ã€ŠThe Obsessive Male Lead Made Me The Female Leadã€‹


 Chapter 1 - Prologue

    Prologue

    I possessed a body in a novel. Inside a novel I¡¯ve never read before.

    Just hours before I came into this world¡­

    I fell asleep eating tangerines on an electric mat on the weekend.

    And when I opened my eyes, I was already inside this body.

    It was very absurd to be in a cozy blanket and then on a cold, damp floor all of a sudden.

    Above all, I was even trapped somewhere.

    It was so dark that she couldn¡¯t figure out where this place was, but as soon as she saw a cage in front of her, it was clear to her that she was trapped.

    In addition, the place where she was trapped in was so small that it was impossible to stand up, so she was forced to crouch down.

    It felt like she was a beast trapped in a small cage.

    ¡°Where on earth am I¡­..¡±

    I was so frightened that I hugged my knees and murmured in a low voice.

    It was then.

    Suddenly, a light appeared along with the sound of an iron door opening as if it was tearing open my eardrums.

    ¡°Ha.¡±

    Frowning at the blinding light, she turned her head in the direction where the light was coming from.

    And encountered a man.

    The man¡¯s eyes, with his black hair swept up with pomade, were black.

    A dark black color that will make one seem as though they¡¯d sink into the abyss with just a glance.

    ¡®What kind of person is that handsome?¡¯

    As I was distracted by his looks, I belatedly noticed that he had discovered me.

    ¡°Isol?¡±

    The man looked at me and murmured with surprised eyes.

    As if he didn¡¯t know he¡¯d meet me here.

    ¡®What do you mean by ¡°Isol¡±? Who is that?¡¯

    I tilted my head at the words he uttered as I was unfamiliar with it.

    He approached me with a surprised look on his face.

    Then, he suddenly pulled out a sword and pointed it at me.

    The blade of the sword looked very sharp as reflected in the light for it to be a fake.

    ¡®It¡¯s a real sword, isn¡¯t it?¡¯

    Oh my god. A real sword.

    The words he said next made me even more surprised.

    ¡°Get out of the way.¡±

    As soon as she heard that, she immediately listened to him. He then swung the sword right after.

    ¡°Kyaaa!¡±

    She, who was crouching down, screamed loudly.

    She was afraid he might kill her with that sword.

    Bam.

    With a dull noise, the iron bars that were blocking the gate broke in half.

    I was shaking as I witnessed him easily slice the iron material, and shortly after, he reached out his hand to me.

    Then he smiled brightly and said,

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. My name is Lexion Sparrow from the Aden Empire.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    At his words, the man carefully held my hand.

    He seemed to be trying to get me out of here.

    I was then led out of the cage by him.

    And made me stare blankly at him right after.

    Not only his name, but also his appearance, attire, and weapons were unusual.

    However, this doubt of mine was resolved with the arrival of the ¡®book¡¯.

    This was no longer the world I knew.

    Lexion Sparrow, who saved my life, was the male lead in the novel, ¡°The Opponent Of The Dragon.¡±

    ***

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2

    As soon as Lexion saw me for the first time, he called me ¡°Isol¡± because I am from the Esol tribe.

    Esol is a rare tribe, but Lexion was not surprised how rare they were.

    Exactly until they were exterminated by an evil dragon.

    Tiarozety Esol is a person that has a lot of scars.

    She is the only one who survived the evil dragon attack.

    When I first read the book, I asked the guide for help with the name of the strange tribe.

    ¡°What¡¯s the Esol tribe?¡±

    Then, it showed me the history of the Esol tribe.

    The book flipped through the pages.

    When I reached the last chapter, the setting of the novel was written like an encyclopedia.

    The guide showed me ¡®the area of the lead¡¯.

    [- Name of race: Esol (Name: healer of two faces)

    ¨C External characteristics: Has silver hair. In particular, the unique silver hair of the species cannot be copied by any magic, so it is used to distinguish them.

    ¨C Basic ability: the power to heal using vitality. To use the said ability, one must say ¡°start¡±, which would also let them use enchantment magic such as ¡°sword¡± and ¡°shield¡±. They had the power to protect someone.

    Hidden Capabilities: [Not yet accessible.]

    ¡°What does it mean you can¡¯t access it?¡±

    ¨C We don¡¯t know the areas that don¡¯t appear in the novel. If it appears later, you can access the updated content.

    The guide was a person who didn¡¯t answer except for when asked.

    I looked at the developments so far without further questioning.

    In the book, only the first meeting between Lexion and I was vividly black.

    The rest of the undeveloped content was written in blurry letters.

    In response, the guide explained that as the content unfolds, these blurry letters will turn into a vivid black.

    ¡°The main content about the antagonist of ¡®Dragon¡¯s opponent¡¯ was simple.

    The story is about Lexion Sparrow, the male protagonist, saving the world by killing the Evil Dragon, the evil entity of the world.

    The evil dragon is a creature that lived on negative emotions such as malice, libido, and hostility.

    He enjoyed killing to amplify those feelings.

    Among them, the Esols were the unlucky ones.

    The Esolites lived in groups, reluctant to let their unusual healing abilities be used by the world.

    The reason why they became extinct was because the Evil Dragon appeared in the village where they lived and exterminated them.

    In the meantime, it was Tiarozety who survived luckily.

    Even though she is the only Esol, she was found first by a vicious merchant and was being sold in the slave market.

    Then, Lexion found Tiarozety and saved her.

    The novel describes the first meeting between Lexion and I.

    [The black eyes looking down were deep and dark.]

    Tiarozety felt relieved in the abyss where the end was unknown.

    He felt like a savior to me for finding me in this mud.

    His black hair that looked like it was part of the scariest things in the darkness.

    The dark eyes (that) seem to be devoured by cloudiness.

    Was like a light to Tiarozety.

    Tiarozety jumps into Lexion without a hitch.

    It was (t)here.

    That day, Tiarozety fell in love with Lexion at first sight.

    ¡°That¡¯s quick.¡±

    I pity you for not knowing the contents of love!

    I looked at the book with contempt.

    The guide didn¡¯t open his mouth anymore as I looked into its eyes.

    Tiarozety is a woman who had a three-day trauma due to her being buried in a pile of bodies of her exterminated tribe.

    Because of that, she couldn¡¯t speak well and followed him around like a newborn duckling imprinted on Lexion.

    It was a bit frustrating, but it is easy to act.

    Because her behavior pattern is consistent.

    Lexion gets hurt often, due to his weak body. Would it be easy for him to fall down without hesitation?

    When Lexion refuses, she doesn¡¯t care to help him.

    Even if he fainted during treatment, even if he suffered from a fever, Tiarozety is devoted to Lexion, without saying anything he hated.

    In the final duel, Tiarozety was going to die, saving Lexion, who was fatally wounded by the evil dragon.

    That was the end of the mission of Tiarozety in this novel.

    Thanks to her sacrifice, Lexion¡¯s marriage to the empress, who regarded me as an eyesore, was the ending of the ¡®dragon¡¯s opponent¡¯.

    It was a just ending for the Male Lead.

    Of course, it is a very bad ending for me, who became Tiarozety.

    I just thought it wasn¡¯t my life, and I just followed the demands of the book.

    Anyway, I should steadily act the role of Tiarozety ¡®till the ending.

    Although she sometimes stuttered in scenes that were not in the novel, she genuinely believed to have performed very well.

    Soon after, the long-awaited end came.

    ***

    ¡°Lexion!¡±

    I ran to Lexion, who was fatally wounded by the evil dragon.

    Lexion looked disarrayed, he had a hole in his stomach.

    There is a lot of blood around him.

    On the peripheral, the dragon was wandering, while flapping its wings.

    Even though the ending of the novel is just around the corner, my mind was empty like a blank sheet.

    It¡¯s a scene I¡¯ve been looking forward to, but why am I numb?

    When he collapsed bleeding, it felt unrealistic in slow motion.

    My heart was pounding and blood seemed to rise backwards.

    Obviously, the surrounding area was in chaos with screams and stabbings, but no sound was heard.

    I pressed on his abdomen with trembling hands.

    I couldn¡¯t stop the blood from spilling down.

    Then Lexion smiled faintly and said.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­. Don¡¯t cry.¡±

    Then, he wiped my teary face with his hands.

    Teardrops soaked his face even more.

    My heart is beating like hell, and I knew that what is happening in front of me is just a scene in a novel, not a reality. It was so vivid that I couldn¡¯t bear it.

    I couldn¡¯t stop myself.

    I wanted to call his name right away, but it was an unacceptable line for me.

    ¡°Keuk.¡±

    He let out a painful breath.

    My heart ached when I heard it.

    A breathtaking feeling.

    I felt frustration (hopeless) as if the world were(was) falling apart.

    Is it because I acted for a very long time?

    Before I knew it, I was really in love with him. Just like Tiarozety in the novel.

    I didn¡¯t want to love him.

    I was careful not to run into him except for the scenes in the novel, and I was afraid of the streets, reflecting on my location every day.

    That¡¯s what happened.

    Strangely, I often encountered Lexion in places outside the very scenes I appear.

    As long as I was a traveler who could not escape the setting of the novel, I could never be the main character.

    But I couldn¡¯t stop feeling it even though I knew everything.

    From one point on, he habitually caught me in his eyes and suffered from the lines he spoke.

    My heart ached when Lexion went to Seirin, who is the female lead.

    When I first felt love for him, I tried to be self-reasonable, saying that it was because I was so into Tiarozety¡¯s role.

    I tried hard to erase my feelings towards him with the promise that this place is a book, and that I will return to my world soon.

    I thought I would be able to shake it off easily.

    That¡¯s what happened.

    I had no choice but to admit that the depth of my heart was not so shallow when I faced Lexion, who was throwing up blood and dying.

    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±

    Lexion shook his head while holding my hand.

    It was the first time he spoke informally to me.

    Even if I told him to speak so comfortably, what he didn¡¯t do is part of his character setting.

    But now he has changed.

    Is he trying to grant me a wish when it¡¯s time for me to die?

    It was a little empty.

    But I wasn¡¯t the one who wouldn¡¯t say he¡¯d stop me.

    My setting is not something that could be changed just as the ending approached.

    When Lexion gets hurt, it¡¯s Tiarozety¡¯s job to use her powers without making a fuss.

    Change and growth were privileges, given only to the main character.

    While speaking, I could see his vision flashing.

    She is also a powerful opponent to him, who rose to the rank of ¡°superior¡± higher than the master.

    This is a world full of malice.

    He is dying in front of me, just for everything.

    You can¡¯t.

    You can¡¯t die.

    All I could think about was saving him.

    It wasn¡¯t acting, it was all out of my sincerity.

    ¨C The countdown begins. Please recite the lines.

    The guide quickly put the lines in my mind.

    The book swung open before my eyes.

    The activated book was only visible to me.

    Lexion tried to open his trembling mouth and say something, but he was buried in a tearful notion.

    ¨C 10, 9, 8, 7¡­¡­.

    I wiped away tears with my sleeve.

    It was really time to say goodbye.

    I put Tiarozety¡¯s last line in my mouth.

    ¡°You have to be happy.

    ¡°Tiaro¡­¡±

    He held my arm with one hand strongly.

    He put in brute force.

    But I didn¡¯t listen to him.

    As always.

    ¡°[Heal.]¡±

    He put his hand on his abdomen and recited the starting words.

    Lexion looked at me with a faint face.

    Blue light gathered around his wound.

    With the rapidly falling physical strength, a great deal of fatigue came into me.

    I felt nauseous and dizzy.

    Now I realized that death is right in front of me.

    Perhaps I can save him only by exhausting all my vitality.

    ¡°Cough!¡±

    Blood poured down my throat.

    Lexion¡¯s eyes shook violently.

    His eyes looked sad at first glance.

    Maybe I was mistaken because I like him.

    If you have a crush for a long time, you will give meaning to other people¡¯s unintentional actions.

    Yeah, but it does feel good.

    If he cries for me.

    I tried hard to smile brightly.

    Since it¡¯s my last scene.

    I wanted to remain smiling at least for the last time.

    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you.¡±

    I soothed him with the brightest smile I could build.

    In the book, that was a line that Tiarozety didn¡¯t have.

    But that was what I really wanted to say.

    He¡¯s gonna be fine without me, but he¡¯s gonna miss me.

    After a while, hot tears ran over my cheeks.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3

    ¡°This is really goodbye.¡±

    At that moment, blue light shined around Lexion and I.

    Then, my view went dark.

    Lexion was screaming something at me when I fell, but I couldn¡¯t hear anything.

    After a while, my hand fell to the floor losing all the strength I had.

    [Mission completed. Please go to the Reward section.]

    I heard a cheerful alarm sound in the book.

    I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve been waiting for this reward, I¡¯ve been aiming for this¡­¡­ but somehow I didn¡¯t feel happy.

    Finally, rather than the joy of going back to the original world, I felt sad that I could never see Lexion again.

    ¡®It¡¯s okay. This will pass, too.¡¯

    I comforted myself and entrusted myself to the power of the book.

    And I closed my eyes comfortably.

    I felt strange that my body was floating.

    It was a strange feeling, but it wasn¡¯t too bad.

    And so I went back to my original world.

    No, that¡¯s what I thought.

    ***

    Beep beep beep-

    [There¡¯s a problem with the ending. You are returning to the beginning.]

    The book in front of the confused Tiarozety continued to voice out the warnings.

    The black atmosphere gradually dimmed and turned into white.

    After a while, the alarm went off and the guide said.

    [¡­¡­The setting has changed¡­There is no main character in this story. Reset is required.]

    Chapter 2. I¡¯m back to the beginning.

    When I opened my eyes, it was all dark.

    I was in a state where I am lying on my stomach, weighed down by something above and below my body.

    I was struggling under strong pressure, it was hard to breathe for me.

    ¡°Heuk.¡±

    Then, I felt nauseous due to the space that was vibrating around me.

    I was distracted by the terrible smell I¡¯ve never smelled before.

    I remember going to the compensation page, but I couldn¡¯t think of anything after that.

    I thought I had heard a strange warning, but I didn¡¯t know what it said when I fainted in the middle.

    I twisted my body in the dark.

    Then, a thick liquid began to drip over my head.

    A liquid fell on the back of my head and slowly flowed down to my forehead.

    a liquid that is too sticky to be called water

    At that moment, the fishy scent stimulated my nose.

    It was blood.

    I twisted my body even more instinctively because I thought I had to get out of here.

    A bloody scent, something must have gone wrong.

    But my efforts were in vain.

    The only thing I could move freely was my head.

    The moment I pulled my arms out of an object that barely pressed me, made me whimper in pain. I heard the sound of the door opening.

    I raised my head reflexively when I heard a sound.

    After a while, light poured into my view and the door made a squeaking noise.

    I frowned at the sight of the sunlight that had suddenly brightened up this place.

    As I got used to the light, I looked at someone.

    Draped black hair

    Dark eyes that are like an endless abyss, like a mire.

    Those eyes were looking at me exactly.

    I froze as soon as I saw him.

    ¡®Why are you-?¡¯

    I was so surprised that I barely opened my lips, but my voice didn¡¯t come out, so I just coughed.

    It¡¯s Lexion.

    Lexion is in front of me.

    I was fascinated by his sudden appearance.

    It was nice to meet him, whom I thought I would never see again, but I didn¡¯t know what situation I was in right now.

    In silence, Lexion couldn¡¯t take his eyes off me.

    I was also still while my eyes were fixated on him.

    ¡°¡­.I found you.¡±

    At that time, Lexion mumbled and smiled brightly.

    I couldn¡¯t hear exactly what he said because I was deaf.

    However, I could clearly see his expression.

    Isn¡¯t that the look of someone who found an oasis in the desert?

    His eyes were filled with joy.

    At that time, the man who came in with Lexion belatedly found me and shouted.

    ¡°We found a survivor!¡±

    When he yelled, my eyes naturally turned to the man next to Lexion.

    He looked as familiar as Lexion.

    Gregory Arden Wexler.

    He is Lexion¡¯s close friend, and one of the heroine¡¯s two brothers.

    The knights who heard Gregory¡¯s command ran in unison.

    When they entered where I was, they covered their noses and screamed.

    ¡°Blah!¡±

    Some pecked at the wall.

    Gregory once again yelled at the hesitating knights.

    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. Do something!¡±

    The knights tried to get me out, by Gregory¡¯s command.

    I managed to get out of the unknown pile with their help.

    It wasn¡¯t long before I looked back to see what was weighing on me.

    But it would have been better not to look.

    I couldn¡¯t control the disgust that came up like a lump in my stomach.

    ¡°Blah!¡±

    It was a pile of dead bodies.

    All of the stuff that weighed on me and the fluffy stuff that is on my belly were dead bodies.

    When I felt nauseated, Lexion approached me and patted me on the back.

    The scent plays a strong role, but he didn¡¯t even frown.

    The bodies were all silver and inside a small space.

    The silver hair attached on the bodies sparkled in the sunlight through the door.

    Her blue eyes that have not detected the situation were still clear.

    The ringing in my head wouldn¡¯t stop.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡±

    Lexion took off his jacket and whispered to me.

    My teeth trembled at the thought that I was in a pile of dead bodies.

    It gave me goosebumps to remember that I worked hard to get my arms out of it.

    It tickled as if I had poured bugs all over my body, and a nauseating feeling continued to rise.

    Gregory, who was next to him, mumbled, covering his nose.

    ¡°As expected, the South is the South. Seeing rotting bodies in less than a day. We¡¯re too late. There¡¯s only one survivor. The evil dragon is really evil.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    When everyone calmed down, Lexion jumped up without saying anything.

    At the same time, my body popped up.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    I looked at Lexion with a surprised face.

    It was because he held me up without hesitation.

    I wanted to talk to him, but his face was stiff.

    His wrinkled forehead looked very angry, so I couldn¡¯t say anything and shut my mouth.

    As soon as I got hugged by him, I saw my appearance.

    I looked terrible.

    I look really dirty because I was recovered from a pile of dead bodies, and my clothes were covered with blood.

    In addition, after throwing up, my mouth tasted sour.

    I naturally covered my mouth with my hands.

    Even in this situation, it is ridiculous to care about how I looked in front of him.

    Fortunately, he didn¡¯t seem to care about my appearance.

    He doesn¡¯t even feel unpleasant, even though I smell like a gross ¡®thing¡¯ to anyone.

    Gregory looked at his leader with astonishment.

    The same as the knights around him.

    The reporters, surprised by Lexion¡¯s unexpected behavior, said with a perplexed look.

    ¡°Your Excellency?¡±

    ¡°Come on, please. I¡¯ll take her.¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯ll take this woman.¡±

    Lexion answered calmly, hugging me again, that is covered with dust and blood.

    An untimely sweet scent came from the place where the unusual smell was spilling from.

    It was a scent from him.

    I could tell right away because I used my strength and hugged him whenever I fainted.

    When I was hugged by him, I was afraid that I would be caught with my heart beating so loudly.

    For a moment, I faced the reality.

    The presence of Lexion meant that I couldn¡¯t return to my world.

    I was curious about the situation where I couldn¡¯t go back even though I did what the book told me to do.

    In addition, this scene is not included in what I have previously read in ¡°The Opponent of Evil Dragon.¡±

    The first time Lexion and Tiarozety met is not here, but at the slave market.

    Unconsciously, my eyes looked around where I was.

    As if they had gathered people and massacred them, the number of dead people were rising all over the place.

    When I first came into the book, I was in a slave market.

    Then this must be the past before the incident.

    Suddenly I felt sad, and tears filled my eyes.

    At that moment, a big hand covered my eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    My body trembled with his warm hands on my eyes.

    Lexion¡¯s voice was so calm that it felt stable.

    He is still sweet, so I leaned my head against his chest without realizing it.

    Warm tears flowed through his fingers.

    The tears that filled my eyes earlier finally fell down.

    My trembling eyelashes touched his hand and my tears repeatedly fell down.

    Looking at the pile of dead bodies again, it¡¯s clear.

    This is the Esol disaster caused by the evil dragon.

    The time when I was traumatized as Tiarozety.

    This was the scene.

    If you¡¯ve listened to what Gregory said earlier, it must be less than a day after the disaster.

    Somehow, I was back to the beginning.

    It¡¯s a scene from the past that I¡¯ve never experienced before.

    It was different from the original I knew.

    Lexion and Tiarozety shouldn¡¯t have met here.

    It was too early to meet.

    Tiarozety, who had met Lexion for the first time in the novel, had to be a physically impoverished person who was being used by people.

    I had to be taken away by Lexion who treats me warmly.

    I did, but.

    ¡®It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡¯

    I pressed my hand as hard as I could while I was holding it.

    I think I¡¯m back at the beginning of the novel.

    Lexion didn¡¯t take away his hand until we arrived at the barracks.

    He carefully walked, and as gentle as he could be.

    He cherished me as if I was a precious treasure.

    No, maybe I just felt that way for myself.

    Because he¡¯s special to me.

    Everything was confusing.

    I had definitely finished my part by dying on behalf of Lexion, who was fatally wounded by the evil dragon.

    But why?

    Why did I come back?

    My expression brightened up again when his hand fell.

    My eyes naturally turned to him.

    I carefully grabbed Lexion¡¯s collar and asked while I stuttered constantly.

    ¡°A-Ah, what h-happened to t-the e-evil d-dragon?¡±

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4

    Lexion stared at me quietly due to my question.

    At first glance, his eyes seemed to shake lightly.

    He muttered a little when he made an unknown expression.

    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late.¡±

    Why is he suddenly apologizing to me?

    I didn¡¯t ask him because I wanted to hear an apology.

    Esol¡¯s tragedy is not his fault.

    It was supposed to happen.

    I shook my head quietly and dropped my eyes.

    If he came back to the beginning of the novel, he wouldn¡¯t remember me.

    Somehow I felt sad at the thought that he didn¡¯t know me.

    ¡°Duke.¡±

    Then, someone approached and talked to Lexion.

    Naturally, his gaze turned towards that person.

    It was a happy face.

    The butler, Theo. He was dead by the time he reached the end.

    I missed him, but I didn¡¯t expect to see him again.

    Theo said.

    ¡°I heard there was only one survivor.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Lexion replied bitterly.

    After a while, Theo moved his eyes to me while I was trembling.

    I still shake because of how I saw so many dead bodies.

    Theo looked at me with a sad look.

    ¡°It was probably a big blow on her from the attack.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­I suppose so.¡±

    Lexion gently stroked my hair while saying that.

    Does he know that his touch makes me feel reassured?

    Theo stared at Lexion¡¯s behavior with a surprised look.

    I was also embarrassed and hid for a while, but somehow I was saddened by his touch and dug into his arms.

    Theo asked.

    ¡°Shall we move to an empty barrack?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯m going to my barracks.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    Theo asked back in astonishment.

    I understood his reaction, even if it was just a faint sound.

    However, Lexion only stared coldly at him without even thinking about answering.

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Theo flinched at his coldness and left.

    My head was spinning at the development that changed from the original.

    Originally, Tiarozety, who managed to escape from the evil dragon¡¯s eyes, had to be buried in a pile of dead bodies for three days ¨C fearing that the evil dragon would return.

    She is later discovered by a merchant and was used in different jobs.

    She was betrayed and used by people, and eventually sold as a slave.

    Norat died of a miserable life before I had met Lexion in the marketplace.

    But why is he here?

    Why the hell?

    I looked at Lexion with a face that I couldn¡¯t understand.

    The area where the disaster occurred was in the Southern part of the Northern part of Lexion¡¯s territory.

    Unlike the cold Northern part of the country, it is famous for its scorching heat.

    Even less than a day after being exterminated by the evil dragon, it is so hot that the rotten scent from the dead bodies smell fishy and sticky.

    It made no sense that he could have come less than a day after the disaster occurred in such a place.

    It was impossible if he didn¡¯t know it beforehand.

    Lexion, who came into the barracks, carefully put me on the bed.

    Then he went in front of me and sat on one knee.

    I could see myself in his dark eyes.

    I am just unfamiliar with the way he looked up at me.

    His hand paused as he tried to touch my face for a moment.

    His face suddenly scrunched as he looked at her in wonder.

    He opened his mouth and uttered.

    ¡°¡­¡­ are you hurt?¡±

    Lexion¡¯s voice sounded somewhat desperate.

    His dry and cool voice made my heart ache for no reason.

    I sat absent-mindedly without understanding what he said.

    His eyes were on my forehead.

    He put his hand on my forehead.

    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding.¡±

    Only then did I realize why he was surprised and taken aback.

    Then, he put my forehead on his sleeve.

    The sleeves turned red with blood.

    However, there was no pain even when he was rubbing my forehead.

    It wasn¡¯t my blood.

    This was due to me tossing and turning. It was someone else¡¯s blood that fell on the back of my head.

    ¡°It¡¯s not my blood¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡±

    His voice was weak.

    It was a tone that seemed to relieve the tension after the incident.

    You¡¯re not feeling well, are you?

    He is unfamiliar to me, but he responds sensitively to my small wounds.

    His restless appearance is also unfamiliar.

    Is he supposed to be this emotional?

    Then, Lexion got up from his seat and brought a wet towel.

    I naturally dissuaded my hand from putting it to my forehead.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Lexion flatly refused and wiped the blood on my forehead with a careful touch.

    Is there a scar that he didn¡¯t know? I was comforted during the search too.

    It is because he still seemed to care for me as much as he did before, even if he couldn¡¯t remember me.

    He rinsed the towel in the water.

    The clear water quickly turned red.

    He repeatedly rinsed and wiped my forehead.

    I glanced at him while he was doing that.

    Then I thought of my situation and asked him carefully.

    It was to figure out what was going on.

    ¡°What¡¯s the date today?¡±

    ¡°Aden, June 7, 408.

    June 7 is the day of the Esol tragedy.

    Lexion, Gregory, and Theo are also here, so it¡¯s clear that they¡¯re the antagonists of evil! My stomach rolled for some reason.

    For some reason, it seems that I have returned to the novel.

    In the past events of Tiarozety, which had not even appeared in previous novels, I met him a month earlier, unlike the original work I knew.

    I belatedly checked that there was no book in my hand and asked Lexion.

    ¡°Did you happen to see the book where I was?¡±

    ¡°¡­.. A book?¡±

    Lexion asked with low questioning.

    I replied with a strong nod.

    ¡°Yes! It¡¯s the Holy Scripture of Judite! It¡¯s black.¡±

    When the guide is inactive, it is a book that looks like a normal Bible.

    The active book is not visible to the characters at all.

    I explained the appearance of the book in detail, and he answered in a stiff tone.

    ¡°¡­¡­I didn¡¯t see it. I¡¯ll tell my men to look for it.¡±

    Wringing the wet towel with his hands, he wiped my forehead again.

    But my attention is concentrated on the book.

    I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t have the book.

    It can¡¯t be.

    It was a book that followed me without fail after I transmigrated into this novel.

    In his previous life, Tiarozety had possessed a book when she met Lexion, and she met the guide on that very day.

    Since then, the book has never left my side.

    The book had unfolded when there was a scene in the novel.

    I once tried to throw away the book because it progressed the story, and felt horrible.

    ¡®Cause I didn¡¯t want to play with the book anymore.

    I didn¡¯t want to watch Lexion and Seirin date in front of my eyes.

    To be honest, I wanted to take Lexion away from Seirin.

    So I threw away the book.

    But the book that I threw away came back to me without even realizing it.

    No matter how many times I threw it away, burned it, and tore it up, the book reappeared in its normal form.

    So, I found out.

    I can¡¯t change the original with my own will.

    The book tried to proceed with the next story steadily and forced me to play my role at the same time.

    When I refuse to play the role, I am given a penalty to suppress me.

    And after the first time I threw away the book, my penalty went in a different direction.

    Every time I disobeyed the novel, a love scene had added to the novel.

    And made me hide and watch the sweet scenes of Lexion and Seirin.

    It¡¯s like an unspoken provocation that I¡¯m going to disorganize the world equilibrium.

    The scene addition of the novel is made within the set value.

    Watching the relationship between the two deepen my position is suitable, so there is no problem with the development.

    In the end, I couldn¡¯t overcome the tyranny of the original.

    And admitted.

    I can¡¯t get out of the original, no matter what.

    Because of that, I am very anxious about the current situation without the book.

    ¡°Please find it. It¡¯s an important item.¡±

    Holding his hand, I said again with strength.

    He stared at me like that and answered with a deep sigh.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll find it for you ¨C and you can relax now. I¡¯m going to protect you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°You must have been very surprised. Take a nap and talk to me later¡­¡±

    It was even before Lexion finished talking.

    Suddenly, a sudden rise of blood surged inside me.

    Red blood dripped through the gap in his hand that covered my mouth and soaked my clothes.

    The scent of a fishy smell is sticky on my neck.

    My head is spinning at the same time.

    He was leaning gradually beyond my sight.

    No, it was me who was leaning.

    ¡°Tiarozety!¡±

    Lexion grabbed me in a hurry and shouted.

    Beep ¨C

    I heard Lexion¡¯s voice calling me in a loud voice.

    However, his voice was buried because of the tinnitus, which was gradually growing.

    I saw him with blurry eyes.

    Perhaps my eyes were shaking without a stop.

    I heard him call my name clearly.

    I definitely don¡¯t remember telling him my name.

    Why does he know my name?

    Why is he making that kind of face?

    Everything was confusing.

    Is this also an illusion that I made when I was confused?

    Did I make delusions out of hearing what he didn¡¯t say, in the hope that he would worry about me?

    I managed to raise my hand and hold his shoulder.

    His shoulders trembled shallowly.

    No, it was my hands that were shaking.

    ¡°What are you¡­¡±

    My consciousness stopped as if the electricity was cut off.

    I couldn¡¯t say anything at the back of my mouth properly and just lost my consciousness.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5

    I woke up with a loud commotion outside.

    It was close to dark.

    I blinked my eyes and looked around.

    Even though it is a tightly closed space, the cool wind blew softly.

    My eyes naturally headed to the magical item, that was on the top.

    That looked like the item that makes the surrounding area so fascinating.

    There was still a wet towel on my forehead.

    I slowly lifted up my weak body.

    There is no Lexion.

    I became sullen at the fact that he was not around, though quickly regained my energy.

    If Lexion had been dispatched to the scene of the disaster unlike the original, he would have been searching the scene.

    He was not so content that only one survivor stayed with him because they were sick and weak.

    It was dark inside the barracks.

    The lamp around the bed was dimly illuminating its shape.

    The light, which was burning as close as little that it could fade, soon lost its strength and fell.

    Then, total darkness came.

    It was dark, but I am not afraid.

    Fear of the dark is the value of Tiarozety because it wasn¡¯t me.

    I got up from the bed with a rustle.

    I could hear my stomach growling.

    I am very hungry as if I had starved myself for three days.

    I looked around to see if there was anything to eat, and then someone entered the barrack.

    The woman stood with a fresh bowl of water and oil to light the lamp.

    After a while, she talked to me in surprise.

    ¡°You¡¯re up, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­Daisy!¡±

    I called her name out of joy.

    She was a maid who stayed with me before I got back.

    Whenever I was hated by retainers for being Tiarozety. She was also a thankful person who secretly helped others.

    At that time, Tiarozety was a thorn in the eyes of Sparrow castle retainers.

    It is natural as their noble duke was embroiled in a dirty scandal and even was hated by the imperial family because of me.

    ¡°Huh? Why do you know my name?¡±

    Daisy tilted her head with a perplexed face.

    Calling her name out of joy, I quickly shook my head.

    ¡°I mistook you for someone else¡­¡±

    Currently, I and Daisy met for the first time.

    There is no way for me to know her name, I, who had been asleep all along.

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing. My name is Daisy.¡±

    Daisy came to the side, answering back without any doubt.

    I went back to bed and sat down.

    When Daisy filled the oil of the central lantern, the inside of the barracks became brighter again.

    It¡¯s bright enough to recognize each other¡¯s faces.

    Daisy apologized to me with a little embarrassed face.

    ¡°But you must have been surprised because it was dark. It must have turned off while I was bringing the gas. I¡¯ll get the punishment later.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t surprised. It wasn¡¯t too dark to worry about.¡±

    I waved my hand to dissuade Daisy from being punished.

    Tiarozety became afraid of the dark because of the trauma of being buried at the scene of the disaster for three days.

    However, since she was discovered right after the disaster, there is no reason to be afraid of the dark.

    The time she was found was in daylight, so it would have been nothing to cause emotional disturbance on me.

    Daisy asked me with disapproval.

    ¡°Are you pretending you¡¯re not because you¡¯re worried that I¡¯m going to be punished?¡±

    ¡°What? No, I¡¯m serious.¡±

    I opened my eyes wide and answered back, but Daisy said, rubbing her chin still.

    ¡°Actually, the Duke told me to wait and see so that you wouldn¡¯t feel uncomfortable because you don¡¯t usually tell me what you¡¯re thinking. Are you sure you¡¯re okay?

    ¡°¡­that¡¯s what the Duke said?¡±

    ¡°Yes, especially since you are afraid of the dark, he always told me to keep the room bright.¡±

    I stared at Daisy with a puzzled look.

    Tiarozety was right to not say what she was thinking.

    She is too timid to speak properly, and often dawdle.

    It was also Lexion who recognized Tiarozety¡¯s heart and helped him.

    As a male protagonist, he skillfully recognized the needs of the people around him.

    In particular, he recognized the mind of Tiarozety, who was wary and scared.

    As a cause of that, Lexion is mainly responsible for her doctor¡¯s confirmation.

    He helped me so well that it was said that Lexion had become a babysitter for Tiarozety.

    It¡¯s weird, though.

    Even if he was a quick-witted man, I couldn¡¯t notice that he was afraid of the dark and didn¡¯t say what was hiding on the inside as soon as he met me.

    I thought he might have finally turned to me, but he quickly turned away.

    It was a ridiculous assumption.

    He is the main character of this book, ¡°The Opponent of the Evil Dragon.¡±

    He had never noticed when I made a mistake, got a penalty and got a warning.

    In the end, I thought I was very quick-witted.

    At that moment, I heard a growling sound in my stomach again.

    Daisy smiled brightly as she rolled her eyes in surprise.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re hungry, aren¡¯t you?¡± I¡¯ll bring the food quickly.¡±

    Then she ran out of the barracks.

    Somehow, I was embarrassed that I burst into tears without noticing, so I rubbed my stomach.

    After a while, Daisy returned with a tray of hot soup and bread.

    When Daisy came in, the smell of fragrant soup and sweet bread stimulated the tip of my nose.

    I sniffed without realizing it.

    Naturally, she sat down at the table and I tried to inhale the food, Daisy asked.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been starving for three days, so chew slowly or you¡¯ll get choked.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Three days?¡±

    I was about to put the bread in my mouth but I answered back.

    Daisy looked at me visibly surprised and answered with a curious look.

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve been sick for three days.¡±

    As soon as I heard her, I hardened like a rock.

    The bread in my hand fell off.

    ¡°Oh, what a waste.¡±

    Daisy picked up the fallen bread with a sad exclamation.

    No matter how hungry I was, I couldn¡¯t concentrate on the room where I was away.

    I murmured with a faint expression next to her.

    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous¡­¡­¡­. then that means the story hasn¡¯t started.¡±

    ¡°What? What do you mean? A story?¡±

    ¡°Is today really June 9th? Not the 8th? No, more than that. What about Seirin¡¯s debut? Is it delayed?¡±

    I pressed Daisy with a barrage of questions.

    Daisy then smiled mildly and answered softly.

    ¡°Oh, come to think of it, I heard that Seirin¡¯s debut started yesterday. Did you want to go?¡±

    She seemed to think that I screamed because I was sorry I couldn¡¯t go to the big event of the Empire.

    But what surprised me was not that I couldn¡¯t go to the event.

    I couldn¡¯t answer Daisy¡¯s question with my mouth open.

    Queen Seirin Aden-Werbel.

    She is the only empress and heroine of the evil counterpart.

    Lexion and Seirin have been close since they were young, but after they got older, they checked up with each other less and less.

    It was the day when the two, who had been so awkward, met fatefully, on 8 June 408, on her debut tantrum day.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on here?¡¯

    I was confused by the whole mess of the book.

    It is chaos itself.

    At that time, a familiar voice was heard inside the barracks.

    ¡°Tiarozety?¡±

    My head naturally turned in the direction of the sound.

    There was a man in black, standing.

    It was Lexion.

    Lexion strode closer to me when he saw me frozen still.

    Before I knew it, Lexion, who came to the front of the table, pressed Daisy with an icy aurora.

    ¡°Daisy, I told you to take good care of her, but why is Tiarozety so frozen? What kind of harm did you do?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no! I¡¯m just the one who answered what she had asked.¡±

    Daisy bowed flat on the floor and lowered her head to Lexion.

    It was the first time I¡¯ve seen him get angry without a hitch.

    I looked at Lexion with a surprised look.

    I looked at Daisy and asked ¡°What does ¡°hackoji¡± mean?¡±

    He trusted his people very much.

    Because of that, he, who was quick-witted, didn¡¯t know that Sparrow knights were bothering me. I¡¯ve never even doubted it.

    Lexion looked indifferently away from Daisy.

    And when my eyes met with his, I was worried that he had a frightening expression on his face.

    His eyes were kind, even when he frowned.

    Lexion raised his hand and caressed my cheek.

    I was surprised by the touch that came without hesitation.

    He crouched as he looked at me flinching.

    After a while, he touched my forehead with his other hand.

    It was a gesture to check if the fever had gone down.

    He breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Fortunately, the fever went down.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so cold¡­are you still sick? Do you want me to call the physician?¡±

    Questions poured out without me giving an answer.

    It wasn¡¯t a mistake.

    I opened my eyes wide when I belatedly noticed the changes that had happened to him.

    It was just too much when I first met him because he is out of his mind.

    ¡®Lexion¡¯s talking to me¡­ ¡­¡¯

    If anyone hears it, they will ask why I¡¯m so surprised by it, but it is an important problem for me.

    He used to use honorifics to me all the time when I got to know him.

    Except once.

    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±

    Before I died, I remembered his words that he had said ¨C as if he were begging.

    E/N

    T/N: the magical item that is referred to by Tiarozety is a lamp. In Filipino, it is called Lampara [though it is an adapted word from Spanish] and it is lit with oil and matches and is being hanged in any part of the house to give light on the surroundings. Tiarozety referred to it as a magical item as it is her first time to see that kind of thing which mostly applies to most of you.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6

    ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±

    Lexion looked perplexed because of my question.

    Soon after, his eyebrows scrunched up in the middle.

    His face was not good, but he couldn¡¯t afford to care about it.

    I asked again in a trembling voice.

    ¡°What about your debutant? Why didn¡¯t you go?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Of course, I wouldn¡¯t believe he is in the South, when he is supposed to be in the capital.

    But it could have been a little random for him, who didn¡¯t know my situation.

    After making a puzzled expression for a while, he murmured with a low voice, and a firm face.

    ¡°¡­Where am I supposed to go when you¡¯re sick?¡±

    He looked distressed.

    I got more confused when I saw his reaction.

    He is the one who relentlessly went to Seirin, even when he wanted me to be around.

    It¡¯s not enough for him to be by my side. Narrowing my forehead as if he were hurt by what I said.

    It is strange.

    Lexion is unusually friendly to Tiarozety. But he used to draw a line at critical moments.

    His chosen woman should be Seirin.

    But now Lexion didn¡¯t seem to have thought about her.

    It is just too good, like an illusion.

    Why, why are you in pain?

    I¡¯m hurt, but why are you struggling like you¡¯re hurt?

    I am confused by his overwhelming emotions.

    The shock after regression is severe, as if my emotions are not organized.

    Words I couldn¡¯t bear to say lingered in my mouth.

    He is acting like he already knew me.

    It is only a simple question to ask, if he knew me, but I am afraid to ask.

    How did he know my name? I am so confused as if the day we already met on that designated day.

    After years of acting as Tiarozety, did I really become Tiarozety?

    Looking at the day when I couldn¡¯t ask anything like this, I felt like I became a scared person like him.

    I belatedly found Daisy still bowing on her stomach, looking around for something to say.

    After all, he turned around without asking any simple questions.

    ¡°Daisy is not at fault. I was just frozen because I was still half asleep.¡±

    ¡°Okay then.¡±

    Lexion touched his cheek.

    He spoke briefly to Daisy.

    ¡°Get out then.¡±

    ¡°Yes, duke¡­ I¡¯ve been very rude. Then, Tiarozety.¡±

    Daisy quietly left the barracks with a sullen face.

    There was a long silence after that.

    Lexion didn¡¯t say anything while I was eating.

    He just sat across from me and stared at me.

    In a place where the awkward air has loomed around, he¡¯s like a fool for saying stuff that his subordinates will come to call me.

    He looked so sad.

    I couldn¡¯t bear to talk to him even when he left the barracks at a sad pace.

    There were many changes for Lexion. It¡¯s a little bit of a thing.

    The first one is his style.

    He used to dress neatly at home, but now he is dressed loosely with a couple of shirt buttons undone.

    His hairstyle has changed.

    The pomade hair, which had been neatly swept up, is calmly covering his forehead.

    There is a huge difference compared to the previous time when I woke up.

    That¡¯s not the end of a lot of his previous appearances.

    Unlike before, he had a light and familiar tone.

    He showed me that much in his previous life because I was the only survivor of the Isol tribe.

    His expression was intended to give preferential treatment to those who left the clan and became representatives of the race.

    In addition, the Isol tribe are rare species with special abilities.

    The value of my existence is quite high because such a species was exterminated by the evil dragon.

    So the imperial family was after me.

    The title of the only one, ¡°Isol,¡± is a great asset of the imperial family and a moving accessory.

    In this life, did the royal family know the tragedy of the Isol tribe in advance, and send Lexion to prevent it?

    If that¡¯s the case, they might try to keep me in the imperial family.

    What does Lexion want to do with me?

    In the original book, he hid my identity.

    When he was belatedly caught by the imperial family, Lexion had been in trouble taking full responsibility.

    Isol is a tribe that did not belong to any country.

    Their residence is also unknown because they did not interact with other races.

    That¡¯s why Isol¡¯s disaster was belatedly discovered in the original book.

    No one knew where they lived.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time it was discovered by the search party as it is now.

    A commoner passing by accidentally found a pile of Isol¡¯s bodies and the Isol disaster was revealed.

    At that time, the merchant had already taken Tiarozety, and reports of 10 survivors had entered the imperial family.

    ¡°Why has Lexion changed?¡±¡®

    I was bothered by his changes.

    It was a calm surprise.

    A faint departure beyond recognition.

    But it felt like a huge change for me to know him beforehand.

    When I woke up, the search party began to move.

    It had been sluggish because of me, but now it is moving.

    They headed to the capital to report to the imperial family, not directly back to the north.

    If we are diligent, we should arrive at the end of Seirin¡¯s debutante banquet.

    Unlike other aristocrats, the debutante of the woman was held in a grand manner for a week.

    The distance from the south to the capital has been quite long, but it is not something that cannot be reached by the stamina of the knights.

    Even so, if they rest often, they may not be able to arrive in time.

    The procession often took a break, and my insides felt nauseous.

    At this rate, I am afraid that Seirin and Lexion would not meet.

    Then the novel would not proceed at all.

    Unlike my nervousness, the knights moved slowly and repeatedly rested.

    It is strange that so many people were taking a break even though I was the only one injured.

    Somehow, I felt like the Knights were moving around and checking my physical condition.

    At least, the pace of the march accelerated thanks to them renting a wagon from the village where they stayed just before.

    I opened the window in the carriage in full swing.

    At that time, when I met eyes with a knight, I suddenly felt solemn.

    I looked at them with thin eyes.

    ¡®Something¡¯s fishy¡­¡¯

    The movements of the knights have been suspicious since before.

    The knights chatted, but stopped talking when they made eye contact with me.

    It is as awkward as a person caught telling one¡¯s story as if it was about that person.

    ¡®Are you cursing at me already?¡¯

    Around the time, Daisy, who was walking next to the carriage, greeted me gladly.

    ¡°Tiarozety, it¡¯s frustrating to be in the carriage, isn¡¯t it? It just so happens that the Duke will be in town soon, he wants to take a break there.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the schedule going to be delayed for no reason? I think we have a long way to go to the Imperial Palace¡­¡­ but what if we can¡¯t make it on the last day of the banquet?¡±

    ¡°No, thanks to you, they are taking it easy. Don¡¯t worry, we will reach the last banquet.¡±

    ¡°Still¡­¡±

    Lexion and Seirin have to meet.

    I am nervous about the delay in the meeting between Seirin and Lexion.

    I wondered what would happen if she couldn¡¯t even meet him while we are going so slow.

    ¡®What happens to this novel if that happens? Am I stuck here forever?¡¯

    Daisy rolled her eyes as I murmured with a sullen face.

    She called me with a gesture, wondering if she would take a look around for a while.

    She whispered in my ear as she lowered my head on her mouth.

    ¡°In fact, the Duke ordered us not to move too hard because you don¡¯t seem to be feeling well.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°This is a secret okay? Just pretend you don¡¯t know okay? Otherwise, I¡¯ll get in trouble.¡±

    Daisy smiled beautifully and took her index finger to her mouth.

    Unlike her bright smile, I was dazed.

    I couldn¡¯t comprehend why he is so considerate of me.

    I felt as if I were receiving his attention.

    It was about to get hot for a while, but soon it cooled down.

    What are you going to do with this?

    I am just a traveler but why are you making me feel this way?

    Lexion is a kind person.

    He¡¯s trying to be nice to me because he feels sorry for me, who was covered in a pile of dead bodies.

    It is useless to give meaning to his actions.

    It¡¯s up to me to get hurt.

    I am determined not to assume his pure intentions.

    After a while, as Daisy said, the Knights stopped at a village.

    The carriage door opened and a familiar blackhead came and held out a big hand.

    ¡°Hold my hand.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay. I can get off on my own¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say no. Catch my hand.¡±

    Lexion smiled softly and held out his hand even more intently.

    I grabbed his hand and got out of the carriage with an expression of helplessness.

    His hand that is touching mine somehow tickled.

    I decided to try to find out the reason for the strange scent of the knights.

    In the original book, the commander who was sent to investigate the Isol disaster was Gregory Aden Lexler.

    After the Isol tribe disappeared, Gregory set up a search party to investigate the commoner¡¯s report of finding a pile of corpses.

    Even before the report, there were a lot of complaints saying that the rotten smell was coming out of the mountain.

    The result says there were zero survivors.

    It ended with the extermination of all the Isol tribes.

    But now Lexion is accompanying me.

    What is even more strange is the size of the search party.

    Before the return, a very small number of imperial knights had participated in the search.

    Now, the Black Knights and the Imperial Knights, Lexion¡¯s soldiers, are participating in the search side by side.

    The small number of people is rather large.

    This isn¡¯t the only reason I was trying to talk with Gregory.

    In fact, Gregory looked after me all the way to the capital city.

    Gregory glanced at me often.

    At the same time, when I tried to make eye contact, he would turn his head quickly, and had never said anything properly.

    If I talk to him first, it is hard to ask because he is with Lexion.

    Then one day, Lexion left without a trace.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the Duke?¡±

    ¡°The Duke? He left earlier to meet Chief.¡±

    Daisy answered my question in a gentle way.

    I then smiled out of remorse when I heard that Lexion had gone to work.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7

    When I tried to open the door of my inn and leave, Daisy followed me and asked.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a little frustrated, so I¡¯m going to get some fresh air.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go together. You don¡¯t even know the way.¡±

    ¡°No, I want to be alone now.¡±

    Daisy could no longer be bothered when I murmured lowly with a grim face.

    She seemed to regard our race as being exterminated and ¡®depressed¡¯.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too late!¡±

    Behind her, Daisy heard a voice asking.

    I turned my head, and nodded silently toward her, and left the inn.

    The inn is small because it is in the countryside, which accepts all the search parties.

    Therefore, the Black Knights and the Imperial Knights are divided into different buildings.

    I walked towards another inn not too far from mine.

    By the time Gregory reached the inn where he was staying, I had just found him out.

    I stopped walking and looked at him, he looked surprised when he saw me.

    After a while, Gregory approached me, without avoiding me.

    His hair is blond, resembling his late father.

    Gregory is originally the illegitimate child of Alexei Aden Wexler, the Emperor¡¯s brother.

    He is belatedly recognized as a member of the royal family when he was about five or six years

    old for his blond hair and unique emerald green eyes of the Eden family.

    As a result, he hung out with Seirin and Crown Prince Cronos from an early age ¨C and naturally

    became close to Lexion.

    The four were meant to have been together since they were young.

    Now that he is an adult, he is a little estranged, but the Emperor belatedly admitted Gregory as his adopted son but gave him ¡°Wexler,¡± Alexei¡¯s saint, who died of adversity, not of Verbel.

    In short, it meant that the Emperor should not dream of using his late father¡¯s surname.

    Maybe that¡¯s why.

    Gregory grew up to be like a black sheep.

    Many young people enjoyed women, alcohol, and gambling without hesitation, but cried after because they were abandoned after falling in love with him.

    Despite the rumors, the reason why women were constantly going for him was all thanks to that handsome appearance.

    I greeted him silently as he approached me.

    He spoke in a slightly pleasant tone.

    ¡°I was worried, but that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Oh, hi.¡±

    Gregory looked at me with a curious look when I said hello with a sloppy look.

    Gregory murmured low as his persistent gaze became burdensome.

    ¡°Zion¡¯s taste was also pretty specific.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s pretty.¡±

    Suddenly, I looked up at him discussing Lexion¡¯s taste.

    His blond hair slightly covered his eyebrows, but he looked even more dazzling up close.

    Thinking back, I met Gregory a little earlier.

    In my previous life, he is the only person I met, solely after I was declared a survivor of Isol.

    ¡°Oh, glory to the Arden Empire. I am Esol¡¯s little girl, Tiarozety Esol¡±. I¡¯m looking forward to the fact that a royal family member and didn¡¯t express my intentions right away. When he asked if I didn¡¯t know him, I bowed my head and apologized right away

    Gregory snapped when I apologized right away.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize because I didn¡¯t ask you to know me in that sense. There¡¯s no one who¡¯d treat me like I am an illegitimate child anyway.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you mean¡­¡±

    When I asked with my head slightly up, Gregory came close and asked with a grim smile.

    ¡°Are you married?¡±

    He stopped holding his tongue at unexpected questions, and a shallow groan.

    Gregory replied in a mischievous tone as he looked troubled and his lips being covered by his hand.

    ¡°Oh, sorry. It was so straightforward. If you¡¯re married, I think you should stop him. So, are you married?¡±

    Why do we keep checking on marriage?

    I shook my head silently due to the persistent question.

    It is because my tongue is stinging and I couldn¡¯t keep my mouth open.

    Then he belatedly noticed my condition and talked in a hurry.

    ¡°Oh, my God, you bit your tongue? What kind of heart do you have to get surprised by this?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell Lexion what happened right now, you shouldn¡¯t tell him. Don¡¯t do that. If he knows that, he¡¯ll feel hurt out of no reason, he might hit me too.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­what¡¯s wrong with the Duke?¡±

    After barely controlling the pain, I asked with a curious look.

    No, more than that, I couldn¡¯t interpret the meaning of Gregory¡¯s words now.

    What does getting hurt have to do with Lexion?

    When I looked at him with an innocent expression as if I didn¡¯t know anything, Gregory smiled in vain.

    He repeatedly looked in the air and made a strange gesture with an absurd expression.

    ¡°What? Miss, you don¡¯t know what this situation means?¡±

    ¡°What is this situation like then?¡±

    I really didn¡¯t know the meaning of his question.

    It is me who wanted to know the meaning of this situation more than anyone else.

    It is very frustrating to see them just standing by my side without telling me anything.

    He started laughing out loud at my counterclaim.

    ¡°Hahaha¡­! What the hell is wrong with Lexion if she doesn¡¯t even know?¡±

    Gregory shook his head and murmured as if he didn¡¯t know.

    As much as I felt strange about Lexion, others seemed to think so.

    A moment later, Gregory muttered in a voice that became quite serious as he waited silently for his words.

    ¡°This is a headache. I definitely thought you knew each other from the very beginning.¡±

    ¡°No way. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen him.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm. That¡¯s right.¡±

    Gregory frowned as if he were facing a challenge.

    He was tapping his finger to see, hesitant to say something or not and I touched it.

    I felt like there is something I really don¡¯t know.

    As he stared at me, he grinned and said.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re curious, so let me tell you a little bit.¡±

    I nodded with my eyes wide open, and Gregory asked a question like a quiz.

    ¡°What if the Imperial court belatedly finds out that Duke Lexion Spero, dubbed ¡®The Guardian of the North¡¯, was accompanied by knights to the South, that is at the end of the empire?¡± **

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­. Isn¡¯t he the captain?¡±

    I stared at him with a face asking what kind of bullcrap he was talking about.

    Lexion could not have been accompanied by these knights to the south without royal permission.

    It is because he had to pass the capital to get to the South.

    ¡°It is not like Lexion to give such a good excuse to the emperor for him to be wary of him.¡±

    When I answered readily, Gregory responded.

    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s what everyone would think. Except for Lexion himself.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°So my friend did that crazy thing.¡±

    ¡°What!¡±

    I screamed loudly at Gregory¡¯s words, and Gregory added.

    ¡°To be exact, I was told to bring the Knights to visit me and get the approval of the royal family because the Isol people were going to be raided.¡±

    ¡°It is rather fortunate that I explained to the imperial family and set up a search party¡­ ¡­ Whooo, I still feel dizzy thinking about the atmosphere of the capital that day.¡±

    He spoke with an exaggerated tap of his chest.

    I can¡¯t believe he brought the Knights without royal permission.

    Gregory¡¯s words were shocking.

    I shouted with an incredible face.

    ¡°No way! What on earth was he thinking of¡­¡­¡­¡­.!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. Do you know how embarrassed I was when he looks like he¡¯s acting crazy? How can I stop him when he said he had to go right away?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ How did you know that Isols were going to be raided?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that. He said he had no time, and he was distracted along the way and he dragged me. Oh, right! He said he had someone to look for.¡±

    ¡­¡­What does he mean by all this?

    I didn¡¯t understand what Gregory was saying.

    It just felt like unknown thoughts were floating in the air.

    With what he had said, it seems like Lexion knew about the Isol disaster in advance.

    It is rather unfortunate that the Isol disaster had happened, but otherwise, it would have given the Imperial family a good excuse.

    It is an act that could not be made without any certainty.

    I tried to put my trembling hands at the back.

    It lingered in my head that I said I had someone who found me.

    As far as I know, there is no one he would know in the far south.

    Who the hell did they come all the way here to find¡­

    How did he know about the Isol incident?

    Does he know something?

    I couldn¡¯t say anything with my mouth open.

    Gregory grumbled frustratingly at me like that.

    ¡°As soon as Lexion found you, he gave you a barracks and took care of you, so I thought you were the one he was looking for.¡±

    ¡°Come on, hold on. What do you mean took care? Wasn¡¯t Daisy taking care of me for three days?¡±

    I didn¡¯t listen to him while I was in a daze and asked right back rather abruptly.

    I am sure that I was alone when I opened my eyes.

    After that, Daisy came to see me.

    That¡¯s why I thought she put the towel on my forehead.

    When I woke up, I was lonely because I was alone, and Lexion was not next to me.

    But he was actually with me before that?

    Does that make sense?

    My face was filled with confusement.

    Gregory replied in shock the moment he looked at me.

    ¡°What are you talking about? It was Lexion who took care of you back then.¡±

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8

    Gregory continued to say even he lacked an explanation.

    ¡°He¡¯s been searching for you until he found you. He¡¯s been standing next to you all the time.¡±

    ¡°T-that is¡­¡±

    ¡°I felt bad and sorry for him, so I dragged him out of your sight, and there was this misunderstanding too.¡±

    ¡°Ha, it would be unfair if Zion knew. The maid took all the balls he had for you to play with.¡±

    Gregory clicked his tongue a few times as if he felt sorry for Lexion.

    I was so surprised that I just shut my lips.

    All these new facts were hard to understand.

    After a while, he asked me with a look of curiosity.

    ¡°Anyway, but who else would he be looking for?¡±

    ¡°All the articles outside are hot with a lady and Zion. There is also rumor that he has a hidden fianc¨¦.¡±

    I didn¡¯t think of anything even though Gregory was babbling loudly next to me.

    I just stared into the air and organized my thoughts.

    It turned out that Lexion¡¯s sole act to find out as she thought was that he was investigating the disaster after receiving the emperor¡¯s order.

    If he didn¡¯t meet Gregory on time, he could have been driven into a rebellion.

    That is an unbecoming reckless act.

    Besides, he gave up his search and nursed me instead.

    It is rather heartbreaking that he had been by my side for three days.

    But Gregory wouldn¡¯t let me fall into these thoughts.

    ¡°Hey, you didn¡¯t faint while you were standing up, did you? Can you give me an answer?¡±

    ¡°Pardon? What do you mean?¡±

    I am surprised at Gregory¡¯s hand-waving behavior in front of me and asked back.

    He looked very unfriendly, as if he had other thoughts about me.

    I was so surprised that my actions stopped and I couldn¡¯t respond properly.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve been thinking about something for a little bit¡­.¡±

    Then someone put a wide-brimmed hat on my head.

    Thanks to this, the beaming sun was being shaded.

    When I turned my head, he had dark hair.

    His deep dark eyes looked straight at me and said,

    ¡°You¡¯ve been here all along. You still looked unwell.¡±

    His words of concern were very friendly.

    Lexion smiles as soon as he sees me.

    He looked like a large dog wagging its tail gently to find its owner, looking like he only followed behind me.

    I tried to laugh in reciprocation, but hesitated and lowered my lips.

    I wondered if I could be so happy.

    Just by looking at each other makes me feel so good, and thus I kept looking forward to it.

    But I am very afraid of the time when he would reject me afterwards.

    ¡®Don¡¯t laugh at me.¡¯

    I remembered what I had said to him in my previous life.

    It was when Seirin and Lexion avoided their seats when I saw them trying to kiss.

    When I saw their faces getting closer, I turned my head.

    I can¡¯t even look at their kisses.

    But the book strangely described as if I had seen it all.

    That day I spoke coldly to Lexion who came to me because I couldn¡¯t stand it.

    It is possible because it is a scene that is not part of the novel.

    I am free to act in scenes that weren¡¯t present in the novel¡¯s plot.

    Of course, it is possible because I ran into him outside of the novel.

    I told him not to laugh at me with the lips ¨C his lips he used when he kissed her, not to make me look forward to it and eventually make myself look pathetic, and if it is Tiarozety, she would probably never have said that.

    What kind of expression did Lexion have at that time?

    When I looked up without saying a word, Lexion looked at Gregory and asked.

    ¡°Did you tell her to come?¡±

    Gregory replied with a look of disappointment to him whom he doubted.

    ¡°What are you talking about, I just ran into her when she went out.¡±

    Gregory¡¯s face was filled with hurt and astonishment.

    But Lexion didn¡¯t even care about how he felt.

    He had a rather suspicious look.

    I came to my senses late and made excuses while blocking them.

    It was an excuse that I had thought about beforehand when I came here.

    ¡°Oh, I was lost¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me look like a fool, Greg.¡±

    When I was about to explain, Lexion asked intently.

    They seemed very friendly to call each other by the nickname Zion and Greg.

    Gregory, who is completely upset by Lexion¡¯s attitude, stuck out his mouth.

    ¡°I was just about to do something when you came. You gentleman Lexion.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, go mind your own business now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go anyway. You jerk.¡±

    Gregory tapped Lexion timidly on the shoulder and expressed his dissatisfaction.

    Then I looked at my side and nodded my head.

    I stared at Gregory, who was walking aimlessly.

    I wanted to talk more about Lexion, but it is not a good time.

    Then Lexion insinuated.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    ¡°I thought you got lost, but I¡¯m glad I came out looking for you. I¡¯ll take you there.¡±

    He held out his hand as if escorting a noble lady.

    I refused several times before, but he held my hand silently.

    Chapter 3 ¡°Things I couldn¡¯t do in the past¡±

    On the way back to the inn, there was a line of plumeria trees.

    The strong scent of plumeria flowers wafted all around the streets.

    It was a flower that can only be seen in the south.

    The scent was so strong that my nose was filled with the sweet scent.

    ¡°The flowers are so beautiful. It also smells good.¡±

    When I smelled the flowers and said, Lexion replied.

    ¡°¡­¡­ There are many prettier flowers than that in the north.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Maybe there will be more flowers you will like there.¡±

    He smiled beautifully and I glanced at him.

    I am so unfamiliar to Lexion, who spoke like a person who didn¡¯t want to stop talking.

    His speeches increased when I was silent.

    I was bothered again by his minor changes.

    Spin

    He talks and talks about the tribe and some other stuff.

    It is very strange for me ¨C knowing his personality.

    Did his personality change as I returned?

    I couldn¡¯t find the answer all alone, so I slowed down and asked.

    ¡°Your Grace, how are you sure that I¡¯m going to love the flowers of the North?¡±

    Lexion stopped walking and looked down at me.

    His gaze was dimly fixed.

    Meanwhile, the scent of plumeria tickled the tip of my nose due to the breeze.

    The white petals shook in the wind and dropped gently.

    Still, he hesitated and his mouth twitched.

    I didn¡¯t know what I was waiting for but I waited silently.

    After a while,

    ¡°Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Duke.¡±

    ¡°Call me Lexion.¡±

    I was speechless at his unexpected order.

    I didn¡¯t know what to answer to his order.

    I whispered into my hand with a perplexed expression on my face.

    ¡°What? But how can I¡­ call your name casually, Duke¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, call me by name. It¡¯s better if you could call me Zion.¡±

    He smiled beautifully as he reacted foolishly.

    I stared at him with shaky eyes.

    It is inevitable that I should not think about anything he said, but I still naturally expected it.

    I have never called him Zion in his previous life.

    The stupid Tiarozety was too scared to call him by his name.

    He always used the title ¡°Duke¡± unless he would say so.

    Thus, she chose to be next to him quietly rather than getting close to him.

    The same goes to me. That is my role after all, and I didn¡¯t call him by his name either.

    So his order was rather touching.

    ¡®Oh, yeah, I¡¯ve called him Zion once.¡¯

    I had a bitter smile on my face from the past.

    I called him Zion for one time.

    It was a mistake that I made when I just realized how I felt about him.

    I was surprised to think he was hurt and rejected what I was saying inwardly.

    That day was also the day Lexion was hurt while saving Seirin.

    At that time, I was struggling because I couldn¡¯t erase Lexion in my mind, and thus I couldn¡¯t stop myself.

    Looking at him being surprised, I immediately equivocate that it was a mistake, and since then ¨C I have never called him Zion.

    Thus, I was scared to keep calling his name in my own mouth.

    I knew very well what my mistake would bring.

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t. How dare I¡­¡±

    ¡°I want you to call me Zion.¡±

    Lexion carefully lifted my chin to meet his eyes.

    As if he doesn¡¯t like it when I keep looking down.

    An unexpected look swept through me.

    I opened my mouth slightly without saying anything.

    ¡°Will you call me?¡±

    Then he asked me again, seducing, pleading, and soothing.

    I felt like I was being sucked into his deep eyes.

    Those are the dark eyes that always reassure me.

    I loved those dark eyes. Maybe even now.

    ¡°¡­Z-zion.¡±

    He asked me again to call him again courageously with a light smile.

    ¡°One more time.¡±

    ¡°Z-zion?¡±

    I murmured in my mouth and raised my voice slightly.

    When I called his nickname, my face was flushed and I was out of breath for no reason.

    I¡¯m sure he¡¯s blushing.

    He didn¡¯t want to look red, but he couldn¡¯t avoid looking at me because of the expression he was making right in front of me.

    He closed his eyes prettily as if he had heard a satisfactory answer.

    His face is insanely beautiful.

    And his smile was rather satisfying probably because I like him.

    And thus my heart throbbed.

    I shouldn¡¯t have fallen for him, but my heart is racing for him once again.

    I took a step back.

    I did it because I was afraid that my heart would be heard because I was so close to him.

    His touch that was on my chin also drifted away.

    Lexion gently fiddled my finger.

    I asked him carefully like that.

    ¡°Well¡­ I have a question¡­.Z-Zion.¡±

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9

    I smiled awkwardly, adding ¡®Zion¡¯ at the end.

    I showed him a smile when I looked at Lexion¡¯s face, being disappointed by his name not being called.

    He smiled so brightly just because he was happy hearing it.

    It was a smile that made even other people call it worthwhile.

    What¡¯s the great thing about calling his name like that, that he can¡¯t hide his joy?

    It was such a strange feeling.

    Lexion then said kindly.

    ¡°Ask me anything.¡±

    ¡°How did you find me in that pile of bodies?¡±

    ¡°I could see you in just a single glance.¡±

    I was so dazed by his obvious answer.

    When I touched my neck and cleared my throat, I then said.

    ¡°Then how did you know my name¡­¡±

    I¡¯ve wanted to ask him that even before.

    I never told him my name, but Lexion already knew it.

    That has always been my question, but I cannot ask.

    Maybe it was scary, actually.

    Lexion stared at me still and answered strangely.

    ¡°I saw your ID in your belongings.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m sure that even when I fell¡­¡±

    I¡¯ve lost my tongue.

    It¡¯s because I doubted myself whether I had heard my name at that time.

    Maybe it was an auditory hallucination when I¡¯m in the middle of losing my consciousness.

    As he said, my belongings that he had found later surely contained my ID card.

    So it wouldn¡¯t be a lie when he said that he knew my name when he saw me.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t pry anymore and reversed my words.

    I didn¡¯t want to question him when he was smiling pleasantly.

    I just wanted to see his smile a little more.

    I wanted to enjoy this time, this happiness as long as possible.

    ¡°I was worried a lot when you fell down.¡±

    Lexion gently caressed my cheeks.

    Before I knew it, I was all over his face.

    As his smile disappeared, the bright surroundings quickly felt dark.

    I stared at the corners of his mouth in regret, and he whispered silently.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t get you sooner.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Why?¡±

    He closed his mouth when I asked him a question.

    He looked worried about something.

    His smile rekindled when he was about to answer my question.

    I couldn¡¯t stand it in the end, and voiced out my curiosity.

    ¡°It¡¯s our first time seeing each other¡­ and why do you say you¡¯re sorry that you couldn¡¯t get me sooner?¡±

    One by one, he clasped his lips due to my continuous questions.

    Lexion moved, touching the area around his mouth with his hands.

    I couldn¡¯t figure out what he was thinking, so I just looked at him.

    After a while, he answered me in a low-key manner as if he were serious.

    ¡°B-because I fell in love with you at first sight.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    I was so surprised by Lexion¡¯s sudden confession and asked him again.

    I am not fully aware of what I¡¯m hearing right now.

    I can¡¯t believe he fell in love with me at first sight.

    I was just confused because it wouldn¡¯t happen in the first place.

    Lexion showed signs of embarrassment due to my reaction.

    He touched the back of his head awkwardly and clamped his lips.

    He seemed to be rather impulsive and embarrassed.

    For a moment I thought I was confessing to him.

    I never imagined that he would say that he fell in love with me at first sight.

    It wasn¡¯t him who fell in love at first sight in the book, it was me.

    Then, I unconsciously took a step back from him.

    He held onto me out of reflex.

    I was so surprised when he caught me, so I immediately took my hands off him.

    His cautious attitude shook my eyes vigorously.

    There was an awkward silence afterwards.

    I wanted to say something, but he wouldn¡¯t stop talking.

    My eyes went to his face that was particularly reddish.

    His ears had a clear reddish glow that is much like an illusion.

    ¡®Maybe he¡¯s shy.¡¯

    I took another step back without realizing it.

    When he stepped forwards twice, a shadow settled on my face.

    Lexion spoke to me in a hurry when I stepped back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t run away. I didn¡¯t actually think of that as an answer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying that¡¯s how I feel, Titi.¡±

    My face hardened in an instant with the phrase ¡®Titi¡¯ when I heard it from his mouth.

    The excitement subsided ¨C the aura in this very space is questionable.

    I asked in a trembling voice.

    ¡°Have I ever given you my nickname?¡±

    In response, Lexion stared at me.

    His long eyelashes trembled.

    It kept making my mind go wild.

    ¡®Why does he keep looking at me like that?¡¯

    All his actions again caught me off guard and shook me.

    My heart¡¯s beating fast even after his confession, even when he didn¡¯t want to answer me.

    My mouth wanted to shout. I felt the same way right now.

    I clenched my lips, afraid that I could no longer hold my heart and pour all of my words from my mouth.

    Still, his reason is barely holding on to his senses, but other than that, there is no further progress.

    Is this a dream?

    Him liking me is so unlikely.

    From the moment I entered this novel in the first place, I didn¡¯t have any speck of hope that Lexion would fall in love with me.

    The people in this novel don¡¯t have free will.

    I remembered what the guide had said before.

    It¡¯s the one who knows the world best, so it wouldn¡¯t lie.

    The people in this book itself had no free will.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a self decision, I just say what I have to say, and do according to the situation.¡±

    Even I, a traveler, am placed where my behavior is restricted.

    It was the original that kept me terribly tied up every time I tried to get out of the book.

    But the characters act their own way?

    Perhaps even my role has already been set.

    Rather, it is credible that there would have been a change in his setting as he regressed.

    If he likes me because the meeting with me has been moved up a little, he will be reunited with Seirin and return to the original storyline.

    So I shouldn¡¯t jump in an instant when he voices out his confessions.

    I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get hurt again.

    The place he¡¯s going to go back to anyway is not me, but the heroine¡¯s side.

    He spoke in a quiet tone around the time he was buried in these thoughts.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me. I just wanted to call you that.¡±

    Before I knew it, his red ears had regained their original color.

    I guess the only thing that hasn¡¯t calmed down is my heart.

    I looked up at Lexion and asked tenaciously.

    ¡°Why did you want to call me that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ that the first and last vowel are the same.¡±

    My eyes dilated when he answered me.

    It¡¯s because I¡¯ve heard that line before.

    The scene in the novel flashed through my mind as if his words had become a catalyst.

    [That¡¯s a unique name]

    Lexion murmured Tiarozety¡¯s name and said so.

    Tiarozety looked at his wits like that.

    Just looking at him face-to-face is breathtaking, her heart seemed to have stopped.

    Tiarozety plucked up her courage and said.

    ¡°Well, just feel free to call me Ros¨¦. That¡¯s what everyone calls me.¡±

    ¡°I would more like to use Titi as your first and last vowel are the same.¡±

    He suggested a different nickname in a friendly voice.

    While kindly explaining why he chose Titi, he scratched the back of his head bashfully.

    I then asked him again with a slightly sullen face.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little like a pet name?¡±

    ¡°Well, I thought it was a nickname that goes very well with your blue eyes. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to call you that. Titi.¡±

    [¡°Well, then I¡¯ll let you do it alone. That nickname.¡±]

    ¡°Titi?¡±

    Suddenly, I was distracted by the sudden interruption.

    As I looked up, Lexion looked down at me with a worried face.

    Before I knew it, his hand was on my shoulder.

    Half leaning on him, he seemed to be reeling for a while.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I felt dizzy for a second¡­¡±

    ¡°As expected, it¡¯s hard to travel a long way¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, no! You don¡¯t have to delay the schedule any longer because of me! We have to at least go to the last banquet¡­!¡±

    He spoke reassuringly as he made an urgent excuse.

    ¡°Daisy told me that you wanted to go to the banquet. Relax, we¡¯re moving in preparation for everything.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°So if you¡¯re not feeling well, don¡¯t hide it.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    Lexion¡¯s kind words made me bow my head and reply.

    He¡¯s so calm that I can¡¯t even say he looked like he confessed to me earlier.

    It would be selfish of me to be relieved and disappointed by it.

    After a while, we took a step again.

    His face was a little gloomy.

    My heart ached when he said the same thing before my return.

    Him saying the same line means he still doesn¡¯t have his own consciousness.

    Perhaps there was a problem throughout the novel with my return.

    So his confession¡­ perhaps only a brief error.

    Thinking so calmed down my excitement and disappointment.

    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±

    As we reached the front of the inn, Lexion murmured as if he was sorry.

    ¡°Thank you for taking me all the way here, Your Excellency, the Duke.¡±

    Lexion smiled bitterly due to me voicing out his title.

    But this time, he smiled and said goodbye without forcing me to speak his pet name.

    ¡°Yeah, get some rest, Titi.¡±

    His drooping shoulders grew farther and farther.

    I shouted unconsciously at his lackluster back.

    ¡°H-hey!¡±

    He looked back at my sudden voice.

    I shouted as hard as I could hear him.

    ¡°G-get home safe, Zion!¡±

    He smiled brightly at my words when I shouted with my hands cupping my mouth.

    In the meantime, my face turned red, as red as persimmon because he was out of tune.

    After a while, he raised his arms up and shook them.

    Then he tripped and stumbled, unable to look back, and immediately fixed his posture.

    I laughed my head off due to his innocent expression.

    He continued to look back and wave afterwards.

    I couldn¡¯t leave my position and stared at his back, just in case I wanted to look back.

    He grew farther and farther away.

    I kept standing and watched him walking away with my eyes.

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m really Tiarozety.¡±

    At that very moment, I felt rather melancholic.

    Then, he disappeared completely. I entered the lodge and vice versa.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10

    Aden on the morning of June 15, Year 408.

    As Lexion said, the search party arrived in the capital on precisely the last day of the banquet.

    The last banquet was held in the evening, so it is a good time to relax and attend.

    Lexion handed me a small silver ring before entering the capital.

    It was the ring I saw in my previous life.

    ¡°It¡¯s a tool to change your hair color. As you¡¯re the only Esol survivor, everyone will be after you. You need to be careful not to get caught from now on.¡±

    He put the ring on my finger and said those words.

    I glanced down at the ring and asked.

    ¡°We can just tell the imperial family.¡±

    ¡°No, we can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to see you being used.¡±

    Lexion answered, clenching his hand.

    Lexion is well aware of the atrocities of the imperial family.

    That¡¯s why he felt sorry for Tiarozety Esol, who felt scared and ignorant.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to hide you.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    I grinned as he expressed his determination.

    Later I entered the capital as a distant relative of Lexion.

    The gatekeepers who guarded the gate did not doubt a single bit because Lexion personally guaranteed me.

    Lexion took me to the Duke Sparrow¡¯s villa in the capital and left straight for the Imperial Palace.

    It was probably to report the results of the search party.

    Gregory was put in prison before Lexion.

    I unpacked my stuff in this familiar room under Daisy¡¯s guidance.

    I only had a small bag, I must say.

    This room is not really different from my previous life.

    It was the place where I often stayed when I came to the capital.

    It is also a comfortable place for me, comparable to the familiar bedroom I have in the north.

    I layed down on the bed lazily.

    I felt cozy, like I was right back home.

    Maybe that¡¯s why, as soon as I layed in bed I fell asleep.

    I slowly closed my heavy eyelids. I felt like I was floating.

    It was Daisy who woke me up when I couldn¡¯t sleep well.

    She said with a knock.

    ¡°Ms. Tiarozety, may I come in?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s okay!¡±

    I woke up to the sound of someone calling me.

    The woman in the mirror is still half asleep.

    Maybe I did sleep without even realizing it.

    ¡°You were asleep.¡±

    ¡°I guess I was a little tired. What is it, by the way?¡±

    Forced out of sleep, I asked her while pointing to the dress in Daisy¡¯s hand.

    In the arms of the ensuing maids were things such as jewelry boxes and shoes.

    Daisy answered deftly.

    ¡°It just so happens that Tiarozety¡¯s dress was in the Duke¡¯s castle.¡±

    ¡°The Duke¡­¡­?¡±

    I tilted my head and asked.

    It is because she was curious that there were women¡¯s clothes at the Lexion¡¯s place, who is single, and a colorful dress that could be worn only at a banquet.

    Daisy, startled by my gaze, excused herself.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t get me wrong! The Duke doesn¡¯t have a lover!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ What?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­¡­ Actually, the Duke had custom-made clothes for you. Banquet dress.¡±

    Daisy admitted with an awkward smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll look good!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    The dress she proudly held out looked expensive in just a single glance.

    ¡°I have to help you prepare now so you can arrive at the banquet in time. Come on, come on!¡±

    Daisy hurriedly pushed me back just in case I tried to ask her a question.

    ¡°Uh, uh¡­.¡±

    I was taken to the bathroom in a blink of an eye, and when I entered, it had a sweet scent.

    Several maids soaped my body and wiped me with a soft towel.

    After that, they applied a subtle fragrance onto my body and immediately dressed me in the dress.

    It was a blue dress made of silk fabric.

    It fits perfectly as it is custom-made.

    ¡®How did he know my size?¡¯

    All I thought about was Lexion while I was wearing this.

    Though I am very conflicted as if I felt both happy and confused that he had prepared a dress for me.

    ¡®Do you think this pre-ordered? ¡­¡­ I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s possible to make a custom in such a short time. The extra fee would have been huge even if I didn¡¯t know how much it cost.¡¯

    Unconsciously, I looked at myself in the mirror.

    The white lace mesh covered my collarbone line and the breastbone is almost visible.

    The white flower embroidery, embroidered down to the waist, is as white as snowflakes.

    The embroidery is very detailed, and inside the flowers were white opal, emitting a brilliant light.

    ¡°You look really good on this one¡±

    Daisy said in admiration.

    I felt awkward and squirmed.

    Never in my previous life have I been to a banquet wearing such a fancy dress.

    Tiarozety was extremely afraid to stand in front of others and had never attended a party wearing a dress like this.

    Eyes were on the glittering jewels, sprinkled on the hem of her skirt.

    Why is it that this cloth is so pretty that it makes my heart flutter?

    I thought again of Lexion messing with my mind.

    Since he had already gone to the palace, he would have gone straight to the banquet hall when he finished reporting.

    And he¡¯ll be Seirin¡¯s partner as planned.

    My face is dark enough to be the face of a woman who received pretty clothes as a gift.

    I would feel really painful seeing him coming out side by side with Seirin after all this joy he made me feel.

    ¡®Don¡¯t be clumsy.¡¯

    Ambiguous goodwill creates false expectations, and such excitement is an emotion prone to disappointment.

    ¡°Are you uncomfortable?¡±

    Daisy asked anxiously when my expression was gloomy.

    I shook my head and gave her a faint smile just like that.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that¡­the clothes are so pretty.¡±

    Though the woman in the mirror had a grim look on her face, unlike the usual one.

    * * *

    When I left the gate, a familiar face was waiting.

    I looked at Gregory in front of Sparrow Castle with a curious expression.

    Gregory found me while he was acting out, and sadly started talking to me.

    ¡°Oh, you do look like a human being now that you¡¯re dressed up!¡±

    ¡°Prince Gregory? Why are you here? Aren¡¯t we going to a banquet?¡±

    At daze, Prince Gregory said while grinning.

    ¡°Black hair looks good on you, too.¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡­¡­.¡±

    I thanked him in a creeping voice and examined him.

    I tilted my head because he¡¯s not supposed to be the one who¡¯s here.

    I asked with a suspicious face.

    ¡°Well¡­ why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Why, do you say? I¡¯m here to pick you up.¡±

    Gregory smirked with his ambiguous honorifics and reached out his hand.

    I took his hand and he dragged me into the carriage.

    My face didn¡¯t look good even when I got on.

    The fact that he came meant that Lexion went straight to the banquet hall.

    Perhaps he sent Gregory away for fear that I would attend the banquet alone.

    What an unnecessarily kind man.

    It is rather embarrassing on my part for me to expect Lexion will come.

    ¡°What did you expect from him when you knew this would happen anyway?¡±

    I stared out of the window with a grim smile.

    Gregory looked carefully at me like that and took a guess.

    ¡°Miss, do you know you are very suspicious?¡±

    ¡°What else is there to win anyway.¡±

    I replied in a soft tone to Gregory¡¯s comments.

    He then continued, perhaps disapproving of my lukewarm response.

    ¡°Lexion isn¡¯t the type of person who cares so much about women.¡±

    ¡°Maybe the Duke would have cared if I were a man. Kinda pathetic. I lost my family, my whole race with just a single night.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to mind saying you feel sorry for yourself.¡±

    Gregory smirked and muttered.

    He hated people who self-pity.

    So I deserved to sound a little piteous.

    I answered casually, feeling that it didn¡¯t matter if he misunderstood me badly.

    ¡°So you don¡¯t have to misunderstand what¡¯s between me and the Duke. It¡¯s just a pity.¡±

    ¡°Well, my gut tells me it¡¯s not a misunderstanding.¡±

    Gregory asked back, while he twitched.

    As soon as I tried to ask what he meant by that, the carriage stopped.

    Gregory reached out his hand when the carriage stopped.

    While holding his hand and getting out of the carriage, I saw someone who was familiar in the distance.

    It was Lexion.

    Lexion came out and spotted Gregory and strode up.

    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±

    That¡¯s weird

    There is no Seirin next to him.

    Of course, I was dumbfounded when I thought he¡¯d be in the banquet hall with Seirin.

    Lexion, who came close at that time, smiled brightly at me.

    ¡°You¡¯re so pretty.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ Thank you.¡±

    I slowly answered him, Gregory handed my hand over to Lexion.

    ¡°Now, take her.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Lexion smiled and thanked Gregory.

    In just a moment, when I came to my senses, I couldn¡¯t understand the situation and asked stutteringly.

    ¡°Okay, wait a minute. Isn¡¯t he supposed to be my partner?¡±

    ¡°Who says that he is your partner, my lady?¡±

    ¡°Well, then isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. I already have a designated partner.¡±

    Gregory is astonished, as if he heard an absurd answer.

    I blinked because I didn¡¯t get the hang of it.

    I don¡¯t know how things work out.

    Then will I be attending the banquet without a partner?

    But why is Lexion here?

    There¡¯s no way he¡¯s prepared to escort a person like me.

    Lexion called me affectionately when I couldn¡¯t clearly identify everything.

    ¡°TiTi.¡±

    His familiar pet name naturally drew my attention to him.

    Gregory¡¯s eyes dilated when Lexion called me TiTi.

    He had a look that thought there really was something going on.

    I couldn¡¯t tell if it was okay to let him misunderstand who the heroine¡¯s step brother is.

    I stared at Lexion in bewilderment.

    In response, Lexion clenched his hand tightly.

    I looked down at his hand that put a little pressure.

    It¡¯s warm.

    The moment that I am holding hands with him, is heart wrenching.

    Lexion declared quietly as I was dazed by the warmth of his hands.

    ¡°I¡¯m your partner.¡±

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11

    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±

    I asked back in a stunned voice due to his declaration.

    Without questioning further, though, Lexion said apologetically.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t pick you up in person. I had work to do.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­.¡±

    ¡°Shall we go?¡±

    He caught me in a silly manner.

    But we didn¡¯t step forward.

    I didn¡¯t know if my feet would give out and fall to the floor like a mangled stone.

    Lexion looked at me out of oblivion.

    I grabbed his hand and asked.

    ¡°Why do you want to partner with me?¡±

    He smiled forlornly and answered my question.

    After a while, he replied calmly.

    ¡°Because I want to do it with you.¡±

    Though he still gave an incomprehensible answer.

    In his previous life, he was the partner of Princess Seirin in accordance with the Emperor¡¯s order.

    So this time, he should have been ordered by the Emperor once again.

    But he became the partner of an unnamed woman and turned down the princess just because he wanted to?

    It shouldn¡¯t have happened.

    ¡°Is it okay to proceed as it is?¡±

    Though I¡¯m feeling pleased, I also feel anxious about this situation.

    Lexion is destined to be attracted after reuniting with Seirin, who grew up here.

    This is the most important scene of the novel, and as it is, I am not in the position to be placed here.

    My voice naturally trembled.

    ¡°Rather than me, it should be Sei-¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    I tried to say the Female Lead¡¯s name without realizing it, but Lexion stopped me from continuing.

    I looked up at him, amazed by his firm voice, and he had a cold expression on his face.

    His dark eyes looked darker than ever.

    His black eyes that are not capable of telling what I was thinking, looked down at me.

    The emotion I felt in his eyes is rather strange.

    He had a wounded look in his eyes.

    Why on earth would he have that kind of expression¡­¡­?

    ¡°I¡¯m going with you, TiTi.¡±

    Lexion declared to me, who is still confused, as if he was really pushing for it.

    As if he doesn¡¯t intend to go back. He is very adamant.

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be happy.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t say anything to his response.

    He lightly kissed my hand that he was holding, as if he was expressing his intention of courtship.

    Nevertheless, I am so dazed, as if I had been hit on the head with a hammer, rather than feeling ecstatic about this situation.

    ¡°You have to be happy.¡±

    That was what I told him before I died.

    Is it a coincidence?

    Or does he really know something?

    I wanted to ask, but I felt too afraid.

    ¡®If I asked and he said no, I¡¯d be the only one who¡¯ll look weird.¡¯

    In the end, I could not stop his grip once again.

    Following him, I stared at his back with bewitched eyes.

    I wanted him to be happy more than anyone else.

    As much as the original Tiarozety, I feel likewise.

    ¡®Then I¡¯ll be happy.¡¯

    How can I refuse this position when he said so.

    If he is happy even if he got a penalty for this, I thought I could live with it.

    ¡®First of all, I need to find a book¡­¡­.¡¯

    A world where everything is a mess.

    Nothing was going right, so I kept feeling scared.

    Nevertheless, it is the result of my shallow hope that I could not resist this touch of his once again.

    Around that time, Gregory had an interesting glow as he watched the two people drift away.

    He was sure they knew each other, but the two kept pretending.

    Gregory shook his head while crossing his thoughts between the two.

    It had nothing to do with him just as he thought.

    He spoke to himself with these kinds of thoughts.

    ¡°I guess I have to go and get my partner, too.¡±

    * * *

    Inside the banquet hall, an untimely battle ensued over the identity of Duke Lexion Sparrow and his partner.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen her before. Who could it be?¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know who it is, but they look pretty close.¡±

    ¡°Are they lovers?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! He hasn¡¯t had a scandal in a while, has he?¡±

    ¡°I think she¡¯s a distant relative, did you see her black hair?¡±

    ¡°Well I hope so.¡±

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    Dressed up, the young ladies whispered, speculating who the duke¡¯s partner was.

    All grieving over who she was, but implicitly, they wished she really was a relative of the Duke.

    It is all the more so because they secretly conspired for Duke Sparrow.

    Lexion Sparrow has rarely stopped by the capital.

    Mostly because he stayed in his estate, Baello, in the north.

    Lexion, who finally attended the capital¡¯s banquet after a long time, had a very different atmosphere.

    Perhaps that was why his figure had captured the eyes of the aristocrats.

    His brown hair is not swept up as usual, but his hair was neatly parted.

    In addition, unlike his favorite black suit, his current outfit is light gray.

    Perhaps it was tailored along with the sky blue dress worn by his partner.

    As if to match, the two appeared together, making the young ones look more jealous.

    ¡°Oh, my God, he looks great in bright clothes.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t his mood change when he has his hair swept like that?¡±

    ¡°No matter what he wears, he does look great.¡±

    The young ladies blushed, mesmerized by Lexion¡¯s new look.

    As a result, the attention was naturally drawn to the woman next to Lexion.

    She hesitated as to whether her position was making her feel awkward.

    When Lexion requested for a dance, she gently raised her hand and clumsily headed to the center of the hall.

    The woman stepped on Lexion¡¯s foot as if she had not danced a lot.

    Nevertheless, his expression was so peaceful, he never had that expression before.

    The young ladies looked at her with envious faces.

    The woman is sweating and trying her best to keep up with the beat.

    Lexion looked so lovingly at her.

    ¡°We may not know who she is, but they do look good with each other.¡±

    ¡°I know right.¡±

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    The young people¡¯s exclamation continued because they do look great with each other.

    * * *

    My back stung from their focused gaze.

    I fixed my eyes downward in caution, carefully not to step on Lexion¡¯s foot.

    However, because I fixed my eyes, my body didn¡¯t follow as expected.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯ve been stepping on it.¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t raise my head, you could say I¡¯m rather embarrassed.

    I¡¯ve rarely danced in my previous life, so my steps are sloppy and terrible.

    My role in the past is not part of the nobility¡¯s glory in the first place.

    An Esol¡¯s child, who was part of the minority, is not the right person to be invited to this fancy banquet.

    Though she was invited a couple of times thanks to her title as the only survivor, she repeatedly refused due to the setting of Tiarozety, who is afraid of people.

    Crack.

    The wretched sound buried in the sound of music made me flinch.

    I¡¯ve already stepped on the back of his foot many times.

    Now it seemed to be off the charts.

    I apologized in a creeping voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Really¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°You can step on it more.¡±

    Lexion grinned and said softly.

    His voice is as soothing as the lake.

    Without a doubt, he changed his steps.

    ¡°Uh.¡±

    The distance we had was so far away, suddenly became closer.

    It is because the beat of the song changed.

    My steps are about to get tangled by the sudden pull, and he turned straight around and took the center.

    Thanks to that, my dress fluttered.

    It was like a stunt move.

    ¡°Be careful.¡±

    He whispered, folding the corners of his eyes finely.

    While I was mesmerized by his mellow eyes, the distance we had that became closer returned to our original state.

    Dancing is such a heart-shaking act.

    My heart pounded unruly and my face turned red.

    If I knew this would happen, I would¡¯ve and should¡¯ve learned some dancing.

    Then I would have been more honorable to be next to Lexion.

    I am particularly bothered by the sweat that formed in my hands.

    It is all more so because I am afraid I¡¯d get caught feeling nervous.

    When the music was over, Lexion is drawn out of the center.

    Looking back, Gregory is dancing with a blonde beauty.

    Unlike us, Gregory and the woman¡¯s dancing is very skillful.

    No wonder I felt hurt deep in my pride a little.

    If I had known in advance, I wouldn¡¯t have pushed ahead with this and acted poorly.

    In fact, I didn¡¯t have the confidence to do well even if I practiced, but I felt like that.

    I muttered with a slightly piteous face.

    ¡°I¡¯ll dance better next time.¡±

    ¡°Will you dance with me next time?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to it then, TiTi.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t shut up due to his sudden response, her lips were smiling like a fool¡¯s.

    I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s looking forward to it.

    It sounded like he wanted to dance with me next time.

    The counter-response, ¡°Will you dance with me?¡± I also felt like I wouldn¡¯t be able to dance without his permission.

    I abruptly signed him up for my next dance.

    I looked up blankly at Lexion, who took it for granted once again.

    Lexion smiled beautifully when he made eye contact with me.

    No wonder he looked happy.

    But I was just nervous around him.

    ¡®Why does he keep changing?¡¯

    It is hard to adapt to his changing appearance from the original plot.

    It was then I saw a familiar face in the distance.

    Naturally, my face froze and I came back to reality out of fantasy.

    ¡®Of course, she¡¯s here.¡¯

    I bit my lower lip due to her sudden appearance.

    It is all because of her that I couldn¡¯t believe and felt uneasy while receiving Lexion¡¯s attention.

    Seirin Aden Werbel.

    [T/N: It is pronounced as Sae//rin Ah-den Ver//bel]

    Because she¡¯s the heroine of this novel.

    She stood at the entrance of the banquet hall in an elegant manner, her hair was braided that resembled the blue sea, and was waiting for the introduction of the gate guard.

    She had a gorgeous appearance that you¡¯ll notice right away.

    In particular, her bright green eyes sparkled like emeralds.

    Next to her stood Crown Prince Cronus.

    In a short while, the gate guard shouted.

    ¡°The Crown Prince Cronos Adenberbel and Her Royal Highness Seirin Aden Werbel are entering!¡±

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12

    The appearance of Seirin and Cronos had all eyes on them.

    Seirin¡¯s eyes were on Lexion.

    I looked at Lexion with anxiety.

    He, too, is staring at Seirin.

    My hands trembled when I saw Lexion and Seirin¡¯s eyes met.

    She came this way slowly.

    Lexion clasped my hand tightly.

    He seemed to feel my hands shaking.

    Seirin and Cronos came out and stood in front of Lexion.

    It was Cronos who spoke to him first.

    He looked very uncomfortable.

    ¡°I wondered why you refused so coldly, there is a woman you have hidden.¡±

    The blue hair of Cronos is particularly noticeable.

    His emerald rusty eyes looked over me casually and turned to Lexion.

    His wistful voice is aimed at Lexion.

    Although they were close friends as children, the political interests between them alienated each other.

    Cronos looked at Lexion high-handedly, not hiding his good enmity.

    Lexion had a calm expression on his face.

    ¡°Greetings to the Crown Prince Cronos Adenberbel, the cub of the Aden Empire.¡±

    ¡°Heee.¡±

    Cronos snorted with a pompous look.

    Seirin smiled softly and said kindly.

    ¡°If I knew you already had a partner, I wouldn¡¯t have put you in trouble. I¡¯m sorry, Lord Lexion.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no trouble from it. I¡¯m the one who should be apologizing.¡±

    Cronos snorted once again at his thoughtful reply.

    I¡¯m just standing next to Lexion with my head down, unable to do anything at all.

    I wanted to withdraw, but Lexion didn¡¯t let me go.

    Cronos scoffed at me, put his hand on my cheeks, perhaps because of my appearance.

    ¡°You¡¯re a woman with bad manners.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Raise your head if you¡¯re not a bum.¡±

    I looked up reluctantly at Cronus¡¯ aristocratic command.

    Cronos ruminated on my face for a long time and grumbled.

    ¡°You¡¯re more of a little girl than I thought. Is Seirin behind a woman who is like this, Lexion?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not just mince.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    When Lexion spoke back, Cronos¡¯ forehead wrinkled.

    He looks even worse when he is angry all the time.

    In between, I pulled Lexion¡¯s sleeve, wondering what to do.

    It was a sign not to, but Lexion didn¡¯t back down.

    ¡°My partner has always been this woman.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it.¡±

    Cronos gave him a cold look as if he didn¡¯t even want to react.

    Seirin¡¯s gaze stayed on Lexion¡¯s sleeve for a while and quietly shifted.

    Cronos¡¯ face showed signs of disapproval.

    He looked furious because he couldn¡¯t pick a fight.

    On the other hand, Lexion¡¯s expression is so serene.

    That made Cronos even angrier.

    Cronos¡¯ attention went on me.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you before. Where are you from?¡±

    With the words, Cronos¡¯ big hands reached my face.

    But he couldn¡¯t reach my chin and just stopped.

    Lexion shut him up and coolly spoke up.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so hard on my partner.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t understand what was happening in front of me, so I raised my eyes wide.

    Perhaps the same is true of Cronos, whose eyes grew like a flower lamp, and soon crumpled his face mercilessly.

    Lexion held Cronos¡¯ hand strongly.

    There was silence.

    Silent eyes.

    His eyes grew deeper and darker than the abyss and looked through Cronos.

    Cronos flinched and fluttered, then he soon retorted sharply.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you let go of me, Duke Sparrow.¡±

    He roared, calling Lexion bitterly.

    Seeing his arms tremble, Lexion seemed to be blocking it with force.

    I took a step back.

    Moments later, Seirin interrupted them by blocking them.

    ¡°Stop it, brother. Sir Lexion, please let go.¡±

    Lexion gently let go when Cronus shook his hand roughly.

    Cronos couldn¡¯t make a slight impression because his wrist was stiff.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like she¡¯s going to get hurt, but why are you making such a fuss? If I touch her, will she die?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    Lexion didn¡¯t answer and hid me behind his back.

    I laid my eyes on his back.

    Before, as Tiarozety did in her previous life, she trembled with this familiar fear.

    Lexion¡¯s expression darkened when he felt my body tremble.

    ¡°Sir Lexion¡­.¡±

    Then Seirin talked to Lexion in a slow tone.

    But that was it.

    She hesitated about what she was about to say.

    In response, Lexion gave her a celebratory greeting.

    Though his voice is very dry.

    ¡°Congratulations on your coming of age, Princess Seirin.¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡­¡­.¡±

    Seirin responded heartlessly to Lexion¡¯s indifferent response.

    I watched the suspense between them.

    The scene of the reunion was very stiff.

    The atmosphere is too rigid to be called the fate of the main characters.

    Lexion held my hand and bowed his head lightly and said goodbye.

    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve seen your face, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­.¡±

    ¡°Have a good time, Your Highness.¡±

    Seirin stood helpless due to his blunt response.

    Cronos growled, holding on to Lexion.

    ¡°You¡¯re going just like that? Aren¡¯t you here for the last day of the banquet?

    ¡°I haven¡¯t recovered from my fatigue yet.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you have a lot of excuses!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to look at you, so get the hell out of here.¡±

    Cronos turned his head roughly.

    Lexion bowed silently and left the banquet hall.

    I looked back as I was being dragged away by Lexion.

    Then me and Seirin¡¯s eyes met.

    Seirin is looking at me with a strange expression.

    Next to him, Cronos is grinding his teeth and glaring at Lexion.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to look at.¡±

    Lexion spoke casually.

    I looked at the back of his head and looked back and said.

    ¡°However¡­.¡±

    At the end of my gaze, I saw Gregory with his hair like a mess.

    He is not Lexion when he is leaving the banquet hall like this.

    Even I, not a nobleman, found this kind of behavior from him rude.

    But why would Lexion do this¡­.?

    I thought it would be impossible for us to reach the royal palace garden, so I called him while walking.

    ¡°D-Duke.¡±

    ¡°Zion.¡±

    He looked back at my face as if he didn¡¯t like me calling him with his title.

    He is particularly obsessed with pet names, so I corrected my appellation to him.

    ¡°Z-Zion, can we really go just like this?¡±

    I let go of Lexion¡¯s hand.

    He then mumbled, wiping his mouth with his hands.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I should stay any longer.¡±

    ¡°Why? We just got here¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°You were shaking.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ It¡¯s my first time seeing the Imperial family after all¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your first time you say?¡±

    Lexion looked down at me, grabbing me while I said those words.

    At that moment, the moonlight shone on us.

    The coziness of the garden looked like showing off its existence to us.

    The way he looked down at me was so sweet and cold.

    As if he knew I was lying.

    He didn¡¯t answer at the end of my sentence.

    I turned my eyes away without saying a single word.

    I thought Lexion knew something, so my heart pounded.

    All I could say are excuses.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had signed up for partnership. Did I steal her seat because I wanted to go to the banquet? The Duke is in trouble because of me¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°You are not a bother for me.¡±

    Lexion retorted, cutting my words.

    He went on to say as I kept avoiding looking into his eyes.

    ¡°I wanted to dance with you from the very beginning.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t you who tried to take it away, it was the princess.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean¡­¡­¡­?¡±

    Surprised by his unbelievable words, I looked up, but he had already looked at my eyes.

    Lexion did not reply.

    I just pulled my hand back.

    He didn¡¯t know when I told him it¡¯s my first time, but I felt good inside.

    I am so happy that he thought he wanted to do something with me.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    With that, I took another step.

    The cool wind went over the ball.

    My steps that touched the floor fluttered.

    It felt weird as if I was walking in a dream.

    I pondered to myself.

    ¡®From the beginning. It is you.¡¯

    His words filled my mind and touched my heart.

    I just couldn¡¯t stop my mouth from making a smile.

    So I covered my mouth with my hands and hid my happiness.

    I¡¯m glad it¡¯s dark.

    If it had been bright, he might have caught my thoughts soon enough.

    The nights that always mean to me, are on my side today.

    I lowered my head to hide my reddened cheeks.

    There has been no word between us since then, but the air is as warm as my heart.

    * * *

    The banquet is over.

    Originally, Lexion was supposed to return to the North, but he was accompanied by the search for the Esol disaster, so he could not easily leave the capital.

    The imperial family bothered him by asking him to come and go frequently, even though it was not a disaster.

    Thanks to this, we were already in the capital for nearly 15 days.

    The situation in which Esols had already been declared extinct in the capital.

    People were terrified to hear the news of the evil dragon¡¯s tragedy.

    Fear came to the power of the evil dragon, which gets stronger day by day.

    Everyone is so relieved because the capital city is the safest place.

    The evil dragon has not been heard of since the Esol disaster.

    The empire is quiet as the evil dragon- the scourge of the empire, who went into hiding.

    As time went by, the tragedy of Esol, which had been sparkling and popular, has already been forgotten by people.

    Lexion entered the palace in the morning, and did not return to the castle until evening.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13

    While Lexion was busy with his work, I stayed at the Sparrow¡¯s family villa and was treated with utmost respect.

    The servants were really kind to me.

    ¡°Is the food to your liking, Miss Tiarozetti?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a warm bath for you. You¡¯ll be able to sleep well after relaxing.¡±

    ¡°If there is a place you would like to see, please feel free to tell me. I¡¯ll accompany you.¡±

    It was a completely different reaction from my previous life.

    In the past, everyone treated me like someone who would stay only for a while¡­

    Even in this peaceful daily life, my role was to wait for him to come home.

    Just as Tiarozetti did in the novel.

    In fact, I could go outside with my ring on, but somehow I didn¡¯t feel like it.

    I was feeling really frustrated.

    I couldn¡¯t go back to my original world; the longer I stayed here, the more despondent I felt.

    Time passed without meaning, and I was anxious since the book still didn¡¯t appear.

    I fell asleep every night after hearing the sound of Lexion coming home.

    Even if it was meaningless, I knowingly waited impatiently.

    It was a habit I had developed after entering the book to fall asleep only after hearing him coming back.

    It¡¯s because I was trained by Tiarozetti¡¯s habits from the original novel.

    But there was another difference.

    The sound of his footsteps passed my room.

    As if announcing his arrival.

    It wasn¡¯t like I was trying to run away, but he came to me every night and I pretend not to know.

    But thanks to that, I was able to sleep and have a pleasant dream.

    An intermittent pat, like something as warm and cozy as a fluffy bed.

    A soft touch that felt like a comfortable breeze.

    It felt like a dream I would forget after waking up.

    I¡¯ve spent a long time being her, which made me the perfect Tiarozetti.

    It was easy to act like her even without the book.

    By the time I was able to get used to the exhausting routine, I released all the tension that had been building up before.

    It was purely my mistake to fall into that ridiculous trap.

    It happened during Daisy¡¯s brief absence.

    The maid, who was usually behind Daisy, handed me a letter.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozetti, the Duke dental letter.¡±

    ¡°The Duke?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The messenger asked that you read it and send an immediate response.¡±

    When I opened the letter the maid gave me, the content wrote about not staying alone in the mansion and going out for a walk together.

    ¡°Hasn¡¯t the Duke been busy the last few days?¡±

    ¡°He must have made some time. Should we get ready?¡±

    At her question, I nodded and prepared to go out.

    I was excited thinking he was done with all his busy work.

    I didn¡¯t know it was a trap.

    The maid led me somewhere.

    And when I got to the place, I froze.

    It wasn¡¯t Lexion who was waiting for me.

    ¡°Did she come?¡±

    A blue-haired man stared at me and grinned.

    ¡®Kronos, why¡­¡¯

    He has never been nice to me, not in my previous life nor this one. I was in trouble.

    When I looked back, the maid had already disappeared.

    It was then that I realized that I had fallen into a trap, and I had to deal with Kronos alone.

    As soon as I saw him, all I could think was ¡®I¡¯m screwed.¡¯

    No matter how quiet my daily life was, I shouldn¡¯t have forgotten.

    Lexion has too many enemies.

    And to Kronos-who holds a high stake among his enemies-I forgot what a delicious prey I was.

    I was mad at myself for being so stupid.

    ¡®I assimilated the role of Tiarozetti so much that I fell into such an obvious trap?¡¯

    If you can learn, shouldn¡¯t you absolutely avoid these traps?

    However, blaming myself right wouldn¡¯t change the situation.

    I clasped the letter in my hand until it was crumpled.

    I ran into him without Lexion so I can¡¯t tell how harsh he would treat me.

    But all I could do was straighten my back so I wouldn¡¯t feel uncomfortable.

    ¡°I see a little lion of the Empire.¡±

    Kronos stretched out his hand gracefully and raised my head.

    He looked down at me with an arrogant face.

    Kronos Aden Werbel.

    The Emperor¡¯s biological son and Seirin¡¯s older brother.

    The member of the royal family was warier of Lexion than the Emperor himself.

    He was one of those who wanted to bring down Lexion more than anyone else.

    ¡°You must be disappointed.¡±

    Kronos muttered as if it was amusing.

    I squeezed the letter in my hands.

    Perhaps it wasn¡¯t from Lexion but him.

    All of a sudden I felt like a criminal, kneeling at his feet.

    He asked arrogantly, crossing his legs.

    ¡°Gregory said you were a distant relative of Lexion. Where did you live before?¡±

    I was aware of that information but it still dug into my chest bitterly.

    I was-after all-a a distant relative of Lexion in this life.

    Because I didn¡¯t do anything other than that just to stay by his side.

    A dark-haired, blue-eyed woman.

    A peasant young girl who has never entered the capital¡¯s socialite.

    Someone with the blood of Duke Sparrow but no direct line.

    Though, Lexion¡¯s cute younger sister.

    That was Tiarozetti Isol, no, Tiarozetti Sparrow.

    ¡°I was living in the South.¡±

    I barely opened my mouth to answer.

    Each word was as difficult and tiring as stepping on thin ice.

    Memories of the past were overlapping on Kronos.

    Before returning-after learning that I was of the Isol tribe-Lexion was hated by the imperial family.

    All the blame fell on Lexion.

    Lexion was often sent into difficult monster subjugations as if he had been degraded. Each time he did one, the wounds on his body increased.

    Despite imperial pressure to hand over Isol¡¯s descendant, he stubbornly refused to send her to the Imperial Family, claiming that he wouldn¡¯t do it if Tiarozetti didn¡¯t want to go.

    But he never said anything, and after belatedly hearing the whole story, Tiarozetti went on her own to the Imperial Family and claimed that she no longer wanted to be a bother to Lexion.

    She went to them knowing they would take advantage of her, but the reality was disastrous.

    Tiarozetti went through all sorts of hardships she had never experienced before.

    Still, she didn¡¯t want to show weakness, so she laughed brightly whenever she ran into Lexion. He didn¡¯t know until later what she was going through.

    I experienced the same things as Tiarozetti did.

    Then, when Lexion said that he would form an evil dragon subjugation group, I joined, waiting for my ending.

    Only to die on his behalf.

    Tiarozetti¡¯s life was a thorny path.

    And as a traveler, I just kept walking on it.

    But the thought of having to do it again made my blood run cold.

    I didn¡¯t want to go back to the Royal Family.

    I didn¡¯t want to repeat the hardships I went through there.

    ¡®Why is Tiarozetti having such a hard time? She deserves to be happy¡­¡¯

    My body trembled as I remembered the past.

    Then Kronos asked bluntly.

    ¡°What did I do to make you tremble like that?¡±

    He seemed to think I was frightened.

    Actually, I was angry.

    As I didn¡¯t answer, he continued speaking.

    ¡°You know, I think it¡¯s a very unusual situation, don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    He grabbed my jaw roughly before I could answer anything.

    He falsely accused me.

    ¡°You should use your right to remain silent.¡±

    Kronos spoke in a sarcastic tone.

    Startled, I tried to protest but I closed my mouth.

    I was afraid of making a mistake by recklessly saying something, not knowing what to say next.

    However, Kronos was a worse man than I thought.

    A moment later, his hand slapped my cheek.

    In the silence, a fricative sound rumbled.

    My cheek was burning.

    The escort knights standing next to him were vigilant about their surroundings.

    They didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of stopping Kronos¡¯ actions.

    I put my hand on the slapped cheek. The heat was rising.

    But without giving me a moment to feel pain, he again held me by my jaw and spoke as if growling.

    ¡°Do you want to be around Duke Sparrow with that mixed blood? How arrogant!¡±

    ¡°This¡­what the¡­¡±

    Slap!

    ¡°Are you talking back to me? This treacherous thing!¡±

    ¡°Uukk.¡±

    Both cheeks were sore.

    This time I bit my tongue and could feel the metallic taste of blood in my mouth.

    Kronos let go of my jaw roughly and nodded at the knights next to him.

    Two knights held me from both sides.

    I guess he didn¡¯t mean to send me back, no matter what my reaction was.

    I glared at him but he had already turned around.

    ¡°She dares to despise the Imperial Family, take her to the imperial prison now!¡±

    With those words, Kronos flapped his cloak and left.

    ¡°Yes! We will heed your orders!¡±

    The knights replied stiffly and dragged me somewhere.

    ¡°That damn Kronos.¡±

    I mumbled low, patting my throbbing cheek.

    In a dark prison-unable to tell whether it was day or night- I cursed Kronos without hesitation.

    Even after being imprisoned, I didn¡¯t have any uninjured spots on my body due to the continuous beatings.

    After being left unattended for a long time and being beaten, I had almost completely lost my mind.

    They treated me like an animal.

    A damp musty smell filled the dark prison.

    Every time I opened my mouth, the hardened crusts around my lips ripped and ached.

    The shackles on my legs tightened on my ankles, making them tingle.

    The chains were so heavy that it was difficult to move, even iron beads were attached to them.

    I grinded my teeth.

    My situation was too clear.

    Kronos had the power to wield me at will, and I wasn¡¯t.

    The difference was bitterly unfair.

    I held up the shackles once. As soon as I let go, a noise rang.

    Clank.

    In the darkness without a single light, only a gloomy sound filled everything.

    Lying on the cold ground, I quietly stroked my cheek.

    A cold, heavy silence.

    A place with no people around was the kind of place Tiarozetti couldn¡¯t bear.

    ¡®But not me.¡¯

    I wouldn¡¯t let my mind be swayed.

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14

    I was sick and tired of acting like Tiarozetti.

    A character that can only endure even while facing such an unfair thing.

    I bit my lower lip, recalling the face of the maid who guided me to Kronos.

    Among the kind servants, she was rather careless.

    She may have been plotting something next to me, but since I only focused on Lexion, I let it slide.

    ¡®I¡¯m not going to leave you alone if I go back. I can¡¯t stand the unfairness anymore.¡¯

    I went through a lot while thinking I would be able to return to my original world.

    After all, I had hope that I could go back.

    But now I wasn¡¯t sure.

    I didn¡¯t know if it was right to go home, or even if I wanted to go back.

    ¡®If the book doesn¡¯t show up, wouldn¡¯t it be fine to do whatever I want?¡¯

    I was planning to get revenge properly when I returned.

    Suddenly, a sound was heard.

    My body trembled, wondering if it was someone who came to torture me again.

    All my thoughts would be in vain if I couldn¡¯t get out of this place.

    If dying like this was my role in this life, then I¡¯ll be going back for sure.

    After a bit of time, light poured down with a strange sound, like scraping of an old iron door.

    I scrunched my face instinctively.

    I felt blinded by the sudden light I saw.

    My eyes were too much used to the darkness.

    ¡°Ha, that damn bastard.¡±

    Someone looked at me and cursed.

    I guess I was so messed up that seeing me right now was kinda sad.

    Somehow, it hurt so badly.

    As I got used to the light, blonde hair stood out at a glance.

    In fact, from the moment I heard that voice, I knew it was Gregory.

    ¡°Pri¡ª Prince Gre¡ª Gregory¡­?¡±

    He frowned, even more, when he heard my cracked voice.

    He beckoned to the knights behind me, and the knights loosened the shackles from my feet.

    My ankles tingled with a sense of freedom.

    I wanted to get up, but I couldn¡¯t.

    I frowned.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t stand up.¡±

    Eventually, I was carried on a stretcher. I worked my eyes and looked around.

    Unfortunately, Lexion wasn¡¯t around.

    As if it was written on my face, Gregory came up to me and said,

    ¡°He¡¯s not in the capital right now. It¡¯s been a week since he disappeared to find your whereabouts.¡±

    ¡°What do you¡­¡±

    ¡°Why is that useless¡­!¡±

    Gregory tried to shout with an angry face but caught his breath.

    He seemed to think that it wasn¡¯t me he should be mad at.

    I stared blankly at him and muttered in a low voice.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°No. Why would you apologize? It¡¯s that blue worm¡¯s fault.¡±

    Gregory shook his head low and ruffled his hair.

    The blue worm he was talking about was probably Kronos- because he has blue hair.

    Of course, the Emperor also had blue hair, so that statement was a little dangerous.

    But without hesitation, Gregory was cursing the Imperial Family itself.

    Still, I was a little grateful for him for getting angry on my behalf.

    ¡®No. Calling him a blue worm wasn¡¯t enough. That¡¯s an insult to blue. Yeah, saying it¡¯s a molded color would be better¡­¡¯

    The relief of being rescued made me think of something silly.

    I closed my eyes, thinking I could rest comfortably now.

    * * *

    When I arrived safely at the mansion, a Duke¡¯s vassal rushed to see me.

    I was taken to my room and received treatment while Gregory went elsewhere.

    I leaned against the head of the bed with a cast on my broken arm.

    My ankles were hurting with shackle marks.

    It was sure to become a bruise soon.

    My condition was not that bad compared to the pain I felt.

    I had scratches and muscle aches everywhere, but it wasn¡¯t enough to lie down yet.

    ¡®This is all they beat you¡­ Tiarozetti isn¡¯t as weak as I thought.¡¯

    While she was having such sad thoughts, Daisy shed tears like someone was cutting onions.

    ¡°How could you go out alone without a word¡­? If you are feeling bored then you should tell me.¡±

    Next to Daisy, a maid was looking at me with an anxious face.

    She was pretending to be okay, but she must have been nervous.

    She was the maid who handed me the fake letter.

    I thought she would have run away right away, but seeing that she didn¡¯t do it, it seems like she may have thought that I wouldn¡¯t come back alive.

    That was even more frustrating.

    ¡°I¡¯ll¡ª I¡¯ll bring you water right away!¡±

    The maid frantically tried to get out of the room.

    It was obvious that she was trying to run away.

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    The maid flinched at my call.

    If it was the original Tiarozetti, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to say a word because I would have been scared, even if it was an unfair situation.

    It was because she was such a silly and kind woman that she thought there must be a reason why someone acted that way and tried to be considerate of others.

    So, staying still here might be the direction the original plot wanted.

    ¡®But do I really have to stay still?¡¯

    This was a scene Tiarozetti shouldn¡¯t have been in originally.

    Should I have to act like a coward even in a situation like this?

    The book broke its promise and didn¡¯t send me back, but it was too harsh to impose obligations on me alone.

    I asked, staring at the maid coolly.

    ¡°You have nothing to say to me?¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ª What are you¡­!¡±

    The maid screamed in surprise.

    It was a voice that was close to crying.

    From the look in her eyes, it was obvious that she wanted to pretend not to know.

    Daisy looked at me and the maid alternately with a startled face.

    I gazed at her with more calm eyes than ever.

    I, who always bowed my head timidly, was staring directly at her eyes, the maid flinched.

    She wouldn¡¯t know.

    Now that there is no book, I can do whatever I want.

    Even though I did what the book told me to do, I returned.

    And now the book¡¯s missing.

    Even in this situation, I didn¡¯t want to be treated unfairly.

    I wanted to act of my own volition at least once.

    At least for a moment, I can do that.

    ¡°Daisy ¡±

    ¡°Yes, Miss.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t go out alone.¡±

    ¡°Mi¡ª Miss!! Wait a moment¡­!¡±

    The maid¡¯s pupils trembled at my words.

    She begged with stunned eyes.

    Daisy¡¯s face stiffened at the suspicious situation.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t go out alone? Then with whom¡­¡±

    Without hesitation, I pointed straight at the maid and told the truth.

    I didn¡¯t want to make a fuss, so my words were shortened.

    ¡°She took me to the Crown Prince.¡±

    ¡°Miss Tiarozetti! When did I ever!¡ª¡±

    The maid jumped up and protested as if it was a false accusation.

    It seems that she decided to insist on her lie.

    I purposely shed tears while avoiding the gaze of the maid with a nasty look on her face.

    I didn¡¯t forget to keep the tone of my voice a little more frightened than usual.

    ¡°You gave me a letter and asked me to go with you¡­¡±

    Daisy¡¯s expression sharpened at my solemn acting.

    The maid turned deadly pale and waved her hand.

    ¡°No! Daisy, I really didn¡¯t do that!¡±

    ¡°Woo! So you¡¯re saying I lied?¡±

    As I cried and appealed, the maid¡¯s face turned even paler.

    So why are you reacting like that? Let¡¯s see what happens to you.

    I lowered my head even more and wept bitterly.

    Daisy came over to me, rubbed my shoulder, and asked softly.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozetti, are you sure?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not! Daisy!¡±

    The maid kept shouting furiously, but I nodded quietly.

    Looking at Daisy¡¯s expression, it seemed like the winning spot had already leaned towards me.

    I looked at her sadly once more.

    The maid continued to insist on her innocence.

    I lowered my gaze and gave a decisive blow.

    ¡°She brought me a letter from the Duke and we went out together¡­ but then she left me alone.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ That¡­!¡±

    As I spoke, the maid shouted and stuttered without knowing what to say.

    Daisy¡¯s face was already cold.

    In a moment, she rang the bell to let the other attendant come in.

    As the attendant came in, Daisy ordered in a stern voice.

    ¡°Put her in the dungeon, find out what happened.¡±

    At Daisy¡¯s clear instructions, the servants grabbed the maid and dragged her away.

    The maid glared at me, asking how I could do this, but I avoided her gaze.

    If I were the original Tiarozetti, I would have felt sorry for the maid, but today, I didn¡¯t want to do that.

    It was just too much to be treated like that.

    The injured area was still sore and hurting.

    Daisy came closer again and asked.

    ¡°Just in case, do you have the letter?¡±

    ¡°It was stolen¡­¡±

    As I replied sullenly, Daisy clasped my unbroken hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I trust Miss Tiarozetti.¡±

    A side of my heart was warmed by the soothing words full of faithfulness.

    ¡®Even in my previous life, only you were by my side. That¡¯s what I was really thankful for.¡¯

    Tears welled up in my eyes, and Daisy wiped the corners of my eyes, giving me a sad look.

    Looking at Daisy blankly, I asked.

    ¡°By the way, the Duke¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯ll be here soon.¡±

    Daisy gave a friendly reply, pulling up the blanket.

    Somehow, she seemed to be trying to turn the subject.

    Then anxiety arose.

    I wondered if something had happened to Lexion.

    I muttered sullenly.

    ¡°Soon¡­ what do you mean? Where did he go?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Daisy¡¯s lips twitched at my question.

    It was obvious that she was wondering whether to say it or not.

    I looked at her and made a sad face.

    At this, Daisy came closer, looking around, and whispered.

    ¡°Actually¡­ The Duke went out to find Miss Tiarozetti, and his whereabouts are unknown.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t control my facial expressions anymore.

    Year 408 of Aden, 28th day of the 6th month. Tiarozetti Sparrow is missing.

    When Gregory heard the news, he was immediately concerned about the condition of his close friend.

    It was because Lexion-who acted unusually at his work-came to mind.

    When Tiarozetti-who should have been in the mansion, disappeared, Lexion began to search the capital like a madman.

    He wandered around for three days, but Tiarozetti was nowhere to be seen.

    Lexion was almost going insane.

    It was an uncharacteristically emotional response.

    Gregory didn¡¯t understand such a friend.

    He was always a rational and wise man.

    He was also an honest subject who could resist the Imperial Family¡¯s injustice with upright standards.

    However, after Tiarozetti Isol appeared, he became a completely different person.

    No, even before she appeared, this guy was suddenly doing things he had never done before.

    So Gregory asked sharply, not understanding anything.

    ¡°Why the hell are you doing this? Is she worth that much?¡±

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15

    ¡°Shut up. You don¡¯t know anything, Greg.¡±

    Lexion murmured in a sullen tone with a disheveled appearance.

    The neat appearance was gone, and only an exhausted friend remained.

    It was the first time he looked that devastated.

    Gregory laughed when he realized that it was all because of a woman named Tiarozetti Isol.

    ¡®The world¡¯s best man, Lexion, is acting like this just because of a woman?¡¯

    What confused Gregory the most was their relationship.

    Tiarozetti Isol said that their first meeting was in the South.

    However, looking at Lexion¡¯s behavior, it seemed that the two had already had a relationship.

    ¡°Is that her? Is she the one you were looking for?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°You have to tell me, if not, I won¡¯t be able to help you. If you, who should have already returned to the North, are still here, it¡¯s only good for the Imperial Family.¡±

    ¡°Even if I told you, you wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±

    Lexion pushed Gregory away and tried to leave the room.

    He seemed to be going to look for Tiarozetti again.

    ¡°Where are you going?! You don¡¯t even know where she is!¡±

    Angry, Gregory grabbed Lexion and stopped him.

    Then Lexion growled wildly.

    ¡°Move.¡±

    Gregory had said it was nonsense when Lexion came and told him that he had to go south immediately.

    Nevertheless, it was because of his trust that he readily followed his words.

    And when he saw a pile of Isol¡¯s corpses in the South, Gregory wondered if his friend had any foresight.

    After that, Lexion¡¯s bizarre behavior continued.

    ¡°Report that there are no survivors to the imperial family?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s safer for her.¡±

    ¡°Lexion, if you get caught you¡¯d be in trouble. And I¡¯ll be in trouble too, you know.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know. If you get caught, say you didn¡¯t know. It¡¯ll be fine if you tell them it was my plan.¡±

    He even tried to cover the eyes of the imperial family.

    All of this was because of Tiarozetti Isol.

    Was that all?

    Gregory was so surprised when Lexion turned down Seirin¡¯s request and made Tiarozetti his partner.

    In Gregory¡¯s eyes, Tiarozetti was a pretty woman, but because of her timid personality, he wasn¡¯t attracted to her.

    The empire was overflowing with more beautiful women, and among them, Seirin was by far the best.

    Of course, it was easy for Gregory to hide Tiarozetti¡¯s existence.

    Because the Black Knights are under Lexion¡¯s command, and the Knights under his direct control were highly loyal, they were able to completely hide Tiarozetti¡¯s existence.

    As a result, the Isol tribe died.

    This was the conclusion reached after 10 days of arguing.

    When the Emperor acted so delighted after hearing that there was no Isol tribe left, Gregory could finally understand why Lexion was so eager to hide her existence.

    If a race lived in groups, the Empire couldn¡¯t treat them recklessly, but when there was only one tribe left, it was easy to suppress.

    ¡°Is there really no one left?¡±

    The Emperor must have aimed for that to happen and asked again.

    Gregory knew that case would be over and Lexion would return to the North.

    But in the midst of this, that woman suddenly disappeared.

    Lexion remained silent, even though the Imperial Family told him to stop and return to the North.

    Even now, the Imperial Family was constantly warning him to return.

    This was because Sparrow, who had as much support as the imperial family, kept dawdling around the capital.

    The Emperor had a particular hatred for Lexion.

    Where the reason came from, Gregory did not know.

    Gregory sighed and was about to quietly appease Lexion.

    ¡°I¡¯ll look for her, so first go back to the north¡­¡±

    Flap¡ª Tok. Tok.

    Before Gregory could finish speaking, a bird pecked at the window with its beak.

    The two naturally shifted their gaze to the direction of the sound.

    A bluebird was knocking on the window.

    A note hung from the bird¡¯s leg.

    It was a carrier bird.

    Lexion quickly approached and opened the note and read it.

    As he read, his face turned pale.

    Moments later, he stormed out of the room without Gregory being able to stop him.

    After that, the whereabouts of Lexion became unknown.

    With no other choice, Gregory began to track Tiarozetti¡¯s whereabouts by himself.

    He thought that if he tracked her down, he would be able to find Lexion.

    Fortunately, she was in the capital.

    That smart guy lost his mind, so he must have been looking somewhere else.

    He even felt a little bad knowing his friend was rambling somewhere as if her existence had disappeared.

    He wasn¡¯t like the old Lexion, and Gregory guessed the reason he changed.

    Her whereabouts were relatively close.

    Gregory, who often interacted with women, frequently heard rumors and information among court ladies.

    Hearing an interesting story from a maid staying at Kronos¡¯ palace, he thought it was an unexpected clue.

    Rumor has it that Crown Prince Kronos went out every night and returned very late.

    Gregory intuitively thought it was something that smelled fishy.

    Especially because of the attitude he had towards Tiarozetti in Seirin¡¯s debutant ball.

    And when he realized what the madman had done, he immediately tracked down the place.

    Tiarozetti was in a dungeon inside the Imperial Palace.

    To put a slender woman in a place where only heinous criminals were imprisoned.

    Gregory hastily rescued her.

    He didn¡¯t know she¡¯d end like that. As soon as he found her, Gregory was struck with embarrassment.

    ¡°What is this¡­¡±

    He thought he just needed to hear a word of thanks from Lexion after he returned, that¡¯s why he tried his best to find the woman.

    And he was to safely return her to the Sparrow mansion and leave it at that¡­

    But in the meantime, Lexion had already caused a very huge accident.

    Gregory, who had stood in shock, suddenly came to his senses.

    ¡°Lexion Sparrow! Stop it!¡±

    Then, he stopped Lexion, who mercilessly hit the already blood-stained Kronos.

    His eyes were bloodshot.

    He looked as if he was going to kill Kronos right away.

    The sight sent chills down Gregory¡¯s spine.

    He didn¡¯t seem like the Lexion he knew.

    Lexion¡¯s appearance was very strange.

    If the blood on his clothes was Lexion¡¯s blood, he would¡¯ve already died from excessive bleeding.

    Seeing the blood dripping through his sleeve, it looked like he had some of his blood mixed with it.

    ¡°Shut up, Gregory. That bastard, I¡¯m going to kill him right now.¡±

    Lexion glared at him with sharp eyes.

    Kronos had already fainted.

    At this rate, he looked like he would kill Kronos and start a rebellion.

    Gregory shouted, pulling Kronos away from him.

    ¡°Are you crazy? No matter how hard it is to look at him, he¡¯s a royal. He¡¯s the Crown Prince! Get a hold of yourself, dude!¡±

    ¡°You want me to calm down!? I did everything this bastard asked me to, just to keep Titi safe.¡±

    ¡°What does that¡­¡±

    ¡°I knew he was sending me to the brim of death, but I begged with all my might ¡­I did!¡±

    Lexion screamed wildly and kicked something that was lying on the floor.

    A clear sound echoed through the hall, unsuitable for the bloody atmosphere.

    Only then did the stones noticeably roll on the floor.

    ¡®Why is Knox in this place¡­?¡¯

    Gregory looked at Lexion with a bemused face.

    Lexion was crying.

    Clear tears flowed down his blood-stained face.

    He didn¡¯t know what the hell this idiot was talking about, causing Lexion to lose his mind and run wild.

    His shoulders were trembling so much that it felt very miserable.

    Gregory looked down at the floor again.

    The countless stones rolling on the floor were ¡®Knox.¡¯

    It was a mana stone called ¡°the heart of monsters¡±, its abilities vary greatly depending on the level of the monster.

    It was a rare material mainly used for weapons.

    It was a rare stone that only came out about one in ten, so it was very difficult to find.

    And now there were so many precious stones scattered on the floor.

    By estimating the amount, it was possible to know how many monsters he had killed during the time he disappeared.

    He, the greatest, was shaking his arms, and by the looks of it, he seemed to have entered the monster¡¯s cave of his own volition.

    ¡°Why did I come back?¡±

    Lexion talked in an unfamiliar, sorrowful voice and covered his eyes with his hand.

    A suffocating sob sounded quiet.

    The gloomy voice seemed to have fallen into despair.

    Around the time the cries subsided, Lexion pulled out the sword from his waist and spoke fiercely.

    ¡°So get out of the way. I¡¯m gonna kill that bastard and I¡¯m gonna die after that.¡±

    Gregory quickly shouted out knowing Lexion was really going to kill Kronos.

