Chapter 6
Control. Love games.
While Ophelia didn’t know all the details about the Yerhalt imperial family, she could roughly guess what was going on. It wasn’t uncommon for a member of the imperial family to try to control a powerful subordinate.
As for the love games…
Is the princess of Yerhalt showing interest in Grand Duke Morgana?
Ophelia couldn’t help but smirk. The princess must have only ever seen Hugo’s handsome face from a safe distance. There’s no way she could love him otherwise.
The scene in the banquet hall flashed through her mind once again: Hugo casually swinging his sword with a bored expression, and people crumbling like rotting straw, their bodies spilling hot blood, painting the room red.
Ophelia instinctively stiffened, and at the same time, Hugo sharply turned to face her.
“So, I was wondering how to bring those people down, and then, just in time, the princess became a gladiator slave.”
His red eyes gleamed like rubies, full of calculated intent.
“So I waited. If you survived…”
Hugo smiled slyly, twisting the corners of his lips.
“I thought, maybe I’d make you my mistress.”
“What if I refuse?”
“Then it’s unfortunate, but we’ll have to part ways here.”
Hugo answered with an expression that showed no regret. His tone was casual, but the meaning was clear. He was saying that if she refused, he would kill her.
“But don’t worry too much.”
Hugo, observing her reaction, flashed a sly smile as his eyes narrowed into crescent shapes. He added, his voice tinged with amusement.
“I won’t let you leave alone, lonely.”
For a moment, a faint crack appeared on Ophelia’s previously calm expression.
“What do you mean by that?”
“If you refuse, I’ll make sure to send your loved ones along with you as companions. Let’s see… who could that be…”
Hugo intentionally dragged out his words before grinning and adding,
“For starters, it’d be a good idea to send the missing Christian Toledo with you, right?”
Ophelia’s eyes widened in shock.
“You…!”
“I told you earlier, right? I don’t do business that results in a loss.”
Hugo’s gaze darkened slightly.
“So, what will you do? If you choose death, I’ll find them and collect my debt.”
Hugo spoke with a light tone while casually mentioning the slaughter of her loved ones.
Unable to hold back her fury, Ophelia’s shoulders trembled with anger.
I can’t let that happen.
Ophelia bit down hard on her teeth.
Unless he’s bluffing…
For a moment, Ophelia observed Hugo’s expression and shook her head internally.
No, that can’t be it.
This man would find Christian and the others without hesitation and take their lives.
“….”
Unable to suppress her anxiety, Ophelia chewed on her lower lip. Hugo stared at her intently.
Then, he asked,
“Am I really just going to become your mistress?”
Ophelia’s voice trembled at the end.
“Where’s the guarantee that you won’t use me for political gain?”
“Use you?”
“Like revealing my identity or blackmailing me like this again. I…?”
“Aha.”
Hugo nodded as though he understood.
“Well, the princess’s identity does have some value. After all, you’re the last direct heir of Ascanior.”
“….”
“If an independence movement happens in Ascanior… you could serve as a rallying point.”
For a moment, Hugo considered Ophelia’s political usefulness before asking with a neutral expression,
“But, should I really care about such things?”
“What?”
“The imperial family ordered me to annihilate Ascanior, and I simply followed their command.”
Ophelia’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. She could see a faint flicker of emotion in his unreadable red eyes.
However,
“Whether Yerhalt and Ascanior fight and kill each other, or whether one is subjugated, or Ascanior gains independence, or even if both kingdoms are destroyed…”
Before she could figure out what the emotion was, it vanished without a trace.
“I couldn’t care less.”
Hugo finished his words coldly. Ophelia felt a chill spread through her body.
“Well, if your identity gets revealed, it’ll definitely cause some trouble for me. But I’ll try to keep it hidden.”
His indifferent demeanor had vanished, replaced with a sharp glint in his eyes as he continued,
“But if your identity is revealed, that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.”
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