You are my master
“No, that won’t work. I’ll call Miss Riella.”
Herhan’s eyes widened when Asion said Riella’s name.
He couldn’t tell how much time had passed as his mind went blank.
When he came to his senses, Jess was sweating profusely and holding his arm, and Asion was about to run outside.
El was lying in a tangled state at Herhan’s feet.
Herhan took a breath and took a step back.
“Asion. Stay still.”
Asion, who was about to leave the room after opening the door, stopped when he heard the voice of his master who had come to his senses.
Jess finally relaxed and let go of Herhan’s arm.
“Don’t call Riella.”
‘Because I will never show Riella in front of El Weiss again.’
“Your Majesty, I will give you a sedative—”
“No need.”
“But—”
“I’m okay. It’s not a seizure.”
‘I was just momentarily blinded by pure rage.’
“Can I ask what’s going on?”
Despite Jess’s cautious question, Herhan simply kept his mouth shut.
Herhan’s ability was not just to read memories, but to feel every thought and emotion of the subject as if he were the one doing it.
That’s why that power was sometimes burdensome.
It was the same even now. The feelings of another man burying Riella deep in his heart. Herhan didn’t want to know.
‘I wish he was just a thief who came after the descendants.’
‘If his heart was just a greedy one. If only it had been some kind of petty greed, like when Loriell envied Riella and wanted me for herself. Then it would have been so much easier.’
Herhan stared at El, who was not moving at all, with cold eyes, and then slowly opened his mouth.
“Jess. Check out El Weiss.”
Jess nodded immediately and knelt before El.
The first thing he did was put his hand under El’s nose.
“He is still breathing.”
‘I didn’t know whether to be grateful for that or shudder in disgust.’
Herhan continued to stare at El without any change in expression.
“His jaw is dislocated and he is unconscious. I think he needs medication right away.”
After finishing the examination, Jess stood up with eyes as cold as his master’s.
“Should I wake him up by dunking him in ice water? Or should I just let him die?”
“No.”
Although El did not report Riella to the Federation, the Federation was already strongly suspicious of Riella.
It was natural. El was Riella’s aide, and he was arrested for trying to kidnap Riella.
This means that if El dies immediately, Riella will be in danger.
If he executes El, it will prove to the Federation that Riella is the descendant of Ann that El was looking for.
“Treat him. Just keep him alive.”
And may your heart be tormented for the rest of your life. May it continue to rot and fester.
“I’m going back now for today.”
“I will escort you to the main palace.”
“It’s okay.”
As soon as he shook off Asion, Jess followed his master again.
“I told you I’m okay.”
“Well, are you going to go back to Miss Riella just like that?”
Jess brought out his bag and took out some ointment and bandages.
It was only then that Herhan realized that the skin on his right hand was also torn and the bones were crushed.
*
“It’s okay. He’ll be here soon. Captain Asion said he’d send someone right away as soon as the investigation was over.”
Despite Lou’s soothing words, Riella’s anxiety did not subside easily.
It was then that the inner door opened.
“Huh? Your Majesty…?”
The one who entered was not a knight who came to deliver the news, but Herhan.
Riella, who had been smiling and jumping up in excitement and joy, slowly lowered the corners of her mouth.
Herhan was a mess. He was neatly dressed and had neat hair, but his heart and eyes were tattered.
“I’ll be out. Call me if you need anything.”
Even though Lou bowed and stepped back, Herhan showed no reaction as if he couldn’t hear her.
Riella ran to Herhan at once.
“Your Majesty. Are you here?”
Herhan regained focus only at the sound of Riella’s voice.
“Thank you for your hard work. Aren’t you having a hard time?”
She had so many questions: what had happened to El, who were the people controlling him, how, and to what extent had they threatened him.
But Riella didn’t ask any of those questions and just looked at Herhan.
“Your Majesty. What’s wrong with your hand? Why is it bandaged? It was fine earlier. Did you get hurt?”
When Riella discovered Herhan’s wounds, she started to worry and didn’t know what to do.
The sight was so lovely that Herhan unconsciously cupped Riella’s cheek with his other hand and stopped there.
Suddenly, a scene came to his mind.
In the memory of El that he saw earlier, the image of Riella worrying about El while applying medicine to his injured hand.
“…..”
–Pak!
Herhan pulled his hand away from Riella
Even as he watched Riella’s eyes widen in confusion, the anger welling up in Herhan’s chest did not subside.
“If my hand is like this, what must El be like?”
Herhan spoke fiercely in needless resentment.
“Sir El…Did you hit him yourself?”
“Yeah. Wasn’t that wrong? You asked Asion to keep me from harming El.”
“Is that what the captain said?”
‘No. I read Asion’s memories.’
It was a recent compulsion.
He wondered if he’d been traumatized by having Greta, Loriell, and El by his side and letting his guard down, and getting Riella into trouble.
Herhan read the memories of everyone he could reach. He dug into every corner, even the slightest bit, that had anything to do with Riella.
It was madness.
“Your Majesty, I am not saying that because I am worried about Sir El…”
Herhan knew. Because he saw it through Asion’s memories. It wasn’t El that Riella was worried about, but himself who would suffer because of El.
