episode_0144

I leisurely walked back to my lodging.

‘Will she take the bait?’

I had already noticed that Leona was secretly watching us.

The problem was how she would act afterward.

Whether she would step forward for Sara, or ignore her conscience and simply stand by, either way, I had nothing to lose.

Still, if I had to choose, the former would be a bit more enjoyable.

“Ruan!”

Just then, someone called out to me.

I looked up to see Deborah, who had been waiting in front of my lodging, approaching with quick steps.

“Deborah? What brings you here?”

“I just thought we could talk. Yesterday, the professor came in the middle, so we parted quickly.”

“Ah… is that so?”

I tried hard to suppress my embarrassment.

Of all times, Deborah had to show up now. We had just reconciled, and I couldn’t bring myself to tell her I was busy and she should leave.

I was worried Leona might just give up and leave.

“Anyway, aren’t you going anywhere? Everyone seems busy exploring the fortress since it’s the last day.”

“What about Ruan? Where have you been?”

“Me? I… just met with the professor.”

“Since morning? …Why?”

Could it be that she and Sara weren’t on good terms?

At my answer, Deborah pouted, making a sulky expression.

“Oh, it’s nothing much. She just said she needed help organizing some materials.”

“Really?”

“Of course! What would I gain from lying?”

She sent me a suspicious gaze.

Deborah, who had been scrutinizing me with narrowed eyes, soon shifted her gaze slightly away from me, to the side.

At the same time, a voice was heard.

“Ruan Friuli. I need a word with you.”

I turned my head, and sure enough, Leona stood there imposingly.

Her expression was quite serious.

“Vice Commander-nim, what can I do for you?”

“…It concerns Sara. The price. Do you understand what I mean?”

“……”

I remained silent for a moment.

I was so delighted that she had fallen for my trap that I felt I would burst out laughing if I opened my mouth right then.

Only after barely calming myself did I reply.

“Then please follow me. My room is just ahead.”

“No, let’s go to the Vice Commander’s office. This is a conversation we need to have alone.”

Leona glanced sideways at Deborah.

Feeling the unspoken pressure that Deborah was in the way, I excused myself to her.

“Deborah. I’m sorry, but let’s meet again later. I’ll come find you at your lodging once I’m done talking.”

“…You promise?”

“Of course. See you in a bit.”

I gently stroked Deborah’s cheek.

Deborah, who seemed to be enjoying the touch, closing her eyes and rubbing her face against my hand, took a step back.

“You have to come. If you don’t, I’ll be angry.”

“Alright. I understand.”

When I gave her a warm smile, Deborah cast a quick glance at Leona, then turned and disappeared.

The atmosphere grew colder.

“Shall we go then?”

“…Follow me.”

Leona and I moved silently to the Vice Commander’s office, without exchanging any notable conversation.

Then, the moment we stepped inside and the door closed.

“I’ll be direct. You must cease your relationship with Sara.” Leona cut straight to the chase.

Slightly impressed by her tremendous boldness and drive, I asked with a malicious smile.

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. I know you made a deal with Sara. I also confirmed that you two… mingled bodies just now.”

Leona hesitated briefly as she mentioned sex.

That showed she wasn’t very open about sex, even as a married woman.

Was her husband the type with low libido?

“Surely you weren’t secretly watching, were you? Since when?”

“From the beginning. I saw everything.”

“Everything? Hmm… it lasted over an hour, and you saw all of it?”

I observantly scanned Leona’s entire body.

The moment Leona flinched at my blatant gaze, I wickedly whispered.

“So, you must have been aroused?”

“Wh-what?”

“Did you get wet?”

Even if someone isn’t overtly promiscuous, unless they’re made of stone, their body will naturally heat up upon witnessing others’ sexual encounters.

Naturally, at my rude question, Leona’s face flushed crimson for a moment before she exploded in anger.

“You! Watch your mouth! Stop with these pointless remarks and answer me!”

An astonishingly intense reaction.

This itself proved that she had been aroused while watching.

That’s enough provocation for now.

“The Vice Commander’s words? Are you perhaps telling me to stop the deal with the professor?”

“…Yes. That is not right.”

A judgment criterion based solely on conscience.

It was truly a behavior characteristic of her, which made her words ridiculous.

“Puhahahat! Not right? Then why did you do that to me?”

“What? What did I do to you?”

“Ah, surely you don’t know? The truth is, a few days ago, I was attacked in the middle of the night. It happened precisely when the Vice Commander sent me back to my lodging. A very hot arrow pierced my abdomen, you see. I nearly died. I barely survived by drinking a potion.”

Night patrol. Hot arrow.

With just these two cues, Leona understood what I was talking about.

“What? Surely not… Why? Why would Regina attack you?”

“How would I know that? If you’re curious, why don’t you ask her directly? From the way she asked for your help, it seems she trusts you quite a bit.”

“Ugh…!”

Leona, caught off guard in an unexpected way, groaned and bowed her head deeply.

It was a long time before she lifted her head.

“I apologize. I will ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

“How can I trust that?”

“I will bring Regina directly before you. I will make her kneel.”

