Episode 54

 Dietrich stared at Anissa, who was looking at his chest, twitching her nose like a rabbit.

“Why?”

“N-Nothing.”

The expression of the child who shook her head in a hurry was not as bright as when he first found her.

Dietrich knew that Anissa was disappointed in him.

He may be indifferent to others, but he wasn’t stupid.

“Alright.”

He didn’t feel the need to explain. He knew it was dangerous to come and say hello at this time.

Dietrich passed by Anissa, who was hesitating to speak, and left the room.

Standing in the hallway, he stared at his reflection on the cleanly wiped window. 

However, what he saw wasn’t the usual bright, tender face of Anissa, but rather the look that seemed to have suffered a shock.

Dietrich felt ridiculous at the child’s surprised face.

‘Why are you so surprised?’

Dietrich had no memory of getting himself involved with her. He wasn’t originally a ‘good person.’ Because being a good person in Lagrange was as good as dead.

<<Are the twin’s words true?>>

The words that asked him back as though she couldn’t believe it were ringing in his ears. As she asked him if he removed the candidate who gave up becoming a successor, there was a clear sign of resentment in Anissa’s pale expression.

‘. . . . . Wouldn’t it be better to be dust than to be a slave of the demon?’

For the people of Lagrange, what was more frightening than death was to become a slave of the demon. However, children who were nominated as candidates for successors usually didn’t even have a fitting end.

“Have you arrived?”

Derek must have entrusted an overwhelming job, but Baal showed no sign of surprise as he opened his mouth to greet Dietrich, who returned after a few months. 

“It was easy.”

In reality, it wasn’t easy.

Even if it was unreasonable, the reason why he quickly took care of things was purely because of Anissa. Just in case she was in danger while he was away.

He left Baal behind as a precaution, but Dietrich did not fully trust in his demons.

But on the contrary, the child was the one looking at him as if he was the one in danger. 

‘I was hasty for nothing.’

A corner of his heart felt a sharp pain when he recalled the fear in her beautiful ruby-like eyes. It was a different kind of distress.

Dietrich muttered an excuse he wouldn’t usually make in front of the child, and looked down at his hands that seemed to have been stuck in place.

His hands were fair, but it wasn’t out of blemish because it was full of scars. Even though the blood on the battlefield has been washed clean, the fishy scent of blood remained.

‘Is this why you’re scared?.’

These dirty hands. 

It was different from Annisa's, which made flower crowns while picking up flowers in the garden.

“Ha.”

He sighed briefly and let out a chuckle.

‘That’s right. What’s the point of making excuses.’

The moment Anissa found out about Shobi from the Rose palace, he could only make so much excuses for his evil deeds. 

Even if he made lame excuses, his nature wouldn’t change. He himself was more of a demon than a human being.

“Why are you laughing?”

“It’s nothing.”

<<You’re also using your sister!>>

The child’s cry, who was on the verge of disappearing after being caught by the demon, still rang in his ears.

Shobi, the eldest daughter[1] of Catherine Fermat who cared for her younger siblings, was unlike the usual Lagrange child. 

‘For that reason, she was removed.’

In fact, the cause of Shobi’s death was not Dietrich, but her mother. Catherine Fermat was determined to remove her eldest daughter, who was not an outstanding candidate, and used Dietrich for that.

Dying from her mother’s hand, Shobi didn’t believe that Dietrich cared for Anissa.

<<There’s no way a demon like you really cares for your younger sibling!>>

Dietrich did not refute the child’s words.

Even if he hears the same words right now, it will be the same. He tried to use Anissa, and that fact wouldn’t change.

He pretended that she was precious and cherished and would sacrifice her in front of Asmodeus’ dais[2]. 

The only thing he was afraid of was the look on her face when she’ll find out.

‘It’s like this again.’

Dietrich pressed the area where his heart throbbed. He thought there would be a difference if he found out that she was not his sister, but the pang was still there.

His younger sister, or the child who claimed to be his younger sister, was a person who sparkled under the sun enough for one to marvel at. 

It's even more amazing that there is no doubt that  such brilliance could exist in Lagrange.

‘I have to be careful.’

It will only take a matter of seconds for it to be dangerous when it becomes known that he really valued her. 

“Is that the end of your encounter with the princess?”

Baal whispered, crawling out from under the shadows. He was Dietrich’s most powerful helper, but also the most dangerous demon for Anissa.

“Yes.”

Baal opened his mouth as if he was dissatisfied with Dietrich's attitude towards the child.

“If you end it so soon, there will be growing suspicion that you are not really close.”

“. . . . .”

“Go back and give this to her as a gift.”

