Author: rolypoly

* * *

 

Cheshire was sitting alone with Selena.

 

Although she was just shaking, Selena’s complexion looked good, as expected. The baby in the womb will also be safe.

 

‘You don’t know anything. Forever. Nothing…’

 

The daughter she had coldly ignored had saved the baby in her womb today.

 

How many years of her life did she spend this time?

 

My foolish angel.

 

She had never warmly embraced her or gently called her name… 

 

For a mother who wasn’t even like her mother.

 

“Please…”

 

Tears fell from Selena’s tightly closed eyes.

 

Cheshire laughed.

 

Such a harsh form of motherhood.

 

In order to stop her son from going on an expedition, she comes to a person she doesn’t really know and cries like this. 

 

“It is beyond my authority.”

 

“If it’s Sir, Sir… Couldn’t you ask His Majesty for leniency just this once…?” 

 

“Why should I do that?”

 

Selena stiffened at the cold voice.

 

A strange… hostility.

 

Maybe Selena can’t understand Cheshire’s attitude.

 

“You know, Cheshire. Even Dad doesn’t know this, so I’ll be honest with you.” 

 

Cheshire hated Selena.

 

It wasn’t just a simple reason like her not loving Lilith or not treating her like a daughter.

 

“It doesn’t happen now, but in fact, I went to see His Majesty the Emperor holding my mother’s hand?”

 

Because it was painful to bear alone, to suffer alone, knowing it only to herself.

 

The truth that Lilith revealed only to Cheshire. 

 

“Your son has only received favors up until now, and His Majesty wishes for him to fulfill the obligations he has postponed. Please comply as His Majesty desires.”

 

“No. I’m not saying I won’t follow it. But, this expedition….”

 

This large-scale subjugation was an incredibly dangerous battle. 

 

A mother’s heart, forced to send her twelve-year-old son, who has grown up like a greenhouse flower, into a battlefield where even experienced soldiers fear for their lives, a place where he doesn’t even know what the demon beast looks like.

 

Yeah, any human would feel sorry for this woman crying so pitifully. 

 

If I don’t feel such emotions at all, does that mean I lack humanity?

 

Thinking about it, Cheshire smiled and stood up.

 

“Your son is a talented person, and His Majesty has high expectations. He will be a good soldier.”

 

“Sir Cheshire…!”

 

Cheshire, who was about to leave, stopped.

 

Without hesitation, he saw Selena’s face kneeling at her feet.  

 

“Please… I beg of you… Please have pity on my son….”

 

“….”

 

“Please….”

 

“Can you kneel like this even for the sake of your daughter?”

 

Selena paused. When she raised her head, she saw Cheshire’s indifferent face. 

 

“Can you get down on your knees, even for the daughter you tried to put through this hell?”

 

“….”

 

Selena finally realized where Cheshire’s hostility came from. 

 

He, too, was blaming her dealings with the emperor. Just as countless others had previously cast suspicious glances at Selena.

 

“Back then, I… that child’s father…”

 

“Because there was a father to protect her? Did you think, like you, that he would make a deal with the Emperor? What if he hadn’t?”

 

“….”

 

“What if Duke Rubinstein had not abandoned his beliefs? Then your daughter would have become a soldier.”

 

“Enoch is not that kind of person.”

 

“How confident are you that you know the Duke so well?” 

 

Cheshire knelt down. 

 

“At the point when you made deals with the Emperor, you already didn’t care about what would happen to that child. Whether the father stepped in or not.” 

 

Selena froze and held her breath.

 

“Let me guess why you don’t want to see your daughter’s face.”

 

His eyes, swirling with red, were sharp as they seemed to pierce through everything.

 

“It’s not that you don’t want to see her, but perhaps you can’t. That day, you sold your daughter for the sake of your son.”

 

“I, I…”

 

“You must have continued to brainwash yourself to relieve your guilt. All I sold was my husband. Not my daughter.”

 

Cheshire was sure. 

 

A woman who, in a lost time, brought Primera daughter to the emperor with her own hands. 

 

Primera was the greatest offering she could present to the Emperor. She is so valuable that she can’t be compared to the fate of a deserter.

 

Therefore, in her previous life, she wouldn’t have had to worry about the life or death of her son at the whim of the emperor as she does now. 

 

“You know that you abandoned your daughter with your own hands. Whenever you see her face, you’ll be tormented by the awful choice you made.”

 

“….”

 

“Isn’t that why you tried to avoid meeting her?” 

 

Selena froze in shock.

 

It felt like her feet had been ripped off.

 

All the truth she had tried so hard to ignore and rationalize came cruelly flowing out of this man’s mouth. 

 

“Of course, whatever you choose is none of my concern. But.” 

 

Cheshire grinned and stood up. 

 

“I have lived my entire life as a soldier, and I am glad to see a talented person who has enjoyed preferential treatment through dirty dealings go to war.” 

 

Selena lifted her head weakly. 

