《Lilian of Turin》 CH 1 1. Beginning She wandered between life and death in a fever. It was a terrible illness so it took a week to come to her senses. Everyone said she¡¯d die, but Lilian lived. And¡­ ¡®I¡¯m sure I remember¡­¡¯ A long time ago, before she became Lillie, she had ¡®read it¡¯ in another world. A story featuring Lillie and her life. Could it be that the heat that penetrated deep into her head became the key to awakening her sleeping memories? Lilian calmly inhaled once. It was to somehow calm down, but it didn¡¯t help her much. Because¡­ ¡°Selling the young miss to get engaged! And that, too, to a marriage that¡¯s no different from a kite with the string cut off!¡± It was because of her nanny who was crying a river as if the sky had collapsed. ¡°Lord Cedric is also indifferent! Even though he¡¯s your half-brother, it¡¯s as if he waited for the Master and Madam to die to do this¡­.!¡± Well. Lilian could only smile awkwardly. She wondered if her half-brother deserved credit for not killing the wicked stepmother¡¯s daughter right away. Lilian¡¯s mother was the second wife of her father, the former Marquis, and she had a very clear purpose in dealing with Cedric from the beginning. Either framing him or abusing him. ¡°Poor young miss, if only the Madam were alive!¡± Lilian only shrugged her shoulders this time. Unlike her nanny, Lilian didn¡¯t miss her mother, who pretended to care just because she wasn¡¯t a son. In the first place, this woman was like that too. This woman was not originally her nanny. She was originally her mother¡¯s maid, but as soon as her mother died and she became a loose kite, she cleverly took on the role of Lilian¡¯s nanny. ¡°You¡¯re only twelve!¡± Even now, she¡¯s just shedding crocodile tears in fear of losing her only backer. It wasn¡¯t that she was really worried about Lilian. Before she had a fever, Lilian believed this woman like an idiot. The child who lost her parents all of a sudden thought that this woman who pitied her was really on her side. But now she knew. This woman was just planning to manipulate Lilian to get what she wanted from the new Lord, her half-brother. Convinced that she wouldn¡¯t do much good by her side, Lilian pulled out the item she had prepared from under her pillow. ¡°Nanny.¡± ¡°Oh my God, young miss!¡± It was a necklace with thick oval-cut emeralds surrounded by small diamonds. Lilian smiled silently and handed it to the nanny. ¡°Madam¡¯s keepsake! Why is this here, no, this precious thing for me¡­!¡± The woman hurriedly grabbed the necklace, mentioning that it was a keepsake but only out of courtesy as she didn¡¯t hesitate to take it. ¡°My kind-hearted young miss, don¡¯t worry. This nanny will definitely protect you from now on!¡± ¡°Thank you, but you don¡¯t have to.¡± Lily smiled and shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re fired as of today.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s your severance pay.¡± It took the woman, who opened her eyes blankly, some time to understand what was being said. The woman immediately urged Lilian not to lie and play pranks. However, Lilian was calm throughout. Like someone who knew in advance how this funny skit would end. The woman sensed that things were going wrong for her. ¡°W-why are you doing this, young lady!¡± ¡°I know you want to get your share by driving a wedge between me and my brother.¡± The woman had her mouth wide open, never expecting a 12-year-old child to expose her insides so openly. ¡°By the way, if you don¡¯t leave quietly, I¡¯ll say that the necklace was stolen.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What would you like to do?¡± It was a casual tone, as if asking about the dinner menu. Lilian¡¯s nanny has lived more than half her life as the limb of the sensitive and fussy second wife. Thanks to that, she knew it instinctively. The current Lilian was not someone she could control. If she made a fuss here, she could literally be kicked out empty-handed. The nanny involuntarily grabbed the emerald necklace. That answer was enough. Lilian smiled. CH 2 2. For now, start with my brother Lily Islar. As the mother of the original male lead, everyone said the same thing about her. ¡°She¡¯s a woman who doesn¡¯t deserve to be a parent.¡± ¡°Someone who only thinks of herself to the extreme? Only you are always in pain and you¡¯re the most pitiful.¡± Lilian believed that she was the victim of an arranged marriage. She owed it to the schemes of her fake nanny. The object of her main resentment was her husband rather than her brother, whom she couldn¡¯t see often after getting married. Lilian, who considered herself a victim, demanded various forms of apology and compensation. Exotic silk that isn¡¯t sold even if gold of the same weight was attached, big and ancient jewels with stories and history¡­ Lilian, who grew up with no shortage of things but has no greed and no peers her age to brag about such luxuries, didn¡¯t know that such things were particularly good. However¡­ ¡°The more respected a lady is, the more jewels she should have.¡± Is it? The nanny skillfully instigated the naive Lilian. ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate. It¡¯s what you deserve!¡± Most of the expensive and bright things just brushed Lilian¡¯s hand once and slipped into the nanny¡¯s skirt. Her husband let Lily be his wife even without doing any of her duties as a wife and hostess. It seemed like there¡¯s not even a hint of expectation in the first place. It was an act that, in some cases, could be considered lenient, but Lilian, who deep down wanted to get her husband¡¯s attention, was deeply upset to think that she had been ignored. Lily was upset and her nanny advised her to have a baby. ¡°All you have to do is give birth to a healthy child, a son who will become the heir.¡± Lilian took her advice. And her hard work paid off. But even after her pregnancy, her husband¡¯s condescending attitude didn¡¯t change. However, the people around him, except for him, certainly paid more attention than usual. Whatever the inside story, Lilian had a wonderful husband and brother, so she received congratulations and presents in abundance. So Lilian had a very satisfying time without her husband¡¯s attention. After a while, her labor pains began. ¡­it was difficult. Two days later, the baby was born. Even Lily¡¯s life was saved. But her miracle ended there. Lily, who wasn¡¯t healthy at all, became unable to conceive again. As soon as her body recovers, she thought of having a child again and enjoying the sweet attention, but Lilian despaired. She hated the child playing with the nanny without knowing anything. ¡®Does he think the nanny is his mother?¡¯ Her heart was greatly twisted. She¡¯s the one who became this way because of giving birth to him. But he didn¡¯t even know his mother? ¡®No matter how much of a baby he is!¡¯ Her son had to love, respect, and regard her as an absolute being, not the nanny, but her, the mother. Because she became like this after giving birth to that child! The abuse that started like that continued steadily throughout the child¡¯s growth. Lilian even had seizures when her son went beyond her standards or took an interest in anything other than herself. And that wasn¡¯t all. After she realized at some point that people comforted and cared for her when the child was sick, Lilian deliberately hurt her child or even poisoned him. When this fact was discovered belatedly as time passed, everyone was shocked at Lilian¡¯s madness, but one person, her husband, didn¡¯t even get angry. He just sighed a little and shook his head, as if he wasn¡¯t surprised. But Lilian took her own life that night in front of her son. There was only one reason. That was how it seemed to Lily since he despised herself anyway. It was to get revenge on her husband. While describing Lily¡¯s self-destructive behavior in detail, the author made the original female lead care for the male lead¡¯s trauma. Encouraged by the female lead¡¯s support, the male lead, with his own hands, ended his father, who became insane and a monster after Lily¡¯s death. A truly beautiful epic. An ending where love and justice triumph. In the process, one man became a demon that burned half the empire and one man had to kill such a father. Throwing the lives of her son and husband into the abyss of misfortune. That¡¯s why Lilian was present in this story. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for asking to see you all of a sudden. Were you busy?¡± If she didn¡¯t want to live that kind of life, there¡¯s someone she need to meet first. ¡°Not really.¡± Dark blue hair like the feathers of a crow, and skin as white as snow. He was a young man whose fine lines were thin and the silver rimmed glasses he wore only during work matched perfectly. Cedric Islar, her brother who succeeded her deceased father as the Marquis. ¡°Why did you suddenly ask to see me?¡± ¡°I have something I want to tell you about my engagement.¡± Cedric Islar opened his eyes while frowning. He had bright blue eyes. ¡°Of course, older brother has something to say to me on the same subject, but¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Before that, I want you to listen to me first. Would that be okay?¡± Cedric looked strangely at his sister, who had not been able to make eye contact with him until recently. She was ¡®a weak child who didn¡¯t resemble her mother¡¯s wickedness.¡¯ Didn¡¯t she even faint on the spot as soon as she heard that she was supposed to get engaged? ¡®I heard that the woman called her nanny scared her rather than appeased her.¡¯ Soon after, her sister fell seriously ill, and Cedric was even told to prepare. It was a mess and there was a commotion. Just thinking about it again gave him a headache. Cedric¡¯s honest feeling was that he wanted to avoid repeating the situation. ¡®However¡­¡¯ Cedric blankly stared at Lilian. Surprisingly, it seemed that Lilian was calmly waiting for his permission. ¡°I¡¯ll allow it.¡± For now, Cedric decided to give Lilian the right to speak. ¡°First of all, I would like to apologize for disappointing you with my careless response to the engagement you mentioned earlier.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What? Bowing, the little sister bowing her head and apologizing looked cute even to Cedric. It was so cute that the credibility of what she said was lost. Cedric raised his brows. ¡®What the hell is she talking about?¡¯ Is she trying to pretend to be more admirable than necessary to get some sympathy because she doesn¡¯t want to get engaged? ¡®I¡¯m sure she wasn¡¯t that smart¡­¡¯ ¡°And now I want to tell you that I have changed my mind.¡± Hold on. ¡°You changed your mind?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lilian¡¯s words that followed were completely against his assumptions. ¡°I will get engaged, with the person chosen by older brother.¡± Cedric was speechless for a moment and his beautiful eyebrows went up in a flash. It was a surprise he expressed to the fullest extent. Lilian, who was subtly nervous, relaxed a little at that sight. Fortunately, the words she prepared seemed to work. ¡°You¡¯re surprised.¡± ¡°Are you certain?¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain.¡± Despite her clear answer, Cedric couldn¡¯t get rid of his doubts. Lilian thought she deserved that. ¡°Why did you change your mind?¡± ¡°I did some reflection.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cedric was once again at a loss for words at the overly simple answer. Seeing that, Lilian finally couldn¡¯t hold back and ended up laughing. Cedric was astonished. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± As soon as he spat that out, he immediately felt sorry. His sister was weak. She was so scared of him that she couldn¡¯t stop crying which was a headache. But¡­ ¡°Ah, sorry. I did it without realizing it.¡± There was not even the slightest hint of fear as she apologized. Cedric, who was nervous about making the child cry, lost strength in his shoulders. He was relieved but at the same time dumbfounded. In any case, she sincerely apologized, so he had nothing more to say. ¡°¡­if I think you¡¯re just being frivolous, I think a more sincere explanation would be needed than this.¡± Well. It was a reasonable point even for Lily. ¡°I am a daughter of Turin.¡± Lady of Turin, Lily Islar. ¡°I am lucky to be born and enjoy all kinds of good things, and I was extremely safe because father risked his life to protect this land. It was a beautiful and relaxing day. It was as natural as breathing so she didn¡¯t know it was precious. ¡°¡­but now I know.¡± Now she knew. ¡°I took all of these things for granted, but I didn¡¯t get them through my efforts. I regretted forgetting about it for a while.¡± CH 3 To Cedric, Lily¡¯s words were impeccable. It was so good to hear that he couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ¡°So suddenly?¡± ¡°Just¡­because I was sick, I regretted and felt sorry for many things.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Cedric was convinced, recalling once again that Lilian nearly lost her life due to a fever. ¡°The people of Islar and all the people who live in the land of Turin, the privilege I enjoy comes from my oath to protect them.¡± His sister was looking at him straight like never before. Those pale blue eyes were familiar to him. It was the look she inherited from their father. ¡°Since I enjoyed the privilege, I will take the responsibility as well.¡± Conveying only the content without rhetoric, succinctly, sincerely, and without bubbles was Cedric¡¯s preferred way of speaking. Like their father. He always used to say things like this. Cedric let out a laugh. ¡°Is it inherited?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°No, never mind.¡± The logical Cedric thought that he shouldn¡¯t completely trust Lilian¡¯s words. ¡®In any case, she¡¯s still a child.¡¯ Today, she showed a mature side of herself that he hadn¡¯t known before, but there¡¯s a possibility that she would change her attitude again. ¡®But really¡­¡¯ Isn¡¯t it something he wanted to believe? Their deceased father and Cedric were soldiers. Lilian¡¯s words were words most wanted to be heard by soldiers who risked their lives on the battlefield to defend their country. Of course, as the feudal lord and head of the family, he was perfectly satisfied. ¡®Whether that¡¯s true is something she¡¯ll have to prove through her actions in the future.¡¯ Cedric determined so and was relieved in an instant. ¡°That is all I have to say to my older brother.¡± ¡°Uhm.¡± ¡°Is there anything you would like to say?¡± Cedric shook his head at Lilian, who quietly looked at him. Lilian made a relieved smile. ¡®Phew.¡¯ Lilian didn¡¯t notice that Cedric was staring at her, only thinking that it would be nice if this could help Cedric change his perception of her. ¡®It¡¯s a good start. Let¡¯s finish here for today.¡¯ Thinking so, Lilian stood up vigorously. She shouldn¡¯t hold onto a busy person for long. ¡°Since you¡¯re busy, I¡¯ll let myself out.¡± Already? Cedric, who unconsciously thought that, was startled. ¡®Already.¡¯ Could it be that he regretted ending the conversation with this child? ¡°Brother?¡± Cedric was troubled. But what more could he say? What can he say to his sister, whom he deliberately kept away even before she grew up, out of fear of being misunderstood by his stepmother? After thinking about it, what he came up with was: ¡°¡­do you have any questions?¡± Lilian didn¡¯t immediately understand Cedric¡¯s words and only blinked. ¡°Things like who your fiance is.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Come to think of it, at this point, Lilian didn¡¯t even know who her fiance was. ¡®This.¡¯ Cedric looked at Lilian strangely. She belatedly broke out in a cold sweat that hadn¡¯t come out even in front of his stern gaze. Lilian tried to smile calmly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know if I could ask.¡± The siblings¡¯ father, the late Marquis of Turin, and his wife lost their lives in a carriage accident. There were many suspicious circumstances to just see it as a simple accident. The engagement, which was decided as soon as they lost their parents in a suspicious accident, was not just a simple marriage. It was to form an alliance in preparation for the unprecedented event of the assassination of the head of the house. In utmost secrecy. So she didn¡¯t bother to ask. Because she already knew and that even if she asked, he wouldn¡¯t answer. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t tell me much. Since I¡¯m too young to keep a secret.¡± ¡°Hoh.¡± Ironically, that was the least childlike thing Lilian had ever said. Cedric was stunned and at the same time admired. ¡®Those are words that can only come out if she understood the situation, discerned the confidentiality, and even have the prudence to avoid it.¡¯ Even if this leaked out, he was certain that it would never be through the mouth of this child. Then¡­ ¡°¡­it would be nice to know at least the name. Because you¡¯re also involved.¡± This time, it was Lilian¡¯s turn to be surprised. ¡®Maybe I¡­was recognized?¡¯ ¡°If you¡­don¡¯t want¡­¡± ¡°O-oh no!¡± Lilian shook her head quickly. ¡°I want to listen. Please tell me.¡± Pretending not to know what she already knew is harder than she thought. So, when the opportunity arose, she thought it¡¯d be good idea to listen to it. ¡°The name of your fiance is¡­¡± At that moment, Lilian realized. Her fiance is a man with an honorary title comparable to the Marquis of Turin. ¡°Imperator Leyengrad, the Knight of Gold, Damian Valmiera Ernst Rupenwein.¡± The one who deserves such honor in this Empire¡­ ¡°He is the younger brother of the former Sun Emperor and the current Emperor, and the only Grand Duke of this Empire.¡± There was only the royal family. ¡°Are you surprised?¡± ¡°A little bit.¡± Rather than being surprised, she realized it. It¡¯s said that feudal lords reign like kings in their respective territories but the Imperial family is the Imperial family. Rupenwein is a family that claimed to be emperor by subduing the turbulent times and subjugating the feudal lords who acted like kings in their territories as their subjects. Among them, Lily¡¯s fiance, Damian Rupenwein, was regarded as the closest descendant of the First Emperor, who was the most proficient in war, among the current generation of royalty. ¡®He was such a great person, my husband¡­¡¯ In any case, it was fortunate that the future didn¡¯t change arbitrarily and proceeded as planned. Lilian¡¯s way of controlling her emotional turmoil seemed very peculiar to Cedric. ¡°If you need anything, just tell me¡­¡± ¡°Yes? No, it¡¯s fine.¡± It was an almost straight answer. Cedric was a little taken aback but understood. Thinking that she wasn¡¯t a very greedy kid even before. He was secretly saddened by the fact that she didn¡¯t need anything which was strange. ¡°I can do it so it¡¯s okay.¡± The words that came out in an unwilling tone sounded weak, unlike the usual cool-headed Cedric. ¡®Why is he like that?¡¯ Lilian¡¯s head tilted. She took a good look at her brother. Twelve-year-old Lily, who lost her parents in the past, was afraid of her nine years older brother Cedric. However, for some reason, it now became visible to Lily, who had aged considerably. Under the tired dark eyes was an expression of prickly irritation. The seat of Lord seems somewhat uncomfortable. ¡®Ah.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just Lily who lost her parents. Cedric also lost his father. He had to hurry up and follow his father¡¯s footsteps before he could get over his shock. This meant that he had to calculate the cost of the funeral even before he could mourn his father¡¯s death. Only 21 years old. He was still more like a boy than a young man. It was also a young age to deal with the enormous pressure and stress. She could imagine how desperate he must have been. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it have been more painful if he had to hide his weak side from everyone?¡¯ So, it seemed that even though the younger sister, who had been shy, just said something a little unusual, his heart opened up to the extent that even she was surprised. It was pitiful. However, expressing such thoughts would only hurt his feelings. So Lilian only cautiously asked. ¡°¡­brother, how long ago did you last sleep?¡± Cedric was troubled. If it was his usual personality, he would have cut it off saying ¡®it¡¯s none of your business¡¯. But why? He¡¯s having a hard time now. And Lilian was not someone he had to hide his weakness. She was his sister. She had the same father as him. Cedric¡¯s lips opened involuntarily. ¡°¡­don¡¯t mind it. It¡¯s not something you have to worry about.¡± Lilian immediately guessed the meaning behind his words. ¡°You haven¡¯t slept.¡± ¡°I had a nap.¡± ¡°How long, three hours?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t it be two hours?¡± It was actually an hour. Cedric averted his gaze involuntarily. Lilian, who read the answer without difficulty in the awkward silence, sighed in amazement. ¡°You can¡¯t do this. You have to think about your health.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± Even though he said that, Cedric found himself laughing at himself. He shouldn¡¯t have said anything at all to not make her worry. Leaving clues to make everyone guess, it was no different than openly begging her to worry. ¡°Anyway, you shouldn¡¯t mind it.¡± ¡°How can I not mind? If my brother continues like this, I will become an orphan.¡± His expression didn¡¯t change at all, but from the way he even stopped breathing, it was clear that Cedric hadn¡¯t even thought about it from that point of view. CH 4 Lilian stared at him like that. Cedric still didn¡¯t know the exact extent of his fault¡­ ¡®Ugh.¡¯ Lilian had clear blue slanted eyes. She had gentle and fine eyes that seemed to be just looking this way but somehow looked sullen. Seeing his little sister¡¯s eyes like that, Cedric only then began to feel like he had done something very wrong. A word kept repeating itself in his head. ¡®Orphan.¡¯ Right. That little child was now his only blood relative left in this world. ¡°Yes, I see.¡± Thanks to that, they were spared from being an orphan. They¡¯re not alone. Cedric looked at Lilian with new eyes. He suddenly realized that the strange feeling of dread and helplessness that had chilled his spine ever since his father¡¯s death was not only due to the sudden burden of being the head of the household. He was afraid. It felt like he was alone in this wide and terrifying world. Islar¡¯s hands had been precious for generations. In this family, which was famous for its close succession, there was no such thing as a collateral blood relative. But what is a bloodline? As soon as he realized that Lily was his only blood relative, Cedric felt as if he had found a piece of land in the open sea. It was absurd for him to be so relieved. Furthermore¡­ ¡®She seemed concerned about me¡­¡¯ Is that child feeling the same relief as him? In an instant, his heart thumped. Cedric reached out and stroked Lilian¡¯s head without realizing it. ¡°Brother?¡± Lilian was embarrassed but didn¡¯t avoid it. Cedric caressed her head a little more. She¡¯s smaller and softer than he thought. It felt like she¡¯d break if he gripped her incorrectly or put a little more strength in it, so he naturally became cautious. ¡®Come to think of it, didn¡¯t they say she had a fever.¡¯ It struck him again. Before he even noticed how small and young she was, he almost lost her. When he thought about it, his heart went cold. ¡®¡­it could have been a big deal.¡¯ Lilian couldn¡¯t even guess what Cedric was thinking. He just started stroking her head out of the blue which made her really worried. ¡®I don¡¯t think we can communicate like this.¡¯ Lilian sighed once more. ¡°I will cancel what I said earlier. I have something I need.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Brother¡¯s nap.¡± Cedric¡¯s hand stopped. Lilian even put up exact conditions. ¡°At least three hours. Can you do it? I believe that the Marquis of Turin, the head of Islar, will not lie.¡± Her words had a slightly different effect. ¡°¡­ha, haha!¡± Cedric burst into laughter. Lilian was surprised. ¡®Was he someone who could laugh like that?¡¯ Cedric found his sister¡¯s surprised expression funny. When her calm expression faded, she looked like a child all at once. ¡°Yes, I will.¡± With a slight smile on his face, he confirmed it. ¡°If that is your wish.¡± If someone else had recommended it, he wouldn¡¯t have listened, but if it was Lily¡¯s words, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to listen to them at least once. Because now, she¡¯s the only blood relative he had left in this world. *** Cedric basically hated lies. It was impossible for him to reverse the words he once uttered according to his mood. The perfectionist man faithfully kept his promise to the child. That meant he got three hours of sleep just as he promised Lilian. ¡°Your face has improved a little.¡± ¡°Allen.¡± Allen Hayworth, the young Head Butler of the castle, inherited the position at the same time as the Lord, Cedric, thanks to the death of the previous Lord and the Butler at the same time. The Hayworths, as a noble family with the title of Viscount, were not just mere servants but vassals who served the Marquis of Turin from generation to generation. Allen was not only in charge of the household affairs, but also an assistant to the family head and an escort in case of emergency. The Lord¡¯s closest aide didn¡¯t ask the cause of the Lord¡¯s whim, who didn¡¯t know how to take a break no matter how much he tried to dissuade him. ¡°I thought you¡¯d die, but I¡¯m glad you came to your senses just before that.¡± Cedric pretended not to hear his milk brother¡¯s verbal abuse. ¡°I called you because of family matters.¡± ¡°Please speak.¡± Cedric wordlessly held out some papers without looking at him. Allen took the papers without questioning them. ¡®It¡¯s a budget plan.¡¯ Allen¡¯s eyes widened a little. ¡®Completely reorganizing the yearly budget for Lilian Islar?¡¯ Regardless of where it was used, the amount was evenly increased. Even at first glance, it was more than five times the previous one. ¡°My Lord.¡± ¡°There is only one other Islar besides me. My father is busy with work and the child is young, so he must have left it entirely in the hands of stepmother.¡± Cedric chuckled then clicked his tongue. ¡°She is the daughter of Islar and someone who will become part of the royal family. That¡¯s how much money she should spend in a year.¡± ¡°It makes no sense.¡± Even with that said, it didn¡¯t make sense to suddenly increase it fivefold. Allen watched him carefully. Cedric, preoccupied with other documents to deal with, or pretending to be, was not ready for objections. ¡®Something happened.¡¯ There was something, but Cedric seemed unwilling to say it. In the first place, the Lord¡¯s disposition regarding relatives was a very private matter. If Cedric didn¡¯t intend to speak first, even the loyal Allen wouldn¡¯t bother to ask. ¡°Understood. I will execute it as it is.¡± ¡°One more thing.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cedric dipped the nib in the ink with a gentle touch and then took it out. Scribble scribble. For a while, the only sound was the sound of the pen nib scratching the paper. ¡°Who is taking care of the child now?¡± ¡°I understand that it¡¯s the Second Madam¡¯s remaining handmaiden.¡± If it¡¯s stepmother¡¯s handmaid¡­Cedric frowned. ¡°The woman who was the Second Madam¡¯s limb.¡± Lily¡¯s nanny was his stepmother¡¯s closest handmaid and always took the lead in bullying Cedric. Allen and Cedric knew from experience that the woman was evil. ¡°Hmm.¡± Cedric frowned. ¡°Keep an eye on her for a while.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Allen neatly nodded his head and then stood up from his seat. ¡°Anyway, whatever kind of whim it is, it¡¯s nice that you took a break. Thanks to that, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have to avoid my mother for the first time in a long time.¡± Allen¡¯s mother, Viscountess Hayworth, was the Head Housekeeper in charge of the female employees of Turin Castle and was once Cedric¡¯s nanny. Whenever Cedric pushed himself to the limit, she would scold her innocent son for not taking good care of the Lord. Cedric briefly sighed. He was unaware of the concerns of his entourage. ¡®However¡­¡¯ The empire¡¯s aristocratic organization was different from other countries. It was the fact that there were seven Electors. When Rupenwein was not yet emperor, the first Emperor seduced the feudal lords, who had built their own power in their respective provinces, with various privileges and used them as a base of support. It was then that the Electorate was born. The Electors could vote against the Emperor¡¯s sovereignty. If there¡¯s a unanimous vote of disapproval at the meeting of the Electors, the Emperor would immediately be stripped of the title and authority. The Marquis of Turin was one of them. ¡®Of course, there has yet to be a unanimous dissenting vote at the meeting.¡¯ However, it was a great honor and privilege to have the power to bring down an Emperor, even if it was close to nominal. Furthermore, Islar was also a family older than the history of the Empire. All the wealth and honor that had been built up under that name for so many years was entirely the responsibility of this young man. While young Lilian, who didn¡¯t know how to do anything, was sick, saying she didn¡¯t want to get engaged, Cedric had to meticulously handle the murderous workload pouring down like an avalanche. He couldn¡¯t let out weak words like ¡®adapt first¡¯. And no one would praise him for doing well. He couldn¡¯t even finish the work that day. He endured and endured, and when he fell asleep without knowing, his dead father would cry tears of blood in his dreams. ¨Cbastard! ¡°Ugh.¡± With only two or three hours of light sleep ruined by nightmares, Cedric was buried in work. He choked with the burden and guilt of not being able to fill the place of his dead father no matter how hard he tried, but he still couldn¡¯t relax. Cedric would just shake his head and ignore all advice. ¡°You¡¯re always working hard. If you take a break from now on, both I and my mother will be less worried.¡± Cedric didn¡¯t answer. Allen looked at the Lord, who had begun to concentrate on the piled-up work again, with dismay, but all he could do was watch his best friend become desolate. With a light sigh, Allen stepped back. The door closed. CH 5 Through an accidental opportunity, she had memories of the future, but Lilian was still the 12-year-old Lilian. For Lily, this was not the world of the story she had read a long time ago, but a stark reality. It¡¯s like living her second life. This time, Lilian didn¡¯t want to be a stranger to her brother, her only blood relative. However¡­ ¡°All of this¡­¡± Looking at the pile of gift boxes, Lilian was speechless. ¡°This is a gift from the Lord to the lady.¡± Apparently, Cedric had more desire to get along than Lilian. There were beautiful boxes with colorful ribbons hanging from them as if exploding into the air. Small and large boxes wrapped in fine silk and velvet were piled up to form a small mountain. Tables, coffee tables, sofas, armchairs, and even on the window frames and floors. It was difficult to find a place that was not occupied by a box. In place of Lilian, who was half-dazed by the overwhelming sight, a maid brought the nearest large box. ¡°Then I will open it, young miss.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± The ribbon unraveled and the boxed opened before she could stop them. What appeared was a large teddy bear. It was a doll big enough that it could hold the current Lilian. ¡®No, should I say it¡¯s huge¡­¡¯ Still, despite the size, the round, docile eyes and soft, curly brown hair looked very cute. Lilian¡¯s half, the 12-year-old Lilian, gazed at the doll as if possessed, so one of the maids suggested. ¡°Would you like to touch it, young miss?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Lilian unknowingly touched the round bear¡¯s hand a little¡­ ¡®Acha¡­¡¯ By the time she came to her senses, it was already too late. ¡°Then I will open this box this time.¡± They didn¡¯t even ask Lily. The maids seated Lilian in the arms of the doll and began to open the boxes one by one. A hairbrush cut from ivory and studded with jewels, fluffy slippers lined with precious white fox fur, a pearl gown, a wide brimmed bonnet with delicate lace covering the face, an easel and colorful colored pencils that were more beautifully sculpted than most mirrors, out of print picture books with beautiful illustrations drawn in gold powder and gem pigments¡­ Even cosmetics that were too early for young Lily to touch, as well as a necklace with sparkling water drop diamonds dangling like ice. There was nothing missing and no stop to it. The other half of Lilian, who was old enough to use the flood of extravagant and cute things, guessed. ¡®Is this what happens when you pay a huge amount of money to buy anything a young aristocratic lady might like¡­¡¯ But why? Concerned, Lilian carefully guessed. ¡®I wonder if it¡¯s some sort of compensation for agreeing to get engaged.¡¯ The problem of her engagement must have been a very big headache for her brother. Still, it¡¯s too much just for that¡­ It¡¯s a bit embarrassing but that¡¯s the only thing she could point out. It was such a guess that Cedric, who regretted noticing the existence of his one and only sister too late and who only wanted to have a good time with this wonderful child even belatedly, would be amazed. Then, something slightly different came into Lily¡¯s eyes. ¡°Wait, that¡­¡± It was a kettle you would only see in a kitchen. The unusual thing was that it was made of a luxurious ceramic material that could be used to make a teacup and had exotic patterns engraved on it. It was a rare item in the Empire. When Lily showed interest for the first time, her maids quickly took the rest of the items out of the box and laid them out. Tea cups, saucers, and small plates along with a set of small and messy tea utensils, as if they had been tailored to Lilian¡¯s immature hands. ¡°In foreign countries, the custom of brewing and sharing tea is very active. Girls especially like it¡­¡± Even while conveying the merchant¡¯s words, the maid seemed dubious. Of course, tea culture had not yet taken root in this Empire. Even the maids didn¡¯t know how to brew tea, but if the lady they¡¯re serving wanted it, they could make some tea for her drink. Although they¡¯re bound to be unfamiliar with the utensils. However, it was a welcome addition to Lilian, who knew that the tea ceremony would become popular in the near future. Besides, Lilian was one of the Imperial people who was particularly fond of the tea ceremony. Although the taste of tea differs depending on the place of production, harvest time, aging method and period, Lilian was not the type to distinguish the fragrance delicately. She just loved the warmth that spread through her body when she drank tea. The Empire had relatively long winters. Besides, no matter how thoroughly measures against the cold were taken, a castle was still a castle. The stone building with a needlessly high ceiling was chilly even with the heating on. In such an environment, the warmth of tea was a very precious break¡­ Wait a minute. ¡®Break?¡¯ While stroking the smooth body of the teapot, Lilian¡¯s mind flashed the face of a man who needed the most rest in the castle at this moment. *** ¡°Why did you come to see me?¡± Cedric Islar. Ever since he succeeded his father as Elector of Turin, it had been said that Turin, which had been impregnable to public opinion, had become so thorough that not even a needle could enter. After losing both the Master and Madam at the same time due to a mysterious accident, Turin was serving the new Lord with a more solemn and orderly attitude. Except for their loyalty and pride, the Turin people had a reputation in the whole Empire as corpses. Now that such people had lost the Lord due to suspicious things, it wasn¡¯t surprising that everyone turned a blind eye and became mad. ¡°Please avenge the former Lord!¡± ¡°No one can go over Turin. Even if it¡¯s the imperial family!¡± Cedric stood at the center of that outpouring of excessive loyalty. Fortunately, he rose to prominence since his youth and was known for his characteristic cool judgment and perfectionism. His innate qualities were further sharpened by passing the strict tests and teachings of his elders. Cedric was just 21 years old, but he was not an easy Lord even for the aged vassals. Lilian looked at Cedric¡¯s blue eyes as he asked about her reason for visiting after a while. He looked stern and cold. ¡®Indeed¡­¡¯ His retainers scrambled to praise him as ¡®the essence of Turin¡¯, and he was worthy of being the successor. Just the sight of him made one shudder. Perhaps if Lilian was just 12-years-old like she used to be, she might have backtracked or burst into tears. ¡®But not now¡­¡¯ She could see it now. The dark fatigue hidden behind Cedric¡¯s cold face. In fact, the work of the Lord was not hard or difficult. Cedric was born with the aptitude of a military officer as well as that of an administrative bureaucrat and the ability to lead. The family retainers were blindly loyal to the young new Lord for a reason. A young man who was perfect as the Lord, except for his young age and the accompanying lack of experience. What was driving Cedric right now was the heavy burden of not being able to fill the void left by his deceased father no matter what he did. Even so, Lilian thought. Everyone knew that her brother needed a break. But what if she said it straight away? The reason Cedric accepted Lilian¡¯s request to rest the other day was because it was unusual. ¡®There¡¯s a high probability that he won¡¯t listen to it twice¡­¡¯ So Lilian answered her older brother, who asked about her business, like this. ¡°Just because.¡± Skip the detailed explanations! Seeing Lilian smile broadly, Cedric was dumbfounded in the pure sense of the word. ¡°Just because?¡± He was the heir from birth. But no one had ever spoken like this to Cedric, the head of the household. ¡°I¡¯m brother¡¯s only younger sister. I thought it wouldn¡¯t be strange if I just missed my older brother for no reason.¡± Her eyes stared blankly as if asking if she¡¯s wrong with her shameless reply. Even if they have the same blue eyes, his were like ice, but why did that child¡¯s eyes look like they¡¯d flow down when touched? He really didn¡¯t know. To Cedric, who gently shut his mouth, Lilian added with a bashful smile. ¡°I also wanted to say thank you for the gifts.¡± Allen, who was quietly observing the situation from the sidelines, had a hunch. ¡®The Lord lost.¡¯ Rather than ¡®losing¡¯, he might have been ¡®persuaded¡¯. Anyway, as Allen expected, Cedric put down the pen. It was an action implying that he would continue the conversation with his sister. ¡°If there¡¯s something you don¡¯t like, you can dispose of it.¡± ¡°No, I like everything. I was a little surprised because it was such a nice item that I had never had before.¡± Although she was surprised by the size, she was honestly happy to receive a gift, not hate, from Cedric. ¡®Even if it¡¯s just a gift sent without much meaning.¡¯ ¡°There was nothing I didn¡¯t like.¡± Still, she wanted to say thank you. Lilian lifted the clothes on her and showed them off. It was an indoor cloak lined with soft fur beneath a powerfully woven white silk. Although the dress underneath was a bit shabby and short which didn¡¯t suit her, thanks to that, the new slippers that Cedric had given her could be seen clearly. ¡°I¡¯m dressed so well. Thank you, brother.¡± ¡°If you like it, that¡¯s fine.¡± While speaking bluntly, Cedric thought. ¡®Next time, I¡¯ll have to call a tailor and have her fit some clothes.¡¯ Fortunately or unfortunately, Lilian did a terrible move that made her brother spend more money on her. She didn¡¯t notice. Because Lily was also a little nervous. ¡°That¡¯s why I also want to repay older brother with something.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I learned how to brew tea, if you don¡¯t mind¡­ can I treat brother to some tea?¡± CH 6 It was an unexpected proposal. Cedric raised his brows. ¡°You¡¯ll do it yourself?¡± ¡°Can I not?¡± Lilian nervously wiggled her fingers. Cedric¡¯s gaze naturally fell on her small, bandaged hand. ¡°¡­are you hurt?¡± ¡°A little while learning how to brew tea¡­it doesn¡¯t hurt too much.¡± It wasn¡¯t that she intentionally faked it. It was a small burn caused by carrying a heavy kettle with the body of a delicate child. There were not even blisters, just the skin turning red, but the servants, who were trembling over the young miss who just came back from the dead, made a huge fuss about the treatment. Lilian thought there was no need to remove the bandages. She also wanted to reassure the people below her and¡­ ¡°¡­it can¡¯t be helped.¡± She also hoped that such words would come out of Cedric¡¯s mouth. Not forgetting to thank Cedric for the opportunity, Lilian honestly began brewing the tea. She was well aware of the method. However, she injured her fingers and her arm was too weak, so Lilian¡¯s skill at handling the teapot was infinitely clumsy. ¡­it¡¯s also true that she deliberately slowed down as an excuse. Lilian looked around slightly. She prepared an excuse of ¡®being careful because she didn¡¯t want to get hurt again¡¯ if Cedric pointed it out. But Cedric luckily didn¡¯t say anything. Only the clatter of tea utensils and the sound of pouring tea resonated in the quiet room. Cedric, who was tired, leaned against the backrest and closed his eyes halfway through. He didn¡¯t fall asleep, but it was enough time for his mind and body to relax for a while. ¡°Drink, brother.