Chapter 175

Chapter 175

It was more difficult to revive the once extinguished flame than drying a wet wood, so Deatrice used to be by Frederick’s side like a tool inheriting the tradition that had been passed down since ancient times.

However, she slowly returned to Lucius’ side and regained her former appearance.

Experiencing emotions that were even more difficult and harder to understand than before. Of course, she still had many problems to solve, but now Deatrice could feel the freedom that forgiveness brought.

“Fredhi,” Deatrice spoke, calling his name straightforwardly. “If you want to take something away and really show me what you can do, take the empire’s flag. It would only seem like you’re easily obtaining the easiest thing to uphold your dignity by choosing me. Isn’t that embarrassing? Asking for a woman who is already married.”

“You’ve become sharp-tongued. Or is it something else? Becoming brave through love!”

Frederick dramatically imitated the trending plays, but neither Deatrice nor even Frederick himself laughed. Calmly lowering his hand as if persuading her, Frederick looked at her and whispered.

“Don’t say that, Deatrice. If I become king, you will be the queen. I don’t think you would believe you engaged with me just because of your father’s orders. I know. You have nobler blood than anyone else and take pride in it. That’s why it’s fitting for you to be by my side in a position of power. It’s amusing to think how foolishly you behaved in the past, but this kind of enjoyment won’t last long.”

His gentle tone seemed to convey the fact that they were not enemies but allies. Deatrice was about to say that she wouldn’t go to him to save face, but Frederick was quick to respond.

“Let’s stop here today. I’ll give you time to make a decision without regrets. Then, Deatrice…,” Frederick raised himself and bent his waist. At the same time, his lips touched her forehead. Pressing her gently as she tried to avoid it, Frederick completed a neat kiss before stepping back.

“It was nice to meet you.”

After Frederick left, it took a while before Deatrice could move. While his statement of being glad to see her again was undoubtedly not false, the sense of humiliation she felt now was evident.

Frederick had become even more arrogant than when he was just a prince, and at the same time, unbelievably, he seemed to mistake her for someone of his kind.

How dare he say that they were the same?

She thought in anger.

Deatrice, destined to die like Frederick, did not experience the pain he had           endured, nor did she possess the legendary sword to become a king. She was         merely a pawn, moving from one man’s embrace to another’s. How could she         harbor the same ambition as him? How could she claim to be worthy of the              “position” he occupied?

Even though she couldn’t ultimately refuse his kiss, even if she truly returned to     Frederick’s side, could it ever be her genuine choice?

However, it was too late to be enraged by these facts all over again. She wiped away her flowing tears and stood up with a composed expression. As she stepped     outside the door, Lucius restrained his anxiety and tried to maintain an air of             nonchalance.

She appeared standing there, frozen. Lucius slowly raised his head as if unsure how to handle her approaching figure, and in that brief moment, the emotions he felt were felt by her.

“Lucius.”

“Yes.”

Facing Lucius with a gentle response and a smile, Deatrice’s gray eyes pierced through him made colder by her tears.

“Let’s have a child.”

It was a declaration uttered in a composed voice. Lucius’s expression turned numb as if he had just received a blow, remaining still.

“…What?”

“Let’s have our child.”

There was no hesitation in her clear-cut response, and it even seemed to contain a touch of precarious anger. She had thoroughly contemplated and speculated on the conversations that had taken place in this room while standing here, but she never imagined she would come to such a conclusion.

Seeing Lucius blankly staring at her face, Deatrice thought he hadn’t fully understood her words, so she elaborated more specifically.

“Right now, let’s go and start.”

“What?”

“Well, what is it? Having a child…”

And unable to contain the rest of her words, Lucius lifted her up in his arms, his face turning red, and began striding out of the room with wide steps.

“You’re insane.”

His voice, filled with heat, resonated. Although there weren’t many people in the corridor at this time when the ballroom was still crowded, that didn’t mean there was no one at all. About fifty people witnessed Deatrice being embraced by Lucius and leaving in a carriage.

They turned their heads toward the couple, their faces filled with curiosity.

“Wow, what a territory marking; not even an animal does that,” someone muttered.

However, with his handsome face firm, Lucius carried on with a litany of admonitions as he held her.

“Do you know how many people were in that room? Including the emperor’s entourage, there were at least four of them…”

“Let them go and report to the emperor. Who cares.” She spoke curtly, and only when they arrived at the carriage, and he set her down did Lucius sigh.

“Deatrice.”

Trying to overlook his awkward and helpless voice, Deatrice barely distinguished   Lucius beneath the few lights that faintly illuminated the night sky. His blonde hair
had a tinge of blue, and his eyes were darkened.

As it was a cold winter night, their breath came out when they opened their mouths.

“There’s no need to call it so seriously. It wasn’t just a joke; I meant it.”

“If you meant it, that’s even more of a problem. It’s really not right for such an important decision to be determined by other people.”

