wait.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ any time.¡±? ? The old woman bowed her head more deeply to see her off.? ? Natasha fumbled out of the dark alley, to see if anyone was watching.? ? ****? ? ¡°Outing¡­¡­?¡±? ? ¡°Yes. She went out so secretly without an escort.¡±? ? Gillotti frowned at the words of the black masked man.? ? He sank deeper into the large chair and pressed his forehead tightly.? ? ¡®Is it true what he says?¡¯? ? The other day, he met Prophet Hartz walking in the East Back Garden.? ? ¡°Your Majesty has made my life very easy. Thank you very much.¡±? ? His arrogance and leisure attitude made Gillotti angry.? ? However, Gillotti had his own thoughts, so he held back for that moment.? ? If Marquis Helio couldn¡¯t retrieve the holy relic, he was going to make the Marquis and the prophet pay at the same time.? ? Of course, it would have been nice to have the holy relic, but it wasn¡¯t a loss for Gillotti if he didn¡¯t have it.? ? ¡°The grace Your Majesty has given me is so great, I feel like I should pay something back.¡±? ? ¡°Are you going to make another stupid prophecy.¡±? ? ¡°I just saw a few fragments of the future. It¡¯s for this imperial celebration that¡¯s coming up soon.¡±? ? When Gillotti heard the words ¡°imperial celebration,¡± at first he thought of the upcoming July Festival.? ? But when Hartz said the following words with a meaningful laugh, Gillotti realized that he was referring to the birth of his child.? ? ¡°She¡¯s hiding a huge secret in the mist. I don¡¯t think Your Majesty should trust her too much.¡±? ? ¡°She?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. The only person you trust the most¡­¡­. It¡¯s that person.¡±? ? Natasha¡­.!? ? Gillotti¡¯s heart sank. CH 127 Chapter 127. You Have To Save It? ? ¡°No.¡±? ? It can¡¯t be.? ? Natasha would never keep a secret from him.? ? Gillotti thought nervously, biting his fingernails.? ? Natasha denied it, but he kept an eye on her in the name of precaution.? ? Looking closely as if to observe her, there were indeed doubts.? ? ¡®The atmosphere in which she spoke with the Prime Minister was not normal.¡¯? ? Smiling with a wink was a face she would only show in front of a person she liked.? ? The casual eye contact and the greedy look in the Prime Minister¡¯s eyes as he gazed at Natasha were all suspicious.? ? ¡®No, it can¡¯t be. How could Natasha betray me, the emperor?¡¯? ? But that wasn¡¯t all that was suspicious.? ? Natasha sometimes used her growing belly as an excuse to sleep separately, and she sometimes roamed the castle.? ? More than one or two people claimed to have seen her walking quietly down an empty hallway while everyone else slept.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ d*mn it. My head hurts.¡±? ? Gillotti scratched his head in frustration.? ? It wasn¡¯t Natasha whom he needed to care about now.? ? Even though more important and harder tasks awaited, his nerves were focused on Natasha.? ? ¡®¡­¡­ d*mn it!¡¯? ? Gillotti threw things around him as he stood up.? ? Beautiful vases, feather stands, books and teacups alike fell to the floor.? ? He staggered and leaned against the desk as he stood amidst the broken and cracked objects.? ? ¡°Your Majesty.¡±? ? Johan, the chief chamberlain, startled by a loud noise coming from his office, rushed inside.? ? ¡°There¡¯s nothing to make a fuss about. I don¡¯t want to see it, so get them away.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±? ? Johan ordered his attendants to quickly finish off the messy office.? ? Meanwhile, Gillotti, who had swallowed a glass of red wine in one gulp, asked Johan sharply.? ? ¡°What happened to the chase?¡±? ? Johan¡¯s face immediately turned pale.? ? He answered firmly, trying not to be intimidated.? ? ¡°We are still following the trail. It is not easy to find them because they move so stealthily. But they are children already accustomed to the Tanatos¡¯ climate, so they would not have been able to escape the empire.¡±? ? ¡°What are you waiting for! We must find them before the July festival begins!¡±? ? Johan bowed deeply at the emperor¡¯s fierce shout and replied, ? ? ¡°I will keep it in mind.¡±? ? With a sigh, Johan slipped out of the emperor¡¯s office and returned to his office with busy steps.? ? ¡°Ha ¡­¡­¡±? ? As soon as he walked into his office, the sigh he had been holding back leaked out.? ? How could he look for those things that had long since disappeared without anyone noticing?? ? Initially, the management of the beasts has been done by the Empress.? ? Until now, the emperor had roughly or carelessly handled most of the important tasks, and it was the job of the Empress to review and adjust them.? ? It was not originally the Empress¡¯s job, but the Emperor handled it so immaturely that it was all transferred to the Empress at some point.? ? So Gillotti had no choice but to stray from Tanatos¡¯ work on big and small matters.? ? It was the same with La Gorreci.? ? The emperor killed the Empress and had already forgotten about her for months, but now they had to prepare the skins and horns of the silver deer for the July Festival.? ? ¡®It¡¯s driving me crazy¡­¡­Originally we had to communicate closely with each other every 15 days.¡¯? ? The July Festival was one of the most important festivals in Tanatos.? ? It was a great ¡®festival of power¡¯ that showed the majesty of Tanatos to the surrounding countries, not to mention the ritual worship of the winter power that made Tanatos strong.? ? All nations visited Tanatos and presented rare and precious treasures.? ? Tanatos promised peace to the neighboring nations that offered their precious gifts, and to the most sincere of them, the emperor would give a silver deer¡¯s horn, a symbol of exchange, in return.? ? The problem was that now Tanatos did not have enough ¡°silver horns¡± to use for the festival.? ? What was piled up in the imperial treasury was literally the finest horn used in Tanatos.? ? They could never give that to the guests, so they had to catch the silver deer¡­.? ? ¡­¡­ but they vanished without a trace.? ? Johan sat huddled deep in his chair, his hand on his forehead.? ? Not a single thing has gone well in this country since the death of the Empress.? ? His gaze reached the emperor¡¯s imperial edict on the desk.? ? The name of the Duke of Gertium was written above the emperor¡¯s clear seal.? ? Johan¡¯s expression grew more serious.? ? No one in the world was unaware of the fact that the emperor loved Natasha Roanti so much that he shunned the empress.? ? Of course it was ridiculous, but no one would be surprised if the emperor gave Natasha the Empress¡¯s position.? ? Moreover, Natasha was probably holding the emperor¡¯s child.? ? Although her origin was low, it was not at all unlikely that she was holding the emperor¡¯s only descendant.? ? However, the emperor had said in his imperial letter that he would not put Natasha but ¡°Gertium¡± in the empress¡¯s place.? ? The current Duke Gertium¡¯s youngest sister, who had not yet reached adulthood.? ? Perhaps the emperor wanted to restore Gertium¡¯s allegiance, which looks a little different than it did before.? ? It was not that he didn¡¯t know the intention of the emperor at all, but it was too dangerous.? ? Johan rubbed his forehead and sighed deeply.? ? Unfortunately, the current emperor did not seem to know how dangerous and poisonous Natasha Roanti was.? ? She was a woman who had come up from the lowest to the highest position, using her beautiful, innocent smile as a weapon.? ? The woman was ignorant of the greater good. Nor did she particularly care about justice.? ? All that mattered to her was her safety, her prestige, and the wealth of the children she bore.? ? Probably not including Gillotti Tanatos.? ? ¡°¡­¡­What in the world is going to happen to this country?¡±? ? Johan gripped his prickling stomach and let out only a heavy sigh.? ? If he had known this was going to happen, he wouldn¡¯t have become a chamberlain, no matter how much money they offered him¡­.? ? ¡®I should have listened to my wife.¡¯? ? When the previous Empress died, his wife asked him to leave the imperial household.? ? Her voice caught his ear as she pleaded, ¡°Please, get out of there. There should only be blades in the imperial household that no longer have shields.¡±? ? ¡°Is this why you have to listen to your wife well?¡± ? ? Johan picked up his pen once more with a sigh.? ? Even if he quit tomorrow, he had to do what he had to do today.? ? First, he had to find the missing La Gorreci as soon as possible.? ? * * * *? ? At first Asha could not believe her eyes.? ? For she could not understand at all how a beast that should not be here was held in Tamon¡¯s arms.? ? ¡°I am not certain since this is the first time I have seen it in living form, but it must be a young silver horned deer, right?¡±? ? Tamon immediately asked Asha.? ? Asha was the only one among them who knew the most about silver horned deer.? ? Freezing in surprise, she ran to him at once and looked at the little deer on his chest.? ? ¡°Where on earth did you find it? This is not the deer¡¯s habitat¡­¡­..¡±? ? ¡°I found him lying in a small patch of grass at the entrance to the canyon, hiding himself. He¡¯s short of breath.¡±? ? It was a mysterious beast with snow-white fur and shimmering silver horns.? ? The full-grown adult was as huge as a bear, its horns as sharp and hard as the blade of a well-forged sword, and its white leather skin tough enough to withstand the venom of the monsters.? ? But these were only the characteristics of the adult.? ? The young silver deer were a little tougher than ordinary beasts and did not boast as great a stature as the adults.? ? For this reason, the silver deer herd gave top priority to the protection of the young deer.? ? ¡°First, treat this baby first; if it goes on like this, it will die.¡±? ? Tamon immediately took the deer into his tent.? ? The knights, who had followed Tamon a bit behind, looked like they wanted to know what was going on.? ? Leaving the rustling knights behind, Asha hurried into the tent where Tamon had disappeared.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can save it.¡±? ? Asha¡¯s face turned pale and twisted at Tamon¡¯s words as she watched the deer.? ? ¡°You must save it. You have to. Please¡­.¡±? ? The fact that a young silver deer was found meant that there was most likely a herd of silver deer nearby.? ? And so, their young must be there with them.? ? ¡°We will only listen to the empress.¡±? ? ¡°So, Empress, please take good care of us. Please feel sorry for the deer. Protect us so that the ruthless emperor cannot slaughter us.¡±? ? These were the words of the children of the white deer called La Gorreci.? ? They were the survivors of the children who were sacrificed to the greed of the empire.? ? The voices of the Mirah and Lucentia siblings came alive in Asha¡¯s ears.? ? Rough fingertips lifted Asha¡¯s chin.? ? Sharp eyes licked Asha¡¯s face, twisted with remorse.? ? A rough thumb gently swept her tightly closed lips.? ? ¡°Why is your face so desperate, Asha?¡± (Tamon)? ? Unable to answer, she looked down at the gasping young beast with bitter eyes.? ? ¡°When you look like this, I want to just give you my life¡­¡­..¡± (Tamon)? ? The words were said so lightly that they didn¡¯t fit the situation, but Asha was already well aware of how heavy and cruel his intentions were.? ? So Asha grabbed Tamon¡¯s hand when he took out his dagger.? ? ¡°Why?¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯ll do it.¡± (Asha)? ? ¡°You, yourself?¡± (Tamon)? ? Surprised, Tamon handed over the dagger he was holding.? ? Tamon was a man who did not know how to take care of himself.? ? He was bound to inflict more wounds than necessary and shed more blood, so Asha took the dagger herself and scratched his fingertip.? ? Tamon couldn¡¯t help but giggle at the ticklish small wound.? ? ¡°So small?¡±? ? Even though Asha drew it with force, there was only a small cut on Tamon¡¯s fingertip.? ? Blood began to trickle from the wound.? ? Asha quickly shoved Tamon¡¯s finger into the deer¡¯s mouth despite Tamon¡¯s taunts. CH 128 Chapter 128. The Secret Of The Silver Horned Deer? ? ¡°Jorge, we¡¯re all ready. Hurry.¡±? ? At the knight¡¯s words, Jorge hastily pulled hard on his gloves.? ? ¡°You guys are so fast. Yes. Let¡¯s get going.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, sir!¡±? ? Hurrying through the Knights, Jorge glanced at the barracks of Tamon and Aranrosia.? ? ¡®How can they save the beast without a doctor?¡¯? ? The little beast was indeed a ¡°silver deer¡± cub.? ? Of course, Jorge had only seen silver antlers, but he at least knew that was the only beast with such antlers and skin.? ? ¡®Well, I¡¯m sure the captain will take care of it.¡¯? ? Jorge gave a worried glance at Tamon¡¯s barracks and hurriedly mounted his horse.? ? What mattered now was not the young cub that had survived.? ? It was more important to get rid of the scent of blood, the trace of it that was left not far from this barracks where they were.? ? Jorge thought again of the brutal scene at the spot where he had found the young silver deer.? ? It was a small forest not far from the entrance to the canyon.? ? When they entered with the intention of seeing that far, Tamon and the Knights were greeted by the bloody scene of battle.? ? Scattered on the floor were dozens of corpses of what were neither beasts or monsters.? ? And even the corpses of two silver deer that appeared to have fought against them.? ? How fierce the battle had been, all the surrounding trees were broken and scratched, and blood was splattered in all directions from who-knows-what.? ? ¡®I had no idea the silver deer¡¯s fighting prowess was that high.¡¯? ? Knowing only the value of the antlers and skins, Jorge could not help but be amazed at the marks of just two silver deer fighting against these monstrous creatures.? ? ¡®What was it, by the way that attacked the deer? It was too strange to be a beast, too venomous to be a monster¡­¡­..¡¯? ? And it was a little different in shape from the monsters that were in the gap.? ? It was as if the two traits were combined to create a completely new creature¡­¡­? ? At that moment, Jorge couldn¡¯t help but let out a single word.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ mutation?¡±? ? Yes, mutant.? ? They were such monsters.? ? It was between a beast and a monster. They were not beasts, nor were they monsters. (*He is talking about the creatures that attacked the silver deer.)? ? Jorge and the knights, who ran fast and arrived at the forest a while ago, began to organize their surroundings quickly.? ? There was nothing good about having these corpses near the barracks site.? ? This was because they did not know which animals, possessed by the smell of blood, would come to the vicinity.? ? They quickly covered their tracks, dragging the creature¡¯s bodies and pushing them into the canyon.? ? ¡°Everyone watch out for the fog!¡±? ? ¡°Yes, sir!¡±? ? The Knights quickly cleared the bodies while wearing the masks they had brought with them.? ? Although ragged, the silver deer skins and antlers were an important financial resource, so they were put in separately.? ? ¡°When you¡¯re done, let¡¯s return quickly. It is already dark. Hurry.¡±? ? ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s kind of spooky. Let¡¯s leave quickly.¡±? ? ¡°Did the captain walk around all alone in a place like this?¡±? ? ¡°His nickname is ¡®Monster¡¯. No. Our captain is worse than a monster. Much more.¡±? ? Jorge chimed in with a nuance that made it hard to tell whether he was complimenting or swearing.? ? Everyone nodded earnestly at his words, but on the other hand, some were reassured by the thought that such a man was their lord.? ? The knights glanced around the scene where blood and gore had been splattered earlier and hurriedly left the scene.? ? Jorge, who was running in the very back, glanced at a small bush that was a short distance from the scene.? ? It was the bush where they had found the small silver horned deer that had been hiding.? ? Two adult deer fought against a dozen monstrous beasts.? ? Perhaps those two silver deer had fought to the end of their lives to protect the deer cub that was hiding behind the grass.? ? Jorge looked around the place with mixed feelings and hurriedly quickened his steps back to the campsite.? ? Just then, the deer cub, who had been gasping for air in agony, opened his eyes.? ? * * *? ? ¡°Kaaaaa¡­.¡±? ? The deer cub, who shed a thin cry without energy, wriggled its whole body and tried to move.? ? ¡°I thought it would not survive with that much blood, but it came back to life.¡±? ? Tamon said as he gently rubbed the deer¡¯s chin with his already healed finger.? ? ¡°Kaaaa.¡±? ? The young deer was alert, baring his teeth despite his lack of energy.? ? Tamon chuckled as he gently rubbed the deer¡¯s chin, as if it were cute.? ? ¡°The silver deer is a lot stronger than it looks. No matter how young they are.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s amazing. There aren¡¯t many silver deer in Tanatos, but you seem to know their ecology quite well.¡±? ? On that note, the conversation was getting too long, so Asha became silent and made eye contact with the young deer.? ? The fear-stricken deer was staring at Asha with eyes full of alarm.? ? The fawn was so small that it didn¡¯t even come halfway up Tamon¡¯s arm.? ? Only a year old, it seemed to be getting bigger.? ? The silver horned deer was a slow grower. Their temperament was strong and hard, but it took time to grow.? ? ¡®Lucentia once told me about a baby born a year ago¡­¡­¡¯? ? Is this silver deer that baby?? ? Asha¡¯s heart throbbed.? ? ¡°It¡¯s funny, though, a silver horned deer would never leave its young alone.¡±? ? ¡°¡­ Oh, this little one wasn¡¯t alone.¡±? ? ¡°Then?¡±? ? ¡°There were two adults. This one was the one that was hiding in the bushes nearby. But, those two adults were dead a short distance away. It looks like they died protecting this one.¡±? ? Tamon told Asha the short version of the scene of the messed up battle.? ? Asha¡¯s face hardly as she listened to him.? ? The only silver horned deer herd left in Tanatos were children, managed by the imperial family.? ? Of course, Tamon couldn¡¯t be sure, he hadn¡¯t searched all over the black canyon.? ? But strangely enough, Asha couldn¡¯t help but feel that this fawn was the one that Lucentia had told her about.? ? Then¡­¡­? ? ¡°I think there are more deer around.¡±? ? Tamon pointed out exactly as if he had read Asha¡¯s mind.? ? Asha looked pale and clenched her fists.? ? ¡°Asha.¡±? ? Tamon, who was staring at her, called her in a sweet voice.? ? He gently swept her eyes and urged her on with a gentle voice.? ? ¡°You look like you have a lot to say. Why don¡¯t you tell me?¡±? ? Sighing heavily at his words, Asha opened her lips.? ? ¡°Actually, this was done by the late emperor of Tanatos.¡±? ? A hard voice echoed through the quiet hut.? ? * * *? ? ¡°The more I learn¡­¡­the more I realize that the dead emperor is such a crazy guy in many ways.¡±? ? Tamon laughed out in a terribly twisted voice.? ? The dead emperor wanted to monopolize the silver horns and skins, he would put children in a herd of wild animals.? ? That method was truly inhuman and cruel.? ? That human being had done evil to those helpless children.? ? For example, he would let them hold something precious and take it from them, or he would hold their families hostage.? ? Asha bowed her head, unable to deny it.? ? In fact, it was just before she became empress that she learned this secret.? ? The previous emperor, on his sickbed, called her to inform her of the existence of La Gorreci.? ? ¡°I say this to you because it seems to me that if left to Gillotti, he will let loose in an instant what I had tamed. Can you manage it properly?¡±? ? What did he say to Roselyn, who was too shocked to answer?? ? ¡°¡­. their parents and siblings are living richly under my patronage. The youngest child was born a few years ago. It is really strange in that house. Another child with white hair was born. I am very ¡­¡­grateful.¡±? ? The previous emperor laughed on his sick bed.? ? It was a threat against Roselyn.? ? And to show this, a few days later, he brought in a four-year-old child who had just started walking.? ? The waddling child had cute frizzy hair.? ? It was a natural, white, beautiful hair that could not be made artificially.? ? What could Roselyn say?? ? One thing she thought fortunate at the time was that there were only a few days left when the previous emperor would truly die.? ? How surprised she was to find herself rejoicing in someone¡¯s death.? ? ¡°If it was you who took care of those children, it is enough to understand why this painful look on your face now.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­I made a promise to protect those children.¡±? ? Tamon laughed at her words.? ? ¡°Otherwise it wouldn¡¯t have been Roselyn V Sunset.¡±? ? He could guess what Asha wanted from her voice. His hand brushed her smooth cheek.? ? His hand naturally stroked her earlobe and held her close.? ? Soft lips roamed near her hardened eyes, cheeks, and lips.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll go get the kids. So don¡¯t make this face.¡±? ? Asha said, pushing Tamon roughly away as she jumped up at his words.? ? ¡°No, I don¡¯t want it that way.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ what?¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s face contorted at Asha¡¯s strong refusal.? ? ¡°What do you mean?¡±? ? ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you hurt for my purpose anymore. I don¡¯t want that. So you can¡¯t go to the rescue alone. Never.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s expression turned cold at Asha¡¯s rejection of him again.? ? He asked back, unable to hide the hard expression on his face.? ? ¡°If not me, how can you save those children? I don¡¯t think we have the time or the means.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s words were not wrong.? ? Still, Asha could not back down.? ? For her revenge, for her cause, Tamon had been constantly injured.? ? He did not hesitate to get hurt, and he did not hesitate to destroy his body.? ? She did not want to see him like that any more.? ? ¡°Just one day, give me one day. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll come up with a way.¡± (Asha)? ? Tamon looked at Asha coldly with a stiff face and murmured.? ? ¡°¡­¡­You will find a solution without my help?¡± CH 129 Chapter 129. His Sincerity? ? Asha felt suffocated.? ? Never before had she felt so unable to communicate with Tamon.? ? Just as Tamon¡¯s attitude was unusual, Asha felt that her impatience was also unusual.? ? She tried her best to remain calm, but it was not easy.? ? The more she talked to Tamon, the more it felt like a hot ball was rolling around in her chest.? ? ¡°It¡¯s not that I won¡¯t take your help. It¡¯s that I¡¯m looking for a solution without your sacrifice.¡±? ? ¡°My ability is not available in the way it could be used without sacrifice. Oh, or do I have to mix bodies with everyone who gets hurt?¡±? ? Asha¡¯s expression turned cold at his sarcasm.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t know why you say that.¡±? ? ¡°I don¡¯t know why you refuse to accept my offer to help you. Don¡¯t you believe in my abilities?¡±? ? ¡°The silver deer are very cautious and they won¡¯t follow you anyway. The same goes for the children. I am the only one who can convince them.¡±? ? ¡°So, now, you¡¯re going to find a way to get into that canyon yourself, is that it? Inside the black canyon with poisonous fog?¡±? ? ¡°There is the protection chain¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°You are making a ridiculous assumption.¡±? ? Tamon cut Asha off, as if he could not allow that to happen.? ? Asha¡¯s face also tensed.? ? She knew it, too.? ? She was too weak of a being to go in the canyon alone, trusting only in the chain.? ? But no matter how strong he was, it was also absurdly dangerous to let Tamon go into that black canyon.? ? ¡°There must be another way.¡±? ? Asha said through clenched teeth.? ? She assured him again, and Tamon read it.? ? Their confrontation continued in silence.? ? In the end, it was Tamon who got to retreat first.? ? ¡°¡­¡­I really don¡¯t know.¡±? ? After sighing heavily, he swept his hair roughly and turned back.? ? Just then he heard a rustling sound outside.? ? It was a sign that Jorge had finished sorting through the woods and returned.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll be outside for a while.¡±? ? Tamon, with a hard look on his face, slipped out of the tent, leaving Asha behind.? ? Asha, who had been standing there, sighed slowly.? ? ¡®I had some other words¡­¡¯? ? Words that would persuade him to understand.? ? Such words were certainly present in her.? ? The problem was that it was too much for Asha to pull it out from deep within.? ? ¡°Kaaaa¡­.¡±? ? As if in some kind of a mood of concern, the young deer, who had remained silent, belatedly spoke up in a weak voice.? ? Asha reached out and held the fawn in her embrace, whispering.? ? ¡°Are you nervous because you thought something would happen?¡±? ? The silver deer stared at Asha in silence. She bent her knees and whispered quietly, keeping eye contact with the little animal.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will save your family, I promise.¡±? ? In a way that would not injure that man to the maximum extent possible.? ? ¡®I¡¯m sure of it.¡¯? ? * * * *? ? It was noisy outside for a while.? ? There was the sound of a silver antlered deer carcass being put away, followed by a small dialogue about the atmosphere at the entrance to the canyon.? ? Meanwhile, Asrell and the kids busily prepared a meal.? ? At the mention of a herd of silver deer nearby, Jorge and the Knights talked about delaying the itinerary a bit and taking a closer look at the place.? ? Tamon naturally agreed.? ? In the meantime, Roselyn was lost in thought, hugging the weak young deer.? ? ¡°Method. We need to find a way.¡±? ? There wasn¡¯t enough time to contemplate it fully, and the restrictions were too many.? ? In the first place, where should they look for silver antlered deer?? ? It would be more problematic if a herd of deer was in that canyon.? ? It was not a simple matter to go into that proposed canyon with a group of Knights with minimal manpower and weapons to save time, without the impossible task of preparing to investigate the canyon.? ? ¡°Even if we knew where the deer herd was¡­¡­¡±? ? Asha clutched at her slightly feverish forehead.? ? Worst of all, this fawn in her arms might be the last living member of the herd.? ? ¡°I wish you could talk.¡±? ? Asha mumbled frustratedly as she stroked the deer, which had been sleeping in her arms for some time.? ? She said she would surely find a way, but it wasn¡¯t easy.? ? With her eyes closed, she recalled the topographic map she had seen in Tanatos of the black canyon.? ? It was the topographic map she used to look at every time she sent a survey team.? ? ¡°These beasts in there are strange. Perhaps we should call them beasts, but it is ambiguous to call them monsters anyway. They are different¡­¡­¡±? ? It was said that prolonged exposure to the black fog caused mild paralysis.? ? The animals in the canyon seemed to be fine, if they had already adapted, but it was dangerous to wander through it for more than a day.? ? The cleanest place inside was by the stream.? ? The target point of the investigation team had always been the stream.? ? ¡°They say if you go straight up along the canyon, you¡¯ll find a tree with a warped shape¡­Was it around here?¡±? ? Roselyn took out a piece of paper and drew a topographical map as she remembered it.? ? It wasn¡¯t exact, but it was better than nothing, she thought.? ? She thought she would go in with the knights at daybreak, since it would be less dangerous at dawn.? ? ¡°Can you come with us?¡±? ? She whispered to the young silver horned deer, and its twitching, protruding ears fluttered as if it didn¡¯t like it.? ? Asha smiled and ruffled the beast¡¯s soft fur.? ? Tamon came into the barracks after the sky had completely darkened.? ? He glanced at the topographical map Asha was drawing and silently undressed.? ? Asha also looked at him, folded the paper neatly and put it on one side.? ? It was late at night when more than half of the people had already fallen asleep.? ? ¡°It¡¯s late, how come you haven¡¯t slept?¡±? ? Did he calm down a bit?? ? Tamon spoke in his usual voice.? ? But what was this awkwardness?? ? Asha hesitated for a moment, then answered in the same calm voice.? ? ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep now.¡±? ? ¡°Okay¡­.¡±? ? Tamon inspected the fire in the fireplace inside the barracks and then lay down beside her.? ? The strange silence that had settled between them until now had not disappeared.? ? The only light in the barracks was the furnace, which was growing warmer.? ? It was the first time that the two had such a quiet night since they shared a bed together.? ? The awkward silence made Roselyn turn over and over.? ? Tamon, however, seemed to have fallen fast asleep, not moving an inch, as usual.? ? Asha, who had been changing her seat here and there, gently turned herself toward Tamon.? ? Looking at his face lying comfortably in a straight posture, she felt strangely unfair.? ? This was a really strange feeling.? ? Tamon had not said anything harsh, nor had he ignored her or used violence like Gillotti had.? ? Nevertheless, strangely, there was disappointment on one side of her heart.? ? It was a loneliness that she had never felt for Gillotti, who had spoken to her in such a disgusting manner.? ? What was even more appalling was how annoying it was to see Tamon¡¯s handsome face sleeping peacefully.? ? ¡®What on earth are these feelings?¡¯ (*it¡¯s love, Asha)? ? ¡®I¡¯m not a child and I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m pissed off¡­¡­.¡¯? ? With no one watching, Asha quickly turned her body the other way to hide her frazzled mind.? ? Desperate to sleep, she closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the brazier burning.? ? The smell of the ashes wasn¡¯t bad.? ? She fell quietly asleep, concentrating on the smell of the ashes and the sound of the crackling of the fire.? ? She was tired and when she tried to sleep, the sleep came quickly.? ? When she was fully asleep, Tamon, whom she thought was sleeping soundly, opened his eyes.? ? He lay still for a moment, looking at the low ceiling, and then at the back of Asha as she lay on her side.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ you really don¡¯t behave like my mind for a second.¡±? ? Muttering to himself, Tamon carefully hugged Asha in his arms and kissed her pale cheek.? ? Asha told him she did not want him to sacrifice himself.? ? She didn¡¯t want to see his body torn to shreds.? ? ¡®But if not that, what else can I do to prove my usefulness to you?¡¯? ? He chided himself bitterly.? ? Even without Tamon, Asha was a woman who could rise up on her own.? ? So did she really need Tamon to help her get revenge?? ? When this revenge was over, would he really be satisfied with just getting that empty seat?? ? He still wanted to own her completely.? ? He wanted to swallow all of her so much, so sorely¡­? ? ¡®Aranrosia.¡¯? ? My brilliant sea.? ? It seemed that he gave her a useless name.? ? The sea always flowed and was so vast that it could not be caught or locked up.? ? So it was even more beautiful, and therefore even more brilliant.? ? So it was more sparing, and maybe that was why he wanted more.? ? Tamon looked at Asha¡¯s face for a while as she fell into a deep sleep, not knowing how he felt.? ? The fine breathing relieved him.? ? To hold this breath, Tamon was willing to endure her hatred and anger, even prepared to give away everything he had.? ? So how could this soft breath not be lovely?? ? ¡®If you care a little about me, that¡¯s good enough for me.? ? And if my space that occupies a corner of your heart grows larger and larger¡­..? ? Even if you don¡¯t want love, if I can have you in any other form¡­? ? Yes, how many times can this body be broken?¡¯? ? Tamon kissed her eyes gently and slowly got up.? ? When he went outside, the air was chilly and cold.? ? He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, but the dim dawn light began to shine through the blackened sky.? ? With casual steps, Tamon walked toward the darkness where the forest was. CH 130 Chapter 130. Into The Black Fog? ? ? ? Asha reached out with all her might to catch Tamon as he walked into the darkness.? ? Perhaps hearing her voice, Tamon glanced back at Asha.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Tamon laughed at Asha¡¯s answer.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Asha could not answer Tamon¡¯s gentle question.? ? As she hesitated, Tamon gradually moved away.? ? ? ? ? ? Even though Tamon had already become far away, Asha¡¯s hardened lips did not move.? ? It was as if a curse had been placed on her mouth, and all she could do was move her lips, but she could not make a sound.? ? Behind Tamon, there was a deep black darkness.? ? Then a sickening, unpleasant, and, in a word, unspeakably thick danger beckoned, seething.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Seeing her hesitate again, Tamon smiled sadly.? ? He extended his hand toward the darkness with a satisfied, gentle smile.? ? ? ? The darkness engulfed him.? ? From head to toes.? ? Every single one of his long, sturdy, warm fingers.? ? Startled, Asha swallowed hard and opened her eyes.? ? ¡°Tamon!¡±? ? She sat up quickly and hurriedly turned to the seat next to her. Asha¡¯s face paled when she saw the empty seat.? ? ¡°He¡¯s gone. He¡¯s gone!¡±? ? She stood from her seat, out of breath. Intuitively, she realized Tamon had walked into the black canyon alone.? ? ¡°No, don¡¯t go. Don¡¯t get hurt, Tamon.¡±? ? Asha rushed out of the barracks and saw the pale dawn light just floating over the black canyon.? ? She stared blankly at the forest with a canyon with a devastated gaze.? ? She felt a rush of passionate emotion.? ? ¡°Tamon, the crazy man. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt. That¡¯s all. That¡¯s all¡­.¡±? ? ¡®Because you have become important to me.¡¯? ? She covered her forehead with a hot sigh. Her head was hot.? ? She wanted to hug him and scream at him. She asked for just one day, why couldn¡¯t he wait?? ? ¡®¡­¡­ but could I come up with a better way just if I had more time?¡¯? ? Or was it better if she told him he was important to her and she didn¡¯t want him to get hurt ¡­..should she have honestly told him to take care?? ? ¡° It¡¯ll be okay, Asha.¡±? ? Asha turned around, startled by the sudden voice she heard.? ? A few steps behind her, Hannah seemed to have picked up and was holding dead branches and looking at her.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Asha is always good at finding ways.¡±? ? Hannah smiled innocently and moved away with her branches.? ? Far away, Arsene was seen fumbling to light the extinguished fire.? ? Hannah threw in a few tree branches on the weakly lit wood pile.? ? After a while, the smell of burning wood faintly hit Asha¡¯s nose.? ? ¡°¡­¡­!¡±? ? At that moment, a plausible method came to her mind.? ? £ª £ª £ª? ? ¡°He went alone?¡±? ? Jorge blew away any sleep that remained at Asha¡¯s words.? ? He jumped up and looked toward the black canyon with a pale face.? ? No matter how long he stretched his neck, he could no longer see Tamon, who had vanished.? ? ¡°Why, Why? Why would the captain do something so crazy ¡­¡­!¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s because of the possibility that a herd of silver horned deer is hiding in there.¡±? ? ¡°A herd of deer? Why are those kids there?¡±? ? ¡°I don¡¯t know either. To be honest, I am not sure if they are in there or not. However, the silver deer herd has a strong attachment to the group and also a strong protective instinct for young individuals. So finding a deer means there is a very good chance that there is a herd of deer in the vicinity.¡±? ? Jorge nodded at Asha¡¯s calm explanation.? ? He didn¡¯t know when it happened, he didn¡¯t know how she knew, but it somehow made sense.? ? Asha was no ordinary person, just look at the elegance that flowed from sitting still, the broad perspective, and the calm demeanor.? ? All the extra caution and curiosity should have been done by the captain by now, so he just had to trust the person Tamon believed in.? ? Any deeper thoughts than that didn¡¯t sit well with Jorge.? ? ¡°Even if it¡¯s daytime, the Black Canyon is dangerous because you never knew what you would find. Besides, if he did indeed find a herd of silver deer, they might not be friendly to Tamon.¡±? ? ¡°So that means¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°We need to go in.¡±? ? Jorge had expected this, so he wasn¡¯t too surprised.? ? However, it was something that required some preparation.? ? The remaining Knights, including Jorge, numbered just over 20.? ? However, among these, the few who were guarding this campsite had to be removed.? ? ¡°We don¡¯t know the terrain inside that place, and we don¡¯t know what we¡¯re going to find, so we have to be very careful going in.¡±? ? ¡°I drew the topographic map roughly. It¡¯s not exact, but it¡¯s better than nothing.¡±? ? Jorge was a little surprised this time.? ? No, how on earth could she draw a topographic map of the black canyon, even if it is just ¡®roughly¡¯?? ? However, he would not have survived so far without being aware, so he moved on without showing as much agitation as possible this time.? ? He just took the piece of paper with slightly trembling hands and looked at every inch of the roughly drawn topographical map.? ? ¡°And maybe that kid will show us the way.¡±? ? Asha pointed to a small deer surrounded by Hannah and Arsene.? ? Hannah and Arsene crouched one step away and just stared, as if they were curious about the young silver horned deer.? ? But the silver deer was wary of the two children, with its fluffy white fur standing up, as if it was scared.? ? There were many things piled around the deer that the deer could have eaten.? ? Hannah and Arsene, and the knights, unloaded them one by one, and they piled up like a mountain.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ That deer?¡±? ? ¡°Yes. As strong as the protective instinct of adults is, the homing instinct of young individuals is also strong. Perhaps when the terrain they know comes, he will move to the herd.¡±? ? ¡°But relying on a deer alone can be very dangerous. Something might pop up from somewhere and drag us down.¡±? ? ¡°Well, then, I have a way.¡±? ? ¡°How?¡±? ? Jorge asked curiously, and Roselyn nodded, touching the object she was holding in her arms.? ? ¡°This will probably buy us some time.¡±? ? * * *? ? ¡°D*mn it.¡±? ? Tamon counted the number of insidiously dismissive stares as he looked around the canyon.? ? One, two, three. ¡­¡­.? ? A quick count showed there were about five.? ? From the time he entered the entrance, one or two of them sneaked up on him one by one and brought a whole bunch of friends with them, as if they realized he was alone.? ? Tamon brushed off his right arm, which was covered in blood.? ? The teeth of the creature he had just dealt with, whom he couldn¡¯t tell if it was a bear or a lion, grazed his shoulder.? ? It wasn¡¯t a fatal wound, but his arm went a little numb. Normally, a minor injury like this should heal quickly, but the black fog slowed his recovery.? ? ¡®If I go a little further from here, there is a price.¡¯? ? He remembered the topographical map of Asha that he had glimpsed.? ? He thought that perhaps the place Asha had marked with a star was an important one.? ? ¡®At ¡­¡­, let¡¯s lure them there anyway.¡¯? ? Quickly making a decision, Tamon quickly jumped away.? ? Kaaaaaa!? ? Grrrrrrr!? ? The sudden movement brought him up to speed with the beasts following cautiously behind him.? ? After ruining some distance, he smelled water.? ? Then, strangely enough, the black fog began to blur.? ? And when he reached the stream, the black fog disappeared completely.? ? But that was not the only strange thing.? ? ¡°Why did you stop following me?¡±? ? Tamon stood there and stared at the monstrous beasts that had stopped chasing him.? ? The beasts of various shapes and sizes glared at him with bared teeth, but they did not come any closer.? ? As if wary of something, they lowered themselves from behind the shadows and glanced around.? ? Tamon looked around the area with wonder.? ? It was an ordinary stream, except for the black fog that covered the area around it.? ? The bubbling stream was clean, with small round stones lying about.? ? There were black stains in places, but nothing too special¡­.? ? ¡°Is it the black stain?¡±? ? Tamon approached the nearest spot.? ? ¡°This is ¡­¡­.¡±? ? The stain was not just any stain.? ? Tamon¡¯s straight brow creased.? ? ¡°It¡¯s a bloodstain.¡±? ? These were traces of some kind of blood pool. It was not so old that it still had stains on it either.? ? This meant that those black stains that were visible here and there must all be the remains of blood pools.? ? Something seemed to have happened here.? ? He got up and slowly looked around.? ? It was then.? ? He heard something coming down from the upper stream.? ? Tamon raised his head to look up to the place where the sound came from.? ? His surprised eyes fluttered like a crescent moon for the first time in a long time.? ? He smiled with happiness.? ? ¡®¡­¡­Asha, you are always right.¡¯? ? Huge silver horned deer looked down at him with big eyes shining.? ? * * *? ? Arriving in front of the canyon with armed Platanus Knights, Asha took a palm-sized square out of her pocket.? ? It was a small box decorated with mother-of-pearl inlays and precious stones, giving it an exotic look.? ? Each face was inscribed with patterns of the sun, moon, stars, flowers, sea and earth.? ? When Asha pushed one of the moon carvings with force, the shape of the square box began to change.? ? The perfectly square expanded, and the shells that had been hidden within it began to rise to the top.? ? ¡°Fire, please.¡±? ? Jorge looked nervous and handed Asha the spark he had prepared.? ? ¡°It¡¯s the incense burner of Largon.¡±? ? It was a sacred relic of illusion that hallucinated at least hundreds and even thousands of people.? ? The knights all had masks on their faces.? ? Nervous faces of the knights covered their mouths and noses tightly.? ? ¡°Everyone must be safe.¡±? ? As a precaution, Asha handed out to the knights the red pills that Tamon had given her earlier.? ? It was the very pills made from condensed Tamon¡¯s blood, which Cassion was taking.? ? Tamon gave Asha some of the ones he had made in advance in case of an emergency.? ? She distributed them to the knights without hesitation. She was glad she didn¡¯t run short.? ? Asha was not worried about herself.? ? Because she was Tamon¡¯s imprinter, and she was wearing the chain of protection, so she should be fine.? ? So please, she just hoped they wouldn¡¯t get hurt.? ? ¡°We¡¯re ready¡­.¡±? ? ¡±Okay. Then it¡¯s time to start the fire.¡±? ? Looking over at the knights once more, Asha lit the black jewel with nervous hands.? ? The gem was not burning at all, but it immediately began to smoke gray.? ? ¡°Be careful, everyone. If anyone thinks you¡¯re even slightly hallucinating, tell me immediately.¡±? ? With a warning, she lowered the young deer that was being held in a knight¡¯s arms.? ? The struggling deer ran into the canyon as fast as a bouncing ball.? ? CH 131 Chapter 131. Breaking In? ? ¡°Wow, you guys are no joke.¡±? ? Tamon said mischievously and gripped his throbbing sternum.? ? The silver deer attacked all at once, as if they considered Tamon an enemy.? ? The power of the silver antlers, hard as steel, was enormous.? ? If anyone accidentally got stabbed, it was likely to tear all their internal organs.? ? Tamon couldn¡¯t even persuade the deer to come with him because he couldn¡¯t communicate with them, and he couldn¡¯t kill them like monsters and beasts, so it was best to choke them and knock them out.? ? As a result, unnecessary waste of strength continued, and unnecessary injuries increased.? ? A couple of broken ribs, a cracked shin, and a split lip¡­. ? ? In addition, on the way here, he handled the mutant beasts and had resulted in small wounds.? ? The bleeding started in the torn right shoulder, and one arm was already soaked with blood.? ? What was even more maddening was that the more animals Tamon defeated, they called more of their mates.? ? He reduced the number of animals to three at most, and before he knew it, there were six again.? ? ¡°I¡¯m tired¡­¡±? ? He had to get it done and go as quickly as possible.? ? Tamon clenched and opened his torn palm, glaring at the deer.? ? Although he healed faster as he increased his resilience, he lost his energy more quickly than when he had dealt with Perharz, probably because he had no physical contact with Asha when they camped.? ? He had to do this with as little blood as possible.? ? He didn¡¯t see any broken bones so it was okay.? ? However, if he came back covered in blood, Asha might try to kill him with her big eyes.? ? ¡®I¡¯ll have to kill some of them.¡¯? ? Sacrifices seemed inevitable in order to finish this quickly.? ? They seemed to notice his change in momentum, and the attitude of the silver horned deer changed again.? ? The smart ones began to put pressure on him, with Tamon in the middle.? ? Tamon fixed his sword. So far he only attacked with the sword case, but from now on, killing was inevitable.? ? Grrrrrr!? ? The one standing at the front of the line, the one with the captain¡¯s rank, attacked Tamon¡¯s with its horns.? ? Kaaaaa!? ? Tamon crossed his arms to block the attack, but his body was pushed away to a wooden post.? ? Tamon called out the names of the children in a rant as he blocked the deer that attacked him one after another.? ? ¡°Mirah! Lucentia! Come out quickly! If you don¡¯t come out, I¡¯ll kill all the deer!¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s voice echoed through the canyon.? ? In fact, he had already tried calling the children¡¯s names several times, but there was still no particular response.? ? ¡®Perhaps the children are not here?¡¯? ? It was possible that these deer were not the herd of silver antlered deer that Asha had mentioned.? ? Or the children, Mirah and Lucentia, may have already died on the way here.? ? After all, this was the black canyon where even skilled knights could not survive.? ? Exposure to that black fog would cause total paralysis.? ? ¡°Mirah! Lucentia!¡±? ? Tamon called the siblings¡¯ names at the top of his voice for the last time.? ? At that moment, the air currents in the canyon changed and a suspicious sound could be heard.? ? Boom!? ? It was the sound of something heavy falling to the floor.? ? Tamon and Silver deer looked behind them at the same time.? ? ¡°Why ¡­¡­?¡±? ? It was the very mutant beasts that were hiding behind a tree to watch them, without approaching the stream.? ? Five of them followed Tamon.? ? After that, the number increased as many more had pushed in.? ? The problem, however, was not the number of mutant animals that had increased.? ? The beasts, who were hiding, were collapsing on the spot as if they were under a spell.? ? ¡°What is it?¡±? ? It was exactly at that moment.? ? A strange smell aroused Tamon¡¯s acute sense of smell.? ? It was a unique aroma that he had never smelled before.? ? A strange aroma that was sweet, yet somehow muddy.? ? There was an instinctive sense of rejection.? ? His nerves poured into the scent and he was caught off guard.? ? And the silver deer that had attacked him most violently jumped on Tamon at full speed.? ? ¡°¡­¡­!¡±? ? He urgently raised his sword to block the attack, but was instantly pushed backward with tremendous force.? ? As he put his legs together to prevent himself from losing his balance, the two deer who had been watching the gap went on a support attack.? ? ¡°Well, that¡¯s cheap!¡±? ? Tamon gritted his teeth.? ? It was a deer but it was as powerful as a bear or a monster.? ? Quickly bending at the waist to fend off the attack, Tamon kicked with all his might at the big deer that was still pushing him from the front.? ? The deer, pushed backward with a ¡°bang,¡± snorted angrily and thrust its antlers at him again.? ? At that moment, Tamon clipped his sword between the antlers and swung it at the deer, which came out from the left in a supporting attack.? ? Kurukuru!? ? Kihin!? ? The antlers of the two deer remained tangled in a mess and could not be removed.? ? He kicked the deer in that state with his foot, and the two deer that were struggling fell backward in a tangled heap.? ? Without hesitation, Tamon lifted his sword with all his might.? ? He was going to get rid of the biggest deer that had bothered him the most.? ? ¡°¡­.. No!¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s movements stopped at the urgent cry.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t kill Titi.¡±? ? It was somewhat a poor language, a little childish voice.? ? Tamon put down his sword and looked at the spot where the sound had come from.? ? On the other side of the stream, a figure appeared from behind a rock at a sloping spot.? ? ¡°It¡¯s you¡­.¡±? ? The hair was pure white, as if it had lost its pigmentation, the eyelashes, and the white skin looked pale.? ? ¡°La Gorreci.¡±? ? They were the children of the white deer.? ? The boy and girl, holding each other¡¯s hands tightly, could not hide their peculiar strangeness, even though they were wearing rags.? ? The only thing vivid in the two children were their eyes.? ? Two pairs of blue eyes of different light and dark stared at Tamon.? ? Did Asha say that the boy is Mirah and the girl is Lucentia?? ? ¡°Who are you? Are you the one sent by the emperor?¡±? ? Mirah, a boy of about 17 or 18 years old, asked in an angry voice.? ? Tamon, who smiled, answered succinctly.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t have an emperor. But I do have a Queen to be admired.¡±? ? ¡°A Queen ¡­¡­?¡±? ? ¡°By the name you know, Roselyn V Sunset, the woman who was Empress of this country.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­!¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s words startled the siblings, who looked at each other.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ She¡¯s alive?¡±? ? Lucentia, the girl standing quietly behind her brother, asked in a trembling voice.? ? Tamon nodded lightly and held out his hand toward the children.? ? ¡°Let¡¯s go together. She¡¯s waiting for you.¡±? ? ¡°But, but she¡¯s already¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.!¡±? ? Mirah exclaimed incredulously.? ? But for the life of him, the word ¡°dead¡± didn¡¯t seem to come out, and he gritted his teeth.? ? Tamon raised his chin at the boy and said with an arrogant laugh.? ? ¡°She is alive. I saved her. I gave her everything I had.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? Mirah and Lucentia looked at Tamon with confused eyes.? ? Curiously, the silver horned deer stared at them silently, stopping their attack as the siblings and Tamon began their conversation.? ? If something went wrong here, they would jump out of the way right away.? ? ¡°How can we trust you? How are we supposed to believe that you are not the emperor¡¯s servant?¡±? ? A little more clever, it seemed, was the brother.? ? Lucentia, who thought for a moment and told Tamon to bring evidence. ? ? Evidence.? ? Tamon hesitated for a moment, then suddenly pulled out a handkerchief he had tucked away in his pockets.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t know if you believe this, but¡­¡­.¡±? ? He approached the creek to show what was in the handkerchief.? ? At that moment, a large deer staring at them approached him with an angry snort.? ? Grrrrr, grrrrr.? ? ¡°Are you saying I can¡¯t approach?¡±? ? The deer¡¯s eyes remained deadly, but his steps approaching Tamon were slow and relaxed.? ? The deer approached Tamon with a look of disbelief, and thrust its huge horny head out like a branch.? ? Kuhuhuhuhu!? ? Tamon looked at Mirah and Lucentia as the deer¡¯s head twitched from side to side.? ? ¡°What does this mean?¡± (Tamon)? ? ¡°¡­¡­ means to put that handkerchief on his antlers.¡±? ? ¡°Oh¡­..¡±? ? The deer was going to deliver Tamon¡¯s handkerchief to the siblings.? ? ¡°This feels like a dedication to the princess of a country.¡±? ? He chuckled and put his handkerchief on the silver horn.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t drop it, my friend. It¡¯s very important.¡±? ? ¡°Hmph!¡±? ? The silver deer exhaled loudly and zipped across the thin stream.? ? The children carefully lifted the handkerchief the deer handed them.? ? And the moment when they unfolded it.? ? Kaaaaaa!? ? A fawn jumped into the group of deer, screaming at the top of its voice.? ? The startled deer herd looked at the little deer and surrounded him.? ? Khiin! King! King!? ? It must have been very happy to finally meet his family as the little silver deer jumped up and down on its long, thin legs.? ? His black eyes were filled with tears.? ? ¡°Mia, look!¡±? ? ¡°Lost child, you¡¯re alive!¡±? ? Mirah and Lucentia also could not contain their joy at seeing the deer cub and cried out.? ? ¡®All of a sudden, a little deer in the woods¡­¡­?¡¯? ? Tamon looked with wonder in the direction in which the little silver deer appeared.? ? Then Tamon quickly adjusted his sword to the unfamiliar movement that followed.? ? *** ? ? *Well, we know who had come to bring the little deer back to his family. Tamon will get in trouble next . Can anyone guess what Asha will do to him? CH 132 Chapter 132. Tell Me, Asha? ? The herd of deer also sensed the presence, and, with their happiness behind them, they raised their horns.? ? The sound of several footsteps rushed by in a flash.? ? It was a while after that.? ? A familiar face appeared right in front of Tamon.? ? ¡°Captain!¡±? ? The first person he saw was Jorge, who seemed to have run from the front of the pack.? ? Jorge had his mouth and nose covered, but not so much that Tamon couldn¡¯t recognize him.? ? ¡°Jorge?¡±? ? When Jorge saw Tamon, he gave a big sigh of relief.? ? The rest of the group soon appeared behind him.? ? It was Aranrosia, with her hair tied up in a high knot, with 12 knights of the Order.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ why is Asha?¡±? ? Tamon was surprised, but as soon as he saw Asha, his face hardened.? ? Of course, the expression on his face was cold, and so was Asha¡¯s.? ? ¡°I told you it wasn¡¯t safe here, Asha.¡±? ? However Asha just walked toward him coldly.? ? ¡°I told you the same thing.¡±? ? She didn¡¯t run, but the momentum of her approach was fiercer than ever.? ? Asha crossed the creek, and the deer siblings, whose eyes widened in surprise, but she did not even see them, because she was only looking at Tamon.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t seem to remember.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? Tamon almost flinched and took a step backward at Asha¡¯s terrifying momentum.? ? He was a demon of war, a beast, a monarch of blood¡­¡­.? ? A man who carried all sorts of terrible rumors was almost bitten by a woman¡¯s momentum.? ? Tamon stood motionless, facing a terribly angry Asha.? ? ¡°Jorge.¡±? ? Asha glared at Tamon and called Jorge. Jorge who had been staring blankly, answered in astonishment.? ? ¡°Yes, yes?¡±? ? ¡°Can you close your eyes for a moment? And the other knights, too, please.¡±? ? ¡°What? Oh, yes¡­yes¡­..¡±? ? Jorge instructed the knights to close their eyes as he looked at Tamon.? ? Tamon looked at her with eyes that wondered what in the world Asha was up to.? ? When all the eyes were closed, Asha¡¯s hand raised up and struck Tamon¡¯s face.? ? Slap!? ? A startle, slapping sound rang out with everyone around.? ? Tamon, who was taken aback, gently grabbed his crooked cheek and blinked his eyes, as if he had no idea what just had happened to him.? ? ¡®¡±You lunatic!¡±? ? It was the first terrible swear word to come out of Asha¡¯s mouth.? ? Perhaps it would also be the only bad word she spoke in her life.? ? Adding surprise to surprise, Tamon looked at Asha with a bewildered face.? ? But Tamon¡¯s surprise did not stop there.? ? For Asha¡¯s eyes, which had always shone brightly and intelligently, were wet with moisture.? ? As soon as Tamon saw Asha¡¯s eyes, which contained round drops, he froze.? ? He really froze.? ? The beating heart, the even breathing, and the taut head, all stopped.? ? ¡°I told you to wait for me just one day.¡±? ? A harsh voice leaked from between Asha¡¯s clenched teeth.? ? It was a voice that couldn¡¯t stand the surge of emotions.? ? Her eyes reached Tamon¡¯s bright red blood-stained right shoulder, arms, legs, and armored crooked chest.? ? Her frowning eyes were shaking as if they were about to burst into tears.? ? It was truly strange.? ? He was the one who had been beaten, but she seemed to be in more pain, more agony.? ? ¡°Why ¡­¡­¡±? ? He wanted to ask why her eyes looked so distressed, why did she look even more painful than he did?? ? But he couldn¡¯t continue to speak any further because Asha reached out and hugged his neck.? ? Then she smashed her lips against his torn lips as hard as she could.? ? ¡°¡­¡­!¡±? ? She was always gentle, always making him thirsty and greedy.? ? Her little tongue, always hiding in shame, came inside his mouth without hesitation, wrapped around his tongue and led him.? ? In Tamon¡¯s life, there was never a moment more surprising than this moment.? ? He could guarantee that this would be the first and only time in his life.? ? The fact that she had just slapped him on the cheek was erased from his memory.? ? In bewilderment, his hands covered her waist.? ? The broken ribs were slightly tingling, but none bothered him.? ? He only worried that Asha would move away from him while he pretended to be freaked out.? ? The overlapping lips became stronger and each other¡¯s saliva became thicker.? ? Everyone around them panicked because of Asha, whose emotions became extreme, and Tamon, who forgot about the situation and just lost himself in her.? ? ¡°Look away. Eyes!¡±? ? Jorge, who first came to his senses, suddenly screamed at the knights whose eyes wide open.? ? The knights, who were watching their captain¡¯s strange sight with their eyes wide open in rapture, turned around in a hurry.? ? But there were also two young deer watching the scene in a daze, unable to back away.? ? ¡°Oh, brother¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Shhhh.¡±? ? She didn¡¯t know exactly what that act was, but Lucentia, whose ears turned red, secretly grabbed Mirah¡¯s collar.? ? Mirah¡¯s equally reddened face quickly turned around and covered Lucentia¡¯s eyes.? ? The silver antlered deer, who had been on alert, somehow relaxed and looked at their companions, shaking their heads.? ? The kissing continued for a long time.? ? When Tamon tried to let go, Asha held him tightly by the neck, and when Asha tried to pull away, Tamon grabbed her waist and pulled her closer.? ? Naturally, the longer the kiss went on, the faster the injuries on Tamon¡¯s body healed.? ? Even his numb ribs didn¡¯t hurt at all, as if they had somehow returned to their original position.? ? ¡°Haaa¡­..¡±? ? The kiss, which had been going on for such a long time, stopped with a gasp of breath.? ? ¡°Listen carefully, Tamon Krasis.¡±? ? With clear eyes that were somehow filled with tears, Asha said to Tamon through gritted teeth.? ? ¡°The silver deer and their children are very important to me. But¡­.¡±? ? Their lips tingled as if they were still scratching each other¡¯s lips.? ? Tamon listened to her as he stared at her with greedy eyes that wouldn¡¯t go away.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ you are just as important to me as they are.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­..¡±? ? ¡°A lot ¡­¡­.much, much more than you think.¡±? ? She said, her eyes like blazing embers.? ? ¡®You are just as important.¡¯? ? ¡®You are more important to me than you think.¡¯? ? If it had been yesterday, this might have been enough for Tamon.? ? But today, this was not enough.? ? Asha looked at him with intense anger and concern and shaking eyes.? ? Is he just ¡°important¡± to her with eyes like these?? ? For the first time since he had met her, Tamon could be sure.? ? There was a difference.? ? That was definitely not all of it.? ? For this woman, if his existence was worth only this much, she would not have slapped him as if she was about to break, nor would she have shed those hot tears.? ? ¡°Am I just important?¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Tell me, Asha. Is that all?¡±? ? Asha bit her lip again in anger. But Tamon understood.? ? Now she would not reply with her usual silence.? ? ¡°Very important¡­..¡±? ? It was one word, like a pained groan.? ? Tamon urged her on, holding close to his chest as she became immersed in rapture.? ? ¡°What, what did you say, Asha?¡±? ? ¡°¡­. you.¡±? ? Would the desert rain be more delightful than this?? ? Can it be more fascinating than this?? ? He had become precious to her.? ? His heart raced.? ? Tamon hugged her, unable to hide his smile.? ? Then he quickly caught Asha, who tried to avoid him with a flustered and reddened face, and finally kissed her.? ? Smooch, smooch, smooch¡­¡­..? ? At the constant shower of kisses, Asha resisted and pushed him away.? ? If it hadn¡¯t been for the reinforcements, they would fall to the ground from the hard kisses.? ? Kihin!? ? Tamon looked at the deer cub poking him in the shin with small antlers that grew only one finger¡¯s length.? ? ¡°What is with this guy?¡±? ? Tamon pushed the deer cub away with his foot in the middle of a busy joy, looking annoyed.? ? Then the bigger deer wrapped around the baby deer and blew its snout.? ? It looked as if it was telling Tamon that if he touched its own child, it wouldn¡¯t leave him alone.? ? Tamon twisted his head in disbelief.? ? ¡°He was the one who interrupted me.¡±? ? ¡°Hmph!¡±? ? As if it didn¡¯t matter, the big deer threatened to stick out its horns.? ? Tamon, too, was determined not to lose, so he picked up his sword again.? ? In the end, there was only one person who could stop them.? ? ¡°What on earth are you doing now?¡±? ? Asha pushed Tamon away with a serious face to take advantage of the opportunity, then backed up a few steps away from him.? ? Tamon repeatedly clenched his fists in regret that Asha got away from his hands. He repeated the stretching.? ? As much as it was a shame that he had missed Asha, the murderous energy in his eyes as he aimed at the silver deer could be seen clearly.? ? ¡°Ha¡­¡±? ? Asha looked at such Tamon as if she were speechless, and turned her head to the popularity she felt behind her back.? ? She finally spotted the familiar faces standing idly by the creek.? ? Her widened eyes were filled with joy and happiness.? ? ¡°Mir! Tia!¡±? ? Without hesitation, Asha jumped into the water and hugged Mirah and Lucentia.? ? ¡°You were safe. You were safe¡­¡­.¡±? ? Even then, Mirah and Lucentia had their doubts that this person was really their ¡°empress¡±.? ? Of course, no one would have dared to imitate the young lady with silver hair as beautiful as a silver deer or purple eyes as bright as the dim evening sky.? ? And yet, and yet¡­. ? ? They never imagined that the ¡°Empress¡± that that wicked emperor had killed would live to embrace them in this way.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Are you really the Empress?¡±? ? Lucentia trembled with courage.? ? Said Asha, eye-to-eye contact, hugging the brother and sister, who were now as big as she was.? ? ¡°Does anyone besides me call you Mir and Tia?¡±? ? In response to Asha¡¯s soft question, Mirah shook his head with a face that started to cry.? ? ¡°No, no one, no one.¡±? ? Mirah and Lucentia, who were in tears, finally hugged Asha.? ? ¡°Why are you so late? Why!¡±? ? ¡°You said you would protect me and keep me safe. AHHH! I really think you¡¯re dead, but you don¡¯t know how much we¡­¡­¡­!¡±? ? ¡°I missed you. I missed you.¡±? ? Even though Mirah¡¯s and Lucentia¡¯s bodies had grown as large as Asha¡¯s, they were also children who could still wail like children.? ? Asha hugged the shoulders of the sobbing siblings and smiled with relief. CH 133 Chapter 133. Warmth? ? Tamon and Asha were able to lead the deer out of the canyon with the help of Mirah and Lucentia.? ? During the seven-plus months that Asha was gone, the deer had dwindled far below the numbers she had known.? ? There were about 70 deer, and now only 50 left.? ? ¡°Six months ago our oldest, Nici and Mima, died together. They loved each other so much that they wanted to be together in death.¡±? ? Mirah, who loved Nichi and Mima, said in a somber voice.? ? Lucentia added as she hugged her brother¡¯s shoulder.? ? ¡°Then there were three deer that died of illness. And some died fighting in this canyon. Han, Toure, and Mouchard, who went looking for the cub a few days ago when he was lost, also died.¡±? ? ¡°Three deer? When I found that deer cub, there were only two of them¡­¡­..¡±? ? ¡°Yes. The cub said that one of them fell while luring the terrible beasts.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, I see.¡±? ? Since more than 20 of them died in just a few months, the number was bound to decrease sharply.? ? Moreover, five of the remaining doe were now pregnant and some had just given birth.? ? It must have been a harsh adventure for the deer to move at such an acute time of year.? ? Asha looked around the entrance to the canyon they had just passed through.? ? Largon¡¯s incense burner was already burned out.? ? The black jewel smoked for about an hour, then closed its own entrance and reverted back to its square shape.? ? The beasts who smelled the incense, however, were still dreaming in their cowering, as if they had not yet awakened.? ? Perhaps it was Tamon¡¯s medicine, or it was because their mouths and noses were tightly sealed, but the knights made it out without a single one of them collapsing.? ? For some reason, Mirah and Lucentia did not notice the scent of the incense at all.? ? Thanks to this, they were able to pass through the canyon safely without falling into the hallucination of the incense burner.? ? Whooooooo¡­¡­.!? ? Grrrrrrrrr!? ? The cry of fallen beasts, seen in passing, echoed terrifyingly in the canyon.? ? The mutants, who had been cowering on the floor as if in a deep sleep, were crying.? ? Some sobbed and moaned as if in a sad dream, while others giggled and chuckled, flapping their wings as if in some happy dream.? ? For some reason, these were the beasts that became monsters without ever getting out of this place.? ? ¡­¡­ What are those beasts dreaming about?? ? Glancing back, Asha stared at the canyon occupied by an eerie black fog.? ? She vowed to try to uncover that monstrous canyon someday.? ? * * *? ? ¡°The Empress didn¡¯t send any letters. I thought it was strange from then on.¡±? ? ¡°Once or twice I thought it was possible. But when I received a letter requesting a larger quantity of leather than it was originally requested, I thought something was definitely wrong.¡±? ? ¡°They asked for more leather?¡±? ? The children, suffering from hunger, hurriedly drank the warm soup that Asrell had handed them and brought up the story.? ? After Hannah and Arsene had brought food to Mirah and Lucentia curiously, they quietly sat down close to them and ate bread together.? ? Strangely enough, the silver deer had not yet let their guard down, and they had just taken up a position behind Mirah and Lucentia, looking around the area.? ? As a result, Mirah and Lucentia could not enter the barracks and sat down near the bone fire.? ? However, seeing Mirah and Lucentia laughing as if to say that this was still good enough, Asha¡¯s heart felt heavy.? ? ¡±I¡¯m sorry. I know you were anxious because I disappeared without a word¡­¡­¡±? ? ¡°No, we know it¡¯s not the Empress¡¯s fault.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s all the fault of that evil emperor!¡±? ? Mirah, who had put some well-cooked meat in his mouth, clenched his fists in frustration.? ? ¡°We felt strange, so we hid ourselves and came down to the capital.¡±? ? ¡°I felt fortunate that the Empress had shown me the capital several times. We walked around carefully, remembering what you showed me.¡±? ? ¡°Fortunately, we didn¡¯t have to go far to hear what was going on during that time. Everyone was talking about the Emperor, the Empress, and that woman Natasha.¡±? ? Mirah and Lucentia joined the deer herd when they were young.? ? Naturally, they never received a proper education, and their memories of mingling with people were also limited to their childhood.? ? Already, everyone who knew Mirah and Lucentia treated the siblings as ¡°beasts.¡±? ? It was Asha who taught the siblings letters and numbers.? ? Of course, she couldn¡¯t teach them difficult words or amazing calculations, but she took the time to teach them basic letters and numbers just in case.? ? That was very helpful in this escape. Like when they counted the number of deer scattered about and bought what they needed as they passed through small towns.? ? ¡°We could not believe that the Empress had died ¡­.We had been in a daze for a month, and then one day I suddenly had the feeling that the bad emperor would kill all the deer and us if we didn¡¯t do something about it.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s why we knew we had to escape¡­. we came to the canyon looking for a place where we could avoid the emperor¡¯s eyes.¡±? ? They were driven to the place closest to death to avoid death.? ? The silver deer and the siblings were that desperate.? ? ¡°Now that I think about it, I thought this could be the end of us¡­¡­.¡±? ? Lucentia sniffled and laughed.? ? ¡°It seemed that this was not the end of us, but the end of waiting.¡±? ? It was heartbreaking to see the siblings still smiling with pale faces which were obvious they hadn¡¯t had much to eat.? ? While Asha was frustrated that she did not have a single thing left to offer, these children were left alone.? ? These were the children who were sacrificed because of imperial greed, the siblings she promised to protect them herself.? ? ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±? ? The siblings hugged Asha with their heads together.? ? ¡°Empress, it really is all right. You said so yourself, Empress. Our lives belong to us.¡±? ? ¡°Yes. So don¡¯t think of our impending difficulties as yours. You have always done your best.¡±? ? When did they grow so much?? ? Over the past few months, the siblings had grown just as Roselyn had become Aranrosia.? ? As the siblings had grown, they must have experienced a lot. And they became stronger.? ? She was also not the Roselyn who was caught in Gillotti and Natasha¡¯s trap.? ? She was going to be stronger and work harder for a better future.? ? For no reason at all, Asha¡¯s nose twitched and she laughed.? ? The siblings laughed as they faced Asha.? ? * * * *? ? ¡°I¡¯m going to go over there for a while. Hannah, Arsene. Can you talk to Mia and Tia?¡±? ? ¡°Yes!? ? ¡°Yes.¡±? ? Roselyn left to where Tamon and the knights were, leaving only the children by the fire.? ? In fact, on the surface, the siblings were already close to adults, but they were still unfamiliar because they had not experienced enough people.? ? While the other knights, especially Tamon, had yet drawn hostile stares when looking at them, Hannah and Arsene seemed a bit different.? ? In particular, they showed great curiosity about the light color of Hannah¡¯s hair.? ? Lucentia, who had glanced at Hannah, spoke up first.? ? ¡°How did you do this?¡±? ? ¡°Hmm? What?¡±? ? ¡°The ends of your hair are pink.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, this¡­..¡±? ? Hannah laughed as she fiddled with the ends of her hair.? ? ¡°This was my original hair color. But one day it gradually turned white. Then it became like this.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­changed suddenly?¡±? ? The siblings opened their eyes curiously.? ? ¡°You are peculiar too.¡±? ? As the siblings looked at Hannah curiously, Hannah raised her hand and pointed to one of the people coming and going and said,? ? ¡°Look at that. His hair color is rare too.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s just that we all have our own colors. You two just had it white. It¡¯s not too different or strange.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s not strange¡­..?¡±? ? ¡°No. We are all the same people anyway. We are all just the same red-blooded people.¡±? ? Hannah said so and leaned her head against Lucentia¡¯s arm.? ? The sudden action of Hannah startled Lucentia, and she froze like ice.? ? But Hannah did not care and hugged Lucentia and said.? ? ¡°I miss my sister. My sister is very beautiful, just like you. She is also very kind. Whenever she felt anxious, I hugged her like this. You look anxious too, so I¡¯ll hold you.¡±? ? Arsene looked at Hannah in surprise.? ? To him, Hannah was bright and cheerful. She was not the kind of child who would casually touch someone like this or ask for help.? ? How could such Hannah suddenly embrace Lucentia, whom she had never met before?? ? He had been with Hannah for quite a long time, but he couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.? ? Lucentia, who was frozen, looked at Mirah.? ? Mirah looked at Hannah and Lucentia in astonishment, and quietly stared at Arsene.? ? When his eyes met Mira, Arsene was at a loss as to what in the world to do about the situation.? ? ¡±No way¡­¡±? ? Arsene flinched and looked at Hannah.? ? From the look on Hannah¡¯s face, Arsene knew what she wanted him to do.? ? ¡°Oh, um, ¡­¡­.''¡±? ? The tips of Arsene¡¯s ears turned red.? ? Growing up a blacksmith and being treated as an orphan, Arsene couldn¡¯t have been used to being in contact with strangers.? ? There was no one to hug him when he had a hard time, nor was there anyone he could hug.? ? It was only awkward because the boy who had grown up that way suddenly began to embrace someone next to him.? ? ¡°Arsene.¡±? ? Hannah quietly called his name and urged him on.? ? Mirah¡¯s face was becoming more and more expectant.? ? ¡°Oh, my.¡±? ? Arsene, his eyes tightly closed, hugged Mirah with a bright red face.? ? With his stiff arms, Arsene lightly patted the shoulder of Mirah, who was also bigger than him.? ? Mirah also hugged Arsene as if he had been waiting for him.? ? ¡°Well done, Arsene.¡±? ? Hannah giggled and praised Arsene.? ? The group, which was already harmonious, became even warmer.? ? Asrell watched from afar with amusement as the children embraced each other unexpectedly. CH 134 Chapter 134. Evidence Of Longing? ? While people were talking, dinner time was almost over.? ? The silver deer took their turn to stand guard in Tamon¡¯s encampment, as was their habit.? ? Being highly alert animals, they did not immediately relax.? ? Tamon respected such tension among the deer.? ? He did not try to control them, but only lit a few more bonfires.? ? The bigger deer took their turn on guard, leaving the cubs and the female deer to rest.? ? Hannah and Arsene suggested that the siblings should use the barracks with them, but the siblings laughingly declined.? ? ¡°It¡¯s stuffy in the barracks. I prefer to sleep with the deer. I can count the stars and fall asleep.¡±? ? ¡°But isn¡¯t it cold outside?¡±? ? ¡°Really?¡± I think it¡¯s just cool enough¡­ Winter in Tanatos is much harsher.¡±? ? Hannah and Arsene could not stop the siblings from laughing as if it was no big deal.? ? As Hannah was about to get up, Lucentia quietly grabbed Hannah and asked.? ? ¡°Hey, hey.¡±? ? ¡®¡¯Yes?¡±? ? Lucentia hesitated for a moment, then pointed to Asha and Tamon, who were talking a short distance away.? ? ¡°They are a pair, aren¡¯t they?¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­huh?¡±? ? Hannah looked at Arsene with a puzzled expression.? ? Arsene¡¯s face turned red at the word ¡°pair¡±.? ? ¡°I saw them kissing earlier. That¡¯s what mating deer do, and so did the two of them. That¡¯s why those two are a pair, right?¡±? ? Mirah looked at Hannah as if curious.? ? Hannah immediately grabbed Arsene¡¯s sleeve as if telling him to answer, but Arsene¡¯s face was already red with his head hung down.? ? Hannah had no choice but to answer the question.? ? ¡°Yes, probably¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Wow! I¡¯m glad!¡±? ? Phew~? ? Hannah swept her chest when she heard Lucentia¡¯s excited reply.? ? ¡°Yes, I knew she should throw away the bad partner. It¡¯s a good thing she did it now. That emperor was not a good partner!¡±? ? The brother and sister looked at Asha, who was about to enter the barracks with smiling faces.? ? Glancing back, Asha waved as her eyes met those of the siblings¡¯.? ? Tamon also turned and looked at the siblings, and Mirah and Lucentia smiled brightly and gave him a thumbs up.? ? It was the highest compliment these siblings knew.? ? Only Hannah and Arsene smiled with embarrassment at Asha.? ? * * *? ? The next day, the camp was prepared to leave early.? ? They were already quite late due to the black canyon.? ? Even if they went in a hurry, they could barely make it to the start of the July festival.? ? The problem was that they could not enter Bern with the deer.? ? ¡°We can¡¯t go to Bern and protect the deer and their young at the same time.¡±? ? ¡°But we can¡¯t delay the time any longer.¡±? ? Asha agreed with Tamon¡¯s words.? ? The children were important, but they could not afford to change their schedule.? ? What would be the best course of action?? ? They looked into each other¡¯s eyes at the same time and soon realized they were both thinking the same thing.? ? Tamon¡¯s large, tanned, thick hand swept Asha¡¯s cheek.? ? His body got closer.? ? The air became so hot in the blink of an eye that it blew away the chill of dawn.? ? Hard fingertips brushed against Asha¡¯s lips, opening them lightly.? ? She looked at him without avoiding his eyes.? ? His greedy eyes looked longingly between her open lips.? ? But he didn¡¯t rush into her rashly.? ? With a gentle smile, Tamon pulled Asha into his embrace.? ? Gently lifting her waist, which seemed to break with a little effort, and holding her tightly with one hand, Asha stood on tiptoe, her legs feeling sluggish.? ? Their chests touched.? ? ¡°I have a feeling you are thinking the same thing I am now¡­.¡±? ? ¡°What, what are you thinking?¡±? ? Asha gasped and grabbed Tamon¡¯s shoulders.? ? Tamon¡¯s muscular shoulders were too big for her to reach.? ? ¡°¡­for now I¡¯m thinking of kissing you.¡±? ? ¡°Not me.¡±? ? ¡°Really?¡±? ? His softly whispering lips came closer, rubbing against hers.? ? Each time he spoke, warm breath stimulated her lips.? ? Every time Tamon opened his lips, the gap between them itched and drove her crazy.? ? Tamon¡¯s kisses were not so soft.? ? As if he was thirsty and pleadingly earnest.? ? As he came in between her wet lips and robbed her of her tongue, Asha would experience a soul-wrenching experience every time.? ? Today, however, he didn¡¯t devour her lips with his eyes that were so earnest and so desperate.? ? Tamon, who had placed short, gentle kisses around her lips, spoke again the story that had broken off earlier.? ? ¡°The deer and the children¡­.