If You Conquer Me - Chapter 3
Meanwhile, the surroundings became a chaotic frenzy, as if a beehive had been disturbed.
“The, the princess?”
“Could it be, the one who survived alone…!”
“What are you all doing? Someone, grab that woman!”
The nobles pointed and yelled, their faces flushed with anger. The knights rushed toward the woman with a terrifying intensity. At the same time, the woman felt the strength in the hand gripping her hair suddenly falter.
Thud! She collapsed to the ground, her body heavy as though weighed down by lead, having only barely managed to stand thanks to Hugo’s rough grip.
And then.
Schlick!
Hugo nonchalantly sliced the neck of one of the nobles seated beside him. The noble’s eyes went wide as he instinctively reached for his neck, feeling the cold sensation of blood trickling down.
“Uh…?”
At the same time, a thin red line appeared across the noble’s throat, and his severed head slid off, falling to the floor like a filthy rag doll.
The blood gushed from the severed neck, staining the luxurious carpet beneath them.
“Grand, Grand Duke?”
“What is…?”
The nobles looked on in horror, their eyes filled with shock at the sudden attack. Hugo, who was calmly observing the trembling corpse of the noble, slowly raised his gaze. His expression remained as indifferent as ever, as if he hadn’t just casually severed a man’s head.
Ignoring the nobles’ reaction, Hugo lazily swung his sword again. Yet this time, the motion held real danger.
“Ahh!”
“Please, spare me…!”
The blade, shining white, was like the fangs of a wild beast. Severed limbs flew through the air, and blood rained down like a downpour, staining the banquet hall. Hugo walked through the chaos as if he was taking a leisurely stroll, and with every step, a scream, like the pop of a firecracker, echoed through the room.
The woman watched the absurd scene, stunned.
He’s… killing people.
The beautiful demon, massacring with the most bored expression.
She had heard the rumors—the sharpest sword of Yerhalt, and the descendant of the Great Demon, Hugo Estor del Morgana. It was said that he considered human life lighter than paper.
I thought it was just an exaggerated rumor…
She couldn’t comprehend it. Or maybe it had never been possible to understand from the start.
How could a human ever understand a demon?
More than that.
I tried to assassinate such a monster.
It had been impossible from the very beginning…
The woman was overwhelmed by a deep sense of powerlessness. A hollow laugh slipped through her lips.
“Ha, haha, hahahaha…”
For a moment, she chuckled, before losing consciousness entirely.
* * *
Caw… caw…
Crows circled in the blue sky above.
Ophelia lowered her head to look at the scene before her, watching them blankly.
On the city walls hung the heads of her mother, father, and her siblings.
The tangled silver hair swayed eerily, and the green eyes, still unable to close, blankly stared into the air. Among them, her father, who was the only one with black hair, stood out.
“…Mother.”
Ophelia whispered softly. Grief, sorrow, emptiness—all these emotions mixed together, filling her chest. Life in Ascanior had not been very happy. After all, Ophelia had never been loved by her family, not once.
The royal family of Ascanior was known for their noble silver hair, green eyes, and divine power. Royals were born with at least one of these traits.
Among them, those with divine power were especially revered. They may not perform grand miracles like the ancient saint who could turn a barren field into a lush green meadow, but even the smallest miracles, like making flowers bloom on withered branches, were within their abilities.
However, as the generations passed, the number of royals with divine power steadily decreased. It was no wonder the kingdom was on the decline. The queen had hoped for Ophelia, her youngest daughter, to be born with great divine power, but…
“…The princess has no divine power.”
The priest had stated it bluntly. Ophelia didn’t even have the silver hair or the green eyes that were characteristic of the royal family. The queen’s hope swiftly turned to disgust.
And so, Ophelia never had a single memory of being recognized as her mother’s daughter.
