CH 35

Asha worried for a moment that Jackal might have recklessly come to her rescue, but she brushed the thought away.

“I understand.”

“Then, since you’re still confused, don’t think about anything today and rest comfortably. I will tell the chief physician to treat your wound so that it does not leave a scar.”

He got up from his chair when he finished speaking.

Asha was overwhelmed to finally achieve what she wanted, but at the same time, a certain sadness touched her heart.

This is it…….

She didn’t join Lycaon as Jackal’s partner.

Therefore, she hoped that he would have a good wife, and now enjoy a normal and happy second life.

Even if they never met again, it was enough for her as long as they were safe.

However, as he left the room, Karaf suddenly stopped by the door.

“……Asha Camelia.”

Asha looked up, a bit surprised when he called her by her full name. 

He said, looking back at her with his red eyes.

“I’m glad you’ve become my woman.”

When he finished speaking, he left the room. 

Asha stared blankly at his back.

When he turned around, his expression was somehow a little excited like that of a boy with his first love.

Although Asha didn’t know, she would be surprised to find out how much effort he put into his appearance before attending the banquet.

Karaf was excited to think that she would finally become his butterfly, so he stayed up all night.

And just like Asha, he woke up early in the morning to make himself as splendid as he could.

He wanted to show her only the best.

Seeing that he hadn’t changed his uniform despite everything that had happened, anyone can see how much he wanted to look good for her.

* * * * *

Karaf returns to his office. 

After the commotion, the banquet was forcibly suspended. 

During the festival, the distinguished guests temporarily stayed in the empty rooms of the Imperial Palace, and the knights patrolled the palace more strictly and thoroughly than ever. 

When he got to his office, Duran, who had been waiting for him with his head bowed in front of the door, said.

“…… I have something to tell you, Your Majesty.”

Karaf was about to enter when he turned around.

“You have nothing to say even if you have two mouths.”

“…….”

Duran removed his sword from his waist and placed it in front of Karaf. 

It was the sword that Karaf personally bestowed on him the day he became Knight Commander.

Duran is now kneeling on the floor with his eyes downcast.

“…… As the Knight Commander, I will pay with my death for not keeping Your Majesty and Lady Vanessa safe.”

His bright, neat blonde hair was all messy, and his skin was rough and hazy. 

His face suddenly turned haggard from the sudden assassination incident, running around all day giving orders and cleaning up the scene. 

Karaf walked over and picked up the sword. 

Then he took the sword out of its sheath, pointed it at Duran’s neck, lifted his chin with it, and said.

“Go ahead, Your Majesty.”

“…….”

“Didn’t you say you had something to tell me? Even if I kill you, I will listen to you then I will kill you.”

Duran said resignedly, closing his eyes.

“…… The assassin swallowed poison and killed himself on the spot. Looks like she had some poison in her mouth in case the assassination failed. She died without a trace. I have nothing more to say, Your Majesty…….”

“I guess you have nothing but sins to tell. Do you have anything else to say?”

Duran answered calmly.

“Lady Vanessa will be fine. According to doctors, the wind spirit in Lady Vanessa’s body exerted natural healing powers and expelled the poison from her body.”

Karaf was a little relieved hearing that. 

When she collapsed, her face was as pale as a corpse, and it seemed like she would never be able to wake up, but he was relieved after she came to her senses.

“…… This is all my report.”

Duran reverently awaited his punishment. 

Karaf looked down at him with his red eyes and raised the sword high. 

But as the sword pierced the floor, the shoulder epaulets fell from his uniform. 

T/N: epaulet is an ornamental shoulder piece on a garment, especially on the coat or jacket of a military uniform. 

Duran opened his eyes. 

Then Karaf threw the sword to the ground. 

When the heavy sword hit the ground, it made a loud sound.

“…… You swore back then that your life will belong to me. That you’d live just for me and die just for me.”

Duran slightly startled, asked.

“Did Your Majesty…. hear?”

Those were the words he tearfully swore to Karaf at his bedside as he slept under the curse.

“Killing you with my own hands is killing the day you decided to save me. Don’t ever ask me to kill you again. Without you, there will be no one by my side.”

Duran responded sadly to those words.

“…… I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I will never say that again.”

Karaf then said with a firm expression on his face.

“Hang the body of the traitor in the middle of the square so that all the people of the Empire can see it, and find out whose order it was, even if you have to chase the souls.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“And one more thing.”

Karaf hesitated a bit, then said reluctantly.