¡±? ? His lips brushed hers as he spoke, as if caressing them.? ? ¡°I think they should be temporarily sheltered in Amor.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? Since they would not be able to avoid the eyes of others in the capital, it was a good idea to send them to the Krasis territory.? ? Right now, it was hard to tell if this situation was just before an ¡®affair¡¯ between a man and a woman, or if they were discussing the future.? ? He rubbed her lips over and over, as if he was about to touch her, but would not press in.? ? Was he going to burn her this way?? ? Her lips were too hot.? ? Asha felt the urge to grab Tamon by the neck and kiss him right away.? ? But she felt embarrassed because she had never felt this way before.? ? ¡®When did I become so promiscuous?¡¯? ? Up until now, she had always been the one to accept the unwilling kisses.? ? It was always Tamon who pushed her, whether she was prepared or not.? ? So feeling this way was too unfamiliar to Asha.? ? Moreover, now Asha realized that she quite enjoyed her relationship with Tamon.? ? ¡°Why are you so silent, Asha?¡±? ? Tamon prompted her answer with a laugh.? ? With a short sigh, she glanced at him with a pout on her lips.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll tell Mirah and Lucentia. Will Jorge be leading them there?¡±? ? ¡®Hmmm, the Knights of Platanus will lead the deer, and we will wait here for one more day for the other knights. I think there¡¯s Tulip Knights nearby.¡±? ? Asha nodded lightly.? ? Then she turned her face away, avoiding his seductive lips.? ? While they were conversing, she was about to swallow Tamon first.? ? ¡°Okay¡­.why don¡¯t you move away now?¡±? ? ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±? ? ¡°Why do you have to stick together so much?¡±? ? ¡°Well¡­¡­.¡±? ? Tamon laughed briefly, kissed the corners of her long eyes, and murmured.? ? ¡°Because I¡¯m trying to seduce you.¡±? ? But as if that wasn¡¯t enough to get her attention, he licked the corners of her eyes with his tongue.? ? Asha flinched, then turned her gaze again and looked at Tamon.? ? Tamon stopped his lips without averting her gaze.? ? Asha had been thinking about it since yesterday, but now seeing him like this, she was more certain.? ? Tamon was elated.? ? The strange state he had been in for several days had vanished without a shadow of a doubt, and he was now totally elated.? ? He was ready to run off laughing if he was told to immediately go up to Bern alone and open Gillotti¡¯s throat.? ? The answer to why he was so buoyant was immediately obvious, even to Asha, who had no sense of humor.? ? ¡®Is it because of what I said yesterday?¡¯? ? Since that one word that he had become important to her.? ? Tamon, who otherwise could not tear his gaze away, now stared at her with eyes filled with complete possessiveness.? ? Asha noticed this and felt somewhat tingling with this seductive attitude of his. ? ? ¡®It¡¯s a little cute¡­.¡¯? ? She finally thought she had gone crazy.? ? She couldn¡¯t believe she had thought he was even a little cute looking at a man who was obviously scary to everyone.? ? How could it be so unusual and auspicious to see a man who was more loyal to his desires than anyone else, suppressing such an impatient desire to seduce her?? ? She strongly sensed that he was more aroused than she was because of the close proximity.? ? Is this also a curiosity?? ? It had always felt threatening, but today it came a little differently.? ? Hesitantly, Asha reached out to Tamon¡¯s shoulder and stroked his cheek.? ? She could feel him moving greatly at just the slightest touch.? ? She tried hard not to blush, and stroked Tamon¡¯s lips slightly.? ? ¡°Why do you seduce me?¡±? ? Tamon inhaled heavily, as if holding something back for a moment, and laughed with a look of dismay on his face.? ? ¡°¡­.. men are stupid by nature, they always want to confirm.¡±? ? Asha chuckled at his joking reply.? ? ¡°So just seduce me, what do you want to confirm?¡±? ? ¡°That you crave me, too¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Is temptation a sign of craving?¡±? ? ¡°No. That¡¯s not it, Asha.¡±? ? Tamon finally relented and bit her lower lip.? ? Seemingly fighting against many conflicting emotions, he licked and bit her lower lip.? ? ¡°The key is not to give in to temptation, but to have temptation.¡±? ? He bit her lower lip again.? ? It felt as if he was pestering her to come quickly.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t want you to feel like you don¡¯t have a choice, but to be happy to¡­.you want me with your choice.¡±? ? Asha thought his words were pleasant to the ear.? ? Even up to the moment of temptation, Tamon was asking her to ¡°choose¡±.? ? He wanted her to give in to her temptation of her own volition.? ? It sounded to Asha that she was a person who would never fall for temptation unless she was willing to do so.? ? Strangely enough, it seduced her more than any temptation. CH 135 Chapter 135. Under The Wheels? ? ***? ? Asha willingly closed her eyes and brought her lips to his.? ? Their overlapping lips slowly but perfectly became one.? ? Asha led the kiss with him for the first time. First she opened his lips and invaded his mouth.? ? Tamon followed her at first like a meek gentleman, gradually regaining his original habit of being too much for her to handle.? ? The kissing became urgent, and both their hands were impatient at not being able to grasp the other enough.? ? They had completely forgotten that it was already early in the morning, when the sun was already up, and that preparations were in full swing outside for the clearing out.? ? Tamon¡¯s hand entered without hesitation through the gap in Asha¡¯s well dressed clothes.? ? The touch of her skin, which crushed at his grasp, drove him crazy once more.? ? What tortured him even more were the small hands caressing his shoulders, arms, and sides.? ? Her hands stroked his entire body, tasting the flexing of his muscles.? ? Tamon bit her neck like a hungry beast and came down.? ? Asha, who still had some sense of reason left in her, held him in her arms as she stifled a gasp.? ? In her head, she slurred the words, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t do this,¡± over and over, but when their lips touched each other, they were all futile taboos.? ? As if he was thirsty even after drinking, he ate her flesh with his mouth full.? ? Just the mere touch of their bodies was an ecstasy bordering on fire.? ? But now as their hearts became one, at the thought of even the slightest touch, his whole body melted away as if he had been thrown into the fires of hell.? ? He seriously wondered whether it would matter if it was hell or heaven there, if this was the level of pleasure he was getting.? ? He embraced her with all his strength, with all his heart to push forward.? ? Asha¡¯s wobbly, white, slender legs hugged Tamon¡¯s waist tightly.? ? She gripped the thick carpeted floor tightly to support her body as it was swept away by his momentum.? ? ¡°Ha¡­!¡±? ? Her body shook when Tamon entered. His presence filled her to the very edge.? ? ¡°Should we do it slowly?¡±? ? He asked as he turned to Asha, who seemed to be having a hard time.? ? Asha glanced at Tamon with a glare.? ? Now was not the time to take it slowly, nor did she feel like doing so.? ? ¡°No.¡±? ? Tamon laughed when Asha replied in a voice that was held back by a moan.? ? He lifted that precious foot she had given him one day and licked its thin ankle.? ? The sight was so obscene that she shrank back terribly, and Tamon had to grunt as she tightened.? ? He retreated greatly and then drove in greatly.? ? Unbeknownst to herself, Asha had to endure a whimpering moan with her wrist clamped over her mouth.? ? ¡°When is captain¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Prepare for departure¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±? ? The voices of the knights making noise outside kept getting farther and closer together.? ? So much so that their spirits also kept drowning and becoming clearer.? ? Tamon looked at Asha with eyes that were half-unconscious.? ? It was a tremendous thrill for him to see Asha so disturbed by his hands and lips.? ? A huge ecstatic engulfed him like a wave.? ? The undulating sound of the waves filled the dry, waterless floor.? ? Tamon embraced his ecstasy with both arms and hammered his teeth into it as if he could close it like this and die.? ? It was the beginning of a satisfying morning.? ? * * *? ? ¡°Why did he oversleep when he said we had to hurry?¡±? ? Was he tired? Jorge wondered if Tamon was tired.? ? Their captain walked out of the barracks the latest, skipping morning breakfast.? ? He looked different from usual from his complexion, perhaps he had slept well. He was glowing.? ? Jorge looked strangely at Tamon¡¯s face, which was strangely satisfied, even though he had not eaten breakfast.? ? ¡°You have to be slow when you need it.¡±? ? Tamon, who mumbled something nonsense in a plausible voice, looked over the map spread out on the table.? ? ¡°Lutre is stationed in this area, right?¡±? ? ¡°Yes? Ah, yes. They are waiting in Durk.¡±? ? ¡°If they get the speed right, they¡¯d be here in a day.¡±? ? ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡±? ? Jorge looked at Tamon as if to ask why he was saying that.? ? Tamon turned around and looked at the silver deer that were clustered behind him.? ? ¡°Jorge, you take the deer and go to my estate.¡±? ? ¡°What? Your estate?¡±? ? ¡°We cannot take the silver deer back to the capital of Tanatos, nor can we take them to the capital of Amor. And the nearest place is my territory.¡±? ? ¡°Ah¡­.¡±? ? Jorge nodded, as if finally understanding Tamon¡¯s words.? ? ¡°But I can¡¯t take the Knights with me¡­ Ah! That¡¯s why you asked about Lutre.¡±? ? Lutre was the head of the Order of the Tulip of the Krasis family.? ? In case of armed conflict, the Knights of Tamon were ordered to stand by near Tanatos.? ? In addition to the official Knights of Krasis, there were quite a few other Orders that Tamon had with him.? ? As he had served as a great general, there were a few troops that he could use immediately if he wished.? ? However, this was not a full-scale war.? ? It was important to move only the minimum number of personnel as a precaution against armed conflict.? ? Moreover, Asha did not want civilian casualties.? ? This was only an imperial battle of Tanatos.? ? It was about maximum rebellion with minimum casualties.? ? She called it ¡°rebellion¡±.? ? ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better for them who have been with us for a day to take them rather than a group of stranger knights? I will lead the deer and I will join up with Lutre.¡±? ? ¡°Are you alright?¡±? ? Tamon glanced at him at Jorge¡¯s question.? ? Tamon had a look that said, ¡°Think about who on earth you are asking that question to.¡±? ? ¡®Surely you are the one who, alone, broke through the black canyon¡­¡­¡¯? ? Jorge chuckled awkwardly and quickly summarized the situation.? ? ¡°I understand. I will be ready soon. Still, don¡¯t push yourself too hard like you did yesterday, captain. Everyone¡¯s heart will drop.¡±? ? Tamon, who had been nodding, suddenly stared at Jorge.? ? ¡°Why, do you think so?¡±? ? The look in Tamon¡¯s eyes was strangely somber, and Jorge involuntarily stepped back.? ? ¡°You are right, Jorge.¡±? ? ¡°¡­..what? Suddenly what?¡±? ? Tamon, who was watching Jorge¡¯s confused face, touched his twitching lips and murmured.? ? ¡°I¡¯m a very, very precious person to someone, so I always have to be careful.¡± ? ? ¡°¡­what?¡±? ? ¡°Thank you for telling me that again.¡± ? ? ¡°What, what¡­..?¡±? ? Tamon chuckled lazily in satisfaction and tapped Jorge on the shoulder.? ? ¡°You can be someone¡¯s precious person, so always be careful.¡±? ? Tamon encouraged Jorge with the kindest look Jorge had never seen in his life.? ? ¡°¡­ Oy!¡±? ? Jorge stared dumbly at the back of Tamon moving away and shuddered.? ? It was a gruesome start to the morning. ? ? £ª £ª £ª? ? The siblings and the deer headed south, led by Jorge, to Amor.? ? The rest of the march must not have been easy, as they had to avoid the eyes of the people.? ? The siblings laughed resolutely, as if they had already prepared for this.? ? ¡°The pain is with us. It cannot hold us back. We will surely win peace.¡±? ? She was proud of them.? ? Asha rather vowed that she must be more careful not to embarrass Mirah and Tia.? ? Tia squeezed Asha¡¯s hand as she handed her the dead deer antlers and skins she had collected so far.? ? ¡°Whatever blocks your front, be sure to triumph. Nothing can stop the Empress. I know.¡±? ? Asha felt that looking into each other¡¯s eyes of firm trust gave her the confidence that she did not have.? ? The growth of children seemed to be so explosive that adults could not predict it.? ? Mirah and Lucentia, who had been abandoned to the wild at the age of seven or eight, grew much more physically, but their spirit always remained at that time of abandonment.? ? Until only a year ago.? ? But now they were fully grown adults.? ? Looking at their powerful gaze, she felt that knowledge, manners, and history were not the only things that make a person grow.? ? Isn¡¯t becoming an adult not just about intellectual growth, but about developing the ability to face danger and uncertainty and move forward?? ? Emotionally, Asha chuckled and shook her head.? ? Fortunately, without waiting too long, the Tulip Knights of Tamon arrived.? ? £ª £ª £ª? ? It began to rain.? ? They didn¡¯t know how fortunate it was.? ? Natasha endured the tight contractions and carried her heavy steps one by one.? ? ¡°Madam, you¡¯re sweating too much¡­.where are you going alone?¡±? ? Anne, the young maid of honor who had been supporting Natasha, looked pale with worry and alerted in the dark alley.? ? Poor, but still somehow living as an aristocrat, Anne had never been west of the capital before.? ? Usually this was a place known to be inhabited by commoners, the poorest and most vicious criminals among them.? ? Natasha, the emperor¡¯s mistress and the noblest woman in the land, visited here secretly, which was something hard to understand.? ? ¡°Shut up, Anne. Don¡¯t ask.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, madam¡­¡±? ? Anne was a chambermaid assigned to Natasha by the vizier Roxon.? ? She was foolish and naive, but she was so timid that she obeyed without hesitation.? ? Moreover, she said she would never betray the people she served, no matter what weakness Roxon held in his hands.? ? So Natasha had no choice but to be accompanied by Anne.? ? Originally, she was going to go on her own, but apparently she couldn¡¯t even walk alone under the current circumstances, so it was a choice she had to make.? ? ¡°Um, um, ¡­¡­that green gate. Go that way quickly¡­¡­.¡±? ? Natasha managed to catch her breath and struggled.? ? Anne rushed to the green entrance and slammed the door.? ? ¡°Who are you, at this late hour of the night?¡±? ? The latch door opened slightly with the annoyed voice of an old man.? ? ¡°Door, please open the door. Quickly¡­¡­!¡±? ? The old man, who was checking through the door with his dim, dark eyes, identified the woman with a hood over her head and red, bloodshot eyes staring at him.? ? ¡°Oh, madam!¡±? ? As soon as the startled old man opened the door wide, Natasha caught him with a skinny hand with protruding veins.? ? ¡°The child¡­.¡±? ? A miserable voice broke out between clenched teeth.? ? ¡°The child is about to come out.¡± CH 136 Chapter 136. Natasha''s Crime? ? ***? ? Aaah!? ? A woman¡¯s tearing scream echoed through the shabby deserted alley.? ? The brown cat, who was searching through the garbage, stood up its tail in surprise.? ? The place where its pupils had long since split was inside the oldest house in the alley.? ? A light rain had begun to fall at that moment.? ? The sound of rain concealed the moaning of the woman gritting her teeth.? ? ¡°The head is almost out! Give a little more strength! It will be over as soon as the head is out!¡±? ? ¡°Ahhhh!¡±? ? Natasha¡¯s gritted teeth and screams filled the house of this unsurpassed old woman.? ? Anne stood in the corner with a blank face and trembling hands, watching this horrific scene.? ? ¡®Hah, what is the meaning of all this? Why does Natasha have her baby here? What¡¯s wrong!¡¯? ? She didn¡¯t even want to look straight at it.? ? As for Anne, she was brave enough not to run away immediately.? ? ¡°It¡¯s almost out!¡±? ? At the old woman¡¯s shout, whose voice had gone hoarse, Anne involuntarily glanced there.? ? ¡°Ha!¡±? ? It was full of bright red blood.? ? As Anne had never even seen her own body properly, the shock of seeing another person¡¯s body covered in blood was even greater.? ? ¡°What are you doing? Pull yourself together! Bring me a towel!¡±? ? ¡°Yes, yes! I¡¯m sorry.¡±? ? Anne brought the towel with a shudder.? ? That was the moment.? ? ¡°Ah, ah, ah, ahhhhhh!¡±? ? Even without saying it, Anne could tell that the scream was the final push.? ? Boom! ? ? Was heaven helping them?? ? A bolt of lightning struck in time with Natasha¡¯s scream.? ? The rain, which concealed her tears and sobs, was beating hard against the roof.? ? Anne, who had her eyes closed tightly, felt something different in the air.? ? ¡°Oh, dear, dear¡­¡­. This pretty thing has grown up and came out.¡±? ? The old woman giggled in a hoarse voice as if she had lost her strength.? ? She could hear the sound of her patting the wet skin.? ? Then she heard a gurgling, very small sound, and a yelp began to spread.? ? ¡°Waaaaaa!¡±? ? It was the cry of a baby as it breathed in the first breath of air.? ? Anne stared blankly at the little creature, covered in amniotic fluid and blood.? ? There was no shadow of the horror of what had just happened, just a loss of soul.? ? ¡°The baby is ¡­¡­.¡±? ? Natasha held out her hand, mumbling in an exhausted voice.? ? ¡°A very strong prince. Come now, you will be held in your mother¡¯s arms.¡±? ? The little baby was placed on Natasha¡¯s breast.? ? Natasha looked more compassionate than ever and kissed the baby¡¯s forehead, which still had blood on it.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ you will be the emperor of this land.¡±? ? It was a voice that lost all its power, but was full of heart.? ? Natasha fed the whimpering baby.? ? It was not until the whole process was finished that Natasha fell asleep like a faint.? ? * * * *? ? Natasha woke up after exactly ten hours of sleep.? ? She had ordered Anne to go to the Imperial Palace and gave them a message that she (Natasha) went to her parents¡¯ house.? ? She (Natasha) could not stay away for long, for the emperor who had a lot of doubts.? ? ¡°You can take care of the baby right?¡±? ? ¡°Yes.¡±? ? ¡°I will send Anne to you tonight. Until then, take good care of the baby.¡±? ? ¡°Don¡¯t worry and go.¡±? ? No matter how few people were passing by, when the sun rose, there were more people on the road.? ? Natasha, who couldn¡¯t afford to let people see her, quickly left the alley, supported by Ennis.? ? ¡°Anne.¡±? ? ¡°Yes?¡±? ? ¡°If you let it slip what you saw yesterday, I¡¯ll pull your tongue out.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­!¡±? ? ¡°You took me to my parents¡¯ house yesterday, when I was depressed. Do you understand?¡±? ? Natasha, pale of complexion, speaking in a whisper with a graceful voice, was like a devil in an angel¡¯s mask.? ? Startled, Anne nodded shakily.? ? ¡°You said you are a girl who keeps secrets well, so I can trust you.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, yes, Lady.¡±? ? Natasha looked at Anne, who was nodding.? ? Her bloodshot eyes were quiet, but sharper than ever. She called ? ? Anne again.? ? ¡°Anne.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, yes?¡± ? ? ¡°But you look like a weak girl, I¡¯ll give you an errand to run then I¡¯ll believe you.¡±? ? ¡°What¡­..¡±? ? Facing Natasha, Anne felt eerie.? ? With no one to listen, Natasha deliberately whispered in Anne¡¯s ear.? ? ¡°Tonight, bring Logan and kill that old woman.¡±? ? ¡°What?!¡±? ? Anne looked at Natasha frighteningly and covered her mouth.? ? Her clear orange eyes flashed silently.? ? ¡°Keep in mind, Anne. If you don¡¯t kill her, you will be the one who dies.¡±? ? Anne wanted to cry out, but she clenched her teeth and held back.? ? How could this have happened to her?? ? All of this was because of her brother¡¯s gambling debts.? ? If only her parents had not been caught in that debt, Anne would not have had to sell her labor to the Marquis Roxon for a low price.? ? No, he didn¡¯t say it was dangerous in the first place. He just told her to keep her mouth shut and be a maid!? ? There was no God to save her even if she confessed the truth.? ? No matter how foolish she was, she knew that much.? ? She squeezed her mouth shut and opened the carriage door with a trembling hand.? ? Natasha staggered and climbed into the carriage.? ? A few hours later, an old, shabby carriage pulled in exactly where Natasha had left it.? ? * * *? ? Knock. Knock.? ? The horseman driving the unglamorous but sturdy carriage tapped on the small window connected to the interior.? ? Anna opened the window.? ? ¡°The terrain is a little rough from here. You might get motion sickness, so it¡¯s better to go with the window slightly open. There will be a lot of shaking.¡±? ? ¡°I see¡­..¡±? ? Anna sighed low and opened the carriage windows on both sides.? ? As soon as both windows were open, the stuffy air escaped, and the nausea she had been feeling felt much better.? ? Rwanda put a blanket on Anna¡¯s lap and smiled.? ? ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to open the window?¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ yes.¡±? ? ¡°The weather is getting warmer these days, and it¡¯s not so cold with the windows open.¡±? ? It wasn¡¯t that Anna didn¡¯t know it.? ? She just didn¡¯t want to see the man¡¯s face when she opened the window, so she stubbornly kept it closed.? ? ¡®Why on earth is he following me?¡¯? ? Anna thought as she forced herself to catch her gaze through the window.? ? ¡®Perso Gertium!¡¯? ? She didn¡¯t expect that knight was the Duke.? ? When she thought about that day, she felt cold like ice on her chest.? ? No matter how hard she tried to calm down, shw didn¡¯t feel good, as if he had deceived her.? ? Besides, the disheveled appearance she had shown him, and the embarrassment that came with it, was not completely herself.? ? Anna closed her eyes tightly. The conversation of that day, which she had thought of over and over again, came back to her.? ? * * *? ? ¡°¡­¡­ who are you?¡±? ? ¡°Perso Gertium.¡±? ? Anna jumped up in surprise.? ? As if he understood her surprised face, Perso continued speaking in a calm voice.? ? ¡°Outwardly, I had no choice but to deceive people because it was known that I was going around the Northwestern Hunting Mountains. I¡¯m sorry.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­I understand.¡±? ? Yes, the situation was fully understandable in Anna¡¯s head.? ? Still, shw couldn¡¯t help that her face became stiff.? ? Only a few hours earlier, she was distraught, telling him her personal story, unaware who the knight really was.? ? It was not all this man¡¯s fault, but couldn¡¯t he have warned her somewhat?? ? Then again, it was this man who hung around at random times without receiving a request from her.? ? ¡®No, let¡¯s not stir up personal feelings. I need this man anyway.¡¯? ? Anna steeled herself through clenched teeth.? ? She took a deep breath and stared at Perso.? ? Unlike before, Perso¡¯s expression hardened at the cold look in Anna¡¯s eyes.? ? ¡±If you don¡¯t mind me asking, if you were supposed to be in the mountains, but why are you here?¡±? ? Perso faced her in silence instead of answering.? ? Anna continued calmly, as if she had expected it.? ? ¡°If it¡¯s difficult for you to answer, I¡¯ll just tell you what I guessed.¡±? ? ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±? ? ¡°I think you have deliberately said that you are in the farthest part of the capital to avoid being summoned by the emperor.¡±? ? Anna¡¯s words caused Perso¡¯s expression to change slightly.? ? The atmosphere changed, even though he only wrinkled his brow.? ? As if it was his first day in the castle, the spirit that emanated from his entire body held her cold and chillingly in place.? ? It was obvious that he was nervous about her words.? ? Anna raised her head resolutely.? ? This was enough.? ? ¡®The present Duke of Gertium does not conform to the imperial family.¡¯? ? This alone should have been enough of an answer for Roselyn.? ? Moreover, Roselyn was now near Tanatos.? ? If this man was not actively trying to protect the imperial family, then perhaps¡­ he could fulfill Rosie¡¯s aspirations without great sacrifice.? ? It was a relief to think so.? ? Yes, as long as Perso Gertium did not block her and Rosie¡¯s path, she would understand that he had not deceived her.? ? Anna eased her stiff shoulders and nodded as gently as ever.? ? ¡°I understand what you meant, Duke. That is enough for me. Thank you for speaking with me.¡±? ? ¡°¡­.Why?¡±? ? ¡°Yes?¡± ? ? ¡°Why were you curious about that?¡±? ? Perso asked back.? ? Anna answered without hesitation.? ? ¡°Because I don¡¯t like the emperor.¡± CH 137 Chapter 137. Who Left The Flowers?? ? Perso was surprised by Anna¡¯s answer.? ? How could she publicly dislike the Emperor in front of the Emperor¡¯s close aide.? ? His expression became harder than ever.? ? ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡±? ? ¡°Me? What¡¯s so dangerous about a noblewoman with no power and no status like me?¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean by dangerous.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­then?¡±? ? ¡°You will put yourself in danger.¡±? ? Anna understood his words.? ? It did not mean that she herself was a threat to anyone, but that she would put herself in danger.? ? ¡°Everything I cared about is gone.¡±? ? Anna turned to Perso and smiled bitterly.? ? ¡°It¡¯s all because of one person.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°I hate and loathe the person who destroyed all of that. And that¡¯s the emperor.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s very dangerous.¡±? ? ¡°I am aware of that. I don¡¯t speak so openly anywhere.¡±? ? Anna stared at Perso.? ? It was as if she knew he wouldn¡¯t hurt her by looking at his eyes.? ? Anna sat still for a while, sipping her cold tea, and then suddenly remembered and asked.? ? ¡°So the Duke of Gertium will not be at the July Festival?¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯ve been called, but I don¡¯t need to go. There are others there already.¡±? ? Anna¡¯s expression brightened at once at his words.? ? ¡°I see. You¡¯re right. You¡¯re also busy protecting this place.¡±? ? Hearing her cheerful voice, Perso hesitantly opened his mouth .? ? ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you had a request for me?¡±? ? ¡°Oh, yes, I did.¡±? ? ¡°Tell me.¡±? ? In fact, Anna tried to get Duke Gertium to go to that far away place by making this and that excuse.? ? She tried to send him to the furthest place from the capital, or to make up some other excuse to stay close to him and probe his weaknesses.? ? However, now that he told her that he would not go to the July Festival, where Rosie was coming, and that Rosie did not need to deal with him until Anna was in danger.? ? Then there was no need for that request.? ? Anna remembered their earlier conversation for a moment and then opened her mouth.? ? ¡°Could you protect me one more time when I am in danger, when I need you?¡±? ? Wouldn¡¯t this be enough?? ? In any case, Gertium was one of the most powerful families after the emperor.? ? She thought that perhaps it would not be a bad idea to leave at least one debt to this family.? ? ¡°¡­..I will do so.¡±? ? ¡°Thank you.¡±? ? Anna stood up with a relieved smile.? ? ¡°Thank you very much for all the help you have given me. Now that I have met the Duke, I will be leaving tomorrow.¡±? ? Strange things happened next, however.? ? Perso Gertium, who had never reacted greatly to any mention of danger, suddenly got up from his seat.? ? ¡°Departure? Tomorrow? Where?¡±? ? ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to the July Festival¡­¡­.¡±? ? Perso¡¯s face turned pale at her words.? ? He followed without bothering for a moment and said.? ? ¡°Then I too will come to the July Festival.¡±? ? * * * *? ? Anna glared at the man outside the carriage with resentful eyes.? ? He said he wouldn¡¯t come to the festival and she completed the task Rosie gave her, but here he was, following her to the capital.? ? ¡®What should I do¡­.I can¡¯t go with that man in the capital like this.¡¯? ? What kind of a sudden turn of events would lead him to go to the capital on a whim?? ? Anna was about to quietly stop by the capital to see Rosie became distracted.? ? She was supposed to be in a hurry, but Perso followed and she was going slow on purpose.? ? Moreover, in the name of escort, he did not leave Anna¡¯s side for a moment, and that bothered her.? ? ¡°Ugh¡­¡±? ? Extremely, her nerves were more acute because of her menstruation, which started yesterday.? ? She had many worries and her body was not in good shape, so there was not a day when she felt relaxed.? ? Rwanda, who had been watching her her whole life, noticed Anna¡¯s condition first.? ? ¡°Miss, if it¡¯s too much for you, let¡¯s rest here. Looking at the map, there is a lake about 10 minutes further. We can take a rest there, since it is almost the same time we will be eating.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ shall we do that?¡±? ? Rwanda hurriedly stopped the carriage, and the fifty or so knights who had followed the carriage carrying Rwanda and Anna under the guise of an ¡°escort¡± also stopped.? ? It was a number of people that she was aghast every time she saw them.? ? Of course, many more than this would be accompanied on an official move of the high nobility.? ? But this was not the situation Anna wanted, and she sighed every time she saw the knights.? ? The carriage stopped and Anna went outside to look for the lake, partly to soothe her stomach upsetting speed.? ? Perso followed her without a second thought.? ? It was like this the whole way to the capital. He followed her around as if he were her personal escort.? ? It was fine when she thought he was a low-ranked knight.? ? When the head of a family, who was a duke, followed her around like a personal guard, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a burden.? ? ¡®Are you perhaps keeping an eye on me?¡¯? ? Perhaps, just as she distrusted Perso, Perso¡¯s distrust of Anna grew.? ? He was not like the successive Dukes of Gertium, but at any rate, wasn¡¯t he the head of his family, which has supported the imperial family for generations?? ? Anna looked at Perso as he kept following her.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t want you to follow me any further. I¡¯m going to take wash up.¡±? ? ¡°Okay.¡±? ? Perso nodded.? ? ¡°How long do you think it will take?¡±? ? ¡°¡­..Why? Are you coming to pick me up?¡±? ? ¡°This is an area where mountain animals come out and it is dangerous. I¡¯ll wait for you nearby.¡±? ? ¡°Please don¡¯t. If anything should happen, I will shout loud enough to be heard, so please stay away.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Please.¡±? ? Okay.¡±? ? Anna was finally relieved to hear his reply.? ? What¡¯s wrong with him?? ? Anna asked Rwanda frustratedly but Rwanda only laughed as if she knew something.? ? But she wouldn¡¯t tell Anna anything.? ? Perso Gertium.? ? When she found out who he was, he was a real nuisance.? ? * * *? ? An hour had long passed.? ? Perso stared in the direction where Anna had disappeared.? ? Normally, they would leave after an hour of rest.? ? It was late for the knights.? ? But Anna took it easy every time, while she had to rush to the July Festival.? ? Anna had been wary of him since she found out who he was.? ? Not that Perso didn¡¯t know that, but strangely, he felt uneasy if he didn¡¯t keep her in front of him.? ? Because he had the feeling that she would surely have some accident or something.? ? So he impulsively decided to go to the July Festival, which he had been inclined to do.? ? Anna had an atmosphere in which the storm seemed to come and take her away just by standing still.? ? It didn¡¯t mean that she looked weak, but somehow she made him feel like she was walking on the edge of the line.? ? ¡°My Lady is going to be late. She didn¡¯t even bring a blanket¡­¡­.¡±? ? Rwanda sneaked up on him and let Perso hold the blanket.? ? ¡°She¡¯s not feeling well right now and may have accidentally fallen asleep in the nice weather. It¡¯s easy to fall asleep in this weather.¡±? ? Rwanda pushed Perso back, as if to say, ¡°Go ahead.¡±? ? ¡°If she is asleep, you can wake her up and bring her back.¡±? ? Perso pretended that he could not resist Rwanda¡¯s prodding, and he went to his feet.? ? Rwanda was right, Anna was sleeping on a flat rock in front of the lake.? ? Perhaps it was because the shadows of the trees exquisitely covered her face, but it was a peaceful and restful place to sleep.? ? Perso raised his hand to wake her.? ? ¡°Ugh¡­..¡±? ? Anna, who was holding her stomach in her arms, groaned.? ? Perso froze in place, unable to reach out further.? ? ¡°She¡¯s not feeling well¡­¡±? ? Rwanda¡¯s words about Anna¡¯s body not feeling well came to his mind.? ? Looking at Anna, who was groaning, she really didn¡¯t look quite well.? ? Perso hesitated for a moment and put the blanket he had brought over Anna¡¯s body.? ? It seemed their departure would have to be delayed a little longer.? ? * * *? ? ¡°Is it the scent of flowers ¡­¡­?? ? Anna could smell flowers somewhere.? ? Anna, who was in pain even as she slept, awoke pleasantly to the fragrance of flowers.? ? Why did she wake up her ragged body if she wanted to smell the flowers?? ? The blanket that had been draped over her shoulders slipped off.? ? At the same time, she saw dozens of flowers cascading around the rock she was lying on.? ? ¡°¡­¡­What is this?¡±? ? Wild flowers decorated her surroundings in a spectacular array of colors.? ? Holding the pale orange flowers in her hand, Anna looked around, but did not see anyone leaving flowers.? ? For a moment, Perso¡¯s image crossed her mind, but she shook her head, saying, ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡±? ? ¡°It would be Rwanda. I¡¯ll go and say thank you.¡±? ? She couldn¡¯t believe she didn¡¯t wake her up and even put a blanket on her.? ? Thanks to that, the pain in her aching stomach was lessened.? ? Anna tucked the pale orange flowers she was holding tightly in her pocket and stood up.? ? Perhaps because she woke up from a sweet sleep, her mind was clear.? ? It was a warm afternoon with only a week left until the July Festival. CH 138 Chapter 138. He Who Sees The Will Of God? ? Hans Helio seeped silently into the darkness, hiding his presence.? ? Originally he should not be in the capital now.? ? He had sent the emperor a letter saying that he would arrive tomorrow.? ? Hans remembered Roselyn again as he groped for the dagger, checking again for it.? ? ¡°¡­..Why don¡¯t you wear the emperor¡¯s crown?¡±? ? Her voice still tightened his heart.? ? Every vein in his body pulsed as if it were ripping, and his heart swelled to excess.? ? A faint sense of dread coexisted with a vague trembling.? ? Hans intuited that his fate would change completely with that one word.? ? ¡°Are you not confident that you will become emperor?¡±? ? Sometimes he wasn¡¯t sure.? ? It was a complicated feeling that could not be defined in words.? ? But still, the only thing he was confident of was that he would work hard so that he would not regret it.? ? His heart was burning. A heavy sense of mission carried him and burned again.? ? Hans drew a silent breath and knocked on the door of the abandoned house.? ? Three times at first.? ? Then, after a short wait, twice, then once.? ? The door, which had been closed by a series of silent knocks, opened.? ? A shabbily dressed young man checked Hans out, then greeted him with a visibly relieved look on his face.? ? ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you. Please come in.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m a little late. Let¡¯s go in.¡±? ? ¡°You have come a long way.¡±? ? Inside the old mansion with tightly drawn blackout curtains.? ? People were sitting at a huge, old dining table, and as soon as Hans entered, they rose from their seats to welcome him.? ? ¡°Master!¡±? ? ¡°Uncle!¡±? ? Some of those close to him embraced him with open arms as soon as they saw him.? ? Hans wordlessly tapped the slender shoulders of the men in his embrace with firm hands.? ? They were all thin, as if they had been through a lot.? ? ¡°I¡¯m just glad to see you again like this.¡±? ? ¡°We have been waiting for you for a long time.¡±? ? ¡°Something must have happened to the sudden call to arms¡­¡±? ? The twenty or so of them gathered were all those who had followed Hans.? ? Their ages were diverse, and some of the women who had inherited the title had come there dressed as men.? ? These were people who had been treated unfairly by the imperial family simply because they followed Hans.? ? They were also deprived of their family heirlooms for ridiculous reasons and their families were taken away by conscription.? ? Some had witnessed the death of their parents who had defended themselves against the imperial family.? ? These were aristocrats who suppressed their anger and grief and succumbed to the tyranny of the emperor.? ? They all wore shabby clothes, but they were never vain in their spirit and will.? ? Hans looked at those gathered with hardened eyes.? ? ¡°I did not gather you here today to tell you how happy I am.¡±? ? Everyone gathered there felt that a full-fledged story would come out.? ? They closed their mouths and looked at Hans with nervous eyes.? ? Hans took a deep breath and grabbed the dagger he kept in his clothes.? ? At that very moment.? ? Knock. Knock. Knock.? ? Someone knocked on the door of the abandoned house that no one came to anymore.? ? ¡°¡­¡­!¡±? ? Everyone who was gathered looked at the closed door in unison from their seats.? ? They winked and asked with their eyes if anyone else would come, but everyone shook their heads.? ? Knock, knock, knock.? ? Once again, a knocking sound with a constant pattern could be heard.? ? This sound was indeed a sign that they alone were promised.? ? ¡­¡­Who on earth could it be?? ? The air was tense, and the tension pushed down heavily on the seat.? ? ¡°I know you are inside. Please open the door.¡±? ? It was a clear, young male voice.? ? The most powerful of them, Viscount Hutens, approached the door after winking at Hans.? ? ¡°Who is it?¡±? ? ¡°I am here to see the Marquis Hans Helio.¡±? ? Hans¡¯ face hardened noticeably.? ? No one should know he was in the capital right now.? ? It was also strange to know the exact pattern of entering the hideout, even if the man had followed him.? ? ¡®Is it the Emperor¡¯s tail? The lurking? I¡¯ve made sure there¡¯s no one following me¡­¡­.¡¯? ? Hans looked at Hutens with his knife in his hand.? ? In any case, the man knew the hideout and the people in it, so there was no avoiding him.? ? If other armed forces were waiting in the vicinity¡­¡­.? ? ¡°I came alone. There are no other people, please open the door.¡±? ? Said the man through the closed door as if he could read Hans¡¯ mind.? ? Hans¡¯ eyes narrowed and he nodded to Hutens as if he had made up his mind.? ? Hutens opened the door, armed but latching, in case of any danger.? ? In an old robe with shaggy hair that hid his eyes, the man came in.? ? It was so wildly unkempt, the beard made it almost impossible to see his face.? ? The man smiled stiffly, staring precisely at Hans over the latch.? ? ¡°There you are, sir. My name is Hartz Graham. I would like to speak to Marquis Helio.¡±? ? Hartz Graham.? ? The moment Hans heard his name, he couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.? ? He was the very prophet of the exile that had been captured by the emperor.? ? * * *? ? ¡°We don¡¯t have much time, so let¡¯s get to the point.¡±? ? Hartz took off his robe and shook it as soon as he came inside.? ? It was an act of showing that he had no weapon.? ? And yet, the suspicion in people¡¯s eyes was not easily quieted.? ? The same was true of Hans.? ? He was not sure if the man was the real prophet Hartz, and even if it was right, it would not seem good that the person who was captured by the emperor came to him.? ? ¡®Was the prophet originally like this?¡¯? ? The more outward appearance Hans had no idea of his age, the less he could find what was in his heart.? ? Even Hans, who prided himself on having a fairly accurate eye for discerning people, had difficulty gleaning Hartz¡¯s true intentions.? ? ¡°You are suspicious of me, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s normal. When a stranger suddenly appears at your secret meeting. But please understand that I have my reasons.¡±? ? ¡°Why¡­¡­..¡±? ? ¡°First of all, you have to believe me, so I will let you know some hidden facts.¡±? ? Hartz pointed toward Hans¡¯ chest.? ? ¡°Who do you think was the one who informed the emperor of the location of the ¡®it¡¯ you are holding now?¡± (*it= the dagger Roselyn gave Hans.)? ? As soon as he was asked the question, Hans realized that man was prophet Hartz.? ? ¡°It was you.¡±? ? ¡°Yes. Then do you know why I brought it to the emperor¡¯s attention?¡±? ? Hans stared at him quietly, as if trying to figure out the intent of the question.? ? Even though Hans was not a man who had consolidated his position by force of arms, the look in his eyes, which shone clearly in the darkness, was enough to drive Hartz.? ? Is this how it feels to see a tiger with its teeth hidden? Hans was a different kind of oppressor than the young beast of prey.? ? ¡®Indeed, he is the one she chose.¡¯ (*Roselyn chose Hans to be the next emperor)? ? The first time in his not-so-sweet life, Hartz felt a horrified chill in the Marquis¡¯ eyes.? ? Hartz touched his beard to hide his nervousness and said his next words.? ? ¡°Why did the emperor dare to order you, who are not on good terms, to bring ¡®it¡¯ to him?¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Was that also your doing?¡±? ? ¡°No one can bring ¡®it¡¯ unless it is you.¡± And so, as you have experienced, if it were not you, ¡®she¡¯ wouldn¡¯t give it to anyone.¡±? ? At the word ¡°she,¡± Hans was again silenced.? ? The prophet Hartz.? ? He already knew that he and the Empress would meet.? ? He also knew that she would give him this dagger.? ? Would she have wanted to ¡°retrieve the sacred relic¡± to fulfill Gillotti¡¯s wish?? ? Did the prophet ask the emperor to let him go because he knew that the empress would not give him the sacred relic unless it was him? Was that really all there was to it?? ? ¡®No, that¡¯s not all.¡¯? ? Of course, nothing was certain yet, but one thing for sure was that the prophet knew that the empress was still alive.? ? If the prophet was really on the emperor¡¯s side, he would have told this to the emperor first.? ? There was no way that that impatient emperor would have known about it and taken no action.? ? If the prophet had told the emperor in advance of today¡¯s meeting, Hans would be facing the emperor¡¯s knights right now, not the prophet himself.? ? After thinking about it, Hans came to a conclusion.? ? ¡°You sent me there because you wanted me to meet with ¡®that person¡¯.¡± (*that person = Roselyn)? ? Hartz laughed at his words with a sigh of relief.? ? Of course, the bulky hairs made it almost impossible to see his smile.? ? ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m called prophet. You are right. I wanted you and ¡®that person¡¯ to meet.¡±? ? ¡°Why?¡±? ? Hartz answered Hans¡¯s sharp question in a calm voice.? ? ¡°I am the one who sees the will of God.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°I am simply following the future that this absolute power has shown me.¡±? ? Hartz¡¯s words sent a shiver down Hans¡¯ neck.? ? ¡°God is¡­. Is it really there?¡±? ? ¡°Sometimes there is and sometimes there is not. God¡¯s realm continues to diminish with the passage of time. Many gods have crossed over in time.¡±? ? Even a prophet could not reach the realm of God.? ? He merely borrowed God¡¯s ¡°eyes to see the future¡± for a while.? ? Of course, he did not borrow it arbitrarily.? ? When he discovered one, he simply took a little peek at some of the pieces of the future that came pouring in like an explosion.? ? Each time Hartz spoke, their silent murmurs grew louder. CH 139 Chapter 139. Winter Can''t Beat The Pines? ? ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s God, the prophet, and the Marquis who was working according to them.¡±? ? The murmurs grew more and more excited, and a man who couldn¡¯t resist the exaltation murmured, clenched his fists.? ? ¡°God is on our side.¡±? ? Hartz laughed a little.? ? As far as he knows, God is not on anyone¡¯s side.? ? He only winds up a little bit to move man and the world according to his will.? ? There was just one who was worthy of God¡¯s will, and that was ¡®she¡¯.? ? He just cleaned up the front and paved the way so that the chess pieces could move easily.? ? But looking at this from a human perspective, they could say that God stood on their side.? ? Maybe the last breath of God.? ? ¡°¡­¡­If what you say is true, I can¡¯t back down now.¡±? ? Hans also looked back, suppressing his desire to be elated.? ? Dozens of pairs of eyes watching him looked at him a little differently than before .? ? They were eyes that seemed to be waiting for some words from him.? ? ¡°The emperor is a tyrant with power of death. Many people have fallen before the emperor¡¯s ruthless power, and our foundation, our homeland¡­¡­. increasingly desolate.¡±? ? ¡°Yes!¡±? ? ¡°This is nothing but a history of self-destruction!¡±? ? The voices agreeing with each other grew louder and louder.? ? Hans took a dagger from his hand and placed it on the table.? ? ¡°The emperor asked me to get this.¡±? ? ¡°What is it?¡±? ? ¡°A deciphering sword. A holy relic.¡±? ? The whispering became even louder at Hans¡¯ words.? ? It was too great a danger to let the emperor, who used the unusual power of death, even hold a holy relic that could decipher anything.? ? It was impossible for Hans not to know that, but why did ¡®she¡¯ give it to him?? ? ¡°When I went to get this¡­¡­. I met a miracle.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­what!¡±? ? Someone in a hurry to rush Hnas.? ? His first glance pierced the young man who exclaimed sharply.? ? ¡°The one the emperor was most wary of.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°It was the Empress.¡±? ? As soon as Hans finished, a heavy silence descended as if they had made a promise.? ? Some covered their mouths with trembling hands, and some just pouted their lips like they had forgotten how to speak.? ? The silence in that moment was heavier than any scream.? ? They could tell that Hans was not a man of empty words, as no one here could.? ? This made it even more difficult to speak easily.? ? Is it true? Didn¡¯t she die? How did she come back to life after being abandoned on that snowy mountain? How can Hans be sure it was her?? ? All kinds of questions swirled, but the shock that hit them was too great for anyone to speak out.? ? Moreover, there was the holy relic that ¡®she¡¯ gave him.? ? There was also prophet Hartz. ? ? So who would dare to question or doubt Hans¡¯ words?? ? They belatedly exhaled their choked breaths hotly and clenched their fists.? ? ¡°She¡¯s on her way to Tanatos.¡±? ? ¡°Is it true? Really, our Empress¡­¡­!¡±? ? A huge hope beat in people¡¯s chests as if they were seasick.? ? Some sat down, some leaning back against the wall, clutching their chests, as if they could not control the thrill.? ? ¡°But there¡¯s one thing you need to know.¡±? ? ¡°What is that?¡±? ? ¡°She no longer wishes to remain as our Empress.¡±? ? Everyone woke up in shock.? ? There was a look of disappointment in their shaking eyes. Hans also knew how they felt.? ? But he also fully understood the will of the Empress, or Aranrosia.? ? ¡°She wants to go her own way.¡±? ? ¡°No, that means she won¡¯t come back? You said she¡¯s coming here now¡­¡±? ? Hans nodded as if in agreement.? ? ¡°In order to move into the future, we must clear out the past that has persistently remained.¡±? ? ¡°You mean ¡­¡­?¡±? ? Hans paused.? ? Then he looked around at the twenty or so nobles gathered there.? ? ¡°Her Majesty and I have made the decision to join forces.¡±? ? ¡°What do you mean?¡±? ? ¡°Let us create a new Tanatos.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­!¡±? ? Thump!? ? The hearts of the people around the large table pounded one by one.? ? There was a sense of anticipation and hope in their eyes, as if they had been waiting for it.? ? But there was also an unquenchable fear underneath.? ? Why is that?? ? Even Hans, who spoke these words, was feeling like them.? ? But he was the one who was determined to lead them.? ? A leader should not show fear.? ? Once he made a decision, he had to lead those who followed in an unwavering manner until the target point was reached.? ? ¡°Would you like to give it a try?¡±? ? ¡± Marquis ¡­¡­¡±? ? ¡°Uncle!¡±? ? ¡°Death will no longer hold us back.¡±? ? In Hans¡¯ heavy voice was his determination and will.? ? ¡°I will do my best not to be ashamed of my courage now. So¡­¡±? ? In the darkness, barely lit by a few candles, Hans¡¯ eyes shone like the dawn.? ? It was the very light that was seen when the darkness cut through the dawn and called the morning.? ? ¡°Come, will you join me?¡±? ? At Hans¡¯s words, his nephew Louis jumped up and shouted.? ? ¡°Winter can¡¯t beat pines!¡±? ? The word lit a dry wick.? ? The men, who had been buzzing around, kicked off their seats, stood up, and shouted the same sentence.? ? ¡±Winter can¡¯t beat the pines!¡±? ? The words rang solidly through the quiet, abandoned house.? ? It was their cry of support for Hans.? ? Hans clenched his fists with effort until the veins in his wrists rose prominently.? ? His whole body burned as if their voices were searing his soul.? ? ¡°¡­¡­Well, I¡¯m sorry to interrupt this inspiring moment.¡±? ? Wading through the wave of emotion, Hartz spoke softly.? ? Dozens of pairs of shifty eyes stared at Hartz.? ? Hartz smiled awkwardly, feeling a little burdened, and cut to the point.? ? ¡°I said it earlier. I don¡¯t have much time right now. I need to tell you why I came here¡­¡±? ? Listening to Hartz, Hans realized he had not yet heard what Hartz¡¯s purpose of coming here was.? ? Because he would not just risk himself to come here just to introduce himself.? ? Hartz cleared his throat and extended his hand toward someone.? ? It was the same person who hastily asked, ¡®Who is he?¡¯ a moment ago.? ? ¡°This person is the Emperor¡¯s spy.¡±? ? The man was startled and backed away at Hartz¡¯s words.? ? ¡°Carlson ¡­¡­?¡±? ? ¡°Oh, no¡­.I¡¯m not.¡±? ? He shook his head vigorously with a look of horror on his face.? ? ¡°You will find the emperor¡¯s seal in his left pocket. If the emperor catches you all, that¡¯s how he will get out. Before you gathered here, he had made a report to the imperial authorities, so¡­.. The knights will come in in about 10 minutes. So hurry. We don¡¯t have much time.¡±? ? At Hartz¡¯s words, someone near Carlson pulled out a knife.? ? It was Viscount Hutens, who opened the door for Hartz.? ? ¡°D*mn it¡­¡­!¡±? ? The man called Carlson rushed upstairs. Hutens quickly followed him.? ? The conversation that they had just had should never have flowed into the emperor¡¯s ears.? ? From the emperor¡¯s point of view, they were plotting to reverse the ruler and sow the seeds of rebellion.? ? Everyone present, not to mention the Marquis Helio, was bound to be killed.? ? ¡°We are running out of time. Let us disperse here today. I will take care of Carlson, so everyone goes home quickly!¡±? ? At Hans¡¯ shout, the assembled men dispersed urgently.? ? Hartz, who was wearing a cloak, shouted to Hans, who ran outside.? ? ¡°I¡¯m going to jump out of the east window on the second floor. Try to get to the drop point!¡±? ? When a startled Hans turned around, Hartz had already plunged into darkness.? ? * * * *? ? The entrance to Bern, the capital of Tanatos.? ? It would be a short ride on horseback and within an hour they would reach the outer castle.? ? Asha climbed a hill where she could see the pointy roof of the towering imperial castle.? ? She could not sleep, probably because Bern was close by.? ? After tossing and turning for a long time, she had slipped out of the room with Tamon sleeping next to her.? ? In the pitch black darkness, the river of stars became brighter and brighter.? ? Tanatos believed that this river of stars was the souls of the first heroes who founded Tanatos.? ? It was said that the stars came to the night sky to bless the month of July.? ? It was the beginning of July, the warmest month in Tanatos, but the dawn breeze was still cool.? ? With a short breath, the cold air blew in sharply, ripping through the lungs.? ? Asha drew several breaths, feeling its faint pain.? ? The cold chill helped her to vividly recall the memory of that day when she was abandoned like a rag in the Krolturian Mountains.? ? ¡®¡­¡­ I¡¯m here, Gillotti.¡¯? ? The events in the Imperial Palace hazed her like a flashing light.? ? On her first day in the palace, wearing the crown of the Crown Princess, she saw the hard eyes of her grandfather as he watched Gillotti greet her.? ? It was a life where every move was monitored.? ? No matter how many blankets she covered, the cold didn¡¯t go away.? ? The day she wore the crown of the Empress, Gillotti violently tried to push and shove her.? ? Asha forced herself to remember and remember again.? ? Never forget. Never, never let it cloud or blur.? ? At least not before she saw that b*stard¡¯s head and body split in two!? ? Anger in the calm purple eyes.? ? Asha breathed in the dawn air and then returned to the barracks.? ? ¡®You must have been tired.¡¯? ? When she glanced at Tamon, his posture was much more disorganized than before.? ? Tamon did not feel cold even in Tanatos, and when he slept, he wouldn¡¯t use covers.? ? Even in his sleep, he pulled all the blankets, wrapped Asha tightly, and held her in his arms.? ? Because Tamon had wrapped her so tightly, Asha felt the heat she had not known throughout her life in Tanatos.? ? And that wasn¡¯t even in a castle with a fireplace but in a shabby barracks.? ? Glancing at Tarmon, Asha shook her head and pulled down the shawl on her shoulder.? ? As she did so, she accidentally touched Tarmon¡¯s clothes that had been placed on a small table.? ? A well-folded handkerchief in his coat fell to the floor.? ? ¡®¡­¡­What is that?¡¯? ? Something familiar came out of the neatly folded handkerchief. CH 140 Chapter 140. Let¡¯s Go There Together? ? ¡®This is ¡­¡­¡¯? ? Gently unfolding the handkerchief, Asha looked at it and opened her eyes in surprise.? ? ¡®Isn¡¯t it my hair?¡¯? ? It was Asha¡¯s hair, tied in a circle with a small ribbon.? ? It wasn¡¯t a lot, but it wasn¡¯t so little silver hair that it was indistinguishable.? ? ¡®No, why is this here?¡¯? ? Asha suddenly thought of the hair that was caught and clipped from Tamon¡¯s coat a few days earlier.? ? It was just about the same hair that was caught on the buttons of the coat.? ? She was in pain, and Tamon cut the hair off himself.? ? ¡®Then¡­¡¯? ? Asha looked alternately at her hair, which was wrapped in a handkerchief with a bland face, and at Tarmon, who was sleeping with a calm face.? ? She tried not to, but she burst into laughter.? ? He was strange when he asked for her limping leg, now he even kept her cut hair. He let her keep all the good parts and kept the crooked parts for himself.? ? ¡®He¡¯s a madman.¡¯? ? After a few moments of contemplation, Asha folded the handkerchief back again and placed it inside Tamon¡¯s coat.? ? Although it was originally her hair, this was now Tamon¡¯s.? ? She threw it away, but he did not; he kept it in his handkerchief.? ? Even though it had originally belonged to her, it was only a few strands of hair that she did not mind cutting.? ? But it seemed important to Tamon.? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? Asha approached Tamon, who was lying on a cot.? ? She looked at his face, which was disheveled as she sat on the bed, which was quite soft due to the layers of wool piled on top of each other.? ? Perhaps that was why his face looked harder than usual.? ? Asha reached out and gently brushed his wrinkled brow.? ? His skin was cool, unlike his usual hot temperature.? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? The hand that had been touching his brow brushed his cheek. His cheek was just as cold.? ? Tamon¡¯s eyes, which were tightly closed at the tickling touch of the fingertips, twitched.? ? Asha carefully touched the texture of his skin along his chin and neck.? ? She could feel the veins twitching powerfully on his thick neck.? ? She liked the pulse she could feel under her fingers.? ? She stroked the area a little more insistently and slowly lowered her hand again. ? ? She glanced over and saw more strength in his brow, which was furrowing.? ? Tamon¡¯s cool skin felt different from hers.? ? Maybe it was because his body was healthy and he trained all the time.? ? The firmness and softness was naturally admirable.? ? Asha slowly bent her upper body, following between his thick shoulders and his chest, which was tense with tension.? ? Asha¡¯s hair spilled over his neck and chest as she bent over.? ? She whispered in Tamon¡¯s ear in a quiet voice.? ? ¡°Until when are you going to pretend to be asleep?¡±? ? Tamon chuckled as he closed his eyes at her whisper.? ? Then a thick arm grabbed her waist and lifted her up and put her on top of his body.? ? ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t know. How did you know?¡±? ? ¡°Your skin was cold.¡±? ? ¡°Then you mean you also noticed that I was outside and came in?¡±? ? Being a witty guy, he must have woken up as soon as she got out of bed.? ? Perhaps he followed her out in the open air and came back in quietly without interrupting her.? ? Asha smiled softly as she faced him silently.? ? Tamon couldn¡¯t resist and kissed her.? ? His tongue was as hot as she remembered, dug through her open lips.? ? ¡°It¡¯s hard to sleep with home in sight?¡±? ? He asked, their lips still pressed together. Asha was out of breath. Immediately the warmth of their touch became hot.? ? ¡°No, I¡¯m calmer than I thought, just¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Just?¡±? ? ¡°I just want to get this whole thing over with as soon as possible and get some rest.¡±? ? There was a thin sign of fatigue in her muffled voice.? ? Tamon stared at Asha, and their lips met again.? ? Asha¡¯s lips opened without resistance.? ? It was strange to see her desire growing every day.? ? She thought they had had enough of each other just a few hours ago, but he was making her wet again.? ? ¡°There is one very small island.¡±? ? Tamon whispered, biting Asha¡¯s lower lip.? ? ¡°An island ¡­¡­?¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s a two-hour boat ride away¡­¡­.¡±? ? Tamon spoke as he kissed her chin.? ? Halfway up her body, his lips gradually moved along her chin, down to her neck, and then down to her thin ribs and below.? ? Before long, they were in a lying position facing each other.? ? Asha shivered with the heat that tickled her chest.? ? ¡°It¡¯s an empty, deserted island¡­¡­. I built my hut there.¡±? ? ¡°You? By yourself?¡±? ? When Asha looked at him with disbelief, Tamon laughed and bit her.? ? Startled, she tried to get away, but Tamon¡¯s arms didn¡¯t let her go.? ? ¡°Why not? Don¡¯t you believe me?¡±? ? Tamon smiled leisurely and swallowed her mounds.? ? Asha¡¯s thin hips bent like a bow, and he opened his mouth wider, seizing the moment.? ? It was like a greedy predator angrily wanting to taste as much as possible.? ? Tamon¡¯s hands slid down her open thighs.? ? Grabbing his shoulders, Asha twisted her hips and shook her bottom.? ? Her senses were developing day by day, and now her body opened right up to the smallest stimulation.? ? When Asha, who was quickly overheating, became overwhelmed with the torturous rush of pleasure, Tamon whispered to her, soothing her with a gentle hand. The insistent sound stirred her ears.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ But, the looters came to the hut.¡±? ? ¡°Looters?¡± ? ? ¡°Well, they were little monkeys who lived on the island, but they were dexterous in getting into the hut and pretended to be the owners. I don¡¯t know how many times I fought with them.¡± ? ? Asha couldn¡¯t help but laugh as she imagined Tamon fighting with the little monkeys. (*me too, Asha )? ? ¡°Don¡¯t laugh, I had a very serious battle then.¡±? ? Tamon sounded a serious warning.? ? ¡°Yes, I¡¯m worried about the monkeys.¡±? ? ¡°Oh ¡­¡­. They were formidable enemies.¡±? ? Asha laughed again, and something hot and hard penetrated deep inside her while she was caught off guard.? ? ¡°Ha¡­.¡±? ? It was always hard to breathe at this moment.? ? Tamon said as he came in and hugged and kissed her gently.? ? ¡°I thought I needed a brave guard to protect my hut that I had built with my hands.¡±? ? ¡°Guards?¡±? ? Asha couldn¡¯t tell if they were having a physical conversation or a verbal one.? ? The artist¡¯s sculpture-like high, straight bridge of his nose plunged into Asha¡¯s chest.? ? He kissed her breasts tenaciously, hugging her, soothing her, showering her with warmth.? ? ¡°I brought two loyal wolfdogs.¡±? ? ¡°Oh ¡­¡­¡±? ? ¡°After that, those nasty monkeys didn¡¯t show up. Peace came. My peace.¡±? ? In a blurry head full of pleasure, Asha imagined a shabby hut, two big dogs guarding its front, and a group of wild monkeys flailing about in the trees.? ? Even though it was not a sweet story, she felt a strange sweetness as if she had candy in her mouth.? ? ¡°Let¡¯s go there together, Asha.¡±? ? Asha lifted her head and looked into Tamon¡¯s eyes.? ? The red eyes staring at her bent faintly.? ? He said so casually like, ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner tomorrow.¡±? ? ¡°We must bring their favorite fruit as a gift of peace.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡±? ? Asha silently held Tamon¡¯s head.? ? Then she whispered the best she could as he thrust forcefully.? ? ¡°Yes.¡±? ? * * *? ? ¡°What? You lost them?¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. When we got there, everyone had already dispersed.¡±? ? ¡°D*mn it!¡±? ? Gillotti got up from his seat, stomping his feet.? ? This was his chance to get rid of the rats, but they slipped away!? ? Why the hell were they all gathered? Did they gather to welcome Marquis Helio, who would come back tomorrow?? ? ¡°Ha.¡±? ? Gillotti was pacing around the room laughing.? ? True to the words of the prophet Hartz, Hans succeeded in obtaining the holy relic.? ? Gillotti was both happy and unhappy.? ? The one who would persistently survive and create fame even in that barren land was none other than Hans Helio.? ? He had life, reputation, honor, and few weaknesses.? ? It was clear that if the man¡¯s power was left to grow, the lands of the Northwest would belong to him.? ? ¡®No way. I am the one who holds this power, and the Imperial Family is here, and he dares to divide the country in half?¡¯? ? It was because Hans was stuck at the end of the northwest, otherwise he must have been picking a fight.? ? It was also Hans Helio who sent the most persistent letters of opposition to Natasha¡¯s entrance this time.? ? It was also Hans who protested against the removal of the Empress.? ? The man had much to lose, but he was not afraid.? ? That annoyed Gillotti.? ? Having much to lose meant exactly that he had much to have.? ? No matter how much he reduced and suppressed Hans¡¯ power, he still gathered in triplication like a mouse and sarcastically complained about the lack of the imperial family.? ? ¡®What a bunch of annoying people¡­¡¯? ? He wanted to put Hans away as soon as he got the holy relic.? ? ¡®But if I do that, there would be no one to control the Northwest. That¡¯s the problem.¡¯? ? The land was tough, but that didn¡¯t mean it was a land that could be taken by the barbarians.? ? So Hans Helio had to be left behind and his limbs had to be cut off.? ? The best way to do so was to eliminate his followers one by one.? ? And it would be even better if we swept them away quickly at once.? ? He tried to contact several people, but only one was able to conciliate.? ? It was Carlson, the second son of Liphius, who could not bear the sudden poverty.? ? ¡°Where is Carlson Liphius?¡±? ? The Kingsguard captain, who had been waiting nervously, answered Gillotti¡¯s question with his head bowed more deeply.? ? ¡°He was dead in that place. It was a pierce through the heart.¡±? ? ¡°What, they found out he was our spy?¡±? ? The captain of the Guard did not follow up with another word. It was not a question he could answer with certainty.? ? However, given the circumstances, it seemed somewhat certain that he had been killed because he was discovered to be a spy.? ? Gillotti knew this, too, which made him even angrier.? ? ¡°Those rats¡­!¡±? ? What the hell were those guys trying to do?? ? He didn¡¯t know what it was, but it really bothered him. He felt like he should not wait and see.? ? Gillotti, who was pondering for a while, immediately ordered to call Hartz. CH 141 Chapter 141. Betrayal? ? ¡°Anne, Anne¡­¡­!¡±¡±? ? Natasha called Anne¡¯s name as she screamed.? ? Anne, who had brought a warm hand towel, ran to the bedroom gasping for breath at the screaming call.? ? ¡°Ugh, Anne! Where¡¯s the medicine?!¡±? ? ¡°Lady, hang in there. It¡¯s only been an hour since you took the medicine.¡±? ? ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡±? ? Anne put down the hand towel and bucket she had brought and quickly massaged Natasha¡¯s chest and stomach gently.? ? Natasha was suffering from severe postpartum pain, perhaps due to the aftermath of having a baby in a hurry.? ? Her breasts, which leaked so much milk that they soaked her clothes and were hard as stones, could not be milked properly, and even grazing them was painful.? ? It was just as serious underneath where the blood kept coming.? ? Anne changed the towel she had put underneath several times, but there was still so much blood that it was still wetting the bedding.? ? Anne took care of Natasha in a cold sweat.? ? Anne was the only one who knew Natasha¡¯s situation, so it was only her who had to take care of Natasha.? ? As a result, Anne¡¯s body was getting more and more tired day by day, but that did not mean that she was in a position to escape.? ? She hurriedly rubbed Natasha¡¯s hands and feet with her hands.? ? ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s very noisy outside.¡±? ? Did the medicine work?? ? Natasha spoke to Anne in a much calmer voice than before.? ? Natasha¡¯s room was the warmest room in the palace.? ? If a window opened, they could see the lobby of the main palace and the corridor of the west tower, where the emperor¡¯s office was located, so she could watch his movements from time to time.? ? Even in the pain, she could hear the footsteps of the soldiers through the tightly closed window.? ? Anne had to strain her ears to hear them.? ? Anne looked at Natasha¡¯s face and asked softly,? ? ¡°Should I go check ¡­¡­?¡±? ? It was dawn.? ? It was unusual for the emperor to move his soldiers at this hour.? ? While Natasha was worrying for a while, someone tapped lightly on the door of her room.? ? The door was opened and the vizier came inside, carefully looking around the perimeter.? ? He rushed over and knelt down at Natasha¡¯s bed and embraced her.? ? ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me in advance if it hurt this much?¡±? ? As soon as he saw Natasha sweating, Roxon¡¯s face contorted.? ? ¡°How can you be so foolish¡­¡­.¡±? ? He moaned, rubbing her cheek with his thin fingers, as if he could not help feeling sorry.? ? Natasha looked down at Roxon¡¯s whitish head with cold eyes, but when he raised his head, her face was saddened with dewy tears.? ? ¡°I hate you.¡±? ? ¡°Natasha ¡­¡­!¡±? ? ¡°I hate you so much for making me so sad.¡±? ? Natasha turned her head, tears dripping down her neck, like a flower that could not win against the dew.? ? Roxon¡¯s heart sank as tears rolled down Natasha¡¯s face, which was pink and swollen from postpartum pain.? ? He quickly begged with all the vigor he could muster as he kissed her fingers.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t say that. I¡¯ll do everything I can for you.¡±? ? As if waiting for those words, Natasha looked at Roxon¡¯s face.? ? Sweat beaded on her forehead due to the pain she was desperately enduring.? ? ¡°Have you done everything I have told you to do?¡±? ? Roxon nodded vigorously.? ? ¡°Secretly, and without the emperor¡¯s knowledge, I returned the lands of Oshanta to your son¡¯s name. As I told you in advance, I have manipulated the books by putting in the name of a marine merchant. So you have nothing to worry about.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­what about the medicine I told you about?¡±? ? ¡°I have already looked into that through the Lumatia herbalist. Since the July festival starts tomorrow, I will take advantage of the hectic time to mix it with the emperor¡¯s medicine.¡±? ? Natasha finally breathed a sigh of relief at the word that Roxon had prepared everything.? ? ¡°Did you try to betray me, Your Majesty¡­¡­?¡±? ? Natasha silently tightened her grip on the bedsheets.? ? When Natasha heard from Roxon that the emperor had ordered to bring Gertium¡¯s youngest sister to the palace, she washed away any trace of guilt that remained for Gillotti.? ? Gillotti was just using her after all.? ? From that mouth that whispered hundreds of times that he loved her, he had eventually brought in another woman to be the new empress.? ? Shamelessly, the girl wasn¡¯t even an adult yet.? ? ¡®So I must find a way to live before I am discarded. Did you think that Natasha would retreat so easily, Your Majesty?¡¯? ? Natasha calmly cleared her mind.? ? On the most glorious day in July, she ¡°planned¡± to have a baby.? ? This was also the reason for filling the Imperial Palace with Roxon¡¯s people beforehand.? ? The third week of July, when the emperor couldn¡¯t leave his seat and the most grand events would be held.? ? Her child would come into the world as the emperor¡¯s only child in name and in reality.? ? Since the emperor would not be able to see the child after this time, the imperial throne would naturally pass to the child.? ? ¡°Roxon, I trust you will do well without me.¡±? ? ¡°Trust me. Just me.¡±? ? Roxon sadly hugged Natasha¡¯s shoulder.? ? Personnel had already been appointed to ¡®help¡¯ her give birth.? ? After all business was over, Natasha was no longer able to deal with Roxon. She just wanted to lie down and rest as soon as possible.? ? Natasha glanced at Anne. She stood behind Roxon, pale and startled.? ? ¡°Lady Natasha needs her rest. She is very tired.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, I see.¡±? ? Roxon kissed repeatedly the back of Natasha¡¯s hand in disappointment and had no choice but to get up.? ? He looked at Natasha, who turned around without seeing him off, as if he felt sorry for her, and sneaked out.? ? Roxon hurried through the quiet hallway where not a single walk remained.? ? One member of the Kingsguard, hidden in the dark corner of the corridor, watched Roxon¡¯s back as he left.? ? (*Natasha had already secretly gave birth, but on the third week of July when she will fake giving birth to make it look like the baby is born on the right due date to fool the emperor, but I¡¯m sure the emperor already knew her plan because the emperor¡¯s guard was watching Roxon, who was Natasha¡¯s baby¡¯s real father.)? ? £ª £ª £ª? ? July.? ? In Tanatos, July was considered the month of birth and blessings.? ? The land of snow and ice was flooded with colorful flowers, and the trees showed their true green leaves as the snow melted.? ? Children went outside to play as much as they wanted, and the young nobles began the social activities they had been waiting for.? ? It was also in July that the first emperor first raised his flag in Tanatos.? ? Even though the real founding date was later, in September, people preferred July to September anyway.? ? Therefore, to celebrate the month of July, when the people became masters of the land, the festival was held from the first to the last day of July.? ? The first week was the commoners¡¯ festival.? ? They opened the seats and left the lights on at night, enjoying themselves and making merry as if they had forgotten the day and night.? ? Meanwhile, the guests of honor arrived to attend the imperial July Festival.? ? The Imperial Household also opens its gate to welcome the guests.? ? The imperial banquet began in the second week.? ? For about two weeks, all the imperial palaces were lit up with lights, and spectacular banquets and events were held, days and nights.? ? It was also a time of friendship with delegations from abroad. The Imperial Family¡¯s marriage agreement was also made around this time.? ? In the last week of July, the imperial family and commoners all mingled and enjoyed it together.? ? Commoners were also allowed to participate in the imperial garden parties, as long as they had the proper attire.? ? Of course, due to security issues, it was not possible to accommodate large numbers of people, and they were not allowed to enter the main palace.? ? However, there were many other events, large and small, held at the Imperial Palace to enjoy.? ? [July in Tanatos is an absolute must-enjoyment.]? ? These were the words any Tanatos people would say.? ? It was the same for Roselyn.? ? Even her tiger-like grandfather and her busy mother and father spent a lot of time with their families at the mansion only in July.? ? Not to mention Cain, who was always on Roselyn¡¯s side.? ? Memories of going to the flower expo that bloomed only in July, of going to the Imperial Palace banquet hand in hand with everyone else, days of playing hide-and-seek in the blooming garden with Anna.? ? Even though she hated Gillotti and the events at the Imperial Palace were hellish, it did not taint those memories.? ? Therefore, as soon as Asha arrived in the capital, she wanted to go to her old mansion.? ? It was Tarmon who reacted unexpectedly.? ? ¡°Hey, how about we go there later?¡±? ? ¡°What? Why?¡±? ? ¡°I think we should stop by our quarters first. Everyone is tired. I think we should unpack our luggage. ¡­.¡±? ? Asha glanced back at Tamon¡¯s words.? ? The newly arrived Tulip Knights, who had taken the place of Jorge¡¯s knights, were really closer to the ¡°standardized¡± knights.? ? They were strong and firm, their faces unwavering at any given moment.? ? Lutre, who served as Tulip¡¯s captain, followed them with a look that said he didn¡¯t even know what fatigue was.? ? ¡®¡¯I¡¯m fine. I haven¡¯t used even 10% of my strength yet.¡±? ? Lutre chuckled and let them know that he was still alive and well, but Tamon ignored his words.? ? ¡°I know you¡¯re tired, even if you do look that way. You said that because you¡¯re being considerate.¡±? ? ¡°No, I¡¯m really¡­.¡±? ? Lutre.¡±? ? Tamon turned around and stared at Lutre.? ? Lutre nodded quickly.? ? ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go unload the luggage.¡±? ? As Tamon lied with a nonchalant look on his face, Asha couldn¡¯t help but to look at him strangely.? ? It was strange for him to behave in such a suspicious manner.? ? ¡°Then how about the group go to their quarters first? I¡¯ll go to the mansion myself. It¡¯s a place I can walk with my eyes closed, so¡­¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s face scrunched up at Asha¡¯s words. He shook his head as if to say absolutely not.? ? ¡°We¡¯re here and you might be in more danger. That is an absolute no-no.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s words made Asha laugh.? ? ¡°Who knows me here and now that I am in danger?¡±? ? She was wrapped head to toe in Amor¡¯s costume.? ? It was a figure disguised in advance, just in case anyone recognized her distinctive appearance.? ? And yet it was funny how overprotective Tamon was of danger.? ? ¡°The quarters are in the East, right? It is very far from the mansion. So you go ahead.¡±? ? ¡°Asha.¡±? ? Tamon grabbed her wrist as if to say it was not okay.? ? Asha looked alternately at her captured wrist and at Tamon, staring into his eyes.? ? Now this was something strange.? ? Her instincts screamed sharply. Tamon was trying to hide something from her.? ? ¡°Is there a reason I shouldn¡¯t go there?¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s eyes hardened slightly at her question. CH 142 Chapter 142. A Vanished Home? ? He hesitated to answer on rare occasions.? ? Asha read Tamon¡¯s dark gaze as she could not wait any longer.? ? She grabbed Tamon¡¯s wrist as he grabbed hers.? ? She could feel him flinching.? ? Asha gently turned her wrist in his grip and said, holding his hand? ? ¡°Come with me. I need to see what¡¯s going on.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? Tamon looked down at his hand, which she held.? ? He instantly felt deflated as he looked at their hands as if saying ¡®Let¡¯s go together.¡¯? ? ¡®It¡¯s not good for you.¡¯? ? Tamon nodded heavily and silently.? ? ¡®You¡¯ll be in despair and sad¡­¡­¡¯? ? He was afraid he would not be able to face that sight.? ? Asha¡¯s grief resonated much greater than his own.? ? Then, when the purple eyes got watery, the emotions became so rough that he wanted to turn the world upside down.? ? ¡®Get a hold of yourself.¡¯? ? He got on the horse, vowing no matter what emotions he faced, he would be with her.? ? Asha kicked off her horse and departed first.? ? * * *? ? For Roselyn, July was a joy and a miss.? ? July was warmer than the spring sun, and memories of the mansion still float before her eyes¡­¡­.? ? Asha stared at the abandoned house that had burned black.? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? The smell of ashes, which had not yet gone away, hit her nose.? ? Not to mention the majestic gate with its lily-shaped inscription, the garden her mother loved, the woodland where her grandfather used to read his books, even the vine forest where she and Cain played hide-and-seek and fell asleep many times.? ? Everything crumbled into blackness, losing its shape.? ? Even the word ¡°horrific¡± seemed unable to explain it all.? ? ¡°What is this¡­¡±? ? Asha stared blankly at the burn-out mansion, speechless.? ? She knew something had happened, but she never imagined it would look like this.? ? The moss-covered entrance to the mansion was as deserted as a graveyard.? ? The mansion, burnt black with only the skeleton remaining, was as horribly sad as a dried-up corpse.? ? Her feet did not dare to fall off.? ? ¡°Ha ¡­¡­¡±? ? It was said people would lose their minds if they were too abashed, and Asha was just like that now.? ? ¡°Ha!