    ¡°Calm down! Tiarozetti isn¡¯t even dead, so why are you doing this!?¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    At Gregory¡¯s words, Lexion came to halt and froze.

    The face that seemed to not listen for any reason no matter how hard he tried to stop him, broke down immediately.

    There was a small light shining in the deep, dark eyes that had been in despair.

    Seeing his reaction, Gregory looked at him in surprise and asked, guessing what Kronos had said to him.

    ¡°¡­Did this bastard say that the woman was dead?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not! She¡¯s not dead! I just left her in your mansion, you damn idiot!¡±

    ¡°In the video she obviously¡­¡±

    Lexion replied, staggering.

    Gregory let out a deep sigh as he leaned restlessly on the pillar.

    It was crystal clear what kind of prank the Crown Prince played with the video stone.

    ¡°That bastard, his specialty is magic. Those kinds of deceptions are a piece of cake for him.¡±

    ¡°Ha, haha¡­¡±

    Lexion laughed like a madman.

    That was unpredictable.

    As Gregory approached him concerned, he muttered low.

    ¡°Thank God. I¡¯m so glad.¡±

    ¡°Ha, you crazy bastard¡­¡±

    Gregory cursed under his breath at Lexion¡¯s absurd words.

    It was ridiculous that the first word of relief was said in this situation.

    ¡®How could you say that when you turned the Crown Prince of an Empire into such a mess¡¯

    Gregory stared at Kronos lying on the floor.

    ¡°No matter how angry you are, how could you hit someone whose title is Crown Prince like that?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m crazy too. No, I think I¡¯m going crazy.¡±

    Lexion clasped his head and groaned.

    It seemed that he had finally understood the situation.

    Gregory looked dumbfounded at his friend and said the words he was keeping inside.

    ¡°You¡¯ve become really weird.¡±

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16

    ¡°¡­If you don¡¯t go crazy, you won¡¯t be able to survive here.¡±

    ¡°You pathetic bastard.¡±

    Gregory muttered as he hit Lexion hard on the head.

    He¡¯s seen a lot of guys go insane because of women, but he didn¡¯t think that one of those guys would be Lexion.

    Gregory let out a maid, trembling in the corner.

    First of all, it was necessary to persuade her, who knew about everything, and watch her words.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t come to the Imperial Palace today.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I was the one who beat him and let¡¯s assume that you went to the demon¡¯s den at my request. That Knox is enough for evidence.¡±

    ¡°Gregory.¡±

    Lexion calmly called out Gregory, who spitted his plan like a rapid-fire gun.

    Gregory responded with a pat on the shoulder as if not to worry.

    ¡°Even if this bastard wakes up anyway, Tiarozetti is already in your castle, so there won¡¯t be anything to say.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t have any hostages, this guy can¡¯t threaten you. He wouldn¡¯t be able to confess that he kidnapped and imprisoned an innocent person with his own mouth¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this. I just¡­¡±

    Lexion shook his head and grabbed Gregory¡¯s arm.

    Gregory was worried about his docile friend who puts him first amid the serious situation.

    So he smiled more slyly.

    Originally, Lexion¡¯s role was the one Gregory was playing now.

    Lexion didn¡¯t fit into that new role of his.

    ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself. This is the cleanest way to end it. After all, a nobody who¡¯s an eyesore to the Emperor, adding one more ugly mistake, doesn¡¯t change anything.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Instead, pay off your debts later¡­ Don¡¯t hesitate and just go quickly.¡±

    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±

    Lexion gave a quiet answer and walked away.

    Only after Lexion was out of sight, Gregory began to loosen his clothes.

    Then he suddenly slapped himself on the cheek, and then immediately punched Kronos in the face with his fist.

    ¡°Hyaaaa!¡±

    The maid screamed when the brawl that was thought to be over started again.

    Gregory then spoke to her.

    ¡°You, there.¡±

    ¡°Ye-yes!¡±

    As the trembling maid answered Gregory, he swept up his flowing bangs and gave her an eerie smile.

    ¡°I would like it if there¡¯s no talk about today.¡±

    ¡°I- I won¡¯t tell a soul!¡±

    The maid replied immediately.

    Her face was tinted with red.

    Gregory saw it and smirked.

    A maid who blushes in front of an illegitimate child that is infamous for being a playboy.

    The solution was quite clear.

    From her looks, she looked like a low-ranking aristocratic young girl trying to raise her status by forming ties with a powerful family.

    Gregory approached the maid.

    She leaned against the wall and stared blankly at him.

    When he looked closer, he saw a face he had already met several times when he was going in and out of Kronos¡¯ palace.

    Gregory recollected the dirty gossip she had shared with the other maids.

    She tried to catch Kronos¡¯ attention with her pitiful stories.

    He chuckled casually and saw her gulping.

    Gregory stepped forward.

    The maid couldn¡¯t keep eye contact and lowered her eyes.

    Then he raised the maid¡¯s chin and asked in an insidious voice.

    ¡°What is your name?¡±

    ¡°I- It¡¯s Illensia Mamre.¡±

    If it was the Mamre family, it was a nouveau riche family.

    A while ago, he heard a rumor that a merchant became rich by discovering a gold mine and bought the title of Viscount from his own master.

    Perhaps she came into the Imperial Palace looking for a man from a powerful family who would make her family stand out.

    Most of the people who work in the Imperial Palace were nobles, so it will be quite helpful to build connections.

    The Mamre household wasn¡¯t quite powerful yet, but it was a place with strong financial resources.

    It was undoubtedly a family that would always be helpful if they made connections

    Gregory whispered with a soft smile unlike before.

    ¡°Illensia, I was looking for you.¡±

    ¡°M-me?¡±

    Illensia looked up at Gregory startled by his words, but she bowed her head in surprise after meeting his eyes.

    Looking at the woman with blushing ears, it seemed like things were going to be easy.

    Illensia looked up at Gregory with trembling eyes.

    Then, as Gregory¡¯s face drew closer, she closed her eyes tightly.

    Knowing what she was expecting, Gregory moved his lips to his ear and whispered.

    ¡°Usually, my principle is not to touch family servants, but I¡¯ll give you special care. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°¡ªThat means¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. As long as you don¡¯t talk about what you¡¯ve seen now, I¡¯ll have a hot night to your satisfaction today.¡±

    ¡°You see me easily.¡±

    Illensia struggled to react primly.

    But she didn¡¯t seem to know that her thoughts already passed through her facial expression.

    Gregory spoke, kissing Illensia¡¯s hair lightly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Those who spend the night with me will never forget me. Maybe it¡¯s because I always do my best.¡±

    ¡°Ehem.¡±

    Seeing Gregory¡¯s smile, Illensia coughed and fanned her face.

    Gregory pushed her against the wall and whispered.

    ¡°Illensia, if possible, I will tailor it to your taste. Do you like the one who approaches first, or do you do it yourself?¡±

    Gregory said, pointing to him and Illensa alternately.

    Moments later, Illensia raised her finger and pointed at Gregory.

    It was an unspoken consent.

    Gregory said with a sly smile.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Moments later, Gregory¡¯s lips swallowed hers.

    4. I Became The Main Character.

    As soon as I heard that Lexion had been missing for a week, I got up.

    Suddenly, when I got up I heard a cracking sound from my bones.

    Pain followed, but I didn¡¯t care.

    I was more worried about Lexion than that.

    Daisy stopped me as I was about to leave with my injured body.

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know where he is, how are you gonna find him? Besides, your body isn¡¯t healed yet!¡±

    ¡°S- Still¡ª¡±

    I cried as I clung to Daisy, who shouted sternly.

    As soon as I heard that Lexion had disappeared, my mind went blank.

    I was nervous. I thought that Lexion was in danger because I was caught by Kronos.

    I thought I had been in prison for quite some time, but I didn¡¯t realize it had been ten days.

    It was hard to know the exact date because it was all dark there.

    What made me uneasy above all else was Lexion¡¯s behavior.

    I didn¡¯t understand why he acted like that for a meaningless person he had only met for less than a month as if was someone precious.

    ¡®Maybe¡­ Do you know something?¡¯

    My head was a mess.

    Since meeting him, there have been more than one or two suspicious things.

    ¡®How did you find out about the Isol disaster and come to the South?¡¯

    How did he know my name?

    Why did he volunteer to be my partner unlike the original?

    From the beginning, everything was unusual.

    When I heard through Daisy that Lexion had found me, delaying the order to return to the North, I felt dizzy.

    It was a reckless act.

    It was also worrisome that he suddenly disappeared.

    Somehow, it seemed that the cause was Kronos. My hands were trembling.

    As the thoughts reached that point, my heart couldn¡¯t calm down.

    No, I couldn¡¯t calm down.

    It was even more so because I knew how Kronos tormented and manipulated Lexion in the original.

    Kronos had always made difficult demands to Lexion.

    Maybe this time Lexion was injured, that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t come back.

    So I had to find him at any cost.

    As I continued stubbornly trying to leave the room, Daisy tried to persuade me.

    ¡°Wait a little longer and he will come.¡±

    Then she dragged me back to the bed, trying to calm me down.

    I shook my head and refused.

    ¡°No. I have to find him, I need to find him ¡±

    ¡°Miss, please¡­¡±

    I kept arguing with Daisy like that, and out of the blue, the lobby became noisy.

    ¡°Duke!¡±

    ¡°My Lord! Why do you look¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hurry, doctor¡­!¡±

    Aroused by the noise of the servants, I pushed Daisy and ran to the lobby.

    But there was no need to go to the lobby.

    I stopped walking halfway.

    Lexion was rushing up the stairs.

    Then, as soon as he saw me, he hugged me tightly.

    ¡°Gasp!¡±

    The people who saw the scene gasped and looked away.

    The bandaged arm stung from the tight hug.

    But my heart hurt more than my injured body.

    I burst out in tears at Lexion¡¯s wretched appearance.

    ¡°Whe- Where did you go to end up hurt like this!¡±

    ¡°Titi¡­ don¡¯t treat my wounds.¡±

    When I demanded with a trembling voice, Lexion answered with an anguished voice.

    I hesitated at his words.

    He sounded heartless when he ordered not to heal his body.

    As I shook my head, he hugged me tighter.

    I could feel his body trembling.

    I didn¡¯t know why he was shaking so much.

    ¡°Please, Titi. Please do not treat me.¡±

    Lexion said it again as if pleading.

    I couldn¡¯t say anything.

    He held me tight and didn¡¯t let me go, as if I was about to disappear.

    Was it because I had already disappeared in front of him once?

    He looked very anxious.

    He was drenched in sweat as he laid his hand on his black hair.

    A fishy smell emanated from his body; I couldn¡¯t know whose blood was.

    The clothes were dusty as if he had been rolling somewhere, and the hide was rough.

    There were visible cuts from sharp objects everywhere.

    Even after seeing it, I couldn¡¯t help but want to treat him.

    Because Tiarozetti hates Lexion getting hurt.

    And so do I¡­

    I reached out to give strength to my plea.

    At that moment, he grabbed my hand and shouted.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    At Lexion¡¯s shout, the nearby servants were startled and looked alternately at me and Lexion¡¯s face.

    I didn¡¯t know he would be so angry, so I opened my eyes wide.

    Previously, he had just accepted treatment at this point.

    Even though I knew better than anyone that I was using my life energy.

    It didn¡¯t matter, but suddenly he got so angry.

    As I stood silent at his sudden reaction, he dragged me into the room.

    I was confused as I was being led by his hand.

    Before I knew it, I came into the room and the door closed.

    In the room, it was just me and Lexion.

    He looked down at me with a woeful look on his face.

    I was so overwhelmed by the atmosphere that I couldn¡¯t say a word.

    For a while, he just stood there silently staring at me.

    Time passed slowly.

    ¡°Why are you so hurt?¡±

    He mumbled, staring pitifully at my injured arm.

    But he was worse himself.

    Without realizing it, tears fell.

    I wondered where and how he had been rolling around to end up like that.

    What do you do if you¡¯re transcendent, you can¡¯t take care of a single wound in your body.

    He looked at me crying and gave me a pity glance.

    Then he wiped my eyes and whispered softly.

    ¡°Sorry for yelling.¡±

    ¡°Whaaaa.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really fine, so don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m sorry, Titi.¡±

    Lexion comforted me as I sobbed and spoke kindly.

    His way of speaking was so warm that I couldn¡¯t stop crying.

    Looking up at him with tearful eyes, he had a very distressed expression on his face.

    His face was wrinkled as if it was about to collapse, and his eyes were burning up as he looked at my wounds.

    After a while, Lexion said calmly.

    ¡°I think I did a good job hitting him.¡±

    ¡°¡­Who?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just pretend it¡¯s a mistake and kill him.¡±

    Lexion softly mumbled a bloody omen.

    Then his slender fingers ran across my cheek.

    ¡°I thought you were going to disappear again.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    It felt like time had stopped except for us.

    It stopped at his words that he thought I would disappear again.

    ¡°What do you mean¡­¡±

    But I couldn¡¯t finish.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Because suddenly, Lexion collapsed.

    ¡°Zion¡­?¡±

    I barely caught him as he fell.

    He grabbed the hem of my robe while he was losing consciousness, just in case I was going somewhere else.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go, don¡¯t leave me¡­¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t go.¡±

    I clasped his hands and promised, and he closed his eyes.

    A faint breath was heard.

    He seemed to faint from bleeding so much.

    ¡°Daisy, are you out? You can come in now.¡±

    With my permission, Daisy entered the room.

    Then, looking at the fallen Lexion, her eyes widened.

    ¡°Th- The Duke¡­¡±

    ¡°I think he fell asleep. It¡¯s hard for me to get up on my own, can you help me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes! Everyone come here and help me! The Duke has collapsed!¡±

    At Daisy¡¯s call, other servants came in and quickly moved to the bedroom, holding Lexion.

    ¡°I¡¯ll call the physician!¡±

    Daisy left the room saying that.

    I stared pitifully at Lexion, who was carried away by the servant.

    Unable to keep up, I collapsed and sat down on the cold floor of the room.

    ¡°How the hell do you know?¡±

    Apparently, Lexion also returned like me.

    Lexion was treated by a doctor and fell asleep peacefully.

    I stared at him lying, clean and washed.

    There was a lot of confusion on my face.

    It felt like it was my fault that he was hurt like this.

    How bad he was injured, he had bandages wrapped around every corner of his body like a mummy.

    I was heartbroken by the lack of one single place without wounds.

    ¡°Don¡¯t treat me.¡±

    The voice that had been begging, even screaming, cluttered my mind.

    The desperate cry of his request resonated in my mind.

    Even thinking about it, it might be better not to treat him.

    I was sure he¡¯ll wake up and be angry, so it might be better to just leave it alone.

    But seeing him lying down like this, I couldn¡¯t stay still.

    Using a little of my power was enough for him to get well soon.

    I finally decided to use my powers, knowing that I would live up to his resentment.

    Making the plausible excuse that my settings were originally like that.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t want to see you hurt.¡±

    Whispering to him in a low voice, I stretched out my hand with the ring removed.

    He couldn¡¯t do much if he was treated before he woke up.

    ¡°Ejis.¡±

    When I shouted the starter word, the walls were shaking and blue hovered around my hands.

    While feeling the energy draining from my body, his small wounds began to heal.

    Little by little, Lexion¡¯s expression became more and more peaceful.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    The moment I finished the treatment, the book I had been looking for for so long appeared in front of my eyes.

    The book floated in the air, and a strange beep sounded.

    BEEP BEEP BEEP¨D

    I looked at the book with a bewildered expression on my face, and quickly put my hand to it.

    As soon as I touched the book, the warning sound naturally stopped.

    ¡°The color has changed.¡±

    I stared blankly at the red-colored cover, mumbling to myself quietly.

    The cover color was different from the book I knew before.

    ¡®It was definitely black.¡¯

    I blinked and checked the color again, but the book was unmistakably bright red.

    Without realizing it, I looked at Lexion¡¯s expression.

    It was an act I did unconsciously, even though I knew he couldn¡¯t hear the sound of the book.

    As before, the activated book was invisible to anyone but me.

    Knowing that even the inactive book looked like an ordinary Bible, I became somewhat anxious and quietly left the room, hiding it in my arms.

    Immediately after arriving at my room at a staggering pace, I locked the door tightly in case anyone could come in.

    There were as many caution phrases as the warning sound I heard earlier when I opened the book.

    I read them down slowly.

    [Mission accomplished. Go to the reward page.]

    [There was a problem with the ending. Go back to the beginning again.]

    [The main character has strayed from the path. As a result, the setting value has changed.]

    [Timeout to initialize. The story resumes with the set value changed to emergency operation.]

    [Because the setting of ¡®Lexion Sparrow¡¯ has changed, he is no longer the main character. Currently, there is no protagonist in this story. A reset is required.]

    ¡°Wh- what are you talking about?¡±

    I was appalled by the unexpected warning.

    The first notice was clearly what I saw before I died.

    However, the warning signs that followed were all new ones.

    I was startled because it happened after I died.

    Were there any problems with the ending?

    Are you saying that even one little thing out of line was my responsibility?

    I frowned and shouted.

    ¡°Guide!¡±

    Then the book flashed and the guide began to write.

    ¨DWelcome to [The Opponent of the Evil Dragon.]

    The guide greeted me as if it was meeting someone for the first time.

    I inquired more sharply.

    ¡°Why am I still inside the book?¡±

    ¨DI do not understand the question.

    ¡°I must have finished my ending. But why am I still inside the book!¡±

    I shouted, remembering all the frustrations I felt inside me.

    The guide stuttered as if it had buffered.

    His voice sounded as if he had woken up from a deep sleep.

    ¨DI, I apologize. I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. Due to the change in the ending of Tiarozetti Isol, the traveler must start the journey again.

    ¡°What do you mean? What do you mean the ending changed?¡±

    ¨DI¡¯ll help guide you through your questions!

    With the guide¡¯s cheerful voice, the book unfolded.

    For a while, the spine of the book vibrated and settled down.

    [The reset is complete.]

    The new main character of [The Opponent of the Evil Dragon] is ¡®Tiarozetti Isol¡¯.

    From now on, you will have to defeat the evil dragon in place of ¡®Lexion Sparrow.¡¯

    The evil dragon is stronger than before.

    [To fight the evil dragon, ¡®Isol¡¯s hidden secret¡¯ will be revealed as a buff for the main character.]

    ¡°What!?¡±

    As soon as I read it, I screamed and smashed the book.

    The guide complained.

    ¨DOh hoo, traveler. A book is not a ball. Please don¡¯t throw it away, treat it with respect.

    I was still numb, unable to calm my startled heart.

    The book came closer to me.

    My eyes were focused exactly on ¡® You have to kill the evil dragon¡¯.

    My hands were trembling.

    I didn¡¯t understand why this world always placed a heavy burden on me.

    In my previous life, I tried my best and I was faithful to the role of Tiarozetti Isol as the guide told me.

    The feeling of replacing someone¡¯s life was not so pleasant.

    So I rebelled from time to time, but I was the first to raise the white flag to the penalty that always continued.

    So, as in the original story, I even died while treating Lexion.

    I did it.

    Now you¡¯re telling me to kill the evil dragon on behalf of Lexion.

    This was a scam.

    It was very different from what was promised.

    I shouted with my face flushed.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what you promised!¡±

    ¨DSometimes this happens. We call this ¡®reset¡¯.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡±

    I shouted, pushing the book.

    But the book didn¡¯t budge.

    It was even more difficult to understand.

    Who asked for an explanation?

    I was just telling them to return me to my original world as promised.

    Everything became futile.

    I couldn¡¯t believe all the things I¡¯ve done so far have gone without regard to my will.

    I opened the next chapter of the book with some hope.

    It was a naive expectation that the same content might remain.

    However, the content of the story I had achieved had already disappeared completely.

    Moreover, it was nowhere to be found the blurry text that became clear whenever the novel was successfully developed.

    A complete blank paper.

    I was puzzled by the lack of content in the book.

    If it was a novel, the content must be written in a blur to follow it, but nothing was written there.

    As if there was no future.

    Just like that.

    On the blank paper, only the development from the time I returned was written, and the words [Continued to the next chapter] below.

    And even though I tried to flip the back page, it didn¡¯t turn over.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18

    I spoke softly after a long silence.

    ¡°Guide.¡±

    ¨D Yes, traveler. Please speak.

    ¡°The main character who deviated from the path, is it Lexion Sparrow?¡±

    ¨D That is right. Lexion Sparrow has strayed out of the path as the main character, thus, has been disqualified.

    ¡°So, did Lexion return to the past like me?¡±

    I asked the guide the questions I had this whole time.

    I thought maybe he might have returned like me.

    Because his behavior was so different from before.

    I was somewhat certain now.

    But the guide flatly denied it.

    ¨D Only ¡®travelers¡¯ can enter the reset area. Lexion Sparrow is not a traveler, so it is impossible in principle.

    ¡°But why¡­¡±

    Of course, I muttered faintly, I was sure that Lexion had returned.

    According to the guide, Lexion didn¡¯t return and was no longer the main character.

    And the reason why he was unfamiliar now was because his role in the story had changed.

    In the end, it meant that his actions were only a role fit for the new story.

    I lowered my head, confused.

    ¡®But why do I keep thinking that you came back like me?¡¯

    My last ray of hope disappeared and I felt weak.

    Lexion now was not the same person I had met before.

    So he couldn¡¯t remember me.

    It¡¯s just related to Tiarozetti in this story, and I didn¡¯t know what it was.

    Because there was no backstory in the book.

    I asked with a gloomy face.

    ¡°So what¡¯s Lexion¡¯s role now?¡±

    ¨D The role of Lexion Sparrow is ¡®unknown.¡¯ Since the setting value is constantly changing, his role is ¡®unknowledgeable¡¯ or ¡®unknown¡¯.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know.¡±

    I flipped over the book that didn¡¯t help at all.

    Still, I couldn¡¯t get my hands off it.

    When the book didn¡¯t show up, I was nervous that it wouldn¡¯t show up, but now it was the opposite.

    I was nervous when the book appeared again.

    Perhaps it was because of what it said to me.

    Of the rules that changed, none of them were shocking.

    I became the main character.

    I took away the role of the main character.

    Now that I had become the main character, Lexion¡¯s story had changed to a sub-role.

    Since I, a sub-character, became the main character, this novel was almost like a new one.

    As the content changed, the cover color also changed.

    Besides, unlike my previous life, the book was hiding a lot from me.

    For example,

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I see the plot¡¯s background?¡±

    When I asked with a face full of doubts, the guide answered.

    ¨D The main character¡¯s path is a difficult one, and the novel can be messed up. Therefore, the traveler¡¯s authority is reduced.

    ¡°If I don¡¯t know what¡¯s behind it, I won¡¯t know how to act, right? Wouldn¡¯t that just ruin this?¡±

    ¨D It¡¯s not like that. For this, the ¡®Preview¡¯ system works.

    ¡°Preview?¡±

    ¨D Yes. A preview is a system that presents the development in fragments. Travelers can act freely as long as the content given in the Preview is not disturbed.

    ¡°Does that mean I get a penalty if I twist it?¡±

    ¨D If the plausibility is accepted, it will move on to ¡®Devil¡¯s Edit Mode¡¯. The ¡®Devil¡¯s Edit Mode¡¯ is a way of deceiving the reader through the trailer, which can have side effects if used excessively.

    ¡°What is the side effect¡­¡±

    I lengthened the final word with a surprised face.

    Then the guide answered in a soft tone.

    ¨D As a kind of penalty, there is a strong possibility that the story will proceed in a direction that the traveler does not want.

    I wrapped my head at the guide¡¯s mechanical answer.

    In the end, that meant to shut up and act in order to not go against the Preview.

    I didn¡¯t know what the penalty could be, but I couldn¡¯t act recklessly.

    I frowned and asked.

    ¡°Why did the cover color change?¡±

    ¨D Because this is the traveler¡¯s second life in this life.

    ¡°Second life?¡±

    ¨D A second trip to the same novel is called second life. As a result, the setting value of Tiarozetti Isol was changed.

    I never imagined that there would be a second round of life on this trip.

    In the first place, it was right to go back to my original home, not to have a second life.

    I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that I was deceived by the guide and the world.

    Especially because the story I was experiencing now never had been mentioned in my previous life.

    I rebuked the book straight away.

    ¡°Fraud.¡±

    ¨D You¡¯re so mean.

    The guide responded with a voice as if what I said was unfair.

    Of course, because it was a mechanical voice, there was no soul in it.

    I didn¡¯t even think to match his rhythm.

    I asked what I was curious about, whether he complained, resented me or not.

    ¡°So, what is the changed setting of Tiarozetti Isol?¡±

    ¨D To answer your questions, we¡¯ll go to the setting section.

    With the brief answer, the book turned to the very last page.

    The guide stopped turning the book exactly on the description page.

    Then pointed out the part about the Isol tribe.

    Parts that were previously inaccessible were changed as accessible now.

    [Tribe Name: Isol(Pseudonym: two-faced healer)

    -External Features: They possess silver hair and blue eyes. In particular, the unique silver hair of the Isol tribe cannot be copied by any magic. It¡¯s a distinctive feature.

    -Basic Skill: Healing power using vitality. To use the said ability, the starting word is ¡®Ejis,¡¯ which means shield. It¡¯s the power to protect someone.

    -Hidden Skills: The power to extort the opponent¡¯s vitality. The starting word is ¡®Asta.¡¯

    It means spear. It¡¯s the power to cause damage to someone.

    -Notes: This ability is inherent in all Isols, but no one has seen it manifested yet.

    It is the power to extend one¡¯s own life by stealing the life energy of the opponent. Is not suitable for the Isol tribe, which is gentle by nature.

    Perhaps the reason why this power has not been manifested is due to the unique nature of the tribe.]

    ¡°Nonsense.¡±

    I muttered, bewildered.

    The information on the newly updated Isol was worth knowing.

    Perhaps it was meant to kill the evil dragon with this hidden power.

    I couldn¡¯t calm myself, but a beep alarm sounded from the book.

    Tiling.

    ¨D The Preview has arrived!

    A bookmark appeared along with the guide¡¯s cheerful voice.

    It was a bookmark that would appear when the following contents were to be continued.

    When the bookmarked page was opened, the bookmark disappeared and blurred letters were engraved on it.

    It was the next part of the novel.

    It was really absurd, but I, who was only a supporting character, had now become the main character.

    Before the return, I was just a girl with unrequited love, following around the main character.

    Now I was the one who should kill the evil dragon.

    The evil dragon.

    The world¡¯s greatest evil and the one that the main character, Lexion Sparrow, had to execute.

    His existence alone had an adverse effect on people, and those who were affected by his thoughts had, without fail, shown sudden and bizarre behavior, causing incidents.

    In addition, in this life, because he became stronger, there might be a flood of demons and human beings affected by these thoughts.

    Even before I died, humans were engulfed in the power of the evil dragon which caused disasters.

    The evil dragon was the evil that should be removed from the world, fitting the title of the book [The Opponent of the Evil Dragon.]

    The transcendent, who is above the master rank, had said that it was a difficult task even for Lexion.

    How could I kill such an evil existence with just one of Isol¡¯s secret skills?

    It was like holding an egg in your hand and asking, ¡®Try breaking that rock with it!¡¯

    No matter how hard they hit, they couldn¡¯t just break the rock.

    If I attacked it recklessly, I would be killed before even approaching the evil dragon.

    Around the time I was full of such thoughts, Lexion had swapped a plate of chopped steak for mine.

    ¡°Eat this.¡±

    My eyes turned to him.

    His expression was as gentle as usual, and I felt relieved.

    ¡®Fortunately, you¡¯re not angry anymore.¡¯

    That day, Lexion woke up after sleeping all day.

    He slept so much that I was worried that he might be dead, but as soon as he woke up, he came to see me.

    Lexion¡¯s expression was stiff.

    Perhaps he noticed that his body was completely healed and that I had exerted my energy.

    As he grabbed my shoulder and let out a somewhat sad sigh, I thought something was wrong.

    ¡°Why did you do that¡­¡±

    Lexion said anxiously in a trembling voice.

    The voice was so sad that I felt like I had done something very bad.

    ¡°Ah¡­ you seemed to be in a lot of pain.¡±

    What was Lexion¡¯s expression when I said this?

    He seemed angry and hurt.

    His face was filled with sorrow and loneliness.

    He asked, breathing heavily.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s fine for you to get sick?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather be sick than seeing you sick.¡±

    He forgave me only after I had promised him I would never use my powers again.

    I couldn¡¯t remember how I fell asleep that day.

    Because Lexion was so kind, I was touched that he puts my well-being before his.

    I couldn¡¯t sleep because my foolish mind broadened my view on him.

    Even though I knew that all his actions were made by the novel, my heart couldn¡¯t be calm.

    For some reason, I felt like he cared for me willingly.

    But that wouldn¡¯t be possible.

    Maybe it was because I looked at Lexion directly, he spoke softly with a light smile.

    ¡°The cast has been removed, but it¡¯s still uncomfortable for you to move right? It¡¯s ok, you can just eat it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±

    I muttered with a piece of meat in my mouth, and he smiled brightly.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19

    ¡°Eat well.¡±

    Lexion¡¯s soft voice wrapped around my ears.

    He smoothly sliced ??the meat and put it in his mouth. I glanced at him while picking up the already sliced ??meat and ate it.

    The guide had defined his setting as ¡®unknown.¡¯

    That meant his very existence was like a variable in this book.

    ¡®I wonder if he remembered me because his settings were not defined.¡¯

    I wanted to ask him directly if he remembered me, but that would have given me a penalty.

    It was restricted to let the characters in the book know that this world was inside it.

    Unless I explained to him that this place was inside a book, there was no way for me to explain what happened before my return, so the frustration increased in my mind.

    There was a time in my previous life when I talked about the book. It was so unbearable for me that I wanted to say it to someone.

    What happened was terrible.

    A bizarre scene passed, I saw how I went back in time as if my body was rewinding itself.

    After that terrifying experience, I didn¡¯t even dare to try again.

    I was afraid of trying and losing my body forever.

    It felt like it wasn¡¯t my body.

    I was so lost in thought that I forgot to eat, then Lexion asked.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m eating.¡±

    I lifted the fork that was paused midway.

    Every time I glanced at him, our eyes met.

    Like in the past, when I kept looking at Lexion, waiting for his attention. I had the illusion that he was looking at me like that.

    Did the Lexion of my previous life look at me like this when I glanced at him all the time?

    I ate the meat he had cut with my head down.

    Meanwhile, Lexion¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t leave me.

    It was embarrassing to feel his stare as if it was the first time he saw someone eating.

    ¡°Why, why are you looking at me like that? If you have something to say¡­¡±

    ¡°No reason. You eat well.¡±

    Lexion answered smoothly with his chin up. As he smiled softly, my mouth felt dry.

    ¡°Zi, Zion too, hurry up and eat.¡±

    I stuck my eyes on the plate and muttered in a low voice.

    Only then he lifted the fork again.

    After a bit, Lexion spoke kindly to me as I put the last piece of meat in my mouth.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll be a little late today.¡±

    At his words, I stopped moving and asked carefully. It was because the preview was still on my mind.

    ¡°Where¡­ are you going?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got some work to do before we head back north.¡±

    He wiped his lips with a napkin and spoke calmly.

    I shouted in a higher tone than usual, feeling sudden anxiety.

    ¡°I- I¡¯m coming with you!¡±

    When I suddenly shouted, Lexion¡¯s eyes widened. He blinked and looked at me.

    Even I stared blankly at him, with my eyes wide open, surprised by the scream.

    An awkward atmosphere surrounded us.

    Come to think of it, it was the first time I¡¯d ever voiced my thoughts to him like this.

    In embarrassment, I covered my mouth.

    At the same time, I shrugged familiarly, recalling the punishment the book would inflict on me.

    But even after a while, the book didn¡¯t penalize me.

    ¨DTravelers can act freely as long as the content given in the Preview is not disturbed.

    ¡®That¡¯s what the guide was referring to.¡¯

    I let out a sigh of relief, realizing that I wasn¡¯t as severely restricted in my actions and speech as I used to.

    The book still felt like a prison to me, but I felt a bit freer than before.

    After a while, no penalty was given.

    It means I was free to go on like this.

    ¡°You were able to make such a loud noise.¡±

    At that time, as I remained in silence, Lexion said softly.

    It was a friendly tone as if trying to soothe me. He spoke again with a smile on his lips.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to hear.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to startle you.¡±

    When I apologized in a meek tone, Lexion shook his head lightly. Then he looked at me and responded calmly.

    ¡°If you have something you want to say in the future, you don¡¯t have to hide it. I¡¯ll listen.¡±

    ¡°¡­Why?¡±

    ¡°Mh?¡±

    He tilted his head at my question.

    I closed my mouth at the sudden outburst. It was an impulsive question.

    Because Lexion kept being nice to me, I felt anxious and insecure.

    The thought that his kindness was due to the changed settings made my heart ache.

    ¡°Just¡­ Because you¡¯re so nice, I¡¯m confused.¡±

    I lowered my head as if I was saying something bad.

    Still, a smile spread across my lips, it felt as if he saw me for who I was.

    But in an instant, the smile was erased and anxiety suddenly rose.

    It was because of the Preview.

    The book, this world, was truly cruel to me. I recalled the content of it.

    [Tiarozetti feels strange emotions for Lexion, who saved her.]

    As she is confused by the unfamiliar sensations she¡¯s experiencing for the first time, she hears shocking news.

    It was the news that Lexion Sparrow was killed by the evil dragon while trying to rescue Gregory Aden Werbel.

    Tiarozetti belatedly realized that her feelings for Lexion were love.

    A love that could not bloom.

    [She is devastated after losing her tribe and the one he loved to the evil dragon.]

    Was the extermination of the tribe not enough for me to kill the evil dragon?

    Is that why they tried to kill Lexion before I even fell in love?

    In the end, even the man I love was taken away by the evil dragon and that¡¯s why I wanted to take revenge?

    ¨DLexion Sparrow¡¯s existence itself is a variable. He will be exposed to death from time to time.

    The guide¡¯s response to my plea was more hopeless than the Preview.

    Even if he didn¡¯t die this time, he was destined to continue facing death.

    It was a harsh treatment for him, a former male lead.

    My hands were shaking all of a sudden.

    I didn¡¯t want to act like the Preview.

    The behavior and speech that had been familiar to me after playing the coward Tiarozetti for so long, weren¡¯t originally mine.

    I wanted to save him.

    No matter what penalty this book would give me, I wanted to twist the content in a way that would save him.

    At that moment, Lexion broke my thoughts.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get confused.¡±

    As I remained silent, he added.

    ¡°Because what you see are my sincere feelings.¡±

    When I lifted my head at Lexion¡¯s words, our eyes met.

    His eyes were calm, unlike mine, which shook violently.

    It felt as if a high breakwater was blocking the waves.

    My heart felt heavy as I looked into that warm gaze.

    At the same time, something suddenly came to mind as fast as a strike of lightning.

    ¡®But how did Lexion break the set value and deviate from the original route?¡¯

    I was sure the warning said he deviated from the original course and the setting changed.

    But was that possible?

    ¨DThe characters in the book have no identity. All are dolls that move as the book demands, and only the traveler can think.

    The book clearly explained it like that. The characters here couldn¡¯t disobey the book¡¯s will.

    But, how did Lexion go against the book and change the ending?

    ¡®Is the book lying to me?¡¯

    When my thoughts reached that point, I realized that I could no longer rely solely on the book.

    Things that weren¡¯t supposed to change, changed.

    Lexion¡¯s settings, the color of the cover, and even my role.

    ¨DLexion Sparrow is a variable in this novel. His settings will change from time to time.

    Even if the book said so, the fact that Lexion deviated from the original setting in the first life didn¡¯t change.

    ¡®I must have been stuck in here for too long and my reasoning hardened.¡¯

    I was afraid of being penalized and afraid of being trapped here.

    So I lived the first life trying to go according to the book without being penalized as much as possible.

    ¡®Perhaps I was too scared and let the book do as it pleased. There was plenty of room for change.¡¯

    As this thought kept growing, I had a rough idea of ??what to do next.

    I don¡¯t know why Lexion changed, but the fact that he changed gave me courage.

    ¡®I¡¯m gonna change too. I will fight against this book that is trying to kill Lexion.¡¯

    Even if I get a penalty, I will endure it. As I endured, something may change.

    Lexion, who now played a supporting role in front of me, felt like proof of certainty.

    ¡®To do that, I must save Lexion first.¡¯

    ¡°Let me go with you.¡±

    I smiled broadly and said to him, I was feeling a little lighthearted.

    As I spoke, his eyes changed strangely.

    I had a rough idea as to what he had to do before Lexion returned to the North.

    ¡®Maybe he¡¯s trying to meet Gregory.¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t let him be alone with Gregory when the evil dragon might show up.

    ¡®He died next to Gregory in the Preview, so I have to follow him.¡¯

    In fact, in the content that unfolded, I read that Gregory helped Lexion and was framed for it.

    The story happened in a place I didn¡¯t know.

    For some reason, the novel was narrated from Gregory¡¯s point of view.

    ¡®No wonder his body is a mess, he was saving so much Knox in so little time.¡¯

    My heart ached when I recalled the contents of the book.

    Because I knew he did it for me. I didn¡¯t know why he was risking his life to that extent.

    Maybe it had something to do with why he became a variable in this novel.

    So I had to find out. What made him different.

    Lexion pursed his lips at my determined face.

    After a while, he covered his mouth with his hand and said,

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go together.¡±

    He seemed a little shy.

    I smiled brightly when he gave me his permission.

    He stared at me for a moment and the corners of his eyes folded prettily with his smile.

    He ruffled his back hair with his hand and said in a somewhat bashful manner.

    ¡°I was going to ask you to come with me anyway.¡±

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20

    ¡°What you had to do was¡­¡±

    I stared blankly at the pile of clothes in front of me, cutting off the end of my words.

    Meanwhile, Lexion was choosing another dress.

    ¡®The only thing he had to do before we went back to the North was to buy me clothes.¡¯

    Expensive dresses were neatly stacked in front of me.

    Naturally, I thought he was going to see Gregory because he owed him.

    So I insisted on following, but I never imagined that we would go shopping all of a sudden.

    I glanced at him and the clothes alternately with a blank expression on my face.

    Unlike me, who was bewildered, Lexion seemed to be in a good mood.

    He smiled brightly as he picked up a navy blue velvet dress.

    It was a small dress with a cape and a hood.

    ¡°How about this?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°Since I¡¯m in the capital, I was thinking of buying some clothes for you. I was wondering when to ask¡­ but I¡¯m glad you said you¡¯d come with me.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Somehow, he looked excited.

    I took the dress he had offered me and stood blankly.

    ¡®Even before the return, I did have a budget, but he was never directly involved¡­¡¯

    Most of this work was the maid¡¯s job.

    But Lexion looked happy to choose my clothes.

    Suddenly, I felt my heart getting warm.

    ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like it?¡±

    Lexion looked at me anxiously and asked.

    I quickly shook my head and smiled.

    ¡®What are you saying?¡¯

    There was no way that I wouldn¡¯t like the clothes he picked for me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try it on.¡±

    With those words, I entered the dressing room.

    The fabric was quite thick, probably considering the cold weather in the north.

    ¡®And the wind is cold, I should have picked the one with the hood too.¡¯

    He was always like this.

    Thoughtful and attentive.

    If you didn¡¯t look closely, it was hard to notice how delicately caring he is.

    In my previous life, Seirin often overlooked his consideration, and it was always my responsibility to make it known.

    It was like that.

    But now, the small considerations that he had only given to Seirin were directed towards me.

    It¡¯s been a long time since I started to notice his trivial consideration.

    Since that was my role too.

    When I put my hand on my chest, my heart raced.

    Naturally, my expectations were rising.

    A gentle smile spread around my mouth.

    This may be joy.

    After changing clothes and going out, Lexion got up from the spot. He smiled so brightly, enough to reveal his gums.

    With that bright smile, I also opened my mouth and smiled.

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty, Titi.¡±

    As he whispered softly, my whole body became hot as if on fire.

    I was embarrassed and happy, happy, and shy.

    I couldn¡¯t stand the tickling feeling so I answered with gibberish.

    ¡°I-if you¡¯re done seeing the clothes, then I¡¯ll go change!¡±

    ¡°Ti¡­¡±

    He tried to say something, but I hurriedly went into the dressing room in shame.

    I didn¡¯t know what was so urgent that I came in like running away.

    ¡®I wish I could have listened to him a little more.¡¯

    I took a deep breath as I leaned against the wall.

    ¡®Pretty.¡¯

    A word from Lexion rang in my head.

    The woman¡¯s face in the mirror suddenly turned red.

    I caressed my hot cheeks.

    Then, I repeated it like a spell.

    ¡°Pretty.¡±

    I was so happy that I felt hazy for a while, and the woman¡¯s excited face in the mirror calmed down gradually.

    Because I recalled someone who had heard those words in the past.

    A sweet scene of the two lovebirds in the book.

    [Seirin was excited about sneaking out of the Imperial Palace with Lexion.]

    She offered compensation for the previous job as an excuse, but he didn¡¯t refuse.

    She was overjoyed that he gladly granted her request.

    As they entered the clothing store, he hesitated, looking for a place to stay.

    Seirin dragged him, saying.

    ¡°Sir Lexion, please choose one that looks pretty in your eyes. I would wear it.¡±

    ¡°Then I will do my best.¡±

    He hesitated and carefully scanned the clothes.

    He was so nervous that sweat dripped down the back of his head.

    After a while, he picked out a red dress with a calm expression and held it out.

    When Seirin changed into that dress and came out, Lexion answered lightly

    ¡°Pretty.¡±

    Ba-dump.

    Seirin¡¯s heart thumped and fell.

    Lexion, who came closer, said as he tucked Seirin¡¯s hair behind her ear.

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty. Really pretty¡±

    [Seirin¡¯s face turned bright red.]

    ¡®Why did this come to mind?¡¯

    I bit my lower lip with mixed feelings.

    I felt a little sad that I couldn¡¯t even fully enjoy the happiness.

    The two in the novel were a very pretty and pure couple.

    Even that common kiss scene appeared only once in the second half.

    Perhaps, because the main story of [The Opponent Of The Evil Dragon] was to defeat the Evil Dragon, the romance was small.

    So, the penalty I received was mainly to stand from afar and watch the lovely demeanor of how affectionate they were.

    ¡®The most difficult penalty was that one kiss.¡¯

    To make you watch the relationship of the person you like¡­

    The book was terribly cruel.

    So, even more, Lexion¡¯s kindness was unfamiliar.

    His choice always took priority over Seirin, and I was always in a position to hide and cry without being chosen by him.

    ¡®The more I think about it, the sadder I get. I should stop thinking about it.¡¯

    I walked out of the dressing room, trying to prevent my eyes from turning red from tears.

    At that time, Lexion was just paying.

    Looking at the number of shopping bags, it was as if he bought the whole store.

    ¡®You shouldn¡¯t care about things like this.¡¯

    Every time I see him, my heart melts.

    I didn¡¯t even ride a roller coaster, but I couldn¡¯t control the feeling of soaring high and jumping as if I were falling.

    ¡°Send the luggage to the Castle.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡±

    At Lexion¡¯s command, one of the attendants left the room with the luggage.

    It was a lot to carry and move.

    No matter how cold it was in the North, it was an excessive amount.

    He bought it while I was changing clothes, so there was no chance for me to stop him.

    I said, feeling sorry.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know this was the kind of thing you had to do. We took so long so I thought it was a little more serious.¡±

    ¡°I thought it would have taken a long time if you chose by yourself¡­¡±

    Lexion scratched the back of his head and answered.

    It was so cute that I smiled and muttered without realizing it.

    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±

    ¡°But everything looks so good on you even if it took a long time in the end.¡±

    He smiled mischievously with a playful face.

    Every word he spoke sounded sweet; a corner inside my heart still ached so I tried to change the subject.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll return to the castle?¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s still one more place to go.¡±

    ¡°Where do we have to go?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll know when we get there.¡±

    Lexion smiled and held out his hand.

    As soon as I saw it, he added.

    ¡°Since the weather is nice, let¡¯s walk.¡±

    ¡°Without moving by wagon?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s just that the weather is so nice today.¡±

    With those words, he waved his hand and urged me.

    I reluctantly grabbed his hand.

    Then he straightened it up and smiled playfully.

    Warmth spread through his hands.

    I walked the streets as if led by Lexion.

    ¡®It¡¯s nice to be the main character. Thanks to that, Lexion is kind to me.¡¯

    In my previous life, it was so difficult to hold this hand.

    Now it was easy for me. As if I was allowed

    To be honest, I wasn¡¯t that happy. However, I soon made up my mind.

    Even if this is an automatic reaction to his changed settings, I¡¯ll just enjoy it.

    Don¡¯t be sad by comparing with the past, let¡¯s be honest with the feelings of the present moment.

    I made up my mind like that.

    A soft smile crept onto my lips.

    The place where Lexion took me was the weapon shop.

    It was a place he used to visit when he was in the capital.

    ¡°I came to pick up my order.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you came just in time. Please wait a minute.¡±

    While Lexion was talking to the owner familiarly, I sat on the sofa and waited for him.

    As the owner entered the warehouse, Lexion looked back and checked if I was doing well.

    When our eyes met, he smiled softly.

    I followed along and laughed.

    After a while, the weapon shop owner came out with a sword hilt.

    ¡°Is this right?¡±

    At that, Lexion loosened the handle and checked the sword.

    From handle to blade, it was all black.

    The sharp blade radiated a harsh blue light.

    ¡®As expected, it¡¯s that sword.¡¯

    That was the sword he used frequently in my previous life.

    It went well with his black hair, an all black sword.

    While Lexion was checking the sword, I shifted my gaze to the weapons hanging on the wall.

    Starting with swords, things like bows, spears, and shields were all hung on the wall.

    The fiercely glistening blades looked very sharp.

    I stared at my hands.

    Asta, the hidden power of Isol, was called a spear.

    ¡®I have both a spear and a shield in my hands, unbelievable.¡¯

    It was a tremendous contradiction to have both a shield to save and a spear to kill.

    z

    ¡®Will I be able to prevent Lexion¡¯s death? Will I be able to kill the evil dragon with this kind of power?¡¯

    For the ¡®transcendental Lexion, the evil dragon was also a tough opponent.

    Even if I did kill it, would I be able to return to my original world?

    ¡®Actually, do I want to go back?¡¯

    When I was spaced out, I was filled with numerous questions.

    Although I was always filled with questions, no answers were found.

    ¡®If I stay still, I get sad all the time. It¡¯s all because I¡¯ve lived a long time as a Tiarozetti.¡¯

    As I was trying to shake off all those complicated thoughts, Lexion approached me.

    ¡°Oh, are you done?¡±

    I got up and was about to get ready to go, but Lexion suddenly handed me something.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

 Chapter 21

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    Chapter 21

    I stared blankly at the object in front of me and muttered.

    ¡°This¡­¡±

    Lexion gave me a dagger finely crafted with silver.

    As I tilted my head, puzzled by the sudden dagger, he said.

    ¡°Take it, Titi. It¡¯s yours.¡±

    ¡°Th- thank you¡­¡±

    He said it was mine so I took it.

    In the beautifully crafted scabbard, blue sapphire was shining brightly.

    In contrast to his sword, it was a pure white dagger.

    Its weight was also light as if magic was cast on it.

    When I took out the blade, the blue edge blade shone sharply according to the light.

    I looked at the dagger and Lexion alternately and asked in a dreamy voice.

    ¡°What day is it today?¡±

    ¡°On what day do I have to give a present?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡±

    ¡°I just bought it while I was repairing mine. No need to feel burdened.¡±

    ¡°This is too much for me.¡±

    I was happy whether it was a bonus or not. Because I liked it so much that it felt overdone.

    I tried to calm my excited heart, I was feeling shy.

    I put the sword back in the scabbard and held it tightly with my hands.

    ¡®I must cherish it.¡¯

    When I couldn¡¯t hide my happy expression, he answered.

    ¡°It is not too much.¡±

    It was a calm voice. His face was very serious.

    As if he didn¡¯t agree with me at all.

    ¡®Does Lexion know? That he is giving me the affection I so desperately wanted in my previous life.¡¯

    In any case, his favor towards me was very pleasing. So, a smile spread across my lips.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll use it well, Zion.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you never use it in your whole life. Because if you do it I¡¯ll mean you¡¯re in danger.¡±

    He smiled as I nodded vigorously at his words.

    ¡°Shall we go back now?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Okay¡­¡±

    ¡°Lexion?¡±

    Then someone interrupted our conversation.

    Lexion and I turned their heads at the same time, and Gregory raised his hand.

    His shiny blonde hair fluttered slightly with every step.

    He came at a slow pace and was pleased to see Lexion.

    ¡°As expected, you were right. You can see all kinds of things in places like this.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    As Lexion responded with a grin, Gregory¡¯s green eyes naturally turned to me.

    ¡°We see each other again, Miss. How are you?¡±

    ¡°I see the¡­¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mean to embarrass me, you don¡¯t need to do that.¡±

    Gregory interrupted my greeting and smiled. Today, as usual, he was still playful. But I couldn¡¯t reply to his smile.

    Because I had already read through the book and what he went through while helping Lexion.

    That¡¯s why I was very concerned about Gregory. Especially since he covered up all of Lexion¡¯s sins.

    Naturally, my gaze turned to the cheek that had been hit by the Emperor. Even if the swelling has already disappeared, the wounds in his heart may have not.

    In the novel, Gregory kept muttering that it was okay. He, who repeated that with a face that looked like he was about to cry, was a very sad picture.

    Gregory Aden Werbel, whose father died of treason, and had to live alone in the Imperial Palace without his mother, watching his own back for the rest of his life.

    To live, He hid his talent and lived like a fool on purpose. In the end, he hid a very sad side.

    ¡®I can¡¯t help but be sad.¡¯

    It was a side I had never seen in my previous life.

    Perhaps it was because he wanted to hide the darkness inside him that began to live so profusely.

    ¡°What? There¡¯s something on my face?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­¡±

    When Gregory suddenly tilted his face towards me and asked, I shook my head in surprise.

    Lexion grabbed Gregory¡¯s back and pulled him back.

    ¡°You¡¯re scaring her.¡±

    ¡°What did I do?¡±

    Gregory smiled as if it was unfair and asked for my consent. I responded hurriedly, waving my hand.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m not surprised! I¡¯m not scared either.¡±

    ¡°See? She¡¯s not.¡±

    ¡°Then that¡¯s a relief.¡±

    Lexion smiled warmly and let Gregory go. Gregory looked at Lexion, who only believed in my words and did not listen to him, with betrayed eyes.

    On the other hand, Lexion¡¯s face was calm.

    Gregory changed the subject as if he didn¡¯t want to say anything to him.

    ¡°Lexion, I was going to go to see you.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    Gregory grinned as he asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s finally time for you to repay this brother.¡±

    ¡°You came too soon.¡±

    Lexion smiled and replied to Gregory, who was rambling. The two seemed immersed in their own long-lasting friendship.

    I focused all my attention on the words that talked about going to meet Lexion.

    Gregory continued.

    ¡°This time, I am in charge of hosting the Korte Kingdom delegation. Kronos that bastard, he deliberately forced me to do all the work. What a freaking jerk.¡±

    Gregory swore at Kronos and glanced at me.

    It was somewhat exaggerated.

    Even though I knew the intention, I pretended not to know. First of all, I didn¡¯t know the deal between him and Lexion.

    Gregory sternly explained to me as I was standing still.

    ¡°Ah, since you¡¯re in the Castle you may not have heard the news.¡±

    ¡°What news?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I played another match with the Crown Prince this time. He¡¯s going to die of resentment by now. How is it? If you are curious, I can do it again.¡±

    Gregory giggled as he pretended to hit Lexion next to him.

    The more he acted exaggeratedly, the more it felt a bit pitiful because it seemed like he was trying to pretend.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend to be such a troublemaker¡­ You must have had a hard time too.¡¯

    He seemed determined and wanted to ruin his reputation. It was truly a self-destructive act.

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask.¡±

    ¡°Uh?¡±

    ¡°So you don¡¯t have to pretend you¡¯re okay.¡±

    Gregory¡¯s face distorted at my words. Lexion, who was next to me, looked at me curiously.

    I thought I shouldn¡¯t have said anything, so I quietly hid behind Lexion¡¯s back. It was a habit I always did when I was in trouble before.

    Lexion flinched for a moment but didn¡¯t say anything.

    Gregory smirked as he watched me hide.

    ¡°Anyone who sees this would think I¡¯m about to eat you.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m so¡ª¡±

    I was just about to explain.

    ¡°So what should I do for you¡±?

    Lexion intervened and changed the topic. Then he held me with one arm. I grabbed the hem of his robe and poked my head out. It was to hear what they were talking about.

    If it was the Kingdom of Korte, it was a country that had friendly relations with the Aden Empire.

    Actually, it was closer to a master-servant relationship than a friendly relationship, but the Kingdom of Korte was less influenced by the Empire than other kingdoms.

    Gregory crossed his arms and continued what he was about to say.

    ¡°You know that Prince Korte is very interested in swordsmanship, right? It¡¯s been a long time since he wanted to see you, a transcendent.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°He happens to come between the envoys. Since you¡¯re in the capital, I want you to meet him. Do you have time?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Isn¡¯t the Imperial Family urging me to go back soon?¡±

    ¡°When Prince Korte heard that you were in the capital, he sent a letter. His Majesty the Emperor won¡¯t do anything.¡±

    ¡°If so¡­ I¡¯ll stop by before going to the north.¡±

    When Lexion agreed, Gregory smiled. He tapped Lexion on the shoulder and said.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell you the location later when it¡¯s confirmed.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡®Perhaps it will happen that day?¡¯

    I was just thinking about how I could be a part of that meeting.

    Gregory didn¡¯t go and awkwardly scratched the back of his head then he turned his head slightly to meet my eyes.

    ¡°If you¡¯re bored, come with him, Miss.¡±

    ¡°No, it may be dange¡ª¡±

    ¡°I- I¡¯ll go!¡±

    Lexion was about to say no right away, but I answered hastily. I was afraid of losing such a great opportunity.

    Gregory opened his eyes wide open for a moment and then said with a grin.

    ¡°You want to come?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Lexion and Gregory¡¯s eyes turned to me. Gregory had an interesting face, and Lexion had a troubled one. If it was the past me, if Lexion objected, I would have accepted that.

    But that wasn¡¯t me anymore.

    Because I was no longer the timid Tiarozetti.

    I immediately looked up at Lexion and said earnestly.

    ¡°I want to go. I can¡¯t go?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask for his permission? I invited you.¡±

    Before Lexion could answer, Gregory responded playfully.

    Lexion paused for a moment, then said softly.

    ¡°Your body hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m almost healed. In addition to that expensive recovery potion, I¡¯ve also been receiving recovery magic.¡±

    Lexion smiled when I moved my arm lightly to mean that I was okay.

    Driven by that momentum, I opened my mouth again.

    ¡°By the time the delegation arrives, I will feel better.¡±

    ¡°There will be more people than you think. Will you be really okay?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Zion will be by my side.¡±

    ¡°¡­What? Are you already calling him Zion?¡±

    Gregory was surprised by the name ¡®Zion.¡¯

    I hid my head behind Lexion¡¯s back as if intimidated. After a moment, Lexion calmly agreed.

    ¡°Okay, If you want to.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    When permission was granted, I answered in an excited voice. Then Lexion looked at me and smiled softly. Watching this, Gregory let out a yawn with a bored face.

    ¡°You two seem to be in a different world.¡±

    ¡°So please, Greg.¡±

    ¡°I get it.¡±

    Gregory nodded, winked at me, and said goodbye.

    ¡°See you then, scaredy cat Miss.¡±

    ¡°Call her Tiarozetti.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s up to the person I¡¯m referring to. Why are you asking me to do that? I¡¯m going.¡±

    When Lexion took issue with the title, Gregory bluntly turned his back on him.

    I came out from behind Lexion¡¯s back only after Gregory completely disappeared.

    ¡®It¡¯s a relief. I was wondering how to go with them¡­¡¯

    Obviously, the event shown in the preview seemed to be related to the mission of the Korte Kingdom.

    It was the instincts developed after living inside a book for a long time.

    I muttered with excitement, trying to prevent him from changing his mind.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    Lexion smiled in response.

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22

    Part Five ¨C Evil Dragon¡¯s Attack

    Aden. The 12th day of the seventh month, year 408.

    The Korte Kingdom delegation arrived at the capital of the Aden Empire. It was three days later when Lexion came into contact with them.

    In the meantime, my body improved a lot and I was even able to do simple exercises.

    ¡®After all, a lot of money is poured into this treatment, it¡¯ll make the recovery quicker.¡¯

    I did my best to recover. I was afraid that Lexion wouldn¡¯t allow me to follow him if my physical condition was bad. I stretched out and pondered about the current situation.

    Every year around this time, the Korte Kingdom comes with a large delegation to pay tribute to the Empire.

    It was an annual event where not only the Royal Family, but also merchants, moved in large numbers, so the inside of the capital was fairly busy.

    Merchants in the capital were already bent on preoccupying business with them. This was because they brought high-quality silk, spices, and perfumes.

    Of course, that wasn¡¯t all. As much as they sold things in the Empire, they also bought goods from it. Most of them were magic tools, since living in the Empire could save taxes. The magic tools imported from the Korte Kingdom had to be sold because of the double taxation, so there was no profit left.

    On the other hand, it was advantageous to live directly in the Empire. So, there was a competition between merchants to join the delegation. They mainly bought practical items such as bags with lightning magic and mana beads that move magic tools.

    Lexion received a call from Gregory and left the castle to meet the delegation. I accompanied him, clinging onto him. I didn¡¯t forget to carefully look around us.

    ¡®You never know when or where an evil dragon will appear and harm Lexion. So we have no choice but to keep an eye on it.¡¯

    I was already filled with a sense of duty to protect him.

    The preview didn¡¯t explain how he was going to die, so I couldn¡¯t relax at all.

    I remembered my conversation with the guide the previous night.

    ¡°What if I die?¡±

    ¨DIf the main character dies, isn¡¯t that the ending? Do you want to die, traveler?

    ¡°Is that how it sounds?¡±

    ¨DYou don¡¯t want to die.

    Even thinking about the remarks the guide told me last night, I was shocked.

    ¨DDo not worry. Your safety is guaranteed until you reach the designated ending.

    ¡°It¡¯s a conscientious system. I thought it was a pure scam.¡±

    ¨DI¡¯m not a scammer. Your words are too much.

    Since I was confirmed by the guide that I would not die directly, I thought I would act a little more boldly.

    ¡®I feel like I am receiving an invincible buff. I don¡¯t want to be hurt anyway, so I want to be careful, but it¡¯s reassuring.¡¯

    Lexion¡¯s sleeves were wrinkled by me clinging onto him. Lexion said softly, perhaps because he misunderstood that I was scared.

    ¡°Is it because there are a lot of people?¡±

    ¡°Uh?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s hard, I¡¯ll take you back.¡±

    His voice was mixed with anxiety. We were already halfway, but I couldn¡¯t believe he was thinking of turning back.

    I looked around. The voices of people bargaining for sure made the surroundings noisy. It was hustling and bustling. The original Tiarozetti wouldn¡¯t like that. I shook my head and smiled brightly.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen the Korte delegation, so I¡¯m really looking forward to it.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Lexion looked at me kindly and grabbed my hand that was holding his sleeve. He said as I looked up at the sudden touch.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be a little less scary like this?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°If not¡­¡±

    When he tried to let go of my hand with a sullen face, I said, holding on to it.

    ¡°Th- that¡¯s right! This way is more comfortable.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡±

    Lexion smiled softly and grabbed my hand. The hand I held was very warm and soft.

    How much did we walk? I thought we were about halfway through, but I couldn¡¯t see where the delegation was staying.

    ¡®I think they said it was close to the Imperial Palace, but how does it seem like we¡¯re going in circles?¡¯

    Knowing roughly the geography, I immediately noticed that he took a shortcut and went far away.

    I asked, tilting my head.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a shortcut to the Imperial Palace?¡±

    ¡°I just want us to be alone a little longer.¡±

    It was hard to hear Lexion¡¯s words because of the crowd.

    ¡°What? I didn¡¯t hear well. Say it again¡­¡±

    ¡°There, girl! Let¡¯s taste some of this!¡±

    Just as I was about to ask him to speak again, a merchant grabbed me. Then, without a second thought, he held the chicken skewers in my hand.

    ¡°Eat it! It¡¯ll probably be really good.¡±

    I unknowingly bit the chicken skewer at the merchant¡¯s hands.

    As the merchant said, the chicken was well seasoned and tasted good.

    ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡±

    ¡°I made it with our house special sauce, so it has no choice but to taste good. Now, no more, just give me five rings.¡±

    At my favorable reviews, the merchant demanded a flat price. I blinked, thinking it was just a tasting sample. At this, Lexion was about to pay but I asked in an absurd tone.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it free?¡±

    ¡°Hey, lady. If I give it away for free, how will I have money to eat?¡±

    The merchant was savvy. I looked at Lexion thinking that he was deceiving us, and Lexion misunderstood my gaze.

    ¡°Give me another skewer.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, an excellent choice!¡±

    Without hesitation, the merchant quickly received the money from Lexion and offered another chicken skewer.

    ¡°You won¡¯t eat Lexion?¡±

    I gave up and asked, but Lexion shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m full just looking at what you eat, Titi.¡±

    ¡°¡­Then I will eat it well.¡±

    Embarrassed by his sudden remarks, I put a lot of chicken skewers in my mouth.

    When we arrived at the detached palace where the delegation was staying, a familiar woman greeted us.

    I stared blankly at Seirin, who was smiling brightly under the sunlight. Seirin had her blue hair in a fine braid that rested on her shoulder. The chiffon dress, which flowed with every step, suited her very well.

    She recognized Lexion and approached her with a gentle step.

    ¡°Come. I was waiting for you, Sir Lexion.¡±

    When she greeted her with a bright smile, Lexion remained silent. I was polite, remembering that I had been scolded by Kronos previously.

    ¡°I see the glorious Aden of the Empire. This is Tiarozetti Sparrow¡±

    ¡°We see again.¡±

    It was only then that Seirin greeted me and smiled. She was still a pretty woman. Her white jade-like skin made her blue hair stand out even more.

    I stood still, not knowing what to say to her. Then Lexion asked her.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s something I¡¯ve been in charge of before, so I¡¯m here to help. It¡¯s a bit sad that Lord Lexion isn¡¯t very welcoming.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way. I apologize if I offended you.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I will forgive you.¡±

    She looked at Lexion and smiled shyly.

    ¡®It seems that Seirin is already interested in Lexion.¡¯

    Actually, Lexion was an old love interest for her since their friendship between Seirin and Lexion has been going on since childhood.

    Even when they were young, they lived a life far from politics. Kronos, Seirin, and Gregory, and Lexion. The four of them often played together.

    ¡®But the political arena is not a place where you can easily roll around.¡¯

    The relationship between the Imperial Family and the Sparrow family became more subtle over the years.

    It was because the Emperor was too wary of Lexion. So, it was only natural that the four of them grew apart.

    ¡®Now that the debut has passed, does Lexion still sees Seirin as a little sister?¡¯

    Since the fateful meeting in the debutant was canceled, Lexion¡¯s expression on Seirin was businesslike.

    On the other hand, Seirin was a little shy because she seemed to be already in love.

    ¡®She¡¯s such a lovely woman, maybe Lexion will like her soon.¡¯

    For some reason, I felt like I was an obstacle. At that moment, I found that Seirin¡¯s gaze turned toward me and Lexion¡¯s hand.

    ¡®Oh! I was holding his hand!¡¯

    I belatedly tried to get my hand out of his, but for some reason, Lexion wouldn¡¯t let me go.

    Rather, he even locked out fingers together.

    ¡®Lexion?¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t even say anything to him, so I tapped his arm. But he just looked at me and smiled.

    Seirin said with a smile.

    ¡°You seem to be on good terms. I heard you¡¯re distant relatives.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    When Lexion readily agreed, Seirin shifted her gaze to me and asked.

    ¡°If you¡¯re Sir Lexion¡¯s beloved little sister, then I should be friendly with you too. What was your name again?¡±

    ¡°Ti- Tiarozetti Sparrow.¡±

    After Seirin heard the answer, she grabbed my other hand and asked.

    ¡°Yes, Tiarozetti. Do you have time right now?¡±

    ¡°Pardon? Now?¡±

    As I answered startled, Seirin said.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­ I just decided to have tea time with the Korte royals. Brother Gregory is coming too.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    ¡°Anyway, Lord Lexion will come, but it will be the same as being alone. ¡­How is it? Would you like to go with me?¡±

    Seirin¡¯s eyes lit up as she clasped my hands tightly. It didn¡¯t seem like she was doing it because she was wary of me, it just seemed to want to get to know me.

    ¡®You mean Gregory is there too? If Lexion goes, of course, I have to follow¡­¡¯

    I looked up at Lexion as if asking for permission. It was a meeting with important people, so I needed his permission.

    At my gaze, Lexion spoke softly.

    ¡°Titi, if you feel uncomfortable, you can say no. I will go alone. You can look around and have fun.¡±

    It seemed as if he was not going to allow it. I shook my head and replied in fear of being left behind.

    ¡°No. I want to go with you.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t be very fun.¡±

    ¡°Still¡­¡±

    Perhaps it seemed as if we were flirting with each other, but Seirin interrupted our conversation.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of her, Sir Lexion.¡±

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23

    When Seirin stepped forward, Lexion kept his mouth shut and I took advantage of the situation, looking at him with pleading eyes.

    In fact, it was better not to go as Lexion said. It was a place where I would sure to sit like a sack of barley. But coming here was to protect Lexion, so I had to follow him.

    ¡®Because the evil dragon will attack the capital.¡¯

    Unfortunately, the capital was left unattended. Everyone thought the capital was safe. This was because a large-scale protective shield was installed throughout the capital for protection against the invasion of the dragon. However, even that protective shield wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the novel¡¯s development. In a situation where I didn¡¯t know how the evil dragon would invade the capital, I couldn¡¯t leave his side recklessly.

    ¡®It¡¯s better to stay close to Lexion even if it¡¯s a little boring.¡¯

    After a while, Lexion opened his mouth.

    ¡°All right. Then please, Princess.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry, Lord Lexion.¡±

    Seirin smiled bashfully at him and looked at me and said,

    ¡°It will definitely be fun.¡±

    As expected, tea time was not the place for me to be. It was an uncomfortable seat, like wearing mismatching shoes. I stayed as quiet as possible so as not to be found faulty.

    At teatime, Prince Korte, who wanted to meet Lexion, was also there. He was a boy who looked around thirteen years old at most. Next to him was his elegant sister. Perhaps because it was the Kingdom of Korte in a hot and dry area, their skin was coppery. The copper-colored smooth skin gave her a radiant beauty.

    The kingdom enjoyed the nightlife, there were frequent conversations about dancing, singing, and alcohol. Occasionally, topics that were difficult to understand for me, such as politics and economics came up, but Gregory changed the topic again. Leading a conversation like a witty comedian or a charismatic joker didn¡¯t seem like a normal skill.

    ¡®Are you taking care of me?¡¯

    I glanced at Gregory, he smiled and winked at me. I quickly turned my head away.

    ¡°Imperial tea has a very deep taste. Maybe it¡¯s because of the development of tea culture? There is a lot of demand.¡±

    Princess Korte said with a smile. Seirin replied.

    ¡°Thank you for the compliment. If the tea tastes good, I would like to give it to you as a gift. I will send it through a maid.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I unintentionally asked for a present. I will drink well.¡±

    ¡°Not at all. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to make a good relationship and give you a gift.¡±

    Seirin coaxed the Princess with her fluent speech. As the Imperial Princess, her appearance was very cool. Since it wasn¡¯t a topic I¡¯m familiar with, I had been barely holding on by laughing with them when they laugh. Before long, Lexion was caught by the prince and was demonstrating swordsmanship on the grass. As I stared blankly at Lexion, Gregory spoke to me.

    ¡°Do you like him?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You keep chasing after Lexion.¡±

    Gregory spoke indifferently as if letting it slide. I held my breath at the sudden fastball. My heart was pounding. I pretended to be okay with this.

    ¡°It¡¯s a habit.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to make excuses.¡±

    Gregory answered with a grin. He looked like he didn¡¯t care, he also looked a little bored in this place. He seemed like he wanted to get out of here as much as I do. I asked him, who was fiddling with his nails.

    ¡°Are you bored?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    I reacted coldly to his immediate reply, he stared at me and snickered. I looked at him puzzled, who suddenly burst out laughing.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d say it¡¯s boring.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you would ask me if I liked him out loud.¡±

    ¡°Were pretending to be coy? You¡¯re better than I thought.¡±

    Gregory held his chin and walked closer. Curiosity was evident on his face. I hesitated before replying because I felt like I was acting too freely in front of him.

    ¡°Even if I¡¯m scared, I say what I need to.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you¡±

    Gregory raised his hand and stroked my hair. When I looked at the hand that suddenly touched me, he withdrew it and made excuses.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s a habit.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±

    ¡°You did it with your eyes. You looked at me as if I was a molester, Miss.¡±

    ¡°I apologize¡­¡±

    ¡°No, well¡­ I didn¡¯t mean for you to apologize.¡±

    Gregory ruffled the back of his head. There was silence for a moment, but as the Princess left Seirin turned and looked directly at me.

    ¡°It looks like you haven¡¯t been eating well, is it possible that the cake doesn¡¯t suit your palate?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s delicious!¡±

    In response to Seirin¡¯s question, I exaggeratedly took a bite of the cake. For some reason, the heroine¡¯s kindness was awkward for me, so my actions did not come out naturally.

    ¡®Seirin is still kind.¡¯

    With that thought in mind, Gregory looked at me with a curious gaze. I pretended not to see and ate the cake eagerly. After a while, Gregory gave a very sinister smile and said to Seirin.

    ¡°She says tea time is boring.¡±

    ¡°Pr- Prince!¡±

    I shouted in panic when he revealed what I thought was tacitly a secret. As if my reaction was funny, he giggled and shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡®No, you say you¡¯re bored too, and you¡¯re only blaming me!¡¯

    It was a sudden attack, and it felt like sweat was running down my back. Seirin said with a sullen expression on Gregory¡¯s words.

    ¡°Oh, was it boring? I¡¯m sorry. I said I would take care of you, but I must have made you uncomfortable.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no! It was just a little awkward.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Anyway, this cake is really delicious. I think it¡¯s one of the best cakes I¡¯ve ever eaten.¡±

    ¡°Lies, Miss. It was hard to eat. I saw it all.¡±

    Gregory made fun of me with a mischievous expression on his face. As I glared at him, he put on an innocent expression. It had a very ugly face. Then, Seirin spoke harshly to Gregory.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make it difficult. And what¡¯s that about ¡®Miss¡¯?¡±

    ¡°What about it, everyone who heard it liked it.¡±

    ¡°You look so careless.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡±

    Gregory nodded and crossed his legs. She couldn¡¯t rehabilitate a man who lived to be crooked properly. Even if she knew he wasn¡¯t originally like this.

    Seirin shook her head with a face that she wouldn¡¯t let go. Then, without realizing it, she spoke as if complaining.

    ¡°Uncle would be sad if he knew that you were going around like this¡­¡±

    ¡°Seirin Aden Werbel.¡±

    Gregory stopped Seirin from speaking in a cool tone, the tone of his voice changed drastically. At that moment, Seirin covered her mouth realizing her mistake. I glanced at the two of them in the sudden heavy atmosphere. The moment the word ¡°uncle¡± came out, Gregory¡¯s smile faded away. The uncle Seirin is talking about was Gregory¡¯s dead biological father. He took a deep breath and got up.

    ¡°Wa- wait a minute¡­! Where are you going?¡±

    She grabbed Gregory trying to escape. But he gently brushed off her hand and spoke coldly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get some air, I¡¯ll come back.¡±

    ¡°Brother.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t follow me.¡±

    Gregory left the place with an unsuitable, firm voice that didn¡¯t leave a gap for Seirin to stop him.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Seirin sat back down on her seat with a stiff face. Of course, the atmosphere was messed up. When Gregory left, the surroundings became silent. It was fortunate that Princess Korte wasn¡¯t here.

    Seirin drank the tea without a word. Judging by the reactions of the two, it seemed that the story of his father was a sensitive topic.

    ¡®Well, he died for treason, but he deserves to be sensitive about it.¡¯

    It was Seirin¡¯s mistake to refer to someone who was truly a traitor as ¡®uncle¡¯.

    Of course, she was just trying to advise him but¡­

    While the awkward silence continued, I saw the Princess coming in the distance. Then, Seirin spoke to me carefully.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, can I ask you a favor?¡±

    ¡°Please speak.¡±

    ¡°Even if my brother said that, he really hates being alone.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°I want to follow him right away, but as you can see, I can¡¯t leave my place since this is for the good relationships between nations. Will you go for me?¡±

    ¡°¡­Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m begging you.¡±

    Seirin clasped my hand and gave off a pitiful expression. I hesitated and glanced at Lexion once. He was distracted because he was caught by a vigorous Prince. I came here for his safety. So it wasn¡¯t good if I stayed too far away from him. But her eyes were so tender that it was hard to refuse.

    ¡®Yeah, since the trailer said he would die saving Gregory, I can go to Gregory.¡¯

    Having concluded that, I quickly nodded my head.

    ¡°I will go. Do not worry too much.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Seirin smiled happily when I agreed. As expected, she looked as if she knew I would agree.

    ¡°Where are you going? ¡­Oh, Prince Gregory isn¡¯t here?¡±

    The princess who had just approached spoke to me. Seirin replied politely.

    ¡°Ah, just in time. The prince didn¡¯t come so Young Lady Sparrow was about to go find him.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±

    The princess meekly nodded and sat down. I greeted politely and quickly headed in the direction where Gregory left.

    ¡®I think I spent too much time looking for him¡¯

    I could see him lying on the grass in the distance. He was covering his eyes with his arms from the bright sun. As I got closer, he said sternly.

    ¡°Seirin, I told you not to follow me.¡±

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24

    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±

    I hesitated to answer, and he jumped up. I was wrong to think that he was covering his eyes to avoid the sun. His eyes were slightly red and puffy.

    ¡®He cried.¡¯

    I felt strange as if I had unintentionally peeked into something he didn¡¯t want anyone to see. Gregory¡¯s eyes fluttered violently as if he was still confused. I guess he didn¡¯t think I would follow him. He bit his lips and stuttered.

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°Did you cry?¡±

    ¡°Who is crying? I was just yawing.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Really.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I believe you.¡±

    ¡°Haaa¡­ yaawwn¡ª¡±

    Gregory covered his face with both hands. Quite shameful. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, I sat down on the grass. Then I tilted my head and made eye contact with him.

    ¡°Are you embarrassed?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t cry!¡±

    Gregory groaned and shouted. I shrugged and nodded.

    ¡°If you¡¯re sad, you might cry a little. Why are you hiding like that?¡±

    ¡°Who is sad?¡±

    ¡°Right now, the Prince¡¯s eyes are sad. I feel like you¡¯ll cry if I touch you.¡±

    ¡°Tsk, what are you saying?¡±

    Gregory turned his head completely, avoiding my gaze. Seeing that he was unusually agitated, I seemed to have hit the bullseye.

    ¡®He can¡¯t be honest.¡¯

    I looked at the wildflowers next to him without further inquiring. Clovers were growing all over the place. Bored, I looked around to find a four-leaf clover and laid down again. The grass swayed in the gentle breeze. While I was looking for a four-leaf clover while humming a song I couldn¡¯t even remember the lyrics to.

    ¡°What song is that?¡±

    ¡°Oh! I found one!¡±

    At the same time as Gregory¡¯s question, I cheered. I exclaimed ¡®woohoo¡¯ while holding the newly discovered four-leaf clover.

    It was my first time finding one. It took me so little time to find one, so it was even more surprising.

    ¡°Again, what were you looking for?¡±

    Gregory smirked and held out his hand. He added as I stared at the hand.

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to give it to me, give it to me.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m going to keep it?¡±

    ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you come here to comfort me?¡±

    Gregory replied with a puzzled face. I tilted my head and spoke.

    ¡°Why do you need comfort when you say you didn¡¯t cry?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Gregory couldn¡¯t keep going without shooting himself in the foot. In the meantime, I put the four-leaf clover in my bag without hesitation.

    ¡°¡­Really? Are you really not giving it to me?¡±

    Gregory looked at the four-leaf clover in the bag and asked. I shook my head nonchalantly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not lucky enough to give it to someone who didn¡¯t cry.¡±

    ¡°I cried.¡±

    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t cry.¡±

    ¡°Miss, are you really going to be like this?¡±

    Gregory¡¯s expression became sulky. He seemed to be very stubborn about things that didn¡¯t matter. I couldn¡¯t stop laughing because it was funny.

    ¡°Hahaha.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t laugh.¡±

    ¡°Huhhuhu.¡±

    ¡°I told you not to laugh!¡±

    Gregory exclaimed with his face all red. At this, I stopped laughing and said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a special blessing because the prince cried.¡±

    Then I pulled out a four-leaf clover from my bag and held it out.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Gregory had a startled look on his face, probably because he felt ashamed of himself for being obsessed with a four-leaf clover.

    ¡°You won¡¯t take it?¡±

    ¡°Miss, this is your revenge.¡±

    I answered with a smile.

    ¡°That¡¯s absurd.¡±

    ¡®Did you find out just now?¡¯

    I didn¡¯t reveal my inner feelings. But he must have known just by looking at my face.

    He took the four-leaf clover with a sullen expression, then he raised the four-leaf clover to the sky and looked up.

    I started looking for a four-leaf clover again. This time, I was going to find it for Lexion.

    It needed a lot of luck.

    ¡°What else are you looking for?¡±

    ¡°A four-leaf clover for Zion.¡±

    ¡°Do you like him that much?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±

    I answered Gregory¡¯s question dryly and found another four-leaf clover. He watched the scene without saying a word.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be him.¡±

    He sounded determined. Thanks to that, my head turned to him. The expression on his face was as serious as his tone of voice.

    Gregory opened his mouth as he stared blankly at the distance.

    ¡°He¡¯s Seirin¡¯s. There¡¯s no place for you who¡¯s not even a noble. You¡¯ll be the only one who gets hurt.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    As he said, it was unprecedented that a Duke of an Empire accepted a woman of a minority as the Duchess. In addition, Seirin was interested in him, so the two would naturally get married.

    Of course, there were difficulties like the Emperor, but in the first place, all love stories require suffering.

    ¡®Whether before or now, am I still a stumbling block to his future?¡¯

    ¡°¡­I know.¡±

    I muttered with a sullen face at Gregory¡¯s words that sounded like a confirmation to kill. He asked, wide-eyed at my affirmation.

    ¡°You know? What did Seirin say?¡±

    ¡°I was just quick-witted¡­ When the princess looks at Zion, she has a face of being in love.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Right, It¡¯s better not to look at a tree that you can¡¯t climb anyway.¡±

    He spoke softly as if he was giving advice. Those were the words Gregory often said to himself.

    I reluctantly refuted his words.

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t like him.¡±

    ¡°You are as obvious as Seirin.¡±

    ¡°You can just pretend you don¡¯t know, then.¡±

    My answer sounded a little cheeky. He rolled his eyes and said with a mischievous smile.

    ¡°Sorry, I guess I want to cheer for my little sister.¡±

    Hearing it made me feel even worse. I comforted you at least¡­

    ¡°Suddenly, the four-leaf clover is a waste to give to you.¡±

    When I spoke in a grumpy tone, he giggled aloud.

    I looked at him and he was holding the four-leaf clover to me.

    But I, who was already feeling twisted and annoyed inside, asked with a grumpy tone.

    ¡°You said you couldn¡¯t have it before, but now you don¡¯t need it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that, I¡¯m going to give my luck to you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Instead of rooting for you. Of course, it seems difficult. Hurry up and take it.¡±

    Gregory waved the four-leaf clover and urged me.

    ¡®You said you would support Seirin until just now, but you¡¯re comforting me like this again.¡¯

    He was truly a capricious prince. Of course, thanks to him, my heart was relieved a bit. I grumbled slightly, receiving a four-leaf clover.

    ¡°I was originally mine anyways. You show off.¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯d be boring without showing off.¡±

    He responded with a mischievous face and got up from his seat. He said looking down at me, feeling a little refreshed.

    ¡°Now let¡¯s go back.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ Yes!¡±

    I put a four-leaf clover in my notebook, put it in my bag, got up, and brushed off my dress.

    Looking around, Gregory couldn¡¯t stand it and was already walking a long way ahead

    ¡®Hey, will it kill you if you wait a little bit?¡¯

    I ran after him.

    When Gregory and I returned to the tea party, the atmosphere was quite different.

    The table was full of light fruit liquor, and there were already several empty bottles.

    ¡®Did the drinking party just happen?¡¯

    In front of the table, a drunk Princess was performing a flashy dance with her younger brother. The fun fact was that she could dance pretty well even if she was drunk.

    ¡°Woaaah.¡±

    Seirin was clapping in front of them. She also looked a little drunk.

    Anyways, Lexion was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡®Where did Lexion go?¡¯

    While I was looking around for Lexion, Gregory approached Seirin.

    ¡°Seirin?¡±

    Gregory¡¯s voice was filled with absurdity. In fact, He was right to feel bewildered since we weren¡¯t away for that long and everyone looked quite drunk already.

    She found us and smiled mischievously. Up close, it looked like she was very drunk. She had a disheveled appearance, quite different from her previous stoic demeanor.

    ¡°Ah! Brother!¡±

    Seirin staggered and hugged Gregory. He supported her with a puzzled look.

    ¡°How much did you drink?¡±

    ¡°Just a little bit! I did. But I think it was strong. I¡¯m a little dizzy.¡±

    ¡°You get drunk from just one drink.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right. I do, hehe.¡±

    As Seirin laughed bashfully, Gregory shook his head.

    ¡°By the way, what did Lexion do without stopping you?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ Lord Lexion.¡±

    When Seirin heard the word Lexion, she had a gloomy expression on her face. After a while, she answered, pointing a finger at me.

    ¡°He couldn¡¯t see Lady Tiarozetti. I guess he went to find you.¡±

    After saying those words, Seirin tightly closed her eyes. Gregory shook her to wake her up.

    ¡°You can¡¯t sleep here like this!¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Even though he said so irritated, she only let out a shallow moan. She leaned against Gregory, drooping, like a person completely dozing off.

    She looked like she would fall asleep at any moment.

    ¡°Ha¡­¡±

    Gregory looked up at the sky and put his hand on his forehead.

    ¡°I will find the Duke.¡±

    It was time for me to speak coldly and take a step back.

    ¡°You were here.¡±

    Before I knew it, Lexion was behind me.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°I have been looking for you for a while.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I left for a while¡­¡±

    I apologized to him for leaving without a word.

    ¡®I thought Seirin would have told him, but I didn¡¯t tell him directly.¡¯

    He shook his head lightly at my apology and said sweetly.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re back. So it¡¯s okay.¡±

    Then he wiped his forehead with his hand. It seemed as if he had been running for a while.

    ¡°Have you been looking for me for a long time?¡±

    ¡°We must have missed each other.¡±

    Lexion nodded and answered as he cleaned the sweat on his forehead once more.

    I pulled out a handkerchief from my bag and held it out, smiling. He smiled back at me as he took it.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too cheap?¡± Then Gregory, holding Seirin in his arms, complained.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25

    Lexion asked while looking at Seirin, who had already become unconscious.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°She has been drinking.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Lexion nodded his head as if it was understandable. Then Gregory handed Seirin over to him and said,

    ¡°She drank because of you, so you are responsible.¡±

    Lexion gave him an old look while Gregory passed her on to him. Soon, he tried to hand Seirin back to Gregory.

    ¡°You can take her.¡±

    ¡°I have to take care of the drunk Princess. That¡¯s my job.¡±

    Gregory leaned back and pointed to the dancing Princess. Lexion let out a deep sigh as if he couldn¡¯t do anything and said to me.

    ¡°Sorry. Could you go ahead?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    I paused while getting ready to follow him. Of course, I thought we were going together.

    ¡°Yes! Okay.¡±

    Somehow, my behavior became awkward, so I answered quickly and smiled. At this, Lexion¡¯s expression became odd, but Seirin tossed and complained in her sleep.

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    Lexion stared at her stiffly, then stopped his steps and changed his words.

    ¡°No. Come with me. It¡¯s close to the Imperial Palace from here¡­¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? She should go back alone to the castle and rest¡±

    Gregory stopped him and complained. I couldn¡¯t do anything so I alternately stared at both. But Lexion stubbornly answered and called me.

    ¡°It¡¯s close anyway. Let ¡®s go, Titi.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes!¡±

    As I approached him, Gregory shook his head.

    ¡°Be careful!¡±

    Gregory shouted from behind. I glanced back and nodded, then followed Lexion.

    ¡®Thank you.¡¯ because Lexion asked me to go with him. The truth was, I didn¡¯t want to let the two of them go alone. A smile continued to spread across my lips.

    The Imperial Palace was not far from the detached Palace where we were. As we approached the entrance, a knight found Seirin.

    ¡°Princess?¡±

    ¡°The princess is a little drunk. Please take her safely.¡±

    Lexion spoke to the knight and handed her over to him. I blinked because I thought he would take her inside her Palace.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to see her all the way?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s safe in the imperial palace anyway.¡±

    ¡°But in the past¡­¡±

    Oops, I hurriedly swallowed back my words. It was the story of my past life when he brought Seirin into her Palace. It was a scene that the book made me see.

    ¡®I almost made a mistake.¡¯

    After a while, Lexion grabbed my hand and said,

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    But we didn¡¯t take one step forward. It was because Seirin called Lexion. The nickname she used to call him when they were kids.

    ¡°Zion.¡±

    Lexion stopped at her call. My gaze turned to his sleeve. Seirin woke up and was holding his arm.

    ¡°Are you leaving like this?¡±

    ¡°You have drunk a lot.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that, please take me home.¡±

    Seirin pushed the knight¡¯s support and reached out to Lexion. How brave she must feel while drunk. Somehow, I didn¡¯t want her to be brave.

    As I glanced at Lexion, he looked troubled. However, it was difficult for him to refuse the Princess¡¯s request, so he graciously granted it.

    ¡°All right.¡±

    It was a familiar pattern. Lexion¡¯s choice was Seirin over me. Of course, the current situation didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t choose me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go in first.¡±

    I bowed deeply in a cheerful tone, fearing that he might see my crumpled face.

    ¡°Lady Tiarozetti, get home safely.¡±

    Seirin, who was drunk, smiled and waved her hand. It was an innocent act, but her actions always hurt me.

    I quickly ran away from that place.

    Seirin looked up at Lexion with her excited face. Was it a reward for her courage due to her drunkenness?

    He quietly escorted her.

    ¡®I was afraid of rejection¡­ I¡¯m glad.¡¯

    Seirin delayed her step, wanting to drag her time.

    She knew he cared for Tiarozetti throughout teatime. Lexion¡¯s eyes as he looked at Tiarozetti, who was said to be her distant relative, were strange. It wasn¡¯t a way to look at family, but Seirin tried to calm her anxiety.

    Even when he was young, he was kind to everyone. As they reached the front of the bedroom, Seirin smiled and said.

    ¡°Thanks for escorting me.¡±

    ¡°Princess.¡±

    Hearing his call, Seirin met his gaze in slow motion. At that moment, she was seized with a feeling that told her she shouldn¡¯t hear his next words. So she hastily cut him off.

    ¡°I¡¯m tired, you should get going.¡±

    But Lexion suddenly opened his mouth.

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t make any personal requests like this in the future.¡±

    ¡°¡­Why? When you were young, you always listened to my requests.¡±

    Seirin bit her lower lip at his blunt words. She was even more upset because this wasn¡¯t the meeting that she had hoped for. But Lexion was infinitely cold.

    ¡°It was like that when we were young. Neither I nor the Princess is young anymore.¡±

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    Seirin clenched the hem of her skirt and murmured. She lowered her head so he could not see her face. Her alcohol broke, she was no longer drunk. All kinds of emotions rushed out.

    She felt embarrassed, ashamed, angry, and hurt, she couldn¡¯t stand it.

    ¡®How could you do this to me?¡¯

    As her rage was about to surge, Lexion drew a line on her mercilessly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be rumored to be involved with the Princess.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    As soon as made that question, she regretted it. Because his expression was very unfamiliar. She was confused as she waited for an answer. Moments later, she answered him with a hazy smile.

    ¡°Because that person is anxious.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to make her anxious. So, please don¡¯t do this kind of thing anymore. I followed you to say this.¡±

    Seirin tried not to blink her eyes. She was afraid that if she lowered her eyes even a little, her tears would fall.

    Were tears of true love, or shame? Seirin didn¡¯t want to think. She thought tears were going to fall if she did.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±

    After saying those words, Lexion turned his body. His footsteps were getting farther away. After a while, she mumbled so softly that no one could hear it.

    ¡°Did I get dumped? Even before confessing my feelings?

    Seirin looked at his back with her bewildered eyes. Her eyes were too venomous for a brokenhearted woman.

    In the distance, Lexion¡¯s steps did not hesitate an inch. Even though he could have looked back, he didn¡¯t turn even once.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Seirin entered the room with a stiff face.

    ¨DThe traveler seems to be deeply depressed.

    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m really depressed.¡±

    I lied down on the bed and spoke soullessly. The book approaching my bedside opened its pages.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¨DReading is a good habit to relieve depression. It helps with mental stability.

    ¡°I do not need.¡±

    I tried to push the annoying book away. However, I was startled by the content that caught my eye.

    ¡°Wait, what is this?¡±

    I grabbed the book without even giving the guide a chance to respond. I fixed my posture and read the text in it. To be precise, it was a description of Gregory and I playing around with a four-leaf clover.

    The novel didn¡¯t contain useless stories. So, the fact that this episode was written meant it was worth reading.

    ¡°No, why is this in the novel?¡±

    The guide answered my questions cheerfully.

    ¨DThat¡¯s because it¡¯s a sweet scene with the main character!

    ¡°What do you mean by the main character? Didn¡¯t I take the role from Lexion?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t understand what the guide was saying. The guide replied in a very light tone.

    ¨DThe main character always has a heroine! The traveler¡¯s heroine was decided to be ¡®Gregory Aden Werbel.¡¯

    ¡°¡­Lies.¡±

    ¨DThe guide doesn¡¯t lie.

    Had the guide had a body, I would have already hit it with all my might.

    ¡®Gregory is the male lead. Says who?¡¯

    I quenched my anger and spoke firmly.

    ¡°The only male lead for me is Lexion Sparrow.¡±

    ¨DHowever, Lexion Sparrow¡¯s setting is ¡®unknown.¡¯ And since the traveler is taking his role, the new male lead was decided to be Gregory Aden Werbel.

    The guide also answered without backing down.

    ¡®Do you think because you do as you please, I¡¯ll just agree with everything and let it slide?¡¯

    I was astonished and wanted to shout, but suddenly, someone knocked.

    Surprised, I covered the book and glared at the guide to not talk and get me all confused while someone else was present.

    ¡°Come on in!¡±

    The door opened with my permission. It was Lexion who came in.

    ¡°Duke?¡±

    I got out of bed surprised by his visit. Perhaps he had just arrived after taking Seirin home. Lexion opened his mouth as he unconsciously looked at my clothes.

    ¡°The lights are on in the room so¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah yes. I was going to sleep soon.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    He sighed heavily, he felt distant. I, too, couldn¡¯t reach out to him and stood there blankly.

    Was it because he went with Seirin? For some reason, I felt like sulking, but I tried to conceal it. Because there was no reason for me to be angry with him.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    After a moment of silence, we both spoke at the same time. It was ridiculous timing.

    ¡°Oh, please tell me first!¡±

    As I hurriedly asked him to speak first, he spoke with a soft smile.

    ¡°I was wondering if you want to do something before going to the North.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°For example, the night market or¡­¡±

    Lexion lengthened his words and moistened his lower lip with his tongue. It was a habit that came out whenever he was embarrassed.

    ¡®Do you want to go to the night market with me?¡¯

    As soon as I realized that, my mood went haywire. A smile spread on my lips.

    And just as I was about to answer, the guide interrupted.

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26

    ¨CSurprise mission! Go to the night market with Lexion Sparrow. Accept his date request.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I was speechless by the guide¡¯s words. Especially since it was a reminder of when an event necessary for the next development in the novel began. A reminder that if I didn¡¯t do what the guide told me to do, I would be penalized relentlessly.

    The reason Lexion came was because of the development of the novel.

    ¡®Well then. What else did I expect?¡¯

    While feeling so disappointed, I realized that Lexion¡¯s gaze was directed elsewhere. He was looking at ¡°The Opponent Of The Evil Dragon¡± on the bed. Obviously, it would only look like a Bible to him, but somehow his expression was unusual. Then he asked.

    ¡°What book is this?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I want to read a prayer before I go to bed¡­¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Lexion answered back and strode to the bed. Then, naturally, he picked up the book. I wouldn¡¯t be caught anyway, but somehow I felt nervous.

    Perhaps because his existence was ¡®unknown¡¯, the conversation seemed cooler. He rummaged through the book for a while and said.

    ¡°By the way, the book you lost last time was also a Bible.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°I was thinking of buying a new one, but you already did. If you ever need another Bible, let me know.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    I smiled awkwardly as I took the book he handed me. His expression was the same as usual. It was around the time when I breathed a sigh of relief inside, thinking that I had no reason to worry that he spoke again.

    ¡°Titi, would you like to go to the night market with me?¡±

    Lexion shyly proposed with a light smile. I asked with my eyes wide open.

    ¡°Now?¡±

    It was very late¡­

    ¡°No. Today would be nice, but let¡¯s go tomorrow.¡± Maybe tomorrow will be prettier. There will be fireworks.¡±

    ¡°Wow.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a firecracker from the kingdom, so it¡¯ll be worth seeing.¡±

    ¡°I want to go!¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lexion smiled warmly and stroked my hair. That monotonous movement always calmed me down. Gregory came to mind for a moment, and I felt a little strange, but that was all.

    I blushed at the thought of watching the fireworks with Lexion.

    ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a story. There wasn¡¯t even an event like this before.¡¯

    Rather, it was good to be able to enjoy dating him under the pretext of a novel. While I was smiling at that thought, the guide said something like a clear blow.

    ¨DSince you accepted the date, the main stage will start soon. The evil dragon will appear along with the fireworks, so be careful not to deviate from the development.

    The next day, I went out to the night market with Lexion as promised. I tried to smile, but it didn¡¯t go as well as I wanted.

    Because of what the guide said yesterday.

    ¡®I¡¯m worried¡­¡¯

    It was my first date with him, but I couldn¡¯t enjoy it. I was even more nervous because I was worried that an evil dragon might unwittingly appear and harm Lexion. Then Lexion called me.

    ¡°Titi.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    As I reflexively turned my head, something rested on my head. Soon, the sweet scent of flowers spread.

    ¡°Here is a mirror!¡±

    When I looked in the mirror presented by the peddler, there was a pretty flower crown woven with blue roses over my head. As I looked up at Lexion with a bewildered expression, he gently squinted the corners of his eyes and smiled. The merchant said.

    ¡°Aww, the crown suits your lover so well!¡±

    ¡°Give me this.¡±

    ¡°You have a good eye! Is it because you like the model so much? Ho ho ho.¡±

    The merchant rambled and put out his change. Because it was a fresh flower, the scent of roses permeated the tip of my nose. Feeling a bit emotional, I looked around, fiddling with my hair. The night market was very lively.

    Five-colored lights were illuminating the surroundings, and people were crowded as if they had forgotten to sleep. No one noticed the imminent danger. I was the only one who knew.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t your legs sore?¡±

    I answered with a soft smile to Lexion, who asked affectionately.

    ¡°I think it hurts a little.¡±

    ¡°There is a dessert cafe nearby.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t like sweets, do you?¡±

    ¡°I think you will like it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I like sweets.¡±

    I lowered my eyes and responded cautiously. Then Lexion smiled and held out his hand.

    ¡°I knew it.¡±

    As I entered the dessert cafe, I saw a familiar person in front of me. Gregory and Seirin were drinking tea affectionately.

    ¡®Since it¡¯s the main story, Gregory seems to have come to the night market too.¡¯

    Just in time, Gregory waved and welcomed Lexion after contact with him. However, Lexion said something else as if he had not seen it.

    ¡°Shall we go somewhere else?¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°Lexion! I¡¯ve seen you make eye contact with me!¡±

    He couldn¡¯t pretend he didn¡¯t see him anymore because of the loud shouting. Lexion let out a long sigh and walked over to the table where Gregory and Seirin were. Seirin was very pretty today too. She wore a veiled hat and looked gracefully with her blue hair braided into two braids. She spoke to me first.

    ¡°Yesterday I was so drunk that I made a lot of mistakes. I¡¯m sorry, Miss Tiarozetti.¡±

    ¡°No. Did you get home safely?¡±

    ¡°Sure. How about Miss Tiarozetti?¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    It was a conventional greeting. For some reason, her expression seemed a little awkward. Especially I wondered why she wouldn¡¯t make eye contact with Lexion.

    ¡®What happened last night?¡¯

    While I and Seirin do a brief greeting, Lexion and Gregory exchanged stories on different topics.

    ¡°Why did you come to a crowded place like this?¡±

    ¡°Just to get some air.¡±

    When Lexion responded casually, Gregory asked with a mischievous smile.

    ¡°I just came to see the fireworks display. I was supposed to watch it with the Korte royals, would you like to go? I reserved a place with a good view in advance.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that, let¡¯s go together.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    When Lexion vehemently refused, Gregory widened his eyes. Moments later, he asked quietly into her Lexion¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Seirin looked depressed since morning¡­ Do you know why?¡±

    ¡°How can I know how the Princess feels?¡±

    ¡°Weird. Why do I think you know?¡±

    Gregory whispered something in his ear, and Lexion stared at him coldly. They spoke in such a low voice that it was hard to hear them. At this, Seirin said with a slightly sullen face.

    ¡°What are you talking about like that?¡±

    ¡°About seeing the fireworks together later.¡±

    ¡°I said no, Gregory.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    At Lexion¡¯s cold reaction, Seirin made a sullen face. Gregory had a slightly embarrassed expression on his face when Lexion said he wouldn¡¯t go in front of her.

    I was idly watching the strange atmosphere flow between Seirin and Lexion when an alarm rang.

    ¨DYou must accept Gregory¡¯s offer for the case to proceed. After a while, the dialogue will proceed automatically.

    As soon as I heard the guide¡¯s instructions, my face froze. I covered my mouth with my hand.

    I didn¡¯t want to say it. I didn¡¯t want Seirin and Lexion to be together.

    ¡®Besides, if Gregory and Lexion are together, he might get hurt¡­¡¯

    I tried to deny the guide¡¯s behavioral restrictions with some kind of coercion. At that time, Lexion noticed my change and asked with a worried face.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°You were so touched by how delicious the cake is, isn¡¯t that right, Miss?¡±

    Gregory smirked and spoke to me. I didn¡¯t answer, I just shook my head.

    My mouth was itchy. I felt like I had to tell Gregory to go with me right away. After a while, the guide said,

    ¨DThe traveler will be penalized for refusing to speak. The evil dragon appears faster.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    I opened my eyes wide at the guide¡¯s words. And at that moment,

    Pat¨C!

    All of a sudden, the lights that lit up the night were turned off. The cafe was no exception.

    ¡°What? I think it¡¯s a power outage¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah! How can we manage this ourselves?¡±

    The clerk shouted loudly among the noisy customers.

    ¡°Dear guests, we would like to ask for your understanding. The lights went out for a while due to a sudden power outage¡­¡±

    Kieeeekkee¨D!

    Behind the clerk¡¯s voice, an odd shout was heard. The familiar cry made my spine shiver.

    People who had been hesitant started to panic in response to the cry of the evil dragon.

    ¡°Hey! It¡¯s the evil dragon! An evil dragon has appeared!¡±

    ¡°Did it come to the capital? Oh my gosh¡­!¡±

    At the sound of the evil dragon, the surrounding area became chaotic in an instant. People urgently found a place to escape.

    I also got up quickly and went to Lexion¡¯s side. It was a dark night, so I couldn¡¯t see an inch ahead. My heart was pounding naturally. I barely stuttered and waved my hand where he was. But there was no Lexion on the chair.

    ¡°Zion? Where are you?¡±

    Naturally, his voice trembled. Then someone grabbed me and said.

    ¡°Sit down.¡±

    It was Gregory. I grabbed his arm and asked about Lexion¡¯s whereabouts.

    ¡°Prince? What about the Duke?¡±

    ¡°I think he went to the side where the evil dragon appeared. After all, the capital has a protective shield, so if you sit down¡­¡±

    Quang! Suddenly, there was the sound of something hitting hard. The ground vibrated at the sound. A roar continued in succession.

    The ground shook like an earthquake, and screams were heard everywhere. It seemed that the evil dragon was trying to break through the shield. I hurriedly ran out of the building, shaking off Gregory¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Hey, Miss!¡±

    I heard Gregory¡¯s voice calling me from behind, but I didn¡¯t stop. When I looked up at the sky, the shield was cracking.

    Sparsely, small beasts could be seen around the evil dragon.

    ¡®No! It will break soon!¡¯

    Relying on the moonlight, I wandered around looking for Lexion. After a while, the light came back as if the emergency device had been activated. Soon, the sound of an evacuation was heard loudly.

    Wheeeeee¨C

    ¡°The evil dragon has attacked. Evacuate everyone to an emergency underground facility inside the building. An emergency power has been activated for safe evacuations.¡±

    Evacuation alerts sounded from all directions from the round sphere-shaped magic tool. After a while, a hole was created in the shield of the capital city with a loud ¡®Creeeak!¡¯ and people shouted in fear.

    ¡°Kyaaaaa!¡±

    ¡°Th- the evil dragon broke through the shield!¡±

    People wandering around the night market evacuated into the building in a hurry. In the distance, I could see the evil dragon squeezing into the capital city with just a bite.

    At this, someone urgently grabbed me as I was about to run in the direction of the evil dragon.

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27

    ¡°Are you crazy? Can¡¯t you hear me telling you to evacuate?!¡±

    Gregory shouted with an angry face. I refused, twisting my arms wildly.

    ¡°Let me go!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t let you go! I won¡¯t let you go! Unless you¡¯re crazy about dying, get in!¡±

    He dragged me into the building. As I stood still, he grabbed me and hugged me.

    ¡°Let me go! Lexion is in danger!¡±

    I protested by hitting his chest hard. Now was no time to argue with him. I had to find Lexion right away. My heart was pounding. I was afraid that he might be hurt. But Gregory didn¡¯t let me go and shout wildly.

    ¡°What will change if you go? Only master-leveled knights can survive fighting evil dragons! What are you going to do there?¡±

    Undaunted by his angry voice, I refuted it.

    ¡°That means that even master-level knights are in danger. I don¡¯t like the Duke¡¯s being in danger.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Please leave me alone.¡±

    As I begged him, his eyes fell silent. After a while, Gregory gently let me go.

    ¡°Damn, this is really crazy¡­¡±

    Then he held my hand tightly so that I would not escape.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go together. If I send you alone, I know what I will hear from Zion.¡±

    Gregory ruffled his hair roughly and looked at the evil dragon¡¯s movements. I didn¡¯t like the situation that he wanted to come with me, but if I refused, he wouldn¡¯t let me go to the place where the evil dragon was. Although my current physical condition was different from before, I was still weak. If both Gregory and Lexion get hurt¡­ I will give priority to Lexion.

    I stared at Gregory and made an implied excuse.

    ¡°Actually, I can¡¯t treat anyone because I¡¯m weak. If you get hurt, go to the physician.¡±

    ¡°No worries. How many physicians are there in the Imperial Palace¡­¡±

    He stopped talking. At the same time, I stopped. I looked up puzzledly and saw him washing his face with a bewildered face. I asked in a worried tone.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Seirin.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What do we do? I left Seirin in the building.¡±

    Apparently, he belatedly remembered Seirin. I spoke softly to him, restless and motionless.

    ¡°¡­She must be in the building.¡±

    ¡°Right? She must be there, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    It was the moment Gregory was trying to take his step, thinking positively. I looked at the woman with blue hair in the distance and muttered blankly.

    ¡°Oh My God¡­ Princess Seirin?¡±

    At this, Gregory turned his head in the direction where she was. After a moment, he shouted with a startled face.

    ¡°Seirin!¡±

    She turned her head to the sound of someone calling her name. And at the moment she smiled broadly and waved her hand to Gregory.

    Quang! With a roar, the shield could not withstand the impact and was completely shattered. As a result, the magic fell to dust. Like stars falling from the sky, the mana pieces fell apart.

    Suddenly, the evil dragon¡¯s golden eyes glared at Seirin. She trembled under the creepy gaze, and she looked slowly at the sky.

    Hers and the evil dragon¡¯s eyes met. The evil dragon¡¯s black body was suitable for hiding in the dark night. All I could see were golden eyes. Its shapely eyes looked bizarre as if three moons appeared in the sky. The evil dragon glanced at Seirin, who was trembling, and narrowed its eyes.

    Before long, when the evil dragon tried to reach out to Seirin, she let out her scream and fell.

    ¡°Hyaaaaa!¡±

    ¡°Seirin!¡±

    Gregory called her out in a hurry and ran towards her. I was about to run, but someone stopped me.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    It was Lexion I had been looking for so much.

    ¡®I¡¯m glad nothing has happened yet.¡¯

    As soon as I saw him, I felt relieved. On the other hand, I resented him for disappearing without a word, so I reproached him without realizing it.

    ¡°Lexion, where have you been? I¡¯ve been looking for it for a while.¡±

    ¡°Stay here. It¡¯s dangerous.¡±

    Lexion smiled as if he were relieved. I was stunned by that sight.

    ¡°Wait a minute¡­! Lexion!¡±

    I reached out to him, but he had gone too far. He swiftly swung his sword and stopped the evil dragon¡¯s hand. Gregory grabbed Seirin below him and slipped away from there.

    The evil dragon gathered its energy as if it were trying to open its mouth and fire it. Lexion easily slashed the evil dragon¡¯s hand and avoided it. The dragon groaned and changed the direction of its breath. It was a clever act as if it was a trick from the beginning. Soon after, the dragon spewed flames in the exact direction I was in.

    Gregory shouted while holding Seirin.

    ¡°Why did you come out here?!¡±

    ¡°I- I was worried about my brother¡­¡±

    As if startled, her body trembled violently. She was almost seriously injured by the evil dragon, so it was a natural reaction. Gregory, seeing this with pity, asked kindly.

    ¡°You almost died. Are you hurt?¡±

    ¡°I, I am fine¡­ I, I¡¯m sorry, brother.¡±

    Seirin muttered while crying. Her voice was unstable because of her trembling body. Gregory quickly took off his jacket and wrapped it around her, and said calmly.

    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous for now, so get into the building.¡±

    ¡°What about you, brother¡­?¡±

    ¡°I have to help Lexion while the other knights come.¡±

    Gregory retorted, pointing towards Lexion. At this, Seirin¡¯s gaze turned toward Lexion, and she lowered her head helplessly.

    ¡°Okay. You have to be careful, brother.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Gregory took her to the building. She couldn¡¯t get rid of the mixed thoughts while being carried. In fact, Seirin didn¡¯t even intend to come out of the building. She even knew it was better to evacuate to a safe place, as she wouldn¡¯t be of any help anyway. Reasonably, being inside the building was the way for everyone.

    However, when she heard that Lexion was gone, Tiarozetti left without hesitating nor worrying about the situation. And then, a moment later she saw Gregory following her. Seirin was chasing after them when she came back to her senses. It was an act as if she wasn¡¯t herself. She somehow felt lost. She never felt that way before.

    By the time she realized it, she was already out of the building. She didn¡¯t even know why she acted so recklessly.

    ¡®I almost died.¡¯

    When the evil dragon¡¯s eyes met her eyes, she felt the cool air going down her spine. It was an obvious mistake. She almost lost her life because of her personal feelings. Seirin muttered with a puzzled face.

    ¡°Lady Tiarozetti¡­¡±

    ¡°Lexion will take care of protecting her. You take care of yourself.¡±

    Even as Gregory said that, he persistently looked in the direction where Tiarozetti was. Seirin bit her lower lip. The moment she reached out to grab him, Gregory jumped up.

    ¡°Brother?¡±

    He noticed that Seirin looked up at him with her surprised face, but he was already running out of the building. As she stared at Gregory with an absurd face, the sky suddenly brightened up.

    ¡°Uh¡­?¡±

    Seirin stared blankly at the brightening sky in surprise. In the sky, the evil dragon had its mouth wide open as if it was about to spit out its breath.

    I didn¡¯t think I was going to die like this.

    ¡®I have to run away¡­¡¯

    My head thought so, but my legs did not move.

    ¡°No, Tiarozetti!¡±

    I saw Lexion calling me and waving his swords at the evil dragon. It seemed that he was trying to stop the evil dragon¡¯s flames. However, the sword was one step late and could not completely stop the breath. Fortunately, its power was weakened thanks to the miss, the breath was thrown at me slowly, unlike at first.

    In the meantime, as I came to my senses, I tried to move to avoid the flame. Gregory grabbed my arm faster than then.

    Quang! A big hole was dug in the place where I was just now. When I saw the scene in a mess, I was devastated.

    ¡°Huuk¡­¡±

    I gasped, relieved that I managed to avoid the flame. If it hadn¡¯t been for Gregory¡¯s help, I would have turned to dust.

    ¡°Hey, your life has been shortened by ten years.¡±

    Gregory mumbled playfully and chuckled. Suddenly, the book was floating in the air next to me. Judging from the book¡¯s open appearance, it seemed that this scene was an important one.

    ¡®You said the main character never dies!¡¯ I muttered to the book, avoiding Gregory.

    The guide still answered my silent cry.

    ¨DI said you wouldn¡¯t die, but I didn¡¯t say that you wouldn¡¯t get hurt.

    ¡®That¡¯s¨C!¡¯

    Barely holding back the tantrum, I glared at the book.

    ¡®Right. When did the guide tell me anything? It¡¯s so annoying.¡¯

    At that time, Gregory asked, holding me close. Maybe he¡¯s worried because I was staying still.

    ¡°Where is the confident woman from before?¡±

    ¡°I was surprised for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that, go inside the building¡­¡±

    At that time, Gregory couldn¡¯t speak and was pushed back. Lexion pushed him away and dragged me into his arms. Gregory looked at him as if he was dumbfounded. Lexion said with an unusually cold face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Gregory asked with a puzzled face. Lexion didn¡¯t respond and brushed off the dust on my body. Gregory, offended by this, grabbed Lexion and snapped sharply.

    ¡°Did I touch her on purpose? Why are you so mad?¡±

    ¡°Because you became¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Lexion growled in a low voice that couldn¡¯t be heard. It was a voice that even I, who was beside him, could not hear.

    ¡°Speak straight, you punk.¡±

    Gregory asked back with a frown, but Lexion didn¡¯t speak again. Rather, he held me closer into his arms. I stared blankly at the two who faced each other with stiff expressions.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28

    After a while, the broken shield began to be slowly restored. The Knights, who arrived late, divided into groups and faced the demonic beasts and the evil dragon that invaded the capital.

    When several master-level knights gathered, the evil dragon fled far away. It was after the beasts had been completely wiped out.

    When the evil dragon disappeared, there was once again just one moon in the sky, as if what was being obscured by the evil dragons was, again, visible.

    Everyone seemed relieved, but I felt some kind of insecurity.

    ¡®It¡¯s leaving just like this?¡¯

    My heart was trembling while I stared into the empty sky where the evil dragon had disappeared. Contrary to the preview, it was too weak. Somehow, it didn¡¯t seem like the end.

    I looked around without letting my guard down. People who could not escape into the building were lying around, bleeding.

    Cracked buildings and broken stores stood out. It was a brief attack, but the capital was a mess.

    I was looking at my surroundings with very wary eyes, but Lexion dragged me somewhere.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk for a second.¡±

    His tone was heavy and dull.

    ¡°Where are you leaving?!¡±

    Gregory shouted from behind. However, Lexion didn¡¯t hesitate as if it had nothing to do with it. It was a strange behavior I had seen for the first time.

    It was unusual for him to react so sharply. I was startled to see him so angry.

    ¡°Le-Lexion?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I called him out of anxiety, but he didn¡¯t answer. I talked to him once again.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t- aren¡¯t you going to settle the situation with the Prince?¡±

    I tried to put weight on my lower body, stopping him from walking. Only then did he look at me for a moment. He was just staring, but somehow he looked soggy. Even though his eyes were dry, he looked strangely like weeping.

    I released the strength I was holding on to.

    ¡®Why do you have those eyes?¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t understand what his expression meant. ¡®Am I missing something?¡¯

    In the meantime, Lexion moved again, and I blankly followed his lead. As we entered the empty alley, he pushed me against the wall. At the same time, he supported my head with his hands so that I didn¡¯t get hit. It was more of a cautious movement rather than a coercive one.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    A suffocating silence surrounded us. I did not avoid the straight gaze.

    Suddenly, the surroundings began to darken again. It seemed that the evil dragon had returned as I thought, and was about to rush into the capital once again.

    Kyyyyeeeeeehh! A roar like a cry vibrated through the sky.

    ¡°Be careful! Everyone, prepare for the attack!¡±

    The screams of the evil dragon and the shouts of the knights were mixed.

    Then the guide appeared with a beep sound.

    ¨DThe male lead is in danger!

    Originally, Lexion had to die protecting him. Maybe now was the time.

    I held onto his sleeves so that Lexion might go to Gregory. Fortunately, he showed no sign of moving.

    I felt like my throat was burning.

    ¡®If it stays like this, will Gregory die instead of Lexion? No. As a male lead, he won¡¯t die¡­ Still, we can¡¯t just leave it like this, so should I go?¡¯

    While hesitating with such thoughts, Lexion broke the silence.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t go to Gregory either.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t understand him. ¡®I won¡¯t go, so you shouldn¡¯t go either¡­?¡¯ It was strange that he, who was only a character in an already scheduled scene, was acting so out of character.

    It was like he could hear the voice of the book and react accordingly, so I panicked. At that moment, the guide foretold the next event.

    ¨DRing. Lexion Sparrow has deviated from the original route. Without his protection, Gregory Aden Werbel is mortally wounded.

    Startled by the guide¡¯s announcement, I turned in Gregory¡¯s direction. Just then, I saw him barely holding on at the feet of the evil dragon.

    I didn¡¯t know that Gregory would be seriously injured if I left him alone. I wasn¡¯t sure about what to do, and the book was opened again.

    ¨DDemonic editing mode activated. For the flow of the story, Tiarozetti Isol uses her hidden powers.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    ¨DSave Gregory right now. If accepted, Lexion Sparrow¡¯s death will be treated as ¡®null.¡¯

    I grabbed the dagger in my arms as I heard that Lexion¡¯s death would be nullified. If so, it was a proposal without any reason to hesitate. If I refused it, a penalty would be triggered, further cornering Lexion.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    I quietly held Lexion¡¯s hand and said calmly, meant to let go. His eyes fluttered violently at this.

    He didn¡¯t let go of my hand.

    ¡°Titi¡­¡±

    It was a look that told me not to go.

    ¡®Don¡¯t look at me like that. It¡¯s all for you.¡¯

    I tried again to convince him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. The only place I will come back to is you, Zion.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know why he was so anxious, but I wanted to alleviate his anxiety a little. His eyes lit up at my words. His face was still mixed with complex emotions.

    After a while, he quietly put his hand down.

    ¡°I will go now.¡±

    I ran to Gregory, leaving the hand that was falling weakly behind me. At that moment, the sharp claws of the evil dragon were pressing down on Gregory¡¯s shoulder. His arms were shaking violently from the strong grip.

    Even if it was stronger in an air battle, the evil dragon was in a position favorable for a ground battle.

    Gregory saw me and shouted.

    ¡°Why are you here¡­ uugk!¡±

    Ignoring his warning, I thrust the dagger into the evil dragon¡¯s foot as hard as I could and shouted the starter word.

    ¡°[Asta!]¡±

    The ring could not withstand the force and broke, and the color of my hair gradually turned silver. The situation was so urgent that there was no time to take the ring off.

    ¡®I need to get a new ring.¡¯

    Gregory looked at me in amazement as I was having these vain thoughts.

    ¡°You¡­!¡±

    At first glance, it seemed like he was saying, ¡®What kind of crazy thing is this?¡¯, so I laughed.

    In his eyes, who doesn¡¯t know anything, my actions looked very reckless. No one would be able to fight the evil dragon with only a dagger.

    I mesmerized Gregory with a bashful smile. Soon after, a blue light shone softly around the dagger.

    ¡°Titi!¡±

    At that time, Lexion, whom I thought was waiting quietly, followed me and shouted. He quickly took off his coat and hid my head.

    Kieek! The evil dragon could not withstand the pouring force and ran wildly. Eventually, as it ascended to the sky as if running away, my body flew as well while holding on.

    ¡°Aah!¡±

    Lexion grabbed my floating body leaving along with the dagger. Then, while holding me in his arms, he roughly pulled out the dagger. Suddenly, the bodies holding the dagger fell down. He embraced me and concentrated his aura around his feet. Thanks to that, the speed of the fall slowed down, and we landed safely on the floor.

    When the dagger that had been lodged in his foot fell out, the evil dragon quickly ran away.

    ¡®Is it really effective against the dragon?¡¯

    I was unfamiliar with the sight of a dragon running away like that. It certainly seemed that Isol¡¯s secret weapon was useful to defeat the evil dragon.

    After a while, the guide¡¯s cheerful voice popped up.

    ¨D Mission completed. In this way, the Lexion Sparrow avoided his predetermined death.

    Thinking that it was all over, I leaned on Lexion.

    ¡®I save him. Thank God.¡¯

    My hands were trembling. The sense of Asta, the power that steals the life force of the opponent was bizarre. The source of the evil dragon¡¯s life was malice and hostility.

    I got a headache as its malice flowed into my body.

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    ¡°Just what the hell¡­¡±

    Lexion muttered in a bewildered voice. I held my breath at the first words that came out of his mouth. I wanted to answer, but I had no energy.

    Then Gregory came over to us, grabbing my shoulder.

    ¡°You are definitely brave. I¡¯m sorry I made fun of you for being a coward, Miss.¡±

    With those words, Gregory gave me a thumbs up. Seeing Gregory joking around even with his injured body relieved my tension.

    I was going to say thank you to Lexion for saving me and that I wasn¡¯t hurt.

    ¡°Than¡­¡±

    But the muttering around me didn¡¯t let me finish.

    ¡°Have you seen it? It was definitely silver, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I saw it. Isn¡¯t that person an Isol?¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t they all dead?¡±

    ¡°Looks like someone survived.¡±

    People who had been watching from inside the building came out one by one and started murmuring. It was because Lexion¡¯s robe fell off my head while I was hanging onto the evil dragon.

    All of a sudden, my hair was exposed. Lexion hurriedly covered it, but it was already too late. I bowed my head as much as I could and tried to avoid the attention.

    But the novel seemed to not let me avoid it. At that moment, Seirin was coming out of the building. Next to her stood a man with the same blue hair as her. It was Kronos.

    Kronos rushed to protect Seirin after hearing the evil dragon¡¯s commotion.

    ¡°Ha!¡±

    Hearing the noisy surroundings, he laughed out loud. After a while, the man who came to us looked at Lexion and Gregory in turn and grinned.

    ¡°What, am I the only one who doesn¡¯t understand this?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, this.¡±

    Gregory intervened. But Kronos came closer and removed the cloak from my head.

    ¡°An Isol, for sure.¡±

    Kronos looked at me and smiled murderously. Seirin next to me had a very bewildered face. Both reactions because of my brilliant silver hair. Symbol of Isol.

    As soon as Lexion stood in front of me to protect me, Kronos growled.

    ¡°Lexion Sparrow. Did you make a false report?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    When he did not deny it, Kronos laughed. I stepped forward to prevent the situation from escalating. I didn¡¯t want to see Lexion in trouble.

    ¡°I asked him to hide it.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Kronos asked sarcastically. I answered without backing down.

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to be taken advantage of by the Imperial Family!¡±

    At my answer, He tilted his head looking at me as if I was absurd. He looked at me as if it was a pity to even think about giving a thorough answer to a minority race.

    ¡°Titi.¡±

    At that moment, Lexion called me kindly and pulled me back as if not to step out. Then he calmly responded to Kronos.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29

    ¡°The Isol kind is not part of the Imperial nation.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re part of the Imperial people. Do you not know how serious the sin of deceiving the Emperor is?¡±

    When Kronos sarcastically questioned him, Lexion calmly responded.

    ¡°The Empire has laws protecting tribes. According to Article 20, it is not illegal to hide your identity out of the protection of any kind in case of an emergency.¡±

    ¡°You sound as if the Imperial Family threatened her, Sir Lexion.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness knows better. You already have a record.¡±

    At Lexion¡¯s cool words, Kronos responded with a smirk.

    ¡°That was when I didn¡¯t know who that woman was.¡±

    ¡°Even if that were the case, it is true that His Highness has already threatened an Isol.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    Seirin, who was listening quietly, asked with a surprised face. Kronos responded with a look of embarrassment. He was particularly weak to his younger sister, Seirin.

    ¡°You have nothing to worry about. It was just a simple accident.¡±

    ¡®A simple accident¡­¡¯ I clenched my lips at Kronos¡¯ words.

    To think it was just an accident put me in a dark prison and tortured me constantly. The pain was still so vivid that I couldn¡¯t believe his words.

    It was a statement that clearly showed how Kronos treated me as less than a human being.

    I couldn¡¯t stand it and opened my mouth. Even though I knew I couldn¡¯t do it, I resisted the feeling of shuddering.

    ¡°Does the Empire imprison and torture people by accident?¡±

    ¡°Torture¡­?¡±

    Seirin stared at me with her mouth agape. Her expression was strangely twisted. As if she couldn¡¯t believe it.

    Of course, she wouldn¡¯t want to think that the oh-so-noble Royal Family did such a shameful thing.

    ¡®But it¡¯s true.¡¯

    I deliberately lowered my eyes and trembled. There was no reason to say more.

    When Seirin¡¯s expression turned pale, Kronos tried to make up some excuses as if being falsely accused.

    ¡°It was because she was rude¨C¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡±

    Seirin turned her back on Kronos. Then she held my hand and apologized. Suddenly, her face brightened again.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you were hurt.¡±

    ¡°I apologize, I can¡¯t say it¡¯s okay.¡±

    At my reply, Seirin had a blank face.

    ¡°Why are you apologizing? It was Kronos who did something wrong.¡±

    Gregory glanced at Kronos being rebuked by Seirin. Even at a glance, she scolds Kronos.

    When Kronos was cornered, he pointed at me with an overbearing attitude.

    ¡°Let¡¯s clarify this is a different issue. According to Article 17, it is written that the protection of a kind in danger of extinction is the highest priority of the Imperial Family. So her well-being is the priority of the Imperial Family.¡±

    He kept treating me like an object. I protested with an absurd face.

    ¡°Why do you think my protection belongs to the Imperial Family?¡±

    Regardless of his intention, the provisions that proceeded against my will felt like an evil law. I didn¡¯t know what the hell of authority they were trying to suppress me with.

    ¡°I never want to go to the imperial family.¡±

    As he trembled in disgust, Lexion lightly stroked my shoulder. However, Kronos was not a person with whom we could talk.

    He tried to grab my arm roughly with a face that said it wasn¡¯t even worth refusing. Gregory and Lexion stopped him at the same time and I looked at them with amazement.

    ¡®It¡¯s like they¡¯re both trying to protect me.¡¯

    Was it because Gregory became the male lead? I felt a little embarrassed.

    At that moment, Gregory said with a relaxed smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, His Highness, I have already transferred that.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Kronos shouted fiercely.

    ¡°Brother?¡±

    Seirin was also startled by Gregory¡¯s remark. To this, Gregory added an explanation with a pleasant expression.

    ¡°As a member of the royal family, I have already entrusted her protection to Duke Lexion Sparrow. Isn¡¯t that right, Duke Sparrow?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I have already signed and stamped the documents.¡±

    Lexion answered with a calm face.

    I didn¡¯t know if the documents were really prepared in advance or if it was just an excuse, but it sure seemed to work for Kronos. His face was flush with rage.

    ¡°Who told you¡­!¡±

    The moment Kronos opened his mouth as if he wouldn¡¯t let things go, Seirin intervened.

    ¡°Stop it, Crown Prince.¡±

    Kronos flinched at her stiff tone. She continued, roughly realizing the situation.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then of course Duke Sparrow should protect her.¡±

    ¡°Seirin! She is the only Isol! We can just get rid of that document!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too low of a thing for the Imperial Family, older brother.¡±

    Seirin replied with a stern attitude. However, Kronos still had a determined expression despite Seirin¡¯s intervention.

    Perhaps it was because I was the only Isol remaining, he seemed ready to bite and drool. After all, the benefits of owning me were huge.

    ¡®Besides, he probably doesn¡¯t want to hand over the only Isol alive to the Sparrow household. The prestige of the Sparrow Duchy, which is already soaring high in the sky, will be greater than it already is.¡¯

    I stared with cold eyes at Kronos¡¯ obvious tricks. It was an ignorant treatment treating me as a tool.

    In the first place, I didn¡¯t like the Imperial Family that claimed my ownership because it was an Empire. Also, it was frustrating that I couldn¡¯t get out of my situation without the help of others because I didn¡¯t have any strengths.

    ¡®Did you think I¡¯ll be easily defeated?¡¯

    I declared with a determined face.

    ¡°Your Highness, I need no protection.¡±

    ¡°An Isol will receive a lot of threats from others due to its unique healing power, aren¡¯t you irrational?¡±

    At my words, Kronos snorted in reply. But he didn¡¯t know I made my statement on purpose.

    ¡®I guess he hasn¡¯t seen Asta before. Thank God.¡¯

    I got the answer I was looking for and clenched my lips. If the Imperial Family ever finds out about the ¡®Isol¡¯s secret weapon,¡¯ they will be even more desperate to own me. If that happens, Lexion will also be attacked by the Imperial Family.

    The only people who saw me using Asta were Gregory and Lexion, who were nearby. Fortunately, they were my friends, so I was relieved.

    ¡®Well, Kronos in the building couldn¡¯t have heard or seen anything.¡¯

    I wasn¡¯t foolish enough to spit secrets out in moments of anger. Few of the Isol kind knew about this secret.

    The tribe chief, who kept the secret, had already died, so only three of us actually knew about it. I kept my mouth shut and looked at Kronos.

    He, who misunderstood this as me being speechless, scoffed again.

    ¡°Do you think your actions were brave? That was reckless.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re trying to show off by putting a dagger in the foot of the evil dragon by accident, then cut it off. If it hadn¡¯t been for Duke Sparrow¡¯s help, you would have died.¡±

    ¡°¡­So, you came late.¡±

    ¡°¡­What did you say now?¡±

    Kronos frowned at my provocation. I suddenly came to my senses and hid behind Lexion.

    In this case, it was best to hide behind him. Lexion wrapped his arm around me and answered instead.

