Chapter 12

‘Is he going to release Sylvia Jacques as a hunter Chapter 11

After glancing down at Sylvia and pondering for a while, I came to two conclusions.

First, I’m not good at using my head.

Second, but I have power.

This means I have to proceed firmly. With that thought, I finally opened my mouth.

“Do you know that I am in a position where I cannot accept your request purely?”

I raised my chin slightly and spoke as calmly as possible. Hearing that, Sylvia began to tremble like a drowning rabbit.

Hey, if I keep doing that, my heart will be really weak…

Looking at her like that, I shut my eyes tightly and made up my mind.

Don’t be fooled by the face. Our Emperor also has a great face, but isn’t he actually the world’s crazy person?

“Oh, I understand. However…”

She was now about to burst into tears.

I was slowly starting to feel a sense of crisis. What if she, who starved for five days, fainted on the spot because of this? Then, do I have to wait until she wakes up with only this gloomy feeling inside eating me up…?

Eventually, I waved my hand.

“Oh, don’t cry. I’m not pushing you.”

At the soothing words, she lifted her head.

The moment I saw that expression, I flinched.

She was trembling with her lips as if she had received her salvation. Needless to say, she had a face that was difficult to think of as acting.

“Your Majesty, please save me.”

Her voice, which seemed to be speaking rationally until a moment ago, was mixed with pleading.

“What is the use of hiding it from Your Majesty? I was raised only for the purpose of becoming a companion if the Emperor is a man, and best maid and friend if they were a woman. Most of the time, I was confined inside the home to avoid rumors, so I, Sylvia Jacques, had no personal endowments at all.”

After hearing Sylvia’s words, I turned towards Cisen with a bewildered face.

She looked at me and quietly nodded her head as if she was right. It seemed that they had conducted a background check on Sylvia in advance.

No, she was sensitive to her daughter’s blemishes, too, that Sylvia had been locked up in her house to avoid making her a defective product…?

It was a feast of surprise that I do not know how many times it is today.

“Now that those two have been deprived of their positions as the Vice Minister and the head handmaiden, and have fallen into lowly prey… there is no place for me to stand.”

That was why my maid’s seat was desperately needed.

A woman from a family that fell due to her mother attempting to frame the Empress and disturbing the Emperor’s mood… No one would try to take a girl from such a family if they had any common sense.

To borrow their words, it was because their lives may end if they are mistakenly caught by the ‘cold and hot’ Empress.

‘Ha, this is so…’

…I know very well what happens to a beautiful fallen nobleman who has nowhere to go, even more so if it was in this weak being devoured by a strong worldview.

So, there were only two people in this Empire who were certain that they would not be disadvantaged even after taking her in with compassion…

The Emperor, Raniero Actilus, with unconditional power.

And I, the party involved in the case, Empress Angelica Unro Actilus.

It was clear that it would be useless to go to Raniero, so she came to me with the intention of grabbing at straws.*

“As I said, I was raised to be an empress or maid. I assure you that I can do my job better than anyone else if you would allow me to. …Family? Of course, my heart aches. Even if they treated me like that, we still share the same blood. However, Your Majesty, before that…”

Sylvia slowly clenched her fists as if scratching the carpet. The next moment, thick tears fell on the red carpet. As it began to get wet, the color changed to dark red.

“…I want to live.”

I gazed down at her, pale and tired.

Yes, Sylvia.

I just want to live, too.

* * *

I couldn’t sleep until late.

Sylvia, whom I met in the audience room, was crying so sadly and desperately.

There would only be Raniero Actilus whose heart wouldn’t move, seeing her like that.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t something I could decide with compassion. No matter how tragic her story was, there was a good chance she may have a grudge against me. If I took her in because she was pitiful, there might be a situation where my throat would be slit.

When I withheld her reply and said I would decide as soon as possible, Sylvia drooped her shoulders and stepped out of the audience room as tears dripped down with a devastated face.

‘Oh, really. It’s bothering me…’

Cisen opened a bottle of a good bottle of alcohol for me.

So, I leaned against the railing of the terrace and sipped my drink while gazing out. Gradually, as the alcohol intake increased, my body became warmer and my cheeks heated up as the disturbing mood seemed to subside a little.

“What should I do…?”

However, the worries did not go away completely.

Sigh.

Keeping my head down, feeling like everything got messy.

“Aakk!”