“Remove Lycaon’s wanted order. Make sure all the nobles gathered in the Imperial Palace know about it as well.”

Duran’s eyes grew slightly larger. 

Realizing that Asha had managed to persuade Karaf, he smiled furtively.

“Yes, I will.”

As Karaf headed back the way he had come, Duran suddenly called out to him.

“…… But Your Majesty.”

He stood still. 

Duran said now with a soft expression.

“I am no longer the only one by Your Majesty’s side now. You no longer have to worry and suffer alone.”

Karaf walked away without saying a word, looking straight ahead. 

But there was a slight smile on his lips.

As soon as he reached his bedroom, he stripped off his heavy ceremonial uniform and sat on the sofa with his arms and legs spread out wide.

When he closed his eyes, the scene in the banquet hall came to life again. 

When Asha collapsed bleeding out, he was really frightened to the point of losing his mind.

The butterfly he’s been waiting for…… He couldn’t let her die like this in vain. 

He could never let a precious butterfly die because of him. 

Despite Duran’s insistence, he ran toward Asha like a madman and held her in his arms. 

Her eyes were closed and her face was pale without a trace of color.

The moment he saw her face, Karaf’s eyes grew bigger and his pupils trembled.

Suddenly, his head hurt so much, that he put a hand on his forehead and frowned. 

It was she who was stabbed by a dagger, but he could barely breathe and his heart was about to burst.

For some reason, Karaf felt that he had seen a scene similar. 

As he had seen countless deaths, he was now insensitive to the deaths of others, to the extent that he was unimpressed when someone’s neck snapped in front of his eyes. 

But the moment he suddenly thought that she might die, his heart sank. 

Karaf was afraid……

….. of her death. 

Her hands were covered in blood, and it stained his uniform. 

As he looked at her, he felt a terrible sensation as if a dagger had been stabbed in his chest. 

He hurriedly hugged Asha and carried her to his room, and he went back and forth without knowing what to do behind the doctors. 

All he could do was threaten them to do whatever it took to save her life. 

The physicians were so nervous their necks would fly off. They were sweating profusely and doing their best to heal Asha’s wounds. 

Karaf felt so pathetic that he couldn’t do anything at this critical moment when her life was in danger. 

With an expression that almost looked like hell itself, he sat by the window and didn’t move until Asha opened her eyes.

The physicians and servants trembled in fear, unable to even look at him.

He sat like a rock behind them like a reaper from the underworld. 

It was as if he would kill them immediately if they said anything negative about Vanessa. 

When Asha came to her senses, he was finally able to let out the breath he had been holding.

How happy he was then, she will probably never know. 

Karaf pretended to be calm in front of her, but he really felt that the sky had fallen and risen. 

Today was a very significant day for him. 

It was a miraculous day that two people in the world could even risk their lives for him. 

He does not care if the person is evil or kind. He will not try to save them even at the cost of his own life. 

Especially if it’s a minority……. 

He felt the door of his heart open wide to her. 

In his 24 years of life, she was the first woman to shake his heart and care so much for him.

It wasn’t long since he’d met her, but for some reason, all her actions and words were etched in his mind.

“Asha Camelia…….”

Karaf muttered her name.

He seemed to have heard her name somewhere. It was painful and nostalgic just by trying to remember.

* * * * *

The next day, the capital was noisy in the morning because of what happened in the Imperial Palace. 

Jackal, transformed into a horse, went to the auction house with Sosa, and he overheard the people.

“Well, did you say that this time a butterfly appeared at the banquet hall?”

“Yes, and an assassin also appeared! I heard that Lady Vanessa came to protect His Majesty and was stabbed instead.”

Jackal stopped walking, his eyes grew bigger, and he froze. 

Sosa was also in shock, then leaned against the wall like a spy to listen to the conversation.

Passers-by glanced at the two of them. 

It seemed very strange to see a sturdy horse and a white-haired man hiding side by side against a wall.

But they weren’t in the mood to care about that right now. 

Jackal’s eyes filled with fury upon hearing the details of yesterday’s incident.

He couldn’t shake the thought that something so bad had happened to Asha while she was standing next to the damned tyrant. 

He must have committed many sins, so there will always be assassins around him.

He couldn’t bear the thought that Asha would be in danger every time. 

As Jackal let out a snort, Sosa said, soothing him.

“Captain, calm down. Don’t we have to rescue Asha as soon as possible?”

Jackal nodded and finally calmed down. 

When Sosa took him to the auction house, thousands of people looked at him with greedy eyes.