'Dylan thanked me for the first time.'
Charlize felt something like a thrill. Definitely. She felt like all her efforts have paid off.
Seeing the 7th concubine recognize her as a teacher, the prince's attitude has become more evident.
It was Dylan who never broke down the walls of his heart. It's more than that way.
"Master…"
Dylan took a breath for a moment.
"I am puzzled."
It was an unexpected sound. Charlize tried not to panic.
"What is it, Prince?"
"More than Master looking at me, I'm looking at you more puzzled."
What does it mean?
Charlize doesn't enjoy riddles. She didn't like the feeling that she didn't know.
The process of agonizing and brainwashing in front of the riddle was particularly difficult.
Charlize could not pass Dylan's words as lightly, as in everyday life.
It was the first time Dylan spoke of his thoughts for her. There must be an intention.
"…If you have any questions, you can ask me anytime."
Charlize answered calmly.
However, this didn't seem like a good choice.
Like sleep talking in one's sleep. And like a casual, self-contradictory remark. Was it a word that he said in a moment of impulse?
Dylan shut his mouth with an expression of "Oops". The flow was cut off.
'What were you thinking about, Dylan?'
Knowing his strong vigilance, Charlize couldn't get any closer.
She just guessed it was an unusual idea. Judging from Dylan's genius, it may be a pretty dangerous idea.
Charlize looked at Dylan for a moment. Still, he's building a wall.
"Is it okay if I just decide one misunderstanding for the prince?"
She can say this much.
"I didn't look at the prince with a puzzled look. I'm just waiting."
"You're waiting…"
Dylan followed the end. He'll be fine because that's the first question he started.
Charlize lowered her voice and whispered.
"Yes, the moment I got my hands on the white drawing paper."
In Charlize's eyes, Dylan was like a man of pure white drawing paper.
Such a sweet analogy to the man who will be the dangerous tyrant of the future. It tickles like a bird's feather.
If you paint it black, it will be black, and if you paint it with red, it will be red. It's like drawing paper.
"…"
Dylan looked at Charlize with that 'suspicious' eye. Charlize laughed. He doesn't ask questions anyway.
There was no need to add an explanation.
Without revealing each other's innermost thoughts, the conversation ended equally.
***
That night Charlize had a nightmare. It was a strange thing. She usually doesn't dream.
'Save me!'
She screamed all over the place.
In the dream, Charlize was Keira.
The Emperor who holds Keira is unstoppable. Without a mercy on his hands, he brutally swings a sword.
Someone's blood, flesh, skin, and tears in my body. It was dying.
Blame myself? Never.
No. …Is it really not?
"The sword has eaten people."
"If it hadn't been for that, innocent people wouldn't have died so vainly."
No matter how much she says it, it's no use.
No one but the emperor can hear the sword's language. The emperors laughed happily at the words of praise and hatred of the sword.
At that moment, Keira felt dizzy. She denied the torrent of words from all quarters.
She wanted to close her ears, but she had no ears and no hands. It was terrible at the moment. She got goosebumps all over her body. She had no choice.
Someone, no, the Emperor just swings herself. Again and again.
People are dying again. She was 'killing' them, but it wasn't her will. It was an offer.
Does it make sense? It makes sense. The empire really made a woman to be a sword. She couldn't believe it. She was dazed. She kept thinking.
-Does anyone understand? How are you going to describe this pain? Do you think you'll understand if I tell you?
-Can you imagine it? I'm glad you don't think I'm crazy. Can you understand what I've been through?
-No, you don't know this hell unless you went through it yourself. Nobody. Never.
-I'm the only one who remembers the time I've come back. Don't forget. What the Empire did to me. Only that memory keeps me going.
-The moment I forget, I lose my reason. Why did I run so hard? What is the reason why it burned like this?
-I'm not going to be eaten up by a sense of skepticism.
"The sword."
"Cursed sword."
"It must be a sword with a devil in it."
"The ugly sword."
"The sword of flesh."
I didn't wanted to kill you. I didn't wanted to kill you!
"Hyuk, ha, ha, ha…"
Charlize jumped up in surprise.
Her heart beat like it was going to burst. The beating sound seemed to spread vividly in her ears.
Breathing out, she managed to control her trembling body. Her whole body shaking and trembling weakly.
She was quite absent-minded.
'I've had nightmares.'
She was human. She's not a sword anymore. Charlize felt something hot running down her cheeks.
What is it?
Her palm is buried on her cheek in bewilderment. The water is dripping a lot.
'Tears?'
Am I crying?
"Why…"
What are these tears?
Charlize had no idea it would be so difficult to realize her feelings.
