So that he could never again covet the world beyond these bars so that he would fall into an abyss where no trace could be found.
“Argh!”
“I’m the only one who can cling to master and lick her feet like a dog.”
Pushed by that force, Ash finally fell to the ground.
“Why you? On what grounds?”
“Keuuugh!”
His tone implied that he wouldn’t let Siani have any feelings for anyone other than himself, whether it was sympathy, love, or hatred. All her emotions were solely his.
“Today is the last day.”
A faint light was spreading as dawn was breaking. Before the morning fully arrived, Luna and Ash would be branded and expelled from the capital.
“But what can be done?”
In other words, the time left was only now.
“Master is already deeply asleep.”
“…!”
“She doesn’t seem to care much about where you end up.”
“Ha.”
Redian chuckled softly. Along with that neat laugh, something was thrown beyond the bars…
“Oh, who knows?”
It was a razor-sharp dagger used for suicide.
“Maybe if your corpse hanged and fluttered in the square, the master might take a look at you.”
Indeed. The real ‘final’ judgment was happening while Siani was deeply asleep.
* * *
“What about master?”
“No news yet.”
Ipos, following Redian, answered his question. This meant that Siani had not woken up yet.
“She must be tired.”
Redian removed his black gloves as soon as he left the prison. He seemed satisfied that she was deeply asleep, unaware of what had transpired.
“Well, she has had a lot on her mind lately.”
Then he put on a pair of spotless white gloves. He looked so natural and composed that one could believe he had just returned from a casual hunt.
“But, Milord.” Ipos glanced back at the prison. “Will you inform the lady about Ash Benio?”
Ipos assumed that the man had ultimately chosen to take his own life. And since all of this was part of Redian’s plan, he thought Redian would think the same.
“Inform?”
“…”
However,
“Did something happen?” Redian just smiled gently. “I should go to master. She’ll need me by her side when she wakes.”
It was as if she was dealing with time that had already been erased from the world.
* * *
“Sister! Don’t leave me behind!”
“Please come to save me, Siani!”
“…Ah.”
I squinted against the strong light on my forehead. It seemed the rain from last night had cleared, and the weather had brightened. But perhaps because of the recurring dream, it was hard to get up.
“Rere, could you block the sunlight?”
“Yes, Master.”
As soon as I finished speaking, I heard the sound of curtains closing. And soon after, I felt Redian’s hand on my eyes.
It’s refreshing.
It had become so natural for him to be by my side.
“It seems you had a bad dream.”
“Luna and Ash appeared,” I answered Redian’s question with my eyes closed. “I don’t usually think about them, but sometimes this happens.”
In fact, if it weren’t for these moments, I rarely thought of them. Do they keep appearing in my dreams so I won’t forget? All I knew was that they had been exiled from the capital and moved to a monastery on the outskirts. I hadn’t heard any news about how they were doing.
“Have you heard any news about them?”
“Well… somewhat.”
Redian’s tone was calm.
“They are probably doing fine.”
Redian’s answer was vague but concise, leaving no room for further questions.
Wait, this scent is familiar. The subtle scent that reached me made all my thoughts disappear. Well, life in a monastery wouldn’t be very different.
“Is this…”
“You remember.”
It was the floral scent I had mentioned liking before. I didn’t expect him to remember and turn it into a fragrance. At times like this, it seemed like everything about him was made just for me.
“You’ve already bathed, haven’t you?” I mumbled with my eyes closed and chuckled.
Flowers and Redian. People outside often compared Redian to a glass sculpture of a flower. More dazzling than anything alive, yet so cold. They just don’t know his true nature.
But I thought differently. If anything, Redian was like a vibrant red rose. The reason was…
“What is all this?”
“You always bathe in rose water, don’t you?”
It was the day we took a bath together, or more precisely, the day Redian personally washed me.
“Daisy was away for a break, so she wasn’t around. Did you really prepare all this by yourself?”
“Because I was the one who exhausted you, Master.”
Well, let’s not get into how he exhausted me.
I didn’t remember what kind of whim blew through my mind at that moment.
“Master…?”
“It’s revenge for keeping me up all night.”
I had scooped up a handful of roses floating on the water and dumped them on Redian’s head. Thinking back, there was no particular reason. I just wanted to see it.
“Rere, it might be sudden, but you’re really… handsome.”
“This won’t do. Since I’m all wet, I’ll join you.”
It was an excellent decision.
His firm body showed through the wet shirt, and the red roses scattered over his silver hair…
I’ve raised him well. Thinking back, I couldn’t help but feel genuine admiration. Even someone like me, with few desires, decided that sight was for my eyes only.
“Indeed.”
Redian’s voice broke my reverie.
“Recently, you seem to be sleeping more.”
At the same time, his hand moved from my eyes to my hair.
“I’m happy about it, though.”
“…Happy?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“You’re the calmest when you’re asleep, Master.”
Though his words seemed casual, I understood perfectly.
“Recently, haven’t you been spending more time with the people of the Great Temple than with me?”
That was a direct jab.
“You never miss a ceremony or meeting, so they wouldn’t have to wait for you like I do when you break promises.”
“Cough.”
Redian rarely got angry but often sulked, just like now. In such moments, pretending to be asleep was the best strategy. I clasped my hands over my belly and kept my eyes tightly shut.
“Moreover…”
“…!”
But soon, I couldn’t help but flinch. The gentle hand that was brushing my hair had slid down to my collarbone.
“I can take a closer look at the marks I’ve left on your body, Master.”
Huh? Marks? What marks on my collarbone…
“Shh.”
In the end, my eyes snapped open.
For heaven’s sake, what if the maids outside heard these secrets?
“What if Daisy hears? Be quiet.”
And when had he moved so close? The blue eyes I met as soon as I opened mine were soft.
“What…”
But unlike me, Redian just tilted his head slightly.
“I was referring to the fragrance I’ve left on you, Master.”
“…”
“It’s still strong after all this time. My subordinates recognized you immediately because of it.” He spoke as if he was only referring to the scent of my soul fragments. “Oh, did you… think of something else?” He even raised an eyebrow and smiled.
“Enough. Move away.”
“Come to think of it, this area is particularly flushed, Master.” Redian’s gaze lingered languidly but intensely on my neck and collarbone.
“It’s just because I just woke up.”
“Is that really the reason…”
I tried to get out of Redian’s embrace, but it wasn’t easy.
He looked at my face with a slight frown. “Shall we check again?” Redian murmured in a sweet voice.
Ugh, see? He really was born as a fox.
I’ll get my revenge. I vowed quietly, glaring at him.
Tonight, I would definitely win. It was because Redian would usually obey anything I said outside the bed. To put it bluntly, it was almost like he was submissive. But on the bed, he strangely changed, sometimes overwhelming me. In other words, I often found myself being pushed or losing that control. How humiliating!
“Oh my, it seems quite bright.” I decided to take a step back and plan my revenge later. “What time is it?”
As I casually changed the subject and got up, Redian answered. “It should be past noon.”
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