《I Thought It Was Betrayal》 Chapter 1 I Thought it Was BetrayalChapter 1 Why did it have to happen? ¡°Why, that time¡­.¡± Why on earth? ¡°That¡­ I¡­¡± Were we not in love? ¡°Edwin!¡± The woman with her fascinating golden hair cried out in woe, clutching her neck as her blood leaked from it. Yet the man merely looked at him, his eyes contained fear for some reason. ¡°Ah! Ah! ¡­ Ah!¡± The man groaned and backed away from the bleeding woman, leaving her to hopelessly watch his figure storming out. The woman stared in disbelief at his unfamiliar movements. In hopes that it was a mere nightmare, her body shook violently. She internally wished this was just a dream. However, to deny her fantasy, the wound from her neck released a horrible pain. ¡°Ha, haha¡­!¡± The woman dejectedly laughed and slowly yet unwillingly staggered. A steady stream of warm blood dripped from her neck. This must be her wild dream. Is this how I die? Tears of regret trickled down her eyes thinking that, ¡®Love wasn¡¯t of the fleeting emotions.¡¯ No, I want to live. Back then, she was even willing to give up her noble position. Alas, I was foolish. As she lost consciousness, a desperate wish resurfaced within her. Whereas the cut on her neck said otherwise; it was already intending to end her life. She began to gasp for air, filling the chill of the tower with her faint breath. In her slowly fading consciousness, she remembered the first time she had met the man who had betrayed her. The day she met him, who looked warmer than the sun in spring, in the orchard full of apple blossom scents. [***] ¡°I thank you, the Sun God!¡± S?a?ch* Th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°We thank you!¡± The people praised her like some of gold, while her brilliant eyes shone as though they were from the sliver of the sun. Elevating her hand above her head, the gazes turned to her in awe praising her like a goddess. Standing on a glass altar on the shores of Lake Malgan, surrounded by hydrangeas, she was literally the embodiment of the sun. Selenia del Amor Apollonia. She was a woman of the noblest blood in this sun-serving empire of Apollonia. Born to the daughter of the duke-turned-Empress and the Emperor, Selenia was recognized for her noble birth and had been a Crown Princess as soon as she was born. While most of the people applauded the emperor¡¯s decision, some worried that her recognition was too soon. After all, despite being an illegitimate child, the Imperial Princess Evangeline was still the eldest daughter of the Imperial Family. But all their worries were put to rest when Selenia began to showcase her abilities. Selenia didn¡¯t lack anything: a strong will, sage-like wisdom, and stunning beauty; she was flawless. Her imperial blood was legitimate and powerful thus even her physical abilities were far superior to those of ordinary humans. ¡°Well done, Your Highness!¡± ¡°This is because of your efforts!¡± Today was to offer holy water to the sun god in hopes of a good harvest. It was a sacred task, an honor reserved for only the noblest blood of the imperial family, excluding the Emperor. Selenia fluttered her eyelashes gracefully and smiled at her subjects as they watched her in fascination. Then she picked up her skirt with her hands, handing it over to the maid who followed her. The maid, too, was enamored of her and then quickly recovered her composure, speaking in a hushed tone. ¡°The ceremony is over, Your Highness. Afterward, you must bathe.¡± ¡°Yes, let us hurry back.¡± Selenia replied nonchalantly and climbed onto her horse. Despite everyone asking her to ride in the carriage, she insisted on riding the horse every time. She wanted to feel her beloved empire with every fiber of her being. ¡°Haah!¡± Selenia stamped her foot vigorously. The palace wasn¡¯t far from the lake, so it wouldn¡¯t take her long to reach it. ¡°Welcome, Your Highness!¡± The knights guarding the palace greeted her cheerfully. She returned it with a smile raising her hand, seeing the knights¡¯ gazes filled with respect. In particular, she was well-versed in swordsmanship. Her swordsmanship was not only sharp and precise, but there was an understated beauty to it that made her shine, too. It was her skill that allowed her to lead the charge against the invading other tribes that sought to destroy her empire. Mermaids, demons, and even mythical birds. These tribes always try to come after the Empire. But one race in particular posed the greatest threat to the Empire: the vampires who hunted humans and drank their blood. ¡°Your Highness. How are you, and did the ceremony go well?¡± ¡°Yes. How are the vampires doing?¡± ¡°Since their last failure, they seem to be staying away from hunting humans. It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± Mikhail, the leader of the knights guarding the empress, smiled faintly as he recalled the last battle. The sight of Selenia on her white horse, slicing through vampires with her holy water-soaked sword, had been engraved in his mind as divine. Without her, the Apollonian Empire would have fallen to the vampires¡¯ hunt long ago. ¡°Rather, it was everyone¡¯s efforts. Doing it on my own wouldn¡¯t have gone this far. Well, I have a bath to attend to.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness, the preparations for your coronation are well underway.¡± ¡°I am trusting you for that.¡± Selenia patted Mikhail on the shoulder and walked past him. Her father, the Sun Emperor, had died a few days ago. Thus, Selenia had been occupied with the funeral and the harvest festival. The Imperial custom dictated that the emperor¡¯s funeral would last two months. This meant that Selenia would only be crowned emperor in two months. As Mikhail disappeared before her eyes, Selenia sighed and entered the room. She removed the necklace from her neck first, then undressed. Her ceremonial white uniform fell to the floor at her feet. A lonely hand slowly opened the door to the bathhouse. Even though the soon-to-be emperor was bathing, there was no maid inside to assist her. Selenia quietly stepped inside as if she was already familiar with the situation. ¡°¡­ You¡¯re not getting any better.¡± With the huge mirror, her entire body was reflected in it. There were three rows of ugly scars on her back as if scratched by large claws. Out of it, there was a hideous, oozing, poisonous fluid. If she were to enter the bathwater, the poison would surely spread throughout the bath. She quickly averted her bitter gaze from her scars. I didn¡¯t want to look at it for long. Staring at the scar brought back terrible memories of that day. Merely five years and already obtained these flawed scars. Then, she heard a clear voice outside the bathhouse. ¡°Your Highness, are you ready?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes. Come in.¡± It wasn¡¯t a maidservant who stepped into the bath, but a priest. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, Your Highness.