    ¡°To say that an Isol is weak is just prejudice. She is a woman strong enough to rush to the evil dragon for Prince Gregory, who helped her.¡±

    ¡°Even so, she would have been long gone if you hadn¡¯t helped.¡±

    ¡°No. The prince lived because she bought time.¡±

    Lexion glanced at Gregory, who was being treated like a member of the Imperial parliament.

    Surely he would have been killed if I hadn¡¯t rushed in.

    ¡®He¡¯s not going to die because he¡¯s the male lead, but he could have been hurt a lot.¡¯

    Gregory nodded his head in affirmation.

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the young lady, it would have been me who would¡¯ve been long gone.¡±

    He winked at me amidst the cold atmosphere.

    It seemed like he was responding deliberately in a pleasant way. Perhaps he was deliberately exaggerating in order to bother Kronos, who hated that naughty part of Gregory.

    I slowly averted my gaze at his cheesy behavior. Whatever the intention, it was burdensome.

    Gregory giggled at my reaction and then began to scratch Kronos¡¯ nerves.

    ¡°But where was His Highness that you just got here?¡±

    ¡°Of course I was looking for Seirin!¡±

    ¡°Aaah, is that so?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with that sarcastic tone?¡±

    ¡°My tone is always like this.¡±

    ¡°Stop it now. Is this the time for that? We need to rectify the situation immediately.¡±

    Seirin rebuked her two older brothers. Even to her, the situation now seemed very frustrating.

    Kronos still seemed dissatisfied with the failure to make me belong to the Imperial Family. He said, gazing at me again.

    ¡°We will formally discuss this matter later.¡±

    In an unsuccessful threat, he waved his cloak with his hand. That cloak portrayed his blackened heart.

    ¡®That cloak, I will tear it apart someday.¡¯

    I glared fiercely at him and strengthened his will.

    After Kronos left to settle the situation, Seirin bowed to Lexion.

    ¡°I am indebted to you, Sir Lexion.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    Lexion bowed his head lightly, and Seirin followed Kronos.

    The surroundings were a complete mess. The wizards dispatched along with Kronos began to repair the collapsed and cracked building.

    Meanwhile, Lexion apologized to Gregory for his actions earlier.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was a little enraged.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s done. You must have been surprised too. By the way, take good care of the Lady. It seems that Kronos has no intention of giving up.¡±

    ¡°We will return to the North before anything happens¡±

    ¡°That would be better¡­ It¡¯s a shame. It¡¯s been a long time since we met, but we have to say goodbye again.¡±

    Gregory grinned, showing his disappointment.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you again someday.¡±

    Lexion replied and a smile appeared on his lips at the same time. It was a somewhat bitter smile.

    I quickly thanked Gregory.

    ¡°Thank you, Prince.¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, goodbye. Goodbye to you too, Miss.¡±

    Gregory waved his hand at us. With such a short greeting, Lexion and I moved away.

    Eventually, the book stopped being activated and disappeared.

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30

    We were about to arrive at the Sparrow Castle. I belatedly noticed that Lexion¡¯s steps were a little strange.

    ¡°Zion, are you hurt?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I must have landed wrong earlier. It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Lexion smiled softly and walked straight. He seemed

    concerned that I might use my power again.

    What about it? It only made me more and more worried.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you here? I was worried.¡±

    As I was about to speak, Theo met me and Lexion. I swallowed my words and said to Theo.

    ¡°We¡¯re back.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you came safely, Miss Tiarozetti.¡±

    He seemed to have heard the news about the dragon that had appeared on the streets. He looked relieved that we had arrived safely.

    Lexion followed me to my room and asked cautiously.

    ¡°Titi, did you have that power from the beginning?¡±

    His voice was a little dry. He seemed tired from the confrontation with the evil dragon.

    I stared blankly at him. There was only one person in this world who knew of the existence of this secret. A power that had never been revealed was activated as a buff for the main character.

    But now Gregory and Lexion knew about it. I trust them, so I didn¡¯t need to hide it, but that didn¡¯t mean I could tell him all the facts.

    I said, omitting the content related to the book.

    ¡°It is a secret passed down among the Isol kind. It¡¯s a power that takes away the life force of the opponent.¡±

    ¡°It takes away the opponent¡¯s vitality¡­¡±

    Lexion muttered with deepened eyes and I nodded lightly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t usually use it. I was in a bit of a hurry that¡¯s why I used it today.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know Isol had such power.¡±

    ¡°Because there are not many Isols that actually use this. It was so urgent that I used it without even knowing it.¡±

    ¡°It would be better to hide that power. If the Imperial Family finds out about it, they might really do something.¡±

    ¡°I think the same.¡±

    The healing power was unusual, but it was a power that could be replaced with magic. However, the power to take away life was a different story.

    If the Imperial Family found out about this, it would have been obvious that they would try to have me at all costs.

    ¡°Do not worry. I¡¯ll be careful.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lexion looked at me with a faint smile. When I looked at him, he patted his lips and hesitated.

    There seemed to be something else to say. I asked, tilting my head.

    ¡°Do you have more to say?¡±

    ¡°Haa¡­¡±

    He let out a low sigh. After a while, he spoke in a small voice.

    ¡°The fireworks¡­ In the end, we didn¡¯t see it.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Then I remembered that the reason we went out was to see the fireworks.

    ¡®Since the evil dragon has appeared, they probably won¡¯t be doing fireworks.¡¯

    The night market had become a mess, there was no way to proceed with the fireworks display. So even if we go back, we won¡¯t be able to see it.

    I answered with a bright face.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡¯ll see it next time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just sorry.¡±

    He muttered, biting his lower lip. Somehow, he seemed even more sad with my answer.

    ¡®You look very sad¡­¡¯

    I glanced at his expression and rolled my eyes. Lexion avoided my gaze as if he was embarrassed to speak frankly. It was so cute that it made me laugh without realizing it.

    In the end, I couldn¡¯t hold back my laughter, so I laughed and said ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    At this, Lexion asked with a slightly grumpy face.

    ¡°Why are you laughing?¡±

    ¡°It just¡­ it¡¯s cute.¡±

    ¡°Who, me?¡±

    Lexion pointed at himself with his surprised eyes. Seriously, it might have been a bit rude to say that someone so big was cute.

    More than cute, Lexion belongs to the cool side. However, regardless of all that, anyone would feel that it was cute seeing him pouting because he couldn¡¯t see the fireworks display in such a large size.

    I said with a bashful smile.

    ¡°Then, do you think I said the door behind me is cute?¡±

    He coughed as I knocked on the door. He was visibly flustered. He mumbled low trying to recover his composure.

    ¡°It¡¯s too much of a joke.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a joke.¡±

    I enjoyed facing him like this and having a small scuffle. I kept him safe. He was worth the penalties.

    I felt that alone was a great prize.

    ¡°Really.¡±

    I stubbornly repeated and laughed bashfully. Lexion smiled as if he was shy.

    It was a bit dull for a conversation between those who had their lives on the edge a while ago, but it didn¡¯t matter. As if nothing like that had ever happened, Lexion and I smiled and looked at each other and smiled in silence.

    Lexion¡¯s face, returning to the bedroom, was cold as if he had never smiled. He pulled out a book from under the bed.

    Similar warnings abounded in a book whose cover had faded to white.

    Lexion stared at the book indifferently.

    [Penalty is given for deviating from the route.]

    [Excessive penalties lead to irreversible consequences. Caution is required.]

    The book was full of warnings about penalties. Then, the guide said to Lexion.

    ¨DTraveler, how can I help you?

    A shady and murky voice. Unlike other guides, it was an unpleasant voice that seemed to scratch his ears.

    Lexion commanded with a dry tone.

    ¡°Tell me about Isol.¡±

    ¨DLet¡¯s move on to the settings book.

    The page flipped and the guide pointed out the information about Isol. For some reason, even the area that had previously been restricted was open.

    Lexion¡¯s expression subtly changed when he saw the hidden power of Isol appear in the setting book.

    He raised one eyebrow and asked.

    ¡°I have told you to tell me right away if the contents changed.¡±

    ¨DUnsynchronized information is slow to update.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough if I touch Titi¡¯s book?¡±

    ¨DThat¡¯s right. As I said before, synchronization requires book-to-book contact. Otherwise, synchronization is possible based on the traveler¡¯s memory.

    ¡°You mean that in the end, you need to connect with the book to find out about her reward conditions.¡±

    ¨DYes, that¡¯s right. Currently, Tiarozetti Isol is on the second trip of her life. Her ending condition will change depending on her new setting.

    ¡°What a useless book.¡±

    As Lexion mumbled low, the guide said mechanically.

    ¨DThe remarks you just made are remarks that may offend others.

    Lexion only burst into laughter at the guide¡¯s plea.

    He remembered finding her book. Obviously, he had her book, but at some point, a new book approached her.

    This world seemed to be thinking of sending her back.

    ¡®I won¡¯t ever let her go.¡¯

    Lexion¡¯s eyes were intensely cold. As he looked at her behavior, she didn¡¯t seem to think that he had returned with her yet.

    After all, his existence itself was an error, so it would have been difficult for the guide to understand the information.

    At first, he also wondered if Tiarozetti was the woman he knew. Because she kept acting like someone he was seeing for the first time. But when he found the book, he was convinced.

    That he had been following her properly. Her having a book meant that she was a traveler like him.

    ¡°Can I sync the guide without her knowing?¡±

    ¨DThat¡¯s right. However, the guide will not answer unless the traveler asks.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to secretly sync.¡±

    Lexion¡¯s eyes turned cold. His dark pupils sank deeply in the darkness.

    After a while, he quietly closed the book.

    The news that there was a survivor of the Isol massacre spread in the capital like gunfire.

    It was because people who witnessed the attack of the evil dragon excitedly talked about it.

    The Isol¡¯s blue eyes may be faked, but the shiny silver hair couldn¡¯t be imitated even with dye. Fortunately, no one noticed that I used my secret skill because Lexion helped me afterward. It would have been even more chaotic if it was known.

    Looking back, if it wasn¡¯t for Lexion, it would have been a big problem.

    ¡®Still, I¡¯m glad that my rumors have faded a bit because of the evil dragon¡¯s attack¡¯

    The people of the Empire were shocked that the capital¡¯s shield had been smashed by the evil dragon.

    It was a natural reaction because the capital¡¯s shield, which everyone thought was impregnable, was destroyed.

    Now that I have confirmed that the capital wasn¡¯t safe, I couldn¡¯t help but be anxious.

    I saw a book that made a significant contribution to uncovering my identity. The book was a detailed record of the events of the day but it arbitrarily fitted parts distorted in the preview.

    I looked at the contents of the book, which was written in clear print. The writing and packaging of the book turned my actions into feelings for Gregory.

    ¡®It¡¯s ridiculous¡­¡¯

    I did it for Lexion, not Gregory.

    ¡°¡®Tiarozetti risked everything and used her secret ability to save Gregory¡±?

    I laughed as I read a passage from the novel. I didn¡¯t hide my uncomfortable feelings and deliberately exaggerated the end of my words.

    The guide responded without notice.

    ¨DIt¡¯s really cool. You are the main character whose body moves out before even recognizing your feelings of love.

    It wasn¡¯t pleasant to see the guide praising the book with the sensibility of a fangirl every time. I don¡¯t know who kept messing with me trying to make me turn to Gregory. I asked, feeling the heart in my words.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the distortion too much this time?¡±

    I tried to discourage the guide, but it didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by my words. The guide made excuses as if it was obvious.

    ¨DOriginal novels only show the parts they want to show. It is a kind of ¡®beauty of omission¡¯.

    ¡°What omission? It¡¯s almost an adaptation!¡±

    ¨DAnyway, as long as it¡¯s fun. A book must be interesting to sell well.

    ¡°Fraud.¡±

    When I spat at its words, the guide remained silent. It was a very familiar attitude.

    ¡®If you are at a disadvantage, you exercise your right to remain silent, huh?¡¯

    I¡¯ve already defined it as a swindler, so he seems to have given up on responding.

    The content of the novel was very different from reality. The motive of my actions and even my inner thoughts were all manipulated. It didn¡¯t seem to matter what the actual person in the story was thinking.

    I was a little troubled by that.

    ¡®Is there any possibility that the content of the novel I read before was also distorted?¡¯

    In the past, I thought that the text in the book was unconditionally true. The book didn¡¯t portray what I thought since I was a supporting character, so I never paid attention and I couldn¡¯t notice the gap.

    But now I was the protagonist.

    As my actions and feelings were described differently, doubts filled my mind.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31

    ¡®By the way, the reason why I was a supporting role in the first place was to prevent the development from going wrong. So, what will happen now that I¡¯m the main character?¡¯

    The more she thought about it, the more complicated her head felt. I certainly thought the story in the book was true, but seeing how other people¡¯s behavior had changed, I started to doubt it¡­ Lines I had never said or monologues I had never thought, were written in clear black ink.

    This meant that even the characters¡¯ actions and monologues could be manipulated by the book if I intervened. In the end, my point of view, the book¡¯s point of view, and the other people¡¯s point of view may be different from reality.

    ¡®No matter what a person here thinks, the novel will be written as it pleases.¡¯

    When my thoughts reached that point, they became a little clear.

    ¡®Everything will change when the main character changes.¡¯

    In the novel, Tiarozetti is written as if she was willing to use her secret ability for the sake of Gregory, who was in danger. All the words that Lexion said to defend me were stated as Gregory¡¯s words.

    It was absurd, but it was possible since Gregory was the male lead. I didn¡¯t even want it, but the book was trying to tie me up with the male lead.

    I hesitated when I read the part written from Gregory¡¯s point of view. I felt even more uncomfortable because it felt like I was peeping into other people¡¯s feelings.

    But it was a part that needed to be read to prepare for the future. I quickly read the content down.

    [Gregory was called by the emperor and headed to the Palace. His shoulder, still throbbing, was wrapped in bandages.]

    [Standing in front of the door, he took a deep breath. It was to appease himself to endure the wrath of the Emperor who was inside.]

    [When the Emperor saw Gregory, he jumped up from his throne and approached him. His steps were hasty and heavy for an Emperor, but he was so thrilled that he didn¡¯t care.]

    [The emperor, who came close, relentlessly weighed down Gregory¡¯s injured shoulder.]

    [¡°Uk-¡°]

    [¡°Does it hurt?¡± The emperor¡¯s voice was overbearing.]

    [Unlike his worried voice, the Emperor¡¯s hand moved without hesitation. His eyes filled with clear anger.]

    [The atmosphere was sharp and rough like a freshly sharpened sword. Gregory replied with a grin.]

    [¡°No.¡±]

    [¡°Right, the pain isn¡¯t that much. Isn¡¯t the punishment too light for what you did?¡±]

    [The Emperor growled with piercing eyes. The bandage was instantly soaked with blood and dyed his white shirt, but Gregory didn¡¯t resist the one-sided and heartless violence.]

    [He just fell to his knees and swallowed his moans.]

    [¡®The emperor has become very weak. I guess you can¡¯t lie about age.¡¯ He comforted himself by saying that joke to himself.]

    [Even though it really hurts].

    [The emperor frowned as he looked disgusted at Gregory, who swallowed every groan.]

    [¡°If you don¡¯t want to be like your father, don¡¯t act so arrogant anymore. You never know when my patience will end.¡±]

    [¡°¡­I will keep that in mind.¡±]

    [As Gregory spoke in a steady tone, the emperor turned away from him. Then he resolutely ordered the knight who was standing on the side.]

    [¡°Don¡¯t let Gregory Aden Werbel leave his Palace for the next month.¡±]

    [¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±]

    [The knights standing next to him obeyed his orders and dragged Gregory out. Only when the Emperor was not in sight, did he feel relieved.]

    [Such punishment and insults were tolerable. In fact, he was prepared for more, so it was a little bland.]

    [When Gregory arrived in the bedroom, he grinned and spoke to himself.]

    [¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll have a good rest.¡±]

    [There was no anger in his voice. Rather, it seemed pleasant. But his eyes were stiffer than ever.]

    [He calmly put a new bandage on my wound.]

    [There was a heavy silence in the room.]

    ¡°As expected, the emperor is pure trash.¡±

    After I finished reading the book, I swore low, and the guide gave me a scolding.

    ¨DAbusive language is a language that offends the other person¡­

    ¡°Shut up, please.¡±

    ¡ª ¡­

    The guide went silent at my cold reply. He seemed to know that if he insisted any more, he would get even more swearing.

    I let out a deep sigh.

    In the end, Gregory became the male lead. Naturally, the scenes with him will increase.

    ¡®Even if we go back to the north, I can¡¯t help but get involved with the Imperial Family. I¡¯m already tired.¡¯

    I tousled my hair thinking about the expected future.

    A leisurely noon. Seirin came out to the garden with the maids. While she was drinking her tea, the maids were plucking flowers.

    Later, sharp scissors and empty vases were placed on the table with roses. Seirin started cutting the roses one by one. With snipping sounds, the leaves fell off.

    When she had a lot in her mind, she used to arrange flowers. It was quite refreshing to take care of the flowers without thinking about it.

    However, even arranging flowers-which she usually enjoyed-did not make her feel better.

    ¡®Why does it feel so dirty?¡¯

    Seirin had a cool expression on her face as she recalled the time when the evil dragon attacked.

    She was the perfect Princess recognized by the Emperor. She had a gentle personality and could clearly discern right from wrong. In addition, her appearance was praised as the most beautiful in the Empire.

    She was fully aware that she was a great person. But no one knew that she had such arrogant thoughts.

    That¡¯s how clever Seirin¡¯s handling techniques were. All people thought of her as a gentle and kind woman. Even though she was actually a very cunning person.

    ¡®I feel like things are getting more and more twisted.¡¯

    Now that she had made her social debut, a meeting about her spouse, a Royal son-in-law, a new proxy to the throne would be held soon.

    She had Lexion Sparrow in mind as her companion. He was-in her opinion-her most perfect groom.

    When Seirin was young, she already liked his neat appearance. His hair was neatly swept up, not suitable for his young age. His attire buttoned all the way down.

    She liked all of him, including his sense of properly dividing public and private matters. The honesty of living only in the north to not disturb the Emperor¡¯s mood was also good.

    So she never doubted that when the time came, he would come down to the capital and stand by her side.

    However¡­

    ¡®What the hell changed him?¡¯ When she met him again, he was very different from before.

    Bangs that cover the roughly dried eyebrows. A sloppy appearance with an unbuttoned shirt. Acting against the law, and so on.

    [tl/n: Seirin talks like my mom lol]

    The child from her childhood was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°It¡¯s so strange.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    At Seirin¡¯s self-talk, the maid answered. She glanced at her maid and muttered without thinking.

    ¡°He was definitely mine, but all of a sudden it feels like a bird escaped from its cage.¡±

    ¡°Have you had any birds?¡±

    Her maid asked, unable to understand Seirin¡¯s words. However, Seirin did not solve her curiosity. She just kept trimming her flowers into a vase.

    Suddenly, Seirin paused. There was white rose mixed with the red ones.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    As soon as she saw the white rose, a woman came to mind. So she impulsively picked up the rose and started trimming it. Originally, it was a flower that would not have been chosen because it was not in harmony with other flowers.

    Seirin gave a twisted smile.

    ¡®Yeah, maybe it¡¯s because of her.¡¯

    When she first met Tiarozetti at the banquet, Seirin felt something strange. Strangely enough, she felt like Tiarozetti had taken her place. Although she had been accustomed to hiding her awkward feelings, she continued to be anxious.

    But when Lexion took her out of the banquet hall, Seirin couldn¡¯t hide her expression anymore.

    Lexion¡¯s behavior was so attentive that it was hard to think they were just relatives.

    Furthermore, when they had tea time with the delegation, his gaze was always on Tiarozetti. She just thought it was weird to feel bothered by that but¡­ She wasn¡¯t his relative, she was an Isol.

    ¡°Because that person feels anxious.¡±

    Seirin felt something went wrong when Lexion drew such a strong line. And when she found out Tiarozetti was an Isol, Seirin felt obsessed by the idea that she might have taken all of him away.

    ¡®To think I¡¯ll be pushed aside by a lowly Isol. My pride is hurt.¡¯

    Seirin put the white rose in a vase after finishing trimming. Among the red roses, the white rose stood out.

    Just like Tiarozetti¡¯s pure white silver hair that she saw when the evil dragon appeared.

    Seirin¡¯s face suddenly hardened thinking about the woman with pure white silver hair and blue-colored eyes. The woman who smiled at Gregory and Lexion with a gentle face.

    She, who was usually timid, fearlessly and recklessly rushed to the evil dragon. She, who blushed while looking at Lexion.

    A woman who recklessly wanted to take Seirin¡¯s place.

    ¡°It¡¯s annoying.¡±

    Seirin muttered, staring at the white rose. ¡®Yeah, she got on my nerves.¡¯

    So much so that she wanted to get rid of her right away.

    The maid quickly responded to Seirin¡¯s self-talk.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s because the colors are different.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Seirin smiled and took the white rose from the vase. When she gave strength to her hand, the stem broke and the white rose slumped helplessly.

    The maid spoke, smiling.

    ¡°It¡¯s much better without it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a lot prettier.¡±

    Seirin held out the vase to the maid with a happy expression on her face, her mood got better.

    ¡°Can you put it in the bedroom?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Princess.¡±

    The maid took the vase and left. Meanwhile, Seirin dropped the white rose to the floor. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, she smashed the rose with her shoes until the white petals crumpled and turned dirty.

    ¡®I¡¯ll have to let you know what happens if you dare covet what¡¯s mine.¡¯ Seirin¡¯s eyes lit up coldly.

    Moments later, with a satisfied smile, she made her way to her bedroom.

    Her meditation ended like that.

    Before long, Seirin returned to her usual elegant and good-natured-like Princess appearance.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32

    Tomorrow I leave the capital. I thought that the Imperial Family wouldn¡¯t allow it because of my identity, but the schedule was made easier than I thought.

    ¡® I didn¡¯t know I could go back this fast.¡¯

    It seemed that Lexion and Gregory had come up with a countermeasure. Lexion sent a copy of Gregory¡¯s power of attorney to the Imperial Family right before Kronos struck. Seeing the document bearing the imperial seal, they chose to preserve their pride. As a result, Gregory was sentenced to be confined in his dormitory for one month, and the Duke of Sparrow was ordered to return to the north as quickly as possible.

    That treatment clearly showed their displeasure with Lexion¡¯s presence, who had a strong influence.

    The epistle-boasting of his benevolence as a merciful monarch-was full of rhetoric. If we remove all that, the content of the letter could be summed up in a request to get lost immediately.

    ¡®I¡¯m going to disappear before you change your mind.¡¯

    I never liked the unique demeanor of the Aden royal family, but this time, their humble pride helped. It was fortunate that the Imperial Family considered it would be very dishonorable to go back on their own words.

    Thanks to that, Lexion and I were able to go to the north without much fuss.

    ¡°Tomorrow will be the end of my life in the capital¡­¡±

    Thinking about returning to a cozy place was like a resting place for my heart, I felt at peace. Unlike the capital, the northern land was like heaven for my heart. Everyone dreams of living in the capital, but to me, the capital was a place of desolateness. The north, on the other hand, was different. There were a lot of things I liked there.

    Snowflakes on the trees when it snows a lot, the cold air that cools the tip of your nose in the morning¡­

    Even the memory of the warm lemon tea Daisy made gave me a sense of nostalgia and longing.

    ¡®I want to go quickly.¡¯

    As I eagerly anticipated my departure, the book inevitably foretold what was going on behind the scenes.

    ¨DThe preview has arrived!

    With a cheerful notification sound, the book opened in front of my eyes and the preview unfolded.

    [The evil dragon¡¯s thoughts deepened and the beasts began to be affected.]

    [Due to the increased number of demons, the roads were blocked and Tiarozetti¡¯s party heading to the north eventually got stuck. Lexion sets out to subdue the beasts to secure the road and have a safe trip. In the meantime, Tiarozzetti stays in the villa and waits for control to be lifted until an unexpected accident occurs¡­]

    ¡°An unexpected accident?¡±

    I questioned the preview that seemed cut off in the middle. To this, the guide answered in a simple tone.

    ¨DThe content of the preview has been reduced due to concerns about the traveler¡¯s intervention.

    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too mean to me?¡±

    ¡ªDon¡¯t feel too disappointed. I always cheer for travelers.

    Smack! I reacted rather harshly to the expected restriction. The book had always been harsh on me, and now this kind of work feels trivial.

    ¡®I can¡¯t believe I can evaluate this treatment as trivial. I¡¯m acting as a real traveler now.¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. In the meantime, my heart became dull as I became swayed by the tyranny of the original plot. After that, I closed the book without looking at it anymore.

    With the lights off, I blinked in the darkness. Even when I closed my eyes and opened them, the darkness was still there.

    As I lost myself in the abyss that surrounded me, I thought of something.

    ¡°I won¡¯t go.¡±

    I remembered what Lexion said while dissuading me. No matter how much I thought about it, his behavior was suspicious. The guide explained that I was the only one who returned from this novel.

    I could only think that Lexion was a mere character, so he had no identity, he only acted based on the set value given to him. However, the problem was that his setting value was now flexible. He often deviated from the route. As a result, he was like a rugby ball that didn¡¯t know where to bounce. And I was as anxious as a child who dropped it into the water.

    The fact that I didn¡¯t know what his actions might bring made me nervous.

    ¡®What the hell are you thinking?¡¯ I closed my eyes slowly. I felt that if I kept my eyes open I wouldn¡¯t be able to fall asleep.

    The surroundings were silent. Being in a quiet place, I could hear a small ring in my ears. I had a lot on my mind.

    ¡®Is it up to me to find out what¡¯s going on with Lexion?¡¯

    To be honest, it was unclear whether he was aware of his own variables. Maybe because I knew him before the return, I felt a greater sense of alienation. Even things that could be natural felt awkward.

    Anyway, the crack had already begun from the point when I suddenly returned.

    Yet I¡­

    ¡°I wish you were still the you from the past¡­¡±

    I muttered with my eyes closed. I wished he was the same before my return.

    I wished the guide¡¯s words were a lie and he had an identity by himself.

    Then I thought I would feel less guilty.

    ¡®It¡¯s not like he¡¯s giving me his attention because I became the main character. It¡¯s not that I took away Seirin¡¯s place¡­¡¯ I just thought it would be nice if he could look at me completely.

    The sleepless night continued until dawn.

    Part 6 ¨C Road To The North

    Heading north.

    It¡¯s been a while since Lexion and I set out on our journey but we couldn¡¯t get too far. It was because the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts grew stronger and the number of demons increased.

    Everything was going according to the Preview.

    After the attack of the evil dragon in the capital, its thoughts were spreading throughout the Empire. Perhaps because I wounded the evil dragon, it seemed to be more rampant. The dragon is a creature that heals its wounds according to the concentration of malice. I injured its leg, so that must be the reason why it started to spray its thoughts among demons.

    ¡®It ended up like this because I twisted it.¡¯

    The roads heading north were controlled one after another. We passed quite a few places, but the roads were repeatedly closed and we wasted several days.

    The Hakun area we were heading to was the last accessible road. And according to the preview, even that one would be closed.

    I knew everything but pretended not to know and waited in the carriage.

    After a while, Theo¡¯s voice was heard outside.

    ¡°It is said that this side is also out of control.¡±

    When I heard his voice, it seemed like he was having a lot of trouble. I put my head close to the window to hear more clearly.

    ¡°Is that the only way?¡±

    I could hear Lexion¡¯s calm voice.

    ¡®Now he¡¯s going to form a subjugation party.¡¯

    This was the last place, so if we wanted to return to the north, he would have to start subjugation anyway. In particular, although Hakun was a little far from the northern provinces, one could arrive fairly quickly if they went through the sea.

    It¡¯s better to turn on the waterway than to take a shortcut now.

    I opened the window just in time and poked my head out. Thanks to a new ring, my hair was as black as night. I was hiding my identity because I was afraid I would get caught up in something annoying on my way to the north.

    In the capital, rumors about the survivor of the Isol disaster were already among people, so there was nothing wrong with being careful.

    ¡®I¡¯m glad my body isn¡¯t as fragile as it used to be.¡¯

    Before returning, I was dragged around by vicious merchants and suffered a lot of damage so even a bit of movement made me quite exhausted. And if I was overworked, even more so.

    However, now that such a process has been omitted, I was on the healthy side, except for my congenital feeble body.

    Besides, after using ¡®Asta¡¯ on the evil dragon, my physical condition improved a lot. The joints that used to be sore from torture were already fine.

    In this condition, even if I used ¡®Ejis¡¯ a little, there would be no strain on my body.

    However, even if I talked about this physical improvement, Lexion¡¯s overprotection was not over.

    ¡®You don¡¯t need to be overprotective like this¡­¡¯

    Lexion had always been like that. When he decides to protect someone, he tries to take care of them to the point that it¡¯s too much.

    That was why Tiarozetti was indebted to him. Because their first meeting was so extreme that he had no choice but to protect her.

    In addition, Isol¡¯s power is a double-edged sword. He knew that if I used my power recklessly, I would lose my life like any other Isol, so he was trying to protect me even more.

    ¡®That¡¯s why I have to stay still¡­¡¯

    As I opened the window I met Lexion¡¯s eyes and asked carefully.

    ¡°Are we stuck here too?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I guess we¡¯ll have to stay here today.¡±

    ¡°The situation seems more serious than I thought.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll think of a way. If it doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll clear a path in the road.¡±

    Lexion¡¯s tone was soft. When he said that he was going to clear a path, he meant that he would eventually participate in the subjugation himself. At the same time, the Black Knights are also with us, so it wouldn¡¯t be much of a job to break through.

    ¡®It seems that the place of the preview is Hakun¡­¡¯

    Hakun was famous for its rivers. The river was connected to the sea, so it was an area with a developed port.

    We unpacked at an inn with a good view of the Hakun River. Afterward, we headed to the restaurant with an outdoor terrace to dine. It was recommended by the inn manager because of the beautiful scenery.

    As we were having a pleasant dinner, a small boy was walking around the table selling accessories made of shells. The restaurant owner didn¡¯t really stop the boy. He seemed to condone the child¡¯s pitiful circumstances. The boy came to the table where Lexion and I were sitting and held out the accessories.

    ¡°One for twenty rings! It will go very well with your wife¡¯s eye color. It¡¯s handcrafted!¡±

    The boy gallantly offered us the accessories. The necklace in his tiny hand was a seashell the same deep blue as my eyes.

    Thanks to the boy calling me his ¡®wife¡¯ I became conscious of Lexion¡¯s reaction. On the other hand, he accepted the boy¡¯s words with a calm look.

    ¡°You certainly have a good eye.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, my Lord.¡±

    It seemed as if he didn¡¯t really care about the boy¡¯s words.

    However, Lexion¡¯s next words made my mouth go agape.

    ¡°My wife, you can choose anything you like.¡±

 Chapter 33

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    Chapter 33

    ¡°Zi- Zion?¡±

    ¡®Wi- Wife?!¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t help but stare at Lexion, my eyes were wide open in astonishment. I was speechless. I couldn¡¯t believe that such a title would come out of Lexion¡¯s mouth.

    I understood the boy could be confused since he was just a child, but I didn¡¯t know what the hell Lexion was thinking of pretending to be a married couple.

    When I finally came to my senses I could see the corner of Lexion¡¯s mouth twitching lightly. He was having fun with such an act.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Wife?¡±

    Lexion repeatedly called me ¡°wife¡± and smiled softly. I thought it would be embarrassing for him to explain things openly, so I just decided to play my part.

    ¡°I- I can say¡­ Can you pick one that suits me?¡±

    When I replied coyly, Lexion said to the boy.

    ¡°Take out everything you have.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±

    The boy took a bunch of different accessories out of the basket. It was more than I had expected. It wasn¡¯t as stylish as the ones sold in the market, but it looked pretty good.

    Lexion looked at the accessories and held out a gold coin to the boy. The boy¡¯s eyes widened. He looked at me for a moment and then opened his mouth again.

    ¡°I think everything suits my wife?¡±

    ¡°Wh- What?¡±

    As I asked, amazed, Lexion turned to the boy, who was just staring at the gold coin, and said,

    ¡°I will buy them all.¡±

    ¡°Ah, change¡­¡±

    The boy did not know what to do with a larger sum of money he had ever expected. He looked around, wondering where to change the money.

    ¡®You¡¯ll buy everything¡­ what the hell¡­¡¯

    My eyes and mouth widened as I looked at Lexion¡¯s calm demeanor. He was the only one with a relaxed face among the three of us. He gently raised the corners of his lips and replied gently.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need change.¡±

    The boy¡¯s eyes widened at his friendly attitude. Moments later, the boy deeply bowed and thanked him.

    ¡°Th- thank you, my Lord! You will be blessed!¡±

    The kid, holding the gold coin and showing his gratitude again, and again, eventually left the restaurant.

    After the child went out, I turned to Lexion and muttered as if complaining.

    ¡°I was going to ask you to buy one for me, but¡­¡±

    ¡°I guess he was lucky today.¡±

    ¡°Still, this is too much¡­¡±

    I said, pointing to the accessories that covered every corner of the table. As I glanced at the pipe of accessories, my eyes fell on a bracelet. I picked it up and held it to Lexion.

    ¡°I think this will suit you.¡±

    It was a bracelet with imitation black pearls. Lexion rolled up his sleeve and held out his arm as if telling me to put it on his wrist. I smiled and put the bracelet.

    As expected, it looked good on him.

    ¡°It looks pretty.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pick one for you, too.¡±

    Lexion also picked something from among the accessories. He placed a bracelet with white pearls on my wrist.

    The design was the same as his. Anyone would think it was a couple¡¯s bracelet.

    As I stared blankly at my wrist, he said, ¡°It looks good on you.¡±

    ¡°Th- thank you for choosing one for me.¡±

    As I stuttered in embarrassment, he smiled.

    ¡°You can¡¯t take it off.¡±

    ¡°Zion can¡¯t take it off either¡­¡±

    ¡°Ngh, I won¡¯t.¡±

    He shook his hand a little and the small pearls wiggled, bumping with each other making a jingling sound. I also waved my bracelet and smiled widely.

    Then, as if coming to my senses out of the sudden, I asked.

    ¡°No matter how much I think about it, there are too many of these, can I share them with the servants?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, all I need is this.¡±

    Lexion shook the bracelet again. Seeing how excited he looked, I responded by waving my hand once more.

    ¡°Actually, this one is all I need, too.¡±

    Lexion smiled softly at me as if he liked my answer.

    When I saw his smile, my face bloomed as a flower in full bloom and laughter came out.

    That silly behavior continued until the staff brought dessert.

    Shortly after staying in Hakun, the road from where we came was also ordered to be closed.

    It was because of something that happened right in front of everyone. A woodcutter who was chopping down trees in the forest was killed by a beast.

    When Hakun was completely surrounded, Lexion began to prepare for subjugation. As the decision was made, our arrival to the North was delayed.

    The next day, Lexion requested a personal reunion with the Lord of Hakun and the meeting took place. When he said that he would go on subjugation himself, Lord Hakun gladly agreed. It was even more so because the trade routes were closed by the demonic beast¡¯s attacks.

    As if relieved by the sudden hope, Lord Hakun spoke softly.

    ¡°There was no reply from the capital, but I guess I am very lucky.¡±

    ¡°Did you ask the capital for help?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s been quite some time since I¡¯ve asked for help, but I haven¡¯t been contacted yet. It must be because the evil dragon has attacked the capital and everything is out of control.¡±

    Lord Hakun wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. Lexion replied bluntly.

    ¡°Probably the capital will not contact you in the future either.¡±

    ¡°¡­That¡­ I see¡­¡±

    Lord Hakun spoke slowly as if he had already expected it.

    It was because the Imperial Family didn¡¯t care about other areas after the capital was openly attacked.

    After that, the two briefly discussed the subjugation schedule and ended the meeting.

    The very next day a subjugation team was formed.

    Early in the morning, Lexion came to my room and said,

    ¡°I think we will have to stay here for a while.¡±

    I looked up at Lexion, who was explaining the situation.

    He didn¡¯t have to come to explain the situation to me, but he came in person anyway. That¡¯s how nice Lexion is. I was very grateful.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡±

    When I answered with a bashful smile, Lexion glanced at someone. A knight who had been waiting quietly behind him came and stood up front.

    I recognized him immediately and my eyes widened. He knelt in front of me and introduced himself politely.

    ¡°Hello, Miss Tiarozetti. I am Aiden Maximus.¡±

    Aiden Maximus.

    He wasn¡¯t just a knight from the Black Knights, but also Lexion¡¯s right hand.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m Ti- Tiarozetti Isol.¡±

    I awkwardly introduced myself and looked up at Lexion. It was because I couldn¡¯t understand why he was introducing him to me.

    As if recognizing my gaze, Aiden solved my question.

    ¡°I have decided to escort the Lady from now on. It is an honor to be able to assist you.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Aiden came up to me-who had stiffened in surprise-and placed his forehead in the back of my hand to show his respects.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    I was stunned by the sudden acquisition of an escort.

    ¡®But Aiden, among everyone else?¡¯ I was bewildered because he was too important to be attached to me as an escort.

    ¡°He¡¯s my replacement but he¡¯s quite good.¡±

    ¡®He¡¯s not just okay¡­¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t agree with Lexion¡¯s remarks so I just shut up.

    Aiden wasn¡¯t just okay. He was one of the top-ranked knights in the Black Knights.

    ¡®It would be better to have him participate in the subjugation than to escort me¡­¡¯

    But I couldn¡¯t say I knew Aiden¡¯s skills, so I just blinked.

    Lexion gave Aiden a firm warning.

    ¡°Aiden, make sure to take care of her properly while I¡¯m away.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Your Grace.¡±

    Aiden replied loudly in a voice full of energy.

    After a while, Lexion organized the subjugation squad and left the inn. Aiden approached me and spoke. His voice was quite excited.

    ¡°It was an honor to serve you, my Lady. I mean it.¡±

    ¡°Is- Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The guys who went with the subjugation squad will probably envy me the most.¡±

    ¡°Pardon? Wh- why?¡±

    As I couldn¡¯t understand what Aiden was saying and tilted my head in confusion, he replied, scratching his nose as if feeling awkward.

    ¡°There are many people who are curious about my Lady.¡±

    ¡°Are they talking behind my back¡­?¡±

    I muttered with a slightly depressed face. It couldn¡¯t be something good if it went back and forth from them.

    Actually, before my return, I didn¡¯t make a good impression on the people of the Sparrow household. At that time the knights weren¡¯t interested in me but¡­

    ¡®You may already hate me because you had to leave the capital as if you were being chased, just because of me.¡¯

    In the meantime, it wasn¡¯t just one or two troubles I caused for Lexion. So I was somewhat confident in my assumption.

    But contrary to my expectations, Aiden jumped and explained.

    ¡°No way! Absolutely not!¡±

    ¡°Then what were you talking about¡­?¡±

    ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s¡­ I would say it¡¯s some kind of curiosity among men.¡±

    Aiden rolled his eyes to and fro, trying to avoid answering.

    ¡°Curious?¡±

    It was hard for me to understand, so I tilted my head and asked back. Then Aiden answered in a slightly excited tone.

    ¡°What kind of person the Lady is to His Excellency is of utmost concern among us.¡±

    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±

    ¡°Actually, from the moment His Grace took the Lady from the pile of corpses and held you in his arms, we, the Black Knights, have already decided to swear our loyalty to Lady Tiarozetti.¡±

    ¡®To swear allegiance, who the hell am I?¡¯

    Aiden¡¯s words felt too surreal, so I kept asking questions as if trying to make him spit out his words.

    ¡°Wh- why? Why is that?¡±

    ¡°He¡­¡±

    Aiden, who was talking smoothly until just now, looked behind me.

    Then he stopped talking as if he had seen someone. I turned around with a puzzled face, and there was Daisy.

    Daisy came closer, threatening Aiden.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, Sir Aiden.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not nonsense.¡±

    ¡°You stopped talking as soon as you looked at me.¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t matter.¡±

    Aiden and Daisy started quarreling. As I glanced at them, puzzled, Aiden looked back at me and said,

    ¡°Ehem, anyway, I look forward to working with you, my Lady.¡±

    ¡°Please take good care of me, Sir Aiden.¡±

    I replied and stared at the two of them.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

 Chapter 34

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    Chapter 34

    ¡®Come to think of it, the two were close even before their return.¡¯

    I knew Aiden because he was close to Daisy. Both were northern natives. Daisy followed her mother as a maid, and Aiden was recognized for his exceptional skill with a sword, and later became the adoptive son of Count Maximum and learned swordsmanship.

    It could have affected their relationship and they might have stopped getting along as they used to. But regardless of that, the two got along quite well. Perhaps because Aiden treated Daisy the same as before, their relationship continued.

    Daisy asked Aiden coyly.

    ¡°So¡­ what were you talking about?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know Ms. Daisy.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to keep doing that, Sir Aiden?¡±

    Suddenly, the two were arguing again. I stared at them feeling nostalgic. If they knew my feelings by looking at them, they would ask me why I am looking at them like that.

    ¡®Seeing you both together again¡­ it feels refreshing.¡¯

    Actually, both of them were included in the cozy life at the Sparrow Castle I wanted to return to.

    ¡°I like it.¡±

    That¡¯s why I spat out such sentimental words.

    ¡°What did you say, Miss?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m curious too.¡±

    The two of them showed interest in my self-talk rather than fighting. I simply nodded and replied.

    ¡°Just, everything.¡±

    Lexion and the Black Knights searched the forest together with the other knights belonging to the Hakun Territory. The reconnaissance teams camped in the middle of the forest and gathered to share the directions of the search.

    ¡°Your Excellency, I want you to take charge of the southeast.¡±

    Lord Hakun proposed to Lexion. The southeast was the narrowest road in the forest. It was also a good place for a counterattack. That was why he wanted to entrust the area to the Black Knights, they were more experienced in subjugations. Lexion agreed.

    ¡°That would be the best. If there is any problem during the search, please contact the communication center immediately.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    The Lord replied in an energetic voice and headed northwest with his knights. Then, Lexion and his party started subjugating towards the southeast.

    During my stay in Hakun, Daisy diligently gave me a tour. After getting ready to go out today, I headed to the lobby with Daisy. When we arrived- Aiden-who was already waiting, greeted us.

    ¡°Where are you planning to visit today?¡± The smile on his face seemed to be accustomed to this kind of outing.

    As Daisy began to drag me outside more since I was left alone in the inn, the three of us were maintaining subtle outings. Hakun was a famous tourist destination, so the three of us went around looking everywhere.

    Daisy said, looking at the map the inn manager had given her.

    ¡°There is a big zoo in Hakun.¡±

    ¡°Zoo?¡±

    At my question, Daisy excitedly began to explain.

    ¡°Yes. You can see camels that can only be seen in the Korte area. That-I mean-a horse with several humps.¡±

    ¡°Daisy, aren¡¯t camels and horses different?¡±

    Aiden argued at Daisy¡¯s explanation. After all, camels and horses are different species, so his words made sense. The only thing they had in common was their four legs and that they were used as a means of transportation.

    Daisy rolled her eyes, crossed her arms at Aiden¡¯s words, but ignored him and asked primly.

    ¡°Would you want to go, Miss?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think it will be fun.¡±

    ¡°I think Daisy wants to go more¡­ Aghk!¡±

    Aiden couldn¡¯t finish his words and groaned. Daisy ended up kicking his shin to quiet him up.

    ¡®That must have hurt¡­¡¯

    I looked at Aiden with pity, who was trying to pretend it didn¡¯t hurt.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll escort you to the carriage.¡±

    Aiden put Daisy and I into the wagon one after the other, and then he got on. The inside of the carriage was very wide, so even the three of us were not cramped. In fact, Daisy wasn¡¯t the only one excited about going to the zoo; I was excited too. Looking forward to our outing, I leaned my arm on the window and looked outside. Daisy asked,

    ¡°Did you buy that bracelet too?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yeah¡­¡± I replied shyly, fiddling with the pearl bracelet on my wrist. I returned to the inn that day and gave away all the accessories to the servants, and it was the only one left. Aiden looked at the bracelet on my wrist. His eyes narrowed.

    ¡°Where did I see¡­¡±

    ¡°Is similar to the necklace the Miss gifted me, too.¡±

    Daisy proudly held out the necklace to Aiden and made a face. It was like, ¡®You didn¡¯t get one from her, did you?¡¯ She smirked. Aiden¡¯s gaze shifted from me to Daisy, he replied bluntly.

    ¡°It¡¯s like a pearl necklace around a pig¡¯s neck.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. Since you like horses I¡¯ll say it¡¯s li¨C uhh!¡±

    Daisy pinched his thigh as hard as she could. He continued speaking without giving up.

    ¡°No, the horse¡¯s eyes are pretty¨C Ughk!¡±

    He paused as Daisy used both hands to pinch his thighs. It seemed that Aiden¡¯s thighs wouldn¡¯t remain unharmed after that. Although he was beaten by Daisy, Aiden continued giggling and speaking nonsense as if having fun. She was the only one who looked annoyed by all that.

    ¡®Now that I see it, Aiden liked Daisy a lot.¡¯

    Remembering the crying face of Aiden after Daisy¡¯s death made my heart sank. Knowing his heart and seeing the two of them again like that, my heart felt warm.

    ¡°You two are very close.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Miss!¡±

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re close.¡±

    The eyes of the two people who answered at the same time turned and met each other again. Unlike the flames in Daisy¡¯s eyes, Aiden¡¯s eyes looked pleased. I nodded again.

    ¡°Very close.¡±

    ¡°We are not!¡±

    ¡°As I thought, you have good eyes, my Lady.¡±

    Aiden smiled satisfied. Daisy, who was clearly embarrassed, fanned herself with her hands trying to calm her anger. Seeing that she was quite flustered, Daisy seemed to have some affection for Aiden too.

    ¡®I hope you both do well this time.¡¯

    Just as I was thinking about it, the carriage arrived at the entrance of the zoo. While Aiden was talking to the horseman, Daisy crossed her arms and said to me,

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Miss.¡±

    ¡°What about Sir Aiden?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a great knight so he will tag along eventually.¡±

    Daisy mumbled with an angry face. Suddenly I felt like the third wheel stuck between the two of them on an unplanned date. I struggled to suppress the laughter that flowed out. For some reason, I thought that if I smiled here, Daisy would be really pissed off.

    ¡°I would have never thought a camel would be such a big animal!¡±

    Daisy said in an excited voice. Fighting with Aiden before coming to the zoo was already a distant memory in that girl with such a bright smile.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know a camel¡¯s mouth would smell like that¡­¡±

    I covered my nose and furrowed my eyebrows. As Daisy said, there was a camel that only existed in the Kingdom of Korte.

    There was an experiential event where you can ride a camel, so you have the opportunity to feel what it¡¯s like to drive it yourself. It was amazing and I was looking forward to it. But when I went in front of the camel, I saw the camel¡¯s green tongue and I freaked out. Its tongue was all green from how much grass it ate. Besides, because they hadn¡¯t brushed its teeth, its mouth smelled like a gutter and my stomach churned. Unlike me, Daisy seemed to like even that too. She still couldn¡¯t calm her excitement, she said.

    ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever climbed such a high place.¡±

    ¡°Certainly the camel is tall.¡±

    And it had an awful breath. If you can overcome bad breath, the camel ride was not a bad experience. Aiden approached and asked.

    ¡°Are you hungry?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s already this time¡­ Shall we go eat, Miss?¡±

    ¡°Um, okay.¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll escort you to a place I have checked in advance.¡± Aiden took the lead after hearing my reply.

    On our way to the restaurant, I saw a familiar figure out the window¡¯s carriage

    ¡®What? That¡­¡¯

    I hurriedly ordered Aiden.

    ¡°Wait, stop the carriage!¡±

    ¡°Stop the carriage.¡±

    At my command, Aiden said to the coachman. After a moment, the carriage stopped, and I got off the carriage.

    ¡°Uh? Miss, where are you going?¡±

    Daisy tried to follow me. A boy looked up blankly at the carriage that had stopped in front of him. I looked at the boy¡¯s face and frowned. His face was full of small scars. One of his eyes was swollen as if he had been beaten by someone. I approached the boy half glad and half worried.

    ¡°Hi.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡±

    The boy bowed deeply with a surprised face. He seemed to recognize me. I looked sadly at the boy huddling as if he was hiding his face on purpose. I carefully approached the boy and crouched down to meet his eye level. Only then did the boy make eye contact with me. As I smiled at him, the boy¡¯s face brightened and his expression softened. Daisy, who followed me, asked with a puzzled face.

    ¡°Miss, do you know this child?¡±

    ¡°Ah. That necklace, I bought it from this child.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, really?¡±

    Daisy answered, fiddling with the necklace around her neck. Aiden glanced around as I spoke to the unfamiliar child. I asked the boy.

    ¡°Who did you fight with?¡±

    The boy shook his head at my serious words. It seemed he didn¡¯t want to speak. Seeing him acting so timid in front of me made me feel sad. I kept talking.

    ¡°What is your name?¡±

    ¡°John.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a pretty nice name. Aren¡¯t you selling accessories today?¡±

    ¡°¡­I lost it.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    I opened my eyes wide at the unexpected answer. The boy continued with a face that looked like he was about to cry.

    ¡°I lost all my gold coins that day.¡±

    ¡°To whom?¡±

    ¡°¡­Hiik¡­¡± Finally, round marbles-like tears rolled down from the child¡¯s big eyes. As the boy suddenly burst into tears and began to cry loudly, passersby glanced at us. Aiden quickly approached us and covered me and the boy. I didn¡¯t mind the eyes of strangers and stared at the boy, puzzled. After a moment, the boy spoke with a broken voice.

    ¡°I was going to use it for my mother¡¯s treatment, but¡­ My older brother took it.¡±

    ¡°¡­Why did your brother do that?¡±

    ¡°Hiikk- He, he has gambling debts¡­¡±

    ¡°Miss, it would be better if you don¡¯t meddle in family affairs.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. The situation is quite pitiful, but if you give any useless help, you might get caught in other business.¡±

    Daisy and Aiden said in unison as if stopping me from making any harsh decision. John, in front of me, couldn¡¯t keep talking and burst into tears.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

 Chapter 35

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    Chapter 35

    My thoughts were not so different from those of Aiden and Daisy. John¡¯s situation was pitiful, but it was better to be careful about my actions.

    ¡®I greeted you because I was happy to see you, but I feel troubled now¡­¡¯

    I tried to soothe the crying child.

    ¡°Is your mother very ill?¡±

    ¡°That¡­ hiiik¡­ She was in a carriage accident while working, so she can¡¯t walk well. She couldn¡¯t get proper treatment¡­ And the income was cut off¡­¡±

    The boy rambled while looking at me tearfully. It must have been that his family situation got worse after his mother¡¯s accident.

    ¡®Even if I can¡¯t intervene in a family¡¯s affairs, wouldn¡¯t it be okay to pay for the child¡¯s meal?¡¯ I quickly took the money out of my pocket and handed it to the boy. At that moment, the book appeared.

    ¨DTiling, please sympathize with the boy¡¯s pain. The child¡¯s mother is in an emergency. Please protect this child¡¯s precious parents.

    ¡®What?¡¯ I looked at the cheerful guide. The guide continued.

    ¨DIf the case is rejected, the child¡¯s mother will die, and the child will also be beaten to death by his older brother.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I was speechless. The damn original was going to make me progress by taking even good people hostage now?

    ¡®Is ¡®the unexpected accident¡¯ I saw in the preview related to John?¡¯

    Even if I refused this case, I didn¡¯t know what kind of event the original would tie me to later.

    ¡®It¡¯s dangerous to be penalized for things that aren¡¯t related to Lexion¡¯s death. The more it accumulates, the worse it will get¡­¡¯

    ¡®If I reject this case, I will be penalized, and there is a high probability that it will adversely affect Lexion who is in the subjugation¡­ I should reduce penalization as much as possible.¡¯

    After making my mind, I took a deep breath. I held out a handkerchief to John and asked,

    ¡°Where is your home?¡±

    ¡°Miss!¡± Daisy was startled and tried to stop me. She must have thought it was too much to go to his home. Aiden also objected to my decision.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but it¡¯ll be difficult, Miss.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just going to check the condition of this child¡¯s mother for a bit.¡±

    ¡°But if His Grace finds out¡­¡±

    ¡°It will be okay if I go there secretly.¡±

    ¡°¡­Still.¡±

    ¡°There will be no danger if Sir Aiden is by my side.¡±

    Aiden looked at Daisy at my stubborn response. She sighed and shook her head. She must know it would be difficult to break my stubbornness. Soon after, Aiden added in a low tone as if he had given up.

    ¡°You¡¯ll just go to see for only a moment.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Then, let¡¯s go, John.¡±

    I said and reached out to John. He crouched for a moment, then grabbed my hand. I put the child in our wagon and headed to his house.

    ¨DEnter the unlucky child case.

    As I followed the will of the book, the book named this new event in a plain tone. Just by hearing the title, I could tell how dreadful this poor child¡¯s life was.

    In the western forest, something like a black haze floated low. It was the evil dragon¡¯s devilish energy.* The lord, who was passing by at the same time, did not see it and stepped on it. At that moment, black fog clung to the Lord¡¯s feet, and he stumbled heavily.

    ¡°Ahh!¡±

    ¡°My Lord!¡±

    The Lord, who fell down, started rolling down. He managed to stop it with his sleeves caught in a branch, but it was already too late. While the knights were coming down, the evil thoughts that had entangled the Lord permeated his body. He started to shake as if having a seizure.

    At that time, a knight who came close to him tried to call his Lord.

    ¡°Are you all right, my Lord!¡±

    He looked at the knight with blurry eyes. A black mist flickered in his eyes for a moment, then disappeared. Shortly thereafter, the man got up by himself, his eyes were clear as if nothing had happened.

    ¡°It¡¯s ugly to see me like this in front of my subordinates. Heh heh heh.¡±

    When the man laughed, the knights sighed in relief.

    ¡°I am glad that you are okay.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my. The communication tool broke when I fell.¡±

    At that time, the Lord showed displeasure when he saw that the communication tool in his pocket had been smashed. The knight asked him.

    ¡°What should I do? Shall we change the communication channel and come back?¡±

    ¡°No way. Just finish the hunt. Either way, I think we¡¯re almost done.¡±

    ¡°But didn¡¯t you agree to call every hour to report?¡±

    ¡°We will do it when we return.¡±

    ¡°Still¡­¡±

    ¡°Is the commander of this subjugation team Duke Lexion Sparrow?! Stop complaining and just follow me!¡±

    ¡°I- I¡¯m sorry, my Lord.¡±

    The knight bowed his head as the man shouted furiously. An invisible dark energy lurked around the Lord, who was slowly walking up to his original position.

    However, it was so subtle that the knights didn¡¯t notice it.

    Lexion looked at the hunt¡¯s progress at the center of the forest. They were already returning home after completing the first hunt in the east and only waiting for the rest of the area. The number of beasts wasn¡¯t as many as he had expected. Of course, it was easy for them to deal with them since they were the Black Knights, after all.

    Lexion was puzzled, the level of control in the area did not match the number of demon beasts he had seen. He just waited for the rest of the team to return home.

    Chris Martin, who had just volunteered to go South, returned to the barracks. After completing the first hunt, he came to Lexion¡¯s side and said after finishing the report,

    ¡°I think the subjugation will end easier than I thought.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down until night comes. The evil dragon likes the night.¡±

    Lexion answered calmly while looking at a map. The place and time when the demon beasts appeared were written on that map.

    Chris, wiping the beast¡¯s blood from his sword, spoke once again.

    ¡°The Imperial Capital doesn¡¯t seem to have any intention of sending a support team at all.¡±

    There was poison in his words, but Lexion pretended not to know and replied sternly.

    ¡°Because they can¡¯t predict if the evil dragon will appear in the capital again.¡±

    It was unusual for the dragon to directly break into the capital. As a result, the borders of the capital were strengthened, and troops were concentrated there. In such a situation, even if Hakun, a nearby area, requested support, there was no way to send it.

    Especially for the high-ranked nobles, they wouldn¡¯t have any interest outside the capital. They would think that as long as the Imperial Capital, the heart of the Empire, is safe, that¡¯s enough.

    Chris said with a grim face to see if he knew this inner story as well.

    ¡°Nevertheless, it is fortunate that we are located in a passing area. Otherwise, Hakun would have suffered a lot of damage.¡±

    ¡°How many purification stones are left?¡±

    ¡°Considering the rate of appearance of demon beasts so far, I could say rather plenty.¡±

    ¡°Use as little as possible. You have to be prepared for the unexpected.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Chris took the command. The purification stones were a magic tool made to use against the evil dragon. Since the evil dragon was a dragon that fed on malice and hostility, they had to purify the evil energy that lurked everywhere to weaken its power. At that time, Chris asked Lexion with a look of wonder.

    ¡°By the way, Sir, how did you know that you had to prepare purification stones in advance?¡±

    Like a person who knew that evil dragon would go rampant, Lexion packed plenty of purifying stones and set off for the south. Thanks to that, the subjugation became easier. Without them, Lexion¡¯s journey might have been delayed even more than it was now.

    Disposing of the remains of the evil dragon without a purification stone is like pouring water into a bottomless kettle.

    Lexion ignored Chris¡¯ words with an indifferent face and changed the subject.

    ¡°So what was the southern forest like?¡±

    It meant that he had no intention of answering. Realizing that much, Chris replied tactfully.

    ¡°In the south, rather than demonic beasts, the animals are the ones going berserk after being in contact with evil energy. We purified as much as possible without killing them.¡±

    ¡°Have you not forgotten to plant a purification stone in the ground, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Chris answered with a confident face.

    Lexion added another mark on the map after Chris reported. Lexion was very calm about this situation. Chris hesitated for a while and complained in a sighing tone.

    ¡°The evil dragon seems to be getting too far. What if we get called back to the capital as soon as we head back to the north¡­¡±

    ¡°If we plant plenty of purifying stones along the way, they will be fine for a while.¡±

    ¡°I mean, I think the imperial family should take care of this!¡±

    Chris raised his voice when Lexion responded to his complaints as if it was nothing. At this, Lexion stopped what he was doing and looked at Chris, so he continued.

    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t like being driven back to the North, it¡¯s as if we¡¯re being kicked out.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better than being held captive, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Lexion smiled and answered indifferently. Chris raised his voice at Lexion¡¯s carefree attitude.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have pride?! You protected the capital, but didn¡¯t the Imperial Family take all the credit? Seeing them chanting loudly after appearing late trying to fix the situation made my stomach churn!¡±

    ¡°Chris, don¡¯t get too riled up.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m all frustrated. Why are you bowing down so easily, it¡¯s so unlike you!?¡±

    Chris showed a sign of dissatisfaction with Lexion¡¯s passive attitude.

    It was Lexion who drove out the evil dragon, but the Imperial Family got the praise for it. On top of that, he was returning back North as if being chased out. Chris was very upset that the Duke didn¡¯t even protest and left without hesitation.

    Lexion, looking at Chris, asked a question.

    ¡°Chris, do you think I have lost?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that so?¡±

    When Chris asked with a puzzled face, Lexion replied with a light tone.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°It was more important to me to go back to the North than to be praised as a hero in the capital.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°So, even if the Imperial Family takes all the credit, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    Lexion declared determinedly. His tone was as if he was talking about something meaningless, like a piece of paper.

    ¡®Has the Duke ever reacted so pessimistically in front of the Imperial Family?¡¯

    Chris suddenly questioned his reaction, but since he could no longer protest, he stepped back and left.

    ¡ª¡ª

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

 Chapter 36

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    Chapter 36

    John¡¯s house was on the outskirts of Hakun city. The child, who had just ridden a carriage for the first time in his life, was at a loss. Daisy comforted him in a friendly manner.

    ¡°You can sit comfortably.¡±

    Although she was dissatisfied with the current situation, she didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of taking her frustration out on the child. Aiden, on the other hand, was still keeping his mouth shut as if he was still unhappy about going to his house. I spoke to Aiden on purpose.

    ¡°Sir Aiden, are you going to stay silent?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m usually quiet.¡±

    ¡°Not really. Sir Aiden used to be very good at talking.¡± As I replied with a smile, Aiden let out a deep sigh.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have the confidence to handle the aftermath. If your Excellency knows later, I¡¯ll die.¡±

    ¡°If he tries to kill Sir Aiden, I will tell him to kill me first.¡±

    ¡°Milady!¡±

    Aiden shouted in shock. I shrugged.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±

    ¡°¡­I understand your feelings well enough, so you shouldn¡¯t say such things in front of His Excellency.¡±

    ¡°Then, Sir Aiden, please do your best for today¡¯s secret mission.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re going to do something that needs to be kept a secret.¡±

    ¡°Who knows¡­¡±

    I rolled my eyes and avoided answering. I couldn¡¯t be sure about what the book would ask me.

    ¡®First, we need to look at the woman¡¯s condition and call a physician.¡¯

    Aiden said again as if giving up on my answer.

    ¡°You should never, ever, ever get caught.¡±

    ¡°Of course! John will keep it a secret. Right?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Madam. My lips are sealed!¡±

    John replied with a very nervous voice. Apparently, Aiden¡¯s face was too stiff, and he seemed to have noticed. When I winked at Aiden to smile, he reluctantly loosened his expression.

    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±

    Just then, the coachman stopped the carriage. John jumped first and pointed to the shabby house.

    ¡°That¡¯s the place!¡±

    After we got off, we were at a loss for words as we looked at the crumbling houses around. With an innocent face, John pulled my skirt and headed home. Just entering the house, the child led me to the bedroom where his mother was lying. He shook her body to wake her mother up.

    ¡°Mom, wake up. She¡¯s the lady who gave me gold coins last time.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The woman was motionless. Moments later, the woman opened her eyes. Her pale face heated up in an instant.

    ¡°Cough!!!¡±

    ¡°M-mom!¡±

    John moved frantically from side to side in a hurry to find his medicine. The child was in a hurry to give the medicine, but Aiden stopped him.

    ¡°Hold on! This is opium.¡±

    ¡°Yes? My brother said it was a painkiller¡­¡±

    John looked at Aiden in surprise. Meanwhile, the woman continued to cough. It was a hoarse, dry cough.

    ¡°Quick, a physician¡­¡± As I was just about to call a physician to come, the guide spoke in a mournful voice.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t you feel sorry for the kid? Please use Ejis to heal your child¡¯s mother right now. If rejected, the woman dies immediately, and the child is beaten to death by his brother.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡®Use Ejis? Does it mean she¡¯s a patient in such a critical state that I can¡¯t call the physicians?¡¯

    I took turns looking at the dying woman and the bewildered John, without answering the guide¡¯s request. When I did not use my power, the book

    warned me.

    ¨DThe countdown starts. Please carry out the prescribed actions.

    I couldn¡¯t tell which decision was correct. ¡®Should I act according to the will of the book in a situation where I don¡¯t know what¡¯s behind it?¡¯

    It was even more difficult to decide because the forced development seemed to be related to the ¡®unexpected accident¡¯ mentioned in the Preview.

    ¡ª10, 9, 8¡­

    However, the book started the countdown without giving me a chance to think.

    ¡®What do I do?¡¯ I was restless, biting my nails. Then Aiden called out urgently.

    ¡°We can¡¯t do this. First of all, I will call a physician!¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, are you okay?! Breathe with this!¡±

    Then Daisy brought her a wet towel and lifted her.

    ¡°Mooom¡­¡±

    John, wet with tears, grabbed the blanket of the bed on which the woman was lying.

    ¡ª5, 4, 3¡­

    I tried to find out what the best way was. The more the penalties I received, the stronger the intensity became. Therefore, it is better to move in a direction that doesn¡¯t get penalized as much as possible. As long as I decided to save Lexion, there is a high probability that my penalty would lead him to being in danger. I didn¡¯t want to endanger Lexion with my own hands. Besides, Lexion was currently subjugating. If the book intends to put him in danger, it will be possible.

    ¡®Okay. Let¡¯s do it. I¡¯m feeling a lot better these days. This should be fine.¡±

    [tl/n: No gosh! Please no! No! Tia no! Damn..!]

    I made up my mind and approached the woman who was vomiting blood. Daisy noticed it too late and tried to dissuade me, but I acted even faster. I took off the ring and recited the words.

    ¡°Ejis.¡±

    ¡°Miss!¡±

    ¡°Lady Tiarozetti!¡±

    Daisy and Aiden shouted at the same time. John looked up blankly at my hair that turned silver. I felt less dizzy than the last time I used my powers, perhaps because using Asta on the evil dragon used more vital strength. I was getting a little tired. Eventually, the woman¡¯s face, who was acting like she was going to die, gradually gained a healthy color. Her pale face lit up, adding warmth to her fingertips and toes. New flesh was growing over her wounds.

    ¡°Isol?¡±

    The woman murmured with hazy eyes. It seemed that she had found out by seeing the bright silver hair and brilliant blue eyes. I quietly brought my index finger to my lips. It meant to pretend not to know. She immediately shook her head as if she had understood right away. John was stunned and stiffened with his mouth open.

    I put my ring back on and turned around. Aiden brought his hands to his face at my sudden actions.

    ¡°Lady Tiarozetti, isn¡¯t this different from what we talked about? If I called for a physician¡­!¡±

    ¡°Then it would be too late.¡±

    ¡°Even so¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t help it either.¡±

    I smiled awkwardly and rolled my eyes. It was an unexpected act. If the book hadn¡¯t told me to do so, I wouldn¡¯t have used my power so recklessly, so I had no excuses. It was natural for Aiden to be angry.

    ¡°Aaaaaah¡­¡± He let out a long breath to quench his anger.

    John didn¡¯t know what had just happened, so he just rubbed his eyes. I approached him and lowered myself to meet his eyes.

    ¡°What you saw today should be kept secret.¡±

    ¡°I-I will! Tha-thank you, madam!¡±

    John belatedly regained his senses and bowed his back 90 degrees to express his gratitude. The woman who was supported by Daisy also showed her gratitude by bowing her head. Aiden spoke coldly to both mother and son.

    ¡°If you¡¯re grateful, you must keep your mouth shut. If this leaks to anywhere else, we won¡¯t be able to stand still.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, my Lo-ord.¡±

    The woman promised in a dry voice. Even so, Aiden did not release his expression feeling his heart troubled. Daisy, knowing that every time I use my power, my life is drained, pleaded with me in a pitiful tone.

    ¡°Please. No matter what happens, think of your body first, please.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Daisy.¡±

    ¡°Now we must go, milady,¡± Aiden said sternly.

    I couldn¡¯t walk away easily and constantly looked back at John. He was in tears as he asked his mother if she was okay. Seeing him like that, I felt like I did a good job. Of course, if I had not dealt with the evil dragon before, it might have been a little overwhelming for me.

    ¡®After all, the book forced me to do it because it knew I could handle it.¡¯

    I said goodbye to John.

    ¡°Goodbye.¡±

    ¡°Take care, ma¡¯am!¡±

    John sent me off with a smile on his face and I nodded back at him. We went back to the hotel, leaving him and his mother behind who were seeing us off in front of the house.

    Not long after I returned to the hotel, Lexion returned home from the raid. I pretended nothing had happened and talked about the zoo I went to today at the table. Lexion nodded as if my story was good music to listen to.

    ¡°Did you go straight to the hotel after visiting the zoo?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    I replied in a slightly awkward tone and averted my eyes. It was because I thought that I would be found out if our eyes met. Lexion spoke without noticing my reaction.

    ¡°It must have been fun.¡±

    ¡°Daisy really liked it.¡±

    ¡°How about you, Titi?¡±

    Lexion asked, placing a finger in his chin. I answered, still avoiding his gaze.

    ¡°Ah¡­ I had fun too. The smell of the camel¡¯s mouth was a bit disgusting, though.¡±

    ¡°The smell?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The camel¡¯s breath smelled really awful.¡±

    When I spoke while pretending to cover my nose, Lexion laughed out loud. After a while, he said with a look of regret.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity we couldn¡¯t go together.¡±

    Come to think of it, Lexion was having a hard time subjugating, but I proudly talked about how I went out to play. I belatedly apologized for not being considerate.

    ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry I went out alone.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good to go sightseeing while you¡¯re here. What I meant is that I want to go out with you, too.¡±

    Lexion corrected my misunderstanding and smiled.

    ¡®He wanted to hang out with me¡­?¡¯ I was a little shy because I had never thought of it that way. I said softly.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go out together next time.¡±

    His eyes widened at my suggestion and then answered with a smile on his face.

    ¡°Great.¡±

    A few minutes later, Lexion spoke calmly.

    ¡°I think the subjugation will be over sooner than I thought.¡±

    ¡°Already?¡±

    I asked with a surprised face at the unexpected words. I thought it would take quite some time because all the close areas were blocked.

    ¡°There were fewer scattered evil energy fragments than I expected. Since it¡¯s not an area where monsters are infested, the Lord must have felt intimidated.¡±

    ¡°I see, it¡¯s near the capital, so it¡¯s an area where there are few monsters.¡±

    As soon as I understood and responded to him, he smiled.

    ¡°The purification stones installation is almost finished. If we deal with the rest of the remaining demonic beasts, the doors will be opened again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad it didn¡¯t take long.¡±

    When I answered with a bashful smile, Lexion smiled wide. For a moment, he hesitated before continuing.

    ¡°When the subjugation is over, come with me.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°Anywhere.¡±

    A soft smile was drawn on his mouth when he responded softly. The corners of my lips rose at the same time as the answer that seemed to say that anywhere was good as long as it was with me.

    I responded with a quiet, shy nod. I didn¡¯t want to get caught being excited, so I put a ripe cherry tomato in my mouth and chewed slowly.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

 Chapter 37

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    Chapter 37

    Then Lexion asked as if passing by.

    ¡°How about Aiden? Was there anything that made you feel uncomfortable?¡±

    I shook my head at his question and said cheerfully.

    ¡°Not at all. I think he¡¯s a good person. He¡¯s gentle and speaks well. I look forward to being with him.¡±

    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡±

    He seemed to be wondering if I and Aiden were getting along well. I added some words on purpose so that Lexion would not worry about anything.

    ¡°Yes. I think Sir Aiden makes people very comfortable. I¡¯m doing very well with Sir Aiden, so don¡¯t worry about him.¡±

    When I emphasized my intimacy with Aiden, Lexion answered slowly.

    ¡°Right¡­¡±

    ¡®What? Why does he sound like that?¡¯ I raised my head, hearing Lexion¡¯s voice a bit lower than usual. Just then he muttered a little.

    ¡°I guess you got close.¡±

    However, his voice was too low to be heard.

    ¡°What? What did you say?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re doing well.¡±

    Lexion replied gently and smiled as usual.

    ¡®Hmm? Was it just my feeling?¡¯ I smiled along without noticing his subtle changes.

    The next morning. When I left my room, a knight other than Aiden was standing there. She smiled and greeted me first.

    ¡°Good morning, Miss Tiarozetti.¡±

    ¡°¡­Oh?¡±

    I tilted my head and let out a shallow exclamation. Daisy, who was standing beside me, was also surprised by the unfamiliar knight. The woman was wearing the same knight uniform as Aiden. Her impression was quite cold, perhaps because her hair was tied uptight. She introduced herself to me as I stared at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m Violet Vivozza. Aiden joined the subjugation squad, so starting today, I will take care of the young miss.¡±

    Violet¡¯s low-pitched tone echoed quietly. It was very impressive that she spoke with moderation. However, I had some doubts about her explanation.

    ¡®Now? He joined the subjugation squad now? Lexion clearly said yesterday that it was almost finished¡­¡¯

    When the escort changed without notice, I panicked. Aiden was a comfortable partner, besides, I had never met Violet in my previous life. Then I suddenly remembered what happened yesterday.

    ¡®Did Sir Aiden get mad at me for what happened yesterday?¡¯

    When I healed John¡¯s mother on my own terms, I felt sad when I remembered that Aiden¡¯s expression was very painful.

    ¡®Still changing the escort without a word¡­ Is he that angry?¡¯

    I asked, a little sullen.

    ¡°Then, will Sir Aiden escort me again after the subjugation?¡±

    Violet gave me a bewildered look and gave a gloomy answer.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s if the lady wants¡­ maybe, do you not like me?¡±

    Tension was evident on her face. I waved my hand as if I had said something wrong.

    ¡°Oh, no! I¡¯m just saying because I felt a bit sad that he went without saying goodbye.¡±

    ¡°Um, it was decided very suddenly this morning¡­ he probably didn¡¯t have time to come. Either way, won¡¯t Sir Aiden come back later?¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Violet answered in a confident tone with a soft smile on her face. Reassured by this, I smiled back, and she turned the topic around.

    ¡°I heard that you are going on tour. Where are you going today?¡±

    ¡°Ah, today¡­¡±

    I explained to Violet where I was going today. She tried very hard to be of help, even though it was a hard task for her.

    That evening, Aiden did not come to see me.

    And same was for the next morning.

    ¡°Do you think that makes sense?¡±

    An angry young man swept away the tableware on the table. With a sharp roar, broken utensils spread helplessly on the floor. The woman trembled as she held John in her arms. The young man had a strong smell of alcohol. Looking at his bloodshot eyes, it looks like he spent gambling all night again. The man looked down at the woman with an overbearing attitude and asked.

    ¡°Did you hide any money from me?¡±

    ¡°It- it¡¯s not like that.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way a priest from the temple would treat you without a reason and for no money on top of that! Do you see me as an idiot?!¡±

    As the man shouted, John trembled and snug deeper in her mother¡¯s arms. The young man reacted more aggressively because he had already lost all the money he had. The woman clenched her teeth and responded.

    ¡°How could I suddenly have such a huge amount of money? A priest on a pilgrimage helped me. Really.¡±

    ¡°Even if it was a priest, how could he heal a crippled leg in one day?¡±

    The man sarcastically grabbed the woman¡¯s healthy legs and laughed. He was already out of his mind because he had been drinking. The woman looked at her eldest son, speechless, her eyes were full of tears. Unable to manage his anger, the man shouted fiercely as he watched mother and son keeping their mouths shut.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering me?!¡±

    At that moment, someone knocked on the front door.

    ¡°Who is it!¡±

    As soon as the man opened the door shouting wildly, he gasped and stepped back. The murderous atmosphere from before had completely disappeared.

    The visitor was a man with a round belly. He raised his glasses and looked at the young man. Unlike the three shabby people, the clothes the man was wearing were very splendid. At a glance, the difference in appearance was huge. The man¡¯s greasy face showed off abundance. John¡¯s family, on the other hand, was shabby and very contrasting. The chubby man looked at the young man with very sinister eyes.

    ¡°Li- little Lord, wh- what brings you here¡­¡±

    The eldest son who had been threatening his mother until recently became a gentle sheep in front of that chubby man. As the young man bowed his head deeply against the floor, the man shoved his head down even more with his cane and said,

    ¡°The promised payment hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡±

    ¡°I, I lost all the money this time¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not my business.¡±

    The man called the ¡°Little Lord¡± responded with a deep yawn. At first glance, he seemed bored. The young man rolled his eyes, and he shouted pointing at his mother.

    ¡°I¡¯ll- I¡¯ll give you a collateral!¡±

    ¡°Jack!¡±

    At Jack¡¯s words, the woman shouted in a hoarse voice. The man looked at her up and down, tilting his head.

    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re standing. Didn¡¯t you used to limp?¡±

    ¡°It seems that they had been hiding money from me. I¡¯ll get the money by interrogating my mother somehow¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll allow this woman and your brother as collateral.¡±

    ¡°No! Not this kid-!¡±

    The woman stood up in front of John and shouted. But Jack roughly shoved her away and dragged John in front of the man. When he motioned, the escort behind him grabbed John. John groaned as he tried to free himself.

    ¡°Mom!¡±

    ¡°John!¡±

    The woman cried out to John. The cold-hearted man narrowed his eyes at the sight of her tears and spoke coldly.

    ¡°Take that woman too.¡±

    As the knight grabbed the woman, the Little Lord looked back at Jack.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even show up until you have the money.¡±

    It was a voice that was far from nice.

    After a while, the subjugation was all over. The door that had been closed was opened immediately, but the atmosphere of the estate was still rigid. Perhaps it would take some time for it to stabilize. Lord Hakun decided to hold a banquet to thank Lexion for helping with this subjugation. As it was a special banquet held for the Sparrow family, it was difficult to miss, so everyone ended up attending the banquet.

    Around that time, Aiden was nowhere to be seen. I was puzzled that I still couldn¡¯t see him even after the subjugation was over. Even if I asked Lexion, he only said that he had entrusted a secret mission to him, so it was difficult to ask any further questions otherwise.

    ¡®Are you going to avoid me?¡¯

    While I was gloomy with such thoughts, I ran into Aiden by accident. Lexion had said he was on a secret mission but he was there, in the hotel lobby.

    ¡°Sir Aiden?¡±

    I called Aiden, who was walking helplessly. He glanced behind him sneakily and widened his eyes as soon as he saw me. As I approached, he greeted me.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Miss.¡±

    For some reason, he became callous. Even his voice seemed tired.

    ¡®You didn¡¯t avoid me, you must have been really busy.¡¯

    I felt sorry for him so I talked kindly.

    ¡°The secret mission must have been quite arduous. You have a very bad complexion.¡±

    ¡°A secret mission?*

    Aiden asked, frowning. I nodded with a puzzled look.

    ¡°Milady hold on, come this way.¡±

    Having said that, he got out of the crowd and dragged me somewhere. As we reached a quiet hallway, he said in a low voice.

    ¡°There was no such thing as a mission.¡±

    ¡°Yes? Then why didn¡¯t you come? You suddenly stopped being my escort¡­¡±

    ¡°That, that¡­¡±

    Aiden glanced around the area, he seemed very wary. As I looked up at him, he let out a low sigh.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady Tiarozetti.¡±

    ¡°Sir Aiden? What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°That¡­ In fact, after His Excellency suddenly asked me to join the subjugation squad, I was so busy with work that I didn¡¯t have time to visit. I couldn¡¯t even sleep properly.¡±

    ¡°Oh god¡­¡±

    Come to think of it, his appearance was very poor. Perhaps he ran into me on his way home from being out all this time.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the subjugation already over?¡±

    ¡°Only a few knights stayed in the forest in case of unknown beasts.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯ve been in the forest since you joined the subjugation team?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well¡­¡±

    He sniffed at his clothes.

    ¡®The reason I couldn¡¯t see you wasn¡¯t because you were angry with me, but because you were on duty.¡¯

    I felt somewhat relieved. At that moment, Aiden took a step back. It was as if he had belatedly realized he smelled.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s okay. More than that, I thought you were angry with me because I couldn¡¯t see you at all.¡±

    Aiden¡¯s eyes widened as I fiddled with my fingers.

    ¡°Pardon? That¡¯s not it. Rather, I thought Lady Tiarozetti was angry with me.¡±

    ¡°What? Why would I?¡±

    Surprised by the unexpected answer, Aiden hesitated before continuing.

    ¡°That¡¯s because that day, I was a bit harsh on you, and the Lady changed her escort right away.¡±

    ¡°I changed escort?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    After exchanging their stories about the past days, there was a brief silence between us. A moment later, Aiden, who made a serious expression on his face, mumbled low

    ¡°It seems His Excellency hates me.¡±

    ¡°The duke? Why?¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing. Well, I¡¯m glad to know that you¡¯re not mad at me, my Lady.¡±

    When I asked, Aiden replied while shaking his head. It was a bit odd, but I didn¡¯t ask any more. There was something I wanted to check more so I asked hesitantly.

    ¡°Then¡­ are you coming back to be my escort?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ His Excellency has to approve it¡­¡±

    Aiden shut his mouth before finishing speaking.

    Suddenly, his gaze was fixed behind me.

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

 Chapter 38

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

    Chapter 38

    ¡°Sir Aiden?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Aiden, who was staring blankly, let out a meek exclamation at my words.

    ¡®Is there someone behind me?¡¯ I tilted my head and looked back. At the same time, I could see Lexion walking over to this side while chatting with the Lord of the area.

    ¡®Why did you flinch after seeing Zion?¡¯ Then our eyes met. As he approached us, Aiden bowed and greeted him.

    ¡°Welcome, Your Grace.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± While Lexion nodded lightly, the lord next to him spoke kindly to me.

    ¡°Ah, this is the Isol of that rumor.¡±

    ¡°Pardon? What do you mean¡­¡±

    As I feign ignorance, the lord laughed loudly.

    ¡°There is no need to hide it. I got an official letter from the imperial family.¡±

    ¡°What does that¡­¡± Lexion seemed startled at his words. Looking at his expression, it seemed that he knew now that an official letter had come from the imperial family.

    ¡®No wonder they said they would let me go.¡¯ I bit my lower lip at the word ¡®imperial family¡¯. The imperial family was mean to the bone seeing how they struck us on the back. The lord kept rambling.

    ¡°They even sent me a description of her appearance, so I recognized you right away. Ho Ho Ho.¡±

    ¡°Keep your voice down,¡± Lexion whispered to the lord. It was because he was talking too loudly in an open space. Fortunately, the people around me didn¡¯t seem to be interested in our chatting. The lord nodded his head and he offered to shake my hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s my first time meeting an Isol, so I acted like a fool. Nice to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Nice to meet you.¡±

    As I grabbed his hand a little tremblingly, he added.

    ¡°Are you coming to the banquet?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a banquet that is held without distinction between nobles and commoners, so please feel comfortable.¡±

    It sounded as if he was trying to be considerate of my status. Since Lexion had already asked to go with him, I nodded meekly.

    ¡°I will.¡±

    ¡°Then I will see you again tomorrow, Duke. I¡¯ll hear the final answer to what I asked by then.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t change my mind.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? That is unfortunate.¡±

    When Lexion responded harshly, the lord smiled widely and left.

    ¡°What did he ask for?¡±

    ¡°To stay a little longer,¡± Lexion responded softly as he gently pulled the hair off my face and wrapped it over my ear. Naturally, his sleeves went down and the black pearl bracelet on his wrist sparkled. Then Aiden suddenly shouted.

    ¡°Aaah! I wondered where I saw it!¡± At Aiden¡¯s sudden cry, Lexion¡¯s eyes turned to him. At that moment, Aiden quickly scanned the bracelet on my hand. After a while, he shook his head and muttered.

    ¡°As expected¡­ That¡¯s how it happened.¡±

    ¡°Sir Aiden?¡±

    ¡®What happened?¡¯ I was about to ask him, puzzled, but Aiden said to Lexion with a meaningful smile.

    ¡°Your Grace¡¯s overprotection is not good. If one finds out later, they¡¯ll think it¡¯s because you don¡¯t believe in them¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Lexion stiffened at his words. I stared at the two without understanding. After a while, Aiden greeted me with a very satisfied smile.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozetti, I will escort you again starting tomorrow, taking turns with Violet.¡±

    ¡°Oh, will you?¡±

    ¡°Aiden Maximus.¡±

    Lexion, who had been silent all along, called his name. There was a bit of annoyance in his tone. But Aiden didn¡¯t care and asked with a bashful smile.

    ¡°Are you alright, Your Grace?¡±

    Lexion rubbed his forehead in response to the shameless reaction. Aiden greeted politely as if he didn¡¯t need to hear an answer.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go wash up then.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, go.¡± Lexion sighed deeply and waved his hand. Aiden nodded and disappeared.

    ¡®There seems to be a lot of omission between the conversation?¡¯ I tilted my head, unable to grasp the context of their conversation. After a moment, Lexion called me softly.

    ¡°Titi.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I trust you.¡±

    ¡°Mmh?¡± I let an exclamation out at Lexion¡¯s sudden declaration.

    ¡®What do you mean you trust me? Zion is so erratic these days.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know what he was trying to say at all, but I was glad that he believed in me.

    ¡°Me too, I also believe in Zion.¡±

    After that, Aiden became my escort again. He said he had already consulted Violet and decided on the order.

    And finally, the day of the banquet. I changed into a dress suitable for the party. Aiden followed me, but Daisy wasn¡¯t feeling well, so she stayed at the hotel. I barely stopped her from coming with me.

    The banquet was held in the gardens of the expansive villa near the Habun River. Most of the invited people were nobles and influential people who stayed in the estate. One surprising thing was that there was a place prepared for commoners. Of course, the seats were clearly separated. I set my eyes on where the commoners stayed. Most of the expensive food was in the aristocrats¡¯ seats, but the commoners were enjoying it as if it was a feast.

    Lexion, who went to the banquet ahead of me, tried to find the lord but he was nowhere to be seen. I quietly sat down and watched the people. Then Aiden asked cautiously.

    ¡°By the way, are you feeling well after¡­ that?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m okay.¡±

    ¡°Still, you shouldn¡¯t use your power like that. I heard that Isol¡¯s power is limited.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    But the damn book kept testing that limit. I couldn¡¯t help but stare at the book floating in the air. The book had been active since the morning and had been following me through the whole day. Although, it was invisible to anyone else. So, of course, I was the only one who could see it. Whenever I looked at it, I felt that this place was not real. I am just a traveler who stays for a while, and I cannot belong to this place. When that clear distinction shackled me, I felt a little lonely. I hated the look of the book, it was as if it was watching me, so I did it without realizing it.

    ¡°What kind of bug is this?¡±

    There was no bug. I just wanted to hit a book. I waved through the air using it as an excuse. The book immediately groaned in response.

    ¨COuch, ouch. You must cherish the book.

    ¡°A bug? I can¡¯t see it.¡± Belatedly, Aiden looked around and talked. I shrugged casually.

    ¡°Oh, I think it flew away.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s quite something. There are bugs all over.¡±

    ¡°I know, right. Did they smell the food?¡±

    While I was speaking leisurely, someone approached me. He was quite chubby. Looking up at him with a puzzled face, the servant standing next to him said:

    ¡°He is the young master, owner of this estate.¡±

    ¡°Ah, forgive me for being rude. I¡¯m Tiarozetti Sparrow.¡±

    With the introduction from the servant, I quickly got up and greeted him politely. When he heard my name, he spoke with a puzzled face.

    ¡°Sparrow? Is that how you do it?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You are an Isol, right?¡±

    The man murmured with an insidious smile. I couldn¡¯t know if he was being tactless or was trying to ask me for something while pretending not to know.

    ¡°The young Lord seems to have misunderstood this. She is a member of the Sparrow family.¡±

    Aiden tactfully intervened. When Aiden standing next to me intervened, the man showed displeasure, but his expression softened quickly.

    ¡°As such a noble person has come, I hope the food will suit your taste.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s so elegantly decorated, how can it not taste good? I will eat well.¡±

    ¡°Who knows. Contrary to what you said, you left a lot of food on your plate. It seems that our chefs were not in a position to satisfy the taste of an Isol.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I stared at him absurdly as he spoke as if looking for a quarrel. The food on the plate was not yet eaten, but it was not intended to be left behind either. Outright sarcasm. He sounded as if asking why a woman who wasn¡¯t worthy enough sat in the VIP seat and not the outsider¡¯s seat. No matter how unique it was, the Isol tribe was a minority. Who would think that a woman who is not even treated as a citizen of the Empire will enjoy luxury with the duke on her back?

    ¡°What are you¨C!¡±

    Aiden tried to protest as if noticing the meaning. But the man¡¯s remarks went even further than that.

    ¡°I have heard that you have healed a woman¡¯s legs.¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    At his words, Aiden¡¯s and I¡¯s eyes widened at the same time. He was speechless. I replied calmly.

    ¡°I never did such things.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± The young lord replied with a grin. From the look on his face, he didn¡¯t seem to believe it at all.

    ¡®Did John not keep a secret? Or is he deliberately trying to frame me?¡¯ The little lord left with his mind wandering. After glancing at the man¡¯s back for a while, Aiden spoke in a very displeased tone.

    ¡°My Lady, why do you stay still in front of such a rude attitude?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I am used to this kind of treatment.¡±

    Aiden hardened his face as I shrugged and smiled resignedly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ever take it for granted. Miss is not someone to be ignored.¡± His voice grew louder than before as if he had been through something similar.

    ¡°But it is true. Because I am not a member of the Empire.¡±

    When I answered pitifully, Aiden said as if upset.

    ¡°As long as the Lady is protected by the Duke of Sparrow, being rude to you is like being rude to the Duke.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°Besides, my body is for you. If the Lady had asked for a duel, I would have picked up the sword right away.¡±

    He seemed very angry. I looked away from him, wiggling my lips. It was nice to know that someone was angry in my stead for what I had been through.

    A few minutes later, I made a light joke to refresh the atmosphere.

    ¡°It seems that the young lord has never even held a sword properly, can Aiden, a swordmaster, apply for a duel against ordinary people?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true.¡±

    Recognizing my intentions, Aiden relaxed his expression and swept the back of his head.

    The joke seemed to soften the uncomfortable feelings a little. Actually, I was offended by the man¡¯s attitude so I said to Aiden.

    ¡°Thank you. I will trust Aiden from now on, and the next time someone is rude to me, I will throw a glove right away.¡±

    [tl/n: throwing a glove was a way to ask for a duel]

    ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤

 Chapter 39

    Hello! Mystical dropped this, and I¡¯ll pick up from where they left off~

    ¡°What? You¡¯re going to have a duel?¡±

    Aiden misunderstood me and asked back in surprise.

    I couldn¡¯t hide my embarrassed expression as if I didn¡¯t know that I would say a duel.

    I smiled and explained.

    ¡°No. Of course Aiden should do it for me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t duel with ordinary people¡­¡±

    ¡°I was asking if it was possible, not telling you to do it.¡±

    Aiden smiled.

    ¡°Alright. Trust me and apply for a duel. The Duke will step up for you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s reliable.¡±

    As I wandered along, I was thirsty and looked around for the servant serving cocktails.

    Then I found a familiar face carrying cocktails.

    It was John.

    ¡°John?¡±

    Aiden¡¯s gaze also turned to him and he muttered in surprise.

    John was too busy carrying cocktails to notice us at all.

    My frown was bigger than before.

    ¡°Pretend not to know.¡±

    At that time, Aiden interrupted and whispered quietly.

    As soon as I heard him, I turned my head.

    The conversation with the little lord a while ago was uncomfortable.

    The little lord and Lexion took the stage just in time as if the banquet was about to begin.

    He introduced Lexion loudly in a husky voice.

    ¡°This is Duke Lexion Sparrow, who helped us a lot in this subjugation.¡±

    At the introduction from the lord, people gathered around the table cheered and applauded.

    I also fixed my eyes on Lexion.

    The lord explained in a lengthy manner how much the Duke helped the subjugation.

    When the time came where the end of the speech was near, suddenly, a bright light came out and shone around Aiden.

    Naturally, the eyes of the people were on me as well.

    ¡°Who is she? It¡¯s my first time seeing her.¡±

    ¡°Is she the duke¡¯s lover?¡±

    People whispered when they saw me.

    Aiden read the air and covered me from people¡¯s eyes.

    At that time, the lord grinned and spoke loudly.

    ¡°That¡¯s Tiarozety Esol, the rumored Esol.¡±

    ¡°Lord Hakun!¡±

    Lexion shouted at the lord¡¯s bombshell.

    Apparently, it was something that was not agreed upon.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡®I¡¯ve had a bad feeling since last time¡­ Are you really crazy?¡¯

    ¡°Tiarozety, we must go back.¡±

    Aiden hurriedly packed up and tried to lead me out of the banquet hall.

    I meekly nodded my head, but the guide book began to talk.

    ¨D Lord Hakun is tainted with the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts. Soon the malice of those who came in contact with him will be amplified.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Startled by what the guide was saying, I shook my head.

    I saw Lexion, who was on the stage in the distance, rushing down.

    After that, the lord grunted with a sinister light.

    A black aura flashed around him and disappeared.

    ¡°Huh¡­?!¡±

    When I checked it with my eyes, a shrill scream came out.

    At that moment, a jacket flew over my field of vision.

    There was a familiar scent from the jacket, which contained a little warmth.

    ¡°Titi, lower your head.¡±

    Lexion wrapped his arms around my shoulders and said lowly.

    ¡°Sir, what the hell is this¡­¡±

    ¡°It seems that Lord Hakun was trying to do something stupid because he refused the request at that time. There will be no further consideration, so prepare to leave immediately.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Lexion quickly explained the situation, and Aiden answered immediately.

    Everyone was skeptical about my identity, so they didn¡¯t do anything to block my way.

    They seemed to be more careful with Lexion by my side.

    However, a word from someone made the situation even more complicated.

    ¡°That woman healed this child¡¯s mother!¡±

    Those words became a signal and people¡¯s eyes flashed.

    It was the little lord who cried out.

    A black aura was creeping up on him as well.

    Besides, next to him¡­

    ¡°Yes! That woman treated my mother for free!¡±

    Another young man continued the words of the little lord.

    He was holding on to John, who had become contemplative.

    He seemed to be the older brother John was talking about, seeing the resemblance of the young man and John¡¯s face.

    ¡°This bullshit¡­¡±

    I muttered to myself in despair at the chaotic situation.

    The little lord grabbed John¡¯s delicate arm.

    John struggled to get out of his man¡¯s grasp.

    As soon as the young man¡¯s words fell, commoners blocked the way.

    Lexion gave a cool command.

    ¡°Get away.¡±

    ¡°I have a sick mother!¡±

    ¡°My daughter is suffering from an amputated leg!¡±

    ¡°Please have mercy¡­!¡±

    Despite Lexion¡¯s orders, the people did not give in and rushed.

    Someone grabbed my hem and got kicked by Aiden¡¯s scabbard.

    In a word, the hall was a mess.

    The common people seemed to have their eyes turned over at the word ¡®free¡¯.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you hear? Get out of the way!¡±

    I wondered if they would pause for a moment at the sound of Aiden¡¯s command, but nothing happened.

    Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks

    ¡°You are so great!¡±

    ¡°Help me, can you help me?!¡±

    They shouted at me with voices mixed with resentment.

    There was an outcry as to why only the mother of that child had special favors.

    Lexion looked at me with a face that did not understand.

    I lowered my head in confusion.

    ¡®Sigh¡­After all, a book that can be restored to its original state, should I even make a hobby of tearing it?¡¯

    As my resentment against the book began to grow, someone grabbed my wrist and pushed me back by Aiden.

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    As someone¡¯s scream was detonated, people¡¯s eyes flashed and they started running at the same time.

    ¡°Aiden!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    At Lexion¡¯s cry, Aiden drew his sword.

    It meant that if anyone came closer than this, he would cut them.

    But people couldn¡¯t stop moving for a long time.

    I stared at them bewildered.

    It was a strange phenomenon.

    It was hard to see a person with a rational mind.

    These questions were resolved with the warnings of the guide book.

    ¨D The people gathered here are already stained with the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts. Soon, an angry mob will harm Tiarozety Esol.

    The book sounded a sharp beep.

    It meant that I was completely in the episode.

    It was then.

    Suddenly, Lexion put his sword in and gave Aiden an order.

    ¡°Put your sword in, Aiden.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I think we misunderstood.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Aiden asked with a raised expression.

    I couldn¡¯t raise my head in guilt.

    This was due to the fact that the situation could have been prevented, but the penalty did not prevent it.

    Lexion muttered in a hard tone.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t just beasts that were tainted with thoughts.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that everyone here has been exposed to those thoughts?¡±

    ¡°Right. A Master wouldn¡¯t be tainted with such thoughts, but if it¡¯s an ordinary person, it¡¯s a different story.¡±

    Lexion looked around and shook the chair.

    Then he stretched out one leg of the chair to Aiden, took the other and put it in his hand.

    ¡°They are ordinary people.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Aiden put in his sword belatedly and covered my back.

    ¡°Sir, where is the source of their thoughts?¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡±

    ¡°Lord Hakun.¡±

    When I interrupted their conversation, Aiden asked.

    ¡°Lord Hakun? Did you see something?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­I saw a black aura around the lord earlier.¡±

    Lexion affirmed my testimony and pointed towards the stage with his chin.

    ¡°Okay. The cause is definitely the lord.¡±

    Aiden turned his head in the direction Lexion was pointing and was startled.

    It was because of the dark energy around the lord.

    A gloomy mist in the banquet hall widened the range.

    It creeped up from beneath his feet.

    Those who didn¡¯t know what was going on yet put on a languid expression on their faces as they touched the black mist.

    They looked hazy, as if drunk on drugs.

    Aiden said with a look of trouble.

    ¡°It is too far to return the lord.¡±

    ¡°Once we get out of here. Stun anyone who blocks your way. Move Titi to a safe place and calm the situation.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Aiden received Lexion¡¯s orders and moved quickly.

    The people rushed towards us as we were about to run away.

    The crowd with stern eyes looked like wild beasts.

    Aiming for prey with only instinct remaining.

    Lexion struck down his club at those who tried to get to me.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    With a shriek, the people froze backwards.

    Without hesitation, Lexion cleared the path.

    Then the book once again warned.

    ¨D If you leave the hall, the ¡®witch hunt¡¯ starts immediately. If you don¡¯t want more fuss, you should purify the source of those thoughts here.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    As soon as I heard the guide¡¯s instructions, I stopped and shouted.

    Lexion stood tall at the same time as I said my words.

    Aiden asked hurriedly.

    ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t go on like this.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    Aiden had a face as if he couldn¡¯t understand.

    I was frustrated because I couldn¡¯t explain it.

    It was easy to get out of the hall like this, but it might be difficult to meet the lord again after that.

    Those who are tainted by the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts are placed under the evil dragon¡¯s dominion.

    The longer the exposure period, the more evil it will become.

    If I don¡¯t purify it right away, they could lose their mind altogether.

    If that happens, they will become a puppet of the evil dragon and move in the direction that can amplify evil.

    ¡®That must be a witch hunt.¡¯

    I have already seen countless people who have been tainted with the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts in my past life.

    There were a lot of people who came up to me pretending to be good and stuck a knife on my back.

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    If you want to deal with the evil evil dragon, it¡¯s better to let them think that things are going according to their wishes and then hit them.

    So, escaping now will only be a temporary escape.

    I said while holding Lexion.

 Chapter 40

    ¡°Anyway, I need your help to capture the lord so we can get out safely.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not too late to do that once your safety is secured.¡±

    ¡°Nope. It¡¯ll be too late by then. I¡¯ve heard that the longer the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts, the more difficult it is to purify it.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°If thoughts are strong enough to be seen, they must have long since been stained with thoughts. It must be cleansed before the lord becomes completely incapacitated.¡±

    I tried to persuade Lexion by stating only the facts that could be revealed.

    After being silent for a while, Lexion asked Aiden.

    ¡°Aiden, do you have any purification stones?¡±

    ¡°Yes, here.¡±

    Aiden rummaged through his pockets and handed him a purifying stone.

    Lexion took it and patted my head.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this here, so stay safe first.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡±

    Lexion and I were about to argue, but the lord intervened.

    At that moment, the lord¡¯s knights, who were waiting, surrounded us as if protecting us.

    Soon after, he started beating people mercilessly.

    I stared at the scene, frozen.

    Lexion then stared at the lord with cool eyes.

    The lord was looking at this side from afar and smiling slyly.

    The common people could not bear the beatings and were scattered.

    When the situation calmed down to some extent, the lord apologized under the cover of the knights.

    ¡°Hey, my people have been rude.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°But you understand. The common people are crazy about it and rush to it if it¡¯s free.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that the lord was the cause of the commotion in the first place.¡±

    As Lexion spoke coldly, the lord shrugged his shoulders.

    Looking at his face, there was a hint that he couldn¡¯t help it.

    ¡°If you would¡¯ve accepted my request, this wouldn¡¯t have happened, right?¡±

    ¡°I politely declined, Lord Hakun.¡±

    ¡°I also almost left it be. Then some news gave me hope.¡±

    Lord Hakun smiled slyly, and then he gestured to someone.

    Then the little lord dragged John towards us.

    Lexion looked at John indifferently and stopped.

    He seemed to remember that he was a child who sold jewelry the other day.

    Lord Hakun then said.

    ¡°If the Esol stays for more, I will be very grateful.¡±

    ¡°I think it is excessive greed to expect more favors.¡±

    ¡°Well. Unlike the ruthless Duke, Esol seems to be quite merciful, so he will ask without being disrespectful.¡±

    With those words, the little lord dragged John in front of me.

    John trembled and couldn¡¯t make eye contact.

    ¡°You remember this child.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I clenched my fists without answering.

    The lord continued.

    ¡°The child¡¯s mother was crippled by an accident. She was healed in one day. You can¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know.¡±

    Lexion pushed me back under the pressure of the lord.

    ¡°If you are rude to her any longer, I will consider it to be against me, Lord Hakun.¡±

    I stared blankly at Lexion¡¯s back.

    As soon as I heard the lord¡¯s words, Lexion would have known that it was true, but he prioritized protecting me rather than getting angry.

    ¡®You really¡­¡¯

    I stared at Lexion with half happiness and half regret.

    After a while, I glanced at the book.

    The book was exceptionally quiet.

    It usually suggests actions to be taken at this time.

    It was then.

    John, who had stood still for a while, suddenly fell to his knees on the floor and shouted.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m seeing her for the first time today! My mother was treated by a priest¡­!¡±

    The little lord who was beside him then kicked John and stopped him from speaking.

    ¡°This lie!¡±

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    At this, John fell helplessly.

    As a result, the table collapsed and the glass was shattered.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Unknowingly, Aiden stopped me from calling him.

    Then he shook his head without saying a word.

    This meant that I should pretend to not know the child.

    I clenched my teeth and trembled.

    As if there was a small commotion, the lord sighed insignificantly and asked again.

    ¡°Tiarozety, have you really never seen this child?¡±

    ¡°¡­No.¡±

    I answered reluctantly, holding my elbow with my hand.

    Then, with a fishy smile, the lord asked again.

    ¡°Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then the young man must have lied to avoid paying the money back.¡±

    When he responded harshly, the lord made a gesture from his chin at once.

    Then the knights grabbed a young man and dragged him away.

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    John groaned and shouted.

    ¡°Brother!¡±

    ¡°How dare you tell a lie. I must cut off that useless tongue.¡±

    With those words, he brought the sword to John¡¯s brother.

    The young man was shocked and shouted.

    ¡°Hah! This child! You¡¯re still my brother?! Come on, tell me the truth! That woman cured mother!¡±

    The young man was swearing at John.

    John struggled to swallow his cry and covered his mouth with his hand.

    It was a gesture he would never say.

    That was the moment.

    People stopped moving as if time had stopped suddenly, and the guide book spoke lively with a light notification sound.

    ¨D Time to choose! This is the section where the story differs depending on which choice you make.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    I opened my eyes to the event I heard for the first time.

    This also seemed to be a changed rule when I became the main character.

    When I looked around, everyone but me stood still.

    I looked at the book and asked.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t say anything like that before, did you?¡±

    The book clarified my doubts.

    ¨D Unlike Tiarozety Esol, the supporting actor, the main character, Tiarozety Esol, is given a choice. Once an option has been made, it cannot be undone, so choose wisely.

    With those words, a system window opened and options appeared.

    It always said only what it wanted to say.

    I opened my mouth slightly and read the options that were laid out on the top of the book.

    It was a window I had never seen before returning.

    [1. After denying the use of purifying to the end, immediately leave Hakun. (In this case, there is a possibility that Hakun will be completely absorbed by the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts and become part of a colony of evil dragons.)

    2. Stay in Hakun for a while, grant the lord¡¯s request, and then safely purify Hakun¡¯s estate.

    3. Pretend to comply with the lord¡¯s request and immediately try to purify.]

    The clock moved next to the option.

    There was probably a time limit.

    I quickly cleared things up.

    First of all, in case 2, it was good to exclude it because I did not know what Lord Hakun would ask of me.

    ¡®Then I have to choose between 1 and 3¡­¡¯

    If I choose 1, there is a possibility of harming John.

    ¡®Besides, the content in parentheses is very annoying¡­¡¯

    Since I became the main character in ¡ºThe Opponent of the Dragon¡», it meant that I am the one who has to deal with that group in the end.

    I didn¡¯t know if it would be better to purify and leave than to leave behind a lot of waste for nothing.

    Fortunately, option 3 seemed okay.

    I chose 3 without hesitation.

    At that moment, the stopped time began to flow again, and the man cut off his brother¡¯s tongue.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡±

    John¡¯s scream echoed through the hall.

    I turned my head away from seeing him.

    ¨D Use the Purification Stone to purify the source of thoughts. If there is no purification stone, you must use ¡®Asta¡¯.

    I whispered to Aiden.

    ¡°Give me a purifying stone too.¡±

    ¡°What? Was that why¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask, please.¡±

    Aiden rummaged through his pockets at my uncommon, resolute voice.

    Then he secretly placed the purification stone in my hand.

    ¡°Uwah! (my tongue!)¡±

    The young man rolled on the floor with a blue tired face and cried out.

    When the lord gestured as if he did not want to hear it, the knights dragged the young man out.

    It looked like he was probably going to kill him.

    ¡°Stop.¡±

    I commanded in a low but precise tone.

    Then the lord raised the corner of his lips and raised his hand.

    The knights stopped dragging him and waited.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I treated the child¡¯s mother.¡±

    ¡°Tiarozety!¡±

    Aiden shouted in shock.

    Lexion looked back with a hard face.

    ¡°I thought so too.¡±

    ¡°Why do you want us to stay here?¡±

    ¡°Titi, you don¡¯t have to listen.¡±

    Lexion held my shoulder and restrained me.

    He seemed to know my actions.

    I measured the distance between the lord and us.

    The lord was protected by the knights and was far away.

    First, I spoke to the lord to narrow the distance.

    ¡°Lord, it¡¯s okay, so tell me.¡±

    ¡°Please help stabilize the public mind in Hakun.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think we¡¯re too far apart for the request you were asking for?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    When I showed a friendly reaction, the lord willingly bid the knights.

    One step, two steps.

    As the distance with the lord narrowed, my heart was pounding.

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    ¡®I can¡¯t make a mistake. I only have one chance.¡¯

    I measured the distance by fiddling with the purification stone.

    After a while, the moment when the lord came right in front of me, I inserted the purification stone into the lord without hesitation.

 Chapter 41

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    The lord let out a shallow groan and sat down.

    Lexion¡¯s eyes were startled at my sudden action, and then he brought the purification stone he was holding to the lord.

    In an instant, the thoughts of the lord were absorbed into the purification stone.

    ¡°Ah! Mmm, my head¡­!¡±

    ¡°Lord!¡±

    When the lord screamed, the knights acted as if they were going to rush at any moment.

    However, since the lord was taken hostage, they could not approach recklessly.

    Eventually, the purification succeeded and the lord collapsed.

    When the lord fell, the knights tried to narrow the distance further, and Lexion drew his sword and blocked it.

    Aiden came up to me and scolded me.

    ¡°Lady, you were too reckless.¡±

    ¡°It was the only way I could think of.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­What is this?¡±

    At that time, fortunately, the lord had a bewildered expression as he rubbed his head after he had regained consciousness.

    It was a natural reaction because he would not remember what happened during that period.

    ¡°You were tainted with thoughts.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    The lord was startled by Aiden¡¯s words and pointed at himself.

    Then he was astonished to realize that his knights were besieging us.

    ¡°Guys, what is this? Get back now.¡±

    At the command of the lord, the knights retreated.

    ¡°Hey, why am I here?¡±

    ¡°Ummm.¡±

    Few people were freed from the dominion of thoughts and swayed back and forth.

    Looking back at the situation, it seemed that the source of thought had been purified and he was gradually regaining consciousness.

    The lord, who later heard about the situation from Aiden, apologized again and again, saying that he was sorry for making a mistake.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry! I made a big mistake. I have nothing to say. These are the people who helped our estate¡­¡±

    The lord cried and apologized over and over again.

    Lexion spoke calmly.

    ¡°First, I have to deal with the remaining thoughts.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I am very sorry, Your Excellency.¡±

    The lord repeatedly apologized, and he ordered the knights to bring the rest of the purification stones.

    I let out a sigh of relief at the situation that ended more quickly than I expected.

    Anyway, it seemed like a good thing to choose the 3rd option.

    But the book was still floating in the air.

    Since the event was closed, it should disappear naturally¡­but why wasn¡¯t it disappearing?

    ¡®I¡¯m anxious. Why is it still active? Are things not over yet?¡¯

    I looked around, trying to find any possible danger.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Then John came up to me with his weeping face.

    I was very surprised by the look on his face.

    Feeling pitiful for some reason, I gently stroked his hair and said.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±

    It was then.

    I wondered if there was a black aura swirling around John, and his eyes changed terribly.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Surprisingly, there was no time to defend.

    John picked up a piece of glass in his hand and tried to cut my throat.

    But before he could reach me, a large hand stopped John¡¯s hand.

    As if to protect me, a warm body temperature was transmitted behind my back.

    A red liquid dripped onto the white hand.

    It was blood.

    It was as if his skin had been torn because he had blocked the shards of glass with his bare hands.

    I shouted after realizing that it was Lexion.

    ¡°Le-Lexion!¡±

    Meanwhile, Lexion twisted John¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    John let out a groan of his own.

    Lexion threw John away as if he didn¡¯t even fit into the castle.

    At this, John was pushed forcefully against the wall.

    My eyes widened, not knowing how things were going.

    I was even more embarrassed because I thought that I had already removed the source.

    Usually, if you purify the source, the residual thoughts tend to fade.

    ¡®Obviously, everyone was in the mood to calm down¡­¡¯

    Then a cold voice rang in my ear.

    ¡°Titi, you¡¯re too far forward.¡±

    Lexion dragged his sword along with those words and approached John who was stuck in the wall.

    In his left hand, there was a shard of glass that John had stuck in, and blood continued to drip.

    ¡°Argh!¡±

    John growled like an animal howling, and his whole body turned black.

    At that moment, the book began to guide again.

    ¨D The root of the thoughts is excited and malice is amplified. Cleanse should be attempted in a hurry.

    ¡®Wasn¡¯t the source of the thoughts from the lord?¡¯

    I quickly looked towards the lord.

    He was still foolish with his kind eyes.

    At that time, the knights around us rushed to Lexion with their eyes wide open.

    It was as if the figure to protect was John.

    ¡®No way¡­!¡¯

    I quickly looked at John.

    His skin was dark and flaky.

    It seemed that the source of the thought had replaced the host.

    This was my mistake.

    It wasn¡¯t something that could be solved so easily.

    ¡°Aiden! Do you have more purification stones?!¡±

    ¡°That was the last one. Maybe other knights have¡­¡±

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    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that!¡±

    Before I could even listen to Aiden, I hurriedly ran towards John.

    At the same time, it was because Lexion raised his sword to beat the knights around him and tried to kill John.

    ¡°No, Lexion! Stop!¡±

    Lexion stopped moving at my shrill voice.

    John growled like a ferocious beast and acted as if he was going to run to Lexion at any moment.

    Thoughts were happening too fast.

    It seemed that it was on the verge of a runaway as it entered the body of a weak boy.

    John no longer looked human.

    His fingernails and toenails were sharp.

    It was like the process of becoming a beast.

    ¡°That child is the source of thoughts! He cannot be killed!¡±

    I quickly shouted and ran to Lexion.

    The root of thought has the property of spreading it like poison the moment it is killed.

    If Lexion kills John, there was a high probability that the source would stick to the nearest, which was Lexion.

    Of course, I knew that Lexion was transcendent, so he won¡¯t be the one to face it, but the people around him were different.

    It was a poison that could spread quickly like an epidemic and cause the land to die.

    Therefore, the host had to be tied up to prevent the poison from spreading.

    As I approached, John immediately looked at me like he was going to tear me to pieces and ran towards me.

    Lexion pushed John away with the back of his sword and protected me.

    ¡°The malice is getting stronger. We need to clean it up right now.¡±

    ¡°Aiden, bring more purification stones now!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Aiden hurriedly left the hall.

    Lexion hurriedly bound John with an aura.

    As John struggled to escape, he suddenly began to gather the thoughts of his surroundings on me.

    ¡°Ahh!¡±

    The knights, the mute young man, and even the trembling little lord screamed.

    As their groans grew louder, the black aura around John was amplified.

    ¨D It needs to be fixed soon. Please clean up quickly! The more the delay, the worse the results.

    The book hastily sounded a warning beep.

    In the end, it meant that we couldn¡¯t wait for Aiden to bring the purification stones.

    ¡®Is that the only way?¡¯

    I said while holding Lexion¡¯s arm with a determined face.

    ¡°I can do it.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I heard that malice is life for evil dragons. Asta is the power that takes away life, so I will have to absorb the malice.¡±

    As the book said earlier that Asta can be used to purify, it was a way for sure.

    However, from Lexion¡¯s point of view, who knew nothing, it was only a hypothesis.

    He immediately objected.

    ¡°It¡¯s not certain yet, but you can¡¯t directly test it on your body. There may be side effects. Then it will be difficult when you become the host.¡±

    ¡°After I used power on the evil dragon last time, my body became lighter. The speed of self-recovery has also increased. I got better quickly, as if it was from the help to the previous injuries.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Asta is fundamentally the power to take the lives of others, so I think my physical strength has been restored.¡±

    ¡°Is that really true?¡±

    Lexion asked with his eyes wide open.

    I nodded with calm eyes.

    Lexion wiped his lips with his hand and fell into anguish.

    After a while he said,

    ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll stop if you feel anything strange, Titi.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°There is nothing more precious than your life.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I was speechless.

    I stared at him, not ready to answer.

    His eyes were so serious that he didn¡¯t seem to be telling a lie.

    He was genuinely making such an offer.

    ¡®Why do you value me so much?¡¯

    It was strange.

    The former Lexion was a man who was willing to sacrifice himself for a cause.

    He, of course, did not force sacrifices on others, but he did not stop those who came forward to do so.

    If we didn¡¯t stop the fixation of thoughts right now, there was a high possibility that this land would become a dead land.

    Then more purification stones would be needed, and it would take time to find the amount used for it.

    Besides, this place was not far from the capital.

    Of course, as a subject of the emperor, Lexion must do his best not to damage the capital, so he must prioritize rectifying the situation.

    Lexion has always been like that.

    He was a person who faithfully does his job no matter how the emperor acts.

    He was the kind of person who does what he believes to be right, even if it was against me.

    But in this messy situation, why did he think of me first?

    That wasn¡¯t the right thing to do.

    ¡°Promise me, Titi.¡±

    When I didn¡¯t answer, Lexion urged me.

    I closed my lips and nodded.

    Then he let me go.

    I walked over to the growling John.

    Lexion came close to me and pressed John with an aura to block any possible danger.

    ¡°Argh!¡±

    John shook his body violently.

    He seemed to know what I was going to do.

    I removed the ring and placed my hand on John¡¯s head.

    ¡°[Asta.]¡±

    ¡°Argh!¡±

    A blue light wrapped around John.

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    John gasped in pain.

    ¡°Ahh¡­!¡±

    Eventually, the malice that had stayed with him began to flow into me.

 Chapter 42

    It was a strange feeling.

    Every time thoughts were absorbed, I frowned.

    Eventually, it began to float in the body as if it had originally belonged to me.

    The process of accepting malice into my body and purifying it was more painful than I thought.

    It was a different kind of creepy feeling than when it was used directly on the evil dragon.

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    As I groaned because I couldn¡¯t stand it, Lexion grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

    I struggled and persevered and moved on.

    I thought I should do a little more.

    ¡°Titi, stop it!¡±

    ¡°A little bit more¡­¡±

    Aiden, who returned just in time, entered the hall with the knights.

    He hurriedly threw the bag in his hand at Lexion.

    After Lexion snatched the bag, he dragged me back again and begged.

    ¡°Stop it, Titi. Please, please.¡±

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    I reluctantly fell backwards into Lexion¡¯s arms.

    It was because Aiden had brought the purification stones, so I didn¡¯t have to do it any more.

    ¡®I feel like insects are crawling all over my body.¡¯

    My stomach turned.

    Lexion brought the purification stone to John as it was.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡±

    John¡¯s screams seemed to fade away, and he passed out.

    Lexion asked, touching my cheek.

    ¡°Titi, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m fine¡­¡±

    I barely caught my breath and responded, Lexion held me in a flash.

    ¡°¡­Zion?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Your face has turned white.¡±

    Lexion responded with a hard face and tried to take me somewhere.

    He instructed the knights.

    ¡°Aiden will do the rest. Chris, prepare to leave right now.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Aiden and Chris answered loudly.

    Before long, the side that was handling the situation and the side preparing to leave were divided and started to move in unison.

    Lexion squeezed between them and headed somewhere.

    Lexion returned to the dormitory and sat me on the bed.

    I wondered if the book would follow me obsessively, but whether the purification was successful or not, it stopped being activated and disappeared back to its original place.

    The disappearance of the book meant the event was over.

    The inside of the dormitory was filled with silence.

    Then, a doctor came.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take a look.¡±

    The doctor tapped my pulse.

    I was still a little nauseous, but the pain had subsided.

    After a while.

    ¡°There is nothing wrong. On the contrary, she is better than before, and it seems that she is feeling better, but I don¡¯t know why. It¡¯s my first time seeing something like this¡­¡±

    ¡°Is it¡­¡±

    Lexion, who had only hardened at that moment, muttered with a relieved face.

    He looked very worried because his face was pale.

    The doctor glanced at his hand and said.

    ¡°It would be better to treat the wound on that hand. I¡¯m afraid it will get worse.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. The Duke¡¯s wounds seem more severe than mine.¡±

    Lexion reluctantly held out his hand to be treated.

    A piece of glass stuck in his hand was removed, disinfected, and bandaged.

    Fortunately, the wound was not as deep.

    When the doctor returned, Lexion knelt quietly near my lap.

    His expression was very dark.

    His eyes looked like they had intense emotions, as if something was terribly unbearable.

    He muttered as if sighing.

    ¡°What should I do with you?¡±

    ¡°Thank you for believing in me, Zion. Thanks to you, I was able to clean up that mess.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do when you¡¯re reckless, Titi.¡±

    ¡°Are you worried even if the doctor said nothing was wrong?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Always. I think I¡¯m going crazy because I¡¯m worried about you.¡±

    Lexion put my hand to his face and let out a painful breath.

    I flinched as his skin touched my hand and tried to take my hand away.

    But he grabbed my hand even tighter.

    Then I mumbled in a small voice.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not as weak as you think.¡±

    I can¡¯t be weak, because Lexion discovered me before.

    Although I was born weak, I was not as sickly as I was in my previous life.

    At my words, Lexion stared at me quietly.

    Our eyes met, but it felt like I was being eaten.

    I lost my gaze to him and couldn¡¯t look elsewhere.

    The more the silence continued, the more shy I became.

    After a while, he quietly stepped back and said:

    ¡°Rest for now. I¡¯ll come to wake you up as soon as you¡¯re ready.¡±

    There seemed to be many hidden words in it.

    Like a person who can¡¯t reveal all of his inner feelings.

    Lexion laid me down, pulled the blanket up to my neck, and turned around.

    I stared blankly at him as he walked away and closed my eyes.

    I strangely fell asleep.

    * * *

    I had a dream.

    It was inside a damp and dark cave.

    In the pitch-black darkness where nothing could be seen, only golden eyes flashed.

    I could tell what it was just by looking at the silhouette.

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    It was a dragon.

    My body stiffened from the pressure, but without any fear, I approached the evil dragon and laid my hand on it.

    Is it because it¡¯s a dream?

    The evil dragon only stared at me and didn¡¯t intend to harm me.

    Only the growling of breathing echoed through the cave.

    The evil dragon looked very tired.

    Was my power so lethal to the evil dragon?

    The figure of the evil dragon with no energy stood in my eyes.

    Was it because it was the shabby side of the dragon, who always seemed cruel?

    But we are destined to kill each other.

    As long as I¡¯m the main character, if I don¡¯t kill the evil dragon, the evil dragon will kill me.

    In order to survive, I had to kill him.

    Nevertheless, in my dream, I hesitated in front of the evil dragon.

    I don¡¯t know what made me hesitate.

    I just vaguely thought that it couldn¡¯t be.

    After a while, the evil dragon blinked as if it knew what I was going to do now.

    He was staring at me like I was going to do it.

    Asta.

    While hesitating, unable to put those words into my mouth¡ª

    ¡°Miss.¡±

    My dream was shattered by the sound of someone calling me.

    The evil dragon was speechless.

    His staring eyes looked very lonely.

    I woke up from the dream with feelings I couldn¡¯t describe.

    Chapter 7: A place I miss, a place that has changed

    ¡°Lady, wake up. Finally, I can see Bael.¡±

    Daisy said excitedly.

    I couldn¡¯t open my eyes from the aftermath of the dream, and my eyelashes trembled.

    It has been several days since I left Hakun.

    After that, I had dreams where the evil dragon constantly appeared.

    A dream I always wake up from the same scene.

    After feeling the evil dragon¡¯s feelings, I finally had the urge to kill him, and by the time I tried to kill him, the dream was over.

    I didn¡¯t even exchange a word with the evil dragon in my dream.

    Somehow, I seemed to naturally know how he felt.

    As if I had become an evil dragon.

    Anger. Sadness. Feeling of betrayal. Jealousy.

    Other than that, many emotions flowed into me, making me sad and painful.

    It was a bizarre feeling, as if looking into the evil dragon¡¯s head, and as the dream continued, the distinction between whether I was the evil dragon or not became vague.

    Maybe that¡¯s why, even in my dreams, I couldn¡¯t kill the evil dragon.

    Then Daisy asked in surprise.

    ¡°Oh my, lady. Why are you crying?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I had a nightmare.¡±

    ¡°Again?¡±

    Daisy approached worriedly and handed me a handkerchief.

    I gently pressed the corners of my eyes with it.

    The handkerchief got slightly wet.

    It seemed that I suffered from the side effects in the process of purifying the malice.

    ¡®How can emotional synchronization with the evil dragon happen like this?¡¯

    I got goosebumps because I thought I felt close to the evil dragon.

    Since it was something I didn¡¯t expect, I couldn¡¯t speak to Lexion because I thought that if he found out, he would be even more worried than he is now.

    So, I just mumbled, ¡®I had a nightmare¡¯.

    Still, seeing the length of my dreams getting shorter and shorter, I wanted my body to gradually regain stability.

    Daisy then said,

    ¡°It must be because the bed is uncomfortable that you keep having nightmares.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Miss Tiarozety has always lived in the South, so it¡¯s your first time in the North, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    At Daisy¡¯s words, I stared out the window.

    Bael was getting closer and closer.

    It felt like my cozy home for a long time, so my heart warmed.

    ¡°Yes. First time.¡±

    Let¡¯s get used to lying-

    ¡°Then it might be a little cold for Tiarozety. Be careful because you will catch a cold if you laugh at the northern wind.¡±

    Daisy said playfully.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how many times you¡¯ve said that already, Daisy.¡±

    Daisy laughed along as I stifled a bashful laugh.

    On that day, more than half of the people in Hakun were tainted with thoughts as the aftermath had gone to the brink of fixation.

    Thanks to the lord, Lexion and I were able to go straight to the port and get on the ship.

    Aiden and some of the knights decided to stay in Hakun and finish the cleanup work.

    Actually, I wanted to finish it and leave together, but Lexion said it was not necessary while cutting me off and refused.

    I got on the boat and poured out all my feelings of disappointment during the voyage that followed the vast sea.

    I didn¡¯t even ask what happened to John.

    John, who had fainted, looked like a candle in the wind.

    The thought of killing John in the end, against the will of the book, kept me depressed the whole time.

    Had I been more careful, I would have noticed that thoughts change hosts.

    When I thought of this, I felt guilty, and I deliberately did not open the book.

    It was because I didn¡¯t want to see the behind-the-scenes that was written there.

    After all, when the time comes, it will appear again as it pleases, so it¡¯s like that.

    The desire to live my life without going by a book also settled in my heart.

    I continued to glance out the window as I was served by Daisy.

    Northern Bael was closer than before.

    A beautiful estate with the sea on one side.

    Although it was far from the capital, it was a bustling area as much as the capital.

    At that moment, the ship blew a whistle.

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    It was the sound of the arrival.

    Daisy said in an excited tone.

    ¡°I think we have arrived.¡±

 Chapter 43

    After a while, a voice was heard outside, and Lexion knocked.

    ¡°Titi, can I come in?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    With my permission, the door opened.

    Lexion, who had already been prepared, stood in front of the door and smiled softly.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to pick you up.¡±

    He reached out his leather gloved hand.

    It was like an attitude towards a noble lady.

    Due to the cold weather in the north, his clothes were quite thick.

    Wearing a thick velvet coat, he looked like a giant.

    My attire was better than that of Lexion.

    Daisy, who was worried about me, wrapped me in tight clothes, so I was heavily armed, from the hat to the boots.

    The only place where skin was exposed was my face.

    I clasped my hand with a pale pink leather glove and white fur adorned on my wrist.

    This time of walking alongside him on a rocking boat felt very long.

    As I stepped on the boat, the cool air and a familiar smell wafted through my nostrils.

    Soon after, a welcoming landscape greeted me.

    ¡®I¡¯m finally here¡­¡¯

    As I was falling in love, the butler, Oscar, who came to meet us, bowed.

    ¡°Welcome, Duke.¡±

    Lexion nodded his head lightly, and Oscar looked at me warmly.

    He was a person who had never had a crush on me in my previous life.

    He was simply being courteous to his master.

    ¡°You have worked very hard to come this far. My name is Oscar, butler of Sparrow Castle.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    Oscar bowed his head once more to be polite. Afterwards, I made brief eye contact with others.

    After a while, Oscar posted a brief report to Lexion.

    ¡°I prepared everything as the Duke said. The papers were put in the carriage. Please check it out and let me know if there are any omissions.¡±

    ¡°You worked hard while I was away, Oscar.¡±

    Under Lexion¡¯s control, Oscar opened the carriage door with a soft smile.

    It was a carriage dedicated to Lexion.

    I¡¯ve never ridden it before.

    He said while I was waiting for him to get on.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you riding?¡±

    ¡°What? In the same carriage?¡±

    Of course, I reacted foolishly because I thought I would ride in another carriage.

    Then Lexion smiled brightly and glanced at the carriage.

    ¡°Yes. As you can see, only one carriage came.¡±

    ¡°¡­Ah, then yes!¡±

    I blinked as I climbed into the carriage.

    In my previous life, I traveled mainly in hospitality wagons.

    This was because the carriage that Lexion rode in was the same as his personal space.

    Inside the carriage, it was spacious and cozy like a moving room.

    The chairs were soft and magic tools were installed, so the air was warm unlike outside.

    It was the first time I had seen the inside, so I glanced around subtly

    ¡°You can be comfortable.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s comfortable!¡±

    I was surprised and deliberately pretended to be comfortable.

    In fact, there was another reason why I felt uncomfortable looking around too much.

    A spacious but enclosed space.

    I was so nervous that I was alone with him, and I couldn¡¯t be comfortable at all.

    While he was away from the estate, he was reviewing the papers that Oscar had prepared for him to see if he had a lot of work to do.

    Flip. Flip.

    The sound of paper flipping resounded in the carriage.

    I stared at Lexion, who was concentrating on his work.

    I couldn¡¯t believe I was in this private space.

    Especially since he was the kind who didn¡¯t want anyone to disturb him while he was working.

    I sat quietly so as not to disturb him in any way.

    The sound of squeaking horses¡¯ hooves and the crunching of papers were heard alternately.

    The window was jammed with frost.

    I quietly put my finger on the window and scribbled meaningless letters.

    The temperature difference between the inside and outside was so great that it quickly melted and turned into water.

    Through the gaps in the letters, I could see Bael, full of snowflakes.

    It must have snowed just before we arrived.

    There were very few days when it wasn¡¯t cold, so snow was more common than rain.

    That¡¯s why it was also called the ¡®hometown of snow¡¯.

