TMGDW 13

Chapter 13

“His Majesty the Emperor doesn’t care whether I’m there or not. Can’t you tell, seeing that he’s holding a banquet again today?”

Axion found it despicable that the blood of such an incompetent emperor flowed through him as well.

On the other hand, his mother—who came from a family that had produced empresses for generations—was superior to the emperor in every way, from her dignity to her abilities, beyond comparison.

Perhaps that had struck the emperor’s pride.

The father had become the most incompetent emperor in history and, without hesitation, repeatedly shared his bed with other women, forsaking the empress.

He focused only on spreading his inferior seed like a beast, with nobles, prostitutes, and commoners alike, without discrimination.

The imperial palace, which should have crumbled long ago under such an emperor, still stood only because Calix held it together from the outside and Axion from the inside.

Calix, the War Demon who made everyone tremble at the mere mention of his name, and Axion, the only child born of the empress and so wise that he was called the Crown Prince of Light.

The ministers wished that one of the two would commit the treason of killing the incompetent emperor.

But two suns could not exist under the same sky.

In the end, he would have to kill Calix too—unlike the emperor, whom he could kill whenever he wanted, Calix was not so easy.

The Elysion Knights under Calix had never lost a single battle when they went on campaign.

Moreover, Calix had even obtained a demonic sword that would dominate its wielder if their mental fortitude was weak.

Defeating Calix, who was practically a monster, with swordsmanship was nearly impossible.

But weapons were not limited to sharp swords alone.

‘First, I need to draw that woman to my side.’

Selena Serius.

Axion planned to shake her while Calix was away on campaign.

For him, who was skilled in the art of social maneuvering, winning over a lowly woman like her was no challenge at all.

Calix remained by Selena’s side without leaving, as she was still unwell.

He entrusted the training of the knights to Jerome and repeatedly gave Selena her medicine himself at the appointed times.

Thanks to that, by the time Calix had to leave for campaign, Selena had recovered enough to feed the animals in the garden.

“Make sure you eat properly. Don’t let anyone in who comes to the castle.”

“Yes. Calix, have a safe trip. Please take care of yourself.”

Selena smiled brightly.

Calix found it heavy to leave his wife behind.

But he could not delay the campaign any further.

He finally averted his gaze, which had refused to leave her, and forced his horse’s head around. The knights on horseback followed behind him, with Calix at the lead.

The people outside the Archduke’s castle—both young and old—stared at the procession of the Elysion Knights in full armor.

Selena stood rooted to the spot until her husband’s figure had completely disappeared from sight.

Left alone, Selena asked her maid to bring her fine fabric, needles, and thread.

The maid brought her exactly what she wanted without question or complaint.

*”Since you’re being paid, do your job properly. I don’t expect loyalty.”*

That was what Calix had said right before leaving on campaign, gathering all the servants in the castle.

*”Take good care of the Archduchess while I’m gone.”*

He had spoken so coldly that it seemed he would take their lives if they didn’t follow his orders.

Thanks to that, Selena could work comfortably, attended by the servants.

She had learned embroidery and sewing from her mother, who had been a maid in her childhood, so it wasn’t difficult.

As she looked at the fabric, wondering what to embroider, Selena soon thought of her husband.

She missed her husband, who had personally fed her medicine and never left her side, and her eyes quickly began to redden.

Of course, it might have been because it would be a waste of money if she fell ill and died, and it would be troublesome to take another wife.

But even so, she didn’t mind. She was simply happy that he paid attention to her.

Selena decided to embroider something for Calix.

She had heard from her mother that some women embroidered gifts for their husbands who had gone to war, praying for their safe return.

Selena sat in the chair by the fireplace and began embroidering diligently.

Praying that her husband would return safely.

Someone visited the Archduke’s castle only a few days after Calix had left on campaign.

“Your Highness the Archduchess, there is a visitor.”

“Who?”

“Well, that is…”

Seeing the maid hesitate, Selena set down on the table the fabric she had been embroidering since yesterday.

“He says… he is Your Highness the Archduchess’s father…”

Selena’s eyes shook greatly.

“…Is that true? He said with his own mouth that he is my father?”

“Yes.”

There was no way that brazen and calculating man would come all this way just to ask after the daughter he had sold off.

‘Is he here to beg for money?’

Whatever it was, he was sure to say something unpleasant. He was a horrible person.

“Send him away.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

At Selena’s command, the maid immediately left the room.