She doesn't know how to explain it, because it's so unfamiliar.
Is it because of the lingering nightmares? Is it anger? Is it angry or something? Or was I sad?
Did I feel sorry for losing my humanity and becoming a monster for revenge again?
There is no reason to cry. No, to be exact, she doesn't have time to indulge in sentiment so leisurely as to shed water in her eyes.
It was dawn when she raised her head. The building was chillingly quiet.
The palace of the 13th Prince, where few people work. This place was neither the Grand Family nor the battlefield nor the Emperor's side.
It made her strangely calm to think that Dylan's bedroom was not far from here.
Her trembling fingertips gradually subsided. Strangely enough.
"I wondered…"
She muttered casually to herself.
She thought about it all day, but she couldn't figure out what it meant. Charlize turned her head.
The window is closed.
A few days ago, she remembered Dylan playing the piano and herself singing "Secret Hello". It happened only a few days ago, but it seems like she went through it a long time ago.
Tears dripped down. The blanket is getting wet slowly. Charlize looked at the sword on the wall.
'I want to swing around.'
It was a sudden impulse. she certainly woke up from her sleep anyway. Tears still flow.
Under this state of emotion, people who have tried to sleep will suffer from nightmares again.
In her experience, when she was having a hard time, she had to move her body. People lose their thoughts when they use their bodies.
'Let's empty my head.'
Charlize stood up recklessly.
It's still early in the morning. The moon rose brilliantly in the night sky.
For the first time since becomes Dylan's master, she has been out dressed in a knight's uniform, not a dress. She arrived soon at the drill hall.
And.
The genius of the century began to wield the sword. Charlize was frantically immersed until the morning sun came up. She even forgot the passing of time.
She felt like she was pouring energy into the air, so she emptied everything out. She shook it off.
'Emotions are luxury.'
Everything had to go according to plan. The sword obeyed Charlize simply as if he were serving her. It moved as easily as if it were her body.
Just as a person raises her arm without thinking, swinging a sword was just a swing.
As naturally as water flows. Breathing comfortably. It was very easy and simple.
She lived as a sword and reigned on top of all swords. Human beings were in an unreachable state.
The intense feelings was eaten by the sword.
The fire is usually red, but the very hot fire is blue. It was Charlize's black blue blazing sword.
It wasn't long before she found her cool.
"…"
Charlize lowered the sword diagonally. And calmly put it in the sword behind her back.
***
She skipped breakfast and took a bath. What she can do until she have a nightmare?
Just when she's awake. She need to be sober.
Charlize washed her body and even her emotions.
Today is the day of the fencing class. As usual, the class was easy. Neither of them has shown their skills yet.
Toward the 15th day, Dylan practiced only the basic posture of hitting a straw doll with a wooden sword.
"Excuse me, my lady…"
It was Mary's voice.
It was during class, so the maid was very careful while talking to her.
Charlize looked at Mary.
"What's going on?"
"Not at all, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you at all…. You've got a guest, and he's looking for the Prince."
'A guest?'
"The 9th Prince. He's waiting in the parlor on the first floor right now."
The 9th prince. It is really unexpected. She understood that Mary was wary once.
An uninvited guest, but a visit from the royal family. It was in class, so it would have been difficult to tell him to keep waiting.
Charlize thought for a moment and said to Dylan.
"I'll have to end today's class."
"Yes, Master."
As she went with Dylan to the drawing room where the 9th prince had been taken, Charlize asked Mary.
"Mary, do you happen to know why the 9th Prince came?"
"I'm not sure. But, uh, the prince wanted to see my lady, too…"
"Me too?"
When Charlize was surprised by an unexpected remark, Marry was sorry and nodded her head.
What's wrong with Ronan?
There was only one point.
Charlize recalled before returning. The 9th prince seemed to have lived quite a long time, but the reason was probably because he was useless.
She guess it wasn't even a checklist.
But if there was one thing about the 9th prince that she remember, she could tell that he was a womanizer.
Waiting in the drawing room, the 9th prince was enjoying the warm refreshment.
In the meantime, Dylan, who changed his clothes, entered the drawing room first. Charlize followed in.
"Did you say it was Ronan's disgrace?"
The 9th prince asked Charlize out of the blue, apparently ignoring Dylan.
His pupils, glancing through Charlize outward appearance, were momentarily dilated by the incredible appearance.
"What? So she lived here."
Soon he came to his senses and smiled unpleasantly as he glanced over Charlize.
"I'd be glad if you didn't drag it along saying it was scary, let alone holding the sword. Did you get the knighthood with your face?"