    How far did we go¡­

    The carriage then stopped and the door opened.

    Soon, a familiar castle appeared.

    A tall, large Sparrow Castle with a blue light as if made of glass.

    ¡°Titi.¡±

    Lexion got off first and escorted me as if I was the owner of this castle.

    Bewildered, I grabbed his hand and got off the carriage.

    The servants waiting on the other side bowed to greet us.

    I was blown away by the great hospitality, and at the same time, I lowered my head.

    Then Oscar spoke softly.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety. From now on, we will become a part of the family, so you don¡¯t have to treat people below you like that.¡±

    I looked up at him blankly when he said that he was a subordinate.

    At Bael, I was just a guest.

    Someone to stay for a while.

    So, I¡¯m a stranger who doesn¡¯t even need affection.

    Although Oscar was not hostile to me, he was not friendly either.

    The line in a respectful attitude always made me know where I was.

    But the word ¡®family¡¯ came out of his mouth.

    I doubted if I had heard correctly.

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    ¡°What do you mean, family?¡±

    When I asked that question-

    ¡°Oscar.¡±

    Lexion softly spoke.

    ¡°Oh. I¡¯ve gone too far. I¡¯m sorry, Duke.¡±

    At this, Oscar quickly apologized with a look of embarrassment along with his wide smile.

    A strange gaze passed between the two.

    ¡®Why are you both looking like that?¡¯

    I didn¡¯t understand, so I looked at the two of them in turn.

    For some reason, Lexion¡¯s face seemed to be very bewildered.

    After a while, Oscar spoke to me as if he was trying to make up for his speech mistake.

    ¡°The room where Miss Tiarozety will be staying for the time being is the Myersotis Room. It is sunny and well ventilated.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    I nodded my head familiarly because it was the place I had always stayed.

    Then I stretched out my arms to see if Oscar was going to lead me to the Myersotis Room.

    ¡°Shall we go?¡±

    When I looked at Lexion, he nodded lightly.

    It meant it was okay to follow.

    After Oscar bowed slightly to him, I followed to the Myersotis Room along with Daisy.

    * * *

    The morning was bright.

    Contrary to Daisy¡¯s concerns, I tolerated the cold northern weather quite well.

    ¡®Before, I was in a very weak state, so as soon as I arrived I had a terrible cold¡­¡¯

    It sure looked like I was in good health.

    There was no need to even hold such a declaration ceremony.

    I got up from my seat and put on my shawl.

    As I opened the curtains, the bright sunlight greeted me.

    The window was covered with frost.

    I slowly opened the window to breathe in the fresh air.

    The air was chilly, but it was a refreshing morning.

    Then inhale deeply and exhale repeatedly.

    ¡®How much I missed this scenery¡­¡¯

    Even after joining the subjugation team, I had to follow the ending given to me, so I ended up never returning here.

    The outside was full of snow, and winter birds chirped through the trees.

    It was time to enjoy a refreshing morning.

    ¡°Are you up early?¡±

    ¡°Good morning, Daisy.¡±

    Daisy entered the room and started talking.

    In her hands were carrying toiletries.

    I welcomed her because I was about to go out.

    ¡°I just want to go for a walk before breakfast.¡±

    ¡°In this weather?¡±

    Daisy didn¡¯t like the cold, so she quickly closed the window.

    I said as I glanced through the window.

    ¡°¡­I saw yesterday that there was a dog in the yard.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you mean Max?¡±

    ¡°Ah, the name is Max.¡±

    I mumbled as if I knew it for the first time.

    I kept hiding the name I already knew.

    Max was a large dog with very pretty blue eyes.

    I wanted to pretend to know him right away yesterday, but I also suppressed my gladness, fearing that I might be suspicious of those around me.

    ¡°You like animals.¡±

    As Daisy spoke with a warm smile, I simply nodded shyly.

    After finishing preparations, I headed to the yard where the dog was.

    Hearing the footsteps, Max pricked his ears instead of lying down.

    But when Daisy came with a stranger, he growled and warned her.

    ¡°Hello, Max?¡±

    I approached him cautiously and said hello, and Max stared blankly at me.

    It was a look on the face of how this person knew my name and called me.

    I wanted to hug Max right away, but I held back.

    Instead, I offered Max¡¯s favorite dog chewing food.

    Max sneaked over and bit the food.

    In the meantime, I gently stroked Max¡¯s head.

    Max waved his tail softly, as he ate it in an instant.

    Daisy looked at it and said as if in awe.

    ¡°You take good care of dogs. Max is usually sensitive and he hates strangers.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve had dogs before.¡±

    His name was Max.

    I hid my backstory and smiled bashfully.

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Daisy faltered as if she knew now.

    I said impulsively as Max¡¯s soft fur caught my hand.

    ¡°Can I go for a walk with Max later?¡±

    ¡°As long as it¡¯s okay with the lady.¡±

    Daisy answered meekly.

    I smiled broadly and nodded my head.

    In fact, there were so many places I wanted to go.

    From the walk I often took with Max, to Saint Mountain where Bael can be seen clearly, and the Tier River, which is so transparent that it is difficult to tell if it is a sky or a river.

    I wanted to go back to everyone.

    ¡°You woke up so early.¡±

    In the midst of heightening my intimacy with Max, someone put a coat around my shoulder.

    Seeing that the warmth remained, it was the clothes he was wearing that wrapped around me.

    ¡°Good morning, Duke.¡±

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    Daisy recognized him first and greeted him.

    I raised my head and looked at the approaching Lexion.

 Chapter 44

    As Daisy slipped back, Lexion squatted down next to me and asked.

    ¡°Titi, did you sleep well?¡±

    ¡°Yes, what about Zion?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    With those words, he smiled softly.

    It looked so naive that I avoided his gaze.

    I was a little concerned about how close we were.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it cold?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I have been used to the cold for a long time.¡±

    ¡°That, though¡­¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re really worried¡­¡±

    Lexion smiled innocently as he leaned close to me with those words.

    That-

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just have to stick with Titi.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    My mouth was dry as I kept laughing all morning.

    I was already conscious of it, but it would be difficult if he kept doing this.

    While I was mesmerized by Lexion¡¯s sudden action, Max rolled over the snow and started digging the ground.

    Thanks to that, Lexion and I were baptized in the snow.

    ¡°Oh, now it¡¯s cold!¡±

    ¡°Max!¡±

    Daisy stopped Max in surprise.

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    I looked at Max blankly and burst out laughing.

    It was snowing out of nowhere in the morning.

    Such an experience would be difficult to obtain without Bael.

    I enjoyed all of this even though it was absurd.

    While I smiled, Lexion removed the snow from my head.

    I also wiped the snow off his head and shoulders.

    It felt like I was going back in time because I had dealt with Max¡¯s mistakes like this before.

    ¡®Oh, it¡¯s cold!¡¯

    ¡®Hah¡­ I¡¯m sorry about this.¡¯

    I remembered the man of the past, who gave a fresh apology with a slightly bewildered tone and wiped my eyes.

    Lexion said while holding my cheek with his hand.

    ¡°Your face is cold. You better go in.¡±

    ¡°Yes, miss. You¡¯re going to catch a cold.¡±

    Both sides expressed concern.

    They¡¯re so overprotective, I don¡¯t know where to put myself.

    He got up and held out his hand.

    I grabbed his hand and raised myself up.

    ¡°Zion, I¡¯m going for a walk with Max later, would you like to go with me?¡±

    His mouth widened at my question.

    He seemed a little surprised.

    I didn¡¯t even know what kind of courage came out all of a sudden.

    It was just something I suggested because he seemed to want to do something with me before.

    A proposal that a timid Tiarozety would never have made.

    After a while, he smiled brightly.

    ¡°Gladly.¡±

    * * *

    As I gradually got used to life in the castle, things that were different from before caught my eye.

    The biggest change among them was that the treatment of the servants had changed significantly.

    For example,

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety, you are so beautiful today!¡±

    It started with praises from out of nowhere-

    ¡°Do not drink cold tea.¡±

    But it¡¯s tea time-

    ¡°Is the seat cold? Shall I bring you more blankets?¡±

    I was already covered with thick blankets.

    No matter where I went, there were no servants who didn¡¯t care about me.

    I was completely blown away.

    ¡®Why is everyone doing this? They weren¡¯t interested in me in the first place.¡¯

    Of course, in the early days of the past, I was treated fairly well, but not as extreme as this.

    Here, Tiarozety was a symbol of purity, negligence, timidity, and loneliness.

    If I were to pick out the things that Lexion suffered because of me, it was not enough to count my fingers and toes.

    So naturally, the hatred of the servants was my share.

    I was the only flaw of the perfect duke.

    The honor of their owner was the pride of the servants, so they hated me.

    ¡®I was upset by their indifference before¡­¡¯

    When I was treated unduly, I felt like I was put on a cushion of thorns because I was not used to it.

    In any case, I was afraid that they would all suddenly turn against me.

    However, when their attitude did not change over time, I felt a little relieved.

    ¡®It¡¯s better than being hated though.¡¯

    It was around the time when I was walking alone on the promenade with that thought.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡±

    At the same time, maids with laundry were walking by, chatting.

    Without realizing it, I hid behind the bushes.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s because you said that¡­¡±

    The maid murmured as she hung clothes on the clothesline.

    I thought blankly.

    ¡®Why did I hide? I could have just passed by¡­¡¯

    It wasn¡¯t easy to change the habit to hide so instinctively.

    It would seem strange to come and go now.

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    Reluctantly, I decided to wait for the maids to leave, and lowered my head.

    Then I saw one of the maids and stiffened a little.

    It was a very familiar face.

    ¡°Actually, I have been feeling a little weird since that day.¡±

    ¡°Right. You saw the duke¡¯s face that day too. I¡¯ve never seen a face so white in my life.¡±

    ¡°Did something happen?¡±

    I held my breath for nothing when I heard the word ¡®duke¡¯.

    Apparently, the previous conversation was about Lexion.

    It was natural for the story of their boss to come up as gossip while working.

    ¡®If I get caught hiding here for no reason, it¡¯ll get weird.¡¯

    I leaned down even more.

    The maids continued to chime.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, because he went straight to the capital with the knights.¡±

    ¡°I was surprised that he went in such a hurry and brought a woman with him. Besides, it¡¯s Esol. What the hell was he thinking?¡±

    ¡°Daisy said that the Duke seems to have fallen in love with her.¡±

    I took a breath in surprise at the sudden change of topic.

    Then, the conversation between the maids was cut off.

    ¡°Did you just hear something?¡±

    ¡°I think I heard it from over there¡­¡±

    The maid murmured and came towards where I am.

    I became impatient and immediately let out a cat cry.

    ¡°Meow.¡±

    ¡°It seems like a wild cat.¡±

    ¡°I was surprised.¡±

    The maids sighed and then exhaled, clearing their doubts.

    Then one of the maids grumbled.

    ¡°Even though her face was smooth, she didn¡¯t look that special.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Esol. She also survived alone.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a minority race. It is clear that Daisy is spreading rumors that she likes the person she serves.¡±

    ¡°But, everyone listens to Daisy and tries to look good to the duke.¡±

    ¡°¡­Honestly, am I not better?¡±

    The other person burst into laughter when the maid asked the question as she suddenly took a confident pose.

    ¡°Puha! Have you still not given up on that dream? Where would you like to see the Duke with a maid?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m interested in women who are not even imperial citizens.¡± (translator note: she¡¯s mocking the duke and Titi.)

    ¡°Lizzy, if you talk like that, you¡¯re going to get into big trouble later.¡±

    Since then, they have been talking about each other¡¯s looks.

    I stared at the woman named Lizzie.

    Lizzy was a child who didn¡¯t like me even in my previous life.

    ¡®You secretly had a crush on Lexion. That¡¯s why it was so extreme.¡¯

    I laughed at the fact that I found out late.

    Then it was a little understandable why she reacted so sharply.

    Of course, it doesn¡¯t mean that I will forgive her for bothering me, but I didn¡¯t hate that child because of her terrible set value.

    I slowly escaped from the bushes only after the two of them hung out their laundry.

    I thought, tapping my numb legs.

    ¡®Something must have really happened before coming to the South.¡¯

    I thought I was the only one who thought Lexion had become strange.

    So, I thought that the setting value of Lexion in this episode was set separately.

    But the maid also thought that Lexion had changed.

    Concerns deepened over unexpected situations.

    The book continued to argue that he was unlikely to return like me.

    But the more I talked to him, the more I felt that he seemed to remember what I used to do.

    ¡®I need to check if it¡¯s true.¡¯

    There was no reason for the book to interfere with me until the next event appeared anyway.

    In the meantime, I can find out about Lexion.

    ¡®First of all, the maids said he had changed since ¡®That Day¡¯, so I should dig into that day.¡¯

    I rushed to Daisy.

    * * *

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t¡­.¡±

    Daisy was reluctant and glossed it over.

    She seemed embarrassed when I suddenly came and asked what happened before Lexion left for the capital.

    I¡¯ve been questioning again and again.

    ¡°Think about it. Did you observe anything unusual? The maids said, ¡®something was off that day¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s the maid?¡±

    Daisy opened her eyes wide and asked back.

    I didn¡¯t answer with my mouth closed.

    I was careful that I wouldn¡¯t talk about Lizzy for no reason.

    Fortunately, Daisy began to comment on the day.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the day before he went down to the capital.¡±

    ¡°Before?¡±

    When I asked persistently, Daisy frowned and recalled her memory.

    ¡°It was a snowy day. It was definitely fine until the morning, but after the Duke left for the mountain to check the security, it snowed all of a sudden.¡±

    ¡°Snowed?¡±

    ¡°Yes. So that day, the Duke couldn¡¯t come back to the castle and took a day off at the villa.¡±

    ¡°I heard that the duke¡¯s expression was really bad when he came back to the castle that day¡­¡±

    Daisy made a fuss as I rushed to ask about the villa.

    ¡°Oh, where did you hear it?¡±

    ¡°I heard it by chance. I¡¯m not used to the faces of the maid yet, so I don¡¯t know who they are¡­¡±

    I slipped away from the gaze.

    Daisy sighed and nodded.

    ¡°That was right. I¡¯ve never seen the duke so impatient.¡±

    ¡°The duke looked impatient?¡±

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    I was even more embarrassed because Lexion rarely changed his expressions.

    Daisy nodded and replied back.

    ¡°Yes. He hurriedly gathered people, saying that he should go to the capital.¡±

 Chapter 45

    ¡°He was going to the capital? Why?¡±

    I asked, dazed at Daisy¡¯s words.

    I wondered if Lexion had learned something that day.

    ¡®Did he know from then on that the Esol disaster would happen?¡¯

    My heart was pounding and my hands were trembling.

    Daisy answered with a puzzled expression on her face.

    ¡°That, well¡­ I can¡¯t remember anything other than that¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    It was a long time ago.

    Daisy suddenly clapped her hand as she was embarrassed by the information.

    ¡°Ah! Vector followed that day by a running errand. He would probably know better than me.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Shall I call him?¡±

    ¡°Oh, will you?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Daisy answered and left the room.

    In the meantime, I counted what she said with my hands.

    What the hell happened that day, that he had to go to the capital in a hurry?

    If you count the date, it was before the invitation to Seirin¡¯s debut came.

    So it was difficult to see that he had received an invitation and departed.

    Also, he didn¡¯t have to act so hastily because he got the invitation.

    ¡®When Gregory sees that Lexion suddenly came and told him to go south, he must have known something¡­¡¯

    What made him go to the capital in such a hurry and even to the site of the Esol disaster?

    Someone knocked.

    ¡°Lady, this is Oscar.¡±

    ¡°Yes, come in.¡±

    Oscar came into my room and set a courtesy.

    ¡°The Duke is looking for you.¡±

    ¡°Now?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He told me to guide you to the study.¡±

    Oscar spoke politely.

    I quickly adjusted my clothes and followed him.

    After a while, when I arrived, Oscar knocked.

    ¡°Duke, I have brought Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    At Lexion¡¯s command, Oscar opened the door and encouraged me to enter.

    As I entered the study, Lexion put down the papers and looked at me.

    Then he smiled brightly and took off his glasses.

    I was stunned by his appearance and squinted my eyes.

    I knew he wore glasses when he worked, so I wasn¡¯t surprised by them.

    What surprised me was his outfit.

    He was wearing a comfortable shirt.

    The loose straps made his chest visible at glance.

    The sleeves fit snugly without being uncomfortable.

    Suddenly, I remembered a conversation I had with him in the past.

    ¡®Aren¡¯t you tired of wearing a suit even at home?¡¯

    ¡®Well, I¡¯m so used to it, so I don¡¯t know how uncomfortable it is.¡¯

    He spoke like that, but he was wearing such a comfortable outfit.

    To my surprise, he whispered to Oscar, who smiled and nodded his head.

    ¡°Yes. I will prepare. Then feel free to talk.¡±

    Oscar said goodbye and left the room.

    Lexion said while pointing to the sofa.

    ¡°Come and sit down, Titi.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ Yes.¡±

    I came to my senses and sat down on the sofa.

    After a while, a maid came in with tea.

    She put lemon tea in front of me and jasmine tea in front of Lexion.

    I carefully lifted the mug and drank the lemon tea.

    The sweet and sour taste lingered on the tip of my tongue.

    I savored it for a while and glanced at him.

    He looked a little tired.

    I hesitated, then asked him.

    ¡°Zion, aren¡¯t you busy with work?¡±

    ¡°Why? Do I look tired?¡±

    ¡°A little bit.¡±

    After coming to the Sparrow Castle, he seemed very busy.

    So I tried to stay quiet and not see him as much as possible, but he always came.

    Every time I offered to take Max for a walk he always followed.

    ¡®Are you deliberately considering me because I asked to go for a walk?¡¯

    With that thought in mind, I was worried that I might have done something wrong and made him even more tired.

    Then Lexion put his elbow on his thigh and muttered.

    Naturally, the upper body tilted and the distance narrowed.

    ¡°Actually, it was a bit difficult, so I asked you to come.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­I think seeing Titi will give me some strength.¡±

    Lexion laughed as he spoke those words.

    Contrary to the words that he was tired, his black eyes shone brightly.

    When I didn¡¯t say anything, he spoke again.

    ¡°I am getting energy.¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­ Well.¡±

    At Lexion¡¯s words, I opened my mouth and stuttered.

    His eyes were hot and it was difficult to make eye contact.

    My throat tickled and my heart was pounding.

    The teacup I was holding trembled.

    I grabbed the teacup with both hands, trying to hide what I was conscious of.

    Then I responded politely.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re feeling energized. Call me whenever you need me. I will come again.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    There was joy in Lexion¡¯s voice.

    I couldn¡¯t even look at him and nodded my head.

    Then I felt ashamed because I thought my answer was very strange.

    Seeing my face will not give you strength.

    ¡®You can call me whenever you like.¡¯

    Embarrassed, I only slowly avoided his eyes.

    There was silence in the study for a moment.

    I lifted my head as the sound of the clock was getting louder and louder.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Then, suddenly, our eyes met and I was surprised.

    It was because his eyes were shaking violently.

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    They looked a little moist.

    The moment I was startled by the expression on his face as if he was about to cry, he made excuses.

    ¡°Sorry. Dust got in my eyes.¡±

    As he smirked, a single tear streamed down his cheek.

    Soon after, he took out a handkerchief and wiped the corners of my eyes.

    It didn¡¯t seem like it was because of the dust.

    It didn¡¯t look like he was crying because he was sad.

    ¡®It seems like he¡¯s happy for some reason¡­¡¯

    But at this time, there didn¡¯t seem to be much to be happy about, so I wondered why¡­

    Then he coughed in vain.

    He was smiling and embarrassed.

    ¡°Mmm, it looks like there was quite a bit of dust. Should I blow it away?¡±

    I joked around to lighten the mood.

    However, Lexion nodded and accepted my offer.

    ¡°Yeah, blow it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s gone yet.¡±

    Lexion blinked as if he was serious.

    ¡®It was just a joke¡­¡¯

    Without being able to do this or that, I rolled my eyes and eventually got up from my seat.

    My side, and my knees, supported the sofa.

    Eyes black as obsidian looked up at me.

    Without realizing it, I swallowed my saliva.

    I slowly raised my hand and ruffled his bangs.

    My heart was pounding at will.

    My fingertips trembled.

    As I looked into his eyes, I felt like I was going to be sucked in.

    It was even more so because we were close enough for our breaths to touch.

    I spoke calmly.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll blow there.¡±

    ¡°Please.¡±

    He laughed softly and whispered.

    I blew a couple of times.

    ¡°Good?¡±

    ¡°A little more.¡±

    ¡°Gee, now?¡±

    ¡°A little to the side.¡±

    ¡°Here?¡±

    ¡°Yes. There¡­ It¡¯s fine.¡±

    As I was about to step back as soon as he finished answering, he grabbed my wrist.

    Moist eyes stared at me and said.

    ¡°Titi.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, Zion?¡±

    ¡°Can I hug you just once?¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    What did I hear just now?

    I was so startled that I looked down at him with my mouth open.

    He let go of my wrist and muttered a little.

    ¡°It¡¯s too much now.¡±

    Then, in an instant, his expression became pale as if he had lost his light.

    Seeing that, I hurriedly denied it.

    ¡°Oh, no! Come on, hug me!¡±

    Then, unconsciously, I spread my arms out.

    I acted even more quickly because I felt like I had done something terrible to him.

    It¡¯s the first time he¡¯s ever been so foolish to me.

    He laughed out loud at my active response.

    ¡°Then I won¡¯t decline.¡±

    He gently hugged me.

    Soon after, it smelled good.

    It was very warm.

    I awkwardly put my hand on his back, startled.

    It was because he was wearing a thin shirt and I could feel his hard back muscles intact.

    Unknowingly, as I tried to step back, he whispered.

    ¡°Hug me tight.¡±

    Then he hugged me tight.

    I stood still, hesitating, and put my hand around him again.

    Of course, it was an awkward posture.

    If there was a limit to the heart rate, it would be right now.

    My heart was beating like it was going to explode.

    I was concerned about his head resting on my chest.

    His posture was as if he was trying to hear my heartbeat.

    Then he mumbled softly.

    ¡°Your heart is beating fast. Are you nervous?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I didn¡¯t know my heart was beating fast!¡±

    After giving a stupid answer, I closed my eyes tightly.

    I was embarrassed and didn¡¯t know what to do.

    I wanted to retrieve the words I just said and keep them.

    But if I can reverse my words, no one in this world will make a mistake.

    I wanted to let him out of my arms right away, but he was holding me tight.

    After a while, Lexion slowly let me go.

    Then he looked up at me.

    I was a little shy, so I avoided his gaze, and he grabbed my hand and asked.

    ¡°Titi, are you shaking because of me?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trembling because of you.¡±

    Then he gently placed my hand on his left chest.

    Thump. Thump.

    His heart was beating so loud that it felt like it was going to explode too.

    That action changed the air.

    His eyes were so hot that I couldn¡¯t stand it.

    ¡®Yeah, because I fell in love at first sight.¡¯

    I remembered the confession that Lexion had made in the past.

    That confession that I liked.

    The sweet whisper again cluttered my mind, and my mouth dried up.

    Zion clasped my other hand and brought it to his lips.

    His soft lips touched my fingertips.

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    His gaze was still fixed on me.

    I then asked a question.

 Chapter 46

    ¡°Why do you do whatever I ask you to do?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Lexion¡¯s face brightened at the question.

    I looked away, having trouble making eye contact.

    You hugged me, comforted me, but why are you doing everything for me even now?

    In the midst of that, what was ridiculous was that I listened to everything he had to say.

    Then he mumbled a little low, as if he had misunderstood.

    ¡°If you do this to anyone, I might get a little angry¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not like that! Zion isn¡¯t just anyone!¡±

    As soon as I protested, his eyes widened for a moment, then fell silent again.

    He said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know how patient I am right now. So I guess I¡¯ll just let it go.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°Being so pure makes me want to do worse things.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about¡­¡±

    I stuttered hard at Lexion¡¯s sudden provocation.

    Then he lightly bit my finger and said,

    ¡°Titi, I¡¯m sorry, but there was no such thing as dust in the first place.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Surprised?¡±

    Lexion asked with a soft smile.

    There was a slight chill at the end of the playful voice.

    ¡®There was no such thing as dust in the first place.¡¯

    When the hopeless thing turned out to be true, my head went numb.

    I had no idea that Lexion would seduce me in this way.

    I panicked and snapped.

    ¡°Wow, were you always this active?¡±

    But my voice was trembling, so it wasn¡¯t very threatening.

    My face felt so hot that it felt like I was about to die, but my hands were held by him, so I couldn¡¯t even cover my face.

    One hand was still on his chest and the other rested on his lips.

    At my question, he laughed self-assuredly, as if sneering at himself.

    ¡°Do you think I would do this to anyone?¡±

    ¡°That¡­ ¡±

    ¡°This is me but¡­you wouldn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Zion?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t understand Lexion¡¯s words.

    In particular, I couldn¡¯t understand the backstory at all.

    He said with a bitter smile.

    ¡°When it comes to you, I keep losing control. Especially when you accept all my actions.¡±

    He lightly patted our tangled fingers.

    It looked like something complicated and subtle.

    ¡®Was Lexion like this? No, did I really know him?¡¯

    I was even more confused by his words.

    All of a sudden, I had doubts about what I thought I knew of him.

    After all, even what was written in the novel was from the perspective of the female protagonist.

    Maybe that¡¯s what I was defining as Lexion Sparrow.

    No, maybe I didn¡¯t want to see it.

    My face was still hot.

    He let out a deep sigh as I closed my eyes without saying anything.

    ¡°I thought it would be okay if you just stayed by my side. I guess I¡¯m greedy. The more I am with you, the more I want with you.¡±

    ¡°Zion¡­¡±

    ¡°I want your eyes to see only me, just as I was blind to you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    My heart sank at his words.

    Lexion didn¡¯t stop.

    ¡°I feel like I want to live alone with you in a place that no one knows about.¡±

    ¡°¡­Zion.¡±

    ¡°Can we?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t answer the playful question.

    What should I answer?

    I wanted to do that.

    But we couldn¡¯t do that.

    I¡¯m pathetic about myself for worrying that your sincerity is the set value.

    Even so, the setting value is good, so I felt cowardly in my desire to love you.

    ¡®There is nothing I can do.¡¯

    In the end, I chose to dodge, so I twisted my hand and took a step back from him.

    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t play around.¡±

    ¡°Does this sound like a joke?¡±

    He grabbed my hand again and stopped me from moving away.

    It seemed that he intended to hear an answer as if he were going to die soon.

    But I averted my gaze.

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re serious, we can¡¯t do this.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I am not even a citizen¡­¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll only cause trouble to Zion¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not trouble at all.¡±

    Lexion refuted what I was talking about.

    I clicked my lips and muttered a little.

    I didn¡¯t want to do this until the end.

    ¡°It would be more beneficial for Zion to meet other people than to meet me¡­¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Then Lexion cut off my words as if there was nothing left to say.

    Somehow, there was anger in his voice.

    I hesitated and closed my lips.

    Then he mumbled as if pleading.

    ¡°Not at all. I cannot be happy with someone else.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡®You have to be happy.¡¯

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    I remembered the last line I left as Tiarozety.

    Hearing those words, the Lexion that had his face crumpled back then and the current Lexion overlapped.

    I may be overthinking.

    Maybe it was because I wanted to accept that crazy sweet temptation right now.

    However, Lexion whispered firmly as if he was going to hear an answer.

    ¡°It has to be you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°So, be honest. How do you feel?¡±

    ¡°¡­You said I didn¡¯t have to answer.¡±

    I muttered while crying.

    Tears came out.

    In the end, I felt pitiful that I had no choice but to blame him to avoid the situation.

    I really don¡¯t know

    Accepting this confession seemed too selfish, and rejecting it was painful because it seemed to hurt him.

    ¡®Was I not the only one who wanted this?¡¯

    Lexion¡¯s eyes trembled violently at my crying voice.

    Then he grabbed my hand tightly.

    ¡°Titi¡­¡±

    ¡°I really don¡¯t know what to do¡­ Why do you keep asking me?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I have no choice¡­ If you keep asking me to choose, I really can¡¯t do anything.¡±

    I was in tears.

    I couldn¡¯t even do this on my own.

    A feeling of helplessness engulfed my whole body.

    Now was the time where the plot didn¡¯t take place.

    So no matter what I do here, the book will not get involved.

    But when the book opens, it will eat away at my life as it thoroughly tries to cover and reduce the role of Lexion.

    It was clear from the fact that not a single line of his previous confession was written in the book.

    Perhaps the book dismissed the story of him and me as useless.

    So I couldn¡¯t do anything because I was anxious and afraid.

    I really feared that I would become a puppet and be swayed by the novel like a machine.

    I feared that Lexion would be hurt if I connected with Gregory, who became my male protagonist.

    ¡®I don¡¯t want you to be hurt like I was.¡¯

    It was even more heartbreaking to see that his position overlapped with his previous position.

    And I felt compassion for my old life.

    I was already helpless in this book.

    No matter how hard I tried, I didn¡¯t think I could win the book.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°Titi, calm down. Sorry. I¡¯m sorry, I was in a hurry¡­ I just said it because I was in a hurry. Sorry, don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s my fault.¡±

    As thick tears fell from my eyes, Lexion gibbered in embarrassment.

    His hand quickly wiped away my tears.

    Even his touch felt so tender that I couldn¡¯t control my emotions and pushed him away as if I was going to vomit.

    ¡°Zion was rude. You keep making me look forward to it where I¡¯m expecting more! If I expect it, I will only be disappointed again, and if I¡¯m disappointed, it will only hurt me, so why should I do that?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I hate myself for doubting whether you are serious or not. Serious or not, the fact that I am so happy and excited at this moment is going to drive me crazy.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°If this is what I like, I don¡¯t want it at all. I hate to like it!¡±

    I poured out words without giving Lexion a chance to speak.

    I put the words he couldn¡¯t understand into my mouth and let out my worries.

    My face must have been a mess of tears, but there was no time to worry about that.

    I trembled like a man driven to the edge of a cliff.

    No, maybe I¡¯m already falling down the cliff.

    My life was miserable and I couldn¡¯t stand it.

    Then Lexion asked with a trembling voice.

    ¡°What did you say now?¡±

    He urged me as I sobbed.

    ¡°¡­Why do you keep trying to check my heart because it¡¯s important? Zion doesn¡¯t know. How lonely and difficult I am here.¡±

    ¡°¡­I know.¡±

    Lexion answered with a sullen face.

    I was furious and shouted.

    ¡°What do you know? You know nothing! Only me¡­! I¡¯m the only one here¡­!¡±

    I flinched as I swallowed the words I couldn¡¯t get out of my mouth.

    If I bring out the story of the book to the character in the book, time will go back as it is, breaking the rules.

    I closed my lips, not wanting to experience that terrible sensation again.

    It was a feeling I never wanted to experience again.

    Maybe it was because I didn¡¯t want his confession to be something that didn¡¯t happen.

    It would be very sad if it became a memory that didn¡¯t even exist.

    It was then.

    He suddenly hugged me.

    ¡°Hey¡­!¡±

    Hiccups came out.

    I was so surprised that tears welled up.

    I thought my body was shaking, but it wasn¡¯t because of me.

    It was Lexion who was shaking.

    He said, trembling.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you feel lonely.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ Hic!¡±

    ¡°So, don¡¯t cry anymore. I feel like my heart is breaking because you¡¯re crying¡­¡±

    He let out a hot breath and apologized several times.

    Even though he had nothing to apologize for.

    I couldn¡¯t stand it because I hated it so much.

    Still, he overturned what he said.

    ¡°No, you can cry. You don¡¯t have to pretend to be brave even in front of me, Titi. I know you¡¯re having a hard time.¡±

    Why are you so kind that you drive people crazy?

    In the first place, the fact that I couldn¡¯t lean on him made me feel depressed.

    In fact, I found out that the reason he said ¡®you¡¯re having a hard time¡¯ was because of the Esol disaster.

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    So I couldn¡¯t calm myself down.

    In the end, I grabbed Lexion and wept like a crying child in a mother¡¯s arms.

    Even half of me wanted to be comforted.

 Chapter 47

    Lexion looked at Tiarozety, who was tired of crying in his arms.

    He ran his hand through her long, smooth silver hair.

    The feel of her hair was too soft.

    Her milky skin was red from the heat.

    Tears were evident on her face.

    As he recalled the tears she couldn¡¯t stop even after wiping, one side of his heart was still pounding.

    Earlier, she seemed to be screaming.

    She was saying it was lonely, it was hard, and she couldn¡¯t stand it.

    ¡®¡­So she wants to go back.¡¯

    He thought. But he couldn¡¯t do anything.

    No, he didn¡¯t do it on purpose.

    Because her wishes and his wishes were diametrically opposed.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that¡­¡±

    Lexion kissed her lightly on the forehead, who muttered to herself.

    She was so precious that he felt he shouldn¡¯t even touch her, but the conflicting impulses arose to the point that he wanted to do whatever was to his heart¡¯s content.

    What will she say when she finds out the truth?

    Lexion smiled coldly, thinking of her, who would be drenched in betrayal.

    Will she become angry and hate him for having blocked her way?

    Or will she beg him to let her go?

    No matter how she reacted, as long as she stayed by his side, he could bear it all.

    So it was a decision.

    Then someone knocked and came in.

    ¡°Duke¡­¡±

    ¡°Shh.¡±

    Lexion hushed him.

    Then Oscar stopped.

    Lexion pointed straight at the door with a chin gesture, and he opened her door wide as Oscar recognized it.

    Lexion walked out while holding Tiarozety, being careful that she would not wake up from any movement.

    Passers-by glanced at them, but no one spoke.

    They just pretended they didn¡¯t see and sneaked away.

    Lexion turned to her room with a still face.

    When he reached her room, Daisy, who had been waiting for her, jumped up from her seat in surprise.

    ¡°Duke, I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it, stop.¡±

    Lexion gave a brief order.

    Daisy flinched, bowed deeply, and hurriedly left her seat.

    Lexion laid Tiarozety on her bed and covered her tightly with the duvet.

    He then watched her sleep for a while, brushing her hair.

    Moments later, he wondered as he slowly got up from his seat and turned towards the drawer rather than the door.

    He rummaged through the drawers, picked up a book, and suddenly murmured into the air.

    ¡°Guide.¡±

    ¨D Traveler, how can I help you?

    At Lexion¡¯s call, the book appeared and answered.

    The book seemed to be floating around as if it was constantly being activated.

    When a bizarre voice resounded in the room, Lexion gave orders with piercing eyes.

    ¡°Synchronize.¡±

    * * *

    (1st person pov)

    The next day, a small, dwarf man came with courtesy.

    ¡°My name is Vector. You called me.¡±

    I looked at Vector with an apologetic look.

    It was due to the fact that I had called him yesterday and went to see Lexion and got things mixed up.

    I begged Daisy for once more when I heard that Vector had returned after being tired of waiting.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for yesterday. The Duke suddenly called.¡±

    ¡°No. You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±

    Vector waved his hand.

    The look on his face showed no sign of anger.

    Rather, he seemed to be observing me with a curious expression.

    He asked in a stern tone.

    ¡°Then why did you call me?¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡±

    I hesitated to ask.

    It was because I, who was just a stranger to him, would make him think it was strange if I wondered about Lexion¡¯s past.

    Then Vector added his words to ease my burden.

    ¡°Speak comfortably, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°Before the Duke left for the capital¡­ I was wondering what happened at the villa.¡±

    ¡°Hah¡­¡±

    Vector let out a shallow sigh at my question.

    He pondered for a moment before answering.

    ¡°I remember that the whole area was overturned and suffered because of snow. There was nothing special about the villa.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I heard that the atmosphere was serious¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not easy to know the duke¡¯s every move. Sorry for not being of much help.¡±

    With my disappointing glow, Vector answered awkwardly.

    After all, it would be difficult for a worker who runs small errands to know the owner¡¯s situation in detail.

    I thanked him for his kind reply.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for calling you twice.¡±

    Vector listened to my apology and made a cautious suggestion.

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    ¡°¡­If you have any questions, maybe I can find out more.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I made quite some acquaintances with the knights while doing small errands. Let me ask them a quick question.¡±

    ¡°Can you really do that?¡±

    As soon as I heard Vector¡¯s words, I asked with a smile.

    It was welcoming words as I was worried that it would end without any results.

    Then Vector replied loudly.

    There was a lot of energy in the pounding up to his chest.

    ¡°Of course! It¡¯s the command of the hostess of Sparrow Castle. This is easy.¡±

    ¡°Pooh!¡±

    I spat out the tea I was drinking, startled by his remarks.

    ¡°Oh, my lady! Are you okay?¡±

    Daisy quickly pulled out a napkin and held it out.

    I rubbed my lips and asked.

    ¡°The hostess? Did you say that to me just now?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    This time, Vector exclaimed in surprise.

    I had no idea why he was surprised.

    For a moment, Vector¡¯s gaze met with silence.

    It was obvious that both of us were embarrassed.

    Vector asked, who first came to his senses.

    ¡°Excuse me, lady, are you not here to marry him?¡±

    ¡°What?! No! How dare I take such a high seat¡­¡±

    ¡®I can¡¯t be happy with someone else. It has to be you.¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t keep up because I remembered the words that Lexion whispered last night.

    Even if his heart was turned towards me, the difference between him and me was huge.

    So it was difficult to understand why Vector and Daisy¡¯s expressions darkened as soon as I denied it.

    Was it like this originally?

    Everything was not the same as before.

    So it was even more confusing.

    I¡¯m not sure if the world I¡¯m in right now is really the world I knew.

    The people from Sparrow Castle were calling me ¡®the one who might be the hostess¡¯, and Lexion whispering sweet words to me.

    This would never have been possible in my previous life.

    The world is changing.

    Everyone except me.

    I don¡¯t know why it was so disturbing.

    At that time, Vector slowly looked at me and muttered.

    ¡°Uh, uh. I, I, I can¡¯t do this¡­ Miss Tiarozety, can¡¯t you just marry the Duke?¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡±

    It was an outrageous question.

    Can¡¯t you just get married?

    As I became noticeably quieter, Daisy, who had been silent, fired at Vector fiercely.

    ¡°Hey! Is marriage a joke? The duke is still there, so why are you making a fuss in the first place? Do you bow the candles at other people¡¯s parties?¡±

    She prioritized my feelings and tried to close the conversation quietly.

    But the Vector didn¡¯t stop.

    ¡°If he were to give you the title of Duchess, you¡¯d be happy to accept it! Is that right, miss?¡±

    Vector forced an answer with a sad smile.

    When I didn¡¯t answer, Vector begged.

    ¡°Miss, can¡¯t you just marry him?¡±

    ¡°What? What is this¡­¡±

    ¡°If you do that, I will try to find out what happened that day no matter what.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Vector. Why are you being so tenacious? No way¡­ Did you make a bet with the servants again?¡±

    ¡°Huh? That¡­¡±

    Vector began to stutter as if he had been stabbed in the corner.

    Then Daisy spoke with a stern look on her face.

    ¡°If you have the money to do that, save it. Don¡¯t waste all your money like the last time.¡±

    ¡°Hey, really. It¡¯s just a small amount with friends.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s not a small amount. If you force yourself on a young lady like this, you must have bet a huge stake!¡±

    Vector¡¯s face turned white from Daisy¡¯s remark.

    He looked around and made a gesture to be quiet.

    ¡°Shh! Quiet. This is how Oscar will hear you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t I have to say it out loud for you to listen?¡±

    But Daisy didn¡¯t quiet down.

    Vector groaned and shouted a little.

    ¡°Daisy! Why do you keep behaving rudely?¡±

    ¡°Then why are you making it so difficult? Whether you get your money back or not, it¡¯s up to her.¡±

    As Daisy spat out her voice, Vector stared at me with a dead face.

    I didn¡¯t want to side with him because he was betting on me.

    I asked quietly.

    ¡°Did you really bet on me?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡­ Well¡­¡±

    Vector licked his lips and twirled his words.

    Daisy threatened Vector.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell the girl the truth?¡±

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    ¡°Daisy, are you really like this?¡±

    He protested in vain, but Daisy was calm.

    Vector was then conflicted.

 Chapter 48

    ¡°Actually, among the servants, there was a lot of talk between the duke and the young lady.¡±

    With those words, Vector glanced at me and continued.

    ¡°That¡­ This is the first time the Duke has been so kind to a woman.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Besides, the duke suddenly left for the capital and brought back the young lady with him, so speculation started¡­¡±

    Vector¡¯s voice gradually diminished.

    I asked quietly.

    ¡°So what was the bet?¡±

    ¡°I placed a bet on whether or not the reason the Duke went to the capital was to bring Miss Tiarozety or not.¡±

    ¡°Why the hell is everyone even betting on what they¡¯re curious about?¡±

    Daisy asked in an angry voice.

    ¡°I just¡­ I thought the Duke had brought his bride.¡±

    Vector slowly looked at me and didn¡¯t know what to say.

    In the end, the bet was made between the servants and for Lexion and me.

    ¡®Well, everyone must have been surprised that he went as an escort.¡¯

    When I was silent, Vector said sullenly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I offended you.¡±

    Then he bowed his head in a low posture.

    I didn¡¯t know what to say, so I stayed still.

    Then he added,

    ¡°But I think my guess is still valid. It may not be for the lady, but for the Duke it is almost certain.¡±

    ¡°How are you so sure?¡±

    ¡°I heard something¡­¡±

    ¡°What did you hear?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡­ I heard that the Duke is making an important announcement to the elders council this week.¡±

    Vector was drenched in sweat and continued his speech.

    ¡°Just because candidates for the Duchess are being debated on the agenda of the Council of Elders¡­ I thought the Duke would talk about his engagement to the lady.¡±

    I spoke calmly to the word Council.

    ¡°It may not be me though, right?¡±

    At this time, it was a time when the issue of Lexion¡¯s marriage was often discussed.

    But even so, the nominee for Duchess would be Seirin, not me.

    In response to my rebuttal, Vector later revealed his opinion.

    ¡°That is correct, but¡­ Anyways, there¡¯s still some time left, so if you wait a little bit, the Duke might say something soon¡­¡±

    But he couldn¡¯t finish what he had to say because Daisy spoke bluntly, cutting off his words.

    ¡°What are you waiting for? In the end, you still placed a bet!¡±

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t mean to bet with bad words, though!¡±

    ¡°Vector, are you really crazy? That¡¯s not important.¡±

    ¡°Oh, this time I was really sure! I will hear directly from Theo¡­ Ugh!¡±

    Vector did not continue and covered his mouth with his hand.

    When the name Theo came out of his mouth, Daisy¡¯s face grew even more grim.

    ¡®If that¡¯s what Theo said, it would be right to discuss the duchess situation at this Council meeting.¡¯

    He was also a person who knew Lexion¡¯s every move better than anyone.

    ¡®By the way, has it already happened?¡¯

    Even before my return, he had bothered Lexion about the duchess problem for the Council at this time.

    Seriously, even before I came here, Seirin had already lived in Sparrow Castle, so it was probably just the right time.

    ¡®Because when I came, Seirin had come down.¡¯

    In the novel, Lexion was instructed to find his candidates on his own because he could not overcome the sanctification of the elders.

    In response, the elders recommended Princess Seirin, who had come to Bael.

    In fact, considering the relationship between the Duke of Sparrow family and the imperial family, it was best for the two of them to marry as a couple.

    Of course, before returning, the imperial family only allowed the engagement and postponed the marriage.

    But in the end, the two of them got married because the subjugation of the evil dragon was offered as a condition of marriage.

    The biggest problem in Sparrow Castle right now was the imperial control that was getting worse day by day.

    Not only did he reach the status of a transcendent at a young age, he was called the protector of the north, and he was a duke who even built up virtue.

    They judged that Lexion¡¯s abilities were a threat to the imperial family.

    Also, because the jealous emperor felt him as a threat, he trained Crown Prince Kronos hard.

    ¡®The reason Kronos felt inferior to Lexion was because of the emperor¡¯s maddening envy.¡¯

    Recalling the emperor I had met in the past, I shuddered.

    As the emperor¡¯s jealousy grew day by day, the elders of Sparrow suggested that Lexion become his son-in-law.

    Of course, Lexion wasn¡¯t the kind of person to be treated lightly.

    However, from the perspective of her elders, they had to prepare for the next Duke of Sparrow, so they pushed his engagement even more.

    ¡®The place was reserved for Seirin.¡¯

    Even if Lexion has a crush on me now, it was much better for the Duke of Sparrow to let that go.

    Besides, if I kill the evil dragon, I will return to my world, so I shouldn¡¯t leave any regrets here.

    ¡®Let¡¯s not do anything that¡¯ll hold me back.¡¯

    I thought firmly, trying to ignore the change in my pounding heart.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not me, but there¡¯s a right person out there.¡±

    ¡°How are you so sure?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Because I saw it.

    I swallowed back those words and smiled softly.

    I¡¯ve already seen it in the books, and I¡¯ve seen it with my own eyes once.

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    It¡¯s all about the two of them getting engaged and being in love.

    I couldn¡¯t mess up Lexion and Seirin¡¯s flower path because of someone like me.

    It¡¯s because they¡¯re the ones who will suffer if they go against the ending set for them.

    Suddenly, Lexion¡¯s confession came to mind.

    ¡®I want you to see only me in your eyes, just as I was blind to you. To the extent that I want to live alone in a place that no one knows about with you.¡¯

    No, Lexion.

    There is no place like that in this world.

    I belatedly answered his confession in my mind.

    Then I coldly cut off the lingering resentment.

    Okay. In the first place, in this world, there is no route for you and me that¡¯ll end well.

    So this hope will only lead to greater disappointment.

    ¡°Well, not really.¡±

    At my words, the atmosphere in the room calmed down.

    Then Vector greeted me awkwardly.

    ¡°Then I will find out and contact you, miss.¡±

    After Vector retreated, Daisy glanced at me, but she didn¡¯t speak to me.

    After that, for a while, I was blankly in control of my troubled mind.

    * * *

    (3rd person pov)

    A terrifying silence swept through the hall.

    It was because Lexion declared a bomb just before.

    Everyone looked at Lexion with a bewildered expression.

    The Duke, who had always taken a conservative stance, made a rather radical decision.

    It was the same topic that he ignored every time before even talking about it.

    Arnold, the Chairman, asked, barely calming his excitement.

    ¡°Sir, are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯ve been hoping for?¡±

    ¡°Oh oh! Finally¡­!¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­¡±

    In response to Lexion¡¯s brief reply, some elders exclaimed and muttered.

    Some rejoiced, and some sighed with a hardened face.

    Arnold was the former.

    He was one of those who were more active in this decision than anyone else.

    But the Duke didn¡¯t want it before, so he just silently looked for other alternatives.

    ¡®What is the reason for your sudden change of heart?¡¯

    Arnold was inwardly cheering at the Duke¡¯s decision, but he was also puzzled.

    Obviously, it was because the Duke had no intention of implementing it until recently.

    Then an elder said to the duke.

    ¡°Sir, what do you mean, independence? Are you serious?¡±

    When one person asked, they exchanged opinions with each other in an orderly manner and quarreled.

    Soon, the public hall became noisy with people murmuring.

    All this was because the Duke declared independence from the Aden Empire.

    It was like saying that he would no longer be a subject of the Aden imperial family.

    It was a decision that would cause a big stir in the international situation in the near future, even if they did not become independent immediately.

    Still, the imperial family tried to interfere with every move, so the elders were looking for a way.

    One of them was the recommendation of the duchess that they were going to talk about today.

    If it leads to marriage with the imperial family, they will no longer be wary of the Duke of Sparrow.

    ¡®If this happens, there is no point in recommending Princess Seirin as the Duchess.¡¯

    Arnold smiled contentedly.

    Now is the heyday of the Duke of Sparrow.

    It was good to take this opportunity to further solidify the Sparrow family and expand their power in the long run.

    To be honest, the imperial family¡¯s interference was going too far.

    The duke did not want it, so he dragged it slowly, but not anymore.

    If he has hardened his heart, he can gradually distance himself from the Empire and prepare to establish a kingdom.

    ¡®Maybe the day will come when he will realize that dream in the future.¡¯

    Arnold looked excited, then took a quick peek, then coughed a couple of times to silence the crowd.

    Then Arnold said to the Duke.

    ¡°It was also what we wanted. However, the imperial family¡¯s backlash will be severe.¡±

    It was a statement to see the intention of the duke.

    Arnold was sure the Duke wasn¡¯t trying to make a decision without a plan.

    Arnold had been watching the Duke since childhood.

    He never jumped into something he wasn¡¯t sure about.

    So, again, there must have been something to be sure of.

    Lexion smiled coolly at Arnold¡¯s remarks.

    As he looked at that smile, he trembled.

    ¡°I know. But someday I will have to do it, so it¡¯s not something I can avoid.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean I can understand that you have something in mind?¡±

    At the Duke¡¯s answer, Arnold delved a little deeper.

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    At this, Lexion looked at him indifferently.

    After a moment of silence, the duke let out a gentle voice.

    ¡°Sooner or later, the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts will spread throughout the country.¡±

 Chapter 49

    ¡°What?¡±

    Arnold did not immediately understand Lexion¡¯s remarks and asked back.

    Subsequently, other elders began to panic.

    ¡°An evil dragon?¡±

    ¡°No way!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by evil dragon¡¯s thoughts?¡±

    Everyone seemed surprised.

    Their intense reaction was also related to the recent attack on the capital.

    The capital, which was thought to be unreachable, has been breached by the evil dragon.

    It has been hundreds of years since the empire and the evil dragon confronted each other.

    Still, the dragon did not die and was threatening the empire little by little.

    It was pretty good at tug-of-war. He felt it.

    The last attack shocked the entire empire.

    ¡°As expected, was there a reason why you suddenly left for the capital?¡±

    Arnold groaned and went through his thoughts.

    If the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts spread throughout, Bael was also not safe.

    ¡®I guess that¡¯s why you recently purchased a lot of purification stones.¡¯

    He wondered why they were collecting so many purification stones.

    He seemed to have expected everything from the time he headed to the capital.

    Arnold opened his mouth, wondering how the Duke found out the information.

    ¡°Did you buy all the purification stones in the Empire recently¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It was to prepare for the explosion of the evil dragon.¡±

    ¡°As expected, I see.¡±

    ¡°Soon, the price of purification stones will rise exponentially. There will be a series of damage from areas where sufficient purification stones are not available.¡±

    Lexion¡¯s expression of the serious opinion was very calm.

    According to him, the entire empire will soon be confused by looting and terrorism.

    ¡°You even considered that?¡±

    Arnold admired.

    It was because he felt that the Duke was more determined and prepared than he thought.

    In fact, Arnold was furious to hear that the Duke returned to the North as if he were being kicked out even though he blocked the attack of the dragon from the capital through the returning knights.

    It was ridiculous to kick out the person who made such a contribution.

    As a result, I was puzzled that the Duke obeyed despite being treated unreasonably, but when I heard this story, it was interpreted differently.

    The duke¡¯s choice was outstanding.

    If he had left the capital a little later, he might have been stranded there.

    Several places have already been closed on the way to the north, so maybe the imperial family already regret sending the duke away.

    Arnold proudly looked at the Duke and responded to his words.

    ¡°Certainly, if you look at the current trend, it is similar to when the evil dragon ran rampant 100 years ago. Perhaps the Empire will wage another great war.¡±

    ¡°No. It will be worse than that. So we need to put as much focus on defending the North as possible.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The elders looked triumphant at his words.

    Then Arnold opened his mouth.

    ¡°If there is a request for support from the Imperial family, what will you do?¡±

    It was startling to be in a good mood, but it was a necessary question.

    However, there was nothing he could do about it, so he coughed in vain.

    The Imperial family only visited the Sparrow family when necessary.

    And when there was danger, Lexion Sparrow would always volunteer before the imperial court even asked for it.

    Even if he had been so loyal, he had no reason to refuse if the Imperial family requested it.

    Arnold¡¯s concerns were washed away by the duke¡¯s reply.

    ¡°We should prevent the request from coming in in the first place.¡±

    ¡°That is¡­¡±

    ¡°Cut off all communication channels and means of communication currently connected to the imperial family, and strengthen the defense of the northern area in case of an attack by the evil dragon.¡±

    ¡°I will take orders, sir.¡±

    ¡°Even if the imperial family regrets this later, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take responsibility and calm it down, Arnold.¡±

    Lexion answered Arnold¡¯s next question by hitting the player ahead of time.

    ¡°Thank you for responding to my advice, sir.¡±

    Arnold responded vigorously with a slightly moved expression on his face.

    Somehow, as if going back to when he was young, he was full of spirit.

    A state of being able to do anything.

    This was something that he has been dreaming of for a long time, so he was even more excited.

    He thought it was something he would never see in his generation.

    Arnold couldn¡¯t hide his excitement and raised the corners of his lips.

    Then an elder spoke cautiously, supported by a friendly atmosphere.

    ¡°Your Excellency, did you bring the woman who stays in the castle on purpose because she¡¯s Esol?¡±¡±

    The elders focused on the word Esol.

    In fact, it was the part he was the most curious about lately.

    The duke, who did not budge even after many young girls sent flirtations, brought a woman from the capital.

    Moreover, reports indicated that the duke loved the woman very much.

    Arnold frowned at the elder¡¯s presumptuous remarks.

    When he brought the Esol, rumors circulated.

    It was because of that woman that the Duke suddenly went down to the capital.

    Arnold thought the rumors were just stories made up by people who liked to talk

    Even with the duke¡¯s remarks today, he judged that going to the capital was intentional.

    Esol was a great help to the power.

    The power boasting strong resilience will shine in the battle against the evil dragon.

    He guessed that bringing her up to the point of confrontation with the imperial family was not a trivial thing like a romantic feeling.

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    ¡®It must have been because she was Esol.¡¯

    Arnold scolded the elder in a harsh voice.

    ¡°What have you heard so far? It¡¯s a state of emergency comparable to a great war. Could it be that His Excellency fell in love with her and brought her?¡±

    It was then.

    ¡°Arnold.¡±

    Arnold gulped as he looked at the duke.

    It was because his face had become very cold.

    ¡®It seems that the Duke was also offended by the rumor.¡¯

    Arnold grew stronger and blamed the elder thinking that the duke was on his side.

    ¡°The duke brought her because he had an idea. In other words, where would our noble Excellency look at a minority who is treated worse than ordinary people? Too many jokes¡­¡±

    ¡°Arnold, you¡¯re just too stupid.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Arnold looked at Lexion in surprise.

    His face looked more bitter than before.

    ¡®Why are you more angry?¡¯

    Arnold rolled his eyes in wonder, and Lexion spoke.

    ¡°I do not choose my companion by judging the title.¡±

    ¡°What¡­?¡±

    ¡°It is regrettable that a person who intends to establish an independent state has the discriminatory perception of the empire as it is.¡±

    ¡°¡­Ah, wait.¡±

    Arnold stuttered in embarrassment at Lexion¡¯s cold words.

    ¡°Also, Tiarozety is a very precious person to me, so I hope you don¡¯t say anything reckless.¡±

    Lexion frowned.

    He seemed to no longer want to quarrel on this topic.

    Arnold opened his mouth as he didn¡¯t quite understand what was going on.

    After a while, he mustered up some courage and spoke.

    ¡°Sir? Now that statement is a bit misleading. At first glance, it may be misunderstood that the woman is your lover¡­¡±

    ¡°To be precise, she¡¯s probably closer than that.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    No, what is this?

    Arnold gasped in shock over and over again.

    Then, Lexion delivered the final blow.

    ¡°It means I am courting her, Arnold.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡±

    Arnold took a deep breath in surprise.

    The polite attitude that was still there was gone.

    So were the others.

    The elders were astonished and began to talk busily.

    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s courting.¡±

    ¡°Then he meant that he fell in love first? To that Esol?¡±

    ¡°Are the rumors true?¡±

    It was hard to believe for everyone.

    The duke had hinted that he had no interest in women.

    So, it was surprising that he was interested in a woman, and she was part of the ethnic minority., Esol.

    It would be surprising to even ask other noble girls in the capital about this.

    He was a man called the first bridegroom of the empire.

    Of course, he received much more than he proposed.

    But such a person is having a hard time with a Esol, who was not even a citizen of the Empire.

    It was impossible.

    Amidst the confusion of the crowd, Lexion declared as if to solidify.

    ¡°Why are you so surprised? IYou¡¯d be even more surprised if I told you that I¡¯ve already had done it once.¡±

    ¡°Oh my¡­!¡±

    ¡°Our Duke is different!¡±

    The elders spit out exclamations.

    It was a more intense reaction than when the duke thought of independence.

    On the other hand, Lexion had a refreshing face as if he had talked about something he had been holding onto for a long time.

    An elder asked seriously.

    ¡°Wait a minute, sir. So are you saying that all the rumors are true?¡±

    ¡°What rumors are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°That, that¡­¡±

    The elder was unable to speak and hesitated.

    Then someone got the courage.

    ¡°That is¡­ Rumor has it that the reason the Duke suddenly went down to the capital was because of the Esol.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Lexion let out a soft exclamation.

    The elder continued.

    ¡°The room she is staying in was remodeled as if it was being prepared, and some of the servants were talking¡­¡±

    When the elder saw Arnold¡¯s dreadful face, he could not hold back his words and bit his mouth like a clam.

    There was tension in the room.

    After a while, Lexion suddenly opened his eyes wide, and he smiled low.

    ¡°Hahaha.¡±

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    Fortunately, there were no signs of discomfort.

    The important thing was that the duke did not deny it.

    At that, the elders held their breath.

 Chapter 50

    ¡®Is the rumor not a lie?¡¯

    Arnold thought, forgetting to even breathe.

    Looking at Lexion slightly, his expression was quite serious.

    ¡®His Excellency is really serious.¡¯

    Come to think of it, he often heard that the duke had become strange these past few days.

    It was because the behavior, clothes, and hairstyle changed not only before, but also the atmosphere changed at a glance.

    He just thought there was a big change in his mind, but he couldn¡¯t believe it was because of a woman.

    At this time, an elder refuted.

    ¡°Your Excellency, this is ridiculous. It¡¯s your authority to choose a companion, but you should at least proceed with a wedding with a woman in a family that is appropriate for the class.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. If you like her so much, why don¡¯t you bring her in as a mistress?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Several elders began to persuade to break the will of the Duke.

    Arnold examined Lexion¡¯s complexion.

    His expression was getting very rough with the words ¡°appropriate for the class¡± and ¡°mistress¡±.

    ¡®I can¡¯t believe I haven¡¯t looked at you for all those years.¡¯

    Arnold clicked his tongue inside.

    The duke seemed to be sincere.

    And he has no intention of bending his will if he goes head-on like this.

    ¡®I think I should meet her in person.¡¯

    Arnold opened his mouth, keeping in mind that he would meet Tiarozety Esol.

    ¡°Stop it.¡±

    ¡°Chairman Brandt?¡±

    The elders looked faint when Arnold took the side of the Duke.

    Arnold said in response.

    ¡°His Excellency is right. If he decided to become independent, what does the title from the Empire matter anymore?¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Esol. They say they were not recognized by the Empire, but their abilities¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°There needs to be a new ideology to open a new era.¡±

    Arnold silently bowed to the Duke with the words.

    ¡°I respect the will of the duke.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡±

    Only then did Lexion relax his stiff face.

    Other elders could no longer refute it and were just staring.

    After a while, Lexion said.

    ¡°This is good for you. I want you to help me.¡±

    ¡°Say anything.¡±

    Arnold smiled and waited for the order, and the Duke opened his mouth.

    ¡°Take care of Titi so that she can adapt well here. So that she can regard this place as her home, not anywhere else.¡±

    ¡®So that she doesn¡¯t even dream of going back.¡¯

    Lexion finished his speech hiding his thoughts.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Arnold replied.

    ¡°Of course, I will sincerely accomplish that, sir.¡±

    Subsequently, the elders were told that they would do the same.

    They seemed to have belatedly noticed that the duke was unusual.

    And as if that was not an empty word, numerous gifts arrived in front of Tiarozety the next day.

    They were all sent by the elders to look good to her.

    * * *

    (1st person pov)

    ¡°What is this¡­¡±

    I was mesmerized by the gift procession that continued from the morning and muttered.

    I just finished eating, but there was already a pile of gifts.

    Servants brought fabric, shoes, accessories, and other things one after another.

    At that time, Olivia, the maid, stood in front of the gifts and recited the source.

    ¡°This is the fabric sent by Count Katrina. The color comes out very well, so it¡¯ll be pretty if you match the dress.¡±

    At a glance, it was expensive fabric.

    ¡°This is a supplement specially sent by Marquis Michelangelo when he heard that you were sick often.¡±

    Looking at the label on the packaging, it was said that the medicinal effect was good, so you had to wait a year to receive it.

    Since then, Olivia has recited a list of gifts.

    In a little bit¡­

    ¡°This is what I¡¯ve told you so far.¡±

    Olivia said, sticking out a list so far.

    I looked at the lists once again.

    All the nobles who stayed in the north sent gifts.

    In addition, the names of the elder members of the Duke of Sparrow were seen.

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with everyone all of a sudden?¡¯

    It was only a little after I came to Bael.

    Until then, it was quiet, but I didn¡¯t understand them trying to connect with me suddenly.

    ¡°So, are all of these gifts for me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Olivia blinked as if she had been asked an unexpected question.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    As I muttered, Olivia replied with a warm smile.

    ¡°Because everyone is welcoming Tiarozety to Bael.¡±

    ¡°¡­Really?¡±

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    ¡°Yes. These are all welcome gifts. It¡¯s a little late though.¡±

    Olivia smiled and answered sincerely.

    I turned to the gifts.

    In my previous life, I was not welcomed by Bael.

    It was even more so because I came here with a bad body.

    I was swayed by evil merchants and was devastated to the point of being used, so I couldn¡¯t look good even if I wore fine clothes.

    In addition, I ruined the fact that he barely maintained peace with the imperial family through his engagement with Seirin, which drew antipathy from many people from the first impression.

    When I didn¡¯t say anything with a firm face, Olivia asked with a worried look.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡±

    At her words, I was surprised and waved my hands.

    ¡°No way. I like them all. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Oh, and these are invitations to Tiarozety for a tea party.¡±

    Olivia smiled brightly and held out an invitation basket.

    In the meantime, she continued to explain.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go to all the invited tea parties. If you want to rest, you can postpone it later.¡±

    ¡°How can I refuse the invitation of the nobility?¡±

    It made no sense for a small minority to refuse the invitation of an imperial nobleman.

    Then Olivia said at once.

    ¡°No, you can refuse. Behind Tiarozety is the Duke of Lexion Sparrow.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    ¡°I thought it would be difficult to choose, so I put the invitations of important people separately.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to look.¡±

    First of all, there were a lot of lists, and it was unfamiliar because this was the first time.

    Olivia hinted at this.

    ¡°Then can I recommend it for you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯d appreciate it if you did.¡±

    ¡°I think it would be good to start with a tea party of Emelia Brandt, the daughter of Marquis Arnold Brandt, the chairman.¡±

    ¡°Emelia Brandt?¡±

    I was surprised by the unexpected name and asked back.

    Emelia Brandt was the only child of Arnold Brandt, who was also Seirin¡¯s academy colleague.

    After studying in the capital city, she settled in the north to succeed her father, and was also a great person who took good care of Seirin, who came to Bael for the engagement.

    ¡®She hated me in my previous life.¡¯

    Young Lady of Brandt, who I remember, was a very difficult person.

    She was close to Seirin when she was at the academy, and she liked Seirin very much when she came to Bael.

    But suddenly I appeared and had a disagreement between Lexion and Seirin, so from the perspective of her friend Emelia, I would have been bothered.

    Of course, I had no personal bad feelings because I knew that people here were moving according to the set value while living in this world.

    Rather, she was the person who hated me but was the most indifferent to me.

    So it was even more uncomfortable.

    ¡°Yes. You¡¯ll see each other often in the future, so you¡¯d better open up in advance.¡±

    At Olivia¡¯s words, I quietly thought things through.

    Emelia now would not have had a grudge against me.

    Unlike my previous life, Seirin hasn¡¯t come to the North now, and I haven¡¯t made much movement either.

    She just heard the news that the Duke brought someone.

    ¡®Then why did she suddenly invite me?¡¯

    Others¡¯ gifts were excessive, but the fact that she invited me was a little strange.

    ¡°Olivia, what¡¯s the reason she invited me?¡±

    ¡°She must be curious because an outsider is here. Are you feeling pressured?¡±

    ¡°A little bit.¡±

    Olivia encouraged me when I muttered sullenly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen Emelia several times, but she¡¯s not someone who discriminates according to status. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll get along well with Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I guarantee it.¡±

    Olivia smiled and gave a definite answer.

    ¡®Since Olivia said that, should we meet?¡¯

    As long as I decided to be here anyway, it was inevitable to not encounter her.

    ¡®Yeah. I can¡¯t avoid it anymore.¡¯

    How can I still act like a supporting role after becoming the main character?

    No wonder I laughed.

    ¡®Now may be the only time to meet Emelia.¡¯

    Thinking about this made me feel lighter.

    After a while, I opened my mouth.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s attend Emelia Brandt¡¯s tea party. Can I think about the rest more and decide?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Please let me know.¡±

    Olivia readily replied to me and stepped down.

    Then Daisy, who was waiting, trembled and said,

    ¡°Miss, you need to get ready to go out first.¡±

    Then, she sat me in front of the dressing table and started putting on makeup.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s already this time.¡±

    When I checked the clock, the time I was supposed to go out with Lexion was almost approaching.

    In silence, Daisy was doing what she had to do, but she asked in a pleased voice.

    ¡°Have you been dating for a long time? I¡¯m jealous.¡±

    ¡°Dating? It¡¯s not like that.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you can¡¯t move.¡±

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    When I turned around and made excuses, Daisy turned my head back.

    Then she spoke lightly.

    ¡°Anyway, Sir Aiden is being later than I thought. It shouldn¡¯t be a big deal.¡±

 Chapter 51

    Slowly, I became worried about Aiden.

    ¡®Should I also check the book?¡¯

    I haven¡¯t opened a book since coming here.

    It was because I wondered what it would mean to read a story that had already progressed because it was behind the veil anyway.

    Of course, I was also anxious.

    It was a long-learned anxiety.

    It was a vague ominous feeling that something bad would happen when I read a book.

    But there will be no change in the story that unfolds just because I don¡¯t keep reading it.

    ¡®Yes. I¡¯ll take a look at the book when I go.There might be a story about Aiden.¡¯

    I glanced at the side of the book and answered.

    ¡°I know. A little late.¡±

    ¡°Still, Sir Aiden is stronger than he looks, so he¡¯ll be on his way without any problems¡­ Now, that¡¯s it.¡±

    Daisy said as she finished putting on her makeup.

    I responded with a soft smile and got up from my seat.

    ¡°Thank you, Daisy. I will be back.¡±

    * * *

    The place where Lexion took me was the city of Bael.

    After I came to Bael, I had only been around the castle, so it was quite enjoyable to go far.

    We tacitly did not mention that day.

    The next day I got his confession, I cried and fell asleep in his arms.

    I thought about how to treat him.

    Did he feel that kind of burden on me?

    I pretended not to know that day.

    Even though he was so kind, I was sorry, thankful, and sad.

    ¡°Here you go.¡±

    Lexion smiled softly and offered me a well-baked bread.

    It was bread that he bought immediately after hearing me say that it smelled good.

    ¡®Lexion didn¡¯t like to eat food on the street.¡¯

    The nobles considered it rude to eat street food.

    Lexion was also a noble, so he had the same idea.

    So, in my previous life, even though he wanted to eat, there were many times when he just swallowed his saliva and stayed still.

    I quickly waved my hand and said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go and eat later.¡±

    ¡°It tastes good when it is warm.¡±

    Lexion recommended once more.

    Fearing that he would be embarrassed if I refused twice, I quickly accepted and expressed my gratitude.

    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±

    And the sweet red bean paste made my mouth happy.

    ¡°So good¡­ It¡¯s delicious, really.¡±

    As I said with a smile, Lexion ate bread at the same time.

    ¡°Huh? It¡¯s street food though¡­¡±

    ¡°I want to eat it too.¡±

    Lexion swallowed the bread the size of the palm of his hand with those words.

    Even though it was hot, I was surprised that he ate it well.

    ¡°Are you okay? It must have been hot¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, did I eat too quickly?¡±

    Lexion laughed softly.

    It was due to the fact that I still had more than half left in my hand.

    ¡°Would you like some more?¡±

    I took off the part I put my mouth on and asked.

    But before that, he took a bite at the place I bit into.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    ¡°It definitely tastes better when eaten warm.¡±

    Lexion made eye contact with me and whispered softly.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you went on a date.¡±

    Why did Daisy¡¯s words come to mind at this moment?

    I coughed and said,

    ¡°Right? I should buy more.¡±

    ¡°Should we?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no!¡±

    When I denied it greatly, Lexion smiled as he folded his eyes nicely.

    He said, holding my hand.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no¡­¡±

    Lexion took me back to the bakery before I could even say anything.

    By the time we got to the front of the bakery, strangely, there was a lot of noise around us.

    In the distance, a woman was arguing with the owner.

    Next to her was a girl in shabby clothes sniffling.

    ¡°There must have been a fight.¡±

    ¡°I know. Let¡¯s get it next time.¡±

    Lexion tried to move.

    I followed him obediently, but stopped when I saw the woman¡¯s face.

    ¡®Oh my god, Emelia Brandt?¡¯

    Upon closer inspection, the woman fighting was Emelia.

    Her voice rang out loudly.

    ¡°Are you trying to ignore me? Besides, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s okay to beat a child like this.¡±

    ¡°What do you want me to do about the stolen bread?¡±

    The bakery owner said bluntly.

    It was an attitude that there was no fault at all.

    The girl sniffled and refuted.

    ¡°What do you mean to steal? You gave it to her yourself. Save my sister!¡±

    ¡°If you have an upset stomach after stealing it, you¡¯ll die rightfully. Who do you think you are?¡±

    The girl flinched when the owner shouted with a grim face.

    Given the circumstances, it seems that Emelia is on the side of the wandering orphan.

    Lexion stopped walking and watched the situation to see if he recognized her.

    ¡°Hah!¡±

    After a while, Emelia laughed in vain as if she was discouraged by the owner¡¯s harsh words.

    Then our eyes met, and naturally, she found Lexion next to me and her eyes widened.

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    ¡°Duke.¡±

    Emilia had a slightly playful face.

    Lexion approached her and asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s noisy, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    The baker was startled by the word duke and clasped his hands.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s no big deal. Just a very minor misunderstanding¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a minor misunderstanding.¡±

    Emelia cut him off and continued,

    ¡°This child was unilaterally beaten by that man.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re always on the side of that child!¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you first punch her before she could even talk? I saw it with my own two eyes, and I can¡¯t take my foot off it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s so embarrassing¡­¡±

    ¡°Explain the situation accurately.¡±

    Lexion cut to the pulse before the mood overheated again.

    Then Emelia calmly explained.

    ¡°After eating the bread given by them, children from the slums showed signs of poisoning as a group, and we were trying to figure out what happened.¡±

    After Emelia briefly summarized the situation, the owner complained of her words.

    ¡°No! I never gave out bread. They stole it! Do you believe that beggar more than me now?¡±

    ¡°No! He gave it to me!¡±

    The girl responded with a fresh voice.

    The child¡¯s face was covered in blood from the beatings.

    Even though she was young, if she continued to insist on being beaten like that, there was a high probability that she would have suffered a really unfair thing.

    If it had been a lie, she would have confessed because she was afraid of being ripped off by an adult.

    Lexion asked as I looked at the child with pity.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it even more dangerous if it was stolen bread? The children showed signs of poisoning, so there is a possibility that some of the guests will have the same symptoms.¡±

    ¡°That, that¡­!¡±

    The owner faltered in his words as if he hadn¡¯t even thought of that.

    Next, Lexion also spoke to Emelia.

    ¡°As the owner said, you are too biased towards one side. Wasn¡¯t it a priority to understand both sides of the situation, Miss Brandt?¡±

    ¡°¡­Right.¡±

    Emelia didn¡¯t budge, so she answered slowly.

    But she continued, in a slightly elevated tone as if she was not ashamed of her own actions at all.

    ¡°I was just trying to help the child who was being beaten to death.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not blaming you. It would be better to call the guards first and check the situation.¡±

    When Lexion instructed the escort, he disappeared quickly.

    He was going to call the guards.

    The owner¡¯s face became contemplative when he said he was calling the guards.

    Soon after, they arrived.

    ¡°Sir, what are you doing?¡±

    As the situation escalated, the owner, who seemed anxious like a tree, suddenly got down on his knees and confessed.

    ¡°Lord, I have sinned to death! I was just trying to scold them a little because they kept stealing bread and hindering sales¡­¡±

    ¡°What? Did you beat them up like this?¡±

    Emelia shouted and scolded the bakery owner.

    The girl was embarrassed and started to cry.

    ¡°Whoa!¡±

    The owner became a little bitter.

    Emelia said, calming her anger.

    ¡°Take him away.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    The guards grabbed the bakery owner and dragged him away.

    People gathered on the street clicked their tongues and left one by one.

    After a while, only me, Lexion, Emelia, and the girl were left.

    I was concerned about the crying girl and asked, holding out a handkerchief.

    ¡°Did you eat?¡±

    Then the child shook her head vigorously and blew her nose on the handkerchief.

    I just took the chocolate Daisy had brought from my pocket and held it out.

    The child did not readily accept it since she recalled that once she had been tricked by the bakery owner.

    Although she was hungry, she was afraid that she would die from eating, so it was very sad that she did not receive it willingly.

    ¡°This is delicious. It¡¯s okay.¡±

    I took out another chocolate and ate it to show that it was safe.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Then the girl was relieved and forgot her worries.

    Then she blinked as if the chocolate tasted better than expected.

    ¡°Would you like more?¡±

    The child nodded her head at my question, and I took all the chocolate from my pocket and put it in her hand.

    She didn¡¯t eat them all and put a few in her pocket.

    She was probably going to give it to a gang of beggars.

    ¡°Where are your sick brothers?¡±

    ¡°Carmel Forest.¡±

    ¡°Is there a village there?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just enough to escape the cold in a hut.¡±

    The girl answered with a stern voice.

    At that time, Lexion came as if he had finished talking with Emelia.

    ¡°Titi, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°What were you going to do?¡±

    ¡°Emelia says she will send the doctor to the place where her brothers are. I think it will work out.¡±

    ¡°What a relief.¡±

    I straightened my bent upper body and waved her hand to the girl to say goodbye to her.

    Then Emelia spoke to me.

    ¡°I heard a lot about you. I am Emelia Brandt.¡±

    ¡°Ah, hello. I am Tiarozety Esol.¡±

    ¡°I got a call this morning. You accepted my tea party invitation. It must have been a little sudden, but thank you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for inviting me.¡±

    Emelia smiled brightly at my answer.

    I was startled because it was the first time I had talked to her with a smile like that.

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    ¡®She¡¯s the type of person who had dimples when she smiled.¡¯

    I always saw her expressionless face, so the unfamiliarity was not bad.

    At that time, Emelia looked at me and Lexion in turn and murmured.

 Chapter 52

    ¡°Did you go out on a date?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Before I could explain it, Lexion briefly admitted it.

    Embarrassed by this, I immediately shut my mouth like a clam.

    Emelia widened her eyes, probably surprised that Lexion had answered.

    Then she grinned and said,

    ¡°I see. I unintentionally interfered.¡±

    ¡°Ah it¡¯s okay!¡±

    When I quickly denied it, Emelia laughed out loud.

    ¡°You are a shy person.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s her charm.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Duke¡­¡±

    I called him in surprise, but Emelia said.

    ¡°Oh my, the Duke says such things.¡±

    She seemed as surprised as I was.

    Lexion shrugged his shoulders and spoke.

    ¡°Titi is not used to tea parties, so I want you to take good care of her.¡±

    ¡°Sure. She is the future Duchess, and I will stop anyone who treats her badly.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    The future Duchess?

    My eyes widened at Emelia¡¯s reckless remarks.

    What really surprised me was that she looked carefree.

    Moments later, Emelia laughed bashfully, wrinkled her nose, and whispered to me.

    ¡°Please tell me how you feel about kicking the Duke later. That¡¯s what I¡¯m most curious about.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back to work. See you soon.¡±

    Emelia greeted us cheerfully and took the girl away.

    I was mesmerized by the words she left behind.

    ¡®How did you know?¡¯

    Only Lexion and I knew about it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Titi.¡±

    ¡°Zion, what did she mean by Duchess?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Lexion blushed and put a smile on his lips.

    I hesitated and spoke.

    ¡°¡­I have no intention of becoming a Duchess.¡±

    So don¡¯t expect it.

    Lexion smiled bitterly at my cautious words.

    His face looked wounded at a glance.

    ¡®I am only hurting you in this life.¡¯

    As I was feeling lonely thinking about that, Lexion said.

    ¡°Yes. I know.¡±

    ¡°But why¡­¡±

    ¡°By the way, Titi, I have no intention of marrying anyone other than you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°It means that the place is only open to you.¡±

    Lexion was so neat and held out his hand.

    It meant to escort me.

    I stared intently at his hand.

    I thought it wasn¡¯t my place, so I decided not to be greedy.

    However, when Lexion was like this, my determination was shaken.

    I suddenly felt the urge to hug him and bit my lower lip.

    ¡°I am satisfied with the way I am now. You don¡¯t have to give up a lot because of me.¡±

    Don¡¯t be greedy and just be content with it.

    ¡°Are you giving up?¡±

    Lexion asked as if he did not understand.

    I opened my mouth without looking at him.

    It was a story that seemed impossible to tell by looking at his face.

    ¡°I heard that the elders recommended Princess Seirin to be the Duchess.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°It will be of greater help to the Sparrow family in the future for Princess Seirin to become the Duchess than me.¡±

    I poured out my words like a rapid-fire gun, fearing what he might say.

    Then he asked in a confused voice.

    ¡°Wait, Titi. The elders recommend Princess Seirin as the Duchess? Who the hell said that?¡±

    ¡°Huh? They didn¡¯t?¡±

    I asked in amazement.

    It was clear that Vector had heard from Theo.

    They were getting ready to discuss the Duchess matter in the Council with elders.

    ¡®It was like that in my previous life, so of course I thought it would be the same¡­¡¯

    Somehow, I felt like I was fluttering, so I tried to feel embarrassed.

    After a while, Lexion ruffled his hair and explained it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where, from whom, or what you¡¯ve heard, but there was no agenda for that.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°Even if there were, I would have refused. I¡¯m not a fool to spend the rest of my life with a girl I don¡¯t even care about.¡±

    Lexion gently grabbed my hand with those words.

    And he took a step closer and declared.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a fool to miss the woman I like.¡±

    With his back to the sun, he was as reliable as the shade of a solid tree.

    He looked down at me and smiled as if he was embarrassed.

    It felt like my heart would stop.

    As if time had stopped, I couldn¡¯t move.

    To me, Lexion hit my heart once more.

    ¡°So whenever you¡¯re ready, come to me, Titi.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Because I am ready.¡±

    Lexion took a step back.

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    I followed silently with my head lowered.

    And I thought.

    I can¡¯t believe I was going to not like him at all.

    * * *

    When I arrived at the castle, I encountered an unexpected person.

    ¡®I¡¯m meeting both the father and the daughter today.¡¯

    I immediately recognized him as Arnold Brandt, but I pretended not to know.

    Arnold approached Lexion and talked to him.

    ¡°It just so happens that we run into each other. I was just going to go because you were away.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°I got a call from Sir Aiden.¡±

    Aiden?

    I heard the name Aiden.

    Arnold glanced at me and seemed to be wondering if he could say it here.

    Accordingly, Lexion affirmed.

    ¡°You can just say it.¡±

    When Lexion¡¯s permission was granted, he reported.

    ¡°Sir Aiden is scheduled to depart tomorrow after completing the cleanup of the Hakun area as of today.¡±

    ¡°It took longer than I thought.¡±

    ¡°Yes. It must have been slow to purify because it was on the edge.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s injured?¡±

    ¡°No one.¡±

    The two had a simple conversation.

    In the meantime, I showed signs of joy.

    ¡®That¡¯s a relief. I was worried because it was too late.¡¯

    I breathed out relief after hearing that there were no injuries and Aiden was safe.

    It was good news while I was worried that something had happened.

    As I waited quietly by my side, suddenly Arnold stared at me and opened his mouth.

    ¡°This person¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m Tiarozety Esol.¡±

    Having missed the timing to say hello and just stood still, I introduced myself in a flash.

    Then he smiled and asked for a handshake.

    ¡°As expected of Tiarozety. It¡¯s a great pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m Arnold Brandt. I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡±

    ¡°Please take good care of me too. Marquis Brandt.¡±

    Arnold looked at me quickly while shaking hands.

    It was somehow awkward, but I didn¡¯t show it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to make room for Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Why are we talking about making room all of a sudden?

    ¡°Arnold, get going.¡±

    Somehow, Lexion flatly told Arnold, who was full of energy.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be on my way now. Tiarozety, have a peaceful night.¡±

    ¡°You too, Marquis.¡±

    Arnold smiled happily and bowed deeply and left.

    * * *

    Soon after, Emelia¡¯s tea party day came.

    When I got dressed up on time, a carriage was waiting.

    ¡°Get in.¡±

    The servant of Brandt Castle recommended getting in.

    Not long after I got in the carriage, I arrived at Brandt Castle, and Emelia welcomed me.

    ¡°Welcome, Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for inviting me, Miss Brandt.¡±

    When I raised the hem of the dress and prepared courtesy, she drew my hand.

    ¡°Everyone is waiting.¡±

    The place she took me to was an open garden.

    While the woman gathered in twos and threes and chatted, Emelia drew their attention.

    ¡°Everyone, say hello. This is Tiarozety Esol.¡±

    ¡°Oh, hello.¡±

    When I greeted them awkwardly, they smiled.

    ¡°Welcome, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°We were waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°This way.¡±

    They were the characters I saw in my previous life.

    They were not very important characters, so there was nothing to encounter except on a special day.

    The woman who introduced me as Sophie Acel talked to me.

    ¡°Your silver hair is really beautiful in person. Can I touch it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­ I envy you, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    Sophie smiled.

    By the time I was overwhelmed by excessive hospitality and interest, there was a sudden disturbance.

    The maid approached Emelia and said,

    ¡°Lady, the young master¡­¡±

    ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡±

    Emelia left her seat contemplating the words young master.

    ¡®Did Emelia have a younger sibling?¡¯

    While I was thinking, Sophie muttered.

    ¡°Oh, my. He must be hysterical again.¡±

    ¡°He can¡¯t help but be sensitive.¡±

    ¡°I know. Brandt¡¯s suffering is so much because he suddenly got sick. I thought he was weak since he was young¡­¡±

    ¡°To be honest, I feel bad for Miss Emelia. She came back here from the capital because of her brother.¡±

    ¡°Shh. Don¡¯t mention that.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ It¡¯s because I¡¯m so upset watching it.¡±

    They gathered one by one and whispered about Emelia and her younger brother.

    I realized while still listening to their conversation.

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    ¡®Oh¡­ I remember.¡¯

    To be exact, she had a younger brother in her previous life.

    But he died shortly after I came to Bael.

 Chapter 53

    ¡®He¡¯s not dead yet. I completely forgot.¡¯

    Come to think of it, when Emelia helped the beggar child, she seemed overly sensitive about death.

    She must have been more indignant at the thought of her brother.

    I carefully interrupted their conversation.

    ¡°Is her brother very sick?¡±

    ¡°Actually, he was not feeling well before, but recently he suddenly became more ill. He falls so often that he cannot be left alone for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Besides, he is dependent on the family. Someone told her to stick around so he can be safe.¡±

    The ladies sighed deeply.

    As I was listening to the story, Sophie opened her mouth.

    ¡°He has been affected since the day he went hunting, so I suspect he may have been poisoned.¡±

    ¡®Poison?¡¯

    My eyes widened at the word poison.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s not a chronic disease, is it?¡±

    ¡°Ah, this is my guess¡­ In fact, he was weak from the beginning. It only got worse after that day.¡±

    Sophie closed her mouth as quickly as a clam.

    ¡®If it¡¯s a symptom of poisoning, I might be able to help.¡¯

    In the case of a serious illness, the exhaustion of vitality is enormous, which puts a strain on the body, but trauma or poisoning could be treated relatively easily.

    Then the butler came.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry during the tea party. I think we have to break up the meeting today.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°Sorry for the inconvenience.¡±

    The butler bowed at a right angle and apologized.

    The girls left their seats one by one, and I also returned to Sparrow Castle in the waiting carriage.

    * * *

    ¡°Oh, you met Hegel.¡±

    Lexion responded by sprinkling condensed milk on the sorbet.

    I said, taking a sorbet from him.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to meet him. But isn¡¯t the young master of Brandt¡¯s body very bad?¡±

    ¡°They say he has a few days left to live.¡±

    ¡°After hunting, I heard that he suddenly became ill. Is it poison?¡±

    At my question, Lexion looked at me.

    ¡°He was originally weak, and he got infected with the poison of a beast while hunting.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°When we struggled in Hakun, it is said that the Beasts of Bael attacked us. Hegel, who went hunting in the Carmel Forest, was not able to respond and suffered.¡±

    Lexion spoke as if it was a pity.

    Since he had weak immunity, he was directly exposed to the poison of the beast, so it was easy to get sick.

    ¡°Did Miss Brandt come to Bael because of him?¡±

    ¡°Hegel was so weak that he wanted Marquis Brandt to come.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s like that¡­¡±

    The Brandt family must have an heir, so it would have been better to set up Emelia instead of Hegel because they never knew when he would die.

    ¡°I heard that Hegel directly asked for it, so Emelia cleaned up immediately and settled in Bael.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    It felt like I knew the other side of Emelia I didn¡¯t before.

    If I was born with a weak body, my strength wouldn¡¯t help.

    But the poison could have been solved¡­

    Emelia¡¯s face, which had become somewhat contemplative, passed by.

    It was then.

    ¡°Why? You want to treat him?¡±

    Lexion looked at me quietly and asked a question.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think poison would be too difficult.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no use.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t for that poison, he would have died anyway.¡±

    Lexion responded indifferently and wiped his lips with a napkin.

    It sounded so heartless.

    Besides, there was something suspicious about his words.

    ¡®He would have died if it wasn¡¯t for that poison anyway? It¡¯s like saying you already know that for sure.¡¯

    My heart started beating wildly.

    ¡°How does Zion know that?¡±

    When I asked in a trembling voice, Lexion stood tall and stopped.

    It was around the time when he had a troubled expression on his face for a moment.

    It was then that Theo came to the restaurant and said,

    ¡°Duke, you have a visitor. I said that you were on a break, but she was so reckless¡­¡±

    ¡°Come later¡­¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, Duke.¡±

    Before Lexion could finish his words, a woman popped in.

    I thought there was going to be a quarrel outside, but it seemed like she had come in.

    ¡°Mrs. Brandt.¡±

    Lexion called her in a stiff tone.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was very urgent, so I came to see you with this rudeness.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°That is¡­¡±

    Mrs. Brandt crouched, unable to continue her words.

    She glanced at me and then she suddenly fell to her knees.

    ¡°Please! Please save my son!¡±

    ¡°¡­Mrs. Brandt, this is difficult.¡±

    Lexion called her with a troubled face.

    I, too, looked at her in embarrassment.

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    The woman I saw in the past was a very noble lady.

    I seldom see her bending over, but she was kneeling at me.

    And to save her son.

    Although I could not fully understand the feelings of parents with a sick child, I seemed to have a vague understanding from her earnest eyes.

    She looked very urgent.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Just as I was about to open my mouth, Arnold walked in.

    He hurriedly bowed his head and apologized.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Duke. My wife must have lost her reason for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Honey¡­¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. What kind of crap is this? Even you were well aware that there is a limit to Esol¡¯s power.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Mrs. Brandt swallowed her tears.

    ¡®Yesterday, her son¡¯s condition got really bad.¡¯

    Hegel Brandt might die sooner that even she had lost her reason.

    ¡®But you can¡¯t save everyone.¡¯

    Esol¡¯s power was not infinite.

    Because life force is the healing power, the limit was set.

    ¡®I feel better after using Asta, but it would still be better not to do it.¡¯

    But ignoring it is a very guilty thing.

    But indiscreet favors are poison.

    In my life before the return, I was taken advantage of countless times.

    Even those who were grateful at first were angry that I did not treat them later.

    And they knew that my power was consuming my lifespan.

    ¡®The love of humanity almost ran out. I could have been a little contemplative at the thought that it wasn¡¯t my life, but¡­ It was hard though.¡¯

    Lexion grabbed my hand as if he had felt me hesitating implicitly.

    Then he quietly shook his head.

    ¡®It¡¯s like you read my mind.¡¯

    I turned away from them by lowering my head.

    While the Brandts disappeared, Lexion didn¡¯t say anything either.

    The next day, Emelia came to see me.

    I was bewildered by her sudden visit as she lowered herself.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ No. Is everything okay with Mrs. Brandt?¡±

    ¡°Yes. After she calmed down, she was very apologetic. My mother wanted to come, but she was lying down, so I came instead.¡±

    Emelia responded.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I couldn¡¯t help you.¡±

    She waved her hand when I apologized.

    ¡°No. On the contrary, thank you for refusing my mother¡¯s request.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Once you start, you¡¯ll end up doing it continuously in the future. You handled it well.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Her courageous answer rather amplified my regret.

    But Emelia frowned at my repeated apologies.

    ¡°Don¡¯t keep saying you¡¯re sorry. No one can blame you for turning down her request.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the power that gnaws at life. I¡¯m grateful just from my heart, so please don¡¯t be sorry anymore.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Thank you, Miss Brandt.¡±

    Her advice for me somehow made my heart flutter.

    She laughed bashfully and said.

    ¡°By the way, it¡¯s a pity that the tea party ended like that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there next time. If you invite me, I will go anytime.¡±

    ¡°I think it will be difficult for a while. My younger brother has been anxious lately, so it¡¯s hard to leave his side.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°I would like to ask you to come, but I can¡¯t.¡±

    Emelia shook her head and spoke brightly.

    The Emelia I knew was not here.

    Maybe I didn¡¯t know her properly before.

    She seemed like a kinder person than I thought.

    ¡°I understand. When it¡¯s okay, call me then.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Oh, and please feel free to call me Emelia. It¡¯s embarrassing that you keep calling me Miss Brandt.¡±

    She smiled softly.

    I just responded in amazement.

    ¡°Well then, please feel free to call me Tiarozety too.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Is that alright, Tiarozety?¡±

    ¡°Yes. E-Emelia.¡±

    ¡°Fufu. Then see you later. I can¡¯t be away for a long time.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Be careful, Emelia.¡±

    Emelia smiled cheerfully and left.

    She took off in her carriage as I had a blank expression on my face.

    Can I make friends with the people here?

    It was becoming a little more difficult to separate the previous life with this one, perhaps because I am much more free now than before the return.

    I didn¡¯t even know it was because the restrictions on my role had loosened, and the people approaching me had changed.

    ¡®This makes me feel like I¡¯m becoming the real Tiarozety.¡¯

    It was about time to laugh at such an absurd thought when Daisy, who was next to me, pricked up and called out.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety?¡±

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    I quickly shook my head.

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

 Chapter 54

    (3rd person pov)

    September 10, 408 in Athens.

    Another evil dragon attacked the capital.

    It had been about two months since the first raid.

    The capital, which had been nervous from previous events, began to tremble with anxiety once again.

    Fortunately, because the defense walls were strengthened, the evil dragon did not invade the capital as before, but it was enough to arouse fear in the citizens.

    The emperor asked with a frown.

    ¡°Have you contacted the Duke of Sparrow?¡±

    ¡°That¡­ There was no reply.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    The emperor asked sharply at the unexpected answer.

    ¡°Seeing that the communication itself is not working, it seems that the communication on the other end is broken.¡±

    The Marquis of Brittany, sweating profusely, looked into the Emperor¡¯s eyes.

    It had been a week since the raid occurred, but there was no movement from the Sparrow side.

    Everyone was puzzled because the Duke of Sparrow would normally send volunteers before they even contacted him when something happened in the capital.

    Nevertheless, the reason he insisted saying ¡®the communication on the other end was broken¡¯ was because he was such a trustworthy person.

    In addition, there was also a straw.

    The Marquis glanced at the emperor and muttered to himself.

    ¡®After kicking him out like that, I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re looking for the duke.¡¯

    However, the emperor, who did not know his true intentions, was expressing his uneasy feelings with a hardened face.

    At that time, the gatekeeper informed them that someone had come to the audience.

    ¡°Princess Seirin has come to visit.¡±

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    The door opened and Seirin entered.

    The emperor beckoned her to wait for a moment and ordered the marquis.

    ¡°Wait a little longer. If there still is no contact, send a messenger to Bael. Evil dragons are prowling around the capital, so hurry up and come to the Imperial Castle.¡±

    ¡°Currently, all roads to Bael are blocked. Hakun is the safest area¡­¡±

    The Marquis looked in trouble, unable to speak.

    A couple of months ago, requests for support from the Hakun area had come in, but they were ignored every time.

    It said that the Duke of Sparrow managed to prevent it from becoming fixed.

    However, it was said that it takes a lot of time for the area to revitalize as before because the human casualties are serious and the land has died out a lot.

    How would he react if the imperial knight asked you to open the waterway to Bael?

    ¡®I want to swear.¡¯

    The Marquis groaned and looked into the Emperor¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you finish speaking, Marquis Brittany?¡±

    ¡°Never mind. I¡¯ll do as you said.¡±

    ¡°Then get going.¡±

    At the emperor¡¯s order, the Marquis of Brittany slightly bowed down.

    While the marquis and the emperor were having a conversation, the maids prepared refreshments.

    After a while, when the emperor was seated at the table, Seirin came up to him and asked.

    ¡°Are you going to send someone to Bael?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t get in touch with the Duke of Sparrow, so I have no choice but to go there myself.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re out of touch with Duke Sparrow?¡±

    Seirin opened her eyes wide in surprise.

    The emperor responded by taking a sip of the tea.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s protesting because I sent him away like that.¡±

    ¡°There must be circumstances. He¡¯s not that kind of person.¡±

    Seirin spoke as if defending Lexion, then she took a cake and brought it to the Emperor¡¯s lips.

    ¡°Are you taking his side in front of me now? You¡¯re getting me upset, Seirin.¡±

    The emperor took the cake and ate it, revealing his discomfort.

    Seirin smiled lightly and opened her mouth.

    ¡°If the Duke of Sparrow is really protesting, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to send any messengers.¡±

    ¡°How dare he refuse me? If it¡¯s the imperial family, he should definitely come.¡±

    ¡°The Duke of Sparrow is not someone who would follow just because of intimidation.¡±

    In response to Seirin¡¯s strong reaction, the emperor put down the teacup.

    For a moment, the Emperor glanced at her, and then he murmured.

    ¡°Looking at you, you seem to have an idea.¡±

    At this, Seirin smiled softly and said.

    ¡°Still, the knights of the Imperial Palace are enough. I don¡¯t think you need to worry in advance.¡±

    ¡°The capital is the future of the empire, so we should be prepared for any possible danger.¡±

    ¡°Then how about doing this?¡±

    Seirin smiled bashfully, and she continued.

    ¡°I will go to Bael.¡±

    ¡°Yourself?¡±

    ¡°Yes. If it is true that he is really protesting, it would be better for the royal family to visit him in person.¡±

    ¡°You are right.¡±

    ¡°I will go and check the situation and see what he is thinking.¡±

    ¡°But if you go suddenly without a reason¡­¡±

    After the emperor hesitated, Seirin opened her mouth again.

    ¡°A long time ago, my friend in Bael would send me letters to come over to play. If I say I¡¯m on vacation to see my friend, there¡¯s nothing he can do to stop it.¡±

    ¡°The road ahead is still dangerous. If something goes wrong, what will this father do?¡±

    The emperor spoke in an affectionate tone.

    Seirin smiled at his warm gaze and said.

    ¡°If you¡¯re really worried, let brother Gregory go with me. He¡¯s friendly with Lord Lexion, so it¡¯ll be easier to convince him.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I will prepare for that.¡±

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    The emperor gave a satisfied smile and patted Seirin on the shoulder.

    * * *

    (1st person pov)

    Last night, Aiden arrived safely in Bael.

    He had come late in the evening, and it was not until morning that I found out he had returned.

    ¡°Sir Aiden!¡±

    I was happy to see Aiden and raised my voice.

    He knelt on one of his knees and opened his mouth.

    ¡°Aiden Maximus. Arrived safely.¡±

    ¡°Welcome, Sir Aiden. It must have been hard.¡±

    ¡°You seem to have cleared your mind while I was away, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    Aiden smirked, making a joke.

    At this, Daisy intervened.

    ¡°Can¡¯t the little girl do anything without Sir Aiden?¡±

    ¡°Miss Daisy has a new face expression I have never seen before. Were you worried about me?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    Aiden covered his ears as Daisy squawked.

    After a brief glance between the two of them, Aiden said with a smirk.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, Daisy.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Welcome, Aiden.¡±

    Daisy answered with a smirk.

    ¡®After all, I don¡¯t know if the two of you are already dating without me knowing.¡¯

    I glanced at the two who exuded a mysterious atmosphere and smiled bitterly.

    ¡°It¡¯s in full swing.¡±

    Aiden spoke.

    ¡°Miss, I have something to tell you.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°This time, a child named John and his mother also came to Bael.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    My eyes widened at the unexpected news.

    I thought he must have died.

    I was stunned and unable to say anything, but Aiden said.

    ¡°Well¡­ I thought he was dead too, but later I found out that he was still breathing.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡®Did he avoid death by purifying from Asta?¡¯

    The chance of a human being who had undergone magical transformation to that extent to survive was slim.

    So it must be clear that my power had an effect.

    ¡®Maybe he survived because of the book.¡¯

    I was relieved to hear the news of John¡¯s family, which had been burdening me the whole time.

    ¡°Did his brother come with? There was also a brother at the time.¡±

    ¡°His brother was already dead from the shock of a mutilated tongue.¡±

    ¡°¡­Ahh.¡±

    ¡°Actually, the Hakun area rejected them.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he the culprit behind the mess?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes. He thought he might be stoned to death if he stayed.¡±

    Aiden answered with a confused face.

    Whether it was by chance or it was inevitable that John became the host, it didn¡¯t matter to the victims.

    They just couldn¡¯t get out of the dreary reality, so they were looking for someone to curse at.

    ¡°Good job, Sir Aiden.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I saw earlier that he got to work in Sparrow Castle.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It seems that the Duke was also taking care of himself.¡±

    Aiden let out a big laugh and trembled softly.

    I said with a smile.

    ¡°Because the Duke is a kind person by nature.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? It seems that he is only kind to the young lady. He¡¯s a scary boss for me.¡±

    ¡°Ah, even if you say that, you respect him a lot.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha. That¡¯s true, but when I was suddenly asked to go to the capital, I wanted to withdraw.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I was going to go to the circus show I really wanted to see that day, but I was dragged away. Even now, I regret it. It was a tour for the first time in several years¡­¡±

    Aiden frowned at the thought of that time, and I felt sorry for him.

    ¡®It seems that the show you wanted to see is really true.¡¯

    Seeing Aiden grunting like a child, I smiled.

    Then he continued.

    ¡°It¡¯s still a mystery what nightmares he is having in the villa.¡±

    ¡°Nightmares?¡±

    I asked, surprised to hear that he had a nightmare at the villa.

    ¡®If it¡¯s a villa, are you talking about that day?¡¯

    As my expression grew serious, Aiden hurriedly explained.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t get me wrong. The duke is very healthy. Really.¡±

    He thought I was worried about Lexion, so he exaggeratedly talked about it.

    But that wasn¡¯t what surprised me.

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    ¡®Yes. If it was Aiden, they might have been together that day.¡¯

    I hurriedly grabbed Aiden and asked.

    ¡°Were you there that day at the villa because of the heavy snow?¡±

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55

    Hi! Since the previous translator dropped this, I will be continuing from where she left off cause I¡¯m really enjoying this novel

    Aiden blinked at my question.

    After a while he replied.

    ¡°Oh, I was in the villa that day.¡±

    ¡°Then maybe the day he had a nightmare ¡­ ¡­ .¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was that day. I was surprised when the Duke suddenly screamed.¡±

    Aiden muttered as if it were vivid.I was surprised at the remark and asked back.

    ¡°He screamed¡­?¡±

    Lexion, who rarely gets excited, wakes up screaming.

    ¡®What did you dream about¡­?¡¯

    ¡°Sir Aiden, do you happen to remember what the Duke shouted?¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­. I went there too late, so I only listened slightly. I don¡¯t remember exactly what he said.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡­¡±

    Aiden spoke up when I showed great disappointment.

    ¡°Oh! Chris might have heard it. He was the first to run to the Duke.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean Sir Chris Martin?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡®Chris Martin is a little uncomfortable¡­ ¡®

    He was the one who openly criticised me in my previous life.

    ¡®Without you, the Duke would not have suffered this kind of suffering.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t bother him anymore and leave the Sparrow Castle without further inconvenience. That¡¯s the best you can do.¡¯

    Chris regarded Lexion as an idol.

    He was even more loyal because he had a past in which he owed Lexion his life.

    It must have been terrible for a boss he respected to take up filth because of me alone.

    In the end, in the novel, I was shocked by his words and voluntarily went to the imperial family.

    When I was lost in thought, Aiden said.

    ¡°Are you concerned about the Duke¡¯s nightmare?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. A little bit.¡±

    ¡°Then shall I just ask Chris? What he heard that day?¡± Aiden suggested with a grin.

    I asked hesitantly.

    ¡°Would Sir Chris tell you?¡±

    Chris was a tight-lipped person when it came to Lexion.

    No matter how close Aiden and him were, it was unclear whether he would tell him that.

    As I expected, Aiden expressed reluctance.

    ¡°Yeah, he may not tell me because he¡¯s so tight-lipped.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it is¡­¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯ll give it a try!¡±

    Aiden answered bravely and tapped his chest as if to trust him alone.

    ***

    Some time after that.

    I ran into Chris while taking a walk with Max.

    Chris let out a shallow exclamation as soon as he saw me.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    With my eyes wide open, I hesitated and waved goodbye.

    Because we¡¯ve already recognised each other¡¯s faces.

    ¡°Ah, hello?¡±

    ¡°You must have been taking a walk.¡±

    Chris bowed his head and said hello.

    ¡°Yes. Max looks bored.¡±

    He glanced back at Max, and then he came closer and touched Max.

    ¡°This guy must have really liked Tiarozety. Seeing him respond graciously to the walk.¡±

    ¡°I gave him some dog treats and we got close quickly.¡±

    ¡°Oh my. I can¡¯t believe I just had to give you something to eat. Max, were you such an easy kid?¡±

    Chris tickled Max as if he was upset, and Max panted as he stuck out his stomach.

    After a while, Max, who couldn¡¯t stand the tickling, clings to my leg and calls for help.

    Because of that, the dress was covered with dirt.

    ¡°Oh! Max, come here.¡±

    Chris was surprised and tried to pull Max off.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. Just leave it alone.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please wipe it with this first.¡±

    Chris held out his handkerchief.

    I thanked him lightly and shook off the dirt with a handkerchief.

    After a moment of silence, Chris asked.

    ¡°Do you have any inconveniences during your stay?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no¡­ I¡¯m going to go ahead then.¡±

    Chris was startled and tried to run away.

    ¡®You just asked me how I was, right?¡¯

    After making a puzzled face at the unexpected behaviour, I called him quickly.

    ¡°Wait! Sir Chris!¡±

    He stopped and turned around.

    His eyes widened as if he was surprised by something.

    He opened his mouth.

    ¡°Did you know my name?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ I heard it from Sir Aiden.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±Chris nibbled at his lower lip as if he wanted to make a mistake.

    I also stared blankly at him too.

    I called him, but I didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡®Oh, right. There was that.¡¯

    After a moment¡¯s silence, I plucked up the courage to ask him.

    ¡°Do you have time?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Daisy said she was going to make lemon tarts. Would you like to eat with me?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Chris hesitated and nodded, scratching the back of his head.

    ¡°Oh, Sir Chris is here with you?¡±

    Daisy found Chris with me and asked.

    Chris nodded in greeting.

    ¡°Long time no see, Miss Daisy.¡±

    ¡°I ran into him on the way, so I brought him to eat lemon tarts together.¡±

    ¡°Great job. I made a lot of them, but I didn¡¯t know what to do because Sir Aiden couldn¡¯t come.¡±

    Daisy smiled and served lemon tarts and black tea on the table.

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    I offered him a seat, and served a lemon tart out on a plate.

    ¡°Daisy is very good.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Chris took the plate and took a bite of the lemon tart.

    There was no change in his expression, but it seemed to suit his taste when he ate it two or three more times.

    ¡®He used to love sweet food.¡¯

    I remembered it because Seirin and I often drank tea together.

    Seirin, a sociable person, took good care of him, who was blunt.

    ¡°Do you like it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s delicious.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, it doesn¡¯t seem like empty words. Have you already emptied the plate?¡±

    Daisy grinned and put another lemon tart on the plate.

    Chris pursed his lips in awkwardness.

    I stared at him like that.

    His curly red hair looked very fluffy.

    Even before swallowing, he took another bite and looked like a person who ate it sneakily.

    ¡°Eat slowly.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s my habit to eat quickly. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just saying it because I think you¡¯re going to have an upset stomach.¡±

    She gave him a cup of tea and smiled.

    It was already known that his appetite was enormous because of his childhood memories of starving.

    ¡°Daisy, pack Sir Chris the rest of the lemon tart.¡±

    ¡°Oh, shall we?¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Chris blinked at my command.

    Seeing his eyes sparkling, he must have wanted to eat more.

    Then Daisy whispered to me.

    ¡°Lady, ask him that.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡±

    Chris asked me as if he heard Daisy whispering.

    Maybe because he was full, he had a light smile on his lips.

    It¡¯s the right time to ask questions when you¡¯re happy with satiety, but somehow I hesitated to ask.

    As I hesitated, Daisy opened her mouth.

    ¡°Do you remember the day when you were stranded in the villa because of the heavy snow?¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°I heard the Duke was screaming that day.¡±

    ¡°He was.¡±

    Chris replied with a rather stiff face.

    Daisy asked more.

    ¡°What did he say? No, did you notice any strange signs that day?¡±

    ¡°Why are you curious about that?¡±

    Chris asked in a rather sharp tone.

    Perhaps the situation of digging behind Lexion¡¯s back was uncomfortable.

    Daisy rolled her eyes at Chris¡¯ sharp reaction.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­¡±

    I thought I couldn¡¯t, so I added more words.

    ¡°Actually, I heard something from Prince Gregory.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°The Duke entered the capital knowing in advance that the Esol disaster would occur.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the only survivor of Esol. I wonder how the Duke found out about it, and I think I have the right to know.¡±

    Chris lowered his eyes as I spoke calmly.

    He seemed to be troubled when I talked about being the only survivor.

    He thought for a moment and opened his mouth.

    ¡°There was nothing unusual about the Duke that day. But when he woke up at dawn, he was very excited.¡±

    ¡°Is it because of nightmares that he woke up early in the morning?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Out of nowhere, he yelled into the air and said that we should prepare to go to the capital as soon as the sun rises.¡±

    ¡°Into the air? Do you remember what he said?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    Chris was rolling his eyes as if he were pondering over his memories.

    ¡°Chris, what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Oh, my lord.¡±

    Chris jumped up and saluted when he found Lexion.

    Lexion approached and said,

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense and get going.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­I will. Excuse me, Miss Tiarozetti.¡±

    Chris glanced at me and then backed away.

    I looked at Lexion, who interrupted me at the crucial moment with a slightly disapproving look.

    ¡°You should have come a little later¡­¡±

    Lexion asked while gazing in my eyes.

    ¡°What were you talking about?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡±

    I replied, sighing helplessly.

    Lexion, who looked at me curiously, sat across from me.

    Daisy poured tea into the new teacup.

    He lightly savoured the tea and talked.

    ¡°I got a call from Greg.¡±

    ¡°The prince?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re going to arrive in Bael soon.¡±

    Gregory¡¯s coming to Bael?

    I asked with a puzzled look at the sudden news of his visit.

    ¡°What brings him to Bael¡­ ¡­what happened to the capital?¡±

    ¡°Well, he has a companion.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s with him?¡±

    ¡°Seirin Arden Werbel. She¡¯s coming with him.¡±

    Lexion took a sip of tea, spitting out her name indifferently.

    I can¡¯t believe Seirin and Gregory are coming together.

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    Does that mean that the novel is going to develop the next story?

    I jumped out of my seat thinking I should read the book.

    ¡°Titi?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got something I need to do urgently, so I should get going!¡±

    With those words, I left Lexion and hurried to my room.

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56

    As soon as I arrived in the room, I opened the book.

    In the book that I opened after a long time, the story was centered around Gregory.

    I quickly scanned the contents of the book.

    After a while.

    ¡°Are you really coming?¡±

    I cried out as I saw that it ended with Gregory having just boarded the ship via Hakun.

    As Lexion said, he was coming to Bael with Seirin.

    ¡®But what about sightseeing at this time? And from the capital to Bael.¡¯

    It was definitely a different development than before.

    Moreover, Gregory is said to have received an order from the emperor, but it was not written down what it was.

    Seirin was supposed to have made plans for her trip, saying she wanted to meet a friend in Bael.

    If it were her friend, it would probably be Emilia.

    ¡®I was supposed to come here for an engagement, but the purpose of her visit changed as I became the main character.¡¯

    Lexion followed me into the room as I stared blankly at the book.

    ¡°Titi.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Without realizing it, I hid the book behind me.

    His gaze rested on the book for a moment and then held out something.

    ¡°This fell off.¡±

    It was a hairpin.

    It must have fallen on my way when I came here in a hurry.

    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Going off in such a hurry.¡±

    As I thanked him, he asked, glancing behind me.

    I shook my head in response.

    ¡°Oh, I just couldn¡¯t remember the scriptures all of a sudden, so I came here out of curiosity.¡±

    ¡°Bland.¡±

    As I was about to get the hairpin back, he raised his hand.

    ¡°Zion?¡±

    ¡°Stay still. I¡¯ll do it for you.¡±

    He came close to me and swept my hair back.

    Then he carefully positioned it and inserted the pin.

    I didn¡¯t know where to look, so I bit my lower lip tightly.

    Then Lexion whispered softly.

    ¡°Titi, what do you think of Gregory?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Why are you asking about Gregory all of a sudden?

    When I looked at him puzzled, he added cautiously.

    ¡°Because Greg is coming, your expression changed.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    Because he¡¯s the main character of this novel.

    I was just worried that it might cause an accident.

    I hesitated, unable to answer.

    It was then.

    Suddenly the alarm went off in the book.

    ¨C The preview has arrived!

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    Why did a preview show up at this timing?

    I glanced up at Lexion.

    He still seemed to be waiting for my answer.

    In the meantime, the book spread out in front of me and began to recite the preview.

    [Gregory Aden Wexler arrives at Bael with Seirin Aden Verbel.

    Seeing the friendly appearance of Lexion and Seirin, Tiarozety falls into depression and Gregory comforts her.

    After a while, a party is held to welcome them in Bael¡­]

    This stage seems to be a love front.

    Although Tiarozety¡¯s unrequited love position was continued, it seemed like a plot to deepen her emotional line with Gregory.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be involved with Gregory at the party.¡¯

    I frowned at the thought of being a nuisance.

    Then Lexion opened his mouth.

    ¡°Titi.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    It was only then that I realized that I had been thinking about something else in front of him.

    He asked me what I thought about Gregory.

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    ¡°I just remembered being teased last time. I don¡¯t have any particular feelings.¡±

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    Somehow, it became an excuse.

    Then Lexion opened his mouth.

    ¡°Then can I ask you one more question?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°What do I mean to you?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have any feelings, like Gregory?¡±

    Lexion asked me, looking me in the eye.

    The distance was still close.

    I don¡¯t know how to deal with him when he comes in like this.

    But I didn¡¯t want to hurt him either.

    I quietly made up my mind and answered.

    The only truth I can tell you right now.

    ¡°You are a precious person.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°As you can see, Lexion is my benefactor. I¡¯m very grateful that you accepted me as a person who has nowhere to go.¡±

    Lexion¡¯s eyes shook shallowly.

    After a while, he asked quietly.

    ¡°Does that mean I¡¯ve become your place to go back to?¡±

    ¡°Yes? A place to go back to?¡±

    ¡°I asked if Bael was a comfortable place to stay.¡±

    Lexion¡¯s question was very abstract.

    I thought carefully about his intentions.

    Then suddenly, I remembered that everyone asked me if I was okay with living here.

    Lexion asked with a bashful smile and I wondered if it was an extension of that.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

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    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I like Bael.¡±

    Lexion¡¯s eyes shook violently at my answer.

    He licked his lips, unable to speak.

    Curious about that, I slowly tilted my head and looked at him.

    He was smiling.

    ¡°Zion?¡±

    ¡°I see. Thank God.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s good about it?¡±

    Are you just saying things that I can¡¯t understand today?

    When I asked a question with a skeptical face, he grinned and replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad this place is restful to you.¡±

    ¡°Lexion is bland too.¡±

    ¡°Titi, I guess I learned from you.¡±

    ¡°Now you even blame others.¡±

    He laughed out loud as I pouted my lips.

    I liked to see him smiling, so I floundered.

    ***

    After a while, Gregory and his party arrived at Bael.

    Lexion welcomed them.

    ¡°Welcome, Greg.¡±

    ¡°New faces I haven¡¯t seen before, have you?¡±

    Gregory smirked at Lexion and patted him on the shoulder.

    Seirin, who was next to Gregory, greeted lightly.

    ¡®Thank you, Sir Lexion, for gladly letting me come when I said I would come suddenly.¡±

    ¡°No. You worked hard to come, Princess.¡±

    When Lexion responded politely, Seirin hesitated.

    Gregory turned his face to me and asked.

    ¡°Hi, lady¡±

    ¡°Hello¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, I guess you¡¯re not very happy to see me.¡±

    ¡°No way.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your face?¡±

    Gregory asked, poking me in the face.

    It seemed that I was caught in my act.

    As I tried to back off in disgust, Lexion grabbed him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that to anyone. It¡¯s very rude of you.¡±

    ¡°Why, it¡¯s best to see handsome faces up close. Isn¡¯t that right, miss?¡±

    Gregory asked, asking for consent, but I shook my head vigorously.

    Gregory then smacked his lips and stepped back completely.

    ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°The place where you two will stay is the Villa of Sparrow. Oscar will guide you.¡±

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    ¡°What? It¡¯s not your usual castle?¡±

    Seirin¡¯s eyes widened as she was surprised to hear that it was a villa.

    I also looked at Lexion in wonder.

    It was quite a long distance from the castle.

    To the extent that we hardly ever run into each other even while walking.

    Lexion replied lightly.

    ¡°In the case of the castle, the knights often train, so I decided to take you somewhere quiet because it would be noisy.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to¡­ ¡­¡±

    Seirin murmured with a regretful face.

    Gregory said with a big smile.

    ¡°It would be nice if it was a villa. He¡¯s very considerate, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Then where should I go to meet Sir Lexion?¡±

    Seirin asked with a face full of strength.

    Lexion¡¯s gaze turned to her.

    ¡°If you had contacted me in advance, I would have omitted the schedule¡­ ¡­but as you can see, you suddenly came, so I couldn¡¯t postpone the schedule.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Seirin sighed in embarrassment.

    Lexion continued.

    ¡°If you want to go sightseeing, feel free to ask Oscar. He will give you a good look at the geography here.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Seirin muttered without hiding her disappointment.

    I was puzzled by Lexion¡¯s words

    ¡®I¡¯m sure you said you got a call from Gregory the other day¡­¡¯

    In addition, Lexion¡¯s attitude toward Seirin was very cold.

    It was a businesslike tone, as if to draw a line and warn her not to cross over.

    As if Seirin felt it too, her expression was very dark.

    Gregory also took a quick look at Lexion as if he had noticed something strange.

    However, seeing that he was not questioning whether he had contacted him in advance, it seemed like he was planning to wait and see.

    Then Seirin¡¯s gaze then turned to me.

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    As I stared blankly at her, she pointed at me and said.

    ¡°What about you, Miss Tiarozety?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Is Miss Tiarozety staying at the villa?¡±

    ¡°No, she¡¯s staying in the castle.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°If you ask why¡­¡±

    As if Lexion had been asked a ridiculous question, he did not continue to speak.

    At this time, Oscar, who was watching the situation, spoke.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety has a chronic illness, so she has been assigned to the castle where servants are always on standby ¡°

    ¡°¡­¡­Illness?¡±

    ¡°Yes. In addition, counseling treatment is being conducted at the same time due to the aftermath of the Esol disaster, so we are inevitably taking care of her in the castle.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°On the contrary, the villa has just been built, so it¡¯s more pleasant than the castle. I¡¯ll keep an eye on you, Princess, in case there¡¯s any inconvenience.¡±

    Seirin was silenced by Oscar¡¯s kind explanation.

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    Having said that, she couldn¡¯t express her dissatisfaction.

    The atmosphere was quite cold.

    Seirin clasped her arms without saying a word.

    Gregory clapped his hands to see if he wanted to change the atmosphere and said cheerfully.

    ¡°Okay. Whether it¡¯s the castle or the villa, what does that matter? Rather than that, why don¡¯t we have a party to celebrate our arrival?¡±

 Chapter 57

    ¡®It¡¯s just like the preview.¡¯

    I just stared blankly at Gregory¡¯s remarks.

    Whether I speak or not, the scheduled event itself cannot be thwarted.

    Seirin livened up by the word party.

    ¡°Oh, that would be great. Just to greet the nobles living in Bael.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. A party is the best way to get close. Don¡¯t you think so, Lexion?¡±

    Gregory shuddered and tapped Lexion on the shoulder.

    Seeing him squint his eyes, he seemed to be asking him not to go any further.

    After all, if it¡¯s the princess¡¯s request, he would be nervous that she would continue to make a fuss.

    Then Lexion sighed and talked.

    ¡°All right. If you let me know the date you want, I¡¯ll arrange the party.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Lord Lexion.¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    ¡°Then can I ask you for one more thing? To be precise, it is a request to Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°What¡­?¡±

    Lexion blurted out when my name was mentioned.

    Then Seirin smiled brightly at me and said,

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m a little shy. I¡¯d like Miss Tiarozety to attend to me for a while.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you have a maid with you?¡± Moreover, Tiarozety is not a servant.¡±

    ¡°Oh, to be exact, I meant I needed a friend to talk to. I just need you to drink tea with me¡­can¡¯t you?¡±

    Seirin asked with a gentle glance.

    It was burdensome to look at Lexion and her alternately.

    ¡®Was Seirin always this tactless?¡¯

    She was considerate of me in that it was a request, not an order.

    She¡¯s trying to make it impossible to say no.

    ¡®Well, Seirin is also a member of the royal family. It is only natural that there is no hesitation in making such a request.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it if you don¡¯t mind.¡±

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    I did not want Lexion to be in trouble any longer, so I readily agreed.

    At this, Seirin smiled bashfully and held my hand tightly.

    ¡°Thank you, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    ***

    Since that day, tea time with Seirin has almost become my daily routine.

    When I went to her villa, Seirin was busy taking care of everything.

    For example, it¡¯s like this.

    ¡°The tea smells very good. What kind of scent do you like?¡±

    ¡°I like savory scents.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a savory scent¡­¡­so Julie tea from the Kingdom of Langte would be palatable. Betty, bring Julie¡¯s tea.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Princess.¡±

    A blonde maid named Betty gave out Julie tea after being ordered.

    ¡°Go ahead and drink it. If it suits your taste, I¡¯ll order a maid and send it to Miss Tiarozety¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, do you feel pressured because it¡¯s expensive tea leaves? Tea is supposed to be drunk with good leaves. Don¡¯t turn down my sincerity.¡±

    As I am of a minority race, She seemed to think that my experiences and social literacy would be limited.

    ¡®While I was in the imperial family, I already ran through all the expensive tea leaves.¡¯

    In the past, when I was living in the Imperial Palace.

    I remember being despised by Kronos for not being able to distinguish a single tea leaf.

    ¡®If you¡¯re going to look like a lowly race, get out of here. A good for nothing that lives off the royal family, believing in one small power.¡¯

    Maybe Kronos¡¯ mouth was made of a rag. If it wasn¡¯t for that, he wouldn¡¯t be able to say such harsh words to people¡¯s faces.

    In comparison, Seirin was an angel.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll drink it well, Princess.¡±

    In the end, I was given a bag of Julie¡¯s tea as a gift that day.

    Today, Seirin went to meet Emelia, so I was enjoying my time alone after a long time.

    ¡°How are you, Lady?¡±

    ¡°Ah, prince.¡±

    Now the siblings are interfering with my rest in pairs.

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    Gregory sat in front of me and thrust his face with his chin propped when I showed little welcome.

    ¡°What are you doing alone?¡±

    ¡°Just meditation.¡±

    ¡°Meditation¡­ I guess you¡¯re upset, too. You meditated all of a sudden.¡±

    I¡¯m nervous because I don¡¯t know when the preview will tie me up with you.

    If you don¡¯t train your mind, you might be flustered and swayed.

    But I secretly changed the subject while hiding my true intentions.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying ¡®too¡¯ too, I think the Prince is upset, not me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I got caught.¡±

    Gregory patted the back of his head as if embarrassed.

    And he said-

    ¡°This is, somehow, it¡¯s kind of hard to hide something in front of young lady.¡±

    No, it¡¯s not.

    I quickly stood up as it seemed that Gregory was trying to send a comment dedicated to the male protagonist, such as, ¡®I think you¡¯re something special.¡¯

    ¡°Oh, I see. Why is the prince upset?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What is it?¡±

    Gregory¡¯s eyes sparkled with wonder.

    I gave a sly answer.

    ¡°Just by looking at his face, he looked bored to death. Maybe it¡¯s because there¡¯s no woman.¡±

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    ¡°¡­That¡¯s ridiculous. Do you think I¡¯m bored to death when I don¡¯t have a girl?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t speak with your eyes, miss.¡±

    Gregory grunted like a ghost, grasping the meaning of my silence.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°The attitude of the apologist is very disrespectful.¡±

    ¡°Sorry! Prince! How dare I come to Arden¡¯s glorious descendants¡­ Urp!¡±

    ¡°Shh. Why don¡¯t you be quiet? Who do you want to see embarrassed to death, miss?¡±

    Gregory hated it when I apologized loudly and exaggeratedly. He covered my mouth with his hand, so I couldn¡¯t continue.

    After a while, Gregory let me go, frowned and protested.

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    ¡°Why are you so hard on me, miss? You were a gentle sheep in front of Lexion.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because Zion and the Prince are different.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference? After all, I saved your life too.¡±

    Gregory grumbled with a slightly disappointed face.

    ¡®I know. Why did I happen to like Lexion?¡¯

    I just couldn¡¯t answer and smiled bitterly.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking? What¡¯s the difference?¡±

    Gregory grilled persistently, and I uttered nothing.

    ¡°Well, your hair color is different. Oh, different eyes, different facial features¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you kidding me, miss?¡±

    ¡°Haha. Why do you keep asking? People are embarrassed.¡±

    As I tried to cover it up with a laugh, Gregory pulled his upper body back and leaned on the back of the chair.

    ¡°Oh my, Don¡¯t talk.¡±

    He seemed to have given up.

    But for a moment, Gregory said, tilting his upper body again.

    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m bored. Do you want to go out?¡±

    Ring-

    At that moment, the book was activated and a loud notification sounded.

    ¨C Surprise mission! Let¡¯s suggest a boat ride for the bored Prince Gregory. The details follow below.

    With these words, the book opened a guide window.

    I skimmed it without Gregory¡¯s knowledge.

    [Event Location: Tier River, famous for the river that never freezes. Event reward: Expansion of the love front with Gregory]

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    Boating in this weather.

    Besides, the reward isn¡¯t a reward.

    The Tier River doesn¡¯t freeze, so it wasn¡¯t impossible at all.

    Nevertheless, the reason why I did not readily consent was because the place was on the water.

    ¡®You¡¯re not going to throw me into the river for the sake of love lines. That¡¯s very difficult.¡¯

    When I shot the book hard, the guide said,

    ¨C Hurry up and say yes! The main mission will be penalized for rejection.

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    I said reluctantly.

    ¡°¡­Do you like boating, Prince?¡±

    ¡°Going on a boat? In this weather?¡±

    Gregory asked back with a look of bewilderment.

    Indeed, it would have been ridiculous to ask him to go boating in Bael, which is cold 365 days a year.

    ¡®That¡¯s what I want to say to the book. What a sight to go boating in this weather. Really, the method of developing.¡¯

    I don¡¯t know why I had to convince Gregory, but I had no choice but to listen because it threatened me with a penalty.

    I hesitated and added an explanation.

    ¡°It¡¯s a sunny day for Bael. Besides, it won¡¯t be too cold because there are magic tools on the yacht.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, boating¡­ where are you going?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a river called the River Tier that doesn¡¯t freeze. The water was so clear that I couldn¡¯t tell the difference between the sky and the river, and it felt like I was in the sky.¡±

    ¡°It must be your favorite place. Seeing that you¡¯re talking a lot.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    There wasn¡¯t a place in Bael that I didn¡¯t like.

    The only time in my first life that was like a light was all the days in Bael.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re bored, I was just trying to suggest an unusual activity.¡±

    As I continued with what I had said, Gregory replied with a smirk.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Then he jumped up and held out his hand.

    The light gesture seemed a little exhilarating as if it was a butterfly.

    I pressed his hand gently and said.

    ¡°The escort is fine.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this? This is my pleasure. Don¡¯t take away my pleasure, young lady.¡±

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    Gregory grabbed my hand with those words and started escorting me.

    He was a reckless and unruly prince.

    It was not polite to take the hand back, so I was quick to give up.

    I let out a deep sigh behind his back.

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    ¡®Yeah, let¡¯s just think of it as work. It¡¯s like a business trip where you can go back home once you¡¯ve completed your given tasks steadily.¡¯

    After a while, the book guided me.

    ¨C Since you accepted the date, you enter the main stage of the male and female protagonists. We have prepared a simple event for dramatic effect, so stay tuned.

    ¡®Hmph, I don¡¯t need it.¡¯

    I lightly ignored the words of the book and headed for the River Tier.

 Chapter 58

    ¡°Welcome, Seirin.¡±

    Emelia welcomed Seirin into the castle.

    ¡°Long time no see, Emelia.¡±

    Seirin smiled and delivered the gift to a maid close to Emelia.

    When they arrived at the terrace, Emelia apologized with her hands together.

    ¡°Sorry for the late invitation. I heard you were here, but I¡¯ve been so distracted lately¡­.¡±

    Emilia murmured her words and glanced at Seirin.

    Fortunately, there was no sign of disappointment on her face.

    Seirin responded with a soft smile on her face.

    It was a tone mixed with concern for the other person.

    ¡°No, I heard that your brother is sick. How is he now?¡±

    ¡°The fever doesn¡¯t go away. At least Uji mushrooms are effective¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Ha, I¡¯m out of my mind. My mother was lying in bed at the same time, so the atmosphere in the castle was chaotic.¡°

    Emelia replied with a bitter smile.