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± The tea he finally tasted was somewhat¡­bitter. It was because Lilian, seeing that Cedric had closed his eyes, brewed the tea a little longer. In addition, it was very sweet because jam was added to counteract the bitter taste. ¡®Ugh.¡¯ Cedric thought that if this was the taste of tea, he honestly wasn¡¯t sure if he would like it. If asked if it¡¯s delicious, the answer was no. ¡®How do I do this?¡¯ While he was contemplating whether he should pretend to drink it deliciously, Lily muttered as she tasted the tea she made. ¡°Oh no, it doesn¡¯t taste good.¡± ¡®So you do know!¡¯ Cedric, who was breaking out in a cold sweat, was greatly relieved. And he sneakily tried to console his sister with that. ¡°Well¡­it¡¯s not bad.¡± ¡°Your review is generous.¡± Any other girl would have been upset but Lilian didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°It¡¯s just sincerity so please think about it before you drink.¡± On the contrary, she complained that it was excessive. It was so funny that Cedric laughed a little. In any case, unlike the unsatisfying taste of tea, Cedric¡¯s tired body accepted the combination of caffeine and sugar with unconditional pleasure. It was a bonus that his vision became clearer thanks to having closed his eyes for a moment. It was embarrassingly short to say that he took a break, but he was surprisingly energized. His nerves, which had been on edge, began to calmly subside. Cedric thought it was thanks to Lilian for calmly caring for him without making a fuss. Was it like that? ¡°Can I make tea for brother tomorrow as well?¡± Cedric was unable to respond to the unexpected proposal. Then Lilian hurriedly waved her hand. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped if you¡¯re busy, but¡­¡± ¡°¡­alright.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lilian, who didn¡¯t think he would give permission after she said it, was surprised. Soon, she was relieved and smiled. ¡°Thank you, brother.¡± To be honest, she expected to be thrown at the doorstep so her smile was bright with pure relief and joy. ¡°I will definitely practice and try to make a delicious tea.¡± Cedric had a strange feeling. She came on her own, brewed tea, and when she asked if she could repeat this troublesome thing tomorrow, he gave his permission. And then, his sister was truly grateful. She was weird, but even so, he could never hate her. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll come back tomorrow.¡± Standing up without any regrets, Lilian¡¯s thoughts remained the same. ¡®If I dilly-dally, he¡¯ll hate it.¡¯ Lilian neatly turned around. She couldn¡¯t even imagine that Cedric, who was left behind, was regretting this parting just like last time. *** After Lily left. ¡°My lord?¡± ¡°¡­my lord, are you alright? Are there problems with the tea? ¡°There¡¯s no problem. Don¡¯t touch the tea, Allen.¡± Rubbing his eyes with a hand, Cedric firmly added. ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand¡­ then why are you so stiff?¡± ¡°¡­everything.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t hear you very well.¡± ¡°Lilian said thank you¡­¡± ¡°I heard that as well¡­my Lord?¡± ¡°She¡¯s grateful just for that¡­ Does she really have no desires¡­¡± ¡°My Lord?¡± Cedric was rubbing his face repeatedly and groaning, then suddenly asked. ¡°Does it take some time to transfer land?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°No matter how much I think about it, I should give some land as a gift. For that kind and tender child to live from now on, she must have something in her name.¡± Allen was dumbfounded. ¡°You must be joking, my Lord.¡± ¡°Am I joking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared because I don¡¯t think so. Please calm down for a moment.¡± The gifting of real estate was a complex and time-consuming procedure. Especially in this case. ¡°The young miss is supposed to marry into another family someday. Situationally speaking¡­¡± Cedric¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Marriage. It¡¯s still too early to talk about that. Don¡¯t be too quick to mention it.¡± It¡¯s just that they hadn¡¯t seen each other, but was it still too early if there¡¯s already a fiance who had already agreed on everything? ¡®So bizarre¡­¡¯ Allen just stuck his tongue out. Thinking that Cedric¡¯s love for his younger sister was more serious than he expected. ¡°¡­it takes time, so the real estate side should be taken care of slowly. Then, for now, how about jewelry¡­¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s wearing much of the jewelry you already gifted. Just one.¡± ¡°Why? Could it be that she didn¡¯t like something?¡± ¡°Pardon me¡­the young miss is still 12 years old. Wouldn¡¯t it be a little early to like jewels?¡± ¡°Is it¡­?¡± Cedric was horrified and convinced. ¡°Well, it might be too early for a child. Besides, if she holds on to the jewels, with that kind heart, she might end up giving it away in guilt. This should be fine.¡± Huu. Allen sighed. Apparently, his Lord¡¯s abnormal symptoms today showed no signs of stopping unless he gave his sister something as a gift. ¡®Then¡­¡¯ The loyalist thought. ¡°If so, how about moving young miss Lily¡¯s room?¡± ¡°Room?¡± Cedric¡¯s brows furrowed as he thought of villas, lands, and diamonds. ¡°Think about it carefully, my lord.¡± Allen began persuading. In fact, Lilian¡¯s room had been in a remote and secluded place, as if to represent her position. The size and interior decorations were too simple for Islar¡¯s only young miss who was living there. It was because her biological mother didn¡¯t even feel the need to treat her unwanted daughter well, and the father was indifferent because her biological mother was in charge of internal affairs, so she should take care of the young miss¡¯ affairs. ¡°It¡¯s not just about moving rooms, it¡¯s about preparing the interior in preparation for the winter.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Cedric¡¯s brow loosened slightly at the eloquent persuasion. Taking advantage of that gap, Allen went for the last sprint. ¡°How about putting new furniture in the new room with a bedroom, parlor, and dressing room?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound too bad.¡± The situation caused by Lilian¡¯s ¡®thank you¡¯ was barely sealed like that. It was thanks to the loyalist¡¯s desperate efforts. CH 7 From that day on, Lilian added to her daily routine visiting Cedric at a similar time and sitting him down for a cup of tea. Lily¡¯s recent days were as follows. ¡°Oh my, young miss. Are you awake?¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Thanks to her stamina, which had been depleted by her near death encounter, Lilian could barely get up at noon, the average waking time for young aristocratic girls. ¡®I wish I could sleep a little longer.¡¯ Instead of revealing her true thoughts, the maid helped Lily, who was in a daze, wash her face. She was then dressed in very luxurious and well-fitting clothes. The dress the maid had put on Lilian today was a light apricot-colored dress with delicate pintuck pleats. The ends of the sleeves and the chest area were decorated with frills in delicate serrated patterns like cherry blossom petals, and it was a loose-fitting garmet that didn¡¯t pinch the waist. Wearing these lovely clothes, Lily, who was only white without any color, looked a bit flushed. Finally, half of her blue-black hair was gathered and tied with a navy-blue velvet ribbon, and her dress-up was roughly finished. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Um, fine.¡± Even as she said so, Lilian awkwardly touched the delicate pearl-colored embroidery on her cuffs. Lately, Cedric had been acting like someone determined to spoil his little sister¡¯s manners. ¡®I don¡¯t know if this is okay.¡¯ Lilian sighed. Currently, in Turin Castle, construction to move Lilian¡¯s room to a remote place was in full swing. In addition, it was rumored that it was becoming more and more large-scale as the days went by. ¡®I heard they tore down all the walls and ordered all new furniture for the insulation work.¡¯ To the point where the merchants murmured that the only way to open the pockets of the picky Elector of Turin was to procure something a girl would like. In fact, Lilian wasn¡¯t just sitting by and watching this situation. On the day when the accumulation of presents in the room reached its limit, Lily made up her mind and went to see Cedric. ¡°Brother.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± At that time, Cedric allowed Lily¡¯s entrance while in the process of signing documents that needed to be dealt with urgently. Thankfully, she didn¡¯t have to make eye contact. Thinking so, Lilian hurriedly spoke. You don¡¯t have to keep giving me such expensive gifts. ¡°As Turin¡¯s daughter, I¡¯m just doing my duty, so you don¡¯t have to compensate me. And I will get engaged even if you don¡¯t bother to be nice to me. I won¡¯t change my decision. So please don¡¯t worry. ¡°¡­brother?¡± Before she knew it, the hand that left signatures like flowing water had stopped. ¡®Why are you like that?¡¯ Her little question disappeared the moment she saw Cedric¡¯s eyes looking at her. His eyes, blue and cold like glaciers, were looking at her with embarrassment and unfairness. ¡®Ah.¡¯ At that moment, Lilian belatedly noticed. It wasn¡¯t compensation. She was mistaken because it was so large and unique, but it was purely a gift. Cedric Islar was a man with extremely little time and a lot of money. Besides, he must have been infinitely clumsy since he had never opened up to someone before. Giving away such an unbearable gift was a sign of how this inexperienced man expressed his ¡®want to get close¡¯. ¡®And I just rejected that clumsy outstretched hand as unnecessary¡­?¡¯ This. Lilian was belatedly sorry. Cedric said in a suppressed voice. ¡°If you¡­don¡¯t like it¡­it¡¯s, not a reward, you are my sister¡­because I almost forgot about you for a long time¡­¡± No matter how much he tried to suppress his emotions, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from speaking nonsense. Cedric sighed in front of Lilian, who seemed flustered and couldn¡¯t even blink. ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°I just¡­wanted to be nice to you, because you¡¯re my only little sister and the only family I have left.¡± A precious child. Rather than properly explaining to such a child, he immediately got her engaged. It also bothered him that he gave the order. To make an excuse, Cedric at that time was in a dead end situation where he couldn¡¯t think of anything else to protect Turin. ¡®But if I had calmly explained it first, she would have definitely understood.¡¯ Sorry. He wanted to do well even if it was late. But even that seemed to have been a mistake. ¡°My actions have made you uncomfortable.¡± ¡°No, I¡­¡± ¡°I was wrong. Lily, if you don¡¯t like it, then I¡¯ll stop.¡± Cedric pursed his lips. He couldn¡¯t bear to tell her not to hate him. It seemed too shameless to say that. Just then, Lily came over and placed a small hand on Cedric¡¯s hand. ¡°It wasn¡¯t uncomfortable. So you don¡¯t have to apologize.¡± If it wasn¡¯t a reward, but a gift from her older brother, then she also welcomed it. After explaining that, Cedric¡¯s expression softened slightly. ¡°Really? Then I¡­¡± ¡°Yes. Um, but if it goes on like this, the presents might take over my room¡­ From now on, I would like to have one a day. ¡°Please, brother?¡± Cedric quietly avoided Lily¡¯s gaze. Why is he acting like this? Lily tilted her head. From the side, Allen expressionlessly explained. ¡°Actually, the Lord has already bought a present for you to send tomorrow, Miss Lily.¡± ¡°¡­Allen.¡± Aha¡­ Lilian awkwardly smiled. She calmed down her brother, who glared at his loyalist, saying that he was talking nonsense. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you can send me one at a time from now on.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, it¡¯s okay, don¡¯t force yourself to accept it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. I don¡¯t hate it.¡± Lilian said so with a determined expression, which was rare to see. Cedric asked this even though he knew it was pathetic. ¡°Truly?¡± ¡°Yes, truly.¡± ¡°By the way, young miss Lily.¡± Allen, who was watching the pathetic Lord and his friend from behind, once again extended a helping hand. ¡°Doesn¡¯t your leg hurt from standing still?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Allen intently looked at Cedric. ¡®You¡¯re not going to take it even when I helped you up to here?¡¯ Cedric, who received that look, was sorry. ¡°S-sorry, Lily. I¡¯ll give you my seat¡­¡± Geez. Allen kicked the pathetic Lord¡¯s leg as he tried to get up from his seat. ¡°!¡± Cedric, who tried to get up, collapsed back into his chair from the sudden attack. ¡°Allen, you¡­¡± ¡°The Lord needs a break. How can young miss Lilian sit in this seat where only the Lord can sit?¡± It¡¯s not the seat in the Palaric Hall where Cedric officially received the vassals as the Lord, but a chair in the office. There¡¯s nowhere his sister, Lilian, couldn¡¯t sit on but Allen deliberately said that. ¡°Why not sit on the Lord¡¯s lap?¡± ¡°!¡± Cedric finally understood his meaning. But this time, Lilian waved her hand. ¡°Oh no. It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re still working¡­¡± ¡°Did you know, young miss? The windows of the Lord¡¯s office are designed so that even if the castle is occupied, it¡¯ll be impossible to attack until the very end.¡± ¡°I-Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, from any spire or any window in this castle, you can see the windows of the Lord¡¯s office. In other words¡­¡± Allen went over to the window and opened the curtains. ¡°This window on the front means that this is the only window in Turin Castle where you can see the best view without any obstruction.¡± ¡°Then I¡­¡± ¡°I apologize, but I don¡¯t think you can with your height.¡± It was true. Lilian grew slowly and small for a 12-year-old. She could barely see out at her height due to the high windowsill. Allen once again reminded his Lord. Cedric, who was not an idiot, held out his hand to Lilian, meaning that since she made it this far, she should accept it. This. Lilian was taken aback. Her situation was a bit delicate, as she was not a real 12-year-old who¡¯d look out the window while obediently cradled in her brother¡¯s arms. ¡®I-It¡¯s embarrassing.¡¯ That didn¡¯t mean she¡¯s not curious about the scenery outside¡­ She didn¡¯t hate being hugged, but the moment Allen noticed Lily¡¯s hesitant expression, he tried to urge his Lord once again. ¡°!¡± Cedric got off his chair and knelt down. Then he carefully opened his arms. There was no expression on his characteristic cold and beautiful face. However, Cedric was displaying the greatest courage of his life. Lily also noticed. Because his extended fingertips¡­ ¡®It¡¯s shaking¡­¡¯ What if she refused? She had an intuition that he¡¯d be hurt more severely that she thought. ¡®No. I want to get along well with my older brother.¡¯ Cedric didn¡¯t miss Lily¡¯s staggered step forward. CH 8 The outstretched arms hugged her knees. It was a quick move as if he was waiting for approval. ¡°Ah.¡± When he stood up in that state, Lilian took on the appearance of sitting on one of Cedric¡¯s arms. ¡°Aren¡¯t I heavy?¡± It was a feather-like whisper like the weight lightly resting on his arm. Cedric smiled. ¡°I know you don¡¯t eat at all.¡± ¡°Not really¡­¡± The child¡¯s small back was supported by Cedric¡¯s hand. Funny enough, when he checked with his body that Lily was still that small, he felt a little relieved. It¡¯s not too late yet. The child had not grown up and could be held in his arms. Cedric hugged Lilian and approached the window. ¡°Look, Lilian. It¡¯s the Pasisa Forest.¡± Sheer cliffs and forests spread below the fortress-like mountains. The light green waves sprouting from the branches that had been bare all winter were nice. In the middle was a lake that seemed to be covered with golden scales. ¡°Pretty¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a work completed in the generation of our great grandfather. They say it used to be very bare ground.¡± ¡°I want to go to that lake.¡± Lilian¡¯s eyes were fixed on the beautiful lake with the forest dancing in the wind and the broken golden fragments as if possessed. ¡°I¡¯ll take you with me soon.¡± ¡°!¡± Only then did the surprised child stare at Cedric with wide eyes. ¡°You are busy.¡± ¡®I knew it.¡¯ She never thought he¡¯d take her with him. The more he knew, the more his sister expected nothing from him. His heart ached. It¡¯s natural for her to receive all kinds of precious things, and when she didn¡¯t receive what she expected, she should make a tantrum. An eccentric little sister who didn¡¯t want to be one. ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± Cedric buried his cheek on his little sister¡¯s head. He¡¯d never done this before but it felt very natural to do this. The child, perhaps surprised, just closed her mouth like a clam and looked up at him with blue eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll make time.¡± That promise had to be kept. After thinking about this and that, and having finished dressing up and eating a simple meal, it was already two o¡¯clock in the afternoon. It was time for her to go see Cedric. Lilian got ready and left her room. She had teapots and other utensils delivered by a maid, but she insisted on carrying at least one tray of snacks with her own hands. She didn¡¯t have a kind heart for her employees. ¡®It¡¯s embarrassing to have a lot of people around.¡¯ For the time being, one maid following was enough. Thinking so, Lilian was walking down the hallway when she heard a voice. ¡°I greet the lady.¡± ¡°Sir Hayworth?¡± Red-brown hair and similarly colored eyes. It was Cedric¡¯s aide and escort, Allen, the butler administrator of Turin Castle. ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me Sir. Please just call me majordomo.¡± ¡°Uh¡­yes. Alright.¡± Recently, as she began to come and go to Cedric¡¯s office, she had seen his face frequently, but despite this, Lilian still found this man difficult. Allen¡¯s mother, Mrs. Hayworth, was the current housekeeper in charge of the female employees of Turin Castle. Before she became the housekeeper, she was Cedric¡¯s nanny. In other words, Allen was Cedric¡¯s milk brother¡­ ¡®A person who witnessed and experienced the atrocities and abuse committed by my mother, the stepmother, in the closest place.¡¯ In other words, he was a person who could not see Lilian in a good way. No, it was more likely that he hated her very much. In fact, when her mother was alive, she often met Allen¡¯s cold eyes staring at Lilian. ¡®I think his attitude has changed a bit lately, but¡­¡¯ He¡¯s still a difficult person to read. ¡°Are you going to the Lord?¡± Lilian was embarrassed, but she nodded. Then Allen¡¯s eyes lingered on the tray. The tray suddenly seemed too heavy. ¡°It¡¯s my negligence.¡± Tuk, Allen suddenly knelt down. ¡°This is¡­pardon?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was a lack of workers in Turin Castle. As the majordomo, this is my mistake. I apologize.¡± He said he apologized, but he didn¡¯t really apologize. Lilian thought Allen¡¯s words were a soft rebuke. As if asking the maid who was following Lilian what she did to let the lady hold the tray¡­ Or asking why she¡¯s acting like a servant when she¡¯s Turin¡¯s daughter. ¡®It might be both.¡¯ At that time, Allen cut off Lilian¡¯s thoughts once again. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, so I¡¯ll have to take responsibility with my own hands.¡± ¡°No, Sir Hayworth¡­¡± ¡°Could you please call me Allen?¡± Due to calling his title twice, he rebuked her to call him Allen. Her mouth fell silent as she didn¡¯t know what would happen next. Allen held out his hand to Lilian, who was speechless, with a polite expressionless face. ¡°And now, please let me hold the tray.¡± It was only then that Lilian realized that taking away the work of a subordinate would inconvenience them and, in some cases, be an insult to Turin¡¯s servants, who were exceptionally loyal and proud. ¡°I suppose.¡± Even though she admitted her mistake and politely handed the tray, she didn¡¯t apologize. Lily wasn¡¯t being cocky. People who originally belonged to the ruling class should not apologize easily. This was because it¡¯s possible to be swayed by the emotions of the moment and apologize lightly, but then have it turned into a big responsibility. An attitude of utmost prudence, restraining emotions and impulses. The corners of Allen¡¯s mouth drew a thin arc. It was the correct answer. *** ¡°Brother, it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Uhm.¡± Cedric, who was trying to pretend not to know by taking his eyes off the papers for a while, stopped his hands at the unexpected sight. ¡®Allen Hayworth?¡¯ As a typical Turinian, he was proud of himself and quietly followed Lilian. That alone was exceptional, but he even held a tray of snacks in his hand. Didn¡¯t it seem like he completely acknowledged Lilian and was serving her as a superior? It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t have something to say, but it was quicker for Allen to put down the tray and step back. Looking at Lily¡¯s awkward expression, it seemed that now wasn¡¯t the time to criticize a close friend. Cedric nodded to Lilian. ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was a dry tone and indifferent behavior, but Lilian thought that considering Cedric¡¯s personality and schedule, not issuing a congratulatory order right away was enough of a welcome. *T/N: She¡¯s thinking that Cedric not saying thank you for coming and then pushing her out was enough welcome. As expected, Cedric put the pen down within minutes and stood up. ¡°Today, the kitchen prepared lemon pie.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Snacks enriched the tea time. In addition, consuming simple sweets was also one of the quickest ways to replenish exhausted energy. Fortunately, Cedric ate whatever Lilian prepared. He didn¡¯t seem particularly picky with the taste, Lilian guessed. She guessed half right and half wrong. Cedric wasn¡¯t a gourmet, but because of his integrity, he always had a hard time adjusting to new things. His deceased father thoroughly worked on fixing his son¡¯s weakness. ¡°You have two paths to choose from, Cedric.¡± ¡°Either fix that bigoted personality or at least pretend to fix it if it¡¯s really bad enough to die for.¡± So perfect that no one, not even his father, would realize. Cedric obeyed his father¡¯s strict orders. Thanks to that, he was trained in quite a few things or he could pretend to be one, so he was able to do one of the two. The only thing left uncorrected was his insistence on food. The habit of only eating what he had always eaten and not even trying new things! Up to that point, even the previous Lord didn¡¯t try to fix it. ¡°There¡¯s a limit to the amount of stress a person can handle.¡± The seasoned Lord didn¡¯t tighten the precious heir until there was no room to breathe. Cedric had been respected all his life when it came to his food. Drinking tea that he hadn¡¯t even touched in his life, and giving up what he was doing to eat outrageous sweets without a complaint, were all exceptions that he allowed because the other party was Lilian. A piece of sour lemon pie and a cup of tea that hadn¡¯t improved much and still tasted bad. It was only after they had disappeared that Cedric was finally able to let go of his hesitation. CH 9 ¡°I heard you fired your nanny.¡± It was a topic she thought would come out at any time. Lilian refilled Cedric¡¯s half-empty cup. Cedric¡¯s brow twitched a little as he pretended, but struggled to drink half of that terrible tea, but fortunately, Lilian didn¡¯t notice. ¡°You heard about that.¡± ¡°Yes, finally.¡± Cedric liked everything about his transformed sister. One of the things he liked most was that she wasn¡¯t too surprised when talking about this. To Cedric, it felt like a gentle reassurance to his heart which had difficulty bringing it up. ¡­anyway. ¡°I can¡¯t help but ask why.¡± Lily¡¯s nanny, who was his stepmother¡¯s limb, always took the lead in harassing Cedric. Cedric knew from experience that the woman was evil and had no intention of leaving her next to his little sister for long. But he had to be careful. Ironically, this was also because of Lilian. His sister was just 12 years old and had just lost her mother. ¡®Maybe that was the trigger for her to become very mature.¡¯ Still, Cedric couldn¡¯t act hastily, fearing that the existence of the nanny she had seen since childhood was absolute for Lily. To avoid hurting his sister unnecessarily, Cedric decided to wait. And he called his confidant, the young majordomo, and ordered him to look after the nanny. But after a while, the majordomo made an unexpected report. ¡°I don¡¯t think you need to worry about that woman anymore, my Lord.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Allen?¡± ¡°The young miss fired her not too long ago.¡± It was welcome news, but Cedric was more confused than happy. He wondered if good things like this could continue to happen¡­ ¡°Is it¡­is it because of me?¡± He was also secretly worried that the child might be overdoing it while looking after him. Lilian was puzzled as to why Cedric was suddenly hesitant, but she answered honestly. ¡°I won¡¯t say no.¡± Cedric¡¯s expression darkened in an instant. Lilian tilted her head. ¡°Brother?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Cedric could no longer turn a blind eye to the tea Lilian pushed him to drink and took a sip. No matter how he tasted it, his tongue tingled at the bitter, astringent, and sweet taste. Cedric barely continued. ¡°Because of me¡­there¡¯s no need to do that.¡± ¡®This.¡¯ Lilian realized it then. It seemed that Cedric misunderstood that she was looking out for him too much. That speculation was true. Cedric was in the middle of pouring fierce criticism at himself for being despicable, saying he had a pitiful little sister who only had her half-brother to rely on even though it wasn¡¯t his intention. Whoops. Lilian sighed a little. ¡®How do I clear up this misunderstanding?¡¯ First of all, she squeezed the warm teacup directly between her brother¡¯s cold fingers. And she explained in a calm tone. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. It wasn¡¯t just because of brother. She wasn¡¯t a very loyal woman to her job.¡± ¡°¡­was she?¡± Cedric thought it was hard to fully believe that, but then he thought ¡®wait¡¯ and frowned. ¡°Brother?¡± Lily called out to him, puzzled, but instead of answering, he was thinking fiercely. The younger sister in front of him had been seriously ill a while ago. She suffered from a severe fever that put her on the verge of death. But the reason she fired her nanny as soon as she recovered was that ¡®she wasn¡¯t faithful to her job¡¯? Cedric unconsciously gritted his teeth. ¡®How insincere was she to a sick child!¡¯ His sister, Lilian, was a sweet child. She was so kind even to her brother, who looked down on her, so it¡¯s obvious how much more she¡¯d give her heart to others. ¡®But how negligent was she for such a child to do that first thing as soon as she recovered?¡¯ His anger flared up, but he desperately held back, fearing that he would frighten Lilian if he showed it. Cedric barely suppressed his anger and said this. ¡°If you suddenly cut someone off like that, there might be a backlash, so from now on, don¡¯t do it on your own and talk to me.¡± He refrained from saying that he, who didn¡¯t know mercy, would rather step in than let her clumsily slash people with her immature hands. ¡°Yes, understood.¡± Cedric¡¯s heart thumped with regret at the sight of his sister nodding her head obediently. If he had paid attention to this child from the beginning, this delicate and affectionate child had no need to do such harsh work herself. ¡®It¡¯s all my fault.¡¯ It was shameful that he belatedly tried to win his younger sister¡¯s favor by showing off his wealth like a peacock. ¡®I had to find out how this child has been doing before that.¡¯ His own stupidity made his bones ache. Of course, Lilian didn¡¯t know that Cedric regretted it that much. She just thought her brother had pointed out something she hadn¡¯t thought of because of her little experience. ¡°In fact, I gave a generous severance pay in my own way, so I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any chance of backlash.¡± It was as if she was talking about other people¡¯s business. Even assuming a backlash, she was overly calm. It was a calmness that wasn¡¯t like a 12-year-old child. Cedric was worried about his younger sister, who acted too well. ¡®Is she not showing it?¡¯ He didn¡¯t want to teach her how to endure unconditionally. Rather than trying hard to become dignified, he secretly wished she¡¯d rely on him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± The possibility that the nanny, a low-ranking noble, would cause direct harm to Cedric was low. The only thing she had was being close to Lily¡¯s biological mother. It just meant a lot more chances to damage the honor of the deceased. His stepmother¡¯s honor was directly related to Lilian¡¯s honor. Cedric knew very well that once this reputation was damaged, no action would be of any use. Lilian, a grown-up child, would be aware of that either. However, Lilian was carefree from beginning to end. ¡°Hm¡­yes.¡± ¡°Not at all?¡± ¡°Should I be?¡± Rather, Lilian asked. She was genuinely curious. Because¡­ ¡°My brother, as one of the only seven Electors in the Empire, rules this land of Turin and House of Islar. Should I, his one and only sibling, worry about the scares of a fired nanny?¡± Cedric was dazed for a moment. He didn¡¯t immediately understand what she was saying. Then¡­ ¡®I suppose she wasn¡¯t acting dignified on purpose.¡¯ Rather, Lilian said that since she relied on him more than anyone else, she could be okay. ¡®That means she¡¯s relying on this unreliable brother.¡¯ He was happy. Excessively so. Cedric didn¡¯t say anything because he felt like his overflowing heart would pour out like water. Lilian didn¡¯t know that and just added with a bashful laugh. ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste my time worrying about useless things.¡± Worrying about useless things. She said that because Cedric was there. It wasn¡¯t something meant to make him feel good. She was just being sincere. Besides, Lilian didn¡¯t think she meant that much to Cedric. Seeing Lilian like that, Cedric slowly recalled. Lilian Islar was a kindhearted child who was always tearful and weak, even under the protection of her strong father. If anything, should Cedric have been careful not to make his younger sister cry and cause misunderstandings with his stepmother? But to think that such a child was living so comfortably without any worries just by relying on his own protection. He suddenly had this thought. ¡®I thought I was infinitely lacking compared to my father, but in fact, I wasn¡¯t lacking that much as a Lord.¡¯ His chest ached. Even if it wasn¡¯t to the level of satisfying his father, he wasn¡¯t such a mess to make that person click his tongue. Thinking that far, Cedric bitterly shook his head. ¡®No, no¡­I will never know the intentions of the deceased.¡¯ Yes. Cedric actually knew. That his father, who was shedding bloody tears in his dream, was nothing more than an illusion created by his guilt. Having taken some rest, he was no longer fooled by his delusional self-reproach. ¡®Still, there¡¯s at least one thing I¡¯m better than my father.¡¯ The presence of Lilian in front of him was proof of that. That she¡¯s doing well. That he could do better. Cedric drank the tea from the cup Lilian had given him. The deep red tea spread warmly through his frozen body. Cedric couldn¡¯t resist the warmth that spread to the depths of his heart. CH 10 After it became known that the nanny was fired for unavoidable reasons. ¡°Miss Lily, do you remember me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lilian naturally nodded her head. ¡°Mrs. Hayworth, I remember. Have you been well?¡± ¡°Oh my, polite as well. ¡°Somehow, it reminds me of when I was a child.¡± It was the highest compliment the madam who raised Cedric like a son could give. At the unfamiliar compliment, Lilian unknowingly twisted her fingers. Mrs. Hayworth looked at Lilian affectionately and asked. ¡°Young miss, do you know why I visited you today?¡± ¡°Um, are you here to introduce me to someone who will take care of me?¡± When Lily answered awkwardly but clearly, Mrs. Hayworth smiled. ¡°Yes, young miss. From what I¡¯ve heard, you¡¯re really clever.¡± It was embarrassing to be praised like a child. She wasn¡¯t used to compliments in the first place. Lily quietly lowered her gaze. Mrs. Hayworth pretended not to know and continued. ¡°As you said, starting today, I will be in charge of the young lady¡¯s affairs, even though I have little talent.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Lily blinked before asking, ¡°but¡±. ¡°Madam is the housekeeper of this castle.¡± The housekeeper oversaw the female employees of Turin Castle and was in charge of many things. She was not one to be held back by being Lilian¡¯s attendant. Lilian politely refused. ¡°You must have a lot of work to do. I can¡¯t possibly add to your difficulties with my affairs. Your services would be too much for me.¡± ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re so kind as well¡­¡± The middle-aged woman, admiring her softly, knelt down and made eye contact with Lilian, who was sitting on the sofa. ¡°Excuse me, young miss, nothing is too much for you here in Turin. You are the only younger sister of my Lord. ¡°And I adore a wonderful and good child. I would be very happy if I could neglect my duties for a while to do some chores for you.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re truly concerned about it, then until I find someone I can trust for the young miss, would that be acceptable?¡± Because of her mother¡¯s indifference from birth, Lilian was very unfamiliar with the affectionate attention of an adult woman. ¡®It¡¯s strange¡­¡¯ She didn¡¯t hate it. Lilian gave her a small nod. Mrs. Hayworth gave her a big smile. In fact, it was because of Cedric¡¯s special request that the housekeeper decided to take care of Lilian herself. ¡®I was wondering why.¡¯ The madam nodded inwardly. Having met Lilian in person, she naturally wanted to take care of the child without being asked. ¡°Wonderful. Then, shall we find out what snacks the young miss likes?¡± ¡°Snack?¡± ¡°Yes, the doctor will be coming for a check-up soon. If it goes well and you take your medicine, I can give you your favorite snack.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Somehow, Lilian smiled. ¡°I¡¯m fine without the snack. I¡¯ll just get a check-up.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Mrs. Hayworth was a bit puzzled, but Lily calmly said that she was okay, so she immediately went to the doctor. ¡°My name is Shaw Winston.¡± It was a man with sloppy brown hair and glasses. It was as if ¡®unkind¡¯ had been written on his face. In addition, he was even taller than most doctors, making him look more like a knight. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be nervous. Today, I¡¯m just going to do a check-up.¡± ¡°Yes, doctor.¡± One eyebrow went up as the doctor unfolded his bag. ¡°You don¡¯t need to exalt me that much, young miss.¡± When the doctor bluntly refused, Lilian smiled. ¡°I¡¯m entrusting my life to you. So wouldn¡¯t it be better to be polite?¡± ¡°I see.¡± The doctor¡¯s eccentric gaze lingered on Lilian. ¡°You still don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°I was very sick, to the point of thinking that I should be polite to the doctor.¡± Behind Lily, who was lightly smiling, Mrs. Hayworth politely coughed. ¡°Mr. Winston.¡± ¡°Well, even if you say that, you still have to take medicine.¡± ¡°You said you were only doing a check-up.¡± ¡°If you need a medical examination, I can give it to you, but will that really be all? Let me see.¡± Lilian obediently obeyed the instructions that would normally feel uncomfortable during the examination process. ¡®What¡¯s this.¡¯ Shaw suspiciously examined Lilian, who meekly opened her mouth in front of the medical instruments that looked intimidating. ¡°¡­your throat is a little swollen. You have a little fever.¡± ¡°Oh my, is it serious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that bad, but it¡¯s better to take some medicine as a precaution¡­¡± Mrs. Hayworth and Winston looked at Lilian at the same time. ¡°?¡± Lilian just tilted her head slightly, wondering why they were like that. Even when Shaw whipped out medicine on the spot, Lilian calmly accepted it. Klopp, klopp. Lilian didn¡¯t stop until she emptied the entire bottle. ¡°Oh my, this.¡± ¡°Um.¡± Lilian¡¯s face, which had been pale, seemed to smile brightly, but it quickly distorted. ¡°Oh my, young miss!¡± ¡°Bitter¡­¡± Maybe because she¡¯s 12 years old. The medicine felt bitter in her mouth much more than she was prepared for. ¡°Oh dear, this is why a snack should be prepared in advance.¡± Mrs. Hayworth rubbed Lily¡¯s back and ordered a maid to quickly get something sweet. ¡°Doctor should have said that it¡¯s bitter medicine.¡± ¡°I thought she wouldn¡¯t take it.¡± The two of them, who were exchanging words like that, somehow looked a little relieved. Watching Mrs. Hayworth make a fuss and Lilian choking on the bitter taste, Shaw thought. ¡®A child is a child¡­¡¯ ¡°Then I¡¯m done.¡± * A little break. Something that¡¯s so trivial that they¡¯re easily overlooked in life. Lately, Cedric had been experiencing the effects of relaxation that had been so easily overlooked. It¡¯s been about two weeks since he started drinking tea with his sister. Cedric was slowly freed from the disembodied fear and obsessive panic that gripped him. The refreshed mind. The body that had been treated a little better than before had recovered its condition close to normal. Now that he recovered somewhat in all respects, he had a question. ¡°Allen.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± ¡°From your point of view, our Lilian¡­¡± No, no. He hesitantly spoke out but then Cedric waved his hand. Even with that. Allen, who had already narrowed his eyes, would not allow him to run away. ¡°What do you mean by the young miss?¡± Allen¡¯s reaction was quite sharp. Cedric suddenly raised a brow. ¡°Come to think of it, what you¡¯re doing these days is suspicious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean.¡± Allen shamelessly denied it, but it wasn¡¯t enough to fool the person whom he¡¯d been serving for years. ¡°Since when did you look at Lily so well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a thing of the past.¡± Despite Cedric¡¯s cold gaze, Allen remained firm. ¡°And it¡¯s not that I hated her. I just hated the new Marchioness.¡± ¡°Is that different?¡± It was an excuse that was tantamount to a play on words. If children could disgrace their parents, then, of course, the reverse was also true. If the parents weren¡¯t good, the children weren¡¯t good either. Allen¡¯s master was Cedric. As a typical Turinian with an unusual sense of loyalty, he hated his master¡¯s greatest enemy, the new Marchioness. In fact, it¡¯s safe to say that he loathed her. In any case, it wasn¡¯t that long ago that even Lilian was considered an accessory. It was like that until just a while ago. But¡­ ¡°The Marchioness has passed away. So I have no reason to hate her anymore.¡± ¡°Were you the kind of person who suddenly acts honestly just because there¡¯s no reason to dislike a person?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that honest. Just a bit.¡± ¡°You were, excessively so.¡± Allen, the closest aide to the Lord, was in a position to instruct someone to work. ¡®A guy like that comes in behind Lilian with a tray of snacks like a lowly servant?¡¯ What the heck? Cedric looked at Allen disapprovingly. ¡°If it looked like that, then I have nothing to say.¡± Whether the Lord¡¯s eyes are good or not. Allen was always calm. ¡°From what I¡¯ve experienced, the lady is a person with nothing to dislike. Besides¡­¡± ¡°Besides?¡± Cedric started a fight with every word he said. He was clearly on edge. He trusted Allen as his close friend and counselor. However, apart from his trust, he also thought of him as an insidious bastard. ¡®This kind of guy being very kind to a child¡­¡¯ The older brother, who started to walk the overprotective path in high spirits, ended up feeling very upset. They had been together for a long time, so Allen could easily guess what Cedric was thinking. But, like an old friend, he shrugged his shoulders, pretending not to know. ¡°Didn¡¯t the young miss kick her out?¡± CH 11 She did. That woman. The woman was the handmaid of his late stepmother and claimed to be Lilian¡¯s nanny was a limb who helped his stepmother in all sorts of evil deeds while she was still alive. If Lilian had succumbed to her nanny¡¯s tricks as before, Allen would have regarded Lilian as an accessory of his stepmother. But she, Lilian, did not. According to the report, the nanny was kicked out of the castle in a shabby appearance, with only the clothes on her back, having lost all the cunning and spiritedness that had plagued even the heir of the family. ¡®The only regret is that I didn¡¯t see it with my own two eyes.¡¯ He was also curious about Lily¡¯s ability to kick out that vicious and greedy woman who resembled her master and even prevented her from carrying a luggage bag. Aside from that curiosity, he felt very cool inside. ¡®Crazy¡­¡¯ He thought that if she died before he could take revenge, he would open the tomb and spit on her face. If the woman hadn¡¯t been quick to cling to Lilian, she would have been over long ago. He felt sick to his stomach for missing the perfect timing. So it was something he was eagerly waiting for. But that cunning woman got herself stomped by the thigh she hugged. ¡®So¡­refreshing.