¡± The priest put her long, white hand on Selenia¡¯s scar. A faint warmth grazed over her back, but the burning pain was otherwise. ¡°Ugh.¡± Selenia bit her lip and pushed through the pain. Soon, golden energy flowed from the priest¡¯s hand and slowly seeped into her scar. The shuddering, agonizing pain slowly faded. Although it was not completely gone, the pain was a lot more bearable than before. ¡°Hooh. Thank you, Angeline.¡± Selenia exhaled heavily, then she smiled weakly in gratitude. ¡°I¡¯ll be back tomorrow, Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­. Yes.¡± Angeline smiled brightly, ducked her head, and headed out the door. Afterwards, Selenia socked into the bath and the smile on her face slowly hardened. In truth, Selenia could not live a single day without the protection of the priest¡¯s power. This was the fact of her life. She had seen every doctor in the empire since she was a child, but none had been able to heal her scars. All of them, even the skilled ones, frowned at the sight of these horrible scars as if they were grossed out. And although they were ordered to keep quiet about the empress¡¯s scar, they couldn¡¯t help but talk about it as if it were cursed or demonic. They must have been disappointed to see such a flaw in her body, which they considered a work of art made by a goddess. Of course, the Emperor, who loved his daughter so dearly, would never have allowed such a thing to exist. ¡°When will I ever be able to take a bath and relax?¡± Selenia¡¯s sigh mingled with the warmth of the bath. She wished she could forget the burdens of being a princess and an emperor. Rather, enjoy her bath even momentarily. But even that was a luxury she would have to suffer for. Selenia stepped out, wrapping a soft towel around her honey-colored hair. ¡°Look who it is.¡± In the room was a woman who looked like her, but strangely more virtuous, sipping tea and waiting for Selenia. ¡°Evangeline.¡± ¡°You were very cool today. Perhaps, was it because of your noble blood?¡± The woman called Evangeline swirled her teacup around, the corners of her mouth lifting softly. ¡°Those words again. You, Evan, are, in fact, the eldest daughter of this imperial family.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I am the older sister who has a wonderful sister, the soon-to-be Emperor.¡± She smiled brightly and handed Selenia the tea she had prepared in advance. The purple sparkling tea was just like Evangeline¡¯s eyes. Evangeline looked like the emperor and had the same golden hair as Selenia, but her eyes were different. Selenia¡¯s eyes were golden, likewise her mother, who had been the former Empress. On the other hand, Evangeline¡¯s mother was from a lowly background ¨C a commoner. And so, unlike Selenia, who had become the Crown Princess upon her birth, she had not become the same despite being an imperial daughter. Selenia, however, was quite fond of Evangeline; she was fragile but had a certain regal quality about her. Besides, even if she was the child of the Emperor, Evangeline only had half imperial blood. Selenia didn¡¯t want to ostracize her for being of half-imperial blood, nor did she want to marry her off to a random noble and cast her out of the palace. But her people had a different view of Evangeline. ¡°Your coronation is just right around the corner.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m more nervous than I thought.¡± ¡°You¡¯re nervous?¡± Evangeline rose from her seat, smiled, and then slid a necklace around Selenia¡¯s neck. It was a necklace of crystal-clear diamonds, sparkling with brilliance. ¡°I¡¯ll tie on you, it¡¯s a keepsake from the Empress.¡± ¡°Thank you, Evan.¡± ¡°Other than me, you should find your paramour to put this on you.¡± Selenia merely smirked and tipped her teacup. ¡°A paramour?¡± ¡°Why, if you suddenly become imprinted¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s all superstition, Evan.¡± There were a lot of superstitions lingering around the Empire. One of the superstitions was the fate-based ¡®imprinting¡¯. When two fated people imprinted themselves on each other, their love was but a stormy one. But Selenia didn¡¯t believe it. It was just a superstition. How could there be such a thing as love at first sight? She looked at Evangeline and smirked. Evangeline pouted her lips as if she didn¡¯t like Selenia¡¯s answer, then turned back to Selenia as if she¡¯d remembered something. ¡°¡­ How are your scars, are they getting better?¡± Her tone was contained with worry and concern. Selenia shrugged her shoulders and replied nonchalantly. ¡°Still the same.¡± ¡°¡­. So, you¡¯re not even recovering.¡± Evangeline¡¯s shoulders drooped at Selenia¡¯s nonchalant response and her watery eyes sunk into sadness. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Evan. I¡¯m getting help from the priest every day.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± Evangeline¡¯s large eyes slowly filled with tears that threatened to fall at any moment. Selenia smiled and put an arm around her worried shoulders. ¡°One day there will be a doctor to fix this scar¡­¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± Before she could finish her sentence, a maid burst through the door. Although this maid was one of those who knew Selenia¡¯s scars, it was still disrespectful. Evangeline scrambled to her feet; her brow furrowed. ¡°How rude! How dare you enter Her Imperial Highness¡¯ chambers¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry, I was in a hurry!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The maid cleared her throat, swallowed hard, and shouted in a concerned voice. ¡°We¡¯re in trouble!¡± ¡°What¡¯s all the fuss about?¡± ¡°V, vampires¡­!¡± She trembled with fear, but once again, she forced the words out. ¡°Last night, the vampires kidnapped people again¡­!¡± Evangeline and Selenia¡¯s eyes met upon her words. Selenia rose from her seat with a grim face and put on her jacket. And she wore her sword, which was as white as the moon, to her waist. ¡°I will slay them myself.¡± Chapter 2 I Thought It Was BetrayalChapter 2 Vampires kidnapped innocent women and men on crescent nights. They also possessed red hair, befitting their heinous image. They did nothing but take the lives of innocent people. But one thing was certain ¨C their very existence, sustained by human blood, terrified her people. And as a result, vampires were ostracized by all the rest of the races. ¡°Knights, listen!¡± Already queueing, including Mikhail, the knights looked at her. And soon, Selenia¡¯s majestic voice reverberated above them. ¡°Last night, the filthy vampires once again went on a ¡®human hunt¡¯.¡± Her tone was calm, but everyone could discern the anger she tried to swallow. She raised her sword high in the air and spoke in a loud voice. ¡°I command you. Cut the throats of those filthy folks who hide deep in the Witch¡¯s Forest.¡± ¡°Kill them!¡± With Selenia and Mikhail in the lead, the knights began to trudge behind them. The vampires¡¯ shelter, Witch¡¯s Forest, wasn¡¯t that far from the Capital. It wasn¡¯t a witch¡¯s forest, but it had tall, and leafy trees. It was also because they rarely see sunlight most of the year. