《I Treated The Mastermind And Ran Away》


 Chapter 1

    In the darkness, I opened my eyes.


    Someone was carrying my body on their shoulders as if it were luggage.


    ¡°Who¡­.!¡±


    Thud.


    The next thing I knew, I was thrown to the floor.


    There was not even a carpet on the floor. I had just fainted and woken up, and it wasn¡¯t easy to come back to my senses, but I knew it wasn¡¯t the Count¡¯s house.


    The Count used to put gorgeous, fluffy carpets on the ground to show off his sanctioning power.


    ¡°Are you sure this is the right person?¡±


    I heard a voice over my head, frosty and crisp.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure. The only young woman in the family you mentioned was this.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    The footsteps were getting closer and closer. My body stiffened.


    It was then that I slowly began to understand the situation.


    It was today, the day I had been waiting for for over ten years.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­


    Gradually, I got used to the darkness. Before I knew it, the man was in front of me.


    He bent down on one knee and grabbed my chin with his large hand. It was as if he was inspecting me.


    I couldn¡¯t see his face clearly, but the man was wearing a black cloth as a blindfold.


    So there shouldn¡¯t be anything visible, but somehow I could feel his cold gaze penetrating me.


    ¡°Please let me go!¡±


    I shook my head and shook his hand off. My wrists were tied behind my back, so I had no choice.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re bothering me.¡±


    A low voice sounded in my ear.


    At that moment, a faint moonlight streamed in through the large arched window that filled one wall. That light illuminated the man¡¯s profile.


    I sucked in my breath involuntarily.


    His hair, the color of which was similar to that of the jet-black night sky, reflected the moonlight as it came, as if it could not swallow even the slightest light.


    The black cloth that covered his eyes made him look ascetic as if crossing his nose bridge.


    But the nose that towered high beneath it and the lips that drew a little reciprocity also made him look wild.


    It was too dangerous a beauty. Even though I knew it was dangerous, I kept looking at him, and I almost fell into it without even knowing it.


    He raised his chin and said arrogantly.


    ¡°It smells like daisy flowers.¡±


    The collar moved beautifully. The edge of his mouth lifted just slightly.


    That was all it took for the impression to fizzle out.


    I swallowed hard.


    Just as the smile was an illusion, he hardened his face again.


    ¡°Just lock her up. I¡¯ll check it out tomorrow.¡±


    He turned away without hesitation.


    I could see his broad shoulders above his long, straight legs. A familiar seal was engraved on the cloak that hung over it.


    A picture of a lion embedded in numerous arrows.


    I was sure of it. He was the man I was looking for.


    Devan Lanthimos.


    He was the male protagonist of the novel, blinded by a curse.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    I was just about to talk to him when I was cut off.


    Bang.


    I heard a dull sound somewhere. I had forgotten that there was someone behind me who had abducted me.


    A faint pain spread from the back of my neck. My head began to feel fuzzy.


    I was sucked into a terrible darkness.


    * * * *


    I was born with memories of my previous life.


    However, it wasn¡¯t until I was seven years old that I realized that this world was exactly the novel I had read in my previous life.


    I was born with immense divine power and raised in an orphanage under a temple.


    Because of my ability, there was no shortage of nobles who wanted to adopt me.


    It was a natural story. In this world, divine power was money.


    Divine power cured incurable diseases and lifted incurable curses.


    Therefore, there was no disease in the world that could not be cured or no curse that could not be solved by this ability.


    The temple decided to put me up for adoption by a Count.


    I guess they thought that since I was nobody, they could wield me as they wished, and since the Count had lots of money, they thought he could help them build the temple.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s right. You¡¯re Evelyn.¡±


    Count Diego was a greedy man with a protruding belly. His face was greasy, and the way he stared at me was like looking at an expensive golden goose.


    However, I was secretly relieved to see that I wouldn¡¯t not live with him as a child, but a golden goose.


    At last I could escape the temple life of drinking only water and eating grass. I didn¡¯t have to take a cold water bath every morning and read the Bible with a whip.


    And that horrible scene was no more¡­ ¡­¡­.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re pretty, too.¡±


    The Count lifted me up with a bang and approached me as if he were going to kiss me.


    I quickly pushed his face away with my hands. My palms felt greasy and soggy.


    ¡°Hahaha. I understand. I¡¯m your father now.¡±


    But he was already so blinded by the money that he couldn¡¯t even see my face.


    Yes. I don¡¯t care how I end up in this pig¡¯s house, it¡¯s better than being tortured in a temple.


    The divine power was not infinite. That didn¡¯t mean it was finite, but it could be recovered. That was, until it reached its limit.


    The moment the rate at which it was used exceeded the rate at which it could be recovered, the divine power could not be recovered again.


    The Temple knew this, but they didn¡¯t care at all. They made me heal patients without resting no matter how I was.


    As a result, my divine power was getting closer and closer to its limit while I was being tortured in the temple.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get going and play with your dad and brother.¡±


    Hmm?


    I saw a carriage with a familiar seal engraved on the back of Count Diego, who held me gently.


    It was a seal with the face of a goddess in the middle of the sun.


    Where did I see it?


    It was too vivid a memory to be called an illusion.


    I blinked as fast as I could.


    The Count had a brief discussion with a priest and then quickly climbed into the carriage. He seemed to be worried that the adoption might be cancelled.


    As soon as we got into the carriage, he sat me down next to him and was relieved.


    ¡°If you want to eat well and live well, you must continue to treat patients as you did in the temple. Do you understand?¡±


    The ring with the same seal was also placed in the Count¡¯s finger as he roughly stroked my hair.


    Snap ¨C I took his plump fingers and examined them closely. I heard him chuckle in satisfaction, wondering what I had misunderstood.


    I was certain that I had seen it somewhere. I think I saw him in my previous life.


    Gasp, I dropped the plump Count¡¯s hand with a plop.


    I remembered. The pattern was the cover of a novel I read in my previous life. It was a romance fantasy novel that I loved so much that I even bought a copy.


    * * * *


    As soon as I regained consciousness, I felt pain from the back of my head where I was hit. As soon as I woke up, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling with a lion with a lot of arrows stuck in it. This seal was the cover of volume two of the novel.


    The cover of the first volume was the seal of Count Diego, where the heroine Cordelia grew up.


    The cover of the second volume was the seal of the male protagonist, Devan Lanthimos.


    And the third volume was ¡ª what was it?


    I shook my head.


    It was a fact I was prepared for, but I hoped it wasn¡¯t.


    This world was flowing just like the novel.


    I was sure that I was in Lantimos, because there was a lion¡¯s seal embedded in the ceiling.


    ¡®What should I do?¡¯


    I didn¡¯t move carelessly, just opened my eyes and looked around.


    Sure, as far as I knew, he was the richest man in the empire, but his bedroom was modest in comparison. No, it was neat, to be exact.


    There was no glamorous goldware to be seen, and the furniture was made of fine grained wood. It was a room that could be compared to Count Diego¡¯s, which shone only on the surface.


    ¡®Is there anything that I can steal?¡¯


    I was in quite a serious state of mind when the door slammed open.


    I quickly closed my eyes.


    I heard the sound of someone¡¯s footsteps as they walked closer to my bed. I held my breath, afraid that I might gulp down some spit.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re awake.¡±


    But I couldn¡¯t help but tremble at the sudden voice in my ear.


    Maybe it was because the voice wasn¡¯t so easy to forget, I could tell after just listening to it once.


    It was him. Devan Lantimos.


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    I could feel one side of the bed sinking. And then, swoosh, a large hand wrapped around my wrist. He gently intertwined our fingers, then lowered his head and whispered.


    ¡°I read it somewhere¡­.¡±


    He touched my fingernails.


    ¡°I heard that pulling out nails is the worst kind of pain a human can experience.¡±


    What?


    ¡°If it hurts too much, the person who fainted will wake up, yes?¡±


    It was a terribly sweet voice.


    At the same time, I felt an intense pain in my index fingernail.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    I frowned and opened my eyes. But even after I opened my eyes, the pain in my pressed nail did not go away.


    ¡°Hey, let it go.¡±


    He put more pressure on my hand, and at the same time, thick joints were wrapped tightly around my fingers.


    ¡°Huh? Why? I thought you were asleep?¡±


    He smiled as if it was funny.


    ¡®Are you crazy?¡¯


    ¡°It hurts!¡±


    I squealed, and Devan finally let go.


    I heaved myself off the bed and rubbed my sore nail. Even so, I didn¡¯t forget to sneak a sideways glance to steal a look at him.


    The impression I had felt the day before was no illusion. Even though the black cloth blindfolded him, he had a very handsome face.


    It was a shame that he belonged to the female protagonist at the end. What kind of eyes were behind that eye mask? What color were his eyes? I gazed at him, unconsciously mesmerized.


    He was gazing at me, too, and even though I couldn¡¯t see his hidden eyes, it felt like everything was being stripped away.


    Whatever his eyes were and whatever color his eyes were, I knew for sure that he was staring at me.


    There could be no mistake. Obviously, my capture had gone according to plan, but I was somewhat scared.


    ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡±


    He said, as if he could feel my eyes on him.


    ¡°If I am, will you let me go?¡±


    ¡°Never.¡±


    He shrugged. His voice was not at all laced with laughter.


    ¡°I heard a prophecy that said you can lift my curse.¡±


    I kept my mouth shut.


    The prophecy he had heard was exactly this.


    [A young sun goddess with the scent of daisy flowers will break your curse.]


    So the prophecy told him to find a young woman of Count Diego¡¯s family who had the sun goddess as her seal and who smelled of daisy flowers.


    ¡°Can you fix it?¡±


    He looked nonchalant, but also somewhat nervous.


    It was true, I¡¯d finally met the person I¡¯d been looking for for years, and so it should be.


    I gave a small nod. Actually, it wasn¡¯t that difficult for my power to break a curse of this magnitude. But it would take a little time.


    It should be the answer he was waiting for, but there was no response from him. Oh, this man was blind. I opened my mouth again.


    ¡°I can fix it.¡±


    Instantly, Devan¡¯s hand flinched.


    ¡°However, there are conditions.¡±


    This time his eyebrows crinkled.


    It was absurd to proudly offer conditions when I was being kidnapped. But if this deal fails, my last decade would be useless.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I need money to get out of this empire. It would be better if I have a proper position.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    He just looked at me silently, as if to measure my intentions.


    I didn¡¯t think there was anything to see even if he tried. But I felt something.


    Squeezing my trembling hand, I deliberately said more brazenly.


    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing. It takes time to fix the curse. I can only treat you once a day. I can¡¯t do more than that.¡±


    This was a minimal safeguard to protect my divine power.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Letting out a wild laugh, Devan lifted his chin slightly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know my Goddess was so calculating.¡±


    Goddess, he said.


    He was probably referring to the prophecy, but my face felt a little hot.


    If I had heard such a cheesy line from a normal man, I would have wanted to hit him in the back of the head instead of being embarrassed. But the power of a beautiful face was greater than I thought.


    ¡°Anyway is fine. And the treatment is¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Not today. I was kidnapped. I need to sleep, wash up, and eat first. Please get ready.¡±


    When I finished speaking like a rapid fire gun, I laid down on the bed, meaning for him to leave now. I did not see it, but I felt it. The bed was shaking a lot. Devan looked dumbfounded.


    He seemed to have something to say, but he finally stood up. Then, just before he left the room, he added a few words.


    ¡°I hate lying very much. I pray you¡¯ll be alive for a long time.¡±

 Chapter 2

    The bedroom door closed.


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    I finally let out the breath I was holding in. Then I rubbed my palms on the bedding and wiped away the sweat.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous, no matter how confident I pretended to be. Because my opponent was the famous Grand Duke Lantimos, the greatest mastermind of this empire.


    On top of that, his last words also sounded like a threat, if I lied to him, he would kill me.


    But still, I succeeded.


    I was abducted as planned and my proposal was accepted. The only thing left to do was to receive the money in return for the treatment of his eyes and leave this empire.


    I clenched my fists and measured my faith.


    ¡®There is no problem.¡¯


    It was worth not using my divine power under any pressure. I clenched my fists a little tighter. The abuse and humiliation I had experienced for the past ten years passed me by like a panorama.


    No one would ever take advantage of me again. Survive where there would be no temples and no Counts.


    I looked at the lion carved into the ceiling with determined eyes.


    This place would be the foothold for a real new beginning.


    ****


    ¡°Why on earth! Why can¡¯t you use your divine powers, why!¡±


    Count Diego shouted evilly. I sat in front of him with my arms and legs tied to a chair.


    ¡°¡­Useless girl.¡±


    The Count stomped his foot with a thud.


    I didn¡¯t say a word and stayed down. I knew from years of experience that it was best not to complain in such a situation.


    The Count stared at me and turned himself roughly.


    Standing behind him as he climbed up the stairs, a servant asked impatiently.


    ¡°My Lord! What shall we do?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Give her some medicine!¡±


    ¡°But if I give her any more¡­.¡±


    The Count turned his eyes coldly to the muffled voice of the servant. Then he left the basement, closing the door with a bang.


    The two attendants and I were the only ones in the basement.


    One hesitated and approached me with a water potion in his hand. He mumbled in a shaky voice.


    It was so small that I couldn¡¯t tell if he was talking to himself or to me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hold it against me ¡­¡­. I¡¯m just following orders.¡±


    Would saying something like that ease his guilt a little? I looked up at him with a casual glance and grabbed the water potion from his hand.


    I stared at the somewhat cloudy and suspicious liquid, sighed once and swallowed it straight down.


    I felt the cold liquid enter my stomach where I hadn¡¯t had anything to eat for a while. I was used to it. The divine power expanded quickly from deep within my body.


    Palpitating.


    It was not that I couldn¡¯t use my new power in the first place, it was just  that I didn¡¯t want to use it, or that these drugs wouldn¡¯t work at all.


    My body naturally shrank.


    A large amount of power exploded at once, so much that it was hard to fit inside my body.


    * * *


    Once I realized that this world was the one in the novel I read in my previous life, I tried hard to figure out who I was.


    I even bought the novel collection, so the story was clear in my mind.


    And yet I did not remember seeing the name ¡°Evelyn Diego¡± in that book.


    Why? I wondered.


    My first thought was that everything was my illusion or fantasy. Or could I be an extra? Who were the extras among the many extras? That thought made me wonder.


    My second thought was that perhaps it was an extra whose name I couldn¡¯t even remember because it was described in the book in a different way.


    Cordelia, the female protagonist, grew up in an orphanage under a temple with immense divine power. Then she was adopted by Count Diego.


    It was familiar somehow. Yes. Now, it was the same as my situation.


    But I couldn¡¯t be the heroine. Because I didn¡¯t have brown hair to my waist like hers, or the beautiful dark green eyes.


    I didn¡¯t have the enormous divine power, or the temple upbringing, or even the fact that I was adopted by Count Diego.


    In addition, she was 13 years old when she was adopted by a count. There was a difference from me who was adopted at the age of seven.


    What else?


    At that moment, there was someone else who crossed my mind.


    An extra who was adopted by Diego before Cordelia, but died after her divine power was overused.


    The extra who was used as an experiment and abandoned before the real female protagonist was adopted.


    It was an extra who, despite being born under the same conditions, lived the exact opposite life just because she was not a female protagonist.


    ¡­¡­ That was me.


    As soon as I realized my role, fear struck me.


    But no one had ever died from a lack in divine power before.


    I had a moment of lightning realization.


    I was the first victim to die from a lack in divine power.


    It was a fact that a person with enormous divine power could die if they continued to use their divine power after reaching their limit.


    It was enough to make me laugh at the emptiness in my role as a lab rat to let Count Diego and the priests use Cordelia to the extent that she wouldn¡¯t die. I couldn¡¯t believe that my role was that little at best.


    But there was no time for despair.


    Cordelia was thirteen when she was adopted, and she and I were set to be the same age, so if all of this was true, I was destined to die before I turned thirteen.


    We were born under the same conditions, but one of us was abused and died when I was less than ten years old, and the other met the male lead and had a happy ending¡­


    Anger boiled in my heart. I didn¡¯t want to die like this.


    So I hadn¡¯t used my power at all since I was ten.


    No matter how badly they whipped me, no matter how many drugs they gave me to make me feel the pain of burning if I didn¡¯t release my new power.


    ¡­ It was better than dying.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    As if to wake me up, a servant tapped me. I woke up in a daze.


    ¡°Get up now. It¡¯s time to go out.¡±


    The basement door slammed open and two maids approached me. Their faces were a mixture of fear and disgust.


    They helped me up on both sides as I fell. I could suddenly feel their eyes looking at the filth on my clothes.


    I finally climbed up the stairs, pulling my unsteady legs.


    Soon the basement door opened again. It was Diego, with dazzling, shimmering gold strewn all around him.


    The maids dragged me to the bathroom.


    They scrubbed me until I felt sick and dressed me in clean, ill-fitting clothes. After a long grooming session with perfumed oil, my hair, which had been scaly, was flowing glossily before I knew it.


    I stared into the mirror.


    Except for the one that was a little thin from not eating properly, the woman in the mirror couldn¡¯t have been more beautiful. Her slightly pale green lemon-colored hair was glistened to her chest. Gold flecks were like stars.


    Her scattered blue eyes shone like a sea of golden sunsets.


    ¡®Maybe when I¡¯m older I¡¯ll be more okay.¡¯


    If I could stay alive until then. I laughed self-mockingly.


    ¡°What shall I do with this?¡±


    The maid looked at me with a sigh.


    More precisely, she looked at the long scar on my cheek.


    It was caused by the large ring on Count Diego¡¯s finger when he hit me.


    ¡°¡­ just say you fell down.¡±


    It was also a scar that didn¡¯t suit a Count¡¯s daughter.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that clumsy!¡±


    The maid frowned.


    It was a dialogue that did not know who was the master and who was the employee.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s no other way.¡±


    Eventually, I walked out alone with a scrape on my cheek.


    The hall was filled with noble ladies in beautiful dresses. One of them noticed me and smiled.


    ¡°Lady Evelyn!¡±


    I finally managed to raise the corner of my mouth into a crisp smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you. Lady Cecile.¡±


    Her eyes focused on me.


    I was the host of this social gathering, so it made sense.


    Moreover, today was the occasion of my birthday celebration. Of course, I didn¡¯t know anything about this social gathering, but Count Diego was a man who cared about appearances.


    After I passed the minimum age to attend social gatherings, he would hold one every week. At that time, I had to act as a perfect aristocrat.


    But sometimes, like today, I couldn¡¯t stand the frustration and I would get hurt.


    ¡°Oh my, what is that scar on your cheek? Lady Evelyn?¡±


    Each time, the excuse was always my mistakes.


    ¡°I was clumsy and I fell.¡±


    ¡°Oh my.¡±


    The Ladies lowered their eyebrows.


    How could I have gotten such a scratch just because I fell? Maybe it was because they grew up in a precious environment, they were really innocent children.


    Indeed, they were all children no older than fifteen.


    When I finally sat down with a tired look on my face, I caught Count Diego¡¯s aide out of the corner of my eye.


    I smiled hastily and gave him an embarrassed look.


    If I showed even a hint of unnaturalness here, well, tonight would not go well. If I finished it properly, I would get a good night rest.


    ***


    My expectations were broken into pieces.


    Despite finishing the social gathering in a very natural and respectable way, the evening did not go well. Usually it was once a day, but today I was beaten until the evening. Inevitably, something bad must have happened to the Count today, I was sure of it.


    I lay in my room and was barely able to turn my aching body. It was a good thing that they took me to my room and not to the basement.


    He probably was called to the imperial palace and embarrassed by the other nobles.


    Money wasn¡¯t the only reason he yelled at me to use my divine power. Of course, money was the biggest reason, but it was also because of the rumors that openly circulated in the social circles.


    ¡°A child with immense divine power suddenly has no power when she goes to Count Diego¡¯s family.¡±


    The nobles began to suspect Count Diego. They thought there was a problem with his discipline.


    Of course, they weren¡¯t worried about me, they just thought it was a good opportunity to ruin the Count¡¯s reputation.


    I stopped using my power and before I knew it, 2 years passed.


    As a matter of fact, the Count had wanted to disown me since I was ten years old when I first stopped using my power.


    However, there was a law in this world that a child could never be dismissed after the age of ten. I realized all this at the age of seven, and that was why I lived obediently and breathlessly until I was ten.


    I could not be thrown away. Because I needed Count Diego.


    No, the seal of this house, to be exact.


    [A young sun goddess with the scent of daisy flowers will break your curse].


    Devan Lantimos.


    Because I had to pretend that I was the person in the prophecy for him. So I had to be kidnapped by him.

 Chapter 3

    ***


    In my previous life, I read a novel called ¡°The Goddess of the Sun¡±.


    Cordelia, a woman of immense divine power, was used by the Temple and the Count, and was kidnapped by the mastermind Grand Duke Devan.


    Devan asked her to lift the curse.


    She lifted his curse, and he took revenge on the Count and the Temple for her. The story was about two people who saved each other and love each other.


    So the heroine of the prophecy was not me, but Cordelia.


    I¡¯m trying to steal Cordelia¡¯s place.


    Isn¡¯t it unfair? Someone dies and someone lives because of a single word that no one knows who will speak.


    Of course, I really didn¡¯t mean to take her place. Nor did I even want to marry the mastermind, the Grand Duke.


    I acted just like the original story, until I was kidnapped the year I turned 18.


    I was kidnapped, and the curse was lifted as in the original story. However, what I demanded was not revenge, but enough money and status to be able to leave this country.


    I was sick and tired of both the temple and the Count. It would be better to run far away instead of taking revenge.


    Thus, I would forever say goodbye to the role that this dreadful novel had played in my life.


    Every time I turned over in my sleep, a sound of pain came out of me. I was sore. I felt guilty.


    Originally, I would have to die and disappear from this house next year, so Cordelia could be adopted. But if I continued to be as unreliable as I was now, Count Diego would lose faith in the temple.


    Under such circumstances, it was clear that the count would refuse to adopt another child. It meant that Cordelia would not be adopted here since I had decided not to use my divine powers.


    Would that change the prophecy? The future story may be distorted.


    But even if that was the case, I had no choice¡­¡­¡­. I wasn¡¯t going to sacrifice my life for some faceless female protagonist.


    I shook my head.


    ¡°At least there¡¯s the male protagonist, so I¡¯ll leave Devan for you. Cordelia.¡±


    I vowed.


    ***


    Since I did not use my powers until I was fifteen, Count Diego used another method.


    ¡°Woof!¡±


    He took a puppy hostage.


    ¡°Grab it.¡±


    At the Count¡¯s words, the servants beside me quickly grabbed my head. He made me stare at the puppy in the Count¡¯s hands, while the mother dog was tied by a collar beside it.


    As if starting a funny joke, the Count wet his lips.


    He had a look of madness in his eyes.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t use your powers, this puppy will die.¡±


    No.


    Without realizing it, a moan erupted out of my mouth.


    There was a faint anticipation in the Count¡¯s eyes.


    It was an expression of amusement to see me react, since I had not been daunted by any threats.


    ¡°Woof!¡±


    The mother of the pup, a big dog, yelped sharply.


    Just a few days ago, she gave birth to her puppies.


    I threw my gaze in that direction and gritted my teeth.


    It was because of me that the Count had brought the puppy as a hostage.


    It was a stray dog and often wandered near the Count¡¯s house.


    She was also my only friend.


    I had to spend a lot of time in the basement whether I liked it or not.


    In the basement, where everything was clogged, there was only one hole that connected the outside, a very low window that could only be seen by lying flat on the floor.


    It was also blocked with iron bars and all I could do was reach out to it.


    It looked like a hole that was left open to prevent flooding, and not many people seemed to know it existed.


    But I couldn¡¯t help but notice myself, always lying on the floor.


    And the dog often approached that hole.


    That time.


    The Count and the servants were gone, and I was left alone on the cool floor, enduring the pain.


    The dog, as if it knew my situation, came over without barking, looking at me from the hole.


    The round black eyes and the touch of the moist nose that I could barely reach were vividly brought to life.


    *Back to reality.


    ¡°From what I hear, that¡¯s the dog you cherish, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The Count¡¯s eyes sparkled viciously.


    Often, I hid my little meals and threw a little bit of food to the dog through the hole. This was especially common after the dog became pregnant.


    Someone must have seen it and told the Count.


    My body shuddered, and a blue vein appeared on my neck.


    Before I knew it, the stray dog was looking not at the Count, but at me.


    My pupils, which were at peace with everything, shook violently.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let it go as soon as you use your strength. Of course, with the mother.¡±


    The Count sighed with exaggerated sincerity and regret.


    I stared at him. I wanted to spit in his face.


    Eventually, I used my strength to save the puppy. As soon as I encountered the round black eyes, I gave off my strength like an explosion.


    The Count jumped up and down with joy.


    He seemed to think that he had unblocked my power.


    He didn¡¯t know that all my divine power had run out, or that I was deliberately not using it.


    It was a natural reaction. What reason could there be for me to endure the torture and deliberately hide my divine power?


    He couldn¡¯t have known that I remembered my previous life, and he had a foolish belief that only a shock would unblock my divine power.


    And I witnessed the servants digging deep into the backyard that night. The promise that if I used my powers the Count would allow the puppy to leave safely was a lie. He had no intention of letting the puppy live from the beginning.


    After that, I stopped the nonsense.


    That¡¯s how I lost the three puppies. The Count even took the last remaining puppy one as a hostage.


    Even if I used my divine power again, the dog would die anyway.


    If I didn¡¯t use my strength from the beginning, would anything change if the Count realized that such a nasty threat did not work?


    felt guilty even though I knew it was an inevitable choice.


    ¡°You gave up quickly at first, and now you¡¯re not going to use your strength, are you?¡±


    The Count took me by the chin and made eye contact with me. His eyes were glowing with madness and lust. Then he forced my head to turn to look at the stray dog.


    ¡°You can¡¯t even feel sorry for the mother who lost three children because of you.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t resist and spit in his face. It was an impulsive act.


    ¡°How dare you¡­¡­!¡±


    The Count¡¯s eyes lit up with color. He couldn¡¯t hold back his anger and hit me.


    ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡±


    At that moment, beyond the Count, I saw the pitch-black pupils of the dog looking at me.


    Blind pupils with no resentment.


    The dog was barking at the Count, as if to tell him to take his hands off me, to stop tormenting me.


    She was trying to save me, the one who couldn¡¯t even keep her children alive. I bit down on the weak flesh in my mouth.


    I didn¡¯t cry. Because I didn¡¯t deserve to cry.


    ***


    That day, I didn¡¯t use my divine power until the end.


    I wished this was the last time, but maybe it would continue.


    The Count¡¯s madness was becoming worse, as it had always been. It wasn¡¯t surprising where he would come up with another new move.


    Rather, I shouldn¡¯t have used my divine power from the time the adoption began. I shouldn¡¯t have given the Count any useless hope.


    If that were the case, no innocent puppies would have been killed.


    But I might have been the one who died.


    I steeled myself to be weaker.


    The original story had already started to go awry when I decided not to use my power. Cordelia¡¯s life, which was originally supposed to have a smooth happy ending, had already been changed.


    Yes, I made up my mind to survive, no matter what sacrifices I had to make. Therefore, I must not retreat at this level.


    ¡®No matter what he does, I will not use my divine power.¡¯


    I had to make the Count believe that I couldn¡¯t use the power at will. My body went down limp.


    I could feel the reluctance of the maids who grabbed my arms on both sides against my skin.


    Before I knew it, I was in the second floor hallway. There was my room on the second floor.


    The water was cold enough to wake me from my sleep, but I felt a little better knowing that I would be able to wash soon.


    Then I would be able to sleep. And tomorrow ¡­¡­¡­.


    The thought of what was to come gave me a headache.


    At that moment, the maids suddenly stopped their steps.


    What¡¯s going on? I blinked my unawakened eyes.


    I saw a large figure standing in the hallway.


    Seeing that he was big and in armor, I could tell who he was without looking at his face.


    It was Killian.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take her there.¡±


    I heard a low voice. I could feel the maids fidgeting.


    ¡°She needs a bath¡­¡±


    ¡°I need to talk to her about something. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to disobey my orders.¡±


    ¡°No, of course not. Young Master.¡±


    The maidservants shuddered.


    Then they left me with Killian, who approached me before I knew it. He picked me up with ease. My head throbbed at the sudden rise.


    Killian didn¡¯t even care that the maids were stomping on the ground with panicked looks on their faces.


    ¡°Send a doctor to her room.¡±


    Not listening to the answer, he strode away.


    As usual, he opened the door to my room and carefully laid me down on the bed. Only today, my whole body was especially sore and weak. I couldn¡¯t even open my eyes and sank straight down on the bed. I wanted to sleep like this, but I could feel his eyes staring at me.


    I was horrified.


    I wondered why this family, father and son, did so many disgusting things.


    I forced my eyes to open.


    Killian was staring at me with lustful eyes, as if he wanted something.

 Chapter 4

    ***


    Killian stared at me with greedy eyes, as if he wanted something.


    It had been that way since I was first adopted into this family.


    He always stared at me.


    As if he craved the love he never got from his parents.


    From the moment I refused to use my power, his stare became more and more awful.


    Staring, Killian approached the bed and kneeled on one knee on the floor.


    ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡±


    Ha, I let out a small laugh.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you many times.¡±


    He flinched at my hoarse voice.


    ¡°Kill the Count. That¡¯s all I want.¡±


    As always the case, he showed no reaction, as if he had not heard.


    He just sat there as still as a giant rock.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re not going to help me?¡±


    He was a coward.


    I¡¯ve told him many times, I only wanted one thing.


    There was nothing he could do for me, but if I don¡¯t ask, I won¡¯t have any hope.


    ¡°Mmm-hmm.¡±


    A bizarre laugh erupted.


    He twitched his fingers.


    Killian approached on his knees as if he were being led. I smoothed his silver hair as I lay on the bed.


    His golden eyes, so much like his father¡¯s, looked down at me. There was a dim but clear desire in them.


    To help. What could this young man do for me?


    Yet, he was also a minor who had not received a single title.


    I raised my hand and patted Killian on the cheek. His lashes quivered.


    ¡°¡­¡­ I know. You can help me.¡±


    His golden eyes glittered.


    After beckoning him to come closer, I whispered in his ear.


    ¡°I need you to do something for me. First¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    Killian¡¯s expression distorted as he heard the whisper that followed. He couldn¡¯t have known my intentions, so his expression was expected.


    ¡°Can you do it for me, brother?¡±


    I hugged his neck with both hands, Killian¡¯s body stiffened.


    I smiled faintly.


    His earlobe was a little hot.


    I heard the sound of knocking.


    Killian hastily pulled himself away from me.


    He quickly cleared his throat with a hardened expression and said.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    It was the Count¡¯s doctor who opened the door and walked in.


    He looked at Killian and me alternately with a perplexed expression. I wasn¡¯t allowed to see him unless my life was in danger. If the Count found out, he would make a fuss.


    What¡¯s more, he was extremely angry with my rebellion today.


    ¡°Treat her.¡±


    ¡°Huh, but Young Master¡­¡±


    The doctor shuddered frustratedly.


    By now, the maidservants from earlier should have delivered their words to the Count. Then he would rush in immediately. I didn¡¯t want things to get unnecessarily complicated. It wasn¡¯t the first time I was wounded like this, either.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Treat her.¡±


    Killian ordered the doctor without looking at me, and left, closing the door hard behind him. There was no sound of clattering armor or footsteps. He seemed to be guarding the outside until the Count arrived.


    He will get hit soon. He¡¯s such a fool.


    When I was first taken to the basement, there were already signs that someone had been beaten there.


    Before I came to this house, Killian was the Count¡¯s victim.


    The sound of footsteps echoing down the corridor got closer and closer. It was the sound of the Count coming.


    The old doctor shivered and bandaged my wrist.


    I heard a loud noise outside the door.


    I pretended not to know and closed my eyes. A day passed like this, and the same tomorrow would come.


    The door didn¡¯t open until the treatment was over.


    ***


    Finally, at 18, the year of Cordelia¡¯s abduction in the original story and the year I had been waiting for for over a decade, came.


    Very little has changed in three years.


    I still went in and out of the basement more often than my room, and the Count tried various ways to shock me.


    However, I never used my divine power.


    If there was one thing that had changed, it was my relationship with Killian.


    The day I hugged him, I ordered Killian to spread the rumor.


    ¡®KThere is a smell of rotting corpses in the air at Count Diego¡¯s mansion. An epidemic of unknown cause is spreading¡­¡¯ that was what it said.


    Killian obeyed the order better than I thought he would.


    All the central aristocrats murmured. All of them were quicker to spread the facts they wanted to hear than the truth.


    In fact, it didn¡¯t matter if there was a dead body or not, or if there was a contagious disease or not.


    The Count didn¡¯t want the evil rumors to materialize. He didn¡¯t want to give them the satisfaction to get to him.


    Therefore, he had no choice but to spare himself.


    So, from that day on, there were no more innocent visitors to the basement.


    No more basement¡­¡­That was enough.


    There was also another subtle change in the relationship between Killian and the Count.


    Before I knew it, Killian, who became mature, joined the Imperial Kingsguard on the Count¡¯s orders.


    With his extraordinary physique and natural ability, he quickly solidified his position to the point where he was aiming to become the next captain of the Kingsguard.


    As the Count grew older, Killian grew up faster.


    Killian was still afraid of the Count, but ironically, so was the Count. He could not wield Killian as he wished any longer.


    Thanks to this, Killian was able to come home and spend time with me once a week on the days when social gatherings were held. Each time, I would ask him for what I needed or ask him what was going on in the system.


    Today was that day.


    ¡°Evelyn.¡±


    Killian strode in, not even taking off his Kingsguard uniform.


    It was a social gathering of noble ladies only. He had a distinct presence among the women of my age.


    ¡°Oh¡­.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s him¡­..¡±


    The noble ladies quickly turned their faces and stared at him, covered their mouths with their fans, and began to speak in hushed tones among themselves.


    I knew very well that most of the talk was about Killian¡¯s appearance, body, personality, and whether or not he had a lover.


    Killian had a good appearance.


    The only thing Killian inherited from his father was his gorgeous silver hair and golden eyes.


    Sometimes I looked at him and thought of his mother, who died a long time ago. I¡¯m sure she must have been very beautiful.


    His black uniform with no particular pattern looked like a gorgeously dressed banquet dress when he wore it, and unlike his appearance, his expression was always blunt, which contributed to his charm.


    When he wore a light tunic, as he sometimes did after training, the stares of the people around him were intense, and when he wielded a sword, there were exclamations from everywhere.


    I looked at him with an indifferent expression.


    No matter how handsome he was, he had nothing to do with me.


    To me, he was Count Diego¡¯s son, an unrelated brother, nothing more, nothing less.


    But I wasn¡¯t foolish to let it show in a place like this.


    I smiled brightly before the eyes of the ladies came to me.


    ¡°Welcome, brother.¡±


    Killian flinched.


    This was a show of sorts. A show to solidify the image that Count Diego had created.


    I got up from my seat and fiddled with his uniform.


    ¡°Please go change your clothes. Have you been busy?


    ¡°¡­¡­a little busy. As you know, the Princess is on far too many expeditions.¡±


    I could feel the vein on his neck move.


    It was because of my flamboyant appearance.


    I was wearing a pure white dress that showed off my collarbone and shoulders, and a pearl necklace. It was a cheap fabric, since the Count had never let me wear expensive dresses.


    But every once in a while, my heart would move by cheap things.


    Killian turned away from looking at me and covered his face with his hand. His neck was a little red.


    ¡°Please sit down, brother. The tea will get cold.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    He politely pulled out a chair for me, made sure I was seated, and then sat down. After that, he poured tea into my cup and pushed the tea cakes my way.


    His movements, as if he was a skilled butler, made the young ladies buzz once more.


    This was one of the elements that raised his charm.


    I¡¯m sure they all wondered what it was like to have a man who was this kind to her, to an unrelated sister.


    Killian got the crumbs from my lips and naturally put it in his mouth.


    ¡°Oh, my.¡±


    They couldn¡¯t help it but exclaimed.


    As my gaze fell on him, someone opened their mouth.


    It was Cecil, who had been a frequent visitor to the Count¡¯s gatherings since she was a child.


    ¡°Really, I envy your relationship with your brother every time I see it. Lady Evelyn.¡±


    I could see that the sentence ¡°Not even blood related¡± was hidden. She smiled with her fan in hand, and I responded with a smile.


    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m also jealous of which one of you will be taking my brother.¡±


    The noble ladies who had been in and out of the social scene since childhood were more sensitive to power than anything else. They intuitively knew who would have the upper hand in the relationship with Killian.


    I raised my chin and looked around them, as if I were going to decide who could marry Killian.


    One of them asked with a flushed face.


    ¡°Has Young Master decided where to marry yet?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve been busy with work. I don¡¯t think my father cares yet. I should be going soon.¡±


    Gently, I folded my arm around Killian¡¯s arm. His body stiffened.


    ¡°Come to think of it, you¡¯re all going to debut soon. Are there any of the young ladies who haven¡¯t decided on a partner?¡±


    In this world, at the age of 18, they had to make their debut.


    It was not a playful social gathering among young people of their age, but an event to announce their existence in the society.


    That was why most of the young ladies here would be making their debutantes this year. Instantly, their eyes lit up.

 Chapter 5

    ****


    The eyes of the Young Ladies who had gathered lit up.


    ¡°Actually, I haven¡¯t yet.¡±


    ¡°Oh, me too.¡±


    ¡°I was going to take it easy and decide.¡±


    I smiled brightly as I watched the ladies talking in front of me.


    They all blatantly wanted Killian.


    The most courageous woman in the group popped out.


    ¡°By the way¡­.what kind of appearance Young Master likes?¡±


    It was a pretty bold question for a Lady this age. Killian¡¯s gaze, which had been fixed on me the whole time, glanced at her.


    He stared at her without saying a word. The woman¡¯s face flushed red.


    After a long wait, Killian¡¯s lips parted.


    ¡°¡­Not much.¡±


    The tension, which had been lingering among the ladies, was relieved as if it were losing its momentum.


    ¡°But still, if you think about it carefully, I¡¯m sure they¡¯re there! For example, do you like dark hair or light hair!¡±


    The ladies didn¡¯t seem to give up.


    Killian stared at her once more, then he turned his gaze to me.


    I purposely didn¡¯t pay attention to him as I lifted my cup.


    ¡°The lighter the better.¡±


    At his words, the expressions of the ladies with pale colored hair visibly brightened.


    I laughed inwardly. He really was a blind man.


    If I had dyed my hair pitch black today, he would have said he liked dark hair.


    A woman with light brown hair held up her hand as if she were making an announcement.


    Then she said in a voice that was almost a scream.


    ¡°Well, well, if that¡¯s the case, Young Master. Would you like to be my debutante partner?¡±


    It was a brave statement for a noblewoman like her, whose reputation was most important. She closed her eyes tightly. Her face was already taut and red.


    Killian looked at me as if asking for an answer.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, brother.¡±


    Killian¡¯s neck moved up and down. He looked at me as if he was trying to figure out if I really meant it.


    I smiled and nodded.


    Then Killian said, his gaze still facing me.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The lady raised her hand and covered her mouth, and the rest of the ladies¡¯ faces clouded over. I raised my cup and took a sip. The tea with sugar tasted sweet.


    The unknown and courageous always win.


    ***


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    Killian ran after me.


    I didn¡¯t answer and he followed me into the room.


    I closed the door and made sure there was no one around before I finally opened my mouth.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    I sat down on the bed and gave him a cold stare, and he spontaneously took off my shoes as he knelt in front of me.


    ¡°Debutante, you¡¯ll have one this year too. Do you have a partner? Do you perhaps already have someone else?¡±


    He neatly arranged the shoes and looked up at me from his kneeling position.


    I was confined to the Count¡¯s house and never got to meet anyone else, except for the noble ladies who come for tea parties.


    Therefore, goods and news were also delivered through Killian. There was no such thing as a partner.


    Killian¡¯s eyes trembled a little, as if he knew this and was worried.


    I crossed my legs and looked down at him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a partner.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t have a debutante without a partner.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s more, what did I say?


    Killian stopped talking and rummaged through his uniform.


    ¡°You are really not going to tell me why you need this?¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    I held out my hand in lieu of a reply, and he sighed, dropping the yellow pendant necklace into my hand.


    It was the item I had asked him to get for me last week.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­yes.¡±


    ¡°Good job.¡±


    I held the pendant close to me and smelled it. It seemed certain.


    I put the necklace on and nodded.


    ¡°You can leave. ¡°


    ¡°Evelyn, the debutante¡­.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡±


    I sighed loudly, and he cringed.


    I got down from the bed and crouched down beside Killian, hugging his neck tightly.


    I could feel the stiffness of his body, the tightness of his muscles. His hot breath exhaled on my neck.


    I closed my eyes expressionlessly and counted to five. One or two¡­¡­¡­¡­ would be enough.


    I stood up and smiled like a harmless little sister.


    ¡°Thanks for the help, brother.¡±


    He looked at me with a face that still hadn¡¯t lost its heat.


    ¡°Please leave. I want to rest.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    I got up on the bed and pulled the covers up to the top of my head.


    A persistent stare followed, and soon the door closed quietly.


    In the room I was finally left alone, I fiddled with my pendant.


    I had everything I needed.


    The debutante was in three months, and if the story was true, Devan would try to kidnap Cordelia before then. Of course, this time it would be me who would be kidnapped.


    The only thing left to do was to use Killian to persuade the Count until then.


    Make sure he wouldn¡¯t take me to the basement until before the debutante.


    Cordelia was kidnapped while she was sleeping in her room. So I had to do the same.


    If I slept in the basement, all the preparations I had made for ten years could be for nothing.


    The Count would be easily persuaded if it was debutante. Because it was on a different level from other social gatherings.


    The Debutante was an event which all royalty to high-ranking nobles would attend. If even a bruise was seen under my dress, it would only take a short time for rumors to spread. They wouldn¡¯t be so na?ve as to believe the words ¡®I fell¡¯.


    On the ceiling, the Goddess of the Sun was smiling brightly at me. It was the seal of Count Diego¡¯s family. I stretched out my hand toward the sun, which was far away.


    ¡°The Sun Goddess¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    I clenched my fist with my outstretched hand. The nails dug into the flesh painfully.


    Despite having immense divine power, despite being reincarnated with the memories of my previous life, I had never once believed in Gods. But¡­


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do.¡±


    If I could live, I was confident that I would be a Goddess if I could get out of this hell house.


    ***


    After I promised Devan Lantimos that I would lift his curse, I slept for a whole day. When I woke up, it was the eyes of a lion that welcomed me.


    The lion, who was dying with many arrows in his eyes, had pretty lively eyes for that.


    Yes, this was the Grand Duchy of Lantimos.


    A deep sense of relief washed over me. It wasn¡¯t a dream. Everything was exactly as I had planned.


    The hellish basement, the horrible Count, and Killian¡¯s tenacious gaze were not here. It was all behind me.


    ¡°¡­why is no one coming?¡±


    I quietly got up from the bed.


    Even though the headache from being hit in the head was gone, it was difficult to get out of sleep easily due to the drug they used to kidnap me.


    My clothes were still the same when I was kidnapped. The dress was all crumpled.


    I went to the window and opened the curtains. The dazzling sunlight streamed in.


    ¡°Is it already afternoon?¡±


    Puzzled, I opened my mouth.


    It was the first time that I slept until this hour. Normally, I was taken to the basement as soon as morning came at the Count¡¯s house.


    ¡°Don¡¯t people usually wake me up around this time?¡±


    There was something strange. Even though I didn¡¯t grow up in a normal family, I knew this much.


    Is this ignoring me, or being considerate? My stomach growled. I hadn¡¯t eaten anything for over a day, so it was understandable.


    As I told Devan yesterday, I would sleep first, then wash up, and food would come last. I was used to this level of hunger.


    Slowly I turned the doorknob. There was a rattling sound but the door did not open.


    ¡®It¡¯s locked?¡¯


    I turned the doorknob a few more times. I even slammed it hard with my fist.


    bang, bang.


    But the door did not open. I panicked, my eyes fluttering. I was trapped. I was locked in a room.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time I experienced this. But that was why I was even more afraid. How did I get out of that terrible basement and get trapped again?


    After taking a deep breath, I went back to the bed and sat down.


    There was no need to panic. I told myself.


    Yes, in Devan¡¯s point of view, it was natural for him to do this because he just kidnapped a noblewoman.


    He was afraid that I¡¯d run away. He would never have thought that I myself wanted to be kidnapped.


    I had to talk to him. Apparently, there was a good chance that he did not properly understand the deal I proposed last night.


    I had to convince him that I was willing to help him.


    Anyway, he needs me too, doesn¡¯t he? So he would come without delay. He wouldn¡¯t want me to starve to death in a room like this.


    At that moment, I heard the sound of someone in the hallway. I hurriedly approached and knocked on the door.


    ¡°Excuse me!¡±


    Through the narrow doorway, I saw a figure.


    ¡°Please open the door!¡±


    The person, who I didn¡¯t know who it was, stood in the hallway.


    Looking at his hesitant attitude, I had a feeling it wasn¡¯t Devan.


    ¡°I need to talk to you.¡±


    As I spoke calmly, I heard a rattling sound. Finally, the lock came off and the door opened.


    Standing there was a gray-haired, old butler.


    He seemed a little surprised, but he naturally bowed his head in greeting.


    ¡°Um, Devan,¡­¡­¡­so where is the Grand Duke? I need to talk to him. I think there has been a misunderstanding.¡±


    The old butler said in a gentle and polite tone.


    ¡°His Highness in his office.¡±


    ¡°Please take me there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss, but that¡¯s not possible.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Why not?¡±


    He shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°How can I, a mere butler, disobey His Highness¡¯ orders?¡±


    That meant Devan deliberately locked me up.


    ¡°So those orders are going to change, if I can talk to him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss.¡±


    The butler bowed politely.


    At that moment, I thought about pushing him out of the way and running away. However, I wasn¡¯t sure if I could succeed.


    No matter how old I was, I grew up without eating properly, so I was weaker than ordinary women.


    Besides, there was no need to provoke Devan. I could arouse even more suspicion if I did that.


    While I was pondering, the door slowly closed.


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡±


    At the urgent voice, the butler opened the door again and bowed his head.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to wash up. Is it possible?¡±


    ¡°I cannot do anything that Your Highness has not ordered.¡±


    ¡°What about food? I haven¡¯t eaten anything since yesterday. What if I don¡¯t have the strength and can¡¯t use my divine power? I don¡¯t think he¡¯d like that.¡±


    The butler, who was struggling for a while with his eyes downcast, bowed his head again.


    ¡°I will ask His Highness.¡±


    Then the door closed with a bang.

 Chapter 6

    ***


    Devan did not come to visit me that night. There was no food either.


    I fell asleep with a starving stomach, and when I woke up again, I finally heard a knock at the door. I hurriedly got out of bed and opened it. Before I knew it, the lock was unlocked.


    Standing there, contrary to my expectations, was the old butler.


    Surely, Devon would have attacked the room on his own instead of knocking.


    ¡°Is it finally time to eat? It¡¯s early.¡±


    He smiled at my sarcastic tone and bowed his head.


    ¡°¡®I have orders to bring the Lady to the Great Hall.¡±


    ¡°¡­The Hall?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to see His Highness? He also said you can have dinner there.¡±


    He said that I could do both if I went to the hall.


    I pondered for a moment and then nodded. I had no right to say no anyway.


    ¡°¡­Okay. Lead the way.¡±


    The hallway had the same atmosphere as in the room. It was clean and uncluttered, with no fancy decorations. There wasn¡¯t a single person passing by, which made it seem even more so. It was different from the Count¡¯s house. There were no butlers running around the corridors, no maidservants, no one at all the whole time.


    It was complicated because the roads were twisted all around.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for the butler who was leading the way, I would have been lost at any moment. I wondered if he had locked me in this room on purpose.


    At the crossroads, I went to the right, then to the left again, then up half a flight of stairs, then straight ahead, then up again¡­.


    The old butler did not hesitate. I had to give up trying to remember the way halfway through, because I was too busy following him.


    When we finally arrived at the Great Hall, it was big. Really big. But it was desolate.


    There was a long table plopped on the uncarpeted floor, and a large chandelier with no pattern on the ceiling.


    That was all. There was not a single tapestry on the wall, no flower pots or statues or anything.


    Devan was seated at the top of a long table.


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought the Lady.¡±


    The old butler bowed, then disappeared somewhere else.


    Devan rested his chin on his hand on the table. He still had a black eye patch wrapped around his eyes. I tried to sit naturally, but I hesitated. The way I looked was awful. I couldn¡¯t look in the mirror, but my messy hair and wrinkled dress looked unbearable.


    ¡°Um, I¡¯d like to wash up first, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just eat.¡±


    ¡°But I haven¡¯t been able to wash since yesterday. Since I was kidnapped.


    ¡°Washing up or not, I think it¡¯ll be the same, just sit down.¡±


    I stared at him absurdly. Devon, however, seemed to have no intention of changing his mind.


    Soon the old butler appeared, dragging a tray full of food. He looked at me strangely, perhaps because I was still standing, then he pulled out a chair.


    Do they really don¡¯t mind me sitting at the table dressed like this?


    While everyone seemed unconcerned about my appearance, I felt embarrassed.


    Eventually I gave up and sat down at the table. The smell of food wafting from the tray was also the reason why I sat down.


    The butler began placing the food on the table. There was no sign of the time in the Great Hall.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any servants.¡±


    In response to my sudden remark, Devan replied with a frown.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something you need to be concerned about.¡±


    Well, yes. I intended to finish the treatment and leave here as soon as possible. It was none of my business if this old butler left this house because it was too much work for him to do.


    The dishes were placed on the table.


    It was the hottest soup I had ever seen. There was so much meat that I took a spoonful and many came up all at once.


    My stomach was growling. I made an effort not to behave ungracefully and took a full mouthful of the soup.


    ¡­It was so good. It was the best thing I had ever eaten in this world.


    I almost forgot my position. I released my tension and let my body relax.


    ¡°Count Diego¡­¡±


    Devan opened his mouth, breaking the desolation of the hall filled with clattering sounds.


    I put my spoon down, feeling nervous.


    ¡°I heard he¡¯s a very rich man.¡±


    It was true. The Count was one of the richest men in the empire.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Why on earth do you need money?¡±


    He was talking about the deal I proposed.


    The deal where he would give me the money to leave this empire and a position in exchange for me resolving the curse.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­.I want to leave this empire.¡±


    He didn¡¯t even give me a chance to speak.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    I could feel Devan¡¯s gaze on me.


    Is he really blind? I could feel his gaze was sharp enough to make me doubt that.


    Besides, he had been eating skillfully earlier without any help.


    I narrowed my eyes and looked at him, shrugging my shoulders.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a reason why I should tell you my situation. I can lift the curse and Your Highness can give me the money. I¡¯m sure money is not a problem for Your Highness.¡±


    There was no change in Devan¡¯s expression even in my quite cheeky tone. He just kept looking at me.


    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t need to know about your situation. That is, if you can really lift the curse.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡±


    ¡°What about the rumors that have spread through the Empire?¡±


    ¡°Rumors?¡±


    ¡°A child with immense divine power went to Count Diego¡¯s family and suddenly couldn¡¯t use her power anymore.¡±


    Oh, come to think of it, such rumors were circulating throughout the empire.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean to say that it¡¯s merely a rumor. In fact, the number of patients who had been in and out of Count Diego since eight years ago has been cut off.¡±


    I bit my lip.


    No wonder he accepted my suggestion so easily. He locked me up all day yesterday to investigate my background.


    ¡°Or are you saying that you can lift the curse with some other power that is not divine power?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ It¡¯s true that patients haven¡¯t been in and out of Count Diego¡¯s mansion since eight years ago. But¡­¡±


    I hurriedly continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I couldn¡¯t use my divine powers. It¡¯s that I didn¡¯t use it.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t use it? Why?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. I cannot say. But what¡¯s certain is that I did not use my power for eight years just because I wanted to. If His Highness were to lock me up in the room like he did yesterday and prevent me from doing anything¡­.¡±


    ¡°Then what shall you do?¡±


    ¡°¡®It means I may not use my power in the future. I have endured eight years, and how many of those days will be hard?¡±


    He laughed as if it were funny.


    ¡°What if I threaten you? Torture you into using your divine powers and then lock you up? Then what are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°If you want to try, then do it.¡±


    I stared into his eyes. Or more accurately, where his eyes were.


    Confinement, intimidation, torture¡­. After what I had endured in that basement, none of that was a threat to me.


    ¡°No matter what you do, I won¡¯t use my divine powers unless I want to. On the contrary, I¡¯m saying that I can fix the curse if I want.¡±


    ¡°I thought it was strange from the first time I saw it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m simply telling you the easy way out.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­. Is that the deal you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    ¡°Yes. All I need is money and status.¡±


    Devan folded his arms and leaned back. He seemed to be deeply thinking about something and I stared at him.


    I wondered how much time had passed.


    What broke the deadly silence, not even a rattling sound, was an unexpected question.


    ¡°Can you wash by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I looked at him with a stunned gaze.


    ¡°As you can see, I have very few servants here. I¡¯m saying there¡¯s no maid to take care of your bath.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you accept the deal?¡±


    Devan shrugged.


    ¡°Yes, I can do it on my own. Just tell me where the bathroom is.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Devan lifted the fork again and began to eat. Staring at him, I also slowly lifted my fork.


    It seemed that I had crossed the first barrier.


    ***


    It was the old butler who took me to the bathroom after dinner.


    Does he really work alone in this big mansion? I stared at him in wonder, but the butler handed me some clothes.


    ¡°I could not prepare your clothes in time. After washing up, you can wear this gown, and I will have it ready for you.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    The butler bowed and disappeared.


    The scenery in the bathrooms was similar to the atmosphere of the hall I just saw earlier. It wasn¡¯t glamorous, but it was clean and had a luxurious appearance.


    I took off my clothes and hung them on the wall.


    A small yellow necklace shone on my naked body.


    I took the pendant on the end of the necklace and clicked open the lid. The pendant, which looked like a flat penny, broke in half.


    I dropped a drop of the liquid inside it into the bathtub filled with hot water. In no time at all, the bath was filled with the scent of daisy flowers. I hurriedly soaked myself in the bathtub. What was in the pendant was a magically concentrated extract of daisy flowers.


    Just one drop was enough to maintain the scent for several days.


    It was a scent I was already tired of because I was not used to it, but I dipped my head into the water to see if it would go away.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    It was not until I was suffocated that I came out of the water. Then I held the small pendant tightly in my hand.


    It was the one I had asked Killian to get for me. Not a day had gone by since then that I hadn¡¯t smelled this fragrance on my body.


    [The young sun goddess with the scent of daisy flowers will break your curse.]


    There were two conditions for being the main character of the prophecy.


    First, I had to be a member of Count Diego¡¯s family who had the Sun Goddess as his seal.


    Second, I must have the scent of daisy flowers.


    Perhaps it was because she was a heroine, Cordelia really did have the scent of daisy flowers coming from her body.


    But it was not me. This pendant was my second way to replace Cordelia.


    I immersed my body in the hot water again and slowly closed my eyes.


    I finally got out of the tub as the heat of my body became unbearable. The cold air made my body tremble.


    Now I remembered that this was not the Count¡¯s house. The magic tools for making hot water were very expensive and I had never been allowed to use them before.


    I hurriedly put on the gown that was hung on the wall.


    When I looked in the mirror, I could see bruises all over my body through the open gown.

 Chapter 7

    ***


    I looked at the bruise marks in the mirror.


    I did well for months, preparing for my debutante, but of all places, I was taken to the basement on the morning of my abduction.


    Needless to say, the Count must have heard some bad rumors among the nobility. Fortunately, he sent me back to my room at night.


    The thought of all the effort I made would have been for nothing made me shudder. Looking at the bruises, it looked like it would last for at least a week.


    I didn¡¯t want Devan to find out before then. I tightened my gown as tightly as I could. It was a bit ridiculous, but better than being discovered.


    I followed the old butler¡¯s instructions and hurried to my room. Right at the first crossroads, straight ahead, half a floor of stairs, then right again to the room at the end of the hallway. I remembered slowly and cleanly.


    Even that was good, because the bathroom was closer to the room than the hall. Apparently, the room I woke up in after being abducted the first time was my room.


    It had a nice view of the window on a fairly high floor, and most importantly, the interior was beautiful. It was a shame there was no goldware to steal and the maze of corridors, though.


    Anyway, so what if there were no servants? Washing clothes was no problem for me since I had memories from my previous life, but putting on the clothes was different.


    Clothes in this world were impossible to wear alone from the beginning.


    Aside from the complexity of the order, it was essential to have someone to help you tie the many strings on your back one by one.


    I wondered if the butler would do it.


    I imagined him tying the strings with shaky hands, which made me laugh out loud.


    It would be a good idea to change to clothes that wouldn¡¯t require such strings. I was going to live quietly as a commoner when I left this country anyway.


    I didn¡¯t want to stick to the complicated dresses that nobles wear.


    Suddenly there was a knock at the door.


    I hurriedly tightened the gown and answered it after a beat of rest.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Carefully, the door opened. Surprisingly, it was not the old butler standing there, but a young woman.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Hilda, Young Lady. Oh, oh, I¡¯m going to take care of the Lady today.¡±


    She shuddered, her body shaking, and her childish face was full of freckles.


    ¡°I thought there were no servants¡­.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s why His Highness¡­¡­he suddenly ordered¡­.. .¡±


    So quickly?


    I opened my eyes wide, looked at Hilda, and nodded.


    ¡°Yeah ¡­¡­ I guess. Did you bring the dress?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss.¡±


    Hilda showed the dress in her hand. The old butler¡¯s taste wasn¡¯t so bad.


    ¡°Then can you help me change?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss.¡±


    Hilda was better at her job than I expected.


    She looked clumsy in everything, but she had me dressed in no time.


    Sehe could clearly see my bruises there and she didn¡¯t say a word. That¡¯s what I liked most about her.


    ¡°How did you get here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes?¡±


    After putting in the dress, Hilda combed my hair. She didn¡¯t stake much like earlier.


    ¡°The word that His Highness the Grand Duke was going to get married spread through the territory.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, marry?¡±


    ¡°I, ha, but, I, I, will never tell anyone!¡±


    Hilda squeezed her eyes shut. I asked, blinking my eyes.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Yes, that¡¯s why the Lady came to His Highness¡¯ house¡­ To marry¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    At my shout, Hilda dropped the comb.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, My Lady!¡±


    ¡°My marriage? Tell me in detail.¡±


    I was forcibly kidnapped, but marriage? How in the world did such a rumor spread?


    No, shouldn¡¯t the abduction itself be a secret in the first place? If it was known that I was here, it wouldn¡¯t be good for him either.


    Hilda, who was avoiding my puzzled eyes, hesitated and spoke.


    ¡°But ¡­¡­ His Highness the Grand Duke is an utterly cruel man,¡­¡­¡­. That¡¯s why he hasn¡¯t married yet¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. Whenever a young woman is seen in this house, we think she is forced to marry¡­¡±


    Hilda¡¯s story can be summarized as follows.


    Devan placed an advertisement throughout his domain to find servants for a Young Lady. Naturally, rumors spread that he had taken a young woman into his castle.


    The rumor was soon misrepresented as Devan bought a woman from somewhere and forced her into marriage.


    I was too perplexed to continue speaking. Rumors aside, he had the nerve to reveal too brazenly that there was a young woman in his castle.


    If this fact were to spread outside the territory, there would be people who would be curious about the identity of the young woman who suddenly appeared.


    And what if the rumors of Count Diego¡¯s daughter¡¯s disappearance were combined with that?


    There might be a few people who would suspect I was the Young Lady.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t think Count Diego would be looking for me.


    He saw me as a nuisance and difficult to deal with, and was glad that I was gone. He probably already held a funeral for me.


    No matter how much so. I think the Grand Duke was too careless.


    He was the one who kidnapped me, so why should I be more worried about him?


    ¡°Hey, young lady. By the way, um, is His Highness the Grand Duke really that cruel?¡±


    Hilda shuddered, but it seemed to be curious.


    Now that I looked at it, she was so curious about the rumors that she applied for the servant job.


    ¡®Yes, she did.¡¯


    I stared blankly at the mirror.


    Cruel. I knew that such rumors were spreading throughout the empire.


    There were also rumors that he was trying to drag his brother down from the throne.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    All I knew for sure was that it wasn¡¯t my business.


    I would be leaving this place altogether in a short while, and all I needed was money.


    ***


    Devan Lantimos¡¯ nerves were on edge.


    It was partly because of the hope that perhaps the curse that had tormented him for so long might disappear, and partly because of the fear that this time his hope might be shattered.


    He thought of my voice, which was bold, not unlike the dry wrist he held in one hand. He thought of Evelyn, Count Diego¡¯s daughter, who smelled like daisies¡­.


    Devan was convinced that I was the hero of the prophecy. I was raised in the temple with immense divine power and adopted as a Count¡¯s daughter.


    He was sure of everything, from the fact that the seal of the Count Diego symbolized the Sun Goddess to the scent of daisy flowers wafting from my body.


    He was not one to move without certainty. All the clues were pointing to me.


    Certainly I was the main character of the prophecy.


    Even though he thought so, he was still somewhat suspicious.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Devan slumped deeper into his chair and slowly stroked his chin.


    It wasn¡¯t just a rumor that I had lost my divine powers. It had been that way from the beginning. The young lady was somehow different from what he imagined.


    Of course, he couldn¡¯t see my appearance, but he could hear my voice and the way I sounded somewhat regal.


    Moreover, even though I was kidnapped, I proposed a deal to him. It became wildly ridiculous when he remembered that time.


    Money and status to leave the empire.


    In fact, some people had demanded him for money and power in return for lifting his curse.


    But they were all dumb. They all claimed they were confident in their divine power, but could not even pour divine power into Devan¡¯s body, let alone cure him.


    Those who really believed that Devan would later take the throne. There were those who just wanted a lot of money and Devan¡¯s power.


    Evelyn, however, was different. She was the daughter of Count Diego, a wealthy and famous man. She didn¡¯t need to make a fortune or rise in status. Yes, that was the most ridiculous point for Devan.


    Money enough to leave this country. It was too little money for Count Diego and for him. It was too little for the price of releasing him from a curse that had caused him a lifetime of pain.


    Devan shook his head after imagining one thing or another for a while.


    What was certain was that it was none of his business.


    As long as she released the curse, Devan could give her anything she wanted. Even if all she wanted was his entire fortune.


    Even if it was, he was ready to pay.


    Devan shook his head, deeply buried in a chair.


    He didn¡¯t need to waste his thoughts. He decided to concentrate solely on fixing his curse. He was waiting for Evelyn. To be exact, Evelyn¡¯s treatment.


    She washed and was fed as she asked, so it was time for the cure.


    He also instructed the butler to tell Evelyn, so she would be here soon. He finally calmed his nervous, throbbing heart.


    Just then, he heard a strange sound in the air.


    It sounded like a mischievous laugh. Devan¡¯s eyebrows wriggled up.


    Something continued to talk to him. But Devan couldn¡¯t see anything around him.


    He tried to ignore it.


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Devan snorted lowly, unable to stand it. But the voice didn¡¯t stop. He covered his face with his hands.


    It had been five years. Something unidentified was talking to him.


    He didn¡¯t know its identity or what it wanted.


    He just knew that it was invisible to people.


    Sometimes he thought he was crazy. Or maybe this was part of the curse. If the curse disappeared, would the voice also disappear?


    I heard a knock at the door. At the same time, the presence he felt in the void disappeared in an instant.


    ¡°I brought the Lady.¡±


    It was the voice of the butler. Devan quickly raised his head and took a deep breath .


    ¡°Come in¡­¡­..¡±


    Carefully, the door opened.


    The familiar footsteps of the old butler were followed by light footsteps.


    Devan slowly focused his mind. Soon things and people began to appear very faintly.


    Only the frames of objects and people in the midst of all the blackness appeared to be dark blue.


    This was another ability that was created five years ago when the strange voice appeared.


    He couldn¡¯t say that he could see perfectly, but he could see a minimal shape.


    This ability kept him from falling and bumping into things in an unseemly manner.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be outside.¡±


    The old butler left the room cautiously. Devan said to Evelyn, who stood placidly in the middle of the room.


    ¡°Sit down.¡±

 Chapter 8

    ***


    Translated and edited by sleepypanda


    ***


    ¡°Sit down¡±


    I stood still after entering Devan¡¯s office. It was honestly strange no matter how much I thought about it.


    Was he truly blind?


    I deliberately didn¡¯t make a single sound to see if he noticed. Despite not making a noise he looked straight at where I was standing.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sit down?¡±


    He noticed.


    He moved seamlessly through the room, and even looked straight at me. As far as I could remember, there was nothing like this in the original. It seemed as if he was extremely wary of bumping into things here and there.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    I stopped thinking after the last time he called me and sat next to him. When I sat down on the sofa, he frowned a bit.


    ¡°Why are you sitting here?¡±


    ¡°I have to be physically close to you to treat you.¡±


    He became quiet after I responded to him. This was the important part. It had been 8 years since I had last used my powers if I excluded the incident with the dogs.


    I didn¡¯t think it was possible, but I was anxious at the same time. What would happen if my divine power wasn¡¯t enough to break his curse?


    Closing my eyes, I focused. Within my body I could feel my power surging through me. I grabbed Devan¡¯s hands in that state, and could feel him flinch away.


    ¡°Before treating you, I have to create a space for the energy within your body. So for today, I will create a vacuum for the energy to flow into you.¡±


    ¡°A vacuum?¡±


    ¡°In other words, it¡¯s to fill up the blood that flows within you with divine energy.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not exactly what I mean, but it¡¯s a metaphor to explain what exactly I¡¯m going to do right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sure.¡±


    Through our interlocked hands, I felt the power that was swirling within me flow to Devan. My face scrunched up as I felt nauseous. It felt like I was going in the opposite direction of what was natural.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Devan was also struggling. A person¡¯s ability to adapt to divine power differed from person to person, and some found it harder than others to accept such power. Devan was probably the latter.


    I held Devan¡¯s hand tightly even as he was flinching away. She had to at least fill up his arm. Devan¡¯s hands were clammy; I could feel the sweat accumulating on my forehead.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    I could feel myself groaning. My body was trembling.


    It was strange ¨C at first, I felt like my reaction was due to the amount of divine power I had accumulated from 8 years of disuse, but that wouldn¡¯t explain the amount of resistance that I was feeling, particularly as someone who had a high degree of affinity to divine power.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    I could hear Devan call out to me in a strange voice. It seemed like I wasn¡¯t the only one feeling this way.


    Despite last using my powers almost 10 years ago, my memory of healing others was vivid. I had treated hundreds of people before. This was the first time I had ever felt this way during a treatment.


    I felt like all my hair was standing up. I didn¡¯t know what was going on.


    However, I couldn¡¯t let go. The power had only just reached his elbow.


    If I don¡¯t reach my entire arm today¡­


    ¡°Are you OK?¡±


    I felt him trying to let go of me, so I quickly strengthened my grasp.


    I couldn¡¯t afford to drag this on. I wanted to leave this place as soon as possible, and that required healing him as fast as possible.


    My hands turned white. Finally, the divine power reached his shoulder. This was the limit.


    ¡°Whoo.¡±


    I breathed heavily and shook off his hand.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    As I opened my eyes I could feel his gaze on me. My head was spinning, and it felt like my eyes were distorted.


    ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t feel that great¡ª¡°


    That was the last thing I remember


    *


    *


    *


    Hi there ????


    Something chuckled and talked to me.


    Who is it? I felt the presence of something, but I couldn¡¯t see or make out what they looked like.


    What should I call this? It felt like everything was shaking¡­


    You don¡¯t have to try to understand.


    That thought seemed to be beamed straight into my brain. Was it reading my thoughts?


    It¡¯s not just your mind.


    Then what?


    I could feel it laughing. I frowned. Who are you?


    I¡­


    At that moment I opened my eyes. I could see a lion for the third time.


    What was that? Was it a dream? My back was covered with sweat.


    I could feel my memories fading. I heard that laugh again, and that was too vivid to call it a dream.


    What was it? And that laughter¡­


    ¡°Lady! Are you okay?¡±


    It was Hilda. She suddenly came into my view ¨C she must have been by my side all night long.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not okay.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say first, so I just stayed silent. I was still in a state of confusion. What was that dream?


    Something that was at the tip of my tongue quickly seemed to disappear into a vortex that was deep in my subconsciousness.


    In fact, I seemed to remember how uncomfortable I felt the moment I started to heal Devan¡­


    Remembering that incident, I asked.


    ¡°How is the Duke?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Surely he is sleeping right now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking about his treatment.¡±


    ¡°I only heard that you had fainted after the session¡±


    Did that mean Devan was fine?


    Why did I collapse? Was it because it had been so long since I last used my powers? I hadn¡¯t heard of anyone using their abilities after taking a multi-year break, so I wasn¡¯t sure if there were any side effects of doing so. I chewed my lips nervously.


    At least we had reached his shoulders. Perhaps in a few days we could even reach his eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the important thing, Miss!¡±


    Hilda looked anxious.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­ The temple is looking for you, Miss!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The temple, Miss! The high priests are looking for you personally!¡±


    My mouth dropped open.


    I learned that Hilda, while I collapsed, got a lot of information.


    She knew that I was an orphan with tremendous ability who was adopted by Count Diego. She had even learned that the duke and I had reached some sort of agreement.


    When I asked where she got that information, she winked, saying she could find out about anything.


    This amount of investigative ability was a talent after all. But even she didn¡¯t know why the temple was looking for me, so I asked her the directions to the duke¡¯s room.


    It was early in the morning, and the duke was in the room where we had our first treatment session. When I opened the door and entered, the duke looked up at me politely.


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°I know¡±.


    Without waiting for his permission, I sat on the sofa. Yesterday, I didn¡¯t even look around, but from the traces and desk arrangement, this room seemed to be his office.


    Surely he couldn¡¯t see, and the duke didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of getting up from the chair.


    ¡°I would like to discuss something with you.¡±


    ¡°Is it about treatment?¡±


    ¡°No, not about the treatment.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s discuss over food.¡±


    What was going on? I stared at him from the sofa. There was not a single piece of paper on his desk. Instead, there was a round sphere. Devan had one hand placed on the object. He would sometimes nod or frown slightly. Was it a magical tool?


    I closed my eyes and focused my mind. I had divine power, but mana and divine power were related enough for me to feel the flow of mana even if I couldn¡¯t use it myself.


    As expected, I felt power flowing between the object and the duke. I couldn¡¯t see the energy, but it seemed like he was receiving updates through this magic tool. Despite waiting a while, the duke still made no move to get up.


    Was he not curious at all? He seemed to genuinely want to wait until we ate to discuss.


    It¡¯s seven o¡¯clock now, so there was about an hour left until the meal.


    While I was waiting I got up from the sofa and walked around. Much like the rest of the mansion the room was extremely bare, and fit well with Devan.


    Looking around, I was distracted by a colorful sword that hung on the wall. I slowly moved towards it. The scabbard and the sword were displayed separately, but even the sword itself was dark black. The jewels ¨C everything from black pearls to dark red rubies ¡ª in the handle added to the sense of splendor. Despite their dark hues they seemed to glow in the light.


    ¡°Would it be alright to touch this?¡±


    When I asked Devan, he seemed to wave my question away. It seemed as though he didn¡¯t care what I did or what I was referring to.


    Permission granted it seemed. I gently put my hand on the sword. As soon as I put my hand on it, blood poured from my hand.


    Now that I think about it¡­ I had an idea.


    I put my entire palm on the blade and pulled with all my strength. I could hear the skin tearing.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    I felt a sharp pain in my hand. The blood dripped loudly on the floor.


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    Devan jumped up from his seat and stepped up.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    He looked at me.


    ¡°It smells like blood.¡±


    He grabbed my wounded hand and pressed on it as if he wanted to hurt me more.


    ¡°Are you interested in swords?¡±


    Devan suddenly skillfully grabbed a sword hanging from the wall.


    Only then did it come to mind that he was better at swordsmanship than most knights, even if he was blinded.


    With the sword in one hand, Devan frowned.


    ¡°My apologies for dirtying your floor.¡±


    I muttered as if I were making excuses.


    Devan stared at me.


    ¡°Tell me next time.¡±


    ¡°¡­what?¡±


    ¡°If you want to cut off your limbs, I¡¯ll do it painlessly.¡±

 Chapter 9

    ***


    ¡°If you want to cut your limbs, I¡¯ll do it painlessly.¡±


    Devan lightly turned the sword he was holding, then threw it to the floor.


    It was a motion that wasn¡¯t anything special, but it was graceful without any unnecessities.


    On the sword¡¯s handle, he raised his hands and stared at me intensely.


    Of course, his eyes were covered with a cloth, but I could feel his murderous intention somehow.


    ¡°If you¡¯re thinking of threatening me with your treatment as a hostage, you¡¯re mistaken.¡±


    I flinched. He seemed to have misunderstood what I was doing. I had taken the preemptive step of harming myself, hoping that I would find out about my collapse during treatment yesterday.