    There was no vitality in her expression as if she was suffering.

    Seirin gently held Emilia¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Emelia, you must be having a hard time.¡±

    ¡°No, thankfully, the fever went down and I was relieved.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Ah! There¡¯s a fever-relieving herb in the gift I just brought. I hope it helps.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Seirin.¡±

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    Emelia shook her hands with an emotional expression.

    After a while, various refreshments were served on the table.

    The conversation between Seirin and Emelia was also about to ripen.

    Just in time, the maid poured Julie¡¯s tea, and Seirin muttered involuntarily.

    ¡°Oh, Julie¡¯s tea.¡±

    Emelia responded when a dry voice spat out.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s my favorite tea these days. Why? You don¡¯t like this?¡±

    ¡°Tiarozety also said she liked it.¡±

    ¡°Really? Then we should send some tea leaves to Tiarozety.¡±

    Emelia whispered to the maid with those words.

    Seirin felt unfamiliar with Emelia, who naturally called Tiarozety¡¯s name.

    She watched the scene silently and opened her mouth.

    ¡°You must be close to Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we¡¯ve gotten closer lately. Actually, I¡¯ve often received letters of regard since she found out about Hegel. That¡¯s why we keep in touch every once in a while.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m grateful. It¡¯s not easy to send a letter every time.¡±

    Emelia replied, with a soft smile.

    She couldn¡¯t tell if there were a lot of new things she hadn¡¯t seen, or if it was limited to Tiarozety.

    Seirin was a little uncomfortable about it but refused to show it.

    However, at Emelia¡¯s next words, she couldn¡¯t control her expression.

    ¡°And she may soon become a duchess.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Seirin was startled and put the teacup down loudly.

    Thanks to that, the tea water leaked out of the teacup.

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    ¡°I¡¯ll come back.¡±

    The lady-in-waiting changed the cup.

    Seirin¡¯s eyes widened, stiff in that position.

    ¡°Duchess? Who?¡±

    This was unexpected.

    Seirin tried to control her emotions while biting her lower lip, but it didn¡¯t work out.

    At that time, Emelia put her index finger to her mouth, as if she was in a hurry.

    ¡°Oh, please keep this a secret. It hasn¡¯t been officially announced yet.¡±

    ¡®Am I excited to meet a friend after a long time?¡¯

    Emelia was perplexed at herself as she recounted even unnecessary information.

    Seirin finally calmed down and asked a question.

    ¡°Duchess. You don¡¯t mean the Duchess of Sparrow do you?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no other duke other than the Duke of Sparrow in Bael.¡°

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    Seirin couldn¡¯t react, only her lips twitched.

    The information came from Marquis Brandt, the chairman of the Presbyterian House of the Sparrow.

    It can¡¯t be a lie.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    ¡°At first, I thought it was nonsense. But when I saw the two of them together, I realized it was true.¡±

    Emelia smiled with her chin on her hands.

    She didn¡¯t seem to notice that Seirin¡¯s expression hardened.

    Until now, fatigue has accumulated due to Hegel¡¯s medical care, so she has not been able to carefully observe other people¡¯s emotions.

    Seirin grabbed the hem of her dress.

    At the same time, she asked as if nothing had happened.

    ¡°Why? Where were the two of them like?¡±

    ¡°The Duke seemed to cherish Tiarozety very much. What¡¯s more¡­¡±

    Emelia, who was about to tell her that Lexion had already been dumped once, stopped for a moment.

    It was too private, so she thought she should not say any more.

    ¡°No. This seems like a lot of gossip. It might be a bit odd to talk in a place where the party involved is not here.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Mmmm, nothing. By the way, you¡¯re having a party?¡±

    Emelia shifted the subject in a subtle way.

    It meant that she was not going to discuss this topic any further.

    Seirin was more curious about Lexion and Tiarozety than about parties, but she couldn¡¯t show it.

    Because that wasn¡¯t elegant at all.

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    ¡®I can¡¯t believe Tiarozety as the Duchess. What¡¯s wrong with this¡­¡­is Lexion finally going crazy?¡¯

    Seirin could not understand Lexion.

    It wasn¡¯t like him at all.

    ***

    Perhaps because the weather was sunny, there was less bitter wind than usual around the Tier River.

    Gregory burst into laughter as I waddled up and approached him, wriggling around in a tight fit.

    ¡°Are you cosplaying as a snowman, miss?¡±

    ¡°Daisy is overprotective.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean overprotective, miss?¡±

    Daisy jumped up and denied.

    However, anyone would think her remarks were a lie if they saw my appearance.

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    As Gregory said, I was as white as a snowman.

    The hats, gloves, mufflers, and coats were all covered in white.

    ¡°Hold my hand, don¡¯t fall into the river for no reason.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need¡­¡±

    ¡°Oho, you¡¯re so heavy that you can¡¯t even keep your balance¡­.. If you keep rejecting it, I can carry you in my arms, miss.¡±

    Gregory threatened and waved.

    After reuniting in Bael, he often spat out comments like that, but it was very uncomfortable.

    ¡®What the hell is wrong with him?¡¯

    I looked at him suspiciously but Daisy agreed with him.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. No matter how nice the weather is, the water in the Tier is very cold. It¡¯s safer to ride hand in hand.¡±

    Indeed, I thought it would be better to hold his hand than to trip and fall into the river for no reason.

    I gently grabbed Gregory¡¯s hand and boarded the boat.

    When I sat down on the boat, the boat swayed shallowly.

    After a while, the boatman rowed slowly .

    ¡°Have a safe trip, miss.¡±

    Daisy waved from the shore.

    There was only me, Gregory, and the boatman on board.

    A magic stone was installed inside the ship to block the cold wind and add warmth.

    I stared quietly at the river.

    The River Tier was always clear and clean.

    As it was clear to the sky, the boundary between the river and the sky was blurred to form a spectacular view.

    ¡®You¡¯re still pretty, aren¡¯t you?¡¯

    After coming to Bael, the weather was so bad that I couldn¡¯t come to the River Tier.

    The River Tier, which I saw for the first time in a while, was the same as before.

    ¡®I wanted to come with Lexion ¡­ but the book has taken his lead role.¡¯

    Somehow I felt disgusted and glared at the book.

    The book was active and floating around the ship.

    Then Gregory opened his mouth.

    ¡°As you said, it¡¯s like floating in the sky.¡±

    ¡°But don¡¯t jump into the river, Prince.¡±

    ¡°What do you take me for, young lady?¡±

    Gregory narrowed his eyes and expressed dissatisfaction.

    I shrugged and smiled bashfully.

    ¡°I see you as the prince.¡±

    ¡°I mean, that¡¯s very disrespectful¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because you hate it when I treat you respectfully. If you want me to be polite from now on, I will.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll refuse. I like it now.¡±

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    Gregory grinned and dipped his hand into the river.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s cold. It¡¯s really cold. It¡¯s like ice.¡±

    ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t jump into the river¡­¡±

    ¡°To be honest, my beauty reflected in the river was so bright that¡­¡±

    Gregory made sly remarks and kept smiling.

    I pulled back my upper body with a frown.

    It was then.

    The boatman was surprised by the sudden appearance of the fish and turned the boat sharply.

    ¡°Uwa!¡±

    Along with that, I stumbled sharply.

    Then Gregory grabbed my forearm and held it in place.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s not me who falls into the water, but the young lady.¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±

    As expected, we should not let our guard down on the water.

    I rolled my eyes with embarrassment.

    Then Gregory opened his mouth.

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m afraid of water.¡±

    Contrary to the words he spat, it was a calm tone.

    ¡°What? Really?¡±

    When I asked him back, he laughed.

    ¡°Yeah. There was a time when I almost died from drowning. To be honest, I¡¯m still scared, so I keep talking.¡±

    Gregory¡¯s hand trembled slightly as he said that.

    ¡®If I had known, I would have asked the book to change it to something other than a boating event.¡¯

    I looked at him blankly and cautiously suggested.

    ¡°Shall we go back?¡±

    I didn¡¯t know you were afraid of water.

    In the first place, he was a supporting actor, so the information I knew was very limited.

    Gregory shook his head at my question.

    ¡°No, since you¡¯re here, you should stay a little longer.¡±

    ¡°You said you were scared.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m used to always being in scary situations.¡±

    Gregory smiled bitterly and let go of my forearm.

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    It made me a little sad, so I grabbed his hand without realizing it.

    ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Would it be less scary if you held my hand?¡±

    ¡°¡­. ¡­.¡±

    It was a bit of a bummer.

    ¡°It may not be very reassuring, but I thought I¡¯d feel a little better if I thought I had someone next to me.¡±

    I murmured in a faltering voice and turned my head away.

    My heart was so sympathetic towards him that I acted recklessly

    Because I, too, have been terrified ever since I came to this world.

    And whenever that happened, Lexion held my hand, so I was relieved.

    With that thought in mind, I held his hand.

    Then Gregory grabbed my hand tightly.

    I looked at him in surprise and he kissed me gently on the back of my hand.

    His green eyes stared intently at me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be in trouble if you keep doing this, miss.¡±

    ¡°What, what are you doing now¡­¡±

    I was suddenly kissed on my hand, so I widened my eyes and pursed my lips.

    Gregory said with a smirk.

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    ¡°What should I do? I keep liking you.¡±

    PS. Hegel is Emelia¡¯s younger brother mentioned in ch 52 and 53

 Chapter 59

    Gregory clasped my hand with those words.

    A relaxed smile filled his lips.

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    I remained silent, unable to say anything.

    For a moment, I thought he was serious, but I quickly changed my mind at the words that followed.

    ¡°You¡¯re excited right now, right?

    That¡¯s right.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t play such a game, My Prince.¡±

    Gregory smirked as I responded with a straight face.

    This also seems to have been spewed out in fear.

    ¡°You¡¯re so firm. Usually, this is how I do it.¡±

    ¡°Then act like that to the person you¡¯re passing by¡­ I was embarrassed.¡±

    He shrugged when I pressed his hand lightly.

    ¡°So why are you holding my hand? It makes my heart flutter.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it to make you excited.¡±

    ¡°I know. You like Lexion. Right?¡±

    Gregory tilted his head to his side and glanced at me.

    I was startled and brought my index finger to my mouth.

    ¡°¡­Be quiet! The boatman will listen.¡±

    Gregory began to laugh coolly as I exclaimed.

    I bit my lower lip because it was obvious that he was trying to tease me.

    How could he laugh so much?

    Gregory spoke in a calm tone.

    ¡°Last time. I think I went a little too far. I apologize, miss.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    I stared at him suddenly apologizing.

    Then he added an explanation.

    ¡°I told you not to like him. I told you to give up because Lexion is Seirin¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it, I wondered what right I had to say that to you.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°The most important thing is how you and Lexion feel.¡±

    Gregory smiled like a child.

    It seemed a little naive, so I laughed along.

    At the same time, I felt like something blocked was opening up.

    Gregory was right.

    The most important thing is my and Lexion¡¯s feelings. Why did I overlook that?

    ¡®Maybe it was because I was scared.¡¯

    ¡°Prince.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Gregory replied indifferently, splashing his fingers in the river again.

    I stared at my reflection in the river without a word.

    Can I show my heart honestly?

    If I did, the whole world might interfere.

    Perhaps the moment I choose, a difficult journey may begin.

    Still, can I show my love for Lexion?

    Can I be greedy one more time?

    Gregory called and stared at me, who didn¡¯t say anything.

    I slowly opened my mouth.

    For some reason, my voice trembled slightly.

    ¡°Can I like Lexion?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    Gregory paused, then removed his hand from the river and wiped it with a handkerchief.

    Then, I thought he stared at me for a while before answering seriously.

    ¡°Do you need my permission?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, but¡­¡±

    ¡°No one can control people¡¯s hearts as they please.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°How can you hide the feelings of your heart? I can see it as a third party¡­ you guys like each other. Don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Gregory¡¯s direct answer gave me a shallow exclamation.

    Gregory knew it too.

    That Lexion likes me.

    But it wasn¡¯t as simple a problem as he thought.

    Because this was a declaration similar to changing the male lead.

    The male protagonist chosen by the book was Gregory.

    But Lexion was the only male lead I wanted.

    From that point on, the tragedy had already begun.

    Gregory, who did not know my thoughts, calmly added.

    ¡°If you are trying to hide your feelings for fear that Lexion will be harmed because of your status, don¡¯t worry. Because he hasn¡¯t cared about that kind of thing before.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t just because of that, but his words were quite comforting.

    A short silence passed between us after that.

    It wasn¡¯t an uncomfortable silence, but rather comfortable.

    When the boat reached shore, Gregory got off first and reached out to me.

    This time, I did not refuse, but immediately held his hand and landed on the ground.

    ¡°Thank you, Prince.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±

    Gregory grinned and backed away.

    Then Daisy came up to me and asked.

    ¡°Did you enjoy your boat ride, miss?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It was okay.¡±

    I glanced at Gregory and answered brightly.

    Contrary to expectations, there were no significant risks to boating.

    The book stopped activating and disappeared as soon as we got off the ship.

    ***

    After a while, the date of the banquet was fixed.

    The welcoming ceremony of Princess Seirin and Prince Gregory was scheduled to be held at Sparrow Castle on the following weekend.

    Because of that, Seirin blatantly called me out to prepare a dress.

    ¡°Thank you again for today, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°No, do you have any more places to go?¡±

    ¡°Oh, is there a tie specialty store near here?¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about neckties?¡±

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    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I know one store.¡±

    Then Daisy broke into our conversation.

    I asked Daisy because she was talking to me.

    ¡°Is it close to here?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Would you like to go?¡±

    ¡°What shall we do, Princess?¡±

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Seirin grinned and readily agreed.

    In response, the carriage headed to a tie specialty store, not the Sparrow villa.

    When I entered the store, ties made of various fabrics were displayed by type.

    It also featured stick pins and clips for ties, as well as boutonnieres and pocket handkerchiefs.

    The princess moved toward the ties, and as I followed her casually, I saw something and stopped.

    ¡®Oh, I think this will look good on Lexion.¡¯

    It was a luxurious cufflink that looked like it was made of platinum.

    Lately, there have been many times when Lexion doesn¡¯t wear a tie.

    Because it was a cold day, he used to wear a turtleneck underneath his shirt.

    It was a moment when I casually tried to pick up the cufflink.

    Seirin poked out her face and asked.

    ¡°Who are you going to give it to as a gift?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    For a moment, like someone caught doing something bad, I was startled and dropped the cufflink.

    A clear noise echoed through the store.

    Daisy quickly grabbed it and held it out.

    As I kept the cufflink in my hand and kept silent, Seirin said.

    ¡°Are you going to give it to Gregory?¡±

    ¡°What? It¡¯s not like that¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to hide it. I heard that you went boating with Gregory the other day. When did you two get so close?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    ¡°I thought the atmosphere was somehow unusual during tea time with the Corte Royals¡­¡±

    Seirin talked without even listening to me.

    I didn¡¯t want to hear it, so I said firmly.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±

    Seirin¡¯s eyes widened.

    Then she said with a loud laugh.

    ¡°¡­Okay. Why do you have to be so serious?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    I bowed my head in a hurry.

    After a while, Seirin changed the subject.

    ¡°By the way, how do you like this tie? Would it suit Sir Lexion?¡±

    What she showed was a navy tie.

    The checkered pattern came out very well.

    When asked if it would suit Lexion, I questioned her involuntarily.

    ¡°Was it for the Duke?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. I usually give a tie to my partner.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s your partner¡­¡±

    When did the two of you decide to partner?

    Come to think of it, I heard that Seirin asked Lexion for a meeting last time.

    ¡®Did you decide to be a partner then?¡¯

    Somehow, I felt down because it was a story that was so depressing.

    Then Seirin spoke lightly.

    ¡°He was supposed to be my partner at this party. Actually, it feels good because I was a little disappointed that I didn¡¯t have a partner the last time I debuted.¡°

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not saying this out of spite against Miss Tiarozety that time, you know?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±

    Seirin grinned as I replied reluctantly.

    Then she asked, glancing at the cufflink I picked up.

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t Gregory, were you going to give it to Lord Lexion?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I just saw it for a second.¡±

    Surprised, I put my cufflinks on the shelves and pretended.

    It felt like my heart was going to be revealed to her.

    Seirin smiled as if my reaction was bland.

    ¡°I see. I won¡¯t ask you any more, so relax, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    With those words, Seirin asked to wrap the tie.

    I looked at the cufflink I had put down for a long time and moved forward.

    I was about to go back, but Daisy whispered in my ear from behind.

    ¡°Lady, that¡¯s what you meant to give to the Duke, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean¡­ it has the Duke written all over it.¡°

    Daisy grunted awkwardly.

    She continued as I blinked.

    ¡°Miss Seirin is a little strange, too. I don¡¯t understand why she keeps trying to tie up the lady with the Prince.¡±

    ¡°Shh, she can hear you.¡±

    Daisy looked sullen as I interrupted lightly.

    ¡°I¡¯m upset that the princess seems to be keeping an eye on you since she came.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. But I¡¯m really okay.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Daisy replied dejectedly.

    After a while, the Princess called me.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety, shall we go now?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    I quickly answered and moved closer to Seirin.

    It wasn¡¯t until long after getting in the carriage that Daisy came out of the store.

    And when we broke up with Seirin and arrived at the castle, Daisy held out a small box.

    ¡°Here.¡±

    ¡°This is¡­¡±

    ¡°I want to be presumptuously nosy because the lady keeps being dishonest.¡±

    Daisy¡¯s box was engraved with the trademark of the tie specialty store earlier.

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    The stuff inside was obvious even without opening it.

    I said, sweeping the box with a hesitant touch.

    ¡°Thank you, Daisy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m always on your side. Never give up.¡±

    Daisy spoke confidently and clenched her fists.

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60

    Gregory fiddled with his fingertips and was lost in thought.

    An uncharacteristically serious look.

    Gregory was rotting inside as much as the fingertips that touched the river were tingling.

    ¡®As expected, I can¡¯t do it.¡¯

    He buried his face in his hands and let out a shallow moan.

    Tiarozety¡¯s bewildered eyes were still vivid.

    The hand that flinched at the intentional action kept twitching.

    ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m flirting with your kindness.¡¯

    Gregory couldn¡¯t stand himself being pathetic.

    It was an act with clear intentions.

    Because Gregory was determined and tried to seduce her.

    Actually, before coming to Bael.

    There was something the emperor secretly told him to do.

    ¡®Bring Tiarozety Esol in front of me. Don¡¯t even think about coming back to the capital until you do.¡¯

    It was a coercive demand that didn¡¯t even give him a choice.

    The Emperor¡¯s indifferent command became a sharp piece and stabbed Gregory in the lungs.

    Nevertheless, it was the fear of death that prevented him from rebelling against the order.

    ¡®Gregory, you must survive. Do not wither in vain like your father.¡¯

    Those were the words of my mother, who was the daughter of a noble baron, in her will.

    The mother was the maid of his deceased father.

    Eventually, she was kicked out of the family and lived like a commoner because she did not say who the child¡¯s father was, and only after she became sick did she announce Gregory¡¯s existence to the royal family.

    Fortunately, thanks to the emerald green eyes unique to the imperial family, Gregory was recognized as a member of the imperial family and was enrolled in the imperial family.

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    He did not know when his mother died.

    It was because the emperor prevented him from seeing her.

    He had never slept peacefully since he became such a member of the royal family.

    He always had to fight the fear of death.

    It was then.

    ¡°Prince, we¡¯ve received a call from the royal family.¡±

    One of the attendants held out the communication device.

    Gregory reluctantly accepted the communication.

    ¨C Have you arrived safely in Bael?

    The emperor¡¯s oppressive voice rang out.

    It wasn¡¯t like talking to a son.

    It was a belligerent tone.

    Gregory replied as if he was accustomed to it.

    ¡°Yes, I think we¡¯ll have a welcoming party soon.¡±

    ¨C I¡¯m sure you¡¯re doing well regarding what I said.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¨C Yeah, why would I ask? After all, the only thing you know how to do is to flirt and seduce women. Isn¡¯t it better for you to be used like this?

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    Gregory bit his lower lip at the emperor¡¯s cruel words.

    The emperor had a habit of criticizing Gregory.

    He might get used to it, but it was ridiculous to be hurt every time.

    The emperor¡¯s words did not stop there.

    ¨C The behavior of the evil dragon is unusual. I asked Seirin, but just in case, keep an eye on the Duke of Sparrow.

    ¡°What do you mean by surveillance? Did you make Seirin do that?¡±

    Gregory asked back in a slightly angry tone.

    She was a precious sister who had been nice to him since childhood.

    Unlike Kronos, she was his family who did not look at him with contempt.

    Gregory saw Seirin as his only family.

    So, he was hoping that she would live a life that had nothing to do with politics¡­

    The emperor seemed to want to take advantage of his daughter.

    The emperor expressed his anger at Gregory¡¯s voice.

    ¨C I can¡¯t believe it. You¡¯re saying something weird.

    ¡°She likes Lexion. Don¡¯t tarnish her pure feelings.¡±

    ¨C Well. It is a matter that Seirin decided for herself. And it¡¯s all the more gratifying if she likes the Duke of Sparrow. It¡¯s good to get the two of them engaged at this point.

    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±

    ¨C Lower your voice. Do you want to get caught?

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¨C Sightseeing is just a gimmick anyway. If Seirin has the Duke of Sparrow in mind, she has no choice but to follow him.

    ¡°I mean, don¡¯t use Seirin politically.¡±

    ¨C What is the meaning of life without politics to the royal family?

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    Gregory was speechless and his lips twitched.

    The emperor did not stop talking.

    -You should stop beating around the bush too. Your marriage and life belong to the royal family anyway, so don¡¯t waste it.

    With those words, the communication was unilaterally terminated.

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    Gregory put down the communication seat helplessly, and the attendant left the room.

    As soon as the servant¡¯s footsteps moved away, Gregory spat out a swear word in a low voice.

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    Then he struck the wall with his fist and expressed a look of resentment.

    He couldn¡¯t endure his anger.

    He was resentful of his lineage in the imperial family.

    ¡®Why did my mother send me to the imperial family?¡¯

    ¡®Maybe it would have been better to starve to death while wandering the streets.¡¯

    Blood pooled in the fist that punched the wall hard.

    The stinging pain passed through his fingertips.

    Gregory hit the wall several times to cool down his anger alone.

    ***

    Inside the Myersotis room, I was deep in thought.

    I circled around the same place and hesitated for a long time.

    In my hand was the box Daisy gave me.

    ¡®If the duke comes later, you must tell him. I¡¯ll check it out tomorrow!¡¯

    The bold words that Daisy had been urging me to say were ringing in my ears.

    I was contemplating whether to give it to him or not, but someone knocked.

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Betty. Can I come in for a minute?¡±

    If it was Betty, she was a maid of honor for Seirin.

    I quickly put the box in my pocket and said,

    ¡°Yes, come on in.¡±

    Then Betty opened the door and came in to inform me of her business.

    ¡°The princess is going to stop by for a while since she said she has something to give to Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°Now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s in the castle just now because she¡¯s in a meeting with the Duke of Sparrow. It¡¯ll be over soon, so come on time.¡±

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    What is she trying to give tonight?

    Following Betty¡¯s guidance, I headed to the place where the two were.

    The place where Lexion and Seirin were located was an open glass garden.

    Betty guided me to a small space where only I could see them.

    I stared blankly at the two smiling amicably.

    They were so far away that I couldn¡¯t tell what they were talking about.

    ¡°You can wait here for a while.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Betty left after those words and disappeared.

    Sitting silently in a chair, I waited for the meeting between the two to end.

    ¡®I feel like I¡¯m back to the old days now that I¡¯m like this.¡¯

    It was a very familiar situation for me.

    Watching the two of them from afar.

    Seirin¡¯s cheeks were blushing at something she liked.

    Lexion had his back turned, so he couldn¡¯t tell what kind of expression he was making.

    ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯

    At that moment, Seirin abruptly got up and approached Lexion.

    She had a tie in his hand.

    ¡®Oh, that¡¯s the tie she bought then.¡¯

    It was the same tie that she asked me if it suited Lexion.

    Seirin approached Lexion, thinking she was going to tie the tie herself.

    At this, Lexion seemed to reach out and block Seirin.

    No, I thought so¡­

    ¡°!!¡±

    I jumped up at the next scene.

    My fingertips trembled.

    Even if I rubbed my eyes and looked at them, the distance between the two was very close.

    I forgot Seirin¡¯s order to wait and left as if running away from there.

    ***

    Lexion was embarrassed by Seirin, who suddenly came.

    Read only at PM Translations

    The book followed behind him in invisible mode.

    In fact, he already knew why she had come to him.

    Because the book has been crying loudly since last time.

    ¨C Ask Princess Seirin to be your partner for this party. If you continue to refuse, you will be penalized.

    ¡®Now you¡¯re even threatening me.¡¯

    He had already been stripped of his position as the protagonist due to the accumulation of penalties.

    Either way, he didn¡¯t hesitate to distort the plot if necessary, and each time a penalty was imposed.

    However, Lexion did not stop and thoroughly broke the impression of Lexion Sparrow that it made.

    ¡®I can¡¯t feel the penalty well, so I have to do it my way.¡¯

    Lexion neatly ignored the book¡¯s request and approached Seirin.

    It was all the more annoying today because I was about to suggest going for a night walk with Tiarozety.

    I wanted to break up quickly and go to Tiarozety.

    In addition, Seirin was an uncomfortable opponent for him.

    Especially since she is a woman who has been entangled with him since long ago.

    ¡°What brings you here at this late hour?¡±

    ¡°I have something to give you.¡±

    Seirin said shyly and held out a box.

    Lexion glanced at it.

    At first glance, it looked like an accessory.

    ¡°Did you call me here for this? You could have ordered a maid.¡±

    ¡°I want to give it to you yourself. Wear this to this party and be my partner, Sir Lexion.¡±

    Seirin opened the box and suggested.

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    There was a tie in it.

    A tie that doesn¡¯t work well because it seems like it¡¯s getting tighter now.

    ¡¯Since I ignored the development, did it force her to offer first?¡¯

    Lexion smiled cynically internally.

    ¡°If it¡¯s a partner, you can do it with Prince Gregory¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to partner with Sir Lexion.¡±

    Seirin stubbornly replied before Lexion could finish speaking.

    Lexion was uncomfortable with Seirin, who suddenly came and asked him to be a partner.

    You decided to make your own party, and now you want me to be your partner.

    It was an unacceptable request.

    After finding his identity, he decided not to do anything that would hurt Tiarozety.

    There was nothing more heartbreaking than seeing her tears.

    Lexion frowned at the lingering afterimage of the past.

    After a while, he flatly refused.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but my partner is Tiarozety.¡±

    If I do this, she might give up, but today¡¯s Seirin was a little stubborn.

    ¡°Tiarozety said she¡¯d yield to me. I told her I¡¯d be a partner with Sir Lexion, and she said it¡¯s a good fit.¡±

    ¡°¡­Did Tiarozety really say that?¡±

    Lexion, who had been annoyed with her all this time, asked back with a firm face.

    Seirin was very discouraged by it, but she deliberately responded harshly.

    In fact, even though Tiarozety never said such a thing.

    ¡°Of course. I heard Miss Tiarozety is going to partner with Gregory.¡±

    TL/N: BOoOoOOO Seirin BoOOOO

 Chapter 61

    Seirin glanced at Lexion after she finished speaking.

    She didn¡¯t mean to lie in the first place, but she was a little offended by his tough attitude and so she uttered nothing.

    And in hindsight, she was going to ask Brother Gregory, so she decided that this change in order wouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    However, the moment she saw Lexion¡¯s bloody expression, Seirin realized that she had made a mistake.

    He asked growling.

    ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    Lexion felt a chill in his head at Seirin¡¯s remarks.

    ¡®You decided to partner with Gregory.¡¯

    After synchronizing Tiarozety¡¯s book the previous time, Lexion was somewhat aware of her situation.

    In the aftermath of his departure from the role of the main character, she had to deal with the evil dragon instead of him.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to¡­ I just acted because I didn¡¯t want to lose her again.¡¯

    This world was only driving her on a harsher path.

    Now that Gregory was put next to her, he didn¡¯t know what to do at all.

    ¨C Gregory Aden Wexler is the male protagonist of Tiarozety Esol¡¯s journey.

    The book recited and mocked the fact that he already knew.

    So he tried to shoot the book, but Seirin opened her mouth.

    ¡°Why are you so angry?¡±

    The hand holding the tie trembled softly, and the corner of her smiling mouth twitched as if it were convulsing.

    Lexion, who belatedly realized that he was angry with Seirin, apologized.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    It was no use getting mad at her.

    Seirin is just doing what the book tells her to do anyway.

    Then Seirin smiled softly, capturing the corners of her awkward lips.

    But it was a cool smile.

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    The more he deviated from the development, the more her settings seemed to shake.

    It was that moment.

    ¡°Lexion, you¡¯ll regret it.¡±

    Seirin jumped up from her seat and came close to Lexion.

    She put her face close to Lexion¡¯s without hesitation.

    At that moment, Seirin stopped moving right in front of him.

    Lexion said coldly.

    ¡°¡­What is this, princess?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I never thought of kissing you anyway.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    When Lexion responded with an absurd face, Seirin stepped back again.

    Then she seemed to savor a sip of tea and said with a light smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been curious since last time. I wonder if the woman Sir Lexion said is Tiarozety Esol.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°Are you really rejecting me because of her?¡±

    Seirin¡¯s tone was calm, but her eyes were cold.

    It seemed unpleasant to put herself, an imperial woman, and someone of a minority race, on the same scale.

    But Lexion confirmed with silence.

    Soon, Seirin let out a false laugh as if exasperated.

    ¡°This hurts my pride a little bit as the Princess of Arden.¡±

    ¡°The direction of the heart has nothing to do with the high or low status.¡±

    ¡°No. It should matter. You are the Duke of Sparrow.¡±

    When Seirin snapped back, Lexion just stayed still.

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    He had no intention of provoking her.

    He just wanted her to leave him alone.

    After a while, Seirin made a cool declaration.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I take whatever I want at all costs.¡±

    ¡°¡­You won¡¯t get something just because you want it, Princess.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me advice.¡±

    ¡°Princess¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go now. I will partner with Sir Lexion. I want you to wear this tie at the party.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°This is an order.¡±

    Seirin threatened coldly and moved on.

    Lexion was a little embarrassed because he had never expected her to come out so forcefully.

    How long has it been?

    Seirin looked back and warned as if the anger had not subsided.

    ¡°If I don¡¯t get it, I¡¯ll have it even if it means I¡¯ll destroy it. So listen to me, Lord Lexion.¡±

    Contrary to the graceful smile, the words were cruel.

    Even after Seirin disappeared, Lexion sat there for a long time.

    ¡®Order, it¡¯s an order¡­¡¯

    He was already worn out.

    His previous beliefs were long gone.

    After a while, the book guided him.

    ¨C The story changed because you rejected Princess Seirin¡¯s offer. The changed story is expected to have a conflict with Tiarozety in the aftermath of the penalty.

    ***

    I came to my senses in a corridor.

    It must have been quite shocking to see that my legs were trembling.

    I leaned against the pillar to catch my breath, and then slowly sank down.

    A dejected laugh escaped my lips.

    ¡°Ha ha. What¡¯s wrong with me? What did I expect¡­?¡±

    I buried my face in my trembling hands and swallowed my breath, but the laughter continued to flow out.

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    Lexion was different from before, so I expected it.

    No, it seems like I was already preparing to accept Lexion in my subconscious mind, even though I rejected him outwardly.

    This time, I had unnecessary expectations, wondering if we could be meaningful to each other.

    However, the moment I saw Seirin and Lexion kiss each other, the fantasy shattered.

    I¡¯ve never done anything to deserve a penalty.

    So that must be the flow of his and her story.

    In the end, even in this world that started again, I couldn¡¯t become Lexion¡¯s partner.

    My vision kept getting blurry.

    My eyelids became heavy and I blinked, and tears trickled down my cheeks.

    Is it because of emptiness or despair?

    I don¡¯t know.

    I just wanted to stop time and return to the original world.

    Then someone spoke to me.

    ¡°Miss! Sitting on the floor and¡­¡±

    It was Gregory.

    His face hardened when he saw me crying.

    I wondered if he could not continue to speak, so I asked cautiously.

    ¡°Why, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    I stared at Gregory blankly.

    In fact, I hoped that Lexion would follow me.

    He didn¡¯t even find me.

    But Gregory appeared out of nowhere.

    ¡®The book is really trying to take care of this situation sneakily. My heart is not of its concern.¡¯

    Unknowingly, a bitter smile appeared.

    Gregory reached out his hand to get me up.

    Ignoring it, I stood up alone.

    ¡°No, nothing¡¯s wrong.¡±

    ¡°Nothing happened? Your eyes are red. Come on, tell me¡­¡±

    Gregory tried to appease me in a worried tone.

    Read only at PM Translations

    But I didn¡¯t want to be comforted by him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t care if I cry or not.¡±

    So I shot back sharply without listening to Gregory.

    At the same time, I am worried, but now I am not in a perfect state to please anyone.

    I want to be alone.

    I don¡¯t want to be comforted by anyone, at least for now.

    Because it¡¯s more miserable.

    I said with a pained expression as if I were crying.

    ¡°Just leave me alone. Please.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    Gregory did not answer.

    He only gently let go of the arm that was holding me.

    I couldn¡¯t even afford to see his face, so I trudged around.

    And when I arrived at the room, I immediately lay in bed and slept.

    It was the only escape I could do right now.

    ***

    The next morning, Daisy let out a shallow exclamation as soon as she saw my face.

    ¡°Oh, my God¡­! Tiarozety! Your eyes are swollen.¡±

    ¡°¡­Hello, Daisy. Good morning.¡±

    I greeted Daisy with a smile.

    When I sat in front of the dressing table after washing my face, Daisy asked.

    ¡°¡­Did you cry?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡±

    I tried to force myself to answer and avoid eye contact.

    It meant no more questions.

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    Then Daisy changed the subject.

    It happened to be about the cufflinks that I was going to give to Lexion.

    ¡°¡­Oh, by the way! Did you give that to him? The one I gave you yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Come to think of it, I forgot.

    When I saw Seirin and Lexion yesterday, I panicked and ran away, so I completely forgot about them.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t give it to him.¡±

    ¡°Why? The party is just around the corner¡­¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t give it to him.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    Daisy didn¡¯t ask anymore if she sensed something odd about my stubbornness.

    She just brushed and straightened my hair.

    After a while, she offered me a small suggestion to try to make me feel better.

    ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you go out of the castle for the first time in a while, Miss? I called Sir Aiden, Sir Chris, and Sir Violet.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t everyone training?¡±

    After coming here, I had not been escorted by Aiden and Violet.

    In the first place, Bael was the territory of Lexion, so the Black Knights were stationed at all times, so there were plenty of escorts to attach.

    Therefore, there was no need to attach advanced knights such as Aiden or Violet as escorts within the territory.

    Thus, they became members of a group rather than escorts and often got together.

    Not long ago, Chris joined as well.

    Daisy talked cheerfully.

    ¡°I looked at the schedule earlier in the morning and all three of them were empty. You went to the River Tier last time, so Carmel Forest would be nice.¡±

    ¡°Yes, if Daisy wants.¡±

    ¡°There is a campsite in Carmel Forest, and it¡¯s perfect for walking.¡±

    ¡°I know. The trees there sparkle in the sun.¡±

    ¡°Huh? You know? Have you been there?¡±

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    Daisy tilted her head in wonder.

    I corrected myself because I thought it was too much.

    ¡°No, I saw it in the book.¡±

    ¡°I see. That¡¯s right. The trees sparkle in the sunlight, so they are very beautiful.¡±

    Daisy smiled bashfully and chimed in.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be great to go.¡±

    She also recommended going there once more.

    I nodded my head lightly.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 62

    Rose, who lives in Carmel Forest, headed to the town with a medicine bag.

    Rose was the only one who could get food now due to the misdeeds of the bakery owner.

    There were people who suffered from severe stomach aches or died.

    Fortunately, thanks to the good-natured nobleman, the injustice was relieved, but livelihood in the future was difficult.

    A lawmaker was sent later, but he could not resurrect those who had already died.

    TL/N: New laws made, but dead people can¡¯t be brought back to life.

    In the end, the embarrassed nobleman left, and handed her some food and living expenses.

    He did all the favors that he could do and went back.

    Rose was just grateful that he gave her medicine and food. This latter task was solely for her and the beggars.

    On the forest road, she heard the cry of a wild beast but did not know if it was a wolf.

    But Rose wasn¡¯t afraid.

    Her only home was always full of danger because there were many wild animals.

    And what Rose feared most was hunger rather than death.

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    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m here.¡±

    As she entered the crumbling hut, there was a boy who barely fell asleep with a fever.

    Rose chattered, unpacking her bag bravely.

    ¡°Brother, I was so lucky today. I happened to find a precious Uji mushroom in the forest. This will stop your stomach ache.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t believe there were mushrooms in the cold Carmel Forest, and Uji mushrooms on top of that.

    Uji mushroom was so effective that it was called a panacea.

    It was said to be particularly helpful in relieving fever and pain.

    Rose sold half to the market and brought half back for her brother¡¯s health.

    She warmed the medicine, scooped it out with a spoon, and brought it to his lips.

    She thought he would eat well, but he suddenly coughed.

    ¡°Cough!¡±

    ¡°Brother! Blood, blood¡­!¡±

    Rose wept and supported him when the body coughed up blood.

    At that moment, black energy appeared in the hazy boy¡¯s eyes for an instant and disappeared.

    Not noticing this, Rose quickly wiped the corner of his mouth.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get sick, brother.¡±

    ¡°Rose, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    His voice was much smoother.

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    Rose asked with relief.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m very sleepy now¡±

    The boy yawned with those words.

    Rose quickly covered the boy with a blanket and comforted him.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you took medicine. You¡¯ll feel lighter when you wake up.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Rose.¡±

    The boy closed his eyes gently with the words.

    After a while, the boy fell asleep, perhaps feeling really sleepy.

    Rose poured the remaining medicine into her mouth because she felt it was a waste.

    It tasted bitter, but she thought it would fill her stomach.

    ¡°Cough cough! Ugh, it doesn¡¯t taste good.¡±

    Frowning, Rose put the remaining Uji mushrooms in the basket.

    Tomorrow, she was going to cook porridge for her brother with these.

    It was then.

    Rose also followed her brother to sleep.

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    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s weird. I¡¯m falling asleep. Did I steal the sleepiness from my brother?¡±

    Rose let out a sloppy yawn.

    For a while, she thought she should wash up and go to sleep.

    But she fell flat on the floor.

    Then she felt her body tremble, and she stopped moving.

    Suddenly, something like a black haze revolved around Rose and the boy.

    ***

    I¡¯ve heard from Daisy it was definitely an outing with Aiden, Violet, and Sir Chris¡­

    Why is it that Lexion and I were alone in the carriage?

    ¡°I will be leaving then.¡±

    The carriage moved with the driver¡¯s shout.

    Aiden, Violet, and Chris moved separately with Daisy.

    It was because the carriage I rode was Lexion¡¯s exclusive carriage.

    Just as I was about to head to Carmel Forest, I met Lexion.

    The reason he became a member of this group was that Aiden saw him and greeted him.

    ¡®Good morning, Duke.¡¯

    ¡®Aiden, where are you going?¡¯

    ¡®Oh, I was just about to go out to Carmel Forest with Tiarozety. It would be nice if the Duke would also go too, but you can¡¯t because you¡¯re busy, right?¡¯

    ¡®No, it works.¡¯

    ¡®What?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll go too.¡¯

    At that time, Aiden¡¯s face was a spectacle.

    If you go out to play and your boss follows you, of course, you can¡¯t control your facial expressions.

    I remembered when Violet noticed from behind, he laughed.

    But after a while, belatedly, he realized the meaning of going with Lexion and had no choice but to harden his face.

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    I didn¡¯t want to see his face, but it was because I couldn¡¯t help seeing his face.

    There was no way that I could take a proper rest as the main culprit of anguish was with me on the picnic I had planned to empty my mind.

    I didn¡¯t want to make eye contact with Lexion, so I pretended to sleep and closed my eyes.

    He didn¡¯t even talk to me, so I was relieved.

    ¡°Titi.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Are you sleeping?¡±

    I didn¡¯t answer, I just kept my eyes closed.

    I hoped that he would not talk to me anymore.

    Because I didn¡¯t want to talk to him.

    At that moment, Lexion gently stroked my hair.

    Then he gently touched my eyes.

    I was a little embarrassed because the swelling had not gone down yet.

    I didn¡¯t want to get caught crying, so I said softly.

    ¡°It tickles.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake. You can sleep.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep with all that fiddling.¡±

    I gently moved away from his touch and ruffled my hair.

    The tone of my speech was sharp.

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    Lexion looked at me curiously.

    After a while, he tilted his upper body and adjusted his eye level to mine.

    ¡°Titi?¡±

    Black eyes stared at me innocently.

    I couldn¡¯t look straight into those eyes and avoided it.

    The tension kept rising as if I had become a hedgehog with sharp spikes.

    ¡°Are you mad at me?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then why won¡¯t you look at me?¡±

    I bit my lower lip in Lexion¡¯s low voice.

    ¡®It¡¯s because I feel like I¡¯ll be shaken just by looking at it.¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s because my face is a little swollen.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty even when it¡¯s swollen.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not pretty.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty to me, Titi.¡±

    Saying that, Lexion gently turned my face.

    When our eyes met, Lexion smiled beautifully.

    ¡°Look, it¡¯s still pretty.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    I slowly removed his hand and looked into the bag for no reason.

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    Then, when I found the box through the crack, I was bewildered.

    ¡®Daisy¡­!¡¯

    When did Daisy put the box in my bag?

    Maybe she knew Lexion was going with me and put it in.

    ¡®You did something I didn¡¯t ask you to do¡­¡¯

    I quickly closed the bag in case Lexion might see it.

    Even then, it was not enough, so I hugged it in my arms and held it tight.

    Without knowing, it looked more suspicious.

    ¡°What are you looking at and hiding like that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing!¡±

    As I panicked, Lexion¡¯s eyes widened.

    After a while, the carriage stopped like a savior.

    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going out!¡±

    I slammed the door open and got out of the carriage before Lexion could even leave.

    Lexion missed the timing to escort, so he held out his hand in the air.

    The snow-capped trees in the Carmel Forest were still beautiful.

    There were signs of cutting down trees in places so that they could grow well.

    As such, new trees were planted to maintain the forest.

    The smell of trees in the forest calmed my mind.

    Maybe the scent of the greenery mixed with the cold air had the effect of clearing the mind?

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    ¡°Huu.¡±

    I took a deep breath, exhaled, and looked up at the sky.

    Just at that moment, a flock of birds was flying somewhere, making a loud sound.

    It was a noticeably large number.

    ¡®Is it going to rain soon?¡¯

    With that thought in mind, I slowly closed my eyes and tried to enjoy the fresh air, but I felt my head spinning a little.

    ¡°Titi.¡±

    Then, with a voice calling me, Lexion supported my back.

    When I opened my eyes in surprise, Lexion smiled.

    ¡°Uhh¡­?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re losing your balance.¡±

    I felt I was standing upright, but I must have lost my center of gravity while moving with my eyes closed.

    I backed away from him and lightly thanked him.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Then, slowly, I started walking again.

    I wondered if Lexion was moving away from me, but he came closer and blocked my way.

    ¡°Titi.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Are you going to partner with Gregory at the party?¡±

    I guess you must have wanted to ask this because you were hesitant about something.

    I chewed my lower lip.

    ¡°¡­ Why?¡±

    You promised to partner with Seirin anyway.

    Were you so curious about who I was partnering with?

    The resentment against him was about to pour out.

    It is in a precarious state as it filled my chest and would overflow with just one more drop.

    But I didn¡¯t want him to notice my negative feelings, so I clenched my teeth.

    Lexion rubbed his mouth with his hand.

    He seemed a little embarrassed by my cold attitude.

    I talked like a player to put his mind at ease.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry because I don¡¯t have a partner.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to the party.¡±

    Of course, the book would force me to go, but I didn¡¯t want to go.

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    Lexion asked me without hiding his embarrassment when I suddenly announced that I would not attend the party.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to the party?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to say I¡¯m not feeling well. I don¡¯t really like parties like that.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t like parties at all.¡±

    Yeah, if it¡¯s Tiarozety, even attending the party would be hard work.

    I tried to play it off and pass by him.

    Then he stopped in front of me again and asked a question.

    ¡°Is it because of me?¡±

    ¡°. ..No way.¡±

    I forced a smile.

    Then his expression hardened and I emphasized again.

    ¡°It¡¯s not really like that.¡±

    ¡°Ti¡­¡±

    ¡°Miss! Duke!¡±

    It was then.

    Aiden and Daisy, who went out ahead to explore and search for a place to sit, came out from afar and called Lexion.

    Turning their heads, the two shouted almost simultaneously.

    ¡°This way, please!¡±

    ¡°Miss, I love this place!¡±

    Our conversation was interrupted by the two¡¯s exclamations.

    I found it fortunate.

    I didn¡¯t have anything else to say after that.

    Lexion seemed to want to say more, but I walked quickly to Daisy, pretending not to know.

 Chapter 63

    Time went by and it was the day of the banquet.

    I decided not to attend the party on the pretext of not feeling well.

    The book didn¡¯t show any signs.

    I thought it¡¯d urge me to partner with Gregory, but it was rather quiet.

    It was a bit of a strange situation for someone who was willing to bear the penalty.

    ¡®Come to think of it, when I went boating with Gregory, there was going to be an event, but there wasn¡¯t much of an incident¡­¡¯

    The belated realization of the facts increased my doubts.

    I¡¯ve never seen the book miss out on development like this.

    ¡°Guide.¡±

    ¨C What can I do for you, traveler?

    ¡°Why did you skip the boat game event?¡±

    ¨C It was not omitted.

    ¡°What?¡±

    I tilted my head at the guide¡¯s clear answer.

    There was nothing special that day.

    Gregory said he was afraid of water, so I thought he would fall into the water, but we just came back.

    However, the following guide¡¯s answer relieved me.

    ¨C The main stage is still ongoing. Gregory will arrive soon.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    I was just about to protest to the guide.

    Suddenly someone knocked and spoke.

    ¡°Miss, are you awake?¡±

    ¡®You¡¯re really here!¡¯

    When I realized that Gregory had come, I glanced at the book.

    Before I knew it, the book was suddenly displayed in active mode.

    It must be time to enjoy the party in full swing, but he came all of a sudden.

    I floundered and laid in bed in a hurry to pretend to be sick.

    ¡°Come on in.¡±

    Moments later, Gregory opened the door and entered.

    ***

    The banquet was noisy.

    A party attended by most of the people living in Bael.

    What was unusual was that the partner rule was removed from this banquet.

    This made Seirin feel very unhappy.

    Gregory recalled what Seirin had asked for a few days ago.

    ¡®My brother, please partner with Miss Tiarozety. I¡¯m supposed to be with Lord Lexion.¡¯

    ¡®Did Lexion say that?¡¯

    ¡®¡­Yeah, so you¡¯ll be Miss Tiarozety¡¯s partner. She doesn¡¯t have a suitable partner.¡¯

    ¡®Well, that¡¯s not hard¡­¡¯

    No partner rules for the banquet.

    It was a tremendous blow to the social world.

    Well, it seemed to have made the atmosphere a little freer.

    ¡®Seirin knows how to lie too.¡¯

    Gregory laughed lowly. He recalled Seirin who told him that she had spoken to Lexion.

    It was a fit of cute jealousy for Gregory, who already knew that Seirin had feelings for Lexion.

    However, he felt that it might be a bit burdensome for Lexion.

    ¡®I¡¯ll have to try to soothe her later.¡¯

    Gregory approached Lexion, who had just finished talking to another person.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I see her?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not feeling well.¡±

    ¡°Really? Is she in a lot of pain?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Lexion simply remained silent on Gregory¡¯s question.

    His gaze met briefly and then fell.

    ¡°I think she¡¯s been under a lot of stress lately.¡±

    ¡°Stress?¡±

    ¡°Princess Seirin called her almost every day.¡±

    ¡°¡­Really?¡±

    Gregory was a little surprised to find that out for the first time.

    Seirin already had plenty of maids.

    He heard that she needed a companion, but he couldn¡¯t believe she called her everyday.

    He was worried that she might have been subtly bullied out of jealousy.

    ¡®That¡¯s not right¡­¡¯

    Then Lexion said.

    ¡°So when are you going back?¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    Gregory hesitated as he recalled the Emperor¡¯s orders.

    Besides, it seemed that Seirin had a special order, but he didn¡¯t know exactly what it was.

    Gregory told Lexion what he had guessed.

    ¡°Actually, the evil dragon made a second attack on the capital and it failed.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°The response is more lukewarm than I thought. You knew it already, didn¡¯t you.¡±

    Gregory quickly noticed Lexion¡¯s reaction.

    Moreover, even though the capital had been attacked, it was even more strange that there was no word that they would send assistance.

    The character Gregory, who had originally planned to stop him, simply rolled his eyes.

    At this, Lexion asked.

    ¡°Why? You thought I¡¯d send a support team?¡±

    ¡°I was going to stop you if you did, man.¡±

    Gregory replied, poking him in the ribs with his elbow.

    It was always a pity that he was too loyal to the Emperor, so Lexion¡¯s change was welcome to him.

    It was the imperial family that had to protect the empire before the Sparrow family.

    ¡°Okay. Just like now, be loyal while taking your share, Zion.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s funny to hear that from a member of the royal family.¡±

    ¡°What kind of royalty am I¡­? Anyway, I feel relieved that you¡¯ve come to your senses. I was worried that the royal family might be sucking you dry.¡±

    ¡°Originally, it was supposed to be like that.¡±

    ¡°Originally?¡±

    ¡°Gregory, don¡¯t you ever feel like the world is stuffy sometimes?¡±

    Gregory tilted his head at Lexion¡¯s out-of-the-box remark.

    Then Lexion comforted him on the shoulder, thinking that he might have some difficulties.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just frustrating. Sometimes I want to abandon the castle of Arden and go into exile.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask that¡­¡±

    Lexion was about to speak, but Chris Martin approached.

    ¡°Duke, I have something to tell you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Go.¡±

    At Gregory¡¯s words, Lexion sighed lightly and followed Chris.

    Gregory sipped the champagne for a moment and sneakily slipped out of the hall.

    Soon, he picked flowers from the garden and headed to the Myersotis room.

    ***

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    I stared at Gregory, leaning against the head of the bed.

    He quietly set the flowers on the bedside table.

    ¡°Why did I come? I¡¯m visiting you.¡±

    ¡°What about the party?¡±

    ¡°I came out for a second. Can I sit down?¡±

    Gregory flopped down on a chair with a question.

    It doesn¡¯t seem like he was asking for permission.

    Gregory said.

    ¡°I heard Seirin has been bothering you lately.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­no.¡±

    ¡°No? But your face is full of tiredness. The shadows under your eyes have gotten very dark.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not because of that¡­¡±

    I rubbed the corners of my eyes for no reason.

    It wasn¡¯t that I wasn¡¯t tired of Seirin¡¯s constant calling, since it wasn¡¯t too hard either.

    Rather, it was only difficult to keep up the tension with Lexion due to her visits.

    It was then.

    ¡°I think Seirin is jealous of you.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. She lied to me, saying that she decided to partner with Lexion.¡±

    ¡°Huh? He didn¡¯t have a partner?¡±

    My eyes widened at the unexpected information.

    Then, Gregory¡¯s eyes widened at the same time and then smiled and lightly brushed my hair.

    ¡°What? Don¡¯t tell me that made you feel worse.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh my God. Seirin lied to you too. She should be scolded for this.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s my fault for not checking.¡±

    I waved my hand quickly, but it was a bit of a shock.

    I couldn¡¯t believe Seirin lied.

    I never thought about it.

    She had always been honest and sincere.

    ¡®Did some of her settings change during the regression?¡¯

    When I thought about it like that, there was nothing I couldn¡¯t understand.

    On the contrary, it was even more disconcerting that I hadn¡¯t doubted it until now.

    I guess my old memories kept influencing me without realizing it.

    ¡®Wait a minute. Didn¡¯t Seirin say she had something to give that day?¡¯

    I was called to the garden because she had something to give.

    Then I saw the two of them kissing and ran away.

    But after that, she never called me again.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Come to think of it, the location was also a place where you could see the two of them very well.

    ¡®No way¡­¡¯

    It was just at the moment when I was starting to have doubts about Seirin.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it more frustrating like that? Why don¡¯t we take a short walk?¡±

    Gregory suggested with a smirk.

    As I hesitated without answering, the book started to alert me.

    ¨C The event will begin. Enjoy a night walk with Gregory!

    PR/N: Bruh

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Gregory pulled my hand without listening to my answer.

    ¡°Wait a minute¡­! I¡¯m not leaving yet¡­!¡±

    ¡°Lady, it¡¯s Daisy. I have something to tell you¡­ Huh?¡±

    Then Daisy came into the room.

    She seemed a little surprised to see Gregory.

    Then Gregory smiled and spoke.

    ¡°What should I do? I¡¯m taking the lady for a night walk.¡±

    ¡°Oh, go ahead.¡±

    Daisy sent me off as if she had forgotten what to say.

    In the end, I missed the timing to refuse and had no choice but to follow Gregory.

    ***

    After Tiarozety left the room.

    Daisy hesitated, holding a note.

    It was not long before she murmured softly.

    ¡°I was going to let you know because Vector just said he knew the information¡­¡±

    The note Daisy brought was written by Vector.

    ¡®Only let the lady see it. After she sees it, make sure to tell her to burn it.¡¯

    It was the information that Vector gave with a careful request.

    She didn¡¯t know what information it was, but it seemed quite private when he told Daisy not to look at it.

    At that moment, on the table was a Bible that Tiarozety had read often.

    Even if it was activated, the main body remained as it was, which stood out to Daisy.

    ¡°I¡¯ll put it in there first and tell you later.¡±

    Daisy sandwiched the note between the book like a bookmark.

    Even then, she left a note in advance, just in case she didn¡¯t check it.

    [Lady, I¡¯ll tell you later, I put a note in the Bible with the information you asked for from Vector. After you¡¯ve checked it, please read it and discard it. Have a good night.]

    Daisy left the room, placing the note prominently on the cover and securing it with a stone.

    Soon the book flashed and scanned the note.

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64

    During the night walk with Gregory in the middle of the night, I was just bashing at the book¡¯s deterrence.

    The night air was cool.

    As I got closer to the artificial lake, my body felt chilly.

    If I knew this would happen, I would have worn another coat.

    I didn¡¯t know that the temperature outside was this low because I was only in the room.

    Gregory asked when I rubbed my shoulders with my hands.

    ¡°Are you cold?¡±

    ¡°A little.¡±

    ¡°Do you want a coat?¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re cold too.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    Gregory pretended as if he was going to take off his coat and gave me a mischievous expression.

    I laughed because it was rather funny.

    Then something fluffy wrapped around my shoulder.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a patient. Well, it¡¯s okay if I catch a cold, it¡¯s just whatever.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a very burdensome favor.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m asking you to feel pressured.¡±

    ¡°Take it.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I can¡¯t even play a joke. Just wear it. Don¡¯t be stubborn.¡±

    When I tried to give him the coat back, Gregory tied the sleeves so I couldn¡¯t take it off.

    Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°I¡¯ll just walk around here and go back. It¡¯s cold.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, okay then.¡±

    Gregory said so and trudged along the path of the artificial lake.

    We stopped when an open space appeared in the middle.

    He hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth.

    ¡°You know, I¡¯m just curious.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°What happened to Lexion?¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°Well, he¡¯s in very bad shape. I know him well because I¡¯ve seen him for a long time. I was wondering if it had something to do with you because he looked like he was having a hard time.¡±

    Gregory spat out the words and laughed.

    After all, Gregory was a person who liked Lexion for a long time.

    When Lexion was being treated like an idiot, he even came out and got angry.

    ¡°Did you two fight?¡±

    ¡°No, we didn¡¯t fight. I¡¯m just avoiding him.¡±

    ¡°Avoiding, why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡±

    I was just about to say that it was because I saw Seirin and Lexion kissing.

    A beast popped out of the bushes and rushed to me.

    ¡°Gahh!¡±

    I was so surprised that I blocked my view with my hand.

    The back of my hand stung when the cat ran over and bit my hand.

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute¡­! Lady, you can¡¯t move! The lake is behind¡­!¡±

    Gregory didn¡¯t even have time to hold onto me.

    I staggered back and my foot got caught in a rock.

    Gregory grabbed and reached for me as I was about to fall backward.

    However, it was not enough because my body was already leaning toward the lake.

    With a plop-

    It was a coldness that I didn¡¯t want to go through.

    The lake water was as cold as ice.

    On the surface, I could see a bewildered image of Gregory.

    I was about to swim up quickly, but I suddenly fell and got a cramp in my leg.

    Of course, it must have been the book that made this whole situation dramatic.

    ¡®Ah¡­this is why I hate the water.¡¯

    I closed my eyes in anticipation of Gregory¡¯s rescue.

    It¡¯s really hard to survive as a female lead.

    Evil dragon or what¡­? Should I just let this world fall to ruins?

    Read only at PM Translations

    It was around that time when my body began to sink as I thought of such a cruel thought.

    Splash!

    Someone jumped into the water.

    Naturally, I didn¡¯t open my eyes, assuming it was Gregory.

    I felt his arms grab hold of me, and something soft touched my lips.

    Breath came in through the gap of my open lips.

    Did he think I passed out from drinking the lake water?

    The breath that touched me was hot.

    I was so shocked that I couldn¡¯t even open my eyes.

    He quickly grabbed my waist and started swimming upwards.

    When I opened my eyes, I couldn¡¯t say anything.

    It wasn¡¯t blonde but black hair that saved me.

    It was none other than Lexion.

    TL/N: OmGGG CAN WE TAKE A MOMENT TO SQUEALLL???!!

    PR/N: abt damn time

    * * *

    Gregory circled around when he saw Tiarozety drowning.

    He had to follow her in and save her right away, but he couldn¡¯t get in.

    His fingertips became cold and his body trembled shallowly.

    It had been a while since she sank in the lake, but Tiarozety did not come out.

    ¡®You jerk, is this the time to be afraid of water?¡¯

    Gregory was just about to enter the lake, beating himself up, until someone rushed past Gregory and jumped into the water.

    Unlike Gregory, it was a move without hesitation.

    ¡°Lexion¡­?¡±

    Gregory called out his name in a daze.

    Read only at PM Translations

    He didn¡¯t know when he came running.

    After a while, the calm water seemed to have a big wave again, and Lexion came out of the lake with Tiarozety in his arms.

    The moist eyes of Lexion were chilly.

    Looking at him biting his lower lip, he seemed to be quenching his anger.

    It was when Lexion fixed up Tiarozety and hugged her.

    Gregory suddenly came to his senses and approached Tiarozety.

    ¡°Miss, are you okay?!¡±

    ¡°Cough cough!¡±

    Perhaps because the air was cold, her wet hair froze immediately.

    Lexion said, holding her even tighter.

    ¡°I have to change her clothes first, so move aside, Greg.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes, I see¡­ You¡¯re wet too, so make sure to¡­¡±

    Before Gregory finished speaking, Lexion strode out of the garden.

    Gregory looked at the two of them with a bit of embarrassment and ruffled the back of his head.

    ¡°A pathetic guy.¡±

    He was saying it to himself.

    * * *

    ¡°Put me down.¡±

    ¡°Just stay.¡±

    Lexion walked down the hallway without a word.

    Perhaps because the party was still in full swing, the sound of the music could be heard in the distance.

    ¡®It was definitely time for Gregory to save me¡­¡¯

    Before I knew it, the book stopped being active and disappeared.

    It was normal for it to make a lot of noise when development goes awry, saying it¡¯s an error, but it was strange.

    Lexion took me straight to the bathroom.

    I wondered if his mood dampened as he wasn¡¯t saying a single word, but he opened his mouth and began to speak.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring some clothes to change, so first soak in hot water. You can¡¯t catch a cold.¡±

    ¡°Before that, Lexion needs to change. You¡¯ll catch a cold.¡±

    ¡°Alright, so come on.¡±

    Lexion pushed me towards the bathtub and closed the door.

    I dipped my hand in and out of the bathtub.

    The water in the bathtub was very hot.

    Maybe it was because of my cold body that made me feel that way.

    I took off my clothes and immersed myself in water.

    It felt like my stiff body was loosening up.

    I thought it was noisy outside, but Daisy said with a knock.

    ¡°Miss, may I come in?¡±

    Fortunately, Lexion seemed to have gone to wash up without being stubborn.

    ¡°Yes, come on in.¡±

    After permission was granted, Daisy entered the bathroom.

    She greeted me cautiously and opened her mouth.

    ¡°You could have been in big trouble. Wouldn¡¯t it be bad to drown in this weather?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad the Duke passed by. What would you have done if he hadn¡¯t? What the hell was the Prince doing?¡±

    Daisy was even more grumpy because she knew I went for a walk with Gregory.

    ¡°He¡¯s afraid of water.¡±

    ¡°A grown-up?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s even scarier because he¡¯s an adult.¡±

    Because the older you get, the more afraid you become.

    As I smiled bitterly and lowered my head, Daisy¡¯s mouth twitched.

    Read only at PM Translations

    After a while, she changed the subject.

    ¡°Oh, I put a note in the Bible on the table.¡±

    The Bible was the main body of a guide.

    I asked curiously.

    ¡°Why a note?¡±

    ¡°Well, you know, what you asked Vector to do before.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    I thought I didn¡¯t have any gains because I didn¡¯t hear much after a long time, but Vector seems to have worked hard.

    ¡°I¡¯ll check it out later.¡±

    ¡°Vector will get in trouble if he gets caught, so please dispose of it after you read that .¡±

    ¡°Yes, I will.¡±

    Indeed, the owner¡¯s guest asked for an investigation of the owner¡¯s background, so his heart would have been pounding.

    After a while, I got out of the bathtub, changed clothes, and went back to the bedroom.

    Gregory, who was waiting in front of the room, came to me and asked.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should¡¯ve saved you¡­¡±

    Gregory was clenching his hands so tightly that they turned white.

    I said with a soft smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s really okay. It was just water.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Gregory had a blank look on his face when he realized what I meant.

    I said goodbye with a light courtesy.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to rest now. Please don¡¯t worry anymore and enjoy the party comfortably.¡±

    Read only at PM Translations

    Daisy then opened the door and urged.

    ¡°Miss, please come in.¡±

    ¡°Then.¡±

    I bowed once more and went into the room.

    Daisy made my bed and carefully laid me down on it.

    I was suddenly drowning in cold water, so even though I was immersed in the warm water, I felt a chill.

    After a while, she brought a cup of tea and asked.

    ¡°It is tea made with Uji mushroom. Drink this and get a good night¡¯s sleep.¡±

    After drinking tea, I covered myself tightly with a blanket.

    I thought I felt nauseous for a moment, but it calmed down.

    ¡®Did I catch a cold¡­? I don¡¯t feel good.¡¯

    Then I remembered the note and tried to get up.

    ¡°Oh, right. The note¡­¡±

    However, Daisy laid me back down and dissuaded me.

    ¡°Where will the note run? You¡¯d better take a rest first. You look very bad.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Take a rest, miss.¡±

    Daisy comforted me a couple of times and left the room.

    Read only at PM Translations

    I also closed my eyes because I didn¡¯t have energy.

    Chapter 9. Two Travelers

    When Tiarozety was sleeping deeply, Lexion entered her bedroom.

    The book shone brightly as his hand touched it.

    The guide murmured softly in the quiet bedroom.

    ¨C The story has changed due to another traveler¡¯s intrusion. If you proceed as it is, I am concerned that the background may be disrupted

    The murmuring voice did not reach Tiarozety, who had already been deeply asleep.

    ¨C There are two travelers in this world. Lexion Sparrow is no longer a character.

    ¨C The world defines Lexion Sparrow as a dangerous element. We must stop his choices as soon as possible.

    ¨C The setting value of Lexion Sparrow has been confirmed. The role of Lexion Sparrow as a traveler¡­

    However, the guide¡¯s words were cut off without continuing.

    The color of the cover was fading away.

    ¨C The role is¡­ The role is¡­

    PR/N: the role he¡¯s given makes me wanna burn the guide over and over

    The guide seemed to stutter like buffering, but then slowly lost its light.

    Without being able to complete its sentence.

 Chapter 65

    TL/N: Moving forward, I will be soloing this novel! Feel free to comment if there¡¯s anything confusing or if there¡¯s any glaring errors!

    My deepest appreciation to Jassie who has helped the newbie and noobie me to proofread the chapters so far!

    I ended up with a terrible cold.

    In the daze, the faces of those nursing me were dimly visible.

    I had a dream while I was unconscious.

    It was a very strange dream.

    In my dream, I became someone.

    I didn¡¯t know who it was.

    I couldn¡¯t see his face because I had borrowed his sight.

    The feelings he felt came to me as if they were mine.

    He was wandering aimlessly like a lost man.

    It was a dream that made me want to cry somehow.

    ***

    It was about to be dawn when I woke up.

    Deep in the night, the bedroom was still.

    The lamp on the bedside lamp was emitting a light enough not to disturb sleep.

    ¡®How sick was I?¡¯

    My whole body was as heavy as wet cotton.

    Seeing that it was not uncomfortable, someone seemed to have wiped my body the whole time I was lying down.

    I gently touched my lips.

    It wasn¡¯t something I did because I remembered the touch.

    Even though it was an act of survival rather than a kiss, my cheeks burned as if they were on fire.

    Read only at PM Translations

    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, I closed my eyes and got up.

    It was because I felt cramped and my waist was sore.

    As I got up, stretched, and slowly walked, I saw the Bible on the table and thought of Daisy¡¯s words.

    ¡°Oh, right. The note.¡±

    Daisy¡¯s note was left on the cover.

    After removing it, I carefully opened the book.

    Tok-

    The note that had been stuck in the book fell to the floor.

    I was just about to pick it up.

    The book shimmered and murmured an unfamiliar sound.

    It was a slightly weak voice.

    ¨C Synchronization requires contact with the other person¡¯s book.

    I paused while picking up the note.

    It was because the word synchronization was quite unfamiliar.

    I picked up a note and sat down on a chair.

    ¡°What do you mean? I need contact with the other person¡¯s book?¡±

    ¨C Lexion Sparrow became a traveler. Contact with the book is urgent to understand their intentions.

    ¡°!!¡±

    My eyes widened at the guide¡¯s words.

    I was flustered all of a sudden because I didn¡¯t know what the guide was talking about.

    Lexion is a traveler.

    He was definitely a character, wasn¡¯t he?

    ¡°What do you mean? What do you mean Lexion Sparrow is a traveler?¡±

    ¨C Lexion Sparrow has found himself. He¡¯s destroying this world. We have to stop him. ¡°

    ¡°¡­was that possible?¡±

    ¨C He has a book. Fossilized books are dangerous. It needs to be disposed of quickly.

    ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡±

    ¨C He¡¯s trying to change the story. The story of the book is going out of sync. It¡¯s dangerous.

    The guide repeatedly said that it was dangerous.

    ¡°Guide, what¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden? Why does your voice keep stuttering?¡±

    ¨C ¡­¡­.

    The guide did not answer.

    Read only at PM Translations

    It seems that something went wrong with the book while I was sleeping.

    ¡°What do you mean I have to steal the book¡­?¡±

    As I pondered over the guide¡¯s words, my confusion increased.

    Then, I noticed that I had crumpled the note without realizing it and opened it belatedly.

    ¡°This is¡­¡±

    I was speechless after reading the note.

    It was because of what was written in it.

    [The duke had a nightmare in the villa and screamed, making wailing sounds.

    In a flash, I heard him say ¡°Guide¡±, but I don¡¯t know exactly what the word is.

    It¡¯s too fragmentary and something trivial, but here¡¯s what I¡¯ve investigated.

    Other than this, there was nothing special.]

    ¡°Guide¡­ So what the guide said is true?¡±

    My lips trembled.

    Obviously, at first, it was the guide who said that Lexion was not a traveler.

    However, only travelers knew the guide and could call it.

    Because the characters in this world don¡¯t even recognise the book at all.

    If so, it means that the book has only just caught on to the identity of Lexion.

    ¡°Why do you know that Lexion is a traveler now?¡±

    ¨C ¡­

    The guide remained silent on my questions.

    The condition of the book was strange.

    The red color seemed to have faded a bit.

    I remained stiff a while, then jumped out of my seat.

    I had to check right away.

    The condition of the book was strange, which made me more anxious.

    I was nervous because I thought something was going to happen.

    As a result, I ran down the hallway without even knowing that my indoor slippers were removed.

    Read only at PM Translations

    The place I headed to was Lexion¡¯s study.

    The private space where he spends the longest time in.

    I thought the book would be hidden there.

    The study was empty because it was late at night.

    Relying on a small lamp, I began to wander in search of the book.

    I searched everywhere from the bookcase to the drawer, but the body of the book was nowhere to be seen.

    It was around the time I was rummaging.

    Suddenly, the light in the study lit up and someone spoke to me.

    ¡°Are you looking for this?¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    I turned my head in a creaking motion.

    There stood Lexion.

    And there was a book in Lexion¡¯s hand.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡±

    Lexion turned the book lightly with a strange smile.

    In his hand, he held the faded white-faced ¡®Attack of the Evil Dragon¡¯.

    Considering that the background was originally black, it was similar to the book I had in my previous life.

    ¡°Since when did you start?¡±

    My voice trembled naturally.

    I didn¡¯t notice I wasn¡¯t speaking to him in honorifics.

    Read only at PM Translations

    His cool eyes looking at me looked somewhat empty.

    ¡°Since when?¡±

    Lexion¡¯s lips lifted up in a smirk as if my question was funny.

    Did something happen while I was sick?

    His cold appearance was very strange.

    After a while, he slowly approached me.

    I hesitated but without realizing it, the bookshelf was already blocking my back.

    Lexion leaned his hand on the bookshelf as if he were caging me in with open arms.

    Then he reached out his other hand and lifted my chin to meet his gaze.

    His black eyes felt as deep and dark as an abyss.

    Lexion said coolly.

    ¡°It was you from the beginning.¡±

    ¡°What¡­?¡±

    I was taken aback by his words.

    Just as I was about to say that¡¯s not what I asked.

    I recalled that he said something similar to me before.

    ¡®I wanted to dance with you from the beginning.¡¯

    ¡®It wasn¡¯t you who tried to take the seat, it was the Princess.¡¯

    It was definitely similar to what he said to me at Seirin¡¯s debutant.

    My heart thumped when I thought that the ¡°first¡± that I didn¡¯t understand at that time might be older than I thought.

    Read only at PM Translations

    He gently swept my face, which had hardened in surprise, and whispered.

    My fingertips were cold.

    ¡°I tried to wait until you were ready.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°But the damn world keeps trying to tie you up with Greg. What am I supposed to do?¡±

    Lexion¡¯s voice was murky and low.

    A dreary voice like a person who endured something and then burst out.

    I couldn¡¯t say a word and when I opened my mouth, he smiled self-deprecatingly.

    ¡°Are you afraid I¡¯ve changed, Titi?¡±

    ¡°Zion¡­¡±

    ¡°In fact, if I say this is who I really am, will you run away from me?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I tried to stay by your side, pretending to be nice and righteous. But you left me, Titi.¡±

    Lexion¡¯s voice trembled.

    I realized what he meant and covered my mouth with my hand.

    It was clear that Lexion knew what happened before the regression.

    Read only at PM Translations

    Asking if I was afraid that he had changed was like knowing the life before the regression.

    ¡°Lexion, you¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what to say.

    He already knew everything.

    I expected it to be the case, but when it came to reality, I was shocked.

    Lexion grabbed the hand around my mouth and held it.

    The hard hands were hot, and the strength of the hands was quite strong.

    ¡°Were you going to leave me behind? To the world where you were originally from?¡±

    Lexion was dying to have my confirmation.

    He was aware of the existence of the book.

    Also, the fact that I was about to return to the original world.

    ¡°Since when did you know that?¡±

    At my question, Lexion kept laughing.

    It was a behavior that might seem like a crazy person, but I didn¡¯t mind it.

    I was just curious about his answer.

    Read only at PM Translations

    It was that moment.

    He growled, putting my hand on his chest.

    It seemed as if he was crying.

    ¡°If you¡¯re still thinking to leave me behind, I¡¯d rather you kill me here, Titi.¡±

    Contrary to what he said brutally, his wet eyes shook like a child¡¯s.

    It felt like he was saying, please don¡¯t go, stay by my side.

    I knew why he put my hand on his chest.

    It was me who knew Asta.

    He was really telling me to kill him.

    ¡°Lexion¡­¡±

    There¡¯s no way I can kill him.

    Even if I left for the original world, I wanted him to live well here.

    As my lips were about to part.

    Read only at PM Translations

    He pleaded imploringly again.

    ¡°Titi, choose me. Not this damn fate.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Choose me, even if the path is rough. Because I¡¯m ready for anything.¡±

    TL/N: YAASSSSSSSSSSSS THE SENTENCE THAT MADE ME START THIS NOVEL!!!!!

    With the words, Lexion devoured my lips.

    An unannounced kiss was distinctly different from the brief touch and fall when I was drowning in a lake.

    The moment the moist lips met, his mouth opened without a doubt.

    Lexion¡¯s tongue pushed in through the gap in my mouth.

    My breath was entangled and my lips were bitten.

    Lexion grabbed the back of my head to prevent me from running away.

    But I had no intention to refuse his kiss.

    His words, asking me to choose, made my mind go blank.

    Lexion found himself.

    And he wants me.

    That alone made my blood boil.

    I could no longer push or reject him.

    I put my arms around his neck.

    My heart was pounding.

    When Lexion confirmed that I had no intention of rejecting him, he picked me up and sat me down at the desk.

    TL/N: OMG SCREAMING I AM SCREAM MING!!!! AT 1 AM OMGGYUFWHFHJEGFEBEFHJFE

    Did not expect a real kiss right after the cpr kiss but i ain¡¯t complaining. Gud stuff gud stuff

 Chapter 66

    The lips that met were getting hotter and hotter.

    My chest went up and down because I was out of breath.

    Lexion persistently followed my lips as I was about to move away and bit them.

    He held onto my back, which was about to collapse, with one hand and held it in place.

    The strength of his hard hand was transmitted down the spine of my back.

    It was a thin chemise dress-type pajama, so the place he touched felt very hot.

    My body suddenly shuddered.

    Still hanging onto his neck, I kissed him breathlessly.

    The sweet flesh gently swept through my teeth, invaded the inside of my mouth to his heart¡¯s content, and fled.

    The spots that Lexion passed through turned into fire as if they had been burnt.

    Without realizing it, I grabbed his hair and let out a hot breath.

    ¡°Heul¡­¡±

    The lips that had been following me relentlessly stopped moving.

    TL/N: AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

    Black eyes stared intently at me.

    The glistening lips caught my eye.

    What had just touched me was visible through the gap of his lips.

    He whispered softly.

    ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t go.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Say you won¡¯t leave, Titi.¡±

    Lexion let out gasps of hot breath and begged.

    I gently swept away his sweaty hair.

    I don¡¯t know.

    Now, I doubt whether it is true that I really want to go back to the original world.

    Read only at PM Translations

    Where should I go back?

    Oh, come to think of it, I¡­ Who was I?

    ¡°!!¡±

    I was startled at the sudden oblivion.

    I was flustered, collected my thoughts, and rummaged through my memories.

    But no matter how much I looked, I couldn¡¯t find my name.

    I lost my name.

    The moment I realized it, I felt like a boatman who lost his key in the open sea.

    ¡®I don¡¯t remember my name.¡¯

    Maybe it¡¯s because I lived too long in Tiarozety.

    I can¡¯t remember my original name.

    ¡®Have I been completely assimilated into this place? Enough to forget my name?¡¯

    It was terrifying and eerie.

    I feel like I¡¯ve completely lost myself.

    ¡°Titi?¡±

    Lexion called me with a quizzical face when I looked overly agitated.

    I looked at him in the face in a daze.

    Unlike him who found himself, I had forgotten about myself.

    ¡®How the hell did this happen¡­?¡¯

    ¡°Zion. I, I don¡¯t remember my name.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember who I was¡­!¡±

    Then he hugged me in his arms, rubbed my back, and comforted me.

    I could hear his heart beating as loudly as mine.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Titi.¡±

    ¡°Heueug!¡±

    Tears flowed profusely.

    I couldn¡¯t bear the thought of losing myself.

    He hugged me tighter and spoke.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. Really. You just have to remember that you exist here in this world. Then you¡¯ll never lose yourself.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll protect you. I¡¯ll block it for you. I¡¯ll carry it all for you so you don¡¯t force yourself to do what you don¡¯t want to do.¡±

    Lexion comforted me without hesitation.

    To not force me to do it meant I didn¡¯t have to do what the book instructed, and to take it on his back meant he was willing to bear the penalty.

    ¡®What¡¯s that¡­¡¯

    Read only at PM Translations

    I didn¡¯t want him to carry all the burden alone.

    That¡¯s too much work.

    I lived my life acting in this world alone.

    I endured the lonely time alone.

    I was terribly lonely, scared, and wanted to die ¨C not just one or twice.

    ¡°Zion.¡±

    After regaining some stability, I called his nickname softly.

    I fell out of his arms and made eye contact.

    I gently clasped his cheeks with my hands and gave him a soft smile.

    Yeah, I¡¯m not alone.

    Unbeknownst to me, he was traveling with me.

    With me on this long and grueling journey.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about your story.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°How are you here?¡±

    Lexion¡¯s eyes seemed to widen, but they calmed down again.

    After a while, he opened his lips and started talking to me.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    ***

    From the beginning, Lexion did not recognize himself.

    He was just a puppet that was not much different from the humans in this world.

    As if everything was set from birth, his life was smooth sailing.

    Born in Bael, the northern part of the country, where the rugged mountains and swift waves flowed, he studied at the academy in the capital city from an early age and walked the path of succession to the Duke.

    Naturally, the people he met were the children of celebrities, the rich, and even the royal family.

    After the succession, after meeting Seirin at the debutant, a mechanical encounter continued as if she was his destiny.

    Read only at PM Translations

    Lexion had taken his normal life for granted.

    He never had any doubts about it before meeting Tiarozety.

    [Lexion¡¯s POV]

    TL/N: This part switches between first and third person but it¡¯s all from Lexion¡¯s POV.

    ¡°Esol?¡±

    I happened to meet Tiarozety Esol at the slave market.

    The blue eyes that were wary of me with a frightened face were very beautiful.

    As I held her in my arms, I did not hate the way she looked at me with a confused face, even though I was shocked.

    By the way.

    ¡°I, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    When did you start stuttering?

    Obviously, when we first met, she was scared, but she had a rather stubborn expression on her face.

    She looked spirited as if she would run away with her own feet if she was unsatisfied.

    But she changed after she brought her luggage.

    She became visibly timid, often terrified, and did things she was told not to do, causing her to make big mistakes or get hurt.

    What confused me the most was her appearance as if she was passing by.

    ¡°Zion!¡±

    It was the day he returned from fighting a horde of demons stained with the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts to save Seirin.

    Drenched in blood and walking helplessly, she was visibly agitated and called me ¡®Zion¡¯.

    It was different from the mechanical expression I had seen occasionally.

    I almost hugged her because I felt sorry for her trembling eyelashes.

    But the armor I was wearing was bloody, so I just clenched my fists.

    Read only at PM Translations

    It was strange.

    I was obviously engaged to Seirin, and my body acted naturally as if urging me to love her.

    However, from some point on, things that were familiar and natural kept feeling silly and uncomfortable.

    Sometimes my body was stiff and I couldn¡¯t move as I wanted.

    ¡®Why am I doing this?¡¯

    Lexion thought he had a disease.

    It had to be a severe mental illness.

    Otherwise, it was not explained why the body and mind were different as if they had their own will.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with the head.¡±

    ¡°Really? Even though it moves like it¡¯s not my body sometimes?¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯ve been overdoing it lately. I¡¯ll prescribe you a tranquilizer.¡±

    The doctor only said he was in good health.

    But Lexion couldn¡¯t believe what he said.

    Yesterday and the day before, when he was with Seirin, his body moved freely.

    He was obviously trying to follow Tiarozety.

    However,

    ¡°Titi, please go ahead. I¡¯ll take the Princess home.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t hold on to Tiarozety, who was moving away with an ambiguous smile.

    It happened many times, and Lexion wondered if he was going crazy.

    In the meantime, there was a time when the will of his body stopped for the first time.

    When I was alone with Seirin, the atmosphere changed, and my body started to move on its own again.

    I was about to kiss her as if I were drawn to the atmosphere.

    Read only at PM Translations

    Tiarozety was seen behind Seirin.

    She had a painful expression on her face when she looked at me and Seirin.

    Lexion tried to stop by applying force to his mechanically moving body.

    I barely managed to stop at a distance my lips were about to touch.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Sir Lexion?¡±

    Seirin suddenly stopped and softly called Lexion, who frowned.

    Lexion clenched his teeth and endured.

    How long did it last?

    The force that controlled the body disappeared, and soon I was able to step back immediately.

    I looked straight at where Tiarozety was standing, but she was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Lexion headed to Tiarozety¡¯s room with those words.

    And when he faced her, Lexion faced a strange sight.

    ¡®What the hell is that¡­?¡¯

    Next to Tiarozety, there was something like a book floating around.

    It looked so bizarre that Lexion¡¯s gaze kept moving upwards.

    The moment I saw it, my breath stopped and my heart sank as if I learned the truth I never should have known.

    Soon the book disappeared, and Tiarozety said to herself.

    ¡°Don¡¯t laugh at me.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Afterward, she muttered more, but I couldn¡¯t concentrate.

    I was just flustered as I was chasing the afterimage of a book that had already disappeared.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    In the end, Lexion could not explain and returned in a hurry.

    After that, a book began to be seen around Tiarozety.

    When she spoke to the book or made eye contact, it was obvious that she could see it too.

    And when the book was floating, Tiarozety started acting unnaturally.

    Passive and gloomy behavior that was completely different from the appearance she had when we first met.

    ¡®Is it because of that?¡¯

    Lexion could guess from her actions and the book.

    That the book controls her.

    Read only at PM Translations

    However, it was a book that appeared and disappeared so suddenly, so I couldn¡¯t check it properly.

    Lexion wondered if he might be controlled by an invisible book and continue to do things he didn¡¯t want to happen.

    It was around the time when I was gradually getting to know about the book and Tiarozety.

    At some point, Tiarozety kept trying to push Lexion.

    It was very painful for Lexion, who made a lot of effort to even approach her when his body and will were in disarray.

    The relationship that was so close to being caught became even more difficult after Tiarozety went to the Imperial Palace.

    ¡®What the hell am I doing?¡¯

    Lexion felt powerless that he could not control himself.

    Then, he received an order from the emperor to form a subjugation squad.

    Thanks to that, he and Tiarozety were together again, and Lexion happened to find her carrying a certain book.

    It was unexpected to see her while she was asleep, and I was wondering what she was carrying around preciously.

    It was the Bible.

    No, I thought it was a Bible.

    But when I took it out, it was a completely different title.

    As soon as he saw the book that read [The Opponent of the Dragon], Lexion opened the book as if drawn to it.

 Chapter 67

    [Lexion¡¯s POV]

    TL/N: This part switches between 1st and 3rd person again.

    ¡°What the hell is this?¡±

    Lexion stared at the book with confused eyes.

    A visibly agitated look.

    As soon as Lexion read the book, he realized why he had been feeling like he was living a life that was not like his own.

    The book contained a story about him.

    His thoughts were beautifully adapted and contained in the book.

    Content that seems to be him, but it¡¯s not.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    It was an epiphany close to instinct.

    Lexion closed the book in fear of approaching.

    After that, not only can I see the book, but I can also hear its voice.

    Previously, I thought Tiarozety was just talking to herself, but she was actually talking to the book.

    Lexion was constantly concerned about her.

    Maybe that¡¯s why.

    I made such a stupid mistake.

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    The wounds from being attacked by the evil dragon were quite deep.

    I thought it would be hard to hold out for a long time.

    At the moment when I wondered if I was going to die in vain, my eyes met with Tiarozety.

    Her eyes fell as if they were collapsing.

    She seemed shocked by my wounds.

    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t cry.¡±

    Lexion only tried to reassure her by parting his lips.

    Read only at PM Translations

    But she cried even more sadly.

    It was so pitiful that Lexion stretched out his hand.

    Fortunately, my body moved as I wanted.

    Tiarozety¡¯s hot tears fell on his face.

    Seeing her crying sadly, Lexion¡¯s heart seemed to be ripped apart.

    ¡®But I¡¯m glad that the last face I see is you, not Princess Seirin.¡¯

    The moment Lexion was about to think like that.

    Tiarozety made a determined expression and tried to reach out to him.

    He instinctively knew what she was going to do.

    So he grabbed her hand and shook his head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it.¡±

    ¡®Please¡­¡¯

    Even if she was an Esol, to recover from this fatal injury, she had to give up her life.

    Besides, she was weak.

    I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll die.

    Lexion didn¡¯t want her to die.

    It was then.

    The book began to urge her.

    ¨C The countdown begins. Please recite specified lines.

    Fixed lines. Fixed actions.

    All that stuff was shackled to Tiarozety.

    ¡°You have to be happy.¡±

    Her voice trembled as she spoke.

    ¡°Tiaro¡­!¡±

    I called her with all my might, but there was no turning back.

    At that moment, I couldn¡¯t move as if my body was bound.

    Read only at PM Translations

    There was no way to stop her.

    ¡°[Ejis.]¡±

    I felt the pain subside.

    Tiarozety did not avoid his gaze while trying to stop the bleeding.

    As if she didn¡¯t want to miss a moment.

    Lexion¡¯s heart sank.

    I didn¡¯t want to live to kill her.

    Even if he was connected with Seirin, he wished she was still alive.

    I thought it would be fine to just watch.

    I did, but¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you.¡±

    Her bright smile was as warm as the sunlight.

    ¡°It¡¯s really goodbye.¡±

    TL/N: T^T

    She greeted him as if she was saying goodbye.

    Somehow, she seemed to feel free.

    At that moment, Esol¡¯s power flashed and wrapped around Lexion¡¯s body.

    ¡°No¡­!¡±

    Bang-!

    Tiarozety flopped helplessly.

    Read only at PM Translations

    The warmth was still there, but she didn¡¯t open her eyes.

    She stopped breathing.

    ¡°Titi, please open your eyes. Please, please¡­¡±

    Lexion hugged Tiarozety and cried.

    Then the book uttered in a heartless voice.

    [Mission accomplished. Proceed to the rewards page.]

    With those words, the book was about to disappear.

    Lexion instinctively thought he had to hold on to it.

    So he grabbed the book that was about to disappear.

    At that moment, time stopped.

    The evil dragon that was raging was also quiet, and the clouds in the sky stopped.

    Everything but Lexion had come to a standstill.

    Then the book spoke to Lexion.

    ¨C It¡¯s been a long time since ¡°Awakening¡±. My name is Guide, the administrator of this world.

    ¡°Where are you taking Tiarozety?¡±

    ¨C She¡¯s just trying to finish her trip.

    ¡°Trip?¡±

    ¨C Those who come from outside the world are called ¡®Travelers¡¯. If they complete a given ending, they will be rewarded.

    Lexion frowned at the unfamiliar words he heard for the first time.

    In the end, it means that the ¡±real her¡° was not from this world.

    Maybe that¡¯s why she behaved so differently.

    ¡°So she¡¯s still alive?¡±

    ¨C That¡¯s right. She will soon return to her original world.

    Lexion was relieved to hear that she was alive and at the same time, his face hardened at the mention of her returning.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    Who¡¯s sending her back as they please?

    Read only at PM Translations

    There was a fierce look in Lexion¡¯s eyes.

    At his refusal, the guide came to Lexion¡¯s nose and asked.

    ¨C You don¡¯t want to let her go back?

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    -Even if she wants to go back?

    Lexion paused at the guide¡¯s question.

    He can¡¯t force it if she wants to.

    But he didn¡¯t want to let her go.

    No, I couldn¡¯t send her.

    Even if she wanted it, he couldn¡¯t listen to it.

    ¡°¡­yes.¡±

    Lexion replied slowly in a dry voice.

    ¨C ¡°The Awakened¡± can be a traveler. Becoming a traveler can be rewarded.

    ¡°A reward?¡±

    ¨C That¡¯s right. When you complete the ending, you can get the desired reward.

    The guide opened the reward page with the words.

    Lexion checked the contents of the reward and opened his mouth immediately.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try.¡±

    ¨C Once selected, there is no turning back. Are you sure you want to be a traveler?

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me twice.¡±

    In response to Lexion¡¯s reply, a loud alarm sounded from the book.

    After a while, the book clung to him as if changing owners.

    After that, as the book instructed, he destroyed the already set ending.

    Lexion, who became ¡°The Awakened¡± and a traveler, could easily ignore the demands of the world.

    A penalty was given, but he didn¡¯t care.

    It was better than taking her away from him.

    He threw himself at the evil dragon and died, and went back to the beginning again and again.

    When the hero who was supposed to save the world abandoned it, the world fell into chaos.

    The fossilized guide showed the path to destruction, and he followed suit.

    When this world is complete, she will return.

    Read only at PM Translations

    Through repeated regression, the book faded to white.

    Lexion¡¯s heart seemed to be empty.

    Did the book deceive me?

    She was always nowhere to be found.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±

    -The second guide of her life is protecting her.

    ¡°Protecting?¡±

    Lexion laughed sarcastically.

    Protection?

    It was detention, not protection.

    The book always forced her to act.

    Lexion just wanted to confess his true feelings and wanted to be with her more.

    I didn¡¯t want it to end like in the past.

    ¨C The more you go back, the more difficult it is for travelers.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care, as long as I can find Titi.¡±

    Lexion continued to return despite the guide¡¯s warning.

    And eventually, he found Tiarozety.

    From Esol¡¯s corpse pile

    ¡°Found you.¡±

    Lexion thought.

    ¡®I won¡¯t let her go again.¡¯

    TL/N: ¡°Found you¡± hits differently now when I reread the first few chapters ahhhh!

    ***

    [Tiarozety¡¯s POV]

    After hearing all of Lexion¡¯s story, I was at a loss for words.

    I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s been returning for a long time to find me.

    I wanted to let it all go on my second trip because it was too heavy for me, but he¡¯s suffered through everything dozens of times.

    Read only at PM Translations

    The fact saddened me.

    I didn¡¯t know he was looking for me.

    I also couldn¡¯t believe he had already loved me from the previous life.

    ¡°Why did you say it now¡­¡±

    If he had told me earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have rushed in circles like this.

    Lexion responded with a bitter smile at my complaint.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you because I wasn¡¯t sure what you wanted to do.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I may have been scared. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll choose your world, not mine.¡±

    ¡°Lexion, I¡­.¡±

    I don¡¯t know.

    To be honest, I had endured this world thinking only of going back.

    In the first place, I never had a family to live with over here for the rest of my life.

    ¡®But Lexion must have felt it even more than me.¡¯

    I didn¡¯t know what to say.

    So what should I do now?

    The destination of this trip was my original world.

    If we reject it, what will happen to me and Lexion?

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    As I was thinking about such an anxious thought, Lexion intertwined our hands.

    As if he would never let it go again, he gently brought it to his lips.

    His eyes were fixed on me.

    ¡°Do you still want to go back?¡±

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t go. I can¡¯t do it without you. I need you, Titi.¡±

    I was moved by Lexion¡¯s plea.

    Because I didn¡¯t want to let go of the hand I was holding.

    ¡°Do you really need me?¡±

    I¡¯ve always been a burden to you.

    He smiled softly when I asked with anxious eyes.

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re the only one I need.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    I may have wanted to hear this answer.

    I hope he needs me.

    I hope he loves me.

    I nodded silently.

    I thought one action would be better than a few words.

    All I ever wanted in this world was Lexion.

    I wanted him, but I couldn¡¯t have him, and I gave up because I couldn¡¯t have him.

    Now I can touch or kiss him as much as I want.

    When I checked my heart, there was nothing else to go through or confirm.

    As soon as he heard my answer, Lexion embraced me and kissed me.

    A firm hand gripped my thigh as I wrapped my legs around his waist.

    He strode somewhere.

    I knew where he was headed.

    In the room next to the study, there was a bed to rest in for a while.

    A secret room where no one but Lexion can come in.

    He was leading me there.

    His tangled tongue was sweet like honey.

    The hands that held me were so hot it felt like they would melt.

    Lexion put me down on the bed slowly.

    I was surprised when I met his eyes.

    His eyes were filled with passion.

    TL/N: Wow wow we already knew Lexion regressed from the previous chapter but I was shocked to find out that he regressed multiple times on purpose just to find Tiarozety!

 Chapter 68

    Black eyes twinkled in the light.

    Lexion was already eating me with his eyes.

    His breath reached the tip of my nose.

    The sight of his throat swallowing was captivating.

    Lexion quietly opened his mouth.

    ¡°Your only chance to stop is now, Titi.¡±

    He gave me a deep gaze and said he would stop himself if I wanted to.

    His words and actions were inconsistent.

    Because he was undoing my shirt simultaneously as he was talking.

    In fact, he doesn¡¯t want to stop but was pretending to keep his composure.

    I held back my laughter when I saw him hurrying impatiently.

    The bright eyes, the slightly red cheeks, and the lips gleaming from the previous kiss all looked beautiful.

    He sat down on the bed, waiting for my answer.

    His thighs were already nestled between mine, ready to strike at any moment.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to stop.¡±

    ¡°¡­it might hurt a little bit.¡±

    Lexion bit his lower lip and muttered lowly.

    His voice echoed lowly as if it were in a cave.

    I whispered affectionately to him, who was barely holding onto reason.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. Come here, Zion.¡±

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    When my permission was granted, Lexion rushed to me.

    He swallowed my lips straight away and knocked me down.

    My silvery hair messed up on the duvet.

    A thin chemise dress was rolled up slightly, exposing my white knees.

    Lexion grabbed my knee with one hand and settled it firmly between his legs.

    His tight muscles could be seen through his shirt, which had already been loosened.

    I didn¡¯t know where to look.

    More than that, the skin that touched was so hot that my body felt like melting.

    Soon after, I felt a heavy weight.

    A large hand grabbed the hill that rose above the chemise.

    ¡°¡­Ugh!¡±

    I let out a shallow moan involuntarily at the sudden sensation.

    The sound of the thin cloth rubbing against each other as each layer was peeled off made my ears dizzy.

    As he turned his hand lightly, my stomach shook.

    Before I knew it, Lexion¡¯s lips came down my chin and caught on my collarbone.

    When he bit my shoulder without warning, a shallow scream came out.

    ¡°Heugh, Le, Lexi¡­!¡±

    I clung to him without realizing it.

    He took off his shirt in one fell swoop as if it were a bother.

    Thanks to that, it was his back that I was holding on to.

    His back was drenched in sweat.

    I flinched as my hand touched the hard muscles of his back and let out a hot breath.

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    His breath hit the back of my neck, and I felt the hair all over my body stand upright.

    I felt something heavy underneath.

    I tried to close my knees, but he grabbed them and held them.

    ¡°Titi, look at me.¡±

    I glanced at him as if I were drawn to his voice.

    He gently stroked my stiff shoulder.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be nervous about.¡±

    ¡°Oh, how, uh¡­ I¡¯m not nervous.¡±

    Every time the heavy object moved, my breath kept bursting out.

    The chemise dress had already been half taken off, exposing my white shoulders.

    It was the first time, so I was even more nervous and withdrawn.

    It was hot everywhere his lips touched, and my whole body trembled.

    I didn¡¯t know the body I was sticking to would fall off.

    He gently brushed my sweat-soaked hair to calm me down.

    Then when I felt a strong force, I was startled and grasped his hair without realizing it.

    ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry¡­!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can hold on to it recklessly.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

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    The reason the sweet voice pierced my ear was probably because his lips were on my earlobe.

    He continued to move, biting my earlobe.

    My hands that were holding him clenched tightly.

    After a while.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere.¡±

    He whispered affectionately, his lips overlapping.

    When he told me not to go, I hugged him tightly and reassured him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ I¡¯m not going.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    The bed shook violently, and the sheets were crumpled.

    I was intoxicated with the sweetness he gave me, and I just surrendered myself to him.

    TL/N: Omg we getting kisses AND KINDA SNU SNU??? Halp I¡¯m DED

    Chapter 10. A Cracked World

    Seirin and Gregory were preparing for a welcome party in Bael when the third attack of the evil dragon continued in the capital.

    In response, Kronos set up an investigation team to search for the residence of the evil dragon.

    The capital was safely protected, but the surrounding area was devastated by the attacks of the evil dragon.

    Due to the scattered thoughts, the price of the purification stone rose exponentially.

    The number of purification stones in the royal family was also tight to protect the capital, so they ignored requests for help from surrounding areas.

    As a result, there were countless attacks by demonic beasts on nearby areas, and people tainted with thoughts killed each other.

    The land became a permanent colony of the evil dragon and began to emit more intense thoughts.

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    TL/N: In case you¡¯re confused with these thoughts, it¡¯s mentioned in chapter 39 that these thoughts are from the evil dragon, and ¡°malice of those who came in contact (with the infected) will be amplified¡±

    Also, TL/N from chapter 35: ¡°it¡¯s basically the dragon¡¯s darkest desires that can influence people¡¯s minds.¡±

    Also from chapter 35: ¡°The purification stones were a magic tool made to use against the evil dragon. Since the evil dragon was a dragon that fed on malice and hostility, they had to purify the evil energy that lurked everywhere to weaken its power. ¡°

    It was also mentioned at the end of Ch 48 and Ch 49 that Lexion was expecting this and bought loads and loads of purification stones. (which I assume might be a big contributor to the shortage the capital is experiencing rn.)

    Sorry for info/refresh bomb! Back to the story! lolol

    Those who did not have money became either the prey of the beasts or the food of those who were tainted with thoughts.

    Those living in the capital began to panic as the surrounding area became devastated.

    For this reason, the emperor first tried to determine the residence of the evil dragon, led by Kronos and the Imperial Knights.

    Afterwards, if he found its residence, he was going to mobilize the private soldiers of each noble to subdue it.

    It¡¯s been a long time since the silent evil dragon was on the rise again.

    It had reached a level that could no longer be tolerated by the imperial family, and the resentment of the people in the capital became increasingly serious.

    If they leave it any longer, even the capital will become dangerous.

    At this time, the role of Kronos was truly significant.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t expect things to get worse so quickly.¡¯

    The emperor¡¯s troubles deepened.

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    Meanwhile, it was found through Seirin that there was no problem in the Bael area yet.

    The emperor entrusted Seirin with the heavy task of convincing the Duke of Sparrow to send the knights.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Your Majesty.¡¯

    It¡¯s been a few days since they cut off contact, but there¡¯s still no news.

    The emperor rubbed his tired eyes.

    At that time, Kronos was in the midst of searching for the habitat of the evil dragon.

    It was then.

    ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s some suspicious movement there.¡±

    The knight pointed somewhere to Kronos.

    Kronos¡¯ eyes turned to the huge waterfall.

    A barrier was placed over the waterfall.

    ¡°Go check it out.¡±

    When Kronos gave a stern command, several knights approached the waterfall.

    It was around the time when the imperial wizard understood the properties of the barrier.

    Bang-!

    All the knights who approached the waterfall with the explosion were thrown out.

    At the same time, a dense fog spread and blocked the view.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Ha, it¡¯s a trap!¡±

    ¡°Big¡­!¡±

    When Kronos was startled and urged, the knight shouted and fell.

    After a while, the mighty evil dragon appeared from beyond the barrier.

    The flapping wings of the evil dragon resounded with horror.

    At that time, knights who were hit directly by the fog suddenly began to attack other knights.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    Kronos shouted nervously and tried to secure his vision.

    But-

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Kronos, who touched the fog, swayed greatly.

    He thought it was just fog, but it was mixed with poison.

    ¡°Damn it¡­!¡±

    It was time for Kronos to quickly take an antidote to his mouth and order the retreat.

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    Kiee-

    Along with the evil dragon¡¯s cry, its thoughts were scattered everywhere.

    He didn¡¯t even have time to touch it.

    The investigation team, led by Kronos, was all greatly exposed to thoughts.

    After a while, the movements that were attacking each other stopped.

    All of a sudden, their eyes turned black.

    ***

    Inside the villa of Sparrow Castle.

    Seirin was arguing with Gregory.

    Tiarozety fell ill for 10 days after falling into the lake.

    She was originally said to be weak, but it must have been true.

    But the problem was that even Gregory was about to die.

    The way he was completely depressed was completely absurd.

    It seemed like he was sorry to hear that she fell into the water while taking a walk with him at night, but from Seirin¡¯s point of view, it seemed a little excessive.

    The start of today¡¯s fight came first from Gregory¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°We¡¯d better go back to Imperial Castle now.¡±

    ¡°Go back? Without doing anything?¡±

    ¡°As expected, you came to do something.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no room for us between the two.¡±

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    Gregory¡¯s voice was assertive.

    He did not realize that he said ¡°us¡± rather than ¡°you¡±.

    Seirin was furious at his words.

    ¡°There¡¯s no room? They haven¡¯t even started yet.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary for the heart to need a checkmark for the beginning. Seirin, it¡¯s too late.¡±

    TL/N: Meaning the heart doesn¡¯t need a big event or sth significant to happen for them to love each other.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m not late. Why am I late? Brother knew that too. It¡¯s gonna be Lexion next to me anyway.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. At first, I didn¡¯t doubt that the seat next to you was Lexion.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°But look at this situation. Lexion is urgently on his way after she collapsed. It¡¯s a man who doesn¡¯t care that you¡¯re here and solely wants to protect her.¡±

    Gregory¡¯s words scratched Seirin¡¯s pride.

    In fact, even Seirin was surprised.

    Because she never dreamed that Lexion would act so irrationally.

    As Gregory said, the current Lexion was in a state of being close to being a recluse.

    He refused all meetings, only going back and forth between her bedroom and his own bedroom.

    It was not at all aristocratic to be so neglectful towards guests who came.

    And what worries her the most is¡­

    ¡®After that day, I can¡¯t reach the royal family. Is the capital blocked?¡¯

    Seirin clenched her hand until her fingertips turned white without realizing it.

    It was the capital city that has already been attacked by the evil dragon a second time before coming here.

    Not long ago, the emperor ordered Seirin to persuade Lexion to come as soon as possible, saying that they had been attacked for the third time.

    And now even the news has been cut off.

    Seirin immediately informed him of the situation in the capital, but Lexion coldly refused.

 Chapter 69

    Seirin recalled the situation at the time.

    ¡®We¡¯re not sending reinforcements.¡¯

    ¡®The capital has been attacked! Are you saying that it¡¯s more important that a woman like that collapsed?¡¯

    ¡®She¡¯s not just that woman to me. There are sporadic riots in Baelo too, due to the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts.¡¯

    ¡®Bael is important, but once the capital gets pierced through, the Arden Empire is over.¡¯

    TL/N: Basically once the evil dragon fully brings the capital down.

    ¡®Wasn¡¯t it originally the duty of the royal family to protect the capital?¡¯

    ¡®Nobles are subordinate to the imperial family. You¡¯re going to break the imperial order now?¡¯

    ¡®If I have to protect my territory, I¡¯m willing to.¡¯

    Despite Seirin¡¯s strong demands, Lexion remained steadfast.

    He even made bold statements that he was willing to rebel against the threat of imperial orders.

    ¡®As expected, he changed. It¡¯s clear he doesn¡¯t intend to obey the royal family anymore.¡¯

    Seirin was anxious.

    It was because the situation was getting worse than the imperial family had feared.

    ¡®We may have to fight the evil dragon again¡­¡¯

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    It was a time called the Reign of Peace.

    However, the peace has already been broken since the evil dragon launched the attack.

    After that, Gregory also knew about the situation in the capital and started meditating with Seirin, but the negotiations failed.

    Lexion advised the two of them to return to the capital.

    A clear decree.

    The Sparrow family abandoned the capital.

    This means defying the imperial family.

    He was no longer a proud nobleman of Arden.

    Just a man crazy about a woman.

    TL/N: Urghh shuddup yall!!!

    Seirin couldn¡¯t stand the humiliation and was about to move to Brandt Castle when she fought with Gregory.

    Gregory spoke as if he was reading aloud.

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to go for no reason. We¡¯ve completely lost contact with the capital. I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to go back.¡±

    ¡°Then tell Sir Lexion to send the Black Knights. They¡¯ll see when they get there.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be unreasonable. You¡¯ve already finished talking about it with the Duke of Sparrow.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean finished? He is a servant of the Arden Empire! Do you think he¡¯ll be safe after breaking the imperial law?¡±

    Gregory¡¯s mouth twitched when Seirin screamed all of a sudden.

    The words didn¡¯t make sense at all.

    She seemed overly nervous and impatient.

    Was Seirin such a person in the first place?

    Gregory has been very unfamiliar with her lately.

    Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°Not long after the attack on the capital, evil thoughts began to infest Bael. It is only natural for him to protect Bael first.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of Bael without a capital?¡±

    ¡°¡­Bael is our land, too. If we just protect the capital, will everything will be solved?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean¡­ I mean, work is also important.¡±

    TL/N: Like Lexion¡¯s ¡°job¡± to protect the capital

    ¡°Haa, Seirin¡­¡±

    At the height of the quarrel, the communication device lit up.

    After confirming that the call was from the imperial family, Seirin smiled and took the communication device.

    ¨C Seirin. It¡¯s me, Kronos.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I get in touch with you? I was worried.¡±

    -Sorry. While I was setting up an investigation team, the capital was attacked again.

    ¡°Another attack? Is Your Majesty safe?¡±

    Seirin was stunned to hear that the fourth raid had already taken place.

    But the tone of Kronos¡¯ voice from the other side was calm.

    ¨C It hurt a little, but it¡¯s nothing to worry about.

    ¡°Did you get hurt?¡±

    Seirin asked back in surprise at Kronos¡¯ answer.

    ¡°Kronos, are you all right?¡±

    Then Gregory, who was with her, intervened.

    Then Kronus laughed out loud.

    -Aren¡¯t you all making a fuss? Where would the capital be so easily taken away?

    Seirin was relieved by Kronos¡¯ calm voice.

    If things were really urgent, his voice would have been loud enough to be heard outside the castle.

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    Kronos spoke again.

    ¨C There¡¯s nothing to worry about here, so try convincing the Lexion bastard.

    ¡°He won¡¯t let them go. The situation in Bael is pretty bad right now.¡±

    ¨C Then Seirin, you should come back first. I can¡¯t put my precious sister in such a dangerous place.

    ¡°Yes, Seirin. That would be cool. The capital is safe, so you go first, and I¡¯ll stay here and try to persuade Lexion a little more.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¨C Yeah, listen to Gregory.

    At the persuasion of the two, Seirin bit her lower lip and remained silent.

    It was embarrassing to go back without achieving anything, but she was worried that His Majesty would be seriously injured.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do that.¡±

    -Yeah. Hakun¡¯s a bit dangerous right now, so come by land. I¡¯ll send you the route in a minute.

    ¡°Yes, thank you, brother.¡±

    Communication ended like that

    Seirin sighed deeply.

    Gregory patted her on the shoulder.

    ¡°Go and empty your mind.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty is fine, so don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°To my brother, he may just be abusive, but he¡¯s a father to me. How can I not worry?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

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    Gregory¡¯s gestures stopped.

    Seirin¡¯s thorny words stabbed him in the heart.

    Gregory said with a bitter smile.

    ¡°Yeah. You will have a harder time than me.¡±

    ¡°I want to rest. Go back.¡±

    To Seirin¡¯s command, Gregory didn¡¯t answer.

    He just slipped away.

    ***

    When I came to consciousness, I was in someone¡¯s arms.

    The heavy thing that pressed on my waist was Lexion¡¯s arm.

    When I slowly opened my eyes, I saw Lexion¡¯s collarbone.

    I raised my eyes and looked at him.

    He was fast asleep.

    A beautiful face filled my vision, and the sound of his light breathing was good to hear.

    How much time has passed?

    I spent the night in Lexion¡¯s study last night.

    In the meantime, I was taken to a bed next to the study, and after that, it was hot enough to make my body flutter.

    ¡®No way. It wasn¡¯t a dream.¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t believe I spent the night with him.

    But if I see that my whole body is aching and my lower body is tingling, it must be true.

    Naturally, last night¡¯s afterimage lingered.

    The hot breath, the hand holding the waist tightly, and the body scent that filled the room were all clear.

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    I was tossing around in embarrassment for some reason, but Lexion hugged me even tighter.

    ¡°Huek¡­!¡±

    I was so surprised that I took a deep breath, and I thought Lexion¡¯s head was coming down, so I lightly smacked my forehead.

    TL/N: Like to cover her forehead

    ¡°Hey, are you up?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    Still half asleep, his voice was languid.

    It was quite different from his usual straightforward voice.

    My face was about to burn as he whispered into my ear.

    Meanwhile, Lexion gently stroked my back.

    The touch of the bare skin reminded me of last night and my body automatically shuddered.

    Besides, because he was holding my waist so tightly, he was in close contact with me, so I didn¡¯t know how to breathe.

    ¡°Zi, Zion¡­ A little further away.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    He hugged me tighter and kissed me all over my face.

    Kissing sounds echoed plainly throughout the room.

    Then suddenly, I wondered because my body didn¡¯t seem to be sticky.

    I even remember falling asleep after sweating last night, but when I woke up, it was refreshing as if I had washed up.

    ¡®No way¡­ did Daisy come and go?¡¯

    When I thought that she had seen this scene, I wanted to hide in a rat hole.

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    Then he lifted my chin and kissed me deeper than before, laid down, and whispered.

    ¡°Did you sleep well?¡±

    Before I knew it, I felt awake.

    ¡°Yes¡­ More than that, did I wash up and fall asleep yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you remember?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    What do you mean I don¡¯t remember?

    I tilted my head at his innocent response.

    Then he put on a troubled expression and spoke.

    ¡°You said washing up was bothersome¡­ you asked me to wash you.¡±

    ¡°What?! Me?!¡±

    No way!

    No matter how crazy I was, I couldn¡¯t have done such a bold thing!

    Both eyes widened in surprise.

    It was then.

    He bit his lips, laughed out loud, and replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m kidding. I thought you¡¯d feel uncomfortable if you just slept¡­¡±

    Lexion licked his lips as he stopped talking.

    Just by looking at the reaction, I felt like I knew what was going on without listening to the back story.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I checked my mind immediately.

    It wasn¡¯t enough to fall asleep all spread out on the bed, but to let my partner wash me?

    ¡®The, the worst¡­¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t bear to see Lexion¡¯s face, so I covered my face with my hands.

    Then he gently removed my hand and smiled brightly.

    ¡°I liked it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad if you liked¡­ not! What, What are you talking about now!¡±

    I was taken aback by his provocative remarks.

    My hand was still in his grasp, so even if I tried to move it, it was still in his hands.

    The corners of Lexion¡¯s eyes were folded finely.

    He looked at me lovingly and asked.

    ¡°You talked casually yesterday, but now you¡¯re speaking formally again, Titi?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡±

    In my heart, I always called him Lexion.

    Yesterday, when I learned the truth, I guess I treated him casually in surprise.

    But now that I have regained my composure, it was not easy to speak informally to him,

    ¡°You¡¯re a duke. It looks bad when others hear it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. It¡¯s just the two of us now.¡±

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    He stroked my hair quietly.

    The touch seemed to be heated.

    His eyes gradually heated up as I gazed at them.

    ¡°Then only when we are together, Zion.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    With those words, Lexion¡¯s lips came crashing.

    It was quite different from the kisses when he was playing around just now.

    Before I knew it, my whole body was tense.

    The places he touched became hot.

    I closed my eyes and gently savored the sweet lips.

    TL/N: omg issit round 2? LOLOL ( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã)

 Chapter 70

    Lexion put on his clothes, kissing Tiarozety¡¯s cheek lightly while she was asleep.

    Tiarozety must have been tired, so she quickly fell into a deep sleep.

    He wanted to hold her and didn¡¯t want to let her go the whole time if he could, but there was a meeting soon.

    Shortly after she became ill, problems began to arise with Bael.

    There were a series of missing cases, and riots broke out around the market.

    When a nearby sentry officer tried to subdue it, everyone said that their eyes rolled back and flashed.

    As a result of checking, it was confirmed that they had been stained with thoughts.

    There was no sign during patrolling, but it seemed that the party of people was the starting point.

    Since the cause is still unknown, purification stones were installed around the market first.

    All infected people were quarantined and treated.

    When he arrived at the conference hall, all the elders were already seated.

    The chairman, Arnold, lightly saluted.

    ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s start.¡±

    Several agendas came up when Lexion¡¯s permission was granted.

    Read only at PM Translations

    Count Katrina spoke.

    ¡°The starting point of the thoughts that arose in the market turned out to be the vegetable shop.¡±

    ¡°A vegetable shop?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Most of the people who were tainted with thoughts were those who stopped by the store or were close to them.¡±

    ¡°Who owns the vegetable store?¡±

    ¡°They were not tainted by thoughts.¡±

    ¡°That means there was a problem with one of the items sold at the store.¡±

    Lexion muttered with a rather severe expression.

    Among those quarantined, the first few that got infected had already lost their senses.

    Everyone was distracted and couldn¡¯t see what they had bought.

    The key is to check through secondary and tertiary infections, but there were not many survivors and they were usually unconscious.

    ¡°What happened to the survivors who didn¡¯t wake up then?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re still unconscious.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s taking too long.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll interrogate them as soon as they wake up.¡±

    Read only at PM Translations

    When Arnold answered without delay, Lexion nodded.

    Since the outbreak, the elders have not been able to go home and have been moving to assess and rectify the situation.

    Lexion emphasized again.

    ¡°Check the list of items that the shop owner bought and sold, and confiscate the vegetable store¡¯s items first.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What happened to the disappearance that happened in Carmel Forest?¡±

    When Lexion changed the subject, the Marquis of Michelangelo spoke.

    ¡°We¡¯re sending a search party to check. They¡¯ll be back around this evening after completing their mission.¡±

    ¡°It is a thought so strong that people lose their minds in a short amount of time. Did they bring enough purifying stones with them?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Fortunately, thanks to the purification stones you bought in advance, there is ample stock. As expected, you¡¯re great too, Your Excellency.¡±

    The Marquis of Michelangelo spoke in spoke in a tone of admiration.

    This was thanks to Lexion¡¯s sweeping of the purification stones in advance.

    It is said that they are currently experiencing difficulties in purchasing purification stones from various places.

    On the other hand, there were plenty of purification stones in Bael.

    It was truly inconceivable.

    After that, the meeting proceeded steadily.

    It was when the meeting was over and everyone was about to return to their respective positions.

    Read only at PM Translations

    Lexion called Arnold Brandt.

    ¡°Arnold, I¡¯ve heard you haven¡¯t been able to go home since that day.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s all right. Hegel has been feeling better recently, so I¡¯m less burdened.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay to take care of your family more.¡±

    At Lexion¡¯s request, Arnold¡¯s eyes widened.

    A moment later he replied with a light smile.

    ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Duke. Then, I¡¯ll go home today.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Lexion left the room with a couple of pats on his shoulders.

    ***

    As soon as I woke up, I headed straight to my room.

    When I entered the room, Daisy was just changing her seat.

    ¡°Miss, good afternoon.¡±

    As soon as she saw me, she smiled and welcomed me.

    I rolled my eyes because I knew why she was smiling.

    If you¡¯re not surprised when the sick person suddenly disappears, it means you already know where they are.

    As soon as we sat down at the table, Daisy brought out tea.

    She spoke softly.

    ¡°It is a good tea for relieving muscle pain.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I shrank back after she poked me in my shoulders, and she continued.

    TL/N: LMAO Daisy best gurl

    ¡°I brought an omelet and salad because I thought you¡¯d be hungry.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±

    Daisy stood by, hesitating.

    I slowly started eating the omelet and salad.

    As she said, I was a little hungry, so it went down easily.

    Read only at PM Translations

    As I was about to finish eating, Daisy asked gently.

    ¡°Have you two made up?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t fight¡­¡±

    ¡°Anyway.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we made up.¡±

    It was very hot too.

    I chewed the leftover food in my mouth even more earnestly in the afterimage that came up again.

    After a while.

    ¡°How sick have I been?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been more than ten days.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been that long¡­?¡±

    I thought I would have been sick for three days at most, but I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s ten days.

    As I blinked in surprise, Daisy sighed.

    ¡°Not long after you got sick, there was a big riot in the market. You¡¯ll probably have to stay in the castle for a while.¡±

    ¡°A riot?¡±

    ¡°Everyone seems to be keeping quiet, but I heard from Aiden that the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts are all over the place, so it¡¯s very dangerous outside.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    I just grabbed the hem of my clothes.

    It seemed like a nightmare from a previous life has been revived.

    ¡®But the timing is so fast¡­¡¯

    Just as I was thinking about it, the book sounded a notification.

    ¨C Tiling! The preview has arrived.

    ¡°Daisy, you can leave now.¡±

    ¡°Yes. If you want to take a walk, please don¡¯t go out alone and pull the rope.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I will.¡±

    As soon as Daisy said goodbye and left, I opened the book to watch the preview.

    Read only at PM Translations

    The front of the book was full of notifications that I hadn¡¯t checked.

    First, I checked the preview.

    [ The capital was overthrown by the evil dragon. The emperor is unconscious.

    Afterwards, Kronos, who went on a search, returned, drove out the evil dragon, and temporarily assumed the throne on behalf of the emperor.

    It is presumed that the evil dragon has gone far away, but Kronus orders Seirin to return to the capital.

    After that, Gregory remains in Bael and asks Lexion for reinforcements.

    Tiarozety tries to persuade Lexion with Gregory.

    In the meantime, a big incident takes place in Bael¡­]

    What do you mean the capital was overthrown?

    It was a completely different development from the time in my first life.

    At that time, the capital was protected until the end.

    Fortunately, Kronos drove out the evil dragon, but the situation did not improve.

    ¡®If the evil dragon left far away and a big incident broke out in Bael, does it mean that the evil dragon is coming this way?¡¯

    Since the main characters, Gregory and I, are in Bael, there is a higher chance of it attacking here than in the capital.

    First of all, I thought I should discuss it with Lexion, so I was going to get up from my seat, but the guide said.

    ¨C Traveller, you can¡¯t trust Lexion Sparrow.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¨C His role has been decided. He is no longer a supporting actor. He¡¯s¡­

    The guide stuttered, then dropped off.

    Just like someone is stopping it from talking.

    ¡°Guide?¡±

    ¨C ¡­

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    The guide did not answer my questions.

    It was strange that it kept cutting off as if the battery had run out.

    At that time, alarms that I had not read before caught my eye.

    Read only at PM Translations

    [The development changes depending on the Awakened. Due to the different development, the episodes of Tiarozety and Gregory will be deleted at once.]

    [Synchronized. Your opponent can spy on this story. Special attention is required.]

    If it was an Awakened, it must be referring to Lexion.

    ¡®As expected, Lexion knew in advance and intervened in my events.¡¯

    I now understand the parts that were strange in the middle.

    He often appeared at the point where Gregory was supposed to connect.

    Maybe it was Gregory, not Lexion, who had to save me from the first Esol disaster.

    I was the one who had to return to the original world after receiving a reward.

    A situation where Lexion caught me and made me the main character.

    However, I was still under the influence of the book.

    So he will keep interrupting my ending.

    Because I don¡¯t want to go back.

    I took a moment to think and asked a question.

    ¡°What does it mean that his role has been decided?¡±

    ¨C The Awakened is a character and can intervene in events. He can change the events at will.

    As if the question was possible to answer, the reply came right away this time.

    I continued the question.

    ¡°What happens if things keep changing?¡±

    ¨C The world collapses, and the traveler is trapped in the novel.

    The guide replied grimly.

    Read only at PM Translations

    I paused when I heard that I would be trapped in the novel.

    ¡°Do you mean I can¡¯t get out of here forever?¡±

    ¨C That¡¯s right. Regression also becomes impossible. The end of this world becomes unpredictable too.

    ¡°¡­What¡¯s the impact of the book? Are you going to disappear?¡±

    ¨C No, Tiarozety Esol must kill the evil dragon. Otherwise, a penalty is given, and the soul is destroyed with the collapse of the world.

    ¡°What¡¯s that¡­¡±

    In the end, it meant that if I didn¡¯t stop Lexion from ruining the development, I will not be able to return and be destroyed.

    My lower lip was bitten in an instant.

    I have to stop Lexion to live.

    ¡®Titi, choose me. It¡¯s not this damn fate.¡¯

    ¡®Choose me, even if the path is rough. Because I¡¯m ready for anything.¡¯

    The words he said resounded in my head.

    He¡¯ll never let me go.

    Of course he won¡¯t let me die.

    I asked with an anxious mind.

    ¡°Is Lexion all right? No, he¡¯s not affected by the book?¡±

    ¨C That¡¯s not true. From the moment he chose to become a traveler, he has an ending, too. The traveler must figure out what his ending is and stop him.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you said we should sync before.¡±

    ¨C You must attempt to synchronize directly through contact to see the ending of Lexion Sparrow.

    Come to think of it, he didn¡¯t show me the book.

    As soon as I realized this, the guide emphasized it once again.

    ¨C Now this book is under his influence. You need to synchronize the book while Lexion Sparrow is off guard. If you don¡¯t hurry, you can¡¯t turn it around.

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71

    The book seemed to completely define Lexion as my enemy.

    It seemed to think all the more so because he tried to stop my ending.

    Frustrated, I asked the guide.

    ¡°Is there no other Awakened in the world?¡±

    ¨C Not at the moment.

    ¡°That means there¡¯s always a chance.¡±

    ¨C It¡¯s possible if you find yourself like Lexion Sparrow.

    ¡°You used to say it¡¯s absolutely impossible to find yourself.¡±

    ¨C Mostly yes. ¡°The Awakened¡± is very rare.

    The guide¡¯s answer was relentless.

    To say something like this that you¡¯ve never said previously as if you¡¯re turning the palm of your hand*.

    TL/N: Apparently this is a Korean saying:

    As if turning the palm of your hand- Changing one¡¯s attitude suddenly and easily

    ¡®As expected, the book only explained to me in a way that was favorable to it.¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel cheated.

    The guide said I shouldn¡¯t trust Lexion, but it was the opposite.

    I can¡¯t trust what the book says anymore.

    As questions arose over the obvious, the confusion grew.

    ¡°On the other hand, what if I refuse to do the ending?¡±

    ¡°The world is destroyed by the evil dragon, and Tiarozety goes back to the beginning.¡±

    TL/N: Btw, Tiarozety is the one that says both of these.

    ¡®It means that I end up doing infinite loops, just like Lexion did.¡¯

    I have already heard from Lexion that he has returned for many years.

    His shadow, which was occasionally seen, must have been tired of repeated regression.

    Read only at PM Translations

    I carefully reviewed my situation.

    If the ending is blocked by Lexion, the soul will be destroyed with the world.

    If I reject the ending myself, I will regress infinitely until I complete the ending.

    No compromise was found in any given situation.

    At least, the option of returning to the world when the ending was completed was hopeful, but now I was not happy with it.

    I felt a burning sensation in my throat and picked up the teacup on the table.

    I didn¡¯t drink a sip throughout the meal, so it was already cold.

    The color was just like barley tea.

    It seemed to be the same tea as it smelled like the one Daisy gave me when I fell into the water before.

    ¡®Did she say it was made with Uji mushrooms?¡¯

    It was the moment I took a sip thinking about it.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    As soon as the tea passed my throat, my stomach churned.

    I felt like I drank poison.

    As soon as I spit it out, the pain stopped.

    Seeing that it ended like this, it didn¡¯t seem like poison.

    However, it seemed that this was not an ordinary tea, and my face hardened.

    ¡®Come to think of it, I felt nauseous after drinking this previously.¡¯

    At the time, I thought I caught a cold from drowning.

    Now that I see it, I thought it might not be the case.

    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t let someone else eat it.¡¯

    I pulled the rope straight away.

    Then Daisy entered the room.

    ¡°Did you call me, miss?¡±

    ¡°Daisy, is there anyone else who drank this tea besides me?¡±

    ¡°No, you were the first to drink what we kept in the warehouse.¡±

    Reassured by Daisy¡¯s words, I ordered.

    ¡°Bring it to me right away.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Hurry up!¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    Daisy bowed her head at my pestering and left the room.

    After a while, Daisy came with a bag of herbs.

    And when I opened it, there were well-dried Uji mushrooms.

    ¡°¡­This!¡±

    I swallowed my words in surprise.

    It was because the Uji mushrooms were filled with black energy.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it? Is it damaged?¡±

    Daisy did not seem to notice the condition of the Uji mushrooms.

    The mushrooms themselves are black and dry, so she didn¡¯t feel any abnormalities.

    ¡®There was a big riot in the market soon after you were sick.¡¯

    I asked, remembering what Daisy had said.

    ¡°Did you buy this at the market?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­maybe?¡±

    Daisy answered vaguely, tilting her head.

    Read only at PM Translations

    She didn¡¯t do the shopping at the market herself.

    But even this answer was enough.

    ¡®This was the cause.¡¯

    I closed the bag of Uji mushrooms again.

    Then I got up immediately and said.

    ¡°I must go to the Duke.¡±

    ***

    The search party that went to Carmel Forest found a hut.

    There was a dark and humid atmosphere in the collapsing hut.

    Aiden intuitively sensed the danger and gave a brief order.

    ¡°Everyone follow me with a sword.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The knights were ordered to stick behind Aiden.

    Aiden took the lead and entered the hut first.

    The first thing he saw was a girl.

    ¡°Krrrrrr.¡±

    The girl crawled on all fours and let out a cry like a beast.

    A dark energy lurked around her.

    And behind her-

    ¡°It¡¯s a dead body.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, It looks that way to my eyes.¡±

    Aiden sighed briefly.

    Due to the cold weather, there was no sign of decay.

    It was only stiff and the skin color was tanned black.

    ¡®He died because he was weak and couldn¡¯t stand the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts.¡¯

    Read only at PM Translations

    On the other hand, the girl was holding up quite a bit despite being tainted by the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts.

    As if protecting the boy¡¯s body, her reasoning didn¡¯t seem completely dead yet.

    Aiden took out the purification stone and held it.

    The girl suddenly tried to run away instinctively.

    ¡°Where!¡±

    Aiden struck the girl in the back of the neck with a sword.

    ¡°Kkyak!¡±

    The girl slumped down with a shrill cry.

    Aiden immediately tried to purify her.

    Just as he thought the black energy in her body was being sucked in.

    Crack-

    The hard purifying stone cracked.

    ¡°!!¡±

    ¡°Kiyaak!¡±

    In the meantime, the girl bit Aiden¡¯s arm and ran away quickly.

    It was too fast of a pace for a young child to run.

    TL/N: Unnatural / demon-like speed

    ¡°Chase her! Don¡¯t miss her!¡±

    Aiden held his arm and shouted, and the knights followed the girl in unison.

    The spot bitten by the girl turned black.

    ¡°Keugh.¡±

    Aiden quickly took another purifying stone from his bosom and placed it on his arm.

