Episode 20
“Now it’s your turn, Yvonne.”
He laughed and swiftly moved through the secret passage.
*Thud!*
“Someone’s coming.”
As the fog cleared, Yurian was stepping on Michael’s neck. He saw Yurian at the edge of his vision and flicked his hand. However, since he had reduced his magical power, it didn’t reach.
“Hold him, Francis.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Francis drew his sword, blocking Yurian’s path. Yurian felt amused as Francis aimed his sword. Seeing Francis charging at him, Yurian punched the blade with his fist, breaking it.
*Crack!*
Francis dropped the broken sword to the ground and pulled out another, reinforced sword from behind.
“Back off.”
“Surrender peacefully.”
“Ugh!”
Yvonne felt like she would pass out every time Yurian moved. It was different from Francis frequently hitting her, and she clenched his clothes tightly.
“Yurian!”
“Now, calling me by my name?”
He laughed happily, leaving Francis behind and running again. Yvonne, shocked by Yurian’s sudden movement, grabbed onto his clothes tightly.
“I should have killed you when I had the chance.”
*Snap.*
It was the sound of a finger snapping. Yvonne, realizing the origin of the sound was Hildebrandt, turned pale.
“Dad!”
However, Hildebrandt, distracted by me calling him, couldn’t properly use his ability. Yet, Yurian, who entered his field of vision, had his ability weakened, blocking his sight.
“Yvonne.”
“Ugh, Dad…”
Without the restraint around his neck, Yurian didn’t mind not seeing clearly. By using his ability to enhance his senses, he could vividly perceive everything without seeing. He chuckled, realizing that the disturbing sound of a large heartbeat was coming from Princess Yvonne beside him, even though he couldn’t see her well.
“Release Yvonne.”
“Oh.”
Yurian finally realized that he could use the princess’s life as leverage. However, for some reason, he didn’t want to. Perhaps it was because she clung to his clothes, trembling, and he didn’t want to torment her.
He simply wanted to lock her up in the mansion while they left together, making her wait for him just as he waited for her, smiling every time they met.
“But I won’t surrender her this time, Your Majesty.”
“Enough with the nonsense.”
Hildebrandt gathered the remaining magic outside. Both of his eyes turned red again, blazing with anger.
*Snap!*
“Ugh…!”
It seemed like a restraint was about to be placed on Michael’s neck. Yurian made eye contact with him, but the knights nearby had already surrounded him.
The Emperor continued to fail in using his ability because Yvonne, the princess, entered his field of vision. If he casually used his ability, capturing Yurian would be easy. However, the shock would be entirely felt by Yvonne.
Now that she had finally become a daughter who listened well and obeyed, the Emperor chose destruction over losing Yvonne.
“I’m sorry, Duke.”
“Kuh…!”
Yurian’s vision returned.
And he saw it.
The thing he feared the most in the world.
“Dad… The puppy…”
Yvonne felt the same way.
When Yurian staggered for a moment, Francis quickly approached. With a thud, Yurian’s fist hit Francis’s arm, and Francis realized that his arm was broken.
One of the knights nearby swiftly healed Francis, and he retaliated by pushing Yurian back. Hildebrandt grabbed Yurian’s face with his hand and infused him with his ability.
He withdrew what he had written on Yvonne and poured all his magic into Yurian.
“Keh…!”
Yurian was defeated.
It was a hasty attempt to escape without fully recovering.
* * *
Hildebrandt quickly withdrew his ability, but I was unconscious, having a nightmare.
The nightmare seemed to be someone else’s memory, not mine. The owner of her body. The real memories of Princess Yvonne.
‘Yvonne.’
Lying down, legs crossed, the smiling figure belonged to Hildebrandt. It was his cherished sanctuary. Tall trees swayed gracefully all year round, and the garden was filled with the blossoms he loved.
As the wind gently blew, the fragrance of flowers filled the air, permeating through the lungs.
‘Yvonne, look at me.’
In response to Hildebrandt’s smiling words, Yvonne pulled his head close, nestled in his arms, and said,
‘I thought you were going to sleep.’
‘Can’t sleep?’
