Chapter 16

Episode 16: Isn’t Love An Unnecessary Emotion?

‘You have to sacrifice yourself?’

“Of course, yes.’

He looked straight at me and smiled meaningfully. Sacrifice, sacrifice….. I recalled what he had said, over and over, again and again, in my head.

“Hmm… So Uncle doesn’t love Count Hilton’s young lady?’

His face was dyed with slight embarrassment at the sudden question.

”I said I love you in front of Count Young Lady, but in reality, I didn’t sacrifice anything.’

‘Is that so?’

“Don’t you want your uncle to be happier than Count Young Lady?’

‘That’s right.

I readily admitted and smiled. Foolishly, I was relieved by the words.

“But it’s the same for her. Someday, I think I will have a person who only wants my happiness.’

The fingertips, gently sweeping one cheek, made my heart flutter. Was it since then? What was a vague “like” emotion germinated into “love.”

Somehow I was shy and turned away from his eyes.

Then, other than love, is there any desire for the other person to be unhappy?’

Of course, yes.’

His black eyes sank in an unappealing way.

‘It’s called hatred.’

I remember his voice saying that was a little scary That’s how I learned to love and hate through him.

“It’s a little different, Chloe.”

A sweet voice quite different from what I remember broke my thoughts.

“It’s hard for me to explain…….”

Kailos sighed lightly. I thought, staring at him, I loved him so much, but how did I end up with nothing but hatred?

“Master,” with an urgent voice Erikson called him from outside the door.

“What’s going on?”

“The royal carriage has arrived again.”

“At this hour?”

Upon hearing the sudden news, his eyebrows twitched and soared up.

“Amazing, I didn’t know he’d send the carriage again this morning.”

Kailos replied annoyedly, “Send it back.”

It was a relentless answer, like yesterday.

“That…. Master……”

Erikson glanced at him and blurred his words.

“What’s wrong?”

“His Majesty has come in person.”

“What?”

Surprised, he jumped up. It was the same for me, was surprised. The emperor is here? As soon as Erikson finished speaking, a commotion was heard from outside in the hallway.

“No, Chloe.”

Kailos’ hand grabbed me.

“I can’t show you to the emperor…….”

Kailos bit his lip with a difficult expression. I didn’t even think of holding his hand and just stared blankly at the open door.

‘It was the man who immediately appeared as red as blood, Emperor Raymond del Astaroth.

Kailos’ younger brother, whom Kailos hated so much. The poor man who foolishly loved me.

I’m glad, because my brother won’t kill you alone.’

The last time I had with him, which I could not forget and had been etched in my mind for a long time, shook me.

His hot, blazing eyes scanned my body up and down. Then, when he found Kailos’s hand holding my shoulder, he frowned slightly. Soon, his voice leaked out from between the curled up lips.

“Hello, Chloe.”

His deep voice greeted me.

“Are you hurt?”

Although, for him, it would be meeting again after four days, but it was a voice that I heard again after several months. I stopped crying because the first word was worrying about me.

“Did it hurt during the New Year’s Festival?”

I couldn’t hide my falling tears, his expression was strangely distorted. He had a scary face that seemed to grab me by the collar and shout why was I crying right away.

However, there was a voice that blocked the man who strode toward me.

“Your Majesty.”

It was the voice of Kailos.

“Chloe is not feeling well right now.”

“Oh, my”

Raymond stopped walking for a while, crossed his arms and looked at Kailos and me alternately,

“I know, brother. That’s why I came like this.”

The growling voice was fierce as if he would bite the opponent. Kailos also looked straight at Raymond with a stiff look and said, “I hope you will be more polite, Your Majesty. First, I’ll guide you to the drawing room, This place doesn’t seem suitable for Your Majesty to stay.”

“Why?”

Raymond’s gaze turned to me again. He looked at me and asked Kailos, “I’m here to meet Chloe, not you. So you shouldn’t try to kick me out of this room, but you should leave.”

“Chloe still needs stability……..”

“Stop.”

An annoyed voice cut off Kailos’ words.

“I guess Chloe hasn’t informed my brother of our relationship yet.”

“I’m sure you guessed it, too, the reason why I sent the carriage. You didn’t know?”

Kailos stared silently at his half-brother without answering. The soft and cold gaze toward the younger brother was no different from usual, but his hand on my shoulder was holding me exceptionally painfully.

“So it’s you who has to get out of this room now, Kailos the Grand Duke of Ludwig.”

At that moment, there was a cold silence in the room. Long after, his hand fell off my shoulder.

“It can’t be long. Chloe is really, really sick.”