    ¡°I know what you misunderstood, but it¡¯s not that. I had to test my divine powers.¡±


    ¡°A test?¡±


    I touched Devan¡¯s chest slightly. Then I closed my eyes and focused.


    I felt an outpouring of divine power. A few moments passed, when I opened my eyes, the scar on my palm had disappeared completely.


    My body was also fine.


    My head didn¡¯t hurt like it did when I treated Devan, and I didn¡¯t break out in a cold sweat. There was some discomfort, but that was all.


    Why did I faint yesterday?


    If there was a problem with lifting his curse, I was in trouble.


    The ten years I had endured might become useless.


    ¡°Humph.¡±


    Devan frowned as he put his sword back in place. The smell of blood was unpleasant.


    I shrugged my shoulders. It seemed that I acted too impulsively. I should have done it outside or in the bathroom. There was blood on the floor and my clothes were a mess.


    ****


    ¡°I heard the temple was looking for me.¡±


    As soon as I sat down at the dinner table, I asked. Devan took a sip of the soup in front of him and frowned.


    ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡±


    He pretended to be unconcerned and started eating again.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t send you home. Not until you lift my curse¡­¡±


    ¡°What? You¡¯re sending me home?¡±


    I opened my eyes wide and looked at him.


    ¡°The temple is looking for you. I thought you wanted to leave.¡±


    ¡°No, of course not. Never, never, never send me home. Don¡¯t tell me the temple already knows I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    I let out a small breath. It wasn¡¯t the worst situation.


    I thought slowly as I tossed my fresh-looking salad to the side.


    ¡®How can I hide from the temple completely?¡¯


    No, it didn¡¯t even have to be completely. Come to think of it, all I had to do was hide until Devan¡¯s curse was lifted. After that, I would leave the empire anyway.


    I didn¡¯t know why the temple was looking for me, but I was sure they wouldn¡¯t follow me to other countries.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    Devan¡¯s eyebrows went up quickly with my cheeky tone. But it wasn¡¯t time to care about that.


    ¡°Please be careful.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I heard that you sent out a notice to the estate looking for maids. What rumors do you think it caused in the territory?¡±


    ¡°What rumors?¡±


    He really didn¡¯t seem to know. I was embarrassed to talk about marriage myself.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to know that. Anyway, there are many rumors that a young woman has entered this castle. If the temple hears the rumor.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s anything to worry about.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried. It¡¯s my job!¡±


    Devan put his hand on the table and rested his chin on it.


    ¡°I¡¯m really curious now. If you need money, wouldn¡¯t it be faster to ask the temple for it?¡±


    I clenched my mouth shut. Because the temple would never give me money.


    The external image of the temple within the empire was perfect.


    |They gave a place to sleep to those who didn¡¯t have a home, food to those who didn¡¯t have food, and medical treatment to those who were injured.


    So no one would believe me if I told them what I went through there.


    How the temple treated children with even the slightest amount of divine power, how many children had to labor without rest to treat the injured, and what finally happened to those children¡­.


    No one knew the other side of the temple.


    Except us, the scapegoats.


    ¡°¡­¡­ You can¡¯t do that. For starters, we made a deal. I will do everything in my power to break His Highness¡¯ curse. So you must help me to leave this empire. Do you understand? You must never let anyone find out that I am here. No one.¡±


    ¡°Even Count Diego?¡±


    I opened my eyes wide.


    It couldn¡¯t be, but he was on target, as if he knew something.


    When I did not respond, he shook his head lightly.


    ¡°As I said, I don¡¯t care about anything as long as you lift my curse. But if you can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°


    I felt like I was about to say something deadly, but Devan spoke first.


    ¡°When I saw you collapse yesterday, I couldn¡¯t help but worry.¡±


    ¡°¡­ That¡¯s because I haven¡¯t done that in a long time. But you saw it earlier¡±


    I waved a palm with a completely healed wound in front of him.


    Oh, but he can¡¯t see. I put my hand down again.


    ¡°Are you talking about the smell of blood?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no blood now.¡±


    ¡°Are you familiar with wounds?


    ¡°¡­¡­ No.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have to tell him that I had been beaten by the Count.


    I just wanted to be a Goddess in a perfect prophecy.


    ¡°In the future, let¡¯s refrain from such ignorance. I don¡¯t even want to smell blood in my house. If you really want, leave it to me.¡±


    Devan gave me an uncomfortable look.


    ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll do it in the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡±


    I bit my lips in frustration.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Whatever I was going to do in the bath alone, there was no way he could understand, so I said okay.


    ¡°From now on, the maid will help you with your path.¡±


    Devan said as if I smelled bad.


    How on earth would he do this if he didn¡¯t like the smell of blood?


    I glared at him and at the old butler standing beside him.


    ¡°By the way, are you sure there isn¡¯t a single servant in this big castle?¡±


    ¡°We have. There¡¯s your maid.¡±


    ¡°Not her.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like too many people.¡±


    He said casually as he put down his tableware.


    ¡°Why? But, it¡¯s uncomfortable. In many ways.¡±


    I wanted to tell him that he was blind, but it would be rude, so I held back.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to remember the sound of footsteps when there are so many people.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    I made a careless sound and squeezed my mouth shut.


    A somewhat awkward silence enveloped the hall.


    I wondered what life would be like without eyes. I felt pity for him now and couldn¡¯t help but chuckled bitterly.


    Why would I need to feel sorry for him?


    At least he wasn¡¯t destined to die under threats and torture. Who would feel sorry for whom?


    I raised my head, because I felt that this was really not the time for me to feel sorry for anyone.


    ¡°So, if this isn¡¯t important, why is the temple looking for me?¡±


    ¡°I thought you knew¡­¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    Devan slowly cut the meat and put it in his mouth.


    ¡°They said they needed you. They want to announce it throughout the Empire.¡±


    The Empire at large?


    That was quite unexpected.


    It¡¯s been a long time since they sold me out to Count Diego. The entire empire knew about it.


    Even if it wasn¡¯t in a negative way like mine, at least they all knew that the Temple hadn¡¯t spoken to me in over a decade.


    ¡°What is it? There must be a reason they¡¯re looking for me like this¡­.¡±


    ¡°It must be your power.¡±


    But I didn¡¯t use my power for eight years, and the temple knew that.


    If I hadn¡¯t used my divine power for such a long time, the temple would have thought that my divine power had bottomed out.


    There weren¡¯t one or two children who had divine power and bottomed out.


    I held the fork in my mouth and frowned deeply.


    This sudden situation was completely unexpected, and I had no idea what the reason was. I assumed that I was the child the temple had already abandoned. I refused to tangle with them any longer.


    ¡°In fact, I was curious about it myself.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Why would the temple suddenly look for you when Count Diego is keeping quiet?¡±


    ¡°So?¡± What did you find out?¡±


    He put down his fork and knife.


    Devan¡¯s plate, was clean and empty, was now full of blood from the meat.


    ¡°A certain girl is sick. That¡¯s all about the recent events in the temple.¡±


    ¡°A girl¡­.?¡±


    I felt as if time was slowing down. Devan spoke.


    ¡°She has tremendous abilities, just like you. It seems that the temple kept her hidden well until now. I think her name is Cordelia.¡±


    ¡­¡­ What?


    I lost strength in my hand without realizing it. The fork fell down and made a loud clanking sound.


    The name that came out of Devan¡¯s mouth had a lot more repercussions than I thought.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m ¡­.. I made a mistake.¡±


    I swallowed a few times.


    The old butler rushed over to clear the dishes. I couldn¡¯t even say thank you, my lips trembled repeatedly.


    The butler looked at me with a worried expression.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look well, Miss.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Devan frowned.


    ¡°Do you know the name? What does that girl have to do with finding you in the temple?¡±


    Suddenly, I trembled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you¡­.?¡±


    ¡°Um, I should go into my room now. I¡¯ll come for the treatment in the evening.¡±


    After cutting off Devan¡¯s words, I ran out of the dining room.


    Cordelia.


    It was her, the female protagonist of this novel.


    Unlike me, she was the true protagonist of the prophecy.


    ¡­..Cordelia. Her name echoed in my head.

 Chapter 10

    ***


    Translated and edited by sleepypanda


    ***


    Cordelia¡¯s appearance.


    It wasn¡¯t unexpected. She was the main character of this novel, so this was destined to happen someday. In fact, it was strange that she hadn¡¯t appeared yet so far.


    But why do I tremble at the mere mention of her name? I sat on the bed with my hands clasped.


    Maybe because her existence confirms the instability of my own, since I am a side character who was supposed to be killed in the original. It felt as if the plans I had been working so hard on for the past 10 years were going to be in vain.


    Even though she hasn¡¯t even done anything yet.


    What will Devan do if he realizes that she is the real hero of the prophecy? His cold words began to echo in my head:


    ¡°I hate lies with a passion. With that in mind, I pray for your longevity.¡±


    With trembling hands, I felt around my neck for my small yellow pendant and clutched at it desperately, its daisy flower scent soothing me.


    As long as this remains safe, there is no other evidence to prove my lie.


    I went back and laid on the bed.


    I¡¯ve endured 10 years so far; I can survive this too.


    I closed my eyes and took a slow, deep breath.


    Cordelia is not the issue right now. My main concern is the temple searching for me.


    But why?


    From the others, I heard a girl was sick.


    My eyes snapped open. Cordelia is sick.


    There was only one possible reason she was sick. She must have overused her powers.


    Then, why is the temple looking for me? They already doubt my powers, so why?


    At that moment, the answer struck me like lightning.


    It was obvious.


    First, they want to restore Cordelia to her rightful position.


    Second, people with enormous power have a different body constitution from ordinary people. So, thirdly, in order to heal Cordelia, you need someone with the same constitution as her, as a test subject.


    This is it.


    As a child, all the potions that Count Diego fed me were made in the temple.


    They often created new potions related to divine powers. Potions that would increase power, length of effect, and more.


    And I was the test subject for those that have not been verified so far.


    Yes, considering their habits, such a theory isn¡¯t hard to believe.


    They think that my power is already gone, while Cordelia¡¯s power is limitless.


    So they were going to study me and find a way to fix her.


    I felt goosebumps rising.


    If I¡¯m captured by the temple like this, I¡¯d be stuck in the same situation as the original.


    At this rate, I¡¯ll be used as an experiment for Cordelia and then thrown away.


    What should I do?


    There¡¯s no point in worrying about it now.


    There¡¯s only one thing I can do right now, and that¡¯s to break Devan¡¯s curse as soon as possible and leave the country with money.


    And for that to happen, I can¡¯t let yesterday¡¯s situation happen again.


    Collapsing like that will only delay the treatment even longer.


    It¡¯s already been 3 days since I got here.


    I could hear a cold wind blowing outside the window.


    I absolutely must leave before it snows.


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    I breathed in deeply through my nose. I felt my heart beating fast.


    After resting for a while and clearing my mind, evening came, and I headed back to Devan¡¯s room.


    Today I intend to release divine power to flow throughout his entire body. This may be a little excessive, but it will make the treatment easier if his body gets used to the divine power.


    Knock, knock


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Devan was sitting on the sofa. He seemed to have been expecting me.


    I sat down next to him.


    ¡°I have something to tell you.¡±


    Then I told him the proposal I¡¯d been mulling over all afternoon. ¡°Starting today, I¡¯d like payment for each day¡¯s treatment.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°So, I won¡¯t ask for the money all at once, but bit by bit.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t trust me? Are you thinking I¡¯ll cheat you out of your services?¡±


    Even though I couldn¡¯t see his eyes because of the eye patch, I could tell that he was making an absurd expression on his face.


    ¡°I just think it¡¯s a fair deal. Payment for each treatment is less to worry about.¡±


    I didn¡¯t think he was going to cheat me. Besides, the amount I asked from him was very small considering his position as a Grand Duke.


    But with the temple on my tail, I need to save some money in advance.


    It¡¯d be incredibly problematic if the temple found me before the treatment finishes.


    In that case, I would have no money on top of being dragged there.


    ¡°You won¡¯t accept, then?¡± I asked, pleadingly.


    Devan sighed deeply.


    ¡°I think you misunderstand your position. Realize I¡¯m the kidnapper here.¡±


    ¡°You may be the kidnapper, but money is ubiquitous. What about your majesty¡¯s curse? My power is the only cure, is it not?¡±


    Actually, I wouldn¡¯t be here if I could get the money just anywhere.


    In fact, Cordelia might be able to cure his curse.


    I truck out a bluff anyway.


    ¡°Money is ubiquitous?¡±


    Devan repeated, as if judging my words. I tried not to avoid his gaze.


    He sunk deeper into the sofa and replied with resignation in his voice at this obvious deception.


    ¡°¡­¡­.Okay, I get it. I¡¯ll pay for each treatment.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡±


    I hurriedly changed the topic before he could change his mind.


    ¡°And there¡¯s one more thing I¡¯m curious about.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°What happened with those rumors circulating at the estate? You do plan to resolve that issue, right?¡±


    Rumor has it that there is a young woman here.


    If this spreads throughout the empire, it¡¯ll only be a matter of time before the temple comes knocking.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to pretend that my sibling was visiting.¡±


    ¡°Your sibling?¡±


    Did Devan have a sibling? Also, the rumors are of a woman¡­ I thought blankly and then raised my head.


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding. The Crown Princess?¡±


    Is he crazy?


    At my shout, Devan made an impression as if he did not understand my language.


    Astrila Lantimos.


    She was Devan¡¯s younger sister and the soon-to-be crowned queen of this empire.


    The reason she became the heir even though she was younger than Devan was simple.


    In this world, the position of the high priest was higher than the emperor.


    The successors to the next throne were also decided by the high priest by the authority of God¡¯s will.


    The succession ruling is quite odd, really. They gather the qualified descendants in the temple, have them sleep overnight there, and then inspect their bodies the next day.


    Those chosen by God have a new mark on their bodies as proof.


    In other words, Astrila was chosen by God, and Devan was not.


    It was for this reason that Devan was blinded by a curse. That day, he was not chosen by God.


    What¡¯s more important now is that Devan is trying to use her to silence the rumors.


    Rumors of his potential cure should never reach her ears¡­ Because Astrilla was insane. Even more so than Devan.


    ¡°What would you do if she had really come? Why would the Crown Princess have a commoner as a maid? There are so many other maids at the Imperial Palace! It just wouldn¡¯t make sense! And what are you going to do if the monarchy hears about it!?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not interested in me anyway.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem!¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re worrying too much¡­¡±


    He shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Do you really think the rumors of this estate will spread that far?¡±


    I went silent.


    It¡¯s true; this place is pretty out of the way.


    This land was barren and far from the heart of civilization, making it tradition to graciously bestow it upon a prince who failed to become a successor.


    ¡°But still¡­ You never know. Why didn¡¯t you just lie and say that it was because you were lonely?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you said you didn¡¯t like lying.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what¡¯s important, but you¡­ I guess you don¡¯t care about my honor.¡±


    At his tone of absurdity, I looked at him with an equally disturbed expression.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you abandon your reputation when you kidnapped me in the first place?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­When will you start the treatment?¡±


    Devan turned around in annoyance. With a short sigh, I said,


    ¡°Now. Give me your hand.¡±


    Devan held out his hand as if he had been waiting. Just like last time, I held my hands together and closed my eyes.


    I had just garnered concentration when he suddenly blurted out,


    ¡°I heard you have an older brother, too.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    I frowned at the feeling of losing my concentration.


    Why did he bring this up all of a sudden?


    Ever since the Grand Duke came to me, I haven¡¯t really thought about Killian.


    ¡°I¡¯m about to treat you.¡±


    ¡°Do you not want to talk about yourself? Or the story of Count Diego¡­¡±


    ¡°Focus. I¡¯m going to infuse energy into your whole body today.¡±


    ¡°My whole body? Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m worried about you, not me.¡±


    Devan seems to have lost trust in me because of how I collapsed yesterday.


    That¡¯s understandable, though. It wasn¡¯t a very good show of confidence.


    And actually, I¡¯m still a bit afraid. Will it really be okay this time?


    Reaching within, I could feel the divine power sleeping in the depths of my body.


    It felt like an enormous and vast pool, an ocean great enough to even revive the dead.


    It¡¯s going to be okay. I won¡¯t collapse this time. I checked it, I drew it into my palm, and I know.


    Last time was just¡­ Bad luck.


    I cleared my mind and asserted with confidence, ¡°Not this time.¡±


    ***


    I shouldn¡¯t have said anything.


    When I came to, I was lying down on the bed again. I looked at the lion mantle that was staring down at me that seemed to almost be mocking me with its gaze.


    I fainted again. Why was this happening? At this point I was getting infuriated. The treatment was going well, even if it was super difficult. My power was able to flow throughout Devan¡¯s entire body ¨C that much was a success.


    Just why was I fainting though?


    ¡°I wonder?¡­¡±


    ¡°My Lady!¡±


    Hilda, overhearing my muttering, stood up suddenly from her spot next to me. It seemed as though she had been staying with me all night.


    ¡°I wonder why I keep fainting.¡±


    I was just asking out loud, not expecting an answer. Hilda looked at me with teary eyes.


    ¡°Are you feeling better my lady?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so frustrated!¡±


    I threw my pillow out of frustration. Hilda started shaking at my sudden show of temper.


    ¡°P.. Perhaps the Grand Duke also has divine powers?¡±

 Chapter 11

    ***


    Translated and edited by sleepypanda


    ***


    ¡°P.. Perhaps the Grand Duke also has divine powers?¡±


    Hilda asked, stuttering.


    ¡°¡­Divine power?¡±


    No, it didn¡¯t feel that way.


    After thinking about it, I shook my head.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it. And it would actually be easier if your Highness had divine powers, and I wouldn¡¯t have collapsed¡­ Wait.¡±


    Is there something other than divine power?


    For example, magic.


    If so, then his body would naturally reject divine power. Rather than my lack of ability, my difficulties have been caused by magic shielding me out.


    So then it wasn¡¯t my fault, but because of Devan¡¯s constitution.


    ¡°Does His Excellency know magic?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so?¡±


    Right, as far as I know, he doesn¡¯t.


    I¡¯ve never heard of him using magic in the original.


    Then what¡¯s going on?


    If it¡¯s not divine or magical, what is it?


    I don¡¯t believe Cordelia ever collapsed while treating him in the original.


    Is it because I¡¯m not the true protagonist for the prophecy?


    Thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach.


    I thought I could heal him even though I¡¯m not the heroine because I still have a vast amount of divine power.


    But if my power is not enough compared to Cordelia, then¡­


    No matter how hard I try, when I remember that I¡¯m just an extra, I feel depression sink in.


    ¡°What about money?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Hilda looked like she didn¡¯t understand.


    I had to get money from Devan. I jumped up from my seat.


    ¡°My Lady!¡±


    Hilda followed me with a worried look.


    ¡°Are ¡ª are you sure you don¡¯t want to rest more? You collapsed¡­¡±


    I ignored her words and headed out of the room.


    If I am not the heroine of prophecy and there is no cure, then I need more money.


    Money, enough money to leave this empire.


    That was the only thing I longed for right now.


    ***


    It wasn¡¯t that I never thought about leaving the Count and forgetting about the original story.


    Shouldn¡¯t I just run away from the Count¡¯s abuse?


    If I use Killian to get some money to last for a few days, I might be able to just run away.


    That was my thought process back then.


    Especially since 18-year-old Killian joined the Guard.


    I¡¯ve never been out of the Count¡¯s cage, but Killian traveled back and forth between the Isles and the Counties.


    Unlike in the past, he must have the money I earned in the Imperial Palace, and he¡¯ll likely just give it to me without issue.


    Right?


    I used to have such stupid thoughts.


    But Killian was a Diego. Killian Diego.


    When I briefly talked about money with him, I could see the reflection of the count coming through his gaze.


    I felt anger at this show of rebellion against me ¡ª after all, I thought I had him in the palm of my hand.


    The imbalance of power I vaguely sensed became tangible, and I realized I no longer had the upper hand in the relationship with Killian.


    He seemed to obey me, but only as long as I continued at his pace.


    I realized that this man would never let me out of this place.


    If I ran without thinking, I¡¯d be caught without fail. And not by the count, but by Killian.


    So my only option left was Devan Lanthimos, the Grand Duke of this empire with wealth to spare.


    I had to cure his curse and get paid, because that was the only way I could survive.


    I opened the door to Devan¡¯s office without knocking.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± I gave him no warning of my visit, but he sat there calmly as if he had known I was coming. Perhaps he heard my footsteps down the hallway.


    ¡°Money. Give me money.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you feeling alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Now I will take my pay.¡±


    Devan got up slowly from his chair, walked over to me, and leaned against the desk.


    He looked uncertain.


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about you. But if you keep on collapsing, how can I trust that you can really cure my curse?¡±


    ¡°I¡­!¡±


    ¡°You said you infused my whole body with divine power, but all I felt was a momentary pain. Is there really no way to know the progress of my treatment?¡±


    I bit my lip tightly.


    The reason I could stand confident in front of him was because I was the only one who could cure his curse.


    If I lose his trust like this, it¡¯s all over.


    Perhaps he was already suspicious that I was not the heroine of the prophecy.


    ¡°¡­Do you know how to use magic?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Devan¡¯s face wrinkled at my sudden question.


    ¡°Do you know how?¡±


    ¡°Yes. But why are you asking that?¡±


    ¡°Something¡­ something is rejecting the divine power from entering your body.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s not your fault?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Okay. This is an unexpected variable.¡±


    Devon folded his arms.


    He seemed to be interested in the story.


    ¡°But why magic? Does magic block divine power?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve considered it. But if you can¡¯t use magic, it¡¯s probably not the issue.¡±


    ¡°I heard that there are people who can¡¯t use magic, but still have magical powers.¡±


    Of course, there are people like that.


    I can¡¯t be sure that Devan isn¡¯t one of them.


    But is the issue really magical? It¡¯s still strange, no matter how I think about it.


    I hurriedly approached Devon¡¯s face.


    ¡°Let me see your hand for a second.¡±


    Without waiting for his answer, I grabbed his hand.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    He closed his eyes and concentrated.


    I didn¡¯t mean to drain my power like last time.


    It was only to find something lingering in Devan¡¯s body.


    Unlike before, he concentrated on every single blood cell flowing through his body.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    I could feel my face crumble into a grimace.


    There was something on Devan¡¯s right side. Something strange was flowing.


    It wasn¡¯t divine. Then, is it magic? But for that¡­


    The closer I got to that strange aura, the more disgusting I felt.


    It felt similar to when I poured out my divine power in him.


    I feel like my body is refluxing. Something must be¡­


    Hahahaha


    With a jump I suddenly dropped Devan¡¯s hand. A horrid chill enveloped my body.


    What was that?


    I heard laughter, but I couldn¡¯t tell where it was from.


    It couldn¡¯t be.


    It was just me and Devan here, and it wasn¡¯t my voice or his voice.


    My legs lost strength and my body staggered.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    I needed something to hold on to. I stretched out my arm.


    Startled, Devan grabbed my arm, and at that moment I felt disgusted again.


    ¡°Let go!¡±


    I pushed him hard without realizing it. My staggering body eventually lost its balance and fell to the floor.


    My vision flickered and blurred. Then everything went white and I couldn¡¯t see.


    It was definitely a laugh; a strange laugh.


    ¡°¡­Evelyn?¡±


    My body trembling, I could barely raise my head and look at Devan.


    A black figure was floating around him.


    A mist-like figure that was obscuring Devan¡¯s face.


    ¡°¡­¡­. Curse?¡±


    ¡°What? Here, let¡¯s stand you up.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t come near me!¡±


    Devan tried to reach for me again.


    I took a deep breath.


    ¡°¡­Call Hilda.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­who?¡±


    Whoops ¨C I couldn¡¯t answer because I was breathing heavily. Because I thought he would soon find out that Hilda was my maid without saying anything.


    But Devan looked down at me with a bewildered expression and only waved the bell to call the butler.


    ¡°Yes, your Excellency?¡±


    The butler arrived swiftly and bowed on entrance.


    At Devan¡¯s command, he lifted me up and laid me down on the sofa.


    Fortunately, nothing happened when the butler¡¯s hand touched me.


    ¡°Shall I call a doctor?¡±


    The old butler asked with a worried tone.


    I hurriedly waved my hand.


    It was not a problem the doctor could solve. Besides, I didn¡¯t want more people to know that I was here.


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±


    Devan looked uncomfortable.


    My chest was still heaving from hyperventilation.


    Taking a deep breath, I glanced at Devan again.


    The eerie black energy that had encircled him before was gone.


    ¡°¡­¡­Let me¡­ see your hand again.¡±


    Devan hesitated. He seemed worried that I might faint again.


    ¡°I really think it will be fine this time.¡±


    He hesitated, but gave me his hand.


    I was also nervous, but I didn¡¯t feel anything this time.


    What was it?


    ¡°It¡¯s my curse, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Devan asked, holding my hand.


    He had a face asking for an explanation.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    The next instant, a black figure floated around him again.


    It looked like it was going to swallow Devan and eat everything in existence.


    For a moment I thought it was a curse. But was it really a curse?


    He bit his lip and slowly released the hand he was holding.


    Devan went and sat across from me. As he blinked, the wise old butler left the room without a word.


    He spoke after we were alone again.


    ¡°You must know about the curse.¡±


    His curse.


    No one in the Empire knew about the curse.


    The curse that blinded Devan was a godly act. It was like an order from God himself.


    The day after the absurd qualification test where they were gathered in the temple and put to sleep overnight to find the sacred mark, a curse came down upon the failed successors.


    It was a tradition that has been passed down since the establishment of the empire and the temple¡¯s successor ceremony.


    The curse could be a physical disability such as deafness or blindness, like Devan.


    Or it could be a more dramatic kind, such as being incapable of talking to someone for the rest of your life, or completely changing your appearance.


    God also gave prophecies with curses. These prophecies gave clues that could break the curse.


    [The young goddess of the sun, who embraces the fragrance of daisies, will break your curse.]


    Except for me, who had read it beforehand in the original, only Devan could have known the contents of the prophecy.


    The shrine nailed this act to the perfect imperial power.


    The cursed were destined to investigate their prophecies for their entire lives while in search for the cure.


    Their minds obsessed with the prophecies, they cannot even open their thoughts to revenge on the God who had cursed them or even breaking the will of God and taking the throne by force.


    Stress engulfed them like a water balloon about to burst, or a long stick bent to breaking.


    Thus they toiled for the only hope of salvation the temple provided them.


    And above all, the prophecies were absolute.


    Some of the imperial families who found the clue really were freed from the curse and lived their lives content.


    This is why the cursed thirsted for the prophecy.


    So it was obvious why Devan suddenly cursed me.


    ¡°If you are truly the goddess of the prophecy, you cannot fear the curse.¡±


    And why he was suspicious of me.


    Am I the true heroine of the prophecy?

 Chapter 12

    ***


    ***


    What I just did seemed to have set fire to the suspicion that was sprouting.


    Devan crossed his legs and gently looked at me.


    Of course, I can¡¯t see his eyes, but at least I felt that way.


    Devan was doubting me.


    I agonized over how to avoid his suspicion.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a curse¡­ do not look like a curse.¡±


    ¡°It was a misundertanding?¡±


    ¡°¡­If it¡¯s my credibility, I can easily cure the curse.There¡¯s definitely something else.¡±


    Devan sighed deeply at my determined tone.


    What i said was true.


    When I lived in a temple, I had treated curses.


    God¡¯s curse did not come down only to the imperial family. Regardless of their status, those who committed injustice were often cursed.


    The temple received money from them in the name of lifting the curse.


    Of course, it was up to children who were born with great confidence like me to actually treat them.


    The curse on the imperial family was only a little more tricky because of the prophecy. He, too, could theoretically be treated if he had enormous credibility enough to lift the curse.


    Of course, there were no children as powerful as me and Cordelia before this, so they looked for clues to predict. To find the girl¡­.


    But the dark and dangerous-looking energy that surrounded Devan earlier,


    ?t¡¯s felt different from other patients.


    ¡°This thing¡­ if you handle with this thing, it¡¯s easy to treat¡­¡±


    I nervously ripped the tip of my fingernail.


    ¡°since just now, you are saying something wrong with me.¡±


    ¡°¡­.I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a problem, but I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something.¡±


    .


    ¡°But you don¡¯t know what it is? What do you want to say?¡±


    I closed my eyes and opened them.


    Devan leaned toward me. He was already doubting me, and there was only one thing I could do.


    ¡°Today.¡±


    Devan¡¯s nerves headed toward me at my firm words.


    I swallowed my dry saliva.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there will be results in tonight¡¯s and evening¡¯s treatments. So, I¡¯ll let you see at least one eye.¡±


    ¡°One eye?¡±


    He looked like he wanted to ask why.


    I took a deep breath.


    This was a gamble. Gambling to gain his trust.


    ¡°¡­everything has its own order.¡±


    Devan¡¯s adam apple moved.


    Is that an expectation, anxiety, or is it just a physiological phenomenon?


    A moment of silence passed by.


    ¡°¡­I got it.¡±


    He replied. There was no turning back now.


    ***


    No more excuses will work.


    Before dinner treatment, I came out recklessly.


    Hilda often walked after me.


    ¡°Hilda.¡±


    ¡°Yes, lady.¡±


    ¡°Do you know the paths of this castle?¡±


    ¡°Of course, lady! Everyone knows. Is there a place you want to go?¡±


    How can Hilda be so confident when she came a day later than I am?


    It was a little strange, but it was also reassuring.


    ¡°I just want to look around.I don¡¯t know the ways yet.¡±


    ¡°Inside the castle?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­..No, let¡¯s look outside first?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll guide you to the main gate, Miss.¡±


    She took the lead.


    The main gate was quite far away, so I could see the interior of the castle as I went.


    The castle was much bigger than I thought.


    So far, the only places I have visited have been my bedroom, Devan¡¯s office, and the Great Hall where I eat.


    It turned out that it corresponds to the eastern tower of the castle.


    If so, at least the entire castle was more than three times the space.


    Count Diego¡¯s castle was also not as large as anywhere else. It was clear that I heard it from the infants who attended the social gathering.


    Compared to such count, this place was enormous.


    Maybe it¡¯s because there¡¯s no one coming and going, and there¡¯s a gloomy atmosphere in decorations and furniture.


    ¡°That¡¯s the main gate, Miss.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    It was when we moved to the main gate.


    Suddenly, two soldiers blocked the front.


    Except for the old butler, Hilda, and Devan, I was surprised to see him for the first time in this castle.


    ¡°You can¡¯t go here anymore.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    The two soldiers silently overlapped two windows. It seemed to be surrounding at least.


    I was surprised first that there was a proper soldier in the Arcduke¡¯s castle and second that they were blocking me.


    A man appeared behind the soldiers. He was wearing armor similar to that of the soldiers, but at a glance, his dignity was extraordinary.


    Even to me, who had no idea about swordsmanship, it seemed that he was not an ordinary person.


    The man walked past the soldiers and came to me and bowed his head.


    The restrained movement was just like Killian.


    He was a knight, so it wasn¡¯t difficult to infer.


    ¡°Lady, you can¡¯t go outside the castle.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Knight scratched his head as if it were difficult to answer.


    I wriggled my eyebrows.


    His voice looked familiar somewhere.


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­¡±


    He smiled more awkwardly.


    He was the one who kidnapped me here by Count Diego and knocked me down on the back of my neck to faint.


    ¡°It was you.¡±


    ¡°I did a lot out of manners back then. These was His Highness¡¯ orders.¡±


    I nodded quietly because I didn¡¯t mean to blame him. | In a way, he was rather my savior. Because he kidnapped me properly without getting confused.


    ¡°Is that also your highness¡¯s order to say that you can¡¯t go out of the castle more than that?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t order it separately, but you¡¯re in a situation like this.¡±


    ¡°¡­Did you keep an eye on me so far?¡±


    Isn¡¯t the timing of his appearance too exquisite?


    The man smiled silently at my question.


    As expected. On the first day, considering that he locked me up in the room, he said he would let the castle be active.


    It seemed that the soldiers were monitoring me in a place I couldn¡¯t see.


    I felt uncomfortable. I knew it was impossible for Devan to trust me completely.


    No wonder. I stood quietly and looked around.


    Even so, it was difficult not to go outside the castle.


    I didn¡¯t know when, but I had to escape this castle.


    Of course, if things work out very well, if he doesn¡¯t doubt me and send me to the temple until I cure all of Devan¡¯s curse.


    Then you can get paid fairly by Devan and leave the castle.


    It was hard to expect such a fluke.


    From the unexpected difficulties in solving the curse, it was so just by looking at Devan¡¯s attitude today.


    Didn¡¯t he already seem to doubt me?


    Furthermore, with the name of Cordelia, I couldn¡¯t let go of his hand and stay still.


    ¡°I want to take a short walk. Will it be okay if I¡¯m with you?¡±


    I slowly smiled at the knight while drooping my eyebrows.


    He seemed a little surprised by my attitude.


    ¡°You need His Highness¡¯ permission.¡±


    As expected, this much was expected.


    I said with a friendly smile to the soldier standing behind the knight.


    ¡°Hey, can you go and ask?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    The soldier opened his eyes wide and pointed at himself. It was clear from his actions that he had not been in this career for a long time, and above all, he looked young.


    ¡°Yeah, who else is there besides you? I can¡¯t go back this long way again, and I haven¡¯t memorized the location of my room yet.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I understand, Lady!¡±


    With a slightly red face, the soldier quickly took a step.


    After confirming that his back was completely gone, I told the knight.


    ¡°So, how should I call you?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    He made a surprised face.


    I said softly, with a smile that killed Killian.


    ¡°It meant I wanted to know the name of knight. Will you excuse me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­No way. I¡¯m Karen Webow, Lady Evelyn.¡±


    ¡°Sir Karen¡­¡­ I see. That¡¯s a great name.¡±


    When I smiled once more, I felt Karen¡¯s body stiffened a little.


    Soon after, the soldier returned and reported.


    ¡°Your Highness allowed you to look around the garden with Lord Karen, Lady.¡±


    Did he run here? He looked at me with a rough breath and a look as if he was asking for compliments.


    I smiled and turned to Karen.


    ¡°Garden¡­ Is garden big?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be short of a walk. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    Karen politely reached out one hand. I put my hand lightly on it.


    ¡°Shall we go, Lady?¡±


    ¡°Okay, Hilda. You¡­¡­ Hilda?¡±


    I looked around for Hilda. But Hilda was nowhere to be seen.


    When did she disappear? Hilda, who was definitely next to me when the soldiers blocked the front, hide her appearance.


    ¡°Lady? What are you looking for?¡±¡±


    Karen looked back at me, who was not moving with a strange face.


    ¡­¡­Well, she must have gone back because of an emergency.


    ¡°¡­Nothing, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Leaving my complicated mind behind, I followed Karen.


    ***


    Going around the garden with Karen, I collected as much information as possible about the castle.


    For example, these were the things when I came out of the castle, a large garden was surrounded by walls. When I left the wall, another river surrounded me.


    It was a circle in a circle.


    The only way to cross the river was a straight bridge from the gate.


    The number of soldiers guarding the castle was not very much.


    It was just enough to match the numbers, but there seemed to be a few knights as good as Karen.


    If you get caught at least once, you¡¯ll get caught right away.


    So there was only one way out of here.


    Crossing the bridge through the main gate of the wall without being caught by anyone.


    If you reach the large forest at the end of the bridge, you will be able to beat the chase.


    With a meaningful smile, I walked with Karen in a garden full of harmony.


    Whenever there was a gap, I didn¡¯t forget to measure the distance of the floor from the window of the castle.


    While thinking about how to reach from my room to the main gate without anyone being noticed.

 Chapter 13

    ***


    ***


    ¡°The garden is surprisingly beautiful.¡±


    Karen burst into laughter at my words to kill time.


    When I ooked at her/him strangely, he/she said.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s definitely unexpected. Because His Highness is not good at decorating the castle. This garden is all for the soldiers.¡±


    ¡°Soldiers?¡±


    I looked at the well-organized flower garden by color.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to do, so everyone has a hobby like this.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think something big is going to happen to me.¡±


    Karen looked a little bitter.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s a whim. And the Highness ¡­. He is not interested in imperialism, institutions, or politics.¡±


    He is not interested in imperialism, institutions, or politics.


    I recalled a rumor that spread throughout the empire.


    The rumor that he is trying to pull his sister down and take the throne someday.


    But when I met him, I sympathized with Karen¡¯s words.


    He didn¡¯t seem to be interested in such things. It was like his goal to just solve the curse and spend the rest of his life in the Great Depression.


    I thought maybe his situation and mine were similar.


    The appearance of being stuck in one place because of a god and unable to move on anywhere, suffering from rumors etc. that are absurd.


    I shook my head in a hurry. It wasn¡¯t time to get lost in appreciation.


    He was the male protagonist of this novel, and I was just an extra. I can¡¯t believe they¡¯re in a similar situation.


    It¡¯s a funny sound.


    ¡°Have you ever been out of the empire?¡±


    I asked Karen like a light passing by.


    He began to talk about my story without any doubt.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been out a few times for away games. Before I came here, I belonged to the Order near the border.¡±


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so amazing that I¡¯ve rarely been out of the Count. I heard there is a beautiful place in the north. Is that true?


    In fact, I had never been out of Baekja-seong Fortress, not the Count, but I didn¡¯t have to say that.


    ¡°Are you talking about ELLYWOON in the north?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s the name.¡±


    Elly Woon.


    The answer I wanted easily came out.


    During my days in the count, I asked Killian to write a book about the nearby empire.


    It was to find a place to leave this place and settle down.


    And it was Ellywoon who finally found it. A place close to the Archduke¡¯s, and easy to hide. I clapped my hands and smiled.


    Like an innocent count lady who is keenly interested in the outside world.


    ¡°Sir Karen, have you been to Ellywoon before?¡±


    ¡°Sure. In Elliun, it snows from heaven all year round. It¡¯s a beautiful landscape that¡¯s hard to see in this empire, but it¡¯s also hard to live.¡±


    ¡°If it snows that much, it would be uncomfortable to move.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I heard that residents usually stay in the house when it snows especially when it¡¯s rain heavily. They say it¡¯s hard to ride horses or carriages. I also learned sledding for a while when I went there. It was so hard even with my natural athleticism.¡±


    Karen even talked about what I didn¡¯t ask. Before I knew it, the topic went over to his motor nerves.


    I roughly responded to his words and recalled Ellywoon.


    It snows in the sky all year round, and I usually play Chigger¡­


    Karen¡¯s story gave me confidence. The conviction that Ellywoon is a place where I can devote the rest of my life to settle.


    Just in time, in the corner of the garden, there were a lot of white flowers like snow.


    When I stopped walking, Karen, who was ahead, also stopped there.


    Ellywoon.


    The name of rolling into the tongue was sweet.


    If you hide in those eyes¡­


    A white butterfly sat on the flower.


    No one will be able to find it.


    I bent down and tapped and bent the flowers without hesitation. The white butterfly flew away in an instant.


    Fluttering, I stared up at the sky where the butterfly flew.


    At that moment, a yellow pendant tickled my collarbone.


    What is it? I suddenly raised my head. Suddenly, my backbone became cool. I felt a gaze from somewhere.


    I looked around in a hurry. No one was seen except Karen.


    So there was no way I could feel the gaze. But this feeling¡­


    My heart was pounding.


    The fact that I was trying to ignore it raised my head.


    Killian.


    As soon as I thought of the golden eyes flashing with that desire, my heart sank.


    Why did I suddenly feel this way?


    Killian can¡¯t be here.


    ¡°Lady, are you okay?¡±


    Karen looked worried. Only then did I realize that my face looked bad.


    I forced my lips¡¯ corners up.


    It was useless worry.


    He is in the Count, and I am here. No, soon I will hide in a place where no one will find it.


    I was at the end of a plan that I had prepared for 10 years.


    There was nothing to fear. That¡¯s how I tiled myself.


    Two days later, without knowing that Killian would come to me,


    After returning from the garden and taking a light bath, I headed to Devan¡¯s room.


    It was for treatment.


    There will definitely be results in this evening¡¯s treatment. So, I¡¯ll let you see at least one eye.


    As long as I was so sure, I had to do it.


    I clenched my fist and took a deep breath and opened the door slowly.


    Devan was already sitting on the sofa, and he also looked a little nervous.


    Well, either way, it won¡¯t matter to him.


    Hope that you may see the future that you couldn¡¯t see. I wouldn¡¯t dare to imagine that.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sit down¡±.


    Devan touched the seat next to him.


    I took another deep breath and sat next to him.


    ¡°Are you confident?¡±


    He clapped his hands together.


    Strong enough to turn the knuckles that the bones pop red.


    ¡°I am.¡±


    No, actually, I wasn¡¯t.


    I even noticed that my voice was shaking.


    ¡°However, I might faint again. Please understand that.¡±


    ¡°If the results are certain, there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do.¡±


    ¡°¡­Give me your hand.¡±


    Devan reached out his hands as he has done so far.


    ¡°Just your left hand.¡±


    He frowned gently, but he took his right hand back.


    I grabbed his left hand with both hands.


    My palms were sweaty holding each other. I couldn¡¯t tell if it was mine or his.


    ¡°Your Highness, please focus too. Please try to feel the flow as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°The flow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to treat your left eye. Please pay attention to that.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    I closed my eyes and began to concentrate.


    The reason for treating only the left eye first was obvious. I could tell when I held his left hand, strange energy was flowing only to the right. If that¡¯s all the reason why I¡¯ve had a hard time treating him so far.


    Then, wouldn¡¯t the left side be possible?


    I slowly let go of my energy. I could feel his credibility rising on the back of his hand.


    It didn¡¯t feel as disgusting as before. I didn¡¯t have the chills, cold sweat, and trembling hands.


    As expected, this was the answer.


    The divine power spread rapidly. It was the same level as when patients were treated in a temple.


    I felt like I hadn¡¯t felt it in a long time. It feels like I¡¯m treating someone with my own hands.


    Rather than disgusting, it feels cozy.


    Riding on the back of his hand and wrist, he finally reached Devan¡¯s left eye.


    I felt a lot of curses entangled.


    Treating the curse was to fill the place where the curse was. Even if it was filled, those who had no credibility in the first place could not accept it. So, in the end, the curse of the power disappeared at once.


    It was cleaning, so to speak. This was called Jeonghwa in the temple.


    He let go of his curse. In an instant, I felt my credibility filling the cursed spot.


    H?mm?


    It was then. Suddenly, I felt disgusting.


    The forehead frowned at the temple.


    Again. As I focused more on my mind, something was creeping near his right eye.


    The mysterious black shape.


    If I go a little closer, my strength will be eaten up. I had that intuition.


    Earthenware gradually came up.


    I shouldn¡¯t have touched that place.


    I hurriedly called in the divine power and took my hand off Devan¡¯s body.


    ¡°Whuu.¡±


    I took a deep breath slowly. If it was a little late, it would have been eaten by the divine power.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on¡±?


    Devan seemed embarrassed.


    He held and unfolded his left hand.


    It was only a blink of an eye that he felt.


    I swallowed my dry saliva and stared at Devan.


    Fortunately, the black shape did not flow around him as before.


    Sneakily grabbed his left hand again.


    I felt that all the curses on my left eye disappeared, and my credibility was full in it.


    The divine power was also rapidly disappearing.


    His body was going back to normal. Before his got cursed,


    although it¡¯s only the left.


    I breathed a small sigh of relief and spoke.


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over?¡±


    He repeated my words blankly.


    ¡°I got rid of the curse on the left. Maybe, you¡¯ll see your left eye soon.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.Is that true?¡±


    In a tone full of doubts, he asked. That¡¯s understandable. Uncovering the curse did not create a special feeling.


    Perhaps it was physical damage, especially those who were blind like him.


    ¡°Your eyes must have been treated properly.¡±


    He stopped his hand trying to take off his eye patch in a hurry.


    ¡°Just because the curse is gone doesn¡¯t mean you can see right away.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean it¡¯s not completely returning it to its original state. For example, you can¡¯t walk right away by releasing the curse of a person whose legs have been paralyzed for 10 years. You need training.¡±


    ¡°¡­What kind of training?¡±


    He looked nervous.


    My hands on his knees were white.


    ¡°First of all, you¡¯d better start by opening your eyes in the dark. It¡¯s dangerous to see the light all of a sudden.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°And it would be nice to call a doctor. I can only lift the curse, and I can¡¯t help you medically.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.understand.¡±


    Even though he followed my words, he looked blank as if he had lost his mind somewhere.

 Chapter 14

    ***


    Thank you so much for the love Jasper! 3/3


    ***


    Devan still had a blank face.


    I didn¡¯t even know that the curse, which had plagued me for more than a decade, had been lifted so easily.


    Then, he suddenly asked as if he had come to his senses.


    ¡°What about the right side? Can we release the curse on the right side tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­..¡±


    I bit my lips hard.


    The left side was the same as what we¡¯ve been doing so far, but the right side¡­.. wasn¡¯t sure.


    Just imagining the black shape that I was chasing the day before was cold.


    To treat the right side, you had to confront it.


    Is that possible? Even if it¡¯s possible, will I be able to win?


    ¡°Let¡¯s take it easy for now. It¡¯s not something that you can use all at once.¡±


    Even with my gibberish excuse, Devan just nodded.


    Since the temple monopolizes information, little is known to the general public about the divine power.


    Regeun.


    Devan just meant that he had no choice but to believe me completely.


    It was the first time I was grateful for the temple.


    ¡°Okay, then call the doctor right away. You can go back and rest.¡±


    I grabbed Devan, who was about to get up from his seat.


    ¡°Wait. I lifted the curse as I said. Your Highness, you have to do what you have to do.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    He frowned, burst into laughter.


    ¡°Do you want money?¡±


    ¡°¡­.yes.¡±


    I swallowed my dry saliva.


    I treated his left eye, but now he may not feel much. So if he still suspected that I was cheating, he might not give money. Devan jumped up from his seat.


    Then, he naturally headed to his desk, unbelievably like I¡¯m invisible.


    Ddalang-


    He waved the bell and soon the butler came in.


    ¡°Did you call me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Money¡­¡±


    While talking, Devan looked at me.


    ¡°Do you like money?¡± Or jewellery¡­.¡±


    I pondered for a moment.


    I remember my previous life, but honestly, I didn¡¯t know the monetary structure of this world well.


    There¡¯s no way that the novel would deal with that in detail.


    After reincarnation, I lived in a temple and Count¡¯s estate without such basic education, so there was no way to know.


    If money was gold coins as I imagined, it was too much to carry them and run away.


    However, I was worried if I could cash in to ask for bail.


    ¡°Well, I actually don¡¯t know much about money.¡±


    After much consideration, I decided to go out confidently.


    He thought I was a woman who grew up loved by the count. Furthermore, it would not be very strange if you were a little ignorant of currency because you haven¡¯t even made a debut yet.


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°So¡­ What would be good to run away from this empire? Between money and jewelry.¡±


    The old butler¡¯s eyes widened.


    The same was true of Devan.


    After frowning for a while, he tapped the table I was leaning on with his fingertips as if he was thinking about something.


    ¡°Run away from whom?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    It was only then that I realized I made a mistake. I shouldn¡¯t have said I¡¯ll run away.


    ¡°Just¡­ I¡¯m saying this because I want to leave the empire.¡±


    ¡°Is it an empire that you want to leave?¡±


    It was a sharp tone.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before that you shouldn¡¯t ask me that? Your Highness¡¯ curse is lifted, Your Highness gives me money, and that¡¯s all.¡±


    He knocked on the desk faster and faster.


    ¡°Where will you go if you leave this empire?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason to tell you that.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Each empire has a different unit of currency. I¡¯m sure you know this much, right?¡±


    Devan raised his chin a little bit. He looked like he hit the nail on the head.


    I hesitated for a moment and answered resolutely.


    ¡°You can change it enough at the border. Otherwise, what would you do with the transactions between empires?¡±


    Perhaps really, there was no way that there was no concept of currency exchange in this world where empires had exchanges.


    Devan was quiet for a moment in my attitude. Then, he looked at the butler and ordered it.


    ¡°Bring the money. And¡­..¡±


    He put his hand on his chin as if he was struggling again.


    Then he suddenly looked at me and said.


    ¡°What do you look like?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    What do you mean, ¡®What does it look like¡¯ all of a sudden?


    I made a silly face at a random question.


    Devan changed his opponent.


    ¡°Butler.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­.Yes, your highness. So, the lady¡­..¡±


    The old butler looked at me and chose his words.


    ¡°She has yellow petal-like hair mixed with green, sea-like eyes. Oh, it looks like the Milky Way is scattered around her eyes.¡±


    My face heated up red with the tone of the butler who was just like a minstrel.


    I coughed for no reason with the back of my hand on my cheek. ¡°So, blonde and blue eyes. That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s right.¡±


    Devan summarized the butler¡¯s long sentences in one word.


    ¡°A listening seat would be nice. There will be a brooch left by your mother. Go find it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your highness.¡±


    The old butler quickly left the room.


    If it¡¯s a mother, is it an empress?


    I thought about it for a moment. I don¡¯t know what Cheonggeumseok is, but wouldn¡¯t it be very expensive if you look at the Empress¡¯s brooch?


    Can such a precious brooch be converted into money? Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to cash in on several cheap gems?


    ¡°Here it is. Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Not me, but to that side.¡±


    However, such an idea disappeared as soon as the butler opened the lid of the box.


    There was a luxurious glossy brooch.


    It was dotted with golden spots as if someone had sprinkled gold powder on a blue gemstone that was as dark as the deep sea.


    There was gold like petals surrounding the gemstone, and jewels that looked like diamonds were embedded in the middle.


    On top of that, the pin for wearing a brooch was made in the shape of an arrow.


    I frowned gently.


    Hang on. Arrow?


    ¡°This is¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something my mother left behind personally.¡±


    I remembered Lantimos¡¯ seal, a lion full of arrows.


    Is it a simple coincidence that the arrow is embedded in the brooch? I didn¡¯t know if I could trust his words that they weren¡¯t objects of the imperial family. If it belonged to the imperial family, I didn¡¯t know what would happen after selling it in another empire.


    ¡°¡­¡­ It looks expensive.¡±


    Devan¡¯s corners of mouth went up after a very long time.


    He asked the butler.


    ¡°Does she look good in it?¡±


    The old butler looked at me holding the brooch and nodded vigorously.


    ¡°Yes, your highness. It suits her perfectly.¡±


    ¡°Okay. That¡¯s good.¡±


    I put down my brooch in both hands and stared at it.


    It definitely felt similar to my eyes.


    Well, it¡¯ll be okay.


    There was no way Devan would have handed me his precious treasure of the imperial family. If you feel uncomfortable, you can break down the brooch and sell the jewelry separately.


    I nodded comfortably and carefully put the brooch back in the box.


    ¡°Okay, of course.¡±


    ¡°Oh, lady. We have a separate gold coin here.¡±


    As I got up from my seat, the old butler handed me a package made of velvet.


    There was gold coins in it, and it was also quite heavy.


    If I had received all the price in gold coins, I would not have been able to carry it because it was heavy.


    I nodded again, thinking it was a good thing to receive it as a jewel.


    ¡°See you tomorrow. Don¡¯t forget to call a doctor. Don¡¯t take off your blindfold under the light because you¡¯re impatient.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    I headed straight to my room.


    As soon as I returned to the room, I took out the box in my arms and opened it.


    The well-setted brooch was shining brightly. Even if I look at it again, it was still beautiful.


    ¡­. If it¡¯s this, wouldn¡¯t I be able to leave this place right away?


    I was tempted to do so.


    I also opened the package he left as if throwing it on the bed and checked it. Gold coins were quite heavy.


    I didn¡¯t know the monetary unit of this world well, but at least I could see that this was not a small amount of money.


    How long can this last?


    Knock, knock.


    I was surprised by the knock, so I hid the package and box under the blanket.


    ¡°Lady, it¡¯s me.¡±


    It was Hilda¡¯s voice.


    ¡°¡­come on in.¡±


    She peeked out her face.


    ¡°Are you done with treatment?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Shall we get ready to take a bath?¡±


    After thinking for a while, I tapped my finger and made Hilda come closer.


    Then I took a package out of the blanket.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? Lady?¡±


    When I opened the package and showed her the gold coins, Hilda opened her eyes wide.


    ¡°How much is this?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°So, with this amount of money¡­ How long can someone live?¡±


    Hilda looked through the package and hit the gold coins.


    ¡°My family would eat for 3 months.¡±


    ¡°Your whole family?¡±


    ¡°Yes, lady!¡±


    ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡°There are four including me.¡±


    It¡¯s money that four commoners can live for three months.


    That meant I could live alone for a year. In the first place, I was not raised by the count to be treated as a proper noble girl. So, I live with the common people. However, there will be no big problem.


    I also had memories of my previous life, and it would probably cost a lot of money to cross the border.


    It was not common for this world to leave one empire and settle somewhere else.


    Then let¡¯s somehow get to Ellyun with this money and then cash in the brooch. And if you get a job before the money runs out¡­


    When there was a realistic possibility, I felt my muscles tightening.


    ¡°¡­.Lady?¡±


    Perhaps he felt an unusual atmosphere, Hilda looked up at me with a strange face.


    ¡°¡­Can you prepare a bath for me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, lady!¡±


    Hilda hurriedly left the room.


    I thought about it without moving in that position.


    Can I heal his right eye?


    Thinking of the black shape I just felt, my confidence dropped.


    Then rather¡­ What if I ran away right now?


    I didn¡¯t know when I would invade the temple.


    Wouldn¡¯t it be better to run away when Devan completely believes in me?


    Even though I was thinking about that, when I thought of Devan¡¯s eyes, I felt guilty.


    If I runs away without lifting his curse, what will happen to him?

 Chapter 15

    Edited by Meh21


    ***


    ***


    As it was, I ran away without lifting Devan¡¯s curse.


    My heart pounded at the thought that came to mind.


    If I disappeared, would Devan have to live under a half-curse for the rest of his life?


    ¡­..But Cordelia appeared.


    If I disappear like this, Devan will try to find me somehow. Because he thinks I¡¯m the main character of the prophecy.


    I ran away without lifting the curse, so I¡¯m sure he thinks it¡¯s because I¡¯m a fraud.


    Then, he would have no choice but to share information with the temple he visited, and there was a possibility that he would meet Cordelia someday.


    Then maybe they might recognize each other.


    Although Cordelia didn¡¯t have Diego¡¯s seal, she smelt like daisies.


    And they¡¯re the main characters of the original. It could be led by fate.


    I clenched my fist.


    Isn¡¯t this all my rationalization?


    Could I throw away Devan to live alone?


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    Flop


    I laid down on the bed.


    An unidentified dark shape came to my mind on his right side.


    My heart dropped as if I had been caught by something.


    What in the world was that? There was no such description in the original.


    Did something change due to my intervention?


    I didn¡¯t even know that was changing the situation between Devan and Cordelia in a bad way.


    I clenched my fists until my palms turned white.


    Still, from the ceiling, a lion full of arrows was looking down at me.


    For the first time since coming here, the lion looked pitiful.


    ***


    The next day. As soon as the day came, I moved diligently to examine the structure of the orchid.


    When I looked around the garden with Karen, I remembered the walls that seemed exceptionally easy to climb and descend.


    I had to find out where it was inside the castle.


    I don¡¯t know when to run away.


    There was smoke from the outside, so it must be the kitchen side. It¡¯s still warm, so the fireplace wasn¡¯t heating up.


    Without Hilda, I quietly headed to the Great Hall alone.


    I¡¯ve never been to the kitchen, but I always knew the direction of the butler serving food.


    This way, right?


    I went into the left entrance of the Great Hall.


    When I turned the corner, I was immediately engulfed by the smell of food.


    That was the answer.


    There must be a kitchen across from here.


    To escape through this place, I had to know the structure inside.


    However, there was something else that was more important than anything else.


    When kitchen servants empty the kitchen and how to enter the empty kitchen.


    I had to figure it out.


    But wouldn¡¯t it be strange if I suddenly went in now?


    What excuse should I make¡­..


    It was that moment.


    The door of the kitchen suddenly opened, and the blank look of the food ingredients came out.


    ¡°Young¡­.lady?¡±


    Without time to make excuses, I was caught.


    I blinked quickly and hurriedly raised my chin, pretending nothing was wrong.


    ¡°Hi?¡±.


    ¡°He-hello, Lady!¡±


    The servant bowed his back.


    ¡°What brings you here¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Can I just look around for a second?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Lady!¡±


    Servant rolled his eyes and slipped out of the door.


    In any case, there was no reason for the Count Ladies to stop him on the outside.


    The kitchen was crowded with staff.


    Unlike other empty places, this place was so active that it was comparable to Count Diego¡¯s.


    The reason why the food was delicious seemed to be because Devan cared that much.


    ¡°The water is boiling over there! It¡¯s not fully cooked. Grill more! You told me to go to the warehouse. Why are you still¡­..¡±


    A woman who appeared to be a chef was leading the way shouting around.


    Then she widened her eyes when she saw me.


    ¡°Who¡­..? Are you that¡­. Young Lady?¡±


    ¡®That¡¯ Young Lady¡­


    She wouldn¡¯t have been able to talk about me, so she wouldn¡¯t know that I was here to resolve his curse.


    If so, is there a rumor spreading among users similar to circulating on the land?


    ¡°I just came to look around.¡±


    ¡°Kitchen?¡±


    She looked a little curious, but nodded to see if she had convinced something.


    ¡°Of course. That¡¯s possible. What are you curious about?¡±


    I squinted at the more impatient attitude than I thought.


    I thought my assumption was correct.


    Rumors spread among servants will not be much different from those spread on the land.


    ¡®So, she wants to check the kitchen in advance as the wife of this castle.¡¯


    She seemed to think that.


    ¡°Well, there are a lot of people in the kitchen. Does Your Highness pay a lot of attention to food?¡±


    ¡°Yes, because he¡¯s a gourmet.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what he likes?¡±


    And for now, there was no reason not to use the rumor.


    Her face turned into an exciting look as if she were listening to someone else¡¯s love story.


    ¡°Yes, of course. His highness likes fresh salads and almost uncooked meat.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡­¡±


    I sneaked closer to her and looked around the kitchen.


    The servants were in a hurry to avoid my gaze.


    There were two windows in the kitchen, one of which was so small that people couldn¡¯t escape.


    Fortunately, the place where the food smoke went out through the other, fairly large, window.


    It was big enough for my body to escape. Outside the window, there was a wall that looked easy to climb from the outside.


    The chef glanced at me looking down.


    I said with a little smile. So that she didn¡¯t find a single harmfulness in my tone.


    ¡°Then¡­. I have one more question.¡±


    ***


    The chef quickly blew out the information.


    With just a little conversation, I could see that the kitchen was closing at 11pm.


    The last person to come out was the blind-looking servant that first opened the door.


    After getting all the information, I sat down at the table in Great Hall, pretending to come down for a meal.


    Devan seemed a little surprised that I came earlier than him, but he didn¡¯t care much.


    Soon, a luxurious meal was presented. I ate with an indifferent look on my face, and kept an eye on the kitchen.


    Will he leave the key to the kitchen to that young and blind-looking servant?


    If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t do that. There is a place where important keys are managed somewhere in the mansion, and getting keys from there while commuting.


    That was more realistic.


    Then, where do you manage the key? Someone who can stay in this castle and be trusted¡­.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    At the sudden low voice, I swiftly raised my head.


    Devan said, putting the dishware aside.


    ¡°As you said, all the curses in the left eye have been lifted.¡±


    It seemed that he had discussed it with the doctor in the meantime.


    I was not surprised because I already knew that.


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°Is there no treatment today?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡­. .¡±


    ¡®What about the right side? Can you solve the curse on the right side tomorrow?¡¯


    ¡°Let¡¯s take it easy for now. It¡¯s not something that you can use all at once.¡±


    Obviously, the treatment was delayed yesterday on the pretext of restoring my credibility.


    It¡¯s because I haven¡¯t found any clue to how to deal with the strange shape on the right.


    Devan was displaying some tension.


    He seemed to have completely restored his trust in me.


    It was understandable that no one had ever solved the curse.


    But that was only the left eye.


    If he hastily started treatment today and showed signs of collapse again, his trust might crack again.


    As expected, today was the time to postpone treatment and just opened my mouth.


    ¡°Oh, come to think of it¡­.. I forgot to say this yesterday¡­.. ¡°


    Even before hearing my answer, Devan changed the subject as if he suddenly remembered it.


    ¡°Is it important?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    I put the fork next to me and looked at him.


    Did the temple find a clue about me, or maybe it¡¯s a story of Cordelia. At least I had an intuition that it was not positive news.


    Looking at the old butler, meaning that he had finished eating, he quickly cleaned up the meal and served black tea.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You may already know it, or you may not think much about it¡­..¡±


    Unexpectedly, his introduction was long.


    ¡°Your brother Killian Diego has applied for a visit.¡±


    What?


    I barely managed to resist spewing the tea I was drinking.


    Instead, I put down the teacup with trembling hands.


    The teacup and the base collided and rattled, making a noise that I didn¡¯t want to hear.


    Brother. Killian. Diego. Visit.


    The words were not able to make sentences and were turning in my head.


    What did I just hear?


    ¡°Since I didn¡¯t let him know that you¡¯re here¡­ it¡¯s not because of you, but I heard that the brother and sister¡¯s relationship is strong, so I can¡¯t let you meet him, but if you want, I can allow you to see him from afar.¡±


    Devan spoke as if he had bestowed upon me great kindness.


    I couldn¡¯t talk with just my lips rattling.


    ¡°¡­.what¡­¡­ so¡­¡­ why?¡±


    It was a silly question that left my mouth.


    ¡°Why? If you¡¯re asking me why you can¡¯t meet him, I brought you here without saying any- ¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. Why did you ask me to¡­.. participate?¡±


    He shrugged that the question was unexpected.


    ¡°I know that he became the captain of the Astrilla Guard. It¡¯s not strange to come to see me at least once.¡±


    Astrilla Lantimos, the crown princess of this empire.


    Come to think of it, Killian was working under her.


    It was exactly as I heard; he became a captain of the Royal Guard not long ago.


    No matter how cursed he was, Devan was the only heir to the throne except for the Crown Princess.


    There was also an ugly rumor.


    On the surface, his meeting was not a strange thing.


    But is that really why you¡¯re here?


    That can never happen.


    How did you know I was here?


    I bit my teeth.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you not allow it? Then you might get caught as the one kidnapping me. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s good for me to do either.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to refuse, but there was no justification.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the justification?¡±


    Devan buried himself deeply in the chair.


    ¡°If you refuse hastily, you may be suspected of trying to contradict the Crown Princess.¡±


    He picked up his cup of tea and took a sip. He seemed to have no intention of reversing the decision.


    If so, there was only one way left.


    Leaving here before he comes.


    P

 Chapter 16

    ***


    Edited by Meh21


    ***


    ***


    Killian was coming to find me.


    Before he comes, I have to leave.


    ¡°Tomorrow.¡±


    I jumped up from my seat, accidentally hitting the table with my knees


    Collapsing and tableware poured out with unpleasant sounds.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Devan¡¯s forehead was deeply furrowed. I couldn¡¯t afford to care about that.


    Tomorrow?


    Killian is coming. Tomorrow. To the Grand Duke¡¯ place, to find me.


    I remembered the chilling gaze I felt two days ago.


    His golden eyes longing for love.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Why? How?


    My thoughts were full of question marks.


    ¡°Evelyn.¡±


    I looked at Devan.


    ¡°Why, no.¡±


    ¡°Is it okay?¡±


    ¡°So¡­ Can¡¯t you postpone it?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Devan did not hide his absurd expression.


    It was impossible to change the schedule of visit, who had already appriveed it.


    Furthermore, if it was tomorrow right away, it was highly likely that Killian had already known I¡¯m here.


    Since the Great Colonel here was quite far from the Capital.


    What do I have to do?


    My head turned fast.


    I have to leave here before he comes.


    How?


    Steal the kitchen key,


    Jump through the window,


    Climb the wall,


    Beyond the wall,


    Crossing the bridge,


    To the border.


    To the Ellywoon.


    My heart was pounding.


    Just like a fish on the verge of death feels and flaps at its fate.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? If you don¡¯t want to meet, you can do that.¡±


    I stared at Devan.


    Can that man help me?


    No, for him, I was simply a means to lift the curse.


    If I couldn¡¯t solve the curse in his right eye, he wouldn¡¯t let me go.


    ¡°Today¡­.. I¡¯d better treat your right eye.¡±


    ¡°What? What¡¯s that all of a sudden¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Your highness, aren¡¯t you in a hurry to get treatment?¡±


    As if squeezing out my throat, I barely spit out my words.


    I could feel Devan hesitating. His adam¡¯s apple moved up and down.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°¡­.. .¡±


    ¡°¡­I got it. Okay. Then, come to my room at the same time.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­understood.¡±


    Still absent-minded, I nodded slowly.


    All I could think about was Killian.


    ***


    After finishing the meal, I went out to the garden recklessly.


    Then, I looked around the wall in the false pretense of a walk.


    Karen in armor was looking at me a few steps away.


    This, too, was proof that Devan¡¯s trust in me had increased.


    Unlike before, when we had to take a walk together, we had some free time.


    ¡°ha¡­¡±


    I sighed automatically.


    Killian coming here. Tomorrow, right now.


    What should I do?


    How on earth did he know? Did he collude with the temple? Or, did he notice the rumor spreading in the Grand Dukedom?


    He must have easily noticed the public¡¯s lie that the Crown Princess was here because he had done Astrila¡¯s job.


    I didn¡¯t even know.


    Does the Count know or is it Killian¡¯s sole action?


    What happens if I get caught? Will they drag me back to the basement?


    Why don¡¯t you persuade Killian to run away together?


    I shook my head hard.


    That was impossible.


    Even if it was possible, I didn¡¯t want to live my whole life alone with Killian.


    My chest fluctuated greatly up and down. Even if I tried to avoid it, I couldn¡¯t help it.


    There¡¯s only one thing for sure.


    Tonight, I had to get out of here.


    The route out of the castle was already memorised. The question wass whether it is possible for me, who lacks stamina, to beat all soldiers.


    I glanced sideways at Karen. If it¡¯s Karen, she won¡¯t stop me with one hand and break my arms and legs.


    Originally, I was going to make a more plausible plan over time¡­ ¡­but I couldn¡¯t help it as long as I knew Killian was coming tomorrow.


    Today, I had no choice but to heal Evan¡¯s right eye and get out with his help.


    ¡°Yeah, let us give it a try.¡±


    If you succeed in solving the curse, you will be paid as promised.


    But if you can¡¯t solve the curse¡­..


    You have to run away.


    I stopped walking.


    It was inevitable.


    Even if I was caught in the middle because I wasn¡¯t lucky, it was better than staying still with my hands off.


    How¡­ How can I survive so that I am more likely to survive?????


    ¡°Lady, do you like Daisy?¡±


    At that moment, I suddenly heard a cheerful voice from the back.


    I was frightened and looked back.


    It was none other than Hilda who was smiling brightly.


    ¡°You¡­.Since when have you been here?¡±


    ¡°What are you so surprised about?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Didn¡¯t I tell you to change all the sheets?¡±


    Despite her fierce tone, she pouted her lips as if she were not discouraged at all.


    ¡°I just finished everything you asked me to do. I¡¯m the only maid in this spacious castle. If I don¡¯t assist you, who will?¡±


    I definitely didn¡¯t feel any popularity.


    I squinted and looked at her.


    Hilda was still staring at me with a face full of freckles.


    Suddenly, I thought it was strange.


    From some point on, she did not make gestures or stuttering sounds in front of me.


    -I learned that Hilda, while I collapsed, got a lot of information.


    ¡ªWhen asked where the hell did he get such information, he winked, saying he could know everything. Curiosity was also a talent.


    -I didn¡¯t know how she came a day later than I was so confident, but she was reassuring.


    New memories passed by.


    It was just because she was curious, and I thought she would be good at learning work, so I passed on.


    On second thought, it couldn¡¯t have been.


    She knew too much. My identity, my transaction with Devan, and even the movement of the temple.


    There was only an old butler in this house, and he could not have taught Hilda all the geography of the castle in a day.


    Of course, Devan couldn¡¯t have told the maid these things,


    Have I ever seen her¡­ talk to anyone else?


    Didn¡¯t it suddenly disappear when someone else appeared next to me?


    I got goosebumps all over my body.


    Why didn¡¯t I notice it until now?


    ¡°You¡­ Where did you hear that the temple was looking for me?¡±


    Hilda opened her eyes wide and laughed.


    Somehow, at the chilling laughter, I took a step back.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you stuttering?¡±


    ¡°Why, lady? Do you miss that time?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Suddenly, she shrank, bowed her head, and looked sideways at me.


    He looked scared no matter who looked at all. ¡°Oh, oh, or you¡­ Do you like this side of me?¡±


    She even trembled to a small extent.


    The familiar disgust surrounded my whole body.


    When did I get this feeling?


    ¡°You, you¡­ What are you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, now you¡¯re stammering instead of me. What a pity.¡±


    I looked around in a hurry. Karen was looking this way from a distance.


    But he would think Hilda and I were talking normally, and there was nothing to hear.


    Ask for help, Karen coming here, and Hilda harms me.


    Which one is faster?


    It was a car that was measuring that.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lady.¡±


    Hilda came up and stroked my cheek affectionately.


    My body is stiff.


    As the two said, Hilda¡¯s high voice and a playful voice were heard at the same time.


    She giggled and talked to herself for a long time.


    She looked intoxicated by herself.


    Hilda put her hands together and winked.


    The eyes and eyebrows were strangely drooping, and a sense of gap came over the exaggerated movement.


    I couldn¡¯t say anything, only my lips were clinging.


    ¡°What?¡±


    As soon as I finished speaking, Hilda lightly bounced her finger in front of my eyes.


    There was a cheerful sound.


    ¡°Lady, do you like Daisy?¡±


    Hilda, who approached me before I knew it, crouched next to me and asked.


    When did he get here?


    I think something just happened¡­


    ¡°All of a sudden¡­ saying daisy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯ve been standing in front of Daisy for a long time. You¡¯ve done that before too.¡±


    Only then did I look at the white flowers blooming under me.


    ¡°¡­is this burnt?¡±


    ¡°Yes, lady.¡±


    I bent down and smelled the scent of flowers. It was slightly different from the scent concentrated in the pendant, but the scent of daisy flowers was definitely there.


    When I realized that, I could see that there were particularly many daisies blooming in the garden.


    Like snow piled up to the waist dance, it was as if it was suffocating.


    Did they plant it on purpose?


    When I thought of the curse, Devan, and Cordelia, my appetite was gone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it that much.¡±


    ¡°¡­..Really?¡±


    Hilda looked up at me. Huh? I frowned. Something kept getting caught at the back of my neck.


    I think I forgot one important fact¡­


    ¡°Lady?¡±


    In a strange voice, Hilda asked.


    Looking at her eyes, somehow I felt like earthenware was going to come up.


    A message rang in my head, such as a warning that I should not remember.


    ¡°¡­¡­nothing.¡±


    I avoided Hilda¡¯s gaze.

 Chapter 17

    ***


    Edited by Meh21


    ***


    ***


    After having a hearty dinner, I went straight to Devan¡¯s room.


    It was a little earlier than the promised time.


    I opened the door and said,


    ¡°If you¡¯re ready, let¡¯s start right away.¡±


    There was no answer, and the room was very dark.


    As the door opened, a dim silhouette was seen in the light that came in together.


    Devan was with a doctor, who was tying Devan¡¯s eye patch.


    The room was lit up.


    Only then did I realize that Devan was training.


    It seemed to have darkened the room by breaking it to get used to the light.


    When I opened the door and the light came in, a cold chill ran through my body when I thought what if he hadn¡¯t been wearing an eye patch.


    If I were a little faster¡­


    ¡°That¡­I¡¯m sorry. I should¡¯ve knocked.¡±


    Devan clicked his tongue and sent out a doctor with a single gesture.


    He didn¡¯t seem enraged.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sit down¡±.


    I hurriedly sat next to him.


    ¡°Are you feeling better?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ As I said, the curse has been lifted, but it takes a few days to be fully visible. It would be better if you could heal the right side and train together today.¡±


    He was subtly urging treatment.


    However, even that was a pretty friendly tone considering his usual personality.


    Even though I opened the door without knocking, he didn¡¯t frown once.


    I felt how important it was to him to get rid of the curse.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s hurry up.¡±


    I grabbed onto Devan¡¯s right hand.


    Despite my urgent attitude, he gave up his hand silently.


    ¡°Focus like last time.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­but this time, it might be a little different.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    I moistened my lips.


    The first few attempts were with his hands held.


    Just yesterday, I held his left hand, and now only his right hand. So, this means that he may feel more repulsed than in the beginning when his left hand offset it.


    To me, who had no answer, Devan continued as if he was convinced alone.


    ¡°My eyesight has not fully recovered yet?¡±


    He didn¡¯t know that what I said was limited to the right.


    Yesterday, he seemed to have misunderstood that I completely removed the obstacle by treating his left eye.


    ¡°¡­..yes.¡±


    I decided to live up to the illusion.


    There was no need to complicate the situation by spilling the truth.


    Devan nodded his head gently.


    It was clear that he was relaxed after treating his left eye.


    When I saw him completely trusting me and entrusting himself, I felt guilty.