¡¯ He was more refreshed than if he¡¯d done it with his own hands. Even now, when he thought about it, goosebumps run down his spine. He had no choice but to admit it. ¡°In the meantime, I had a wrong prejudice about the young lady.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying you¡¯ve been reflecting?¡± ¡°Yes, absolutely.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a shameless guy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too much praise.¡± Allen admitted without shame. Up until now, he had thought that Lilian¡¯s only virtue was that she didn¡¯t resemble her stepmother¡¯s temperament. He was wrong. Caring for Cedric and mature consideration that¡¯s hardly like a 12 year old. In addition, the attitude towards subordinates. ¡®Seeing that she kicked her out, she had a hard side.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t resemble her own mother. She had the same blood as the Lord as well. After admitting his mistake, Allen immediately changed his stance. The process might seem too abrupt, but he didn¡¯t care. ¡°I was wrong. Miss Lily is undeniably of Islar¡¯s bloodline, and she deserves the best treatment.¡± Cedric¡¯s gaze grew cold. ¡°Sir Allen Hayworth.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± ¡°Just in case you forget one thing, Lily Islar is my sister.¡± It was a rather childish claim to have come from the mouth of a 21 year old but what¡¯s more problematic is¡­ ¡°¡­who doesn¡¯t know that?¡± Those words got on Allen¡¯s nerves. ¡­is the point. The master and servant, who were bound by trust and loyalty, stared at each other for a while and had a fight with their eyes. Anyone could see that they were being childish but only the two of them didn¡¯t know. ¡®These two.¡¯ Shaw, the family doctor who¡¯s not very happy about being present at this place because he¡¯s trusted, rolled his eyes and sighed. In any case, he was the only person who could cut off that meaningless war of nerves here. Tired, he rubbed under his eyes and opened his mouth. ¡°Both of you, please stop. Lord, please continue what you¡¯re saying. Is there something wrong with Miss Lily?¡± ¡°Rather than a problem¡­¡± Cedric chose his words carefully with a displeased look on his face. ¡°She doesn¡¯t talk about anything.¡± ¡°?¡± The attending doctor put on a puzzled expression. ¡®You called for a doctor¡­just for that?¡¯ As if that was all he was curious about, Allen nodded deeply and sympathized. ¡°First of all, she never complains. It wouldn¡¯t be easy at that age.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t do anything nor ask what is happening, just smile quietly with eyes that know everything.¡± And that wasn¡¯t all. Lilian was already there before he even thought he needed her, seemingly understanding everything he said. She wasn¡¯t pretending, she really did. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have any questions or wishes, just like someone who knows everything.¡± Lilian was like a calm lake in front of the wind. Impossible resilience and composure. But she wasn¡¯t grim. Cedric rubbed his forehead. ¡°I feel like she suddenly grew up. She was being too nice.¡± He wanted her to trust him more and be comfortable acting like a child. Allen inwardly nodded. These days, even his mother, the head maid, has started calling Lilian ¡®our wonderful young miss¡¯. Even now, whenever she saw him, she¡¯d vomit praise. Even so, she was worried. ¡°She¡¯s not that old, but she might be aching inside¡­¡± That was exactly what Allen and Cedric thought. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know, Shaw. Is it possible for a child of that age to do that?¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Lilian seemed to know everything because she actually knew almost everything before and after, and what made her look out of place was her not acting her age. However, Shaw, who didn¡¯t know the truth, was embarrassed to be asked to comment on the young miss. ¡°Well¡­ in any case, it¡¯s rare to find someone so calm in front of a doctor. That¡¯s something you¡¯re born with. I¡¯m sorry, but there are many times when even older people show rudeness in front of a doctor.¡± Anyway, nothing bad came out. It wasn¡¯t flattery. Shaw had no talent for such a thing. in fact, he just had that impression from seeing Lilian. ¡°She¡¯s born with it¡­¡± Seeing the master who was deeply troubled, Shaw felt frustrated. ¡°Did you ask the young miss directly?¡± Two pairs of blue and red eyes looked at Shaw at the same time. Neither answered. As if caught off guard. ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°What do you like, what do you want to eat, do you want something, do you have any questions? Those are the things you just said. Have you ever asked her that?¡± The answer was no. At the two men¡¯s common silence, Shaw clicked his tongue in bewilderment. ¡®Why are these people doing this with me, who has nothing to do with it?¡¯ It was then. The escort standing outside the door knocked and said, ¡°Lord, Lady Lily has sent someone.¡± And announced so. The three men inside were guilty as if they had committed a crime. It was as if some secret had been discovered. Cedric, who regained his composure, allowed the door to open. Lilian¡¯s maid appeared. ¡°My lord, the young miss requested if you would like to drink tea while basking in the sun today.¡± It was the middle of the harvest season. Cedric and Allen had a hunch. It was a chance. *** The fresh green sprouting embraced the sunlight. The wind on their cheek was still cold. But the sun was warm and it was tolerable. The servants set the table exquisitely in search of a spot where the warm spring sun was half cast and the other half was shaded. Approaching the garden where everything was perfectly prepared, the girl looked as small as if she had just turned ten. Dark blue hair that was untrimmed and tucked behind the ears. A light yellow-colored dress that didn¡¯t hold the waist and a voluminous crocheted cardigan made her look smaller. The light ivory-colored shoe nose, which was clearly visible, was also very cute. ¡®But¡­¡¯ The servants tilted their heads. The expression wasn¡¯t childish at all. It was calm, with a smile without any shyness or excitement. Lilian calmly looked around once, then turned to Mrs. Hayworth, who had followed her. The Madam turned her ear toward Lilian. Whisper, whisper, the girl whispered something then a delightful smile spread across the Madam¡¯s lips. ¡°Yes, yes. Miss. I will. Yes, of course.¡± Soon after, the Madam straightened her back. That benevolent face of hers had returned to that of a head maid. ¡°Everyone worked hard.¡± ¡°It¡¯s our honor.¡± Mrs. Hayworth laughed heartily at the sincere humility. ¡°The young miss is very grateful to the people who worked hard today. There¡¯s going to be a gift today, so please know that.¡± The servants looked at each other in surprise. Mrs. Hayworth coughed. Only then did everyone hurriedly bend their knees. ¡°Ah, t-thank you, young miss!¡± Lilian nodded and responded with a friendly smile. CH 12 Soon, the servants retreated to one side and out of sight, then Mrs. Hayworth said, ¡°this way¡± and led Lilian to her seat. ¡°The sun is very nice, young miss. First of all, please get some sun exposure.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Lilian looked down at the table covered with translucent cloth. At first glance, small and pretty dishes were neatly arranged. Lilian felt a little sorry. Because¡­ ¡°Will my brother come?¡± Because she wasn¡¯t sure if Cedric would come. ¡°What are you saying, he will come.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to ruin everyone¡¯s sincerity.¡± ¡°Young miss, I¡¯ve told you before, but you shouldn¡¯t worry about that.¡± Mrs. Hayworth gently rebuked her and adjusted Lilian¡¯s clothes. ¡°All those sheltered under Turin¡¯s wings are loyal. So, just being able to help you is enough.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The loyalties of the people of Turin are extraordinary. But loyalty is different from unrequited love. It¡¯s not a feeling that arises only because the reputation of the family you serve is high. The loyalty is consistent, in other words, the Islars always treated their family vassals well. The loyalty of the vassals is a family asset. It was obtained with more effort than any other mine or land. ¡°I want to treat it as a precious thing so that it won¡¯t be unnecessarily cut off.¡± ¡°How can you be so special¡­¡± She didn¡¯t mean to be praised. Lilian awkwardly smiled. ¡°Anyway, young master, no, there¡¯s no way the Lord won¡¯t come.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Lilian pursed her lips. ¡°He couldn¡¯t even keep his promise to take me to the lake. No, I¡¯m not complaining. I know enough that the construction is making him busy.¡± ¡°Young miss¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I thought he might not be able to come. If I believe that he¡¯ll definitely come, I¡¯ll be disappointed.¡± Mrs. Hayworth wanted to convince her that Cedric would definitely show up, that the boy she had raised would definitely do that, even if he didn¡¯t keep his promise before, but she held back. What this girl needed now was not her persuasion. ¡®The Lord has to appear.¡¯ According to Allen, Cedric has started pushing himself a little less lately. He just said that he couldn¡¯t help being busy trying to sort out things that had been open for a while. But she¡¯s his precious little sister. There¡¯s no way Cedric wouldn¡¯t come. Mrs. Hayworth was confident. As if responding to that belief¡­ ¡®Ah.¡¯ Cedric appeared out of nowhere. Lily¡¯s eyes widened, thinking that it couldn¡¯t be helped if he didn¡¯t come. She was also human, so she was anticipating disappointment in advance to prevent heartache. When Cedric showed up, she was happy and grateful. ¡°Brother!¡± Lilian unknowingly expressed her delight and quickly approached Cedric. It was uncharacteristic of her, who always restrained her feelings. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Lily¡¯s calm face was nowhere to be found as she approached with unmistakable joy. She looked like her age, 12, for the first time in a very long time. Cedric quietly looked at his sister¡¯s face. Then, suddenly, he noticed that the thin hair fluttering around Lily¡¯s face was shining golden in the sunlight. Only then did Cedric realize. ¡®It¡¯s sunny.¡¯ It was the beginning of spring, a nice day with warm sunlight warming the cool air. ¡®¡­that¡¯s why she called me.¡¯ She wanted to show him this¡­ Unable to hold back the suffocating love, he stretched out his arm toward his sister. Lilian walked into Cedric¡¯s arm while looking puzzled. Like a little chick who didn¡¯t know how to be afraid of the world. Before long, Cedric picked up the child who had been embraced in his arms. The child¡¯s lips parted silently at the unexpected action. ¡°Kya, brother!¡± A face full of joy even while screaming. Cedric wanted to laugh and also wanted to cry a little. So he just laughed. ¡°Still too light. You¡¯re eating, right?¡± ¡°What are you saying!¡± Unlike usual, Lily, who raised her voice a little, anxiously grabbed the epaulet near his shoulder. ¡°Please let me down. Everyone is watching!¡± ¡°Watching what?¡± ¡°Watch¡­watching¡­¡± Seeing Lilian, who couldn¡¯t think of the right words to follow up, Cedric laughed out loud this time. Haha, the sound of laughter made Lilian¡¯s mouth open. The more that happened, the more Cedric enjoyed it. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Cedric even seated Lilian in the prepared seat. As all the servants watched the situation happily, Lily¡¯s silent embarrassment multiplied. Cedric smiled softly at the food that occupied the table. ¡°You must have spent a lot of time getting ready, Lilian.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something I did¡­¡± Lilian was perplexed, but Cedric wasn¡¯t listening. ¡°¡­sit down for now.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Sandwich with seasonal fruits and vegetables added to smoked ham, scones with cream and raspberry jam, and many more. The chef of Turin Castle put all kinds of skill behind the simple food. It was to the point that they deliberately fetched water with a tangy taste from the mountain to make cool fruit ade. It wasn¡¯t prepared in vain. As if everyone who had prepared this event had no doubt that Cedric would do Lily¡¯s request. As the Lord, he couldn¡¯t help but be satisfied. Good weather, delicious food, dear little sister. Cedric suddenly thought of this. Was such a simple life a thing to be happy about? It was as if an entire family had melted under Lilian¡¯s magic. The feeling of being happy just with the food. ¡®Not bad.¡¯ It was never bad. ¡°Brother?¡± Cedric, feeling relieved, stroked Lilian¡¯s head without saying a word. It was the only expression of affection he knew, having lost his mother early. ¡­from his father during his childhood. A token of affection that was only occasionally received. Lilian was taken aback, but she didn¡¯t hate or avoid it. Cedric made up his mind when he saw her. ¡°Lilian, there¡¯s something I want to ask you.¡± Intuitively, Lilian realized that this was not just a question. She obediently blinked. ¡°Yes, please tell me.¡± ¡°I want to ask if there¡¯s anything you want to say. Whether it¡¯s about your engagement or about the situation we¡¯re in, whatever it is.¡± Here it is. This was the part that Cedric was most impatient with about his younger sister who had become too mature. She had a fever. Then she said that she was reflecting on her immature behavior and that she would get engaged according to her brother¡¯s will. It was welcome news. They hadn¡¯t had much of a relationship before, but the warmth that Lilian gave to his life was so warm and gentle that he didn¡¯t even question it. Then, only recently, the question came to him. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with that child¡­¡¯ Isn¡¯t she too innocent? Lilian was silent, like a sheep who knew that the master of the sword doesn¡¯t want to kill her, but only wants to shear. It wasn¡¯t to the point that she didn¡¯t complain. She didn¡¯t ask anything at all. Of course, she was able to do that because she had a rough idea of what was going to happen and what her husband-to-be would be like. In the story she read, her husband went mad after Lily committed suicide, but the book mentions that ¡®he didn¡¯t love his wife, but her death was the catalyst¡¯. And until his death at the hands of his son, he saw the blood of countless people as a black curtain. However¡­ ¡®There was no talk of having an affair.¡¯ Lilian calmly counted with her hands. Since no illegitimate child appeared and he didn¡¯t stab Lilian upon noticing that she was abusing his son, he must not be a man with bad manners. ¡®It would be more accurate to say that he didn¡¯t have enough interest to stab her.¡¯ It doesn¡¯t matter much. Besides, he had a lot of money like a capable villain. If he accumulated wealth to that extent, he should not have the habit of gambling. Regarding the great villain of the century that stained half of the empire with blood, Lilian calmly concluded. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be worth getting married?¡¯ Married life can be harmonious without love unless it¡¯s a human being who did those three things. ¡®If I didn¡¯t commit suicide while abusing my child, there¡¯d be no reason for her husband to turn into a villain¡­¡¯ In other words, the reasons why Lilian decided to marry the villain were no cheating (no illegitimate children), no violence, and no gambling. It meant only those three things. She didn¡¯t have to fall into the abyss of misfortune through marriage but into the abyss of life! If Cedric knew about the standard of having no hopes for marriage and the miserable future that Lily had foreseen, he would grab the back of his neck. He thought that he was the only one who could protect his sister in the world. Not knowing that absurd truth was his fortune. Anyway, when asked if she had anything to say, Lily¡¯s answer, knowing everything she knew and coming to such a conclusion, was this. ¡°I don¡¯t. Wasn¡¯t my marriage already decided?¡± CH 13 ¡°Yes¡­but, Lilian.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to embarrass brother. I have no complaints whatsoever.¡± Cedric looked conflicted but she still couldn¡¯t tell the truth. ¡®I read my story in a book.¡¯ There¡¯s no need to tell such an unbelievable story. Lilian quietly reflected on what she knew. The current Emperor is the former Sun Emperor¡¯s younger brother. At the time of his death, the Sun Emperor was only 42 years old. It was so sudden death that it couldn¡¯t possibly be a natural death. Fortunately, although he was young, he had an heir. The 15-year-old prince also had two uncles who would serve as regents until he came of age. But one of them was a problem. It was because the Crown Prince¡¯s eldest uncle, who was thought to be satisfied with becoming a regent, was ambitious and suddenly ascended the throne. The new Emperor shed blood inside and outside the palace to convince others of a succession that made no sense. One of them was the former Elector of Turin, their father. The former Elector of Turin was one of the Crown Prince¡¯s strong supporters as a loyalist of the emperor. ¡®So, in a way, it¡¯s natural for me to marry the Crown Prince¡¯s guardian, His Highness.¡¯ Besides that, since they¡¯re similar in age and social status, even if all that didn¡¯t happen, wouldn¡¯t she have to marry him someday? Lilian vaguely thought. Damien Rupenwein was the youngest brother of the Sun Emperor. When the youngest child was born, the succession structure had already been determined. The senile father had withdrawn from the front lines, and the eldest brother, who was then the Crown Prince, was already leading the overall state affairs. So the youngest prince chose the battlefield. Suppressing the rebellion and pacifying the vassal states. He dedicated all his victories to his older brother. The boy who went to the battlefield at the age of thirteen didn¡¯t return from the front lines until he was seventeen. He ran away from his father¡¯s care as a child soldier and returned to his brother¡¯s rule as a general. He was the youngest prince who was out of public attention to the extent that the date and time of his birth were unclear. He¡¯s 17 years of age, so it¡¯d be more appropriate to say that he was still a boy rather than a young man. However, to the Imperials, the boy was known as a Grand Duke and an unofficial siege weapon of the Imperial Army, which boasted overwhelming military power. Among the many achievements of the boy who wasn¡¯t even an adult yet and in honor of defending the Leyengrad Fortress with only 12 men, his eldest brother, Emperor Idoel, bestowed upon him this title. Imperator Leyengrad. ¡®Imperator Leyengrad, Damian Vamiera Ernst Rupenwein, the Golden Knight.¡¯ Liliane knew the end of the story. As soon as his eldest brother died mysteriously, the Grand Duke saved his only heir, the Crown Prince, and he would protect him until he became the Emperor. Marrying him was also the only way for Turin and Lily to survive. Since she couldn¡¯t explain that to Cedric, Lilian just said. ¡°Brother, I didn¡¯t just make up my mind to sacrifice myself. I have my own calculations as well. ¡°And no matter how complex the political situation is, brother would never ask me to marry a very lousy person. Am I right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Lily.¡± ¡°Alliance over companionship. Blood alliance over the alliance.¡± Those words were the secret to the feudal lords¡¯ survival in the long war before the appearance of the Rupenwein family, and it was a proverb that Cedric had heard from his father. Lilian declared it firmly. ¡°I am Turin¡¯s daughter, brother. This marriage is my duty and responsibility.¡± Moreover, it was the Great Feudal Lord Hemelinna who arranged this marriage talk. Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna was the Crown Prince¡¯s maternal great-grandfather, and he was no different than the leader of the Crown Prince¡¯s faction. If they rejected such a person¡¯s marriage proposal, Turin would not be able to fully belong to the Crown Prince¡¯s faction. Turin, which could neither join the Emperor nor support the Crown Prince fully was likely to be placed in the most dangerous position as a public enemy. ¡°I want to marry the Grand Duke. Not just for Turin. It¡¯s also for me.¡± ¡®It¡¯s a marriage that I decided on after considering my own conditions.¡¯ Lilian really thought so, but Cedric only smiled bitterly. At least once, just once, he wanted to put his sister above everything else. ¡®However¡­¡¯ Cedric stared into Lilian¡¯s eyes. She has blue eyes like him and their father¡¯s but with much more affection. ¡°It¡¯s a lot more upright too.¡± It was the kind of look that only a person who made a decision that wouldn¡¯t change no matter what he said could have. This child who suddenly became an adult without looking back will probably never be pampered by him. He was sad, but he couldn¡¯t express it. ¡®Above all, it¡¯s my fault¡­¡¯ It was then. ¡°That¡¯s why, brother.¡± ¡°¡­yes?¡± The reply was a little late because he was lost in his lonely thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Lilian hesitated, which is rare, and spoke cautiously. ¡°I¡¯ll become a member of the imperial family in the future, right?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Cedric bitterly agreed. ¡°For that time¡­ can¡¯t we invite a teacher for me to learn the arts?¡± It was completely unexpected. Cedric was dumbfounded. Lily hurriedly explained after seeing that figure. ¡°To my shame, I have never formally learned etiquette or conversational skills. At this rate, I think it¡¯ll bring trouble to Turin and brother.¡± ¡°What the¡­ No, so you mean no one has ever taught you?¡± Lilian cautiously nodded her head. Cedric was stunned. ¡®What the hell.¡¯ Did they not even give an etiquette teacher to a kid who¡¯d surely show herself in the social world someday until she was twelve? ¡®There¡¯s a limit to how no one cared about her¡­¡¯ He was stunned. Apparently, his stepmother was the worst mother ever, not only to him but also to Lily. The situation was already like this, but what about his father? No matter how busy he was, wasn¡¯t he too indifferent? For the first time, Cedric felt a bit disappointed in his father. ¡°Brother¡­?¡± Lilian was staring at Cedric, who was immersed in complex sentiments. ¡­with a slightly desperate look. ¡®Ah, I see¡­¡¯ Wasn¡¯t this the child¡¯s first ¡®request¡¯ to him? Cedric hurriedly replied with a feeling of regret. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lily, I promise I¡¯ll find someone who can be your teacher soon.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, really. You can learn anything.¡± Overjoyed, Liliane couldn¡¯t make a sound and put her little hand over her mouth. ¡®For her to love it that much¡­¡¯ It was something he should have paid attention to. Cedric asked, hiding his complex thoughts. ¡°What do you want to learn? Say it without hesitation.¡± ¡°There¡¯s etiquette and the art of speech¡­¡± Lilian hastily started counting with her hands. ¡°Older brother gave me drawing tools, so I want to learn that too. If possible, an instrument and a foreign language.¡± The younger sister, who eagerly spread out the things she wanted to learn with her cheeks flushed with joy, was very cute. A half smile appeared on Cedric¡¯s lips before he knew it. ¡°I get it. You can do it slowly one by one. Since you haven¡¯t recovered from your illness yet. First of all, it seems that the etiquette teacher is urgent.¡± ¡°Yes¡­!¡± ¡°To be happy with just this much. It¡¯s a bit too much.¡± He was in a position where he thought it¡¯d be nice for her to be pampered to the fullest, so he was never satisfied. ¡°But brother is smiling too.¡± Him? Cedric inadvertently touched the corners of his mouth. ¡®True. They¡¯re up.¡¯ He didn¡¯t even realize he was smiling. He had no choice but to admit it. Compared to when he thought that he wouldn¡¯t be fooling around for the rest of his life, he¡¯s definitely happy. It wasn¡¯t bad to be happy with his sister with just this much. CH 14 3. The Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna Some time has passed since then. Cedric said he would look for an etiquette teacher, but there has been no news so far. Lilian carefully guessed. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s having trouble choosing.¡¯ After verifying the profile and identity of a person who could be a teacher, invite them for an interview. If unlucky, there might not be a suitable teacher for half a year. Besides, Cedric was already prudent, but since it¡¯s Lily¡¯s business, it¡¯s clear that he¡¯s being more picky than usual. ¡®I have no choice but to wait.¡¯ From then on, Lilian began to find ways to pass the overflowing time. Her body is weak, so it¡¯s impossible to do outdoor activities for a long time. Therefore, even if it was a pastime, most of it had to be limited to indoor activities. What Lilian has been working on lately¡­ ¡°Yes, Lady. That¡¯s good enough.¡± ¡°It¡¯s harder than I thought.¡± Making handcrafted products! The item was a decorative knot that was commonly given as a gift in the Empire. Lilian was trying to match the symmetry of the already completed knot decoration. However, no matter how she touched it, she couldn¡¯t get rid of the slightly clumsy tee. ¡®It¡¯s because I can¡¯t move my hands as delicately as when I was an adult.¡¯ She wanted to make this a little more delicate and beautiful. ¡°I think it¡¯s okay to stop, Miss.¡± Mrs. Hayworth hinted. ¡°It¡¯s your first time learning how to decorate a knot. You¡¯ve done that much work in three days, so you¡¯re doing really well.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°The Lord will be really satisfied with that.¡± Holding the knot that didn¡¯t go her way no matter what, Lilian sighed. ¡°That¡¯s because brother will accept anything I offer him.¡± ¡°Ho-ho, that¡¯s true.¡± Mrs. Hayworth couldn¡¯t bear to refute it. ¡°Still, I¡¯m not talking empty words about the lady¡¯s skills.¡± The ornamental knot was meant to be tied to the sword belt. It¡¯s one of the most common gifts women gave to Imperial men going to war. It¡¯s an object to pray for victory and hope that they return alive. It has the meaning of putting the time of prayer into a knot. Lily¡¯s was a pretty gift even for a beginner. ¡°Right then, miss. Shall we sort this out? The etiquette teacher will be arriving in a little while.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± It was completely unexpected news. ¡°I thought it would take more time because my brother is meticulous¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I thought so too¡­¡± ¡°?¡± Lilian tilted her head. it was because Mrs. Hayworth sounded unsure. ¡°Should we prepare first? We can¡¯t make the teacher wait.¡± ¡®Why are you changing the subject¡­?¡¯ She was puzzled, but Lilian decided not to point it out. For she judged that the Madam wouldn¡¯t do it with the intention of harming her. She calmly sat in front of the mirror and let the others adjust her hair as instructed. Sug sug, as her hair was being combed, Lilian wiggled her toes in anticipation. It wasn¡¯t that she never had the opportunity to take these classes. Lilian was a prospective Grand Duchess and had a lot to learn. ¡®However¡­¡¯ At the time, the nanny was very territorial towards the visiting teachers, so she was not properly educated. Now that she thought about it, it was clear that the nanny didn¡¯t want anyone else¡¯s influence on Lily to grow. ¡®I have to act like a scarecrow, so being smart would be a problem.¡¯ As a result, Lilian learned little of the knowledge essential to governing domestic affairs as a Grand Duchess. Because of that, she was eventually shunned by her husband¡¯s vassals. She had come a long way and had another opportunity to learn. Now that she had no hindrances, Lilian vowed that she would do her best to learn. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a study room that Lord Cedric used to use when he was young, but it¡¯s now been cleaned up.¡± Before leaving her room, Lilian grabbed her finished knot. She intended to pass it on to Cedric if she ever met him on the way. ¡°What kind of teacher are they?¡± ¡°Well, what kind would you like?¡± She noticed that Mrs. Hayworth had changed the subject again, but Lilian pretended not to notice and smiled, ¡°Let me think.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no kind I really want. But she must be a woman, right?¡± Aristocratic ladies are usually educated by a woman. That¡¯s common sense. But the one waiting for Lilian in the study room Cedric used as a child¡­ ¡°Nice to meet you, lady. I will be teaching the lady etiquette today.¡± ¡®A man¡­¡¯ Although he was an old man with gray hair, he was clearly a man of great stature. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be surprised.¡± He was an old man with amber eyes wearing a monocle and looking fierce like a raptor, but when he smiled, his impression became surprisingly soft. ¡°I¡¯m not the official teacher, but I¡¯m here to ask for just one day with the honorable lady who will become a member of the Imperial family.¡± ¡®The Imperial family.¡¯ Judging from the fact that he knew about Lilian¡¯s marriage, which was a top secret to the outside world, it seemed that this person was quite trusted by Cedric. As if she wasn¡¯t surprised, Lilian meekly bent her knees. ¡°My greetings are late. I¡¯m happy to be taught by honorable sir for at least one day.¡± ¡°Please sit.¡± Lilian quietly sat in the seat recommended. Although she was uneducated and a mess, Lilian had memories of living as a Grand Duchess. She was ignorant of domestic affairs. However, she didn¡¯t like to be humiliated so she learned how to sit, walk, talk, and so on. Even the nanny didn¡¯t interfere with that. The old man sat without saying anything and watched Lilian carefully as she sat down along with her posture. ¡°Indeed, the Marquis of Turin deserves to be proud.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an overstatement.¡± Without embarrassment, Lilian accepted the compliment with a calm smile. ¡°Ever since we got very close, my older brother has the habit of always treating me well no matter what I do.¡± ¡°Well, it seems like the bond between brother and sister is very deep.¡± ¡°My older brother cherishes me, and I can barely respond to his heart. It¡¯s just to the level of what I¡¯m capable of.¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was silence for a moment. Lilian felt that the fierce old man¡¯s expression had become strangely friendly. ¡°From what I heard, he said that the young lady is good at the tea ceremony from the East¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed. Because it¡¯s at the level of a hobby¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very unusual hobby. Might I ask what happened?¡± Lilian plainly explained how she got to drink tea, or strictly speaking, how she came to make tea for Cedric. The old man listened to the story with ¡°umm¡±s and ¡°I see¡±s, often exclaiming incomprehensibly. ¡°Then can I have a taste of that tea as well?¡± It was a somewhat presumptuous request from a teacher for a day, but Lilian calmly nodded her head. ¡°As much as you like.¡± The maid who received the instructions prepared the best teaware. Soon, hot water, clean teaware, and simple snacks were perfectly prepared. ¡°Hoh.¡± The old man exclaimed. Seeing the kettle on the table was unfamiliar. Lilian was already accustomed to the tea ceremony. She looked serious and calm as she carefully poured the water and waited. ¡®He should be at an age where he stays indoors, but he doesn¡¯t look it. He¡¯s good at moving.¡¯ Lilian asked after pouring a cup of strong tea. ¡°Would you like it sweet?¡± ¡°No, not so much.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­¡± A cup of tea with a very pleasant aroma was placed in front of him. The old man took a sip of the tea in anticipation, but¡­ ¡°U-uhm.¡± ¡®T-this.¡¯ The old man¡¯s expression stopped for the first time. ¡°You might find the taste unique.¡± ¡®No¡­it¡¯s not that the taste is unique¡­¡¯ Amidst the strong scent, it was so bitter and astringent that it was distracting. True, She¡¯d tried it several times, but unfortunately, Lilian¡¯s hopeless skills haven¡¯t improved at all. She was still the only one who didn¡¯t know how terrible the tea she brewed was. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it¡­¡± ¡°No, no. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not used to it, but it¡¯s not bad.¡± It was a lie, of course. ¡®In any case, didn¡¯t the young child treat me wholeheartedly?¡¯ The old man was quite heartless, but when he met Lilian¡¯s eyes, which were gentle¡­ ¡®The word ¡®unsavory¡¯ is going back in. I can¡¯t say it.¡¯ For the crime of claiming to be an etiquette teacher, the old man took another sip of tea. When he tried it again, it still tasted as strange as the first time. His hand naturally went to the freshly prepared refreshments. ¡®I can¡¯t stand it without tasting normal food.¡¯ Snacks that he usually didn¡¯t like were passed to him. The old man began to devour one bite of the snack for every sip of tea. And¡­ ¡®¡­huh?¡¯ ¡­as soon as he took the caffeine and sugar in that order, he started to feel better and better. ¡®Huh, that¡¯s surprising.¡¯ Looking at the empty cup and empty plate, the girl smiled. ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°Surprisingly fine. It was an honor to be served by the young lady.¡± ¡°No, the honor¡¯s mine.¡± Lily shook her head with a calm expression that didn¡¯t suit her childlike face. ¡°It¡¯s a great honor to be able to serve the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna, albeit rudely.¡± CH 15 ¡°!¡± The old man¡¯s amber eyes widened a little, then began to take on a different hue. ¡°Amazing, since when did you notice?¡± ¡°It came naturally. Because the Great Feudal Lord didn¡¯t bother to hide it.¡± The mention of Lilian¡¯s engagement, his casual treatment of the younger brother of the emperor even as an etiquette teacher, and so on. Right. The Great Feudal Lord didn¡¯t hide his identity. ¡®I thought she wouldn¡¯t notice since she¡¯s a child¡­¡¯ Indeed, he was stunned for the first time in a while. The old man blinked and began to carefully look at the child in front of him once more. Lilian was dressed in a child¡¯s dress that didn¡¯t tighten the waist. On top of that, she wore a thick cape to keep her warm, so she looked like a cute and gentle little girl in every way. That¡¯s true, she¡¯s an innocent child¡­ ¡°You came to know it naturally.¡± He was careless. ¡°Aren¡¯t you surprised?¡± ¡°I was a little surprised.¡± That appearance of honestly answering that she was surprised was such a 12-year-old thing to do that the Great Feudal Lord unconsciously smiled then coughed. ¡°I apologize. As I got older, my curiosity increased. I let my guard down because I wanted to see my granddaughter-in-law. Thank you for your understanding.¡± ¡°For the Great Feudal Lord to seek my understanding, please don¡¯t bother.¡± The Elector of Hemenlinna was the Duke of Hemenlinna, the Captain of the Alt Sea, and the Count of Palmiens. People called him ¡°The Great Feudal Lord¡± out of awe. ¡°Interesting. What would you have done if I hadn¡¯t been the Great Feudal Lord?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Lilian only gave a faint smile instead of a detailed answer. ¡°You seem to have something on your mind.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­you probably wouldn¡¯t be able to see me like this if you weren¡¯t the Great Feudal Lord of Hemenlinna. My older brother cares about my safety as much as he loves me.¡± ¡°Hoh?¡± The words said with her lips pursed were fierce and cute. Indeed. The Great Feudal Lord burst into laughter. ¡°Huh¡­!¡± The Great Feudal Lord¡¯s old henchman, who was waiting with Mrs. Hayworth outside the study room, was startled. ¡°I¡¯ve seen all sorts of things. But he¡¯d never laughed like that before.¡± ¡°Oh my, is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, since the late Grand Empress, his daughter, passed away, he hardly laughed out loud. It¡¯s been a while.¡± Mrs. Hayworth proudly straightened her shoulders. ¡°Then it seems like he likes my young miss very much.¡± ¡°That could be, but¡­¡± As a confidant who knew well the picky temper of the person he¡¯d served all his life, he inwardly thought that there could be no such thing. Anyway, back to the study room. ¡°Alright, I guess I¡¯ll have to pay for frightening my sweet granddaughter-in-law.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Just as I said. Do you want anything?¡± Lilian was taken aback by the sudden request. ¡®Why is everyone like this, always trying to give me something, like my older brother¡­?¡¯ However, compared to Cedric, this offer that was generously given only to Lily had a strong sense of the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna testing her. ¡°I¡¯m not joking, so be at ease and think carefully.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too sudden¡­¡± ¡°So there are corners that aren¡¯t perfect.¡± The child felt a little cuter than before. The old man grinned and muttered, intending to tease the child. ¡°If you don¡¯t want anything, then let¡¯s see. Should I give you some of my land?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Or give you jewelry that my daughter used to have when she was young.¡± The aide, who was listening through the crack in the open door, was startled once more. ¡®The late Lady¡¯s jewelry!¡¯ Aside from the fact that the lady was the late Grand Empress, the old man regarded his only daughter as gold. It¡¯d be easier to take one of his titles than to take his precious dead daughter¡¯s things from him. ¡®Is he serious?¡¯ Of course he was sincere. That¡¯s how much the Great Feudal Lord liked Lilian. ¡°Now, tell me without hesitation.¡± Lilian felt it. If she didn¡¯t say anything here, she would end up carrying burdensome things like the late Grand Empress¡¯ jewelry or the Great Feudal Lord¡¯s land. ¡°Then¡­¡± Lilian thought for a moment before unpacking the pocket at her waist. The old man asked with a puzzled look. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an ornamental knot I just finished before coming here.¡± A knot of dark blue silk thread. The knot was quite complicated, but the grip on the thread was uneven and slightly bumpy. ¡°It¡¯s too much for me to ask for something, so I can¡¯t even think about it¡­ So why not accept this ridiculous thing instead?¡± ¡°This.¡± The old man made a stern face. And then whispered softly. ¡°I said I would give you a gift, but this kind of treatment is embarassing.¡± Although he said that, any decent child would burst into tears right away. But Lilian merely smiled calmly. ¡°If the Great Feudal Lord accepts this item, it will be my source of pride for the rest of my life. I want to make that honor my gift. Can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Hoh¡­¡± The Great Feudal Lord¡¯s lips twitched, as if stunned. And after a while¡­ ¡°H-haha, ha! What a masterpiece, a masterpiece indeed!¡± Loud, boisterous laughter rang out from the study room. The aide who had been with the Great Feudal lord for over 40 years muttered with an absurd face. ¡°No, really¡­he¡¯s never that kind of person¡­¡± ¡°Yes, he would.¡± Mrs. Hayworth nodded proudly. ¡°It¡¯s really like young miss Lilian to make someone who wasn¡¯t like that in the past to act like so.¡± ¡°How terrible¡­¡± Regardless of the aide¡¯s doubt, Mrs. Hayworth was just snobbishly smiling. *** About an hour after that. ¡°Oh my, Marquis Turin. I¡¯m seeing a very rare face.¡± ¡°¡­I greet the Great Feudal Lord.¡± Tsk tsk. The old man clicked his tongue. It was a joke to lighten the mood, but the reaction was so stiff that it went cold. ¡°Oh, your temper is still the same.¡± ¡°Can I compare to the one who dared to come a long way to test my little sister?¡± ¡°Oh-ho. To say it¡¯s a test is an overstatment. After seeing her, I was just curious about the child who would become my grandaughter-in-law.¡± Cedric didn¡¯t even respond. It was an attitude that could have been rude, but the Great Feudal Lord just smiled smirkingly. As an old man who had a connection to the previous Marquis of Turin, this young man felt as close to him as his grandson. A little disrespect meant nothing. ¡®After his father died, I wondered if he was going to wither and die too.¡¯ Fortunately, his face was much better now. ¡°Why are you staring so hard?¡± ¡°Why, I can¡¯t?¡± ¡°It¡¯s uncomfortable.¡± The Great Feudal Lord clicked his tongue. This was what he got even if he worried. ¡®This damn guy acts like his father.¡¯ ¡°Anyway, I knew long ago that all of Islar¡¯s bloodlines are stiff.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you know.¡± ¡°But how could such a child come out of this lineage?¡± He didn¡¯t bother to say who it was, but Cedric realized that he¡¯s talking about Lilian. ¡°So, didn¡¯t I tell you that you don¡¯t even need to see her?¡± ¡°Hah, look at this. Marquis Turin, are you laughing now?¡± That face with a faint sneer finally looked a bit human. ¡°Aren¡¯t you walking in such a vain way because you don¡¯t listen to people?¡± The Great Feudal Lord¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°¡­how can you say it¡¯s in vain? Marquis Turin¡¯s beloved sister promised that she¡¯d write me a letter in the future.¡± Suddenly, Cedric¡¯s expression hardened. The old Great Feudal Lord seemed to be telling the truth, but he didn¡¯t elaborate and just deeply smiled. ¡°¡­did you just say you would correspond with that child?