TTDBK42

Chapter 42

Knock, knock.

Someone disturbed Baslui’s deep sleep while he was stretching his legs. When he called the visitor in, it was Lavender.

She bowed deeply, her expression somber.

“I believe I made a mistake during the formal dinner, so I came to apologize,” Lavender said, bowing once more.

“What mistake do you mean? If there’s blame, it’s mine,” Baslui replied.

He spoke with a tone of kindness, but the daughter who had spent her life constantly gauging his mood wasn’t fooled.

“I was so happy that you returned, Father, that I got a bit carried away… and misspoke,” she admitted.

“You were happy I came back… is that really true?”

Baslui crossed his legs and twisted his lips into a smile. Then, shaking his head, he added that what he had heard was quite different.

“While I was away, your role was acting lord. Did you fulfill your duties properly as acting lord?”

Faced with self-assessment, Lavender hesitated before replying.

“I… tried my best,” she said after a moment of thought.

Baslui smiled gently and folded his arms.

“Do you mean your effort was flirting with this man or that man?”

“Oh, no!”

“In that regard, you take after your mother,” he muttered, frowning as if the memory of his late wife angered him. He continued sharply, as if he had a sword in his tongue.

“What do you think the people of Rondar would think of Martu because of your frivolous actions?”

Lavender’s face grew paler and paler.

“That’s not all. What family would want a frivolous woman like you?”

“I’m truly sorry…”

Baslui clicked his tongue at his daughter, displeased, but then his tone softened.

“Still, only your father is thinking of you. A good marriage proposal has come.”

Lavender looked up in surprise at the mention of a marriage proposal.

“The queen has died,” he added.

Her eyes widened gradually. That meant…

“Marry King Manmi.”

Lavender was shocked. King Manmi of Anapol was a man nearing seventy.

“Father…!”

“Considering your youth and good family background, it’s more than a fitting match for someone like you,” Baslui said, smiling softly at his daughter.

When he had met Manmi at Yasgo, Baslui had sensed that the king’s days were numbered. His health looked that bad.

“Endure only until the king dies, and then you will naturally become the ruler of Anapol.”

He dangled this carrot before Lavender, though in his heart he intended to use her to seize actual control over Anapol. His daughter had no capacity to govern a country on her own.

“You need not bear the burden alone. If you face difficulties, your father will always help you.”

Lavender bowed once more.

“You are the only one giving this to me, Father,” she said, thanking him again before leaving the room. Once out, she finally let the tears fall.

“Too… much…”

The words “too much” struggled to escape her lips.

She could not rebel against her father; her lifelong education forbade her from speaking carelessly.

Frustrated, she moved her feet—the only way she could relieve her sadness even slightly.

Lavender walked through the halls for a long time. Nobody found it strange to see her wandering the castle crying; they only realized that the lord had returned from his travels.

But for Baberi, who sat in the corner of the garden watching the moon, it was different.

“Why are you wandering like a ghost?” Baberi asked. Lavender looked at her blankly.

“Why are you spacing out, kid? Are you crying?”

Baberi gestured for her to sit on the bench. Lavender sniffled and wiped her tears with a handkerchief.

“Your Majesty, what are you doing here?”

She spoke brightly, as if she hadn’t been crying, but her lips were tighter than usual.

“I’m waiting for drinks.”

Baberi muttered about sending one bottle and then another, which still hadn’t arrived.

“They’ll be here soon. Want to wait together and have a drink?”

Baberi patted the bench beside her. Lavender hesitated, then sat beside her, gazing blankly at the moon Baberi was watching.

“…sob… sniff…”

Baberi glanced at Lavender, who was quietly sobbing. Unlike Yuchae-rin and Sharon, who cried while speaking their minds, Lavender only cried silently.

What should she do in this situation? Baberi rolled her eyes, hoping Koor, who had gone to fetch the drinks, would return soon. He wasn’t likely good at comforting a crying woman, but two were better than one.

“You can say whatever you want,” Baberi finally said.

Lavender lowered her head, still staring at the moon.

“I’m getting married… to the king.”

Baberi frowned.

“…I didn’t hear that before,” she said.

