CH 109

“Did the Emperor send you?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Azela searched her memory. She remembered the Emperor’s suspicious face, who had offered Azela the position of deputy commander of the knights. As she searched her memories, Benjamin spoke first to her.

“The Miss declined the offer.”

“…You accepted.”

Benjamin let out a shallow sigh.

“What’s the point of being a Baronet? You have no title, no land, and no genealogy, so your life is no different from that of a commoner… No, it’s a life worse than that of a commoner. There are many things that are sanctioned for being a Baronet.”

“….”

“…Still, I was happy. I am fulfilling the dream I wanted to do, and Findar is also doing what she wants to do.”

Saying so, he lowered his gaze to the ground.

“I tried not to be greedy, but I became greedy the moment His Majesty made the proposal.”

In an instant, she remembered what Findar had said earlier.

“He did all sorts of bad things… He is ruthless when using a sword.”

In the past, it seemed that he had done a bad job and used a sword. Azela furrowed her eyebrows as she pondered.

“I heard that you did some rough things before Duke Ferial saved you.”

“Findar must’ve told you.”

“…What did you do?”

“If you heard it, you would know. For money.”

Benjamin’s low voice was carried away by the gust of wind.

“I killed people, and I used that money to support Findar. I was quite famous in this field.”

Her head was messed up.

In the first place, it was Zagnac who helped him and also helped Findar. Still, he wanted to kill Zagnac? As her messy head was completely unorganized, Azela raised her gaze to Benjamin.

“What did he say he would give you? What would the Emperor give you to make you think of pointing your sword at Duke Ferial, who had saved your sibling?”

“He said he would give me a title, land, and genealogy. Findar will be able to spend her time listening to the maids calling her ‘Miss’ and one day marry a wonderful noble Lord… And if she doesn’t mind, she could get paired up with the tenth prince.”

“…The tenth prince, isn’t he eleven years old yet?”

“Yes.”

Benjamin laughed dejectedly. Shrugging his shoulders, he raised his gaze to see Azela.

“As a shining jewel was held in front of me, I couldn’t bear to look away.”

Suddenly, she remembered what Zagnac had said. It is said that human beings were full of desire and greed for the things in front of them… and Benjamin was no different because he was a human being, too.

“Duke Ferial…”

“He knows.”

Azela’s eyebrows furrowed at his answer.

Zagnac knew… He knew that Benjamin betrayed him and tried to kill him.

“But since Duke Ferial is holding my sister hostage, I can’t act rashly either.”

“…Taking Findar hostage?”

“Yes, because he said he would consider me an enemy and kill Findar if I pulled out my sword.”

The next moment, he moved closer to her with light steps. As he came toward her, Azela squeezed the handle of the sword to draw it.

Benjamin, approaching Azela, whispered softly.

“You don’t have to pull it out. I am not going to do anything here. Besides, I have no desire to hurt you.”

“Benjamin.”

“I am tired, so I must go back. I hope you, too, take care not to catch a cold.”

“….”

Benjamin, who had given a greeting, passed by Azela. He revealed the fact that he was an assassin without even holding a sword. Did he view her as easygoing, or did he think he could defeat her even without a sword?

“Oh.”

“….?”

“Miss, you’d better be careful.”

Benjamin, who was walking, stopped and turned to look at Azela. There was no smile on his face.

“Because Miss rejected His Majesty’s proposal, the Emperor is trying to kill Miss as well.”

“….!”

“Then, I will take my leave.”

Benjamin, who gave advice to her, disappeared far away as Azela watched his back as he walked away, then turned her body. The Emperor lured the people around Zagnac to kill him. Other than Benjamin, there may be people around him who were targeting him.

…Because people waver in front of greed.

Azela glanced down at the sword slung from her waist. She hoped that she would become the sword that could protect him.

* * *

“I don’t think there will be any conversation with the assassin prepared by the Emperor, but you talked for quite a while.”

“….”

As Azela was walking through the hallway and was about to enter the banquet hall, she heard a voice she didn’t want to hear.

She inadvertently turned her head to see Crown Prince Chises, who had been standing there for some time, with his arms crossed. He also knew that she had talked with Benjamin, so perhaps he had seen and heard everything from the beginning.

“Azela.”

“You should call me Miss Vellista, Crown Prince.”

“Duke Ferial is supposed to marry Livia because that’s the will of the Emperor.”

As Chises walked towards her, he smelled like alcohol. Remembering his bad drinking habits, Azela furrowed her brow and backed away from him.

“So, leave Duke Ferial.”

“…It is one thing for the Duke to marry Princess Livia and for me to work.”

“Even if it’s not you, someone in the Imperial Family will take care of Livia and Duke Ferial!”

“….”

Chises came back to Azela, who had stepped back, and he squeezed her wrist tightly.

“I will propose again.”

“….”

“If you want to work, work by my side, not Duke Ferial’s. I need you.”

“Let’s set things straight. If I would work by the Crown Prince’s side, would it be done with that?”

“….”

“I don’t think so. In the end, you won’t stop until I become the Crown Prince’s person.”

Azela coldly stroked her hand as Chises held her wrist. In her heart, she wanted to hit him hard but she couldn’t because he was the crown prince of this empire, and this was the Imperial palace where he was staying.

“I heard that Daniel… Count Todd is staying at Your Highness’ villa.”

“….”

“…The Crown Prince brought him here and made him act like that, right? You’ve enjoyed playing with people’s minds since before.”

“I want you to end it properly…”

“That’s what I will do myself. It’s not a matter for Your Highness to interfere.”

Azela stared at him with contempt. Chises, who looked resolute, gave no answer.

“And with Your Highness, I have no intention of doing that. I don’t want to get involved.”

As she spoke firmly to Chises and turned around to enter the banquet hall, he soon opened his mouth again.

“Then, what about Duke Ferial?”

“….!”

She involuntarily stopped her steps. It was a question that seemed to pierce her core. Even though she could have simply ignored it, Azela couldn’t and her body stopped in surprise.

“Do you want to do that with Duke Ferial?”

Chises laughed bitterly and spat out words in a murderous voice.

“Why won’t you answer? Why don’t you tell me strongly that you don’t want to get involved with him like you did with me?!”

Saying that, he pulled her wrist hard again. Azela widened her eyes at the strong action. Under no circumstances, though his words were strong, he was not someone who would do this to her. Although he, of course, had done enough of this behavior to everyone else except her.

“If you’re finished with Count Todd, then, of course, I should be next!”

“There are many eyes looking. Let me go.”

“Count Todd had a change of heart, but I will never once give up on that. Even after you got married, even if you never replied to my letters, even though I never saw your face, I only think of you and hold you in my heart…!”

“You don’t think of it as ‘love,’ do you?”

“…What?”

Chises, who got angry at Azela’s words, became dumbfounded. As he looked at her with a dazed face, she continued her words.

“You just want to have me, like a toy on display in a store.”

“….!”