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. Unbecoming of this family¡¯s lineage, she was a kind child.¡± Come to think of it, Cedric had never received a letter from Lily. In fact, it¡¯s because they could see each other any time, so there¡¯s no need to write a letter, but the jealousy that soared suddenly interfered with his rational thinking. ¡°Since I¡¯m just building a strong relationship with my future granddaughter-in-law, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Is it not?¡± ¡°¡­do you like her that much?¡± ¡°Everything about her is fine. Oh, I almost forgot about this.¡± Suddenly, the Great Feudal Lord rummaged through his pockets. What came out was a dark indigo ornamental knot. ¡°Since I asked if she wants any present, she¡¯d rather give me this. I didn¡¯t say it, but I was very impressed with her wit¡­ Marquis Turin?¡± Cedric¡¯s condition was a bit strange, isn¡¯t it? CH 16 ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Blue eyes trembling with shock were nailed to the knot ornament. ¡°That child made a knot ornament?¡± ¡°I heard she made it, did you not receive one yet?¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± This. Apparently, this knot he received was the first knot the girl made. The first knot was usually given to the closest guardian, such as a father. Even the Great Feudal Lord could not have preducted that the special knot would be intercepted. He had no intention of teasing the young man up to this point. Besides, the old man felt embarrassed because Cedric seemed to have been genuinely hurt. ¡°Uh¡­don¡¯t be too heartbroken, Marquis Turin, this is probably something she made for practice. Perhaps because I¡¯m trying to give her a gift and she felt burdened to receive it, she improvised with her wit, right? Maquis Turin?¡± Not right. It¡¯s hopeless. Cedric was completely depressed. ¡®Well¡­it¡¯s pitiful but I can¡¯t give him this no matter what.¡¯ The Great Feudal Lord glanced at him and slipped the knot back into his pocket. *** On the way home of the Great Feudal Lord of Hemenlinna. The smirk disappeared, but traces of a soft expression remained in the Great Feudal Lord¡¯s wrinkles. This was the first expression seen since the death of the late Grand Empress, his daughter. At first, the aide was so surprised that he was dumbfounded, but soon, he was just delighted with the good mood of the master he¡¯d served for 40 years. ¡°Looks like you really liked that young lady.¡± He didn¡¯t say anything long, but the answer itself was pleasant. The seasoned aide waited a bit without further questioning. Then the master¡¯s mouth opened. ¡°I said I¡¯d give her a gift, but she gave me a gift in return. She was very shy and cute.¡± ¡°Oh, did that small and delicate-looking lady do such a bold thing?¡± ¡°Yeah, and that¡¯s not all. Cedric became a human again. Thanks to that, it was a lot of fun.¡± The Great Feudal Lord chuckled cheerfully. ¡°That child seems to be acting as the youngest¡¯s spouse very well, more than I thought. We¡¯ll have to wait and see.¡± At the same time, the Great Feudal Lord took out an indigo knot from his pocket and fiddled with it. In fact, there¡¯s a reason the old man didn¡¯t give up the knot despite Cedric¡¯s gloomy face. ¡°I thought about it. I should give this to my youngest grandson. I¡¯m eighty now, old enough not to wield a sword.¡± Satisfied with his idea, the Great Feudal Lord smiled heartily. Even the 40-year-old aide kept up with the pretense. ¡°Without knowing it was a gift from his fiancee?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The giggling sound of laughter was insidious. ¡°It just so happened that he¡¯s going to be called out to the battlefield again soon, so it turned out well.¡± ¡°Speaking of which. Instead of giving it directly, why don¡¯t you just secretly attach it to His Highness¡¯ sword belt? That would be more fun.¡± When the aide, who had been considerably affected by serving a master with a twisted sense of humor for 40 years, proposed, the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna said, ¡°That¡¯s true¡± and slapped his knee. ¡°Do it as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ll do as you command. Whether he likes it or not.¡± The two of them looked at each other then smiled slyly and happily. It was because there¡¯s nothing more interesting than the love story of young people for those who were in the twilight of their lives. *** A few days later. ¡°Your Highness, may I enter?¡± There was no reply. After waiting for a while, he opened the door and went it. It was a stately room that would normally be used as a study. However, sitting on the other side of the desk facing the door was a young man younger than expected. A handsome face leaning against the back of a chair. A few strands of bright platinum hair were scattered over his white forehead. At a cursory glance, one would think he might be a young man, but upon closer inspection, there were traces of undergrowth left on his cheeks and lower lip. In any case, it was a fair face that made it possible to know he was a beauty even without opening one¡¯s eyes. ¡°I heard that you were a bit harsh today. I should have warned you before, sir.¡± The young man slowly opened his eyes as he answered in a voice that sounded like it was being scratched. The exposed eyes were a bright and delicate purple color like jewels. ¡°My brother isn¡¯t stupid enough to kill cute little Matteo.¡± Ivan Isaac prided himself on being a faithful servant, but sometimes he couldn¡¯t stand such a crushing momentum. ¡®So what if he has a beautiful face? What¡¯s inside is a species that transcends race, gender, and age.¡¯ However, due to the sin of being a loyal servant, he only inwardly clicked his tongue and gave good advice. ¡°So, did you threaten to send an eight-year-old who has stopped eating and drinking back to his second uncle if he continues to starve?¡± Damian shrugged. ¡°I wasn¡¯t being serious.¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a good thing that you¡¯re not serious?¡± There¡¯s also a degree to saying nonsense. Talking to an eight-year-old about his second uncle, who had recently killed his father, was a bit harsh. Ivan honestly thought that being stabbed in his sleep would be better. ¡°It¡¯s their fault for telling me to look after the kid in the first place.¡± ¡°Ah, who knew you would cause such a major accident!¡± ¡°Sir Ivan Isaac.¡± Damian¡¯s beautiful face didn¡¯t have a particular expression, but¡­ ¡®Oops¡­¡¯ Ivan realized. He crossed a line. ¡°I guess there¡¯s a lot of people around me who are in danger of their lives today.¡± ¡°I made a mistake.¡± While answering like that, Ivan looked at his eyes. ¡®The timing of getting annoyed is a bit earlier than usual.¡¯ ¡°¡­how long have you slept, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask.¡± Ivan noticed. ¡®You haven¡¯t slept!¡¯ The porcelain-clean face didn¡¯t look like that at all. Damian waved his hand as if chasing away a fly. ¡°Leave Matteo¡¯s business there. Or did you pay attention without my knowledge?¡± The Grand Duke, who was snuggled in his swivel chair and dangerously wiggling his feet, muttered angrily. ¡°If he wants to live, he will live, and if he wants to die cleanly because everything is dirty, leave him alone. I think it¡¯d be better if I quickly get rid of him.¡± ¡®How can you tell that to your own blood¡­¡¯ This time, he managed to mumble inwardly, but couldn¡¯t hide his wrinkled expression. Fortunately, the Grand Duke didn¡¯t catch on. ¡°So the business is over?¡± ¡°No.¡± Still sullen, Ivan held out something. ¡°Please accept this. They said the belt repair was finished, so I took it.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± An unfamiliar feeling passed through the Grand Duke¡¯s hand as he took the object he had been casually using. ¡°¡­Ivan, what is this?¡± It was suffocating, but Ivan calmly answered without showing any expression. ¡°Don¡¯t you know when seeing it? It¡¯s an ornamental knot.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t rememver ever putting anything like this on my own.¡± ¡°I put it on. The Great Feudal Lord told me to hang it there.¡± Damian wordlessly entangled his fingers in the knot¡¯s stamens. Ivan was nervous, afraid that the master with a bad personality would tear it away, but¡­ ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine. What¡¯s that thing on your side?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. This.¡± Ivan, who was delighted with the change of topic, hurriedly submitted the documents he had brought. ¡°This is Your Highness¡¯ marriage certificate.¡± Marriage certificate. Remarriage was quite common in the Empire, as there were often all-out wars between lords. If desired, it could have been your first marriage on paper through the annulment of the previous marriage, so it¡¯s not considered a remarriage. The condition was that it should be within three years from the exchange of the marriage certificate. Within three years, the bride and groom, or anyone who belonged to either family could claim the annulment of the marriage. The reason why this nonesense law was enacted was for two reasons. First, to easily betray the other clan during a war. Since the marriage was nullified, so was their alliance. That¡¯s why it¡¯s very reasonable that they strike the other in the back. Then they could make a claim like this while hitting their goal¡­ Second, to break someone¡¯s marriage alliance when it goes against their interests. There was only one way to prevent such a thing from happening. Meeting three years before marriage and exchanging marriage certificates. Of course, in this case, there¡¯s a fatal disadvantage that the party cannot request an annulment when necessary. Most imperial nobles didn¡¯t feel the need to exchange certificates three years prior. Imperial marriages weren¡¯t sacred. Most people wanted the convenience of marrying when they wanted and divorcing when they wanted. There were only two cases where they met three years prior and exchanged certificates. First, when they love each other so madly that they didn¡¯t want to be separated even in death. Second, when the marriage was based on a blood oath that cannot be broken no matter what. Damian and Lilian¡¯s marriage was, of course, the latter. In fact, the purpose of the Great Feudal Lord¡¯s visit to Turin was not to meet Lilian, but to exchange this certificate. Damian absent-mindedly looked at the certificate. A simple document with only a simple statement stating that both parties agreed to the marriage in mutual fidelity, a date, a signature, and a seal. ¡°This is how you become married, at least unofficially. Congratulations.¡± It was a congratulatory greeting that didn¡¯t have any emotions in it. The Grand Duke muttered. ¡°Lilian Mariestad Islar?¡± CH 17 ¡°Stop memorizing the name of the person you¡¯ll be marrying in three years.¡± The Grand Duke didn¡¯t respond and just threw away the papers. Ivan almost screamed. ¡°No, Your Highness! Those are important documents! Can¡¯t you treat it with some respect?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s important to you, take care of it.¡± Even after getting married, they¡¯d only see each other¡¯s faces a few times a year. Ivan grumbled, but he treasured the important certificate. ¡°When all is done, get ready to play.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Ivan raised his head. ¡°No, what do you mean by that? Are you saying that the decision to transfer to the northern front has already been made?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What about the order? To get to this point, they should have sent it before the war even started, but how¡­¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t come yet.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Ivan made a strange sound and frowned. ¡°Did you eat something strange? We haven¡¯t received the transfer order yet, why are you preparing for war¡­¡± Damian thinly smiled with his purple eyes. ¡°It¡¯s obvious that my brother will cheat. Without me, he thinks he can reach out to Matteo.¡± Send Damian to the battlefield. And while the guardian was absent, get the crown prince. ¡°No, then.¡± ¡°Again, Claude won¡¯t kill Matteo right away.¡± He¡¯s not that stupid. Damian hit the desk with a thump. ¡°The succession is incomplete and the feudal lords are agitated, but in this situation, the late Emperor¡¯s Crown Prince is killed? It¡¯s like inciting a rebellion.¡± And the man in the best position to raise that rebellion was right here, Damian Rupenwein. ¡°Claude will definitely bring Matteo to the court alive. And he¡¯ll make the kid sign a memorandum renunciating his right of succession with his own hand.¡± After about ten years, who would care if he killed that child? His tone was monotonous and languid, as if he was describing someone else¡¯s business. ¡°You sounds sure, Your Highness.¡± ¡°If it were me, I would have done that.¡± Both brothers had a similar way of thinking even if they despised each other. A knife-like smile crept across the Grand Duke¡¯s lips, chilly and beautiful. 4. May Lily Sorority Some time passed since then. The season was smoothly deepening. Lilian¡¯s teachers, which had been giving Cedric some troubles, were also properly chosen, and thanks to that, Lilian began to spend her busy days little by little. ¡°Young miss, are you awake?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Maybe that¡¯s why. Lately, Lilian¡¯s wake-up time has been delayed. Not only that, but even when she woke up, she would doze off. ¡°If you¡¯re not feeling well, how about taking a break from class today?¡± ¡°Uhm, it¡¯s fine.¡± Her eyes opened like a knife when asked if she wanted to rest. Lilian always showed that she¡¯s Cedric¡¯s younger sister in places like this. ¡®Ugh, she resembles the parts I don¡¯t want her to resemble.¡¯ Laughing helplessly, Mrs. Hayworth carefully washed the sleepy little face of Lilian. That wasn¡¯t the only bad thing about Lilian and Cedric. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat more?¡± Despite her gentle invitation, Lilian shook her head. ¡°This is enough.¡± If you force a child with a small appetite to eat, the child would increasingly avoid food. The head maid, who knew well from her experience of raising the demanding Cedric, didn¡¯t encourage her and had the others clear the dishes. After a while. ¡°¡­yes, very good, young miss Lily. You learn really quickly.¡± Lilian, who showed off her conversation skills as she had learned, was greatly praised by her etiquette teacher, the Grandmother of Marquis Lannister. The Grandmother of Marquis Lannister was someone recommended by the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna. She was a relative of the Great Feudal Lord¡¯s wife, so Lilian wasn¡¯t originally worthy of having her as an etiquette teacher. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she married off all her grown children and became a widow a little too early and was lonely, she would have rejected the invitation of the Great Feudal Lord. ¡®I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t.¡¯ Lilian¡¯s natural disposition itself was meek, and she readily followed even when taught rather severely, so she was able to win the heart of this staunch Grandmother right away. ¡°If you¡¯re like this, I think you can attend the as planned.¡± In the Empire, there was a custom of organizing small gatherings where young ladies of similar ages gathered before making their debut in the social world to make friends and practice conversation skills and etiquette. Among them, was one of the small gatherings with a deep history and high reputation. ¡°I¡¯m a little nervous.¡± ¡°Belonging to a good sorority is very important to young noble ladies.¡± Once attached to a sorority, that bond lasted a lifetime. Even within the social world, a battleground without swords, the implicit rule of helping people from the same sorority was absolutely followed. A certain noblewoman even declared that she would not accept a daughter-in-law unless she came from the same Sorority. So the parents of daughters would frantically try to get their children into prestigious sororities by any means possible. ¡®It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t joined a Sorority before¡­¡¯ Lilian hadn¡¯t been a member of such a good Sorority before. No matter how noble her family or status was, it¡¯s almost impossible to belong to a good sorority without any effort or connections. She was able to join this time thanks to the Grandmother here. ¡°I don¡¯t want to damage your reputation.¡± Grandmother, also from May Lily Sorority, personally recommended Lilian to join as her guardian. Lily¡¯s mistakes would immediately be reflected on the Grandmother¡¯s reputation. Unlike Lilian, who was worried, the Grandmother only snorted. ¡°If you can do as much in front of me, you won¡¯t have to worry about being embarrassed.¡± The tone was stiff, but in the end, it was a compliment and a consolation to relieve her. Although not as formal as a social debut, the sorority debut was an important event in the life of an aristocratic woman. At their courtesy tea time, even Cedric asked this question. ¡°Are the preparations going well?¡± ¡°Mrs. Hayworth and Teacher are helping from one to ten.¡± As always, the people around her were more excited than Lilian, the person involved. ¡®Come to think of it, what was it like before?¡¯ The miserable life she had read in the book was absorbed almost like a first-hand memory. Her memory of that time was hazy. Because of her nanny¡¯s intervention, she had never attended properly. What she did remember was¡­ ¡®I wasn¡¯t able to properly learn etiquette, and I was secretly ostracized because I didn¡¯t have enough social skills to interact with people.¡¯ I attended the first meeting. The day I returned, I remembered crying all night saying I never wanted to go again. Lilian laughed bitterly. It was then. ¡°My lord.¡± It was Allen. He was holding a small box in his hand. ¡°What is it, Allen?¡± ¡°This is a present for the young miss. The Great Feudal Lord sent it.¡± Cedric¡¯s expression subtly turned cold. After that knot incident, Lily had to struggle to sooth her older brother who was sore and pouting. The knot was a practice piece. The other party said they¡¯d give her land or jewels, so she had no choice but to talk around it that way. Despite the valid excuse, Cedric couldn¡¯t cheer up. In the end, it was only after receiving the knot that Lilian had made, that his heart knot was unraveled. ¡°¡­open it up, Lilian. I wonder what it is.¡± She clearly felt the will to see what it was and to give a better gift than that. ¡®It shouldn¡¯t be a big deal¡­¡¯ Lilian was embarrassed and accepted the box. When she opened it, there was¡­ ¡°Oh my God.¡± It felt like a flood of light. It was a necklace that soaked in sunlight and shimmered with thousands of lights. The first thing that caught her eye was five thick diamonds the size of a thumb. However, if looked at slowly, even the small jewels that connect between the lines and workpieces were all diamonds. It was such a monstrosity that the eyes were distracted because it emitted so much light in all directions. ¡°Oh my gosh¡­, it will look like you¡¯re wearing an angel¡¯s ring around your neck.¡± Even Mrs. Hayworth, who had determined not to be surprised to please the master, admired it. The enclosed card was decorated with elegant strokes. ¡°To commemorate the beginning of a luxury war and having the last laugh¡± it read. ¡°I think this is probably the most famous necklace among the ¡®Tears of Light¡¯ series that the late Grand Empress possessed.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± At Allen¡¯s words, Lilian almost dropped the box. ¡°Young miss!¡± If Mrs. Hayworth hadn¡¯t grabbed it quickly, she would have thrown the late Grand Empress¡¯ necklace. Lily looked at Cedric with a puzzled look. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something I can receive.¡± Cedric, who had been silent all along, sighed. ¡°I¡¯m with you but it will be difficult to refuse a gift from the Great Feudal Lord.¡± ¡°But if I put this on me and debut in the Sorority¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll get more attention than it needs to.¡± Cedric was heartbroken at the thought that it¡¯d be difficult to give anything grander than that. CH 18 ¡°But¡­you said that the engagement between me and His Highness the Grand Duke was a top secret.¡± If this marriage was known to the outside world, the Emperor would aim for Lilian to break the alliance between Turin and the Crown Prince faction. ¡°But if you receive a gift like this¡­¡± The late Grand Empress¡¯ jewelry also meant that it¡¯s a keepsake of the Grand Duke¡¯s mother. A jewelry where anyone could guess who her fiancee would be! Cedric shook his head, dismissing Lilian¡¯s concerns. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. The parents of the young ladies attending the Sorority are all supporters of His Highness the Crown Prince.¡± There¡¯s no chance of words leaking out. Rather, it¡¯d be a sign that clearly told what position Lily would rise to in the future. ¡®The future Grand Duchess¡­¡¯ It seemed to be an object containing the stern intention of the Great Feudal Lord not to be rude to the lady, even by accident. If she walked out with this, she would never be ignored like before. ¡®But¡­¡¯ Was this premonition that something bothersome was about to happen just an unreasonable anxiety? *** Some time after that. Finally, the day of Lilian¡¯s sorority debut had arrived. Usually, a married woman would become the sorority chaperone, presiding over the meetings and looking after the young girls. To become a sorority chaperone, you had to be from that sorority, and had to have flawless knowledge as an aristocrat¡¯s wife or as a noble lady. It¡¯s great honor to become a sorority chaperone. The current chaperone of the May Lily Sorority was the Marchioness of Lannister, the daughter-in-law of Grandmother. Not only did the Marchioness readily accepted her mother-in-law¡¯s recommendation, but also decided to hold the May Lily Sorority meeting at the Lannister family¡¯s villa. It was a consideration to welcome Lilian, who was attending the meeting for the first time, more modestly. It¡¯s now spring, the season when roses were in full bloom everywhere. Lilian held in her arms the bouquet of roses from Turin that she had brought as a gift. ¡°Teacher!¡± ¡°Welcome, Lady Lily.¡± The Grandlady who closed the book and greeted Lilian frowned a little. ¡°My gosh, to lift that heavy thing yourself. Do you intend to embarras the servants?¡± ¡°The servants are holding the gifts for the Marchioness. I want to bring the flowers for you myself.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Every single thing was special! The grandmother tried to restrain the corners of her mouth from rising and accepted the bouquet. ¡°It¡¯s very luxurious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡± Double petals wrinkled into a large flower shape. The Turin rose was famous for its splendid beauty as much as the peony, but more famous than that was its unique strong scent. Perhaps because she just carried an armful of bouquet made of those expensive flowers, Lily was also full of the same scent. ¡®Besides, that necklace¡­¡¯ As soon as the wise grandmother saw the necklace around Lily¡¯s neck, she understood the will of the Great Feudal Lord. It seemed like her admirable pupil was terribly cute even for that outlandish grandfather. ¡®Today, there¡¯s going to be a major upheaval because of that necklace.¡¯ *** The grandmother¡¯s prediction wasn¡¯t wrong. Once they were ready to attend the Sorority, the girls began to get heated and raved about their dress and makeup. Even if they didn¡¯t want to do that, since the people gathered were of similar ages, they would compare each other¡¯s clothes and jewelry. So, naturally, everyone was familiar with the famous jewel. It meant that most of the girls recognized the identity of the necklace hanging around Lilian¡¯s neck. ¡°¡­thanks to your understanding in many ways, I was able to attend this precious meeting. I hope we get along well.¡± When Lilian finished her greetings, the girls expressed their welcome in one voice. While the formal self-introduction and current situation continued for a while, some discerning girls exchanged meaningful glances with each other. One of them opened her mouth. ¡°But Lady Lily, you came out wearing a very beautiful necklace.¡± At times like this, you shouldn¡¯t be overly shy, proud, or delighted. Lilian smiled calmly and replied, ¡°I just received an undeserved gift for my debut.¡± It was a careful choice of words to avoid useless jealousy. ¡°I see. I suits you very well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a precious gift. Congratulations.¡± Thanks to this, the girls could hardly be offended. ¡°Can I touch it? Just a bit.¡± Among them, a young girl in particular, who looked about ten years old, asked. Despite the rather rude request, Lilian accepted it with a smile. The girl who had the courage to touch the necklace was genuinely impressed. At the cute sight, smiles spread across the lips of the girls belonging to the older sister axis. One of them opened her mouth. ¡°Solaria, you should properly thank Lady Lilian.¡± ¡°Oh, yes! Thank you for allowing me to touch such a precious item. I am Solaria Lannister.¡± ¡°You are the second daughter of Lannister.¡± Under the circumstances, the girl who gave her attention seemed to be her sister. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about both of you from teacher.¡± ¡°I also heard a lot of stories from Grandmother. Then, can you be my friend?¡± ¡°Solaria!¡± Her older sister, Illasia, was taken aback by her younger sister¡¯s honest and direct tone, but thanks to her, the atmosphere was relieved. ¡°Being honest and cute is Lady Solaria¡¯s strong point.¡± ¡°Anyway, Lady Lily, I¡¯m envious of being taught by Mrs. Lannister.¡± The atmosphere started to become cordial. To the extent that no one noticed that there¡¯s one person who didn¡¯t jump on the bandwagon. ¡°¡­Lady Marianne?¡± After a while, the girl next to Marianne barely noticed. ¡°Are you ill somewhere?¡± ¡°¡­no, I¡¯m fine.¡± While answering with a sharp attack, Marianne looked at Lilian with a tenacious gaze. Marianne, just fourteen, had sweet blond hair and charming green eyes. It wasn¡¯t just her looks that made her great. She was Mariane, the youngest daughter of the Duke of Blanchett, and also the niece of the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna. This young girl, who was pretty and grew up in the protection of powerful people, had never been out of public attention since she was born. But it wasn¡¯t like that today. At the center of today¡¯s gathering was not Marianne, but a girl named Lilian. She seemed busy just answering the flood of questions. Marianne, who always led the atmosphere during gatherings, had her feelings of displeasure overwhelm her curiosity about Lilian. ¡®Besides, that necklace¡­¡¯ Marianne always boasted of the prestige of the Great Feudal Lord of Hemenlinna, but in fact, the Great Feudal Lord didn¡¯t like Marianne very much. Knowing that Marianne was always looking with envy at the jewelry that the late Grand Empress had worn as a girl, the Great Feudal Lord didn¡¯t give her a single drop. Jealousy began to bubble up. Besides, the girls she was close with who were quick to notice her mood, instead of comforting her, were busy showing interest in Lily, which made her even angrier. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a pretty necklace, Lady Marianne?¡± So when the girl sitting next to her misinterpreted Marianne¡¯s tenacious gaze and said so, she couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡°It is, but Lady Sophia.¡± Marianne said in a sharp tone. ¡°That¡¯s a keepsake from His Highness¡¯ mother. I think it¡¯s a bit rash not to decline a gift like that.¡± The atmosphere instantly froze. Lilian¡¯s gaze fell on Marianne for the first time. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Looking at the blazing green eyes. Lilian finally remembered. ¡®That child must be Lady Marianne¡­¡¯ Originally, she was someone she¡¯d meet after becoming the Grand Duchess. ¡®It was like this back then, but it¡¯s still quite hostile.¡¯ Seeing Lilian¡¯s delay in responding as she recalled her memories, the girls thought that she must have been taken aback by her sharp words. ¡°I think Lady Marianne misunderstood.¡± Illasia, who felt sorry for Lilian, stepped forward. ¡°Besides, if you call the person who received the gift rash, what will be the position of the Great Feudal Lord of Hemenlinna, who gave the gift?¡± The words of Illasia, the daughter of the sorority chaperone and a grown-up among her peers, had that much weight in her words. The frozen girls said ¡°yes¡± and followed suit. At this point, given the atmosphere, Marianne had to apologize for saying too much. But the proud girl kept her silence. Illasia and the other girls gave up and began to clear the atmosphere. ¡°I heard that Lady Lily is going to treat us to a strange treat today?¡± It was customary for girls debuting in sororities to give small gifts to existing members. In addition to the usual gifts of flowers and trinkets, Lilian had planned one more treat. Lilian nodded her head and jumped on the bandwagon for a change of topic. ¡°It¡¯s embarassing, but I¡¯m interested in the custom of the Eastern tea ceremony.¡± CH 19 Even though she was still young, the girls admired her resolute attitude in not spoiling the atmosphere of the meeting by insisting on receiving an apology or revealing that she was offended. ¡®True enough, she looks like a girl who will become a future Grand Duchess.¡¯ ¡®This should be enough to join our May Lily Sorority.¡¯ Admiration soon turned into goodwill. ¡°Tea ceremony, I¡¯ve heard of it, but it¡¯s my first time seeing it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making your own tea? ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s too much of a treat.¡± In fact, everyone had goodwill toward Lily, but more than that, they were exaggerating their expectations in order to rectify the atmosphere that Marianne had ruined. Unknowingly, Marianne accepted that she had been shunned by everyone. ¡®That kid is so annoying¡­!¡¯ Until now, it was an impulsive hatred stemming from simple jealousy, but now she had a reason to hate Lilian in earnest. Of course, Lily noticed her too. ¡®I have no choice but to pretend not to know.¡¯ It seemed like her relationship with Lady Marianne wasn¡¯t going to improve. Receiving the curious glances of the majority and the young gaze of one enemy, Lilian cautiously lowered the tray. She had done it so often that her movements were adept. She didn¡¯t even feel like she was doing chores like a maid, perhaps because all the tools she¡¯s holding were porcelain that was more precious than gold. ¡°Oh, it smells so good.¡± ¡°The tea leaves are aged to infuse a good scent. I don¡¯t know if everyone will like it.¡± Lilian added sugar to the tea for the little girls. Each one took a sip of the tea. ¡®Hm.¡¯ ¡®This is a bit¡­¡¯ The first taste was bitter and sweet. It was unfamiliar. But once the tea passed through their throat, a pleasant scent rose up in their nose. ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± Even dull men like Cedric and the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna saw the charms of tea that they hadn¡¯t discovered before. In addition, Lily¡¯s tea making skills had recently made some progress after meeting the honest grandmother. ¡°I really like the scent¡­!¡± ¡°It feels like my mouth is getting cleaner.¡± ¡°It goes really well with sweets. I¡¯m not thirsty at all.¡± ¡°It was a bit cold to drink lemonade in this weather, but this is nice because it¡¯s warm.¡± Although favorable reviews poured in, Marianne didn¡¯t even touch it. At least the nice Sofia sitting next to her hesitated and gave a small warning. ¡°¡­Lady Marianne, if you don¡¯t touch what you¡¯re served¡­I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll damage your reputation.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The girls were still glancing at Marianne. ¡®Aren¡¯t you going to drink even though you haven¡¯t apologized?¡¯ ¡®I knew you were stubborn, but¡­¡¯ Seeing the soft reproach in their eyes, Marianne reluctantly took a sip of her tea. ¡°Eup.¡± But since she was already offended, to her, the tea seemed to be nothing but a strange liquid that was bitter, stinky, and even sweet. As Marianne frowned, the girls sighed inwardly. ¡®I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s like that.¡¯ ¡®A casual compliment here would lighten the mood.¡¯ ¡®Marianne has been like that since the old days. She doesn¡¯t know how to be considerate of others.¡¯ In the end, her attitude provoked their dissatisfaction with her that was inside the girls¡¯ hearts. The atmosphere towards Marianne became irreversibly chilly. In the end, Illasia stepped forward this time as well. ¡°Lady Lily, I¡¯d like to take you through the garden in return for the tea.¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming too.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Most of the girls stood up. Everyone couldn¡¯t bear Marianne spoiling the mood any longer. ¡°Hmph!¡± Among them, Solaria even pouted her lips and sent the enemy a childish gaze. ¡®What¡¯s this¡­!¡¯ In the end, all that was left was Marianne and the kind hearted girl sitting next to her. Marianne¡¯s cheeks turned red at the insult. She didn¡¯t even feel grateful to Sophia, the girl who stayed by her side. Rather, she was angrier. ¡®You mean I¡¯m in a position to be sympathized by a kid like this? Because of that girl?¡¯ Marianne had been subtly ignoring Sophia, who had a relatively humble family and was just being kind. ¡°Hey, Lady Marianne¡­¡± ¡°Noisy!¡± When she shouted, Sofia hiccupped in surprise and shut her mouth. Marianne huffed and rose from her seat. ¡®This is¡­¡¯ Seeing the tea set on the table, Marianne got even angrier, then reached out and wiped the table at once. ¡°Kyaak!¡± The tea utensils shattered with a whooshing sound. Sophia¡¯s complexion turned blue. ¡®Oh my gosh!¡¯ Marianne still couldn¡¯t calm down and was breathing heavily. It was then. ¡°Yeah, I think we went too far.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Lady Marianne may have had other circumstances¡­¡± The other girls were coming back! The story was like this. She ruined the mood, but when Lilian saw Marianne excluded from the meeting, Lilian felt bad for her. ¡®I know how hard quiet bullying is like.¡¯ In addition, she had to keep running into her as a member of the sorority, so they couldn¡¯t remain uncomfortable from their first meeting. Besides, she was worried about the good girl who was left alone next to Marianne. So Liliane carefully asked the other girls. When Lilian said that she would like Lady Marianne to go for a walk with them, the girls were taken aback and reflected on themselves. ¡®Yes, how inconvenient it would be if they did this from the first day.¡¯ ¡®We should have made more effort to settle the atmosphere, not the parties involved.¡¯ That¡¯s how everyone returned to find Marianne and Sophia. However, welcoming the girls was an unexpected mess. ¡°What is this¡­¡± A frightened Sophia, Marianne in a tea-stained dress, and Lilian¡¯s teacups in a mess. The situation seemed very clear. ¡°Lady Marianne, why¡­¡± ¡°For you to do such a bizarre thing¡­I can¡¯t believe it.¡± Whisper whisper, the more everyone said, the more criticism began to form. Marianne was also sorry. She even tried to lie to defuse the situation. Right then¡­ ¡°Apologize to Lady Lily right now, Lady Marianne.¡± As the owner of the house, Illasia¡¯s cold commanding voice made Marianne tremble. ¡°No! Why me?¡± Marianne shuddered again and pointed her finger at Lilian. ¡°Everybody pretended to be proud so I didn¡¯t want to see it, so¡­¡± It was then. ¡°L-Lady Lilian!¡± With a gasp, Lilian collapsed. *** A major upheaval occurred in Marquis Lannister¡¯s villa. Unfortunately, it was a little different from what the Grandmother expected. Upon hearing the news that Lily had collapsed, the Marchioness almost fainted. She invited a precious person who¡¯ll become a Grand Duchess, but she collapsed!! Everyone was so stunned that they had no time to explain or listen to the circumstances until then. First of all, the doctor who rushed to the call of the Marchioness examined Lilian. ¡°For now, there¡¯s no fever and no other signs of illness. However, her energy is very low.¡± In this situation, if she overdoes it or something shocked her, she might collapse. The doctor explained. Only then did the Marchioness and the Grandmother feel unsure. She didn¡¯t enjoy rigorous sports like horseback riding or croquet, so she probably didn¡¯t overdo it. Only then did the Marchioness and the Grandmother recall the messy situation in the drawing room. ¡°Illasia, what the hell just happened?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± The pale eldest daughter couldn¡¯t bear to speak. It was then. ¡°Lady Marianne has been very rude to Lady Lilian!¡± Solaria cried out with her tear stained face. All the adults were surprised. ¡°What do you mean? Solaria, explain properly!¡± However, Solaria was too emotional to give a proper explanation. Eventually, Illasia explained the situation. Despite being as neutral as possible and excluding personal opinions, Marianne¡¯s excessive behavior was not covered. ¡°Unbelievable.¡± First, the Grand Marchioness was furious. ¡°Where is Lady Marianne?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± Illasia hesitated before revealing it. ¡°Home¡­she went home.¡± In the frantic moment of calming the frightened young ladies and sending them back, Marianne also disappeared. The Grand Marchioness¡¯ lips trembled. ¡°Did she just go home after doing this?¡± If it¡¯s not rudeness, then it¡¯s at the level of lacking common sense! ¡°I¡¯ve always thought she was a bit arrogant, but today she made a big mess.¡± ¡°Calm down, mother.¡± The Marchioness stopped her, lest even the elderly woman collapse. ¡°I will write a letter to the other Madames. We can¡¯t keep Marianne at the sorority any longer.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Marianne¡¯s atrocities were against the internal spirit of the sorority, which aimed for a close relationship with each other. ¡°Bring my pen as well. I¡¯ll have to tell the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna about this.¡± CH 20 ¡°Yes? That much?¡± The Grand Marchioness explained to the startled daughter-in-law. ¡°Think about it. Isn¡¯t she going to become a Grand Duchess? Besides, the Great Feudal Lord is so fond of her that he gave away his only daughter¡¯s belongings.¡± ¡°Ah, my goodness¡­ that¡¯s right.¡± The Marchioness also agreed. ¡°We need to explain it well to the Great Feudal Lord and make it clear that it wasn¡¯t a mistake on the part of the Marquis Lannister.¡± ¡°Yes. And Marianne, that cheeky child, must be punished properly. Being expelled from the sorority is not a punishment.¡± The face of Illasia, who had only been listening, turned pale. Even before her official debut, Illasia knew how disgraceful and fearful it was to be kicked out of a sorority. ¡®But even that much can¡¯t be called a punishment¡­¡¯ Marianne had really done something too big. * When Lilian fell. Cedric was on an inspection tour of Cantacun, the direct jurisdiction of the Emperor, for some reason. Cantacun Islands was a state land owned by the imperial family located at the southernmost tip of the empire. All nobles in the empire formally swear an oath of allegiance to the imperial family and serve one emperor. But that didn¡¯t mean they recognized each other as equals. The feudal lords with private soldiers didn¡¯t only attack the emperor, but whenever they wanted to, they waged war against each other. Depending on the time, even the seven electors became six, or so it was said. Unable to endure the decline of national power and the devastation of the country due to frequent wars, the imperial family designated the Cantacun Islands as a neutral zone and began to actively encourage ceasefire negotiations. If you¡¯re going to fight, have a fight rather than a war! If nobles in a disputed area decided to negotiate in a neutral place, the emperor directly protected them and act as the mediator. The national seal was also especially stamped on the contents of the agreement between the parties. The contents of the agreement were generally like this. [As the Emperor¡¯s friend, Count Mo, and the Emperor¡¯s vassal, Marquis Mo, made a gentlemanly agreement, the content is certified in the name of the Emperor.] [In the name of the Emperor, the innocence and faithfulness of a certain knight is guaranteed.] [In the name of the Emperor, Viscount Mo¡¯s right to rule is recognized as legitimate.] When the Emperor signed the luxurious gold leafed agreement and stamped the national seal, the agreement were put on a velvet case and even a golden quill for signing were given to the parties free of charge. To put it bluntly, it was a name-worthy business with the lowest capital. The problem was that even though it was almost an alteration, it worked well for nobles who were full of honor. The nobility rushed to find the emperor whenever they have a problem with each other, and as time went on, a trend of recognizing the ruling power of the imperial family was formed. Truly two birds with one stone. The imperial family was not satisfied there and began to develop the Cantacun Islands, where nobles began to gather, as a resort. As long as you came to make an agreement, take a rest in a nice place, see good things, eat delicious things, and clear your mind. ¡­however, pay for it. Now, that system had made the place bustling with nobles all year round, all of them staying for the purpose of showing off their wealth, even if there¡¯s no specific agreement to be made. It was a goose that laid golden eggs, but Cedric was not in a good mood when he was inside the goose¡¯s stomach. Extremely so. ¡°Are you not feeling well?