Episode 16
“By the way, whose mark is this son of a b**** left?”
Maybe it was because of the alcohol, but his expression was honest. Each time Hildebrandt made such a face, it felt like my patience was about to snap and disappear.
What’s making him feel so bad, anyway?
“Why are you curious about this?”
“Isn’t it natural to be curious about who the jerk is that left a mark on our daughter’s body?”
Well, twisted as it may be, he must be looking for a target to vent his frustration. His words, pretending to be considerate of me, were disgusting, but I replied as if our daughter was a truly innocent and obedient child.
“That thing asked.”
“Well, then we’ll have to punish it.”
“Please don’t.”
“Why?”
He spat out the refusal, fearing that he might rush at Yurian. Since I denied it, I had to say what he wanted to hear. If not, the crazy guy might attack again. From the start, it was clear that the reason for getting angry at the wound on my neck was just an excuse to grab a hold of something.
Probably, he wanted to torment Yurian, who had become a thorn in his side because of that.
“I hope Dad doesn’t waste his energy on unnecessary things. I’ve already educated it enough.”
I became uneasy when he let go of my hand. He would use his abilities recklessly when angered again. I quickly interjected to prevent him from losing a match or doing anything foolish.
“It’s because of this.”
I approached and traced the fingerprint on his neck with my finger. The fingerprint on the Emperor’s neck was undoubtedly left by Yurian.
“Did Dad get hurt and get angry?”
“No. I was sad.”
Seeing that he didn’t let go of my hand after I removed it from his neck, it seemed like he didn’t dislike it. So, I slowly released my hand and descended, holding his hand again.
“Let’s go to the room.”
He didn’t answer but just stared at me. So, I pulled him along urgently. Then, he began to move little by little.
“Yvonne.”
“Yes.”
“…No.”
When I looked back again, he was showing a snake-like smile. His face seemed completely sober, but his walking indicated a state of intoxication.
I lost count of how many times our eyes met as I escorted him to the room. Was he so worried that he continued to look at me like that? Was it because he knew it would never happen with Francis?
I found myself in the room we had arrived at. Hildebrandt’s room was similar in structure to mine, except the items inside were so luxurious that they were disgustingly ostentatious.
On the right side of the enormous bed, there was a map of the Bricesys Kingdom, made of gold. In the capital with the palace at the center, large diamonds were embedded.
“Please rest.”
“Yvonne, stay by my side until Dad falls asleep.”
“… Yes.”
I wanted to leave, but I couldn’t escape. It would be bothersome to undress and lay him down, but if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be the “good and lovely Princess Yvonne who loves her dad the most in the world.”
“Shall I call the maids?”
“No, I don’t want them. Unclean.”
Why would Hildebrandt become a Emperor? He was accustomed to expressing disgust towards people. Despite his intoxicated state when walking, the courtiers endured it quite well, but the maids and servants couldn’t bear it.
In the first place, Hildebrandt’s twisted stance was also due to that damn fiancée. There was no detailed mention of the fiancée; it only stated that she betrayed Hildebrandt, making him hate all women.
But it wasn’t that Hildebrandt despised and hated only women. He just didn’t like most people. Whether it was unfortunate or fortunate, I seemed to be quite cherished by him.
“I’ll help you undress.”
Looking at the marks on his neck again, I felt strange. Was I bothered by something left by his future lover? Was I feeling jealous and resentful? Come to think of it, they seemed to have said that they were each other’s destiny.
When our eyes met, he smiled brightly. With sky-blue eyes, he looked genuinely pleasant.
“Can you help me Francis?.”
“Don’t come. Stay there.”
When I asked Francis for help, Hildebrandt refused, and at that moment, the overwhelming smell of alcohol filled the air. I’d rather he sprayed this much with perfume.
As if sensing Hildebrandt’s words, Francis, standing nearby without helping, looked at me like a wet dog. So, deliberately avoiding eye contact, I undid my clothes again.
“How do you take off the cloak?”
As soon as I finished speaking, Hildebrandt tore off the blue cloak he was wearing. As a result, the pin that was on his shoulder rolled to the floor, and Francis quickly picked it up.
Probably, it was because it wouldn’t be good if it rolled around and hurt the emperor.
“Daughter, did you change your perfume?”
“No. I often hold the doll Dad gave me, so I think the scent transferred.”
“Is it my scent?”
“Yes.”
Why are so many people asking me about perfume lately? It’s not an important conversation, so I casually turned away from him. Come to think of it, I haven’t taken any painkillers since I received that doll, and I haven’t felt any pain.