    This was the last treatment. Even if I failed, I was going to run away and never come back.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll start.¡±


    There was no time. I hurriedly closed my eyes and focused my mind.


    I felt disgusting from the start.


    All of my stomach felt like they were changing seats on the contrary.


    This was never an ordinary curse. I was sure.


    I gathered as much power as I could. I felt a vast amount.


    It was time to send it to the back of Devan¡¯s right hand. An unidentified black shape approached me.


    It was several times faster than my stature. I¡¯ll be eaten. When I try to let go of his hand,


    I heard a strange laughter.


    It was when I was surprised by the strange sound.


    The black shape quickly permeated me.


    The hand held tightly could not be removed. Like someone is blocking it.


    I can¡¯t believe we met again. Where did we meet?


    Is it because I¡¯m talking to ¡®something¡¯ Somehow, the disgust was decreasing.


    If I accepted this black shape, I thought I could be comfortable as it was.


    I was used to the playful voice.


    I¡¯m sure somewhere¡­


    The black shape was trying to penetrate the deepest part of the body, where my vast divine power was asleep.


    If I accept this, my credibility disappears. I had that intuition.


    ¡­..¡­Wouldn¡¯t it be okay though?


    Suddenly, I thought that, and I lost strength in my body.


    Can¡¯t I give up all the nerves that have been bothering me so far and become comfortable?


    This was used in the temple and tortured by Count Diego.


    Why do you have to try so hard to survive?


    It¡¯s not bad to die.


    Suddenly, I thought that death would not be all that painful.


    ¡­¡­Okay, let¡¯s die. I feel more comfortable.


    It was strange.


    I was so drowsy that I couldn¡¯t stand it, and I couldn¡¯t think properly.


    ¡°Grrrr!¡±


    At that moment, I heard a puppy crying in my head.


    ¡®Catch it.¡¯


    ¡®Kung! Kung kung!¡¯


    ¡®You must not feel sorry for the mother who lost three babies because of you, right?¡¯


    Count Diego¡¯s vicious expression and the beast¡¯s crushed cry came to mind.


    Killian¡¯s gaze, the terrible basement, which was hard to even feel pain anymore.


    Above all¡­¡­. The black eyes of the mother dog, who was blindly looking at me, came to my mind.


    I can¡¯t end it like this.


    I didn¡¯t endure all kinds of pain for 10 years to lose to this creature.


    I closed my eyes.


    Boom- My power exploded from the inside of me.


    Once, the black shape, which had settled inside me, was quickly pushed out.


    The languor disappeared in an instant.


    ¡°Ahhg.¡±


    The eyebrows frowned automatically.


    I felt disgusting again, and the earthenware filled up.


    This was better. Pain enabled proper thinking.


    I didn¡¯t mean to make the days I¡¯ve endured so far useless.


    I will not be eroded without even knowing the identity of this thing.


    I¡¯m going to survive. I won¡¯t lose to anything like this.


    I felt something spewing out of my body.


    Just as someone lifted his eyelids, he opened his eyes wide.


    There was a cloud of white lights in front of me.


    Even though it was blinding and hard to see in front, a black shape was seen around Devan.


    It was much larger than I had seen before.


    As if competing for strength, my white stature and its black shape moved around in the middle of me and Devan.


    What are you talking about?


    I closed my eyes and did my best to drive it out.


    I didn¡¯t have time to care about anything else.


    Moving around my side and Devan¡¯s side, they exploded with loud noise.


    Bang.


    My body collapsed, and I fell like a lifeless doll.


    Only then did I notice that Devan was eerily quiet in these series of situations.


    ¡°h??¡­¡­¡±


    His body, which plummeted over the sofa, did not move.


    When I barely opened my eyes, what I could see was Devan lying on the floor similar to me.


    He closed his eyes and remained motionless.


    What is this¡­


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    I felt pain in my abdomen. Exactly inside the organ, at all sources of energy.


    No way¡­.. Already¡­..


    ¡­.


    A cheerful voice was heard, and my eyes gradually blurred.


    ***


    The first thing Devan Lantimos thought of when he came to his senses was that he was still blind.


    I improved.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the curse has been lifted?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­ What should I say about this? Me too¡­¡±


    The familiar voice of the old butler and the doctor called from the castle for eye treatment were alternately heard.


    Devan tried to raise himself slowly, but somehow his body was unbearably heavy.


    What¡¯s the problem? If the curse has been lifted, why can¡¯t I wake up?


    ¡°In theory, the case should be¡­..¡±


    The voice this time was Karen.


    Why is the knight here?


    Devan¡¯s forehead was deeply creased.


    His chest went up and down significantly, and finally he lifted up slightly.


    ¡°As of today¡­ Already¡­ Your Highness!¡±


    Karen was the first to notice the unexpected situation.


    Karen quickly approached Devan¡¯s side and helped him to get up.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    An urgent voice of an old butler followed.


    Leaning on the bedhead, Devan slowly measured the situation.


    ¡°¡­¡­What¡¯s going on?¡±


    As if he had fallen asleep for a long time, Devan¡¯s voice was deeply immersed.


    He slowly touched his eyes.


    There was still a black eye patch.


    ¡°What happened¡­¡­¡±


    His head was pounding.


    Evelyn Diego¡­ He kidnapped her, urged her to treat him, and made a deal.


    Finally, he succeeded in lifting the curse on his left eye and gave money in return.


    He remembered up to that point. What happened after that?


    ¡°Explain.¡±


    Devan said coldly. Karen, flinching and shaking, slightly threw her eyes at the old butler. The same was true for doctors. It was the old butler who lost the fight. With a small sigh, he opened his mouth.


    ¡°That day¡­ When she treated your right eye, I took the liberty of going to the office because I didn¡¯t hear anything from you even after a long time.¡±


    ¡°Just get to the point.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­..Both of you were lying down, and they rushed to call a doctor and a priest. But you weren¡¯t coming to your senses.¡±


    Devan touched his forehead with one hand.


    True, she said she would treat his right eye. They sat face to face in the office.


    And¡­ I can¡¯t remember since Evelyn held my hand and told me to focus.


    ¡°So, what about the curse?¡±


    ¡°I got confirmation from the temple , and the curse was completely cured!¡±


    The doctor intervened. It seemed like he was asking for a compliment.


    ¡°Can I see my front now?¡±


    Devan raised his hand as if he would take off his eye patch at any moment.


    The doctor, who quickly stopped him, continued. ¡°That¡¯s not true. First of all, you have to train to get used to the light as before.


    ¡°And the curse has definitely been lifted.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    Feeling somewhat incongruous, Devan raised his hand and stopped talking to the doctor.


    ¡°In the past?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Behind the stupid doctor, the butler closed his eyes.


    ¡°How long have I been unconscious?¡±


    Devan¡¯s voice subsided coldly.

 Chapter 18

    Translated and edited by: Sleepypanda


    ***


    ¡°How long has it been since I lost consciousness?¡±


    ¡°¡­ about that¡±


    The doctor audibly gulped. To ease the tension the doctor nervously shook his hands.


    ¡°Answer me¡±


    Devan¡¯s voice, which was lower than usual, sounded even more menacing than usual.


    A moment of silence followed. Unable to stand it, Devan tried to get up. The old butler noticed and hurried forward.


    ¡°Your Highness. The day Your Highness lost consciousness¡­¡±


    The room was so silent that the sound of the butler swallowing could be heard throughout the room.


    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s been a year.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    Devan opened his mouth with a blank look.


    The butler attempted to avoid eye contact by looking down.


    Karen took a step forward, licking her lips to try to stall saying anything.


    ¡°Your Highness¡­


    ¡°¡­ Was there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­ Lady Evelyn is gone.¡±


    ***


    (Evelyn¡¯s perspective)


    It was a strange sensation. My body was full of energy, and I felt like there was nothing to fear at all and everything was under his feet.


    I opened my eyes wide. I could see the ceiling again with a lion on it, and looking at the window, it seemed pretty deep into the night.


    I tried to recall what I could remember. The treatment had failed ¡ª that much was obvious even in the midst of the confusion. I lost to that black creature.


    So¡­ I had to run away. Right now.


    The kitchen was obviously closed at eleven o¡¯clock. To escape, I had to cross the kitchen and go over the fence. I slowly creeped out of bed to avoid Hilda¡¯s watch. Holding a package of brooches and gold coins in my arms that I had prepared in advance, I left the room.


    Right next to me was Hilda¡¯s room, which I entered without hesitation as the door was unlocked. I quickly changed into Hilda¡¯s clothes, picking out a black robe that was nondescript. It was different from the colorful dresses that the butler bought for me, which was inconvenient to go out in and would stand out in a crowd. Standing in front of the mirror and checking my clothes, I took a deep breath.


    It felt really strange. I had obviously used all my divine energy, but my mind was completely clear. My body seemed to know immediately what to do, and I had this sense that everything would go my way. Carefully I exited Hilda¡¯s room and walked quickly down the corridor, arriving at the Great Hall. To the left was the kitchen, but I had to stop somewhere first to secure a key.


    The only person that Devan would trust in this castle was the butler. The butler stayed in the annex that was past the right corner of the Great Hall.


    I tried to take a step towards the right and stopped. I felt an unseen pressure that was pushing me to head towards the kitchen. It was extremely odd.


    Heeding my instincts, I reversed course and headed towards the kitchen on my left. When I reached the kitchen door, it seemed to open automatically with a metallic clinking sound. It was odd ¡ª it felt like I had opened the door with my power. But while I felt weird, it wasn¡¯t scary at all.


    Entering the kitchen, I opened the window and looked down. It looked dark and frightening, but I had to do it. There was a step that I could use to climb down. Since arriving at the Grand Duke¡¯s residence, I had deliciously fulfilling meals so my stamina was better than before. On top of that, I had divine power to help me out as well, meaning that even if I got hurt, I could recover immediately so long as I didn¡¯t die. Putting a gag in my mouth to muffle the noise, I tried to be as quiet as possible to make sure that no soldiers around me would notice me.


    The feeling in my head started to talk again ¡ª did I really need that level of effort?


    Following that instinct again, I felt confident that I could climb down this wall easily without that much effort. Grabbing the window frame I slowly lowered myself, and carefully stepped on the bricks that formed a landing for me. It was hard to believe that I, who had never exercised properly in my life, could climb down this wall with such ease.


    Carefully climbing down and holding the bricks that I formerly used as a landing. The doubts became louder, and it was when I could feel the fear in my mind that I suddenly slipped as I was stepping down on my right foot.


    Losing my balance, I collided with the wall and stifled a scream. I could feel my heart sinking. Trying to calm down, I took a moment and looked down ¡ª it was less than two meters to the ground.


    A single thought later, my body seemed to move through the air, floating gently and landing softly on the ground.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    I quickly looked around. I couldn¡¯t see or sense another person around me. Now I was facing the fence I had to cross as I had originally planned. The main gate was guarded by soldiers and locked securely, so I had to swim over the fence and down the river¡­


    But following my instincts, I headed over boldly to the front gate. As I thought, it was guarded by two soldiers.


    Thinking about what to do, I tilted my head as I blinked and opened my eyes.


    Boom!


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this sound?¡±


    ¡°I think it came from there¡­¡±


    A small explosion broke out in the garden on the opposite side, and the soldiers hurried to check out the source of the noise.


    Did I do that? I was definitely trying something like it¡­


    I looked down and clenched my fist. It was strange, but now was not the time to worry. Hurrying over to the main gate that was now clear of soldiers, I was confident that opening the locked door would be a piece of cake.


    Looking at the door something felt off.


    ¡°A barrier?¡±


    Probing the barrier with my powers I could hear an unpleasant noise. It was unsurprising ¡ª after all, there was no way the Grand Duke would have left the protection of the entire castle to only a handful of soldiers. The barrier felt quite high level too.


    But even this would be a cakewalk for me. I had the feeling that I could pierce through the barrier quite easily. Slowly, I walked towards the barrier. There was a sharp rupture as if I were ripping through a veil, but I couldn¡¯t see or feel any wounds on my body. Leaving the door I took a look back. Only one of the towers was lit in the dark with a pale fire.


    It was Devan. I could tell as much from intuition. Had he woken up? Or did he not realize that the butler was standing by him right now?


    Had Cordelia met you in this state, she would have broken the curse and fallen for you immediately.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry¡±, I muttered into the night. Suddenly I groped my neck, feeling to check if the yellow pendant I had always worn was there. ¡°The pendant¡­¡±


    My heart was pounding. When did I lose it? Was it when I climbed down the wall? Perhaps it was when I had slipped ¡ª it could have easily fallen off when I fell against the wall.


    What should I do? Should I go find it again?¡­ But calming myself, I realized as I shook my head.


    I didn¡¯t need the pendant anymore. There would be no need to meet Devan again, so there was no need to smell of daisies in front of him anymore.


    ¡°Maybe this is a good thing.¡±


    This would be the final goodbye to this place. Turning slowly, I suddenly heard the sounds of horses and whipped my head around to look.


    There was a bright red light shining above the hills. It seemed like a large group of people were coming my way.


    I hurried across the bridge, and into the forest. Today even the moon was covered by the clouds. Luckily I didn¡¯t have a single light so I couldn¡¯t be recognized in the darkness.


    Suddenly I could feel goosebumps rising on my skin. My body stiffened in fear. I could barely turn my neck and looked in the direction of where I could hear the horses coming from. I could barely see anything, but I could feel it instead.


    A tenacious gaze. Golden eyes that were filled with greed. I had clearly said tomorrow ¨C why was he here now?


    Killian.


    Dragging his immobile body, he seemed to be coming towards me. If I get caught now, it was all over. Jumping up for speed I ran into the forest. The tall trees seemed to have a foreboding aura and there was nothing but darkness, but I ran like crazy nonetheless.


    Sharp branches tore at my skin and I tripped over some rocks but I couldn¡¯t stop.


    I couldn¡¯t miss this last chance.


    ***


    ¡°Lady Evelyn is gone.¡±


    Devan couldn¡¯t understand what he just heard.


    A year where he was unconscious, and Evelyn was gone.


    ¡°What do you mean she¡¯s gone?¡±


    ¡°The night you collapsed ¡ª she disappeared without saying a word¡±, the butler replied.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Why?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Sire?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the curse was lifted?¡± As Devan¡¯s gaze turned to the doctor, the doctor responded with a bow.


    ¡°Oh, yes. That¡¯s right. The curse has been lifted.¡±


    ¡°¡­so she could have just collected the payment and leave.¡± So why?


    Silence filled the room. What reason would she have had to leave in such a hurry after I had collapsed? She had been so obsessed with money. Karen interjected as Devan¡¯s confusion grew.


    ¡°Actually¡­ it would be more correct to say she ran away.¡±


    ¡°Ran away?¡±


    Suddenly Devan remembered something that Evelyn had mentioned before about running away from the empire, leaving with money and jewels.


    ¡°Run away? From whom?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sire?¡±


    Was she really trying to run away from the empire?


    ¡°For what reason would she want to run?¡­¡±


    Was she trying to run away from me?


    Devan¡¯s face contorted.

 Chapter 19

    ***


    Translated and edited by: Sleepypanda


    ***


    Karen continued to talk, whipping out papers that she was holding in her arms. She seemed to have been holding onto these documents to report at any time what had happened a year ago.


    ¡°So, Lady Evelyn seems to have broken into the kitchen and climbed down the wall.¡±


    ¡°Down the wall?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the kitchen window was open, and there were traces all over the floor. After that, I think he passed through the gate.¡±


    Devan barely held back his laughter.


    ¡°What did you do? Did I not order you to monitor her?¡±


    ¡°¡­I was with you, Your Highness¡±. Karen looked down at the floor.


    ¡°What about soldiers guarding the gates? And the barrier?¡±


    ¡°About that¡­ I¡¯m not sure what happened, but the soldiers said they were away checking something that had exploded on one side of the garden, and there were signs that the barrier was pierced through.¡±


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    This time, he couldn¡¯t hold back his laughter.


    Evelyn broke the barrier?


    As far as he knew, the only ability she had was her divine power. But barriers were made with powerful advanced magic. It didn¡¯t make any sense.


    Karen, noticing Devan¡¯s confusion, continued on.


    ¡°We were also confused and continued to look into it. Perhaps it was something coincidental¡­¡±


    ¡°So by coincidence, the kitchen door was unlocked, the soldiers were suddenly called away, and the barrier was broken? Does that even make sense to you?¡±


    Karen hurriedly lowered her gaze at his anger.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness.¡±


    Devan relaxed his gaze and sighed.


    ¡°As soon as I fully recover, I¡¯m going to overhaul the security system.¡±


    Karen¡¯s face contorted as she realized what that meant for her.


    ¡°Your Highness¡­¡±


    The old butler, who had been quietly watching, put something in Devan¡¯s hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°I found it while searching the garden the day she disappeared.¡±


    ¡°A necklace?¡±


    Devan calmly fiddled with the pendant. It was a yellow pendant that looked just like a coin.


    ¡°Have you looked into it?¡±


    ¡°It looks like a kind of magical tool, but it¡¯s not dangerous. To probe further, we would need to break the pendant, but we wanted to get permission from Your Highness first¡­¡­¡±


    A magic tool?


    Devan clenched the pendant. Looking at it, it was a common pendant you could find anywhere in town. He quickly lost interest and placed it on the desk next to him.


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°Will you leave it as it is?¡± Karen was puzzled by Devan¡¯s sudden change.


    ¡°The curse is solved and all promises were kept, so there¡¯s no reason to continue investigating. On top of that, it was a year ago, so if anything had happened we would have heard about it by now. There¡¯s far more pressing things than that.¡±


    Devan¡¯s gaze turned to the doctor again. He felt the patch covering his eyes.


    ¡°So when will my eyesight return?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, if you are in a hurry, it could be done in just a few days. However, you¡¯ve been unconscious for a year, so you must build back your strength through proper nutrition. We had barely managed to keep your body through magic¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay. Starting today, recovering my health will be my top priority.¡±


    Devan Lantimos trained nonstop for a few days. Originally he was fast at everything, and this was possibly the most motivated he had ever been, so the training continued at a speed faster than the doctors had expected. He spent a fortune hiring two more wizards, and with the combination of their healing magic and delicious food served by his talented chef, he had restored his health to a better state than even a year prior in just a week. With that, they had begun restoring his eyesight and adjusting his eyes to light.


    Finally, today was the day to remove the tiresome eyepatch.


    The servants, doctors, and hired wizards gathered in Devan¡¯s room, holding their breath. Rejecting their offers of help Devan decided to remove the eye patch with his own hands. While it was obvious that Devan would be nervous, he still maintained his poker face throughout the process.


    Slowly, Devan untied the knot holding the eyepatch over his face. The removal seemed to take forever. The butler in particular was especially nervous, rubbing the sweat off his palms on his clothing.


    Throwing the eye patch on the floor, Devan opened his eyes very slowly. Blinking, once, then twice. As he had trained, his eyes adapted to the moderate sunlight shining through the room without any difficulty. His eyelashes trembled.


    He slowly walked towards a large window in the room. He could see the outside scenery. It was truly visible.


    No one said a word, and simply stared at him. His dark black hair shining in the sunlight. With the eye patch gone, his perfect features were even more prominent. They could see his perfect eyebrows and dark eyes framed with long eyelashes.


    Everyone, from the butler who had served Devan for a long time, to even the doctors and wizards who worked tirelessly for the past few days, felt an overwhelming flood of emotions.


    Suddenly, Devan stopped moving. He put his hands in front of his eyes.


    ¡°¡­Hey.¡±


    Everyone in the room tensed up for a moment.


    Devan¡¯s voice was mixed with anger, not hope, joy, or happiness.


    He looked at those gathered standing around him with a beautiful but cold gaze. The air seemed to freeze just from the pressure.


    ¡°Is¡­ Is there a problem?¡±


    The doctor gathered the courage to speak. He took a step forward.


    Devan held his hand in front of his eyes and clenched his fist.


    ¡°Why is it that my right side seems to see less clearly?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    The doctor replied stupidly. The butler hurried over to Devan¡¯s side.


    ¡°Your HIghness, do you mean to suggest that your right side has a problem seeing?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Devan covered his left eye to look. The butler shook. Of course it wasn¡¯t the same as when the Duke was cursed, but his sight was still not the same as before.


    The doctor was in a hurry to rectify the situation.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen in a long time, so it is possible that Your Highness¡¯ eyesight may have lessened from before. In that case, you will recover naturally over time.¡±


    ¡°My eyesight has gotten worse.¡±


    Devan crossed his arms and sighed.


    ¡°Wizards¡±


    The wizards flinched at being called and hurriedly stood at attention.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t physically blind, but blinded as a result of the curse. Was there a chance that it could have damaged my eyesight even after the curse is removed?¡±


    The wizards exchanged glances with each other.


    The doctor looked at the wizard with a pleading face, but the wizard who took a step forward shook his head.


    ¡°While we are trained in magic, curses are a divine matter. The person best suited to answer that question would be a priest. However¡­¡±


    Devan¡¯s expression, which had crumped, seemed to loosen up a bit.


    ¡°In our uneducated opinion¡­ I believe it would be impossible unless you had been physically injured in the meantime.¡±


    After speaking, the wizard bowed his head deeply and went back to his group.


    Devan glared at the doctor. The doctor was now trembling like a tree.


    ¡°¡­Your Highness!¡±


    Suddenly, the butler made a loud noise. Everyone suddenly turned to look at Devan¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Your highness, your right eye¡­¡±


    The butler looked at the Grand Duke straight in the eyes, ignoring proper etiquette. The butler shook as he did so.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Devan strode toward the mirror hanging in the room.


    This is¡­


    Staring back at him were two eyes in different colors. The left side was restored to what it had been prior to the curse, but the right side was different. There were black figures hanging above his pupils, as if it would cover the red eye at any moment.


    The curse was not fully broken. Unlike before, his right eye was covered with black figures, a fact that spread like wildfire. The wizards and doctors were in a frenzy to find the cause and solution to no avail. Devan was furious that the cause was unknown.


    After all, he would have rather had a perfect solution to his curse. Even if it seemed impossible, all you needed to do was find the subject of the prophecy.


    But with no cause, there was no way to find the solution.


    And above all, he was slowly getting used to this state of affairs. Before he knew it, he began training again with his sword, and was performing perfectly. Of course this wasn¡¯t surprising considering what he was able to handle even when he couldn¡¯t see.


    On the inside, he was pleased. He didn¡¯t have to wear the tight black eye patch nor did he have to concentrate on seeing what little he could see. There was no need to memorize the sounds of the footsteps of the people around him. And above all, that eerie laughter had gone away completely.


    It felt like everything had gone back to normal. Even he had to admit that he was much more comfortable now than before. Vaguely, he was anxious that he could in fact live like this for the rest of his life. In fact he was adapting just fine to his impaired eyesight, despite his own desires.


    In the meantime, news that the Grand Duke had recovered consciousness had spread through the kingdom, and that his curse had been lifted.


    As soon as the news spread, Killian Diego showed up again.

 Chapter 20

    ***


    Devan was sitting in the drawing room with a letter in front of him from Killian. It was a courteous letter simply wanting information.


    ¡°Disgusting.¡±


    He threw the letter to the fireplace with no hesitation.


    In an instant, the letter disappeared without a trace.


    I¡¯ve been writing since Your Highness collapsed a year ago. Please respond as soon as possible.


    The butler started preparing stationary to respond to the letter.


    ¡°You should write it instead.¡±


    ¡°You may get an earful from the Crown Princess if you keep speaking like that, sire.¡±


    ¡°You mean the Crown Princess who didn¡¯t contact me for a year despite my comatose state?¡±


    Despite Devan¡¯s sarcasm, the butler calmly continued pouring tea without a response. Devan responded while nonchalantly gazing at the falling tea.


    ¡°Perhaps Killian knows where she is.¡±


    ¡°By she do you mean?¡­¡±


    ¡°Evelyn Diego.¡±


    The butler¡¯s gaze headed to a necklace with a yellow pendant lying randomly in the corner of the desk.


    ¡°She would be able to tell me the possible cause of my eyesight deteriorating, if not heal me completely.¡±


    The butler was silent.


    Devan crumpled the paper and threw the blank sheets violently into the fireplace. The fire burned furiously again, and the butler, nonplussed, prepared new stationery for Devan.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m aware.¡±


    Devan began to write back in beautiful letters with ink on his pen tip.


    ¡°I¡¯m fully aware that you ran away from this mansion like in the middle of the night because you knew in advance that you wouldn¡¯t be able to completely fix me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably what you think. But¡­¡±


    Devan looked down at the letter paper with a pen in his hand, and splotches started to form on the blank sheet.


    The butler skillfully prepared new sheets.


    For a moment, the only sound that reverberated throughout the room was the sound of Devan knocking on the wood.


    After he realized that his eyesight had not fully recovered, Devan began to think. Why would Evelyn risk such a dangerous and risky escape? His conclusion was that she had run away because she couldn¡¯t fully cure the curse.


    She had an enormous amount of divine power, but she was not the person specified in the prophecy. There had never been a case where the royal family followed the prophecy without resolving the curse.


    And on top of that, there was the case of the yellow pendant.


    He had scrutinized the pendant to find her whereabouts.


    It was a common item, but full of magical power. Magic that only allowed those given access the ability to open it. He had commanded the wizards to open the pendant through force, only to realize that what was contained in the pendant was the fragrance of daisies.


    Unlike the bewildered wizards who were unaware of the prophecy, Devan was able to immediately piece together the situation.


    He was unsure of how she had heard of the entire prophecy, but Evelyn had clearly used this pendant to trick him into believing she was the one mentioned.


    ¡°However.¡±


    Devan remembered Evelyn¡¯s reaction was unusual when Killian Diego said he was coming here. She had reversed her attitude and suddenly treated everything as if it were urgent. Had she really had to run away in such a hurry? After all, even if she wasn¡¯t the person mentioned by the divine, she clearly cured the curse on his left eye. It would not have been a problem to take more time and potentially more money.


    ¡°I think there¡¯s another reason why.¡±


    His cool eyes, like a dark lake, glared as if they were representing his feelings, as if they were penetrating the letter paper on his desk.


    To be exact, the name Killian Diego, written on the first line.


    ***


    Devan Lantimos was uncomfortable. He was always like that, but it was especially like that now.


    He looked at the handsome man in front of him who was currently in the middle of drinking tea stiffly.


    It was Killian Diego, who had bright silver hair and golden eyes. His manners were impeccable to the point of being excessive. He was the eldest son of the Count, and even if he did not enter the Guard, he would still be able to inherit the count¡¯s title and live lavishly. The Count was not particularly known for rejecting his own either.


    However, Killian¡¯s attitude was strange. It was more like a servant to his master and an excessive degree of politeness for a noble.


    ¡°I heard it has not been long since you regained consciousness. Thank you for allowing me the pleasure of your company, Your Highness.¡±


    Devan reclined deeply on the sofa without an answer.


    Despite his arrogant attitude, Killian was only facing him with straight-looking eyes.


    ¡°So, what are you here for?¡±


    Contrary to his expectations that Bona Mana Astrilla would be mentioned, Killian hesitated to speak. Devan¡¯s eyebrows twitched.


    ¡°¡­ I heard that your curse has been lifted.¡±


    ¡°Does that concern you in any way?¡±


    Killian dropped his gaze. He almost seemed like a child who was about to be punished.


    ¡°Did you find the person mentioned in the prophecy?¡±


    Devan frowned.


    ¡°I asked you if you were related to this at all.¡±


    Clenching his fists, Killian closed his eyes. After a long moment, he began to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that people with great abilities¡­ could lift curses regardless of what was mentioned in the prophecy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me ask again¡±


    Devan started to get up from his seat. Just as he was about to leave, Devan stopped as he looked at Killian¡¯s face, which was now turned towards him. Killian¡¯s gaze seemed to be filled with an unknown desire¡­


    Desire?


    And with golden eyes, to boot¡­


    What do you mean golden eyes?


    Devan squinted and looked at him.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Killian avoided his gaze, and finally opened his mouth as if he had decided something.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡­¡±


    Killian nervously licked his lips.


    Was the desire in his eyes previously an illusion? Devan quickly lost interest. Killian opened his eyes nervously and stood up.


    Devan¡¯s poker face collapsed noticeably at the sudden rudeness, but Killian was not focused on the duke. He was staring at Devan¡¯s desk. Devan turned to look at what Killian was focused on.


    What was he looking at?


    There was nothing much on the desk.The magic tool that he used when he was blinded by the curse, and the wax seal for his letters, as well as the yellow pendant necklace left behind by Evelyn.


    Necklace?


    Devan tried to focus on what Killian was looking at. Killian continued to stare blankly. The man looked like he was petrified on the spot and completely drained of any emotion. He muttered in a small voice.


    ¡°Evelyn¡±.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    He was suspicious ever since he had asked about the curse. Was he really here to find Evelyn?


    Devan looked at him as if observing him. Count Diego¡¯s two children were known for their good friendship, so it was understandable. After all, a concerned sibling might indeed ask around and come all the way here to find their lost sister. That was plausible.


    A year ago rumors spread that a young woman was seen at the Grand Duke¡¯s estate. Devan tried to veer the rumors towards the Crown Princess, but if it was Killian, captain of the Crown Princess¡¯ guards, he would have known that to not be the case.


    The rumors about his cure also spread quite quickly.


    Killian sat down in his seat again, with his face buried in both hands. It would have been understandable had Killian heard rumors from elsewhere and came. Sure, it would have been rather obsessive for such a brother to come searching for his lost sister, but that would be reasonable.


    But it was only a few days after Devan had recovered that Killian sent a request to meet him. Was that even likely?


    ¡°It seems that you are unaware of court etiquette despite being the captain in charge of the Crown Princess¡¯ Royal Guard.¡±


    Devan finally broke and spoke harshly.


    Killian looked up slowly, his face full of anger, frustration and indescribable despair.


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Evelyn¡±


    Killian¡¯s voice was strained as if he were suppressing himself.


    ¡°Evelyn?¡±


    Killian seemed to have completely ignored Devan¡¯s words.


    ¡°Evelyn¡­ Where in the world¡­¡±


    Killian jumped up from his seat, unable to control his emotions. Trembling with emotion, Killian moved towards Devan¡¯s desk.


    Devan pulled out his sword from behind him, aiming straight at Killian¡¯s back. He was entirely fed up with Killian¡¯s lack of respect. Even completely distracted, Killian was unable to ignore the threat. He slowly turned back around.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve given you the leave to walk around.¡±


    ¡°¡­I apologize, your highness. I¡­ I think I found something that I had misplaced¡­¡±


    ¡°What object of yours would be in my room?¡±


    Devan, using the tip of his sword, slowly moved Killian away from his desk.


    Devan leaned in front of Killian, as if covering the pendant. Devan¡¯s eyes narrowed, lightly wielding his sword with one hand.


    ¡°Do you realize what you¡¯re saying right now?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Your Highness, please¡­ This is something more precious than my life¡­¡±


    Devan¡¯s interest was piqued. More precious than his life?


    ¡°Is that so¡±


    He raised his sword towards Killian¡¯s neck. Killian immediately stiffened.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, lay down your life right here.¡±

 Chapter 21

    ***


    Edited by Sleepypanda


    ****


    ****


    ¡°Can you give your life?¡±


    Killian¡¯s chest went up and down. His trembling breathing filled the room.


    Sneakily, Killian grabbed the blade of a sword aiming at the back of his neck.


    As if he¡¯s showing his determination.


    Devan¡¯s eyebrows curved.


    ¡°¡­¡­.if I can¡¯t find it¡­¡­my life is worthless.¡±


    ¡°If I can¡¯t find it. What?¡±


    Killian opened his eyes wide.


    ¡°Your Highness, please¡­¡­please.¡±


    ¡°So ¡­..what?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.Please give me back. Evelyn¡­¡­.¡±


    Devan¡¯s quick smile burst into laughter.


    ¡°¡­¡­Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Ha, hahaha!¡±


    Devan laughed out loud.


    How big and pleasant he laughed, Killian¡¯s forehead was crumpled mercilessly.


    He put down the blade that Killian was holding and took a step back. Blood dripped from his palm.


    ¡°Haha¡­ haaah¡­¡±


    Devan, who was smiling with a bend to his waist, suddenly raised his head.


    Paat- He put a sword vertically on the carpet.


    Before he knew it, his smile disappeared. Devan shined his eyes in a grand way.


    ¡°Whatever it is, you can look for it if you want. I¡¯ll give you a week. My castle, Young Lord¡­.. You can search anywhere.¡±


    Devan added behind Killian, who seems to run out right away even before the end of the talk.


    ¡°However, if you can¡¯t find it¡­ You¡¯ll have to give up your life.¡±


    It was a cooler voice than a sword that touched the back of its neck.


    However, Killian opened the door without setting up courtesy, as if it was a waste of time to hesitate. As if all the polite attitudes up until just now were lies.


    Boom- The door closed roughly and the sound of footsteps running down the hallway rang.


    In the room left alone, Devan picked up the sharp sword again.


    At the end of the blade, Killian¡¯s blood was buried.


    He threw the sword randomly, turned around, and grabbed the yellow pendant.


    Devan¡¯s expression when looking at it was full of resentment.


    ¡°Because of Evelyn.¡±


    He recalled that Killian never referred to her as sister.


    As if to break it, Devan held the necklace in his hand hard.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this like¡­. a warrior who came to save his lover?¡±


    If so, his role is the devil who locked the princess in the tower.


    Golden eyes? It was a kind of coincidence.


    A fishy smile was caught around Devan¡¯s mouth.


    ***


    It was all over the place. It was blinding.


    I closed my eyes and walked down the familiar street.


    Every step I took, snow flashed and made a good sound.


    ¡°Haah¡­¡±


    The same breath burst out with a sigh. I rubbed my hands together and heated it up.


    Otherwise, my hands will freeze first even before I arrive at the store.


    Ellywoon, where I finally arrived, was a much colder place than expected.


    Who said this place was a place where it snows all year round. Ellywoon was not exactly a snowy place, but a place where snow piled up.


    It was piled up, piled up, and piled up without giving time to melt.


    How long did I walk?


    The snow, which had risen to my knees, became ankle-deep, and a sudden bustling distance appeared.


    This was also one of the characteristics of Ellywoon.


    Community life was taken for granted in this country, where it snowed almost every day. Everyone lived together, and such a small downtown area was formed in the center.


    ¡°Hey, Leah!¡±


    I heard a familiar voice.


    As I looked around, Heron, the owner of the fish store, was waving his hand at me.


    Leah was my new name here.


    ¡°Mr. Heron!¡±


    I rushed toward him in a hurry.


    Heron pushed the burning bonfire toward me.


    As I squatted in front of it and warmed my hands, Heron held out a brass cup this time.


    ¡°Here you go.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    When I accepted it with both hands, the warmth quickly spread.


    ¡°Phew¡­. I¡¯m barely going to live.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been able to ride a sledding?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get used to it soon.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that before?¡±


    I looked at him laughing and smiled awkwardly.


    People in this country used sledding instead of horses or carriages as a means of transportation.


    I tried it again and again, but I still couldn¡¯t adapt, so I used to walk a long distance from home to downtown.


    ¡°So what do you give me today?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Heron went into the store and heard the sound of searching this and that.


    Since it was a cold neighborhood with so much snow, most of the food here was dried up and used.


    Among them, dried fish was the best ingredient.


    What should I make for dinner tonight?


    I warmed my hands while blowing my breath.


    It would be okay to make stew or something. I was able to eat hard-dried fish smoothly and melt my body.


    Come to think of it, I think we¡¯re almost out of firewood.


    I looked over the shops I had to stop by on the way. As I bought a lot every time I came out, there were not one or two places to stop by.


    ¡°I got good meat from my neighborhood. I¡¯ll give you a discount. Will you bring it?¡±


    In the store, Heron shouted.


    The neighborhood next door meant an empire. So, the place where I ran away.


    ¡°¡­.No. Just give me a cheap one!¡±


    I looked inside the store and shouted.


    I didn¡¯t want to touch any fish.


    ***


    I was on my way home with dried fish in one hand and dry firewood in the other.


    Still, my eyes were up to my knees. There was a main road to go home and a shortcut to break through the dark forest.


    Usually, it was always the former, but today, the luggage in my hand was too heavy.


    If I went home like this, I would have fallen down without having dinner and collapsed.


    What¡¯s the big deal?


    I walked toward the forest with complacent thoughts. It wasn¡¯t sunset yet, and most of the beasts and castles in this neighborhood were gentle.


    However, as soon as I entered the forest, I had no choice but to regret my decision.


    Tall birch trees surrounded me, and the sun that showed a little bit of its face was completely¡­ covered it.


    The wind turned sharper as it crossed the trees, and eventually, it made a strange whirring sound.


    I swallowed my gulp and dried saliva and took a quick step.


    Fortunately, however, the trees were acting as roofs.


    The height of the snow piled up on the floor was significantly lower than outside the forest, so I was able to step faster.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯ll be done soon.¡±


    I talked in a cheerful voice for no reason.


    Even so, the gloomy atmosphere didn¡¯t go away.


    Crunch- I was horrified by the strange sound from the bottom and played. It was the sound of a branch breaking that I stepped on.


    ¡°Haah¡­¡±


    I had to admit that I was nervous to the fullest.


    It was only then that I recalled the reason why I had to walk far and insist on the main road.


    There have been more than once in a while when crossing the border, I went back and forth between life and death because of the rubble.


    ¡°Why did I forget that?¡±


    Creepy green skin, sticky mucus, and a body harder than a rock.


    When I remembered the castles I encountered a year ago, my impression was wrinkled.


    Of course, there¡¯s no such thing in this forest, but¡­


    ¡°¡­¡­.Let¡¯s hurry up.¡±


    I almost ran.


    The snow piled up on the floor fluttered every time my steps touched.


    It was still dark around, and the biting cold was also there.


    The wind that made strange sounds continued, and my fear was the same as the first time.


    It was then.


    Boom- I heard a roar from the back. It was the sound of something falling.


    That¡¯s also something very heavy. There was a chill. My body became stiff as it was.


    ¡°Crrr¡­¡±


    There was a strange cry that could only be said to belong to the beast.


    It could be a wild animal. Like a bear. Is it a problem if it¡¯s a bear? But it¡¯s better than beasts¡­..


    Thinking uselessly as if escaping from reality, I turned around very slowly.


    ¡°Crrrrrr¡­¡±


    Tung¨C The fish and dry firewood I was holding fell to the floor.


    Coming right in front of me, it was dripping yellow essence from its mouth.


    It¡¯s whole body was covered with hard-looking green scales, and there were two long and disgusting tails.


    There was nothing more to think about.


    It was a magic beast.


    This magic beast was obviously after me.


    Why?


    Elliwoon was famous for being a safe place. It was because it snowed a lot and it was always cold, it was difficult for dangerous beasts or horses to survive.


    Young people in the village even used the forest as a hunting ground.


    But now¡­ On the first day I came into the forest, a magical beast appeared?


    Is this all just a terrible coincidence?


    My cheeks are hardened.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    The beast jumped high.


    Towards me.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    I quickly threw myself sideways with a fresh scream.


    He put his face in his eyes, but fortunately, he didn¡¯t seem to die.


    What should I do?


    When I slightly raised my head, the stupid horse was looking around. I felt like I was looking for me.


    Unnoticeably, I got up from my seat very slowly and hid behind the tree.


    I had to think carefully.


    I tried to remember a year ago, when the Great Duke kidnapped me.


    A strangely powerful force to be precise.


    I rode the walls, opened locked doors, and broke the barrier.


    I clenched my fist.


    The problem was¡­ I didn¡¯t know how I used it myself.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    The tree I was hiding flew to the side.


    It seemed that the beast was accidentally hit while turning its tail around.


    I inhaled sharply.


    The beast stared at me with creepy yellow eyes.


    I got caught.


    Without any hesitation, the beast jumped to the floor as if it were just following its instinct.


    Do I die like this?


    After breaking away from abuse and torture, crossing the border and barely setting up a house to catch my breath.


    ¡°H?aagh¡±


    I¡¯m going to die like this? | I looked very slow as the magical beast attacked me.


    It was enough to count the terrible scales on the body.


    And I saw something flashing white in the gap.


    White? That can¡¯t be¡­


    My whole body stiffened at the creepy thought of passing by my head.

 Chapter 22

    Edited by Sleepypanda


    ***


    ***


    My whole body stiffened at the creepy thought of passing by my head.


    It was when I closed my eyes.


    Something hot poured over my body.


    I opened my eyes for a moment.


    What¡¯s this?


    I rubbed around my eyes with my hands.


    ¡°Blood¡­¡±


    There was a lot of red blood on my hand.


    Was I dead? It didn¡¯t hurt at all. Or did I get hurt?


    Yeah, that magic thing looked silly, so maybe it didn¡¯t kill me immediately.


    But how did I not die when I was covered with blood? Why didn¡¯t it hurt?


    Thoughts led to the flow of consciousness.


    It was that moment.


    The sound of someone stepping on the snow and breaking it, and the sound of a branch breaking was heard.


    It was the sound of human footsteps.


    I hurriedly wiped off the blood that covered my eyes and barely looked ahead.


    Then, as soon as I checked the source of the sound, I fell into the snow.


    It was a man with a horrifyingly beautiful appearance in front of me.


    A man with cool eyes enough to think it¡¯s better to die in the hands of a beast.


    It was a gaze that I had never encountered, but I could see it at once.


    Devan Lantimos, it was him.


    Devan stepped closer to me, where I sat down.


    The snow piled up on the floor didn¡¯t seem to interfere with him.


    He was in a black uniform and held a black sword in one hand, from black shoes to handles.


    It was a sword that I remembered seeing in his office one day.


    Devan was also half covered with the blood of the beast.


    To the point where I wondered if it was the same as the uncomfortable liquid on my body, the dark red liquid went terribly well with him.


    After shaking off the blood around his eyes, he said.


    ¡°You were here. How dare you run away from me?¡±


    ¡°How¡­¡±


    I stepped back while sitting.


    Pook ¨C Devan put a sword right behind my head. He was in an attitude that he would not allow running away anymore.


    Was it a dream?


    Suddenly, I thought of that.


    It¡¯s already been a little over a year since I ran away from him. In terms of the number of years alone, it was two years. I was already 20 years old.


    But at this time, I can¡¯t believe he came here.


    I looked up at him with faint eyes.


    Furthermore, he was different from what I had seen so far.


    The black eye patch, which was always in his eyes, disappeared. So his eyes¡­


    Devan bent down and came out to make eye contact with me.


    The first thing I saw was the left eye, so red that I thought the blood of the magic that just poured out went into his eyes.


    Next was the right eye, which was spread black as if it were about to be sucked in.


    He grabbed my chin with his blood-stained hand.


    The corners of his mouth were drawing lines.


    ¡°What do you think? Is it exactly what you imagined?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t understand what he was saying.


    When I blinked and didn¡¯t answer, Devan tilted his head to the right.


    ¡°I mean these eyes.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­eyes, why?¡±


    When he answered blankly, he burst into laughter and rummaged through the product.


    Then he took something out and put it right in front of me.


    My body became stiff.


    He had a necklace with a yellow pendant in his hand.


    The magic item, which was enriched with the scent of daisy flowers, that Killian gived.


    ¡°You won¡¯t say you don¡¯t know what this is.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°The goddess of the young sun, who embraces the scent of daisy flowers, will lift your curse.¡±


    As if reciting a poem, he spoke in a wonderful voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know what it¡¯s about. I don¡¯t know how you found out, but I was fooled because I¡¯ve never seen such a creative and enthusiastic person. I can¡¯t believe you even used a magic tool.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­.¡±


    My lips are very dry.


    He noticed everything. That I cheated on him. That I¡¯m not the star of the prophecy.


    ¡°No wonder I thought it was weird to fall down even if you used a little bit of your energy. You can¡¯t be the main character of the prophecy.¡±


    It was not because of the curse¡­


    I was making excuses now. There was no way that they would trust me.


    A cool voice flew into my ear and stuck in.


    ¡°When you deceived me, you must have felt that determination, right? The weight of responsibility won¡¯t be light.¡±


    Paat¡ªDevan grabbed the sword that was stuck in the top of me and pulled it out.


    I flinched and shivering.


    The fear of death, which was just around the corner, rewound around my whole body.


    I¡¯ve only come this far. Am I going to die from this person¡¯s hands?


    What he said when we first met came to my mind.


    ¡®I hate lying a lot. I pray that you will be alive for a long time.¡¯


    I got goosebumps on my back.


    Did he follow me all the way here to take responsibility for my lie?


    After a year? Really¡­ is he going to kill me?


    I recalled a vicious rumor that spread throughout the continent. He deserved it.


    I hurriedly opened my mouth.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°However, it is clear that you are a great power holder anyway.¡±


    I muttered as if I were talking to myself, and he looked down at me.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­ That¡¯s right.¡±


    I heard a low sigh.


    He seemed to gauge something, and skillfully put the sword in the censorship.


    Then he crouched down in front of me.


    ¡°¡­¡­Can you fix this right eye?¡±


    The right eye? I peeked into his eyes.


    And when our eyes met, I trembled without realizing it.


    He was super handsome when he wore an eye patch, but he looked even more creepy when he took it off.


    I even forgot that he was a man who could control my life right away.


    In particular, his eyes, which I met for the first time, had a place to fascinate people somewhere.


    I swallowed my saliva.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stare at me.¡±


    He spoke in an arrogant way.


    Like you know what I¡¯m thinking clearly.


    Trying not to be conscious, I carefully looked into his eyes.


    Unlike the red left eye, the right side was black.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see the right side?¡±


    ¡°I can see it faintly.¡±


    As expected, the curse hasn¡¯t been resolved yet? Even though I put all my energy into it¡­


    I was frowning a lot, but he calmly said.


    ¡°The curse is all gone.¡±


    I opened my eyes round. I thought for a while and opened my mouth.


    ¡°As expected, that¡¯s not a curse. I told you before. There¡¯s something. Because of that, this right eye¡­.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking if you know something.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t know then, and I don¡¯t know now. I just knew it wasn¡¯t a curse.¡±


    ¡°Did you know that you can¡¯t cure it completely?¡±


    I lowered my eyes and only looked at my fingertips.


    Once again, I heard a low sigh.


    ¡°You treated my left eye first. Saying that there¡¯s an order in everything¡­.. Why didn¡¯t you tell me then?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t have said it.


    As he mumbled, Devan shook his head with an expression that it was understandable.


    ¡°You were afraid that lies would be revealed. Whatever the truth is, if I have a problem solving the curse, I¡¯ll investigate you in more detail.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­yes, but I wouldn¡¯t have solved it whether I was the hero of the prophecy or not.¡±


    This didn¡¯t come out in the original, so probably.


    Cordelia couldn¡¯t have solved that either.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the way to fix it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    When he couldn¡¯t answer and just bowed his head, he sighed for the third time.


    Then, suddenly, I grabbed my chin and turned it around as if I were evaluating it.


    ¡°What- What are you doing?¡±


    His eyes went down to my hair, eyes, nose, and mouth.


    ¡°The butler is right.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Devan stared deeply at me when he said an unknown sound.


    Certainly, seeing and not seeing eyes were at a different level.


    I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because it¡¯s blood-colored.


    Facing those eyes, it was hard to stick to the arrogant attitude I had taken toward him until then.


    He gently pressed my lips with his thumb. My eyebrows frowned at the unfamiliar feeling.


    ¡°What are you doing¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what it is, you don¡¯t know how to fix it. So there¡¯s only one way left.¡±


    He cut me off and said drowsy.


    ¡°Marry me.¡±


    ***


    Through the conversation, I found out that Devan had been unconscious for a year and had released his eye patch a few weeks ago.


    I also knew that the old butler, Karen, and Hilda were still living there.


    That¡¯s all he let me know.


    Devan, on the other hand, knew everything.


    He knew that I was not the protagonist of the prophecy, and that I was not the Count¡¯s beloved daughter.


    It was because the old butler testified that he seemed to have seen a bruise on my body at first glance.


    He even knew that Killian was abnormally obsessed with me¡­


    He even knew what I didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°That necklace¡­¡­What you said?¡±


    In the wagon heading to the Grand Dukedom, I shouted back, forgetting my situation.


    ¡°You know that pendant is a magic tool. It wasn¡¯t just the scent concentrated, but there was a magic at stake to track the location.¡±


    I opened my mouth wide.


    It was only a year ago that I could see why Killian came to the Archduke so quickly.


    Somehow, I said I would get a necklace, but I had everything in mind.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you did it.¡±


    Devan smiled as if he knew everything.


    ¡°What about now? Aren¡¯t they all being tracked right now?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s tracked down or not. He would already think you were with me.¡±


    ¡°But if you knew that we¡¯re in Ellywoon now¡­¡±


    I closed my mouth while I was talking.


    Devan was right. I¡¯m already convinced of my position and came all the way to the Archduke, but does it matter a lot whether I¡¯m in Ellywoon now or not?


    ¡°¡­I still feel uncomfortable. You can just break it. Why didn¡¯t you do it?¡±


    ¡°¡­It could be useful somewhere.¡±


    He looked a little upset.


    ¡°Then Killian. Did you meet him?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°What did you talk about when you met¡­¡±


    ¡°More than that.¡±


    Devan stared at me.


    He seemed to want to change the subject.


    ¡°I think you have to thank me first.¡±

 Chapter 23

    Edited by Sleepypanda


    ***


    ***


    ¡°I think you have to thank me first.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­.What?¡±


    I distorted my expression as if I couldn¡¯t hear what he said.


    He wants me to thank him for kidnapping someone who¡¯s been doing well?


    Why would I? This time, he was the kidnapper, and I was the victim.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t come, wouldn¡¯t you have already become the food for that beast and completely gone?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡­. ¡°


    ¡°It might have been better to leave it half eaten.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    As he raised his eyes, Devan shrugged.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you like the smell of blood? If you want, I can lend you my sword again.¡±


    He moved as if he were pulling a sword from his waist dance at any moment.


    I hurriedly waved my hands.


    I still remember cutting my hand with the sword.


    ¡°¡­¡­..okay. Anyway, thank you.¡±


    When the disgusting green scales and yellow essence came to my mind again, I thanked him.


    ¡°But that¡¯s that, and this is another matter.¡±


    ¡°This one?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.I mean that¡¯s nonsense.¡±


    As if he had already noticed and thought hard, he rubbed his chin.


    ¡°¡­ Oh! Are you talking about marriage?¡±


    Now that I look at it, he was a person with a sly side.


    I squinted at him.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Unexpectedly, when he opened his eyes wide to gentle words, he smiled somewhat anxiously.


    ¡°But I¡¯m a little curious if you can go back and say that¡¯s that and this is this even if I tie your limbs in the forest.¡±


    Squeak, I swallowed nervously.


    It was never a joke. He meant it.


    If I refuse here, he will really abandon me in that forest again.


    ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡±


    Finally, I asked what I was curious about the whole time from the beginning.


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t make sense no matter how much I think about it. You lost consciousness and came all the way here to find me¡­¡­ Wait, how did you know I was here?¡±


    How did I settle in this village where it snowed exceptionally much and I couldn¡¯t move without a sled.


    How hard I tried to play Leah, a poor commoner who lost all his parents in an unexpected accident.


    In a series of fast-paced situations, the forgotten resentment blossomed.


    Devan kicked his tongue.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking quickly.¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°So to speak, it¡¯s a similar way.¡±


    Devan still shook the yellow pendant in his hand.


    My expression was colored with astonishment.


    ¡°Did you track the location?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect much, but you didn¡¯t sell the brooch I gave you.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Is that why you gave me a brooch?¡±


    Devan, who frowned, crossed his arms.


    ¡°All the jewels made in the imperial palace have location tracking magic at stake for emergencies.¡±


    ¡°You said it didn¡¯t belong to the imperial palace. It was your mother¡¯s personal item!¡±


    ¡°How can the Royal family and the empress be separate?¡±


    He was utterly shameless. I was speechless and laughed in vain.


    It looked just like my eyes, and I was so upset that I kept the brooch tightly because it was an item left by his mother there.


    ¡°¡­¡­so what¡¯s so good about it, I¡¯ve had it so far.¡±


    Devan muttered, turning to the window.


    The attitude that seemed to avoid my eyes was ridiculous and my heart was stuffy.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Knock knock ¨C knocked hard on the window with my finger. Devan just looked at me because he made fun of me.


    ¡°So, why are you asking me to marry?¡±


    He looked at me with a dull look. When I saw that expression, I felt like I was angry at nothing.


    ¡°The priests brought from the temple, the wizards who are the most competent in the pagoda, and the best doctors of the empire do not know this curse.¡±


    He tapped his right eye with his index finger.


    They were strange eyes even when I looked at them again.


    The ink looked ominous as if it had spread, and the bottom looked deep like an unknown lake.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same for me that I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re the most likely one.¡±


    ¡°Possibility?¡±


    ¡°The possibility of treating this. Anyway, you¡¯ve solved my curse that no one has ever solved.¡±


    I glanced at the black mark invading his right eye.


    It couldn¡¯t have been, but it seemed to be moving.


    So the day I did my last treatment, it felt like a black figure that fought against my physical strength.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that you lifted the curse, even if you¡¯re not the heroine of the prophecy. It¡¯s related to something.¡±


    ¡°Related¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you really know anything about this?¡±


    I lowered my gaze.


    A year after running away from the Grand Duke, there have been words that have not left my mind.


    The words that the black figure talked over.


    Strangely, my memory was clear only at the last minute.


    I remembered everything that it said to me and how it invaded me.


    It¡¯s not over yet.


    I thought over and over again about the words for a year. What did it mean?


    No matter how much I agonized, I couldn¡¯t tell, but one thought didn¡¯t leave my mind.


    Isn¡¯t it something to do with remembering my past life?


    I couldn¡¯t know the exact meaning, but that was all I could think of.


    Perhaps it means that I didn¡¯t finish my previous life, so I couldn¡¯t die properly and start my present life.


    That¡¯s why we haven¡¯t even started yet.


    I stared at Devan.


    He waited without rushing my long silence.


    I couldn¡¯t tell him all this.


    Because he couldn¡¯t believe the vain sound that I have memories of my previous life.


    ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯ve talked to it.¡±


    ¡°Talk?¡±


    His eyebrows went up high.


    ¡°To be exact, that talked to me.¡±


    ¡°What was it about?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I don¡¯t remember. But at the end, it said ¡®when we see each other next time¡­ say hello.¡¯ ¡°


    ¡°See you next time?¡±


    Devan tapped the wagon handle.


    ¡°Then that something is interested in you.¡±


    He continued with a satisfied look.


    ¡°Do you have any other characteristics or clues?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with the characteristics?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just a substance, it¡¯s a conscious being¡­.. human or human-made.¡±


    Hmm, Devan sighed as if he was agonizing.


    Human-made¡­¡­..?


    ¡°For example, someone who has a grudge against me sent it to me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what, but it didn¡¯t feel like someone made it or was manipulated by someone at all. If I were to talk about it¡­..¡±


    ¡°If you were ?¡±


    He seemed to have lost his composure now. I said with eye contact with Devan with anxious eyes.


    If I were to talk about that¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s superior to humans¡­¡±


    ¡°God?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t say for sure, so I closed my mouth and lowered my gaze.


    Somehow, the story seemed to be getting too vast to handle.


    ¡°But if it¡¯s a god, can a human of great power like you not notice?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. For example, the stature and mana are so different, but the fundamentals are the same. I don¡¯t have any magic power and I can¡¯t try magic, but I can feel it.¡±


    ¡°But my eyes are¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. What it is.¡±


    I shrugged my shoulders.


    ¡°Then is it that he is not God, but a transcendent being comparable to the divine? ¡­¡­ The more I hear, the weirder it gets.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    What is it? The playful voice and mocking tone.


    But I thought it wouldn¡¯t hurt me. It said It was trying to help me.


    ¡°Laughing in a creepy manner¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Devan suddenly raised his head as I mumbled to myself.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    His forehead, urging him to answer, was full of wrinkles.


    ¡°What? ¡­. It laughs in a creepy manner¡­¡±


    Devan opened his eyes wide. He rarely looked surprised.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    When asked out of anxiety, he blinked a few times.


    His eyes shook, not focused.


    ¡°Do you know anything?¡±


    It was on my side to urge me to answer this time.


    Devan seemed a little out of his mind.


    ¡°Maybe¡­ Perhaps I also know about it. That divine being.¡±


    ***


    Grand Dukedom was still the same.


    It was still unnecessarily large, and there was no decoration, giving off a gloomy atmosphere.


    It was the same as before, there were fewer users.


    The old butler greeted us with restrained movements, and Hilda stood next to us in tears.


    ¡°Lady!¡±


    Hilda ran down the stairs quickly. She clung to me as she cried.


    ¡°Where have you been? Do you know how worried I was? I missed you!¡±


    Was our relationship this strong?


    It was a little burdensome, but I stroked her curly hair without showing it.


    Anyway, it was also true that I felt strange to think that I met him after a year.


    ¡°Welcome back to Dukedom, Lady Evelyn.¡±


    As soon as I turned my head, there was Karen, fully armed in armor.


    With a nice smile, he greeted me with restrained movements.


    ¡°You really had an incredible ability. I didn¡¯t know you were like that.¡±


    It was a sarcastic tone that did not suit etiquette.


    Breaking out of this estate meant making fun of the commander.


    ¡°Somehow, that¡¯s what happened.¡±


    Devan stepped next to me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a not-so-funny welcome party later, and let¡¯s go in for now.¡±


    Following him without hesitation, I also entered the castle.


    As I sat in the familiar Great Hall, the old butler gave me black tea.


    As expected, it was a familiar scent.


    ¡°Huu¡­..¡±


    I had a sip of black tea. In an instant, warm energy spread to my body.


    It¡¯s less than Ellywoon, but it was quite chilly here, perhaps because it was in the middle of winter.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, I sat at the table without washing up again.¡±


    The corners of Devan¡¯s mouth went up slightly.


    ¡°As I said, whether you wash or not, that¡¯s not important.¡±


    Now that I thought he could see his eyes properly, I was ashamed of my shabby appearance. It suited Ellywoon¡¯s ¡°Leah¡±, but it didn¡¯t match this castle.


    Before he opened up more of me, I hurriedly brought it up. ¡°More than that, that marriage.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    As soon as my words fell, he put down the teacup as if he had waited, and beckoned to the old butler.

 Chapter 24

    ******


    ***


    Devan beckoned to the old butler who had been waiting on the side.


    Ever prepared, the butler naturally took out a bundle of paper.


    ¡­ a bunch of paper?


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Marriage documents¡±.


    I blinked.


    ¡°Who is getting married to who?¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t want to?¡±


    ¡°I need some time to think.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you follow me all the way here?¡±


    ¡°Did I come here because I wanted to? There¡¯s no way to get off a moving carriage, right?¡± I looked at him fiercely ¡ª he needed me after all. Given how he had treated me in the carriage, it didn¡¯t look like he would kill me on the spot.


    At least for now, it seemed like following him gave me the best chances for survival as compared to being in the forest alone. What I wanted to avoid after all was not the Duke, but Diego and the temple.


    And¡­ I was also curious about his eyes.


    If I continued to investigate the situation, I might be able to learn what that meant by ¡°unfinished child¡±.


    That being said, I was not thinking of marriage at all. It was more akin to a contract deal, so I was going to try to get as much as I could for my end of the bargain.


    Devan looked at me with astonishment.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m the reason you¡¯re still alive? You don¡¯t have a choice. There are more monsters outside than those on the estate.¡±


    His eyes glimmered. I remembered the gate again, and felt a bit intimidated.


    ¡°¡­If Your Highness gains something from this marriage, I¡¯d like to benefit as well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed this for a while but you really like transactions. I said how you¡¯d benefit before right? I¡¯ll save you.¡±


    He was implying that my gain would be my life.


    ¡°Even if I refused to marry you, you wouldn¡¯t be able to kill me. No one else is able to cure you.¡±


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the only one who can cure you, as Your Highness just said. That threat doesn¡¯t work.¡±


    His mouth twisted. It was an uneasy smile.


    ¡°It was like that before.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°I told you that I think I have a connection with that divine being ¡ª one older than even yours.¡±


    Devan started thumbing through the documents one by one. Suddenly he bit his thumb and without missing a beat let some of his blood fall on the paper. The blood permeated through and disappeared ¡ª it was a magical blood contract.


    He beckoned to the butler to line up the documents in front of me along with a dagger.


    ¡°I know the reason you¡¯re trying to flee the empire is due to the temple and Count Diego.¡±


    I flinched when he mentioned their names. He really knew everything now.


    ¡°It¡¯s been more than a year since you disappeared from the Count¡¯s house, but your brother hasn¡¯t given up looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean Kylian Diego?¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, he¡¯s in the Royal Guard now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I stood up as I shouted. My knees hit the table and the teacup rattled.


    ¡°All the utensils in the castle must have broken right now.¡±, he mentioned.


    ¡°¡­Why?¡± My voice cracked as I asked the question. Devan raised his chin and looked at me calmly. It was clear who had the upper hand now.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of that necklace? He came here to check it himself.¡±


    ¡°He came to check that necklace?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to show it.¡±


    Devan shrugged. His easy-going attitude made me want to punch him.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m making a proposal. If you marry me, neither the count nor Kylian could bother you.¡±


    I continued to stare at him.


    ¡°I promise you your safety until you cure my eyes fully. Then, you can use the money and status to leave the empire per our original agreement. Just like how you originally were¡­¡± Devan trailed off as he looked at my clothes and picked his words carefully.


    ¡°¡­not wearing clothes like that, so you can live properly.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean to say we¡¯ll get a divorce once your eyes are healed?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°So why marriage? I could just stay at the castle.¡±


    ¡°Why are you married?¡± You can just let me stay in the castle.¡±


    ¡°Having something concrete is also of value. Think of it as a title that you can use.¡±


    A title. If I married the Duke and became the Grand Duchess, I would have the means to deny Kylian or the Count an audience. In this world, married children were partially strangers to their family, so the Count wouldn¡¯t be able to exercise parental rights over me.


    But¡­


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this deal too one-sided?¡±


    Devan interlocked his hands and raised his chin.


    ¡°Marriage is a contract that isn¡¯t easy to break within the Empire.¡±


    In other words he was worried that I would run off like last time.


    ¡°¡­ do you really think I would be able to cure it? Why not find the main person mentioned in the prophecy?¡±


    It was funny to mention that now. Devan also seemed a bit taken aback by me bringing it up.


    ¡°Even if I were to find that person, how could I be sure?¡±


    ¡°The scent of daisy¡­¡±


    ¡°You also smelled of daisies. How would I know this next person was for sure the main subject of the prophecy? They might be more creative than you were.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re trusting me because you can¡¯t trust anyone else? Because now you know the whole truth?¡±


    Devan uncharacteristically seemed to ponder this question a bit.


    ¡°¡­ Yeah, if you were to think about it logically.¡±


    ¡°And your actual reasoning then?¡±


    I persisted in asking. I wasn¡¯t sure why I kept on pressing on, but I felt like I had to hear this answer.


    ¡°Well, just¡­¡±


    Stroking his chin, Devan started to smile a bit.


    ¡°I guess I just want to trust you.¡±


    *****


    After returning to the room, I lay on my bed and looked at the lion carved on the ceiling. At one point, I looked at this almost everyday to the point of getting sick and tired of it, but it had been a year since.


    ¡°You¡¯re still the same.¡±


    The arrows were still there, and it still looked like it was in pain.


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    Despite running, I was back here again. I picked up the papers that were scattered on my bed. It was the marriage contract that I had yet to sign with my blood.


    ¡°Marriage.¡±


    The more I thought about it, the better the proposal for me. Neither the money crazed Count nor Kylian would be able to stand up against the Grand Duke. Because of how the laws worked in the Empire, as Evelyn Diego I would forever be in danger of being controlled by the Count again. Every little thing I did would be under his authority.


    But if I were to marry into the Lanthimos family, they would no longer have any authority over my life.


    ¡­that would mean the person controlling me would change from the Count to Devan.


    There was also a clue to find out who ¡°it¡± was.


    When I fled to Ellywoon, I was still curious as to what triggered the power explosion on the day I escaped from the Grand Duke. On top of that, I was still curious as to why I had memories of my past life, and how this world fit the contents of the novel I read previously.


    ¡°¡­I can pay you back.¡±


    Devan said he wanted to trust me. Instead of wandering in search of Cordelia, the true person who would cure him, he would trust me instead.


    My life was meant to be a substitute for someone else. I was meant to die for someone else. Had I not remembered my previous life, I probably would have already died.


    ¡°So because of that¡­¡±


    I wanted to pay back that trust that Devan had in me. He chose me instead of searching for Cordelia. Until now¡­ no one had ever said anything like that to me.


    ¡°Am I too complacent?¡±


    Was it truly fine to act based on my emotions alone?


    After all, it was through thinking and acting rationally that I had survived thus far. Not due to luck or favor.


    ¡°Yeah let¡¯s think about this rationally.¡±


    I considered the possibilities one by one. First, if I were to refuse the marriage, he might tell Kylian where I was, or file a complaint with the temple. Even if he didn¡¯t kill me, he would have no reason to protect me. That would set me back to step one. I would have to run away again, which was a bit nerve wracking.


    On the other hand, if I agreed to this proposal, he would guarantee my safety, and I would become the Grand Duchess. Even without him, that title had power and authority.


    There were just two big problems remaining. Would I be able to cure him? And as the Grand Duchess, everyone would know my name. But frankly, these were not that big of an issue.


    There was nothing to be gained from breaking my promise to him. He wouldn¡¯t propose a marriage to me had he considered physical force an option, and it wasn¡¯t like I had any plans of marriage with anyone else in the first place so it wouldn¡¯t matter if rumors spread or not.


    And when I considered Devan as a marriage partner¡­


    His looks, his estate, his wealth¡­


    ¡°Dammit.¡±


    I had to admit. He was a pretty good catch, just save for his personality.


    On top of that, there was something else I had to consider. Just before Devan came to save me, when the demons tried to kill me, I saw something between its disgusting scales as everything slowed down and I watched it leap towards me.


    It was something familiar, and if I wasn¡¯t mistaken¡­


    I ground my teeth.


    If I wasn¡¯t mistaken, those monsters were sent after me by the temple. To catch me. To catch and kill me.

 Chapter 25

    ****


    ***


    If it was really sent from the temple¡­


    The temple has not yet given up on me. Even though a year had passed and I had fled the country. It also meant that they were still imprisoning Cordelia and draining her powers. I didn¡¯t know whether they were going to just kill me, or kill me and retrieve my body, and dissect my corpse. Just because I had left the empire didn¡¯t mean I was safe. I just prolonged the time remaining until my death by a year.


    I couldn¡¯t avoid either the temple, nor Kylian.


    I was also just exhausted. I was sick and tired of running away. One year of fleeing was enough. If they really didn¡¯t give up on me¡­


    Knock knock


    The sound woke me up from my thoughts.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    As expected, it was Hilda who opened the door and walked in.


    ¡°Lady, the bath is ready.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    Hilda looked at me with a smile that was so bright it was suffocating. Was she really this happy to see me again?


    ¡°His Highness has asked that you have dinner with him after your bath.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°He mentioned that it wouldn¡¯t be a normal meal, but rather a banquet.¡± Hilda seemed more enthusiastic than usual.


    ¡°Banquet? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The marriage, my Lady!¡± Her gaze went for the papers still on my bed. Even though I had yet to agree, the rumors seem to have spread through the estate, just like a year prior. It was nothing new, so I just shrugged instead of affirming or denying it.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I prepared this dress for this evening!¡± Hilda dragged me in front of the mirror to show the piece with enthusiasm. ¡°As expected, it looks fantastic on you!¡±


    The dress was blue, with a design meant to accentuate the shoulders and collarbones. The wavy skirt spread out with a hue that darkened as it reached the floor like the night sky.


    ¡°Did the butler change his taste in clothing?¡±


    ¡°No, my Lady!¡± Hilda exclaimed. ¡°His Highness chose this dress and sent it along!¡±


    ¡°What??¡±


    The dress was chosen by Devan?


    As if my astounded expression wasn¡¯t on my face Hilda continued to beam and circled around me.


    ¡°The Grand Duke mentioned that you would have a brooch to match this dress.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Pulling out my luggage bag in the corner of the room, HIlda quickly found the brooch and took it out.


    ¡°Oh my, this is quite the piece! Did His Highness give this to you too?¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°So the marriage rumors were true! I didn¡¯t know that you two were this deeply in love. The atmosphere was a bit tense at the beginning after all.¡±


    She seemed to have no regard for my status by saying such things. Rolling up her sleeves she seemed to pump herself up.


    ¡°I will try my best, my Lady!¡±


    She seemed to have a determined expression. I braced myself for my fate. With all her might Hilda prepared me for dinner.


    She seemed to pour an astounding amount of effort into my hair, which hadn¡¯t been properly cared for in a year. Throughout all this Hilda chatted nonstop.


    ¡°So His Highness was furious with Sir Karen. You saw him wearing that heavy armor earlier right? Sir Karen has been wearing that ever since.


    He almost poured half of his enjoyment to see if he would somehow restore his hair, which he had not brushed properly for a year.


    Combing her hair, she chatted nonstop.


    ¡°That¡¯s why his Highness was so angry with Lord Karen. You saw me wearing heavy armor earlier, right? He¡¯s been going around like that every day since that day. And His Highness employed so many different doctors and magicians! It was honestly too much for the butler and I to handle.¡±


    ¡°Hilda¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Lady?¡±


    At the deluge of words I tried to change the subject.


    ¡°More than that, did you happen to see my brother?¡±


    ¡°Of course! He was very good looking. If I had to compare with His Highness, it would be tough¡­ But much like you I¡¯m probably leaning more towards the Grand Duke¡­¡±


    ¡°Hilda, Hilda!!¡±


    I tried to stop this conversation from veering into yet another direction.


    Was she really like this before??


    She seemed so timid and quiet at first¡­


    ¡°Oh, what were you saying my Lady?¡±


    ¡°Did you hear what they were talking about?¡±


    ¡°Hmm hmm hmm¡­ And what if I do? Would you try to force it out of me?¡± Hilda said playfully, her eyes clearly laughing as she spoke. If she was weird before, I did not recognize this new person at all.


    My brow wrinkled.


    ¡°Do you know something?¡±


    ¡°¡­maybe?¡±


    ¡°Hilda!!¡±


    She trembled when I started shouting, though she was doing it just for show as opposed to being truly scared. I squinted and looked at her, an uncomfortable feeling starting to gnaw away at me.


    ¡°I just overheard some loud noises, my Lady!¡±


    ¡°Noise?¡±


    Counting with her hands, Hilda started recalling the incident.


    ¡°Evelyn, oh my Evelyn¡­ I¡¯m begging you, hahaha! I heard a loud laugh, a thump, and a running sound down the hallway.¡±


    With every word she made an exaggerated gesture as if acting in a play. Gathering her hands as if she were praying, laughing with her mouth wide open, rolling her feet¡­


    Something was off. I have a strange and creepy sensation build up in me.


    ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡±¡±


    ¡°Oh, my Lady. Did you notice again? Well, I didn¡¯t mean to hide it this time.¡±


    ¡°¡­What are you talking about?¡±¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. After today, I¡¯ll return all the memories.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Hilda smiled. The corners of her mouth went up unnaturally.


    ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re not Hilda.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not right, my Lady! Hilda is Hilda. Hilda was Hilda from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°What the heck does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ But you¡¯d better enjoy the banquet right now. I think it¡¯ll be quite fun.¡±


    Hilda looked like she was staring somewhere far away. Her gaze was clearly staring right through the empty wall.


    What was she looking at?


    ¡°I see what you can¡¯t see.¡±


    I turned to look at her. Did I just say that outloud?


    ¡°I just told you so!¡±


    Putting her face right up against me, I could feel her forehead against mine.


    Tap ¡ª


    Hilda lifted a single finger in front of my eyes.


    ****


    The atmosphere of the Great Hall was strange. Looking around, it was easy for me to find the cause.


    The chandelier was clearly lit, and a colorful tapestry was hung on the wall. On the table, there was a vase with candles and beautiful flowers.


    What¡¯s all this?


    It didn¡¯t seem to match Devan and I at all. Wasn¡¯t it completely bare a year ago, no, even yesterday? I was shocked that it could change this much in just half a day.


    ¡°You¡¯re here, miss.¡± The old butler bowed.


    ¡°Oh¡­ What¡¯s all this?¡±


    ¡°They were brought in from the islands. In particular, that tapestry is to pray for the happiness of the newlyweds. We paid a bit more than usual to get this in a hurry.¡±


    ¡°Not that, but why did you do this?¡±


    ¡°I ordered it.¡±


    Turning towards the speaker, I saw Devan walking into the room. I was shocked.


    Like the Great Hall, Devan¡¯s appearance was different from usual.


    He was wearing a white shirt, not a dark uniform or robe that he always wore. With it he wore a roughly worn uniform jacket with a golden shoulder strap, under it sporting a jacket with colorful epaulettes. I was at a loss for words and stood there with my mouth open.


    I could feel the heat in my face rising.


    ¡°That dress looks good on you.¡±


    Devan spoke up first, saying what I was going to say to him. His eyes went towards the dress with the brooch I was wearing.


    The dress and brooch matched almost as if they were made to go together.


    I stood there staring blankly. Devan¡¯s eyebrows rose.