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Islar¡¯s villa study located in Cantacun. Cedric snorted and looked out the window. ¡°It¡¯s the emperor¡¯s front yard.¡± ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s a front yard that has ¡®yet¡¯ to be dominated.¡± The current emperor committed an immoral act of killing his brother and taking the throne, but the Crown Prince could not be dealt with. In addition, a shocking rumor was spreading in the capital that he would soon marry his sister-in-law. ¡®Is this how it¡¯s summed up?¡¯ Succession without even the slightest justification. Survival of legitimate heirs. Even the reputation crawling on the floor! The position of the new Emperor was very unstable, and stabilizing the capital was not enough. So he had not yet reached out to Cantacun. ¡°Isn¡¯t that why you deliberately held a meeting here?¡± And so, the nobles of the Crown Prince¡¯s faction proudly held a meeting in Cantacun. Cedric¡¯s expression, who had attended that important meeting, was not very good at the moment. ¡°I couldn¡¯t properly take care of Lilian¡¯s sorority debut.¡± ¡°Yes, so you bought a bunch of presents, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, it seems a bit lacking.¡± ¡°What you just bought is about the dowry of an ordinary Count¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Lilian a Marquis¡¯ daughter?¡± The absurd sophistry made Allen give up further reply. It was then. Thud thud. ¡°My Lord, this is Dunkel. The main castle sent a letter.¡± The voice of the knight who politely knocked on the door was full of tension. ¡°It¡¯s black.¡± ¡°!¡± In Turin, the weight of the matter was indicated according to the color of the letter worn on the falcon¡¯s ankle. Black meant it¡¯s an urgent message that needed immediate confirmation and reply. ¡°Give it here.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Cedric¡¯s fingers hurriedly unwrapped the curled letter. ¡®What?¡¯ The more he read the contents, the more Cedric¡¯s expression hardened. It wasn¡¯t just his expression that stiffened. His atmosphere was also unusual. With his long experience, Allen easily deduced that the master was furious. ¡°My lord?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± Crumpling up the letter and throwing it away, Cedric kicked off his seat. Allen picked up the crumpled letter and opened it. It was written in his mother¡¯s familiar handwriting. [To John Moha, left hand of the Elector of Turin. I have few words because the matter is urgent. The young lady collapsed during her Sorority debut. I¡¯ve heard that one of the young ladies in attendance has done a great disrespect. And the doctor said that the lady¡¯s condition is not serious. I request you to return soon. Yours sincerely, Mrs. Hayworth.] *** Dunkel, a loyal knight, was riding his horse very nervously. A few hours ago, after a black dispatch arrived from the main castle, the state of the Lord was strange. ¡®His atmosphere is ferocious and he¡¯s rushing¡­¡¯ Was Turin under attack, or was there an emergency? ¡®Seeing as I met a merchant on the way, I don¡¯t think so¡­¡¯ Surely there¡¯s something. Dunkel shook off his complex thoughts. He was a sword, not the master. ¡°We will soon enter the magic tunnel!¡± ¡°Tell them to speed up.¡± ¡°Yap!¡± ¡°Speed up!¡± ¡°Run!¡± Fortunately or unfortunately, there was a magic tunnel between Turin and Cantacun. This tunnel, built in the ancient and magical era, was a tunnel that could cover a distance that would normally take two weeks in a couple of hours. In fact, because of this tunnel, Turin had no choice but to be constantly exposed to the invasion of the imperial family for generations. It was also one of the reasons why Turin didn¡¯t declare war even after losing their lord. ¡®It prevented the Lord from even taking revenge¡­!¡¯ Dunkel grieved at the tunnel¡¯s existence to the point of grinding his teeth. Even if they put aside all their grudges, the fact that there¡¯s a passage close where the imperial army could attack at any time within two hours gave him goosebumps. ¡®Even dog poop can sometimes be used for medicine, so this time, even this shady tunnel is helpful¡­¡¯ It¡¯d be best to get rid of it if possible, but the problem was that it¡¯s a relic from the magical era, so there¡¯s no way to destroy it at this time. Even he, a mere knight, was so disturbed, so how would the Lord feel? Dunkel glanced sideways at the back of the young Lord running ahead. Cedric, unlike him, seemed unbothered by useless thoughts, and was only concentrating on getting the horse to run ahead all the time. The group ran like that for a couple of hours without stopping. As soon as he passed the outer castle of Turin, Cedric barely ordered his knights to disband and disappeared into the inner castle like the wind. ¡°What the hell is going on¡­¡± Dunkel involuntarily muttered. Allen, who had just gotten off his horse, answered as he packed his things. ¡°It¡¯s about the Lady.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Cedric¡¯s love for his sister was already well known throughout the castle, to the extent that the loyal knight immediately understood. His dear little sister was greatly insulted on one of the most important events of her life, her Sorority debut. ¡®Besides, she collapsed right after.¡¯ Allen himself was quite angry, so Cedric¡¯s anger must have been unimaginable. There was a strange tension floating in the castle. It was because Lily, who had collapsed at the Marquis¡¯ residence, finally woke up but fainted again as soon as she returned to the castle. Mrs. Hayworth blamed herself the most. ¡®It¡¯s all my fault.¡¯ She resented herself for not paying attention to Lily¡¯s struggles with not being able to wake up from a while ago and her eating habits. CH 21 ¡®She was someone who nearly lost her life a while ago¡­¡¯ The Madam was a bit scared. ¡®What if the Emperor, who noticed the marriage alliance, tried his hand on the lady?¡¯ If the Emperor tried to poison Lilian, that would be the worst. ¡®If Lady Lilian is poisoned¡­¡¯ She didn¡¯t even want to imagine that, but if that happened¡­it probably wouldn¡¯t end with the inevitable breakup of the alliance. The matter of the young lady, who needed to be protected, being assassinated was different from the shock of the Lord¡¯s mysterious death. The aftermath to overcome would be large. ¡®Everyone will be even more angry.¡¯ It¡¯s certain that Turin¡¯s wrath would not stop until the beast¡¯s head was decapitated and hung on the wall. Even if that¡¯s the Emperor of this Empire. Shaw, the attending physician of Turin Castle, burst in, unaware that his glassess¡¯ string was upside down. He had fully realized the importance of the Lord¡¯s sister over the past few weeks. And thankfully. ¡°It¡¯s not poison.¡± Everyone was relieved, but couldn¡¯t relax yet. Liliane was pale, breathing so slowly that the rise and fall of her chest was barely visible. Cedric sat at Lilian¡¯s bedside and looked at the child in silence. His mood was, in a word, terrible. ¡®¡­I keep getting stupid thoughts that I wish this wasn¡¯t real.¡¯ Soon after, he wiped away the denial of reality with a dry swallow and was asked. ¡°¡­if it¡¯s not poison, what is it?¡± Mrs. Hayworth and the other aides held their breath even more at the voice of the Lord, who had become haggard in a short time. Shaw was a cold-hearted doctor. However, even he couldn¡¯t easily move his mouth in front of Cedric, who was on the verge of collapsing miserably with the unconscious Lily right in front of him. ¡®I think it¡¯d be less shocking to hit the Lord with a mace than to make a diagnosis.¡¯ Still, he couldn¡¯t avoid what he had to do. Sighing, Shaw opened his mouth with difficulty. ¡°Fortunately, her life is not at stake¡­not yet.¡± Not yet. There was both hope and despair in those words. ¡°For now, it¡¯s just that her energy has declined.¡± Only then did Cedric breathe heavily, like someone breathing for the first time that day. With his eyes still closed, he meditated on the names of his father and grandfather. Shaw noticed that the statue-like Lord had returned to life for some time and then continued. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but this is not the time to be relieved. Declining energy is, in a sense, more difficult than a serious illness. There is no proper treatment, and even a small injury can make the condition serious.¡± ¡°Lilian¡¯s body¡­¡± Rubbing his face, Cedric struggled to continue his words. ¡°¡­was it so small and fragile?¡± No one answered. None of them knew. Cedric pondered. Looking back, when Lilian was seriously ill, how indifferent was he to her at that time? When he first heard the news that Lily was sick, he frowned and said ¡°she¡¯s causing me trouble in many ways.¡± The image of himself muttering that came to mind. How could he say such a terrible thing? He felt out of breath. The sharp memories pierced his heart. Cedric swallowed the pain that felt like being hit in the chest with a sledgehammer. Dumbass. He didn¡¯t even know that there was a treasure in front of him. ¡°How can she get better?¡± ¡°There are no special measures. She just had to eat well, get some rest, and take care of herself. Maybe for the rest of her life.¡± In the heavy atmosphere, Shaw hesitated a little more and carefully continued, ¡°but¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s one thing I want to confirm¡­by any chance, what was her tier?¡± Since long ago, people with strong magical powers have been born in the Empire with extremely rare odds. People with strong magical powers could dramatically strengthen their bodies through training. So most of them learned swordsmanship. Only a few of them would reach the stage of releasing their mana to the outside. According to the literature, some transcendents were able to freely transform their bodies, and it¡¯s also described that even aging came slowly to them. In an Empire prone to frequent wars, magical power was almost the only means to overcome even the limitations of bloodlines. Therefore, it¡¯s natural for children from aristocratic families to have magical powers. The amount was measured and ranked according to value. Usually, 1 to 3 tera were called tier Nature, 4 to 5 tera was tier Middle, and those with 6 to 7 tera were tier High. Normally, Nature was regarded as an ordinary person, Middle as a gifted prodigy, and High as a genius or transcendent. Cedric was a tier high with nearly 7 tera of magical power. And Lilian¡­ ¡°Probably Nature, her tera¡­¡± Cedric bit his lips at the guilt that stung his chest once again. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know. Guess I¡¯ll have to look at the records.¡± Indeed. He didn¡¯t even know Lily¡¯s tier. How could she be so kind to such a lousy human being as her brother? Lilian was so pitiful. Cedric asked in a sharp voice. ¡°But why suddenly ask?¡± ¡°I think the chances are extremely slim, but.¡± Shaw shrugged. ¡°As the Lord knows, vitality and magic form a kind of inseparable relationship.¡± When one side was too short of the other, it created an imbalance. ¡°If vitality is lacking, mana makes up for it, but¡­¡± ¡°What about the other way around?¡± ¡°Things get a little tricky. Because of the lack of mana, the vitality starts to run out.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with Lily collapsing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet, but it¡¯s an inference.¡± There were cases, Shaw explained, of similar symptoms after suffering a serious illness like Lily¡¯s. ¡°Her mana is constantly being depleted.¡± ¡°Depleted?¡± Cedric¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Isn¡¯t the magic power used replenished if you take a proper rest?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an illness because that¡¯s impossible.¡± Mana circulate through the blood stream, and the human heart function as a mana core. ¡°Sometimes, among those who recover from a deadly illness, there are rare cases of permanent damage to this core.¡± ¡°The core is damaged?¡± ¡°Yes, to put it simply, the cup containing mana was broken. As a result, a continuous loss of magical power occurs, and in the end, even the vitality is depleted.¡± It¡¯s such a rare disease that the exact cause was not known, Shaw explained. ¡°What the hell does that have to do with Lilian?¡± Cedric tried hard to deny the causal relationship that was about to be revealed. ¡°My Lord¡­¡± Mrs. Hayworth moaned pitifully. Shaw calmly shook his head. ¡°The young lady suffered from a severe fever a while ago and barely recovered. So it¡¯s not like there¡¯s no chance of a relapse.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be.¡± Cedric curled up his trembling fingertips and squeezed them. What should he call this emotion? Anger? Fear? What¡¯s certain was that it wasn¡¯t among those. ¡°This can¡¯t¡­¡± It shouldn¡¯t happen to Lily, just not Lilian. Only now did he know of this child¡¯s existence. Although belatedly, he was able to give Lily the precious treatment she deserved. So this shouldn¡¯t have happened. ¡°Shaw Winston, I need an accurate diagnosis.¡± ¡°The method is simple. Would you like to measure the amount of the Lady¡¯s magical power tera?¡± Cedric¡¯s delicate mana management was unmatched. He could get a rough estimate of tera though not as accurately as the instrument. ¡°If Lady Lily¡¯s tera is significantly less than the result at the measurement ceremony, that will be undeniable proof that the lady is suffering from magical exhaustion.¡± ¡°This disease¡­¡± Cedric had to moisten his dry lips. ¡°Is it serious?¡± ¡°¡­it depends on how quickly the mana is being depleted, but usually all the mana is lost within 10 years. That condition is called Tier Zero, and if that happens, it¡¯s difficult to guarantee life. The cure is¡­¡± Shaw paused for a moment. He wondered whether it was right to convey the objective facts as a doctor or whether he should at least lie a little to save the Lord from deep despair¡­ Shaw then glanced at Lilian. ¡®It¡¯s not a situation that can be covered up with small lies.¡¯ Shaw honestly said it. ¡°There is currently no cure.¡± Cedric gritted his teeth. ¡°What if Lily wasn¡¯t sick with that?¡± ¡°Then, we just have to wait until the lady recovers naturally and wakes up. Rejoicing that the young lady¡¯s weakness is not an incurable punishment from heaven.¡± CH 22 Cedric was silent for a moment. Soon, he slowly reached out and squeezed Lilian¡¯s wrist. Cedric¡¯s physique was not on the built side. On the contrary, his appearance alone made Shaw look more like a knight. The young Lord was the type of knight who compensated for the weakness of his slender figure with his innate magical power and nimble movements. Even in his hands, Lilian¡¯s wrists looked thin enough to break. Was it because she grew up without being properly cared for, or was it because she suffered from a serious illness a while ago? ¡®So small.¡¯ He always thought this, but everything about Lilian was too small and thin even for a child. He still believed that she was just recovering. She was more active than before after getting out of her room. ¡®She was overdoing it.¡¯ She came to visit him every day with a body that barely survived. Foolishly, he didn¡¯t doubt that Lilian had completely recovered. ¡®If only I had paid a little more attention¡­no, come to your senses.¡¯ Now was not the time to sit back and regret. Cedric carefully traced Lily¡¯s faint pulse. Holding his breath, he managed to catch a very slow phantom pulse. Cedric carefully input his mana into Lilian¡¯s wrist vein. His magical power circulated throughout the body along the veins following the blood to the core formed in the heart. But Lily¡¯s veins were like empty coffins. She accepted Cedric¡¯s mana without resistance, as if she were a corpse. Cedric struggled to deny it. ¡®No. It¡¯s not like that.¡¯ She¡¯s probably the most insensitive among tier Nature, so it¡¯s probably just that mana didn¡¯t circulate all the way to the extremeties. He desperately searched his sister¡¯s veins. With the feeling of looking for gold in the river, he even searched in the hair-like capillaries. But very little was left. There was only a faint trace of magical power flowing through it. From the records that Allen urgently searched, Lilian was a Tier Nature and possessed 3 terra. If she did, she belonged to the talented axis among the common people. However, even if Lilian¡¯s current magic power was searched to her heart, she barely had 1 tera left. She felt transparent and fleeting enough that he was afraid she would disappear someday. ¡®This can¡¯t be¡­¡¯ He couldn¡¯t deny it. ¡°Shaw Winston.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± ¡°Did you say there¡¯s no cure?¡± Allen and Mrs. Hayworth, who were pinning a ray of hope on Cedric¡¯s test, held their breath for a moment. Shaw answered as best he could. ¡°Time can be bought.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I apologize. I can¡¯t be sure. Depending on the speed at which the lady¡¯s magical power decreases¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lilian, lying motionless, was still young. She was young and small, and her life in this castle was more precious than anyone else. But why does death keep choosing this child? Cedric bit his lips until blood oozed out. ¡°Why, this child¡­¡± A strong resentment welled up. Cedric took a deep breath to calm the fire burning inside him. ¡°My Lord.¡± Shaw noticed that he had entered a phase of anger at the hopeless sentence. The doctor, who had often witnessed death, was correct. Cedric was furious. He was the Marquis of Turin. If it¡¯s power, he had it, even money, he had it. He had less of what he didn¡¯t have than what he had. Anything could be solved as long as it¡¯s not a problem of birth, old age and illness, so why was it an illness? She¡¯s only twelve. Why! ¡°Answer that it can be cured.¡± ¡°¡­I am deeply ashamed of myself, Lord. As of now, it¡¯s difficult to find an accurate treatment.¡± The ancient magic era had long since withered away, leaving only traces. There was no one in this era who could find out the way to know the cause. It was fortunate that the attending physician, Shaw, was interested in the mechanics of magic and was knowledgeable in the related field. Finally, Cedric buried his face contorted with despair in his hands. After a while, he asked in a strained voice. ¡°¡­what do you mean you can buy time?¡± ¡°The Lord just have to share his mana with Lady Lily.¡± The doctor added, trying not to offend the Lord as much as possible. ¡°If you replenish her mana periodically, you can delay the point of depletion. In this case, the compatibility of those who exchange magical power and the amount of magical power of the donor are very important¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Fortunately, the Lord possess strong magical power and the Lady is the closest blood relative excluding parents and children, so there¡¯s no need to worry about compatibility. It¡¯s probably easier than other cases, and it¡¯ll buy more time.¡± Cedric laughed. Even if he could increase it with all his might, how much would it be? How many years, how many months? ¡­if not, how many days? His blood went terribly cold. Cedric gritted his teeth. ¡°Find a way. This child cannot die.¡± He wasn¡¯t asking if he could do it. Shaw just hung his head without objection. ¡°¡­I understand, my lord.¡± ¡°And Allen.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cedric asked in a voice like an ice blade. ¡°Did you say that the girl who insulted Lilian was the daughter of Lord Blanchett?¡± *** Blanchett was one step above Cedric in terms of rank. However, Cedric was one of the only seven Electors in the Empire, and he had the qualifications to challenge the Emperor¡¯s sovereignty. In terms of protocol and imperial law, Cedric was far superior to Blanchett. Even if Lily had done something rude, they should have quietly covered it up, but instead, Blanchett¡¯s daughter caused a problem. Besides, she was not just the younger sister of the Marquis of Turin. As soon as she came to her senses, Lilian instinctively knew that Marianne¡¯s situation would take a turn for the worse, so she stopped it. ¡°Brother, I don¡¯t think you need to be this harsh.¡± Cedric silently stroked the head of his sister, who was being overly virtuous even under these circumstances. Lilian continued to persuade. ¡°Strictly speaking, Lady Marianne didn¡¯t hurt me. The other side is also unlucky¡­¡± ¡°Lily.¡± As if sighing, Cedric called out to his younger sister and kissed her on the forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. I am now¡­because I¡¯m holding back the desire to start a war.¡± It was a low voice that didn¡¯t have a trace of anger, but rather, more like Cedric¡¯s sincerity. ¡°Stop and focus on your recovery. Keep your heart alive even for a little bit.¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± Because of the guilt of worrying her brother so much, Lily couldn¡¯t stop him. Only then did Cedric smile faintly and pat Lilian. ¡°Good girl.¡± Suppressing his anger, Cedric wrote a letter of protest in one stroke. He pointed out Lady Marianne and demanded punishment, asking Duke Blanchett for compensation. The Marquis of Lannister decided to become a witness to the letter of protest in good faith. ¡°In fact, I don¡¯t even want to look at them coming to bow down to send money.¡± The Great Feudal lord Hemenlinna shook his head with a voice full of disgust. ¡°There should at least be a record of receiving an official apology and compensation. That way, they won¡¯t be able to talk nonsense later on.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s exactly what I wrote.¡± Cedric sealed the letter with a clenched fist. Then he asked. ¡°How are you going to handle the marriage?¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± The Great Feudal Lord had just heard from Cedric about Lily¡¯s incurable disease. ¡°Marquis Turin, the blood pledge cannot be broken with just this much.¡± Cedric sighed and clicked his tongue. Because he thought it wouldn¡¯t be bad to end his sister¡¯s marriage like this. ¡°Ahem.¡± The Great Feudal Lord was the first to clear his throat. ¡°Ahem, I apologize for being negligent in controlling my family members.¡± ¡°¡­family member?¡± Cedric laughed coldly. ¡°Since when has there been a custom in this Empire of counting the wife¡¯s family as one family?¡± The Great Feudal Lord¡¯s eyes narrowed. Cedric¡¯s words now didn¡¯t simply mean that the Empire was a patrilineal society. It was even less a generous statement of immunity that the Great Feudal Lord didn¡¯t have to take responsibility. ¡®Don¡¯t go out and cover it, that¡¯s what it means.¡¯ Not bad. ¡®Isn¡¯t that what happened already?¡¯ If he had to choose between Turin and Blanchett, he had to choose Turin. Of course, he had no intention of taking the side of Marianne, who insulted his granddaughter-in-law, even if he ruled out such political calculations. ¡®Ever since she was very young, she was greedy and arrogant so she wasn¡¯t cute.¡¯ In fact, Duke Blanchett, his brother-in-law, had been very erratoc since childhood. It was no surprise that he raised his children the wrong way. ¡®Well, if he¡¯s sane, he¡¯ll apologize.¡¯ Exactly three days later, the Great Feudal Lord¡¯s expectation was greatly missed. CH 23 Considering the importance of the matter, Blanchett had to send a vassal to apologize formally, even if he couldn¡¯t come personally. But all that arrived was a letter and a small box. The contents of the letter was also extremely simple. [Dear Marquis Turin. House Blanchett express our deepest regret for the recent incident. Regarding my unworthy daughter Marianne¡¯s punishment, being kicked out of sorority has caused her to lose a very important opportunity in her life, so I ask for your understanding. We send Turin¡¯s Lady a gift as compensation. I wish Lady Lilian a speedy recovery. Yours sincerely, Hugo Blanchett.] Without a breath, Cedric calmly tore the outrageous letter in half. No one dared to say anything. Tier High, a 7 tera¡¯s huge anger was spreading in all directions, riding on mana. Everyone felt the pressure almost strangle them. ¡°What was in that box?¡± ¡°Inside¡­was a necklace.¡± The sound of grinding teeth leaked from Cedric¡¯s cheeks. The intention of choosing a necklace among many things and sending it was impure. It was as if they¡¯re saying they didn¡¯t care about Marianne starting a fight. Or even her ridiculous actions at all. ¡°The letter is bullsh!t, the box is also trash¡­¡± The air in the room was stuffy and started to get cold. Cedric slowly said, glaring at Duke Blanchett¡¯s errand boy who was trembling but didn¡¯t dare say anything. ¡°Allen, burn this bullsh!t immediately.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand. What to do with the trash?¡± ¡°As soon as you leave the gate, give it to the first wild dog you see.¡± ¡°Do we send the interest alive?¡± When Allen pointed to the errand boy and asked, Cedric shook his head. ¡°Take it to work. That way, they¡¯ll hear how I was compensated.¡± This disrespect, perpetrated by Duke Blanchett, was immediately heard by the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna. ¡°This guy¡­ever since he was little, he was terribly jealous of the former Elector of Turin, but this¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. The Count immediately summoned Lord Blanchett. ¡°I heard you called, brother-in-law.¡± At the call of his brother-in-law, Lord Blanchett appeared very proudly. ¡°This nasty bastard¡­!¡± Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna, who thought he might have a sign of self-reflection after doing something like that, had his eyes wide from the beginning. ¡°Brother-in-law, you¡¯re being too much¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that, you bastard! I can¡¯t believe you act like that even though you¡¯re this old! After seeing this, my wife was fine, but how can you be the only son of a b!tch!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just a trivial quarrel between girls!¡± Even at this point, Lord Blanchett surprisingly still had something to say. ¡°Why do you blame our Marianne for the girl over there who collapsed like her father who died early¡­ouch!¡± The ink bottle thrown by the Great Feudal Lord hit Duke Blanchett with a loud sound. The Duke, covered in ink in an instant, became irritated. ¡°Brother-in-law!¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± Even in his 80s, the strong-built old man¡¯s roar was very loud. Lord Blanchett was so startled that he shut his mouth. Compared to the Great Feudal Lord¡¯s anger right now, his anger felt like that of a kitten¡¯s. The Great Feudal Lord declared with a glint in his eyes. ¡°After taking care you all this time considering my deceased wife, the generosity I showed you was enough.¡± ¡°Brother-in-law, that.¡± ¡°If I had left it alone because you couldn¡¯t tell the difference between heaven and earth, you would have eaten the whole house long ago! If that were the case, none of this would have happened today¡­!¡± ¡°Brother-in-law, come to think of it, I¡¯m all good¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it, so get out of here!¡± Alas, Duke Blanchett belatedly realized his mistake, but this time, the Great Feudal Lord picked up his staff. ¡°¡­!¡± Lord Blanchett, who knew very well that a sharpened sword was hidden inside the staff and that the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna¡¯s exploits were enormous in his youth, eventually tucked his tail and ran away. From that day on, Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna cut off all support to his in-laws. Cedric kept his mouth shut so that such a mess would not enter Lilian¡¯s ears. The came to visit Lilian to apologize for the rudeness of their existing members. Among them, Lilian became particularly close with the grown-up Illasia and the cute Solaria. With all sorts of twists and turns, spring gradually deepened. So it¡¯s summer now. In the first year of King Claude I, the Emperor ordered the remnants of the rebellion in the Northern Kestals to be destroyed. Grand Duke Damian was appointed as the vanguard and commander. 5. End of Childhood. The remnants of the Kestal tribe¡¯s rebellion were smoothly wiped out. ¡®It¡¯s going so smoothly, that it¡¯s a bit inhuman to call it a war.¡¯ Ivan made a bitter sigh. This war was not even at the level of actually being called a war. The Kestal tribe, which once summoned monsters to this land, had long since been completely defeated by Damian, a child soldier, three years ago. ¡®They don¡¯t have any more fighting power left.¡¯ Nevertheless, the situation in the army was very poor. The Emperor controlled the gates and didn¡¯t allocate a budget. He even forbade them from procuring supplies on their own. His desire to kill Damian was revealed too blatantly. ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m going crazy.¡± The army was in dire straits. Even today, Ivan was in a position where he had to punish the soldiers who robbed the warehouse of a private house with military law. The soldiers, clearly exhausted from not eating properly, begged not to return the food they had stolen, but to give it to the wounded, as it would be fine if they were punished. ¡°Knight, the child is only 15. This 15-year-old was dragged to the battlefield and had his legs cut off. Can¡¯t you give valuable food to someone who¡¯s about to die!¡± In response to the cry of wanting to feed him something even if he was dying, Ivan gave up his share of food to the wounded soldier. However, no decision could be made regarding the punishment of the soldiers. Reluctantly, he was on his way to visit Damian. ¡°Damn, damn it¡­¡± Declaring war to opponents who do not have the strength to fight and not giving supplies to allies. There¡¯s a limit to being narrow-minded. Half of the army were Damian¡¯s men, but the other half were the Emperor¡¯s subjects. ¡®It¡¯s not a standing army on purpose, it¡¯s master¡¯s army that picks out the ragtag people¡­!¡¯ It¡¯s the worst. There¡¯s nothing left but to curse. Ivan headed for the commander¡¯s barracks. ¡°Your Highness, may I come in?¡± Again, there was no answer. Ivan sighed and went inside. ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s about the soldiers who robbed the private house that I reported this morning¡­Your Highness?¡± There was no answer. On the cot in the barracks, Damian laid down with his eyes closed, bent over and motionless. ¡®As usual, he¡¯s obviously pretending to sleep¡­¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re Highness!¡± He was suspicious and called one more time. But there was no response. ¡®It looks like he¡¯s really sleeping.¡¯ That was a big deal. Damian never slept soundly, even in times of peace, as well as during turbulent times. He was always napping or not sleeping at all, often with his eyes closed. He had to be. It wasn¡¯t widely known, but in fact, Damian was the only patient diagnosed with congenital hypermagic syndrome. The exponentially increasing mana even before the body adapts, presented him with a variety of symptoms along with a mighty force that couldn¡¯t be compared with anyone else in the world. Headache, tinnitus, auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations, burning sensation¡­ The only consistency in the many symptoms was that they were painful. It felt like his limbs were on fire in his sleep, but when he woke up, nothing happened. That was a daily routine for Damian. But he¡¯s sleeping so much that he couldn¡¯t even wake up. It was also the first time Ivan saw him like that. ¡®Well, is he feeling better¡­¡¯ Sleep, which everyone took for granted, was possible only when Damian was in an exceptionally good condition. Damian was asleep with his forehead resting on his belt and the hilt of his sword unfastened. The ornamental knot hanging from the belt was strewn across his white face. He. Really is sleeping. What a miracle¡­ ¡°How long are you going to watch?¡± CH 24 ¡°Huk!¡± Ivan was startled by the low voice and stumbled to his b*tt. ¡°You surprised me! When were you awake? No, you didn¡¯t sleep in the first place, did you?¡± ¡°Do I look ready to play such nonsensical jokes?¡± Damian sat up with an irritated crumpled brow. Ivan asked suspiciously. ¡°Did you really sleep?¡± ¡°State your business.¡± ¡°Ah, right.¡± Ivan explained the situation of the soldiers who stole as briefly as possible. Damian listened silently, then rubbed his crumpled forehead for a moment. ¡°Expunge the soldiers from the military register and send them back to their hometowns. Don¡¯t serve any more meals to the injured soldiers.¡± ¡°¡­yes, I understand.¡± A conclusion where one side was unjust and the other side was not. It was a conclusion that Ivan had thought about to some extent. He just didn¡¯t want to take responsibility, so he deferred the decision to his superior. Damian was lost in thought. Only his fingers moved to and fro, graspong and winding the knot. ¡®¡­did he have a habit of playing with his hands?¡¯ Then Damian asked. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°No. In fact, the Great Feudal Lord delivered a piece of news to the entire West. Regarding Lady Lilian.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Damian¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. ¡°Lady Lilian Islar, Your Highness¡¯ bride.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°I heard something happened and¡­¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Damian waved his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to listen. It¡¯s fine, don¡¯t talk.¡± ¡°Yes? This is a really important story.¡± Damian furrowed his eyebrows slightly. ¡°What about grandfather?¡± ¡°He knows.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t have to tell me.¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± The Grand Duke didn¡¯t answer and got up from his seat. Ivan clicked his tongue. ¡®Ah, right¡­¡¯ Why did he need to tell someone like that that the bride-to-be was not in good health? ¡®He can¡¯t even remember her name.¡¯ Even so, Ivan couldn¡¯t let go of his regrets and said a word. ¡°Would you like to send a present?¡± As soon as he said it, Ivan felt sorry for himself. He shouldn¡¯t have pushed harder here because of the atmosphere, but he couldn¡¯t stand this moment every time. Damian ordered briefly. ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He thought he¡¯s going to be hit, but fortunately, it just ended like that. Ivan quickly left. Then he thought. ¡®I guess it¡¯s true that he slept for a bit.¡¯ To others, it might not seem like much of a difference, but Ivan could tell the difference. Right now, Damian was in a better mood than usual. Although he didn¡¯t know why. *** The situation in the north was disastrous, but the summer was beautiful regardless. The season was brutally beautiful, and everyone wanted to go out to enjoy the sunshine, fresh greenery, and cool streams of water. At that time, Lilian of Turin Castle¡­ ¡°It seems a little hot.¡± ¡°It must be because of your mood, my lady. May I read you a book?¡± ¡°Can you roll up the blankets?¡± Recently, the servants of Turin Castle had been faithful to Lilian¡¯s orders unlike before. Sadly, while her real mother was alive, Lilian was just a bad stepmother¡¯s daughter. The people of Turin, blinded by the dead Marchioness, secretly despised Lilian, her daughter. Even though the stepmother didn¡¯t value her daughter and almost neglected her. With the stepmother dead, the reason they kept away from Lilian suddenly disappeared. All that was left was a little girl who had lost her mother at the age of twelve. The little girl was determined. She soon shook off the grief over the loss of her heartless mother and began to take good care of her one and only half brother. Her efforts went so far as to revive Cedric, who had been dying without listening to anyone. Everyone was in awe of it. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not her fault.¡± ¡°The more I look at her, the more I think she¡¯s really nice.¡± However, Lilian was often sick. Of course, it was known externally that it wasn¡¯t a rare incurable disease, but that it had greatly deteriorated after suffering from a fever, but that alone made almost all the servants sad. ¡°Did she collapse again? What should we do?¡± ¡°I bet the Lord is not alone in worrying about it.¡± ¡°She must be suffering too¡­¡± ¡°Still, you don¡¯t know how easy it is to take care of her. Even if you wake her up in the morning, she never gets angry and even if you give her bitter medicine, she just frowns and takes it all.¡± The more they learned about the situation, the more they were grateful to Lilian and the more special she was. And they were just as sad¡­ ¡°Why didn¡¯t I know that the lady was like that?¡± ¡°I planted red beans I thought would grow well, but¡­¡± They were also sorry. Feeling apologetic, people started scrambling to express their feelings to Lilian. ¡­a bit too much. ¡°To be honest, she resembled the previous lord. You can see it when she¡¯s with Lord Cedric. How are they half-siblings? Anyone can see that they¡¯re from the same person.¡± ¡°Ah, the lady is of Turin blood no matter what anyone says.¡± ¡°Do you think it ends with the face? Even the way she speak and the way she acts are related to blood. Look how calm and poised she is¡­¡± ¡°Blood don¡¯t lie, amen.¡± It wasn¡¯t long before people started to like Lilian because there was no particular reason for their dislike, and because of the guilt that they hated her for no particular reason. Of course, everyone still had a bad conscience, so they couldn¡¯t openly talk about Lilian as ¡®my lady, my lady¡¯. It¡¯s best for everyone to just keep an eye on her, and when Lilian asked for anything small, they¡¯d rush over and work excessively with enthusiasm. Until now. Unfortunately, Rita was an exception here. ¡°I told you I wanted you to remove the blanket, didn¡¯t you hear?¡± ¡°If you want to sleep, I will draw the curtains down.¡± It¡¯s been a month since they met for the first time, and the name of this girl whom she couldn¡¯t communicate with was Rita Hayworth. As anyone could guess from her auburn hair, name, and shameless insensitive expression, she was Allen¡¯s younger sister. ¡°Okay, Rita.¡± Lilian let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Why don¡¯t you pity me, who is confined here for the sin of being sick?¡± ¡°Not to that extent.¡± Besides, Rita had a weapon that was a little more powerful than Allen¡¯s, and that was that stubbornness. Her brother, Allen, knowing the whole situation, was deliberately expressionless and arrogant, so he was often criticized by Cedric for being insidious. But Rita was just an inflexible and sincere principalist. Lilian¡¯s words, subtle threats, and pity were of no use at all. ¡°I don¡¯t have the skills to win because we can¡¯t communicate.¡± ¡°Thank you for the compliment.¡± ¡°Well¡­it¡¯s a bit off-putting, but did that just sound like a compliment?¡± ¡°My brother, Lord Hayworth, said that if they admit defeat, I can take it as a compliment. He gave good advise.¡± Rita¡¯s status was obviously Lilian¡¯s maid and she was only eighteen years old. However, as they talked, it felt like having a question and answer session with the world¡¯s most savvy soldier, not a lady-in-waiting. ¡°You really don¡¯t act like a maid.¡± ¡°You said that you like me like this.¡± ¡°I had to.¡± ¡°So now I¡¯m constantly trying to please you.¡± Those words shocked Lilian in many ways. ¡°Why, do you like me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Without looking apologetic, Rita shook her head. ¡°If I¡¯m kicked out of being your lady-in-waiting, I¡¯ll have to go back to being an errand boy for Sir Allen Hayworth. I just hate that.¡± Lilian laughed a little. That¡¯s the fun thing about Rita Hayworth. Rita said a compliment. ¡°My lady is an easier superior compared to Sir Hayworth.¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re lying because of your personality. But that doesn¡¯t sound like a compliment.¡± Better than Allen Hayworth. The servants of Turin Castle either gnashed their teeth or trembled if it was related to Allen. To say she was better than Allen was never a compliment. She didn¡¯t think to pursue it. Rather, she fell asleep. ¡®I¡¯m sleepy¡­ Is it because I¡¯m just lying on a warm place, or is it because my vitality is running low?¡¯ When Lilian first heard about her illness, she wasn¡¯t too surprised. Of course, this wasn¡¯t the case in the ¡®story¡¯ she saw. Until the end of her life by suicide, Lilian had no connection to anything like a rare and incurable disease. ¡®Maybe not right away, but will I die soon?¡¯ It might sound strange, but Lilian didn¡¯t feel unfair about it. Because there¡¯s a reason. ¡®Fever.¡¯ Due to an illness of unknown origin, Lilian obtained her memories that would change her fate. Could it be that the price of avoiding the worst ending was that she had to pay with all her magical power? If so, the calculation seemed right. CH 25 Rubbing her blurred vision, Lilian gave a small yawn. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go to sleep yet, my lady. You must eat then sleep.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­but I¡¯m sleepy¡­¡± ¡°Miss? You can¡¯t, my lady?¡± Lilian silently laughed as she burrowed into her teddy bear¡¯s arms and settled down. ¡°Oh no, that¡¯s not okay.