Chapter 70: 71

As Asha’s silence lengthened, his expression grew more and more pained.

However, as if she had made up her mind, Asha replied calmly.

“Yes. If I like those flowers, I’ll probably come to see them often.”

A hint of hope bloomed on Karaf’s face.

He thought for a moment, then spoke heavily.

“…… I will not accept it.”

Asha’s eyes widened when she looked up at him.

“Then…….”

“Well, if you break my curse and free me from this pain, I will also free you from everything that binds you. I promise it with my life.”

Asha was so moved that she was speechless for a moment.

It must have been very difficult for him, who was more possessive and obsessed with butterflies than anyone, to make this decision.

A lot has really changed compared to her previous life.

Asha involuntarily burst into tears.

Karaf’s eyes grew bigger when he saw her cry.

“Is it too good to the point of crying…..?”

Asha then burst into a small laugh as she held back tears as she saw his face quickly fill with disappointment and sadness.

Then Karaf asked with a more complex expression.

“Are you so happy that you can’t help but laugh……? Do you hate me that much? Enough to torture sleeping people by pinching their faces?”

Asha stopped laughing and said.

     He saw it!

Asha’s face flushed red and she made an awkward excuse.

“It was…… a joke.”

“No one has played such a prank on me, the emperor. They all knew that if they did that, their fingers would be cut off.”

“……”

Asha kept her mouth shut. 

Karaf’s expression softened and he said.

“It’s a joke, don’t worry. And compared to what I’ve done, this is nothing… Even if you had scratched my face and ripped off some flesh, I wouldn’t have had anything to say.”

Asha automatically flinched at the cruel joke, but now they both had a small smile on their lips.

It was as if the thick rose vines that rose between them had been uprooted.

“Stay by my side.”

“What?”

“I won’t do anything to you…… Stay with me tonight. Please…….”

When he finished speaking, he closed his eyes.

His expression looked pained again, so Asha just nodded.

“Sure. I’ll stay, so please rest well.”

Asha gently stroked Karaf’s head as if she were putting a child to sleep.

Karaf fell asleep again at her touch.

After a long and short recovery, he regained his strength and returned to the palace with Asha.

* * * * *

Jackal had a secret meeting with Karaf at the Imperial Palace.

The meeting, which took place without anyone knowing, was very desolate and heavy.

As the chamberlain opened the door to the audience chamber, Jackal entered.

In the distance, on the throne, a markedly gaunt-looking Karaf sat haughtily and stared at him blankly.

Asha sat next to him, and Duran stood guard below the platform near Karaf.

Looking at Jackal, Asha’s face was both happy and surprised.

He appeared dressed appropriately after tending to his injuries.

Judging from his outward appearance, he looked like a clean and tidy local aristocrat.

Even the people in the palace who knew Jackal’s face couldn’t recognize him, so he seemed to have dressed like this on purpose.

He looked at Asha and nodded once, then stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked at Karaf. 

Neither the chamberlain nor Duran made him kneel, but neither did they give him a chair.

Jackal was still the head of a group that conspired against them.

Karaf, who had been looking at him for a while as if he were looking at a criminal, opened his mouth.

“…… Hey, stupid horse.”

Jackal’s face crinkled slightly.

“A dead man came here at the empress’s request, so be grateful.”

Karaf called Asha ‘Empress‘ to emphasize that she was his woman.

At the tension between the two of them, Asha swallowed and just watched.

“Yes, you will help me bloom.”

“Yes.”

Jackal continued calmly, remembering what he had discussed with Asha.

“If you free me and the Lycaons, I’ll go to the Minority Village to find out about you ba… no, your curse.”

“I heard from Asha that you left the village a long time ago.”

“That’s right. I’ll gladly return to the village for you ba… no, for you.”

The term ‘bastard’ kept coming up, so Jackal corrected himself several times.

The chamberlain and Duran frowned at his words and actions but did not stop him because Karaf was still.

Originally, if someone had called the emperor that way, they would have immediately cut out their tongue, but those two had a truly unique relationship.

“The village chief must have pretended not to know, but I’m sure the old man knows about the curse. I may have to throw away my pride and family honor and bow down to him. But at least you will know why Cylon betrayed you and cursed you.”

Karaf’s expression changed at the mention of the Cylon.

Jackal stared at the slight tremor in his eyes. As soon as Karaf heard that, another bad memory came to his mind, and Karaf had a face as if he was just woken up from a nightmare.

