Chapter 66

In the meantime, it seemed that Aristine had gathered her shock, and though pale, she wore a composed face.

However, Tarkan knew how delicate she was.

Her slender shoulders, her waist that could fit in one hand, and her delicate wrists that seemed as if they would break with just a little force.

His gaze fell on the scalpel that had been dropped.

Tarkan knew well how sharp and keen that small blade was.

Brodie must have intended to mutilate Aristine's face.

One could tell from his movements.

And his infinitely delicate wife would not have been able to withstand that force.

Aristine's face, stained red, flashed before Tarkan's eyes.

It felt as if his heart had plummeted.

A fierce and ominous light flickered in his predator-like yellow eyes.

Brodie, crushed under the thick and bitter aura, gasped for breath.

He had to run.

But his body, like prey before a predator, stiffened and wouldn't move.

“S-Save... me...”

He forced his stiff tongue to move, squeezing out the words.

“Why should I?”

But the answer that came back was cruel.

The moment his eyes met Tarkan's unusually yellow ones, Brodie had a premonition.

He was going to die.

“...H-H-H...”

But Tarkan clicked his tongue and turned his head.

Aristine was looking at him.

Though he knew she hadn't grown up well, he didn't want to show her blood.

More importantly, it seemed better to pay more attention to Aristine rather than worry about this scum.

Though she appeared calm, Aristine's face was paler than usual.

“Durante.”

At Tarkan's call, Durante stepped forward and roughly pulled Brodie away.

Brodie, who hadn't even noticed Durante's presence, let out a scream as he was roughly yanked.

As he was freed from Tarkan's aura, the blood rushed back into his stiff body, making his limbs tingle.

“No, no...”

Brodie struggled, his body trembling as he was dragged away.

The smell of death he had felt earlier was vivid.

If he went like this, he might really die.

“No, no... I don't want to... I don't want to!”

In a panic, Brodie struggled with all his might to break free, but Durante didn't budge.

“Why should I, I...! It wasn't me!”

Brodie's eyes rolled back, the whites filled with bloodshot.

She glared directly at Aristine.

As if the one who should be dragged away like this was not her, but Aristine.

“It's wrong! It's changed...!”

Durante's eyebrows twitched, and he covered Brodie's mouth.

No matter how much Brodie resisted, Durante's steps remained steady as he dragged her away.

Click.

As the door closed, the room returned to its usual state as if nothing had happened.

But Aristine couldn't relax as she usually did.

She was wide awake.

Tarkan, who had approached, lifted Aristine's chin.

“Tarkan?”

Ignoring her call, he turned her head left and right, checking for any injuries.

Seeing his serious and attentive expression, Aristine felt her frozen heart slowly thaw.

Even though he had blocked the blade before it could touch her, she wondered why he was so anxious.

Noticing her gaze, Tarkan lifted his eyes from examining her cheek.

Their eyes met.

They were close.

Tarkan flinched and released Aristine's chin.

He couldn't meet her eyes and turned his head.

Regret came too late.

He had lost control of himself in the surge of anger.

Tarkan knew his aura was not just intimidating but oppressive.

He thought Aristine, like others, would fear and respect him.

Shaking with fear, avoiding him, or looking up at him with awe.

Neither of these appealed to him.

Aristine was a headstrong woman.

From the first time they met, she had wide eyes and blurted out strange things.

Strangely, he didn't dislike this.

If she were to change. At that moment.

A soft and warm touch reached his rough and calloused fingertips.

Tarkan looked at Aristine in surprise, as if he had been burned.

She was smiling.

“Thank you, Tarkan.”

Saying this.

Tarkan opened his mouth.

But no sound came out.

Instead, he frowned and turned his gaze.

It was hot, as it was summer.

He remained silent, feeling the warmth on his fingertips.

A long and short moment passed, and the hand that had touched him suddenly pulled away.

Tarkan's fingers twitched, missing the warmth.

“Still, you're a reliable partner. We almost had a big problem.”

Aristine smiled.

This was the condition she had set when they first formed an alliance.

To protect her from danger.

Tarkan felt something was off.

He hadn't moved because of that.

When protecting Aristine, thoughts of contracts, conditions, demands, or political alliances didn't cross his mind.

Just—

“But, Tarkan.”

Aristine looked at him seriously, her smile gone.

“You knew Brodie had a scalpel, didn't you?”

Her eyes were filled with certainty.

“...Yes.”

Tarkan nodded slowly.

Aristine tilted her head.

She couldn't understand why he hadn't told her.

We almost had a big problem.

If he had known about the scalpel, he wouldn't have been so unprepared.

If Tarkan hadn't been there—

If he had appeared but been a little late—

“Why didn't you tell me? It doesn't seem like something you wouldn't mention if you weren't sure.”

Tarkan was silent for a moment.

“If I had told you, you would have been careful.”

“What?”

It was an even more incomprehensible answer.

“...You lived in confinement.”

Tarkan's golden eyes slowly examined Aristine's face.

