My Will Did Not Mean This

Suddenly, Aslan’s head turned.

 

“Such arrogance!”

 

The emperor roughly wiped the hand that had hit Aslan with a towel. Then he couldn’t control his anger and hit him again.

 

“Are you blind to a pulmonary disease patient who will die soon and discrediting a public servant? Are you out of your mind?”

 

“Isn’t this something that His Majesty also agreed to?”

 

“How dare you blame me!”

 

“Aren’t you annoyed by the actions of the margrave, who is calling for power? Even if I had come forward, if His Majesty turned a blind eye, the fall from office would have been in vain.”

 

Aslan twitched the corner of his mouth sarcastically. The eyes glaring at the emperor were unique. He didn’t seem like a man being reprimanded. Just thinking about that old pervert still made her grind her teeth. He destroyed and trampled everything the bastard had, but even so, he did not feel relieved.

 

Unresolved desires stir in the dantian. He cried out that he desperately wanted to see blood, that he should take another life. A dirty devil’s whisper.

 

“How shall I explain Duke Eleonora’s affairs! In what spirit should I expose his private parts!”

 

“Oh, it was a mistake.”

 

“Mistake? A mistake?!”

 

“Thank you for the job well done. Thanks to this, the secrets of the royal family have been preserved, and it is all thanks to His Majesty’s hard work.”

 

The conversation was full of hypocrisy and contempt, but this one word was sincere.

 

‘My delicate and lovely bride.’

 

She had no doubts about Duke Eleonora’s death. If the imperial family hadn’t worked hard, she would have had a hard time trying to appease him. However, the emperor seemed very offended by Aslan’s last words. This was because he himself came forward for Aslan.

 

“It looks like this emperor has been letting you off the hook too much.”

 

The emperor took a horsewhip from his wall hanging and muttered darkly.

 

“Kneel.”

 

Aslan bowed down in a familiar manner. A harsh whipping followed on his shoulder.

 

He was silent, filled with only sharp sounds.

 

Aslan endured it without a single groan, and in the end, the emperor tired first. He sneered, throwing away his blood-caked whip.

 

“It’s truly poisonous. It’s really not human.”

 

“I am devastated.”

 

“This emperor didn’t order you to get up. Kneel!”

 

This time he did not follow the emperor’s orders. When Aslan stood up, his physique far outstripped the emperor.

 

“I am not as obedient as Johannes. Even when I was thrown into Blackford to die, didn’t I come out alive and establish my kingdom?”

 

“You…!”

 

“Your Majesty doesn’t need me anyway. Someone who will take over the curse of the royal family. So, let go of your anger. What good is there in holding a grudge against me?”

 

Aslan smiled slowly and turned around. He was worried about keeping Vivian waiting too long. But his steps stopped at one word from the emperor.

 

“Do you think that if the princess found out your true identity, she would still stay by your side?”

 

“…”

 

“I’m asking if she would share the same bed with a monster disguised as a human!”

 

Aslan’s relaxed face suddenly hardened. His eyes freeze red.

 

“If you touch Vivian… At that time, I don’t know how I will react.”

 

He won’t tell her anything.

 

“Even if it means abolishing it.”

 

Even if he had to cover her eyes and block her ears, she will never be able to leave.

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

“Vivian.”

 

Vivian, who was walking alone in the imperial palace, turned her head to him. Aslan was walking with long strides. The private meeting with the emperor seemed to be taking longer than expected, but it seemed to have finally ended.

 

“Did you wait long?”

 

“Indeed. I thought my eyes were going to fall out as I waited. Besides, do you know what just happened?”

 

“I heard that you saved the Empress. My fiancee is amazing, after all.”

 

“The news is fast.”

 

Aslan left, he held out his hand to continue the conversation. Vivian nodded and escorted him out.

 

“How are you feeling?”

 

“Not bad. Maybe it’s because the weather continues to be warm these days, but my coughing has decreased a bit.”

 

“Good. I will have to continue to take my medicine consistently.”

 

“That’s a bit…”

 

Aslan hired seven new, renowned doctors for her. They discussed every day and came up with new medicinal ingredients, and thanks to this, the taste of the medicine became newer day by day. Vivian, who had been complaining that you should try eating it yourself, suddenly tilted her head. Earlier, she thought there was a strong smell coming from somewhere, but it was because it didn’t go away no matter how much time passed.

 

“Aslan, did you spray your perfume?”

 

He received Vivian’s gaze and turned his head without saying a word.

 

“What’s going on? I usually don’t like it even when it’s called root.”

 

“…”

 

“Now that I think about it, you changed your clothes again. I was wondering why you were so late, did you procrastinate even though you clearly knew I was waiting? Have you been cheating on me?”

 

In aristocratic society, extramarital affairs were public, and it was almost an unwritten rule to change into new clothes and spray perfume to hide traces after making love with a mistress. 

Of course, Vivian had nothing to do with Aslan cheating. She just threw it out as a joke because his mood seemed a bit dark.

