The Tyrant’s Leash Is Held by a Maid

Prologue

Liana squinted her eyes shut for a moment and then reopened them. She couldn’t believe the person in front of her was the same as she remembered.

“Be careful. If you see any sign that it will go wild, you must run away immediately.”

As a warning, the chauffeur who had brought her remarked. Liana clenched her hands tightly and went forward cautiously.

The jail was perched on the edge of a steep cliff. So that he can be pushed over the edge at any point if he became wild. To lessen the impact.

At the top of a mountain, at the end of the dizzying cliff, he was imprisoned inside a large iron cage, his limbs shackled with chains.

The second Imperial Prince, Illyd Orpheus Kadogan, whom the former Empire hated and loved, and with whom the maid Liana had an unrequited love.

She had no idea they would meet like this.

Liana looked forward with complicated thoughts. He, who always seemed so aloof, had lost his light and was lying on the floor like a corpse. He looked far too shabby for a Manish who had inherited the power of God.

It was only natural. Since his Aradna wasn’t here.

It was essential for a Manish who was more like a God than a man, to have his companion Aradna nearby. Aradna was both God’s curse and his greatest blessing.

‘But I am not that Aradna.’

Liana stood before the iron bars with a skepticism that was tantamount to a conviction, only after she persuaded herself that she couldn’t be that special person for him.

“I see, Your Highness, the second Prince.”

Liana greeted politely and stretched her shaky hand.

“Even if it’s not me… Your Highness will be able to find his Aradna. So do not be too worried.”

Even at these words, Illyd did not reply and lay down on the cold ground like a corpse. Liana’s nervous, long, white fingertips touched Illyd’s dirty cheek.

And the moment her fingertip touched his skin, a blinding white light erupted from his body.

“Run away! He’ll go berserk!”

The knights’ voices echoed like hallucinations. There was a loud roar, as if something large was about to collapse. At the same time that the earth was shaking, a bitter storm was raging.

It was as if nature was shrieking. Liana suddenly became aware that she was in a very calm state.

It was a strange feeling. She had the sensation of being alone in the eye of a typhoon, safe from any harm.

Liana, who had opened her eyes slightly, belatedly realized why. Someone was warmly embracing her.

“Liana.”

In the middle of the blinding light, she could see the figure of a man holding her. Liana raised her eyes, which had yet to adapt to the bright light, and glanced at the person who was hugging her.

In her blurred vision, she saw Illyd break the chains around his neck like a toy.

“Why are you so late?”

As if complaining, he buried his face in Liana’s neck.

As her body reflexively withdrew from his hot breath, Illyd hugged Liana tighter, as if he wouldn’t allow the slightest gap.

“I… almost killed them all.”

‘What is he talking about?’

While still unable to comprehend the whole situation, Liana felt her cheek being caressed by a hand that was not yet steady. Illyd gently caressed it as if it was something precious and frail.

“Don’t ever leave me again.”

Illyd turned her face to look her straight in the eye. The deep blue eyes that let no emotion through reflected the face of a frightened woman.

As she turned to face him, Illyd chuckled.

It was the clear beginning of an obsession.

* * * * 

“Miss Aradna, please come over here.”

Liana strode forward, her heart pounding. Her eyes were concealed by a thin, delicately woven lace veil like a spider’s web. The pale, slender hand she placed on the maid’s arm trembled slightly.

The pure white sable fur slippers were soft and warm enough to be captivating. However, the ‘owner of the God’ who wore them couldn’t afford to enjoy the softness.

Her mind and thoughts were focused solely on one person. She couldn’t even figure out if the emotions in her mind were fear or arousal.

Not long after, the maid stopped somewhere. Liana tightened her hold on the arm without realizing it.

The old maid’s nervous voice echoed in the dark hallway.

“Your Majesty, Miss Aradna has arrived.”

“Come in.”

The door slowly opened as a familiar low voice allowed. The breeze from inside ruffled Liana’s chemise, which was as thin as paper.

