《To My Sweet Villain》 Chapter 0 Before dawn, early in the morning when everyone was asleep. The sound of heavy shoes echoed in the luxurious gallery hall. From outside the arched window, the blue light of dawn started to flood in, illuminating the red bloodstain trail spreading from under the man¡¯s feet. It was a brutal trace that didn¡¯t fit the place displaying the masterpieces of great artists. The blood belonged to the monsters that were slain earlier at a gate. The man calmly climbed the stairs and stood in front of the master bedroom on the second floor. His dark red eyes staring at the doorknob slowly lost focus. Standing in front of the bedroom was more arduous and painful than standing in front of a gate full of demons. Just before opening the door, he took off his blood-soaked leather gloves and dropped them to the floor. He opened the door and ruffled his sweat-drenched hair with a weary expression. After just one step. The scent that filled the bedroom drove him crazy. He¡¯s at his limit. As his berserk frenzy started from the amount of energy he had used up from before, his body began to heat up and he started to suffocate. The wave of energy that rippled from his feet was unusual. Perhaps this time he was going to die of madness, but he smiled contentedly. He took off his jacket and dropped it on the floor, staggering towards the bed. There was a woman in the bed who had fallen asleep defenselessly without knowing that he had arrived. Jurgen looked down at the sleeping woman¡¯s gentle face and took off all the rest of his clothes. The cool air hit his feverish skin. But even the icy air of midwinter could not cool him down. ¡°Dahlia.¡± He climbed onto the bed, calling her girl¡¯s name affectionately. Then, as if talking about her sleep, she tossed and turned her body in his direction. Lying down, Jurgen clasped Dahlia¡¯s chin and called her name once more. ¡°Dahlia Axel Edelred.¡± Her eyelashes, which had been heavily closed, were lifted slowly. ¡°Jurgen¡­ ?¡± He grinned and gently stroked her cheek with the surface of his fingernails. ¡°I need guiding.¡± ¡°¡­ Did you go to the gate again?¡± ¡°Yes. Just arrived through the portal.¡± The man¡¯s voice began to crack harshly. As if the runaway was about to start, his head was slowly turning white. Dahlia glared at him as he smiled slyly and placed her hand on his firm shoulder. Hot. It was much hotter than usual. Moreover, just by touching her hand, her power was absorbed into him and began to escape. Did he drain his energy that much? Knowing the dangers of falling into a frenzied runaway and exploding? ¡°I told you if you are going to overwork yourself like this, that I would never guide you again. Go somewhere else. You have enough power for it.¡± Jurgen licked his dry lips at the cold rejection, descending and kneeling at her feet. ¡°You are my guide.¡± Contrary to his relaxed tone, his eyes were watching her like a starving predator. He was a man who captured attention everywhere he went. He was bewitchingly handsome in spite of the state of being drenched in madness. Red-ruby eyes with black shiny hair that proved the ancestry of Archduke Edelred. His disrobed, defined cleaved muscular body was beneath her feet. Narrowing into an inverted triangle below his broad shoulders. Such a respected man under me. Biting her lip, Dahlia rose and violently pressed her foot against his genitals, which had been shiny with precum fluid. Then he narrowed his fine brow and let out a murky groan. ¡°Dahlia, please.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°I need some guiding, Dahlia.¡± After a painful plea, she tore her feet off his cock. Then he grabbed her ankle and pressed his lips against her white instep. Leaving a tooth mark on her pale pink ankle, he came up kissing her shin and licked her knee. Every time his hot lips pressed against her skin, her toes curled. It had only been a few touches of his lips, but the speed at which her power drained was unusual. But she still didn¡¯t guide him. Because their matching is perfect, she couldn¡¯t stop the natural transmission of power. He stuck out his tongue and gnawed at the white flesh on the inside of her thigh. Surprised, her heart pounded and fluttered rapidly. ¡°Don¡¯t be cruel.¡± A low voice echoed from the inside of her thigh. Dahlia took a deep shaky breath. Jurgen untied the silk robe she was wearing. Then, he pressed his lips to her thin underwear. Her soft skin could be felt through the fabric because she had little hair. As he moved his tongue along the thick crevice, a sweet scent quickly rose from her body. It was a seductive scent that only the greatest of guides, ¡°Liberty,¡± could give off. He grabbed the wet underwear with both hands and tore it apart. Her eyes flinched and startled, piercing precisely into his eyes. The terribly beautiful Dahlia Axel Edelred. Her skin glowed like pearl powder, and her rosy, honey-colored hair. Her ears are red with transparent eyes resembling a forest lake. Was she embarrassed? She grew red as paint. ¡°Then, let¡¯s get a divorce. You promised.¡± Jurgen¡¯s lips curled up languidly at her rebellious words. Fortunately, he was recovering from his dangerous state by just touching her, and his focus was slowly returning. ¡°It¡¯s a pity, I lost my family seal.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°So I authorized the craving for a new one, so wait.¡± After his nonchalant reply, he bent forward and bit her pale breasts with his lips. Then he opened her knees and put his hand into the gap that had been wet before. His hand slid into the slippery crevice soaked with love juice. He caressed her chubby clitoris as if to tickle it, then gently lowered his hand and pushed it deep into the vaginal opening. ¡°Ha!¡± Dahlia¡¯s waist trembled, startled by the foreign body. Then he rolled her nipples with his tongue. She gripped the nape of his neck, and wrapped his body around with her legs. His genitals moistened with his erotic fluid rubbed against the waist, and the finger squeezing in her vaginal opening suddenly increased to two. Reluctantly, Dahlia rubbed the sheet with her toes, and eventually grabbed his hair as hard as she could. His unresolved desires boiled over into his eyes, and flowed into her. ¡°Really¡­ . I¡¯m so annoyed at you.¡± Dahlia shut her eyes tightly and swallowed his lips. Hot tongues intertwined with lips that cling to each other as if waiting, and a remarkably high-purity energy surged into him. It was terribly sweet and powerful. Chapter 1 I. Dahlia Von Klose 20 years ago. A village was burned to ashes. Black smoke surged from all sides, and dry trees burned brightly. It was unimaginable that there was a village here, and it was a tragic sight. Count Howell Von Klose looked around with a staggering gait. It had only been a few days since the gate had been opened. In the western part of the infamous wild Oden Mountains in a small town bordering Von Klose¡¯s County, a monster gate opened. The first people who were informed of the existence of the gate were the watchmen protecting the Oden Mountains. It was said that the power that leaked from the intermediate rated gate with a diameter of 40 Herham that was created in the middle of the village and consumed the life around it. Before the mysterious ancient monsters crossed the gate, Count Howell formed a band of fighters and crossed the Oden Mountains. The first to enter the gate were two senior sentinels and 50 paladins. But the results were disastrous. After the first day passed, the knights did not return, and the gate, which had been graded initially as an intermediate level, quickly was determined to be of a superior level. On the third day, one sentinel, who barely saved his life, came out of the gate and informed them of the situation inside. The survivor¡¯s condition was beyond words. The gates were dominated by ancient monsters resembling spiders, numbering from thousands to tens of thousands. They constantly laid eggs, hatched, and ate the knights. All 50 paladins who entered together lost their lives, and the sentinels that exceeded the limits of their powers ran berserk and exploded. It was utter devastation. A runaway sentinel would not survive without pure-graded guiding. Minds exploded or went crazy. His aides urged Howell to ask the imperial family for help right away. He drew his sword. Even if he asked the Imperial Family for help now, it would take four days for reinforcements to arrive. Howell was prepared to die. His goal was to prevent any monsters in the gate from coming out to the ground until reinforcements from the imperial family arrived. When Howell, a Sword Master and Royal Sentinel himself, released his power, a cypheric spark rose from his body and shattered. That marvelous power grew to the size of the gate. Then the other sentinels opened their powers, ready to die. 50 paladins and 5 advanced sentinels. A senior guide came to the side of the Royal Sentinel, Howell Von Klose, and prepared to guide. ¡®Glory to the Empire!¡¯ A valiant roar resounded, and Howell and his subjugation clan rushed into the gate without hesitation. But everything was in vain. Inside the gate was far more terrifying than his subordinate had described. Upon stepping in, the hallucinogenic gas ravaged the minds of the knights, and the sentinels began to run rampant. It wasn¡¯t enough to tear each other apart, the monsters approached them and they became their prey. As his guide collapsed, bleeding from his nose and mouth, Howell had a foreboding that something was terribly wrong. But Howell did not stop fighting. If he retreated like this, it was only a matter of time before Count Bonkloze was consumed by the gate. It was a situation in which the empire, including the continent, might be in danger. ¨C Gggrrrrrrreeeeeekkk. A monster with three heads and bright yellow eyes approached with its long and slender legs strangely twisted. Every time the monster moved, the sound of scraping metal was terrifyingly creepy. A spider the size of a house, twitching its serrated snout, dripped poisonous saliva over Howell¡¯s head. He knew he was about to die. ¡®Damn it¡­ .¡¯ He didn¡¯t want to die like this, but he survived at least four days, so the Imperial Knights would arrive soon. He thought he was fortunate to be able to protect his family¡¯s honor until his last moments. That was then. ¡®Ugh! Aww! Arghhhh!¡¯ The loud cry of a child from outside the gate pierced Howell¡¯s ears. At first, he thought he was an auditory hallucination created by a demon. But the cry was so real that it made his mind clear. ¡®Unnnnnn! Annn!¡¯ It was a moment when the crying of a child who had been crying loudly stopped suddenly. The white light that flowed in from outside the gate turned the whole world white. Howell¡¯s pupils, who were gazing at the monsters in the intense light that blinded him, contracted in an instant. Then an explosion occurred. Boom! A terrifying force surrounded Howell and his knights with a roar that shook the heavens and the earth. Howell was astonished. ¡®Is this power a Royal Sentinel? No¡­ . This power above that¡ªthe level of a Luster!¡¯ The power of a Luster Sentinel legendary. He had never heard of a Luster Sentinel so powerful in the Empire. In order not to be swept away by the rushing wave, Howell squeezed his last remaining strength to create an energy barrier. In a vortex like a sandstorm, Howell¡¯s shield protected the knights. The gate was destroyed without leaving a trace. But it wasn¡¯t just the gate that was eradicated. He faltered, scanning the place that had been a village until a few days ago. His blood-painted eyes are like a beast. Howell began to remove the piles of stones that had fallen to ashes one by one. It¡¯s definitely here. From here came the cry of a child. ¡°Ugh!¡± Howell¡¯s face hardened for an instant as he was removing the rubble like a madman. ¡°This¡­.. .¡± What was found inside was really a baby. A newborn baby, only a couple of days old was crying in the ruins. Howell, soaked in blood, knelt before his child. Then the crying child stopped crying, sucking its fingers and opening its eyelids. Howell¡¯s dark eyebrows twitched and moved. Facing blue eyes like ice, he carefully held the child as if possessed by something. ¡°Ha¡­ . It really was you.¡± Howell got up, holding the child. The power of a Luster Sentinel he felt a while ago was not an illusion. The uncontrollable power of the child¡¯s body is dripping as if overflowing. But that wasn¡¯t the only thing. Chapter 2 Holding the child, Howell looked around with a puzzled expression. ¡®Obviously, the guide lost her life¡­ ? But why¡­ .¡¯ His energy, which had been exhausted and on the verge of a riot, was filling up very slowly. Convinced that someone was guiding him, Howell¡¯s eyes fluttered brilliantly. ¡®No way¡­ .¡¯ His astonished gaze moved again to the child in his arms. Precisely, the hand of the child clutching the hem of his cloak. Without realizing it, he sought and prayed to the gods. ¡°God¡­ .¡± *** ¡°No, that¡¯s absurd.¡± The face of the wizard Rodrigo who laid the smiling child on a cushion hardened in astonishment. Howell¡¯s eyes were twisted as he stood on the table with the children divided. ¡°Are you saying that it doesn¡¯t make sense even if you see it in person?¡± ¡°Ha, but¡­ .¡± ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s a Luster Sentinel?¡± ¡°Yes. However, the power of the guide is also contained in this child¡¯s body. Since this is not common¡­ .¡± ¡°There¡¯s not much precedent.¡± ¡°Yes. Those with two powers can¡¯t control their powers properly, so they run wild or go crazy. Not a single one has ever survived.¡± Did he say he¡¯s over 100 years old? Rodrigo, whose hair has grown whiter than yesterday, shakes his wrinkled hands and draws a magic circle on the child¡¯s belly. Then, as he chanted the spell, an unknown seal began to shine around the pit of the child¡¯s stomach. ¡°As expected¡­ . It is an insignia of sealing.¡± ¡°Insignia of Sealing?¡± ¡°Yes. Sometimes children are born with too much power. These children can¡¯t control their own power, so they use a seal like this to prevent runaway. The child¡¯s parents seem to have chosen it early.¡± Howell nodded, urging him to continue. Still, the baby blinked her big eyes and moved his head to follow Howell. Like looking for something. He cautiously gave his finger to the fussy child. Then the child clasped his callused fingers and burst into laughter. In an instant, the power flowing into her body was as blue as the sea, vast and even as sweet as a ripe fruit. ¡°But even if the guide¡¯s power is sealed, this child will surely die sooner or later. Two forces cannot coexist.¡± The wizard with a sad expression waved his white beard and stood still. Normally, he would have yelled at the ferocious wizard, but now that his gaze was captivated by the child, nothing came into his sight. ¡°If this child survives.¡± ¡°Leader.¡± ¡°Did you feel it too? A child born with the power of Luster Sentinel from birth. It didn¡¯t even go through an awakening. It¡¯s not an ordinary kid, right?¡± ¡°Well, yes, but¡­ .¡± The wizard hovered around the child with his hands together like a man in agony. Then he stretched out his hand, saying that he needed to check the child¡¯s body more. Howell violently snatched the wizard¡¯s hand back. ¡°That is enough.¡± The Royal Sentinel¡¯s eyes, after being guiding and recovering, was like a sharp beast. The wizard sighed and took a step away from the child. ¡°Leader, if I had to say one thing, it is the temple that manages the guides. If this kid really has the power of a guide, she should be sent to the temple.¡± That was true advice. Howell fixed his gaze on the child¡¯s eyes, holding my fingers tightly. ¡°But the child is also a sentinel.¡± Howell was in serious trouble, fiddling with the baby¡¯s hand. As the wizard Rodrigo said, considering the child¡¯s guiding power, it was right to send her to the temple. But she was also a child sentinel. The strongest Luster Sentinel he¡¯d ever seen. ¡°Even if I were a parent, I think I would deny the power of a guide.¡± Howell murmured coldly. All guides belong to the temple because of the scarcity of numbers. Guides belonging to the temple were treated like objects that lost human dignity. They existed only for the Sentinel, and most of them lost their lives while guiding indiscriminately. Same thing happened during the previous battle. Didn¡¯t one guide lose their lives while taking care of ten sentinels in front of him? ¡°Leader¡­ . Surely, the temple will notice it soon. I can¡¯t hide¡­ .¡± ¡°What if you increase the insignia of sealing¡­ ?¡± Howell lifted his head slowly and stared at him. Rodrigo¡¯s wrinkled eyes trembled. ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible for you? If you increase the seal of the seal by one or five, wouldn¡¯t it be hard for the temple to find her? Then this child will live as a sentinel.¡± ¡°Leader!¡± ¡°I take responsibility. I¡­ I will take care of this child.¡± Rodrigo, who was blown away by the wind, had to accept that he could no longer convince his stubborn master. ¡°As it is a risky job, I should be paid generously. And as I said before, five will not be enough. The power of the guide is not something you can fully press just by pushing it.¡± ¡°Do it anyway.¡± ¡°Ha, I see. By the way, you need the child¡¯s name to engrave the seal. It seems that the child¡¯s name starts with a D.¡± D? Howell drew a D with his fingertips on the girl¡¯s supple cheek, pondering it very briefly, then smiled softly. ¡°Dahlia. Dahlia Von Klose. From today on, this child¡¯s name is Dalia Von Klose.¡± Chapter 3 ¡°The Knights have just passed through the portal!¡± Good news flew to Blenheim House. After ten days and two days ago, the news that the knights were returning from the west of the Oden Mountains for subjugation. ¡°Madam, move slowly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Let¡¯s go and greet them.¡± Countess Yvon Von Klose, with the help of her maid, hurriedly left the chapel. At the news of Howell¡¯s return, she was so happy she was in tears. Wasn¡¯t this the third time he had left home this month alone? Weren¡¯t they still in their honeymoon phase? Since she had not been a countess for more than a year, so her husband¡¯s absence felt even greater. Yvon stood in front of the forest lake, north of the mansion, where there was a transporting portal. The old trees that have protected the Tezeba area since time immemorial grew to a great heights and covered the sky. This place, where the light penetrating through the crevices of the trees, created a sacred atmosphere, was one of the five major portals of the continent. Tezeba, blessed by the earth god Kayena. Ante, blessed with the wind god Roxylane. Reel blessed with the sea god Herion. Altera was blessed by the sky god Delis. And Eberdio, the capital of the Empire, was blessed by the sun god Icaruso. The portals that were created in these five places used the blessings of the gods as an energy source. Since transport could move more than 1,000 troops at a time without delay, it was used as a military strategic point. Yvon¡¯s heart was pounding at her already at the sound of heavy military boots getting closer. Perhaps the child in her womb also felt the mother¡¯s trembling, kicked lightly to announce his presence. As Yvon entered her eighth month of pregnancy, she gently stroked her bulging tummy. ¡°Greeting the knights!¡± When he lifted his head at someone¡¯s cry, the flag of the Knights of Blenheim appeared first over a huge passage under the stone statue. Following that, the knights with a tired look tumbled out of the passage. Yvon, who found Howell at the forefront, burst into tears. But she couldn¡¯t just be happy. She mourned for the knighthood whose number had been cut in half, and put her hands together in prayer. ¡°¡­ Yvon.¡± Closing her eyes, she lifted her head at Howell¡¯s voice above her head. Howell, messed with blood and dust, smiles faintly and spreads his arms. ¡°Honey.¡± Yvon wiped her tears and put her in Howell¡¯s arms. A light of relief spreaded across Howell¡¯s face after he embraced his beloved wife tightly. As if after a long, long journey, his whole body relaxed. *** ¡°Countess, this is the child.¡± Rodrigo placed the child wrapped in a dirty blanket in front of Yvon, then backed away. Yvon looked at the child¡¯s sleeping face that the wizard had put down. When she first heard that her husband had brought a baby, she thought the sky was falling. She almost asked if there was some kind of concubine that he didn¡¯t tell her about. However, she was relieved by the explanation that followed. ¡°This little baby¡­ . She saved the entire Order? I can¡¯t believe it.¡± Yvon murmured softly, as Howell, who was soaking in the bathtub, wiped his wet face and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Without even a single wound.¡± ¡°Then, is the child a sentinel?¡± Yvon gently touched the plump child¡¯s cheek. Then the child, who was babbling, grabbed Yvon¡¯s fingers. She was as soft as a feather, and she was such a small child that it seemed she would break if touched. ¡°Actually, he says she has the powers of both a sentinel and a guide. After destroying the gate with the power of the sentinel, she guiding and saved me. Yvon.¡± Howell got up from the water. He donned a gown hanging from the partition, came up to her, tying his knot loosely. She had lost her gaze to the child, then lifted her head and looked at Howell. Stripped of his blood and dust, her husband returned to being a proper handsome man. Water dripped from his dark brown hair. She looked again at his golden eyes and the child¡¯s blue eyes, and sighed again. Then he bent over and hugged her waist. He looked down at Dahlia, kissing his wife¡¯s belly. ¡°If you allow me, I want to make Dahlia a child of the Von Klose family.¡± ¡°She already has a name? You gave me a name without consulting me.¡± In response to coy Yvon¡¯s frivolous reply, he burst into laughter. But he soon spoke with a serious expression on his face. ¡°A child born with the power of a sentinel and a guide cannot live long. But to give up easily, this child is too strong.¡± ¡°Then¡­ .¡± ¡°I think Dahlia can lead a family with our unborn child. In the future, it may become our child¡¯s sword, and¡­ .¡± Howell couldn¡¯t say that Dahlia couldn¡¯t give up her power as a guide. The number of guides drastically decreased, and high-ranking sentinels were frantic to find their own guides. If, after reaching adulthood, Dahlia was equipped with the ability to properly wield both powers, it would be a lasting blessing for the family. Ultimately, he wouldn¡¯t even have to risk persecution and extortion from the temple to be assigned a guide. Howell felt bitter at the thought of using Dahlia, but he didn¡¯t want to give up. ¡°Give me permission, Yvon.¡± He kissed her troubled wife¡¯s temple and caressed her full belly. ¡°She who saved my life. So shouldn¡¯t I pay off that debt?¡± Yvon stroked Dahlia¡¯s frizzy hair and smiled as if she couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°I can¡¯t let go of the benefactor who saved my husband¡¯s life.¡± ¡°Yvon¡­ !¡± ¡°I need to find another nanny. Please call Mrs. Denver.¡± At the prompt permission, Howell hugged Yvon with a thrilled expression. Dahlia Von Klose. Officially, Dalia Von Klose entered the family two months later as one of the twins the Countess gave birth to. *** Chapter 4 17 years later. ¡°Have they been like that since morning?¡± It was 3pm when the sun was shining brightly. A tea table was set in the western garden with white spring flowers in full bloom. The Countess, in her wide-brimmed raffia hat, smiled as she looked at her daughter gracefully holding her teacup. ¡°Soon, it¡¯s the Sentinel promotion test, isn¡¯t it? If Gerald succeeds in awakening this time, he will become a Royal Sentinel just like his father. Isn¡¯t that wonderful?¡± Freesia, the maid serving Dahlia, put sweet cookies on her plate. Dahlia shifted her gaze to the place where swordsmanship training was in full swing, biting a cookie studded with vanilla beans. Two men training captured her blue eyes in sunlight. What was invisible to the ordinary human like Yvon she could see clearly. Even though the sentinel¡¯s power wasn¡¯t brought up, the sword masters¡¯ wooden swords fluttered with the shimmering power of the sword. Dahlia was fiddling with her strangely tickling fingers, and then she looked away. Then Yvon, who had been silently watching, changed the topic. ¡°By the way, hasn¡¯t it been 7 years since we last went to the capital?¡± Dahlia quietly nodded her head. ¡°When I became a sentinel at 10.¡± ¡°Right. A 10-year-old little lady got an advanced sentinel rank in one fell swoop, and the capital was taken aback. Remember?¡± ¡°And what am I doing now? Father said it was too dangerous. He won¡¯t even let me join the subjugations.¡± Dahlia¡¯s voice was swollen with complaints. It was the first time in the history of the Empire that a woman, nevermind a ten-year-old kid, had awakened as a higher sentinel. Of course, her exam was only a temporary expedient to distract the temple¡¯s attention. No one would have imagined that she, a senior sentinel, would also harbor the power of a guide. Howell had wanted her to receive the rank of a lower sentinel, but Dahlia, who failed to control her power, obtained the seal of a higher sentinel. But since then, Dahlia has remained in the estate as quiet as a dead mouse. In the meantime, many became senior sentinels, and Dalia Von Klose¡¯s name gradually faded from people¡¯s memories. ¡°If we go to the capital this time, we¡¯ll have to stay for about six months. In the meantime, you need to make your debut.¡± At the words of debutant, Dahlia¡¯s forehead wrinkled. ¡°Keep your dignity, Dahlia.¡± ¡°Men are boring.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you only see boring men. The men in the capital will be a little different.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s too early for me to get married.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to get married right away, Dahlia. When you grow up, there are times when you have to do things you don¡¯t like.¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s uncomfortable going there, Mom.¡± ¡°Indeed, the capital seems to make your brother uncomfortable too.¡± Yvon took a deep breath as she noticed her son running from afar. ¡°Marriage? Sister?¡± Gerald¡¯s face suddenly appeared, with his wooden sword down and appeared on his sister¡¯s shoulder. Drenched in sweat, he bit the cookie in her hand. She smiled and looked at Gerald, who had his chin on her shoulder. ¡°It was mine. That was the last vanilla cookie.¡± ¡°Because your taste is my taste. By the way¡­ . Why did the talk of marriage suddenly come up?¡± No matter how hard she tried to deflect the question, Gerald insisted on an answer. Rather, he hugged her tightly with his wet body, and the back of her new dress was wet. ¡°Gerald, keep your manners. Your sister is troubled.¡± Yvon looked at Howell approaching and asked for help with her eyes. But he couldn¡¯t stop Gerald¡¯s obsession with his sister. ¡°It¡¯s better than being on bad terms.¡± ¡°Nevertheless. Now that they¡¯re both adults, shouldn¡¯t there be an appropriate time and place?¡± ¡°Gerald. Listen to your mother.¡± Reluctantly, Howell spoke to him. From an early age, Gerald was particularly fond of and followed Dahlia. He held her hand everywhere he went, and even when he slept, he held onto her. His approximate fixation was instinctive. Born with the power of a sentinel, he instinctively felt her stability, who had the power of a guide. However, in the eyes of others who did not know the circumstances, it was inevitable that he was seen as an unusual figure, who was bizarrely beset with his twin sister. Yvon was worried about Gerald¡¯s growing obsession. At first, she thought when she adopted Dahlia she wished that the strength of the child would benefit the family, but not now. Dahlia was the lovely daughter of herself and Howell. So she prayed with her whole heart that she would not awaken any powers. She just wanted her to live without worries like now, led a normal life, meet someone she loved like her did, and to live a life full of affection. She wanted her daughter to be happy. ¡°Ah, the time¡­ .¡± Dahlia noticed Rodrigo¡¯s assistant appearing in the distance and got up. ¡°I have to go to class, so I¡¯ll leave first, Mom. And father.¡± Dahlia¡¯s lemon-colored hair, as her knees slightly bent in a curtsy, fluttered and swayed. Gerald, with a displeased expression, grabbed her wrist, but Howell stopped him. ¡°Gerald. Don¡¯t we still have a lot of work to do? Now, let Dahlia go.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never forced her, Father. I just want to see her off.¡± ¡°Your sister is not a child.¡± Then Gerald released her hand. Smiling Dahlia stroked his head as if she were treating her child. At the promise that she would see him in the evening, the tips of his ears turned red. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be back before dinner time.¡± Chapter 5 The apprentice wizard, who was wearing a thick robe, glanced at Dahlia and blushed. ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t interrupt tea time?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Rather, thank you for interrupting at the right time. I wanted to avoid something.¡± The apprentice wizard¡¯s heart sank at Dahlia¡¯s smile like the spring sunshine. Lady Dahlia Von Klose. Her von Klose, whom the Count and Countess loved, at first sight caused people to tilt their heads in perplexity. The symbol of Count Von Klose was their rich dark hair and golden eyes. But Dahlia had bright honey-coloured hair, blue eyes, and her skin was as white as a pearl. She certainly looked different from the healthy skin of Southerners blessed by the earth goddess Kayena. Meaning that Dahlia may not be of the Count¡¯s bloodline. But Howell was a man famous for being a ferocious lover. When did a man who never wanted to separate from his wife even for a moment commit infidelity? People didn¡¯t want to believe it, nor did they try to believe it. Rather, the popular theory was that they adopted a poor orphan. Was that all? The Count¡¯s son, Gerald, and his bizarre obsession ignited people¡¯s suspicions. The apprentice wizard led her to Rodrigo¡¯s room in the annex. ¡°Master, I have brought her with me.¡± 120 years old. Rodrigo, covering his thick book, greeted her with her bright smile. ¡°You came on time today, miss.¡± ¡°The timing was good. Why does Gerald hate me coming here so much?¡± ¡°Because the young master thinks I am bullying the young lady. It seems that you are always exhausted the days you arrive here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s maybe so.¡± Rodrigo sent his disciple out with a wink, then tapped the chair nearby. She sat in her chair familiarly and held out her hand. He rubbed her palm and then grabbed her tiny hand. Then, finding calluses that did not match the rest of her soft skin, he narrowed her eyes. ¡°Again.¡± Quick-witted old man. ¡°Pretend you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°If the master finds out, you will be in big trouble. He must have taught you not to use your power recklessly just yet?¡± ¡°I am, after all, an advanced sentinel. At least you have to be able to use that much power. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m making sure I control it properly.¡± Dahlia responded with an unassuming tone and urged Rodrigo. Then he let out a long sigh and drew a magic circle on Dahlia¡¯s palm, chanting a spell. It was a procedure to confirm the insignia of the seal engraved on her body. After checking that the spell had not been cracked or broken, he also engraved a new seal. Dahlia carried her strength along the twenty seals engraved on her body. The letter that appeared to be the letter D was enclosed in two circles, giving off a mysterious glow. It was not very pleasant to see it. The two dormant forces within her body felt like stagnant water rotting away. At least she was able to release the Sentinel¡¯s power a little bit, but there was no outlet for her Guide¡¯s power. The festering forces occasionally caused fevers, dizziness and vomiting, tormenting her. Each time that happened, Dahlia guided Howell. From a Sentinel¡¯s point of view, a guide¡¯s power was like a drug. Once tasted, high purity guiding was no different than a narcotic that cannot be stopped if you tried to stop it. But Howell overcame his addiction with his love for his daughter. He never took on her powers until she had problems with her health. But soon, Dahlia instinctively knew the time would come for her powers to flow. ¡°Are you going to the capital soon?¡± ¡°Yes. I think Gerald will be a Royal Sentinel.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t happen, but¡­ . I think it would be best for you not to go to the promotion test center.¡± Rodrigo, who released her hand, opened the book he had been looking at a while ago and drew a formula. With a few gestures of his, a new-shaped seal flashed across Dahlia¡¯s chest. ¡°The Royal Sentinel¡¯s promotion test center is in the Imperial Household. A place where many high-ranking sentinels get injured. The stronger the sentinel, the more pure guiding is required. If even one of them goes crazy¡­ . Instinctively, they will find the lady. The temple will not let you go.¡± With a solemn look Dahlia reached out her hand to the seal Rodrigo had made. Then, as if recognizing her master, the seal floating in the air was absorbed into her hand. Unlike usual, a heavier and tingly sensation spread around the heart. ¡°It is a seal of condensed power. One has the same strength as five seals. I wanted to reduce the number of seals to engrave and alleviate your pain a little bit.¡± ¡°Thank you, Rodrigo.¡± ¡°You have to live for a long time. Live like this old man.¡± ¡°So sentimental.¡± ¡°Still.¡± Having absorbed her seal she got up but because she had forcibly suppressed her rampant power, her stomach churned and her eyes clouded and twisted as if she was about to collapse. But even with this, Dahlia did not want to be a guide. She would rather have been born with only the power of a sentinel¡­ . Being locked up in a temple and living as someone¡¯s property was nothing less than a terrible curse.rned red. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be back before dinner time.¡± Chapter 6 ¡°I-I should get going.¡± ¡°You must rest today. Now that the new seal has been engraved, it will take some time for your body to accept it.¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°It must be difficult for you to move, so let me call an assistant. He can carry the lady to her room¡­ .¡± ¡°No.¡± Dahlia wrinkled her nose slightly and shook her head. She knew who owned the aura that leaked from outside the door. He had been standing in front of the door for five minutes and staring at the wall with straight eyes. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Gerald is here.¡± After Dahlia bid farewell to a dumbfounded Rodrigo, she opened the heavy door. Beyond the gap in the slowly opened door, Gerald, who still had on the same shirt stood there. Whether or not he had even been immersed in the lake with how wet his hair was, he made an impression as he looked down at the exhausted Dahlia. She closed the door before he began nagging Rodrigo. Then she stretched out her arms feeling crazy, and he lowered his body and hugged her as she ruffled his wet hair. ¡°I knew it, sister.¡± ¡°I am a little tired today. Will you take me to the bedroom?¡± As expected, he had jumped in and left the lake. Dahlia relaxed her face by rubbing her face against Gerald¡¯s cool nape and cheek. ¡°But what about training?¡± ¡°I won.¡± ¡°Lie. It must have been father let you win.¡± ¡°Regardless, winning is winning. By the way¡­ . Sister, you¡¯re a little heavy?¡± Dahlia in his arms, burst into laughter and pulled Gerald¡¯s ear. Then, raising his cheek and tilting her head, he hugged her tighter and stepped forward with an unstoppable gait. ¡°If I succeed in awakening as a Royal Sentinel, father will give me a new sword. Mother said she¡¯ll give me her northern annex. What about you? You¡­ What gift will you give me?¡± ¡°Um, well, I don¡¯t know. What would you like me to give you?¡± ¡°Anything my sister gives me will feel good.¡± ¡°Would you like me to grant you one wish?¡± At that, Gerald¡¯s steps stopped for a moment. However, he moved again without hesitation and spoke after a while. ¡°Let¡¯s do that. A wish¡­ . A wish, you must grant? Righ?.¡± ¡°Yes. But there¡¯s not much I can do for you.¡± ¡°No, there is.¡± She relaxed her tension and hugged his neck tightly. Her sleepiness poured in¡ª In fact, it was close to fainting, but she was not anxious. ¡°You-young master. What happened¡­ !¡± At the appearance of him holding his passed out sister, the faces of the servants turned blue. They looked worried thinking there had been an accident. ¡°My sister seems a little tired today, so everyone, please evacuate the second floor.¡± ¡°What? Is she unwell? Shall I call the doctor?¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re just sleeping, so don¡¯t make a fuss.¡± Chad, the chief servant, who entered the main house belatedly, approached and dismissed the servants. Then he quietly went up to the second floor ahead of Gerald and opened Dahlia¡¯s door. Gerald went inside and carefully laid her on the bed. Chief Chad waited silently for him. With a handsome appearance, possessing unparalleled dignity and detached personality that resembles Count Howell¡¯s youth, his son was the Count¡¯s pride and Chad¡¯s delight. So he was even more worried. ¡®Do you like her so much?¡¯ Soon, after the coming-of-age ceremony, the two of them should distance themselves from each other. That was the normal procedure for ordinary people. But, would it be possible? Chad concluded that he did not know. Then he urged Gerald, who was still standing in front of Dahlia. ¡°You must attend the meeting with the Count, young master. It is said that a gate was found northwest of the Mint.¡± Just then, Gerald looked away from Dahlia and frowned. ¡°If it¡¯s northwest of the Mint¡­ . the place that borders on the Archduchy of Edelred.¡± ¡°Yes. So the Count hastily called a meeting.¡± ¡°All right, let¡¯s go.¡± Gerald meticulously covered her body with a thin blanket and left the room. And he did not forget to look back on the door once more. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone enter my sister¡¯s bedroom, Chad.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Chapter 7 Howell and Gerald stood in front of the forest lake with the knighthood. A majestic stream of water flowed over the Kayena statue, creating a hazy water mist. Howell, who was informed that the portal had been activated a while ago, headed here with his son and the knights. The place where the coordinates were created was Altera in the western part of the Principality of Edelred. And now, the master was headed here. The Count stared at the passageway connected to the portal with a stiff countenance. Archduke Edelred was the third person in the line of succession to the throne and one of only five Luster Sentinels on the continent. Edelred was synonymous with flawlessness itself. Edelred, the most respected family in the empire, and the authority that even the temple could not offend. The fact that Archduke Edelred, who is called the example of nobility amongst the aristocrats, and was going to fight at a gate himself, meant that this was more to this gate. Howell looked down at his son, who stood silently beside him and relaxed his stern expression. ¡°Is this your first time seeing the Archduke in person?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Keep your manners. The Archduke is strong, but he¡¯s also a remarkable man. He is worthy of respect.¡± ¡°But forcibly opening a portal without notice doesn¡¯t seem like polite behavior at all.¡± The Count burst into laughter at his rebellious words. ¡°You have a point, but in the Empire, the Imperial family and the Edelreds can use the portal without needing permission. That¡¯s because¡­ . You will know when you meet.¡± Proudly, he stroked Gerald¡¯s head, and raised his head at the energy flowing from the passage. The lake in the forest oscillated. Deep-rooted trees shook, and microscopic ripples rose over the mirror-like waters. Howell politely greeted a group of ten men exiting the passageway. Gerald and the Knights also bowed their heads to the group with unusual energy. ¡°I greet His Highness, Archduke Leicester Tilbury Edelred.¡± The Archduke approached Howell and smiled brightly. ¡°Count Howell Von Klose. It¡¯s been a while.¡± The two men, who faced each other, shook hands silently, and then embraced each other warmly, as if too overwhelmed to utter words. It was like meeting a friend after a long time. ¡°Gerald, say hello and introduce yourself to the Archduke of Leicester.¡± ¡°I am Gerald Von Klose.¡± Gerald, who greeted him fairly plainly compared to his father, raised his head with a moderate smile. However, it was not Archduke Edelred whose glaze he met. He was a man standing next to the Archduke and watching him. With a terribly beautiful appearance. Between the black hair that covered his forehead and flowed down, his red eyes, like a drop of blood, were directed towards him. Gerald soon realized that he was the rumored Duke of Edelred, Jurgen Axel Edelred. The gossip magnates called him the ¡®Fifth Returnee¡¯ or ¡®the Shadow Prince¡¯. He didn¡¯t know why he was called ¡®The Fifth Regressor¡¯, but he knew why he was called ¡®The Shadow Prince.¡¯ It was because Jurgen Axel Edelred was the only target for the Crown Prince, who dared to call him ¡®Mad Dog.¡¯ Yet the ¡®dog¡¯ lowered his tail and asked him for advice. Gerald frowned as he recalled the rumors about Jurgen that had spread within the Sentinel Academy. But why are you looking at me like that? He felt uncomfortable with Jurgen¡¯s eyes which dug into him with a strange intensity. ¡°This is my son, Jurgen. You too, greet the Count.¡± Jurgen, who took his eyes off Gerald just then, smiled readily and became formal with Howell. ¡°This is Jurgen Axel Edelred.¡± ¡°A pleasure meeting you, Duke.¡± Those who greeted each other left the forest lake without delay. The gentle light of the setting sun poured over the heads of those who have left the sacred realm of Kayena. The Count¡¯s employees lined up on the left and right side of the passage connected to the mansion to welcome guests. Everyone glanced at the guests from the West and swallowed silent exclamations. As if carved from ice, their icy elegance overwhelmed their surroundings. ¡°I will take you to your room first. After a little bit of rest, let¡¯s continue the conversation at the dinner table.