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be able to realize our advances.¡± Mikhail had always admired Selenia¡¯s determination in dealing with problems, always moving as quickly as possible. This time, too, she had immediately summoned the knights while the vampires had yet to be aware of their march towards them. Of course, there were many other things to admire about Selenia. For one thing, she was the one who had personally knighted him when he was a mere commoner and not a noble. She had also been the one who reached out to him, a man whose swordsmanship was exceptional, but had never seen that success because of his identity. She was a light to him, with her blonde hair like warm sunlight. Mikhail looked at her longingly and Selenia was aware of his feelings for her. ¡°You can only win a game if you catch them off guard.¡± She smiled brightly at Mikhail and hurriedly took the lead. After a while, thanks to their haste, they all reached the Witch¡¯s Forest. The knights, including Selenia, slowly dismounted from their horses. As the ground was damp, it limited their horses to go any further. They tied their horses securely at the entrance to the forest, then slowly walked and headed inside. The forest was but black as it had no sunlight, a stench smell of stagnant water wafted through the air. Somehow, the forest was eerily silent. The only sound that resonated in their ears was their crunching of feet on mud. ¡°Aren¡¯t vampires a little stupid?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± They still had quite a path to go before reaching the base of the vampires. But without knowing when and where the vampires would appear, the tension was creepy and unguaranteed. Meanwhile, Mikhail, who couldn¡¯t stand the silence, gripped the sword at his waist tightly. ¡°Since they don¡¯t use weapons.¡± Selenia didn¡¯t relax at his words, her eyes darting around their surroundings. ¡°It¡¯s not that they don¡¯t know how to use them, rather¡­¡± The corners of her mouth turned up sourly. ¡°It¡¯s that they needn¡¯t it.¡± Selenia¡¯s face sank into darkness. For a filthy race that fed on human blood, they had physical abilities beyond them. The Empire would never be able to stop them without the use of powerful weapons imbued with holy power. ¡°That¡¯s because they have such strong bodies.¡± Mikhail replied bluntly since vampires don¡¯t have to use weapons as their sharpest teeth and nails are already their weapons. Thus, the Knights didn¡¯t come out with their shields; no, they didn¡¯t have to carry along their swords. Because vampires don¡¯t use weapons like bows. It would be such a stupid action to shield against nothingness. What they needed was the sharpness and speed to plunge their swords soaked with holy water into their hearts. ¡°Hush, something is coming.¡± The noble and pure blood of the Apollonian Imperial Family bestowed her abilities than ordinary people. As a result, with the help of her blood, helped her in many ways. She heard the sound of wind in her ears as if something was rapidly approaching. It was a sound so small that no one else would even notice it. Selenia raised her index finger to her lips and gestured toward the knights following behind her and they swallowed hard and stopped walking. For a moment, a chill ran down her spine. Instead of the wind, it was something else. As swift as the wind, the vampires were progressing towards them. Selenia¡¯s pupils instantly widened and shouted in urgency. ¡°Everyone, transform into battle formation!¡± At that moment, an arrow flew out of nowhere. ¡°Ugh!¡± The arrow pierced right through Mikhail¡¯s leg. ¡°Mikhail!¡± Selenia turned her head in surprise in the direction of the arrow. The leader of the vampires was Luciel, in the front line. His face was pale white, and his characteristic red hair flowed wildly, corresponding to his rough movements. His relaxed demeanor amidst circumstances was not the only reason why he was seen as the head of the vampire at a glance. He was but a bloodthirsty beast, a vampire ¨C amidst that, Luciel exuded unique elegance. A crafty grin came on his mouth, revealing his sharp canines and flashing green eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, everyone, get into battle formation¡­¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The vampires behind Luciel raised their bows in unison. Selenia¡¯s mouth slowly opened. Shortly, arrows poured down like rain. At that instant moment, everything felt slower ¨C as though time had slowed as she watched everything unfolding. In panic, Selenia¡¯s eyes blinked slowly. The storm of arrows pierced the hearts of her knights. As such, their screams of agony erupted here and there. The immutable truth that vampires would never use weapons had been shattered. What¡¯s more, they were already nearing around the Knights, as if they had known they were coming. Selenia internally swore and drew her own sword. Her silver blade flashed brilliantly in the dark forest. With one hand on Mikhail¡¯s shoulder and the other supporting her sword, she turned to face the vampires that were attacking them. ¡°Oh, no, this¡­ is not¡­ How could they have seen us coming¡­¡± Mikhail stammered, coughing up blood. ¡°Shut up, Mikhail. I won¡¯t forgive you if you die!¡± But ordinary humans were no match for armed vampires. Even the few remaining knights around Selenia were falling to the ground. The vampires cruelly tore their chests with their sharp fingernails. ¡°No!¡± Her screams trailed off into nothingness. It wasn¡¯t complacency. Even if they were unarmed, she should have been prepared for anything. This is all her fault. Selenia pursed her lips at the sight of her falling knights. How the hell did they know they were coming? They must have had a spy inside. They couldn¡¯t have gotten this far ahead of time otherwise. Selenia shook her head as she plunged her sword into the vampires¡¯ hearts. Their blood rippled in waves. No, no. She didn¡¯t want to doubt her own people. To live with the thought that someone might have betrayed her was a path to self-destruct into a quagmire of misery. Waves after waves of thoughts jumbled in Selenia¡¯s mind. In the middle of her confusion, the vampire¡¯s claws finally tore into her shoulder as she tried to pull away. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± She groaned, pulling back quickly. ¡°Let go of me¡­ Your highness!¡± S?a?ch* Th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Silence your mouth! That¡¯s an order.¡± But though Selenia was one of the Empire¡¯s finest, she could barely hold on against them while supporting Mikhail at that. Selenia let out a sharp breath and gritted her teeth. She looked around slowly. The Knights who had come with her had all fallen down, and the vampires who had fought them were gathered around Luciel. He opened his mouth with a sinister grin. ¡°Take the Crown Princess.