Chapter 118
Nella struggled with all her might. But her strength soon drained away.
‘I can’t… breathe…!’
The more she moved, the more breathless she became. Even as blood rushed to her face and her vision dimmed, the man didn’t allow the slightest gap.
As her consciousness grew increasingly hazy, the man’s voice drifted into her ear.
“Shh. Be quiet and I’ll let you go.”
Nella nodded desperately. Since staying conscious and surviving were her priorities, agreeing seemed the best strategy for now.
The man looked down at her doubtfully, only loosening his grip when she was about to lose consciousness.
“Haaah…!”
Cold air rushed deep into her lungs, quickly circulating blood.
After gasping for breath and coughing several times, her blackening vision returned to normal.
Clutching her throat and steadying her breathing, Nella narrowed her eyes and examined the man who had restrained her.
‘Hmph, I don’t know who you are, but if you think I’ll listen to someone whose identity I don’t even know!’
This was inside the imperial palace.
The man’s stealth skills might have been good enough to infiltrate this far, but if she screamed even slightly, the maids and guards waiting outside would surely rush in.
The fact that he hadn’t killed her outright suggested he needed her cooperation, but that was out of the question.
‘Cooperate with such a rude ruffian? How dare he, does he know who I am?’
Just as Nella drew in another breath to shout loudly—
“Hmm, uncontrollable as expected.”
The man covered her mouth again just before a scream could escape.
The corner of his mouth seemed to curl upward.
“Princess. You were about to shout just now, weren’t you?”
Fear frosted Nella’s purple eyes. She hadn’t expected his movements to be faster than a single shout.
Had she known, she should have screamed immediately to call for help rather than asking who he was.
At the time, she hadn’t thought he would pressure her this much. After all, this was within the imperial palace.
‘What should I do? What should I say…!’
Even as she struggled to breathe again, Nella’s mind raced.
The man who had been watching her quietly smiled deeply and whispered:
“This won’t do, Princess.”
He pushed something small into Nella’s mouth as she panicked.
“Mmph…!”
The man’s red eyes looked down coldly at Nella as she shook her head in refusal.
‘This can’t be! How could those red eyes…!’
Nella’s eyes widened. She had thought she hadn’t seen properly in the darkness, but now, up close, the red color was unmistakable.
Those deep red eyes that only those born with the blood of the Sieria imperial family possessed.
Taking advantage of Nella’s confusion, the man lightly struck her throat, making her swallow what was in her mouth.
Though Nella shuddered at the foreign sensation sliding down her throat, there wasn’t much she could do while restrained.
She could only glare at the man with murderous intent.
Calmly receiving her gaze, the man maintained his smile and whispered softly:
“Don’t look at me like that, Princess. You brought this on yourself.”
“…!”
“You keep interfering with our grand plans. That won’t do, right?”
His voice was gentle, like soothing a child, but the content was anything but kind.
“The Duke doesn’t listen either. But I suppose he still loves you as his daughter.”
Nella’s pupils dilated as she found a clue in the man’s words.
The unknown substance that had gone down her throat.
And the word “control” that the man had mentioned.
‘Could it be that he gave me…!’
Nella’s thoughts couldn’t extend further.
Due to the lack of oxygen from her restricted breathing, she lost consciousness.
After confirming that Nella had gone limp, the man glanced around the room once, then swiftly leaped back out the window.
Moving stealthily, avoiding the moonlight and sticking to the shadows, the man paused briefly when he neared the Lily Palace.
‘…So it was Ashella de Ach.’
Ten years ago, not verifying properly had been the mistake.
A flash of regret appeared momentarily in the man’s eyes, but vanished without a trace.
‘It doesn’t matter now. Not much time left anyway.’
After gazing at the Lily Palace for a moment, the man disappeared back into the darkness and swiftly left the palace.
The day to fulfill the long-cherished wish was approaching.
May all plans proceed without a hitch.
* * *
“Hmm? Hadel, what’s wrong?”
I put down the mint tea I was drinking on the table.
The brow of Hadel, who had been smiling brightly just moments ago, was now creased with wrinkles.
When I gently rubbed his forehead, which was lined with three distinct wrinkles, with my index finger, his expression softened again as if it had never been furrowed.
“Are you still worried about me?”
Hadel had been nagging for quite some time earlier, saying I was pushing myself too hard ever since I opened my eyes.
“No, it’s not that. Well, no, of course I am worried.”
Hadel paused and briefly shifted his gaze outside the window. Moonlight was gently settling on the windowsill.
