Please Kill Me - Chapter 161
“You saved Leonid, and he knows you tried to conceal that fact through me. Now, he is desperately searching for you.”
“You must be in quite a difficult position yourself, Your Highness.”
Yuri forced a bitter smile at Yekaterina’s words.
“Thanks to this, I almost lost a friend.”
“And yet, you still want to help him.”
“I can’t genuinely afford to lose him.”
Yuri’s voice carried a hint of sadness.
“I’m utterly fed up with losing things. That thought struck me when I lost a loved one, someone who was like family.”
I can’t live like this anymore. If I remain in this state, I will continuously lose until I die.
“I’ve heard that’s what they teach in Offenbach: Losing is a consequence of being weak.”
“Exactly.”
Everything in Offenbach is governed by power. At least within Offenbach, it was a fundamental principle that the weak are exploited.
“Others might have different views, but I agree with that notion. If you don’t want to lose, you need strength. That’s why I threw my hat into the ring for the throne. I refuse to live and die like an ant; I need to acquire power by any means.”
Yuri belonged to the Oleg family, a relatively modest noble family. Considering that the sister, Marina, married Duke Rostislav, and the other sister, Larisa, became the Queen, these were notable achievements in their family’s history.
He was a prince who had grown up in such a family, much like a country boy.
What power could he possibly possess?
“No one expected me to become Emperor. Leonid is the one who led me here solely with the purpose of saving me.”
Thus, Yuri felt he had to repay that debt. Just as Leonid had risked everything to protect him, Yuri must do whatever it takes to protect him in return.
“So, I trust you will understand my choice.”
Did that statement carry a deeper meaning, or was it just a feeling?
“…Yes.”
Yekaterina shook off the sudden unease and nodded lightly. She understood well how determined Yuri was to protect Leonid.
Even if Yuri viewed her unfavorably or was eager to separate her from Leonid, Yekaterina could empathize with him.
She would have immediately drawn the dagger from her thigh if she believed Yuri posed a threat to Leonid. Considering Offenbach’s principle of eliminating anything harmful, Yuri’s approach was surprisingly mild.
“Thank you for the information. I’ll try to stay out of sight.”
“Will you be okay?”
“Probably. If I explain the situation to Dmitry, he’ll help me…”
After all, Yekaterina’s decision to avoid Leonid stemmed from her promise to Dmitry. Even though their relationship was not great at the moment, she didn’t think Dmitry would refuse to help her if it meant staying away from Leonid.
‘I’ve changed into clean clothes.’
She needed to return before Dmitry became suspicious for no reason.
Just as she thought this, Yekaterina opened the partition.
“Dmitry Offenbach is helping you hide from me?”
A familiar face appeared before her, along with a familiar tone and voice.
Yekaterina found herself frozen in place without realizing it.
“….Leonid?”
Why are you here? The question remained unvoiced.
Her eyes, locked in shock, could only pierce through to the figure in front of her.
The golden hair and golden eyes belonged to the most radiant man she knew.
He looked a bit more gaunt than Yekaterina remembered. His gaze, fixed intently on her, was as sharp as a bird of prey, and the hollowness of his eyes cast deep shadows across his features.
Everything about him felt unfamiliar to Yekaterina.
The Leonid she knew was not someone who exuded such a fierce and menacing presence.
‘Rather…’
It was hard to believe that this was the same Leonid who had once traversed the battlefield with such ease, the lord of Rostislav, who would get covered in monster blood every spring. He seemed so composed and human.
Human. It was a slightly ridiculous assessment, but it felt true.
If he wasn’t a human being, then who else could be described with such a term? He would often joke, get irritated, and display an embarrassed expression over trivial matters.
Leonid certainly had a side to him that would freeze up like icicles in the snow but would pick a flower the moment spring arrived.
Yet the man before her seemed far from that version.
How could she find such simplicity in that fierce face?
His gaunt, sharp features and tightly closed lips felt strangely unfamiliar.
The only thing she recognized was the golden hue of his hair.
This realization left Yekaterina somewhat stunned.
The gap between the man before her and her memories of Leonid felt like a reprimand for her lies.
‘Why on earth…’
Why was Leonid here? The answer was not difficult to grasp.
