I Hoped You Weren't Alive At Times ✓

Ch 44

6.7 The Empress and the Emperor
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Yvonne nodded casually, but her heart was beating hard. Entering the duchy, Yvonne gathered her mind.

She was also the daughter of the terrible man, although she could not live alone as Delua's daughter. Maybe that means she can deal with him herself.

When she entered the Duke's office, he sat unexpectedly calm. If it were normal, one or two items would have already flown in. Of course, his expression was so fierce that he already had to sweep the desk.

"Explain."

Yvonne opened her mouth, trying not to show nervousness.

"The Emperor's escort was too intrusive. Otherwise, I can't see my mom comfortably because of the escort... He said he would tell the Emperor that the Tower of Delua is suspicious if I don't take him to the Dark Forest."

"That's nothing the Emperor can do. No one in Croysen can understand how the magic works."

Bernie's magic seemed irritatingly great. She could see why the Duke brought Fior even at risk.

"And didn't you really know that the tower was the most protected place in the Duke's residence? So you've taken him to the Dark Forest with you when you should just have ignored him, now?"

"The Duke may not care, but I do. What if something goes wrong and I can't see my mother? In the past, when the Emperor overturned the estate, my mother had to evade him in a hurry, so her condition worsened."

It's not all a lie anyway. Half true, half false. Yvonne knew that lies mixed with sincerity were much harder to eradicate. And Yvonne had told lies more than the meals she ate as Lilian Lou.

"...So I tried to kill him."

The look on the face of the Duke of Delua was the first thing she'd ever seen. All the doubts didn't go away, but he certainly looked surprised.

"It's better than letting it go to waste. If I left him after bringing him into the barrier, he'll never be able to get out of there, so that's what I was trying to do."

"But why did he come back alive?"

"He's not as stupid as I thought he would be. He noticed and stabbed me, so I failed."

The Duke's eyes turned to Yvonne's hand, which still had blood on it.

"Are you lying or have you changed? Do you want me to believe you did that?"

"...My mom's condition has gotten worse. Do you know that?"

Seeing that there was no answer, he must not now. Well, there's no way he was interested in Denise. It'll be enough as long as her life is not on the line.

"I can't afford even a small risk. I'm anxious that the Emperor couldn't find fault with me, but if anything happens to my mother..."

As much as these words were sincere, she was about to burst into tears.

"The escort was watching the tower the whole time. There was a time when I was sitting in front of the window in my mother's room. The Duke hasn't been at the Duke's house all the time, so I was worried..."

Her throat was choked, and Yvonne's speech was blurred. Duke Delua was just staring at Yvonne as to what she was thinking. It was not the face of doubt, but it was more difficult to understand his insides. It was a dry gaze, as if observing an object.

"Stupid."

Soon it was a familiar criticism that came out of the Duke's mouth.

"It doesn't mean anything if you don't succeed. To be so sloppy..."