    ¡°Why are you staring like that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Even when I opened my lips, I couldn¡¯t find anything to say. It wasn¡¯t the sudden change, or that things looked out of place.


    Usually, Devan had a bit of a stoic presence to him, particularly when he had his eye patch. But now he felt completely different.


    In fact he looked so perfect in his current outfit that it was hard to look at him. Before, I thought black suited him perfectly but I was clearly wrong.


    His face clearly suited any color.


    ¡°¡­ What prompted the outfit?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t wear it for my pleasure.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    When I looked at him with an absurd look, Devan, with a wonderful smile, put his hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Hush.¡±


    He turned me around. A big shadow cast over me.


    Tap ¡ª I heard something fall and felt a familiar gaze.


    Devan, whose hands were still on my shoulders, asked with a wry smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a week since. Have you prepared yourself, Sir Knight?¡±


    I could hear my heartbeat ringing in my ears.


    Standing there, with gorgeous silver hair and shining golden eyes, was Kylian Diego staring at me.

 Chapter 26

    ***


    ***


    Devan Lantimos strode to the banquet hall, found a familiar profile and stopped walking.


    ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡±


    ¡°They were brought from the system. In particular, that tapestry is to pray for the blessing of the newlyweds. I gave him extra money because I was in a hurry to get it.¡±


    Evelyn was talking to an old butler.


    She looked around with an absurd look.


    Devan quietly burst into laughter because the response was exactly what he expected.


    He stood still there, crossed his arms, and carefully looked up and down at Evelyn.


    He thought she looked good, and even more dazzling in this dress.


    Well, the same was true of what he felt when he first saw her after the curse was lifted.


    She was somewhat thin, but her subtle greenish golden hair and small face made her look elegant enough.


    This was the case even though it was covered with blood in old clothes and buried in the snow.


    Maybe that¡¯s why he suggested marriage and other reasons.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it. Why did you do this?¡±


    ¡°I ordered it.¡±


    Devan strutted to her side.


    Evelyn looked up at him with a blank look, and his round eyes were just as beautiful as the Milky Way as the butler said a long time ago.


    ¡°It suits you.¡±


    The dress that matched the color of her eyes and the blue-gold-stone brooch went very well together.


    He knew for the first time that blue and gold were so harmonious, and Devan smiled satisfactorily.


    From behind her, he could see a large figure approaching this way.


    Evelyn didn¡¯t seem to have noticed yet.


    Devan naturally put his hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°What are you do-¡°


    ¡°Hush.¡±


    Killian, a large figure out of the shadow, finally looked this way.


    The colorful silver hair was reflected around by the chandelier lights, and the overly straight golden pupils were wide open and amazed.


    Devan kicked his tongue so that he couldn¡¯t hear.


    He couldn¡¯t adapt to those bloody golden eyes no matter how many times he faced them.


    Maybe that¡¯s why he doesn¡¯t like that guy even more.


    He spun Evelyn around and hugged her.


    ¡°It¡¯s only been a week since yesterday. How are you prepared for that simple life of the Lord?¡±


    He felt her small body in his arms stiffening. His sharp eyes were on her cheeks.


    Devan smiled fishyly.


    Oh, it was again.


    Killian was staring at Devan.


    As if he was the Devil who kidnapped the Princess.


    With Golden Eyes that resemble them.


    ***


    I dreamed meeting with Killian again dozens of times.


    Once was a dark cellar, another time was deep in the forest.


    Once was the great hall of Count Diego¡¯s residence, full of aristocratic children. And once was Evelyn.


    Among them, there were deserts with a blue moon that I had never been to in my life, or a clock tower that was far too high.


    But I¡¯m sure, I¡¯ve never had a dream like this.


    I¡¯ve never imagined Devan, Killian, and I coming together in this way.


    It was like this, too, I couldn¡¯t bring up any words and just my lips were chapped.


    The colorful dress I was wearing felt like a shackle.


    The same was true with Killian.


    Without saying anything, he hardened and did not move.


    ¡°¡­what are you doing?¡±


    Inaudibly, he looked up at Devan and asked.


    My cheeks were hardened.


    Devan raised his eyebrows, bowed his head and whispered in his ears.


    Seeing that, I felt Killian flinching.


    ¡°He can¡¯t keep making a scene in my domain forever, can he? I just wanted to get this over with.¡±


    ¡°So, is this how you do it?¡±


    Devan didn¡¯t seem to be sorry at all even at my retort.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll accept this marriage anyway. So I thought it¡¯d be better to let you know first.¡±


    I closed my mouth and stared at him.


    It was a marriage to get rid of Killian and the Count. I could also understand that the sooner the better.


    But.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be this sudden. Shouldn¡¯t you at least give me a head up?¡±


    ¡°This situation is more fun.¡±


    It was time to open my eyes and say something firmly.


    ¡°Evelyn.¡±


    I heard Killian¡¯s voice, which was so familiar and friendly.


    I was not confident to face Killian, so I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.


    ¡°¡­Evelyn.¡±


    Afterwards, I exhaled and turned my head toward him.


    He looked like he was about to collapse.


    Devan put more strength on my shoulder.


    I knew it.


    It was all a show.


    Such a show that I have done every day since I was young.


    I was more familiar with it than he was.


    As if I was surprised, I folded my eyes gently and smiled, facing Killian¡¯s misery.


    ¡°Long time no see, brother.¡±


    I didn¡¯t forget to hug Devan¡¯s waist.


    At my sudden action, Devan smiled, and Killian suddenly stumbled.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit down? The banquet will start soon.¡±


    Relaxedly, Devan pulled out the chair nearby.


    Devan and kindness. It was an unsuitable combination.


    Nevertheless, I sat down smiling.


    As if we were very familiar with this.


    He sat right next to me, not the upper seat he sat in every meal.


    Killian was barely holding onto one side of the table and holding up his staggering body.


    I could feel the gaze staring at me, and I tried not to look there.


    Devan acted naturally.


    Friendly swept my hair behind my ears and glanced toward Killian.


    I just smiled with my eyes down.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you sit down? We can¡¯t start the banquet like this.¡±


    Killian seemed to have a lot to say.


    He moved his eyes unstable, and barely pulled a chair across from me and sat down.


    ¡°Evelyn, ¡­¡­..Evelyn.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t ignore the voice that desperately called me.


    ¡°Yes, brother. Go ahead.¡±


    I was gone for over a year. His face was distorted even more than I imagined, which was hard to believe he was the same person.


    ¡°In the meantime¡­¡­¡±


    Devan lifted his hand.


    As if cutting off the conversation, the butler skillfully set the food on the table.


    Even with the appetizing food that filled my eyes, Killian¡¯s gaze was only directed at me.


    He moved his lips over and over again, but he couldn¡¯t bring it up easily.


    I couldn¡¯t eat while feeling such an intense gaze.


    I pushed the plate in front of me to the side.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have something to do before eating, Your Highness?¡±


    Devan¡¯s eyebrows wriggled up when he turned to me half-way and acted with a lovely look.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to finish writing the pledge.¡±


    I understand the contract marriage, so I wanted to finish this show quickly and go back.


    His lips drew lines as if he had noticed the meaning.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡­ Before that, isn¡¯t Your Highness too formal?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±


    I barely raised the tip of my lips that trembled.


    He must really be enjoying this situation.


    Devan turned to Killian.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Killian didn¡¯t even seem to understand what he was saying.


    Maybe he didn¡¯t want to understand.


    He only stared at me with a look of brokenness, and gave no answer.


    I clenched my teeth. It was over only when I opened my mouth.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­Devan.¡±


    K?k, Devan suppressed laughter that burst out.


    Unlike me who knew all the situations, for Killian we must look like a lovely couple.


    ¡°¡­¡­.Let¡¯s write down the pledge first.¡±


    I looked up at Devan with a sick and tired look.


    He finally ordered the butler to bring the pledge.


    ¡°¡­¡­..Your Highness.¡±


    Killian intervened as if he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Killian shut his mouth.


    Now he wasn¡¯t looking at me. He didn¡¯t seem to be able to look at it exactly.


    He looked confused, as if he had no idea what the hell was all about.


    Devan raised his chin and said arrogantly.


    ¡°What I remember is¡­ Yeah, you said you wanted to find what you lost in my estate. I was generous enough to give you a week, and if you can¡¯t find it, you¡¯ll get a dead end. I think I did. Am I wrong?¡±


    Devan spoke with strength and looked at Killian.


    ¡°¡­¡­You knew it.¡±


    ¡°If I knew, what would be different?¡±


    Killian bit his lips tightly.


    He almost looked like crying. Was it because of anger or resentment?


    ¡°I think you¡¯re misunderstanding¡­¡­.¡±


    Devan gently swept my chin and said.


    ¡°Hide¡­. I did not hide her. Evelyn hid herself from you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­..there¡¯s no way. Please return her¡­. Evelyn.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s funny. Because you¡¯re Evelyn¡¯s what?¡±


    And what else am I?


    ¡°The choice was hers. Not mine.¡±


    Devan did not lose his relaxed attitude.


    Killian¡¯s chest gradually went up and down.


    His body trembled as if he was holding back something.


    Then he eventually jumped up from his seat as if he couldn¡¯t stand it.


    ¡± Evelyn¡­ Evelyn, Evelyn!¡±


    He only repeated my name as if he had gone mad.


    Then he turned around and knelt in front of me.


    ¡°¡­.What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°Home¡­ Let¡¯s go back home, Evelyn. Huh? Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    An unbearable laughter burst out.


    Home. I can¡¯t believe he called there home.


    He knew what happened in the basement.


    With a cool gaze, I looked down at Killian.


    Killian looked up at me with blind eyes. Whenever I encountered those golden eyes, disgust rose.


    I remembered a day that I could never forget.

 Chapter 27

    ***


    ***


    I was 18, and it was just a few months before Devan kidnapped me.


    Until then, I had no doubt that I was using Killian.


    He¡¯d spread rumors about the system as I¡¯d ordered him to, and he gave me a pendant that smelled of daisies.


    He listened to my request as if he was a skilled servant, and the price was usually a smile or hug.


    I thought it was a pretty good deal.


    Until I saw that.


    Thanks to my soon-to-be debut, Count Diego¡¯s calls to the basement had decreased significantly.


    I could at least act like an ordinary count¡¯s child on the outside.


    I could finally sleep and wake up in my room, wash with cold water, and eat twice a day.


    I was satisfied enough and waited for the day when Devan would kidnap me.


    It was on that day.


    Without a maid waiting on me, I ate the hard bread that was meant for the servants.


    After that, I was about to go back to my room. When would it happen?


    Outside that day, I looked at a spot in the backyard that was visible through the kitchen door.


    Three years ago, it was where the dog who died because of me was buried.


    It was a hard crime for me to face, even more so because I couldn¡¯t repent.


    Even after turning back time, I couldn¡¯t save my dog, or take revenge on the Count.


    I was just in a hurry to survive.


    So I pretended not to know. I tried not to face it, and rationalized that it was inevitable.


    That¡¯s probably the reason why I¡¯ve avoided the grave these past three years, even though it was only a few steps away from the back door.


    I slowly head to the backyard.


    There was no one in the kitchen, as all the servants were eating.


    I couldn¡¯t remember where the puppy was buried.


    I only remember that it was under a large tree, but I couldn¡¯t remember the exact location.


    There were too many trees in the garden.


    I sighed without realizing it.


    Since it was unknown where they were resting, I couldn¡¯t even pray for the life I¡¯d killed.


    I crouched down in front of the largest tree.


    Without realizing that there was soil getting on my skirt, I hugged my knees and stared blankly.


    I didn¡¯t know where to look, so my eyes flicked around.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I bowed my head and whispered.


    My small voice disappeared in an instant, without leaving an echo behind.


    ¡°¡­.Sorry.¡±


    I whispered one more time.


    If I hadn¡¯t grown close to you, if I hadn¡¯t taken care of you.


    If only the Count hadn¡¯t caught me taking care of you¡­


    Would you still be alive?


    I gently put my hand on the wet soil.


    I remembered it¡¯s black and protruding nose, it was wet like this.


    Unknowingly, I smiled and laughed, then hurriedly lowered the corners of my mouth.


    I should¡¯ve treated you harshly, I should¡¯ve pretended not to know.


    Then Count Diego wouldn¡¯t have taken you and your children hostage, and threatened them.


    We shouldn¡¯t have met, it would¡¯ve been better for the both of us.


    I put my head on my knees.


    How long has it been? I was about to get up and go back.


    Then I heard the sound of the kitchen door opening.


    Looking back, a human shadow was coming toward the backyard.


    I hurriedly hid behind a large tree. It was full of bushes, so it was enough to cover my body.


    I crouched down and slightly raised my face.


    Who was it?


    Someone sank near where I¡¯d previously sat.


    I couldn¡¯t see his face because of the angle. I wasn¡¯t even sure if he was resting for a while because he didn¡¯t want to work.


    He¡¯d casually come and play in soil, then go back in. I don¡¯t want to be found, or have him think I¡¯ve played a joke on him either.


    Yeah, I¡¯ll just pretend I don¡¯t know. I thought It was about time for him to get up.


    When a low voice rang in my ears.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    I lowered my body again.


    What did he mean, sorry?


    Was this also for the dog?


    If you knew it¡¯s buried here¡­ I didn¡¯t even know where the dog was buried.


    I peeked out a little more to the side.


    ¡°¡­I know it¡¯s because of me. But¡­¡±


    The unknown man was blaming himself and there was sadness in his voice.


    Only then did I notice that the voice was familiar.


    My body stiffened.


    ¡°There was no choice. You know it too. So¡­.¡±


    The man got up from his seat and put something down on the soil.


    ¡°Please¡­¡±


    The man mumbled, then headed back to the kitchen door.


    I came out of the bushes and my eyes caught his retreating back.


    Tall, wide shoulders, trim waist, precise steps, and neat silver hair.


    It was him, Killian Diego.


    I barely walked to the loosened soil and sat down in front of the tree.


    What the man put down on the soil was a dry sausage, similar to what I gave the pregnant dog when I took care of it.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    I felt like crying, so I covered my mouth with my hands.


    Killian knew about this sausage, he knew I was taking care of a pregnant dog.


    He knew the dog was the only thing that gave me hope in this mansion, and that it was the only weakness that Count Diego was able to use.


    It was him.


    Three years ago, the person who told the Count to hold the dog hostage.


    The sausage that was crushed randomly.


    Because of these things, that child died.


    Because of these things¡­


    On the day my dog died, I remembered that Killian had followed me to my room.


    Unlike usual, he called a doctor to heal me and blocked Count Diego.


    At that time, I think I felt a little sorry for him.


    When I entered and left the basement, I knew that the number of days when he was hit had decreased.


    I also knew that his longing for me was full of cowardice. I never blamed him even though I knew it.


    Because we were young.


    I thought he was only using me, like I was using him, treating each other like that.


    But this wasn¡¯t it.


    He didn¡¯t have to be this selfish.


    Everything was a pretense.


    The appearance of buying me time to finish my treatment¡­


    The expressions I saw while he was covering the door obediently¡­


    What he said about the puppy made a mess in my head.


    ¡®Please forgive me.¡¯


    His words that were full of self-pity made me want to vomit.


    ***


    ¡°Home¡­. Let¡¯s go back home, Evelyn. Huh? Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Killian was kneeling down in front of me, and looked up at me desperately.


    I lowered my hand and stroked his fine silver hair.


    Killian¡¯s expression soon relaxed, and I took my hand and touched his face.


    We¡¯d never done this in front of anyone else, so I was very shocked by this situation.


    Or maybe he was already a little crazy after I¡¯d disappeared for a year.


    I raised his chin with my index finger.


    The blind and obedient eyes that looked at me were filled with a longing that couldn¡¯t be hidden.


    Now that I looked at him properly, he looked thinner and more exhausted than he did in my memory.


    His skin looked rough, and his eyes had deep shadows under them.


    He was still handsome, but he looked sharper and more sensitive than before.


    It was easy to see how crazed he would¡¯ve been while I was away, without anyone to care for.


    ¡°Brother, you seem to be mistaken about something. I¡¯ve never thought of that place as my home.¡±


    Killian¡¯s eyes were filled with shock.


    ¡°So I can¡¯t go back.¡±


    ¡°Evelyn¡­¡±


    Maybe he didn¡¯t know I¡¯ve been waiting for this day all along.


    Today was the last day I could say these last words.


    ¡°I will never¡­¡±


    I lowered my head and whispered, as if to wedge them inside his mind.


    ¡±¡­forgive you.¡±


    Killian¡¯s expression collapsed.


    I looked down at him coldly. I didn¡¯t feel as happy or relieved as I thought.


    Just in time, the old butler arrived with the marriage papers.


    I wanted to finish it as soon as possible and leave this place.


    As I stood up from my seat, Killian, who was leaning against my knee, collapsed to the floor as if he¡¯d fainted.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up.¡±


    When I looked at Devan with a cold look, he nodded without hesitation.


    The old butler lined up the marriage papers on the table.


    Devan had already signed with blood, so it was my turn now.


    When I reached out to him, Devan handed me a dagger.


    ¡°Can you do this alone?¡±


    I smiled at his absurd question, this couldn¡¯t even be considered a wound.


    It was just about to prick my index finger with the dagger.


    ¡°¡­.Hold on.¡±


    Killian, who¡¯d been sitting at my feet, grabbed the hem of my dress.


    ¡°What¡­What on earth are you doing? Evelyn¡­ Let¡¯s go back home. Huh? Evelyn.¡±


    He was almost crying, while he pleaded with me.


    I looked at him, I¡¯d won.


    When I pricked my index finger without hesitation, red blood bloomed.


    Blood droplets fell on the pledge and disappeared in an instant.


    The butler coughed, and said.


    ¡°This establishes the marriage between the two. Once again, you can never break this pledge until you draw blood. I¡¯ll act as a witness in the case of a divorce.¡±


    Killian¡¯s arms fell to the floor.


    His eyes were empty, as if something important had been taken away from him.


    Just because it wasn¡¯t pleasant didn¡¯t mean that I sympathized with him.


    It¡¯s not me that he lost, but himself.


    ¡°¡­I think we¡¯d better end the banquet.¡±


    It was time for me to leave the hall without looking back.


    Killian jumped up from his seat and blocked me.


    ¡°¡­Brother.¡±


    I muttered like a sigh.


    Now I really wanted to get out of here.


    He¡¯d already grabbed my shoulders with a half-worn look.


    I tried to shake off his arm with a frown, but it wasn¡¯t easy.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Please talk to me¡­¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to say.¡±


    My shoulders, that were caught in his grip, hurt as if they were about to be crushed.


    ¡°Hey¡ª¡±


    Devan tried to stop him, but I stopped him with a wink.


    Because this was our problem.

 Chapter 28

    ****


    Edited by Baset


    ***


    Holding my shoulder painfully, Killian opened his mouth.


    He looked desperate, as if he was about to collapse.


    ¡°Home¡­ If you don¡¯t want to go home, let¡¯s run away together. Huh? Evelyn¡­ This isn¡¯t it. You don¡¯t have to do this.¡±


    Tears began to drop from his golden eyes.


    His sad and beautiful appearance was captured in my eyes, while I watched with him coldly.


    ¡°Evelyn¡­¡±


    It was clear that he was mistaken about something.


    He seemed to think I was punishing him as a test.


    Or maybe he thought I was trying to fool him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you. I¡¯ll¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do to help me.¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    Suddenly, Killian¡¯s eyes shone.


    He looked blankly at the air as if he had thought of something.


    ¡°I.. I can help you. Yes, I can help you!¡±


    Killian seemed really insane, he kept fumbling inside his own head.


    With that creepy appearance, I barely twisted away from him.


    Devan stood next to me, and winked at the butler.


    I gave a small nod and walked out of the hall. Killian, who I thought would hold onto me, was just standing there. I wondered what he was possessed by.


    ¡°I can help you, I can help you.¡± he mumbled like that.


    ***


    I woke up more refreshed than I thought I would.


    Looking around, I¡¯d only spent a few days in this room. I¡¯d spent more than a year in Ellywoon, but I felt comfortable as if it had become my own home.


    Well, I¡¯d always lived in Ellywoon with a certain nervousness. I was afraid Count Diego, Killian, or the temple would come for me.


    The temple.


    My face hardened when I thought of that, and I quickly put that thought away.


    In many ways, I was too busy to check into it, but I had to find out about any potential obstacles.


    If the magic was really sent from the temple, I needed some countermeasures.


    I needed to meet with Devan first to do that.


    ¡°¡­Hilda?¡±


    I thought something was amiss, and I couldn¡¯t find Hilda even when I looked around.


    She usually stayed by my bed.


    I got up from my seat and pulled the rope.


    The bell jingled, but I still couldn¡¯t feel her presence.


    Hilda¡¯s room was right next to mine. Usually, by this time she would have come out and attended to me.


    Was she still sleeping?


    I looked out the window with a confused look, the sun was already in the sky.


    I thought she might have been called by the butler for something urgent.


    A pretty big incident broke out yesterday, so it might be hard to deal with it.


    I left the room with a light shawl over my negligee.


    I knocked on the door to the room next door, but I couldn¡¯t hear anything.


    ¡°Hilda?¡±


    The unlocked door opened easily, and sunlight poured in through the window.


    I looked around the room.


    But there was nothing there.


    I left and closed the door behind me.


    After checking my room, I opened Hilda¡¯s door again.


    It wasn¡¯t an illusion, there was nothing.


    When I escaped, there was no closet from where I secretly took out my clothes to wear, nor did I have a mirror that showed my reflection.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    I slammed the door and quickly went down to the Great Hall.


    It was clear that the room had changed.


    It had been more than a year since I was away, and Hilda¡¯s room must have changed.


    I tried hard to press down on the inconsistencies and headed out alone.


    ¡°Butler!¡±


    Just in time, the old butler was removing the decorations from the hall.


    I ran towards him, while he rolled up some ridiculous tapestry.


    ¡°My lady, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    He looked a little embarrassed when he saw me in my negligee.


    ¡°Where is Hilda?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Where is Hilda?¡±


    I was breathing heavily.


    The butler frowned at my words.


    My head was pounding, and fragments of memory that couldn¡¯t be mine came to mind.


    ¡°My lady, are you okay? You don¡¯t look well.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine, so I mean Hilda. This girl Hilda¡ª¡±


    Swallowing my dry saliva, I touched my forehead with my hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lady. I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you mean you don¡¯t understand? What don¡¯t you understand?¡±


    ¡°What? Well¡­¡±


    The old butler said something very unlike him.


    ¡°Hilda¡­ Who is Hilda?¡±


    ***


    The memory slowly returned.


    At first time it appeared to be a dream,


    ¡®Oh? oh? or do you¡­.. like this side of me?¡¯


    The first time I suspected Hilda was in front of the daisies.


    ¡®Hilda is Hilda. Hilda was always Hilda from the beginning.¡¯


    Until last night.


    Unlike me, who¡¯s forgotten memories were returned, no one else remembered Hilda.


    Only that part of everyone¡¯s memories seemed to have a hole in it.


    ¡°Who could¡¯ve helped me take a bath!¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Come to think of it, there must have been a maid a year ago.¡±


    ¡°She was here until yesterday!¡±


    The old butler looked confused.


    ¡°When I was taking a walk in the garden, she was next to me! No, she welcomed me at the main gate yesterday, right? You really don¡¯t remember?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Lady Evelyn, are you making fun of me?¡±


    The butler looked at me with a worried expression.


    Devan was the only one who would believe me.


    I recklessly stormed into his office.


    I slammed his desk and explained everything so far.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that there was a maid named Hilda? But none of us remember it, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°And the maid was that transcendent being?¡±


    ¡°I think so¡­ I thought Hilda came here by possessing a human being¡­¡±


    I shook my head excitedly.


    She said, ¡®Hilda is Hilda¡¯ from the beginning.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it borrowed a body, but I think it built a body.¡±


    ¡°¡­.How far can it go?¡±


    He frowned a lot and moved to the sofa.


    Then he nodded for me to sit opposite him.


    Even the sofa and office scenery remained the same as a year ago.


    The old butler was not such a reckless person that he¡¯d change his master¡¯s furniture, even if they¡¯d lost their minds for a year.


    ¡°I told you that I had a connection with that transcendent being.¡±


    I suddenly raised my head.


    He¡¯d definitely said that. I didn¡¯t know if he realized that the author was God. As he hurriedly shook his head, he lowered his eyes as if hesitating.


    ¡°¡­so, 5 years ago, no¡­ 7 years ago, that thing first appeared around me.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®appeared around you¡¯? Was it like Hilda?¡±


    ¡°No, it just existed around me. It didn¡¯t even have a shape¡­ It was just around.¡±


    ¡°How do you know it doesn¡¯t have a shape? At that time¡­ you couldn¡¯t have seen.¡±


    Devan nodded casually at my careful words.


    ¡°Yeah. I was blind, but when I focused, I could feel it¡¯s shape for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡­.¡±


    It seemed difficult to explain.


    ¡°So to explain, it would be here, or there. It would be on this couch and table¡­ I could tell its shape, but I couldn¡¯t tell the pattern of its face or body.¡±


    ¡°How could you do that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯ve been like that since 7 years ago. Yeah, that strange giggling sound gave me strength.¡±


    ¡°Giggling sound¡­?¡±


    I chewed my lips.


    ¡°Does that mean that thing gave you strength, Your Highness? Thanks to that, you were able to understand the outline of things?¡±


    Devan shrugged.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ Did that thing give me strength when I was running away from here a year ago?¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about climbing the wall, opening the locked door, and breaking through the boundary?¡±


    I glanced away.


    ¡°Yes, that one. Strangely, everything went the way I wanted it to. My whole body was full of energy¡­¡±


    ¡°Was it around you then?¡±


    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t. But¡­¡±


    I remembered what happened that day.


    To heal his right eye, I used all of my divine power and fought against something unknown. Eventually, I drove it out.


    ¡°Maybe it came to me during the treatment process¡­ I think.¡±


    ¡°It went inside you?¡±


    ¡°Your right eye had a black shape inside it. Because of that, I think some kind of energy has entered me.¡±


    ¡°Haa¡­¡±


    Devan sighed deeply, and leaned back into the sofa.


    ¡°Then what the hell was it? It existed next to me for years without form, and was your maid. It lived in my right eye and inside of you too?¡±


    I didn¡¯t understand either.


    I thought carefully and opened my mouth cautiously.


    ¡°¡­..Divine strength is the power given by God. Mana is the power of nature.¡±


    He nodded, as if to encourage me to keep going.


    ¡°It seemed to be fighting against my divine power. So¡­ That¡¯s a kind of power too. The person we talked about is the source of that power. God in terms of divinity, Nature in terms of mana.¡±


    ¡°In the end, it¡¯s the same thing. Isn¡¯t a transcendent being similar to God?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡±


    ¡°You had to fight against a transcendent being¡­¡±


    Fight¡­ fight as in¡­


    I frowned at the thought of brushing my mind.


    ¡°Should I¡­. do it?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Devan had a strange look on his face.


    ¡°Do we really¡­. have to fight against that existence?¡±

 Chapter 29

    ***


    Edited by Baset


    ***


    ¡°Do we have to fight?¡±


    Devan burst into laughter at my question.


    ¡°Then? How are you going to drive it out of my eye? Are you going to try to coax it out?¡±


    Devan sarcastically said as he pointed at his right eye.


    ¡°But¡­ It¡¯s weird¡­ His Highness also said that he could roughly see the front of the building when it was right next to him. Thanks to that, I was able to escape this castle.¡±


    ¡°How can you explain that I can¡¯t see with my right eye though?¡±


    I stayed quiet.


    Neither of them knew what to do, so there wasn¡¯t any progress.


    Naturally, the room fell silent.


    At that time, I could see a paper placed randomly on the desk.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Devan looked at it with a blank expression, then he pushed it towards me.


    When I opened it, I discovered it was a map.


    When I looked through it roughly, I noticed without difficulty that it was the Great Colonel.


    On the back of the page was a drawing of a castle, but it didn¡¯t appear to be the work of an expert.


    ¡°Did you draw this yourself?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡±


    Devan quietly sighed, and said with a grudging look.


    ¡°Yesterday, he dropped it on the floor.¡±


    ¡°If it was him¡­¡±


    He was talking about Killian.


    When I first met him, I heard something fall. It seemed that it was this map.


    ¡°A lot of things happened, so I didn¡¯t want to bother you about this.¡±


    At Devan¡¯s words, I lowered my eyes and looked at the smudged map.


    There were X marks everywhere.


    ¡°I think he got the map from the butler, but the marks must¡¯ve been drawn by him while he was looking for you.¡±


    I crumbled up the paper and put it back on the table.


    ¡°¡­ Why don¡¯t you give it back to him?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t need it anymore. It¡¯s unpleasant that he has a map of this castle and territory around it.¡±


    ¡°Then burn it.¡±


    Devan shrugged and threw the paper into the fireplace.


    In an instant, the paper caught on fire.


    For some reason, I stared blankly as it disintegrated, and Devan tapped the table in displeasure.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to be spaced out. There¡¯s a lot of work to be done.¡±


    ¡°What do I have to do? ¡­.There¡¯s nothing I can do right now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Devan had a strange expression on his face.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot that can be solved, and a lot that needs to be solved. Firstly, we¡¯ll need to go to the temple and hold a ceremony soon.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°A Wedding. Since we signed those papers yesterday, we¡¯re now a proper couple.¡±


    At the sudden remark, I opened my eyes wide. What did he mean by a wedding? I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s going to be held at the temple!


    ¡°I don¡¯t really want to, but I¡¯ll do it anyway. Still, is there anything I need to do until the ceremony?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it you, not me, who¡¯s in trouble if there¡¯s no news about the marriage and contract?¡±


    I quickly closed my mouth.


    It was definitely like that. Since I was married, it was important to announce it on a large scale.


    ¡°¡­Does it have to be there?¡±


    Why did it have to be the temple?


    I¡¯d already escaped from that place and now I had to go there of my own volition? That wasn¡¯t fair.


    ¡°Ah¡­ The temple was looking for you, by the way. First your family, and now the temple? There are so many places that you can¡¯t go to.¡±


    ¡°If I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t. You said you¡¯d protect me.¡±


    I stared at him while I spoke, that caused Devan to pause, then he avoided looking at me.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re the Great Duchess. Even if the temple finds you, no one can take you where you don¡¯t want to go.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help, but feel anxious.


    The temple was much more brutal than he thought. If they wanted to acquire something, then they did¡­


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    When I suddenly shouted, Devan looked surprised.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I just realized I have something I wanted to do.¡±


    I forgot about it because of Hilda, but I had something to check on.


    ¡°Do you mean that monster in Elywoon?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that one! You took the Maseok from the dead body, right?¡±


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re going to need the Maseok for?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t bring it? Maseok is a source of power, and there could be clues in it.¡±


    ¡°Clues?¡±


    When the magic beast leaped toward me, it was obvious that there would be some reason for it.


    I¡¯d seen mana that seemed artificial embedded between it¡¯s disgusting green scales.


    If what I saw was correct, it was evidence that the temple manipulated the horse¡¯s body.


    ¡°When I was very young, I lived in an orphanage under the temple before I was adopted by Count Diego.¡±


    Devan suddenly frowned at the turn of the conversation.


    ¡°I was a child with enormous potential, someone who appears once in hundreds of years or so. Besides myself, most of the children in the orphanage had some form of divine power. Some had very little, and others had quite a lot.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°At the temple, I leeched the energy out of the other children. Do you know what happens to a child who loses their power?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t die, they just become empty.¡±


    I remembered the other children¡¯s empty eyes.


    It reminded me of the children, who¡¯d become worn out after being filled up. They were brought back again and again to be filled, until they were finally sold.


    ¡°Do you think that the temple is related to this case?¡±


    ¡°At the temple, the children¡¯s spirits were collected and stored in soulstones. It¡¯s a jewel that looks exactly like a mana stone, but instead of being red, they are white.¡±


    ¡°There are white mana stones?¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡±


    I nodded, and Devan fell silent.


    It was an incredible story considering the temple¡¯s external reputation.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t believe me, please just look into the body. If it¡¯s true¡ª¡±


    ¡°Who said I didn¡¯t believe you?¡±


    Devan stood up from his seat.


    I looked up at him blankly as he quickly stood above me.


    ¡°Send Karen to Ellywoon. Even if they¡¯ve already disposed of the evidence, it can still be found with a high-end mana stone. If it can¡¯t be found¡­ That means that the temple used some kind of trick.¡±


    ¡°¡­You believe me?¡±


    Devan rang the bell on his desk.


    Then, he looked at me and smiled. He looked so aristocratic right now.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve been mistreated by the temple, then I can also be quite formidable.¡±


    ***


    Killian disappeared from the castle that day.


    It occurred to me that it was bad that he just stood still and muttered.


    ¡®I can help you. I can help you¡­¡¯


    At that time, I felt chilled and anxious.


    What in the world is he going to help me with? All he could do for me was disappear from my sight forever.


    ¡°Madam!¡±


    It was only a short while ago too. Then thoughts of Killian quickly left my mind.


    This was due to the absolute lack of time I had to think.


    ¡°Do you like this or do you like that?¡±


    I was presented with two white ribbons that looked exactly the same in my eyes, and the tailor who¡¯d asked me with a serious look.


    I blinked listlessly and motioned to the right.


    ¡°Which one do you like better, these pearls or those pearls?¡±


    This time, I didn¡¯t even try to look at them and motioned roughly to the left.


    The tailor, and her assistant, seriously listed and classified each decision.


    ¡°Haa¡­¡±


    It was a situation where a sigh would escape easily.


    This was why I said I didn¡¯t want to have a wedding.


    Devan did everything quickly.


    Perhaps it wasn¡¯t a lie when he said that he would hold the ceremony in the temple/ He¡¯d sent one of his men to the institution that day.


    Having the ceremony at the temple was considered a great honor to the people of the Empire. It was understandable because you could be blessed by the High Priest, who held more power than the Emperor.


    So there were only a few people who could get married there.


    They had to be from the Imperial family, or be extremely rich, with enough money to satisfy the High Priest.


    In Devan¡¯s case, both were true.


    All the nobles were excited, except for the two of us.


    He left all the wedding preparations to me. It only made sense to pass it on to me.


    He said he was too busy just governing the territory, but it felt like an excuse.


    He must¡¯ve found it too annoying.


    It wasn¡¯t incomprehensible because I was lazy, too.


    A lot has changed since that day.


    First of all, two soldiers always resided in front of my room.


    Devan said it was for my safety, but sometimes it seemed as if they were watching me.


    Second, I started studying about the Great Dukedom and the opposite sex.


    I had a nominal elevation to my status, but I still had to do the work that I was given.


    Devan had ordered it, so I stepped up to do it.


    Third, countless people kept entering my room.


    One of them was the tailor, who was now lining up dresses and robes with excitement. I looked at the dress with a bored look.


    At first, I thought they were pretty, but the more I looked about it, the more I thought¡­


    I want to decide on my own clothes.


    Even though I was annoyed, I couldn¡¯t help it when I thought of Devan¡¯s aesthetic sense.


    He was the one who left even his castle¡¯s garden to the soldiers.


    I considered the desolate greatness, and knew that he didn¡¯t have the greatest aesthetic sense.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, but let¡¯s stop today.¡±


    The tailor looked visibly sullen. It seemed that she couldn¡¯t even show half of what she had prepared.


    There was nothing I could do about it.


    It was dinner time soon, and I had something to ask at that time.


    As I got up from my seat, a young girl with curly hair rushed to my side.


    After Hilda disappeared, she became my new maid.


    ¡°Your name¡­ No¡­ You, stay here and help organize things.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    She answered with a big smile, and stood there and looked at me until I left the room.


    The rumors that were circulating this time were burdensome, as were the envious looks.


    Maybe the love story of the century was spreading about Devan and me.


    She seemed to be hoping to become closer to me.


    It was so obvious that I was rather reluctant to have her near me.


    There wasn¡¯t anything specific that I didn¡¯t like about the maid¡¯s attitude.


    I was just afraid of becoming close to someone again.


    Hilda was one of the few people I¡¯d become close to.


    I didn¡¯t know if she¡¯d betrayed me¡­ or not.


    When I realized that I felt betrayed, did I develop a certain level of affection without even realizing it?


    Hilda¡­ When I thought of her, I felt scared, angry, and embarrassed, but I also felt like a fool.


    Where the heck was she¡­


    Devan said that the formless existence had been following me since seven years ago, after it disappeared when he came to his senses.


    Hilda also disappeared from everyone¡¯s memory a few days ago.


    I can¡¯t believe she disappeared overnight.


    I needed to find out how to cure Devan¡¯s eyes, but I had no clue where I should even start.


    So, I would rather she appeared again, in some form.

 Chapter 30

    Edited by Baset


    ***


    ****


    ¡°You¡¯re here, madam.¡±


    Upon arriving at the Great Hall, the butler bowed to me.


    I trembled at the words that I couldn¡¯t get used to. Compared to the other servants, I was not used to the way the butler said my title.


    ¡°The Grand Duke¡­where is he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll be down shortly.¡±


    I sat in the chair that the butler indicated, and he brought me a cup of tea.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Madam.¡±


    At the end of each sentence, the old butler said the word ¡®Madam¡¯ like it was a punctuation mark.


    Madam¡­


    He told her that he¡¯d been with Devan since he was very young.


    He probably felt like I had married his own son.


    Even though he knew it wasn¡¯t a real marriage.


    Whether it represents the feelings of the butler, the Great Hall has been splendidly appointed since the banquet.


    It was not comparable to other castles, but they would add things, like the vase that had its flowers changed every day or a new decoration that I¡¯d never seen before.


    ¡°I will serve the food as soon as His Highness arrives, Madam.¡±


    After greeting me politely, the old butler disappeared.


    ¡°You came early.¡±


    Huh¡ª I turned my head.


    Devan was alone and walked slowly towards me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t come early, it¡¯s that Your Highness was late.¡±


    ¡°You seem particularly impatient today.¡±


    As soon as he sat down, I asked.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°With the manastone!¡±


    When he tried to pretend not to know, and simply shrugged.


    ¡°You looked into it by yourself, right?¡±


    ¡°Who do you mean by myself?¡±


    Bang¡ª


    The door opened, and I heard the sound of clattering armors.


    I jumped up from my seat.


    ¡°Sir Karen!¡±


    She strode toward me and did not hide her embarrassment.


    ¡°My Lady, I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d welcome me so enthusiastically.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Karen blinked slowly, and alternated between looking at me and Devan.


    When Devan nodded, she started to speak.


    ¡°Is it related to the lady? If I knew that, I would¡¯ve been more careful. Do you know how hard I worked?¡±


    She limped towards the table.


    ¡°Can I join you?¡±


    Devan nodded with a disinterested expression.


    As she sat down on a chair, placed her helmet on the table, and she sighed as if he was finally alive again.


    ¡°Sir Karen!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush me, it won¡¯t change anything.¡±


    The old butler pushed the tray to the table, then placed food in front of Devan, myself, and Karen.


    He put down an exceptionally large plate at the end and stared at Karen.


    ¡°Be careful with your words and actions to the Grand Duchess.¡±


    ¡°What? ¡­What? The Great Duchess?!¡±


    Karen knocked her helmet to the floor as if she was throwing it.


    Clang¡ª


    Devan crumpled his face at the noise he didn¡¯t want to hear.


    ***


    Karen left for Ellywoon the day before Devan and I made our marriage pledge.


    Nevertheless, I wondered why she didn¡¯t know about the marriage. She¡¯d said she was busy everyday, and that she didn¡¯t even have time to sit down before going to Ellywoon.


    From then on, Karen kept picking fights with me, leaving the knight inside of her somewhere else.


    I could see the reason for that.


    It seemed that all the responsibility for my escape went to her.


    While talking about it, she didn¡¯t forget to stare at me.


    For my part, I wasn¡¯t very sorry.


    In reality, it was true that the security was poor. I even thought about getting revenge on her for hitting the back of my neck.


    ¡°Why did you get married so quickly? What about the ceremony?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be doing it soon.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going to have it? Are you going to System?¡±


    While listening to Karen¡¯s rapidfire questions, I nervously put down the tableware to see if Devan was going to finally explode.


    ¡°Why do you want to know? Just tell me about Maseok.¡±


    Karen closed her mouth and took out a bunch of paper from her arms.


    ¡°These are all the places we looked at, and we didn¡¯t exclude any places that handled manastone. I even went to the main distribution hub outside of Ellywoon. Maybe now¡­ I now know the geography better than the lady¡­ or Madam¡­ who lived there for a year.¡±


    She talked a lot this time.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the conclusion? Are you saying you found it or not?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find anything.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t find it.


    My heart was pounding. The fact that she couldn¡¯t find Maseok, even though she searched all of Ellywoon, meant one thing.


    That someone was intentionally hiding the manastone.


    I looked at Devan, as he frowned deeply and said nothing.


    ¡°However!¡±


    Karen lifted the knife in her hand high.


    She seemed to think I was disappointed because she couldn¡¯t find it.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I haven¡¯t found anything. Ellywoon is really cold and it¡¯s snowing a lot in the area, okay? I was able to find a clue after persuading, bribing, and intimidating my way all the way to the very top person representing Ellywoon.¡±


    ¡°What did you find?¡±


    ¡°It was really a coincidence. No, maybe it was fate. It was just when I stopped by a store to take a breather and drink a beer after visiting all the top people. As the moonlight fell on the snowy streets¡­¡±


    Karen closed her eyes and tried to tell her heroic story.


    ¡°Hey, Karen Webow.¡±


    Devan pushed his own plate forward and turned towards the knight sitting at the table.


    ¡°Do you really want to die?¡±


    ¡°After a few days in Ellywoon, my brain must have gotten as soft as snow, right?¡±


    While Devan was smiling, his eyes were cold.


    Karen crouched down and bit her lips hard.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Start over, and just get to the point.¡±


    ¡°So, there was a witness. He said he saw someone walk up to the monster that His Highness killed and do something.¡±


    ¡°They saw someone do something? Did they see who it was?¡±


    ¡°He said ¡®I didn¡¯t see them clearly¡¯, but he said the person was wearing long white clothes.¡±


    ¡°White and long¡­ like a formal uniform.¡±


    As I muttered quietly, the two pairs of eyes turned towards me.


    ¡°Did he say what they did?¡±


    ¡°They seemed to be recovering something. After that, I heard that the manastone wasn¡¯t recovered when the monster was dismantled. So it is correct to assume that the manastone was taken.¡±


    ¡°Did he say there was nothing weird about it?¡±


    Karen smiled, as if she¡¯d been waiting for this question to be asked.


    ¡°There were two strange things. First; in order to dig out manastone, it usually requires completely dismantling the creature. In this case, the body of the monster was almost undamaged, except for the injuries caused by His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the second one?¡±


    ¡°The second thing¡­ They said the person seemed to have done something to the corpse before they left. I was told that enough black smoke was produced that it could be seen from a distance. According to the witness¡­¡±


    Karen had lowered her head and whispered.


    Without realizing it, I leaned in closer to her, and Devan looked at us with an apathetic look.


    Karen, who was looking around, finally opened her mouth.


    ¡°So it was like¡­ It was like they used black magic.¡±


    There was silence at the table.


    I blinked slowly.


    ¡­Black magic? What¡¯s that?


    ¡°What do you mean black magic? That¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    It was Devan who broke the silence.


    He was already staring at his meal indifferently.


    ¡°Your Highness! Don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t trust you. Nor do I trust the witness, who you just happened to meet while drinking. It¡¯s been a long time since black magic disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s definitely true.¡±


    Karen began to eat the soup along with Devan, as if she was only half-confident.


    ¡°So, what is black magic?


    I asked what I was curious about this whole time.


    Black magic.


    Of course, I could tell that it was bad from the hints they¡¯d dropped.


    I was curious because there was no mention of it in the original book I¡¯d read during my previous life, and that was odd.


    If it¡¯s true that the temple used black magic, then it should¡¯ve appeared in the book¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s a relic of the old times.¡±


    Devan summarized it in one sentence.


    Karen seemed to suddenly feel hungry, as she almost drank all of the soup in one go, and quickly cut into the meat elegantly.


    ¡°So my lady¡­ or Madam, black magic means that someone signed a contract with a devil.¡±


    Devan laughed at what Karen said.


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a devil.¡±


    ¡°Then what is black magic? All the magicians of the temple acknowledged it as that. It uses spells that can¡¯t be used with ordinary or divine magic.¡±


    ¡°No, to be more exact, it¡¯s not clear that it¡¯s even magic.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not magic, does that mean it¡¯s a power?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not magic or divinity, but something else.¡±


    I put down the tableware and then asked.


    ¡°Then what is it?¡±


    Somehow, I felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    It¡¯s not magic or divinity, but some unidentified power.


    ¡°It means the source is different.¡±


    ¡°The source?¡±


    Karen asked a question this time.


    Devan replied by gracefully slicing the meat in front of him.


    ¡°The source of divine power is God. The source of magic is nature. If it¡¯s not magic, but something we don¡¯t know about yet¡­¡±


    What?


    Devan stopped talking and looked at me.


    While I looked at him.


    We were thinking the same thing, even if we didn¡¯t say anything.


    A new source, a transcendent being that we don¡¯t know.


    That might be¡­


    ¡°What? So, then what is the source of black magic?¡±


    Ignoring Karen, who had a confused look on her face while she alternated between looking at Devan and me, we jumped from our seats at the same time.


    ¡°Call on the wizards to begin an investigation into black magic.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll look at the old books. Sir Karen, please return Elywoon and find another witness, or clue.¡±


    ¡°¡­What? Again?¡±


    Karen blinked foolishly.


    ¡°I¡­I just came back though¡­¡±


    She muttered with a wounded look.


    But no one was listening.


    ***


    Is Karen a man or a woman? Someone tells me. I guess she¡¯s a female knight?

 Chapter 31

    ***


    *Okay it¡¯s confirmed that Knight Karen is a man, so I¡¯ll use ¡®he¡¯.


    ***


    I said I would scour the old books, but the books in the Grand Duchy were not quite enough.


    Devan didn¡¯t seem to have much interest in books.


    Even if there were some, they were all about swordsmanship and military tactics, and if not that, they were all about politics.


    Fortunately, the wizards hired by Devan had lent him a few old books on black magic, but they were also a collection of legends and nonsense hypotheses that didn¡¯t seem to be of much use.


    I roughly piled the books I had looked through on the window sill and let out a small sigh.


    Temples and black magic, transcendent beings whose names I didn¡¯t even know.


    Temples used black magic, and its roots were whatever I thought they were.


    After all, the temple and its existence were related.


    The problem was the fact that in all the years I had spent in the temple, I had never once heard of black magic.


    I had never even felt anything resembling a black shape.


    So if they were using black magic in the temple, and even I, who lived in the deepest part of the temple, was unaware of it¡­¡­


    If that was really what was going on, it must mean that the temple was keeping this strictly a secret.


    ¡°My Lady.¡±


    The door rattled open and the maid called out to me in a surprised voice.


    She had just entered the room to clean and was surprised to see me.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Have you eaten yet? Are you going to read? Shall I prepare tea and pastries for you then?¡±


    She chatted with round eyes.


    She had a beautiful face, but she was a burden and a bother. As I waved my hand, I suddenly thought of something and asked.


    ¡°No, thank you for that. Is there a place in the territory like a library or bookstore?¡±


    Her eyes became more round.


    ¡°Well, there is a bookstore, but ¡­¡­¡­ I don¡¯t think it has what the Lady is looking for. It¡¯s mostly genre fiction.¡±


    She said, glancing at the books I had piled up.


    ¡°Do you know how to read?¡±


    ¡°A little.¡±


    She shrank her shoulders a little.


    I didn¡¯t know a commoner could read. Unless she had a lot of money at home or she was very smart, but seeing that she was working here so it seemed to be the former.


    A clever servant would certainly help.


    ¡°Good. So, have you ever been to the imperial city?¡±


    ¡°The Imperial City? No¡­.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to go?¡±


    Her eyes, which I thought would never get any bigger, grew wider.


    In this world, commoners were usually the ones who lived the rest of their lives where they were born. Living in the imperial capital was a new experience for many of them, and many of them had never even seen it.


    ¡°Ah, yes, My Lady!¡±


    An unnamed maid said, clasping her hands. Her eyes were full of expectation.


    I jumped up from my seat.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Eunice, My Lady!¡±


    Yes, if the temple was keeping everything a secret, all I had to do was uncover the secret.


    Whether they were really in league with the devil, or there was no such thing as black magic in the first place.


    All that was certain was that the temple was hiding something.


    So there was only one way to answer all the questions.


    ¡°Eunice.¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Lady!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll go to the imperial city.¡±


    I won¡¯t run away anymore, I¡¯m approaching them.


    ****


    I ordered Eunice to pack and wandered irritably around.


    I didn¡¯t know how the job was progressing, and it was complicated enough to make my head spin. I couldn¡¯t believe that the temple used black magic.


    The book I read in my previous life didn¡¯t contain any of this.


    It was all about Cordelia breaking Devan¡¯s curse and being happy together.


    Although the ugly side of the temple was shown, the story was mainly about the abuse of Cordelia.


    Cordelia.


    I bit my lip tightly.


    Going to the imperial city wasn¡¯t just to find out about black magic.


    Now that it was almost certain that the Temple had manipulated that demon to target me, it was also clear that Cordelia was still suffering.


    There was no other reason for her to seek me out in the temple, since It was said I lost my divine power.


    I had to save her. No, I wanted to save her.


    It wasn¡¯t simply that she was the heroine of the original story.


    It was just that I was the only one who knew about her pain.


    It may sound arrogant, but we were the only two people who could relate to that hurt. After sending Killian away a few days ago, I felt that way even more.


    I had sent Cordelia, who was in the same situation as me, to her death, and when she lived alone she met Devan and even married him.


    I didn¡¯t have the right to blame him, because I was the one who fell into self-pity.


    If I hadn¡¯t intervened, she would be the one smiling happily here right now. It was all my fault.


    So I had to save her.


    I had to go to the imperial capital and face the temple directly. I had to find out what the hell they were up to.


    Originally, the temple was a place to worship the gods and use their power to benefit the empire.


    If it came to light that they were using black magic instead of divine power to control the demons.


    If Cordelia and I were to testify there, and the many barbaric acts they committed at the orphanage were revealed¡­.


    Maybe we could change all that.


    Then I would go away and live the rest of my life happily, and Cordelia and Devan would follow reason and love each other.


    Saving Cordelia, that was the first step towards a perfect happy ending.


    ***


    I told Devan that I wanted to leave for the capital first.


    Since we were going to the wedding anyway, I wanted to get there first and investigate the black magic.


    I was worried that he would stop me, but surprisingly he gladly accepted.


    Not only did he accept, but he suggested that we go up together.


    He, too, was feeling limited in his ability to gather information from the Grand Duchy.


    The situation progressed quickly and we were in a carriage heading for the capital.


    The capital and the Grand Duchy were quite a distance away and it would take two full days to get there by carriage.


    The good thing was that the carriage was very big and we could rest and sleep in the nearby towns along the way.


    Devan was looking at some papers in the carriage. The carriage was enchanted so it wouldn¡¯t rattle, it was great for concentration.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a big library in the capital?¡±


    ¡°There is an imperial library. Even though we didn¡¯t have a wedding, we did take vows, so you¡¯ll have access to it.¡±


    He replied without taking his eyes off the papers.


    ¡°What are you going to do now?¡±


    ¡°We left in a hurry, so there were more than one or two things that needed to be dealt with.¡±


    It seemed that Devan wasn¡¯t lying when he said he was busy managing his territory.


    My mouth agape, I skimmed through the papers and quickly lost interest in the paper-filled feast of numbers.


    ¡°The one I sent to the temple has contacted me. It looks like the wedding will take place next month.¡±


    He shook his head again.


    I thought it meant not to talk, but it wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Oh, really? Did you get permission from the temple?¡±


    ¡°What permission? They should bow at the honor, even that wouldn¡¯t be enough.¡±


    A sneer formed on Devan¡¯s lips.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that even the royal family sometimes get turned down, especially those who are under the curse.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they do. Isn¡¯t that why we spent so much money for?¡±


    I nodded absentmindedly and suddenly wondered.


    As a member of the royal family, it was natural for him to have a certain amount of money, but if it was enough to be used heavily in the temple, it had to be more than the usual amount.


    ¡°I heard that the Grand Duchy was a barren territory, where did that large sum of money come from?¡±


    ¡°I was lucky.¡±


    I stared at him with an expression that asked for an explanation, and Devan finally set the papers aside and crossed his legs.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been really lucky. I discovered a mine. It¡¯s been more of a blessing in disguise that the Imperial family has given me a domain that is the furthest away from the capital. The location of the mine is also halfway across the border, which made it difficult for them to claim ownership.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s a border, then it¡¯s Ellywoon?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then didn¡¯t Ellywoon claim the right?¡±


    ¡®¡¯In any case, the entrance to the mine is my land. They must still be unaware of its existence.¡±


    Devan smiled in satisfaction.


    In a way, it was a vile method, but I liked that. The country has abandoned him, so what¡¯s the point of trying for the country?


    It was me who was sympathetic with that money, so I couldn¡¯t help but like it even more.


    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s unexpected.¡±


    Devan stared at me.


    His still unaccustomed red eyes were beautiful on the one hand, and a little creepy on the other.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You suggested going to the capital first. I thought you were afraid of the temple.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid¡­¡­. It¡¯s still scary. But ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    I turned my attention to the window.


    We were going down to the south, where the capital was, and gradually I saw a lush forest.


    When I thought of the temple, I naturally clenched my fist.


    I didn¡¯t even know if I was horrified or angry.


    But¡­ I didn¡¯t even know if it was something I had been preparing for since I came back here.


    Running away was not an option now, so I thought I should stand up and fight.


    Devan was still looking at me, as if waiting for an answer.


    I opened my mouth, facing the red eye with its shimmering black shape.


    ¡°I changed my mind.¡±


    ¡®¡¯You changed it? How?¡±


    ¡°Because you can¡¯t solve anything by running away just because you¡¯re scared.¡±


    Devan didn¡¯t reply, he just looked at me.


    I turned to look at the window again.


    The sunlight fell on the leaves and wrapped it warmly, and through the branches I could see the sky.


    As I stared at the unrealistically blue sky, I brought up the name that had been bothering me the whole time.


    ¡°Devan.¡±


    Instead of answering, Devan looked at me.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Do you remember the girl, Cordelia?¡±

 Chapter 32

    ****


    ***


    ¡°¡­Do you remember Cordelia?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±


    Devan looked puzzled. I smiled bitterly as I thought of the oath I had secretly sworn to Cordelia.


    Even if I take everything else, I swear that I will give her as much as Devan, the main character of this novel, to her.


    And yet, he couldn¡¯t even remember her name.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you can¡¯t remember¡­..¡±


    Devan¡¯s brow wrinkled, but he finally seemed to remember.


    ¡°You mean that girl. The sick girl who was in the temple?¡±


    He narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Why that girl? Don¡¯t tell me you feel pity for her?¡±


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s more like guilt than pity. ¡°


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It might be my fault that she¡¯s sick. No, it¡¯s my fault.¡±


    Because if I hadn¡¯t even twisted the original story, she would have escaped the temple by now and be living happily ever after with Devan. When I ran away from the Grand Duchy, I had the easy idea that somehow Devan and Cordelia would meet.


    They really were doomed by the prophecy. They were also the protagonists of the original story that somehow had to be connected.


    But in the end, they still hadn¡¯t met. I was responsible for that.


    ¡°I feel guilty.¡±


    Devan gave a small laugh.


    I looked at him with a strange look on my face.


    ¡°Someone told me. Hating yourself will only consume you. It won¡¯t help you, so get rid of those feelings and look for a solution instead.¡±


    ¡°¡­Who?¡±


    Instead of answering, he leaned closer to me.


    I flinched back at the sudden closeness of his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s these eyes.¡±


    A black shape flickered in his right eye, but it wasn¡¯t the one he was pointing at.


    ¡°When I was only ten years old, I was cursed. I slept for a night and woke up blind. It was for that bloody qualification test that was held to select the successor.¡±


    That was what he said, but just by hearing his voice or looking at expression, he didn¡¯t seem to be angry or depressed at the fact.


    ¡°At first I resented my brother. What if he hadn¡¯t had the sign, no, what if he hadn¡¯t been born first, and so I had been the only heir to the throne. I had that thought.¡±


    His voice trailed off.


    I could tell easily that he was bringing up a difficult story.


    ¡°After that I hated the country and the system. Why does such a qualification exam exist, then it was the temple, the priests, then it was God. ¡ªWho do you think I resented in the end?¡±


    ¡°Yourself¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Devan¡¯s gaze turned to the window.


    His eyes reflected the fast passing scenery.


    His emotions were swirling.


    ¡°Do you regret it?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t regret it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still hating myself. My existence, my birth, even my terrible fate.¡±


    I bit my lips.


    I couldn¡¯t get the words out, as if it was caught in my throat.


    It was the same thought I had every night.


    Why was I born with immense divine power, why did I remember my previous life, why did I have to sacrifice Cordelia and cheat Devan to survive?


    My existence, my birth, my terrible fate¡­.


    I was constantly hating myself, and I was the same way.


    ¡°So¡ª.¡±


    Taking his eyes off the window, he looked at me this time.


    ¡°I know what it¡¯s like to hate yourself¡­¡­¡­¡±


    Devan¡¯s eyelashes quivered.


    He smiled bitterly, frowning as if he couldn¡¯t help it.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you not to do it, but just do it in moderation. It¡¯s as much as you can bear.¡±


    Finishing his story, he dropped his gaze again on the papers in his lap as if he was signaling me not to talk to him this time. I just stared at him in silence.


    I wondered if he regretted saying this much.


    He must have lived through unimaginable pain and suffering.


    Moderately, only as much as you can afford.


    The more I thought about it, the more my heart thumped.


    Anger? Sadness? No, this was frustration.


    The birth, the existence, the terrible fate¡­ it wasn¡¯t what we all wanted or deserved. It wasn¡¯t our fault.


    Devan was right.


    We didn¡¯t need to hate and gnaw at ourselves. We had to let go of any feelings of remorse and instead find a solution.


    Our resentment had to be directed outward, not in.


    ***


    The carriage ride was boring. The pleasure of admiring the scenery was fleeting.


    I dozed at the window, reading the useless books the wizards had given me, and glanced at Devan¡¯s papers.


    ¡°Stay still.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t stand it so he said a few words.


    It was almost the tenth hour in the carriage alone.


    So far, Devan had only examined the documents without raising his head. It wasn¡¯t me who was strange, it was him.


    I said, turning my sore neck.


    ¡°I thought you said we¡¯d sleep in the village?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll be there soon.¡±


    He glanced at the window.


    I hurried to look out the window, but all I could see were still trees and sky.


    ¡°Soon is¡­.¡±


    ¡°Well, one more hour.¡±


    An hour. There was no doubt that Devan had a problem with his sense of time.


    I sighed inaudibly and started looking out the window in a daze.


    I couldn¡¯t complain since I was the one who suggested we go to the capital.


    But, what should we do when we get there?


    The first thought that came to my mind was a social event.


    The reason why Count Diego held a social meeting once a week was because of the relative proximity of the Count¡¯s residence to the capital.


    If I go to the capital, will I have to do that tiring thing again? My body sank completely.


    Wear a tight dress, tell boring stories, and put on an ill fitting aristocratic facade.


    But now that I was the Grand Duchess, I couldn¡¯t just stay in the castle.


    Anyway, Devan was a member of the royal family, so I didn¡¯t know if I could visit the Imperial Palace as well.


    The Imperial Palace.


    Just hearing the name doubled the discomfort. My mind drifted back to the dark battles I had seen in the palace.


    I spoke to Devan in a small voice.


    ¡°What the difference is between the Imperial Court and the social scene. It¡¯s different, right?¡±


    Devan¡¯s eyebrows went up.


    He shook his head, not taking his eyes off the papers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the hell you¡¯re talking about. Weren¡¯t you supposed to go to the capital to get information on the temple and black magic?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, of course, but we can¡¯t overlook the external image.¡±


    Devan burst into laughter.


    ¡°Do you think I have an external image? Me, cursed and fallen to the ends of the empire?¡±


    Hearing that, I thought so again. I couldn¡¯t imagine Devan laughing and talking to someone at a social gathering.


    ¡°But it¡¯s said that true information comes and goes at social gatherings. It¡¯s also a way to learn about the temple and black magic¡­¡­¡­..¡±


    Yes, of course I had to attend. I came to the conclusion on my own. I nodded my head and Devan shook his head with an absurd look.


    What did I do at the social gathering?


    I forced my mouth to rise as I looked out the window. Despite my stiff feelings, I was able to smile quite naturally.


    It wasn¡¯t like I had a social gathering at the Count¡¯s residence for a day or two, so whether I liked it or not, I would have already mastered it.


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    I sighed lowly and watched the trees pass by in a daze.


    Hmm?


    There was something in between them.


    It was too fast for me to see, but something definitely moved.


    What was it?


    I opened my eyes wide.


    My body reacted first, before I could properly grasp what was going on.


    ¡°Devan!¡±


    I shouted, hugging the Devan opposite me and lowering my body.


    Bang!


    At the same time, the top of the carriage dented lightly, like a wooden plank.


    I looked around quickly.


    ¡°What is going on?¡±


    Devan seemed to be in the same state of panic. He hurried out of his seat.


    ¡°I saw something at the window. It attacked us. We have to get out quickly.¡±


    As I spoke sluggishly, Devan sat back down and tried to open the door.


    But the door, which had twisted on its own, was not going to open easily.


    At that moment, bang!


    More roars could be heard, and the ceiling of the carriage dented further down. I couldn¡¯t even look up anymore.


    ¡°¡­D*mn it.¡±


    Devan let out a low swear and slammed the door with his foot.


    The alloy door began to move, distorting little by little.


    I, by the way, was struggling with how to help him. And I just managed to find a curtain rod that had fallen due to the broken ceiling.


    It would be easier to push it through the doorway, right?


    It was just when I crawled toward the door with that thought.


    ¡°Arghhhhh!¡±


    Curiosity was my sin.


    I should have just looked at the floor, but I glanced up and my eyes met with eyes the size of my face.


    It was staring at us through the window as if it were observing us.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    Devan grabbed me from behind.


    In the meantime, I held the curtain rod shakily, handed it to him and said in a trembling voice.


    ¡°Is it a demon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a demon. What else could do this?¡±


    Devan tucked the curtain rod through the door gap.


    Then he hit it with his foot a few times, and the door eventually fell off.


    ¡°Hurry up.¡±


    He nodded as if to say leave first.


    I shivered and finally stepped out of the carriage.


    As soon as I touched the floor, my legs lost their strength and I stumbled.


    I barely held the tree in front of me and balanced my body. Then, as soon as I hurriedly looked around, my whole body hardened.


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    Before I knew it, Devan, who was standing in front of me, gave a self-mocking laugh and pulled out the sword at his waist.


    I swallowed hard.


    Surrounding us was a demon the size of a house. It had bumpy


    green skin.


    Its arms hung down to its knees, and It had a total of five unusually large eyes all over its body.


    It gave me goosebumps to think that the eyes I had just encountered were hanging from its legs.


    Devan laughed in vain and said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to end anytime soon.¡±


    I turned my head from side to side. Everywhere I looked was filled with demons.


    The demons that surrounded us were¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­there were eight.

 Chapter 33

    ****


    ***


    ¡°Your Highness ¡­.¡±


    Knights came running out.


    They were the ones who had come with us, escorting our carriage back and forth.


    They were each holding a shoulder or arm. Some of them had blood flowing from their heads.


    ¡°Eunice!¡±


    I called out to Eunice, who was restless among them.


    She ran right up to me, grabbed my arm, and burst into tears.


    ¡°My Lady!¡±


    At least she didn¡¯t have any visible wounds.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡±


    Devan muttered.


    ¡°The situation with eight demons doesn¡¯t seem normal¡­.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but why aren¡¯t these demons attacking us?¡±


    He narrowed his eyes.


    It was strange, come to think of it.


    They only destroyed the carriage, and then they just stood there watching us while we were surrounded.


    The knights¡¯ injuries were also caused by debris from the carriage. So, in a word, they seemed to have no intention of attacking us.


    ¡°They are not very smart.¡±


    ¡°Do you know much about demons?¡±


    ¡°They are demons that are said to see everything that exists.¡±


    When I saw that they had five eyes, I thought I knew why without having to ask.


    ¡°Even when they sleep, they don¡¯t close their eyes, so it¡¯s just an exaggerated formula that they can see everything that exists. In fact, they¡¯re a dumb species. They¡¯re famous for smashing things without thinking.¡±


    ¡°Why are they doing this?¡±


    Devan observed them silently.


    The knights slowly came towards us for some time.


    The demons didn¡¯t move, even though it was certain that the situation would turn against them.


    It¡¯s not that they weren¡¯t interested in us, though.


    It was really strange.


    If they had broken the carriage and torn apart their troops, it was only natural that they would attack immediately, but they didn¡¯t. It was as if they were waiting for something¡­.


    ¡°Are they waiting for something?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I mumbled and Devan turned around.


    A sudden thought crossed my mind.


    ¡°They¡¯re monitoring us. They¡¯re waiting.¡±


    ¡°Waiting for what?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but¡­¡­¡±


    Why did they break the carriage? They could have monitored us from the inside.


    Was it to get us out? Why?


    At that moment, I felt a chill. I grabbed Devan¡¯s arm with my trembling hands.


    ¡°Evelyn?¡±


    ¡°White, Magic stone.¡±


    Their lowest eyes had Magic stones stuck in their white pupils. It was so white that you can¡¯t see it unless you look closely. Devan wrinkled his brows.


    ¡°Totally absurd.¡±


    Originally, Magic stone was not meant to be inserted like that.


    Since it was the root of the demon, it was normal for it to be in the deepest part of the body. It was true that the body had to be dismantled to collect the stone. However, that one looked like it had been forced into it.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the time. We have to escape.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re right and they¡¯re watching us, waiting for something to happen, there¡¯s no way they¡¯re going to let us go easily.¡±


    Devan said self-mockingly.


    He gripped his sword and muttered.


    ¡°If we just aim for that Magic stone¡­.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute. Are you planning to fight?¡±


    Even at a glance, the situation was not good.


    There was not a single knight that was physically strong.


    It was because they had ridden in an ordinary carriage that was not enchanted, or chased after us on horseback.


    After all, the magic on the carriage we rode in didn¡¯t seem to be at the level of merely canceling out vibrations.


    ¡°I¡¯ll heal the knights first. It doesn¡¯t look like they¡¯re going to attack us right now.¡±


    ¡®¡¯I don¡¯t know if we have time for that¡­¡±


    Devan suddenly put me over his shoulder.


    I couldn¡¯t come to my senses in the sudden reversed view, and he moved quickly. I couldn¡¯t even shout out what was happening.


    Rrrrrrr!


    The ground we had been standing on crumbled downward with a loud roar.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I think they¡¯ve noticed.¡±


    Devan, who had lowered me to the ground again, took up a fighting stance with his sword.


    ¡°Noticed what?¡±


    Devan laughed with a somewhat annoyed frown in one of his eyes.


    ¡°You.¡±


    Then he swung his sword towards me.


    Devan¡¯s sword headed to the demon¡¯s right leg behind me.


    I squeezed my eyes shut.


    Hot blood flowed down my back.


    ¡°Why did they notice me?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Devan pulled me roughly to him.


    With one hand wrapped around me, he constantly swung his sword.


    The demons all jumped at me, aiming only at me.


    I realized what Devan had said about them noticing me. Even the white Magic stone stuck in their legs.


    Why didn¡¯t I prepare for this earlier?


    It was the temple. It was the temple that gave the order. Bring me to them or kill me.


    They were getting more violent. They didn¡¯t choose the means and methods. In other words, they were in a very imminent situation.


    The wounded knights moved quickly to Devan¡¯s aid.


    They did their best to jump on the demons, but the demons didn¡¯t care.


    The demons lightly kicked the knights on their feet as if they were insects they were trying to chase away. They didn¡¯t seem to feel any pain.


    Could it be that it was also affected by the magic stone?


    ¡°Hey, get out of the way, you are disturbing them.¡±


    The knights flinched at Devan¡¯s order and retreated.


    After that, it was turbulent.


    Devan took on eight demons by himself.


    Or more accurately, it was correct to say that the demons took him on.


    He let go of my waist and spun around, swinging his sword. All I could do was squirm in nervousness.


    He fought as if he was one with the sword. It was hard to believe that he was a blind man not long ago.


    Devan was aiming only at the legs where the magic stone had been embedded in, and in that aspect, the smaller man had the advantage.


    The demons were very agile, despite their large size, but they were no match for Devan. Devan closed the distance in an instant.


    The magic stone bounced off after only a few blade thrusts. With the Magic stone removed, the demon walked all over the place. They must have been hypnotized. They seemed to have been released.


    I wondered how much time had passed. Three of the demons just fainted, two ran off somewhere, one went crazy and broke the surroundings, and Devan stabbed it in the neck and it died. Only two of them remained.


    Even in that whole process, Devan¡¯s body only received minor scratches.


    ¡°Hoo¡­.¡±


    Devan let out a ragged breath. I and the other knights were watching him blankly. I had long since lost the idea that I had to help him or that he was in danger.


    It was such an overwhelming force. Devan wiped his bright red bloody face with his hand. It made his eyes glisten through the fresh blood that was spread everywhere. He seemed a little exhausted.


    It was no wonder, since he had dealt with such a large number of demons by himself.


    One of the two remaining demons pounced on me again, targeting me.


    I flinched, and Devan brought his sword back up to aim at the demon¡¯s leg.


    That was the moment.


    Suddenly, the demons stopped moving.


    It was as if the stop button had been pressed on both of them.


    What could it be?


    I looked around quickly.


    There was a chill in the air. I felt anxious.


    Something that the demons had been waiting for had arrived.


    And I had a hunch that whatever it was, it wasn¡¯t good for us.


    Devan furrowed his brow and then leapt toward the demon again, as if he thought he should do it anyway.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    I reached out to stop him.


    Whoosh-


    A low vibration made the earth weep.


    The area darkened in the blink of an eye, as if the sun had disappeared.


    ¡­The sun disappeared?


    I looked up and saw something floating in the sky with wings so large that they filled the wide expanse of land.


    It looked like a giant hawk¡­¡­ It looked like a dragon.


    What is a dragon, a dragon!


    Can the temple even control dragons?


    It seemed that they could control all the demons that existed in this world.


    The dragon hovered in the sky as it stared at me. It was then that I realized what was happening. This was why the demons attacked the carriage to drive us out.


    To recognize me, to check my location.


    If they catch me, I will die.


    That was when I thought.


    ¡°D*mn it.¡±


    I heard a low swear and my vision shook violently. What is the situation with all this? I blinked. All I could see in front of me was pitch black.


    It was Devan¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    I heard a pained groan.


    He was holding me. He was holding me so tightly that my ribs seemed to be breaking.


    ¡°¡­Devan?¡±


    His body shook. It was unusual. Hot blood poured down his back to me. Not the demon¡¯s blood, but Devan¡¯s blood.


    ¡°¡­Devan!¡±


    ¡°Quiet, let¡¯s be quiet.¡±


    He said in a suppressed voice. There wasn¡¯t a single ounce of strength in his voice, unlike normal. I gradually began to grasp the situation.


    In no time at all, the dragon had finally descended faster than I could even recognize it. It wanted to snatch me.


    But the dragon failed. A human-sized sharp claws stuck in Devan¡¯s back instead of mine.


    My body became stiff. I raised my trembling hand and let go. Even a scream didn¡¯t come out.


    ¡°Your Highness! ¡°


    ¡°My Lady!¡±


    I heard screams all around. The knights and Eunice made an effort to come towards us somehow, but they all fell with a single flap of the dragon¡¯s wings.


    We were left isolated and at the center of this whole situation. There was no one to save us. Except for me.


    I had to save Devan. It was me, no one else. I had to save him. I knew it. But my body froze and wouldn¡¯t move.


    The fact that Devan, whom I had believed would never collapse, was leaning on me, bleeding profusely.


    And then there was the fact that all of this happened because of me.


    These two facts were binding my body like a shackles.


    What should I do?


    I could feel the strength leaving Devan¡¯s body.


    I have to move¡­¡­.


    My body trembled.

 Chapter 34

    ***


    ****


    It was a time when I just couldn¡¯t move my body.


    ¡°My Lady! Caaaaah!¡±


    I saw Eunice fall behind Devan.


    Before I knew it, her body was covered in scratches. It was because she had fallen down while trying to get close to me.


    I had to protect her. Not just Devan, but everyone.


    It was obvious that if Devan collapsed, it would be the end of us all.


    It was a heartbreaking feeling.


    But what the hell ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    I clenched my fists.


    At that moment, Devan put his forehead on me. It would be right to say that he lost his strength and leaned on me.


    But he didn¡¯t let go of his arms that wrapped around me.


    I could feel the hot sensation on my forehead and my cold fingertips returning.


    I could hear Devan¡¯s small breathing.


    ¡°Devan¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±


    He opened his eyes and looked at me.


    With half-closed eyes he was looking at me, precisely.


    The black shape was shaking in his right eye.


