TMLOP 14

Chapter 14

Someone Will Die

Senelia assumed that the second part would be Cliftaud’s main point.

“Get close to Lucalina Elian.”

Cliftaud replied as if he had been waiting for this moment.

That was something even Senelia hadn’t expected.

“…Excuse me?”

She reflexively questioned the incomprehensible statement.

But, as always, Cliftaud calmly issued his order.

“Get close to Lucalina Elian and monitor Elian from her side.”

A strange smile curved Cliftaud’s lips.

A chill ran down Senelia’s spine.

“Is that… all?”

She instinctively sensed that there was something more than just surveillance.

Her voice trembled, though she wasn’t even aware of it.

“Of course not.”

Only Cliftaud remained composed.

A terrible premonition overcame Senelia.

She pressed her trembling lips together.

The wound on her lip must have reopened—she could taste the metallic tang of blood.

Cliftaud always issued orders beyond what she could imagine.

Senelia was too afraid to even ask what he would say next.

Naturally, Cliftaud disregarded her reaction and continued speaking.

“If you see any sign of Elian colluding with Benerucia, kill Lucalina Elian.”

Stagger.

Senelia’s body faltered.

Thud.

She collapsed to the ground.

She didn’t even think to pretend she was okay in front of Cliftaud.

“You want me to… I mean, you’re telling me to…”

Senelia stammered like someone who only knew one phrase.

Gag.

She hastily covered her mouth, suppressing the nausea rising from within her.

She couldn’t believe what Cliftaud had just ordered her to do.

Just the thought turned her stomach.

Her head spun.

“Tsk. How pathetic.”

Cliftaud clicked his tongue without hiding his disdain.

To Senelia, that treatment felt unfair.

Unless one was a knight, when would someone in a lawful country ever get blood on their hands?

Even for someone else, killing was unimaginable.

Let alone for her—a person from a peaceful, modern world in her previous life.

There was no way she could easily accept Cliftaud’s command.

“Can’t do it?”

Cliftaud stared down at her.

He wore a peaceful expression, despite just commanding someone’s death.

“Then would you prefer to die?”

He chuckled.

Cliftaud looked down on her, mocked her, and watched her reaction with amusement.

She couldn’t kill for someone else, but neither could she sacrifice herself for another.

Such ordinary, fragile weakness.

“Don’t worry. I know a noble lady like you wouldn’t be able to kill Lucalina Elian so easily.”

Thud.

He threw something in front of her.

Tilting her stiff, unmoving head, Senelia saw what looked like an ordinary ring.

“Twist the jewel, and a small blade will pop out. It’s coated in a deadly poison. It’s an imperial-only poison, completely undetectable.”

So what Cliftaud meant was—get close to Lucalina, gain her trust, then lightly scratch her with the ring’s hidden blade.

It was just like him, always treating people like tools.

The more he spoke, the more the life drained from Senelia’s face.

No, it wasn’t just her expression—Senelia herself was dying inside.

As she had been for the past eight years.

“If the marquis family finds out… I won’t survive… no, my whole family…”

She stammered.

But her face was already blank.

“She’ll waste away over the course of a year, as if from illness. So don’t worry. Unless, of course, you get caught.”

Cliftaud leaned down toward her.

When she couldn’t even lift the ring, he gently picked up her left hand and placed it on her finger.

“I’ll give you a position no one can dare question.”

Cliftaud’s face, standing where the light hit, glowed brilliantly.

He had the beauty befitting the main villain of the novel.

But to Senelia, he looked less like a god of beauty, and more like the god of death.

None of what he offered was what she wanted.

Death crept in, sinking deeper and deeper into her soul.

* * *

“You’re… sorry?”

Lucalina looked surprised at Benerucia’s sudden apology.

Understandable—after more than ten years apart, she was met not with joy, but a twisted expression and an apology.

“If this is about His Majesty sending me to the battlefield, that wasn’t your doing. You don’t need to apologize for it, Ben.”

Lucalina tried to comfort him.

But the more she did, the harder it was for Benerucia to raise his head.

At fifteen, Benerucia went off to war.

Six years later, Lucalina stood in opposition to the Emperor—and was eventually sent to the front lines.

As Benerucia’s war was nearing its end, they sent her away in preparation for his return.

And so, Lucalina ended up spending a total of 11 years on the battlefield.

How could he tell her now that “I’m sorry” really meant “I don’t love you”?

“I’m sorry, Luna… I’m so sorry. I think I should go for today. I’m truly sorry.”

In the end, Benerucia fled from the Elian marquis’ estate.

He simply couldn’t bear to stay there any longer.

When he returned to the ducal residence, his feet unconsciously led him to Senelia’s room.

Technically, it was no longer hers.

Guilt weighed on him—but he couldn’t bring himself to step away from the room.

“It’s just the same.”

Looking around, Benerucia muttered emptily.

Senelia had stayed by his side for a year, and spent another year sharing his nights.

She never stayed long at the ducal estate, like she knew her place.

And yet, she had spent a full six years in this one room.

Even though she was gone, the room hadn’t changed.

She had left behind nothing but the label of a shield—someone who blocked Benerucia’s marriage proposals and played the role of a lover.

‘It’s time to end this.’

‘Yes, Your Grace.’

This was their third breakup. But the first two had always been his doing.

Senelia had always accepted the partings.

The one who couldn’t handle them had always been Benerucia.

There was nothing particularly special about how they got back together each time.

He would send her an invitation to a party, asking her to attend as his partner—and she would agree, just as she did during their breakups.

But that wasn’t the reaction Benerucia had hoped for.

‘Why did I even ask Selly to break up the first time?’

Benerucia stared into space, trying to recall.

* * *

Ten years ago, Benerucia returned to the capital after a long war under Cliftaud’s orders.

But even after that, he often had to return to the battlefield.

Magical beasts appeared, and many coveted the vast lands of the Empire.

While in the capital, he was faithful to his lovers—but when away, he could think of nothing but his duties.

That was true for all his previous lovers before Senelia.

He believed he had given Senelia more consideration than anyone else.

‘If you need anything, speak to the head maid or the butler.’

Before departing for war, he never forgot to tell her that.

Of course, whenever they asked her if she needed anything, Senelia always said no.

Then, three years ago, there came a rare day when Senelia interrupted his war preparations.

“Your Grace, I have something to say.”

Benerucia remembered that moment well.

Looking back now, he thought perhaps he had hoped for something.

“What is it? Tell me, Selly.”

He turned to face her immediately.

They had been lovers for three years by then—had known each other for five.

In all that time, Senelia had never expressed a preference or a need.

So he was intensely curious about what she wanted to say.

If she asked him to stay instead of going to war… he might have even disobeyed the Emperor for once.

“I was thinking of visiting the viscount’s estate.”

Of course, that hope was mercilessly crushed. She never once asked him for anything.

“…Is that all?”

He asked, unable to hide his disappointment.

Senelia was not his wife—nor his possession.

She didn’t need to ask permission to go anywhere.

There was nothing for him to grant or deny.

“I think I’ll stay there a while. It’s been a long time since I last visited Daphne’s territory.”

Maybe, just maybe, Benerucia should have reprimanded himself for missing the brief hesitation in her voice.

“Then use the warp gate.”

“No, Your Grace. It’s fine.”

But he didn’t.