Chapter 68

“That— that’s impossible!”

Of course. No one knew better than Lehan himself that it was impossible. Edelis had never once tried to seduce him. He was the one who had done everything in his power to seduce her.

And not once did she ever cross the line.

Whenever that happened, Lehan sometimes felt a thirst—his lips splitting, his throat burning—but he never rushed. After all, Edelis’s husband was none other than him, and fortunately, this country didn’t allow wives to take lovers. Even if it had, he would have rewritten the law or found some other way to block every man who tried to approach her. Still, no matter how much he reminded himself of that, there were times when Edelis made him feel as though she were testing the limits of his self-control, and it drove him mad.

“Shame.”

“……”

Edelis, her face flushed, pulled the blanket up to her chin and gripped it tightly. It wouldn’t matter—if Lehan pulled even slightly, she would lose her hold—but she didn’t seem to realize that. Lehan smiled brightly at her as he looked at her face. Whenever Edelis met his gaze, she would startle like someone caught in a guilty act and quickly turn away. It made him want to bury his face against her neck and leave marks everywhere, declaring she was his. But if he indulged himself, Edelis would surely be frightened. And since he was far from a saint, he decided it was about time to get up.

“I have no intention of doing anything to a patient, so don’t worry.”

He wanted to leave at once, but forced himself to appear leisurely so as not to make it obvious. But before he could step away, Edelis caught hold of his hem.

“Really?”

“…Pardon?”

“You said you had no intention of doing anything to a patient.”

“……”

That was just a figure of speech. He very much had intentions to “do something.” And the sort of “something” he meant was something Edelis had never heard of, never even imagined.

“Then… I’m scared. Will you stay with me?”

She was holding nothing but the edge of his clothes, yet from that single point of contact, heat seemed to spread through Lehan’s whole body.

“My mind… my mind might change.”

It wouldn’t be changing—his mind had always been that way. But since Edelis had been through something harrowing today and said she was afraid, he couldn’t run away.

“Surely you’re not the kind of scoundrel who’d touch a patient?”

“……”

“There’s no way you would. Right?”

Edelis’s eyes were full of trust as she said this firmly.

“No, it’s just that…”

“You wouldn’t touch someone who had such a horrible day.”

“……”

Why did it feel as though Edelis was speaking as if she knew exactly what was in his heart? In the end, Lehan could only let out a deep sigh and give his assent. After all, nothing she said was wrong, and if she didn’t want it, there was nothing he could do. The problem was simply that every word, gesture, and expression from her felt like temptation to him.

“…All right.”

“I knew it!”

Edelis smiled brightly, while Lehan only managed an awkward one.

The sooner the day comes when she’s ready, the better.

With that thought, Lehan lay down beside her and tried to lull her to sleep. He reached out to pat her back, but the soft skin beneath his fingertips startled him into pulling away. He felt a twinge of regret, but reminded himself he wasn’t a degenerate, and pulled the blanket up over her instead. At last, Edelis drifted off, and Lehan lingered a little longer, watching her, before he set off to interrogate Berman Pasis.

“U… ugh… save me.”

But even in her sleep, Edelis kept moaning in terror, waking in a panic over and over. Every time, it made Lehan want to go make Berman Pasis beg for death. In the end, he waited until she was deeply asleep, then left for the secret prison hidden deep beneath the Imperial Palace.

***

At that time, elsewhere, a man and a woman were conversing. The man was visibly tense, but the woman was leisurely handling a book, even looking slightly thrilled.

“I didn’t expect Berman Pasis to get caught there.”

“I know. He was discovered sooner than I thought.”

Still, it didn’t matter that he had been caught. He was useful, so it was a bit of a shame, but they had the book now—that was enough. If Berman Pasis had managed to win the empress’s heart a little more, they could have witnessed far more amusing scenes. Like, for example, the empress’s father starting a rebellion.

But who would have thought this book would be with the empress?

The woman opened the book with a gentle touch. It was the book Edelis had tried to show others, but no one else could see its contents. Yet the woman read it easily, as if it were nothing. In fact, she found it curious that Edelis could read it at all.

Only the owner of the book should be able to read it—so how could the empress?

She was curious, but she set the question aside. For now, she wanted to sink into nostalgia as she revisited the book’s contents for the first time in a long while.

***

Wearing a thick fur-lined robe, Lehan descended deep into the underground of the Emerald Palace. There lay a prison whose purpose was unclear—perhaps meant for holding people the emperor wished to “store” away for special reasons, rather than sending them to ordinary cells. That was Berman Pasis’s role now.