“Hmm… that sounds tempting. But can you do it? We’re returning tomorrow.”

“I must, somehow.”

Eyes filled with resolve.

However, the anxiety and turmoil hidden within them revealed her lack of confidence in persuading Regina.

I subtly suggested a different path.

“But truthfully, I don’t need an apology from Her Imperial Highness, Princess Regina.”

“What? Then…”

“There’s something else I desire.”

I stared intently at Leona.

Her face, which initially didn’t understand what I meant, soon began to twist gradually.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes. Honestly, what good is an apology? There’s no sincerity in it anyway.”

“I’m a married woman.”

“So what? Is being a married woman a flaw? On the contrary, it’s a quality assurance mark. It means this woman is so desirable that someone wanted to tie her down with marriage.”

I deliberately scanned Leona’s entire body as if licking it.

At my gaze, she trembled as if goosebumps had erupted and took a step back.

“I-Is that all? Anything else…”

“Anything else? What else is there? Didn’t you hear yesterday, what goes into the potion? Can the Vice Commander, who has distanced herself from the imperial family, afford such a price?”

Although Leona still held the title of princess, she could not enjoy any of its benefits.

It was only possible for her to marry the person she desired because she had given up everything she was originally supposed to do, such as being sent for a political marriage to form an alliance with a neighboring country.

This was the reality she had chosen.

“That…”

“There’s only one thing you can do. Either offer your body to me, or continue living as if nothing happened. If you permit your body, I will naturally forgive your assistance to Princess Regina, and I’ll reconsider the deal with the professor. How about it?”

In such a situation, most people would simply choose to remain bystanders.

Because they wouldn’t want to sacrifice for others.

However, as the first princess, Leona Solias, a rare individual with excellent character, she wouldn’t be able to turn a blind eye to reality.

Even so, it seemed difficult for her to make a decision immediately.

“…Give me time to think.”

“Hmm… you must make a choice by tonight.”

“Understood. I will decide before evening. You may leave.”

Leona couldn’t meet my gaze.

I gazed at her for a moment, then bowed my head and exited the room.

‘I wonder what will happen.’

Whatever choice Leona makes, only suffering awaits her.

That is the price for the sin of helping Regina.

*

“Stop provoking Ruan Friuli from now on.”

This was the first thing Regina heard upon arriving at the Vice Commander’s office, summoned by a soldier.

She instinctively tried to deny it but ended up clamping her mouth shut. This was because Leona’s attitude was unyieldingly stubborn, allowing no room for compromise.

Regina asked what she was curious about.

“How do you know that, Unnie? Did that bastard tell you?”

“Yes. I met him by chance this morning and we talked. What happened between you two?”

“That… I can’t say.”

What was entangled in this matter was too complex.

To explain one part, she would have to reveal everything, and that included not only her own disgraces but Isis’s as well.

As Regina remained silent, Leona asked again.

“You have to tell me. Only then can I judge. I won’t tell anyone. Alright?”

“…Sorry. But I can’t.”

At the repeated refusal, Leona sighed.

Realizing it was pointless to press further, she immediately got to the main point.

“Alright. I won’t ask any further. Instead, I don’t know what happened between you two, but promise me you won’t do something like this again from now on. Understood?”

“…No.”

“Regina!”

“Still no. I can’t stop.”

Neither this nor that was acceptable.

With only refusals coming back, even Leona couldn’t help but get angry.

When the other party had no will to converse, trying to force it would only be a futile echo. Leona decided to push her own opinion.

“I’ll say it again: stop targeting Ruan Friuli from now on. If I hear news like this again, I won’t stand idly by. …I will speak to His Imperial Majesty.”

“Ha! Is that so? Do whatever you want. I don’t care.”

Regina turned her back coldly.

Sensing that persuasion would fail if things continued this way, Leona urgently cried out.

“You will pay a great price someday!”

Regina’s footsteps faltered.

She only turned her head, glaring coldly at Leona as she retorted.

“I’ll handle that myself. You won’t have any problems because of me, so stop nagging.”

Regina was thoroughly selfish.

She didn’t think her mistakes could harm those around her.

Leona instantly became enraged.

“You! You’re the one… who knows nothing, aren’t you?”

“What?”

“The mere fact that I heard this information is a nuisance. That’s why I’m telling you to stop!”

If only she would say ‘I won’t do it again from now on,’ everyone could be happy, yet Regina wouldn’t budge from her stubbornness.

In truth, this was due to a lack of communication.

Both Regina and Leona were merely probing each other, keeping the most crucial information hidden deep within their hearts.

If their sisterly bond had been deeper, this kind of problem would have been resolved instantly.

“Well, I’m terribly sorry for that. Don’t worry. You’ll never hear news like this again from now on.”

Regina, who responded to Leona’s scolding with sarcasm, exited the room.

Leona, left alone, clenched her fists.

“Fool…”

To whom was she speaking?

Leona, who had been suppressing her emotions in that state for a moment, picked up a photo frame from her office desk.

It was a picture of her husband and herself.

“…Honey. I’m sorry.”

She hoped to be forgiven for making such a foolish decision to save her sister.

Leona hoped and hoped again.