¡±? ? Asha burst out laughing as she stood at the entrance. She laughed and cried with a twisted face.? ? Wet moisture ran down her cheeks. Her lips were twisted as she started laughing.? ? Her feet accelerated as she walked one step or two into the mansion.? ? After passing through a row of tree paths like knights, she ran to the woodland where her grandfather used to read and the gazebo where her father and mother often drank tea.? ? Memories of the past passed by her eyes along the wind.? ? She saw little Roselyn, playing house with Anna and her brother Cain.? ? One day she fell out of the tree, Cain ran to the lobby with Roselyn on his back.? ? ¡°Ha ha!¡±? ? The only place that was intact was the pavilion a little away from the main building.? ? Everything was a mess.? ? ¡°Gillotti!¡±? ? She sat on the ground and gripped the dirt with both hands.? ? Sad tears dripped to the dry ground.? ? She thought she wouldn¡¯t feel hurt anymore, but it was inevitable.? ? A wailing cry rang out at the abandoned house.? ? The quiet soother caressed her many times, but it did not easily stop her crying as sadly as a child.? ? Tamon, who had been waiting for her in silence, hugged her shoulders.? ? Gripping his collar with her white hands, Asha cried for a long time and then fainted.? ? * * *? ? And when Asha woke up again, it was long past evening.? ? She had cried so much that her eyes started burning as soon as she opened her eyes.? ? She swept by the burning eyes with her dry hands and ran into Tamon, who was just coming inside.? ? Seeing him standing, Asha chuckled first and spoke to him.? ? ¡°How long did I sleep?¡±? ? ¡°¡­.. 3 hours?¡±? ? ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep as much as I thought.¡±? ? Asha was just happy to see the water kettle in Tamon¡¯s hand.? ? She held out her hand, meaning to give her water. But it was not the kettle in her hand, but Tamon¡¯s hand.? ? He sat her down and then sat next to her with a very serious expression on his face and examined her complexion.? ? Asha laughed quietly, not saying that she wanted water, not his hand.? ? ¡°What do you think? My hair is messy.¡±? ? Tamon squinted and looked at her face slowly and murmured indifferently.? ? ¡°It¡¯s great.¡±? ? ¡°Really¡­?¡±? ? Asha thought it was serious and fumbled around her eyes.? ? Tamon, who was smirking, pulled her close and kissed her eyelids.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t ask me again. You¡¯ve always been the best in my eyes.¡±? ? Asha was embarrassed for no reason, even though she knew Tamon was joking.? ? ¡°¡­.. water, please.¡±? ? Asha pushed Tamon¡¯s face away and pointed to the kettle he had set down.? ? Tamon poured water and handed it to her.? ? She was thirsty, and as soon as the water went in, her headache seemed to subside.? ? After drinking the full glass and emptying it again, Asha finally took a breath.? ? As the cold water swished and wetted her esophagus, the heat inside seemed to subside a little.? ? ¡°Tell me if you know anything else.¡±? ? Looking at Tamon¡¯s calm eyes, she could only see that there was more she didn¡¯t know.? ? Asha waited a moment, then glanced at him and smiled.? ? ¡°I can go and find out.¡±? ? Then there was a slight stir in his calm eyes.? ? After a brief silence, Tamon rose from his seat and went to the cabinet.? ? Perhaps it was a mansion that had been managed normally, but there were quite a few drinks on display in the bedroom cabinet.? ? He picked a random one and filled the crystal cup.? ? Asha didn¡¯t know much about alcohol, but she knew that that ocher color was extremely high-strength rum.? ? He gulped down the thirst-quenching liquor in one gulp.? ? Then he filled the empty glass half full and brought it to Asha.? ? ¡°Do you want a drink?¡±? ? Asha looked at the glass he offered for a while and reached for it.? ? Then, Asha drank it in one gulp.? ? The cold water had cooled her esophagus, and now it was on fire again.? ? She closed her eyes and savored the fire as if she remembered it.? ? ¡°They dug up the tomb of the Duke of Sunset.¡±? ? She opened her eyes quietly and Tamon said in a voice as devoid of emotion as possible.? ? ¡°And when they burned the mansion, they burned the coffin with it.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s all I know.¡±? ? Ice and fire broke out inside at the same time.? ? She felt a blue and red light soaking her head, her flesh.? ? ¡°Do not lose your pride, Rosie. You are my pride.¡±? ? As she left, she thought of her grandfather, who could not let go of her hand.? ? She nodded slowly.? ? ¡°Yes.¡±? ? This was enough.? ? Well, with this much fire¡­.? ? She could hit Gillotti directly in the neck without hesitation.? ? * * * *? ? Boom!? ? The fireworks that signaled the beginning of the festival floated high in the sky.? ? It was a celebratory shot specially presented by the Imperial Palace.? ? As if they had been waiting only for today, people rushed into the city and filled the glamorous streets.? ? Since July attracted many outside guests, the best inns and hotels were already booked six months in advance.? ? Nobles with money would build a house or rent an entire mansion in Bern or a neighboring area.? ? During the first week of July, music could be heard throughout the city.? ? ¡®The light that never goes out, the music that never stops.¡¯? ? Children running around with fake flower crowns on their heads.? ? Asha, who was glancing out the window at the full view of the festival, smiled.? ? ¡°They¡¯re all wearing flower crowns.¡±? ? Asrell, who was helping Asha dress up, gazed happily at the children running around under the window.? ? ¡®¡¯Those flowers are Tanatos chrysanthemums, aren¡¯t they?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, they say it¡¯s a perennial flower. It blooms in July, but it is the first flower to make flower crowns. There is a superstition that it will be eternally glorious, but there were a lot of them out around this time of year.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯d be a great honor to wear that.¡±? ? Asha laughed at Asrell¡¯s joke.? ? ¡°It¡¯s actually hard to get the real flowers. Even chrysanthemums don¡¯t use a lot in the imperial family. The ones the children are using now are all fake.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, it was a fake flower.¡±? ? It was said that the flowers that bloomed on the spot were perennial flowers when the winter spirit permeated the Tanatos land.? ? In July, the first ever blooming perennial flower was said to be the same flower that conveyed the power of winter.? ? It didn¡¯t matter if it was true or not. There was no way to confirm anyway.? ? However, the imperial family would have flower ¡°hunt¡± as part of the July Festival event.? ? The reason for naming it a hunt was that the method was somewhat radical.? ? Participation was limited to the nobility, and there were no sanctions for the means and methods.? ? Delegations from other countries could participate as much as they wanted. However, they were at a disadvantage compared to the Tanatos nobility.? ? In the imperial family, the skin and horns of the silver deer were given to the first person who brought the flowers.? ? The skin and horns of the silver deer were worth the same price as gold, so everyone would look for it with all their heart.? ? The perennial flower was a flower that decided where it would bloom on its own.? ? So it was difficult to find this flower using special procedures or methods.? ? People had to dive into a treasure hunt that could only be left up to natural luck.? ? Listening to Asha¡¯s story, Asrell placed a white flower pin on the veil that hid her hair, head, and face.? ? At first glance, it was in the shape of a flower similar to a perennial flower.? ? ¡°I wish Asha endless glory.¡±? ? Asha replied to Asrell¡¯s wit with a laugh and stood up. CH 143 Chapter 143. Finally, At The Imperial Palace? ? Tamon, who was waiting on the second floor, held Asha¡¯s hand and kissed the back of her hand as she finished her preparations and came down.? ? His lips felt so hot even though she was wearing gloves.? ? ¡°How could someone be so beautiful even when hidden from head to toe?¡± (Tamon)? ? Only Tamon would make such a compliment, but it didn¡¯t make Asha feel bad.? ? But it didn¡¯t mean the words were serious enough for Asha to reply.? ? She snorted and grabbed his hand.? ? ¡°We have to hurry too, don¡¯t we? We¡¯re already near the gate.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, we have to go.¡±? ? Tamon kissed the back of Asha¡¯s gloved hand again as he led her in the carriage.? ? Today was the day for foreign delegations to officially enter the palace.? ? Whatever method she used, the amazing Amor king really did arrive in Tanatos in time for the July Festival.? ? Compliments to her competence, Tamon and Asha went to the city gates to greet her.? ? * * *? ? ¡±I¡¯m finally here.¡±? ? Theoransha kept her hand gripping the horse reins and glared at the pointed spire of the Imperial Palace of Tanatos.? ? She had finally set foot in the country of the terrible enemy, but her anger did not boil over as much as she had expected.? ? She gazed with calm eyes at the imperial citizens who welcomed the envoys from other countries.? ? They cheered with curious faces, as various foreigners appeared in strange clothes.? ? Most were commoners, and children made up more than half of the population.? ? ¡°They can be replaced, but the sacrifice will be minimal.¡±? ? ¡°I trust you will understand my feelings.¡±? ? The voice of Aranrosia, who had vowed the downfall of Gillotti Tanatos before her departure, came to the surface again.? ? Theo, who was looking at the crowd that had gathered still, chuckled.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ anyway, I have a weak heart.¡±? ? Helia, princess of Amos, approached Theo and whispered.? ? ¡°What are you mumbling about?¡±? ? ¡°Hm? Nothing. I was just deeply moved.¡±? ? Helia nodded as if she understood Theo¡¯s words.? ? Amos was a country derived from Amor, as evidenced by the similarity of the names Amos and Amor.? ? It was sometimes called the land of sisters, so the Princesses of Amos often came to study in Amor when they were young.? ? It was through her study abroad that Helia came to know Theoransha.? ? Theo, who was active and spirited, and Helia, who was frail, were strangely compatible despite their opposite tendencies.? ? Where the childhood connection had always been there, Helia was abducted when she was 17 years old.? ? The pirates abducted Helia, and the problem was that they put this crime on Theo.? ? It was that ¡°Theoransha¡± was jealous of Helia for some reason, killed her, and pretended not to know.? ? Theo was once suspected for a moment by the royal family of Amos, who had lost their reason.? ? Of course, they could not pursue the matter frankly, but in any case, as an urgent matter, they could not overlook any possibility.? ? Theo dove directly into the abduction case to clear her name and discovered that it was the work of pirates in the Caliphate waters.? ? The pirates who abducted Helia were those who were known for their poor quality in the Caliphate waters.? ? Human trafficking was basic, and abduction, confinement, and assault were commonplace.? ? Fortunately, just before something bad happened to Helia, Theo was able to rescue her.? ? However, rescuing Helia was not enough satisfaction for Theo. She killed all the ¡°black mist pirates¡±.? ? This caused the royal family of Amos to owe Theo a big debt.? ? At the time, Theo refused to accept compensation from the royal family of Amos.? ? She had already made up her mind at that time that she would be the king of Amor, so she was determined to collect this debt more appropriately next time.? ? And today, she has received a very appropriate payment.? ? Helia, the Princess of Amos and revered as a Saint, followed Theo directly to Tanatos with Amos¡¯ holy relic.? ? Lumosha¡¯s sacred relic was in Theo¡¯s hands.? ? Oh, it really has been a tough month.? ? In the meantime, Theo spotted Tamon, who had said he would come to pick Theo up with a face that looked ten years older.? ? Since Tamon stood out even at a distance, they found him without difficulty.? ? Ronasso, who was following Theo, also found Tamon, but he was unable to come forward because of his duty to protect Theo.? ? ¡°It¡¯s good to see him again in good health.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ don¡¯t I look healthy now?¡±? ? ¡°You¡¯ve done this kind of schedule, and I think you¡¯re in great shape.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, that¡¯s true.¡±? ? ¡°I see that the Princess of Amos came with you. May the blessings of the sun be upon you at night.¡±? ? ¡°May the blessings of the night shine upon you in the day.¡±? ? While they were exchanging greetings, Theo glanced at the carriage that Tamon was guarding.? ? The window of the carriage opened and Asha, wearing a veil, waved her head in greeting.? ? Theo also greeted her by bowing her head slightly.? ? Flying pollen, the cheers of the crowd, the music echoing through the air.? ? They felt it all as they entered the wide open door of Tanatos palace.? ? * * * *? ? The imperial banquet welcoming the delegations was magnificent.? ? Tanatos was dressed more glamorously than ever, perhaps to let people know that the country was alive and well.? ? Asha, after all this time, looked around the imperial palace, which was filled with jewelry, flowers, and fine ornaments.? ? ¡®Did the imperial family have this much finances left?¡¯? ? Of course, it was not that Tanatos had no money.? ? It was because when she was here back then, they already had a three-year budget proposal, but at that time, the proposed budget for events in July was not as large as this one.? ? This meant that the proposed budget after three years was either brought forward and used, or the nobles¡¯ taxes were raised.? ? At that moment, Asha remembered another reason why Tanatos finances had grown.? ? ¡®¡­¡­Yes, they confiscated the Sunset family¡¯s property.¡¯? ? Asha¡¯s eyes grew colder.? ? This horrifying glamour was the blood and flesh of the Sunset family.? ? How large was the confiscation of all the property of the ducal family, which was the pillar of this huge empire?? ? Asha stared coldly at Gillotti, who was greeting the delegations in turns.? ? Hilariously, Natasha stood beside him, dressed in the Empress¡¯s gown.? ? As soon as Roselyn was removed, Natasha was given the title of ¡°Count¡±.? ? Of course, it was an aristocratic rank only in appearance, but by gaining the position, she would be qualified to ascend to the throne of the empress.? ? Somehow, however, Gillotti¡¯s decision was slow.? ? There was a rumor that there would be an official announcement at this July festival.? ? ¡®¡­¡­ Yes, I see that.¡¯? ? Those two were very similar, especially in that there was no limit to their greed.? ? Roselyn had never forgotten Natasha¡¯s voice whispering in her ears while Roselyn¡¯s white skirt was stained with blood. (*the use of the name Roselyn here because at the scene back then it was Roselyn the empress. Asha didn¡¯t exist then.)? ? ¡°Good-bye.¡±? ? Natasha was crying and laughing while pushing Roselyn into hell.? ? The power was in Gillotti¡¯s hands, but Natasha would not be easily detachable.? ? Asha intended to drag Natasha down in the same way that Natasha had sent her to her death.? ? Catching her off guard and pulling on her neck in the blink of an eye¡­¡­.? ? Asha looked carefully at Natasha¡¯s big belly.? ? It was only seven months ago that she announced that she had given birth to a stillborn baby while bleeding.? ? But now Natasha¡¯s stomach was so huge that it was no exaggeration to say that she was ten month pregnant.? ? Of course, it was difficult for Asha, who had never given birth, to determine whether or not the belly looked right or not.? ? But thinking about Natasha, Asha felt something unpleasant.? ? Even though they were forced to marry, Gillotti and Roselyn fulfilled their marital duties.? ? In particular, having children was the most important task for the emperor and empress to pay attention to, especially since the imperial children were precious due to the different nature of death.? ? Inside the imperial palace, the couple calculated the best time to have a child, and Roselyn and Gillotti drank various medicines and teas that were good for pregnancy.? ? They spent four years that way and still had difficulty conceiving.? ? This meant that there was a possibility that either Roselyn or Gillotti was infertile.? ? Of course, she had her own possibility in mind.? ? Because before she became Empress, the Temple and the doctors checked the health of the Crown Princess, and there were exceptions to all of them.? ? The funny thing was that they didn¡¯t check the royal family.? ? In Tanatos, it was traditional not to question the ¡°authority or qualifications¡± of the royal family in any matter.? ? So if an imperial family member was infertile or potentially infertile, they could not make a fuss about it out loud.? ? At least ostensibly.? ? Well, in any case, as Natasha was pregnant now, it must be Roselyn who was infertile.? ? Asha rubbed her flat belly.? ? Not once did she think she could not have a baby.? ? Her body was very healthy and her menstrual cycle was regular.? ? ¡®Oh, come to think of it, this cycle has already passed.¡¯? ? Of course, after she came back to life, her cycle changed a bit, but it was never cut off.? ? But, she was quite late this month.? ? While traveling here with a rush schedule, she forgot that she was half a month past her scheduled date.? ? ¡®¡­.. is the cycle changing again?¡¯? ? Perhaps it was a side effect of engraving with Tamon.? ? In any case, it was a different power that affected the body, and for similar reasons, the Tanatos imperial family had a hard time finding an heir.? ? But what was important now was not that her cycle had changed.? ? ¡°King Theoransha Lantifu of Amor, Tamon Krasis, the Chief of Diplomacy, and the first Princess of Amos are here.¡±? ? Count Ranier introduced the important guests one by one.? ? At last, attention was paid to Amor¡¯s guest of honor.? ? Tamon quietly held Asha¡¯s hand.? ? Asha approached Gillotti, holding Tamon¡¯s hand forcefully with cold fingertips. CH 144 Chapter 144. Remove It? ? ¡°I am meeting the King of Amor for the first time. Welcome. Thanks to you, this year¡¯s July Festival in Tanatos will shine even brighter.¡±? ? Gillotti looked at Theoransha, who was standing in front of him, with interest.? ? The young king of Amor had never appeared in Tanatos before.? ? Of course, weak foreign royalty may be reluctant to leave the country.? ? But the King of Amor was young, energetic, and active in diplomacy with her neighbors.? ? And yet, she had never come to Tanatos in particular.? ? Gillotti, of course, vaguely knew why.? ? The conflict between the previous King of Amor and Tanatos, and the resulting history of Amor¡¯s humiliation, was one of the things he witnessed.? ? Because of this, an Amor Princess was brought in under the guise of studying abroad and then went missing a few years ago.? ? The accident was quietly buried because the former King of Amor died around the same time, but in any case, there were plenty of reasons to put the current king to shame.? ? ¡®But why did she suddenly appear?¡¯? ? Gillotti added doubt to his interest and stared at Theoransha.? ? Of course, the serpentine smile did not disappear from his face, but he maintained a favorable expression anyway.? ? ¡°Winter glory to you. Thank you for inviting me to a wonderful feast. The first time stepping on Tanatos, it makes you blink in many ways.¡±? ? Despite the horrifying glare, Theoransha remained resolute.? ? Of course, her blood boiled and her heart chilled with anger, but she gritted her teeth and held back.? ? She felt little interest in stepping on Tanatos¡¯ soil, much to her own surprise.? ? However, she felt that it was more painful than she could imagine to endure the evil in front of Gillotti Tanatos.? ? More so, because that dirty look in his eyes and wispy white-blonde hair looked just like the previous emperor.? ? ¡°Ha ha! It will have a different atmosphere from the land of spring and summer. The festival should be abundant and I hope you enjoy them without any shortage. Also, please enjoy the many events prepared by the imperial family with pleasure.¡±? ? Theoransha imagined taking Gillotti¡¯s head off, laughing boldly in her head.? ? She repeated it a couple of times quickly and her anger subsided.? ? This allowed her to end her conversation with Gillotti with a picture-perfect smile.? ? As if he knew how she felt, Tamon patted Theo gently on the back so that Helia could not see.? ? ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen Amor¡¯s General. He¡¯s¡­.still big.¡±? ? Gillotti sat arrogantly and looked at Tamon.? ? Natasha, who was by Gillotti¡¯s side with a painted smile, also smiled at Tamon¡¯s appearance.? ? ¡°Tamon Krasis sees the winter glory. I am simply delighted to spend the July Festival of Tanatos with you.¡±? ? Tamon smiled softly and bowed to the emperor of another country.? ? The huge figure of him being thoroughly polite even looked elegant.? ? Gillotti glared at him. He always disliked the talkative Tamon.? ? It was not that interest was talkative, but that there were many words surrounding him.? ? Much of it was about marveling at his incredible accomplishments and achievements, beginning when he was a knight, and some of it was about being secretly jealous and envious of this man¡¯s masculine charm.? ? Gillotti looked down into Tamon¡¯s red eyes.? ? Well, they were eyes that were said to be proof of his unity with the devil.? ? His blood-red eyes were gruesome.? ? Gillotti crumpled his brows as if he was displeased even with eye contact, and quickly tried to finish the greeting.? ? ¡°Have a pleasant July Festival with your king¡­.¡±? ? Just then, Natasha, who had been standing still with her hands on her stomach, opened her mouth.? ? ¡°How long are you planning to stay here?¡±? ? Natasha suddenly interrupted and Gillotti looked at her with surprise.? ? Natasha looked at Gillotti with a bashful smile and secretly cut in with her true feelings.? ? ¡°I went to Amor a long time ago. It was a different kind of beauty than Tanatos. After I have a baby¡­ I¡¯d like to go on vacation for a while in Amor, since it¡¯s a warm country. Your majesty, will you please allow me to do so?¡±? ? Cold sweat broke out on Natasha¡¯s forehead as she smiled serenely.? ? Gillotti carefully observed Natasha¡¯s expression, as if she were scared, and turned back to Theoransha.? ? ¡°Is it alright with the King of Amor¡­¡­?¡±? ? Theo smiled and nodded.? ? ¡°Of course. You are always welcomed.¡°? ? ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±? ? It was Theo who granted the permission, but Natasha smiled brightly at Tamon.? ? Tamon¡¯s eyes met Natasha¡¯s and smiled mischievously.? ? Natasha blushed red at the smile and quickly turned her gaze to Tamon¡¯s side.? ? ¡°By the way¡­¡­ Who is standing by your side? Her appearance and atmosphere are very, very strange¡­¡­¡±? ? So naturally, a certain woman with her veil down from head to toe entered Natasha¡¯s gaze.? ? Even Gillotti, who had been reluctant to greet, found a small woman hidden by Tamon¡¯s shadow.? ? The head-to-toe veil made it impossible for anyone to see her face.? ? The sleeves of her clothes also fell long and draped, and not a speck of skin was shown because of the garment that hid her from neck to toe.? ? She was certainly decorated with Amor accessories, but there was no mistaking the peculiar attire.? ? These were not the clothes of Tanatos, nor the clothes of Amor.? ? Rather than being decorative for beauty, it was the perfect attire for hiding.? ? ¡°This person is ¡­¡­¡±? ? Tamon extended his hand toward Asha. Very slowly, Asha took Tamon¡¯s hand in hers.? ? Two fine legs took a step forward, led by Tamon¡¯s hand.? ? Step. Step.? ? Theo watched with nervous eyes as Aranrosia approached Gillotti Tanatos and Natasha Roanti.? ? For some reason, seeing Aranrosia walking straight toward them gave her goosebumps on her spine.? ? She swallowed her saliva and smiled quietly.? ? Their Empress, whom they only thought was completely dead, appeared in front of them.? ? What a dumb look on their faces as they watch her, unaware that she planned to lead them to their doom¡­.? ? ¡®Ha ha ha!¡¯? ? Theo had to barely endure wanting to laugh out loud.? ? Already, just looking at this seemed to be enough to face the disgusting Gillotti Tanatos.? ? ¡°This is Aranrosia, my most cherished cousin and fortune teller.¡±? ? At Tamon¡¯s introduction, Asha raised her concealed hand and placed it on her chest.? ? ¡°This July, I have a fortune that says it¡¯s special, so I came here. I see you in the glory of winter.¡±? ? Asha¡¯s voice was calm and low.? ? It was not hard for Asha to speak with a deliberate Amor¡¯s accent.? ? But the moment Asha¡¯s voice rang out, Gillotti trembled without realizing it.? ? The strange feeling and fear that stretched his instincts, horrified him.? ? It was strange.? ? There was certainly not a single resemblance, yet that woman, the fortune teller, reminded him of someone he was horrified by.? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? Gillotti stared at the veiled woman who stood before him, forgetting his words.? ? There was no clear shape, but he instinctively felt a sense of daring.? ? As Gillotti silently glanced at Aranrosia, Natasha spoke up first.? ? ¡°Why do you dress like that?¡±? ? ¡°A few years ago, I was in a serious accident. The burns left me in a state that I can¡¯t show to others, so I have come to appear like this in order not to offend the eyes of the honored guests. I am sorry.¡±? ? The whispered, cautious voice lowered and then lowered itself again.? ? At the word ¡°burns,¡± Natasha expressed her sympathy, covering her mouth with her hand as she felt sorry.? ? ¡°I see. The pain of the burns is horrible, yet you took a lot of effort to come the long way.¡±? ? ¡°She just came with joy.¡±? ? Tamon looked at Asha, smiling silently as she was quietly playing another person.? ? There was something cute about this woman.? ? The last time she had tricked Theoransha, she had played the role of a slave in a flash, and this time she was playing the poor fortune teller calmly.? ? She was an actor born to change her voice and tone depending on her role.? ? Tamon was sure if she was born a commoner, not an aristocrat, she could easily make a living with this extraordinary talent and brain.? ? ¡°Burn¡­..?¡±? ? Gillotti, who had been observing Asha with his mouth closed until that moment, opened his mouth for the first time.? ? His eyes, which had been shining somewhat suspiciously from the moment he had faced Asha, turned his head stiffly and said, ? ? ¡°I wonder how terrible it must have been to cover everything.¡±? ? Gillotti was not afraid to be rude.? ? He was one who was born with everything under his eyes.? ? If he had been attentive and facetious, he would not have had so many enemies.? ? Crossing his legs, he commanded lightly, in an indifferent, cold voice.? ? ¡°Remove your veil.¡± CH 145 Chapter 145. Your Worst Nightmare? ? At Gillotti¡¯s order, the faces of Tamon and Theoransha hardened at once.? ? The other royalty and nobles who had been watching them, began to secretly whisper to each other.? ? No matter how much he was the emperor of Tanatos, Amor and Tanatos were allies.? ? In other words, it was wrong for him to order Amor¡¯s people brazenly.? ? It was even more so to order a woman who was burned and unable to show her face in front of so many people.? ? But Gillotti smiled arrogantly and urged her to carry out the order with low, open eyes.? ? ¡°¡­¡­.¡±? ? Although he did not directly push and shove Tamon, the order was disrespectful enough to him.? ? And this was at the same time an act of disregard for Theoransha, the king of Amor.? ? A light silence drifted through the banquet hall.? ? It was just then that Asha, who had been standing still, moved.? ? ¡°It might be difficult for Lady Natasha, who is with a child, to see it.¡±? ? She murmured in a small voice and slowly lifted the veil.? ? The long veil came to her waist under a hood that was tightly enclosed so that not a hair was visible.? ? However, the clothes she wore inside it were dug in to the place where her breastbone was.? ? All of this was calculated attire.? ? As Asha lifted the veil to the end of her forehead, several women who had been stealing a sideways glance at her let out a low scream.? ? ¡°Arghhh!¡±? ? ¡°Haaaaa!¡±? ? Startled, these women quickly turned their heads away or quickly covered their eyes with their fans.? ? Natasha Roanti, too, raised her eyebrows and lowered her head.? ? ¡°Your Majesty ¡­¡­¡±? ? Gently, she grabbed Gillotti¡¯s sleeves as if she couldn¡¯t stand it.? ? Gillotti took Natasha¡¯s shaking hands in his and stared at the woman, who had removed her veil with a furrowed brow.? ? Her skin was so distorted that it could hardly be described as skin-colored.? ? The burns were still reddish, as if smeared with mucus and blood.? ? What wasn¡¯t exposed was the part of the eyes that was covered by an eye mask made of soft lace like a veil.? ? ¡°Why did you cover your eyes?¡±? ? ¡°Because the eyelids had melted away, revealing all of the eyeballs. Perhaps you would like to see that part too?¡±? ? Tamon interrupted, as if unable to resist, and explained.? ? Gillotti stared at Tamon with strained eyes.? ? Tamon Krasis faced him, not avoiding his eyes.? ? The appearance of standing upright with his back and shoulders stretched out was outrageous.? ? Gillotti wanted to shout that Tamon was arrogant, but he endured it with extreme patience.? ? To clash with him here was to ruin the fun festival right from the start.? ? ¡®But I will surely humiliate you in the near future.¡¯? ? Gillotti glared at Tamon again with a close gaze, then shook his hand at Asha as if it was enough.? ? ¡°I don¡¯t want to see any more of this. You can wear the veil.¡±? ? Asha said nothing and pulled down the veil again, which she had lifted.? ? The secret tension that had been hanging over the banquet hall eased after she had covered all of her face.? ? Gillotti turned his head as if he wanted her to disappear quickly, but Asha did not immediately get out of the way.? ? Standing up straight, Asha turned to Gillotti and said something meaningful.? ? ¡°In return for all that fate has taken from me, I now have a special gift.¡±? ? Gillotti looked back at Asha with narrowed eyes.? ? A woman without any power, any strength, not a decent face, but standing straight, looking straight at him unwavering.? ? It was unusual.? ? A woman with an eye patch and a veil, but it felt like she was staring at him.? ? ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­Winter in Tanatos, do not let the night breeze come back on July 16th.¡±? ? ¡°What?¡±? ? ¡°You will have your worst nightmare.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­!¡±? ? Asha slowly withdrew from her seat, leaving Gillotti with his eyes wide open.? ? Tamon held her hand and the two greeted the soulless Gillotti with courtesy.? ? Gillotti frowned and looked at the two¡¯s disappearing backs for a long time.? ? Pretending not to have seen such Gillotti, the banquet continued naturally.? ? * * *? ? ¡°Wow, this really worked.¡±? ? As soon as she entered the guest room, Theoransha released her stiff expression and burst into laughter.? ? Helia, who was looking around, quickly poked Theo in the side.? ? Ronasso, who had been waiting in the distance, ran after them.? ? ¡°I was watching and my heart was pounding and I thought I was going to die. Everyone is okay?¡±? ? Ronasso, who was approaching them in a panic, asked in a whisper if they were safe.? ? Tamon nodded and looked at Asha because there was nothing wrong.? ? It was regrettable and unfortunate that he couldn¡¯t read her expression or her eyes properly because of the dark purple veil.? ? ¡°Your face, isn¡¯t it hard to breathe?¡±? ? Asha answered Tamon¡¯s question by shaking her head.? ? She gently raised her hand and touched her cheek, which felt strange.? ? A thin layer of makeup used by the actors had been painted over her face.? ? It was really good to exaggerate it on purpose so that it was hard to see.? ? ¡®I almost showed my true face to everyone.¡¯? ? ¡°You are absolutely right.¡±? ? Theo spoke with no small amount of admiration toward Asha, who was taking a breath.? ? ¡°Gillotti will ask you to unveil even if you say you were burned. It was true.¡±? ? Aranrosia said they should not treat Gillotti with common sense.? ? She said that besides wearing a veil, she would also have to cover her eyes.? ? Still not satisfied, she asked them to introduce her as someone who had a history of suffering from an ¡°infectious disease.¡±? ? This would make Gillotti and Natasha avoid her.? ? But that was also a way of having the risk of being kicked out of the place or having accusations and reprimands come to Theoransha and Tamon.? ? Asrell, who was with them at the time, raised her hand.? ? ¡°When I was young, I worked for a while with a theater company.¡±? ? ¡°Didn¡¯t Asrell stay at the Krasis for a long time?¡±? ? ¡°I ran away from home for about a year when I wandered around for a while.¡±? ? Asrell smiled and reminisced about her younger days.? ? At that time, he helped the actors dress up, and created a sick appearance.? ? Asrell recommended that Asha wear a thin layer of burned skin, if only Asha would be willing to wear it.? ? She explained that it looked very painful and no one would be able to look at it for a long time.? ? Asha, of course, gladly accepted and they got to work right away.? ? Asrell was very dexterous with her hands, so even though it had been a very long time since she had done this work, she quickly became very good at it.? ? It was much more plausible than she expected, despite the fact that she put it over Asha¡¯s skin right after practicing it once.? ? Asha remembered Gillotti¡¯s face, who was looking at her abhorrently as soon as she removed her veil.? ? ¡®Now you¡¯re really close.¡¯? ? The agony of still having to wait with her eyes on the road ahead of her was akin to having all of her intestines cut out.? ? She clenched her fists and forced her swollen heart down.? ? ¡°By the way, what was that thing you were talking about earlier? July 16th?¡±? ? Tamon asked, wrapping her cold hands around his.? ? She was surprised at his nonchalance in the face of this horrifying disguise.? ? But Tamon only wondered if this suffocating costume would hurt her skin.? ? ¡°July 16th is ¡­¡­..¡±? ? Asha turned and stared at the front of the splendid banquet hall.? ? ¡°It is the day the previous emperor died.¡±? ? At her words, Tamon and Theoransha looked at each other as if something had occurred to them.? ? About five years ago, the news spread throughout the nations that the emperor of Thanatos had finally passed away.? ? However, the major nations had already realized that the Emperor Tanatos had died before that time.? ? However, because of the thorough internal secrecy, the exact date could not be known.? ? They could only vaguely guess that it was just before the end of the July Festival of Tanatos.? ? But Asha, being in the center of the imperial family, remembered the exact date.? ? The imperial household embalmed the emperor¡¯s body and kept it for about 20 days. Tanatos in July must be unconditionally joyous, and the previous emperor left that as his last will and testament.? ? The death of the previous Emperor was sudden and mysterious.? ? It was precisely for this reason that Asha remembered the day so precisely.? ? Until the day before, all the imperial physicians had spoken in unison, saying that the emperor would live another month.? ? He died suddenly that day, however.? ? Gillotti came to see him, two hours later.? ? That was not the only strange thing.? ? Gillotti was plagued by nightmares for months after that day.? ? Sometimes he would walk around the hallways in his sleep like a crazy man.? ? It was customary for the emperor and the empress, or the crown prince and the crown princess, to share the same room during the festival.? ? This allowed Asha to observe his condition more closely than anyone else.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Father.¡±? ? ¡°¡­.. ha, what did I do so wrong!?¡±? ? ¡°No, I, I tried to¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°Die, die!¡±? ? Roselyn of that time locked the door in case anyone heard this sleep talk, and stopped him firmly.? ? Sometimes he would break down and cry or bury into her arms.? ? ¡®Something¡¯s happened.¡¯? ? There was no way she could have known that was the case.? ? But what could she do at that time?? ? She had to watch him without being able to sleep.? ? But it was a very busy schedule for the imperial family at the time, and the sudden passing of the emperor almost overwhelmed Roselyn.? ? When she was unable to hold out, Roselyn fell asleep, and Gillotti slipped out of bed.? ? When she was startled and rushed after him, Gillotti was in the room of the previous emperor.? ? And in that room, she saw what had happened here that day.? ? She saw it.? ? Gillotti, up on an empty bed, strangling someone¡­¡­ CH 146 Chapter 146. July 16th? ? ¡°It seems that he has effortlessly erased the memory of it ¡­. But maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s still in his unconscious mind, he¡¯s always having nightmares around that time.¡±? ? Perhaps no one will be able to stop him, so he will go back out to sleep again.? ? ¡°We will aim for that moment.¡±? ? ¡°What do you mean?¡±? ? Tamon looked at her with furrowed brows at Asha¡¯s remark.? ? Asha chuckled coldly and murmured.? ? ¡°I¡¯m going to make Gillotti¡¯s nightmare a reality.¡±? ? * * *? ? The imperial banquet lasted about two nights and three days.? ? The guests enjoyed a succession of splendid banquets as they came and went.? ? After the banquet was over, they would have a day of rest, and then invite guests of honor from other countries separately or together for about three days to enjoy dinner.? ? The language was good, but it was a political quality disguised as fellowship and socializing.? ? This year¡¯s exchange was with Amor and ¡­¡­.? ? What they found special about their upcoming trade: ¡­¡­.? ? The last time they promised a bill of exchange ¡­¡­.? ? As a quid pro quo for the migrants on the Northern Front ¡­¡­.? ? The banquet was all about fun, but the talk about economics and politics was a headache.? ? If Roselyn had handled most things before, Gillotti had to deal with them now anyway.? ? Perhaps because of Gillotti¡¯s high-pressure and arrogant attitude, of course, the dinner did not go smoothly.? ? More and more of the delegations jumped out of their seats, red-faced.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ greedy. Is it so hard to listen to the request for more offerings? It¡¯s not as if I¡¯m asking you to send me a Princess.¡±? ? Gillotti gritted his teeth as he scolded them.? ? Since he opened this festival and entertained them, wasn¡¯t it natural that they should offer appropriately?? ? The numerous gold, silver, and other treasures they had brought in the name of gifts had already disappeared from Gillotti¡¯s mind.? ? ¡°A festival isn¡¯t all about fun.¡±? ? He was especially tired after more than three hours of tongue-wrestling with Amor¡¯s delegation, of all people.? ? Gillotti went to bed early, unaware that today was the 16th that the suspicious fortune teller had mentioned.? ? * * * *? ? As in all countries, there was an emergency exit route inside the Imperial Palace in case of emergency.? ? Especially in the separate palace where the royal family resided, there were seven secret passages, and Asha led the group through one of them.? ? After about 20 minutes of walking along the deep, dark, dirt-cave-like path, they came to a high staircase.? ? Asha chuckled when she saw the three people who had followed her.? ? Three insane people followed her.? ? Tamon wasa man who was crazy about her so it was understandable that he came, but she didn¡¯t understand why Ronasso and Theoransha were following her.? ? ¡°I followed them to see firsthand this skit that¡­¡­. Ronasso, why have you come?¡±? ? ¡°Because I must protect Your Majesty.¡±? ? If that was the case, the look in his eyes seemed very curious.? ? ¡°From your history of infiltrating the Imperial Palace, it is only right that I should go. Of course, I don¡¯t know these secret passages, but force is important anyway.¡±? ? Asha shook her head and went up the stairs.? ? Everyone was in a slight disguise in case of an emergency.? ? In fact, it was easy to pick Gillotti¡¯s head off by using this secret passageway.? ? Asha might not be able to do it, but it was possible enough for Tamon.? ? But why send Gillotti off that easily?? ? Death toward the enemy was neither pain nor revenge.? ? When she lay in the cold snowfield after Gillotti¡¯s severe torture, did she not rather wish for death?? ? Death was a rest.? ? What was worse than death must be the constant and recurring pain of living.? ? Asha took a deep breath and opened the secret passage.? ? ****? ? ¡°Ah! Ugh! ¡­Huh!¡±? ? Gillotti, struggling with a nightmare, jumped from his seat.? ? Both of his eyes were so bloodshot that it was hard to believe that he was someone who had just woken up from sleep.? ? Cold sweat flooded his forehead and cheeks as he exhaled heavily.? ? ¡°What is it?¡±? ? It was a dream of the Empress, whom he had not seen for some time.? ? The image of her was as vivid as reality, as she approached him, even with her very frightening bones.? ? Gillotti was slumped over with his forehead clenched.? ? Damned Roselyn V Sunset.? ? How strong an evil spirit that can ruin his dreams like this every time.? ? ¡°¡­.. you¡¯re not the only one who dies. Crazy woman. We all have to die anyway¡­.why do you bother me so much? Like poisonous weed that will only torment me whether you live or die.¡±? ? Gillotti mumbled incessantly in a harsh snide tone and called out to a servant outside.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ water. Bring water! Water!¡±? ? At the sound of the outraged noise, someone came in with a kettle and a glass.? ? Gillotti, who never paid attention to mere attendants and the like, did not notice that the servant¡¯s clothes were unusual.? ? Also, the maid walked in with a limp on one of her feet.? ? Gillotti, who drank the water, threw the cup nervously.? ? The maid who picked up the cup from the floor took a few steps back.? ? Gillotti smacked his head to come to his senses, and noticed that the maid was still hovering around the end of the room.? ? ¡°What is it, why ¡­¡­.?¡±? ? He quickly looked up at the maid, and his mouth dropped open in surprise.? ? ¡°You, you ¡­¡­ you¡­¡­¡±? ? No sound came out as fear and shock hit Gillotti in the mouth.? ? He looked at the maid who was standing there staring at him as he gripped the door with his shaking hands.? ? ¡°Ro, Roselyn ¡­!¡±? ? It can¡¯t be.? ? It can¡¯t be.? ? He must be still trapped in his own nightmare.? ? But what about this excessive vividness?? ? How does he explain the goosebumps that appeared on his entire body?? ? Roselyn, who had been staring at him, opened her mouth.? ? ¡°Follow me.¡±? ? The voice of the dead empress was clear.? ? Gillotti was startled and fell backwards on his buttocks to the bottom of the bed.? ? He was shivering under the bed, shaking and in denial of reality, when he raised his head, feeling that the surroundings had gone quiet.? ? It was empty where the ghost had stood, as if nothing had been there from the beginning.? ? What a load of crap!? ? Gillotti shivered in his seat, still not relieved.? ? As he did so, he noticed that the front of his pajamas were wet from the water he had just drunk.? ? He groped his wet clothes and quickly got up from his seat.? ? He couldn¡¯t tell if it was a dream or reality.? ? He pulled out the sword he kept permanently in his bedroom and ran excitedly out of the bedroom.? ? ¡°Even if you are a ghost, I will kill you again!¡±? ? Gillotti screamed as he swung his sword crazily at his surroundings.? ? As he huffed around the living room, he saw an open door gap.? ? Uck.? ? Swallowing dry spit, Gillotti approached the open door.? ? Slowly, step by step, he carefully stepped outside.? ? Naturally, there was no one outside.? ? Only then did Gillotti sweep his chest with relief.? ? At that moment, a light flickered in one corner of the hallway.? ? ¡°Who is it?!¡±? ? Startled, Gillotti shouted.? ? His voice was the only thing that echoed insidiously in the deserted hallway.? ? Finally, Gillotti realized later that today was the 16th.? ? The 16th.? ? It was the day his nightmare would begin.? ? Even he himself did not know what kind of nightmares and what kind of pathologies, but generally, from the 16th to the 18th, he left everything around his bedroom empty.? ? Even when sleeping, he had to double and triple lock the door of the bedroom.? ? Of course, the security of the annex itself was more thoroughly careful.? ? However, the third floor, where the previous emperor¡¯s bedroom was located, was left empty.? ? This had been the practice since five years before the death of the previous Emperor.? ? ¡°D*mn it.¡±? ? Gillotti recalled the words of that ugly fortune teller from Amor a few days earlier.? ? ¡°¡­¡­Winter in Tanatos, do not let the night breeze come back on July 16th.¡±? ? ¡°You¡¯re going to have the worst nightmare.¡±? ? When she said something so unpleasant, he thought she was bluffing, but they said she was a very famous fortune teller in Amor.? ? The reason she was able to join this itinerary was also proof that the King of Amor and the General trusted that woman very much.? ? And the fortune teller was right: Gillotti was currently having his worst nightmare.? ? He was having a nightmare.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Well, let¡¯s see if you win or I win. This is the Imperial Palace of Tanatos. It¡¯s not a place where ghosts run rampant!¡±? ? Gillotti gritted his teeth and ran toward where the lights flickered.? ? The light repeatedly moved away as he approached, leading him to a terrible place.? ? It was the bedroom of the previous emperor, which Gillotti had kept closed.? ? He looked at the closed door, dotted with fear and bewilderment.? ? Nothing was happening, no one was attacking him, but his whole body began to shudder.? ? He trembled without even knowing what he was afraid of.? ? Gillotti really did not remember what had happened in there.? ? He could not recall a single thing that happened inside, only that he had been in and out of this room for a while before the previous Emperor died.? ? Creak!? ? The door that had been locked for several years suddenly opened by itself in front of his helplessly trembling eyes.? ? ¡°¡­¡­!¡±? ? CH 147 Chapter 147. Pretend You Don¡¯t See It. Pretend You Don¡¯t Know It? ? ¡°¡­¡­!¡±? ? Surprised, Gillotti fell back.? ? The door opened, but he didn¡¯t dare to look inside it.? ? Cold sweat flowed like rain over his shivering body.? ? ¡®No, it can¡¯t be true. There can¡¯t be any ghosts or apparitions.¡¯? ? He pulled up the courage he did not have and gritted his teeth.? ? He didn¡¯t know what these things were, but he was the master of this imperial palace.? ? He clenched his teeth and crawled forward.? ? Gulp.? ? Just before he opened the door, he swallowed his saliva down his dry throat.? ? Dangerous curiosity and fear were driving him into the hot and cold water bath.? ? Taking a deep breath, Gillotti finally grabbed the open door and peeked inside.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ ha, ha!¡±? ? The dead previous emperor¡¯s bedroom was as dark and silent as a tomb.? ? The closed window, a single candle flickering just barely, created a faint shadow.? ? White dust and smoke mixed in the room.? ? As soon as he smelled the familiar odor, his face wrinkled up.? ? It was the scent that the previous emperor, just before his death, burned every day.? ? The scent, which had crossed over on a distant ship, was said to clear the head and improve the bronchial tubes.? ? Gillotti did not like this smell. It couldn¡¯t be good to have this smell, which reminded him of his father after just a few sniffs.? ? Frowning, Gillotti looked at the old bed that occupied the center of the huge bedroom.? ? It was the bed cherished by his father, the previous Emperor.? ? How ¡°he¡± was lying on that bed that he always liked to think was brand new even after 20-plus years of use.? ? Gillotti raised a whitish hand with his back against the door.? ? Shaking fingers rose above the bed of the previous emperor, pointing to the shadow that was strangling him.? ? This didn¡¯t make any sense.? ? Perhaps that was why Gillotti¡¯s head began to burn white.? ? Darkness swallowed him and chewed on him as if he was having a nightmare and was caught in the middle of a bigger nightmare.? ? ¡®Oh, father.¡¯? ? A black shadow in the flickering candlelight strangled the old man lying in bed.? ? Had he been the least bit rational, he would have known that the shadows were strange, but now Gillotti was out of his mind.? ? The shadow was whispering in a muttering voice, ¡°Die, die!¡±? ? Gillotti was out of his mind.? ? Something popped and broke off inside him. He clutched his head in his hands and shouted loudly.? ? ¡°Oh, no! No, father! No way! I didn¡¯t mean to¡­.!¡±? ? Gillotti, who was hugging his head and pouring out his anger like a rapid fire gun, suddenly raised his head.? ? Aloof and wide-eyed, he yelled through clenched teeth.? ? ¡°Why did you say I was an idiot who couldn¡¯t do anything? Father brought all this on himself! Ha ha ha ha! I¡¯m going to be emperor anyway!¡±? ? He broke out in a cold sweat and started laughing as he grabbed his stomach.? ? He was just like a madman.? ? ¡°You¡¯re an old man who can¡¯t move a finger in bed! You are a monster! I am the emperor!¡±? ? He laughed as he crawled across the floor.? ? ¡°I am the emperor. I, I am ¡­¡­. I am the one and only emperor! I¡¯m not a substitute for anything, I¡¯m not a mongrel¡­. ¡­. There is a difference, ugh. It was you who made me into the monster that I am, father. Your Majesty, it was you!¡±? ? Gillotti scratched his fingers and cried and laughed.? ? For that moment, he seemed truly lost.? ? ¡°¡­¡­father, please don¡¯t hit me. Please don¡¯t hit me. Father, please don¡¯t!¡±? ? Aah!? ? Gillotti, who screamed like he was scratching iron, stared at the bed with bloodshot eyes.? ? His eyes were filled with venom. Glilotti, who sprang up from his seat, bared his teeth and rushed to the bed.? ? The two hands that stretched out were full of strength as if they were going to kill even the shadows of his past.? ? Bang!? ? Tamon, who couldn¡¯t watch anymore, quickly hit him on the back of his neck.? ? Gillotti, plagued by nightmares, collapsed on the spot.? ? After Gillotti was completely floored, the two shadow actors, who had been performing enthusiastically in the old bed, raised themselves up.? ? ¡°¡­¡­It must be Gillotti who really killed the previous Emperor.¡±? ? Theoransha, who had been pretending to strangle Ronasso on top of him, got out of bed, looking back at the unbelievable sight she saw.? ? ¡°That is shocking, but I am even more shocked that Your Majesty really strangled my neck. Oh, my throat hurts.¡±? ? Ronasso made a sick sound as he rubbed his throat, which had been pressed by Theo.? ? ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I was just so immersed in the play, haha!¡±? ? Theo chuckled awkwardly and patted Ronasso on the shoulder.? ? Asha, who had been watching all this while hiding in the shadow, slowly stood in front of Gillotti.? ? He was still gritting his teeth and letting out a groan, as if the nightmare was tormenting him while he was passed out.? ? Asha looked coldly at Gillotti¡¯s appearance and turned her head away.? ? Even if he was abused and mistreated by the previous Emperor, his misdeeds were never justified.? ? So she didn¡¯t have to sympathize, nor was he worth it.? ? * * *? ? Anne woke up just a little earlier than usual.? ? She had a room right next to Natasha¡¯s bedroom to take care of her.? ? Her face was always tired from cleaning up all by herself.? ? She hadn¡¯t slept good in a long time after ¡°it¡± happened a few days ago.? ? Natasha always gave ridiculous orders after she had the baby.? ? Whenever Anne closed her eyes, the reddish-black blood stains wetting the floor were vividly seen.? ? Even though it wasn¡¯t real human blood, that awful bloody smell was one she never wanted to smell again.? ? ¡®Still, I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t have to kill anyone.¡¯? ? Anne pulled her heavy heart together as she rubbed her pale fingertips.? ? She tried to blame the dozens of times her bizarre fate that had plunged her into the abyss in an instant, but that didn¡¯t mean she could get out of it.? ? Fortunately, Anne was a woman who was quick to give up.? ? Wasn¡¯t her savior that day who helped her avoid becoming a murderer who said,? ? ¡°Stay strong, until you¡¯re done. Pretend you don¡¯t see it, pretend you don¡¯t know it. That way you will survive until the end.¡±? ? Anne wasn¡¯t sure if it was a real ¡°savior¡± or a demon that would drag her to the inferno of hell until the end¡­.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ my head hurts.¡±? ? In any case, Anne hadn¡¯t been able to sleep since Natasha gave birth secretly. Today was no different.? ? Fortunately, Natasha¡¯s condition, which had been suffering from postpartum pain, has improved significantly.? ? Anne no longer had to make multiple trips in and out of the laundry room to replace Natasha¡¯s bed sheets every dawn.? ? Still, as was her habit, Anne went outside to bring clean towels and hot water just in case.? ? Since they had to be handled surreptitiously and without anyone knowing, she always took advantage of the crack of dawn.? ? The quickest way to the laundry was to take the stairs to the emperor¡¯s bedroom.? ? Usually it was outrageous, but at dawn when it was so dark, she made a bold choice.? ? ¡®But I don¡¯t see any guards today.¡¯? ? Anne was used to taking precautions to avoid the guards.? ? Every time there were too many, it made her nervous, but today she could hardly see any.? ? ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±? ? Anne went down the stairs, thinking it was no big deal.? ? It was then.? ? ¡°No!¡±? ? She heard the emperor¡¯s tearing scream.? ? Startled, Anne stopped in her tracks.? ? Nervous eyes quickly looked around. The surrounding area was still only pitch black darkness.? ? Wondering what was going on, Anne went back up the stairs she had come halfway down.? ? Then she scurried around to find the place where she had heard the scream.? ? Just then a faint scream was heard again.? ? A room at the far end of the third floor.? ? It was the forbidden room, the one that the emperor thought was terrible and shut down.? ? Gulp.? ? Anne was extremely nervous as she gulped down her saliva.? ? She just couldn¡¯t get rid of the thought that she was about to see something she shouldn¡¯t have seen again.? ? She sneaked a peek behind the folding wall that overlooked the end room.? ? It was then that the door, which had always closed, opened slightly.? ? Someone pushed open the half-closed door and looked out.? ? It was a stranger Anne had never seen before.? ? She quickly covered her mouth to calm her heart, which was running like it was going to break her ribs.? ? Then she closed her eyes, intensified the heat inside, and went down the stairs without looking back.? ? After descending for a while and reaching the laundry room, she sat down on the floor, exhaling the breath that she had stopped.? ? Her head spun around.? ? The smell of clean laundry brought her back to reality.? ? Hiding in a mountain of laundry, Anne recited the spell to calm herself.? ? Ennis, still hiding among the mountain of laundry, chanted and relearned a spell to calm himself.? ? ¡°I, I don¡¯t see anything. I don¡¯t know anything.¡±? ? Pretend you don¡¯t see, pretend you don¡¯t know.? ? That was Anne¡¯s job. CH 148 Chapter 148. Take The Child To His Mother? ? After the noisy theater, Tamon and Asha and their group hurried out of the secret passageway.? ? It was fortunate that their residence was near the Imperial Palace.? ? The royalty, Theoransha and Helia stayed in the Imperial Palace, but Tamon was different.? ? Of course, Tamon could have stayed at the Imperial Palace if he wanted to, but he did not care.? ? Anyway, it was convenient to go out of the Imperial Palace for many reasons.? ? With Theoransha, he was also free to go in and out of the Imperial Palace.? ? Asha was tired as if her whole body was melting down, even though she did not fight a battle.? ? The still dim sky showed that dawn had not yet passed.? ? The waiting Knights escorted them to the mansion.? ? Asha thought she would fall asleep when she returned to the mansion, but she had to change her mind as soon as the mansion door opened.? ? ¡°Asha!¡±? ? Hannah, who was still awake in the middle of the night, greeted her.? ? ¡°My sister is here!¡±? ? It still seemed early to end the dawn, and there were guests who had been waiting for them for a long time.? ? * * *? ? ¡°Hello, my name is Mana. I have been waiting for you both for a long time.¡±? ? Mana looked very much like Hannah, but had a peculiarly calm atmosphere.? ? Her dark red hair was peculiar, but it looked dark pink at first glance, and in different directions, her hair looked orange.? ? Perhaps if Hannah¡¯s original hair color had remained, it would have looked like this.? ? Mana looked young, but the eyes were clear and calm.? ? Mana briefly told them about how she had come to be here.? ? ¡°Master Hartz went out of his way to help Lady Asha and was captured by the emperor of Tanatos. I hear that we must be prepared for the unexpected before one returns.¡±? ? Asha was surprised by Mana¡¯s words without expressing it.? ? Even though Hartz was a prophet, Asha was impressed at how far ahead he could see.? ? As if reading her mind, Mana continued her words.? ? ¡°Normally, Master is not one to move this far. Even if he saw a little of the future, he wouldn¡¯t jump into it. But he said that what he saw this time was different. He said that our future is also at stake, so we have no choice but to move.¡±? ? Mana, who had quietly continued her words, added carefully, biting her lip.? ? ¡°Perhaps this is the last future he will see.¡±? ? Mana looked a little scared as she spoke that way.? ? It was because it was difficult to guess the meaning contained in the word ¡°last.¡±? ? Or was it death that¡¯s implicit in it?? ? Forcing away the thought she dared not imagine, Mana lifted her head.? ? ¡°When this is all over, Master Hartz and I and Hannah too can all hold complete peace. That is why I have come here to help you.¡±? ? Manna¡¯s voice trembled a little, but it was full of conviction.? ? Perhaps it was a confidence of trust in Hartz.? ? ¡°I met with Master Hartz about two weeks ago. He asked me to do something. He told me he was going to be locked in the emperor¡¯s tower.¡±? ? ¡°Do something?¡±? ? ¡°Yes, I had to guarantee the life or death of a certain person.¡±? ? ¡°Did he mean that if ¡­¡­ any person lived or died, you would save someone?¡±? ? Mana nodded and stood up.? ? ¡°There is someone I want you to meet.¡±? ? Mana led Asha and Tamon, who had been listening, to another room next to the reception room.? ? As they opened the door to the room and entered, one elderly man warming himself in front of the fireplace looked back at them.? ? ¡°¡­.. you¡¯re finally here.¡±? ? The old man forced himself to sit up, seemingly having trouble stretching his bent back.? ? ¡°I¡¯m ¡­¡­.¡±? ? The senile woman giggled and stood in front of Asha and Tamon.? ? ¡°I¡¯m the midwife who received the baby from a woman named Natasha Roanti.¡±? ? * * *? ? At first Asha didn¡¯t quite understand what she meant when she said she had received the baby of Natasha Roanti.? ? But shortly after hearing that Natasha had given birth not long ago, Asha unknowingly jumped up from her seat.? ? ¡®Natasha Roanti had secretly given birth to a baby. And she is still pretending to be pregnant.¡¯? ? It was clear what this meant.? ? It meant that now was not the supposed time for her baby to come out.? ? The midwife said the baby must be 10 months old to come out.? ? As soon as the baby was born, his eyes opened round and his arms and legs were plump, no doubt a baby that had grown enough in its mother¡¯s belly.? ? Inwardly, Asha estimated Natasha¡¯s gestational age.? ? Back then Natasha was hanging at her feet and bleeding red blood. (*this scene was at the beginning of the novel when Natasha pretended to bleed in front of Roselyn)? ? That was barely seventy-eight months ago now.? ? At the time, they said that Natasha had lost the child in her belly because of Roselyn and Cain.? ? Asha learned that the stillbirth was a lie at that time.? ? It didn¡¯t fit at all with the time of year.? ? Gillotti tormented Roselyn especially when he and Natasha were not on good terms.? ? Sometimes he would come in after drinking and force himself on Roselyn, and sometimes he was so violent and evil that he didn¡¯t want to touch her while doing so.? ? Sometimes he would get drunk and make noise about things she didn¡¯t want to hear.? ? That was the time when, as far as she knew, Natasha was avoiding Gillotti for whatever reason.? ? For about a month or so, Natasha left the capital to recuperate nearby with the excuse that she was not feeling well, but she didn¡¯t didn¡¯t even have escorts.? ? Gillotti¡¯s voice was fresh as he sarcastically said, ? ? ¡®¡­¡­ Yes, indeed, Natasha said she was on the moon.¡¯? ? Of course, shortly after that period, Gillotti and Natasha became close again, as usual.? ? No, rather, they became much closer than before.? ? Because it was a time when they put their minds together to bring down the Sunset family.? ? ¡®It¡¯s strange. Why did she have the child secretly?¡¯? ? In fact, the answer was clear.? ? ¡®It¡¯s a child that should not arouse Gillotti¡¯s suspicions.¡¯? ? In other words, it was possible that the child was not of Gillotti¡¯s blood.? ? ¡°Natasha would really want the child she just gave birth to take the throne. To do so, she must not make Gillotti suspicious¡­.she¡¯s afraid to be discovered.¡±? ? ¡°Exactly.¡±? ? Mana, who was listening, nodded.? ? Mana, who was smiling, pulled out another trump card.? ? ¡°There was a maid who guarded the woman¡¯s side when she gave birth to her child.¡±? ? The midwife modded at Mana¡¯s words.? ? ¡°She was a bit of a scared maid to take care of such a woman.¡±? ? ¡°Not by name. ¡­¡­. She was sponsored by Marquis Roxon.¡±? ? Roxon Bake!? ? He was a distant relative of Gillotti in the 8th generation.? ? Although a distant relative, he was close to Gillotti, who had no siblings.? ? The two also looked very much alike at first glance.? ? As soon as Asha heard these words, the puzzles that had been scattered around her head began to fit together.? ? Even Tamon, who had been listening attentively to their conversation, had finished all his deductions.? ? He looked at Asha, smiled, patted her on the cheek, and said, ? ? ¡°I think we should take this poor baby to his mother. Right¡­?¡±? ? * * *? ? ¡°¡­¡­Ha, Your Majesty!¡±? ? Gillotti, who was slumped on the cold floor, woke up suddenly to the sound of someone calling him.? ? He saw John looking down at him with a white, frightened face in his vacant eyes.? ? ¡°John?¡±? ? His voice was rough, as if he had scratched sandpaper. His body, which had been chilled by cold sweat, began to tremble.? ? ¡°Stand up, Your Majesty. You look quite ill.¡±? ? Gillotti, who was up with John¡¯s help, screamed as soon as he realized where he was.? ? ¡°Me, why am I here?¡±? ? ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡­.¡±? ? ¡°A nightmare, yes, I had a nightmare. Ah, the Empress appeared and ¡­¡­. my neck. No, it was my father. No, I¡­¡­..¡±? ? John, who had wrapped a blanket around Gillotti¡¯s shoulders, hurried to remove him from the previous emperor¡¯s room.? ? John already knew that the emperor had a strange sickness on the 16th.? ? It was John who had to vacate everything from the previous emperor¡¯s bedroom.? ? To be precise, it was the Empress who ordered John to vacate the third floor.? ? Gillotti did not remember, but his attendants died when he wandered down the corridors from sleep walking.? ? He strangled anyone he saw or held a knife to their necks.? ? Sometimes he walked around muttering strange words, but the Empress was thoroughly concerned that they would not leak out.? ? Now there was no empress who cared, so John took care of the third floor.? ? He double and triple locked the door of the emperor¡¯s bedroom and increased the number of guards outside, but it looked like this year was going to be a disaster again.? ? How on earth did the emperor open the tightly closed door and come all the way here?? ? On the way back to the room, supported by John, Gillotti shivered shakily.? ? It wasn¡¯t just because of the cold.? ? Something collapsed, as if a corner of his heart had been broken. He felt his mind fluctuating.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Natasha. I have to go to Natasha. Natasha!¡±? ? Gillotti rushed to Natasha¡¯s room, shaking off John and the attendants who were supporting him.? ? It was not far from Gillotti¡¯s room, so he arrived quickly.? ? Gillotti, who opened the door suddenly, hugged Natasha, who rose from the uproar.? ? ¡°Natasha, I had a scary dream.¡±? ? ¡°Oh, Your Majesty ¡­¡­.¡±? ? A flustered Natasha patted his shivering shoulder with a half-hearted hand.? ? She turned to John, who had followed him, and asked with her eyes what this was all about, but even John was in no condition to give her any answer.? ? ¡°I, I will not be an emperor like my predecessor. I, I am not like my father. My child is¡­¡­!¡±? ? Gillotti, who was spouting nonsense, hugged Natasha¡¯s stomach with trembling hands.? ? ¡°Oh, no!¡±? ? Surprised, Natasha involuntarily pushed Gillotti down with both hands as hard as she could. CH 149 Chapter 149. A Crack? ? Thud.? ? Gillotti fell miserably under the bed.? ? Surprised, Natasha jumped up, and Gillotti, who half raised his body, was dumbfounded and distorted his face.? ? ¡°Natasha!¡±? ? ¡°Ha, I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty. I was really surprised when my stomach was pushed ¡­¡­. Are you alright? I was crazy for a moment¡­.!¡±? ? Natasha made excuses in a cold sweat, but Gillotti¡¯s angry face didn¡¯t change.? ? He stood up quickly and slapped Natasha on the face.? ? Slap!? ? Falling on the bed, Natasha¡¯s face turned with a sharp sound.? ? ¡°You¡¯ve become arrogant because you¡¯re loved, even though you¡¯re the mistress.¡±? ? A face contorted like a monster, Gillotti grabbed the hem of Natasha¡¯s skirt as she blinked her eyes in bewilderment.? ? ¡°I am the one and only emperor of this country. If I want to, you have to spread your legs! Don¡¯t you know? But you dared to hit me!¡±? ? ¡°Ha¡­!¡±? ? Natasha saw Gillotti trying to open her skirt and intuited that a serious crisis was approaching.? ? She looked at his crazy eyes.? ? Of course it was wrong that she accidentally knocked him down, but Gillotti was not the person to do this to her.? ? Now, however, his eyes were like those of a madman.? ? It was hard to tell the difference between front and back, or whether it was a dream or reality.? ? ¡°Ah, Your Majesty! Calm down, please. It¡¯s really ¡­¡­!¡±? ? Bukk!? ? Natasha¡¯s skirt was torn at length. If it was torn or exposed any further here, her belly, dressed as if she were pregnant, would be visible.? ? Natasha¡¯s head was dizzy, but there was no time to just panic.? ? ¡°Oh, my belly, my belly! Oh, my God, Your Majesty, please stop it!¡±? ? She exclaimed, pale and desperate.? ? The more she struggled, the bigger the blue madness flashed in Gillotti¡¯s eyes.? ? Natasha broke down crying and kicked him out with her foot.? ? ¡°You ¡­¡­!¡±? ? Gillotti, who had been beaten miserably once more, quickly raised his hand to give her another slap.? ? But Natasha was a little quicker. She quickly reached under her pillow and pulled out the dagger she always had ready.? ? When the weapon came out, Gillotti stopped in surprise. He twisted his face more grimly and said as if he were amazed.? ? ¡°You want to stab me now, Natasha?¡±? ? Natasha¡¯s reddened face broke into tears.? ? ¡°How can you even think such a thought?¡±? ? Her trembling voice was sad. Natasha, who was crying sadly with a reddened face, raised her trembling hand and brought the dagger to her neck.? ? The sharp edge of the blade quickly cut her skin.? ? The sight of blood made Gillotti more and more frightened.? ? Natasha took advantage of the opportunity and uttered a cry-mixed voice.? ? ¡°Although I¡¯m just your mistress, I love you with all my heart. You are my one and only destiny who made the humble Natasha Roanti shine the most. I have your child in my stomach who is proof of my love and I am lying in bed giving up even the July festival to protect him. But Your Majesty even hit me!¡±? ? The earnest voice echoed loudly in Natasha¡¯s room.? ? How strong was her spirit, so strong that it even brought back Gillotti¡¯s lost spirit.? ? She put more force into the dagger she was grasping.? ? The sharp tip of the dagger dug into her flesh. The blood that had been flowing drop by drop splattered into streaks.? ? ¡°Natasha!¡±? ? Panicked, Gillotti tried to approach her, but Natasha blocked him, striking evil.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t come! Leave me to die! I am a woman who deserves to die!¡±? ? Natasha¡¯s trembling hands were about to tear at her neck.? ? Tears flowed unceasingly from her eyes, and her feverish face was as red as a blooming flower.? ? ¡°Natasha ¡­¡­ Natasha, Natasha!¡±? ? Frightened, Gillotti approached her on his knees and hugged her.? ? ¡°¡­..I¡¯m sorry, Natasha. I was too extreme because of the nightmare I had last night.¡±? ? ¡®¡¯Your Majesty, Your Majesty¡­..!¡±? ? Natasha finally dropped the dagger and began to wail like a child unraveling her grief.? ? Her slender shoulders shook ceaselessly as if soaked by heavy rain.? ? ¡°Foolish Natasha. You¡¯re such an unstoppable woman.¡±? ? Gillotti comforted her as he held her frail shoulders.? ? ¡°I have only you, Your Majesty. I want to protect the baby in my belly. I just want to be healthy and give birth without a problem.¡±? ? As she hiccupped and sputtered out her words, Gillotti clicked his tongue and patted her back.? ? ¡®¡¯Yes, your maternal love is truly amazing. I am so sorry about all of it.¡±? ? At the sound of his voice, Natasha said nothing and sighed.? ? ¡®It¡¯s over.¡¯? ? She was relieved and didn¡¯t regret putting the dagger to her neck even though her neck was hurt from it.? ? It was much better to hurt her body than to reveal the truth.? ? It was really a last resort.? ? She could not say for sure whether it would be true or not, but it was God¡¯s move to hold the sword with the idea that she would die if she was found out.? ? ¡°I love you, Your Majesty. I love you so much. I know you hate me for lying down all the time because I¡¯m weak, but I still love you.¡±? ? She constantly spat out words of love.? ? Gillotti was a man who was surprisingly vulnerable to the word love.? ? He had everything, but the only thing he lacked was someone who loved him completely.? ? Once Natasha realized this, she persistently spat out the words ¡°I love you¡± to him.? ? ¡°Yes, you love me. I love you too. ¡­.¡±? ? Gillotti¡¯s hands tightened as he hugged Natasha¡¯s back.? ? Then he spoke in a grim voice.? ? ¡°By the way.¡±? ? It was at that very moment that Natasha sensed something was wrong.? ? ¡°Why did Roxon come out of your room that morning?¡±? ? Gillotti¡¯s grinning voice pierced Natasha¡¯s ear.? ? * * *? ? ¡°¡­¡­ what?¡±? ? That night, Asha and Tamon heard the unexpected news from Ronasso, who hurried over to visit.? ? ¡°Natasha Roanti is locked up?¡±? ? ¡°Ummm, I heard that she was locked in her room, to be precise.¡±? ? After that nightmare night, they had been observing certain changes in Gillotti.? ? He was an emperor with a sensitive temperament, so it was sure that something was going to go wrong somewhere.? ? Yes, an accident did indeed occur.? ? But no one could have predicted that the accident would happen to Natasha Roanti.? ? ¡°How did Natasha Roanti suddenly get locked up? Did Gillotti know that she had already given birth?¡±? ? Tamon murmured curiously, and Asha shook her head.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ No, I don¡¯t think so.¡±? ? If Gillotti had known about it, he wouldn¡¯t just merely lock Natasha away.? ? No matter how much Gillotti cared about Natasha, he wouldn¡¯t just let her off as she was his only love.? ? ¡®He noticed something, but it wasn¡¯t enough to kill her?¡¯? ? Or no way. ¡­¡­. Does the man love Natasha so much that he couldn¡¯t kill her?? ? But the startling news did not end there.? ? ¡°Ah! And the Prime Minister suddenly collapsed. They said he¡¯s unconscious.¡±? ? Asha looked up quickly.? ? The current prime minister of Tanatos was Roxon Bake, and presumably he was the lover Natasha had kept hidden.? ? However, Natasha was trapped and Roxon was unconscious.? ? Was it not too clear what this implied? Tamon also laughed.? ? ¡°It seems that their relationship has been discovered, doesn¡¯t it?¡±? ? ¡°No, perhaps only a suspicion. But according to Gillotti¡¯s personality, even if it¡¯s only suspicion, he won¡¯t feel comfortable unless he kills the other party¡­¡­..¡±? ? There was a high possibility that he used his power out of anger.? ? Gillotti had collapsed many times using this power.? ? After that, he seemed to be careful, but this time he couldn¡¯t overcome his short temper.? ? ¡°From the looks of it, he¡¯ll be down again for a few days.¡±? ? Then this was an opportunity.? ? A great chance to finish up the work quickly while Gillotti was quiet.? ? Ronasso talked some more with Tamon and returned to the imperial castle, while Tamon led his men out to look for Natasha¡¯s child.? ? Asha went up to the top floor of the mansion alone and stared out at the Imperial Palace at dusk, lost in thought.? ? ¡®We have to get this done quickly before July is over.¡¯? ? As Gillotti had done with the Sunset family, so quickly and so swiftly that there was no time to counteract.? ? She recalled a secret written exchange she had had with Hans a few days earlier.? ? ¡®He said he had collected 21 nobles¡¯ statements.¡¯? ? Yes, this was enough.? ? It was not a large number, but it was enough to help Hans.? ? Then all that was needed anymore was the preliminary work.? ? She stared at her reflection in the window.? ? Unusual silver hair, purple eyes, lively white skin ¡­¡­.? ? It wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to take advantage of this appearance.? ? She ate a light dinner and washed up, then read a book in front of the fireplace on the first floor.? ? The chirping of grass insects sounded faintly through the chilly weather.? ? Night was falling, and the night was somehow approaching the threshold of dawn.? ? The moderately warm and cozy fireplace light danced on the white paper.? ? Aisha suddenly raised her head after reading a book that was boring to most people and had sufficient killing power just by its thickness.? ? From outside she heard the sound of horseshoes announcing Tamon¡¯s return.? ? She quickly closed the book and went outside with her prepared coat. CH 150 Chapter 150. Song Of The Fall? ? ¡®About 15 minutes away from the capital, birch forest, wooden houses, and houses with many children.¡¯? ? Tamon began searching for the child based on evidence that Mana had received from Natasha Roanti¡¯s maid.? ? It was noticeable to visit every house and knock on the door, so he searched for houses with babies during the night.? ? Fortunately, the characteristics of the tulip knights he brought were silent and quick in action.? ? ¡®There are no signs of a baby in this house.¡¯? ? ¡®We also checked three houses in the east. There was a baby, but it was a girl.¡¯? ? After examining the allocated area, Tamon opened the map and handed it over to the knights who had finished reporting.? ? After about four hours of work, he came home first.? ? If his knights couldn¡¯t find the baby, tomorrow they had to widen the radius a little bit.? ? This was all he could do for Asha in Tanatos now.? ? He could peel the flesh and bones out if she wanted to, but that wasn¡¯t going to help Asha.? ? This revenge belonged to Asha, from trivial to large.? ? Gillotti Tanatos would have to pay back the sorrow and pain that had dyed her eyes red with his spirit, body, and that humble soul.? ? For that purpose, Tamon only followed Asha as her hands and feet.? ? Hands and feet did not move for a price.? ? He just followed what his brain wanted.? ? But his scruffy head today seemed to reward his hands and feet a little.? ? ¡°You haven¡¯t slept yet.¡±? ? As if waiting for him to come back, he approached Asha with delight as she came out of the front door.? ? ¡°I have a place to go with you.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­now?¡±? ? At Tamon¡¯s words, Asha reached out to him and said,? ? ¡°Shall we go for a walk?¡±? ? £ª £ª £ª? ? During the day, Asha spent most of her time with her face hidden or in costume.? ? She didn¡¯t remove the makeup when she was in the mansion, to avoid the surveillance of anyone who might be there.? ? Because of that, Tamon has rarely seen her original face to his heart¡¯s content recently.? ? Tamon tried hard to sleep next to her because she removed her makeup just before she went to sleep.? ? Seeing her original face in the darkness was more addictive than he thought.? ? He would count Asha¡¯s eyelashes like a madman, or appreciate her breathing. There were a few times when he stayed up almost all night.? ? Maybe he was a real pervert, as Asha said.? ? It was also a fresh shock and fun to realize that this would happen if he were crazy about someone.? ? But now, Asha came out with nothing covered. It was a very strange thing to do.? ? Moreover, Tanatos in July, there were many people who stayed up late.? ? The taverns were constantly visited by customers until dawn, and the streets were not dark due to the lights of the braziers and stoves placed all over the street.? ? It passed 2 a.m., and there was a possibility of running into someone here, but Asha wandered the street without a care in the world.? ? ¡°Can you walk around like this?¡±? ? Eventually Tamon grabbed her wrist, and asked cautiously.? ? Asha smiled and looked up at Tamon.? ? ¡°Yes.¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to.¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s not a big trick. It¡¯s just¡­.¡±? ? Asha took a step further toward the empty street.? ? ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m going to be a ghost of Tanatos.¡±? ? She raised her fingers to her lips, stopping Tamon from chasing her.? ? ¡°Over there, stay quiet.¡±? ? Tamon had no choice but to sit tight and watch her suspicious behavior, as her intentions were clearly communicated.? ? ¡®What the hell is she thinking about in that little head?¡¯? ? From the time she was Empress of Tanatos until now, Asha surprised him time and time again.? ? Looking at the straight head raised and clear eyes, it was clear that she was about to do something again.? ? Tamon¡¯s eyes narrowed as he looked at Asha standing in the middle of the empty square street.? ? When Asha looked at him like that, somehow he couldn¡¯t stand it.? ? Not knowing what he couldn¡¯t stand, but strangely, he felt a stirring under his navel and his body became hot.? ? It made him look forward to something instinctively?? ? And to his great surprise, Asha did something Tamon never expected.? ? [May this country be blessed, white winter.? ? Be the weapon of this country, the cold of the flesh. We are your¡­¡­.]? ? A smooth voice resounded calmly through the dawn.? ? Incredibly, Asha started singing.? ? £ª £ª £ª? ? Gillotti, who couldn¡¯t resist the urge and poured his powers on Roxon, fainted less than a day later.? ? It was the day of the third dinner with the Pentheion Continental Union.? ? The first and second dinners showed only bad things to each other, so the third dinner was very important.? ? However, during the dinner, which managed to continue in a not bad atmosphere, Gillotti went out without overcoming his temper once, and fainted.? ? He was fine throughout the dinner, but as soon as his interests conflicted, he fainted, and the Allies suspected that he had intentionally ¡°fake faint.¡±? ? It was Gilotti who was displeased with them.? ? John held his leg and begged to talk calmly, but the Allies visited him with a fiery temper, saying that the emperor of Tanatos had deceived them.? ? Eventually, the Allied delegations packed their bags without completing the festival.? ? ¡°The emperor is not ready yet, so I promise you next year!¡±? ? They did not hesitate to turn around and leave Tanatos.? ? As many as seven countries¡¯ combined envoys turned their backs at once.? ? John grew ten years older in those few days, and Gillotti insisted that he would not interact with those arrogant allies for ten years.? ? The court nobles missed the former empress very much whenever Gillotti did this.? ? And whether or not those aristocrats¡¯ hearts touched heaven, a startling rumor began to spread in the capital.? ? ¡°¡­¡­what, the ghost of the Empress is going around?¡±? ? It was a rumor that the ghost of the deceased Empress wandered around the capital while singing.? ? £ª £ª £ª? ? ¡°¡­¡­ghost?¡±? ? Of course, the rumor went into Gillotti¡¯s ear.? ? Roselyn¡¯s ghost wandered the streets at night and sang a song about the founding of the country.? ? A more bizarre phenomenon was that she had left a burnt-out flower in places where she passed.? ? The public added an arbitrary interpretation, saying it meant the downfall of the current dynasty.? ? The Empress, who died unjustly, returned from hell to kill the emperor.? ? ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡±? ? Gillotti stared in horror at the burnt artificial flowers brought by the captain of the guard as evidence.? ? The news he heard as soon as he woke up from bed was that the ghost of the former empress was going around!? ? A ghost? A ghost? Then that nightmare day. Was it really her ghost that led him to the previous Emperor¡¯s room? No, it doesn¡¯t make sense. There¡¯s no such thing as ghosts, right?? ? Gillotti threw burnt flowers on the floor with a white face and covered himself with a blanket.? ? Roselyn here, Roselyn there!? ? The lack of substance has strangled him. Gillotti was really going crazy.? ? He was suffocated to think that the spiteful woman had indeed returned as a ghost.? ? Didn¡¯t it mean that his power wouldn¡¯t work on her ghost now?? ? How do you use the power of death to a ghost whose body is dead, how!? ? ¡°What a useless power!¡±? ? This humble trick that made him faint just because he killed a few people felt like a curse.? ? ¡°Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!¡±? ? Tanatos in July must be unconditionally fun.? ? The festival was still in full swing outside, but only Gillotti, deep inside the palace, was quietly going mad.? ? £ª £ª £ª? ? Ghost rumors seemed to have had their own effects.? ? Asha looked grimly at the envoys leaving Tanatos much earlier than scheduled.? ? In this chaotic situation, Gillotti will not be able to afford to keep an eye on Hans.? ? He gained some leeway to gather power safely and pursue it.? ? ¡°We have to coax the Countess of Mexis.¡±? ? Mexis was the family of Deputy Commander of Katren.? ? It was the very family of the Vice-Commander Katren, who had lost his life severely for the crime of disobeying the emperor¡¯s orders to protect Roselyn.? ? The unjust death of an outstanding daughter alienated the Mexis from the palace.? ? Maxis was the only family who dared to express their disappointment at the palace and survived.? ? If Gertium defended the entire country, it was because Mexis were one of the main families defending the capital.? ? The entire force was not comparable to the Gertium, but in any case, the first family to move troops in the event of a rebellion in the capital was Mexis.? ? In order to appease the family, the first person to approach was not Count Mexis or his eldest son, the Golden Lion.? ? ¡°The scariest thing in my family is not my father or my brother. Who is it? It¡¯s my mother. She has a lot of spirit hidden in her small body.¡±? ? Asha remembered Katren, the vice commander who was talking about the family as if he was embarrassed.? ? She once again pulled herself together heavily.? ? Asha, who was thinking about the Mexis, finally remembered one person she had forgotten.? ? ¡°Come to think of it, what happened to Anna?¡±? ? She was so distracted that she didn¡¯t even think about finding Anna.? ? She received a message that she would arrive by mid-July, but now July 20 has already passed.? ? Someone knocked on the door of the mansion as soon as Asha thought she had to find her.? ? Surprisingly, Anna appeared in an incredibly shabby appearance in front of her, who was surprised to see if it was actually Anna. CH 151 Chapter 151. Anna¡¯s Situation? ? Asrell looked suspiciously at the shabby-looking woman who knocked on the door of the mansion.? ? Her hair was full of leaves and dirt, and she had soot on her cheeks.? ? Her dress, which must have been neat before, was also wrinkled and torn, and there were no slanted corners.? ? In a good way, a woman who seemed to be a bum and in a bad way, a little crazy, introduced herself in a calm and polite voice, unlike her appearance.? ? ¡°My name is Anna Rotrega. I came to see the owner of this mansion.¡±? ? Asrell suppressed her vigilance, and told Anna that this mansion was temporarily rented and that the original owner was not present here.? ? Anna nodded her head calmly, as if she already knew.? ? ¡°I know. I have come to see the owner who temporarily rented this mansion.¡±? ? ¡°Can you tell me exactly what kind of owner you are looking for?¡± ? ? Anna hesitated before pronouncing the strange name she had written on the note.? ? ¡°¡­ Isn¡¯t there a person named Aranrosia here?¡±? ? ¡°Ah, you¡¯re looking for Asha.¡±? ? Asrell was still a little wary of Anna, but she couldn¡¯t just ignore her words that she had come to find Asha.? ? ¡°Please wait a moment. I¡¯ll ask Asha and come back.¡±? ? No matter how much she was Asha¡¯s guest, she couldn¡¯t easily get in because she didn¡¯t go through identity verification.? ? With a voice full of regret, Asrell put Anna in front of the front door and hurriedly went up to the second floor.? ? Has it been a minute long?? ? ¡°Who is it?¡±? ? A horrifyingly heavy low tone grabbed Anna¡¯s back.? ? As startled Anna turned her back, the first thing she saw was a shadow large enough to cover her.? ? A man was looking at her, standing at the bottom of the stairs with his back to the sun, but taller than Anna standing on the stairs.? ? Anna quickly glanced at her opponent with her eyes wide open in surprise.? ? His slightly tanned skin looked menacing, and his red eyes shining as transparent as rubies ??on his face shadowed against the sun were sharp.? ? ¡®Those red eyes¡­ ?¡¯? ? As soon as she saw the man¡¯s red eyes, Anna immediately remembered who he was.? ? It was Tamon Krasis, the owner of that gaze, who always followed Roselyn.? ? Astonished, Anna took a step back and greeted Tamon with respect as in the Imperial Palace.? ? ¡°Ah, you are Tamon Krasis of Amor. My name is Anna Rotrega.¡±? ? Anna.? ? Tamon¡¯s eyes that were shining sharply changed.? ? Tamon couldn¡¯t have not known who Anna was.? ? However, he couldn¡¯t recognize her immediately because of her behavior that was very different from when he met her at the imperial palace.? ? He then looked at her with a loose smile.? ? ¡°I finally see the Lady of the Pink Rose Forest.¡±? ? At Tamon¡¯s soft mutter, Anna¡¯s eyes widened.? ? It was a secret code between Roselyn and Anna.? ? But how did the foreign minister of a foreign country know that? ? ? Come to think of it, why was he in this mansion?? ? While Anna was confused by the sudden flood of information, the closed front door opened again.? ? ¡°Lady Anna, please come in¡­ Oh, Master Tamon is also here.¡±? ? At Asrell¡¯s hospitality, Tamon smiled softly and pushed Anna¡¯s back.? ? ¡°The farmer of the carrot farm is waiting anxiously, so let¡¯s go up.¡±? ? ****? ? Anna followed Tamon Krasis to the second floor.? ? It was not difficult to grasp that this man was the owner of this mansion when Anna saw his stride up the stairs and the attitude of the servants in the mansion.? ? ¡®Why the hell is Tamon Krasis of Amor here? No, what¡¯s the connection between Roselyn and him?¡¯? ? Amor was no less than Tanatos¡¯ enemy.? ? It wasn¡¯t an open war, but the bad relationships in the past had piled up and they weren¡¯t friendly to each other.? ? But how the hell did Roselyn end up staying at Krasis¡¯s mansion?? ? Anna followed Tamon into the parlor on the second floor with confused eyes.? ? And before her bottom touched the sofa, the door suddenly opened and she had to get up again.? ? ¡°Anna!¡±? ? A familiar voice she might never hear again called Anna¡¯s name.? ? Anna, who had tears in her eyes just hearing the voice, quickly turned around and looked at Roselyn as she called for her, and covered her mouth in surprise.? ? ¡°Rosie¡­¡­?¡±? ? Roselyn, covered in a thin veil, came running.? ? Seeing a bruised face peeking through her veil, Anna ran to Roselyn with a white face again.? ? ¡°Oh my God, Rosie! What¡¯s going on with all this! Gillotti, the damn b*stard made you like this? Oh, my God! That crazy bastard made you like this¡­¡­!¡±? ? Without Asha able to say anything, Anna burst into tears and hugged Asha.? ? Mistaking that Asha¡¯s makeup was a real wound, Anna burst into tears on the spot.? ? Anna¡¯s hands were trembling, unable to hold her tightly for fear of Asha¡¯s pain. Asha belatedly noticed that she still had the fake makeup on her face.? ? ¡°Oh no, Anna. I¡¯m sorry, I surprised you. I forgot to take this off.¡±? ? Asha took off her veil, revealing her scaly and puddled skin.? ? ¡°Oh, what to do!¡±? ? Anna¡¯s cry grew even louder when she saw her bare wounded face.? ? ¡°Anna, calm down and look at this.¡±? ? Looking at the crying Anna, Asha gently ripped the fake skin off her right cheek.? ? ¡°¡­!¡±? ? Anna¡¯s eyes widened as she burst into tears at the bizarre sight.? ? Asha smiled apologetically, and peeled off all of her fake skin that Asrell had been putting on painstakingly since morning.? ? ¡°These are all fake scars. Look at me, Anna. I¡¯m fine.¡±? ? ¡°Rosie? What the hell is this¡­¡­ ¡±? ? ¡°Sorry to startle you, Anna.¡±? ? Asha smiled softly and hugged Anna once more to comfort her.? ? There were so many stories to tell, but now was not the right time to unravel them all.? ? The two hugged each other for a while, as if sharing warmth, and then slowly pulled away.? ? Anna¡¯s excited cry had completely subsided, and Asha¡¯s face lit up with joy and concern for Anna.? ? ¡°My story will be too long, so I will tell you all slowly in the evening. Now more than that¡­¡­ What happened to you?¡±? ? Asha asked, pointing to the figure of Anna, whom Asrell thought was nothing more than a bum.? ? Anna, who barely stopped her tears from sobbing, looked down at her dirty dress with her blushing face.? ? ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not really a big deal.¡±? ? Anna sniffled her red nose and flushed her cheeks in embarrassment.? ? Asha, who sat Anna on the sofa, looked at her quietly, waiting for her next words to follow.? ? ¡°I¡¯m actually running away secretly¡­¡±? ? ¡°What? Run away? Someone kidnapped you¡­¡­!¡±? ? ¡°Oh, no! No. It¡¯s not kidnapping!¡±? ? ¡°Then you were imprisoned?¡±? ? ¡°It¡¯s not even that. Actually¡­.¡±? ? Anna hesitated about how to tell this, but she just told the truth.? ? ¡°There is one leech attached¡­¡±? ? Asha raised one of her eyebrows at the very unexpected words.? ? Tamon, who was watching them from a step away, gathered his eyes as if intrigued.? ? ¡°A leech? Who is that?¡±? ? Asha asked, seemingly confused.? ? Anna shut her mouth for a moment, then in an angry voice she spat out someone¡¯s name.? ? ¡°Perso Gertium!¡±? ? ***? ? The full story of the incident dated back to about a week ago.? ? Now it was really only a day away from the capital.? ? Anna was nervous because she had arrived at the time promised with Rosie.? ? She had already almost reached the capital, so what was important to Anna was to lose the watchdog of the imperial family.? ? She declared after stopping the carriage in a remote village just before reaching the outer castle.? ? ¡°I think I will have to stay here due to circumstances. There is not much left to the capital, so please go first, Duke of Gertium.¡±? ? The July festival had already begun, and it was already several days after the foreign delegations had entered the country.? ? On a normal schedule, the nobles of their home country should have arrived last week, but Perso was still on his way to the imperial court at a very slow pace to keep up with Anna¡¯s schedule.? ? At this point, Anna was sure that Perso would go his own way.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll stay here until the lady wants to leave.¡±? ? ¡°¡­.!¡±? ? Surprised, Anna bit her teeth tightly.? ? As she remembered, it¡¯s only an hour or two from here to the mansion of Gertium.? ? As it was a family that carried troops, it was impossible to occupy a land large enough to include all of them in the capital, so a mansion was built about an hour away from Bern.? ? Anna hoped that Perso would go to it, but the stubborn man wouldn¡¯t leave.? ? Anna said, grinding her teeth with a false smile.? ? ¡°Just go ahead.¡±? ? ¡°The escort is over until we reach the capital safely.¡±? ? ¡°I¡¯m fine. So far, I¡¯ve been able to travel alone by myself, and it¡¯s only half a day away from the capital.¡±? ? ¡°Your father asked that I would take care of your safety until the end. And Gertium is always responsible.¡±? ? ¡°¡­.¡±? ? ¡®Did my father really say that?¡¯? ? Anna was the first to have such a suspicion, but she had no way of confirming it now.? ? In any case, the responsibility shown by interest was really overdone.? ? How strong was that responsibility to be able to ignore even the emperor¡¯s call?? ? Anyway, the more she got to know Perso Gertium, the weirder it was, and Anna could not understand this man at all.? ? Taking a deep breath, she offered her next best bet.? ? ¡°Then please attach some of the Duke¡¯s knights to me. That¡¯s enough. I¡¯m not a Princess of any country, and I¡¯m not even a noble under threat of assassination.¡±? ? ¡°You are noble.¡±? ? ¡°¡­ Thank you for saying that, but I¡¯m not in a position to face assassination threats anyway.¡±? ? ¡°But just a few days ago, you almost fell off your horse, and yesterday you went out for a walk at night and you almost got lost. I don¡¯t think you can go alone because you keep putting yourself in danger when you¡¯re alone.¡±? ? A vein popped up on Anna¡¯s forehead, who still had a fake smile.? ? ¡®¡­.oh, this crazy guy!¡¯? ? CH 152 Chapter 152. Perso¡¯s Anguish? ? So Anna decided to run away secretly.? ? She sent Rwanda away and she urged that no one be in her room that day, and she hid in the cart of the inn workers from dawn and secretly escaped.? ? She tumbled down the mountain a few times on the shortcut she had foreseen, but it was okay.? ? It was easy for her to describe in words, but the truth was, it was by no means a smooth escape. She was a little terrified when she took a nap in the forest, hiding behind huge rocks in an empty forest.? ? Why does the owl cry?? ? She forgot how many swear words she poured out towards the owl, who made a strange cry all the way to sleep.? ? After running for two days, rolling and falling, she barely reached the capital.? ? The emergency food and water she brought ran out, so at the end she walked and walked with desperation and spite.? ? In just two days, from the appearance of an elegant lady to a maniac beggar in an instant.? ? If there was one good thing, it was that everyone she encountered was surprised and got out of the way.? ? She went to her own mansion without hesitation, and she read the letter from Roselyn and ran to this place.? ? She was in such a hurry that she didn¡¯t even change her clothes.? ? ¡°¡­ So, you ran away like that? To get rid of Perso Gertium?¡±? ? ¡°Yes.¡±? ? Asha, who was surprised at first, nodded her head bitterly, and but her lips as she saw Anna eating a large piece of custard pudding that Asrell had given her.? ? She (Asha) quietly turned her head and covered her mouth with her hand, holding back her laughter.? ? Looking at it like this, it seemed that the tomboyish temperament that Anna had as a child was still there.? ? Anna climbed the tree and climbed over the fence.? ? Anna broke her leg while running around to play pirates and threw herself on Cain.? ? Even so, she said that she wanted to play, and she treated Cain as a horse.? ? Perso Gertium would never have thought that Anna would run through the woods and fields.? ? ¡°Rosie, it¡¯s because you don¡¯t know how tenacious the man is. If I didn¡¯t do this, I wouldn¡¯t be able to get away from him until the end of July. And that¡¯s not the only thing that¡¯s weird.¡±? ? Anna slammed the mug down with a serious face.? ? ¡°Why would he keep sticking to me, ignoring the imperial call? Was he trying to spy on me in the name of escort? Did he notice something?¡±? ? At Anna¡¯s words, Asha also thought for a moment.? ? But without much thought, she could see that Anna¡¯s argument had some loopholes.? ? ¡°But Anna, why is he suspicious of you? Has he ever read my letters?¡±? ? ¡°No! I burned it after I read it. My father gave me a letter once, but there was no sign of the envelope being ripped.¡±? ? ¡°But, wouldn¡¯t it have been better to attach a knight if he was going to monitor you? It would be more convenient to secretly attach his subordinates than the Duke did it himself.¡±? ? ¡°That¡­¡­.¡±? ? Anna had no choice but to shut her mouth as she tried to refute.? ? Asha was right.? ? No matter how suspicious she was, there was no reason for the Duke of Gertium himself to keep following her.? ? Since his family was famous for its brute force, it will be full of skilled knights.? ? In fact, it was much more efficient to follow her secretly than to follow her openly like this.? ? However¡­¡­ .? ? ¡®If not that then what is the reason?¡¯? ? Anna could not understand Perso at all.? ? He didn¡¯t take his eyes off her for a moment.? ? In fact, this wasn¡¯t the first time Anna tried to sneak away while he was careless.? ? Anna was caught trying to sneak out on horseback when she thought Perso was sleeping, and was caught again trying to get away from him on the pretext of a night walk.? ? One day, she pretended to have injured her leg and tried to let him go first, but he carried her around all day and took her to the doctor in person.? ? It drove Anna crazy because it was her first time meeting a man like this.? ? Every 30 minutes, he would come check on her saying there was a hard wind blowing, then again when it rained.? ? After Anna showed her dislike a few times, Perso did not come to check on her openly, but from a distance from her, he looked at her at the sound of her voice.? ? ¡°That¡¯s really, really weird.¡±? ? Asha also tapped the table, seemingly confused.? ? ¡°Right? That man is really weird.¡±? ? Anna sighed and grabbed the teacup with her dry hands.? ? ¡°¡­¡±? ? Tamon was also listening to the conversation between these two women with a strange expression.? ? ¡°He might have approached her from a slightly different point of view?¡±? ? Asha and Anna¡¯s heads turned to Tamon at the same time.? ? Tamon, who was sitting by the window, showed a friendly smile toward the ignorant women.? ? ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s possible that he really, genuinely worried about Miss Anna.¡±? ? At Tamon¡¯s words, Asha asked with a confused face.? ? ¡°Why do you think so?¡±? ? ¡°¡­¡­ Think about it, how can he be so relaxed in front of the capital city? If he is near the capital, I think the emperor is urging him to come to the Imperial Palace.¡±? ? Tamon¡¯s words made sense.? ? Asha also had thought that.? ? Due to Gillotti¡¯s personality, if Gertium was nearby to protect him, he would somehow drag him in.? ? Especially if he (Gillotti) was mentally exhausted like these days, he would need someone who could protect him even more.? ? ¡°Perhaps Gertium didn¡¯t tell the emperor that he was near the capital.¡±? ? Tamon nodded his head as if in agreement with Asha¡¯s words.? ? In fact, it wasn¡¯t the only strange thing.? ? The number of knights brought by Perso was too small.? ? When the Gertium family returned to the Imperial Palace, they were accompanied by about 200 knights.? ? It was also considered to be a minimum manpower.? ? However, only about 50 people were led by Gertium this time.? ? That really meant the minimum and most elite manpower were moved.? ? In fact, that was enough for the movement of ordinary aristocrats.? ? However, the movement of Gertium was completely different in meaning because it usually means the movement of troops.? ? ¡°I wonder if there is a possibility that he is really, genuinely worried about Miss Anna¡­¡­¡± ? ? Asha looked at Anna, remembering what Tamon had just said.? ? Anna, who was listening to the conversation between the two, blinked her eyes as if she was confused and shook her head strongly. ? ? ¡°I don¡¯t think so. That man and I¡­ aren¡¯t that close.¡±? ? They deceived each other, misunderstood, and stuck with each other.? ? Meanwhile, there was no such thing as a bud in the relationship for him to worry about her, at least not as Anna thought.? ? Asha smiled softly and stroked Anna¡¯s cheek, which had hardened in embarrassment.? ? ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Anna. I¡¯ll see what kind of man Perso Gertium is and judge for myself.¡±? ? ****? ? Stupidly, Perso Gertium didn¡¯t realize Anna¡¯s absence until a day had passed since she disappeared.? ? Is this how to feel like someone banged his head with a giant log? Standing in front of Anna¡¯s empty room, Perso was completely frozen. It was the first time in his entire life he had made such an absurd mistake.? ? ¡°¡­¡­ why?¡±? ? Perso, who had barely come to his senses, grabbed Rwanda and asked, as if squeezing.? ? ¡°Why did she disappear?¡±? ? Anna disappeared.? ? She also lied to everyone, and disappeared like hell, leaving Rwanda behind.? ? Perso, who thought that he had neither imprisoned her nor was holding her by force, could not comprehend Anna, who had disappeared without a word.? ? Rwanda smiled embarrassedly and shook her head.? ? Of course, Anna didn¡¯t say anything to Rwanda before leaving the inn.? ? ¡°If he asks you, just say you don¡¯t know, Rwanda. Rwalda doesn¡¯t know anything. And he doesn¡¯t know, right?¡±? ? Anna said she would go straight to the capital.? ? She also told Rwanda to come to the mansion.? ? However, she did not say specifically why she was doing this.? ? Sometimes it was because of the judgment that knowing the truth could be dangerous.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. So don¡¯t worry.¡±? ? Anna said bravely and hid herself in the workers¡® cart.? ? Rwanda could neither hold nor stop Anna, so she just stamped her feet and looked anxiously at the back of the cart moving away.? ? ¡°Jackson, Homer. I¡¯m going to look for her right now. Get your horses ready!¡±? ? Perso got on the horse right away, contemplating.? ? Without a moment to catch his breath, he followed the path Anna might have taken, but he had already intuited that he was late.? ? ¡®I was too careless.¡¯? ? Apparently, the messenger sent to the mansion of Gertium came with a letter from the emperor, and he was distracted.? ? The content of the letter was concise, but it was enough to wrinkle Perso¡¯s brow.? ? It started with a rant that the emperor needed a noble woman of dignity and blood to fill the vacant position of the Empress, but it ended with a mad cry asking Perso to send his younger sister, who was not yet an adult.? ? ¡®For the strong bond between the imperial family and Gertium.¡¯? ? Bond? Can this relationship be called a bond?? ? Didn¡¯t it sound like the emperor wanted to trap the Gertium, who gives out flesh and bones whenever necessary?? ? But did Gertium gain anything behind this unconditional loyalty?? ? Hundreds of years ago, he still remembered the grace of the imperial family that saved the family from crisis, and urged them to dedicate their lives to the imperial family.? ? If it¡¯s loyalty for that reason, then isn¡¯t it enough?? ? Since Perso was not educated in the Gertium from the beginning, he could not fully comprehend the life of the existing Gertium.? ? That¡¯s why it was painful.? ? Was it right to follow this evil law?? ? Should he have to dedicate his life to this rotten sky?? ? Perso wanted to deny the reality, but it was very painful to deny his duties as a Gertium because of his personal values. CH 154 Knock. Knock. Knock. Exactly three knocks on the hard grain of wood, the door opened wide. Beyond the brightly opened door as if waiting for him to come, stood a suspicious woman with a dark veil from her head to toe. ¡°I was waiting for you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Patience and perseverance. It¡¯s the epitome of persistence. Your Excellency, Duke of Gertium.¡± The soft voice that spoke with force was somehow familiar. Perso frowned and stared intently at the suspicious woman whose face was hidden. His dark green eyes shone fiercely. The woman was resolute in front of those eyes that gleamed in a different light under his red hair. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so surprised. Come in.¡± Even though her face was covered with a veil, she could not hide the calmness in her voice. Perso was once again curious about the woman¡¯s identity. For any person, his momentum alone was enough to scare people. His appearance as a large and solid figure incomparable to those of ordinary people, and his spirit as a knight who went through his life and death several times was threatening enough. ¡®Tamon Krasis¡­¡¯ Perso thought of the temporary owner of this mansion and looked at the woman walking in front of him calmly. There was a suspicious maid and a woman who greeted him as if waiting. And¡­ Anna who disappeared. He felt like jumping into something very organic. ¡®It doesn¡¯t feel like a threat to be a trap¡­¡­ ¡¯ Perso followed the woman up to the parlor on the second floor. It was the first time he had visited the temporary residence of a foreign minister in this way. He mainly came in to bring out or lead foreign delegations. ¡°Tamon is out for a while. He said he¡¯ll be back soon, so wait a little bit.¡± Tamon? The woman casually said the name of Amor¡¯s foreign minister. Unless you are the king of Amor, how many beings can call Tamon Krasis by name? Perso had no choice but to grow even more suspicious. ¡°I didn¡¯t come here to see Tamon Krasis.¡± ¡°I know. You came to see Anna.¡± Perso¡¯s face twitched at Anna¡¯s name that came out casually. ¡®He can¡¯t hide his expression. Is it because he has nothing to hide?¡¯ If he had only swung his sword under his armor and helmet, he wouldn¡¯t be good at scheming. Of course, it would be a different word if he was a clever man like Tamon. Asha smiled quietly and spoke once more. ¡°Anna is resting comfortably upstairs. She knows you¡¯re here. Don¡¯t be in a hurry.¡± Every time Anna¡¯s name came up, Perso¡¯s eyes twitched slightly. He clenched his fists as if holding back, and said in a stern voice. ¡°I think I need an explanation of what the situation is now.¡± ¡°Soon everything will be explained.¡± Asha and Perso stopped talking at the same time and looked out the window. A faint sound of horseshoes was heard. ¡°Looks like he¡¯s here.¡± After her words, voices were heard downstairs. Asrell¡¯s voice and Hannah¡¯s voice were intertwined, and Tamon¡¯s voice intermingled between them. The sound of heavy footsteps leading up the stairs. When the sound of footsteps approached the door, Perso reflexively got up. At the same time, the door opened and Tamon entered. As two men of great majesty were standing there, the small parlor seemed to be full. Tamon looked at Perso as if in shock. ¡°You¡¯re really here.¡± Perso was also surprised to see Tamon. It was because Tamon Krasis, who was a formidable person for his size, was holding a baby the size of a pea. ¡°Um¡­.¡± The baby wiggled. When the baby he was holding moved, Tamon was startled and grabbed the baby with clumsy hand movements. ¡°Baby.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t know you had a baby.¡± At Perso¡¯s words, Tamon wrinkled his face. ¡°It¡¯s not my child.¡± He said, looking at Perso with a frown. It was Perso who became more puzzled by Tamon¡¯s words. It was not even his baby, but he came out of nowhere with a baby in his arms. ¡°Then why are you holding someone else¡¯s child¡­¡± Tamon, who glanced down at the baby, approached Perso and gave the baby to him. ¡°Look for yourself.¡± Perso, who was suddenly holding the baby, looked down at the baby wrapped in swaddling cloth. The baby looked up at him with clear blue eyes without crying. It was a very pretty baby with blue eyes like a clear sky, abundant blonde hair, and distinct features. Perso, who was staring at the baby, narrowed his eyes in surprise. The baby looked remarkably like someone. If these eyes were orange instead of blue¡­ ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Who do you think it resembles?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°To me, the baby looks just like its mother.¡± Strength entered the hands of the startled Perso. As soon as he saw the baby, he thought of Natasha Roanti. But from Tamon¡¯s mouth saying that the baby resembled its mother. A name he (Perso) couldn¡¯t get out of his mouth went round and round in his head. ¡®No. There has been no news of the baby in the imperial family yet.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know the baby¡¯s development well, but just by looking at it, he could tell that this baby wasn¡¯t that old. ¡°¡­¡­ Why are you trying to deceive me with ridiculous lies?¡± Perso gritted his teeth and glared at Tamon. ¡°Natasha gave birth outside, and she hid it from the imperial family.¡± ¡°I told you not to lie.¡± ¡°Lie? Run to the Imperial Palace right now and tell the Emperor about this. The Emperor will tear off Natasha¡¯s skirt and check it for you.¡± ¡°Rude!¡± Perso grabbed the cold sword at his side. The child, who had been gently embraced by him, burst into tears. Perso, startled, looked down at the baby in his arms. It looked just like Natasha. The blue eyes of the baby, apparently, resembled the Emperor¡¯s. ¡°waaaaa!¡± The baby¡¯s crying became stronger even though he did not squeeze it. Asha, unable to stand it, gently pulled the baby out of Perso¡¯s arms and held it. In fact, she didn¡¯t even know how to handle a baby, but it was better than holding it so tightly. This seemed to be fine. ¡°Waaaa!¡± But Asha¡¯s arms were also of no use. As Asha was at a loss for what to do, Tamon laughed and took the baby from her arms. Astonishingly, the baby stopped crying as soon as it entered Tamon¡¯s arms. ¡°For now, let¡¯s leave the baby to Asrell. And, Perso Gertium, your goal isn¡¯t to clash with me, right?¡± The eyes of Perso, who had been blurred by the sudden shocking news, returned again. Tamon grinned and went out and came back alone. ¡°You said you were looking for Anna Rotrega?¡± Tamon, who was wearing a tie loosely, asked as he lay down on the sofa as if tired. Perso¡¯s forehead was deeply dented by that relaxed posture. ¡°Why are you looking for her?¡± ¡°Because she¡¯s not safe.¡± ¡°Not safe? Do you think Anna Rotrega is safer with you?¡± ¡°At least not here¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Really? Wouldn¡¯t it be more dangerous with you?¡± At Tamon¡¯s provocative words, Perso¡¯s eyes became bitter. Tamon smirked and asked again. ¡°If the Emperor tells you to hand over Anna Rotrega, will you not?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business¡­.¡± ¡°Gertium is the emperor¡¯s dog, can a dog domesticated for hundreds of years bite its owner?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Perso jumped up from his seat. In his dark green eyes, a murderous intent was fearsome. An uncomfortable silence separated the three of them, as if the air was frozen. ¡°¡­ I will not tolerate any more disrespect, Tamon Krasis.¡± Perso¡¯s low voice was calm, but the threat posed inside was not fake. There was no way that Tamon was unaware of that, but his leisure did not fade. ¡°Gertium protects Anna Rotrega¡­ Isn¡¯t it strange to you? I don¡¯t understand it. Rather, I think it¡¯s more convincing that you came to catch Anna Rotrega at the Emperor¡¯s command?¡± ¡°I have no reason to convince you.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t convince me, you¡¯ll never see a single strand of Anna Rotrega¡¯s hair.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t know Amor¡¯s foreign minister was such a coward.¡± ¡°There is no reason for me to be afraid in this situation.¡± ¡°You mean you¡¯re going to fight Gertium in the land of Tanatos now?¡± A fierce atmosphere continued as if they were going to see each other¡¯s blood at any moment. Asha, who couldn¡¯t stand it, sighed and cut in. ¡°There is nothing good about causing trouble with each other right now. Perso Gertium. From our point of view, there is no guarantee that Anna will be safe with you.¡± Perso stared at Asha, whose body was hidden, and then took a step back. Her words made sense. But he couldn¡¯t just leave. ¡°As long as I am convinced that Miss Anna stays here voluntarily, I will withdraw today.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡­ Today?¡± ¡°Tamon.¡± Asha grabbed Tamon¡¯s shoulder as he tried to provoke Perso more. As she shook his head to signal him to stop, Tamon closed his mouth and he drank his tea. ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll bring Anna in. But she can¡¯t be alone. As I said, you seem dangerous from our point of view.¡± Asha said so and told the attendant who was waiting to call Anna. For Perso, a few minutes were longer and more boring than ever before. Then small footsteps were heard in his alerted hearing. CH 153 Chapter 153. A Suspicious Maid? ? That¡¯s why Perso chose to stay away from the imperial family.? ? He dodged and ran away.? ? He knew it¡¯s not the best, but he didn¡¯t have the will or the energy to fight it.? ? ¡°Heya!¡±? ? Perso ran at full speed towards Bern where the Imperial Palace was located.? ? The thought of finding the missing Anna made him completely forget what he was avoiding now.? ? Rumors circulated that the ghost of the former Empress roamed the capital.? ? Because of that, the half-crazed emperor was said to be anxious about failing to pay tribute to her.? ? In this state, it was clear that if Anna entered the imperial palace defenselessly, one of her limbs would inevitably disappear.? ? If she was unlucky, her neck could fall.? ? Then, unpleasant goosebumps rose behind Perso¡¯s back.? ? The warm, strong, luminous brown eyes contorted with pain.? ? An unexplained nervousness choked him.? ? Perso ran down the road while holding the reins.? ? ¡°It¡¯s Gertium. Get out of the way!¡±? ? Perso held out a sword with a family seal and quickly ran through the outer castle.? ? The gatekeepers were surprised by the shout of Gertium and the vicious force, and opened the gate quickly.? ? The soldiers of this country were memorizing the seal of the ¡®Gertium¡¯ family and the sword that the headmaster was carrying until dry and worn out.? ? The horse of Perso, who had run over a distance that would have taken more than a day in just a few hours, let out a wild breath like a monster.? ? The moment he broke through the castle, the word that Gertium had arrived in the capital would reach the imperial family.? ? It was a moment when all of the past efforts that had been hard to hide and pretend not to know about the imperial family¡¯s calling were all in vain.? ? But he didn¡¯t think anything of it was strange.? ? All he could think of was the need to quickly find and protect Anna.? ? ¡®Why am I so anxious?¡¯? ? After watching her for quite some time, Anna was a strong person, and she was not foolish.? ? She must have had a reason to sneak away from him.? ? Still, Perso was not comfortable.? ? It was even more confusing because it was the first time he had been worried about other people like this and wandering around without regrets.? ? There were only old people around, so he couldn¡¯t figure out how to treat a young, noble, and fragile woman like Anna.? ? Without hesitation, Perso drove his horse to Anna¡¯s mansion.? ? His horse almost collided with people walking through the city several times.? ? He finally arrived at Anna¡¯s mansion while scattering his words.? ? ¡°This is Duke Perso Gertium. I¡¯m to find Anna Rotrega.¡±? ? The old butler greeted him with a visibly bewildered face when he heard the name Perso Gertium.? ? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My master is not currently in the mansion.¡±? ? ¡°Are you sure? Lying to a noble can be severely punished.¡±? ? The old butler trembled and bowed his head at the threat of a person with a huge body and ferocious eyes.? ? ¡°Really. My master is not in the mansion.¡±? ? ¡°Then¡­¡­ Has she ever visited her mansion?¡±? ? The butler bowed his head and did not answer.? ? In fact, it was not possible to punish the servants of other nobles with small lies.? ? However, the opponent was the Duke of Gertium, the pillar of this country.? ? Gertium¡¯s power was actually said to be just below the imperial family, so he would have been able to control the treatment of the servants of others.? ? ¡°She¡¯s not currently in the mansion, but she did come.¡±? ? Perso read what the butler¡¯s silence meant.? ? Anyway, the thought of finding out Anna¡¯s whereabouts gave him a sense of relief.? ? He lowered his bulging chest slowly and asked in a much calmer voice than before.? ? ¡°When is she coming back?¡±? ? Also, the butler could not answer.? ? Upon arriving at the mansion, Anna opened a letter and left immediately. She left the mansion really straight away, with no time to change clothes or to drink a glass of water. Of course, she didn¡¯t say when she would come back.? ? After saying that he understood, Perso waited for her in the parlor.? ? While waiting, his men left to inquire nearby.? ? Since it was a townhouse in the capital, the mansion was not that big, but it gave a cute and cozy feeling.? ? There were lace curtains and veils everywhere, and stuff like knitting dolls.? ? It was a completely different aspect from the Gertium House, which was overflowing with only stone walls, armor, weapons, and alcohol.? ? Even the sofa he was sitting on was red velvet and hung over it with a small floral cover.? ? For some reason, he felt like he would rip or break even if he touched a little, so he couldn¡¯t even sit comfortably on the sofa and stood up stiffly.? ? An hour passed, and Anna still hadn¡¯t come.? ? Perso called the attendant who had come to clean up the tea.? ? ¡°I heard that Miss Anna received a letter this morning. Do you know who delivered the letter?¡±? ? ¡°Yes?¡±? ? As if she did not know she was asked such a question, the servant stumbled with a puzzled face.? ? Perso took out money in his pocket and held it out. Ten jingle gold coins fell on the table.? ? ¡°If you bring back the person who delivered the letter, all this money is yours.¡±? ? At first glance, it was more money than an individual servant¡¯s several months¡¯ salary.? ? The young servant¡¯s eyes fluttered in bewilderment. She had only been working in this mansion for five months. She had worked in other mansions, but she had never been more comfortable with body and mind than here.? ? ¡®What if I get fired after receiving this?¡¯? ? She knew of the maid, who, fortunately or unfortunately, handed Anna her letter. The maid was also a newcomer just two months ago, and she did a good job and was nimble.? ? At first glance, she heard that the maid had worked for quite a long time in the Sunset family that has now disappeared from history.? ? When they saw the introduction letter, she remembered that the strict grandfather hired her right away without saying anything.? ? Clink.? ? A few more gold coins fell on the desk.? ? ¡°You are only carrying out the orders of the powerful duke, so there will be no problems. Or do I have to pull out my sword, not money, for you to hear what I¡¯m saying?¡±? ? Startled, the young servant quickly bowed her head. She added in a quivering voice.? ? ¡°I¡¯ll bring the maid who delivered the letter, but I won¡¯t take any money. I love working here.¡±? ? Perso looked at the servant as if interesting.? ? The servant, not daring to look up at Perso, quickly stepped back and left.? ? ¡°I heard you were looking for me.¡±? ? And after a while, a maid came into the parlor with calm steps.? ? ¡°Are you the maid who handed Miss Anna the letter this morning?¡±? ? ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±? ? ¡°What is written in the letter?¡±? ? ¡°I learned that the servants do not open the master¡¯s letters.¡±? ? Even without saying many words, Perso could tell that the maid in front of him was not normal.? ? He laughed again as if it was funny.? ? The fact that there were quite a few useful servants in this small mansion seemed to indicate the dignity of the owner.? ? Or the butler¡¯s ability was better than expected.? ? ¡°Then where did you get that letter?¡±? ? ¡°It was delivered by an outside messenger.¡±? ? ¡°Is that it?¡±? ? ¡°Yes. That¡¯s it.¡±? ? The maid seemed nervous at Perso¡¯s interrogation, but she remained calm until the end.? ? Perso, who had been staring at her for a moment, stood up.? ? ¡°Right. The servants of this house don¡¯t seem to know anything. If so, tell your master I was here when she comes back.¡±? ? ¡°Yes, Duke.¡±? ? The maid replied docilely, with her swiftly lowering her head.? ? Perso glanced at her again and turned around without regret.? ? A storm called Gertium passed over.? ? Anna¡¯s mansion had been frozen for hours because of Perso, and only then did they breathe a sigh of relief.? ? After that, it was a peaceful time as usual.? ? Afternoon cleaning the mansion, preparing lunch, and taking care of the necessities of the mansion.? ? As dusk fell, the commuting servants came out of the mansion.? ? Among the crowd, one of them secretly looked around and disappeared at the end of a sparsely populated alley.? ? Perso, who was watching the mansion from afar, followed the maid¡¯s shadow and moved silently.? ? ***? ? After a few battles, he had better sense.? ? Perso thought that the overly calm maid in front of him was very suspicious.? ? There was nothing wrong with her words, and her answers were convincing enough, but she was more than that.? ? She was too bold and calm for an ordinary maid working in such a small mansion.? ? Even the perfect example of the servant seemed to have come from working in a large mansion.? ? The circumstance that she delivered the letter as if she had waited for Anna as soon as she arrived, and Anna who came to the capital avoiding the eyes of Perso, were both suspicious.? ? Perso followed the maid, without his knights.? ? ¡®¡­¡­ Besides, she wandered around several times as if she was conscious of me following her like this.¡¯? ? No matter how he looked at it, it wasn¡¯t an ordinary maid.? ? Finally, after passing through several buildings, the maid knocked on the door of a mansion.? ? It took an hour to come here, but it was actually a mansion less than 30 minutes away.? ? As soon as the door opened, the maid quickly went inside.? ? After staring at the closed door for a moment, Perso looked at the mansion owner¡¯s nameplate hanging on the gate.? ? ¡®¡­Temporary residence of Tamon Krasis?¡¯? ? Tamon Krasis.? ? If Perso¡¯s memory was correct, it was the name of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Amor.? ? Perso looked at the nameplate with confused eyes, then knocked on the door of the mansion without hesitation. CH 155 As soon as the door opened, Perso jumped up from his seat. ¡°Miss Anna.¡± Anna flinched back as Perso rushed towards her. ¡°¡­¡­ Your Excellency.¡± Anna couldn¡¯t help being embarrassed. No matter how secretly she disappeared, why would he go looking for her like this? Duke of Gertium, who was said to be the pillar of the country. ¡°Are you hurt? Why, why did you go out alone? If you had told me, I would have taken you.¡± ¡®I came out secretly because I was afraid you would come after me like this.¡¯ The words came up to her throat. Anna stared at Perso with complex eyes and stepped back from him who had come too close. ¡°I came here on my own. Don¡¯t worry. I am by the side of the person whom I feel the safest.¡± At Anna¡¯s words, Perso unconsciously held his breath and clenched his fists. He looked at Anna with trembling eyes, and was silent for a while. It¡¯s been a long time since he felt this unpleasant. Anna glanced at Asha and Tamon, who were watching them from a distance, anxiously. Asha nodded her head slightly as if it was okay. Perso looked at Anna with a stiff face in the direction she was looking in, and opened his hardened lips. A slightly shriveled voice broke through the silence. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to love anyone anymore?¡± Why is he talking about that now? Anna looked up at Perso with her bewildered eyes. Perso looked at Tamon with a slightly darkened face and said. ¡°Could he be¡­¡± ¡°No, what are you talking about!¡± Anna shouted involuntarily and cut off Perso¡¯s words. ¡°You just told me you¡¯re with the person you can feel the safest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not him¡­!¡± Anna, who was about to say it was Asha, suddenly bit her lip. It was because she herself was confused as to why she had to desperately explain it to this man. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not him. But I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re curious about that.¡± Anna looked confusedly at Perso who was driving her with these questions. She really didn¡¯t know why this man was doing this to her. Even if, as Tamon Krasis said, Perso was genuinely worried about her, she thought there was no good reason for that. Perso looked at Anna with complex eyes. Even when he bumped into Tamon a while ago, his eyes were so docile that he wondered if it was the man whom Anna liked. ¡°¡­ In fact, I don¡¯t even know.¡± He muttered in a hoarse voice. With only one step between him and her, Perso looked into her eyes as if confused. ¡°I can¡¯t stand still when I see you.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If I can¡¯t see you, I¡¯m anxious. If I see something good, I want to give it to you, and if the wind blows, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll fly away.¡± The longer Perso spoke, the more Anna¡¯s face turned red. Oh my gosh! Did this man even know what he was saying out of his mouth? With such a blunt and expressionless face, Perso poured out unfamiliar words one after another, and pulled something out of his coat and held it out. ¡°Ha, what is this?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He just held it out without a word, and Anna couldn¡¯t help but open the small package he had held out to her. Anna looked down with her bewildered eyes at the stack of cookies and jellies piled up inside the package. Somehow, her face turned redder than before. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m a single minded person and don¡¯t know much about the world. I don¡¯t have the talent to read people¡¯s minds well, nor the charm that permeates them. I¡¯m not good at all of these¡­ so I don¡¯t know how to explain my feelings.¡± Words sweeter than the sweets Anna was holding in her hands poured out. It was really confusing that he poured out strange words with a bloody face that seemed to cut off anyone. ¡°I just ¡­ wish you always be safe and peaceful wherever you are.¡± ¡°Ah, no¡­.¡± He looked into Anna¡¯s eyes and added in a slightly gloomy voice. ¡°If possible, I wish I was the one who could provide you with that safety and peace.¡± ¡°Ack¡­.¡± Anna was so startled that the hiccups came out. She quickly covered her mouth with one hand, and she rolled her eyes to and fro and looked at Asha. ¡°Wait a minute, I will step aside¡­¡± ¡°Gladly.¡± Asha grabbed Tamon¡¯s wrist, who was watching the two with so much interest. It wasn¡¯t until the two left that Anna took a deep breath and fanned her face. ¡°Do you know what you said to me now, Duke?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very sane.¡± ¡°Oh, no!¡± As Anna circled the place, she stood tall and said. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve ever had that kind of feeling.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t we just start making that kind of feeling now?¡± This guy must be really crazy! Anna, with her round eyes wide open, hesitated and stepped back. Her throat burned, and she hurriedly drank the glass of water that was on the table. No matter how much water she drank, the intense heat that rose on her face did not go away. No one had ever made a confession like this to Anna Rotrega. Because of that, the situation now shook her head. She married her ex husband under obligation, and Cain went away before her young love was perfected. Her love was all in unfinished form, and she had never won the heart of anyone. ¡°I¡¯m Anna Rotrega. Of course, you are well aware of this, Duke of Gertium?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I am the most ardent supporter and close friend of Her Majesty the former Empress, whom the emperor hated and destroyed. And I was married to Count Puglish. Of course you are aware of that too, right?¡± Perso¡¯s eyes darkened slightly. He nodded his head slowly. ¡°¡­ But are you saying that you want to protect me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but isn¡¯t your heart a fleeting impulse?¡± Perso¡¯s face hardened immediately. But Anna couldn¡¯t back down either. The two were standing on a road that was completely incompatible. That man must have forgotten that. If it was a man who inherited the surname of Gertium, he should never have had these feelings in his heart or spit it out. ¡°My heart is not different from back then. Even if it¡¯s not you, I don¡¯t have the confidence to love or be with anyone yet. What¡¯s more, aren¡¯t you the head of a family that supports the person I hate the most in the world?¡± (Anna) ¡°¡­Is that such a big barrier?¡± ¡°For your sake and my sake, we must not be together. Because the road we want to go is so different.¡± ¡°¡­ But Miss Anna.¡± ¡°Your Excellency said you wanted me to be safe, but I will continue to hate your Emperor, even if I am not.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°To be more honest, I wish Gillotti Tanatos would die in the most brutal and devastating way like he did to my people.¡± ¡°Miss Anna!¡± Perso was startled and took one step closer to her. ¡°Your hatred is yours, but don¡¯t let those words out. You¡¯ll be in danger.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I was so fearlessly uttering treason in front of Gertium. Sir, do you think I can still be with you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why!¡± Perso hurriedly grabbed Anna¡¯s wrist. ¡°¡­¡­ That¡¯s why you need me more.¡± The tough man¡¯s face twisted painfully. He clenched his teeth to persuade her. ¡°You can do whatever you want in front of me. But if you do it anywhere else, you will inevitably die. I will not stop you from hating His Majesty. But if it¡¯s going to happen out of my sight, I¡¯m very, very nervous.¡± Perso was serious. Anna looked at herself reflected in Perso¡¯s dark green eyes. She couldn¡¯t tell if it was his eyes or her real self that was shaking inside. As she looked at the hardened face of the man who couldn¡¯t hide his expression under his disheveled red hair, her palms felt ticklish. Anna clenched her fists as if swallowing the rising tickling. Perso looked straight at her, not hiding himself. What¡¯s really strange was that she didn¡¯t hate Perso¡¯s heart, which came crashing into her like this. Although she was bewildered and confused, she was not strangely repulsive. When did he become so serious? No matter how much she thought about it, they didn¡¯t meet too long ago¡­ It was strange that he could grow his heart this much on his own. But that was all. ¡°Go back, sir.¡± ¡°Miss Anna.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hide behind you. It¡¯s up to me to take risks. I don¡¯t want to sacrifice you for my hatred.¡± ¡°What if I want to?¡± In response to Perso¡¯s urgently added words, Anna laughed sadly and recounted. ¡°Don¡¯t sacrifice yourself for me. I¡¯m tired of things like that¡­¡± She roughly removed Perso¡¯s hand that was holding her wrist. ¡°Please go. This is my answer to your confession.¡± CH 156 At the unexpected confession of Perso, Anna looked very upset. Asha didn¡¯t ask Anna anything. Although she didn¡¯t ask, Anna briefly told her the conversation. Even Asha and Anna, who did not know much about a man¡¯s heart, knew enough that Perso had come because he was genuinely worried about Anna¡¯s well-being. Anna was determined to send Perso out, but she couldn¡¯t throw away the cookie package he had given her. With complex eyes, Anna returned to her room, carrying a package full of sweet treats. ¡°It seemes like he¡¯s (Perso) going straight to the imperial palace.¡± Tamon said to Asha, who entered the room after a short conversation with Anna. ¡°Because he passed through the gate so loudly, it must have entered the emperor¡¯s ears.¡± The news that Gertium had arrived in Bern had already spread widely throughout the capital. Asha and Tamon also heard the news as soon as he passed the outer city walls of the capital. Also, the moment she learned that the place Perso had run to was Anna¡¯s mansion, Asha had a hunch that he would come to this place. Of course, if Betty (the maid) had been warned to be more careful, Perso wouldn¡¯t have followed her. However, Asha thought that it would not be bad to meet Perso in person because of this, so she intentionally brought him in. ¡°He seems to be a little different from the previous Gertium.¡± Asha changed into her comfortable clothes and combed her hair. Gillotti was furious and gave the order to catch the ghost of the former Empress, so for the time being, she was going to be careful. It seemed that the effect of putting pressure on Gillotti was sufficient, so she had no regrets. Tamon took the comb from her and brushed her hair. Her silver hair, flowing smoothly in the dim room, fluttered as gracefully as the Milky Way. ¡°Could that be a variable?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Tamon¡¯s hand was so languid that her eyes closed automatically. Just as she thought it would be good to fall asleep like this, something fell on her lap. Raising her half-closed eyes loosely, she looked down at the small pocket on her knees. Somehow, the pocket shape was not unfamiliar. ¡°¡­¡­ What is this?¡± Despite her question, Tamon continued brushing her hair without answering with a face as if he didn¡¯t know. But Asha could see his mischievous smile. Asha looked suspiciously at him and the pocket he had thrown at her, then gently lifted the pocket The cloth pouch was very light, as if nothing was in it. However, she could see something crunching inside, even though it looked empty. Asha carefully opened the pocket. And as she looked down at what was inside, she burst into laughter. ¡°Why did you pick all the flowers in the lobby like this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you like sweets.¡± ¡°Do you think I like flowers?¡± ¡°Flowers go well with you.¡± Tamon spoke quietly and flipped the pocket over Asha¡¯s head. Tiny flowers the size of her fingernails poured over her head. Violet flowers hung like jewels through her carefully combed hair. ¡°Look at this.¡± Tamon lifted her chin and murmured with a more confident look on his face. ¡°It suits you so well.¡± His head lowered slowly. Red cheeks, thick earlobes, and round forehead, lips poured out seamlessly. He reached out and lifted Asha¡¯s chin. He entered without hesitation through the gap between her lips slightly opened due to the raised chin. His breathing, licking and sucking her up like a thirsty man, got a little rougher. As if he wanted to swallow all of her saliva, he kept pressing her lips. When the momentum was too strong, Asha slipped back, clenching her lips that were about to open wide. Tamon, who was sipping like a baby, finally lifted her up, unable to hold back. Tamon, who lifted her so lightly, laid her down on the bed in a couple of steps. The scent of flowers drifted from her loose hair. He bit Asha¡¯s lower lip slightly, and whispered as if begging. ¡°¡­ Why don¡¯t you open it up a bit?¡± ¡°I was tricked by those words yesterday.¡± ¡°We are supposed to kiss every day.¡± But it never ended with just a kiss¡­. When he asked with squinted eyes, Tamon smiled lewdly and kissed Asha¡¯s chin and neck. ¡°If you tame a lewd beast, you have to take responsibility. In this lonely foreign country, the only one place I can lean on is the arms of my master.¡± Did he put perfume on his tongue? He always spoke really well. Even though she thought she shouldn¡¯t fall for it, when she listened to him, she understood, and on the other hand, she thought that there was no reason not to fall for it¡­ In that way, she secretly fell for Tamon¡¯s temptation to claim to be a beast every time. ¡°Who the hell is lonely?¡± Asha, who was smiling as she frowned, grabbed his cheeks with her hands and muttered as she kissed him. ¡°I have to go to see Hartz tomorrow.¡± ¡°Well, I know.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Before the hunt begins, let¡¯s rescue him.¡± ¡°If you let me, I¡¯ll do my duty.¡± Asha whispered as she received little kisses on her chin and cheeks. ¡°Thank you.¡± Tamon, who smiled together with his nose pressed against her nose, licked her lips once more as if there was no need for such words. Asha opened her lips to greet him. *** ¡°Perso Gertium!¡± Gillotti jumped out of his seat and shouted loudly as soon as he saw Perso, who opened the door of the parlor in the annex. ¡°Are you deceiving the imperial family?¡± Trembling with his whole body, Gillotti began to throw objects around him as if supported by evil. He was furious at the behavior of Gerritium, who suddenly came to the capital after no response. When he arrived in Bern, he should have stopped by the imperial family first and apologized by banging his head on the floor. But this arrogant Gertium made the emperor wait for more than half a day even after arriving in Bern! This was Gertium¡¯s challenge to the imperial family, and it was a dog¡¯s rebellion. Gillotti could not release his anger even after throwing things, so he ran to Gertium, who was a few steps away, and slapped him on the face with all his might. Slap! There was a harsh sound of flesh collided, but in comparison to that, Perso¡¯s head was only slightly shaken. It was as if he was mocking and deceiving Gillotti¡¯s power, so Gillotti was furious again. The dog, which had been well tamed by the imperial family for several generations, listened well when called. If the dog didn¡¯t listen, it had to be punished. Beat to death and to inflict pain to death. ¡°How dare you deceive me? What a dirty and vulgar half blood to pay back the family¡¯s favor in this way!¡± Gillotti clenched his teeth and scolded Perso, raising his hand to slap him (Perso) on the face once more. But there was something Gillotti overlooked. This Gertium was not a dog that was raised and tamed inside the fence, but a wild dog that was born and bred outside the fence. The wild dog had no owner. Therefore, he was free to bite the opponent who attacked him. puck! Gillotti¡¯s hand, which was raised in the air, was blocked by Perso¡¯s hand. Gillotti involuntarily shut his mouth at the action of Perso who dared to snatch the emperor¡¯s wrist. ¡°I think Your Majesty doesn¡¯t need Gertium now.¡± ¡°No, what¡­!¡± ¡°Are you sure you want to throw away the Gertium?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Gillotti was speechless and bit his empty lips. Apparently, the gigantic Gertium looked like a bear, so he was looking down at the emperor calmly. ¡°Just once, I will ask you, Your Majesty.¡± Gillotti seemed to be crushed by Perso¡¯s momentum. ¡°¡­¡­ Are you sure you want to throw away Gertium?¡± The breath and intimidation Perso exuded pressed down on Gillotti¡¯s neck. If Gillotti said he would throw him (Perso) away, it seemed like Perso would bite his (Gillotti¡¯s) neck and run out the fence. Gillotti instinctively knew that this was the last loyalty of Perso Gertium. Dirty wild dog! How dare you try to test me and deceive me! Gillotti couldn¡¯t contain his anger. He even felt a sense of crisis that he would become a foolish owner who was bitten to death by his dog. He didn¡¯t want to accept it. If a dog reveals it, it must be killed. ¡°Shut up, guard! Guard!¡± As soon as Gillotti¡¯s echoing voice ended, the parlor door opened and about a dozen soldiers came in. ¡°Capture Duke of Gertium right now¡­!¡± Gillotti wanted him to be thrown to jail. But when he looked into the eyes of Perso who didn¡¯t move an inch, he had a feeling that wouldn¡¯t be a good way. ¡®With this ability, this person¡¯s life¡­.!¡¯ He wanted to crush Perso with the power of death right away. No matter how much Perso was a guardian¡¯s sword, he was just a human being in the face of God¡¯s power! Gillotti thought he (Gillotti, himself) was a descendant of god who had inherited divine powers. The most powerful ability, a descendant of god who inherited the power of death! (*Gillotti has the power of death) So it was right to kill traitors and establish his authority. That was Gillotti¡¯s way up until now. But¡­. ¡®If I use this power again, I¡¯m sure my body will collapse. Furthermore¡­ ¡­ ¡­ . I still need Gertium.¡¯ The remaining reason stopped him. Perso Gertium was a spear and a shield. He was a shield when placed next to him, and a spear when thrown, a weapon that could pierce the enemy¡¯s heart. Even if he sent Perso to prison, he could not take over Gertium¡¯s forces at once. It would take some time. Gillotti grinded his teeth inwardly, but no longer expressed his anger. ¡°What are you talking about? The imperial family does not recklessly abandon their most cherished loyalist, Gertium.¡± Gillotti grinned and grinned. ¡°The emperor must be cold-hearted and generous. Duke of Gertium, I will forgive you once if you repent and reflect on your wrongdoing.¡± Gillotti whispered in a very gentle voice as he circled around Perso. ¡°As long as you get down on your knees, I¡¯ll make the disloyalty you just had go away.¡± CH 157 Gillotti¡¯s voice crawled into Perso¡¯s eardrum like a snake. Perso had to lower his eyes for a moment. If he looked straight into Gillotti¡¯s eyes like this, he thought he would feel uneasy. ¡°Your Excellency said you wanted me to be safe, but even if I am not, I will continue to hate your emperor.¡± ¡°¡­ To be more honest, I wish Gillotti Tanatos would die in the most brutal and desperate way he did to my people.¡± Anna¡¯s trembling voice came to his mind. His heart grew heavier as her warm but strong brown eyes flashed in front of him. He seemed to know the reason she looked strong. Anna had a ¡®belief¡¯. She had absolute values and goodness to believe in and follow. But what about him? Perso took a breath and looked at the emperor standing in front of him. Maybe he had only seen him four or five times? ¡°You mean you won¡¯t get down on your knees?¡± Gillotti¡¯s impression was grimly wrinkled by Perso¡¯s eyes looking directly at him. ¡°Is it worth trusting and following the emperor?¡± A chill fell coldly in Perso¡¯s eyes. Actually, it wasn¡¯t difficult to get down on one knee, but Perso couldn¡¯t figure out what he was getting from doing such a useless thing. Perso also knew Gillotti¡¯s power. But Death has always been there. If he felt afraid of it, it was no different from living with heavy sandbags on his ankles. It made no difference. ¡°¡­¡­Your eyes are rebellious, Duke of Gertium.¡± Gillotti frowned and stared at Perso. ¡®If I throw it away before I wait for it to be thrown away¡­¡¯ Suddenly, his head became clear. He felt refreshed as id he was covered in cold water. ¡°Perso, ah¡­!¡± It was then. bang! Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!! There was a huge roar and vibration that shook the entire palace. Perso, Gillotti, and the guards present at the same time all looked back to the place where the sound was coming from. ¡°Ha, what was that?¡± Kwaaaaaa! Once again there was a roar. Gillotti¡¯s shoulders shrank at the sound of getting closer than before. Perso jumped out without delay. Screams were heard throughout the palace, and the attendants were running down the stairs at once. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The gap! There is a gap! Monsters appear¡­!¡± As he grabbed a running maid and asked, she gibberished with a terrified face. A gap. Everything was explained in that one word. Perso frowned and drew his sword. ¡°Everyone, follow me.¡± The knights and guards who were waiting followed Perso and went upstairs. A cloud of dust was scattered everywhere, and an unknown cry resounded throughout the floor. Krrrrr! Perso, who was listening, opened his eyes. He knew this sound. ¡®Zagma.¡¯ It was a monster that frequently appeared in Tanatos. But strangely, now was not the season to tear the gap. The reason why Tanatos people liked July the most was because there were almost no cracks in July or August. The gap was usually most active from January to May, then gradually decreased and rarely appeared in July. Then, in September, monsters appear again and disappear in November. For most of hundreds of years, gaps had occurred in this way. Of course, Perso also knew that the size of the gap was getting bigger and bigger and the frequency was getting more frequent. It was also reported through reports that until last month, the number of gaps in various places had reached 30. The emperor rejected the appeals of the local lords who requested troops on the pretext of the July festival. In the capital, monsters appeared more frequently, so it would have been difficult to subtract the troops. Especially since the emperor hated it if it was a monster. ¡°It¡¯s Zagma, sir. There are more than I thought.¡± A senior knight who assisted Perso, Hanant, whispered after hurriedly grasping the surroundings. ¡°Nine.¡± The guards counted the number of zagmas they were desperately blocking. There were more than expected. The gap would have been quite large for such a number to burst out at once, so why wasn¡¯t it discovered early? It was also the main palace with the strictest security¡­ ¡­ Anyway, that wasn¡¯t what was important now. ¡°Hanant, Part, get the battle lines together! You can¡¯t let them leave this floor!¡± At the same time as Perso¡¯s cry, the momentum of the dozens of knights following him changed. The eyes of the veteran knights who came forward gleamed horribly. ¡°Charge.¡± At the same time as the word fell from Perso, twelve knights rushed towards the zagmas. **** That afternoon, Tamon and Asha heard that there had been a gap in the Imperial Palace. ¡°It is said that nine zagmas appeared in the central hallway on the third floor. Fortunately, there were the Duke of Gertium and his knights nearby, so they were able to kill them without difficulty.¡± Anna, who was drinking tea, flinched in surprise at the name Gertium. ¡°They say that most of them quickly annihilated the zagmas without any major injuries, except Gertium. He hurt his leg.¡± Unknowingly, Anna grabbed the teacup tightly and looked towards the Imperial Palace. ¡°How bad is it?¡± Asha, who knew Anna¡¯s mind, first asked about Perso¡¯s condition. The knight of Ronasso answered immediately. ¡°He got a stab wound in his thigh while covering for a knight. It¡¯s not a big wound, but I heard there was a little bit of poison.¡± Asha nodded her head as if that was enough. Anna¡¯s gaze was not falling from the window. ¡°Still, that¡¯s amazing. 12 knights could kill 9 monsters in an instant.¡± As if in admiration, Tamon let out a brief impression. Even if there were nine small ones, it was a number that would be difficult to kill even if a big group of knights attacked them at once. ¡°Well, of course, if it were me, I would have taken care of everything by myself.¡± Tamon spoke arrogantly and appealed to Asha. But Asha didn¡¯t pay attention to him because she was busy checking Anna¡¯s complexion. ¡°Anna.¡± ¡°Uh, huh?¡± Anna looked at Asha in surprise at Asha¡¯s call. ¡°Are you worried?¡± ¡°Worry? Oh no! Why do I care, who am I? There¡¯s no one to worry about. No, absolutely.¡± Anna waved her hands in denial. It seemed that she did not know that the fierce denial was rather suspicious. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s hot. I¡¯ll go out for a walk and come back. Oh, you¡¯re leaving now?¡± (Anna) ¡°Yeah. I think we¡¯d better go when it¡¯s busy there.¡± (Asha) ¡°¡­ be careful, Rosie. Don¡¯t overdo it.¡± Anna anxiously hugged Asha and went outside. ¡°There was a commotion¡­ it¡¯s rather good for us.¡± Tamon, who had changed into comfortable clothes for activities, said lightly. Asha also agreed with Tamon. Since the palace was in turmoil, the security would have been rather lax. Moreover, there was a high possibility that the guards were concentrated in the main palace where the incident took place. If so, the attention paid to the west tower where Hartz was would have been reduced. ¡°But there is a possibility that the security will be tighter from tomorrow because of this. So today is just the right time.¡± After Asha also changed into her comfortable clothes, she neatly tied her hair up. The orange sunlight was turning into a twilight purple. Now it was time to leave. Tamon and Asha looked around and came out. She had already done it once, so the second time was much easier. Asha led Tamon out of the dark and headed towards the West Tower. As expected, the boundaries of the tower were broken to the point of ridiculousness. Even the remaining guards were distracted by talking about what happened today, so it was very easy to break in. The two easily entered the tower, muffled the sound of footsteps, and climbed to the top. There were two guards guarding the tightly closed door. Tamon lit the incense burner he had brought. It took only about 5 minutes for the smoke to climb up the stairs and hit the guards. The two guards fell down with a crashing sound. The tightly closed door opened. ¡°¡­¡­You are here.¡± As soon as the door opened, Hartz smiled at the two as if he had been waiting. ¡°Did you know we would come?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that enough to be called a prophet?¡± Hartz greeted them with a joke and stood face to face in front of them. ¡°Thank you for coming to my rescue. However¡­¡­ you¡¯ve come a long way for nothing.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Hearing Hartz¡¯s words, Asha asked with a firm face. ¡°I¡¯m not going out. Please tell Hana and Mana to wait a little longer.¡± ¡°I think I need a more detailed explanation¡­¡± At Tamon¡¯s urging, Hartz sat down on the chair in front of the window and said, ¡°There is still work to be done. A licorice-like role in this gigantic play. Actually, it¡¯s going to happen even if it¡¯s not me, but¡­¡­ Still, I want to do my best if possible.¡± The west tower was built on the highest point in the imperial palace. It was a place where you could see the capital and the Imperial Palace. He also watched the zagmas appear from here. People poured out to escape the monsters. The image of the future that Hartz saw and the image of those people overlapped. Fortunately, in the future he saw, no one had that kind of face because of the monsters pouring out of the gap. ¡°¡­Now that I¡¯ve come this far, I don¡¯t want to be an audience watching from behind.¡± Hartz smiled and looked at Asha and Tamon. The two main characters of this huge play. Seeing the two of them standing firmly, his heart trembled as if the future he had seen was so near. ¡°I want to be a good supporting actor and join the stage the two of you will show. So I¡¯ll watch Gillotti Tanatos fall from the nearest point.¡± CH 158 Hearing Hartz¡¯s words, Asha asked in a cautious voice. ¡°Are you really going to stay in this tower?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. There¡¯s only a few days left before I leave the tower, so¡­ isn¡¯t the hunting going to start soon?¡± Asha hardened her expression as if surprised at the word hunting. Hartz, who met her face, nodded his head as if he had convinced her thoughts. ¡°On that day, many things will happen. Prepare thoroughly.¡± ¡°¡­that day.¡± ¡°Yes, that day.¡± The three pairs of eyes met resolutely. In the end, Asha and Tamon crossed the boundary and no one was brought out. Asha and Tamon, who were coming out of the secret passage, clasped each other¡¯s hands tightly. No other words were needed. **** ¡°This July festival is ruined.¡± At the gloomy words of the chief courtier, everyone gathered in their seats all sighed in unison. ¡°I¡¯ve spent 10 years as a royal courtier, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen the July festival so messed up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it. It¡¯s even pouring out monsters.¡± ¡°¡­how many delegations packed up and left yesterday?¡± ¡°Well, I think it would be better to count the remaining numbers than the ones that are left. Haha¡­¡± At the words of the deputy chief, the court officials sighed once again. John, who occupied one of the seats, also sighed. ¡°If this happens, we will only get ridicule from the neighboring countries. It¡¯s a big deal. By the time the festival is over, there will be no one left.¡± ¡°It seems that there are no participants in the competition of finding the national flower. Well, it¡¯s better that way since we don¡¯t have any silver horned deer products as a prize.¡± Everyone put their heads on the desks once more at the court official¡¯s words. It did not even cover half of the festival expenses that were taken out of the national treasury. Not to mention the country¡¯s loss, it was like the status had only been lowered. The national flower hunting required a participation fee. In the name of participation fee, it was an attempt to make up for even a little of the amount spent on the festival. In the past, silver deer¡¯s skins and antlers from Tanatos were not difficult to obtain, so there were quite a few things to get. But this year was different. As the silver horned deer had disappeared, supply has become difficult. The skin and antlers became even more precious because monsters appeared more frequently. ¡°¡­that¡¯s what happened, let¡¯s call off the event.¡± John said to the courtiers. ¡°What do you mean? There are no skins or antlers, and now is not the time for the flower to bloom yet¡­.¡± There was still about a week left until the national flower began to bloom. Of course, it could not be said that there were no flowers in bloom right now, but finding flowers that have bloomed ahead of time was like picking stars in the sky. ¡°So, we have more reasons to call off the event.¡± ¡°What the hell is that¡­¡­¡± ¡°If there is no winner, we don¡¯t have to give out the silver deer¡¯s skin and antlers. Well, even if they do find it, it is highly likely that it is not a flower in full bloom, so why don¡¯t we replace the prize with something plausible instead of the skin and antlers?¡± ¡°Are there any plausible things we can give them as a prize right now?¡± John added his opinion in a serious voice to the deputy chief¡¯s words. ¡°Why don¡¯t we give them one thing they want? Perhaps the state guests that have remained so far are those who have something to ask of Tanatos until the end, or countries where Tanatos has a weakness. If you convince His Majesty to give them one thing they want¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a loss either.¡± The faces of the courtiers who were murmuring brightened. John¡¯s words were plausible. But one problem remained. ¡°¡­..But who is going to convince His Majesty?¡± The faces of the court officials, who had brightened, collapsed in an instant. Everyone glanced into each other¡¯s eyes. They were faces that did not want to go to see the emperor even if they died. However, if they pushed John to do it, their conscience took them because they had pushed him to do almost everything up to now. But conscience did not save lives. The court officials, who looked at each other, looked at John all at once as if they had no choice but to do so. John, who wrinkled his brow, clicked his tongue and glared at the court officials. ¡°You people have no conscience.¡± Hmmm! Hmmm! They coughed and pretended not to know each other, but their faces turned red as they knew that they had no shame. bang! John hit the desk. ¡°I have presented the method, so I will not go this time. Come on, let¡¯s be fair today.¡± ¡°¡­¡­How can you be fair?¡± John muttered bitterly as he raised his fist that had hit the desk. ¡°Let¡¯s play rock, paper, scissors.¡± **** ¡°¡­For that reason, there was an opinion that it would be better to pull off the flower hunting.