Chapter 170
It was an undeniable truth.
At Arzeletta’s immediate affirmation, the edges of Theogrim’s eyes softened slightly. Yet the strength holding down her wrists remained the same. He lifted his right hand and seized Arzeletta’s chin. The motion was something between a hasty caress and a rough grasp.
“What on earth were those words just now, Rzel?”
“Ah….”
“Did Ragnar propose to you?”
Theogrim hunched closer. In that moment, he was sharp, like a starving beast driven to a state of extreme sensitivity.
He drew so close his nose brushed the nape of Arzeletta’s neck. With his eyes, with his nose, with all his sharpened senses, he examined her. It was the gaze of an appraiser checking for flaws in his own possession.
“What exactly happened, Rzel?”
“Huht….”
“Did you sleep with him?”
His tone almost sounded tender, but the temperature of it was impossibly cold. Arzeletta shook her head.
“Hm? On this bed, beneath Ragnar, did you call his name in that voice?”
“Please, Theo.”
“Did Ragnar go inside you?”
With her eyes tightly shut, Arzeletta shook her head again. Her long black hair rippled with the motion.
“Look at me, Rzel. Did that bastard put his c**k inside you? Hm? Did he spill his filthy seed into your pure belly?”
“No, no, calm down, please.”
Arzeletta lifted her tear-soaked eyes. Pulling down the corners of her eyes, she spoke desperately.
“The lord did not do such a thing. He protected me.”
“Rzel.”
“So… please, don’t speak like that… I beg you.”
Theogrim raised his hand and brushed away the tears at the corner of her eyes. He licked the warmth of her tears from his finger.
“My cute Rzel.”
“Ah, huht.”
“You act so sweetly that Ragnar misunderstands.”
Arzeletta squeezed her eyes shut once more.
It hurt that Ragnar’s feelings were being made into a mockery. Yet she also knew that Theogrim was not truly mocking him from the heart.
But, but why…?
Even as she was swept helplessly in this sudden torrent, Arzeletta could not let go of that question. Why was Theogrim this angry?
“You felt sorry toward Ragnar, didn’t you, Rzel? That’s why you spoke to him so lovingly, isn’t it? Hm? You made that upright man misunderstand. You lied, saying you were happy to be proposed to.”
“……”
“Your heart is too soft, Rzel. Yes. If it’s you, I can believe that. But… but.”
As though persuading himself, Theogrim muttered, then clenched his fist again.
“No matter how sorry you felt, Rzel. You must never tell anyone that you are a fae…!”
At the sound of Theogrim’s voice, growing fierce as though patience had snapped, Arzeletta suddenly realized.
Ah. So that’s it.
If her true identity were revealed, Theogrim too would not be able to completely escape suspicion. Of course, from his perspective, it was enough reason to be furious.
But Arzeletta believed in Ragnar. If she confessed honestly and begged forgiveness, she felt Ragnar would protect Theogrim. No matter what anyone said, Theogrim was a precious talent nurtured with care by Impellias.
…Was it something she should have discussed with Theogrim beforehand?
Arzeletta admitted to herself that her judgment had been shortsighted. She must have thought it best not to inform Theogrim, since she expected he would stop her from standing trial.
She wanted to protect him. Whatever anyone might say, Theogrim was the one who, knowing she was a heretic, had risked danger to save her.
Arzeletta twisted her wrist lightly to slip free from his grasp. Soon, her hand touched Theogrim’s cheek.
“……”
At her touch, Theogrim’s body stiffened. As though she could not sense it, Arzeletta spoke.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you in advance, Theogrim-nim.”
“……”
“It was something that could not be helped, even if it pained you. I… must tell the lord the truth.”
Her gaze lingered on the trembling swell of his throat, and Arzeletta continued calmly.
“…I promise you, no harm will ever reach you. I swear it.”
“……”
“I… I have sinned, and I’ve enjoyed the life Theogrim-nim has given me to the fullest. So I hold no resentment—”
“Rzel, Rzel, Rzel.”
Arzeletta’s eyes widened. Theogrim was smiling. His eyebrows furrowed deeply, as though it was too absurd for words.
“What in the world are you saying, Rzel?”
“Theogrim-nim.”
“Stop calling me ‘Theogrim-nim.’ It’s only the two of us here. I can’t understand a single word of what you’ve been saying, Rzel.”
Arzeletta blinked in bewilderment. Had she done something wrong again?
“Then you mean, as long as I escape, it doesn’t matter if you die?”
“Theo…”
“How on earth am I supposed to live alone? In this cursed land, in this place crawling with madmen?”
“But I—”
“Why should I live when you’re gone!”
Arzeletta swallowed a breath.
Truly, this was a side of Theogrim she had never once seen in the past ten years.
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