Episode 114
Elisha fell asleep almost unconscious for about an hour and then opened her eyes.
His handprints were left on Elisha's ankles. Lucerne calmed her by gently caressing her belly. Her remaining excitement was still heating up her cells.
“It's okay?”
“Yes…….”
Elisha nodded her head. She thought and she wondered.
'Why are you so excited today?'
Halfway through intercourse she almost lost her mind.
'Is it because I have a lot of work during the day?'
Praise from nobles. And the envy of people. A futile but thrilling sensation enveloped her body. She was even amazed.
Lucerne and Elisha often had moments in which they realized that they were thinking the same thing, even though they didn't exchange a single word in the same place. Just like now
“How was your day? Was it worth it?”
Elisha nodded her head.
“Yes. Does not matter. I'll make sure I don't make any mistakes next time.”
“Okay. There is next.”
Elisha hesitated.
“As you may remember, new terms can be added to the marriage contract if the marriage lasts.”
I didn't know that Lucerne would casually bring up her story first. Elisha's heart thumped. She suppressed it.
“…… What does that mean?”
“If you want to live as my wife in the future, it wouldn't be bad to settle your debt once.”
Elisha caught her breath. She can escape the Cartier family. That damned debt is gone. Just the thought of her made her scalp tingle.
“What if the debt is gone?”
“Nothing will change. Living like this We are renewing the contract.”
At that moment, Elisha recalled the picture of the snake hanging in the annex where she was held. The greedy and beautiful black snake held her head high. It was as if he was trying to seduce someone.
“You mean you just want to bind me to a new contract.”
Lucerne turned to Elisha. She lay down on her bed and met his eyes. She seemed to stop breathing.
“You're also quick-witted.”
“…….”
Elisha awkwardly lifted herself up to avoid his eyes. Lucerne stood up as she straightened her flowing gown.
“Marriage is essentially about being bound to each other.”
“At least other couples do trust each other.”
“That sounds interesting. So, was that the end of Marco and Arien?”
Elisha flinched.
“Then I will be abandoned more cruelly than Arien. I don't have any friends, ah-“
Lucerne gently grabbed Elisha's wrist and pulled her.
“Don't run away again.”
“…….”
“Then can you trust me?”
Lucerne said languidly. Elisha bit her lip. It was a habit she had whenever she was nervous.
“You're not going to remove the tattoo on the nape of my neck.”
“It's good to be able to find you wherever you are. I have many enemies.”
“…… I know that.”
Elisha's wish and her goal was to have the tattoo on her neck disappear. As long as the pattern with this tracking spell exists. Elisha was a slave to the Cartier family. It was like the story that she belonged to Lucerne.
No woman would want to be his partner's slave, even if she loved him. It was the same with Elisha.
'But there must be an abundance of women in Lucerne. Why me?'
You can also stay next to Lucerne. It was such a strange feeling.
But she didn't deserve it…….
Elisha recalled events from her past life. Her heart ached like it was being stabbed.
“Are you thinking of turning Jacob or Marco into a cripple?”
“Yes?”
Elisha's movements stiffened.
“So I was thinking of a way to become the actual head of the household controlling them.”
Lucerne had a pensive expression.
“…….”
“That's not what you said, 'becoming the head of household'. Even if that happens, I will not release you.”
“Then what do you want to do with the Cartier family?”
Instead of clearing up Lucerne's misunderstanding, Elisha asked quietly.
“Revenge.”
“…….”
“I want to destroy Jacob, Marco, and Merha.”
It was a monotonous tone. However, Elisha could only imagine the terribly compressed emotions and past history beyond that tone.
She was anxious Lucerne often had a glimpse of a faint madness. His kindness seemed to be built on a sandcastle. As long as Elisha is helpless and has no choice but to be subordinate to him. He could adjust her treatment of Elisha at any time.
“Lets think.”
“…….”
“My patience seems to be working out for me.”
Elisha couldn't answer anything. She could only imagine the end of his patience.
“Of course it won't last forever, will it?”
“Lucerne.”
“Ruler. First.”
Lucerne laid her down and patted her.
“That way, I will do it tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.”
How to hide that anxiety. There was no way she could hide her shaking, and for Elisha that night, she ran away into his arms. She closed her eyes slowly, feeling his body cling to him.
The next morning, Elisha overslept.
'What time is it? I heard that there is an event from this morning…….'
Elisha stunned her head that she had slept until noon.
'They're so diverse.'
She called Sophie.
“What about Lucerne?”
“I only told you to come out slowly when you wake up. Have lunch first. The general told the courtiers beforehand.”
“Meals are fine. Get ready to go out.”
“But the general told me not to take her out of the room without lunch.”
Said Sophie hesitantly. She had to follow Elisha's words first. But Lucerne was a fear to everyone. Seeing Sophie's teary face, Elisha let out a low sigh.
“Then move quickly.”
Sophie moved wildly. The courtiers quickly served a hot, steaming meal.
I rushed to get ready, but it was already towards 3pm.
'The hunt must have already ended.'
