CH 144

Deborah was still a ‘noble’ even though she had the last name of a baron.

So, of course, I didn’t mean to demote her to a real slave.

It meant, however, that she would do all sorts of nasty things with a low posture. Almost like a ‘slave’.

It was clear that that alone would be enough of an insult.

Because the opponent was that ‘Deborah’.

Unsurprisingly, Deborah’s face went pale, as if in a strong shock, just like a person pierced by a spear.

The expression ‘Am I a slave?’ was vividly revealed.

‘She’s the kind of person who will try to somehow get power and rise up.’

As I read the change in Deborah’s expression, I guessed her insides.

To a person who was born as a baron and tried to become noble, to live as a ‘slave’ must have sounded like a death sentence.

Tak… 

Deborah’s fingertips pressed against the floor.

‘You can leave this place now and run away.’

Coming to be my maid, yet she was not accepted as a ‘maid’ and had become a ‘slave’.

The disgrace Deborah could bear would have been just as a maid.

However…

“…Yes, Your Majesty the Queen. I will do as you have ordered!”

Wasn’t Deborah closing her eyes tightly and lowering her head?

“I will become a slave to Her Majesty the Queen, and I will pay for my sins by doing low and dirty works!”

“…….”

…What, this was not like Deborah?!

Without realizing it, my lips parted slightly.

It was such a docile reaction that it made me wonder if it was a monster wearing Deborah’s shell.

Obviously, it seemed like repentance rather than sincerity, but I doubted her intentions to become a slave.

‘Isn’t she trembling strangely?’

I realized that she wasn’t doing this because she was willing, but…

‘Why does she seem afraid?’

No, it wasn’t ‘the same’, but it seemed ‘clear’ that she was afraid of rejection.

There was no sincerity.

Instead, lowering her head out of fear… 

Not only did it not match the information I knew, I was very curious as to what the source of that fear was.

‘Why… What are you afraid of? Deborah.’

A strong question arose. But right now, I didn’t know.

‘If I want to fully understand what’s going on, I have no choice but to keep her by my side.’

I stood tall and looked down at her. And I made her work.

“First, kneel down and mop the entire hallway.”

“!”

The most difficult and lowly job.

“Then, go down to the kitchen, empty the dozens of food waste bins, and wipe them clean like new.”

Smelly and dirty work.

“!”

“After that, clean up the abandoned eastern warehouse of the Imperial Palace. It’s infested with mice and cockroaches, so it’s troublesome.”

Finally, a terrible, dirty job that no one else did.

The abandoned eastern warehouse was built on top of a sewage treatment facility, so it had a bad stench and was unusable.

Even if it was cleaned in the first place, it was impossible to use the space.

Nevertheless, I instructed.

Trying to test how far she could go, driven by her fears.

“…Yes, Your Majesty the Queen…”

Deborah closed her eyes tightly and clenched her fists.

I looked down at those chubby fists and wedged it in.

“If there is dust when I check, I will beat you with a whip.”

“….…”

To a slave, it was a very derserving treatment.

Deborah groaned lowly.

* * *

Before dinner that day, another person came to me.

It was Johann’s butler and aide named ‘Melfis’.

“Your Majesty, Archduke Marquis has invited you to dinner.”

“No. I’m busy.”

Without listening further, I immediately and firmly refused, and then added.

“I can’t see him for a while.”

It was true that I didn’t want to see him, but there was no need to be openly hostile.

It was because I did not know exactly how Johann was inside.

I decided to only see him after watching Deborah more, after the situation cleared up.

Right now, I only had a suspicious mind, and I thought it would only be confusing if I met him.

But, maybe an hour or so after I sent Melfis back?

At the doorkeeper’s voice coming from outside, I almost spit out the tea I was drinking.

“Your Majesty, Archduke Marquis has come to visit.”

“!”

‘…It’s not the usual obsession. You came to me like the moon.’

If it was true that I was entangled with him, I thought that I would have been unable to help this aspect of Johann’s tenacity.

‘What?’

In the end, he chased all the way here, but I decided to cool off a bit.

“Like I said, tell him I’m busy with a lot of work to do.”

But Johann answered directly outside the door.

“I’ll be happy to wait, so please take it slow and come out.”

I couldn’t believe I was talking to him in person. I reluctantly answered.

“…I have a lot of work to do, Archduke.”

“It’s fine. I have a lot of free time.”

“……”

“Even waiting for Your Majesty is my little joy.”

“I feel very sorry, Archduke.”

“It would be nice to have something light for dinner.”

For a moment, a bright, playful smile came to mind, with black eyes.

‘How long will he wait?’

He would probably wait moderately and go back if his legs hurt. He was a well-bred nobleman, and he was not used to waiting.

Johann was in my mind for a moment, but I soon erased it from my thoughts and continued working.

