Chapter 66: Chapter 66

Seeing Azela drooping on the sofa, Zagnac frowned.

It was like seeing her for the first time. She was like a rotten tree crumbling. Even though he thought she was blooming a little bit, she was like this again.

Suppressing his wrath with his index finger, Zagnac pressed the frown on his forehead. He wanted to find that person right away, kill him, and make her bloom. If it were his original personality, it would have been.

But, he didn’t.

She was different from other humans. She would never be happy if he was the one who moved to get her revenge. It would not bear fruit. Zagnac turned her head to look at Azela, who stared into the air with a blank look.

“…I will be returning to the capital soon.”

“What?”

Azela turned her head at his word.

She didn’t think about it until now, but Zagnac had come down here for a while. This was Duke Ferial’s temporary residence—not his main residence—so of course, he had to return to the capital again.

Gazing at him for a moment, she then glanced away without a word.

The thought of him disappearing made her strangely suffocating. In this situation, if even Zagnac disappeared… Just imagining it was terrifying. It was as if there was no way out that she could barely breathe.

Looking at Azela’s expression as if she was choking on her breath, Zagnac sighed briefly and opened his lips.

“How about coming with me?”

“…What?”

She seemed surprised at his suggestion. Still, his expression was serious. It must have been a proposal she had heard from Crown Prince Chises at some point. At that time, Azela boldly refused to take revenge… Though this time, she didn’t.

As she wiggled her fingers without saying anything, Zagnac sat opposite her.

“Actually, there’s a reason I came to you.”

“Reason?”

“The first time I saw you… You don’t think I happened to find you while floating through the sky, and that’s why I went through the window, didn’t you?”

“….”

Azela did not answer his question. Come to think of it, how did he find her? For what reason did he come to find her? She had never really thought about it.

When she didn’t answer, Zagnac said again.

“I came to you for help.”

“…Help?”

“Yes, help… I don’t know if you remember what I said last time, although there are people who are after my life.”

“After your life…?”

“Yes. The last attack was also what he ordered.”

Zagnac rested his long leg leisurely on top of his opposite leg, tilting his head to one side and resting his chin.

Attack… Azela remembered. While he said he was going to visit the imperial palace, he then injured his palm. She remembered that he was reluctant to talk back then.

Who was the ‘he’ that attacked him? What kind of help would Zagnac want from her? Besides, what does her help have to do with the attack? She was full of questions. However, Azela closed her mouth lest he might spare words if she asked a hasty question. She just nodded her head carefully so that he could carry on.

When Azela didn’t say anything, Zagnac continued again.

“…Actually, I’m here to offer you to be my escort knight.”

“What?”

Zagnac’s words were unexpected. Azela stared at him puzzledly.

…Escort knight? For him?

As she looked even more flabbergasted, he quickly added, “You don’t know how good Countess Todd’s reputation is in the social world. Everyone said that they had never seen a person with such splendid and fast swordplay as you. So, I came to offer you a place next to me… Of course, I didn’t know you were in that condition.”

He frowned, thinking of Azela dying after ingesting the poison. Lowering her gaze for a moment at Zagnac’s words, she raised her head.

“Then, why didn’t you tell me before?”

“Because you are my contractor, and you wanted revenge.”

“….”

“I am hoping that your revenge will be successful. But, if it’s like this now…”

He muttered his words before closing his lips.

He was going to say, ‘If it’s like this now, she will do nothing, let alone revenge.’ Nevertheless, Azela knew it, too. She herself was shaken. No matter how much she tried to change, it was formidable to let go of her gentle nature.

“However, if you just stay here, it will be difficult for you to become sweet. I’m just about to start planting flower buds.”

“….”

“So, why don’t you go to the capital with me and protect me? You can grab the sword you wanted again.”

“…But, you can’t be beaten by a human. Why do you need an escort knight?”

“Simple. No matter how great the human Duke Ferial may be, it doesn’t make sense to say that he avoids so many attacks alone. In that case, it would be nice if you could help me.”

Azela grimaced unknowingly with a complex look.

It was not wrong. For a moment, she pictured herself following him back to the capital and even pictured in her mind her holding the sword.

While it was just a dream… that alone made her very happy. However, on the other side of her mind, she was asking herself. Was she really okay with that? Could she really leave everything here and leave on her own? Does she want to be happy alone…?

As Azela hid her dizzy feelings, she turned away and asked.

“Who is the ‘he’ who is trying to kill you? Why is he trying to kill you?”

“….”

He paused for a moment.

He was contemplating whether to speak or not. Despite that, he didn’t change the subject like he used to. Zagnac, who had been pondering for a moment, nodded his head as if he had made up his mind and gazed straight at her.

“The one who is trying to kill me…”

“….”

“Is the Emperor.”

Her eyes widened at Zagnac’s light tone. Was he asking her to protect him from the Emperor now…?

Azela swallowed a gulp.

* * *

Azela had to return to the mansion without answering his proposal. As she gazed at Irene’s tombstone, she said nothing.

A cool wind blew as if recognizing her heart.

“…Irene.”

It had been a long time since she had called that name out of her mouth.

Azela leaned her torso and ran her palms across the unmanaged tombstone. Her white lace gloves quickly became dusty.

“I was determined to get your revenge… I’m sorry I couldn’t be strong until the end. I’m sorry for worrying you like this…”

You protected me though I can’t protect you until the end.

She swallowed her words and closed her eyes tightly. Tears she could no longer stop flowed from her eyes.

She hated her weak self.

“Ma, Madam.”

Azela opened her eyes to the familiar voice and quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks with her sleeve. She turned to see Lina with her orange hair fluttering.

Lina had been in charge of the chores of the mansion ever since. Bad rumors spread among the maids, and she seemed to be being harassed. Her white cheeks, without a single wound, were swollen.

“…Don’t call me.”

Azela, who spoke coldly at Lina, passed the girl. Lina’s orange hair fluttered in the wind. The girl, who had been standing with a bucket full of water, hurriedly followed Azela’s back, shouting.

“I…I want to apologize. I-I guess I was just making excuses back then…”

“….”

“I’m sorry, Madam.”

Hearing her sincere apology, Azela stopped her steps.

Lina’s voice came close behind her. Slowly, she turned behind and looked at the girl. Azela didn’t want to see that orange-haired girl, who reminded her of Irene, alone in this mansion where she wouldn’t be there.

“Lina.”

“Yes, Madam…”

The girl bowed her head at her gaze. Seeing this, Azela spoke in a calm voice.

“Get out of this mansion.”

Lina’s eyes widened in surprise at her dismissal.

She gazed at Lina for a moment and, after saying those words, turned her body again and entered the mansion.

…This is all I can do for you.

Azela swallowed the words she was reluctant to say and didn’t look back. Already imagining this mansion without her… she thought that the answer in her heart was already tilted, so a suffocating, empty laugh leaked out.