Chapter 175

It was more difficult to revive the once extinguished flame than drying a wet wood, so Deatrice used to be by Frederick’s side like a tool inheriting the tradition that had been passed down since ancient times.

However, she slowly returned to Lucius’ side and regained her former appearance.

Experiencing emotions that were even more difficult and harder to understand than before. Of course, she still had many problems to solve, but now Deatrice could feel the freedom that forgiveness brought.

“Fredhi,” Deatrice spoke, calling his name straightforwardly. “If you want to take something away and really show me what you can do, take the empire’s flag. It would only seem like you’re easily obtaining the easiest thing to uphold your dignity by choosing me. Isn’t that embarrassing? Asking for a woman who is already married.”

“You’ve become sharp-tongued. Or is it something else? Becoming brave through love!”

Frederick dramatically imitated the trending plays, but neither Deatrice nor even Frederick himself laughed. Calmly lowering his hand as if persuading her, Frederick looked at her and whispered.

“Don’t say that, Deatrice. If I become king, you will be the queen. I don’t think you would believe you engaged with me just because of your father’s orders. I know. You have nobler blood than anyone else and take pride in it. That’s why it’s fitting for you to be by my side in a position of power. It’s amusing to think how foolishly you behaved in the past, but this kind of enjoyment won’t last long.”

His gentle tone seemed to convey the fact that they were not enemies but allies. Deatrice was about to say that she wouldn’t go to him to save face, but Frederick was quick to respond.

“Let’s stop here today. I’ll give you time to make a decision without regrets. Then, Deatrice…,” Frederick raised himself and bent his waist. At the same time, his lips touched her forehead. Pressing her gently as she tried to avoid it, Frederick completed a neat kiss before stepping back.

“It was nice to meet you.”

After Frederick left, it took a while before Deatrice could move. While his statement of being glad to see her again was undoubtedly not false, the sense of humiliation she felt now was evident.

Frederick had become even more arrogant than when he was just a prince, and at the same time, unbelievably, he seemed to mistake her for someone of his kind.

How dare he say that they were the same?

She thought in anger.

Deatrice, destined to die like Frederick, did not experience the pain he had           endured, nor did she possess the legendary sword to become a king. She was         merely a pawn, moving from one man’s embrace to another’s. How could she         harbor the same ambition as him? How could she claim to be worthy of the              “position” he occupied?

Even though she couldn’t ultimately refuse his kiss, even if she truly returned to     Frederick’s side, could it ever be her genuine choice?

However, it was too late to be enraged by these facts all over again. She wiped away her flowing tears and stood up with a composed expression. As she stepped     outside the door, Lucius restrained his anxiety and tried to maintain an air of             nonchalance.

She appeared standing there, frozen. Lucius slowly raised his head as if unsure how to handle her approaching figure, and in that brief moment, the emotions he felt were felt by her.

“Lucius.”

“Yes.”

Facing Lucius with a gentle response and a smile, Deatrice’s gray eyes pierced through him made colder by her tears.

“Let’s have a child.”

It was a declaration uttered in a composed voice. Lucius’s expression turned numb as if he had just received a blow, remaining still.

“…What?”

“Let’s have our child.”

There was no hesitation in her clear-cut response, and it even seemed to contain a touch of precarious anger. She had thoroughly contemplated and speculated on the conversations that had taken place in this room while standing here, but she never imagined she would come to such a conclusion.

Seeing Lucius blankly staring at her face, Deatrice thought he hadn’t fully understood her words, so she elaborated more specifically.

“Right now, let’s go and start.”

“What?”

“Well, what is it? Having a child…”

And unable to contain the rest of her words, Lucius lifted her up in his arms, his face turning red, and began striding out of the room with wide steps.

“You’re insane.”

His voice, filled with heat, resonated. Although there weren’t many people in the corridor at this time when the ballroom was still crowded, that didn’t mean there was no one at all. About fifty people witnessed Deatrice being embraced by Lucius and leaving in a carriage.

They turned their heads toward the couple, their faces filled with curiosity.

“Wow, what a territory marking; not even an animal does that,” someone muttered.

However, with his handsome face firm, Lucius carried on with a litany of admonitions as he held her.

“Do you know how many people were in that room? Including the emperor’s entourage, there were at least four of them…”

“Let them go and report to the emperor. Who cares.” She spoke curtly, and only when they arrived at the carriage, and he set her down did Lucius sigh.

“Deatrice.”

Trying to overlook his awkward and helpless voice, Deatrice barely distinguished   Lucius beneath the few lights that faintly illuminated the night sky. His blonde hair
had a tinge of blue, and his eyes were darkened.

As it was a cold winter night, their breath came out when they opened their mouths.

“There’s no need to call it so seriously. It wasn’t just a joke; I meant it.”

“If you meant it, that’s even more of a problem. It’s really not right for such an important decision to be determined by other people.”