Bon Appétit

The one who followed her was the emperor, not Cain.

As soon as she realized it, she got goosebumps on her spine. What about Cain? What happened to Cain? All kinds of ominous imaginations flashed through her mind. Perhaps he knew Ingrid’s heart; the emperor came closer and reached out his hand.

“Ingrid.”

The voice sounded as low and terrifying, like a snake’s cry. The emotions the emperor must be feeling now did not reach Ingrid. There was already a high wall between them that could not be crossed. And that wall gave Ingrid anxiety. 

Ingrid took a small breath and stepped back. She wanted to widen the distance, but the emperor came as close as she stepped back. No matter how much she steps back, the distance remains the same. That fact was unbearable. Again, her hand turned to the dagger around her waist. Even though he knew the emperor was looking at her movements, she had no choice but to do so.

“Are you threatening me with your life again?”

The emperor asked sarcastically. At that, Ingrid seemed to be a little more awake. ‘Are you threatening me with your life again?’ No, this time, it was different. It was only a risky gamble at the time because it was so tense but now was not the time.

For some reason, the emperor was alone, and only two people were in this space. Ingrid took a breath to calm down. Then she took out her dagger and aimed it at his neck.

“Again. How long do you think such a threat will work on me?”

The emperor stopped walking while speaking as if he was fed up. After all, he couldn’t do anything if Ingrid risked her life. It’s funny and annoying. Her body trembled with indescribable emotion.

‘I only get one chance.’

Ingrid made up her mind when she saw the emperor. She couldn’t live by running away forever. Do you know when this kind of opportunity will come again? She slowly tightened her hand with a dagger. Then the sharp blade penetrated her soft skin, and red blood began to show.

“Ingrid?”

At that time, the surprised emperor rushed to stop Ingrid. This brought the opportunity.

“You’re wrong this time.”

Ingrid’s cold voice fell to the emperor.

At the same time, the emperor felt cold in his stomach. No, it was cold, but hot at the same time. He held back the pain and hugged Ingrid. Frustrated, he tried to stop Ingrid, but he couldn’t. In the end, they both collapsed on the spot together.

“…I see.”

The emperor spoke in a slow voice.

“Nothing has changed.”

He felt like a fool with expectations, even for a moment. Perhaps Ingrid has returned, or is she trying to make a different compromise with him? His head, which was full of positive thoughts, seemed to clear. ‘Yes, I guess this is right.’ The emperor thought, embracing Ingrid, who was still clutching her dagger.

‘She had no intention to forgive me.’

The emperor smirked. No, he said he wouldn’t regret it either, so he might not be any different. Ingrid’s sincerity seemed to be conveyed belatedly only in a dangerous situation, but it was already too late. Blood started pouring out when Ingrid pulled out the sword she had stabbed into his stomach.

‘No, it’s not over yet.’

No matter how much he went for a walk, there should be many imperial knights and soldiers around here. Anyone would come running as soon as the emperor shouted. Then he could not die.

‘Stupid Ingrid.’

The emperor thought so and tried to scream. Until she gently pats his cheek. Even though she knew it was a dangerous situation, he felt her touch, and he couldn’t open his mouth because he knew this time was over when someone else came. He shut his mouth to feel even a little more of Ingrid’s touch.

Meanwhile, his body began to feel cold. He had to scream now. But this time, on the contrary, his body started not to listen.

‘It wasn’t an ordinary dagger.’

It seemed that she had put poison on the dagger. Well, maybe poison was a must because she never learned swordsmanship. The poison paralyzed his body. His vision was getting blurred. Suddenly, he was curious about what Ingrid’s expression was, so he looked up at her.

Tears flowed from her eyes, which he had always thought beautiful. ‘If you killed someone you hated, shouldn’t you be happier?’ The emperor wanted to scold Ingrid. But it didn’t seem like it was her fault.

“Miss Ingrid!”

Another man’s voice came from behind him. It was Cain. The man who he left out in the middle had already reached here.

