Chapter 15 | Conflicting Appearance
* * *
[Knight] “Trash—!?”
As though he’d just been called the most heinous insult there ever was, the knight’s face turned red, but Cryer’s expression was completely straight.
[Cryer] “If I can’t call trash what it is, then what exactly can I call trash?”
[Knight] “Bastard!”
The knight seemed to have forgotten that he was the intruder in this scenario. Or was he just so angered at Cryer’s whole existence that such a fact no longer mattered?
Either way, the knight shouted at the top of his lungs, charging towards Cryer.
However, the moment he went to draw the blade at his side, he couldn’t. Facing towards the darkness, he was met with crimson eyes that painted a line towards him, and he completely froze in place. As he gripped the hilt of his blade, the veins on the back of his hand bulged, but he couldn’t even blink.
And as soon as he let out a breath, what he was struck with was the sensation of his entire body being torn asunder.
Yes. The being directly in front of this knight was Cryer—a man whose mere existence was enough to make the air feel like it was crushing you. Just by making eye contact with him, his knees began to buckle as he fell from the pressure on his shoulders as he fell.
Men like that held power strong enough to rule the world.
The knight swallowed harshly, realizing what exactly it was that he had caused, the contempt growing inside of him as he tried to speak.
However, even as he opened his mouth, all that left him was his own ragged breathing.
[Knight] “Hah, ha, hah..hah!”
He didn’t even realize he was holding his breath. The knight gasped for ages, letting out heavy breaths in and out.
Cryer looked down at him in silence, not even moving. He only stared down at the knight without saying a word like a predator, stalking its prey from the shadows.
Desperate to shake off that feeling like he was choking on something, the knight shouted with every ounce of strength he had.
[Knight] “There’s no difference between you and me! You’re just some guy who happens to be sleeping with the Princess—!”
But before he could even finish, the knight’s eyes widened.
For just a brief second, he thought he saw a glint of light flashing in front of him, but his voice wouldn’t come out any more.
Thump—
And that was when the life in the knight’s eyes faded as his body slumped down on the ground.
Cryer had drawn his blade so quickly that it couldn’t even be seen. Then, with a languid and indifferent movement, he shook out his sword at his side.
Drip—
Droplets of blood slide down the elongated steel of the blade, dripping one by one to the floor of the halls, leaving a trail of red behind Cryer as he walked away. Still holding onto it, Cryer bared his teeth as he let out a low but wild laugh.
[Cryer] “There’s more and more every day.”
As the night deepened, Cryer left that hallway with a leisurely gait, having disposed of yet another piece of trash that was attempting to hide within the Imperial Princess’ palace.
Not long after he left, a servant was making his usual rounds when he came across the remains.
And all he could do was let out a short sigh and shake his head.
[Servant] “I thought things were too quiet tonight.”
That day, another foreign knight was found, having suffered another very unfortunate ‘accident’, and was subsequently taken from the Imperial Princess’ palace.
* * *
Just after the time when Cryer dealt with the garbage inside the palace with the utmost professionalism, the office of the Imperial Princess was blindingly bright as though the darkness of night had entirely passed.
And obviously, there were two people inside.
Olivia and Cryer.
A man and a woman, spending their nights together not in the bedroom but rather in an office. They were stuck there, dealing with the task that was given to the Princess under the guise of it being a punishment.
However, anyone who did not understand the circumstances would think something else.
Even the Emperor, who staunchly believed in the Imperial Princess, could not avoid the scurrying of the people around him, and sent one of his closest aides to check on her.
[Sebastian] “Your Highness.”
Sebastian was close with the Emperor, and had been around Olivia ever since the day she was born. He entered the room, bowing his head with a straight face.
[Olivia] “Oh, Sebastian.”
Olivia sighed, stretching out her arms, all while completely unable to hide just how unfair she thought this all was.
[Olivia] “Do you see all these documents? Do I look like I have the time for anything else right now?”
Looking at the pile of documents even taller than Olivia’s small frame, one could hardly describe it as a mere pile now. It was more akin to a mountain at this point. Sebastian bowed his head again.
[Sebastian] “My apologies.”
