Chapter 12
Chapter 12: I Will Save You
Inside the smoothly running carriage, Vinea closed her tired eyes.
As darkness filled her vision, Balak’s face naturally came to mind.
His gaze that couldn’t turn away, his tightly clenched fists, his reddened earlobes, and his heavily rising and falling chest…
He might be a skilled merchant in transactions, but he was clumsy at hiding his emotions, both in the past and now.
“This is troublesome.”
Though her relationship with Balak was necessary, getting too involved would only distract her from following the clues given by Sefitiana.
In reality, the three lives she spent with him were almost entirely soaked in alcohol and indulgence, leaving her rarely sober. There was no guarantee it would be any different this time.
Balak’s freedom, reminiscent of the sea, provided a brief respite from the suffocating cycle of reincarnation. But that was only for a time.
‘No more wandering, Vinea.’
She couldn’t afford to provoke Tatar, who was already on the edge. If he collapsed, so would she. Their fate had been sealed the moment they clung to each other, trapped in this endless cycle, grasping for survival.
Their relationship was too heavy to call love and too despairing to call salvation. How long would they be trapped in this wretched time, dragging each other down?
The moonlight reflected in her blue eyes darkened.
“It’s not good to get sentimental like this.”
This was the perfect moment for the long-suppressed loneliness to resurface, threatening to drive her mad. Her crimson lips twisted, and her breath caught in her throat.
She was sick of it. All of it. Vinea grasped her neck tightly.
Even with gloves on, she didn’t hesitate to harm herself, leaving a long red mark on her white neck.
She needed Tatar. Proof that she wasn’t alone in this time, that all those things weren’t just illusions, and her only confidant.
As the carriage came to a stop, Vinea, her hand releasing her neck, hurriedly stood and grabbed the door handle.
“Ah…!”
Her body lurched forward as the door suddenly opened without warning. She closed her eyes tightly, and soon, a familiar warmth enveloped her whole body in a tight embrace.
“―Vinea.”
The low voice resonating in her ear quickly calmed her pounding heart and irregular breathing.
Vinea looked up. Her anxious face reflected in his eyes, which were shadowed by the moonlight.
His gaze fell on the red mark on her white neck. To hide his twisted expression, Tatar wrapped his hand around her head, pressing it against his chest.
“Shh…”
His hand patting her back was steady, like comforting a child. Vinea sighed softly and rested her forehead against his firm chest.
“I’m tired.”
“See, I told you to leave it to me.”
“Would you tell someone to trust a cat with a fish?”
“If Balak Utar is the fish, it would be easy to swallow.”
Their casual exchange of words gradually steadied her breathing. Simultaneously, the old memories of Balak that had been swirling in her mind sank below the surface.
Tatar tilted his head slightly, meeting her gaze with eyes as deep as the sea.
“So, how was your first meeting with Balak Utar? Or should I say the fourth?”
“It was the same.”
“So, he plans to follow the Empress like a dog wagging its tail for its master this time as well.”
“Don’t kill him. I still need something from him.”
“If you want to enjoy pleasures with him, I won’t stop you. Though it might hurt my feelings a bit.”
A bit? During the time Vinea was with Balak, Tatar had killed hundreds, swinging his sword as he pleased, to the point where hardly anyone in the palace was left alive.
Moreover, he frequently spent nights with women who had blonde hair and blue eyes, sending them out as corpses the next day. It was clear who his twisted anger was directed at.
Vinea lightly pushed against Tatar’s chest.
“There will be no more wandering, so stop with the unnecessary thoughts.”
“Can I take that as the Empress accepting my plea for attention?”
Tatar grasped Vinea’s right hand and brushed his lips against it. The ticklish sensation traveled through the thin glove to her soft palm, causing her fingers to tremble.
His eyes curved with satisfaction at her reaction.
“As I thought, it was good that I didn’t follow you.”
Seizing the moment when his lips moved, Vinea quickly withdrew her hand.
“Don’t be so cold. I’ve missed you terribly in that cold and desolate room.”
His intention, caressing her ear subtly, was evident. Knowing how tiresome the night would be if she didn’t stop it here, Vinea turned abruptly and walked away.
A low laugh followed her as she moved.
* * *
“Have you all heard the latest rumor?”
“What news?”
“About the royal family, you know, that…”
Lady Benoit lowered her voice after looking around cautiously.
“They say Her Majesty the Empress isn’t attending to state affairs at all.”
At the tea party hosted by the noblewomen, the hottest topic of late was brought up.
People were already curious about how well an empress from a former enemy nation, after a hundred years of fierce war, would adapt. The first leaked rumor being something like this was quite unexpected.
A noblewoman seated nearby cautiously added fuel to the fire.
“It doesn’t seem to be just a passing rumor. My husband, who works in the administration, mentioned something similar. He said His Majesty the Emperor is handling all the work assigned to the Empress’ palace…”
Shrill voices erupted from all directions.
At that moment, the voice of Duchess Castallo, the host of the tea party, silenced the noisy table.
“One must always be cautious when speaking about the royal family. Let’s choose a different topic for our conversation.”
At the words of Duchess Castallo, the noblewomen quickly closed their mouths and exchanged wary glances.
