LDAD 58

Chapter 58

“Under the guise of avenging yourself on me for my betrayal.”

Amelia was at a loss for words. But since Ivan’s accusations weren’t entirely unfounded, she couldn’t bring herself to deny it.

“…You said you’d save Ian.”

“And I did say I would.”

“Keeping him barely alive isn’t the same as saving him!”

Amelia shouted as if crying out.

“To live like that—without even knowing his real father is right next to him, serving someone else as his master. Is that living?”

She wanted to ask if that was truly the life his son deserved. As if he had read her mind, Ivan chuckled.

“Wasn’t it lucky enough that he was even left alive?”

There was a trace of amusement in his voice, but it didn’t sound pleasant at all. The tone reeked of mockery.

“I’m asking if the boy wasn’t fated to die at birth anyway.”

“……”

“Shouldn’t you have been grateful that he was able to survive, even for a few years?”

He wasn’t wrong. Back when she believed it wasn’t Ivan, but the Emperor, who had taken Ian away—she had felt some relief knowing at least he wouldn’t die at Aaron’s hands. At the time, she’d thought that just one more breath in this world would be enough for Ian.

But once she realized that it was Ivan, the one she had known, and once Ian ended up staying at the palace, she began to expect more. Even things he never promised her. That much was true.

“Thanks to your stupid judgment, Ian doesn’t even get that now.”

Ivan added coldly, lashing out with words as sharp as his intent. Amelia, who had made it impossible to reveal Ian was either her son or his, twisted her face in anguish.

If she claimed him as her son, she would be accused of impersonating a divine oracle, since she had already lost her sacred power. And if she said he was Ivan’s son, he would outright deny it. Even if, by some miracle, the Duke of Russell believed her, just as Ivan said, Ian would end up being used as a political pawn and eventually killed.

“…Yes. It’s my fault.”

“……”

“But you don’t want Ian to die either. You couldn’t bear to watch him die. That’s why you jumped into the pond to save him.”

Amelia spoke in a whisper, desperate, clinging to the belief that the man who had come back late at night to check on Ian’s well-being had meant it.

“…Yeah.”

Ivan quietly looked down at the hand resting on the armrest of his chair. The fingers Ian had clung to still seemed to retain that warm, soft touch.

“I saved him. I can’t deny that I’ve come to care, even if I didn’t mean to.”

A baby who couldn’t even say a single proper word, who did nothing but blink and coo. Yet time had passed since his birth, and he had grown adorably chubby, with soft, pudgy little hands.

He had to admit it—when that child looked up at him with a smile, gripping his finger as if recognizing him, Ivan had sincerely wished for him to live. Whether that was paternal instinct or just basic human emotion, he wasn’t sure.

“But I will always be the Emperor first.”

“……”

“No matter what I decide, he’ll never come before me.”

That didn’t mean Ivan was ruled by Ian’s mere existence. Everything beyond that was separate. He had no intention of letting his emotions get any deeper.

“And if you want something from me, then show proper respect, Amelia Escliff. Don’t force me. Ask properly—beg me to save the child.”

“……”

“Do you still think we are who we once were? I despise you for murdering innocent people with a false oracle.”

Ivan rose from his seat. Like that winter wind of a man at the welcome banquet, he grew closer and closer. It looked like he would just walk past Amelia, still kneeling, and storm out of the room.

“Please save Ian.”

“……”

“I don’t know how to stop them. I don’t know what to do.”

Every word he spoke had been sincere—and it had shattered her pride. Amelia shut her eyes tight. She couldn’t do anything but plead.

“Ian… Ian, please…”

Just looking at her now made it obvious—Amelia could do nothing on her own. She couldn’t grasp the situation; she was only making things worse. At this rate, her own child would be swept away by the coming storm.

“If I were to do what you want—what would you give me in return?”

“……”

“You turned me into a fool who obeys a fake prophecy, and now you won’t even pay the price?”

At least Ivan had the means to oppose them. And though he resented her, he was not someone who could bring himself to harm or kill Ian. Ironically, the only person she could rely on now was the cruel man standing in front of her.

“I was wrong. I’ll do it. Whatever it is, anything I can… anything…”

Amelia wept, tears dropping from her crumpled face, slipping between her fingers and staining the dark green carpet.

“It’s fine if I mean nothing to you. You can throw me away. I won’t even ask you to be a father to Ian.”

Begging, yet with a voice full of contempt, she pleaded for her child’s life.

“I’ll even testify publicly. I’ll say the divine legend was a lie—that I am a lie…”

That was all she knew of what Ivan wanted. So all she could do was offer herself up, beg to do whatever he desired.

“What if I tell you to save all the innocent victims?”

“That’s…”

“Don’t say empty words about doing anything. I don’t trust you, Amelia Escliff.”

His cold voice cut her off.

“If you run your mouth again in front of everyone—if your feelings suddenly change and you try to screw me over—I’ll just end up being the fool.”

“N-No. I won’t. I swear I won’t. I’ll even swear on Ian’s life!”

Amelia grabbed the hand that tilted her chin upward and stammered out her words. Their eyes met. Ivan gently stroked her cheek with his thumb, and his touch burned like fire.

“What do I need to do…”

Amelia asked as if in a trance. She felt as if she could do whatever he asked of her.

“This time, you’ll be my puppet.”

“……”

“If you can stand before everyone and expose that the Temple and Duke Russell’s house are conspiring to commit treason…”

Ivan’s voice was like honey, as if whispering the sweetest promise.

“If you can do that, maybe I’ll go along with that fake prophecy—for once.”

“How am I supposed to… I don’t even know who they are…”

“Then find out.”

Suddenly, her mind cleared. What he asked wasn’t just proof of treason.

“…Are you asking me to die?”

He wanted her to risk her life to save Ian. Lying about the divine prophecy made her a victim. But being tied to an actual conspiracy left no room for excuses.

Her only hope then would be Ivan’s mercy—but she could see in his eyes, he had no intention of protecting her.

That was the price of betraying him once.

“Even if you die, your child will live. Isn’t that a fair trade? You’ll even get to take revenge on the people who ruined your life.”

Ivan Wade Escliff, the Emperor of Escliff, smiled coolly. His hand brushing her cheek was gentle and warm, completely unlike the cold cruelty with which he mocked a mother begging for her child’s life.

“If you can’t do it, then don’t.”

“You devil… I hate you. I really, truly…”

“No more than the lie-filled life you’ve led.”

Ivan whispered sweetly. Tears of sorrow, hatred, disgust, and despair fell heavily to the floor.

“I wish I’d never met you…”

If she hadn’t, she wouldn’t have borne Ian. She wouldn’t have developed this desperate urge to protect someone. Maybe she would have just gone on living, resigned to her wretched fate. Then she wouldn’t have known this unbearable grief.

“If only you’d never been born.”

Ivan even scorned her very existence. Amelia let out a hollow laugh. She had no more tears left.

Long ago, the gods had sent a black-haired, black-eyed maiden named Amelia to the Empire. She never aged or died and delivered divine messages to the people. No one ever questioned her existence.

Except for one man—the one who had turned her into a woman and claimed her as his.

Once, she had been glad he saw her as just a woman. Now, she wasn’t so sure.