[Olivia] “No, I know what people have been saying these days. I’m sure His Majesty sent you to check.”
Behind the mass of documents, Cryer’s figure was being completely blocked from sight. Besides, Sebastian was an older gentleman, and because of his trust in Olivia, he did not even bother seeking him out.
Even if heaven and earth were to swap places, just as the Emperor believed in Olivia, so too did Sebastian.
But then, from behind the mountain of documents, Olivia shouted out.
[Olivia] “Cryer! Wait a second, hold on……!”
Though Olivia tried to stop him, before she could even get a word out edgewise, Cryer stepped out from behind those very same papers.
Sebastian’s eyes met his for only a moment. Almost instinctively, he lowered his head but his fingertips were trembling so faintly, it was nigh unnoticeable. Such a menacing form that it’s a miracle a stack of documents were able to hide him so cleanly.
And touching his nose was the dim smell of blood, and somehow he knew it wasn’t his imagination. After all, not long ago, he’d gone to inspect the bodies that had been dragged out of the Imperial Princess’ palace mere hours before.
As if she could read Sebastian’s thoughts, Olivia turned to him.
[Olivia] “Do you understand? Today, there was some refuse that needed disposing of.”
[Sebastian] “Yes.”
[Olivia] “Cryer has been taking care of everything up until now.”
[Sebastian] “My apologies. I will make sure the palace’s security is strengthened.”
Sebastian bowed deeply once more, but Olivia just waved him off.
[Olivia] “No, it’s fine.”
The guards of the Imperial Princess’ Palace already knew that the walls had been breached every now and again, but they were already following Olivia’s orders.
[Olivia] ‘Leave it alone.’
If they were to strengthen the defenses of the palace in order to prevent any insects from crawling through, then getting rid of those insects would become a more troublesome task. It made things just a little bit easier by dealing with them as they wriggled through the palace.
It would be a waste to take that opportunity away from themselves.
[Olivia] “It’s alright because Cryer will take care of it all. That’s your job, isn’t it?”
She suddenly called out to him, but Cryer nodded his head simply.
[Cryer] “Yeah, sure.”
When Sebestian made a strange face in response to Cryer’s casual answer, Olivia felt goosebumps forming on her neck and cheeks.
She quickly went to say something, but she bit down on her lip just as quickly.
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Things like the manner of his speech didn’t matter when it was just the two of them, but like it or not, a wall of status existed between Olivia and Cryer.
On the outside, Olivia was the only Princess and the next Empress of the Bolshek Empire, while Cryer was an unknown knight from the Kingdom of Nordian. If one were to look on the inside, then they’d clearly find that status carried little weight in their relationship, but that was a secret shared only with the two of them.
Though Cryer had hidden his sharpest teeth, Sebastian’s once intense glare faded as he lowered his head.
He knew the gossip was something he didn’t need to worry about, but it still unnerved him to know she had such a beast by her side. So, in other words, he was a little worried.
But even so, he bowed his head before His Highness.
[Sebastian] “I will keep that in mind.”
[Olivia] “Yes. Things are going to be a little noisy here for the time being, but please tell His Majesty once again that we’re not in the kind of relationship that everyone imagines.”
[Sebastian] “Yes. And Your Highness…”
[Olivia] “Yes?”
[Sebastian] “Are you having any trouble sleeping?”
Again, Olivia waved off Sebastian’s nervous question.
[Olivia] “No. Everyone takes care to make sure my bed is comfortable. I just haven’t been sleeping well these days.”
[Sebastian] “I will provide tea that can help aid in better sleep.”
His stern voice was filled with worry, and so Olivia couldn’t tell him not to bother. Just as Sebastian turned to leave, grabbing the doorknob—
[Olivia] “Sebastian.”
Olivia called him back.
[Sebastian] “Yes, Your Highness?”
When he turned around, his head was still slightly lowered, and Olivia could only smile at him softly.
Sebastian was the embodiment of what it meant to be calm and composed, no matter the situation. There were even rumors circulating about that even if lightning were to strike right next to him, he would not bat an eye at it.
In her first life, she never once imagined that composure of his breaking down, but even Sebastian fell in the end.