¡± John bowed his head in front of Gillotti and delivered his opinion in a gentle voice that did not offend him as much as possible. (*apparently John lost the rock, paper, scissors game) The meeting¡¯s opinions were conveyed by voice. As always, the person who proposed the match had the greatest chance of losing the match. There was no scientific or mathematical basis, but in any case, strangely, many such situations have occurred. John, who proposed the rock-paper-scissors, also succumbed to his scheme and stood in front of Gillotti. John also wanted to avoid this situation, as he had been through enough of how violent and ignorant Gillotti was recently, but it was already too late. The emperor looked out the window without answering. In fact, the important things to Gillotti now were not the national flower hunting, nor the departing of guests, nor the empty treasury. ¡®The monsters will keep appearing. Local lords also said that the gap is still being torn.¡¯ Gillotti nervously clenched his fists. Weakened by the side effects of using his power at will, his body may collapse at any time. He claimed he could fight monsters with his superpowers, but Gillotti neither wanted to nor had the ability to do so. ¡®I can¡¯t die in vain like this. How did I hold the throne?¡¯ After seeing the battle of Perso, Gillotti no longer rebuked him. He had no choice but to give up his room and imperial coat to Gertium. ¡®..The gaps have become more frequent, and the capital in July is no longer safe.¡¯ In this case, no matter how arrogant Gertium was, Gillotti couldn¡¯t beat him recklessly. Gertium had been swinging his sword every day on the outskirts, and his skills were far more superior than those of the Imperial Knights. Gillotti realized that even with hundreds of imperial troops, it could not be compared to one of the Order of Gertium. He had to hold Gertium by his side until he felt safe. It seemed like it would be best to form a marriage bond with the Gertium family. In order to protect his younger sister, Gertium will pay more attention to the defense of the Imperial Palace. ¡°¡­¡­Your Majesty?¡± Gillotti looked back at John belatedly. He was so lost in thought that he hardly heard what John had to say. Gillotti asked, rubbing his forehead as if tired. ¡°Say it again.¡± In a cold sweat, John rubbed his wet hands against his clothes. Looking at Gillotti¡¯s crumpled expression, he felt that he didn¡¯t like what he said. ¡®¡­ I should have played three rounds.¡¯ John wanted to slap his mouth when he said he would decide the game by one round. ¡°So, why don¡¯t we call off the national flower hunt and make it difficult to determine the winner? If there is a person who brings the flower, he or she will be given what they wish for ¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, do that.¡± ¡°Eh, yes?¡± ¡°Do that.¡± The answer came out more easily than John expected, so John looked at the emperor with a stunned face. Seeing Gillotti frowned as if he had nothing more to say, John came to his senses. ¡°Oh, yes. yes! Come on, let¡¯s proceed quickly, Your Majesty!¡± He hurriedly greeted the emperor and tried to get out of the audience chamber as if he was running away. ¡°Wait.¡± At that moment, Gillotti¡¯s eerie voice grabbed John¡¯s hair by the back of his head. ¡®ah¡­yes, things can¡¯t be this easy.¡¯ John pressed his lips together and turned around slowly. If it was the current emperor, he was a person who could reverse his words, saying, ¡®I don¡¯t think so¡¯ after thinking about it for three seconds. Then he had to think of another way now. ¡°If you have more to say¡­¡­¡­¡± (John) ¡°What is Natasha doing?¡± (Gillotti) Fortunately, the emperor didn¡¯t mention the flower hunting. John was noticeably relieved and answered quickly. ¡°Lady Natasha is still resting well. Still, except for one of her maids, Anne, no one is allowed to visit, but there seems to be no abnormality.¡± ¡°¡­that¡¯s good.¡± ¡°However, she has not yet had a definitive treatment because she is refusing even the royal doctor.¡± ¡°I see. Get out.¡± John quickly greeted him and left the room. It was only then that a sigh of relief escaped his lips. These days, the emperor was like a bomb before it exploded, so it was difficult and scary every time. ¡°This is not the time to be like this, let¡¯s go.¡± He had to tell the news to the court officials who were still in the conference room. There was a lot of work for the court officials to do as the event was moved forward. As John ran, he was content to conjure up how difficult it was for him to obtain this consent. He had to make the most of today¡¯s performance in order to never get caught in something like this next time. ¡®Yeah, it¡¯s a one-shot match!¡¯ As he re-evaluated his mouth, which had wagered a single game, John ran toward the conference room with a light footstep as if flying away. *** *Hi guys, as you know we are a free to read website and we only survive on ads. However, ads are not able to help us much longer and we are on the verge of disbanding. If you like what we do and have any spare, please consider supporting us to keep us alive. Your help is desperately needed. CH 159 Perhaps thanks to the swift administration of the court officials, the national flower event was moved forward with great ease. Although it was pulled, it was only a few days, and those who were anxious about whether or not to leave Tanatos sat down again when they heard the news that the event had been pulled. July flowers were blooming on the street before they knew it. Unaware of the cold and chilling energy inside the imperial palace for a festival, the people on the streets were both sad and happy that the last week of July was approaching. Asha took out the most elaborate dress she had prepared and put it on. It was a high-necked dress that she enjoyed wearing when she was Roselyn V Sunset. ¡°Hey¡­ Am I the only one feeling weird right now?¡± Anna, who was helping her dress up, looked at Asha¡¯s reflection in the mirror, and smiled with a complicated heart. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just like back then¡­¡± Even in the Imperial Palace, the two were always together. Whenever there was a big or small event, it was always Anna who helped with the final dressing. Anna felt strange at this moment, as if it were back then. Seeing Roselyn wearing her favorite outfit, Anna had an illusion that she was in the past. Asha smiled and held Anna¡¯s hand. Then she looked at her and whispered. ¡°Look again, Anna. Am I really the same as when we were in the Imperial Palace?¡± Anna slowly blinked her eyes and looked at Asha. It was true that Roselyn, Asha today, was as beautiful as then and now. White and beautiful skin, bright purple eyes, and red and delicate lips were the same as before. But it was different. The eyes that did not harbor anxiety, the relaxed smile, and the flexibility contained within have changed. In the past, Roselyn looked as soft as if she could break when she fell, but Asha now looked strong and she wouldn¡¯t break no matter what. Anna smiled and shook her head. ¡°No. It¡¯s different from back then.¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s different from back then, Anna.¡± The two kissed each other¡¯s foreheads as they did when they were young. They held hands and prayed to each other. ¡°We will surely be happier than we were then.¡± **** The Tanatos flag flew high in the sky. As if to illuminate its majesty, the brilliant sun was shining over the sky without a single cloud. One by one, among the people gathering in the banquet hall, there were Asha and Tamon, and Theoransha of Amor and Helia of Amos. Hana, Mana, and Arsene were among the people who followed them, but no one stopped them. The imperial family urged their own nobles to fill the vacant positions as many as the number of state guests who had left. Somehow, they tried not to make their festival look shabby, but people were already talking constantly that it was going to be the worst festival in history. ¡°This is the first time the July festival has been so empty.¡± Anna looked around the empty banquet hall to the point that it felt desolated, and muttered in despair. It was hard to tell whether this was a festival on the continent that people had been waiting for a year or a general banquet held in the imperial family from time to time. Asha nodded her head as if in agreement, and looked around the palace with new eyes. Everything went wrong, but only the sky was bright as if blessing them. As a result, both guards and escorts were lax. ¡°That¡¯s why the qualities of a monarch are important. I learned a lot again this time.¡± Theo smirked and looked around the ruined imperial palace. Only the courtiers and servants who moved as if their tails were on fire were pitiful. Asha looked around her for a moment, then secretly dragged Tamon to the patronage. Last night, it was to proceed with what she had previously agreed with Hartz. Theo and Helia, who glanced at them, changed seats as if to hide their empty space. Theo, who had received a cocktail from a passing servant, pumped her glass against Helia¡¯s glass and whispered. ¡°For the end of this festival.¡± **** Gillotti, who suffered from nightmares throughout the July festival, was also not in a bad mood today. It was because the main character in the nightmare that had tormented him the whole time, for some reason, did not appear in his dream today. The dead Empress, who wandered the streets as a ghost, was silenced under strict security every day. ¡®After all, there is no such thing as a ghost.¡¯ Gillotti smirked and looked at his reflection, fully adorned from head to toe. In the meantime, he had lost a lot of weight due to the suffering, but it also made him look sharp, so it wasn¡¯t too bad. It was much better to look scary than to look good. Gillotti glanced at the beautiful garden outside the window and thought of Natasha. For the July festival, Natasha decorated the entire castle with splendor. She liked to decorate it so that the whole country on the continent could celebrate the birth of their child, taking great care so that the portrait of Gillotti could be seen wherever he went. ¡°He (Roxon) was chasing me one-sidedly. How can I deceive Your Majesty? I have nothing but Your Majesty.¡± Natasha sobbed and grabbed Gillotti¡¯s pants. With her trembling hands, she whispered love to him constantly. ¡°Please trust me¡±, she fell to the floor and sobbed. ¡°Please don¡¯t doubt my love.¡± Gillotti¡¯s heart, looking at Natasha like that, was also not comfortable. He actually wanted to trust Natasha. For Gillotti, Natasha was more than just a lover. Natasha, the woman who had both the face of a lover and the arms of a mother. She spread her arms around him and hugged him all the time, and she showed absolute support. Gillotti always missed his mother¡¯s love. He needed the absolute love of someone who would embrace him on behalf of his father, something he had never had before. Natasha gave it all to Gillotti. That¡¯s why Gillotti couldn¡¯t forgive Natasha even more, and that¡¯s why he wanted to forgive her more. Gillotti, who had been frowning in agony, rubbed his throbbing brow. He was also the one who killed his father, the previous Emperor, and the Empress, the Ice Doll. If there was only one kind of warmth in Gillotti¡¯s heart, it was Natasha. That¡¯s why he felt so messed up every time because of her. Gillotti dressed up and headed to Natasha¡¯s room. He imprisoned her and never visited her. For fear that seeing her face would weaken his heart, he deliberately did not go looking for her further. If she truly reflected on herself and repented of her sins, he could forgive her for once. As Natasha said, everything could be the fault of Roxon, who dared her to peek at her. ¡®I plucked out his tongue, so I can¡¯t even listen to excuses.¡¯ He didn¡¯t want to hear the words coming out of that dirty mouth, so he cut off Roxon¡¯s tongue. It might be better not to hear anything¡­ ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Just before he reached Natasha¡¯s locked room, a soldier hurriedly ran to him and knelt down on his knees. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The Prophet in the West Tower has asked to see Your Majesty. He urged me to hurry up, so I have to report this to Your Majesty in such a hurry.¡± Gillotti¡¯s eyebrows twitched uncomfortably. Prophet Hartz¡¯s movements were unusual, so he locked him up, but only heard that he was enjoying himself comfortably in the tower. Gillotti had postponed his treatment until after the festival and had forgotten about him, but Hartz found Gillotti first. Gillotti quietly rubbed his chin and turned away. Come to think of it, if the national flowers had bloomed, the Prophet could have known. He might be able to tell who would bring the flower. ¡°Bring him. I¡¯m busy, so hurry up.¡± Gillotti leaned back on his chair in the audience chamber and waited for Hartz. After waiting for a while, Hartz entered the room. ¡°Long time no see, Your Majesty.¡± Gillotti¡¯s face was wrinkled at Hartz¡¯s calm and relaxed greeting. ¡°¡­ one who sees the future, can you see the outcome of today¡¯s festival, right?¡± Gillotti waved his hand as if he was annoyed by Hartz¡¯s greeting, and immediately brought up the topic. ¡°Tell me where the flowers are blooming. Depending on the answer, the west tower¡¯s imprisonment may be shortened or prolonged.¡± At Gillotti¡¯s words, Hartz suddenly burst into laughter. ¡°Because you are a person who has the power of death, a person who decides the lives of others so easily. But that¡¯s not what¡¯s important now, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°Why do you think I asked to see you? Why don¡¯t you ask me first?¡± Gillotti wrinkled his face at the insidious voice as if 100 snakes were crawling. Come to think of it, this was the first time the Prophet had asked to see him first. It was then that Gillotti wondered about the suspicious man¡¯s call. ¡°The biggest event of the July festival will be held today, right? I know the secret that will make the event more exciting.¡± ¡°Secret¡­¡­?¡± ¡°It is a secret that a person whose tongue is cut off cannot speak, and a person who is bound can¡¯t escape, and is groaning.¡± Hearing Hartz¡¯s words, Gillotti was startled and glared at him. The secret of those whose tongues were cut off and those whose feet were bound¡­ It was because there were characters that immediately came to mind without saying anything. ¡°Are you curious about what the secret is?¡± Unknowingly, Gillotti¡¯s body leaned forward at the secretive voice. Hartz looked at Gillotti¡¯s slowly distorted face, and opened his mouth as if singing. CH 160 slap! ¡°This incompetence! Get out! Get out and die! Get out!¡± Natasha, who slapped Anne¡¯s face, slammed the ground with her screaming sobs. Anne, whose head turned sharply after Natasha¡¯s slap, bit her lips and clenched her fists. Natasha¡¯s baby was gone. (*Tamon took the baby) As soon as the news broke, Natasha made a fuss about finding the child through Anne. But the Marquis (Roxon) to help Anne was taken away by the Emperor, and Anne was just a maid who had neither the strength nor the time to help Natasha. Naturally, Anne did not come with a result Natasha was satisfied with. That made Natasha go crazy. ¡®I can¡¯t do this. I can¡¯t do this!¡¯ All sides were pressing her down. Roxon was taken away by the emperor, and her child disappeared. The emperor imprisoned her and left her stranded. Natasha, who had gone through everything before and after childbirth, was in a situation where she could not help but go crazy. Natasha put her head on her floor and cried, then suddenly raised her head. She then grabbed Anne¡¯s red cheeks and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Anise, I, I¡­ I¡¯ve gone crazy. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± ¡®Is she really crazy?¡¯ Anne looked at Natasha who was saying sorry and sobbing with terrified eyes. ¡°I, I shouldn¡¯t be doing this to you¡­ but I¡¯m out of my mind. Please understand. Youncan understand. Right? A mother who has lost her child can go crazy.¡± Natasha¡¯s gorgeous and innocent face was messed up with tears. For a moment, Anne¡¯s heart sympathized with how pitiful and weak she looked. Natasha sobbed and took off all her jewelry she was wearing, and put it in Anne¡¯s hand. ¡°Isn¡¯t it pretty? Take this. I¡¯ll give you more than this. You can take everything you want. You need money, right?¡± Natasha rummaged through her drawers like a madman, pulled out all her jewels and handed them to Anise. Anne looked at Natasha with a puzzled expression on her face. She faltered, and took a step back, but to no avail. Natasha¡¯s hand wrapped around Anne like a vine. ¡°One more thing, just one more thing. I¡¯ll give you all of this, so can you go and see if Igzen and Hazen escaped the capital safely?¡± As soon as Natasha was locked up in her room she immediately sent her two sons a secret note to get them out of the country. She told them not to ask why, but urged them to get out tonight. Although she had never been a proper mother, they were the two people Natasha cherished more than anyone else. If things went wrong, it was natural that she would not be able to save her two sons. Anne hesitated and nodded her head. Natasha smiled brightly with her tear-soaked face and hugged Anne. ¡°And one more thing, I have a request.¡± Unlike Natasha, who was locked in the room, Anne was able to get out. Of course, Anne was also being watched, but nevertheless, it was much better than a person who was locked up. Dangerous or not, Natasha desperately needed Anne¡¯s help now. ¡°Go and get a newborn baby.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I supposed to give birth soon? Whether you buy it with money or kidnapping, you have to get me a baby. Or buy a baby¡¯s body. That¡¯s how I¡¯m going to tell the emperor I had a stillborn baby.¡± At Natasha¡¯s terrible words, Anne dropped all the jewels she was holding. As Natasha saw Anne¡¯s pale face and trembling hands, Natasha¡¯s pleading face once again turned ghastly. ¡°Calm down! If I die now, do you think you¡¯ll be fine? Keep your head up and listen to me!¡± ¡°Ha, but Lady Natasha.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the only one dying, Anne. You, your brother, your mother and your family will all be annihilated. You really don¡¯t know that?¡± Natusa grabbed Anne¡¯s shoulders, shook it, and urged her. ¡°So, calm down and listen to me. Only when I survive can you survive!¡± Anne, who was staring at Natasha, shook her head. Natasha swallowed a sigh of relief inwardly at Anne¡¯s droopy appearance. Now she needed Anne. If she had escaped like this, she would have been immobilized and her hands and feet would have been cut off. It was fortunate that Roxon had held Anne¡¯s family hostage. ¡°So, move on. Anne. Come on!¡± Natasha pushed Anne away with her red eyes. Anne picked up the jewelry that she had dropped and shoved it into her pocket. Anne, who faltered out of Natasha¡¯s room, sighed trembling as she leaned against the closed door. Anne¡¯s complexion with her head raised up was much better than before. ¡°Do not worry. Your family will be safe.¡± The voice of the woman who had rescued her from Natasha¡¯s terrible grip hummed in her ears. ¡°If we show up, run to this mansion without looking back. Until then, I will rescue your family and bring them back.¡± ¡°When¡­ will you appear?¡± A white, soft hand wrapped around Anne¡¯s desperate grasping hand. ¡°When you feel like you can¡¯t take it anymore.¡± Recalling the voice, Anne let out a deep sigh and muttered. ¡°I think that is now¡­ ¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡®When are you going to show up?¡¯ Anne grabbed the door leading to the hallway and opened it, rubbing her cold hands with tension. And as soon as the door opened, she unknowingly stopped breathing and her eyes opened wide at the unfolding scene. ¡°¡­.!¡± The four knights guarding the hallway were lying on the floor at once. And in the center stood the two people Anne had been waiting for. A woman in a veil and Amor¡¯s foreign minister. Those two people. ¡°You just came out. There¡¯s no one inside, right?¡± ¡°¡­oh, yes!¡± ¡°Leave the rest to us, and go.¡± Asha gently pushed Anne¡¯s back, who had been hesitating because she didn¡¯t know what was going on. ¡°Hurry.¡± ¡®Yes, I know nothing because I didn¡¯t see anything.¡¯ Anne ran down the hallway with her eyes closed, leaving the two of them behind. Anne¡¯s neck was chilled throughout the run. To Tanatos¡¯ imperial family, it was certain that something was going to happen today. **** bang! Gillotti opened his eyes wide and ran out of the audience chamber. ¡°Ha, Your Majesty!¡± When John, who was coming to pick up Gillotti saying that the banquet had to start, saw Gillotti¡¯s face, he began to contemplate. ¡®Oh, something must have happened!¡¯ For some reason, he thought it was smooth these past few days, but it seems like something was about to happen again today. ¡°Where are you going? Your Majesty, it¡¯s time to go to the banquet hall¡­!¡± ¡°Shut up, John! Shut up!¡± John¡¯s face became pale and tired in an instant at Gillotti¡¯s roar and screams. ¡®Oh my god, those eyes are when he is going to get someone¡¯s head¡­.!¡¯ John hurriedly followed Gillotti with a tired expression on his face in an instant. And with his hand gestures, he hurriedly urged the knights to follow him. Gillotti leapt forward to Natasha¡¯s room. And his eyes went wide at the sight unfolding before him. The knights guarding Natasha were lying on the floor, and the tightly closed door was wide open. ¡°Natasha¡­..!¡± Gillotti ran through the open door. Naturally, Natasha, who should have been locked up in the room, was nowhere to be seen. ¡®The b*tch ran away!¡¯ Gillotti got angry and turned everything inside the room upside down. ¡°Find Natasha right now! Right now!¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­.!¡± John also looked at the scene in the room belatedly and understood the situation. John¡¯s face, which seemed like it could no longer turn pale, collapsed in an instant. ¡®Why now, Natasha is running away¡­¡­ !¡¯ The delegation, state guests, and nobles were all gathered in the banquet hall, waiting for the emperor who did not come. John grabbed his stomach with trembling hands. When the stress reached its peak, it felt like his intestines were turning over. ¡°Ahhhh! What a dirty b*tch!!¡± Gillotti, whose eyes were turned over, took a sword from a knight who followed him. And to release the unresolved problem, he roared, tearing Natasha¡¯s room to pieces with the sword. Kwadang! Tang Tang! As the whole room was filled with the torn quilt feathers and dust, Gillotti, who was exhaling a rough breath, turned around. With trembling hands, John, who could not even say that he (Gillotti) should go to the banquet hall, hurriedly followed Gillotti and asked. ¡°Uh, where are you going?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Isn¡¯t it supposed to go hunting?¡± The sound of his voice like scratching metal resounded in the dark, empty hallway. Gillotti strode down the hallway with a terrifying appearance as he held the sword. Clannnnnnnnk! The sound of the sword being dragged on the floor creepily followed Gillotti. John, looking at the emperor¡¯s back with stunned eyes, saw a vision of blood splashing on the emperor¡¯s white robe. He closed his eyes tightly and followed the emperor. No one had seen the blood yet, but somehow the smell of blood seemed to prick John¡¯s nose. *** A gaze was felt from somewhere. Anna raised her head in surprise and looked around, then met the green eyes that were staring at her. For some reason, her heart sank. Anna naturally turned her head, trying not to hide her bewilderment, but her clenched fists were already wet with cold sweat. Perso stood guard near the throne, in armor. He looked so regal and dignified that he didn¡¯t look like someone who had been injured, so Anna sighed in relief without realizing it. ¡®¡­Did he detoxify?¡¯ She tried not to look, but without realizing it, she glanced back at him. She wondered if he was still looking at her, and as expected or unexpected, he didn¡¯t take his eyes off Anna. She could feel her body temperature rising just by him looking at her.. Perso Gertium did nothing, but Anna felt naked on the spot. His gaze seemed to pierce her. Her throat was dry. Anna drank all the cocktails she was holding at once and picked up another glass. ¡°Anna?¡± ¡°Oh, huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you thirsty?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ugh, it¡¯s a little hot.¡± Anna fanned her hands while her face was blushing. Asha, who was watching Anna anxiously, caught the gaze of the giant man watching them from beyond, and she burst into laughter. ¡°You must be hot when he stares at you like that.¡± ¡°¡­is he still looking at me?¡± ¡°Still staring.¡± ¡®A leech.¡¯ Anna mumbled the nickname she had given him with her blushing face. It seemed that everyone in this banquet hall would know that Persona Gertium was staring at a woman very tenaciously at this rate. Anna looked at him after taking a deep breath and pouted her mouth silently. ¡°Look elsewhere.¡± She shook her head and told him not to look, but whether he was ignorant or pretending not to be, he smiled softly as if he was rather pleased. ¡°He¡¯s coming this way.¡± Then, as if unable to bear it, Perso walked towards Anna. ¡°You must be crazy!¡± Anna was startled and she took a step back. Just as Anna turned her head to find a place to hide, the tightly closed door of the banquet hall opened wide. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± The emperor, who did not appear even after a long wait, finally appeared in the banquet hall. CH 161 ¡°Look over there. The Emperor has finally arrived.¡± Ronasso whispered while poking Tamon¡¯s side while he was casually drinking the cocktail. Tamon turned slowly and stared at Gillotti Tanatos as he entered the banquet hall with a terrifying expression on his face. ¡°¡­¡­The emperor who brings a sword to the banquet hall.¡± Theoransha sneered at him in a low voice, clicking her tongue. The appearance of the emperor, praised for being beautiful, no longer shined. The darkly pitted eye shadows and hollow cheeks were like a ghost harboring a bitter resentment. As if reading the unusual momentum, people took a couple of steps back without realizing it as the emperor passed by. The music in the banquet hall, which had been resonating softly, suddenly stopped. Clank. Clank. The only sound in the silent banquet hall was the sword of Gillotti Tanatos scraping the floor. The faces of the nobles filling the banquet hall turned pale. It was a banquet in the middle of the day when the sun had not yet set, but it was filled with uncomfortable silence and chills like a blizzard night. Bewilderment and fear were on the faces of the ladies, who covered their elaborately decorated faces with fans. Murmuring voices gradually inflated. An ominous energy roamed the banquet hall. Some of the people, who were quick to grasp the situation, were already secretly moving toward the doorway. In a corner, Asha was also watching Gillotti walking with a sword in the banquet hall. From Gillotti¡¯s back, Asha recalled her last days here. ¡°Count Cain is in prison¡­¡­ !¡± A few days before the news, Katren died. Before her death, she was the Minister of the palace, and the day before that, Charlotte fell ill. In just one month, Roselyn¡¯s surroundings were filled with the aura of death. Why did it suddenly change like that? The emperor had been able to wield the power of death, and hated her before¡­ Asha has been engrossed in the thought since arriving in the capital. And it wasn¡¯t until she found out about Natasha¡¯s relationship with Roxon that she realized why. That¡¯s because around that time, Natasha Roanti was making preparations to drive out Roselyn. Hans, who had always been on Roselyn¡¯s side, was kicked out by Natasha, who instigated the emperor¡¯s wrath. Natasha took Roxon¡¯s hand and encouraged Gillotti to use his power of death. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting for so long.¡± Gillotti Tanatos leaned his back against the tall throne. Asha lifted her head and looked at him again. Gillotti¡¯s eyes were hollowed out and cast a dark shadow, and the corners of his mouth were twisted upwards. His eyes were full of death as he looked around with a haggard face. Asha smirked under her veil. What a ridiculous situation this is. Anger and hatred that ate away the empire and even killed the empress and vassals blazed in Gillotti¡¯s eyes. Foolish Gillotti. Stupid Gillotti. Her cold voice rang out like a dance from within her. It wasn¡¯t just her revenge. The wrath of this poor thousand-year-old kingdom, which was about to become a defeated soldier, and the tainted power, was to avenge his selfish desires. That was why Asha was able to look at Gillotti in front of the storm with unshaken eyes. Letting Natasha Roanti escape was only a very small device for this play. It was like walking around pretending to be a ghost so that Gillotti¡¯s mind would collapse. Gillotti and Natasha had to be broken down more thoroughly and completely. Asha¡¯s heart froze cold whenever she remembered her mother, whose heart had been pierced, her brother, who had been unjustly beheaded, and the tomb of her grandfather that had been dug up. There was no guilt for this cruel heart. Isn¡¯t revenge like that? Even the person who vowed revenge must become a monster¡­ ¡°Asha.¡± Suddenly, she felt a large hand covering her cold fist. Only then did Asha realize that she was clenching her fists, her nails dug in her skin. ¡°Your hands are cold.¡± Tamon stretched Asha¡¯s hand out gently, stroking the palm of her hand, where her fingernail marks remained. He gently rubbed the palm of her hand with his blunt thumb, and without hesitation he pressed his lips to her palm. All eyes were on Gillotti, so no one saw them, but nonetheless, it was a very bold move. Tamon did not take his eyes off her, kissing her palm over and over again, as if nothing bothered him. He had always had unwavering eyes. Even then, this man was always looking at her with those eyes. Just before Gillotti killed her, it was those eyes of Tamon Krasis who was pursuing her. As if rebuking her for going in to die instead of running away. As if resenting her for not following his warnings. So, the precarious appearance of him seemed to be caught in her heart¡­ He was looking at her intensely. At that time, she could not read at all what those eyes meant. Asha smiled quietly under the veil. Tamon¡¯s red eyes seemed to add heat to her. Her heart, which had been frozen in the cold, was beating hotly. Yeah, what about becoming a monster? After all, everyone lives with a monster in the corner of their mind. How you tame that monster will only change your life. Her monster will probably be fine. Because she has a companion who will always suffer with her. Asha turned her gaze back to Gillotti. Coincidentally, Gillotti was also looking towards Asha. No, on second thought, his gaze was directed over her shoulder. What was he looking at? Just before Asha looked behind her, Gillotti turned his head with a twisted smile. A muffled voice echoed through the banquet hall. ¡°This hunt is not about flowers, it¡¯s about finding someone as beautiful as a flower.¡± ¡°¡­Your Majesty.¡± John, who had followed the emperor late, hesitated and approached him, but he froze in front of his deadly eyes. John quickly lowered his head and closed his mouth. His face was bloodless, as if he had already guessed what was going to happen. ¡°My beautiful mistress is gone. My child in her belly is gone, and I, her husband and emperor, cannot concentrate at all because of her.¡± At the suggestion of replacing the search for the national flower with a long history and tradition with the search for the mistress, there was a lot of confusion in the hall. The same was true of the envoys from other countries who did not leave and attended the banquet hall. How could the emperor, with his private heart, gather the distinguished guests and say to seek out his own mistress! However, none of them had the courage and hindsight to dare to question Gillotti. Rather, Theo and Tamon only watched with interest as this was Tanatos¡¯s last festival. ¡°How¡­ .¡± ¡°So insulting¡­¡± ¡°Really! It does not make sense¡­ !¡± They couldn¡¯t say it out loud, but voices mixed with dissatisfaction erupted from everywhere. Gillotti said with a sly smile, as if he didn¡¯t care about that. ¡°In the name of Tanatos, anyone who can find her, I¡¯ll grant you anything you want.¡± Gillotti¡¯s gaze reached the bald envoy. ¡°I¡¯ll return the last princess of a country that has no royal descendants because of dwarfism¡­¡± Gillotti¡¯s gaze then turned to the other skinny envoy standing next to the other one. ¡°I¡¯ll reduce the offerings of your country by half due to poor harvest.¡± ¡°Ha, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Ah! Or I¡¯ll listen to you who come dozens of times a day and ask for more troops.¡± The faces of the local nobles who had gathered were distorted. Gillotti laughed grimly and jumped up. ¡°I¡¯ll give you anything. Only for those who find Natasha Roanti first.¡± ¡°Um, what do you mean find it first?¡± The envoy, whose country had their princess held hostage in Tanatos, asked impatiently. Gillotti replied with a smile like a ghost. ¡°Exactly. This is a hunting game! You¡¯re competing with me! Everyone, find and bring Natasha Roanti! She¡¯s as beautiful as a flower who will stand out wherever she is!¡± Gillotti, who spoke ferociously, looked at the band that had stopped playing music. The frozen band was startled and hurriedly started playing again. Light music that did not fit the atmosphere forced the air to lift. ¡°The time limit is three hours! If you lose to me, you won¡¯t get anything from this festival!¡± Hahaha! Gillotti ran out barefoot first, laughing like a maniac. Some nobles ran after him as if possessed by the madness. The noisy ladies also pushed the backs of the servants they had brought with them. The hunt for the flower began. *** ¡®I have to run away.¡¯ Natasha was crouching and trembling in the bushes. Although it was July, Natasha, whose body had not yet recovered, felt a harsher cold than in the middle of winter. Nevertheless, she was in a situation where she could not dare to say that she was cold. She had to run away. She had to leave this imperial palace as soon as possible and in a hurry. With her tight eyes closed, she recalled the secret passage ¡®that woman¡¯ had given her a moment ago. (¡®That woman¡¯ = Asha in disguise) ¡°There is a secret passage under the west tower. Find the blind woman among the sculptures on the brick and press it, the wall will open. If you go there, you¡¯ll probably survive.¡± The west tower was the furthest building from the detached palace where Natasha was now imprisoned. But there was no way for her to get out of this palace unless she used the secret passage. So she had to get there somehow. She managed to catch her breath, and Natasha ran through the bushes, covering her head with the head cloth worn by the maids. Earlier. ¡°Why, why are you helping me? What is it?¡± Natasha asked sharply at the man and woman standing with the door wide open. At Natasha¡¯s distrustful voice, the man took the mask off first. ¡°You are¡­¡­!¡± Natasha¡¯s eyes widened at the man¡¯s true identity. It was Tamon Krasis. Amor¡¯s foreign minister. ¡°Why are you¡­..¡± Knowing his identity made Natasha even more confused. But it wasn¡¯t Tamon who answered, but the woman in her black veil. ¡°Do you think we¡¯re helping you now?¡± *** Please support to save ROS. Your help is desperately needed. CH 162 ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Okay. If you leave this door and reach the secret passage safely, your chances of surviving will increase. However¡­¡­ If you stay here, you will most likely die today.¡± At that moment, Natasha felt strangely familiar with the woman¡¯s voice. It was a familiar voice that had been forgotten from her memory, but remained in her subconscious mind. ¡°We don¡¯t care if you stay here. The choice is yours.¡± The woman grabbed the doorknob to get out. Natasha swallowed her dry saliva and slowly got up. At that very moment, the woman said as she stopped Natasha by hiding the doorknob behind her back. ¡°I¡¯ll ask one question.¡± (Asha) ¡°¡­what, what do you mean?¡± (Natasha) ¡°Cainley V Sunset.¡± (Asha) An unexpected name came out of nowhere. Natasha got goosebumps on her back, thinking that she somehow knew who the owner of that voice was. ¡°Hey, why is he¡­?¡± (Natasha) ¡°Why did he come to your mansion?¡± (Asha) (*back then somehow Cain was tricked by Natasha to come to her mansion and got framed for seducing Natasha and was killed.) gulp. Natasha swallowed her dry saliva, trying to look into the veiled woman¡¯s eyes. There was a glimpse of the woman¡¯s eyes under the translucent veil, but the color of her eyes was still unknown. ¡°If you don¡¯t answer, the door won¡¯t open. But if you answer, I¡¯ll open the door.¡± (Asha) Natasha couldn¡¯t open her mouth easily. In fact, even if that door opened and she ran out, she couldn¡¯t tell if it was really a safe path. Nothing was certain, and on the contrary, Natasha went crazy. As if she had read her hesitation, the woman opened her mouth again. ¡°The baby looks just like his mother.¡± (Asha) ¡°¡­..!¡± Natasha looked at the woman with a white startled face. Her hands trembled with wonder. ¡°If you go out into the secret passage, someone will be waiting for you. If you get there safely, I¡¯ll take you to the baby.¡± (Asha) ¡°Who are you?!¡± (Natasha) Natasha was now shaking all over her body. The woman in her veil urged her once more with a calm voice. ¡°We¡¯re running out of time, Natasha Roanti.¡± (Asha) ¡°¡­Ah, ah, no. Ha, there¡¯s no way¡­ It can¡¯t be¡­!¡± (Natasha) ¡°Looks like she doesn¡¯t want to say anything.¡± (Asha said to Tamon) At the woman¡¯s murmur, Tamon nodded his head and opened the door. Without hesitation, the woman followed the man out and closed the door. Then, startled, Natasha ran to the closed door. ¡°Count Puglish has been gossiping about his wife!¡± (Natasha) (*Count Puglish was Anna¡¯s ex-husband) ¡°¡­¡± Natasha exclaimed desperately through the crack in the door. ¡°And then he sold his wife¡¯s things at an underground auction! Well, Roxon found the auction and told me. Because the owner of the auction house was tied to Roxon, and we bought Anna Puglish¡¯s stuff first by beating the bidder!¡± (Natasha) ¡°¡­ What were the items?¡± (Asha) Fortunately, the two hadn¡¯t left yet. Natasha pounded on the closed door and said as if pleading. ¡°Open it. Open the door and I¡¯ll tell you!¡± (Natasha) ¡°Say it. If you tell me, I¡¯ll open the door.¡± (Asha) This was a bad deal for Natasha. Natasha continued, almost crying. ¡°Negligees, handkerchiefs, stockings, etc. she used to wear. It wasn¡¯t a thing or two. But even if there was one thing missing, it would not be known.¡± The items presented by the Count were extremely private. Perverted collectors were particularly obsessed with silk stockings that had been worn by the ladies, and they were even more enthusiastic because those things had Anna¡¯s name embroidered on them. After Natasha bought it all, she told Cain about it. There was no one in society that didn¡¯t know Cain and Anna had a love affair when they were young. However, since there had been no private meeting or correspondence since then, it was buried that way. One day, Natasha knew when she read Cain¡¯s gaze as he was looking at Anna. ¡°Every time I called Cain to my mansion, I gave him one of Anna¡¯s things. Each time I asked him for a gift or something in exchange for it. That would make it easier to spread rumors that he was seducing me¡­¡± (Natasha) It was only Anna who got into trouble when it was said that things like her underwear went through the hands of other men. Before Natasha could use it as an excuse to persuade him to keep a secret, Cain kept his mouth shut. In order not to put Anna to shame, he tried to handle everything on his own. Even when Natasha told him to kneel or get slapped in the face when he was called in, he did not rebel. ¡°You stupid man. A fool! Blinded by love¡­¡­ !¡± (Natasha) Natasha cried involuntarily and muttered nervously. There could be no such love. Such a devoted heart could not exist either. Natasha insulted Cain¡¯s love, because all the love she had been through was foolish. ¡°¡­Why didn¡¯t Cain tell the Empress? They could have consulted.¡± Natasha nervously confessed. ¡°If you tell the Empress this, the stockings with Anna¡¯s name on them contain men¡¯s semen and will be scattered on the street.¡± Rumors were faster than feet. If Anna¡¯s stockings soaked with men¡¯s bodily fluids or more intimate items were placed in a dangerous place, perhaps Anna Puglish, the empress¡¯s maid of honor, would carry a tag as the dirtiest prostitute in the world. (*Empress= Roselyn (back then )) If the Empress¡¯s closest friend and maid of honor had such a nickname, it was only natural that the empress¡¯s honor would be damaged. If the empress was going to investigate the case to help Anna, Natasha intended to frame Cain as the culprit. Therefore, it was not difficult to falsify that Anna was cheating on her husband with Cain. There were already Anna¡¯s things Cain had received from Natasha as evidence. Natasha threatened Cain like that. Blinded by love, Cain eventually had no choice but to listen to Natasha and was framed for seducing her. ¡°¡­that¡¯s all.¡± Cain was innocent until the moment of his death, and pleaded not guilty. He shouted to the torturer and the emperor that the rumors were fabricated by Natasha¡¯s threat, but no one listened to him. It was torture executed under the leadership of the emperor. Who would believe him and reveal his innocence? Cain had to die alone, stigmatized. Nevertheless, he was the one who protected Anna¡¯s honor to the end. ¡°That¡¯s all. Really.¡± Stupid, stupid and stupid. He really was going to take all that? To protect Anna¡¯s honor and endure all the filthy rumors? ¡°So, open the door! hurry!¡± Just before Natasha slammed the door with her fist, the tightly shut door opened. Natasha rushed out the door and ran. ¡°Good bye.¡± (Asha) She heard the veiled woman¡¯s voice whispering in her ear. ¡°¡­to the hell I got out of.¡± (Asha) Startled, Natasha looked back at the woman without realizing it. But the woman was already walking towards her opposite side without any regrets, without looking back at her. (*Poor Cain.) *** ¡°¡­¡­find!¡± Was she only halfway there? Natasha reclined her body in the shadows behind the trees, estimating the distance of the west tower in the distance. ¡®Are these people looking for the national flower?¡¯ She had seen people busily passing by. It was fortunate that she had changed into maid¡¯s clothes. She hid her blonde hair in a hairnet and covered the top of her head with a hood. Natasha looked hesitantly at her belly, which she faked to make it bulge out. Fortunately, she was able to roughly cover her stomach with an apron, but the annoying feeling didn¡¯t go away. However, it was difficult to take it out. Even if it was inconvenient, in case of an unexpected situation, she still couldn¡¯t take out what was attached to her stomach. Natasha bit her lip, noticing the dagger she had carried beside her stomach. It was something she could have done because her room, where she was confined, was not far from the emperor¡¯s bedroom. Perhaps the two people (Asha and Tamon) had knocked out all the emperor¡¯s guards; the palace was empty. Natasha escaped and sneaked into Gillotti¡¯s bedroom. So she took the dagger that Gillotti had secretly hidden. At first she tried to take what she could, but she stopped because it was certain that she would be pursued if she traded the Emperor¡¯s goods in the market. She then found Gillotti¡¯s safe. Of course, she also knew how to open the safe. Ironically, there was only one dagger in the bedroom safe. But she couldn¡¯t just laugh at that. Wasn¡¯t this flimsy looking dagger a holy relic? She hesitated and ran out of the bedroom with the dagger. At that moment she ran into a maid by chance. After slamming her head down, and locking the unconscious maid in the room, Natasha took her clothes. There was a glimpse of blood on the maid¡¯s head, but Natasha couldn¡¯t help it. The maid wouldn¡¯t die, but she (Natasha) would surely die if she hesitated. She hurriedly changed her clothes and escaped the annex. It took a little bit of delay, but she ran and ran only to a place with few people, and finally reached the place where she could see the west tower. ¡°Ha ha, ha. Ugh.¡± Her heart was beating like it was going to explode because she was so nervous. Natasha hid herself in a corner of the bush, avoiding the eyes of people appearing here and there. No matter how disguised she was, there was nothing good about seeing her face. In particular, her bulging tummy must have made it clear who she was at once. ¡®It¡¯s strange.¡¯ It didn¡¯t seem like people were looking for flowers. Moreover, it was different from the usual route when they hunt for the national flower. They used to wander around the gardens of the Imperial Palace, fields in the Bern capital, forests near the gates, or greenhouses, but now people running around were checking the doors as if looking for ¡®people¡¯. Natasha swallowed dry saliva and bit her lip. Every time people¡¯s shadows popped up from here and there, her heart shrank with a sense of crisis. First of all, it seemed like she had to cover her stomach by pretending to be carrying the laundry. She went into any room and tore the curtains down. And pretending to be holding it, she entered the back street where the attendants used. Ws it because she was in a hurry? As soon as she turned a corner, she bumped into someone. ¡°What.¡± Goosebumps rose on Natasha¡¯s arms at the sound of scratching metal over her head. It was the emperor. (*she¡¯s done for.) CH 163 Natasha grabbed the curtain she was holding in her arms even tighter and quickly fell down at his feet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m really sorry.¡± She didn¡¯t expect to bump into him like this! She shook her shoulders and pressed her forehead to the floor. She mumbled sorry over and over again in a very low voice so that Gillotti couldn¡¯t hear her voice. It was seldom that Gillotti gave a lowly maid a glance anyway. Only in his free time, he would punish the maid who bumped into him carelessly, but he was very busy right now, so there was a great chance that he would only spit out cursing and disappear. ¡®So it¡¯s okay. It will be fine. It¡¯s okay.¡¯ Natasha touched the floor with her trembling fingers and did not raise her head. Gillotti looked down at the maid with his squinting eyes, and turned away. Behind him, Perso and John followed him like tails. He was walking away. Hearing the distant footsteps, Natasha barely sighed in relief. If she kept her head down like this until he was completely far away, she would be safe. She thought. ¡°But¡­..¡± That was the moment. Gillotti, who had walked five or six steps past Natasha, suddenly stopped on the spot. He slowly turned around and stared at the woman with her head on the floor. A heavy silence fell in the shadowed corridor. Gillotti licked his lips without taking his eyes off the face-down maid. ¡°John.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t I clearly order the servants to be gathered in one place?¡± Thump. Natasha felt like she heard her heart drop to the floor. Her heart, which was beating like it was about to explode with tension, stopped. After hesitating, John answered heavily. ¡°¡­yes.¡± ¡°Well, what kind of maid can ignore the emperor¡¯s orders and go around collecting torn curtains?¡± The sound of distant footsteps was getting closer again. Natasha¡¯s hands, which were resting on the floor, were white and trembling. A black and cold shadow fell once more in front of her. Natasha clenched her teeth as she felt a stare deep in the back of her head. Suddenly, cold sweat dripped down to the floor. ¡°For a maid, your hands are so white and clean.¡± Gillotti squatted down and held Natasha¡¯s hand up. His two cold hands overlapped like ice cubes. The moment He grabbed her hand, Natasha was convinced that everything had already been discovered. The feeling of wrapping her fingers was too familiar¡­ ¡°Raise your head.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Do you want me to lift it up?¡± Ha. Biting her teeth, Natasha slowly raised her head. In an instant, her pure white face, covered with tears, was placed in front of Gillotti with his eyes glistening like a monster. Gillotti looked at Natasha and smiled like a beast. ¡°My flower Natasha¡­ I didn¡¯t know that hide and seek was this fun.¡± Natasha let out her scream as the cold hand grabbed her hair. **** Back to the banquet hall. ¡°Ha, Your Majesty, please forgive me. Your Majesty, please, please!¡± The people who were dissolving the tension turned around, startled by the sound of a tearing scream. ¡°Ahahaha! Ha ha ha ha ha!¡± The emperor smiled madly and dragged a woman¡¯s hair. The three hours given by the emperor were almost up. As a result, most of the people who were looking for Natasha had returned, and most of them were watching the emperor¡¯s madness. ¡°Look at this! I won this contest! I won!¡± The cruel emperor burst out a maddening grotesque laugh, twisting Natasha¡¯s beautiful golden hair and waving it. Natasha, who became his catch at once, tears down her pale, weary face. ¡°Aaaaaaaaaah! It hurts, it hurts, Your Majesty!¡± It was not a sight to behold as a mature man ruthlessly pulling the hair of a pregnant woman. Some nobles frowned and turned their heads as if they couldn¡¯t bear to watch it. Gillotti burst into maddened laughter as if unable to hear the muffled voices. ¡°¡­¡­Pathetic.¡± Theoransha and Helia, and Tamon and Asha were also frowning. Mana, who was watching the scene from a little further behind, covered her sister¡¯s eyes and stepped back behind her. Hannah held her sister¡¯s hand with both hands and smiled as if it was okay. ¡°Hannah, it¡¯s better not to see this.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll watch it all. Every single one.¡± A golden haze flashed in Mana¡¯s eyes as she murmured with a bright smile. ¡°¡­ yes, how can I stop you.¡± As Mana swallowed her sigh and grabbed her sister¡¯s shoulders and hugged her tightly, someone from behind suddenly spoke to the two of them. ¡°Hannah is still the same.¡± It was a familiar yet nostalgic voice. The sisters, startled, turned to look behind them, and Hartz, who still had a shaggy beard, grinned at the two of them. ¡°Master Hartz!¡± Mana and Hannah screamed his name and hurriedly ran towards him. ¡°Are you okay? How did you get out?¡± ¡°That knight took me out.¡± Hartz smiled and pointed to Ronasso, who had been away for a while. As if conscious of their gaze, Ronasso gave strength to his shoulders and puffed his chest. ¡°Can you get out like this? If the emperor finds out, you¡¯ll be punished.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. From now on, he¡¯ll be busy so he doesn¡¯t have time to care about me.¡± Asha and Tamon, who were standing next to Ronasso, glanced at Hartz. Hartz smiled first. The three of them made eye contact and exchanged glances for a moment, but that was all. Asha nodded her head, and Tamon took her hand. ¡°Now! Since it¡¯s my victory, you will have nothing! But don¡¯t be so disappointed! This generous emperor of Tanatos will show you the ceremony of victory! Hey, get Roxon out of the dungeon now!¡± Gillotti¡¯s voice, as if scratching iron, echoed in the banquet hall. Anxiety crept once again on the faces of the people who were murmuring at the unusual momentum. However, there were hardly any people who left the banquet hall. It was clear what was going to happen. They felt a stinging curiosity, enough to bear the anxiety and fear. Instead of escaping, they lowered their breath a little more and retreated back to gaze at this choking spectacle without fail. Soon after, the soldiers who had run to the dungeon at Gillotti¡¯s command dragged someone up. ¡°I think he¡¯s here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Shh. Now it¡¯s the start. Let¡¯s watch the moment when Tanatos, the thousand-year-old empire, is defeated.¡± Everyone held their breath. A man who was dragged by the soldiers climbed onto the stage. The front of the throne was completely empty by the spectators who took a deep breath and stepped back. ¡°Your Majesty, Your Majesty. Don¡¯t do this, please, please¡­!¡± A woman whose hair was in Gillotti¡¯s hand and a man who could not raise his head despite being dragged by the emperor¡¯s soldiers. And between them, the emperor was smiling while revealing his teeth. ¡°Come on, the funniest show is about to begin! Everyone keep your eyes open!¡± As if showing the climax of a tragic play, everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on it. ¡°This is my distant relative, and this woman I loved the most in the world.¡± Gillotti grinned, pointing at Roxon and Natasha with exaggerated gestures. ¡°It¡¯s not enough that they dared to cheat the emperor! They lied and hid the truth.¡± ¡°Oh, no. No, Your Majesty. It¡¯s true. Please believe me. I am Your Majesty¡¯s Natasha.¡± ¡°No? Then you can kill Roxon with your own hands, right?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, Your Majesty¡­¡­¡± Natasha covered Gillotti¡¯s face as he approached, with tears streaming down her cheeks. Even if it was disturbed, a flower was a flower, and the crying face was just pathetic. Natasha looked up at Gillotti, raising her eyes, desperately sobbing. As if she couldn¡¯t see the bloody Roxon or anything else, her eyes were all on Gillotti. ¡°My love is only Your Majesty.¡± The sound of sobbing and whispering was very sad. She gently kissed Gillotti¡¯s face, holding his cheeks with her trembling fingers as if in pain. Her tear-soaked, wet lips grazed Gillotti, begging. For a moment, Gillotti¡¯s eyes shook. Ironically, Gillotti really loved Natasha. He really loved her sweet arms like his mother¡¯s, and the tender lips that only told him what he wanted to hear. ¡­That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t forgive Natasha even more. Ha! He pushed Natasha on the shoulder violently. ¡°Deceive, deceive, deceive! You are full of deception, Natasha!¡± With a more wretchedly distorted face because he loved her, Gillotti drew his sword. Surprised, Natasha let out a scream and started moving back on her buttocks. ¡°Ha, Your Majesty! Don¡¯t do that. Please¡­!¡± The sharply raised sword came down towards her without hesitation. Startled, Natasha groaned and closed her eyes tightly. She heard screams one after another from those around her who were watching them. Some of the aristocrats were scared and quickly turned their heads as if they couldn¡¯t handle it. But, fortunately or unfortunately, Natasha did not experience any separation of her neck and body. Instead, her bulging, fake belly was exposed to the public eye. (*What a show for the July festival.) CH 164 ¡°Deception!!¡± The cotton that had been hidden under the hard shell spilled to the floor. Her bare skin was exposed through the torn clothes, but Natasha didn¡¯t even think to hide it, and she sat there shivering. ¡°Ahhh.¡± A white hand wrapped around her neck as she swallowed dry saliva. Even though her neck was still attached, her whole body was trembling with fear. ¡°Look at this! Natasha Roanti, this woman dared to deceive the emperor with a fake child! There is no record in any history of keeping such a woman alive, so cut off her limbs and dig out her intestines to feed the pigs!¡± Some of the whispering nobles nodded as if they were reasonable. The Imperial deception was heavy. In particular, no one could say anything if her limbs were cut off and her family would be killed for three generations for deceiving the emperor with a child. ¡°That, no, no, no¡­!¡± Natasha hung on Gillotti¡¯¡¯s pants with a messy appearance, but she kicked it hard. After falling back, she wept again, and crawled back and clung to him. She didn¡¯t look like the woman who was called the spring flower of Tanatos. She was crawling on the floor in front of the nobles, asking for help. It was like a woman who had always put people¡¯s life at her feet for her own desire and comfort, and now she was crawling on the ground to beg for her life. ¡°Natasha! You will have to atone for deceiving me by death, along with the things you treasured! With your children whom you care so much!¡± Natasha, who was crawling on the floor, stopped moving. With wide eyes in disbelief, Natasha looked at Gillotti. ¡°Ha! Looking at those eyes, you must have thought your cubs could escape this country.¡± ¡°No, no¡­ already, those kids already¡­¡­ .¡± ¡°My bodyguards were chasing them. I said if they resist, kill them. Only with a merciful command to bring in their corpses for you to see.¡± ¡°No!!¡± Natasha groaned and struck the ground. The soldiers stopped her from running to Gillotti. ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t matter! I don¡¯t have it!¡± The noisy crowd watched the scene in silence without even opening their mouths. Everyone frowned at the filthy and disgraceful sight, humiliating the Tanatos imperial family. The main characters, however, seemed to have no idea what a funny skit they were showing. ¡°¡­¡­Ha ha ha ha ha!¡± Tamon, who was watching this, suddenly burst into laughter. As if it was really funny, he grabbed his stomach and laughed, and Theoransha, who was standing next to him, did not stop him, but rather drank champagne and joined his laughter. Natasha was clinging to Gillotti, and the noisy crowd all watched them. What a sight. ¡°Ah, sorry, sorry. I can¡¯t help but laugh¡­ Until just last year, Tanatos, whom I thought was great, is this terrible.¡± Tamon sarcastically mocked Gillotti. ¡°What, what? How dare Amor¡¯s foreign minister mock the emperor!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Your Majesty. As the noblest person, you¡¯re doing what the street vagrants wouldn¡¯t do¡­¡­ .¡± Tamon smirked disrespectfully, and clicked his tongue. There was no fear in his face. ¡°Hey, catch that rude man now!¡± Gillotti ran wild and gave orders to the soldiers, but no one dared to move. Tamon¡¯s red eyes without a smile were staring threateningly at the soldiers. It was red in color, but its coldness was like ice on a snowy mountain that had not melted for a thousand years. Obviously, this was Tanatos, and they had to obey the Emperor¡¯s orders, but Tamon¡¯s red eyes bound them and they couldn¡¯t move. ¡°What are you doing right now!¡± ¡°Forgive my servant¡¯s rudeness. Sometimes he¡¯s too frank, so I¡¯m always offended. When it comes to punishment, I¡¯ll do it. Why don¡¯t you continue with the show¡­?¡± Theo took a step in front of Tamon and covered him. However, she also uttered insulting remarks against Gillotti, so Gillotti revealed this and looked at Theoransha. ¡°Does Amor dare to oppose Tanatos now?¡± ¡°Look. Now, do you really have the dignity to be called the master of this great icy land?¡± ¡°How dare you!!!¡± Gillotti¡¯s heart pounded loudly. He took the sword that had torn Natasha¡¯s fake bulging stomach and rushed towards Theoransha. But before he could even stand before her, Ronasso struck his sword. Clank! As the emperor staggered, Perso who had been silent until now moved. As he supported the emperor, he looked at Ronasso and Tamon with savage eyes. ¡°Stop it. Any more will be considered an excessive insult.¡± ¡°Insult? What about the insult that everyone feels because of your emperor? I came here because it was supposed to be a fun festival, and I had to watch the dirty battle of the imperial court!¡± Theoransha spoke to Perso with a terrifying voice. Perso clenched his teeth and rolled his fists. Gillotti, standing behind him, was indignant, but Perso was a man who knew common sense and shame. Now the situation was too messy. For ten and a hundred years, people would still be talking about Tanatos¡¯s disgrace. ¡°When the Empress was alive, I heard that Tanatos was a rare place to see.¡± Theoransha, who was laughing out loud, touched Gillotti¡¯s wrath. Suddenly, Gillotti¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How dare you talk to me like that!¡± Gillotti couldn¡¯t beat his anger and picked up the dropped sword again. Ronasso raised his sword and took a defensive stance, wondering if he was going to attack Theoransha again. But Gillotti¡¯s gleaming eyes were not directed to Theo nor Ronasso. He stared at Anna, who was standing a few steps away from them. ¡°Damn Empress, Empress!!¡± Lost his mind, Gillotti ran like a madman with his sword towards Anna. It was because in his eyes, Anna was overlapping with Roselyn. Startled, Anna tried to step back, but her feet froze as if frozen. Gillotti raised his sword in an instant, and slammed his sword at Anna. Cheng! The sound of swords and swords clashing was heard. Anna, who had her body trembling at the sharp friction, slightly opened her eyes. A huge shadow fell like a mountain in front of her. Anna looked up at the red hair that was blocking her with her startled eyes. Perso¡¯s shadow was large enough to cover her all. ¡°Gertium! You dared to hit the Emperor¡¯s sword!¡± ¡°Innocent sacrifice is not right. You¡¯d better calm your excitement, Your Majesty.¡± The low, deep voice of Perso resounded heavily in the hall. Even if he dared to block the sword of the emperor, there was no shaking in his eyes. In the banquet hall where the red sunset was sinking, a tighter tension than before was felt. In the silence that did not dare to gossip, only Natasha¡¯s breathless cries resounded somberly. ¡°This is treason. Gertium. Treason!¡± Gillotti shouted angrily. At the emperor¡¯s shout, the soldiers hurriedly stretched out their long spears toward Perso, but it was not very threatening. It was because there was no confidence in the faces of the soldiers who were trying to stop Perso. Even the soldiers could read the flow. The air swirling around has already flowed in a direction that was not afraid of Gillotti¡¯s existence. The emperor¡¯s attitude of neglecting the state guests was openly criticized by other countries, and his obsession with the ghost of the dead empress and neglect of state affairs cast doubt on his qualifications as an emperor. In a public meeting where he had to show courtesy and manners, he grabbed the head of the runaway mistress and pointed his sword at his guests. Everyone frowned at him. There were people who remained until the end, but there was no one who was not offended by the emperor¡¯s action. Indeed, the authority of the emperor was cast down to the ground. Voices gossiping and criticizing Gillotti wet the hall like gloomy rainwater. Gillotti, who was trembling, looked around sharply with a shaky gaze. The loud, noisy voices and murmurs scratched Gillotti¡¯s eardrums like ants. The worm of defeat crawled into Gillotti¡¯s still weakened head. ¡°How dare you deceive, against and criticize the emperor¡­¡­¡± It was a moment that he would never have dared to imagine in the days of the previous Emperor. When his father opened his eyes, everyone fell flat on their heads and was afraid. It wasn¡¯t just the nobles of this country. Even in neighboring countries, or even in distant countries, if Tanatos wanted it, they threw away the government and knelt at his feet to please him. That was the authority of Tanatos! He was the emperor Gillotti dreamed of. However¡­ Gillotti looked around with trembling eyes. They cursed at him for being cruel, but he was undoubtedly an emperor. His powers proved it! The previous emperor, who was about to die, was blinded by his greed and underestimated him (Gillotti) and was killed by his own hands. And the arrogant Empress who also ignored him and took over politics, but was destroyed by Gillotti himself. Didn¡¯t God let him do what he did? Even if he betrayed the Heavenly Law and killed his father, even if he drove his companion away, his superpowers were still in him. That was proof that he was the emperor blessed by God! But, it was all the more bizarre that everyone gathered here was looking at him with the eyes of the dead Emperor. It was as if hundreds of dead emperors were shooting at him. Gillotti couldn¡¯t stand it, as if his father had known that this would be the case and frowned at him and criticized him. ¡°I, myself, will cut the buds of this rebellion!!¡± Gillotti opened his eyes wide and raised his power. So, the first one he stared fiercely at was the arrogant Gertium. CH 165 Golden waves, symbolizing supernatural powers, fluttered in Gillotti¡¯s eyes. But just before that golden power reached Perso¡¯s eyes, two small, soft hands hurriedly covered his eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t look at it.¡± A small, anxious, trembling voice embraced him from behind. In an unexpected touch, Perso hardened his shoulders and as if he had turned into a stone. ¡°If you don¡¯t look directly into his eyes, you¡¯re not going to take a direct hit right now.¡± For a short Anna, to cover the eyes of the big tall man, she almost had to cling to him and lift her toes. That funny posture and pitiful effort required a lot of daring courage. Now, this place was the banquet hall of the imperial palace that had become a chaos, and in front of them was the wrathful emperor. ¡°¡­¡­Anna.¡± Complex emotions lingered in Perso¡¯s voice. He grabbed the little hands that were covering his eyes and brought them down. Tens of thousands of emotions flashed in his eyes as he turned slightly to look at Anna. Unknowingly, he was holding Anna¡¯s hands tightly, but he quickly let go of her hands as he saw a painful expression on her face. ¡°Anna Puglish! No, it¡¯s Rotrega now?¡± Gillotti¡¯s angry voice called out Anna¡¯s name like a stab. Perso came to his senses quickly and hid Anna behind his back. ¡°I don¡¯t die so easily.¡± (Perso) ¡°But¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­!¡± (Anna) She had something to say, but Anna bit her lip to hold back. Because Gillotti was yelling at the hesitating soldiers to capture Perso Gertium. She stared with her anxious eyes at Perso¡¯s broad back and the soldiers running from beyond. Perso who glanced back at her, added quickly as if in whisper. ¡°If today ends safely.¡± What the hell is he trying to say in this frenzy? Anna came close to him with restless eyes and looked at the line soldiers. ¡°Would you like to have a formal dinner with me again?¡± (Perso) ¡°¡­.¡± ¡­ Don¡¯t lie to each other this time. ¡°What are you doing? Are the Emperor¡¯s orders a joke? Catch the traitors! Hurry!¡± The angry Gillotti¡¯s voice resounded loudly. The soldiers, who could not easily rush to the Duke of Gertium, the highest power in the military, even though it was the order of the emperor, faltered. Perso looked at Anna as if he needed an answer. ¡°These idiots!¡± (Gillotti) The emperor drew his sword and stabbed one of the soldiers who was hesitating from behind. ¡°Ack, ack!¡± They could hear his blood splatter and the sound of his flesh breaking. At the same time, a scream erupted in the banquet hall, which was suppressed by heavy tension. ¡°From now on, if you disobey orders, you will be executed!¡± Terrified and startled by Gillotti¡¯s shout, the soldiers rushed to Perso. Frightened, Anna quickly answered. ¡°Alright! Okay! Look ahead!¡± (*Perso got a date!) Cheng! As soon as Anna finished speaking, Perso¡¯s sword struck out the long spear of the soldier. As if the sound was a signal, Perso¡¯s knights who were waiting also poured out all at once and covered their master. Suddenly, the sound of the music suddenly stopped, and the vacancy was filled with people¡¯s screams. The nobles who took a deep breath stood close to the wall of the banquet hall. The words treason, betrayal, lies, and madness ran around in the air. The moment Gillotti drew his blood-stained sword and ran through his men and rushed towards Perso. ¡°The traitor is not him!¡± A heavy voice that overwhelmed the crowd resounded. The power of his voice was so strong that he immediately captured the attention of people. Going through the aristocracy who were terrified of anxiety, Hans Helio came to the fore with about 30 nobles. (*If you don¡¯t remember who Hans was, he was the one Asha wanted him to be the new emperor) ¡°Marquis Helio¡­?¡± At the sudden appearance of Hans, Gillotti frowned and looked at him. Hans, dressed in a dignified uniform with his imposing appearance, slowly walked forward. ¡°From now on, I announce that the 28 nobles, including me, Hans Helio, will be at war with the Tanatos imperial family.¡± When he let go, a long piece of paper with the names of the 28 nobles unfolded. A firm will shone on the faces of the nobles who came to the front without hiding. ¡­ Treason, it was true treason! The murmur disappeared, and the voices of the people dwindled. The nobles of Tanatos were busy rolling their eyes quickly to grasp the situation in which the water was rushing, and the envoys from other countries were also busy figuring out how to behave while keeping their breaths low. ¡°haha¡­¡­! Ha ha ha ha ha!¡± Suddenly, Gillotti burst into laughter. He held onto his stomach and laughed for a while longer, then raised his eerie eyes to stare at Hans. ¡°The emperor of Tanatos is the one chosen by God!¡± A darker gold shimmered in his eyes than when he was facing Perso. He intended to show these foolish and lowly ones that this was the power of God. Gillotti clenched his teeth, and he raised the greatest force he could pull. However, Cheng! As soon as a colorless, odorless, and intangible force reached out to Hans, a huge spark erupted. Although it was invisible, an air of gentle power surrounded and protected Hans. Surprised, Gillotti¡¯s eyes widened. Hans lowered his still eyes and pulled out the necklace that was hanging around his neck. ¡°That, that!¡± It was the heirloom of the Sunset family, and the necklace that the deceased Empress hid. (*It was Asha¡¯s protection chain) ¡°How could that be in your hands¡­¡­!¡± The necklace that Gillotti couldn¡¯t find no matter how much he searched. Could it be that the Empress gave it to Hans before she died? At that moment, a small voice whispered like a song was heard from the quietly sunken banquet hall. [Pure white winter, be the blessing of this country. Flesh-slicing cold, be the weapon of this country. We are your eternal followers, your small and fragile bloodline. Cold, protect us. God, take us away.] Goosebumps stood on the nape of Gillotti¡¯s neck at the familiar voice. That voice that he couldn¡¯t forget no matter how much he tried. It was that voice that tormented him so many nights. [The peace of Tanatos is a song of snow and ice and gods. We will rest according to your will. We will be punished according to your will. So when we¡¯re all strong] As if struck by lightning, they cleared the way for one who sang. Those who recognized the voice at first glance looked at the owner of the voice as if possessed. [¡­God, cold. Winter. Bless us so that we may rise in our own strength.] Finally, the road was completely opened, and the one standing at the end was revealed. A figure wearing an opaque veil from head to toe. The very unidentified fortune teller who was holding the hand of Tamon Krasis, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Amor. She slowly pulled her veil down. The veil that slid down from the head fell completely to the ground. Vibrant purple eyes stared directly at Gillotti under her soft silver hair that reflected the light. Some of the people opened their eyes as if fainting at her appearance. ¡°No, that¡¯s absurd.¡± Gillotti Tanatos was also trembling with his hands and feet. He was so startled that he took a step back, dropping the sword he was holding. Gillotti¡¯s distorted face turned white as if he was facing a ghost in front of him. ¡°You¡¯re dead. You¡¯re dead! Obviously I, myself, with my own hands¡­!¡± Guillotti took turns looking at his trembling hands and Asha, who was approaching step by step. ¡°Yeah, you tried to kill me with those dirty hands. But the God you¡¯re talking about didn¡¯t want me to die.¡± Asha muttered coldly in an emotionless voice. Fear and confusion lingered in Gillotti¡¯s wide open eyes. ¡°No, you can¡¯t be alive¡­can it?¡± He personally tortured Roselyn. He pulled out her fingernails and toenails, demanding her to tell him the whereabouts of the Sunset¡¯s heirloom, and even wielded a water-soaked whip on her fragile back. He broke her legs, scratched her cheeks, and even mocked her by holding her brother¡¯s head. He tried to annihilate both her body and mind. He poured out the ugly and dirty destructive instincts that he had hidden inside him to the Empress. The more he poured out the dirt, the more he became cruel, and he threw her into the cold snow of the snowy mountains when the will to live was completely lost in the empress¡¯s bright purple eyes. Not even her corpse was left behind, and he left her pale corpse on the mountain, where many of the snow wolves were said to be. She could not have survived. She was a corpse that shouldn¡¯t have been alive. But, why? How could she be alive? ¡°No, die! Die! Die!¡± The emperor poured out his supernatural power in anger and confusion. If that woman were really the former Empress, Gillotti¡¯s death power would be able to defeat her. ¡°Haaa!¡± Was it because he forcibly raised his power? Veins burst in Gillotti¡¯s eyes and started bleeding. Yet he didn¡¯t stop. Gillotti¡¯s luscious golden hair was drenched in white, and his eyes were half-rounded. Taking advantage of his carelessness, Perso picked up Anna and quickly retreated from Gillotti. To Anna¡¯s surprise, they hid behind the pole farthest from Gillotti. ¡°Ahhhh!!¡± The power of death, which Gillotti poured out relentlessly, erupted throughout the banquet hall. The disturbing force stretched out toward Hannah, Mana, and Hartz. Hartz quickly whispered, hiding the children behind him. ¡°The Emperor has finally gone completely insane. The power of death is running rampant.¡± Mana hugged Hannah tightly from behind Hartz. Hannah also hugged her sister tightly and slowly closed her eyes and opened them. Was it because everyone was distracted? No one noticed the strange power swirling around the little girl. Even Mana, who was holding the child, was distracted to protect her younger sister from the power of death that ran rampant by hiding behind Hartz. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Someone suddenly rolled their eyes and fainted. Someone fell to their knees, bleeding suddenly. There were also people who were lying around clutching their stomachs. It was because the power of death was raging. ¡°Stop the rampage!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, calm down¡­!¡± ¡°Evacuate everyone! Evacuation¡­¡­ !¡± Confusion, chaos engulfed the banquet hall. Some of them, who were still in good condition, raced ahead and tried to run away, but even then, half of them were tripped over by the people in front of them who suddenly collapsed. It was then. ¡°Only life can stop death.¡± (Tamon) Tamon came closer to Asha, took a deep breath and muttered. Asha and Tamon looked into each other¡¯s eyes. The only thing that stood in their eyes as they looked at each other was their kindness and trust. ¡°Can I go?¡± (Tamon) As Asha slowly nodded her head as if asking for a favor, Tamon smiled brightly and walked towards Gillotti. (*Tamon has the power of life.) (*Such a heart pumping chapter! More to come!) CH 166 Asha watched Tamon walk to Gillotti with her eyes wide open. He was approaching Gillotti with a light and graceful gait, like a person going out for a walk. Ah, she¡¯d like to slit Gillotti¡¯s neck with her own hands. But she persevered because she knew it wasn¡¯t the right way to do it. Gillotti¡¯s pride. The facade Gillotti was holding onto. Gillotti¡¯s power had to be destroyed. With the power from God, she had to break down that arrogance that looked down on all humans. She came all the way here for it. With the intention of destroying it so that the force of death, which was against the rules, could no longer grip and shake this country and even this world. Asha felt the vibration of the incense burner in her arms. In addition to this, Theoransha was also carrying a golden cup and flute, which had been retrieved and carried by Mana. Although invisible, Asha could intuitively know that they were also vibrating now. And this vibration started when she entered the banquet hall. There must have been a dagger of detoxification somewhere here. When all of the relics were gathered, a special resonance was created. And the resonance would summon God and make their wishes come true. It was a legend from Yasae, but Asha was sure it wasn¡¯t nonsense. Calling out God in a world dominated by supernatural powers and holy things, rifts and monsters were also not such a nonsensical story. ¡°Gillotti Tanatos.¡± Tamon stood in front of the staggering Gillotti. ¡°Don¡¯t come, don¡¯t come! How dare you!¡± Gillotti¡¯s hair, which had begun to fade from the tip, suddenly lost its color as if it had been completely covered in heavy snow. His bloody eyes, with burst vessels, were as venomous as a demon, and his skin was as pale as a corpse. Death. Yes, Gillotti¡¯s appearance now resembled the death he admired and loved so much. Losing control of the exploding ability, Gillotti trembled and stretched out his hands toward Tamon. He was going to strangle Tamon with his own hands. ¡°¡­stupid Gillotti.¡± However, before his trembling hands could reach Tamon, Tamon grabbed him by the neck first. ¡°¡­..!¡± The moment Tamon¡¯s hand touched him, Gillotti felt something was wrong. He (Gillotti) could feel the heat overwhelming the power of death rushing here and there. ¡°Ack! Ack!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always hated you.¡± (Tamon) ¡°Ack! Ack! Kek!¡± ¡°It¡¯s still the same.¡± (Tamon) Gillotti¡¯s body started to float in the air at Tamon¡¯s hand lifting it lightly as if it was nothing. If Gillotti¡¯s power moved like a dark and eerie shadow, Tamon¡¯s power enveloped him brightly and splendidly like the rising sun. ¡°There¡¯s only one thing I¡¯m thankful for.¡± Tamon squinted his red eyes and smiled. ¡°For abandoning her (Asha) even though it was late.¡± Tamon was able to bring her back to her whole form, albeit in her rags, as she was abandoned with cuts everywhere. Tamon glanced back at Asha and looked at his queen, who was looking at the two men with noble eyes. Although she was wounded and abandoned, she was Roselyn V Sunset. She was the proudest, smartest, most upright woman he¡¯s ever known. A woman who never begged for her life, even if she collapsed in destruction, even if the power of life was within her reach. Rather, she yelled at him (Tamon) for saving her life at will and split her own throat. Tamon longed for Asha. His desire swelled up in her breath, and from one moment on, he just loved her. He fell in love so desperately that he wanted to embrace and monopolize her pitiful, pathetic, and foolish figure. ¡°Thanks to you, I got the chance.¡± (Tamon) ¡°You¡­¡­ !