¡± ¡°Thank you for caring about us, who are no different then uninvited guests. Count Von Klose.¡± ¡°What do you mean, an uninvited guest? It is a great honor to serve the Archduke.¡± Supervising them in the mansion was the job of the hostess, Yvon Bonkloze. Yvon, who was waiting at the entrance, approached with graceful steps. At that, Gerald hurriedly told Howell. ¡°Father. Sister is not feeling well, so I don¡¯t think she will be able to attend the dinner.¡± The eyes of the two men turned to the direction of Rodrigo¡¯s annex for a moment. Howell understood his meaning, and then nodded his head with a worried look. ¡°She¡¯s not feeling well, it can¡¯t be helped. Take good care of Dahlia.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Again. Gerald raised his head and met Jurgen¡¯s striking eyes again. But this time it was a little different. A faint crack appeared on that ice-cold face. As Jurgen minutely narrowed his brow and for a second shed his false smile, inaudibly smirking¡ªGerald saw everything clearly. He covered his mouth with his hand and smiled obliquely, A short sigh of ¡®Oh¡­I see.¡¯ leaks out. Gerald, who struggled to shake off the feeling of being overwhelmed, left first. He wanted to get out of this disgusting feeling of something pressing down on his stomach. There was only one way. Without hesitation, he went up to the second floor of the mansion and opened Dahlia¡¯s door. *** Chapter 8 The southern night sky was not completely dark. At first glance, Jurgen¡¯s eyes widened as he looked up at the blue night sky. After dinner, he left the banquet hall and walked along the promenade the Countess had mentioned before, and burst into laughter that had been suppressed. This is¡ªthis is absurd! ¡°The future¡­ changed?¡± Talking to himself, he halted in the middle of the path. The Count Von Klose¡­ he remembered was a family of misfortune that ended with Count Howell. About 17 years ago, Count Howell was seriously wounded at the gate that was created in the northwest of the Oden Mountains. In the accident, he lost one of his arms and a leg, and the Countess suffered a traumatic miscarriage of his child. The two tried to carry on the family line somehow, but the gods did not grant them heirs. In the end, the Countess first died in an accident, and after less than a year, the Count took his own life. That was the past that Jurgen remembered. However, during the five regressions, the fate of the Von Klose family, which had never changed¡ªfor some reason changed! Seventeen years ago, it was not enough that Count Howell returned from the ancient gate intact, there was also a heir to carry on the family for future generations. Jurgen raised his head, wiping his dry face. What the hell was changing the future, he didn¡¯t know. If so, has my future and my predestined fate changed? From Jurgen¡¯s head to his toes, creepy goosebumps swelled over his body. ¡®The Fifth Returner.¡¯ It had been rumors that he had spread himself. Always repeating life and death. During his five iterations of life regression, he managed to change his future little by little. But they were only very minor changes. A certain set of events occurred, someone died, and he himself also lost his life without being able to climb over the wall. This is the first time that fate had changed so noticeably. ¡®How about that subjugation¡­ .¡¯ The day his father, Archduke Leicester, went berserk during a subjugation. His father didn¡¯t receive timely guiding became a maniac and is imprisoned in the basement of the temple. However, today, I was surprised to learn that the portal with Tezeba was connected. I doubted my ears when I heard that the County of Von Klose, who I thought was to be extinct, had become a symbol of abundance and prosperity. Maybe this time, he can stop his father¡¯s runaway. ¡°Sister!¡± Jurgen, leaning obliquely against the thick tree, raised his head to a shout from the second floor of the diagonal building. ¡°Right now¡ª get Rodrigo!¡± The voice belonged to Gerald Von Klose. It was the first time he materialized. He was the heir to the county. Jurgen¡¯s eyes narrowed as he remembered Gerald, who had been distracted by something throughout the meal. Stroking his red lips, he found a group of wizards running from the northern outbuilding. ¡®A sister¡­ .¡¯ Intrigued, he entered the building at a casual pace and climbed the stairs. Usually if there was a patient, and the hands had wet towels and silver basins and were busily coming and going. Then, Jurgen reached the second floor and stood in front of the noisy door. A bluish energy emanating from the inside of the tightly closed entrance wrapped around his feet. It was quickly sucked into his body. ¡®A guide¡­ ?¡¯ Are you a high level guide? But for the power of an ordinary guide, the energy was too clean and clear. ¡®Ha.¡¯ Laughing, he clenched and extended his fists, glaring at the cream-colored elegant door. Perhaps¡­ It occurred to him the reason why, 17 years ago, Count Howell was able to return from fighting at the gate intact was because of this. Jurgen opened the door without hesitation. Manufacturing a look of surprise, as if he had come in worried about the commotion, he found a woman in Gerald¡¯s arms. Her cheeks were red with a rosy-honey-colored hair stretched out. Her fever was rising, she struggled and buried her face in Gerald¡¯s neck. The gentle scent of the woman was carried by the wind blowing through the wide open window. Jurgen clenched his fists, holding back his laughter that was about to come out. A second human being, who could not¡ªshould not¡ª exist in the world, was in front of him. Appearing in front of him in a very interesting form, she also exuded the sweet scent of the most powerful of guides, Liberty. ¡°Sir Edelred, what are you doing here?¡± Chapter 9 Gerald, who put Dahlia on the bed and stretched the curtains of her canopy, approached Jurgen. The eyes of two men of similar height collided and sent out sparks in the air. ¡°This is my sister¡¯s room. Sir, you can¡¯t just walk in¡­.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she a guide?¡± For a moment, Gerald¡¯s frown crumpled fiercely. Jurgen wanted to check the woman¡¯s condition. But Gerald donned a stern look and firmly blocked his way. ¡°She¡¯s not a guide. My sister is a senior sentinel. And since this is the lady¡¯s room, sir, please leave.¡± ¡°Sentinel?¡± ¡°Yes. My sister is a sentinel.¡± Jurgen glanced at her shadow cast on the bed curtain. The attendants were busily moving for the sick patient, but, unbelievably, the power of a guide that had filled the room just before had disappeared without a trace. ¡°I was mistaken. Excuse me.¡± After Jurgen politely apologized, he turned around. Then, Gerald quickly followed and blocked him. ¡°Sir Edelred, may I ask for your grade, if you don¡¯t mind?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It is an ordinary question. I¡¯ve heard rumors floating around within the Sentinel Academy. Rumor has it that you never took a rating test.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I wonder why.¡± Jurgen lowered his distinctive languid gaze and took in the sight of his highly hostile state. His grade¡­ . It was a question everyone was curious about, but no one dared ask. No one dared to question the reason behind his actions. Maybe that¡¯s why Gerald¡¯s question was a bit surprising. ¡°If I had to pinpoint a reason, I¡¯d say because it¡¯s annoying¡­ ?¡± His eyes widened in surprise at the man¡¯s unexpected answer. Then, after a moment it occurred to him that Jurgen was probably disparaging him with a quip, so the tips of his ears turned red. ¡°I was rude. I apologize.¡± ¡°Not rude. I was being honest.¡± Gerald raised his eyes as if he was baffled. At his perplexed countenance Jurgen smiled gently. ¡°Are you a senior?¡± ¡°Yes. I will soon try out for the royal sentinels.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After cutting off the conversation, he turned around. He wasn¡¯t curious about him, he was curious about that woman. He could not have confused the powers of a guide with the energy of a sentinel. Besides, the abilities of guides and sentinels were fundamentally different, so it was impossible to misunderstand them. So what was that power? A brief displeasure flickered over Jurgen¡¯s graceful complexion. It is possible to hide the magnitude of the power, but it is impossible for even a high-ranking sentinel to erase the traces of the power itself. Jurgen recollected the woman¡¯s face buried in her ¡®brother¡¯s¡¯ neck. They did not look alike. Instinctively, sentinels found a guide and were drawn to their power. Sentinels were bound to confuse the instinct for love. Jurgen tilted his head, remembering his expression as he looked at his sister. Interestingly, Gerald¡¯s manner towards his sister a moment ago indicated that the relationship was not that of ordinary siblings. But if she has the power of a guide, wouldn¡¯t he be understandable? But what about him declaring her a Sentinel? Jurgen thought deeply after a very long time. As the same boring life repeated over and over, his character became more and more dry. He was exhausted. It was like reading a tedious and tiresome book over and over again. How dull. But now, the future has changed. Jurgen, who was walking across the blue carpeted hallway, halted at the sudden flash of memory. ¡°How unexpected.¡± A faint smile crept across his lips. *** Hot tea was placed in front of Count Howell and the Archduke of Leicester, both who were sitting across from each other. The South considered wind precious. So, there were a lot of windows in the mansion, and a wind chime was attached to each tree. The mysterious sound of glass tinkling came from somewhere in the breeze. ¡°Now tell me. The gate conjured this time is an intermediate level gate at most. Not a gate worthy of the Archduke to get involved with.¡± Howell frankly brought up the subject without even touching the tea. The only time Archduke Edelred bothered going to the capital was at the request of the emperor¡¯s call, such as the coronation of the emperor or a grand banquet held by the imperial family. Both families, respected by the nobility, were not interested in the social world. Their strong power did not require the leverage of high society. For that reason, all sorts of strange gossip abounded, but no one was foolish enough to utter it in front of them. ¡°The Count has been protecting the lands from the gates for a long time. Have you sensed anything unusual this time?¡± ¡°What do you mean unusual?¡± The Archduke¡¯s strict yet bold stare peered directly into Howell¡¯s eyes. Branches with sharp leaves swayed in the windy current beyond the room¡¯s wide open window. Want to Chapter 10 ¡°You have often experienced anomalies. Many times gates graded as intermediate mutated into advanced or high-level gates with ancient or never before seen monsters pouring out of them. And those creatures are unusually regenerative with repeated and rapid rebirth and divisional offspring. In summation, a gate to hell.¡± I remember. How can I forget? Howell recalled, gritting his molars, recalling the gate that had allowed him to meet Dahlia 17 years ago. Indeed, as the Archduke said, it was a gate to hell. Did that mean the Archduke had also faced such monsters that devoured his men and drove them to the brink of insanity? A thick vein stood out on Howell¡¯s neck. ¡°Yes, I have faced such a thing before.¡± ¡°Then it will be easier to explain.¡± With a stern smile, the Archduke, who put down his teacup, leaded forward. ¡°Such gates are not created naturally. It¡¯s an ¡®abnormal gate¡¯ that is created when a ¡®Plum¡¯s¡¯ failed experiment goes awry.¡± Coolness filled Howell¡¯s golden eyes. No one in the Empire was ignorant of Plum¡¯s existence. Plum¡¯s notoriety floated like a fearful myth not only in the central great empire of Marcania, but also amongst those in the west and east. There were whispers of them kidnapping children for all sorts of bizarre experiments, and even turning a whole village into a ruin after an experiment. But people could only guess what it was they were testing. So most people had heard of them, but didn¡¯t believe in them. Like a boogeyman to scare unruly children into compliance. ¡°If Plum actually existed ¡­ .¡± ¡°Plum exists. Their tests are very bizarre. They seem to be trying to create a different race by combining the powers of guides and sentinels in one body. They kidnap full-term pregnant women and use their newborn babies for experiments.¡± Unwittingly, Howell smashed the table and got up. ¡°Ridiculous! Merging the forces of guides and sentinels!¡± ¡°At first, I had the same reaction as you. But¡­ . it¡¯s true They will deal with the bodies of children who failed their experiments by dumping them inside the gate. The beginning of the discovery started with a Sentinel discovering the body of a baby who had not yet been eaten by demons while he was subduing the gate.¡± Experiments. Bodies of children. Fare for demons. Howell felt his head go white, and closed his eyes tightly. 17 years ago, at that gate. Where Dahlia was found. In the place where the gate used to be¡­ . All kinds of disturbing imaginations involving baby Dahlia corroded his mind. Howell slumped into his chair like a shocked man, clenching his fists as his shoulders shook and grew stiff. ¡°Those¡­ . What are you planning to do with them? They shouldn¡¯t exist, they are worse than scum! They have given up on being human.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I came to see you.¡± Howell had a foreboding. Lester Edelred sat cross legged and met Howell¡¯s eyes with a solemn smile. ¡°I am in the process of creating an order of knights made of only sentinels at the command of His Majesty the Emperor. Resembling an army. The Mascanian Empire will declare war on Plum.¡± Howell¡¯s dark eyebrows twitched. Archduke Edelred, who thought the Count was interested, found his opportunity and made a proposal. ¡°I want you to be a part of my team managing the Sentinel Knights, Count Howell. In addition¡­ . I heard you have a daughter. Wasn¡¯t she granted a rank of Advanced Sentinel at the age of only ten?¡± ¡°Lord! Dahlia¡ª¡± ¡°Let that child join the Sentinel Knights. Shouldn¡¯t your son and heir stay on the estate to protect Tezeba? It¡¯s His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s order that all noble families are to participate.¡± Howell¡¯s eyes lost focus. After a moment he wiped his distressed face. It didn¡¯t matter who ordered it, he could not have Dahlia join the Sentinel Knights Order. Two powers coexisted in her body. If people found out¡­ . It would not go well. The situation would already be grim if her guide energy was discovered. She would be dragged to the temple without hesitation. The Archduke continued, clutching Howell¡¯s shoulders with a sympathetic heart: ¡°I also enlisted my one and only son into the knighthood. The territory was entrusted to the Etna Knights. We can no longer sit back and watch them devour the continent any longer.¡± ¡°But, Archduke. Dahlia is a girl. Soon¡ª she will make her debut and find a good marriage. She has the powers of a sentinel, but she wants to live a normal life¡­ .¡± Howell¡¯s gaze quivered, and his breathing became uneven. ¡°I understand your heart, Count Howell. A good marriage¡­ . But since she was born with the power of a sentinel, she can¡¯t live a normal life, can she? So please deliberate over it.¡± The Archduke rose from his seat. When the door opened, the waiting attendants greeted and guided the guests. Perhaps the servants overheard the conversation between the two for their expressions were grim. Then Yvon, who was supervising outside, pounced on and hugged her heartbroken husband. ¡°Honey¡­ .¡± ¡°Damn it¡­ !¡± The Count embraced his wife, around her waist and buried his face in her nape. Perhaps because of the shocking news, his condition was not good. Yvon ordered the attendant to bring a guide. Shortly thereafter, a young-faced guide knelt in front of him. Then, holding his hand, he commenced guiding. Gradually, Howell¡¯s frantic energy began to stabilize. His brightly shining eyes found their hue and sanity, and his grip relaxed. Recovery rate is 38%. Normally, guiding was conducted through a more primitive contact. But Howell had never kissed anyone other than Yvon. ¡°Get out of here.¡± After dismissing the guide, he closed his eyes tightly, pulled Yvon¡¯s hand, and placed it on his lap. She took in a breath she had been holding back and began stroking her husband¡¯s face. She kissed his forehead. ¡°Sometimes I wish I was a guide.¡± ¡°You, as you are, are enough.¡± ¡°When we go to the capital, make sure to stop by a temple and get proper guiding. Promise?¡± Nodding in compliance, Howell sighed, burying his face in Yvon¡¯s chest. ¡°Honey. Dahlia¡¯s wedding¡­ we have to hurry. Let¡¯s look into noble families without power or political ties. It needs to happen soon.¡± Chapter 11 Dahlia¡¯s eyes opened upon the dawning awareness of someone¡¯s breath tickling her skin. Beyond her bed¡¯s canopy drawn around her, her obscured view of her familiar room reassured her. She seemed to have lost consciousness due to her high fever. Damn it, Rodrigo. You never told me it would hurt this much! Dahlia lifted the man¡¯s arm laid across her waist and then sat up. The arm belonged to Gerald who was lying behind her, still soundly asleep. To the servants who did not know the full story, it seemed so scandalous enough to faint over, but for her, it was everyday life. [t1v: um who¡¯s going to tell her?] Now, regardless of the time or place he seemed to appear so how could she think of it as surprising? Especially, on the days that her seals were revised Gerald stayed by her side all day. They never knew when she might have a seizure. My kind, cunning brother. Dahlia smiled faintly, carefully stroking his handsome eyebrows. Gerald was obsessed with her because he was a sentinel. Sentinels were instinctively drawn to guides that were compatible with each other. Dahlia took off the shirt he had draped over her and looked down at him. She felt a little lonely and had an impending sense of melancholy. ¡®Shall I go for a walk?¡¯ Stretching her arms, she pushed aside the bed¡¯s curtains and left the mattress. She was now fully awake; feeling stuffy, hot and sweaty. In the dim moonlight, there were traces of nursing around the bedroom. There was a basin of water and towels on the table, and there were also several vials of antipyretics to relieve fevers. Dahlia slowly walked around the room, took out her gown and put it on. Because her body hadn¡¯t cooled down yet, she still felt dizzy. It was early in the morning when everyone was asleep but in the still air, she could still feel an unfamiliar energy and a strange atmosphere. After passing through the water-colored carpet, Dahlia headed to the balcony on the second floor. Dahlia loved the view from the eastern balcony of the mansion. Beyond the small plain, an endless sea that reached the horizon could be seen from there. Tezeba is the only place in the central empire of Marcania where you could witness the sea. The high-ranking nobles of the Empire would often visit Count Howell and ask for permission to build a villa on the shores of Pyrenees Beach. Count Howell, however, did not accept any bids or pleds. It was to protect her. ¡°Ha¡­ .¡± Dahlia sat down on the sofa covered with a white cloth, looking at the awe-inspiring scenery. When she tilted her head back, she took in the view of the Milky Way, enveloped in a blue brilliance. Beautiful, but terrifying. As if with a slight glance, the stars could fall and pour down on her head. Dahlia was half lying on the sofa on the terrace. Her hand was on her solar plexus, sensing the uncomfortable heat that persisted from the engraved seal. Parts of it were so hot that she couldn¡¯t leave her hand on it for long. ¡®What happened¡­ .¡¯ She peeked down and lifted the front of her pajamas. The seal, which had been blue when it was first engraved, had now changed to a shade close to pink. ¡°That¡¯s strange¡­ .¡± Absorbed seals never stayed on the skin for so long, except in special cases. The only special case was when her father or Gerald appeared in front of her right before they were about to go amok. When that happened, her seal got so hot that it felt like it was about to break. But Gerald, who had been sleeping by her side a moment ago, had no aura of risking a runaway at all. Then why? ¡°Miss Von Klose is fearless.¡± As her uneasy sense of trepidation rose, a waft of cigar smoke rose along with the voice of a strange man. Dahlia, startled, pulled her robe down and got up. ¡°Who are you sir?¡± Wary of strangers, Dahlia lifted up her sentinel energy. Her hair began to sway as if submerged in water from the power that started from under her feet. ¡°Weren¡¯t you informed that guests were visiting?¡± It wasn¡¯t due to happenstance that she had been unable to detect the man¡¯s presence. Like the blue night sky, a source of darkness that covered the earth, the man¡¯s form was extremely black. A raven silk shirt with jet-black hair that lightly obscured his forehead and eyes. Even his pants and shoes were all ebony. The only pigment on the man was his red eyes. Dahlia adjusted her gown a little more and took a step back from him. Then, the man leaning against the balcony railing tilted his head at an overt angle, as if observing something highly amusing. In the back of her mind a flash of a thought found the similitude between the glowing embers of the cigarette between his fingers and his eyes. When the rising smoke broke their connected gazes, the tense silence between them also cracked. ¡°If you are a guest, you should retain the manners befitting a guest. Who are you sir?¡± [t1v: she¡¯s using a polite tense appropriate for strangers and he¡¯s talking down/casually to her before even introducing himself¡ªhence why he¡¯s coming off even ruder] Dahlia had a premonition that she should still address him with care, so as she glared at him she maintained her composure. The man rubbed his shortened cigar in the crystal ashtray that was on the railing and stood up straight. His bangs that had slightly shrouded his stare before now swayed, so his red eyes darkly watching her was more starkly scrutinizing her. It was as if he could see through her. She was instinctively wary of men. Combined with his blatant irreverence, his intimidating aura was overwhelming. Unmistakably, he was a sentinel. At the very least, a high-ranking sentinel, above even a royal rated sentinel¡­ . Was that why the seal reacted? ¡°The introduction is overdue.¡± The man who emanated a heavy perilous and menacing air just a moment ago was now gracefully introducing himself politely as if he was a completely different person. ¡°My name is Jurgen Axel Edelred, master of Altera, my dear lady.¡± Chapter 12 Edelred, masters of Altera. Dahlia pondered over the familiar name for a moment, recalling the aristocratic familial titles and lands that she had memorized in class. ¡°The Ducal Prince of Edelred¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯m delighted that you know me, miss.¡± ¡°¡­ I am Dahlia Von Klose.¡± She still was puzzled as to why he was here but since they were formally introduced and she knew his identity, she had no choice but to keep her manners. Nevertheless, it was dangerous to open herself up to recover the sentinel energy she displayed beforehand. Instinct warned that she shouldn¡¯t do it. ¡°Your condition?¡± Dahlia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the friendly tone. Are you worried about my condition? How¡­ . Immediately, the pit of Dahlia¡¯s stomach began to burn. Masking her ailment, she invisibly gasped and pretended to fasten her gown against the blowing in the wind as she pressed down on her painful abdomen. Then, his deep gaze, sharpened and narrowed. He slowly approached her and asked again: ¡°Do you still have a fever?¡± Dahlia found the heavy aura engulfing and growing deeper with every step he took towards her. A blood-red energy flared up. It was a kind of stare down contest between sentinels. The man seemed to have misinterpreted the fact that she did not withdraw her sentinel power from their surroundings. But if she retrieved the energy while her seal was activated and frail she didn¡¯t know what would happen. Dahlia silently cursed Rodrigo for engraving the new seals today. ¡­ Shall I just kill him? Dahlia¡¯s blue eyes flashed with life for a second. If her Luster-graded sentinel¡¯s strength attacked him no matter how manly and great he was, he would not be able to withstand her power. But¡­Instead, her father would be in trouble. He would be condemned to death for the murder of a nobleman. The heat that started in the pit of her stomach crawled down towards her navel. It was slithering down like a snake, and then it filled her belly and tried to leak out as a sweet scent. Swallowing her curses, Dahlia glared at the beautiful villain in front of her, and wiped her locked neck. For a moment, Jurgen¡¯s faint smile had a fleeting sense of craftiness that wafted. ¡°Dahlia!¡± Just in time, Gerald¡¯s voice broke the thick tension between the two of them, its heaviness evaporating in an instant as if a spell had broke. Jurgen, now no longer smirking, put his hand in his pocket, as he halted his steps forward. ¡°Ha!¡± Indeed, again¡ªas expected, it was Gerald Von Klose who opened the balcony door and barged in. With an alarmed look, he took in the sight of Dahlia in her pajamas, and wrapped her in his arms. She found stability instantly and was able to reclaim her power. It was thanks to Gerald¡¯s refreshing energy that enveloped her. ¡°Gerald, you¡­ !¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be walking around like this when you still haven¡¯t fully recovered!¡± ¡°Gerald, calm down. What are you doing in front of a guest?¡± Indeed, she¡¯d rather be locked up in her room. Embarrassed, Dahlia took off Gerald¡¯s arm and pulled in her robe a little more. She didn¡¯t want to make a commotion, over a situation that almost reached the worst possible outcome. ¡°Excuse me, Sir Edelred.¡± ¡°You seem to still have a high fever.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m rather illdisposed. So I¡¯ll have to bid you farewell now and go back to my room. Gerald, you go to your room.¡± Dahlia, who parted with the utmost courtesy and formality, impatiently left the balcony. What the hell was that just now? Did he notice that she bore the power of a guide? Is that why you tried to forcefully break the seal? Panicking, thoughts and questions swirled in her head, when belatedly she realized later that she had been standing in front of a strange man in her pajamas. The tips of her ears turned red. She ridiculed herself for her carelessness. Dahlia ran down the hallway and returned to her room, forgetting her dignity. Locking her door so no one could enter, she poured the water from her basin over her head. The lukewarm water poured down from her crown to her toes. But it wasn¡¯t enough to lower her fever. Exhaling a heated breath, Dahlia took off her gown with a strange foreboding. Looking at the mirror in front of her, her lips trembled. Transparent wet cloth revealed her insignia blazing with a vivid red. It was the same for the seal below her belly button, exactly where she felt heat a little while ago. ¡®Damn it¡­.¡¯ *** Jurgen approached the sofa where Dahlia had been lying a moment ago. Then, he brushed his hand across the surface of the cotton fabric, where her body temperature could not be felt. Her energy, like fine grains of sand, is faintly glimmered on his palm. Jurgen sat down at the table in front of the couch with a laugh and grabbed the material covering the sofa and pulled it. He buried his face in the tugged cloth and took a deep breath. A scent sweet like an incense and a sharp force that stabbed each and every cell spread deep into his lungs. A terrifyingly intoxicating ability that made people drowsy and confused. Jurgen slowly opened his eyes. His brightly shining stare began to find its own vitality, and an unbearable laughter erupted. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ . a guide.¡± Intriguing and amusing to observe that woman lying on the sofa without even knowing he was there. The woman muttered to herself, unknowingly exuding the scent of Liberty, [t1v: ¡°Liberty¡± is the title/noun for the highest/OP-level of guides] which he had only smelled once in his five regressions. She wasn¡¯t undesirable. Her appearance and her voice. There was something about her demeanour rather than striking looks that made her a curiously eye-catching woman. Yet, this woman hid her guide¡¯s scent by raising her high-level sentinel abilities. Rather naturally. ¡°So she has the powers of a sentinel and a guide at the same time¡­ ?¡± Jurgen¡¯s heartbeat started to race like a man who had found an unexpected treasure. If Dalia Von Klose was a miracle that saved Count Howell¡­ . If she was the key to changing the future¡­ . His captivating lips drew a smirk. But still his heart was beating faster and louder than before. ¡®I must have her.¡¯ ¡°Dahlia¡­ Von Klose.¡± Chapter 13 A luxurious breakfast of sumptuous Southern Tezeban cuisine was arranged for outdoor dining. Under the pergola where the sweet-sour grape vines cast comfortable shadows, lay fresh salads, still-hot baked bread loafs, juicy chicken in gravy and the region¡¯s exclusive white berries filling plate after plate. An exhausted Dahlia unable to go back to sleep, quelled her fatigued regard as she watched dish after dish constantly being served. In general, the people of the Count¡¯s mansion had a good appetite and were well-fed so setting up a generous table was standard, but this was the first time she had such an excessive breakfast. ¡°It¡¯s a southern morning feast that I¡¯ve only heard of before,¡± the Archduke remarked with admiration. Since he had spoken, everyone¡¯s eyes dining at the table turned to him. It was the same for Dahlia, but she quickly shifted her gaze to the front. Coincidentally, the person sitting opposite of her was Jurgen whom she had only met last night. Unlike last night, he was wearing a white shirt and a blue vest. The man¡¯s hard body was clearly visible through the open collar complete with a couple of undone buttons down his front. She frowned and looked away from his unkempt figure. Then, as he stared at Dahlia with an unknown smile, he raised a fork. Yvon surveyed around the table at the strangely sharp men today and opened the conversation, ¡°White berries are the specialty of Tezeba. It is very sweet, but the last notes of its taste are refreshing like a lemon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it. Etna¡¯s head chef once made a dessert out of it. My wife loved it.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll prepare some white berries for you to take back. We select the most outstanding varieties and breed the best through the seedlings.¡± ¡°Thank you, Countess.¡± Yvon and the Archduke continued conversing without a lull. They quietly exchange topics such as ¡®how did you sleep?¡¯, the climate and weather, and news about the imperial family and the capital. When Dahlia was about to place the salad plate in front of her, Gerald, who was sitting next to her, offered his white berries. ¡°Sister, you should eat something sweet after getting sick.¡± ¡°Thank you, but¡­ . It¡¯s too much to eat yours, Gerald.¡± Instead, he brazenly took the plate. ¡°I take care of the greens.¡± ¡°Gerald, Dahlia should have a balanced meal.¡± Despite Yvon¡¯s response, he did not return her salad. Dahlia was internally pleased. She liked meat more than vegetables, and she loved white berries much more than meat. It was when Dahlia opened her mouth wide, ready to eat slices of meat topped and loaded with white berries¡ªher eyes met Jurgen¡¯s, who was sitting opposite her. The man who cracked her seals last night and threateningly demonstrated his power, was now staring at her with a gentle and soft gaze as if he were in love. The fingers holding his fork were so long and straight that it caught her eye. Instead, Dahlia put her food in her mouth without avoiding Jurgen¡¯s gaze with a chilling grimace and sharp glare. The sweet fruit¡¯s pulp burst and the salvory surface of the chicken spread throughout her mouth, giving rise to the satisfied smile across her face. ¡°Young Duke, stop staring a hole in my sister¡¯s face and focus on your meal.¡± The clack of silverware hitting the plate was particularly loud. Dahlia, who had just swallowed her food, shot a shocked and distressed look at Gerald. ¡°Gerald, how could you¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s because Miss Von Klose is so incredibly beautiful.¡± Count Howell¡¯s glass fell with a clamorous clank. Howell glared at Jurgen with a fiercely sullen look and clenched his fists on his table. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a jest to be had at the dining table, Young Duke.¡± ¡°I am not joking.¡± ¡°Then¡­ . Why are you saying that all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I want to propose marriage.¡± Jurgen¡¯s steady gaze with a handsome, beaming smile on his confident face, turned to Dahlia again. She wanted to faint. Their gazes met at a point. Dahlia put her fork down and did not lose to Jurgen¡¯s stare. Plainly, he had some plan. There was no affection in that man¡¯s regard. Those eyes were not in love, but dotted with interest or curiosity. At the sudden proposal of Duke Leicester, the Archduke of Leicester [t1v: Jurgen is the Duke while his father is the Archduke] sealed his mouth in utter bewilderment, and Howell¡¯s face turned pale. If Gerald had not got up and left after hitting the table, Dahlia might have had to answer the proposal right there. ¡°Nevertheless¡­.. my daughter is still a child who hasn¡¯t even made her debut yet. We are grateful for the Young Duke¡¯s proposal, but the timing is not right.¡± At the chilly atmosphere that had become a thin ice sheet ready to crack, Yvon gracefully lightened the mood and persuaded everyone to eat again and carry on with the meal. However, Jurgen was the only one who started eating calmly. He showed impeccable dining etiquette. The sequence of cutting food, putting it in his mouth, and swallowing was almost reverent. Determined, Dahlia also finished her meal steadfastly amid the chaotic ambiance. She made frequent eye contact with the Duke, and they exchanged polite ascetic smiles as if all was serene. And at some point she was sure. Jurgen Axel Edelred. That he noticed two powers mingling within her. And that this marriage proposal was the first test he had thrown at her. *** You can read Chapter 14 ¡°What were you thinking, Jurgen?¡± A temporary portal had been created near the northwest gate of the Mint. It was an advanced portal created by Rodrigo Brandel, the magician of Count Von Klose. The Archduke of Leicester, who had just arrived from the portal, stood next to Jurgen, who had arrived first. The intermediate gate had transformed into an advanced gate of absorbing all the life forms over an area of 60 Herham in one day. Jurgen, scanning the area turning into a desert, replied calmly: ¡°It¡¯s just as you¡¯ve seen. I¡¯d like to propose to Miss Von Klose.¡± The dark energy of the gate dyed the sky black. It was filled with eerie heavy, dim clouds, as if black rain was threatening to pour down. As the sentinels of the Knights of Blenheim arrived one by one through the portal, the momentum around them began to change. There was an aura and energy that did not exist in the past. Jurgen looked at the Archduke of Leicester standing next to him with a fresh expression on his face. Maybe, today would not be his last day with his father. At this rate, it might even be possible to destroy and close the gate without much harm. ¡°Don¡¯t be unreasonable. We are already in the middle of discussing your betrothal with the imperial family. As soon as we arrived in the capital, we were going to hold the engagement ceremony between you and the princess¡ª But all of a sudden¡ª what is this?!¡± ¡°The Princess the person Prince Reynon wants to get rid of the most, father.¡± The Archduke¡¯s eyes fluttered at Jurgen¡¯s assertion. The princess dies. The only guide with her freedom guaranteed in the Empire was Julia von Leonardo, the princess and immediate family of the imperial family. However, sooner or later, she will be killed while trying to stop the runaway of the Crown Prince Reynon. The Mad Dog, Prince Raynon¡¯s reverse guiding, causes her death. That scandal is fuel for the temple to draw up a strict ban against reverse guiding, but that did not bring Julia back to life. It¡¯s a future thing that hasn¡¯t happened yet, but it¡¯s also a past that Jurgen has clearly experienced. ¡°If I marry the imperial princess, then Prince Edelred will top the list for targets to be eliminated. He¡¯s aiming for our lives. His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s days are numbered. Doesn¡¯t father know him well?¡± ¡°Yes, but you cannot betray his Majesty. I¡¯ll make it clear to Count Howell, so you apologize to the young lady.¡± ¡°No, I will not,¡± Jurgen¡¯s voice sank to an icy chill. ¡°I will never give up Dahlia Von Klose, Father.¡± ¡°Jurgen!¡± Everyone moved through the portal. They found Count Howell and Gerald approaching them with their bluish cloaks on. A hostility and unwelcome overflowed from the eyes of the two men. Probably because he was the man who proposed to their one and only daughter and precious sister. Then, shall I show you my dependable and trustworthy side? Jurgen hid a sneer of ridicule that was about to come forth, and slowly revealed his Sentinel abilities. The red energy that started under his feet began to bloom like flames. With each one of his steps, the floor cracked and rose irregularly as if gravity didn¡¯t exist around him. Eyes grew of those who were already overwhelmed by the magnitude of his force, already exceeding the size of the gate, now further widening. ¡®Obviously, he never received a rating review¡­ .¡¯ Gerald turned to Count Howell, startled by the enormous strength he had never experienced before. To his surprise, his father was the same. ¡°Weren¡¯t you a man of no rank¡­ .?¡± Howell, who was briefly struck dumb and forgot what he had come to do, gathered his wits about him and quickly drew up his power at once. Meanwhile, Jurgen disappeared into the gate with a relaxed smile. However, Howell, who was about to follow in, was blocked and forced to stop by the Archduke of Leicester. ¡°Archduke?¡± ¡°He has something to check first, my son.¡± ¡°But going alone is dangerous!¡± ¡°It will be fine. Long ago, he had already surpassed me. So¡­ . I don¡¯t know what he is trying to do, but let¡¯s wait and see.¡± The Knights of Blenheim and the Archduke¡¯s party guarded the gate that echoed with tearing screams. In preparation for the shock wave that would occur when the gate was defeated and blown up, a magic circle was drawn up to contain the blast. And after maybe 10 minutes at most? Silver lightning and bright flashes began to spread out from within the gate. Chapter 15 ¡°Dahlia, don¡¯t be too conscious. After you make your debut, a lot of men will propose to you. You can make a decision then,¡± Yvon sighed, replacing the withered flowers in the vase with new roses. ¡°The Young Duke is a very intriguing man¡­.. Maybe he fell in love with you at first sight. You must have been very surprised, weren¡¯t you? But how pretty you are in your mother¡¯s eyes, compared to how pretty you would be in his eyes?¡± ¡°But doesn¡¯t mother like Archduke Edelred?¡± asked Dahlia indifferently while sitting in front of the mirror and combing her long hair. After instructing her maid to redecorate her daughter¡¯s room after a long time, Yvon approached. ¡°It is not so. Indeed, it would be an honor to be able to become family with the Prince of Edelred. However¡­ . It would be burdensome on you. The Count and I are looking for an ordinary noble family who does not have powers.¡± ¡°Ordinary¡­ ? Would that be possible?¡± Her brow creased. Dahlia¡¯s hair was soft and full of luster, even without perfume. Her light hair, which was a rarity in the South, had a subtle rosy color, and despite her thin and small body, no one could ignore her presence. Her blue eyes resembled a lake and her clear, transparent skin glowed. She sometimes felt like she wasn¡¯t human. Her daughter didn¡¯t seem to like her pale skin tone and light-colored hair, but in the eyes of others, she is an object of envy and admiration. So, even if Duke Edelred fell in love at first sight, it was not so strange. ¡°Is it possible. And that way, you can live safely.¡± Yvon gently grabbed her white shoulders exposed over her dress. Dahlia understood her mother¡¯s hopes behind her words. To live peacefully in a safe place away from the forces and powers that make life complicated and perilous. But would it be possible? Even those who profess they are ordinary, do they really have no desire for power? Perhaps it is just an excuse to save their pride since they can¡¯t have it¡­ ? Even after Yvon left, she did not leave the mirror, absentmindedly lost in thought over questions that had been plaguing her countless times. It was not an illusion that her seal turned red last night. Perhaps, if Dahlia had been exposed to Jurgen¡¯s power just a little longer, it would have been broken. ¡®There¡¯s one you should be most around, miss. A sentinel with a high matching rate with the guiding powers of the young lady. Actually, the rank of the Sentinel doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s unlikely, but if a sentinel with a matching rate of over 90% appeared¡­ . Hmm, the seal would be broken.¡¯ ¡®What if it breaks?¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t know either what would happen. But I¡¯ve never seen anyone with two powers survive. Maybe¡­ the young lady will go into a rampage. The best possibility would be that one of the two abilities stay and the other disappears, but even then, the outcome would be unpredictable. So, lady, please stop worrying this old man. My blood is drying up from stressing and fretting over you everyday.