Not only did his death come to pass, but so did Olivia’s……
When the Imperial Palace fell during her first life and death was stalking Olivia, one step at a time—
[Sebastian] –’Your Highness. I will block the way, Go on ahead.’
Calm and undisturbed, Sebastian pushed Olivia’s back forward, his own face covered in sweat and dirt. His hands were completely covered in blood, perhaps belonging to His Majesty.
But though he had so readily sacrificed his life for her, it was all in vain, for Olivia still fell to the might of Cryer’s blade.
And so she did in her second life, and third…….
And in her fourth, just before Sebastian took his final breath, he smiled faintly just for her.
[Sebastian] –’Your Highness. It was an honor to be able to serve you.’
She heard those words in all four lifetimes, and no matter how many times she thought she was ready for them, her heart broke every single time.
Olivia stepped forward, approaching Sebastian.
[Olivia] “Sebastian.”
[Sebastian] “Yes.”
[Olivia] “Sebastian.”
[Sebastian] “Yes.”
She called him many times, but without fail, he always responded calmly. Olivia looked up at Sebastian, and soon enough, she reached out her hand.
[Olivia] “You’ve always got something here.”
She held out her hand, patting her fingers against the wrinkles next to his eye with a soft smile on her face. Sebastian didn’t quite understand what she was saying, so from his perspective, she must’ve sounded a little nonsensical.
But he didn’t ask any questions, nor did he seem even a little surprised or attempt to touch where she had pointed out.
He just kept bowing politely.
[Sebastian] “My mistake.”
Olivia nodded her head.
[Olivia] “It’s alright. You may go now.”
As soon as Sebastian stood up from his deep bow and left, Olivia narrowed her eyes. She turned on her heel, peering around the stack of documents in search of the nigh invisible Cryer, checking to see if he’d returned to his place or not.
[Olivia] “Cryer.”
But she gave up.
Olivia put her hands on her waist, calling out to him as she shook her head.
[Olivia] “There’s a limit to how many times we can pass off the deaths of those foreign knights as mere accidents.”
Now Cryer was now leaning against the sofa’s armrest, holding a history book about the Bolsheks as he skimmed through the pages, answering in a casual voice.
[Cryer] “Then why not string a couple of the bodies up and leave them as an example?”
[Olivia] “I’d rather not have such awful looking decorations.”
As Olivia let out an exasperated sigh like she was getting tired of his antics, Cryer lowered the book in his hands and tilted his head.
[Cryer] “I wasn’t the one calling them ‘decorations’. You know, I said this before, but for someone with that kind of face, you have a pretty ruthless way of speaking.”
[Olivia] “My appearance is conflicting, you mean. My insides don’t match my outside.”
Much like the kind looking young man who was truly a serial murderer who abducted people in order to kill them as sacrifices.
[Olivia] “They say one can travel ten different roads to discover what lies at the end, but that one can never travel to the end of a person’s heart.”
[Cryer] “Oh, another one of the Bolshek’s teachings, I gather.”
Cryer held up the book in his hand, a Bolshek history book, tapping the cover with his fingers.
[Cryer] “But I don’t think it works in this kind of situation.”
[Olivia] “Well, it makes sense.”
Haughtily raising her chin, Olivia turned her gaze back down to the documents. She asked her question without any expectation, as though she were just giving a casual greeting.
[Olivia] “How is the investigation going? Did you find anything?”
[Cryer] “Nothing. There’s plenty of writings about God, but the main point I’m finding is that they all fought against one another.”
[Olivia] “Well, there’s still a lot of pages to get through……”
She thought that might be his answer, but she figured she might as well ask anyway.
Cryer picked up the book again, his words coming out like an everyday comment.
[Cryer] “Decapitation and display the heads.”
[Olivia] “I told you, I don’t want any decorations like that.”
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[Cryer] “I’m not just saying things. We really should be warning people by example. If not like that, then another way works, too.”
[Olivia] “Oh. You must be dealing with so much trash.”
[Cryer] “It’s getting worse.”
She could recall telling him to avoid killing as many pieces of trash as he could since there were so many of them, but before she could remind him of that again, his low voice flowed into Olivia’s ear.
[Cryer] “Wouldn’t you rather I handle them all at once?”