But somehow, he couldn’t speak nicely. He resented Riella, who worried about and cared for El with the same loving attitude as before, and thus ended up making El fall in love.
‘I know in my head that it’s not your fault.’
Was he such an illogical and contradictory person?
Herhan sighed in pain and pressed his temples.
“I want to rest.”
When Herhan spoke, Riella nodded.
“Yes. Wash up right away and go to the bedroom—”
“I want to rest alone today.”
Herhan turned his back on Riella.
He didn’t have the courage to face her hurt face, so he turned around, but even when he turned around, he could still see her face.
“…Yes, I understand, Your Majesty.”
She tried to act calm and gave a bright answer, but her voice trembled slightly.
As if she was suppressing and enduring her surging emotions.
“I’ll sleep in the bedroom next to the office today. Don’t worry and get some rest.”
* * *
Of course, Herhan couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t even calm his thoughts, let alone sleep.
Although he was worried about what to do with Loriell and the headache of having to deal with El and the Federation, the most difficult thing was his worries and regrets about Riella.
‘What right do I have to blame Riella? Just because Riella gave El a little smile?’
She screamed at him to bring her back to the Emperor’s arms, that it was the Emperor she had to protect, not him. Even at the cost of wounding herself.
The desperation, the sincerity, the knowingness of it all.
‘I’m being an idiot again.’
Herhan suddenly sat up from the position he had been forced to lie down on.
He kicked open the door and rushed out to see Riella, but he stopped in his tracks without taking a single step.
“Riel….”
Riella, who had said she would sleep in the next room, dragged a chair right in front of Herhan’s bedroom door and was curled up on it.
Herhan’s spirits were shaken by the sight of her sleeping with her knees hugged and her head barely leaning against the wall.
Herhan sat down in front of Riella, kneeling down as if he was about to slump down.
Herhan remained like that for a long time, just looking up at Riella without saying a word.
Just like a young sinner kneeling before God and atonement, he closed his eyes tightly several times with a feeling of regret, guilt, and gratitude welling up in his eyes.
When he opened my eyes again, he could see Riella’s pure white feet beneath the hem of her skirt.
Herhan kissed her pure white flesh.
It was then that Riella flinched and opened her eyes.
“Your Majesty? Why are you doing here?”
“….”
“If you need me, wake me up.”
“Is that why you’re sleeping so uncomfortably here, so you can come right away if I need you?”
Riella looked at Herhan blankly and nodded.
Herhan just smiled, feeling so sorry that it was almost desolate.
It was the first smile he’d had since waking up today.
“If you have anything to say to me, tell me. I’ll listen to it all.”
“Then get up first—”
“No. I’ll listen to it like this.”
Herhan remained kneeling in front of Riella.
“I think I should listen to you like this.”
“But you can’t kneel down, you’re the Emperor.”
“That’s right. I’m a very mean and immature emperor who doesn’t even know how to be grateful and just loses his temper.”
Still, Riella’s expression did not soften for a while before she reluctantly opened her mouth.
“Your hand. How badly did it hurt?”
“It’s just a little bruised. It’s not broken or anything.”
“Did you get the treatment properly?”
“Yeah. Jess the quack.”
“Have you finished your investigation?”
“I did everything. I was a little annoyed because I found out everything I didn’t want to know.”
“Well, that doesn’t mean you can leave me alone.”
“……”
“That doesn’t mean you’re going to tell me to leave, which I’m not going to do.”
Herhan was at a loss for words at Riella’s gentle resentment, even if he had ten mouths to speak.
“Your Majesty, you told me not to leave and to hate you while I was by your side. Why are you doing this to me? How can you do that? Isn’t that what being emperor is all about?”
The tip of Riella’s nose turned red. Her pretty eyes also began to sparkle with tears.
At that moment, Herhan realized that was the most painful thing.
Rather than other men lusting after Riella, or Riella smiling at them.
Knowing that seeing Riella cry in pain was the most painful thing, Herhan backed himself into a corner.
“I’m sorry. I promise I won’t do it again.”
“Don’t leave me alone. It’s not that I’m worried about Your Majesty anymore, it’s just that I can’t stand it anymore.”
“…..”
“I can’t sleep alone without Your Majesty anymore.”
Herhan answered those words by kissing Riella’s feet again. He leaned down further and lightly placed his lips on her smooth calf.
“Okay, I’ll listen to everything you say from now on, Riella.”
Herhan raised his body.
Standing on straight legs, he bent his upper body further, kissing the backs of her hands, her shoulders, and the base of her chest.
The wound on the nape of Riella’s neck was just beginning to heal, and new flesh was growing.
Herhan kissed over it, breathing into it.
A shallow moan escaped Riella’s mouth as his hot breath hit her.
Herhan pulled away from Riella’s nape and gently bit her trembling lips. It was a cautious kiss as if they were exploring each other for the first time.
Herhan stroked the plump flesh for a long time and gently stroked it.
Sweet breath leaked out from between Riella’s slightly parted lips.
Their breaths penetrated the gap without missing a beat, mingling and becoming deeply entangled.
“You are my master.”
Herhan felt a lot better after admitting it.
‘It’s not me who owns Riella, but Riella owns me.’
* * *