¡± Even though it was absurd, Rita couldn¡¯t stop her in the end. After all, she was also a Turinian. Besides, she was born as the youngest and didn¡¯t want to give up until she was ten years old, wishing every day, ¡®Please give me one younger sister¡¯. An admirable young lady who seemed to fall from the sky even saved her from being an errand boy for her elder brother. In addition, the pretty and gentle face was what she imagined her sister would be like while reading fairy tales to her. ¡®She¡¯s really cute.¡¯ ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°¡­but it¡¯s kind of unfair to use such cunning tricks to avoid eating every time.¡± Don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of the mood, but Lilian¡¯s breathing has become quieter. Whether she¡¯s asleep or pretending to sleep, Rita decided as she looked at Lilian, who quietly cast the shadow of her eyelashes over her cheeks. ¡®If I keep watching like this, I¡¯ll ruin both her habit and health.¡¯ Rita made up her mind to take the most aggressive action possible for the terminally ill. If that¡¯s what it takes. ¡°Lady Lily, you don¡¯t have a lot of appetite these days, do you?¡± Tell the superior. Mrs. Hayworth¡¯s kind question made Lilian guilty. ¡°That¡¯s, ma¡¯am¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, since it¡¯s spring, the weather is still cold. I think it¡¯s because it¡¯s cold. Shall we serve mignon soup? I¡¯ll boil it lightly with white fish and garlic. If you eat just one bowl, your body will feel refreshed.¡± ¡°Ummm¡­¡± Lilian smiled awkwardly and shook her head. Oh my. Mrs. Hayworth asked again with a pitying expression on her face. ¡°Or do you want beef stew with tomatoes? It will taste soft and rich without chewing.¡± Shake shake. ¡°What about your favorite lemon pie?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± Lilian, whose heart was weak at the persistent invitation, reached a point where she could no longer shake her head. ¡®Done.¡¯ Mrs. Hayworth laughed softly, calling out her pleasure only in her heart. ¡°Then, my lady, can I bring you something simple?¡± Lily also smiled. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I will try.¡± ¡°Oh my, so polite too.¡± Seeing Lilian¡¯s lack of confidence, Mrs. Hayworth thought she should prepare something very easy to eat. ¡®Gulp, something you don¡¯t even know you¡¯re going to eat, must not be unusual or unique!¡¯ She hurriedly ordered the kitchen to prevent Lilian from changing her mind or falling asleep on the way. ¡°Omelet! Make an omelet. Make it very soft with cream and butter. Lady said she¡¯s eating!¡± ¡°Oh my God, such a welcome sight.¡± The chef himself rolled up his sleeves. In no time, the skilled cook made an omelet, much softer than a steamed egg, with cream and butter, just as Mrs. Hayworth had ordered. Shiny silver tableware on a tray with small legs. The scent of the golden omelet on top of it was enchanting. At this level, even the young lady would want to eat it, thought Philip, raising his nose. As soon as the steaming dish had cooled, Mrs. Hayworth hurriedly carried the tray herself. Ingredients, workmanship, sincerity. The plate, with nothing missing, was neatly placed on Lilian¡¯s lap. The savory smell of eggs and milk tickled her nose. Even though it was the kind of food that would make you want to eat a bit even with a full stomach¡­ ¡®I don¡¯t want to eat.¡¯ Right now, to Lilian¡¯s eyes, the appetizing omelet looked like a bunch of paper. It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t want to eat, just that she didn¡¯t feel like eating. ¡°Miss¡­? Is something wrong, oh my gosh.¡± Mrs. Hayworth merrily approached. ¡°Oh my God, I forgot this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Madam took a small grinder on one side of the tray and sprinkled pepper on the omelet. ¡°¡­now, young lady?¡± Seeing the tension on the sweet madam¡¯s face, Lilian instantly felt really apologetic. Just this one meal, what¡¯s wrong with having a spoonful of it. It took a lot of effort for this plate to reach Lily¡¯s lap. ¡®I can¡¯t turn it down¡­¡¯ Lilian sighed and collected herself. She then picked up the utensil and started cutting the corners of the omelet. *** ¡°It must have taken her an hour to eat half an omelet like that.¡± Mrs. Hayworth was the only one who could harass Shaw, the attending physician, for two hours on the subject, ¡°The lady has not eaten as much as a bird lately.¡± Her daughter, Rita, stood next to her, expressionless, saying ¡°It¡¯s true¡± or ¡°definitely¡± as if in a chorus. For two hours. Without ever getting tired. ¡°Yes, well, I know very well¡­¡± He¡¯s tired of the mother and daughter. After suffering, Shaw frowned and sighed. ¡°So what do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Oh my, Shaw, it sounds bad when you say it that way.¡± Mrs. Hayworth gave him a stern look. ¡°It¡¯s just me, Shaw, but it¡¯s a shame because I know that even though you¡¯re mean-spirited, deep down, you like the lady.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Despite grunting, Shaw did not actively protest. Yes, he¡¯s embarrassed to admit it, but he did like Lilian too. ¡®No, not just me, but any doctor would feel that way.¡¯ Aside from struggling with eating problems, Lilian was the best mannered patient. She listened to her doctors and put their orders into action and never lied. An attitude of complete trust in Shaw as a doctor. In addition, she even respected him by calling him ¡°doctor¡± without a title. How could he hate such a patient? Mrs. Hayworth, who had a good idea of the inner thoughts of such a Shaw, clicked her tongue. ¡°Anyway, your rebellious temperament is the problem.¡± He¡¯s a nasty man who can¡¯t even say good things are good. He had to grow up. Even if she gave advice, he¡¯d jump up and won¡¯t even listen. Mrs. Hayworth sighed and warned. ¡°Anyway, if you say ¡®what should I do¡¯ about Miss Lily in front of other people, you¡¯ll end up looking bad so be careful.¡± ¡°How did everyone care this much about Miss Lily without even knowing it.¡± Shaw grumbled, as if he wasn¡¯t one of them. ¡°Well, actually, the lady not eating well is not just anorexia, but more like a symptom of this disease.¡± ¡°Symptom?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that she doesn¡¯t eat because she doesn¡¯t want to eat, it¡¯s just that she can¡¯t eat.¡± Vitality, simply put, was the force that sustained life. The power of a very basic unit made the heart beat, circulated the blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to the organs, and moved the digestive system. ¡°Her current condition is, simply put, having no vitality to use to eat and digest food.¡± Shaw shrugged and added. ¡°Perhaps food doesn¡¯t even look like food to the lady¡¯s eyes right now.¡± ¡°Oh my gosh¡­, then what should I do in this situation?¡± ¡°There should be a way. It¡¯s to find something that appeals to her taste buds and let her eat it.¡± Rita thought for a bit before she asked. ¡°What if she really don¡¯t see anything as food then?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be a big deal.¡± Rita looked Shaw, narrowing one of her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± said Shaw, scratching his head. ¡°I¡¯m not saying this insincerely, it¡¯s true. It¡¯s because not eating or sleeping is the most fatal thing to the original vitality. Therefore¡­¡± Shaw sighed and waved his hand. ¡°So you¡¯d better stop glaring at me. Go and figure out something to feed the young lady. No, even a spoonful of something.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t glaring at you.¡± ¡°Right. I didn¡¯t think so, but Miss Hayworth has already become a follower of the lady?¡± ¡°Again, no. I just hate being Sir Allen Hayworth¡¯s errand boy.¡± ¡°Aha¡­¡± Shaw was convinced when he recalled that the errand boy who had escaped before Rita had ¡®begged to let him clean up horse manure¡¯. ¡°Anyway, I will listen carefully to your advice. But Mr. Winston, as Turin¡¯s doctor, should be careful with his mouth.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°You just said ¡®it¡¯ll be a big deal¡¯ about the lady. I mean you shouldn¡¯t speak carelessly like this. It¡¯s very bad to hear.¡± It wasn¡¯t Rita¡¯s usual innocent blunt words. Anyone could see that the horse now had thorns. ¡°No, I¡­¡± ¡°Then, enough.¡± Even going out without hearing his reply. Shaw, who was left behind, felt it was ridiculous. ¡°Saying she¡¯s not a follower, sh!t. You¡¯re almost a mother bird.¡± Of course, he tried to complain, but no one listened. CH 26 Anyway, since that day, the ¡®operation to feed Lilian anything¡¯ had gotten worse day by day. ¡°It¡¯ll be difficult if we go on like this.¡± At one point, Lily felt burdened, saying, ¡®it¡¯s too much to put more than five dishes on each meal.¡¯ ¡®That evening, my older brother gave me sad and sorrowful eyes throughout the meal¡­¡¯ Being a burden was burdensome, but the guilt of disturbing a busy person was greater. ¡®What should I do¡­?¡¯ She thought about it, but couldn¡¯t find an answer. Rather, she just fell asleep. After a while, Cedric, who had become the representative of Turin Castle, sneaked into Lilian¡¯s room¡­ ¡°¡­she¡¯s sleeping.¡± Lilian fell asleep in a short time. It was the bedroom that Cedric had put all his heart and soul into. The room was white and blue, just like Lily. At first glance, the room, which actively reflected Lilian¡¯s taste for fancy decorations such as gold and jewels, looked simple. However, if you looked at every nook and cranny, you could see that they spent more than twice as much money than a simple gilding. Inside the bed with milky translucent curtains, Lilian was buried in the white bedding with the teddy bear he had gifted her. Cedric¡¯s face, which had been expressionless, finally had a smile. ¡°At times like this, you¡¯re the perfect child.¡± ¡°She¡¯s lovely.¡± ¡°Um.¡± Cedric knelt at the head of the bed and stared at Lily¡¯s sleeping face. He couldn¡¯t even put a hand on her. It was a waste to wake her up. ¡°How long has she slept like this?¡± ¡°She slept very well. You can wake her up.¡± Despite Mrs. Hayworth¡¯s words, Cedric couldn¡¯t do anything for a while. The silvery and icy young man stared at his sleeping sister with a melting expression. As if wanting to somehow make the already comfortable bed more comfortable, he carefully touched the blanket with his large fingertips, and as soon as the child¡¯s eyebrows flinched, he hurriedly held his breath. ¡®It¡¯s a very heartwarming sight, though.¡¯ The madam laughed awkwardly then informed him again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord, but it¡¯s been a while since the Lady had a meal.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Cedric panicked and reached out to Lilian. ¡°Lily.¡± He gently held his sister¡¯s cheek whom he loves more tenderly than a feather and whispered in her ear. ¡°You have to get up. Mrs. Hayworth says you¡¯ve had enough sleep.¡± Lily twitched the tip of her nose and leaned her cheek against the cool grip. Cedric¡¯s expression collapsed once again. ¡®If this goes on, he won¡¯t wake her up even after half a day.¡¯ Despite clicking her tongue, Mrs. Hayworth couldn¡¯t actively dissuade him. Cedric muttered. ¡°I want to let her sleep like this for just one more hour.¡± ¡°Oh dear, that won¡¯t work. I mean, she ate too litle at breakfast.¡± There was nothing he could do. Cedric gently shook Lilian once more. It was a careful touch that could be mistaken for a spring breeze in a dream. Fortunately, Lilian¡¯s sleep was light. ¡°Mm¡­¡± Cedric¡¯s face melted again as her sleepy eyes blinked while focusing. ¡°Sorry for waking you up. Are you sleepy?¡± With a croak in her throat, Lilian shook a little. She wanted to close her eyes again like that¡­ ¡°¡­brother?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± No matter how you look at it, Lilian muttered as if she had just woken up. ¡°It¡¯s not a dream. When did you come? You said you¡¯d come tomorrow¡­¡± Cedric couldn¡¯t hold back a joyful laugh as it seemed like she wanted to see him. ¡°I arrived a little early. Seems like you slept soundly.¡± ¡°Mr. Winston said that sleeping well is helpful¡­¡± ¡°That means you did well.¡± Cedric was just glad to hear that the child who didn¡¯t eat slept soundly. ¡°Winston¡¯s medical skills are trustworthy. You did well to follow his instructions.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Being praised for sleeping too much was more embarassing than being criticized. Lilian¡¯s face seemed to brighten a little after her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. Cedric softly whispered. ¡°Lily, brother brought you a present.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not surprising.¡± ¡°True.¡± Cedric smiled. Lilian had began to show her disapproval lately, saying that he was giving too many gifts. It was an absurd remark for a young lord full of money and power, but Cedric somehow liked Lily staring at him in amazement. ¡°It¡¯s very valuable.¡± ¡°Was there anything insignificant among the things brother gave me?¡± ¡°None.¡± When Cedric proudly replied, Lilian looked at him with polite speechless eyes. At times like this, he was like a half-baked older brother, and Lilian was like a smart little sister taking care of the house in place of their mother who died early. It was normal and happy. Cedric winked and Rita came in from outside with a basket full of something. It was a basket containing a golden fruit the size of Lilian¡¯s head. A reddish light lingered appetizingly on the soft golden skin. Not only that, but from the moment the basket came in, the room was full of fragrance. ¡°It¡¯s a fruit from the east. They said it¡¯s called a peach.¡± ¡°This?¡± The peaches grown in the Empire were as small and firm as a baby¡¯s fist. The blue-white fruit was crunchy and sour when chewed but had no particular taste. Mrs. Hayworth marveled. ¡°Oh my God, eastern peaches is almost as big as a kettle. Look at this pretty thing. How did you get all these things?¡± Cedric was proud of the headmaid¡¯s admiration. ¡°They say it¡¯s precious.¡± Merchants traveling along the eastern trade route joked that it wasn¡¯t a fruit but a miracle drug, saying that in their country, there was a saying that eating one fruit would let you live 3000 years. As soon as he heard that, he thought of Lilian. Cedric handed over the amount of gold the merchant asked for without making a fuss. The merchant joked, ¡®I had a hard time carrying it without getting it bruised since it¡¯s a soft fruit.¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t want her to live to be 3000 years old. I just wish I could buy her a year by eating this.¡¯ Cedric was more desperate for Lilian¡¯s time than anyone else. To the extent that even the stupid nonsense about living for 3000 years wasn¡¯t ignored. Mrs. Hayworth held up the peach with both hands and marveled again. ¡°I don¡¯t think you could buy it for a small amount of money. I suppose you got lucky as well. Lady, I¡¯ll cut this down quickly so you can taste it.¡± Mrs. Hayworth gladly raised her knife. But she hardly needed a knife. The thin skin slid off the flesh dripping with juice. The madam exclaimed, peeling off the bright yellow flesh and putting it on a plate. Every time the juice dripped from the soft flesh, a sweet smell was emitted. ¡°Come on and eat, young lady.¡± Her mouth watered for the first time in a long time, perhaps thanks to her sweet tooth. Lilian ate one of the peaches without hesitation. Lilian nodded at the people watching her with bated breath. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Everyone was relieved as if their pulse was released. Watching the child take the second piece with a fork and put it in her mouth without being told, Cedric remembered Shaw¡¯s words. ¡°The tricky thing about the mechanism of vitality is that it tends to increase or decrease depending on the will to live.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a will, it means the recovery will be quick. The behavior of not stopping to eat even if they don¡¯t want to eat means a strong will to live.¡± The peaches she¡¯s eating were not just simply filling her stomach, but rather prolonging Lilian¡¯s life. So, just watching her eat made him happy. Cedric smiled contentedly. ¡°By the way, brother.¡± Lilian asked as she forked her third piece, though a little depressed. ¡°How much did you pay for this?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Cedric blurted out with a smile on his face. Allen advised him like this. ¡°You¡¯d better not hear.¡± Aha. Lilian was convinced. ¡®It means he gave an amount that would diminish my appetite when I heard it.¡¯ As advised, it seemed better not to ask. That day, Lilian quietly ate one of the peaches. The problem was that, as a result of that day¡¯s incident, Cedric¡¯s quest for rare and delicious food became more severe day by day. Even the Lannister Grandmother would send something to Lily once a week. Each time, it was the sisters Illasia and Solaria who were in charge of the delivery. Solaria was very fond of Lilian and Illasia¡¯s calm temperament matched well with her. In addition to her sorority¡¯s formal meetings, Lilian met the other girls separately and made personal acquaintances. Of course, in feeding Lilian like a baby bird, you couldn¡¯t leave out the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna. But the scale¡­ ¡°Yes? You¡¯re importing peach trees from the east?¡± It was too big. CH 27 Lilian¡¯s lips parted in disbelief. The Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna chuckled. ¡°Hmph, after seeing my baby eat it well, how can I stay still!¡± ¡°But the tree¡­will¡­ Will it grow up? The soil and climate must be different¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I ordered them to import 1200 trees because I thought there¡¯d be difficulties in growing them.¡± Only then did Lilian realize that the Elector of Hemenlinna was also the Great Captain who monopolized the famous eastern trade route, the Alt Sea. By the time she heard that one of the trade ships owned by the Great Feudal Lord had been mobilized for this task, Lilian had given up on thinking about it any longer. ¡°Come to think of it, I gave my baby a gift for her sorority debut but I didn¡¯t do anything when exchanging marriage certificates.¡± Lilian thought that with just one diamond necklace from the Tears of Light series, she could have bought ten years¡¯ worth of birthday presents, but she said nothing. ¡°As a wedding gift, I¡¯ll make an orchard with the eastern peaches that you like and give it to you. Look forward to it.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ thank you¡­¡± Even if the grandfather¡¯s scale was big, this was too big. The bigger problem was Cedric, who was glaring at the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna with an expression like he was one step behind. ¡®No, let¡¯s not think too deeply¡­¡¯ They weren¡¯t ones that could be stopped. Lilian let out a small sigh. Fortunately, those two were second only to wealth and power in this country. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for that, they would have wasted all their money just to feed one person.¡¯ *** That night. Barely left alone, Lilian held her pen instead of falling asleep, deep in thought. In front of her laid papers packed with painstakingly filled diagrams. What was unusual was that it¡¯s written in square-shaped characters that did not exist in this world. ¡°First, my parents died, then¡­¡± Mumbling, Lilian checked again to see if there was anything missing from the contents she had filled out. This diagram was the timeline of her original story, which she compiled from memory. Through Marianne¡¯s actions, Lilian realized that the future could change in a way she didn¡¯t expect. ¡®I can¡¯t guarantee that I¡¯ll remember every trivial part of the future until then.¡¯ At the very least, it seemed like she should organize the things that should have happened in chronological order and remember them well. ¡°Hm.¡± Seems like that was all that¡¯s needed. Lilian nodded in satisfaction. Through this, she realized that her future won¡¯t always be under her control. If she was greedy for even the smallest things and tried to change everything, she could have unexpected results. Only the most desperate thing needed to be changed with the least amount of movement. ¡®Then, what¡¯s urgent and important right now in the current situation is¡­¡¯ Lily¡¯s blue eyes skimmed down the diagram and stopped halfway. There, in letters recognizable only to her in this world, it was written. [In September of the 7th year of Claude I, the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna died.] The giant of the supporters of the crown prince collapsed. It was a tremendous amount of content that anyone other than her would be stunned upon reading it. Lilian stared at the handwritten words without speaking. She was clear about what she wanted to do. First of all, she hoped that the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna, her grandfather, who¡¯s also dear to her, wouldn¡¯t die. ¡®But¡­¡¯ The Great Feudal Lord was currently 80 years old. He would die seven years later at the age of 87. It was a natural death that came after enjoying enough of the heavenly life. It hurt already, but there was nothing Lilian could do. ¡®Then next¡­¡¯ [At the end of September of the same year, Prince Matteo disappeared (kidnapped).] [In early October of the same year, Damian Rupenwein is blinded in his left eye. In the process of rescuing Prince Matteo, he was also mentally injured.] Right after the death of the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna, who was a strong support and protection, the Emperor succeeded in kidnapping Prince Matteo as if he had waited. Damian lost his left eye in the process of rescuing the Crown Prince and suffered mental injury for some reason. ¡®This can be prevented. No, I have to stop it.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t do it yet. Fortunately, she had another seven years left. Seven years, the time left before the wheel of her fortune turn. ¡®Until then¡­¡¯ Lilian made a promise while alternating between the name of the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna and the words 7 years. ¡®He has to take care of his health so that he can live a little longer.¡¯ And more importantly¡­ ¡®Let¡¯s be loved to the fullest so that no regrets will remain even if we part ways at any time.¡¯ From now on, when she received a gift, she should be a little less burdened and show a lot of joy, Lilian promised herself. *** Since that resolution, 7 years of day and night have passed. Autumn of the 7th year of Claude I. The Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna passed away. He was 87 years of age. 6. How the villain proposes. Time flew. Among living beings, some grow old, some get sick, and some die. And some grow up. ¡°Oh my God, you¡¯re already nineteen years old.¡± On an ordinary morning. With Rita becoming Lily¡¯s handmaid and the maid positions filled up, Mrs. Hayworth had long since withdrawn from serving Lilian. But sometimes, when she wasn¡¯t so busy, she would visit Lilian and help in her growth. It was like her hobby. ¡°How did you grow up like this?¡± Embarassed by the passionate tone, Lilian smiled a little. It wasn¡¯t just Mrs. Hayworth. The maids couldn¡¯t hide their proud expressions and even Rita nodded her head. ¡®It should be so.¡¯ Born as a premature baby, the weak child began to suffer from a rare disease called magic depletion. By the time she reached the age of fourteen, Lilian¡¯s height had been on and off, causing everyone trouble. ¡°The previous Lord, and the current Lord, everyone is tall because they¡¯re tall¡­¡± ¡°She must be like that since she couldn¡¯t eat, and she¡¯s hungry.¡± ¡°No. If you take one more spoonful here, the lady will vomit.¡± ¡°Then what should I do? From tomorrow, how about adding a little more butter to the food?¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! Add some sugar to the snacks too!¡± Thanks to everyone¡¯s meticulous and tenacious efforts, Lilian belatedly entered a period of growth until she was sixteen. It came so suddenly that she couldn¡¯t sleep for half a year and struggled with the growth pains¡­ At that time, she inwardly prayed that it¡¯d be fine if she didn¡¯t grow up, so that she would stop being sick. ¡®If that wish came true, it would have been a big deal.¡¯ Mrs. Hayworth looked up proudly at Lilian, who had accomplished the feat of growing one finger taller than the average woman. She was still as slender as a gourd carved out of jade, so she didn¡¯t look as tall as she was, but she¡¯s still satisfied. ¡®I wish she could gain a little more weight, but that¡¯s really difficult¡­¡¯ ¡®Something like that happened recently after all.¡¯ Lilian smiled a little, knowing what Mrs. Hayworth was thinking. Claude I, 7th year, end of autumn. The Empire was still coping with the shock of Hemenlinna¡¯s death. It was the same for Lily personally. She was even more heartbroken because she knew in advance the death of someone close to her. Anyway, she felt dizzy and even guilty, thinking about what she¡¯d done wrong to prevent it. After weeping bitterly for many days, Lilian realized it again. She was neither omniscient or omnipotent now that she¡¯d glimpsed the future. Memories were just memories, Lilian was just Lilian. Some things couldn¡¯t be changed. Some things just happened. In her deep helplessness and tears, Lilian recalled her determination in her childhood. ¡®Let¡¯s be loved to the fullest so that no matter when we part ways, there¡¯ll be less regret.¡¯ Did she really act according to that determination? Of the 1200 peach trees that crossed the Alt Sea seven years ago, 600 survived the winter that year. Of these, 300 trees survived for more than 5 years. The Great Feudal Lord and Lilian shared the peaches every summer. One was old and the other was weak, so they joked that they¡¯re two people who needed a peach to live for 3000 years. They¡¯ve done that without skipping a single year so far. When she remembered those times, the tears started to stop little by little. Lilian just turned nineteen in February. The Imperial¡¯s coming-of-age started from their nineteenth birthday. She also spent that special birthday together with the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna. When Lily hinted that it would be nice if the peaches were delicious this year, the Great Feudal Lord sat in an armchair and only returned a quiet smile. Then he said. ¡°It was fun meeting you in my later years.¡± Did he have a hunch back then? The thick teardrops flowed for the last time. After that, there were times when her eyes were wet with tears but she didn¡¯t weep. It was as if someone had wiped away the tears. CH 28 The inheritance went to Grand Duke Damian Rupenwein, the apparent heir appointed by the Duke during his lifetime. Damian was now the Grand Duke of Rupenwein and the Elector of Hemenlinna, and would also become the Duke of Hemenlinna, Grand Captain of the Alt Sea, and Count of Palmiens. For the first time in the history of the Empire, he had an unprecedented status as the ¡®Imperial Prince Elector¡¯. However, Emperor Claude¡¯s side was also not easy. After safely passing the first year on the throne, one year, two years, three years after that¡­ And now 7 years. No one could beat time. People became accustomed to Claude I, the Emperor, rather than Claude, the immoral man who killed his brother and took the throne and Empress. His reign was stabilizing. Fortunately, he had yet to have a successor, but the prince faction gradually needed a new center. It meant that the marriage of the Grand Duke Damian and Lilian had reached the point where it would be revealed on the surface¡­ ¡®Now I have to move slowly.¡¯ In addition, the time had come for her to act. *** Lilian carefully summarized the facts she knew. About a week from now, Prince Matteo would be kidnapped by the Emperor¡¯s faction. The place was Cantacun, under the direct control of the Emperor. Seven years had passed, and now it¡¯s a land that belonged entirely under the Emperor¡¯s rule. The current Emperor, Claude, had a clever planner. Mrs. Rachel Elijah Wood, known to the public as his official mistress. Taking advantage of the chaos from the death of Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna, the biggest supporter of the Crown Prince, Rachel succeeded in kidnapping the Crown Prince. Her purpose was not to kill the Crown Prince. It was to make him give up his right to succession voluntarily. It wasn¡¯t easy. The process of giving up had to be done openly and voluntarily in front of many aristocrats to prevent rumors of forgery or alteration of documents. They couldn¡¯t even kill or abuse the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince had to appear before the people in a completely normal guise and renounce his right to succeed in front of his uncle. After kidnapping and imprisoning the prince, Claude and Rachel tried everything they could to subdue the boy. However, the Crown Prince did not break easily. He vowed that he would rather die, and stood firm. As a result, time was greatly delayed. The Emperor¡¯s faction was eventually caught by Damian. So the wily Rachel chose a different method. She used the Prince as bait to lure Damian into a trap. Her plan to kill the Crown Prince and put the blame on Damian almost succeeded. In order to capture Damian, the imperial family even brought out weapons from the Dark Ages, but the plan nevertheless failed. It was because Damian managed to get Matteo to escape. It was a harvest to capture Damian, but even so, Damian succeeded in escaping after three days. And after a day and night of chasing, he joined his allies, but unfortunately lost one eye in the process. ¡®I¡¯ll go and save him beforehand so that doesn¡¯t happen.¡¯ She hoped it would help her marriage, not harm it. Besides, there were other important reasons for Lily to make this a success. Clever Rachel, on the pretext that there¡¯s a magic tunnel between Islar and Cantacun, cleverly separated Islar and the Crown Prince¡¯s faction. It shook the blood alliance¡¯s trust and had great impact on Lilian¡¯s marriage. So Lilian had to save Damian, even at her own peril. ¡®I can do it. I have to do it.¡¯ For the past seven years, Lilian had been carefully preparing for this day. Now was the time to put the plan into action. ¡®I should go to Cantacun first.¡¯ The Cantacun Islands were imperial territory. According to common sense, Cedric wouldn¡¯t send Lilian to such a dangerous place. ¡®But the method is surprisingly simple.¡¯ Lilian barely showed a smile. *** That evening, Cedric heard the sad news. ¡°Recently, the amount of food the lady ate has noticeably decreased.¡± Lilian was a patient whose core, the storage of magical energy, was damaged. Until now, the mana leaking from the damaged core had been supplemented with Cedric¡¯s. However, there was no way to replenish vitality, so Lilian had no choice but to manage with what she originally had. The method was qualitative. She had to eat well and rest well. Not eating was the most dangerous thing for Lily. Her vitality could be out of balance and rapidly depleted, leading to death. ¡°It seems like her physical condition was disturbed because she overworked herself at the funeral.¡± ¡°The fact that it¡¯s the changing season also can¡¯t be ignored. Winston, can¡¯t you prescribe some kind of appetite-stimulating drug?¡± ¡°My God, no.¡± Shaw shook his head firmly. ¡°If you use that kind of poison on the lady right now, she¡¯ll be in trouble.¡± ¡°My Lord.¡± Mrs. Hayworth looked at Cedric. She seemed to believe that if it was Cedric, he would be able to solve this situation¡­ ¡®I wonder if I can.¡¯ Anyway, he couldn¡¯t just sit by and watch this happen. Cedric went to see Lilian. Trying not to appear forced or angry, Cedric had a difficult time. ¡°They say the amount you eat these days isn¡¯t very good.¡± ¡°I have no appetite¡­¡± With her eyes half-closed, Lily behaved indulgently. Cedric, heartbroken and unable to criticize her, approached Lilian. Lilian quietly opened her eyes then spoke. ¡°I think it¡¯s because the weather is a bit cold. I¡¯ll try harder in the future so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°Cold?¡± It¡¯s cold even though winter hasn¡¯t come. ¡®Could it be because she¡¯s extremely weak¡­?¡¯ At that moment, Cedric made up his mind. He would do anything to keep Lilian from getting cold. ¡°¡­let¡¯s make a glass greenhouse and heat it up like the desert.¡± Lilian giggled. Because she mistook it for a joke. ¡°I don¡¯t think you need to do that. Although I would like to go rest somewhere warmer than here.¡± When he was about to turn half of the trees of the Pasisa Forest, the legacy of his ancestors, into charcoal and burn it all winter long without thinking, Cedric hesitated when told so. ¡°Leave Turin?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t go too far.¡± Cedric was surprisingly hesitant. Of course, it wasn¡¯t a waste of time and money to send his sister in person. ¡°Lily, leaving here¡­¡± ¡°It must be difficult. I know. I don¡¯t have the stamina to endure the long journey.¡± Correct. Besides, it wasn¡¯t just that one thing that he¡¯s afraid of. ¡®What kind of place is this world!?¡¯ His father, who was like a tall tree that grew straight, was also broken. The Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna, who was like a mountain, also died. He didn¡¯t dare let his sister, who was so tender, out of his arms at all, as if she would break into pieces without anyone touching her. But¡­ ¡®What do to with this.¡¯ Returning to his office, Cedric was in anguish. A moment ago, Lilian hadn¡¯t eaten half of her soft-toasted loaf the size of her fist. She dipped it in the soup and chewed it for a while, and it was only when the bread melted and soggy did she swallow the food in her throat with a choking sound. ¡®Even a sick chick would be healthier than that¡­¡¯ ¡°My Lord.¡± Allen called out to him. ¡°Don¡¯t we have a villa in the Cantacun Islands? How about taking the lady there?¡± ¡°What?¡± Cedric frowned at him. Cantacun was now a land strictly guarded by a standing army under the Emperor. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that it was the most dangerous place for Islar at the moment. ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense.¡± ¡°On the contrary, it might be safer.¡± But Allen insisted. ¡°As long as the engagement is confidential, Lady Lily is not a very important person for the imperial family.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± ¡°Besides, isn¡¯t there a magical tunnel that runs in a straight line from Turin to Cantacun?¡± Using this ancient tunnel, it was possible to reach Cantacun in two hours. ¡°The young lady is not in a condition to endure long carriage trips. Besides, she also have to receive magical power from the Lord periodically¡­¡± In other words, it meant that Cantacun was virtually the only place for recuperation. Cedric was troubled. After hearing about the decision he made after much thought, Shaw reacted like this. ¡°As a doctor, I have diagnosed that the two top decision makers of this castle have a disease that wouldn¡¯t return to normal thinking patterns when it comes to the young lady. It¡¯s very incurable.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you agree with the lady going to recuperate as well?¡± ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s it. Isn¡¯t she the kind of person who feels burdened by even a jewel-encrusted accessory? Would she really go on a trip that eats up such an enormous budget? It¡¯s not that the two of you don¡¯t know the lady¡¯s personality¡­¡± ¡°I like it. I look forward to it.¡± ¡°Eh.¡± Surprisingly, Lilian accepted the invitation to recuperate. ¡°Oh, my Lady! What a good idea!¡± Mrs. Hayworth was delighted. In this way, the decision to go to Cantacun was made in half a day. It was perfectly according to Lilian¡¯s plan. CH 29 ¡°Thank you, brother.¡± Another nickname for Cantacun, which was directly under the Emperor¡¯s control, was the land of gold dust. As it¡¯s a resort for aristocrats, the cost of staying there was unimaginable. However, cost was not an issue for Cedric. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the problem of needing to receive mana from me periodically, you could rest for half a year¡­¡± Lilian¡¯s body was so weak that it seemed like it would break, so Lilian couldn¡¯t receive a lot of mana at once. There were many things to consider in sharing mana to others. The caster¡¯s skills and compatibility were also important, so it¡¯s impossible without Cedric. ¡°Two weeks should be enough.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too greedy?¡± Lilian was stunned. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of wasting money to build a new greenhouse, are you?¡± The owner of the most fertile territory in the Empire burst into laughter. ¡°To be concerned that this Cedric Islar is wasting money. For a day like this to come.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better stop doing it and let me take over.¡± Originally, housekeeping was the role of the hostess, but when the hostess was absent like now, the woman with the highest status in the family took over that task. Originally, Turin¡¯s internal affairs should be taken over by Lilian once she came of age, but Cedric was still taking on all the work himself, citing her health as an excuse. ¡°I¡¯m an adult now. What should I do if I become the Grand Duchess without any work experience and get humiliated?¡± ¡°That story ended a long time ago, Lily.¡± ¡°Brother.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how much you sleep in protest.¡± As far as Lily was concerned, Cedric, who was softer than an eastern peach, acted sternly on rare occassions. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, but there¡¯s no way until your health is restored.¡± ¡°Brother¡¯s standards for my health are too high.¡± ¡°If you say you want to work, you can definitely go shopping. Would you like a new outfit or buy some jewelry?¡± Lilian clearly gave up. ¡°I surrender.¡± Cedric smiled. She didn¡¯t like clothes and jewelry anyway. Even so, seeing that she wanted to go, it seemed like she wanted to get some fresh air. Lilian laughed bashfully. ¡°Because it¡¯s the first time.¡± Indeed. This was Lilian¡¯s first trip, as her mother had abandoned her only daughter and she had been ill ever since. ¡°¡­yes, that¡¯s how it is.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± ¡°You already know what I want to say.¡± Cedric patted Lilian like a child. Although she was no longer young, she was still twelve-years-old to Cedric. If she wanted to go on a trip, then she can. ¡®I wish she had asked for new clothes instead¡­¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t make me want to stay out of the house, brother.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± *** At that time when Lilian was in the middle of preparing for her recuperation. ¡°His Highness¡¯ Matteo¡¯s activities have been cut off.¡± A man with dark white blond hair at the roots turned around and was silent. The subordinate cautiously spoke. ¡°Your Highness, by any chance¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been telling you for the past seven years, Sir.¡± The Grand Duke gently turned the swivel chair and sat down. During the seven years, some grew old, some got sick, some died, and some grew up. And someone got stronger. There was no more emotion to be found on the face of the man who added one more achievement: suppressing the Northern Rebellion was a feat so great that it rewrote the history of the imperial wars a dozen times. He¡¯s just more gorgeous and beautiful than 7 years ago. ¡°My brother isn¡¯t stupid enough to kill cute little Matteo.¡± ¡°No, but that¡¯s why His Highness the Crown Prince has disappeared, so are you going to do this casually?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t get along well enough to make a fuss.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ivan shuddered. Damian was difficult to deal with, but after the death of the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna, he had been on the verge of exploding. ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry too much. I was thinking of going to look for him sooner rather than later.¡± ¡°Then, even if you say that you intend to do so¡­. and, he¡¯s gone.¡± Leaving the grumbling Ivan alone, Damian grabbed his sword. An indigo knot ornament was still hanging from the beautiful white sword, as if it was made entirely of pure silver from the sheath to the hilt. Damian murmured as he habitually touched the worn-out ornament that had been with him for seven years. ¡°Then, shall we go?¡± *** Lilian¡¯s preparations for the blood pact was also nearing its end. ¡°This¡­¡± It was a sigh she hadn¡¯t done in a long time. ¡°Should I think it a blessing to have an older brother who is wealthy¡­¡± A room occupied by boxes. ¡®Well, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen this.¡¯ Even her room was small at that time. So filling this large room would have cost a lot more than before. She didn¡¯t even want to estimate how much it cost. ¡°Are you awake, lady?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Rita appeared from behind a mountain of neatly arranged boxes. Lilian asked, hoping for a miracle. ¡°Am I moving?¡± She didn¡¯t want to believe that all of that was a week¡¯s worth of luggage. Lilian, who naturally lost sleep as her growth period ended, was currently being prescribed sleeping pills. ¡°It¡¯s about using less energy and conserving vitality by sleeping as long as possible without straining your body.