R4STWH - Chapter 152
Chapter 152
He had clearly said that he had looked back on himself and deeply repented when we last talked, but for some reason, he hadn’t changed at all. Could it have all been just lip service to gain favor?
Just as I was about to speak, determined to fix his attitude, Elias’s hand gently landed on my knee.
I reflexively looked up, and he gave me a smile so sweet it made my heart melt.
‘Oh…’
As always, I was easily entranced by his smile, forgetting what I was going to say and simply staring blankly at Elias.
Meanwhile, Elias turned his gaze to Leonard and spoke, “Even if you are her brother, your behavior toward Her Majesty is disrespectful. Unless you're planning to commit treason, you should watch your mouth.”
“Treason?! What kind of talk is that between us….”
“What kind of relationship is ‘between us’?”
Leonard flinched in surprise at the cold stare, so different from the gaze he had given me.
“Elias, why are you suddenly like this? Aren’t we close friends?”
“Close friends? There's no way. We’ve just been using each other to get what we needed.”
Leonard probably didn’t expect Elias to be so blunt in his criticism. After all, Elias had always readily stepped in to handle difficult matters for Leonard.
“So, now that you have Tenaclad as you wished, you don’t need me anymore, is that it?”
“Well… Did you contribute to me gaining Tenaclad?”
“……”
Of course he hadn’t.
Elias had become the head of the family purely through his own strength. I might have helped a bit behind the scenes, but since I belonged to him, it was definitely an achievement that he achieved 100% through his own efforts.
“Unless I owe you something, I believe I don't owe you anything. What do you think?”
“That’s….”
Leonard, unable to hide his bewilderment, nervously ran his hand through his hair and said, “Okay, fine. But you have to know one thing. There's evidence that Selena's mother was involved in your father's death. I haven't said anything until now because I was afraid it would cause you pain….”
“I know.”
Elias cut off Leonard's words firmly. “The investigation has been completed and testimonies have been secured as to what happened.”
“And you’re just going to leave Selena like this?”
“Yes.” Elias chuckled and nodded. “She has already received her punishment.”
“……?”
Leonard looked puzzled. Of course he would, not knowing that Selena had been on the verge of death and that Yumi had taken over her body.
“And leaving everything else aside, I don't think you should become the emperor.”
“……What? Why….”
“Putting aside your incompetence, you were very promiscuous even when you were just an Imperial Prince. If you become emperor, you will be even more debauched, without any restraint. Countless children with different mothers will be born and will cause factions and infighting for the succession. It’s obvious that the Empire, which has barely survived the disaster, will become unstable again.”
“Th, that’s….”
Leonard was visibly shocked at the sharp and truthful words.
“So be satisfied with the title of Archduke. In fact, I think even that is too good for you.”
Wow, that felt so good. I was about to laugh at Leonard's miserably distorted face. He should have controlled his lower half. He was hooking up with any woman he could get his hands on; this was what he deserved.
In the end, Leonard left Tenaclad without being able to say a single word in rebuttal. His pride was so badly hurt that he would never ask Elias for help again.
‘I thought he would have a hard time being so cold because they were once friends.’
As I watched Leonard's carriage leave Tenaclad through the window, Elias wiped the cream from my lips with his thumb and said, “That guy will never bother you again.”
“……!”
Was that the reason? No wonder he was acting so unlike himself.
“How dare he desire you with that filthy body of his.”
He slowly licked his cream-covered finger while staring intensely into my wide eyes. “I've never given myself to any other woman but you in any timeline.”
While I was staring at him, captivated, I had no choice but to ask, “Huh? Really?”
I’d heard he had been married to the Second Imperial Princess once. So they never slept together?
“I heard that all the memories I possessed would be transferred to you. It seems that you haven't checked it yet.”
“Yeah… I was afraid to look at it haphazardly, so I tucked it away carefully.”
“...So that’s what it was.”
He smiled bitterly and gently caressed my cheek. “You don’t have to, Ilesha. I don't want to have any secrets from you. If it's something related to me, you have to be the first to know it.”
Perhaps Elias had realized that I was very curious about his past.
‘Well… I want to know everything about Elias, without exception.’
It wasn't just that I was curious about his hidden tastes or hobbies. I wanted to see for myself those who had tormented him or treated him well and return the favor. I also wanted to make reparations to any innocent people who may have suffered because of Elias.
Elias and I were now practically one, so all the burdens he had to carry were also mine. As much as I loved Elias, I wanted to shoulder those rights and responsibilities willingly.
“Are you really okay with that?”
“Of course. But it would be better for you to prepare yourself mentally before checking it.”
“Huh? Why?”
“I was much, much worse than anything you might imagine.”
He gently pulled me into an embrace and leaned his face on my shoulder, murmuring, “You might despise me.”
“How could I ever?” I gently stroked his back, just as Elias had comforted me. “Don’t worry, that will never happen.”
“Yeah… Even if it does, you can't leave me now anyway.”
He was using that to console himself. It seemed as though much had changed, yet some things remained the same.
‘I should probably check it out quietly when I’m alone.’
Considering how concerned Elias was, I needed to pay special attention to my expressions. I couldn’t show him a surprised or embarrassed face and make him feel insecure.
So it would be better to wait until he was away and take the time to organize my thoughts and feelings.
After two days of rest, Elias and I became very busy.
When we had first returned to Tenaclad, we had planned to leave the aftermath to Gerent and just relax, but for some reason, we weren’t comfortable with the idea. Tenaclad was where Elias and I would be living, so we needed to protect it well.
‘I’ll clean this up first and rest properly later.’
Frankly, with Elias’s and my abilities, we could track down and deal with the remaining monsters more effectively than if we mobilized thousands of knights. After personally leading the subjugation, we finished everything in just a week, as planned.
The problem was what came after. Requests for help poured in from everywhere.
‘They can't even deal with small fry like that!’
It was extremely annoying… But I couldn't refuse. I knew that what was very easy for me was extremely urgent for others.
If I had just hurried a little bit more, maybe Yumi and Baeksa's child wouldn't have died. With that guilt still making me feel blue from time to time, how could I ignore someone else's death and loaf around?
While I occasionally grumbled, I diligently went around eliminating the remnants of the disaster, and Elias, whether he knew my thoughts or not, simply followed along with whatever I wanted to do.
While traveling around the continent, we even ran into the Saintess and Crow one day.
It was probably inevitable. The priests and holy knights of the Amern Order, led by the Saintess, had been the busiest during the disaster and were always looking for those in need.
“Lady Ilesha, have you been doing well?”
The Saintess, who no longer trembled at the sight of me, smiled like a fool and greeted me.
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