The Crown's Seduction-Chapter 371: Good Progress

Zoran let out a sigh as he found himself staring out of the window of his room. While he was currently not allowed to go outside just yet, he was already good enough to not really need as much observation as when he was first turned into a vampire. It wasn’t much in terms of freedom, but it was still more than what he had back in the earlier days when he couldn’t control himself. In fact, he could already casually walk around inside the castle provided that he had someone watching over him. Add to the fact that he was also practicing his self-control more often, and he was sure that even Nikolai would give him the go-ahead to leave his care the moment he saw him.

Unfortunately, that last part of his wishes was currently impossible since apparently, Nikolai had gone and died on them without so much as a warning.

"It’s a fairly nice day today, isn’t it?" Dahlia asked him as she casually sat by his side. "It’s not too hot, but not too cold either."

Zoran smiled at his wife’s casual observation. Anybody with a working sense of touch could tell that it was still relatively chilly at the moment, but Dahlia’s attempts at small talk were simply too adorable for him to say no to. Especially since she had made the effort to be with him for as much as she possibly could.

"I suppose so," Zoran casually replied, his gaze partly turning to Dahlia as he spoke. "It would be better if we could go outside for it."

"Right," Dahlia warmly smiled. "Still, we should wait for the others to make sure that you’re already well enough to do so."

He smiled at her words even as he let out a sigh in his mind. Again, he knew in himself that he was already good enough to spend time outside of observation. It was just that he still didn’t have the go-ahead from his busy friends to do so in the first place. In fact, he hadn’t even seen Fritz of all people for a while now. He could only assume that this plague was keeping everyone busy, and with the news of Nikolai’s death...

"Say, do you think Ni-His Majesty is really dead?"

Zoran raised a brow at Dahlia’s question. In honesty, he never expected such a question to come from her of all people. She seemed to believe in positivity, and she was just that kind of woman who never really believed in bad news unless there was irrefutable proof right in front of her.

"What makes you say that?" he asked back.

"Well, they said that they found proof that he was dead," Dahlia frowned, her voice cracking as she audibly did her best not to sound upset. "While there was no body, parts of his bloodstained clothing were found on the scene. And Queen Mineah also supposedly broke down upon seeing it."

He frowned at such news. That was the first time he knew of them, but already, he could tell that there was more to things than they seemed.

"And you believe them?" Zoran further asked. "The supposed proof, I mean."

"Well, what else am I supposed to believe?" she weakly shrugged. "Everyone thinks he’s dead, and they’re all acting like he’s dead."

"That’s for them to decide. But what about your own feelings on the matter?" he pointed out.

Dahlia blinked at him before visibly going into deep thought. Her gaze still trained on the view out of their open window, and she gave out her answer.

"I think he’s still out there," she admitted. "Despite everything saying otherwise, I don’t feel it in me to think that he’s dead."

"So there’s your answer," he chuckled as he followed her gaze toward the mountains in front of them. "What matters is what you believe. If you think he’s still out there, then he may very well be still alive and plotting his return somehow."

He wouldn’t put it past the man either. Nikolai had a penchant for the dramatic at times, and he just knew that he was still planning his inevitable return to be bombastic in his impeccable timing. frёeωebɳovel.com

"So you think the same then," Dahlia noted, having noticed his lack of care for the conversation.

"I’m his Scion, Dahlia," he chuckled. "If he was dead, I probably would’ve felt something in me. Queen Mineah and his men also wouldn’t be this proactive if they thought he was already dead. They’re still making moves out there. I just know it."

"That’s a relief," she sighed in relief as she smiled. "I don’t want to lose any more of the people precious to me."

Zoran smiled back at her as they both stared at each other for a while, their emotions bubbling up before they quickly stopped themselves from going further.

"Your time’s almost up, by the way," Zoran reminded her. "I can go for more than an hour if I really strain myself, but it’s better to be safe for these things, you know?"

"I know," Dahlia regretfully sighed even as she smiled at him. "Still, you’re getting better every day. I just know that one of these days, we’ll be able to spend our time with each other without a care in the world."

"Or without people watching us," he scoffed as he shook his head. "I know they mean well, but it’s just..."

"Awkward, isn’t it? I know, Zoran," Dahlia sighed. "But I believe we won’t need them soon enough."

Zoran let off a small chuckle at Dahlia even as she moved to leave. "Same time tomorrow then?"

"Of course," she smiled back. "Take care, Zoran."

And with that, his wife left him all alone yet again. Seeing the door close, Zoran sighed as he sank into his seat. At the very least, he was spending more and more time with her, and he was making good progress in his control. One day, he was sure that they’d eventually get a room all to themselves, and only then could they finally... do things.

Shrugging, he returned to his casual view of the world outside. It was a decent arrangement, all things considered. He just wished that the Shadow Knights that casually stood a few meters away from them didn’t exist. He hadn’t practiced with a handkerchief stained with Dahlia’s blood for hours on end every day just for them to still be watching over them during what was supposed to be their time alone.