“Not Your Majesty, to King Manmi,” Lavender clarified.

“Oh, I see,” Baberi said, nodding slowly. “So you’re going to be the queen. Congratulations.”

Lavender gave a bitter smile. Baberi realized this wasn’t a reason to celebrate; if marriage were truly a happy occasion, she wouldn’t be crying so sorrowfully.

“You don’t want to marry?”

Baberi had assumed she wanted to marry quickly and have children. She wondered why Lavender was so sad.

“Is it because you dislike him?”

Lavender only shook her head, still sniffling.

“It’s because he was chosen by my father… I can’t oppose him,” she said, struggling to speak through her tears.

“Daughters can’t defy their fathers, right?”

Lavender’s words came out in slow, labored breaths.

“Is there such a rule? I didn’t know because I had no dad,” Baberi muttered. Even if it existed, she probably wouldn’t have followed it.

“Sorry… I’m sorry,” Lavender stammered, unsure of what to do.

“So you don’t want to marry someone your father chose?” Baberi shrugged and crossed her arms.

“Then run away from home.”

Lavender’s lips parted in shock.

“How can I do something like that?”

“Difficult, is it? Running away?”

Lavender stared at Baberi in disbelief. She knew Baberi was different from her.

But when Baberi suggested running away as casually as a short walk, Lavender realized how different their worlds were.

“I…” Lavender hesitated. What might be easy for Baberi was impossible for her. Suddenly, rustling noises made her stop. She noticed intruders and gasped.

Before she could scream, Baberi grabbed Lavender and rolled. A long sword sliced through the air where their necks had been.

“Who are these?”

Until now, Baberi had thought Martu Castle’s guards were careless. She didn’t imagine Baslui himself would try to kill her.

Baberi fumbled at her waist for a sword.

“Oh.”

She had left her weapon behind during the formal dinner and never took it again.

Baberi cursed under her breath and kept the intruders at bay. But they formed a tight circle, leaving no gaps. These were clearly skilled fighters.

“Why do I feel like they’re only targeting me?” Lavender thought as she collapsed helplessly onto the dirt floor. Their attention was solely on Baberi.

Just as they attacked Baberi simultaneously, a bottle flew from somewhere and hit one of them on the head.

It was Koor. He had run from the garden entrance and grabbed Baberi’s face.

“Are you hurt?”

Baberi tried to say no, but her words were muffled as Koor checked inside her mouth.

“Your Majesty, behind you!” Lavender shouted.

The assassins, momentarily staggered by Koor’s entrance, resumed their attack.

But no matter how skilled or sharp, their attacks had no effect on Koor; every weapon broke upon contact.

Then Medo returned, carrying drinks.

“Your Majesty!”

Startled, he threw the bottles aside and drew his sword to face one of the assassins.

Koor ignored attacks from behind, focusing only on Baberi.

“Tell me immediately if you’re hurt anywhere,” he instructed, confirming she was unharmed.

“No,” Baberi said tersely. “Why are you so late? I almost died.”

“All good,” Koor said.

Baberi glared at him, but Koor ignored her and scolded Medo.

“These are Manmi King’s elite assassins! I can barely handle one alone!” Medo protested.

Koor, seemingly unimpressed, grabbed the assassin’s head and drew a circle in the air with his other hand. A large sphere appeared, showing a blizzard-ravaged snowy field inside.

He placed each assassin into the sphere and closed it.

Medo watched bitterly, impressed by Koor’s effortless handling.

Baberi helped Lavender to her feet. She turned to Medo.

“Those were King Manmi’s assassins?”

“Yes, I confirmed the sun tattoo behind their ears,” Medo replied.

Manmi… Manmi… Baberi recalled hearing that name recently.

“Isn’t he the one you’re supposed to marry?” Baberi asked Lavender.

Lavender swallowed nervously, pale as ever. She hadn’t known her father planned to use her to kill Baberi, but the situation made her guess it.

“You came to help, and this is how you repay me?” Baberi asked.

“Your Majesty, I-I don’t know anything!” Lavender stammered, trembling.

“So only Baslui knows? You don’t?” Baberi’s angry glare made Lavender hiccup.

“I-I…!”