Fortunately, the Black Lion Knights did not go hunting today. By that time, Elisha's impatience had also subsided. She was late anyway. She felt a slight letdown.
She usually didn't have much to go around alone. Whether outside or inside her, the people of Lucerne always kept an eye on Elisha.
Protection was 80%, and 20% was surveillance. However, the imperial palace was an exception. Lucerne could only bring a limited number of subordinates into this villa.
“I will guide you on the way to the beginning of the hunting ground.”
Elisha gently refused the guidance of the courtiers.
“I know the way to the place where people are gathered, and I don't need guidance from the courtiers.”
“There are courtiers at each fork in the road, so if you don't know the way, always ask and be extra careful. If you take the wrong path, you might fall into the forest, the hunting ground.”
Her courtiers obediently let her go. Elisha was able to walk alone for the first time in a very long time.
'This is how much freedom I've had in a while.'
It was limited freedom, but it was quite sweet.
“Ouch, hehe. Hehe…….”
While walking like that, Elisha heard the crying of a child on a remote garden path. It was a strange sound.
Normally, a child would cry out loud or howl in search of their parents, but this was a heartbreaking sound that seemed to be suppressed. Elisha stopped walking.
Soon after, the voice of a violent boy was heard.
“Yepnen! Your sister is out hunting and there is no one to rescue you. A guy like you is a shame! You were born to complicate everything. Who will think of a fool like you as the next emperor? You had better never been born.”
Elisha reflexively hid herself in a tree.
'…… Bad luck today.'
Elisha frowned.
Her child was crying, covering her mouth with her little fist. And in front of him stood a rather handsome but violent young man, or rather a boy, threateningly thrusting a sword at the child. However, his scabbard was not drawn.
Took. Took.
The boy's cheek, which was as warm as a child's freshly baked bread, was being hit with a sheath by a violent boy. He even stabbed him menacingly in the shoulder. However, the action was clearly bullying, and she controlled her power to the point where the child's body was not injured.
'You are the brother of the imperial family. I heard that they are not siblings…….'
The boy acting like a gangster must be Jewel.
Jewel was the bloodline and adopted son of the royal family. He was the bereaved son of the former emperor, and the deceased former emperor was the older brother of the current emperor, Murtura.
And a child called Yepnen. Elisha could also guess the identity of the child. He was Illione's younger brother.
'How dare you bully such a small child. He looks about six years old at most.'
It was so unpleasant that it gave me goosebumps.
'Damn it.'
Elisha frowned.
In her previous life, Elisha had very bad memories of Jewel. Jewel gave Elisha a big shame and terribly harassed her. That's why…….
“Got it? Shut up. If you tell me, I'll break the other leg! I don't want to see you, so go back to your nanny!”
Elisha stopped her thoughts and hid herself behind a tree. Jewel was getting closer. Jewel brushes Elisha through the tree where she hides. The bushes in front of him rustled, and someone came out with a cute tilt of his head.
'Carola. When did you arrive at the villa?'
There was a reason why Jewel bullied Elisha in her previous life. It was Carola.
Jewel had a very close relationship with Carola in her previous life. Carola liked to giggle whenever her Jewel insulted Elisha.
Jewel, who was at an age full of vagrancy, easily fell for Carola's instigation. He teased Elisha as if he were enjoying her athletic game. Carola and the men she had a close relationship with were mostly like that, but among them, Jewel was the cruelest axis of hers.
“Is the little prince gone?”
“Yes. But why are you avoiding it, Carola? That asshole can't tell anyone anyway. Not even a day or two.”
“You don't know……. People love to blame a weak woman like Carola. What if I told you that it was Carola who made Prince Yepnen cry?”
“No way! Carola. I will make sure there is no such misunderstanding.”
Jules said confidently. Elisha remembered that Jewel was not yet of her age. However, because of her size, she seemed like an adult enough, and Carola was looking at her Jewel with her eye smile. Elisha had her stomach full.
Then the wind blew. Elisha's dress swayed. She held onto it so tightly that her skirt was visible even outside the tree, worried that it might fall off, but in the meantime, her bracelet fluttered slightly.
“Who are you!”
Jewel looked around her with her ferocious expression. Elisha held her breath.
“Aaaaang!”
Then there was a loud cry of a child. It was Prince Yepnen. Yepnen sat down in her seat and was crying profusely.
“You bastard! I told you to go away!”
Juel sighed. Carola tugged at her Jewel's collar with her cute movements.
“Go, okay? We have to show Carola a tour of the hunting grounds.”
“All right. By the way, did Jacob really say he would send me another cortisan?”
“It's too much. Carola is her lady. You shouldn't ask her lady about her cortina. But she'll give you a hint. Her hint is 'red'.”
Elisha thought that the content of the conversation was truly disgusting.
Finally, Jewel and Carola are invisible.
Elisha approached the crying Prince Yepnen. Yepnen had stopped crying and was sighing.
“Prince, are you okay?”
Yepnen looked at Elisha with uncharacteristically calm eyes. In that moment, Elisha realized her whole context. This young prince deliberately helped Elisha by crying loudly.