    Dark red blood ran down over his eyes.


    His lips quivered.


    ¡°Save me.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hear him, but it seemed as if he was saying that.


    I wondered why.


    At that moment, the eyes of the wandering dog came to mind.


    The wandering dog¡¯s clear eyes that did not resent me until the end.


    I had to protect him. I must keep him alive. I could do it now. I could not let anyone die. I wanted to save them.


    I could feel the divine power resonating deep within my body. No, this wasn¡¯t divine power. ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    I opened my eyes a little wider.


    It was that power. That power that was used to escape the Grand Duke¡¯s residence.


    I don¡¯t know why, but I felt like I could do anything with this power.


    Can I do it?


    I hadn¡¯t used this power in over a year.


    It was also a power that wasn¡¯t mine to begin with.


    No, it had to be done.


    I squeezed my eyes shut. The force shook inside me.


    It was as hot as a fire and as cold as ice.


    It was sharp as if it would shatter my whole body, yet soft as if it could encompass everything.


    It was noisy and quiet at the same time.


    Time seemed to have stopped.


    At that moment, poof, a huge wave broke out around me.


    There was a flash of white light and a gust of wind.


    Dust and dirt flew up in the air, making it impossible to open my eyes.


    I had to brace my legs to keep from flying away.


    I don¡¯t know how long it took, but the gusts disappeared and the dust settled.


    The sight that finally came into view was everyone lying on the floor, except for me.


    Devan, the dragon that had clawed him, the two demons that had stopped when the magic stone was pulled out, even the knights and Eunice.


    They were all lying there helplessly, as if they were sleeping or they were dead. My heart pounded violently.


    What the hell was this power? I had never heard of such a powerful force. I was even in awe.


    Finally realizing what was happening, I approached Devan and carefully turned his body over. The wound was so bad that the flesh looked ragged.


    I put up with the physiological discomfort and slowly dissipated the new strength from my hands. It felt different somehow, but fortunately Devan¡¯s wounds were healed. In an instant, his back healed and his breathing stabilized.


    ¡°Devan, Devan! Wake up!¡±


    Even though I shook Devan to the side and punched him in the cheek, screaming at him, he didn¡¯t wake up.


    What should I do with this? If anyone collapses, it should be the dragon, but what the hell is this all about?


    I couldn¡¯t just stay here like this. But I also couldn¡¯t just leave.


    There were dozens of fallen people in total. It was impossible for me to move them alone. What if the demons woke up first? What if the temple comes to check on their condition? Negative thoughts disturbed my mind.


    ¡°Wake up!¡±


    I grabbed Devan by the shoulders and shook him roughly.


    ¡°¡­¡­. Ah.¡±


    Suddenly, the inside of my body started to hurt like crazy. I grabbed my chest and forced myself to breathe in.


    I felt tight and sniffly.


    I was not sure, but this power was a power associated with that transcendent being. It was arrogant of me to think that I could use it as I wanted.


    In an instant, my vision was blurred.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    My eyes closed spontaneously. My body went limp like water-soaked cotton. I couldn¡¯t even lift my fingers.


    I was sluggish and wanted to just give up on everything.


    I wanted to just ¡­¡­ die.


    That was then. A familiar and unfamiliar voice was heard.


    This voice was ¡­¡­


    In the blur of my vision, a shadow approached.


    It was so huge that it seemed to swallow everything and was so small that it seemed to disappear at any moment.


    It came to me in a flash, and looked at me.


    ¡°¡­..you.¡±


    On the tip of my tongue, a broken language came out.


    Why are you doing this to me? Are you going to kill me, or are you going to save me?


    Who the hell are you?


    The words hovered in my mouth and disappeared.


    -She snapped her fingers in front of my eyes.


    As my consciousness faded, I heard a giggle from somewhere.


    *****


    When I came to my senses, it wasn¡¯t a lion full of arrows that welcomed me, it was Devan¡¯s head.


    Devan¡¯s head?


    I gazed blankly at the black back of his head as he buried his face in my bed.


    I didn¡¯t know what this was all about.


    ¡®Where am I?¡¯


    I blinked my eyes.


    Something must have happened. My mind went fuzzy as I remembered my dream last night.


    That playful voice came to mind again. And Devan¡¯s tired face.


    Yes, those demons.


    The demons, who were obviously piloting in the temple, came looking for me, and Devan fought them. Then a dragon appeared and poked its sharp claws into Devon¡¯s back, full of blood¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Blood? My body stiffened in an instant.


    ¡°¡­Devan!¡±


    Still burying his head in my bed, I grabbed his arm and shook it.


    He looked up slowly, his brow wrinkled, his face more wry than usual.


    He blinked slowly, looked at me and sighed.


    ¡°¡­¡­ You finally woke up.¡±


    Devan rubbed his face roughly with one hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    His movements came to a halt.


    Grabbing my wrists with both hands, Devan looked at me.


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡±


    Anxiety struck me somewhere.


    Surely that presence, Hilda, had come. What happened after that?


    ¡°What happened? No way, Hilda¡­..¡±


    ¡°Hilda? What do you mean Hilda? Did I see that existence?¡±


    Devan grabbed my wrists tightly.


    ¡°¡­¡­ It hurts.¡±


    With a jerk, he stopped moving and pulled his hand away.


    ¡°What the hell is going on? Where are we?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    He closed his eyes slowly and opened with a tired look.


    ¡°It¡¯s an inn in the village.¡±


    ¡°Village inn?¡±


    I blinked quickly. It was only then that the scenery around me finally came into my view.


    Most of the room was made of old wood.


    So were the walls, the floor, my bed, and the chair he was sitting in. It was a rustic, unfamiliar landscape that was too unlike Devan.


    ¡°¡­Why are we here?¡±


    At my words, dark red eyes stared at me.


    I shuddered in fright. Everything was my fault, I thought.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I want to ask. Why on earth are we here?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­what?¡±


    ¡°I found you in the middle of the village square after I came to my senses. I don¡¯t know how long I had collapsed, but I even found coins lying around.¡±


    ¡®What?¡¯


    I had no idea what he was talking about.


    ¡°No, what about the demons? What about the knights and Eunice?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°I told you. That¡¯s what I¡¯m asking. All I remember is that the damned dragon dug his claws into my back. What about you?¡± (Devan)


    I looked back at my memory.


    ¡°After that¡­.. I, um.¡±


    I rolled my eyes.


    I didn¡¯t know how Devan would react if he found out that I used an unknown power.


    ¡°Did you use that power? The one you used to run away from me.¡± (Devan)


    He was good at reading my thoughts. I gave a small nod.


    ¡°Then what?¡± (Devan)


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­ Everyone collapsed. The dragon, too. Except me.¡±


    He jerked his chin out as if to tell me to continue. I stammered.


    ¡°Then I saved Your Highness. I used my divine power to heal all the wounds on your back. Then I suddenly felt strange. Maybe it was because of the power. It was hard to accept from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°And then Hilda came?¡± (Devan)


    Can I call it Hilda?


    I chose the words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can call it Hilda, but it¡¯s true that it came. It giggled.


    It said some mischievous words I didn¡¯t understand.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°What did it say?¡±


    ¡°You must know. It said ¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡®Just this once, I don¡¯t like boring things¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t like boring things?¡± (Devan)


    He stifled a laugh.


    For it, it was fun about going between life and death, Devan deserved to be angry.


    ¡°I think Hilda helped us.¡±


    He gritted his teeth. His anger at the existence seemed to grow even more.


    I wanted to say ¡°But it¡¯s better than lying there,¡± but I held back.


    ¡°What should we do now?¡±


    The more important thing was what was to come.


    ****


    The most pressing issue for us was, of course, money.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any money?¡±


    ¡°¡­..No.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    I asked because I was seriously curious, but Devan¡¯s face was crumpled.


    ¡°What happened to the mine you talked about yesterday? Didn¡¯t you brag about it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I was really only sending you my body.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing. I have no proof of identity, not even a sword.¡±


    My mouth dropped open.


    ¡°What are you going to do then? How did you get into this inn?¡±


    He lifted his jacket and showed it to me.


    There were empty spots where there should have been buttons.

 Chapter 35

    ***


    ****


    I clenched my teeth, trying not to laugh. Devan in buttonless clothes?


    This was something no one has ever imagined. Devan looked at me, sighed, and shook his head. I hurriedly looked at my body.


    I wore a pretty good dress when I came to the imperial capital, so why didn¡¯t he sell this? However, the dress, which I looked down on, was torn in many places and was full of blood and filth. Most of the jewels were also gone.


    ¡°¡­didn¡¯t you think of changing my clothes before putting me on the bed?¡±


    I looked at him with a disgusted expression. I couldn¡¯t believe he let me lay in bed dressed like this.


    ¡°Are you telling me that I should have undressed you? No matter how many bloody oaths we¡¯ve taken¡­..¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    I shouted, hastily interrupting his words. I could feel my neck getting hot. Come to think of it, it was nearly impossible to find a servant to change my clothes when he had to sell even a single button on his coat.


    Moreover, there was only one bed in the room.


    That was also the reason why Devan had told me that he had slept on a chair all night, and that¡¯s why he had slept face down on the bed earlier.


    It wasn¡¯t a situation where I could complain about anything.


    ¡°¡­¡­ But now they might want me to pay for the bedsheets when I leave the room.¡±


    I hurriedly got up from my seat.


    I knew it. Despite the fact that the bed was not very clean, it was stained with dirt.


    Devan didn¡¯t seem to know what the problem was.


    ¡°Why do you have to pay for the bedsheets?¡±


    ¡°Huh? That¡¯s because it wouldn¡¯t come off even if you washed it.¡±


    ¡°You wash the bedsheets?¡±


    He asked with a gasp, and I was seized at that moment by the question of whether or not they wash bedspreads in this world.


    It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like that.


    When I was at the Temple, I washed my own bedsheets after my fifth birthday, and when I lived at the Count¡¯s house, the servants did it for me.


    ¡°Then, do you wash the bedsheets or not?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I just buy a new one?¡±


    Ah¡­right.


    I looked at him, stunned.


    ¡°It would be much more trouble to wash it, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    I had forgotten that Devan was a member of the royal family with a tremendous amount of money.


    I shook my head lightly in silence.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s not important anyway.¡±


    Devan¡¯s expression worsened, as if he noticed I was turning away from the conversation.


    ¡°Tell me what¡¯s wrong.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Before he asked again, I hastily tore off the only two jewels clinging to my dress.


    ¡°Go sell them.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°¡­¡­. Are you ordering me?¡± (Devan)


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave like this.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°But you already came in like this.¡± (Devan)


    I glared at him, not wanting to lose a word.


    ¡°One shame is enough. Buy me some clothes with that money.¡± (Evelyn)


    Despite his disgruntled look, Devan left the room in silence.


    I shouted at his back as he closed the door.


    ¡°The cheapest one!¡±


    ***


    I remembered the banquet where I had 3 meetings with Killian a few days ago.


    How had Devan chosen that beautiful dress? Hilda had said that Devan had chosen it himself, but it had to be the butler¡¯s choice.


    That¡¯s where I also got a strong feeling that it was a good decision for me to choose the wedding dress.


    Of course.


    One more thing. I also realized that the reason the Grand Duke¡¯s residence was so desolate was not because he was blind or because he liked neat things.


    Here¡¯s what I meant. Devan wasn¡¯t as aesthetically pleasing as I expected.


    ¡°So this was the cheapest one, right?¡±


    It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t have a tolerance for cheap things. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t wear very good quality clothes when I lived in Count Diego¡¯s house.


    But that wasn¡¯t the point of this.


    The clothes he had bought were very fancy¡­¡­¡­¡­ Too flashy was the problem.


    It had rainbow-colored feathers on the chest, as if they were made of peacock¡¯s feathers. As it moved, the feathers fell off.


    It would be a very useful piece of clothing if one were to be abducted by an unidentified assailant. This was because it would leave traces on the street.


    I was the one who told him to buy the cheapest one. That¡¯s why I was vague in my complaint¡­ but this¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s not the cheapest one.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It was recommended to me¡­¡­.¡±


    Recommended?


    I couldn¡¯t hide my bewilderment at those words.


    I¡¯d rather understand if it was the cheapest, but recommended?


    What do you mean by ¡°recommended¡±..What did they say when they recommended that dress?¡±


    I crossed my arms, ready to hear his answer.


    Was it an outfit to be worn to a lifetime of revenge? Or an outfit of embarrassment.


    Devan¡¯s eyes fluttered.


    He didn¡¯t really seem to think it was strange.


    ¡°It looks good on you, why is that?¡±


    Apparently, this man must have some kind of aesthetic problem.


    The curse didn¡¯t take away his eyesight, it literally took away his eyes.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Devan put on a nonchalant face.


    ¡°The owner asked who will wear the dress?¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°And¡­.¡±


    Looking up and down at my dress, Devan nodded his head with a look of approval.


    ¡°I told him my destiny would wear it.¡±


    ***


    It was only after I removed all the rainbow-colored feathers on the dress that I could get out of the inn.


    The innkeeper groaned when he saw the dirty bed sheets in the room.


    I looked at Devon as I handed the owner another coin.


    ¡°First we need to find the knights and Eunice.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more important that we make it to the capital.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, where are we?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the village where we planned to stay overnight on the way.¡±


    I recalled his words that we had an hour to the village just before the demon attacked. It was that village.


    It¡¯s not a game I played in my previous life. If I die, I¡¯ll resurrect you in a nearby town. I¡¯ll send you to the capital immediately.


    I groaned inwardly.


    ¡°How long will it take to get to the capital from here?¡±


    ¡°It will take more than half a day.¡±


    ¡°Not going on foot, right?¡±


    Devan looked at me with a puzzled expression.


    As expected, we would ride the carriage. I wondered how much it would cost to rent a carriage.


    I had spent a year in Ellywoon and was familiar with the monetary units there, but the ones in this empire were still difficult.


    We left the inn and stood on the street in a daze.


    ¡°How shall we rent a carriage?¡±


    Devan shrugged,


    The problem was this. Neither I nor he was very bright about the market economy.


    He had never had to borrow a carriage himself, and this place didn¡¯t even have a carriage drive by.


    Even if we knew how to borrow one, how could we get to the capital with this much money in the first place?


    I rolled some chattering silver coins in my hand.


    ¡°¡­.. Is there any way?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t just stand like this forever.


    Instead of answering my question, Devan looked around and started to walk away without a second thought.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    I hurried after him.


    ¡°The temple.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    My scream drew the attention of everyone around me.


    ¡°What temple? You know I don¡¯t like it. No, Your Highness doesn¡¯t like it either. It was because of them that we became like this!¡±


    ¡°Not that temple.¡±


    Devan pointed into the distance.


    I could see a lone ivory-colored spire rising between the low buildings.


    It looked like the temple I knew, but it was much smaller.


    ¡°There are separate temples in the four villages around the capital.¡±


    ¡°Separate temples?¡±


    ¡°You think there is only one temple in this large country, a country where the High Priest has surpassed the power of the Emperor?¡±


    I didn¡¯t think of that.


    Come to think of it, I think that was what I was told when I lived in the temple.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that instead of the temple in the capital, there are smaller temples in villages near here?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There are five in total.¡±


    ¡°And why do you go there?¡±


    ¡°Because I need money.¡±


    Temples and money.


    All I could think of was a bad memory.


    ¡°Are you going to sell my divine power?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Devan stopped in his tracks and turned to me.


    He looked as if he had never heard of such a ridiculous story in the world.


    ¡°What in the world is going through that little head of yours?¡±


    ¡°Then how are you going to get money in the temple¡­? Are you going to steal something?¡±


    He shook his head lightly. Then he began to lead the way again.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out when you get there.¡±


    ***


    My face was a little hot.


    No, if it was something like this, he should have told me in advance.


    ¡°Are you really married? You? Devan Lantimos?¡±


    If he didn¡¯t wear his priest uniform, if this wasn¡¯t a private room reserved only for priests¡­.


    The man who didn¡¯t look like a priest looked at me in a polite way.


    From the way he spoke so comfortably with Devan, he seemed to be a man of high rank.


    But in contrast, there was no room for discretion in his actions.


    Perhaps it was his broad features that gave him such an image. Even his light brown hair looked blonde, thanks to his attitude.


    Devan looked for this man as soon as we arrived at the temple.


    He told me that the man was a close friend of his since he was a child. He was apparently going to ask him for help.


    It was an embarrassingly extremely normal way for me to think he was trying to sell my power.


    However, I didn¡¯t think Devan had any friends.


    The man finally stopped his observation and held out his hand to me.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry about that. I really can¡¯t believe this man is married.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t rude, it was fortunate.


    I took his hand, forcing the edges of my mouth to raise up.


    At that moment, his eyebrows rose higher and higher.


    ****


    Evelyn and Devan are so cute in this chapter lol. Their bickering ????

 Chapter 36

    ****


    ***


    At that moment, the man¡¯s eyebrows went up.


    What is it? Did he notice that I was forcing myself to smile?


    It reminded me of the dark struggle in the palace I had imagined when I rode the carriage. Perhaps these people were far more witty.


    Oh, this was no palace.


    ¡°Then Grand Duchess¡­¡­¡­..¡±


    What do you mean ¡®Grand Duchess¡¯? It was an increasingly awkward designation as it left his face.


    ¡°You can call me Evelyn. We haven¡¯t had a ceremony yet.¡±


    ¡°All right, Lady Evelyn.¡±


    But what do you mean ¡®Lady¡¯? It was not a word that came out of a priest¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Did Lady break the curse?¡±


    What? I couldn¡¯t stop my body from shaking at that moment.


    I looked at Devon as if to ask for help. He just looked around the room with a carefree expression on his face.


    ¡®¡¯How did you know about this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it? He said you¡¯re the hero of the prophecy!¡±


    The priest grabbed my hand and shook it up and down.


    ¡°So how?¡±


    ¡°Oh, because even though I don¡¯t look like it, I¡¯m quite talented at sensing divine power. In fact, I was able to become a priest thanks to my ability.¡±


    Even when I was in the temple, I¡¯m pretty sure I had met a priest who could perceive divine power.


    Those with such abilities were not common in the temple.


    And he was able to grasp divine power just by holding my hand?


    I narrowed my eyes, since the man didn¡¯t seem like that great of a figure.


    ¡°By the way, Lady Evelyn.¡±


    He gave me a suspicious look.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just the power, is it? What is this?¡±


    I guess he didn¡¯t want an answer, he mumbled, touching my hand.


    A curse? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s right. It¡¯s not magic, this is¡­.¡±


    He let go of my hand and ran to Devan.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    He then grabbed Devan¡¯s hand in a tight grip. Devan¡¯s expression instantly twisted.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Please be patient. It¡¯s not like I like doing this.¡±


    He rubbed Devan¡¯s hand exactly like he did to me.


    Then he put his face close to Devan¡¯s face this time. It was all too much for me.


    He opened his eyes wide and studied Devan¡¯s eyes, especially his right eye here and there. Surprisingly, Devan didn¡¯t stop him. But he looked like he wanted to kill him right away.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡­.¡±


    The man shook his head excitedly.


    ¡°What the hell happened?¡±


    ¡°Do you know anything about it?¡±


    I finally understood why Devan had come here.


    Beyond financial assistance, he was sure to try to get a clue of a transcendent being from the interest.


    Is he really that great?


    ¡°The right eye, it¡¯s the same as the Lady¡¯s.¡±


    Devan¡¯s eyes got a little bigger.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the deal?¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The priest shrugged his shoulders, this time moving closer to me.


    ¡°Oh I haven¡¯t said hello to you!¡±


    Then he held out his hand again.


    I blinked at the unpredictable sudden action and held his hand again without a choice.


    The man chuckled. It was a gorgeous smile, seemingly without a speck of dust.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Lady. I¡¯m Pelos Kibeon.¡±


    Kibeon?


    I opened my eyes a little wider.


    I had heard of Kibeon before.


    I had seen the youngest daughter of the Duke of Kibeon when I lived at the Count¡¯s house at a social gathering. It was only once, though.


    The Duke of Kibeon was the most noble family in the Empire.


    It was no exaggeration to say that they were the highest-ranking noble family aside from the royal family.


    Such a person became a priest? I couldn¡¯t hide the absurdity of it.


    Of course, being a priest was a highly-prized profession in this world.


    The only people who could become priests were commoners who were fortunate enough to be born with divine power, or lower class nobles from wealthy families.


    In other words, it was a profession that only such people were treated well.


    No matter how much more powerful the priests were than the emperor, the priests who worked under him were merely temple servants.


    It shouldn¡¯t be a place for the children of a Duke¡­ How on earth did this man become a priest?


    I stared at Pelos, observing him.


    It wasn¡¯t the most polite thing to do, but he seemed to be generous to others.


    He didn¡¯t care how I looked at him, he just smiled and made some tea.


    ¡°So how much do you know about that?¡±


    Pelos asked as he handed the teacup to Devan. We were swept away by Pelos and had an unintended tea time.


    ¡°It¡¯s not much of a divine or magic, but all I know is that it¡¯s a transcendent being similar to that.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know it well, but it¡¯s powerful.¡±


    I interrupted him from the side.


    Pelos shrugged as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    ¡°It¡¯s powerful.¡±


    ¡°What do you know about it?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it black magic?¡±


    Black magic? Is that all he knows?


    I sat back in my chair, disappointed.


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s not magic.¡±


    I raised my head again.


    ¡°Are you sure that ¡®black magic¡¯ isn¡¯t magic?¡±


    Devan interrupted.


    ¡°There is no such thing as demons. Or, more accurately, there¡¯s no God.¡±


    I looked around carefully at the shocking statement.


    No demons could make sense, but a priest denying the existence of God¡­


    ¡°What do you mean there¡¯s no God? The divine power exists.¡±


    ¡°Divine power does exist. Because magical power exists! If divine power is God-given power, mustn¡¯t there also be a being that gave us magical power?¡±


    ¡°Magic power is natural¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡±


    ¡°Umm, yes it is. Divine power is similar. Like nature, it is a power given by an idea. It¡¯s just that people have created a concrete being called God.¡±


    He made up a bunch of words that I couldn¡¯t understand. Sometimes it sounded like sophistry.


    ¡°Anyway, the ¡®black magic¡¯ is not done by magic.¡±


    ¡°What makes you so sure?¡±


    We thought so too, but Pelos looked exceptionally confident.


    ¡°I¡¯m just as good at sensing magic as I am at divine power. The Grand Duke says I¡¯m a genius.¡±


    He smiled, showing his teeth. I had an illusion his teeth were sparkling.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that no magic is detected from black magic?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly it!¡±


    He pointed at me.


    It was as if he was an enthusiastic teacher teaching his students.


    ¡°That¡¯s all we could think of. What more do you know about it?¡±


    Devan put his teacup down. He seemed to be used to the commotion.


    ¡°More than that? What if it¡¯s more than that?¡±


    ¡°¡­They¡¯re using black magic in the temple, no, they¡¯re using the power of images.¡±


    Pelos¡¯ eyes grew so big as if they would pop out of his head.


    ¡°Really? The temple?¡±


    He looked more amused than surprised.


    ¡°Ah! You¡¯re going to the capital to investigate that! Do you want to get rid of that thing in your eyes?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But what¡¯s more urgent is this one.


    Pelos stared at me.


    ¡°What do you mean, more urgent?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s inside Lady¡¯s heart. It¡¯s in the Grand Duke¡¯s eye so he¡¯s fine. But the Lady¡­.hmmm.¡±


    With his hand on my chin, Pelos squinted as if to gauge something.


    Then he said in a light tone, as if he was consulting the menu for dinner.


    ¡°The Lady will die if we don¡¯t get this sorted out soon.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t say anything and just blinked.


    It was Devan who asked back, and he looked much more serious.


    He seemed to know that Pelos was not a man who made up impossible things, even if he seemed to do so lightly.


    I guess that¡¯s why his face was more hardened than mine.


    Pelos kept a light demeanor the whole time.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it black magic for convenience. The more of it is in your body, the faster you¡¯ll die. Furthermore, the Lady has a lot of it inside.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s inside?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about your power.¡±


    He yawned and sat down in his chair, his chin sticking out.


    He looked passionate earlier, but in no time at all he was drooping like a deflated balloon.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep all night last night.¡±


    I glared at him with a litany of excuses.


    ¡°Tell me. Why do I die if I have more power?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­.¡±


    He scratched his head.


    ¡°There is a lot of space inside a lady, so to speak. Let me give you an example.¡±


    Before I knew it, he was a teacher again, and he brought a teacup and a teacup saucer in front of me.


    He poured clean water into each.


    ¡°Here is a deep teacup. And here is a very shallow saucer.¡±


    The shallow water was flowing freely on the table.


    ¡°If each of these two¡­ ¡­¡­.¡±


    He picked up a pinch of tea leaves and dropped it on top.


    ¡°The tea leaves are in. What will happen to it?¡±


    ¡°The leaves will get bigger.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it will. They will get bigger. As time goes by, it will grow more and more.¡±


    That was why he was comparing me to a teacup.


    It meant that black magic spread more because there were many places inside me to enter.


    ¡°The amount of power is simple. In the end, the divine power you have depends on how much space your body can accept.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware of that.¡±


    I remembered that when I was treating Devan¡¯s eyes, I poured the divine power into his body first.


    I had to create a space for it first, otherwise the new power couldn¡¯t enter.


    Of course, the space created for the treatment was not permanent, unlike the inborn one.


    In other words, the fact that I possessed enormous divine power just meant that my body had a large space to receive it.


    ¡°The Lady has a large space to hold, so the space for black magic to spread is also large, right?¡±


    I looked at the teacup and the saucer, which were turning brown.


    The water in the teacup was as thin as it could be, almost clear, and the saucer was dark brown.


    ¡°But the larger the space, the thinner the concentration. So, the less space there is, the more dangerous it might be?¡±


    ¡°Of course, if you add this much tea leaves, that¡¯s right. But the problem is that the tea leaves that fell here¡­.¡±


    Pelos suddenly opened the bucket of tea leaves and poured it over the cup.


    The tea leaves absorbed all the water and piled up like a mountain and fell to the outside of the cup.

 Chapter 37

    ***


    ****


    ¡°The problem is that the tea leaves are so thick that they can drink up all the water in this cup.¡±


    Pelos shrugged as he watched the tea leaves accumulated on his teacup.


    ¡°In the Lady¡¯s heart, this kind of scene is steadily progressing.¡±


    I swallowed hard. Something about the tea leaves gave me the creeps.


    ¡°Then if that power consumes all of my divine power¡­¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be able to use that much space.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°You will die. Probably.¡±


    Pelos chuckled and yawned once more, looking at Devan.


    ¡°This man doesn¡¯t have much divine power, so the black magic ended up in his right eye. That¡¯s why his eye looks dim.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s not me.¡±


    ¡°Think about it. Which one is more dangerous, the one with his head cut off or the one with all four limbs amputated?¡±


    Indeed, divine power filled my entire body. It was like blood, like organs.


    In other words, it was like saying that black magic would soon take its place.


    Die?


    I blinked quickly.


    Death was not an unfamiliar word to me. But that didn¡¯t mean I had any intention of getting close to it.


    ¡°Then how¡­can I live?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to live?¡±


    Pelos opened his eyes wide.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be that painful. Did it hurt when you used your divine power with the black magic coming in?¡±


    I thought back to when I defeated all the demons. It was that moment when I was putting all my energy into trying to heal the wound on Devan¡¯s back.


    ¡°It was painful. I felt awful.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because the Lady refused to use black magic and tried to attract divine power to the spot. If you accept it, you will feel better.¡±


    That being said, I remembered that when it first entered me, I felt a languid desire to give up everything.


    ¡°Surely if you accept it you can die painlessly. Isn¡¯t that the best?¡±


    Devan, who had been listening quietly, jumped up from his seat and looked agitated.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing more to hear from him. Because he¡¯s crazy about dying.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving already?¡±


    Pelos¡¯ eyebrows drooped.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to know anything else, but do I have to stay? Give me some money.¡±


    ¡°Money? Are you extorting money from a clean priest like me?¡±


    Devan wrinkled his brow.


    ¡°Why do you need money?¡±


    ¡°I told you. I¡¯m going to the capital.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you don¡¯t have money for the carriage ride to the capital?¡±


    It was a tease that Devan almost punched Pelos in the face.


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you just stay here for a while?¡±


    ¡°Why would I do that?¡±


    ¡°You want to go to the capital, and I don¡¯t want to pay for it.¡±


    ¡°If I go to the capital, I¡¯ll give you the money back hundreds of times over.¡±


    Pelos shrugged at Devan¡¯s words.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. In fact, I¡¯m going to the capital in a few days.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°As a good friend, I¡¯ll give you the honor of riding in my carriage.¡±


    ****


    It was a wonderful coincidence, Pelos said.


    There was just a vacancy in the Imperial Temple and he was just getting tired of this village temple.


    What a wonderful coincidence that Devan had just arrived and we could ride in the carriage with him.


    On the carriage ride to the capital, Pelos repeated the same words over and over again in admiration.


    ¡°This guy¡¯s goal in life is interesting.¡±


    Devan chastised him with a single word, but Pelos wasn¡¯t too offended.


    ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯ve been wondering from the beginning, why on earth did you become a priest?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I have a natural talent for sensing divine power, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡±


    ¡°I thought it was the only way I could get back at my family.¡±


    Devan interrupted.


    ¡°Revenge?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you just said such a violent word. Revenge? This is just a senseless deviation.¡±


    ¡°A deviation?¡±


    My mind busied itself between Devan and Pelos¡¯ conversation.


    ¡°Priests can¡¯t marry. That¡¯s the best I could come up with in the mind of a self-proclaimed genius.¡±


    It certainly looked like he was having some bad problems with his family. Pelos only laughed, mumbling, as if it wasn¡¯t his story.


    He thought he understood why someone who had the innate ability to feel divine power just by holding his hand was only a priest of a separate temple.


    There was also the reason why Devan had named his actions as senseless deviance.


    It was his ¡°revenge¡± against his parents that made him choose a boring profession compared to his family¡¯s status and his own clarity.


    His decision to come to the temple was a ¡®deviation¡¯ to get away from his family in the Imperial City.


    I don¡¯t say this lightly, but maybe he was in pain just like I was when I wanted to escape from Count Diego¡¯s residence.


    I asked carefully.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to go back to the imperial Palace?¡±


    ¡°Lady, I told you. There¡¯s an opening in the palace! Of course a priest has to go where God needs him.¡±


    Didn¡¯t he say there was no God?


    He seemed to have no intention of telling the truth.


    Indeed, it was strange to share your honest feelings with someone you had only met a few days ago.


    ¡°What God? I thought it would be fun, but I didn¡¯t know you were interested in black magic.¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m interested in black magic.¡±


    ¡°Black magic too?¡±


    Devan¡¯s eyes narrowed as he focused on the words.


    Pelos¡¯s gaze went to the window.


    I waited for the next words to come out of his mouth, but he didn¡¯t talk until we reached the capital.


    I thought about the connection between black magic and death in my own way, but it didn¡¯t yield much. I thought about it for an infinitely long time, but I couldn¡¯t come up with the right answer.


    In fact, there was a feeling of anecdote.


    It was for the point that Pelos would come to the capital and investigate the black magic. For only a few days, while living with him in the separate temple, I was able to learn a little more about it. He really was a genius.


    Despite his ¡°wanting to die,¡± he was intellectually curious, and once he saw or heard something, he never forgot it.


    I believe he would be able to give me the right answer to a problem I could not solve immediately. So he can teach me how to live.


    That¡¯s what I was hoping for.


    Now I¡¯m going to worry. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to get any great ideas.


    It took us more than half a day to get to the capital.


    The carriage provided by the temple was not enchanted, unlike the one I had ridden in when we first left the Grand Duke¡¯s residence.


    I felt a little motion sickness because of it.


    It didn¡¯t seem to be a lie that the temple had called him, and when we arrived at the capital, Pelos really stopped the carriage in front of the temple.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon then.¡±


    Leaving a word without sincerity, Pelos left the carriage.


    As soon as he come to the imperial capital he went to the temple instead of his home. He seemed to hate his family a lot.


    I looked out the window.


    Before I knew it, the temple was so far away that all I could see was its ivory-colored spire.


    The clock tower was so high that I could see it anywhere in the city, and seeing it made me realize that I was in the capital.


    I looked at Devan and said.


    ¡°Now that we¡¯re are in the capital, hurry up and find the knights and Eunice.¡±


    After the battle with the demons, Devan and I were the only ones moved to the village.


    After deciding to ride in Pelos carriage, we went around the vicinity of the village, near the forest where the battle with demons happened.


    But we could not find any clues.


    Not even a clue to those big dragons and giants.


    Where the hell did they disappear to?


    I had a gut feeling that the temple had something to do with this disappearance.


    ¡°If we don¡¯t hurry to find it, something might happen.¡±


    Devan said, ¡°Oh,¡± I blurted out.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t forget about it, did you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I forgot, I just postponed it for a while. When we get to the Imperial Palace soon, I¡¯ll be able to order people to recognize you right away.¡±


    ¡°The Imperial Palace? We¡¯re going to the Imperial Palace now?¡±


    Devan looked even more puzzled about my strange expression.


    ¡°Is there anywhere else we could go?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it..¡­¡­¡­ Do you continue to stay in the imperial palace during your stay in the capital?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Although to be precise, it would be a separate palace a little further away.¡±


    He was a member of the royal family, so it was only natural.


    ¡°There will be a lot of people to meet, since we¡¯re taking our marriage vows. I hate that kind of thing.¡±


    ¡°You said you don¡¯t care about your external image.¡±


    ¡°Is introducing someone I¡¯m going to marry to my family related to my external image?¡±


    Family¡­.


    His parents were the emperor and empress of this country. So, I¡¯m going to meet the emperor and empress?


    I rubbed my palms on the hem of my dress, feeling nervous. I was unfamiliar with the feeling of touching the cheap fabric.


    ¡°¡­ Before we greet them, I hope you give me new clothes.¡±


    Devan¡¯s eyes fluttered open.


    He still seemed to have no idea what was wrong with my clothes.


    ***


    Soon the carriage came to a rattling halt. Did we arrive at the imperial palace already? I bit my lips nervously.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting off.¡±


    As far as I know, it¡¯s been quite a while since Devan been to the capital or the Imperial Palace.


    With a nonchalant look on his face, he opened the carriage door and got out first. In no time at all, the light flooded in. I opened my eyes in a daze.


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±


    I heard a cheerful laugh just in front of the carriage.


    Laughter?


    Devan¡¯s low sigh accompanied it.


    ¡°Who is this?¡±


    The red ponytail shook greatly.


    Beneath it, I could see a large chest wrapped in silver armor.


    No way.


    I froze, my mouth hanging open as I was about to step out of the carriage.


    ¡°Astrilla¡­..¡±


    Devan mumbled in a muffled voice. It was a name he chewed on alone, not calling anyone else.


    Astrilla.


    She was Astrilla Lantimos, smiling boldly in front of the carriage with her hands on her hips.


    She was the Crown Princess of this empire, infamous for being the best woman of her age in the empire.

 Chapter 38

    ***


    The Crown Princess, Astrilla, hurried over and grabbed Devan¡¯s shoulders with both hands.


    She had such a good appearance that she could not lose even to her brother.


    Devan sighed lowly and covered his face with one hand. For the first time, he looked troubled. Of course, I was troubled, too.


    I found myself in the same position I had come down from the carriage, mouth agape and stiff, and quickly bowed my head when I realized how rude I had been.


    ¡°Your¡­.Highness, the Crown Princess.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help it as my voice trembled.


    ¡°hahaha!¡±


    Astrilla laughed happily, and patted me on the shoulder.


    The force was strong enough that my body wobbled.


    Devan clicked his tongue and held out his hand to me. He grabbed my trembling hand and finally I managed to get off the carriage.


    ¡°Why is Your Highness here?¡±


    Devan put his hand to his forehead and asked.


    ¡°I came because I heard that you were coming! We can talk comfortably, can¡¯t we?¡±


    Then there were so many eyes looking at us.


    I couldn¡¯t see them when I was in the carriage, but there were dozens of knights standing behind the Princess.


    ¡°Now, so what is your name?¡±


    Her gaze turned to me.


    I shuddered at the sight of her sparkling golden eyes.


    Because someone else came to my mind.


    Speaking of which, could it be?


    ¡°I¡¯m Evelyn.¡±


    I answered shortly and looked around.


    Killian was Astrilla¡¯s immediate captain of the Kingsguard.


    It wasn¡¯t strange if he was among these knights.


    Of course, a captain of the Kingsguard would have taken the lead, and he would have stood out pretty well just by his appearance and demeanor.


    ¡°Evelyn, what?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Astrilla grabbed my chin and looked at me.


    ¡°Evelyn, what?¡±


    I purposely avoided her. She tilted her head.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you answer?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a last name¡­¡­¡±


    I wasn¡¯t faking it.


    I didn¡¯t even know if my parents were alive or dead, and I never considered Count Diego to be my parent. And now our relationship was cut off¡­


    If I had a last name, the correct one now would be Lantimos¡­¡­..


    Because my marriage to Devan had not been officially declared, I could not carelessly answer in front of the Crown Princess, who was a member of the ¡°real¡± Lantimos family.


    ¡°No, no.¡±


    Astrilla shook her head, her red hair fluttered like a flag.


    She laughed, a strange expression on her face.


    She looked a little like Devan in that way.


    ¡°Diego. Isn¡¯t it Evelyn Diego?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    Devan stood quickly in front of me.


    ¡°I had quite a hard journey. Please allow me to rest.¡±


    Astrilla¡¯s gaze scanned my entire body.


    It was fortunate that I had at least washed in the cold water at the separate temple.


    My clothes were still the peacock-like dress that Devan had bought me, which made no sense. I hid behind him, especially since her gaze seemed to linger on the dress.


    ¡°Haha! It looks like I¡¯m trying to eat you. It¡¯s just that I came to meet you after hearing that my family is coming after a long time. To be precise, it¡¯s my family, who will soon become your family.¡±


    She looked at me and laughed.


    So she already knew that we had made the marriage vows.


    I stared at Devan, wondering if he had told her, but he looked more dumbfounded than I did.


    ¡°So, when is the wedding?¡±


    ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know? There¡¯s nothing in this empire that doesn¡¯t go through me.¡±


    Devan shook his head.


    ¡°There¡¯s still time before the wedding. We also have to coordinate our time with the Temple.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    She sounded as if she already knew the answer when she asked.


    ¡°Why did you come to the capital already when there is still time before the wedding?¡±


    Astrilla narrowed her eyes.


    It was then that I realized that she was the Crown Princess.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what her personal feelings were, but she would have to be suspicious and wary of Devan. He was the only heir to the throne aside from herself, and up until a year ago, there had been bad rumors throughout the empire that Devan was after the throne.


    ¡°I¡­..¡±


    I opened my mouth abruptly and their gazes focused on me.


    My eyes opened wide as I tried to come up with a plausible excuse.


    ¡°I told him that I wanted to see the capital. I¡¯ve never been here before.¡±


    Astrilla looked down at me with a strange look in her eyes, then quickly nodded as if convinced.


    ¡°Count Diego cared for you so much. That seems to be true, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    I clenched my fists tightly.


    My eyebrows drooped pitifully.


    She was one year younger than me, and she was looking at me as if I were a child.


    ¡°What a pity. I wish we could have all met together. Your brother is not in the capital right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­Not in the capital?¡±


    I was certain that Killian had left the Grand Duchy. Naturally, I thought he would come back to the capital, but he did not?


    Naturally, I didn¡¯t want to see Killian, it was more like an existence I wanted to avoid.


    However, the more he was such a presence, the more comfortable it would have been to know of his progress.


    ¡°So where is he then?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have the hobby to check every single place where my second-in-command is taking a vacation, you know.¡±


    He took a leave of absence?


    I wrinkled my brow.


    ¡°I think he went to buy some nice gifts to celebrate his sister¡¯s wedding.¡±


    I thought long and hard about the attitude Killian had shown me when I and Devan had taken the wedding vows.


    Celebrate my wedding? It didn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡±


    Astrilla¡¯s eyes widened at the cold tone that had come out of my mouth unknowingly.


    She then laughed aloud with a haha.


    ¡°You¡¯re so sure. Yeah, he said you two have a good relationship. A little bit¡­too much.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes, and I gently averted her gaze, again to the point of not being polite, and stood behind Devan.


    ¡°Come on, follow me.¡±


    Astrilla clapped her hands hard.


    The knights scattered to either side to make way for us.


    I grabbed Devan¡¯s arm in a panic.


    He stepped forward and said to the Crown Princess, who had already stepped into the Imperial Palace.


    ¡°There is no need for you to guide us. Still, it¡¯s my home as well.¡±


    ¡°I had never said I¡¯d guide you.¡±


    She walked into the Imperial Palace without even looking back, leaving only those words behind.


    I blinked vaguely when the carriage, the knights, and the two of us were left alone.


    ¡°¡­¡­ what are we going to do?¡±


    ¡°There is no justification or power to refuse, so we have no choice but to follow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you said we were going to stay at a remote palace away from the imperial palace.¡±


    ¡°Yes. That hasn¡¯t changed.¡±


    Astrilla seemed to be suspicious of Devan, who came up to the system without a plan. If she wanted to, she could have locked us both up in the Imperial Palace.


    She had a justification that we did not have.


    People who had more had more to lose, and such people would do anything to protect what was theirs.


    It wasn¡¯t that I wanted to completely distance myself from the Imperial Palace, but that didn¡¯t mean I was going to get deeply involved.


    I looked down at the ground in frustration as I followed Devan into the Imperial Palace.


    ***


    I looked around constantly, as if I had come to see something.


    The Imperial Palace was the Imperial Palace. The glittering walls were all made of pure gold.


    With the guide of a servant, we went to the reception room where Astrilla was waiting for us.


    I whispered quietly as I snuggled up behind Devan, who was in the lead.


    ¡°What is she going to say? Does she want us to stay in the Imperial Palace?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what she wants to say anyway, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Is it a family issue?


    If so, he would have to prove that his coming to the capital was not for the purpose of fighting for the throne.


    ¡°What is your reason for being so vigilant?¡±


    Instead of answering, Devan touched his eyes.


    It was because the curse had been lifted.


    ¡°I hope the temple doesn¡¯t curse you again.¡±


    ¡°In all of history, no such thing has ever happened.¡±


    As he said this, Devan didn¡¯t look too good.


    I whispered in a hushed voice.


    ¡°It seems the Crown Princess is greedy for the throne.¡±


    ¡°Greedy¡­.¡±


    Unexpectedly, he smiled softly.


    ¡°Or rather, she likes certain things.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    The aide bowed his head.


    The heavy door, which reached to the ceiling and was many times my height, opened quietly and without a sound.


    I gulped down my saliva and straightened up. However, I was still wearing the weird dress.


    Devan took the lead, and I followed, keeping my eyes on his back. And when I lifted my head, I could see over his shoulder a spectacular amount of clothing.


    ¡°Dresses¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡±


    I mumbled, forgetting that it wasn¡¯t polite to do so.


    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± (Devan)


    It seemed that Devan was curious as well.


    Astrilla was the only one sitting on the couch in the middle of the room, smiling leisurely.


    In one hand she held a bottle of wine.


    ¡°This is a special present I prepared for you.¡± (Astrilla)


    ¡°A present?¡± (Devan)


    ¡°It¡¯s for the new family¡¯s member.¡± (Astrilla)


    ¡°We haven¡¯t even had a formal ceremony yet.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°Then shall we say that it¡¯s the payment for lifting my brother¡¯s curse? No, I guess you could say it¡¯s a gift for my brother¡¯s woman.¡± (Astrilla)


    Devan walked over with a broad stride, took the wine glass from her and placed it on the table with a loud sound.


    Astrilla¡¯s eyebrows twitched.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± (Astrilla)


    ¡°That¡¯s what I want to ask. What are you doing?¡± (Devan)


    ¡°Is it because of your inferiority complex that you can¡¯t accept it as a gift?¡± (Astrilla)


    ¡°¡­you.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°Hey.¡± (Astrilla)


    Astrilla clapped her hands, and the maids who had been ready on either side of her came out one by one and bowed their heads.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get ready.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    Their eyes lit up combatively.


    Staring at me.


    ***


    Devan Lantimos originally had no ill feelings for his younger sister.


    No, to be precise, he may have had some when he was young, but it had been a long time since he had brushed off those feelings.


    He assumed she was the same, so her behavior was questionable.


    Evelyn was taken somewhere by an army of nearly ten maids.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, sit down for a minute.¡± (Astrilla)


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± (Devan)

 Chapter 39

    ***


    ***


    Devan asked, dropping the respectful tone he had taken in front of the knights. Astrilla poured another glass of wine and pushed it gently towards Devan. Devan eventually sat down across from her as if he couldn¡¯t help it, but he did not touch the wine.


    ¡°You don¡¯t drink?¡± (Astrilla)


    ¡°I only do it when I¡¯m having fun.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°Hahaha! Then you should do it more often.¡± (Astrilla)


    Astrilla took a big sip of her wine.


    ¡°What was the reason you sent Evelyn away? If you had something you wanted to talk about in private, I¡¯d be happy to just listen. Not in this hurried way, not until we have the formalities in place.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°You seem to be concerned.¡± (Astrilla)


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious, that¡¯s all. There¡¯s no way you would do something like that for no reason at all.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°What do you think you know about me?¡± (Astrilla)


    Astrilla sank deeper into the couch.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°Are you going to act arrogant just because of our blood?¡± (Astrilla)


    ¡°Blood?¡±


    Devan¡¯s lips lifted.


    It was funny. To talk about blood between them.


    Astrilla lowered her gaze.


    Then she said in an unexpectedly cautious tone.


    ¡°Your eyes¡­can you see?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s still faint, though.¡±


    ¡°Faint? Isn¡¯t the curse lifted?¡±


    ¡°The curse has been lifted, but there are a few problems.¡±


    Astrilla narrowed her eyes.


    She seemed to want more details, but Devan just shrugged.


    ¡°If what you want to hear is about the curse, then you¡¯re mistaken. I don¡¯t have much to say. So I¡¯ll ask again. Where did you send Evelyn?¡±


    He seemed to get up at any moment.


    Astrilla took her glass of wine and drank it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it, I want to do it.¡±


    Then suddenly, she threw the glass at Devan. It grazed his ear and hit the wall, the glass shattered with an unpleasant bursting sound.


    Devan asked again, without blinking an eye.


    ¡°I asked where you sent Evelyn.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll eat her? Just listen to me first. You have nothing to lose.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who decides whether it¡¯s a loss or a gain. Not you.¡±


    Devan turned away and took a step.


    ¡°Do you think that curse is justified?¡± (Astrilla)


    He paused, stepping on the glass. He closed his eyes slowly and then opened them. The right eye was still dimly visible.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like the right thing to say, since you¡¯ve gained more legitimacy from this curse than anyone else.¡± (Astrilla)


    ¡°No, I¡¯m the only one who can say it.¡± (Devan)


    Devan turned around.


    ¡°Sit down. There is much I should have told you long ago.¡± (Astrilla)


    ****


    I was immersed in warm water. My hair and body got washed. A much more glamorous dress than the one I wore at the Grand Duchy was put on.


    In the process, half my spirit was missing. There were so many maids surrounding me.


    One sprayed perfume, one sprayed water, one grabbed my arm, and one rubbed my body.


    There was no way I could get my mind back.


    ¡°Um, what is all this?¡±


    And no matter what questions I asked, no one would talk to me. It was as if they were under orders.


    I sat in front of the makeup table, wearing a dress full of shiny golden jewels.


    The dress was too flashy and didn¡¯t look good on me.


    Of course, it was better than the one Devan had bought me, but¡­ Both were no different in that they attracted too much attention.


    ¡®¡¯Is this what the Crown Princess has ordered?¡±


    I still didn¡¯t get a reply.


    As soon as I bit my lip tightly, one of the maids carefully opened my lips and applied ointment.


    It was very taxing and my eyes wandered around with nowhere to go.


    The two maids who had been in charge of separating the hair on the right and left finally met in the middle and swept the hair up into one.


    There they were again, putting lots of shiny pins in my hair.


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this too much?¡±


    One of the maidservants lowered her eyes.


    I didn¡¯t miss the slight movement of her lips.


    After all, it didn¡¯t just seem strange only to my eyes.


    Maybe the aesthetic sense was also genetic.


    ¡°Is His Highness in that room? Does he have another schedule? Who am I going to meet?¡±


    I was imagining the worst. I would meet the Emperor and Empress in this state.


    The maids were as silent as ever.


    ¡°How much time has passed?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say anything?¡±


    The maid, who had been twitching at the edges of her mouth, whispered with a scowl.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ two hours.¡±


    Two hours to wash up and decorate? My mouth opened wide.


    The moment when the two maids who had been stroking my hair were finished.


    I jumped up from my seat.


    ¡°Young lady!¡±


    And I left the room and started running.


    I couldn¡¯t help but think it was strange. What possible reason could Astrilla have for decorating me so carefully when she had never seen me before in her life?


    She talked about the gift, but I wasn¡¯t going to believe a word of it.


    To separate me and Devan¡­.


    Two hours. Two hours was more than enough time for Astrilla to do whatever she wanted to Devan.


    I had to get to Devan. I ran without a break.


    It was when I went around the corridor, gasping.


    With a bang, I collided with something and, unable to scream, I bounced back and fell to the floor.


    I rubbed my nose and raised my head. I wondered what the hell I had hit.


    ¡°Lady!¡±


    ¡°¡­Pelos?¡±


    I bumped into a Pelos Kiveon who was wearing a suit of armor.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that outfit?¡±


    He gave me a cursory glance up and down, his mouth twitching.


    ¡°Lady, you¡¯re ¡­¡­ really¡­.ummm¡­¡­¡­¡­ fancy, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Not my taste, but the taste of a respectable Lantimos family.¡±


    I took his outstretched hand without hesitation.


    I stood up and asked nervously, still holding my nose.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m the one who needs to ask about your outfit. What¡¯s with the armor? How on earth did you get here?¡±


    It hadn¡¯t been a day since he had gotten off the carriage first, saying there was a vacancy in the Imperial Temple. Did he mean a priest in armor?


    It was suspicious.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s easier to sneak into the Imperial Palace this way.¡± (Pelos)


    ¡°Sneak in?¡± (Evelyn)


    I shook my head, not hiding my puzzled expression.


    ¡°I won¡¯t ask why. I¡¯m sure you can come up with fifteen reasons in no time at all.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve learned a bit about me in the meantime, huh?¡± (Pelos)


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a waste of your life¡­¡­ Ah, you said you wanted to die. It hurts to be beheaded by the guillotine.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯ll be over in a flash. What about Devan?¡± (Pelos)


    ¡°I¡¯m actually looking for him.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°You guys were separated? In the meantime?¡± (Pelos)


    ¡°It¡¯s strange that the one who was in the temple is in the Imperial Palace at this time.¡± (Evelyn)


    Pelos shrugged.


    ¡°Are you here to meet Devan? I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll need this cumbersome armor then. You are the second son of the Duke of Kiveon.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of meeting Devan?¡± (Pelos)


    Then why on earth? I narrowed my eyes.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve come to see me?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°What? No way.¡± (Pelos)


    ¡°If that¡¯s not the case¡­¡± (Evelyn)


    At that moment, Pelos suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me behind a corner.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Shhh.¡±


    ¡°My Lady!¡±


    It was the voices of the maids looking for me.


    I held my breath and hid behind the statue behind the corner.


    The armor of Pelos and the statue combined was enough to hide me from view.


    ¡°My Lady! Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Who are you looking for, ladies?¡± (Pelos)


    In the meantime, Pelos, who took off his helmet and smiled brightly, stood in front of the maids.


    I mimed vomiting so as not to be heard from behind the statue.


    He greeted them politely, as if he was really a knight, and the maids didn¡¯t seem to mind.


    ¡°Oh.. did you see a Young Lady? She¡¯s a beautiful lady in a fancy dress.¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right here, isn¡¯t she? The beautiful lady.¡±


    Skillfully, Pelos grabbed one of the maids¡¯ hands and kissed the back of her hand. Exclamation erupted from the maids.


    Pelos deserved it because he was a handsome man.


    Before I knew it, the maids had fallen head over heels for Pelos.


    Where are you from, knight ? Where do you belong? Why hadn¡¯t I seen you before? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The questions went on endlessly.


    I was looking at his face with a ridiculous expression and discovered his hands were waving behind his back. Does that mean I should run away? His hand¡¯s movements became even faster.


    Seriously, with that personality, I was exhausted after a little while. It was only a matter of time before one of the maids felt something strange.


    Keeping myself as low as I could, I quickly lifted my heels and ran down the hallway.


    My destination was the parlor.


    The room where they would still be conversing if I was right.


    ***


    Devan finally lifted the wine glass in front of him.


    It would be better than listening to Astrilla with his right mind.


    Astrilla also poured wine into the wine glass that the butler had brought.


    The two of them remained alone in the parlor, and silence fell.


    Astrilla gently turned the wine glass.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious? The curse and the temple, I thought you would find the story more interesting than anything else.¡± (Astrilla)


    ¡°Let¡¯s put aside the introduction. Why are you talking about the legitimacy of the curse now? Can¡¯t you see these eyes?¡± (Devan)


    ¡°Yes, I can see them. The one on the right is all black, and I can see it very clearly. Is that why the curse is lifted but faint?¡± (Astrilla)


    Devan did not answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m interested in the curse. I¡¯m not even interested in you. What I am interested in is the temple and the curse itself.¡± (Astrilla)


    ¡°You mean that qualification test?¡± (Devan)


    ¡°Yes. Why is this country so driven by the temple? Have you ever asked yourself that question?¡± (Astrilla)


    Again, Devan did not answer.


    Astrilla stared at him and said.


    ¡°What if all of this is due to the qualification test?¡±

 Chapter 40

    ***


    ¡°What if all of this is based on the qualification test?¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you trying to tell me that the temple built something?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that surprising.


    Because Devan knew it, too. He was ten years old when the test was announced.


    ¡°So? What good is all that going to do? You¡¯re the heir and I¡¯m cursed. If there¡¯s a problem, it¡¯s not for you to say. I don¡¯t want to bet and lose. It¡¯s already over.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°It¡¯s not over. I¡¯m going to start now.¡± (Astrilla)


    ¡°Say what you want to say. Don¡¯t go around in circles.¡± (Devan)


    Astrilla moistened her lips.


    She lowered her eyes and lazily stroked the surface of her wine glass as she said.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be emperor.¡±


    Devan did not answer. It wasn¡¯t anything new.


    ¡°And¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡±


    She gripped her wine glass with strength. The glass shattered with a snap.


    That was the second one. There¡¯s nothing left of the Imperial Palace.


    Devan thought senselessly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill the Emperor. With the High Priest.¡±


    With a crunch, the wine glass in Devan¡¯s hand also broke easily.


    There was a trickle of blood on his palm, but Devan didn¡¯t even look at it. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared at Astrilla as if to pierce her.


    Kill the Emperor, along with the High Priest.


    It was what he had wanted all his life, and it was something he had never expected to come out of Astrilla¡¯s mouth.


    ***


    After wandering around the imperial palace, I finally arrived in front of the parlor.


    I saw a large door that reached all the way to the ceiling. Devan and Astrilla must be in there.


    There weren¡¯t many guards. It was a perfect opportunity.


    I rushed straight through the door. The servant who was guarding the front door looked at me and opened his eyes wide.


    Before he could get a hold of me, I opened the door with a bang.


    ¡°Young lady!¡±


    I heard the servant¡¯s panicked voice as he followed me.


    I put my hands on my hips and caught my breath. Inside the room, Devan and the Crown Princess were sitting facing each other.


    The situation didn¡¯t look as dangerous as I thought it would.


    Despite the fact that I had appeared with so much commotion, neither of their gazes met mine.


    What on earth could they be talking about?


    I couldn¡¯t even hear them talking. They were just facing each other.


    ¡°Miss! You can¡¯t do this!¡±


    The servant paced around me fidgeting.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Finally, Astrilla¡¯s gaze turned to me.


    She tapped her palm, and there was blood smeared on it. Blood?¡± Then I finally saw a broken piece of glass on the carpet.


    I hastily looked at Devan. He didn¡¯t look like he was in a dangerous situation.


    She didn¡¯t even look at her palm, but she did take a quick look at my appearance.


    ¡°Hmm. I like it. It looks really good on you.¡±


    I can¡¯t believe this looks good on me. Are you serious?


    ¡°Devan, what the hell is going on?¡±


    Devan finally looked up and frowned as he looked at me.


    ¡°What are you wearing?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s important right now?¡±


    I could see the blood on his palm as well.


    I quickly took his large hand and lightly released my power.


    In an instant, his wound healed and the glass that had been stuck in it popped out.


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    Astrilla gave me an exaggeratedly interesting look.


    I¡¯m sure she¡¯s seen the healing with divine power many times at the Imperial Palace.


    The intention to overtly make a match was transparent.


    ¡°Your Highness..¡­¡­¡­ If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll treat you too.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, that sounds good.¡±


    She held out her hand.


    It was a hand that was rougher than I expected and full of calluses.


    I carefully exerted my power and the wound healed instantly.


    ¡°I heard you used that power to fix the curse?¡±


    ¡°Ah ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ yes.¡±


    I looked at Devan¡¯s face, expecting him to be annoyed or in a bad mood, but he was pondering something without paying attention to this side.


    ¡°By the way, it¡¯s unexpected I¡¯ve never ordered you to come in like this. Where did the maids go?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    I turned my eyes and avoided her gaze.


    hahaha! She laughed wildly.


    ¡°I can see that. It must have been frustrating.¡±


    Clap!


    She clapped her hands loudly and got up from her seat.


    ¡°You must be done with what you want to say. Now let¡¯s have a good time together.¡±


    ¡°What about this dress?¡±


    ¡°I told you, it¡¯s a gift. Or you can say it¡¯s a bribe.¡±


    Astrilla tapped me on the shoulder and left the parlor.


    I blinked in confusion.


    As I had expected, the reason she sent me away was to have Devan alone¡­.


    What the hell did she say that caused Devan¡¯s condition to be like this?


    ¡°Devan, what did Her Highness talk about?¡±


    He jumped up from his seat without replying.


    Then he looked at my clothes again and shook his head.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the annex.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it supposed to be in the Imperial Palace?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why did Her Highness call us here, then? As soon as we arrived in the capital, it was as if she had calculated it.¡±


    I grabbed the hem of his dress and followed him as he strode toward the exit.


    ¡°Probably because she doesn¡¯t want to be disturbed.¡±


    ¡°By whom?¡±


    I thought of all the people who would interfere with the two of them and who would have reason to interfere.


    The emperor, the empress, the priests?


    ¡°The temple.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°Oh, the temple¡­..the temple?¡± (Evelyn)


    The unexpected word stopped me in my tracks, but Devan didn¡¯t stop, he was still walking briskly.


    I followed him again.


    ¡°What the hell did you talk about?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Oh, d*mn it.¡±


    Devan swept his face with one hand. He looked really confused. As we walked out of the room and down the hallway, the soldiers opened the door of the Imperial Palace. Devan tried to get to his feet but twitched and turned around.


    ¡°¡­Why?¡±


    He stared at me and then turned away again, still saying the same incomprehensible things.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing left.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Imperial Palace¡­¡­.¡±


    As we hurried down the stairs, Insaw a carriage with a large imperial crest on it ready for us.


    There was no doubt that Astrilla had it standing by beforehand. She did not intend to let us stay in the Imperial Palace from the beginning.


    I followed Devan into the carriage.


    The door closed and he finally spoke.


    ¡°The Imperial Palace¡­..there will be a bloodstorm.¡±


    He clenched his fist as he stared at his palm, intact without any wounds.


    ****


    ¡°Pelos is in the Imperial Palace?¡±


    Devan gave me an absurd look.


    It was after we arrived at the annex and I took off my awful dress.


    After washing and changing clothes, we gathered in the hall for dinner.


    ¡°I was surprised to see him dressed in armor and pretending to be a knight.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°How long has it been since he went to the Temple? Why on earth?¡±


    I shrugged, putting the soup into my mouth.


    I was just about hungry enough to make a racket.


    It was also because Devan knew that I was not the type to pay much attention to manners and pretense.


    ¡°He said he wasn¡¯t here to see me or Devan.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a totally unpredictable guy.¡±


    Before I knew it, I had no qualms about calling Devan by his first name.


    We looked like ordinary lovers in public. I don¡¯t think he was uncomfortable with it either.


    Lovers. It was a word that didn¡¯t match us at all.


    How could he be a lover? It was not a word that suited us at all.


    ¡°Oh, and where are the knights and Eunice?¡±


    ¡°I ordered them to come to the annex as soon as they arrived, but it seems they haven¡¯t come yet.¡±


    I bit my lip tightly. I had a bad feeling.


    I was worried that the temple might have already done something.


    ¡°There was a white magic stone on the demon¡¯s leg. If we can secure it, we can use it as evidence.¡±


    ¡°That is, if the temple didn¡¯t get it already while we were down.¡±


    Recovery. It was true that the temple had recovered the magic stone from the demons they had met in Ellywoon. That black smoke that they said was like black magic was probably to deal with the evidence left on the corpse.


    ¡°Maybe the temple will be contacted in some way when the demons die.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to say it is too late. And the knights, too.¡±


    Devan said casually. I felt bad that I had brought Eunice to the capital for no reason and got her involved in something weird.


    I hope we can find their whereabouts soon. The purpose of coming to the capital before the wedding was to investigate the temple in the first place.


    However, since the group had disappeared, we didn¡¯t have the limbs tight now.


    We didn¡¯t have enough information, and now we were suddenly under attack¡­.


    If we were to be attacked again in the temple¡­.


    At that moment, a thought crossed my mind.


    ¡°What about Sir Karen?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Karen?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t he be surprised if he came back from Ellywoon and found the Grand Duchy empty?¡±


    ¡°He might bring information about Ellywon or something else. It could be important information.¡±


    ¡°Contact him.¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s late, we need to know sooner to come up with something else.¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten the existence of magic tools?¡±


    Devan did not seem pleased with Karen.


    Devon, Pelos, and Karen were childhood friends. Pelos told me when we rode the carriage together to the capital.


    There was a reason why Karen was subtly brazen in his treatment of Devan.


    I bit my lips in frustration. In such a situation, if the demons appeared again, Karen would be able to help.


    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be better if we met in person?¡±


    After chewing the meat a few times, Devan frowned.


    Then he suddenly changed his mind.


    ¡°¡­..yeah, I guess I¡¯ll have to bring Karen.¡±


    It was a sudden whim.

 Chapter 41

    ***


    ¡°I should bring Karen.¡±


    All of a sudden?


    I quickly added, my eyes widened, wondering if Devan was going to get fidgety again.


    ¡°I knew you would. It¡¯s better to have a knight.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a knight. I don¡¯t need Karen anymore.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We need someone to escort the chef safely to the capital.¡±


    Devan put down his fork and knife nervously.


    ¡°It¡¯s so inedible.¡±


    Oh. He was more sensitive to food than I thought.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to eat it?¡±


    Devan shook the bell on the table lightly instead of replying.


    The chamberlain came over and bowed his head. He was the one Astrilla had assigned to us for temporary use.


    ¡°I need to write a letter.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I¡¯ll get ready.¡±


    After the chamberlain bowed and left the hall, Devan muttered in a low voice.


    ¡°I think we should bring the butler as well.¡±


    Thought of the old, gray-haired butler.


    ¡°Is it hard to stay in a carriage for days? Perhaps demons might appear.¡±


    ¡°It is your fault that the demons have appeared. I¡¯ve never heard of a demon appearing in that town.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡­ true.¡±


    I nodded, unable to refute the accusation.


    He didn¡¯t care how I looked right now, and Devan continued with his insignificant words.


    ¡°Only when Karen, the butler, and the chef arrive will we be able to start anything properly then.¡±


    He wiped his mouth with his handkerchief. It looked like he was really going to stop eating.


    ¡°First, we must find out what the temple does and what exactly that so-called black magic is.¡±


    Only then will I be able to lift his curse and get clues about my dying body.


    Then¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ I took a sip of water to moisten my lips.


    ¡°I want to see Cordelia. Is there any way to do that?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°Cordelia?¡± (Devan)


    Devan furrowed his brow.


    ¡°As I said the other day¡­¡± (Devan)


    ¡°It¡¯s not because of guilt. It¡¯s because of my selfish heart. It¡¯s about wanting to save that child and put my mind at ease.¡± (Evelyn)


    Devan shook his head lightly.


    ¡°Find a way, please.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t get your hopes up. I told you she¡¯s the temple¡¯s favorite child.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°Okay.¡± (Evelyn)


    I heard a knock on the door, and the chamberlain came in. He bowed deeply and placed a piece of paper and a pen in front of Devan.


    I watched as Devan began to write a letter in his excellent handwriting, and I asked what I was curious about the whole time.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you use a magic tool for that communication? I heard earlier that it¡¯s faster to use magic.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not urgent, there¡¯s no need to use it. It¡¯s hard to get and it¡¯s expensive.¡±


    It had to be very expensive, seeing as he had not a single understanding of the market economy to say this much.


    I couldn¡¯t believe he wouldn¡¯t try to use something that expensive to contact Karen. I guess he didn¡¯t want to meet Karen that much.


    I chuckled, put my hand on my fork and asked.


    ¡°But ¡­¡­¡­ what do I do now?¡±


    What is there for me to do in this spacious Imperial Palace?


    My original reason for coming to the capital was a faded mood.


    On the way here, I met tremendous demons, Pelos, and then Astrilla.


    It was a rough ride, and now I was finally at my point of origin.


    Stopping his pen, Devan stared at me.


    His beautiful red eyes flickered and disappeared into his eyelashes, and then they appeared, captivating people.


    Smiling, he said.


    ¡°First of all¡­¡­. Let¡¯s start with Debutant, shall we?¡±


    ***


    Karen, the butler, and finally the chef, whom Devan had missed so much, arrived at the Imperial Palace.


    Apparently coming from the central nobility, Karen adapted quickly to the Imperial Palace, not to mention the butler who had served Devan since he was a child.


    So it was only me and the chef who spent time in this golden and colorful imperial palace, feeling as desolate as a motherless child.


    Devan was busy with his work, so it was no exaggeration to say that I was the only one here.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t have much free time either.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­ Next. Next. No, the one before is better.¡±


    It was to pick out a dress and accessories to wear during the debutante.


    It was a familiar scene.


    It was the same as when I had picked out my formal wear for the wedding at the Grand Ducal Palace not long ago.


    I couldn¡¯t believe that I would fall into the swamp of decision making again when I hadn¡¯t actually decided on all of those formal wear yet.


    The tailor narrowed his eyes at me as if he misunderstood my expression.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grand Duchess. Many times more dresses than this are available in our store.¡±


    And the swamp of decisions was so deep and large that it was not easy to get out of. Devan was royalty, I was his wife, and most importantly, this was the Imperial Palace.


    The level of the tailor and the scale of his formal wear was exceptional. In fact, this kind of thing was originally supposed to be done with a noblewoman who would be with me.


    But since I didn¡¯t have a mother or any lady close to me, it was just up to me. My head hurt as I sat and listened to one explanation after another about these fabrics.


    Standing beside me, the old butler with a serious expression on his face said.


    ¡°My Lady, I prefer the third fabric from the left as it is shiny and luxurious, but doesn¡¯t reflect too much light. I think it¡¯s the only one suitable for your beautiful golden eyes.¡±


    ¡­.I see. He was still a man who had a way with rhetoric. There was no need for a separate noblewoman to help me.


    I nodded quickly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that.¡±


    It was better than leaving it in Devan¡¯s care, no matter how tedious and annoying it may be.


    I still hadn¡¯t forgotten about that dress with the rainbow-colored feathers on it that Devan bought.


    Sigh.


    Devan proposed without countermeasures, but I didn¡¯t know why it was always up to me to deal with it. I sighed low and recalled a few days ago.


    ***


    ¡°What can I do now?¡±


    ¡°First of all¡­¡­. Let¡¯s start with Debutant.¡±


    ¡°Debutante?¡±


    At my bewilderment, Devan shrugged and said.


    ¡°You are the Count¡¯s daughter, who has been missing in this empire for more than two years. You also disappeared in the year you had to debut. I looked into it, and Count Diego looked around for you for a bit as if he was showing off, and now he doesn¡¯t even seem to care.¡±


    I thought the Count would have held a funeral for me, but it was surprising that he didn¡¯t.


    ¡°So? What does this have to do with the Debutante?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re having a formal wedding at the temple in the near future, so wouldn¡¯t it be better to make a formal social debut before that? I don¡¯t want to marry a woman whose status death or alive is unknown.¡±


    Eighteen years old was when the daughters of the aristocracy made their debutantes.


    I was abducted by Devan, and I ran away. And now I came back and I was twenty.


    That meant that I was already long past my debutante years.


    ¡°But my age¡­¡±


    ¡°There are exceptions, I¡¯m sure. It¡¯s not that unusual for a noblewoman who couldn¡¯t make it due to circumstances to delay it by a year or two.¡±


    At least, that was not what I had heard. I narrowed my eyes and looked at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re now a Grand Duchess. This has been approved by the Crown Princess, so who can say anything?¡±


    What did he mean by the Crown Princess¡¯s approval? Unbeknownst to me alone, it seemed that he had already finished talking with Astrilla.


    ¡°What on earth are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The temple is looking for me. If I go out to a place like that, it¡¯s like advertising to everyone that I¡¯m back¡­¡­..¡±


    ¡°Now you get the point.¡±


    Devan quickly folded the letters he had written.


    With a ding he rang the bell and the butler came up to him, bowed deeply, and took the letter.


    ¡°When I kidnapped you, I told you that the temple was looking for you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°The rumor reached the Grand Duke¡¯s residence in the outskirts. What do you think this means?¡±


    ¡°It means that they spread the rumor on purpose. They were wondering if you could find a clue for them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Then do you think they told me they were going to kill you while spreading rumors?¡±


    ¡°Of course they didn¡¯t. There is an image that has been kept so thoroughly¡­.but what exactly are you trying to say?¡±


    Devan¡¯s eyebrows twitched upward.


    ¡°The rumor the temple spread was simple. The child they raised with care, effort, and sincerity disappeared due to Count Diego¡¯s mistake. They don¡¯t know where that child is or what kind of hardship she¡¯s going through, so they¡¯re going to get her back.¡±


    I bristled at the duplicity.


    As I put my fork down, having lost my appetite, Devan kept talking.


    ¡°What if you were to make your official debut in society under such circumstances? And you have the status of a Grand Duchess.¡±


    He was making a nominal point. A nominal one that he still valued.


    If I appear in good health, the temple will have no reason to look for me.


    ¡°They will not be able to find me, at least not officially.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think they would be so unofficially violent?¡±


    Haha, every once in a while Devan laughed out loud.


    I made a bewildered expression and opened my mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going for that¡­.?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    I stared at Devan, who looked at me blankly.


    I finally realized what was going on.


    Devan was going to use me as bait to lure the temple.


    If I showed my face in the society, it would be obvious that I was a Grand Duchess.


    The Grand Duchess would, of course, stay in the villa with the Grand Duke until the ceremony was over.


    There would be no problem with the temple, even if it was the imperial palace.


    In a word, Devan intended to make the temple came directly to us.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s not for that reason, your debutant is necessary. Wasn¡¯t that what you wanted too? Using your status as Grand Duchess to confront Count Diego and your brother.¡±


    The more I heard, the more I could not refuse.


    I lifted my fork again and nervously pricked the meat.


    ¡°But you want to use me as bait. You¡¯re really kind. I didn¡¯t think that you had already came up with another method.¡±


    Devan¡¯s lips raised up at my sarcasm.


    ¡°I assume this would be your suggestion.¡±


    ¡°Mine?¡±


    ¡°I think you did.¡±


    He rested his chin on his hand and looked at me.


    His long, eyelashes blocked his red eyes. Still with an overly handsome face, Devan slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡°You can¡¯t solve anything by just running away because it¡¯s scary.¡±

 Chapter 42

    ***


    Devan had a very strong opinion that the debutante should be done first, before the wedding.


    The Crown Princess immediately moved up this year¡¯s debutante by a few months.


    It was too early, and that was two weeks later.


    Fortunately, Count Diego, who valued reputation, taught me well one of the manners as a noblewoman.


    I didn¡¯t need to learn how to dance for debutantes, nor did I need to learn how to be a socialite.


    ¡°My Lady, are you going to your room?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The maid of the Imperial Palace followed me quietly.


    I had barely finished the fitting of my dress.


    The tedious preparations for the debutante were almost finished.


    ¡°Lady Evelyn!¡±


    At that moment, I turned my head at the cheerful voice.


    Karen, dressed in armor, saluted playfully at the end of the hallway.


    He still hadn¡¯t given up calling me ¡°Lady,¡± even though the old butler had repeatedly told him that he should call me ¡°Grand Duchess¡±.


    Actually, it was comfortable for me too.


    ¡°Sir Karen.¡±


    Karen approached closer.


    It had been a few days since he had arrived at the Imperial Palace, but this was the first time we had talked alone.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Is it because the Lady is busy?¡±


    I shrugged at his sly tone.


    His attitude suddenly changed after he noticed that it was my fault to return to the capital.


