Arundel bit her lip.
He knew it all along.
Pretending to be okay, she couldn’t understand why he was reacting so badly now.
Disappointment in Zion overwhelmed Arundel.
“You were doubting me.”
A sarcastic smile hung on Zion’s lips.
The moment he opened his mouth,
“Is everyone safe!! Huh!! Captain!!”
People flocked late.
Fortunately, a man who looked like a knight carried Royden out.
As people flocked, the surroundings became chaotic in an instant. Among them, Arundel’s maids flocked with horrified expressions.
“Your Majesty the Empress, are you okay?!”
Arundel was surrounded by people in an instant. Everyone was worried about her, sobbing.
As people surrounded her, her view was gradually blocked.
In it, Arundel was looking for Zion.
‘Zion…?’
She had to talk to him and clear up the misunderstanding…
Arundel looked around to not lose Zion,
But Zion was gone.
****
That night, the rain had not stopped yet. No, it seemed to be getting worse.
Like a storm inside her, Arundel blankly stared out the window.
‘…What will happen with Zion from now on.’
It wasn’t about the mission.
It was a worry about her relationship with Zion.
His cold eyes, his cold expression, it felt like she had returned to their first meeting. She thought they had become much closer…but they had returned to the starting point.
Her heart felt empty.
She lifted her head to look out the window. Under the collapsed wall, there were blood-stained marks.
‘Is Royden okay…’
The demon’s arm had pierced through Royden’s shoulder. The shattered armor was scattered in the air, and she remembered Royden’s grimacing face.
If Royden hadn’t blocked her then, perhaps the body of Empress Irina would have been a cold corpse.
Fortunately, she heard the news that Royden had not died. If she couldn’t use his arm due to injury, his life as a knight would be over.
“Sigh.”
A sigh came out.
Why did it get so twisted?
And what made her feel more guilty in this situation,
It was that she was more concerned about Zion than Royden, who had thrown himself for her.
Arundel’s eyes were red as she closed them.
The words Zion had said did not leave her ears.
[Isn’t it an excuse that he’s my friend?]
[I’m asking if you are worried about Royden, your hidden lover.]
The cold eyes that seemed to freeze everything dug into her heart.
Tears trickled down her cheeks one by one.
Unable to hold back the emotions that were about to pour out,
Arundel bowed her head and cried quietly.
“Why are you crying?”
A human figure appeared in the black field of view.
Now familiar, a languid and sweet voice,
It was Zion.
“Uhm…since when…”
She didn’t feel any human presence at all.
The faint light seeping in through the window slowly revealed Zion’s face.
“Tell me, why are you crying?”
Zion approached and grabbed Arundel’s crying chin. The strong force felt momentarily made Arundel’s voice tremble.
“…I…I am..”
If she met Zion’s eyes, she felt like he couldn’t speak, so Arundel closed her eyes instead.
“I’m sad. Everything.”
“Speak clearly. Everything you think.”
Zion, with a cold and scary expression, seemed to have no mercy.
“Royden was hurt because of me…and you doubting me…everything”
“Do I doubt you?”
“You are, I have nothing to do with Royden.”
Arundel swallowed her tears and said.
“How do I believe that?”
“How should I prove it?”
At Zion’s crooked attitude, Arundel’s emotions also rose.
“Didn’t the way you looked today prove your feelings?”
At Zion’s words, Arundel frowned.
He was talking about the time when Royden was hurt and she was howling today.
“Royden was hurt because of me.”
“He wasn’t dead.”
Arundel felt suffocated. There were times when Zion felt like a person without emotions.
Like a person without empathy, he was cruel and cold.
“I don’t like that side of you.”
Arundel clenched her fist so hard that her blood couldn’t circulate.
“You asked if I was in a relationship with Royden.”
“…”
“To answer you, no. I don’t know if you’ll believe it.”
Arundel, controlling her emotions that seemed to burst, spoke clearly.
“But I know that the possibility of falling in love with Royden is much greater than with you.”
Arundel’s eyes trembled as she finished speaking. She spat out words she didn’t mean.
But she couldn’t stand it. She wanted to hurt the twisted emperor in front of her.
“Ahahahahaha.”
Zion laughed like a madman.
And his eyes, which he brushed back once, were darker than ever.
“Now you’re telling the truth.”
“I clearly said no…”
Bang-!
Zion hit the wall. Unable to withstand the shock, part of the wall broke down.
Blood dripped from Zion’s fist, embedded with fragments of the wall.
“My mother passed away miserably. All because of your father.”
It wasn’t a tone of blame. He was telling his own story.
