episode_0054

In different places, Christie and Memer let out long breaths as they immersed themselves in the steaming bath water. They had no similar skin color or appearance, but as if it were an instinct shared only by seducers who captivate the opposite sex, they both closed their eyes, immersing themselves in the water until their lower lips were barely submerged.

Christie sat in the bath for a long time, until her body, tired from her long imprisonment, regained its energy and all the dirt was washed away, restoring its former neat appearance. Unlike Memer, who had poured a lot of perfume into his bath water, Christie did not want to add any scent, as was her custom. It was especially important to remove the appearance of a seducer in front of the person she was about to meet.

The Frau Palace, Uriel’s office. Christie, with her hair down, was waiting alone for Uriel, looking around the room’s interior, which had become much more splendid than the space she remembered from six months ago. Items presented from all over the vast country were packed in luxurious boxes and piled high in the corner of the office, and there was not a single piece of furniture that was not gilded, making it dazzling.

At that moment, Christie straightened her clothes at the sound of characteristic footsteps coming from outside the hallway. The strides were long and steady, as if they spoke of his personality. It was definitely Uriel Duzan.

“Oh, it’s you. How have you been?”

Uriel opened the door to the office, came in, glanced at Christie’s face, asked her how she was doing with a surprisingly calm expression, and then sat down on the spacious sofa.

“Yes. Because the commander reattached my title that should have fallen off.”

Christie answered, kneeling somewhat obediently.

“I don’t think you need to say that much. You must have had a hard time too. That’s why it’s like this… like this… … .”

Uriel stutters as she looks at Christie, who seems to have gained weight compared to six months ago, even though she was about to say that she had become emaciated. Whatever the reason, she guessed that she had suffered something.

“Anyway, quite a few things have changed while you were gone. The chaos in the capital has subsided, and the government that the traitors had messed up has started to straighten out. Isn’t that funny? Such a simple thing.”

Christie smiled faintly, her eyes fixed on the floor. It was clear that she was in need of her abilities.

“If I can be of help to the Commander once again… … .”

“I’ll be waiting. You better not disappoint me again.”

With Uriel’s words, Christie stands up and leaves the Commander’s office. As soon as she closes the door, the smile disappears from her face. Despite being saved and able to maintain her official position, she could never forget the humiliation she suffered. The worst insult a human being should ever utter, one of the most derogatory words a person can use to refer to another person.

“You’re like a traitor with a flat chest!”

Creation

How could she forget? At this point, Christie was vowing revenge, recalling Uriel’s insulting words that were even false.

“Excuse me, is the story over?”

“Hmm?”

Christie, startled, hides the hand that was rubbing her chest behind her back. Waiting for her in the hallway was the woman who confronted her on the ramparts six months ago and who came all the way to the prison to tell her the news of her pardon.

“Hmm, well… you see.”

Christie shrugs her shoulders, coughing in vain to hide her embarrassment.

“Yeah…. How does it look?”

She decided not to ask why he was stroking his chest with such a satisfied expression, and asked another question subtly.

“What is… … ?”

“Commander, I heard you have a pretty good eye for detail.”

Christie’s extraordinary head spins rapidly. What kind of answer does this woman want? Maybe she is testing herself on Uriel’s orders.

“… You are a person with outstanding abilities. I haven’t seen you in a while, but you’ve become even more stubborn.”

Christie gave an appropriate answer for now. She could easily bear the slightly awkward feeling.

“I see…. Then what do you think about having you reinstated? What do you think the Commander is thinking?”

From her words, Christie was certain that this man was watching her. He had treated her with a straight face in front of the world, but then he even ordered his subordinates to watch her. Since the guards didn’t know exactly what she had done, Christie figured that this man probably didn’t know what had happened six months ago.

“Well, it might be because of his values that value ability above all else. As for me, I’m just embarrassed, but it’s enough to make me want to devote my whole life to him.”

Christie somehow manages to finish her speech while wiggling her toes.

“… … Are you serious?”

She looks up at Christie with dubious eyes.