“Oh. Is it a chronic disease to scream out of nowhere, too?”

“Euaak—!”

I turned around hurriedly like someone struck by lightning. There, Raniero Actilus was within reach of my nose.

With my eyes wide open, I stuttered.

“Wh, wha—what, what brings you here, hiik?”

I was so surprised that I even hiccuped!

Raniero locked me in his arms with both hands placed on the railing. He then asked softly as he approached closely with his upper body.

“Should I come only when there’s something?”

Yes…!

It’s not good if you come without anything happening… You have to forget about my existence! Of course, I suggested a game that His Majesty liked very much, but that was something I had to do because I thought I would die if I didn’t do it then…

Nevertheless, I couldn’t tell the truth so I continued to hiccup and shook my head.

“Well, I think it’s time to eventually come back here, isn’t that so?”

“In, in that obligation—hiik… Please, feel free. Hiikk.”

“Oh, you’re hiccuping.”

Saying so, he pressed my lips and whispered.

“Poor thing.”

I know you don’t feel sorry for me at all!

Moments later, he pushed my chin with his thumb and parted my lips. I had no choice but to obey. Raniero then turned his head to conceal my lips.

I was breathing heavily, to the point where my chest was filled with air and to the point where I was narrowly dizzy.

Then, as I fell, the breath I had been holding back rushed out at once.

Raniero watched with interest as my face turned red.

“It’s okay now, huh?”

“….”

The hiccup really stopped. This person’s talent seems to shine even in the small areas of stopping other people’s hiccups…

How annoying.

I looked at Raniero with a preposterous face.

“Thank you.”

Huhu—Even though I think like that in my head, I was sincerely expressing my gratitude with my mouth.

I’m so fed up with my immobility, but I can’t help it if I want to live.

As I smoothly tried to sneak out of his arms, Raniero tightened the hand holding the railing as if he had sensed my intention. There was no way I could beat his power, so I had to be locked up in this little prison.

“Did you have fun today?”

“What about Your Majesty?”

I sneakily tossed the question back to Raniero. At that, his eyes widened softly at the question.

“Ah, I had a lot of fun. The prey went into this training… Oh, yeah. I added two more rules to the hunting game, huh? Would you like to listen?”

I nodded slowly as a reply.

“One was to give weapons to the prey. If they survive for three hours, they win and will be released, and—Ah, I added the rules at my disposal without telling the Empress in advance. However…”

His eyes, which had been chattering like an excited child, fell and stared at me. It seemed that at night, his eyes glowed even more dangerously against the light of the room.

I shrank a little.

“You won’t have any complaints, will you?”

Squeak.

At the tension, my saliva dried up.

I nodded again. After all, hunting was done by Your Majesty, anyway, wouldn’t it be all right as long as you enjoyed it…?

Raniero’s thin lips drew soft arcs.

“I asked first how your day was.”

However, he murmured without explaining what the second rule was instead. His right hand climbed up my arm and rubbed the tip of my hair, before stroking my neck.

“How was the Empress’s day today?”

Thinking that I might be strangled, I responded quickly.

“I, I’ve been busy. There is talk of re-landscaping the garden, reporting and surveying…”

Although I quickly came up with an answer, Raniero had a face that didn’t look pleased. Seeing that, I glanced at him and slowly stopped talking. He was wearing an expression like he was about to die of boredom.

“Hmm. Anything other than that boring thing?”

Aaaahhhh—! We need to find a more provocative event…!

“Well, actually…”

In the end, I had no choice but to tell him what happened with Sylvia. After a few moments, Raniero’s eyes finally had a lukewarm interest.

“Take her in.”

“Yes…?”

I widened my eyes wide because Raniero spoke so easily and simply.

No, this person is talking without thinking…

I’m not a person who possesses both a powerful force and position like Your Majesty. What will happen if I accept this wrongly…?

With that thought, I tried really hard not to utter the word ‘but.’

Raniero, who had been fiddling with my lips, which was constantly trying to hold back what I wanted to say, smiled.

“It sounds fun.”

What? What’s fun?

The days that I worry about whether my food would be poisonous or not…?

However, it wasn’t just that. Raniero Actilus’s way of thinking was beyond imagination…

“It would be fun to set her up on the hunting grounds as a hunter. Oh, if you do that, wouldn’t you be able to wash away the past and prove your loyalty to me?”

Hiik.

