If You Take the Enemy Prince as Your Knight Chapter 140

“Now I can take my maid with me, right?”

 

“…”

 

“Sir Dominic.”

 

Ironically, that moment was the first time she had ever called him by name.

 

“Y-Your Highness… What to do, what should we do… I’m sorry. I’m sorryyy… Huuuuu…”

 

Without looking back, the princess gathered up her maid and returned to her residence. Though her slender back trembled faintly, her steps remained dignified.

 

Left alone, Dominic needed a long while before he could fully process what had just happened. The princess had cried. He had gotten what he wanted. Yet strangely, he felt no joy whatsoever. The princess had been hurt. The sensation of the moment her cheek had been cut replayed itself at his fingertips. The entire hand that had held the dagger began trembling violently, as if seized by spasms.

 

Dominic was well aware of the madness that governed the imperial palace. It was common knowledge that appearance was of utmost importance to imperial family members. Not long ago, one princess whose face had been ruined by burns had been locked away in a storage vault and starved to death. To make matters worse, the mad emperor had ordered every imperial family member to attend the banquet that would be held just two days later.

 

If it’s treated properly with a potion, it’ll heal. It’s nothing serious. Repeating that to himself, Dominic tried not to care any further. It wasn’t like him to worry over some princess who might die at any moment.

 

Contrary to his intentions, Dominic spent two sleepless days before attending the banquet. Only then did he hear alarming news through the nobles. A major embezzlement scandal had occurred in the detached palace, and the young princesses had gone without proper potion supplies for six months. As Dominic grew increasingly anxious because Rosasia still hadn’t appeared in the banquet hall…

 

“Oh my, look at Princess Silver Bird!”

 

“Good heavens, Her Highness’s cheek…!”

 

Tense, Dominic turned his gaze and saw Rosasia gracefully greeting people while drawing everyone’s attention.

 

“Your Highness, such beautiful climbing roses have bloomed upon your cheek!”

 

“Is that face paint? It sparkles too. Did you put jewels on it?”

 

“It suits you wonderfully! Perhaps it’ll become fashionable again soon.”

 

Thinking quickly, the princess had concealed the scar on her cheek with artwork. Dominic let out a long sigh of relief. But the mad emperor’s voice falling from above immediately made him tense again.

 

“You seem happy, Dominic.”

 

A chill ran down the boy’s spine, as though his innermost thoughts had been read. His instincts screamed danger. Dominic felt he should deny everything first. But the mad emperor gave him no opportunity to feign ignorance and spoke first.

 

“Weren’t you constantly worried that I might kill that child?”

 

“That, what are you saying?”

 

“No need to hide it. I know that you like my daughter.”

 

“…!”

 

A feeling that he himself had never acknowledged was given a definition by another’s mouth.

 

Like her? At that moment, denial or confusion was a luxury Dominic could not afford. His body’s reaction was faster than his mind. Overwhelming terror swept through him. Memories of the past surfaced. Whenever there was something he could grow even slightly attached to, the mad emperor had always forced him to destroy it with his own hands. This time too… Could it be this time as well?

 

The boy’s fingertips trembled, and his face turned pale. And that very reaction became undeniable proof that he liked Rosasia. Thus, Dominic was forced to become aware of his feelings in the most violent way possible.

 

At that moment, the emperor whose outward appearance was maddeningly handsome whispered to him.

 

“Don’t worry. I intend to keep that daughter alive, barring anything unusual.”

 

“Is it real?”

 

“Yes. Do you know why?”

 

“…”

 

Curling up the corners of his mouth, the mad emperor examined Dominic. The crimson eyes filled with confusion and terror, yet tinged with a sliver of hope, amused him. That monster wearing a human face revealed the answer in a falsely benevolent tone.

 

“Now, look, Dominic.”

 

At that very moment, Rosasia was gazing at Dominic. It was a gaze carrying an emotion he knew all too well.

 

“Because that child hates you.”

 

“…”

 

At that moment, Dominic realized something. If he got hated, he was allowed to love.

