Sigrid Novel Chapter 92

Sigrid wondered why the Emperor tolerated such an insolent attitude.

It must an he was a very important figure. Moreover, he didn't seem to be a nobleman. Not a noble, but soone very important to the Emperor.

'A magician, perhaps.'

Sigrid observed him closely. The Emperor spoke:

"Even small pieces of information can reveal larger trends. Lady Ankertna, I apologize. This wasn't my intention."

"Not at all, Your Majesty."

As she bowed her head while kneeling, Adolf snorted even more loudly. It was clearly a sign of mockery.

"Adolf!"

The Emperor called him in a stern voice, and Adolf said:

"I apologize, Your Majesty. The air seems a bit stale in here. May I take my leave?"

"Go."

With permission to leave, Adolf bowed theatrically and left the room. Emperor Yuri clicked his tongue and looked down at Sigrid.

'She must clearly understand the effects of the poison now.'

She wouldn't dare think of betraying him.

It was almost amusing to see her prostrate herself even after such treatnt. She didn't even react to Adolf's blatant provocation.

'I've completely broken her spirit.'

Emperor Yuri smiled inwardly with satisfaction, but outwardly he spoke with concern:

"How are you feeling? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Your Majesty."

"Today was my oversight."

Sigrid didn't respond. It couldn't have been an oversight.

It must be to engrave the effects of the poison in her body. Even if that Adolf character had crossed a line, it was the Emperor who allowed that line to be crossed.

But she was used to pain.

'I've grown accustod to Your Majesty's torture specialists.'

Sigrid muttered inwardly.

"From now on, serve

with all your loyalty, Lady Ankertna. When trust is built, I'll give you the permanent antidote for that poison. And beco my right hand in the Imperial Guard, fighting for ."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I'm deeply honored."

Sigrid's response was concise.

That conciseness pleased the Emperor. He thought she was so afraid of him that she could barely answer.

"You may go now."

Sigrid bowed deeply and left the secret room.

"Ugh—"

Her eyes stung montarily. Perhaps she hadn't fully recovered yet.

She blinked several tis and started walking.

'Huh?'

As she walked, the maids who saw her turned pale, bowed their heads, and quickly passed by. As if they'd seen sothing frightening.

'Is there sothing on my face?'

She wiped her face, and sothing damp ca off.

"Ah."

She thought she had only coughed up blood, but it seems her nose had bled too.

'Where can I clean this up?'

Flustered, Sigrid wiped her face with her sleeve and quickly walked out of the palace towards the well. As she raised her head after washing her face several tis at the well, a handkerchief was offered to her.

Surprised, she turned to see Beramund.

"Beramund."

"Wipe... What happened to your face?"

"Ah, I must have been a bit tired."

Sigrid said, turning her head away.

"Does tiredness burst all the blood vessels in your eyes?"

He growled, and Sigrid covered her eyes in surprise. It must look worse than she thought.

She didn't want him to see her like this.

"I, I must have been very tired."

"Does tiredness make you cough up blood too?"

His voice hardened. He could see blood stains under her chin as well. Her sleeve was completely bloodstained.

"No, it's nothing."

Sigrid said desperately. She couldn't lie skillfully to him.

Nothing beyond simple denial.

When he reached out, Sigrid flinched. Beramund paused, then swiftly grabbed her wrist and pulled it down.

"Let

see your eyes."

"Bera—"

He cupped her cheeks and tilted her face up.

"Do your eyes hurt? Can you see well?"

"Yes, I'm fine. My vision is normal too. It just stings a little......"

'Heart, please be quiet—!'

Even in this situation, being close to him made her heart start pounding. She was too close to Beramund's face. Was he alright? Her heart felt like it would burst.

Sigrid reached out and pushed his chest away.

"You're, you're too close......."

Beramund allowed himself to be pushed back.

'Right, you don't like being close, or being touched.'

She might dislike it, but right now she can't refuse him. Because her friends are being held hostage.

A miserable yet selfish thought crossed his mind.

"Why? We're lovers, aren't we?"

Beramund smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist. Their upper bodies pressed together instantly, and Sigrid didn't know where to look.

Beramund's lips gently touched her forehead. Sigrid swallowed and tightly closed her eyes. She heard him chuckle softly.

Then, his hot and soft lips touched her eyelids, which were trembling like flower petals, then her cheekbones, and her cheeks, in order.

Sigrid parted her lips and breathed lightly. As if to soothe her, his hand slowly stroked her back.

"Siri."

His breath touched her lips. Sigrid wanted to open her eyes and see his face. But at the sa ti, she was afraid to open them.

When Beramund's lips brushed right next to hers, it was Sigrid who finally couldn't hold back.

"Beramund, wait—"

Sigrid tried to twist her body away, but Beramund didn't let her go.

"Do you dislike it that much?"

"No, that's not it."

"If you dislike it, just say so. I'll let you go then."

Surprised by his sarcastic tone, Sigrid opened her eyes. He seed to have a hurt expression for a mont. But it was only for an instant; when she blinked, he had his usual smile at the corner of his mouth.

"We're lovers, aren't we? We should do at least this much?"

"But, but, still. Wait, Beramund, let go of this."