    The purification stone hummed and absorbed the thoughts spreading through his body.

    The darkened skin gradually returned to its original color, and only the traces of the girl¡¯s teeth remained.

    Aiden hurriedly walked towards the body.

    A boy was sleeping with a comfortable expression.

    When he looked at the pulse, he was already dead.

    The boy¡¯s skin was unusually blotchy and dark.

    Just like Aiden¡¯s own arm had just been.

    ¡°I think there¡¯s a reason here somewhere¡­¡±

    Aiden looked around.

    Then suddenly, a basket on the table caught his attention.

    Next to it was a cup.

    As he sniffed the cup, he could smell a faint scent of Uji mushrooms.

    It was when he reached out to check what was in the basket.

    ¡°I got the girl!

    Aiden¡¯s head turned in the direction of the sound of the knight¡¯s cry.

    It was that moment.

    Black energy swelled from the Uji mushroom in the basket and then exploded like a firecracker.

    Quang-!

    As a result, the hut collapsed.

    The knight who had captured the girl shouted in surprise.

    ¡°Sir Aiden!¡±

    The hut collapsed and the smoke was thick.

    But there was something black mixed between the white smoke.

    It was the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts.

    The knights did not notice this and tried to rescue Aiden and approach the hut.

    Then something jumped out of the wreckage.

    ¡°Everyone, back up!¡±

    Aiden shouted as he wrapped his body in an Auror.

    Fortunately, he sensed the danger just before the explosion and protected himself with an Auror.

    However, because of the sudden attack, blood dripped down his right arm, which was close to the basket.

    The knights were astonished to see him injured.

    ¡°Are you all right?!¡±

    ¡°Everyone come round to protect yourself with Aurors and lift the purification stone! Now, this fog is the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts!¡±

    Aiden exclaimed urgently without thinking about how messed up his body was.

    At his command, those who were masters surrounded themselves with Aurors.

    Those who fell short of it protected themselves by using magic tools.

    Then, straight away, they raised the purification stones toward the thick fog.

    At a rapid pace, the black fog was sucked into the purification stones.

    It would not have been possible without enough purification stones.

    When all the fog disappeared, only the completely collapsed hut and Aiden were visible.

    Read only at PM Translations

    Aiden found a basket among the rubble.

    It was obviously the reason for the explosion in the basket.

    Inside the broken basket, there were the remains of the Uji mushrooms.

    Mushrooms darkened like the skin of the dead boy.

    Aiden instinctively knew that it was the cause of the ruin of the boy and the girl.

    He packed a piece of Uji mushroom in his pocket.

    ¡°Is that the cause?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think they were attacked by the evil dragon after eating this. Someone find the dead child¡¯s body and bury him, and the rest come back with me with the girl.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Sir Aiden, I think you should stop the bleeding first.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    Aiden smiled lightly and paused as he tried to take the handkerchief out of his pocket.

    ¡®I¡¯ll meet you safely in Bael, Aiden. I won¡¯t let you go if you get hurt.¡¯

    It was the handkerchief Daisy gave him when she found out he was going to stay in Hakun.

    He was grateful and happy when she spat terrible words with a very anxious face.

    Daisy has always been like that.

    When he went on a dangerous mission somewhere, she made a handkerchief like this.

    It meant to come back without getting hurt, and to Aiden, it was like a talisman.

    He didn¡¯t want to get blood stained on it because it was so precious that he always kept it.

    Aiden did not take the handkerchief out of his pocket and asked the knight standing by.

 Chapter 72

    ¡°Do you have any handkerchiefs?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. Here you go.¡±

    The knight took a handkerchief from his pocket and held it to Aiden.

    Aiden tied his arms tightly with it to stop the bleeding and stood up.

    ¡®Daisy¡¯s going to go crazy when she sees my arms.¡¯

    Aiden grinned at the thought of Daisy¡¯s nagging.

    But still, she would forgive him because his life was still attached.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir Aiden.¡±

    The knights returned to Sparrow Castle while holding the girl.

    ***

    When I went to Lexion, Aiden had already come first.

    ¡°Duke, I have something to say¡­ Sir Aiden? Heuk! What¡¯s wrong with your arm?¡±

    I was trying to talk about the Uji mushroom, but I was surprised and approached Aiden.

    But Daisy in the back was a step faster.

    She rushed to Aiden and asked.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    There were signs that his entire arm was injured, and the sleeve itself was torn off to seal the wound.

    He couldn¡¯t even change his clothes because he came in a hurry, so they could see it clearly.

    Read only at PM Translations

    The wound bandage was stained with blood that had not stopped yet.

    Aiden hid his arm behind his back, strutting as if it were nothing.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just skimmed it.¡±

    ¡°Who wears a bandage around the scratch? And the blood keeps coming out¡­.¡±

    Daisy patted Aiden¡¯s arm, forgetting that Lexion and I were there.

    Aiden flinched at Daisy¡¯s worried touch, but couldn¡¯t stop it.

    Suddenly, Aiden¡¯s ears turned bright red.

    Embarrassed, he exhaled as if he were bursting into breath.

    ¡°Haa, it¡¯s really no big deal. Daisy, stay away from it. It¡¯s in front of the Duke, here.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    It was then that Daisy realized that she had been too attached to Aiden.

    And without saying her greetings to the higher up.

    Her face turned even redder than that of Aiden, then backed away.

    She seemed to have been in a hurry because she was only thinking about Aiden¡¯s injury.

    Daisy trembled heavily when our eyes met, and then bowed her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss.¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing here, Titi?¡±

    Lexion asked me.

    It was then that I remembered the purpose of my visit and handed him a bag of Uji mushrooms.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Uji mushroom in the castle, and it tastes a little weird.¡±

    ¡°Yes? Uji mushroom?¡± You mean you ate it?! Give me that for now! It may explode!¡±

    Aiden, who took a deep breath to control his overwhelming feelings for Daisy, exclaimed in surprise.

    At the same time, Lexion took the bag from me.

    They were about to throw it away right away, so I promptly dissuaded them.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to do that! I¡¯ve already purified it!¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Lexion let out a shallow exclamation at my explanation.

    ¡°Phew¡­¡±

    Aiden also breathed a relieved sigh.

    In fact, my pockets had swelled once while I was here.

    I thought it would explode right away, so I quickly used Asta.

    I recited the starting words in secret, so Daisy didn¡¯t notice.

    Lexion asked.

    ¡°Did you use that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was about to explode.¡±

    ¡°Your body? Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s better.¡±

    I grinned as I showed a V sign with my hand.

    At that time, Aiden tilted his head, not understanding the conversation between me and Lexion.

    ¡°Am I the only one who doesn¡¯t understand?¡±

    He didn¡¯t know Asta, so it was a natural reaction.

    As I glanced at Lexion and he nodded lightly.

    Then he whispered in my ear.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say everything.¡±

    In other words, it meant that I should not talk about taking away the other person¡¯s vitality.

    Only Lexion knows exactly how Asta works.

    I don¡¯t think many people need to know that.

    No matter how close you are to someone you trust, there is always a risk.

    Read only at PM Translations

    I opened my mouth to reveal only a portion of my power according to Lexion¡¯s will.

    ¡°Actually, I can purify the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts.¡±

    ¡°What? Without purification stones?¡±

    Aiden nodded in surprise at the words.

    ¡°It¡¯s a kind of power of Esol.¡±

    I did not explain that the principle of purification was the act of taking the life force of the evil dragon.

    Aiden asked worriedly.

    ¡°Then, isn¡¯t that a strain on Miss Tiarozety¡¯s body? I heard that Esol¡¯s power is secured by their life force as collateral¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. It¡¯s a force that¡¯s not related to vitality.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯ve never heard of such a power¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I have this power. When I tried to save John that day, I was able to use it unconsciously.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a hidden power for Esol. As a kind of self-defense.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Aiden¡¯s expression became complicated.

    After a while, he said as if something had come to mind.

    ¡°Then is it thanks to Miss Tiarozety that John, who was on the verge of runaway, lived without dying?¡±

    ¡®Well, maybe.¡¯

    ¡°Duke¡­!¡±

    As soon as Aiden heard my answer, I urgently called Lexion.

    Lexion nodded as if he knew what he meant.

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him?¡¯

    Aiden said as I looked at the two curiously.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety. Can you still use that power?¡±

    ¡°Yes? Of course¡­¡±

    ¡°Now in the dungeon of Sparrow Castle, a beggar girl with thoughts is tied up.¡±

    ¡°A beggar girl¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes, She¡¯s a primary infected person who ate the Uji mushroom in Carmel Forest and became addicted to it. If we leave it like this, she might explode.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s been locked up for the time being because the purification stones exploded. Can I ask you for a favor if it¡¯s okay with you?¡±

    It was the moment Aiden had just finished speaking.

    Tiling-

    The book was activated with a cheerful sound.

    ¨C You have entered the main stage. The episode ¡°A Dying Child¡± begins. Please purify the dying child and bring her back to life. If you do not save her in time, there will be a greater danger to Bael.

    Read only at PM Translations

    When I heard the word ¡®dying child¡¯, I quickly rushed to Aiden.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the child?¡±

    ¡°This way, please.¡±

    Aiden quickly led me to the dungeon.

    In the dungeon, a girl was writhing and growling with her limbs bound.

    I recognized her face and held my breath.

    ¡®She was the girl who fought with the bakery owner.¡¯

    I thought it was just a passing relationship, but it was the origin of this stage.

    I lamented my failure for not being able to look after the child back then.

    Even if I thought it was an accident, I felt a belated regret that I should have gone with the child and checked their condition.

    Then Aiden said.

    ¡°It seems that the period of being tainted with thoughts was quite long. To the point where the purification stones were broken several times. But it still seemed like she still had her reasoning, so I held her.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t the girl have a family?¡±

    ¡°I found a boy who appeared to be the girl¡¯s family in the hut. But he was already dead because he was weak and couldn¡¯t stand the thoughts.¡±

    She said that he had symptoms of poisoning after eating bread that day, so it must have been that he died of weakness.

    If he hadn¡¯t been tainted by thoughts, maybe he could have lived.

    But the dead cannot be brought back to life.

    ¡°Krrrrrr.¡±

    The girl growled looking at me.

    Perhaps she was instinctively afraid of me.

    Because the evil dragon has already been beaten by me several times.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m trying to save you.¡±

    I approached the girl cautiously.

    The girl rubbed her body, afraid that I might touch her.

    However, there was no way she could move in a situation where her limbs were tied.

    I gently grabbed the girl¡¯s arm and uttered a starter word.

    ¡°[Asta.]¡±

    ¡°Kkyak!¡±

    The girl screamed and twisted her body even more violently.

    Then, Lexion tied the girl with an aura to stop the girl¡¯s actions.

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    I let out a shallow moan at the ominous energy that ran through my body.

    But I didn¡¯t stop because I had already experienced it once with John¡¯s incident and knew it wasn¡¯t dangerous to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    I gave Lexion a faint smile as he approached me and signaled not to stop me.

    Read only at PM Translations

    Lexion stood by and watched the girl¡¯s situation.

    The child repeatedly fell asleep with her body seething in malice.

    The more aggressive the evil dragon is, the more urges arose, like insects crawling on my body, just like that time when I helped John.

    ¡®He was jumping up and down on purpose so that I wouldn¡¯t be able to purify.¡¯

    When I was purifying John, I was so distracted that I couldn¡¯t grasp the meaning of this sensation.

    But I could tell now that I was calmly purifying the girl.

    The girl was getting more infested with the evil dragon to stop me from using my powers.

    ¡®Not a chance. I¡¯m going to purify until the end.¡¯

    I continued to purify by circulating the evil thoughts that lurked in the girl¡¯s body.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the girl drooped.

    There was no more aura of thoughts in her body.

    ¡°It¡¯s all done.¡±

    As I backed away from the girl, Aiden checked her pupils.

    Aiden gave a brief admiration when he brought the purification stone and it didn¡¯t even respond.

    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±

    ¡°Ung.¡±

    At that time, the girl seemed to flinch and opened her eyes gently.

    Looking at her clear pupils, it seemed that purification was successful.

    ¡°This is¡­¡±

    The girl stared at the people around her with trembling eyes, even though she was bewildered that her limbs were bound.

    I told Aiden.

    ¡°Please untie it.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Aiden immediately released the girl and the girl slumped down helplessly.

    ¡°Huh, I was definitely feeding Uji mushrooms to brother¡­¡±

    Aiden looked at Lexion as the girl muttered blankly.

 Chapter 73

    ¡°Duke, it seems that the Uji mushroom was the cause.¡±

    ¡°Yes, certainly.¡±

    Lexion responded lightly to Aiden¡¯s words.

    Meanwhile, I approached the girl and asked.

    ¡°Where did you find Uji mushroom?¡±

    ¡°I was in the Carmel Forest.¡±

    ¡°Did you take them all?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I sold half to Aunt Anne in the market and kept half for my brother.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s Aunt Anne, it¡¯s the vegetable store that was the root cause of the riot.¡±

    Aiden immediately grasped the context of the girl¡¯s words.

    Lexion nodded and affirmed.

    All the rioters were customers who had stopped by the vegetable shop.

    ¡°As expected, everyone ate Uji mushroom and went crazy.¡±

    ¡°What shall we do?¡±

    ¡°First of all, I¡¯m going to reverse-check the people who bought Uji mushrooms at the vegetable store and retrieve them.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯ll call the elders and let them know what¡¯s going on.¡±

    Lexion took out the communication device straight away and connected it to the chairman of the elders.

    I glanced at the book.

    Since the dying child was purified, it had to react, but the book was just floating.

    ¡®You¡¯ve been speaking clumsily and strangely slowly since last time. Is something wrong?¡¯

    Read only at PM Translations

    That was the moment I was thinking about it.

    The guide rushed me with a warning sound.

    ¨C Please hurry up and purify the dying child! We don¡¯t have much time left!

    What is this sound?

    Confused, I stared at the book.

    ***

    Arnold, who arrived at Brandt Castle after a long time, was puzzled by the completely different atmosphere in the house.

    It was because the butler, who was always waiting, was nowhere to be seen and the house was so quiet.

    Arnold was just about to call the butler.

    ¡°Marquis, are you here?¡±

    Belatedly, the butler ran to meet Arnold.

    For some reason, the color of his face was not very good.

    In particular, age spots appeared on his face as if he had grown old in a few days.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your face? It looks like 10 years older.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been working too hard lately, and age spots keep blooming on my face.¡±

    The butler scratched his cheek and smiled awkwardly.

    Apparently, the butler was very tired from the work of Hegel and his wife while he was away.

    ¡®I¡¯ll have to let you go on vacation later.¡¯

    Arnold looked around and asked.

    ¡°What about Emelia?¡±

    ¡°She heard that Princess Seirin is leaving soon, so she went to the Villa of Sparrow Castle.¡±

    ¡°How about Hegel?¡±

    ¡°He fell asleep after taking his medicine. He¡¯s been getting a lot of sleep lately.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m relieved to see that the seizures have decreased. How¡¯s my wife?¡±

    ¡°Madam is now standing up and moving. She¡¯s in the room of Master Hegel. Would you like to go?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Read only at PM Translations

    Arnold followed the butler¡¯s lead and headed to Hegel¡¯s room.

    Then, suddenly, seeing the faces of the servants, he felt a sense of alienation.

    ¡®It¡¯s weird¡­¡¯

    The condition of the servants seemed very bad. It was strange to see them walking around in a fiddling manner.

    Besides, everyone, regardless of age, has age spots on their faces.

    ¡®You say it¡¯s because of your age, but why that young servant?¡¯

    It was very strange unless they ate something wrong as a group and got hives.

    When he thought about it, his heart was pounding strangely and he was anxious.

    It was as if something was about to happen.

    Just as he was about to enter Hegel¡¯s room after trying to erase his anxiety.

    The communication device flickered.

    It was a call from Sparrow Castle.

    ¡°Hold on.¡±

    Arnold pushed the butler back and received the communication.

    ¡°Duke?¡±

    ¨C Arnold, I¡¯m sorry, but you have to come back. I figured out the source of the thoughts.

    ¡°Is that true?¡±

    ¨C Yes, it was because of Uji mushrooms. It seems that the thoughts in the Carmel Forest disguised themselves as Uji mushrooms and deceived people.

    ¡°Uji¡­mushroom?¡±

    Arnold¡¯s heart sank.

    If it was Uji mushrooms, Hegel had been taking it for a few days.

    His fingertips trembled when he remembered his wife, who liked that Hegel¡¯s condition improved a lot because of the medicinal effects.

    ¡®No way¡­ I don¡¯t think so.¡¯

    When he was trying to keep his composure, the duke struck a wedge.

    ¨C Yes. We have now purified the first infected person and confirmed the circumstances. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s Uji mushrooms.

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    Arnold couldn¡¯t say anything.

    He just quietly grabbed the purifying stone in his arms.

    It was a purification stone that the Duke gave to the Sparrow elders for emergencies.

    Arnold stealthily glanced at the butler.

    Other servants were no different.

    ¡®Maybe that¡¯s why there were so many black spots on their bodies.¡¯

    Arnold was silent.

    Perhaps Hegel was also completely tainted by thoughts.

    The servants looked like this, but there was no way the person who ate the Uji mushroom could be healthy.

    ¡®I thought you were getting better. Were you actually getting tainted by it?¡¯

    If so, the moment he opened this door, even Arnold himself was highly likely to be tainted with thoughts.

    However, even if they tried to escape, there were servants who were tainted with thoughts everywhere.

    Even if he only gets a glimpse, the situation will be a threat and his complexion will change.

    Even if he ran away from everyone, his beloved wife and son were here.

    He could not escape leaving his wife and son.

    Read only at PM Translations

    Arnold quickly grasped the situation and spoke to the Duke.

    ¡°Duke, I don¡¯t think I can make it back.¡±

    ¨C Sir Arnold?

    ¡°There will be Emelia in the Villa of Sparrow Castle. Perhaps that child is also tainted with thoughts.¡±

    ¨C Arnold, explain it properly.

    As Lexion¡¯s voice calmed down, Arnold said quietly.

    ¡°Hegel has been stabilizing with Uji mushrooms recently.¡±

    ¨C ¡­¡­!

    ¡°If Emelia is also tainted, Princess Seirin may be in danger. Go there first.¡±

    ¨C Are you all right?

    ¡°So far, yes. Sir, if you can afford it, please send reinforcements to Brandt Castle.¡±

    ¨C What are you doing? You can escape if you¡¯re not caught up in it yet.

    Before Lexion could finish speaking, Arnold refused.

    ¡°No. I have a purification stone, how can I leave Hegel behind? I might be able to buy some more time with this.¡±

    ¨C Arnold.

    ¡°The duke said earlier. It¡¯s okay to take care of your family more.¡±

    ¨C That¡¯s¡­

    ¡°Following the Duke¡¯s advice, I¡¯m going to take care of my family more this time.¡±

    Arnold¡¯s voice didn¡¯t waver.

    It seemed like he had already made up his mind.

    After a while, Lexion respected his will and spoke.

    -¡­I¡¯ll be there in a minute, so hang in there until then. You can¡¯t die. This is an order.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Arnold laughed bitterly. It was unclear how long he could hold out.

    After the communication ended, Arnold spoke casually.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±

    The butler turned the doorknob.

    As the door opened, there was a black fog in the room as he predicted.

    Arnold slowly entered the room and looked at his lovely wife and son on the bed.

    They had a darker complexion than the servants outside.

    Fortunately, both were breathing together.

    Hegel woke up to Arnold¡¯s presence and called him.

    ¡°Father? When did you get here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Father?¡±

    Hegel got up rustling and called Arnold.

    Arnold hugged his son tightly while holding the purification stone.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay now, Father is here.¡±

    ***

    ¡®What are you talking about? The dying child has already been cleansed!¡¯

    I was shocked by the guide¡¯s prompting and shouted inwardly.

    As the guide said, I had purified the beggar girl, who was a dying child.

    But hurry and purify the dying child.

    That meant that the dying child had not yet been purified.

    It had already been a long time since Daisy took the girl out to check her health.

    ¡®What? What¡¯s wrong?¡¯

    It was then.

    Read only at PM Translations

    After completing the communication, Lexion urgently pressed the button connected to the training ground.

    Then the alarm went off with a wail¨C

    It was an alarm that sounded when something big happened to the estate.

    Then he raised the magic tool and remotely spoke to the knights at the training ground.

    ¡°Find Emelia in the villa now, arrest her, and protect the princess.¡±

    ¡°Capture Emelia? What the hell is going on, Zion!¡±

    Lexion didn¡¯t stop giving orders even after I asked him urgently.

    ¡°Also, the 1st and 2nd Army, prepare to go with me to Brandt Castle. We must hurry before the Brant family can become a colony of the evil dragon.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    I was shocked by the last remark and my eyes widened.

    ¡®No way, is the dying child Hegel Brandt?¡¯

    Come to think of it, there was a time when Emilia was delighted, saying in a letter that he was recovering healthily after changing the medication.

    My eyes turned white when I remembered celebrating together, saying, ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡±

    ¡®Uji mushroom was the medicine he changed to¡­!¡¯

    When my thoughts reached that point, I grabbed Lexion as he was about to finish the broadcast.

    ¡°I¡¯m going too!¡±

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t take you with me when I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on there.¡±

    When Lexion flatly refused, I repeated my words.

    ¡°No, I have to go. Purifying Hegel won¡¯t work with purification stones alone.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? What do you mean you have to go?¡±

    Lexion asked, unable to understand the meaning of the words.

    I pointed to the book and said.

    ¡°The book said while Zion was communicating earlier. Hurry up and purify the dying child.¡±

    ¡°But the dying child was that girl earlier.¡±

    ¡°I thought so, too.¡±

    ¡°No way¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m sure the dying child is Hegel Brandt, not her. If you don¡¯t save him on time, Bael will be in danger.¡±

    As soon as my words were finished, the book rushed.

    ¨C Hurry up, please! We don¡¯t have much time left.

    At this, Lexion¡¯s and my eyes turned to the book and met again.

    Lexion said.

    ¡°Instead, promise me you¡¯ll stick by my side. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I promise.¡±

    When I agreed with firm eyes, Lexion nodded lightly and went outside.

    I hurriedly followed him.

    TL/N: Wewww feels like the plot is gonna move forward again!

 Chapter 74

    The 1st and 2nd armies were already on standby outside.

    Chris found us and came up to report to us.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the whole story from Aiden. It¡¯s because of Uji mushrooms.¡±

    Chris¡¯ gaze stayed briefly on me.

    Seeing that he was okay with me accompanying them, I felt like he had heard about my power from Aiden.

    Lexion nodded lightly and said.

    ¡°Hegel Brandt is said to have eaten Uji mushrooms. The situation in Brandt Castle is probably worse than the villa.¡±

    ¡°Aiden went to the villa. I¡¯m sure Prince Gregory heard the broadcast.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. If we have Gregory and Aiden, we don¡¯t have to worry.¡±

    Lexion responded briefly and hurriedly extended his hand to me.

    ¡°Titi.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I realized what he meant and immediately grabbed his hand and he put me on the horse.

    Then he got on behind me.

    Lexion said to the Knights while holding the reins.

    ¡°Bring Hegel to me as soon as you find him. Don¡¯t kill him.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    The knights received orders at once and began to move.

    The sound of horseshoes resounded in my ears.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Seirin was having a leisurely tea time with Emilia.

    It was because Emelia had come to say goodbye as she was due to return to the capital tomorrow.

    ¡°I wish you could stay a little longer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love to, but my brother Kronos asked me to come back.¡±

    Seirin kept a soft smile while hiding the fact that the emperor was injured.

    This was because the safety of the emperor soon determined the fate of the empire.

    There was no need to undermine the authority of the imperial family by creating a sense of anxiety.

    ¡®There is no need to inform the situation of the capital when Lexion abandoned it.¡¯

    With that in mind, Seirin elegantly picked up the teacup.

    Seirin had already harbored a grudge against the North.

    She heard the news that Tiarozety had woken up immediately, but she didn¡¯t call her separately like before.

    It was because she thought she would feel defeated looking at her face.

    ¡®When I return to the capital, I won¡¯t let it go.¡¯

    The love she had for Lexion turned into hatred in an instant.

    He rejected her, who had no doubt that he would fight for the welfare of the empire in the future as a king¡¯s son-in-law.

    The rejection itself made her furious, and the cause being an Esol who was of the minority race.

    Seirin was very upset and angry at that point.

    Read only at PM Translations

    Then Emilia said.

    ¡°But it¡¯s a shame. Hegel is better now, and it¡¯s easier to go out.¡±

    ¡°It really was true that your brother¡¯s condition has improved.¡±

    ¡°Ung. Now he can get up and take a light walk.¡±

    Emilia replied with a light smile.

    Seirin suddenly felt that her face had become much darker than before.

    Did she get tired of taking care of her younger brother?

    There were several small marks on her face.

    However, she didn¡¯t mention it because she knew the other person would be offended if she pointed it out.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. I was thinking of sending an imperial doctor who came with me to Bael.¡±

    ¡°Eyyy how can I use the doctor assigned to you for personal use? Thank you for your heart alone.¡±

    Emelia replied, scratching her arm.

    It was an unusual, uncultured gesture.

    It was the moment when Seirin frowned at this.

    Emilia¡¯s eyes shone sharply.

    At first glance, there was a black speck, but Seirin did not notice.

    After a while, Emilia groaned a little.

    ¡°Seirin, tell me the truth. You going to the capital, you¡¯re running, right?¡±

    ¡°What does it mean?¡±

    Seirin frowned at her inconsiderate question.

    ¡®Did it go into her ears that I was rejected?¡¯

    Her face was burning with embarrassment, but Emelia said.

    ¡°I heard about it. You¡¯ve been rejected twice by the Duke of Sparrow for a partner.¡±

    ¡°Who said that?¡±

    Seirin asked sharply in embarrassment.

    Few people knew about it.

    When she wondered if the maid whom she brought was making fun of her, she suddenly thought of Tiarozety.

    The same fox-like girl pretended to be innocent and twisted Lexion.

    ¡®She might have heard from Lexion.¡¯

    When her thoughts reached that point, Seirin questioned her in a rather exasperated tone.

    ¡°Did Miss Tiarozety say that?¡±

    ¡°Is it important who told me? The issue is that you lost to such a woman who cannot even fit on the axis of commoners.¡±

    TL/N: This took me pretty long to dissect but I¡¯m guessing that what she means is that Tiarozety doesn¡¯t even classify as a commoner, she is considered ¡°beneath¡± them as she is of a minority race.

    ¡°Emelia, those remarks are starting to offend me a bit.¡±

    ¡°Ah, sorry. I must have seemed too immersed to you.¡±

    Emilia smiled softly, covering her mouth with a fan.

    Seirin narrowed her eyes and looked at her.

    ¡®You looked pretty close to Tiarozety before¡­ why did you change your attitude all of a sudden?¡¯

    The reason for the change is unknown, but her negative assessment of Tiarozety itself was not bad.

    As Seirin¡¯s expression softened, Emilia said.

    ¡°Are you really going to give up like this? You¡¯ve only been rejected twice.¡±

    ¡°¡­It can¡¯t be helped. I don¡¯t care about Sir Lexion.¡±

    Seirin replied, stroking her throbbing forehead.

    Read only at PM Translations

    It was because her head keeps hurting since just now.

    It seemed like her mind was getting delayed and it was like a soft feeling was rising in her whole body, which felt drowsy.

    ¡®Is it because I¡¯m stressed out these days?¡¯

    ¡°Betty, can you get me some headache pills?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Princess.¡±

    A smile spread across Emilia¡¯s lips as Betty, the maid who was beside her, quietly disappeared.

    She came closer to Seirin and gently grabbed her shoulder.

    ¡°Oh dear. Seirin, you¡¯ve had a hard time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just have a headache.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all right, it¡¯s all because of Tiarozety. Right?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    Seirin didn¡¯t want to admit it, so she kept her mouth shut.

    But she couldn¡¯t help but respond to Emilia¡¯s words that followed.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you get rid of Tiarozety?¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°I know Esol¡¯s fatal weakness.  Tiarozety is probably like rat poison in this, right?¡±

    Emilia¡¯s voice, as sticky as sweet honey, disturbed Seirin¡¯s ears.

    The moment Seirin looked at her in surprise, the black energy from Emelia permeated Seirin.

    It permeated so deeply and profoundly that even Seirin, the party involved, was unaware of it.

    After a while, Seirin asked blankly.

    ¡°What¡¯s that¡­?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡±

    Emilia laughed softly and whispered softly in Seirin¡¯s ear.

    And at the end of the story.

    ¡°Seirin!¡±

    Out of nowhere, Gregory appeared and pulled Emilia from Seirin.

    At the same time, Aiden bound Emilia with an aura and brought a purification stone.

    ¡°Kkyak!¡±

    Emelia struggled with a shrill scream.

    As the murky energy was sucked into the purification stone, her whole body trembled as if she was starting a game.

    The knight who followed Emelia, who was soon limp, carried her on a stretcher.

    Seirin, who belatedly came to her senses, shouted.

    ¡°What, what is this! Why Emilia¡­!¡±

    ¡°She was tainted by evil dragon¡¯s thoughts. She was trying to hurt you.¡±

    Gregory, who was by his side, stopped Seirin and explained the situation.

    Seirin was startled by the mention of the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡®Then you were different because you were manipulated by the evil dragon?¡¯

    A cold sweat broke out when she heard that she almost died.

    Gregory asked Seirin, who had become parched.

    ¡°Is there anything wrong with your body? Did Emelia say anything weird?¡±

    Seirin hesitated for a moment.

    The conflict was due to the fact that she had to tell the story Emilia had told her a while ago.

    However.

    ¡®You don¡¯t have to say it.¡¯

    Seirin shook her head lightly.

    ¡°Yes, not at all. My brother came before Emilia could do anything.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    Gregory was relieved and hugged Seirin tightly.

    He was appalled to think that he might have almost lost his precious sister.

    Read only at PM Translations

    Then Aiden organized the situation and came over and said,

    ¡°Your Highness, I will join the knights who have gone to Brandt Castle.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll just take Seirin back and follow you right away.¡±

    ¡°Yes, then.¡±

    Aiden bowed briefly and quickly disappeared with the Knights.

    Gregory said, supporting Seirin.

    ¡°Can you walk?¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you, brother. You¡¯re the first one to come to me.¡±

    Seirin smiled beautifully, holding his hand.

    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re my only sister.¡±

    Gregory grinned in return and led her into the bedroom.

    Seirin clenched her skirt tightly.

    The headache was already gone.

    ***

    At a glance, Brandt Castle was full of gloomy and murky energy.

    The floor was covered with black smoke.

    Servants who could not endure the deep thoughts were scattered everywhere.

    Chris looked over the fallen servants and reported.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s already progressed quite a bit. I think the Marquis of Brandt¡­¡±

    ¡°It is not too late to worry after checking it with our eyes. We¡¯re going to arrest the fallen people and install purification stones in the castle.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    After Chris received the order, he had the knights move people and began to install the purification stones.

    As the purification stones tried to purify, Brandt Castle, which had been dark, gradually came to light.

    Lexion, who was leading the way at the time, said.

    ¡°Titi, this way.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I followed him to Hegel¡¯s bedroom.

    As the bedroom approaches.

    The guide spoke as if it was correct that Hegel was the protagonist of this episode.

    ¨D The dying child is getting closer. Watch out for the surrounding attacks.

 Chapter 75

    As soon as the guide finished speaking, the dark energy that had subsided began to explode like a bomb.

    Lexion shouted to the knights while protecting my surroundings with an aura.

    ¡°Don¡¯t back down and get a good view! We must hurry to Hegel¡¯s bedroom.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    The knights, who were slowing down, did not stop making way with purification stones.

    Lexion hurried along, putting my safety first.

    When we finally reached Hegel¡¯s bedroom.

    Lexion glanced at the book and ordered Chris.

    ¡°Stand by outside. It¡¯s just me and Titi.¡±

    ¡°But we don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen inside. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±

    When Chris spoke in a worried tone, Lexion replied.

    ¡°Rather, it would be more troublesome for several people to rush in. It¡¯s enough for just me and Tiarozety to be inside.¡±

    ¡°Still¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this. Chris, you¡¯re going to make sure no one gets in from the outside.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Chris reluctantly responded and ordered the knights behind him to come out and cover Lexion from the outside.

    Eventually, Lexion pulled the doorknob and opened the door.

    The bedroom door was unlocked and opened easily.

    It was the moment when Lexion and I entered the room.

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    A foul odor hit my nostrils first.

    I identified the smell at once.

    Because it smelled familiar.

    ¡®This is the smell of blood¡­¡¯

    The bedroom reeked of blood.

    It was so thick that I almost frowned.

    ¡®Is it too late?¡¯

    I looked around, trying to calm down my pounding heart.

    Read only at PM Translations

    Then Lexion found the switch and turned on the light in the bedroom.

    As the dark bedroom brightened up, I could see the scene in front of me at a glance.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t speak easily.

    The first thing I saw was a boy grinning on the bed.

    Hegel¡¯s pyjamas were stained with blood.

    He continued to laugh as he hugged his fallen mother.

    ¡°Heehee, hehe¡­¡±

    The laughter was so bizarre that it almost sounded like a fingernail scratching the floor.

    His eyes became cloudy as if he had lost his senses.

    A smile that does not shake at all, even when he sees his mother who has fallen in front of him.

    The appearance of not feeling any warmth at all led to the illusion that he was not human.

    Seeing that he wasn¡¯t scared at all even when we arrived, it seemed that he had already become quite assimilated with the evil dragon.

    I swallowed dry saliva and stared at the woman in Hegel¡¯s arms.

    ¡®That blood¡­ is that from the Marchioness?¡¯

    The Marchioness had her eyes closed, but she was bleeding profusely.

    Furthermore¡­

    ¡®Even with the naked eye, the wound appears to be quite deep. Is she also dead¡­?¡¯

    I judged that she was dead as she was not even moving.

    I couldn¡¯t look directly at the body of the Marquis¡¯s wife, so I turned my eyes away.

    Even if it was a corpse I had seen many times in my previous life, I couldn¡¯t get used to it every time I saw it.

    ¡®No, rather, I¡¯m more afraid of being buried in corpses.¡¯

    I shook my head and turned my gaze back to Hegel.

    It was not the time to be so hesitant.

    I said to Lexion while keeping my eyes on Hegel.

    ¡°It¡¯s too late, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ the possibility of rehabilitation¡­¡±

    It was the moment when Lexion just opened his mouth with a dark face.

    A faint voice could be heard from the corner.

    ¡°Gak, Ha¡­¡±

    ¡°Arnold?¡±

    Lexion found Arnold and approached him.

    He was tied with a curtain far away from the bed.

    There was a large window behind him, which gave a clear view of the outside.

    There was blood all around Arnold.

    I asked, relieved that he was still breathing.

    ¡°Are you all right?!¡±

    Then Arnold grabbed me, pointed to Hegel and the Marchioness, and said with difficulty.

    ¡°My, my wife before me¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­Mr. Brandt, Mrs. Brandt¡­¡±

    I hesitated because I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say that she was already dead.

    It was then.

    Tiling-

    ¨C Time to make a choice! This is the section where the story differs depending on which choice you make.

    A refreshing voice that did not fit the gloomy atmosphere rang out.

    Then the surroundings stopped.

    Read only at PM Translations

    Lexion was no exception.

    I took a deep breath as everyone but me had stopped.

    Even if Lexion was a traveler as the Awakened, it didn¡¯t seem like he could invade the sphere of influence of my guide.

    ¡°So what are my options?¡±

    At my question, the guide immediately opened the status window.

    [1. Treat Arnold right now.

    (During healing, Hegel will become an Evil Dragon.)

    2. According to Arnold¡¯s words, you save his wife and purify Hegel.

    (In this case, a civil war breaks out among the Sparrow Elders who lost Arnold, breaking all trust in relationships.)

    3. Save all three people by maximizing their vitality.

    (In this case, there is a possibility that the angry evil dragon will be summoned. When the evil dragon appears, the Carmel Forest may be devastated.)]

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t say anything.

    It was because the results that occurred after determining which option was right were all the worst.

    ¡®How am I supposed to choose this¡­!¡¯

    I trembled.

    The clock, indicating the time limit, flickered wildly.

    I was frantic as if there was a war in my head.

    ¡®There may be more casualties to deal with the evil dragon Hegel.¡¯

    The evil dragon human beings regenerate the body by drawing all the evil intentions around them.

    Malice is everywhere.

    The body that did not die even if killed would attack when the opponent was exhausted and collapsed.

    Therefore, it was important to find and destroy the fragments of thoughts hidden in the body, or to block the way to absorb malice by using magic.

    After the Great War, the era of peace continued, and it has been a long time since the magician, who was despised, disappeared.

    Suddenly, I remembered the magician I had met in my previous life, but I immediately turned away.

    If it¡¯s Alois, he¡¯s probably in Lavita right now. But there¡¯s no time to call.¡¯

    Alois Beth, a nomad who wanders without a fixed place of residence.

    Around this time, he would have settled in Lavita and lived while hiding his identity.

    Even if Lavita belonged to the North, it was quite a distance.

    It would have been faster to find the fragment of thought in Hegel¡¯s body than to find him.

    In the end, the only way is to keep killing and find fragments of thoughts¡­

    I flinched at the next thought.

    ¡®No, that¡¯s not gonna work. You¡¯ve already seen what happened in your previous life.¡¯

    A sigh came naturally.

    In a previous life, there was a time we locked up a human to find fragments of the thoughts.

    The result was truly appalling.

    Even normal humans began to lose their humanity.

    They had become insensitive to murder.

    In addition, there was a time when a man who became an evil dragon pretended to be normal and escaped by twisting his family, killing numerous people.

    ¡®And this is directly linked to human rights issues. No matter how loyal Arnold Brandt is, he won¡¯t be able to watch his son suffer.¡¯

    The book shows me only a single aspect.

    Perhaps, it will not end with simply becoming an evil dragon.

    I erased option 1 from my mind.

    Choosing the 2nd option wasn¡¯t easy either.

    The civil war of the elders will soon cause discord among the Duchy of Sparrow.

    Civil wars are especially favored by the evil dragon and can be even more dangerous.

    ¡®In the end, it¡¯s number three¡­¡¯

    I glanced at option 3.

    That, too, was not an easy choice.

    It was perhaps the most dangerous option out of the three.

    ¡®Carmel Forest is relatively close to Brandt Castle.¡¯

    I didn¡¯t know if the destruction of the forest could be prevented if Lexion went to the Carmel Forest with the knights while I was saving the three.

    Because he is a transcendent, and he was the only one who could fight the evil dragon before his return.

    But Lexion wouldn¡¯t want to leave me alone.

    ¡®It would have been better if there was someone next to me¡­¡¯

    Read only at PM Translations

    It was a moment when I was thinking about it.

    ¡®Wait a minute. No. 3 is different from No. 1 and No. 2, right?¡¯

    I stared intently at the parentheses of the options.

    Unlike the conclusive prediction that No. 1 and No. 2 will happen, No. 3 was only saying that there was a possibility.

    ¡®Maybe¡­¡¯

    ¨D Please choose. When the time limit expires, it is randomly selected.

    The book hummed and began to rush.

    So I glanced at the book involuntarily and found a familiar face outside the window.

    ¡®What¡­?¡¯

    Aiden and Gregory had just ridden this way from Carmel Forest, when time stopped and stood still.

    Behind them were quite a number of Black Knights accompanying them.

    It seemed that they had taken care of Emelia and ran straight away.

    ¡®If it¡¯s Gregory¡­¡¯

    He was somewhat lacking compared to Lexion, but he was quite capable.

    Besides, he is the male protagonist of the book.

    The book wouldn¡¯t make him die.

    I called the guide because I had something to check before I chose.

    ¡°Guide.¡±

    ¨C Yes, traveler. Please speak.

    ¡°What percentage do you mean by there¡¯s a possibility?¡±

    I asked, pointing to the contents in parentheses exactly three times.

    The guide¡¯s answer was clear.

    ¨C It is decided flexibly according to the situation after selection.

    ¡°So there¡¯s a possibility it won¡¯t happen at all?¡±

    ¨C Of course.

    An all-or-nothing situation.

    Recalling what happened in Hakun before, options without parentheses were never safe.

    Because there was an unexpected situation where thoughts moved their host from the lord to John.

    Moreover, in my experience, the book was specialized to make me tumble.

    Seeing that the contents in parentheses have been enhanced, it was clear that they were trying to lead me somewhere.

    ¡®Maybe it made the safest way look the most dangerous.¡¯

    Moreover, the word ¡°flexible¡± by the situation sounded like it might not happen if the situation was well coordinated.

    It seemed to be open, unlike the other parentheses that were conclusive.

    When my thoughts reached that point, there was no reason to hesitate.

 Chapter 76

    ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll pick number three.¡±

    It would be best not to summon the evil dragon, but even if it does, Gregory is currently in Carmel Forest.

    If he and Aiden protect Carmel Forest while Lexion and I deal with this place, we will make the best use of this time.

    The guide double-checked.

    ¨C Would you like to choose number 3? Decisions once made cannot be reversed.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to change it around.¡±

    Shortly thereafter, time began to flow again.

    I immediately told Lexion.

    ¡°Lexion, please call Aiden through the communication device and have him stand by there.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to save the Brandt family from now on. Then the evil dragon may appear in the Carmel Forest.¡±

    After a brief explanation, Lexion¡¯s eyes widened and became quiet.

    It is a matter of purifying Hegel, where the thoughts are in progress of entrenching within him.

    If it was an evil dragon, it could have come here by force to stop it.

    It will also be through Hegel¡¯s body as a medium.

    If that happens, even Hegel will not be able to withstand it.

    Lexion, who had already returned several times, seemed to immediately understand what I meant.

    He spoke to Aiden in the correspondent.

    ¡°Aiden, stop coming to Brandt Castle and wait there.¡±

    ¨C What? What is it¡­ Sir, can you see me?

    I could see Aiden looking around from the window.

    Lexion then ordered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t stay still, install the purification stone near Carmel Forest, and work with the magicians to create a barrier throughout the forest.¡±

    ¡°¡­I understand!¡±

    When Aiden was told to install a barrier, he ended the communication as if he had grasped the general situation.

    Read only at PM Translations

    In the meantime, I treated Arnold, and Lexion shouted, attempting to purify with a purifying stone.

    ¡°Chris! Come inside!¡±

    If it was Chris, it was because he could survive without being tainted by the thoughts even if he came here.

    Chris, who was covering from outside, came in, and Lexion handed Arnold over to him and approached Hegel.

    ¡°Hee, hee hee Hee, hee¡­¡±

    Hegel only laughed like a madman, but his face color suddenly changed when Lexion approached.

    The sharp claws lengthened and scratched the Lexion.

    I treated him quickly while Lexion was separating the Marquis from his claws.

    ¡°[Ejis!]¡±

    I could feel the power draining from my body, but even if I made a small mistake, it was too late and I rushed it.

    The Marquis¡¯ face was brightened.

    After finishing Arnold¡¯s purification, Chris approached the Marchioness and attempted to purify her.

    It went smoothly with the three of them working hand in hand.

    ¡®Good! At this rate¡­¡¯

    It was the moment when I reached out to Hegel, thinking that the only thing left to do now was to purify him using Asta.

    All of a sudden, Hegel started laughing.

    ¡°Ehe, heehee, hee hee hee hee!¡±

    Madness flashed across Hegel¡¯s face.

    The doors that had been closed then opened all at once.

    Bang-!

    ¡°Argh!¡±

    In the aftermath, the knights waiting outside flew and were stuck on the wall.

    Hegel did not grin and looked outside.

    Then, the malice of the knights at the door was absorbed by Hegel at once.

    ¡°Damn¡­!¡±

    Lexion saw what Hegel was trying to do and reached out to me.

    ¡°Titi! Let go of that hand!¡±

    Unfortunately, Hegel was one step ahead.

    Hegel spoke to me in a muffled voice.

    ¡°Sister, let¡¯s go together.¡±

    A continuous black halo.

    ¡°Ah¡­ it¡¯s ruined.¡±

    I just realized what Hegel was going to do, and laughed in vain.

    Suddenly, my vision darkened in an instant.

    ***

    ¨C Traveler, open your eyes.

    The guide hummed and tapped me.

    When I regained consciousness and opened my eyes, I was moved to an unfamiliar place.

    Apparently, I was attacked while trying to purify Hegel at Brandt Castle. And the empty space I saw.

    Lexion, Chris, and other knights were nowhere to be seen.

    It was no longer Brandt Castle, but I was quite used to it.

    I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own eyes.

    ¡°Maybe this place is¡­¡±

    I was trying to remember where this place was when the guide said.

    ¨C This is a piece of the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts. Unless you find and purify the core, you will never be able to get out.

    ¡°As expected, I knew it would be like that.¡±

    I muttered quietly in a tired voice.

    Read only at PM Translations

    Inside the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts, it was said that once you enter, you can¡¯t get out.

    It was very difficult to stay sane here.

    Even if one was lucky enough to get out, one would go crazy or die right away from a nervous breakdown.

    It means that it is a space that exhausts the mind.

    In the original story, Seirin was trapped here, and Lexion was in great despair.

    But it wasn¡¯t just a hopeless situation for me.

    Because I¡¯ve already seen how to get out of this place in the book.

    I got up idly, brushing my clothes, and muttering.

    ¡°It¡¯s rather good. I read the book anyway.¡±

    I didn¡¯t expect the second time in my life to be helpful.

    As long as I¡¯m in here, Hegel won¡¯t run wild outside.

    Because this is where Hegel¡¯s consciousness was connected.

    To hold me, the host also cannot move.

    If the host is unconscious, even the evil dragon will not be able to cross over to the host¡¯s side.

    in other words.

    ¡®If I purify Hegel and get out of here, the evil dragon won¡¯t show up.¡¯

    After I finished figuring out the situation, I had a light smile.

    The book saying that there is a possibility of being summoned from the option means that if I fail to purify, the evil dragon will be summoned.

    It didn¡¯t explain the relationship between the two, so I mistook that the evil dragon might be summoned if I purified him.

    ¡®As expected, the book cleverly hides disadvantages. Number 3 was the best option.¡¯

    It was when I thought of that.

    Suddenly, the space seemed to collapse, and Hegel appeared in front of me.

    He was squatting and sobbing.

    ¡°Heueug, I don¡¯t want to die.¡±

    At the same time, his emotions rushed to me and tears fell unknowingly.

    ¡°It started.¡±

    Just as I was prepared for that, the guide said.

    -You have entered the hidden stage of [A Dying Child]. When the hidden condition is achieved, the summoning of the evil dragon can be prevented.

    As I expected, the guide placed the condition that the summoning of evil dragons be nullified.

    After a while, Hegel¡¯s appearance disappeared and the surroundings changed all at once.

    Read only at PM Translations

    TL/N: This illusion/flashback part will be in italics + bold.

    And one person appeared.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety¡­ please. Daisy¡­¡±

    Aiden wrapped around the dead Daisy with a sad expression on his face.

    ¡®Oh¡­ It¡¯s that day.¡¯

    I instinctively understood what the evil dragon was showing.

    It was as if it was trying to break my will by replaying something I regretted in the past.

    I stared at Aiden, exhausted.

    Aiden already knew.

    Daisy is dead.

    Even if she was still alive, the state of Tiarozety¡¯s body at that time meant that I would be risking my life.

    Nevertheless, he was so exhausted and devastated to the extent that he had no choice but to make unreasonable demands.

    Everything.

    The illusion recreated by the evil dragon in front of my eyes was before the regression when it attacked Bael while Lexion was away.

    ¡®Ah¡­¡¯

    I was drenched in guilt.

    The events of that day that I could have saved but couldn¡¯t.

    I had to watch my loved ones die right in front of my eyes because I got caught up in the role of Tiarozety.

    Because I could only use Ejis at specified times.

    The evil dragon tried to crush my mind by clearly reproducing the nightmare of that day.

    My body was trembling subtly because I had already had feelings of sympathy for Hegel once.

    Bael, who was devastated, and Daisy, who died trying to save me.

    Even Aiden, who had been mortally wounded by the evil dragon, was crying while hugging Daisy.

    I contorted my face in a vision that was so vivid.

    ¡®You can¡¯t be shaken. This is just an illusion that the evil dragon is showing. You can only find the core by letting it flow.¡¯

    As I was determined to do so, I could see the evil dragon approaching behind Aiden¡¯s back.

    Aiden did not escape even knowing that the evil dragon was coming.

    He just hugged Daisy¡¯s body and closed his eyes as if he had resigned.

    In the blink of an eye, Aiden was dead like Daisy.

    I couldn¡¯t do anything.

    On that day, and even now.

    ¡°Evil dragon¡­you¡¯re the worst.¡±

    I closed my eyes tightly.

    My eyelids were about to get hot.

    After a while, the surroundings distorted again and began to change.

    The hidden stage is starting now.

    ***

    [Lexion¡¯s POV]

    Lexion was standing alone in the same space with an expansive view.

    He muttered as he grimaced.

    ¡°Again, like this¡­¡±

    Obviously, Tiarozety followed as he was sucked into Hegel¡¯s consciousness.

    But Tiarozety was nowhere to be seen.

    As if the space is separated.

    Lexion asked the guide while rubbing his face.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Titi?¡±

    ¨C She¡¯s performing a hidden stage.

    ¡°Guide me there.¡±

    As he sighed and lowered his head, the guide said definitively.

    ¨C No one else has access unless the Tiarozety Esol completes the hidden stage. In case of intervention¡­

    ¡°Ha¡­ you say the same thing every time. It doesn¡¯t matter if I get a penalty, so step in.¡±

    There was a sense of urgency in his irritable voice.

    This place is inside a piece of the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts.

    I was worried that Tiarozety would not be safe in a place that would destroy her mind and eventually drive her crazy.

    Especially if she has a weak heart, she will be easy prey for the evil dragon.

    Read only at PM Translations

    ¡®Zion knows nothing! After all, it¡¯s only me¡­! I¡¯m the only one here¡­!¡¯

    I remembered the words Tiarozety had poured out crying in the past.

    It was her who was weighed down by solitude while traveling alone.

    So I had to go to her.

    Because I want to protect her smile, her life, her heart¡­

    I couldn¡¯t let the evil dragon destroy it at will.

    Then the guide warned in a gloomy tone.

 Chapter 77

    ¨C Last time we intruded into Tiarozety¡¯s main stage and received a significant penalty.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Lexion snapped in a stern tone as if to tell it to cut to the main point.

    Ignoring this, the guide continued to explain.

    -The accumulated penalties were added up and processed collectively.

    ¡°Is the penalty being dealt with? I didn¡¯t feel anything.¡±

    ¨C Your role has been decided. The fixed role by penalty cannot be changed.

    ¡°Tell me exactly what you mean.¡±

    ¨C This means that the traveler¡¯s role has been fixed in a negative direction due to repeated penalties. In the meantime, the book only gave a ¡®warning¡¯ even when you received a penalty.

    But now they¡¯re added up?

    For a moment, Lexion felt a chill in his back.

    It was like an animalistic intuition that the idea of something wrong stuck in his mind.

    Lexion asked.

    ¡°The role is fixed in a negative direction? Was it not enough to disqualify the main character?¡±

    ¨C The role assignment has been delayed because the setting value of ¡®Lexion Sparrow¡¯ has been flexible.

    The guide responded with a muffled voice and continued speaking with a hum, a small sound.

    ¨C As a result of analyzing your behavioral patterns so far, you have been too focused on ¡®Tiarozety Esol¡¯.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¨C and locked into roles with similar behavioral patterns.

    ¡°Similar behavior patterns¡­?¡±

    ¨C This is a role you¡¯ve experienced once when setting values ??were already flexible.

    ¡°A role I¡¯ve experienced¡­¡­. What the hell is that?¡±

    Lexion was unaware that his role had changed several times.

    All this time, he was only moving for the comfort of Tiarozety.

    In the meantime, he never dreamt that his role would continue to change.

    Read only at PM Translations

    At that time of confusion, the guide asked a question in a sullen tone.

    ¨D Do you remember the last time you attacked the evil dragon¡¯s capital, you suffered a leg injury?

    Lexion paused at the guide¡¯s question.

    If it was an injury from the attack on the evil dragon¡¯s capital, it seemed to mean when he landed incorrectly while trying to save Tiarozety.

    ¡°Why did I get injured that day?¡±

    ¨C The leg injury that day was no accident. It was a debuff based on the temporarily granted role value.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    Lexion¡¯s eyes rippled shallowly.

    At that time, recovery was slower than usual and the main character¡¯s buff was over, so he overlooked it.

    ¡®But that was a debuff of my role momentarily? What the hell is this¡­?¡¯

    Lexion couldn¡¯t finish his thoughts.

    It was because the role that came to mind at the end was the worst.

    Eventually, the small ripples in his eyes transformed into a violent storm.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­!¡±

    TL/N: Omg the tension as I¡¯m translating this is UNREAL AHHH

    Lexion was about to ask a question, but the book was shaking.

    After a while, his role was written on the white page.

    [The fixed role of Lexion Sparrow due to the penalty is ¡®Evil Dragon¡¯.

    From now on, your enemy is Tiarozety Esol.]

    TL/N: WHAT THE NoOOoooOOO

    ***

    TL/N: This illusion/flashback part will be in italics + bold.

    The illusion of the hidden stage continued.

    Countless people insulted and threatened me, and sometimes begged me.

    ¡°You bastard bitch.¡±

    ¡°Hurry up and heal! A fallen knight is worth more than your life.¡±

    ¡°Keep in mind that your worth is only that power.¡±

    It¡¯s started. It is ¡®Evil Dragon¡¯.

    ¡°Help me! Please save me!¡±

    As the humiliation experienced in my previous life, as well as the unbearable death was repeated, I grew tired little by little.

    Read only at PM Translations

    This is inside the evil dragon¡¯s mind.

    A place where even worse nightmares are reproduced with delusions if you do not face them.

    I couldn¡¯t avoid it, so I stared straight ahead, aiming for a gap.

    Because the contradiction in the fantasy is the core of the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡®It¡¯s more terrifying than I thought.¡¯

    I tried to calm down my trembling body.

    The reproduction of people¡¯s opinions I had experienced in the past was more corrosive than I thought.

    Now I understand why those who were trapped in the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts became crazy.

    The illusion of cleverly mixing the past and delusion was enough to exhaust the opponent¡¯s mind.

    ¡®At this point, it should feel like a contradiction.¡¯

    I sighed briefly as I watched another illusion shatter.

    It was about time I thought about how long I should be locked up.

    ¡°Titi, can you hear me?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    I let out a shallow exclamation at the friendly voice calling me.

    Lexion, who suddenly appeared, wrapped my shoulders around me and stared at something.

    The evil dragon flapped its wings in the sky.

    Beasts were infested everywhere, and the Black Knights who came with Lexion were busy looking for someone.

    I was choked by the frustrating past in front of me.

    ¡°Duke¡­¡±

    Hurry up and run away.

    Seirin¡¯s not here.

    Only your loved ones will die or get hurt for nothing.

    There were so many things I wanted to say, but nothing I could say.

    No, they were just words that shouldn¡¯t be said.

    If I react here, what I endured so far would be in vain.

    I was holding out well.

    I kept my lips shut because if I touched the past, I might not be able to find the core forever.

    Lexion wiped his lips and said.

    ¡°I told you not to follow me, but you came. It is dangerous to be here. It can be difficult for me to protect you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°But¡­ have you seen Seirin?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    It¡¯s a lie told by Kronos.

    Seirin isn¡¯t here.

    I held back the words that rose to my throat.

    Read only at PM Translations

    There were quite a few instances when Kronos drove Lexion to his extremities.

    And among them, this moment was the worst.

    ¡®Lexion survived, but he had to lose half of the Black Knights who were with him.¡¯

    The reason why Lexion recklessly went to the colony of evil dragons was because of Kronos¡¯ lies.

    Seirin was captured by the evil dragon, but Lexion wasn¡¯t one to stay still.

    It was, in fact, a scheme by the imperial family in fear of the growing power of the Sparrow family.

    It was a time when evil dragons were on the rise day by day.

    Even in such an emergency, it was the imperial family that showed a sense of jealousy.

    However, Lexion prioritized Seirin¡¯s safety over its authenticity.

    He jumped in, not knowing whether or not there would be.

    Alone too.

    I knew this in advance and informed the Knights and followed Lexion.

    As a result, many of the knights who went with him had to lose their lives.

    I knew very well how much Lexion suffered under the weight of the lives that were sacrificed at that time.

    ¡®Because he was a person who did not appreciate his own life, but cherished the lives of others very much.¡¯

    And I was in a position where I could not alleviate his pain.

    Because I wasn¡¯t the heroine.

    ¡°First, go to Chris.¡±

    Lexion pushed me to Chris and ran into the evil dragon again.

    And at that moment.

    ¡®That¡¯s¡­!¡¯

    I stared blankly at the evil dragon and Lexion, and found the distortion beneath them.

    As I stared persistently, I saw Hegel through the warp, and I began to run without hesitation.

    ¡°Where are you going!¡±

    I heard Chris calling from behind, but I didn¡¯t stop. I hurried even more, fearing that Hegel might disappear from my sight.

    Then I grabbed Hegel¡¯s back and he groaned.

    ¡°Let go of me!¡±

    This is Hegel¡¯s consciousness.

    No matter how much the evil dragon had been transformed into a human being, the body of a sick person was very weak.

    I grabbed him and hugged him, trying to find the core.

    Then the guide said.

    ¨C Destroy the evil dragon¡¯s core.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for it too!¡±

    Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯m struggling like this because I don¡¯t know where is that right now?

    Did it get stabbed by my glaring eyes?

    The guide provided a clue.

    ¨C It is important to look for signs to find the core.

    ¡°A sign?¡±

    I looked up puzzledly and the guide continued.

    ¨C Mainly the area around the core has the characteristics of destroyed skin. Pay close attention to the host¡¯s skin!

    ¡®Skin is destroyed?¡¯

    I pondered over the clues provided by the guide.

    Read only at PM Translations

    At that time, Hegel, who had been twisting his body steadily, twisted his body with all his might.

    As a result, the buttons on his thin pajamas ripped open and escaped from my grasp.

    Hegel did not miss the moment and ran.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Just as I was trying to grab him in a hurry.

    My gaze turned to Hegel¡¯s exposed white shoulders.

    ¡®Your skin¡­!¡¯

    At first glance, it looked as if the skin had been rotted in an ugly way.

    To be precise, the skin was rotting around his left shoulder.

    A dark spot was visible in the center.

    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±

    The evil dragon¡¯s core is related to the evil dragon¡¯s life.

    I grabbed back Hegel as he was about to run away.

    Without hesitation, I pulled out a dagger and stabbed Hegel in the shoulder.

    It was the same dagger that Lexion had given me to use in case of an emergency in the capital.

    ¡°[Asta!]¡±

    ¡°Keug!¡±

    Hegel collapsed and let out a painful scream.

    The blue light flickered under the influence of Asta and wrapped around Hegel.

    ¡°It hurts¡­!¡±

    Hegel made a last-ditch effort, but it wasn¡¯t enough to get away.

    After a while.

    Crack-

    I wondered if I could hear something crumbling, and the malice that had spread in Hegel¡¯s body began to be absorbed into my body.

    ¡®Ugh¡­¡¯

    Even worse malice than when purifying John entered my body and moved everywhere.

    As soon as I endured and purged until the last handful, the unconscious world began to collapse.

    The guide spoke brightly and cheerfully.

    ¨C Congratulations. Hidden Stage Completed. This prevented the summoning of the evil dragon.

    ¡°Ha¡­ I did it.¡±

    I sank with a smile of relief.

    TL/N: I literally whined nOOoOoOOOO irl when the book made the announcement!?!

 Chapter 78

    TL/N: Everything is in Tiarozety¡¯s POV unless stated otherwise.

    [Lexion¡¯s POV]

    Meanwhile, Lexion was furious with the guide¡¯s explanation.

    ¡°Are you kidding me right now¡­!¡±

    His voice became unusually loud.

    It was because what was just written in the book felt very unrealistic.

    He couldn¡¯t believe he became an evil dragon.

    The evil dragon was the evil of this world, something that had to be eliminated, and was his nemesis throughout his last life.

    Lexion couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of being deceived by the book.

    The reason he decided to become a traveler himself was to get back Tiarozety.

    But she and himself are enemies.

    Lexion¡¯s face didn¡¯t know how to straighten out, knowing that Tiarozety¡¯s ending was to eradicate the evil dragon.

    He intended to prevent her from completing the ending, but that didn¡¯t mean he wanted to become the evil dragon himself.

    ¡®What will happen if this happens?¡¯

    Everything seemed to be a mess, so Lexion ground his teeth.

    Then the guide scratched his insides in a calm tone.

    ¨C I don¡¯t play pranks. I have already warned of the risk of penalties several times.

    ¡°If I were her enemy, what would happen to my ending? Obviously, blocking her ending was my reward.¡±

    When Lexion pointed it out with a stiff face, the guide flashed.

    ¨D Go to the Rewards page.

    Eventually, the page unfolded with a slow response.

    [Reward content: Tiarozety Esol does not go back and stays with you.

    Reward conditions: Destroying the world of Tiarozety.]

    ¡°¡­Wait, this is different from before.¡±

    Lexion widened his eyes when he saw the reward conditions.

    It was because the reward conditions he saw before and the current conditions were very different.

    Obviously, before, it was only written that he would prevent the ending of Tiarozety.

    All of a sudden, he¡¯s ruining the world of Tiarozety.

    There was no way Lexion could accept such an ending.

    I didn¡¯t want her to go back. I didn¡¯t want her to be ruined.

    Then Lexion asked coolly.

    ¡°Did you lie to me?¡±

    ¨C I didn¡¯t lie.

    ¡°Then why did the reward conditions change?¡±

    -I never said that the contents and conditions of the compensation are unchanged. It may vary according to the desire of the traveler.

    ¡°Ha¡­!¡±

    TL/N: Same Lexion same.. HA They just can¡¯t catch a break man T_T

    Lexion chuckled at the guide¡¯s brazen answer.

    He felt like he was caught in the book¡¯s trap in the first place.

    She¡¯s someone he barely met after retracing those many times*, but to get her, I have to give up on this world where I¡¯ve lived my whole life.

    TL/N: His repeated regressions to find Tiarozety

    It was also in the form of an evil dragon that he hated terribly.

    What was precious to her was also precious to him.

    Read only at PM Translations

    When Lexion was silent, the guide said.

    ¨C You and the evil dragon are now one. If you don¡¯t stop Tiarozety from killing the evil dragon, you¡¯re dead.

    ¡°¡­¡­what a beggar.¡±

    Lexion glared at the book with a fishy smile.

    It¡¯s a relationship where the ending can only be completed by turning each other into enemies.

    He thought the book was terrible, but when he felt it in person, he felt utterly empty and miserable.

    Lexion asked with a confused face.

    ¡°What happens if I get a penalty in the future?¡±

    ¨C The more you receive a penalty, the more you become assimilated into the evil dragon and the stronger the evil dragon becomes. Attention is required.

    ¡°To be assimilated¡­¡±

    ¨C There is a possibility that you will once again lose your ego and become the evil dragon itself, leading the world to the end.

    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±

    It was the moment when Lexion clenched his fists.

    ¡°Keugh!¡±

    The sudden pain caused him to cough.

    At the same time, he felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder.

    Lexion frowned as it was not enough to get blood out of nowhere, and his shoulders were tingling.

    Without asking, the guide said.

    ¨C Tiarozety Esol found the core and broke it. The space is about to collapse.

    The core of the evil dragon¡¯s thought is the alter ego of the evil dragon.

    Destroying it will also affect the evil dragon¡¯s body.

    And now the evil dragon is Lexion himself.

    As the role is currently fixed due to the accumulation of penalties, so the damage of the evil dragon was entirely the responsibility of Lexion.

    TL/N: Meaning he gets the full impact of whatever damage the evil dragon gets.

    ¡°Ha ha ha.¡±

    Lexion let out a short, disappointed laugh.

    Everything was as the guide said.

    TL/N: omg the pain!!!

    ***

    I saved the Brandt family after finishing the Hidden Stage safely.

    Hegel, whom I met in my thoughts, was in poor condition, so after using Asta, I finished treatment with Egis.

    In the first place, there was no hesitation in using Egis because the condition of the option was to save all three.

    Thanks to the destruction of the core of thought, the vitality was quite full, so there was no burden on the body.

    After Hegel¡¯s treatment, the subspace began to collapse.

    Read only at PM Translations

    It was when I was just getting out of the thought.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety¡­?¡±

    Chris called with a wary expression and put his hand on the scabbard.

    It seemed like he was trying to confirm the possibility that I was crazy or tainted with thoughts.

    I answered quickly.

    ¡°Sir Chris, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°But those who are trapped in thoughts¡­¡±

    ¡°I found the law of destruction.¡±

    ¡°Is that¡­ is that true?¡±

    Chris asked questioningly.

    It was not so simple to find, so it still seemed suspicious.

    However, I have already proven that I am not crazy when I can communicate.

    I nodded lightly and Chris rubbed his face.

    ¡°Did you happen to see the Duke there?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, Duke?¡±

    ¡°No way¡­¡±

    ¡°He followed right after the lady was sucked in. Just in case, come to me¡­¡±

    While Chris was speaking, Lexion appeared within a twisted space.

    Chris quickly snatched me away and widened the distance.

    He was instinctively protecting me even though I knew he would never deal with Lexion if he had a problem.

    ¡±¡­Your Excellency?¡±

    Chris called Lexion while being on alert.

    Lexion didn¡¯t respond.

    He just took a deep breath and made a confused expression.

    There was tension all around.

    Read only at PM Translations

    I became worried about what had happened to him while I was breaking the core of the thought.

    ¡°Zion, are you okay?¡±

    When I asked carefully, he looked at me.

    His black eyes looked dull and dry.

    But they didn¡¯t feel alive.

    I approached him cautiously, noticing that he was fine just by looking at him.

    Chris tried to catch me.

    ¡°Miss! Not yet¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. The duke is fine.¡±

    ¡°Titi¡­¡±

    At the same time, Lexion called me softly.

    I approached him and held his hand.

    His fingertips were exceptionally cold.

    Did he have a lot of bad dreams just like I had a hard time inside?

    I fiddled with his hand with worry.

    ¡°Why did you follow me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m worried about you¡­¡±

    ¡°I already knew how to break it down. I saw it in a book.¡±

    ¡°Still.¡±

    Lexion struggled to reply and leaned his head on my shoulder.

    I gently stroked his back with my other hand.

    I was a little worried about his unstable appearance.

    ¡°What happened inside?¡±

    ¡°¡­No.¡±

    He answered slowly, giving strength to the hand he was holding.

    His hands seemed to tremble slightly.

    ¡®What do you mean no. Something happened.¡¯

    He seemed to want to hide it, so I wanted to wait for him to tell me.

    It¡¯s not too late to talk later.

    For now, I was just grateful for overcoming this situation.

    I spoke in a low voice.

    ¡°You worked hard, Zion.¡±

    Lexion made eye contact with the brief consolation and smiled softly.

    For some reason, his tired face was full of anguish.

    I was puzzled by that and opened my mouth, Lexion said.

    ¡°First of all, I need to clean up afterwards.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±

    Unconsciously, I grabbed the hand that was moving away from me.

    It was because he looked precarious.

    I didn¡¯t even know why I caught it myself.

    It just felt like he was about to run away.

    As my shoulders twisted because I was holding on to it, Lexion trembled and removed his hand.

    I also flinched at the obvious rejection.

    Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°¡­Zion?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I was surprised.¡±

    Lexion responded ramblingly and swept the corners of his mouth.

    As the arm I was holding trembled, he grabbed it with his other arm and smiled, trying to calm himself down.

    I frowned and asked.

    ¡°¡­Are you hurt?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°But why¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really okay. These are common ailments for people who hold swords.¡±

    Lexion denied it and seemed to move his shoulders repeatedly.

    Unlike before, the shaking had stopped.

    I replied reluctantly.

    ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°But just in case, go see a doctor.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    Talking more here would be nagging.

    I nodded my head lightly to him saying that he would do so.

    Afterwards, he began to restore Brandt Castle.

    Chapter 11. The Appearance of a Sorcerer

    After all the episodes of [A Dying Child] ended, tensions arose in Bael.

    This was because the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts spread not only in Brandt Castle and in the Carmel Forest, but also outside the territory, causing an uproar.

    The situation outside the territory was more serious than that of Bael.

    In some areas where colonization has already taken place, there was a large number of refugees in the area.

    Therefore, the lords gathered to discuss how to protect the refugees, but the negotiations were slow.

    There were a lot of people who wanted to join Bael, who had suffered less damage.

    However, it was not enough to protect the people of Bael.

    Currently, due to a breakdown in negotiations, all gates of Bael have been closed to restrict access to the outside world.

    Those who managed to get in before were lucky in a way.

    The situation changed rapidly, and people¡¯s faces were filled with anxiety and fear.

    The Northern Union, which used to be just a name*, was moving properly behind the scenes.

    TL/N: Meaning the organization used to be just for show.

    It seemed as if there was a sense of war looming in the air.

 Chapter 79

    ¡®Everything is faster than planned. Did the evil dragon become stronger and the case was advanced?¡¯

    I was worried that the evil dragon was moving faster than before.

    If this is the case, it will not be long before the Imperial Family orders Lexion to subdue the evil dragon.

    When my thoughts reached the end, my mind was confused.

    ¡°Ha¡­¡±

    I let out a sigh that came out of nowhere.

    It was because there was an indisputable ominous feeling of foreboding going on.

    Thinking of the news this morning gave me a headache.

    ¡®Prince Kronos is coming to Bael with the Knights.¡¯

    ¡®All of a sudden?¡¯

    ¡®The passageways are all blocked this time. We¡¯re barely preserving the North. That¡¯s why the Crown Prince will bring Princess Seirin, who was stranded by this incident, to the capital.¡¯

    Daisy continued, unable to interpret the political implications of it.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know why Prince Gregory is here. It¡¯s just that the atmosphere of the castle doesn¡¯t get better¡­¡­¡¯

    Daisy couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly why Kronos was coming.

    As she said, there was no reason for the crown prince to pick up Seirin when Gregory was there.

    As long as the purpose is to take Seirin.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure he has something to do with Lexion, using Seirin as an excuse.¡¯

    It was a reasonable doubt considering that Kronos milked Lexion dry, little by little in his previous life.

    ¡®What the hell are you up to? Is he trying to convey the imperial order to subdue the evil dragon?¡¯

    Since the case had been moved forward, there was a possibility that the formation of Lexion¡¯s subjugation group would be accelerated.

    It was difficult to predict the future because the situation was different from my previous life.

    Of course, the current Lexion will not follow the royal order as it is, but if the deterrence of the book is activated, there is nothing that cannot be done.

    ¡®It¡¯s all right, it¡¯s still going to take a while for the Kronos to arrive.¡¯

    Since the whole area is under control, so it¡¯s better.

    If we defend ourselves here before Kronos arrives, we won¡¯t be easily harmed.

    Read only at PM Translations

    ¡®I think I¡¯ll have to talk to Lexion first to come up with a plan¡­¡¯

    When I thought of Lexion, I sighed again.

    It was because I hadn¡¯t had a serious conversation with Lexion since the incident.

    It must be natural because he has a lot of work here and there, but I was a bit skeptical because he used to show his face no matter how busy he was before.

    ¡®What happened in the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts?¡¯

    At that time, Lexion¡¯s condition seemed precarious, so I was worried the whole time.

    It seemed like he was struggling with something on his own, but I didn¡¯t even have a chance to ask, so I was annoyed.

    I guess my expression continued to darken as Daisy asked at that time.

    ¡°Do you have any concerns?¡± Why are you sighing like that?¡±

    ¡°Oh, just. It¡¯s hard to see the Duke these days.¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it, you haven¡¯t seen him much lately. He often leaves the castle.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s going out again today, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s stopping by a refugee shelter. That¡¯s what¡¯s causing a stir in and out of the castle these days.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­.¡±

    Daisy asked as I muttered somewhat dispiritedly.

    ¡°Do you want to see him?¡±

    ¡°Ung? Oh, oh no! That¡¯s¡­¡±

    Daisy smiled as I strongly denied it.

    ¡°I met Theo in the morning and he said he would come to the castle today.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Daisy gave me a slight nod with a chuckle as I was visibly pleased.

    ¡®We can discuss it today.¡¯

    I smiled softly with a relieved face.

    ***

    Seirin waited quietly for Betty to come with the news.

    A serene face as usual.

    But in her heart, a war-like feeling was boiling over.

    ¡®Why don¡¯t you get rid of Tiarozety? I know Esol¡¯s fatal weakness.¡¯

    Emelia¡¯s devil-like whispers had long been ingrained in Seirin¡¯s mind.

    She didn¡¯t know if it was before she listened, but Serin was full of anxiety at the information she already heard.

    That may be why she couldn¡¯t overcome her curiosity and ended up committing it.

    Even though she wanted to give up even now, she kept repeating it to herself to let her anger flare up.

    Seirin remembered the whisper she had with Emelia that day.

    ¡®Remember the magician who used to fight evil dragons?¡¯

    ¡®If it¡¯s a magician, it¡¯s already an extinct profession.¡¯

    ¡®No, they still exist. I know a guy.¡¯

    ¡®¡­What does that have to do with Esol¡¯s weakness?¡¯

    ¡®There is a fatal power to Isol during the sorcery. Kind of a curse or something.¡¯

    Read only at PM Translations

    It was not known where Emelia heard the information.

    So she instructed Betty to find out if there was a magician in the place she told me.

    ¡®What if there¡¯s a real magician? What do I want to do?¡¯

    Betty knocked while Seirin rubbed her throbbing forehead.

    ¡°Princess, it¡¯s Betty.¡±

    ¡°Come on in.¡±

    When Seirin¡¯s permission was granted, Betty entered the room.

    As Seirin blinked as she approached, Betty walked up to her and reported.

    ¡°As I checked, it is true that Alois Beth is staying at the Lavita Village Inn.¡±

    ¡°What about his identity?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a wandering traveler, and he¡¯s been in Lavita Village for quite a while.¡±

    ¡°Wandering¡­¡±

    Seirin tapped on the table and was lost in thought.

    As Emelia said, it was true that Alois Beth lived in the village.

    But ¨C

    ¡°Was there any suspicious movement? Like doing strange magic.¡±

    Magicians do not reveal their identities.

    This is because there is a precedent of being treated like a witch and burned at the stake for practicing bizarre magic.

    Of course, it was the royal family of the Arden Empire who set the precedent.

    After the Great War, they were afraid that the power of the magicians would increase, so they weakened their power with false pretenses,

    As a result, it has been a long time since everyone fled or lived in hiding.

    ¡°The evil dragon is on the rise again, so it seems like he will leave a trace.¡±

    Of course, he could save himself because he didn¡¯t want to repeat the past of being used again and being killed like a hunting dog*.

    TL/N: In the raws it¡¯s ????. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s an english equivalent for this phrase so here¡¯s the replacement I thought of.

    ????- KILLING THE DOG AFTER HUNTING: An expression used to indicate the situation of using something when necessary and throwing it away unsympathetically when not.

    From its literal meaning of ¡®After a rabbit hunt is over, the now-useless hunting dog is boiled and eaten¡¯

    ¡°Well, he¡¯s popular with the villagers. I guess he¡¯s good at medicine.¡±

    ¡°Medicine?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Last time, when the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts were raging, he saved an old man in the village.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Until up to that point, everyone was silent.¡±

    ¡®I guess you¡¯re a magician.¡¯

    The details were probably hidden in detail to protect the benefactor of life.

    Read only at PM Translations

    ¡®As expected, I think it¡¯s better to meet him.¡¯

    Seirin made up her mind and told Betty.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see him.¡±

    ¡°These days, it has become very difficult to travel between the territories and the duchy. Luckily Lavita belongs to the North, so I barely went there.¡±

    ¡°I may go myself.¡±

    ¡°Oh my! Really, Princess! How can I take you to a dangerous place?¡±

    ¡°Then bring him to Bael.¡±

    ¡°It is said that an unknown person cannot enter Bael¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you create an identity.¡±

    Seirin became uncomfortable with Betty, who couldn¡¯t understand her at once and kept rebutting.

    Betty noticed she was offended and quickly bowed her head.

    ¡°I¡¯ll check for the identity that can be used as a disguise.¡±

    ¡°Okay. And on the day that today¡¯s events spread to the vassals of Sparrow¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have sworn allegiance to the Princess. There will never be anyone like the Princess.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I trust you, Betty.¡±

    Then Seirin smiled and took out a finger-sized diamond from the drawer.

    Betty waved her hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s too much for me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m giving it to you because I want to.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Princess.¡±

    ¡°When I return to the capital, it would be nice to arrange a meal with Count Diason. I haven¡¯t seen him in a long time.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s your invitation, my father will agree right away.¡±

    When Betty mentioned her father, her cheeks blushed with joy.

    Seirin shook her head and smiled softly.

    But her eyes were very cold.

    TL/N: Seirin needs to be GONE asap *shakes fist

    ***

    When I opened my eyes familiarly, it was in the dream of the evil dragon.

    This is a phenomenon that has always happened when I use Asta, so I stared at the evil dragon insignificantly.

    It was because the evil dragon I met in the dream was not as threatening as the real evil dragon.

    Again, the evil dragon just stared at me and showed no movement. The golden eyes stared at me without blinking.

    In the beginning, the evil dragon in my dreams was always helpless to me.

    Like you really want me to kill you.

    Read only at PM Translations

    As I approached slowly, the evil dragon curled up and groaned.

    At that time, the evil dragon flinched as if it were limping in one wing.

    The movement seemed more uncomfortable than before.

    ¡®Are you hurt?¡¯

    Entering the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts and destroying the core seemed to have had a significant impact.

    As I carefully touched its wings, the evil dragon trembled without resistance.

    Its raised head seemed to be staring at me pitifully.

    And then.

    ¡®¡­Uh¡¯

    Without realizing it, I blinked blankly at the dripping tears.

    ¡®Why am I crying?¡¯

    The reason was unknown.

    Just seeing the powerless figure of the evil dragon made me cry a little.

    Also, it was strange to feel that I didn¡¯t want to hurt the evil dragon.

    Obviously, the evil dragon is my enemy.

    It was a very strange feeling.

    The flowing tears fell on the evil dragon¡¯s eyes.

    The transparent liquid flowed indifferently on the black leather.

    That just made it look like the evil dragon was weeping.

    Am I crying or is it crying?

    I couldn¡¯t stop crying until I woke up from my dream, hugging my unknown emotions.

    Even after I woke up, I was so overwhelmed that I stared blankly at the ceiling for a long time.

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80

    ¡°He can¡¯t come today either.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ there was a beast nearby.¡±

    Daisy answered with a tearful face.

    It seemed a little awkward to have to say the same thing all the time.

    I sighed deeply inside.

    It¡¯s been many days since I met Lexion.

    Contrary to the information Theo asked for that day, Lexion did not come to Sparrow Castle.

    It was because of the appearance of a beast from a nearby area and the knights mobilized there.

    Since then, on the pretext of continuing to be busy, Lexion stayed in a temporary barracks on the outskirts of the territory, not in Sparrow Castle.

    ¡®I think he¡¯s avoiding me.¡¯

    At first, I thought it was an excessive worry.

    It¡¯s a time when the situation changes so quickly, so I thought it was natural to be busy.

    But-

    ¡®Lady, did something happen with Zion?¡¯

    ¡®What? No, nothing happened¡­¡¯

    ¡®Really? That¡¯s strange. I thought you two had a fight again.¡¯

    ¡®Why?¡¯

    ¡®He¡¯s been living outside all the time these days. No matter how busy he is, his bed would be better at home.¡¯

    As if it kept repeating, I kept worrying about what Gregory said.

    I was a little disappointed at Lexion, who avoided me without doing anything.

    ¡®You told me to stay with you. Can I leave it like this? Am I going back to the original world?¡¯

    There were several days when the various thoughts in my mind got me heated up* for no reason.

    TL/N: She got upset

    But as time went by, I felt like I was going crazy missing him.

    Will he hate it if I go to the barracks?¡¯

    The moment I was just thinking-

    ¡°Shall I guess what the lady is thinking now?¡±

    Gregory, who was drinking tea with me, grinned with his chin propped.

    I asked with a very wary face.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°You thought you wanted to see Lexion, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. At any rate, I can see everything on your face.¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not.¡±

    I feigned ignorance, slowly denied it, and put the brownie in my mouth.

    Then Gregory continued.

    ¡°If you¡¯re that worried, why don¡¯t you go visit?¡±

    I hesitated and mumbled at Gregory¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m interrupting his work. ¡­He might not like it.¡±

    ¡°Dislike. Is Zion a guy like that? The lady only becomes timid about matters regarding him¡±

    Gregory grunted as he pushed the brownie plate towards me.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    He¡¯s right.

    The case of me being timid was always related to Lexion.

    I asked, biting my lower lip.

    ¡°Will he really not hate it?¡±

    ¡°Of course. If you¡¯re ashamed to go alone, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you did, but¡­¡±

    I hesitated, dragging the end of my words.

    It was because Lexion knew that Gregory was the male protagonist of my book, so I was afraid that there would be some misunderstanding when we went together.

    ¡®Shall I send a letter? At least a communication¡­.¡¯

    Gregory added as if he thought I was hesitant.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going just for you, so don¡¯t feel so pressured.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just about to go because I have something to do there.¡±

    ¡°Something to do?¡±

    What business does Gregory have outside of Bael?

    Gregory grumbled as I took on an obvious quizzical look.

    ¡°Lady, when I see you sometimes, I feel like you¡¯re treating me as an unemployed bum. I¡¯m a pretty talented person too.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. If you apologize here, you¡¯re admitting it. It hurts more.¡±

    Gregory grumbled and asked again.

    ¡°So. Are you going or not?¡±

    ¡°Urgh.¡±

    ¡°Think carefully, young lady. If you don¡¯t go today, you might not be able to see Lexion for a while.¡±

    ¡°I might not be able to see him?¡±

    ¡°He said he would go on an expedition soon. Because of the current situation and the condition of the neighboring lands, it¡¯s not good enough to defend only Bael.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad the Northern Union is doing well, at least. Anyway, the expedition seems inevitable.¡±

    Gregory sighed and murmured.

    I was belatedly surprised by his words and asked.

    ¡°Wait, He¡¯s on an expedition? Where is he going?¡±

    ¡°Was it the Hawk Mountains? They say it¡¯s going crazy right now. The villages near the mountain range must have been severely damaged.¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    I bit my lower lip as I recalled the past.

    If it is the Hawk Mountains, it is a place that used to be a colony of evil dragons.

    ¡®Are you trying to purify in advance?¡¯

    In the past, he had set up an expedition team late but failed greatly, resulting in a huge loss of power.

    ¡®Now, it may be different from the past. ¡­But why am I so anxious?¡¯

    It may be because of the book¡¯s warning that the evil dragon has become stronger.

    It¡¯s probably because I¡¯m worried that Lexion will get hurt there.

    ¡®If we only defend the Hawk Mountains, we could change the past when Bael was colonized.¡¯

    The Hawk Mountains were a large mountain that divided the northern part.

    If you protect it, it will be easier to defend the entire northern part.

    When the thoughts went crazy, it was decided that it would be better for Lexion to go on an expedition as soon as possible.

    At the same time, it was difficult to hide my disappointment.

    ¡®You must have been busy organizing the expedition. I wish you¡¯d told me¡­ ¡­but we didn¡¯t have time to talk.¡¯

    It was fortunate that Gregory had to go there, or I would have heard the news only on the day of the expedition.

    ¡®I¡¯m upset. And very much so¡­¡¯

    Then Gregory said goodbye.

    ¡°I have to go now. Think about it, lady. The departure will be at five.¡±

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Then I tried to get out of my seat.

    ¡°Prince.¡±

    I called him for a moment and frowned.

    There was a conflict between not wanting to interfere with Lexion¡¯s work and wanting to see him.

    But in the end, the latter won.

    ¡®Yeah. If it¡¯s a short trip, it¡¯ll be fine.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m going.¡±

    Gregory blinked at my consent and said cheerfully.

    ¡°Yeah, well thought out. He can¡¯t meet you even if you want to after he goes to the military.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but just in case, please contact him in advance that I¡¯m going. It¡¯ll be a problem if I suddenly visit him.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Then, if you are ready, I¡¯ll come back on time later.¡±

    ***

    [Lexion¡¯s POV]

    Inside the barracks located on the outskirts of Bael.

    Lexion was looking at the list of knights in preparation for the upcoming expedition.

    In his previous life, it was a key point that was discovered late and could not be settled.

    So, this time, the idea was to recapture the Hawk Mountains and prevent the evil dragon from expanding its power.

    ¨C The Hawk Mountains are a good habitat for evil dragons. If you set up an expedition team, your ending could be at a disadvantage.

    The white book murmured in a disapproving tone.

    From the moment Lexion became the ¡°Evil Dragon,¡± the guide began to suggest an advantageous path for the evil dragon.

    However, Lexion was not one who would follow it directly.

    Rather, he focused on weakening the evil dragon by using the information in reverse.

    ¡®The stronger the evil dragon¡¯s power, the harder it will be for Titi¡¯

    If he had become Tiarozety¡¯s enemy, he had to find a way to protect her, even avoiding the eyes of the book.

    He was plotting the case to avoid penalties as much as possible and to favor Tiarozety.

    Because of that, I gave up meeting Tiarozety and was only working.

    It was because the penalty for the book was concentrated on Tiarozety.

    TL/N: SO MUCHHH LOVE FOR LEXION!!! He really be out there doing the absolute most for Tiarozety.

    ¡®I couldn¡¯t even see Titi because of the damn penalty¡­¡¯

    Lexion¡¯s nerves were as sensitive as they could be.

    Penalties could not be added to the situation where assimilation was already in progress.

    TL/N: assimilation with the evil dragon

    As I avoided penalties as much as possible, it naturally became difficult to meet Tiarozety.

    Then outside the barracks, Theo knocked.

    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s Theo.¡±

    ¡°Come on in.¡±

    Lexion allowed the entrance, and Theo entered.

    ¡°Your Excellency, I have received a call from the duchy.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with the duchy?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Tiarozety says she¡¯ll visit here with Prince Gregory.¡±

    ¡°Titi and Greg?¡±

    Lexion blinked as he shifted his gaze from the paperwork to Theo.

    His face naturally glowed.

    Still, he missed Tiarozety so much.

    I was very happy to have her visit me because I couldn¡¯t go in person due to the obstruction of the book.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    However, Theo did not notice Lexion¡¯s heart and spoke senselessly.

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s arriving around this evening¡­ ¡­if you¡¯re busy, shall I ask her to come next time?¡±

    ¡°No, she can come.¡±

    When Lexion snapped and answered, Theo blinked.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going on a night patrol this evening?¡±

    ¡°¡­what, tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Or I can do it sooner rather than later¡­¡±

    When Lexion answered slowly, Theo finally realized his intentions and nodded his head.

    ¡°Yes, then I¡¯ll tell her to come.¡±

    There was a hint of a smile on his lips.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Either way, as Lexion was about to turn his gaze back to the document, Theo said.

    ¡°Ahem! Oh, and the person you were looking for last time.¡±

    TL/N: Sorry for the confusion! I was translating the next few chapters and Alois Beth seems to be female. I alr went back to edit chapter 79 for her pronouns.

    ¡°Did you find her?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did find her¡­ but she left not long ago.¡±

    When Theo answered with hesitation, Lexion tilted his head.

    ¡°Leave? Where?¡±

    ¡°She disappeared without a word, so no one knows. ¡­I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t give you the information you wanted. This is a document that summarizes other information.¡±

    Theo bowed and held out the papers, and Lexion took it and was silent.

    ¡®I thought you¡¯d be there until Lavita was destroyed¡­¡¯

    In her previous life, the village of Lavita was devastated and she went up to the capital to seek revenge.

    At a time when Lavita is not ruined yet.

    In the meantime, I was perplexed because I was trying to bribe her before the imperial family.

    ¡®It¡¯s more complicated than I thought.¡¯

    Lexion swept his hair once and opened his mouth.

    ¡°Just in case, ask the villagers and check the gate entry and exit records to figure out the route.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I will.¡±

    ¡°You should hold her so that she doesn¡¯t go anywhere else as soon as she is found.¡±

    ¡°If I find her, how will I treat it?¡±

    ¡°You can treat her like a guest of honor.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Theo nodded lightly and left the room.

    Lexion looked at the material Theo had left behind.

    Then, his gaze was fixed on one document.

 Chapter 81

    [Alois Beth once had a big fight with the people of Lavita]

    [It is said that the cause of the quarrel was a torn handkerchief.]

    A handkerchief was drawn with a brief summary.

    It had been cut randomly with a sharp object and had a half-red hawk drawn on it.

    It was when Lexion stared at the handkerchief.

    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s Chris.¡±

    ¡°Come on in.¡±

    Chris came in when Lexion covered the papers and answered.

    Maybe it was hot during training, so even in the cold weather, he rolled up his sleeves.

    Chris said.

    ¡°There is a change in the number of people who will go to the expedition together. Please check.¡±

    Then he put the documents on the table.

    Then he put the papers on the table.

    Lexion looked at him casually, and his gaze touched the piece of cloth tied to his left hand.

    It was so old that it looked like it was going to rip even if he held it a little hard.

    At first glance, a red color could be seen through the fabric.

    It was a coincidence that the piece of cloth Chris had always tied to his wrist his caught eye for a moment.

    It was more noticeable after seeing Alois Beth¡¯s handkerchief.

    As if Chris felt Lexion¡¯s tenacious gaze, he called out to him.

    ¡°Your Excellency?¡±

    ¡°Chris, that cloth¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a little messy, right?¡±

    ¡°Since when did you tie it up?¡±

    ¡°Since when? It¡¯s my talisman that I always carried around even before I met you.¡±

    Read only at PM Translations

    Chris fiddled proudly with the cloth.

    ¡°This handkerchief was all I had before I was saved by your Excellency while living as an orphan and a beggar.¡±

    ¡°Is it an item with a story?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Well, maybe it¡¯s a relic of my parents who abandoned me. It¡¯s insignificant to mention as a relic¡­ ¡­but I¡¯ve actually had it since I was young, so without it, I feel empty and anxious.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed after saying it. A grown man believes in superstitions¡­¡±

    ¡°It must be so precious that you carry it around until it gets worn out.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡± May I check for a second?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±

    Chris quickly unpacked his handkerchief and held it out to Lexion.

    After unraveling it, it was far from an intact handkerchief.

    It was tattered enough to believe it was a rag.

    Lexion stared intently at Chris¡¯ handkerchief.

    ¡°This¡­¡±

    A bright red hawk was engraved on the handkerchief Chris held out.

    That¡¯s also half.

    ***

    Shortly after making an appointment with Gregory, the trailer arrived.

    [As the energy of war spreads across the continent, Lexion Sparrow goes on an expedition to the Hawk Mountains.

    In the meantime, Kronos arrives earlier than scheduled and takes advantage of Lexion¡¯s absence to suppress the castle of Sparrow.

    In response, Tiarozety and Gregory try to stop Kronos¡¯s supremacy.

    At this time, an unexpected person appears and Tiarozety falls into a crisis¡­¡­]

    I was in deep thought as I pondered the trailer in the carriage heading to the outskirts of Bael.

    ¡®I can¡¯t believe the Kronos arrived early. Should I ask Lexion to postpone the expedition because Kronos is coming?¡¯

    ¡®No. It¡¯s about avoiding a small crisis and facing a bigger one. For Bael, we have to send the expedition quickly.¡¯

    ¡®I wish I knew exactly when Kronos was coming¡­ but who was the unexpected one?¡¯

    I predicted all sorts of scenarios in my head, trying to find the best answer.

    My crisis is predicted to be caused by the mere appearance of Kronos, but his assistant is added to that.

    No, it was difficult to determine whether or not the new person was Kronos¡¯ helper in the first place. As I got closer to the ending, the book seemed more and more desperate to eat me.

    Read only at PM Translations

    Then Gregory, who sat opposite, asked.

    ¡°What are you thinking about that makes you frown like that, lady?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    I came to my senses and laughed awkwardly.

    Then suddenly.

    ¡®If I ask Gregory, wouldn¡¯t I be able to get a rough idea of Kronos¡¯ schedule?¡¯

    ¡°Well, Prince.¡±

    ¡°Eung?¡±

    ¡°When did Prince Kronos say he would arrive?¡±

    ¡°What, now that I see it, you were worried about him.¡±

    Gregory grinned and continued.

    ¡°Well. Lately, communication channels are often busy, so I can¡¯t reach him. I think it¡¯s because of the evil dragon.¡±

    ¡°Is there a possibility of arriving early?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much? Because all the roads to Bael are affected by the evil dragon.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s safer by road than by water, so wouldn¡¯t it come through the route over land? I think it will take three months at the earliest.¡±

    I nodded silently at Gregory¡¯s reply.

    The arrival time he said was normal.

    If Kronus arrived three months later, Lexion would have already returned from the expedition.

    Maybe Lexion is thinking like Gregory and setting up an expedition.

    However, the trailer mentioned that Kronos will arrive earlier than scheduled.

    If so, it will come sooner than that.

    ¡®How did Kronos get there quickly? ¡®I¡¯m sure all the way here is blocked¡­¡¯

    I felt like I was missing something very important, but I had no idea what it was.

    Gregory spoke to me as I was about to concentrate.

    ¡°Lady, I¡¯ve been curious about something for a long time.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°That power. Are you sure you¡¯re all right?¡±

    Worry was etched on Gregory¡¯s face.

    I replied with a casual smile.

    ¡°Oh, yes. I haven¡¯t had any problems yet.¡±

    Except that I dream a lot.

    In fact, after purifying Brandt Castle, I slept a little more.

    I was just guessing that sleep was necessary to purify the malice absorbed.

    ¡®Come to think of it, I can¡¯t remember what I dreamt about when I wake up these days.¡¯

    The dream itself often faded like a foggy mist.

    It must be a dream about the evil dragon, but it was strange.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing else but getting a little more sleep.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad then, but I don¡¯t feel comfortable.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your concern. But it¡¯s really okay.¡±

    Gregory shrugged when I reassured him repeatedly.

    Then suddenly, Seirin came to mind.

    ¡°How is the princess of Seirin?¡± I heard she was very surprised that day.¡±

    ¡°Now she¡¯s taken quite a walk, I think she¡¯s gained strength.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    ¡°She seems to have added painting as a hobby recently.¡±

    ¡°Painting?¡±

    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a painting or a coloring. I guess it¡¯s because she¡¯s drawing something.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d be nice if she could get immersed in something.¡±

    ¡°If you have time, go find her. As long as you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Gregory hinted at it, but I just laughed.

    Actually, Seirin was a little uncomfortable.

    There¡¯s the case with the partner and the tie as well.

    TL/N: It¡¯s the arc around chapter 59 fyi.

    Read only at PM Translations

    It was because she felt that she had changed from her previous life in many ways.

    ¡®Maybe the change in Lexion affected it.¡¯

    Originally, the love front between Seirin and Lexion had to be connected.

    Because Lexion forcibly cut it off, Seirin became a duck egg on the Nakdonggang River*.

    TL/N: Korean saying- A DUCK EGG IN THE NAKDONGGANG RIVER: An expression to describe someone¡¯s miserable situation because he/she is deserted or alienated from a group.

    Maybe that was the culprit that made her different.

    At that time, the carriage stopped.

    I thought they wanted to check for a while, but soon it moved into the barracks.

    Gregory said as he opened the window and looked outside.

    ¡°We must have arrived.¡±

    ***

    Inside the Sparrow villa greenhouse.

    Seirin was preoccupied with something with her newly hired maid.

    At first glance, one might think she was drawing on parchment, but it was actually a craft exercise.

    Seirin raised her head and asked.

    ¡°Is this how you do it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re doing great.¡±

    Alois Beth gave praise with a light smile.

    It had already been several days since she went under Seirin.

    Even though the security of borders on the outskirts was getting tighter, it was easy for Seirin to target the gaps in the management.

    Who can disobey the Princess¡¯s orders?

    In particular, it would have been even more difficult to refuse if they were those who would not reach the manager.

    Seirin recalled her first meeting with Alois.

    Read only at PM Translations

    It was around the time Alois arrived in Bael without knowing why.

    ¡®Keep your head down. The person in front of me is the princess of Seirin Arden Werbel!¡¯

    As Betty shouted out loud, Alois raised her head and asked.

    ¡®Why did the noble royal family call me to Bael?¡¯

    She really liked that spirit. It will be fun breaking it.

    Seirin said softly.

    ¡®Alois Beth. I know who you are.¡¯

    ¡®What do you mean¡­¡¯

    ¡®There¡¯s nothing to pretend about. The magician, Alois Beth. Cause I already know that¡¯s who you really are.¡¯

    ¡®¡­!¡¯

    Alois¡¯ eyes widened in surprise at the fact that she grasped her true identity.

    Seirin said with momentum.

    ¡®Recently, you fought against evil dragons for Lavita. Don¡¯t even think about getting away with it.¡¯

    ¡®¡­¡­How did you know?¡¯

    ¡®Even if you disguise yourself as a wanderer, it¡¯s difficult to shut everyone¡¯s mouth. It¡¯s especially easy to convince people in these turbulent times.¡¯

    When Seirin smiled beautifully, Alois bit her lower lip.

    The magicians hated and feared the royal family at the same time.

    It was because she knew the cruel history that took place when they resisted the imperial family.

    Alois asked sharply.

    ¡®Are you threatening me?¡¯

    It¡¯s not a threat, it¡¯s an opportunity.¡¯

    ¡°Opportunity?¡±

    ¡®If you help me, I can try to make sure that the magicians are officially recognized by the Empire.¡¯

 Chapter 82

    At Seirin¡¯s suggestion, Alois¡¯ eyes shone sharply.

    After a while, Alois asked provocatively.

    ¡®Can you prove it? We already have a history of being betrayed by the imperial family.¡¯

    ¡®Of course. I¡¯ve heard that magicians have an ¡®oath¡¯ with their lives as collateral.¡¯

    ¡®How the hell would that be¡­¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m a member of the Imperial family. I know more than you think.¡¯

    At Seirin¡¯s arrogant attitude, Alois shut her lips.

    The oath is dangerous, so the previous emperor did not do it on purpose.

    As a result, as soon as he finished the Great War, he betrayed the magicians and even took all the credit.

    Seirin wanted to buy Alois even if there was a risk.

    So she proposed the shackles herself.

    Alois, who had been thinking for a while, asked with serious eyes.

    ¡®So what do you want from me?¡¯

    Seirin said, looking down at Alois coldly.

    ¡®There¡¯s only one Esol in Bael. I want you to kill her.¡¯

    ¡®Why do you want to kill her? It¡¯s probably the biggest power in times like this.¡¯

    ¡®Do I have to explain that too?¡¯

    ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯

    ¡®It doesn¡¯t mean anything. I just don¡¯t like it.¡¯

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    That¡¯s how the contract was made.

    It was such a contract.

    Afterwards, Alois disguised herself as Seirin¡¯s maid and was diligently preparing for the event.

    Alois glanced at Seirin.

    It was funny that she was trying to tie her up with a flimsy threat, but she was playing along first.

    ¡®You only know one side of history anyway¡­¡¯

    It was not only because of the Great War that the relationship between the magicians and the imperial family deteriorated.

    The first emperor hid history.

    It was also adapted to his advantage.

    So, the only people who remember the true history were the magicians.

    The descendant, Alois, also knew the history very well, so Seirin¡¯s behavior was very pitiful.

    ¡®I know more than you think. You¡¯re showing off when you only know part of the oath.¡¯

    In the first place, Alois had no intention of risking her entire life to Seirin.

    The Princess probably didn¡¯t know about that oath.

    Had the Princess known, she would have never suggested it.

    Magicians always hide other moves in case of unexpected events.

    This was also the result of learning from the accumulated precedents of the imperial family.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re trying to kill Esol, but there¡¯s no harm to me.¡¯

    As the princess said, if only Esol is killed, the magicians¡¯ reputations will be restored.

    That was what Alois wanted.

    Of course, that wasn¡¯t the ultimate goal.

    ¡®I can find it after my conscience is clean.¡¯

    Alois strengthened her will stroking the place where the handkerchief would be.

    Then Seirin said.

    ¡°I think it takes longer than I thought. I¡¯d like to finish it before my brother Kronos gets here¡­¡±

    ¡°If you speed up, it¡¯s a burden on the person who executes the procedure. I¡¯m preparing as much as possible so that I don¡¯t harm the Princess.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡±

    Seirin tried to suppress her impatience.

    Oddly enough, her patience did not show well when it came to Tiarozety.

    Alois glanced at Seirin.

    As a result of examining her behavior, she could roughly guess why she wanted to kill Esol.

    ¡®The vassals of Sparrow Castle are very friendly to Esol. More than to Princess Seirin.¡¯

    Considering the unique temperament of the royal family, she thought that this situation itself might feel insulting to her. Besides, she seems to have a heart for the owner of this castle.

    Alois hinted to Seirin.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be able to achieve what you want in the near future.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡±

    After a short reply, Seirin handed the parchment to Betty.

    Betty took it and put it in the fireplace and burned it.

    It was to remove traces.

    Seirin smiled faintly as she looked at the burning parchment.

    However, several days passed and Alois did not bring the desired result.

    She couldn¡¯t report it to Seirin, but it was due to a setback in the plan.

    Alois began to look for other methods.

    ***

    Gregory had gone somewhere shortly after arriving at the barracks.

    He said he had a different purpose for their visit, so it seems it was true.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    The one who greeted me was the butler, Theo.

    ¡°You worked hard to come, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°Long time no see, Theo.¡±

    ¡°The Duke is on patrol now. He is coming soon, so first unpack in the empty barracks and warm yourself up.¡±

    Theo raised his hand and led me to the empty barracks.

    I asked Theo as I headed to the barracks.

    ¡°Is the situation really bad these days?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that good. The number of beasts has increased exponentially. As a result, solidarity between the lords became important.¡±

    ¡°I heard that you¡¯re going on an expedition soon. When does it leave?¡±

    ¡°Looking at the current trend, I think we¡¯ll start next week.¡±

    ¡®Can you pull it a little more?¡± No, it may be too late for that.¡¯

    As I was thinking about that, I saw a familiar face moving somewhere.

    ¡°John?¡±

    At my call, John turned around and came up to me with a big smile and greeted me.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, ah, no. Miss Tiarozety, long time no see!¡±

    He was accustomed to calling me ¡®Ma¡¯am¡¯, but he hurriedly corrected it.

    Perhaps he knew now that I was not Lexion¡¯s wife.

    John was at a new height I had never seen before, and he had grown taller and more mature.

    It was nice to see him stronger than before when he was poor.

    I said with a big smile.

    ¡°Anyway, I heard that you came to Bael. Are you working as an errand boy?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m working as a stable keeper. Even now, I was about to go feed the horses.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the work exhausting?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not hard. I¡¯m happy to work. Uncle Lark is very kind. Of course, I think it¡¯s because of my mom.¡±

    John said bravely and smiled.

    Then someone called John.

    ¡°John! Where the hell are you fooling around?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Uncle Lark!¡±

    John was startled and waved to Lark.

    When he saw me, his eyes widened, then ran quickly and bent John¡¯s back.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know what mistake he¡¯s made, but forgive him.¡±

    ¡±Ah, uncle! I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything, but you¡¯re being held by a precious person? Oh, I¡¯m tired of cleaning up your mess, you punk!¡±

    Lark kept a low profile, as if he thought John had caused a problem.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    I think I seemed to appear more aristocratic in my outfit.

    I explained quickly.

    ¡°John is right. The child didn¡¯t make a mistake, so don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡°Look, I¡¯m not. I know her well!¡±

    As John grumbled, Lark burst out laughing in embarrassment.

    ¡°Ahaha, this was rude. I thought John made a mistake because he was running around so fast.¡±

    ¡°Uncle!¡±

    John protested with a sullen expression.

    I was relieved to see him being loved by adults.

    Then, suddenly, Lark¡¯s accent became familiar and I spoke to him.

    ¡°You must be from Lavita.¡±

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a bit of dialect mixed in, right? It¡¯s been a long time since I settled in Bael, but I can¡¯t fix it.¡±

    Lark followed with a loud voice.

    ¡°People usually think it¡¯s an Arkon dialect, but you recognized it right away.¡±

    ¡°Someone I knew spoke in a Lavita dialect.¡±

    The magician I met in my previous life spoke just the Lavita dialect.

    ¡®When asked if it was an Arkon dialect, she was furious as if she was a Lavitan.¡¯

    She was also in the subjugation corps.

    This was because it was difficult to fight the evil dragon with only Lexion, the transcendent.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡®Will we meet when the subjugation corps is set up?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I saw you, so I don¡¯t know how you¡¯re doing.¡±

    As I murmured with emotion, Lark asked with a smile.

    ¡°What¡¯s their name, by any chance? If they¡¯re a Lavitian, I know it well. I also know where they are and what they are doing.¡±

    ¡°Well, actually, She wasn¡¯t born in Lavita, but she was a wandering person who stayed there quite a while. You probably don¡¯t know.¡±

    She was a woman who had a lot of affection for Lavita.

    It was even more so because it was a village that welcomed her as a wanderer.

    Then Lark tilted his head and asked.

    ¡°Oh, do you mean Alois if it¡¯s a wanderer?¡±

    ¡°¡­do you know Alois?¡±

    I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d know Alois, so my eyes widened.

    Theo, who was standing next to me, blinked and looked at me quickly.

    ¡°Miss, did you know Alois Beth?¡±

    ¡°Oh, a little bit.¡±

    I murmured roughly at Theo¡¯s question.

    It was because I had never met her in this life.

    Then Lark said with a broad smile.

    ¡°As you know, she¡¯s our village hero. Thanks to her, I was able to escape the threat of evil dragons¡­ Oops, she told me not to say this.¡±

    Lark shivered and changed the topic.

    ¡°But what should I do? It¡¯s been a while since Alois left. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to meet.¡±

    ¡°She left?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Everyone was disappointed because she left suddenly. By the way, there are a lot of people looking for Alois these days.¡±

    Theo asked as Lark scratched his head.

    ¡°Did anyone else ask?¡±

    ¡°Yeah yeah, she looked like a VIP, but I couldn¡¯t look closely because she was wearing a hood.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t say anything to me last time? I would have told you to contact me immediately if you had any other information.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I forgot because I was so busy working. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Huu, do you remember the description?¡±

    Lark hesitated to answer Theo¡¯s question.

    ¡°Um, well I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t see it myself.¡±

    ¡°Tell me anything.¡±

    ¡°I think she was blonde¡­ Anyway, she looked like a beautiful girl.¡±

 Chapter 83

    ¡°Blonde¡­¡±

    Theo rubbed his chin in thought.

    I guessed the conversation between Theo and Lark.

    ¡®Lexion must have been looking for Alois.¡¯

    Well, if you have Alois when you go to the Hawk Mountains, it¡¯ll be a great help to your power.

    ¡®But why did she suddenly disappear? It¡¯s not like Lavita¡¯s ruined yet¡­¡¯

    After that, Theo and Lark exchanged a few more words, and John and Lark left to work.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting so long, Miss Tiarozety. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Theo patted the back of his head and apologized repeatedly.

    It was because I had been standing there longer than he thought.

    ¡°No, thanks to you, it was nice talking to John after a long time.¡±

    ¡°You are kind.¡±

    Theo smiled faintly and led me to the barracks.

    After entering the barracks and unpacking, I felt a little sleepy.

    ¡®Is it because I used Asta¡­¡¯

    ¡°Do you want to rest?¡±

    Daisy asked when she noticed that I was sleepy.

    I nodded quietly and lay down on the bed.

    ¡®It feels like I¡¯m a hibernating bear¡­¡¯

    As I was thinking about it, I fell asleep.

    It was still possible because there was still time for Lexion to come after patrolling.

    ***

    [Lexion¡¯s POV]

    After patrolling, Lexion went to the barracks when he heard the news that Tiarozety had arrived.

    They said they would come early, but they seemed to have already arrived.

    When I entered the barracks, Daisy greeted first.

    ¡°Duke, are you here?¡±

    ¡°What about Titi?¡±

    ¡°Ah, she¡¯s sleeping soundly. Should I wake her up?¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s okay, so go out.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Daisy nodded and left the barracks.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Lexion dragged a chair to the bedside where Tiarozety was lying and sat down carefully.

    Her long white hair glistened with a subtle light.

    He stared at her silently and was lost in deep thought.

    Anxiety was overshadowed by a happy heart.

    ¡°I just wanted to be with you¡­ ¡­but where did it go wrong.¡±

    His mellow voice harmonized with the subdued atmosphere and spread heavily.

    I just didn¡¯t want you to go, but I just wanted to live the life I wanted for myself.

    The past life, which seemed to be controlled at every moment, was terrible.

    It¡¯s only now that I feel like I¡¯m alive.

    Lexion¡¯s stomach continued to boil at the reality that was in front of him.

    As he quietly soothed his boiling anger, a black haze hovered around Tiarosety.

    ¡°¡­Titi?¡±

    Lexion was surprised by the phenomenon in front of him and called Tiarozety softly.

    The malice surrounding her did not spread and disappeared repeatedly.

    It was a slightly different reaction from those who were tainted with the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts.

    Lexion shook Tiarozety in anxiety to wake her up.

    ¡°Titi, get up.¡±

    ¡°Umm.¡±

    Tiarozety only uttered a shallow moan and did not open her eyes.

    As Lexion shook her even harder, she slowly opened her eyes.

    ***

    [Tiarozety¡¯s POV]

    While I was sleeping, I had a dream of the evil dragon.

    The sound of the evil dragon flapping its wings was deafening.

    No matter how much I looked back in the direction of the sound, the evil dragon was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡®Where are you?¡¯

    Right at that moment.

    ¨D Keeek!

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    I was startled to see the cry of the evil dragon coming out of my mouth.

    ¡®I guess I¡¯m the evil dragon this time.¡¯

    Among the dreams I remember, I remember staring blankly at each other, and it felt strange.

    I still couldn¡¯t figure out why I was crying so much.

    I couldn¡¯t forget the warm golden eyes of that time.

    It was a strange feeling that the evil dragon seemed to comfort me.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    The ¡®I¡¯, who became the evil dragon in my dream, was heading somewhere.

    Gradually, I saw a familiar young man and trembled.

    ¡®Are you going to Bael?¡¯

    In my previous dreams, I had always been reunited with the evil dragon in an unknown cave.

    But this time, it was not in a cave, but in the vicinity of Bael.

    ¡®Did the evil dragon change its habitat around Bael?¡¯

    I was a little nervous when my thoughts reached there.

    The evil dragon disappeared after reclaiming the Imperial City.

    When I even thought that the evil dragon might have followed me to Bael, my hair became cold.

    I tried to turn around and go to the other side of Bael, but I couldn¡¯t resist the will of the evil dragon in my dream.

    Disappointed, I changed my mind.

    ¡®No, rather, it¡¯s better like this. If we find out where the evil dragon is hiding and make a surprise attack¡­¡¯

    It was then.

    ¡°Titi, get up.¡±

    The dream was shattered by someone¡¯s urgent voice.

    It made me want to wake up.

    ¡°Umm.¡±

    Although I let out a shallow moan, I could not easily erase the lingering effects of my dream.

    I kept falling asleep, but someone shook me harder to wake me up.

    Eventually, I slowly opened my eyes as I completely escaped sleep.

    And I saw the guy with black hair.

    ¡°Zion?¡±

    ¡°Titi, are you okay?¡±

    Lexion looked at me with a worried face.

    I shook my head, puzzled by his reaction.

    ¡°What do you mean okay?¡±

    ¡°Malice was about to swirl around you just now.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Malice must be trying to devour me while I¡¯m having nightmares.

    I was a little hesitant because I had never told him about my dreams.

    Seeing my hesitation, Lexion asked with deepened eyes.

    ¡°Something¡­ I have a hunch.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been dreaming of the evil dragon since I used Asta.¡±

    ¡°Evil dragon¡¯s dream?¡±

    Lexion¡¯s expression became somewhat heavy.

    I was sorry that I was hiding it from him, so I lowered my eyes and answered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but the evil dragon comes out in my dreams. Even if I don¡¯t remember sometimes, I still feel like it was a dream of an evil dragon.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since you used Asta.¡±

    ¡°Umm.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me all this time?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be worried¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t make eye contact and just mumbled a little.

    Then Lexion quietly wrapped my cheeks and made eye contact.

    He asked, looking at me softly.

    ¡°Was it just a dream? Do you feel anything suspicious?¡±

    ¡°Actually, my dream was a little different earlier.¡±

    ¡°How was it?¡±

    ¡°It seemed like the evil dragon was heading for Bael.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°I was going to try and find out more because I think it¡¯ll be hiding around here, but I woke up¡­¡±

    I paused in the middle of my speech.

    It was because Lexion¡¯s expression became somewhat dark.

    Perhaps filled with tension, a little strength seemed to enter his hands.

    Embarrassed, I laid my hands on his hands and asked.

    ¡°Lexion? What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±

    He came to his senses belatedly and shook his head.

    ¡°I was wondering if I should go on the expedition to the Hawk Mountains sooner.¡±

    ¡°Ahh.¡±

    Well, if it was near Bael, the Hawk Mountains were included.

    ¡®Maybe the evil dragon tried to make the Hawk Mountains a settlement.¡¯

    The Hawk Mountains are the terrain that crosses Bael and the neighboring estates.

    It is so vast that it is large enough to be connected to all the northern provinces.

    If the evil dragon was going to attack the north, it would first occupy the Hawk Mountains.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°Then isn¡¯t it dangerous to go to the Hawk Mountains now? And if the evil dragon appears¡­ ¡°

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    I was puzzled by his confident attitude.

    However, the next statement dispelled my doubts.

    ¡°I sent a spy in advance, but there was a report that there was no trace of the evil dragon.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I was going to take Alois Beth with me¡­¡±

    I added when Lexion mentioned Alois.

    ¡°Ahh, that¡¯s why Theo asked about her.¡±

    ¡°Did Theo talk about that?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I met John earlier and met another employee, and he happened to be a Lavitan. It just so happened that we talked about Alois.¡±

    ¡°I see. I was a little embarrassed about it. As Titi knows, it was a long time before Alois Beth left Lavita.¡±

    At Lexion¡¯s words, I nodded lightly.

    ¡°Maybe everything has gotten faster as the story has changed. It¡¯s definitely different from before just looking at the Imperial Castle was overthrown and then restored.¡±

    ¡°If I had known this would have happened, I would have found her earlier¡­¡±

    Lexion¡¯s face looked rather gaunt.

    He seemed impatient when things went wrong.

    I gently stroked the hand that was still holding my cheek.

    Naturally, our eyes met.

    His black eyes were looking at me warmly.

    I opened my mouth because I was so happy to see him after a long time and liked it.

    ¡°Did you know that it¡¯s been so hard to see your face?¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re sorry, come see me often. I¡¯m always waiting.¡±

    As I snorted a little, he grinned.

    ¡°Are you laughing?  When I heard from Gregory that you were leaving the expedition, I was really sad.¡±

    As I pouted my lips, Lexion let out a low-pitched laugh and kissed me.

    ¡°Sorry. Were you very disappointed?¡±

    ¡°Plus, he asked me if I fought with Zion, and  I was so worried¡­ It¡¯s just that I think Zion is avoiding me these days, so I¡¯m more¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±

    Lexion lightly touched my forehead to soothe him.

    Then he folded his lips carefully.

    Soft lips opened, and something soft and warm moved.

    Every time I touched it, it was so sweet that it tickled my whole body.

    It felt comfortable and cozy as if my frozen body was melting.

    Naturally, the original purpose was forgotten and I focused only on Lexion.

    I was definitely going to get angry, but I didn¡¯t get angry when I saw his face.

    In addition, my anger subsided even more after doing such a cute thing.

 Chapter 84

    ¡®Yes, as long as you didn¡¯t avoid me, that¡¯s fine.¡¯

    It was the time when I concluded my kiss with Lexion after a round.

    ¡°Oh, wait a minute.¡±

    Suddenly, something came to mind and pushed Lexion away.

    He looked at me with a puzzled expression, so I quickly went to pick up my bag.

    Then I took out a box containing cufflinks from my bag and handed it to Lexion.

    ¡°This is¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to give it to you for a long time, but it keeps getting mixed up¡­ It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Somehow, I was embarrassed and hesitated to unwrap the package.

    After that, he just stared at the cufflinks for a while and didn¡¯t respond.

    Anxious, I asked softly.

    ¡°What do you think? Do you like it?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Zion?¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Titi.¡±

    He said with a little fervor. He was so happy that he couldn¡¯t stop the smile on his lips.

    ¡®That¡¯s a relief. He must like it.¡¯

    Then I felt relieved and took the cufflinks out of the box and said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll fasten them for you.¡±

    ¡°Ung.¡±

    Lexion gently held out his sleeve.

    Click-

    The sound of a button being pressed rang quietly.

    Lexion could not hide his joy as he stared at the cufflinks constantly.

    ¡°I like it.¡±

    ¡°It looks like it.¡±

    He liked it, so it made me feel better.

    I was laughing bashfully, he said.

    ¡°It feels like I¡¯m handcuffed.¡±

    ¡°What? Hand, handcuffs?¡±

    I stared blankly at Lexion, who had come to a strange conclusion.

    ¡°I just felt like I was completely captured by Titi.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­Unique, really.¡±

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    It¡¯s not enough to be happy with just one button.

    The original Lexion, which I found out really late, doesn¡¯t seem to have any shame.

    Of course, it seems that I, who has fallen deeply in love with such a Lexion, am far from ordinary.

    Lexion asked, holding my hand.

    ¡°Are you here to give me this?¡±

    ¡°Ah! That¡¯s right. Actually, I had something to discuss, Zion.¡±

    ¡°A discussion?¡±

    ¡°The preview said that Kronos would arrive earlier than scheduled and take control of Sparrow Castle.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s strange. All the way from the capital to here is blocked, so they won¡¯t be able to get there early¡­¡±

    Lexion also swept his chin with one hand, raising the same question as me.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the moment when the deterrence of the book is exerted? Can¡¯t Lexion stay in the castle? Leave the expedition to Sir Aiden¡­.¡±

    ¡°Mmm, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible. As you said, if the evil dragon wants to come here, I must go. There may be risks that you may not be aware of.¡±

    ¡°Indeed that¡¯s right. ¡­Ha, what should I do? It would have been better if we had Alois Beth¡­¡±

    It was necessary to prevent Kronos from taking control of Sparrow Castle.

    It was because they could be used to justify false accusations.

    However, it was impossible to prevent the imperial family from entering.

    I was so tired from this and that.

    TL/N: all the incidents that keep happening

    ¡°It was only recently that Alois Beth disappeared. There are people who knew her identity before us.¡±

    ¡°Is there anyone you can think of?¡±

    ¡°No, not yet. What about Titi?¡±

    ¡°Actually, I have something weighing a little on my mind.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Lexion asked with an attentive look.

    I said with a little hesitation.

    According to an employee named Lark, a blonde aristocrat young lady was looking for her.¡±

    ¡°Blonde?¡±

    ¡°Yes. But I just remembered that Princess Seirin¡¯s maidservant was blonde¡­ Of course, blondes are common, so it seems like a hasty misunderstanding.¡±

    Blonde was certainly a common hair color among the nobility.

    Moreover, there was no way that Seirin would have known the true identity of the magician, Alois Beth.

    Betty is the only blonde I know, so I might feel uncomfortable for no reason.

    Lexion was deep in thought.

    After a while, he opened his mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find out more first. In the north, there are quite a few aristocrats with blonde hair besides Betty Diason.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ ¡­and there¡¯s no way Seirin could know Alois Beth.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯ll keep her under suspicion. Thanks, I think it¡¯ll be easier to locate thanks to you.¡± Lexion patted my hair softly and grinned.

    I liked his touch, so I held him with a slow smile.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°Zion, I still have business left.¡±

    ¡± What is it?¡±

    ¡°Do you happen to have the book with you now?¡±

    ¡°¡­why the book?¡±

    Lexion paused and asked slowly.

    I replied with no regard for his reaction.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to sync.¡±

    ¡°All of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Zion can synchronize my book and look at the contents, but I don¡¯t know Zion¡¯s situation. It¡¯s a little frustrating.¡±

    Of course, that was only half true.

    Not only did I want to know about Lexion¡¯s situation, but I also had a request for a book.

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Lexion groaned lightly and hesitated.

    ¡°If you have it now, can I synchronize it?¡± I just happened to bring the book too.¡±

    When I took the book out of my bag, Lexion said in a rather awkward tone.

    ¡°Erm, I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t have it now. Let¡¯s do it later.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll find it and synchronize it. Where did you put it in the castle?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not allowed.¡±

    Lexion refused as soon as I finished speaking.

    Surprised by this, I blinked and he made an excuse.

    ¡°I hid it in a place difficult to explain.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a place that only I can enter.¡±

    Somehow he seemed unwilling to hand over the book.

    I blinked at the unexpected rejection.

    ¡°¡­Do you not like me to sync?¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    Lexion didn¡¯t answer, just held my hand tightly.

    He looked somewhat anxious.

    ¡°Why not? We¡¯re just trying to know each other¡¯s situation even if we¡¯re apart.¡±

    ¡°My book is dangerous to you.¡±

    ¡°The guide didn¡¯t say that.¡±

    ¡°Titi, do you believe everything the guide says?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t readily answer Lexion¡¯s question.

    In fact, I was always suspicious and didn¡¯t trust the guide.

    I didn¡¯t know what Lexion was thinking, so I just stared blankly.

    After a while, Lexion spoke in a murky tone.

    ¡°The guide only speaks in its favor.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but the guide must be synchronized¡­¡±

    ¡°As expected, the guide told you to do it.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    I let out a shallow exclamation.

    It seemed that I was caught in Lexion¡¯s guided interrogation.

    ¡°Are you intending to return to your world if I let you know my moves in advance?

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    My lips twitched at Lexion¡¯s cool question.

    There were a lot of things I wanted to explain, but I didn¡¯t know what to say first or whether I could say it.

    The guide said that if the development keeps changing, the world will collapse, and eventually, I will be trapped in the novel and disappear.

    So it would be right to sync Lexion¡¯s book to lead me to the ending.

    Of course, only the book will know if it¡¯s completely true.

    ¡®How can I say that I could die if you keep changing the development?¡¯

    I sighed inwardly, unable to do this or that.

    Then Lexion said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t trust the book too much. You don¡¯t know when you¡¯ll get hit in the back.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be careful. ¡­but Zion.¡±

    ¡°Mmm?¡±

    ¡°I heard that the role has been decided.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°What is Zion¡¯s role?¡±

    At that moment, Lexion¡¯s eyes shook slightly and then stopped.

    He wiped his lips as if trying to capture something, and answered.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡±

    ¡°What is it? You can tell me this, right?¡±

    Lexion clenched his lips when I asked persistently.

    If I couldn¡¯t synchronize, I wanted to know the role.

    It was because I was concerned that the guide kept stuttering about his role.

    After a while, he answered briefly.

    ¡°Sub male lead.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Lexion smiled brightly.

    I wonder if I¡¯m mistaken that you look sad somehow?

    ¡°Zio¡­¡±

    I was just about to call his name.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Tok tok.

    ¡°Hey, can I come in?¡±

    Gregory¡¯s voice was heard outside. It looked like he had already finished his work. Naturally, the distance between the two of us increased.

    ¡°You can come in.¡±

    When Lexion allowed Gregory to visit, Gregory chattered as he entered the barracks.

    ¡°I just heard you were here. Did I interrupt you?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    Gregory sat down when Lexion offered him a seat.

    I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was lacking, but I couldn¡¯t express it in front of Gregory, so I quickly captured my expression.

    Then Gregory said.

    ¡°The lady doesn¡¯t seem to think so?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    Gregory shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be out.¡±

    ¡°No, you can sit down, Titi.¡±

    ¡°Yes, lady. It¡¯s cold outside.¡±

    Lexion and Gregory said at the same time.

    At this, the eyes of the two met. A moment later Gregory said.

    ¡°It¡¯s not really that important either.¡±

    Then, as he beckoned countless times with his chin for me to take a seat, I sat back between them.

    ***

    Ahead of his appearance, Lexion called Arnold Brandt to the barracks.

    ¡°Did you call, sir?¡±

    Arnold, who arrived at the barracks, bowed his head politely.

    It was his first call since the last Brandt Castle incident, so he couldn¡¯t hide his nervous face.

    Brandt Castle, which almost became a colony of evil dragons, began a massive cleanup operation.

    So the Brandt family stayed in a temporary shelter and took their own quarantine measures.

    Mrs. Brandt, who was seriously injured, was resting in bed.

    Thanks to Ejis, it was possible to avoid a precarious situation.

    TL/N: Hmm kinda weird end to the chapter haha

 Chapter 85

    Emilia was quarantined at Sparrow Castle for a while but returned home a few days ago.

    Her level of exposure was mild compared to others, so they were able to let her go quickly.

    Contrary to what he had feared, Hegel, who had been greatly exposed to thoughts, was the first to recover and stood by Mrs. Brandt.

    He looked much healthier than before when he was in the hospital.

    Arnold was aware that it was thanks to Tiarozety.

    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry. Everyone¡¯s safe.¡¯

    Before leaving Brandt Castle, Tiarozety had spoken to Arnold to reassure him.

    Seeing her smiling brightly with a pale face, he couldn¡¯t say anything other than to say thank you because he was sorry and thankful.

    It felt like a deep bond was formed, which was different from when he simply thought of her as an Esol.

    Then Lexion said.

    ¡°How are you feeling? I¡¯m sorry to let you come back during the break.¡±

    ¡°No, I was already resting so much that I was about to get exhausted. What did you call me for?¡±

    Arnold encouraged him to speak comfortably with a soft smile.

    ¡°You must have heard the news that the Crown Prince is coming.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes, I heard from Oscar. Do you have anything to prepare in advance for that?¡±

    Lexion shook his head at Arnold¡¯s question and brought up the main topic.

    ¡°Maybe after I leave the expedition, the Knights led by the Crown Prince may arrive at Bael.¡±

    ¡°Huh? So soon?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it would be good if they came after I come back, but just in case.¡±

    ¡°But doesn¡¯t it take a long time to get by land from the capital to Bael? In addition, it is not easy to penetrate the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts.¡±

    That¡¯s why I said if. We¡¯ll be in trouble if we¡¯re not prepared and get hit.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­that¡¯s right.¡±

    Arnold nodded in agreement.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    After a while, Arnold asked.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it an excuse to say that he¡¯s coming to pick up Princess Seirin? It¡¯s actually going to be the purpose of subjugation.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Perhaps they are trying to get Bael to trip and fall to win public sentiment¡±

    ¡°People¡¯s opinion¡­ ¡­Does it mean that the Sparrow family can be held responsible for this?¡±

    ¡°I have already rejected requests for reinforcements countless times. It¡¯s easy to blame the North for the growing situation because we didn¡¯t help.¡±

    ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t it be better not to let them come at all?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. The princess is here. The Imperial Family may even try to charge us with treason, saying that we threatened them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I think this is what happened because Emelia was close to the princess.¡±

    ¡°Why would it be Sir¡¯s fault?¡±

    Arnold bowed his head with a brooding look as Lexion comforted him.