¡± She never thought something like this would happen while taking the medicine and taking a nap. ¡®Come to think of it, I think I heard something while dazed, seems like I gave a rough answer to the question of what kind of jewelry would be good¡­¡¯ She didn¡¯t even know what and how much she had been unknowingly spending. Even if her thoughts were like that, how could she stop them. She couldn¡¯t do anything because she was sleeping for almost 20 hours out of 24 hours a day. ¡°They¡¯re all necessary.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just for a week.¡± Rita wisely avoided answering. Instead, she disappeared behind an orderly pile of boxes and brought out a long, flat box. ¡°?¡± ¡°Please open it.¡± Up close, the box itself was not unusual. The box, made of immaculate ivory, was engraved with the emblem of Islar, the lily, and had a gold frame around each corner. Lilian felt it. It didn¡¯t seem like something money could buy. ¡°Did my brother open the door to Isharel by any chance?¡± Rita immediately replied, ¡°Yes¡±. Lilian lost her words. Isharel was a treasure trove of treasures from the time when the Islar family was not yet known as Islar. Rumor had it that treasures from the Magical Era were often found inside the Isharel Triple Gate. Far from taking them out, they didn¡¯t even make a list of the collections in Islar, lest the information leak into the hands of foreigners. ¡®Among the nobles, there¡¯s nothing worth gifting someone who¡¯s about to get married and change their last name¡­ Then¡­¡¯ Lilian was sure. This was something that shouldn¡¯t have come into her hands. ¡®What on earth is inside?¡¯ Please don¡¯t be a big deal. She hoped it¡¯s the least valuable. As she prayed, Lilian pushed the golden clasp. It clicked and the box slid open. ¡°Huh?¡± A very unexpected thing greeted Lilian. ¡°A smoking pipe¡­?¡± ¡°I prescribed it since it would assist you in taking herbal medicine. Shaw, who had been checking Lilian¡¯s medicine bottle one last time from one side, stuck out his face. Lilian tried to roll the unfamiliar words in her mouth ¡°Medicinal smoking?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the name of the pipe. It¡¯s an object that vaporizes medicinal herbs and you just have to inhale the active ingredients.¡± Shaw monotonously confirmed. ¡°It¡¯s a Magical Era item.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you just in case, but it¡¯s an official gift. The Lord has already passed all the documents, and it¡¯s an item that completely belonged to the Lady from two hours ago. If you want to refuse, you¡¯ll have no choice but to throw it away.¡± Although she¡¯s a cherished sister, Lilian was a member of the family. It wasn¡¯t just rude for her throw away the family¡¯s treasure. It was something that could even damage the prestige of the Lord. ¡°It¡¯s cunning to do something like this without even showing his face.¡± Lilian let out a sigh of relief. She exhaled, but she couldn¡¯t do much. CH 30 Three days later, the day Lily and her party would depart from the capital of Turin to Cantacun. ¡°It¡¯s very windy.¡± Dark clouds had gathered since morning, and the atmosphere was unusual. Cedric anxiously stroked Lily¡¯s windblown hair. ¡°Lily, would you rather leave tomorrow?¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve prepared a lot like this.¡± At Cedric¡¯s disuasion, Lilian awkwardly smiled. ¡°If you put it off for a day, it will be disrupted in many ways.¡± ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Cedric hesitated. However, Lilian, who knew in advance that the weather would be like this at this time and that she could save Damian in time if she left today, took a firm stand. ¡°As long as I get out of the main city, I can use the tunnel from the Magical Era. Don¡¯t worry, brother.¡± Cedric groaned. He felt very uneasy and an inexplicable ominous feeling would appear whenever the tunnel came in handy. To him, the Marquis of Turin who was at odds with the Emperor, the magic tunnel was like a sharp knife stuck next to a pillow. ¡®I know nothing will happen. I know.¡¯ The fact that Lily was using that unsettling tunnel made him feel uneasy. ¡®I can¡¯t stop her and tell her not to go now.¡¯ Was she excited about going on a trip for the first time? Cedric had no choice but to tighten the cloak on Lilian¡¯s shoulders a little more. The cloak, lined with fine fur to avoid wind and moisture, was a garment Cedric had made from a game he had caught some time ago. He used to feel so proud and confident when she put on this outfit. As if he¡¯s protecting his little sister. As if guessing Cedric¡¯s feelings, Lilian calmly smiled at him. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°¡­alright.¡± Cedric didn¡¯t have the confidence to beat Lilian. He gave one more order to Dunkel, the captain of this party¡¯s escort. ¡°Not a single hair must be hurt.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± It was an order, not a request. The momentum was terrifying. Goosebumps ran down the back of the man who had 7 tera of magical power. Lilian smiled awkwardly. Cedric also read the faint rebuke from his sister¡¯s expression, as if saying ¡®Do you even need to do that?¡¯, but pretended not to know. ¡°Let¡¯s see. The clothes are heavy, so it must be difficult to walk.¡± He just pretended not to know and picked up his sister. Lily gave up and kept saying ¡°yes, yes¡± as she climbed into the carriage in the arms of her older brother. It was time to depart. *** A tunnel from the Magic Era that connected Cantacun Islands and Turin. Through this road, which couldn¡¯t even be demolished by human power at present, it was possible to reach the southernmost tip of the Empire at once. Besides, Lilian had to take medicine and fell asleep in the carriage, which was decorated almost like a bedroom this time. So in many ways, they arrived in the blink of an eye. The carriage lightly passed the checkpoint. The feeling of a brief pause on the way awakened Lilian from her slumber. ¡°We¡¯re almost there. Would you like to sleep a little longer, my lady?¡± ¡°No.¡± Lily, who shook her head, took the medicine Rita prepared. Lilian bit into the white end of the long pipe. And she sucked in and spat out smoke that smelled like a deep forest. Unlike cigarettes, the specially treated herbal smoke was fragrant and didn¡¯t cause any sense of rejection even when inhaled. Of course, at first, she wasn¡¯t used to inhaling the smoke, so she sometimes coughed. She¡¯s used to it now, so she didn¡¯t have to. Inhale and exhale. As she breathed slowly, her head cleared. Lilian asked Rita to raise the wooden blinds. It was to see through the pouring rain, but she could tell that it was a well-organized city. ¡®The city where the Emperor¡¯s soldiers keep the peace.¡¯ And because of that, Lilian was safe. If she¡¯s killed within Cantacun, the imperial family themselves would ruin the reputation of this city, which was responsible for 10% of their annual income. Moreoever, Lilian was not an important enough person to risk killing her. ¡®Not yet.¡¯ Huuu. Lilian leaned back on the white fox fur cloak and let out smoke. Tong tong. Then Dunkel¡¯s finger hit the window. Rita opened the window only slightly to keep the rain from coming in. ¡°My lady, we will go straight to Heath Cottage.¡± ¡°No.¡± Unexpectedly, Lilian refused. ¡°Yes¡­?¡± Dunkel was taken aback. Rita also twitched her eyebrows. The two shared a look. The knight first asked what was going on with his eyes, but Rita shook her head slightly. She hadn¡¯t heard either. Lily just quietly smiled. And softly said. ¡°I have a place to stop by. Let¡¯s go to Terrine 3.¡± This was the start. *** In the heavy rain, the carriage made its way to Terrine 3. A short distance from Terrine 3 was a famous theater. Lilian even put her name on the reservation list ahead of time, just in case. It was to pretend that she was on her way to the theater if she was discovered. ¡®It¡¯s okay¡­¡¯ She could do it. She had to do it calmly, calmly. The moment Lilian made up her mind, the carriage came to a stop. Feeling calm, Lilian spoke to Rita. ¡°Open the door.¡± ¡°Miss?¡± ¡°Hurry.¡± Instinctively, Rita didn¡¯t ask more because of the firm command and opened the door without thinking. ¡°Miss!¡± Dunkel exclaimed. Surprised by the sudden action, his voice sounded like he was angry. If it was a normal young lady, they would have opened their eyes in surprise. But Lilian wasn¡¯t like that. ¡°Stand back, Sir Dunkel.¡± It was just a quiet command. It was a strange feeling of intimidation. It was not like a girl who had never set foot on the ground outside her original home since she was born and climbed into the carriage in the arms of the Lord. Lilian¡¯s light blue eyes, which looked just like Lord Cedric, stared intently at Dunkel. Her complexion was pale, but her eyes were lightly smiling. Those eyes seemed to be saying this. ¡®I know even the Lord will do my bidding.¡¯ Dunkel involuntarily took a step back. As the tall knight in a black raincoat stepped back, the man standing behind him appeared. He was a very tall man. He wasn¡¯t even talking. Rain soaked blond hair clung to his face, and eyes of an unknown color flashed between them. The shirt clinging to his body was completely soaked in blood. His feet was bare, but his hands were covered with gloves, making him look even more messed up. That¡¯s not all. The while ankles and bare feet beneath the hem of his black trousers were dripping with blood, staining the puddles on the ground red. She was prepared but Lily¡¯s heart beat wildly. It felt like her body reacted first. ¡®This is the man.¡¯ It was this man. This man was Damian Rupenwein, her husband. Then Dunkel¡¯s loyal hand moved cautiously to the hilt of his sword. Damian¡¯s eyes sparkled even when he lost his senses. The air began to stir. Damian¡¯s shoulders swelled greatly with hostility. It was like a lion before it smacked his front paws. In the imminent situation, Lilian unknowingly exclaimed urgently. ¡°No, Your Highness!¡± At that moment, to her surprise, Damian stood still. At the peak of tension, time seemed to have stopped. With no one breathing, Damian slowly turned his head towards Lilian. Did the desperate disuasion work? She wasn¡¯t sure, but there was nowhere else to cling to. Lilian repeated. ¡°I am on your side, Lilian Islar of Turin.¡± It was impossible to know how much Lilian¡¯s calm words could have been heard over the sound of the pouring rain. Damian¡¯s eyes were still dazed. The fortunate thing was that the intangible aura that seemed to oppress people was much thinner. ¡®It went through¡­right?¡¯ Then Damian moved his lips as if to say something¡­ ¡°!¡± He was about to fall to the ground. Surprised, Dunkel quickly grabbed his arm and saved him from face planting on the ground. ¡°My lady, I have to report it to the police¡­¡± ¡°No, Sir Dunkel.¡± Lilian shook her head. Then ordered. ¡°Put him in the carriage.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Hurry.¡± Lilian¡¯s voice was firm. Dunkel winced. Her voice, which wasn¡¯t high for a woman, sounded like Cedric¡¯s for a moment. Dunkel was overwhelmed by the insubstantial sense of intimidation. But he still couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Wait a moment. It¡¯s a suspicious vagabond. He can never ride with the lady¡­¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Lilian raised a finger to her lips where the medicinal smoke was leaking out. The urgent words thar were about to flow from Dunkel¡¯s lips dispersed like smoke. ¡°Not a vagabond. Please refrain from talking like that to me because he¡¯s the Grand Duke of this country.¡± CH 31 ¡°Yes?¡± This man? Dunkel, who was casually holding one of the arms of the Grand Duke, was silently astonished. Lilian took advantage of that gap and sternly commanded him. ¡°Hurry! I don¡¯t know the circumstances, but looking at His Highness, it¡¯s clear that there¡¯s an urgent matter to fight for time.¡± ¡°Ah, yes!¡± It was a command that wasn¡¯t like the young lady who was always weak. Dunkel was overwhelmed by the urgent situation and unexpected pressure, and without realizing it, hurriedly drove the unidentified man into the carriage. As if it had been prepared in advance, the seat across from Lily was covered with a soft rug. It wasn¡¯t strange. Because Cedric had instructed Lilian to decorate the inside of her carriage as if it were a bed so that she could rest when she was tired. ¡°Close the door. Let¡¯s regroup and set off.¡± ¡°Y¡­Yes, sir.¡± In the blink of an eye, Dunkel answered like with the Lord. The door was then closed. ¡°Miss.¡± Rita quietly called out to Lilian. Her gaze demanded an explanation. ¡°This¡­¡± At first, Lilian had made up a plausible story. But the moment her eyes met with Rita¡¯s, the thought crossed her mind that she didn¡¯t have to lie. ¡°¡­ask for an explanation now and I¡¯ll give you a plausible story. Do you want to hear it?¡± Clever Rita immediately understood the meaning of the question. ¡®Would you be relieved to hear the lie, or would you follow without asking?¡¯ To expand the scope a little more, it was also a question that defined whether or not Rita was fully Lilian¡¯s person. Rita¡¯s answer was this. ¡°¡­I won¡¯t hear it.¡± ¡°Good.¡± There was no time to cmmemorate the oath of allegiance as they were carrying a fainted man in the carriage. Fortunately, neither Rita nor Lily were people who dwell on such trifles. ¡°Didn¡¯t the temperature drop?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find something to wipe him with.¡± While Rita was rummaging through a pile of blankets, Lilian unknowingly put her hand on Damian¡¯s cheek. She was in the middle of taking his temperature. ¡°!¡± Damian unconsciously rested his cold cheek on Lilian¡¯s hand, probably because something warm had touched him. It didn¡¯t seem like he was conscious. ¡°Miss?¡± Despite Rita¡¯s questioning, Lilian couldn¡¯t shake off Damian. His face, as if hugging the palm of her hand¡­was strangely cute. If she had to compare it, it was similar to how she felt when a cat she met on the street was too friendly and couldn¡¯t leave. ¡°He must be very cold.¡± If he had been conscious, she would have cut it short¡­Rita decided to withhold judgment for now. ¡°I¡¯ll wipe him off, so please step back.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Then, the man who had been lying down suddenly opened his eyes. At the same time¡­ ¡°Ah.¡± Her wrist was grabbed. ¡°Mi¡­¡± Shh. Lilian quieted Rita with her eyes. And she calmly asked. ¡°Your Highness, are you awake?¡± ¡°¡­you, are¡­¡± ¡°Please relax. I am Lilian Islar of Turin.¡± Damian seemed to be trying to understand the explanation, but his narrow eyes were still cloudy. ¡®He had no choice but to be like that.¡¯ The ancient weapon used by the imperial family to subdue Damian was the kind that attacked the mind, not the body. Due to the damage received at this time, Damian¡¯s soul¡¯s defense was cracked, and over time, he went completely insane and used Lilian¡¯s suicide as the catalyst. ¡°Your Highness, now¡­¡± Then there was a sudden jolt and the carriage stopped. The sound of rain falling in and the sound of someone arguing began to mix. ¡®This.¡¯ It seemed that she was caught in a checkpoint or he was tracked. It was an unexpected situation, but Lilian was prepared for this situation. There seemed to be no more time to explain the situation. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m really ashamed and embarrassed to meet you like this for the first time, but how far are you willing to risk your life?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Lilian¡¯s gaze pointed downward. There, a full skirt covered the floor of the carriage, like wrinkled cake wrappers stacked on top of each other. Damian¡¯s gaze narrowed, but Lilian couldn¡¯t tell if he really understood her words. Meanwhile, it was getting louder and louder outside. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ ¡°Then, the situation is not going well, so I¡¯ll understand that you agreed and proceed.¡± *** Moments later, Dunkel¡¯s finger struck the window again. ¡°My Lady, this is the security forces. They¡¯re requesting an inspection.¡± During this time, the rain had stopped and security forces stood behind Dunkel with hard expressions. There were five people. Lilian could see them all, but thanks to the curtains on the carriage window, they could only see Lilian¡¯s face below her nose from the outside. Before answering, Lilian slowly let out the medicinal smoke from the pipe that she inhaled through her lips. Then she opened her mouth only when the white smoke melted into the thin raindrops and disappeared. ¡°Interesting. Didn¡¯t they see the Turin coat of arms on my carriage?¡± The knights of Turin were a little surprised by the arrogant tone they heard. ¡°This is normal inspection procedure.¡± The man, who seemed to be the head of the security forces, said. She was merely a single woman. Dunkel¡¯s eyebrows twisted at the rudeness of not conveying words through the escort knight. Lilian held up her hand to hold back his wrath. The knight continued. ¡°This is the Cantacun Islands. We are carrying out the Emperor¡¯s will. Please open the carriage.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Lilian calmly accepted the words. ¡°His Majesty ordered, at this hour, to search the inside of Turin¡¯s carriage, which was not even opened at the checkpoint. It¡¯s very interesting.¡± The security forces¡¯ eyebrows twitched. They thought that since she was an ignorant young lady, if they directly threatened her without going through the knight, she would lose her temper in no time. ¡°Did you at least bring a power of attorney with you, knight?¡± Judging from her tone and behavior, she seemed like a noble lady who had reigned as the hostess of a family for about 30 years. ¡®I can¡¯t.¡¯ The knight, who had been pushed back from the momentum, groped the inside of his coat with his hand. Then he showed the badge engraved with gold eagle¡¯s wings. Dunkel recognized it. ¡°Capital Defense Knights¡­¡± This order of knights, who protect the capital of His Majesty, had unrestricted authority. Putting the badge back, the knight urged again. ¡°Please open the door, my lady. Otherwise, we will open it.¡± It was a benevolent attitude that he would at least give her a choice. Instead of pointing out the arrogance, Lilian ordered, ¡°Open the door¡±. Sir Dunkel opened the door while watching the knight with fearsome eyes. He¡¯s uneasy about the existence of the Grand Duke in the carriage¡­ ¡®Anyway, Lady Lily told me to open it so she must have a plan.¡¯ The loyal knight came to trust Lilian in a very short time. The Emperor¡¯s knight ignored Dunkel¡¯s hostility and just stared at the open carriage door expressionlessly. Soon, the door opened. Inside, only Lily, who had already spread her skirt wide, and Rita, who waited on her, were sitting inside. As if to let him see, Lilian stared at him, put the pipe to her lips and let out a breath. Whoo. The smell of burning firewood in the misty rain forest spread thickly. The knight thought that it was strangely decadent to do that with a plain and innocent scholar-like face. ¡®The figure of her leaning weakly inside the carriage resembling a bed, holding a thin, white pipe just like her fingers¡­¡¯ It almost seemed like they had entered the bedroom of a woman who had just woken up. The knight¡¯s face suddenly turend red at the shameless thought that suddenly came to his mind. He nodded then cleared his throat gently, as if he had completely forgotten his rude attitude from just moments ago. ¡°I got a report that there are vagabonds roaming around here. Please forgive the rudeness.¡± ¡°I understand that you work hard day and night. It¡¯s just a little cold¡­¡± Lilian shrugged her shoulders slightly, revealing her bare skin. The knight¡¯s face was now inconceivably red. ¡°Ah, in any case, I had been rude, my Lady. Then.¡± Bang! The door closed. Soon after, the carriage started to depart. ¡°Huu.¡± Lilian was amazed. ¡°I never thought he would leave so easily. He was more polite than I thought.¡± ¡°My lady¡­no, nothing.¡± Rita shook her head in astonishment. Her young lady didn¡¯t even know that she used a beauty trap. ¡®Is she innocent or skilled?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t figure it out. In any case, since they passed the checkpoint safely, there was no need to keep the embarrassing appearance of hiding a man under the width of her skirt. With Rita¡¯s help, the cloud-like hem of her skirt was removed, revealing the Grand Duke¡¯s pure white face. He seemed to have lost consciousness again, with his eyes closed. Was it because of the relief of having succeeded once? It was only then that Lilian was able to properly examine Damian¡¯s face. He was a very beautiful man, even in his distraught form. Slender cheeks with double eyelids, glittering platinum hair scattered over a statuesque white face. In spite of his tall and well-toned physique, he seemed more of a beauty than a handsome man because of his delicate face and pitiful corners. He wasn¡¯t even an ordinary beauty. Even with his eyes closed, he was a great beauty, as if everything around him was bright. ¡®A man of great beauty¡­I mean, can a person be like this?¡¯ It was a beauty that could be talked about as a beauty even in the most boring history books in the world. CH 32 Right then. ¡°¡­you¡¯re looking at me too much.¡± A raspy, scratchy voice. Before she knew it, her gaze was returned by narrowly opened eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve come to your senses.¡± ¡°Yes, thanks to you.¡± The answering voice was strangely soft. Damian calmly sat up, as if he were in his own bedroom. Lilian thought. ¡®His eyes are purple.¡¯ It was a purple color that shone in various ways, as if glass of blue, red, and purple were layered on top of each other. Truly like the peak of fire. It was a look that matched the man¡¯s beauty to the point of being staggering. ¡°If you keep looking at me like that, even a person like me is a little embarrassed.¡± Oops. Lilian, distraught, realized her mistake and apologized honestly. ¡°I apologize. Your eyes are so beautiful that it took away my gaze without even realizing it.¡± Damian¡¯s eyes which were round in surprise for a moment, slowly sulked. His original eyes are thin and long, so it looked like¡­ ¡®¡­a fox?¡¯ It¡¯s pretty, but there¡¯s something magical about it¡­ She thought it¡¯s like a snow fox living in the north pole became a human. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Damian asked Lilian, who was once again lost in her thoughts as she came up with an appropriate analogy. ¡°¡­yes?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that my eyes are beautiful?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Of course I mean it.¡± She doesn¡¯t lie about things like that. Despite Lily¡¯s clear affirmation, somehow, Damian wasn¡¯t satisfied. ¡°Hm, no selfishness at all, just pure admiration. I see.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Again, the rain started pounding hard on the ground, and Lilian missed Damian¡¯s words. It was then. Rattle. ¡°!¡± The carriage stopped again. Not only that, this time¡­ Bang bang! Someone started banging on the carriage door. She could hear Dunkel yelling, ¡®what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡¯ ¡°By the solemn orders of His Majesty, I, Wilhar, the checkpoint commander, may search anyone¡¯s carriage.¡± The cold voice that answered him was heard right in front of the carriage door. Dunkel shouted without losing. ¡°Even if you¡¯re the Emperor¡¯s knight, do you think you have the right to intimidate Turin¡¯s daughter without telling me what your purpose is! Amazing!¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid to say it since it¡¯s scary. Are you going to insist that the carriage of the Elector of Turin be extraterritorial territory?¡± Even Lilian panicked at the situation. ¡°You must be nervous.¡± ¡°!¡± Unlike Lilian, who unknowingly stopped her breath, Damian was relaxed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m the strongest person here.¡± No¡­ Lily was bewildered by the way he spoke, as if he was whispering a secret. She was aware of Damian¡¯s strength. But the problem was that he wasn¡¯t in perfect condition right now. ¡®He couldn¡¯t recover from the shock of the ancient weapon, so he lost his eye in the process of escaping, and I¡¯m sure he suffered from the aftereffects for a long time after that¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t lose his eye, but it¡¯s a little odd that he¡¯s so active. Meanwhile, the fight outside was reaching its peak. It was Dunkel who exploded first. ¡°Serving an immoral Emperor who¡¯s not even as good as a dog!¡± ¡°What!¡± Finally, the checkpoint commander also burst into anger. ¡°Watch your mouth, dog of Turin! I can search the inside of your lady¡¯s skirt if it¡¯s for the sake of His Majesty the Emperor¡­kugh!¡± The insult wasn¡¯t completed. Damian suddenly opened the carriage door, and the warden, who had been vulgarly insulting Lilian, fell backwards while screaming. His nose and mouth were mangled in a mess. ¡°Just hearing it and I¡¯m embarrassed.¡± ¡°Swoosh!¡± Damian calmly got off the carriage. While gently trampling on the small intestine of the one collapsed on the ground. The warden shuddered with a pale face. But Damian did not come down to the ground until he had taken three steps, from the first step on his stomach to the mangled head, as if the body of the affected man was flat. He was graceful and violent. ¡°G-grand¡­T-th-this, w-what.¡± ¡°My brother bred the wrong hound. This dog had the bad habit of barking in the face of important people, so shouldn¡¯t I step in?¡± ¡°Grand Duke Rupenwein¡­! How the hell¡­!¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to be curious.¡± ¡°Kuhh¡­!¡± Damien trampled on the inspector¡¯s neck without mercy. And he ordered. ¡°Give me my sword.¡± Who are you ordering? A terrified Dunkel looked around¡­ ¡°Ugh!¡± Before he knew it, a group of assailants in black raincoats surrounded the carriage in perfect order. One of them carefully prostated themself before the Grand Duke and raised a sword. An old knot ornament dangled neatly, not fitting for the sword that was shining white even to the hilt, as if it were made of pure silver. The Grand Duke drew his sword. They very next moment, the sharp blade pierced the inspector¡¯s neck. ¡°¡­!¡± The inspector died without even a scream. When he withdrew the blade, blood gushed out, but even that was washed away by the force of the pouring rain. The Grand Duke returned the sword to the person assumed to be his subordinate. ¡°You were nervous.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Damian turned to look at Lilian while his men collected the body and bound the remnants of the Emperor¡¯s knights. ¡°!¡± Soon after, he took a step towards Lilian. It was the moment when Dunkel tried to warn her to back off at the threatening feeling. Unexpectedly, the Grand Duke bowed. And he picked something up from the floor. ¡®Ah.¡¯ It was the pipe that Lily had unknowingly dropped in her panic. ¡°You must have been very surprised.¡± That said, she was really surprised. But apart from being surprised, she never thought to blame Damian. The situation they went through a moment ago was a situation where they would die if they didn¡¯t kill. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Now was not the right moment to reveal agitation. ¡®It¡¯s time to prioritize what needs to be done rather than emotions.¡¯ Fortunately, Lilian was able to save Damian in time, as if the seven years of preparation had not been in vain. ¡®Strangely, His Highness¡¯ condition seems much better than I expected, but¡­ This isn¡¯t something to think about right now.¡¯ Rather, it could be called lucky. ¡®The intended purpose has been achieved. Besides, he even killed the Emperor¡¯s vassals which she didn¡¯t plan for¡­¡¯ They had to get out of here as quickly as possible. ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to suggest.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± Damian¡¯s expression turned strange at Lilian¡¯s suggestion that it¡¯d be better to leave Cantacun as quickly as possible and head for Turin Castle. ¡°So you¡¯re saying you¡¯d like to take me into your carriage now?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± That wasn¡¯t the point of her proposal, but Lilian nodded her head obediently. ¡°Is something wrong¡­?¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± Damian, who was staring at Lilian with a curious look, laughed and shook his head. ¡°Your offer makes sense. I¡¯ll rely on your good will.¡± *** After a while. Damian climbed into Lilian¡¯s carriage. He received a coat and shoes from his subordinate and was now wearing minimal clothes. Lilian looked around slightly. ¡®Seeing that he was willing to ride with me, I don¡¯t think he doubts me.¡¯ But she couldn¡¯t be careless. Lilian couldn¡¯t be sure how convinced this man was when she explained that she had come here to recuperate and found him by chance. Looking at Lilian like that, Damian thought. ¡®She¡¯s nervous.¡¯ It was an emergency, so it wasn¡¯t surprising. Rather, he wanted to praise her for being rational. Unlike Lily¡¯s misgivings about him, Damian was not very suspicious of her. Rather¡­ ¡°In my rush, I almost forgot my greeting. Thank you very much for your kindness.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything great. You¡¯re being too polite.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a big deal, was it?¡± Damian laughed in a tone that said he was having fun. If it hadn¡¯t for this young lady, he would have been in a lot of trouble. Maybe one thing went very wrong or¡­ ¡®Very dead.¡¯ Damian was also the only congenital hypermagic patient in the world. Mana was basically a force that respond to human will. For example, let¡¯s say a person with magical power thinks, ¡°I want to sleep.¡± The faithful mana would respond to the owner¡¯s will and act on the endoctrine system to help with insomnia. Theoretically, if you have very strong magic power, you could change your constitution itself to a body that¡¯s fine even if you don¡¯t sleep at all. So, of course, people with magic learned swordsmanship. This was because mana could dramatically help strengthen the body through training, making it easy to achieve nonhuman achievements. The more you use mana like that, the purer the power become and the more it increase. As the amount of mana increases, the body changes also accelerate. In Damian¡¯s case, the problem was that his mana increased exponentially before his body could adapt. CH 33 As a child, Damian often caused accidents because he couldn¡¯t control his overflowing magical power. The average child cries when the toy they want is out of reach. However, Damian¡¯s magical powers ¡®transformed¡¯ Damian¡¯s arms to help him reach his toys. When a young baby, whose teeth were about to sprout, cried because he couldn¡¯t help but feel his arms deforming into strange shapes, the nanny who ran at his cries was startled. Countless lives had to die to stop the rumors. Damian grew up as a monster in the shadow of the imperial palace. After a year or two, the frequency of accidents decreased as self-discipline developed, but even now, similar accidents often occur when mental problems or loss of self-control occur. The great magic of ancient times disappeared long ago. The only thing left in the world now was the means to make life convenient. There was no solution to Damian¡¯s symptoms. Fortunately, he had one item to help. A knot that had been hanging from his sword for some time. If he held that knot, the raging mana would subside a little calmly. That moment was also the only moment Damian could get away from the pain. For him, the ancient weapon used by the Emperor, ¡°Zagreb¡±, which penetrates into the target¡¯s mind, was fatal. If he lost control of his temper, the huge vortex of mana released from his body could have wiped the entire Cantacun off the map. In Damian¡¯s experience, there was nothing like physical pain to come to his senses in such a situation. If he harm himself, he¡¯d stay sane. It was something he was used to, but this time, it was quite large¡­ Damian did the calculations indifferently. ¡®Maybe he had to pluck out one eye to be able to control it?¡¯ But it was no longer necessary. Damian looked at his hands. The burning pain that had plagued him all his life was gone as if washed away with water. ¡®Earlier.¡¯ It was right after he held Lilian¡¯s hand in a dreamless state. It wasn¡¯t just the pain that went away. The waves of magical power that ran rampant in the midst of being trampled by the magic weapon Zagreb had also become unprecedently calm. Had he ever felt so in control? Never. ¡®So maybe the source of that knot is¡­¡¯ It was then. ¡°Your Highness, how are you?¡± Lilian awakened him who was lost in his thoughts. Damian stared at Lilian¡¯s clear blue eyes for a moment. It wasn¡¯t colorful, but it was deep blue. ¡°Fine. It didn¡¯t hurt that much in the first place. By the way¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Damian smiled softly. And he lowered his voice to sound soft. ¡°Lady Lilian allowed it. If so, I have something I¡¯d like to offer you.¡± ¡°Please speak.¡± Despite answering calmly, Lilian was uneasy. ¡®Do I have to tell how I knew His Highness was being held captive?¡¯ However, Damian¡¯s proposal was far beyond Lilian¡¯s ominous imagination. ¡°This may be a bit premature, but I hope there¡¯s a way I can repay you.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you save me? Of course I have to pay you back.¡± ¡°Are you¡­talking about repayment?¡± For a moment, Lilian was embarrassed. ¡®It was just a coincidence, so there¡¯s no need to apologize too much.¡¯ The words of polite refusal rose to her throat¡­ Coincidentally, as soon as she thought that, something immediately came to mind. Can I tell him?¡¯ It was suggested by the other side first, and it¡¯s true that she helped him, so it wouldn¡¯t be strange to receive a reward. ¡®But why does it feel so dangerous?¡¯ The strange feeling of stepping on a snare set by a water snake. Unaware that this feeling was the final warning from her survival instinct, Lilian hesitated. Damian wouldn¡¯t miss that hesitation. The purple eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°A chance to repay you¡­can you give it to me?¡± It was such a friendly voice that it made her blush just by hearing it. After hesitating, Lilian nodded her head. Damian asked, suppressing the smile about to rise. ¡°Then what can I do for you?¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. If so, maybe¡­¡± The words that came out of Lilian¡¯s mouth soon after hesitating were a little unexpected for Damian. ¡°¡­could you please destroy this magic tunnel?¡± *** In Lilian¡¯s memory, Islar was constantly threatened and suspected. The magic tunnel connected to the Catacun Islands where the imperial army was stationed, was a legacy of the Magic Era that could not be destroyed by ordinary human power. Naturally, Turin and Islar had no choice but to be exposed to the invasion of the imperial family. And sometimes, unjustly, they were stigmatized for being in liaison with the Imperial family. Lilian calmly judged. ¡®It¡¯s better not to have it.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just her who thought that. Everyone in Turin, including Cedric, regarded the existence of this tunnel with horror. ¡®Besides, it would be the correct answer to say this to avoid any doubt.¡¯ Her request to destroy the magic tunnel was a request that she should never have been able to do if Lilian was liasing with the imperial family. ¡°This magic tunnel?¡± Lilian nodded her head at Damian, who muttered unexpectedly. ¡°As Your Highness knows, Turin and Islar cannot unite with the current imperial family. So this passage will always become a knife that threatens our leashes.¡± There was no more hesitation on her face as she spoke calmly. It must have been something she had been thinking about for a long time, Damian guessed. And, of course, as expected by Lilian, even the slightest doubt disappeared. ¡®Is it intentional?¡¯ His deceased grandfather, the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna, never failed to praise the young lady whenever she met him. [How could a human butcher like you be gift such a blessing to catch that child?] To be honest, Damian never had the slightest interest in the fiancee his grandfather admired so much. He wasn¡¯t being malicious. He just didn¡¯t care about the marriage or his wife in the first place. ¡­he felt like he had wasted his time. Damian stared into Lilian¡¯s blue eyes to the point of being a little rude, then suddenly asked. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t the Elector of Turin do it himself?¡± Cedric was Tier High with 7 tera. He had the highest amount of magical power a knight could have. People called him a genius. He was admired. However, his younger sister, Lilian, just shook her head. Where did the word genius mean omnipotence? ¡°My brother cannot destroy the magic tunnel.¡± ¡°Can I do what a typical knight cannot do?¡± Damian asked with his beautiful jewel-like purple eyes shining, but Lilian was not seduced. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t have anything else to ask of you.¡± Lilian smiled lightly and continued. ¡°So, if Your Highness can do it, please listen, if not, just refuse.¡± He can. Lilian¡¯s words were blunt. Like Damian, she showed no sign of testing anyone. Damian felt his blood slowly start to boil with that sense of compassion. It caught fire. Lily didn¡¯t know him, just as he didn¡¯t know Lilian. Lilian had no idea what kind of monster Damian was. From the depths of his heart, a desire welled up to fulfill the wishes of that ignorant girl. He wanted to make it clear what kind of person she was asking and what he could do for Lily. Would she be happy if he did that? Would she blush and thank him with that clean and simple face? ¡®Whoa¡­¡¯ His blood was boiling so much that he felt that if he made a mistake, a vein would swell in his temple. Damian was a little embarrassed because his blood had been boiling for the first time in a while. In any case, there was no way Lily could know the ferocious inner thoughts that had began to rise up. She just asked again with a quiet expression. ¡°Can you?¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡± He can. Say you can do it. Damian gritted his teeth. He smiled beautifully to hide it. ¡°Should I try? Is this benefactor¡¯s request?¡± In the Magic Era, the magical power meter was a treasure with only three units in the Empire. Two of them belonged to the imperial family, but now there¡¯s only one. 24 years ago, Damian, who was born with congenital hypermagic completely destroyed a measuring instrument seven days after he was born. People who knew the post-war conditions informally called Damian this. Tier Infinity. A genius that everyone could accept. CH 34 In a world so degenerate and fragile, he would rather be a monster and a disaster. *** Tier Infinity. It was an informal title that he had had since a long time ago, when he was still nothing and was just the youngest prince. More informally¡­ ¡°M, mo¡­monster!¡± ¡­is what he is. It was a word he¡¯d heard more than his name when young. Locked in the darkness, Damian recalled indifferently. Currently, he¡¯s standing alone in the magic tunnel, which directly connects Turin and Cantacun. It was quiet and dark, as if he had returned to before he was born. Damian was a late child. He had older brothers who were already grown up when he was born. The younger brother, who was born at the same time as the Crown Prince had his marriage, was not very welcome. Moreover, he even smashed the magical power instrument seven days after his birth. [This is the first time since the beginning of the instrument¡¯s history.] In an atmosphere like thin ice, the people involved trembled and reported. In the silence, the Emperor looked down at the baby with emotionless eyes. Then he touched the cheek with a wrinkled hand that wore the Emperor¡¯s signet ring. He was alive. Still innocent, but don¡¯t know what kind of seed it is. No one knows what kind of wind ¡®this¡¯ will bring to the Empire he devoted his whole life to, and the country where his name will remain golden. ¡®It might be the simplest thing to kill and get rid of it, but¡­¡¯ At that moment, what grabbed the Emperor was a bit of humanity rather than denial. ¡®Isn¡¯t this a baby who had just turned 7 days old?