Chapter 71: 71
Ch . 71 Just Once (1)
Carlisle’s hand guided Elena away from the ambient noise of the ballroom . She followed him wordlessly, and before long a beautiful outdoor garden emerged before her eyes . She took in a breath of the cool night air, and soon she felt her mind slowly returning .
She almost acted rashly . When she saw Paveluc alive in front of her eyes, all the anger from her past life slammed into her instantly . Even now, she could not forget the scene of her father’s and brother’s bodies hanging on the castle wall . In that moment, her whole being was saturated with blind rage .
Carlisle spied Elena’s still-shaking fingertips .
“Are you alright?”
“…Yes . ”
“You don’t look well . ”
“It’s nothing . ”
Carlisle didn’t say anything more and just stood there silently . After settling her thoughts, Elena spoke to Carlisle at last .
“Thank you for bringing me out here . ”
If she hadn’t quickly regained her reason, she might’ve attacked Paveluc .
“I would appreciate it if you would tell me why you looked so pale all of a sudden . “
She didn’t answer, instead staring at the view before her . The outdoor garden was dark, dimly lit by only the gentle moonlight . Carlisle’s blue eyes shone like a wild beast even in this shadowy place . He was her best chance . She didn’t have any idea what future her decision would bring, but the die had already been cast and Elena would make him emperor by any means .
However, that didn’t meant she completely trusted in Carlisle . She doubted he would believe her absurd story, and he might treat her like a crazy woman if she told it to him . She wouldn’t take the risk . Furthermore, it didn’t make sense to tell Carlisle something she had not even told her family yet .
“I just…I just felt dizzy all of a sudden . ”
When she finished speaking, Carlisle reached out to her . The moment she realized what was happening, Carlisle was already touching Elena’s forehead and murmuring,
“…You don’t have a fever . ”
Feeling self-conscious, she quickly drew back her head to avoid his touch . Though she was distracted at the ballroom, she still clearly remembered what he had done earlier . He had cupped her cheek and lowered his head to look into her eyes .
“I don’t like to be touched . ”
“So you want me stay still when you’re about to fall?”
She couldn’t see his furrowed brow in the dark, but the tone of his voice told her enough . Elena had something else she wanted to say, and she replied calmly enough .
“Also, I have not given you permission to call me by my name yet . ”
She heard him call her “Elena” in the ballroom . She was also still upset when he called her “Len” when she was serving as his guard . He was crossing over the lines at his own will .
Carlisle said nothing for a moment, but his eyes, however, shone with unhappiness . It couldn’t be helped; There was nothing pleasant about what Elena said right now . However, she was determined to take this opportunity to tell him her mind . There was nothing wrong with what she said now . They were not real lovers–it was a contractual relationship .
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Carlisle’s blue eyes darkened over . He replied, his voice subdued .
“…I’ll keep it in mind . ”
Now that Elena had him alone, she wanted to finish saying everything else she couldn’t say in the ballroom . Elena touched the red diamond necklace she was wearing .
“This is too much, too . If you could take this back…”
“Have you forgotten the promise you made me? “
She had promised to take anything without question in exchange for the dress .
“But the price of this necklace…”
“It was still promise . Didn’t Kuhn tell you? I said, ‘If she doesn’t keep your word, tell her I’m not going to keep mine either . ‘”
If Elena was the one who protested at him a while ago, things were now quite the opposite . Elena was unable to refute Carlisle’s words, but she couldn’t continue to feel indebted to Carlisle . She didn’t want to get used to relying on other people either . This time, she needed to be much stronger than before if she wanted to defeat Paveluc with her own hands .
“I feel like I owe you more…that is why my heart is heavy . ”
She honestly expressed her feelings, and Carlisle replied in a tone as if what he was saying was obvious .
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“Then pay me back . ”
“If I give you one hundred, you only need to give me one back . I’m not asking for you to give me as much as I give you . Just once…please come to me first . ”
Elena froze by a totally unexpected reply . The average person would have listened to her by now and taken back the necklace . However, Carlisle had the audacity to ask if she would repay him . His expression also looked mournful . She didn’t think about this development .
‘…What does it mean?’
Give him one thing back . She didn’t know what he meant to come to her first . The more she thought about it, the more vague it was . Her head was spinning fast, but somehow it was one answer .
‘You want me to pay you back in the end . ’
She knew even in her last life that one could not get something for nothing .
“I want to pay you back, but the price of this necklace is too burdensome . ”
A subtle heat seemed in shimmer in Carlisle’s blue eyes, as if disappointed with her reaction . He opened and closed his mouth a few times, then finally managed to find the words of what he wanted to say .
“No matter what you say, I have no intention of taking back what I’ve given you . ”
“But…”
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“That was the deal . So accept my gift without saying a word . ”
Carlisle seemed unwilling to give an inch . She had promised . She was forced to accept the dresses and jewelry he had given her .
“…Alright . Now that you’ve given it to me, I’ll make use of it when I become crown princess . But I won’t express gratitude . ”
At her words, Carlisle burst out laughing . She wouldn’t even say thank you despite being given expensive gifts . She expressed her dissatisfaction in her own way, and he didn’t expect to have such a positive reaction about it .
“I don’t need pleasantries . They are with its rightful owner . ”
Carlisle seemed to think little of the value of the precious items . Somehow it was Elena was the one more preoccupied with these things . It felt a little unfair, but she made her decision .
‘I’ll use it all to make you emperor . ’
She had little use for luxury, but since he was insistent that she keep the items, they could be put to use in her palace life . Or perhaps as a fund to help Carlisle take the emperor’s throne, just like his other spoils of war .
The emperor’s throne .
Seeing Paveluc today made her feel all the more determined to never let him sit on the throne again . This time she would take what he coveted the most, just like the way he took her dear family .
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