    Lately, there have been a lot of things he felt sorry about.

    Lexion continued calmly.

    ¡°We have no choice but to anticipate and prepare in advance how the imperial family will come out.¡±

    ¡°If we organize a subjugation group for the capital, the entire northern part will collapse. Then the foundation for independence disappears.¡±

    ¡°So right now, I will not form a subjugation team.¡±

    Arnold asked with his eyes wide open.

    ¡°Will the royal family stay still? As your Excellency says, they may put the blame on the Sparrow family.¡±

    He frowned when he finished speaking.

    It was because he felt that the Imperial Family was very ill-natured, and it was clear that they would

    let the blame fall on the Sparrow Family for the negative news they would encounter.

    They always demanded allegiance from the Sparrow family and were busy taking advantage of them.

    Arnold felt resentful and unfair about it.

    On the other hand, Lexion¡¯s face was calm.

    Arnold asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already been prepared for this since I declared independence in the elders¡¯ assembly.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡±

    As Arnold hesitated, Lexion expressed his intention plainly.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of an all-out war.¡±

    ¡°The Imperial Knights are as powerful as the Black Knights. Isn¡¯t the time too soon?¡±

    It¡¯s like a wartime situation now. Unlike the Black Knights, which have plenty of combat experience, the Imperial Knights only have had attack patterns for a long time¡°

    ¡°If you think about it, the northern solidarity has become very strong thanks to the rampant evil dragon. In addition, the forces that supported the capital became very weak.¡±

    ¡°Yes, so we¡¯ll have to take this momentum and act. Even if the Crown Prince comes, he can¡¯t wield the northern part at will.¡±

    ¡°It was for this time that you rushed the solidarity of the North.¡±

    Arnold continued his admiration with respectful eyes.

    ¡°I wonder how far do you see¡­ ¡­I¡¯m now so surprised that I¡¯m no longer surprised.¡±

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Since the first mention of the independence of the Sparrow family in the Council of Elders, Bael has been working behind the scenes to unite the North.

    No, they were already able to move quickly because the Duke had already prepared Oscar in advance.

    It¡¯s a fact that the capital doesn¡¯t care about the North.

    The northern lords¡¯ resentment towards the imperial family had already piled up.

    On top of that, Lexion Sparrow, the guardian of the north, reached out, and the majority of them joined his side. Even those who had endured to the end agreed to join hands with Bael due to the evil dragon incident.

    Territory and authority, financial and military power are all gradually gathering.

    If the Hawk Mountains were protected as it is and the north was proven to be safe, it would also receive great support from the local residents.

    If the public sentiment is captured, the royal family will no longer be able to interfere.

    Moreover, since it was a wartime situation, if it was used well, there was a possibility that it could occupy an equal negotiating position with the imperial family.

    ¡®If only the evil dragon is safely wiped out after this, we can establish a powerful northern kingdom.¡¯

    Suddenly, Arnold¡¯s heart began to burn.

    The conversation did not stop there.

    Lexion followed suit.

    ¡°We will not set up a subjugation group on the orders of the royal family.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that you will come forward on your own?¡±

    ¡°Anyway, war with evil dragons is inevitable. It¡¯s important to keep the North safe before it¡¯s too late.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re going to keep the North safe and then negotiate with the imperial family.¡±

    When Arnold understood it, Lexion smirked.

    ¡°Yes, this time we won¡¯t lose the ball to the royal family like we did last time, Arnold.¡±

    Lexion¡¯s voice was full of conviction.

    Arnold answered, trying to calm his boiling heart with anticipation.

    ¡°The capital city has already been overturned by the evil dragon. If the situation reaches its peak, it will be difficult to shake off Bael¡¯s hand.¡±

    ¡°It will. We¡¯ll aim for that time and win independence from the imperial family.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    As Arnold answered with all his might and smiled broadly, Lexion asked.

    ¡°You have to protect Bael well while I¡¯m away. In case of an emergency, you will have to take full power and confront the Crown Prince.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°And¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes. Please tell me.¡±

    Lexion couldn¡¯t say his thoughts readily.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°Your Excellency?¡±

    As Arnold gently called out, Lexion licked his lips and said cautiously.

    ¡°Please take care of Titi while I¡¯m away, Arnold.¡±

    Somehow his voice sounded very heavy.

    A request that seems to have been vomited out while capturing miscellaneous thoughts.

    His request contained a lot of meaning, but it was not easy for Arnold to understand.

    Arnold assumed it was because he was worried about leaving Tiarozety on the expedition.

    ¡°Do not worry. I will take good care of her.¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡±

    Lexion¡¯s face was filled with only meaningless emotions.

    ***

    As scheduled, Lexion set out to the Hawk Mountains.

    During his absence, Arnold Brandt, chairman of the Elder¡¯s Council, assumed the duke¡¯s rights temporarily.

    It was to manage the affairs of Sparrow Castle, where there was no hostess to replace the vacancy.

    Therefore, the Brandt family stayed in the castle for a limited time during the expedition.

    Emelia managed the maids on behalf of Mrs. Brandt, who was still unable to move.

    She was also in charge of some of the work in the castle.

    It was because Arnold had a lot of external work.

    Emilia came to greet me the day after they entered Sparrow Castle.

    ¡°Good morning, Miss Tiarozety. This is Emelia Brandt, who will be temporarily in charge of the castle from today.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    I blinked in embarrassment at the sight of Emelia greeting too politely.

    We were supposed to call each other by name¡­

    Her demeanor was more polite than usual, and it was awkward.

    Emilia grinned as I gave a curious look.

    ¡°Long time no see, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    She looked the same as usual, but she was still giggling.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    I asked with an unfussed expression.

    ¡°Are you okay now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I still have some aftereffects, but it¡¯s okay.¡±

    Emelia answered bravely and shrugged her shoulders.

    No wonder she¡¯s full of energy.

    ¡®Certainly, your face color looks better than before.¡¯

    Perhaps it was because she didn¡¯t have to take care of Hegel anymore.

    Because he¡¯s all better now.

    There have been many changes in the Brandt Family.

    Arnold, who was about to step down as chairman to take responsibility for the last incident, was reinstated as chairman by the elders.

    Thus, the Brandt family seemed to feel a moral responsibility to do better than before.

    In addition, Hegel, whom he thought would not be able to become a successor, became healthy, so Emilia and Hegel could have a battle for succession.

    ¡®I hope that there will be no conflicts in the family because of me¡­¡¯

    What I did used to become a butterfly effect and cause another incident.

    Whether it¡¯s a good thing or a bad thing.

    So I was a little worried that Hegel became healthy.

    Then Emilia said.

    ¡°What about you, Tiarozety?¡±

    ¡°Yes? What?¡±

    ¡°You helped Hegel. Did you have any strain on your body?¡±

    Suddenly, her eyes drooped like a criminal.

    She seemed to feel indebted to me.

    Emilia continued.

    ¡°I heard you jumped into the thoughts for Hegel.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°You were reckless.¡±

    Emilia looked at me with sad eyes.

    I didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Do you need any comfort?

    Do you need any support?

    No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn¡¯t think of it, so I decided to just tell my true feelings.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety¡­¡±

    ¡°I was very worried when I found out that the Brandt family was infected with thoughts. I¡¯m glad to see you in such good health.¡±

    Emelia¡¯s eyes reddened as she clasped my hands tightly and smiled affectionately.

 Chapter 86

    As if Emelia¡¯s face was distorted, she bowed her head and the tears that she had been holding back burst.

    ¡°Ugh¡­! I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m terribly sorry, Tiarozety.¡±

    Emelia forgot to speak politely and she sobbed as she called my name.

    Daisy and Emilia¡¯s handmaidens, who were by our sides, flinched at the sudden tears.

    Daisy poked her handmaiden out of the room.

    Unknowingly, she seemed to have had a hard time.

    It made me so emotional.

    I got up and handed Emilia a handkerchief.

    ¡°You must have had a hard time.¡±

    ¡°Tiarozety¡­¡±

    I thought Emelia was calling me with tearful eyes, and suddenly hugged me tightly.

    ¡°Em, Emelia?¡±

    ¡°Our family will never forget the grace we received from Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it for a reward¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no use refusing. We¡¯ve already decided to do that, Tiarozety.¡±

    Emilia hugged me more and expressed her ambitions.

    It¡¯s so serious that I can¡¯t even say that she didn¡¯t have to.

    After a while, my shoulders got a little wet.

    ¡®I never expected the day to come when I will receive a tearful oath from Emelia.¡¯

    When she did it, it was a new thing to me, and I felt dazed.

    It felt like my heart was getting heavy for nothing because I was rewarded so much for my actions based on my own calculations.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡®Is this the pride of the aristocracy?¡¯

    I patted Emelia on the back because I felt like my heart was warming up.

    ¡°Are you pledging your loyalty to me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Emelia is a noble, isn¡¯t it strange to swear allegiance to me?¡±

    ¡°My father said. ¡®Bael will soon cease to follow the old customs.¡¯ ¡±

    ¡°Mmm?¡±

    ¡°When that era comes, there will be no one who can ignore Tiarozety.¡±

    I flinched at the declaration that was like Emilia¡¯s promise.

    I wondered if Emelia was saying this because she was up to something at Lexion and the Elder¡¯s Home.

    ¡®Maybe they¡¯re doing something for me. Lexion, the elders too.¡¯

    When I didn¡¯t say anything, Emelia added.

    ¡°Even if Tiarozety is not a noble, please don¡¯t think the Brandt family is cold enough to ignore our lifelong benefactor.¡±

    ¡°No way. Thank you, Emelia.¡±

    ¡°Kuegh. I¡¯ll protect you. Heugh.¡±

    Emilia said, sniffling.

    She sobbed like a child and said something reliable, which made me laugh.

    It seems like the good complexion she was showing was just acting.

    Emilia couldn¡¯t easily stop crying.

    I didn¡¯t stop patting her until she stopped crying and calmed down.

    I felt strange as I was comforting Emelia.

    I feel like I just made a good friend.

    She¡¯s not a friend of mine, she¡¯s a friend of Seirin¡­

    ¡­but on the other hand, I thought I wanted to be a friend of Emelia.

    So I opened my mouth impulsively.

    ¡°Emelia, please be my friend before you protect me. It would be even better if you keep calling my name.¡±

    It was a bold request for a mere minority race to make to a noble.

    But Emelia smiled broadly, letting me go as if she were very happy with my request.

    ¡°If Tiarozety wants it¡­¡±

    Her wide-open eyes were full of kindness towards me.

    I was touched by her kindness and honesty, and I laughed.

    Celebrating that we¡¯re finally friends.

    ¡°I think we can be good friends, Emelia.¡±

    ***

    Afterwards, Emilia came to say hello to Seirin, who was staying at the villa.

    Her face had regained its composure as if she had never cried.

    But there was tension on her face.

    It was even more so since it was the first time she had seen her since the event.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°Princess, this is Emelia Brandt.¡±

    ¡°Welcome, Young Lady Brandt.¡±

    Seirin welcomed Emilia who was greeting her.

    However, she did not show the activeness of holding hands or guiding the seat as before.

    The title was also changed from ¡®Emelia¡¯ to ¡®Young Lady Brandt¡¯.

    Emilia simply bowed her head at Seirin¡¯s change of attitude.

    It was because she realized what kind of position Seirin had decided to take.

    In a way, she was a felon who almost killed the royal family.

    Of course, Seirin was not injured, so it was only an attempt, but she was almost charged with treason.

    That day, Emilia¡¯s memories evaporated, leaving nothing behind.

    If Seirin tried to inflate this, the Brandt family would have suffered a severe blow.

    Fortunately, however, the situation ended well because she said she would not report this incident to the royal family.

    But Emilia knew.

    Whether it¡¯s aristocratic or imperial, it¡¯s their nature to try to gain the upper hand when they find their opponent¡¯s weakness.

    And Seirin is also a member of the Imperial family.

    Seirin was no different from the rest of the royal family.

    Now Emelia and Seirin were not on an equal footing.

    Emelia stood and said.

    ¡°From today, I¡¯m in charge of managing the Sparrow Castle.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Seirin didn¡¯t encourage her to sit down, and Emelia stood by and waited.

    Like a maid.

    After Emilia had calmly finished what she had to say, she carefully started speaking

    ¡°There¡¯s one thing I want to check.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I checked the list of maids, and found that you had a new maidservant in addition to the maid brought from the imperial family.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°As you know, there was a big deal in Bael regarding the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts.¡±

    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why Brandt¡¯s daughter even threatened me, didn¡¯t she?¡±

    Emilia flinched at Seirin¡¯s innocent words.

    Emilia knew.

    That Seirin is just threatening to move on and to pretend not to know.

    However, Emilia was not one who would move on like this.

    Because this was Sparrow Castle¡¯s business before it was her business.

    ¡°I did, so the boundaries from the outside have become strict. It¡¯s late, but I need identification.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a guaranteer, can I verify her identity?¡±

    ¡°Even if there is a guarantee from the Princess, she is an outsider. I ask for at least your cooperation, considering the situation outside.¡±

    When Emilia came out hard, Seirin frowned.

    All of a sudden, the atmosphere became as breathless as if on a thin ice sheet.

    Betty, who was by her side at that time, spoke up.

    ¡°Young Lady Brandt, are you threatening the Princess right now?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a threat. Even if you are a princess, it¡¯s natural to accept the family¡¯s request for cooperation as long as you stay in Sparrow Castle.¡±

    ¡°Since when has Young Lady Brandt been acting as the hostess of Sparrow?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, acting like a hostess? I am only trying to fulfill the duties I have been delegated, with the rights that the Duke has entrusted me with for the time being.¡±

    ¡°Then do the work of Sparrow Castle. Don¡¯t try to exercise your authority over the Princess.¡±

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    As Betty fired back and forth, Emelia questioned in bewilderment.

    ¡°Overstepping my authority?¡± What the hell are you talking about, Young Lady Diason?¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t stop threatening the Princess ¡­!¡±

    ¡°Betty, stop it.¡±

    As Emilia and Betty¡¯s voices rose, Seirin intervened.

    Betty mumbled with a sullen face.

    ¡°But, Princess¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the reason I feel like I¡¯ve done a real crime.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Princess.¡±

    Betty quickly bowed her head and apologized.

    Seirin said to Emelia.

    ¡°Yes, I fully understand Young Lady Brandt¡¯s position.¡±

    ¡°I apologize.¡±

    ¡°Luna is Betty¡¯s niece. I just got her because she came to recuperate nearby after she was stranded because of the evil dragon.¡±

    ¡°Young Lady Diason¡¯s niece?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s a distant niece, and she¡¯s known Betty since she was young. Right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Princess.¡±

    When Betty answered straight away, Emelia said.

    ¡°Can you show me Luna Diason¡¯s ID?¡±

    ¡°Young Lady Brandt¡­!¡±

    As Betty trembled and tried to protest, Seirin raised her hand and stopped it.

    ¡°I see. Luna is on an errand now, so I¡¯ll let you know her ID her as soon as she gets back.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your cooperation, Princess.¡±

    As Emilia bowed her head, Seirin smiled bitterly.

    Of course, when Emilia looked up, the ridicule had already disappeared.

    After the official talk was over, Seirin said.

    The tone was quite different from the heavy voice earlier.

    ¡°Emelia.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Princess.¡±

    ¡°I let it slide because you were my friend.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good to work hard, but I want you to do it while looking at the other person.¡±

    TL/N: Seirin is lowkey warning her to watch herself and not ¡°overstep¡±.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    As Seirin waved her hand, Emilia was silent and tried to step down.

    ¡°Oh, wait.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡°I heard Hegel is all better Did Miss Tiarozety help you?¡±

    Emilia was bewildered by her sudden mention of Hegel, so she replied late.

    ¡°¡­no, it¡¯s just that his previous illness was cured in the process of purification.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, then I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±

    ¡°You know, if Hegel¡¯s all better, don¡¯t you need me more, Emelia?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°The successor position.¡±

    Seirin smiled slowly and tried to negotiate.

    Only then did Emelia realize Seirin¡¯s intention and bit her lower lip.

    This meant that Seirin would push her to become the heir of the Brandt family, so she would become Sparrow¡¯s spy.

    ¡®Seirin, you¡¯re a member of the Imperial family too.¡¯

    The imperial family always wanted to control the Sparrow family.

    The Brandt family is one of the elders of the Sparrow family.

    In addition, since he holds the chairmanship, touching the kite* will help the royal family in the future.

    TL/N: So I did some googling and apparently, Kite also symbolizes relationship. The actual words in the raws differ but my best guess is ¡°touching the kite¡± = Brandt having this close relationship with the Sparrow Family.

    It is also suitable for keeping the Sparrow family in check.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡®Emelia, please be my friend before you protect me. It would be even better if you keep calling my name.¡¯

    For a moment, Tiarozety, who asked me to be a friend, came to mind.

    A person whom she¡¯s only just known but is strangely comfortable with.

    Perhaps it was so comfortable because she treated Emelia as a person herself regardless of politics or family.

    But what about Seirin?

    She thought she knew her well because she had known her for a long time, but the more she knew her, the more she realized that she only knew her face.

    Seeing that even being together became uncomfortable, made Emilia feel like a stranger.

    Emelia sighed and said.

 Chapter 87

    [Seirin¡¯s POV]

    ¡°Seirin.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Why do you think the Elder Council of the Sparrow Family works well?¡±

    ¡°Well, is welfare good?¡±

    When Seirin said with a gentle smile, Emelia affirmed.

    ¡°Because we don¡¯t harbor two minds for each other.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear about today.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±

    Emelia bowed politely and left.

    There was silence in Seirin¡¯s bedroom.

    Betty, who was beside her, spoke to her.

    ¡°Princess¡­¡±

    Seirin said while stroking her throbbing forehead.

    It was a face that was hard to find in the past.

    ¡°You must have made Luna¡¯s ID in advance, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°If you bring it right away, she¡¯ll doubt it, so give it to her in half a day.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°And.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Secretly approach Hegel Brandt. So that the other Brandt family doesn¡¯t notice.¡±

    ¡°To Hegel Brandt?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t mean to meet him right away. I mean, take the opportunity to figure out where to go so that I can meet him in person.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes!¡±

    Betty nodded and left the room.

    Seirin tapped the table with a cold smile.

    She was planning to convince Emilia to find out what Lexion was up to.

    But blatantly rejecting my hand.

    This was really unexpected.

    Especially since Emilia was a friend.

    ¡°How dare you¡­¡±

    Seirin clenched her fists.

    The smile was unchanged, but venom was reflected in her eyes.

    The words spoken were also cold.

    At that moment, a black haze hovered around her and scattered.

    ¡°Kicking the luck that rolled in. Emelia is wrong to be a big person.¡±

    Seirin seemed to recite it coldly, and she took out parchment with magic from the drawer.

    A more sophisticated technique than before.

    Seirin grinned and laughed excessively at the same time, highly elated by the upcoming game.

    I hope Alois will succeed this time.

    TL/N: this girl cray cray

    ***

    It¡¯s been a month since Lexion left the expedition.

    Since we¡¯ve always been together since returning, his absence felt very empty.

    My desire to see him rose up like clouds in the sky and filled my body.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure Lexion is doing well right?¡¯

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    There has been little news since the letter stating that they had arrived safely and were looking at the mountains.

    Perhaps it was because he was busy getting things done before Kronos arrived.

    I can¡¯t just wait, I was doing what I could here.

    It was because I wanted to be of some help to Lexion.

    I had Daisy secretly watch Betty¡¯s movements.

    It was because I suspected that she was the blonde aristocrat who had inquired about Alois Beth the other day.

    Of course, it could have been an excessive worry because it was only a strong belief.

    There hasn¡¯t been any movement yet.

    In the past, I wouldn¡¯t have suspected Seirin at all.

    But-

    ¡®Seirin¡¯s been acting weird.¡¯

    Her behavior sometimes felt foreign to me.

    Especially when she aligned with Lexion¡¯s mouth and made me misunderstand, it was truly exhausting.

    It was something that the Seirin I knew would never have done.

    I remembered the conversation I had with Lexion after confirming my heart.

    ¡®Actually, I saw you kissing the princess in the greenhouse.¡¯

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s why I thought Zion fell for the princess again¡­¡­¡¯

    ¡®No, I didn¡¯t kiss her.¡¯

    ¡®What? But¡­¡¯

    Lexion mumbled softly as he rubbed his face.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d be there¡­ so that¡¯s why you were so cold in the Carmel Forest.¡¯

    ¡®Mm.¡¯

    ¡°Are you jealous?¡±

    Before I knew it, his eyes were smiling.

    He seemed very happy to have received my jealousy.

    I was somewhat embarrassed and stuttered.

    ¡®Ah¡­ well, it¡¯s not like that.¡¯

    ¡®There¡¯s nothing between me and the princess. Before and now.¡¯

    ¡®What? But before¡­¡¯

    ¡®You know it, how I came to recognize books.¡¯

    ¡®Ah.¡¯

    ¡®So you don¡¯t have to be nervous, Titi.¡¯

    A friendly voice whispered in my ear.

    Don¡¯t be anxious, the lips that were comforting me were also soft and warm.

    ¡®But I¡¯m happy that you seem to really like me.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t misunderstand the relationship between Prince Gregory and me. You know the book forces me.¡¯

    ¡®Mm. I¡¯ll try.¡¯

    Lexion didn¡¯t say he would until the end.

    Perhaps it was a necessary measure to prevent further progress between Gregory and me.

    Looking back, the Awakened seemed to be at ease.

    You are freer to interfere with the book than I am.

    ¡®Now I know. Why did the princess say that then.¡¯

    ¡®What did the princess say?¡¯

    ¡®If I don¡¯t get it, I¡¯ll have it even if it means I¡¯ll destroy it.¡¯

    ¡®What?! Did the princess really say that?¡¯

    ¡®Yes, I was surprised too. As you know, that wasn¡¯t the kind of personality the princess had.¡¯

    ¡®Right, it¡¯s a little shocking.¡¯

    ¡®Titi, this world is no longer a world before regression. If you think of the princess as the former Seirin, you will be beaten.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll be careful.¡¯

    To be honest, I was still embarrassed that Seirin had said such a thing.

    She was the symbol of the sunshine heroine.

    I never dreamed that she would devise a scheme and backstab behind the scenes.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure she made me watch the scene on purpose. She wants to separate me from Zion.¡¯

    If Seirin came out like that, I didn¡¯t intend to regard her as a gentle princess any longer.

    Because I don¡¯t want to be stabbed in the back again.

    Once doubts sprouted, all of her actions became suspicious.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Just then, Daisy came in to check on Betty.

    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s Betty Diason doing?¡±

    ¡°It was similar to usual¡­¡±

    Daisy hesitated to speak.

    As I tilted my head, she continued.

    ¡°Young Lady Diason secretly took Young Master Brandt to the Princess.¡±

    ¡°¡­what?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a little suspicious to see that she took him without anyone knowing. It is also worrisome that Young Lady Diason used to go to the floor where Young Master Brandt stayed on under the pretext of running errands.¡±

    My heart grew heavy at Daisy¡¯s report.

    Why did Seirin meet Hegel Brandt? On top of that, secretly.

    I thought it had something to do with the Brandt family succession issue.

    She is a member of the royal family.

    This was a big problem if the royal family was trying to get involved in the succession of the Brandt family.

    Besides, Hegel Brandt was young.

    He was very good hand* for an experienced Seirin to grip and sway with words.

    TL/N: Like Hegel is a good card for Seirin to make use of in her plans.

    ¡®Should I tell Emelia?¡¯

    But when she asked how I knew that, I had nothing to say.

    It¡¯s like revealing that I¡¯m monitoring the princess.

    What¡¯s more, she might think of it as making false rumors about her younger brother.

    Daisy told me to think about it carefully

    ¡°Oh, come to think of it, the maid I saw for the first time in the villa was next to Princess Seirin.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean you¡¯ve never seen a maid before?¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess she¡¯s a new maid¡­ ¡­but she doesn¡¯t come out of the room until Princess Seirin calls her.¡±

    ¡°I heard that she has a personal task, but no one knows what it is.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your impression?¡±

    ¡°According to villa servants, she always wears a veiled hat. So no one saw the maid¡¯s face properly.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone talk to that maid?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The Princess is very involved and they said they had never even talked to each other. Actually, I didn¡¯t report it separately because I thought it wasn¡¯t related to Young Lady Diason, but she turned out to be Young Lady Diason¡¯s niece. I¡¯m telling you just in case.¡±

    I told Daisy to keep an eye on Betty, so it was only natural to post a report now.

    ¡®It¡¯s a little suspicious¡­¡¯

    The more I listened to Daisy, the more suspicious I became.

    However, it was hard for me to find out deeply about the Princess¡¯s handmaiden.

    Even Daisy, a maid, had her limits.

    ¡®Should I ask Emelia?¡¯

    After thinking for a while, Daisy asked.

    ¡°What should I do? ¡±

    ¡°Um, first of all, keep your eyes on Young Lady In a way that is not dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I will.¡±

    ¡°And I want to meet Young Master Brandt¡­¡­¡±

    As I muttered, Daisy said with a smile.

    ¡°Young Lady Brandt suggested a simple tea time for the three of us with Hegel Brandt.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Then it was a good occurrence.

    It wasn¡¯t easy for me to meet Hegel separately.

    In the first place, I, who is not an aristocrat, could not have asked a noble to come and go.

    Emilia would say it was okay, but first of all, the social atmosphere was like that.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Daisy was pleased and looked at me as she said with a faint smile.

    ¡°Yes, then I¡¯ll let you know when the tea time date is set.¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you, Daisy.¡±

    ***

    Clear Morning.

    I was accustomed to walking along the trail with Max.

    Tea time with the Brandt siblings was scheduled for this afternoon.

    It was when Max pushed his nose and sniffed on the grass.

    Someone walked towards me from the other side.

    It was Hegel Brandt.

    He found me and stopped walking, I guess he was taking a walk too.

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Hegel gave a short exclamation and licked his lips.

    I¡¯ve already seen him once at Brandt Castle, but in a way, it was my first time seeing him because he was not in his right mind.

    ¡®Now you¡¯ve gotten better enough to take a walk alone.¡¯

    It was the first time I had seen him in person, although I knew he had become healthy.

    The early meeting was somewhat awkward because today¡¯s tea time was scheduled.

    ¡®Even if you don¡¯t recognize me, I should say hello, right?¡¯

    While I was pondering with my eyes wide open, Hegel approached me.

    ¡°It¡¯s Miss Tiarozety. My name is Hegel Brandt.¡±

    He smiled brightly and lightly brought a hand to his waist and bowed in silence.

    It seemed like a courtesy in the sense that he respected me in his own way, but it was rather sloppy.

    The less refined appearance made him look more childlike.

    I said with a smile.

 Chapter 88

    ¡°Good morning, Young Master Brandt. But how did you know it was me?¡±

    ¡°Silver hair was shining from afar.¡±

    Hegel expressed twinkling with both hands respectfully.

    TL/N: Like how babies say hello/goodbye! Open close hands~

    The innocent eyes were very cute.

    ¡®Since I¡¯ve become the only Esol, this silver hair will soon symbolize me.¡¯

    The other person will be able to easily understand that I am ¡°Tiarozety Esol¡± or ¡°the only Esol¡± just by looking at the color of my hair.

    I glanced at Hegel secretly.

    Hegel looked completely different from the last time I saw him.

    He was still young, but the shadow of death disappeared. Instead, intelligence was reflected in his eyes.

    I can¡¯t even imagine that that beautiful boy went through such a terrible thing.

    Then Hegel spoke brightly.

    ¡°Were you taking a walk in the morning?¡±

    I glanced at Max beside me and answered.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. To see Max.¡±

    Hegel followed me to Max and his eyes lit up.

    ¡°Uwaa¡­¡±

    It seemed that he found the dog belatedly.

    ¡°Do you want to touch it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no.¡±

    Hegel faltered backward, with his mouth agape as if he had been shocked.

    He seemed a bit intimidated by Max¡¯s size.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. He doesn¡¯t bite.¡±

    I crouched down and hugged Max to reassure Hegel.

    Hegel sat down cautiously as Max made a relaxed expression in my arms.

    Not long after, I thought he was scratching Max¡¯s back gently, and Hegel¡¯s cheeks turned red.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°It¡¯s so warm!¡±

    ¡°Right? Is it because he has a lot of hair? If you hold him when it¡¯s cold, there¡¯s a stove.¡±

    ¡°I really think so! Wow, that¡¯s amazing.¡±

    Hegel exclaimed in succession and focused on touching Max.

    There was no livestock in Brandt Castle.

    It was because Hegel was so weak and allergic that they did not keep furry animals.

    So Max seemed very novel.

    Even more so now that he doesn¡¯t sneeze or have a fever when he touches it.

    ¡®Did they say he was seven?¡¯

    I think I heard that it takes a lot of work because he¡¯s a late child.

    ¡®Now that I see it, you¡¯re an innocent young man. It makes me more worried.¡¯

    Deceiving a child was easy and difficult, it was difficult but easy.

    So I was worried about Hegel¡¯s naivety.

    Then Hegel raised his head and said.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety, can you bring Max to tea time later?¡±

    ¡°If Young Master Brandt is okay with it.¡±

    ¡°Hehe. Thank you!¡±

    ¡°Are you feeling better?¡±

    I thought Hegel blinked at my question, but he jumped up and bent his back 90 degrees.

    ¡°Thank you for saving me!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Hegel grinned when I asked back in surprise at the sudden cry.

    ¡°I heard it from my sister. You saved my life and helped my whole family.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Miss Tiarrozety.  My sister said I had to say thank you when I see Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a good listener.¡±

    ¡°I believe everything she says.¡±

    Hegel grinned back as if he was saying something natural.

    He had an innocent expression on his face that he had never thought of anything else.

    I burst into laughter at the sight of Hegel.

    ¡°Fufu. You must like your sister very much.¡±

    ¡°My sister had a hard time because of me. Now it¡¯s my turn to protect her.¡±

    There was a firmness in the voice that exclaimed with curiosity.

    The age difference between Emilia and him was so large that it was almost like Emilia raised him.

    ¡®I think they said you follow Emelia more than the nanny.¡¯

    Now that he¡¯s all better, he seemed to make his sister feel better.

    ¡®I suspected such a close brother and sister for a moment. Even if it¡¯s Seirin, it¡¯s hard to separate the two.¡¯

    All of a sudden, my worries went away and I felt relieved.

    I got up from my bed and stroked Hegel¡¯s head.

    He was so cute that it happened accidentally.

    ¡°Fufu. You¡¯re a reliable younger brother. Emelia must be very happy.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. You feel like a younger brother without realizing it.¡±

    I hurriedly removed my hand from Hegel¡¯s bewildered expression and apologized.

    It was because I thought he might hate it if I touched his hair carelessly, regardless of my age or status.

    Then Hegel shook his head quickly.

    ¡°No! I was spaced out for a while because people seem to touch my hair a lot these days.¡±

    It seems that there are many people who love Hegel besides me.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Princess Seirin also patted my hair.¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    Hegel smiled happily as he imitated the touch that Seirin had reached out to him.

    I blinked my eyes when Seirin suddenly came up on the topic.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Hegel chimed in without noticing this change in me.

    ¡°I played house with the princess last time. I was the prince, and the princess was the princess!¡±

    ¡°Playing house?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I was scolded for refusing to be king because the princess kept telling me that she would help me!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°For me, Miss Tiarozety. I¡¯m sick and tired of being in my room now. Especially the castle!¡±

    Hegel frowned at how bored he had been that he had not been able to get out of the castle because he was sick.

    ¡°If you become a king, you have to stay locked in the palace. I hate it.¡±

    TL/N: Omg cinnamon roll!! I hope everything goes well for Hegel and Emilia now.

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    I was stunned by Hegel¡¯s decisive reaction at a strange point.

    TL/N: I think she was surprised at the reason he¡¯s not interested in being king.

    Then, when I heard that Seirin had told Hegel to become king, I started to think a lot.

    It seems that she had told Hegel that she would make him the head of the household, but Hegel seemed to dismiss it as just a game.

    ¡°Actually, I was almost tempted because she said my sister could go back to the capital if I became a king.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°My sister is not just a talent to stay in Bael as a maiden. I think I broke her wings.¡±

    Hegel muttered suddenly with a dead face.

    Perhaps he heard the gossip of the young girls who came to the castle of Brandt.

    Because they all thought that Emilia had given up her job in the capital because of Hegel.

    Somehow I felt sorry for him and I touched his shoulder and comforted him.

    ¡°No, Young Master Brandt.¡±

    But Hegel was being brave, very brave regardless of my comfort.

    Hegel exclaimed proudly, as if when he had never been depressed.

    ¡°So now I¡¯m going to give her wings!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°My sister, do whatever you want to do!¡±

    Hegel patted himself on the chest and expressed his aspirations.

    He was such a lovely little brother.

    I asked, holding back my laughter.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Um, let¡¯s buy pretty feathers first¡­¡±

    TL/N: HALP HEGEL YOU PRECIOUS BEAN LOL

    ¡°Oh my God, are you really going to put wings on her?¡±

    When I asked with admiration, Hegel said, with his eyes wide open.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety, are you a fool? There are no real wings on a person.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying it as a form of expression.¡±

    I was embarrassed by Hegel¡¯s shrugging response.

    At the same time, it was very funny, but I held it in.

    For some reason, I was afraid that if I laughed, he would think that I was underestimating his ambition.

    After a while, Hegel said, wiggling his fingers.

    ¡°Actually, I want to be with her. I don¡¯t have to be a king. I just want to live with my sister.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Hegel hesitated and continued as I answered with a soft smile.

    ¡°Of course, as the princess said, if my sister likes the capital better than here¡­¡±

    Hegel had a hard look on his face as if it was difficult just by imagining it.

    He didn¡¯t like being confined, but he didn¡¯t want Emilia to be stuffy because of him.

    At the same time, he seemed to want his sister to be with him.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    I spoke kindly to protect the troubled boy.

    ¡°Emelia said that before. It was not a sacrifice, it was a choice to come to Bael.¡±

    ¡°My sister?¡±

    Hegel asked, raising the corners of his drooping eyes.

    ¡°Yes. It was Emelia¡¯s wish to see her brother grow up. You¡¯re healthy now, so all you have to do is grow up well.¡±

    A twinkle of light returned to Hegel¡¯s eyes.

    He seemed to be encouraged to hear that his sister also liked to be with him.

    ¡°Then I will live here in Bael, serving my sister like a king!¡±

    Hegel seemed to have ended his troubles with my words.

    The gloomy appearance came to life again.

    It was very nice to see Hegel¡¯s innocence in shaking off his worries.

    I tried to be a little proud of the fact that I was the one who brought back this boy¡¯s smile.

    Then Hegel clapped and said.

    ¡°Ah! Please keep it a secret that I met the Princess!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°The princess told me not to tell anyone. But I already told Miss Tiarozety¡­¡±

    Hegel hesitated as he was worried about it belatedly.

    I smiled and nodded awkwardly when I heard Seirin told him to keep it a secret.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll keep it a secret.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    It was when Hegel smiled softly with a relieved face.

    Someone called Hegel.

    ¡°Hegel.¡±

    ¡°Sister!¡±

    When Hegel found Emelia, he jumped up and ran to hug her.

    Emelia looked at him lovingly and stroked his hair.

    ¡°You rascal, I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡±

    ¡°I was going to go out for a bit, but I met Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    Hegel smiled as he pointed a finger at me and she looked at me.

    ¡°Good morning, Emelia.¡±

    ¡°Tiarozety, were you taking a walk?¡±

    ¡°Yes, because the morning air is clear.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if Hegel bothered you.¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    ¡°Sister! What do you see me as?¡±

    As Hegel made a sulky face, Emilia said, pinching his cheek slightly.

    ¡°Hegel, no matter how healthy you are, you can¡¯t come out in your pyjamas. What if you catch a cold?¡±

    ¡°I was frustrated, so I was going to get some fresh air for a while and go back.¡±

    ¡°Look at your face turning red from the cold.¡±

    ¡°Hey, this isn¡¯t because it¡¯s cold!¡±

    As Hegel insisted, Emelia stared.

    Eventually, Hegel averted his gaze and dug into her arms, and sighed.

    ¡°It¡¯s actually cold, sister.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I knew it.¡±

    Emelia quickly covered him with a blanket.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    The look of a friendly brother and sister no matter who you look at.

    Emilia was just lovingly looking at Hegel who was digging into her arms.

    ¡®I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have anything to worry about.¡¯

    I smiled happily at the sight of a good brother and sister.

    Even the brilliant Seirin could not touch Hegel, who was full of innocence.

    After a while, Emelia said.

    ¡°I¡¯m going in now. Hegel¡¯s face is so cold. See you later at tea time, Tiarozety¡±

    ¡°Yes, go home safely. Ah, Young Master Brandt too.¡±

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety, you have to bring Max later!¡±

    Hegel shouted loudly as he followed Emelia.

    I responded by nodding my head and waving my hand.

 Chapter 89

    [Lexion¡¯s POV]

    Above the Hawk Mountains.

    Lexion was resting for a while after completing one job.

    It was on a high mountain, so the clouds seemed to float shallowly.

    Looking at the white clouds, Tiarozety¡¯s immaculately clear silver hair came to mind.

    The blue sky reminded him of her eyes.

    Lexion was heartbroken that he hadn¡¯t seen her for a long time.

    I thought wanted to go there for a minute and secretly see her face just once.

    Of course, I don¡¯t even dare to try because I know that¡¯s not the way to do it.

    Lexion took a deep breath, and then exhaled, not knowing whether it was a laugh or a sigh.

    I thought I had gotten used to looking for her for a long time and putting up with it.

    However, after confirming her heart, it was a big deal because I wanted to hold her and keep her by my side.

    Tiarozety didn¡¯t know how I felt about her.

    She was innocent, and whenever she looked at me, it boiled like crazy inside.

    It was very hard for me to endure it.

    Her presence alone made me anxious.

    However, I didn¡¯t want my dark insides to be exposed, so I pretended with inappropriate consideration.

    Perhaps it is because I miss her that I feel foolish now.

    ¡®Have a safe trip. I will miss you.¡¯

    Her voice, which was shyly saying goodbye, was still clear.

    He promised to return, so it was his job to return safely and reassure her.

    Aiden approached when Lexion was looking up at the sky and thinking of Tiarozety.

    ¡°Duke, I¡¯m ready for your instructions.¡±

    Lexion got up from his thoughts and got up.

    It was time to move diligently to get to her, whom I missed.

    ***

    Gregory stared at Seirin.

    At some point, there was a coldness on her face, which was unfamiliar.

    Even in the silence of drinking tea like this, it seemed that some unknown waves were flowing.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Gregory couldn¡¯t help but open his mouth.

    ¡°Seirin.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Are you all right?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no reason not to be okay, brother.¡±

    Seirin took a sip of tea with an elegant smile.

    Behind that unshakable act, Seirin¡¯s turbulent heart was mixed.

    As if the seeds of hatred had grown in her heart, Seirin was terrified.

    She hated Tiarozety.

    It felt like she stole everything from her.

    All lovers and friends.

    She didn¡¯t realize that she was being unreasonable.

    Tiarozety made her feel that they were ¡°snatched away¡± with vague feelings.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t know Hegel Brandt was so stupid.¡¯

    He¡¯s been sick since he was little, so she guessed he¡¯s just a kid who doesn¡¯t even know what to do.

    Seirin smiled bitterly as she remembered the last conversation with Hegel.

    ¡®King?¡¯

    ¡®Yes, a prince is supposed to be a king. If it weren¡¯t for the pain, there would be Prince Hegel in her place.¡¯

    ¡®No, my sister is better suited to the position than I am.¡¯

    Hegel grunted with an annoyed expression on his face.

    Seirin changed the direction of the story when he couldn¡¯t be persuaded.

    ¡®Of course, she¡¯s a great fit for the position. But Prince Hegel, isn¡¯t it such a waste for her to stay only in Bael?¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯

    ¡®If you weren¡¯t sick, she would have already sat in an important position in the capital.¡¯

    ¡®But my sister said it¡¯s okay¡­¡¯

    ¡®Do you believe that?¡¯

    Hegel¡¯s mouth closed like a clam at Seirin¡¯s question.

    So now she thought she could communicate a little, but Hagel¡¯s answer was spectacular.

    ¡®Yes! I believe everything she says!¡¯

    ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m just going to be sister¡¯s escort warrior. Sister looks good as a king. Yap yap! I want to learn swordsmanship from now on!¡¯

    TL/N: Hegel is uwu.

    The mere thought of it made her sigh.

    Playing house that ended in such a rush.

    The scheme of trying to entice the child to eye level collapsed.

    After that, she tried several times, but Hegel Brandt didn¡¯t get it at all.

    He didn¡¯t seem to have the ambitions common among the sons of nobles.

    ¡®It would be more convenient to find a suitable person and have him sit there.¡¯

    After that, Seirin had given up trying to convince Hegel.

    And more than that, she was nervous about something else.

    It¡¯s almost wartime now.

    So everyone got together and was focused only on the evil dragon.

    It was the right time to secretly assassinate Tiarozety.

    Seirin laughed at Lexion who had left for the Hawk Mountains.

    He thought Sparrow Castle was the safest, but not at all.

    ¡®As long as I¡¯m here, Tiarozety won¡¯t be on the same ground as me.¡¯

    The preparations are almost ready.

    Although Alois keeps trying to delay things, it is not long before they can put it into action.

    By the time the other side noticed, it must have been after Tiarozety had died.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Then Gregory said.

    ¡°Come to think of it, I couldn¡¯t reach Kronos.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s coming well on his own.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like you to be comfortable*. Did you get a call?¡±

    TL/N: Seirin was panicking when she couldn¡¯t contact the King or Prince Kronos in previous chapters.

    At Gregory¡¯s question, Seirin slowly focused her gaze.

    ¡°If he had contacted me, I would have told my brother.¡±

    Gregory laughed bitterly at her natural attitude.

    It was because he had already confirmed the circumstances in which she had communicated with Kronos several times through the spy.

    ¡®What the hell is she hiding?¡¯

    Gregory was very curious about Seirin¡¯s intentions.

    Also, what kind of interference Kronos is trying to come up with.

    ¡°Seirin, you¡¯ve become an imperial family*, too.¡±

    TL/N: I THINK, he means that she has changed into becoming the same as the rest of the royal family, who he deeply dislikes. Back in chapter 60, it was mentioned that Seirin is the only member that Kronos regarded as his family.

    ¡°Of course, because I¡¯m royalty. And it¡¯s the same with my brother.¡±

    Seirin smiled beautifully.

    The royal family is royalty.

    She didn¡¯t seem to know how these words felt like shackles to Gregory.

    Gregory replied bitterly.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m also royalty.¡±

    Seirin smiled contentedly.

    As if she heard the answer she wanted.

    ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    Then Betty came in and whispered something to Seirin.

    He thought Seirin¡¯s eyes were shining and she said to Gregory.

    ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve got to go.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Hobbies.¡±

    Seirin got up from her seat with a bright smile on her lips.

    Gregory wanted to smile, but as soon as she disappeared, he stopped smiling.

    Then he followed Seirin as she passed through the corridor with his eyes.

    After a while, Seirin welcomed a maid and headed somewhere.

    Gregory stared at the maid he had never seen before.

    While wearing a hat and covered with a veil, he already knew her identity.

    ¡®Alois Beth.¡¯

    The last descendant of the magician and the woman Lexion is looking for.

    The other day, Gregory accidentally witnessed a maid named Betty walking out of Bael.

    He chased her with some kind of anxiety, and he thought it must be because he met a certain woman.

    But the moment he saw the red-haired woman he met in Sparrow Castle.

    Gregory realized that this was not unusual.

    Gregory then investigated the red-haired woman and found out that she was descended from a magician.

    Magician.

    A descendant of wise men who can fight evil dragons.

    The wise man was the teacher of the first emperor, but his name was unknown.

    There is only a single line of record that says ¡°It was a teacher.¡±

    Perhaps history was arbitrarily deleted in the process of establishing the empire.

    He didn¡¯t know how a magician, a descendant of a wise man, had the power to fight evil dragons with such a tank.

    The Aden imperial family simply repeated taking them as needed and discarding them as a special power when the need disappeared.

    Therefore, the relationship between the magician and the imperial family was generally bad.

    They were good at hiding from the imperial family.

    Nevertheless, in times of crisis, they always went out into the world to fight evil dragons.

    This was because their own magic could not only seal the evil dragon, but also curse and bless the people.

    He didn¡¯t know how to seal the evil dragon or why he couldn¡¯t get rid of it.

    They thoroughly hid the principle of power.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Gregory kept an eye on Alois Beth, who infiltrated Sparrow Castle under the name of ¡®Luna Diason¡¯.

    He thought about telling Lexion in advance, but he couldn¡¯t act hastily because he was afraid Seirin would be embarrassed for no reason.

    Although he knew that the reason Lexion was looking for Alois Beth was because of the expedition, Gregory could not say it.

    No matter how ugly she was, Seirin was his younger sister.

    He could never accuse my sister with my own hands.

    So he was monitoring with the intention of stopping her before she started working.

    It hasn¡¯t caused any problems so far, so he has only been silently observing.

    On the one hand, he hoped she would take care of it on her own.

    He didn¡¯t want Seirin to go further because of love.

    He wanted to prevent her from going on the wrong path because he was blinded by love.

    However, Seirin acted like a carriage that could not stop.

    She didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of grabbing the reins and stopping herself.

    Due to the nature of Tiarozety, Gregory was uneasy and moved.

    It was obvious where Seirin¡¯s arrow would be headed.

    It seems that Seirin¡¯s feelings for Lexion were bigger than expected.

    Seeing that she¡¯s trying to act so uncharacteristically.

    ¡®Seirin, please, for god¡¯s sake don¡¯t do anything wrong.¡¯

    Gregory let out a deep sigh and headed towards the Myersotis Room where Tiarozety was.

 Chapter 90

    [Gregory¡¯s POV]

    In fact, it has been a long time since Gregory secretly protected Tiarozety.

    After learning that Seirin was harassing Tiarozety, I was worried that she might be bullied, so I kept walking towards her.

    Then, after learning about Alois Beth¡¯s existence, he hovered around Tiarozety every day to protect her.

    Tiarozety didn¡¯t even think about the danger she had.

    She just drank tea peacefully, took a walk, and waited for Lexion.

    It was Gregory¡¯s joy and pain to watch her.

    After a while, I hid behind a pillar and watched Tiarozety, who was just leaving the room.

    She was heavily armed to go for a walk today as well.

    Also, a maid named Daisy seemed to be tightly dressed.

    She looked like a snowman waddling back.

    A smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and low laughter flowed out.

    Then, suddenly realizing that he was smiling, he frowned.

    Just looking at you makes me feel so good.

    Gregory burst into laughter at his state of mind.

    It was pathetic to see myself wandering around like a puppy for fear of any danger.

    I could¡¯ve just said it.

    I felt very cowardly for not being able to do this because I was afraid of sparks from Seirin.

    ¡°Gregory, what the hell are you doing?¡±

    He questioned himself and turned away.

    Seirin wasn¡¯t the only one who had to sort out her mind.

    He also seemed to need a clean-up.

    ¡°Prince?¡±

    Then Tiarozety called him from behind.

    Gregory stopped at the call of Tiarozety.

    It felt like my heart was pounding.

    Like a person caught running away, I didn¡¯t know how to make an expression.

    I couldn¡¯t run away like this. However, I couldn¡¯t even speak calmly.

    I just stood still and heard footsteps running behind me.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Moments later, she tapped me on the shoulder.

    Gregory looked back slowly, and Tiarozety asked, standing still.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°Prince?¡±

    She tilted her head and gave off a curious light.

    The moment Gregory looked at her face, it felt like his whole body was on fire.

    He leaned back and hid his face.

    Perhaps because I was thinking about her, so I was excited as soon as I saw her face.

    Unaware of this, she took a step closer and asked.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Where are you sick? Your face is so red¡­¡±

    ¡°No, nothing. I was just passing by.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long way from the villa to here¡­¡±

    Tiarozety narrowed her eyes and stared at Gregory.

    ¡®Again, you speak with your eyes again. Like I¡¯m talking nonsense.¡¯

    Gregory just liked the way she treated him without being rude.

    The boldness that doesn¡¯t care about his background.

    A hint of timidity.

    Still, I liked the stubbornness of having to say something even with her eyes.

    Gregory stared mesmerized into her blue eyes.

    My heart was pounding.

    He prided himself on being more experienced than anyone in dating, but it was ridiculous that he acted like a fool in front of Tiarozety.

    I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m in love like a fever.

    Also a friend¡¯s lover.

    Even thinking about it myself, I felt stupid and pathetic.

    Tiarozety blinked when Gregory didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Are you really sick?¡±

    A look of concern unlike before.

    It was as if she had never dreamed of what the man in front of her was thinking, was about her.

    ¡®Zion, what am I going to do now?¡¯

    Gregory sighed deeply inside.

    It was because of his dirty inner intentions of extorting his lover in the absence of his close friend.

    Of course, he wasn¡¯t ignorant enough to put it into practice.

    Gregory quickly hid his expression and smiled.

    I had to hide my true feelings with a fake smile.

    ¡°No. more than that, miss, where are you going now?¡±

    He quenched his hot emotions with a cold chill.

    TL/N: Aw man we all know what¡¯s the end game so it feels bad knowing he has zero chance.

    ***

    [Tiarozety¡¯s POV]

    I took a deep breath with a tense face and got up from my seat.

    ¡°Miss, are you leaving now? It¡¯s still early¡­¡±

    Daisy glanced at her watch and gave off a curious light.

    It was because it was still earlier than the appointed time.

    I said with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to check it out myself while I¡¯m on my way.¡±

    Last night, I got an invitation from Seirin.

    It was a suggestion to have a cup of tea together after a long time.

    Meeting for the first time since the Brandt family incident.

    Up until now, Seirin had only been staying at the villa, so they never met.

    It was good news because I had no reason to visit. After all, she didn¡¯t call.

    ¡®Maybe today is an opportunity to confirm the identity of the newly hired maid.¡¯

    Clearly, the information about the newly hired maid was completely blocked.

    It was probably because the mouths of the maids around the princess were heavy, but I thought it was a bit excessive.

    Fortunately, thanks to Seirin¡¯s invitation, I was able to visit the villa with ease.

    It would be even better if I ran into the new maid while I was there.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡±

    ¡°Have a safe trip.¡±

    It was when I was just leaving the room while seeing Daisy off.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    After a few steps, I heard a low laugh from behind.

    I turned around and saw Gregory, puzzled by the familiar voice.

    ¡®Prince Gregory?¡¯

    Gregory thought he was laughing alone and stopped, but he tried to turn around.

    I thought I was the only person he could find in this hallway, so I called him.

    ¡°Prince?¡±

    Gregory shrank as if he got caught doing something.

    When I called, he didn¡¯t answer, so I approached him.

    When I touched his shoulder, he turned around belatedly.

    His face was full of embarrassment.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Without answering the question, he flinched and retreated.

    Eventually, he even covered his face.

    At first glance, his face seemed to have a fever.

    It wasn¡¯t like usual.

    Usually, it is normal for him to talk or joke around.

    I asked, tilting my head.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Where are you sick? Your face is so red¡­¡±

    ¡°No, nothing. I was just passing by.¡±

    Gregory talked gibberish and avoided speaking.

    It was somehow suspicious, and I narrowed my eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long way from the villa to here¡­¡±

    It was a place where you had to have a purpose to come directly, rather than just pass by.

    ¡®Come to think of it, I see the prince often these days.¡¯

    I remembered what Daisy said in passing.

    Gregory, who was staying at the villa, had no reason to come to the main castle.

    Especially if seen frequently by Daisy, it means that he is wandering around the Myersotis Room.

    ¡®Did Lexion ask you to take care of me separately?¡¯

    I missed Lexion like crazy when I thought about it.

    Even on the day of the expedition, Lexion was worried about me.

    ¡®If anything happens, send a messenger. I¡¯ll stick Chris next to you.¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯re in the safest place, Sparrow Castle. What are you worried about? I¡¯m more worried about Zion.¡¯

    ¡®Okay. I¡¯ll be careful, too.¡¯

    Lexion¡¯s breath, which he promised by kissing tenderly, still seemed to linger around my lips.

    While chewing my lips, I was surprised to see Gregory.

    It was because his face was flushed red and his dazed eyes looked so painful.

    I asked carefully, wondering if I should have picked a fight with a sick person.

    ¡°Are you really sick?¡±

    At that moment, Gregory¡¯s face seemed to harden for an instant, and then he changed his complexion and laughed.

    ¡°No, more than that, miss, where are you going now?¡±

    It was Gregory¡¯s usual self.

    I answered calmly, wondering if I had misunderstood.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to go to Princess Seirin.¡±

    ¡°¡­Why to Seirin?¡±

    Gregory stiffened and asked back at the mention of Seirin.

    I shrugged without noticing his change.

    ¡°I promised to drink tea last night.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    Gregory licked his lips, unable to speak.

    Curious about it, I tilted his head and asked.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°I, of course¡­ came to pick you up.¡±

    ¡°What? The prince himself?¡±

    When I asked, surprised, he grinned and nodded his head.

    ¡°I was supposed to be present at that tea time too.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s a little early now¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better than being late.¡±

    ¡°But.¡±

    In this case, it would be difficult to spy on the maid in advance.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Gregory naturally extended his arm as if escorting.

    Remembering that kindness to the Lady was his joy, I put my hand on it without hesitation.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    At that moment, I felt his arms stiffen.

    He smiled as if he were nervous.

    ¡®You¡¯re really weird today.¡¯

    After that, he went to the villa with a nonsensical story.

    ***

    Gregory and I arrived at the glass garden where we were supposed to meet Seirin.

    The tea set was already on the table.

    The strange thing is that there are only two teacups.

    ¡®Hmm? Are you not ready because I came early?¡¯

    Seirin¡¯s expression, she seemed to be puzzled by the unexpected situation.

    Seirin blankly called out to Gregory.

    ¡°Brother?¡±

    ¡°Hello, Seirin? It¡¯s a good time for tea, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Gregory smiled and approached her and whispered something.

    For a moment, the two whispered together.

    I just stood there and watched the two of them talking.

    Throughout the conversation, Gregory kept smiling, while Seirin looked a little shaky.

    From the atmosphere, Seirin seemed to have just known about Gregory joining.

    Confused, I muttered to myself.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it originally planned?¡±

 Chapter 91

    After a while, Seirin captured her expression and greeted me as if they had reached an agreement.

    ¡°Welcome, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°Long time no see, Princess.¡±

    As I greeted her lightly, Gregory seated Seirin first and then pulled my chair back.

    ¡°Thank you, Prince.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±

    Gregory sat next to me with a smile.

    Seirin¡¯s complexion didn¡¯t look good.

    Then the maid brought another teacup.

    In addition to the tea set, some large crystal balls and horoscope tools were placed on the table.

    It looked pretty professional for a hobby.

    ¡°This is¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m very interested in astrology these days. I forgot to clean up because I was playing with it for a while. Luna.¡±

    Seirin forced a smile and called out a maid named Luna.

    My ears pricked up at the name ¡®Luna¡¯.

    Because I heard that the newcomer was ¡®Luna Diason¡¯.

    ¡®Is that her?¡¯

    I sneakily glanced at her face.

    Luna came with her face covered with a veil.

    From what I¡¯ve heard, the face is not aesthetically pleasing, so it is said that she hides her face.

    Of course, I didn¡¯t know if it was true.

    Because the only ones who saw her face were Betty and Seirin.

    Seirin said calmly.

    ¡°Clean up the stuff here.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    As Luna hesitated, Seirin smiled more brightly.

    ¡°Hurry.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Luna reluctantly put away the horoscope tools set with Betty one after another.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    It was difficult to see her face even though I was right next to her.

    The veil was so tight and the hat was pressed deeply, so it was difficult to determine the color of the hair.

    ¡®I should get closer.¡¯

    I dropped a tool on purpose to check Luna¡¯s face.

    And I groaned loudly, pretending to be embarrassed.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pick it up.¡±

    Luna said cautiously and bent her upper body.

    ¡°No, I¡­!¡±

    I deliberately got up and sat down to make eye contact with her.

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    As I got much closer, Luna widened her eyes in embarrassment.

    I grabbed her wrist as she flinched and tried to step back.

    ¡°Miss?¡±

    Luna looked down at me with a puzzled face.

    The veil fluttered as she got up and her face was immediately visible.

    I checked her face and opened my mouth.

    The face hidden behind the black veil was quite familiar.

    I muttered in a whisper in amazement.

    ¡°¡­Alois?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    When I called her name without realizing it, Aloi¡¯s red eyes shook wildly.

    I didn¡¯t expect the new maid to be Alois.

    I was so startled that I froze.

    Alua and I looked with our eyes fixed on each other.

    Both were surprised at each other in a different sense.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Then, Seirin spoke to us who were still standing.

    Only then did Alois come to her senses and quickly grabbed my hand and got me up.

    ¡°Thank you, miss. I almost fell.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±

    I sat back down in response to Alua¡¯s witty excuses.

    Alois said to Seirin.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stop stepping on my skirt and get up.¡±

    ¡°You have to be careful.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll clean it up quickly.¡±

    After that, Alois hurriedly disappeared with her tools.

    As she went outside, she glanced at me and was perplexed, but tried to ignore me.

    Calling her name was a mistake.

    Because this is the first time I¡¯ve met her in this life.

    Surprised by her identity, I just uttered words without knowing it.

    ¡®The blonde noble young lady that Lark said he saw was Betty Diason.¡¯

    When what I feared became true, I began to think a lot.

    Why did Seirin take Alois Beth as her maid?

    The horoscope tools that the maids took with them looked similar to those used by magicians.

    That means Seirin knows that Alois is a magician.

    ¡®What the hell are you up to? What were you trying to do?¡¯

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡°The tea is going to get cold. What are you thinking about so intently?¡±

    Seirin said, glancing at the teacup.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I need to think about something for a moment¡­ ¡°

    ¡°The lady must be tired.¡±

    Gregory pushed a brownie toward me and talked to me.

    ¡°Or is the sugar level low?¡±

    ¡°I guess so. Thank you, Prince.¡±

    I ate the brownie he gave me with a fork.

    ¡®I need to send a messenger to Zion. Alois Beth was in Sparrow Castle.¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s good.¡±

    II laughed bashfully, pretending nothing was wrong.

    ¡°Right? I hear it a lot, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    Seirin¡¯s voice was gentle, but her face was subtle.

    Are you nervous or anxious?

    Or a face that I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s angry.

    The face of Seirin, who was trying to forcefully smile, was very unfamiliar.

    On the other hand, Gregory was calm.

    ¡®It¡¯s because of what Gregory said earlier. You don¡¯t look so happy the whole time.¡¯

    There was a feeling of doubt but no physical evidence, so I quietly followed the tea-time atmosphere.

    ***

    When it was time to break the tea time, I got up naturally.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±

    ¡°See you next time, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°Lady, I¡¯ll take you back.¡±

    As Gregory tried to stand up after me, Seirin grabbed his arm.

    ¡°Where are you going, brother? You have to talk to me.¡±

    Seirin¡¯s smiling face was somehow cool.

    Gregory hesitated.

    ¡°Seirin, let¡¯s talk when I¡¯m back.¡±

    Seirin stared at Gregory without replying.

    It was clear what those eyes were saying, and Gregory had a rather perplexed expression on his face.

    He looked at me and Seirin in turn and moistened his lips.

    Heavy air hovered over the table.

    There must have been a war of nerves between the two.

    I thought I couldn¡¯t, so I said no to Gregory.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Prince. I¡¯ll go alone.¡±

    ¡°Still¡­¡±

    ¡°Be careful on your way, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    While Gregory hesitated, Seirin smiled and dismissed it.

    He couldn¡¯t hold out any longer, so he plopped into his seat.

    I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I thought things would get worse if Gregory followed me here.

    I bowed lightly and then left.

    It was when I was about to leave the villa.

    Suddenly, someone grabbed my arm.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    There was no time to scream in surprise.

    It was not until I was dragged into the room that I knew who was pulling me.

    It was Alois Beth.

    The eyes behind the veil gleamed sharply and looked at me alertly.

    What happened a few hours ago seemed to have just stood out.

    She asked bluntly.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Her voice was very cynical.

    I knew her name, so she was very wary.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    I sighed and took a step back.

    Then Alois said, raising the veil.

    ¡°You know who I am.¡±

    She spoke in honorifics belatedly.

    Perhaps she seemed to recall that this was Sparrow Castle, and she had come as a maid.

    When the veil was lifted, I was right that it was indeed, Alois Beth.

    Seeing her acting like a prickly cat reminded me of the past.

    ¡®She was like that when we first met.¡¯

    Lexion had met her, a descendant of a magician, ahead of the subjugation.

    After Lavita was devastated, she went straight to the capital and belonged to the imperial family.

    The first time I saw her at the gathering for subjugation, she looked like she was about to explode if touched.

    Her vigilance soon melted like snow when she heard about the situation of Lexion and me.

    It was because she felt sympathy for my situation in which my clan was annihilated and the situation in Lexion, where Bael had collapsed.

    ¡®Come to think of it, I¡¯m glad I called your name by mistake.¡¯

    That¡¯s why the vigilant woman came to me.

    I was rather grateful for her aggressiveness because I was trying to make a point of contact with her.

    ¡®I¡¯d rather be happy. While we¡¯re at it, we need to find out why Alois came here.¡¯

    In her previous life, she was a colleague of Lexion and a colleague of mine.

    We had been together for quite some time, and we had our own comradeship.

    In a world that is collapsing, the only people I can rely on are my colleagues.

    I said, looking at Alois softly.

    ¡°Yes, I know. That you are Alois Beth, that you are a magician.¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Alois staggered back.

    It was an overreaction to being embarrassed by the discovery of her identity.

    After a while, she asked angrily.

    ¡°Oh, since when did you know? I was hiding it secretly.¡±

    Hide? what?

    I blinked because I didn¡¯t know what she was talking about.

    I just said that I knew her identity, but she was making the face of someone who found out something bigger.

    ¡®Let¡¯s ask more questions.¡¯

    If it was to deal with the embarrassed Alois, I was confident.

    At that moment, Alois ruffled her hair and muttered.

    ¡°No wonder, my magic didn¡¯t work. Who is it? Who¡¯s helping her? I¡¯ve never done this before¡­¡±

    ¡°No way. Did you try to use a technique on me?¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    Alois lit up in great bewilderment.

    I said with my eyes wide open.

 Chapter 92

    ¡°As expected, you tried to do something to me during tea time earlier. That¡¯s not good either.¡±

    ¡°That, that¡¯s¡­!¡±

    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve tried it a few times before. Why, did you think it would work in close contact?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    Alois closed her mouth like a mute who had eaten honey, as if she had been read.

    TL/N: Mute who has eaten honey : I would type it but i think this link explains it better LOL

    Her red eyes shook and she couldn¡¯t hide her embarrassment.

    The fact that Alois tried to use magic on me means that Seirin¡¯s target was me.

    ¡®Did she try to kill me? By hiding with the magician¡¯s magic?¡¯

    There were countless unknown curses in the magician¡¯s magic.

    Because there were no traces left, it was easy to disguise it as a sudden or natural death.

    Therefore, in ancient times, it was common to use magicians to kill enemies.

    Of course, since the materials required to cast are so rare, it wasn¡¯t that we could do everything we wanted.

    ¡®But what should I do? Alois¡¯ magic doesn¡¯t work on me.¡¯

    I smiled lightly and recalled my conversation with Alois Beth in my previous life.

    ¡®Ros¨¦, you¡¯re so weird. How can my magic not get caught at all?¡¯

    ¡®I guess I have a unique constitution.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m in trouble because there¡¯s no way to check if Esol is special or if you¡¯re special.¡¯

    Alois Beth said that magic doesn¡¯t work for me in my previous life.

    And I guessed that it wasn¡¯t because of Esol, but because I was a ¡®traveler¡¯.

    Spells are magic cast on the soul and body.

    My soul was not the soul here, and this body was not originally mine, so I thought it would not work.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Now, Alois retreated to the corner and took on a vigilant light now that she was afraid of me because she couldn¡¯t use magic on me.

    ¡°What are you going to do with me now? I tried to kill you, so you¡¯re gonna kill me?¡±

    ¡°You tried to kill me. As expected.¡±

    As I said with a relaxed smile, her face turned blue.

    Because it was like confessing the crime with her own mouth.

    ¡°Well, I mean. This is¡­ .¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t think you did it because you wanted it anyway.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°What did the princess promise you? Is it the restoration of the honor of the magician clan?¡±

    Alois pursed her lips at my question.

    She hated the imperial family very much.

    But I couldn¡¯t believe she was under Seirin.

    It was impossible for her to visit the royal family on her own when Lavita had not yet fallen.

    ¡®She must have been threatened or persuaded that the magicians would be recognized by the Empire.¡¯

    Alois had always been upset by the social belief that magicians were merely witches.

    So, in her previous life, she participated in the subjugation for the purpose of revenge for Lavita and restoration of the magicians¡¯ honor.

    Of course, this was an overt purpose.

    Because what she really wanted was something else.

    The only one who knew this would be me, who was with her until she died.

    I said calmly.

    ¡°Alois, the imperial family does not change. You will not fulfill your purpose for killing me.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a fool? I won¡¯t be betrayed. Because the Princess and I have made an irresistible ¡®oath¡¯.¡±

    It¡¯s the same as before.

    When Seirin was the heroine, she had taken an oath under Alois¡¯s terms without the emperor knowing.

    The emperor was greatly angry, but what had already happened was irreversible.

    Because that¡¯s what the oath is.

    The emperor especially loved Seirin, so he could not carelessly take care of Alois, the partner of the oath.

    If she dies before the conditions are fulfilled, Seirin will die with her.

    It was a tactic to achieve their will by putting each other¡¯s lives as collateral.

    ¡®In the novel, it was definitely a great scene when Seirin herself became a hostage and sided with Alois¡­¡­ I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s going to turn this way.¡¯

    As Lexion said, Seirin was very different from before.

    ¡®I can¡¯t believe you made an oath to kill one person. Do you hate me so much that you¡¯re being so reckless, Seirin?¡¯

    My mind was complicated and dizzy.

    This relationship, which had no choice but to go wrong with Seirin, was heartbreaking.

    Alois had to kill me if she had already sworn an oath.

    Because the contract is to make each other hostages.

    Of course, there was a vague idea that Alois I knew might have hidden some moves.

    At that moment, Alois¡¯ eyes gleamed as she regained her composure.

    The eyes of a beast of prey aiming for a chance to hunt.

    She pulled out a dagger from her pocket with a nervous expression on her face.

    If she couldn¡¯t use magic, it seemed like she was trying to subdue me by force.

    ¡°If you know now, please die calmly. If magic doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll kill you by force.¡±

    ¡°If I die here, even the Princess will not be able to avoid the charges.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just a maid anyway. There¡¯s an infinite number of things that the imperial family can do. It¡¯s not a job* for them to change my identity.¡±

    TL/N: So easy that it¡¯s not work for them.

    ¡°Is that really what you want? Changing your status and living in affluence?¡±

    Her steps, approaching cautiously, stopped abruptly.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    I went on to say.

    ¡°I know why you wander around.¡±

    ¡°There is always a reason for wandering around. If you¡¯re trying to pass time with nonsensical words¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°You are looking for your brother.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±

    ¡°I know where your brother is.¡±

    Chaeng-grang-!

    As soon as I finished speaking, Alois dropped the dagger.

    Her hands were trembling and her eyes were wide open.

    ¡°How do you¡­¡±

    She contorted her face as if she was about to cry.

    Life has long been scattered.

    She laughed bitterly.

    Because finding her brother was her real purpose.

    ¡°Alex Beth is alive.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­hul.¡±

    Alois slumped down as if she lost the strength in her legs.

    The moment her brother¡¯s name came out of my mouth, she would have judged that I really knew her brother.

    After a while, Alois asked in a trembling voice.

    ¡°Where¡­ is he?¡±

    She looked up at me with mournful eyes as if she had forgotten the purpose of killing me.

    I glanced at the clock.

    I¡¯ve been with Alois Beth too long.

    When Seirin finishes talking to Gregory, she¡¯ll go find Alois right away.

    It was dangerous if the two of us were caught together.

    ¡°I have to go back first. I¡¯ve been lingering too long at the villa.¡±

    ¡°Tell me where it is and go! Please¡­!¡±

    Alois cried softly and begged.

    I understand her desperation, but the place is bad.

    I slowly got her up and whispered.

    ¡°Come to your real home. If it were you, it would be easy to move without the Princess knowing.¡±

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re trying to use me like a princess, after all. With conditions that I can¡¯t refuse.¡±

    There was resentment in her eyes.

    ¡®Seirin threatened her with her life. Maybe the whole town of Lavita.¡¯

    Somehow Alois became sad.

    There was no way she, as a supporting character, could handle the darkened Seirin.

    Alois seemed to think I was going to put Alec in a tough job as a hostage.

    I quickly shook my head.

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t intend to make unreasonable demands on you by taking your brother hostage.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡±

    ¡°I just¡­.¡±

    I hesitated and continued.

    ¡°I just want you to be happy.¡±

    This was sincere.

    Because I really like Alois Beth.

    Of course, even if it¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve seen each other in this life.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ !¡±

    Alois¡¯ eyes shook wildly.

    Thanks to that, the tears that had been piling up were dripping down.

    ¡°What the hell are you¡­.¡±

    Alois looked at me as if she didn¡¯t understand me.

    I said to her with a smile.

    ¡°So come find me. Let me help you.¡±

    * * *

    It was the night before the return, before the final battle with the evil dragon.

    Alois talked to me while lying down because she couldn¡¯t sleep.

    ¡°Rose, are you sleeping?¡±

    ¡®No, not yet. Can¡¯t you sleep, Alois?¡¯

    ¡°Yes, I keep thinking about the past.¡±

    ¡®The past?¡¯

    Ahead of the final battle, Alois looked contemplative.

    I think the reason why she confessed to me that day was that she thought we might die tomorrow.

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    Alois told me a secret she had never told anyone.

    ¡®¡­ ¡­ actually I had a younger brother.¡¯

    ¡®Younger brother? You never said such a thing.¡¯

    ¡®Cause I¡¯ve never told anyone.¡¯

    ¡®Ah¡­¡¯

    ¡®By the time I settled in Lavita, I was almost in a state of giving up. Of course, since there are no clues other than the proof.¡¯

    With those words, Alois took out a handkerchief from her bosom and showed it to me.

    The handkerchief that was carefully kept looked very clean except for the fact that it was only half.

    ¡®Is that a red hawk?¡¯

    Yes, my brother has the other half. It¡¯s a mess because I ripped it in a hurry with a knife, right?¡¯

    ¡®¡­ ¡­ .¡¯

    ¡®When Alex and I were just born, the village found out that our family was magicians.¡¯

    ¡®Ah¡­¡¯

    ¡®At that time, the exclusion of magicians was more severe than it is now. As we tried to run away in a hurry to avoid persecution, my parents dispersed, separating from me and my younger brother. To distract their attention.¡¯

    Alois¡¯ face was very distorted.

    At that time, the perception of the magician was very fierce.

    Therefore, it was not uncommon for the magician to be called a witch and burned at the stake.

    Perhaps Alois¡¯ family was also trying to escape from being burned.

    ¡°Just in case, I tore up the handkerchief and shared it. So that whatever happens to my parents, my brother and I can recognize each other.¡¯

    ¡®But you haven¡¯t seen each other again?¡¯

    ¡®Yes, my father didn¡¯t come to the place we were supposed to meet. So my mother ventured down to the village and my dad was hanging dead from a tree. It was burnt black too.¡¯

    ¡®¡­ ¡­ !¡¯

    ¡°There¡¯s a name written on the tree, so I barely found out. Burnt bodies are actually hard to recognize.¡¯

    ¡®Alois¡­¡¯

    ¡®Fortunately, my brother wasn¡¯t there. Maybe my father hid him somewhere.¡¯

 Chapter 93

    Tears welled up in Alois¡¯ eyes.

    Even though it was a nightmare time that she wouldn¡¯t have known well because she was young, it looked painful as if it was a humiliation that she had suffered right away.

    ¡®My mother gave me this handkerchief before she died and told me to find my brother.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s why you started your wandering life.¡¯

    ¡®Yes, that¡¯s right. But I guess he¡¯s dead since he hasn¡¯t been found yet.¡¯

    Alois smiled bitterly and put the handkerchief back in.

    Her figure at that time was a very sad picture.

    As I was thinking about the past, someone knocked.

    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s Chris.¡±

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    When my permission was granted, Chris entered the room.

    Lexion let Chris stay at Sparrow Castle for me before leaving for the expedition.

    Originally, I was supposed to go on the expedition together, but he belatedly recognized Alex Beth¡¯s existence and left him by my side.

    Of course, there was also the purpose of sending a messenger through him in case of emergency.

    I stared at Chris¡¯ left wrist.

    It was covered with a sleeve, but it was clearly tied with a handkerchief.

    It was so old that it barely remained in shape.

    A red hawk could be seen at first glance through the crevice.

    ¡®It¡¯s only natural that Alois couldn¡¯t find him. Because he has become such an amazing person.¡¯

    I somehow fell into a sentimental mood.

    In the past, Chris had already died before forming the subjugation squad.

    So Alois had never met Chris.

    As she said, her brother is already dead.

    On behalf of Lexion, whom he respects.

    Lexion asked me before leaving the expedition.

    He asked if Alois Beth had a family.

    I was very embarrassed because it was a secret that no one knew except me.

    And why he asked such a question was explained by Sir Chris.

    ¡®I never thought he¡¯d be this close.¡¯

    Although Chris and Alois were twins, they had no resemblance.

    The only similarity is that their hair color is red, but red hair itself is common, making it difficult to relate the two.

    It was a situation where the saying ¡°dark under the lamp¡±* fits perfectly.

    TL/N: Neglecting what¡¯s right under their nose.

    Chris said.

    ¡°What did you call me for?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to send a message to the Duke.¡±

    ¡°A message?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I held out a sealed letter with those words.

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    The high altitude of the Hawk Mountains made using communication devices difficult.

    It is also said that if there is an aftermath of the evil dragon, it becomes worse.

    So it was better to send a fast-footed messenger.

    The letter said that I had found Alois Beth.

    Chris said as he received the letter.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll send it soon.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Sir Chris.¡±

    I grabbed Chris as he was about to go back and stopped him.

    He tilted his head with a puzzled look.

    ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing¡­ I heard that you had a very difficult time before meeting the Duke.¡±

    He shrugged when I suddenly asked him about his childhood.

    ¡°I did, because I was a beggar.¡±

    It was a response that it was not a big deal to live as a beggar.

    I asked cautiously.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about the news of your family?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ why do you ask that all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°What if the family was looking for Sir Chris? Will you meet them?¡±

    ¡°They are parents who abandoned a child like a blood clot. There¡¯s no way they¡¯ll find me.¡±

    Chris spoke firmly and I moistened my lips.

    I couldn¡¯t force him to meet if he didn¡¯t want to.

    ¡°There could be a situation.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I heard it from the Duke. That thing on the wrist might be a family memento.¡±

    ¡°Your Excellency¡¯s mouth was lighter than I thought.¡±

    Chris laughed bitterly, hiding his wrist.

    However, unlike the words, there was no sign of anger.

    ¡°I found out by chance.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t mean to blame you. It¡¯s not even a secret. It¡¯s just a bit of a dirty story.¡±

    ¡°If your family wants to meet Sir Chris, can you meet them?¡±

    It was an important question.

    No matter how much Alois was looking for him, Chris¡¯ intentions came first.

    Chris had been living as a beggar for a long time and his life itself was threatened.

    Surviving life was a miracle.

    But that time had a huge impact on Chris¡¯ character.

    Even after meeting Lexion and being saved, he still acted like a glutton and was very wary, which was like a habit from a beggar¡¯s life.

    Sir Chris didn¡¯t have his parents around to tell him what was going on like Alois.

    Because his father sacrificed himself to save Chris.

    ¡®It¡¯s only natural that you think your family has abandoned you. What if you don¡¯t want to see her?¡¯

    With that thought in mind, I silently waited for Chris¡¯ answer.

    After a while, he said.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious. Why did they forsake that little child?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Your Excellency and Miss Tiarozety are both very interested in my handkerchief.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Did you happen to see someone with half of this handkerchief?¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    I opened my mouth at Chris¡¯ sharp question.

    Chris grinned as if my reaction was enough of an answer.

    ¡°As expected.¡°

    ¡°Where is my family?¡±

    Chris¡¯ red eyes stared intently at me.

    Just when I was about to open my mouth.

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    A red bird tapped on the window.

    Looking outside, I saw Alois Beth¡¯s alter ego.

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    I looked at Chris and the red bird alternately because it was a weird timing.

    I couldn¡¯t let them meet yet.

    Before that, I had to check Alois Beth¡¯s intentions.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when it¡¯s clear. Go back first, Sir Chris.¡±

    ¡°¡­All right.¡±

    Chris left without urging.

    Only after the sound of his footsteps faded did I open the window to greet the red bird.

    The red bird said as soon as it entered the room.

    ¡°It¡¯s me, Alois Beth.¡±

    ¡°Welcome, Alois.¡±

    Alois, who came in the form of a small red bird, jumped onto my arm.

    Black eyes glared at me.

    ¡°You¡¯re not surprised to hear the bird speak.¡±

    ¡°Because I thought it was you.¡±

    I smiled softly, stroking her hair a little with my fingers, and brushing it as if not to touch it.

    Then she tapped my hand with her beak and asked softly.

    ¡°What the hell are you? How much do you know about me?¡±

    ¡°A lot more than you think.¡±

    I was hit even though I could dodge the beak attack.

    Alois flinched at my words and left my arm with her wings flapping.

    ¡®A red bird with a strong sense of vigilance¡­ ¡­ . cute.¡¯

    I grinned at Alois¡¯ sullen attitude.

    I remembered the old memories of Alois, the image of a red bird, which was so long ago that I kept laughing.

    Alois was so calm that it was doubtful whether she was the same person who had been crying the other day.

    She may have come here as an alter ego to hide her feelings.

    ¡®But you must have calmed down a little. I¡¯m glad.¡¯

    From the beginning, I had no intention of suddenly bringing up the story of her brother.

    I didn¡¯t expect to meet Alois there in the first place, nor did I expect her to point a knife at me.

    I just kept an eye on Betty and told her the truth.

    If it was me who took Alois, I would track her down, find her, and send her to the Hawks, where Lexion is.

    But Alois tried to kill me in Sparrow Castle, and in cooperation with Seirin.

    I was a little displeased that the book never said anything about her.

    The new character mentioned in the last trailer seemed to be Alois.

    ¡®I should have found Alois from the start. It¡¯s so hectic.¡¯

    After returning, everything changed and I didn¡¯t even think about Alois because I was adapting.

    Because the order of events in the book had changed in a jumbled way, and Lexion intervened, making it chaotic.

    ¡®But I¡¯m glad I ran into you before things went wrong. It would have been hard to turn back if we had already met after trying.¡¯

    I didn¡¯t want Alois to go wrong.

    The moment when Alois died at the end was still vivid.

    Seeing that it is a painful and painful memory just to recall, I may have depended on her quite a bit.

    ¡®I¡¯m going to save everyone this time. I have the power to do that now.¡¯

    Now I was no longer a supporting actor.

    The protagonist of this world.

    This time I will never be helpless against the tyranny of the book.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    I made up my mind and told Alois.

    ¡°Have you thought about it?¡±

    ¡°What? Kill you or not?¡±

    ¡°No. Preparing to be happy.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    The red bird stared intently at me.

    I couldn¡¯t tell what was on her mind with the black eyes without whites.

    After a while, Alois said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to persuade me emotionally, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m just flattering with words?¡±

    ¡°Because you haven¡¯t shown me anything that stands out.¡±

    ¡°Then did the princess show you something?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    Alois was at a loss for words and stopped talking.

    It was because Seirin also had no other tangible proof to her than an oath.

    ¡°At least the princess and I have made an irresistible treaty.¡±

    ¡°So are you going to kill me? To keep the oath?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ I won¡¯t kill you if you tell me where my brother is.¡±

    The red bird clung to its feathers and whispered softly.

    ¡®You¡¯re threatening me.¡¯

    I knew Alois Beth well.

    The fact that she is good at deceiving others with clever words, and in fact, she is very soft-hearted.

    ¡®Looking at you saying that, I guess you must have written something in your oath with Princess Seirin.¡¯

    Alois was very careful.

    The imperial family suddenly came and asked her to kill me, so there is no doubt that she did not have a secret plan in place.

    ¡®If you refuse Seirin¡¯s request right away, you will be killed, so you must have pretended to accept it.¡¯

    I smiled and spoke.

 Chapter 94

    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, so let¡¯s go to the place where my brother is¡­¡±

    ¡°Did you forget that your magic doesn¡¯t work for me? I¡¯m sure you said it yourself.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ ¡°

    Alois hesitated as if she had forgotten.

    ¡°I¡¯m the one who can threaten you now, Alois Beth.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡± Even now, I can pull a rope and accuse you of trying to kill me. It doesn¡¯t have to be Alex.¡±

    As I glanced at the rope, Alois raised her head and stared at me.

    I then opened my mouth.

    ¡°Who would be at risk then?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°The Princess is a royal family member. She wouldn¡¯t get a big punishment for trying to kill me. Even if you¡¯re being blamed for it.¡¯

    Her feathers trembled shallowly.

    It seemed that she was a bit embarrassed that I wasn¡¯t scared out of my mind.

    I didn¡¯t stop talking.

    ¡°In the end, only Alois will be used as a dump and be eliminated by an assassin.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°So don¡¯t try to blackmail me. Don¡¯t even try to fool me.¡±

    Alois lowered her head.

    She seemed to have judged that threats didn¡¯t work for me.

    After a while, she sighed deeply.

    ¡°I feel like I was seen through by you even before I tried anything.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve grown up eating salt.*¡±

    TL/N: Eating salt: To live uncomfortably while being attentive to others¡¯ remarks, behavior, and thoughts, and not expressing one¡¯s thoughts.

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    Of course, it was my past life.

    As I smiled bashfully while hiding my backstory, she flew away and came to my eyes.

    ¡°Since I made an oath, I have no choice but to obey the princess.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying there¡¯s no way to break the oath?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have any¡­¡±

    ¡°As expected, you left something behind, right?¡±

    Alois¡¯ beak wiggled when I asked with glistening eyes.

    She groaned softly.

    ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t trust the royal family in the first place. My family split up because of them.¡±

    Then, she pecked his beak in the air as if she was throwing a tantrum.

    I thought she would get angry if I said that she was cute, so I stayed still.

    Alois said.

    ¡°Well, I won¡¯t tell you the details.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Alois came close to me when I accepted it.

    ¡°At first, the princess didn¡¯t seem like someone who would threaten me with her life just because she couldn¡¯t kill you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    Seirin had a great sense of pride as an imperial family. She was a dazzling person because of that.

    So she wouldn¡¯t even think of such a dishonorable attempt at self-destruction.

    ¡°The Princess is that kind of person.¡±

    I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s still like that.

    ¡°There¡¯s more to check than that.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°How did you know I had a younger brother? I haven¡¯t told anyone so far.¡±

    I stared at Alois.

    I hesitated, not knowing what to explain first, but Daisy came in.

    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°Come on in.¡±

    ¡°This is the lady¡¯s book right?¡±

    Daisy presented me with [The Opponent of the Dragon].

    I seemed to have forgotten it after looking at the contents of the book on the terrace earlier.

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    In fact, after watching the trailer, I was often checking to see if I could know when Kronos would come first.

    Perhaps it was left behind.

    Daisy said with a big smile as if she knew it.

    ¡°As expected, I was right that it¡¯s your bible. You left it on the table. I¡¯m familiar with the cover, so I brought it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Daisy.¡±

    I was just about to get the book from Daisy.

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    Chirp chirp.

    Alois cut in between me and Daisy, chirping loudly.

    ¡°Oh my, what kind of bastard?¡±

    TL/N: I laughed at this LMAO.

    Daisy shrank back in surprise.

    Alois calmly sat down on the book and stared at the cover.

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with her?¡¯

    Daisy tried to chase the bird while looking at it in bewilderment.

    Chirp chirp!

    Alois pretended to be a bird and evaded Daisy.

    I quickly wrapped around the bird and said,

    ¡°It¡¯s all right, it¡¯s a bird I know.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, a bird you know?¡±

    ¡°I fed it a few times and it came often.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh, that¡¯s why it jumped at me. It¡¯s asking for attention.¡±

    Daisy just stopped moving.

    Then she chuckled as if the bird was cute.

    I quickly received the book and said.

    ¡°Thank you for bringing me the book.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Do you perhaps need bird feed?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s already full.¡±

    ¡°Yes, then I¡¯ll go out.¡±

    Daisy nodded and walked away.

    As soon as Daisy left, Alois rushed to the book in my hand.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because I have something to check. Put it on the table.¡±

    I put the book down on Alois¡¯s pestering.

    She stuck to the book and looked at it as if she stepped on it and asked if she asked.

    She stepped on the book all of a sudden and stuck to the book, looking at it and examining it while I was watching her.

    She pecked with his beak and kept trying to open the book to see what was inside. But the power of the little bird was not enough.

    Alois looked up at me and asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but please open this book.¡±

    I didn¡¯t allow her to speak informally, but I let it go naturally.

    Even in my previous life, when I was distracted somewhere, I would always say things like that.

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    I asked calmly without being angry.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because it exudes a dangerous energy.¡±

    ¡°Energy?¡±

    I paused at Alois¡¯ words.

    The fact that she, the character in the book, is overly interested in the book is suspicious but also feels dangerous.

    ¡®Does she feel something because she¡¯s a magician?¡¯

    Come to think of it, I had never taken the book out in front of her in my previous life.

    By the time the subjugation team was formed, there was no need to memorize the book and listen to it.

    On the day when I saw the love scene of Lexion and Seirin for no reason, I felt bad all day, I put it down even more.

    Even if she has a good sense, she¡¯s a character anyway.

    Since she couldn¡¯t see the main body of the book, I gently opened the book.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Alua flapped her wings and looked at the book.

    Soon she came close to me and asked.

    ¡°Where did you get this book?¡±

    She spoke formally again, perhaps escaping her thoughts.

    ¡°I bought it at the bookstore.¡±

    ¡°Are you fond of it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­ .¡±

    ¡°Can you give it to me?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ That would not be possible.¡±

    Even if I want to give it anyway, it¡¯ll come back.

    As I grabbed the book, she approached me.

    ¡°Then tell me where you bought it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±

    ¡°You said it was a bookstore earlier.¡±

    ¡°Why are you interested in this book? It¡¯s just an ordinary Bible.¡±

    ¡°But that¡­ ¡­. I think there¡¯s some spell on it. I want to make sure that it¡¯s the energy of a magician.¡±

    Alua wiggled her beak and muttered a little.

    Something was suspicious, but I couldn¡¯t give her the book.

    I hid the book and tried to change the subject.

    ¡°Alois, more than that, your brother¡­¡­¡±

    That was then.

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    I thought that Alois let out a shallow moan and then suddenly fell to the floor helplessly.

    ¡°Alois!¡±

    The red bird, who had come to her senses, trembled and got up from the floor with difficulty.

    I quickly crouched down and put her on my palm.

    ¡°Alois, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Haa, this princess is really¡­¡±

    Alois opened her mouth with difficulty and her beak flinched as if she were biting.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?  What about the Princess?¡±

    ¡°I have to go back for now. I don¡¯t have time to explain.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to die if I keep dawdling!¡±

    With the words, Alois flew away and disappeared.

    ¡®What the hell is going on?¡­¡¯

    I stared at her in a daze and suddenly a cheerful alarm went off.

    ¨C Tiling!

    The book was activated and the guide began.

    [The main stage starts soon. Please visit Princess Seirin for a smooth development.]

    ¡®What?¡¯

    Along with the guide, the location of the Seirin was stamped with coordinates.

    ¨C Please move quickly!

    At the guide¡¯s urging, I sighed deeply and left the room.

    It seemed to be related to Alois¡¯ hasty return.

    * * *

    Seirin nervously walked back and forth while waiting for Betty to come.

    After a while, Betty came in.

    ¡°Did you find it?¡±

    Betty nodded to Seirin¡¯s question and stuck out something.

    It was a book that Alois usually looked at when teaching magic.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    It was a kind of magic book that organized the techniques she developed over time.

    ¡°Alois Beth was away just in time, so it was easy to bring it.¡±

    ¡°Great job.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go and wait for Alois because she might come back.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Betty quietly left the room with those words.

    Seirin took a deep breath in front of Alois¡¯ book.

    The hand that closed the book trembled.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t expect to steal.¡¯

    Seirin was unfamiliar with her recent changes.

    She didn¡¯t intend to do it this far, but when she kept coming to her senses, she was already working on it.

    ¡®But there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡¯

    Seirin rationalized herself and held the book tightly.

    It was too late to stop her heart from swelling violently.

    She already considered herself to be broken without any control.

    In fact, she didn¡¯t expect the plan to be this late.

    Alois dragged on, saying that the technique did not work well.

    It was not long ago that she decided to use a technique that she could call right in front of herself because she thought it was a matter of distance.

    That¡¯s why she invited Tiarozety to tea time, but something unexpected happened and it was messed up.

 Chapter 95

    The curse planned by Seirin and Alois was not without any risk, but it was a technique that did not leave a trace.

    It was decided that it would be difficult to find a connection between Tiarozety¡¯s death and Seirin herself since it was triggered after a certain period of time.

    Before that, she was going to make an alibi.

    She did but-

    ¡®Seirin, don¡¯t do anything for nothing. What difference do you think killing her will make?¡¯

    Gregory, who suddenly intervened, ruined everything.

    It was because it was difficult to avoid charges if she used magic in front of him.

    Seirin was bewildered that Gregory had seen through her plans.

    She was also disappointed by Gregory, who was trying to protect Tiarozety.

    His sister is herself.

    She didn¡¯t know why he was more supportive of her.

    Seirin recalled the conversation she had with Gregory after sending off Tiarozety that day.

    ¡®Brother, just pretend you don¡¯t know.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s not allowed. I know you¡¯re going to do something wrong, but you want me to stay still?¡¯

    ¡®Something wrong? What¡¯s wrong with the death of one Esol?¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s nothing?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah. She should have died at the time of the Esol disaster anyway. What the hell is she¨C¡®

    ¡®Seirin, you were the one who said there was no distinction of statuses in human life.¡¯

    Seirin still can¡¯t forget Gregory¡¯s expression when he said it.

    He looked very disappointed.

    Gregory, who captured his expression, narrowed his brow and said.

    ¡®It¡¯s not too late. Let¡¯s stop when no one knows.¡¯

    ¡®If I was going to stop, I didn¡¯t even start.¡¯

    ¡®Serin! Are you going to be so stubborn? If I knew this would happen, I wouldn¡¯t have followed you to Bael!¡¯

    ¡®Say it right. You didn¡¯t have a choice anyway.¡¯

    ¡®You¡­¡¯

    ¡®If I stop? Then, Lexion will come to me?¡¯

    ¡®Whether she dies or not, Lexion won¡¯t go to you, Seirin.¡¯

    TL/N: FACTS!!! GREGORY SPITTING FACTS

    ¡®At least he would be engaged to me without her.¡¯

    ¡°Stop being stubborn!¡±

    Gregory shouted with a frustrated face, but Seirin remained indifferent.

    It was because she had already made up her mind and his complaints did not come through.

    It was a conversation that ended in an argument.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Seirin opened the book without hesitation.

    She quickly rolled her eyes, trying to find something.

    ¡®There must be some fatal spell.¡¯

    In an instant, a dark energy loomed around her.

    The evil dragon¡¯s thoughts grew stronger and tried to manipulate Seirin secretly.

    It secretly but meticulously seized Seirin so that neither the people around her nor even the person involved could not notice it.

    The book explained the formula using the characters that Seirin had recently learned from Alois.

    It was said to be a slang word used among magicians.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t know the entire language because Alois only told her a part of it.

    So, Alois did not think that such a thing would happen and was negligent.

    However, Seirin was confident that she could find the magic she wanted with those few words.

    And she was pushed to the extreme to do it like this.

    After a while.

    ¡°I found it.¡±

    Seirin opened the page with a faint smile.

    At a glance, it was a level of detail that was different from the technique Alois had previously taught.

    Seirin tore the page and put it into her arms so that it wouldn¡¯t be obvious.

    At that moment, the black energy greatly engulfed Seirin.

    Her eyes became dull in an instant.

    With blank eyes, she took back the spell page she had put in her arms.

    Then, biting her finger, she began to trace the formula on the floor.

    A pretty big spell was painted on the floor.

    It was a sophisticated and complicated technique that was far beyond her skills, but she was unstoppable.

    Especially since the evil dragon is behind her.

    Her fingers were already swollen, but she looked like she didn¡¯t feel any pain.

    It was when she completed the ritual and moved slowly into the middle of the technique.

    ¡°Seirin, it¡¯s me.¡±

    Gregory opened the door and called Seirin.

    And she completely fell into the ruined situation as he approached.

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    Seirin belatedly came to her senses and uttered a shallow exclamation.

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    Immediately, she felt pain in her fingers.

    It was very clear.

    Blood dripped from the messed-up fingers.

    She didn¡¯t even know how hard she bit it.

    Gregory was astonished to see the spell on the floor and Seirin¡¯s blood-stained hands.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Br, Bro, brother. This, this is¡­.¡±

    Seirin looked at the spell in a trembling voice.

    She didn¡¯t know when she drew the spell.

    With her current skills, it was natural that she could not draw such a sophisticated technique in that short time.

    Originally, it was planned to be carried out alone after taking the recipe and practicing it.

    She had no intention of doing whatever and dealing with this roughly.

    At that time, the spell was about to start flashing.

    ¡°Uh, uhhh¡­.¡±

    Gregory bit his lower lip at Seirin¡¯s terrified look.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    First of all, it was important to get Seirin out of there.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. Let¡¯s calm down for now¡­¡­.¡±

    Gregory was trying to stride toward Seirin, comforting her, and Alois immediately came in.

    ¡°You can¡¯t go in!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­ what?¡±

    Gregory looked at Alois in surprise.

    As he already knew her identity, he was not surprised even though she was a stranger.

    It was because he had an intuition that Seirin might be in danger when he was told that he was not allowed to go in.

    Alois quickly recited a breaking spell.

    Then, the surroundings of the ceremony vibrated violently.

    ¡°Kyak!¡±

    Seirin sat down with a shriek of surprise.

    Gregory panicked and grabbed Alois.

    ¡°What are you doing? Seirin is in pain.¡±

    ¡°Let go of this. The princess tried to use magic. If I don¡¯t stop her, she¡¯s dead.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Damn, she must be someone who can¡¯t even tell where to die and run wild like this. My life is still connected!¡±

    Alois pushed Gregory with a swear.

    Gregory was quietly pushed back.

    There didn¡¯t seem to be anything he could do right now.

    He absorbed the absurd situation that happened before him.

    ¡°Heu, Heueu¡­!¡±

    Seirin hugged her chest in pain.

    Alois was also sweating profusely.

    After a while, the spell slowly began to lose its light.

    It was thanks to Alois¡¯ blocking before it was activated properly.

    ¡°Cough!¡±

    Alois and Seirin shed blood at the same time.

    After a while, Alois sat down helplessly and let out a smirk.

    ¡°Oh, I thought I was going through it.¡±

    Eventually, the magic spell that was emitting light was extinguished, and Seirin fell to the floor.

    ¡°Seirin!¡±

    Seirin trembled as Gregory supported her.

    ¡°Bro¡­¡±

    But she lost consciousness before she could speak.

    ¡°Seirin! Wake up!¡±

    Gregory slapped her on the cheek and shook her to wake her up, but there was no answer.

    Alois spat out a tired voice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There are no life-threatening consequences.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    After rubbing his face, Gregory first laid Seirin on the bed.

    Then he said to Alois,

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but can you call a member of the royal family?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­All right.¡±

    At the polite request that was not like royalty, Alois staggered and left.

    Of course, Alois¡¯ physical condition was not very good, so it was somewhat lacking in consideration, but it was fortunate that he did not blame all of this on her.

    When Alois went out, Gregory sighed and exhaled.

    The red colored blood on the floor felt dizzying.

    There was a faint fishy smell in the room.

    Gregory stared at her fingers.

    It was still dripping with blood.

    The wound seemed to be that deep.

    ¡°Seirin, where the hell are you going?¡±

    Since so much blood was spilled, it was only natural for her to faint, even if it was not because of the spell.

    ¡°Huk! Princess!¡±

    Then Betty came in late and made a fuss.

    Gregory said, putting his index finger to his lips.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss.¡±

    ¡°Ho, how did this happen¡­ ¡­¡±

    Her face was pale.

    Like someone who just guessed what happened.

    ¡°You knew everything, but you didn¡¯t stop her.¡±

    Gregory looked at Betty coldly.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop Seirin?¡±

    ¡°I, I have sinned to death!¡±

    Betty trembled and knelt down.

    As expected, she seemed to have figured out what was going on.

    ¡°Ha.¡±

    Gregory sighed deeply.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    It was a good thing he discovered it first, but if the Sparrow servants had seen this scene, it would have been a mess.

    Gregory didn¡¯t want Seirin to be cornered.

    Seirin was disappointed that he cared more about Tiarozety than she did, but it wasn¡¯t.

    Seirin was as precious to Gregory as Tiarozety.

    Gregory ordered with cold eyes.

    ¡°First, erase the traces before anyone comes.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, yes!¡±

    Betty wanted to leave, trembling, so she got a mop and cleaned the floor.

    After erasing all traces, Alois arrived with a member of the council.

    It was a member of the royal family who was attached to Seirin separately.

    ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡±

    A doctor approached Seirin and took a pulse.

    Alois frowned at the scene where the traces had disappeared.

    But she kept her mouth shut.

    Gregory asked in a dry voice.

    ¡°How is it?¡±

    ¡°She seems to have lost too much blood. The wounds on her hands are pretty serious too.¡±

    ¡°Other than that, is it okay? Like internal injuries.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Other than that, it¡¯s fine. But why did the princess¡¯s fingers become like this¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Even I don¡¯t know¨C¡°

    Gregory was about to turn around lightly.

    Ppoo-poo-

    A horn sounded far away from somewhere.

    ¡°This sound¡­¡±

    Gregory flinched when he heard the sound.

    It was a signal used by the Imperial Knights to announce their entrance.

 Chapter 96

    I was on my way to the villa when I heard a horn and stopped.

    ¡°Oh my god! You¡¯re here already?¡±

    This sound was clearly the horn of the Imperial Knights.

    It also marks the arrival.

    Judging from the faint sound up to here, it seemed that they had already entered Bael.

    I quickly went to the window and checked the activity in the castle.

    The knights were also aware of the news of Kronos¡¯ arrival, so it was seen that they were busily moving somewhere.

    Arnold and Chris were in the center of them.

    ¡®It¡¯s too fast, even if it¡¯s faster than I expected.¡¯

    It was less than two months after Lexion left for the expedition.

    Kronos came at a time when the expedition was in full swing and even news was scarce.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure Arnold¡¯s already sent the messenger right? Kronos is here.¡¯

    However, even if he received a messenger, if the expedition is in progress, it will be difficult to come even if he knew.

    ¡®If he was going to come back in the first place, he wouldn¡¯t have even started.¡¯

    Lexion went on an expedition even though he knew Kronos would come.

    Because it will help Bael in the long run.

    Maybe he left Arnold after telling him how to prepare for it.

    ¡®It would take two full days for the messenger to arrive to say I found Alois¡­¡­ ¡®

    Even now, if we send Alois there, the expedition may return sooner after completing the schedule.

    I resumed the steps I had stopped and headed towards Seirin.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Since Alois left looking for the princess, she will be next to Seirin.

    ¡®¡±¡®Let¡¯s try to persuade her somehow to send Alois to the Hawks.¡¯

    After a while, I reached Seirin¡¯s bedroom and knocked carefully.

    ¡°Princess, this is Tiarozety. Are you inside?¡±

    I thought the room was noisy, but Gregory came out instead.

    ¡°Prince?¡±

    Why is Gregory here?

    When I peeked inside, Seirin was lying down and a doctor was examining her.

    Gregory asked with a slightly nervous expression on his face.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I have something to do with the Princess for a while. But why did the doctor¡­¡±

    As I glanced inside, Gregory covered the room with his body.

    ¡®What the hell happened inside?¡¯

    It was even more suspicious because it was right after Alois left in a hurry.

    When I looked up, Gregory changed the subject while rubbing his face.

    ¡°I heard the horn earlier.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I heard it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about the lady, but that¡¯s the sound of announcing the entry of the Imperial Knights.¡±

    Gregory nodded inside the room and continued.

    ¡°Seirin is in a bad condition right now. Originally, we should have gone out together¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say that¡­¡­¡±

    Gregory continued sweeping his face with his hands.

    ¡°Anyway, if Kronos enters Sparrow Castle like this, he may misunderstand.¡±

    ¡°¡­that you mistreated the Princess at the castle of Sparrow?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Gregory sighed, then exhaled.

    His face looked tired as if he had grown old in a day.

    I could see the inside slightly because he tilted his head a little while ago.

    Subsequently, Alois was examined by the doctor.

    Betty next to her kept glancing over here with an anxious expression on her face.

    It looked like she was trying to hide something from me.

    Alois¡¯ expression was not so good either.

    ¡®Did Seirin use a technique without Alois knowing?¡¯

    The probability of failure was very high if the magic was performed without the help of the magician.

    This was because the spell itself was created and tailored to the magician in the first place.

    Even if she tried to imitate it, Seirin would not have been able to do it alone.

    In case of failure, the caster took all the risk, so it was understandable that Seirin¡¯s condition was like that.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡®Currently, the two are bound by an oath. At the same time as Seirin failed, Alois must have been affected as well.¡¯

    That¡¯s why Alois suddenly collapsed.

    I sneakily spied around the room, trying to find traces of the magic.

    However, there were no other suspicious signs, as if they had already hidden it.

    Soon I turned to Gregory.

    He seemed to be roughly aware of the situation when he didn¡¯t explain it to me properly.

    Maybe he removed the evidence on behalf of Seirin.

    Because he cares so much about Seirin.

    He may have thought it was an accidental act and tried to hide it.

    Even if Gregory didn¡¯t know the details of the magic, Alois would have confirmed that it was a curse.

    ¡®If you knew she was going to kill me and hid the evidence, it would be a bit disappointing.¡¯

    Then Alois came out from the inside and closed the door.

    Gregory told her.

    ¡°Stay inside.¡±

    ¡°I need to tell you something.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a little¡­¡­¡±

    Gregory blinked at me and tried to shut Aloi¡¯s mouth.

    But Alois was faster.

    ¡°Then where should I go? Do you think that the situation is very relaxed right now, Prince?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean¡­.¡±

    ¡°The doctor says there is no internal injury, but there is no way that there is no internal injury even after failing the technique.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying she¡¯s not in good condition?¡±

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s good or bad, I need to check the magic that the princess was trying to cast, but the prince just erased it.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    I blinked when I heard that he had erased the magic ceremony.

    It seems that it was because of Gregory¡¯s judgment that the traces disappeared in such a short time.

    Alois pressed Gregory in a sharp tone.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough. I can find out if I reverse her destruction method anyway. Of course, thanks to you, it¡¯s a bit of a hassle.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Gregory kept glancing at me with a troubled face.

    He seemed worried about how I would take this situation.

    Gregory asked, trying to capture his expression.

    ¡°How long does it take to analyze it?¡±

    ¡± I think it¡¯ll take an hour.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s an hour.¡±¡­.¡±

    Gregory was lost in thought, sweeping his mouth.

    After a while, Gregory grabbed my shoulder and pleaded with me.

    ¡°First of all, I¡¯ll go to Kronos and drag on the time. Because I can say that she took a nap and it took time to get ready.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    ¡°Please contact me when Seirin wakes up, Lady.¡±

    As soon as Gregory finished speaking, the guide said.

    ¨C Enter the main stage ¡°Eve of the Storm¡±. Please stand by Princess Seirin.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    ¨C Following this, the Imperial Knights will attack Sparrow Castle. A little fuss is expected. A mediator is required.

    ¡°!!¡±

    My face turned muddy when I heard that a collision was expected.

    Gregory was the right person to be a mediator.

    If I let Gregory go like this, our paths will cross.

    Since Seirin was down, it was difficult for Arnold to face Kronos without him.

    As Seirin fainting was so sudden, Arnold couldn¡¯t have been prepared.

    I grabbed Gregory¡¯s arm as he was about to leave.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡±

    ¡°Lady?¡±

    His eyes widened.

    He stared blankly at the hand I was holding.

    I opened my mouth to hold him.

    ¡°Sir Arnold must have already gone and intervened.¡±

    ¡°It would be hard for Marquis Brandt to deal with it alone.¡±

    ¡°What if we cross paths? Now there is no one in Sparrow Castle who can stop Crown Prince Kronos.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡­ Seirin hasn¡¯t woken up yet¡­..¡±

    Gregory rubbed the corner of his mouth and gave a look of embarrassment.

    I said it again in case he would go away.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t go.¡±

    Gregory let out a deep sigh as his hands trembled.

    He patted my shoulder and said.

    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t go.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Anyway, if it¡¯s Kronos, he¡¯ll still be able to come straight to Sparrow Castle. I¡¯d rather be blocking it here.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    He gently ruffled my hair as I expressed my humble thanks.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Then I saw Daisy running from afar.

    She had an urgent expression at the first glance.

    ¡°Miss!¡±

    ¡°Daisy, what brings you here so quickly?¡±

    ¡°Marquis Brandt is looking for you urgently. This is the communication device.¡±

    Daisy gave me the communication device without even wiping away her sweat.

    ¡°Marquis Brandt?¡±

    ¨C Miss Tiarozety, where are you now?

    ¡°Oh, I was in the villa. What¡¯s the matter¡­¡±

    ¨C Soon, Crown Prince Kronos will arrive at Sparrow Castle. He¡¯s going to pick up Princess Seirin.

    ¡°What? This fast?¡±

    No matter how much Seirin¡¯s purpose was, it was too sudden to take Seirin as soon as he arrived.

    Gregory looked surprised, too.

    ¨C I¡¯ve informed Emelia of the details, so go to Emelia.

    Gregory and my eyes met at Arnold¡¯s request.

    Gregory said shortly after the communication ended.

    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t listened to you, I would have really missed him on the way.¡±

    I glanced at the book that was already active.

    It told me to stand by Seirin, so it was better to call Emelia this way.

    ¡°Daisy, ask Emelia to come over here.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see!¡±

    Daisy nodded and hurriedly left.

    I subsequently spoke to Gregory.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be watching the Princess, so first of all, go to the castle. His Majesty the Crown Prince may come.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I will.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll contact you as soon as she wakes up.¡±

    I grabbed the doorknob to enter the room with those words, but Gregory held it.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ ?¡±

    I stared at Gregory, who didn¡¯t say anything.

    He moistened his lips with his tongue, unable to speak directly.

    When I asked him why, he answered briefly.

    ¡°I beg you.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    I blinked when he said he was sorry.

    Looking at his face which was like dead grass, I could guess one thing.

 Chapter 97

    ¡®You knew it. What Seirin was trying to do with Alois.¡¯

    Gregory, who usually cares about Seirin, would not have been able to push her easily.

    The fact that the ceremony earlier was erased seemed to have been handled out of fear that it would be disadvantageous to Seirin.

    I couldn¡¯t argue with the act of covering up for the family.

    Although it was a little disappointing.

    I spoke calmly.

    ¡°Have a safe trip.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Gregory laughed bitterly and hurriedly headed for the castle.

    Since the castle was blocking the villa, he was sent there because he could only enter the villa through the castle.

    After that, I whispered to Alois, who was next to me.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°The Princess stole my magic book. She¡¯s trying to cast a dangerous magic technique again¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you mean dangerous technique? So if you don¡¯t know what kind of technique it was earlier¡­..¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a lie. I was annoyed that they destroyed the evidence, so I said anything.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°It was an excuse to threaten the Princess¡­ ¡­ Tsk!¡±

    Alois clicked her tongue and licked her lips.

    She shrugged her shoulders as I stared blankly.

    ¡°She suffered internal injuries, but it¡¯s okay because I blocked it before it started properly.¡±

    ¡°When can she come back to consciousness?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll wake up soon. In fact, she just vomited blood and collapsed in surprise. Why did you do such a terrible thing when you were so scared¡­ Tsk tsk.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡±

    I was discussing the general situation with Alois when a doctor opened the door and came out.

    ¡°How is the Princess?¡±

    The doctor carefully answered my question.

    ¡°She seemed surprised for a moment. Fortunately, she has just regained consciousness.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    I let out a sigh of relief when I heard that Seirin had woken up.

    It was a relief that she came to consciousness earlier than expected.

    A sense of relief came over me, as if something was going smoothly.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    It was then.

    ¡°Princess, if you still move¡­!¡±

    Betty¡¯s voice from inside caught my eye.

    After a while, Seirin stormed out of the door, and naturally, our eyes met.

    Her eyes gleamed as she found me.

    ¡°Princess, it¡¯s cold outside. You don¡¯t have good energy, so you can¡¯t keep overdoing it¡­¡­¡±

    Betty followed and fretted, putting a coat around Seirin¡¯s shoulder.

    Seirin stared at me and asked sharply, not paying attention to Betty.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    An unusual, exasperated tone of voice.

    I didn¡¯t know what it was for, but Seirin seemed very agitated.

    I stared intently at Seirin.

    Seirin, who looked at me bitterly, was very unfamiliar.

    I thought I should calm her down a bit, so I grabbed her arm.

    ¡°Lie down a little longer. You just collapsed.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch my body!¡±

    Seirin shoved my hand and shouted out loud.

    I was pushed back unexpectedly, but I managed not to fall down thanks to Alois.

    I was worried but she reacted violently to what I said, so I was a little angry.

    ¡°Princess, what the hell are you doing?¡±

    Seirin trembled when I asked.

    ¡°Why did it have to be you?¡±

    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±

    ¡°I, I didn¡¯t like you from the beginning! Why the hell would Lexion want someone like you¡­. !¡±

    Seirin¡¯s eyes were already insane.

    Red, bloodshot eyes stared at me as if to tear me to death.

    I was so embarrassed by the unfamiliar appearance that I couldn¡¯t even respond.

    Then she grabbed my arm tightly and shook it.

    ¡°If you¡¯re of a minority race, you should know your place. How, how¡­..! You mean you¡¯re going to be a duchess?¡±

    I did not understand Seirin¡¯s behavior.

    Also, as soon as I touched her, my stomach felt strangely bloated.

    ¡®what¡­ ¡­ ?¡¯

    It was a familiar gurgle.

    It was also a creepy feeling after using Asta.

    My head suddenly became heavy and I felt dizzy.

    Sensing the danger, I tried to pull her away, but Seirin was one step quicker.

    Then she grabbed my neck with both hands.

    Then she grabbed me by the neck with both hands.

    It happened in an instant.

    She tightened her hand as if she would strangle me to death at any moment.

    ¡°Keugh!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, I hate those who covet what¡¯s mine the most!¡±

    ¡°Princess, no!¡±

    Betty shouted in a shrill voice and tried to deter Seirin.

    However, Seirin did not loosen the strength of her hands.

    The passers-by chattered in surprise, but they could not stop her and hesitated.

    It was because they did not want to treat the Princess inappropriately and get blamed for nothing.

    ¡°What are you doing? Hurry up and stop her!¡±

    Alois screamed, stomping her feet, and followed Betty to remove Seirin and stuck to her.

    Two women tried to separate them, but Seirin didn¡¯t budge.

    It was too strong to be seen as the power of Seirin, who was usually weak.

    ¡®Wh, what the hell is this¡­ .¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t breathe well because I was choked.

    I couldn¡¯t get her off because my hands were too weak.

    I flinched while looking at Seirin with giddy eyes.

    It was because something came to mind.

    ¡®No way¡­Is it because you¡¯re infected with thoughts?¡¯

    It must have been quite a long time ago that Seirin hated me.

    But even so, she was not such a foolish person to show her malice so openly.

    She was acting like a lost person.

    ¡®What if the evil dragon drove Seirin¡¯s feelings and made her feel free to do evil?¡¯

    Then, it was understandable to some extent that Seirin had tried to kill me even while taking the risk of an oath in search of Alois.

    ¡°Keugheog!¡±

    Even as I was thinking about this, I was out of breath.

    Thanks to Betty and Alois, the breathing hole is not completely blocked.

    I wanted to take it off quickly, but I kept getting dizzy and it was difficult to resist.

    ¡®What kind of power is this¡­ ¡­ ! No more¡­¡¯

    It was when the string of consciousness was about to fade.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing!¡±

    The breath that had been choked up suddenly filled with a strong shout from the man.

    ¡°Kaeg kaeg¡­!¡±

    I came out with tears in my eyes and stared at the man who blocked Seirin.

    Red curls stood out.

    ¡®Sir Chris¡­.¡¯

    It seems Arnold sent Chris here just in case.

    Next to Chris was Emilia.

    Emilia asked worriedly, supporting my shoulder.

    ¡°Tiarozety, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Cough! Cough! Keugh¡­¡­¡±

    I kept coughing and nodded my head.

    Seirin ran up to Chris and shouted.

    ¡°Get out of my way!¡±

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re the princess, You can¡¯t intimidate Miss Tiarozety anymore.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you hear me say step aside?!¡±

    Seirin raised her hand while shouting angrily.

    She was about to hit him at a glance.

    But Chris wasn¡¯t taking Seirin¡¯s hand slap.

    ¡°Uh¡­!¡±

    As he gently retreated to avoid it, Seirin stumbled heavily.

    Seirin, who was lying on the floor, trembled and trembled.

    A loud shriek echoed in the hallway.

    Chris, who was in front of her, avoided Seirin and didn¡¯t catch her, so she fell even more.

    ¡°Eug¡­ ¡­Heugh.¡±

    Seirin started to sob when I thought she was uttering a shallow moan.

    Betty pushed Chris and shouted.

    ¡°No matter how you are a commoner with no origin, what are you doing to the Princess!¡±

    TL/N: Lmao whut Betty excuse me PlzZ?? She annoys me more than Seirin tbh.

    She pushed Chris away without even thinking about what Seirin had just done to me.

    But Chris wasn¡¯t one to be pushed back by Betty.

    ¡°I just avoided it. It was the Princess herself who fell.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so cold-hearted¡­¡­! You haven¡¯t heard the whole story yet!¡±

    ¡°It is not at all justified to try to strangle a person to death even if Miss Tiarozety did something wrong.¡±

    ¡°Sir Chris!¡±

    Betty vented her anger as if Seirin was the victim.

    Chris, on the other hand, responded coldly and never apologized.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    The guide warned as the confrontation between the two sides reached its peak.

    ¨C Kronos will arrive soon. If you don¡¯t pick up the pieces and rectify the situation, you¡¯ll have a collision!

    ¡°Sir Chris, please stop it.¡±

    I stopped Chris with a cracked voice.

    If Kronos saw the situation of the two confronting each other for no reason, it would scratch and crumble.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    I nodded my head when Chris asked anxiously and I said to Betty.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so angry. Sir Chris is also my escort.¡±

    ¡°No matter how much you escort, can you beat the princess like this?!¡±

    ¡°Say it right. The first one to strike me was the Princess.¡±

    ¡°At least you could¡¯ve held him back. If she¡¯s still not well¡­!¡±

    ¡°I almost died. Sir Chris must have been surprised too.¡±

    ¡°Even so¡­ !¡±

    I sighed and muttered coldly when Betty didn¡¯t back down and started raging.

    ¡°Young Lady Diason, do you want me to make things big?¡±

    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±

    ¡°I know why Princess Seirin collapsed earlier.¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    I whispered in her ear which flinched for a moment.

    ¡°Not once, but twice. Maybe there have been many attempts that I am not aware of.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Even if I can¡¯t punish the princess, I can still damage the reputation of the imperial family and the princess.¡±

    ¡°N, now¡­.¡±

    Betty stuttered with a bluish face.

    ¡°In addition, all the employees here just heard the remarks of Princess Seirin.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°It means that it¡¯s no use trying to get away.¡±

    ¡°Y, you¡­.¡±

    Betty trembled and couldn¡¯t speak properly.

    I walked closer to Betty¡¯s face and whispered with a smile.

    TL/N: YASSS TIAROZETY!!! YOU GO GURLLL!

    You know many chapters ago, someone commented that they were annoyed with how weak Tiarozety was and how she sends mixed signals to Gregory.

    I humbly disagree. As we know, the book gives out penalties if she doesn¡¯t follow the storyline and from what we¡¯ve read so far, Tiarozety is just a really nice girl who interacts sincerely with other people.

    So what she tells or how she acts towards Gregory might be misunderstood, but I believe that half of it is because of the book, and the other half is cause of her innate personality.

    Also with regards to her being weak, I believe that Tiarozety does what she can within the constraints of the book. Before she found out about Lexion¡¯s regressions, she assumed that he would like Seirin cause of the OG plot and was generally very confused with how everything was different from the plot she knew.

    However, after she found out the truth, she doesn¡¯t waver in her trust towards Lexion and does what she can to support him.

    Sorry for the long passage. I swear I¡¯m not trying to pick a fight LOL. Just wanted to share what I think.

    Hope there are still people enjoying this story! TuT

    wuxia readers, I see you too¡­ pls try to read on PM Translations instead :3

 Chapter 98

    ¡°Do you want the usual benevolent face of the princess to be revealed throughout the capital? At a time like this?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If you understand, stop making a fuss and get the princess up and go back to her room.¡±

    Betty frowned as I muttered like a warning.

    Moments later she raised the fallen Seirin from the floor.

    She couldn¡¯t seem to find a place to refute my words.

    Seirin leaned on Betty with tears streaming down her face.

    Betty wrapped her arms around Seirin¡¯s shoulders and pulled her inside.

    ¡°Princess, don¡¯t cry. You¡¯d better go in and get some rest first.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you honey water. It will give you some strength.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Betty.¡±

    Seirin went back to her room without resisting, perhaps because she was exhausted from the defeat.

    I followed her back to the end, but there was no sign of the evil dragon.

    Then Alois glanced at me for a moment and followed them in.

    ¡®Did I mistake Seirin¡¯s condition earlier? Was I so surprised?¡¯

    But before I was strangled, I felt nasty.

    It was too vivid a feeling to be an illusion.

    Then Emelia came up to me.

    ¡°How did this happen? What happened to the princess?¡±

    Emelia¡¯s face looked confused.

    It must have been the first time she had seen Seirin so agitated like that.

    No, maybe it¡¯s the first time everyone has seen it.

    I couldn¡¯t easily speak.

    It was because I couldn¡¯t explain that Seirin brought in a magician to kill me.

    Not only would that put Alois in danger, but there was Chris next to her.

    ¡®I don¡¯t want you to think badly of Alois.¡¯

    I slowly explained.

    ¡°There was a little argument. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not a big deal? It¡¯s only because of an argument that brought you to this point¡­¡­! Your neck is going red!¡±

    Daisy spat out a tearful voice and looked sadly at my neck.

    Even so, the inner thoughts were completely silenced.

    It looked like she was afraid that the princess might hear it and cause another fuss.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    It stings when I put my hand on my neck.

    Chris stopped my hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it. We¡¯d better calm it down first.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get the ice bag!¡±

    Daisy was about to run right away, so I grabbed her and said.

    ¡°No, Daisy. Princess Seirin is awake, so she¡¯ll go back to the Imperial Palace anyway.¡±

    ¡°Now?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s would be even more difficult if you run into the Crown Prince here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my father asked me to try not to bump into His Majesty the Crown Prince as much as possible.¡±

    Emilia nodded and reached out to the other side of the hallway.

    ¡°We¡¯d better go out the secret through the secret passage. Prince Gregory is dealing with him, but he¡¯s so stubborn.¡±

    ¡°He has a rather fiery personality.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here as soon as possible because he might rush into the villa.¡±

    Emelia smiled bitterly and hurried her steps.

    I told Daisy before I escaped.

    ¡°Daisy, will you go to Prince Gregory right now and tell him that Princess Seirin is awake?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we get you to the room safely and then go?¡±

    Daisy hesitated, wanting to follow me.

    It seemed that she was very worried about what had happened a while ago.

    Emilia spoke to this.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to do that. I¡¯m going to follow Tiarozety anyway.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ I see. Then I¡¯ll go right away and report it.¡±

    Daisy quickly disappeared, leaving her worries behind.

    I slowly headed towards the back door, supported by both Emelia and Chris.

    This was guided by the guide.

    ¨C As a result of handling the situation well, the element of conflict disappeared. After that, Princess Seirin will move to another castle with Prince Kronos.

    I sighed inside at the words of another castle.

    As expected, it didn¡¯t seem like Kronos¡¯ purpose was just to take Seirin.

    Maybe it¡¯s all part of the show that they¡¯re going to take Seirin so quickly.

    Chapter 12. Lucid Dream

    A week has passed since Kronos stayed in Bael.

    As soon as Kronos came to Bael, he settled in the castle of Baron Asher.

    It is not known when he and Baron Asher started colluding, but it was true that the Imperial Knights led by Kronos were stationed in Bael.

    Since then, Kronos has been holding out even though he took Seirin with him.

    It seemed like an act to keep Lexion in check.

    It could have been intended to secretly pressure the Sparrow family, taking advantage of Lexion¡¯s absence.

    I sighed as the situation was getting complicated.

    ¡°Was the Asher family originally close to the imperial family?¡±

    ¡°I guess the Princess got close to Young Lady Asher when she came on the trip.¡±

    ¡°Actually Young Lady Asher is close to Emelia. She would have known through her.¡±

    ¡°However, the atmosphere of the nobles staying in Bael is not good because they openly side with the Royal family.¡±

    Daisy replied sullenly.

    If it was Sophie Asher, it was the young girl I saw at Emilia¡¯s last tea party.

    It seems that she has connected with Seirin through her friendship with Emilia.

    Perhaps Baron Asher did not miss the opportunity and was greedy for the purpose of getting ahead.

    Since he was a baron in the north, it must have been difficult to refuse the hand the imperial family offered.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Still, it was a little difficult for the Imperial Knights to be stationed in Bael.

    ¡°When will they go back to the capital?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. They just keep postponing it day by day.¡± I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll get caught in pod for nothing*.¡±

    TL/N: Something in another person¡¯s words that is fallacious and illogical and that can be used against them.

    Daisy looked worried about the bad atmosphere in the castle these days.

    At least, Gregory is acting as a buffer by coordinating opinions between Sparrow Castle and Asher Castle.

    It seemed that he had received a request from Lexion in advance.

    Because Arnold alone would have a hard time dealing with Kronos.

    When I said nothing, Daisy shrugged.

    ¡°But I¡¯m glad Prince Gregory was with Marquis Brandt.¡±

    Daisy¡¯s deep feelings to ease my worries were conveyed.

    I answered with a faint smile.

    ¡°Because the prince has been special to the duke for a long time.¡±

    ¡°But these days, it seems that the prince visits the young lady too often. I want you to be a little more careful.¡±

    ¡°Be careful?¡±

    ¡°Just.. ¡­ I think that the prince seems to have a different heart for you.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not in a position to say anything because you¡¯re not even officially engaged to the Duke yet, but ¡­¡­¡±

    Daisy hesitated to look at me.

    She just smiled awkwardly because she knew what was going on.

    Moments later, I opened my mouth to reassure Daisy.

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about. It would be a problem if the relationship between the prince and the duke fell apart at a time like this.¡±

    TL/N: Like if Tiarozety openly treats Gregory coldly, it might cause things between him and Lexion to be awkward.

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°And I might get caught up in a scandal that I¡¯m going back and forth between the two of them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to trouble you with inadequate thoughts, miss.¡±

    Daisy shook her head, restless.

    I too knew well that the current situation was on the verge of a storm.

    And I also knew that Gregory¡¯s heart was leaning more and more towards me through the book.

    A situation in which the book keeps making me run into Gregory even if I try to avoid contact points as much as possible.

    ¡®There¡¯s no way I can stop Gregory from coming in person. Especially when the book is active.¡¯

    In the novel that unfolded, it was even absurd because it was a place where even my mind was cut out* as the book wanted.

    TL/N: Like her mind ¡°tailored¡± the way the book wants it to be- for her to like Gregory.

    Because as much as Gregory was inclined to me, I tried to adapt it as if I was also inclined to him.

    ¡®I think the book is getting more and more forceful.¡¯

    I said, stretching Daisy¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Daisy. I¡¯ll be careful not to let anything you worry about happen.¡±

    ¡°Yes, miss. As long as the lady is in peace, that¡¯s all I need.¡±

    That¡¯s when Chris knocked.

    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s Chris Martin.¡±

    ¡°Come on in.¡±

    When my permission was granted, Chris came in.

    As Daisy took a step back, Chris handed me a letter.

    ¡°The Duke replied.¡±

    ¡°The Duke?¡±

    My eyes lit up when I heard that it was a letter from Lexion.

    I was wondering what was going on because there was no contact even a week after sending the messenger.

    Chris said with a shallow smile, as if he had understood my thoughts.

    ¡°A messenger arrived last night. The expedition is going well without a hitch.¡±

    ¡°What a relief.¡±

    ¡°Read it and if you have anything to say, I¡¯ll send a messenger.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Sir Chris.¡±

    When I smiled, Chris fidgeted with the back of his head and looked shy.

    When I saw Chris, I naturally thought of Alois.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    After the commotion with Seirin that day, Alois also moved to Baron Asher¡¯s castle.

    Anyway, on the surface, it was because she was Seirin¡¯s handmaiden.

    After that, I thought I would lose contact with Alois, but luckily I got a call from her first.

    ¡®I¡¯m going to trust Miss Tiarozety.¡¯

    ¡®Why did you suddenly change your mind? I haven¡¯t even told you who your brother is yet.¡¯

    I was a bit embarrassed by Alois¡¯ words that she would believe me.

    However, from the conversation that followed, I could guess why she suddenly changed her mind.

    ¡®No, I already know.¡¯

    ¡®What?¡¯

    ¡®My brother¡­ The knight who saved Miss Tiarozety that day right?¡¯

    ¡®¡­ ¡­¡¯

    ¡®The handkerchief is tattered, but the embroidery is clear.¡¯

    Aois¡¯ voice saying that was very calm.

    As if she¡¯d organized a lot of thoughts in a moment.

 Chapter 99

    Alois murmured in a calm tone.

    ¡®It¡¯s a relief. I wasn¡¯t the only one looking for my brother.¡¯

    ¡®Sir Chris doesn¡¯t know yet. Besides, he thinks his family has abandoned him.¡¯

    ¡®I. . ¡­ I¡¯d like to ask you to meet him right now, but I know the situation is not good.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Alois.¡¯

    ¡®Rather, it will be an opportunity to get to know more about my younger brother. He grew up really bravely¡¯

    Alois responded pleasantly and chatted.

    I also added a few words.

    ¡®His swordsmanship is also great. He is a knight whom the Duke trusts a lot.¡¯

    ¡®It looked like it. As expected, isn¡¯t it a good thing that he didn¡¯t grow up to be a magician?¡¯

    ¡®I didn¡¯t mean it like that. If you were offended¡­ ¡­¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m kidding. I¡¯m not a coward who blames my bloodline. Besides, he¡¯s a man, so he can¡¯t be a magician.¡¯

    Since then, Alois has helped tell me about the situation in Asher Castle.