The demon pretended to take care of him and took a doll out of his arms as if he were trying to be generous. The girl doll swaying in his hands was even dressed in a shiny dress.

It was a very luxurious doll that was incomparable to the stuffed doll Dietrich gave. Instead of accepting the doll, the boy looked at the demon with a grim look.

“Where did this come from?”

“That kid Agares doubted that His Majesty actually had no scapegoat to offer. On behalf of His Majesty, I think I can take care of something like this?” 

Dietrich left Lagrange because they were preparing for war. There was no room to buy toys for children.

The talented candidate was the weapon Lagrange was proud of. The stronger the child was, just like him, the more useful. 

“Here, take it.” 

“That’s enough.”

Dietrich eventually refused to accept Baal’s doll. The demon laughed at him.

“Are you feeling guilty now?”

“Shut up.”

“But wasn’t it Your Majesty who chose the princess as a fake sacrifice?”

Dietrich couldn’t make excuses for that. He didn’t think it was a foolish choice.

Anissa appeared to him at the right time like a well-prepared gift. Even now, no offering seemed more appropriate than her.

But then, why did it feel like he’s turning the wrong cards?

“When is the next mission?”

“You should be able to rest for a month.”

“I’m going right away.”

It was better not to be seen. Dietrich decided so and left Lagrange again.

────── 〔✿〕──────

The incessant time went on and on. As I grew older, I frowned remembering Dietrich who left Dahlia more often and on longer durations. 

It seemed like he was really avoiding me now. 

I couldn’t think of any reason that triggered this. 

“Dietrich won’t play with me.”

When I stomped my feet in displeasure, Liatris, who was gracefully holding a teacup, chuckled.

“Haven’t you passed the age where you play with your brother?” 

Ever since I broke the mobile piece, Liatris would call on me occasionally without Yuric or Veronica.

She said when she looks at me her headache goes away or something. 

'Well, it's nice to be able to get some information.'

Liatris was one of the elders and powerful people of the Grand Duchy of Lagrange.

‘And she’s the only one who showed favor to me.’

Derek, Alphonse, and the elders who watched as if passing by, except for Josef, who left Lagrange, all emitted an aura as if they wanted to rip and kill Dietrich and I. 

However, Liatris’ purple aura showed that there’s no doubt she’s quite fond of me.

‘Although she’s not a person who shows off.’ 

Even now, Liatris wore an expressionless face, but her aura was shaking.

‘You seem quite fond of children. Why does this kind of person hate her own child, Yuric?’

In fact, Liatris was a better adult than I thought, so I didn't understand why she left Yuric to be abused by his brothers.

“Where is Yuric?”

“Who knows. I guess he might have gone to train.”

‘You don’t really seem interested.’

“What’s wrong with your expression? Do you hate me for being cold to him?”

I hesitated to answer Liatris’ question. She gave a small smile and continued.

“You’re close to him. It’s okay. Tell me.”

“Yuri looks sadder when Ms. Liatris avoids him than the bullying he receives from Alphonse and his other siblings.”

“Yes, and so?”

At my words, Liatris leaned her long neck back and turned her head towards the window.

“I can be sweet to you because you are not my child.”

Sunlight came in from different angles and shone over her hair in small pieces. 

"I'm scared of my children. It's true that I'm afraid to love them."

“Why?”

“If you fall in love, you will die. Children who received love and grew up wouldn’t be able to survive in Lagrange because I’m weak.[3]” 

If so, wouldn't it be possible to change Lagrange?  I puffed my cheeks and kept my inner thoughts.

"You're dissatisfied with that. It’s my first time seeing a child like you. Everyone is in a hurry to survive."

Liatris blinked her purple eyes and poked my puffy cheeks.

"When I see you, it feels like I woke up from a long nightmare."

“. . . . . yes?”

"But just waking up from a dream doesn't mean you can realize reality right away. There are times when it's too late to apologize."

I noticed that Liatrice was talking about Asmodeus' curse.

It appears as though she guessed that I was the one who broke the curse, but fortunately, she didn’t spread rumors.

"It's too late to make a difference."

Notes:

[1] In the previous chapter, Shobi was an elder brother because of the neutral title used in Hangul. Since we use MTL, and it showed us “older brother,” we left it as it is but apparently, Shobi is an older sister. And the eldest daughter of Catherine. It was only made clear in this chapter. We’ll make changes in the previous chapter when we’re not too laz-- I mean busy. :)

[2] If you guys don’t know what a dais is, like me (Rosie):
/ˈdāəs,ˈdīəs/

noun

1. a low platform for a lectern, seats of honor, or a throne.

[3] She means that children who grew up with love would be more prone to weakness and wouldn't grow up strong, especially because she couldn't protect them, because she's powerless. So they'll all die.

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