¡± Luciel¡¯s serpentine voice echoed through the forest. The vampires lunged for Selenia in unison. Their nails, which had torn my knights like paper, were now aimed at her. Selenia breathed heavily, trying to parry their claws. The sound of clashing metal echoed sharply. Having the noble and purest blood was of no use in this moment. There were way too many of vampires, and it was no lie that her strength had already weakened. But how could she¡­! Her cold sweat dripped on her jawline. No matter how strong she was, she couldn¡¯t fight them all. In a fight that cannot be fought, elude is the best option. Selenia finally dropped her sword with hesitation. She glanced at the vampires, hastily turned, and began to run. ¡°Get her!¡± She ran with all her might, still supporting Mikhail with one hand. ¡°Hah, u-urgh¡­.!¡± After running for a while, Selenia¡¯s steps came to an abrupt halt. In front of her, a high cliff with a strong current flowing below presented itself. Was there really no God who could help her? Selenia squeezed her eyes shut. She ran to save their lives only to witness its futileness. Just then, an arrow flew and struck Selenia in the back. ¡°Urgh!¡± It happened to be right where her scar was. The arrow¡¯s impact had released the priest¡¯s holy power, and the scar began to ooze poison again. As the poison spread, an unbearable pain shot up her back. Selenia frowned and applied more pressure to Mikhail¡¯s arm. ¡°Gotcha!¡± She heard the vampires¡¯ exultant voices. Luciel¡¯s figure emerged from the dark forest briefly after. Unhurriedly, he approached her as his eyes only occupied with her. He looked ecstatic, as if he were looking at a finely crafted work of art. ¡°It is time to surrender, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Surrender?¡± ¡°If I bite you, your blood will transform like mine. As such, I¡¯m your salvation.¡± Luciel is a pureblood vampire so if he bit her, she wouldn¡¯t die. Rather, she would become a vampire like him. ¡°Salvation? More like a curse.¡± Selenia sneered at him and began to step backward a little. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mikhail.¡± Even in death, she didn¡¯t want to be a vampire, she whispered quietly in Mikhail¡¯s ear. Then she turned to the vampires, who were snickering at her, and spoke coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be one of those filthy things that drink human blood.¡± Selenia grabbed Mikhail and threw him off the cliff in a flash. Chapter 3 I Thought It Was BetrayalChapter 3 Selenia¡¯s eyes widened at the clear sound of something clinking. ¡°Gasp.¡± Above her was an unfamiliar ceiling and when she touched her body, she was startled to find out that she was wearing different clothes. Instead, it was a woman¡¯s clothes. Selenia was surprised by her discovery, she jerked out of bed and observed around. She was in an ordinary house. While the sun was setting outside the window, the breeze streamed in through the drawn windows. The scenery was like a painting and for a moment, she was dazedly looking out of the window. Underneath the eaves hung a landscape. The star-shaped piece of metal inside the bell fluttered in the wind and made a clear sound. She had probably regained her senses from that work. Selenia opened the door and stepped outside, then a large orchard stretched out before her. The full blossoms of the apple took her by surprise and their sweet scent carried by the spring breeze gently wafted past her nostrils. Everything was so peaceful here. Her gaze wandered over to the bookshelves filled with books. In particular of the books, an ancient document that appeared old caught her attention. Without further ado, she opened them. The book was filled with information about other races that she hadn¡¯t known. She narrowed her eyes while studying its contents. Finally, her hand flipped to the next page. ¡°You¡¯ve finally woken up?¡± An unfamiliar voice came from behind her. Surprised by the unknown presence, she flinched and dropped the book in an instinct. She swirled around, ready to punch the owner of the voice. ¡°Ah, I am the owner of this house.¡± Her eyes were graced with a handsome man facing her. As soon as she turned around, he held out his palm to the wary Selenia, indicating that he held no animosity towards her. Quickly recovering, she scrutinized the man¡¯s appearance. His hair was a light brown color, so thankfully he was not a vampire. Selenia was relieved that he wasn¡¯t one, yet she was still uneasy about him. Suddenly, her heart began to race unusually as though she had fallen in love with him at first sight. She shook her head, saying it was impossible in her case. She didn¡¯t believe in superstitions like fate or imprinting. Her odd heartbeat must have been caused by the vampire wounding her. ¡°I found you lying down by the river and brought you here with me.¡± He smiled gently. ¡°Do not worry. Your wounds have been well treated.¡± At his words, Selenia ran her hand down her back. Upon his words did she only realized that she felt no pain from her scars. However, she was certain that her scars were oozing from that poisonous liquid. But strangely, there was no pain as of this moment causing her to forget that she was attacked in her back. ¡°My scars, how did they¡­!¡± Selenia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, then gazed up and down to the man in disbelief. His appearance didn¡¯t suit of a priest. ¡°You needn¡¯t be so wary.¡± The man¡¯s gentle voice was soft enough to melt her wariness while introducing himself as his green eyes twinkled, the color of midsummer¡¯s green. ¡°I¡¯m Edwin, a doctor of this rural village.¡± That was the beginning of their fateful meeting. [***] ¡°I have washed your uniform here.¡± He returned home with her, as he handed her a neatly folded uniform. Edwin¡¯s meticulous nature was evident in the way her uniform was treated. But as soon as she saw it, Selenia¡¯s face turned red, the thought of being dressed by a stranger made her all giddy. And as if reading her thoughts, Edwin waved a hand and blushed. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t get me wrong, my sister who lives with me changed your clothes, and I only saw the scars on your back¡­!¡± He also seemed to be embarrassed by the way he explained his situation to her. Somehow, she felt relieved, and wore a faint smile. ¡°First of all, thank you for saving me.¡± She cocked her head slightly, thanking him for saving her. ¡°By any chance, was there anyone else besides me?¡± ¡°Uh¡­. there was no one else. Was there anyone else who was injured?¡± ¡°¡­ N, no.¡± It¡¯s a miracle anyone survived that fall. It was already a wishful assumption that Mikhail was still alive by now. Even the thought of him pained her, squinting her eyes. Then Selenia looked questioningly at the doctor in front of her. How could this village¡¯s doctor possibly have prevented the poisoning of her scars? She stared at him for a long moment, then slowly parted her lips. ¡°By the way, how did you cure it?