¡¯ Rodrigo¡¯s wrinkled face and a pleasant, light-hearted smile, but the heavy truth inside his quip was not hidden. Dahlia got up and left the room donning a thin shawl over her dress. She felt that she should meet Rodrigo immediately. After meeting him and telling him everything that transpired last night, she wanted an answer. Leaving her main house, she followed a narrow promenade towards Rodrigo¡¯s annex. With every step she took, the tiny pearl earrings hanging from her ear lobe glittered, and her shadow overlaid over the shadows of the leaves created by her light passing through the woods. But upon arriving at Rodrigo¡¯s annex, she sighed and lamented as she looked at the tightly closed door. ¡°Ha, he¡¯s at the gate¡­ . I forgot.¡± Since Rodrigo opened a portal with his mana he would be near it too. Dahlia stared north of the Blenheim Mansion, not far from the annex, toward the lake in the forest. The space of Kayena, the god of the earth, and the place where the five major portals of the continent exist. Maybe Rodrigo would be there, not northwest of the Mint, where the gate is located. Since Rodrigo was growing older and feeling the limit of his strength these days, he did not accompany her father on missions anymore. Maybe his death is near. Even the lifespan extended with high-level magic would soon come to an end. ¡®Shall we go¡­ ?¡¯ Dahlia took a deep breath in her nervous heart, and then took a step forward. At the end of the pure white passageway created by the metaphysical intertwining of dozens of arches, a door connected to the forest lake is visible. There seemed to be a sound of water coming from somewhere. It was a sound coming from the lake of the forest, a sacred space. Dahlia gently pushed the door as high as the mansion. A majestic stream of water flowing over the stone statue of Kayena, the god of the earth, creating a light mist, and between the water fog the spectacular view of trees with huge roots soared high in the sky without end. Dahlia shook off the overwhelming and took a determined step forward. A black silhouette was seen above the stone bridge that cut the lake in a straight line. Thinking that it was Rodrigo, she gladly ran to him, holding the hem of her dress. But as she got closer, the intuition that something was deeply wrong made her whole body freeze. Slowly Dahlia stopped walking, she wrapped her arms around her navel, which was starting to get hot, and raised her head. ¡°Sir Edelred¡­ ?¡± The moment she met his red eyes without focus, a suffocating darkness engulfed her. Chapter 16 t1v: There¡¯s a lot of new terminology in this book so here¡¯s a ¡®guide¡¯ and official artwork Her fingertips and toes tingled. She gasped as if someone was strangling her. At the same time, the heat she felt last night poured from the top of her head and flowed into her. Escape. Run. She instinctively knew. What Rodrigo¡¯s warning meant, and the incoming pain of breaking the seal. And that Jurgen Axel Edelred was on the verge of exploding and experiencing a runaway. Hastily, Dahlia turned around and began running away. Her long hair swayed in the wind, and a burning pain came from her seal-engraved skin. It felt like her whole body was being ripped apart. A fear exceeding her pain choked her breath and made her run faster. As she leaped out of the sacred forest lake and onto the northern promenade, Dahlia screamed in surprise at the strength of the arms around her waist. ¡°Ah!¡± They flew in front of a tree overrun with nameless grass and moss blooming profusely. A small flock of birds flew up, and a flower the size of a little fingernail fell. Dahlia, who had her eyes tightly shut, realized that the embrace that held her tightly in her arms was too hot, and she slowly lifted her head. It was Jurgen Axel Edelred who was embracing her as if he intended to crush her. It would have been but a small task for him. It was too scalding and agonizing. A horrific pain pierced and stung to her abdomen like her dress that was clinging to her skin. Dahlia panting in agony grabbed Jurgen¡¯s hem tightly. By touching his chest she sensed his heart beating fast. Dahlia twisted her body to get out of his arms as he held her. But the more she did, the rougher Jurgen¡¯s breath pouring down from the top of her head got. Was a man¡¯s body this big and hard? Gerald¡¯s arms, after growing up, were rather manly, but not stronger or bigger than these. His heated breath touching her cheek made her shudder. She called out her name. ¡°Sir Edelred, what¡ª !¡± ¡°Wait, be still.¡± He murmured softly as he took a deep breath with his nose stuck in her shoulders. With every deep shaky breath he took, Dahlia¡¯s cheeks began to glow. She couldn¡¯t stay still. What the hell was going on? She could not raise up her sentinel powers. ¡°It must be quite painful¡­ . the lady is very patient.¡± Jurgen whispered with a low intensity and caressing her lower abdomen slowly. The red seal that was clearly visible through her dress. Whenever his hand gently stroked her, the seal lightened and darkened repeatedly, as if gaining and losing strength. Jurgen¡¯s eyes grew deeper and subsided darkly upon taking in the sight and raised his elegant lips. ¡°D-don¡¯t do that.¡± She tried to push Jurgen¡¯s shoulder. But as she tried to get up, he grabbed Dahlia¡¯s wrists and lowered her upper body in an instant. ¡°You said you were a Sentinel but it¡¯s too obvious.¡± Dahlia took in a deep breath and opened her eyes. Her shaky sight was filled with leaves that densely covered the sky. His breath was touching the insignia of the seal. She could clearly feel the man¡¯s hot tongue and saliva sweeping through the thin fabric. Clenching her fists, she groaned from the sensuously tickling that mixed with the unbearable pain. Dahlia, unable to withstand the unfamiliar and exotic sensations, twisted her body haphazardly. Every time she twisted her body, the scent of crushed acacia* flowers bloomed thickly and permeated her skin. But Jurgen did not let her go. She then realized what he was going to do. ¡°You are crazy¡ªAre you going to kill me?¡± Jurgen¡¯s face suddenly appeared in her field of vision, bending her waist while holding her hands. A cool smile was drawn on his face as he held her lower body closer together. ¡°Then¡­ You shouldn¡¯t have hidden your powers so clumsily.¡± ¡°I just did it to live¡­ ! Ha!¡± Before Dahlia could finish speaking, Jurgen bit her earlobe. Every time she spoke, the smell of her was driving him crazy. Her guiding powers began to leak faintly as his tongue wrapped around the smooth surface of her pearl earring. Then the tip of his tongue brushed against her soft flesh. Her faint strength was so overwhelming, how much would it be if her seal was broken? He released Dahlia¡¯s hands and grabbed her chin firmly. His eyes widened at the sweetness that blinded him and made the tip of his tongue tingle. In the haze of his runaway, his brutally infested desire he needed to immediately devour the guide in front of him. He shuddered at the shiver that made his skin quiver, and pressed his swollen lower half between her crotch. Desire, impulse, pleasure, satisfaction. No words could express this feeling towards a woman. ¡°Dahlia Von Klose¡­ .¡± He called her name in a wet voice, licked around her eyes wet with embarrassment, and then grazed her lower lip with his thumb. His fingers dug in as he pulled her lower lip down. A small, soft tongue rebelled trying to push the finger away. But he persistently poked and pried open her mouth. The saliva she couldn¡¯t swallow spreads across her lips, and Dahlia¡¯s cheeks turn bright red. It was cute, as if dyed with the pigment of flowers. ¡°You have to open it up properly.¡± [*t1v: acacia flowers symbolize rebirth and reincarination. Dahlia flowers symbolize: green dahlia flowers symbolize big change and new beginnings while remaining true to oneself and if they are red: perseverance and the ability to overcome if they are purple: royalty and if they are black: betrayal and murder] Chapter 17 A kiss was devoured and swallowed up greedily. The moment their lips met, Dahlia¡¯s mind went blank. It was too overpowering and confusingly virile to even call it a first kiss. He grabbed her chin and dug in between her lips and into her mouth, intertwining his tongue with hers and scanned her mouth. At the dizzy melting feeling of his tongue rubbing against hers, her mind flashed amidst her giddy stupor: No! Squashed flowers, their messy breaths and the disheveled hem of her dress. And through his black hair, that waved seductively in the wind, his charming ruby-like eyes shone directly at her. Slap-! Dahlia struck Jurgen¡¯s cheek, and at the same time, bit her own lip with all her might to rouse herself from his spell. The smell and taste of her fishy blood spread all over her mouth. Even though she finally gathered her wits about her the intoxicating scent of acacia flowers filled her with drunken honey. Every time a breeze blew, the heavy scent of flowers poured down like showers of rain.* [t1v: a lot of symbolism here: rain=wetness=erotic and honey=the heaviness and difficulty of moving amidst desire] ¡°Haa¡ª you insane, crazy bastard.¡± Without thinking straight, undignified swears that should never come out came out from a noble young lady¡¯s mouth erupted out of her. Dahlia frantically rubbed her lips with the back of her hand. Still, Jurgen, who climbed on top of her and bowed his head, only chuckled and cracked up. Angry with shame, humiliation and contempt she shouted: ¡°Why are you laughing¡­ !¡± But Dahlia couldn¡¯t continue her words and looked around her slowly. The man¡¯s eyes glowing red without focus, the branches of the trees broken by the sentinel¡¯s power extending in all directions, and the ground rumbling faintly. Dahlia realized that he was struggling to stop the runaway. ¡®The stronger the sentinel, the more pure guiding is required. Even if they go wild¡­ . they will instinctively find you.¡¯ Was this a sentinel¡¯s runaway instinct? A sentinel who became a predator, only conscious of the guide as just a savory prey. That exactly described the man in front of her. Feeling a burning thirst, the man lost focus as she stroked his flowing hair back. His clear forehead ran down to his exceptionally deep eyes. There was no lust, desire, or dirty pleasure in those down cast eyes. The guide¡¯s power opened her mind¡¯s eye and she could see his abyss. Inside the man¡¯s abyss, hisinner monster secretly raised his head. A sad and distant darkness. ¡°Sir Edelred¡­ . look here.¡± Dahlia took a deep breath and loosened her grip on his hand. Then the torn grass fell. For a brief moment, she was greatly troubled. But the answer was already fixed. If she left him like this, this man would go berserk¡­.. and die. ¡°Afterwards, you better, at least, kneel down in front of me and thank me for saving your life.¡± Jurgen¡¯s blank gaze turned to her, his responses becoming more muted from tightly locking up his brain. Dahlia grabbed his collar and pulled him as hard as she could. She didn¡¯t know if it would work with a kiss, but it was her best shot. The moment their lips met again, Dahlia unlocked her power. Her guiding energy shined with a bright light. The two intertwined their tongues, gasping for breath, wallowing in the muddy and honeyed instinctual desire. The denser the kiss, the more the abyss lurking within him was gradually eroded by her light. Jurgen¡¯s chasm engulfed her with great speed, like a dry sponge thirsty for her dampness. He was rubbing into her fiercely, and at some point slipped away. Suddenly, Dahlia found herself sitting on his thigh. His large hands wrapped around the back of her head and her waist. They faced each other without a gap to be found as he coveted her frantically. Clink¡ª Her seal cracked, making the sound of breaking glass when his naked excitement was clearly felt through her drawers. A large, hard piece of flesh slowly rubbed against the gap between her thighs. Dahlia grabbed Jurgen¡¯s shoulder and hurriedly removed her lips. But his lips chased hers, following straight through¡ªnibbling her soft lips¡ª and biting her tongue, refusing to let go. ¡°Ugh, you..¡­ stop!¡± The guiding is already over. If she released any more power, the seal she had barely maintained would probably completely shatter. But he still wouldn¡¯t let her go, embracing her like a desperate man. Each time his hardened underside rubbed against her, an unfamiliar fear stirred waves of her stormy rage. Even if she bit his lips and they parted a little bit¡ª Jurgen, still out of his mind, caught her lips again and continued to nibble and suck it all in gently. ¡°Haa!¡± Dahlia, unable to hold her breath any longer, tilted her head back and breathed hard. His disoriented lips, losing their home, fell on her collarbone. ¡°¡­Huh? How¡­ . Who the hell are you?¡± Perhaps he was conscious, a clear and serious voice lowly resounded and rang in her chest. Dahlia shook her head vigorously and pushed off his shoulder. ¡°I do not know either. So let go of me quickly¡­ !¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever felt so deliriously good about guiding¡­. So terribly good.¡± ¡°Well, I hated it terribly.¡± Jurgen pulled his lips off her skin. Her eyes were red when he looked up and examined her. She also seemed a little puffy. As she carefully touched her eyes, Dahlia, who slapped away his hands coldly, glared at him sharply. ¡°Duke Edelred, you are such a rude piece of trash.¡± ¡°Trash?¡± ¡°Yes! Trash.¡± He burst into laughter and released the strength in his arms that held her. He was drowsy as if waking up from a deep sleep. When he tilts her head back and leaned his head against a tree, the strong scent of flowers that he couldn¡¯t smell just before vibrates everywhere. What touched the dropped hand were crushed white flowers*. [t1v: white flowers symbolize mean innocence] Jurgen shifted his gaze, passing the woman¡¯s white exposed feet to her pink knees in the scattered flowers, to the pale blue eyes that looked like she was about to cry any moment. Dahlia hastily arranged her dress, grabbed her thin shawl and jumped up. Then she glared at Jurgen with her swollen reddened eyes as if she intended to kill him, then turned around and left. ¡°In the end¡­ . Crazy.¡± Smiling, he rubbed his lips that had touched her just a moment ago. It tasted like blood. Her lips must have gotten hurt. For the first time, he started to understand why the high-ranking sentinels endeavored to get their guides out of the temple. The reason why they were prepared to die. To the point of imprinting. Not even a beast in heat. Jurgen brushed the dust off his clothes and stood up. It was a risky gamble to choose to use up his power to the point of running amok, but he had no regrets. His gaze deepened in the direction she had fled. This power, as if engraved onto his skin, this sweetness and ecstasy¡­ . He didn¡¯t want to share it with anyone. *** You can Chapter 18 Thank you for the Kofi Theresa Frances! (1/3) ¡°Freesia, prepare the bath water.¡± Returning to her room, Dahlia immediately ordered her maid. Then, without assistance, she began to take off her disheveled dress. Every time she pulled the string from her back and loosened it, her heart fluttered and her eyes felt as if she were about to cry. The suffocating smell of acacia flowers oozed not only from the dress she tore off but from her skin too. Before the bath water was even ready, Dahlia took off her underwear and put on a robe. ¡°Miss, the bathroom is ready to use.¡± Freesia announced as she returned to the room rolling up her sleeves. Dahlia, who had been sitting in her chair crouching down, got up limply and pointed to her dress and underwear with a wink. ¡°Burn it. Everything.¡± ¡°Yes? Even the dress?¡± ¡°Yes. Will you burn it?¡± ¡°Y-Yes. I will, miss.¡± Dahlia went into the bathroom connected to her room, leaving Freesia behind her grabbing her dress. In front of a large window, white petals floated in a bathtub filled with lukewarm water. Dahlia took one deep breath, and removed the white petals* herself. Every time her hand moved through the water, her image reflected on the water¡¯s surface was disturbed repeatedly. [t1v: white petals usually mean purity and innocence] Dahlia took off all the petals and then took off her robe and went into her bathtub. From her toes to her chest. The moderate temperature of water pleasantly wrapped around her body. Dahlia tilted her head, hanging her hair out of the bathtub. What was it? It was the first time she had had such an intense experience. Her body heated up even when she didn¡¯t want it to, and a strange sensation¡ªsome phenomenon with instinctual knowledge she didn¡¯t know she had¡ªbroke out and ran through her whole body. Don¡¯t tell me, every time I face a runaway Sentinel I will have to endure such a sensation¡­ ? Dahlia closed her eyes tightly and poured water where the man¡¯s lips touched. She washed her face and scrubbed her lips again and again. Then she put her hand on her lower belly, which was no longer hot at all. Other than those initial painful burning moments, she did not feel any discomfort when she began guiding. Stroking her belly and looking puzzled, Dahlia slipped her hand into her secret crevice unconsciously. Then, a slippery thick liquid she felt for the first time spread on her palm. W-what is this? Surprised, she rubbed her hands frantically to wipe off the fluid, then picked up her bath oil and poured the whole thing into the bathtub. A strong citrus scent filled the bathroom, so much so she couldn¡¯t think. Surprised, Freesia jumped in, opening the window, and began nagging. ¡°You should have called me, miss! Oh my, what should I do?¡± After pulling the string in the bathroom, Freesia instructed the servants to bring in fresh water, then grabbed Dahlia¡¯s hand. ¡°If a person with weak skin pores caustic bathing liquids into the bathtub¡ª?! Ah, my lady¡­ ?¡± Freesia¡¯s face turned blue as she scanned Dahlia coming out of the bathtub. The tips of her ears turned red. She turned around in a hurry. ¡°Freesia? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Ah, no. Lady, er, well¡ª there¡­ .¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you acting like this?¡± ¡°Y-your throat¡­ . and on the shoulders and chest, so¡ªah¡­ .¡± Dahlia picked up the mirror, confused. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my throat?¡± Dahlia¡¯s long eyelashes quivered in the mirror when she tilted her head at an angle. Red marks were clearly visible on the neck, shoulders, and even on the chest. His heat and touch, which she had momentarily forgotten, and all the sensations that had touched and bit her body, came back to life in an instant. ¡°Ha¡­ !¡± Dahlia put the mirror down, and covered his face with both hands and bowed her head. It was not a dream. This was reality. *** ¡°Sir Edelred! What happened?¡± Gerald opened the door to the eastern balcony and shouted at the sight of Jurgen lighting a cigarette. Then, Jurgen, who was silently staring at the distant sea, sneered coldly and turned his head. ¡°You lied to me, Earl Von Klose.¡± ¡°What do you mean? I never lied. What¡¯s the matter with you? I heard that you entered the gate, preparing for a runaway. Why would you do that¡­ !¡± ¡°Dahlia Von Klose.¡± Cigarette smoke leaked out of Jurgen¡¯s lips as he recited her name, blurring the view. Gerald envisioned the worst outcome as he sensed Dahlia¡¯s faint energy on the trail and spotted a completely sane Jurgen without a drop of rampaging runaway energy. ¡°What did you do to my sister¡­ Can I ask?¡± ¡°Is it a crime to be guided by a guide?¡± ¡°Duke!¡± In an instant, he lost his temper and Gerald¡¯s sentinel¡¯s power was unleashed. The energy of the Royal Sentinel, far beyond an advanced level, bounced around off as blue sparks. But then, Jurgen approached leisurely and grabbed his shoulder. Then his soaring power mercilessly dispersed without a trace as if it never existed in the first place. Shocked, Gerald tried to raise his powers again, but he was no match for him. Jurgen smirked, leaning his upper body to whisper in his ear and softly said, ¡°For the first time in a long while, I¡¯ve worked up quite a ravenous appetite, so let¡¯s eat together.¡± Chapter 19 Thank you for the Kofi Theresa Frances! (2/3) ¡°These are manastones. Second to none.¡± Jurgen displayed three crystals that gave off a bluish light in front of everyone at the table. It was what he found when he entered the gate alone to prepare for a runaway. It was the source of the power that transformed the gate. A medium that also assisted the aberrations to regenerate rapidly, reproduce quickly and amplify their strength. Magic stones that ¡®Plum¡¯ used to create the gate. ¡°The gates created by Plum can only be completely destroyed by sentinels above the Luster level¡ªat least that was what everyone thought until these manastones were discovered. A Luster Sentinel working on the case solved it by blowing up the gate with the manastones.¡± Jurgen sat and held a glass. The ice in the glass clanked. He continued to speak while gazing at Dahlia¡¯s empty seat. ¡°But now even ordinary sentinels can destroy Plum¡¯s Gate if they work together. If they find the magic stones hidden in the gate, not only can the regeneration of the demons be prevented, but the power of the gate itself will decrease.¡± ¡°Ah, if only we knew before¡­ .¡± Howell¡¯s fists trembled, repressing his rage. The faces of his colleagues and subordinates that had been sacrificed to the quelling of such gates flashed through his mindseye. As if he understood Howell¡¯s feelings, the Archduke of Leicester patted the back of his hand. He continued: ¡°Furthermore, the highest-grade manastone can provide temporary power to sentinels and guides. The temple will make potions with the manastones recovered from gates and supply them to the Order of the Sentinel Knights.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the Sentinel Knights¡­ . You mentioned them before.¡± ¡°Right, everything has already come together. Only the decisions of each family and the dean of the Sentinel Academy remain. Your decision included.¡± Howell was deeply troubled, but he could not easily answer. To entrust the family to Gerald¡­. his son was still lacking. It wasn¡¯t just about his ability as a sentinel. Howell could not entrust his beloved wife, Yvon, to anyone. Even now, she did not leave the chapel, hoping that he would return safely from the subjugation. She was a timid, lovely and good-natured woman. So Howell couldn¡¯t leave her, even to his heir and son, Gerald. ¡°Can¡¯t I join the Sentinel Knights on behalf of my father?¡± At that moment, Gerald, who had been silent until now, opened his mouth. At his unexpected request, the eyes of the Archduke, who was chewing food slowly, narrowed. ¡°You?¡± ¡°Yes. If I pass this advancement test, I will officially become a Royal Sentinel. I want to work as a knight and build up my strength. Also, my mother still needs father.¡± Gerald smiled briefly, then glared at Jurgen, who was sitting opposite of him. He didn¡¯t like him from the beginning. From the time he opened the portal without permission, from the instant he looked down at him with a smirk, to the time he saw Dahlia standing opposite him from the balcony on the second floor. ¡°Hmm¡­ . It¡¯s a tempting proposition. But in that case, the position of the 1st general will still be vacant. The leader¡¯s position is not a seat that anyone can fill.¡± ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t it make more sense for the Duke, as a Luster Sentinel, to fill that seat?¡± At Gerald¡¯s provocation, Jurgen, who swallowed a cold drink, smiled as if he found his triviality amusing. He met his sharp glare. ¡°I¡­ Luster Sentinel?¡± ¡°No, I think you might be even more than that.¡± ¡°Really, and why would you think that?¡± ¡°On the balcony¡­ . The lord crushed my strength ruthlessly. Unless there is a difference of more than two grades, it¡¯s impossible.¡± Jurgen felt like he had been hit. He recalled his mistake he had made on the second floor balcony: The act of brutally destroying the pride of a Sentinel. Yes, it was impulsive. He humiliated Gerald in contempt for brazenly revealing his possessiveness and obsession with Dahlia Von Klose in front of him. He had to admit, it was childish of him and in poor taste. But why he had done it was still unclear. Just after receiving flawless and replenishing guiding, that had lifted his spirits so high¡ªwhy did he get so annoyed? ¡°So, Archduke. I think that the Duke of Edelred, not my father, should take up that position.¡± A clear bell rang in the chapel. It was a clear and thick sound, cutting the uncomfortable aura. At that moment, the air heavy with tense confrontation cracked. Embarrassed, Howell warned Gerald with a stern glance and then raised his glass. ¡°Gerald, mind your manners. I don¡¯t think this is a conversation we should have over dinner.¡± It was their last meal. After they finished eating, they would return to Altera, Edelred¡¯s own territory. Howell was also curious about the true nature and level of Jurgen¡¯s power, but he deferred his interest in hopes to end this episode without further agitation. ¡°Let¡¯s think deeply about Earl¡¯s proposal. By the way¡­ . I don¡¯t see the young lady.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a weak child. Don¡¯t worry, the servants will bring her meal to her room. Thank you for your concern, Duke.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ . Your body is weak. If it¡¯s not rude, I would like to see the lady before I depart. Would you grant permission please? Count.¡± It was Duke Jurgen¡¯s request that he, a Count, could not politely refuse without reason. Howell hid his uneasiness and with a cheerful look.. ¡°Of course. Gerald will lead the way.¡± *** Chapter 20 Thank you for the Kofi Theresa Frances! (3/3) I should see you off¡­ right? No matter how angry I am, it is according to etiquette. Dahlia chose a very modest and stuffy dress that she usually avoided. But now she found it helpful to cover up the traces that man left on her skin. Her high collar symbolized her will to firmly draw a line between the two of them so that he could no longer take her lightly. Freesia combed Dahlia¡¯s long hair and tied it half up and let the rest down. Then, she grabbed her arm with a worried expression. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will get some ointment. But¡­ Are you really not going to tell me who did this to you? I won¡¯t let them off!¡± She shook her head, gently stroking Freesia¡¯s greenish-brown hair. ¡°It¡¯s alright. This is something I can handle on my own. Just fetch the ointment, please.¡± The maid pouted her lips and opened the door to bring her meal and ointment. With a gasp, Freesia took a step backwards and collapsed to the floor. Dahlia¡¯s attention, just about to pick up a book, turned to the door. It smelled like acacia flowers. An indifferent and cold light flashed in the eyes of the man who looked down on the fallen Freesia. Dahlia jumped up. ¡°Sir Edelred.¡± Jurgen raised his head and looked at her. She approached, supported Freesia up, and sent her out of the room. Upon making eye contact with Gerald standing in front of her door, she quickly closed the entrance with all her might. She turned her lock with a stout click. For a fleeting moment Gerald¡¯s shocked eyes tormented her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to lock the door.¡± The tip of Jurgen¡¯s lips turned up lazily in amusement. ¡°How¡­ Why are you here?¡± Dahlia returned to her seat again, ignoring him. She tried not to be conscious of him as much as possible, but it was only a few hours since she guided him, so the presence of the man felt too big. ¡°You were absent from dinner.¡± ¡°I notified the house I would eat in my room. Because of someone.¡± ¡°Maybe, surely not¡ª could it be me?¡± He was an exceptionally handsome man especially with that bright smile on his face showing off his clear jawline. Really, amazing. How could he be so unabashedly shameless? A man who acted like a panting, rutting beast just a few hours ago was now the figure of an impeccably dignified gentleman. ¡°I¡­ ! Guiding the Lord was purely¡­ . Because the Sir was about to explode. Of course, if there were guides present, I would not have guided the Lord.¡± ¡°Indeed. You saved me.¡± Jurgen, who readily admitted, approached her and presented a vase full of fresh flowers. Dahlia stared at him with pointed eyes and closed the book on her lap. ¡°I¡¯ve been constantly recalling your words even through the meal. You said as much, didn¡¯t you? If I¡¯m truly grateful towards you for saving me I better get on my knees.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it. I was just venting.¡± ¡°You also called me a crazy lunatic.¡± ¡°So what are you trying to say, Sir?¡± Her regard broadened as she stared at Jurgen. ¡°If you want me to kneel, I must kneel. Because you saved my life.¡± He smiled softly and knelt in front of her without a single heistation. His large hand encircled, wrapping around her heel and acting like a cushion under her foot. With a smooth grace, he leaned over and kissed the top of her foot. The book that was on Dahlia¡¯s lap fell to the floor. Through his hold on her feet he felt her trembling. It was he who bowed down on the floor, but it was her face that went red again. After kissing Dahlia¡¯s white legs and getting up to his knees, he felt a distinct satisfaction. Even if he¡¯s a new presence in her world, yes. She wouldn¡¯t be any different from the others. With a remorseful expression she might push him away saying ¡°don¡¯t do this!¡± But inside she would hide the joy of having a higher status person with a dignified, proud face kneel before her, promising that he would grant anything she desired. Grasping her heel, he swept up her soft calf and grabbed the back of her knee. Then he looked up at her as she trembled like her frightened bird. Ha! However, the moment Dahlia¡¯s eyes met his, a chilling sensation of pleasure ran through Jurgen¡¯s back. Covering her mouth, Dahlia was holding back a burst of laughter, like someone who had seen a gruesome comedy. With her sight full of the kneeling man at her feet, she showed an unhidden scorn. Unconsciously his grip grew stronger on Dahlia¡¯s leg. Then she flinched and bent forward towards Jurgen. She still hadn¡¯t erased the feeling similar to contempt shining plainly in her eyes. ¡°What are you up to? Umm? Sir Edelred.¡± It was a voice sweet as poison. Smiling, Jurgen let her legs go, then got up from his knees. His dark red eyes became cold in an instant, Dahlia¡¯s head followed his movements, still holding his stare. The mask of the noble Jurgen Axel Edelred had cracked. The man¡¯s eyes looked down obliquely and then grew long in a smile as he swept back his flowing bangs. ¡°Ah¡­ . Did I get caught?¡± Chapter 21 The man who took off his mask threw away his dignity without any hesitation or regret. Pulling and loosening the neat cravat, he flopped on the nearby sofa and crossed his legs. She wiped the knee that Jurgen¡¯s lips had touched, and then straightened her back. ¡°I would have been content with a thank-you note. So, tell me why you bothered to come to my room.¡± Displeasure. She tried not to avoid his gaze, but every time their eyes met, Dahlia was uncomfortable, remembering what had happened on the promenade. To her, guiding was a very sacred and reverent act. Carefully touching hands, peering into the mad darkness of the person in need of guiding. It took a long time, but the stable and warm act was guiding. Sometimes she healed her father, Count Howell, and his twilight fell on her. But the source of guiding was light. In a world full of light, darkness was bound to disappear without leaving a shadow. However, after feeling the other person¡¯s anxiety, fear, depression, dread and fatigue, she also suffered quite a bit of damage in the aftermath. So, after guiding, Count Howell would carry her on his back and take her for a walk around the mansion and gardens. He affectionately cared for her wounds, comforting, and thanking her. But what about this man? He hugged her recklessly, kissed her without permission, and stuck to her like an animal even after the guiding was over. He denigrated himself, as if he had tasted sweetness for the first time and was getting drunk off honey. And then he wanted to get down on his knees? Did he think that if he acted like a gentleman in love, she would be fooled? ¡°Lord.¡± ¡°Do you have both powers?¡± After staring at her with a mysterious gaze he opened his mouth. Dahlia nodded curtly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Since when?¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°Your seal must have been engraved by Rodrigo Brandel¡­ . Why?¡± Dahlia¡¯s gaze turned sharp at his interrogation. ¡°First of all, I did not want to belong to the temple, and secondly¡­ . I don¡¯t want to die. No one has survived with both powers, right?¡± Jurgen was solemn as he slightly nodded absentmindedly. Dahlia secretly pressed her palm on her unbroken seal. She was afraid that it might hurt again after being provoked. Fortunately, all was quiet now, but she didn¡¯t know when the seal would be activated again. He got up from his seat and leaned against the window looking deep in thought. Needing ventilation, he opened the window wide and looked out, it was getting dark. ¡°If you¡¯re done with your questions, you can leave now. I don¡¯t want to be misunderstood.¡± ¡°Misunderstood? What we did could not be called a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°I will not tolerate any further disrespect.¡± ¡°I can tell you how not to run rampant.¡± [t1v: without the seals] Her fingertips trembled as she tried to pick up the book with an indifferent expression. But her eyes were filled with astonishment. Jurgen calmly approached her and picked up the book on her behalf. Then he placed it on Dahlia¡¯s lap and whispered. ¡°If you¡¯ll be my guide, that is.¡± Dahlia¡¯s lips parted slightly. It looked strangely pretty when she blinked in exasperation. Moreover, she bit her lips making red blood oozing from the crevices were very irritating to him. ¡°I would rather live like this for the rest of my life. I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear your offer.¡± She got up, put down the book, and strode towards the door. She seemed intent on opening the door herself and letting him go. ¡°You must enjoy the pain, my lady.¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Dahlia stood in front of the door. Then she lightly put her hand on the lock, and looked back at Jurgen. ¡°Directly, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Every time you encounter a high-level sentinel, it will be painful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than being on the receiving end of vulgar, low-quality kisses.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk straight. It was you who kissed me. It was my first kiss.¡± The lock was released with a click and a sound. Dahlia warned, clutching the doorknob with a flushed face. ¡°Get out.¡± Only then did he step towards her. With each step Dahlia straightened her shoulders more. Her heartbeat became unstable for no discernible reason, and her mouth dried up. She prayed that she could quickly open this door and make this man disappear. ¡°By the way, Dahlia.¡± Not lady or miss but Dahlia. Yes, the moment this man called her name affectionately, red eyes like the setting sun suddenly appeared and filled her vision. ¡°Do you know what reverse guiding is?¡± A large, strong man¡¯s hand was placed over her hand clutching the doorknob. He grabbed her small hand tightly and grabbed Dahlia¡¯s neck with his opposite hand. ¡°What are you doing¡­ Ah!¡± In the moment when their lips met, the power within her was sucked into Jurgen. Dahlia gasped in horrifying fear. She twisted her head away as hard as she could. He didn¡¯t force it nor continue. Their lips touched less then a second, but the sensation of her power being ripped away felt as long as a few seconds. ¡°Haa, haaa.¡± After gently patting her back as she panted heavily, he suddenly grabbed her chin with strength, making her head raise and meet his eyes. His smile had vanished, and instead a merciless, dark gaze poured over her. ¡°This is reverse guiding. If there¡¯s someone that does this to you¡­ . you should kill them, Dahlia.¡± Jurgen, who had released her, opened the door with a smile as if it had always been there. He put on the mask of a gentle nobleman again, abominably. ¡°I¡¯ll see you next time in the capital, my lady. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± He went out and closed the door. Only then did Dahlia allow herself to collapse. Chapter 22 ¡®That was¡­ . reverse guiding?¡¯ Tears welled up in her eyes as she sank down. But tears never fell. Dahlia got up bravely and wiped away her tears and looked out the wide open window. There were people gathering to see off the Archduke and his party. Shortly thereafter, Jurgen left the building and joined them. Neatly tying up the cravat he had turned loose in her room, he gracefully shook hands with the Knights of Blenheim. As she tried to close her window, he burst out into a false smile, took a step toward the lake in the forest and looked up. He had precisely found Dahlia. And Dahlia did not avoid his gaze. ¡®Get lost.¡¯ He licked his lips silently. Then he made a small smile, and then ran his thumb across his lips. Dahlia¡¯s cheeks flared up again at the insignificant act. Nervously closing the window, she turned away and leaned against the wall with her eyes closed for a long time. Without even realizing that the seal had become hot. *** ¡°Welcome, my lord. And young master.¡± The sky god Delis. A huge magic circle was drawn under the statue of Delis with its wings as wide as a house, with both hands on their chest. It was the Archduke of Leicester and Jurgen who walked out of the portal. There were hundreds of columns on a sheer cliff. Those who came to meet the Archduke and his party at the stone-floored temple bowed their heads in respect. ¡°I¡¯m glad you came back safely, Master.¡± At the words of the butler Lorenzo, the Archduke of Leicester laughed. ¡°You were worried for nothing.¡± ¡°The older you get, the more you worry.¡± Jurgen took another step forward, facing a changed future. In his last lives due to the runaway of the Archduke of Leicester the whole Archduchy fell into mourning. The imperial family and the temple tried to gain authority to intervene in their affairs and the sentinel¡¯s power had destroyed two buildings. But this time it¡¯s different. It felt as if he was living a whole new life. Walking down the high stairs, Jurgen looked down at Etna Castle, of the Archduke. Edelred possessed military power as well as lack of financial power comparable to that of the imperial family. But there were only five years left to see this beautiful sight. No, since the future was changing, he didn¡¯t know what would happen, but if his past lives were any indication he was destined to die in five years time. When an engraved guide died, the sentinel went into a rampage. In the past, he had imprinted with his fiancee, Princess Julia. Even without love, engraving was not difficult. The matching rate with Julia was fairly stable, because he was doing anything for the sake of retribution for his runaway father. It was at that time that he learned about the manastones at the gates. However, Julia, who accompanied him in subjugation, lost her life, and induced his runaway. That was his first death. Even in her second life, he was engaged to Julia and imprinted on her again. He thought he could save her. But Julia lost her life in the same spot and at the same time. So in his third life Julia would guide him without imprinting. But this time the mad dog, Prince Raynan, killed his sister. By the time it was his fourth life, things seemed clearer to Jurgen. Of course, he still couldn¡¯t stop his father¡¯s runaway, but he was getting pretty close to recovering Plum¡¯s true identity. Interestingly, the memory of his last death was completely gone. He didn¡¯t even know if he had been attacked by a monster, lost his life to a runaway, or if he had been assassinated. As if he had been forced asleep, when he opened his eyes he found his fifth life was beginning. ¡®I don¡¯t want to die.¡¯ Dahlia Von Klose. What are you, really? Who are you, to change my future? Returning to his room through portals installed throughout the castle, Jurgen looked around with fresh eyes. Familiar yet unfamiliar Surprisingly, there was no way of predicting what would happen tomorrow. He sauntered around the room slowly, picking up the matchmaking portrait on his desk. ¨C Julia von Leonardo ¨C A woman with long golden hair was smiling brightly in her portrait. Looking down at her face, he didn¡¯t hesitate to tear her portrait in half. Then he lit it and threw it into his fireplace. He stood silently, until the portrait¡¯s corner curled and burned, and finally turning into black ashes. Chapter 23 Aberdio, the capital of Marcania. Dahlia, who got out of the carriage with the Countess, was bewildered by the city¡¯s significantly changed appearance. It was markedly different from what it had been seven years ago. The somewhat outdated waterway was perfectly maintained, some beautiful buildings had been built in a previously vacant lot. In addition, the sidewalk and roads were divided, and magic-power streetlights were installed at regular intervals. It was beautiful and fresh. There were so many wonders that she regretted not having visited for seven years. Yvon crossed arms with her daughter and smiled as Dahlia looked around in awe. ¡°We will be pretty busy. We have to fit your dresses for the capital, and meet a jeweler. Then there¡¯s the opera with Countess Solin in the evening. And why don¡¯t you try all the desserts that Tezeva doesn¡¯t have?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t we here to attend Gerald¡¯s advancement test?¡± ¡°Gerald can take care of himself. What are you worried about? As I said before, Dahlia. I am here for you.¡± She didn¡¯t respond to Yvon¡¯s earnest tone and serious gaze. It had only been two weeks since Archduke Edelred and Jurgen had returned to their territory. After the uncomfortable guests left, Von Klose¡¯s mansion returned to its usual calm ambiance, at least on the surface. But everyone knew. That they were aspiring to serenity and did not want to admit a change had taken place. At that time, when each of them was immersed in complicated concerns for their own reasons, the date for Gerald¡¯s examination was confirmed in the capital. ¡°Here, Dahlia.