CH 13

After eight years of forming a habit, Senelia automatically responded to Benelucia. But after he had left, Senelia felt herself on the brink of insanity.

“…What should I do?”

Nervously, she bit into her lower lip.

Even if she had managed to complete this ninth year of working on Benelucia, she was not confident enough in her skills to erase his first love from his heart.

She, who had knowledge of the original novel, knew how big of an impact Lucalina Elihan had on the duke.

If she could replace Lucalina in his heart, then she would not have had to struggle to become someone else in the first place.

So, one year, this one year, held tremendous importance to Senelia.

This was due to the fact that like a drizzle, she had no choice but to slowly drench the duke in a yearning for her. He needed to slowly come to terms that he wanted her by his side.

How… It’s lasted for eight years.

Despair bled into every inch of her expression.

The rest of this year was meant to make Benelucia aware of her absence.

If he could not stand the void that the accumulated for the past years, the Senelia’s plan would end up as a success.

Should I have broken up with him sooner?

Senelia buried her face within her palms.

Her head was spinning.

Not even a year had gone by, and Senelia was not convinced of Benelucia.

He was originally a man who would never hold onto the person he had broken up with.

Benelucia was Senelia’s only chance at life. She couldn’t possibly waste her chance by prematurely saying goodbye.

So, she had to postpone it.

In other words, persevere. She had to march forward and persevere.

Her opponent would be the return of Lucalina Elihan at this time… Life was cruel.

“Miss…!”

The maid, who enter the room and saw her master’s appearance, raised her voice.

Senelia looked up at the sound, finally noticing that someone had entered her room.

“Young Lady, your lips. My God…”

The terrified maid rushed to her with a handkerchief ready to press onto the damaged lips.

“How many times did you bite them for them to bleed like this? Didn’t you feel the pain?”

The maid asked noisily.

Senelia glanced at her blankly, feeling a slight tingle in her lip.

Her gaze dropped down to the handkerchief. There were quite a few drops of blood staining it. She might have bitten her lips without realizing it.

Senelia let go of her lips.

In an instant, her strength drained from her body.

It was humorous really, just the name of Lucalina caused Senelia to collapse.

However, Senelia didn’t even get some time to allow herself to immerse in a sense of brief shame.

Tuk. Tuk tuk.

“Ah. What is that bird doing?”

A bird had, at some point, flown to the window and begun hitting the glass with its beak.

Glancing at the white bird, Senelia’s face blackened. She felt as though her life ended.

Still, she immediately opened her mouth and spat out a few words.

She couldn’t stand idle, not now.

“I need to rest. Maid, please leave, I’m going to sleep so I would like everyone in and around my room gone.”

“But My Lady, you’ve just awoken…”

The maid replied to her, worry evident in her tone.

Fainting due to a shortness of breath puts a considerable strain on one’s body.

If the situation was not dire, the maid would have stuck closely to Senelia’s side.

But this time, Senelia feverously refused.

Tuk tuk. Tuk tuk.

The peaking of the bird grew faster.

The owner was getting impatient.

“Maid, I’m tired.”

Feeling panicked, Senelia’s voice was sharp.

Watching her nervous reaction, the maid flinched.

Senelia too, noticed her suspicious behavior and her complexion blackened further.

“…Then I’ll leave you to rest, Lady.”

The maid smiled and bowed her head, the she turned and left Senelia’s room.

It chilled her heart to know she had been cruel to someone else, especially to someone who truly cared for her in this capital.

However, the person who had come uninvited didn’t care, he just mocked her.

“My dog now makes it’s master wait.”

Senelia immediately turned and knelt.

Despite the carpet under her feet, the cold air of the marble floor still seeped into her knees.

She must be extremely unlucky.

I need to wake-up. I can’t behave like this in front of Cliff.

“My apologies, Your Majesty, I’ve dared to make you wait. Please forgive me.”

As of today, hostility rose in Senelia.

It was the emperor who came to her at his own will. Still, she had to be the one who groveled and begged for forgiveness. Desperately asking him to forgive her.

What did I even do wrong?

“Please, forgive me.”

Cliff’s voice came from nearby.

He bent slightly at the knees, all to meet Senelia, who laid kneeling on the floor.