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Edwin narrowed his green eyes as if he didn¡¯t understand her. ¡°The scar on my back. Until now, all I¡¯ve been able to do was to have a priest use her holy power to ward off the poison. A priest, you don¡¯t look like one.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ it¡¯s not completely healed. As you say, I used holy power to keep the poison at bay.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a priest?¡± ¡°Uh, no. Just a doctor, like I said. My holy water was innate, I possessed a faint of it.¡± Selenia¡¯s one eyebrow quirked. His tiny bit of divine power was far more than Angeline, the palace priestess, had. When Angeline helped her, there was always a tolerable amount of pain involved. But now there was no pain at all. All along, a doctor like Edwin was hiding in this rural village. Selenia¡¯s gaze slowly followed his movements. Edwin was frantically searching the kitchen for something to offer her. Eventually, he pulled a bar of chocolate out of the cupboard, chopped it up with a knife, and poured it into a mug. Afterwards, steam rose from the kettle on the stove. He then poured the hot, fragrant milk into the mug and the white milk mixed with the chocolate. Soon a rich chocolate aroma filled the house. ¡°Here you go.¡± Selenia stared at the hot chocolate in front of her. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t have a sweet tooth, but it wasn¡¯t a drink she enjoyed in particular. However, should she refuse his offer would unintentionally come off rude especially when she was already indebted for saving her life. S?a??h th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Selenia gripped the mug tightly, the warmth spreading through her hands, and slowly into her body. As she tilted the mug, Edwin wrapped a thick blanket around Selenia¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You¡¯ve been in the river, and it¡¯s dangerous if your body temperature drops.¡± He may have that idiotic face, but his voice was oddly trusting. Selenia blushed slightly and hugged the blanket tighter. Edwin beamed at her, then pulled up a chair in front of her and sat down. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind if I ask you a question.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°You appeared to be a noblewoman, but how did you get yourself in such a dangerous situation?¡± Selenia¡¯s lips twitched at his question. He must have already recognized her based on her uniform. The golden sun that symbolized the imperial family was proudly embroidered on the breastplate. Hesitantly, she slowly spoke. ¡°I am the Apollonia¡¯s¡­¡± Once again, she must not disclose her identity immediately. It was best to avoid the impending risks that come after. ¡°One of the Imperial Knights.¡± ¡°Of course, I knew it. You are a knight, how wonderful!¡± Edwin laughed with childlike innocence; his eyes filled with starry longing. ¡°I¡¯ve never been good at swordsmanship or archery or anything like that since I was a kid.¡± He blurted out his unasked-for story. Edwin¡¯s story, told at a pace that was neither fast nor slow, strangely made Selenia listen to him. She didn¡¯t know if it was the soothing crackle of the campfire, neither the faint scent of apple blossoms, nor the fact that he was telling a good story, but she found it incredibly relaxing while listening. It made the whole vampire confrontation seem like a dream. Selenia¡¯s wariness of the day slowly melted away as Edwin¡¯s words drifted into the still evening air. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s the end.¡± Edwin¡¯s rambling ended. Selenia¡¯s attention snapped back to him, and she looked outside to see that it was already getting dark. Even though his story was unimportant, his storytelling was so good that neither of them noticed the passage of time. She listened to his story with glazed eyes, unable to ask him anything important. Selenia coughed and turned away, embarrassed that she had been listening so intently. It was time to get back to the imperial court. ¡°Hm, how far are we from the palace, anyway?¡± ¡°Uh, you can get there pretty quickly if you head out to the main street and use the mana tunnels. But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a fee for using the mana tunnel¡­ and I don¡¯t have any gold coins to lend you¡­¡± Despite being a doctor, he was clearly in need. She scratched her head and came up with her next plan. She could write a letter to the Imperial Palace, asking them to come get her. ¡°A letter, then.¡± ¡°¡­ You may be a noble, but you do not know about how things are done here.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Mana tunnels and sending letters both cost mana, which means they cost gold coins.¡± ¡°What do you mean, gold coins?¡± Something was off. Letters from the Apollonian Empire were delivered to the sender by being attached to enchanted bubble balloons. However, enchanted, or not, it was as easy as lying down and eating cold soup for a mage. But gold coins? Something wasn¡¯t right. Likewise of the mana tunnels. Once a mana tunnel is dug, it takes no more mana. That meant that even if all the wizards disappeared, you could still use them indefinitely. Furthermore, the imperial government had paid for the mana tunnels in the first place, and the fee for using them was not gold coins, but a few coins and an official letter was sent to respective territories. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the imperial budget for mana tunnels and postmen is quite large.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± Selenia¡¯s golden eyes widened in disbelief. The Mana Tunnel and the post office were facilities managed by each territory, not institutions involved in the imperial family. Selenia¡¯s eyes began to glow with intelligence. If the people from a rural village were suffering like this behind the Imperial back, it meant that there was a corrupt official meddling. Therefore wrongdoings had to be righted. In order to exact that, she needed to get information. Fortunately, Edwin could ward off the poison of her scars, so she could stay here and gather information. ¡°I was wondering if I could stay here for a few days.¡± ¡°Yes, pardon?¡± Edwin raised his voice in surprise. ¡°I thought you said you had a sister.¡± ¡°Oh, she¡¯s out of town on business and won¡¯t be back for a few days¡­¡± He doesn¡¯t care about himself, but a woman is a woman, even if she is a knight. Blushing, he timidly replied. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do anything to you.¡± ¡°What? W-what nothing are you talking about?¡± ¡°Just kidding, just kidding. I¡¯ll only stay for a while. I¡¯ll also repay you back.¡± Selenia joked comfortably as if he were an old friend. ¡°Alright, if you don¡¯t mind¡­.¡± Edwin shyly smiled and scratched the top of her head. ¡°Oh, do you mind if I ask¡­ your name?¡± Selenia pondered for a moment, then answered in a small voice. ¡°¡­. Sera.