¡± According to Yvon¡¯s wishes, Dahlia stopped by five dressing rooms and set up an appointment with the capital¡¯s most famous jeweler. Meanwhile, her stamina began to noticeably decline. On the other hand, Yvon was fine with no sign of fatigue. It was an incredible stamina. ¡°The Countess of Von Klose?¡± Then someone addressed Yvon. The lady approached her mother quickly, closing her fan made with lace and greeted her with delight. ¡°Countess of Delvaux? Oh, how long has it been?¡± After hugging the lady warmly, the two started chatting. Dahlia did not miss the opportunity to rest. Before Yvon could introduce her she quickly ran away. Since she was wearing high shoes, the soles of her feet hurt as if they were being stabbed with needles. At this rate her legs would ache all night and she would definitely have trouble sleeping. In front of the fountain, children with a single white flower passed by Dahlia, who was rushing towards the bench. Following the children her gaze found a statue of an angel a little taller than an adult. The children put the flowers under them, put their hands together, and prayed. The children left and there were flowers piled up. It aroused her curiosity. Dahlia started walking towards the statue rather than the bench. ¡®What¡¯s this¡­ .¡¯ Frowning in puzzlement she found hundreds of names written under the angel statue. ¡°All names given here are pseudonyms. The names of the children who died at Plum¡¯s Gate. Found dead.¡± A strange man¡¯s voice came from right next to Dahlia. She glanced at the man standing next to her and nodded her head. ¡°I see. Thank you for telling me.¡± At Dahlia¡¯s dry tone, the man¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°The young lady doesn¡¯t seem like such a person.¡± About to ask about his cryptic remark, she raised her head and met the profile of a larger man. The man had a very gorgeous appearance. Through slightly wavy golden hair, transparent, vivid golden eyes turned towards her. On the other hand, his attire was rather modest compared to his good looks. A wealthy merchant? He did not seem like an aristocrat nor a commoner¡­ Entrepreneur? Regardless, something seemed off. ¡°I¡¯m here to attend a family member¡¯s advancement test. But what is Plum¡¯s Gate?¡± The man¡¯s expression darkened at Dahlia¡¯s innocent question. ¡°You don¡¯t know about Plum¡¯s Gate?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard of Plum, but Plum¡¯s Gate¡­ .¡± ¡°What an idiot.¡± For a moment, Dahlia doubted her hearing. ¡°What did you say?¡± At Dahlia¡¯s cold reaction, the man¡¯s lips rose at an angle. ¡°Gates where the children who were kidnapped, tortured and killed by Plum¡ªwhere they are abandoned. That¡¯s Plum¡¯s Gate. You don¡¯t know about the Empire¡¯s sorrow and taboo¡­ .¡± The man¡¯s voice sank into her ear. Her fists clenched as her eyes turned downcast in shame. ¡°You would have avoided hearing this insult if you had ever glanced at the newspaper during your jewelry shopping and dress up time. Lady.¡± At the man¡¯s insulting remarks, Dahlia¡¯s lips turned blue. There was not one word she could find fault with. She had even earned his scornful rude attitude by not knowing about hundreds of innocent children being kidnapped and killed..¡­ . Her embarrassment and shame came rushing over her. ¡°I was lacking. Thank you for the explanation.¡± Dahlia, who was courteous to the end, looked straight into the man¡¯s face, raised a polite smile and turned. But her anger did not abet. Even though she tried to understand and rationalize it, something in her felt it was so unfair to hear that she was an idiot. So she drew up her retort. ¡°But the Lord¡­ . I imagine you recognized that I was a foreigner, but didn¡¯t know that the capital¡¯s newspapers can¡¯t be found outside the capital. Idiotically.¡± Tsk, clicking her tongue against her teeth, she left the plaza without looking back at the man. She was quick, but measured her steps so her hurried steps would not be noticed. A man in a robe approached and bowed to the man who was examining Dahlia¡¯s back with a hardened firm gaze. ¡°She is Dalia of Count Von Klose of Tezeba, your Majesty, Crown Prince.¡± Reynon von Leonardo. The Second Sun and Crown Prince of the Empire, was in disguise. Chapter 24 ¡°Von Klose¡­ . Is she the daughter of Count Howell Von Klose?¡± ¡°Yes, they came to the capital to observe Earl Gerald Von Klose¡¯s sentinel advancement exam.¡± Reynon smiled and nodded coldly. [t1v: his address isn¡¯t ¡®highness¡¯ but ¡®majesty¡¯ hinting that he has power equal to a king] No wonder she had looked familiar, it was the same kid who proudly proved she possessed the power of a senior-ranked sentinel in front of him seven years ago. She was a cheeky, small kid who looked down on people. ¡°Still.¡± A wagon stopped in front of Reynon, who mumbled softly. As they got into the carriage, he asked, ¡°When will the Young Duke of Edelred arrive?¡± ¡°He will be arriving soon. I have been informed that Altera¡¯s coordinates are connected to the portal.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The carriage carrying the Crown Prince ran at high speed and headed for the Imperial Palace. Following eight escort knights on horseback chasing after them. Before leaving the city completely, Reynon found Dahlia standing in front of the theater. Perhaps startled by the sound of heavy horse¡¯s hoofs, the Countess¡¯ escorts surrounded the woman who turned around. A fleeting expression of irritation flashed across Reynon¡®s face, but he skillfully masked it and leaned against the backrest, closing his eyes. It was a dull and tedious day as usual. *** ¡°Sir Edelred!¡± A portal to the Palace of Imperial Family of Leonardo was opened, which could only be used by authorized persons. It was Princess Julia von Leonardo who greeted Jurgen who had escaped through the portal decorated with ivory and gold like an ancient temple. He drew near Julia who had her voluptuous blonde hair up and done, and kissed the back of her hand. ¡°I greet her Highness, the Princess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, sir.¡± With a blush on her cheeks, she beamed lovingly and grabbed Jurgen¡¯s escorting arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the tea room, shall we? I told them to prepare the tea.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± As he walked in stride with Princess Julia, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on him. The Duke of Edelred in the Sentinel Knights uniform¡¯s very existence was notable and eye-catching. Noble men envied him and did not hesitate to imitate him, and women admired and gaped at him even though they knew he was the princess¡¯s man. ¡°How have you been? I heard that a gate was recently discovered on the border of Tezeba.¡± ¡°With the help of Count Von Klose, we took care of it easily.¡± ¡°Did you go out yourself?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, you need guiding. Shall I help you in the tea room?¡± Julia looked up at him, her eyes full of anticipation. But Jurgen¡¯s answer wasn¡¯t what she was hoping for. ¡°I¡¯ve received sufficient guidance. Thank you for your concern, your Highness.¡± While she was panicking, they arrived at the tea room. The tea room was decorated according to the princess¡¯s taste; there were two cages and various kinds of roses. A server ushered in the two of them. Next, a variety of desserts and red tea appeared on a cream-colored table. And the coffee brewed according to Jurgen¡¯s taste was placed with the saucer. Jurgen took a sip of the hot, strong coffee. Julia, who had been staring at his long, straight fingers holding the teacup, spoke first. ¡°This year¡¯s advancement examination will be significant.¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Did you know that I agreed to be a guide at the test center?¡± Jurgen put down his cup and looked up. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, so, I mean¡­ . Will the lord protect me?¡± He recalled the sentinels who were on the brink of a runaway everytime a test occured and rushed at the guides. It was more likely that everyone would make it through safely without inducing a frenzy, but there were also sentinels who occasionally crossed the line and even tried to reverse guide. ¡°I will.¡± Jurgen blankly looked at Julia with a pretty blush on her cheeks and thought of Dahlia. In fact, he thought about her almost every day. He was constantly thinking about how to get his hands on her sweetness, it was like an addicting poison. By now, wouldn¡¯t Dahlia have arrived in the capital? It was when he was wondering about her and immersed in his thoughts, forgetting that he was in the company of the princess. The attendant guarding the entrance to the tearoom stomped his feet twice and shouted: ¡°His Majesty, Crown Prince Reynon von Leonardo, has arrived!¡± Chapter 25 The Great Central Empire of Marcania was a country in which the central government was stably established based on the powerful imperial power and the power of the princes. The people respected the imperial family, and the princes maintained proper order through cooperation with local officials. In the history of the Marcania Empire, the imperial power was never as powerful as it was now. However, after the health of Luis von Leonardo, the current emperor of the Central Empire, began to deteriorate for no reason, Crown Prince Reynon started a purge by proxy. Reynon von Leonardo, the next emperor and mad dog of Marcania. At first, everyone marveled at the prince¡¯s gorgeous blonde hair and beautiful appearance. Many, commoners and nobles, men and women alike, fell in love with his noble, holy atmosphere and were moved by his kind smile on his handsome face. But Reynon had a cruel disposition that had no qualms about skinning a person alive with that very same smile. Especially when he faced offenders against young children. He had their eyes plucked out, tongues cut off, and put them in a dogfight hall still alive. The public gasped at the cruelty, but did not criticize the act. Because those who committed crimes against children certainly deserved such punishment. Jurgen and Julia pushed their chairs back and stood up. Everyone in the tea room politely bowed. Then Raynan entered, dressed in a brown robe and outfit that would be worn by local subordinate officials. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Sir Edelred.¡± Reynon greeted him without a smile and sat down first. Then, Jurgen smiled calmly and responded with a pleasantry. ¡°You look well, Your Majesty the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°You too.¡± ¡°Have you been to the city?¡± ¡°It was the day I engraved my name.¡± Reynon lightly stirred the tea brought by his attendant with a teaspoon. The silver teaspoon was clear with no discoloration, and only after his attendant confirmed did he lift his glass. ¡°Julia, could you excuse yourself?¡± Julia¡¯s lips froze in a smile at Reynon¡¯s friendly words. As if she knew this would happen, she got up with dismal eyes. Jurgen rose up to bid her farewell with courtesy. ¡°His Grace just arrived, my lord. You are too much.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m asking you to. I need to have an important conversation with my vassal.¡± As if it were beyond reason to listen to her grumblings, Reynon¡¯s golden eyes filled with irritation. The only person who disliked Julia, known as the saint and angel of the imperial family, was the Crown Prince. With her ears red from her embarrassment, Julia wore a smile and curtsied with formality. ¡°Then, I shall leave you two to have important conversations. And, my lord, you look tired. If you need guiding, please come to the temple with Sir Edelred.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Instead of answering, Reynon smiled brightly, without bothering to indicate the slightest bit of human feeling. That smile was just one of the hundreds of masks that he had. Only after the princess left the tea room did Jurgen take a seat again. ¡°It was a conversation we could have shared in the Imperial Princess¡¯ presence.¡± ¡°The guide smells awful. Don¡¯t you know that I can¡¯t stand it? It¡¯s terrible¡ªdirty.¡± ¡°It would be better than going crazy, though. It would be no different from putting the whole empire in jeopardy if Your Majesty goes wild.¡± ¡°So, isn¡¯t that why you¡¯re by my side?¡± It was a rare and real smile. Jurgen laid down his teacup slowly and beckoned for his guard Lannister who accompanied him from the Archduke¡¯s estate. The knight, who was waiting a few steps away, brought forth a palm-sized wooden box and put it down on the table. ¡°Open it,¡± Jurgen said in a casual tone, pointing to it with his chin. Edelred was the only person on the continent who could treat the Crown Prince so disrespectfully. As if Reynon couldn¡¯t care less and took no notice of his attitude, he opened her box with a faint smile. In the box, five of the highest-grade of magic stones were arranged neatly shining with a light blue color. ¡°The three were found at the northwest gate of the Mint this time. Thanks to excessive efforts, it was recovered in like-new condition.¡± ¡°Oh, this¡­ . Yes, that¡¯s what it seems.¡± Reynon picked up one of her magic stones and looked at it with the light from the glass ceiling. Every time he tilted his to the left or right, the stone full of mana sloshed around and created bubbles. Reynon closed his eyes, clutching it still. It was a series of procedures to absorb magical powers. Raynan¡¯s blue veins stood on the back of his hand and forearm, as he absorbed its power. The only person who could absorb the pure mana without a medium was Reynon, a Luster and spirit sentinel. If it had been someone else, there would have been a magical collision, and their body would have swelled up like a balloon and exploded. Jurgen sat crookedly with a sore expression and turned his head. Then, the prince, upon concluding his absorption, opened his eyes with a satisfied expression. His countenance was more relaxed, more angelic, but the madness in his golden eyes was not hidden. His golden eyes, which became more translucent as he gained strength, felt the raw energy of a wild animal. ¡°Good.¡± The Crown Prince, who nodded his head satisfactorily over and over again, smiled. He held the rest in front of a displeased Jurgen. ¡°Send it to the temple. The High Priest will be shocked speechless.¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°By the way, I heard some news. They¡¯re not looking for children anymore, they¡¯re now targeting lesser sentinels?¡± Jurgen¡¯s eyes grew cold as he picked up the box containing the manastones. It was just as Reynon said. Edelred has planted sources throughout the continent with a vast network. Called ¡®Shadows¡¯, they were agents of the Archduke¡¯s family. Composed of ¡®ordinary¡¯ people without ¡®abilities¡¯, but were as strong and formidable as sentinels. It was one of Jurgen¡¯s major lessons gathered from his regressions that obtaining information faster than anyone else is the only way one could prosper for a long time. He kept Plum¡¯s information obtained by repeating regression in the secret area in the Etna library. Documenting the future he experienced in a place that no one could access. But, damn it, for the third time now, the future altered. ¡°It is said that sentinels arrived at the Delis Temple in the territory. They were low-level sentinels with nothing special, and the temple gave them a guide. But as soon as they started guiding, they exploded and died. Here.¡± Jurgen tapped his temple and continued his words. ¡°The blow left two guides blind.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it just a common runaway?¡± Reynon asked back seriously. ¡°My father is checking, but it is said that the power of a guide could not be harmonized with the Sentinel has been discovered. He told me that he was very sorry that he could not attend this promotion exam.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After nodding a few times, Reynon stood up. At that, the Duke also got up and stood next to him. ¡°Plum first appeared 20 years ago. Have they really not succeeded with a single experiment in 20 years?¡± Chapter 26 ¡°Does your Majesty think they have succeeded?¡± ¡°Maybe, because they are confident of success, they haven¡¯t given up for such a long time.¡± Aides and escorts follow the two people walking side by side. Walking away from the tea room of the cute princess, the two headed to the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace. They entered the door to the west of the Imperial Library connected to the Prince¡¯s Palace that opened to the central portal where the blessing of the sun god Icaruso was bestowed. It was as if they arrived at the top of a spire, it was a space composed of a structure that narrowed as it approached the sky. A gigantic sphere rotated at a consistent speed, drifting around a statue with eagle¡¯s wings and sharp claws. In front of the magic circle where the holy light slowly flowed, Reynon leaned back. ¡°The more difficult the research, the more astronomical the price. The scale of the experiment is too large for a single noble or criminal group to accommodate. Even just the manastones we recovered since last year, we can¡¯t even estimate their price, but 20 years¡­ . What do you think?¡± Jurgen reached out and grabbed the light that flowed like grains of white sand. Then, the light absorbed in his hand gently wrapped around his heart. The blessing of the sun god Icaruso was light. Therefore, one who had the power of the greatest of guides, called Liberty, was also dubbed ¡°The Blessing of Icaruso.¡± He snorted and shook his head slightly. Liberty¡¯s light? How funny. What he felt was not light. It was burning hot. ¡°The Great Northern Empire of Balcantera bordering the Duchy of Bradley. It¡¯s called the Empire of Desert, Sun and Gold. Even so, I suspect it.¡± ¡°To suspect¡­ . If you¡¯re sure of your doubts, we¡¯ll have to go to war the Great Northern Empire, not Plum.¡± ¡°It is still a friendly country. There is no need to rush.¡± ¡°Sometimes the one who puts strikes the knife on the back first has the upper hand.¡± Reynon, who spoke lightly, turned and met and held his eyes with a fierce stare, as he grabbed the light. ¡°But you¡­ . Why are you in such good condition?¡± ¡°Did you want me to go amok?¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d runaway. I didn¡¯t know that the Duke who blew up the two gates single handedly would be so healthy, huh?¡± Jurgen drew a captivating slight arc of a smile. In front of the Crown Prince, he seemed to be immersed in thought, and even smirked. Then he grabbed Jurgen¡¯s chin lightly and wrinkled the bridge of his nose. ¡°So you didn¡¯t need to come here¡­ ? Did you find a guide?¡± *** After canceling all schedules, Dahlia returned to the capital¡¯s mansion and instructed the attendant that welcomed her. ¡°Where are the newspapers from the past year?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the master¡¯s study and library. Shall we prepare them?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Yvon, who had just entered the mansion behind her daughter as she headed for the second-floor bedroom, shouted angrily: ¡°Dahlia, are you really going to do this? There are still many places to visit and things to do¡ªso what are you doing now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom. I¡¯ll go visit the jeweler later.¡± ¡°I have to place an order right now, so it will match your debutante dress. Come on¡ª¡± ¡°Right now, it¡¯s more urgent for me to know what¡¯s going on in the capital than my debutant.¡± ¡°Dahlia, women don¡¯t have to wonder about that. That¡¯s a man¡¯s job!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Climbing to the top of the staircase, she took off her gloves and headed for her bedroom. Freesia, who hastily caught up, took off her dress. Dahlia quickly untied her corset and changed into comfortable, loose clothes. ¡®You would have avoided hearing this insult if you had ever glanced at the newspaper during your jewelry shopping and dress up time. Lady.¡¯ Yes, she acknowledged it. Her first priority upon arriving in the capital was not to stop by dressing rooms. With her long hair tied up, ran down the stairs, leaving the maid to clean the room. The butler Hansen, holding the key to the study, spotted Dahlia and smiled kindly. ¡°It¡¯s been 7 years, what a pleasure to see again, miss.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Hansen.¡± Dahlia followed Hansen to the Count¡¯s study. Unlike in Tezeba, the mansion in the capital was not very large. So Dahlia quickly memorized the structure of the manor. At the end of the west aisle on the first floor, there was a study that resembled a library. Noticing the huge amount of newspapers on the table she laughed in disbelief. Hansen put down the key and bowed. ¡°Then, after you finish your business. Please lock the door. It is a place with a lot of valuable materials.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°But, may I ask what is going on?¡± Dahlia picked up the topmost newspaper. Then, after tightening the band holding up her long hair, he looked at Hansen with a lively smile. ¡°I am a bit idiotically ignorant in an area¡­ I¡¯m trying to make up for it. Then, I¡¯d like to ask you for that cup of tea, please.¡± Chapter 27 ¡°For the past 20 years the rampant criminal activities of Plum have now reached their zenith. In the past, ¡®Plum,¡¯ was only known to abduct children and experiment on them. Now collaborating evidence has found that they are leaving children¡¯s bodies at gates to become fodder for monsters. Not much is known about their experiments, but recent eyewitness accounts suggest that there maybe common traces found among the victims.¡± Dahlia meticulously scrutinized every word from the most recent articles in today¡¯s newspapers to the stories published during the Founding of the Empire celebration a year ago. She felt dizzy with the brutal content and plentiful information she had never encountered before in the County of Von Klose. A criminal syndicate called Plum was committing robbery, kidnapping, torture and murder with ease and did not even bother with the dignity of the dead. Most of the victims were babies, children or pregnant women. But nowhere was it written as to why they were perpetrating such heinous crimes. Do they not know or do they not want to let them know? It was Reynon von Leonardo, the Crown Prince of the Empire, who erected the angel statue and the memorial in the central square of Aberdio. The Second Sun of the Empire and the Grand Master of the Order of the Sentinel Knighthood. The Crown Prince, along with Archduke Edelred, was being revered as a hero who declared war on Plum. Dahlia remembered the man she had met in front of the angel statue and bit the tip of her pen with her teeth. Perhaps the rude man was related to a victim, perhaps he had lost a child or wife to Plum. With that thought in mind, she could understand why the man was so venomous. Intermittently, Freesia and Hansen would come to check up on her. ¡°Are you really going to skip out on dinner like this? I worry about you, miss.¡± Even though she never made it to the dining table, Freesia brought her easily digestible omelette on a tray. Dahlia picked her fork, but never took her eyes off the newspaper. ¡°This is plenty of food for me today.¡± ¡°Really, you¡¯re acting strange. By the way, an invitation arrived at the mansion a while ago. Tomorrow, there is an evening celebration held at the Imperial Palace. Probably because of the Sentinel promotion test.¡± Freesia buried her body in an armchair opposite to her, pulled out her sewing thread and watched her. Dahlia nodded her head roughly, taking a large, fluffy omelet into her mouth. ¡°I have never been to an imperial banquet. Do I have to attend?¡± ¡°As soon as the invitation arrived, I saw that the Countess contacted the dressing room¡­ . Shouldn¡¯t you be attending?¡± ¡°But I haven¡¯t even made my debut?¡± ¡°That is different, miss. By the way, when are you going to sleep?¡± Tears welled up in Freesia¡¯s eyes as she yawned loudly. ¡°Go to bed first. I still have so much work to do. If the capital¡¯s newspaper had been disseminated in Tezeba from the beginning, this would not have happened.¡± ¡°If that happens, all the rural newspapers will starve to death. Everyone will only read newspapers from the capital.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± She looked at Freesia with a new expression on her face. Her father was a famous candle maker in Tezeba. Presumably, 99% of the fief would use the candles made by Freesia¡¯s father, and she remembered how proud she was. Wasn¡¯t it so? Freesia was quick-witted and well-versed in the market economy. So Chad, a fellow servant of Blenheim House, would secretly call Freesia to help with the Count¡¯s bookkeeping and accounting. Of course, Dahlia knew about it, but didn¡¯t take issue with it. In the end, it was her father who checked the books again, and it was her who helped review them. ¡°Freesia, don¡¯t doze off here and go in.¡± She was falling asleep with heavy eyelids and her neck in an uncomfortable position, bending to the side. Since it was her first day in the capital, she was very exhausted too. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go first, miss. If you need anything, pull the line. Alright?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After Dahlia had sent her off to her bedroom, she lay down on her sofa with the newspaper she was peering into. But before he could read a few words, the sleepiness she had endured poured out. She was starting to see doubles of Jurgen Axel Edelred¡¯s name printed in the newspaper. A weariness made it too heavy to hold the newspaper up anymore. Her sight glimpsed the colorful ceiling and her eyelids closed. The breath through her nose became slow and steady. *** ¡°Sister.¡± Her body shook. Everything interrupting her sleep irritated her. ¡°You should sleep in the bedroom.¡± It was Gerald¡¯s voice. Even in her sleep, she could clearly tell. When Dahlia couldn¡¯t wake up, he embraced her without her hesitation. Her face was buried deep in his chest, still donning his Sentinel Academy uniform without having a chance to take it off. Awake she was smart and prudent but asleep she was a defenseless heavy slumberer. So much so, she didn¡¯t wake up when she was carried. Unlike the Blenheim House, he passed a hallway with intersecting wooden tiles and climbed the stairs. The sound of his footsteps in the quiet hallway stopped in front of her bedroom. ¡°Gerald¡­ , what happened?¡± Just as he was about to open the door, Dahlia, who was in his arms, mumbled. Gerald smiled with her weary face and opened the door to her bedroom and entered. ¡°Tomorrow is my test, so I overtrained.¡± Her body was buried in the soft bed. Dahlia hugged her pillow as she groaned in happiness. Gerald unbuttoned a couple of his buttons on his uniform that went up to his neck. Then he smiled sweetly as he gently stroked her hair out of her face. Chapter 28 ¡°I heard as soon as you came back from downtown, you locked yourself up in the study.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Reading the newspaper¡­ .¡± ¡°The capital¡¯s newspaper?¡± ¡°Yes, I had a lot of questions.¡± Gerald nodded his head in understanding, then put a finger into her curled up hand. Then, holding his finger tightly, she turned around. He chuckled as he watched the jewel-like light in Dahlia¡¯s blue eyes. The guiding began with her clenched hand. Feeling as if he was looking at a group of soft stars in the night sky. The power, which has been messed up by hard training, found its place. He kissed the back of Dahlia¡¯s hand, clutching his finger, pulled the cushion up and laid down with a relaxed expression on his face. ¡°I¡¯m curious. How does it feel¡­ . getting guided?¡± Dahlia tried to raise her eyelids a little more. Her senses were dull, as if she had been immersed in her hot water, perhaps because she was not fully awake. ¡°Well¡­ . It depends on my condition. Sometimes it¡¯s as dazzling as lying on the beach in Ishiyan and basking in the sun, and sometimes it¡¯s as pleasant as the autumn wind blowing after the rain. But like now, it¡¯s a tickling feeling caressing a sore spot. The calmness of finding a place I like the most, sister.¡± Tickling. Dahlia looked down at her lower belly as her seal was flowing. Although she was obviously guiding, she never had her seal activated before Gerald. But why in front of that man? Because he¡¯s a high-ranking sentinel? But neither Gerald nor his father had the power of a Royal Sentinel. ¡°Gerald, have you ever met a guide with a high matching rate?¡± Gerald¡¯s expression changed, as he was playing around with her hair. A ferocious light flashed in his once boyish eyes. ¡°I have. Why are you curious about that?¡± ¡°How does it feel?¡± ¡°Why are you curious?¡± Whether it¡¯s because he didn¡¯t want to answer or he was shy, the tips of Gerald¡¯s ears grew red, his mischievous eyes growing wide. ¡°Can¡¯t I be curious? I need to know how it feels, so I can protect my body. Rodrigo mentioned it. If the matching rate is high, the seal may be broken.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In fact, Rodrigo didn¡¯t openly say that the seal would be broken, but Gerald wouldn¡¯t doubt her. Worried, he opened his mouth reluctantly. ¡°When I touch it, I know it naturally. It¡¯s so hot that I can¡¯t just describe how good it feels. I want to touch it more, I want to swallow it in one bite¡­ . It feels like that. I¡¯m a sentinel, so I don¡¯t know how the guide feels, but maybe it¡¯s similar?¡± ¡°¡­ So is it good? If you¡¯re not afraid, isn¡¯t it good?¡± ¡°No. A guide¡¯s point of view will be different. Literally, energy is taken by a Sentinel. Everything in here¡­. I can¡¯t imagine how it would feel.¡± Gerald rested his forehead on her chest. Dahlia calmly stroked the back of his silly head. You want to swallow it in one bite? ¡®It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever felt so good about guiding. It¡¯s so terribly good.¡¯ Did the Young Duke feel the same way as Gerald that day? How complicated. Strangely, as time went on, her Sentinel powers grew stagnant, while her guiding power kept growing. She stroked Gerald¡¯s soft hair, a little scared. What if her Sentinel energy is consumed by the Guide¡¯s power like this¡­ . In the end, her guiding abilities would be discovered and she would be taken to the temple. So¡­ . she was afraid of what it would be like if the nightmare-like dream that arrived in midsummer became a reality. ¡°Tomorrow, the Crown Prince will hold an event. Students taking the exam and their families were invited. It would be nice if you could be my partner, but the Imperial Palace is dangerous, so I would insist.¡± There was a faint sense of sadness in his relaxed tone. Dahlia jumped to her feet. ¡°No, I can go. When I said I was going to the capital, Rodrigo went half crazy making something for me.¡± ¡°You told Rodrigo you were going?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dahlia went down under the bed, smiled brightly, found the jewelry box and opened it. Inside was a sapphire necklace that resembled the color of her eyes. It was a very simple enchanted necklace. ¡®If a Luster-class or higher Sentinel approaches nearby, the color will change. It will become very red. So when the color starts to change you get far away. Understood?¡¯ After all, isn¡¯t it the older you get, the more you worry? Besides, he said that the magic in her necklace would be unrecognizable except by a high-ranking wizard. Dahlia grabbed her necklace and turned around with a lightened heart. She then walked over to Gerald lying on the bed. ¡°Here it is, Gerald. Originally, it was magic used to check a sentinel¡¯s grade, but now¡­ .¡± Did he fall asleep? Dahlia shook her head and sat on the edge of the bed. Then she brought her necklace close to Gerald¡¯s body. But the necklace still glowed blue, and he didn¡¯t open his eyes either. ¡®Red¡­ .¡¯ Chapter 29 Winter Hall, where the banquet on the eve of the festivities was held, was the most spacious and splendid place in the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace. It was also called the Hall of Mirrors for countless mirrors were installed on the ceiling, and a myriad portraits of successive emperors filled a wall containing the history of the empire. High ceilings were filled with brilliant chandeliers that shined even in the middle of the day. Aside from factors such as its overwhelming spaciousness and constantly flowering trees regardless of the season, this space was called Winter Hall because of its coldness. It inherited the cold winds from the forest of Arkazen, in the north facing the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace. The air was so icy that the walls of the castle were frozen white. As a result, Winter Hall maintained a cool temperature all year round, although it was a rather odd anomaly. The forest of Arkazen was a lush, ordinary forest. Why was cold air flowing out of such a forest? It was a mystery of nature that could not be explained by human knowledge. As a result, banquets hosted by the imperial family in midsummer were often held in Winter Hall whenever possible. ¡°Claire Grihartman salutes his Majesty.¡± Marquis Grihartmann of the Lille region, who had a stylish wavy white beard, came first to greet and express pleasantries. The Crown Prince smiled softly at him, picked up the wine bottle and filled the marquise¡¯s cup himself. ¡°I have high expectations for Marquis Grihartman. Tomorrow I anticipate seeing your second son becoming a Royal Sentinel.¡± ¡°It is an honor, your Majesty.¡± Marquis Grihartmann raised a glass of wine with a solemn expression and looked at Jurgen, who was standing next to the Crown Prince. Jurgen politely acknowledged him first, with a simple yet elegant attitude without excess. As with other nobles in front of Edelred, a pang of jealousy stung the Marquis Grihartmann until he moved his gaze to the princess. ¡°I heard that the Princess, her Highness, saved my son last time. I will never forget that grace.¡± Julia, who received the Marquis¡¯s respectful hand kiss, shook her head with a smirk. ¡°I just did what a guide was supposed to do. So don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°As soon as my son arrives I¡¯ll make sure he greets her Highness and expresses his thanks.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright. I see Sir Jamie often enough in the guiding room.¡± ¡°Haha, you treat him so freely, I¡¯m indebted.¡± Marquis Grihartmann cajolery was just the beginning. Soon came a series of flattering greetings from aristocracy attending the banquet utilizing the sentinel promotion test as an excuse to ingrain themselves. After the emperor¡¯s condition worsened, the number of banquets held at the imperial court declined sharply. Moreover, since the Crown Prince created the Sentinel Knights and declared war on Plum, the Empire was in a state of combat. While they were thirsty for the imperial banquet for various reasons, today¡¯s banquet was like rain after drought. ¡°Sir Edelred, is the Archduke absent?¡± ¡°There is rumor that you are a squad leader of the Sentinel Knights.¡± ¡°By the way, Sir Edelred, have you ever taken a Sentinel rating test? Indeed¡­ . With your strength, you don¡¯t need to be tested.¡± Jurgen did not answer any of the questions that came pouring in, but they continued the conversation as if he had already answered. Nobility hid their envy by praising his prestige, wealth, and glory of the Archduke Edelred. Of course, the man with the honorable name of Jurgen Axel Edelred just passed them with a look of no interest. ¡®Not yet?¡¯ Standing on the railing on the second floor overlooking the banquet hall, he slowly lowered his gaze. Glamorous aristocrats and sentinels in academy uniforms were abundant. But the woman he was looking for was nowhere to be seen. After returning from the County to the Territory, Jurgen sent the Shadows to Tezeva to find out why Count Von Klose chose to isolate himself in his fief. And just the day before, information close to the answer arrived. ¡®It is said that Count Howell, who left for subjugation 17 years ago, returned with a child. That gate is Plum¡¯s gate, and 80% of the Knights of Blenheim, who participated in the subjugation at the time, were wiped out. However, there are very few survivors who remember that time, so it is not known whether the child is the young miss of the Von Klose household.¡¯ It made sense if Count Howell chose to isolate himself to hide the two coexisting forces in Dahlia¡¯s body. When someone manifests guiding abilities the person is taken by the temple, the Count and his beloved daughter would be no exception. On the other hand, if Dahlia got married after deceiving the eyes of the temple by engraving the insignia of the seal to contain the power in her body¡­ . Even then, if her powers were revealed the temple could not force her into their ranks. However, Jurgen was surprised Count Howell Von Klose would know about the ¡®Guide Attribution Law.¡¯ The guide laws made by the temple were theirs, and only a special few were given the opportunity to read them. Those special ones were the imperial family, the Archduke, and Count Richard Son, who belonged to a family of scribes assigned by the emperor who transcribed the law codes on the walls of the temple in the ancient script. It was feared that if the law were to be known to the public, many nobles would engrave seals in order to hide the power of their children. It was a serious concern that the endless patronage of nobility who sent their children to the temple would be cut off, but considering the shortage of guides, the decision of the temple could not be said to be bad. So who is Count Howell Von Klose? Jurgen felt a faint sense of dread stifling him, and unbuttoned the last buttons on his uniform that was fastened up to his neck. Sometimes he felt this way when he encountered a future he did not know. Maybe it was something close to an anxiety disorder? In the past, Count Von Klose had never attended the party on the eve of the advancement examination. It was a sure thing because the family went extinct 17 years ago in every other timeline. But he had a feeling that they would definitely attend today. The future will change again. Chapter 30 When he was leaning against the railing on the second floor and immersed in thought, a murmur started from the entrance of Winter Hall spread like wildfire. Jurgen naturally moved his gaze towards the foyer. There was the Count, Countess, Gerald Von Klose and¡ª standing there was Dahlia Von Klose. Jurgen felt a thrill tingle his brain just by looking at her. Trying so hard not to be noticed, she donned a simple style with her half-tied up hair and a modest tan dress. She had a bewildered expression as if she had just come out of a monastery. So it was even more amusing to him. It seemed that she didn¡¯t know that she had a presence that she couldn¡¯t hide. The woman who desperately tried to hide herself looked around in confusion. Perhaps it was the first time she had encountered so many nobles, for she looked overwhelmed and blood seemed to drain from her face. She did not fall from the side of her brother who skillfully escorted her. Intrigued, he pulled his body off the banister. *** ¡°Sir Gerald, I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re the top of your class in the Sentinel Academy.¡± ¡°Oh my, is the young girl behind you Lady Dahlia, ¡®The Pearl of Tezeba¡¯?¡± ¡°Sir, this is my sister¡­ .¡± It was not her but her twin brother Gerald who took all the attention and gaze of the noble girls. Dahlia regretted that she had accompanied him. She now faced glances filled with curiosity and interest, mixed with ridicule. ¡°How amazing, the young lady doesn¡¯t look like a Southerner at all?¡± It was an expected remark. Dahlia smiled politely as she had been taught, but Gerald didn¡¯t. He stared down the lady who had made the remark for some time and then warmly held the back of Dahlia hand that rested in the inside of his elbow while escorting her. ¡°I have to say my greetings to the Crown Prince, so I bid you adieu.¡± When Gerald cut off the conversation formally first, feeling awkward, the crowd withdrew. Gerald held the glow of healthy, darker skin and the tall stature distinctive to southerners. He captivated nobility with his appearance that contained both tenderness and strength. At least in Dahlia¡¯s eyes, the desire they shed was starky evident. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Countess Von Klose stepped forward, glancing at the nobles who had just shown interest in Gerald and Dahlia. After she greeted the host, the Crown Prince first, she was about to introduce Dahlia. Instead, subconsciously she grabbed her necklace. Rumors said the Crown Prince was the continent¡¯s 4th Luster-ranked Sentinel with extraordinary psychic powers. It was not known what kind of psychic abilities he had, but his rank alone was dangerous enough to ward her off. Knowing this, Dahlia secretly let go of Gerald¡¯s hand. ¡°Go ahead. I¡­ I will be here.¡± ¡°Do you think it would be dangerous?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­ Then, stay here. I will be back soon.¡± She nodded and waved his hand slightly. The tips of Gerald¡¯s ears turned slightly red. After he and the Countess disappeared in the crowd to greet the Crown Prince, she suffered with the gazes as if she was a circus animal. At first glance she was without flaws to ridicule. She had clear skin, soft-as-silk hair and her feminine silhouette that could not be hidden by her stuffy-looking dress. But the problem was that she was from Tezeba. The land of intense sun and fertility, all the nobles of Tezeba had olive-colored skin and dark hair. But it was not so for Dahlia. It was as if she was a Northerner. She had pale, bright hair and skin that could hold a tan. Her appearance coupled with her peculiar origin made her well-qualified to be the prey of the vicious elite. ¡°Her dress¡­ . Do you think that kind of thing is fashionable in Tezeba?¡± ¡°I was looking forward to seeing ¡®the Pearl,¡¯ but now that I catch a glimpse of it, there¡¯s nothing to see. To think, coming to an imperial banquet without a single proper jewel.¡± ¡°How embarrassing she is, that the Countess goes to greet the Crown Prince and leaves only her. But really¡­ . she has not even one southern feature.