CH 3

I have to live somehow.

At the same time, Senelia, whose face turned white, knelt down in front of the emperor and slammed her forehead to the floor.

Senelia had an intuition.

If she hadn’t acted like that, her neck would have flown away immediately.

‘The Thorns of Chloracean.’

It refers to those who change their destiny.

And the truth about them has been passed down from generation to generation in the imperial family.

‘The Thorns of Chloracean’ meant those from another world.

Possessed or reincarnated.

Thus, those who deviate from the laws of this world, do not follow the set path of destiny, make exceptions, and possibly change their destiny.

“I……”

Senelia’s body trembled.

At this moment, she realized that she had been reincarnated.

And that she is a minor character who loves the male lead, and that this world is in a novel called 《The Thorn of Chloracean》.

‘Shall I say I don’t know?’

Numerous ‘Thorns of Chloracean’ that have appeared so far have caused a stir in the world.

Sometimes they become lords, wise men, warriors, and……also became emperors.

Senelia knew who the emperor Cliff de Helios was in 《The Thorn of Chloracean》.

But when she lifted her gaze, Senelia despaired.

As soon as she says she doesn’t know, she will die.

“I can be Your Majesty’s dog,” said Senelia, banging her head again.

Her forehead that hit the cold and hard marble hurt.

However, the stabbing pain was not important.

‘I want to live.’

That was all Senelia wanted in this terrible time.

She should have known that she had been reincarnated.

If she was aware of it, the emperor might have left her alive.

‘Will you let me live?’

Senelia could see why the emperor called her.

Cliff de Helios had already suspected that Senelia was the ‘Thorn of Chloracean’.

Deep desperation filled Senelia’s heart.

Senelia quickly realized. The moment she was brought here, she knew that there was no choice for her.

“Can you be my dog?”

The emperor grinned. Cliff de Helios raised his precious body and looked down at Senelia.

The emperor’s huge shadow covered Senelia’s trembling body.

“I already have a lot of dogs, what should I do?”

He is an emperor. There couldn’t have been anything lacking.

Senelia felt her head turn white.

Silence enveloped the room.

I have to say something.

Anything.

I might die.

No, I’m going to die.

A terrible fear gripped Senelia.

This is the emperor’s audience room. And Senelia is the daughter of a viscount who is really insignificant compared to the emperor.

What will matter if she dies here?

Who dares to speak against him?

Her mother? Her father?

It was fortunate if only Senelia died and her parents were safe.

She had to think.

How does the female lead survive in the novel 《The Thorn of Chloracean》?

Senelia opened her mouth, stutter, “The Grand Duke, His Highness the Grand Duke……”

She stuttered like an idiot.

She was scared and couldn’t speak properly.

Still, Senelia couldn’t keep her mouth shut.

If she delayed her answer even for a moment, her neck seemed to roll on the floor.

In the novel 《The Thorn of Chloracean》, the female lead returns from the future. Nevertheless, she didn’t die at the hands of the emperor.

“I will make him love me.”

It was because she was the first love of Benelucia Afron, the only one among the imperial blood that the emperor did not kill.

In a situation where the emperor’s sword could touch her at any moment, Senelia did not stop thinking desperately.

In the end, she finally managed to find a plausible answer.

“I can be the ‘leash’ for the Grand Duke,” she said. [T/N: the leash here means leash for dogs. In other words, Senelia wanted to tame Benelucia as an obedient dog towards her, his master]

cut.

Senelia’s body shuddered in shock at the noise.

Her long hair was cut off by the emperor’s sword.

The emperor said in anger, “How dare you drive my beloved brother into a traitor?”

Right next to Senelia’s neck, the blade was flashing.

Her frightened and withdrawn gesture caused a red scar on her slender neck.

“Besides, a leash? How dare you insult the imperial family.”

Senelia could not move.

If she moves even the slightest bit, her blood vessels will be severed in the emperor’s sword.

Her lips were dry.

Now Senelia was trembling all over her body.

‘……did I get it wrong?’

As Senelia knew, there was only one reason why the emperor had kept the female lead alive.

