If You Conquer Me - Chapter 7
“What?”
“Think about it. If the identity of the mistress I’ve been keeping all along turns out to be the direct heir of Ascanior, whom they thought I had killed…”
“…?”
“How do you think the Yerhalt imperial family would feel when your identity is revealed?”
“….”
There was an overwhelming hostility in his words, a kind of madness. Ophelia felt an unsettling sense of dissonance.
It was as if, by revealing her identity, this man’s only goal was to drive the imperial family into despair.
A moment later, Hugo’s expression changed, as if putting on a mask. The sharp tension that had filled the room vanished, replaced by an almost ordinary calmness. His expression shifted so quickly that Ophelia found herself questioning whether she had just imagined it.
Did I just see that correctly?
Ophelia, standing right in front of him, was left bewildered.
Hugo spoke in a calm tone.
“If you become my mistress and prove useful… I’ll grant you freedom.”
“…?”
“Princess, it would be wise to accept my offer.”
Hugo leisurely raised his index finger, which pointed directly at Ophelia’s neck, sharp as a blade.
“I don’t think I’d enjoy being the one to take your head, you see.”
I’ll give you only a day to think it over. With that, Hugo gestured toward a packet of medicine placed on the nightstand.
“This is medicine the doctor prescribed. He said you should take it once you wake up.”
“Medicine?”
Ophelia’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. If there was some trick hidden in the medicine…
As she eyed the packet warily, Hugo clicked his tongue in annoyance.
“If I wanted you dead, I would have killed you right from the start. Don’t be so stubborn. Just take it.”
With that, Hugo made his way toward the door. Before leaving, he paused and turned back to face her.
“And, princess…”
“What is it?”
Ophelia glared sharply at him. Meeting her gaze, Hugo smirked, as if amused.
“Pretending not to be scared isn’t about just putting on a brave face.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Sure, looking fierce has its charm, but…”
Hugo’s gaze shifted toward the blanket that Ophelia had tightly gripped with trembling hands. He then spoke quietly, almost as if to himself.
“I wonder what you’ll do with those hands, trembling so helplessly.”
Ophelia’s face flushed with embarrassment. Hugo’s red eyes slowly scanned her from head to toe.
“Well, then, rest up.”
With a click, the door closed behind him. Immediately, the tension in her body released.
“Haah…”
Ophelia let out a long sigh. She wanted to collapse and fall asleep right there. But she couldn’t. There was still something she had to do.
I need to contact my allies, and Christian.
The name Christian brought a sharp blow in her stomach, like swallowing shards of glass. When she thought about the sacrifices he made to stay by her side…
“Why on earth are you so obsessed with that lowly princess?”
When the royal palace fell, Marquis Toledo, the queen’s most trusted loyalist, tried to escape the palace. At that time, the Marquis had asked his son to accompany him, but Christian had refused the order and stayed by Ophelia’s side.
Had Christian not been there, Ophelia would likely have been captured by Yerhalt and executed.
Afterward, Christian, alongside Ophelia, gathered allies for their cause of independence. The Ascanior children—Ophelia and Christian at the core—formed a group aimed at the restoration and independence of Ascanior. Though it had only recently been established, their desire for independence was sincere.
It was during this time that Ophelia heard rumors that Brand Duke Morgana enjoyed the entertainment of gladiator slaves.
“I’ll infiltrate.”
“Princess, that’s nonsense.”
“You know, Christian, that I’m the most suitable for this mission.”
At her words, Christian’s face contorted with distress. She was right. Ophelia had been so neglected by the royal family that she had been banned from external activities, which, in hindsight, worked in her favor. Among the high ranks of Ascanior, few had ever seen Ophelia in person.
Ophelia gave a bitter smile as she picked up the lamp from the table. Moving towards the window, she lifted the lampshade and signaled.