¡± I can hear everything. No, she¡¯s probably talking loud enough for me to hear. Dahlia lifted her hand from her necklace. Seeing that it had begun to react faintly when she got close to the prince, and is now silent, it seemed that the prince was the only one she needed to avoid here. As she raised her head from her necklace, those who peeked a look and gossiped about her skillfully avoided her gaze. She was already exhausted. This must have been the battle of nerves in high society that Freesia was talking about. ¡®Are Gerald and your mother still there¡­..?¡¯ Dahlia, inspecting the direction they disappeared to, realized that the expressions of the crowd, who had looked at me with strange glances a moment ago, had changed. They looked visibly nervous, with their backs straightened and equipped with bright shining manners. Her body felt hot, and an idea accorded to her but she shook head and the thought away. But just in case she turned around. ¡°Miss Dahlia, long time no see, my lady.¡± The man who dragged her gloved hand without permission gave an impeccable greeting. After kissing the back of her hand, he lifted his exceptional sculptural face. As if embedded with jewels, his beautiful red eyes softened in an instant. Dahlia¡¯s face went blank for a moment, and then grabbed her necklace with the opposite hand and raised her lips into a polite smile with effort. ¡°It¡¯s been a while¡­ Sir Edelred.¡± Chapter 31 ¡°Why are you so late¡­.? ¡± A man with a penchant for uttering nonsense rose from leaning forward. Dahlia had to look up to meet his gaze. Her gaze traveled up the gold buttons of his white uniform, stopped at the neatly filled collar of her neck. As she glanced along her gallant and strong jawline, she glimpsed the Young Duke of Edelred¡¯s sweet smiling mask. He really is a man with a terribly dazzling shell. A man who seemed unperturbed and could leisurely face all of life¡¯s crises thrown at him. Although he looked tender, calm and religiously detected from worldly matters with a striking face Dahlia was not deceived. She was well aware how vicious and indecent he really was behind that handsome profile. Just before leaving Tezeba, that man taught her what reverse guiding was. It was a painful experience, as if the soul had been punctured. It was a shock she never wanted to go through again. Dahlia, who fiercely glared at Jurgen with trepidation, unclasped the necklace she had clutched in her hand. Then, with a relaxed smile, he took another step closer. ¡°Count Von Klose must have been very concerned about bringing the lady to the capital.¡± Jurgen¡¯s stare pointed directly at her necklace. As if he knew what this gem was, he discreetly smirked. No, she was sure he knew. Who was this man? Watching the burning red jewel on her necklace he stretched out his arm as if offering to escort her. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of taking a walk, would you like to accompany me? Or I¡¯ll ask for the first dance.¡± The ripple effect of the word ¡°first dance¡± spread and the unkind glazes of the crowd that up until a while ago had judged her attire and jewelry badly, now followed them with intrigued scrutiny. So she decided to take advantage of Jurgen¡¯s skillfully arranged goodwill. Dahlia willingly put her hand on his arm. ¡°Indeed, the air is a bit stuffy, thank you for your consideration.¡± ¡°I am honored, my lady.¡± Feeling like she was on a well-lit theatrical stage, Dahlia walked across the banquet hall with him. Despite the inexhaustible stares, Jurgen bent slightly and his nose brushed past her ear as they stepped forward together while staring straight ahead. ¡°Why are you shaking so much? Are you nervous?¡± His affectionate tone gave her chills up her spine. In the eyes of others, it would seem that Duke Edelred was courting her. Well-taught, Dahlia replied with the facade befitting of a lady, dignified and graceful. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean in the slightest, Sir Edelred.¡± ¡°You¡¯re also exemplary at acting.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to my lord.¡± ¡°Thanks to me?¡± ¡°Yes, thanks to me?¡± Bewildered, the aristocrats couldn¡¯t take their eyes off them, their mouths agape at their amiable behavior. It was what he was hoping for. The two looked at each other fondly and quietly walked out of the banquet hall. Leaving the cool banquet hall and entering the garden scorched by the heat of summer, she shook off his arm and moved away from Jurgen. The sight of Dahlia retreating as if she¡¯s running away from him, surprised him and made him burst into laughter. ¡°You treat me like a villain.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? You are a villain.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too harsh on the person who rescued you from the suffocating banquet hall?¡± ¡°You are still shameless, Sir Edelred.¡± The two shot back at each other without losing a word. Since it was an imperial garden, soft light poured from the magic crystal spheres illuminating the area. Although the number of wizards decreased after the power of the magic tower diminished, there were still a plethora of wizards that were on retainer for the imperial family. Curiously Dahlia studied the crystal orbs powered by mana and stepped forward to get a better glimpse. ¡°Still¡­ . I didn¡¯t want to dance in front of people, so thank you for saving me.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re being a little more honest.¡± Turning around, she smirked and spread her skirt in a curtsy in half- ridicule. Jurgen watched her honey-colored hair swaying faintly with every step. The gossipmongers in the banquet hall did not know that her light brown dress, which attempted to be discreet, was a color allowed only to high-ranking nobles in the past. Ignorantly they blatantly revealed their shallow noble lineage with their defamation. On the other hand, Count Von Klose was one of the five great families that supported the empire for as long as Edelred. How crass, to evaluate and malign a young maiden from such a family based on just a dress and a few jewels. If His Majesty the Emperor was there, they wouldn¡¯t have dared even make eye contact with her. ¡°Since we¡¯ve met again¡­ . Please apologize. For reserve-guiding me last time.¡± Jurgen¡¯s brow wrinkled at her remark after she had suddenly stopped walking. ¡°Oh, that.¡± ¡°Yes, it was horrible and unpleasant. I had never felt that way before¡­ . It was terrible.¡± With determination to face him, she glared at Jurgen, and involuntarily wrapped her hands around her belly. But luckily today, the seal did not activate. Only light discomfort came from the faint ringing of her blood-red necklace. ¡°I apologize, my dear lady.¡± With courtesy, he kissed the back of her hand and politely lowered his gaze. It was an impeccable manners that he wouldn¡¯t make eye contact until he received permission. ¡°¡­ Your apology, I will accept it.¡± As soon as she nodded her head reluctantly and pulled her hand away, he said at once: ¡°What about my marriage proposal?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t responded to my proposal yet.¡± Incredible. Dahlia¡¯s jaw was clenched, avoiding his gaze. She knew it was not a sincere proposal. We¡¯ve only just met. Something happened and she guided him¡­ and there was contact, but it was absolutely nothing more than an accident. But are you proposing? Why? ¡°Sir¡­ . You must have a bad memory. I obviously refused.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t seriously consider it though.¡± ¡°My reply would be the same even if I did seriously consider it. I¡­ . I will not marry you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Chapter 32 For a moment, she was speechless. It wasn¡¯t that she simply didn¡¯t want to get married to him, it was that she didn¡¯t want to get married to anyone. But she couldn¡¯t come up with a proper explanation with the right words. With her mouth in a firm line, out of habit, Dahlia grabbed her necklace. Irregardless, this man¡¯s proposal was exceedingly bizarre. At her defensive attitude, Jurgen burst out laughing. ¡°I¡­ . Do I look so unappealing?¡± ¡°What benefit is it if only the outside is great?¡± ¡°My family is excellent, and I am very capable. Most of all, I can give you what you want.¡± ¡°No, Sir Edelred can¡¯t give me what I want. Because you don¡¯t know what I want.¡± Putting her flowing hair over her ear, she lowered her hand holding her necklace. Jurgen looked down at her determined eyes and spoke with a gentle tone. ¡°Do you not wish for freedom and safety?¡± Indeed, it was. Dahlia just sighed and stared at his face that had lost its smile. ¡°I, too, seek freedom. And I want a safe life. To do that, we need each other. What is the difference between an arranged loveless marriage and a marriage born from a partnership of necessity?¡± ¡°¡­ I need Sir Edelred?¡± ¡°Last time, I thought I had told you that I would tell you how to avoid imploding.¡± ¡°You did. On the condition I would be your guide. Again, I declined.¡± Whether it was because her pronunciation was proper or because her voice was low for a woman, he liked her voice a lot. So even if he was rejected, he was not particularly shocked. Jurgen knew that was the biggest problem. ¡°I made the offer for your benefit. If you release your seal and freely utilize your guiding powers until you exhaust your powers, there is no risk of a runaway. That happens because your strength accumulates until it overflows.¡± His gaze watched her as she stepped forward. ¡°Ha, then the temple will find me. There¡¯s a reason I¡¯ve been living with this uncomfortable seal.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ve done well. If you had met me earlier, it would have been solved easily.¡± Jurgen passed by a confounded Dahlia and entered under the blossoming wisteria*. As if they were in another world, the pale purple flowers were scattered and obscured the view like a veil. [*t1v: Wisterias symbolize romance in most cultures. In Korea in particular, it carries the meaning of devotion that transcends death.] ¡°What do you mean¡­ .¡± Stunned for a moment, Dahlia was a little bitter as she saw him standing among the blooming wisteria flowers. It was the first time she had ever thought of a man as being pretty or beautiful. Remembering the clinging scent of acacia flowers and the sweet memory of her first kiss made her body warm. So, defensively, she hated that she was uncomfortable while looking at him. ¡°First of all, you need to guide someone powerful enough who can use up your powers. It¡¯s beneficial for you to drain your energy, and secondly¡­ . If you become my wife, even if the temple finds out that you are a guide, they can¡¯t force you to go with them. You¡¯ll be free. ¡°It¡¯s an exception to the Guide Attribution law,¡± he explained. The man¡¯s eyes flashed red through the cracks in the coveted flowers. Dahlia slowly removed the veil of blossoms and approached him. ¡°Is that really true? Why would the temple¡­ .¡± With a gentle smile, he offered up his hand and tilted his head. ¡°You can check it for yourself. Is what I am saying true or false?¡± The scent pouring from above her head dazed her. Hesitating, she raised her hand over his extended one, but still kept a gap between them. She would be lying if she said that she could not feel the hot body temperature through the narrow gap. It can¡¯t be. ¡°Marriage is not freedom. And¡­ . Before I am a guide, I am a Sentinel. There¡¯s something I have to do.¡± He asked, looking down at her unreachable hand. ¡°What do you have to do?¡± ¡°I¡­ . am not the daughter of Count Von Klose.¡± Her bright blue eyes were filled with pale purple flowers. It was like that day. At sunset when a hot wind blew, where under a tree that they had wallowed in each other in a mess. Even then, as he swallowed those thick lips, small white flowers bloomed in her eyes. ¡°So what?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Firstly, I never cared what kind of family you hailed from. It probably wouldn¡¯t matter if you were a convent nun. I¡¯m not looking for a bride for the prosperity of my family, I need you to be my guide.¡± ¡°Then¡­ . Is the reason you want to get married really because you need a guide?¡± ¡°You have no idea how one feels when you receive perfect guiding. It¡¯s the reason why I am doing this.¡± Her eyes widened, and gently avoided his eyes. ¡°I know, you can¡¯t explain just how good it feels. It¡¯s hot and you want to touch it more¡­ . you want to swallow it in one bite. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°Hey, who taught you that?¡± His eyes suddenly changed and took on a ferocious glow. He approached her and leaned forward to hold her stare with his gaze. Dahlia frowned as her field of vision was full of the red eyes and lips in front of her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who told me.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s important. Because the most essential explanation is missing.¡± Jurgen tilted his head slightly with a twisted expression. He was so close the tip of his nose and lips almost brushed against hers. ¡°It¡¯s, in you, I¡­ .¡± He whispered in a voice sweet enough to heat her body. The tall shrubs shook and wisteria blossoms quivered in unison. ¡°Edelred, I was wondering where you went. To think you were in a place like this.¡± Through the gaps of the thick curtains of wisteria blooms, a bright blonde flashed across. ¡°Your Majesty, the Crown Prince.¡± Chapter 33 t1v: There¡¯s a lot of new terminology in this book so here¡¯s a ¡®guide¡¯ and official artwork ¡°How unusual of you. Who is the lady with you?¡± Dahlia looked down at her glowing red necklace and swallowed a silent swear. The necklace, which had turned red because of Jurgen since before, was now making an odd resonant hum. She hadn¡¯t paid it any mind, figuring that it was reacting because of Jurgen. She had been too complacent and committed a foolish mistake. Had it not been for this man, the Crown Prince would not have approached, and even if he had, she would have known it right away. Dahlia gritted her teeth. She was in the worst-possible and most preposterous situation. Somehow finding herself between two of the seven Luster Sentinels in the world¡­ . ¡°What will happen if someone who should be at the banquet appears here? I¡¯m sure everyone is looking for you, your Majesty.¡± Jurgen¡¯s large back appeared and took up her field of vision as she took a step back. Covering her intrinsically, he grabbed her hand. He squeezed it lightly. Dahlia fretted, how could she leave? She thought about rearing up her Sentinel powers so that it wouldn¡¯t be discovered that she was a guide. ¡°How can I enjoy myself without you? It¡¯s too boring. But Edelred¡­. What are you so intent on hiding?¡± In response to the sharp question mixed with laughter, Dahlia had no choice but to hold Jurgen¡¯s hand. She had not yet gotten a glimpse of the Crown Prince¡¯s face, but she knew instinctively: That the current situation is very unfavorable and dangerous for me. ¡°I hoped you¡¯d turn a blind eye¡­ . Did your Majesty want to watch me propose so much?¡± Dahlia¡¯s eyes widened at his attitude toward the Crown Prince. His hand clutching her fingers trembled, and perhaps because of his mood, her seal was activated. ¡°Proposal? Of marriage? You?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How puzzling, I thought you would marry my sister, Edelred.¡± ¡°The Princess is not my type.¡± ¡°Then, that woman is?¡± Again. This time again, the Crown Prince¡¯s questions were directed straight at her. Since Jurgen had committed an offense, Dahlia had to play along. As her nerves stretched she tightened her grip on his hand, he slowly turned around and narrowed his brow. ¡®What?¡¯ he asked silently, and she laughed. The Crown Prince, who was a little far away, picked up some drooping wisteria flowers and came close to her. She could no longer hide from Reynon¡¯s presence as he approached. It¡¯s a proposal that should be rejected, and as long as the Young Duke doesn¡¯t have the ability to move through space, she can run away¡­ . right? ¡°Do you think the Emperor will allow you to marry?¡± ¡°I plan to slowly solve it.¡± ¡°There is no woman in the empire higher in status than the princess.¡± ¡°All the same, if the princess married me, she would lose her status as the Duchess. In that case, it would be better for her to marry a prince of another country. His Majesty would wish so too.¡± ¡°Ah, so¡­ . You¡¯re going to relinquish my sister¡¯s heart, really?¡± The atmosphere between the two men began to twist. Frankly, she agreed with the Crown Prince. She didn¡¯t know the details, but if he had a woman he had promised to marry, betrayal was unacceptable regardless of reason. Dahlia carefully peeked from behind his back. Spotting garments more colorful than Jurgen¡¯s uniform and a red cloak draped over one shoulder turning heavily in the breeze. Her gaze slowly traveled upward. Bright blonde hair like the sun, and her eyes are more translucent than that. His hair, swaying in the wind, half covered his cold eyes and looked straight into her eyes. ¡®Uh¡­ ?¡¯ Inadvertently, Dahlia could not help but gape in astonishment. He was not unfamiliar. Not only was he not unfamiliar to her, but she distinctly remembered his face: ¡°You would have avoided hearing this insult if you had ever glanced at the newspaper during your jewelry shopping and dress up time. Lady.¡± An unknown man who was pouring venom at me. The man I thought was just the family of the victims stood in front of me with a dry expression. ¡°Oh, I know that face.¡± When their eyes met, Reynon¡¯s lips twisted faintly. In that moment, the energy of a sentinel struck her precisely. Dahlia felt like she was being sucked into the deep water. The ability of Prince Reynon, a sentinel of the mental variety, had the power to induce a kind of hypnosis, obedience and delusion. Confused by the pressure, she felt the need to kneel before him. The seals inside her body were activated one by one. All the seals engraved on the back of the hands, calves and thighs, chest and lower abdomen were activated at once. ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°You¡¯re making this difficult, sire.¡± Seeing Dahlia in pain and dropping her grip on his hand, Jurgen raised his strength and confronted the prince. She took a moment to catch her breath, wrapping her hand on her neck. Her whole body was hot and stinging as if she had been burned. She had to run away. But deep down rather than running away she desperately wanted to get rid of all these cursed seals. The moment her eyes trembled, full of tears, the gaze of the prince looking down on her darkened. ¡°¡­ Seal of the insignia?¡± The Crown Prince grabbed Jurgen¡¯s collar intensely, without retrieving his power. ¡°You answer me. The guide you mentioned yesterday¡­ Was it Lady Von Klose?¡± Chapter 34 ¡°Your abilities have no effect on me, Your Majesty. So let me go and withdraw your powers.¡± ¡°No, no¡­ . answer me. Is that woman a guide?¡± The forces generated under the wisteria created a round waveform, encircling the entire huge tree. The sight of the two forces facing each other was even majestic and awe-inspiring, but Dahlia could not pay attention with the agony that felt like her body was breaking. Crack. The splinter that started in her thigh slowly spreads. The seal engraved on her body broke, crumbled and began to scatter like sparks. The pain resembled what she felt back home, ultimately so terrible that she couldn¡¯t recall it. You have to live. Somehow, you have to live. ¡®Stay alive, sweetheart.¡¯ An unremembered voice pushed her back. ¡°P¡ªPrince Edelred!¡± Dahlia, who barely managed to call his name, reached out and grabbed the end of his uniform. Pale, tired, slender fingers trembled. Her face was drenched in cold sweat, her red eyes filled with tears. Jurgen noticed that it was not because of fear, but because of the pain of the seal. He bent down and hugged her as she panted. A new sneer full of ridicule flows from the prince¡¯s lips at that sight. ¡°Liberty.¡± Damn it. Jurgen stopped the swear words from leaking out, and turned around with a renewed facade. ¡°How can that be?¡± ¡°No? Liberty¡­ . you¡¯ve brought something very interesting.¡± One of Reynon¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly as he whispered happily. The prince seized some hair from the trembling woman that shook like a frightened herbivore. In an instant, Jurgen¡¯s eyes changed, but Reynon didn¡¯t notice. The eyes of the prince, who buried her face in her hair, slowly sink. The moment Reynon was convinced of her strength, Jurgen couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. ¡°¡­ Forgive the rudeness. Majesty.¡± The moment Reynon raises her head, the space quickly twists. ¡®Warp?¡¯ Jurgen smiled calmly as he watched the prince¡¯s face turn cold. While he lowered his lips to Dahlia¡¯s dazed forehead his gaze was fixed on Reynon. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± A strong light dazzled under the wisteria along with the sound of the pod. All the people who ran in after noticing the disturbance was startled by the glare and had to stop to close their eyes tightly¡ªexcept for Reynon. He clearly captured the very moment Jurgen disappeared. ¡°Your Majesty! Your Majesty, the Crown Prince!¡± ¡°Brother! Are you okay? What is going on! Everyone, inspect the area!¡± ¡°Yes! Your Highness, the Princess!¡± As soon as the intangible aura that surrounded the entire garden disappeared, the guards and Julia came running. Those who witnessed a sudden burst of sentinel energy, assumed that a gate had opened on the castle grounds. Thus, knights and guards were urgently summoned and Julia realized that Jurgen and Reynon were there together. ¡°Sire, are you alright? A little while ago, I definitely felt the energy of a runaway. Right now, you need a guide¡­ .¡± Princess Julia, who ran to Reynon, who was standing still, hurriedly grabbed his hand. Obviously, Jurgen¡¯s power was also felt, but he was nowhere to be seen, and there were no traces of a gate. When Julia grabbed Reynon¡¯s limp hand and was about to guide him¡ª ¡°Get your dirty hands away from me!¡± Julia¡¯s cheek was cut by the cold hand brushing her away. It was because the sharp edge of a ring cut the princess¡¯ face. Blood drips down. All those watching were astonished and ran to summon a doctor. ¡°Older brother¡­ .¡± Julia looked up at Reynon, who was shining brightly, and covered her cut cheek. But Reynon looked down on her with no remorse, and straightened his disheveled collar. ¡°How dare you. Not even Liberty, know your place¡­. . don¡¯t touch my body. This is a warning.¡± ¡°There is no Liberty Guide. They died long ago, brother. If you keep refusing guiding like this, you¡¯ll end up running wild. How long do you think you can rely on manastones!¡± Unexpectedly rebellious, Julia got up on her own without the help of those around her and glared at him. A faint smile graced the tip of Reynon¡¯s lips as his chilly eyes fixed on the spot where Jurgen disappeared. ¡°No, Liberty exists. Shut down the banquet. I am tired.¡± Reynon, who brushed off the hem of his red cloak, turned around and walked away. Those around him retreated politely. As he walked towards the Crown Prince¡¯s palace, he rubbed his lips with a hand and burst into laughter. It was comical and infuriating that Edelred had captured the cute prey that had fearlessly set foot in the imperial court, with the seal of insignia engraved all over her body. Dahlia Von Klose. Plainly, she was a woman who had proved her sentinel powers years ago. But now a guide. Liberty too¡­ ? ¡°Sonnon.¡± At the calm call of the Crown Prince, a person hiding in the shadows appears quietly and walks at the same pace. ¡°Check where Duke Edelred has gone. And send someone to Tezeba. Go now.¡± ¡°I hear and obey your orders, Sire.¡± Chapter 35 Jurgen, who succeeded in teleporting, laid an unconscious Dahlia on a nearby sofa and unconsciously unfastened his jacket¡¯s frustrating buttons as if feverish. He headed west and into the backyard of the Bluebell Mansion, where a cabana and stone pool was. The building had eight impressive stone pillars in front of a square grass lawn. It gave a dignified and ancient impression as it had been passed down in the family for several generations. It used to be Jurgen¡¯s sanctuary and favorite lodgings, but lately, he hadn¡¯t had the time to appreciate it. He lowered himself on an immaculate grass lawn managed impeccably by a manastone throughout the year and took out a handkerchief to dampen it. The transparent and bluish water from the pool soaked the cloth. Jurgen placed the wet towel on Dahlia¡¯s burning forehead and remarked: ¡°I¡¯ll take it off. Don¡¯t misunderstand. It¡¯s to save you.¡± The woman¡¯s scalding cheeks were red as she tossed and turned, gasping as if she was suffocating. He had no idea whether she had heard him. As Jurgen took off her shoes, he slowly scanned her body which smelled unusually sweet today and rolled up her stockings. He uncovered a seal that seemed out of place on her cute pale feet. ¡°You have them all over your body¡­ . Are you crazy? What were you thinking?¡± As Jurgen raised her, sitting her up to take off her heavy tan dress, her powerless hand rested on his shoulder. Dahlia struggled to open her eyes. ¡°What are you doing¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you woke up. Take it off.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you insane?¡± ¡°If you want to live, undress. Von Klose.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Dahlia shook her head. However, her insides burned at that moment as blood pooled in her mouth. She cried and spewed out blood. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Your powers need to be let out but instead your insides are breaking down! You¡¯re going to implode. Right now, you need to take it off. It¡¯s not the time to be modest, this is a life and death situation. I just want to save you.¡± She knew best that something was wrong with her body. Her eyes, which looked down blankly at the blood she had spilled, swelled with a sharp clarity. Dahlia jumped up and stumbled. Silently Jurgen watched her. She unbuttoned her buttons and pulled her arms out of her heavy dress, which dropped to her feet. She turned her back to him, held the couch, and ordered, ¡°Release me.¡± Her voice split as she raised her head. A corset and white lace were visible through her long, honey-colored hair. It was so tight that her breathing became heavy when he only pulled one of the strings. Her thin waist with a little bit of transparent skin poked through. The white garter belt emphasized her round buttocks with a fastener band wrapped around her thighs. Jurgen undid the cords of her corset at a speed that was neither slow nor fast. Each time he did, her head tilted, and she tightly clutched the back of the sofa, feeling as if her mind was going to explode. Finally, he untied all of the laces, and the corset fell on the couch. The night air touched her round breasts. ¡°Ha¡­ .¡± ¡°On your stomach.¡± Her whole body was covered with activated seals, shining with a bright, blinding red light. The runaway of the seal. It was so dangerous that most wizards kept it to themselves. The seal of the insignia worked like a mirror containing rays of light; it was just a matter of time before the enchanted would be seriously injured by the force that could not escape. ¡°Ha, hurry up and quickly do something¡­ .¡± Laying flat on the sofa, she took shaky, labored gasps with her eyes closed. ¡°Be patient. I won¡¯t waste time or hold back either.¡± Jurgen tossed off his uniform jacket on the floor and grabbed her ankle. Even her soft, smooth heels were red. He started with the tip of her toes. Jurgen was going to apply force directly to the seals and destroy them one by one, but inside he was upset at the thought of how painful the process would be. Nevertheless, there was no other way. ¡°Tell me if it hurts. I will let you bite my hand.¡± ¡°Ha, I can stand it¡­ .¡± ¡°Save your energy. Don¡¯t say useless things.¡± Jurgen carefully placed his lips behind her ankle. It was burning hot. The tender and searing skin was beating. The seal¡¯s light gradually became whiter due to the power applied slowly and evaporated with the sound of glass beads breaking. ¡°Ha!¡± As night descended, the night crystal balls planted throughout the Bluebell Mansion began to glow. They illuminated two people next to the swimming pool. It was the deepest and most secretive space of the Bluebell Mansion estate. It was the first time in his five lives that he had brought an outsider here. Even his long-time fiance, Princess Julia, had never been allowed to enter his space, this dwelling, and the annex. But why did I bring this woman here? Climbing past her ankles, the engraved seal on the back of her knee broke. Each time he used his energy power, on the contrary, her power rushed into his body. The fact that her force moved naturally just by touching meant that their powers had a high matching rate. He was pleased to see her demeanor and desire become gradually kindled as well. ¡®I know. You can¡¯t explain just how good it feels. It¡¯s hot and you want to touch it more¡­ . You want to devour it in one bite. Right?¡¯ I don¡¯t know who the hell told her about that, but you¡¯re loathsome. A wretched possessiveness boiled over at the thought of someone else other than himself lusting for this woman. ¡°Oh *cough* ugh¡­ . it hurts.¡± ¡°Shh¡­ . it¡¯s just a little longer.¡± He licked her sweaty, slippery skin and slowly pulled her underwear down. In her stupor, she raised her ass, and her toes fidgeted. Even before, Jurgen had thought the subtle lines of her figure were beautiful when she had been wrapped up tightly in the light brown dress that came all the way up to her neck. However, when Dahlia was undressed, she was overwhelmingly dazzling, like a pristine jewel. He licked and broke the seal on the back of her thigh and bit her ample ass, causing her to flinch. ¡°Ha, is there a seal there too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°Yes, Dahlia, I am going to wring the neck of the wizard who has put so many seals on your body.¡± No, it was a lie. There was no seal. Chapter 36 After biting her round and supple ass, he climbed up onto the sofa and pressed his uncomfortable erect lower half between her legs. His outward expression was still calm and even cold at first glance, but he actually was lusting for her. To the extent that it could not be tolerated¨C a ferocious and vicious desire was boiling over. Jurgen rolled her honey-colored hair to one side and set his teeth on a fairly large seal on her back. ¡°Ah!¡± As he increased his power with as much patience as he could muster, Dahlia¡¯s gasping grew sharper and heavier, and her grip on the cushion made her knuckles turn white. A different level of pain pierced her whole body and made her shudder than when he broke small seals. Then, putting his hand in front of her heaving bosom as she sobbed and squirmed, Jurgen hugged her tightly and put his finger on her lips. A finger poked between her gaping lips, rumbling through her wet tongue and open mouth. For a moment, Dahlia was able to forget her pain. But this was so bizarre. Something other than her pain was bothering her. ¡°I-I don¡¯t want it,¡± Dahlia mumbled even though she bit his finger. Every time his tongue grazed her skin, traces of sticky pleasure pooled between her legs. Dahlia shook her head from the unfamiliar and even shameful sensation. Shatter. At that moment, she heard the sound of something breaking in her head. Then, a sound that had never been heard before came pouring in like an explosion. The cacophony of birds chirping hidden in the treetops, the din of running water through a narrow creek, and the clangor of branches swaying in the wind¡ª all at once. With his lips half-opened, he pressed his lips against her shoulder in a delirium, letting out a shaky breath. ¡°One¡ªthere¡¯s one left,¡± he stated, and turned her around. Her view of the ceiling was instead full of the sight of the man¡¯s upper body. He unbuttoned his shirt and wiped off her sweat, holding her between his knees. Then he took off his thin shirt, dropping it to the floor, caressed and held her cheeks, and licked her lips. ¡°Guide me. My energy is exhausted because of you, you have to replenish it until the very end.¡± Jurgen bit her swollen, sticky lower lip and his tongue penetrated deeply into her mouth. He rubbed the top of her mouth and licked near her throat. Every time that happened, a convulsive power was transmitted to him. An energy so sweet and thrilling that made his hair stand upright. It was an energy incomparable to the guiding he had received from her before. It was as if new, fresh blood had replenished all his veins, and his eyes brightened. Jurgen grabbed her chin, turning her head to dig in deeper and more profanely. His genitals were swollen to the limit, pressing against his zipper to the point of pain. Just touching her like this is enough to make my mind go numb; how would it feel if I had my body entrenched in her? The hairs all over his body stood up. ¡°Sir Edelred!¡± Because he did not let go of her lips, Dahlia¡¯s words were slurred. He tickled her body, caressing the apex of her small breasts. He fondled her erect nipples like small fruits and then lightly pinched them, causing her waist to bend with an inexperienced moan. She was surprised by herself. Jurgen swept her body and traveled down, hanging a leg on one of his arms. Releasing her lips, he kissed her slowly as he descended her body. Instead of activated seals, his kiss marks were now clearly visible on her skin. It caught her attention like red camellia* petals that fell on the snow. After grazing her collarbones, he kissed the hollow between her breasts, and went down more and more. She tried to close her legs, but he wouldn¡¯t allow it. Between her legs was a straight line beyond her light-colored body hair; her pubic area glistened with love juice. He licked his dry lips, kissed below her belly button, and sucked. Tender flesh was sucked into his mouth. Then, the last seal left on her body began to glow. ¡°Oh, it hurts!¡± Dahlia struggled. She was so hot, itchy, and agonized that she couldn¡¯t be still. Hot arousal ran through her trembling body and pooled to the bottom of her belly. He licked the bottom of her abdomen where he had left a tooth mark and raised his gaze to her from below. A flash of ferocious desire caught her eye. ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°Here, I¡¯ll lick you.¡± Dahlia shook her head frantically. ¡°No¡­ .¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for permission, Dahlia.¡± The man¡¯s fingertips gently traced her damp crevice. When the tip of his fingernail brushed against her thick flesh, her whole body spasmed as if she had been electrocuted. With a mischievous nibble, he unfurled her lower slit covering her entrance and pressed his lips against her red, soft inner flesh. At that moment, she sat up and grabbed his hair. The body odor piercing his nose was terribly sweet. But, no, he wondered if the expression ¡°sweet¡± was enough. He stuck out his tongue and started sucking on her dripping pussy, burying his face in her vagina. [*t1v: Red camellias symbolize love, passion, and deep desire. In South Korea they also symbolize eternal devoted love and loyalty] Chapter 37 Dahlia didn¡¯t scream or moan but made a sound close to an exclamation. Each time his tongue crushed against her, her seal pulsated and flinched. Dahlia couldn¡¯t keep a thought in her head. Her thoughts evaporated in a white haze, and she couldn¡¯t feel the burning pain anymore. The strange sensation of a squashy tingling made her body shake. Dahlia instinctively rubbed her pussy against his lips and raised her pelvis on her toes. ¡°Haa¡ªhaa.¡± He grabbed her thighs a little tighter and folded them up against her bosom, and between her legs, his tongue touched a hole the size of his fingernail. Then, little by little, he pushed the tip of his tongue in and gulped down her dripping liquid. A thrill of raw pleasure pierced and ran through her. It was a very urgent and terrifying pleasure for her. Nevertheless, she did not want to let him go. The more she rubbed her flesh against Jurgen, the more she felt like the stagnant power in her body unraveling like a tangled thread. As he sucked her underneath as if he were pouring kisses the kiss, he unfastened his belt and pulled out his stiff, raging erection. Dahlia stared blankly at his penis standing upright near his moving abdominal muscles, then shook her head frantically. ¡°We¡¯re not even married yet, sir!¡± ¡°Did I say anything? Ha, only a madman would not get excited in this situation.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I guess life is worth living now.¡± He slowly masturbated and pulled her hand. Then, Dahlia realized that all the seals on her body had been broken. Startled, she looked up; he looked down at her with hazy eyes and spoke in a thick, sultry voice: ¡°Touch it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You have to get used to it, Dahlia.¡± Her supple palm touched his veiny cock. Jurgen gently wrapped her hands around it. ¡°Oh, damn¡­ .¡± He sighed with satisfaction, and then his expression became dreamy and sensual. Then, at the tip of his penis, thicker than her wrist, a liquid began to form. He moved on his own, and she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him, unable to shake off this strange feeling. His increasingly harsh and heated breaths fell on the top of her crown. He bent down and whispered with a thick, murky allure: ¡°Look up.¡± When she didn¡¯t listen, he gently grabbed her chin, and their eyes met. Her eyes and cheeks were flushed red. Jurgen looked down at her reddened lips and licked his lips. ¡°Can you feel the power?¡± ¡°What power¡­ .¡± ¡°Even if you touch me just a little bit, your power flows into me. Even if you don¡¯t want to, your energy seems to like my body.¡± Dahlia felt precisely the force that escaped from her body. She didn¡¯t know until he broke the seal, no¡­ . In a sense, that was inaccurate. At her bewitched stare, Jurgen smirked as he looked down at her, when he then suddenly frowned. Repressing himself, he only allowed himself a lukewarm climax to approach. Truthfully, he wanted to lay her down, thrust into her with abandon, and hammer her until she cried. Just imagining how hot and ecstatic it would be, made his blood boil. However, if he was driven by the impulse to do something wrong, Dahlia would hide and engrave seals on herself again. In the county of Von Klose, not even the Emperor would be able to find her. So in order to gain her abilities, he had to do his best to make her trust him. Desire. Dahlia Von Klose, she had the power of Liberty. ¡°Close your eyes.¡± Perhaps noticing that his condition was strange, Dahlia tightly closed her eyes without protest. Jurgen thrusted faster and faster, burying himself in her grip. Finally, the tepid pleasure slowly heated up, reached its culmination, and gushed out. Unresolved pleasure flowed down her breastbone in a white, thick, raw form. *** ¡°I will send a formal marriage proposal to Tezeba, so please approve it.¡± The hand tightening her corset was affectionate, so Dahlia was more uneasy. Her gaze rested on the handkerchief that had wiped her body just before. Laying it down on her table, she raised a question as Jurgen pulled the laces of her corset. ¡°Do you want to receive my guiding that far?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If we get married¡­ . Does it mean I can only guide Sir Edelred?¡± ¡°No, but I won¡¯t allow it. The thought of you doing what we did a while ago with another guy¡­ I¡¯m not that easygoing.¡± Dahlia shook her head, looking bewildered. ¡°I¡¯ve guided my father and Gerald many times before. Just holding hands was enough.¡± ¡°Because the match rate is low. No matter how much strength you pour in it won¡¯t be any different from pouring water into a bottomless pit. So that must have been enough.¡± ¡°¡­ and you?¡± He asked, ¡®Me?¡¯ and pulled her string. Jurgen¡¯s lips touched her shoulder, and she held her breath lightly. ¡°Dahlia¡­ .¡± He lightly bit her shoulder, and she instinctually tilted her head as he whispered hotly into her ear. ¡°I will devour and make you mine.¡± Where his breath touched, her body hair stood up. She wanted to ask him why he was saying that, but she couldn¡¯t part her lips. As the last string was pulled, her back stood upright. He wasn¡¯t as proficient as Freesia, but it seemed Jurgen knew corsets very well. Didn¡¯t that mean he took off several women¡¯s corsets? ¡°Flirt. Did you lie that it was your first kiss?¡± ¡°Where did that rubbish come from?¡± ¡°Anyway, concerning marriage¡­ . I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Chapter 38 Dahlia got up and picked up her dress. Jurgen grabbed her hand, kissed the back of it, and put a ring on her finger. There was a ruby ring on her pinky. ¡°This will replace the seal. Come to me when the color changes. Of course, I will find you before that.¡± ¡°What does it mean when the color changes?¡± Jurgen pulled her up and on his lap. Since they had already rubbed flesh, Dahlia was shy but did not rebel. He buried his face in the nape of her neck, savoring her scent as he stroked her back. ¡°It means your energy is coming back.¡± ¡°Then¡­ . What about the temple? What should I do? Since all the seals are gone, they¡¯ll notice. Priests have that ability.¡± ¡°Ah, one seal hasn¡¯t been broken yet. Did you not know?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Here.¡± He leaned back on her sofa and gently pressed her lower belly. ¡°It turned out to be a very tricky formula. To break this¡­ . we need to be closer. So don¡¯t worry. Now, your energy is faint, and your seal is still intact, so you won¡¯t be caught.¡± Her eyes cleared as she smiled in relief. She had strangely colored eyes, like the sea in the middle of winter or like a lake in a shady forest. It was rather bewitching. Seductive. ¡°Sir Edelred.¡± Unable to take his gaze off her eyes as if he had been sucked in, he sighed and swallowed, his throat dry. ¡°Now let me go. I must go back.¡± ¡°Alright, one last thing then.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The Sentinel rating examination, don¡¯t you want to take it again?¡± ¡°No.¡± Jurgen burst out laughing at the firm answer as if there was nothing to worry about. ¡°I know you¡¯re not a Senior Sentinel.¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s not important.¡± ¡°Come join the Sentinel Order. As my assistant. To do that, you¡¯ll need at least a Royal Sentinel rank.