“Your movements were restricted, and your living space was limited.”

She had lived in a cramped room for over a decade.

“That...”

Aristine stopped speaking and closed her mouth. Her voice wouldn't come out.

She understood what Tarkan was saying.

It felt as if a gust of wind was blowing through her chest. It was hot, cold, and perhaps warm.

Their eyes met in the air.

Aristine didn't know what expression she was making.

But seeing her face, Tarkan couldn't stop his hand from reaching out to her.

Tarkan's large hand cupped her small face.

“No one, nothing here will restrict your actions or freedom.”

His black hair cascaded over her.

Under that shadow, Tarkan's sun-like eyes shone down on Aristine.

“I can't let them.”

Because I will make it so.

It was a voice filled with resolve, too strong to be just a promise.

Even if an assassin came to take her life, he would give her freedom.

To move as she wished, to do as she pleased.

To enjoy the ordinary life she had never had.

He didn't want to limit her movements and confine her to a safe room for her protection.

“You don't need to be careful for the rest of your life.”

“Won't that make it harder for you?”

At this, Tarkan's lips curled into a lopsided smile.

It was a savage and wild grin.

Aristine's lips slowly curved upward as well.

It was an unnecessary question.

No matter what Aristine did or where she went, Tarkan could protect her.

The more she was careful, the more he would protect her.

“It's strange.”

Aristine murmured.

“I'm not worried at all.”

Tarkan took a small breath, seeing her slightly frowning smile.

Aristine smiled at him.

Who would hurt me, stab me with a knife, or cause something like today to happen? I'm not afraid to be alone in a room or to walk around outside.

None of these thoughts crossed her mind.

Even though she had been so shaken just a moment ago.

“Because you will protect me.”

It felt different from when she had asked him to protect her before.

She felt reassured deep in her heart.

Warmth began to flow through her pale limbs, and color returned to her cheeks.

Tarkan's hand, which had been cupping her cheeks, slid down to her neck.

“Yes.”

“Like today?”

“Like today.”

Aristine smiled.

“I chose a good partner.”

“Didn't you say I was a lot of work and a pain? That I was stubborn, childish, and shy?”

And that he was a pervert.

Tarkan couldn't bring himself to say that last part.

Aristine's eyes widened.

“Did you remember all that?”

Tarkan's expression soured.

“You have a long memory, don't you?”

“Hey.”

At the low call, Aristine chuckled.

“Not that I was complaining just to hear compliments. I said you were a good partner, didn't I?”

Aristine placed her hand on top of Tarkan's, which was holding her shoulder.

“Surely you weren't complaining just to hear compliments?”

Glancing at Tarkan, he frowned in displeasure.

“Fine. I'll stop talking.”

Tarkan turned his head sharply, but his hand didn't let go of her.

Aristine chuckled at his sulky face.

“I'll trust you and rely on you, my praiseworthy partner.”

Chapter 21. His Taste

Aristine looked down at Rosaline, her chin in her hand.

Rosaline knelt before her like a well-trained, obedient dog.

“What do you think, Your Highness? Of my skills.”

Her deep green eyes sparkled, hoping for a reward.

“I hunted down the maid as you wished, Your Highness.”

Brodie, a maid who had dared to harm her mistress, was imprisoned for her crime.

Though it could be summed up in one sentence, a lot had happened.

Brodie had become a heinous traitor who sought to disrupt the peace of the continent, and was condemned not only in Ailugo but also in Silvanus.

‘The common people don’t know that the emperor was planning to start another war.’

The people of Silvanus also desired peace.

Naturally, the emperor had abandoned Brodie.

‘Of course, he must have been furious, but in a different way.’

He had ordered Brodie to monitor Aristine until the military preparations were complete, and then to kill her to spark a war.

For Brodie to cause a scandal instead was infuriating for the emperor.

Thinking of the emperor raging and rampaging made her feel a bit better.

‘But will Brodie’s family remain silent? They will surely expose the truth.’

With the entire family branded as traitors, the emperor would have to reveal that he wanted a war and planned to have his daughter killed.

‘Ah, but they can’t expose it now.’

There was a reason for choosing a humble family's daughter.

‘The other maids' families must have kept quiet as well.’

With no one to protect Brodie, all the newspapers gleefully reported on her heinous and cruel attempt to harm Aristine.

The final reports always ended with the claim that she failed to harm the sacred and pure princess.

And somehow, Tarkan's rescue of Aristine was packaged as a grand romance and widely spread.

Already, paintings and plays based on this story were being produced.

‘People are really amazing.’

Aristine thought as she looked at Rosaline.

“So, this is your achievement?”

“Brodie was personally appointed by His Majesty, so I couldn’t just have her step down from her position as a maid.”

Rosaline's red lips curled up confidently.

“This way, I could clearly tear her down.”

In other words, she wanted praise for her role in bringing down Brodie.

Aristine smiled.

‘Ah, so you told Brodie about the scalpel.’

Forget being a wife, I just want to make money.