Chapter 41

Chapter 41

“Even if you try to ignore it, you can’t ignore it until the end. And, if you try to forget and be okay, it sometimes hurts…”

Azela continued her words, looking at her nails indifferently.

“It digs deep under your nail, and eventually, you can’t get it out… So that insignificant little wound could fester and with that make your whole finger hurt.”

Taking her eyes off her nails, she stared straight at Daniel. It was truly a declaration of war. It was an attack with a strong will not to walk the same path as him.

Sweat trickled down Daniel’s sideburns.

“I’ll be that for you, Daniel.”

“Azela.”

Even though Daniel called her in a trembling voice, she didn’t answer.

Then, she stood up along with the sound of the chair pulling and gazed at Daniel and Sylvia indifferently in turn. Her gaze pierced like a sharp spear that stung and hurt, but there was no way to escape.

Azela, who had been staring at them for a long time, drew a bizarre smile.

…She used to love this person. She used to love this humble man, and she was betrayed. She had no intention of quietly leaving nor of an easy divorce.

The day when doom approached after everyone had fallen into hell, that day would be the day when it would all be over…

Azela turned around and walked out of the dining room as a bright smile was drawn on her red lips.

* * *

Today was the day Chises had sent a letter in advance to visit the mansion, so Azela didn’t go out. As she was seated in the parlor beforehand, she was checking the documents that she had brought with her.

After a while, she heard a message from the maid that he had arrived.

Chises, who entered the parlor without delay, was different from usual. He was wearing the Crown Prince’s outfit rather than the clothes he usually wore comfortably, and his neatly raised hair was also in a good condition.

“…Are you going back?”

When Azela saw his outfit, she immediately noticed, Chises smiled broadly at her and sat on the sofa opposite her.

“After all, it’s a waste for Madam to be here.… Yes, that’s right. I’ve been away from the Palace for too long, so I’ll have to go back. I also have a lot of work to do.”

“I hope you are all safe on your way back.”

“Today, Countess Todd, I have come to make an offer to you.”

Azela looked at Chises’ face as he spoke the word ‘Countess Todd’ with strength. He leaned forward, took the papers from her hand, and slid them to one side. His face, without a single smile, was telling her that he was sincere.

“Yes, go ahead.”

Chises, who had been gazing at Azela for a long time without saying a word, spoke with his dry lips, slightly nervous.

“Countess Todd, I want you to go with me to the Imperial Palace.”

It was an offer she hadn’t even thought of. Azela couldn’t hide her bewildered expression from Chises’ gaze, looking so straight at her.

To go to the Imperial Palace together…? It was impossible.

As she wrinkled her brow and tried to say a refusal, Chises added his words hurriedly as if he had noticed her reaction.

“It is not what you think it is… You seemed to have a knack for helping Duke Ferial in business on the outskirts. I just want to take you as someone who will help me in many ways.”

“….”

“It’s because I can only think of you right now who can tell me honest words, not flattery.”

The words he added in a hurry were getting faster and faster. It meant he was nervous.

Of course, Azela knew that most of what he said was a lie. Zagnac, not her, did most of the business, so it was not true that she had talent, and there were plenty of people besides Azela who could speak honestly to Chises.

“If only you’re okay with it… I’ll speak to Count Todd myself, so don’t worry about that.”

Saying so, he licked his dry lips and urged her, who did not respond. The eyes that were struggling to smile seemed to be saying that he was desperate.

Azela stared at his expression and carefully shook her head.

“I will not follow you.”

At her words, his face filled with disappointment at her resolute refusal. However, on the other hand, he was calm as though he had expected it. Chises clasped his hands and lowered his gaze.

There was a moment of silence in the living room. Soon, Chises asked Azela, tilting his head to one side with a look of incomprehension.

“May I ask why you won’t go to the palace with me?”

“….”

“You must know that working in the Imperial Palace, and also next to me, the next Emperor, is what all nobles want.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Moreover, the Countess must be suffering here now.”

There was nothing wrong with what he said.

Being able to work alongside Crown Prince Chises, who would become the next Emperor, was a great opportunity to enter the center of power. Everyone who was a noble was aiming and hoping for it. In fact, it was an impossible and foolish act to refuse such an opportunity.

When Azela didn’t answer, he couldn’t stand the silence and opened his lips first.

“Perhaps…”

As he spoke, he blurted his words and lowered his gaze. Perhaps, he didn’t want to say that, Chises frowned and did not speak for a long time.

But, he soon continued speaking again with a long sigh.

“With Count Todd…… are you still in love with Daniel?”

“No. It is impossible.”

Azela, who immediately answered Chises’ question, firmly shook her head. He smiled with a more reassured look as if Azela was getting tired of it. Though soon after, he asked again with a gaze full of wonder.

“Then, why are you rejecting me? Is it affection? If not, is it regret?”

“….”

Azela let out a long sigh as his tenacious question showed that he would surely insist on an answer.

…Yes, she forgot for a moment. The fact was that he was such a tenacious man.

When she took a deep breath, seeing Chises’ resolute expression that he wouldn’t go back if she didn’t give him an answer, a faint but straight voice came from between her gaping lips.

“Because of revenge.”

“…Revenge?”

“Until the revenge is over, even if I try to die, I can’t die, and even more so, I have no intention of leaving.”

Contrary to her first voice, the words were eerie. Even if I try to die, I can’t die, and even more so, I can’t leave. He knew she had a strong hatred, but he never thought that it would be this much.

Azela’s powerful appearance had been seen many times in the past when she held a sword, but this was the first time he had seen her so sullen, so full of hatred… It was also the first time he had seen her burning endless hatred towards anyone.

‘As expected!’

Seeing Azela like that, Chises’s face was filled with excitement that could not be hidden instead of surprise. She always gave him a strong stimulus. It was an exhilarating sensation as if electricity went through his body — Seeing Azela, talking to Azela, he was always stimulated to be alive like this.

Because of that, he could not stop his obsession with her. There was only one woman in the whole empire, Azela, who gave him such a stimulus.

“…I see.”

Chises nodded his head, blushing his cheeks. Azela looked at him with narrowed eyes filled with doubts, seeing his acceptance more easily than expected.

“I fully respect the Countess’ opinion.”

Knowing the full story of the incident, there were many opportunities to take Azela to the Capital and to the Imperial Palace. He thought she was living a happy life when in fact, Count Todd had a woman other than her, and she was estranged from Count Todd, so he had no need to fret.

It was enough in the past that things got ruined when rushed.

Chises stood up from the sofa he was sitting on and gazed at Azela, who was looking at him with suspicious eyes.

“There is no need to see me off, so you don’t have to come out. It’s not like we’ll never see each other again… Perhaps, we will see each other soon.”

“It doesn’t seem like that would happen, but…As you said, I will not go out to see you off.”

Chises, who lightly replied ‘Right, right’ to Azela’s firm answer, turned around with a satisfied smile. It was quite an advantage for him to have made an excuse to see her again like this.