¡± Seriously, this man was so unpredictable. Dahlia took off his hand, embracing her around the waist, and came down from his lap. Putting the dress back on, Jurgen wiped his face, smirked, and approached her, buttoning the back of her dress. Yes, indeed, he was good. This man knew very well what a woman wanted: the very ordinary and the very private. Could you know this from merely being a flirt? Did he have a lot of experience? Or, if not¡­ . ¡°Have you ever been married?¡± His eyes, which had been gentle, began to harden coldly. ¡°Do you think it is possible?¡± ¡°But¡­ . You¡¯re so skillful. Tying my corset and buttoning up my dress. Uh, that¡ª earlier¡­ . you knew how to undo my stocking garter. Surely, you seemed to have encountered it all before. Lord.¡± He fastened her last button and turned her around. Then he neatened her disheveled hair and said with a calm expression: ¡°No. Unfortunately, it was all my first time. No kissing, no masturbation. Even sucking a woman¡¯s bottom.¡± At his last words, Dahlia¡¯s face turned red like a ripe peach. Then, after grabbing the broken necklace, she calmly changed the topic by holding his arm. ¡°When I go¡­ Let¡¯s use a carriage. Would you escort me please?¡± *** ¡°Oh, my lady!¡± As soon as she got off the carriage, Dahlia, without looking back, ran straight up to her second-floor bedroom. Freesia, surprised by her, followed her. ¡°What happened? What about the master and the mistress? Are you here alone? Right now, you arrived with the Young Duke, right? The one who took you away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Freesia. I was too tired, so I came back, and Sir Edelred escorted me. So, can you give me a break?¡± ¡°You have to take off your dress and rest! Shall I get some hot water first after I untie your hair?¡± Bathing is dangerous. Dahlia shook her head, recalling all the bite and kiss marks on her body. ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯ll wash. I¡¯ll just go to sleep tonight. Just unbutton the dress.¡± ¡°Was it that difficult? I guess¡­ . Is the capital different not just in size? I¡¯m very curious. How was it?¡± With Freesia¡¯s help, Dahlia took off her dress, and while her maid was organizing her clothes, she hurriedly put her pajamas on and jumped into bed. ¡°It was so so. I stayed in the banquet hall for a while, and then went out to the garden because it was so hectic. Mother and Gerald must have been captured by chatty nobles.¡± ¡°I heard it was a banquet hosted by the Crown Prince. Did you see his face? Natasha says¡ªah! Natasha is the one in charge of the kitchen ingredients. She said she happened to go to get groceries handed out from the imperial family. At that time, she saw His Highness the Crown Prince, and she said that if angels were real, he would look just like him¡ª Is he really that handsome?¡± ¡°¡­ uh, well, I think so.¡± ¡°Ah, miss. You didn¡¯t see him, did you?¡± Dahlia smiled awkwardly and pulled her blanket up. Then Freesia picked up her stockings and corset on the floor. After she left the room, Dahlia sighed in relief and closed her eyes tightly. The Crown Prince. Reynon von Leonardo¡­¡­ Handsome. Trash. The more she ruminated on him, the more incensed she got. What was that power? The moment their eyes met, an uncontrollable sense of helplessness flooded in. There was nothing she could do about it. She had tried to shake the feeling off but was engulfed in pain and anxiety and grabbed Jurgen¡¯s hand. Moreover, the Crown Prince, once he ascertained that she had been engraved with the insignia of the seal, he became even more ruthless and cruel, pouring out his force with brutality. Like a savage man intending to break every boundary and seal, he had no mercy. ¡°Compared to such a human being, I suppose he¡¯s a pretty decent man¡­ ?¡± Dahlia, who was licking her lips, curled up when a flood of memories rushed and let out a silent scream. [t1v: relatable af] Getting up in frustration, she opened the window wide, so the wind swept up her pajamas. Then a black hawk sitting by her window flew away. It was a hawk with very yellow eyes. Chapter 39 Colorful pollen scattered over the clear and sunny sky. Sentinel promotion tests were usually held at the academy¡¯s training grounds or the Everdio jousting arena. The Sentinel Academy was directly overseen and funded by the Crown Prince. As a result, talents were trained according to strict discipline, and the graduates became a kind of standing army and returned to their respective estates. But this year was different. Crown Prince Reynon announced that he would give the Academy attendees a chance to join the Sentinel Knights to those who received a royal rating. At that, the second and third sons, excluding the eldest sons, and the ladies who did not get the chance to become an heir, cheered. If they joined the Order, obtained a title, and established a career of military service, they would be able to stand on their own two feet without the help of their families. So, for this promotion exam, more than twice as many people applied as in previous years, and Jamie was one of them. ¡°Gerald, you too? You¡¯re the eldest son, so don¡¯t you have to go back to your estate?¡± While tying his shoelaces, Gerald raised his head with a rigid countenance. The test had already begun, and Roxanna and Sparrow from the first group were in the middle of taking the test. ¡°Well, my father is healthy and able, so there is no need to standby and maintain my status as the heir so early on.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ . So, will you join the Sentinel Knights?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Dahlia and then decide.¡± ¡°Of course, Lady Dahlia Von Klose. Will your sister be in the VIP section today?¡± Gerald¡¯s eyes became fierce as he watched Jamie¡¯s face brimming with curiosity. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be like that. I was just curious. Isn¡¯t her nickname ¡®The Pearl of Tezeba¡¯? If she¡¯s so beautiful, isn¡¯t it natural that a man would be curious?¡± Gerald got up without bothering to reply. Soon, after Group 1¡¯s test was over, it was the second group¡¯s turn. Although Jamie was being ignored, he nonchalantly continued to speak, obviously used to such treatment. ¡°But does the lady know? That your demeanor can change so drastically? Whenever anyone even mentions your sister it¡¯s like an ice blizzard blew through, so everyone finds you rather difficult to be around.¡± There¡¯s no other man that fits the definition of ¡®elite¡¯ so well, Jamie thought. His straight brows, dignified eyes, and stubbornly rigid jaw. To a man that never even had a strand of hair out of place, Dahlia Von Klose was the only being that brought out an irrational Gerald. It was strange but not particularly unfamiliar because no one at Sentinel Academy was ignorant of Gerald Von Klose¡¯s love for his sister. ¡°If you¡¯re so well aware of that, you shouldn¡¯t be talking about my sister.¡± After giving a simple answer, Gerald left him speechless and went out to the balcony overlooking the stadium. An ancient monster that escaped from a gate and was summoned by the wizards opened its mouth. It was already the fifth one. Roxanne, who wielded her spear, did her best to boost her strength, but her powers did not match the standards of a Royal Sentinel. When Roxanne¡¯s life was in jeopardy, her test companion, Sparrow, brought out their gigantic longbow and fired an arrow of light. A sharp arrow pierced the jaw of the monster. Upon being hit by the arrow, the monster inflated like a balloon, and the surrounding wizards formed a defensive circle. Boom! Then, with a tremendous explosion, the monster disappeared without a trace. The inside of the transparent dome-shaped shield was filled with white smoke. At that moment the crystal ball floating above Sparrow¡¯s head turned bright red. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Yahh!¡± People stood up from their seats and cheered. It was the first appearance of someone reaching the rank of Royal Sentinel during the Sentinel Promotion Test held on the Imperial palace grounds. *** ¡°It was like this. Ha, that¡¯s what your father was fighting with.¡± The countess¡¯s face suddenly turned pale. Dahlia grabbed Yvon¡¯s hand tightly and smiled faintly. ¡°Those monsters are no match for father. Father¡¯s power is truly amazing. Probably the strongest of the Royal Sentinels.¡± ¡°I suppose so. Your father¡­ . He¡¯s an amazing person.¡± Nodding her head, Yvon looked down at the exam hall again with a calmer expression. Chapter 40 Last night, Yvon and Gerald visited Dahlia, who had been pretending to be asleep, and told her about an accident at the Crown Prince¡¯s palace. She pretended to be half asleep while struggling to listen to them as anxiety ran through her veins. When asked why she came back first, she mumbled that she did feel well and could no longer listen to the malicious gossip about her. ¡®So please forgive me for coming home first.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t difficult to deceive the countess, but it was Gerald who she found difficult to fool. He remained in the bedroom for a long time after Yvon had returned, sitting silently. He seemed to have noticed that there were changes in her body. Normally he would have dug in and asked her to guide him, but instead, Gerald just stood still and watched her for a very long time. ¡®Oh, please! Say something.¡¯ Then she fell asleep, and when she woke up, Freesia was standing in front looking at a display full of colorful, attention-grabbing dresses¡ªvastly different from yesterday¡¯s attire. Perhaps the mention of gossip bothered her, so Yvon chose very glamorous and conspicuous dresses, unlike at the banquet. And Dahlia¡¯s opinion didn¡¯t matter in choosing the dress. Yvon dressed her with a mission and determined jaw. Dahlia was dazzlingly beautiful in a lemon-colored dress, a sapphire necklace, and a butterfly diamond hairpin. Her already gorgeous appearance shone even more brightly in a beautiful dress. Although she was uneasy with the gazes that poured on her, she hid her discomfort and displayed an elegant and stable demeanor. ¡°Oh, there they are. Isn¡¯t that Sir Edelred and the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°Oh it¡¯s the princess. Oh my, you are beautiful. As expected, her royal highness is remarkably beautiful even in a plain robe.¡± ¡°Of course, she is someone who doesn¡¯t need to work hard to dress prettily like us.¡± Their gazes, very briefly, passed through Dahlia. In reply, Dahlia gave a brief, polite smile to their conversation, then shifted her gaze. The Crown Prince and Jurgen in pure white sentinel uniforms were seated in n area called the Seat of Glory. Unlike usual, the two men had their hair slicked back with their foreheads and eyebrows exposed, exuding a strikingly contrasting atmosphere like black and white. Dahlia did not take her eyes off Jurgen as she fiddled with the ring on her index finger. Donning a black cloak on a white uniform embroidered with gold thread and a broadsword with a gorgeous handle, he exuded a more intimidating atmosphere than last night. ¡®Join the Sentinel Knights. As my adviser.¡¯ He seemed to have attended today as the division leader of the Sentinel Knighthood. How could a man with such a flawless and ascetic face become like last night¡­ . Just thinking about it made her face burn and her mouth dry. Dahlia pulled her gaze away to watch the match. ¡°Miss Roxanne Stringer ¡­ is she having a runaway?¡± At a woman¡¯s frightened remark, everyone¡¯s eyes turned to the examination field. The red-haired Roxanne, who didn¡¯t do well on her exams, had her spear to the ground and was panting heavily. A pillar of invisible energy was built around her. Eyes out of focus, harsh breathing. Dahlia saw her condition clearly from afar. Then the guides sitting with the princess got up all at once. They wore blue uniforms with gray robes over them. Among them, the princess was remarkably beautiful. The princess ran directly into the examination field and grabbed Roxanne¡¯s wrist fearlessly. In an instant, a refreshing energy seemed to have ventilated the entire examination hall. It was a pleasant scent, like entering a fir tree forest. Roxanne, who had been gasping until just a moment ago, stared at the princess and collapsed into her arms. The princess rubbed her back and pressed her lips to her cheeks and temples. Everyone watched the scene. Some of them blushed at the sight that felt sacred and somehow secret, while others who felt the power were enchanted and put their hands together. ¡°Don¡¯t bite your lips, Dahlia.¡± Startled by Yvon¡¯s words, she struggled to smile and looked away from them. However, another gaze was grating against her sensitive nerves. ¡®Why?¡¯ Crown Prince Reynon von Leonardo. Realizing that his golden eyes were focused on her, Dahlia looked straight back into those eyes with an unmoved expression. The regard of the prince, who leaned obliquely on his armrest with his legs crossed, was full of innate arrogance and authority. But that was it. It wasn¡¯t as painful as last night, nor was there a sentinel¡¯s power directed at her. It was just regular eye contact. Dahlia naturally turned away from the prince¡¯s eyes. However, when she looked down at the exam field again, the whole stadium was engulfed in excitement because of the appearance of two men. Sentinel Academy President Gerald Von Klose and Vice President Jamie Grihartman stood proudly in front of the judges. ¡°Gerald.¡± Yvon squeezed Dahlia¡¯s hand. Sweat was coming out of her gloves. Perhaps because it was the first time she had seen an actual monster just moments ago, the countess was noticeably nervous. Cold sweat flowed, and her red lips were trembling. Very carefully, Dahlia tried to guide her mother. Although she was a normal person, the effect of guiding her wasn¡¯t extraordinary, but it was often beneficial. Yvon gradually regained her steady breath and then looked at Dahlia and frowned. ¡°What if you get caught? Thank you, Dahlia.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. Gerald¡­ . He is the strongest one in the Sentinel Academy. Nothing will happen.¡± ¡°Of course, he is his father¡¯s son.¡± She smiled and turned her head away. The examiner explained something to Gerald, standing in the center of the examination hall, and pointed to the seat where the Crown Prince sat. Gerald frowned and turned his body to look up at the Seat of Glory. Everyone¡¯s eyes naturally turned to the Crown Prince, including Jurgen. Dahlia met Jurgen¡¯s stare for a split second. He was unable to conceal his warped face. He looked terribly furious. Chapter 41 Dahlia jumped up from her seat with an ominous feeling. Then, with a inhale, Jurgen bowed to the Crown Prince and jumped into the examination field. The audience was bewildered by the sudden situation and murmured in puzzlement all sorts of speculations: ¡®¡­there might be a problem with the gate,¡¯ ¡®¡ª the Duke of Edelred might be trying to explain the rules to them.¡¯ Nevertheless, everyone¡¯s eyes grew wide with stupefaction at the wave of sentinel energy. Including Dahlia. A power incomparable to when the monsters appeared rose from Jurgen¡¯s feet, forming the shape of a sharp sword. ¡°Will the Duke face off with them directly?¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Do you see this power? Ha, isn¡¯t he amazing?¡± ¡°But will the test takers be okay? It might be dangerous¡­ .¡± ¡°Is it because her Highness the Princess is here? Does he want to go crazy and have her guide him?¡± As Jurgen unleashed his powers, Gerald and Jamie, who had been hesitating, also released their Sentinel¡¯s power. Jamie, who summoned a gigantic shield, and Gerald, who summoned a long sword, were the perfect team at the academy. As the nervous test-takers watched the signal to start the match fall, all three people were engulfed in the light of their eyes. Boom¡ªKabang! With a tremendous explosion, sparks erupted, and red rays stretched out from the rounded shield around the exam field. Dahlia bit her lip at the wondrous power that made her skin tingle. If she hadn¡¯t exhausted her guiding powers yesterday, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to be here. Under normal circumstances, her whole body would burn in response to the high-level Sentinel¡¯s energy. She clutched Jurgen¡¯s ring and sat down in her seat. ¡°Dahlia, Da¡ªDahlia. Is Gerald alright?¡± Even Yvon, who was clueless, could see that the current situation was not good. Dahlia took the Countess¡¯s hand and nodded her head with effort. ¡°Of course, this isn¡¯t a real fight. Because it¡¯s a test¡­ . It¡¯s just Gerald is that strong, the Duke must have come forward.¡± ¡°Oh, Kaenasi, please¡­ .¡± Yvon closed her eyes and prayed to god. The shock wave that occurred within the shield was not expected. Then, the moment the shield cracked, someone screamed. Sentinels covered in smoke could be seen through the hazy view. *** ¡°Hey, Gerald. do it in moderation This is the prince¡¯s trap.¡± Jurgen whispered coolly as his and Gerald¡¯s swords clashed against each other. He dealt with them by controlling and holding back his strength as much as possible, but minor injuries could not be prevented. Additionally, there was a problem with the test sphere, and even though their powers were obviously beyond the royal-level criteria, the globe was still white. ¡°What trap! Don¡¯t try to fool me¡ªI¡¯ll win fair and square!¡± ¡°His Majesty seems to be interested in your sister and wants take advantage of your exam and test her too. He wants one of you to go on a rampage.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­.! Don¡¯t tell me¡ªit¡¯s because of you? That Dahlia¡¯s power¡­ !¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk in detail after the test is over. So¡­ finish it quickly!¡± The moment Jurgen took a step back, Gerald¡¯s blue sword grew huge into a two-handed sword. Then, as he swung it around, a gigantic sword slashed the spot where Jurgen was standing. At the same time, the orb floating above Gerald¡¯s head turned bright red. Having confirmed that Gerald had passed, Jurgen rushed to Jamie without further delay. Startled, Jamie did his best to boost his energy. Even though he was seriously injured, he didn¡¯t give up. ¡°Argh!¡± The colossal shield engraved with the crest of Harion, the god of the sea that protects Reel, roared and created energy waves. It was the power to blow out the ears of the enemy and paralyze the whole body. The only problem was that Jurgen was unaffected. Fully recovered, Jurgen drew up a shield. Just as the two men¡¯s guards and powers clash, Gerald¡¯s sword rushed in from behind and grazed over Jurgen¡¯s head. Damn it! Jurgen told him to do it in moderation. He swallowed curses and pushed his shield forward. There was a crack in the middle of Harion¡¯s seal. Jamie¡¯s power began to falter when he saw his shield cracked by Jurgen¡¯s attack and began to disintegrate and grow wild. The orb above his head had already turned red, but the examiner did not call the end to the test ¡°Earl Von Klose! Damn it, it¡¯s a runaway!¡± Gerald retrieved his sword at Jurgen¡¯s cry and rushed to Jamie. But, as Jurgen said, Jamie¡¯s power was running rampant. His scattered energy was exploding in all directions and running wildly. ¡°I got you!¡± Gerald jumped at Jamie and caught him in an embrace. Jurgen broke the shield made by the wizards with a single blow. Shocked by the shattered magic, its mirror-like reflections floated in the air and then fell to the floor. Only then did the power confined within the shield spread throughout the testing ground, and the three men who fought each other appeared. ¡°Guide!¡± Jurgen ran to Jamie, who was running wild and called for a guide. Then, it was time for Princess Julia, watching nervously, to jump into the examination field with the guides. A gleam of light began to pour out of Jamie¡¯s eyes while Gerald held him. Julia paused and stopped her steps. A number appeared in the crystal ball above Jamie¡¯s head. Runaway Level 80%. It was at a stage where she could lose her life while guiding if she was swept away by the Sentinel¡¯s explosion. ¡°Your Highness, Princess.¡± Gerald called Julia again, but the princess, terrified, froze. At that moment, Jamie¡¯s body, which Gerald and Jurgen had held, suddenly disappeared instantly. It was an unconscious warp for survival. Jurgen¡¯s and Gerald¡¯s eyes went directly to Dahlia while everyone else looked around for the missing Jamie. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Chapter 42 There was a scream next to her. It wasn¡¯t Dahlia who shouted in alarm, but it was her who Jamie ran to. ¡°Run¡ª it¡¯s a runaway!¡± As they ran away from the rampaging Sentinel, the auditorium became chaotic. The gallery was full of people that scrambled and pushed each other, wanting to live. Jurgen looked up at Reynon, who was watching the situation with curiosity and amusement. He clenched his jaw and grinded his teeth. ¡°Of course.¡± He had created this chaos. Reynon. Jurgen twisted his lips in distaste and warped to Dahlia¡¯s side. He grabbed Jamie¡¯s hair and pulled him away from her just as he ran into her. Dahlia¡¯s power was transmitted to him through Jamie¡¯s hair. The amazingly pure Liberty¡¯s power surrounded the berserker sentinel. If the power of Julia, a Senior Guide, was fragrant like a fir tree, Liberty had a calming scent that could not be identified with only one thing. The scars from the confrontation began to heal slowly, and focus returned to Jamie¡¯s eyes. Jurgen took in the sight of Dahlia shutting her eyes tightly and biting the back of Jamie¡¯s hand. The hem of her delicate dress was torn, and her hairpin fell and rolled on the floor. Tears welled up in her tightly closed eyes, but she was holding her tears back. Ha, shit. He grabbed Jamie by the back of her head and threw him under her podium. A few chairs broke apart with a crash, but Jamie¡¯s body was unscathed. Jamie, still drunk off Liberty¡¯s power, stared blankly and dazedly fainted. Jurgen stroked her cheek. He picked her up from the floor where she had fallen, up in his arms. Startled, her body trembled like an aspen. ¡°Dahlia, it¡¯s me.¡± She slowly opened her tightly closed eyes, sighed deeply, and looked up at his face. ¡°Sir Edelred¡­ .¡± ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m fine¡­ . What about that man? Is he alive?¡± Nodding in affirmation, Jurgen turned around and saw Jamie being supported by priests, grinding her teeth. The eyes of the priests as they checked Jamie¡¯s condition changed. They looked at Dahlia with complicated expressions. At that, Jurgen covered her face and hid it in his arms. A woman hid in the arms of Archduke Edelred. That fact alone surprised the onlookers so much that they could not disguise their astonishment. No one could have guessed that the lady, Dalia Von Klose, was so close to the Duke of Edelred. ¡°That¡¯s it for today. The exam will resume tomorrow.¡± At the sound of Reynon¡¯s voice from afar, the nobles gathered their wits about them and resumed decorum. But Jurgen still held Dahlia in his arms and did not show her face. ¡°Didn¡¯t the lady get injured?¡± Reynon¡¯s gaze passed through Jurgen and pointed at the woman in his arms. ¡°You must have suffered a lot because of me.¡± ¡°Did you do this on purpose?¡± ¡°Well, how could I?. Thanks to me, didn¡¯t you discover a great power?¡± As Reynon got closer, Luster¡¯s aura became clearer. It was tantamount to a warning that there was no killing intent and not to confront him. Agonized, Jurgen raked through his brain. However, there were too many eyes around here. Things would get more complicated if he were checked by the temple again. ¡°Lady Von Klose.¡± Reynon addressed her and reached out to her. His intentions were clear. ¡°My greed surprised the young lady.¡± She raised her head and stared at Reynon¡¯s outstretched hand over Jurgen¡¯s shoulder. She also knew she was in a catch-22. Her heart was pounding, and her breathing was laborious. As Rodrigo warned, it would have been better for her not to come to the Imperial Palace. But, biting her lip, Dahlia had to make a choice. ¡°It is not your fault.¡± Jurgen was startled by Dahlia¡¯s voice and grabbed her arm. But she had already taken Reynon¡¯s outstretched hand. Then, the prince¡¯s lips curled up beautifully, and his interest deepened. Dahlia, who raised her body, looked alternately at Jurgen holding her left arm and Reynon holding her right hand, then slowly raised her strength. This is the only way. If her father knew¡­ . he would be angry. No, he may be worried, but she would rather be respected as a sentinel than be harassed and humiliated as a guide. The power that started at her fingertips spreads through her whole body and shimmering swarms of light shimmer and rise. At that, Jurgen and Reynon¡¯s expressions began to change. ¡°Ah, this¡­ .¡± ¡°Dahlia.¡± The figure of a woman who resembled a trembling baby bird in the rain just a moment ago disappeared from place to place. Right now, the person in front of them is a Luster Sentinel, not Liberty. It was an unbelievable being with unbelievable power. The two men, dazed and out of it, gathered their wits and pulled her towards themselves simultaneously. Pulled taut on both sides, she looked at the two men alternately with displeasure. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to trouble me further, let¡¯s move to a quieter place¡­ . There I¡¯d like to talk to you, Your Majesty.¡± Chapter 43 ¡°Sir Gerald, you need to be guided.¡± Just a moment ago, Dahlia, Duke of Edelred, and the Crown Prince were in front of his eyes and then suddenly disappeared. Damn it, Lusters. They could warp at will. Of course, each sentinel had distinct abilities, but Lusters had the ability to move short distances without difficulty. Gerald wiped the blood from his forehead and held Princess Julia¡¯s hand. A clean and clear power flowed in. The strength that had run out when dealing with Jurgen was slowly being replenished. As Gerald sat next to the princess and reclined on the cushioned sofa, he studied her as they held hands. Was it because their powers¡¯ matching rate was high? Gerald looked down at her long eyelashes and lowered his head to the delicate scent on the nape of her neck. A sweet ripe aroma wafted through her golden wavy hair. Feeling drowsy as if he had immersed himself in a warm bath, Gerald closed his eyes and placed his forehead on Julia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Sir.¡± ¡°Pardon my rudeness.¡± ¡°¡­ Isn¡¯t this the third time? We seem to have a high matching rate, right?¡± Instead of answering, Gerald wrapped his arms around the princess¡¯s waist and bit her neck lightly. Then, slightly nervous, she wrapped her arms around his back. ¡°Haa¡­ .¡± He released a shaky exhale, kissing her earlobe and leaning against her body with heavy breaths. His brown hair and drops of blood splattered on the collar of his uniform created a strangely sensualist aura. Julia smiled softly, caressing his cheeks and becoming more and more heated and clingy. ¡°Lord, you are rather impulsive.¡± ¡°When I receive guiding, I feel reckless.¡± ¡°But there are too many eyes here. Quickly¡­ . let¡¯s get it over with.¡± Julia caressed Gerald¡¯s lips, then gently slid her fingers, touching his gums. Then, as if waiting for her, he closed his eyes and bit her. When sentinel and guide had a high matching rate, naturally, both mutually desired and craved each other. Julia suddenly became curious about her matching rate with the young and handsome Gerald. ¡°I think you are all right now, my lord.¡± Suddenly lucid focus returned, and her golden eyes turned to him. The princess smiled and stood up, and extended her hand to Gerald. Now it was time to go heal his wounds. Guiding and healing were completely different areas, so Julia was concerned about the scar on his forehead. ¡°Go to the doctor.¡± But Gerald did not take the princess¡¯ hand. Instead, after wiping his slightly red ear with the inside of his wrist, he looked back in the direction of the Crown Prince¡¯s palace. ¡°Perhaps¡­ . Do does the lord want to see his sister?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you know where she went?¡± ¡°Well¡­ . But I can find her quickly.¡± In fact, Julia was also curious about the woman who calmed the commotion a while ago. She was definitely a woman with the power of a guide¡ªa guide with great power that could calm a runaway sentinel. And the liberty guide that her brother had been looking for so much¡­. might be that woman. Gerald took off his jacket, and she looked up at him as she hung onto his arm and bit her lip. ¡°I understand. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll let me in but¡­ . Come with me, Sir Gerald.¡± *** Space mobility was a frankly odious ability. She had been forced to move twice, and Dahlia had to endure her overwhelming nausea each time. Dahlia looked around the unfamiliar surroundings with anxiety. As if they were in a triangular pyramid, the structure narrowed toward the ceilings, and a giant sphere spun and rotated in a fixed orbit. At the center of the pouring light was a stone statue of an eagle, a symbol of Icaruso, and a moving magic circle was on the floor. Dahlia realized that this was the heart of Icaruso, the first portal of the Empire. ¡°Have you ever been here? I¡¯m not surprised.¡± Dahlia, staring blankly at the light shining on the magic circle, woke up from her stupor. ¡°It¡¯s my first time, sire.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve met before.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes. I was rude back then.¡± ¡°I was no less.¡± Reynon approached, passing by Dahlia, and stepped into the magic circle. She had a strange feeling, like d¨¦j¨¤ vu, as she saw Raynon absorbing the light. ¡°Icaruso¡¯s blessing is light. Do you know what people call this light? It¡¯s called the light of Liberty.¡± ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Liberty¡­ .¡± Unlike the laid-back Reynon, Dahlia¡¯s mind was as dizzy and muddled as a storm. Then Jurgen strode out of the shadows and supported her. Then, just as she was about to say thank you, a dazzling blonde appeared in front of her. ¡°You should only be looking at me.¡± Reynon¡¯s arms wrapped around her waist as she stepped backward in surprise. Dahlia leaned her upper body back as far as she could, but he was already close enough to inhale her exhale. ¡°Y-your Majesty the Crown Prince¨C¡° ¡°Try it.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Guide me.¡± Chapter 44 The man had a twisted smile, and his eyes contained her clear reflection like the surface of a lake. Dahlia licked her lips and shook her head. Every time that happened, she saw Jurgen¡¯s expression grow stiffer and more terrifying. He clenched his fists so hard they looked white as he stared coldly at Reynon, like a predator preparing to attack. ¡°I can¡¯t. N-now¡­ .¡± ¡°Why?¡± To her disbelief, Reynon put his forehead against hers and rubbed his nose against her cheek. Dahlia carefully escaped and pushed away his chest. ¡°I am a Sentinel, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Sentinel. That¡¯s right¡­ . you are also a sentinel. Luster, too.¡± Reynon snorted lightly in amusement and let her go. Then he shook his head in delighted disbelief and slowly paced around her as he studied her. She proposed to have a conversation in a quiet place to manage the situation somehow, but somehow she felt like she had led herself to a more bottomless quagmire. What should I do? Lie? Or¡­ tell the truth? ¡°Did you know, Jurgen?¡± Jurgen, who was standing a step away and holding his hands behind his back, answered: ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you intend to keep me in the dark when you discovered such a person with the abilities to wield both powers?¡± ¡°It is common. Many children have dual powers from birth. Of course, because of their short lifespan they are more difficult to find.¡± ¡°Therefore. The person who possesses the powers of Liberty and Luster at the same time¡­ . you tried to monopolize her, right?¡± ¡°Is there any reason why I can¡¯t?¡± Reynon¡¯s steps abruptly halted. Slowly turning towards Jurgen¡¯s direction, his eyes contained a cold flare. ¡°What a meager excuse.¡± ¡°If I delay further, the temple will find out. I did not want to lose a guide to the temple again. Our Sentinel Knights also need high-level guides.¡± ¡°Now it¡¯s too excessive.¡± Reynon let out an icy smile and grabbed Dahlia¡¯s wrist. He dragged her without hesitation and set her on a straight sarcophagus. Icaruso¡¯s light poured over Dahlia¡¯s head. Without being given even a moment to be startled, Reynon grabbed her chin and ordered warningly, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in Luster¡¯s power. You should be my guide.¡± ¡°I- I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Are you defying the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡± He was an overwhelming handsome that donned a chilling and creepy beauty. But she was terrified. Just staring into each other¡¯s eyes made her feel like her neck was being strangled and thrown into a pit of suffocating quicksand. ¡°I¡¯ve already imprinted her. Your Majesty.¡± Dahlia looked up at Jurgen¡¯s voice that came from behind. Suddenly, he embraced her from behind and gently pulled Reynon¡¯s hand off her chin. ¡°She has already agreed to be my guide.¡± ¡°Shall we check?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use.¡± With a grin, Jurgen took off his gloves. Then he lifted her wrist and kissed her on the ring on her index finger, and the red jewel turned to gold. ¡°She¡¯s mine. So please cooperate. I do not want to send my fiance, Lady Dahlia, to the temple.¡± ¡°You are brazen. Didn¡¯t you know why I was looking for Liberty?¡± ¡°Dahlia is not the Liberty your Majesty seeks.¡± Reynan¡¯s neat yet chilly gaze turned to Dahlia in response. ¡°Is that so?¡± About ten years ago, an incident turned the imperial family upside down. The kidnapping of Crown Prince Reynon von Leonardo. It was Plum who kidnapped the Crown Prince. They seemed to have learned that he was the Crown Prince of the Empire after forcing a Guide¡¯s powers into his body. Plum, who wanted to avoid an all-out war with the Central Empire, Marcania, stopped the experiment and abandoned Reynon. His eyes were covered with his hands and feet tied, looking like a runaway slave. The shock and horror he experienced at a young age, the hopelessness and resignation to a painful death as his flesh and bones were cut. Moreover, Plum abandoned him in an unknown location. ¡®You¡­ . Are you hurt?¡¯ When he woke up to a child¡¯s voice in the darkness and a terrifyingly sweet power flowed through his clenched palms. The sweetness of Liberty tasted for the first time was shocking in many ways. It was here that Reynon, who was so stunned he had fainted, opened his eyes. He was in the heart of Icaruso, the first portal of the capital. The imperial family closed the case with the return of the Crown Prince. But since then, Reynon could not tolerate any guiding. But the fact that Jurgen, who knew that fact better than anyone else, found Liberty first provoked him. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll pretend you fooled me. But in exchange ¡­ . She can join the knighthood. And as for the engraving, if you release her from it, that will solve it. Isn¡¯t that so, Edelred?¡± Chapter 45 No matter how well-maintained the roads in the capital were, Dahlia had a headache every time the wagon rattled. The first thing she saw when she opened the door connected to the portal was the vast Imperial Palace Library. Dahlia was surprised by the size of the library on a different level from the estate¡¯s library but calmly left. Jurgen looked like he was angry. As if she had done something wrong, his brow wrinkled or clenched his fists, messing up and brushing back his hair from time to time. She wanted to ask who should be offended but was speechless when she saw Gerald appear in front of the Crown Prince¡¯s palace. ¡°Gerald, if you go home like this, mother will be worried.¡± Dahlia¡¯s soft voice cuts through the stillness inside the carriage. It was Gerald, not Jurgen, who was across from her. Gerald brushed his blood-stained forehead with the back of his hand, glanced at Jurgen, and took Dahlia¡¯s hand. ¡°Come on.¡± ¡°Yes, sister.¡± Gerald clung to her side like an obedient puppy. A light green light flashed from her fingertips as she gently stroked his cheek and forehead. With Jurgen¡¯s elbow on the window and he watched them silently. Everywhere she touched, his wounds healed, and new skin grew. It was also the first time he actually saw the power of Liberty, so it was quite surprising. The skin was regenerated in a much more sophisticated and delicate way than being treated by any therapist. After finishing his treatment, Dahlia held his hand and felt the energy flowing through his body. Even though he had been severely wounded, his sentinel¡¯s powers flowed very stably. ¡°You have been guided.¡± ¡°The Princess.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ . thank god.¡± ¡°I wanted to get guided by my sister.¡± Gerald leaned on her shoulder and peeked from the side of his eyes. Then he stared tenaciously at Jurgen, who was examining Dahlia. Their division was caused not only because of the Crown Prince¡¯s whim, but also because of the Duke of Edelred. Gerald still hated the intruder who popped up in Tezeba. Besides, a marriage proposal¡­ . As he hugged Dahlia tightly, his attitude brought a wrinkle to Jurgen¡¯s forehead. However, she did not push Gerald away as if she was familiar with it, and Jurgen sighed and wiped his dry face. ¡°We have arrived.¡± The carriage slowly stopped and arrived at the Count¡¯s townhouse. Dahlia was the first to get out of the carriage. Hansen and Freesia, with worried looks, greeted her. ¡°There is a guest.¡± ¡°Guest?¡± ¡°Yes. Sir Jamie Grihartman.¡± The name didn¡¯t bring a face to mind. Jamie? Jamie¡­ . Dahlia entered the house, contemplating the name, and found a man with a massive bouquet. She froze in midstep. ¡°Lady Dahlia!¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Ah, the introduction is late. Jamie Grihartman. I am the second son of Marquis Grihartmann of Lille.¡± The man approached, got down on one knee as if he was about to propose, and tried to kiss the back of Dahlia¡¯s hand. Startled, she unwittingly pulled her hand away. Embarrassed by that, Jamie smiled awkwardly, scratched his head, and held out the flowers. ¡°The lady is my lifesaver. You saved me.¡± Then she remembered. The sentinel who ran rampant at the testing site. Dahlia took Jamie¡¯s bouquet and hesitantly tried to be polite. ¡°There seems to be a misunderstanding. It wasn¡¯t me who saved the Lord.¡± ¡°No, I definitely felt it. I saw it clearly. The lady who brought my shattered soul together and embraced it!¡± ¡°Me?¡± Dahlia¡¯s voice cracked in embarrassed dismay. Then out came the sharp, irritated words of a vexed man. ¡°Jamie Grihartman.¡± Jamie¡¯s eyes trembled, distracted by Dahlia; he had not spotted the two men behind her. ¡°Eh, Sir Edelred. Gerald.¡± Jamie, who had been drenched in sweet dreams, turned blue and stood up. ¡°What the hell are you doing!?¡± Gerald strode up and grabbed Jamie by the collar, unable to hold back his anger. While he pushed Jamie asking if he was really crazy, Jurgen took the flowers from her hand and gave them to Hansen. Hansen took the bouquet the duke gave him without a word, trying to understand the situation. ¡°G-Gerald!¡± ¡°You¡ªcome with me now!¡± Still holding Jamie by the collar, he dragged him outside. Dahlia did not dissuade him. After all, she became the prey and fell into the Crown Prince¡¯s trap because of that man named Jamie. ¡°Where is the Countness?¡± To Jurgen¡¯s question, Hansen answered with a bewildered expression. ¡°The madam has a headache, and is recuperating in her bedroom.¡± ¡°No, I am here, Duke Edelred.¡± At Yvon¡¯s voice, Dahlia and Jurgen looked up to the stairs. Still in the same outfit she had on before, Yvon went down the stairs and stood in front of the polite nobleman. Looking at Dahlia and Jurgen, who were standing next to each other in turn, she exhaled calmly. ¡°Thank you for escorting our Dahlia.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the right thing to do.¡± ¡°But since the Count is not here now, would you like to reschedule a time and date to visit again?¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°And.¡± Perhaps she had suffered a lot, the Countess spoke with an exhausted-looking face. ¡°Sir Edelred¡¯s proposal, I will accept it.¡± Chapter 46 ¡°Sir Edelred¡¯s proposal, I will accept it.¡± ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°You stay put, Dahlia. Yesterday too, I heard Sir Edelred was with you. Besides, today¡­ . in front of many, the Lord held Dahlia in his arms. So, everyone is gossiping. My daughter is caught up in a scandal. Therefore, the Edelred family has to take responsibility.¡± After speaking quickly and firmly, Yvon took a deep breath. Dahlia was stunned, and Jurgen smiled invisibly. Yvon massaged her forehead and turned around. Dahlia approached and supported the staggering Countess. ¡°Your mother is fine. I just want to be alone. It looks like no one was hurt¡­ I will go in?¡± ¡°Yes, Mom¡­ .¡± Yvon nodded her head, clenched Dahlia¡¯s hand once, released it, and climbed the stairs. Dahlia waited for Yvon to disappear, and strode towards her room. Then, the steps of the man following her were heavy and fast approaching. Dahlia, who was walking faster, ran back and opened the door. ¡°Hey!¡± Her fever rose and she tried to close the door to prevent Jurgen from entering, but she could not overcome his strength. He forced the door wide open. He grabbed her as she staggered back, closed the door and pressed his lips against hers. Dahlia eyes widened with a look of incomprehension. He also didn¡¯t close his eyes. Grasping her cheeks, he tilted her head and even swallowed her gasp. The blood vessels behind her ears, where his index and middle fingers touched, fluttered and plusated. He coiled around her fleeing tongue that provoked him to bite her mischievously, pushing her to the tabletop, and moving on to her cheeks and jaw. He engrave teeth marks on her lips and the back of her neck. ¡°Sir Edelred! Ha¡ªwhy¡ªwhat¡¯s wrong with you!¡± ¡°Where the fuck did Reynon touch? What about your lips? Didn¡¯t he touch your chin?¡± ¡°Have you gone insane?¡± ¡°Have I?¡± His eyes turned red as he smiled bitterly, tilting his head. He grabbed Dahlia¡¯s chin with light touch. Then, on her tipitoes she clung to his arm as if she was out of breath. ¡°Jurgen!