The Beast Bit The Throat of the Late Empress - Chapter 16

Although there were debris from buildings that had burned and collapsed scattered here and there, Hael seemed to have regained some of its vitality before the war.

Not only the people of Hael who had returned after hearing the news that the war was over, but also those specially brought in to rebuild the city and the Blue Wolf soldiers. The bustling crowd of people gave a glimpse of Hael’s former glory as the continent’s top commercial city before the war.

Most of the shops that had been tightly closed were now open, and fresh fruits, which had been hard to come by during the war, were frequently seen. And here and there, people recognized Eva.

“Is that Empress Eva?”

“Where? Oh? It really is Empress Eva.”

“Why are her eyes covered?”

As Divlik and Eva’s horse entered the central square with the fountain, people began to gather around, murmuring.

“Then who was in the carriage that escaped by taking a detour?”

“Did Emperor Fabian escape alone?”

“No way.”

“He’s capable of that and more.”

“True. But who are those people with her?”

“Huh? Gasp! It’s the Blue Wolves!”

After confirming Eva and then Divlik and the Blue Wolf insignia engraved on the saddle, people prostrated themselves on the ground without anyone taking the lead. They were so quick that Finn didn’t even need to tell them to kneel before Lord Divlik.

Sharp, shining blue eyes and rough gray hair, a charisma that overwhelmed the crowd. Everyone thought that the person sitting there could be none other than Divlik.

“Oh my. It seems Emperor Fabian has passed away.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Look, Empress Eva is wearing mourning clothes.”

“You’re right. I guess she was caught after trying to escape?”

Even with their heads bowed, the whispering didn’t stop. Exactly as Divlik had intended, people were buzzing about whether Fabian was dead.

“Then what will happen to Empress Eva?”

“I think they’re sparing her life.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. That’s probably why she’s here with them.”

This too was as intended. To make people curious about Eva’s situation. Divlik dismounted first, glanced around, and then extended his hand towards Eva.

“Stay as you are, former empress. I’ll help you down.”

Although he could have just helped her place one foot on the stirrup and held her hand since she couldn’t see, Divlik pulled Eva’s hand and caught her whole body as she was about to fall, drawing her into his arms. Until Eva’s feet touched the ground, he held her tightly without a gap, and with that unrestrained action, everyone present seemed to have the same thought.

That this was the reason he had kept Eva alive.

Satisfied with the atmosphere that had instantly become subdued, Divlik showed a pleased expression. With this, Eva had already lost about half of her honor. Divlik didn’t stop there and even went so far as to straighten out her rumpled dress.

“Oh my, has your dress not been wrinkled? It wouldn’t do to have the clothes you put on to honor Fabian in such a mess.”

Using the crooked neckline and the bunched-up back of the dress as an excuse, Divlik ostentatiously put his hands all over Eva’s body. Those who witnessed this scene all flinched in surprise.

“Lord Divlik. Shall we start by looking at the knight order’s building? I hear the building of the knight order that defends the capital is nearby.”

“Let’s do that.”

As he moved along with Finn, who held a map of the capital, Divlik made Eva follow behind him. People whispered about Eva, seeing her steps that showed no hesitation.

‘So it seems Empress Eva survived. By offering her body to that man…’

* * *

“I thought a stone might come flying from somewhere, but it’s surprisingly quiet.”

“Didn’t I tell you? I said the atmosphere would be more welcoming to Lord Divlik.”

As Finn responded proudly, Eva could feel Divlik’s gaze falling on her.

Look at this, not a single person is crying over the death of their emperor. It was as if he was asking if she still intended to maintain her chastity to the end for a person like Fabian. And even in this situation where everyone thinks you’ve given yourself to me.

Eva acted as if she hadn’t noticed the gazes. Instead, sensing that Divlik wanted her to appear as an infinitely miserable and pitiful woman who had lost both her husband and her body, she complied with his wishes. She followed quietly behind Divlik, keeping her head down and concealing even her presence, as if she were there but not there.

“Welcome, Lord Divlik, Lord Finn. It’s been a while since we’ve seen you.”

“What is this place that you’re guarding?”

“Ah! This was Count Tenesi’s mansion, Lord Divlik. We stationed a few soldiers here thinking there might be valuable items inside and worried that thieves might break in during the commotion.”

This time, Eva could tell where they were from Finn’s answer. She had visited Count Tenesi’s mansion once with Fabian. Though not large in scale, she remembered marveling at how beautifully the small, cozy garden had been decorated.

