Capítulo 61: Ch. 61 This Is Who I Am (1)
"Haa, haa."
Elena's ragged breaths filtered through her helmet. There were more men than she expected, and it was more difficult to capture a few rather than indiscriminately killing them all. It would have been impossible if this was her first time in combat in this life, but because of her training, she fought better than before. She was gradually getting closer to her old skills, but it was still a long way to go until she reached her full potential.
She tied up the unconscious culprits with some rope, then quickly headed over to the bridge. The captives would be interrogated, but first she had to removed the explosives from each pier before they could be tampered with.
Ttubug, ttubug.
Elena's went back on deck and her eyes swept to the festival site, where she caught eye of Carlisle coming down after exchanging some pleasantries on the podium.
Fortunately, it didn't seem too late. Carlisle's eyes where fixed on her as she hurried towards him, and when their eyes met in midair he walked even faster.
"What have you been doing…?"
Carlisle halted. His brow suddenly creased.
"Why do I smell blood?"
She couldn't help but be surprised at his acute senses. She had washed as much blood from herself as possible at the river.
"Your Highness, I–"
The moment Elena started talking.
Hwiig.
Carlisle's hand seized her wrist as he looked her up and down. His eyes were frightfully sharp, like beast watching his prey. She didn't know what he was doing at first, but then she realized that he was searching for any injuries.
"It's not my blood."
It was only after that did Carlisle's fearsome energy abated some. His tone turned dangerously low.
"Then whose blood? I lost you somewhere. Where the hell did you come back from?"
"Well–"
Elena attempted to explain, but Carlisle interrupted her again.
"Are you sure you're not hurt?"
Although she could tell he was trying to suppress the irritation in his voice, the emotion behind it seemed genuine. Maybe he really was worried about Elena. What she did or why she was bloodied did not seem to matter to him before her safety. He would've taken off Elena's helmet and check her himself if he could.
Elena was silent for a moment at his behavior, then quickly came to herself senses.
"I'm not hurt, so don't worry. I have something more important to say first."
"…What is it?"
In the face of his disapproving gaze, Elena urgently whispered to him.
"There were some strange men attempting to bring down the Flower Bridge. There are explosives under it, so we need to get rid of it right away. I also captured some of the men and tied them up, so if you could question them…"
Carlisle pulled away from Elena after listening closely to her. Then, Zenard arrived at just the right time, and Carlisle gave him some orders.
"If you go under the bridge, you will find some captives. Remove the explosives that's been placed on the bridge, and interrogate the men and find out who sent them."
"What? Yes, Your Highness!"
Zenard was caught by surprise, but like an obedient servant his eyes flashed as he quickly changed his demeanor and carried out the orders. Elena watched him exit the festival venue.
Hwiig–
Carlisle began to drag Elena by the wrist somewhere. She couldn't feel his grip for the armor, but she could his knuckles were white. A nobleman ran up to Carlisle as he was walking away.
"Your Highness! Where are you going? You should enjoy the night of the festival. There are people I'd like to introduce you to–"
"Get the hell out of my way."
"…What?"
The man's face whitened. There was a terrible aura coming from the prince.
Carlisle continued towing Elena towards a secluded area of the festival where no lights were visible, leaving the nobleman behind. The man was not the only one taken aback. Even Elena was surprised under her metal helmet.
"Your Highness, what are you doing? If you treat other nobles that way–"
"Why not?"
"They will say terrible things about you."
"Do I need to care about that?"
"But–"
Carlisle whirled back towards Elena, his blue eyes hard as ice.
"You must have forgotten who I am."
Elena tilted her head, unable to understand his meaning. He turned his face again and continued in husky voice.
"There's nothing I can't do in this empire."
It was the height of arrogance. However, Elena knew Carlisle. He was not wrong. He was next in line to become emperor, and not meeting eye-to-eye with a single noble was not important. However, she hoped that he would build outside political support. If they didn't like him…
They soon arrived outside of Flower Bridge beyond the view of everyone else. It was already a familiar area to Elena as she had investigated the area already. Carlisle stopped and slowly turned to Elena. She could see his eyes glowing in anger in the dark.
'…But why?'
Capítulo 62: Ch. 62 This Is Who I Am (2)
Elena could not understand why he was upset. Carlisle's voice rose as he spoke.
"Didn't you promise you would stay by my side as much as possible?"
"Yes. With the condition 'if possible.'"
"If you wanted to keep your promise, you should have come to me the moment you sensed danger."
"I couldn't do that. The bridge was going to collapse when all the explosives were fitted. Then the people on the bridge and Your Highness would've–!"
Carlisle cut her off.
"What if you got hurt?"
Elena stiffened. He was right that the situation was dangerous. But Elena was confident she could stop them. She had frequently risked her life in the past, and this life would be no different, from the moment she promised to protect him. But all Carlisle pointed out were the dangers.
"You're smart enough to threaten me by asking me to give up on my contract marriage."
"…?"
"If you got hurt, you don't understand how angry I would be."
Elena paused. She hadn't thought that far, but to be fair, she hadn't much time to think about it when she was busy saving Carlisle.
"…I understand what you're saying. But if I didn't stop them, your life might have been in danger. Shouldn't gratitude come first in a situation like this?"
"There's a chance I may die, but just because a bridge collapses it doesn't mean it's a guarantee."
Something bitter surged in her chest. She never imagined he would be so upset that he wouldn't even offer a simple word of gratitude. She would never make such a remark against someone who saved her life, no matter how worried she was.
