Chapter 11
He was a man so pale he looked as if he had just stepped out of the eternal snows.
“It—it really is His Imperial Majesty.”
“Why would His Majesty be here…?”
Amidst the confused gazes, the Emperor finally took his seat upon the throne. As he tilted his head, the light shimmered across his golden hair.
“Crown Prince.”
Then he spoke. It was a sub-zero voice, cold enough to draw frost.
“What do you think you are doing right now?”
“…Your Majesty.”
“I asked what you are doing, Crown Prince.”
Raios’s eyes trembled with a sense of betrayal. Watching his shocked face, Dana gave a faint, beaming smile.
‘Your uncle, the Emperor, is the person you wary of most in this world.’
After all, he was the man who had taken the throne that should have originally belonged to you.
Yes. I made a deal with such a man. The very man who threatens your claim to the crown.
What was it you said earlier? That you wouldn’t stop me if I wanted to be miserable?
‘The same goes for you.’
In this moment, the one who should be miserable is you.
Because I have abandoned you as well.
“Your Majesty.”
But that was all.
“I did not know you would be attending.”
Raios, who had been momentarily rattled, regained his composure as if nothing had happened. His face even looked nonchalant.
“We were in the middle of a vow ceremony, Your Majesty. I would be honored if Your Majesty would also grant us your blessing.”
“A vow ceremony.”
The Emperor stared intently at Raios with deep blue eyes that didn’t seem human. Then he murmured again.
“A vow ceremony, is it?”
Meanwhile, Alice was shuddering with fear and astonishment. She couldn’t believe it.
‘Why?’
Why on earth did His Majesty come? For what reason? Why?
‘Did he actually grant Dana-eonni’s request?’
Tears welled up of their own accord. Her lips trembled as if she were about to burst into tears from the sorrow.
This is too much. For Dana-eonni to do something so ugly just to stop the vow ceremony. Truly—
“I see.”
“…….”
Ah?
Alice’s eyes went wide. A tear rolled down her cheek.
“Continue.”
The Emperor gestured leisurely.
At that, the priest, who had been completely frozen, started and began to stammer.
“Th-then, we shall continue the ceremony.”
While everyone else was bewildered, the priest faithfully recited the scriptures. They were verses about swearing eternal love before the gods.
And at the end, he asked:
“Alice Winzer, do you swear eternal love before Ramun, the God of the Sun?”
“Ye—yes.”
She answered for now. The priest immediately shifted his gaze to the Crown Prince.
“Laios Grants. Do you swear eternal love before Ramun, the God of the Sun?”
“…I swear it.”
“I hereby declare that these two have pledged eternal love before Ramun, the God of the Sun.”
Dana simply watched calmly as the unbreakable vow of love was completed.
Alice thought it was strange.
‘It’s certain that eonni called the Emperor to the ballroom.’
But why… why didn’t he stop the ceremony?
And why.
Why didn’t she look envious?
“Then, let us begin the main event.”
The Emperor rose from his seat.
“Lady Danae Winzer, please step forward.”
Dana walked forward. A servant approached the Emperor and opened a box.
It was the box Raios had sent to Dana.
The case for the medal.
“Danae Winzer. You have purified the Rotten Land and brought peace to the continent.”
The Emperor lifted the medal as he spoke.
It was a necklace that shone with a brilliant golden light. Dana’s eyes glittered as she stared at it.
‘Yes, that’s the one.’
She had made a deal with the Emperor specifically so that this wouldn’t be taken away from her.
She never had any intention of ruining Raios’s vow ceremony from the start. In fact, she had hoped it would go through.
Only then would her own broken engagement be justified.
“In recognition of your merit and to honor your name, I bestow this medal upon you.”
As Dana inclined her neck, the Emperor hung the medal around it.
In that moment, the Emperor’s cool fingers brushed against the nape of her neck.
Dana was startled, but she bit the inside of her cheek and endured it.
“Do you wish to die?”
The memory of last night.
The Emperor’s hand that had choked her last night. The Emperor’s voice.
Forcing the memories back down, Dana smiled placidly.
“It is an honor, Your Majesty.”
The die was cast.
Now, there was nothing that could be stopped.