After all, it was unimaginable for a criminal like me.

the hunting ground, and make her kill her mother and brother with her own hands…?’

Whatever I imagined, the idea beyond that made me hardened.

“Isn’t that a good idea? I know what you’re worried about.”

Raniero took the glass from my hand and passed over the alcohol I was drinking. Then, he grabbed my waist before slowly walking back to the room.

“Does Sylvia Jacques have any intention of harming you or not…”

“Oh, thank you for recognizing my worries…”

Saying so, I shrugged my shoulders a little.

Eventually, he stopped near the table and poured another glass again. As soon as he filled the glass, the bottle ran out.

“It’s obvious that ordinary people have troubles, right?”

He then finished his words.

“So, shouldn’t we be more thankful? …Because now, you don’t have to think about it.”

To be honest, it was amazing for him to even be able to guess what ordinary people were thinking. In the meantime, there was nothing I could do but to admire the fact that he could see through my thoughts.

“Of course, your ordinary thoughts like that only add to my boredom.”

“Ma, may I bring you another bottle of wine?”

Your Majesty, whenever you put the word ‘boredom’ in your mouth, my heart is filled with suspense…

Though Raniero ignored me and sat down on my bed with a glass of wine.

As he crossed his legs with an arrogant look, he tilted his head to gaze at me. I couldn’t put my head higher than him, so I quickly sat on the floor.

At that, his laughter was heard.

“Bring in Sylvia Jacques, my love. However, on a condition.”

“Conditional, as expected…”

“Yes, say you would appoint her as a maid as a reward when she performs the role of a hunter well.”

Raniero tilted the glass pleasantly. His upper lip was drenched in fragrant wine and glistened slightly.

“If that girl was trying to approach you because of her family’s resentment, her mind would collapse the moment she took on the role of a hunter. How could a mad woman do the job of serving the Empress? ”

I had no choice but to stare up at Raniero, who had said such things casually, with some blood drained from my face.

Seeing my reaction, Raniero bent his upper body and reached out his hand. Tucking my hair behind my ears, he continued in a sweet voice.

“Then, Sylvia Jacques will fall into the abyss before she can harm you, so you have nothing to lose, do you?”

Numerous thoughts flooded my mind at that moment, though I just shut my eyes tightly.

I cannot refuse the method Raniero suggested. Especially, if he even added the formula ‘It would be fun,’ to the method.

I nodded my head gently.

The method was as certain as cruel.

My heart pounded.

“Oh… I thought it was a good method, but why do you have such a face?”

As his voice got closer, I slowly opened my eyes. There, Raniero, kneeling on one of his knees, bit the tip of my nose and opened his mouth again.

“It must be because you have an absurdly soft soul. Don’t you think so?”

Normally, that was called the human heart, but…

“Since you have suggested good entertainment to me, shall I also solve one of your troubles for you?”

“How—”

“I will be the one giving orders to Sylvia Jacques.”

“….”

“Don’t you have anything other than your wit and cute face? It would be painful to even say such an order out loud.”

Raniero lowered his eyebrows and made the tongue-clicking sound when you called for a puppy.

“It’s because you’re so weak.”

Wouldn’t everyone in the world be weak by Your Majesty’s standards…?

‘But…’

He’s right. I’m exceptionally weak. And, that’s a relief for me.

Raniero Actilus.

Although he was born as a human, he was described as if he was non-human. From his point of view, everyone except him was like livestock or a worm. He could spend as much as he wanted for a moment’s entertainment.

There was no unhappy story of his childhood that forced him to be so cruel.

He was simply a pure evil, born this way.

‘The image of absolute evil, who was born stronger and more beautiful than anyone else, holds supremacy…’

However, the brilliance of Raniero, who stood at the extreme of evil, paradoxically fascinates everyone.

Unless you are very upright like Seraphina, or very weak like me.

Since I am so weak that every time I see him, I feel threatened for my survival, so I couldn’t be obsessed with him.

“You are very scared. I can feel your breath tremble every time I touch you.”

Raniero lifted the glass high and tilted it.

At that moment, the golden liquor fluttered narrowly over the edge of the glass, and soon flowed down in a thin parabola.

My chest was soaked with alcohol, and the thin indoor clothes were clinging to my body. Alcohol traveled along the line of my body, to the stomach, to the lower abdomen, and to the lower part of the body…

When I was preoccupied with the uncomfortable feeling of getting wet, Raniero slowly traced the wet traces with his index finger.

