I Became the Abandoned Daughter of an Underworld Boss

“That’s too much. Do you really have to say something like that before I’ve even finished my tea?”

Her tone kept reminding him of the old days.

It was as if she had never worn the queen’s tiara and veil and married someone else. It was excessive enough to embarrass Asil, who was sneaking glances at her.

“……”

“Asil, aren’t we friends? We agreed to be friends, didn’t we? Don’t you remember making friendship rings from those red foxtails that only grow in Dark Town?”

He still refused to answer.

What should he be thinking at this moment?

He had expressed his passionate love in the wrong way and failed.

He admitted it. Alice had every right to run away from him, and indeed, they had parted ways forever.

‘It really was my fault.’

He regretted it.

He should never have chased after Alice in the clearing and asked her why she was there. He should have had the guards check on her and send her back instead of going himself.

If Alice had a truly urgent request, she would have let him know through a note.

If so… Asil would have granted her wish, whatever it was.

He shouldn’t have met Alice like this.

While Asil was steadying his mind again, Alice sipped her cooling ginger lemon tea.

“Are you deciding not to talk to me at all?”

“……”

He still remained silent.

She put her teacup down and sighed.

“Asil, it’s not like I was comfortable after distancing myself from you. I wasn’t at peace either. Why can’t you understand that?”

“……”

“I was always worried about you. You know that, right? You… you weren’t the kind of person to show up first unless I came to Dark Town.”

“Just get to the point. I can see in your eyes that you have something to say. There’s no use dragging on with this pointless conversation.”

“You’re really too much… you’ve changed so much.”

Alice looked disappointed and dropped her shoulders visibly.

Like a weary white dove gracefully alighting somewhere, it was a delicate and beautiful gesture.

It was almost unbearable, enough to make him want to run to her and hold her.

But Asil swore by his hot blood and conscience not to fall for it! She was lovely enough to touch, but… he barely endured.

“……”

“Yes, that’s right. I need your help. I admit defeat.”

Alice started speaking as if sulking, and Asil asked before she could finish.

“What do you need?”

An incredible request fell from Alice’s lips.

“Please arrange for Emperor Harun of the Reef Empire to visit the kingdom.”

“…… what?”

Even Asil couldn’t help but be surprised by this. Seeking the Emperor of the Empire so suddenly!

He recalled his first interest in Emperor Harun.

Before meeting Alice, there were secret whispers in the back alleys around the cold winter season.

Emperor Harun, who ascended the throne after ending the battle for succession, was rumored to be interested in the Nea Kingdom.

Before the previous emperor died, he had sent a precious treasure towards the kingdom, and Emperor Harun wanted to retrieve it.

Asil speculated that the treasure had likely entered Dark Town and been laundered.

His guess was right.

The item turned out to be an artifact containing terrible danger, not a treasure.

A stone tablet inscribed with spells to create, control, and destroy living mummies.

Asil had collected the tablet and destroyed it in front of Emperor Harun, learning that it was Queen Amira’s doing to send it from the empire to the kingdom. She was indeed a fearsome woman.

‘… so, I can’t understand my past self even more.’

From doppelgängers to mummies.

Amira would have made a scarecrow king with a doppelgänger and eventually played the role of ruler herself.

She could have created an army with mummies, targeted the old Elodia, and grown her power, potentially even disrupting the Reef Empire. Could Dark Town have been safe during that?

‘Why didn’t I try to defeat such a dangerous woman and instead chose to protect Alice by locking her up?’

“……”

As he was lost in thought, Alice asked with a frustrated tone.

“Asil, did you hear what I said?”

“…… yes.”

“Aren’t you going to help?”

Asil conflicted about whether to tell her that he had already met Emperor Harun.

It was certain that the Emperor had met Crown Prince Aidan, but he wasn’t sure about Alice’s connection with him.

The matter of the tablet was a secret among the three at the time. Now that Alice was queen, it was hard to tell if Aidan had shared that with her.

Instead of thinking further, Asil asked bluntly.

“Have you met him?”

“What?”

“Emperor Harun. Have you met him? He had set foot in the kingdom briefly for some matter.”

He left out the part about Aidan.

Alice smiled lightly and spoke gently as if she hadn’t been upset.