¡± ¡°Sera, Miss Sera. This house is shabby, but please make yourself at home while you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Pfft, thank you.¡± To anyone else, they would think he was begging her to stay here. Selenia had an inexplicable smile on her face. He was a simple man, and she had the hunch she¡¯d get along with him just well. Selenia smiled warmly at him, feeling a strange attraction she hadn¡¯t experienced before. Chapter 4 I Thought It Was BetrayalChapter 4 The first thing Selenia did while staying at Edwin¡¯s house was to write a letter to Evangeline, the one most concerned about her. While she was away, she needed someone to take care of the palace. However, the problem was financial. Like Edwin had said, it costs two gold coins to send a mere letter. She found it ridiculous. This one letter costs as much as one dress. Besides, it wasn¡¯t like the Imperial Family would be affluent of a few gold coins, which only meant someone was receiving them. ¡°Take this.¡± ¡°This?¡± Edwin held out a small pouch made of old leather, and she slowly grabbed it. Two shiny gold coins clinked in her hand. ¡°Gold coins? I thought you said you didn¡¯t have any?¡± ¡°My ¡­ sister is getting married soon.¡± Edwin glanced at the gold coins in Selenia¡¯s hand, then continued meekly. ¡°It¡¯s money to buy a dress.¡± If it was money for his sister¡¯s wedding dress, it was very important money. Selenia handed the gold back to him. Although she was quite desperate, it wasn¡¯t like she was out of options. She only had to find an alternative way. ¡°I can¡¯t spend ¡­ that kind of money.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have something important to do?¡± Edwin¡¯s eyes locked with Selenia¡¯s. ¡°For my sister to get married, to have a child, and for that child to live happily ever after¡­¡± He closed his eyes as if in a happy dream. ¡°I want to make this world a better place.¡± Selenia was clever, she knew exactly what he meant only by his expression. ¡°¡­ I will pay you double of this.¡± Selenia squeezed his gold coins. She was not the kind of person to make his sacrifice in vain. In determination, her eyes glowed. S?a??h th? N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Even in spring, it is still chilly at night. I will lend you my robes.¡± The same fresh scent flowed from the robe on her. Selenia put on his robe and headed downtown with him. She went to the post office to post a letter to the imperial palace, then strolled the streets, gathering information that could help her. She didn¡¯t know it was easier than she thought. The townspeople answered her questions without hesitation. But it was also bittersweet. They complained of what they¡¯re undergoing with though she was just a stranger. It was obvious that their grievances had reached to an extreme. It was a bitterness so bitter it was hard to swallow. What went wrong? Her heart felt heavy as though it was her fault for being incapable. Selenia returned to Edwin¡¯s house carrying the bitterness with her. Upon arriving to her room, she had gathered each information through writing. Edwin watched her enter the room with concern. Her expression hadn¡¯t been good since earlier. Concerned about her, he headed out to the orchard and knocked on her door while carrying goodies. She was frantically shuffling through her goal, oblivious to his entrance. Edwin momentarily stared at her, then spoke up. ¡°Try this.¡± As Selenia moved her quill quickly, something fell in front of her ¨C it was a ripe plum. ¡°Huh?¡± Selenia alternated between looking at the few plums rolling around on her desk and at Edwin, who was looking at her as his eyes shone. No one had ever offered her fruits like this before. It was a brazen gesture, perhaps because he didn¡¯t know who she was, but it was refreshing. ¡°Thank you.¡± Selenia smiled lazily at him and lifted the plum, taking a large bite. Its sweet juice oozed from the tart flesh. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± Her tone was stiff, but the corners of her mouth curled up in a satisfied arc. Surprisingly, the fresh and fruity aroma lifted her spirits. Suddenly, a cool breeze mixed with a hint of spring blew through the open window. Her golden hair fluttered with the white curtains and Selenia tucked her golden hair behind her ear as it fluttered in the breeze. This is such a peaceful place. She could almost live here forever. Without realizing it, Selenia¡¯s mouth curved into a wide smile and Edwin blushed at her mesmerizing sight. ¡°Hhm, tonight I¡¯m going to give you a taste of my specialty stew, so look forward to it!¡± ¡°I look forward to it.¡± Selenia¡¯s softly folded eyes were adorable. In a dash, he left her room while hearing his heart beating so hard. Through their days together, after dinner, he¡¯d always sat in front of the campfire with her and talked. As they gazed up at the shooting stars across the night sky, he found himself drawn to her. He had never felt anything else for a woman in his life. But this woman was different. Aside from being beautiful, as if sculpted by a god, she was also extremely intelligent. She knew medicine without being a doctor, and she had a knack for gathering information and organizing them into documents. Edwin, in his own way, was also called a genius in his hometown. But Selenia knew literally everything. No matter what the topic, her mouth blurted wisdom. She would even explain events and academic arguments that he didn¡¯t know about. He had never talked to someone who could communicate so well with him. But it was Selenia¡¯s smile that won him over. He gave her plums but her smile was sweet, and his heart raced like the sea in inclement weather just by witnessing her. It was strange indeed. They had only just met, and yet he felt drawn to her, as if she were telling her she was his destiny. Edwin shook his head and headed for the storeroom. For some unspeakable reason, she was no ordinary knight. No ordinary knight would be so eager to investigate corruption in a place like this. And even if she was, she was probably from the capital¡¯s nobility. Even if she could fake a name, she couldn¡¯t fake an embodied elegance. He went to the storeroom and sighed, picking up a bunch of vegetables to make a stew. Even if he couldn¡¯t tell her how he felt, he wanted to make her the best stew he was skilled with. He went to the kitchen, put the crockpot on and started slicing potatoes. As soon as he finished organizing their meal, Selenia came out of the room. ¡°Can I help you with anything?¡± Selenia walked over to Edwin, who was slicing potatoes. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Take a rest.¡± Edwin urged her on with his skillful chopping, but she had no intention of backing down. She was indebted to his house, hence she couldn¡¯t afford to lay back and watch him serve her food. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be hard, it¡¯s just like swordplay.¡± Selenia fumbled around, then found a knife and grabbed it. ¡°Can I slice this?