    That didn¡¯t mean he was polite and respectful of me, though; he was more friendly.


    I glanced at the servant. She was still following me with her head down.


    ¡°Would you mind giving us some space?¡±


    The maid moved her lips and gave me a troubled look.


    ¡°Come on.¡±


    I said in a deliberately curt manner.


    She was the maid that Astrilla had assigned to me.


    Not only did I not know the Crown Princess well yet, but I had a history of suffering by the maidservants, which was vey uncomfortable for me.


    She also had a look in her eyes that was more like watching me than assisting me.


    Perhaps she¡¯ll also tell the Crown Princess about my current talk with Karen.


    Karen naturally stood next to me, blocking her view. Walking fast and widening the distance, the maid didn¡¯t follow me anymore. I opened my mouth only after confirming that she couldn¡¯t hear my voice.


    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t know anything from Ellywoon?¡±


    I glared at him.


    ¡°The Lady and His Highness didn¡¯t expect anything from the start, did you?¡±


    That was true.


    White mana stones had already been collected and evidence destroyed, there was no way that the temple would have left a trace in Ellywoon again.


    What I had hoped for was to get more testimony from witnesses, but it seemed that we had gotten none.


    Karen said in frustration.


    ¡°By the way, can you tell me why in the world we are chasing a demon corpse and what that white magic stone is? I also heard you¡¯re looking for a fallen dragon around the capital.¡±


    ¡°I think it would be faster to ask Devan. So did you find the dragon?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already joined you ¡­¡­¡­. I think it would be faster to ask the guards than me.¡±


    He gave me back my words.


    Ugh.


    I bit my lip tightly. It was because Killian, the Captain of the Kingsguard, came to mind.


    It had been a week since I arrived at the Imperial Palace, and there was no news about Killian.


    Not even the Crown Princess seemed to know anything about him, though I didn¡¯t ask her directly.


    I was only getting more and more anxious as time went by. I had a feeling that he was going to do something.


    ¡°I heard you met Pelos.¡±


    Karen changed the subject without much ado.


    ¡°Oh, you said he was a friend of yours. Yes, um,¡­¡­. He was a good man.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to call him weird.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a little eccentric.¡±


    ¡°Is he in the temple?¡±


    ¡°Probably so. Maybe¡­¡­¡±


    The image of Pelos sneaking into the Imperial Palace in his armor a few days ago came to mind.


    ¡°Maybe not.¡±


    ¡°Do you know something? Of course, he¡¯s a guy who doesn¡¯t know where he¡¯s going to bounce.¡±


    I nodded in agreement.


    Then, with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, Karen asked.


    ¡°Anyway, Lady, I heard you¡¯re going to debut?¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°I know everything. So, do you have a debutante partner in mind?¡±


    Karen jokingly pointed at his face with his finger.


    ¡°What does the finger mean?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have a partner, I can be your partner. It¡¯s a hand gesture that expresses my big grace and generosity.¡±


    I stared at him with an absurd expression.


    ¡°You¡¯re a fool, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Karen frowned as he lowered his finger.


    ¡°You keep calling me ¡®Lady¡¯ and you seem to have forgotten, but I¡¯m a Grand Duchess.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ So?¡±


    ¡°So of course my partner would be Devan.¡±


    ¡°Oh ¡­¡­. I see.¡±


    He pouted his lips a little.


    It seemed that he was really expecting to go to Debutante rather than having any regrets about his partner¡¯s seat.


    ¡°I was wondering because the Lady was eager to get me to come to the imperial Palace.¡±


    ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t Devan, it seems unlikely that I¡¯d go with you.¡±


    ¡°What? Why is that?¡±


    I added with a mischievous expression at Karen¡¯s frustrated face.


    ¡°My preference would be Pelos, not Sir Karen.¡±


    At that moment, I heard a heavy voice from behind me.


    ¡°That¡¯s unexpected.¡±


    Startled, I turned my head. It was Devan.


    He said he had a pile of documents to process after coming to the palace, and I had not seen his face properly for days.


    He strode up and stood between Karen and me.


    ¡°What¡¯s unexpected?¡±


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like the flamboyant ones like Pelos.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s handsome. If he doesn¡¯t open his mouth.¡±


    We moved on, leaving Karen behind.


    ¡°Wait a minute. Your Highness, Lady!¡±


    Ignoring the urgent cry, I asked Devan.


    ¡°Do you have any new information for me?¡±


    Karen hurriedly stuck close to Devan¡¯s side, and he frowned a little.


    ¡°New news?¡±


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s a dragon, Eunice, white magic stones, or anything¡­¡­.¡±


    Karen was listening to our conversation with an interesting expression on his face.


    Devan noticed the look and pointed with his chin to the end of the hallway.


    ¡°Karen. I told you to finish the formation of the Detached Palace Kingsguard by the end of the day, do you have time for this?¡±


    ¡°Huh? I thought Your Highness would give me a few days.¡±


    ¡°Today is the end of the few days.¡±


    Karen clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    Devan pushed him even more.


    ¡°Then get out of my sight.¡±


    Karen opened his mouth slightly and fell silent. His eyebrows were drooping, and he looked heartbroken.


    As he disappeared with a droopy gait, Devan casually took the lead.


    ¡°Are there any other Kingsguard in the annex? Are they under the Crown Princess?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t originally separate them exactly, but I thought it would be better to keep them separate.¡±


    ¡°Why? Can¡¯t you trust Her Highness? Or is that ¡®blood storm¡¯ you mentioned before?¡±


    When I whispered in a low voice, he gave me a puzzled look.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you tell me what the Princess and Your Highness talked about?¡±


    ¡®¡¯It¡¯s confidential.¡±


    Devan gave me a complicated look.


    I had a hunch that maybe the fact that he¡¯d seemed particularly busy the last few days wasn¡¯t unrelated to this.


    The blood storm.


    It sounded like a rebellion was going to happen.


    Is Devan trying to drive Astrilla out and sit in the Crown Prince¡¯s seat? He didn¡¯t seem like a person to do that, and he didn¡¯t seem like a person who wants to do that. Then, what kind of storm?


    ¡°More than that, I have something to tell you about the news you¡¯ve been longing for.¡±


    I opened my eyes wide. He seemed to have finally figured something out.


    What is it? The dragon? Eunice? White magic stones? Or ¡­¡±


    He looked into my expectant eyes and laughed out loud.


    ¡°Cordelia. It¡¯s that girl.¡±


    ***


    The table was filled with food that was fresher and more spectacular than anything I had eaten at the Grand Duchy.


    It seemed that the chef had done everything in his power to repay Devan for bringing him to the Imperial Palace.


    If not for that, it would have been because the ingredients in the palace were far more abundant.


    My nerves, however, were directed towards something different than food.


    ¡°Tell me more quickly. Why Cordelia? Can I see her? Or do you have new news? It¡¯s not bad, is it?¡±


    A feeling of unease came over me.


    The temple had sent a dragon to abduct me. It meant they were that desperate.


    That also meant that Cordelia¡¯s condition was serious.


    No way¡­ Is she dead?


    ¡°It¡¯s not bad, and it¡¯s not very new news, you might see the girl.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    I asked like a scream, my eyes wide open.


    Devan¡¯s one eye crinkled at my roar.


    ¡°How? How can I see her? Did the temple allow it?¡±


    ¡°No way. Or more accurately¡­ you might be able to see her.¡±


    ¡°Please explain properly.¡±


    Devan gracefully cut the blood dripping meat and popped it into his mouth.


    I was even more anxious at the sight.


    ¡°I got the information that she¡¯s still in the temple from an informant I trust. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s dead. Well, she didn¡¯t look very healthy. Apparently, the priests gathered their divine power and stopped it for a while.¡±


    ¡°By stopped, you mean¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It means that they stopped all the functions in her body.¡±


    I bit my lips.


    Just from what I had heard, Cordelia¡¯s condition looked quite dangerous.


    ¡°So? How can I see her?¡±


    ¡°I know where she is, so¡­¡­¡­¡± Devan shrugged.


    ¡°¡­¡­..Am I going to see her secretly?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Devan lifted the edge of his lips slightly.


    ¡°Most of the temple space is opened up on the day of the wedding. Only for the two of us, the protagonists of the wedding.¡±

 Chapter 43

    ***


    ¡°On our wedding day most of the temple space will be opened. Only for the two of us, the main characters of the wedding.¡±


    I nodded my head.


    Indeed, quite a lot of space was needed to hold the ceremony.


    The servants to take care of my attire alone were full, and there was space needed for the guests to rest.


    ¡°So, on the day of the wedding¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡±


    ¡°Not a very long time will be allowed. And the place where the girl is will never be open.¡±


    He rang the bell on the table. With a light knock, the old butler entered.


    He handed him a bundle of folded papers that he seemed to have prepared in advance. Then he stood with his feet together beside Devan.


    Devan handed the paper to me.


    As I took it, I glanced sideways at him.


    ¡°The butler¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°He knows all the facts. It¡¯s you, me, and the butler.¡±


    It was only natural, since they had been together since Devan was young.


    I understood again why Devan had brought him here.


    I guess he needed an aide he could trust.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s this all about?¡±


    ¡°Open it.¡±


    I unfolded the paper and found a drawing in it.


    Instantly, Killian¡¯s drawing of the Grand Duchy came to mind, but it looked much more professional than that.


    ¡°Where are these drawings from?¡±


    The Imperial Palace? Another palace? There was nothing familiar about it.


    ¡°It¡¯s the temple.¡±


    I raised my head in surprise and looked at Devan.


    He continued, munching on the meat with an indifferent look.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so surprised. It¡¯s easy to get this much with a little bit of money. But what¡¯s important is what comes next.¡±


    I opened the next page.


    There was a different drawing.


    Unlike the first one, which was detailed and divided into different areas, it was a rough, general drawing.


    ¡°Compare the two.¡±


    Hearing Devan¡¯s words, I placed the papers upside down and compared them.


    Both buildings were horizontal, with a vertical corridor sticking out of the center.


    ¡°No way, this is ¡­¡­¡±


    I was able to find out without difficulty.


    The second corridor was much deeper than the first.


    ¡°Is it a hidden space?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The first was an officially known drawing of the inside of the temple, and the second was measured from the outside for length and proportion. That means there¡¯s an unknown, secret space inside the temple.¡±


    ¡°And there¡­.¡±


    ¡°That girl must be there. Maybe, I¡¯m almost certain of it.¡±


    In there, there was Cordelia.


    My heart was pounding. Finally, I would get to meet the girl.


    I stared at Devan with a gloomy face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make that face. You¡¯ll meet her on the wedding day anyway.¡±


    ¡°Oh, have you set a date for the wedding?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You know that your debut is two weeks from now, right? The wedding will be a week after that.¡±


    I opened my mouth a little and closed it again.


    I thought it might be too early, but there was no reason to delay it. It was a wedding in name only.


    I carefully wrapped the paper around again and handed it to the butler.


    ¡°What will happen to the ceremony? Will I have time to see Cordelia in the meantime?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±


    Devan gave me a strange look.


    ¡°We both have to spend the night in the temple the day before the wedding.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­what?¡±


    ¡°It is customary. It is to purify the body and mind before marriage.¡±


    Why in the world does the Temple like one night so much?


    It was the same with the qualifying exam to choose the heir to the throne, and you think one night in the temple will change anything significantly?


    Devan tilted his head at my absurd expression.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that bad.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not bad? That we¡¯re spending the night together?¡±


    I frowned and stared at him.


    ¡°Security will be poor in the morning, so you can get out of your room and see the girl.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­.¡±


    I tapped the hem of my dress a few times and cleared my throat.


    ¡°How can you guarantee that security will be light in the morning?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve slept there once. During the qualifying exam, Astrilla and I were both asleep as soon as we entered the room, sullenly and uncomfortably.¡±


    ¡°What did you do in the temple?¡±


    ¡°I think you have a pretty good idea what it was.¡±


    ¡°But are you sure it¡¯s the same now as it was then? It was a certification exam then¡­¡­¡­.. It¡¯s a wedding now.¡±


    ¡°I looked up a few of the nobles who had ceremonies in the temple and they were all the same. They fainted as soon as they entered the room.¡±


    ¡°Do they use sleeping pills?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but the Temple let their guard down believing it¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°The temple would never trust the Imperial Guard, and even if they hired mercenaries, it¡¯s only a line to keep their secrets from leaking out, so they wouldn¡¯t leave it to others if they really wanted to hide it.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Then, they would stand guard among themselves, but no matter how much training they have, a priest is a priest. It will not be difficult to subdue them.¡±


    Devan shrugged his shoulders.


    It reminded me of the last time he had defeated the demons. It was a well-founded sense of confidence that made him quite trustworthy.


    ¡°However, in this case¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±


    Devan opened his mouth unexpectedly, but then closed it again.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? What were you trying to say?¡±


    He looked a little complicated.


    He spoke indifferently, changing the subject.


    ¡°¡­.. No, your meal will get cold.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes and looked at him, then quickly cut the meat slowly.


    He seemed to have something to say about the temple, but it was for the safe idea that he would do it whenever I needed him to.


    The fact that I had found Cordelia and the well-founded belief that I would be able to see her was enough to make me happy and I had no time to worry about it.


    The slightly cooled but still tender meat disappeared naturally without many bites.


    Devan continued to eat in silence as well, and the only sound in the hall was the clattering of dishes. Finally, I would be able to see Cordelia. It was while I was eating, immersed in such joy.


    Breaking the silence, Devan asked.


    ¡°Speaking of which, have you decided on a debutante partner?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    I almost spit out the meat in my mouth. It was already down my throat, so I didn¡¯t have to spit it out.


    Debutante partner?


    I blinked my eyes, unable to answer as I had naturally assumed it would be Devan.


    Devan dropped his gaze and busied himself with cutting the meat.


    Was I alone in my illusion? Do I have a separate debutante partner even when I was about to get married?


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I see you haven¡¯t decided yet.¡±


    Languidly, I put my fork and knife on the plate that was half eaten when Devan said that.


    He dabbed at his mouth with his handkerchief in an elegant motion. The astute butler cleared the dishes away in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°That ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Devan, aren¡¯t you going to attend the debutante?¡±


    His mouth hardened.


    ¡°As you can see, I¡¯ve been very busy these past few days. I don¡¯t know if I have time.¡±


    I bit my lips up a few times.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Usually, debutante partners are¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡±


    ¡°Like your father.¡±


    I shook my head hard.


    ¡°Your brother.¡±


    I frowned.


    Devan shrugged.


    The whole point of debutantes in the first place was to find a fianc¨¦.


    It was preposterous that a married aristocrat would have a debut. So, there has never been a case where the person has a husband.


    My face bled at the fact that I had just realized.


    Had I been under some foolish illusion?


    ¡°Why are you giving me that look?¡± (Devan)


    Suddenly, I remembered something from a long time ago.


    I was at a weekly social gathering at Count Diego¡¯s mansion, and I had talked about debutantes with many ladies.


    That day, everyone there wanted Killian as a partner. And then a young lady shouted,


    ¡°Excuse me, then, Young Master. Will you be my debutante partner?¡±


    Her tone was like a high-pitched scream, and her face was red and hot.


    I seemed to like her a lot.


    Because the unknown and courageous had beauty.


    ¡°Devan¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. Is there anything you want to tell me?¡±


    ¡°That partner¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Why, do you have a partner? Do you have someone you like?¡±


    He frowned slightly. My thoughts were still the same. It was the one where the brave get the beautiful.


    All I had to do was ask him to go to the debutante together and be my partner. No matter how unprecedented it is, he will listen if I ask.


    It wasn¡¯t much of a story. So I had to open my mouth.


    I took a deep breath.


    ***


    What great courage that was.


    I remembered that aristocratic young lady whose face I couldn¡¯t even remember.


    So did she have her debutante with Killian after all?


    Perhaps Killian had refused, since I was kidnapped shortly thereafter.


    Perhaps I should apologize to her when we meet in the capital.


    She showed such great courage, but I ruined everything. I actually admired her. As I walked through the garden, I kicked a stone with my foot.


    I could feel the disgruntled look in the eyes of the attendant who was following me. By all accounts, this was not the appearance of a noblewoman, let alone a Grand Duchess.


    There was only one reason why I was so frustrated.


    After all, I had just finished my tea with Devan and was waiting for dessert while he drank another cup of tea.


    I couldn¡¯t tell him.


    I couldn¡¯t say a word to him that I wanted him to be my debutante partner.


    What the hell is that all about!


    I kicked the stone away once more. The stone rolled away. I followed my gaze and saw Karen and the Kingsguard soldiers in training. It was a performance hall.


    Karen! I opened my eyes.


    Yes, there was Karen. Only a few hours ago, he offered to be my partner, didn¡¯t he? I hurried to the performance hall.


    ¡°Sir Karen!¡±


    I shouted at the entrance of the performance hall, and all the soldiers¡¯ eyes were on me at once.


    Karen looked flustered and quickly came up to me.


    He beckoned to the soldiers in a proper manner and even managed to give them an order, but it seemed that he was leading the detached palace¡¯s Kingsguard, as he said earlier.


    ¡°Lady! Do you have some business here? It hasn¡¯t been long since you broke up with me, but if you come like this, there might be a rumor.¡±

 Chapter 44

    ***


    ¡°Lady, what are you doing here?¡±


    Karen asked in a mischievous voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s about what you said earlier. I¡¯m here to confirm it.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Debutante partner. Okay good! Sir Karen is amazing!¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°What?¡±


    Karen hesitated a little.


    ¡°That broad grace and generosity of yours. Well, I¡¯m willing to accept your offer. What do you think?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°Uh¡­that¡¯s¡­.¡± (Karen)


    Karen stepped back a little. I approached him closer.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, lady. Time is up.¡± (Karen)


    ¡°What?¡± (Evelyn)


    My words came out hoarsely.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, but I¡¯ve suddenly become very busy with work. Didn¡¯t you see it just now?¡± (Karen¡¯


    ¡°The knights¡­..?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°Yes. I have a lot of other things to do as well. I¡¯m going to be scolded if they think I¡¯m playing with the Lady.¡± (Karen)


    I finally noticed the vague resentment in Karen¡¯s eyes. It was like the eyes back then. Those resentful eyes at the time when I escaped the Grand Duchy and did everything by myself.


    I was the one who retreated this time.


    ¡°If the Lady tells His Highness well, it may be possible. But the Lady¡¯s gracefulness is apparently not as broad as mine, judging from the fact that she ignored me earlier. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    The edge of his mouth was up, but the glint in his eyes was smoldering.


    I finally realized that he had been being sarcastic all along. ¡®Hahaha,¡¯ I laughed awkwardly.


    ¡°Work hard¡­¡­.¡±


    I lightly tapped him on the shoulder of his thick armor and left as if to flee.


    I failed.


    If I knew this was going to happen, I would have agreed when he offered to be my partner when we met in the hallway earlier.


    Then, I opened my eyes wide.


    Yes, if Karen didn¡¯t make it, then Pelos was next. Honestly, they were all the men I knew in this palace.


    I was walking fast and stopped standing tall.


    When I looked back, I saw the dedicated maid who had been quietly following me.


    ¡°¡­.you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grand Duchess.¡±


    When I first saw the maid, I thought she looked familiar.


    She was the maid whom Pelos flirted with when he infiltrated the imperial palace wearing armor


    She was the very one who had held his hand.


    ¡°A few days ago, a handsome guy talked to you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    She blinked as if embarrassed.


    ¡°Yes, in the palace. He had light brown hair. No, it¡¯s blond hair.¡±


    ¡°The knight?¡±


    Knight? I barely held back laughter without realizing it.


    ¡°Yes, that knight.¡±


    ¡°Why is he?¡±


    ¡°Do you know where he belongs, by any chance?¡±


    The maid looked at me strangely.


    ¡°Because I need to leave something with him. He¡¯s actually an acquaintance of mine.¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­¡­. I don¡¯t know either. He just said that he was from the Webow family. Isn¡¯t the Webow family famous for producing outstanding knights for generations?¡±


    ¡°Webow?¡±


    The name sounded somewhat familiar.


    I turned around and looked at the performance hall again. I saw Karen wielding a sword, looking quite knightly.


    Karen Webow. Webow was his last name.


    Pelos had impersonated Karen.


    Well, he had infiltrated the palace wearing armor from the start, so of course he wouldn¡¯t use his own name.


    If he impersonated Webow, there was nothing more to see. Pelos left no trace anywhere.


    I walked away, lifeless.


    ¡°Grand Duchess?¡±


    I waved my hands at the maid who called me with a curious expression.


    There was no way that the maidservant, who didn¡¯t even know his identity could know where he was now. Now I really had no choice but to look for him myself.


    Debutante partner.


    I clenched my fist tightly. I felt a strong desire to win.


    ***


    The Imperial Palace Library was gorgeous.


    There were spiral staircases going up all around the large hall, and the entire wall was filled with books.


    I looked around in a daze. The scenery was almost overwhelming.


    The most books I¡¯ve ever seen in my life were here.


    It was beyond amazing that such a thing could be found in the Imperial Palace.


    I toured around the Imperial Palace in search of a debutante partner. This was the place I finally arrived at.


    Come to think of it, wasn¡¯t the purpose of coming to the capital to investigate about black magic in the first place? To use the large library that was not available in the Grand Duchy.


    I reminded myself of that fact now.


    At the bottom of the spiral staircase, sat a rather elegantly dressed librarian.


    Each staircase had a different area, and it seemed that identification was required to enter that area.


    Identification.


    I knew I had the right idea. The Imperial Library was the perfect place.


    I might be able to find out about black magic and at the same time find a man of suitable status as a debutante partner.


    I swallowed hard and walked over to the librarian in the center of the room.


    She had a monocle on one of her eyes and was flipping through a stack of papers with a hard expression.


    ¡°Excuse me¡­¡­¡±


    I spoke cautiously, and she made eye contact with me.


    Her short gray hair flickered over her brow.


    ¡°What can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to read books¡­¡±


    I flinched a little at her clerical attitude, which was somewhat intimidating.


    ¡°It¡®s my first time seeing you. Do you have any proof of your identity?¡±


    I turned around and looked at the maid.


    The maid deftly pulled out a sheaf of papers from her pocket.The librarian¡¯s face instantly brightened when she saw it.


    ¡°Oh, you are a guest of Her Imperial Highness the Crown Princess.¡±


    What the maid took out was a document stamped with Astrilla¡¯s seal.


    It was something she had prepared for me, as I had not yet made my official debut in the social world.


    ¡°What kind of books do you need?¡±


    ¡°Magic.¡±


    ¡°There are various kinds of magic, such as magic power, magic stones, basic magic that even children can learn, and defense magic that can kill people. There are also other types of magic that are useful in daily life, and there are also healing magic that can rival divine power. What kind of books would you like?¡±


    The librarian was more verbal than I expected.


    However, after being told one thing after another like that, no black magic came out in the end. As she was waiting for a reply, I slowly spoke up.


    ¡°I would like to see a book on black magic.¡±


    I said, and for a moment, the large Imperial Library turned cold.


    To the average person, black magic meant making a pact with the devil.


    In a world where God¡¯s authority stretched far and wide, a demon was as evil as the word.


    Very few people knew that it was not actually magic, but some other ability from the beginning. Even for those like Devan, who did not believe in demons, the impression of black magic was not good, so it was clear how much more to those who were believers.


    ¡°That¡­¡­lady.¡±


    The librarian seemed to be a bit confused about what to call me, and eventually decided on Lady.


    ¡°Are you sure you know exactly what black magic is?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, and that¡¯s why I want to read the books.¡±


    She fell silent, as if couldn¡¯t find the words to reply.


    ¡°Show me the way. I¡¯ll be the judge of that.¡±


    The librarian still seemed hesitant, but she couldn¡¯t seem to ignore the Crown Princess¡¯s seal.


    She gave a low sigh and took the lead.


    I thought the books would be separated by a spiral staircase, but that wasn¡¯t all. The librarian took me to a door that was hidden behind the stairs. The door opened to reveal a long corridor with another gate on either side of it.


    ¡°Where am I?¡±


    ¡°Only the royal family and a few important nobles are allowed in here. Military secrets, geography, economics¡­ that must not be handed over to other empires¡­¡­¡­.And we keep various books that are not supposed to be spread even within the Empire.¡±


    She looked at me as if she didn¡¯t like it. She would have kicked me out at any moment if it hadn¡¯t been the Crown Princess who had proved my identity.


    The more I thought about it, the more proud I felt.


    The more she hesitated and disapproved about it, the more I thought that what was in it was valuable information.


    Finally, the librarian opened the door at the far end of the hallway.


    The rattling door certainly looked old, as if it had never been touched by human hands.


    Kakkk!


    I coughed, frowning at the rising dust, and the librarian gave me an annoyed look.


    ¡°You can look at it from here. When you¡¯re done, be sure to ring the doorbell outside.¡±


    It was not until I received a firm reminder that the librarian left the room.


    Soon I was the only one in the room.


    My heart began to beat wildly at the thought of finally getting some information about black magic.


    The room was deep and caved in, and much larger than it seemed from the outside.


    There were quite a few books in there, but not so many that they were crammed together. Each of the books was in a glass display cabinet.


    They look precious, can I touch them recklessly?


    Hesitated, I opened the glass door, dust flew in all directions with a squeaky sound.


    From the state of care, I had a feeling that it wasn¡¯t important and that they had just shoved it in. I waved my hand to blow the dust away and finally took the book inside it.


    ¡°The Theory and Reality of Black Magic.¡±


    It was a title that naturally made me raise an eyebrow.


    No matter how boring life was, you would never find anything interesting in a book with such a title.


    After a quick look through the book, it was as I expected.


    There was not a single illustration, and the book was filled densely with letters. Just looking at it made my eyes hurt.


    After dusting off the book, I opened the other glass doors and took out several similar books.


    ¡°The Source of Black Magic¡± and ¡°The beginning of Black Magic.¡±


    Holding the books in my hands, I went to the far end, where I found chairs and tables.


    They were both made of wood and looked stiff, but in this case, it was rather fortunate. There was a table cloth but all covered with dust.


    This wasn¡¯t secret or confidential, it was just neglect. I covered my mouth with one hand and dusted off the chair in frustration.

 Chapter 45

    ***


    Dust fluttered from the chair. I hurriedly opened the small window.


    How many books should I read in this dust pit, and what could I find out by looking at it?


    I wanted to take them home to read, but remembering the librarian who glared at me, it didn¡¯t seem possible to borrow them.


    Anyway, I had to read as many books as I could, as soon as possible.


    I took a deep breath to get myself together, took a seat, and flipped through the first book.


    [Theory and Reality of Black Magic.]


    The purpose of this book was to define black magic, which was still not properly known to the world.


    The author had studied black magic for many years, and as a result, he came up with a plausible theory.


    [¡­Black magic is the product of a contract with a demon. It is the price of selling one¡¯s soul, a taboo that no honest person would consider.


    ¡­The greatest wizard of all time, the Western Tower Lord, has also expressed his willingness to share the author¡¯s opinion.]


    What is this?


    I opened my mouth in bewilderment. It was very biased even if I didn¡¯t read it carefully¡­


    It was stupid. Furthermore, the last sentence was almost like taking advantage of the popularity.


    This is a book?


    When I went back to the first page to see what kind of person wrote this book. Suddenly, I heard a roar.


    ¡°What the hell is that?¡±


    I trembled in surprise and looked toward the sound. The chair I was sitting on was in the corner of the room. There was a large bookshelf in front of it, but the sound seemed to be coming from beyond it. I heard a crash, and then the sound of a door closing. It sounded like someone had come in.


    It was also very hurried. Who was it? I thought the librarian said that only authorized people were allowed in here.


    It wasn¡¯t dangerous, was it?


    I headed for the doorway, careful to be ready to run away if anything happened. Then a figure suddenly jumped out.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was just¡­ Lady?¡±


    I opened my eyes wide, not expecting to see someone whom I was looking for. Standing by the door breathing heavily was Pelos in armor.


    ¡°¡­Pelos?¡±


    I blinked quickly. Pelos? Why is he here?


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think there is a certain way for people to die.¡±


    He strode towards me. Then he started to crawl under the table.


    ¡°What¡­¡­ What the hell are you doing?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t enough that he suddenly appeared, he went to hide under the table.


    ¡°How did you get in here? I heard that only the imperial family or the central aristocrat can enter. No, if you¡¯re Kibeon, I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s the central nobility. ¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe that he, who was not on good terms with his family, had taken the trouble to use that last name.


    ¡°And what¡¯s with that getup! Pelos!¡±


    Pelos laughed awkwardly as he curled up in his armor under the table.


    ¡°Because this is all about keeping the Lady alive.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I heard more and more knocking on the door.


    The momentum was uncanny.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me someone comes to find you?¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha¡­¡±


    ¡°Pelos¡­What the hell are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Lady, you didn¡¯t forget that I helped you out in the hallway earlier, did you? I actually have a disease that prevents me from talking to more than three people at the same time.¡±


    Boom boom.


    While he was babbling, I heard the roar again.


    ¡°But I dealt with that large number of maids for Lady, right? Lady!¡±


    Pelos clasped his hands together and drooped his eyebrows.


    Still, he couldn¡¯t even beg properly in that small place, but he looked miserable.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    I closed my eyes and breathed slowly.


    It was true that Pelos helped me before. I was grateful. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to do this¡­¡­¡­¡­


    I sighed at the absurd situation.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped. It was time to show the skills I had honed at Count Diego¡¯s house. I grabbed the handle with all my might.


    When the door was opened vigorously, the soldiers huddled in the hallway stepped down in embarrassment. I pretended to be angry, crossing my arms and raising my eyes.


    ¡°Why is it so noisy?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ¡­..¡±


    The soldiers looked at each other. One of them said to me while throwing his spear on the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯m Hapelk, 3rd Infantry Division of the Kingsguard.¡±


    ¡°No need for introductions, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I was in pursuit of a fugitive who broke into the Imperial Palace without permission. We need to search the library.¡±


    I gently interrupted.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I can prove to you that there is no one in the archives.¡±


    ¡°I do not know which family the Lady is, but you do not have the authority to do so.¡±


    ¡°Lady?¡±


    I raised my eyebrows.


    I felt the soldier hesitate a little at my cold tone.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the librarian right away and find out who I am. After that, let¡¯s see if you can still speak so profanely.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t as if I hadn¡¯t been to a social gathering or two, and I knew that the right thing to do in a situation like this was to come on strong and unconditionally.


    And it wasn¡¯t baseless bluffing, either.


    The person in front of me signaled with his eyes, looking behind him.


    A soldier at the end of the line quickly ran down the corridor.


    All the while, I glared at each of them.


    It was to somehow weaken their spirits.


    The soldier returned in a flash. He saluted to Hapelk and whispered. Hapelk¡¯s eyes went wide as he alternately stared at the soldier and me. He must have checked for Astrilla¡¯s seal.


    I smiled.


    The highest authority in the Imperial Palace was naturally the Emperor, but the highest authority in the Kingsguard was the Crown Princess.


    In extreme cases, they could even cut off the emperor¡¯s head if the Crown Princess ordered it. Their direct superior was her.


    ¡°You¡¯re looking for a fugitive?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you still feel like going into the archives? I don¡¯t know which family¡¯s lady I am in the archives.¡±


    Hapelk hesitated and saluted me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m simply asking by procedure, are you certain that no one has entered there?¡±


    I thought he would step down at this point, but he was quite stubborn.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±


    I tapped him on the shoulder. Now it was my turn to give him a carrot instead of a whip.


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work. Let¡¯s not tell Her Highness about this.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­.¡±


    My words were a warning that he had crossed a line, and that I could tell the Crown Princess at any time.


    Hapelk was a quick witted man. He bowed his head and the soldiers standing behind did the same.


    I nodded in satisfaction.


    ¡°You can leave now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Yes.¡±


    It was not until they saluted once more that they disappeared.


    I hurriedly slammed the door and locked it.


    ¡°Haaaa¡­.¡±


    My heart was pounding. When was the last time I had tried something like this?


    I leaned against the door and caught my breath, then lifted my head and trudged to the back.


    ¡°Pelos!¡±


    I shouted, and Pelos, sitting in his chair with a nonchalant expression, raised his hand in greeting. When in the world had he crawled out from under the table and sat down?


    ¡°Long time no see, Lady. We only encounter very dramatic moments. I¡¯ll pretend that you didn¡¯t owe me last time with this.¡±


    ¡°What on earth are you walking around doing? And the debt had been paid. I even sold the Crown Princess¡¯s name!¡±


    Pelos shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°I never thought that I would meet the Lady here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to say. What are you going to do if I leave!¡±


    ¡°Were you investigating the priests?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    His brow wrinkled and he pointed to a stack of books.


    It was obviously books about black magic, but what did he mean ¡®priests¡¯?


    I looked at him blankly, forgetting to pursue my suspicions.


    I knew it was a topic he brought up to change the subject, but i caught him.


    ¡°You said ¡®priests¡¯. What made you think that?¡±


    Pelos said with a smirk.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t all the books here written by past priests? So it¡¯s only natural that I would think so.¡±


    ¡­What? I opened my mouth wide.


    He was a uniformly casual man.


    He probably has the best talent in the empire for conveying shocking information in a casual manner.


    ****


    Pelos smiled and skimmed through the books on the table.


    ¡°Black magic, huh? You don¡¯t want to die, right, Lady?¡±


    didn¡¯t quite want to die, did you, lady?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t live my life with my head shoved under the guillotine unlike someone else. Instead of wearing armor and sneaking into the imperial palace, I proudly carried the seal of the Crown Princess.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s legitimacy! I¡¯m envious. Legitimacy is something that is welcomed everywhere. But it¡¯s not a word I¡¯m familiar with.¡±


    Pelos flipped through the book quickly.


    I asked, reflecting on the shocking remarks he made.


    ¡°By the way, about what you just said. Are you saying that the author of this book, Gwyndella Nio Yousav Volteria von Marciotel Rios XVII, is the High Priest?¡± (*I¡¯m not sure about the name lol)


    ¡°Yes. No way, you didn¡¯t know his name?¡±


    ¡°I knew it was Marciotel Rios. I just couldn¡¯t read the long author¡¯s name written so tightly in such small letters.¡±


    I didn¡¯t even get a chance to read it properly, and Pelos made a commotion.


    ¡°This is better than the High Priest in the previous generation. His name was almost 30 characters.¡±


    Pelos closed the first book, The Theory and Reality of Black Magic.


    ¡°Hmm¡­.you must have been in a hurry. Unlike usual, he gave big names and poor evidence.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve already finished reading it?¡±


    ¡°I just looked. Because in the Temple, you often have to read a book quickly.¡±


    I shook my head, and Pelos now opened the second book.


    [The Origin of Black Magic.]


    ¡°It¡¯s here. It¡¯s the long name of that High Priest.¡±


    There was a longer name written on it.


    If the last name wasn¡¯t Marciotel Rios XVI, I wouldn¡¯t have known he was a high priest.


    Were the authors of all these books really the past High Priests?

 Chapter 46

    ***


    I didn¡¯t know that the authors of all these books were the past High Priests.


    Not caring for the perplexed look on my face, Pelos quickly turned the page.


    It would be much better for him to summarize it than for me to read it, so I waited calmly without interrupting.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    I asked and Pelos shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same story. The source of divine power is a great god, and the source of black magic is a lowly and vicious demon. So you must never use black magic. Well, that¡¯s just a long list of such stories.¡±


    ¡°Read the next one, too.¡±


    ¡°You should also read the next one.¡±


    ¡°The beginning of Black Magic¡±.


    It was the most unpredictable book among them.


    Pelos picked up the book and I looked around quickly.


    ¡®The Reason why Thousands of People Disappeared from That City¡¯ seemed to be about the danger of black magic, ¡®Introduction to Magic¡¯ seemed boring, and ¡®Black Magic Practice¡¯ looked ¡­¡­¡­ quite interesting.


    I selected a few books and placed them on the table where Pelos was sitting. He furrowed his brow slightly.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re taking advantage of me.¡±


    ¡°You can at least do this much. If you are unhappy, leave now and call the Kingsguard. Did he say Hamel, what was that soldier¡¯s name?¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything and put his nose on the book again. That was good. If I had tried to read it, it would have taken me hours. I stared at his heavy looking armor and asked him something that had been bothering me all along.


    ¡°Did you infiltrate the Imperial Palace to use the library?¡±


    ¡°I had been researching black magic in my own way. I told you. I¡¯m also interested in black magic.¡±


    There was no change in the speed at which Pelos was turning the pages as he spoke.


    ¡°But why don¡¯t you ask someone to help? No, if you¡¯re Kibeon, they might just let you in.¡±


    ¡° I don¡¯t think of myself as Kibeon, and that¡¯s what I wanted. This is not where I wanted to be.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, it¡¯s not the place?¡±


    ¡°A place like this, open to all.¡±


    ¡°This is for the royal family and the central nobility only.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s almost everyone.¡±


    Tak ¨C Pelos closed the book and picked up the one beside him.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying there are other places that are more secret?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Have there ever been only one or two people who have questioned black magic? This place is a fake that can relieve the curiosity of such people.¡±


    ¡°But it was pretty hard to get in here. The librarian wasn¡¯t happy either¡­ and she acted as if there really was something hidden here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to doubt the authenticity of a place when you¡¯ve gone through so much trouble to get in. A jewel hidden in many layers is more valuable than a jewel thrown away on the side of the road. The librarian is merely employed by the Imperial Palace, so what can she know?¡±


    I was even more annoyed because I couldn¡¯t find anything to refute.


    I was proud of having Astrilla¡¯s seal, but now knowing this place was a fake.


    ¡°Where is the real thing then? Where are the real materials about black magic buried? Since you infiltrated the Imperial Palace in your armor, why are you in here?¡±


    ¡°I thought they would be here¡­Apparently not. Maybe the Temple and the High Priests don¡¯t believe in the Imperial Palace as much as I thought they did.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not even sure, but you went in undercover?¡±


    ¡°Just.¡±


    ¡°While impersonating your friend?¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°The maid you kissed on the back of her hand became my full-time servant.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Pelos asked back with a thick look on his face, already knowing.


    ¡°It¡¯s a fraud that you¡¯re impersonating the Wibow family. I¡¯m sure the gatekeepers of the palace weren¡¯t fooled by your glamorous appearance and storytelling like my maid.¡±


    ¡°I feel strange to be complimented by you, Lady.¡±


    Pelos trailed off.


    Tell me. How did you impersonate the Webow with that one piece of armor?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe it was just one piece of armor.¡±


    Before I knew it, my nerves had shifted from black magic to the matter of his fraud.


    I stared at Pelos with the look that said ¡°I won¡¯t give up until you tell me.¡±


    At last he shook his head, and suddenly pulled a dagger out of his pocket and placed it on the table.


    It looks like a very carefully crafted luxury item.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been handed down from the Webow for generations¡­. I would say it is like an heirloom.¡±


    ¡°What??¡±


    I held the dagger, surprised.


    ¡°Why do you have such a thing in your possession?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a fake, to be exact.¡±


    I looked at it again. It was too delicate to be considered a fake.


    ¡°This is a fake?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­it should be like that, don¡¯t you think? Regardless of its monetary value, it contains the honor and history of the family.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not for you to say, since you¡¯re in the process of defrauding such a family heirloom, is it?¡±


    He didn¡¯t even pretend to listen as he continued to speak.


    ¡°So normal families would prepare two heirlooms, or worse, more.¡±


    ¡°Do you purposely make fakes to prevent theft?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same logic I mentioned earlier. Once people¡¯s curiosity is plausibly satisfied, they look no further.¡±


    So, just like this place, fake heirlooms were also deliberately prepared.


    Pelos continued his story.


    ¡°So the quality is almost as good as the real thing.¡±


    ¡°So how did you come by this? At any rate, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s still important to the Webow family.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Pelos put down the book and looked away.


    ¡°Did you really steal it?¡±


    ¡°No way! Do I look like a thief to you, Lady?¡±


    ¡°A little¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding. This was given to me directly by Karen.¡±


    ¡°¡­In exchange for what?¡±


    No matter how stupid Karen was, he wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would give gifts. More than that, I don¡¯t think he would give it to Pelos.


    ¡°I won the bet. ¡°


    ¡°What bet? ¡°


    I stared at him, hoping for a bet in a sword fight, or at least in chess. Pelos slightly poked out his chest with a proud look.


    ¡°It¡¯s a wine bet.¡±


    I can¡¯t believe Karen gave Pelos a family heirloom over wine. I have to cancel my earlier words. Karen was dumber than I thought.


    ¡°It was wine made in Ellywoon. It snows all year round in that region, and once the grapes are frozen and melted, the wine is made from them, and the taste is -¡°


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    Thump ¨C I tapped the table.


    For a priest, he was quite fond of alcohol, and Pelos¡¯s expression was slightly upturned.


    ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s why you used this dagger to scam the guards, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°More like spoofed. I just borrowed it for a bit. It would be a shame if I looked like a criminal that way.¡±


    I averted my gaze as the criminal hit me.


    At the same time, Pelos closed the last book with a bang.


    ¡°I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Feel like I¡¯m being treated like a criminal?¡±


    I stared at him without saying anything.


    ¡°I was joking. Well. ¡­¡­¡­¡­. It¡¯s just known facts. It¡¯s not so different from what the world knows.¡± (Pelos)


    What about ¡®The beginning of black magic¡¯? I¡¯m a little curious about that.¡±


    ¡°There wasn¡¯t anything unusual about it. It was more like a story. It¡¯s a story about a man who had done his karma in ancient times, made a pact with a demon to gain great power, and was finally ruined.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very didactic. It¡¯s trivial.¡±


    ¡°There are just two things that bother me.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    I hastily lowered myself.


    That said, Pelos was smart, and he might have found some clues among those ridiculous books.


    ¡°Why did he define black magic as a pact with the devil? And why did he name it magic?¡±


    ¡°¡­.. simply to create a bad impression, don¡¯t you think? The word ¡®demon¡¯ doesn¡¯t sound good.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t that, in other words, like admitting a being that is only opposed to God?¡±


    Come to think of it, in order to accentuate God¡¯s authority, it would be better to make people believe that his existence is unique.


    ¡°Why do you think that is?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Pelos shrugged.


    ¡°Black magic, so it could be because its power is similar to or even stronger than the divine power.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying it¡¯s stronger than my strength?¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, he would have just explained it with a lower, inferior power. There is no reason to dare to create a demon, a terrifying being, to create a sense of fear, is there?¡±


    ¡°Is it so powerful that you just can¡¯t say it¡¯s inferior?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. There is a demon as opposed to a god. The sound of that is a disproof that divine power and black magic are minimally equal. Even though, in all of these books, God wins.¡±


    ¡°So what about magic then? You said there were two things you were interested in. Why did he name it magic?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡±


    Pelos said unexpectedly.


    ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. If someone who senses magic and directly confronts black magic, they would immediately realize that it is not magic.¡±


    ¡°Such a quick lie¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s part of what I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Did you think that normal people would never see black magic directly?¡±


    ¡°I could see that being the case, but ¡­¡­. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not as crude as it seems. The other stuff is very well put together. The demons, the contracts, the triggering conditions, even the price.¡±


    ¡°No wonder people believe it.¡±


    We sat across from each other and rested our chins on our hands on the table, troubled.


    ¡°He named it magic¡­¡­¡­.. Do you have any clues there?¡±


    ¡°That, too¡­.. I don¡¯t know, I can¡¯t say for sure.¡±


    What could it be?


    Why did the temple use black magic and emphasize so strongly that black magic was a rogue power contracted with the devil?


    And all this while the High Priest continued to write book after book.


    The authors of the books that make up the bulk of this library were all High Priests.


    If not, it was a priest or a wizard who had become famous, and it was safe to say that they were closely related.


    In a word, this was a massive fabrication.


    ***


    TL: I¡¯m considering dropping this novel. It started out interesting but now it¡¯s so boring. Barely any romance or fluff moments. To me it¡¯s tasteless¡­

 Chapter 47

    **


    I looked out the window absentmindedly.


    The sunlight filtered in through the small window, the dust was flying.


    I had come all the way to the Imperial Palace Library to investigate, and all I could find out was that the priests had committed systematic fraud¡­.


    Is this the reason why I came to the capital?


    No, I had my own social gatherings. Sometimes the unproven stories were much closer to the truth.


    Even more so on issues like this where authority figures are intervening. That¡¯s why at a social gathering¡­..social gathering?


    ¡°My debut!¡±


    I shouted suddenly, and Pelos turned to me with a surprised expression.


    ¡°Pelos!¡±


    I grabbed his hand.


    ¡°Lady?¡±


    Pelos tried to pull his hand out with a panicked look on his face.


    ¡°Um¡­¡­¡­.. I don¡¯t hate Lady, but I don¡¯t want to play against Devan.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Pelos shouted back.


    ¡°There, a priest cannot get married!¡±


    What is he saying all of a sudden? He must have understood something.


    ¡°I must also exercise extreme restraint in contact with women. This kind of skinship¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about when you once kissed a maid on the back of her hand?¡±


    ¡°It was an inevitable situation. So, when did you like me? Is it because of my face? No wonder you complimented me earlier¡­..¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, so stop it.¡±


    ¡°If not, what is it? What is your reason for holding this innocent priest¡¯s hand?¡±


    Pelos chuckled with a twinkle in his eyes.


    Now I didn¡¯t have to muster up a great deal of courage or bend over to ask Devan.


    ¡°Please be my debutante partner, Pelos.¡±


    ***


    I don¡¯t know what method he used, but Pelos escaped from the library before I did.


    It¡¯s always difficult to sneak in somewhere, but it¡¯s easier to come out, he bragged.


    We met outside the library and walked through the garden to the detached palace.


    My full-time attendant followed closely behind me, and I was forced to call him Sir Webow.


    ¡°So what do you think?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Be my debutante partner.¡±


    He was dodging replies.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Pel¡­¡­ No, Sir Webow is the last one. There¡¯s no one to ask anymore.¡±


    ¡°But ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡°


    He glanced at the maidservant behind me, then whispered quietly.


    ¡°How can a priest go to a social gathering!¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you? There¡¯s no law against that.¡±


    ¡°There is no law, but¡­¡±


    Pelos scratched his cheek.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the others will think of the Lady.¡±


    ¡°At least it¡¯s better than going alone.¡±


    ¡°Lady, if you have a quarrel with Devan, please make it up quickly.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s naturally a tough talker, has a bad personality, and a fierce impression, but he is not a bad guy. Probably.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you complimenting him?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Maybe?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t quarrel with Devan.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What are you so surprised about?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say this was your social debut to show that you¡¯re going to be the Grand Duchess?¡±


    ¡°But what about it?¡±


    ¡°So, if you didn¡¯t fight with Devan, why didn¡¯t you go with him?¡±


    I coughed and quickened my pace.


    ¡°Are you going back to the temple?¡±


    I asked, changing the subject.


    ¡°You¡¯re avoiding answering¡­¡± (Pelos)


    ¡°¡­what answer do you want to hear?¡±


    ¡°I was simply wondering why you were taking the long way around instead of the easy way. Are you trying to tell everyone what¡¯s going on at the debutante?¡±


    ¡°What about it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure everything will be resolved at once, as long as you¡¯re next to Devan. ¡®Ah! That¡¯s the royal Grand Duke who was cursed? Isn¡¯t that Lady Diego who went missing! Oh! She¡¯s the lady who lifted the curse of the royal family!¡¯ ¡­.Wouldn¡¯t something like this happen?¡±


    Pelos said in an exaggerated tone, as if he was putting on a play, unlike his indifferent expression.


    I looked at him with a hateful expression, but in fact, he was right.


    If I showed up without Devan or took Pelos with me, it would be like I admit something was wrong.


    There was a good chance that all sorts of rumors would spread, and there were people everywhere who liked to talk behind the scenes.


    ¡°The Lady should know about these things.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t like Devan? But two of you are married. ¡­¡­¡­ Hmm. It didn¡¯t seem normal to me.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°If not, then talk to him again. Maybe that guy would like that.¡±


    ¡®You don¡¯t know anything.¡¯


    I glared at him. Before I knew it, I was in front of the detached palace.


    Naturally, we entered the palace together, I suddenly wondered.


    ¡°Are you really not going back to the temple?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve come this far, and you¡¯re just going to send me away? The Lady can¡¯t be that heartless.¡±


    Pelos took the lead. His steps were unhurried, as if he knew the exact geography of the palace.


    ¡°You must have been here a lot.¡±


    ¡°Devan used to live here even when we were children. It didn¡¯t look like this back then, though.¡±


    ¡°When he was young?¡±


    That must have been before Devan was cursed.


    After he was cursed, he left the palace as if he was kicked out to the Grand Duchy.


    Before he was cursed, there would have been a good chance that he would become the Crown Prince, but he was living in a separate palace?


    ¡°Did His Highness line here?¡±


    ¡°You can ask him openly.¡±


    ¡°¡­Was Devan being discriminated against? Why? Surely he wasn¡¯t in an equal position before he took the qualifying exam.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Well, there are many reasons for that.¡±


    It was his mother.


    I suddenly remembered his past that I had seen in the original story.


    Devan¡¯s mother had died giving birth to him.


    The new empress that came in after that was the current empress and mother of Crown Princess Astrilla.


    ¡°Is it because of the curse?¡±


    ¡°Ummm ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    Rather than trying to avoid answering, I had the feeling that Pelos was really worried.


    I looked at him and walked ahead.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure the Lady¡¯s curious.¡±


    Of course I was curious. That¡¯s why I asked him. But I didn¡¯t feel comfortable hearing it from Pelos¡¯ mouth.


    Personally I don¡¯t like talking behind people¡¯s backs, and most of all¡­


    ¡°I still hate myself. My existence and birth, even my terrible fate.¡±


    It was because I thought of what Devan had said to me in the carriage coming to the capital. I didn¡¯t want to betray Devan¡¯s inner feelings like this.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to ask Devandirectly.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not going to tell me.¡±


    ¡°So, isn¡¯t it strange to ask someone else about something you don¡¯t want the person involved to tell you?¡±


    Pelos shook his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re here, but have a cup of tea or something. I need to dust my dress.¡±


    I looked down at my dress, my face frowning. There was so much dust on it.


    Pelos asked.


    ¡°If we wait, will Devan come down?¡±


    I checked the time and it was almost evening.


    ¡°He¡¯s coming to eat. Would you like to have dinner with us while you¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°That would be nice. I was just getting tired of the overly fresh food in the Temple!¡±


    Pelos was left alone. After confirming that the butler, I went up to my room.


    ***


    The dinner table where Devan, I, and Pelos sat together was somewhat awkward. Not a single word was spoken in the dining room, only the sound of dishes clattering the air.


    Obviously, I wasn¡¯t awkward with Devan and Pelos, so the problem must have been between the two of them.


    ¡°How did the two of you get close?¡±


    When asked to calm down the atmosphere, Devan looked coldly at Pelos.


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    What¡¯s not good about it? My question was the kind of question that couldn¡¯t be answered with ¡°not really¡±. I gave up on asking Devan for an answer and stared at Pelos. He just laughed.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Shall I call Karen too? Since the three of you are friends.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a terrible idea.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Devan put the water cup down nervously.


    ¡°This is enough, and you¡¯re going to bring another one?¡±


    Pelos laughed again.


    ¡°Why in the world?¡±


    ¡°Why what?¡±


    ¡°What did the two of you talk about before I came down?¡±


    Devan averted his gaze and cut the meat without replying to my question.


    Haha, Pelos laughed a little more brightly.


    ¡°Pelos.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lady.¡±


    ¡°What did Devan say?¡±


    ¡°Ummm¡­Didn¡¯t Lady say earlier that she didn¡¯t want to hear what the person involved didn¡¯t want to tell her?¡±


    ¡°And this is a little different!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be unscrupulous, but it seems that my image in Lady¡¯s head has already fallen to the bottom.¡±


    Glaring at him, I cut the meat.


    Devan frowned bitterly as my knife touched the plate and made an unpleasant squeaking sound.


    Knowing this, I deliberately made a friction noise.


    I would have rather he had said something. Therefore, if I could break this awkward atmosphere.


    But Devan quickly averted his gaze from me and continued to eat in silence.


    ¡°Lady.¡±


    Pelos started again. I said sulkily.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The debutante.¡±


    Cough. Cough.


    It wasn¡¯t me who coughed, it was Devan. What¡¯s wrong with him all of a sudden?


    ¡°Would you like a glass of water?¡±


    Pelos gently handed him the glass.


    Devan glared at him and drank his own water, ignoring his sincerity.


    I looked at the two of them alternately.


    Pelos looked mischievous, and Devan looked annoyed.


    It was as if ¡­¡­ Pelos was teasing Devan. Teasing? Why is that? About the debutante?


    ¡°Devan, did you talk about the debutante?¡± I asked.


    Devan held back his cough and picked up his water cup. Pelos chuckled this time.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ What do you mean by talk?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±


    I decided to probe him.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve decided to go with Pelos for my debut.¡±


    ¡°Whose choice?¡±


    His voice was fierce as Devan replied.

 Chapter 48

    ***


    I looked out the window absentmindedly.


    The sunlight filtered in through the small window, the dust was flying.


    I had come all the way to the Imperial Palace Library to investigate, and all I could find out was that the priests had committed systematic fraud¡­.


    Is this the reason why I came to the capital?


    No, I had my own social gatherings. Sometimes the unproven stories were much closer to the truth.


    Even more so on issues like this where authority figures are intervening. That¡¯s why at a social gathering¡­..social gathering?


    ¡°My debut!¡±


    I shouted suddenly, and Pelos turned to me with a surprised expression.


    ¡°Pelos!¡±


    I grabbed his hand.


    ¡°Lady?¡±


    Pelos tried to pull his hand out with a panicked look on his face.


    ¡°Um¡­¡­¡­.. I don¡¯t hate Lady, but I don¡¯t want to play against Devan.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Pelos shouted back.


    ¡°There, a priest cannot get married!¡±


    What is he saying all of a sudden? He must have understood something.


    ¡°I must also exercise extreme restraint in contact with women. This kind of skinship¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about when you once kissed a maid on the back of her hand?¡±


    ¡°It was an inevitable situation. So, when did you like me? Is it because of my face? No wonder you complimented me earlier¡­..¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, so stop it.¡±


    ¡°If not, what is it? What is your reason for holding this innocent priest¡¯s hand?¡±


    Pelos chuckled with a twinkle in his eyes.


    Now I didn¡¯t have to muster up a great deal of courage or bend over to ask Devan.


    ¡°Please be my debutante partner, Pelos.¡±


    ***


    I don¡¯t know what method he used, but Pelos escaped from the library before I did.


    It¡¯s always difficult to sneak in somewhere, but it¡¯s easier to come out, he bragged.


    We met outside the library and walked through the garden to the detached palace.


    My full-time attendant followed closely behind me, and I was forced to call him Sir Webow.


    ¡°So what do you think?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Be my debutante partner.¡±


    He was dodging replies.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Pel¡­¡­ No, Sir Webow is the last one. There¡¯s no one to ask anymore.¡±


    ¡°But ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡°


    He glanced at the maidservant behind me, then whispered quietly.


    ¡°How can a priest go to a social gathering!¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you? There¡¯s no law against that.¡±


    ¡°There is no law, but¡­¡±


    Pelos scratched his cheek.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the others will think of the Lady.¡±


    ¡°At least it¡¯s better than going alone.¡±


    ¡°Lady, if you have a quarrel with Devan, please make it up quickly.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s naturally a tough talker, has a bad personality, and a fierce impression, but he is not a bad guy. Probably.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you complimenting him?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Maybe?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t quarrel with Devan.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What are you so surprised about?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say this was your social debut to show that you¡¯re going to be the Grand Duchess?¡±


    ¡°But what about it?¡±


    ¡°So, if you didn¡¯t fight with Devan, why didn¡¯t you go with him?¡±


    I coughed and quickened my pace.


    ¡°Are you going back to the temple?¡±


    I asked, changing the subject.


    ¡°You¡¯re avoiding answering¡­¡± (Pelos)


    ¡°¡­what answer do you want to hear?¡±


    ¡°I was simply wondering why you were taking the long way around instead of the easy way. Are you trying to tell everyone what¡¯s going on at the debutante?¡±


    ¡°What about it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure everything will be resolved at once, as long as you¡¯re next to Devan. ¡®Ah! That¡¯s the royal Grand Duke who was cursed? Isn¡¯t that Lady Diego who went missing! Oh! She¡¯s the lady who lifted the curse of the royal family!¡¯ ¡­.Wouldn¡¯t something like this happen?¡±


    Pelos said in an exaggerated tone, as if he was putting on a play, unlike his indifferent expression.


    I looked at him with a hateful expression, but in fact, he was right.


    If I showed up without Devan or took Pelos with me, it would be like I admit something was wrong.


    There was a good chance that all sorts of rumors would spread, and there were people everywhere who liked to talk behind the scenes.


    ¡°The Lady should know about these things.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t like Devan? But two of you are married. ¡­¡­¡­ Hmm. It didn¡¯t seem normal to me.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°If not, then talk to him again. Maybe that guy would like that.¡±


    ¡®You don¡¯t know anything.¡¯


    I glared at him. Before I knew it, I was in front of the detached palace.


    Naturally, we entered the palace together, I suddenly wondered.


    ¡°Are you really not going back to the temple?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve come this far, and you¡¯re just going to send me away? The Lady can¡¯t be that heartless.¡±


    Pelos took the lead. His steps were unhurried, as if he knew the exact geography of the palace.


    ¡°You must have been here a lot.¡±


    ¡°Devan used to live here even when we were children. It didn¡¯t look like this back then, though.¡±


    ¡°When he was young?¡±


    That must have been before Devan was cursed.


    After he was cursed, he left the palace as if he was kicked out to the Grand Duchy.


    Before he was cursed, there would have been a good chance that he would become the Crown Prince, but he was living in a separate palace?


    ¡°Did His Highness line here?¡±


    ¡°You can ask him openly.¡±


    ¡°¡­Was Devan being discriminated against? Why? Surely he wasn¡¯t in an equal position before he took the qualifying exam.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Well, there are many reasons for that.¡±


    It was his mother.


    I suddenly remembered his past that I had seen in the original story.


    Devan¡¯s mother had died giving birth to him.


    The new empress that came in after that was the current empress and mother of Crown Princess Astrilla.


    ¡°Is it because of the curse?¡±


    ¡°Ummm ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    Rather than trying to avoid answering, I had the feeling that Pelos was really worried.


    I looked at him and walked ahead.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure the Lady¡¯s curious.¡±


    Of course I was curious. That¡¯s why I asked him. But I didn¡¯t feel comfortable hearing it from Pelos¡¯ mouth.


    Personally I don¡¯t like talking behind people¡¯s backs, and most of all¡­


    ¡°I still hate myself. My existence and birth, even my terrible fate.¡±


    It was because I thought of what Devan had said to me in the carriage coming to the capital. I didn¡¯t want to betray Devan¡¯s inner feelings like this.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to ask Devandirectly.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not going to tell me.¡±


    ¡°So, isn¡¯t it strange to ask someone else about something you don¡¯t want the person involved to tell you?¡±


    Pelos shook his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re here, but have a cup of tea or something. I need to dust my dress.¡±


    I looked down at my dress, my face frowning. There was so much dust on it.


    Pelos asked.


    ¡°If we wait, will Devan come down?¡±


    I checked the time and it was almost evening.


    ¡°He¡¯s coming to eat. Would you like to have dinner with us while you¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°That would be nice. I was just getting tired of the overly fresh food in the Temple!¡±


    Pelos was left alone. After confirming that the butler, I went up to my room.


    ***


    The dinner table where Devan, I, and Pelos sat together was somewhat awkward. Not a single word was spoken in the dining room, only the sound of dishes clattering the air.


    Obviously, I wasn¡¯t awkward with Devan and Pelos, so the problem must have been between the two of them.


    ¡°How did the two of you get close?¡±


    When asked to calm down the atmosphere, Devan looked coldly at Pelos.


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    What¡¯s not good about it? My question was the kind of question that couldn¡¯t be answered with ¡°not really¡±. I gave up on asking Devan for an answer and stared at Pelos. He just laughed.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Shall I call Karen too? Since the three of you are friends.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a terrible idea.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Devan put the water cup down nervously.


    ¡°This is enough, and you¡¯re going to bring another one?¡±


    Pelos laughed again.


    ¡°Why in the world?¡±


    ¡°Why what?¡±


    ¡°What did the two of you talk about before I came down?¡±


    Devan averted his gaze and cut the meat without replying to my question.


    Haha, Pelos laughed a little more brightly.


    ¡°Pelos.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lady.¡±


    ¡°What did Devan say?¡±


    ¡°Ummm¡­Didn¡¯t Lady say earlier that she didn¡¯t want to hear what the person involved didn¡¯t want to tell her?¡±


    ¡°And this is a little different!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be unscrupulous, but it seems that my image in Lady¡¯s head has already fallen to the bottom.¡±


    Glaring at him, I cut the meat.


    Devan frowned bitterly as my knife touched the plate and made an unpleasant squeaking sound.


    Knowing this, I deliberately made a friction noise.


    I would have rather he had said something. Therefore, if I could break this awkward atmosphere.


    But Devan quickly averted his gaze from me and continued to eat in silence.


    ¡°Lady.¡±


    Pelos started again. I said sulkily.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The debutante.¡±


    Cough. Cough.


    It wasn¡¯t me who coughed, it was Devan. What¡¯s wrong with him all of a sudden?


    ¡°Would you like a glass of water?¡±


    Pelos gently handed him the glass.


    Devan glared at him and drank his own water, ignoring his sincerity.


    I looked at the two of them alternately.


    Pelos looked mischievous, and Devan looked annoyed.


    It was as if ¡­¡­ Pelos was teasing Devan. Teasing? Why is that? About the debutante?


    ¡°Devan, did you talk about the debutante?¡± I asked.


    Devan held back his cough and picked up his water cup. Pelos chuckled this time.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ What do you mean by talk?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±


    I decided to probe him.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve decided to go with Pelos for my debut.¡±


    ¡°Whose choice?¡±


    His voice was fierce as Devan replied.

 Chapter 49

    ***


    ¡°You said you wanted to know about the capital.¡±


    ¡®Oh, I said I wanted to see the capital because I¡¯ve never been to the capital before.¡¯


    I remembered the lame excuse I had given to avoid Astrilla¡¯s suspicion when I first came to the Imperial Palace.


    So he¡¯s taking me to sightseeing because I said that?


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand. I was just saying.¡±


    Devan¡¯s attitude made me stop talking, and I looked out the window. The window was unusually large, making it easy to see outside, and it was made that way on purpose. People in rustic clothes and small carriages were busily passing through the city. Someone was spreading bundles of paper everywhere, and someone picked it up.


    The stalls were lined with piles of fruit, and the people passing by were looking and buying.


    It was a sight to behold, but it was also a rare sight that I had never seen before since my incarnation in this world.


    ¡°Is it strange?¡±


    ¡°Well, a little. It¡¯s really the first time I¡¯ve come to the capital.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t come out a lot either.¡±


    ¡°Why is that, Your Highness?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t go because of Count Diego¡¯s confinement. Why on earth didn¡¯t Devan go?


    I thought of the words Pelos said the other day.


    Maybe he really had grown up with discrimination even before he was cursed.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Devan rambled on.


    He had a strange expression on his face. It was an expression that didn¡¯t look so easy.


    For example, it was similar to the expression he had when we talked about the past in the carriage when we were coming to the capital.


    It was as if he was nostalgic or vexed about something.


    I looked out the window again. I wasn¡¯t going to question him. As I had told Pelos, I could just ask him what he didn¡¯t want to tell.


    I had many secrets that I had never told him either.


    For example, I remembered my past life, I used him to escape death, took the place of the heroine¡­. Things like that.


    ¡°I¡­.¡±


    That was when he broke the silence and started to speak.


    I saw a boy outside the window.


    He must have been ten years old, or maybe only five.


    He had black hair and red eyes, and he was staring at me.


    Then he pulled something out of his pocket and held it in his hand. It was as if it was for me to see.


    ¡°¡­Evelyn?¡±


    He called me again, as if it was strange for me to be in a daze.


    Nevertheless, I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the window.


    It was strange. An inexplicable chill wrapped around my body.


    The boy was slowly approaching our carriage.


    He was holding a daisy flower in his hand. Daisy flower. Daisy flower?


    I jumped up from my seat.


    ¡°Evelyn!¡±


    ¡°Stop the carriage!¡±


    I hurriedly stopped the carriage and suddenly opened the door.


    The child was standing in the middle of the street and a carriage was running towards him.


    It was a large transport carriage pulled by two horses.


    That carriage, running at a fast speed, seemed to have no intention of slowing down, as if it couldn¡¯t see the child.


    Ha, I inhaled sharply.


    If it kept going like this, the carriage would run over the child.


    I tried to walk quickly in that direction, but Devan grabbed me by the wrist.


    ¡°What in the world are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey. ¡­¡±


    I looked at the child again.


    The child smiled. The corners of his mouth went up so high that it was bizarre. It was a smile I¡¯ve seen somewhere. I¡¯ve definitely seen it somewhere. No way¡­


    The child did not open his mouth, but his voice carried to me. I heard a giggle, not from outside, but from inside my body.


    I opened my eyes wide. The carriage running towards the child hadn¡¯t slowed down yet. It was less than a few meters away from the child.


    Why doesn¡¯t anyone stop it? Can¡¯t that horseman see the child? Why does the child smile when he sees me? Why is he smiling like that? Who is that child?


    Thud.


    As soon as I heard the roar, I closed my eyes tightly. I felt a warm embrace.


    ¡°Evelyn, are you okay?¡±


    It was Devan¡¯s voice. I opened my eyes in a daze. Before I knew it, he was hugging me.


    ¡°Is he dead?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The child ¡­¡­.¡±


    With trembling hands I pushed Devon away. Before I knew it, the carriage had stopped. The horseman had a frustrated look on his face. How can he look annoyed when he¡¯d just killed a person?


    I walked slowly, barely able to keep my legs from collapsing.


    ¡°Evelyn, what the hell are you talking about!¡±


    Devan rushed after me.


    People¡¯s eyes turned to us.


    It was understandable because the woman dressed up in a fancy dress was shaking like crazy.


    No, a child died right in front of me. Isn¡¯t it strange if I was okay?


    ¡°My business is ruined. What are you going to do about it?¡±


    I heard frustrated voices. Some people were arguing.


    ¡°What would I do if you left a basket of flowers there?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s on the side of the road. It¡¯s strictly in front of my store!¡±


    What?


    That was strange. I raised my head and looked around. I couldn¡¯t see any blood anywhere. And the child¡¯s body too.


    All I could see were just pure white flowers that seemed to be scattered all over the street.


    It was not even daisy, but a kind of flower that I¡¯ve never seen before.


    ¡°Oh, the child¡­¡±


    Devan stood in front of me.


    He said, looking at my trembling eyes.


    ¡°What are you talking about? Evelyn, there is no child.¡±


    ***


    Despite my shaky gestures, I had to get to the banquet hall. Today was the Debutante, and I was the main character.


    As we re-boarded the carriage and made our way to the Imperial Palace, Devan called out to me without pausing to rest. He asked if I was okay, or what was wrong, and when I said I heard a giggle and he stopped talking.


    Oh, that strange laugh, and the daisy flower. Those things kept messing up my mind.


    We were outside the Imperial Palace, waiting to enter. Devan was right, I was the main character, so I had to be the last one to appear. After all the carriages that had filled the outside of the Imperial Palace were gone, it was finally our turn.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Your face is so pale. You can skip the dancing if you want.¡±


    ¡°No, I must dance.¡±


    I already had a lot of shortcomings.


    It was the same with the fact that the year I had to debut had long passed, and it was the same with the fact that I went missing for the past year.


    I didn¡¯t dare add another one to that.


    With one hand holding Devan¡¯s hand and the other holding the hem of my dress, I made an effort to walk straight.


    I tried not to think about the boy¡¯s smile, tried not to think about his giggling voice.


    Still, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder.


    Why daisies of all flowers? Why did he only show himself to me? Who the hell is he? Why? Why me?


    The hall erupted in applause, and the magnificent music rang in my ears.


    I realized that before I knew it, I had gone down all the stairs.


    Women in white dresses and men in formal suits were watching us. They looked at Devan, then at me, then at Devan again. They looked more surprised than before. I could read their thoughts without difficulty.


    ¡°Oh! So that¡¯s the royal prince who was cursed! Isn¡¯t the woman next to him the Lady Diego who disappeared? Oh! The lady who broke the curse of the royal family is her!¡±


    Because that was what Pelos said the other day.


    We made our way to the center of the hall. Being in the glamorous banquet hall made what I had just experienced seem like a dream.


    Soon the song began. Generally, the debutantes will begin in earnest when the main character dances first.


    It was time for us to dance.


    Devan gently held my waist with one hand, and I placed my hand on his shoulder. I had to force myself to smile. When I finally did, I made eye contact with him, but Devan just gave me an indifferent look.


    I moved my feet in time with the melody that was playing.


    With every step we moved, we got closer. Hugged my waist tightly and Evan whispered.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to smile.¡±


    He spun around, and then came up to me again. I said to him.


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason to look ugly.¡±


    We took it step by step.


    The song became slower and slower, and before we knew it we were completely attached.


    ¡°I wish they were the ones who laughed and didn¡¯t hate me, but they¡¯re not.¡±


    ¡°You speak from experience?¡±


    Devan suddenly stopped moving.


    So I almost stepped on his foot, and as I stepped halfway in, Devan hastily held me tightly.


    This time I was the first to open my mouth.


    ¡°The child earlier¡­.. No, that one.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    We circled slowly.


    I saw people looking at us with marvelous eyes.


    I wondered what they thought we were talking about. I took a deep breath and spoke again.


    ¡°He had dark hair and red eyes. He looked between 5 and 10 years old.¡±


    Devan didn¡¯t say anything, but took his hands off my waist and spun me around.


    I was in a position where I had no choice but to leave Devan and look at the exact opposite.


    I wondered what expression he had on his face when he looked back at me.


    Gently, he pulled me closer.


    His face was perfectly close to mine. It was so close that our lips could touch. I could clearly see Devan¡¯s red eyes and the black shape that swayed in them. Devan moved his lips up and down. When he was about to say something more¡­


    Clap. Clap. Clap.


    The applause made the hall weep.


    Before I knew it, the song had stopped.


    Slowly, I opened the distance between Devan and me and raised the corners of my lips stiffly.


    Devan held my hand tightly.

 Chapter 50

    ***


    For the first time in a long time, I had to think back to my childhood. It was that time when I attended social gatherings once a week.


    I had to force myself to smile and talk.


    Fortunately, the Debutante went smoothly. There was no such thing as a royal palace battle that I was worried about.


    In fact, not as many people were paying attention to us as I had thought.


    Since the main purpose of a ¡°debutante¡± was to find a fianc¨¦, there didn¡¯t seem to be much interest in me who already had one.


    Of course, there were still some whispered conversations among both men and women.


    For example, one of them was this.


    ¡°Is it true about the rumors that His Highness is aiming for the throne?¡±


    ¡°If not, why did he come to the capital when the curse was lifted? Why the debutante? It must be a declaration of war.¡±


    ¡°There were rumors that as soon as he returned, he went to the Crown Princess¡¯s palace and made a scene.¡±


    ¡°What power does he have? He¡¯s so brazen.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t he handsome?¡±


    As soon as someone said that, the chatter, which seemed to be unstoppable, died down and silence fell.


    More eyes started to glance at Devan.


    Then one of them broke off the conversation again.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Didn¡¯t you say earlier that Lady Diego was here for the wedding?¡±


    ¡°To begin with, it doesn¡¯t make sense. How can the young lady who went missing for 2 years suddenly get married? Who doesn¡¯t know how she was found?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s shameless.¡±


    ¡°I think so. I heard that the eldest son of the Diego family is the captain of the Kingsguard, and he¡¯s been in a panic for the last two years to find his missing sister.¡±


    ¡°That Captain of the Kingsguard is also handsome.¡±


    ¡°By the way, why hasn¡¯t he gotten married or engaged?¡±


    ¡°Is it true that he¡¯s still alone? I¡¯m sure he has a hidden lover somewhere.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it.¡±


    These words continued until one man, blinded by jealousy, changed the subject for no reason. Eventually, the conversation that had started with us as a topic ended with their search for their fianc¨¦.


    Because of this, we missed the right moment to correct the rumors, but we weren¡¯t too worried. Devan wasn¡¯t interested in the throne, and we would soon divorce.


    The rumors surrounding Devan and me would soon die down.


    ¡°What are you doing cooped up in a place like this?¡±


    Standing on the terrace, far away from the noisy banquet hall, Devan approached me as I gazed blankly outside. He had spent his childhood in the imperial capital, and because of his status as a member of the royal family, many people approached him in the banquet hall more than me.


    I managed to sneak away from a topic that had nothing to do with me, or more precisely, with Devan: the war and the economic situation.


    ¡°I was really bored.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°I knew it.¡± (Devan)


    He leaned his arm against the railing as he handed me a glass of wine.


    I could hear the noise of the banquet hall in the distance. We didn¡¯t talk about anything. We just stared at the same place.


    Before we knew it, the sun was setting and the terrace had only a small light on it.