“People don’t know. That you are the daughter of that filthy man. Just as your father thoroughly hid it, I also thoroughly hid your secret.”
“Why…”
“People had to be ignorant of your secret for you to sit on the throne of the empress.”
Although she already knew about the terrible relationship between Empress Irina and Zion, the more she heard this story, the more uncomfortable and heartbroken she felt.
“That cunning man is already dead, and I had to vent my anger on you.”
As if telling someone else’s story, Zion’s tone was peaceful.
But that was only for a moment, Zion’s eyes shook anxiously.
“Suddenly, everything changed.”
“…..”
“One day, my mother appeared in my dream and scolded me. ‘Are you going to leave the daughter of your enemy like this?’ I couldn’t say anything out of guilt.”
Zion, who held his head, laughed emptily.
“But why can’t I push you away.”
Zion lost his balance and staggered. Arundel quickly approached and grabbed Zion’s arm.
But Zion coldly shook her off. Zion’s eyes were filled with excitement.
“Even if I’m so angry that my brain seems to melt, I forget everything like a fool when I see your face.”
“What…”
“I’m sick of being swayed by you.”
When he lifted his head, Zion’s face was visible. His dull eyes had lost their light.
He walked like a madman into the messed-up garden.
Zion walked aimlessly, staggering under the pouring rain.
“Your Majesty…!”
Unable to just watch his strange behavior, Arundel hurriedly followed him.
The rainwater flowed into her eyes, blurring her vision.
“Your Majesty…! Please listen to my story.”
She couldn’t understand all of Zion’s words and actions.
Whether his abnormal behavior was directed at Empress Irina or himself.
But one thing was certain.
At least she shouldn’t have let Zion go like this now.
“Zion!.. Zion…!!”
Arundel caught up with Zion and grabbed his arm.
“Let go.”
Rainwater dripped down Zion’s hair.
“I don’t care whether you were a witch or a demon…”
“No way.”
Surprised, Arundel clenched the bandage on her wrist.
‘You knew…’
“I just wanted you to tell me…”
He was crying. He seemed to be unable to withstand the whirlpool of emotions and was about to collapse.
“It wasn’t to bring you.”
“Zion…”
“I feel like I’m going crazy when I see you.”
Zion cried out.
“How can I get rid of this pain?”
Arundel couldn’t handle Zion’s emotions.
He seemed unable to handle the swirling emotions.
“If I kiss you, will this pain go away…? If we mix our bodies, will I get tired of you…?”
Zion’s empty eyes, quietly muttering, flashed dangerously.
“I’d rather be tired of you.”
He slowly approached.
“Get a hold of yourself…please…!”
Arundel backed away little by little, looking at Zion’s dangerous appearance.
But that was only for a moment.
Soon he was trapped in his strong arm.
Zion’s face approached in an instant, and his lips touched.
“Uhmp…!”
From then on.
He kissed her fiercely as if to devour her.
Arundel did her best to push him away, but his body didn’t budge like a rock.
She bit his lips so hard that blood was drawn, but he showed no reaction.
And quite some time passed.
The seemingly endless time came to an end, and his lips gradually moved apart.
There was a metallic taste of blood in her mouth.
“Haa, haa.”
Arundel gasped for breath.
And then,
Slap!
Arundel fiercely slapped his cheek.
“I’m really disappointed.”
“…”
“I… still… thought you were a good person, even though you’re not good at expressing emotions.”
“…”
“Was I mistaken?”
Arundel barely managed to speak as she gasped for breath.
“…Why? Are you disappointed in me, so you’re going to leave?”
“It seems like we can’t have a conversation.”
It was pointless to talk anymore. Arundel turned away from Zion and walked away.
But not long after, Arundel’s body was forcibly turned around.
“Or are you going to go to Royden?”
“Please, stop it!!!”
At Arundel’s scream, Zion’s face momentarily went blank. Then he slowly smiled.
“Really, I must be crazy. Even your angry face hurts my heart.”
“…Please…”
“Is this face the problem?”
Zion reached out and touched Arundel’s cheek.
“If I distort this face, will no one look at it?”
He was really crazy. His lips trembled uncontrollably.
Arundel forcefully pushed his hand away and ran to the bedroom. She didn’t know what he was going to do.
With trembling hands, she locked the door.
But soon, the door broke with a hollow ‘crack’ sound.
Arundel’s eyes were filled with fear.
“Don’t you still know? You can’t run away from me.”
Zion laughed lowly.
“Don’t forget, you are mine.”
Zion’s eyes, looking at Arundel, were engulfed in madness.
“Until your breath stops.”
Just like the first day they met.