This crazy guy. Could it be that he broke all the painkillers in a fit, applied them to the doll, and that’s why I’m fine, but Yurián is having a hard time?
If it were someone else, I wouldn’t think so, but if it’s him, he’s likely to do something like that.
“To be honest, Dad puts tranquilizers in the tea Yvonne drinks every day.”
“Really?”
It’s not about the doll.
As I took off the outer layer and several layers of clothes inside, the tunic finally came off. The nightgown was being held by a courtier near the door, and Francis discreetly took it and handed it to me.
“Wouldn’t it be better for Dad to undress and wear it alone from the tunic onwards?”
“I don’t want to.”
“Then let me do it.”
I untied the knot in front of the tunic. The smell of alcohol emanated from his mouth, but a sweet scent of lilacs was sprayed on the chest, making it somewhat pleasant.
And as I tried to take it off, I kept failing.
“Hehehe.”
Why? Because my height barely reached Hildebrandt’s shoulders. To take off the tunic, I had to lift it over his head. But when I raised my arms, he did the same, preventing my hands from reaching.
Ugh, this crazy guy. Seriously, go crazy gracefully!
“Hahaha. It’s so fun, Dad.”
Fun, my foot.
“I played a little joke because Yvonne’s expression was too dark.”
“It’s amusing.”
Do that with Yurián, not me.
As he looked at me holding the clothes, he chuckled and took off the tunic. Then he quickly put on the nightgown and said, “Since I can’t take off the pants, I’ll leave that to the courtier.”
He was clearly drunk and out of his mind. He started taking off the pants as he answered me. I instinctively covered my eyes with my hands, and when I uncovered them, he was already lying on the bed.
Both knees were scraped, but this crazy guy wasn’t someone who would consider such things. So, inevitably, with scraped knees oozing blood, I knelt beside the bed where he lay.
“Until you fall asleep.”
“Yes, don’t worry.”
I had to wait for roughly several tens of minutes. I had to stay in that uncomfortable and painful position until the sound of his breathing changed while he slept. I couldn’t move recklessly, as it would be troublesome if he woke up.
Slowly getting up and turning around, Francis, the courtier, and that damn traitor were not in the room. With a subtle sense of betrayal, I prepared to return to my quarters.
“Yvonne.”
Why are his eyes so bright?
“Did you wake up, Dad?”
“Yvonne. Why did you abandon me?”
“Oh, I didn’t abandon you. I was trying to hold your hand.”
He closed and opened his eyes with a somewhat groggy expression, as if not fully awake.
The voice calling me was locked away. I couldn’t tell if he was not fully awake or just sleep-talking. It was annoying that holding his hand made it more difficult to leave.
Resigning myself, I took his hand and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Yvonne, did you really love your uncle?”
“No.”
“Then why did you do that?”
“I only like Dad. So please go to sleep.”
He closed his eyes again, slowly opened them, and looked at me.
Please. Sleep. Don’t make me put you to sleep.
“Yvonne.”
“Yes.”
“I want to kill Yvonne.”
“I’ll do my best so Dad doesn’t kill you.”
I pleaded with him again, trying to put him back to sleep as he mumbled about some dream. I don’t know how long I had to wait, but when I finally left the room, I felt like I was on the verge of collapse.
* * *
When I came out of Hildebrandt’s room, it was dawn. It was dawn, but thinking about Yurián still being restrained made me nervous. Moreover, judging by his behavior, it seemed like he hadn’t found the key I lost in the basement.
No, maybe he found it but chose not to use it?
I couldn’t figure out what the unpredictable guy’s intentions were.
I must have lost the key on the day my neck was injured. I thought it was worth taking such a gamble to build trust between us, but now I wondered if he hadn’t found the key at all.
Then it would be troublesome.
Once you lose the key, there’s no solution. To get an extra key, I would have to ask Hildebrandt for it.
“This was a bit irresponsible.”
Saying that, I barefootedly headed to the basement of my palace. Since Francis had offered to accompany me and I refused, it was the first time I could wander around alone in the palace.
I gestured quietly to the gatekeepers guarding the door, and they swallowed their words. Carefully avoiding making any noise, I headed to the basement. Then I opened the door very slowly.
There, Yurián, who had completely untied the neck restraint, finished showering and was looking at me.
“I’ve been waiting, Yvonne.”
Smiling like another lunatic waiting for prey.
