“Trash?!”
As if he had heard an unbearable insult, the knight’s face turned pale with anger in an instant, but Craeyer didn’t bat an eye and responded calmly.
“If it’s trash, it’s trash. If you don’t call it trash, then what is it?”
“You!”
Whether he forgot that Craeyer had sneaked in or he was just infuriated by his presence enough to erase that fact, the knight shouted loudly and stormed towards Craeyer. But he couldn’t draw his sword as he wished. The moment his eyes met the red streaks drawing in the darkness, he froze. That’s right, he froze completely. Despite the veins bulging on the back of the knight’s hand holding the hilt, he couldn’t even blink. As if at any moment he would be torn apart by a gigantic, merciless beast without a chance to resist, he couldn’t help feeling the immense humiliation that surged through him. Yes, the knight was facing Craeyer right now. Just by revealing his presence in that spot, he overwhelmed everyone around him. Just by meeting his eyes, the pressure that rose from his toes made his shoulders heavy and his knees weak. Such individuals were commonly referred to as dominators in the world. Unconsciously swallowing dry saliva, the knight realized his actions and opened his mouth in embarrassment. But only empty breaths came out of his wide-open mouth.
“Hu, huuk, huuk!”
Although it was unclear when he had held his breath, the knight had to wheeze heavily to exhale it. Meanwhile, Craeyer, who was looking down at him, didn’t move from his spot. He just stared at the knight like a predator lurking in the shadows. Trying to shake off the feeling of suffocation, the knight mustered all his strength and shouted.
“What’s the difference between you and me! You’re nothing but a bedmate for Her Highness…”
But before the knight could finish his shout, his eyes widened. It seemed like there was a flash of light in front of him, but no more sound came out. -Ssruuk. In the next moment, the knight, who lost the light in his eyes, collapsed, and Craeyer, who had drawn his sword at an unseen speed, casually sheathed it. -Toodung. A drop of blood splashed from the blade, leaving a red trail in the corridor. Craeyer, who was sharpening his sword, revealed it and laughed ferociously.
“They seem to be increasing as the days go by.”
As the night grew deeper, Craeyer moved leisurely to deal with another piece of trash sneaking into the princess’s palace.
* * *
At the moment when Craeyer was actively cleaning up the trash inside the palace. The study in the princess’s palace was as bright as day, as if the pitch-black night had retreated. And suddenly, naturally, two people were sitting in the study. Olivia and Craeyer. Late at night, not in the bedroom, but in the study, a man and a woman spent several days together. The only reason they couldn’t leave the study was because they were busy dealing with the punishment for the task originally assigned by the emperor. … Although they couldn’t know the reason, anyone would have the same thought. Even the emperor, who firmly believed in the princess, ended up sending his closest aide because of the rumors circulating among the people.
“Your Highness.”
Sebastian, who had been by Olivia’s side since before she was born, bowed his head with a neat face.
“Hu, Sebastian.”
At that, Olivia sighed heavily, spreading her arms wide, unable to hide her sense of injustice.
“Can’t you see these documents? Do I look like I have time for other things?”
Seeing the towering stack of documents, or rather, mountains, higher than her, Sebastian bowed his head deeply.
“I apologize.”
“No, there’s so much gossip anyway. You were probably asked to confirm.”
Although Craeyer was hidden behind the pile of documents and couldn’t be seen, Sebastian didn’t bother to glance at him. Just like the emperor, he would believe anything Olivia said, even if it meant the sky and the earth would flip. Rather, it was Olivia who shouted from behind the documents.
“Craeyer! Come here for a moment…”
Before her words could finish, Craeyer suddenly appeared from behind the documents without making a sound.
Sebastian, who momentarily met his eyes with him, quickly bowed his head lightly, but his fingertips were trembling faintly. Wasn’t he a threatening man who made the mountain of documents look like something else entirely? The faint smell of blood wasn’t just due to his mood. After all, he had just confirmed the bodies being taken out of the princess’s palace. And as if reading Sebastian’s thoughts, Olivia spoke up.
“Did you hear? Trash disposal today.”
“Yes.”
“Craeyer has done everything so far.”
“I apologize. I will strengthen the security of the princess’s palace.”
As Sebastian bowed deeply, Olivia raised her hand to stop him.
“No, there’s no need for that.”
Olivia already knew that the palace’s security had been breached, but she insisted, “Just leave it alone.”
“If we reinforce the palace’s security and block the path for bugs to crawl in at night, won’t we be unable to kill those bugs? It’s less bothersome to handle the annoying things wriggling near the princess’s palace a little, and we shouldn’t miss that opportunity.”
“Now that everything’s been taken care of, it’s fine. It’s also his role, isn’t it?”
Although the role suddenly imposed on him was unexpected, Craeyer simply nodded his head obediently.
“Yes, it is.”