“Wake him.”

At Lehan’s command, the baron who had been waiting dumped a bucket of cold water over the prisoner. Berman Pasis, unconscious from earlier, awoke with a start. The moment he saw the baron at Lehan’s side, his eyes widened in shock.

“I was worried, since it’s been so long since the baron’s last job—but I see my fears were unfounded.”

“Haha, since you spared me during the last coup, I ought to prove my worth.”

The baron had once served the former emperor, who, bored with life, had started by bringing in death-row inmates or people with no ties, ordering the baron to torture them. Then he had grown bored of that too, moving on to abducting beautiful women and children. Finally, he even kept traitors in this place before executing them. If Lehan hadn’t succeeded in the coup, he himself might have passed through here.

Most people avoided even speaking the baron’s name. But when it came to torturing former loyalists of the old emperor, everyone agreed he should be kept alive—so they could be made to feel the same pain. After the coup, the baron was tasked with interrogating high-ranking members of the old regime. He found great enjoyment in torturing those who once laughed while ordering others’ torture.

And now, for the first time in ages, a knight rather than a noble had been caught. Berman Pasis. The baron welcomed him warmly, introducing each tool in turn and explaining the reactions of previous victims. Then, Berman experienced the pain firsthand. To the baron’s delight, the knight endured without fainting, making him feel as if he’d found the perfect toy. He even brought out devices he rarely used.

If only the emperor hadn’t ordered me not to kill him!

If it were the old emperor, he could have tested exactly how much a knight could endure—how far was “too far.”

In the baron’s expert hands, Berman was pushed to the brink of death, holding on with the sole determination to survive until he saw the princess again, until the man who had caused her death—Keirhan Raksid Cronad—appeared before him.

“Berman Pasis.”

“……”

“Answer a few questions, and I’ll make it easier for you.”

“…The… Saint…”

“What?”

“The… Saintess…”

“The Saintess?”

Lehan frowned as Berman gave a small nod—so weak it was hard to believe this was the same man who had threatened Edelis’s life just hours ago.

“What about the Saintess?”

“…The Saintess…”

“You think I’ll just summon the Saintess without you even telling me why?”

“I… I have to… before I die…”

It puzzled Lehan. The Saintess was the same woman who, when Edelis had been kidnapped, had suggested she’d run away with Berman Pasis. What good would it do to see her now?

“You want to offer her a prayer before you die?”

Berman nodded, but Lehan gave a short laugh.

“You’re not even a priest. And you think I’d agree to that?”

“P… please. Just for a moment…”

“You should’ve asked for that before kidnapping Edelis.”

“……”

“Maybe I’ll grant it.”

Berman lifted his head with a flicker of hope—ready to do anything Lehan asked. Seeing that look, Lehan gave a derisive snort, though Berman didn’t seem to care.

“Your backer. Tell me who’s behind you, and I’ll bring the Saintess.”

“……”

“What, are you hesitating now? Even with the Saintess as your reward?”

But Berman only lowered his head again.

“You claimed you were so desperate to see her, but not desperate enough to give up your backer’s name?”

“…Anything else… anything at all…”

“You think there’s anything else I’d want from you?”

“……”

“If you won’t talk, I’ll just make you want to. Baron.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“What tool do you recommend?”

With one of the baron’s own creations in hand, Lehan relentlessly drove Berman to the edge again. The baron repeatedly warned that if they kept going, the man might die, and at that, Lehan finally stopped. Concerned for Edelis, who was alone, he told the baron to keep Berman alive and in good condition before heading back to the surface.

Seeing that none of the maids had come running, Edelis must still be sleeping soundly. Lehan started toward her chambers, but caught sight of his own appearance and turned instead to the great bath. The stench of blood seemed to cling to him after the interrogation, so he soaked for a long time, then covered himself in scented oil. After drying his hair, he slipped into bed beside Edelis as if nothing had happened.

‘To think you’d try to take her from me… even tearing you limb from limb wouldn’t be enough.’

But he wouldn’t give Berman the easy way out—not in the underground prison, not in secret. His death would be a public lesson for all to see.

‘To steal my light…’

Edelis was beginning to stir, her breathing changing. Lehan hid the possessiveness in his eyes beneath closed lids, but couldn’t bring himself to loosen the arm holding her—afraid she might vanish.

‘Berman Pasis, and the one hiding behind you… I’ll erase you both soon enough. So don’t worry, Edelis.’