¡± Tamon showed his teeth and gave Gillotti a charming smile. At the same time, the overflowing force that ran through his body crushed Gillotti. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Although he was given the power of life, Gillotti was feeling more suffering than death. He was like a fire on ice that had to be cold. The power of death, which had been united in a solid form, was losing its shape and crumbling. Death melted in the overwhelming power of life. ¡°Oh no¡­! No way!¡± Gillotti grabbed Tamon¡¯s forearm, which had lifted his head, with both hands. He struggled and raised the scattered power against Tamon. Death and life were intertwined and fought. Whooshhhhh! Shhhhhhhhhh! All eyes gathered at the place were focused on the two of them. They stopped running, howling, and screaming in surprise, and stared blankly at the sight of two opposing forces colliding. What surprised in particular was Theoransha, who watched Gillotti crumble with a smirk. ¡°Ha, this ability¡­?¡± Crash! The glass of champagne she was holding trembled with a sense of betrayal. She did not know Tamon had the power of life to face death! ¡°How dare you hide such a secret!¡± Theo¡¯s voice was filled with anger, and Ronasso looked at her in surprise. Theo quickly turned her head, narrowing her eyes and staring at Ronasso. ¡°Did you know, Ronasso Bashel?¡± ¡°This time, I have the right to remain silent¡­¡­ .¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any servants to trust!¡± ¡°He just revealed¡­..¡± ¡°Shut up, I will return to my home country and ask for the sin of deceiving the king.¡± Ronasso, who had become a shrimp caught in the whale fight, lowered his head with a discouraged face. In the meantime, the balance of the two colliding forces was completely disrupted. It was a state in which death was almost consumed by the power of life. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± The power of death bounced back and forth as if it were running away. Gillotti struggled to get out of Tamon¡¯s hand. ¡°Damn it¡­¡­! This, this is wrong! Nothing can beat death, I..¡­ahhhh!¡± After letting him go lightly, Tamon watched him tremble. Was it because of a clash of the two powers? The chandelier in the huge banquet hall shook, and a calm air current blew. Hartz, who was holding Hannah and Mana, suddenly raised his golden eyes and stared into the air. Crackle! Swish! An eerie feeling of alienation gnawed at his ears. It was the sound of the space weakened by the clash of supernatural powers being torn apart. ¡®No.¡¯ Ha hugged Hannah and Mana even tighter and stepped back. But for some reason, Hannah did not move. ¡°Hannah, it¡¯s dangerous now, go back¡­¡­!¡± At that moment, Hartz¡¯s eyes turned white and a foreign image flashed past. It was so fleeting that it could not be said that it was a moment, but it was different from the general image of foreknowledge. A divine power subtly spreading through Hannah¡¯s body¡­ ¡°Hey, this is¡­¡­¡± Before Hartz went crazy and surprised. ¡°Die, Gillotti!¡± A shriek was heard along with a sharp scream. ¡°Uhhhhhhhhhhh! Die! Die! Die!¡± Natasha, who was crouching on the floor, crying, stabbed Gillotti in the back with the dagger she was hiding in her torn belly pocket. ¡°How can you do this to me? What are you doing to me! How can you do that to my children, my babies¡­!¡± Natasha stabbed Gillotti in the back like crazy over and over again. However, since what she was holding was a dagger of detoxification, a holy relic, the torn and pitted wounds were not deeply pierced and were recovering immediately. ¡°Ah, ugh! ugh! ugh!¡± Still, it was not without the stab wounds and pain, so Gillotti stumbled and fell to the floor. Gillotti glared at Natasha with eyes full of betrayal. But there was no room for the two of them to utter any vile and cruel words. Natasha was also staring piercingly at Gillotti with the same eyes. ¡°Ha, it¡¯s a gap!¡± ¡°Ahhh!¡± It was because there was a huge gap in the air that they had never seen before. Asha looked up at the sky in surprise. Meanwhile, Tamon ran to Asha and hugged her. ¡°The gap is torn.¡± ¡°Is it because the two abilities collided?¡± ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s not just about that.¡± Asha hurriedly looked around her. There were as many as four talented people in this banquet hall now. On the land of Tanatos, which was said to be inhabited by divine powers, the four talented people who inherited the supernatural powers and the holy relics remaining in this world were all gathered together. The ¡®power of God¡¯ scattered around the world was concentrated in excess. She wasn¡¯t sure, but it was highly likely that this caused some bizarre phenomenon. Asha felt the incense burner vibrating more and more intensely in her arms. ¡°Hey, run away! Aaaaaah!¡± ¡°The space is torn!¡± Everyone who came to their senses late screamed and ran outside. Except for those who passed out or collapsed, nobility, royalty, servants and maids all ran out. The same was true of the soldiers and knights who were protecting the emperor and the nobles. They were overwhelmed and frightened by the trail of a huge gap they had never seen before. That was a greatness they dared not do anything about. ¡°Damn, what the hell is this!¡± Theoransha, who was watching, moved first. She drew her supernatural power to cover the gap that began to unfold with sharp lightning and wind. Tamon also raised the power of life. An intangible force was cohesive to close the gap. Hartz had the ability, but he had no attack power, so there was nothing he could do other than step back and stare at the gap. Gillotti, who collapsed from exhaustion, was no longer useful as a competent person. Perhaps it was the result of the rampage with his power, Gillotti¡¯s face was hollow as if it had lost both vitality and blood, and blood was pouring out of all the holes. ¡°Sh*t! At times like this!¡± Theo spit out a curse, trying to close the gap. Fortunately, there was only one thing: Tamon, the power of life. Asha stared into the gap with her trembling eyes and ran to Hannah and Mana. ¡°Mana, give me the holy relics!¡± Having received the golden cup and flute, Asha turned her head and looked at Hans, who was watching the situation without running away. As if reading her eyes, Hans did not hesitate to take off the necklace of protection and threw it at her. She had no time to delay. Asha picked up the dagger beside Natasha, who was crying as if she had given up everything. For a brief moment, their eyes met with a passing glance. ¡°¡­¡­hell. This is my hell, right?¡± (Natasha) Well, it wasn¡¯t just her hell but everyone¡¯s. Leaving the voice murmuring with derision, Asha gathered the holy relics on the floor. As if all the holy relics had become one as they gathered together, they vibrated. But that was all. She didn¡¯t know how to summon God with these vibrating relics. But she had to know. It was because the gap that Tamon and Theo had barely blocked was crawling wide open. In anger, Asha clenched her teeth and slammed her fists in front of the resonating relics. ¡°How do you show up? How? How!¡± Boom! At that moment, a flash of light enveloped the banquet hall that had become a mess. *** *More amazing things will happen, you guys. Hold on to your seat! CH 167 *** Sponsored by Bri ?? (4/10) *** It felt like time had stopped. Was this the sight she saw on the threshold of death? Asha slowly closed her eyes and opened them, feeling the white light blocking her eyes. Surprisingly, the gap stopped opening. The monsters that were sticking out their disgusting feet inside also stopped. Asha looked around her, heaving. It wasn¡¯t just her feelings. It was unbelievably, really, the world had stopped. The fleeing nobles were frozen in place like ice sculptures, and the tears of those who cried no longer flowed and stuck to their cheeks. ¡°What is this¡­¡­¡± There were only six people who didn¡¯t stop. Tamon, Theoransha, and Hartz and Gillotti with superpowers lifted their heads and looked around. Asha, who had gathered the holy relics and cried out to God, was still able to move like normal. And the last one. The one person who could be considered completely foreign in a way walked slowly in front of Asha. [What do you want, my child?] It was Hannah surrounded by brilliant light. **** Hannah¡¯s pupils had mysteriously changed to golden. The power that could not be contained in the small body flowed out, and the child¡¯s whole body gleamed with divine light. Hannah walked lightly as if flying and stood in front of Asha. [I knew we would meet again.] A very friendly voice shook Asha. It came out through a single mouth, but it wasn¡¯t a single voice or the language of the ¡®human¡¯ she knew. (*Many voices spoke at once when ¡®Hannah¡¯ spoke.) The strange thing was that the meaning was clearly communicated even though it was not her language. Asha had already heard such a language in her dreams. And even then, she felt this alienation and was in awe. ¡°I¡­ I know you.¡± [Yes, we¡¯ve already met.] Asha was obviously surprised, but she was able to calm her bewilderment quickly, because she had vaguely recognized Hannah¡¯s identity. Tamon, Theo, Hartz, and even Gillotti stared at Asha, holding their breath. They too were feeling the immense power that came from Hannah¡¯s body. And the fact that her power was very similar to their own powers. ¡°¡­¡­Are you God?¡± Asha struggled to open her mouth. ¡®She¡¯ with Hannah¡¯s face smiled at her. [I am the one who came to your dreams. A heterogeneous existence that cannot stay in this world. And I¡¯m one of those who left you that ¡®power¡¯.] Was it God or was it not? It was a very vague word. However, it was clear that it was the very existence Asha had been looking for. [Tell me what you want, child. Who called me through hard work.] Asha hesitated, then looked at the gap that opened and then stopped. It was a gap of a size she had never seen before. If that gap were to be completely torn, it would have been enough to cover the entire banquet hall. How many monsters would come out from that gap? Hundreds? Thousands? No, it would be ten of thousands. Just imagining it gave her goosebumps. No matter how many people with superpowers were gathered in this space right now, it was clear that they would not be able to handle it easily if that many monsters burst out all at once. Asha inhaled her breath slowly. This was not what she originally borrowed through holy relics. ¡®The power of death disappears from this land.¡¯ It was her desire to destroy that power of death, which the Tanatos royal family used privately, forever. However, Asha glanced at the cracked black gap. After hesitation, she gathered her courage and asked ¡®she¡¯ who looked like Hannah. ¡°There is something I want to ask first. Do you grant only one wish?¡± ¡®She¡¯ laughed. [You are a greedy child. Greed is a good thing. But I also have to say that it is not easy to show off your power here.] It seemed like there was only one chance. Asha turned her head and looked at Gillotti, who had changed so much that she could not guess his original face. All sorts of blood and filth poured out of his eyes, ears, mouth and nose, and his face shrunk to nothingness. As if all the moisture in his body had evaporated, the will to life was no longer found in his wrinkled eyes. That was no longer Gillotti Tanatos. Just a living invoice. Even if he dies instantly, it¡¯s just a living corpse. It was more heartbreaking than she thought. All she wished for was the downfall of Gillotti and Natasha. However, if she tried to satisfy her own greed here first, tens of thousands of people would be injured or killed by the monsters poured out from the gap after this moment had passed. And among them, there would be Tamon, whom she loved, and someone¡¯s precious family and lover. ¡°My wish is¡­¡± So, now was the time to let go of her personal greed. Didn¡¯t she also come here with the death of her family and the sacrifice of her friends? She knew better than anyone else the pain of torn flesh and splitting soul. ¡°¡­the strange phenomenon called the gap no longer occurs. Thus, we are no longer victimized by the beasts pouring out from it.¡± At Asha¡¯s words, ¡®she¡¯ smiled quietly. ¡°I hope so.¡± ¡®She¡¯ looked at Asha with tender eyes for a moment, then slowly reached out and stroked her cheek. It was a soft touch that felt warm. [It would not have been.] ¡°¡­¡­.! ¡± Startled, Asha looked at her with swaying eyes. ¡®She¡¯ rubbed Asha¡¯s cheek knowingly and whispered, kissing her on the forehead slowly. [A sweet child. I knew you would make a wise choice. So pitiful, so lovely.] Mumbling, ¡®she¡¯ backed away from Asha. [¡­ Fortunately, my will and your secret desire coincide.] And ¡®she¡¯ looked back at the supernaturals who were looking at her with eyes full of vigilance. [In order to close the gaps and what you call monsters, we have to retrieve the ¡®fragments¡¯ that we left behind.] (*God¡¯s fragments= powers) ¡°What¡­.?¡± [They keep encroaching on your world to eat our fragments.] At that moment, the half-conscious Gillotti raised his head and shouted. ¡°No! This power is mine, it¡¯s mine! I¡¯ll never give it up!¡± Tamon, Theo, and Hartz looked at each other with complicated eyes. Gillotti began to pull back. He fell to the floor several times as he ran away, half crawling with his weak arms, but he crawled without stopping. Hannah walked behind Gillotti, slowly and in no hurry. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t come! Do not come!¡± [Don¡¯t mistake the loan as yours.] ¡®She¡¯ reached out her hand towards Gillotti in a low and friendly voice. Gillotti struggled to avoid her hand, but as Hannah¡¯s hand got closer, Gillotti¡¯s body froze and he could not move. ¡°Oh, no, my, my power. Mine, mine¡­!¡± Gillotti could not let go of his greed. Even though the power of death he admired and revered so much reached the tip of his neck, he struggled not to let go of the power he had borrowed from God for a while. He trembled as he convulsed with his brittle white hair, wrinkled skin covered in blood, and his bare, dry, bony body. Nevertheless, God¡¯s hand rested on his forehead calmly, and in an instant ¡®she¡¯ took away his power. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! After losing his ability, Gillotti could not stand it any longer and collapsed. Gillotti, who fell to the floor with his eyes wide open, was miserable. [Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s not dead yet.] Hannah looked back at Asha and added with a smile. Asha nodded her head, alternately looking at the fallen Gillotti and Hannah¡¯s face with complicated eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you need our consent?¡± Theoransha, who had been silent until now, asked with hesitation. [Consent?] Hannah slowly looked at Theo and Tamon, and then Hartz and the Fifth Might, who was listening to this conversation somewhere beyond the Hartz. [Did you give consent to be born?] ¡°¡­¡± [It¡¯s the same when your life is over. Does death come with your consent?] Theo clenched her fists, unable to answer. [Don¡¯t worry, child. Now the world will bloom more with your ¡®power¡¯ than with our power.] Hannah stretched her hand towards Theo. [So now give it back.] God was truly arbitrary. He gave them power they had never asked for before, and this time he retrieved it at will. But that didn¡¯t mean they could rebel against being taken away. Life was like that. If everything worked out of individual choice and will, everyone alive would have been king. Theo shrugged her shoulders as if resigning. Life after the loss of this ability will probably change a lot. It would change not only her life, but the entire world she lived in. Changing the world was as natural and huge as the changing seasons. A wise person was not one who could not accept the changing world and struggled, but one who read and led the changing world faster than anyone else. ¡®I¡¯ll be busy again when I go back.¡¯ Theo looked at the hand reaching out toward her, and closed her eyes as if in conformity. ¡°Haaaa!¡± She felt a shard of her soul slipping away that had been filling her. She was so taken for granted that she didn¡¯t even know it was there, but she felt empty only after it left. Then Hannah looked at Hartz. Hartz meekly knelt down on his knees and lowered his head to show his obedience. A round light escaped from Hartz¡¯s body and penetrated into Hannah¡¯s hand. Fortunately, no one felt pain as Gillotti did. God borrowed a body reached out to somewhere in the air. Then, surprisingly, a red light was drawn from afar and was sucked into Hannah¡¯s hand in an instant. It was the power of charm that the Princess of Lumosha, who could not come to this place, had. (*The Fifth Might was mentioned earlier was Princess of Lumosha, who was not present. Hannah (God) is taking away all the powers back.) [Okay then, now only the child of life remains.] Tamon nodded his head and took a step towards Hannah. Although his life power was powerful, Tamon has no regrets about this power, unlike Gillotti and Theo. Of course, it was a little disappointing that he would not be able to act like a baby to Asha on the pretext that he was injured in the future. In front of God, Tamon suddenly raised his voice. ¡°Before I let it go, can I ask you one thing?¡± CH 168 **** Sponsored by Bri ?? (5/10) **** ¡®She¡¯ looked at Tamon with eyes shining with interest. [What?] Instead of answering right away, Tamon turned to Asha. His red eyes staring at Asha were savagely curved. Asha knew when he bent his eyes like that. Most of the time he would say something she never imagined. Tamon grabbed Asha¡¯s hand with a slightly tense expression on his face. His hard fingertips brushed the soft flesh inside Asha¡¯s palm. Contrary to his tender and careful touch, his hot body temperature showed an extreme obsession. ¡°My ability is to engrave the name of the engraver on the body. Even if this ability disappears, I hope that its name will not be erased.¡± At Tamon¡¯s words, ¡®she¡¯ let out a light laugh as if it was funny. [If Eros had heard of this, he would have loved it.] ¡­Eros. The name of the god embodied in human language popped out. He was said to be the god of love, desire, and lust. Even in front of the Gods, Asha was amazed at Tamon¡¯s shameless behavior as if he was wearing iron skin, and on the one hand, she was impressed. ¡®She¡¯ looked at the two of them and then looked at Asha as if ¡®She¡¯ agreed with Asha. Asha thought for a moment. Perhaps because of that momentary worry, she could feel the strength in her hand held by Tamon. She has his name engraved on her chest. Her name was also engraved on his chest. Forever. It wasn¡¯t a bad offer. Her stomach felt warm with a strange sense of satisfaction. Asha nodded her head slowly. ¡°Yes, I agree.¡± [Alright. I will accept your quirky and cute request.] God smiled and stretched out her hand towards Tamon. Then, into her hand, the power of life, which beat stronger than any other light, was sucked into her. At last, the five supernatural powers all gathered and spun around as if dancing on a small palm. The light wriggled as if alive. Hannah embraced it slowly, raised her hand, and threw it towards the open black gap. [I¡­ collected all the powers.] Contrary to the words ¡®she¡¯ uttered as if singing a song, the destructive power of the swarm of lights she threw was enormous. Boom! The black gap hit by the light cracked as if ice were breaking. It was like a huge glass lake turned upside down in the sky and shattered. The sky, which began to make a plosive sound, shattered into thousands of pieces, scattered and poured over their heads. ¡°¡­!¡± The sky has fallen. Pieces of black glass fell like snow and rain, then disappeared in a glow before reaching the floor. The black pieces didn¡¯t even touch the ground, but the whole world vibrated and shook. Even so, the people whose time had stopped stood still as if they had become statues. Then, in an instant, the black fragments and vibrations that had been pouring down like rain disappeared completely. When the black fragments pouring over their heads completely disappeared, only the chandelier was shining as if there was something there. As they looked up blankly at the sky, a thin voice that dispersed like mist woke them up. [¡­ Hope and joy, chaos and sorrow, anger and love, all will always be with you.] Surprised, Asha quickly turned around to look at Hannah, whose golden eyes were shining, slowly falling to the floor. ¡°Hannah!¡± The heterogeneous light that surrounded Hannah¡¯s body was also disappearing. Surprised, Hartz quickly ran towards Hannah and hugged her small body tightly. Fortunately, the wheezing breath that broke through the child¡¯s lips was stable. At that moment, the still air flowed. And at the same time¡­ Thud! bang! Kwadang! The people who had stood stiffly lost their minds all at once and fell to the floor. **** ¡°¡­No, but what the hell happened that day?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I can¡¯t remember anything even though I was there, so strange.¡± ¡°I can definitely remember that there was a gap. But after that¡­¡­¡± The four people gathered together and looked into each other¡¯s faces. All of them were the nobles who were present at the scene. The Emperor who was dragging Natasha¡¯s hair, the appearance of the former Empress who was thought to be dead, and Natasha¡¯s betrayal. A banquet hall filled with blood and screams. It was no longer the site of the festival. Tanatos¡¯s July was a brutal and shocking event that disregarded its previous words that it was always a happy festival. About 20 families, led by Hans Helio, started a rebellion, and even Gertium, the dog of the imperial family, turned around. The incompetent emperor went crazy, fell ill as a result of using his power recklessly, and was imprisoned for not taking care of the country properly. Although the emperor was imprisoned, no one protested for him. Even people were reluctant to even talk about things related to the emperor. The last memories of that day were hazy, but the memories that preceded him were all clear. The memory of the mad emperor had become something they didn¡¯t want to recall, even gossiping about it. Even the nobles of Tanatos, as well as the envoys from other countries, tabooed the emperor for committing such disgraceful, cruel and terrible things. It was really funny. Even in a situation in which the Sunset family, which the emperor was trying to get rid of, had completely collapsed and there was no heir left, there were hundreds of people who wanted to honor and remember the family. ¡°By the way, the former Empress was alive. I¡¯m even more surprised by that. Will the Sunset rise again?¡± ¡°But she made it clear that she would not stay in this country?¡± ¡°No, why? I think it would be good if she could be with us because the situation in the country is still in turmoil¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s only from our point of view¡­ But I think I can understand it. If it was me I don¡¯t think I would want to stay in this country any more.¡± ¡°Is that so? After all¡­ she lost everything.¡± ¡°Ha, I think we should just keep quiet and watch the situation. Things are going to change a lot.¡± All the nobles who survived safely shrugged. In any case, it was the Helio family that occupied the imperial family now, and they were handling the aftermath of the hellish banquet very quickly and well. No one could be sure yet what this country would be like, but one thing was certain. The last person in the imperial family was going to die soon. Thus, the Tanatos family that led Tanatos was completely destroyed. *** ¡°¡­¡­ ha.¡± A deep, deep dungeon. It was a very dark and dirty prison where death row inmates who had committed felony crimes were kept. A woman crouched in the corner muttered and groaned. In the meantime, the dress that was supposed to be gorgeous was getting old and dirty and had a terrible smell, and the torn spot was tattered, revealing the flesh, but there was nothing to cover it up. She clasped her knees tightly and whispered again in her venomous voice as she looked at the man lying in the prison cell opposite her. ¡°You look great.¡± The two staring eyes gleamed horribly as much as the voice that was immersed in silence. The man, who had been raged at her ridicule, lifted his sunken eyes and looked at the woman. ¡°¡­Natasha.¡± His voice, as harsh as scratching iron with a skewer, called out to her. Natasha stared at the man, the ragged mate, with her dead eyes. Her eyes, which always glowed warmly, were terribly cold. After losing all her will and hope for life, Natasha had no soul in her eyes. ¡°¡­Die, Gillotti.¡± ¡°Natasha.¡± ¡°¡­you¡¯re the worst man I¡¯ve ever met.¡± The man she had been so afraid of was nothing anymore. His splendid beauty was ugly, with only his dry skin remaining. His eyes, which were shining like jewels, were just as dull as coal in a coal mine covered in gray dust. Tears welled up in Natasha¡¯s dry eyes. Hot tears streamed down her expressionless face. Gillotti, who had been staring at her quietly, parted his painful torn lips. ¡°¡­You said that you loved me, wasn¡¯t it a lie?¡± Natasha¡¯s eyes twitched and gathered together. Hahaha! With her head bowed, she burst into laughter in a hoarse voice. Her laughter echoed eerily through the dark dungeon. ¡°You idiot! How can anyone love you, who doesn¡¯t know how to love? Do you really think you loved me? Is that really love?¡± ¡°What¡­.?¡± ¡°You just need a girl who can be fooled! Young and beautiful, and accept all of your foolish grudges! We didn¡¯t love each other, Gillotti. We just gave each other what we needed!¡± Tears flowed nonstop from Natasha¡¯s eyes. A bitter exhilaration came up as she looked at Gillotti¡¯s face, which had hardened in shock. She laughed and cried out loud as if refreshed. Poor Gillotti. Poor Natasha. We¡¯re done here. To die so wretchedly, not being able to get what you desperately wanted. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhh!¡± Natasha had already accepted her own end. Fortunately, her child was not executed as miserly as she was. What will happen to the child? Embracing the stigma of a criminal and being deported, he would have survived nonetheless. She thought it was lucky. ¡®I¡¯m glad.¡¯ However¡­ In her tightly closed eyes, a lump of blood that had not been able to properly breastfeed once fluttered. ¡®The child¡­.¡¯ It was a sin to be born in her womb. Natasha had no family. She wandered around many relatives¡¯ houses, and suffered a lot of bad things because of her beauty, which was too great for what she had. She rolled here and there and rolled back to a body that no one believed in, yet there was one thing. She loved her children as much as the baby she had created in her womb. Recalling the small mouth and small hands like maple leaves, she struggled to wish the child would not live a life like she did. All she knew was dirty tricks, and this was her end¡­. ¡°¡­God damn it.¡± Natasha bit her lip and looked at Gillotti once more. ¡°I never imagined that the emperor of this country could be worse than me.¡± ¡°¡­Natasha, Natasha.¡± Gillotti wept bitterly, calling her name. Natasha shook her head, covering her ears with her hands at the voice of Gillotti, whom she didn¡¯t want to hear. Then the quiet footsteps of someone pushing through the rusted iron door broke that gloomy and damp moment. CH 169 *** Sponsored by Bri ?? (6/10) *** It was light, unshakable footsteps. It was definitely different from the heavy sounds of prison guards covering their heads with armor. Graceful and never impatient, the squeaking of every step stopped right in front of Natasha and Gillotti¡¯s prison. Natasha opened her eyes, which had been tightly closed, and looked at the shadow cast in front of her. Sunlight coming through a small window enveloped the shadow. Natasha blankly looked at the shadow. Even in this dark and dirty prison, there was light. It was the person who gathered light and illuminated herself even in dark and ugly shades. Natasha was miserable. Why was she different from that person? Even the sunlight coming through the small window in the prison seemed to love this woman. The whole world seemed to be tolerant of this woman alone. Was her (Natasha¡¯s) filthiness, her hell, something the woman could overcome? She didn¡¯t die, she came back alive and crushed her (Natasha). Natasha stared at Asha, who was standing quietly like a stone statue with her reddish eyes. She stared at her as if to kill her, but these were the only words that came out of her open mouth. Natasha sobbed and lifted her head. ¡°¡­¡­help me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Not just a week, not two days, maybe one day.¡± Asha looked at Natasha without a word. ¡°Help me.¡± The calm purple eyes stared at the shabby woman in the prison and did not waver. Natasha crawled on the floor and grabbed the iron bars. She reached out her hand through the small window and tried to grab Asha¡¯s clean robe. ¡°Save me. Save me¡­¡­! Let me see Logan. That¡¯s all I want. Save me just one day. I need to find the child.¡± There was only one thing Natasha had regrets about. Leaving without even holding the bloody body properly. As a mother, she didn¡¯t give her child a tender hug once. For Natasha, it didn¡¯t matter whose child it was, Logan was her child. Whoever the child¡¯s father was, it was the child that came from her belly. Asha looked at Natasha for a long time who was sobbing miserably as she scratched the floor. Even when Asha came down with all her thoughts organized, she couldn¡¯t help but feel strange seeing Natasha like this. All the unfair deaths because of Natasha¡¯s cruel tricks were vividly felt, but Natasha¡¯s cry for her child could not be easily shaken off. ¡°¡­Please do her a favor once.¡± Gillotti, who had been scattered around as if he had no strength to get up, joined in. As if he had not given up the arrogance that he was still the emperor, he, a daring prisoner, urged Asha to show mercy. ¡°Shut up, Gillotti.¡± Asha spoke coldly, scooping up the water she had prepared to wake the prisoners up, and sprinkled it on Gillotti. ¡°¡­¡­Ugh!¡± The stream wet Gillotti like a slap, but Asha didn¡¯t even look at him. Natasha was also screaming please, please, still scratching the floor, not caring about Gillotti. ¡°Tamon.¡± As if he had waited for Asha¡¯s words, the door opened again. Unlike the sound of Asha¡¯s light footsteps, heavier, faster and more powerful footsteps followed. Waaaa! When Natasha¡¯s sobbing stopped, it was the moment when a baby¡¯s cries that she should never have heard in prison erupted. ¡°¡­.!¡± Raising her head brightly, she stared blankly at the small child in the arms of the huge man. Asha hesitated, then she reached out to Tamon. It was almost entirely up to Tamon to hold the baby who would cry every time held in other people¡¯s arms. But for some reason, today, the baby did not cry and gently put his head in Asha¡¯s arms. ¡°Hey, that baby¡­¡­ .¡± Natasha¡¯s pale lips trembled. She hurriedly reached out towards her child, and, startled by her filthy fingers, she rubbed her hand against the hem of her skirt. They were still dirty. Her body was already dirty, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. Natasha sobbed and held her baby outside the cell with her trembling hands. ¡°¡­Oh, so pretty. You¡¯ve gotten prettier in the meantime, my baby, my Logan.¡± The baby looked at her with his eyes open in his mother¡¯s arms, with her gentleness. Natasha gave the child the most beautiful smile possible with wet eyes. She wanted to show the baby her smile even if he wouldn¡¯t remember it, or even if she was a terrible mother. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time.¡± Tamon, who had been watching the two of them for a while, muttered softly. Natasha gave the baby back to Asha without hesitation. Asha gave the baby to Tamon and it fell asleep in Tamon¡¯s arms. It was time to go, but Asha was still standing there. Tamon hesitated for a moment, and then he told Asha that he would be out first. ¡°Can I see the baby¡¯s face once¡­?¡± Tamon frowned as if displeased with Gillotti¡¯s blatant request, he picked up a nearby water bucket and poured it over him. ¡°Ugh! F*CK!¡± The quivering Gillotti was hit by the water. He was so weak that he couldn¡¯t even stand this level of attack. ¡°I know it¡¯s blatant, but please grant me a request.¡± ¡°Request?¡± ¡°Can you send this child to a country other than this one? To such a distant place that has nothing to do with Tanatos, and where neither the emperor nor the mother can be found.¡± Natasha raised her shaky body and knelt down on her knees in front of Asha. ¡°Please.¡± Banging her forehead on the floor, she cried no more. She just looked desperate. ¡°Please, please¡­¡­.¡± Asha looked back at Natasha. ¡°Please!¡± There was no reason to listen to her. Today, she just came to see the miserable misery of those two with her own eyes. Weren¡¯t these two people who pushed her into hell? Her brother died with disgrace for that woman¡¯s cunning tongue and tactics. Her family was also destroyed. Even so, a small corner of her weak heart urged her if she could grant that last request. Bang Bang, Natasha¡¯s forehead was hitting the floor. Asha stopped and grabbed the doorknob for a moment, but eventually moved forward. The cold iron gate that locked the two criminals was completely shut. *** That night, two bodies were found in the imperial dungeon. One was a corpse with his tongue cut off, and the other was a corpse that died without finding life while shedding filth from the holes in her body. They were so miserable that no one could think that these two bodies were those who were at the top of the imperial family. Hans Helios looked at the two corpses without a single frown and ordered them to be burned so that no bones were left. In that way, the existence of the two wicked people who led Tanatos to destruction completely disappeared from this world. *** ¡°¡­Are you talking about the day after tomorrow?¡± Ten days passed as they set up a new political system, gathered opinions from the nobles, and appeased the neighboring countries who ran into the complicated situation of Tanatos. As the leader of the rebel army and the head of the new regime, Hans Helio was having a hectic day when he heard from Perso Gertium that Asha and Tamon were leaving. ¡°I also heard about it on the way here.¡± ¡°Huh! Then you shouldn¡¯t be like this. Uh, let¡¯s go find them.¡± Hans, who had lost weight in ten days because he could not even have time to eat, got up from his seat and hurriedly put on his outer clothes. Perso, who was watching Hans putting on layers of clothes, glanced outside and stopped him. ¡°The weather is not as cold as you think. I think it would be better not to wear it.¡± At Perso¡¯s words, Hans looked out the open window. Come to think of it, he hardly felt the cold these days. Perhaps because he had a lot of work to do, he would sometimes even feel that it was hot. That¡¯s why he often left the windows open when he was working during the day. ¡°I see. Maybe it¡¯s just me, but I feel like it¡¯s getting warmer.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just you. A lot of people take their coats off even outside.¡± Hans and Perso heard a glimpse of that day through Asha. It¡¯s a world where the power of God has disappeared. They were wondering if that was really the case, but they vaguely felt that the atmosphere of the world had changed subtly. Tanatos was also a place where the land that absorbed the fragments of the gods was blessed with winter. If the piece that had nestled in the ground disappeared, it was highly likely that the bitter winter cold that symbolized Tanatos would also have disappeared. ¡°Ha, it seems like it will take a really long time to adjust to such a rapidly changing world. I¡¯m really relieved that the Gertium is still here to give me strength.¡± Hans smiled warmly and looked at Perso. Gertium supported Hans¡¯s will to lead change, so he decided to stay in the capital and help him. As Hans, who had to change the overall structure of the aristocracy and undergo political reform, Perso¡¯s support was strong. ¡°If she stays, I won¡¯t ask for anything more¡­ but no. Again, I was getting greedy again. Anyway, I have to hurry.¡± Hans squeezed his tired eyes and with Perso, they headed to the mansion where Asha was staying. The carriage stopped in front of the mansion, and Perso, who got off first, turned his head and suddenly stopped. Hans, who was following him, smashed his nose on Perso¡¯s shoulder. His shoulders were so strong that the tip of his nose wrinkled. ¡°Duke of Gertium?¡± Perso was staring intently into the distance with deep eyes as if he had discovered something important. Soon, Perso turned around without taking his eyes off something he saw in the distance. ¡°Go in first. I¡¯ll look for you later.¡± ¡°Ha, Duke of Gertium!¡± Hans was startled and called him, but Perso had already been given the reins by the horseman and got on it in an instant. ¡°¡­¡­No, what the hell are you doing this because of what you found?¡± Hans looked intently in the direction where Perso had disappeared, but he could not find anything. As usual, there were only a few wagons passing through the city. CH 170 When Rosie said that she was leaving Tanatos two days later, Anna made up her mind. ¡°Are you really going with me, Anna?¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t think I can go unless it¡¯s now. And I want to spend more time with you.¡± Anna also spent her whole life with the cold, so she wanted to visit a warm country at least once. She was desperate for a break because she had gone through so much in a year. There, she also wanted to catch up with Rosie, whom she just met again after a long time. Just like when they were children, she thought that after spending a relaxing time smiling and having no worries, she would feel more relaxed even in her wretched heart. But before that, there was work to be done. Anna paid more attention to her attire than usual and went outside. She also came out with a bouquet of flowers and apple wine that she specifically asked for from the maid. Whether or not the imperial blood and wind blew, the city was the same as any other. Rather, more and more people came out because the weather was getting warmer. People were constantly laughing and chatting about whether the warm sunlight was good or that the downfall of the cruel and incompetent imperial family was good. Anna got on the approaching carriage and looked up at the sky through the carriage window. Between the blue sky and the pure white clouds, it was clear and clean. It was a dazzlingly beautiful sky that made her eyes shiver. *** With a small bouquet of perennials in full bloom and sweet apple wine, Anna headed for an unnamed cemetery. Originally, the corpses of the imperial prisoners were not buried separately. In particular, the bodies from the Sunset family were thoroughly ravaged. Anna used quite a bit of fortune and bribed the body-disposal man. At that time, dozens of corpses were found every day, in which she barely found the bodies of Cain and the Duchess and buried them. [Master of the thorny hedge] She couldn¡¯t write his name, but it was fine. (*The time when Gillotti was the emperor, he killed everyone in the Sunset family and their bodies were destroyed. So Anna found Cain¡¯s remains and buried him, but there was no way she could write his real name on the tombstone, because if it was found Anna might be killed too.) Anna and Roselyn knew Cain¡¯s nickname. ¡°If I had known that this nickname would stick with me until the day I die, I would have made it more nicely¡­ Right, Cain?¡± Anna placed the apple wine on Cain¡¯s tombstone. The fragrant scent pierced her nose. ¡°Why is it a thorny hedge?¡± (Anna) One day, on a bad day, they stole apple wine and drank it. Anna, who was eating her favorite fruit cheese with jam and cookies, asked Cain, who had been silent for a while. Cain looked at Anna quietly and slowly approached her. Her first kiss was filled with the scent of apples. Was it because she was drunk with sweet alcohol or was she drunk on moist lips? At that moment when their lips touched, a brief regret passed by, ¡®Oh, I shouldn¡¯t eat cheese.¡¯ ¡°Rosie puts up her thorns to protect herself. I also wanted to protect the rose.¡± (Cain) Whenever she closed her eyes, the touch of those lips that were full of the scent of apples and the sweet voice came to her mind vividly. Anna looked at her first love for a long time, buried in the cold ground. ¡°Who asked you to protect me?¡± A few days ago, her ex-husband came to see her, and returned all of Anna¡¯s property that he had stolen, revealing his unasked crime. ¡°My, I¡¯ve been gossiping about you. I¡¯m sorry. I was stupid¡± Despite hearing her ex-husband¡¯s grotesque confession, she did not question him. Even without interrogating him, he told the truth she didn¡¯t want to know. ¡°¡­ I made some money by selling your things. I understand that Count Cainley found out and was caught in Natasha Roanti¡¯s trap.¡± He didn¡¯t even dare to look at Anna¡¯s face properly, and only apologized, which Anna couldn¡¯t understand. The ex-husband bowed his head several times, saying he was sorry with a scared face that Anna had never seen before. Not wanting to see him look like that, Anna rushed him out. On the way back, he happened to have a carriage accident. His two legs were broken but he didn¡¯t die. Anna heard the news without emotion. She wished she didn¡¯t know. ¡°No, no.¡± She actually knew something about Cain that she didn¡¯t know before. Cain fell into Natasha¡¯s trap. And that she was the delicious bait set in the trap. Cain¡¯s firm gaze, which had been looking at her from a certain moment flashed before her eyes. She looked at her ex-husband and clenched her fists. Even Natasha¡¯s vulgar jokes that put Cain and her together under the guise of chance and inevitability. She knew but didn¡¯t know. Things exploded before she even dispelled her doubts, a shudder of uncertainty. Cain was captured. ¡°I¡¯m not going to say thank you¡­.¡± She covered her reddened eyes with her hands. ¡°I will live happily ever after. Until I become a crumpled old lady¡­. I¡¯m going to live very, very happily.¡± A few words of resentment came out, but none of them were sharp. Anna picked up the bottle and poured apple wine around Cain¡¯s grave. She was hoping that this fragrant wine would seep through and that his death would no longer be bitter. Ha. Anna took a deep breath in and exhaled, brushing away her heavy emotions. ¡°¡­¡­I will come again.¡± ¡®I¡¯ll be happier and I¡¯ll come back.¡¯ With a smile on her face, Anna turned around. She trudged through the numerous graves that had not been named. It was at the entrance of the unknown cemetery that she met an unexpected person. ¡°Huh?¡± A man as big as a mountain spaced around the entrance. The startled Anna pretended to know him first, and then he approached as if he had been waiting. ¡°Hello, Miss Anna. How are you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ah yes. But what are you doing here?¡± She never thought that the Duke would have anything to do with the national cemetery. Most of the high-ranking nobles¡¯ graves were in a place that was incomparable to this place. ¡°I happened to see you while passing by.¡± ¡°What?¡± Perso¡¯s dark green eyes stared intently at Anna. It was only then that Anna realized that this man had demonstrated another skill. ¡°¡­you saw me.¡± Anna scratched her cheek involuntarily with a red face. The two faced each other awkwardly. It was the first time the two of them had seen each other since that day. Perso had a lot of work to sort out, and Anna was also very busy helping Rosie with the work of the Sunset House. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re going to Amor with her (Asha).¡± Anna opened her eyes wide. It¡¯s only been a day since she made that decision, and it¡¯s amazing that this man knew it. ¡°I found out by chance this morning while we were talking to Tamon Krasis.¡± ¡°¡­ah! That¡¯s right. Ah, yes. I decided to go with Rosie.¡± ¡°How long do you plan to stay there?¡± ¡°Well. I haven¡¯t decided on that yet.¡± ¡°I see¡­.¡± So the silence fell again. Anna couldn¡¯t contain her strangely tense and uncomfortable feelings. No, to be precise, she was choking awkward rather than uncomfortable. She didn¡¯t know how to look at him or how to treat him. ¡°Do you remember what you said back then?¡± Perso spoke first. Anna, wanting to know what to do, raised her head. ¡°Ah! The meal? That¡¯s right. I forgot that. I¡¯m leaving the day after tomorrow¡­¡± Seeing Anna in panic and bewilderment, Perso smiled softly. ¡°No. Not that.¡± ¡°Then, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°You said that we can¡¯t be together because you¡¯re Rotrega and I¡¯m Gertium.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t help but remember. Anna nodded her head in embarrassment. ¡°Yes, I remember.¡± ¡°The Emperor is now dead.¡± Perso came one step closer. There was something unusual about his momentum. Anna slowly took a step back with bewildered eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think there will be any more treason or family ideology¡­¡± His direct gaze caught her breath. Anna took a step back without realizing it. Her heart was beating wildly. She was so embarrassed and out of breath, she felt like she wanted to run away. Perso¡¯s deep green eyes wrapped around her like a swamp. Her hair stood up as she felt like he was eating her from head to toes. As if noticing her mind, Perso reached out his hand toward Anna. Astonished, Anna stared at his large hand approaching. Then Perso stopped his hand mid air, without grabbing Anna¡¯s hand. As if he was biting his teeth, Anna could see the force entering his firm jaw. With a brief sigh, he lowered his hand, which was still in the air, and asked again in a calm voice. ¡°But is it still not working between us?¡± His droopy appearance was very strange. It felt scary and pitiful, but at the same time it felt a little strange and cute. ¡®This guy is cute? Did dirt get in my eyes?¡¯ Anna shook her head briefly to bring her to light. ¡°Before that, can I ask you one thing?¡± As if to ask him anything, Perso nodded his head as he looked straight at Anna. ¡°¡­ Why do you like me?¡± CH 171 It was something Anna always wondered about. She wasn¡¯t as beautiful or attractive as Rosie, and she had no sensuality that captivated the hearts of men. So she couldn¡¯t help but wonder how this man came to like her so much. ¡°You¡¯re lovely.¡± ¡°¡­¡­what?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just cute when I look at it. You¡¯re lovely¡­ I want to touch it, I want to stroke it.¡± Without any sign of hesitation, Perso spoke his mind calmly. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Anna quickly raised her hands and covered her cheeks. Although she was dressed lightly, she was strangely hot. ¡°Well, this is the first time I¡¯ve heard of such a thing.¡± ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s weird. Everyone would feel that way¡­¡­ .¡± ¡®¡­.I don¡¯t think so.¡¯ ¡°If you¡¯ve gotten some answers, this time I¡¯d like to hear them.¡± Talking like this in front of the cemetery where Cain¡¯s tomb was located was a strange feeling. Perso Gertium. This man never seemed to hesitate or back down. Even when the emperor tried to kill her, he dared to raise his sword and stop him. The back of Perso that she had seen at that time stood out. The huge, impregnable back that stood in front of her like a solid wall. ¡°I don¡¯t die so easily.¡± As he said, the two met again today safely. She didn¡¯t know why she was so comfortable with that fact. ¡°I heard that the Duke will also stay in the capital for a while.¡± Anna said, blushing. ¡°How long are you going to stay?¡± ¡°¡­I think I will stay at least until December.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fortunate. I¡¯ll probably be back in October.¡± Perso looked at Anna as if to say something. The wind blew gently. The wind tickled the tip of his nose, giving the illusion of a sweet apple blossom scent. Anna smiled as she put the tickling hair behind her ear. ¡°When I come back, we will have dinner together as promised.¡± (Anna) ¡°That means¡­¡± (Perso) ¡°I will bring you a present. Can you wait?¡± (Anna) The paused Perso then nodded vigorously. Ah, it seemed that something was really in her eyes. He still looked cute. **** It was full of misty water vapor. Asha moaned as she soaked her body in the warm bath. Before leaving Tanatos, she had a lot of work to do, so she overworked, and overstayed. Why was she so sleepy? She couldn¡¯t come to her senses. She remembered her bath she enjoyed when she was in Amor, and she poured hot water and relaxed her weary body. As soon as she leaned on her back, she began to fall asleep without realizing it. A gentle hand came up behind her back and washed her hair. ¡°Hmm.¡± Asha, who had been feeling the warm water and fragrant foam alternately, at some point realized the identity of the crude touch. ¡°¡­Tamon, is it you?¡± A heavy laugh erupted from behind. ¡°I thought I did pretty well, but I found out.¡± After rinsing her hair, Tamon entered the bathtub. ¡°You look tired, why don¡¯t you stay a few more days? ¡°Um, no. I¡¯ve seen all the blueprints, and the butler will take care of the rest.¡± Asha called back the employees who had been working for the Sunset family. She was no longer a citizen of this country, but she did not want her family to disappear into history. She thus regrouped the old servants who had been with the family and asked for a special favor. Since the mansion was burned down, she decided to reclaim the Sunset mansion to build a library. It was named Sunset Library so that the name Sunset would not disappear. So that anyone can use it, and anyone can read the book. The illiteracy rate in this country should also improve a little. She wanted many people to come there. So she hoped that the soul of her grandfather who was buried there would not be lonely. Only the initial frame was taken care of by her, and the rest of the administration was now left to the butler, so there was nothing more to worry about. ¡°Won¡¯t there be any regrets?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Asha rested her cheek against Tamon¡¯s firm chest and shook her head. The word ¡®Aranrosia¡¯ was still engraved on his chest. As if she were the owner of this heart. ¡°I will come back and check it out sometimes. Because this is my hometown.¡± Tamon kissed her head, which he had washed and combed with his own hands. His hand, soaked in perfumed oil, rubbed her thin shoulder as if massaging it. ¡°Yes. You can go anywhere you want, whenever you want.¡± His hand, which ran down her shoulder, passed over her slim waist and wrapped around her round buttocks. As his touch became more and more lewd, Asha had more trouble with her pouring sleep. Asha reacted with a twitch to his touch, but couldn¡¯t beat her sleepiness. As she climbed onto Tammon¡¯s thighs and rested her head on his shoulder, he felt his manhood swollen to the fullest, but there was no way she could resist the exhaustion. ¡°I¡¯m so sleepy.¡± ¡°You said that yesterday.¡± ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ve been very sleepy since that day (the day when God came to take their powers away), but I couldn¡¯t sleep at all.¡± Asha turned to him, and she whispered as she kissed him on the cheek and chin. She was so carefree and cruel, as if she didn¡¯t know that her damp, warm breath made Tamon hotter rather than to soothe him. Tamon looked at Asha, who was already half asleep, with a complicated expression on his face. His lust for her always boiled down to madness, but when he looked at her gentle and carefree face, it seemed that he had to somehow endure it. ¡°¡­¡­Asha.¡± Tamon stroked Asha¡¯s wet hair and whispered her name. Whether she¡¯s already asleep or not, Asha made a ¡®hmm¡¯ sound and buried her head in the nape of his neck. Tamon, who hugged her tightly as if he wanted to put her small and delicate body inside him, asked her with a voice that was not quenched in his desire. ¡°Am I still just precious to you?¡± He knew that preciousness was also a word that contained a lot of affection. But Tamon wanted more of Asha than that. Such feelings of desire and longing, yet full enough to make the incomplete self a perfect being. He grinned and muttered as he took her sweet exhalation into his lips and sucked it in. ¡°¡­.You really have an excellent talent for making me lame.¡± The word ¡®I love you¡¯, what was it that made him tremble every time like an inexperienced kid who suffered from his first love like this? After controlling his emotions, which had gotten hotter in the hot water for a while, Tamon picked up Asha as she fell asleep and left the bath. He cradled her like a baby in a big towel so that Asha wouldn¡¯t wake up, and laid her down in the warm, rustling blanket. As the night was deep, the lights that depended on the lanterns fluttered across the pure white and enchanting curves of her body. Pretending not to know that the angry body was about to jump out of its own accord again, he lied on his back next to Asha. ¡°¡­.Tamon.¡± Asha, who was tossing and turning, called Tamon¡¯s name and hugged him by the neck. With her slender body and soft skin, Tamon sighed in patience and embraced her. Like a baby, Asha rubbed her cheek against his neck and whispered in a soft voice like the wind. ¡°I love you.¡± Did God come down again? Tamon¡¯s time stopped. He forgot to breathe and looked at Asha with a steadfastness. The pounding beat grew stronger and stronger and hit Tamon¡¯s ear. Unable to bear it, Tamon clasped Asha¡¯s cheeks with both hands and grumbled. ¡°What did you just say?¡± But Asha¡¯s lips clenched tight and she didn¡¯t say anything. Even though he had already noticed that she was awake, she pretended not to know and kept her eyes closed. ¡°Say it again. What did you say? I didn¡¯t hear it. Huh?¡± It was almost a pleading voice, but Asha didn¡¯t budge. Tamon¡¯s childish wear and tear opened her lips. His wet tongue pierced between her lips, grabbing her treasure and strangling her, lifting and soothing her reluctant tongue. Asha¡¯s breathing became rough at the heavy kiss. Tamon drove her until she found it difficult to breathe, then he began to mutter to Asha what he wanted to hear. ¡°I love you. I love you. You said you love me. Right? Come on. Say it again. Come on.¡± ¡°Tamon, stop, ha¡­.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t wrong. Right? Asha, hurry¡­¡± In the end, at Tamon¡¯s begging request, Asha burst into laughter and opened her eyes. ¡°I love you. Tamon Krasis.¡± At that one word, a sigh of relief bursts on Tamon¡¯s lips. He smiled more charmingly than ever before and overlapped her lips as if he were about to eat it. The sound of gasping breaths warmed the room. Tamon, who was smiling while kissing Asha¡¯s slender chin and tasty neck, said with a smirk. ¡°I knew it.¡± Asha burst into laughter at the voice that had now become arrogant. Tamon also rubbed his lips against her smiling lips and burst into laughter together. ¡°Nevertheless, I love you more.¡± (Tamon) ¡°Um¡­ Should I compete with something like that?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s just, I just need to remind you every now and then.¡± As if at any other time, he kissed her reverently like a submissive servant. Two eyes full of trust and affection intertwined. It was a deeper, more intense, complete emotion than the hot sexual desire. Asha hugged Tamon¡¯s shoulders. This arrogant looter who stole her dying body without permission. A man from an enemy country who was more angry and mourned for her death than she did. There were times when she was resentful of the crooked beginning, but she was filled with so much satisfaction now. A man who illuminated a world that she did not know. A madman who wanted and coveted even her own hatred and anger. So she couldn¡¯t help but love. Roselyn of Tanatos was as cold as ice and bitter as heavy snow. She was abandoned like a naked child on a blizzard night, stripped of everything. It was a cold and bitter winter. Her revenge for making her that way was also so cold. Watching Gillotti dying and Natasha becoming a mop, instead of feeling satisfied and cheerful, there was only the tiredness that everything was over now. Her revenge was her due, but it didn¡¯t make her happy. But after revenge, what is Aranrosia¡¯s life like? She was still hot and warm. She was looking forward to tomorrow, and there was a companion who held her hand tightly to share that tomorrow. A man who brought out love that she had never uttered before. Tamon threw a fireball into her world, where there was only winter. He burned and thawed her ice and the cold air that filled her, and now filled her frozen soul with a huge sea. She couldn¡¯t help but love. She couldn¡¯t bear it without love. Life is unpredictable and winter will come again someday, but Asha was not afraid of the distant future. ¡°¡­¡­I want to go to the island you mentioned.¡± ¡°I wonder how you will deal with those nasty monkeys.¡± ¡°What if we lose?¡± ¡°No way. I¡¯ll never lose.¡± At his words full of faith, Asha laughed again. She held his hand and kissed the back of it, just like Tamon once did. She had no doubts that this rough hand would protect her. She will love this man that way too. For a long time. Happily. It was the night when winter ended. CH 172 The world has turned upside down. No, to be precise, Asha¡¯s vision was turned upside down. She couldn¡¯t handle her spinning head, so she closed her eyes tight, trying to block her thoughts. Is this how it feels to have her head and intestines shake separately? Sweet water pooled in her mouth at the pain she had experienced for the first time in her life. Even the saliva that was still in her mouth was nauseating and painful, so she drank only water without a break. ¡®¡­.I¡¯m dying!¡¯ Tanatos, no, it was just 12 days after she left her old hometown, which now has a new country name, Libertas. Her body, which seemed to be just a little weak, began to lose more and more strength, and for the past few days, if she did not lie down, she kept vomiting. She really didn¡¯t even have the strength to lift her hand. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with me?¡¯ There was no strength in her body and she just slept helplessly all day long. Even when she opened her eyes, her head was blank. Even if she tried to eat something to cheer up, she couldn¡¯t take a bite without water, so the amount of food she ate was significantly reduced. In consideration of her, the carriage was moving forward abnormally slowly. Asha sighed heavily and pressed her forehead. It was the first time this had happened, so she was just confused. Even when she was dumped in a snowy mountain after all kinds of torture and taken to Amor by Tamon, she didn¡¯t feel like this¡­ ¡°¡­..it¡¯s frustrating.¡± Asha couldn¡¯t stand it because her insides were so hot and stuffy as if she had swallowed a fireball. She lifted a water bottle to moisten her hot mouth, but the water bottle was already empty because she drank it several times. Her irritability was intense for a moment, but even that, without energy, went away immediately. She didn¡¯t even have the strength to ask for more water, so Asha just leaned her forehead against the wall of the carriage. Fortunately, after a while, she heard footsteps buzzing in her ears, and the carriage door opened. In this situation, only one person could open the carriage door without knocking. ¡°Tamon¡­..¡± As soon as Tamon entered, the fresh air rushed into the carriage. Perhaps because of her burning thirst, she longed for the cool air. ¡°¡­.¡± Asha leaned on Tamon¡¯s cold hand on her forehead, and unknowingly rubbed her cheek like a fool in his palm. Tamon¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at Asha like that. The fingertips, which were covered with calluses, carefully traced her slender cheeks. Beyond his restrained desires, it was a touch with a deep concern for her. ¡°You look so pale. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s an unreasonable schedule¡­¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m really fine. Really.¡± Asha thought she was stupid too, and she laughed. She was well aware of her childish stubbornness. And also that Tamon couldn¡¯t break that stupid stubbornness. She tapped Tamon¡¯s forehead, which had been sunk by concern, then reached out her weak hand and grabbed the water bottle he was holding. ¡°Thank you.¡± Tamon¡¯s eyes were not pretty as he looked at Asha¡¯s energyless smile. [I¡¯m really fine. Don¡¯t do that. I want to be alone.] Asha had been repeating the same thing to Tamon for a few days. Each time, Tamon looked at her for a while, biting his lips, then backed away. Even though he knew all about Asha¡¯s stubbornness that she didn¡¯t want to show her suffering, it must have been that she was enduring it. While thankful for Tamon¡¯s silent consideration, Asha turned her head away from his eyes and averted her eyes. When she took a sip of the cold water he had brought, she felt a little refreshed as if water was poured on dry land. Unwittingly thirsty, she gulped down half of the bucket of water. A few streams of water ran down and wet the thin collar. ¡°You must have been very thirsty.¡± Tamon murmured in a dry voice as his eyes followed the stream of water running down the nape of Asha¡¯s neck. Asha took a deep breath and nodded her head. ¡°I think I¡¯ll live a little.¡± ¡°¡­I wish you would let me stay by your side.¡± She knew what Tamon was saying and nodded her head. Asha smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. Tamon, who sighed deeply once again, raised his fingers and swept Asha¡¯s wet cheeks and lips. ¡°You spill everything like a child.¡± The touch of his rough, hard fingertips was felt on her thin lips. A suppressed desire lay on the fingertips that ran through it like it was crushed. After stroking the inside of her wet lips, he lifted up her wet chin as if he couldn¡¯t stand it, and carefully clasped her lips. He gently opened her wet lips, and stirred inside several times with the tip of his tongue. Asha, unable to hold her breath, gently pushed Tamon away and whispered playfully. ¡°Drink water when you are thirsty. Don¡¯t try to take away what I drank.¡± ¡°There is nothing sweeter than this.¡± ¡°Sweet.¡± At the end of Asha¡¯s lips, who smirked at the funny joke, Tamon¡¯s lips touched again. As if her lips alone weren¡¯t enough, he kissed her tightly against the nape of her neck and her clavicle bone, and he lifted her head and looked at her as if he had suddenly remembered something. Red and purple eyes intertwined in front of her nose. ¡°I think there is another one.¡± ¡°¡­¡­what?¡± ¡°More sweet than this.¡± Tamon¡¯s lips, which kept kissing her, rubbed Asha¡¯s wet neck. ¡®More sweeter than this?¡¯ While Asha was dazed at the thought of what it was, Tamon¡¯s hand dug into her slender waist. Asha¡¯s face, which had reacted reflexively to the moving hand down her gentle curves, suddenly turned bright red. ¡°Tamon¡­!¡± Without realizing it, she grabbed hold of the hair of the thirsty beast. Tamon, who raised his head because of that, smiled softly and licked Asha¡¯s earlobe. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re feeling a little better.¡± ¡°What the hell is going on in your head?¡± ¡°What¡¯s in it? It¡¯s all about you.¡± After responding skillfully, he grabbed Asha and put her on his lap. ¡°Please don¡¯t be sick. My head is full of you, and I¡¯m going crazy because you¡¯re sick. How much more crazy are you trying to make me?¡± ¡°When do I ever¡­¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that just your breathing is driving me crazy.¡± ¡°Look at this. Are you going crazy just looking at me like that?¡± At the sly tongue, Asha eventually laughed. Shaking her head as if he was uncontrollable, she then laid her head down on his firm chest. ¡°If you get sick again, don¡¯t hold back and tell me. We can stop the carriage and rest for a while.¡± ¡°Okay. It¡¯s not really that bad. I just don¡¯t have any strength.¡± Asha knew Tamon set the schedule based on her well-being, so she pretended to be okay, but it wasn¡¯t like Tamon couldn¡¯t read Asha¡¯s expression. ¡°It¡¯s a journey for you, so don¡¯t overthink it.¡± His voice, which put her on his lap and stroked her head as if she was a baby, was endlessly sweet. Has she ever been treated like this in her life? Although it seemed that she had become a helpless child, her heart was overwhelmed by the generous kindness that seemed to accept any foolishness or grumbling. ¡°Okay, thanks. I will try.¡± ¡°Great.¡± As if he was very pleased with her reply of her trying, Tamon hugged her tightly and kissed her several times on her forehead. The scent of the pine forest in front of the beach was coming from him, who was so close. It was a scent that cleared her head and refreshed her stomach. Unknowingly, Asha, who had her nose in his chest, quietly closed her eyes and murmured. ¡°Being like this makes me feel like I¡¯m a baby.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too proud for a baby¡­¡­¡­ Try being a little more foolish, Asha.¡± If it was Tamon, it was enough. A different grunt tickled her throat. As if responding to Tamon¡¯s words, Asha rubbed her forehead against the hot nape of his neck and hugged his broad chest tightly. Tamon also hugged her deeply. *** ¡®Did she fall asleep?¡¯ At the sound of light breathing, Tamon slowly lowered his head and looked at Asha¡¯s sleeping face. He let out a heavy sigh as he scanned her sunken cheeks with bitter eyes. ¡®¡­¡­ Damn it.¡¯ The swear words that he swallowed silently inwardly scratched his throat and pierced his heart. Looking at Asha¡¯s thin face, a dark and gloomy emotion that was difficult to describe in words penetrated him like a bug. He wanted to destroy everything that made her sick. Even if it were himself, Tamon didn¡¯t want anything to bother Asha. So, now he felt bad that his power of life disappeared. If only he could get rid of her discomfort, if it was possible to draw all his blood and transfer it to her.. Tamon sighed as he slammed his fist against his hard forehead. ¡®Why can¡¯t I get hurt instead?¡¯ Why is the human body so inefficient? It would be a much more beautiful and healthy society if healthy people could take the suffering of others with their own will¡­ ¡®Or you can transfer the pain to others.¡¯ If he had that ability, he would have delivered all Asha¡¯s pain to Gillotti when he rescued her from the snow. Tamon leaned his head against his carriage and looked out at the slow-moving landscape. Contrary to the friendly hands holding Asha, the eyes looking at the distant snowy country were cold. The memory of the past flashed through the cold gaze. CH 173 Tamon recalled the past. ¡°Isn¡¯t the imperial family beheaded or hanged at best?¡± Dark morning. Tamon stared at Gillotti and Natasha, who were struggling with their tough lives in the dark, with indifferent eyes. ¡°At best¡­¡­?¡± Hearing Tamon¡¯s words, Gillotti asked with a voice like a rat in the gutter. ¡°Yeah. At best.¡± Tamon muttered as he stared coldly at Gillotti, who already looked like dead. He (Tamon) was a man without generosity like Asha. Asha was beautiful and intelligent, but overly generous. Of course, he respected and loved Asha for that as well. Although that didn¡¯t mean he was going to follow her gentle way. ¡°The death of those who risked hundreds and thousands of lives for their own desires is to be hanged¡­ Isn¡¯t that a death that is too generous to say the least?¡± Gillotti looked up, startled by the eerie voice of Tamon that echoed through the dark prison. Anyway, it was just the eyes of a miserable failure with few days left to die. Tamon casually unlocked the lock and entered the cell. Then he squatted down in front of Gillotti and held out two objects. ¡°This medicine will melt all the internal organs under your skin. But the pain is not long. They say it¡¯s about ten minutes at the shortest, and twenty minutes at the longest.¡± Gillotti flinched and looked down at the medicine. A well-forged dagger was placed next to it. ¡°If you choose this knife, I will personally slice your flesh and throw it into your dirty mouth. I will slice it very thinly and delicately. If you scream, I¡¯ll be annoyed, so I¡¯ll pull out your tongue first.¡± Fear filled Gillotti¡¯s eyes as the eerie low voice. Tamon smiled kindly as if he had given him a generous treatment, and presented two options in front of Gillotti. ¡°Pick one. Whatever you choose, you will regret it.¡± ¡°Hey, you crazy madman.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no better opponent than a madman to deal with the devil-like emperor.¡± Gillotti retreated with a shudder, shouting ¡®Get away from me!¡¯. Tamon clicked his tongue pitifully and picked up the sharp dagger. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to choose, I can choose for you. Personally, I like this knife that I can touch with my hands.¡± ¡°Crazy b*stard! Get away, get away! Guards! Guards! There¡¯s an intruder! An intruder!¡± Gillotti shouted evilly, but only Tamon and Natasha in the prison could hear his voice. Then, Natasha, who was watching them, opened her mouth first. ¡°¡­what do you want?¡± (Natasha) Tamon turned and looked at Natasha. ¡°Just say what you want.¡± (Natasha) With her empty eyes, Natasha, who had resigned from everything, held on to the bars and spoke. Tamon muttered in a voiceless voice. ¡°Pain.¡± ¡°¡­¡­pain?¡± ¡°A terrible pain that you would rather die. I want you to experience it.¡± It was the same pain Asha felt. Natasha bit her dry chapped lips. She reached out her trembling hand to Tamon. ¡°¡­ . I will take the medicine.¡± In front of Natasha, who asked for medicine, Tamon held out both the medicine and the dagger. She horribly looked down at the dagger, then slowly, very slowly, lifted the medicine. ¡°Natasha!¡± Gillotti shouted her name in surprise, but she turned away from him in the end. gulp. Natasha gulped down the medicine pill, the size of her thumb, without water. Natasha¡¯s eyes widened the moment the medicine ran down her esophagus. Soon she was able to understand why Tamon had even put the dagger down in front of her. The duration of the pain of 10 minutes at the shortest and 20 minutes at the longest was so terrifying that even 10 seconds could not be tolerated. ¡°Kaaaa, Kek!Kak! Arghhhhh¡­!¡± Is this the end of pain? Natasha rolled her eyes and scratched the floor with her hands. Her fingernails quickly came off, and blood soaked the floor. ¡°Natasha¡­!¡± The pain was so unbearable that she couldn¡¯t stand it and crawled towards the dagger and stabbed herself in the mouth. ¡°¡­.!¡± In front of that horrific sight, Gillotti stopped screaming. 10 minutes? It was an unpredictable time. Natasha succumbed to her struggles in pain and died after not making it past three minutes. Her face looked more comfortable after she cut off her tongue. Tamon turned and looked at Gillotti. Gulp. Swallowing dry saliva, Gillotti looked at the two objects in front of him in horror. ¡°There is no time. Go ahead and choose.¡± As if waiting for Gillotti was boring, Tamon urged. Gillotti, looking at the two objects with shaking eyes, asked with trembling lips. ¡°I, I want to ask something!¡± It was the last straw. Maybe it¡¯s a struggle to live a little longer. ¡°The Empress, uh, how was she alive? Is that also your power? What made her leg better¡­!¡± There was a cold murderous energy in Tamon¡¯s red eyes. His eyes, which did not waver no matter how filthy, were shaking like a deep swamp at the word ¡®Empress¡¯ that came out of Gillotti¡¯s mouth. ¡°Who.¡± A large, rough hand grabbed Gillotti¡¯s head. ¡°¡­.!¡± Without hesitation, Tamon grabbed Gillotti¡¯s chin and pulled his tongue out. ¡°¡­You mean the Empress? Didn¡¯t you kill your Empress with your own hands?¡± A voice colder than ice and darker than death sweetly pierced Gillotti¡¯s ears. ¡°Uh, uh, uh uh huh!¡± Tamon put the pill on Gillotti¡¯s struggling and rebellious tongue and forced him to shut his mouth and swallow it. ¡°That¡¯s right. I saved her with my blood and flesh. Her leg that you broke¡­..¡± Gillotti struggled not to swallow the pill even if he died, but he could not defeat Tamon, who grabbed the root of his tongue. Tamon smiled and shoved the pill down his throat. ¡°I brought her back to life. So swallow it.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± ¡°And die, Gillotti Tanatos. Very painful and humiliating.¡± The pill passed Gillotti¡¯s throat, which was strongly suppressed. Tamon bound Gillotti¡¯s arms so that Gillotti could not take his own life like Natasha. ¡°Argggghhhh!¡± Could this be the cry of demons and monsters? A scream that could not even be called a human voice echoed through the prison. It was hours before Gillotti and Natasha¡¯s bodies were found. *** ¡°¡­Asha.¡± A low-pitched voice flowed into Asha¡¯s ear, who was deeply asleep, and shook her consciousness. It was a hazy voice that created ripples like water drops on a still water surface. Too deep to be sweet, too soft to be bitter. Asha knew this voice. She smiled languidly, opened her eyes and looked to the owner of the voice. As Asha¡¯s sleepy purple eyes stared at him dimly, Tamon smiled and kissed her forehead. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± How could he make such a sweet voice with a face like that? He had intense red eyes and features that seemed to be made of sharp, rough lines, and when he spoke to her, he was softer and warmer than ever. It was all this man¡¯s affection for her. Even if he didn¡¯t have to say the word love, Asha was drenched in the affection he poured out. Something hot suddenly pierced her chest. Asha took a deep breath, reached out her hand and hugged him tightly. Tamon burst out laughing at her sudden touch. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten a lot better at being childish. It¡¯s a very good phenomenon.¡± Tamon, who was whispering with satisfaction, licked incessantly on her earlobe and neckline. ¡°How long did I sleep?¡± Without answering, Tamon glanced at the carriage window. As she followed him and looked out the window of the carriage, Asha burst into laughter. ¡°Oh my gosh. I slept until the sun went down?¡± She thought it was just past noon, but the sun was setting. A look of embarrassment was evident on Asha¡¯s red face. Tamon said playfully, kissing the tip of her nose. ¡°Did you sleep well while snoring?¡± Lie. This was definitely a lie. She swears she¡¯d never snored since she was born! ¡­ maybe. ¡°I¡¯m telling you. I swear to God. You snored beautifully. It was lovelier than any other bird¡¯s chirping.¡± Tamon said with an innocent face, raising his hand as if to swear. That expression was so serious that it made Asha even more embarrassed. Asha¡¯s cheeks rarely turned red. She apologized quietly, pecking her lips in embarrassment as she looked for words to say. ¡°I see. Excuse me¡­¡­¡­¡± The way she stuttered apologizing was so insanely cute that Tamon had to bite the inside of his mouth to hold back his laughter. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. It can happen. I liked it because it was so cute.¡± ¡°¡­ stop it. It¡¯s not cute at all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you didn¡¯t hear it. It was really cute.¡± Who can hear themselves snoring? Even if there was such a way, Asha did not want to hear it. CH 174 *** As Asha, who was in Tamon¡¯s arms, tried to get out, Tamon grabbed her tighter and wouldn¡¯t let her go. ¡°Tamon.¡± Come on, let go of this hand. Tamon shook his head sharply at the sound of a voice that came out of nowhere without realizing it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t release you right away. This isn¡¯t my intention.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Tamon sighed and said to Asha who asked with widened eyes. ¡°After holding you for so long, my body¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Your body? Ah, you have a cramp!¡± Once again, embarrassment swelled. But thinking about it, it was natural. Asha had been asleep for hours in his arms, which meant Tamon had not moved in that state. As she tried to pull her body away quickly, in her bewilderment, Tamon frowned slightly and moaned briefly. ¡°It hurts? I¡¯m sorry. Are you okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not painful, just a little¡­¡± He frowned and smiled softly. Somehow the smile was suspicious. ¡°Because I¡¯m numb.¡± ¡°You¡¯re numb? Do you want me to massage you? Please, Tamon. Let go of me.¡± As Asha fidgeted constantly, Tamon eventually let her go. Every moment she moved, his expression twitched subtly. Asha, who came down carefully from him, raised her hand awkwardly to give him a massage, but Tamon immediately grabbed her wrist. ¡°No, Asha, don¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°But¡­¡­.¡± Watching her faltering, Tamon smiled mischievously and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d like to leave it in your hands if I could.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°But I thought that would make it hard for you to take care of me.¡± Asha¡¯s eyes, who were frowning and wondering what he meant, moved downwards towards Tamon¡¯s center involuntarily. (*Tamon wasn¡¯t numb, his manhood got hard lol.) Seeing the purple eyes that grew rapidly, Tamon grinned. ¡°Are you going to keep looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Oh no!¡± Startled, she quickly turned her head, but her face had already turned bright red. With her eyes closed, she heard Tamon¡¯s laughter in her ears. It was Tamon who showed shame, but why was she embarrassed? Thanks to this, all of the remaining lukewarm sleepiness ran away. ¡°Why all of a sudden?¡± As it was nothing, Tamon ran the back of his hand across her cheek. Asha, who slapped his hand down, glared at him, but it didn¡¯t seem to have offend Tamon at all. Anyway, he must have been a natural villain. He was a very gifted man when it came to teasing her. As Asha turned away, glaring at him with her brash eyes. Knock. Knock. Someone came where the two of them filled with sweet air. ¡°¡­Asha, it¡¯s me. Can I talk to you?¡± It was Anna. *** ¡°¡­Monstein?¡± ¡°It will take another two or three days, but I was wondering if it would be better to stop by there. Monstein is a pretty big city, so there must be a lot of doctors and pharmacists.¡± Monstein was a small town about a day and a half from the current location. It was a city located on the central road extending to the center and the provinces under the Aokis Mountains, so it was not small, but the city has been in stagnation due to frequent occurrences of ¡®gap¡¯ for the past two or three years. It was information that came out while Anna was looking through the characteristics of the cities to be passed before leaving for the journey. Asha thought deeply and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s too far from here. It¡¯s not on our way, and we have to get back to this road again, so at least 5 days or more of the schedule will be delayed.