Sigrid tried to pull away her waist and wrist that he was holding, but he wouldn't let go.

"Beramund—!"

"What?"

She looked up at him, exasperated.

In the past, she would have kicked him away or used her aura to push him off. But now she didn't want to do that.

"Sigrid?"

Hearing a voice from the other direction, Sigrid unknowingly turned around.

"Morris?"

Beramund's face instantly hardened. The sa was true for Morris. He strode over with his long legs and said:

"She's saying no, isn't she? Let her go."

"I don't want to."

"What the—"

Morris's voice cut off abruptly. He exploded, grabbing Beramund's collar and shoving him back in one motion.

"You son of a bitch—!"

Sigrid, pushed aside in the commotion, was surprised.

"Morris?"

"Did you make Sigrid's face look like that?"

"No, and we're lovers, so third parties should stay out of it, don't you think?"

Beramund said with an expressionless face. But Morris didn't back down.

"Then why does Siri's face look like that? And even if you're lovers, you can't force yourself on her. You horny bastard."

Surprised by Morris's uncharacteristic choice of words, Sigrid said, flustered:

"Morris, I'm fine."

"Fine? You were about to be forced by this bastard and you're fine?!"

"No, it's nothing. Okay?"

"Nothing?"

Morris turned to look at her, dumbfounded.

"It's nothing?"

Then a cold voice flowed from Beramund. He gripped Morris's wrist that was holding his collar.

"Let go and we'll talk."

"Kuh—"

A cracking sound made Morris frown slightly. As he forcibly removed Morris's wrist, Beramund had the childish and cruel thought of completely breaking it.

Since he was a master and the other wasn't, he could crush it until the wrist bone was visible.

But he looked at Sigrid and stopped.

Beramund released Morris's wrist as if shaking it off. As Morris tried to lunge at him again, Sigrid stepped between them to stop him.

"I'm really fine. Morris."

"If you say so."

Morris sighed and gently stroked her eyes. Beramund slapped that hand away.

"Beramund!"

As Sigrid turned to him, Beramund said to Morris:

"I need to finish talking with her, so why don't you leave?"

"It doesn't look like there's anything more to say."

Morris didn't back down. Sigrid spoke to him firmly.

"Morris, thank you, but I think I need to talk to Beramund for a mont. What about His Highness?"

"I was ordered to fetch water."

"Why didn't you ask a servant?"

"It's a good thing I ca. Who knows what this bastard would have done otherwise."

"No, it would have been fine."

When Sigrid said this, Morris said "Really?" and then added, "That's not what I saw," before running his hand through his short hair and saying:

"Alright. Talk. I'll wait. Over there at the corner. Is that okay? You're going back to His Highness after you finish talking anyway."

After thinking for a mont, Sigrid nodded, finding it a reasonable compromise. Morris glared threateningly at Beramund one last ti before striding away.

"You're close."

At Beramund's words, Sigrid turned to him and said:

"We're friends."

"Those damn friends."

"Beramund......?"

"What?"

"Did sothing bad happen?"

She carefully examined him. Co to think of it, the area under his eyes was dark, and his face looked rough. He seed to be in worse condition than usual.

"What about you?"

Beramund asked in return.

"Did nothing bad happen to you?"

"Not really......."

"Not really."

Muttering that answer under his breath, Beramund gently stroked her eyes and mouth with the back of his hand.

"You're cold."

"I just washed my face."

Even as she made excuses, she couldn't believe that her face was cold. It felt like every place he touched was burning up.

"It seems difficult to talk more today. Take care, Siri."

Beramund said with a slight smile. Sigrid felt a simultaneous desire to stay with him longer and relief that she wouldn't have to lie in front of him anymore. She raised her head and said:

"See you next ti."

"Next ti."

As she turned to leave, Sigrid glanced back at him once more, flashed a smile, and walked away almost skipping to join Morris. Watching them disappear around the corner, Beramund sighed and rubbed his face.

Damn it.

Even knowing she was full of lies, she was lovable. When she looked back and smiled, she was really cute. Even forcing a kiss was blissful.

He leaned against the well and fell into thought.

'All the blood vessels in her eyes had burst. There was blood on her chin too, but it didn't seem like she was injured externally. Her face was pale. Her body temperature was low too.......'

The conclusion was easily drawn.

'Poison.'

Beramund bit his lip.

He knew how the Emperor was controlling Sigrid. The lives of her friends, and her own life.

'Bastard.'

Imagining punching the Emperor's face, Beramund exhaled deeply.

There was a bitter taste in his mouth.

No matter how many tis he tried to confirm it, the result was the sa.

She definitely didn't like him.

If Beramund had been more composed, he could have observed Sigrid better and noticed other things, but he lacked that composure.

Beramund looked into the well and then stepped away.

He didn't want to trouble Sigrid, nor did he want to make her feel that way.

'And I don't want to make her die either.'

Beramund decided to dig deeper into the Emperor's background.

Morris glanced at Sigrid repeatedly as they walked. Sigrid asked:

"Let's stop by the kitchen to get water before we go. Why do you need water?"

"He suddenly wants to water the garden, but I think he's just trying to tornt ."