Chapter 140: Girl, This Is the Price! (54/140)

Midnight.

Willis groggily got up, pushing aside Ophelia’s arm and leg draped over her.

She took a sip of water.

Looking back at Ophelia’s sleeping form, Willis shook her head.

“She still needs some training~!”

She muttered, then wrapped herself in her robe and walked toward Becky’s room.

As she got closer, she could hear a faint humming.

It was the melody she’d sung during the day.

Willis tiptoed over, listening to the sounds inside.

Aside from Becky’s soft singing, there seemed to be nothing else.

She hadn’t even turned on the light.

Practicing in the pitch dark.

“Your Highness!”

At that moment, another equally sneaky person approached.

Willis nearly jumped out of her skin.

“Victoria!? You scared me to death! How can you walk without making a sound?”

She glared at her.

Then, with a puzzled look, she asked, “Why are you here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?”

“I am your Royal Knight. Naturally, I must protect Your Highness at all times.”

Victoria replied calmly.

Her shining silver hair danced in the moonlight.

Even clad in armor, the girl’s beauty was undeniable.

Usually, Willis was so used to her presence that she overlooked it, but now she found herself staring, entranced.

Had she been too cold toward her lately?

Such a stunning beauty, and her own Royal Knight at that—

No matter how you think about it, the difficulty of ‘having her’ is far lower than anyone else!

But that’s just wishful thinking.

Willis understood this Royal Knight’s personality.

If she tried anything funny, even she would get thrown out the window.

“You really are diligent.”

Willis wanted to bring up the times Victoria had failed her duties, just to see her reaction.

But on second thought, it was better not to act annoying right now.

“Thank you for your praise, Your Highness.”

“Oh, right, last time I said I’d show you under my skirt, Victoria, do you still want to see?”

Willis grinned wickedly, lifting the edge of her nightgown.

In the hazy moonlight, her skin looked even more tempting than white jade.

As expected, she still wanted to do something mischievous!

Otherwise, it felt like she wasn’t living up to her status—Willis complained inwardly.

Victoria stepped back, her face turning bright red.

Though in the darkness, it was hard to notice.

“Ahem, if there’s nothing else, Your Highness, I’ll stand guard over there.”

Victoria retreated to the other side, seemingly unwilling to get close to Willis.

When the Imperial Second Princess shamelessly lifted her skirt, the Royal Knight instantly fled.

“Pfft….”

Letting out a satisfied, teasing laugh, Willis turned and knocked on the door.

The singing inside had already stopped—likely due to their voices.

“Your Highness.”

Becky fumbled with the door, her vacant eyes still beautiful.

Looking at her, Willis asked, “So why aren’t you sleeping in the middle of the night, singing here?”

“I…”

Becky stepped aside, letting Willis in.

Then she shakily lit the oil lamp.

“I can’t sleep.”

“Well, that’s normal in an unfamiliar place.”

Willis sat down in a chair, pouring water for both of them.

Becky took a sip.

Though her gaze was vacant, being stared at made Willis feel as if any lie would be seen through.

Sure enough, the next moment, the girl took a deep breath, serious.

She asked…

“Your Highness, why are you so good to me?”

It was the same question from earlier in the day.

“We’ve only known each other for less than half a day, and I’m a Heterochromatic Eyes who brings Unluckiness.”

“So why would you treat someone like me so kindly?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to just leave me and ignore me?”

This, too, was her hope.

Willis didn’t hesitate, answering bluntly.

“Because you’re valuable to me. That’s why I want to use you.”

“Whether I brought you here by force, bathed you myself, or stayed by your side to dispel your fears and doubts…”

“It was all to use you.”

“I can sense that you possess high Magic Talent, and your eyes conceal a power I can’t fathom—one that remains sealed.”

“As the Imperial Second Princess, I’ve just taken control of Ushi City, and I’m short on capable people everywhere. Anyone with talent, I want to grasp tightly.”

Willis took a deep breath, then added one more thing.

“And also, you’re very beautiful. Even if you’re thin now, my eyes aren’t wrong.”

“Your Song is also lovely. I like it very much.”

As Willis finished speaking, silence fell over the room.

The girl stared at her with vacant eyes.

The glow of Heterochromatic Eyes flickered under the oil lamp.

It sent shivers down Willis’ spine.

Pat.

With the fall of the first tear, a torrential downpour followed.

The girl tried desperately to hold back her sobs, but the more she tried, the harder she cried.

Tears streamed down, endless as rivers.

Becky’s cries carried deep emotion, but Willis didn’t move to embrace or comfort her.

The truth had been laid bare.

Whether to accept it or not was up to her.

If she still chose to leave, Willis would send her back in the morning.

After a while, Becky suddenly knelt in front of Willis with a thud.

She bowed her head deeply several times.

“I’ve been called a monster by my peers since childhood. Becky has never had a single friend.”

“The few I had either joined in bullying me or drifted away in indifference.”

“Relatives, family… all said I was ominous. Even my parents hated me… They tried to sell me to slave traders more than once…”

“I escaped each time… They beat and cursed me.”

“But I don’t hate them. They’re still my parents… I only hate myself.”

“Why am I a Heterochromatic Eyes, why do I bring Unluckiness to my family!?”

“When my parents were taken away and died in the mines, Becky’s heart died too.”

“I didn’t kill myself, only because I’m a coward like everyone else… a weakling…”

“I fear loneliness, I fear dying in silence even more, and I’m selfish, too…”

“Your Highness, if you still want someone like Becky, then I swear… I will follow you forever…”

“Even if you use me, treat me as a tool, and abandon me when you’re tired of me—send me to die if you wish.”

“As long as you don’t leave me alone… Becky is yours, in every way!”

As she spoke, the girl cried out, vowing and bowing her head repeatedly before Willis.

Willis quickly pulled her up, gently soothing her.

“All right, all right, if you break yourself, you’ll have to pay me back!”

Willis smiled in satisfaction.

“Now Becky is the private property of the Imperial Second Princess. Not even you can damage her!”

At her words, Becky showed a blissful, contented smile.

“Your Highness, am I dreaming?”

“Should I slap you to find out?”

“If I ever bring Unluckiness upon you, I beg you, Your Highness—at that time, don’t hesitate, kill me! Please?”

Becky said with a sorrowful smile.

“Even a single day of happiness with you is enough for Becky.”

“So if that time comes, please don’t hesitate, kill me!”

Willis shook her head.

“I don’t believe in those things—Unluckiness, Curse—they’re just excuses for the weak.”

“Even if they’re real, dying is just running away! You have to stay with me and shatter that so-called misfortune with your own hands!!”

“Mm!”

Becky nodded hard, happily snuggling into Willis’ embrace.

After a while, Willis asked.

“So, what were you doing singing in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?”

“I… just wanted… to sing more perfectly, to repay Your Highness for your kindness today.”

She’d stopped halfway through in front of Winnie, and the regret still lingered.

“Enough, don’t overthink it. Go to sleep.”

“Mm.”

But the very next morning, just after finally winning Becky over, Willis experienced firsthand the so-called [Unluckiness].

Dragged out of bed at dawn by Hil Yura, Willis listened to her subordinate’s report, her face twitching.

“Wang Defa!?”