¡± ¡°But Asha, we have to go to a city of that size to have a good doctor.¡± At Anna¡¯s words, Asha looked at her quietly and responded with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m okay. It¡¯s not bad enough to delay like that. Look, I¡¯m still fine.¡± Thankfully, the dizziness and nausea that seemed to pour out of the intestines had subsided as if washed away. Perhaps it was because she slept soundly in Tamon¡¯s arms, and she thought she could proceed with the trip without difficulty. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean she was energized, but Asha didn¡¯t want to delay her schedule with Anna whom she parted with for too long. ¡°Motion sickness is common, Anna.¡± Asha dismissed her symptoms as ¡®common motion sickness¡¯. But Anna, sitting face to face with her, didn¡¯t think so. Anna looked at Asha with a complicated face, and sighed softly. She (Anna) had a hard time figuring out how to verbally convey her guess to a friend who was wise but a bit naive in this regard. ¡°I¡¯m really glad you¡¯re not sick, but¡­.¡± Anna remembered Asrel¡¯s voice last night. ¡°She can¡¯t eat anything at all. Asha¡¯s symptoms are exactly the same as when I had my first child.¡± Those words that were whispered. It stuck in her mind and never left. ¡°Okay, Asha. As you said, motion sickness is common. But you, whom I have been watching, have never experienced motion sickness since childhood. But I think it¡¯s kind of strange to suddenly have such severe symptoms. If you don¡¯t want me to worry, I¡¯d like you to see a doctor and hear that you¡¯re okay. Just in case¡­¡± ¡°Just in case?¡± At Anna¡¯s remarks emphasizing something, Asha asked back as if puzzled. For some reason, Anna¡¯s expression was unusual to just pass by. Anna bit her lip nervously and then opened her mouth with difficulty. ¡°¡­it may not be. But I¡¯m saying this because I think that if there¡¯s even a slight possibility, it¡¯s definitely something to consider.¡± What the hell is Anna trying to say? Asha nodded her head with a serious face, unable to imagine what was to come. After a brief sigh, Anna asked. ¡°Do you remember when your last period was?¡± What do you mean? Asha was momentarily stunned, wondering why Anna was asking such a question. But soon, Asha¡¯s face began to change as she followed Anna¡¯s words and traced her last menstrual day. Just before she met Gillotti again, she sensed that her period was running late. Even then, it had already skipped a month, and a month and a half had already passed since then¡­ ¡°ah..¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± Asha was momentarily dazed at the thought of suddenly brushing her head. A possibility she had never thought of pounded hard in her heart. ¡°Asha?¡± ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s been over two months.¡± When Asha said in a trembling voice that two months have passed, Asha and Anna looked at each other at the same time. Neither of them could speak aloud, but their eyes showed the same possibility. As Asha¡¯s eyes shook violently with nervousness, Anna spoke first, gently wrapping her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s see the doctor. That comes first.¡± ¡°Anna, I¡­. No, I hope¡­.¡± ¡°Shh. Don¡¯t say anything yet. I won¡¯t say anything either.¡± Anna spoke calmly, but her cheeks were also burning with excitement. Anna hugged the absent minded Asha for a long time. Her small but powerful hug comforted Asha¡¯s thin shoulders for quite some time. And her cold body turned warm again. Asha was lost in thought for a moment after Anna left. She didn¡¯t know if it was because of confusion or if she was hungry or nauseous. She vowed a few times not to be pounding in haste, but she couldn¡¯t stop her trembling fingers going to her flat stomach. ¡®Really..Is it possible that there¡¯s a baby in here?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t breathe properly because of the complex emotions that couldn¡¯t be defined in words. Somehow, it felt like the night was too long. *** That night, Asha dived deep into Tamon¡¯s arms, avoiding his gripping hands. Tamon, who had no intention of tormenting her because she was sick, embraced her, who had dug into his arms, and comforted her by telling stories in silence. Perhaps because of the nap, Asha kept tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. Tamon continued to rub Asha¡¯s cold hands and feet, constantly chatting about his childhood. Asha sometimes laughed as she listened to his story, and sometimes looked up at him with a blank stare. A child brought from outside. A boy who didn¡¯t get enough love because of his sick brother. Tamon from a young age had to become an adult early because of his extraordinary talent and brain. Asha, who listened attentively to the story of the dry past as if it were a precious story, was simply lovely to Tamon. Asha, who had been hesitating, asked cautiously. ¡°Weren¡¯t you lonely?¡± ¡°Well, not much. I wasn¡¯t that sentimental.¡± ¡°Still. You were a child.¡± At Asha¡¯s additional words, Tamon quietly raised the corners of his lips and smiled instead of answering. Was he lonely? To fall into such sentiments, he thought his position was too precarious. A family was a family, but he was not a complete member. His mother, who gave birth to him, had already done her duty and had gone away, and his father, who gave him birth, loved his mistress terribly. What was she like? Her blue eyes, which looked just like Cassion¡¯s, always looked at Tamon with a complicated gaze. It was the eyes of a person who wanted to hate but couldn¡¯t hate, who wanted to love but couldn¡¯t love. So, her attitude towards Tamon was always distant. Neither too close nor too far. Tamon had never been pampered by such a mother. Because that was crossing the line. Tamon, who was cautious, did not enter the boundary she had surrounded. He always tried to keep a distance that she wouldn¡¯t close. It wasn¡¯t difficult, but¡­ Yeah, it was bittersweet at times. Although it was a family, it was not complete, and although it was inherited, he did not think that it was completely his family. His world was always so halfway. ¡®¡­Was that why I was lonely?¡¯ CH 175 He returned to the first question. When he thought back, he must have felt lonely sometimes, if not every day. But even that loneliness became blunt as he got older. He didn¡¯t even know if he couldn¡¯t afford to live in a feeling of loneliness. Tamon took a deep breath and looked at Asha, who was sleeping. The soft breath that went in and came out was so precious and sweet. Asha¡¯s warmth in his arms always made him hot. It wasn¡¯t just the body heat. It was the primordial power that made his soul and life blaze brightly. ¡®My Asha.¡¯ His only engraver. The one and only perfect person in the world who gave each other¡¯s hearts a name. ¡®My sea.¡¯ His heart, which had been missing one piece, was filled with seawater called Asha. She filled him with waves and suppleness, and that full satisfaction made him happy. Happy. Happy! Tamon smiled involuntarily and gave strength to his arms, which were holding Asha. His unreasonable obsession and possessiveness enveloped Asha like a vine. Without knowing his dark and gloomy heart, she was as lovely as she fell asleep in his arms. Tamon tried to relax his strength and kissed her soft forehead and cheeks. He felt sorry seeing Asha¡¯s cheeks had become thin because of the unexplained deterioration of her condition. Seeing her sick was more painful than he thought. For Asha¡¯s existence was so precious and great within him, he was ecstatic at every moment, but was also nervous. ¡®I hope you don¡¯t get hurt, don¡¯t get sick, don¡¯t suffer.¡¯ May all the happiness of the world surround her¡­ Tamon swept down Asha¡¯s slender back, praying as he had never prayed before. Perhaps, he felt once again that there was no one more precious than this. *** ¡°Are you okay?¡± Tamon asked, clasping Asha¡¯s cold hand. Their carriage entered Monstein¡¯s entrance, and soon, Tamon¡¯s men, who had already been sent to find the inn, would lead them. Asha grabbed Tamon¡¯s hands, loosening her fists that had been clenched all the way to Monstein. Her nervousness made her stomach churn more, but her heart was beating so wildly that she couldn¡¯t afford to complain about her pain. She looked at Tamon quietly with a smile on her pale face. Her mind was complicated as she looked into his eyes, full of concern. ¡®Should I tell him in advance? Maybe I¡¯m pregnant.¡¯ But it wasn¡¯t certain, so she couldn¡¯t open her mouth easily. If she wasn¡¯t, it would be unnecessary excitement. Whether that¡¯s positive excitement or not. Asha took a deep breath and clasped Tamon¡¯s hands tightly. Tamon smiled a little, as if to ease her worries, and kissed the back of her hand, which was holding him tightly. ¡®Once I see a doctor and know for sure, then we¡¯ll talk.¡¯ Just then, a view of the city was revealed out of the carriage window. Thump. Thump. Asha¡¯s heart pounded non-stop loudly. *** ¡°Congratulations. You¡¯re pregnant.¡± In spite of all the hardships until she reached Monstein, the doctor gave her an affirmation plainly and simply. At the doctor¡¯s words, Asha looked back at Anna with a pale face. ¡°Oh my god!¡± Unable to contain her excitement, Anna jumped up and covered her mouth. After breathing heavily for a moment, Anna hugged Asha. ¡°Oh my God, my God¡­¡± Anna¡¯s arms were trembling with excitement. ¡°Uh, so. Uh¡­ Yeah. Congratulations! Congratulations, Asha. Congratulations. Really.¡± She wasn¡¯t really sure if this was something to celebrate. But Anna muttered her words of congratulations powerfully for Asha and for the newly conceived young life. Her friend who had lost all of her loved ones. Of course, there was Tamon Krasis, who was as strong and loved as her family, by Asha¡¯s side, but it must have been significant for Asha to have a new blood. ¡°Really, a baby¡­¡± Although she had clearly prepared in advance, Asha¡¯s voice was trembling. It was rare for her to be so surprised, so Anna was able to guess just how much Asha was at a loss now. Anna gave more strength to her hand holding Asha. ¡°Everything will be fine.¡± ¡®My friend, my queen.¡¯ ¡®I know that you will always shine in any circumstance, in any environment.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s all¡­ it¡¯s all fine, right?¡± Unlike Asha, who was rigid, Anna¡¯s voice swallowed up her tears. ¡®She¡¯s calm, but why is my heart racing like this?¡¯ Anna tightened her nose and grinned, clenching her teeth. Asha, who was facing Anna, slowly raised her hand and gently stroked her flat stomach. ¡®Really¡­there¡¯s a baby in here?¡¯ They said if you are too surprised, you¡¯ll lose your sense of reality. Of course, even though she had already been prepared from last night, her head was dazed. Asha stroked her unfamiliar belly with her trembling fingers. She couldn¡¯t believe it at all, but she was strangely out of breath. ¡®My child. Yes, my child¡­¡¯ Unfamiliar emotions surged. It was a different kind of unfamiliar than when she accepted Tamon¡¯s love that poured like a waterfall. She was dizzy, confused, and out of breath. Her complex mind was chaotically unfolding her own life that would be changed by the birth of her child, but none of it was engraved in her mind. In fact, she didn¡¯t even dare to guess. She could not imagine the changes that would happen to her by having a child, and the future that would be different with those changes. Because it was clear that it would be more than anything she could imagine. ¡°Ah.¡± Tamon. Asha glanced through the closed door. There was Tamon beyond that door. She forced Tamon to stand outside because she wanted to be sure first. Not knowing what was going on, Tamon was pushed out by her and stood guard outside, so it would have been quite absurd. Even though she was confused, Asha¡¯s face was bright. ¡°The examination will be done again in 3 months. In the early stages, the miscarriage rate is high, so you need to be very careful. Are you traveling? If that¡¯s the case, you need to be more careful.¡± The doctor calmly gave instructions to Anna, who was excited. He also said morning sickness was just the beginning. Asha grabbed her dizzying head and engraved the doctor¡¯s words as best as she could. ¡°I¡¯ll recommend some herbal teas that are good for calming. Don¡¯t worry too much. Tea is good. If you take it easy, you will feel better soon.¡± The doctor prescribed safe and mild medicines for pregnant women to take. Most of the prescriptions were tea. She got up from her seat and said she shouldn¡¯t drink too much of these things. As soon as the doctor left, Tamon came in. Tamon, approaching with long legs, knelt down on one knee, and looked up at Asha, who was looking at him with a mysterious expression. ¡°Why do you look like that? You kicked me out, and what kind of secret conversation did you have with the doctor?¡± A rough but friendly hand grabbed her cheek. Asha breathed slowly and deeply, resting her cheek on Tamon¡¯s hand. ¡°Tamon.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± Tamon¡¯s forehead wrinkled at Asha¡¯s serious expression. ¡°What¡¯s with such a serious face?¡± Asha glanced at Anna. Anna nodded her head and quietly left the room. In the room, Asha was left alone with Tamon. A strange silence surrounded the two of them. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? No way¡­ don¡¯t tell me something is seriously wrong.¡± Tamon asked nervously at the unusual air current. Anxiety hung in the red eyes that were as bright as jewels. As soon as he thought he was going to run out of breath, Asha calmly opened her mouth. ¡°Here..¡± Asha said, putting Tamon¡¯s hand on her flat stomach. ¡°I have a child.¡± When the main topic came out, Tamon¡¯s breath had already stopped. *** ¡°The carriage! Yeah, I should change the carriage first. No. No! I need to buy a mansion near here, and stay here until Asha stabilizes.¡± ¡°¡­Tamon.¡± ¡°Size, Siege! Go out and get a home dealer! Get someone who can sell the best home, come on!¡± ¡°Tamon, calm down.¡± Asha expressed displeasure at Tamon¡¯s rising voice and begged. It had been like this the whole time Tamon heard that Asha was pregnant. He paced around the room as if he couldn¡¯t calm down even at Asha¡¯s call, and he ruffled his messy hair again and again. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy! I have to find a resident doctor too¡­Damn it! What should I do? By the way, are you okay to walk? What if you accidentally fall?¡± Unable to sit or stand, Tamon hovered around Asha incessantly. It was very strange to see Tamon looking nervous, unable to do this or that. He was always relaxed and ill-tempered, but now he was like a bubble that would burst with the slightest touch. ¡­.Interesting. Asha observed such Tamon with her curious eyes. She, too, had been confused just a few hours before, and her mind sank in a strange way when she saw Tamon making more fuss than she was. Even Tamon lost his mind the moment he heard they had a child. She could believe this man would react like this. The ripple effect of that single sentence, ¡°We have a child,¡± seemed to be enormous. Fortunately, Tamon¡¯s stunned state lasted less than five minutes. The first thing he did when he came to his senses immediately was to hug Asha. He silently embraced Asha with his big arms and big hands. He didn¡¯t say a word, just hugged her, but it was as if his voice could be heard from his heart. ¡®He¡¯s trembling.¡¯ A trembling sigh erupted, and short kisses poured nonstop. On Asha¡¯s hair, cheeks, neck, and nose. ¡°Tell me I didn¡¯t hear it wrong.¡± Those were the first words he spoke after a while. ¡°Please tell me with your lips and your voice that I didn¡¯t hear you wrong.¡± Asha gladly spoke again in a clear voice for Tamon. ¡°You and I have a child.¡± Tamon closed his eyes and held his breath for a while, then opened his eyes. Then he went out in great retaliation, but heard the sound of something breaking. When he returned, his forehead was red, but the wise Asha pretended not to know. CH 176 It has been that way ever since. Excited alone, sunk alone, serious alone, and even hyperventilated by himself. ¡®no way¡­¡­ . Did I get hit in the head earlier?¡¯ Gradually, around the time he was worried about his mental state, fortunately, Tamon returned to his normal state. ¡°¡­Did I look a little crazy?¡± ¡°Yeah, a little.¡± At Asha¡¯s honest answer, Tamon wiped his forehead as if embarrassed and smiled. There was already a nasty purple bruise on the red, swollen spot. It looked very painful, but Tamon didn¡¯t seem to mind, swiping his hair a few times, then sat down, hugging Asha¡¯s stomach, who was sitting on the bed. ¡°It¡¯s my first time doing something like this¡­. Oh, of course it must be your first time¡­¡± He smiled absurdly and rested his cheek on Asha¡¯s thigh. Asha tried to calm Tamon by brushing his messy hair. He was genuine, but he still looked a little crazy. It was unfamiliar to Asha that he couldn¡¯t hide his emotions so much, but she didn¡¯t feel bad about it. No, to be honest, his excitement was making her more excited. Asha¡¯s bewildered heart was filled with a tremor similar to that of Tamon. Of course, she wasn¡¯t that obvious on the outside, but it was deep enough inside her now, full of great waves. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know if this is appropriate now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Say anything, Asha.¡± Asha brushed Tammon¡¯s gray hair, lowered her head, and came down to his ear. ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m glad, Tamon, that I have a baby inside me, and that that baby is yours and mine.¡± As Asha¡¯s whispering voice grew longer, Tamon¡¯s eyes fluttered. The world¡¯s most beautiful red ruby ??eyes were fixed on her. Asha reached out her little hands and grabbed Tamon¡¯s cheeks, staring at him. And with a shy smile on her face, she once again strengthened her voice. ¡°I¡¯m very happy, Tamon.¡± Tamon¡¯s forehead twisted in a mess. However, his lips, which were slightly wide open and trembling, were showing a clear smile. He looked at Asha for a while, unable to say anything, then reached out and pulled her by the back of her neck. The two immediately got closer, and the two lips, which were shaking with excitement, gently overlapped. Ha. ¡°¡­God damn it, Aranrosia.¡± ¡®You will rule me forever. You overwhelm me and knock me down every time¡¯. He grumbled in a wet voice, as if crying and laughing at the same time. ¡°I¡¯m more than happy. When you say you¡¯re happy, it takes my breath away.¡± The two smiled together as they kissed each other. *** Asha decided to stay in Monstein for the time being after strong persuasion from Tamon, Anna, and Asrel. Anna¡¯s will was particularly strong, and she persuaded Asha that she would live with guilt for the rest of her life if Asha overworked herself. After much deliberation, Asha decided to stop her journey for just one month. It was an accidental and sudden decision, but Tamon¡¯s unhesitating execution made her settlement a smooth one. Fortunately, Asha¡¯s condition improved a lot, whether it was because she stopped moving to rest, or whether it was with the help of a herbal tea prescribed by her doctor. That didn¡¯t mean Asha¡¯s life had become easier. ¡°No¡­ What is all this?¡¯ Asha, waking up from her nap, raised her head and looked around her, bewildered. All kinds of fairy tale books were piled up like a mountain, not to mention the flowers surrounding her bed. When she turned her head, various fruits and desserts were on her round table, and on one side of the room, a large music box that Tamon had gotten a few days ago was playing music that was pleasant to hear. Again. Another thing piled up. Asha looked at the white mink blanket that brushed her toes as if she was tired. ¡°Ha¡­.¡± It was somehow hot. It was obvious without knowing how something that was not there before she fell asleep came to be here. The music box that was playing a sweet melody over there, while Asha was asleep, was set up. To her surprise, Tamon said lightly as if nothing happened. ¡°It¡¯s music for relaxation.¡± Such a high-quality music box was something that could only be seen in the Imperial Palace. It was amazing what kind of talent he used to get it in Monstein. ¡­ . Seriously, Tamon was way too much of everything. Asha shook her head and sat up from her seat. She glanced at the delicacies on the table, hesitated and drank a glass of water. She was a little hungry because she hardly ate breakfast, but she didn¡¯t want to eat anything at all. The nausea went down a lot, but she still hasn¡¯t been feeling well. She barely had a glass of milk in the morning. Fearing that if she forced her to eat, she would vomit, so Tamon cut all the meat by hand, but couldn¡¯t put it in Asha¡¯s mouth. At his worried gaze, Asha only smiled apologetically. But when she thought of the baby, she had to force herself to eat it. Asha reluctantly walked to the table. There were all kinds of delicious food, but there was nothing she really wanted to eat. There was only one dish she could think of at this time. ¡®I want to eat a mashed banana¡­¡¯ Mash it with cream, add a little bit of honey to it and freeze it a bit, and it would taste amazing. Asha touched the fresh bananas on the table in dismay. The bananas, which were so fresh and had a greenish color, were refreshing, but not so sweet and soft that it made her mouth tingle. She thought it would taste better when it was a little more ripe, and she was just fiddling around with the bananas for a bit, then the door carefully opened and Tamon came in. ¡°You woke up.¡± He looked at Asha standing in front of the table and walked over to her with a loving face. Because of his long legs, he didn¡¯t move a few times, but he was in front of her. ¡°Are you hungry? I brought you something to eat.¡± As he said, there was a tray in Tamon¡¯s hand. Asha¡¯s face lit up as she looked at the tray. ¡°That¡­¡­.¡± Fresh cream, golden honey, and a bright yellow banana with black spots on the tray. It was just what she was thinking. As Asha looked at him with a surprised face, Tamon smiled and sat her in her chair and whispered to her. ¡°Miss Rotrega told me. You ate this every time you were sick since you were little.¡± ¡®Oh, Anna.¡¯ A close friend who shared her childhood. The warmth of the feathers of a young bird permeated her heart. She looked at the ingredients on the tray with reminiscent eyes. ¡°It has been my favorite snack since I was little. Bananas were so precious that I couldn¡¯t eat them often. As an excuse for being sick, I begged foolishly for a banana, and every time I did, my grandfather clicked his tongue. And the next day, he would get me bananas.¡± Her mother crushed it with her own hands, mixed with cream, and put it into the mouth of the young Roselyn. Cold mashed bananas were her family¡¯s love and memories of her childhood. Even if she was not hungry, she always missed the taste. Tamon, who was looking at Asha¡¯s face as she talked about her childhood, stroked her cheek with his fingertips. ¡°Looking at that face, I must have done the right thing, right?¡± Tamon sat down and peeled the banana with his rough hands. He put the banana into a round bowl, and casually mashed it by hand and poured the cream into it. ¡°I heard you like it slightly frozen, but I couldn¡¯t freeze it because I brought it in a hurry.¡± Asha quickly shook her head and looked at the mashed banana with cream and honey. Tamon smiled softly at her rare desire-filled eyes, and scooped a spoon full of mashed bananas and put it in Asha¡¯s mouth. ¡°How is it? Is it similar to the one you used to eat?¡± A sweet scent filled her mouth. How sweet and soft it was, a smile came to her lips. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± Tamon, who read that expression, continued to feed Asha the mashed banana with a face looking at the most adorable thing in the world. How cute were her lips that open like a baby bird, Tamon, without realizing it, put his lips on Asha¡¯s lips instead of a spoon and sucked it. ¡°Sweet. Too.¡± Licking the banana on Asha¡¯s lips, he smiled with a mysterious expression. Asha glanced at him and laughed, then she grabbed the spoon and ate it from the bowl. ¡°I¡¯ll have to keep looking for bananas.¡± He never thought he would be this happy to see other people eat. Tamon looked at Asha with a proud face, feeling fuller than he ate. If he had known it was her favorite food, he would have brought it sooner. He was disappointed in himself. Asha, who had already emptied a bowl, got up from her seat with a face full of vitality. ¡°Why, where are you going?¡± ¡°Oh. I need to see Anna. Do you know where she is?¡± Tamon, who nodded his head, extended his hand to Asha, who stood up. Asha, who was looking at his outstretched hand, looked at him, expressing her displeasure. ¡°Again¡­.?¡± ¡°Please.¡± His eyes were sincere when he said please. After hesitating, Asha took hold of his hand. Tamon hugged her and lifted her up. ¡°You know that? I haven¡¯t been down to the first floor with my feet since we came into this mansion?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good thing. You always have to be careful with the stairs.¡± ¡°¡­This is overprotective, Tamon. You know that too, right?¡± Tamon glanced down at Asha and smiled as he kissed her on the cheek. He already knew enough, but had no intention of fixing it. CH 177 ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Anna, who was wiping her dusty fingertips, smiled brightly and shook her head. ¡°I can visit you anytime. And now is the most important time.¡± ¡°But Anna¡­..¡± ¡°And there¡¯s something you don¡¯t know, Asha, but I¡¯m quite happy right now. Anyway, the trip is still the same. I¡¯m protecting the most important moment of the friend I love the most.¡± Anna smiled softly and said, pointing to the little garden she had planted. ¡°Look over there. This is the herb I planted. It has already sprouted. It¡¯s such a joy to see just a single piece of grass growing, how pretty would it be when my nephew is born?¡± At Anna¡¯s words, Asha shyly rubbed her flat stomach. As her physical condition improved, she didn¡¯t really feel real, but the reactions around her were definitely different. Especially Tamon and Anna¡¯s fuss, which prevented her from doing anything but breathing, making her feel like she had become fragile glass. But even if these two were willing to give her all their time, she didn¡¯t want to abuse it. As important as her time was, Asha felt that Anna¡¯s time was also important. ¡°But Anna, Tamon is going to stay here for another month, and then you have to go back as soon as we get to Amor. I invited you to come and have a good time, but if you do this, you will waste your time and do nothing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡­ .¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not fine. Anna.¡± Asha firmly shook her head. ¡°Thank you so much for being with me, but that¡¯s not really the time for you. Why don¡¯t you stay with me for as long as we¡¯re here and go home?¡± Looking at Anna¡¯s hesitant face, Asha smiled and added. ¡°Like you said, we can meet again anytime soon.¡± Precious Anna. Anna has always sacrificed unilaterally for Asha. Anna¡¯s life should be Anna¡¯s, but she kept getting caught up in the affairs of Asha¡¯s family and forced her to sacrifice unilaterally in the name of friendship and devotion. But Asha didn¡¯t want to leave it like that anymore. May Anna¡¯s life be completely filled with Anna¡¯s joy. ¡°Think of the person waiting for you back home.¡± Anna¡¯s eyes widened in embarrassment at Asha¡¯s last words. Asha gently clasped Anna¡¯s shoulder, who was biting her lips in denial, and patted her on the back. ¡°Think about it and answer me. I hope it¡¯s a decision for you, not for me.¡± *** The next day, fortunately, Anna informed Asha that she had the same opinion as Asha¡¯s. ¡°So, let¡¯s have fun while we¡¯re here. Without worries.¡± Anna spoke solemnly as if she had made her decision, and held Asha¡¯s hand tightly. It was very fortunate. Asha was relieved and took Anna¡¯s hand. ¡®But it must be difficult to have a good time in this state.¡¯ What could she do with Anna while Tamon keeps her legs from going up and down the stairs? It seemed that the two of them would not be able to go to a simple picnic if they left it to Tamon like this. She was worried that even if Tamon let them go, he would have knights follow her, or that Tamon would carry her around all day. ¡®It¡¯s embarrassing.¡¯ Asha¡¯s condition was getting better and better, except for the occasional rising nausea. The problem was that wherever she went, Tamon was there. No matter how hard she tried to persuade him that it wasn¡¯t something serious, Tamon¡¯s expression darkened as the days went by. In addition, he talked about what he saw and heard during his stay here, and all kinds of stories about pregnancy and childbirth. Postpartum winds, the probability of death during childbirth, or the story that eating the wrong food puts the child in the womb at risk. Perhaps because of that, Tamon¡¯s vigilance and anxiety seemed to be getting worse. ¡°We need to do something¡­¡± She needed to convince Tamon that she was all right. Morning sickness varies greatly from person to person, and Asrel said most will get better if she has a good initial period. What would be the most active and surest sign she could do? Asha, who had been pacing the room, thinking deeply, collapsed on the bed. At that moment, Asha, who had felt the soft touch of Tamon¡¯s fingers, suddenly lifted her head with a determined expression. She remembered what to do. *** That evening, Asha paid more attention to her diet than usual. She ate a few pieces of meat, which she didn¡¯t like. She also ate plenty of fresh vegetables and soft cheese. Tamon was a bit surprised to see Asha even emptied her warm mushroom soup, but he was also very happy. ¡°I guess the food was good for you today?¡± ¡°I have a little taste. It¡¯s time for the morning sickness to subside.¡± In fact, she ate a little too much, but considering what was going to happen tonight, she had to fill her stomach. Asha gently tinkered with the ripe peach to hide her trembling fingers. ¡°Do you want to eat peaches?¡± Tamon pulled out a small knife that was always on hand, and peeled the flat peach skin with soft fur on it. How can he peel the fruit so well? The Tamon she knew was truly capable of everything big and small. Even if he wasn¡¯t a nobleman, perhaps, no, he must have been a man who could eat well and live well by any skill. Tamon glanced at Asha if he felt her gaze, and said with a smile. ¡°Am I peeling peaches so strange?¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve never cut fruits with my own hands, so it¡¯s a bit strange that you peel the fruit so skillfully.¡± ¡°It has to be. It¡¯s a big deal if your precious hands get hurt. I have a lot of things to do with knives outside, and I had to peel and eat everything when I went to war.¡± Tamon smiled as if it was natural. The fruit was cut flexibly with thick, hard fingers. The sweet scent of peaches pierced the tip of the nose in an instant. When he peeled off the reddish skin, the inside was really white and plump. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the prettiest part.¡± Tamon handed a piece of peach to Asha. It was a rough hand, but as he said, it was the most beautifully cut piece. As Tamon lifted the peach slice, the clear juice ran down his fingertips and onto his wrist. Asha, who was following the movement of the water droplet with her eyes, opened her mouth and took the peach slice he held out and ate it. When she opened her mouth wide and ate the peach, naturally Tamon¡¯s fingers were sucked into Asha¡¯s mouth. Tamon¡¯s hand twitched at the touch of Asha¡¯s wet tongue and lips. Asha looked up at Tamon, raising her lowered eyes. Tamon¡¯s finger was still on her lips. Every time she crushed the peach with her tongue and teeth, she also bit his fingers, but Tamon didn¡¯t respond, just staring into her mouth. In an instant, his eyes narrowed and the fingers in Asha¡¯s mouth began to move slowly. His stroking fingers drew denser, gently rubbing her tongue, teeth, and deep inside her mouth. It was just fingers and lips, but the air separating them became hot at once. ¡°¡­is this seduction?¡± The scent of peaches wafted in the air. In her gaping lips, and in her red-hot cheeks. It was all peaches. There was no need to respond to his words. Asha breathed as quietly and neatly as possible. She grabbed Tamon¡¯s wrist. His gaze was so intense that her whole body trembled. His squinted eyes curled in amusement. He seemed to sense the tension in Asha¡¯s cold touch. Asha grabbed his wrist and licked the juice from his palm a little more. It was the first time she had done such a bold act, so she could not tell what spirit she was in. Maybe her pregnancy made her body weird. No, she just wanted to believe that. ¡°Asha.¡± It was Tamon who was always lustful. It was always Tamon who rushed to her like a madman. Even when she didn¡¯t want it, when she wanted it, at any other time, Tamon always looked at Asha as if he was ready to devour her, and sometimes he really did devour her. As Asha was swallowed up by him, she was reborn, and she even projected her own desires into his transparent desires. But now, for the first time, she reached out to him, and she wanted him first. ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m perplexed. Is this something like a change due to your pregnancy?¡± Tamon, when he had the power of life, used that as an excuse to embrace her any chance he got. He didn¡¯t hesitate before because he could push the power of life into Asha¡¯s weak body. But now it was different. He didn¡¯t want her to get sick, and he didn¡¯t want to expose Asha to any danger. He couldn¡¯t transfer her pain, or heal her pain, so he felt incompetent. A rock of compulsion weighed on him. It was such a big and heavy compulsion that even the greed that ran wild like a crazy beast could be crushed. Asha reached out her trembling hands and held his cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Tamon.¡± At her words, wrinkles formed on Tamon¡¯s forehead. Asha whispered once more in a voice like the haze of spring. ¡°I¡¯m okay enough to desire you like this.¡± Asha¡¯s lips gently crushed Tamon¡¯s, opening him up. It was her first attempt at intrusion. There was no resistance from Tamon. How could he resist Asha? He willingly succumbed to her enchantment like a helpless slave, opened his lips, and sucked the tip of her graceful tongue roughly like a thirsty invalid. CH 178 Two tongues intertwined at once, and a breath full of peach scent, bringing the two together. No matter who came first, they hugged each other and tangled in pleasure. Asha, who was close to him with a hot body, hugged his warm neck tightly and whispered. ¡°I am not broken by this. It¡¯s the life you gave me. I am not weak.¡± ¡°Damn it, Asha.¡± ¡°So don¡¯t hesitate and hug me, Tamon.¡± Flames lit up in Tamon¡¯s red eyes. A moan was heard. As if to appease Tamon, Asha smiled softly as she kissed his hardened chin. ¡°It¡¯s the same with our child. It¡¯s yours and mine. Never, ever, weak.¡± At those last words, Tamon collapsed. He sighed and closed his eyes tightly. Holding her in his strong arms, he buried his lips in the nape of her slender neck as her life fluttered. ¡°If you do this, I will collapse. At any moment, at any heart. I can lay down like a dog if you want. But I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll make you sick. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll hurt you with my hands.¡± It was a voice that scratched the neck harshly, but there was no strength in it. With his trembling hands as if fighting against himself, he continued to sweep Asha¡¯s neck, shoulders, waist, and back without rest. ¡°Never.¡± Asha whispered as she placed her thighs over Tamon¡¯s, and looked into his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve never been sick because of you.¡± She smiled as she looked at the swaying bright red eyes. ¡°¡­but there were many good times.¡± Eventually, a moan broke out. Tamon kissed her neck roughly like a man who had been sunk. *** In conclusion, it could be said that Asha¡¯s operation had paid off ¡®to some extent¡¯. Anyway, from that day on, she was able to assert strongly that she could go down the stairs on her two feet, and that assertion was enough to be accepted by Tamon. Going out with Anna was also easier than before. However, it was easy only in terms of being able to go out, but it was not easy to say that their outing itself was ¡°normal.¡± ¡°He cleared the street for me to go out¡­¡± At Asha¡¯s sigh, Anna covered her mouth with her hand and let out a laugh. A few days ago, she was told that a troupe had come to a theater in the town of Monstein. Asha¡¯s ears perked up at the news that Amor¡¯s most popular novel was being dramatized these days. Again, the title was ¡®The Red Passion of the Desert¡¯. Asha wanted to see this with Anna, and she declared to Tamon that she would go to the theater no matter what he said. However, Tamon, whom she thought would think it was dangerous and said anything against it, willingly let her go for some reason. Asha was perplexed for a moment, but Tamon, who had checked every corner of her body, was relieved now, and Asha was also somewhat relieved. And it wasn¡¯t until that day that she could understand why he happily let her go. When Asha thought of that day, she still felt absurd and her laughter came out. ¡°I think the way he thinks is really different. He (Tamon) rented out the whole street at once.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because he loves you so much.¡± ¡°If he loves me twice more than this, he will turn the country upside down.¡± It¡¯s already possible enough¡­. Anna swallowed her words silently and only laughed. Asrel, who was laughing with the same emotion as Anna, intervened while mixing tea. ¡°Thanks to that, the stores around the theater said that sales were good. The sellers said they wish this would happen more often.¡± At Asrel¡¯s words, Asha smiled with an embarrassed face. She recalled her conversation with Tamon. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. After the play is over, go shopping and enjoy yourself, it seems like you are getting frustrated too.¡± (Tamon) But you rented every shop on the street I wanted to walk! ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, Asha. I paid a fair price.¡± When Asha looked at Tamon with stunned eyes, Tamon shrugged his shoulders as if nothing happened, and smiled calmly. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not right to waste money on a place like this, Tamon.¡± ¡°Nothing is useless to spend for you.¡± He was ready to give it to her right away if she asked for the key to his safe. Fearing that the assumption would be true, Asha didn¡¯t say anything and just shook her head. She even had to do some shopping that day that she had never considered for merchants wasting a day¡¯s business. And she asked them to send all the purchased items to the poor or to the children without opening the packages. In a way, it wasn¡¯t a completely meaningless expense. Asha drank the tea calmly, trying to think positively. Suddenly, Asrel opened her eyes wide as if she had remembered something. ¡°Come to think of it, I went to the grocery store and heard a very interesting rumor.¡± ¡°Rumor?¡± ¡°Yes. It seems that there are rumors about Lady Asha and Master Tamon in Monstein.¡± Asha remembered the stinging gazes of those who looked at her. Eyes that couldn¡¯t hide their curiosity. Even before she became the Crown Princess, she thought that she had nothing to be conscious of because that already followed her everywhere, but there seemed to be a reason. ¡°There has been a huge wealthy couple who came down to this city, and they never showed up, so it¡¯s just a rumor. Then that day, they saw Lady Asha and Master Tamon, and they had more interesting guesses.¡± Asrel lowered her voice as if conscious of her surroundings. ¡°Well, there are rumors circulating that Master Tamon is a pirate who stole and married a Princess from a foreign country.¡± ¡°Pftttt¡­..¡± Anna spit out the tea she was drinking without realizing it. Asha, who stroked Anna¡¯s back as she coughed, also raised her eyebrows as if absurd. ¡°A pirate? Why did Tamon become a pirate?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s because of the color of his skin. Most of Tanatos people have white skin, and the sea is so far away, so it seems like they have fantasies about pirates.¡± Asha nodded her head. Although she was able to meet various races through diplomatic affairs, local people like Monstein could be unfamiliar enough to outsiders with slightly different skin or shape. ¡®Still, a pirate.¡¯ It fit so well with Tamon that she burst into laughter. If it were that man, even if he became a pirate, he must have become the pirate king. Then people must have had a headache trying to catch Tamon who was doing bad things here and there. It was a very plausible assumption. Perhaps not only for this country, but also for the sake of other countries, they did not know that it was lucky that Tamon was born with noble blood instead. ¡°But you don¡¯t see the Pirates of Amor today? What¡¯s going on?¡± Towards the end of the teatime, Anna tilted her head curiously. Originally, the man, who came to check Asha¡¯s condition and mood once an hour, had been strangely absent since yesterday. ¡°Master Tamon has been dealing with guests since yesterday. I don¡¯t know what serious talk they are talking about. He stays in the parlor all day from morning to night.¡± At Asrel¡¯s words, Asha raised her head and looked inside the mansion. It was because she remembered the face of Tamon who stroked her face when she went to bed last night. He didn¡¯t say anything, but the eyes that had subtly sunk caught her eyes. ¡°¡­who has he been seeing since yesterday?¡± **** ¡°Thank you for telling the story. Goodbye.¡± Tamon opened the door of the parlor and sent off the guests. The man with a fedora pressed down with a well-grown beard and waved his hand. ¡°No. Thank you for inviting me. There aren¡¯t many people who are interested in this kind of thing, so I went there out of curiosity, but I¡¯ve heard a lot of good stories.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too bad. Well, if I think about it, I guess I wasn¡¯t interested at all until my partner was pregnant with a child.¡± ¡°Usually, people only pay attention to their work. However, there are also a lot of people who are indifferent to people¡¯s own business or family business. In that sense, you are a very special person.¡± The old man smiled kindly and looked at Tamon. Tamon shook his head and politely sent off the old gentleman. When the old gentleman left Tamon¡¯s mansion, the sun had already set in the evening. Tamon lent a carriage to the old man. He was grateful to the old man who was far away that took more than a day and a half to come. ¡°Lutre, when he gets off, take this bag and hand it to him.¡± ¡°This¡­¡­.¡± Lutre held a heavy bag handed by Tamon. Tamon sent Lutre to see the old man off without further explanation. He went upstairs, pressing his fingers against his sore eyes. ¡°¡­ The birth of life is a joyous thing, but it is by no means easy. Many mothers have lost their lives while giving birth. It¡¯s actually very dangerous to trust the old midwife in town more than the doctors.¡± He went to wash his body with warm water right away. It was late, so he just wanted to wash his body and lay down comfortably next to Asha. ¡°It¡¯s so common that something goes wrong while having a baby that isn¡¯t even special news.¡± A bathroom full of misty water. Tamon soaked himself in the hot water. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s often dismissed as something insignificant. However¡­¡­ How could it be so trivial to risk your life to give birth to life? Just as God, whose body was torn into fifteen pieces, created a human being, the birth of a small life in the pain of being torn apart is perhaps not a great power given by God?¡± The old man¡¯s voice was constantly ringing in Tamon¡¯s head. *** CH 179 The old man said that his wife died after giving birth to the youngest child. The old man was a doctor, but he thought that childbirth wasn¡¯t his domain and was not involved. So he called the midwife who had received his earlier children and asked her to help with the youngest. However, the midwife, who had grown old in the meantime, made a mistake during the birthing process, and his wife died after giving birth. At first, he thought his wife had a postpartum wind. His worrisome wife died less than a month after giving birth to his youngest child. It was only later that he found out that she had an infection during her childbirth, but it was already too late. ¡°I later found out about this and asked the midwife, but she said it was common and treated me like an idiot who knew nothing.¡± The old man lost his beloved wife. Later, even his beloved first daughter became seriously ill after giving birth to her child because she failed to get treatment. From then on, the old man recognized that ¡®childbirth¡¯ was more dangerous than any other disease or injury and must be more careful. In fact, it was a little late, and it should have been since his wife died, but he said it was too late, the old man blamed himself. The old man¡¯s name was Eins Heinstus. He was the only doctor in the country specializing in childbirth, and with the support of the Prime Minister in Northwest Leshanta, he devoted his energy to nurturing doctors like himself. When Tamon heard that he was nearby, he invited him, and he ran all the way here without complaining, and told many stories that Tamon was curious about. ¡°Ha.¡± Tamon took a deep dip in the hot water and hit his forehead with his fist. Just watching Asha suffer from morning sickness was so hard already, and now he found out about how dangerous it was for pregnancy and childbirth. But the more he knew, the more he felt restless and worried. ¡®I¡¯ve been too lazy¡­¡¯ He seemed to be overjoyed at the news that they had a child. Not only was there a great risk during pregnancy, but the woman¡¯s body had to endure a lot of pain even after giving birth. The more he knew, the more he felt that it was not something he should just be happy about. Of course, having a child was such a joy, but to be honest, that little life wasn¡¯t more important than Asha¡¯s. Even after the child was born, the most important person for him would be Asha. It was not so pleasant that such a precious Asha, whom he had saved with all his might, had to give birth to a child in pain and danger. ¡°I¡¯m pathetic¡­.I should have been more careful¡­¡± No, I should have been more careful earlier. Tamon let out a deep sigh, feeling a deep drowsiness. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Tamon.¡± Asha¡¯s voice came to mind as if to soothe his dying feeling as he felt a heavy weight hung over his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine enough to desire you like this.¡± Asha seduced him. With her slender hands she wrapped him around him and took his breath away. Tamon was sucked into the temptation that raged until he couldn¡¯t even breathe. She swallowed him with her peachy lips and made him enchanted. It wasn¡¯t enough to overwhelm Tamon with her small and fragile body, but she encouraged him. ¡°I will not break by this. It¡¯s the life you saved. I am not weak.¡± Not weak. Don¡¯t look at me like I¡¯m weak, Come on, hug me and feel how strong I am. ¡°So don¡¯t hesitate and hug me, Tamon.¡± So she seduced Tamon, who devoured her like an insane man. He told himself to be careful about everything, but everything he tasted after a long time shook his control. However, Asha was really fine. Fortunately. As Asha said, she was neither broken nor in pain. It was hard at first because it was their first physical relationship after a long time, but she was okay with it nonetheless. Her red lips that were wide open like a ripe pomegranate, the sweet tip of the tongue sticking to his, the sweet breath panting along him, and the red cheeks and neck.. It was all too seductive and sensual to the point of being too much to endure. Tamon swallowed and tasted her vividly alive with her whole body, her skin, her hands, and her mouth. As if determined to reassure him, Asha led him with her slender arms and her clumsy touch. ¡­Ah! She led him! ¡®Ah, desired Asha.¡¯ Tamon let out a hot sigh and immersed himself in the bathtub. Asha was permeated not only in his head but also throughout his body. Tamon, who was comforting himself with a hot sigh, tilted his head back in disappointment. He couldn¡¯t even prepare Asha¡¯s dinner properly because he was dealing with guests all day. What did Asha enjoy doing today? He was with her every day but always missed her. ¡®Asha. My Asha.¡¯ As soon as he imagined her bright purple eyes dyed red, his body quickly heated up. Tamon felt his muscles tense up and opened his eyes narrowly as if annoyed. Now was not the time to act like a promiscuous beast, but his body did not listen to him. Tamon, who had been in the water for a while, sighed, slowly got up from the bath. Even the time to worry about this and that was just a waste of time because it was the time away from Asha. A stream of water reflecting the dim light flowed down along Tamon¡¯s prominent muscles. Tamon, who had lowered his gaze and looked at his taut manhood, muttered angrily. ¡°¡­Really, I have no shame.¡± Tamon, who was clicking his tongue, was barely able to get out of the bathroom until he splashed cold water on him five or six more times. After all, it was a really cumbersome body. **** When Asha had morning sickness, an hour was difficult, but as her condition improved, a month passed in an instant. After a short one-month break, it was time for Anna to go back home. Asha couldn¡¯t hide her disappointment, and she looked at Anna after finishing her tea. ¡°Be careful. Don¡¯t overdo it.¡± At Asha¡¯s worried words, Anna laughed out loud involuntarily. ¡°Now who is talking to whom? My friend, I hope you have a pain-free and comfortable trip. It¡¯s a pity that I can¡¯t go with you.¡± Anna opened her warm arms and hugged Asha tightly. Anna was obviously smaller than Asha in her stature, but she strangely felt bigger and warmer in her arms every time. Asha also hugged Anna tightly, and she kissed her briefly on the forehead. ¡°When the baby is born, you come again.¡± Anna¡¯s eyes widened at Asha¡¯s words, but she smiled broadly and nodded her head vigorously. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll take the prettiest shoes and the prettiest hats. Those with huge bells.¡± Tanatos people used to give shoes and hats to the baby as the first gift. In the hope that the baby will always go to a good place, they chose pretty shoes and presented the baby with a white hat, hoping that God¡¯s grace would reach the baby. There was a superstition that the rounder and prettier the ball of fur on the hat would be, the more conspicuous the baby would be in the eyes of God. Asha smiled and nodded her head. She thought Anna would definitely give her baby a gift with a bell bigger than the baby¡¯s head. ¡°See you soon.¡± ¡°Yeah. See you again in good health.¡± The two smiled together and greeted each other with a bright voice. Two of Tamon¡¯s loyal knights agreed to see Anna safely to the capital. ¡°Lersha, Lersha!¡± Anna got into her carriage, holding her pot of herbs, which she had grown like her child in Monstein, in her arms. Asha also smiled and waved her hand to her eternal friend. ¡­.Lersha Lersha. Asha hoped that her sincerity, which she didn¡¯t say aloud, but repeated over and over in her heart, reached Anna dearly¡­ ¡®You must be happy, Anna.¡¯ No matter where you are, with whom you are, and how far away you are. You will be happy. **** Bang! With a roar hitting the wooden floor, the slender man with his long legs tumbled backwards. However, because it was an attack that had been prepared in advance, he immediately got up as if he had not taken any damage and rushed towards the opponent immediately. The snake-like flexible and fast grip technique was Ronasso Bashel¡¯s specialty. Even when fighting Tamon, he was always confident enough to catch it, but he quickly grabbed the opponent¡¯s collar and threw it towards the wall as if revenge. ¡°Ha!¡± He didn¡¯t have a very big body like Tamon¡¯s, but his power to throw was overwhelming, as if proving that the title of the first knight commander was not for nothing. The opponent slammed her shoulder against the wall, contorting her face. Had it been a battle with Tamon, Ronasso would have found a loophole here and attacked more. But how could he do that to the king? Ronasso took a deep breath and paused the attack for a moment. ¡°¡­Why don¡¯t we stop here, Your Grace?¡± At his words, Theoransha struggled to raise her head and stared at Ronasso. ¡°You¡¯re arrogant.¡± Sweat-soaked reddish-brown hair clung to her cheeks. Annoying heat filled her distorted face. Her freckles, which rose slightly when her fever rose, showed how excited she was. Theo shook her clumped shoulders and mumbled as she quickly rushed to Ronasso. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you would do it until one person fainted ?¡± Ronasso was having a hard time. ¡°¡­But, Your Majesty, I can¡¯t knock out the king, can I?¡± CH 180 Ronasso appealed earnestly with his eyes to the rushing Theo, but she did not hear his plea. Although Theo was said to be a pretty good fighter, she wasn¡¯t strong enough to defeat the 1st Knights Commander, Ronasso. In fact, they were at the same level in the past, but not now. Unlike Ronasso, who trained all day, or watched the training, Theo couldn¡¯t do so because of the king¡¯s work. Nevertheless, he had to admit that Theo¡¯s skills were much better than most of the knights. Her swordsmanship and spearmanship were just that, but she would make a good knight if she was a king. Therefore, Ronasso was very burdened with Theo, who rushed to his death. He was afraid to hurt her if he used 100 percent of his skills. Ronasso exclaimed as if frustrated. ¡°It is not right to avenge me for being harassed by the high priests, Your Majesty.¡± Ronasso did his best to dodge the attack and appealed once more. Theo¡¯s face contorted even more harshly at the mention of the priests. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s frustrating!¡± ¡°Yes, it is. It can be annoying enough.¡± Theo, who was holding her breath at Ronasso¡¯s soothing words, gritting her teeth. ¡°They go round and round, uh, they say I should get married, uh!¡± Today it was a high priest, but a few days ago, it was the courtiers, and before that, the ministers of each ministry were in an uproar. It had been more than three years since Theo ascended to the throne, but there was still no official record, and she did not even show the will to marry. A king without a companion, let alone an heir. Any subject who ate the country¡¯s stipend was sensitive to the king¡¯s marriage. They were clamoring for a marriage as soon as Theo returned as they were stimulated by Tanatos¡¯s sudden collapse, and they had been since last year. ¡°Is there a law that says that the heir must be my son? There are already more than ten members of the royal family, can¡¯t they choose one of them?¡± Theoransha spat out some pretty shocking remarks without hesitation. It was Ronasso who was surprised. ¡°I¡¯m listening, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Huh! Tell them to listen. After all, I said it before.¡± ¡°Aigoo, Your Majesty.¡± Amor was a country where the king had many things to do. It was a country in which the king had to direct battles and wars from time to time, as well as general rule, if necessary. Because it was a country where the idea that the authority and power of the king was accompanied by obligations throughout the country, she could not see the affairs of the country with tyranny and negligence. As a result, the king¡¯s ability naturally became important. Theoransha had many brothers and sisters, but it was for this reason that Theo sat on the throne. Of course, Theo¡¯s ability was greatly influenced by the two talents she possessed, but¡­ ¡°Damn it!¡± Sweat dripped down Theo¡¯s neck and waist. At first glance, it looked like they were competing on equal footing, but Ronasso was skillfully avoiding all of her attacks. In her wrath, she purposely hit and vented her anger, but she was never pushed aside. She was upset about it, but she was also proud of it. No matter what, the commander of the 1st Knights of Amor must not be weaker than the king who only had meetings every day. Still, the desire to win was unavoidable, and Theo couldn¡¯t stop her movement. There was a reason why the frustration that had built up in her was not completely resolved. Ronasso, who was flexible in dealing with her attack, added hesitantly. ¡°But, Your Majesty, isn¡¯t national marriage also the king¡¯s duty?¡± Immediately, a sharp kick flew in. His arm, which blocked Theo¡¯s attack, was quite tingling. Theoransha¡¯s dark gray eyes gleamed bloody beneath her disheveled maroon hair. ¡°Don¡¯t try to tell what I already know. Don¡¯t you see that I¡¯m angry after hearing the same thing over and over again, Ronasso?¡± Even if it was a friendly match, it was a one sided fight in the end. At first, the two people, who were dealing with each other mainly in the court martial arts, were increasingly fighting each other, and their attire was becoming more and more messy. The training clothes were worn loosely and with a belt around the waist. ¡°Why do you keep procrastinating if you already know? It¡¯s unlike you, Your Majesty.¡± Ronasso, who had been roughly hit by Theo¡¯s attack on his shoulder, stalled time and tidied up his clothes, further nagging her as if frustrated. ¡°And it¡¯s not something you can¡¯t avoid just because you don¡¯t like it, is it? If you¡¯re going to do it anyway, isn¡¯t it better for Your Majesty to get it done quickly?¡± ¡°Noisy. What do you want me to do when there is no suitable opponent?¡± ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t have a suitable opponent? I heard that there are more than 20 candidates who the nobles are scrambling for right now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all bad.¡± Theo hit Ronasso¡¯s head a few more times as if she was annoyed, but he didn¡¯t care. He tightened the king¡¯s clothes and continued to nag. ¡°Really? There¡¯s no good ones? I thought they were thoroughly selected¡­¡­ .¡± ¡°Noisy. No, but what are you doing? Even if my shirt opens, my chest doesn¡¯t come out all the way, it¡¯s so annoying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m annoyed. As a servant, I can¡¯t keep looking at your flash, can I?¡± ¡®¡­What¡¯s bothering you?¡¯ Theo¡¯s eyebrows twitched at Ronasso¡¯s words. ¡®Oh, this bastard¡¯s snout.¡¯ Ronasso sighed and shut his mouth tightly and pretended not to know, but it had already angered Theo. ¡°If you¡¯re worried about seeing my bare skin, you¡¯re in big trouble if you touch it. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°No, I am not saying that¡­¡­ ¡° Cold sweat, which did not come out even during the fight, trickled down Ronasso¡¯s back. Theo took off her training suit in front of Ronasso as if she was alone. Then, the thin undergarments that barely covered her chest and all her bare skin were exposed. ¡®oh sh*t.¡¯ As Ronasso stepped back, startled, Theo placed a hand on his waist with a stern expression on her face. She was firm for a royal woman, and her scarred body shone with sweat. ¡°If the enemy¡¯s spy was a woman, would you care like that, Commander of the 1st Knights Barnes?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t compare the enemy and the king together¡­¡± ¡°You have to be prepared for every situation. How do you know who the enemy is going to run into you?¡± But this is different¡­. Ronasso kept retreating, but Theo jumped at him at once. ¡°Arhhh!¡± Unable to touch her anywhere, Ronasso fled frantically. ¡°Why are you avoiding it, Ronasso? If it¡¯s not something you can avoid, confront it.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t the same!¡± Seeing Ronasso running away, Theo smiled as if she was amused. ¡°What¡¯s different?¡± Theo, who smiled coolly as one of her breasts was exposed, suddenly changed her expression and rushed towards Ronasso. ¡°Ah, my gosh! Your Majesty!¡± While being vigilant, Theo¡¯s body attacked Ronasso, and Ronasso had to hold her shoulders tightly so as not to be pushed by Theo¡¯s momentum. Her sweat-soaked skin felt bare under his hot palms. Startled, Ronasso struggled to get away with his face stained red, but the more he did, the more their bodies tangled up. ¡°Calm down, Your Majesty! Don¡¯t take it out on me like this!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not anger, it¡¯s a match!¡± ¡°This is not a match if you look like this!! Ah, evil! No, no!¡± ¡°Noisy! Who dares to speak against the king?¡± ¡°No, no, that was my mistake¡­ . Ahh!¡± In fact, Theo knew that Ronasso was right. It would be beneficial for her to get it done as soon as possible if it was a national marriage that had to be held anyway. But Theo didn¡¯t like it no matter how much she thought about it. Marriage was a matter of entanglement of powers, and what would happen as a result had to be prepared with considerable preparation. She was more tired of knowing that she had to check things like the struggle for power as a king in front of people, and the work behind the scenes. But this was not the decisive reason. ¡®Sh*t.¡¯ Theo was reluctant to mix flesh with her strategically connected opponent. In particular, for the Amorites who were passionate about love, arranged marriage was not a very welcome form of marriage. In a way, Theoransha was also a typical Amorite, so she didn¡¯t like arranged marriage even more. Moreover, she was a woman even though she was a king, so she had to deal with pregnancy in the future. During her reign, her partner¡¯s position was left with a vacancy that forced her to be more cautious. The partner had to be reliable enough to entrust the affairs of the country on her behalf, not just mixing flesh, but the partner had to be weak and strong enough to support her and yield when necessary. These conditions she was considering were more difficult than she thought, so it was not difficult to choose a suitable opponent. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Taking advantage of the moment when Theo was lost in her thoughts, Ronasso quickly turned her body under his. In the blink of an eye, she was under him and he was staring down at her while his arms wrapped around her. ¡°Now, will you stop, Your Majesty? Lunchtime has already passed.¡± Ronasso, who had Theo¡¯s arms tightly bound as she struggled, gave Theo a grin. At that moment, Theo¡¯s eyes widened. CH 181 ¡®Ronasso Bashel!¡¯ It felt like fireworks had gone off in Theoransha¡¯s head. She stared intently at Ronasso¡¯s hands, which were holding her two arms, with very curious eyes. Ronasso was the only person in this kingdom who captured her like this, yet did not offend her. Although Tamon was the same, she would feel strange if this happened with Tamon. However, it was different with Ronasso, who had a similar time to Tamon and had gone through similar adversity and hardships. Theo was tolerant of Ronasso, but of course Ronasso may not feel that way. Last time, she asked him to dig up Tamon¡¯s secret. Prior to being a close friend, she asked him to find out the behind the dubious diplomat, but Ronasso brought only the absurd secrets of Tamon¡¯s peach allergy and something about his toes. If she was a tyrant, she would have Ronasso exiled and he would have nothing to say about it. But Ronasso was now without any damage. However, wasn¡¯t it a blasphemy to bind the king like this? All in all, it was a very strange thing. Even if she wasn¡¯t a tyrant or a holy king, Theo didn¡¯t show this openness to anyone. She was arrogant and had a strong will. But, why the hell was she being so generous with Ronasso? ¡®Is it a matter of trust?¡¯ As if he had sensed something in Theo¡¯s staring eyes, Ronasso said in amazement. ¡°Why? Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Theoransha laughed softly and called out Ronasso¡¯s name. ¡°Ronaso Bashel.¡± ¡°¡­¡­why are you being so scary?¡± Ronasso slowly released her arms and tried to step back from her. At that very moment, Theo quickly grabbed him by the neck and turned around. ¡°Ugh!¡± With a thump, Ronasso¡¯s broad back pounded on the floor. Theo, who had crushed him without mercy, bound him with her whole body to prevent Ronasso from moving. The two bodies grew closer. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Ronasso did not look directly at Theo¡¯s face and quickly turned his head away. Without clenching or pushing the king¡¯s wet skin, he clenched and opened his fists wet in cold sweat and exhaled heavily. ¡°I just had a thought that you would be a good opponent too. What do we do?¡± ¡­.No, is this person really crazy? Surprised Ronasso looked straight at Theo without realizing it, and then quickly turned his head. Seeing him blushing in embarrassment, Theo felt a refreshing sensation in her stomach. It was always fun to make fun of Ronasso. Ronasso, who dared to deceive the king, deserved punishment. Theo¡¯s eyes gleamed in the sunlight. She grabbed his collar and pulled him up close to her face. ¡°You¡¯re strong enough to protect me even in bed if the need arises. Your only friend is the general diplomat and your personal life is so clean¡­¡± ¡°Ji, ji, ji, now m, m, what¨C¡° ¡°How about it, Ronasso?¡± ¡°What, what, what¡­ ¡­ ..¡± ¡°Are you gay?¡± Ahhhhh! As soon as Theo finished speaking, Ronasso let out a silent scream and struggled with his whole body. He floundered in the air without active resistance, lest he even dare touch her. Theo pressed down on the struggling ronasso with a happy face. The more they did, the closer their bodies became, and cold sweat dripped down Ronasso¡¯s red face. ¡°Ha, you can¡¯t do this, Your Majesty.¡± His trembling voice was even cute. Theo leaned leisurely on Ronasso¡¯s thick upper body and smiled wryly. ¡®I¡¯m teasing you.¡¯ Theo could feel Ronasso¡¯s heart pounding under her almost bare chest. ¡°I was wrong, Your Majesty. Please come down quickly. Please.¡± It was a very weak voice, not like a top-notch knight who commanded the battlefield with Tamon. Ronasso¡¯s face, almost pleading, was very attractive. ¡°Are you going to disobey the king¡¯s orders?¡± ¡°Was that a command, an order?¡± ¡°It could be an order or it could be a suggestion. Well, it¡¯s up to you.¡± ¡°No, what a coercion!¡± ¡°It hurts my ears. Don¡¯t shout. Do you hate it that much?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I hate it, it¡¯s that you¡¯re making fun of me with nonsense!¡± ¡°Why not? Anyway, we just have to get married, right? The candidates offered by the nobles did not satisfy my heart, you¡¯re the only person who does. So, doesn¡¯t this make sense?¡± ¡°The Bashel family has fallen!¡± ¡°Yes, it fell, but the stigma of treason was gone and it was reinstated.¡± ¡°But¡­!¡± ¡°What is it? Even now, you hold an important position as the king¡¯s escort. Unless¡­ Do you have another woman you wish to marry?¡± Ronasso shook his head immediately, saying no. But he soon regretted his decision. It would have been better to lie that he had someone in his heart, but it was too late. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you like it? If it was someone else, they already said thank you¡­¡­ What, you don¡¯t like me?¡± ¡°Ha, how do you say that?¡± At Ronasso¡¯s answer, Theo¡¯s stubborn eyes glinted sharply. ¡®So you have me in your heart?¡¯ At this point, Ronasso felt like Theo was about to get up. However, she stared intently at him in a relaxed position with her arms around his chest and her chin resting on top of it. He was a bit small compared to Tamon, but Ronasso was still much bigger than most males, still, Theo could easily climb on him. Ronasso, who was restless and uncomfortable, grabbed Theoransha¡¯s shoulders as if he had made up his mind, but at that moment¡­. ¡°But then, why did you steal someone¡¯s lips?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°Sneaking is stealing.¡± Ronasso¡¯s eyes grew so large that they couldn¡¯t get any bigger. Theo smiled and tapped her fingertip on his cheek that had hardened as if he couldn¡¯t even breathe. ¡°That too dares to steal the princess¡¯ lips.¡± (*Theo was a Princess back then.) ¡°Uh, uh, uh, how¡­¡­¡± Ronasso, who was now red and white, opened his trembling lips, but the sentence was not complete. Not because his tongue was as hard as stone, but it was because the door of the training hall opened with haste and the king¡¯s attendant rushed in. ¡°Huh! Your Majesty!¡± The attendant, who had rushed in, was startled by Theo and Ronasso¡¯s posture and stopped without realizing it. Unlike Ronasso, who had been completely turned to stone, Theoransha, with a relaxed attitude, leaned her arms on Ronasso¡¯s chest, and asked the attendant. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± ¡°Ah, that, that¡­¡± ¡°Tell me, Lucy.¡± At Theo¡¯s slow urging, Lucy quickly came to her senses and opened her mouth as if she had never seen anything. ¡°Last night, there came a message from general diplomat Tamon Krasis that he had crossed the border, Your Majesty.¡± At the news, Theo and Ronasso both jumped up from their tangled positions at the same time. ** After running for a full twenty days, they finally arrived at Amor. Asha opened the window of her carriage slightly and breathed in the different air. The smell of warm earth embracing the warmth of sunlight passed through her nose and filled her lungs. The corners of Asha¡¯s lips rose slightly at the moisture of the sea in the air. ¡®I¡¯m really back.¡¯ Her heart raced at the thought that she had returned to Amor anew. ¡®At that time, I couldn¡¯t say that I would come back¡­¡¯ She didn¡¯t respond to the twins¡¯ question if she would come back, nor to Satin¡¯s promise that he would wait. All she could say was that she would follow the divine grace. Suddenly, Asha remembered their voices tickling her ears. When she closed her eyes, their voices danced vividly in her ears, but it wasn¡¯t realistic. It was like a vague dream, maybe even a very plausible fantasy. But she knew better than anyone that it was neither a dream nor a fantasy. A terrible July, stained with holy relics and supernatural powers, monsters and blood. After all that intense July had passed, November was just around the corner. Asha stroked her plump, raised belly that only she knew. Just over 5 months now. She had never felt it properly yet, but she was just amazed and proud of the small life that was growing hard in this flat belly. ¡®Are you growing well, child?¡¯ Asha habitually rubbed her tummy and inwardly asked how the baby was doing. She was always worried that her flat stomach would be uncomfortable for the baby. The baby was proudly growing well without causing any inconvenience to the mother except for the early morning sickness. ¡°¡­¡­ha.¡± ¡­Of course, this baby¡¯s father was a little different. Asha, who moved away from the window and leaned her head against the wall of the carriage, asked Tamon anxiously. ¡°Still very bad?¡± At Asha¡¯s question, Tamon swallowed dry saliva and quietly opened his eyes. He, who had become very thin in about 20 days, had a sharp complexion. His red sunken eyes looked at Asha and smiled. His eyes were redder than usual because of the rupture of the blood vessels. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can bear it.¡± ¡­.lie. Asha stroked Tamon¡¯s forehead as he was sweating in a cold sweat. Tamon¡¯s pale hand grabbed Asha¡¯s hand and kissed it. ¡°Really.¡± He smiled at Asha with his eyes wide open. The smile on his face trying to reassure her again was just pitiful. Asha left the carriage¡¯s window open wider for Tamon. She knew well that even the wind outside would make him feel better. ¡®¡­.It¡¯s surprising. Can a man have morning sickness?¡¯ CH 182 *** Tamon¡¯s symptoms began exactly as soon as he left Monstein. To be more specific, it was right after Asha¡¯s morning sickness started again on the journey when she started thinking it would be okay. Still, Asha resolutely endured the symptoms that were much more tolerable than the early days. However, Tamon was not relieved as he watched Asha. Even at dawn, he barely slept to check on her condition, and throughout the ride in the carriage, she rubbed and watered her and poured out his utmost sincerity. Did three or four days pass like that? ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Out of nowhere, Tamon started to feel nauseous. It was a surprise to both Tamon and Asha. Tamon was so strong that had never caught a common cold, let alone motion sickness, since he was born. No matter how much he ate, his stomach was never upset. But suddenly he couldn¡¯t stand the nausea! At first, he thought it might be because of the stress of not being able to sleep for almost a week and watching Asha as she was sick. But to say the least, Tamon¡¯s symptoms were bizarrely similar to Asha¡¯s morning sickness. He barely ate and felt dizzy at the slightest smell, and felt so hot that he had to swallow water constantly. But even more surprising than this, Asha¡¯s condition began to improve when Tamon began to feel morning sickness. She was so startled that she didn¡¯t know what to do, but Tamon just laughed. ¡°It is only now that this body becomes useful.¡± As the days went by, Tamon was quite pleased. ¡°It¡¯s a hundred times better for me to be sick than it is for Asha to be sick. I feel better like this than watching you suffer.¡± It was a secret she would keep to herself forever, that Tamon, who smiled contentedly with a pale complexion, looked pitiful, yet slightly insane. Anyway, with morning sickness as a substitute, Tamon suffered alone for about ten days. Asha, who was feeling better and felt sorry, looked at the scenery outside the carriage window, looking brighter as she was able to eat normally again. Although Tamon was tormented by the smell of food, he took care of Asha¡¯s every meal. He had to make sure she was eating well, and see her smile. ¡°I¡¯m happy though. Are you getting better day by day? In this state, as soon as I get to the mansion, I think I will be able to fly.¡± In the meantime, Asha involuntarily shook her head at his very satisfied smile. Tamon smiled in his pale state and kissed her hand deeply. ¡­.a foolish man. Asha stroked Tammon¡¯s pale cheek a few more times, closing her eyes as if exhausted, then turned her gaze out of the window. Fortunately, she began to see the spire of Amor¡¯s palace. *** ¡°Everyone out, come on! Hurry!¡± The Krasis mansion shook with excitement. Satin wiped the sweat from his forehead, speeding up his steps. Dozens of attendants followed him and moved in unison. ¡°Finally, the master is back!¡± The sun was high and the sky was absolutely clear, and the sea breeze was blowing refreshingly. It was a day that was not lacking in welcoming the return of the master who had accomplished a great achievement. ¡®Ugh, why is my heart trembling like this?¡¯ It was only about half a year. When his master served as a general, he wandered for years on a much more dangerous battlefield. Still, strangely, this return was particularly heartfelt. It felt like welcoming a person who has gone on a really long and distant trip. ¡®Oh, god, what¡¯s wrong with me?¡¯ Satin corrected his expression, pinching the tip of his bitter nose. He saw knights and carriages coming in through the wide open iron door in the distance. His heart was pounding. ¡°¡­will she come with him?¡¯ Satin recalled the figure of his master looking at Asha. He didn¡¯t say anything, he just stared at her, but the warm energy that stood in his eyes overflowed. It was a feeling that could not be described only with instinctive words such as lust or desire. Although he did not have the talent to look into the depths of his master¡¯s heart, he knew that the emotions in those eyes were sincere. ¡®Please, she has to come with him.¡¯ Satin clenched his fists and stared intently at the approaching carriage. Behind Satin, stood three people with their eyes wide open and nervous. ¡°¡­will she come with master?¡± ¡°Of course! I trust our Asha.¡± The twins whispered among themselves as they stood on either side of Cassion. Cassion looked at the twins exchanging determined glances with complicated eyes. ¡°No, I believe in you, so why are you dragging me down?¡± Cassion growled low with a face that he wanted to run away from this place immediately. The twins, who were shaking their heads, lowered their voices and whispered. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Even if you¡¯re nervous, calm down and wait. You wanted to welcome them anyway, because you¡¯ve been waiting since dawn.¡± ¡°My, when am I!¡± The tips of Casion¡¯s ears, who were screaming, turned red. He frowned harshly as if he would never admit it, but only the twins¡¯ laughter rang out. ¡°Young Master is too shy. What are you hiding like that? If you couldn¡¯t see them off properly last time, and if you have conscience, shouldn¡¯t you welcome them back better this time?¡± ¡°Huh? Why does the word conscience come up here?¡± ¡°If you have a conscience, you should ask ¡®did everything go well? I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe, I love you!¡¯ Give Asha a present as well!¡± ¡°No, wait, Tasha! I can¡¯t tell Asha that I love her.¡± ¡°Hey, if you¡¯re smart, you¡¯re only going to tell your brother that you love him. Do you have no conscience at all?¡± ¡°¡­don¡¯t you know you¡¯re treating me too harshly?¡± Cassion glared at the twins like they were crazy, but he knew they cared. In fact, while Tamon was away, Cassion stopped by the mansion from time to time to handle the family affairs on Tamon¡¯s behalf. And whenever he came, it was the twins who helped him without fail. Thanks to this, the three became closer. In particular, Cassion, who was shy at being kind, only complained about the behavior of the twins, but he didn¡¯t mean it. ¡°They have arrived.¡± The lobby, which had been noisy, fell into silence in an instant at Satin¡¯s announcement. A huge crowd of chariots and knights stopped at the place where there was a lot of tension. ¡°Welcome, Commander Lutre, long time no see.¡± Satin was the first to approach and talk to the commander Lutre of Tulip Knights, who was at the forefront. Tamon, who should have appeared by now, was nowhere to be seen. When Satin looked at Lutre with bewildered eyes, Lutre blinked at the carriage standing in the center and said: ¡°He came by carriage. We will unload the luggage, so please go see master Tamon.¡± ¡°¡­.The master is the carriage?¡± Satine rushed to the four-wheeled carriage that stopped in the middle of the line with a puzzled expression on his face. As soon as he arrived in front of the carriage, the door that had been tightly closed, opened. ¡°Master!