 

Without any pity or sympathy… 

 

Cruelly cold, red eyes.

 

He was no different from the emperor.

 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t help you.”

 

Soon, the moment Cheshire was about to leave Selena in despair.

 

“Hey, Cheshire. You’re in there, right? You…”

 

Without knocking, someone opened the door and hurried in.

 

It was Leon.

 

“…What is this?”

 

A woman crying, kneeling in front of Cheshire, carrying a heavy body. 

 

Leon looked strangely at the sight he encountered as soon as he opened the door.

 

* * *

 

Disobeying Gerard’s orders. 

 

As a result, Leon died saving Cheshire, who was in danger. 

 

But now that Gerard has eliminated the possibility of disobeying orders, how will Leon face the danger of dying?

 

‘I couldn’t have guessed until what happened today.’

 

I couldn’t see any variables.

 

Theo, who wasn’t dead at that time, was absent from this expedition like a ghost. 

 

Everything is the same as the original.

 

There is absolutely no way for Leon to die.

 

‘But then… I discovered a variable.’

 

It wasn’t a happy meeting, but it was a hint she got from her mother anyway. 

 

Kyle Ludendorff’s expedition.

 

Perhaps this variable will somehow become a shadow of fate to come.

 

‘It bothers me a little because it feels like I’m using a child, but…’

 

She could have stopped his expedition by asking Cheshire, but he decided not to do so. 

 

If the variable called Kyle disappears, another variable will arise and drive Leon to death.

 

In that case, it was good to be able to vaguely predict what would happen to Leon.

 

This means that it would be better to leave Kyle, the variable that I can ‘control.’

 

‘Now the problem is…’

 

Think of countless cases. 

 

If Kyle is the variable as I guess.

 

How on earth will Leon become entangled with him and end up dying…

 

* * *

 

“Take it out.”

 

Leon said, thinking of Selena’s helpless back.

 

“Why?”

 

“What do you mean by why?”

 

Leon raised his voice.

 

It was an absurd situation.

 

A twelve-year-old child with no military experience being sent into a battle so dangerous that it cannot be compared to an ordinary subjugation.

 

It was the same as telling him to die. 

 

“Why should I do that?”

 

“Hey, is this… really a situation where you need to ask for a reason?”

 

Seven years ago, the holy beast incident in which even the non-combat class Octavas, who had never even held a sword properly, were mobilized.

 

Leon, who was the commander at the time, was so worried about Lilith in the rear that he couldn’t even breathe properly.

 

The memory of that day remained a terrible nightmare for Leon.

 

“So, the kid has had military exemptions until now? And now he has to take up a sword? Fine, whatever. Orders are orders. But sending him into this battle is really not okay.”

“It’s an imperial order.” 

 

“So what if it’s an imperial order? You can do it!” 

 

Leon shouted.

 

“The Emperor listens to everything you say! You’re the only one who can convince him to exempt him. Everyone, even a rolling stone, knows that. That’s why the kid’s mom came looking for you.” 

 

“I’m sorry, but I don’t plan on doing that.”

 

Cheshire stood up without a single thought. Leon followed and stood in front of him.

 

“Why are you like this?”

 

“Brother, the high point is right in front of you. I put my whole life on the line here.” 

 

The day of the emperor’s death wasn’t far away. Many people, including Cheshire, risked their lives for the rebellion. 

 

“I’ve been acting like a dog to gain the emperor’s trust. But, is there any help in showing that I am worried about the life or death of a child who has nothing to do with me?”

 

“Are you going to fail even if you try your best this time? You didn’t prepare so poorly, did you?” 

 

“I don’t want to create even the slightest change.”

 

Because Kyle is Selena’s son?

 

Because he wants her to be in mourning waiting for her son to go on an expedition?

 

No, it’s not about ignoring a young child just because of a mere supervisor.

 

Even if it was anyone other than Kyle, Cheshire was planning to follow the emperor’s orders without knowing. 

 

That kind of cruelty and coldness is exactly what the emperor now firmly believes in.

 

“What on earth made you like this?”

 

Leon burst into laughter.

 

It wasn’t unknown how Cheshire had lived so far to infiltrate as the Emperor’s closest confidant.

 

Sometimes he wondered why Cheshire was so desperate. 

 

“Please, think about it again. Consider how far you’ve come.” 

 

But this time, it seemed as if he had even lost his humanity. It was painful to watch.

 

“What if that kid dies this time? Can you not feel guilt? Can you just be unaffected?”

 

Leon grabbed Cheshire by the collar and asked pleadingly.

 

‘Guilty?’

 

Cheshire thought of Kyle’s face and then Lilith’s face.

 

Truly, the high point was right in front of us.

 

The day to cut off the devil’s head and offer it to my angel.

 

The day when I can break the shackles on her feet.

 

“Mhm.”

 

Cheshire removed Leon’s hand with indifferent eyes.

 

And he stepped closer to the shocked Leon and whispered coldly.

 

“What does that have to do with me?”

 

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