After staring at the darkness beyond the window, he turned back to me.
“It’s just, somewhat…”
His tone suggested it wasn’t important, but there clearly seemed to be something outside the window.
Something bothering Hadel.
“Should you go check?”
“Hmm…”
At my words, Hadel explained briefly after a moment’s thought.
“Someone approached Princess Balkyrino. But it’s, well, an unexpected person.”
Hadel tilting his head was incredibly cute. Even the way he slightly furrowed his brows with a questioning expression was so lovable.
Though the content of his words was serious, my eyes kept noticing these endearing details, making it hard to concentrate.
“Asha? If you want, I can go catch him. What should I do?”
As I smiled fondly at his cuteness, he met my eyes and asked.
His clear pink eyes, moving smoothly, almost seemed to glow red in the darkness.
“An unexpected person… who is it?”
“Probably the winner of that swordsmanship tournament.”
“…Evan?”
“What’s this, Asha? How did you recall that guy’s name instantly?”
Hadel sulked over something so trivial.
With him in front of me, I found myself lost in thought.
Actually, I had suspicions about that masked man and had asked Teiman to investigate.
But there hadn’t been any significant findings, so I’d forgotten about it—yet it seems he was indeed connected to the Balkyrino ducal family.
“Should I catch him? If so, I need to leave now.”
Hadel asked again.
The fact that he specified “now” suggested Evan’s skills were considerable.
Although Evan had lost when he dueled with Hadel before, it was said that the sword wasn’t his primary weapon.
Placing my hands on Hadel’s cheeks as he stared at me, I answered.
“No, it’s fine. Let them cause as much trouble as they can. That way…”
The price they’ll have to pay will be greater. And it will be easier to expose their misdeeds to the world.
“Asha, your expression again.”
“Hmm? What about my expression?”
“It’s cute.”
Hadel smiled broadly. It was such a warm smile, one that could only be described as gentle and comforting.
When I smiled back, Hadel drew close and embraced me.
I wrapped my arms around his back and lightly kissed the corner of his mouth.
“That tickles.”
A soft laugh escaped him. But his laughter stopped abruptly.
“Asha.”
Hadel, who had naturally laid me down on the bed, lit up his pink eyes and spoke.
“You keep tempting me, which is problematic. You should… rest for a while.”
“I’ve already had plenty of rest.”
I stretched out my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. His eyes, drawn to me without resistance, swirled with intensity.
“You’ve been busy… all day. Running around without… rest.”
His voice, trembling slightly, held no strength at all.
I felt ticklish with his nose almost touching mine.
“Hadel, now that I think about it, I don’t think I’ve said this since we met again.”
Hadel’s beautiful eyes widened slightly with curiosity.
Looking at his jewel-like eyes, I often had the uncontrollable urge to reach out and touch them.
Caressing near his eyes, I spoke in a whisper.
“I love you, Hadel.”
I turned up the corners of my lips as I whispered the words I hadn’t been able to say for ten years.
Hadel’s pink eyes perfectly reflected my brightly smiling face.
For a moment, that reflection seemed to flicker like a candle in the wind, and then hot droplets began to fall onto my cheeks.
“Hmm? Ah, no. No, wait, Hadel? Why, why…”
As I blinked in confusion, Hadel buried his face in my shoulder, still unable to stop his tears.
Feeling the wetness seeping in, I gently patted his back.
“What’s wrong, all of a sudden? Hmm?”
What should I do now? I must have hit a serious emotional trigger.
“Asha, Asha, Asha.”
“Yes, Hadel. I’m right here.”
“Asha…”
Hadel kept calling my name. His voice was damp and moist like a water-soaked cotton.
I knew my husband was a bit of a crybaby, but… I never expected him to break down at just one declaration of love.
As I was wondering how to stop his tears, something suddenly came to mind.
“C-come to think of it, Hadel, where are Rilsha and Dalsha?”
I hadn’t seen them since I woke up.
Despite how busy I’d been all day, it was strange that those energetic children hadn’t appeared even once.
At my question, Hadel abruptly stopped crying and stiffened his shoulders.
He remained silent, his body rigid.
This doesn’t bode well.
“Surely not… Hadel, I’m only asking because I fear the worst.”
“Mmm… It feels so good to be close to you like this, Asha.”
Hadel burrowed deeper into my embrace. He clearly intended to dodge the question.
I pulled his face away and asked again.
“You didn’t imprison the children too, did you?”