Upon hearing Craeyer’s answer in front of Sebastian, Olivia’s cheek fur sprang up for a moment. She reflexively opened her mouth but then firmly shut it. When they were alone, it didn’t matter, but there was a barrier of status between Olivia and Craeyer. Outwardly, Olivia was the one and only princess of the Bolshevik Empire and the future empress, while Craeyer was just an unnamed knight from the Norden Kingdom. Of course, once they saw through it, they would realize that such status didn’t matter at all, but that was not something to be revealed between the two. Sebastian, who had been gazing silently at Craeyer, hiding his sharp teeth, finally bowed his head. There was no need to worry about rumors circulating in the public, but to have such a beast by her side. It might not be a worry in another sense, but at any rate, it was a sign of respect to the princess to bow deeply.
“I understand.”
“Yes. It may continue to be noisy, but please let Her Highness know once again that it’s definitely not the kind of relationship everyone imagines.”
“Yes. And Your Highness?”
“Yes?”
“Perhaps you find the bedding uncomfortable?”
At Sebastian’s cautious question, Olivia clapped her hands.
“No. As long as everyone takes care of me, the bedding is always comfortable. I haven’t been sleeping well lately.”
“I’ll bring you some tea that’s good for sleep.”
Not refusing the genuine concern emanating from his stiff voice, Olivia accepted it willingly. As Sebastian turned to leave and grasped the doorknob.
“Sebastian.”
Olivia called out to him.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Turning around and lightly bowing his head, Sebastian looked calmly at her, so calm and composed that rumors openly circulated about him never being surprised even if lightning struck next to him. In the first life, he couldn’t even imagine his collapse of that neat face. But that Sebastian also collapsed. Not by his own death, but by Olivia’s death… When the palace was captured in the first life, and death approached Olivia step by step.
“Your Highness. I’ll block them. Please go further away, even if just a little.”
Sebastian, who had remained unwavering, pushed Olivia forward with a face covered in sweat and dust. His hands were completely soaked in blood. It was probably the blood of His Majesty the Emperor. But despite his sacrifice, Olivia fell beneath Craeyer’s sword so disappointingly. And for the second, third… even the fourth time just before, Sebastian breathed heavily and faintly smiled for her sake.
“Your Highness, it was an honor to serve.”
Even though she heard the same words four times, her heart broke without fail each time. Olivia approached Sebastian with a steady pace.
“Sebastian.”
“Yes.”
“Sebastian.”
“Yes.”
She called him several times, but he calmly responded to her call each time without fail. Olivia looked at Sebastian silently for a moment and then reached out her hand.
“It always smells like something here.”
Running her fingers across his wrinkled right eye, she chuckled softly. It must have been an incomprehensible, unidirectional remark as Sebastian. But he neither expressed doubt nor hesitated, nor did he cover the part she touched. He simply bowed his head politely.
“I apologize.”
Olivia nodded vigorously.
“Okay. You can go now.”
After Sebastian bowed deeply and left, Olivia, who had returned to her place, opened her eyes slightly as she occasionally stepped into the mountains of documents to find Craeyer, who was nowhere to be seen.
“Craeyer.”
Olivia, who called out to him, shook her head nervously with both hands resting on her hips.
“It’s getting to the point where we can’t just cover up the deaths of foreign knights as accidents anymore.”
Craeyer, who was leaning against the sofa, flipping through Bolshevik history books, replied nonchalantly.
“Wouldn’t it be better to set an example for deterrence?”
“We don’t need such dreadful decorations.”
As Olivia gritted her teeth, Craeyer tilted his head as he put down the book cover.
“I never said anything about decorations. I’ve felt it all along, though. You speak so mercilessly with that face.”
“Appearances can be deceiving.”
Like a young man with a righteous face who kills people and offers them as sacrifices like a serial killer.
“It’s said that you can know the depth of a stream but not the heart of a person.”
“Ah, is that the teaching of Bolshevik?”
He added, tapping the cover of the Bolshevik history book he had put down.
“That’s not something you say at times like this.”
“Well, as long as the intention gets through.”
As Olivia cheekily raised her chin, she asked about the progress without much expectation, like a greeting she always gave.
“So, anything worth considering?”
“No. There’s a lot about devotion, but mostly it’s about fighting against it.”
“Hmm, since there’s still a lot of material…”
Just as she suspected. Craeyer, who picked up the book again casually, brought up the topic as if passing by.
“It’s about deterrence.”
“You said we don’t need such decorations.”
“It’s not just a casual remark. There’s a real need to warn everyone as an example. If not deterrence, then in another way.”
“Hmm. There’s a lot of trash you’re dealing with.”
“And it’s increasing.”
Wasn’t she told not to kill too much trash? In the next moment, a low voice rolled into Olivia’s ears.
“Would you like me to handle it all at once?”
—————————————————————
Translator Note:
Next 15 chapters will be translated by RJR.
This chapter was translated by Bree.
If you like my work please support us in Patreon. Next post will be released on March, 25.
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