¡± In a voice filled with joy and surprise, Satin called out to him. The moment when Tamon, with his stiff head and shoulders, turned toward Satin. Satin was startled with a bewildered look on her face without realizing it. ¡°Oh no! Uh, why is your face so bad? Where have you been injured ¡­ !¡± It was an appearance that Satin had never seen before. The sunken eyes that clearly show that he did not properly take care of his meal, the rough skin and the slender jaw line that was particularly sharp. ¡°Ah, your complexion, why is your complexion so¡­¡­!¡± Astonished Satin stammered and looked at Tamon¡¯s face sadly. But Tamon waved his hand as if annoyed, and said, ¡°There are no injuries, so there is nothing to be surprised about. It¡¯s just that I got a little bit of carriage motion sickness.¡± ¡­ Motion Sickness? Him? What! Tamon said it lightly as if it was no big deal, but for Satin, it was something to be surprised about. Tamon Krasis, the god of war who knew no death, was so sick that he looked damaged. Satin was one of those who had been with Tamon from the very beginning. How strong and indestructible he was! In the nearly 25 years of watching him, Satin had never really seen Tamon like this. ¡®It¡¯s not motion sickness. It¡¯s not. He must have some kind of disease and be unable to speak publicly.¡¯ Satin couldn¡¯t believe it, so he denied the word ¡® motion sickness¡¯ that came out of Tamon¡¯s mouth. ¡®There must be some reason, so I¡¯ll ask again later. I¡¯ll have to call the doctor first, and check again after dinner tonight.¡¯ Looking at Tamon¡¯s rough complexion, Satin secretly clenched his fists. Tamon glanced at Satin, then sighed and shook his head. He could see what the old man was thinking. But now, he didn¡¯t even have the energy to correct the misunderstanding. Tamon took a deep breath. The familiar temperature and humidity, and the damp smell of the sea, quickly calmed him down. While Tamon was holding his breath, Cassion, who was hesitating, was pushed forward by the twins¡¯ hands and walked towards Tamon. Tamon slowly turned around and looked at Cassion who was approaching. Was it because of Tamon¡¯s sharper impression? Cassion shuddered involuntarily, then clenched his fists and steeled his voice. ¡°Ha¡­how is everything, brother?¡± How difficult was it to greet him? Cassion bit his lip and lowered his eyes. If it had been in the past, he would have been very proud of his impudence as a weapon. He used to ignore the meaning of his brother¡¯s cold eyes, he fought him every time. But now it was different. Cassion acknowledged his differences from his older brother. He also had to admit that he had never made any sacrifices or acknowledgment that Tamon did a lot for him. After accepting that fact, he felt Tamon was bigger and scarier. On the one hand, he was proud and proud that this terrifying, hard, and huge being was his older brother. Cassion wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with his brother. He seemed to have the courage, though he knew he was far short of it. All thanks to ¡®she¡¯. ¡°Yes.¡± Tamon, who was quietly looking at Cassion, reached out and placed his hand on his shoulder. ¡°All is well.¡± CH 183 There was no strength in the hand on his shoulder, nor was his voice threatening. Nevertheless, Cassion¡¯s face turned bright red. One side of his heart was emotional for some reason at the touch of his brother who naturally held his shoulder, ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Welcome back, Master! But what about Aranrosia?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! What about Aranrosia? She did come back with you, right?¡± Tamon raised his eyebrows as if exasperated at the sight of the twins urging him to tell them about Asha as if it was more urgent than their master¡¯s well-being. Seeing Tamon¡¯s eyes, the twins rolled their eyes and smiled as if they were sorry. At that moment, the carriage door opened again, and her voice, which Tasha and Louie had been so desperately looking for, could be heard. ¡°Tasha, Louie.¡± An infinitely sweet voice, like the gentle spring breeze that they had been waiting all winter long, touched the twins¡¯ ears. ¡°¡­¡­Ah, Asha!¡± ¡°You came back safely!¡± Like a feline that was lowering itself for hunting, Tasha and Louie flew towards Asha. Cassion and Satin also mistakenly thought that they had seen the tears flowing from the twins¡¯ eyes. However, their mouths were smiling brightly. ¡°Stop.¡± The king of the jungle stopped the hunting of young beasts. Tamon, who lightly blocked the twins, raised his hand with a solemn expression. The twins¡¯ feet were twisted in the unprepared barrier. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Hey!¡± The twins, whose feet stopped abruptly, lost their balance, and fell on their buttocks. Asha, who was watching the scene, was startled, and she pushed Tamon¡¯s arm, which was blocking her, and came forward. ¡°Tamon.¡± Asha, who called his name reproachfully, hurriedly reached out to the twins. Looking at Asha¡¯s bitter eyes, Tamon was startled and coughed. He didn¡¯t expect the twins to fall in surprise either. Shaking her head, Asha softly spoke to the twins. ¡°Tasha, Louie. Is everyone okay?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, yes! We¡¯re all right, Asha!¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! We¡¯re good!¡± Tasha jumped up first, and as Louis fell back a bit, Cassion, who was standing behind her, grabbed her forearm and lifted her up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Were we too excited? Hehe.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so glad that Asha is back¡­¡± The twins looked into Tamon¡¯s eyes and smiled. Asha was happy to see the twins as well. She opened her arms and hugged the twins. The reluctant twins hugged Asha tightly and buried their faces in her shoulders. Asha¡¯s shoulders were wet with tears that quickly filled up. ¡°Ah, ah, I thought you weren¡¯t coming!¡± ¡°No, I believed you would come back! Haaa! I missed you, Asha.¡± As if seeing a separated family again, Tamon burst out laughing as if it was too much. At the sound, Tasha and Louie sniffled their noses as if embarrassed and wiped away tears, but Asha glared at Tamon again as if telling him not to do that. ¡°Do not do that. You¡¯re still not feeling well.¡± ¡°Since when did stinging become a specialty of Tamon Krasis?¡± ¡°Maybe, since I met you?¡± ¡°Anyway¡­¡± ¡°So, take it easy.¡± Tamon softly kissed Asha¡¯s temple, not complaining. He sighed softly and rubbed his lips against Asha¡¯s earlobe and cheek, it was as if he was not conscious of his surroundings at all. Those who watched the two noticed that the atmosphere had subtly changed from before they left. Tamon wrapped his arms around Asha as if claiming his ownership, and Asha comfortably accepted Tamon¡¯s transparent greed. ¡®Now, really¡­ Have they become perfect lovers?¡¯ Unknowingly, Satin was filled with emotion and grabbed the handkerchief he was holding tightly. It was the very thing Asha had given him before she left. Satin took out his handkerchief early in the morning when he heard the news of Tamon¡¯s return. He wanted his master to come back with the person who had given him this handkerchief. And seeing the two of them come back together in such a loving manner, tears welled up in Satin¡¯s eyes. ¡®I¡¯m too old.¡¯ As Satin grabbed the tip of his nostrils and struggled to suppress his tears, Tamon looked back at Satin and said: ¡°Oh, and Satin. Calm down and call the doctor right away.¡± ¡°Yes? A doctor?¡± ¡­..Something must have happened to Master Tamon! Just as Satin clenched his fists with concern, a word like a bomb hit Satin¡¯s ear. ¡°Because Asha is not alone now. Asrell will tell you the details.¡± Ha!! Everyone in the room held their breath at the same time as if they had become one. ¡°¡­not alone?¡± ¡°Oh, my God!¡± The twins screamed in surprise, and Cassion¡¯s eyes and mouth opened in all directions, and the servants who were moving to carry the luggage stopped as they were in shock. ¡°Ah, child¡­ Lord, the master¡¯s child.¡± But the most surprising thing was¡­ ¡°Sa, Satin! Oh, Satin!¡± ¡°Satin!¡± Satin, who had gone backwards, clutching his handkerchief. Thud! Too surprised, Satin fainted. What a tumultuous return of Tamon Krasis. *** Beep! Asha lifted her sleepy eyelids at the sound of an unfamiliar beast hovering in her ears. The splendid sight she had seen in her dream flickered before her, who was still hazy from sleep. The sea surface glistening in the sunlight, water droplets that bounced like jewels, and soft bubbles. And a huge and beautiful fish swimming in it. Can I really call it a fish? Asha slowly blinked her eyes, staring at the gigantic, beautiful creature still vividly before her eyes. The tail was flexible, and the body was smooth. The round, black eyes were friendly and intelligent, and the mouth that opened wide like a smile was lovely. Best of all, it was very cute in pink. ¡®How do you have such a color?¡¯ It was a soft pink that matched the blue sky with white clouds. It was the color that reminded her of the milk mixed with strawberries she once ate. ¡°Beep-!¡± Asha slowly closed her eyes and took in the pink water beast. A cute creature that jumped vigorously in the blue sea and played around. It hovered around Asha, who was floating on the sea, and showed its cuteness. It came close to her, rubbed her cheek, and tickled her side with smooth fins. It was so cute that she didn¡¯t know how many times she had hugged the giant beast and kissed it. It was such a pleasant dream. That was why she did not want to let go of the afterimage of her dream. Just a few months ago, her dreams were filled with the energy of the dead. Her friends with their necks ripped off, her bloodbathed family members, and herself floundering in a venomous swamp. She sobbed and convulsed, and when she woke up, she couldn¡¯t sleep for fear of having another nightmare. Then, at some point, the dream gradually faded away. Asha knew it was from the time she started sleeping with Tamon. That was, from the time she began to fall asleep wrapped in his warmth, rather than loneliness and fear. Asha opened her eyes. She felt a tight arm holding her tightly close to his solid chest. She carefully turned her head to look at Tamon, who was exhaling an even breath. Asha quietly smiled. ¡®I¡¯m glad. Tamon finally fell asleep today.¡¯ Asha gently caressed Tamon¡¯s forearm, who was holding her tight. His quality of sleep also deteriorated markedly as he started morning sickness on her behalf. He couldn¡¯t sleep deeply, and always checked her warmth like a nervous person. Tammon¡¯s overprotection had always been there, but the severity was getting worse and worse as the days went by. At times he looked distressed, and at other times he sighed as if rebuking himself. In fact, Asha had some idea why he was doing that. Barely suppressing the desire to click her tongue, she stroked Tamon¡¯s forearm again and again. ¡®He must have known too much information.¡¯ The world was full of people who died while giving birth. Even after pregnancy or childbirth, it was easy to get sick if not careful. The little life in the womb was a blessing, but the mother had to risk her life to bring the child into the world. Asha was well aware that Tamon was worried too much about her pregnancy. He paid attention to her every move, and always tried to stick to her. She also knew that he looked up numerous sources of pregnancy and childbirth. She also knew that before leaving Monstein, Tamon had many conversations with the people who knew a good deal about pregnancy and childbirth. He became overly anxious with too much information. Could it be that the excessive knowledge entered at once became poison to Tamon? It seemed that the poison had penetrated deep within him and touched his intense desire to take over all of her pain. He was truly a sweet, foolish man. No matter how many times she was reborn, how could she be loved more tenderly than this? ¡®..Ah, Tamon. Tamon.¡¯ He was just sweet and fragrant to her, like the soft flesh of fruit that she finally had in her mouth after peeling off the rough, spiky shell. CH 184 Was that why? His obsessive overprotection and anxiety were not at all bad. Rather, this desperate love that only she knew was pitiful and heartwarming. ¡®I¡¯m fine. Really¡­¡¯ Of course, she wasn¡¯t afraid either. However, her fear of changes occurring in her body was too small compared to his desire to protect and love the small life her body nurtures. They both really wanted this child to be born healthy. So she wanted to pour out all the love she could give to the child who came out. For the sake of this child, and for the happy future of ¡®us¡¯ waiting. For that, she had to become stronger. She felt a warm kiss on her shoulder. ¡°What are you thinking and not sleeping? Can¡¯t you sleep?¡± She could feel Tamon¡¯s lips rising up to her neck. A drowsy voice tickled her earlobe, softer than his breath. Asha, startled, looked at him and he kissed her cheek as if Tamon was aiming for it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was sleeping so long, did you wake up because of me?¡± ¡°No, no, I slept well. My head is refreshed after a long time.¡± ¡°Sleep some more.¡± ¡°I was chasing a cute dream and when I opened my eyes, you were there.¡± ¡°Dream? Did you dream too?¡± As she turned her body to face him, Tamon rubbed his lips against her round forehead. His soft touch habitually massaged her neck and back. ¡°Well. I had a very cute dream that wasn¡¯t like me.¡± As Tamon recalled the dream, he burst into laughter. What kind of dream did he have that he smiled like that even after waking up? Asha hugged Tamon¡¯s waist tightly, she pressed her ear to his chest, she asked. ¡°Tell me more. I want to hear it.¡± At the moment of tight contact, Tamon¡¯s shoulders stiffened slightly, but Asha didn¡¯t feel it. Tamon, who had stiffened for a moment, let out a weak sigh and hugged Asha tightly, continuing to kiss her on the forehead. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you know, but I saw a dolphin. It¡¯s an ocean creature that can often be seen in Amor.. Whales too, very cute and clever beasts.¡± It was something Asha had only seen in books. The book said that there were hundreds of types of whales that had not been properly introduced into the world, and the most commonly seen representative whales were drawn. Like a beast that lived in the water, their teeth were fierce and their eyes were bloody. ¡°There are many types of whales. There are some ferocious ones who are as fierce as monsters and love to hunt, but there are also those who are gentle and round. That¡¯s what I saw in my dream.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s amazing.¡± Tamon, who said that such a beast was cute, was puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s much smaller in size, and it looks cute. Next time I¡¯ll take you to a place where dolphins are frequent. I think you will like it.¡± Asha was already looking forward to it. What would it look like? She had never seen sea creatures except seafood, so she was more curious. ¡°But the one I saw in my dream was a little more unusual. I know that there are no such colors around here.¡± ¡°What color?¡± ¡°Um. Her skin was pink.¡± At that moment, Asha stopped and looked up at Tamon. Tamon met her eyes affectionately. Asha blinked as if at a loss for words without realizing it, then bit her trembling lips. ¡°Ha, did that creature you saw in your dream have black eyes and a smiling face? It¡¯s roughly the size of a little bigger than me.¡± Tamon, who was listening to Asha¡¯s clumsy explanation, nodded his head as if it was true. Her? Asha, who suddenly burst into laughter without realizing it, sat up, touching her forehead. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°What doesn¡¯t make sense?¡± ¡°¡­I had the same dream as you. A pink creature, so if that¡¯s a dolphin, I dreamed of a pink dolphin. It was playing with me in the sea¡­¡± At Asha¡¯s words, Tamon burst out laughing as if it was strange. ¡°Did we have the same dream at the same time? You¡¯ve never even seen that creature, have you?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t know how I came to dream it, but it¡¯s so strange.¡± There was a strange excitement. Everything she felt in her dream was so sweet and happy, but it felt even better to think that Tamon felt it too. ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡± Tamon, who said that, seemed to be in a very good mood. ¡°Yeah, so. How could this be? It¡¯s so strange. Isn¡¯t it a special dream? It could be some kind of oracle or something.¡± Tamon stroked her cheek as if Asha¡¯s reaction was cute in surprise and excitement. At that very moment, Asha looked down at her stomach in surprise. Even in the darkness, her bright purple eyes were trembling. ¡°Tamon¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± What happened? Surprised if he had felt her pain, Tamon hurriedly raised his upper body. Instead of continuing to talk, Asha grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach. ¡°Why ¡­ .¡± At that moment, something tapped the inside of Tamon¡¯s large palm that was wrapped around Asha¡¯s stomach. Yes, that was exactly right. Tuk-Tamon stopped breathing at the gentle vibration that felt as if the baby was giving a very light greeting. ¡°Did you feel it?¡± Tamon didn¡¯t answer, but Asha could tell just by looking at his hardened expression. ¡°Oh my God, it¡¯s amazing.¡± Asha placed her hand on Tamon¡¯s, her voice wet with joy. Tamon also wanted to say something, but strangely, his lips couldn¡¯t move. Nothing came out, as if something was choking his throat. He couldn¡¯t help but stare blankly at his hand on Asha¡¯s stomach. Meanwhile, he felt the touch under his palm once more. Seeing him startled without realizing it, Asha let out a low laugh. ¡°Why do you have such a frightened face?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Strange. Seriously, I¡¯m convinced that there¡¯s another creature living in here¡­¡± Tamon couldn¡¯t help but get distracted by the surprise attack of this little creature in Asha¡¯s stomach. He barely felt the palm of his hand, but he was stunned and suffocated as if he had been hit in the head. ¡°Cute. Isn¡¯t it so cute? It¡¯s like letting us know it¡¯s there.¡± Asha stroked her stomach with her trembling hands. The two of them concentrated on the movement in her stomach for a long time after that, but sadly, no more fetal movements were felt. When she was told that she was caring a child, nothing felt greater. At that time, vague joy and emotion surrounded the two of them, but now it was a complete reality. The presence of a new life gave her a sense of indescribable grandeur. A child who was thought to be a small sprout moved his body with all his might to reveal his existence. Wasn¡¯t he really brave? ¡°Tamon.¡± Asha caught her breath and looked at Tamon with her slightly firmer eyes. ¡°I want to give birth to a healthy, safe, and happy baby.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Our child.¡± Our child. At that word, Tamon¡¯s expression collapsed. He looked at Asha blankly with bewildered eyes, twisting his face and smiling. Our child. Why? Why were his eyes so itchy? Tamon frowned hard and gave strength to his eyes, trying to suppress the overwhelming emotions. He tried to press it down, but it was not easy to suppress the deluge. Asha, who was reading Tamon¡¯s expression with a careful eye, reached out her hands and hugged him tightly by the neck. ¡°Yours and my child, Tamon.¡± ¡°Asha.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s be a strong mom and dad.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Promise me.¡± ¡°Asha¡­¡± ¡°I will protect our child no matter what. So you too¡­ you must protect me and this child with all your might.¡± Tamon closed his eyes tightly and held his breath at the sound of Asha¡¯s voice that penetrated deep into his soul. His heart jumped as if it had convulsed several times. How could this woman possibly be this strong? Her soul, which filled the inner side of this slender body, was her dazzling splendor, and she shook and awakened him every time. ¡°Of course.¡± Tamon¡¯s trembling hand# embraced Asha¡¯s slender back with all his might. No matter what happens, no matter what day the world ends. He will protect Asha. And now this child has become his bloodline. ¡®Must.¡¯ The two made eye contact, smiled and kissed. It was an unforgettable night of return. *** Even after returning to Amor, Tamon still did not leave Asha¡¯s side. He was always by her side when she ate, walked, read, or napped. Was that a problem? Normally, this wouldn¡¯t have been a problem at all. However, the problem was that he simply stayed by Asha¡¯s side, ignoring the ¡®given work¡¯ or the ¡®duty¡¯ of course. Asha put down the book she was reading and looked at Tamon, who was taking a relaxing nap on her lap. The cover of the book she put down had a picture of a pretty dolphin on it. ¡°Tamon.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°You know it¡¯s been a week already, right?¡± Was he asleep or was he pretending to be asleep? After staring at him for a long time, Asha leaned over and whispered his name in a more secretive voice in his ear. ¡°Tamon Krasis.¡± His shoulders shook slightly at the seductive voice. Asha did not back down, but moved closer once more and whispered. ¡°Hey, Tamon Krasis. Are you going to keep pretending to sleep like that?¡± Tamon, who couldn¡¯t stand the tickling breath on his earlobe, finally lifted his eyelids that cast long shadows. His bright red eyes curved like a crescent moon and looked at Asha. It was Asha who was speechless as she looked at his eyes filled with desire. ¡°Why don¡¯t you use a more certain way to wake the sleeping prince?¡± Asha hurriedly lifted her head, gently squeezing his nose and shaking it. She clicked her tongue, displeased. CH 185 ¡°Tamon, it¡¯s been a week already.¡± Asha urged him anxiously, repeating what she had said yesterday. Understanding what she was saying, Tamon rolled his eyes. ¡°Is this how it feels like a student being scolded by the teacher he had a crush on? My heart hurts.¡± Asha smiled and returned the same analogy. ¡°I don¡¯t know if the student knows the heart of a teacher who sees a student who endures without doing homework for a week.¡± When he returned from a long journey as a diplomat, of course, he had to go to the king and report on the long schedule. The king gave him a welcome banquet, and it was the usual procedure for him to stay in the castle for about two days. Of course, Tamon came just half a day and returned home. But not going at all was another matter. The procedure was that the return report should be made on the same day at the earliest, or within three days at the latest. However, Tamon had been putting it off for a week now. Asha ruffled Tammon¡¯s gray hair that hung over his forehead with concern. With that touch, Tamon drew a languid smile as if he felt better already. His large hands grabbed hers and kissed her deeply in the palm of her hand. Of course, Tamon did not go to the palace directly, but delivered the report of the journey and the results of the trip to Lutre, who had been with him for all the itinerary, and sent it on a cart. But that never did his duty. ¡°Tamon.¡± Asha once again called his name as an adult calling a child. At her whisper, which contained everything she was going to say, Tamon let out a brief sigh and looked at her, slowly opening his eyes. ¡°I know. I know, Asha. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°If I had been your king, I would have been very angry.¡± ¡°Well, she must be very angry right now.¡± At his playful remark, Asha frowned. When she looked down at him with a stern expression, Tamon frowned and smiled as if scared. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go. Anyway, I will go soon.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you go today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not ready for today.¡± In the end, Asha slapped Tamon¡¯s forehead with her finger. Tamon¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the sharp finger attack. As Asha looked at him calmly, she gave Tamon a final blow. ¡°Baby, do you hear your father?¡± ¡­..Ugh. Then the relaxed Tamon couldn¡¯t help but flinch. Asha rubbed her swollen belly as if to purr, she continued to mutter to herself. ¡°Child, your father is not like that. He¡¯ll come to his senses soon and do his duty diligently, so shall we wait a little bit?¡± The whispering voice was soft, but it stabbed Tamon one word at a time. He looked at Asha as if it was absurd, and eventually surrendered by slamming his forehead in pain. ¡°¡­¡­Okay. I¡¯ll go tomorrow. Tomorrow.¡± Asha had to turn her head slightly to hide her proudly rising smile. After a sigh, Tamon rubbed his forehead against Asha¡¯s belly and whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be separated. I can¡¯t leave you alone because I¡¯m anxious. It¡¯s so precious, I can¡¯t get away.¡± It was quite a tickling word to hear, but Tamon¡¯s hand hugging her waist was just desperate. He was not just saying, he was really worried that Asha might get hurt while he was away. Just looking at a drop of blood on her finger made his eyes go wide. His anger grew at all things that hurt her. Even Asha herself. So Tamon couldn¡¯t leave Asha¡¯s side. ¡°I was crazy, but somehow I think I¡¯m more crazy than I used to be. What should I do, Asha?¡± Tamon smiled sadly and frankly confessed his condition. He made eye contact with Asha, who was stroking Tamon¡¯s cheek, grinned as if nothing happened, and she grabbed the tip of his sculptural nose and shook it. ¡°Yeah. What should I do,Tamon?¡± His nose was caught. It was his first time being attacked like this, so his defense was not good. The moment Asha looked at Tamon¡¯s absurd face and smiled and moved to kiss him. bang! ¡°Tamon Krasis! Come out!!¡± Along with the bang, a loud voice rang out from the side of the house. Recognizing the owner of the voice, Asha stopped, and Tamon smiled and muttered in trouble. ¡°The king has come.¡± Her Majesty. **** Clink! Quang! bang! ¡°Ahh! Calm down! Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Your Majesty is hurt!¡± ¡±I¡¯ll barely hurt my hand, but that bastard will lose this mansion!¡± ¡°Let go! Move! I¡¯m going to destroy this mansion today!¡± Bang! Bang! A loud noise was heard through the door. Tamon paused for a moment and rubbed his forehead. He could have guessed what was going on just by hearing it. ¡®I¡¯m glad she¡¯s in the simplest parlor.¡¯ It was a terrace-type receiving room with nothing special except for a sofa and a table. The two walls were made of windows, so when opened it was the perfect place to cool off in the fresh air. A wise Satin. With that thought in mind, Tamon slowly opened the closed door. As soon as he opened the door, the sound of breaking things stopped. Tamon felt the stinging gaze and raised a gentle smile as much as possible. ¡°I see you, Your Majesty. How have you been?¡± ¡°¡­¡­you!¡± Theo paused as she was about to rush towards Tamon, roaring in fury. Unknowingly, her surprised eyes scanned Tamon¡¯s sunken cheeks up and down. Tamon spread his arms as if to showcase his innocence. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your face?¡± ¡°How do I look?¡± At Tamon¡¯s question, Theo looked at Ronasso who had come with her with complicated eyes. Ronasso shrugged his shoulders as if he didn¡¯t know it either. A few days ago, there was a case where Ronasso personally visited the mansion to see Tamon, who did not come after only sending a report after a while. At that time, Ronasso¡¯s reaction was exactly the same as Theo¡¯s today. He came in angry, but after meeting him, he was speechless. ¡°What¡­ are you really, really, not feeling well?¡± Theo looked at Tamon for a long time, as if in disbelief, and then flopped down on the sofa, as if frustrated. Theo, who had wiped her face roughly, rubbed her eyes and looked at Tamon again. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s really weird.¡± Tamon, Ronasso, and Theoransha had been together since the Academy days. That time alone was close to 15 years, but she only saw such a face once. The time Tamon began to suffer from the blood disease. Theo visited him after a month, and Tamon looked just like now. Anyway, except for that time, when he fell off a cliff and was rescued in 10 days, when he jumped into the enemy camp alone to cut the enemy¡¯s head and came back with spears in his back and thigh, when he drank only water for a week to march in the desert Tamon had never been weak. Well, there must have been physical pain, but it was the first time he had become so pale and thin. That was why Theo was really shocked by Tamon¡¯s appearance. Still, his sharp impression looked fierce because of the deeper eyes, and the shading of his face was so deep and dark that it felt eerily sharp. ¡°I lost a lot of weight.¡± Tamon shrugged his shoulders as if nothing had happened. He barely ate one meal a day all the way from Monstein to Amor. Moreover, during the morning sickness period, Asha continued to drink even water, but Tamon did not pass even water easily, so he was on an empty stomach most of the time. There, he couldn¡¯t sleep well, so his tantrums became a bit ferocious. But right now, he looked a lot better than when he just arrived at the mansion. Fortunately, his appetite returned, and he had slept quite a bit. But perhaps that was Tamon¡¯s own idea. ¡°No. No¡­ What the hell happened? Or, did you get any attacks there while I was gone? There was no such thing in the report.¡± Theo muttered to herself confusedly. ¡°Is my condition being taken so seriously?¡± Tamon smirked as he rubbed his slender cheek. ¡°Something happened.¡± ¡°Huh?! What happened? What, what the hell is going on!¡± Theo jumped up from her seat, confident that Tamon couldn¡¯t be like this. ¡°What kind of power ¡­¡­ !¡± ¡°Asha is pregnant.¡± ¡°¡­¡­huh?¡± Theo stood up from her seat with her fists clenched and stiffened. Soon her face was strangely contorted and she looked at Tamon with confused eyes. ¡°Therefore?¡± She already knew that she was pregnant. But why was this related to Tamon¡¯s sickly appearance? The reason was revealed in the following words of Tamon. ¡°Seeing Asha struggling with her morning sickness, I couldn¡¯t stand it. Then at some point, I was doing her morning sickness instead of her.¡± What kind of bullsh*t is this now¡­ CH 186 Theo looked at Tamon with a puzzled expression on her face. However, the expression of the person speaking was too calm and serious to be dismissed as the nonsense of an idiot in love that could not be stopped. ¡°Pregnancy seems really difficult. In particular, I realized that women who suffer from morning sickness really need to be loved more and cherished. In that sense, how about changing the fertility policy in Amor a little bit, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ronasso, who was listening, finally couldn¡¯t stand it and intervened. ¡°So now, you had morning sickness on her behalf and couldn¡¯t come to report because of not feeling well because of it. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Ha! Do you want me to believe such nonsense now?¡± ¡°Very often, it is said that if a husband loves his wife too much, he will get morning sickness on behalf of his wife. That seems to be the case.¡± Tamon¡¯s attitude went beyond impudence and was close to shamelessness. People are at a loss for words when they are too surprised or embarrassed? Theo and Ronasso were like that now. What¡¯s wrong with him that would make a face that looks like he¡¯s going to kill multiple people at once? Love his wife and had her morning sickness? It would be unbelievable if the two had not seen Tamon¡¯s face in person. A human, who seemed lively even when rolling on the battlefield, struggled with the pregnancy of the woman he loved. How unbelievable it was. Theo stared at Tamon with complicated eyes, then quickly bent her head and touched her forehead. He was such a loyalist. Theo sighed deeply, but there was nothing to steer clear because the quality of the deliverables or reports Tamon sent did not deteriorate. In the meantime, Theo wondered how hard it must have been for the perfectionist who left a detailed record without making a single mistake. ¡°So, all of the children named La Gorreci are on your estate?¡± ¡°Yes. We have also secured a territory for the silver deer. If it¡¯s okay with you, I¡¯d like to invite the children to the capital.¡± ¡°Even though the gaps and abilities have disappeared, the silver deer still has a high value. There are going to be people who hunt deer, so I think it¡¯s better to protect the deer in your estate for the time being. But it would be okay to tell the children to come up to the capital once. I want to hear the story in detail.¡± ¡°I will, Your Majesty.¡± To the decisive command of Theo, Tamon meekly responded. In the middle of the messed up drawing room, Theo looked at Tamon for a long time and said. ¡°So, what about marriage?¡± ¡°Of course I have to. Once the child is born safely and Asha¡¯s body fully recovered, I will have an official ceremony.¡± ¡°Then, are you planning to make a marriage vow in advance?¡± Tamon looked at Theo as if he was asking something so obvious. ¡°¡­ I still can¡¯t believe it. You, of all people, are in love.¡± Tamon laughed at Theo¡¯s muttering. He also couldn¡¯t believe his own change, so would he easily believe that he was someone else? ¡°Tell me what happened.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°How do you feel? That¡¯s what love is.¡± With her arms crossed, Theo asked with a curious expression on her face. Ronasso also looked at Tamon with curiosity. Tamon looked out the window for a moment, then smiled and continued. ¡°I can¡¯t explain it in words¡­ .¡± ¡°You guys usually talk well, but at times like this, you¡¯re speechless?¡± ¡°I simply can¡¯t explain it. How should I put it?. ¡­ Hot, ecstatic and comfortable, concerned, anxious¡­¡± ¡°What is it? Emotions are inconsistent.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s like that. All sorts of emotions swirl around and shake me up. But it¡¯s also ecstatic¡­¡± The frown on the corners of his eyes and the smile on his face was terribly strange. Still, his red eyes that shone the moment he thought of Asha were infinitely sweet. ¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡± Ronasso and Theo reached the same conclusion at the same time. Sometimes there were people who fell in love. Apparently, their close friend was one of them. If not, where would the diplomats of one country secretly rescue the empress of an enemy country? ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for a generous king like me, it wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡¯ Theo rose from her seat, admiring her generosity for receiving such Tamon again. Anyway, he came to visit and played the match once, so her heart was relieved. As she looked at his bruised face, she no longer had the energy to be angry. ¡°But sooner or later, you will have to officially enter the palace and live.¡± ¡°I understand, Your Majesty.¡± This time, Tamon answered obediently, and Theo turned around, clicking her tongue in disapproval. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°How are you trying to understand love? Try it yourself. You¡¯ll know what it means to turn the world upside down.¡± At Tamon¡¯s words, Theo snorted and left the drawing room. She sprinted out of the mansion as she had come in, just before Theo got on her waiting steed, she stared at Ronasso. ¡°Why, why?¡± From that day on, Ronasso had been subtly avoiding Theo¡¯s gaze. It was very strange to see him twitch every time they made eye contact. Didn¡¯t he know that seeing such an openly changed reaction makes her want to make fun of him even more? ¡°No, I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Your Majesty¡­?¡± ¡°Is your eyeballs upside down too, Ronasso?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You stole the lips of the sleeping princess¡­.¡± ¡°Ugh, ahhh!¡± Ronasso covered his ears and screamed loudly. ¡°No.¡± ¡°No? I remember everything.¡± ¡°Oh no! No, that was years ago!¡± ¡°What did it matter a few years ago? It really happened.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?!¡± As Theo looked at Ronasso¡¯s embarrassed face who didn¡¯t know what to do, she burst into laughter. ¡°Why did you change your mind when you loved me so much that you turned your eyes upside down? Tell me, Ronasso.¡± ¡°Please stop, Your Majesty. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± ¡°You said it didn¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Even if not, I just did everything wrong. Please¡­¡­¡± With a bright red face, Ronasso put his hands together and begged. After all, making fun of Ronasso was the most fun. Theo¡¯s heavy heart was lightened at once. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize again in the future. This is an order.¡± ¡°Well then¡­¡± ¡°Keep being teased. This is also an order.¡± ¡°No, Your Majesty!¡± Theo smiled coolly and sped away. Ronasso, who had been covering his head in a sense of shame, sighed deeply and ran after her. ** At that time, Asha was spending time with the twins and Cassion. As if proving that his brother¡¯s wall had been torn down a lot, Cassion sometimes asked to have lunch with Tamon, and Tamon also had a meal with him without showing any displeasure. Of course, Asha was always there, too, but it was a proud sight to see the brothers trying to be together, even though it was awkward, even if they didn¡¯t eat. Today, Cassion came and brought a present for his future nephew. However, Theoransha was visiting, and Tamon was not there, so Cassion was spending time with Asha alone. ¡°I heard your spear skills have improved a lot these days.¡± ¡°Ah, it comes from Lutre.¡± Cassion said shyly and scratched his forehead. Asha looked at the twins with a smile, and the twins proudly raised her chin. ¡°Useless words¡­¡± ¡°Useless! You saw me practice last time.¡± ¡°Huh? Is that enough?¡± ¡°Hmmmm! No, it¡¯s not that much¡­ Well, I felt lighter.¡± In fact, it was a skill that was still lacking for a long time. He had only learned the basics now, but his skills improved day by day because he liked to move his body. Cassion was embarrassed and coughed, but his shoulders were full of strength. ¡°Don¡¯t do that, show me. It would be really cool if you show it.¡± ¡°Yes! Show us!¡± ¡°Not sure¡­¡± Cassion shook his head, shaking his hand, but Asha already knew he had been carrying something elongated since the time he came. Pretending not to know that there was a long stand somewhere over there, Asha also gently encouraged him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to show me? I¡¯m sad. I was curious because Lutre praised you a lot¡­¡± At her flowing words, Casison covered his mouth with his fist and coughed in vain. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, I can show you for a moment.¡± Cassion, who had been scratching his sharp nose with red ears, got up and brought a spear that had been erected on the side of the garden. ¡°¡­What, you brought the spear and pretended not to know?¡± Tasha let out a smirk as if absurd, and giggled as if Louie knew it too. Asha smiled with them too, but as Cassion approached, she quickly captured her expression. I can¡¯t kill the rising spirit. ¡°Come on, look!¡± A long spear cut through the air. Cassion was excited and swung his spear like a child proud of his achievements. He had secured a safe distance, but the spear swooshed in the middle of the garden was quite close and intimidating. The piercing sound of the wind whistled past Asha and the twins¡¯ ears, but not to the point of being dangerous. Asha also had the eyes to see the spear of Cassion, who had mastered his basic self-defense skills and martial arts. For what he did in a short period of time, his growth was remarkable. He had put in a lot of effort. The spear of Cassion, which ran across the garden so vigorously, stopped, just after the roar that shook the garden was heard. ¡°Cassion! What are you doing now!¡± Even the birds hiding among the branches were frightened and flapping their wings in a threatening voice. Asha, who was calm even as she looked at the spear swung back and forth in front of her nose, flinched and grabbed the teacup without realizing it. ¡°¡­¡­Oh my.¡± Asha¡¯s face wrinkled as she turned her head to where the voice had come from. As if she had foreseen what was going to happen, a sound of pain erupted without her knowing. ¡°Oh¡­!¡± Without having time to scream, Tamon, who ran to them within a second, grabbed Cassion¡¯s collar and lifted him up. His sharp fist flashed up into the air as much as his terribly contorted face. CH 187 ¡°Are you uncomfortable?¡± After a silent evening, Asha opened her mouth first. Tamon, who shrugged his shoulders, stared at Asha without a word, then drew a faint smile. ¡°Do I look uncomfortable?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After a sigh, Tamon brushed his hair away from his forehead. His lips drooped bitterly. He sighed heavily, then put down the fork. ¡°I was so angry earlier.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m so glad. Your reason came back at last.¡± ¡°¡­if you hadn¡¯t stopped me, I would have just swung my fists.¡± There was a slight remorse in Tamon¡¯s voice. Asha smiled and patted the back of his hand. ¡°I¡¯m glad you heard my voice.¡± When Tamon, who ran angrily, grabbed Cassion by the neck, Asha was also startled. In an instant, his fist went up, and Asha hurriedly called out his name before his fist collided with Cassion¡¯s face. Fortunately, Tamon¡¯s actions stopped immediately. His trembling fist and fierce eyes seemed to strike Cassion at any moment, but he endured it well. ¡°¡­¡­. Go. I¡¯ll talk to him later.¡± In the tense atmosphere, Cassion and the twins quickly arranged their positions and dispersed. Tamon immediately hugged Asha. How desperate were the eyes that carefully checked to see Asha was injured. He was so worried as if Asha was attacked. He hugged her tightly so her ear touched his chest. Hearing Tamon¡¯s violent heartbeat galloping in her ear, she could see why he was excited. He was very surprised and scared. Seeing the tip of the spear, which his brother swung in front of Asha, his heart was startled as if it was pounding to the floor. Asha felt sad for Tamon¡¯s overprotectiveness. Perhaps the memories of the past, which he almost lost her, seemed to make him even more distressed. At the time, he could have saved her with his blood and physical intimacy, but now he felt more helpless because there was nothing he could do to help her if she was injured or ill. ¡®But you have to overcome it.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t live like this forever. Not for Asha, but for Tamon, he had to get out of this worry. It was different from the last time she seduced him and reassured him. Tamon, lost in thought, raised Asha¡¯s hand and kissed her, muttering. ¡°It would be better if I apologize.¡± At his unexpected words, Asha raised her eyebrows. A man with a strong personality and stubbornness would not be able to say an apology so easily. It was an unexpected situation for Asha, who had expected him to take several days even if he apologized. As if reading Asha¡¯s mind, Tamon said with a small smile. ¡°I am someone who knows how to apologize, Asha.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± At Asha¡¯s teasing reaction, Tamon murmured with a shrill voice as if his pride had been hurt. ¡°What do you think of me?¡± ¡°A much nicer person than I could have expected¡­?¡± Asha smiled and kissed the back of his hand, just like Tamon did. Tamon smiled and shook his head. ¡°I should go. It is unnecessary to waste time while staying in the mansion.¡± Without delay, Tamon left the room in search of Cassion. Asha, who returned home, was immersed in her troubles. ¡°Baby, what can we do to get your father out of his anxiety?¡± She rubbed her belly gently, and strangely enough, the baby responded immediately. Asha smiled, and it didn¡¯t take long for her to come up with a good way. **** ¡°Yeah? Now then¡­.!¡± ¡°Shh.¡± At Louie¡¯s loud voice, Asha quickly put her finger in front of her lips and pressed it. The quick-witted Tasha quickly looked around, and Cassion unwittingly let go of his cup of tea and coughed. He was surprised as well as Satin and Asrell. It was a meeting that took place while Tamon went to the royal palace. Asha gathered all the twins and Cassion, and even Satin and Asrell, and told them her plan. Because it was a risky plan, she necessarily needed reliable helpers. She couldn¡¯t force them, because if the plan went wrong, they would have to deal with Tamon¡¯s fiery wrath. But Asha felt it was a plan worth trying and taking some risks for him. It was also a moment when her daring execution ability that made her, who looked only calm, shine as a monarch, once again shined. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. So I need everyone¡¯s help. Will you help me?¡± The eyes of the five people who heard Asha¡¯s plan were complicatedly entangled. Looking into each other¡¯s eyes, no one could answer hastily, but their shaking eyes were fierce. Surprisingly, Cassion was the first to cast a vote in favor. ¡°Agree. I absolutely agree.¡± He slammed the table, lifted his head, and gave strength to his eyes. Everyone¡¯s attention was focused on Cassion. Cassion looked back at everyone with a gaze filled with complicated thoughts and spoke with more certainty. ¡°I¡¯m sure my brother needs stability now more than ever.¡± Tamon grabbed Casion¡¯s neck just because he showed his spear skill in front of Asha. Cassion was not simply surprised that Tamon¡¯s bitter death was directed at him. He was surprised that Tamon was ¡®lost his sanity¡¯. His brother lost his mind for one reason that Asha was in danger. If Tamon Krasis had been a hot-blooded or emotionally-acting one, he would never have a chance. He used to be a man with a calm attitude and reasonableness in any situation. Because of that, he was able to lead the Krasis family without any other forces, and he performed the roles of general and diplomat splendidly. Even Cassion didn¡¯t notice that his older brother didn¡¯t like him very much. ¡®¡­But yesterday.¡¯ The red eyes that were trembling with a deadly force and anxiety that were staring at him¡­. Fortunately, Tamon, who came to Cassion last night and apologized, was no different from usual. But the fact that he lost his temper in an instant did not change. ¡°Maybe, Asha, you are the one and only person who can do this, but I¡¯m even more afraid.¡± No matter how far apart they lived, was it because they were related? Or was it because of Cassion¡¯s efforts to follow him? Cassion seemed to be able to understand Tamon, at least. ¡°Now that I think about it, I think he always lived like a stranger. So you and your baby are more precious to him, and that¡¯s why he¡¯s more anxious. It¡¯s the first time he¡¯s had this kind of uncontrollable anxiety, so I don¡¯t think he knows how to deal with it.¡± Cassion pinpointed exactly what Asha had guessed. She smiled and sipped her tea. And she turned to the others and said. ¡°My thoughts are similar to Cassion¡¯s. Tamon¡¯s generally perfect, but how can a person be so perfect? If he¡¯s insecure, isn¡¯t it my duty and this baby¡¯s, who has become his family, to reassure him and protect him?¡± ¡­ Although the method would be more radical than normal. Asha omitted the rest of the words, but everyone was already able to read the meaning with just their eyes. She calmly emptied the rest of the tea, waiting for her friends to make a decision. Although Satin¡¯s reaction, who has become more sensitive these days, was the most immediate and certain. ¡°I, I¡­.¡± Satine, who had his lips trembling at the word ¡®family¡¯ that came out of Asha¡¯s mouth, grabbed his handkerchief and paused. Asrell, who was watching the scene, slapped Satin on the back and clicked her tongue. Then, as if his worries were insignificant, he immediately made a pleasant decision. ¡°Didn¡¯t I already say that my loyalty is tenacious? I will follow. I think it will be very interesting.¡± The twins, who had only noticed Asrell¡¯s agreement, followed excitedly. ¡°Of course, us too!¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s a little scary, but it¡¯s okay! We trust Asha!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll accomplish this plan perfectly with no problems!¡± Asha smiled softly, thanking the twins for showing their passionate support. All that was left was Satin. Satin gave strength to his watery eyes, and nodded his head vigorously. ¡°Good. There is nothing to be afraid of when everyone is together! Even this old servant will be brave for his master and his wife!¡± With the last remarks of the old chieftain who resolutely expressed his aspirations, the conspiracy that only Tamon did not know about was agreed upon. *** As punishment for being late, Tamon, who returned from attending the royal palace dinner banquet in brief, felt that the atmosphere of the mansion was somehow chaotic. ¡°Huh?¡± What was particularly strange was Satin walking around as if his limbs were broken as soon as their eyes met, but that doesn¡¯t mean it was suspicious enough to grab him and ask him why he was walking like that. ¡®Did I become sensitive because I am tired?¡¯ These days Tamon knew he was overreacting to everything, so he was consciously trying to get his nerves off. Even if there was something suspicious about Satin, the belief that he could not do anything that could threaten Tamon¡¯s personal life also played a part. ¡°I need to rest now.¡± Although he was not physically exhausted, he was mentally exhausted from being tormented by Theoransha all day. He quickly washed up and headed to the bedroom where Asha was resting. Asha, who was reading a book with a calm expression, opened her arms and hugged him tightly. ¡®Yes, this is it.¡¯ There was no better place than this. Tamon comfortably closed his eyes as he was satisfied in Asha¡¯s arms. *** But a few days later, Tamon had to regret passing the night that his keen senses had warned him. The ripple that quietly spread beneath the calm water. The servants were moving busily, avoiding his eyes. Like fish diligently moving under the calm waters, Krasis Mansion was chaotic and suspicious throughout. Whenever Tamon sensed something strange, Asha assured him everything was okay. The four days passed so quickly. And on the fifth day after finishing his work, things happened unexpectedly. ¡°¡­.What? What do you mean now?¡± While spending time training at Cassion¡¯s earnest request. Asha disappeared. Without a trace. CH 188 ¡°Lutre, you go with the Knights Templar to check the outskirts. Satin go check out all the places Asha went today. Asrell finds out if any of Asha¡¯s belongings are missing. Hurry!¡± Tamon¡¯s roar broke through the tense knights like thunder. Tamon¡¯s eyes, shining like a beast, fiercely followed the rapidly disappearing knights. ¡°Asha!¡± Asha disappeared. It was as if his world had collapsed. At first, he asked what kind of nonsense was and looked for Asha slowly. There was no reason why she suddenly disappeared. He wondered if she had gone for a walk. He was not usually someone who worried about people around him, and tried hard to think that nothing happened. But as if ridiculing Tamon¡¯s forced comfort, Asha really disappeared. Without anyone knowing. ¡®I should say that I am glad that the twins are gone with her.¡¯ Tamon gritted his teeth and searched the area around his mansion. ¡®Who is it? Who the hell¡­!¡¯ Could there be any remnants of Gillotti left? No. It couldn¡¯t be. There was no one who had the trust to avenge Gillotti and Natasha. Most of all, didn¡¯t he take care of all their remnants with his own hands? There was no way that the shrews who were left with only traces dared to invade this Krasis mansion and kidnap Asha. No matter how loose he¡¯s been these days, he¡¯s not in that sloppy state. Then how? Tamon twisted his eyebrows as his heart beat wildly, trying to get out of its cage. No way¡­. Could it be that Asha got tired of his obsession and foolishness and left on her own? Just thinking about it made his heart race with an immeasurable speed. It was probably the most probable reason, but it was also the most unrealistic. Even just last night, the two of them tangled together and kissed each other, looked closely into each other¡¯s eyes, and whispered secrets. Asha¡¯s eyes looking at him couldn¡¯t be a lie. Although Tamon believed her, he was anxious. Worry for her, love paralyzed his reason. ¡°¡­Damn, damn it!¡± Thoughts twisted as if his brain had been shattered. Tamon took a deep breath and tried to calm himself, but it wasn¡¯t easy. Let¡¯s calm down. Now was not the time for him to let go. Not yet. According to Satin¡¯s report, the last time Asha was seen was 3 hours ago. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t that long. Whether she was kidnapped, if she left on her own feet, or whatever accident¡­ His first priority was to find her as soon as possible. A tendon stood on his firm jaw. His taut muscles swelled like raging waves. He was so thoroughly dressed that it would not be strange to jump into battle right away. If anything ever happened to Asha, he had the momentum to see someone¡¯s blood right away. His gigantic hands, full of strength, clenched his sword like a fist. Long veins fluttered like tree roots wriggling in a swamp. If he didn¡¯t find Asha¡¯s letter, which was hidden in one of the bedrooms, blood would have been spilled. Whether it was his or someone else¡¯s. ¡°What is this¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± On the white paper, Asha¡¯s flowing handwriting was drawn as if it was swimming. It was her handwriting that Tamon knew well. The red eyes that opened hard to avoid even missing a character moved quickly as if chasing the letters. ¡°¡­¡­Asha.¡± Her name leaked out like a moan. At last, having read all the words, he grabbed the letter and jumped out of his seat. He knew where she was. *** ¡°¡­will he be all right?¡± Cassion muttered with a dazed voice as he looked at the back of Tamon, who disappeared in a wind of dust. Satin, who had been walking around the lobby nervously, said, his body shaking. ¡°Uh huh, this is something we can¡¯t do. I never thought I¡¯d be cheating on my master for the rest of my life¡­¡± Watching Satin wiping away the sweat, Asrell clicked her tongue. ¡°I know. Satin can¡¯t play or act in the future. He¡¯s acting so stiff. I was nervous that we might get caught¡± ¡°What are you talking about! My acting was perfect!¡± ¡°Perfect? Then what was with the constant walking back and forth? Didn¡¯t you just write ¡®I¡¯m a little suspicious!¡¯ on your face?¡± Satin, as if embarrassed by Asrell¡¯s blunt rebuke, scratched his forehead and coughed in vain. ¡°If a person is so sincere, then he might be a little bit like that!¡± Three hours in which everyone held their breath in the tense tension. The three were able to catch their breath only after the mansion was empty after doing something that they would not have dared to imagine had it not been for Asha¡¯s plan. ¡°I was so nervous that Master found the letter later than I expected.¡± Asrell sighed and flopped down on her seat. They didn¡¯t intend to completely deceive Tamon from the start. Anyway, they had expected that this clumsy escape play would end in less than half a day. Asha knew Tamon would panic if she planned too perfectly and disappeared thoroughly. So, with the intention of just buying some time, she quickly set off while he looked away. With the letter hidden in a suitable place so that he wouldn¡¯t be too upset or worried. However, Tamon was so preoccupied with finding her that he did not see the letter in the bedroom drawer until much later. If Asrell, who could not wait, hadn¡¯t found it for him, the letter might not have been found until much longer. ¡°Ha, by the way, I don¡¯t know if Asha will be okay.¡± Satin looked in the direction where Tamon had disappeared with eyes filled with concern. Unlike Satin, Asrell did not worry. She wasn¡¯t with Asha long, but she knew there was nothing she couldn¡¯t handle. ¡®Lersha Lesha.¡¯ Asrell smiled faintly and she looked up at the sky. ¡®Please find her and have a happy time together.¡¯ *** Tamon drove the full three hours to arrive at a place where Asha might be. Only three hours away from Ginesh was the port city of Bethes. The protruding city had a developed fishing and port industry, but it was not very large. ¡®Why did Asha come here?¡¯ Presumably from the contents of the letter, it was true that Asha left him voluntarily. However, like the delusion that shackled his heart, it wasn¡¯t that she got tired of his obsession to get away. [This is hide and seek, Tamon. Find me. The more impatient you are, the farther away I will go. But if you calm down a little, I know you¡¯ll notice the hint I gave. I¡¯ll be waiting. Don¡¯t be too late. ] ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ Tamon quickly noticed the code on the map, which she had drawn, as Asha had told him, and immediately pursued her and reached this place. He glanced over the city with a strong smell of the sea with his dark eyes. His sharp eyes were shining fiercely so that he would miss her traces. ¡°Tamon, it is said that their carriage has entered the marina.¡± Lutre, who quickly inquired around the area, pointed to the place Asha might have gone to. Without delay, Tamon rode his horse straight away. It was fortunate that the daytime of Amor was long. Although time had passed, the sky was still bright. There were quite a few ships moored at the pier. A familiar carriage came into his vision as he looked around. A luxury carriage that did not fit into this small port town. It was parked in front of the ship just before departure in an unharmed state with no broken spots. ¡°She¡¯s now on the ship¡­.¡± Tamon hurriedly ran towards the ship with a puzzled expression. At the same time, it vibrated with a throbbing sound as if the ship was about to depart. ¡°Lutre, you need to find the captain! I will find Asha.¡± Tamon, who hastily issued an order, jumped on the ship. He was so distracted that he did not notice the absence of footsteps of the route he should have followed. ¡°Asha!¡± He got on a ship that was neither too big nor too small and started to open the cabin one by one, calling out Asha in a loud voice. The strange thing was that people should be busy right before departure, but there were no movements. ¡®..Strange.¡¯ The inside of the ship was quiet and still, as if it were hiding its presence. Although it was a fairly large ship, it had only four cabins excluding the sailing room. He checked all four empty cabins, and finally headed for the lead. At that moment, the ship swayed and moved. ¡°¡­!¡± Tamon, startled, quickly raised his head and looked into the navigation room. A man he had never seen before, perhaps hiding above him, nodded to him and moved his key. The greeting was polite as the man lifted and released the hat pressed on his head. Tamon was confused by the kind smile that seemed to know nothing. With a nervous expression on his face, Tamon slowly moved his feet, looking around once more. And when he finally got to the front, he saw the one he had been looking for desperately. Her dazzlingly beautiful silver hair fluttered in the sea breeze. He saw her staring in the distance, as if watching the waves crash. ¡°Asha!¡± At the sound of his urgent call, Asha slowly turned and looked at Tamon. Their eyes slowly entangled between the salty air. At that moment, the purple eyes curved. Asha, who was looking at Tamon with her dazzling smile, said as she stretched out her little delicate hand to him. ¡°You¡¯re late, Tamon.¡± CH 189 Tamon ran to Asha like a madman and hugged her as tight as he could. His arms wrapped around her like thick chains, squeezing her tightly into his embrace. Still, his heart, which was beating like thunder, showed no sign of calming down. It wasn¡¯t clearly visible because of his face that was blue as ice, but his heart fell into the abyss several times and came back up. He buried his nose deep into Asha¡¯s nape and inhaled her body scent. It was the scent of her that quenched his thirst and filled his hunger. ¡°Hey, what the hell is this¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ .¡± The voice that flowed out of his mouth was trembling. It was difficult to tell if it was unspoken anger, relief, or sadness. Asha lifted her slender hand and gently embraced Tamon¡¯s hard shoulder. ¡°Tamon.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Asha.¡± The pats and pats were soft as if they were hitting his soul who had gone through hell several times, but it felt more savage. He clenched his teeth and lifted Asha up to make eye contact with himself. His blazing red eyes questioned her many things, but the words that came out through clenched teeth were soft and tender. ¡°You aren¡¯t hurt¡­ right?¡± Asha nodded her head, with a complex expression. At that moment, Tamon sighed and smiled bitterly, as if he was at least relieved. It was a slight relief from the depths. Asha pat Tamon¡¯s chest as it went up and down, then she hugged him again. ¡°Please, when I¡¯m barely holding onto the string of reason, can you please explain this situation, Asha?¡± His voice was calm even though he was on the verge of going crazy. His fingers were trembling slightly. Asha looked carefully into his eyes and showed him his favorite smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What did you do to say sorry?¡± Or was she going to do something else? Tamon slightly furrowed one eyebrow. Then he glanced down gently and looked at his wrist Asha was holding. His wrists were tickling, and a thin rope wrapped around them. ¡°¡­what are you doing now?¡± ¡°Shh. Wait.¡± Asha fastened his wrists quite skillfully. Twisting the line was the way of the knights. ¡°Did Tanatos teach the Empress these things?¡± Laughing out of bewilderment, not knowing what was going on. Facing his confused eyes, Asha smiled brightly. It was the smile that really dazzled men. ¡°When I was young, my brother taught me. He said I might use it someday. Wise Cain. He must have thought I would use this skill sometimes.¡± Her voice was playful as she wrinkled her nose. After taking a deep breath for a while, Tamon looked around at the rope tying his wrists tightly, the ship moving forward peacefully, and the calm waters of the sea, then looked at Asha again. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve tied me up, can you explain, Asha?¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± Asha murmured in a voice like a rustling sea breeze and looked down proudly at Tamon¡¯s tightly bound wrists. No matter how strong Tamon was, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to untie because it¡¯s tied with three layers of Luxen¡¯s rope, which was famous for its toughness. As if praising Tammon for patiently waiting, she looked at him after kissing him gently. ¡°I am kidnapping you, Tamon.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You fell into my trap and you are being kidnapped.¡± Tamon¡¯s face was wrinkled in a shape never seen before. He had a stunned face. It was so funny that Asha laughed out loud. The sun¡¯s rays reflected off the sea water and passed over her face. It was a smile as bright as a jewel. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve always felt strangely happy when you make a face like this.¡± ¡°I must have looked pretty stupid right now.¡± Asha whispered as she dug into his arms, still with a smile on the tip of her lips. ¡°Because only I could make you look like this.¡± This was the face that appeared when he was tricked. It was a subtle expression that only she could see. Asha whispered in a gentle voice, as if singing. ¡°You forced me to take you, Tamon Krasis.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So, even if I kidnap you, please understand.¡± Tamon looked at Asha for a long time with a wrinkled face. His complex eyes stared at her for a moment, then he said in a stern voice. ¡°This kind of revenge is not right, Asha. Unless you¡¯re trying to scare me and kill me.¡± ¡°Revenge?¡± Asha corrected Tamon¡¯s words. ¡°This is not revenge, Tamon. Just as you forced me to live, so am I trying to force you to live.¡± ¡°For the first time in my life, I feel stupid. I can¡¯t figure out what you mean.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very easy.¡± Asha grabbed his cheek and kissed him deeply. In spite of his anger and bewilderment, his lips steadily opened and his tongue wandered in search of sweet honey. As if she didn¡¯t want to waver, Asha smiled as she broke the contact. ¡°Let¡¯s go to a place where only the two of us can be alone. A place where you can protect me to your heart¡¯s content, and where I can pamper you.¡± Words he didn¡¯t expect to come out of her mouth surprised him. Pamper by Asha? Asha¡¯s pampering in a situation where he got kidnapped unintentionally by falling into her tricks. It was a list of words that didn¡¯t match at all. Even so, a weak wind blew into his chest, which had already sunk down a while ago. It may have been that he was enchanted by the way she behaved in an unusually blunt manner. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know if I should be angry or afraid now.¡± He looked at her with confused eyes. ¡°You just have to enjoy yourself, Tamon.¡± Asha pointed to a small island in the distance. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the island Asha pointed to, and his eyes caught on. It was only now that Tamon realized that this sea route was familiar. ¡®There¡­¡­ ?¡¯ The very island he said one day they would go together and play against those flexible-tailed beasts. ¡°Our babymoon trip under the guise of kidnapping.¡± It was the monkey island. *** Was it really the perfect preparation? Or should it be called a complete deception? Tamon had to experience an incredible and crazy experience with Asha and the arrival of another ship that followed him. ¡°¡­¡­So, everyone was on this plan, except me?¡± It was ridiculous, so he didn¡¯t even get angry. He then looked at Lutre and the Knights disembarking from the arriving ship, and the procession of servants following them with narrow eyes. Doctors, cooks, fifteen servants, and even gardeners, maids, and midwives were getting off the ship one after another. There was too much luggage to be called a sudden trip. Luckily, Lutre was looking around with a more bewildered face than Tamon¡¯s. However, looking at the procession, it must have been that Satin and Asrell were already in this plan with Asha. He suddenly remembered the awkward face of Satin he had seen just before leaving the mansion. ¡°Ha.¡± Oh these guys. Tamon used little strength and broke free of his bound wrists, twisting his lips. Despite the fact that Asha had been tying it three times expertly, his wrists were just fine with no traces of marks. Asha looked at Tamon¡¯s wrist with disappointing eyes. How hard she had tied him up but he broke free easily like that. Asha looked at him with admiration, yet bewilderment, as she glanced at Tamon¡¯s wrists once more, then raised her head and she looked at him. As she looked into his burning eyes, it seemed that anger was still there. Asha asked with a smile as Tamon crossed his arms. ¡°Are you still mad?¡± How the hell was he tricked like this? Tamon looked at Asha with concern. He already knew she had a plan from a few days ago. It was his own mistake. He thought he would find her in half a day, but that half day became hell for him. She was truly heartless and gave him a taste of hell. Nevertheless, Tamon could not be angry with Asha. No, strangely enough, he wasn¡¯t angry. He was just thankful that she was safe, and that he could see her pretty expression with so much excitement on her face. He was just happy with it. He couldn¡¯t help but think he was an idiot. If she asked him to take out his organs, he would gladly pick up the knife and take it out on his own. ¡°Please don¡¯t do this again.¡± ¡°Yes, I promise.¡± As he hugged Asha tightly, his shallow anger vanished. It was absurd. Asha was thorough, she had brought everything necessary for the island. Tamon turned and looked at the two nervous housekeepers waiting at the marina. There was also a hut on this island, but there was a castle in good condition. Those two were the Kesslots, who managed the castle. After a brief greeting to the Kesslots, he turned to go to the castle. It had been a long time since he had looked after the hut, so he decided that it would be difficult to get there tonight. But Tamon was caught by Asha. ¡°No, Tamon. That¡¯s not where we¡¯ll be staying.¡± A blush appeared on Asha¡¯s cheek as she grabbed Tamon. Her pink cheeks were covered with a hint of excitement and anticipation. Tamon looked at Asha with bewilderment. It was the first time he had seen her face like this. Under Asha¡¯s blush, he felt the desire boil up. ¡®I have to fight it.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­Asha.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Asha grabbed his hand tightly. As if she already knew the path, she walked on the other side of the road to the castle. At that moment, the forest along the coast shook, and the cry of a strange beast resounded sharply. WAhhhhh! It was the sound of the mischievous enemies who discovered Tamon, aloud to announce that he had reappeared. CH 190 The island was divided into western and eastern regions, which differed in appearance. On the west side, gentle beaches and high cliffs were in harmony, and the waves were also moderate, so the scenery of the blue sea and white foam was spectacular. In addition, it was also perfect for observing ships coming into the island, as it could barely see the land. However, the east side had a lower cliff than the west side, and there were many reefs in front of it, and it kept the appearance of a more primitive island. In addition, unlike the west, which has a long beach that curves outward as if pushing the sea, in the east, only a part of the hollow was white sand. At first glance, the beach in the west was large and cool, but when you stepped on it barefoot, the sand in the east was soft and beautiful. When soaked in the warm sunlight, the sand was warmer than any other silk needles, and people¡¯s hearts were naturally warm. Tamon¡¯s hut was built right in front of the sandy beach. It was an incredible house that he built by himself. The inside was quite spacious and clean, and it was well equipped so living here was not lacking in the least. The only disappointment was that the hot water was not available at any time as in the mansion, but even so, it wasn¡¯t a problem because Tamon boiled water every night for warm baths. Tamon¡¯s hut was separate in the west, and all the servants who followed stayed in the castle and waited. Tamon and Asha simply unpacked their belongings in the hut to the east, and the servants in the mansion stopped by the hut once every two days to bring necessities or clean up. Life in the hut was smoother than expected. Except for one thing, the monkeys. ¡°Damn monkeys.¡± Tamon muttered annoyingly, wiping the coconut juice that the monkey had poured over his head. The two intrepid wolfdogs guarding the front door, Lisha and De Gaulle, also shook their wet heads and growled a little. Asha smiled softly and handed a towel to the man and two wolfdogs. However, no matter how much water was wiped off, the fruit juice stuck to the hair and did not come out clean. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work. I¡¯ll have to wash up.¡± It was Tamon who had just washed up an hour ago, but he had no choice but to do it again. He personally led two of his favorite wolfdogs into the bathhouse. Asha picked up the towels that had fallen and arranged them, and went out the door where Tamon had come in gruntingly. In front of the hut, the expansive sea greeted her with a cool breeze. Asha tucked her silver hair behind her ear, which shimmered even more in the sunlight, and moved slowly. Each time the wind gripped the hem of her robe and swayed it, a bulging belly appeared. When she reached the shade of a large palm tree, with a hum, three little monkeys sprinted from behind the bushes and hovered between Asha¡¯s legs. ¡°You were bad this time.¡± Asha spoke in a mischievous tone, stroking the monkey¡¯s head as she pretended to be angry and rolled her eyes. ¡°I said we should get along. Don¡¯t you like it?¡± The monkeys looked at each other as if they had understood her, and exchanged beast words. They were very strange animals. It wasn¡¯t wrong to say that they looked like human beings. The way they form a group, communicate, and play with each other was unbelievable. Like little children. Soon a monkey sprinted into the bush and came out with something. It was an unripe green banana. The monkey picked it up and stomped its feet in an angry rage. Asha, who was watching it quietly, said, stroking the angry monkey¡¯s head. ¡°So, you are mean to Tamon because he cut down your banana trees?¡± Eek! Oddly enough, the monkeys nodded violently, as if they had understood her words. That was then. ¡°That¡¯s because you burned the tail hair of Lisha and De Gaulle.¡± Tamon, who had already washed up, came up to them, wiping his wet hair. The startled monkeys climbed up the palm trees and prepared to fight. The two wolfdogs that followed Tammon also bared their teeth, looking at the monkeys. ¡°Anyway, they¡¯re animals that don¡¯t even know how to reflect.¡± Tamon reflexively pulled closer Asha by the waist and grunted as he kissed her on the forehead. The monkeys over the bushes thumped their feet in annoyance, but the wolfdogs roaring wildly did not dare come near them. Asha sighed and shook her head. It had already been over two months since they came to the island, but reconciliation between Tamon and the monkeys had not yet been made. They threw food at each other like children, secretly stealing things and running away. No one showed signs of retreating. ¡°Still, cutting down the banana trees was too much. Some of the banana trees died this year, and the monkeys were upset.¡± ¡°Well, Lisha and De Gaulle almost got burned. Compared to that, cutting down a banana tree is a generous treatment.¡± There was some truth to Tamon¡¯s words. Asha looked at the large white and gray dogs licking her hands. They bared their teeth like beasts, but when they looked up calmly like this, their large eyes were just gentle and cute. ¡°I¡¯m glad you weren¡¯t hurt.¡± The wolfdogs rested their foreheads on Asha¡¯s hand and meekly closed their eyes. Tamon, who was staring at them, looked at Asha with strange eyes and said, ¡°Lisha and De Gaulle, and the monkeys, ah, and the silver horn deer too. Anyway, I think most animals like you. Strangely.¡± From the first day they came to the island, Tamon and the monkeys were in an uproar. Perhaps they had been tormenting wolfdogs in various ways, the dogs and monkeys had growled at each other every time. With Tamon added to it, it was a real war. But strangely, the monkeys never attacked Asha. Even if Asha was with Tamon or the wolfdogs, they didn¡¯t do anything violent. And when Asha was alone, they would sneak up to her, touch her hair curiously, and bring her forest fruits. Even Tamon, who bared his teeth with monkeys, felt that these animals were not aggressive to Asha. That was why Tamon didn¡¯t drive out all the monkeys and left them alone. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m pretty.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± At Asha¡¯s brazen words, Tamon raised an eyebrow. When did she become so mischievous? Come to think of it, Asha also liked to joke around quite a bit. ¡°No?¡± Tamon burst into laughter at the rather clever remark. ¡°It¡¯s refreshing to hear those words from your mouth.¡± Asha smiled at Tamon and grabbed his hand. Their fingers entangled as if they were melting into each other. Asha and Tamon walked on the fine white sand beach hand in hand. ¡°I read it in a book, and originally, canines and monkeys don¡¯t get along well.¡± (Asha) ¡°Really?¡± ¡°So, you and the monkeys fight even if they just make eye contact.¡± (Asha) ¡°You mean I¡¯m a dog now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more like a wolf, to be precise.¡± (Asha) ¡°Ha.¡± Asha grinned and looked up at Tamon. When the purple eyes looking at him sparkled so beautifully, Tamon missed the timing to get angry. Looking at it like this, he sympathized with Asha¡¯s words a little while ago. She was enchanting, how could anyone possibly hate such a person? The only people who did that were those who were blind or had a foolish mind. And Tamon knew the end of such people. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be afraid of beasts because you haven¡¯t been eaten by wolves these days.¡± Tamon quickly grabbed her waist and pulled her into a hug. Her beautiful round belly touched his hard stomach. Feeling that warm and ecstatic touch, he kissed Asha¡¯s slender neck After kissing her soft skin hard a few times, Asha shuddered and laughed. ¡°Stop it, you¡¯ll leave a mark.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s just us here.¡± Tamon hugged her more deeply. Her body temperature, her soft body, and her laughter drenched him. His mind was instantly at peace. It was to the point of being horrified by the rising happiness. He didn¡¯t know it would be so nice to be alone, just the two of them. Occasionally, he got angry at the pranks of those damn monkeys, but even that was just a small, everyday event that he could share with Asha and laughed together. Just relaxing with her on this little island, feeling the fetal movement in her stomach, sleeping and waking up together and all this happening made his heart full. When he woke up in the morning, the first thing he saw was the shade of her eyelashes, and debating the baby¡¯s names until the moment they fell asleep, he couldn¡¯t be happier. Compared to him, who picked her up in the snowy mountain and saved her with his powers, she was a person who gave him greater blessing when she tricked and kidnapped him to this island. She saved him. Tamon smiled softly and kissed her forehead once more. At the happiest moment, the happiest place, Tamon and Asha decided to give birth here. As expected to some extent, Asha had brought the midwife and doctor together from the beginning. She was, after all, a woman who looked ahead by a few numbers. ¡°About a month and a half left?¡± ¡°Yes. Time goes really fast.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m trembling all over again.¡± The hand holding hers became tighter. Yesterday and today always seemed the same, but their time passed in an instant like the ocean that flowed every hour. It had been nine months and a half since he had prepared his heart and did not have enough. An unexpected visitor came to the island after hearing the shocking news.