The Duchess had held the highest authority in the Empire’s social circles until the new Empress arrived. This was not only because she was the mistress of one of the Empire’s only two ducal households but also because of the persistent rumors surrounding her.
There was speculation that she might have been the late Emperor’s lover.
These were not just idle market gossip.
In her youth, she had been involved in several scandals with the late Emperor, and after she became the mistress of the Castallo family, the family rose from a marquisate to a dukedom without any notable achievements.
The second daughter, who was born between the notoriously estranged Duke and Duchess, bore a striking resemblance to the late Emperor, further fueling the rumors.
The noblewomen, noticing this, awkwardly laughed and changed the topic.
As the tea party continued, someone approached behind Duchess Castallo.
“―Mother.”
A clear voice echoed through the garden.
Long, flowing sky-blue hair, fair skin, and gentle green eyes with a subtle glow. This was Lady Eurene, the daughter of Duchess Castallo, who was rumored to be the illegitimate child of the late Emperor.
The noblewomen’s affectionate gazes fell on Eurene, who stood holding a bouquet of white freesia, which resembled her innocent face.
Despite the numerous rumors, her delicate appearance, graceful manner, and status as a ducal lady were enough to win the noblewomen’s favor.
“I wanted to decorate the table with flowers in advance, but I apologize for being late.”
The Duchess’s cold gaze fell on Eurene. Pausing momentarily under her mother’s stare, Eurene handed the bouquet to a servant beside her and bowed lightly.
“I have a class soon, so I’ll take my leave.”
Eurene turned and disappeared, and the bouquet she brought was placed in a vase on the table.
“Lady Eurene is truly kind-hearted.”
“And so cultured.”
“Even in her simple attire, she looked so beautiful I couldn’t take my eyes off her.”
Despite the praise for her daughter, the Duchess remained silent, simply lifting her teacup.
Not long after, the tea party ended. After bidding farewell to the visitors, the Duchess walked back into the mansion.
“Where is Eurene?”
“In her room.”
“Bring the dress from before.”
The Duchess ordered the servant as she headed to Eurene’s room. When she opened the door, Eurene, who was embroidering, looked up.
Caught off guard by her mother’s sudden visit, Eurene set aside her embroidery hoop and stood up.
“You’re here, Mother.”
“Sit.”
An uncomfortable silence fell between the mother and daughter seated facing each other.
Eurene couldn’t bring herself to look at her mother’s face and kept her head down.
The Duchess’s icy gaze fell on the small round embroidery hoop on the table. The royal emblem embroidered with silver thread on the white fabric was unmistakable in its purpose.
The Duchess’s brow furrowed slightly.
“I ordered you to stay in seclusion for a month. Did my words sound like a joke to you?”
“I’m sorry, Mother. I only wanted to deliver the bouquet…”
The Duchess cut her off with a dismissive wave.
“Bring the letters.”
At the Duchess’s command, a servant brought in neatly pressed letters decorated with pressed flowers. The scent from each letter was identical to Eurene’s favorite perfume.
Eurene’s green eyes trembled.
“Do you think I wouldn’t know your intentions? You probably planned to have the soft-hearted servants send these letters for you.”
“M-Mother…”
Despite her daughter’s delicate expression, on the verge of tears, the Duchess’s face remained cold.
Just then, the servant returned with the dress. It was pure white, reminiscent of a wedding dress.
The Duchess, rising from her seat, threw it at Eurene’s feet. Startled, Eurene knelt on the floor and clutched the dress to her chest.
“I should have done this when you said you’d wear this and go to the palace on the eve of His Majesty’s wedding.”
The Duchess threw a small pair of embroidery scissors from the table onto the dress Eurene was holding.
“Cut it yourself.”
“Mother!”
“You won’t step outside this room until you destroy that dress with your own hands.”
“I can’t, I can’t do that…”
Tears began to fall from her large eyes, soaking the dress.
It was the dress she had carefully chosen, longing for him for a long time. How could she tear apart something so precious with her own hands?
“I’m giving you the last chance to end this yourself, Eurene.”
The Duchess left the room, and Eurene, left alone, clutched the scissors with both hands, her head bowed. Tears continued to stream down her trembling eyelashes.
“Tatar, brother Tatar. Hic…”
Eurene hugged the dress, no, her cherished love, and made a vow.
“Wait for me, brother. I, Eurene, will save you so that you don’t have to sacrifice your life to a political marriage, just as you saved me…”
She would not give up on anything as it was. Not her place by his side where she belonged, nor her feelings.
“M-My lady! Are you alright?”
Her personal maid, who arrived belatedly, hurriedly checked on Eurene. Rising unsteadily from her seat, Eurene turned her sunken face toward the maid.
“Burn the dress.”
“But, my lady, this is the dress you went to great lengths to obtain, avoiding the Duchess’s eyes…”
“And prepare to go to the temple as soon as Mother permits.”
“The temple you always visited?”
“No.”
Eurene’s gaze turned to the window.
In the distance, the Tessibania Palace was faintly visible. The place where the person she loved most was, the place she must return to.
“I will go to the temple where Sefitiana is buried.”
evxevil
Why does this novel become boring in every chapter even though it was very interesting in the beginning?…