For as long as he holds the female lead’s life in his grasp, the Grand Duke Benelucia will never be able to rebel against him.

‘The leash of Benelucia Afron.’

《The Thorn of Chloracean》 clearly describes the female lead that way.

‘What……what’s wrong?’

Senelia lost in thought and trembled, not even thinking of stopping the blood that started dripping from her neck to the floor.

The white dress was gradually stained with red blood.

Her neck began to tingle gradually.

But if I close my eyes like this, I will never be able to open them again.

I have to live.

This was the only thought that came to Senelia during this hellish time, “My family is not very low-ranked to be a member of the imperial family.”

Senelia finally opened her mouth again.

Was it because she really thought it was her last chance to survive?

This time her voice did not tremble.

The female lead, Lucalina, was the famous daughter of the Marquis Ellihan and a childhood friend of the emperor and the grand duke.

“I don’t have any great abilities.”

Also, Lucalina is the only swordmaster in this empire other than the emperor and the grand duke.

“Above all, I fear Your Majesty more than Benelucia Afron.”

Besides, Lucalina was not afraid of the emperor.

Then I remembered.

Lucalina was the leash of Benelucia, and Benelucia was the leash of Lucalina.

That fact always worries the emperor.

A marquis’ daughter who can be a reliable ally of Benelucia, a swordmaster who can be a strong ally, Lucalina’s ability strong enough to oppose the emperor, and she is not afraid of the emperor.

Senelia raised her head slightly to check the emperor’s face.

He had a satisfied smile on his face.

Senelia noticed that she had finally said the right answer.

It was then that she felt relief.

“That’s an answer I really like.”

If Senelia becomes Benelucia’s weakness, the emperor will get an easy leash to swing.

In that sense, Senelia is better than Lucalina.

“Then you have to work hard to make it happen.”

The emperor finally pulled the sword away from her neck.

At the same time, Senelia became conscious.

A dark future awaits.

***

After that, Senelia had no choice.

If she doesn’t put a leash on Benelucia Afron, she will die.

So Senelia loved Venelucia, to live.

From the time she met Benelucia to the time she broke up with him, not a single thing was unintentional.

The reason she stayed by Benelucia’s side for a year was to make him believe that she loved him.

Senelia wasn’t that much of a planner in the first place.

However, there is a saying that anyone can become superhuman if their life is in danger.

It was no different from her.

In order for Benelucia to love her, she had to first make him believe in her love.

In the end, Benelucia came to believe in Senelia’s love.

So next she said goodbye to him.

***

The day was as usual.

When Senelia woke up, the bed that had been hot turned cold.

It’s just her again in the cold bed.

Senelia pulled the string.

The maid who came in because of her call immediately spoke, “His Highness……”

After spending the night together, being left alone was familiar to Senelia.

However, the maid still looked sorry for it.

“He must have had work because he was so busy with construction.”

So instead of the maid, Senelia first explained the reason for Benelucia’s absence.

But somehow, the more she made the excuses, the more the maid’s face hardened.

Senelia pretended not to know it and got up.

Because she didn’t want to make excuses for Benelucia again.

“Rather, prepare the bath. There is a tea party today.”

“Yes, Lady Daphnen.”

The maid bowed her back politely.

Less than five minutes after Senelia spoke, the bathwater was ready.

Warm steam was rising from the bathwater.

Even though the time was so short, the preparation for the bath was absolutely perfect.

As if the maid had already waited for her to give this order.

‘This is really strange.’

Senelia thought to herself.

This is the sixth year that Senelia and Benelucia have been dating.

Seven years ago, she was just a woman who warmed Benelucia’s bed, nothing more, nothing less.

A year later, Senelia became the grand duke’s lover. And six years have passed.

To be honest, Senelia didn’t think she was much different now than she was seven years ago.

Benelucia did not propose to her for six years as his lover.

Meanwhile, Senelia’s marriageable age had passed.

However, since Senelia was the only woman by the grand duke’s side, everyone assumed that the two would get married.

‘That illusion was broken two years ago.’

Senelia smiled meaningfully.