 

“Me having an affair while having you… That can’t be possible, Vivian.”

 

“What do you think? How many nobles these days have separate lovers? I heard it’s faster to count from absence to absence.”

 

“Then what about you? I’m sure there are quite a few men who follow you because you’re so charming.”

 

“Well, what do you think?”

 

Even Aslan of the world seemed to be a master in this regard. As soon as the sound of infidelity comes out, the voice lowers and the words stop speaking. It seemed like not a single drop of blood would come out even if he was stabbed, so it was fun to tease him again. Vivian giggled and ran ahead, but her waist was grabbed. Aslan hugged her from behind and whispered softly in her ear.

 

“Who is it?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“The man that covets my fiancee.”

 

It was a kind and gentle voice, as if luring a timid herbivore. However, the light in his eyes flashed with a murderous intensity, as if he could cut a person to pieces. As there was hardly any answer from Vivian, Aslan became thirsty. Thick veins stood out on the back of her hand, which wrapped around her slender waist.

 

“Chi, where do I have a lover? You just locked me in your mansion the whole time.”

 

“But you’re not with me 24 hours a day. There is a saying that history happens in the blink of an eye.”

 

“History and all, I’m too tired to deal with you. Don’t you know that my physical strength is that good?”

 

From the time she woke up in the morning until she went to bed at night, Aslan would often come to her bedroom. When Aslan was busy with official duties and did not have time, her maid, Emma, and even if she was not her, a doctor or another maid would often come in and take care of her condition. Vivian rarely spent time alone, as she was so bothered that she turned to Aslan’s bedroom, which was open when the door was locked. She was under close surveillance without any leaks.

 

“That’s great to hear. It’s too much for just me to deal with.”

 

“I’m not telling you to like me, are you?”

 

“It’s still good.”

 

Vivian’s complaint was, in her own way, a protest. However, she seemed to be out of earshot of Aslan.

 

“Enough of the joke. I just want to go back and rest.”

 

“Tsk…”

 

It was at this moment that Vivian poked him in the chest with her elbow. Aslan let out a moan of pain from her. Surprised, Vivian quickly got out of his arms. Aslan quickly turned his head, but he could not hide the distorted expression of his pain. Moreover, because he turned his face, his exposed cheeks…

 

“Why are your cheeks like this? What kind of mark is this?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

“It’s nothing!? Oh my god, who beat you like this?”

 

Vivian soon realized it was a stupid question. How many people could beat a prince who was given the title of Grand Duke? Besides, there was one person with him, so the only thing left was the emperor.

 

‘The emperor of the original work often made Aslan the target of his anger. There were times when he whipped his entire body into rags…’

 

He never shed a single groan despite the emperor’s indiscriminate violence. He did not reveal to others any traces of the violence he had suffered. But now he couldn’t breathe, neither his dark red cheeks nor his pain-filled moans.

 

Vivian quickly returned to the carriage, dragging his arm. Since he was making nonsense about going on a horse, she politely ignored him and forcibly dragged him to the seat next to her.

 

“Let me see.”

 

“It’s nothing…”

 

Vivian rolled her eyes in silence. Even though he answered in such a dejected manner, it was not at all persuasive. Sure enough, he glanced at Vivian as if observing her and then slowly took off his clothes. His exposed body was hideous. Even with his medication and bandages, blood was pouring out from the open wound. The scent of the perfume from before was probably meant to cover up the smell of strong medicine, but the smell of bitter medicine stung her nose. Aslan seemed to have noticed Vivian’s astonishment and added softly.

 

“It’s a familiar thing. From a very young age.”

 

She knew it from the original work. She knew it, but the weight she felt was different from what actually existed in front of her. No matter how uninterested she was, she couldn’t help but feel sympathy for someone who was hurt so horribly. Didn’t this mean that he had endured this terrible pain alone since he was very young?

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“You have no idea, Vivian. There was no one by my side. The person who cares so kindly and asks questions like it’s their own.”

 

“Aslan…”

 

“I keep showing my weak side in front of you. I’m sure you’ll get sick of me like this too. I’m sure you’ll want to leave.”

 

“Why do you think like that?”

 

Vivian squeezed Aslan’s hand. Of course, he wanted to leave and was actually planning to leave, but he couldn’t bring himself to say that to someone who was struggling with past wounds. Aslan gazed at Vivian with expectant eyes.

 

“Then will you stay by my side? Next to me, who is lacking like this…”

 

“Okay.”

 

“Without leaving?”

 

“I will never leave.”

 

Vivian swallowed her words and hugged Aslan’s neck loosely. She was planning on patting him as if she were caring for a big child, but suddenly his arms were wrapped around her waist. So intensely that she couldn’t escape.

 

“I promised, Vivian.”

 

She tried to comfort him, but ended up hanging again. It’s the same, but it’s not the same. Vivian had to pat Aslan for a very long time until he sighed in satisfaction.

 

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