    As I looked at his profile in the faint light, I couldn¡¯t help but admire him.


    ¡°Handsome.¡±


    Devan turned around and looked at me.


    His lips were slightly raised, and I realized I was speaking my mind.


    My face flushed and I looked up at the sky.


    ¡°I guess today is the only day you can¡¯t make eye contact.¡± (Devan)


    He took another step closer to me.


    I looked around for some reason, not that I had done anything strange.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, I¡¯m just tired.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°Are you going to say your shoes are uncomfortable again this time?¡± (Devan)


    ¡°What?¡± (Evelyn)


    With a pout, I turned and looked at him.


    Devan seemed to have figured out from the beginning that I had made a bad excuse when we got into the carriage this morning.


    I glanced sideways at him in frustration.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Yes, you¡¯re right. My shoes are uncomfortable. Are you ready to hear it?¡± (Evelyn)


    Hahaha, Devan laughed.


    I opened my eyes in surprise, because it was quite rare for him to laugh, and not in a malicious way.


    Then Devan suddenly played with my hair randomly.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    I ruffled my bangs, and my neatly swept hair was back in place. Devan shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°How about now?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­. What?¡±


    My voice was a bit raspy. Devan dropped his gaze to my feet, which were hidden by the hem of my dress.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the shoes. I think it¡¯s your head that is uncomfortable. Right?¡± (Devan)


    I fell silent, not even denying it.


    ¡°The butler advises that you should look decent anyway.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that before.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine that you prefer this look, but it¡¯s still easier to talk eye to eye.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°I¡¯m talking to myself.¡± (Devan)


    He chuckled again. I couldn¡¯t look at him properly, even though I was pretty sure it was the Devan I saw every day. I dropped my gaze downward. Just because he let his hair down doesn¡¯t mean that his beauty I once perceived is going away.


    Rather, the messy hair that others don¡¯t see, it seems more¡­.¡¯what am I thinking?¡¯ I furrowed my brow.


    ¡°You¡¯re annoyed and frustrated again. Your facial expressions are so varied that I have no idea what you¡¯re thinking.¡± (Devan)


    Devan turned his gaze to the front again. The wind on the terrace ruffled his hair a bit. The sun was setting.


    His red eyes were tinged with an equally red sunset. It was like a perfect round sun. The one with the swaying black shape was like a pitch black night sky.


    ¡°Your eyes¡­.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it for a while, I think your eyes are beautiful.¡±


    I praised him, but Devan turned his head away with an unpleasant expression. I gasped in vexation for no reason.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious. It¡¯s like a red sun. The black one is like the night sky¡­..Of course, the sooner we get rid of it, the better.¡±  (Evelyn)


    ¡°You¡¯re so good at saying embarrassing things. You only picked things that I didn¡¯t want to hear.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t want to hear? You¡¯re not the type to hate compliments.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Devan turned his gaze again to the other side of the terrace . I noticed that his expression was similar to the one he had shown in the carriage as we entered the banquet hall. Could it be that this was also related to his past?


    Devan¡¯s past and his eyes¡­he had been wearing a blindfold since he was cursed, so if it has anything to do with his eyes, it¡¯s a story about when he was younger.


    The child, the red eyes, and the detached palace¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    I remembered the original story I read in my previous life.


    In the original, Devan¡¯s childhood was depicted in a different way. So, I couldn¡¯t remember it exactly either.


    However, I did remember one thing clearly.


    He was the red-eyed prince who lived in the detached palace.


    That was Devan¡¯s nickname.


    He was a red-eyed prince who appeared in the imperial family where the emperors had golden eyes for generations.


    He was criticized for being cursed. So he had to stay in the detached palace because of the discrimination against his eyes?


    The child with red eyes¡­¡­¡­..?


    At that moment, my mouth dropped open as a thought flashed through my mind.


    Wait a minute.


    I forced Devan¡¯s body to turn towards me as he was looking at the sky.


    Devan looked annoyed at first but his expression turned serious perhaps it was because my expression looked unusual.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± (Devan)


    I backed up a few steps.


    ¡®Hold on, stay right there.¡± (Evelyn)


    Devan wrinkled his brow. I slowly widened the distance between me and him. Finally, I was close far to see him from head to toe.


    ¡°Evelyn?¡±


    Devan moved closer to me, perhaps impatient.


    I stepped back again as he approached. Devan wrinkled his brow.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden? Are you avoiding me?¡± (Devan)


    ¡°¡­that kid.¡±


    ¡°The kid?¡­.You mean the kid from earlier? The child with the daisy flower that you said you saw?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that kid.¡±


    I raised my head and faced him straight on.


    I stared at his tangled, dark hair that covered his brow and his beautiful red eyes.


    I slowly compared the scene to my memory.


    The pitch black hair, the red eyes, the thin body, his clear features, the old but expensive clothes.


    It was the only clue I had, but I was sure of it.


    ¡°It was you¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    The look in his eyes changed while mumbling something ridiculous.


    He seemed to understand what I was talking about.


    ¡°That kid¡­.¡±


    This time Devan faltered and stepped back.


    This time he squirmed and stepped back .


    Devan¡¯s large hands gripped the railing of the terrace tightly, veins bulging and bloodshot in his widening eyes.


    I stammered.


    ¡°It was you when you were a child.¡±


    Despite it being more than a decade, the red-eyed little prince with the daisy flower and the man in front of me still looked exactly alike.


    ***


    Devan Lantimos. When he was just five years old, Marciotellios XVII sent a messenger to the Imperial Palace.


    The people all held their breaths, as the direct action of the High Priest was unheard of.


    Perhaps others realized his fate sooner than Devan did.


    The messenger met the emperor face to face and delivered only one line of message.


    ¡®Astrilla will take the qualifying exam in the year she turns five.¡¯


    There was no care or suggestion in it. It was just a notification.


    Devan¡¯s sister, Astrilla, the hero of the message, was born less than a day after.


    When Devan heard that short message from the emperor, he had a hunch.


    It will not be him who will inherit the throne, but Astrilla.


    The trust was too biased in her favor, even a five year old could see it.


    It was not the year Devan turned 10, but the year Astrilla turned five.


    It wasn¡¯t just the trust. It was everything.


    Everything was biased towards Astrilla.


    No, to be precise, no one put Devan at the center.


    Not since his mother died.

 Chapter 51

    ***


    *Devan¡¯s childhood*


    ***


    Devan¡¯s mother, who was weak from the beginning, died shortly after giving birth to him.


    In just one month, the emperor replaced the empress who had waited.


    A grand national wedding was held while the child who had never felt the touch of his father was living in a separate palace.


    That was when it started. Devan was out of everyone¡¯s interest.


    Five years later, Astrilla was born from the new empress.


    Her flaming red hair was enough to show off her presence as soon as she was born. Above all, she had golden eyes.


    Just like the previous emperors had.


    A child who couldn¡¯t even babble, but everyone concurred and said that she would become the next emperor.


    Another child imprisoned in a separate palace. A child abandoned by his father.


    No one remembered the red-eyed prince who looked just like his mother.


    ***


    Eight-year-old, young Devan Lantimos, lived in a separate palace.


    Anyway, since it was an imperial palace, the annex was also large, and although it was splendid in its own way, it was poorly managed.


    There, Devan lived with only one old butler.


    Dirty, lack of maintenance, and the absence of parents were not a problem for Devan.


    He had lived his whole life like that, so it was natural.


    Because these things were routine to him, and other things were unusual.


    He liked the large annex where no one would say anything about running around, the garden full of vines to burn and play, and the undercooked meat cooked by the butler.


    But lately he had only one serious problem: the inability to see his little sister, Astrilla, a lovely little creature.


    The only time he saw Astrilla was when she was born, and when a message came from the High Priest.


    It only happened twice.


    When she was born, Devan was summoned from the annex for one reason of being imperial and was able to stand next to her.


    The child of the woman who became the new empress.


    It couldn¡¯t look pretty. Devan approached the empress and emperor, smiling brightly, with a resentment in his heart.


    Two pairs of golden eyes looked at him. The emperor was full of signs of annoyance, and the empress did not hide her remorseful expression.


    ¡°¡­ ¡­ I wish Astrilla the best of luck on the road ahead.¡±


    Devan spat out the ceremonial greeting he had learned from the butler.


    And unconsciously, he fixed his eyes to the tiny creature that was in the empress¡¯s arms. Shortly after she was born, bright red hair was already full on her head.


    With a curious mind, Devan¡¯s finger headed towards it. The Empress didn¡¯t even have time to stop, so Astrilla grabbed his finger.


    Then, her little eyes fluttered open.


    Maybe it was just a reflex action. No, it probably was.


    But Devan felt his heart pounding at the soft touch that held his finger and the eyes twinkling like stars.


    Among the golden eyes looking at Devan, she was the first to not have any hostility.


    She must have been three by now when he was 8.


    He wanted to see those eyes again. He wondered if she would still hold his finger or remember him.


    It was for this reason that Devan escaped the annex for the first time.


    He took advantage of the gap in the kitchen where the old butler was preparing a meal, opened the low window and jumped into the garden.


    I climbed a tree using the vine, and crossed the wall. It was quite easy because it wasn¡¯t the first time he played in the garden.


    It was when he stood on the wall and smiled brightly at the sense of accomplishment he felt for the first time in his life.


    A voice came from somewhere.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Devan, startled, staggered and almost fell down.


    He struggled, lowered his posture and balanced himself, then he hurriedly looked around.


    The owner of the voice was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Look here.¡±


    Then he looked down.


    On the other side of the wall, in the shade of a tree, a boy was sitting. Holding a thick book in one hand that looked uninteresting at first glance.


    ¡°What, what?¡±


    ¡°I want to ask. Are you a thief?¡±


    ¡®A thief?¡¯


    Devan opened his eyes wide and tried to wave his hand, but instead he shouted because he felt he would lose his balance.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡±


    ¡°Shh, they¡¯ll hear you. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything good about getting caught.¡±


    The boy looked about the same age as Devan, and he spoke very maturely.


    ¡°¡­it¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s the same for me. But it¡¯s annoying when you make a fuss.¡±


    ¡°Did you run away too?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you think about how to get down from there?¡±


    ¡°If I jump down like this¡­..¡±


    ¡°I think you should use wood to climb, but unfortunately this tree is quite far away.¡±


    Devon looked around.


    The boy was right. There were no trees to climb down from where he was.


    If he jumped off as he was, he had to be prepared to break at least one leg.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just go back?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t. Devan had to meet Astrilla today.


    He had just found a flower in the garden that had the same color as his sister¡¯s hair and had carefully packed it in his pocket.


    If it wasn¡¯t today, the flower would wither, and he wasn¡¯t sure that he would find the same flower again in the garden.


    Because it was the first red flower he had ever seen in that large garden.


    He kept his mouth shut.


    ¡°I can run.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. If you accidentally fall and hit your head, you will die instantly.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ What is instant death?¡±


    ¡°It means that you die immediately. Stupid.¡±


    The boy got up from his seat and dusted his clothes.


    He was ready to leave at any moment.


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you be quiet?¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°If you stay like that, people are likely to gather, so I have to leave quickly. If I get caught by my father or the Duke, I¡¯m dead.¡±


    ¡°Duke ¡­ ? Is your father a Duke?¡±


    The boy¡¯s expression darkened slightly.


    ¡°Pretend you didn¡¯t hear it.¡±


    ¡°But I already heard it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even care because you¡¯re stupid.¡±


    Devan wanted to argue that the boy, who used words like instant death at the age of eight, were far more strange, and that he wasn¡¯t stupid, but he endured.


    Because he was disappointed.


    Devan hurriedly caught the boy who took another step.


    ¡°Help me.¡±


    The boy looked up at him with indifferent eyes. Under the sun, the boy¡¯s brown hair shone brightly.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Devan began to work his brain.


    The boy in front of him seemed to have no sympathy. Even if he tells him his desperate circumstances, no other expression will come to that indifferent face.


    Although he had just been called stupid and ignorant, Devan wasn¡¯t.


    In fact, he had a faster brain for his age.


    So Devan said something that would stop the boy.


    He had to hold onto the boy somehow.


    ¡°¡­..My father is the emperor.¡±


    The boy¡¯s eyes widened slightly.


    ¡°Aha, are you the red-eyed prince?¡±


    Even though he knew the identity of Devan, he didn¡¯t seem to care.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Is your being the prince a reason for me to help you? After all, you are the red-eyed prince.¡±


    Giving extra strength to the word ¡®prince¡¯, the boy asked playfully.


    ¡°I hate wasting time on boring things. It¡¯s the same as being here now.¡±


    So, in order to catch the boy, Devan had to make something interesting. And fun things didn¡¯t really mean play.


    Devan meditated on cesarean studies and military studies that he was forced to read by the butler whenever he had spare time.


    He was sure the boy would be interested in this part.


    ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡­ You are the duke¡¯s son. To have such a child in a place like this without an attendant means that you ran away from somewhere.¡±


    The boy beckoned as if to continue.


    ¡°A place near here where a kid of your rank could run away¡­¡­ It must be the Imperial Palace.¡±


    The boy narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°To be afraid of being caught by the Duke means that the Duke is now in the Imperial Palace. Perhaps to meet His Majesty the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think so?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s November. It is time to re-evaluate whether the taxes collected from each estate are appropriate.¡±


    Devan was saying what he had learned from the book. Noticing the boy¡¯s interest, he hastily added.


    ¡°Ha, but! He wouldn¡¯t have brought his young son for such a public event. So it¡¯s probably a personal thing. If the duke had to bring his family to meet the emperor¡­ Is it marriage?¡±


    The boy changed his expression for the first time when he heard the words.


    He wrinkled his face, and Devan realized he had the right answer.


    ¡°¡­¡­ You¡¯re noisy.¡±


    ¡°You are too young to talk about marriage. There is no way they would let you run away if you were the main character of that marriage talk.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember saying I would help you if you guessed it right. What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Aha, it¡¯s your father!¡±


    Devan smiled slyly, mimicking the tone of the boy¡¯s voice just before.


    The boy¡¯s face contorted even more. He murmured in a shrill tone.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    It was a small voice, but Devan heard carefully.


    Earlier, the boy called his father the duke, and even this tone of voice that seemed to hate him.


    Devan figured out a way to catch the boy.


    ¡°If you help me, I will help you too!¡±


    ¡°How can you do that?¡±


    The boy returned to his expressionless face again.


    Still, he was looking at Devan, and didn¡¯t want to leave like before.


    Devan felt the possibility of this alone.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like your family, do you?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    ¡®The truth is, my family hates me.¡¯ Devan swallowed the back words.


    ¡°So? I ask what you can do? Are you going to get me out of my family? Does the Red-Eyes Prince have the power to do that?¡±


    Devan kept his mouth shut at the boy¡¯s stinging tone.


    He realized that there was only one thing he could say. Words to convince this boy to come down from this wall.


    ***


    *I think the boy is the young Pelos. Because Pelos hates his family.

 Chapter 52

    ***


    ***


    *Devan¡¯s childhood continues *


    ***


    ¡°I, so I ¡­¡­¡­..¡±


    But Devan couldn¡¯t quite get the words out of his mouth, perhaps because he had never said them before.


    The boy waited patiently for him.


    Finally, Devan spat out the words.


    ¡°I can be the emperor¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Devan¡¯s face flushed red because he knew it was impossible.


    The words he had spat out in his will became regrets. He would rather give up on seeing Astrilla and go home.


    He sneaked a peek at the boy. The boy was¡­.


    ¡°hahahaha!¡±


    He sat down on the ground and started laughing like a madman.


    ¡°Be quiet!¡±


    He continued laughing all the way until the dazed Devan was startled and started shouting.


    ¡°Haha ¡­¡­ you¡¯re going to be emperor?You? The red-eyed prince?¡±


    Devan glared at him hatefully.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny. It¡¯s funny. Really funny!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Funny?¡±


    The boy approached the wall again, and held out his hand to Devan.


    It was too far away to reach even if he did.


    ¡°Oh, let¡¯s come down to the ground first, then shake hands.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. ¡­¡­.¡±


    Devan couldn¡¯t adapt to the sudden brashness of the atmosphere.


    The boy laughed brightly and said.


    ¡°My name is Pelos Kibeon. What¡¯s the red-eyed prince¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡± ¡­¡­ Devan Lantimos.¡±


    ¡°Devan, Devan. That¡¯s a good name for an emperor. Okay, I¡¯ve made my decision.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to help me?¡±


    His legs were getting numb, and it was hard for Devan to sit on the narrow wall.


    Now he was hoping that the boy would help him in any way he could.


    He wanted to hurry down the wall and see Astrilla. She would love to hold the red flower in her hands.


    His cheeks flushed as he thought about it.


    ¡°Are you going to help me?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The boy looked at Evan and smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m sick of justification. Pelos here will help you become emperor.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    Devan felt like something was wrong. All Devan needed was help getting down this wall.


    ¡°No one knows this yet, but I¡¯m actually a genius.¡±


    He said he would help Devan down, but Pelos couldn¡¯t find any way.


    He wasn¡¯t very well dressed and he wasn¡¯t tall despite being an 8 year old boy.


    So it was impossible for him to receive Devan when he jumped, or to lend him his shoulders so that Devan could step on.


    ¡°You said you were going to help me! You said you were a genius!¡±


    Eight-year-old Devan had a quick temper. His nerves rested on a single red flower in his back pocket.


    Pelos bite his lip as if his pride had been hurt.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­ I¡¯ll wait for you here!¡±


    Then he disappeared somewhere, leaving those words behind.


    It was so fast that Devan couldn¡¯t even hold him back.


    Feeling like he had been scammed, Devan cursed.


    The boy may not come back.


    Instead of coming back, he might even tell people everywhere that Devan had said he was going to be emperor.


    Thanks to his ear-splittingly strict butler¡¯s education, Devan knew very well how dangerous such words could be for him.


    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have said it.¡¯


    Regret surged through him.


    He had spoken recklessly. He should have just stayed put in the annex. The thought that once came to his mind kept pruning, driving Devan into a deep pit.


    It was when he carefully stood up from the wall after he decided to leave now. Pelos was seen running from a distance with a big boy.


    ¡°Gasp. Gasp.¡±


    It didn¡¯t look like he had run long, but Pelos was out of breath.


    The big boy looked at Devan with a cheerful face. His eyes were full of interest. Devan wrinkled his brow and asked.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°This child is training in a performance hall nearby¡­..haaaa¡­¡±


    Pelos put his hands on his knees and breathed hard, barely continuing his words when the big boy stepped forward. Then he called Devan, smiling brightly.


    ¡°Prince!¡±


    Prince? It was the first time Devan had heard someone call him Prince, except for his old butler. Devan¡¯s face flushed a little, but he pretended to be unconcerned.


    ¡° Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Karen Wibow! It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, my Prince! You¡¯re the red-eyed prince, right? It¡¯s not at all like the rumors I heard! No, they¡¯re really red eyes. You are majestic and handsome. It¡¯s not my favorite, though!¡±


    His mumbling was so loud that Devan furrowed his brows.


    ¡° Look, Pelos. Why on earth did you bring him here?¡±


    Before he knew it, Pelos was at Karen¡¯s side, his hands on his hips with enthusiasm.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear that? It¡¯s called Wibow!¡±


    Wibow?


    It was only then that Devan realized that the big boy was the son of the most knightly family in the empire.


    ¡°You¡¯re a knight?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Prince¡­ or more accurately, I¡¯m working on it.¡±


    And after tapping his chest, Karen added with an embarrassed laugh.


    ¡°What are you doing without jumping?¡±


    ¡°You want me to jump?¡±


    ¡°I can catch you, Prince!¡±


    ¡®Prince¡¯ was in every sentence.


    Devan wrinkled his brow, but he actually didn¡¯t dislike Karen.


    ¡±¡­. really?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Please trust me! I may look like this, but I¡¯m going to be the best knight in the empire in a few years. I even caught a young goblin a few days ago! You have no idea how swift the green monster is¡­¡±


    ¡°Be quiet!¡±


    Karen fell silent at Pelos¡¯s shout and then he spread his arms wide towards Devan.


    ¡°Prince!¡±


    Devan hesitated.


    This was the first time he had met both Pelos and Karen today.


    This was the first time he had ever talked to anyone for so long, with the exception of his butler.


    ¡®Can I make friends¡­.?¡¯


    No matter how mature he acted, he was only eight years old.


    For the first time in his life, it was natural for him to have a little rash expectation of emotion.


    So he squeezed his eyes shut.


    Then he threw himself under the wall.


    ****


    As it turned out, Karen couldn¡¯t catch Devan as smoothly as he had hoped.


    He couldn¡¯t bear Devan¡¯s weight, so he fell backwards. Eventually, Devan laid him down, which allowed him not to get hurt. Nevertheless, Karen smiled proudly as if he had done it.


    It was Pelos¡¯s turn next.


    He listened to Devan¡¯s story and hinted to him where Astrilla might be and the window to break in from outside.


    He was well versed in Imperial geography, as he had often been in and out of the Imperial Palace with his father.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see you next time.¡±


    Pelos greeted lightly, saying he had to go back now.


    Next time, so it was a vague promise.


    Devan gave a small nod.


    Karen also said that he still had to return to the training hall for training.


    At the same time, he held Pelos¡¯ arm and did not stop talking.


    In the end, it was only Devan who was left alone.


    ¡°Whooo!¡±


    Devan hurried over to the window Pelos had mentioned.


    Through the low window, he could see the empty hallway.


    After looking around to make sure no one was around, he quickly jumped in the window.


    He took a right at the corner, then straight ahead, then a left at the next corner, then straight ahead down a narrow corridor that led to¡­


    Devan quickly ducked behind a wall.


    Two soldiers stood guarding in front of the splendid room Pelos had mentioned. It was only natural. Astrilla was an imperial Princess.


    It was highly likely that she would soon become emperor as well.


    ¡®What should I do?¡¯ It looked impossible to get into the room without driving those soldiers out.


    Devan fiddled with the flower he had put in his back pocket.


    The flower had been pressed that it had lost its initial vitality.


    ¡®Should I give up?¡¯


    What sister? He was the ¡°red-eyed prince¡± and she was the next emperor with shining golden eyes.


    Of course Astrilla wouldn¡¯t remember that time she held his finger. Devan took a low breath. There was no way a child like him could fight two soldiers and win.


    He was just about to turn his feet when¡­


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Devan looked around, startled by the sudden sound of a voice. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t Devan that the owner of the voice was calling, but the soldiers who were standing at the door.


    He was wearing a slightly different suit of armor than the soldiers.


    ¡°Commander Wibow!¡±


    The soldiers saluted politely. The man who was called the Commander nodded and continued.


    ¡°You guys have to go somewhere with me for a bit.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Well, well, we received a report that demons had appeared a while ago.¡±


    ¡°A demon? In the Imperial Palace?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. It¡¯s not just one or two of them.¡±


    ¡°Who the hell is this? Are there any witnesses? Are you sure it¡¯s not a fake report?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying, we have to check it out.¡±


    Commander Wibow scratched his cheek with his fingers.


    ¡°The informant appears to be the youngest son of that Kibeon family.¡±


    ¡°If he is the youngest son of the Kibeon family¡­¡±


    The soldiers¡¯ bodies stiffened. It was the same for Devan. The youngest son of the Kibeon family must be Pelos.


    ¡°Yes, you might think that other children would lie, but he is the youngest son of the Kibeon family. He doesn¡¯t have the personality to lie, and even if he did¡­¡­¡­..¡±


    ¡°And even then, it means that the Commander will have to confirm it himself.¡±


    One soldier stepped forward as if he was convinced.


    ¡°But there are soldiers guarding the garden. We¡¯re here to protect Her Imperial Highness¡­


    ¡°The remaining soldier still had a hard look on his face, but Commander Wibow shook his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem¡­..the demons appeared near there, so all the soldiers went there.¡±


    ¡°Still, Young master Karen¡­¡­¡­¡±


    One of the soldiers shook his head.


    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s time-sensitive, so let¡¯s talk as we go. According to my information, you and I are the closest to where the demons are.¡±


    ¡°But the Princess¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve contacted the Empress on my way here. She¡¯ll probably be here soon.¡±


    One of the soldiers was still hesitating. He was hesitant to leave.


    ¡®Please, please, please go.¡¯ Devan murmured to himself, clenching his fist.

 Chapter 53

    ***


    ***


    The commander said to the hesitant soldier as if he was frustrated.


    ¡°Hey, what do you mean there aren¡¯t monsters around here?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t go right now, they can invade this place. In the end, it is your duty to protect the country to destroy the demons.¡±


    Feeling that there was no more time to delay, the commander hurriedly took the lead.


    One soldier followed him, and the one who hesitated until the end had no choice but to step away.


    Devan stuck his head out and looked at the door that was covered with an insignia.


    There was nobody there.


    It must have all been done by Pelos and Karen.


    Devan wondered how the hell they were going to handle the aftermath, but that wasn¡¯t important.


    Soon the maid of the empress¡¯s palace will arrive.


    Now was the chance. Devan ran quickly to the door.


    Click- Then he carefully opened the door.


    The room was very large and shiny. In the middle was a cradle that looked exactly like gold.


    There must be Astrilla in it. Devan slowly walked towards it.


    The cradle was far too high. Even when he stood on tiptoe, he could only see a few strands of her red hair.


    He came all the way here, and he couldn¡¯t go without seeing her face.


    Devan picked up a few large books from a nearby bookshelf and stacked them high by the cradle.


    Then, holding the edge of the cradle, he narrowly climbed onto the books. Finally, He saw Astrilla¡¯s face. Devan¡¯s expression brightened. She seemed to be asleep. Her long, burning red hair was scattered on the pillow.


    Devan reached out and tried to touch her, but saw his hands full of dirt and stopped. Picking flowers, climbing trees, and crossing walls, it was natural that it was dirty.


    Instead, he carefully took out the flower he had placed in his back pocket.


    Whoosh¡ª He blew out the dirt that might have been buried in the flower. Devan paused as he was about to put it next to her.


    The child he saw in person looked smaller and weaker than he thought.


    What if there is something dirty on it? What if it adversely affects the child? Devan looked at the flower and Astrilla alternately. It was then.


    Creak!


    ¡°¡­.¡­ Princess!¡±


    Suddenly the door opened and a scream was heard. She was the maid of the Empress Palace who said she would soon come.


    Devan, startled, quickly turned his head and looked towards the door.


    Because of that, he lost his balance, and his body staggered and fell over the cradle with the baby.


    ¡°Astrilla!¡±


    Unfortunately, the maid wasn¡¯t the only one in the room.


    A woman with bright red hair waving from her chest and wearing an overly glamorous dress strode towards the cradle.


    She was Astrilla¡¯s mother, Devan¡¯s father¡¯s wife, and the empress of this country.


    ¡°Astrilla!¡±


    The Empress approached the cradle with her bright red hair fluttering, and hugged Astrilla tightly.


    ¡°Baby! Are you okay?¡±


    Astrilla woke up from the noise and blinked blankly. She didn¡¯t cry, she didn¡¯t frown.


    However, the empress¡¯s eyebrows furrowed.


    Her sharp gaze turned to Devan.


    Devan barely lifted his upper body from the cradle.


    The books stacked high had already collapsed. He was barely holding out with his arms over the cradle.


    It was difficult to get down from the high cradle without help.


    But the Empress did not seem to want to help him, and the maid was busy watching her expression.


    ¡°Why did you come here?¡±


    Even though she said ¡®you¡¯, the Empress was dignified.


    It didn¡¯t seem like a question to be answered. It was closer to a scold than that. Devan licked his lips a few times. The arms holding the cradle started to numb. He took a deep breath, staring at the flat floor seen through the fallen books.


    He grabbed the cradle with one arm and gave strength to his thighs.


    However, it was difficult to land while avoiding books scattered here and there in an uncomfortable position.


    Devan eventually stepped on the back of a large book and slipped down. His ankle was bent in a strange shape. Devan frowned, holding back his groan. While watching him, the empress¡¯s eyes did not blink. Instead, she took a step back, hugging Astrilla tighter. As if to protect her.


    As if in front of her was not an eight-year-old boy with a sprained ankle, but a terrible monster.


    ¡°How the hell did you get here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I want to see the baby¡­¡­ .¡±


    Enduring the pain, Devan murmured with his head bowed.


    It was less than five times including today that he saw the Empress in person.


    So it was only natural that neither the bright red hair nor the scary eyes he could adapt.


    ¡°¡­¡­ If you want to see the baby, go through the formal process.¡±


    Nonsense.


    Devan could not meet anyone in the Imperial Palace at his will, and she knew that.


    Biting her red lips, the Empress stared at Devan.


    She really seemed to think he was trying to do harm to Astrilla.


    Her wary eyes turned to Devan, then to the fallen books, and then to the cradle.


    To be precise, it was the red flower that had been crushed by the weight of Devan¡¯s fall and had lost its appearance.


    ¡°That¡­.¡±


    Something similar to expectations appeared on Devan¡¯s face.


    ¡°To give it to Astrilla¡­.!¡±


    However, the empress¡¯s expression hardened even more.


    As she beckoned, the maid carefully picked up the flower from the cradle and handed it over.


    ¡°What the hell were you trying to do?¡±


    The hand of the empress holding the flower trembled.


    ¡°Are you going to kill her?¡±


    ¡°What¡­.?¡±


    ¡°Among all that, the red flower.¡±


    Devan swallowed the dry saliva.


    What¡¯s wrong with red flowers? As far as he knew, there was no such law.


    There must have been some misunderstanding. It had to be.


    ¡°Because flowers bloomed in the garden¡­..I thought it was the same color as Astrilla¡¯s hair¡­.¡±


    The Empress dropped the flower on the floor as if it were dirty.


    ¡°In this country, when you cast a curse, you use flowers of the same color as the person¡¯s hair.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡­What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why not even a single red flower blooms in the imperial palace. But you said you brought it from the garden? What kind of life have you been living that you lie easily like that?¡±


    She was sarcastic.


    Only then did Devan find out why there was only one red flower in the corner of the garden.


    The garden of the detached palace was managed by only one old butler. Because of this, he must have not seen the flower seeds that flew in and sprouted.


    Devan turned pale.


    To put a curse on a person with the same kind of flower as their hair color. Devan had never heard of such a thing.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know¡­I just thought it would look good on her.¡±


    ¡°When giving a blessing, use the same color as your pupils, and when giving a curse, use the same color as your hair. No matter how low the status of a person, there is no one who is unaware of the curse that descends upon the Empire. Even a child.¡±


    Devan bit his lips.


    The Empress did not seem to want to believe his story.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    As if she didn¡¯t want to hear any excuses, she quickly turned around.


    The maid opened the door, and the Empress left the room without hesitation, embracing Astrilla dearly.


    The red flower was mercilessly trampled under her feet.


    Devan raised his helplessly trembling hand as if to catch her.


    The Empress, who had left the room halfway, turned her head slightly.


    She murmured, looking disgustedly at Devan, who still had his head down.


    It was a little too loud to say that she was speaking to herself.


    ¡°Red eyes that look just like his mother¡­.¡±


    Suddenly, Devan raised his head, and at that moment the door slammed shut.


    Now that was all that was left of this large, empty room.


    The large cradle was empty and Devan was alone.


    He blankly walked towards the window. The window that filled one side was taller than his height. Slowly, he placed his hand on the window. The glass he touched was cold enough to make him shiver.


    Devan blinked blankly.


    The red eyes that everyone said were disgusting blinked and blinked. It appeared and disappeared, appeared and disappeared repeatedly.


    Red eyes.


    Among the heirs of the emperor, Devan was the only one who did not have any golden light in his eyes. When Devan was born, the palace was buzzing with unhealthy rumors.


    They suspected that Devan¡¯s mother had done something unclean. The blood of the imperial family did not mix, but Devan had red eyes. The fact that his mother died shortly after giving birth to him was enough to ignite a growing suspicion.


    He may not be the emperor¡¯s child. It was an instant that the rumors became true.


    Above all, there was no one to refute, so the rumors spread unhindered.


    Devan¡¯s mother was an orphan with only a nominal title.


    Seeing only her beauty, it was a national marriage that the emperor enforced. Such origins and backgrounds were enough to strengthen the rumors.


    Is it really true?


    Devan stared blankly at his reflection in the window, then glided down and sat on the floor.


    His ankle, which had been throbbing the whole time, was in unbearable pain.


    He wanted to dig out his eyes. If not, he wanted to hide it. He wanted to close his eyes forever.


    His eyes looked exceptionally red today.


    Devan¡¯s gaze fell randomly and headed for the trampled red flower. It was so messed up that the form could not be recognized. Trying to reach over there, he closed his eyes instead.


    Many things ran through his mind.


    He thought about the future.


    The Empress will tell the Emperor what happened today. He will be despised even more than he is now, and he will be imprisoned in the separate palace.


    Maybe he¡¯ll get kicked out.


    Everyone wanted Astrilla.


    If Astrila was the center of the circle, then he was the periphery of the circle.


    No one wanted him.


    Devan breathed like a sigh. There was white steam on the windowsill.


    Golden eyes, the color of nothing. That was all eight-year-old Devan wanted.

 Chapter 54

    ***


    ***


    Devan Lantimos became blind overnight. He was ten years old.


    Everyone said it was the expected result.


    It was only natural that Astrilla was chosen as the successor, and that Devan was blind. They regarded the curse upon him as divine providence.


    It was said that God had blinded him because his mother committed infidelity and gave birth to a child she should not have had.


    Devan¡¯s red eyes were evidence of infidelity, a trace that should disappear.


    Devan was crowned by the emperor.


    The title of Grand Duke seemed plausible only from the looks of it. He was kicked out to the outskirts, which was embarrassing even to be called a territory.


    Still, he had no complaints. Maybe he didn¡¯t even know it was bad.


    The world of darkness where nothing could be seen was hellish and dark, but at the same time it was warm.


    He couldn¡¯t see, but that also meant that others couldn¡¯t see his eyes.


    Devan liked the black cloth that covered his red eyes.


    There was a prophecy that the curse could be lifted, but he didn¡¯t even think about finding it.


    It was because he thought that it was not so bad to just breathe and live like this. That was until he was seventeen, he heard giggles of laughter around him. He had a strange ability. He was starting to see a little bit ahead.


    Then, strangely, greed began to develop.


    By nature, human beings covet the things that are likely to be reached at any moment rather than those that will never reach them.


    He wanted to see ahead. He missed the scenery he had taken for granted.


    Why me? Why me?


    He had such a resentment.


    For some time he resented his mother, the emperor, the empress, and Astrilla. For a time he resented the gods, temple, and high priests, and for some time he resented his existence and his d*mn fate.


    He wanted to be freed from the curse.


    What does all color mean? If he could see ahead, he seemed to be able to love even his red eyes.


    He started looking for the protagonist of the prophecy.


    [The young goddess of the sun, who embraces the fragrance of daisies, will break your curse.]


    So he found Evelyn.


    But after that, nothing went as expected.


    Devan collapsed, and a year later came to his senses, and Evelyn had escaped somewhere. The curse was lifted, but his right eye was dim, and a disgusting black creature was wriggling.


    The goddess of fate said that the black existence in his eye and the giggles that had haunted him for years were the same, and the temple, they controlled demons by using a mysterious power called black magic.


    Then, his younger sister who became the Crown Princess said that she would destroy the current emperor and the temple.


    Devan thought it all boils down to one action. The temple must be destroyed. So he had to get what he wanted. Devan didn¡¯t want much.


    He didn¡¯t want the throne, as everyone babbled, he didn¡¯t want great power or great wealth.


    It wasn¡¯t the color he didn¡¯t have that he wanted. It wasn¡¯t the golden eyes. What he wanted was a life where no one would hate him.


    No one, including himself.


    ***


    I looked at Devan Lantimos¡¯ tousled, dark hair that covered his eyebrows and his beautiful red eyes.


    ¡°¡­¡­ It was you.¡±


    Large veins popped up on Devan¡¯s large hand as he gripped the railing of the terrace tightly, and his enlarged eyes were red.


    I looked into Devan¡¯s eyes.


    Suddenly, I remembered the child from before. Black hair, red eyes, and a slightly sharp impression.


    ¡°It was your childhood.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Are you sure?¡±


    I licked my lips.


    Am I sure? I couldn¡¯t say anything. Because I didn¡¯t know about  Devan¡¯s childhood.


    This was just an intuition. He changed the question as if he noticed that too.


    ¡°Why? Why did he look like my childhood?¡±


    I shook my head. This was also not a question I could answer.


    Devon covered my eyes with one hand.


    ¡°Is it related to me? That being?¡± (Devan)


    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know anything. Maybe, for no reason.¡±


    ¡°No reason?¡±


    ¡°It could be to tease us. How do they know what we¡¯re thinking? Last time it said it doesn¡¯t like boring things. Have you ever had anything to do with daisy flowers when you were a kid?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°¡­ none. Except for that prophecy, never.¡± (Devan)


    I recalled the boy I saw a few hours ago. I didn¡¯t know that even a small thing could be a clue.


    ¡°That child¡­There was dirt on his clothes. It looked luxurious¡­ I thought it didn¡¯t fit.¡± (Evelyn)


    Despite my stuttering words, Devan waited without urging.


    ¡°It must be a commoner child. He was wearing black pants, but it seemed a little old-fashioned.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°He took the daisy flower out of his back pocket. It was almost unrecognizable. It looked like it was stepped on.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°The flower from the back pocket that looked like it had been trampled on?¡± (Devan)


    It wasn¡¯t meant to be a big deal. It was a word I was throwing openly, even though I knew it would be of no use.


    But at that point, Devan¡¯s expression hardened.


    ¡°Do you have something to point out?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°¡­ ¡­ I had that experience when I was young.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°An experience¡­¡±  (Evelyn)


    ¡°I put the flower in my back pocket. It was trampled on. But, it wasn¡¯t a daisy flower.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°Maybe I misunderstood? He was very young. He looked less than ten years old¡­¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°I was eight years old. The flower I had was red. I remembered it clearly.¡± (Devan)


    I kept my mouth shut because he sounded very sure. Seeing that he was so confident in his experience when he was only eight, I had no idea it was something important.


    ¡°Do you know what happened at that time?¡± (Devan)


    Devan muttered.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°¡­ No, it¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± (Devan)


    Devan rubbed his face harshly with one hand. He looked confused.


    What would a child have to pick up flowers for? If it was a gift, who was it intended for?


    Devan said as if to change the subject.


    ¡°More than that, one thing has become clear that it can change its shape at will.¡±


    ¡°Is it going to stop appearing in Hilda¡¯s form?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Appearing in the form of a child this time could be just a warning.¡±


    ¡°Warning? A warning about what?¡±


    ¡°Warning not to dig further.¡±


    I opened my eyes brightly. Because I now remembered what the child said to me.


    ¡°The boy said something!¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°What?¡± (Devan)


    ¡°I forgot. Why, why did I forget?¡± (Evelyn)


    It was absurd to even think about it myself.


    I remembered everything clearly, but why didn¡¯t remember that one word?


    ¡°He may have manipulated your memory. It wasn¡¯t the first time that happened. What else did he say?¡± (Devan)


    ¡°Be careful¡­.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°What?¡± (Devan)


    I remembered that playful voice.


    ¡°He told me to be careful. It was very clear!¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°Be careful¡­?¡±


    ¡°It was not just a warning. He might not mean don¡¯t dig further, it¡¯s¡­it sounded like he wanted to help us.¡± (Evelyn)


    Devan¡¯s thoughts seemed a little different from mine. His lips twisted.


    ¡°Help? You¡¯re going through bad memories.¡±


    ¡°Last time and this time¡­¡­ . Something is strange. I think it¡¯s a little different from what we think.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°Did you have feelings for it? You¡¯re siding with it as well this time around.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not taking sides¡­¡± (Evelyn)


    He bit his lips tightly.


    When we were about to die by the demons from the temple, that was the thing that saved us.


    What if it wants to help us again this time?


    The high priests clenched their teeth by attaching absurd and poor grounds, and denounced their existence as black magic.


    The temple was regarded as sacred, and the black magic was defined as harm. This fact had been overlooked so far.


    Temple was not a good group that received the grace of God, as people knew.


    They abused children and robbed them of their powers.


    Wasn¡¯t it the exact opposite of what was known to the public? So what about black magic?


    Rather, the good side is¡­.My chest went up and down sharply.


    Looking at Devan, I spoke slowly.


    ¡°I feel like it¡¯s leading us.¡±


    ¡°Leading?¡±


    ¡°Because of that existence, because of its power, I escaped from the Grand Duchy. That power made your right eye blurry, and that¡¯s why you came to me. There, it helped us when we were in danger, and this time even gave us a warning¡­.¡±


    ¡°You mean it¡¯s playing with us?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it. That¡¯s not it¡­.


    I bit my lower lip as if crushing it. Yeah, it¡¯s not¡­


    ¡°There is something else it wants. It¡¯s leading us to that.¡±


    ¡°What it wants¡­ ¡­ .¡±


    Devan turned and leaned his back against the railing.


    He raised his head and looked up, and slowly closed his eyes. His Adam¡¯s apple moved up and down.


    ¡°If it¡¯s leading us, I think there¡¯s only one thing it wants.¡±


    Devan¡¯s eyelids fluttered up, red eyes turned to me, and I nodded as I met his eyes.


    ¡°Yes, what it wants is¡­¡±


    ¡°To destroy the temple.¡±

 Chapter 55

    ***


    ***


    The debutante was over.


    In one way or another, we had successfully achieved our goal of making my face known in the social world.


    But this was not the time to be satisfied. Because next week was the wedding.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Devan was drinking tea in the hall leisurely.


    With less than a week left until the wedding, to be precise, we had to break into the temple to meet Cordelia and find a clue, but he seemed overly relaxed.


    ¡°The wedding!¡±


    ¡°Sit down for now.¡±


    He gestured with his chin to the other side of the table. It seemed that I was the only one nervous.


    ¡°When you took the qualification exam, you said you fell asleep without knowing it. That¡¯s what the temple did, so we can¡­.¡±


    ¡°Sit down first.¡±


    Devan interrupted me and pointed to the other side again.


    I stared at him, stopped talking, and sat down.


    ¡°I told you before. I have a guess.¡±


    Devan handed the teacup in front of me.


    Only then did I notice that there were too many teacups on the table. At least it was more than enough for two people.


    ¡°¡­ ¡­ What is all this?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°It¡¯s for you.¡±( Devan)


    ¡°Me?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°The royal family of this country.¡± (Devan)


    Devan clenched his chin and began to speak.


    ¡°Since birth, I have been poisoned little by little. That created tolerance. It¡¯s not surprising, though.¡± (Devan)


    I looked down at the teacup.


    The tea leaves in the teacup looked similar in color and scent to usual, but when he talked about poison, I was somewhat reluctant.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t treated like royalty, but my butler is a competent custodian, and he is good with most poison.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°So¡­.? Are you saying all this is poison?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°On the day of the exam, the only special thing Astrilla and I did at the temple was drinking tea. After that, other people who were married at the temple also testified that they drank the same tea.¡± (Devan )


    ¡°Then you can just refuse the tea.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°Then they¡¯ll be suspicious. Drink the tea, but don¡¯t give them the effect they want. That¡¯s the best thing.¡± (Devan)


    I hesitated and looked down at the teacup.


    ¡°¡­¡­ So you want me to drink this?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°It¡¯s kind of forcing you to sleep. It¡¯s not life-threatening.¡± (Devan)


    Devan shrugged.


    I didn¡¯t have any faith. Since he was a human, there may be a mistake somewhere.


    ¡°Today is a test. Take a sip from the one on the left and watch the progress for an hour.¡± (Devan)


    From the left?


    I took a closer look, the amount of tea leaves in the leftmost teacup was significantly less, and the rightmost teacup contained the most.


    It seemed that he was planning to feed me from the lightest poison concentration.


    ¡°If an adverse reaction occurs, stop there. After I figure out the appropriate amount, I will gradually increase the amount starting tomorrow.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°¡­wouldn¡¯t it have been better if we started a little earlier? We only have a week left¡­¡­¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°I did some research on this tea, and they said that if you drink it for more than 10 days, side effects may remain. However, it is difficult to build tolerance if you start too late, so I just decided that a week would be the most appropriate.¡±(Devan)


    ¡°Are you sure a week is okay¡­..?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll try not to kill you.¡± (Devan)


    The corners of Devan¡¯s lips drew a beautiful arc. It was like the sweetest death threat in the world.


    ¡°Am I the only one who will drink it? Not you?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°Because I¡¯m already resistant to it. Why, are you scared that I¡¯ll kill you?¡± (Devan)


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I smiled stiffly.


    As if it was nothing, the old butler, who was standing politely, poured the tea into several teacups one after another.


    I slowly lifted the teacup on the far left of the table. My mouth was dry.


    ¡°And one more thing, I have to tell you.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°What is it?¡± (Evelyn)


    After taking a sip of tea, I replied with a frown at the strange taste.


    It didn¡¯t matter if Devan really said that, or whether I had all my nerves on the poison.


    ¡°Remember what I said last time?¡± (Devan)


    ¡°Last time?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°When I showed you the drawing.¡±(Devan)


    I picked up the second cup, took a sip, and immediately put it down in disgust. When did he show the drawing? What did he say then?


    ¡°But in this case¡­¡­¡±


    Devan suddenly opened his mouth, then stopped talking again.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What were you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡­ No, I just want the meal to cool down.¡±


    I rolled my eyes.


    Obviously, at the time, Devan was about to say something but didn¡¯t continue.


    I¡¯ve been thinking about it ever since. I also thought that if I had a chance someday, I would have to ask.


    ¡°That¡¯s the story, right? In this case¡­¡­¡­¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°Yes. The temple¡¯s security is usually poor. We don¡¯t want our information leaked, so we don¡¯t hire mercenaries, and it¡¯s not difficult to subdue a priest.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°Okay. But what¡¯s different in this case? Why?¡±  (Evelyn)


    I frowned as I thought I knew the reason.


    The butler handed me the third teacup.


    ¡°When we came to the capital, monsters appeared. Those monsters were an exception that was made because of you.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Are you saying that there will be another exception because of me?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°This wedding is an opportunity for us to approach the temple, but it is also an opportunity for the temple to hold onto you.¡± (Devan)


    He blinked at the third teacup as if to urge me to drink it.


    I picked up the teacup, barely soothing my stomach, which had started to sting a little earlier.


    As soon as I took a sip, the bitter and strange taste filled my taste buds.


    A chance for the temple to seize me.


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    I wanted to give him an answer, but I couldn¡¯t think properly. It wasn¡¯t easy.


    My tongue was hardened, my pronunciation could not be done properly, and my body was limp.


    Tuk- I dropped my arms weakly on the table. Because of that, the teacups that collided with each other made an unpleasant sound.


    The old butler quickly and skillfully removed all the teacups from the table. As the table emptied, I staggered and rubbed my forehead. My eyes were blurry. Is this from the poison?


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s it.¡±


    The old butler looked at Devan and said.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s all for today.¡± (Devan)


    My eyelids were heavy.


    Through my blurred vision, Devan¡¯s bored smile was visible.


    ***


    Inside the dusty training ground, there were many soldiers wielding swords on straw bales.


    Their trainer, Karen Webow, frowned in the scorching sun overhead.


    ¡°Hey, Karen!¡±


    Then he heard a voice calling him from afar. It was Pelos Kibeon, who was waving his hand.


    ¡°Pelos¡­.? Like this three hundred more times.¡±


    After issuing a cruel order, Karen left the training ground.


    ¡®Why did he come here?¡¯


    As Karen approached with an audible murmur, Pelos held up the wine he was holding in one hand.


    ¡°Karen!¡±


    ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡±


    Karen looked at Pelos¡¯s pure white uniform and wine alternately. It was really an unsuitable combination.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to greet you properly.¡±


    After Karen followed Devan to the capital, he (Karen) and Pelos had already met and talked a few times.


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°If we didn¡¯t have wine, is that called a greeting?¡±


    Pelos took out a large piece of cloth from his pocket, put it down on the floor, and sat down as if it was natural.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to drink wine here?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to leave the training ground for a long time anyway. Wouldn¡¯t this be good for each other?¡±


    Karen looked at Pelos with a puzzled expression as Pelos opened the cork.


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t bring a glass, so you¡¯ll have to drink it from the bottle.¡±


    ¡°If the Grand Duke finds out about this¡­¡±


    ¡°Grand Duke!¡±


    Pong¡ª The cork popped out with a refreshing sound.


    ¡°Karen, now you can call him ¡®Devan¡¯ when he¡¯s not here.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m different from you. Do you know how many years I¡¯ve been with the Grand Duke? It means that I can¡¯t call his name comfortably like you. And you¡¯re the weird one who still calls me by my first name even after I got the title.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. That¡¯s enough. Sit down.¡±


    Pelos took the bottle of wine and took a sip.


    ¡°It is clear that you are suffering in the scorching sun, so I kept it specially cold.¡±


    He then handed the wine to Karen, who was still standing tall. With a hesitant expression, Karen looked at the wine and the soldiers still in training alternately.


    ¡°Come on, Karen. Aren¡¯t you going to have fun?¡±


    Pelos¡¯ eyes sharpened. Karen finally shook his head and sat down next to him.


    It was a routine training, so it was fortunate that he wasn¡¯t wearing heavy armor.


    ¡°So, what are we going to talk about?¡±


    Karen asked, gulping down the wine. As Pelos said, it was cold enough to make his backbone frown.


    ¡°Hey, do you know what Devan and Lady Evelyn are doing?¡±


    ¡°What are they doing? Well¡­ . All I know is that the Lady has lifted His Highness¡¯s curse and now the two of them are getting married. So, they¡¯re getting ready to get married. What else is going on?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve become a really boring guy in the blink of an eye, Karen.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Karen¡¯s face darkened at Pelos¡¯s demeanor, which was constantly scratching his nerves.


    ¡°I mean, Devan is choosing a robe.¡±  (Pelos)


    ¡°What? Devan?¡±


    As if he had forgotten honorifics, Karen shouted out Devan¡¯s name.


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s choosing a wedding attire!¡± (Pelos)

 Chapter 56

    ***


    ¡°Yes, that Devan is personally selecting the wedding attire!¡±


    Karen¡¯s mouth dropped open at Pelos¡¯ words.


    ¡°No, with his aesthetic sense, wedding attire¡­. Shouldn¡¯t we hurry and tell the Lady?¡±


    ¡°Amazingly, Lady Evelyn asked him herself. Or rather, she ordered it.¡±


    ¡°Is Lady Evelyn going to ruin her own wedding?¡±


    Pelos smiled broadly, haha, with a pleasant expression on his face. (*They are talking about Devan¡¯s bad taste in clothes ????)


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing. The truth is that it¡¯s all about fixing Devan¡¯s aesthetic sense.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯m going to watch him choose the attire and reject it. If he repeats a few times, Devan¡¯s aesthetic sense will improve a little.¡±


    ¡°Oh my.¡±


    Karen shook his head and took a big sip of his wine.


    ¡°If that would fix it, it would have been fixed by now. Do you think His Highness will accept the rejection in the first place?¡±


    ¡°Do you think Devan won¡¯t listen to Lady Evelyn?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t you know His Highness is a stubborn man when he chose something? In other words, if he saw a certain attire and thought it was alright, he would not withdraw that choice.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­..¡±


    Pelos stroked his chin.


    ¡°So they¡¯ll both end up wearing comical outfits for their wedding. The Lady¡¯s hope is useless.¡±


    ¡°Yes ¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Karen¡¯s face reflected suspicion.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s possible if Devan breaks his stubbornness.¡± (Pelos)


    ¡°¡­¡­ are you serious?¡± (Karen)


    ¡°Have you ever seen me lie?¡± (Pelos)


    Karen searched his memory. Pelos was a man who often joked, but he never lied with such an unfriendly look on his face.


    And Pelos, though he hated to admit it, was quick-witted. If he had said it was possible, he could have really made it happen, no matter how impossible it seemed.


    Nevertheless, for once, Karen doubted.


    ¡°Why?¡± (Karen)


    ¡°What do you care? You don¡¯t believe me, apparently.¡± (Pelos)


    ¡°Of course.¡± (Karen)


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t we make a bet?¡± (Pelos)


    ¡°A bet?¡± (Karen)


    Pelos took the wine from Karen¡¯s hand and drank every last drop.


    ¡°Will Devan and Lady wear ridiculous clothes, or will they wear beautiful clothes for their wedding?¡± (Pelos)


    ¡°What do you want to bet on?¡± (Karen)


    ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll tell you why; Why Devan will break his stubbornness.¡± (Pelos)


    ¡°Then what if I lose?¡± (Karen)


    ¡°Of course¡­¡­¡± (Pelos)


    Pelos pretended to ponder. First he met Karen, gave him wine, and discussed this long subject, all for the sake of the current bet.


    Karen was a man who knew faith supremely well. It was the worst humiliation for the Webow family and for the knights to break a promise.


    He could tell when Karen gave him the family heirloom for a mere wine¡¯s challenge.


    Therefore, this insignificant bet would be effective enough for Karen.


    ¡°Let me borrow your strength.¡± (Pelos)


    ¡°Strength?¡±


    Karen was also a simpleton.


    ¡°Literal strength. For example, when carrying heavy things¡­ I¡¯m sure there are often times when ¡­¡­ I need your help.¡± (Pelos)


    ¡°That strength.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Then give me that strength just once, regardless of time and place.¡± (Pelos)


    Karen nodded in agreement, as Pelos had expected.


    ¡°I like that. Good!¡±


    With a satisfied smile, Pelos pulled another bottle of wine from his pocket.


    ¡°How many bottles of wine did you hide? You¡¯re a priest. ¡­¡­.¡± (Karen)


    ¡°So you are not going to drink?¡± (Pelos)


    Karen¡¯s mouth also smiled somewhat.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡±


    Pong ¨C pulling out the cork stopper, Pelos smiled secretly.


    He thought to himself, he made a bet that he couldn¡¯t possibly lose, regardless if he won or lost.


    * * *


    Time flew like an arrow, and before I knew it, it was the day before the wedding.


    ¡°Lady, what should we do about the hair?¡±


    The maid, whom I had gotten to know a little better since the debutante, asked.


    We had to head to the temple a day in advance for a purification ceremony the night before the wedding.


    Devan and I were the only ones allowed in the temple, not even the butler or maid.


    Of course, there were no attendants to change my clothes, so I had to wear a comfortable dress that I could sleep in.


    Of course, I wasn¡¯t going to let them make me sleep.


    ¡°Since the dress is simple, I think I¡¯ll decorate your hair with pearls and flowers.¡±


    She didn¡¯t particularly like the pale beige dress with no pattern, the maid added.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to do anything.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I have to stay the night there, and it¡¯ll be uncomfortable to wear pearls.¡±


    ¡°But ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ then let¡¯s do flowers! You can take off the flowers easily¡­.¡±


    I shook my head in frustration at the sound of the maid¡¯s voice.


    Actually, I was going to see Cordelia, not a purification ceremony. I couldn¡¯t walk around with little flowers on my head, not knowing what to expect.


    ¡°Just brush it for me.¡±


    With a disappointed face, the maid began to brush my hair.


    I sighed inaudibly as I stared at my golden locks in the mirror.


    I was nervous just to have a wedding, but the prospect of returning to the temple and seeing Cordelia was even more terrifying.


    When I finished getting ready, Devan was waiting for me in front of the carriage.


    We had to wear light colored clothing at the Temple¡¯s request. So Devan also wore a plain white shirt and beige pants.


    I didn¡¯t intend it, but it matched my dress, so I blushed a little.


    ¡°Are you nervous?¡± (Devan)


    Devan asked as I stood in front of the carriage.


    ¡°¡­.. a little.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°I would have been disappointed if you said no.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°Huh?¡±  (Evelyn)


    ¡°If you are not nervous on your wedding day, you have no expectations of your partner.¡± (Devan)


    Devan held out one hand to me. It was a similar action to requesting a dance.


    As I looked at him curiously, he gave a small shake of his head and sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting in front of the carriage. Are you going to ignore me this time like last time?¡± (Devan)


    ¡°Last time?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°When you debuted.¡± (Devan)


    The debutante? I searched my memory. I recalled Devan waiting for me outside the carriage when I had the debutante.


    I was mesmerized seeing his appearance and rushed into the carriage with the excuse that my feet hurt because of my shoes.


    Does that mean he waited in front of the carriage on purpose?


    The reason why he was in a bad mood that day¡­¡­.


    Devan shook his hand as if to urge me. I looked down at his long fingers.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had the personality to care about this kind of thing.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°Someone doesn¡¯t even give me a chance to be attentive.¡± (Devan)


    I said, taking his hand in mine and babbling on for no reason.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who it is, but she¡¯s mean.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°Right? I¡¯ll scold her severely.¡± (Devan)


    Devan smiled behind our entwined fingers. I could feel my own face getting hot, even without having to look in the mirror.


    ***


    The temple was magnificent. Perhaps even more so than the Imperial Palace.


    I could see the steeple in the distance, and in the whole process of getting out of the carriage and stepping into the temple, I had to make an effort to calm my heartbeat, which was thumping and thumping constantly.


    My mouth went parched, my hands grew stiff and hard.


    I had returned, to such a disgusting place. ¡®I am back.¡¯


    ¡°Tomorrow, prior to the ceremony, I will show you to your room for the purification ceremony.¡±


    A priest with a white cloth over his face politely ushered us in.


    The figure looked more bizarre than sacred. I didn¡¯t even know if it was because of my personal view.


    ¡°Is it just as it was when you were a child?¡±


    Devan, who was half a step ahead of me, whispered to me in a low voice.


    In my childhood at the temple. I was seven years old when I was adopted by Count Diego.


    If I was a normal person, I would not remember such a young age, nor the geography of the space in which I lived.


    But I grew up with memories of my previous life, so my memory was clearer than most people¡¯s.


    ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m not sure, but it seems to be the same.¡±


    However, back then, I was confined in a corner of the temple, so now I was clueless about the chapel and surrounding area where we would be having the wedding.


    We followed the priest, busily looking around but trying our utmost to avoid suspicion.


    We walked from a distance, just far enough that he could not hear us, perhaps he did not suspect us.


    ¡°Is it for the purification ceremony that he¡¯s covering with the white cloth?¡±


    ¡°Is the priest not clean?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for show, I suppose. Just because you put the cloth on doesn¡¯t mean that the dirt disappears.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a complacent idea that if you sleep in the temple overnight, you¡¯ll be purified.¡±


    Since it was just the three of us in the large, high space, no matter how small we said it, a whispering voice echoed.


    I would appreciate it if the priest would consider it the chatter of a couple who would perform the ceremony tomorrow, but it might not be.


    I fell silent and instead looked around the temple.


    The area where I lived as a child was a particularly old space. Now, it looked different. It was clear that it was renovated.


    The temple was too magnificent and majestic.


    The building, built entirely of white plaster, did not have a single mark.


    The ceiling was covered with ornate fan-shaped carvings, and huge pillars were erected on both sides.


    Between the pillars were windows, and the hanging white fabrics fluttering in the wind were spectacular.


    All of this meant one thing.


    Divine authority.


    It must have been a stunningly pompous attitude.


    ¡°This is the place.¡±


    Finally, the priest stopped.


    He opened the door and, after retreating into the distance, beckoned us in.


    The room was dimly lit, not a single ray of sunlight, despite the early morning.


    A table and teacups were prepared in the middle of the room, but everything was completely white, including the walls.


    I felt somewhat uneasy.

 Chapter 57

    ***


    I felt somewhat uncomfortable in the room.


    Perhaps it was just because it was all white.


    I slowly made my way to the table, rubbing my sweaty, nervous palms on the hem of my skirt.


    As we took our seats facing each other, the priest stood at the door, clasped his hands together, and politely said,


    ¡°This is the first ritual of purification, the Sacred Way. It is a place to return as you were born, without any blemish, with the grace of God. I will leave you seated, so please empty all your cups.¡±


    He bowed deeply and slowly closed the door.


    I stared at the teacup in front of me.


    There was no pattern or design on the teacup, as if it had just been made. The only thing that had color was the tea in it.


    ¡°¡­¡­I hope it¡¯s okay.¡±


    When asked carefully, Devan¡¯s eyes turned to the door.


    He lowered himself and whispered.


    ¡°They may be watching.¡±


    He meant to be discreet with my words.


    The tea, more than half full in the teacup, was the same color that of the tea I drank for a week until I got tired of it. When I smelled it, it had the same aroma.


    ¡°I¡¯d better drink it first.¡±


    Devan stopped me and lifted my cup.


    Wouldn¡¯t I have to drink first so that he can solve it when something happens?


    I¡¯m sure a week of training had built up some tolerance to the poison, but it wasn¡¯t at a level where I felt safe.


    As I stared at him with such a gaze, he whispered in a voice that I could hear.


    ¡°If you can¡­¡±


    He tapped his right eye instead of talking.


    ¡°A black being. Use that power¡­.¡±


    I nodded and he drank the tea down in one gulp.


    His neck moved a couple times. He said, putting the empty cup back.


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly the same.¡±


    He meant that it was the same tea he had prepared for my poison training.


    I breathed a sigh of relief and took a sip of tea with him.


    The taste was familiar. It was then that I took a few more sips.


    ¡°¡­¡­ wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Devan staggered, pointing at the table.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Devan?¡±


    His face wrinkled mercilessly.


    And then, just like that, he collapsed.


    ¡°Devan!¡±


    I quickly got up from my seat to catch him.


    My eyes were blurry. I was going to faint¡­..


    At that moment, I thought of what Devon had said.


    When push comes to shove¡­..I had to use that power. But how? Had I ever used that power of my own volition?


    The floor was near.


    Everything felt slow. I squeezed my eyes shut.


    I felt something explode deep inside me. I just passed out.


    * * *


    And when we came to our senses, we were lying in a dark corner of a different room.


    I quickly rolled my eyes and looked around.


    The condition was better than I had expected.


    The room was clean and beautiful, and the floor was covered with soft textured cloth.


    My head felt dizzy. I woke up, conscious but unable to move easily.


    I heard Devan moaning next to me. I whispered.


    ¡°Devan, have you come to your senses?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ yes.¡±


    He seemed to have given a harsh swear word after his reply, but deliberately ignored it.


    ¡°Is this different from what you expected?¡±


    My mind became foggy at times.


    It seemed that everything was the same. He stammered.


    ¡°What in the world happened?¡±


    ¡°You fell first. I drank some tea. ¡­¡­ At first I thought I was all right, but soon I stumbled. I also collapsed shortly afterwards,¡­¡­ but I had a bit of a reprieve, perhaps thanks to the fact that I didn¡¯t drink as much as you.¡±


    ¡°Did you use your power?


    ¡°¡­¡­I  don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡±You don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°I knew I had to use my powers for that little while¡­ ¡­Actually, that power, so Hilda¡¯s power is not something that can be used whenever I want. I don¡¯t know how to use it either.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°I think you may have used divine power.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    He nodded as if he understood.


    Devan tried to sit up with one arm on the floor, but his arm didn¡¯t have any strength.


    ¡°¡­¡­ d*mn it.¡±


    Devan lay down again.


    ¡®¡¯It seems that the divine power has neutralized the poison. The last time I woke up, the sun was already up in the middle of the sky.¡±


    I looked out the window along Devan¡¯s eyes and saw a dark sky because the sun had not yet risen.


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t make sense. How did we fall in the first place? It was the same tea. The smell, the color, the taste, everything was the same. You said you were already resistant to the poison and I trained for a week. We also did an inspection just before we came. But, why?¡±


    However, Devan did not answer what I said. Perhaps he didn¡¯t know the answer either.


    A moment later, an all too simple conclusion flashed through my mind.


    ¡°Wait a minute. Is it really because of the tea?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You said all royalty are resistant to poison.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that strange, then? So far, the only people who have come to the temple and taken the qualification test are members of the royal family. Most of the people who have had weddings are also members of the royal family. Devan, you also said that you developed resistance to poison at an early age. If you were tolerant, why do you think you collapsed when you took the qualifying exam?¡±


    ¡°¡­It was when I was a child, so I thought I just didn¡¯t have enough tolerance and collapsed¡­¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that you didn¡¯t have enough tolerance. It wasn¡¯t poison from the beginning. No, it wasn¡¯t exactly that tea!¡±


    ¡°You mean it was something else that made us faint?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The tea was a trap. Or it may have been insurance. They set up the tea and something else to knock us out. So that people could not be prepared.¡±


    ¡°Something else¡­¡­¡­. What is it?¡±


    Yes, the important thing was what on earth put us to sleep.


    I slowly thought to myself, that ¡°space in the sanctuary¡±.


    It was a pure space with all white ¡­¡­ At that moment, the uncomfortable feeling I felt came to mind.


    Why did I feel uncomfortable?


    ¡°It¡¯s that room. Wasn¡¯t it strange?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all white, so it would be weird if it wasn¡¯t weird.¡±


    ¡°But the temple was originally all white. We already walked down a white corridor, so why does it feel so strange just to enter a white room?¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to say that something was planted in that room?¡±


    ¡°If they put us to sleep by any other means than by tea, that room is the only place they could have done it. No one was around, and I didn¡¯t sense any kind of magic.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ that priest. Why did he leave?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If he was going to make us drink tea, he might as well keep an eye on us in the room. But he left.¡±


    He left and closed the door¡­..


    ¡°¡­¡­ window.¡±


    ¡°Window?¡±


    ¡°There was no window in that room. So even though it was early in the morning, it was dark!¡±


    Devan wrinkled his brow a little.


    ¡°So it¡¯s an act?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what methods they used, but it¡¯s very likely that they did. If the whole room was full of colorless, odorless smoke and we inhaled it¡­¡­..¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also why that priest had covered his face with a white cloth.¡±


    I slowly raised my arm and clenched and unclenched my fist. I could feel the blood gradually flowing.


    ¡°First we need to know where this room is. At the very least, it¡¯s certainly not the room where we had tea earlier.¡±


    The room was faintly visible in the dawn moonlight.


    I closed my eyes and felt the divine power in my body. Perhaps it was because I had drunk a strange tea, but I felt a faint power, weaker than usual. However, it was not so weak that I could not use it.


    ¡°It was still dawn. There is still time. We need to find Cordelia.¡±


    ¡°You would look for the girl even in this situation?¡±


    ¡°If not today, what choice do we have?¡±


    Devan let out an absurd laugh.


    ¡°Today? Is there a way?¡±


    I moved my hand slowly and grabbed his arm.


    Then I closed my eyes and concentrated. A faint, pure white light spread out. It seemed especially bright because it was in a dark room.


    ¡°If I had used my divine power just before I passed out, it would have meant that I did not completely sleep because of it.¡±


    ¡°You can fix this condition with your power?¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    ¡°After that?¡±


    ¡°After that¡­¡±


    It was that moment.


    I heard a rustling in the distance. We instantly held our breath.


    Perhaps because the temple was very quiet, we were able to hear the voices in the distance.


    Huh? I stared at Devan, and he stared at me.


    We opened our eyes wide as we faced each other.


    I was the only woman in the temple now. The person they were referring to was undoubtedly me.


    Devan was right. This wedding was a chance for the temple to catch me. A chance to catch a fish that had gotten its own foot in the net.


    They were going to take me. They even hired mercenaries, which they didn¡¯t usually use.


    What on earth were they going to do? No matter how much the High Priest exceeded the authority of the emperor, and no matter that Devan was an unwelcome member of the royal family.


    It was not normal for a bride-to-be to disappear from the temple.


    Of course, it was not a level that could not be completely contained in the temple, but would they go that far to take me? Maybe they were planning to kidnap me, quickly take away only my divine power, and return me, pretending that they didn¡¯t know about it.


    Either way, it was not good.

 Chapter 58

    ****


    Along with the sound of pounding footsteps, the sound of vulgar laughter grew closer and closer.


    The mercenaries hired by the temple were approaching to catch me.


    There seemed to be more than five people.


    I stopped sending out the divine power and released my hand from Devan.


    ¡°Can you move?¡±


    As I lowered my voice and whispered, he cautiously got up and nodded his head.


    He looked more sluggish than usual, but not to the point that he couldn¡¯t move.


    Will he be able to kill five with this body?  Moreover, he didn¡¯t even have a sword.


    ¡°I have a dagger.¡±


    As he rummaged through his pockets, he spoke slowly.


    I looked around quickly.


    I could see the faint blue moonlight coming in from the high window.


    The moonlight shone on the beautiful plaster pillars that lined the room.


    Pillars¡­ ? Why are the pillars in such awkward positions? I frowned.


    They weren¡¯t pillars.  They were statues in the image of a god.


    Men, women, old men, children¡­.A number of statues of various shapes stood tall like pillars and looked down on us. Arrogantly.


    ¡°¡­God.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°¡­  God can help us.¡±


    Devan looked at me with an expression of what stupid thing to say.


    At that moment, a rattling sound was heard everywhere as the doors opened and closed.


    Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t this room, but they seemed to have reached the vicinity. There was no time.


    ¡°Listen to me.¡±


    I quickly explained the plan to Devan.


    When the story was over, he looked up at the statues.


    ¡°Indeed. We¡¯re in desperate need of God.¡±


    Nodding our heads, we jumped up from our seats. Then we started to move in a hurry.


    It wasn¡¯t a matter of being caught or not. Because it was a race against time now.


    I could hear the mercenaries opening and closing the doors here and there, searching for me.


    Apparently, the temple didn¡¯t tell them which room they had locked us in.


    It must have been because they didn¡¯t want to give them the detailed geography of the temple.


    Well, if I hadn¡¯t used my divine powers, we wouldn¡¯t have woken up.


    They only needed to find me before dawn, and it was still quite some time before the sun would rise.


    So, the fact that we were awake now was a variable that they did not expect.


    Standing in a dark corner right in front of the door, we held our breath.


    The sound of footsteps was getting closer.  Now it was their turn to enter this room.


    ¡°If you make a fuss like this¡­¡­  It can¡¯t go on like it never happened, right?¡±


    I asked a strange question.


    Devan, who was standing behind me, shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°We have to. They started first. Whatever happens, we just face it.¡±


    ¡°I have a reason for liking you.¡±


    He smiled softly.  Perhaps it was because he had no strength in his body, and even that smile seemed more languid than usual.


    ¡°¡­ Can you do it?¡±


    At that moment, the door opened. I held my breath.


    ¡°What is so suspicious here?¡±


    ¡°Search.¡±


    ¡°There is nothing to search, look at this.  Only statues are lined up here. Is it a warehouse?¡±


    The men approached the statues lined up in a row.


    I held my breath a little more.


    ¡°These things I didn¡¯t learn.  Isn¡¯t this all Almighty God?¡±


    The bearded man who came closer and stared at the statue as he said so.


    ¡°Are they all different?¡±


    ¡°Because God can descend around us in any form.¡±


    ¡°Then what is that?¡±


    ¡°What is what?¡±


    A man¡¯s gaze turned to the statue covered in pure white cloth just below the window.  It was the cloth which we had just laid down on.


    The room was still dark.  How dark it was-


    ¡°¡­ is it human?¡±


    It was enough to confuse a statue with a person.


    Unlike the other statues, the suspicious appearance of the cloth covered alone only intensified their suspicions.


    ¡°Is that a woman?¡±


    At one man¡¯s words, everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on it.


    They placed their hands on their swords and slowly headed towards the statue.


    The statue was in the innermost part of the room, so the more they walked, the further away they were from the door.


    I lifted my heels and crept towards the door.


    It was when they had just reached the statue and swish- removed the cloth.


    ¡°Now!¡±


    Bang¡ª Devan, who was standing in front of the first statue, kicked violently.


    At my shout, the eyes of the men were focused on the door.  In the meantime, the statue of Devan was starting to tilt.


    Thump- Thump- Thump- Thump- Thump-


    The statue quickly fell on the statue next to it, and so, one fell over the next, shattering into pieces.


    By the time the men grasped the situation in the dark room, the biggest God in the room was already descending on them.


    ¡°Ugh, ahhhh!¡±


    Boom!


    A dull sound was heard. The statue was shattered.


    There was nothing more to see.  I left the room and ran down the hallway.  Devan soon followed me.


    I was out of breath, but somehow I was happy.  Maybe it was because I had smashed all the gods that the temple worshiped.


    ¡°Do you know the way?¡±


    Devan, who suddenly passed me, grabbed my hand and dragged me.


    ¡°Haa¡­..haaaa¡­¡­.¡±


    I could only breathe and didn¡¯t answer.  It was exhausting just to run.


    Tsk, Devan clicked his tongue and suddenly grabbed me and lifted me up.


    My vision was turned upside down. Before I knew it, I was up on one of his shoulders like luggage.


    ¡°What¡­  !¡±


    ¡°I want to be efficient, so be quiet and tell me the way.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t see the front, haaa, how can I tell you!¡±


    ¡°Look at it.¡±


    The hallway could be seen through the crack in his arm, but it was turned upside down.


    I felt like I was going to get motion sickness.  Nevertheless, in terms of efficiency, Devan was right.


    ¡°You have to go down the stairs over there.¡±


    Devan heard me and quickly turned to the stairs.


    I lifted my head and looked.  Fortunately, the mercenaries did not follow us.


    It might be impossible to follow us.  Because the statue was pretty heavy.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even look at the map?¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°Because you lived here.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°¡­ More than ten years ago.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°You were confident in your running form earlier.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°That¡­ Oh, right in front of this.¡± (Evelyn)


    I looked back at the drawing Devan had shown me.