¡± ¡°Please, then.¡± He smiled gently. Selenia coughed and picked up the cleaned carrot. She placed it on the chopping board and began to slice it very carefully while Edwin stared at her as she did so. Her lips were slightly pouted in concentration, looking so adorable. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her, mesmerized. ¡°There, that¡¯s it.¡± While Edwin was distracted by her, Selenia smiled proudly after finishing slicing the carrots. For a moment, Edwin¡¯s warm green eyes met Selenia¡¯s golden ones. When she realized that Edwin was seriously staring at her, she involuntarily averted her gaze. Edwin snapped out of his senses and turned his attention back to the carrots Selenia had sliced. ¡°Oh¡­?¡± The carrot had been mangled into a mess. Unless there was something wrong with the carrot, it couldn¡¯t have been chopped like this. ¡°¡­. Do you, perhaps, hate carrots?¡± ¡°Huh? No. I don¡¯t have any food dislike.¡± ¡°Maybe carrots are your parents¡¯ enemies, or maybe you¡¯ve wanted to kill them since for a long time¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Are my knife skills that bad?¡± She¡¯d always been praised for her skills, but this was the first time in her life she¡¯d ever been criticized for failing to do something. ¡°No, as long as it¡¯s edible.¡± Edwin said gently and shook the carrots she had sliced, no, diced-into the pot. It only made her more miserable. ¡°¡­ I can¡¯t stand it.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never felt so miserable in my life.¡± ¡°Maybe there¡¯s something you can¡¯t do.¡± ¡°No.¡± Already, Selenia¡¯s eyes were burning with passion. ¡°While we are here, teach me how to cook.¡± ¡°Pardon? But, I¡¯m not that expertly trained either¡­¡± Certainly, his food would be shabby compared to what she ate at the Palace, since the imperial chefs were some of the bests in the capital. But Edwin¡¯s dishes were strangely suited to her taste buds. She wasn¡¯t usually a heavy eater, but Edwin would serve things that were only lightly seasoned with pepper, not salt. It was as if he knew all her tastes. ¡°No, no. Your food is my favorite.¡± At Selenia¡¯s slightly raised eyebrows, Edwin finally granted her unasked-for favor. ¡°Well, I am not educated¡­ but I¡¯ll teach you to what I know.¡± Selenia smiled faintly at the sight of Edwin¡¯s uncertainty but still smiling warmly. The sight of his smile made her feel at peace. When had she ever felt so at ease? Since she was born, she had never been able to relax. She¡¯d always been weighed down by her duties and responsibilities to the empire, her heavy shoulders straining to keep up. With the exception of Evangeline, she had no friends. Her noble birth made it difficult for everyone, and even those who approached her in a friendly manner had their own agenda. Selenia had always had to play the part of the princess they wanted her to be. But this man was different. She¡¯d seen a lot of people in her life, she had also taken pride in her competence. However, he wanted nothing from her, but sincerity. In front of him, she could be herself, Sera, not Princess Selenia. Unaware of her future fate, Selenia¡¯s affection for him spread like paint on a canvas. Chapter 5 I Thought It Was BetrayalChapter 5 ¡°Is this the way to do it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It had been a week since she had stayed at his house. However, oddly enough, she was yet to hear back from Evangeline. She had already gathered all the necessary information from the townspeople. Her plan was to return upon receiving Evangeline¡¯s letter to punish those corrupt officials then get revenge on the vampires. Furthermore, she needed Evangeline to pay back Edwin¡¯s money, thus her impending letter was making her uncontrollably anxious. But despite his feelings, in just over a week, Edwin and Selenia had grown very close. They cooked together every night and talked at dawn to the sound of crickets. One thing was clear: they had the same tastes, hobbies, and even taste buds, as if imprinted on each other. These things were partly the reason why they were drawn to each other. For some reason, Edwin couldn¡¯t stop his heart from skipping a beat whenever he saw a smile on her face. It was such a shame that time passed by each day, and that feeling of regret eventually turned to a feeling of love. Even so, he desperately hid his feelings from her. She lives in a different world than him, and soon leaves his side. But it was Selenia who was wavering. She wondered if she would ever meet someone like him again, regardless of gender. ¡°Ugh.¡± While he was distracted cooking, Selenia¡¯s knife accidentally cut her finger then the blood dripped down. ¡°Are you okay?!¡± Edwin fussed over Selenia¡¯s finger as if it had been chopped off, and hurriedly brought out ointment and bandages. ¡°Aigoo, that must hurt.¡± He grabbed Selenia¡¯s finger and blew on it to which her cheeks flushed at his unexpected behavior. It was the first time she had ever been touched like this by a man. There was no one in the palace who would dare to touch her. ¡°I, I am fine.¡± Feeling embarrassed, she quickly withdrew her fingers from Edwin¡¯s grasp. She had never experienced anything like this before, and wanted to hide in a rat hole. ¡°Even if it was a small cut, you have to put medicine on it.¡± With that, Edwin cleaned her finger thoroughly and then carefully applied the medicine. Only when he had wrapped it in a finely cut bandage was Selenia¡¯s finger free from his grasp. ¡°How lucky I am to be a doctor.¡± He smiled softly, shaking his head. ¡°It¡¯s a minor cut, really.¡± Selenia coughed unnecessarily and turned away from him. ¡°By the way, have you heard from them?¡± ¡°¡­ No. When did you say your sister¡¯s wedding was?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in a week. That¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯t ask about the gold coins.¡± Edwin rubbed his hands together and studied Selenia¡¯s suddenly darkened complexion with concern. He¡¯d only asked because he thought she was worried about not being able to reach whoever she sent her letter to, but she seemed to have taken it the wrong way. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the money, you¡¯re already doing a good job.¡± He patted her shoulder, as if to assure her not to worry about anything. The warmth of his large hands spread over her shoulders and through her body. It felt strangely reassuring to be talking to him. ¡°You¡¯re very strange.¡± ¡°Hm? How so?¡± ¡°You make people feel so comfortable.¡± ¡°I hear that a lot.¡± His slightly droopy eyes folded gently, and Selenia chuckled, finding it cute that he was being so shameless. ¡°Pftt, you don¡¯t say that often enough.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s true.¡± At his reassurance, Selenia¡¯s laughter stopped, and she bowed her head slightly in apology to him. ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t worry. As soon as I receive a letter back, I¡¯ll pay you back the gold you borrowed and everything else I owe to you.