Translator: Nox
Chapter: 15
“Long time no see, Lord D. Have you been well?”
D, who had been staring at me with an expressionless face, finally spoke.
“Yes. It seems you've been well too.”
His voice was calm, as if nothing had happened.
But the fact that D once tried to offer me as a sacrifice—and that I struck him in return—couldn’t be erased.
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Spam seemed quite eager to get revenge on D.
Of course, that had been my plan as well. I smiled sweetly.
“Thank you for accepting my invitation. Please, have a seat.”
As soon as D sat down, the maids brought out tea.
When D recognized their faces, his brows slightly furrowed.
“They're all from Black Crow Castle, aren’t they?”
“Yes. I don’t have many people I can trust. I’ve been relying on Claude.”
I emphasized the word ‘trust’ as I glanced at Claude.
“He’s been such a reliable support for me.”
At that, Shion placed his teacup down with a sharp clink. His glare at Claude was almost murderous.
‘Hey! I’m trying to provoke D, not you. Why are you getting worked up?’
I was about to signal to Shion when D spoke up first.
“The mage… I thought he returned to the Magic Tower.”
“Oh, didn’t I mention? I’ve been serving the Princess from the start.”
Shion replied shamelessly, making D let out a hollow laugh.
“I see. So I’ve been completely deceived.”
“Let’s drop the pointless talk. It’s not like it matters anymore, does it?”
I hated how D pretended to be the victim, so I quickly changed the subject.
“The reason I invited you here today is to show you something special.”
At my signal, Shion placed a box on the table. When he opened it, several bottles filled with golden liquid were revealed.
“This is a cure for Moonlight Syndrome. I accidentally injured one of your bloodline members, so I want to offer this as compensation.”
I picked up one of the bottles and continued.
“You have to take it once a month, but the pain of Moonlight Syndrome will vanish completely.”
“What’s your scheme?”
D looked at me like he couldn’t comprehend.
I explained just how generous I was being.
“Lord D, I’m the only one who can make this medicine. Even if someone else figures out the ingredients, they won’t be able to refine it.”
Truthfully, only Shion could make it. In the original story, he was the one who developed the cure.
“From now on, I’ll only provide this to those who pledge their loyalty to me.”
Finally realizing my intention, D’s face went pale.
“Of course, everyone has different thoughts. Some may want to escape the pain, others may refuse to serve a mere dhampir.”
I tilted my head innocently.
“In that case, if I stir things up a bit, wouldn’t your bloodline split in two? They might even fight like enemies.”
In the original, they tore each other apart thanks to Shion’s manipulation. This time would probably be the same.
I stood from my seat and asked the frozen D,
“So, Lord D, did you like the gift I prepared?”
* * *
After delivering her message, Ella left the reception room with the mage.
But D remained frozen until the tea had gone completely cold.
“D, are you alright?”
Claude, who had stayed beside him, asked worriedly.
Finally aware of his friend's presence, D gave a bitter laugh.
“Claude, I didn’t expect you to betray me.”
Claude flinched and looked at him sadly.
“I didn’t betray you. I just tried to correct what was wrong.”
“You’re saying I was wrong?”
“We were both wrong!”
Claude suddenly raised his voice.
“We betrayed Lilith! We tried to kill the one and only child she left behind!”
“No, it was Lilith who betrayed us first!”
The friend he trusted more than anyone, the proud guardian of the Empire, had actually sided with the enemy.
When D first saw Ella’s face, he was shocked—then everything made sense.
Lilith wasn’t someone who would die from some petty rebellion.
She had only faked her death to give birth to the child of sin.
That was when D decided Ella had to be eliminated.
“Don’t make excuses. Even if Lilith did betray us, that’s no reason to kill the child.”
Claude looked at him with deep disappointment.
D wanted to argue, but no words came out.
“We’re the ones who drove that girl to this point. We left her with no choice.”
“……”
“So beg her. Just admit you were wrong. That’s what a true leader of your bloodline should do.”
In the end, D bowed his head helplessly.
* * *
Ella stood in a blooming garden.
When a gardener handed her a rose, she accepted it shyly.
From a distance, D watched and thought.
Maybe… there could’ve been another path.
He could’ve accepted Ella sincerely and cared for her like a daughter, honoring the memory of his friend.
But blinded by a twisted sense of revenge, he chose the wrong road.
With a sigh, D walked up to Ella and knelt before her.
“Everything was my fault. If you must punish someone, let it be me. My bloodline bears no guilt.”
“You’re mistaken, Lord D.”
Ella’s voice was gentle. Holding a rose in hand, she looked as innocent as an angel.
But her words were colder than ice.
“You only have two choices. Become my enemy and fight me to the end, or become my dog and pledge your bloodline’s loyalty.”
Ella pressed the rose to her lips and smiled sweetly.
“So, which will it be?”
There wasn’t a hint of warmth in her violet eyes.
With tightly shut eyes, D made his decision.
“I, D, head of the Wolfhedin bloodline, will become Your Highness’s dog and offer my loyalty.”
* * *
— Luna, you know what you’ve done, don’t you?
Luna flinched at the woman’s voice coming from the mirror.
When she didn’t answer, the voice grew sharper.
— You went to quarrel with that lowly girl and got chased back? Unbelievable!
“I-I’m sorry, Mother.”
— Your father was furious. He almost dragged you out of the palace. I barely managed to stop him.
Luna trembled. She never wanted to return to that place again.
— What did His Majesty say? He let you suffer that disgrace?
The voice turned suspicious.
— Don’t tell me you’ve lost the Emperor’s favor?
“I-I didn’t tell him. I thought… he might worry.”
Luna lied quickly.
Since the last audience, the Emperor had been avoiding her. Even when she returned humiliated, he showed no reaction.
It was pathetic, but Luna had to admit she’d lost his attention.
But if anyone found out she was no longer favored, she’d be dragged back to that dreadful place. She couldn’t let that happen.
— Remember this. We can always replace you. You were only chosen because of luck.
“……Yes.”
They really could take everything from her.
The woman spoke coldly to the terrified Luna.
— Your father has given an order. On the next full moon, lure that lowborn girl to the Garden of Silver Moonlight.
“M-Me?”
— Fool! Don’t you realize your father is trying to help you? Why did we ever bother picking such a useless thing!
Flinching, Luna whispered desperately,
“I-I’m sorry. I’ll do as commanded.”
— Remember. The next full moon.
After the voice vanished, Luna was left alone.
She began biting her thumb nail until it bled.
“What do I do? How can I lure her out?”
Her desperate muttering faded into the night.