“Are you all right? What the hell is going on here?”

Cain freaked out at Ingrid’s blood-stained hands. Seeing him like that, Ingrid trembled but answered as calmly as possible and grabbed her dagger.

“How did your neck hurt?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Ingrid replied, wiping her throat. In the first place, there are two sides of the dagger’s blade. She scratches her neck with the no poison side. So it was just a small wound.

“How?!”

“It’s okay, I just did what I had to do.”

At those words, Cain looked down at the emperor and then turned his gaze to Ingrid. He clenched his teeth. He seemed to have caused trouble to Ingrid, his master, by not properly doing what he had to do. But now was not the time to make a mistake.

“People are moving as the fog is dissipated. It’s dangerous, so we have to move quickly.”

“I know.”

Ingrid answered and withdrew her hand from the emperor. His clothes were dark, so he couldn’t see any blood splattered. But the smell of blood stinging the tip of his nose was telling. The emperor thought Ingrid had finally achieved one of her wishes.

‘Then you should be happier.’

Ingrid and the emperor thought about the same thing. But she didn’t know the reason for the tears. While wiping away her tears, she said to Cain,

“Let’s go back.”

“Aren’t you going to look for Miss Luana?”

Ingrid said, looking down at her red hands.

“I don’t think this is the right time. Let’s find her again later.”

In a way, it was a cowardly escape.

“Let’s go, Sir Cain.”

Ingrid left the dying emperor behind and quickly moved on. He swallowed the pain and didn’t scream. She didn’t doubt herself either. Everything was his fault. Moreover, the other party is her enemy. There is no reason for her to grieve or sympathize with him. So she decided to go strong.

They still have a lot to do. With Cain’s help, she still had to find other people against the empire and convince the kingdom’s nobles with different motives.

‘To revive the kingdom!’

It was time to be stronger. Then, a loud noise came from behind. It must have been the voice of someone who discovered the emperor.

***

Sarah blinked slowly at the dying emperor.

“How does this happened?”

She wondered if the emperor and Luana’s older sister would meet, but it ended up like this. She knew the situation, but how did it go this far?

“That’s human love.”

“Gerald!”

“It’s not wrong, is it? Isn’t it all because of love that the two became like that? Honestly, isn’t it strange that an emperor who even learned swordsmanship can’t defeat a weak woman?”

“Yes, but…”

Sarah quickly shook her head. The emperor was dying, and the princess of the fallen kingdom fled. By now, Luana should be with Legion. Is there any chance that she will be accused of being the culprit? No, that’s not going to happen. Then what should they do afterward?

The conclusion was made.

“Let’s leave him alone.”

Sarah said lightly and raised her head.

“Isn’t there a way?”

“There is, but it’s inconvenient. The emperor is also connected to the duke, who Luana loves. And as far as I know, the imperial family and the duke’s family were connected by the same blood line, right?”

“That’s true.”

“Let’s just make the duke the next emperor.”

Even though she praised love and seemed weak-hearted, Sarah was also a witch. She is a great witch. Besides, she commands and takes care of all witches. She had no choice but to follow in the direction beneficial to the race.

“Let’s stop those who are approaching us for a while, and wake up the knights on the Legion side.”

As soon as the words fell, Gerald moved to increase the number of drugs sprayed on nearby ponds; then, the fog would cover this place again. Sarah folded the space to wake up the knights, as she said. She felt a little sorry for the dying emperor, but what could she do?

“Is this fate?”

Sarah disappeared at the same time as she said it. And the place that reappeared was the hut where Legion was trapped. The door was wide open, but the two were still spending time there looking at each other. They even eat food from the basket that Gerald left behind.

‘In a way, Luana also has a strong heart.’

Sarah shrugged her shoulders and said to Luana.

“When do you plan to run away?”

“Oh, right!”

Luana slapped her palm with her hand. The duke’s request seemed engrossed in her, and she forgot what she had to do right away.

“First, I need to release the restraints.”

As if to come to her senses late, Luana began to look at the restrain.