Chapter 136

 

“……Carlothian.”

“……Don’t go.”

Ariadeline hesitated upon seeing Carlothian’s expression. His eyebrows were arched in a curve, and his lips were slightly pressed together. He looked as if he might cry. She secretly bit her lip.

“……I’m not going away forever.”

“…….”

There was no response from him. Carlothian felt a strange sensation at those words.

Although she said she wasn’t going anywhere forever, it felt oddly like she might leave for somewhere.

He couldn’t help but feel uneasy about her standing beside that man.

“……I’ll be back.”

Ariadeline turned her body. At that moment, Carlothian unconsciously grabbed her wrist. Very urgently. But…

Smack!

Ariadeline flinched as if burned and brushed his hand away.

Her eyes were wide open. Her pupils trembled in an instant.

Seeing her still feeling ‘fear’ from him, Carlothian felt a lump in his throat.

How long, how long. Will Ariadeline never escape that fear while she is by his side?

The tips of Carlothian’s fingers, which had been brushed away, trembled slightly. Ariadeline looked at Carlothian’s hand with trembling eyes, then wrapped her own wrist and turned her back.

“I’ll borrow some knights.”

With those words, Ariadeline climbed onto Seth Dolorante’s carriage.

Her hand, which had casually rested on Dolorante’s hand, was visible.

Carlothian felt a painful throb from the hand that had been rejected by her.

“……Your Grace.”

A few knights who had come out to follow her paused for a moment at the scene, unable to decide what to do.

Carlothian spoke as if chewing on the words.

“Follow her.”

“Yes.”

“Make sure nothing happens to her. Guard her thoroughly.”

“Understood.”

Thus, the knights’ horses followed behind the carriage.

Ariadeline’s maid, Dolly, soon took her place on the driver’s seat, and the driver cracked the whip, striking the horse’s rear.

Clatter, clatter. The sound of the carriage and horses departing could be heard.

Carlothian stood in one place until that sound disappeared. Until the carriage was out of sight.

Distantly, he felt the faint warmth from the hand she had brushed away.

Meanwhile, inside the carriage, Ariadeline sat facing Seth Dolorante with a cool expression.

Silence lingered for a while. It was naturally Seth who broke the silence first.

“Are you alright? It seemed like the Duke was hurt.”

“It’s not something you should worry about.”

When Ariadeline spoke coldly, Seth Dolorante exaggeratedly made a sad face.

“Still, doesn’t it hurt your heart too much?”

He tilted his head with a smile.

“You’ve come out personally to learn about the Duke’s ‘Deathrotea.’”

“……Let’s avoid crossing the line with questions.”

“Crossing the line? This is a perfectly relevant topic.”

Seth Dolorante casually crossed his legs from the opposite side. Ariadeline subtly furrowed her brow.

‘So I’ve fallen into his pace now.’

Ariadeline mentally chewed him out.

After all, she was the one who had come out because she was curious.

It meant he held the reins.

“So what exactly do you know about Deathrotea?”

“To be precise.”

He provided Ariadeline with the information she wanted.

“I know why that sword ended up in the possession of the Denaves family.”

“…….”

Ariadeline pressed her lips tightly together to hide her change in expression.

‘So it’s true that the Emperor intentionally handed Deathrotea to the former Duke of Denaves?’

But she couldn’t hastily ask about it. If it wasn’t true, that would give him something to latch onto.

“Shall we take our time with the details after we arrive at the mansion.”

“……Is there a reason to do that?”

“If we finish the story quickly, then there would be no reason for you to have deliberately arranged this meeting with me.”

He whispered in a sweet voice.

“Every minute and second spent with you is precious to me.”

Ariadeline now openly frowned. He was like candy on the tongue, charming as anyone, but a man whose true intentions were difficult to discern.

Ariadeline was aware of the Denaves knights chasing after the carriage from behind.

‘It’s okay; nothing will happen.’

Thus, the two soon arrived at the Marquis’s mansion and headed straight to the reception room.

Ariadeline walked through the hallway adorned with artworks. She had no time to appreciate the art at all.

A strange fragrance lingered in the mansion, as if the tension itself had taken on a scent.

‘What is this smell?’

It was a scent she had never encountered before. Just as she was thinking this, Seth Dolorante opened the door, announcing that they had arrived at the reception room.

“Knights, please wait outside.”

Seth Dolorante said to the knights who had followed Ariadeline. Instead of responding to him, they looked at Ariadeline.

“……Wait right in front of the room. Dolly, you come in.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Seth Dolorante shrugged as if it didn’t matter to him.

Ariadeline sat on the sofa, and her maid Dolly stood behind her.

While she maintained her silence, the Marquis’s maids brought in two teacups, a teapot, and some light desserts on a tray.

They then stood quietly by the door like statues.

Seth Dolorante took the warm teapot and personally poured tea into Ariadeline’s cup. The warm tea filled the cup with a gentle sound.

“So, what would you like me to start with?”

“I would like you to lay out everything you know.”

In response, Seth Dolorante smiled and sat across from her, resting his chin on his hand.

“Well, I’m not sure where to begin.”

His mouth stretched into a wide grin.

“Perhaps what you’re expecting is indeed correct.”

“……Is that correct?”

When Ariadeline asked, startled, he played with words.

“Well, I have no idea what you are thinking, Lady Ariadeline.”

He soon filled his own teacup with tea and took a few sips lightly. He was stalling.

“……Where did you hear that story?”

Ariadeline felt as if her throat was parched.

“Ah, I have connections to the palace, you see.”

‘Now that I think about it, his father was close to His Majesty the Emperor.’

Remembering this, Ariadeline became convinced that what he was about to tell her would be related to the Emperor.

“……May I ask one thing?”

“What is it?”

“What’s the reason for telling me this?”

Seth Dolorante approached while maintaining his smile. Then, rather rudely, he lifted her hair slightly and kissed it.

“Because I want to be favored by you.”

“……You expect me to believe that?”

“Your heart may only belong to Carlothian Denaves.”

“…….”

Ariadeline frowned. Her narrowed eyes trembled slightly. Seth Dolorante reacted keenly to this.

“But that doesn’t mean I can’t have what I desire.”

“……You’re dreaming.”

“Well, whether that dream is a fantasy or not remains to be seen.”

Ariadeline lifted her teacup and took a sip to avoid responding to his fanciful dream. The conversation with him was tense, making her throat feel parched.

“……Do you know what happened after Deathrotea was granted to the Denaves family?”

Ariadeline set down her teacup and asked. Seth Dolorante tilted his head excessively to the side.

“Do you think I would write to you without knowing that?”

He ran his hand through her hair, reaching her ear. His breath sent shivers down her spine.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know that the sword is cursed?”

“That means…!”

“Yes.”

Seth Dolorante spoke as if it were a trivial matter.

“It is true that His Majesty the Emperor intentionally granted the cursed sword to the late Duke of Denaves.”

“Just as I thought…!”

Ariadeline shot up from her seat. Naturally, she distanced herself from him.

‘Huh?’

“Madam!”

In that moment, her vision spun.

Seth Dolorante caught her as she swayed.

‘W-What is this?’

Ariadeline struggled to roll her eyes toward Seth Dolorante while her body hung limp.

Unlike his usual sweet gaze that praised her, his eyes were simply dark and gleaming.

“And……. the real reason I’m telling you this is.”

He whispered like a devil.

“Because it doesn’t matter if you know or not anymore.”