WLYV 18

Chapter 18

Lorencia looked at Luans painfully. Did Luans even realize? That he was cutting through her whole body with a knife, inflicting pain as if carving her away. A sharp pain welled up in her chest.

“Lorencia. I love you. So… trust me and follow me.”
<Don’t be mistaken by the words “I love you.”>

What was more agonizing than Luans’ words were the memories of having loved him in the past. Tears flowed, and the pain was unbearable. Every time she saw him wielding her with the pretense of love, the tears she had shed seemed wasted, and it nearly drove her mad.

The current Luans probably didn’t know. He didn’t know that seeing him turn away while she was tortured by the priests of the Ely Goddess Temple—accused of being a witch—hurt more than the physical pain that ripped her body apart. What stung most was that he watched and took pleasure in her suffering.

“How should we make movement difficult? Lorencia. Should I break your legs or arms? If I break them quickly, it won’t hurt.”

Luans smiled brightly while thinking of how to hurt her while claiming he loved her. There was no devil more cruel.

“I don’t want it to hurt.”

“Again with that. You said you’d help me, didn’t you, Lorencia? I told you it’s not good to waver like this. Why do you keep confusing me?”

Because he loved her, Luans said he would fulfill any request. To him, “Lorencia” became a sort of absolution for all things. If he refused a request, it was Lorencia’s fault. Even if he complied but things didn’t go well, that too was Lorencia’s fault. Why hadn’t she realized what kind of person he was?

“Since Lorencia doesn’t think, I’ll think for you and explain so you understand. Got it?”

“Yes.”

“If we go to the tea party like this, you could be embarrassed in front of everyone. Then, what would happen to me, who threw the white gloves for you? I really hope you think about it, Lorencia.”

Lorencia quietly nodded. She couldn’t understand Luans’ twisting arguments, but she knew responding was pointless.

“I’m sorry.”

“Even if it hurts, bear it a little for me. Got it?”

Luans, who constantly tore at her heart with words, began to smile brightly, as if nothing had happened.

“You know I love you, right? I’m doing this because I love you, Lorencia.”

Lorencia finally closed her eyes to the hands of Luans pressing down on her. Her body tensed instinctively in anticipation of the incoming pain. She had to endure it, if only for the already known future.

Anne smiled with satisfaction at the screams coming from Lorencia’s room. After some time, the door opened. Luans ordered a doctor. Ilina, looking through the open door, saw Lorencia collapsed like a corpse and shivered.

“If the doctor asks, you can tell them that it was your mother who did this, Miss Ilina. Say the same at the tea party.”

Luans smiled, but Ilina couldn’t bring herself to smile at all.

“Are you telling me to say that the person who did this to Lorencia is my mother?”

“Miss Ilina, are you thinking of saying I did this? Use your head before you speak.”

“But…”

Ilina couldn’t easily answer, thinking of Anne being blamed for something she didn’t do.

“Even if one more bad reputation is added to Lady Anne, would it damage her standing?”

“But mother…”

“Quiet, Ilina.”

“Mother!”

“Prince Luans is right. When the doctor comes, cry and say that it was me who made Lorencia like this.”

Anne bit the inside of her cheek. Ilina, resigned, bowed her head and waist to Luans.

“I’ll say as you say when the doctor comes, Prince Luans.”

When the doctor entered Lorencia’s room, he was speechless at the sight. He had heard rumors of Lady Anne abusing her illegitimate child, but this was excessive. She wasn’t killed, but she looked like a living corpse.

Seeing the doctor’s serious expression, Ilina began acting, crying with a voice choked with emotion.

“I couldn’t protect Lorencia.”

Tears streamed down Ilina’s face.

“Don’t cry, Miss Ilina.”

“She shouldn’t have been left alone.”

The doctor asked Ilina to leave so he could treat her. He first gave Lorencia painkillers. Her blood and hair were matted together from a head injury. Her reddened cheeks and eyes were so swollen they looked like they would burst at any touch. Her mouth was torn, but fortunately, her teeth were unharmed.

The doctor shook his head at her frail body.

“Her legs are broken… but with what did she get them broken?”

He couldn’t imagine how Anne could have broken them. But he quickly dismissed the thought. Anne’s anger at Lorencia’s stunted growth due to malnourishment caused her to shake violently. The doctor treated Lorencia with care.

“If only a healing scroll were available, the bruises would be treated immediately, but in the House of Count Paul Heredian, such a thing would never be given to an illegitimate child,” he thought. Lorencia was pitiful.

“You’ll be in great pain once you wake…”

When the doctor finished treating her, a knocking sound came from the terrace along with a cat’s meow. A kitten, Leo, was pawing at the door. Seeing the doctor, Leo knocked even harder and meowed louder.

“Does he want the door opened?”

The doctor opened the terrace door, and Leo rushed in, leaping onto the bed to check on Lorencia.

-Meow! Meow!

Leo spun in circles.

“She’s your mistress. I won’t harm her. I actually helped her,” the doctor said, raising his hands as Leo glared fiercely. Once the doctor stepped out, Leo stayed close to Lorencia, licking her cheek until the sun set and the moon rose.

For Lorencia’s sake, Luans ordered Ilina to prepare a sleeping potion. After confirming that Lorencia had fallen asleep from the potion, Luans drew a sword from his waist the moment he entered her room. The blade glinted sharply.

Luans leaned over Lorencia on the bed, casting a shadow over her face.

“If you dream, Lorencia, I hope you only dream of a future for me.”

His hand gently stroked her cheek.

“Even the emperor and empress die in this prophetic dream. Are you listening? Lorencia? No answer.”

-Kyaaak!

Leo extended his claws, but Luans gripped the sword firmly and plunged it sharply into Lorencia’s pillow. Leo, hissing and clawed, soon lay down submissively in front of him.

“You’re not the only helpless one in the face of violence. Lorencia is the same. But I don’t care about you; I will love Lorencia, though she’ll be deceived into thinking it’s love…”

Luans looked away from Leo and coldly gazed at Lorencia asleep. A slight turn of her head could have brushed her cheek against the sword. Her and his reflection shimmered faintly on the blade.

“Lorencia. Do you know what love is? I don’t, but I’ll tell you I love you as much as I want. It’s the food of monsters, after all.”

He caressed her emaciated cheek.

“You are a monster born for me.”

Luans withdrew the sword and sheathed it again.

“Don’t even dream of betraying or escaping. You’re mine, Lorencia. Got it?”

Luans had recently been told by Daniel that Lorencia must be kept in line.

<That monster must be made to love Luans. Only then will you survive.> <That monster loves me.> <Do you feel that love clearly?>

Luans didn’t understand what Daniel meant by love, but he knew only Lorencia had to understand it.

<I feel it. But what is the identity of that monster?>

Luans was curious.

<It’s one of the most beautiful monsters in the world.>
<A beautiful monster??>

Luans could not comprehend Daniel’s description. Lorencia seemed unattractive, even ugly. No charm as a woman. He didn’t even want to touch her.

<According to old texts, when capturing the monster, they didn’t call it monster hunting.>
<Then what was it called?>
<When hunting these monsters, it was called witch hunting.>

Daniel’s tales of old monsters were intriguing. Long ago, seven beautiful monsters existed. They were called beautiful monsters because, although beautiful, their deeds were monstrous. They harassed people and caused disasters wherever they went.