“But, you seem to forget your fear for a while when you groan in bliss…”

At a strange feeling, I wanted to grab his hand and pull it off. I almost did. Thankfully, I came to my senses just at the last minute.

When I didn’t make a mistake again this time, I could hear his pleasant laughter.

“It’s going to be fun, right? Isn’t that the only entertainment that both me and you can enjoy?”

* * *

Raniero hugged me from behind and placed an ear on the nape of my neck. When I made a slight sound of pain, he let out a pleasant laugh. What’s funny about this?

The hand that continuously swept and touched the lower abdomen is large, rough, and cold.

I laid my back on him, trying not to fall asleep.

“You’re loosening your hair today.”

This is the third time I’ve seen him.

Once was the wedding, and once was in the audience room, so I had to raise my hair properly both times. However, today, Raniero has invaded my personal time.

“Do… you like it?”

I asked carefully.

Raniero didn’t say anything for a while, probably because he didn’t hear my question. He was just biting the spot he had bitten with his fangs over and over again.

Aw, it hurts…

With Raniero being out of sight, it seemed as though the tension was less than usual.

I crouched slightly in his arms and asked another question.

“Are you going to sleep today?”

“Yes.”

I asked because I didn’t want you to sleep here!

Nevertheless, I couldn’t even ask if he could go back to the Imperial Palace and sleep.

So, I just blinked at the starry night sky outside the terrace. My whole body was tired. At that moment, even if we suddenly had a sexual relationship, I was again a little curious as to why the act of touching or biting my body while lying in bed was not boring.

You know I’m not complaining because I didn’t get on his nerves during the relationship. I just can’t understand why he’s trying to stick with me like this without seeing me as an equal?

‘Does it feel like touching a cat’s back…?’

But, I’m not fluffy, I don’t make a growling sound, and I don’t have a soft tail…

“Are you sleepy?”

His tone of voice was a little looser than usual.

I was startled by the stinging pain from being bit at my ear as if waking me up.

“As you said. You don’t have good stamina.”

He hugged me a little tighter. If anyone looked from behind his back, they wouldn’t even be able to see my nose. It Was almost like a total solar eclipse.

“Besides, being small…”

There’s nothing I can do about being small…

“It’s difficult.”

I waited for a while because Raniero said those words out of nowhere. Fortunately, he soon explained to me why.

“When will you be able to make it into a great hunting ground?”

I covered my mouth at that moment.

…Right.

I decided to be the Emperor’s prey in the winter.

That’s what I said.

‘I was busy with work, so I forgot.’

No, no matter how busy you are, there is nothing to forget, Angelica! Because I was rushing to deal with the immediate task, I didn’t even think about the future after the seasons changed.

I was out of breath and quickly took a deep breath.

At that time, I said that I would devote myself to ‘to become an excellent prey for the Emperor’s hunting grounds until winter.’

…Until winter.

Of course, I had no intention of entering the hunting grounds as prey. I planned to wait until winter, and when Raniero left for the expedition, I would try to run away.

What if Raniero, who has lost his prey, gets angry and comes to find me?

No, that wouldn’t be the case.

He would come back and meet Seraphina before he found out about my absence.

The moment he sees Seraphina, all five of his senses would be focused on her. Looking into those blue eyes would be the cataclysm of Raniero’s life. Such a natural disaster had occurred, so what about the small and weak prey?

Moreover, such intense emotional sparks didn’t occur after two people built a narrative and interacted. Everything just explodes the moment their eyes meet, either by chance or by the inevitability of the author’s intervention.

With a self-evident reason that seemed to explode like when an ember sparked in oxygen.

Do you know how Raniero changed after meeting Seraphina?

Conquest activities, pleasure-seeking, and all that were left behind. He only indulged in Seraphina—that is Raniero’s blindness. At first sight, the sky and the earth were turned upside down, and all the standards he had set up became useless.

It made him forget everything he was originally pursuing.

‘Ha…’

Even though I know his future, he doesn’t know his own future yet.

“Now that I think about it, I didn’t tell you the second rule added to the hunting game.”

Saying so, he put his hand under my waist and turned my body around with ease. And so, I got to face him instead.

“You must attend as a hunter.”

…Huh?

I forgot everything I had been pondering.

A hunter…? Me?

I’ve never held anything heavier than a pen…?