"Yes, even if you survived, the countless people on the bridge–"
"You should think of me before you care about the countless people on the bridge."
"…?"
"I told you, if you get hurt, I could lose my mind…"
His gaze turned heavy and burned bright as daylight in the darkness. His intense stare was fixed exactly on Elena.
"Have you thought about what I would do with them if you were injured? I could rip off their limbs so they looked dead, but were still alive."
Elena was momentarily speechless.
He was serious. His calm voice uttered cruel words without hesitation.
"Then if you die…what do you think I'll do then?"
If injury alone could drive him to this terrible state, and she couldn't imagine what he would do beyond that. Carlisle continued in a lower voice.
"…The Ruford Empire may have to prevent me from becoming emperor."
Why? What on earth was he going to do?
Elena could not keep up with how Carlisle so easily brought up these gruesome stories. She knew he worried about her, but this was beyond rational. It may have been Elena's fault that she went away from his side without a proper explanation, but the contract had already allowed her to act as knight. Now Elena's mission was to change her terrible future. The life of the family was on her shoulders. No matter how much Carlisle hated it, she would defend him and make him emperor.
Elena replied in a calm voice.
"Caril…I want to be empress, and that is why I entered a contract marriage with you. But that doesn't mean I'm a doll waiting for you inside a glittering palace."
She called his by his pet name to soothe the atmosphere and convince him to allow her to keep her contract term as much as possible. Whether her heart was conveyed or not, Carlisle's fiery eyes seemed to softened a little.
"There are some things I understand about Caril, and some things I don't."
But the point was…
"…This is who I am."
Elena was not just a pretty noblewoman in a beautiful dress. She was also a knight clad in armor who wielded a sword.
"I will wear this armor, whether you want me to or not."
Suddenly, there was a loud popping sound coming from the direction of the festival. Perhaps the end of the festival was approaching.
A breeze stirred and scattered red petals in the air, which began to dance like snowflakes around Elena as she stood in her black armor. The petals were the same color as her vivid crimson eyes shining from beneath her helmet. The hard armor and red petals were a contradiction yet harmonious at the same time.
A beautiful lady by day, and a cold swordswoman by night.
"…Don't try to change me."
Carlisle did not respond. He only gave her a complicated stare, but there was no longer any anger in his eyes.
The two simply gazed at each other in silence. The murmur of the river flowing in the distance was strangely not uncomfortable. If the two people had kept parts of themselves hidden from each other thus far, it was at this moment their layers had exposed themselves a little.
Carlisle's hand was still holding Elena's arm, and he suddenly pulled her body to himself. She momentarily lost her balance from the force of it. Carlisle embraced Elena's head with his other hand. Her eyes opened wide underneath the helmet while he whispered thickly in her ears.
"Don't get hurt."
"…I'm not hurt. "
Carlisle seemed to have forgotten that Elena was never injured in the battle. Instead of a proper embrace, he cradled her head against his chest. She couldn't feel his touch because of her armor, but she wanted to pull out of this awkward and uncomfortable situation. When Elena tried to return to her original position, Carlisle tightened his grip.
"Caril…"
"You are a very dangerous woman. You make me selfish."
She wanted to ask what he meant. Carlisle's voice returned with more resolution.
"…You won't have to change, so please stay like this for a little longer."
*
*
*
"Eugh–why is the weather like this?"
Helen disembarked from her luxurious carriage and gathered her shawl about her shoulders. The coachman stepped from his seat and gave a steep bow that was enough to break one's back.
"My Lady, this is the weather of the capital."
"I'll get a cold before I attend the royal ball."
Sophie tailed behind the grumbling Helen. Sophie had been re-employed by the Selby family and was compensated generously. She was quick to try to impress Helen more than anyone else.
"Lady Helen, please go inside. It will be terrible if you were to catch a cold!"
"Yes. All of you, take my luggage. By God, I hope the cold won't spoil my beautiful dresses."
Another maid appeared at Helen's instructions. She was Tilda, the one who had destroyed Elena's dress and fled.
"Y-yes! Yes, My Lady."
Tilda hastened to moved the luggage with a panicked expression on her face. Helen headed for the mansion at a leisurely pace as the servants were in a commotion about her. She walked across the garden from where the carriage stood, glancing around and muttering uncomfortably.
"That old man…get me a nice mansion."
It was an imposing mansion with a large garden, unlike the simple Blaise residence. But even that could not compare to Helen's castle.
Helen saw the butler run towards her, having belatedly received the news that she arrived at the mansion. They had fallen far behind schedule because of the long journey, and the butler hadn't been given proper notice.
"Oh dear, My Lady, you have arrived?"
"Yes. Your reception is rushed."
"M-my apologies."
The butler dropped his head and Helen sneered at him.
"I've dispatched a man, but I haven't heard from him. Find out what's wrong."
"Yes, My Lady!"
"And send someone to see if the Empress can receive an audience."
"Yes, right away."
Helen glided past the butler.
"Don't just talk about it. Hurry up."
"Y-yes!"
The butler hurried away to carry out the tasks she ordered. Soon the urgent sound of footsteps faded away, and Helen serenely entered the mansion. Now that the ball was close, there was a lot of work to be done. Fortunately, Tilda tore Elena's ball gown, leaving Elena unlikely to attend. However, this alone did not quell her anger.
'Lady Blaise, some fun things are about to happen.'
Helen's smile glittered as she remembered Elena at the tea party.
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