XXXVIII ※ Regret, Sarcasm, and the Dangers of Impulsive Actions: A Royal Mess

Daisuke's Point of View

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I watched her leave, silently, my eyes following her every movement. There was something about the way she walked that caught my attention—awkward, as if trying to keep her right side from straining, but there was also an underlying confidence in her every step. It was strange, that mixture of discomfort and determination, almost like she was walking through something far heavier than just physical pain. I couldn't help but feel a pang of regret as I stood there, watching her go. I had acted too rashly—no, that wasn't it. I had acted on impulse, on a gut reaction when I saw Elodie sprawled on the ground, and now that I had a moment to think, I realized just how foolish it had been. I shouldn't have thrown her against the wall with that much force. Especially not when she had only just barely recovered from everything that had happened earlier.

But damn it, what was I supposed to think in that moment? I saw Elodie in a heap on the ground, looking like she had been through hell, and I reacted. I didn't stop to think about the consequences, or about what had really transpired. But now, standing there, I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd made a mistake. But what else could I have done?

From where I stood, everything seemed so clear. Eileithya had done something to Elodie—of that, I was certain. I could see it in Elodie's eyes. Her fear. It was evident, even if she tried to hide it behind that façade of strength she always wore. There was no denying the terror that had been lurking behind her gaze. And if Elodie was that scared of her, there had to be a reason, a real one. Something more than just the stories of her cursed eyes. After all, if that were the only thing to be scared of, Elodie wouldn't have been acting so shaken now. She had been around that girl enough, spent enough time in close quarters with her—she should have gotten used to her presence by now. She was at the D'Arcy manor with Rai so often, wasn't she? So why the fear? It couldn't just be because of Eileithya's reputation. Something had happened between them—something that terrified Elodie to her very core.

I shook my head, trying to clear the storm of thoughts racing through my mind. There was no way I could convince myself otherwise. Eileithya had done something—something that had left Elodie scared. But what exactly? I had to figure it out. But then, there was that one comment she made before leaving. What the hell did she mean by that?

Did Elodie like girls too? The thought sent a strange sensation through my chest. Did that mean she had been forced into the trials unwillingly? Was that the reason she had been pushed into this mess? But then again, what about me? She always seemed so fond of me—at least, I thought so. Maybe I had misunderstood her. Could it be that I was completely mistaken about her feelings toward me? The idea twisted something inside me, something I wasn't sure I wanted to face. The very possibility made my stomach churn.

I exhaled slowly, trying to shake off the unease. I needed to focus, to think clearly. I glanced over at one of my guards, who had been standing nearby, patiently awaiting some kind of instruction. He was clearly uncertain, not wanting to make a move until I gave him some sort of guidance. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and almost hesitant. "Do you want us to deal with that cursed woman in secret, your royal highness?" he asked, barely above a whisper. I turned my gaze toward him, my lips curling into a smirk.

"Do you want to be executed by my mother?" I asked, my voice smooth and mocking. The guard's face drained of color almost instantly, and I couldn't help but enjoy the reaction. He stood frozen, panic creeping into his features. "Then you have your answer," I added, my tone colder than I intended. "But if you're looking for a way out of this hellhole and feel like taking a suicide mission, feel free to go ahead and murder her. I'll make sure your death is swift and painless."

My words were calm, almost too calm, and the guard's anxiety only seemed to grow. His eyes flickered nervously as he took a step back, bowing low, clearly not wanting to push his luck any further. Without saying another word, he turned and quickly retreated, leaving me standing there alone with my thoughts. I rolled my eyes, irritated, but didn't let it linger for long. I had more important things to focus on.

I turned away and started heading toward the personal training grounds, hoping to find some answers or at least some clarity. My aide had said the boys were there, but what I found upon arriving was far from what I had expected. The scene before me was a mess—daggers, arrows, swords scattered across the field like some kind of battlefield. There were more people than I had imagined. Eileithya's brothers, my boys, and Rebekka, one of the girls in the trials, all standing in the middle of the chaos. The sheer number of them, coupled with the disarray, made my irritation grow.

I stopped in my tracks and surveyed the scene, my eyes narrowing. I needed to get to the bottom of what was going on. "Why are you all here?" I demanded, my voice sharp and commanding. The group seemed to startle at my presence, like they hadn't expected me to show up. "What happened here?" I pressed, trying to understand what had led to this mess.

Aeneas muttered a curse under his breath, his voice low but unmistakable. "Nsomi happened!" he grumbled, as if that explained everything. Of course. It was just like him to blame the situation on someone else. I could hardly believe it.

"And why were all of you here?" I continued, growing more annoyed by the second. "I thought my mother only punished the boys by making them stay near her. Did she punish you three as well, and not even tell me?" My words were laced with genuine curiosity, but the way Rebekka reacted caught me completely off guard. To my surprise, she actually had the audacity to grin at me, as if mocking my question.

"I'm sorry, your royal highness," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "But I have my reasons for appreciating Thya's presence. That poor girl deserves at least one person who doesn't want to see her dead in this godforsaken place. She's stuck here for another eleven months, after all!"

Her words struck me like a slap to the face. There was a fire in her tone, a defiance that was unexpected. "You all may be men, and of higher status than me," she continued, her eyes glaring at me with righteous anger, "but it seems like you're all blinded by grief, to the point where you'd rather blame an innocent girl who's been hunted since she was three fucking years old!"

For a moment, I stood there in stunned silence. Her words hit harder than I was ready for, and I could feel the tension in the air thickening. I had expected resistance, sure, but not like this—not this kind of raw, unfiltered truth. But before I could say anything, Rebekka seemed to realize just how far she had pushed things. Her face turned beet red in embarrassment, and she hastily turned on her heel, running off as fast as her legs could carry her. She disappeared from our view, leaving the rest of us stunned into silence.

I stood there for a moment, still processing what had just happened. She had just launched a verbal assault on us, and yet I couldn't deny there was truth in what she said. We had been too quick to judge, too caught up in our own grief to see the bigger picture. But that didn't make her right—did it?

And yet, as I stood there, watching her retreating figure disappear, I couldn't shake the growing sense that everything was slipping further out of control. I had no idea how much worse things were going to get, but I could feel it in my bones. There was far more going on than I realized, and I was running out of time to figure it out. I just hoped I wouldn't regret these decisions when it all inevitably came crashing down.