“Why do you think I’m lying?”

Christie shrugs her shoulders with a smug look on her face.

“Let me change the question. Do you really think that Uriel is someone who would sacrifice herself for her country, even to the point of abandoning her husband?”

Christie’s expression hardens at her words. She reflexively looks around and confirms that no one is there. Then she takes a deep breath and glares at the woman in front of her.

“… What is your identity?”

“The answer to my question comes first. How serious were you in that relationship? Did you really love Hesset?”

How did this woman know the whole story? Christie instinctively felt that if she didn’t answer more carefully than usual, something bad would happen. Biting her lower lip, she met her eyes, and the woman’s eyes shook slightly.

“Well, maybe you know more than I do. Why don’t you try to find the answer yourself?”

The woman frowned at Christie’s words. She took a big step forward and grabbed Christie by the collar.

“Answer… …! What’s happening? The prince said that you rebelled against Uriel’s way of ruling. Hesset was sick of his wife’s cruelty. Didn’t your brother think that you, as his confidant, could stop Uriel? Do you know what has become of your brother now? How did you survive?”

Even as Christie was being shaken back and forth by the woman holding her by the collar, five or six question marks were floating around in her head. It seemed like a mixture of controlled information, a little truth, and a few blatant lies, creating a misunderstanding of unknown content.

“Your brother?”

“A late introduction. Chloe Arabeana, Hesset Duzan’s younger sister.”

Chloe glared at Christie, leaning her face in close enough that their noses were touching.

“… The way you introduce yourself is so unique. What happened to your brother? No way… … .”

“I’m alive. I was beaten enough to not die, but I’ve been banished to a monastery in the northern region.”

“Ugh… . That precious face got hurt.”

Christie frowns, feeling a little disappointed.

“Speak straight! Even after leaving Fraua, my brother kept missing you. He kept begging me that you had done nothing wrong.”

“… … … .”

Why? Why did they do that? Christie tilted her head in pure curiosity. Since it was an illicit meeting, she thought it was a fairly clean time spent only for each other’s physical satisfaction.

“Do you think I abandoned Hesset and chose to live a mean life by submitting to Uriel?”

Chloe, who had exactly that suspicion, began to loosen her grip on Christie’s collar at Christie’s extremely calm attitude.

“If not that, then what?”

At Chloe’s words, Christie snorted and turned her head away. She slapped Chloe’s hand away with the back of her hand and took a step back.

“That’s a really bad mistake. I was released because the Commander needed me. I’d rather die than lie face down and die for my damn life.”

Christie smoothed out her wrinkled shirt again, then shook her hands and said.

“Ha, but I’m sure there were hundreds of letters from Uriel asking for your pardon in the future… .”

Chloe said, scratching her head.

“… … This has nothing to do with me. So what do you want? Revenge for your abandoned brother?”

Christie interrupts him mid-sentence and asks:

“Yeah. If you played with my brother’s heart for one night, I won’t forgive you.”

Christie felt a chill down her spine as she looked into Chloe’s determined eyes.

“… No way. You have come to the wrong target for revenge. I loved everything about Hesset, from her beauty, to her body, to her character and values. Anyone who is close enough to see and hear can tell that Uriel is continuing her tyrannical rule. ”

Christie took a step toward Chloe, continuing her speech at a rapid pace.

“It’s a shame that your brother was forced to leave the palace and go to a monastery. It breaks my heart. But what do you think I could do for him while I was imprisoned for treason? You try to turn your head away from your cruel oppressor and push me away when I’m heartbroken!”

Chloe flinches in surprise and takes a step back.

“Are you sad that your family is like that? Are you resentful? Hesset was to me… to me… … love. You called me a coward when I was sad. Hesset, your brother and my one and only flower, trusted me so much.”

Step by step, Chloe was pushed back by Christie who was approaching her, and her heels hit the wall.

“I, I was short-sighted… … . I’m sorry.”

When Chloe lowered her head and apologized, Christie finally let out a sigh of relief.