“As expected of Asil. You’re sharp, aren’t you? Um, yes, I briefly cooperated with him because of the former queen. We were both so busy then, and I couldn’t even say a proper goodbye to him when he left.”

“…… Alice.”

She seemed to have built a connection with Emperor Harun, given her sociable nature. If so, it might be okay to expect no major conflicts with the Reef Empire in the future.

He should feel relieved. Peace in the Nea Kingdom implied peaceful days for Dark Town.

Alice spoke to Asil, who wasn’t smiling.

“Asil! Don’t worry. I’m not friends with him.”

“….. what?”

“I know everything. You’re still worried about me, aren’t you? Everything is going well, so don’t worry. Okay?”

It was strange. Very strange.

The Alice he knew… she was both the same and yet oddly different.

He expected her to change in many ways after becoming queen, but this level of unfamiliarity was too much.

Talking so casually about a man from outside… it was too easy…

He struggled to steady himself.

‘Yes, I admit it. I still haven’t forgotten you. Seeing you makes one side of my chest ache so much that I can’t think straight. If I think about sharing my purity… with someone, who isn’t you, I feel like I’ll go mad.’

Asil Litus was a much more damaged person than he appeared on the surface.

He wanted to move forward without being buried in the past.

‘But Alice, I took down the portrait I painted and decorated of you. I won’t put it back in a frame and try to imprison you as I did before. I have tried so hard. So, please respect my decision too…!’

“You’ll help, right?”

Alice’s words that cruelly shook his heart fell again.

He couldn’t endure it anymore.

Asil nodded heavily.

“Hehe! I knew it. I expected no less from you, Asil. I’ll trust and wait for you. Oh, and there’s something else I need to say!”

“…… what is it?”

The fine muscles around Alice’s lovely eyes twitched slightly.

“On my way here, I noticed that Dark Town was bustling. They say you found your daughter? And she’s already six years old. What’s that about? Hmm?”

“……”

Was she talking about Yuriana?

Asil clamped his mouth shut again, as he had earlier.

Alice, instead of glaring or being surprised, asked in a calm tone.

“Are you going to keep it a secret from me? When will you introduce your daughter to me?”

Why did she want to see that child? What connection did she have? Yuriana was not a toy.

Before he could resolve his doubts, he replied.

“I found out during an investigation into past events and brought her here.”

“Hmm… I see. Alright. I have to go now.”

Alice smiled and rose from the sofa.

Even after hearing she was leaving, he wasn’t distressed. Asil felt relieved that he didn’t want to confine her in his arms anymore.

Rather, it was fortunate. He thought he could finally breathe.

“Is that so.”

“What’s with that response? Actually, I want to stay longer, but I can’t, right? I’ll wait for your call. I’m leaving.”

She glanced at him lightly, seemingly annoyed that he didn’t escort her to the door.

How unfriendly! To her.

But Asil didn’t react. Alice paused for a moment and then slowly spoke.

“…… you know, Asil. I… actually, I…”

“……?”

Alice’s voice trailed off into a whisper.

Though Asil had good hearing, he couldn’t hear someone intentionally speaking softly. Nor did he have any reason to try.

Alice’s eyelids fluttered a few times, and tiny tears, almost invisible, gathered in her beautiful eyes. They were tears squeezed out from her lovely eyes.

“I…”

Click.

However, she didn’t finish her sentence and just left.

On the table, she left a note with a promise of a birthday gift, along with a mix of assorted cookies and potpourri.

Alice was gone, and only those remained.

There was no need to see her off. Although she was not exceptionally skilled, she brought six knights with her, so she would get back on her own.

By now, Aidan would have sent soldiers to fetch the disguised queen near Dark Town.

“Huff… is anyone there? Come in.”

“Yes.”

Asil didn’t have a taste for sweets.

Even if he liked them, he didn’t want to live clinging to traces of Alice and wallowing in the past.

He had struggled so hard not to do so.

He didn’t want to touch them.

Facing his honest feelings, he pointed to the table with his finger.

“Clear all of this away.”

“Understood.”

While a servant of Dark House cleared the items away, Asil recalled leaving Yuriana and Levina in the clearing.

He was suddenly worried.

“Butler, has Yuriana returned?”

A butler who had been waiting outside hurried in and reported.

“No, sir. According to the report received ten minutes ago, she is still at a nearby shopping district. Shall I fetch her?”