‘What should I do to fall asleep then?’
He smiled softly, hearing the sound of her heartbeat from her chest. He embraced Yvonne, gently pushing her down to the ground.
‘You have to die for me to fall asleep.’
‘Ugh!’
Suddenly, his attire changed. But it wasn’t just the attire; Hildebrandt’s expression also transformed, displaying a sinister grin. He pressed Yvonne’s neck with his large hands, glaring at her hatefully.
‘I can’t believe you believe in such things.’
“Hilde…”
‘Die, Yvonne.’
‘Ugh, Hilde…’
The pain in her throat was excruciating. Yvonne knew this was a dream, but the pain was so intense that her body trembled.
‘I hate you.’
Tears welled up in his eyes, dripping down and wetting Yvonne’s cheek.
‘Kill me, see… Hehe…’
The mocking voice seemed to be Yvonne’s, but it sounded different from the memories.
‘Kill me, Hilde.’
As more tears fell from her cheek, the dream became increasingly blurry.
* * *
‘..What a nightmare.’
As Yvonne woke up, drenched in cold sweat, the first thing she saw was an opulent canopy adorned with patterns of the royal family.
“Yvonne.”
Faster than realizing this wasn’t her bedroom but a dream, she became aware that someone was nearby.
“Oh… uh…”
Yvonne felt her heart pound, remembering the events from the dream where Hildebrandt glared at her as if ready to kill.
“Dad?”
“What dream did you have?”
“Um… Well…”
She realized that what she saw in the dream was Hildebrandt’s walking hypnosis. It had started with five puppies, and later, she saw things that she couldn’t distinguish as memories or suggestions.
“That ‘thing’ tried to escape, but Dad saved me.”
“…And besides that?”
“Nothing, nothing at all…”
Yvonne swallowed dry saliva, looking at Hildebrandt, who stared at her as if testing her. Then, cautiously, she reached out her hand. He was within arm’s reach, sitting on the edge of the bed, looking down at her.
“Your eye color is back. But any color is fine because they’re Dad’s eyes.”
Stopping his resentful gaze towards Yvonne, Hildebrandt smiled like a fox, took her hand, and lowered it.
“Yvonne, if you don’t awaken by the time Dad returns from the diplomatic journey, then I’ll kill you. So, make sure to awaken, my daughter.”
“Dad.”
“So, make sure to awaken, my daughter.”
Trying not to let Hildebrandt notice her trembling, Yvonne briefly stopped breathing and then said, “If I die at Dad’s hands, that would also be an honor. Really.”
She didn’t release his hand and used the other to pull Hildebrandt’s neck toward her. He willingly leaned in, wrapping his arms around her waist, putting his ear to her chest, quietly staying there.
“I’ll become a useful daughter.”
To reassure him, Yvonne gently stroked his hair.
* * *
The Emperor could have killed Yurian right away, but he didn’t. Surely, understanding the importance of my awakening, he restrained himself.
Considering that I seemed perfectly fine despite having seen something strange under hypnosis, maybe Yurian was also quite fine. With such thoughts, I gathered my belongings while descending into the underground.
Leaving one door open, I couldn’t summon the courage to open the other. Yurian’s failed escape was my fault. If he had abandoned me and tried to escape, he could have easily gotten away.
However, he insisted on taking me with him.
Can I trust Yurian? Why does he want to take me? Should I consider just the fact that he didn’t kill me as progress?
In the original work, as soon as he gained the ability, he killed Princess Yvonne. Considering that, it seemed like he wanted to keep his promise to escape together, unlike the original. However, now that it failed because of me, there might not be another chance.
Hildebrandt’s diplomatic journey was not far off. Maybe, I should run away alone, leaving Yurian behind. But if I did that, he might die because of me.
However, there was no way the protagonist would die. Surely, after surviving and coming back, he might come to seek revenge against me. Either way, it was a dead-end cliff.
“Darn it.”
I stopped my thoughts and opened the door. Inside, Yurian, fitted with several restraints even more severe than before, was there. Whether he couldn’t see in front of him at all or turned his head towards the direction of sound, he spoke.
“Yvonne.”