“Don’t worry, brother, because we’ve already shared a lot.” (T/N: he means that he already done too much of snu snu so he won’t bother her now)

With a more relaxed tone, Raymond responded slowly. Kailos walked out of the room reluctantly

When it was finally just the two of us left, Raymond approached me and wiped my wet face with his thick palm.

Then, unlike when dealing with Kailos, he whispered in a softer voice.

“Hello, Chloe.”

Once again, I burst into tears at the greeting that was handed down.

Raymond del Astarot, he was such a strange man, in the past, in the future, even in the present, he has always been a strange man to me.

He was a man who wanted me to be happier than was. Perhaps he is the closest person to what Kailos said was ‘love’.

‘If you’re tired, you don’t have to overdo it. I’m fully satisfied even now.’

”I can’t do that, Chloe. I will never leave you as a mistress.

“Mistress life is okay, too.

In the distant time, I, who was not interested in being his companion, dissuaded him with a smile.

“Your Majesty loves me. We can be together whenever we want, so I don’t think the current relationship is bad either.’

“You are, but not me. You will never be recognized and will be criticized by people for the rest of your life.’

‘It’s really not……

I thought it wasn’t a relationship that would last long anyway. That’s why I should have said that the concern you’re worried about is unnecessary.

However, overwhelmed by his intense gaze, I couldn’t respond properly and blurred my words.

“I don’t want you to be unhappy.’

He was a man who wished for happiness, not my misfortune.

‘I want you to be happy.’

And a voice similar to that time, but a little sadder, was ringing in my head now.

“I don’t want you to cry.’

He continued to soothe my crying that poured out

‘I want you to be happy.”

It was only after I cried a lot that I came to my senses.

I was in my room, in Ludwig’s castle, and in the arms of Emperor Raymond, while crying.

What’s most embarrassing is the fact that he and I were on my bed.

“Did you cry like this?” Raymond asked, while rubbing my eyes painlessly, as if it didn’t matter that he was on my bed. Maybe by now my eyes are red like bunny eyes.

“Like this, what do you mean crying like this?”

I tried to speak as calmly as possible, but I still cried. Raymond narrowed his eyes slightly and stared at me with a frown.

“Like this, I’m asking if you cried, swallowing your voice.”

“Uh…”

I rolled my eyes because I didn’t know what to answer.

“Damn, I’m going crazy.”

A light swear word popped out of his mouth. I was restless and looked at his face.

“Why did you cry?”

“Oh, that…”

“Were you really not feeling well?”

“Yes, I wasn’t feeling well.”

In fact, I think my body is quite lively now, but I answered that way because I didn’t know why I cried,

“Since when did it hurt?”

“Since three days ago.”

“…It must have been right after spending the night with me.”

In contrast to the fierce atmosphere, a bitter murmur rang in my ears.

“I hope I didn’t hurt you”

“You definitely did not, Your Majesty.”

“I see, this is how you fool people.”

“Your Majesty?”

He took his hand away from my eyes. My heart felt empty by the warmth that disappeared.

“So, when will your body get better?”

“I’m almost healed.”

“Yeah, that’s a relief.”

Raymond, who raised himself over me, stared down at my face.

“Really, perfect.”

“It’s my taste from start to end.”

This is what I’ve already heard from him once in the time I had already experienced. He was very amazed at me, who had a perfect collection of tastes, as if had been tailored for him.

“I thought that was really strange.”

The corners of his mouth were filled with cynicism

Raymond was a bored and cynical person in everything, but he was so hot when he loved me. I guess that’s why everything burned without leaving a handful of ash, in the flame named “love.”

Kailos told me that sacrificing oneself is love. According to his theory, I, who loved Kailos, and the emperor, who loved me, it was all love.

But now the question remains, is it really love to wish for someone else’s happiness while destroying yourself? Did Emperor Raymond really love me?

The end, both me, who loved Kailos, and Raymond, who loved me, died. Unrequited love left only such a tragic end.

‘If that’s really love, isn’t love an unnecessary emotion?

Love.

“Chloe.”

Raymond asked me, “Are you happy?”

For a moment, I didn’t understand what he said, so I looked up blankly. Raymond smiled, making eye contact with me.

“It doesn’t mean much. It’s the psychology of a man who wants his woman, with whom he spends the night, to be happy and not cry.”

“Oh…”

I murmured and bowed my head. Then a slightly lower and more serious voice rang above my head.

“So, Chloe. Are you happy right now?”

I couldn’t answer. To him who wished for my happiness, I couldn’t say I was unhappy.