 

✦

Dominic, who had stood motionless until now, roughly brushed back his bangs. Why am I suddenly remembering such a sh*tty memory? Like hurriedly pulling his foot from a sticky swamp, he buried those memories again. Feeling as though filthy mud still clung to his bare feet, he raised his eyes to the dark night sky.

 

“Ha.” A sigh-like breath scattered into the night air. Only after replacing the stale air in his lungs did the creeping unpleasantness begin to dissipate.

 

No. That wasn’t right. Once he escaped the memory and returned to reality, his mood immediately plummeted again. Because inside the tent behind him, his princess was chatting merrily with the traitor of a defeated nation. For the past half month, Dominic had been extremely on edge throughout the journey.

 

Rosasia Trinite Magnarod. She was the sole comfort in his life, one trained like the mad emperor’s dog. He had vaguely considered her his. Naturally, he had thought things would end up that way. And for good reason. Dominic was the tool most trusted by the mad emperor. If Rosasia were to choose one man, it had to be him.

 

At the same time, Dominic was a victim of the mad emperor’s oppression. As the mad emperor’s daughter, Rosasia should naturally bear the consequences of guilt by association. He deserved compensation. Rosasia Trinite Magnarod was the compensation Dominic absolutely needed. Without that, there was no meaning in enduring his damned dog-like life.

 

Dominic knew these were not the emotions of a normal human being. But he had long since been broken as a human and become fundamentally defective. It didn’t matter anymore. That cowardly justification was what kept him alive.

 

However, recently, the princess’s actions had become exceedingly suspicious.

 

Someone who didn’t even enjoy trips to villas suddenly wants to travel abroad. I hope I’m just worrying for nothing.

 

She insisted on going all the way to the border, and even bringing along that despicable man who would stop at nothing. There was no choice but to be suspicious. Was she trying to flee far from the imperial palace? Instead of running to him, was she foolishly choosing to run away from him?

 

Ah, I’m going crazy with worry. My Rosasia. Just thinking about it made him want to separate Emilio’s head from his body, but he had restrained himself with the thin thread of reason he still possessed and made it this far without causing trouble. The princess ought to praise him and reward him greatly.

 

Dominic listened to the conversation inside the tent. He didn’t even need to focus. His highly trained senses effortlessly gathered their voices.

 

“I regretted parting ways like this, so I asked for some of Your Highness’s precious time. Thank you for granting it.”

 

“There’s no need for thanks. I would have been disappointed if you hadn’t arranged something like this.”

 

“Looking back, I find myself with many regrets. We could have spent more time together and created more memories.”

 

“Oh my, I was thinking the same thing.”

 

Dominic couldn’t help but laugh dryly. He could hear the princess’s fake, pretentious voice to his heart’s content. The conversation was so ordinarily boring. And he didn’t believe it. There were countless ways to plot while disguising it as casual conversation. For example, exchanging notes. Thinking of such a cute method, Dominic wore a cold smile.

 

“Your gift is far too burdensome.”

 

“Your Highness?”

 

“Thank you, but I’ll accept only the sentiment.”

 

“What are you saying…?!”

 

Suddenly, the princess dropped the affected sweetness from her voice and stormed out. As though he had been waiting, Dominic pulled aside the curtain and greeted her.

 

“You’re finally coming out. You stayed in there for quite a while.”

 

“…”

 

“Did something happen? You don’t look to be in a very good mood…”

 

Casually, Dominic reached a hand toward Sasha’s eyes. The moment she reflexively tried to swat it away, he seized her wrist as though he had been waiting for exactly that. The hand he’d extended as if to touch her had merely been bait. As he looked at Sasha’s fingertips, color drained from his face.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“Who knows.”

 

“Let go.”

 

“…”

 

“I said let go. I’m really not in a good mood right now.”

 

“Yes. Neither am I.” Even as he muttered quietly, Dominic’s gaze wasn’t on Sasha’s face. It was fixed on her hand, more precisely, on the thumb stained with ink.