“What are you up to?”
Raios followed her out onto the terrace where she had gone to take a breath.
“What kind of trick did you pull?”
Since she had expected this, Dana wasn’t surprised and turned around. She gave him a bright smile.
“Where did you leave your partner to come here alone, Your Highness?”
“Danae Winzer. Answer me.”
“I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about.”
“What kind of deal did you make last night with the Emperor—with my uncle?”
“A deal? What deal?”
“Stop talking in circles and be honest.”
Raios spat the words out. A violent, cold spark flickered in his eyes.
“What did you do with my uncle last night?”
His anger permeated every breath he took. He seemed truly, immensely furious.
“What on earth did you do to make my uncle grant your request?”
Dana simply gave him a smooth smile. Just as he had stood by and watched her anger a few days ago.
‘I suppose he would be curious.’
It must be baffling that the stiff Emperor—a misanthrope with no interest in anything but religion—had moved according to her will.
“I wonder. What do you think I gave him?”
“I told you to answer me!”
Raios was so angry that thick veins stood out on his neck.
“If you’re so curious, why don’t you ask your uncle yourself?”
“Danae Winzer!”
“I don’t know why you’re being so angry.”
“You don’t know? You call that an answer?”
“Yes. I really don’t know.”
Dana tilted her head as if she were truly puzzled.
“I didn’t even stop you from having your ceremony, so why are you so upset?”
“…….”
“Are you that angry that I received the medal?”
“…You ruined my ceremony.”
“Think of it as a compromise. This was originally supposed to be my award ceremony, wasn’t it?”
Dana shrugged.
“And if I had really intended to ruin it, I would have asked His Majesty to forbid the ceremony.”
It was true. Dana could have made that request. And the Emperor would have likely granted it.
Because they had a deal.
“But I didn’t make such a request. Because…”
Dana smiled broadly.
“I support the love between you two.”
Raios’s jaw tightened instantly. He seemed to be gritting his teeth.
After a moment, he spoke in a low, cracked voice.
“You certainly have a way with words you don’t mean…”
“I’m being sincere.”
“No, don’t be a hypocrite. I saw through your facade long ago. You act all gentle, but you never bend. Do you know how tiresome that stiffness was?”
Raios took a large step toward her.
The distance between them vanished with that single move. Dana tried to step back, but her back hit the terrace railing.
“Danae.”
In that split second, he suddenly called her name tenderly.
Just like a few days ago. Like when he used to whisper words of love.
A chill ran down her spine as he grabbed her shoulders.
“I know I’ve upset you.”
“Take your hands off me.”
“But don’t you think you need to ask yourself why I changed like this?”
Get off me!
Dana suppressed the urge to scream.
Raios’s large hands gripping her shoulders. That body heat. That skin. She wanted to carve it all out.
The fact that he was touching her was horrifying.
How dare you touch my body with the same hands that touched Alice!
“You need to learn from Alice.”
“…….”
“Alice is younger than you, but in many ways… she is superior. Especially when it comes to handling men.”
Raios slowly lowered his head. Then he whispered into her ear.
“Alice makes me feel ecstatic.”
For a moment, Dana felt dizzy.
It felt as if her breath would simply cut off then and there.
“Why don’t you take some lessons from Alice? Who knows? Maybe I’ll fall for you again like I used to.”
Dana bit the inside of her mouth hard.
A fire of humiliation blazed through her entire chest. Her throat felt hot, and she wanted to vomit out everything.
But she knew. She knew this was exactly what Raios intended. A blatant provocation.
That was why she was determined not to lose her cool.
Dana squeezed out a calm voice with all her might.
“Next time…”
Ah. Thank goodness. Her voice sounded steady.
If anything, a faint trace of laughter was mixed in, as if the person in front of her was pathetic.
Relieved by her own tone, Dana spoke with full sarcasm.
“I’ll be sure to do that with the next man.”
“What?”
“This relationship was a failure, so why would I bother trying again?”
Seeing Raios’s eyes turn cold, she could finally breathe again. Dana breathed easily and gave a beaming smile.
“Thank you for the advice. I’ll make sure things go well with the next man, Your Highness.”