He was really curious about that. 

Why did Cylon, with whom he had a close relationship, betray him…..?

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While he wanted to know the truth about that incident that ultimately ruined his life, feelings of fear coexisted inside him.

It was like facing trauma for him. 

Jackal knew that his biggest weakness was ‘that incident’, and the moment he mentioned the story, he realized that victory had come to him.

But Karaf asked, still doubtful.

“How can I trust you?”

“Don’t trust me, trust the person next to you.”

Jackal answered without blinking.

“I’m willing to do it for Asha, not for you. The only thing I can do for her right now is to find a way to break your curse.”

He would do anything if Asha could indeed be safe and happy.

Karaf looked away and met Asha’s eyes.

Asha nodded and told him about the day she regressed.

It was a painful story for Karaf, a story he didn’t know.

His expression changed every moment as he listened.

The fact that the first person she saw when she regressed was Jackal, lends credence to the idea that he could be someone who could help with the bloom.

Jackal looked at him and said calmly.

“If you bloom safely, it will be able to break the old bad relationship between the ethnic minorities and the imperial family. That’s what I want too.”

“…… I see. If you help me flourish, I promise to give freedom to minorities as well.”

Jackal’s face relaxed a little as if that were enough.

Karaf looked at him again, but this time coldly.

“Then tonight, pack your things and leave the palace immediately.”

Asha’s eyes widened slightly.

At that moment, she made eye contact with Jackal.

She knew they had to be apart for a while, but her heart broke that now they really had to part.

Jackal looked at Karaf and said.

“…… Give me a moment to say goodbye.”

Karaf let him do it for Asha.

The two moved to another room to talk alone.

Seeing that no one was eavesdropping on them, it was clear that Karaf really wanted to trust them.

However, when the moment of separation came, neither of them could say anything.

Asha tried to hide her shaky voice and spoke calmly.

“Don’t worry about me and go back to the village.”

Jackal looked into her face with eager eyes.

He was really worried that while he was away, he would hear the news that she was having a hard time at the Palace.

Asha smiled at him.

“Everything will be fine. This time it will be different. You said that you believed in my decision and would follow it, right?”

“Yes. I will always believe in you.”

Saying so, Jackal raised Asha’s hand and kissed the back of it.

“I believe in you too, Jackal. We’re just… going to be apart for a while.”

Jackal lowered his eyelids.

“…… If I miss you so much one day, Sheppy might suddenly come to the temple. If you find a blue-gray horse, don’t be too surprised.”

Asha laughed out loud. But she muttered with a sad face.

“I will miss you…….”

Jackal hugged Asha deeply for the last time.

He released his hold on her and looked into Asha’s eyes.

When Asha looked at him with a flushed face, he immediately gently held her face with both hands and kissed her in the mouth.

Asha’s eyes widened, but she immediately raised her arms and hugged him back.

The two shared a brief but emotional farewell.

Jackal was released that day along with the Lycaons.

The Lycaons who had heard what had happened so far seemed confused, but decided not to be intimidated by the fact that there was still hope.

It was another precious opportunity that Asha had created for them.

Karaf dismissed the rumors about the relationship between the head of Lycaon and Vanessa as false.

Many people were suspicious, but Vanessa’s reputation was barely spared.

There were many eyes in the Imperial Family, so Lycaon left the capital at dawn when everyone was sleeping.

In case servants or nobles were found talking to the head of Lycaon, rumors might spread, so Asha was also not allowed to send them away this time.

Gabe walked in with a stern look on his face as if he was going to go after the Nasson clan that betrayed Lycaon.

Before leaving, Jackal looked toward the empress’s palace where Asha was staying.

There, the curtains were closed and there was no light.

It seemed that there was no one inside.

Jackal soon gave up and started walking again.

Sosa and Gabe supported him as he was crippled by a wound that had not fully healed from his torture. 

But it was when they were about to leave the palace.

“…… Excuse me! Mr. Sheppy……!”

Jackal’s eyes widened slightly and he looked back.

A woman in the distance was running towards them with her red hair waving.

She was Asha’s exclusive maid.

Sonya clutched her knees, catching her breath, with her face red from running.

“Mr. Sheppy…… No…… Boss?”

When they came face to face, Sonya’s eyes widened because she didn’t know what to call him.

Some of the Lycaons burst out laughing at his title.

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