¡± ¡°Why did you acknowledge your power?¡± Whispering furiously, he gritted his teeth and chewed on Dahlia¡¯s earlobe. After scanning the tip of his tongue along the pinna of her ear, he caressed the nape of her neck with both his hands. She took a deep breath and let out a smirk. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t, I would have been summoned to the temple on the spot! It¡¯s all because of you. I¡¯m someone who wants to lead a quiet life, you¡¯re the one that ruined that!¡± ¡°I was going to take you myself.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll kill you If you treat me like an object one more time.¡± ¡°Of course you could. You¡¯re a Luster Sentinel, so it shouldn¡¯t be difficult.¡± Dahlia hit Jurgen¡¯s chest with her fist at his scornful sarcasm. But he did not let Dahlia go. He hugged him tighter again and laid her on the bed. ¡°You¡¯re heavy!¡± ¡°A man is naturally heavy.¡± Jurgen opened her lips and dug in between them again. He was so enraged he couldn¡¯t stand it. When he saw the woman below him trembling so helplessly just last night, face to face with Reynon. He was filled with an unexpected rage. But there was no reason for this anger. He didn¡¯t want Dahlia Von Klose, he wanted the power of Liberty within her. It was the same with Reynon. But, then¡ªwhy?! Even he couldn¡¯t understand why he was doing such childish things in a ridiculous rage. ¡°Let¡¯s talk, stop!¡± He pulled down the dress that was barely hanging from her round shoulders and pressed his lips against her soft breast. Then Dahlia, who raised her upper body and pushed his face away, took in a rough breath. ¡°Conversation*. We have to talk.¡± He bit her finger as it touched her lips. Then he crawled on all fours and lowered her body onto her thighs. ¡°Yes, of course, we must have a¡­ . Conversation*.¡± [t1v: conversation can also be a euphemism for an exchange between bodies like ¡®fight¡¯ or ¡®sex¡¯] He looked down on her disheveled figure and swept back her messy hair. Dahlia¡¯s lips were exceptionally red as she started to straighten up her dress that went down one of her shoulders. While rubbing the edge of her lips with his thumb to fix her smudged lipstick, he asked: ¡°Did you two kiss?¡± ¡°You were there the whole time.¡± ¡°Reynon is a mental sentinel that can make me hallucinate. Everything I¡¯ve seen may have been a lie.¡± Dahlia quickly shook her head. ¡°His Majesty did not use any power. And¡­ . the Lord, you, helped me in the moment of danger.¡± ¡°I see¡­ . he didn¡¯t use his strength with you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you thought I¡¯d kiss the Crown Prince?¡± Instead of answering, he took a deep breath and then flopped down next to her. The tip of his ears were a bright red with his face buried in his pillow. Dahlia, who was staring at him with a puzzled expression as if she was watching something absurd, got up and off the bed. Jurgen observed her actions and propped up his head with one arm. Dahlia opened the desk drawer, took out some papers, ink, and a pen, and called Jurgen. ¡°Let¡¯s draw up a contract.¡± ¡°What?¡± Raising up his upper body, he frowned and looked at the paper in her hand. ¡°I am not interested in marriage or anything like that. Isn¡¯t it the same with the Lord? A sentinel can never love a guide. It¡¯s just that they mistakenly think that it¡¯s love because the heart pounds when under the influence of power. I know it very well. So¡­ . If you want me to guide you, you have to sign a contract.¡± Chapter 47 Curious and at the same time amused, Jurgen stood up from his seat, walked over to Dahlia, who was on a chair, and leaned against the desk. ¡°You are right. Thanks for being honest. So, what kind of contract do you want to draw up with me?¡± ¡°Are you going to make a decision after hearing the terms?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± As he nodded, his eyes wandered over the transparent glass beads and cute handicrafts on Dahlia¡¯s desk. Finally, he asked with a suspicious look: ¡°You didn¡¯t think that you¡¯d set the terms by yourself did you?¡± In response, Dahlia shrugged her shoulders and inked her pen. He burst out laughing. She had proposed having a discussion, but if he hadn¡¯t shown interest, this woman would have been more than happy to shove a completed contract at him without his input. He had thought her unique, but he had never imagined she¡¯d be this entertaining. Crossing his arms, he nodded and inspected her blank sheet of paper. ¡°Then tell me what do you want?¡± As if she had waited for him to pose the question, Dahlia spoke up, ¡°Was the conversation we had in the garden of the Crown Prince¡¯s palace actually true? That if I get married, the temple won¡¯t be able to take me.¡± ¡°Yes. However, we would have to settle it all before the temple comes forward. It¡¯s a rather pressing matter.¡± ¡°Her Highness the Princess is also a guide, but she lives freely. Even if the temple takes issue with me, I believe that the Archduchy of Edelred will be able to manage it somehow.¡± ¡°Therefore?¡± ¡°Please protect me under the Edelred family¡¯s name. Do not succumb to the temple¡¯s pressure to manipulate me.¡± Dahlia Von Klose¡¯s handwriting was unique. However, while the art of flourishing and splendorous calligraphy was highly valued and unique to the typefaces of the Central Empire, she did not show great skill or effort. Instead, her strokes were short, and her font was easy to read. It was the handwriting of a person who was used to writing¡ªimplicitly revealing that she had been educated by a fairly decent tutor. After Jurgen read the first sentence she had written, he went behind Dahlia and put his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Alright, I will protect you with my family name.¡± With his whispers from above her head, she wrote her second term. Looking at it, Jurgen narrowed her brows. The second query was about imprinting. Before, she hadn¡¯t known much about being a guide. It seemed she had been studying in the meantime. ¡°Guiding, but not engraving?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Imprinting is dangerous. And it¡¯s illogical. If necessary, I want the ability to save Gerald and my father. ¡°They have guides too.¡± ¡°I know but¡­ .¡± She puffed a cheek out in dissatisfaction, as if she struggled to express herself. She seemed to think that the role of guiding is similar to that of a wizard healer. People say imprinting is irrational, not because a guide can¡¯t guide many people, but because it¡¯s dangerous. Ordinary people were reluctant to imprint because of the danger that if the imprinted guide died, the Sentinel would go crazy or lose their lives together. But maybe¡­ . After letting go of Dahlia¡¯s shoulder, he took a few steps back and sat down on the window sill. ¡°Answer me honestly. Have you ever guided someone when you were young? A young boy, probably slightly injured. Approximately in his early teens.¡± Dahlia glanced back at Jurgen and, as was her custom, cupped her chin in a pondering posture. Then, recalling that Yvon had noted it was rude, undignified behavior, she placed her hands neatly on her lap. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t remember them being a boy, but¡­ . I think there was someone. She was a blonde about my age, and I recall that she was hurt a lot. How do you know that?¡± Shit. Swallowing swears on the tip of his tongue, Jurgen leaned against the window and closed his eyes, troubled. Reynon¡¯s keen eyes were, of course, not mistaken. Noticing that she was Liberty, and at the same time recognizing Dahlia. But in his five lifetimes, Reynon had never found the Liberty Guide that had saved him. In fact, he had never tried to find the Liberty Guide that rescued him. But why, now, did he spend so much energy looking for her in this life? Why? For the first time, he was suspicious about Reynon. Something wasn¡¯t matching up. ¡°That memory, erase it completely from your head. You never guided an abandoned blonde kid a little more than a decade ago.¡± In reaction to his militant tone, Dahlia¡¯s rebellious disposition flared up. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t I need an explanation?¡± Jurgen narrowed his eyes as he looked directly into her blue glare, which grew defensive. ¡°You are the Liberty guide that Prince Reynon is looking for.¡± Chapter 48 Dahlia blinked, and her eyes slowly filled with astonishment. Then, after pondering over Jurgen¡¯s words, she jumped up. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You told me with your very own mouth. Once you saved a little boy.¡± ¡°Then, do you mean that child was the crown prince?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He recognized me? We were both so young back then!¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say for certain. But he¡¯s sure you¡¯re Liberty.¡± Dahlia thought of the face and voice of the prince who asked her to try guiding him. But now Reynon was so different from the little girl in her memory. She¡ªno, he¡ª was smaller, thinner, and his hair was long enough that she mistook him for a girl. Besides¡­ after recalling him more, she remembered how sweet his voice was. But he said that child was Prince Reynon. Dahlia massaged her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. ¡°Nonsense.¡± Cayena Lake was a place that no one could enter. How could she forget the blonde, light-skinned child who had collapsed in such a place? She had been intrigued by a being who, like herself, had none of the features of a Southerner. Even if she didn¡¯t remember her clearly, she knew that she was definitely a girl her age and had guided her carefully. She was so severely wounded she just wanted to save her. ¡°Well, if he knows that I saved his life¡­. . Won¡¯t he help me?¡± Dahlia looked up at Jurgen with a glimmer of hope and soon gave up her expectations at his pitiful expression. ¡°More likely the opposite. The prince will put a leash around your neck. He¡¯ll keep you by his side and have you only guide him, like a caged bird. Freedom? no¡­ . No matter how strong you are as a Sentinel, you¡¯ll be helpless in front of Imperial power.¡± ¡°¡­ How can you be so pessimistically certain?¡± Jurgen snorted and declared: ¡°The Reynon von Leonardo I know is quite¡­ he¡¯s crazy.¡± With a leisurely smile, Jurgen approached her as she froze and looked stunned. Then he took her hand with his ring on it and lifted it up. ¡°Therefore I¡¯m the only one in the Empire who can help you, Dahlia.¡± His lips pressed lightly against the back of her white hand. Dahlia took in the sight of him kissing her hand, donning an elegant aristocratic mask, as she bit the flesh on the inside of her lip. ¡°At the end of the day, I¡¯m back to square one.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°I¡­ . I just wanted to live a normal life.¡± ¡°It is an unattainable dream.¡± Indeed, it very well may be unattainable. If she could, she would have abandoned both forces and the proposal. However, even though she had the power of a Sentinel, she couldn¡¯t go on subjugation missions because she was a lady and her guide¡¯s ability she couldn¡¯t use at will. No goals nor dreams. A life where she could never reach her potential and fully unfold her abilities. How nice it would have been if she had been able to live the rest of her life lazily in Tezeba¡¯s Blenheim mansion, otherwise called paradise. ¡°At least if I get married, I will be free from the temple¡¯s interference ¡­ . so I will¡­. get married.¡± Dahlia shook off his hand, sat back down, and picked up the pen he had put down. Then he remembered an unresolved problem. ¡®I should join the Knights too. And it will be fine if the imprint is removed. Isn¡¯t that right, Edelred?¡¯ Sentinel Knights. The crown prince had formally invited herself to the mysterious group that stirred up the entire empire, including the capital. What should I do? The black ink formed and swelled at the end of the pen¡¯s tip and dripped onto the paper. Jurgen¡¯s fingertips then touched her chin. When he turned her head, she met Jurgen¡¯s burning red eyes that filled her vision. She couldn¡¯t read the complex emotions in his deep gaze. ¡°You have too many thoughts.¡± The smile on his face with the corners of her lips pulled up was so captivating, charming, and beautiful. He wrapped his hand around hers that held the pen and scribbled a graceful signature beneath the ink stains. Jurgen Axel Edelred. Her brow wrinkled slightly. ¡°We haven¡¯t finalized it yet.¡± After signing the poorly written marriage contract, this time, he naturally pressed the nib under it. ¡°You can include as many terms as you like. However, there is no backing out now, Dahlia.¡± *** After taking off his thin gold-rimmed glasses, Reynon tore the letter imbued with divine power in half and set it on fire. The letter burning with blue sparks was a precious thing sent from the Grand Temple of Everdio in the capital. ¡°As soon as the Sentinel promotion test is over, put the name of the Count¡¯s Dalia Von Klose¡¯s name on the knights¡¯ list.¡± Winster Richardson, the eldest son of Count Richardson, gulped dryly as he watched the letter burn. Winster, the prince¡¯s assistant, and longtime friend, asked with a worried expression. ¡°Are you serious, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°There will be protests from the temple. Even so, the priests will come and ask for a discussion.¡± ¡°So before we meet the temple, we have to act first. Should I have what is mine snatched away?¡± Winster lowered his head in obedience, but his mind was complicated. No matter how strong the imperial power was, it was the right thing to avoid a head-on collision with the temple. According to the sacrosanct pact, the imperial family could not interfere in the internal affairs of the temple. The imperial family and the temple approached the negotiating table as equals, and they were instrumental to the revival of the Great Central Empire of Markania. However, since several years ago, the prince hadn¡¯t shied away from clashing with the temple. Just looking at the events during the day put the guides¡¯ lives at risk. The temple immediately sent a letter of protest to the crown prince who opened his Sentinel¡¯s power recklessly and designed a dangerous moment. But instead of answering the letter, Reynon tore it up and set it on fire. The madman in front of him wouldn¡¯t know how guilty he felt to see divine power burning blue. Winster endured by grinding his teeth and held out letters from foreign diplomatic missions. ¡°It seems that everyone is very interested in the Sentinel Knighthood. These are letters requesting an invitation to the inauguration ceremony.¡± Chapter 49 ¡°Inauguration ceremony?¡± Upon receiving the letter, Reynon¡¯s eyes lit up with interest. The Sentinel Knights were founded under the pretext of war against Plum, but in reality, it was to solidify and establish the military might of the Marcanian Empire and the Leonardo imperial family. If the Sentinels, who had been acting like a militia already, were gathered together and made loyal to the imperial family, one day, they would become no different from the imperial guard. It was also highly likely to become an absolute military power equipped with ability. If the Sentinel Knights were to move and act according to the wishes of the imperial family, no country on the continent would dare to cross Marcania. Reynon could not be relieved by just having supremacy and becoming emperor. Moreover, the Sentinel Continental Act had not yet been enacted. Laws for guides existed everywhere, but there was no law against training Sentinels for defense purposes. With an aristocratic mindset, the Sentinels only used their strength when necessary to deal with monsters at gates and did not use their power against humans. Reynon tapped the envelope with the seal of the northern empire, Balcantera. ¡°Looks like you want to check. Are you so curious about my intentions?¡± ¡°They must have thought it was dangerous. Even when your Majesty established the Sentinel Academy, there was a backlash. They also said that Sentinels are the powers loaned from God and that they should not be controlled.¡± ¡°There were some guys who acted as if the unification of the empire would happen right away once the academy was established.¡± ¡°There will be noise this time, but there is no reason to hesitate. It is easily solved by weaving the justification with the exceptional notoriety and opposition to Plum. The fact that they are associated with the absolute evil of the continent would be a big blow.¡± Balcantera in the north was called the Empire of Desert, Sun, and Gold and had a military power comparable to that of the Great Central Empire. Although it is a country that had accumulated colossal capital based on gold, Balcantera was an impenetrable place with guarded tendencies. They maintain a good relationship, but Reynon suspected they hosted Plum¡¯s stronghold. If there wasn¡¯t a home base, it was financial support. So what were they trying to achieve by combining the strength of the Sentinel and the Guide? As Jurgen said, there were often cases of babies being born with dual powers. It just went unnoticed because they didn¡¯t survive. For that reason, Dahlia Von Klose could be said to be exceptionally lucky. Reynon licked his lips, remembering the primordial, raw sweetness that had flowed in. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s late. Let¡¯s turn in for today.¡± ¡°Where is Delmon?¡± Reynon was pressing his eyes and forehead, leaned back in his chair, and stretched. After checking the giant cage and motionless perch, Winster opened a nearby window. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s wandering around as he pleases. The water bottle is still there, as if he didn¡¯t return today.¡± ¡°Make sure he gets some raw meat when he comes back.¡± ¡°Yes sire.¡± Reynon rose to his feet. In response, Winster pulled the nearby paging line. Then the waiting chamberlain, Baron Jeremy, entered the bedroom with a pot of tea. ¡°It was mentioned that you¡¯ve been having a particularly hard time sleeping, so we made it a little stronger.¡± ¡°You mean you hope there are no dreams.¡± ¡°You need guiding, your Majesty. You can¡¯t just rely on manastones and the light of Icaruso.¡± ¡°You say it¡¯s because of the lack of guiding. But ¡­ . I don¡¯t think so.¡± Reynon took a sip of the strongly brewed tea and reclined on the bed. Five years ago, he started having strange dreams. He was always dreadfully powerless in his nightmares and murdered by someone. Recalling his vague, hazy memories, the person who stabbed him with a knife was called the Empress. Perhaps because of the function of a dream, the pain of being betrayed by someone whom he cherished drove him into an unspeakable sadness and despair. There was an impression of him clinging to her, asking why she betrayed me. However, when he opened his eyes, only faint unpleasant traces remained. All the details were erased, so the heartsickness did not linger. Putting down the silver-bottomed teacup, Reynon dismissed everyone. With a gesture from Winster, all the crystal balls in the bedroom that extended down to the floor gradually dimmed. They shone faintly like starlight, pushing out perfect darkness. Reynon blinked his heavy eyes as he stretched his drooping body. How long had it been? With a short flutter of wings, a golden-eyed black hawk flew in, sat on the cage¡¯s perch, and tidied up its feathers. Reynon, who had been looking at the figure indifferently, slowly closed his eyes. *** Chapter 50 ¡°It was Delmon, my lord.¡± After closing the window, Lannister set down a cigarette and a glass of alcohol in front of Jurgen after he had finished taking a bath. Dressed lazily in a bluish silk gown, he smirked with a somewhat weary expression. It was a cold smile. ¡°Look at this freshly hatched chick.¡± [t1v: he also saying like, ¡°Look at this insolent kid/bastard] ¡°Seeing as he knew the exact route, it didn¡¯t seem like he had been there just once or twice.¡± Lannister¡¯s green eyes lingered with a familiar strangeness. Lannister was not a Sentinel, but he was a swordmaster. That was why he had keen senses and cultivated his hearing and eyesight until they were several times better than others. ¡°Let it be for now. After all, Dahlia will come to this place on her own two feet anyway. At that time, even the impudent chick won¡¯t be able to sneak around. You did a good job today, get some rest.¡± ¡°Yes, rest well master.¡± After taking a sip of alcohol, Jurgen smirked as he looked at the marriage contract he had brought from the count¡¯s family. Then, when asked to increase the number of items as much as possible, Dahlia began to write down all kinds of conditions like someone who seized a once in a lifetime opportunity. About 20 or so? Among them, there were clauses related to food. For example, he laughed out loud when she wrote down that she would only eat vegetables and salad once a day. ¡®My dream is¡­ . to completely remove my powers as a guide. Please cooperate. I¡¯ll cooperate with you until the power goes away.¡¯ ¡®Do you think it¡¯s possible?¡¯ ¡®Yes, I¡¯ll figure out how to do it in 5 years. And one more thing. I don¡¯t love you. Just because we¡¯ll be formally related doesn¡¯t mean I intend to live completely ignorant of love. I am a woman too. If someone who I am willing to give my soul for appears I will ask for a divorce from you.¡¯ Love. The face that spewed empty words about disquieting emotions without any feeling was terribly beautiful and lovely. That would never happen. There is no existence in this world worth giving up one¡¯s soul for. For a moment, he was tempted to tell her that love was only a dressed-up sweet excuse for the poor souls who had fallen into delusional temptations. He wondered what it would be like to stare at her cheeky face after getting his full of laughter. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy¡­ .¡± Under the silk robe, swollen tautly flesh lifted the thin gown. Previously, it was a troublesome instinct and desire that was only uncomfortable, but not now. When he recalled the face panting and weeping beneath him, his seed erupted without him having to use his hands. The color of the cloth tented up by his erection grew darker and wet. Yet, on the other hand, his expression leaning on his hand with his elbow resting on the desk, was strangely calm. Jurgen slowly swept back his flowing hair and lit his cigarette. As he leaned back in his chair and tilted his head, smoke rose thinly toward the ceiling. ¡®Will we do the Kiss of Oath?¡¯ Dahlia Von Klose. With her signature written next to his name, she asked with clear, wide eyes. Such a cute woman. Why so elegant and proud? He couldn¡¯t understand why she was so attached to being the Countess¡¯s daughter when it was so apparent that they didn¡¯t share a single drop of blood. ¡®We have to, the Kiss of Oath.¡¯ ¡®¡­ have to.¡¯ Her standing boldly in front of him without fear, he had to hold back his rising desire while calmly meeting her eyes. It was similar to a stabbing pain ripping through his stomach. Remembering her tongue and those lips of hers¡­. to his astonishment, he found his hand reaching his waist. When she profanely licked her lower lip¡­ his free hand grabbed his shirt and touched his belt. Fuck¡­ . He let out a small curse and tilted his head back, clutching the bumpy, bulging cock. He only barely touched it, but his glandular fluids juice dripped and seeped between his fingers. His muscular ass strained with power when he gently skimmed up his length using his precum as a lubricant. He tightened his grip around his genitals as he let out a heated breath and violent desires poured out like a shower. It ran and flowed down from the top of his head to his shoulders and chest and collected around his lower body. The memory of defiling the kiss of a sacred oath, shoving his red tongue between her soft, plump lips, spurred him. ¡°Ugh¡­ .¡± After pouring out his white cum, he stretched out his sticky hands. He laughed at the drowsiness that ran from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. He could not guarantee how long he would be satisfied with this lukewarm pleasure. But he didn¡¯t want to rush it. He was happy that the new Dahlia appeared in his life that lasted like an eternity. He had a premonition that he could see a proper end this time. He felt he could now stand proudly in the face of death without regret. He stretched out his wet hand and extinguished his cigarette with his other hand. Tomorrow the temple will make a move. And the high priest will go to the crown prince and say, Second Sun of the Empire, the gods have not allowed arrogance. So undo the wrongs and be blessed under the light of Icaruso. While the high priest holds the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes, other priests will visit the count¡¯s house and knock on the door. We have come to retrieve God¡¯s grace, Lady Dahlia. He smiled like a madman and slowly opened his eyes. Jurgen¡¯s pupils stared at the ceiling painting depicting the celestial world, and heat gradually dwelled in them. ¡°Who dares¡­ . take it back.¡± The blood-red eyes moved and pointed to the tips of his fingers. The red light from his fingertips dripped down toward the floor. The widely spread red light gathered into one, and a form began to congeal like a slime made of red light. Jurgen stared calmly at the image. ¡°What cute brazen chicks.¡± A tickling chirping spread from the light that had begun to thicken at a certain speed as if he understood his words. The bird had a round and chubby body with an exceptionally small beak. A hunting bird with short, yellow feathers under his chin flew up and landed on his finger. Jurgen raised his finger and faced the red-eyed one. ¡°Bring your master. Get a name too.¡± Then, a bird smaller than his fist tilted his thumb-nail-sized head and flew up. It cried as it flew out the window and disappeared. Only then did Jurgen stand up and wipe his hands on his towel. Stripping off his wet robe that stuck to him like a second skin, he climbed onto the bed and buried himself in the soft sheets. The dice were thrown on a fairly large board. Whether it was a pawn or a dice, it may be the hand throwing the dice, but he closed his eyes, feeling a wonderful and great fatigue after a long time. When he opened his eyes, he suppressed the laughter that leaked out, hoping the owner he brought to him would be by his side. Chapter 51 My eyes hurt. My head hurts too, and¡­ What¡¯s this? Dahlia woke up earlier than usual to find a small bird perched on top of her head, tidying up its feathers. Its body was round and plump, and the beak was tiny. The bird, with yellow fluff on its chin and forehead, looked like the bunting, a wild bird that was common around Blenheim House. Waking up with a disheveled face, she stretched her hand towards the fearless bunting. Then the little bird arranging itself flew up and lightly landed on her finger. Dahlia¡¯s jaw dropped, her widening eyes twinkling. It was the first time that such a thing had happened to her. Birds have always been wary of humans. The same was true of even the most tamed ornamental birds. But this cute fellow wasn¡¯t afraid of her, nor did he seem to have mistaken her for a tree branch. With her pounding heart, she inspected its red eyes as the bird tugged her finger on which it was perched. It was so lovely and cute. ¡°You¡­ . do you want to stay with me?¡± As expected, the bird couldn¡¯t understand what she was saying. The bird tilted its head, closed its eyes, and began to doze off. Dahlia chuckled at its erratic behavior, and fearing the bird would fly away, she got up and walked up to her wide-open window. Intending to close it, her heart and steps were hurried, and her cheeks flushed red, for she was unusually excited. However, the entrance to the mansion, which was quiet just a moment ago, started to stir and bustle with a commotion. ¡®Who is it?¡¯ Dahlia discreetly closed the window, hid, and peeked out. Four people disembarked from a carriage parked in front of the townhouse¡¯s main gate. Their appearance in blue-tinged cloaks and uniforms was somehow familiar. As Dahlia watched them waiting for the footman, she searched her memories. ¡®Princess Julia.¡¯ Yes, those clothes were definitely the ones worn by the guides who accompanied Princess Julia at the test site. That means¡­ . Dahlia examined them with puzzled eyes and found a red cross engraved on the silver buttons and closed her eyes tightly. It was the temple. They were priests and guides from the temple. Dahlia hurriedly took off her nightgown. The bird flew around and landed on the bed rod. She put on the ring Jurgen had given her and changed into a simple dress. It was one of the few dresses she had that didn¡¯t require a corset. Pulling on the thin string below her breasts, she looked out the window again. Hansen went out and greeted the priests himself. They politely handed him a letter with the high priest¡¯s seal. A troubled Hansen reluctantly led them into the house. They moved across the garden and looked around slowly. Dahlia, startled, sat down on the floor and covered her mouth. ¡°You said you¡¯d would protect me¡­ !¡± Dahlia bit her lip and quickly shook her head, recalling Jurgen¡¯s promise. But she didn¡¯t know how to wrap. Unlike guides, Sentinels¡¯ abilities could be improved through meticulous training. Although she possessed powers comparable to those of Luster Sentinel, she had never been trained to handle them. In a word, her strength was like an unprocessed gemstone and virtually useless in an emergency. Although Hansen, the Countess, and Gerald would try to drag it out¡­. but as long as they came, she couldn¡¯t leave. However, the question of the matter now was how to deceive them. Fingernail marks were deeply engraved on the palms of her tightly clenched hands. Dahlia tried to suppress the guide¡¯s power, only bringing forth as much of her Sentinel¡¯s energy as possible. In her misfortune, it was fortunate that her guide energy was now insignificant because she had poured her power into Jamie. But they would find a way to draw out the power inside of her. Rumors of the oppressive, coercive, and terrifying temple floated around her head. Then, the bird flew off the bed rod and began to circle over the colorful carpet. With a small body, a faint light shimmered beneath the wings, chirping softly in a repeating, distinct trajectory. Dahlia doubted her eyes. A faint but unmistakable magic circle was being drawn. Then, a small knock was heard beyond her door; she covered her mouth in surprise. ¡°Miss? It looks like she is still sleeping. Lady? Seeing that there¡¯s no answer, she must have been very tired. How about making an appointment next time?¡± As expected, it was Freesia. Shamelessly, Freesia kept talking, not even giving the priests enough time to breathe¡ªnever mind respond. She also woefully pleaded that her head might be blown off if she deliberately woke up her weak mistress from her sound sleep. Dahlia approached the circling bird. Then the bunting stopped flapping its wings, stared at her, and began to chirp-chirp. A fellow with red eyes, different from Tezeba¡¯s buntings, slowly flapped its wings in front of her face. Amid the flutter of its wings, Dahlia felt a familiar power. To her surprise, her attention went down when Jurgen¡¯s ring started shining like the bird¡¯s eye. ¡°Ha, you¡­ .¡± Staring at the door blocked by Freesia, she stepped into the magic circle. She¡¯d be lying if she said she didn¡¯t hesitate, but she decided to trust her intuition and give it a try. A warm aura wrapped around her when she stepped into the circle. Dahlia stretched out her hand to the bunting. The bird landed on her finger, looking unconcerned, As soon as a shattered light filled her room like glass fragments, no one was left in her bedroom. *** Chapter 52 ¡°Ahh!¡± He raised his head at the scream that came from above. Someone fell down from the magic circle with a diameter of 10 Herham. Splash! Jurgen, who had just stuck his head out of the water, smiled and plunged back into the pool¡¯s depths. Drooping, Dahlia, in a light off-white dress, was sinking to the bottom of the pool that she had just fallen in. He swam faster and took her hand. Her hair, like sunbeams penetrating water, obscured his vision. Jurgen held on to her and brought them to the surface to breathe. ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°Pu-ha!¡± Dahlia was breathing heavily and was still donning a very bewildered complexion. Jurgen brushed the wet hair out of her face and floated on the water. ¡°Good morning.¡± Breathing heavily, she looked at him with red, bloodshot eyes. Then she suddenly burst into tears. ¡°What¡¯s this!¡± ¡°Surprised?¡± ¡°I thought I was going to die!¡± He had set the coordinates to come to where he was, but he didn¡¯t know she would fall on the top of his head while swimming. Jurgen burst out laughing, grabbed her arm, and put it around his neck. Then, Dahlia, who had been embraced, made up her mind and cried. He patted her wet back as he swam. ¡°Oh no, I was in a hurry too. I¡¯ll be careful next time. I¡¯ll set the coordinates on the bed.¡± Upon reaching the end of the pool, Jurgen clutched and lifted her and sat her on the water¡¯s edge. Then, whimpering, she wiped away her tears and wrung out her soaked hair. All a while, she was sure to cast a pointed resentful glare at Jurgen. He pressed his chin against her lap, gently caressing her legs submerged in the transparent water. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I want to see you cry somewhere else.¡± ¡°¡­ You are a villain.¡± ¡°I¡¯m no hero of justice.¡± ¡°Does it make sense to go swimming this early in the morning? I haven¡¯t even eaten yet.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky I was awake. If you had fallen into my bedroom, do you think right now I would have passively let you go?¡± She frowned, seemingly saying, ¡°What do you mean?¡± then let out a gasp, blushing. It was clear that she had become bothered with the understanding of what he meant. Besides, this man was not wearing a single thread. Shy belatedly, she curled up her wet body, avoiding his gaze. It was the first time she had seen a man naked. Last time, wasn¡¯t he half naked¡­ ? No, why are you thinking like this! Dahlia shook his head and shut her eyes. Then, utterly drenched in cold water, she started to tremble. Jurgen, who had been observing her closely, came out of the water and brought a large blanket to wrap her in. ¡°I guess I should stop swimming.¡± ¡°Goo¡ªgood idea.¡± Dahlia couldn¡¯t bear to look up at him and avoided his gaze. When their eyes met, she was sure something impure like last time would happen. Her body clenched tightly to the blanket, and suddenly she was lifted. Dahlia was startled but held her breath and covered her face. With a strangely amused and delighted expression, he took her in his arms and began striding toward the annex attached to his swimming pool. Even though she must have been quite heavy with her dress wet, his gait was straight and undisturbed. The red-bricked outbuilding¡¯s elegant door was open. Stepping inside, Jurgen immediately went up to the second floor and entered the bathroom connected to the master bedroom. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Well, you went through it first hand, didn¡¯t you?¡± He sat her in the tub, turned the faucet on, and lukewarm water began to pour in. ¡°The fellow deemed it was a dangerous situation and brought you to me. The dangerous situation is that the priests came to see you.¡± He grabbed her chin and turned her head to face him when she refused to meet his gaze. Determined, Dahlia stubbornly kept her eyes closed, probably too shy to see him nude. This woman didn¡¯t know how arousing this kind of behavior drove people. If she had known, she couldn¡¯t have acted like this. ¡°That bird¡­ . you sent it?¡± ¡°I made you a friend, don¡¯t you like it?¡± ¡°Is it a real bird?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a real bird with my powers.¡± Only then did she open her tightly closed eyes and look up at him with a blue lake-like gaze. ¡°Then¡­ What about me? What happened to me? Brightly smirking, he sat down on the edge of the tub where the water was pouring in and caressed her face. ¡°How do you feel about being kidnapped, Lady Dahlia?¡± Chapter 53 The annex where Jurgen was staying was curiously located quite far from the main house where the Archduke and his wife lived. Between the main building and the annex were a long corridor, Jurgen¡¯s study, and a pool. The three spaces had very different atmospheres that seemed alien to each other. After changing into her wet clothes and leaving the bedroom, Dahlia tilted her head as she scanned the interior, which strangely resembled Blenheim House. It was strange when you think about it. The bedroom was full of dresses and pajamas for women, and the same incense sticks I used were burning. The stick was given as a gift to Count Von Klose when he was surveying the Western Continent, and it was so precious that she used it sparingly unless there was a special occasion. It wasn¡¯t an impossible coincidence, but there was a sense of trepidation. It was suspicious that her transition here was so smooth, as if he knew that she would come here and prepared for it. ¡°What is your name?¡± Dahlia asked for the name of her maid who served her and took care of the bedroom. She was a maid who looked exceptionally youthful. She lowered her head and introduced herself with a shy expression: ¡°This is Amelie, miss.¡± ¡°Amelie¡­ . will you be waiting on me?¡± ¡°Yes, I have been instructed to make you comfortable while you are here.¡± ¡°By Sir Edelred?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been in charge of the annex from before, so if you have anything to do, please feel free to call me.¡± Amelie¡¯s speech was polite and soft, and she had dark hair and olive-colored eyes with the characteristics of a Southerner. The very people she was surrounded by and grew up with. A peculiar sense of bizarreness struck Dahlia. It felt like even the tiniest details had been considered. What was going on? Why so far¡­ . ¡°Where is the Lord?¡± Amelie led Dahlia to answer her question. The maid guided her to the north side of the outbuilding, outside the two-arch passageway. She followed Amelie and found a white table under a vine filled with green grapes. Dahlia couldn¡¯t hide her surprise. Filled with the sweet and sour fragrance of ripe grapes, it was an exemplary place to have a tea party, or with its peaceful atmosphere, it was the perfect spot for taking a nap. The pure white sunlight broke through with fragmented beams. The vines made ornate shadows, and the meal placed one by one under the scene smelled delicious. ¡°Let¡¯s take a seat,¡± Jurgen said upon arriving and passing her. He donned a white shirt and comfortable pants. Then, while holding a newspaper in one hand, he pulled out her white chair and beckoned Dahlia with a nod. She approached and sat down on a chair, looking around at the colorful flowers in full bloom. ¡°It must be my imagination that you prepared everything, right?¡± ¡°Hmm, well.¡± ¡°No way, did you plan for this?¡± ¡°There is nothing more foolish than living haphazardly without a plan.¡± ¡°Ha, then¡­ . the dresses in the bedroom?¡± ¡°I told you from the beginning, I am the only one in the Empire who can help you.¡± The conversation between the two was briefly interrupted by the main dish. It was simple yet full of her favorite foods, from half-cooked egg dishes in front of two people to freshly baked bread and soup topped with thin truffles. Dahlia sipped a sour drink made from the juice of two fruits as her eyes looked around stealthily. ¡°Where is Phone?¡± ¡°Phone?¡± Jurgen frowned as he picked up a cup of hot black tea. Dahlia plucked a grape hanging within reach and put it in her mouth. ¡°Yes, Phone. The bird you sent me.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Why? Is his name strange?¡± Phone. His name is Phone*. [t1v: the name could also be Fawn] He laughed lightly as he muttered the name that lightly bounced in his mouth. He said that he should get a name, and he really did. Jurgen reached into his pocket, pulled out an object, and set it down on the table. Seeing her reach out once more for the plump grapes, he stood up and cut off the stems of the grapes with the scissors he received from the waiting attendant. Jurgen placed it on an empty plate, took one of the grapes to his mouth, and bit it. She picked up the small flute he had placed in front of her. Dahlia stared at him, at the grapes, then at the lips biting the grapes and at the red tongue licking off the juice. The tips of her ears and her cheeks were red. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Blow it.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a flute¡­ .¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But also, not quite. It¡¯s a flute that only Phone can hear.¡± Dahlia wiped her mouth and played the flute with a curious expression. She didn¡¯t really hear anything. But a few seconds later, with fluttering wings, a bird the size of a fist flew in and landed on the back of her hand. ¡°Phone, did you really hear this sound?¡± Chirp- Chirp¡ª ¡°May I call you Phone?¡± As she carefully stroked the fluff beneath his tiny beak, the closed-eyed Phone quivered, responding to her touch. Dahlia was so cute in that way. Seeing Dahlia like that, he beamed cheerfully and felt his heart tickle when he saw her flushed cheeks. In the meantime, the fat bird proudly puffed his chest as if he were a king. Holding back his laughter, he shook his head and lightly tapped the edge of his cutlery with his fork. Only then did Dahlia put Phone down on the seat next to her and spread butter on her halved bread. It was an unexpectedly perfect breakfast. *** Chapter 54 ¡°So, then, do I stay here until it¡¯s resolved?¡± Dahlia ran her finger through Phone¡¯s tiny head and asked. After the meal, the two went for a walk by the stream, where a cool breeze blew. ¡°Officially, Lady Von Klose must have been kidnapped by an unknown assailant. As her fianc¨¦, I will search for you, and Count Von Klose will be disappointed. You can¡¯t completely fool the temple, so just think of it as buying time.¡± ¡°Then, where are we going to hold the ceremony? Don¡¯t you need permission from His Majesty the Emperor?¡± ¡°The ceremony will be performed safely in Altera. It¡¯s an independent autonomous territory, so even the Emperor can¡¯t visit on a whim. If we just close the portal, that¡¯s all there is to it.