The door slammed shut behind her. She soothed herself while tightly clutching her shaking hands.

‘It’s okay. I just need to do what I learned. It’s not that scary—’

But she couldn’t even finish comforting herself. For the moment she raised her anxious eyes, she met deep blue eyes head-on. The lace on her eyes, which was just one layer thick, couldn’t keep the blatant stare at bay.

How long had he been looking at her? His attention was fixated on Liana as if he was trying to pierce the thin cloth with his stare.

His pupils traveled from her face to her chest, from her chest to her waist and far below, then back up to her face.

“Come here.”

An order was better than the previous oppressive silence. Liana’s trembling feet moved slowly.

Illyd sat leisurely with his long legs crossed, gently tipping a wine bottle. The dim figure was reflected over the lace.

The sound of the wine glass being filled was heard too clearly in her ears, perhaps due to her blurred vision.

“Do you know how to drink?”

“A little…”

“Then have a drink.”

She was unable to refuse. The red liquid in the glass swirled along with Liana’s shaking fingers.

Each time Liana emptied the glass, the man gradually refilled it. His gaze was fixed on her face, filled with unknown emotions.

Was it the strange emotions in that gaze, or the strong liquor? She was starting to feel dizzy.

“Ah!”

Liana eventually dropped the glass she was holding. Dark wine wetted her chest and turned scarlet.

The delicate cloth, wet and sticking to the warm skin beneath, slid away with a sticky sound. Illyd’s eyes filled with heat and Liana’s gaze met with a bloodshot stare.

“Kyaaa!”

In the blink of an eye, her body was lifted. The man who raised Liana clicked his tongue lightly.

“You’re far too thin.”

Through the thin cloth, she could feel the man’s solid, hot body.

She could not really grasp the situation. The only thing she could dimly see was the red liquor from the fallen bottle soaking the white carpet.

A silky blanket touched Liana’s back as she stared blankly at the distant table. The shoulder straps slid down as she was thrown onto a bed with rather rough movements.

The dress, which had only been intended for the first night, was all jumbled up as if it had only been designed to be easily removed. Illyd’s mouth trembled slightly, trying to be indifferent.

A firm hand with calluses began to climb up her thigh hastily. Liana came to her senses at that moment, fanning and squirming on the bed.

“Y-your majesty. W-wait…”

“Name.”

Liana shuddered as a hot breath whispered in her ear.

“Call my name.”

With these words, his hand, which knew no bounds, ventured into dangerous places. His lips clasped her collarbone, whispering in a sweet, low voice.

Her body trembled as she experienced strange sensations for the first time. It was as if she was finding areas of her body she was unaware of.

“Don’t hide your face.”

When Liana could no longer bear the stubborn eyes fixed on her, which looked at her as if seeking something, and covered her face, Illyd hastily demanded.

“B-but…”

“Move your hands.”

Her whole body was assaulted, and he fiercely kissed her, as if to take away her breath.

His body smelled of the same scented oil as she did. But his body, which smelt like a sweet rose, wasn’t as gentle as the fragrance.

She was out of breath, feeling suffocated, and her mind was blank. As if in an illusion, Liana felt as if her body was floating.

The blindfold had not yet been removed. Only the gown was taken off, and it glided down merrily as it fulfilled its original purpose.

Even in the midst of struggling with the pain that even drunkenness could not remove, Illyd kept calling her name.

“Liana…”

The piercing eyes followed her to the point of obsession as if they were trying to memorize the body of the gasping woman beneath them.

Gradually, his movements grew rougher and rougher. The blindfold, which seemed like the last bastion, was dragged along and eventually fell to the ground.

The man’s blue eyes brushed up against Liana’s foggy gaze.

His dangerously dark blue eyes glowed with unrestrained lust.

As soon as their eyes met, the man hastily thrust harder and deeper, as if he had only been playing so far.

Liana’s lashes twitched frantically.

Behind her moist eyes, she recalled the beginning of all this.

The memories of that day, which seemed so far away.