¡± Selenia¡¯s apologetic gaze fell on Edwin, yet his complexion darkened. She couldn¡¯t figure out why his expression was ugly when she was ready to pay him back. ¡°That ¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Once the sender replied, will you return?¡± ¡°¡­ I guess so.¡± Her tone carried regret, and that was when she realized why he reacted like that. She may have never been in a relationship, but she wasn¡¯t that clueless. And it wasn¡¯t just Edwin¡¯s disappointment. ¡°¡­ Edwin.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°When I hear from the palace, I¡¯ll have to go to¡­¡± S?a??h th? N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Selenia hesitated, then spoke slowly. ¡°Will you come with me?¡± Originally, an imperial doctor had to be extremely excellent, but he was not Selenia¡¯s doctor. Bold enough not to be surprised at my scar, and trust enough not to talk about it. It was as if fated played him to save her, and they were meant to be. If he would only accept her offer, confess to him that she was soon-to-be the emperor of this empire, she¡¯d take him to the palace. Selenia swallowed dryly as she watched Edwin blink rapidly in thought. Then his mouth opened, as if to respond. ¡°I¡­¡± Then something interrupted Edwin. It was a loud explosion sounding outside. In an instant, their gazes met, and she immediately threw open the door and rushed outside. ¡°There you are.¡± It was none other than the man who had appeared with a loud bang, ¡°Luciel!¡± It was Luciel. His green eyes rolled lazily, as if they held venom and his gaze flickered past Selenia to Edwin. Strangely, there was hostility in Luciel¡¯s eyes as he looked at Edwin. It was as if he were looking at a thief who had stolen from him. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re in this shabby place, with such a shabby man.¡± His face still wore a flowing smile, but his eyes remained unsmiling. This was not a woman to be messed with. His eyes, the same green as Edwin¡¯s, flashed like a beast upon its prey. But even though they were the same color, the feeling they exuded was different. Where Edwin¡¯s eyes were warm and refreshing, like the greenery of summer, Luciel¡¯s were lonely and cold, reminiscent of the stark branches of winter. Luciel added in an easygoing tone. ¡°Your Highness, the Crown Princess.¡± Luciel¡¯s words startled Edwin, turning to Selenia with his wide-opened mouth. He¡¯d known she was noble, but he¡¯d never dreamed she was as noble as the Crown Princess. Edwin¡¯s surprise that she was a princess was overridden by his frustration that he could never be with Selenia. Selenia frowned and wrapped her arms around Edwin¡¯s back. ¡°I don¡¯t care about him, this is between you and me.¡± ¡°How could it matter, Your Highness, when all humans are our enemies.¡± Luciel spoke sarcastically, revealing his sharp nails. His nails exuded flesh, as if they could tear through Edwin¡¯s flesh at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Edwin.¡± Selenia whispered, barely loud enough for Luciel to hear. ¡°I¡¯ll apologize for deceiving you later.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°Run!¡± Selenia grabbed Edwin¡¯s hand and started running, and they dashed through the apple trees. With no holy water, no crucifix, or even a decent weapon, standing up to the leader of the vampires here was suicidal. Only by fleeing would they have any chance of survival. ¡°We have to go to the forest!¡± They were going to the forest and seek a place to hide. Selenia and Edwin sprinted through the white petals falling from the apple trees. Holding her hand as they ran, this moment felt like a dream to Edwin. Just now, he had been quietly cooking at home and was thinking about what to say to the offer to go to the capital with him. But out of nowhere, a vampire appeared in the countryside, and Sera, whom she thought was a knight of the imperial family, was not Sera, but the Crown Princess Selenia of the Apollonian Empire. Unlike his steps, his eyes blinked slowly. It wasn¡¯t an emotion worth feeling in this situation, but the apple blossom petals fluttering like snow and Selenia¡¯s golden hair fluttering before my eyes were so beautiful. So much so that her eyes are dazzling. ¡°Edwin!¡± Selenia, who entered the forest, urgently shouted his name. Only then did Edwin come to his senses and held her hand tightly. ¡°Let¡¯s go this way!¡± This is a forest he has frequented since he was young, like it was his home. He had memorized the geography of the forest. He led Selenia to the cave that had been his secret base during his childhood. The cave was hidden among trees and bushes, a location that could easily be overlooked by anyone except those with a keen eye. Together, they entered the cave. ¡°How on earth did you know I was here?¡± Selenia said, closing her eyes tightly. Edwin stared at her, then picked up dry tree branches around them to the cave as it was getting dark. ¡°The weather will get cold soon. I will start the fire.¡± Edwin lit a bonfire in silence. Selenia glanced at him, observing his gaze. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s okay.¡± Before she could say anything, Edwin¡¯s mouth opened first. ¡°As status is a status, it must have been difficult to tell the truth. I understand.¡± ¡°¡­ I tried to say it. You..¡± A crackling bonfire flickered in Selenia¡¯s golden eyes then continued her words, looking clearly at Edwin. ¡°If you said you¡¯d come with me¡­¡± Edwin couldn¡¯t look away from Selenia¡¯s eyes and waited for her next words. ¡°I was going to tell you everything.¡± The mood turned serious, and Edwin scoffed. What difference would it make if he followed Selenia to the palace? She was the one he shouldn¡¯t be looking at, the one who would be emperor of this country. She was supposed to marry someone who would benefit the empire. Not a country bumpkin like him. Upon realizing that, a bitter laugh tugged at Edwin¡¯s lips. ¡°Edwin.¡± No answer came from his lips, so it was Selenia¡¯s body that did the talking. She reached out to him. ¡°There you are.¡± Selenia and Edwin¡¯s heads snapped up at the creepy voice. Luciel, who had somehow found them, and who had found them unusually quickly, stalked toward them. Selenia stood in front of him to protect Edwin. Honestly, Edwin was just a man leaving in peace here. She was also further indebted to him for settling in his house, and even used her sister¡¯s money. He owed nothing to her. But she couldn¡¯t let him lose his life. ¡°If you¡¯re going to kill me, kill me.¡± Selenia¡¯s golden eyes glittered which conveyed she wanted to protect Edwin at all costs. If she was going to be torn apart by Luciel¡¯s nails, it should be her, not Edwin. ¡°I don¡¯t know who to give the gift of death to first.¡± Luciel¡¯s eyes lit up for a moment as he looked at his nails, and in a flash, he lunged at Selenia. And the moment his nails were pointed at her, ¡°¡­. Edwin!¡± Before she knew it, she was already in Edwin¡¯s arms.