    Since the drawing was a floor plan, there was no way to know where the hidden space was.


    To be precise, I knew which side it was, but I couldn¡¯t tell what floor it was.


    So we decided to check the place by going to every floor.


    But¡­Just recently, when I found a statue in the room looking down on me arrogantly, there was a place that immediately came to my mind.


    ¡°One more floor down.¡±


    Devan went down the stairs quickly.


    He hadn¡¯t yet fully recovered, but I couldn¡¯t believe he was carrying a person on his back and walking this fast.


    ¡°Go one more floor.¡±


    Devan, who was about to go down the stairs, suddenly stopped walking.


    Where the stairs were supposed to be, it was an end wall.


    ¡°The stairs are¡­.¡±


    ¡°I know where we are.¡±


    I patted Devan on the back to put me down.


    Devan carefully put me down. I straightened my outfit and looked around.


    The room we were locked in was on the first floor as we could see the window. We went down the stairs twice, so this was the second floor of the basement.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the temple consist of two floors underground and two floors above ground? They say that four is the closest number to God.¡±


    Devan asked. Obviously, the temple had only two floors on the ground, unlike its high appearance.


    It also had a two-story structure, so the tall building was full of useless windows.


    Everything was to look up to God.


    ¡°Externally, it is.¡±


    I looked at both sides quickly.


    There was still no sign of the mercenaries, but we could not let our guard down.


    Perhaps they would disappoint the temple to which they had been entrusted with the task¡ªor, to be precise, that there would be no more work for them, so they would come after us, keeping it a secret from the temple that we had woken up and ran away.


    I rather deal with them then the priests, who knew more about the geography of the temple.


    ¡°We have to go inside.¡±


    How far did we walk? I was able to find a large pipe organ without difficulty.


    It had an innumerable number of pipes, reaching up to the high ceiling.  Each size was about my height.


    ¡±In there¡­..?¡±


    Devan did not hide his absurd eyes.


    I bent a little and entered the lower part of the organ.


    There were two small doors. I pushed the door on the right side of it.


    ¡°Hurry up.¡±


    Upon entering, there were stairs.  It was a dark, narrow spiral staircase.


    I grabbed the handle and slid down the stairs.


    Devan still looked perplexed, but he followed me without complaints.


    As we went round and went down one floor, a hallway filled with rooms appeared on either side.  It was dark with no windows.  Unlike the previous appearance of the temple, it had a pleasant smell.


    I gently brushed the dust off my hands.


    ¡°The left door is where the organist enters, and the right door is the stairway leading to the third basement level.¡±


    ¡°How did you know about this place?¡±


    Devan frowned.


    ¡°¡­ Because that¡¯s where I lived.  To be precise, it was a place where children with divine powers lived instead of living with their parents.¡±


    ¡°Did you live here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and maybe even now¡­ The children are living here.¡±


    The hallway, where all the children were sleeping, was quiet. I quickly walked down the hallway, muffled the sound of footsteps.


    It was a place I couldn¡¯t help but remember, even if I didn¡¯t want to.


    Five children lived in a room that could barely fit an adult.


    We always had to sleep on top of each other.


    I had to get up as soon as the sun came up, and when I got up I had to clean the whole temple.


    Instead of eating a meal containing the nutrients necessary for growth, I had to drink a potion that could boost my energy.


    I had to treat the wealthy nobles, and the temple took all the money.


    After suffering endlessly and having all our powers robbed in the name of training, we would be sold somewhere.


    There were close to a hundred children who lived with me like that.


    Ten years had passed since then, and I did not know the whereabouts of any of them.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Devan stood tall and suddenly stopped walking.

 Chapter 59

    ****


    ¡°One moment.¡±


    Devan stood still.


    I frowned, not wanting to be here too long and we had no time to delay.


    ¡°We need to hurry.¡±


    ¡°No, isn¡¯t it strange?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Why is no one here?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the children live here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s dawn now. Everyone must be sleeping.¡±


    ¡°And there¡¯s no guard?¡±


    I winced. The temple definitely did not protect us, the children with divine powers, with great care. But that didn¡¯t mean they left us all alone.


    They didn¡¯t want the children to run away or get injured and lose their power.


    So, rather than being a guardian, it was more like a watchdog, always watching the children.


    But now¡­¡­It was certainly odd to see no one here.


    ¡°I think they just sat out for a while.¡±


    ¡°Sit out? In the middle of the night?¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s not a normal situation right now. Maybe it¡¯s the day of our purification ceremony¡­..¡±


    It was an excuse that didn¡¯t even make sense to me. Devan frowned.


    ¡°And here, the hallway is full of dust. It looks as if it hasn¡¯t been cleaned in years.¡±


    Dust? We used to use the rooms and hallways as soon as we woke up ¡­¡­.


    I shook my head roughly. I didn¡¯t want to listen to Devan.


    No, I wanted to pretend I didn¡¯t know. A strange sense of uneasiness swept over me.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It looks like they haven¡¯t cleaned it.¡±


    But Devan did not seem to want to drop his suspicions. He lowered himself and ran his fingers through the gap in the door.


    ¡°However dirty it may be, the fact is that dust even collected in the door.¡±


    White dust filled Devan¡¯s fingers.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Are you saying that no one had come in and out of the room?¡±


    ¡°Yes. From the amount of dust, it¡¯s been months, no, years.¡±


    I flinched and backed away.


    The strange stillness that had descended on the corridor suddenly gave me goosebumps.


    A buzzing fear enveloped my body.


    Devan looked at me, stopped in his tracks, unable to do anything.


    ¡°Evelyn.¡±


    ¡°¡­.. no.¡±


    I shook my head. And then Devan said out loud the truth we all already knew.


    ¡°There are no children here. At least not in the last few years.¡±


    I hugged myself. I couldn¡¯t stand the cold.


    ¡°What do you mean no children ¡­¡­¡­. What is it? You must be mistaken.¡±


    ¡°There are very few traces of human habitation in this corridor. Did you really live here when you were a child?¡±


    ¡°¡­.. of course. Otherwise, how would I have known about this place?¡±


    For a moment Hilda came to my mind.


    No way, had she manipulated my memory again? Are all my memories of living here false?


    No, perhaps even this landscape I am seeing now is a lie.


    Where am I? Is it true that my childhood memory is what I went through? What about me now? Am I really alive and back here?


    If I can even create my vision as if I died¡­.


    ¡°Evelyn!¡±


    Devan grabbed my shoulder. I came to my senses.


    ¡°I was mistaken. You were right that you lived here.¡±


    Devan tapped the nameplate on the door.


    It was too dark to see, but upon closer inspection it was a small piece of wood.


    ¡°Look at this.¡±


    The piece of wood had scratches on it, but looking at it closely, it had writing on it.


    ¡°Is it a character.¡±


    ¡®¡¯It¡¯s a name, to be exact. Turn around, not there.¡±


    I followed his words and turned the nameplate backwards.There it said my name.


    ¡°Evelyn.¡±


    I covered my mouth with one hand without knowing it. It was only then that I remembered. What is this piece of wood?


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you were here. Apparently, after you left, they wrote the names of the other children on the back and utilized a new name tag¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been ten years, no, more than thirteen years since I left!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s strange. Within a few years after you left, this floor was closed.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they moved somewhere¡­there was no mention of the temple not running an orphanage.¡±


    Devan pulled the door handle that had a nameplate with my name on it.


    The wooden clasp broke easily in his hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    I approached slowly behind him and carefully put my face through the open doorway.


    The room was full of old bedding that had been thrown out.


    The cold water that I had fetched in one corner to keep it clean at all times was still there, as was the Bible that I had to read just before I went to sleep.


    There was a white layer of dust on them.


    It was as if the time in this room stopped a decade ago.


    ¡°If you were right and they had moved somewhere else, they would have taken all this stuff with them. There is no way they would have left this place so neglected.¡±


    Dust flew around every time Devan entered further into the room, picking up the Bible and touching the old bedding.


    He wrinkled his brow and dusted his hands.


    ¡°¡­..God, that¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go! Time, we don¡¯t have time.¡±


    I just couldn¡¯t cross the threshold.


    I didn¡¯t want to go in.


    If I entered, I felt that I would return to the seven years old Evelyn.


    To the child who had struggled from the memories of her previous life, wondering if I was crazy, wondering if everything was my delusion¡­


    ¡°¡­¡­ yes.¡±


    Devan came out of the room without saying anything else, as if he had noticed my uneasiness.


    He closed the door of the room and stood in front of me. As if to block my view.


    Then he jawed at the front of the hallway.


    ¡°Take the lead.¡±


    I took the initiative and started walking.


    I kept thinking of the dusty room scenery, but I tried to push it into the corner.


    I didn¡¯t want to be swept away by things that had now passed.


    ¡°So where are you going? Are you sure there is a hidden space here?¡±


    Devan asked, changing the subject.


    I replied, keeping my eyes fixed on the front.


    ¡°The location on the drawing is at least this way. All we have to do is to find out what floor it is, but the most likely place is here, in the third basement, where people don¡¯t know about it.¡±


    I¡¯d rather concentrate on this area. Thinking about other things made me forget about what I had just seen.


    ¡°The way to the hidden space?¡±


    ¡°You saw the statues in the room earlier. When I saw it, it brought up memories I had forgotten.¡±


    ¡°Statues?¡±


    His gaze pierced the hallway.


    It was the end of the hallway, too dark to see anything.


    It was the kind of darkness more suited to the presence of the devil than God.


    ¡°You mean it¡¯s over there?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve never been in, but¡­¡­ If there¡¯s a secret space in the temple, it¡¯s probably there.¡±


    I swallowed.


    Since earlier, I felt something stuck in my neck from the moment I saw the children¡¯s room.


    At last, I said it out loud.


    ¡°¡­¡­The children¡­¡­¡±


    Devan stopped.


    I slowly turned around and made eye contact with Devan.


    ¡°Evelyn.¡±


    Devan shook his head as if telling me I didn¡¯t have to talk.


    He looked regretful. For walking into the room for no reason and leaving a subject I didn¡¯t want to have dusted off.


    ¡°Where did the children go?¡±


    I said with a sigh. He did not answer.


    When I was there, the temple kept gathering children. But now there was no one here.


    There was no sign that anyone has ever lived here. There were children who had come in, but there were no children who came out.


    ¡°¡­you¡¯ll find out later.¡±


    Devan passed me and trudged on.


    Later. Could it be possible?


    I bit my lip and looked down.


    The dust that was accumulating as I walked scattered everywhere, which seemed to speak for these long years.


    Finally, Devan reached the end of the hallway and stopped.


    He looked up to the point where his head was bent back, as if speechless.


    ¡°This size¡­.¡±


    There was a statue there.


    A sculptural statue through the ceiling, or more accurately, the calf of a sculptural statue.


    It was a large, intimidating figure of God, so large that you bend your neck as far as it would go and still not see beyond it.


    Standing beside Devan, I shook my head.


    ¡°It had the same arrogant, condescending look on the face. That reminded me. This is the space.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°This sculpture is the temple spire.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ huh.¡±


    He laughed.


    ¡°There¡¯s a clock in the middle of the spire. Everyone in the empire looks up at the spire to see the clock. The truth is¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you see God in it?¡±


    ¡°I know that¡¯s what you meant.¡±


    ¡°Is it enough to look up, even if you don¡¯t have a heart?¡±


    ¡°How do you know what they think?¡±


    I approached the God¡¯s calf.


    ¡°When I was a child, I didn¡¯t understand what this meant.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. A part so huge sometimes makes it impossible to imagine the whole.¡±


    The statue was made of plaster, and from close up I could see cracks, large and small. I explored the cracks.


    ¡°No, the priests strictly prohibited people coming here.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t they just stop them from the beginning?¡±


    ¡°I agree. Perhaps they felt a sense of superiority. It is not God that everyone looks up to¡­. ¡­They will think it is them.¡±


    The crack slowly opened with a click as it moved sideways.


    ¡®¡¯It¡¯s a secret place in the calf. Do you ever really worship God?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m most curious about.¡±


    As I was about to enter the God¡¯s calf.


    ¡°Wait a minute, let me take the lead. I don¡¯t know what kind of things are going to happen.¡±


    Devan stood in front of me.


    I nodded my head in agreement, wondering what in the world he was going to do, even though he had no sword.


    Devan went inside, slightly bending his body.


    I followed closely behind him. Then I frowned unconsciously.


    A bright light was shining in front of me, unlike anything I had ever seen before.


    ¡°What do you see?¡±


    I asked softly into his back.


    ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s so blinding, I have no idea what¡­¡­..¡±


    Devan¡¯s voice stopped. His feet stopped as well.


    He stood tall in front of me and remained motionless.


    ¡°Devan?¡±


    I put my hand on his back to look straight at what appeared to be a blur. I felt a light tremor.


    ¡°Devan, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    He suddenly turned around. Then he hugged me as I was.

 Chapter 60

    ***


    We entered the sculpture statue and Devan stopped dead in his tracks.


    Then he suddenly turned around and hugged me tightly.


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    He hugged me so tightly that I couldn¡¯t breathe properly.


    ¡°Let me go.¡±


    Surprised by the sudden action, I slapped Devan¡¯s arm, but instead of relaxing his arm, he held me tighter.


    His shaking transferred to me.


    I couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on.


    It was as if Devan was trying to cover my eyes. Desperately and urgently.


    ¡°Devan!¡±


    I pushed Devan¡¯s chest away.


    Devan¡¯s face was twisted as he finally let go of me as if he had given up.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you¡­?¡±


    He shook his head.


    As if he had seen something terrible, or¡­.sad.


    I had a bad feeling.


    Nevertheless, I stepped past him and dared to face the truth before him.


    Perhaps curiosity about fear.


    It was so brightly lit here and there that it was hard to believe it was underground.


    It was as if we were in a cave. Not a single wind blew, but the air itself was cool.


    Soon, my eyes caught the unfolding scene.


    At first glance, I felt as if I had stopped breathing.


    My legs gave way, and I staggered.


    ¡°Evelyn.¡±


    Immediately, Devan grabbed my waist.


    He slowly sat down on the floor with me in his arms. Then he sat in front of me.


    As if he did not want me to see any more, even though I had already seen everything.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Devan¡±


    I called his name. I couldn¡¯t remember any other words.


    ¡°Devan¡­¡­.¡±


    My lips trembled. I felt like I was running out of oxygen. Even though it wasn¡¯t.


    Devan swept the back slowly, hiding me deep in his chest.


    I pushed him out this time. I wanted to hide from the scene in front of me.


    As if I didn¡¯t see it in the first place.


    My body shook finely. I buried my face into his chest and closed my eyes.


    I think we were all dreaming. This was the illusion that Hilda was showing me, right?


    Then it really was a terrible nightmare.


    As my breathing slowed down, I carefully pushed Devan away again.


    There was a mixture of confusion and worry in his eyes.


    I slowly raised my head.


    Then I looked over Devan¡¯s shoulder at the nightmarish scene.


    People were piled like towers in a large open space.


    Their limbs were intricately intertwined. It was as if they were one living organism.


    Dozens, maybe hundreds of people were there.


    They were piled up without any regularity of any kind.


    They were tied to other people¡¯s hair, or their noses were crushed as their faces touched each other.


    I found the faces I knew without difficulty.


    There were soldiers who had come to the capital from the Grand Duchy, and there was Eunice.


    There were the children who I thought I had erased from my memory when I was a child.


    These were the children who had spent time with me in the orphanage. There were children who had been robbed of their divine powers from the temple, who had escaped the time and were still there, just as they had been in the past.


    It was like a slaughterhouse. It was also like hell.


    There was a woman right in the middle of those people.


    Connected to the white lights that were like threads that were separated from everyone¡¯s body, the woman was lying on the altar with her eyes closed.


    It was Cordelia.


    * * *


    Cordelia.


    I could recognize her at a glance.


    It was exactly the description I remembered. She had rich brown hair that reached down to her waist and white skin that looked pale.


    I would recognize her even if her hair had changed color.


    I could feel she was originally a person with enormous divine power without difficulty.


    I also felt that she was now empty because all her divine power had been drained from her.


    I thought of what Devan had said.


    The priests gathered the divine power and stopped Cordelia for a while.


    It was a state that could only be described that way. She was lying on the altar motionless as if she was dead.


    ¡°Evelyn.¡±


    Devan grabbed my shoulder carefully. He seemed worried that I would collapse.


    What should I do?


    Did I say that I could do anything if faced with a situation so shocking?


    I just looked at Cordelia without blinking my eyes.


    ¡°I¡­.¡±


    A suppressed voice came out.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see what¡¯s going on later.¡±


    He grabbed me by the shoulder and raised me up.


    It looked like he was about to leave the room. I grabbed his wrist to stop him.


    ¡°Evelyn?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t just back out of this.


    Even though the scene before me was unbearably shocking.


    Cordelia, Eunice, the soldiers, even the children from a decade ago.


    Everything I was looking for was here, and I couldn¡¯t leave without any harvest.


    Devan sighed low.


    He seemed to want to hold me back, but he saw the look on my face and remained still and silent.


    I kept my eyes down and took a deep breath.


    I cleared my throat and regulated my sunken voice. I squeezed my eyes shut and then opened them again.


    It was no time to be in a daze.


    On shaky legs, I walked slowly toward the altar.


    The closer I got, the clearer it felt. Cordelia was completely empty.


    ¡°Cordelia¡­.¡±


    I came right up to the altar and looked at her.


    Cordelia seemed to be waking up at any moment. She was so pale that I couldn¡¯t believe she had been unconscious for so long.


    I saw swarms of white light spreading all over her body.


    ¡°Evelyn, could this be¡­¡­¡±


    Devan spoke up cautiously. He seemed to be expecting it too.


    ¡°¡­¡­ it¡¯s divine power.¡±


    ¡°That means¡­ ¡­.¡±


    ¡°Probably¡­ gathering all their powers and giving Cordelia¡­¡­.¡±


    I headed for the human tower. Even though I focused my mind, I could not feel any divine power from them.


    It seemed all of their power was gathered and transferred to Cordelia.


    It was what kept her alive when everything stopped.


    ¡°What will become of them? It¡¯s already¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps if they are not physically broken, they can be brought back to life.¡±


    ¡°Can they be brought back to life?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same as what Pelos said. In the case of Cordelia and I, there¡¯s too much empty space in our bodies, space that used to contain enormous divine power, and when the divine power is empty, problems arise.¡±


    ¡°Others have little strength, and they can live even if they run out of it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, perhaps. But¡­ ¡°


    The numbers were in the tens and hundreds. I bit my lower lip.


    ¡°How do you take them out?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°They need treatment. It seems that I can inject divine power into them¡­¡­¡±


    They were tangled up in a jumble.


    The treatment was a tool to keep Cordelia alive.


    Eunice and the soldiers, in particular, had only been gone for a few weeks, so they could be treated, but the children¡­¡­.


    The children would have been entangled for more than a decade.


    ¡°We have to make sure they get proper treatment. We have to get everyone out of here to do that¡­¡­.¡±


    The situation was not good. There were only two of us, and we had been sneaking away.


    I didn¡¯t know when the priests and mercenaries would come.


    ¡°What should we do¡­?¡±


    I looked down at Cordelia and held her weakly open hand.


    It didn¡¯t feel warm, but it wasn¡¯t as cold as a corpse.


    Devan pulled my hand out and spoke firmly.


    ¡°We have to get out of here first.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°There is no time. Don¡¯t you know that?¡±


    I had nothing to say, so I fell silent.


    ¡°We can¡¯t take this many people with us. Even if they can move, it would be difficult, it is even more so if they are unconscious.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll leave it at that¡­you mean to throw them away?¡±


    ¡°We can come back again. Now that we know what¡¯s going on, we¡¯ll come back with countermeasures.¡±


    Everything he said was right.


    I knew it in my head. But I hesitated, and Devan continued to speak.


    ¡°Besides, if we cut this white thread of divine power now, who knows what will happen to this woman?¡±


    He patted me lightly as if to comfort me.


    That was also true.


    Until I knew how Cordelia was maintaining her body now, I could not move her recklessly.


    The temple needed her anyway. At least she wouldn¡¯t be life-threatening.


    Devan, perhaps noticing that my heart was shaking, gave me a light squeeze on the shoulder.


    We would pretend that we couldn¡¯t win this, leave the room, find a way, and come back.


    That was the best we could do. But¡­.


    ¡°Please wait a moment.¡±


    When I stopped again, Devan looked down at me with worried eyes.


    ¡°¡­wait¡­ten minutes, no, five minutes.¡±


    He shrugged. It was a gesture that said he couldn¡¯t stop me anymore.


    I stepped away from Devan¡¯s arm and headed for Cordelia again. Then I grabbed her hand firmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a dangerous thing to do¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t. I¡¯m just trying to give her my divine power.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same as when I treated you. It¡¯s not dangerous.¡±


    It was funny how worried he was, considering the battle scars from the many times I saw when I treated Devan, but he just shook his head and didn¡¯t take any sanctions.


    If I fainted, I was sure he would be able to carry me home on his back.


    I shook my head as if to reassure him, then closed my eyes tightly.


    I concentrated on drawing out the divine power deep within my body, but I couldn¡¯t quite feel it.


    It would be more accurate to say that its quantity was definitely less than before.


    Pelos¡¯ words flashed through my mind.


    So using my power will speed up my death? Can I really use my power?

 Chapter 61

    ***


    Can I use my power?


    My face hardened with anxiety.


    ¡°Evelyn, is there a problem?¡±


    Had he been watching all along, Devan asked curiously.


    ¡°¡­¡­ no.¡±


    Earlier I had used my power to treat the poison.


    If I used it a little, it wouldn¡¯t be a big problem. Besides, it was no use if our deaths were hastened.


    It was all my fault that Cordelia turned out this way.


    If it weren¡¯t because of me, she would have been kidnapped by Devan, just as she was in the original story.


    And she would have ended up happy with Devan after she avenged Count Diego and the Temple.


    I could not return the original work to her, which had already been disturbed on its own. Because if I gave it back to her, it would be me who would die.


    But I couldn¡¯t let her die either. I wanted to do whatever I could for her.


    Avoiding Devan¡¯s sharp gaze on me, I hurriedly gathered divine power.


    And it was when I moved it toward Cordelia¡¯s body. The moment my divine power touched her body¡­.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Evelyn!¡±


    My shoulders, which had been slumped to hold Cordelia¡¯s hand, were pushed out.


    My body bent back as if a strong wind was blowing from the front.


    My hands naturally let go.


    And yet, strangely, I couldn¡¯t stop the divine power from leaving me.


    A white light formed between my body and Cordelia¡¯s.


    It was similar to how she was connecting with other people.


    If there was a difference, the others had thin threads; mine were many times thicker.


    ¡°Evelyn!¡±


    Devan rushed to seize my oddly bent body.


    He held me by the waist and tried to pull me away from Cordelia, but my body didn¡¯t move as if I were being pulled by an unknown force.


    The white light bounced off my hands.


    It was none other than me who was most perplexed by this situation.


    I looked down at my body as if I were a third party. (*it¡¯s like her spirit left her body. And now she¡¯s like a ghost looking at the scene)


    To be precise, I was looking down at Cordelia, who was lying on the altar, myself, who had lost my divine power to her, and Devan, who was trying to somehow restore me to my original state.


    ¡±What the hell is this?¡±


    I opened my mouth to speak, but there was no sound.


    I wanted to touch my body, but I could not do so.


    I had no form.


    I just existed here, without any sense of volume. Only my soul remained, without a body.


    It was the first time I had used the power.


    What if all my divine power had transferred to Cordelia? What if black magic filled the empty place instead? Then I would be¡­.


    It was then. I heard a voice from somewhere.


    ¡°It was you.¡±


    I suddenly looked around. I couldn¡¯t see anything.


    Before I knew it, I was getting further and further away from my physical body.


    ¡°Hilda¡­?¡±


    The voice was clearly not Hilda¡¯s. Nor was it the naughty tone that giggled every time.


    Still, I thought it was Hilda, somehow¡­.. it was because I had the feeling that the ignition method was the same.


    I had an intuitive realization.


    This being was not human. It was a transcendent being. It was the source of power.


    The voice answered my question. That alone was a relief.


    I immediately asked.


    ¡°Who are you? What¡¯s happened to me? Can you put me back together?¡±


    The owner of the voice said in a tone that was somewhat arrogant and a little sad.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, God? There I ¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, we don¡¯t have much time. Let¡¯s talk next time. >


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time?¡±


    ¡°My power?¡±


    The voice became more and more distant.


    I felt like I was being sucked into my body.


    I couldn¡¯t go like this, I wanted to talk more. But I couldn¡¯t open my mouth.


    As if he knew what I was thinking, God whispered for the last time.


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    Then I woke up with a start, and before I knew it, I was back in my body.


    ¡°Evelyn!¡±


    Devan hugged and rocked me in his arms.


    ¡°Ha, ha¡­¡­.¡±


    I clutched at my chest and exhaled roughly.


    Before I knew it, the white light between me and Cordelia had disappeared.


    ¡°Are you okay, Evelyn?¡±


    Slowly, I moved my limbs.


    My body, which had behaved on its own without my will, finally returned to its original position.


    I looked up at Devan, who was holding me tight and looked worried.


    His eyes darted this way and that. He seemed surprised to see a strange figure for the first time.


    ¡°¡­.. I¡¯m okay.¡±


    Despite my words that I was fine, I naturally frowned. My chest felt queasy, perhaps it was just my feelings.


    ¡°What the hell is this?¡­. Did this woman steal your power?¡±


    Devan¡¯s cold gaze was directed at Cordelia as if Cordelia had done something wrong.


    I gasped and grabbed him by the wrist and spoke hurriedly.


    ¡®It must be a survival instinct. If  I lose all my divine power, I will die¡­¡­.. The body will know that their divine power is not enough.¡±


    Devan clicked his tongue and patted me.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. More importantly, just now ¡­¡­..¡±


    ¡°Just now?¡±


    I hesitated a bit.


    What if what had just happened was not my fantasy or illusion? That it really happened¡­¡­..


    I heard the voice of God.


    It was an outrageous story. God? It couldn¡¯t be.


    I chewed on the tender flesh in my mouth.


    Devan didn¡¯t rush me, but waited for my next words.


    Looking at his worried face, I slowly opened my mouth.


    ¡°Just now¡­¡­ I think I¡¯ve met my God.¡±


    * * *


    We eventually left the temple without being able to do anything.


    Tomorrow was the wedding. So, originally, after finishing the purification ceremony all night, we had to hold a wedding ceremony at the temple.


    How would the temple react if they found out that we had slipped out on our own?


    But I didn¡¯t have time to worry about that.


    Cordelia,, who had collapsed with her strength diminished, and many other people, and God.


    God? And who was the child whom God mentioned?


    As I made my way through the dimly lit night streets to the separate palace, my mind was occupied with what I had just experienced. I needed time to think. I didn¡¯t think I would come up with a great way to do it, even if I thought about it in this state of mind.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±


    Eventually, we arrived at the palace and I was about to go up to my room.


    ¡°Wait, Evelyn.¡±


    Devan stopped me. He looked restless.


    He must be curious. Because I didn¡¯t say anything else after I said I met God.


    I tried to say something, but I didn¡¯t. There was nothing I could tell him yet.


    Because I couldn¡¯t understand what God told me either.


    ¡°Later¡­ I¡¯ll tell you everything when things calm down a little.¡±


    ¡°What? No¡­.. I am not talking about that.¡±


    I was about to leave when Devan stopped me again.


    The servants were all asleep and in the hallway only a faint light was on. In the light I saw Devan¡¯s troubled face.


    Why is he looking like that? He didn¡¯t want to ask about what had just happened?


    I stared at Devan with a strange expression on my face.


    ¡°Is there something else you want to say?¡±


    ¡°Not really, I¡­¡­¡±


    After a few moments, Devan tapped me on the shoulder a few times. It was an action that seemed to comfort his subordinates.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Devan?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The girl Cordelia, your maid, the knights¡­¡­. I will try to save them all.¡±


    Ah¡­I let out a small exclamation.


    Finally I began to understand why he was hesitant and kept glancing at me while we were walking to the detached palace.


    Devan was worried about me.


    Well, I had been through such a thing, so it was only natural for him to be concerned about me as a human being. Nevertheless, Devan¡¯s comfort was somewhat unfamiliar to me.


    Was Devan capable of making this kind of face? His eyes as he gazed at me were filled with worry that could not hide.


    ¡°I¡­.¡± (Evelyn)


    ¡°Say it later.¡± (Devan)


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your ¡°thank you¡± after we get everything sorted out.¡± (Devan)


    Devan raised the edge of his mouth a little. It wasn¡¯t just to comfort me, it was a smile that seemed to say that he could really solve all this.


    I smile at him. The excitement that had been stirring so far was gradually calming down.


    Yes, we can solve this. The children who were deprived of their divine power long ago and trapped there, Eunice and the knights, and Cordelia.


    We will save them all.


    ¡°¡­¡­then. I will see you tomorrow morning¡­ at our wedding.¡±


    Devan quickly turned around after saying so. Moonlight streaming in through the window illuminated his broad shoulders.


    I stood there motionless until Devan disappeared at the end of the hallway.


    Devan¡¯s neck seemed to have turned a little red when he mentioned the wedding.


    ¡­¡­ That couldn¡¯t be right. I must have seen it wrong.

 Chapter 62

    ***


    The next day we went to the temple again with our servants.


    We were greeted by a priest wearing the same white cloth as yesterday. We could not see his face and could not be sure if it was the same person.


    ¡°Your Highness, last night¡­¡­.¡±


    Before the priest could say anything, Devan made the first move.


    ¡°Last night, unidentified men attacked us while we were sleeping.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­what?¡±


    ¡°We had to run away from the temple. I don¡¯t think I need to say anything about the security of the temple. I wonder what the public will say if they know.¡±


    The priest clamped his mouth shut. I noticed that Devan emphasized the word the temple.


    The Temple attacked us. We knew that fact and the Temple knew  that we knew.


    The Temple was at a disadvantage if these inside stories were revealed to the world. Devan was now pressuring them to go ahead with our wedding in silence, unless they wanted to make the problem bigger.


    Of course the temple had no other choice. For no matter what we actually did in the temple, it was the temple that had attacked us first.


    The priest¡¯s chest rose and fell dramatically, and he immediately opened his mouth.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry it happened. The wedding ceremony will proceed as it is because it was caused by the carelessness of the temple. Anyway¡­the space in the sanctuary for the purification ceremony has been ruined.¡±


    It was an obviously suppressed voice.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Devan reciprocated lightly, then gestured to him as if to guide us. Then the priest took the lead.


    I sighed inwardly.


    Last night we left the temple like that, and inwardly I worried about how this would turn out, but fortunately it was fine.


    The wedding was to take place in the temple chapel. Normally, this space was only used for priestly services, so the wedding day was the only day it would be open to the public.


    This was of course my first time visiting the place.


    ¡°You can wait inside.¡±


    The priest pointed to the back of the chapel. There were two doors, one on the left and one on the right.


    The bride should go to the left and the groom to the right.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see you later.¡±


    Devan disappeared first to the door on the right. I went with some of the maids to the room on the left.


    The room was still completely white. There was no special furniture except for a mirror and a table for dressing.


    It was too bleak to be a wedding waiting room.


    ¡°Grand Duchess, I¡¯m going to start the preparations.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The maid sat me down at the dressing table.


    In the mirror I saw a tired face . It was because I didn¡¯t sleep at all.


    When I closed my eyes, the image of Cordelia came to mind, and when I woke up, the words of the one who called himself God came to my head. There was no way I could sleep properly.


    The maid began to touch my hair.


    ¡°Haa¡­¡­¡±


    I sighed involuntarily at the soft touch. Through the mirror, I could see the maid making a mysterious face. In fact, not only she but also the servants must be wondering.


    I came back at dawn and brought them back to the temple without any explanation.


    There was a bad look on my face, and now I sighed deeply.


    Devan told me not to worry, but I could not stop worrying. In the very basement of this very building people piled up like a mountain.


    I had to help them, but I was in such a hurry that I couldn¡¯t come up with any ideas.


    What was Devan thinking? He seemed quite confident yesterday. It looked like he could solve everything right away.


    But we had to sneak hundreds of people out of the temple basement. Would it be possible?


    ¡°Ha¡­¡­¡±


    That was when I sighed once more.


    ¡°Ayaa!¡±


    The maid suddenly let out a small scream.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Startled, I turned my back and saw the maid holding her finger.


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°I am sorry, Grand Duchess. I accidentally pricked my finger with a pin. I¡¯ll get you something else as soon as I can.¡±


    ¡°Let me take a look quickly.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    The maid fidgeted. I grabbed her hand carefully.


    It was not a little. There was a considerable amount of blood running from her finger.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    I frowned once and quickly focused my mind.


    ¡°Um, Grand Duchess?¡±


    ¡°Hold still.¡±


    Soon a bright white light came out of my hand and the blood that had been flowing from the open wound stopped.


    ¡°Grand Duchess, this is¡­¡±


    The maid blinked in amazement.


    She took the handkerchief and wiped her finger clean. The wound disappeared without a trace as if nothing had happened.


    ¡°Grand Duchess! Oh my goodness.. ¡­.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all right. Just wipe the pin and use it again.¡±


    ¡°This is the divine power!¡±


    The maid exclaimed, unable to hide her admiration.


    It was a natural reaction, since divine power was not something that could be seen by ordinary people.


    ¡°Truly, truly, thank you. Grand Duchess.¡±


    ¡°¡­.. It¡¯s no big deal.¡±


    The maid began stroking my hair again in a manner that was visibly more friendly than before.


    But I had no time to be satisfied with her behavior.


    What is it¡­? Now clearly something ¡­.


    I felt abhorrent.


    When I used my divine power earlier, the amount of divine power in my body was indeed unusual.


    It reminded me of last night. The very feeling that the divine power in me was connected to Cordelia.


    The pure white light was the image of my divine power being sent to her over and over again.


    ¡®¡¯Then when that power absorbs all of your divine power¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°It will not be able to use that much space.¡±


    I thought of what Pelos had said to me the day we first met. Ever since it first entered me, the black magic had been eating away at me.


    And I even lost my divine power to Cordelia yesterday. ¡­¡­.


    My heart leaped nervously.


    If all of my power finally disappears¡­.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to die, probably.¡±


    Pelos said, and the words pierced me like a curse.


    * * *


    I wore numerous pearls and flowers and sparkling jewels in my hair. I even had a gorgeous dress made up of layers of rich fabric.


    Only now did I realize that I was getting married. That didn¡¯t mean I was excited or overwhelmed.


    Even though I was the main character of the wedding, I still felt like I was in the middle of enemy territory. The fact that I had wasted a couple of days picking out a dress like this made me feel empty.


    What good would all this do?


    The reason we got married was to fight against the temple.


    But seeing such a scene last night made me wonder if that was really possible.


    If the being I encountered was the real God¡­


    If that God was real and the temple really worshiped God? Then it would mean that everything they had committed was also God¡¯s will.


    As I was thinking this, the maid poked me carefully.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Grand Duke is here!¡±


    I raised my head at her whisper.


    The wedding in the temple took place without a procession.


    The bride and groom emerged from their respective rooms and waited at either end of the corridor until the priest who served as the officiant arrived. The bride was on the left and the groom was on the right.


    They look at each other across a thin curtain, and when the officiant comes to the table in the center, the bride and the groom will walk to the center and meet.


    After that, they would receive God¡¯s blessing and make the vows, and that was the end of it.


    Since the officiant had not yet arrived, I waited in the hallway to the left of the main rite podium for the ceremony to begin.


    Then, just a few moments ago, Devan appeared behind the curtain on the opposite right side of the room.


    ¡°Oh my!¡±


    The maid, who had let out an exclamation, covered her mouth.


    I didn¡¯t make a sound but I felt the same.


    All the things I had been thinking in my mind suddenly disappeared.


    So this kind of thing can be ¡­¡­ helpful.


    For the first time I had a positive thought about the vanity of marriage.


    It was worth the days of relentless persuasion of Devan. I mean it was worth it because I had managed to stop Devan from choosing an outrageous wedding attire and chose something much better.


    Devan, who appeared behind such the white curtain, was too beautiful.


    The form-fitting, neat white formal wear enhanced Devan¡¯s broad shoulders and long legs.


    Since only white clothing was allowed, not a single pitch-black thing on his body existed. Except for his right eye, which was black and shimmering.


    He looked very ascetic, even though he was not a priest.


    But the sharp lines of his face and shining eyes that appeared were far from ascetic. Like the auburn rubies I willfully put on his ceremonial robe.


    As I gazed at him in a daze, our eyes met for a moment.


    Devan stared at me through the translucent curtain. It was a gaze that seemed to pierce through me.


    He had a fishy smile on his mouth, and he seemed to be looking at his prey, not his soon-to-be-married bride.


    Devan, who had been watching every inch of me, moved his lips slowly.


    It was a word conveyed only by the movement of his lips, not by sound. It was visible only to me.


    ¡°Grand Duchess, ! You have to get ready now!¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±


    I felt my face heated up as I adjusted my dress at the maid¡¯s words.


    It was what Devan said to me soundlessly, which did not match his arrogant face.

 Chapter 63

    ***


    Magnificent music reverberated through the chapel. It was the beginning of the wedding ceremony.


    A priest who appeared in the inner room stood in front of the officiating table.


    All the guests sitting in their seats looked amazed at him.


    There was a separate priest who presided over the marriage ceremony. He was not often present at other events, except for the weddings that took place in the temple.


    Thanks to this, most of the people of the Empire thought that he had a different status from the ordinary priest, who was equivalent to the high priest.


    But I had a different opinion. He was just a puppet for the temple. a puppet made to enhance the value of a wedding held in the temple.


    I looked at the priest with a blank face. He opened the Bible, which seemed too much to lift, and muttered something.


    Then he raised his hands to both sides, and the guests began to applaud.


    ¡°Grand Duchess! You have to get out now!¡±


    I moved slowly at the urging of the maid.


    Devan also walked out slowly across from me. There was still an arrogant smile on his lips.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    I remembered what Devan whispered earlier and I blushed again. I think he just said it to tease me.


    I thought so, but I was embarrassed to look at Devan. I tried to avoid his gaze.


    At last we stood side by side in front of the priest.


    The priest, who looked at us once, began to mutter as he turned several pages of the Bible. It seemed to be the beginning of a full-fledged speech.


    Instead of listening to a boring speech, I focused more on glancing at Devan next to me.


    A sharp nose bridge, long eyelashes, beautiful red eyes hidden in them. I wonder if it had been like that.


    Tuk ¨C I felt a touch on my hand.


    Devan? When I looked at him with a puzzled expression on my face, Devan, who was still staring at the priest, mouthing again.


    ¡°Focus.¡±


    His expression was more of a mischievous than a reproach.


    Everyone must have noticed that I was just staring at him.


    I hurriedly took my eyes off his face because I thought it would heat up again.


    ¡°Well, then¡­.¡±


    The priest closed the Bible.


    It happened that the speech was over, and the bride and groom had to exchange rings.


    Wait, the ring?


    All I had prepared for the wedding was to drink tea to make myself resistant to poison and choose a dress suit with Devan.


    I barely picked the attire together because of circumstances, but there was no way Devan had prepared a ring.


    I didn¡¯t know much about weddings, so I didn¡¯t even think about rings.


    Even the butler who helped prepare the meal didn¡¯t mention the rings.


    Devan said he¡¯d take care of communicating with the temple and inviting guests.¡­ What about the rings?


    Did Devan not tell me to have it ready because he didn¡¯t even know?


    My face turned white with many thoughts.


    What should I do? Can the ceremony proceed successfully without the rings?


    When I was restless inside, Devan skillfully grabbed my hand.


    ¡°¡­¡­Devan?¡±


    Unable to hide my bewildered expression, I looked at Devan.


    ¡°We need to exchange the ring.¡±


    He had the rings? Did he pick it out himself?


    Deban took the ring case out of his pocket with a face of no importance.


    I recalled choosing robes with Devan. His terrible aesthetic.


    If Devan chose the ring himself¡­ Indeed¡­ a ring of many bizarre designs flashed through my mind.


    Still¡­ better than nothing. ¡­¡­maybe.


    I held out my hand with my eyes closed.


    I could feel the ring being inserted into my trembling fingers. But it wasn¡¯t too heavy or strange, so it seemed better than I thought.


    ¡°Now, your turn.¡±


    I barely opened my eyes to Devan¡¯s words.


    ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±


    The ring Devan gave me was surprisingly plain.


    So it didn¡¯t have a ridiculously large skeleton on it. It wasn¡¯t thick or heavy, or an odd shaped cut diamond.


    No, what the¡­ The ring was beautiful, not ordinary.


    A small diamond was wrapped around an opal cut in polka dots. It was a platinum ring that took the form of a tiara as a whole.


    Did he ask the old butler to choose the ring?


    ¡°Evelyn?¡±


    Looking at the ring in a daze, I raised my head at Devan¡¯s call.


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±


    Devan was holding out a ring case to me. There was a ring for Devan inside.


    Unlike mine, Devan¡¯s ring was simple platinum, with opal set like thin lines.


    It was a ring that seemed similar to mine and had each personality.


    When I looked at it, I was convinced. I¡¯m sure Devan couldn¡¯t have picked the rings.


    I slowly put the ring on the fourth finger of Devan¡¯s left hand, which was held out as if it were natural. It matched very well with the white and long fingers of Devan.


    Devan looked at me and my hand alternately with a proud expression.


    ¡°Now that you have completed the ring exchange, I will proceed with the pledge.¡±


    The priest raised one hand. It was time to recite the wedding vows in front of the guests.


    Turning to the signal, I saw people sitting in the chapel¡¯s chairs.


    Come to think of it¡­ Is Count Diego here too?


    I pretended to recite my vows and glanced at the guests.


    There was no way Devan had not invited him, since our marriage was partly to show Count Diego in the first place.


    However, there was no familiar face among the guests who filled the chapel.


    Count Diego didn¡¯t come? Why?


    The Count was a man of practical importance.


    Rather than getting angry at the fact that I disappeared in front of his eyes and came back shamelessly, he was a person who thought about how to use the status of the Grand Duke as his son in law.


    That was why he couldn¡¯t have not come. ¡­¡­.


    It was when I frowned slightly.


    Creak! The doors of the chapel were opened.


    The sudden disturbance drew everyone¡¯s attention to it.


    A large figure stood at the door. He looked heavily armed in armor. He held a long sword in one hand.


    Who is it?


    I couldn¡¯t see his face well because of the pouring light.


    ¡°In the sacred chapel where the wedding is taking place¡­!¡±


    The priest rebuked in a rather dignified voice.


    However, the opponent slowly walked toward the officiating table, as if he didn¡¯t hear it.


    No.


    My stiffened as the shadow approached.


    It was a familiar body, a familiar gaze. A persistent gaze.


    My body trembled violently. Devan grabbed my hand and hid me


    behind him.


    ¡°Why is he here¡­.¡±


    Devan¡¯s thought didn¡¯t seem too different from mine.


    ¡®What the hell¡­¡­ why is he here?¡¯


    The uninvited guest who suddenly opened the door of the chapel was Killian Diego.


    It¡¯s already been a while since I came to the palace. Killian had not showed up.


    I thought he had given up everything and gone somewhere.¡­. Why did he show up now?


    As Killian drew nearer, the seated guests screamed.


    It was because of the blood on his body.


    Every time he moved, red blood dripped from his sword.


    ¡°Blood..?¡±


    An ominous energy swept through my body. There was no focus in Killian¡¯s eyes as he drew nearer.


    Now he was dragging one foot a little.


    Is he hurt? Is it his own blood?


    The priest who belatedly grasped the situation left in a hurry.


    Devan winked, and a sword flew from behind the right curtain. It seemed that he had prepared in advance for what was about to happen.


    ¡°Devan, this is¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Run with the priest.¡±


    ¡°What? But¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°But what? Your brother?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡±


    Killian came here probably because of me.


    ¡°Run away now, whether it¡¯s your brother or not. It doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s in a state of conversation.¡±


    At the end of his speech, Devan drew his sword. A sword with a beautiful handle, seen in his office.


    The black sword shone sharply.


    Killian, who was approaching, opened his eyes wide. He gripped


    the sword handle he was dragging tightly.


    In an unusual atmosphere, the guests were getting up from their seats and running away.


    The chairs fell and people bumped into each other in a hurry to escape.


    Screams filled the chapel. The sacred wedding turned into a disaster in an instant.


    ¡°Your Highness! Your Highness!¡±


    When did the maid show up? She pulled me aside.


    ¡°Hurry up, Your Highness!¡±


    She held my trembling body tightly.


    I couldn¡¯t come or go behind Devan. To escape like this, Killian¡¯s eyes were nailed to me.


    Would my escape really solve the problem? The armor, the blood, the hideous eyes.¡­.


    Is Killian here to kill me?


    Looking around, I couldn¡¯t find a soldier to help us.


    The temple was a place free of swords, blood, power, etc. externally. To emphasize the ¡®sacredness¡¯, there were escorts.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Evelyn.¡±


    At that moment, Killian¡¯s voice shook my body. Before I knew it, Killian was right in front of us.


    ¡°You¡¯d better not come any closer.¡±


    Devan thundered menacingly.


    Killian stopped there, either because of the threat or conscious of Devan¡¯s raised sword. The dripping blood was forming a puddle on the floor.


    But the gaze that persisted on me was still the same.


    ¡°Evelyn, come on.¡±


    Devan, frowned, motioned at me. It was a sign to run away.


    Instead of running away, I whispered to the maid who was holding my arm tightly.


    ¡°Bring the knights.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Come on!¡±


    The maid looked very perplexed. I pushed her back and urged her on.


    After seeing her exit through the back door, I walked past Devan and took a step forward.


    Killian¡¯s eyes trembled. I stared at his eyes without wavering.

 Chapter 64

    ***


    I stepped forward, staring into Killian¡¯s eyes, unwavered.


    ¡°Evelyn.¡±


    Devan grabbed my wrist.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­it¡¯s okay.¡±


    As if agreeing with me, Killian threw down the sword he was holding.


    The sword, which was glowing with a bright blue blade, fell to the floor with a sharp clank.


    Killian fixed his gaze on me and slowly knelt down.


    ¡°Evelyn ¡­¡­.¡±


    Devan¡¯s brow wrinkled even more. He still had not put away the sword he had lifted.


    ¡°Evelyn ¡­¡­. I¡¯m back¡­¡±


    I swallowed dry saliva.


    Seeing him throw the sword away, it seemed that Killian was not going to harm anyone by any means.


    But that didn¡¯t mean I needed to provoke him for no reason. I wasn¡¯t even sure that Devan could handle Kilian by himself.


    So my best option was to keep Kilian calm until the maid brought the soldiers.


    I said with a slight raised chin, pretending to be brave.


    ¡°¡­¡­Where the hell have you been? Is all this fuss a wedding gift?¡±


    Killian smiled weakly at my words.


    ¡°I have a present ¡­¡­ for you, Evelyn. I have another present for you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What is it?¡±


    I was more worried than hopeful at Killian¡¯s words.


    Killian had tried to stop me from marrying Devan. He even got down on his knees and begged. How could such a person bring a proper wedding present?


    Whether he knew my panicked face or not, Killian began to search through his pockets.


    ¡°This way.¡±


    Devan raised one arm and pulled me behind him. He had no idea what Killian was going to pull out of his pocket, nor did he look like he had any idea what he was going to find.


    What the hell is this all about?


    Why did Killian come here? Was he just trying to prevent me from marrying Devan? What was so believable about his appearance, even if he had just been rolling around on the battlefield?


    Authority was paramount in the temple. Most of the wedding guests were high status aristocrats.


    In a word, it was Killian who would lose by doing this.


    Yet he did this¡­.was he confident he would win or he didn¡¯t care that he would lose?


    After searching his pocket for a while, Killian pulled out something small and shiny.


    He scrubbed it off on his trousers.


    When the blood was roughly polished off, it finally revealed itself.


    It was a gilded ring that he had carefully tucked into his pocket.


    ¡­¡­ a ring? Is it really a wedding gift?


    My eyebrows narrowed even more at the suspiciousness.


    ¡°Evelyn¡­¡­¡±


    Killian held out the ring to me. Still kneeling, it looked more like an offering than a gift.


    As I inadvertently tried to take it, Devan blocked my hand in the middle.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    Killian, who was staring at Devan, now dropped the ring on the floor. Then he threw it in my direction.


    The ring rolled around and stopped at my feet.


    ¡°Come on, check my present.¡±


    Killian said in an excited tone. He surely had the look of a child wishing for a compliment.


    ¡°Evelyn, be careful.¡±


    Devan still remained alert.


    I bent down and took a closer look at the ring. It was still covered with blood everywhere.


    I don¡¯t feel anything in particular. If there was something magical going on, I would have noticed¡­..


    I reached down and picked up the ring with a deep breath.


    ¡°Evelyn?¡±


    ¡°Evelyn!¡±


    Devan¡¯s curious voice merged with Killian¡¯s needy voice.


    ¡°Do you like my gift?¡±


    Do I like it? I couldn¡¯t help but take my eyes off my trembling palms.


    ¡°Evelyn? What is it? Are you all right?¡±


    The ring on my palm, or more precisely, the seal of the Diego family engraved on it.


    The Sun Goddess was smiling, covered in blood. As if to foretell the downfall of the Diego family.


    Killian said with a laugh.


    ¡°I said I¡­I could help you. Evelyn, it¡¯s me. I¡­¡±


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    It couldn¡¯t be, it couldn¡¯t be.


    I shook my head like a madman at the premonition that had penetrated my head.


    ¡°Evelyn, get yourself together!¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what was going on, but Devan grabbed my arm. Killian, who had closed the distance between us, took advantage of the opportunity and asked,


    ¡°Now, now¡­Can you go with me, Evelyn?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ what?¡±


    His eyes somehow lost their light and his lips raised up. It was a strange smile.


    ¡°I ¡­¡­ helped you.¡±


    Helped me? What the hell¡­


    At that moment, I thought of what I had said to Killian so long ago.


    ¡°Is there anything I can do to help you?¡±


    ¡®¡¯Kill the Count. That¡¯s all I want.¡±


    And the words that Killian had murmured to me, like a madman, when we met again at the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion.


    ¡±I, I can help you. Yes, I can help you, Evelyn!¡±


    The ring dropped from my hand. I covered my mouth with my hand, feeling nauseous.


    ¡°Evelyn! Are you all right?¡±


    Devan, who had lowered his sword before I knew it, hugged my collapsing body.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t be. It can¡¯t be. ¡­.¡±


    ¡°Evelyn!¡±


    My vision blurred and saw the ring rolling on the end of view. And beyond it, I saw Killian.


    Killian, covered in his father¡¯s blood.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t breathe. The Count is dead? Is it true? Did Killian kill the Count? Really?


    I grabbed Devan¡¯s clothes and sat down. His beautiful formal wear was crumpled carelessly.


    ¡°Evelyn ¡­¡­?¡±


    Killian looked at me with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°What is it, Evelyn? I did what you wanted.¡±


    He swept his hair in confusion. His silver hair was tangled with red blood.


    Every time I saw the blood, my heart pounded harder and harder. He couldn¡¯t really be dead. ¡­.


    ¡°Are you okay, Evelyn?¡±


    Devan bent down and hugged me. I could feel my heart beating low in his hot arms.


    ¡°Devan ¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, are you okay?¡±


    I took a deep breath in Devan¡¯s chest. My heart, which had been beating wildly, was slowly calming down.


    Angry at the sight, Killian stood up and shouted,


    ¡°Evelyn!¡±


    Devan put his sword down to hold me. Killian took advantage of the opportunity and approached me.


    ¡°Evelyn, Evelyn! Come to me, huh?¡±


    At last when he reached for me.


    The doors of the chapel opened with a bang, and dozens of Kingsguard soldiers rushed in.


    ¡°Over there!¡±


    A trembling voice cried out. As if on signal, the Kingsguard approached us quickly.


    Then they encircled Kilian without a gap.


    ¡°Grand Duchess! Are you all right?¡±


    It was my maid who brought the knights. She sat down beside me and wept.


    She seemed to think that I was sitting there because of Killian¡¯s use of force.


    Devan pushed me gently toward the maid. Then he picked up his sword, which had fallen to the floor, and stood up.


    ¡°Restrain the man.¡±


    At his low voice, the knights moved quickly.


    They were a little flustered when they realized that the man in question was their boss, the captain of the guard until just a short time ago.


    But because of his suspicious appearance in his blood-covered clothes, and because of Devan¡¯s orders, they held Killian¡¯s arms tightly.


    They were no match for Killian¡¯s strength, and four or five of them had to come together.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    Killian shouted, swinging his arms carelessly.


    He looked bewildered by the sudden situation.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    He looked as if he didn¡¯t understand why it would matter that he had interrupted a wedding in the middle of the ceremony with his bloody clothes.


    ¡°Evelyn¡­¡­!¡±


    Killian looked at me as if asking for my help. He seemed to be complaining of injustice.


    I managed to ignore him and turned away. Killian¡¯s cries grew louder.


    ¡°Evelyn ¡­¡­. I helped you. Evelyn, you asked me to help you!¡±


    Killian shouted. He didn¡¯t seem to care about the knights around him.


    He looked as if he didn¡¯t understand the situation. He looked as if he had been betrayed.


    ¡°Take him away now,¡± Devan ordered lowly.


    The knights grabbed Killian by the arms and dragged him away.


    ¡°Evelyn! Evelyn!¡±


    Kilian struggled and did not stop calling my name.


    The ring caught under people¡¯s shoes and rolled helplessly away.


    A streak of red blood was drawn across the plain white cloth on the floor of the chapel.


    ¡°Evelyn, you asked me to do this! Evelyn!¡±


    Hearing Killian¡¯s voice getting further and further away, I fainted.


    * * *


    Count Diego has passed away.


    The next day, Devan, who had visited me, brought me the news. He said that Killian had murdered Count Diego.


    He said that he had no intention of hiding it, and that witnesses and evidence abounded.


    I was more nervous to find out Devan¡¯s thoughts than the fact.


    He heard Kilian¡¯s last words to me.


    He might think that I had seduced Kilian to kill the Count.


    ¡­¡­. Perhaps it was true.


    Count Diego¡¯s death, and the murder committed by his son, was a big story throughout the empire.


    It was even more so because many people knew Killian¡¯s behavior.


    Why on earth would that respected knight have killed his own father?


    Rumors were spread everywhere. Some of the rumors were that someone had framed Killian. Surely there was someone else who had killed the Count.


    I was sick in bed all day.


    My fever rose and I could not properly distinguish between dreams and reality, and I repeatedly fell asleep, waking up from sleep and passing out again.


    In my dreams I was a child living in the temple, but I was tied up in the basement, and I became a dead puppy for no reason.


    I became Killian and killed the Count, I became the Count and was killed by Killian, and I was myself and ordered Killian to kill the Count.


    ¡°Evelyn, you asked me to do this! Evelyn!¡±


    Each time, Killian¡¯s last words hounded me like a stigma.


    Count Diego was a diabolical man. He abused me, including his own children, for money and power.


    Dozens of his subjects died because of his unjustified abuse.


    But does that mean he deserved to die?


    Did Count Diego die because of me?


    Did I kill him?


    Was it all my fault that Killian did that?


    It was at that moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    I heard a low voice, unsure if it was a dream or reality. I could feel a warm hand caressing my wrinkled brow.


    Are you sure? Are you sure it¡¯s not my fault?


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    The voice replied as if it had heard me.


    It¡¯s not my fault, he said¡­.


    ¡°So sleep tight. Don¡¯t worry about anything¡­¡­. All right.¡±


    The voice seemed like a magic spell.


    Killian¡¯s face, which was shaking in front of me, Count Diego¡¯s and the puppy¡¯s pitch black eyes, disappeared in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°¡­ Good night, Evelyn.¡±


    At his low voice,  I fell into a long, dreamless sleep.

 Chapter 65

    ***


    When I woke up again after sleeping for a whole day, I was welcomed by my usual life.


    Devan and all the servants in the mansion were tight-lipped about Killian. The death of Count Diego was no different.


    On the outside, Count Diego and his family appeared to be a happy family.


    Count Diego was a man of ability. He made my confinement in the cellar look like protection and his control of Kilian looked like mere discipline.


    Of course, some of the central nobility knew Count Diego¡¯s true colors. They also knew that he had adopted me solely for the money.


    But they did not know that he kept me locked up in the basement, abusing me and punishing me physically.


    So everyone felt sorry for me as I suddenly lost my beloved father at the hand of my beloved brother.


    It was rather easier that way. I didn¡¯t have to explain anything.


    Even the servants looked at me with pity, especially the maid who had seen the devastation.


    When she heard Killian¡¯s last cry, she had no idea what it meant.


    She just seemed to think that it was the last violent outburst of an insane person.


    She took care of me like a child.


    ¡°Grand Duchess, you must eat some more.¡±


    She even brought a bowl of food in front of me as I lay in bed like this.


    It didn¡¯t hurt as much, though, partly because I was in shock and partly because my body lost strength.


    ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s all right. I want to go out a little bit.¡±


    ¡°No, Your Highness. Stay in bed for another day.¡±


    After putting away the bow, the maid pulled the blanket to cover me. She acted as if she really was a nanny.


    I looked at her awkwardly, and her eyebrows drooped sullenly.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Your Highness. No one will blame you for lying down for another day.¡±


    Blame? I furrowed my brow at the somewhat familiar words.


    ¡°Um, did anyone come into my room yesterday when I was sleeping?¡±


    ¡°Last night?¡±


    ¡°Yes, who is it?¡±


    It seemed someone took care of me. ¡­¡­. I rubbed my fingers across my forehead, which still seemed to have a touch.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in here from time to time. The fever didn¡¯t go down at all¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    So it was a dream then? But the voice from last night was too low to be the maid¡¯s.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s the Grand Duke.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°When I was coming back to my room at dawn, I heard the door close at the end of the hall. As you know, there¡¯s only his room there.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ No way.¡±


    ¡°He might have stopped by because he was worried.¡±


    The maid, who quickly looked excited, shrugged her shoulders and laughed.


    The servants believed me and Devan were married because we loved each other.


    I smiled awkwardly. Devan?


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­..Good night, Evelyn.¡±


    A blank laugh broke out naturally. It couldn¡¯t be. Devan couldn¡¯t have said something so kind. And what was the soft touch?


    It seemed to me that I was mistaken. Well, I had so many dreams, but one of them might have been a sweet dream.


    ¡°Well then, Your Highness, rest well.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ yes.¡±


    The maid stroked my hair and left the room. Left alone, I let out a small sigh.


    Maybe it was because I had been sleeping, my mind became clearer.


    Killian had killed Count Diego. It had already happened. It couldn¡¯t be helped.


    Therefore, what was going to happen was important.


    In the meantime, I needed to see Killian and talk to him again. ¡­. If I had to take responsibility for any part of what happened, I should.


    Where is Killian now? Is he in the Imperial Palace Prison since the Kingsguard captured him?


    The maid told me to take another day off, but I wasn¡¯t going to listen to her from the start.


    It was when I took off the blanket and took a step out of bed.


    Knock. Knock.


    Hm? Hearing the knock, I looked at the door, but there was no sign of anyone there.


    Knock. Knock.


    I heard the knocking sound again. The knocking sound was totally different from usual. It was not a dull sound, but a higher sound.


    No way. I turned my head.


    ¡°Lady!¡±


    It was Pelos. Pelos was tapping on my window, barely hanging on.


    My mouth naturally gaped open. This was the second floor!


    ¡°Open it quickly! My arms will fall off. If my arms fall off, I¡¯ll fall off too!¡±


    I heard Pelos¡¯s voice across the window.


    I hurriedly ran and opened the window. Pelos climbed in and ended up rolling into the room.


    ¡°Pelos!¡±


    I stared at Pelos, who had fallen to the floor with wild eyes. Last time he had appeared suddenly in the Imperial Library, and this time through the window.


    I knew he was an unpredictable man, but I didn¡¯t expect this much.


    And the man who was pretending to be a knight the other day, today he looked like¡­


    ¡°What in the world are you wearing?¡±


    ¡°Lady seems to have noticed my shabby clothes before my beautiful appearance.¡±


    ¡°You know it¡¯s shabby, so why are you wearing it?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a rude remark to the majority of the emperor¡¯s people who wear much shabbier clothes than I do?¡±


    I beg your pardon, but with a smile on his lips, such a statement did not persuade me in the slightest.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying. What are you up to this time!¡±


    ¡°What do you think I¡¯ll do whenever I have time?¡±


    ¡°Of course. And you¡¯re dressed like that to infiltrate somewhere.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite insightful.¡±


    Pelos stood up and tapped his clothes. The dust blew everywhere, I frowned and widened the distance.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t dress like that to sneak into my room, did you?¡±


    ¡°Think what you want. By the way, lady, do you have anything to eat? I¡¯m starving.¡±


    Pelos asked, sitting down at a table in the middle of the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have anything. I am hungry too.¡±


    ¡°Why are you hungry, Lady?¡±


    ¡°That¡­.¡±


    It was because the maid, who thought I was ill, gave me soup instead of food.


    Pelos smiled when he saw the small bowl on the bedside table.


    ¡°Oh, you pretended to be sick, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡­ha , it really hurt.¡±


    ¡°So Devan¡¯s words were true.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡®¡¯No. I came here because I had something more important to tell you.¡±


    Pelos searched the table top as if it were his room. Eventually he found a box of cookies.


    ¡°What do you want to tell me?¡±


    I sat down across from him and took the cookie from his hand.


    ¡°Excuse me, but I¡¯m busy. If you have something to tell me, please say it quickly.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean busy? You weren¡¯t planning on going to the Imperial Palace, were you?¡±


    ¡°What? How did you¡­¡­.¡±


    I glared at Pelos as I set the cookie down. Pelos shrugged and shoved the cookie I¡¯d put down into his mouth.


    ¡°There will be no Diego when you get there. Oh, I¡¯m talking about the son, Diego. His name was Killian, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Even with a mouth full of cookies, Pelos pronounced it quite clearly.


    No Killian? More importantly, how did he know that I was going to go to the prison?


    I narrowed my eyes and glanced at Pelos.


    ¡°What¡­¡­ how far do you know?¡±


    ¡°Killian Diego killed Count Diego. As soon as he killed him, he showed up at the Lady¡¯s wedding. There he made a commotion and was taken away by the Kingsguard.¡±


    That much was known to everyone in the empire.


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°Killian wanted you to know that he had killed Count Diego. Count Diego did terrible things to Killian and to you. Lady, please forgive me if I say terrible things. I¡¯m not allowed to swear.¡±


    I bit my lip softly. How the hell does this man know about everything?


    Pelos added, as if noticing my question.


    ¡°You must have forgotten that I am a Kibeon. And that the world calls me a genius.¡±


    So Pelos said that he even had the brain to quickly grasp the information that he could get as a central high-ranking aristocrat.


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s one more thing. It¡¯s not something to brag about. It¡¯s the fact that I¡¯m close friends with the Lady¡¯s husband who was there yesterday.¡±


    ¡°What did Devan say to you?¡±


    ¡°There are many things in this world that you don¡¯t have to say in words to understand.¡±


    I was getting tired of Pelos¡¯ wise words. My head complained of a headache.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t look well. You can lie down.¡±


    ¡°¡­that¡¯s enough. I think I¡¯ll feel better if you leave.¡±


    ¡°I thought we were quite close.¡±


    ¡°At least now it seems we are not. Why on earth did you come here?¡±


    ¡°I told you. I came here to tell you something.¡±


    ¡°Then what the hell is it!¡±


    I exclaimed, unable to hold back, and Pelos looked exaggeratedly surprised.


    I bit my lip. Perhaps because of what happened yesterday, I had a sensitive reaction to Pelos¡¯ usual wordplay.


    ¡°¡­.. sorry, my head hurts.¡±


    ¡±It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s something I¡¯m used to.¡±


    ¡°Pelos¡­.¡±


    I got up and approached Pelos. I looked down at him and asked in as serious a voice as I could manage.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. What is it that you want to tell me? What do you mean there is no Killian in the Imperial Prison?¡±


    ¡°Well ¡­¡­. One answer is enough for those two questions.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush. Please hurry¡­¡­!¡±


    He shook his head, one hand resting on his forehead.


    Gulping down the remaining cookie in his mouth, Pelos looked up at me.


    ¡°Diego has disappeared from the Imperial prison. Oh, of course, it¡¯s Count Diego¡¯s son.¡±

 Chapter 66

    ***


    ¡°Diego disappeared from the palace prison. Oh, the Count¡¯s son, of course.¡±


    ¡­¡­What? I blinked blankly. Killian gone? What does that mean all of a sudden?


    I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be surprised any more after that happened yesterday.


    ¡°Pelos, what do you mean disappear?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I mean. That¡¯s what happened.¡±


    That happened?


    Pelos spoke in that obnoxious manner.


    ¡°Give me some details. I mean, he¡¯s gone.¡­ Don¡¯t tell me¡­.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s not dead.¡±


    Pelos quickly added, as if he had noticed my concern without saying anything.


    ¡°There was no sign of that. I don¡¯t think he was taken. I think he left on his own.¡±


    ¡°Left? Is prison a place where you can leave if you want to leave?¡±


    Pelos grinned when asked about absurdity.


    ¡°Right, it¡¯s better to say he¡¯s escaped.¡±


    ¡°Escape¡­.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he did it alone.¡±


    ¡°What? Then? Are you saying that someone helped Killian?¡±


    ¡°Yes, because in the first place, it is impossible to escape the Imperial Palace Prison without outside help.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­So who is it? Who helped Killian?¡±


    Pelos picked up a cookie and handed it to me. When I shook my head to mean that I didn¡¯t want it, he shrugged and put it in his mouth.


    ¡°You sound like you¡¯re sure that I know who it is.¡±


    ¡°There must be people you are suspicious of even if you don¡¯t know. You said you were a genius.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to hide it, but I can¡¯t deny it.¡±


    ¡°Who is it? Who took Killian out of prison?¡±


    ¡°I have something to tell you before we talk about it. Please sit down, I have a sore throat.


    Pelos, who was still looking up at me, said.


    ¡°And can I have a cup of tea? The cookies are very dry.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­If you wanted to be served tea, you should have proudly entered the front door, not the window.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Pelos took a look at his clothes. He looked as if he had just realized that he had sneaked in through the window.


    I brought a bottle of water near the bed and sat opposite him.


    ¡°Have this at least. It¡¯s not tea, it¡¯s water.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Pelos put his mouth on the water bottle and gulped it down. He looked like a person who hadn¡¯t had water in days.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to live.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s finish what we were talking about.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. So first, does Lady know how your brother killed your father?¡±


    Pelos asked, with a heartless, serene tone of voice, telling a brutal story.


    ¡°¡­¡­ How did he kill him? I don¡¯t want to know.¡±


    The terrible image of Count Diego in my dream came to mind and I trembled.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not it. That¡¯s not it. I mean¡­¡­. Well, I mean, do you know what he had done after he killed Count Diego?¡±


    ¡°After he killed him?¡±


    Killian didn¡¯t come to my wedding right after he killed him, did he? Pelos nodded as he knew what my puzzled expression meant.


    ¡°After killing the Count, little Diego¡­¡­ Killian set the house on fire.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±


    Fire? When I thought of the Count¡¯s big mansion, I felt cold.


    ¡°He set that big place on fire? The people who lived in it¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Oh, fortunately, all the servants were evacuated. The person who set the fire gave them a notice. Fortunately, he¡¯s not that crazy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Why did he set fire when he wasn¡¯t going to kill anyone? Furthermore, the fire was only in the middle of the house, not the entire house?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­to burn the Count¡¯s body?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a plausible answer, but that¡¯s not the case. The Count¡¯s body was preserved in his private office, on the third floor of the mansion.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s natural to think that it¡¯s to hide or to get rid of something else.¡±


    To hide or to get rid of something? There was something in the mansion that Killian had to get rid of?


    I thought Killian was half crazy and killed the Count on impulse just because of what I said.


    ¡°We found the ignition point to find out what it was. It was in the basement.¡±


    My body trembled.


    It was probably the basement that was used as a warehouse. It was hidden on the outside, and some servants in the mansion didn¡¯t even know it existed.


    The warehouse. It was the basement. The same place where I and Killian were tortured.


    ¡°Why did Killian want to burn the basement that was just a warehouse? Maybe it¡¯s just a coincidence?¡±


    Pelos asked with his chin resting on the table. All the mischief had disappeared before I knew it.


    Why did Killian burn the basement? I couldn¡¯t quite figure out why.


    But if I had the courage to kill the Count. If I had the chance to kill the Count and have the Count at my disposal¡­


    I¡¯d first get rid of the basement, too.


    ¡°One more thing.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±


    ¡°I have one more question. After searching the house like a mouse, we found a missing item.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a document.¡±


    ¡°A document?¡±


    ¡°A document that says Killian Diego is Count Diego¡¯s son. The only document that can prove that he is the eldest son of the Diego family.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­it¡¯s gone?¡±


    ¡°It was originally kept in a safe in the Count¡¯s office.¡±


    Why on earth? As I groaned, Pelos smiled again.


    ¡°Now you look curious.¡±


    ¡°What? No¡­.¡±


    I asked after coughing a few times for no reason.


    ¡°So? Do you know why it¡¯s gone?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? He wanted to break the connection between himself and the Count. It¡¯s because he hated Count Diego terribly.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡­.¡±


    Pelos¡¯ words sounded exactly like Killian killed the Count because he hated him.


    It meant, he didn¡¯t follow my words to kill the Count, it was just a personal revenge.


    I remembered my childhood. Killian was obviously abused by Count Diego until I was adopted.


    After I was adopted, it was directed at me. Of course, I couldn¡¯t say that Killian was loved by his father after that, but¡­¡­ He hated him enough to kill?


    Normally, Killian didn¡¯t show that. If I had to say, he seemed afraid rather than hate.


    ¡°And Lady.¡±


    Pelos tapped the table as if waking me up from my conception.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°There were your papers in the safe, too.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±


    ¡°A document proving that you are the Diego family. It was in the safe, alongside Killian¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Then my papers¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Your papers stayed the same.¡±


    What?


    Killian opened the safe just to remove his papers? Leave mine as it was?


    ¡°How come¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who knows why. But I don¡¯t think he did it on purpose. I think he¡¯s just distracted and didn¡¯t even see yours.¡±


    My face became hot. I felt somewhat embarrassed.


    ¡°I, I, I¡­.¡±


    I was trying to make excuses for nothing, but Pelos snapped me off.


    ¡°Lady. I heard from Devan.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±


    ¡°The last thing Killian said.¡±


    The last thing he said was¡­¡­.


    ¡°Evelyn, didn¡¯t you ask me to do it? Evelyn!¡±


    Did Pelos hear that? That I asked Killian to kill the Count¡­.


    I managed to hide my trembling hands under the table. The palm of my hand, which held the skirt tightly, was full of sweat.


    ¡°That¡¯s ¡­.It¡¯s¡­.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know why I¡¯m telling you this?¡±


    I stared blankly at Pelos.


    ¡°If he killed the Count because of Lady¡¯s request¡­¡­.¡±


    It was just that, but my body hardened again.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t he take the Lady¡¯s papers? No, that¡¯s weird. Why would he have to take his papers? He just has to kill him.¡±


    ¡°That alone¡­ You can¡¯t be sure.¡±


    ¡°There were numerous stab wounds on the Count¡¯s body. They say it all happened after he had already died.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°It means that Killian¡¯s resentment was so great that he hurt the body even after the Count is dead.¡±


    Pelos kept saying one thing.


    Killian killed the Count not because of my request. It was just because of his own resentment.


    ¡°You¡¯re comforting me. You¡¯re saying it¡¯s not my fault¡­¡­. I mean¡­¡­.¡±


    My voice trembled in an unseemly manner.


    ¡°Does Lady think I¡¯m such a sweet person?¡±


    Pelos said in a tone of ridiculousness.


    ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth. And yet if you feel like I comfort the Lady, it¡¯s probably because it¡¯s true.¡±


    Crunch, Pelos chewed his cookie.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying it¡¯s not Lady¡¯s fault that Count Diego died.¡±


    I tried to find the emotion in the face of Pelos.


    Sympathy, pity, anything like that.


    But Pelos had the same calm look on his face as he told me I was going to die because of my power. He had the attitude that he was merely telling me the facts that he knew.


    ¡°Pelos¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, Lady. Please don¡¯t look at me like that. Lady definitely has a husband now, and I am bound to God.¡±


    ¡°I just¡­¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say thank you.¡±


    Pelos slightly raised the corners of his mouth and bent his eyes. It was such a beautiful smile that I couldn¡¯t see the old clothes he was wearing.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little strange to say such a ticklish word between us?¡±


    I lowered my head and smiled at the playful voice.


    ¡°As expected, Lady is best when she smiles. At least.¡±


    ¡°Pelos.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m kidding, I¡¯m just kidding. Lady is always beautiful.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Thank you.¡±


    I said thank you to him still. Pelos, who was off guard, looked as if he had been beaten.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to? There will be a time when you use it later.¡±


    I was strangely relieved by the playful expression of no seriousness.


    Before I knew it, the headache that was bothering me was gone.