“Why have you stopped instead of following?”

Creak―.

As soon as they entered after hearing the sound of the gate opening, Eva’s feet stopped of their own accord. She wondered if pale pink roses were still blooming on the rose vines that curved around the walls, and the desire to look around made it difficult to take a step forward.

She knew well that she wasn’t in a position to ask to leisurely look around the garden. Even so, if there was just one early-blooming flower… She wanted to see it so badly. Despite her unchanged intention to die.

“No… It’s nothing, Lord Divlik.”

Eva shook her head slightly. The time she had seen roses in full bloom here was on a spring day close to summer. Even if Divlik gave her a moment to face the garden now, it was clear she wouldn’t even see a flower bud. So Eva tried to move her feet again.

“Do you like flowers?”

Although Eva hadn’t said anything particular there, just having many thoughts, Divlik asked as if he had read her mind.

“Yes, I do.”

“They’ve made a proper garden here. It must be quite a sight when spring comes.”

“The rose vines that completely enveloped the walls were the best, even more than other flowers. Are they… still there?”

“So that’s why you stopped walking. If it was possible to make such a garden, why did they leave the castle like that? Did they make the sky garden just to use it for themselves, like the hot spring?”

But judging by his subsequent talk about the castle, it seemed Divlik had asked such a question due to the atmosphere that was quite different from the castle, rather than reading Eva’s mind. Since Divlik was also from the southern region, he must have been more accustomed to an environment with flowers and trees.

So he didn’t answer whether the rose vines were still there or not, but since soldiers were guarding it, it seemed this place hadn’t been burned or damaged, so the flowers must be safe too. Eva smiled inwardly at the thought that she wouldn’t be able to see the day when flowers would bloom here again, when spring and summer would come.

An end where she couldn’t see even a single flower suited her all too well.

“Why didn’t Fabian make such a garden for you when you like flowers?”

Eva answered Divlik’s question only in her heart. Because he was a coward.

Even sitting in a castle with two sides blocked by mountains and rivers and the other two sides protected by a moat, Fabian was always anxious. Saying someone might secretly dig underground to try to kill him, so the floor had to be solidly blocked with stone to be safe. That’s why Fabian had deliberately made the garden on the castle roof.

“Shall I make one for you?”

“What… do you mean…?”

“I’m talking about a garden. It’s too desolate to have to search deliberately to see flowers in such a vast place. We can make one. I’m thinking of making one, what do you think?”

Knowing it was unlikely he would offer to make a garden without any conditions, Eva declined with a smile.

“It’s alright. Anyway…”

I won’t be able to see it. Even if I were alive, I wouldn’t be able to see a garden with my eyes covered. Eva held back the rest of her words. There was no need for Divlik to know about her sentiments as someone preparing for the end.

“This doesn’t work either? I thought I’d try using sunlight since the wind didn’t work.”

“Pardon…?”

“Don’t you know? The story of the wind and the sun betting on who could make the traveler take off his coat.”

For a moment, as the memory vividly came to mind, Eva’s lips trembled as if she was having a spasm, and she bit them hard.

I know. Of course I know. How could I not? It’s the story I told Leon the day we first met.

It was the day I found Leon on the beach and brought him home. Perhaps feeling shy, Leon insisted on not washing despite being covered in sand and soaked with the saltiness of the sea. As the maids increasingly pressured him to take off his clothes, Eva stepped in when she saw Leon’s grip on his collar tightening.

―Everyone, step aside. I’ll do it.

Leon, be a good boy, okay? That’s how you can stay and live with me in our house. After coaxing and soothing him like this, Leon finally agreed to wash.

―The sun is indeed better than the wind!

When I said this to Leon after he came out clean and fluffy, he asked what it meant, and that’s when I told him the story.

He must have liked that story because afterwards, Leon would come to Eva’s bedroom every night saying he was scared and ask if there were any other stories. Each time, as she soothed Leon by telling other stories, they would fall asleep together without knowing who dozed off first. She never expected to hear that story here…

“You don’t know it, do you?”

It took Eva a long time to open her mouth as the image of Leon from those good days came to mind. As precious and dear as that memory was, her heart ached with longing for the Leon she lost, and Eva felt guilty even for breathing, daring to miss him.

“I know it.”

“Why did you take so long for such a simple answer? Let’s move on.”

Eva, who had taken one step forward at that point, fell backward. She had stepped on something hard and round.

Before she could regain her balance, Divlik easily caught Eva’s body as it was about to fall, wrapping his arm around her waist.