Selena steadied her breathing and resumed her embroidery.

“Ah.”

Her nerves were on edge, and she pricked her finger with the sharp needle. Red blood welled up from her thumb.

Bloodstains fell onto the fabric she had worked so hard on, and her mood sank coldly.

‘How long do you plan to torment me?’

The maid who had left returned just after Selena had given up trying to wipe the bloodstains off the fabric.

“He says he won’t move a single step from in front of the castle gate unless you come out in person…”

At those words, Selena’s hands trembled violently. Learned fear and anger mingled together, making her dizzy.

‘My husband said not to let anyone in.’

So she had no choice but to go out to the castle gate herself and drive him away.

Selena rose to her feet.

—

As she came out through the castle gate, just as the maid had said, the Viscount with his faded blond hair and brown eyes was standing there.

Memories of abuse she had tried to forget came flooding back, and Selena’s face turned pale.

The Viscount grinned the moment his eyes met Selena’s.

“Hello? My daughter.”

That face was the last one she ever wanted to see again.

Selena hid her trembling hands behind her back and approached the Viscount.

“Why are you here?”

“……”

The Viscount narrowed his eyes and looked Selena up and down.

That gaze was so unpleasant that Selena clutched her collar more tightly.

“More than I thought…”

The Viscount muttered to himself. He seemed to have grown even stranger in the time they hadn’t seen each other.

“Stop talking nonsense and leave. I don’t want to have anything more to do with you.”

“Can’t you have one conversation with your own father?”

Perhaps worried that others might see, the Viscount asked in an unusual tone. His voice seemed even raspier than before, as if he had been drinking heavily the night before.

“…I never had a father like you.”

At those words, the Viscount’s eyes turned cold.

He grabbed Selena’s wrist and pulled her toward him.

“You’d better shut up and do as I say.”

Seeing the Viscount’s coercive behavior, the startled maids rushed to pull him away.

“You wretches!”

The Viscount threw the maids off with brute force.

The maids, thrown to the ground, immediately called for the knights.

The knights who had been waiting in the distance came running. They were the ones Calix had left to guard the castle in case of emergency.

“Take your hands off Her Highness the Archduchess.”

“How dare you!”

Anyone would think he was the master of the Archduke’s castle.

He was not someone who could be reasoned with.

The knights tried to forcibly remove the Viscount, who was still gripping Selena’s arm.

But even with several of them attacking, they could not overcome him—it was strange. Instead, they were pushed back by the Viscount’s monstrous strength.

“What kind of brute strength is this…”

Taking advantage of the knights’ confusion, the Viscount tried to drag Selena away by force.

At that moment, desperate, Selena bit down hard on the Viscount’s wrist with her teeth.

“You damn brat!”

Enraged, the Viscount raised one hand.

“……!”

Selena squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the blow. But even after a long moment, no slap came.

When she opened her eyes, the Viscount was unconscious, his limbs restrained by someone.

‘When did…?’

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

A clear voice.

Selena looked at the man who had saved her.

Beneath his ash-grey hair, his eyelashes were exceptionally long. His skin was clear and flawless, like that of a noble young master.

The man’s eyes and Selena’s met in midair.

“He was about to strike you, so I knocked him unconscious without thinking—was that wrong of me?”

At his words, Selena shook her head.

“No! Thank you.”

“Then I’m relieved.”

The man’s eyes curved into a smile as he asked.

“What should we do with this fellow?”

“Ah, I’d be grateful if you could take him as far away as possible, somewhere out of sight.”

“Gladly.”

The man answered readily and hoisted the unconscious Viscount over his shoulder.

Grateful that he had saved her from her father’s grasp and readily accepted her request, Selena bowed her head to him in greeting.

“Um… thank you so much. May I ask your name?”

“My name is Zion.”

“Zion…”

The name reminded her of the Elysion Knights, and a faint smile graced Selena’s lips.

“I’d like to know your name as well.”

“I’m Selena. Selena Elysion…”

Saying her name with her husband’s surname made her feel both happy and warm inside.

Seeing Selena like that, the man looked surprised.

“Elysion? Surely you are not the wife of the Archduke Elysion?”

Selena nodded slightly.

Selena asked her maid to give a reward to the man who had saved her. But he firmly refused.

“I didn’t do it for compensation.”

“Still…”

The man hummed in thought for a moment, then smiled broadly at Selena and said:

“If you insist, how about having a meal with me?”