Meanwhile, grasping the contents of the newly raised ‘Illuminati Mountains’ and setting specific issues for the defense of Spinel… The work that started in the afternoon quickly ate up time like an anglerfish.

By the time I came back to my senses, it was dark outside the window.

‘It’s already time…’

By this point, Deborah must have just finished her work in the warehouse.

Tak—

I put down my quill, got up from my seat, and walked to the door.

I grabbed the doorknob and thought.

‘Is Johann gone?’

I didn’t think he would be a madman who would stand outside the door for hours.

Still, I didn’t know for sure.

Tachak—

I slowly opened the door and looked out through the crack.

And I was relieved right away.

“Huh…”

Fortunately there was no one there.

But that was then.

“Your Majesty the Queen.”

“!”

With a low-pitched voice, a handsome face appeared through the crack in the door.

Johann grabbed the door and grinned outside.

“…Archduke.”

‘I guess I underestimated the madness of this man?’

I felt a little sick. I asked because I was genuinely curious.

“…Why the hell did you wait so long to see me?”

Then his black eyes lit up and he whispered like a lover.

“If I don’t see you for even a day, my eyes will burn and my heart will melt. What should I do?”

“!”

The doorkeeper must be listening outside!

Surprised, I opened the door and there was no one outside.

There was only Johann.

It seemed he forced him to back off. How dare he.

I rebuked Johann, with a half-upset and half-confused mind.

“…But how many hours did you wait outside?”

“Anyway, every time I don’t see you is a long wait for me.”

For a moment, he gently tilted his chin and looked down at me. His eyes were eerie and deep, and his smile was strangely dangerous.

“I was waiting when you and Rixus spent the night in one bed…”

His low voice shuddered through my heart.

“I’ve endured that long and dreadful night, but now waiting outside the door is the only thing I can do.”

“Archduke Marquis!”

I called his name as a warning.

But Johann just looked at me like that. Suddenly, a smile appeared on his lips.

“…….”

Just as I read the sincere love in Rixus’ eyes, Johann’s eyes when he said those kinds of things seemed sincere.

Those eyes were full of black yearning and stinky desire.

‘How dare you talk nonsense like that?’

I turned around coldly after I stared at him, and said,

“Unfortunately, being clingy and jealous is not my taste. A heart that is easily obtained is as unattractive and as worthless as garbage.”

If he really liked me, those words would pierce his heart.

“It’s even worse for a nobleman who doesn’t know his place and insults a monarch.”

As I went back in, Johann grabbed the door that was about to close and immediately followed.

“Our relationship has never been between a monarch and a nobleman.”

“It could be your mistake, right?”

I asked, trampling on his mournful voice. However, Johann’s emotions spoken in the low tone only deepened.

“…The more you’re like this, the more I crave you.”

That low whisper seemed to grab my ankle. No…

It was like it was being cut off. I felt out of breath.

He stopped me by grabbing my arm from behind.

“!”

Then he begged.

“Look at me, please.”

Today, his courtship was strong.

‘Strange. You’re dangerously tenacious.’

I usually felt that way, but not to this extent.

I could feel his characteristic scalding heat on my arm.

It was a strangely exciting temperature.

I could feel my pulse beating in my ear.

…A peculiar feeling came over me. I felt a desire to turn back to Johann.

I bit my lips and closed my eyes.

Even if I didn’t look at him, I could feel it behind my back.

The dark eyes and the warm breath that set his eyes on me.

Barely holding on to reason, I said,

“Leave now. It’s an order.”

“If you don’t like it.”

My patience was up to this point.

At the same time as I summoned a dagger, I turned around and swung it fiercely at him. However, I had no intention of hurting him. All I wanted was a firm warning and a threat.

But it was then.

Johann grabbed the blade with his bare hands.

“!”

Drip—

Red blood ran down the back of his hand and delicate tendons.

My eyes looking at Johann widened.

He looked at me with still eyes and said,

“At first I thought you’re a funny woman, Your Majesty.”

“…….”

“But that little curiosity gradually changed… Now, even alone, this heart grows like a monster.”

“It drove me crazy.”

At his further whispers, I hardened my cold expression.

“That dangerous feeling is not love, it’s obsession.”

A dangerous desire flashed in Johann’s eyes.

“This is my love, Berylia.”

Tang—

Finally, the dagger fell to the floor.

The blood flowing from him engraved a crimson pattern on the floor.

“Come to me.”

His hand reached my cheek, and I held my breath. I shifted my eyes and whispered.

“No.”

At the resolute refusal, the deep eyes of Johann shook for the first time.

Everything was in those deep eyes. Longing and wanting to indulge in its prey in a spider’s web.

But I had no intention of accepting his heart.

“You had better go home now, Archduke Marquis.”

I gave him a hard blow, slapping him coldly.

It must have been cruel to a man who had been waiting for hours the whole time, barely meeting me and begging for affection.

Leaving Johann standing far away, I left the office.

…My heart was beating madly in confusion.