¡± Dahlia burst into laughter. It was very different from the politically arranged marriages of ordinary aristocrats. It felt like running away to elope for love. Regardless, she relished the current stupefaction. Besides, there was not a single part of the annex of Bluebell House that she disliked. Dahlia stopped walking, crouched down on the ground, scooped up some water from the stream, and held it out to Phone. Soft sunlight poured on her hair. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have given him to you.¡± She raised her head at Jurgen¡¯s bizarre grumpiness, hid Phone in her arms as if to protect him, and glared. ¡°Don¡¯t take him away. Keep your dignity as a gentleman.¡± ¡°My fianc¨¦e is more interested in another little bastard*, how can I keep my dignity?¡± [t1v: *the insult also means ¡®hateful little boy/man¡¯] ¡°What do you mean, bastard*?¡± ¡°A boy*, right there. He¡¯s a male.¡± In addition to Dahlia, even Phone sitting on her finger and drinking water looked at Jurgen with the same expression of incredulity. Jurgen¡¯s brows furrowed in displeasure at his own reaction, which seemed to be pathetic. He signed at himself ¡°Phone, my fianc¨¦ seems to have a twisted mind, so go and play somewhere else for a while,¡± Dahlia whispered to Phone and lightly kissed him. Then, the bird flew away and disappeared between nearby tree branches. After dusting off her skirt, Dahlia stood up and faced Jurgen. He looked down at her with a countenance of thick satisfaction on his gentleman-looking face. Dahlia, who was still looking up at the horribly proud and handsome facade, held her skirt wide and curtseyed politely. ¡°Thank you for your help, Sir Edelred. I apologize I offered my respectful greetings late*.¡± [*t1v: this leans into the importance of greetings in Korean culture, where it is an emphasized ritual of formal and mandatory acknowledgement and sign of respect from a subordinate to a superior. She is drawing a clear line between them.] ¡°It was nothing.¡± ¡°Then, please tell me what I can and shouldn¡¯t do here. And I want my family to know that I am safe.¡± ¡°The moment you fell on my head, Gerald Von Klose contacted me. Don¡¯t worry. Feel free to enter the annex and my study as much as you like. But not the library in the main mansion. It¡¯s a family domain, so I hope you respect that.¡± After Dahlia readily agreed, she held out her hand to Jurgen. ¡°Let me guide you.¡± For a moment, he doubted his ears. ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Yes, since you opened a portal using Phone, you must have used a lot of strength. Shouldn¡¯t I refill as much as I used?¡± ¡°Ha, are you serious?¡± ¡°Like the Lord, I don¡¯t speak empty words¡­ .¡± His large, sturdy arms wrapped around her waist. Suddenly his stare filled her gaze. His watch started from her startled eyes and moved along the tip of her round nose, parted lips, and straight collarbone. He didn¡¯t do anything more, but Dahlia¡¯s cheeks turned red. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s the most efficient way to guide?¡± ¡°You mean¡­ . through touch?¡± With a smile, he drove her to a nearby oak tree**. The bark was rich with the aroma of soil, touching Dahlia¡¯s back as she stepped back. ¡°Try it¡ªguiding.¡± ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you, take a chance and try your best. Maybe¡­ . You will feel good too.¡± He cupped her reddened cheeks with a smile and slipped two of his fingers between her lips. Saliva smeared on his fingers; he crinkled the hem of her dress and lifted it up. And wet fingers slipped into places they were not supposed to touch. Dahlia brought her legs together and trembled. However, as the stimulation continued, hot heat collected in a secret and humid place. It formed like dew and felt dangerous as she was teetering on the edge, about to fall off. ¡°Ha, stop¡­ .¡± ¡°Try guiding. Relax and try a little, Dahlia. Now that we are a married couple, we have to do this every day.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Then, you didn¡¯t think we would live without a marital relationship, did you?¡± ¡°¡­ I didn¡¯t think about it.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± He bent over, nibbled on her plump lips, and after opening her mouth, he pushed his fingers in. Her eyes trembled as she gasped. Even so, her faint venom did not fade in the slightest. Jurgen really liked the strange blade that Dahlia hid. For instance, her pretending to waver and be carried away by him. He relished in knowing this woman¡¯s hidden mask, acting like she was in delirium. He nibbled on Dahlia¡¯s ear lobe and whispered, ¡°Shall we?¡± **t1v: In Korean culture, oak trees symbolize ¡®truth.¡¯ It also represents longevity, strength, stability, endurance, and fertility. Often depicted as the tree of life, the center of the world, and many times associated with the most important gods. Chapter 55 A moment of silence washed over the wide straight corridor leading to the Sentinel Promotion Test Center. It was because of Jurgen Axel Edelred, who had just appeared in the gallery alone, without any vassals. Looking as if he was suffering, his face was emaciated, and his eyes were filled with melancholy. His lips which previously always donned a graceful smile were now slightly apart with anguish. Everyone cast sympathetic gazes on his figure and politely bowed in front of Jurgen. Even in the midst of his fianc¨¦e¡¯s kidnapping and disappearance, and the sky seemed to be on the verge of collapse, this noble young duke did his job diligently in silence. ¡°Those who kidnapped Lady Von Klose will be punished by the heavens. Does it make sense to kidnap a powerless woman? Did the wicked have nothing else to do?¡± ¡°I feel so sorry for Sir Edelred, I could cry. A charming, mysterious person like beguiling moonlight is now revealing such a powerless figure.¡± ¡°Even if he looks so calm, I heard at night he personally leads the knights to look for his fianc¨¦e. Ha¡­ . Should I say that I am envious of Lady Von Klose, or that I feel sorry for her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s terrifying to be kidnapped, but still, her fianc¨¦ is Sir Edelred. If it were me¡­ . I think kidnapping once or twice would be worth it.¡± When the lady with a fan leaked a vulgar laugh, the other ladies who were watching scolded her with stern eyes. No matter what, it was a sentiment that should never have been said aloud in front of a heartbroken man. Watching the wounded lady break away from the group and disappear somewhere, Jurgen resisted his sneer from leaking out. ¡°He is waiting for you.¡± Today was the last day of the Sentinel Promotion Test. Along with the news that the exam, which had been messed up due to the prince¡¯s whim, was now resuming, the news of Dahlia¡¯s abduction also spread throughout the capital. As soon as High Priest Eugenio heard the news of Dahlia¡¯s disappearance, he elegantly relayed the words, ¡°Halt with your nonsense and provide the guide,¡± through an official document. Still, Jurgen tore the paper in front of Dahlia. However, not answering the official letter of the temple, which was thought to be a problem, drew a different public opinion. ¡®Please consider the feelings of the Duke of Edelred!¡¯ A minor backlash arose among the nobles, asking, ¡°Is it the Gods¡¯ will to cause pain to a man in grief after losing a loved one?¡± Jurgen was actively exploiting public opinion. People were enthusiastic that he frequently showed his face at official events, revealed his increasingly leaner and leaner face, and occasionally shed a few tears. ¡°You are late.¡± The sour, sullen remark came from Reynon, who arrived at the seat of honor at the test arena first. ¡°I greet the Second Sun of the Empire,¡± Jurgen replied with a flawless greeting. Then Winster, standing behind the prince, met his eyes and nodded. It meant that the prince was in a bad mood and not to provoke him. ¡°You are doing something very interesting. Did you change your position from Sentinel to a mage at this point?¡± Irrespective of Reynon¡¯s sarcasm, Jurgen sat beside him with a sad smile. ¡°Ha, you¡­ . Amazing.¡± Reynon swept back his blonde hair covering one eye. He raised his hand, and Sentinel Academy teachers waiting in the exam hall announced the commencement of the examination. Just like the other day, the exam hall, where all students attended, was just as hot. When the Sentinels who entered the examination hall for promotion raised their powers, the imperial mages raised their shields. Jurgen stared at the shields that looked like oil, and water were clashing. ¡°It seems that the high priest was quite angry. Or, did His Highness destroy the letter too?¡± Reynon laughed briefly at Jurgen¡¯s question. ¡°How dare he protest against me. Blames me for failing to apprehend the guide. He vaguely sensed Liberty¡¯s power, but he wasn¡¯t sure, so he told me to cooperate¡­ . How can I just let her go?¡± ¡°They told me to cease my performances.¡± ¡°So, where is the young lady?¡± ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s a family secret.¡± ¡°Ha¡ªyou¡­ .¡± Reynon rubbed his wrinkle-free brow and looked at Jurgen. The flames of bitter cold in his golden pupils heightened palely. Jurgen continued his speech in a nonchalant tone, using the supernatural ability to confront the imperial family head-on: ¡°I will marry her. So hurry up and approve it. The more you delay, the greater the risk of losing her to the temple.¡± ¡°You are protecting her.¡± ¡°Well¡­ But, one thing is for sure¡­ . Lady Von Klose is not the Liberty you are looking for.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Reynon, who moved his gaze back to the exam auditorium, gestured to Winster. His aid, about to suffocate from witnessing the battle of nerves between the two men, held out a letter to Jurgen. It was a letter from the Great Northern Empire. It was not an official letter but was secretly delivered to the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace. ¡°King Reno is asking for comradeship. Therefore, on the day of the founding ceremony, Prince Antero and Prince Liberio will traverse by portal.¡± ¡°¡­ Did you approve it?¡± ¡°Since you are in the midst of despair, there was no time to discuss it with you.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t their purpose obvious? They will try to prevent the Sentinel Knights from being absorbed into the imperial family¡¯s military forces.¡± ¡°So, before that¡­ . I need a guide.¡± Clutching the letter, Jurgen¡¯s eyebrow slanted at a sharp angle. All the while Reynon had not taken his eyes from the test site and rested his chin in his hand. He only moved and clapped when a red orb appeared above Sentinel¡¯s head. ¡°If you let her guide me, I will approve your marriage. Not a bad condition, is it?¡± *** Chapter 56 Of the 100 or so Senior Sentinels, only 20 succeeded in being promoted to Royal Sentinel. 99% of them hoped to join the Sentinel Knights, and 30% of the Senior Sentinels who were unfortunately eliminated also wanted to join the Knighthood. As if Reynon had become a benevolent lord, he accepted them all into the Order. Colorful fireworks burst out of the translucent dome. Jurgen left the festive atmosphere and palace behind. He was about to climb into his carriage, but Julia sharply called him to stop. ¡°Could you spare me some time, Lord Edelred?¡± She did not use honorifics with others, but strangely, she always used honorifics in front of Jurgen. He opened the carriage door and looked at Julia who was full of anger. ¡°Would you like to get in? I¡¯m in a bit of a hurry, so let¡¯s talk while on the move.¡± ¡°¡­ Why are you doing this to me?¡± ¡°Get in, your Highness, Princess.¡± ¡°Soon¡ªwe were getting engaged!¡± The princess, unable to overcome her emotions, shouted. Jurgen looked at her with a pitiful expression and patiently suggested that she board again. With tears in her eyes, she walked forward and climbed in. Jurgen looked around him once, then climbed into the carriage and shut the door after her. ¡°I can¡¯t understand. Both my father and the Archduke approved of our engagement. But! How rude¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I never agreed to that engagement.¡± ¡°Jurgen! How could you do this to me?¡± ¡°I fell in love with her at first sight, and I want her. So now, let¡¯s stop. Julia.¡± Her eyes quickly became wet at her name coming out of his mouth for the first time in a very long time. Her hands, wrapped in fine gloves, trembled. Called the third sun of the Empire, Julia von Leonardo was dubbed a saint. Despite the endless courtship of foreign princes, she steadfastly endured for Jurgen. Edelred¡¯s authority, beauty, and strength felt sweeter than any other power. In essence, Julia loved Jurgen. There was no doubt in her mind that her first infatuation would become her husband. But¡­. ¡°I am a guide. I can give you many things. If you want, you can imprint on me. Please only let me guide the Lord for the rest of my life.¡± She grabbed the hem of her dress, stretched out her hand, and cupped Jurgen¡¯s cheek. To his surprise, their lips met without warning. In that split second, she poured her guiding power into him. Julia wanted him, even by taking advantage of the pathetic fact that Sentinels had no choice but to feel deep affection for a guide they had a high matching rate with. But it was strange. None of her powers were absorbed by him, as if he had no room for her. Feeling her energy bounce off and return, she withdrew with a shocked face. ¡°Uh, how¡­ .¡± The air inside the wagon grew cold. A chill ran across his face as he rubbed the spot where Julia¡¯s lips had touched with his thumb. She pursed her lips in confusion. Jurgen let out a short sigh and clapped his hands to stop. His carriage slowly circling the imperial garden halted, and Jurgen opened the door himself. ¡°Let¡¯s end the conversation. I hope this answer is sufficient.¡± Julia jumped up, trying to ignore her feelings of humiliation. Then she got out, escorted by the coachman. Her ladies-in-waiting jumped off the princess¡¯ chariot while following her, surrounding her. Julia, who struggled to regain her composure, put her hands together in front of her chest and smiled. ¡°I hope that blessings will be with the Lord in the future. The kidnapped young lady¡ª will be¡­.. Located.¡± Jurgen laughed briefly and nodded. Then he sympathized with the princess, whose expression hardened. In the past, she was once his fiancee, a woman with whom he sympathized with pity. But death always followed Julia. Nonetheless it might change this time around. Maybe, she would survive this time. Just as the Howells survived. ¡°Go to the annex. As fast as possible.¡± At Jurgen¡¯s instruction, the coachman sped up. With his glove, he rubbed the spot where his lips had touched Julia, removed the glove, and tossed it out the window. ¡®Please, stop¡­ Biting.¡¯ It was enough to have Dahlia alone whining beneath him. How could his tongue react to other sweets after tasting the most extraordinary sweetness? It was the same a little while ago. In the past, there were many times when Julia¡¯s guiding was quite satisfactory. They had a high matching rate, and she received a good education, grew up as a princess, and was a woman well suited to the position of a duchess. But now, he was utterly insensitive to her sweetness. Rather, it even felt like something unpleasant had crawled through his body. Although the realization was fleeting, he seemed to know a little why Reynon scorned and avoided guides in contempt. Ha, Dahlia¡­ . What have you done to me? Chapter 57 Amelie blushed as she watched Dahlia lightly rubbing Phone¡¯s beak. From the first time she laid eyes on her, she thought, frankly, she was a very pretty girl. But, of course, there were many beautiful ladies among the aristocracy. The daughter of Viscount La Seine was rumored to have a goddess-like appearance, and even though the youngest daughter of Lord Saturn was only five years old, suitors had already lined up for her. Still, Amelie firmly believed that no one could measure up to the beauty of Duke Edelred. Regardless of gender or sex. She did not doubt that the young master of the Edelred family was a true beauty. But as she continued to watch Dahlia confusion began to arise in her standards. Perhaps, her young master might not be ¡®the most beautiful woman¡¯ in the empire. She followed Dahlia through the corridor that led to Jurgen¡¯s study. But this time as well, in contrast to Dahlia¡¯s angelic face, she began to pick out books with ghastly titles: Gate¡¯s Demons Volume 3 Guiding: A Mystery Conquering the Gates 2 The Cry of the Dead Awakened Luster The 100 Mystery Gates Dahlia piled five books on top of each other as she climbed up the bookshelf and pushed in a book revealing a hidden compartment. Her eyes changed as she discovered scrolls piled up on the hidden higher shelves. She looked back at Amelie, who had diligently and quietly followed her, and remarked with an apologetic expression, ¡°Isn¡¯t that heavy? I still have a lot of books to take, so I think you should take those first.¡± ¡°To your bedroom?¡± Amelie readily held up her five books and politely bent her knees slightly with the look that this was nothing. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. Should I bring back the books you read last night?¡± ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you did. Take only half. It¡¯s heavy, so we can share the load.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll be right back, miss.¡± Dahlia nodded, her eyebrows drooping. She didn¡¯t forget to say thank you. After Amelie closed the door to the study, she called Phone. He fluttered and landed gently on top of Dahlia¡¯s head. Then, carefully wrapping Phone in both hands and she lowered him from her head. He tilted his tiny head, and his red eyes were twinkling. ¡°Phone, whatever you see. You can¡¯t tell the master.¡± The voice that flowed from Dahlia¡¯s mouth resonated like a harp¡¯s melody. Phone, which had been staring at Dahlia¡¯s eyes, began to glow faintly and trembled. Then, he chirped and cried tenderly. ¡°You didn¡¯t see anything.¡± Chirp-! Dahlia smiled and retrieved Sentinel¡¯s power. During the seven days she stayed here, she learned quite a lot. Sentinel¡¯s powers could be divided into hundreds of types, but they broadly fell into two categories: mental and physical. She learned that those also had their different varieties of healing classes. And while her own power was the mental type, it was also closer to the healing sort. She also noticed that, at first glance, it had a similar texture to a guide¡¯s power. Now her power, which she used on Phone, was of the ¡®subordinate¡¯ type. She had never used it on people, but during this time, she learned that this sort of power was often used on animals and was the capability of a mental Sentinel. Dahlia removed the scrolls from the bookshelf only after Phone started to doze off. The golden string that tied up the papers symbolized an official letter from the imperial family, and the red twines indicated it was a military document. The green lines denoted the temple, and the blue symbolized a family document from Altera. Among them, what Dahlia was most interested in were the papers tied with a black string. Dahlia climbed up the ladder and opened them one by one, starting with the topmost one. All the papers here were important, but Jurgen didn¡¯t bother to hide them. The reason he allowed her to look around a place full of important documents freely¡­ . Maybe it¡¯s because he thought she didn¡¯t know the Ibelinian language used in this. -Imperial year 762. The first discovery of Plum¡¯s Gate. Discoverer Duke OOOO. Advanced Mana Stone 5. -Imperial year 765. The ¡®Black Rooster Village¡¯ west of the Oden Mountains is in ruins. It is assumed that this is due to the wavelength outside the gate. Advanced Mana Stone 2. It was strange. In the year 762 of the imperial calendar, it was more than 20 years ago. However, judging from the condition of the ink and paper, it seemed that it was written less than five years ago. Of course, it was inaccurate, but Dahlia guessed that the Duke of Edelred was using some strength to carry out various intelligence activities. ¡®The fact that he used Ibelin so that no one would recognize it means it is an important confidential document¡­ .¡¯ -Imperial year 782. Confirmation of the survival of Count Howell Von Klose. The gears have changed. Dahlia, who opened the papers in his hand, frowned as she peered at the particularly ink-stained paper. ¡°Confirming that my father is alive¡­ .?¡± z Chapter 58 Besides, 782 was this year. If so, it would mean that he wrote this document when they met at Tezeba. What the hell was the young Duke trying to check? Dahlia got down from the pedestal after tidying up the bookshelf before Amelie returned. Then she pulled out a map of the empire from the bottom shelf of the original bookshelf. Just as she counted numbers in her head, the door to the study was thrown open, and Amelie chatted, looking refreshed. ¡°The master has arrived, young lady!¡± ¡°He¡¯s late today.¡± ¡°It was the last day of the Sentinel Promotion Test. I think the Lord was watching until the end. Are you going to meet him?¡± ¡°¡­ Shall we?¡± Actually, she didn¡¯t want to, but there was nothing wrong with showing an amicable relationship in front of the servants. Dahlia took a step and snapped her fingers in Phone¡¯s ear. Then, he flapped his wings and opened his eyes, chirping and tilting its head. Dahlia gestured to the bird. Phone flew and sat on her head, settling down as if it were his nest. She resigned to the familiar feeling that her hair was disheveled and followed Amelie out of the annex. ¡°There he comes.¡± All the servants of the main house were already on their way to greet Jurgen. Wearing a sentinel uniform, he turned straight toward the outbuilding, not the main building. After passing through a long corridor made up of dozens of pillars and roofs, he stopped in front of the entrance connected to the pool and raised his head. Dahlia standing among tall and low shrubs that created an exotic atmosphere met his eyes. Amelie greeted the young master with great respect, but Dahlia couldn¡¯t bow because Phone was sitting on her head. ¡°You arrived?¡± She slightly bent her knees to say hello and waited for him to come with her hands clasped together. But he stopped a few steps ahead, put his hand over his face, and his shoulders started to shake. He laughed out loud as if he couldn¡¯t hold it in, and then he bent forward with a gut-busting laugh. Everyone was shocked and speechless by the sight. Jurgen of the Edelred family was the foremost model of impeccable nobility, elegance, and dignity. A man called a true aristocrat among nobles¡ªwho they dared not meet eyes with, even with their heads down¡ªwas now laughing without a speck of grace. At that, the employees who were watching chuckled awkwardly, intending not to embarrass their lord, but on the contrary, Dahlia, who became the target, turned red. ¡°Sir Edelred, what are you doing now¡­ .¡± ¡°My God, Dahlia. What are you doing? Phone.. ..Phone on your head¡ªPwhahaa!¡± ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t help it. He doesn¡¯t listen.¡± ¡°But still, there¡¯s a bird on the Lady¡¯s head¡­ . a bird hahaha.¡± Jurgen, who struggled to hold back his laughter, wiped away tears from his eyes, then stood up and strode towards them. Then he opened his arms and embraced the embarrassed Dahlia. ¡°Ha, if you greet me like this, I won¡¯t get tired of it even if I receive such a reception every day.¡± Caught in his arms to the point of suffocating, she was at a loss for what to do with exceeding embarrassment. Although their relationship became quite close, it was too explicit of an expression of affection. More than when they did strange things under the pretext of guiding¡ª more and more¡­ . It was an unfamiliar experience; her heart jumped and tickled. The sound of his heart beating fast beyond his Sentinel uniform resonated clearly in her ears. *** ¡°What did you do today?¡± It was clear that Edelred did not know the word shame. Dahlia glanced up at Jurgen, who had visited the bedroom after taking a bath, and pointed to the books she had brought. ¡°I went for a walk and read. There are so many things I don¡¯t know. And¡­ . A letter has arrived from Gerald. My father is coming to the capital soon.¡± Perhaps he wasn¡¯t even wearing underwear, but with each step, he took, his muscular, lean legs, like those of a stallion, were revealed through the gaps of his clingy robe. As her eyes climbed up, there were pronounced shadows below and above his ilium. His well-balanced rectus abdominis muscles and his wide chest with thick pectoralis major muscles moved lightly with each breath. On the other hand, compared to his beastly body, his face was truly gorgeous. He might have been mistaken for a woman if it were not for his thick neck with an adams apple and his stately jaw. As he approached, he took a sip of alcohol and ran his fingertips through the cover of the book she was looking at. ¡°If you have any questions, why not ask me?¡± ¡°Books are comfortable. You can check it and read it again.¡± ¡°But how long are you going to keep Phone on your head?¡± ¡°Oh, could you¡­ . Could you take him off?¡± He chuckled again as he stepped forward and grabbed Phone¡¯s body insincerely. Then, not liking his rough touch, Phone fled, chirping in protest and flapping his wings as soon as he sat on the perch. Dahlia then comfortably brushed her hair, relieved. After stroking Phone¡¯s chin, Jurgen turned to her and narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°Did you use mana on Phone?¡± Chapter 59 Her fingertips turning the pages of her book, halted. ¡ªRustling¡­ . ¡°How did you know?¡± When she asked him nonchalantly, he approached her and turned to her seat. His red eyes quietly sink. ¡°What power did you use?¡± ¡°I was testing and tried it out. I was wondering what my strength was. Phone must have been dreaming for a while. Perhaps a dream of eating an enormous amount of food?¡± ¡°A dream?¡± He tilted his head and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Dahlia was relieved by his reaction conveying his interest rather than his suspicion, and continued her explanation. ¡°I have a power that¡¯s the level of a Luster, but I don¡¯t know how to use it. So I drew it out. Before I didn¡¯t know. My skills are ¡®command*¡¯ and ¡®dreaming¡¯.¡± [*t1v: the word in Korean is ¡°word+spell¡± implying words have spirit/spell in themselves. Seems to be a form of command or ¡®manifesting¡¯] His lips parted slightly. Perhaps it was an impressive ability; his hands rubbing his smooth chin were rough. Jurgen¡¯s dark eyebrows rose at an angle. ¡°How did you know? It is not an easy task to awaken oneself.¡± At that, Dahlia smiled and turned to the book again. ¡°I¡¯m not an ordinary Sentinel, am I?¡± ¡°So, how did you test it?¡± Slowly blinking her eyelids, she chined in the direction of the open window. ¡°I commanded the birds. After I asked Phone to bring his friends, I told the birds to report all the happenings in the capital. Especially, news of the Sentinel Promotion Test Center.¡± Dahlia shook her head, recalling the massive flock of birds that had shadowed the sky. Phone brought all the birds of the capital as if he were boasting of his personal connections. Had she not ordered that more than half of them should return in the middle, Bluebell House might have been covered in bird droppings and caused great havoc. ¡°So what did they tell you?¡± ¡°Honestly, I heard so many words that I roughly got the gist of it. But I remember clearly that Prince Antero and Prince Liberio would cross the portal on the day of the Annual Founding Celeberation Banquet. And that a man with blonde hair and golden eyes, greeted as the second sun of the empire said as much. His Highness the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Ha, oh dear.¡± Jurgen swept his pale face with both hands. He was stunned and speechless. ¡°Dreaming, do you know what kind of power that is?¡± ¡°Puts the target to sleep. Can control what dreams you can have. Actually, it¡¯s a deep dream in which your deepest fears and desires are manifested¡­ . They come in two forms: Either so sweet that you don¡¯t want to wake up, or so painful that you want to die. I made Phone dream a happy dream.¡± ¡°There are no Sentinels in the empire that can control dreams. No¡­ . there wasn¡¯t before and after.¡± His voice trembled, murmuring something nonsensical. ¡°Why are you¡­ .¡± Why are you shaking like this? Dahlia jumped up with a puzzled expression and held Jurgen¡¯s cheek. She met his eyes, pressing him to look at herself. When she held his gaze, his red eyes staring at her shook. ¡°So, did the birds tell you that too?¡± Suspicion and doubt darkened his stubborn eyes. What the birds conveyed was the chatter of people visiting the test site. Some people complained they were hot; some had stomach aches. Others gossiped and many praised the beauty of Edelred and the Crown Prince. But, frankly, most of it was useless chatter she didn¡¯t bother to recall. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°The Crown Prince tried to make a deal with me that you will guide him in exchange for the approval of our marriage. Of course, I declined.¡± Dahlia shook her head slowly. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear about it. But you refused? So, what about the marriage approval?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anyway.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it okay if I just guide once? As I do with Gerald.¡± ¡°There is no such thing as a one-time guiding. If you taste the finest sweetness¡­ . you¡¯ll never give it up.¡± Dahlia¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion, not understanding. Jurgen grabbed her by the waist and lifted her. Then he sat her down on the desk next to him and held the corners as if to trap her between his arms. ¡°Instead, the best strategy is to prevent them from tasting it in the first place.¡± ¡°What do you mean by finest sweetness?¡± Instead of explaining, he grabbed both of her knees and spread them apart. Losing her balance, her body fell backwards. Dahlia managed to hold on by arching her back. The hem of her thin dress rolled over her thighs, and his lips touched her quivering inner thighs. Dahlia held her breath as his heated exhales slowly approached a more private area. ¡°Why are you like this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you know what ¡®sweetness¡¯ is.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯d rather you explain¡­ !¡± Suddenly, his tongue burrowed into her pushed-aside underwear. His unbelievably hot breath poured out violently. Dahlia gasped and struggled to bring her legs together. However, he spread her thick vaginal lips with his index and middle fingers, tapped the clitoris with the tip of his tongue, and pushed it around rapidly. Her powers felt stable. She wasn¡¯t even guiding, but her heart was beating like crazy, her body bounced, and she felt a hot dizzying sensation. Going further down, he grabbed her thighs and pressed them against her breasts, putting his tongue into her puckering hole. Her hole was being sucked with a lewd wet sound. ¡°Oh¡­ !¡± Dahlia bit her lip painfully, trying to suppress her moans. This was an unacceptable act. As a lady, as a woman. She should never do this¡­ . Contrary to reason, the heat boiling up in her lower abdomen rose up as a terrifying bliss. It was also a pleasure close to pain for her. With the bridge of his nose buried, stimulating her, he sucked in her slippery liquid, kissed the inside of her thigh, and then stood up. Then, he put his hand on the nape of Dahlia¡¯s trembling neck, pulled her in, and kissed her roughly. ¡°This is ¡®sweetness¡¯.¡± Chapter 60 Along with the slippery texture, the scent of rose water she washed with spread through her nose and mouth. When he had pushed in without hesitation, Dahlia bit his tongue. The taste of saliva mixed with the fishy smell of his blood made her even more confused. Pulling lightly at her lower lip as she twisted her head in defiance, he asked her with her eyes dark with excitement. ¡°Sweet, isn¡¯t it? This taste¡­ . How can one time be enough?¡± Slap-! Instantly, Jurgen¡¯s head turned to one side. Then, after being slapped by Dahlia, his eyes slowly returned to normal. He looked down at her with a frown. Dahlia blushed and felt as if she would cry at any moment, but she did not show any tears. ¡°Dahlia.¡± She took a deep breath, pulled her dress down, and pushed him away. ¡°Get out, now.¡± *** In front of the fountain in the central square of Everdio after a deep night fell. A darkness, the size of an adult¡¯s fist, slowly began to gather like a whirlwind. The gathered darkness gradually expanded. What was only the size of a fist became the size of a cart and progressively grew larger and larger. Cracks formed on the floor of the plaza, and street trees planted nearby were robbed of their vitality and withered. ¨C Kyaa Strange and creepy cries leaked out from the swirling darkness. ¨C Kekeke ¨C Kiyiaaak Late at night, people who awoke from the sounds coming from the gate opened their windows and rubbed their eyes. Then, they found the monsters coming out of the gate and screamed. ¡°Kyaaaagh!¡± The terrors that escaped from the gate all had human-like appearances. It had limbs, and it had genitalia. But the aberrations had no heads. As if they had been decapitated, headless demons surrounded the gate as if protecting it and began to sway from side to side. Then, the two men walked out of the gate. They looked around the plaza where the statue of an angel was erected and spoke. ¡°It was here. Unmistakably, I felt the power of the fifth piece here.¡± At the masked man¡¯s words, another man took in a deep breath as if trying to taste and savor the air and nodded. ¡°Yes, here. It was Marcania¡­ .¡± The man captured the scenery with deep blue eyes like the bottomless sea. ¡°Soon, the Sentinels will know that a gate has been opened. Now, we must go back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious about the skills of the Marcania Sentinels.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± The man burst out laughing as if highly amused, lifted his hand, and the magic circle covering the plaza began to beat powerfully. Then, the headless monsters quivered while making a grotesque sound. Next, they shook as if electrocuted, then slowly inflated and swelled up. ¡°You find the fifth piece. I¡¯ll find the fifth regressor. How fun, Marcania¡­ . The pieces are coming together.¡± At the command of the blue-eyed man, the masked one knelt down on his knees and kissed his foot with deep respect. Then he replied using the same language, Ivelin, like the blue-eyed man. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± *** The long legs of the man reclining on the cabana sofa slipped off of the armrests and draped over. Jurgen lit a cigarette and exhaled the smoke he had inhaled deeply, gazing blankly at the sculptures carved on the ceiling. He slowly rubbed the cheek Dahlia had slapped. Every time he breathed, the sweet smell of ripe fruit, soil, and water vibrated as if to insist this was Tezeba. Yes, to be honest, it was aproperiate to decorate and prepare to make it feel like Tezeba as much as possible. It was he who instructed and arranged everything to make her comfortable since she had lived in the South all her life. But then, why did he get slapped? [t1v: bruh are you forreal] Because he kissed her recklessly? Or¡­ . By introducing her to the sweetness of lust? Was the taste not to her liking? It was a time when useless advice and self-reproach filled his head, as he touched his cheek that stung even more for some reason. The Sentinel¡¯s seal on the back of his hand began to glow. Jurgen rubbed off the lit cigarette and covered the seal. Then, the images delivered by the seal as a medium unfolded out on a transparent plain. It was a vivid scene as if he were seeing it right in front of his eyes. It was the appearance of the Sentinels fighting against the demons that came out of the gate and engulfed the plaza. Even advanced monsters with no heads to cut off. At that sight, instantly, Jurgen¡¯s eyes trembled, and his fists clenched until his knuckles grew white with strength. Stunned and in disbelief, he stared at the video from the Sentinel Central Controller like someone who had been struck in the back head. ¡°Ha, oh¡­ .¡± He knew them. He knew them all too well. How could he forget? But the timing was off. They were scheduled to appear in the capital five years later, not now. Because it was The Prisoners of Ishiraya that gave him his first death. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 61 A barrier with a radius of 300 herham rose around the plaza, bright as midday. Inside the shield created by 20 defense-type Sentinels, the monsters without heads fell and were cut down by their attacks. However, no matter how much they burned or cut them down, the monsters rose up like zombies and regenerated repeatedly. Eventually, the Central Control Officer ordered the gathered Sentinels to stop fighting. It was the first time in 60 years that a gate had appeared in the imperial capital city. If that was not enough, it was the first time that a gate appeared so close to private residences, causing unrestrained damage. Nevertheless, the upper ranks deemed it reckless to continue fighting when they didn¡¯t know what kind of monsters they were up against or even the class of gate they were facing. So it was best to wait until the commander-level Sentinel arrived. ¡°The Crown Prince was right. The Central Control Officer is a stupid, incompetent bunch. The Sentinel Knights should have been created long ago,¡± Arin asserted as she glared at the monsters contained by the barrier. Arin was a professor at the Sentinel Academy and one of the few female Royal Sentinels in the Empire. Arin was rapidly filling her quiver with arrows of light every time she moved her hand. ¡°Because the Crown Prince has foresight. Who would have guessed gates would evolve?¡± Professor Lux¡¯s wrinkled eyes shined sharply as he stared straight ahead, holding a massive two-handed X like a cane. ¡°So, I think I¡¯ll join the Sentinel Knights too and quit my teaching position.¡± Professor Lux¡¯s nose twitched at Arin¡¯s playful remark, clicking his tongue. ¡°It¡¯s already full. Our disciples have already filled all the positions.¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t there be a seat? No matter how much I think about it, academy life doesn¡¯t suit me. It¡¯s so boring.¡± ¡°You have it too easy. How many Sentinels on the field go crazy because they can¡¯t receive guiding in time? Money and titles can¡¯t buy life in the face of death.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a shortage of guides, huh?¡± ¡°I think so. I heard that His Highness turned his nose up at the high priest?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He¡¯s been burning all the official letters he receives from the Great Shrine. At this rate, there will not only be at war with Plum, but the temple too. At times like this, it¡¯s best to stay neutral.¡± Lux drilled into his students that safety was the top priority. But Arin had different ideals. She was still in her early twenties and was too young to be a professor, but her skills were so outstanding. Being the youngest woman Royal Sentinel in the Empire also played a role. Arin stepped to the side and watched the Sentinels in a meeting. Some were her students, a part of the S-class group within the academy made up of nobles. Among them, Arin was most concerned about Gerald Von Klose. He was the President of the academy and had the potential to be a high-level Sentinel. Since both her and him trained hard to become a Luster Sentinel someday, the strong sentiment she had for Gerald Von Klose was as a rival rather than a disciple. Despite donning the academy¡¯s school uniform, bright golden eyes, and delicate copper-colored skin that gave off a healthy beauty, his muscular build could not be hidden and overwhelmed his peers. If there were a picture-perfect example of a warrior, it would indeed resemble Gerald Von Klose. Arin listened closely to her student¡¯s discussion, keeping her eyes fixed on Gerald. ¡°They don¡¯t have heads, so mind attacks don¡¯t work. So I can¡¯t paralyze them, and I can¡¯t send them back into the gate!¡± Jamie agreed with the anxious observation of mental Sentinel Landol. ¡°Maybe¡­ . it is Plum¡¯s Gate? It seems similar doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°No, there was always an offering at Plum¡¯s Gate. I went to the entrance of the gate earlier, but there was no sacrifice.¡± ¡°Then how long do we have to stay like this? I want to get these ugly bastards out of my sight. Maintaining the barrier is not that easy!¡± Willie Molton, who created the barrier, fell to the floor in a cold sweat. If he continued to use his powers like this, he would soon run out of mana, and there was no guide in sight. Whenever the temple needed to negotiate with the Sentinels, it often took a brutal approach. Exploiting Sentinel¡¯s life as a chest piece, the temple extended the negotiating table with influential guides. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Gerald grimaced at the Great Shrine¡¯s mighty spire and undid the top button fastened up his neck. Thud-! Right then, the monsters roaming inside the shield suddenly went mad and started rampaging. Professor Lux, who swung his two-handed X, hitting the ground and shouted: ¡°Everyone get ready for battle!¡± The Sentinels who maintained the barrier yelled, and the Physical Sentinels each summoned their weapons to prepare for battle. Headless monsters with exceptionally long limbs scratch at the barricade with sharp claws. At the terrible sound, everyone covered their ears, suffering. ¨C Kyaaaaaagh! [sfx: screaming] As did Gerald. After summoning a massive longsword, he covered one ear and watched the monsters run amok. They were going berserk, seemingly irate. It was bizarre. Without heads or brains, mental attacks didn¡¯t work. So how could they be angry? Boom! Boom! Boom! The entire plaza shook as they rushed to break the forcefield. Fear filled the Sentinels¡¯ eyes. ¡°Sorry for being late.¡± Appearing at a leisurely pace as if he had gone to take a walk, Jurgen¡¯s voice pierced everyone¡¯s ears. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.