¡± Murder was an opponent he didn¡¯t like. The Emperor thought of Claude, his second son. In case the older son died, the second son, who was raised as an extra, was on the side of knowing his place well. Maybe he thought it would make sense to give this baby a chance to learn how to live. The Emperor decided to grant his mercy. [If you become your brother¡¯s sword, you might be able to survive.] The reason why Damian jumped into the battlefield was not to survive as he said. Nor did he have the common sense of resonance or eagerness to prove his existence that a boy would have. It was because the battlefield where flesh and blood cooled was a place where it¡¯s okay to become a monster in order to win. Damian just wanted to be in a place where he was accepted. The battlefield was the only sanctuary where Damian¡¯s inhumanity could be tolerated. In a place where he could let go of his self-control for a while and go crazy like he was born to, Damian spent his time at will. What was unexpected was that the people began to honor Damian as a triumphant general and a hero of the Empire. He couldn¡¯t understand it at first. He thought the whole world was crazy. Instead of the reality of the massacre he had committed, he saw an extra with only the words ¡®Great Victory¡¯ written on it. Damian thought then that the world seemed to be made up of that flimsy piece of paper. ¡®Just how much¡­¡¯ Isn¡¯t this world an absurdly fragile and simple place? On that sheet of paper, his father, the reigning Emperor, looked the same. He looked down at him with cold eyes, measuring his life and death, but he couldn¡¯t think of anything. One day, when he was old, his father called him and asked him a question. [Are you planning to become Emperor?] What did he answer then? [Well, that sounds like a good idea. I was feeling quite bored.] Looking at the father who raised his eyebrows, the beautiful boy smiled innocently. And at the end of a fading smile, he added, pretending to be generous. [Don¡¯t be alarmed. I might change my mind if it¡¯s too bothersome.] [What kind of joke is that!] [You won¡¯t believe me no matter what I say anyway, right?] Saying that, Damian was calm. [So choose the one you like better and believe in it.] After that, the Emperor did not call on him again until he died. The father and son were reunited at the funeral. Damian was the fourth person in line of succession and the fourth to say his last goodbye before his father¡¯s corpse. [Dear father¡­] At the place where his older brother, nephew, and second older brother prayed for the peace of the dead, Damian spoke honestly for the first and last time. [¡­I just want all of this to fall.] He wanted to break this fragile cardboard world and tear the paper dolls to shreds. That¡¯s what he wished for all of them. That was his answer. In an unenthusiastic voice, the boy spilled poison-like words on the father¡¯s coffin. It was Idoel, the eldest brother, who caught Damian as he was about to leave. [Damian, are you going?] [Brother.] As if to prove they¡¯re of the same bloodline, the good-natured Emperor was a person who tolerated even his youngest brother, who was a monster. It wasn¡¯t easy for Damian to have bad feelings. Instead of answering, the Emperor smiled faintly at the youngest, who merely shrugged his shoulders, congratulating him. [You¡¯ve worked hard.] [It¡¯d be embarassing to call that hard work.] After hearing how he said goodbye to their father. There¡¯s a degree to being good-natured. However, Idoel shook his head resolutely, saying, [No.] [No matter what you meant, this Empire is clearly indebted to you.] Damian didn¡¯t admit it until the end, but the stubborn Idoel told him so. He bestowed the grandiose title of ¡°Imperator Leyengrad¡±. It was an unprecedented honor with permanent immunity. And after a while, that older brother also died. Locked in the darkness of the tunnel, Damian stared down at his gloved hand. When he was young, whenever his mana ran out of control, his hands were the first to deform. A terrible burning sensation was usually felt in the deformed arm. However, it didn¡¯t sympathize with Damian, who was in pain. It was because the sharp, huge and twisted arms, as if wearing black iron armor, aroused people¡¯s disgust and fear even if it did nothing. There were times when he couldn¡¯t stand it and begged to have his arm cut off. When no one listened and Damian hurt himself, the father clicked his tongue as if he was sick of it and only ordered to put him on restraints that would only be worn by fighting dogs. In that situation, Idoel was the only one who didn¡¯t treat him like a monster. Although he could not remove the Emperor¡¯s restraints, the friendly young man did his best to comfort his younger brother, who acted worse than a beast. [Yesterday I went through the old texts. Damian.] [¡­] [Aren¡¯t you curious what was written? Hm?] Ideol spoke cheerfully. Damian smiled. Then he opened his mouth. Please, brother. [Shut that mouth.] The smile that formed on Idoel¡¯s lips faded. Damian closed his eyes. He knew. This big brother was the only person in the world who cares for him, even if he¡¯s just pretending. ¡®I should have acted like a tamed dog¡­¡¯ He knew he had to be gentle so he won¡¯t be abandoned. however, Idoel was his father¡¯s favorite child who imprisoned him like this. If he hurt this person, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to get even a little revenge on the father who¡¯s behind him? There was also something deeper than that. ¡®What if I get tamed and then abandoned?¡¯ He won¡¯t be able to stand it. Young Damian thought so. Idoel understood the thorns that Damian had set up. That was the child¡¯s way of defending himself. Maybe Damian could have been more comfortable if Idoel gave up and stepped away. But he was also a stubborn adult. He had no intention of giving up on his brother. [I¡¯ve heard people say that if you meet someone with a natural lack of mana, you¡¯ll be able to make up for each other¡¯s imbalanced constitutions. Damian.] Damian thought it was complete nonsense. Ideol spoke slowly. [I don¡¯t know how that¡¯s possible. But Damian, I promise you. I will find it. You just have to be patient.] Don¡¯t die, don¡¯t go crazy. Despite Idoel¡¯s request, Damian didn¡¯t have hope. He didn¡¯t want to torture himself. Rather, he developed a habit of not dreaming of miracles. Is that why? Even now, when the pain in his hand was gone, he still thought about it in that old habit. Maybe this is a dream. There¡¯s no way this could be real. It seemed that the unchanging reality would greet him once he exited the darkness of the tunnel. Just as he was a monster when he was first born, he remain unchanged even now. ¡°But what if it¡¯s real?¡¯ CH 35 Damian remembered Lilian. The parts of her neck, including her docile drooping eyes, were straight and neat. Her dark blue hair, white face, and blue eyes were clean and clear. She wasn¡¯t a gorgeous beauty that could take away attention at a glance. On the contrary, Damian had the terrible beauty that captivated people. But for Lilian¡­ [I don¡¯t know.] There was a determination not to be seduced by that terribly beautiful man. [But there¡¯s nothing else I would like to ask of you.] On the contrary, such a resolution lit a fire in Damian¡¯s heart. Then Damian realised. This woman is not tempted. Rather, it was he who was being tempted. Lilian had no idea what effect she had on Damian. The more he thought about it, the more he thought it was ridiculous, yet subtly cute. If you can, please do it. You. Lilian was sincere when she said it¡¯s fine even if he can¡¯t do it. Damian let out a sweet sigh, his stomach boiling strangely just at the thought. ¡®Aa¡­¡¯ He can do it. He wanted to surprise her. He wanted to see her happy face. He wanted to ask for praise. Damian was so impatient that he even thought he was crazy for a moment, and he was a little stumped at this self-reflection. Did dear Idoel ever imagine that his brother would become like this? ¡°Brother, I¡¯m strange.¡± His brother told him not to go crazy, but now he might be half-crazy¡­ His heart felt like it was twisting, and his whole body, from the tip of his toes to his stomach, felt like it was tickling. It was strange, beautiful, complicated and dizzy. Covering the wave of intense emotions, Damian covered his face with his bare hands. Then he ran his hand through his loose hair. The exposed purple eyes shone a little more clearly than before. ¡®For now, let¡¯s do what needs to be done at this moment.¡¯ Fortunately, Lily¡¯s request was not difficult. Destruction was, in fact, his specialty. People say that relics from the Magic Era were rarely destroyed, but well. Damian Rupenwein here was a person who had a history of destroying relics since he was born. *** About an hour before that. The loyal Dunkel rode ahead of the entourage and reached Turin¡¯s mainland first. There¡¯s no way he would just go out like that, but the Imperial family could have raised an army to follow them. ¡®It¡¯s unlikely, but¡­!¡¯ Yes, it¡¯s unlikely that the situation will deteriorate to that extreme. In addition, Damian Rupenwein¡¯s soldiers joined the escort. Thanks to that, Lady Lily was safe. But he wasn¡¯t the one to judge it. ¡®Tell the news to the family head as soon as possible so that the family head can judge!¡¯ From the moment they started confronting the imperial family, the soldiers of Turin were always aware of the dangers of the magic tunnel. Dunkel also used to wake up with goosebumps whenever he thought of this tunnel. It was the knife that pierced Turin¡¯s heart or the poison that penetrated its bone marrow. ¡®As soon as possible!¡¯ Dunkel gritted his teeth and whipped the horse desperately. Thanks to this, Cedric was able to receive the news much sooner than expected. As soon as he heard the report of the loyal knight who broke into the office, the head of Islar jumped out of his seat and stood up. Then he called out like thunder. ¡°Allen!¡± ¡°Yes, lord.¡± ¡°Give me my sword.¡± Cedric¡¯s magic sharpened around his body like an intangible sword. People swallowed their saliva all at once at the eerie sensation. Regardless, the situation around him was no longer in Cedric¡¯s mind. As soon as he received the sword, he stormed out of his office. Allen ordered Dunkel instead. ¡°Follow quickly!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Dunkel¡¯s body was covered with sweat, but Dunkel loyally rose from his seat immediately. While Cedric fled the castle with terrifying momentum, Allen summoned the knights from behind to build up their forces. Cedric never stopped, but when he rode out of the castle with minimal armament and mounted a horse in the courtyard of the outer castle, the available forces were already in line and waiting for their lord. For more than 7 years since the death of the former head couple, Turin Castle has been in a state of quasi-war throughout. Since everyone had war in mind, the response was exceptionally quick. Hihihi! Cedric gave the command, pulling the reins hard. ¡°Depart.¡± ¡°Loyalty!¡± Leading the murderous knights, Cedric ran in the lead. At this moment, only one word dominated his mind. ¡®Lilian.¡¯ His younger sister. He sent her with his own hand. Even knowing that the situation was unstable. Even knowing how his father died. He dared to assume that Lilian would not be in danger. He was reassured. ¡®Because she¡¯s not important.¡¯ And Claude Rupenwein, who was worse than a stray dog, even if he couldn¡¯t expect mercy from that madman, he at least thought that he wouldn¡¯t do something stupid like tearing open the belly of the goose that lays the golden eggs! ¡®First, he killed Islar¡¯s head, my father¡­ now the Great Feudal Lord of Hemenlinna is dead!¡¯ Cedric thought Claude would be content with that for the time being and be quiet, how stupid! Cedric severely blamed himself. He wanted to punish himself for overlooking Lily¡¯s importance, but he managed to hold it in because if he did, he would not be able to go rescue Lilian. Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t Cedric¡¯s fault that the Emperor imprisoned Damian in Cantacun and Lily stumbled upon the escaped Damian. In addition, there was little possibility that the Emperor, who was in a politically delicate position, would try to invade Turin by force. However, Cedric, who was threatened by the possible backlash, had no coolheadedness to think rationally at the moment. Cedric continued to run without hiding his menacing spirit. He and his men quickly reached the front of the tunnel, an hour¡¯s drive from Turin¡¯s outskirts. It took only half of the usual time. The tunnel was located in a part of the mountain surrounding Turin. Moss grew where complex magical symbols were embossed, but the power of magic within them remained undiminished. It was a little far away form him. ¡®Lily¡¯s carriage!¡¯ As if the knight who had noticed Cedric¡¯s arrival had warned her in advance, Lilian had just opened the door and was being helped out of the carriage. ¡®Alive.¡¯ Remorse, anger, and hatred were swept away in an instant by a sense of relief bursting from the depths of his heart. Cedric almost strangled the galloping horse as he hurriedly stopped it. It was something he would never normally do. ¡°Brother!¡± Lilian screamed at the near-acrobatic braking of the horse, but Cedric got off safely. And he approached his sister at once. ¡°You¡­!¡± There was no time to think of anything else. He forgot for a second that Lilian¡¯s body was weak, so what kind of mind was he in? Cedric simply squeezed the living body of his sister into his arms. ¡°You¡¯re alive.¡± Thank god. Fortunately, she is. Lilian blinked for a moment, only slightly poking her eyes over her brother¡¯s shoulder who held her breathlessly. Cedric¡¯s reaction was strange, because, for her part, except for a slight discomfort, she had made her journey very safely and accomplished her pupose. It¡¯s strange¡­ ¡®Ah.¡¯ She slowly came to understand. Cedric¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly. At that moment, Lilian felt sorry for her brother. If she had known in advance that her brother would react this way, she would not have been able to honestly tell him her real purpose for going to Cantacun. ¡®It¡¯s too unbelieveble to explain the circumstances.¡¯ Even if Cedric believed him, he would never allow Lily to get involved in something that could be dangerous. ¡®Yeah, I had no choice but to do this. I¡¯m right.¡¯ But she¡¯s also sorry. She felt so sorry since she hadn¡¯t expected Cedric would worry this much and that he would freak out like this. She had nothing to say. Lilian simply hugged her brother by the shoulders. ¡°Brother.¡± ¡°Lily.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I wasn¡¯t hurt anywhere.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Cedric swallowed in a trembling voice. ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± Right then. They felt a rumble and an unusual jolt of magical power. ¡°!¡± Cedric, who was soaked in relief at finding his sister, suddenly raised his head. ¡°My Lord!¡± The magical power of the magic tunnel was fluctuating. Not only that, but the faint sound of something collapsing was heard. CH 36 ¡°What the hell¡­¡± There¡¯s no way the tunnel would collapse. But it was clear that something unexpected was happening. ¡°Allen, take Lilian and evacuate immediately¡­¡± ¡­kung, kung, kwaang! It was already too late. A roar rang out and the earth began to shake. Each horse raised its forelegs with startled neighs. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ Little by little, things like dirt and dust flew from the entrance of the cave with its mouth open. ¡°Unbelievable.¡± Even if the others didn¡¯t know, Cedric, who was a Tier High, could tell. It wasn¡¯t just the dust that was blowing. ¡®The magical energy is dissipating¡­!¡¯ The bond of strong magical power that had endured for a very long time turned into a blue glowing fog and was reduced to nothing! Something huge and threatening was approaching from inside the cave where the incident happened. It wasn¡¯t the Emperor¡¯s army. It was far more threatening than that. The atmosphere was filled with a tremendous sense of intimidation, so that even Cedric couldn¡¯t guarantee victory. Cedric hid Lilian behind him. And he prepared to draw his sword. Finally, through the blue mist, a human form slowly emerged. He is¡­ ¡°His Highness the Grand Duke?¡± A terrifyingly elegant, smooth and beautiful man appeared, dressed in blood and rain and only a rough robe. Rumble, boom! Behind Damian, who walked out leisurely, the essence of magic collapsed terribly. It was a horrific sight to the point where scholars who worshiped the decaying ancient heritage would faint and scream if they saw it. However, the people of Islar were shocked and thrilled at the same time. The dagger that stabbed their hearts was crumbling helplessly. They, who couldn¡¯t even dream of something like this, stopped breathing and shuddered. Even the flying dust couldn¡¯t build up on Damian¡¯s shoulders or head. He seemed relaxed for a man who did so much destruction, and therefore more inhuman. Damian slowly moved in front of the brother and sister. People naturally assumed that Damian was approaching Cedric, the Lord. Everyone was wrong. ¡°Lady of Turin.¡± Damian knelt down on his knees. ¡°I tried to do as you wished.¡± The man who proved his inhumanity fell on his knees at Lily¡¯s feet. ¡°And with this in mind, I would like to ask you one question.¡± Damian reverently picked up the hem of Lilian¡¯s white skirt and kissed it. It was an act of extreme admiration, as if he couldn¡¯t bear to kiss the back of her hand. After a while, he lifted his head and looked up at Lilian. ¡°Will you marry me?¡± It was a proposal that no one expected. The words were that of a proposal, but in fact, what Damian wanted to say was this. ¡®Please praise me.¡¯ Look at me. I did what you wanted. Damian pretended to be nice, looking up at Lilian and expecting. Actually, he didn¡¯t do anything too hard to say he tried. It didn¡¯t mean that he didn¡¯t do anything objectively, but that destroying the magic tunnel not something that could be described as ¡®I worked hard¡¯ for Damian. Regardless, Damian¡¯s docile expression, which he often used to offend others, was quite convincing. Of course, Lilian, like Lilian, was not easily seduced. She was taken aback by the marriage proposal for a moment, but calmly realized that she couldn¡¯t let the Grand Duke be on his knees like this, nor could she say yes to this out of the blue proposal. ¡°Y-Your Highness the Grand Duke.¡± Even though she came to her senses, she still struggled to cope. In the story that Lilian read, Damian was described as ¡®completely indifferent to his wife¡¯. Lilian was introduced as ¡®She doesn¡¯t lack anything. She wasn¡¯t even abused. Her husband¡¯s attention was just unattainable.¡¯ She could clearly remember this description as well. But a marriage proposal? Above all, they¡¯re already legally married 7 years ago! ¡°Yes, Lady?¡± Damian gently folded his eyes as he answered in a sweet, gentle way. A dimple formed on his cheek as if he had dipped cream in it. He smiled, making the small, clear dot under his eyes and on the side of his lips stood out. Anyway, Lily, who was about to tell him to stop, was speechless. ¡®Are you smiling more brightly on purpose?¡¯ It was the correct answer. Damian was well aware of the destructive power of his appearance. He couldn¡¯t not know. Even on the battlefield where life and death could change in an instant, there were many people who lost even the opportunity to counterattack because of his face. Of course, this time, it wasn¡¯t for the purpose of killing Lilian by creating an opening or grabbing her by the neck to make her collapse. He didn¡¯t want much. He just wanted to touch Lilian¡¯s fingertips just one more time, using this marriage proposal as an excuse. ¡°If I¡¯m a little more greedy, I¡¯d like you to touch me¡­¡± He could barely stand it when he couldn¡¯t tell if this was a dream or real life, but when he faced Lilian¡¯s existence again as a reality, he couldn¡¯t stand the urge. Damian realized that he was a bit insane, but in reality, he was quite crazy. Above all, he was still in a state where he hadn¡¯t yet fully recovered from being devastated by the ancient weapon Zagreb. It means his self-control had gone a little away. ¡­actually, it wasn¡¯t ¡®a little¡¯, but a lot. But that didn¡¯t mean he wanted to do something to Lilian right away. For now, he just wanted to act like a pet cat. ¡®Cat¡­ Not bad. I can be petted and praised as much as I like.¡¯ There was a realization that this wasn¡¯t a sane thought. But the problem was that even if he knew, he couldn¡¯t control it. ¡®There¡¯s no choice but to do that.¡¯ Just holding hands, didn¡¯t it liberate him from the most terrible pain as if some kind of curse had been lifted? As if a good arm had been dipped in lava, the boiling terrible pain disappeared in an instant. This is reality. Damian wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. A sense of longing and elation filled the place where the pain had disappeared. Damian¡¯s brain, which had suffered from severe pain all his life, felt pleasure as if he were intoxicated just by the disappearance of the pain. Damian thought, almost as dazed as a cat drunk on catnip. ¡®If she touch my head with that hand, won¡¯t this terrible headache that still remains go away?¡¯ He wanted to reach out. Such aspirations were swelling like a snowball rolling down from the top of a mountain. That thrilling yet soft touch that he felt for a moment when her fingertips touched him. It¡¯s an indescribably tickling feeling, like when you bite something sweet in your mouth. He couldn¡¯t wait to see if the thrill that was close to pleasure was his illusion, or if it¡¯s actually real. Anyway, Damian quickly waited for Lily to respond. If Lilian¡¯s brother, Cedric, who was surprised on the side and couldn¡¯t react, really accepted the marriage proposal before he came to his senses, that would be really, damn. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ It would be good enough to die for. Lilian¡¯s hand moved slowly until even a low moan flowed from Damian¡¯s throat, who was feeling sad and anxious. For Lilian, it was an almost half-conscious action. She was embarrassed, but for some reason, she felt like she had to do something to raise Damian, who seemed to be begging something with his whole body. Damian tilted an almost empty bucket in the middle of the desert and patiently waited for Lilian¡¯s hand, waiting for a drop of water to fall. Like an animal lurking in the bush, as if there¡¯s no danger at all. It was then. Lilian suddenly hunched and felt dizzy. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a bit dizzy¡­¡± Lilian¡¯s body tilted as soon as she opened her delicate lips. ¡°!¡± Damian jumped up and reflexively grabbed Lilian. ¡°Lilian!¡± However, Lilian was quickly stolen by Cedric. Lilian muttered helplessly. ¡°Brother¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re overworked. Don¡¯t talk.¡± Cedric, without hesitation, slipped his arms under Lilian¡¯s skirt as he murmured so, and lifted his sister up with ease. Lilian¡¯s slender head leaned into her brother¡¯s arms. Cedric shouted as he cradled his half-dazed sister and glared at Damian. ¡°Allen, open the carriage door!¡± Damian was embarrassed, holding up his empty arms, which was left behind by Lilian. ¡®Are people really this light?¡¯ This was true even considering that the people Damian usually came in contact with were trained guys. Even if she was a lady and didn¡¯t wear armor, she couldn¡¯t be this light with a skirt that was puffy enough to easily hide at least one person. A person being so light. Even considering that Damian¡¯s strength was not at the level of a normal human, it didn¡¯t make sense. Lilian¡¯s slender body was completely covered as she was held in Cedric¡¯s arms, leaving only the top of her head visible. Even that was pitifully weak, and her brother Cedric had to hold her tightly in his arms. His heart skipped a beat at the sight of her looking like a patient. Come to think of it, she said that she came to the Cantacun Islands. ¡®It¡¯s good that I came to play in the Emperor¡¯s front yard at this dangerous time.¡¯ He vaguely remembered. She wasn¡¯t there to play. At a time like this, the girl was in such bad shape that they had to take the risk and send her to a warm place. It felt as if cold water was poured on top of his head. At that moment, in front of Damian¡¯s eyes, the carriage door slammed shut. Immediately after the strong whipping, the horses began to run while neighing. Damian blinked. As Lilian vanished from his sight, his hazy mind seemed to awaken as if he had been drugged. Doesn¡¯t this look like he¡¯s been deprived of Lilian? If he thought about it rationally, he¡¯ll know that¡¯s not the case, but still. The problem was that he didn¡¯t have much ability to think rationally in his head. A smile spread across Damian¡¯s lips. It wasn¡¯t a smile that reflect positive emotions. ¡°Hiik¡­!¡± The fierce momentum was spreading to the point that the knights who were trying to sneak past him slipped backwards without even realizing it. ¡°¡­funny. Really funny.¡± It wasn¡¯t a fun situation for anyone who heard. CH 37 The atmosphere in Turin Castle was chaotic. The Lord, who rushed out with troops in a hurry, returned with his unconscious sister. He held his sister dearly, wrapped in her fox furred cloak, lest his sister be hurt by the armor he¡¯s wearing. Cedric had Lilian lay on her bed, and Shaw, who entered soon after, hurriedly began examining Lilian. Shaw furrowed his brow. ¡°The details are incomplete.¡± ¡°Do what you can.¡± The situation he heard from Dunkel made Cedric raise his flag. He was told that the child, who could neither see nor hear the rough situation, saved the Grand Duke from the Emperor¡¯s soldiers. Also that she stood firm in the face of armed soldiers who intimidated and humiliated her. ¡®That alone is a great deal, but she even saw a man die in front of her?¡¯ He almost fainted. If it hadn¡¯t been for the situation where Lily had passed out, he would have gone to him right away and grabbed his collar. Seven years. He raised her for seven years under his protection. But just because he took his eyes off her for a while! Cedric gritted his teeth. The arrow of resentment was directed not to the Emperor, the source of all evil, but to Damian. ¡­with that messy appearance, he suddenly proposed to Lily, he deserved this hatred. ¡°First of all, it¡¯d be better to control the Lady¡¯s vitality with mana.¡± Following Shaw¡¯s prescription, Cedric grabbed Lilian¡¯s wrist. And without delay, he raised his mana and tried to supplement his sister¡¯s energy. ¡°!¡± But his mana didn¡¯t enter. Lilian¡¯s body rejected Cedric¡¯s mana as if blocked by a soft but hard wall. ¡°Why¡­?¡± Her life was not yet at stake. However, Cedric had nightmares from the day he found out that Lilian would have to carry an illness that could not be cured for the rest of her life. The nightmare of standing helpless as his sister was dying. Cedric despaired that there was no way to help Lilian. ¡°What is this? How, why¡­¡± ¡°¡­Lord, did Lady meet someone new?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°From my point of view, it seems that the Lady¡¯s body is instinctively rejecting the Lord¡¯s mana because she found someone more compatible.¡± Shaw shook his head, explaining that he didn¡¯t know in which situation will the match be better than blood-related siblings. ¡°Anyway, we need that person right away. Where is that person?¡± Cedric gritted his teeth and didn¡¯t answer. Shaw couldn¡¯t understand. He asked again. ¡°My Lord? Where is that person?¡± ¡°He¡¯s outside.¡± ¡°Is he an outsider?¡± Shaw furrowed his brow. Dichotomically, the structure of Turin Castle can be divided into the following two regions. One, the inner castle where the Patriarch¡¯s family and important figures live. Two, the outer castle where servants and knights live. In this castle where various people live, visit, and leave, the allocation of rooms was also done very strictly. ¡®He must feel offended that a person living in the outer castle was associated with the lady.¡¯ That was fine, but that wasn¡¯t what mattered now. Shaw cautiously spoke. ¡°I understand how you feel, but, Lord, we need that person to heal the young lady. It¡¯s not urgent, but there¡¯s no need to delay.¡± ¡°Who the hell is that person?¡± That was how Damian, who had been blocked from entering the castle, was able to be summoned to Lily¡¯s bedroom. *** ¡®¡­ugh¡­¡¯ She wanted to make a sound but her throat was locked and she couldn¡¯t open it. Lilian twitched her eyelids. She literally had no energy, and even lifting her eyelids and blinking was terribly slow. The figure of a tall man standing near her was reflected. ¡°Bro¡­ther.¡± Lilien weakly called out to Cedric, her white face buried in the bedding as white as her complexion. However, the other party didn¡¯t respond. ¡®Why?¡¯ Lilian was puzzled. Anyway, her brother didn¡¯t seem to want to help her get up. She¡¯s used to him being overprotective. Without being able to do anything, Lilian put strength on her elbows and slowly raised herself up. ¡°Ah¡­¡± And she found out too late. Bright halo-like hair, black and sleek clothes from head to toe. Contrary to her first impression, she didn¡¯t notice for a while because he was dressed so formally. But those brilliant purple eyes are definitely¡­ ¡°¡­Your Highness the Grand Duke?¡± It was Damian. ¡°Lilian, when did you wake up?¡± ¡°Brother.¡± Cedric, who was talking with Shaw, turned his head that way as soon as he heard Lily¡¯s voice. Then, startled and raising his brows, he called out to Rita. ¡°Miss.¡± Rita hurriedly approached her and gave her a shawl. ¡®!¡¯ Lilian was a little taken aback when she noticed that she was wearing only a loose white gown. It was fine when she was lying down and covered in sheets, but when she got up abruptly, her clothes were quite disturbed. ¡®This.¡¯ She exposed herself. Apparently, Damian was also embarrassed and didn¡¯t say anything. To not make the situation more awkward, Lilian calmly asked. ¡°Excuse me, Your Highness. Could you please lower the curtains?¡± Damian wordlessly untied the curtains from the bedposts. A translucent fabric rustled down, blurring Lilian¡¯s figure. Cedric looked at him with disapproval. His need to protect his dear sister skyrocketed as he watched his thuggish marriage proposal. Even if he had done that, Lily collapsed right after, so he couldn¡¯t have good feelings. Damian muttered. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be feeling very well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also good that you proposed at a really good time.¡± It seemed less rude to say it was your fault. Only then did Damian properly look at the man who didn¡¯t hide his hostility. Is he a couple of fingers shorter than him? Since Damian was tall enough to reach 190cm, Cedric wouldn¡¯t be short by any means. ¡®The brother and sister have the same black hair, blue eyes, and white face.¡¯ Unfortunately, that was all that was similar to Lilian. Unlike Lily, who had a docile and vague impression, Cedric was clear and sharp. With a dignified presence that had never existed before, there was a sense of intimidation that made him straighten his back just by meeting his eyes. The years spent as the head of Islar and Elector of Turin were seven years. Cedric, who was a young aristocrat, was also 28. Now, no matter how you look at it, he¡¯s a man not lacking as the Lord of Turin Castle¡­ 24 year old Damian, who couldn¡¯t afford to learn up and down, but had lived a life of arrogance, thought. ¡®If I scratch the insides a little, he¡¯ll lose his temper right away. He¡¯s already like an old man.¡¯ In fact, Damian was nervous and in a bad mood right now. He was not insulted with staying in the outer castle. He just didn¡¯t like being kicked out from Lilian. It might be a bit irrational, but the hostility soared as it seemed that this young man in front of him was stealing Lilian forever. But come to think of it, this man with a high blood pressure was Lily¡¯s brother. Damian recalled Lilian¡¯s request to him. ¡°Could you please destroy this magic tunnel?¡± In fact, her request was for Turin and her brother rather than for herself. ¡®The bond between brother and sister seemed quite strong.¡¯ He can¡¯t. He could give a little patience. After all, that daughter of Turin will soon leave her brother and fall entirely under his protection. It¡¯s enough to endure until that time comes. Besides, he didn¡¯t lose anything by enduring unconditionally. And kind-hearted Lilian will probably¡­ ¡®Wouldn¡¯t she feel sorry for me who¡¯s hated by her brother?¡¯ A smile spread across Damian¡¯s lips as he plotted his wicked scheme. Cedric, who forgot about the variable named Lilian and started a fight, felt sorry but it was too late. Damian let out a disgustingly morose voice. ¡°I apologize. I was a bit impatient. However, seeing Lady Lilian in person, the fact that we were getting married without a proposal bothered me.¡± Excluding the diplomatic rhetoric, this was what he meant. ¡®Because your sister and I are already married, right?¡¯ Indeed, Cedric couldn¡¯t say anything with a look of resentment. He had a history of playing with his father, who was the highest in the land, so Damian added with a bitter smile. ¡°The reason why the Elector called me during the lady¡¯s illness was probably because he remembered that fact.¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need to be so polite. Before becoming the god of war, am I not someone who¡¯ll become the brother-in-law of the Elector?¡± CH 38 Brother-in-law, his sister¡¯s husband. As soon as a word that was no different from taboo popped out, an unusual air current began to flow in earnest. The air got cold enough that even Lily could clearly see it behind the curtains. Should she stop this or not? Lily hesitated, but fortunately, Shaw stepped in. ¡°Both of you, please stop. Isn¡¯t Miss Lilian¡¯s condition the priority? As His Highness knows, Lady Lily suffers from congenital hypomana.¡± Shaw didn¡¯t even say the words ¡®incurable disease¡¯. ¡®Anyway, since the other side was already informed of the situation, there¡¯s no need to say bad things again.¡¯ Of course, he listened to the report of his loyal subordinate, but Damian didn¡¯t know that Lilian had an illness or that it was incurable. He didn¡¯t know, but he pretended to know, and when he nodded, Shaw explained. ¡°To compensate, the Lord was supplying the Lady with mana periodically, but suddenly, that became impossible¡­¡± Lilian, who had been listening quietly, was surprised. Is it impossible to transmit mana? ¡°Therefore, we had no choice but to ask for Your Highness.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because Lady Lily has met someone more compatible than the Lord here.¡± That¡¯s why he¡¯s here. Lilian read between the lines in an instant. Damian also grasped the point at once. ¡®Therefore¡­¡¯ He wasn¡¯t the only one who needed this woman. Lilian needed him too. ¡°Aha¡­¡± Damian¡¯s languid exclamation felt like a caress down her spine. Lilian shuddered a little involuntarily. *** Having heard what to do, Damian didn¡¯t delay. He immediately sat down on his knees on the floor beside Lily¡¯s bed. Through the curtains, Damian¡¯s image was reflected closely. Lilian felt a bit dry-mouthed for some reason. Damian requested. ¡°My Lady, please give me your hand.¡± Inside the layered veil, Lilian hesitated a little. She knew since she¡¯s received mana from Cedric several times. But thinking that the other party was Damian, her hand strangely didn¡¯t move. Damian gritted his teeth as he stared at the silent curtains. It wasn¡¯t that he was angry. He was just nervous. He had a hard time talking about the sudden proposal when they¡¯re as good as married. It might be embarrassing that things have turned out this way. ¡®Or do you hate me?¡¯ Maybe she didn¡¯t like the fact that he proposed to her in a way that wasn¡¯t normal. Or maybe¡­ ¡®Am I too beautiful?¡¯ As a man who knows how to judge his own beauty objectively, Damian has met quite a few women who said they didn¡¯t like men more beautiful than them. Of course, most of them were lies to get Damian¡¯s attention, but¡­ ¡®Some people were sincere.¡¯ Perhaps Lily¡¯s taste were those who weren¡¯t so stunningly beautiful and charming. Isn¡¯t prettier the better? Besides, he was handsome and beautiful even when he¡¯s old, and he had the confidence to do so. Even on the battlefield, there were many enemies who hesitated to kill because of his face and died. Why can¡¯t he tempt this woman right in front of his eyes when those fools can be bewitched? It wasn¡¯t even confirmed that Lilian hated beautiful men, but Damian was already feeling unfair and sad. He was in the middle of his thoughts. Then a quiet voice came from behind the veil. ¡°I apologize for bothering you so much.¡± ¡°How could you say that?¡± Damian denied with a single sentence. But Lilian still hesitated. It wasn¡¯t because she hated him like Damian¡¯s delusions. In her memory, Damian didn¡¯t like Lilian very much. Originally, indifference was the most passive way to express dislike. For Damian, who had endured everything alone since he was born, it wasn¡¯t a very unfortunate environment in comparison, but Lilian, who was weak in body and mind, would not have understood. Besides, it must have been burdensome and annoying to ask for attention that he had never received in his life. Lilian said she wanted to get along with her husband, whom she had to see all her life, and if possible, not offend each other. So she had vowed that if she got married, she would never bother her husband. Lilian, incapable of peering into people¡¯s hearts, couldn¡¯t even imagine how much he was screaming at the fact that Damian could legally hold Lilian¡¯s hand as he found a use for his overflowing mana for the first time in his life. In the end, Damian wasn¡¯t the only one troubled. ¡°Stop saying that and allow me to help you.¡± At Damian¡¯s request, Lilian thought. Yes, she is this person¡¯s arranged marriage partner. If she dies, there will be no way to solidify the bond between Islar and the Crown Prince faction. Damian had to save Lilian even for the sake of political strategy. This can¡¯t be even more ridiculous. Lilian sighed. ¡®If I refuse to get helped in this situation, it¡¯ll become annoying.¡¯ She¡¯d have to cooperate. Damian is the one doing her a favor, but it wasn¡¯t polite to make him ask for it. Unaware that this situation was his perfect dream, Lilian slowly raised her hand and held it out through the curtains. Finally, Lilian¡¯s fingertips lightly intertwined with Damian¡¯s. The veil obscured her vision so distance control was a little vague. Damian caught Lilian¡¯s hand that was about to slip between his fingers. This was the only thought in Damian¡¯s head. ¡®Finally.¡¯ His hand held Lilian¡¯s hand again. A tickling shudder ran down his spine, then slowly subsided. He thought of Cedric, who was watching as the tension went into his shoulder blades without even realizing it, and held it in. That wasn¡¯t the only thing he had to endure. Damian had to resist the urge to hold this hand that had finally been held back by him. And he wanted to kiss it reverently, in fact, for an ungodly amount of times and he had to struggle to resist the urge to rub his cheeks against the back of her hand. He wanted a little more. He could ask for nothing more in the world if she could gently hug him with these slender arms. It was premature. Damian announced in a slightly hoarse voice. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Slowly, through his wrists, he poured mana very slowly so as not to frighten the fragile and slender body. Then an amazing thing happened. Lilian¡¯s unfamiliar cool energy, which had been transmitted through the hand he held, began to flow into Damian¡¯s body as if giving way to his mana. It was cool but not cold. The energy that moved as softly and calmly as the owner melted Damian¡¯s pain without a trace. While Damian¡¯s mana was in Lilian, the tinnitus went away while doing a round. The noise that seemed to be chattering about little monsters subsided and the headache slowly abated as the pressure in his brain decreased. Is this how it feels to be able to breathe? It seemed like a thin drizzle was falling on the desert, where the sand and dust were blowing. It wasn¡¯t enough to cool the heat that had burned him all his life, but it was terribly welcome. Besides, it wasn¡¯t just that. Lilian¡¯s body, which had rejected even Cedric¡¯s mana, which couldn¡¯t be more suitable since they¡¯re siblings, was accepting only Damian¡¯s mana. ¡®I¡¯m glad.¡¯ Damian was genuinely happy about that. He didn¡¯t know if he can express all this wild and ferocious joy as mere joy, but it was. ¡®Did the world suddenly decide to side with me?¡¯ It was to the extent that he even had such a crazy thought for a moment on the topic that he had lived his whole life in pain. It wasn¡¯t easy to circulate mana in Lilian¡¯s narrowed veins due to her lack of mana. Especially for someone with strong mana like him or Cedric, it was frustrating and difficult, like holding a pen with only his fingernails. But it¡¯s good because it wasn¡¯t easy. He can hold Lilian¡¯s hand longer. Lilian, completely oblivious to how terribly pleased Damian was, tried to retract her hand after some time. Of course, to Lily, the flow of mana that soaked her empty cold body was comfortable and nice. Moreover, unlike Cedric¡¯s mana, Damian¡¯s mana spread quickly through Lilian¡¯s body. It didn¡¯t seem like someone else, but like it¡¯s hers. ¡®But I can¡¯t take away too much time¡­¡¯ Lilian forced her eyes to stay open and tried to pull her hand. ¡°Your Highness, this is enough¡­¡± ¡°Shh.¡± The kneeling position should be difficult and boring. Damian¡¯s voice sounded more friendly than before. ¡°Please don¡¯t take this time away from me.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± What does that mean? It was really hard to understand. Lilian blinked for a moment. Even with that, she quickly became listless. Ah, it shouldn¡¯t be like this. His legs will hurt, so she had to tell him to stop¡­ ¡°I¡¯m really fine now¡­¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not okay.¡± Listening to him in a dazed state, Damian¡¯s nice manner and voice was really seductive. Even though she thought this shouldn¡¯t be the case, she wanted to follow it. ¡°So please stay like this.¡± But¡­ Fortunately for Damian, Lilian fell asleep as if under a spell. Perhaps it was because the ¡®will¡¯ contained in Damian¡¯s mana, reached Lilian¡¯s heart. A bit of time passed after that, and finally, his mana filled Lily¡¯s core to some extent. At the same time, Damian¡¯s condition improved to the point where he wondered if there was a day like this once in a month. It seemed like gravity had been reduced by about a third. Lilian¡¯s pulse on his fingertips was terribly slow. She seemed to be in deep sleep. Damian stroked the lovely, languid flutter with his thumb for a moment. And whispered. ¡°Sweet dreams.¡± It¡¯s not long before I fall asleep with you. He swallowed the words in his heart.