“You don’t seem to feel sorry.”

“Hoh…!”

Senelia breath in quickly as at that instant, Cliff met her eyes.

Cliff de Helios was such a person.

A person who could make another’s breathing stun with the slightly eye contact or being with close range.

Senelia hurriedly banged her forehead against the ground.

Fortunately, she knelt upon the carpet, which had a softer surface.

“How can I think so, Your Majesty! …This life of mine is prolonged all thanks to His Majesty.”

Senelia urgently denied Cliff’s words.

All while, endlessly scolding herself inwardly.

How could she have such thoughts in front of a man so snake-like. A man like him can all but see through his opposition.

Apologize! So, what if I have to do it a hundred or thousand times. Does that truly matter if I’m still alive?

“Hmm…”

At the sound of Cliff’s soft him, Senelia’s body trembled.

Though she knew Cliff may not kill her now as she still had some uses, on the other hand, she still felt twice as anxious.

What if he doesn’t need me now…?

Lucalina is back.

How far could she guarantee her ‘usefulness’ in that situation?

That thought shook her right down to her core.

“Alright.”

Senelia was taken aback.

Then Cliff raised his head, wrapping his hand on her cheek directly.

He continued to speak, his voice carrying a fake friendly undertone, with his hand cupping her cheek.

“I heard you’re not feeling well, Senelia. Get up, I am not a ruthless owner, so I can’t let me precious dog roll on the cold floor.”

His voice was gentle, but Senelia knew immediately that there was a trap hidden deep in His Majesty’s words.

No matter how valuable she was… She was nothing more than his dog in the eyes of Cliff de Helios.

Even knowing that Senelia was ill, he came to her and pretended like all of this was just his attitude towards his dog.

Though knowing such, Senelia still got up at his command.

She bowed her head and answered him.

“Thank you for showing me such grace, Your Highness.”

Instead of insults, she heart was filled with misery.

Eight years. Eights years had gone by with Senelia continuously burying her shame and humiliation.

A satisfied smile bloomed across Cliff’s lips as he was watched his dog, who appeared to be silently weeping inside, as she finally came to her senses and fulfilled her duty of obedience.

“Lucalina Elihan is back.”

Cliff said.

Senelia had known the emperor for eight years now, so she also knew what she should expect since Lucalina has returned.

“Tell me what to do.”

And as she had guessed, the emperor had shown up to tighten his leash again.

Perhaps, if Benelucia had not rushed to her townhouse when news of her collapse had reached him, the emperor might have immediately forced her to wake up from her faint.

Cliff could even cause her to ‘develop’ an illness so that she could no longer stand at Benelucia’s side. To prove that Senelia did not love the duke for these past few years.

Still, at that moment, Senelia deeply missed that man.

Benelucia. The man who had become Senelia’s only savior.

“I…”

Senelia muffled for some time.

It had only been a few hours since she had passed out and awoken.

Lucalina’s return was as much of a surprise to her and it was to others. It was sudden and unexpected.

Unfortunately, I too have no solution for this.

She thought, half lost.

It would have been so much better had I not woken up after fainting.

And then, thoughts of Benelucia surfaced.

Had she not let him leave her, she could have avoided Cliff altogether. Then she would not have been as unprepared as she was now.

That would be embarrassing for anyone to hear.

“I wouldn’t say that I haven’t given much thought as to her return.”

Are you saying that you have no idea as to when Lucalina was should have returned?

But Senelia refused to make the same mistake twice. Who would dare comment about the emperor’s faults directly to his face.

“I am dull and do not know what Your Majesty wants me to do.”

Obediently, Senelia replied.

After all, the fact that Cliff came to her personally meant that he had already decided what he wanted of her.

So Senelia’s words were practically unnecessary.

“I will give you two options.”

Her guess was, again, right.

There was no way the emperor would just randomly visit Senelia.

“The first option is to get Benelucia to confirm his love for you immediately.”

Senelia struggled to swallow Cliff’s words as the emperor smirked.

Lucalina Elihan had returned, and he wanted Benelucia to confess his love for Senelia.

She believed that the emperor intentionally gave her an impossible option.

“And what is the second option?”

Senelia asked.