    It was like she was playing the role of a kind of spy.

    And Chris took on the role of a bridge between me and Alois.

    Alois asked Chris to do the job.

    It was also a decision that respected her desire to get to know Chris before revealing that they are family.

    Then Chris sent another letter.

    ¡°A letter came from Alois too, saying that the movement of the Imperial Knights is unusual¡±

    ¡°It was already suspicious enough to bring so many people.¡±

    ¡°Fortunately, the expedition to the Hawk Mountains went smoothly, so I think he will return by the end of this month.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s trying too hard to come quickly for no reason.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. No matter how busy he is, the Duke I know is not someone who skimps on what he needs to do.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Sir Chris.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go now.¡±

    Chris nodded and left the room.

    The reason he didn¡¯t stay any longer was he was busy, as he was currently in charge of the remaining Black Knights in Bael.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    I first opened Lexion¡¯s letter.

    [Titi, the expedition is going smoothly.

    It¡¯s snowing here, so there are so many snowflakes that you like.

    It¡¯s so beautiful that I want to come and play with you.]

    A full-fledged story was written behind the content that began with a light talk.

    [Unlike Hakun and Brandt, it became difficult to distinguish thoughts with the naked eye.

    The exact cause is unknown, but I think it¡¯s because the evil dragon¡¯s energy is stronger than before.

    Purification is proceeding according to the reaction of the purification stone.

    When it is a source of infection, the purification stone sparkles.

    I found this out through trial and error, but after that, the expedition became easier.]

    I stopped at the words that the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts were invisible to the naked eye.

    It was because Seirin¡¯s unexpected behavior was on my mind the whole time.

    ¡®Is Seirin in a similar situation to the Hawk Mountains?¡¯

    While I was skeptical, the addition of Lexion¡¯s information made me even more suspicious.

    ¡®If you can determine whether you are infected with a purification stone, I should ask Alois.¡¯

    Just in time, she stayed around Seirin, so I thought she could check.

    What followed was an explanation of how the expedition was going.

    And at the end of the letter, there was encouragement for me.

    [I heard from Arnold that Kronos has arrived.

    The knights in Bael remain armed.

    Don¡¯t worry too much.

    The situation in the capital is not good, so it will be difficult to rush the Sparrow family.

    I¡¯ll try to get back as soon as possible.

    Until then, take care, Titi.

    I miss you.]

    I repeatedly reflected on the sentence ¡®I miss you¡¯ and folded the letter.

    That¡¯s how much I wanted to see him.

    ¡®But I¡¯m glad he didn¡¯t have a head-on collision with the evil dragon.¡¯

    I was a little nervous because I saw the evil dragon roam the northern part in my dream.

    The conditions for dreaming were unknown.

    I just dreamed irregularly at some point.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    I then opened Alois¡¯ letter.

    [The crown princess and the crown prince often argue these days.

    The crown princess seems to be worried about the emperor and wants to go straight to the capital, but the crown prince is silent.

    Besides, it¡¯s all the more chaotic because she can¡¯t contact the capital.

    Something seems to be going on in the capital.¡­

    It would be good to check it out.

    The behavior of the Crown Prince is also very suspicious.

    Perhaps because the Crown Prince was entrusted with military power by the Emperor, the imperial knights all follow the Crown Prince.

    Contrary to what I heard, he was a very cold person.

    Last time, a knight that made a mistake was promptly disposed of.

    The atmosphere was absolutely brutal.

    Then, if there is any other information, I will contact you again.]

    ¡®What do you mean you can¡¯t contact the Imperial family?¡¯

    In my previous life, Kronos had never acted on his own without the Emperor¡¯s orders.

    It was because the temper itself was on the ignorant side.

    It was because he did not have a good temperament and his strong character was to blame.

    Therefore, the emperor was displeased every time, and whenever he had a chance, he scolded him.

    It was all because of the emperor that Kronos had a strong inferiority complex.

    ¡®It¡¯s strange, there¡¯s no way the emperor would delegate military power to him¡­¡­ Or is there a reason for that?¡¯

    The emperor I knew held the military power tightly until the end.

    Even if Kronos was upset about why he doesn¡¯t trust him, he would never give up his seat.

    Perhaps it was because he thought that military power was the emperor¡¯s right.

    He seemed to have any possible rebellion or rebellion in mind.

    ¡®The emperor trusted Kronos and gave him full power.¡¯

    As Alois said, we should look at the situation in the capital.

    I said to Daisy, who was beside me.

    ¡°Daisy, can you get Emelia?¡±

    * * *

    After a while, Emelia came to the Myersotis room.

    ¡°Tiarozety, you¡¯ve been looking for me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to call you when you¡¯re busy.¡±

    Emelia smiled and sat down in front of me.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Emelia, is there anyone who can contact the capital?¡±

    ¡°Why the capital all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid the prince¡¯s movements are suspicious.¡±

    ¡°Suspicious?¡±

    Emilia tilted her head and gave off a curious light.

    I held out Alois¡¯ letter to her.

    Alois was never exposed because they did not mention each other¡¯s names anyway.

    ¡°This is¡­ ¡°

    Emilia looked at the contents of the letter and her expression darkened.

    ¡°There is a person close to the princess who gives information.¡±

    ¡°Tiarozety, you can¡¯t do this dangerous thing on your own.¡±

    Emelia said anxiously with a stiff face.

    She didn¡¯t want me to be stressed out about useless things.

    I answered, shaking my head lightly.

    ¡°The Duke knows that, too. He gave me permission, and now Sir Chris is helping me.¡±

    ¡°¡­I see.¡±

    ¡°As you can see from the content, they can¡¯t get in touch with the capital. The Crown Prince¡¯s attitude is a bit suspicious.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not difficult to find out. However, it may take a while if the contact information has been changed since we have not been in touch for a long time.¡±

    Emelia thought for a moment and readily accepted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try. I¡¯ll tell you when I get in touch.¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you, Emelia.¡±

    I laughed bashfully, and Emilia laughed along.

    ***

    Next Day.

    I sent a letter to Alois with the help of Chris, enclosing a purification stone along with the identification method that Lexion had taught me.

    Seirin may be being manipulated by an evil dragon, so be careful.

    Unfortunately, the collaboration between me and Alua did not continue.

    After that day, contact with Alois was completely cut off.

    * * *

    ¡°You didn¡¯t see her today either?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I think she¡¯s been caught.¡±

    Chris finished the report with a dark face.

    It¡¯s already been five days since I couldn¡¯t reach Alois.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Chris accompanied Gregory and secretly looked into Asher Castle, but couldn¡¯t find Alois¡¯ back.

    ¡®If she got caught, Seirin would have found fault with it¡­ Why is it so quiet?¡¯

    ¡°Is she dead?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. The princess can¡¯t kill Alois.¡±

    When Alois dies, so does the princess.

    So it was obvious she was locked up somewhere.

    ¡®There¡¯s a high possibility that Alois didn¡¯t open her mouth since I haven¡¯t heard from her yet.¡¯

    When my thoughts reached that point, I felt like I had to rescue Alois in a hurry.

    Even if he couldn¡¯t torture Alois because of her oath, Kronos was a vicious person.

    He will make Alois confess at all costs.

    Alua wasn¡¯t a professional soldier or assassin, so I didn¡¯t know if she could endure that long.

    If they find out that I am behind it, they will use that as an excuse to take over the Sparrow family.

    ¡°I should go there myself.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s too dangerous. Don¡¯t do that, I¡¯ll sneak in myself and¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°How can you infiltrate when you don¡¯t even know where the location is? And if you get caught, the entire Black Knights will be suspected.¡±

    ¡°Location, I¡¯ll figure it out somehow¡­ .¡±

    I was arguing with Chris, and Daisy came in.

    ¡°Miss, I have an invitation from Asher Castle!¡±

    ¡°Invitation?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ !¡±

    Chris and I paused at the word invitation.

    Daisy held out the invitation with a dark face.

    The sender was Seirin Arden Werbel.

    ¡®Did I get caught?¡¯

    When I was about to think like that.

    The book was activated and a notification sounded.

 Chapter 100

    ¨C Surprise event! Please accept the reconciliation offered by Princess Seirin. Upon acceptance, Gregory Aden Wexler is automatically selected as the partner.

    As soon as the invitation came, the book appeared loudly.

    The fact that Gregory automatically becomes a partner seemed to mean that I had only one option.

    It was a natural development because Lexion, the sub-male lead, was on an expedition.

    Before I knew it, there was tension in the Myersotis room.

    It was because we had just been talking about Alois.

    Due to the timing, the intention of the invitation was questionable.

    I tore open the invitation in front of Chris.

    Below the formal invitation was a short text.

    [We¡¯re leaving for the capital next Monday.

    I¡¯d like to apologize for the last time before I go. I was really sorry then.

    If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like you to join me at the farewell party.]

    ¡°You¡¯re leaving for the capital?¡±

    I blinked at the unexpected news.

    I thought there would be a more violent confrontation, but I was surprised that the imperial family would step down like this.

    ¡®What really happened to the capital? Is that why you¡¯re rushing back without negotiating with Lexion like this?¡¯

    In many ways, the situation itself did not make sense.

    Chris said with a stiff face.

    ¡°It could be a trap. It would be better not to go.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an invitation letter where the princess bowed her head first and reached out her hand first. If I refuse, it will definitely put me at a disadvantage.¡±

    ¡°But rather than going to a dangerous place¡­¡­.¡±

    Daisy said when Chris showed an unfavorable attitude.

    ¡°Young Lady Brandt was also invited. All the other aristocratic ladies she met in Bael.¡±

    ¡°So she¡¯s really leaving? This easy?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Marquis Brandt said he received an official notice from His Highness the Crown Prince this morning that he would leave in three days.¡±

    ¡°If an official letter came in the morning, I would go¡­.¡¯

    I glanced at the book with suspicious eyes, but the book just floated and was silent.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    It was an invitation I received at a time when Alois couldn¡¯t reach me, so I was a bit reluctant.

    However, the farewell banquet itself was a good excuse to rescue Alois.

    A lot of people were invited, so even if I took out Alois, there was relatively little chance of me being suspected.

    Even if they suspect me, it will be difficult to pinpoint me as the culprit until decisive evidence is found.

    ¡°Daisy, you may go out.¡±

    After I sent Daisy, I brought the subject up to Chris.

    ¡°It¡¯s rather good. We can rescue Alois when there are a lot of people. When can I find the location?¡±

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a possibility if you bribe the servants of Asher Castle, but if you get caught, the risk is increased.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Black Knights have elite spies specialized in this kind of work?¡±

    ¡°How did you know that?¡±

    Chris became wary when I knew the secret information of the Knights.

    I added because I was afraid.

    ¡°Oh, the Duke told me. Before I leave for the expedition, if you need to, get it through Sir Chris.¡±

    ¡°I see. That¡¯s right. They¡¯re called the ¡®Black Spirits¡¯. They specialize in espionage.¡±

    ¡°Then we better find the location through them. If we just wait for Alois to appear like now, there is a high risk that this side will be exposed.¡±

    ¡°All right, then I¡¯ll try to infiltrate with the Black Spirits and find out where it is.¡±

    I continued with a big smile at Chris, who readily accepted.

    ¡°On the day of the banquet, Sir Chris, please be my escort. To make it easier for Sir Chris to get Alois.¡±

    ¡°But my top priority is to escort you. I can¡¯t leave my position.¡­.¡±

    ¡°Prince Gregory is there. And the royal family won¡¯t be able to openly intimidate me in a crowded place.¡±

    If they intimidate, it will be the development that the book wants, so Chris will not be able to stop it.

    Chris gave a lukewarm response.

    ¡°Still¡­¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re worried about the prince, you can post another knight.¡±

    When I gave him another suggestion to put his mind at ease, he said with relief.

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll have it ready.¡±

    * * *

    The Imperial Knights were preparing to leave according to the official notice.

    It seemed almost certain to hear that the armed knights were fighting, and they were even clearing out the barracks.

    I also found out the location of Alois through the Black Spirits.

    As expected, Alois was locked up.

    The servants said she was only being punished for making a big mistake with Seirin.

    Fortunately, I got in touch with Alois by bribing a servant who delivered food to Alois.

    And the news that came back came true to my expectations.

    [You¡¯re right. The purification stone reacted to the princess.

    I was going to try to purify it with magic, but I ended up being caught by Betty and got imprisoned.

    I haven¡¯t said who I¡¯m cooperating with yet.

    At times like this, it¡¯s not a bad thing to take an oath.

    Thanks to you, I am eating well and doing well.]

    I was worried that she was suffering, but fortunately, there seemed to be no sanctions other than detention.

    I was relieved because Alois in the letter seemed quite lively.

    ¡®As expected, Seirin became weird because of the evil dragon.¡¯

    The book, which had kept its mouth shut before that, later admitted that Seirin was tainted by the evil dragon.

    ¨C Princess Seirin has been tainted by an evil dragon and is being used cleverly. Please save the poor princess.

    Shamelessly appealing to me now to purify her.

    From the beginning, I was planning to purify her.

    I couldn¡¯t let her go back to the capital while being tainted by the evil dragon.

    I just wanted to rebel a little because the book demanded it, but my intention to save her remained unchanged.

    I explained Seirin¡¯s situation to Gregory, asking to partner.

    ¡®I heard that Seirin was being controlled by an evil dragon¡­ ¡­¡¯

    ¡®Yes, according to Zion, the evil dragon¡¯s energy has recently evolved so that it cannot be distinguished with the naked eye. Maybe that¡¯s why we didn¡¯t notice.¡¯

    ¡®I thought it wasn¡¯t the Seirin I knew. I should have taken a closer look¡­¡­.¡¯

    Gregory couldn¡¯t raise his head because he felt guilty.

    ¡®Why is it the prince¡¯s fault? Anyway, now that I know, I¡¯m thinking of purifying the princess at the farewell banquet.¡¯

    ¡®Will it be okay? It¡¯s not easy to clean up secretly because there are many people watching.¡¯

    It was a question of concern that Kronos would find out about me using Asta for no reason.

    I said with a shrug.

    ¡®The prince is here. Please make room for me. So that I can comfortably purify the princess.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s why. You asked me to be your partner.¡¯

    Gregory was bitter that I asked him to partner for a purpose.

    But I made no excuses.

    It was because I didn¡¯t intend to give him useless expectations.

    The plan went smoothly, and it was already the day of the farewell banquet.

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    * * *

    I was escorted by Gregory and headed to Asher Castle.

    The escort was accompanied by Sir Chris and another knight.

    Upon arriving at Asher Castle, numerous nobles and children of nobles had gathered.

    A seemingly cordial atmosphere on the outside.

    But there was some kind of tension in the background.

    Since Kronos, who was trying to interfere in the North in every case, was going to return, everyone seemed to be careful if he had any other ulterior motives.

    Most of the Bael nobles were in the castle.

    Chris pretended to be escorting me and quietly disappeared through the crowd.

    After a while, Seirin came out and came to Gregory.

    ¡°You¡¯re here, brother?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re going to the capital.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I managed to persuade my brother Kronos. My brother said you would stay here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been asked to do something.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help it. ¡­¡­Welcome, Miss Tiarozety. Thank you for coming.¡±

    After greeting Gregory, Seirin greeted me with a soft smile.

    She looked so good that I doubted whether she was the one who pushed me back the other day.

    I glanced at the ring on my hand.

    It was a ring made by crafting a small purification stone to check whether it was stained with thoughts or not.

    The purification stone twinkled as Seirin came closer.

    ¡®It¡¯s just as Alois said.¡¯

    I secretly turned the ring and moved the purification stone to the inside of my palm.

    This was done in case the glittering thing was caught.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety, I¡¯m so sorry about the other day.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    ¡°Are you in a lot of pain? I don¡¯t know why I did that back then.¡±

    Seirin glanced at my neck and said softly.

    The eyelashes, which had been lowered, trembled as if they were too difficult to lift.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m all better now.¡±

    I smiled awkwardly and shrugged.

    Then Gregory said tactfully.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to the terrace instead of standing and talking? You can go to your room.¡±

    The purpose was to go to a secret room and purify Seirin.

    Fortunately, Seirin accepted the message without any doubt.

    ¡°Oh, shall we? I wanted to talk to you separately.¡­.¡±

    Seirin paused while talking.

    It was because she found Kronos coming this way in the distance.

    ¡°Long time no see.¡±

    Kronos came up to us and greeted us.

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    ¡°I see the little lion of the Arden Empire.¡±

    I quickly greeted Kronos with courtesy.

    It was because I didn¡¯t want to be scolded for lack of manners.

    Kronos just gave me a glance as if he wasn¡¯t interested in me.

    Then Gregory was criticized.

    ¡°Now that you look at it, you¡¯ve become a servant to Sparrow, Gregory.¡±

    ¡°Thanks to someone.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just change your last name to Sparrow on this occasion? It seems to fit better than Wexler.¡±

    ¡°What do you want to say, Kronos? That¡¯s too much of a joke.¡±

    Gregory responded to Kronos with a smooth face.

    It looked like he wasn¡¯t shaken by his opponent¡¯s quarrels at all.

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101

    Kronos said.

    ¡°As I said before, there will be no benefit to staying here.¡±

    ¡°Right, I replied that I was not staying to gain a profit either.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re becoming more and more like Lexion. I don¡¯t like it when you¡¯re being needlessly faithful.¡±

    Kronos squiggled one eyebrow and stared at Gregory with contempt.

    He tried to avoid meeting Kronos as much as he could with his head down.

    ¡°The noble Crown Prince does not show any loyalty at all, so this decision was made as a servant with the relationship with the Sparrow family in mind.¡±

    When Gregory was overly talkative, Kronos snorted.

    ¡°Hmm, you talk slickly.¡±

    At the end of the sentence, Kronos¡¯ eyes turned to me.

    ¡°You still get nervous when you see me, don¡¯t you? Why are you clenching your fists?¡±

    Kronos pointed towards my fist with his chin.

    Since I was holding the purification stone so that he could not see it, I casually stretched my hand and attached it to the hem of my dress.

    ¡°I¡¯m sweating.¡±

    ¡°Why are you sweating? Do you feel guilty about something?¡±

    Kronos came close, speaking languidly.

    ¡°No way.¡±

    When I denied it, he whispered in my ear.

    ¡°Your escort went up the stairs earlier. Why? Are you taking advantage of the banquet to take the magician?¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    I didn¡¯t know when I was caught.

    As I looked at him with trembling eyes, he whispered with a low smile.

    ¡°From Esol to the magician. Lexion is greedy, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    Gregory intervened while I was speechless with goosebumps.

    ¡°Kronos, don¡¯t threaten her.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a threat.¡±

    Kronos smiled coolly and walked away.

    I stared at Kronos, stiff.

    I got caught.

    If Chris had already come into contact with Alois, things would be very complicated.

    My lower lip trembled as I felt my hairs stand on its ends.

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    It was when I tried to cover my mouth with one hand to avoid showing embarrassment.

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with this?¡¯

    The ring, which was turned inside the palm, was not only sparkling, but also vibrating.

    As I tilted my head at the oddity, Kronos said goodbye.

    ¡°Then enjoy the party. I also prepared a special event for the night.¡±

    Kronus smiled cheerfully and slowly disappeared.

    Then Gregory grabbed me by the shoulder and asked me softly.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I think things got messed up. We need to find Sir Chris.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come to think of it, where¡¯s Sir Chris?¡±

    As Gregory looked around, I drew closer to his ear and whispered.

    ¡°He went to find Alois Beth. Kronos has found out, so we need to get him back before he approaches Alois.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­Lady, you knew everything. That Luna Diason is Alois Beth.¡±

    Gregory¡¯s face darkened.

    That meant Seirin trying to kill me, and that included all the evidence he destroyed.

    Gregory bit his lower lip as I stared silently.

    Then Seirin said.

    ¡°Shall we go to the terrace now?¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    I followed Seirin casually, and Gregory followed silently.

    When we arrived at the terrace, Gregory said.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to change.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your clothes?¡±

    ¡°I spilled sauce on my clothes while eating finger food earlier. You two continue talking.¡±

    When Gregory left in a hurry, Seirin made a puzzled face.

    ¡°Anyway, sit down, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    I nodded calmly and walked to my seat.

    Then suddenly.

    ¡®Oh, when did it stop?¡¯

    Belatedly, I noticed that the purification stone was no longer vibrating and stopped.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t hear anything about vibrations.¡­. But why did it suddenly stop? Besides, the twinkle has faded.¡¯

    If it¡¯s true that the evil dragon is controlling Seirin, it should have kept flashing, but it was strange.

    Betty said as she looked around to see what to do.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get you something to drink.¡±

    Then, she nodded and left, leaving me and Seirin alone on the terrace.

    It was a situation where her knight and my knight were guarding outside.

    Even if there was a commotion inside, Seirin would have already been purified by that time.

    When it was only the two of us left, the guide exclaimed cheerfully.

    ¨C Purify Princess Seirin with a natural handshake. Refusal will result in a penalty.

    Seeing the penalty being talked about after a long time, it seemed to be necessary content for the development.

    ¡®You should avoid penalties while Lexion is away.¡¯

    It was because Lexion could be in danger.

    It was when I was about to offer Seirin a handshake as the guide requested.

    She spoke to me.

    ¡°When I met Miss Tiarozety, I found out that not everything in the world is the same.¡±

    At the same time, the purification stone sparkled stronger than before.

    I looked at Seirin with a nervous face.

    Then Seirin continued with a light smile.

    ¡°I won¡¯t come back to Bael. I don¡¯t want to disturb you anymore.¡±

    ¡°Princess¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to do that anymore.¡±

    Seirin, who smiled brightly, was somehow strange.

    It wasn¡¯t long before she said.

    ¡°Shall we shake hands before we go? The next time we meet, we can see each other smiling.¡±

    If I refuse that hand, I¡¯ll get a penalty.

    I had to make contact to use Asta anyway.

    I nodded lightly and grabbed her hand.

    Then, silently, I uttered ¡®[Asta]¡¯.

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    As expected, the thoughts were purified and I felt a sense of satisfaction as usual.

    Seirin flinched and tried to release her hand, but I grabbed her and stopped her.

    ¡°Ti, Miss Tiarozety, wait a minute¡­¡­ Whoo!¡±

    Seirin gasped and exhaled a painful breath.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Princess. It¡¯ll get well soon.¡±

    I didn¡¯t stop Asta while holding her as she was about to collapse.

    Seirin stared at me with watery eyes.

    After a while, the purification came to an end.

    It was then.

    At the same time as the last thought came, it was accompanied by a distinctly different pain than before.

    ¡°Urgh!¡±

    Startled, I tried to remove my hand, but it was absorbed quickly.

    I lost strength in my legs and I sat down.

    After that, Seirin lost consciousness and collapsed in front of me.

    ¡°Heub!¡±

    My whole body was shivering as if a hot fire was rising from within.

    At the same time, my fingers felt like they were going to break.

    ¡®Hey, what is this¡­¡­.¡¯

    I stared at the vibrating purification stone.

    The moment the purification stone couldn¡¯t stand the wave and broke.

    My consciousness was darkened accordingly.

    * * *

    Immediately after Tiarozety lost consciousness, the active book flashed.

    After a while, it seemed like the activated book disappeared.

    Tuk-

    A faded white book fell next to Tiarozety with a dull noise.

    * * *

    The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was darkness.

    It was a different feeling from the time when I entered a piece of the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡®Where am I?¡¯

    After looking around for a while, the book appeared late and said.

    ¨C Congratulations. Purification was successful. As a reward for absorbing the evolved evil dragon¡¯s power, Tiarozety is able to intervene in the evil dragon¡¯s dream.

    ¡®Ah, this is the dream of the evil dragon.¡¯

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    I thought I was trapped because I couldn¡¯t see anything, but it was a relief.

    ¡°What does it mean to be able to intervene?¡±

    ¨C Unlike before, when you had a limited glimpse of the evil dragon¡¯s consciousness, you can use the dreams to grasp the evil dragon¡¯s information.

    ¡°Can I also locate the evil dragon?¡±

    ¨C Of course. You can see not only the location but also what the evil dragon has done.

    ¡°Then all of a sudden, I lost consciousness¡­ ¡­.¡±

    ¨C This is because you entered the hidden episode ¡°Lucid Dream¡± in exchange for absorbing the evolved power.

    ¡°Hidden episode?¡±

    ¨C That¡¯s right. After the end of the episode, you can use the lucid dream ability on a limited basis.

    ¡°What is a lucid dream?¡±

    ¨C A lucid dream is dreaming¡­ ¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking for the dictionary meaning. What kind of ability is it?¡±

    TL/N: lololol

    When I cut off the words of the guide who was trying to recite the dictionary, the guide said.

    ¨C It is the ability to peek into their unconsciousness and dig up information through the dreams of the evil dragon and their families.

    It means that if I put my mind to it, I can see through the thoughts of the evil dragon and his family.

    ¡®The more I use Asta, the stronger my abilities become.¡¯

    ¡°What do you mean by limited availability?¡±

    ¨C Currently, Tiarozety¡¯s ability is limited to the number of times and dreams. The limit is three times, and when you enter the dream, the dream proceeds randomly.

    ¡°Random means that I don¡¯t know whose dream I¡¯m in?¡±

    ¨C You¡¯re right. Some restrictions may be relaxed when accepting the main episode, which will proceed after the hidden episode.

    The guide immediately answered my questions and sparkled.

    ¡°Then do we have three episodes left except for this one?¡±

    ¨C That¡¯s right. This stage is a tutorial for understanding lucid dreaming. If you do not want to proceed with the tutorial, you can skip it.

    I was troubled when I heard that I could skip it.

    Even the simulated stage was in the dream of the evil dragon or the family of the evil dragon.

    Without it being counted, I couldn¡¯t just throw away the given opportunity.

    TL/N: Meaning this tutorial is excluded from the 3 uses she gets.

    ¡®But everyone must have been surprised that I collapsed¡­¡­. I¡¯m worried about Sir Chris, too.¡¯

    After much contemplation, I made a decision.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll go without a skip.¡±

    Since I came in, I was going to proceed quickly and go back.

    ¨C Then we will start the episode of [Lucid Dream].

    At the same time as the guide¡¯s cheerful alarm, my vision opened up.

 Chapter 102

    A familiar landscape unfolded before my eyes.

    Contrary to what I had seen, it looked devastated.

    The garden, famous for its beauty, withered, and there was a sense of gloom throughout the capital, which boasted of its grandeur.

    There were no people on the street, so it was quiet, and only dried leaves were swept away in the wind.

    ¡°Here¡­ It¡¯s the capital city.¡±

    My mouth opened when I saw the dilapidated capital and the Imperial Castle.

    The evil dragon¡¯s thoughts were everywhere.

    At first glance, it seemed that it had already become a colony of evil dragons for a long time.

    Afterwards, my gaze on the sky seemed to suddenly stop, and arrived at the Imperial Castle in an instant.

    The appearance of the Imperial Castle was not much different from that of the capital.

    The castle was completely engulfed in darkness.

    I was puzzled by the scene in my dream.

    It was because I couldn¡¯t believe that the North didn¡¯t know the Imperial Castle collapsed like this.

    Before the return, the capital was a fortress that had not been penetrated by the evil dragon until the very end.

    However, what was unfolding before my eyes was very different from my previous life.

    ¡®Why did the capital become like this¡­ ¡­ ? I¡¯m sure they restored it¡­ when was it invaded again?¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t believe it.

    The capital was overtaken.

    If the situation had been that close, it was impossible for Kronos to come to Bael.

    ¡®It seems to have been going on for quite some time. It is not a colonization that occurred in a short period of time.¡¯

    I looked around and was confused.

    Did Kronos move without knowing the situation?

    Or was he already stained too?

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    No matter how much I tried, I couldn¡¯t come up with an answer, so I asked the guide.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¨C This is the dream of the evil dragon. Currently, Tiarozety is looking at the human past stained with evil dragons.

    ¡°In the past? So you mean this has already happened?¡±

    ¨C That¡¯s right. The current capital has been destroyed by the evil dragon. The imperial family is no longer able to fulfill the role of the imperial family.

    ¡°Downfall¡­?¡±

    ¨C With the heart of the empire pierced, the future of Arden is bleak.

    ¡°Nonsense! There was nothing like that in the book. I can¡¯t believe the Capital is defeated!¡±

    ¨C Concealed for dramatic effect. The news will also be delivered to Bael soon.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¨C The ending is just around the corner.

    The guide answered in a flat voice.

    The fact that the ending was nearing meant that my confrontation with the evil dragon was coming soon.

    A different development from the one in which a subjugation squad was formed under the orders of the imperial family before the return.

    This development seemed to want me to be portrayed as a hero who will fight the evil dragon till the end in the destroyed empire.

    ¡®The capital city fell. Did me being the main character change the final stage from the capital to Bael?¡¯

    ¡®So how did Kronos get to Bael? He couldn¡¯t have known about this!¡¯

    It was confusing because the back-and-forth situation did not match.

    ¡®I¡¯, which was stopped at that time, began to head somewhere regardless of my will.

    I couldn¡¯t even ask a question to the guide because I couldn¡¯t open my mouth anymore.

    It felt like I was trapped in someone¡¯s body.

    After a while, ¡®I¡¯ arrived at the emperor¡¯s bedroom.

    The gatekeeper who saw me opened the door naturally.

    As soon as I entered, the maid greeted me.

    ¡°Are you here?¡±

    He seemed to be dealing with people he knew.

    It was as if she knew I was coming here.

    My mouth moved freely.

    ¡°Yes. How is your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like you ordered.¡±

    ¡°Excellent.¡±

    I replied contentedly and approached the emperor.

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    ¡®Who is it? I can¡¯t hear well.¡¯

    It was difficult to understand whose voice it was because my voice was muffled as if I were listening in the water.

    In the midst of bewilderment, ¡®I¡¯ approached the emperor.

    ¡®¡­ ¡­ !¡¯

    My eyes widened at the sight of the ill emperor.

    The emperor¡¯s complexion was as dark as a mountain pine tree.

    His skinny body made him look even more shabby compared to his previous rugged appearance.

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with the emperor? If he¡¯s at this point, the royal family really doesn¡¯t stand a chance.¡¯

    I had never heard of the emperor being injured.

    However, the appearance of the emperor in bed in front of him was as if he was preparing to die.

    The emperor¡¯s condition seemed very serious.

    ¡®Was Kronos completely unaware of this situation?¡¯

    Somehow I felt a chill.

    At that time, the emperor who discovered ¡®I¡¯ muttered with a face full of betrayal.

    ¡°You, how can you¡­¡­¡±

    The role of ¡®I¡¯ seemed to be someone the emperor trusted quite a bit.

    The emperor¡¯s face was mixed with frustration, betrayal, contempt and emptiness several times.

    ¡®Are you a rebel? A betrayal by a close associate?¡¯

    I came up with several figures to guess who ¡®I¡¯ was.

    Apparently, a rebellion broke out in the absence of Kronos and Seirin.

    There seemed to be the evil dragon¡¯s control behind it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you go comfortably.¡±

    When ¡®I¡¯ finished my words, the maid raised the emperor.

    Another maid presented me a tray of potions.

    When I picked up the bowl, the emperor shouted with a pale face.

    ¡°T, This, can¡¯t you let go! I am the emperor. How dare you think you¡¯ll be safe even after doing this!¡±

    When the emperor strongly refused, armed knights bound his arms and legs to immobilize him.

    It was very disrespectful for an attitude towards the emperor.

    Afterwards, the handmaiden fixed the emperor¡¯s head, and ¡®I¡¯ brought the whole bowl to the emperor¡¯s mouth and said:

    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. This is how it works.¡±

    ¡°Ug! Ugh! I don¡¯t want to¡­¡­! Keoheog!¡±

    The emperor struggled not to drink it, but he was not in a state to refuse while he was bound.

    In the end, the emperor, who forcibly swallowed the medicine, trembled and drooped.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Then ¡®I¡¯ wiped the Emperor¡¯s lips with a handkerchief and spoke coldly.

    ¡°Oh, no. Don¡¯t waste it. You have to drink it all. That¡¯s how you get there comfortably.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    The emperor stopped protesting with his dazed eyes.

    No. It was more like an inability to resist anymore.

    When ¡®I¡¯ blinked, the maid brought another potion, and gave the emperor another pill.

    Eventually, the emperor¡¯s eyes widened even more than before.

    His expression was terrifying, like a man whose soul had been lost.

    ¡®It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s not a normal medicine.¡¯

    It was poison.

    What the emperor was eating was definitely poison.

    ¡®Is it a poison that destroys intelligence? Or slowly kill him? Who the hell is poisoning the emperor?¡¯

    Constant doubts arose.

    Seeing the evil dragon¡¯s malice in the Imperial Castle, it may have been long since he, who is now my role*, has been in the power of the evil dragon.

    TL/N: Reminder that she¡¯s seeing from this person¡¯s perspective in these dreams.

    ¡®Did Kronos flee to the north to escape the rebellion? No. If he did, he would have asked for help right away and fell on his knees.¡¯

    If I could know the identity of this man, I would be able to roughly understand the situation, but I was frustrated because my body didn¡¯t listen to me.

    It was then.

    The guide said as if he knew my frustration.

    ¨C Do you want to intervene? You can move freely during the intervention.

    I nodded without delay, and the force that had been restricting movement was released.

    ¡°Gasp.¡±

    Unlike before, the body moved naturally and his mouth opened.

    Ignoring the maid¡¯s curious look, I ran straight to the mirror.

    And when I confirmed my identity¡ª

    ¡°!!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t say a word.

    Blue hair and green eyes.

    In the mirror, Kronos Arden Werbel had a languid smile.

    ¡®I¡¯ was Kronos.

    Then the maid said.

    ¡°Your Highness, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Neither the Princess nor Gregory was in the Imperial Palace, so the only person called Your Highness was the crown prince.

    ¡®It was you. You were the culprit behind the collapse of the capital.¡¯

    Now I understand the reason why he had banned Seirin from contacting the capital.

    This was how he poisoned the emperor and tried to seize the emperor¡¯s power.

    ¡®The delegation of military power must have been a forged document.¡¯

    I looked at the maid with a frown.

    ¡°What did you feed the emperor earlier?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    The maid asked in a questioning tone.

    I pressed her by grabbing her shoulder, while she stood in a daze.

    ¡°No, there should be no lies in my question from now on.¡±

    ¡°No, of course. If you¡¯ll just order¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Last month, no. Tell me as much as you know what has happened in the Imperial Palace.¡±

    ¡°Your, Your Highness¡­.¡±

    If I could still intervene more in my dreams, I had to dig into what happened in the Imperial Palace as much as possible.

    I said in a very overbearing manner.

    ¡°Hurry.¡±

    Just like Kronos himself.

    * * *

    [Gregory¡¯s POV]

    Meanwhile, Gregory was heading straight to Chris as soon as he left the terrace.

    Gregory¡¯s face hardened.

    ¡®I can¡¯t believe everyone knew¡­. I don¡¯t even know that.¡¯

    It was shocking that Tiarozety knew the true identity of Alois Beth, but I was very guilty that she treated me as usual even though she knew it.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    I can¡¯t believe she didn¡¯t get angry at me for even destroying the evidence for my sister.

    Although I was grateful for her unchanging attitude, I felt a sense of remorse, and my heart went cold.

    ¡®Does it mean that you don¡¯t care that much? To the point where you don¡¯t feel anything?¡¯

    TL/N: Meaning Tiarozety doesn¡¯t see Gregory that way at all, which is why the truth didn¡¯t seem to bother her.

    Gregory was about to turn the corner with mixed feelings.

    ¡°Prince?¡±

    Just then, Chris, who was coming down the stairs, called Gregory.

    ¡°Ouch.¡±

    Alois, who was following, bumped into Chris¡¯ back and let out a shallow moan.

    Then, seeing Gregory, Alois¡¯ eyes widened.

    Chris said.

    ¡°Why are you here? Miss Tiarozety said¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°The operation has been exposed to the Crown Prince.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯ve already stolen Alois, so you better hurry up and run away and plan for the future¡­ ¡­.¡±

    It was then.

    Kugong-!

    As soon as Gregory¡¯s words fell, the castle vibrated shallowly.

    Then, a huge barrier was thrown out the window.

    It was like a barrier like a barricade, as if the entire castle had become a cage.

 Chapter 103

    [Gregory¡¯s POV]

    Gregory said with his eyes wide open.

    ¡°That¡¯s restriction magic.¡±

    Quite a lot of mana was required to use such large-scale magic.

    ¡®Who the hell cast such a massive magic?¡¯

    Gregory stared intently at the barrier in bewilderment.

    No matter how much I thought about it, it was because there was no one here who could cast this kind of magic.

    After a while, a black aura blew between the barriers.

    It was the power of the evil dragon.

    Gregory exclaimed in shock.

    ¡°Is it the attack of the evil dragon!¡±

    However, the familiar color of mana that followed confused Gregory.

    Arden¡¯s unique mana was felt through the power of the evil dragon.

    That¡¯s Kronos¡¯s.

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with the Kronos?¡­ Don¡¯t tell me Kronos has already been beaten¡­. ?¡¯

    In the meantime, Chris grabbed Gregory and questioned him.

    ¡°Prince! Where is the lady?¡±

    Looking at the barrier, he seemed to think that Tiarozety would be in danger.

    Gregory murmured softly.

    ¡°On the third terrace¡­¡­¡±

    Chris ran into the banquet hall before Gregory could even finish speaking.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go together!¡±

    When Alois followed Chris, Gregory hurried after the two.

    My heart pounded.

    Tiarozety is alone in order to purify Seirin.

    If Kronos had been under the control of the evil dragon, Tiarozety might be in danger.

    Complacent.

    I shouldn¡¯t have left her there.

    He seemed to have acted too stupidly at the shock of being caught.

    ¡®Please, please, please¡­ ¡­¡¯

    Gregory moved to the hall in the midst of a banquet with a torn heart.

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    When we arrived at the banquet hall, it was complete chaos.

    When the Black Knights came, they were protecting the nobles by confronting the Imperial Knights.

    Perhaps the Marquis Brandt had prepared the Knights for any possible trap.

    However, it is not possible to break through the outer barrier.

    Out of the window, I saw the Black Knights trying to break through the barrier.

    In the first place, the barrier was immovable because it was a large-scale binding magic that could never be cast with Kronos¡¯ ability.

    Even Arnold would not have been able to prepare for it up to that point.

    ¡®It was definitely the power of the evil dragon. Kronos, he¡¯s been eaten by the evil dragon.¡¯

    Fortunately, Arnold had the knights infiltrate the castle in advance.

    Otherwise, I would have been knocked out by Kronos.

    Gregory had just entered the terrace with mixed feelings.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety! Wake up!¡±

    Chris hurriedly grabbed Tiarozety and shook her.

    ¡°Lady?¡±

    Gregory approached, calling Tiarozety in a trembling voice.

    Then I found Seirin lying next to her.

    ¡°Seirin!¡±

    As Gregory approached Seirin in surprise, Betty sobbed and stamped her feet.

    ¡°Heueb, Prince¡­. The Princess.¡±

    ¡°What the hell happened? If you have time to cry, explain first!¡±

    Betty said with a contemplative face.

    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know! They were both lying on the floor while I was on my way to get drinks.¡±

    She didn¡¯t seem to know the exact story either.

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    Gregory quickly took out the purification stone.

    Seeing that it didn¡¯t sparkle, Seirin¡¯s fall was like the aftermath of purification.

    ¡®Then why Tiarozety?¡¯

    Gregory stared at Tiarozety, who had turned white.

    It was a completely different complexion from Seirin, who had a calm face.

    ¡®I heard that using Asta doesn¡¯t hurt your body¡­. . Did she lie?¡¯

    My heart throbbed with anxiety.

    Worried about what would happen if Tiarozety went wrong, I couldn¡¯t calm myself down.

    In the meantime, Chris held Tiarozety in his arms.

    ¡°First of all, we have to go somewhere safe. The princess is¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Gregory quickly answered and hugged Seirin.

    It was because he did not know what state Kronos was in, so he had to protect the purified Seirin.

    Betty trailed after him.

    [Alois¡¯ POV]

    At that moment, Alois did not try to follow, but found a book that had fallen to the floor.

    ¡°This is¡­ ¡°

    Alois lifted the book as if possessed.

    It was the same Bible that she had asked for from Tiarozety the last time and was rejected.

    Alois fiddled with the book with curious eyes.

    ¡°I think the book has changed from before¡­ ¡­ . Besides, this energy is too familiar.¡±

    Then she patted the book several times and hesitated.

    At that time, she couldn¡¯t confirm it properly because she saw it as an alter ego.

    But now, it seemed like she could figure out who put the seal on the book.

    ¡®Even if I¡¯m accustomed to it, I¡¯m too accustomed to it. This power is like¡­ ¡­¡¯

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    Alua grabbed the book while Gregory and Chris were hesitant.

    Curiosity was also curiosity, but an ominous feeling prevailed.

    She closed the door to the terrace without following them.

    She was trying to use a magic technique to release the sealing spell on the book, but suddenly a strong light came from the book.

    ¡°Kkyag!¡±

    At the slightest slip, an intense light that could cause blindness was emitted.

    In the light, Alois screamed and fell to the ground.

    Then, the book vibrated, widening the distance from Alois.

    ¡°What, what the hell is that¡­¡­¡±

    Alois stuttered and stared at the book.

    With an unfinished technique, only the outer surface of the book is in its original state.

    Alois read the real title of the book and freaked out.

    ¡°The Opponent of the Evil Dragon? Wasn¡¯t it the Bible?¡±

    The book, startled by Alois¡¯ remarks, seemed to tremble, and then disappeared in an instant.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Alois tried to grab it quickly, but the book had already disappeared.

    She stood still in her seat as if she had become a stone statue.

    Suddenly, her expression turned cold.

    It was as if she had figured out the true nature of the book.

    ¡°It really exists.¡±

    Alois covered her mouth with her hand, unable to contain her surprise.

    Then she murmured as if possessed.

    ¡°That¡¯s a book of wisdom.¡±

    TL/N: OMG THE PLOT THICKENS???

    * * *

    [Third Person POV]

    Arnold was protecting the northern nobles and fighting the Imperial Knights.

    Kronos, the head of the Imperial Knights, is yet to be seen.

    Arnold burst into anger at the commander of the Imperial Knights.

    ¡°Does the imperial family know the aristocracy in the north as dogs and pigs? Undo it now and step down!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding. How can you compare such a luxurious castle to a dog and a pig¡¯s cage?¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to get away with it instead of confining ourselves in like this?¡±

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s a misunderstanding, you¡¯re right.¡±

    Arnold snapped coldly when the chief of the Knights responded slyly.

    ¡°If you come out of the imperial family like this, this will be the end of the Northern and Imperial alliance.¡±

    ¡°Please wait a little bit. Your Highness hasn¡¯t come yet.¡±

    The knight commander responded stiffly and continued to be on alert.

    Then Emilia approached Arnold with a desperate face.

    ¡°Father!¡±

    ¡°Emelia, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but we¡¯ll talk about it later. Things are not good right now¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s urgent. It¡¯s probably related to my current work.¡±

    Emelia pulled Arnold with a stiff face.

    Just in time, Chris came into the camp carrying Tiarozety on his back.

    ¡°Tiarozety!¡±

    Emilia was astonished to see Tiarozzetti collapsed while dragging Arnold.

    Afterwards, when she saw Seirin carried by Gregory, she couldn¡¯t utter a word.

    Arnold accompanied several knights to protect Tiarozety and Seirin.

    The Imperial Knights were agitated when they saw the fallen Seirin.

    But they didn¡¯t approach hastily.

    It was because it could lead to bloodshed if they approached for no reason.

    The nobles surrounded and protected the two.

    Then a blanket was laid on the floor to lay the two of them down, and Arnold fled and asked Chris.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. When I found them, it was already after they collapsed.¡±

    Gregory said as Chris made a troubled expression on his face.

    ¡°The princess has been tainted by an evil dragon.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Tiarozety seems to have encountered a problem while trying to purify it. I¡¯m sorry, Marquis Brandt. I should have been by her side¡­ ¡­¡±

    When Gregory expressed his mixed feelings while he swept his face with his hands, Emelia, who came late, intervened.

    ¡°It is the work of His Majesty the Crown Prince.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, Emelia?¡±

    Arnold looked at Emelia curiously, who suddenly confirmed that the crown prince had done it.

    Gregory was equally astonished.

    On the other hand, Emilia had a face without a single doubt.

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    ¡°Young Lady, what the hell¡­¡­ .¡±

    Just as Gregory was about to say something, Emelia said calmly.

    ¡°The Crown Prince has revolted.¡±

    ¡°What? Rebellion! Emelia, do you know what you¡¯re talking about?¡±

    ¡°Father, you may have been surprised, but it¡¯s true. I just checked with Young Lady Brittany.¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    Arnold¡¯s eyes widened at the words Young Lady Brittany.

    The Marquis of Brittany was the emperor¡¯s closest aide.

    There¡¯s no way the Brittany family would be lying.

    ¡°But why on earth does His Highness the Crown Prince plot a rebellion? It¡¯s the throne he¡¯ll get when the time comes anyway¡­.¡±

    When Arnold replied with a confused face, Emelia opened her mouth.

    ¡°That¡¯s because Crown Prince Kronos was also in the possession of evil dragon.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Father, he is no longer the crown prince he used to be. He¡¯s It¡¯s just a scarecrow that has already become fixed and according to the evil dragon¡¯s will.¡±

    Emelia¡¯s remarks chilled the crowd to the freezing point.

    ¡°I think this needs some explanation.¡±

    When Gregory broke the silence and asked, Emelia said.

    ¡°Tiarozety asked me to look into the capital situation.¡±

    ¡°The lady?¡±

    ¡°Yes, so I immediately contacted Young Lady Brittany, but I couldn¡¯t get through. I was wondering if there was a change in the communication code, so I was looking for another way.¡­¡±

 Chapter 104

    Emelia continued to talk, moistened her lips once, and then said.

    ¡°Then, just now, I suddenly got a communication with an unknown communication code. It was Young Lady Brittany when I received it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Suddenly, she asked if it was safe in the north and if she could come this way, so I asked what the hell was she talking about¡­ ¡­¡±

    Arnold rushed and urged her as Emelia was unable to spit out her words.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, so you can speak comfortably.¡±

    ¡°The capital was overturned by the evil dragon and became a colony.¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    Arnold¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°But the walls of the capital are stronger than before¡­ ¡­ !¡±

    As Gregory denied and refuted reality, Emelia said.

    ¡°Your Highness Kronos lifted the barrier.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°They were helpless because the Crown Prince lifted the barrier to the capital. The capital is no longer viable.¡±

    Emelia finished her speech with a bitter look.

    The barrier was a solid device, but there was no way to handle it if it was released from the inside.

    It was all the more useless after it had already come in during that time.

    So, there was a limited number of people who could lift the barrier.

    One of them was Crown Prince Kronos.

    Gregory was in distress as he rubbed his face.

    The capital that I thought was impregnable was breached.

    Furthermore, it was because of the imperial family.

    How do you deal with this aftermath?

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    ¡°Most nobles took refuge or died. The commoners tainted by the evil dragon started a riot.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my God¡­¡±

    ¡°The quick-witted nobles fled in a hurry, but those who did not¡­ ¡­ .¡±

    ¡°Since the capital was opened by the imperial family, the common people must have been disturbed. Even more so, if they are stained by the evil dragon.¡±

    Gregory responded with cold eyes and stared at the Imperial Knights.

    Are they aware of this?

    Maybe they¡¯ve already been tainted together.

    Was the evil dragon this intelligent from the beginning?

    Gregory was overwhelmed with complicated feelings as he faced the situation.

    Emelia continued as he glanced at the Imperial Knights.

    ¡°After the capital was devastated, the Crown Prince staged a coup. Perhaps those over there followed him in revolt.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I suppose so. Ha, how come I¡¯ve never noticed that he was being manipulated by the evil dragon?¡±

    TL/N: Maybe cause Kronos was a pretty shitty person in the first place LMAO.

    Gregory couldn¡¯t believe the current situation.

    No matter how evil a human being is, there are gaps.

    This is because the evil dragon cannot control the black energy that appears when it tries to control someone.

    But Kronos and the Imperial Knights were different.

    It was not visually distinguishable at all.

    ¡®Tiarozety¡¯s statement that the evil dragon became stronger was true. What should I do now?¡¯

    Gregory thought of the emperor after much consideration.

    Everything, even down to the fact that he had clearly been injured.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°The Emperor? Has he taken refuge with the Marquis of Brittany?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Answer me quickly.¡±

    ¡°The emperor could not take refuge. The evil dragon went straight into the Imperial Castle.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°When the Marquis of Brittany later sent a spy to the capital, the emperor was already heavily poisoned.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Most likely met his demise.¡±

    ¡°Ha¡­!¡±

    Gregory burst out laughing.

    The emperor is dead.

    Was the great man, the unbending old man, such an easy man to be killed?

    Gregory couldn¡¯t believe it until he saw the emperor¡¯s body with his own eyes.

    To know that he, who only seemed so strong, was killed in one day like this, even by his own child.

    It was a shocking ending that I didn¡¯t expect at all.

    It was then.

    ¡°What does all this mean now?¡±

    Seirin was leaning on Betty and looking this way, when she woke up.

    Gregory found Seirin and approached her and grabbed her arm.

    ¡°Seirin¡­¡±

    But Seirin pushed him away and approached Emelia.

    ¡°Emelia, I asked you what you were talking about.¡±

    Seirin¡¯s voice trembled.

    Her eyes swayed dizzyingly like a ship that lost its rudder in a strong wind.

    ¡°Seirin.¡±

    Emelia called her with a troubled face.

    It was because it would have been a shock to explain to her who had just woken up.

    They were quietly talking away from her space just in case, but before they knew it, she seemed to have overheard it.

    When Emelia stared at Betty standing behind her, Betty bowed her head and didn¡¯t know what to do.

    TL/N: Bruh this Betty is pretty useless.

    Then Seirin grabbed Emelia¡¯s shoulder and said.

    ¡°No, right? You¡¯re lying. Your Majesty, why¡­ Why is my brother¡­ The capital was overthrown¡­¡±

    A face that was greatly agitated at a glance.

    Emelia grabbed her arm to calm her down.

    ¡°Seirin, you have to get your head straight at times like this. If you are shaken, what will the future of the empire be?¡±

    ¡°Emelia, why don¡¯t you say no?¡±

    However, it was not enough to calm down Seirin, who was already shaking a lot.

    Seirin shouted, holding Emelia¡¯s shoulder fiercely.

    ¡°Say no, Emelia! It¡¯s not, huh?!¡±

    As Seirin became enraged, the Imperial Knights in the distance wore looks of suspicion.

    This conversation may not be heard exactly, but Seirin seemed to be raising her voice.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°Seirin, I know you¡¯re surprised, but¡­¡­¡±

    Emelia narrowed her brows and equivocated her words.

    Seirin shook her head as if she didn¡¯t want to listen to her, and stubbornly held on.

    ¡°Nope! It is a lie! It¡¯s all lies!¡±

    Then Gregory hugged Seirin tightly.

    ¡°Seirin, calm down. It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay.¡­ .¡±

    Seirin¡¯s body trembled like an aspen leaf.

    She said, looking up at Gregory with desperate wide eyes.

    ¡°Huh, brother, it¡¯s not isn¡¯t it? Eung? That¡¯s right.¡±

    Gregory licked his lips, but couldn¡¯t help but shut his mouth.

    Seirin¡¯s expression softened in vain.

    After a while.

    ¡°Aahh¡­¡±

    Seirin couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and let go of consciousness.

    It was too big for her to handle.

    ¡°Seirin!¡±

    Gregory supported Seirin as she fell.

    Gregory was heartbroken because her limp body was so thin and fragile.

    If the fixation of Kronos had progressed, it would be difficult to live as a normal person even if purified.

    All that was left was him and Seirin.

    Then, suddenly, the surroundings became noisy.

    Gregory¡¯s face turned ferocious.

    It was because Kronos approached with a triumphant face under the protection of the imperial knights.

    A black aura was swirling around him as if he had no intention of hiding it anymore.

    Gregory growled at Kronos¡¯ brazen face.

    ¡°Kronos, you bastard¡­ ¡­¡±

    He slowly got up from his spot, leaving Seirin to Betty.

    Lively eyes stared at Kronos.

    * * *

    After finishing the tutorial, my head was cold.

    The facts that I heard from interrogating the maid were quite shocking.

    Kronos revolted.

    It was obvious that he came to the north for that.

    It must be for an invasion.

    It would have been difficult to penetrate the northern part of the country.

    ¡®I have to hurry back.¡¯

    Then the guide said.

    ¨C The hidden stage will end soon. Then you enter the main stage.

    ¡®Main stage?¡¯

    As soon as I was puzzled, I was out of breath as if I had fallen into the water.

    After a while.

    ¡°Heoeog!¡±

    When I woke up, I took a deep breath and opened my eyes.

    My vision was blurry.

    It was as if I had just drunk sleeping pills and woke up dazed.

    Seeing the floor shake, it felt like they were moving me on a stretcher.

    I shook my head and tried to come to my senses, but someone grabbed me.

    ¡°Tiarozety, are you awake? Can you hear me?¡±

    ¡°Emelia?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be chaotic, but we have to take refuge first.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Can you walk?¡±

    Emelia raised me without an explanation.

    ¡°Emelia, sleep¡­¡­!!¡±

    I snapped out of the confusion and looked at the situation around me and lost strength in my body.

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    The Black Knights and the Imperial Knights were fighting with their swords pointed at each other.

    And the nobles were taking refuge under the cover of the knights.

    Outside of Asher Castle, the barriers of barrier magic broke apart, creating gaps and disappearing repeatedly.

    There was a tight confrontation between those who wanted to break the magic and those who wanted to keep it.

    It was a messier situation than I had thought.

    ¡®They  must have escaped out of the castle through the cracks in the magic.¡¯

    However, running away like this was not a solution.

    Now that Kronos was in the possession of the evil dragon, he had to be stopped.

    If I had to use my power, I was willing to use it to stop his tyranny.

    I stopped walking and said to Emelia.

    ¡°There is no point in running away like this.¡±

    ¡°Tiarozety?¡±

    ¡°Emelia can take refuge with other nobles.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that! What is Tiarozety going to do if you stay?!¡±

    Emelia was terrified and dragged me away.

    It was a broken barrier right in front of me.

    I can safely escape with just one more step, but it was foolish to go back like this.

    ¡®But¡­ I¡¯m the only one who can stop Kronos.¡¯

    I read Kronos¡¯ thoughts in my dream.

    He came to the North for one reason.

    Summoning the evil dragon from the north and properly destroying the north.

    Even after arriving in Bael, it was to complete the summoning circle.

    I came to a halt like a stone and Emelia begged me.

    ¡°Tiarozety, don¡¯t be stubborn. The Crown Prince became a descendant of the evil dragon. First of all, we need to widen the distance and then come up with countermeasures.¡±

    ¡°No. If you¡¯re going, go alone, Emelia.¡±

    ¡°Tiarozety!¡±

    At Emelia¡¯s call, I calmly expressed my intentions.

    ¡°If the crown prince is in the power of the evil dragon, I should remain even more. You know, I have the power to do that.¡±

 Chapter 105

    ¡°However, you just woke up and I don¡¯t know how you feel¡­¡­.¡±

    When Emelia hesitated, Chris, who was by her side, said.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take cover.¡±

    Fortunately, he respected my wishes.

    ¡°Thank you, Sir Chris.¡±

    ¡°Sir Chris! How can you protect Tiarozety until the end of the day!¡±

    When Emelia shouted, Alois, who was next to her, added.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety, I¡¯ll help too. Anyway, I was thinking of evacuating Miss Tiarozety and helping the Black Knights with Sir Chris.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Alois.¡±

    ¡°Ha¡­ Am I the only one who doesn¡¯t understand this situation?¡±

    Emelia muttered angrily.

    She didn¡¯t want to send me back to that battlefield.

    I held her hand and asked her calmly.

    ¡°I promise to come back safely. Emelia, please evacuate the other nobles safely.¡±

    ¡°The safety of Tiarozety is the most important thing for me. If the Duke knows¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Even if the Duke was here, he wouldn¡¯t have broken my will. So come on.¡±

    As I turned Emelia and pushed her back, she glanced back and hesitated.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    It wasn¡¯t long before she said with a sigh.

    ¡°Usually, if you find yourself in a situation like this, you¡¯ll run away saying it¡¯s scary. Even more so if you have someone to protect you.¡±

    She was right.

    It would be a much more comfortable life to run away under the protection of others.

    ¡®But if I, the main character, abandon my responsibilities, the world will be ruined.¡¯

    I said with a wry smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m tired of life just running away.¡±

    I no longer wanted to be dragged around regardless of my will.

    At least I want to achieve it by my will.

    ¡°¡­¡­be careful. If you get hurt, I won¡¯t let you go.¡±

    Emelia asked and hugged me tightly.

    It seemed like she didn¡¯t want to stop me anymore.

    She also read my strong will, and I felt that it was because I was a big help with my powers.

    I smiled brightly and reassured Emilia.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry and wait in a safe place. I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Emelia nodded and crossed the barrier.

    After that, the barrier that had been broken was blocked again.

    It will probably take some time to break it again.

    I turned around and told Chris and Alois.

    ¡°Please guide me to the Crown Prince.¡±

    At that moment, an activated book appeared.

    ¨C The main stage ¡°Summon¡± begins. Defend the North by stopping Kronos, who has become an evil dragon!

    ¡®I knew it would be like that.¡¯

    Chris reached out his hand as I was about to laugh out of frustration.

    ¡°This way, please.¡±

    I nodded and ran to where Chris was leading.

    Chris quickly entered the castle, covering me and Alois.

    When I entered the castle, I smelled blood.

    There were constant stabbings and screams everywhere.

    Dead bodies were scattered on the floor.

    Among them, there were nobles who could not escape.

    I frowned at the disgusting smell, but I could see Kronos and Gregory fighting in the distance.

    Gregory was running towards Kronos with a terrifying force.

    Kronos was also fighting against Gregory by applying quite a bit of magic, unlike the usual.

    I was going to Kronos when the guide said.

    ¨C Find the summoning medium while Kronos is distracted and destroy it!

    Summoning medium?

    When I stopped and looked at the book, the guide said.

    ¨D The medium is hiding somewhere in Asher Castle.

    ¡®So where is that! You should at least give me a hint!¡¯

    As far as I know, the summoning medium was an object or mark arbitrarily designated by the person who wanted to summon it.

    So, if you didn¡¯t know the location, it would be in vain.*

    TL/N: in the raws, it¡¯s ¡®??????¡¯ and apparently it¡¯s a phrase/slang? that means you worked hard, but the work turned out to be futile.

    Feeling frustrated, I was about to shoot at the guide, but Alois grabbed my arm.

    ¡°Come this way.¡±

    ¡°Alois?¡±

    I was suddenly dazed by Alois¡¯s unexpected behavior of dragging me somewhere.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Chris followed me and covered me and Alois.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°I know where the summoning medium is.¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    I opened my eyes wide at Alois¡¯ explanation.

    Not a word has been uttered about the summoning medium yet.

    But Alois mentioned it first?

    ¡®Can you see the book?¡¯

    I had doubts, but I couldn¡¯t readily ask her, ¡°Can you see the book?¡±

    If it¡¯s a mistake, the time will be rewinded.

    It was dangerous to waste such time under these circumstances.

    ¡°How¡­¡±

    How did you know?

    I looked at Alois with confused eyes, but she continued to drag me without explaining.

    As we descended into the basement, the smell of dust wafted through.

    ¡°Here it is.¡±

    Alois pointed to the backroom at the end.

    Chris used his sword to break the locked door, revealing the inside.

    On the floor, the summoning circle was drawn as if it was animal blood or human blood.

    In the middle was a pile of people from the Asher family, including Sophie Asher.

    When I saw the scene, I felt nauseous because I remembered the pile of corpses of Esol that had weighed on me at the scene of the Esol disaster.

    The summoning circle was glowing red and generating something.

    When all of that space is completed, the demonic beasts will come over with the evil dragon.

    In Hegel¡¯s case, the summoning was delayed because the evil dragon was far away.

    Besides, it was the principle that the summoning ritual was triggered depending on the success or failure of my purification, so there was plenty of room to stop it.

    But now, the evil dragon was already staying near the north.

    Furthermore, the summoning circle had already been activated, so the situation was more urgent than then.

    Chris jumped into the circle and hurriedly looked for survivors.

    Wearing an aura around his body, he didn¡¯t take any damage even in the summoning circle.

    ¡°They¡¯re all dead.¡±

    ¡°In the first place, Baron Asher was a sacrifice.¡±

    Kronos seems to have tried to shake the North with them as bait from the beginning.

    Alois immediately began drawing a spell in the air to destroy it.

    It was an intention to block the summoning circle that had already been activated, albeit belatedly.

    I also placed the purification stones in my bag around the summoning circle.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±

    Chris followed me and tried to destroy the summoning circle by installing purification stones.

    It was then.

    Kwaang-!

    The castle seemed to vibrate loudly, and the ceiling was pierced with a loud roar.

    In that gap, Kronos landed with Gregory trampled on.

    ¡°Keoheog!¡±

    Gregory let out a cough and groaned as he lay under Kronos¡¯ feet.

    ¡°Prince!¡±

    I shouted at Gregory.

    ¡°When did the rat come in?¡±

    Cronos then spat and gave a fishy smile.

    The eerie eyes were all so black that the whites could not be seen.

    It was very bizarre.

    When Kronos reached out his hand, a strong light fell again on the summoning circle, which had lost its light.

    ¡°Stop it!¡±

    Kronos quickly dodged the sword as Chris pointed it at Kronos.

    Thanks to that, Gregory, who was lying on the floor, widened the distance from Kronos.

    I quickly supported Gregory.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Gregory found me and frowned.

    ¡°Lady, why are you back?¡±

    Then, holding on to his chest, he tried to endure the pain.

    There were clear signs of magic injuries everywhere.

    It seems that it was too much to deal with Kronos alone, who had become an evil dragon.

    It was a time when power was important, so I used my power on Gregory without hesitation.

    ¡°[Ejis!]¡±

    Then, in an instant, Gregory¡¯s wounds healed.

    Gregory¡¯s face hardened as I used my power arbitrarily.

    ¡°I was still able to hold on.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not an enemy you can deal with enough to withstand.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry. Thank you.¡±

    Gregory sighed and got up from his spot.

    At that time, Kronos smiled as he swept his bangs back.

    ¡°I was wondering why the summoning was so slow, but the rats were interrupting.¡±

    Then he came close as if he would catch me right away.

    But Kronos couldn¡¯t touch a single hair on my head.

    Because Chris and Gregory stopped him, protecting me.

    Behind the scenes, Alois was still trying to destroy the summoning circle by drawing a spell.

    ¡°Where!¡±

    Chris covered Alois when Kronos drew a force and attacked her.

    Aura and magic mingled, gathering dust all around.

    A tremendous force collided to the point where it was impossible to see.

    In particular, the surroundings were greatly shaken due to the rampant magic.

    Kronos used magic without caring whether the building collapsed or not.

    Chris and Gregory, on the other hand, were limited in their actions to prevent the building from collapsing.

    Gradually, the distance between Kronos and me narrowed.

    A situation where I couldn¡¯t go anywhere and was cornered.

    At that time, Alois, who was reciting the break-up spell, coughed up blood.

    ¡°Kulleog!¡±

    When I approached her in surprise, Kronos burst into laughter.

    ¡°Stupid, very stupid! Do you think you can block the already activated summoning circle with your own body?¡±

    ¡°Kulleog! Kulleog!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no use. Because I have the summoning medium.¡±

    Kronos took a jewel from his bosom and shook it as if teasing.

    I glared at Kronos and grabbed the dagger I had hidden in my sleeves.

    ¡®Can I smash that from this distance?¡¯

    Even if it could not be broken, there was no other way right now.

    If the evil dragon was summoned here, we would all be done.

    Without Lexion, half of the Black Knights would not be able to withstand the evil dragon while they were away on an expedition.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    The moment I was thinking about destroying the summoning medium with a nervous face.

    ¡®What?¡¯

    A glimpse of familiar blue hair was seen behind Kronos.

    ¡®Seirin?¡¯

    There was a sword in Seirin¡¯s trembling hand.

    It looked like it was too heavy for her to lift, perhaps as she was holding a sword that had fallen on the floor.

    I glanced at Kronos¡¯ eyes.

    He looked this way and seemed to have no idea what was behind him.

    Gregory stopped moving.

    He seemed to have found Seirin too.

    I blocked his actions with a wink.

    He understood that if we don¡¯t pretend not to know Seirin was inside and show it, Kronos is likely to notice it.

    Then Kronos grinned and said.

 Chapter 106

    ¡°Hey, Esol. How about ing this way? Then I¡¯ll save the guys here. With broad generosity.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t figure out why Kronos was suddenly picking on me.

    If I were to follow the will of the evil dragon anyway, I would be better off dead.

    Because I am the protagonist of this book, the antagonist of the evil dragon.

    I focused Kronos¡¯s attention on me so that Seirin wouldn¡¯t be noticed.

    I was thinking of destroying the summoning medium as soon as there was a gap.

    ¡°What does it mean to e over there?

    ¡°It¡¯s literally. I thought I should take you alive.¡±

    ¡°Where the hell?¡±

    I fixed my gaze on Kronos and extended the ends of the words.

    Fortunately, he answered my questions directly and without any doubt.

    ¡°Of course, to the evil dragon.¡±

    ¡°Did the evil dragon tell you to bring me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true¡­ What?¡±

    It was at that time when Kronos was muttering.

    Serin stuck a sword in Kronos¡¯ back.

    Suddenly, she was full of tears.

    Even though the situation was unavoidable, stabbing her brother with her own hands seemed like a shock.

    But even though Seirin¡¯s hands were trembling, she didn¡¯t stop.

    Rather, she stabbed his sword even deeper.

    ¡°Keoheog!¡±

    As a result, blood flowed from the mouth of Kronos, who had been pierced through the abdomen.

    It was a wound that would quickly heal for him who had bee an evil dragon anyway.

    He staggered, grabbed the sword, and glared at Seirin as if to kill her.

    ¡°You¡­ ¡­ !¡±

    As soon as Seirin met his gaze, she slumped down.

    ¡°Heug, heueub¡­¡­!¡±

    She could have been killed by Kronos if she stayed, but it seemed that her legs had lost their strength.

    At that time, Gregory did not miss the chance and rushed at Kronos.

    At the same time, Chris lifted Seirin and stepped out of range.

    ¡°Argh! My, my hand!¡±

    In Gregory¡¯s surprise attack, Kronos¡¯ hand was severed, and the jewel rolled around at my feet.

    The medium is also based on the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts.

    ¨C Use Asta to break the summoning medium right now!

    Without hesitation at the guide¡¯s cry, I struck the jewel with my dagger and shouted the starter word.

    * * *

    [Lexion¡¯s POV]

    Midway through the Hawk Mountains.

    Lexion and the Black Knights were exhausted from the tight expedition schedule.

    Fortunately, the expedition was all over.

    The only thing left to do was to return, but the knights were exhausted, so they planned to take a day off before departing.

    Lexion left them and tried to go to Bael first.

    He was informed that the Imperial Knights would return smoothly, but something was unclear.

    He was about to call Aiden.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    Lexion suddenly felt pain and grabbed his chest.

    Subsequently, he felt like his whole body was losing strength, so he was greatly shaken.

    ¡°Kulleog!¡±

    Eventually, Lexion fell to the floor and let out a cough.

    Red blood poured out of his mouth.

    It was hemoptysis.

    With trembling hands, Lexion took out a handkerchief and wiped his mouth.

    Even though he suddenly coughed up blood, he was very calm because he knew the cause of the pain.

    ¡®Is it Titi¡­ ¡­ ¡¯

    It seemed that Tiarozety was attempting to purify.

    Unlike the purification stone, ¡®Asta¡¯ was fatal to the evil dragon, and the current evil dragon, Lexion, was also suffering the aftermath.

    From the moment Lexion became an evil dragon, the main body of the evil dragon became himself.

    After taking several deep breaths, he said to himself quietly.

    ¡°Titi¡­ ¡­take it easy.¡±

    Then, with a bitter smile, he wiped the blood off the floor.

    It was obvious that Aiden would make a fuss if he saw it.

    ¡®That¡¯s a relief. If I called Aiden and coughed up blood, he might not have let me go first.¡¯

    Lexion was not in good shape during the last expedition.

    It was because the act of rebelling against the evil dragon would injure himself.

    The weaker the evil dragon¡¯s power, the more it affected him.

    Fortunately, he was still able to control the power of the evil dragon.

    But he didn¡¯t know when the evil dragon would take his lead and run rampant.

    It was only a matter of time before he was pletely assimilated with the evil dragon if he let go.

    Lexion took the bracelet out of his arms and fiddled with it.

    It was a cheap bracelet he shared with Tiarozety, but it was a precious item to him as it was the first gift he received from her.

    He kissed it.

    Like it¡¯s Tiarozety.

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    ¡®I can¡¯t just hide it like this.¡¯

    Lexion knew the moment he reached the Hawk Mountains.

    That I can no longer handle it.

    I didn¡¯t know it would end up like this.

    A reversal of a relationship where they have to kill each other and die.

    In order for Tiarozety to return, he must kill himself, and in order for himself to be by her side, he must destroy her world.

    But will she be able to smile happily in a world where only the two of them are left?

    ¡®No. Titi is never that kind of person.¡¯

    Lexion sighed while rubbing his face.

    He wanted to be happy with her, not to drag her down to misery and keep her by his side.

    Even if it was mud, I wanted to roll with her in an unavoidable situation, not in the mud I created.

    Lexion kept trying to weaken his will in this damn situation.

    I even had the stupid idea that if I died, it would all end and be better.

    ¡®Would something have changed if I had known how to get out of the book?¡¯

    It was when Lexion, who thought of absurd thoughts, laughed self-deprecatingly

    ¨C  There are newly updated contents in the synchronized book. Do you want to check?

    The guide¡¯s gloomy voice echoed.

    I didn¡¯t see it for a while, and then suddenly appeared and I was puzzled by what he said.

    As Lexion nodded, the guide said.

    ¨C ¡®Lucid Dreams¡¯ has bee possible as a reward for Tiarozetyi¡¯s purification of Princess Seirin.

    ¡°Lucid dream?¡±

    ¨C She can get a glimpse of the consciousness of the evil dragon and his followers through the evil intentions that she absorbed.  Through repeated purifications, Tiarozety can approach your dream in more detail.

    ¡®So the last time Titi had a dream¡­¡¯

    It was only then that Lexion learned what caused Tiarozety to dream of the evil dragon.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    In the process of absorbing and purifying evil, it seems that she took a step forward in the consciousness of the evil dragon.

    ¡°The fact that lucid dreams became possible¡­¡±

    ¨D Unlike being passively dragged into a dream, she will be able to dig up information by moving on her own.

    If that¡¯s the case, you might soon find out that I¡¯ve bee an evil dragon.

    The guide said as Lexion grabbed his head in a plicated situation.

    ¨C Currently, Tiarozety is exploring the consciousness of Kronos, one of the followers.

    ¡°Who¡­?¡±

    Lexion¡¯s eyes widened when he heard that Kronos had bee his family.

    It was because it was something I hadn¡¯t heard of.

    Lexion asked urgently.

    ¡°Does that mean the capital has been overthrown?¡±

    -The capital is already under the control of the evil dragon. Kronos, who participated in the search party, abandoned the opportunity to escape and gave himself up to the evil dragon.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    -Kronos is following the evil dragon¡¯s will and has now seized the imperial power by raising a rebellion.

    ¡°!!¡±

    At the information pouring in, Lexion let out a dejected laugh.

    ¡°Ha, haha. When the hell¡­.¡±

    Even if he became an evil dragon, nothing changed.

    ¡®How could it be that the evil dragon is not even aware of who has bee a subordinate.¡¯

    Lexion groaned in absurdity.

    The guide continued to explain whether or not he knew Lexion¡¯s burning heart.

    ¨C In the aftermath of Traveler being an evil dragon, the evil dragon has bee even stronger.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m a transcendent?¡±

    ¨C That¡¯s right.

    Lexion questioned the guide¡¯s easy answer.

    ¡°Why is Kronos aiming at the North? Is there a case where the family goes against the will of the evil dragon?¡±

    ¨C In principle, it is impossible, but when the unconscious mind and awareness of the evil dragon collide, the unconscious mind is more affected.

    ¡°Do you mean that my unconscious mind is driving Kronos?¡±

    ¨C That¡¯s right. Your desire to block Tiarozety¡¯s ending is driving Kronos.

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense! Are you talking like that even though you know what my estate and Titi mean to me?¡±

    When Lexion strongly resisted, the book took a step back.

    ¨C Calm down. Intense emotions are bad for your health.

    ¡°If this happens, it¡¯s like I¡¯m holding them back.¡±

    Lexion clenched his fists and let out a hot breath.

    After a while, Lexion, who had calmed down, warned with stern eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to Bael right now. If you touch even one of Titi¡¯s fingertips, I¡¯ll tear you apart and burn you.¡±

    With those words, he called Aiden, and Aiden arrived.

    Aiden tilted his head at the sight of Lexion in armor.

    ¡°Did you call¡­¡­ Sir, where are you going?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go back to Bael first.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re leaving now?¡±

    Aiden looked at Lexion with a surprised face.

    He looked puzzled because they had decided to leave after a day off.

    Besides, he¡¯s going to go ¡®first¡¯.

    That meant that Lexion would return to Bael alone.

    It was an expedition made day and night.

    No matter how transcendent he was, there were human limitations.

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    However, Lexion had no intention of wasting time.

    Knowing that Kronos had bee a member of the evil dragon¡¯s family, he felt impatient.

    Moreover, I felt guilty for the fact that my unconscious was driving him.

    Lexion nervously opened his mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯m worried about Bael. The knights may depart after a good rest. Considering the situation, you can take another day off¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    ¡°Forget it. it¡¯s a schedule that went too far in the first place. If you go back without a break, it will only hurt your morale.¡±

    Lexion dissuaded Aiden from acpanying him.

    It was because it was difficult to talk to the guide freely if everyone moved together.

    Aiden tried several more times, but Lexion didn¡¯t listen.

    In the end, Aiden was ordered and gave up.

    ¡°Okay, don¡¯t overdo it.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    When Lexion went out of the barracks, the coachman had a horse waiting in advance.

    Without hesitation, he climbed onto his horse and asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go back first, so please take care of the rest, Aiden.¡±

    After that, Lexion pulled the reins and rode off.

    TL/N: Finally seeing Lexion again after a while! I feel so drained for him D:

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107

    [Lexion¡¯s POV]

    Shortly after leaving the camp, Lexion asked the guide.

    ¡°What is Kronos doing?¡±

    ¨C Currently, he is trying to summon the evil dragon by driving northern nobles to Asher Castle.

    ¡°Summoning the evil dragon?¡±

    ¨C Yes. Upon successful summoning, the traveler will be transported directly to Asher Castle in Bael.

    ¡°!!¡±

    -When an evil dragon is summoned, there is a possibility that the monsters will invade Bael simultaneously.

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    Lexion spat out a curse.

    All he could do right now was hurry back to Bael.

    The problem is that Tiarozety has purified Seirin, and his current physical condition is the worst.

    However, he didn¡¯t care about his physical condition, but rather worried about Tiarozety¡¯s safety.

    Power went into his hands as he rode the horse.

    It was around the time when I moved around without a break and left the mountain ridges.

    -Kronos succeeded in summoning. We are now moving to Bael.

    ¡°!!¡±

    With the guide¡¯s guidance, the surroundings of Lexion were wrapped in a pillar of light.

    When I woke up, I was at the top of Asher Castle.

    Lexion held his breath in bewilderment.

    I was glad it was a night sky.

    Otherwise, everyone would have seen him summoned.

    Lexion immediately grabbed the sword and broke the barrier magic that surrounded the castle of Asher.

    * * *

    [Tiarozety¡¯s POV]

    ¡°[Asta!]¡±

    When I recited the starting word, the dagger shone and the jewels heated up.

    The jewels soon crumbled like sand.

    ¡®Is it a success?¡¯

    As soon as I was about to feel relieved, I thought the summoner was flashing, and a pillar of light was erected.

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    ¡°Hey, what is this¡­!¡±

    Obviously, I thought the medium was destroyed.

    However, the pillar of light was erected at the same time as the destruction, so it was impossible to determine whether it was a success or a failure.

    Kronos looked at the pillar and grinned.

    ¡°Ahaha! Success! It¡¯s a success!¡±

    As if convinced of his victory, a happy face.

    On the other hand, the faces of me and my panions were hardened.

    What¡¯s going on now?¡¯

    I glanced at the book, but it gave no instructions.

    Meanwhile, the pillar of light began to lose its light.

    After a while, the place where the pillar of light disappeared was empty.

    There was no evil dragon.

    The twinkling and beautiful night sky could only be seen from the ceiling that was drilled open with pillars.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Kronos alternately looked at the sky and the place where the light pillar disappeared with a puzzled face.

    It was because he thought the summon was successful, but he couldn¡¯t even see the evil dragon¡¯s nose.

    ¡®That¡¯s a relief. I succeeded!¡¯

    I slumped down in relief and sighed.

    It seemed that the door was closed before it even opened as I had succeeded in breaking it right before the summons.

    I haven¡¯t felt any signs of the beasts yet.

    Kronos muttered with a distraught face.

    ¡°Hey, this can¡¯t be happening? I thought I succeeded¡­.¡±

    It was then.

    Bang!-

    With a loud roar, the barrier magic that sealed the entire Asher Castle began to crack.

    Kronos looked up at the ceiling in bewilderment.

    Eventually, the cage-shaped magic seemed to vibrate loudly, and in an instant ¡ª it cracked.

    ¡°Keug!¡±

    Kronos stumbled in the aftermath of the forcibly destroyed magic.

    Since the large-scale binding magic was destroyed, it was clear that he suffered internal injuries.

    I looked up to see who had broken the spell.

    In the black night sky, unexpected mana powder flew sparkling.

    And I saw a familiar figure.

    Dark hair against the moonlight fluttered in the wind.

    The fragments of shattered magic fell like stars, allowing a glimpse of his face.

    ¡®Lexion¡­?¡¯

    I was astonished to learn that it was Lexion who was falling fast this way.

    ¡®How can Zion at this hour¡­ ¡­?¡¯

    I haven¡¯t heard anything about you ing back.

    Even if I had left, I was bewildered that he could e back so quickly.

    ¡®Did you work too hard because of me?¡¯

    Lexion approached Kronos as soon as he landed lightly on the floor.

    ¡°Uh, uh uh.¡±

    While Kronos hesitated, Lexion covered his mouth and murmured softly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything.¡±

    Kronos rolled his eyes in agony at Lexion¡¯s harsh warning.

    Still, he nodded vigorously.

    After a while, Kronos drooped.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Lexion threw Kronos to the floor with a dry expression.

    Contrary to the momentum earlier, Kronos fainted helplessly.

    Like a person who is deprived of his power.

    But no one noticed this.

    Lexion immediately took the mana control ball out of his pocket and placed it on Kronos¡¯ wrist.

    It was an action to prevent Kronos from waking up and using magic.

    Lexion manded Chris, who stood still.

    ¡°Chris, activate the barrier right now!¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, sir!¡±

    Chris activated the magic tool without even being flustered by Lexion¡¯s arrival.

    With the binding magic gone, the restrictions on behavior were lifted.

    Subsequently, a fairly solid defensive wall, though not as strong as the capital of Bael, began to surround it.

    It was the moment when the barrier unfolded as if it were surrounding the entire northern part, starting with Bael.

    I thought the door of the monsters opened wide outside the barrier, and the beasts came over.

    And they tried to invade Bael immediately but were blocked by the barrier that was activated first.

    My eyes widened at the sight.

    ¡®Why did the demonic door open?¡¯

    The Witchbeast¡¯s Gate was something like link magic that was activated when an evil dragon was summoned.

    ¡®Wasn¡¯t the summoning a failure?¡¯

    As soon as I was about to have such doubts, the demonic beast¡¯s door was forcefully closed again.

    ¡®What the hell is this¡­ ?¡¯

    I just stared blankly at the ceiling in an inprehensible situation.

    Meanwhile, Lexion led the Black Knights and ran to the remaining demonic beasts outside.

    Various colors flashed across the sky.

    The screams of the demonic beast and the sound of the wind pierced into my ears as sharply as a knife.

    Fortunately, the door to the beast opened and closed for a short while, so the subjugation seemed to be over soon.

    It was then.

    The guide began to lead.

    ¨C Cleanse Kronos right now. In case of refusal, a penalty will be applied.

    ¡®Oops! Kronos!¡¯

    I belatedly remembered that I had left Kronos unattended.

    In the first place, this episode was meant to stop Kronos.

    I immediately stretched out his hand to Kronos and recited the starting words.

    ¡°[Asta!]¡±

    Blue light shimmered around Kronos and me.

    Perhaps because of being exposed to the evil dragon for a long time, the concentration of malice inherent in Kronos¡¯ body was very thick.

    Even if it was purified, it was not known whether it would be in good condition.

    It was around the time I gritted my teeth and endured to purify Kronos.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°Your Excellency!¡±

    With Chris¡¯ cry, Lexion fell from the sky.

    Next to me.

    Kwang-!

    The floor was dented with a tremendous roar.

    I was shocked to see Lexion collapsed, covered in blood.

    ¡°Le, Lexion?¡±

    I called him in a trembling voice, but he didn¡¯t open his eyes.

    He fell from a height that would kill an ordinary person instantly.

    Luckily, I was holding my breath as he temporarily protected himself with an auror.

    A black aura around him collapsed while running powerlessly.

    I got close to Lexion instead of purifying Kronos.

    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, I immediately recited the starting words.

    ¡°[Ejis!]¡±

    I wondered if the blue light would wrap around Lexion, and then it vanished powerlessly.

    I was bewildered by the situation in which Ejis was not used well, so I recited the starting words over and over again.

    ¡°[Ejis! Ejis!]¡±

    When I repeatedly recited the starting words, the trauma recovered little by little, but that was it.

    The speed was less than half of my normal strength.

    ¡®Why, Why? Why isn¡¯t it working?!¡¯

    My body trembled.

    Lexion¡¯s closed eyes were so heartbreaking that my thoughts didn¡¯t work out properly.

    ¡°[Ejis!]¡±

    As I abused Ejis, my body began to suffer more and more.

    Suddenly, my hands were trembling.

    I was still trying to use Ejis, but Gregory pulled me back.

    ¡°Stop it! Lady!¡±

    ¡°L, L, Let go of me! N, not yet¡­ Zion¡¯s eyes¡­!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t speak properly and tried to reach out to Lexion.

    ¡°Damn it! I told you not to!¡±

    Gregory seemed to be spitting low curses, and then hugged me and widened the distance from Lexion.

    ¡°Stop it! There¡¯s no blood on your face! Are you going to die?¡±

    Unlike the sharp-tempered voice, the hand that hugged me trembled with fear.

    However, no matter how much he worried about me, I could only see Lexion lying down in my eyes.

    ¡®Why, Why isn¡¯t it working? It¡¯s never done this before¡­.¡¯

    Completely in panic, I sat down helplessly.

    Gregory didn¡¯t let me go, holding me in fear that I might run to Lexion again.

    Then Chris came down and shook Lexion.

    ¡°Your Excellency! Your Excellency, are you all right?!¡±

    He shook it urgently, but Lexion didn¡¯t even move.

    ¡°Miss Alois! Please bring me a doctor! Right now!¡±

    ¡°I, I understand!¡±

    Alois, who was protecting Seirin, ran quickly.

    Meanwhile, Seirin was trembling and unable to speak as she alternately looked at Lexion and the sky.

    She seemed to want to say something, but no one cared about her.

    I struggled in Gregory¡¯s arms and resisted because I couldn¡¯t wait and see.

    ¡°Let me go! I, I can¡­¡±

    It was then.

    ¡°Ti, Ti¡­¡±

    Lexion, who seemed to have fainted, called my name with difficulty.

    Gregory only let me go after realizing that Lexion was conscious.

    I crawled closer to Lexion.

    Gregory was right.

    After recklessly using Ejis in succession, I had no strength in my body.

    Even moving was difficult, but I did not stop and approached him.

 Chapter 108

    ¡®That¡¯s a relief, that¡¯s a relief. Ejis worked.¡¯

    I was about to burst into tears of relief.

    As long as he can breathe, I¡¯ll be able to save it somehow.

    I grabbed Lexion¡¯s hand and put it on my cheek and sobbed.

    The cold air from the gauntlet touched my cheek.

    Because of that, I couldn¡¯t feel his warmth, so my heart was worn out.

    ¡°Zion, ar, are you okay? Eung?¡±

    I whispered informally without thinking that there were others.

    Lexion looked distressed.

    ¡°Ti, Ti¡­ I have something to say¡­¡­.¡±

    It was the moment he struggled to open his mouth.

    Seirin, who was trembling, shouted.

    ¡°N, no, Miss Tiarozety! He, step from him, step away from him!¡±

    Everyone stared at her when I was told to step back from Lexion.

    ¡°Seirin, even in this situation, you¡­¡­!¡±

    Gregory frowned and tried to scold Seirin.

    Then, Seirin vigorously shook her head and explained.

    ¡°It, it¡¯s not like that¡­¡­! I, I saw it! Through the pillars of light, Le, Lord Lexion was summoned!¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    Seirin trembled in fear, but did not stop talking.

    ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sure I saw¡­¡­ I¡¯m right that he was summoned!¡±

    The audience froze coldly at her sudden remark.

    I got angry thinking she was lying.

    ¡°Stop! How long are you going to bother the Duke?¡±

    ¡°N, no! Miss Tiarozety. Be, believe me, I really¡­¡­!¡±

    It was the moment Seirin was about to appeal with an unfair expression.

    ¡°Titi, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­. I guess I can¡¯t stand it any longer.¡­. The consciousness¡­.¡±

    Lexion murmured so softly that only I could hear.

    And at that very moment.

    ¨C Traveller! Hurry up and finish the purification of Kronos Arden Werbel!  Otherwise, Lexion Sparrow will regain his strength and run away!

    ¡°!!¡±

    I was dazed by the guide¡¯s explanation.

    I didn¡¯t know how Kronos¡¯ purification and Lexion¡¯s recovery were related.

    Besides, this was Bael.

    He had no reason to run away.

    ¡°What, What does this mean?¡±

    It was a moment of confusion and mumbling.

    ¡°Dangerous!¡±

    Gregory quickly dragged me back.

    Chris, too, took a hint and made a big break from Lexion.

    Dark energy slowly rose around Lexion.

    His clear sword, which I had seen before, was not the color of his aura.

    A murky, dark energy circulated around Lexion.

    After that, his dark eyes began to turn gold.

    ¡°Zion¡­?¡±

    When I called his name, he looked at me.

    His eyes looked very sad.

    He seemed to bite his lower lip, but then he fled into the sky.

    It seemed like he was running away from me.

    Soon after, black wings, like those of the evil dragon, spread out on his back.

    ¡°Th, that!¡±

    Everyone was stunned by the change in Lexion.

    It was because he, a transcendent, seemed to have bee an evil dragon.

    No, it was distinctly different from previous evil-dragonized humans.

    A sense of intimidation as if facing a real evil dragon.

    Golden eyes and black wings.

    It was as if he had bee a vicious dragon itself.

    ¡°Ah, ahh¡­.¡±

    I kept groaning because I thought of a hypothesis I didn¡¯t want to think about.

    Maybe it was because I abused my power or because of the shock, but I couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and let go of consciousness

    Chapter 13. True or False

    It was midnight when I opened my eyes.

    I had a splitting headache.

    Every muscle in my body screamed as if my bones were about to break.

    In a quiet room.

    A familiar chill enveloped my body.

    It was the chill I felt when I collapsed from exhaustion after using my strength.

    ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been sick like this.¡¯

    In my previous life, I lacked stamina, so whenever I used my strength, I would pass out or suffer from body aches.

    I had never been like that in this life, so it seemed that I was careless.

    No, I wasn¡¯t careless.

    Lexion collapsed in front of me, and there was no way I could keep my sanity.

    I blinked my eyes without turning on the light.

    Then, while reflecting on what had happened right before fainting, I pondered where the hell had gone wrong.

    While purifying Kronos, Lexion fell, and Ejis was used, but it was ineffective.

    After that, Lexion, who became an evil dragon, escaped.

    I couldn¡¯t easily understand what I did wrong in the series of events.

    One thing was for sure, Lexion knew something.

    ¡®He said he couldn¡¯t hold out. What did that mean?¡¯

    He said that the expedition to the Hawk Mountains was already being pleted with ease.

    What happened in the meantime?

    I raised my body halfway up and leaned my upper body against the headboard of the bed in a question that I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about.

    It wasn¡¯t like this, but I thought it would be better to ask the book directly.

    The surroundings were dimly lit by the lanterns Daisy had kept to keep it from getting dark.

    I looked around and saw the book lying on the bedside table.

    ¡®Did Daisy leave it?¡¯

    It came to me out of the blue, but it didn¡¯t matter now.

    I picked up the book and said.

    ¡°Guide.¡±

    At my call, the book sparkled and unfolded.

    ¨C Traveller, did you call?

    ¡°I want to use a lucid dream.¡±

    If Lexion was really attacked by the evil dragon, I might be able to confirm his condition through a lucid dream.

    The guide said in a clear tone.

    ¨C Of course. You can select a dream target with the effect of partially purifying Kronos. Which one would you like?

    ¡°!!¡±

    That¡¯s what it meant when it said that some of the restrictions could be eased when accepting the main episode.

    It was a relief.

    The way to dream of anything and find Lexion was a little reckless.

    Besides, what the guide said before collapsing kept bothering me.

    I asked with a nervous face.

    ¡°Do you have Lexion Sparrow? If there is, I want to enter his dream.¡±

    ¨C Let me check.

    At the guide¡¯s short answer, I laid back down on the bed and closed my eyes.

    After a while, sleep came with a light notification.

    ¨C Entering the dream.

    * * *

    A few hours later.

    I let out a hot breath and jumped up, leaning my upper body forward.

    And-

    ¡°Lexion¡­¡­ Why, why didn¡¯t you tell me? Heueb.¡±

    I collapsed and sobbed.

    I was gasping for breath, but I couldn¡¯t stop crying.

    Through a lucid dream, I peeked into Lexion¡¯s consciousness.

    As a result, I found out his true settings.

    Evil dragon, Lexion Sparrow.

    TL/N: OMG SHE FINALLY KNOWS!!

    That was his new role.

    I couldn¡¯t calm down easily.

    It was because the emotions that Lexion must have felt so far were conveyed to me through the dream, and I kept feeling sad.

    How can a book be so cruel to us?

    It seemed to me that the book thoroughly concealed his settings.

    Even to Lexion, the party involved.

    It had inflated like a balloon before Lexion even felt it.

    He, too, seemed unaware that the consequences of his accumulated penalties would lead to this.

    In Lexion¡¯s dream, he was always fighting the guide.

    Just like me.

    ¡®That¡¯s why Lexion limped when I first used Asta that day.¡¯

    ¡®The reason he injured his shoulder at Brandt Castle was because I broke the piece of thought that was on Hegel¡¯s shoulder¡­ ¡­¡¯

    I became devastated at the fact that I, no one else, had been attacking Lexion all this time.

    If only I had noticed the meaning of fragmentary clues.

    If only I had been more observant.

    If only I had been careful.

    I wouldn¡¯t have put you through so much.

    As only regrets piled up, tears kept falling.

    And the mistakes that followed kept ing to mind.

    Now I know why Lexion collapsed at Asher Castle.

    ¡®Lexion got hurt because I tried to purify Kronos.¡¯

    Because he became the evil dragon.

    It was like that because I used Asta, which was lethal to evil dragons.

    Maybe he hadn¡¯t been feeling well since Seirin had already been purified.

    It was dizzying to think that if Kronos had been purified as it was, I might have lost Lexion.

    It was a mistake from ignorance.

    Because the book thoroughly hid his settings from me and planned the development to kill him, the evil dragon.

    I didn¡¯t know the situation because Lexion hid it.

    But I couldn¡¯t blame him for that.

    I could see why Lexion tried to hide the book so much.

    Because he knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to stand the situation where I had to kill him.

    As far as I know, there is no other solution.

    So he seemed to be trying to solve things on his own terms.

    As if I hid from him the fact that my soul could be annihilated if I continued on like this.

    TL/N: Mentioned in chapter 70

    ¡®I didn¡¯t know that and made you get penalties.¡¯

    The more he fell against the evil dragon¡¯s will, the more his consciousness would be eaten.

    The process must have been very terrifying and painful.

    You couldn¡¯t tell me a single word that you were having a hard time and you suffered.

    It was painful.

    I couldn¡¯t forget the sad eyes he made before he ran away.

    And the golden eyes that I saw in the evil dragon¡¯s dream.

    ¡®You promised me we¡¯d roll in the mud together. Why, why are you alone?¡­ Why do you want to go to that mud alone, leaving me?¡¯

    Tears kept welling up because I felt sorry and upset at the same time.

    Moments later, I buried my face in my hands and sobbed.

    ¡°I can¡¯t. How can I kill you? I¡¯d rather die with you.¡±

    If he had been by my side right now, I would have hugged him.

    But he wasn¡¯t there with me.

    My heart ached madly at the situation where Lexion left alone.

    But it was already spilled water.

    If the water could not be collected back, it had to be dealt with somehow.

    Even if it means drying spilled water and pouring new water.

    TL/N: Omg Tiarozety finally finds out the truth!! Wonder how she will deal with all this.

 Chapter 109

    A lot has changed since Lexion disappeared.

    First of all, Kronos was imprisoned in the dungeon of Sparrow Castle and we tried to purify him with a purification stone.

    Like a member of the evil dragon¡¯s family, Seirin¡¯s wounds and severed hands have already been regenerated, leaving only a few scars.

    There was no damage to her life, but she was half crazy because of exposure to malice for a long time.

    It could have been different if I had finished the purification, but I was silent.

    I was going to do that because others didn¡¯t know exactly the difference between the purification stone and my power.

    Afterwards, Seirin voluntarily took care of Kronos.

    Seirin said she cries every time she saw Kronos¡¯ scar.

    It was only me, Gregory, Chris, Alois, and Seirin who saw Lexion¡¯s condition that day.

    Everyone thought that his transformation into an evil dragon proceeded differently due to his evolved evil dragon power.

    However, it was not possible to announce it hastily, so we kept quiet about Lexion ing to Bael.

    However, I can¡¯t hide it from everyone, so I only told Arnold.

    When Arnold heard of Lexion¡¯s condition, he was greatly discouraged.

    Even so, I was grateful for him calmly taking over Lexion¡¯s vacancy.

    Now that I think about it, it was fortunate that I saved all of the Brandt family.

    If Arnold had died, it would have been very hard to get through the difficulties now.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    I remembered a conversation I had with Arnold.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t know that the Duke¡¯s words meant this.¡¯

    ¡®What did the Duke say?¡¯

    ¡°He said to take good care of the North and Miss Tiarozety.¡¯

    ¡®¡­ ¡­¡¯

    ¡®I think that¡¯s why he rushed to connect the Northern Alliance to the Defence Wall. Even if things go wrong and the Duke goes wrong, we can protect the North.¡¯

    As Arnold said, Lexion had prepared for many things.

    TL/N: T-T

    Even before he came to pick me up from the south, he had persuaded the lords of the north to start working on connecting the defense wall.

    Thanks to the previous attack by the evil dragon, the defense wall has been pleted with the approval of the lords who were not able to be convinced.

    As a result, the North is now the safest fortress.

    The capital was breached, but the north was not.

    Upon hearing this news, the people of the Empire fled the long way to e to the north.

    Solidarity has also strengthened within the north.

    It was because there was a defensive wall and the Sparrow family was tightly united with the North.

    The northern lords knew that Lexion had not yet e from the expedition.

    It was a thoroughly hidden fact that Lexion came to Bael for fear that the northern union would crumble in the absence of Lexion.

    If they knew that Lexion had bee the evil dragon, it would shake the northern union.

    After Lexion disappeared, the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts became stronger, and the evil beasts infested from time to time.

    Due to the defensive wall, the allied forces were barely surviving by joining forces to subjugate the demons, but they were at a disadvantage as the long-term battle progressed.

    So the alternative that came out was to subdue the evil dragon.

    ¡°They¡¯re forming a subjugation team.¡±

    Daisy replied as I muttered to myself.

    ¡°Yes. Prince Gregory seems to be trying to find the evil dragon with the Black Knights and the Imperial Knights.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°The Duke has decided to join us in the middle, so he can¡¯t e to Bael.¡±

    Daisy, who didn¡¯t know Lexion had bee like that, secretly conveyed the news of Lexion, in case I wanted to see Lexion.

    Of course, it was a false rumor spread by Gregory and Arnold.

    It is true that the Black Knights who left for the expedition joined, but Lexion was not among them.

    ¡®They still don¡¯t know that Lexion is the evil dragon itself.¡¯

    If they had known, they would have announced the state of Lexion right away.

    It was because the evil dragon itself could not be purified, although they did not know how he became the evil dragon.

    In the end, it means that there is no choice but to seal or kill.

    I felt my throbbing forehead and recalled my conversation with Gregory.

    In fact, I knew that a subjugation squad would be formed even before Daisy told me about it.

    Because I was also offered to join the subjugation squad.

    ¡°Lady, it must be difficult, but I hope you¡¯ll join the subjugation expedition.¡¯

    ¡®Is it to purify the Duke?¡¯

    ¡®Yes¡­ ¡­ yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m sorry. I only know how to ask difficult requests.¡¯

    ¡®Please give me a little time to think.¡¯

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    It had already been a week since I received the offer.

    Now I had to make a decision.

    ¡®In the end, it turned out the way the book wanted it to. I¡¯ve joined the subjugation force again, and Lexion¡­¡¯

    I bit my lip, not wanting to think about the story behind it.

    There was only one thought in my mind.

    My choice, my ending that I¡¯ve never talked about.

    ¡®No matter what happens, I will never leave Lexion alone.¡¯

    It was the moment when I was about to make up my mind and speak.

    ¡°Daisy, maybe for this subjugation¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety, it¡¯s Alois.¡±

    Alois came unannounced.

    She¡¯s been calling me to meet me for a while, but I didn¡¯t accept her because I was in a hurry.

    She entered the room at the same time as she knocked on the door, apparently determined to e.

    Alois¡¯ expression was very serious.

    Daisy was startled and tried to dissuade Alois.

    ¡°Miss Alois, if you e in all of a sudden like this¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Daisy, would you like to take a break?  I¡¯ll call you if I need you.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes¡­ ¡°

    Daisy looked at me, hesitated, and withdrew.

    She seemed to notice the subtle atmosphere between me and Alois.

    I asked Alois, offering her a seat.

    ¡°What¡¯s up without an appointment?¡±

    Alois said with a serious look.

    ¡°Don¡¯t we still have something to talk about?¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡±

    ¡°Actually, I thought you would e first, but I didn¡¯t know you wouldn¡¯t contact me this much. It¡¯s so hard to meet again.¡±

    Alois clicked her tongue and plained,

    I tilted my head, not knowing what Alois meant by the question.

    Then suddenly.

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Suddenly something came to mind and I let out a shallow exclamation.

    Alois¡¯ behavior came to mind belatedly when she went to find the summoning medium.

    ¡®Why did I forget about it all this time?¡¯

    I couldn¡¯t think of anything else because of the shock that Lexion had bee the evil dragon.

    When I looked suspiciously at her, Alois smiled lightly.

    ¡°I guess you just remembered.¡±

    ¡°I forgot.¡±

    ¡°I thought so. So I came here myself.¡±

    Alois answered calmly and moved her gaze toward the bookcase.

    To be precise, it was the bookshelf that had ¡ºEvil Dragon¡¯s Opponent¡» inserted.

    I followed her and stared at the bookshelf.

    Then, from her bosom, she set the paper on which the spell was drawn on the table.

    The spell floated in the air and flashed for a moment before disappearing.

    ¡°What did you just do?¡±

    ¡°I blocked the book from hearing so it wouldn¡¯t interfere.¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    I flinched at Alois¡¯ mention of the ¡®book¡¯.

    Then Alois asked, smiling.

    ¡°Are you still going to claim that book is a bible?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­what does it look like in Alois¡¯ eyes?¡±

    ¡°It says, ¡®The Opponent of the Evil Dragon.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    I looked at Alois, speechless.

    Having said the title of the book, it became clear that Alois could see the true nature of the book.

    ¡®What happened?¡¯

    The character recognized the book.

    That means Alois is also an Awakened like Lexion.

    ¡°Are you an Awakened person?¡±

    When I asked carefully, Alois blinked.

    A vague attitude, as if hearing an unfamiliar word.

    ¡®Is she not an awakened person?¡¯

    Waiting for a long time to respond, she said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the Awakened is, but I know how that book came about.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, how did a book e into being?¡±

    ¡°The origin of the book.¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    I opened my eyes in surprise at Alois¡¯ words.

    The origin of the book.

    That meant that she was aware of the very existence of the book.

    ¡°The origin of the book?¡±

    ¡°I know the real owner of the book.¡±

    ¡®¡­ ¡­ Wasn¡¯t this world itself a place created by books? Everyone has no ego?¡¯

    It was confusing.

    I couldn¡¯t understand how she, who was just a character, said she knew the origin of the book and its owner.

    It feels like the mon sense I knew was being overturned.

    The shock didn¡¯t go away easily because I had believed it for a long time.

    Obviously, the book tried to manipulate me as a traveler to plete the ending of the world.

    While attaching a watcher called a guide.

    Alois¡¯s words were even more inprehensible because she even showed omnipotence capable of regression.

    I opened my mouth and rambled.

    ¡°That can¡¯t be true. The book clearly states that people here do not have free will¡­ ¡­¡±

    I stopped talking.

    It was because it could sound crazy to others.

    But Alois took it seriously.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety was tricked.¡±

    ¡°However, the strange phenomena I saw were not lies.¡±

    When I raised my voice in tears, Alois took my hand.

    ¡°Calm down, Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain it in detail.¡±

    When Alois forted me, I inhaled deeply and exhaled repeatedly.

    Seeing that I had calmed down, Alois opened her mouth.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the book explained to Miss Tiarozety, but the book is just a book.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°The reason why there is no free will is that the soul sealed in the book is good at controlling the mind.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s mind control¡­¡­ ?¡±

    As I muttered with a blank face, Alois said.

    ¡°There are two souls sealed in that book.¡±

    ¡°To be exact, it is the soul of a wise man with insight into the future and the archmage who coveted her.¡±

    Alois stared at me with her sunken eyes and continued.

    ¡°It¡¯s natural that Tiarozety was fooled. The souls sealed in it are those called the strongest.¡±

    TL/N: WhattTTT?? I feel bamboozled!!

 Chapter 110

    Alois¡¯ eyes were not those of telling lies.

    It was a pletely different atmosphere from the usual light jokes.

    I licked my lips nervously.

    ¡®A wise man and a great wizard. I¡¯ve never heard of such a story anywhere.¡¯

    As I was about to think this way, Alois saw through my question and continued.

    ¡°It¡¯s probably the first time you¡¯ve heard of it. This is the history passed down from generation to generation only in the family of magicians.¡±

    ¡°History?¡±

    ¡°Now I understand. Why my technique didn¡¯t work for you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety signed a contract with the book, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    My lips parted naturally at Alois¡¯ question.

    If it was a contract, it was a contract.

    Received a reward for fulfilling the book¡¯s demands.

    But it was one-sided.

    I frowned and denied.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t sign the contract because I wanted to.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s true that you and the book are connected.¡±

    ¡°I was just dragged in. I wasn¡¯t even from this world in the first place¡­¡±

    I looked at the book in a hurry.

    It was because I was worried that the book would interfere the moment I said that I was not from this place.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The book will mistakenly think we are having a normal conversation.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°As expected, Tiarozety was not from this place. Well, for the book to wake up, it needs the soul of another world.¡±

    ¡°How much do you know?¡±

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    Alois smirked when I looked at her with wary eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s Sullivan¡¯s book, the first magician and wise man.¡±

    Alois hurried and began to talk about the origin of the book.

    * * *

    The beginning of the world and the most chaotic time.

    It was a time when it was natural for the powerful to bee king, and for the more powerful to usurp the position.

    Sullivan, the magician, was a ray of light in that chaotic world.

    Many difficulties were solved through the ¡®sight¡¯ of seeing the future.

    Everything she said was right to the point where everyone agreed that what she said was right.

    Therefore, many people called her a wise man or a sage.

    She had many followers.

    Among them, there were four disciples called the Sujeja.

    Agnes, the emperor who became the leader of the world thanks to her.

    Arden, the best general who was able to catch a sword while tending sheep.

    Esol, a name bestowed by God who is said to save people who are on the brink of death.

    And Kun, the great archmage who was called the strongest.

    They conquered the world with Sullivan at the center.

    Finally, an empire that unified the world was established.

    The empire they built was solid and they had no doubts that no one would be able to touch it.

    Until a rift opened between them.

    Shortly after the empire was established, the emperor announced that he would appoint Sullivan as empress.

    The emperor loved Sullivan, and after endless courtship, she agreed to marry him.

    Everyone took it as a natural oute and blessed the marriage.

    Except for one person, Archmage Kun.

    Kun, who secretly had a crush on Sullivan, suddenly disappeared in anger at the news of their marriage.

    Since he disappeared without a trace, everyone assumed he had run away.

    Sullivan tried to find him, but he was hidden.

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    Later, Sullivan and the emperor had a child.

    When the child was just born and the wise man¡¯s eyes were darkened, the great archmage appeared.

    The evil archmage kidnapped Sullivan with powerful magic and ran away.

    After losing the empress, the emperor went mad and lost his intelligence due to the archmage¡¯s curse.

    In the meantime, Arden, who was jealous of Agnes¡¯ position, killed Agnes and became emperor himself.

    The name of the empire was changed to Arden after himself.

    Esol was afraid that the general would kill the child, so he took the child and hid in the depths.

    In order to solidify his legitimacy, the general called the dead emperor ¡®Evil Dragon¡¯ and transformed him into a person worthy of being killed.

    Esol, the founding contributor, was also erased from history and was not recognized as an imperial citizen.

    It was because the name stole Agnes and Sullivan¡¯s child.

    The person later tried to find Agnes¡¯ body, but the general did not tell him where it was.

    And as time passed, when the person died and the child grew up, the empire was infested with witches.

    Arden, a general who became emperor, fabricated it as an ¡°evil dragon¡¯s act¡± to strengthen the imperial authority.

    The child who became an archmage went to the imperial family to punish the evil dragon and went on a subjugation.

    And when he found out that there was a real evil dragon, the child found a book that the evil dragon was guarding.

    It was the diary of the wise man Sullivan and his mother¡¯s will.

    The evil dragon had already lost its intelligence, so it did not recognize the child.

    The child could not bear to kill his father, so he returned with the evil dragon sealed, and the emperor of Arden, indignant at this, tried to kill the child.

    The child saw through the emperor¡¯s tricks in advance and went into hiding.

    Where no one knows.

    * * *

    After finishing the story, Alois was quite calm.

    I knew part of the story she told me, and I knew part of it differently.

    I didn¡¯t know more than half of the story at all.

    It was all the more so because I only knew the limited history of the empire that the book shows.

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    Alois opened her mouth.

    ¡°It¡¯s already an old story, so the descendants of the Arden Empire don¡¯t know the inside story at all. Because the Emperor of Arden burned all the records.¡±

    ¡°The Great War 100 years ago, then ¡­.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s relatively recent. Because the unsealed evil dragon attacked the empire.¡±

    Life here always felt like wandering in the fog.

    Especially since I didn¡¯t know anything about the world other than what the book told me.

    In the end, the pedigree of the magician is Sullivan¡¯s lineage, and Esol was a helper.

    Arden betrayed Agnes, and the cursed emperor became an evil dragon.

    ¡°Then what does it mean that the two souls are sealed in the book of Wisdom?¡±

    ¡°When Sullivan was kidnapped, she used her wisdom to seal Kun in the book.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, she was under Kun¡¯s spell, so even she was sealed.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    ¡°Since it has been sealed for many years, there is no guarantee that the state of the soul will be fine. It¡¯s not easy to distinguish Sullivan¡¯s soul from Kun¡¯s.¡±

    Alois swept her mouth and continued speaking seriously.

    ¡°Now that the book is awake, Tiarozety will have to plete it.¡±

    I bit my lower lip when I was told I had to finish the book.

    ¡°But to do that¡­ .¡±

    I have to kill Lexion.

    When I couldn¡¯t bear to speak, Alois opened her mouth.

    ¡°The successors of the magician were always trained to be prepared for when the book awakens. I also learned how to get rid of books.¡±

    ¡°But you have to kill the evil dragon to plete the ending. You may not know, but the evil dragon is¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes. I noticed that the Duke was trying to inherit the lineage of the evil dragon at that time.¡±

    ¡°Then I have to kill the Duke in the end. I can¡¯t.¡±

    As I shook my head, Alois explained.

    ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily like that. Of course, I can¡¯t guarantee success for sure, but it¡¯s not that there¡¯s no way.¡±

    She seemed worried that I might turn her down.

    As expected, she seemed to know how to prevent something.

    ¡°Then are you saying there is a way to solve things smoothly?¡±

    ¡°Right, it¡¯s not an easy road, of course.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it unless there¡¯s no way at all.¡±

    I answered with a determined look.

    If I can get out of the book, if I can save Lexion, I¡¯ll be happy to go on a thorny path.

    I asked a question to further clarify the doubts.

    ¡°There¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t understand. According to Alois, the magician¡¯s family and the evil dragon are related by blood. But why is the magician trying to punish the evil dragon?¡±

    It was like trying to kill an ancestor.

    Alois sighed and answered my question.

    ¡°It¡¯s to break Kun¡¯s curse.¡±

    ¡°Kun¡¯s curse?¡±

    ¡°Agnes became an evil dragon under Kun¡¯s curse. That soul loses reason cannot die, but is resurrected over and over again.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because the child didn¡¯t kill the evil dragon and sealed it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but in fact, he couldn¡¯t kill him.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean he couldn¡¯t kill him?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a curse that is solved only when Kun¡¯s soul dies. He knew he couldn¡¯t kill him by himself, so he sealed it.¡±

    My mouth opened wide at Alois¡¯ answer.

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    Because Kun¡¯s soul was sealed in the book, Agnes also couldn¡¯t die and was resurrected over and over again, repeating unwanted actions.

    To think that was the identity of the evil that confused the world.

    My hair stood on its ends from the side of the book I didn¡¯t know.

    ¡®In the end, the guide is Sullivan and Kun¡¯s soul.¡¯

    t was strange to hear that what I thought was just one of the systems in the book was actually a living soul.

    Then suddenly, I opened my mouth, recalling that Lexion had a book.

    ¡°Alois, there¡¯s more than one book.¡±

    ¡°This. Their souls are already separated.¡±

    Alois frowned and replied calmly.

    ¡°What do you mean separated?¡±

    ¡°It means that both souls are awake.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡°If both souls are awake, there must be another contractor.¡±

    ¡°The other contractor is Lexion Sparrow. His role is the evil dragon.¡±

    ¡°As expected¡­ I see. That¡¯s why he entered the family tree of the evil dragon.¡±

    As if expected, Alois sighed quietly and murmured evasive words.

    I asked Alois, grasping at straws.

    ¡°Do you know anything about the Duke¡¯s condition?¡±

    ¡°Kun must be looking for a soul to replace the evil dragon. Agnes¡¯s soul was already ruined. He needs another soul to bee the next evil dragon to keep Sullivan bound.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean tying up Sullivan?¡±

    ¡°Because Kun wants to monopolize Sullivan. The medium of the absolute evil, the evil dragon and the book are very good means.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Maybe the duke¡¯s contractor is Kun. That¡¯s probably why the duke became the evil dragon.¡±

    ¡°Then my contractor¡­¡±

    ¡°It must be Sullivan.¡±

    Alois finished her words with a glance at the book.

    TL/N: Woah woah woah whut so much backstory?!

 Chapter 111

    [Tiarozety¡¯s POV]

    Now everything felt certain.

    Why the book forced the ending on me so much.

    ¡®You tried to use me to end this damn evil relationship.¡¯

    I unknowingly clenched my fists.

    It was because I thought it was never a coincidence that Lexion blocked my ending.

    In the end, Lexion and I were also played by them.

    ¡°I ended up being taken advantage of. The pensation was the bait.¡±

    ¡°Did you say pensation?¡±

    ¡°If I kill the evil dragon, I will return it to the original world.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm.¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t ask me to kill the evil dragon from the beginning. It told me to just plete the ending, but because the ending changed as Lexion intervened¡­¡±

    I stopped talking.

    It was because I thought of something I was missing for a moment.

    ¡®Come to think of it, the terms of pensation have changed in this life. So what about the pensation?¡¯

    It was the book that changed the terms of pensation at will.

    It¡¯s because it¡¯s urging me to change the ending myself and kill the evil dragon.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°If the terms of pensation have changed from before, can the contents of the pensation be changed?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the terms and conditions of the pensation are, but once the contract is set, it cannot be changed.¡±

    I refuted Alois¡¯ point-blank statement.

    ¡°But my terms of pensation have changed.¡±

    ¡°There are times when the conditions you see are not everything. Perhaps the book cunningly assumes conditions that can be changed.¡±

    Come to think of it, my condition was ¡®Complete the ending¡¯.

    The loophole in this was that the ¡®ending¡¯ was changeable.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this really a bully?¡±

    I was about to get mad at the book¡¯s absurd tricks.

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    ¡°What does it mean that Sullivan is not in a normal state?¡±

    ¡°It means Sullivan may not be able to use her insightful eyes like she used to.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean she might be helping Kun?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Seeing as she told Miss Tiarozety to kill the evil dragon, it doesn¡¯t seem like she was dominated¡­ ¡°

    Alois hesitated and continued.

    ¡°First of all, you have to collect both books to make sure.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t know where the other book is. Maybe the duke has it.¡±

    Books have the property of following us when they get farther away from the contractor.

    At this time when Lexion disappeared.

    There was no way the book would remain in Sparrow Castle.

    Alois muttered with a troubled face.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s only one way. I have no choice but to participate in the subjugation force and find him.¡±

    ¡°What if you find him? What are you going to do next?¡±

    I stared at her with wary eyes.

    It was because I was very concerned about what she said earlier to plete the ending.

    Alois said if she noticed my intentions.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There is no harm to the Duke.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°I will unseal the book and free the soul. Not me, of course, but Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m just helping. The contractor is the only one who can do the job.¡±

    Alois continued with a meaningful smile.

    ¡°The problem is that the Duke must hold on to his spirits¡­¡±

    ¡°Hold on to his spirits?¡±

    ¡°When you assimilate with the evil dragon, you will start to lose intelligence.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡®Titi, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­. I guess I can¡¯t stand it any longer.¡­. The consciousness¡­.¡¯

    That¡¯s what Lexion¡¯s last words meant then.

    I frowned as I thought of Lexion, who had disappeared while the evil dragon transformation was in progress.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to hurry, to save Lexion.¡±

    I was going to tell Gregory that I would join the subjugation force right away, but a cheerful alarm suddenly sounded.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¨C The trailer has arrived!

    At this, Alois and I focused on the book.

    * * *

    [Lexion¡¯s POV]

    At the northern end, an unexpected gust of wind blew in the Karaha Desert.

    When a black object fell from the sky, the sand wind entangled it and caused a motion in the wasteland.

    Moments later, the half-man, half-beast man staggered and sat down on the floor.

    The one with dragon scales sprouting here and there was Lexion Sparrow.

    The man who used to be the main character, but now has bee a villain who opposes the main character, frowned.

    ¡°I have to go further, further¡­¡±

    He got up again and again, hastening his steps.

    It was because he had to disappear farther away in order not to damage the North.

    TL/N: Omg Lexion!!! My heart!!! T^T

    So I tried to run away from the north as much as possible.

    I couldn¡¯t slow down because I knew that the evil dragon¡¯s body was infested with monsters.

    But I was already tired and exhausted.

    Besides, I was in a bad state because I was fatally wounded.

    In the end, Lexion couldn¡¯t stand it and buried his face in the sand.

    The book floated through the blurred vision and said.

    ¨C You can¡¯t let go of your mind. Cheer up a little bit.

    ¡®Who¡¯s the reason this happened¡­¡¯

    Lexion turned away from the noisy book.

    After a while.

    ¨C A preview has arrived for Tiarozety!

    Along with the guide¡¯s notification, the letters rose and I started reading the trailer.

    [In the north, a subjugation team is formed with Gregory at the center.

    Tiarozety, heartbroken by Lexion Sparrow¡¯s transformation into an evil dragon, turns to Gregory.

    Afterwards, Tiarozety follows Gregory on a journey to slay the evil dragon.

    Tiarozety and Gregory, who confirmed trust and affection during the journey, promise a future.

    Then, with the help of Tiarozety, he confronts the evil dragon¡­]

    As soon as Lexion heard the contents of the trailer, he clenched his fists.

    Sand slipped through his fists.

    Even knowing that the contents of the book were fake, doubt and anxiety welled up in my heart.

    I wondered if the two of them had bee like that while he wasn¡¯t there.

    The guide said as if he knew what Lexion was thinking.

    -The trailer is edited to suit the situation of the book and may differ from the truth.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    -Be careful not to lose your mind. The aftermath of assimilating with the evil dragon makes it difficult to control emotions.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    Lexion stared at the book, speechless.

    Somehow it was strange that he felt like the guide was forting himself.

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    The white faded book continued to talk, floating around Lexion.

    ¨C Tiarozety Esol is ing soon. Give her the book.

    ¡°What¡¯s this all of a sudden? To deliver the book.¡±

    ¨C The ending of the story is near. If you take care not to be penalized more than this, you will get the desired result.

    ¡°Result I want?¡±

    ¨C That¡­ ¡­ When the time es¡­ ¡­

    The book lost its light and fell off while an inprehensible sound.

    Since Asher Castle, the book has been in this shape.

    Lexion was disturbed to hear that the ending was getting closer.

    ¡®Did Titi decide to plete the ending?¡¯

    My heart ached at the thought of that.

    I had no idea that I would be wasting my time in such a weak way.

    And waiting for her choice.

    At least I didn¡¯t want to be a hindrance to her.

    But how do you look now?

    ¡°I think it¡¯s terrible, too.¡±

    Lexion staggered to his feet.

    If she¡¯s made up her mind, I thought I¡¯d let her know my location so that she could find me.

    After a while, the wings of the evil dragon flapped.

    The ground shook loudly as Lexion roared with all his might.

    Lexion, now half of her body covered with scales, roamed the sky.

    To announce his location to the oning subjugation force.

    * * *

    [Tiarozety¡¯s POV]

    The day of the subjugation force¡¯s departure.

    I wore pants that were easy to move around in and wore a dagger around my waist.

    The silver dagger that Lexion had given her as a gift for the first time sparkled at her waist.

    There was no difficulty in wearing the pre-made armor because it had a lightweight magic on it so that it wouldn¡¯t be too heavy.

    My face in the mirror was hardened as if I had been resolute.

    Daisy, who was beside her to dress up, spoke anxiously.

    ¡°My Lady, you have to take care of yourself.¡±

    The other day, when she heard the news that I was participating in the subjugation, she cried out so loudly.

    I struggled for a long time trying to calm her down.

    I said, holding Daisy¡¯s hand tightly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back with the Duke.¡±

    ¡°Is it really true that the Duke allowed it? It can¡¯t be¡­¡±

    ¡°I just said I wanted to be with him.¡±

    ¡°Heueb, Lady, you¡¯re really fearless.¡±

    Daisy sniffed and grumbled.

    ¡®Fearless. Since when did I bee a fearless character.¡¯

    I chuckled at Daisy¡¯s assessment.

    It was because the words did not suit Tiarozety Esol at all.

    Of course, the cowardly personality in the first place was nothing more than a setting created by the book.

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    When I went outside, the knights were already lined up and waiting.

    Gregory, clad in armor, got off his horse and held out his hand.

    ¡°Ride with me.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m with Alois¡­¡±

    ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m not used to horseback riding.¡±

    When Alois made an embarrassed expression, Gregory reached out his hand even more.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    Reluctantly, I grabbed Gregory¡¯s hand and mounted the horse.

    Then Gregory climbed up behind me and grabbed the reins.

    Dun Dun-!

    ¡°Move out!¡±

    The knights moved according to the sound of drums and chanting.

 Chapter 112

    [Tiarozety¡¯s POV]

    The sound of military boots rang loudly and dust rose on the floor.

    On both sides of the procession, Bael residents waved handkerchiefs to see them off.

    It was an important subjugation where life and death were at stake.

    Everyone¡¯s faces looked grim.

    The subjugation expedition headed for the Karaha Desert.

    It was because a report came in a few days ago that the roar of an evil dragon could be heard there.

    Gregory said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to join Sir Aiden at the halfway point.¡±

    If the Karaha Desert was the destination, the expedition in the Hawk Mountains was closer than here.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you there in advance?¡±

    ¡°First of all, I have to explain the situation here. We also need to look at the situation at Hawk Mountain.¡±

    Gregory replied in a tense tone.

    In fact, individual battles were meaningless in a situation where communication stones were not working well due to the aftermath of the evil dragon.

    There must be a limit to sending dispatches in advance.

    I opened my mouth politely.

    ¡°I see. Is the expedition aware of Zion¡¯s condition?¡±

    ¡°I told Sir Aiden roughly. I told him to inform only those who can be trusted.¡±

    ¡°They must have been very surprised.¡±

    ¡°Only the lady.¡±

    Gregory¡¯s low voice tickled my hair.

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    Since Lexion did that, Gregory hasn¡¯t been as playful as before.

    As if he was determined to live properly, he began to do his job in silence.

    It was also a bit unfamiliar to me for him to be serious about everything.

    It was certain that Lexion¡¯s absence had awakened Gregory.

    The fall of the emperor¡¯s intelligence and Kronos must have had an impact.

    ¡®After the subjugation, Gregory will return to the capital.¡¯

    Now that Kronos has become a half-baked brother, the current throne was now empty.

    It was a war now, so the discussion on the spot would have stopped, but it was unknown after that.

    Perhaps Seirin and Gregory could have fought an untimely battle in the process of deciding on a successor.

    Of course, it seems that Gregory will not push Seirin and become emperor.

    I said to Gregory.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Crown Prince Kronos. I missed the right time.¡­.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t my fault that he went crazy, but it could have been different if I had cleaned it up then.

    Of course, I think it¡¯s fortunate that Lexion was able to escape because I didn¡¯t do it.

    ¡®If I had purified him myself, I would have regretted it.¡¯

    Morally, I apologized because he was a member of Kronos¡¯ family.

    At that moment, I felt Gregory¡¯s eyes linger on me.

    After a while, Gregory put his hand on my head and said.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing for you to be sorry about. It¡¯s his own fault. Don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s your family after all.¡°

    ¡°Family. Yes, family¡­ So I¡¯m the one who should feel responsible for this situation, not you.¡±

    ¡°How is it the prince¡¯s fault? It was just an unavoidable accident.¡±

    Gregory laughed lightly at my answer.

    ¡°Lady, do you know we¡¯re saying the same thing to each other?¡±

    ¡°Now that you mention it, it is. As expected, I guess I didn¡¯t have to say that.¡±

    Gregory quietly apologized as he messed with his hair.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for hiding what Seirin did.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°As you said, we¡¯re family¡­¡­ I knew Seirin was wrong, but I couldn¡¯t stop her properly.¡±

    Gregory¡¯s voice sank.

    There was a sense of remorse for himself who was silent even though he knew Seirin tried to kill me using Alois.

    ¡°I wish I had stopped her when I noticed¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s natural for your arms to bend inward. Besides, when a family gets involved, everything gets complicated.¡±

    If it is difficult to intervene in other people¡¯s affairs, wouldn¡¯t it be unjust if it was family?

    ¡°Lady¡­¡±

    Gregory called me quietly, and I followed up with my feelings.

    ¡°Of course, I think it would have been nice if you had told me in advance.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say I wasn¡¯t disappointed in the prince, but I understand.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Gregory was visibly depressed when he was told I was disappointed.

    However, it seemed that the answer was enough to say that he understood.

    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t act like a fool again.¡±

    Gregory spoke quite seriously and tightened his grip on the reins.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you down again.¡±

    I felt a little bewildered by Gregory¡¯s declaration.

    At the same time, it seemed to have an awkward atmosphere, so I straightened my waist for no reason.

    It was because it became uncomfortable to lean on Gregory.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡®A trailer is to present one of the many possible scenarios.¡¯

    ¡®Is the book trying to manipulate me by penalizing me when I don¡¯t follow the trailer?¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s it. The book is using you to create the ending it wants.¡¯

    ¡®But the me in the book and the real me are different.¡¯

    ¡®But I¡¯m different from the real me in the book.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s the margin of error. It¡¯s proof that books can¡¯t control the world. Kun may be competent, but he¡¯s not a god.¡¯

    Alois explained that the trailer was just one way that could have been done.

    It is also said that it is in the desired direction of the book.

    Since books cannot move the world on their own, they are trying to create a butterfly effect by using a person called ¡®me¡¯.

    I couldn¡¯t comprehend it until I tried to understand the book.

    It was the worst situation for the world to suffer because of a few selfish people.

    I had a headache and smoothed my hair as I had more thoughts.

    ¡®I¡¯m glad I have lucid dreams. At least we can find out where Lexion is hiding at the moment when we need it.¡¯

    Just in case, I haven¡¯t used lucid dreaming since.

    It was the last resort to find out the location of the book.

    Then Gregory pulled me back and leaned me against his chest.

    ¡°If you keep your upper body straight like that, your back will hurt.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    I stayed still, fearing that I might be misunderstood that I was rather conscious of removing myself.

    But the atmosphere was already moving awkwardly.

    After a while, Gregory cautiously said.

    ¡°Just in case, if you find Lexion, don¡¯t act alone.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll endanger your life again like last time.¡±

    ¡°Prince.¡±

    ¡°I have no intention to disturb you. But if Lexion is in an irreversible state like Kronos¡­.¡±

    Gregory¡¯s grip on the reins grew stronger.

    He was hesitant to speak, so he couldn¡¯t follow through.

    I beat Gregory before he spat out.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°If it¡¯s irreversible, give up Zion?

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t give up. Even if Lexion becomes a fool, I¡¯ll be next to him.¡±

    ¡°Lady, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­ ¡­ .¡±

    ¡°Zion would be so pitiful if I gave up on him too.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t imagine it.

    But I was willing to throw my life away if the worst came before my eyes.

    The only reason I have lingering feelings for this world is Lexion.

    Also, Lexion will not be a fool like Kronos.

    Since he became the evil dragon, when I meet him, he will either die or live.

    And I thought that if I couldn¡¯t save Lexion, I would die along with him.

    ¡®What is the point of life without Zion?¡¯

    I have no intention of returning to the original world anymore.

    I have no desire to be rewarded.

    That reward, anyway, was assumed by the book at will.

    All I wanted was not to go back.

    ¡®I want to be happy with you.¡¯

    Like Tiarozety¡¯s last will.

    I wanted to be happy. With Lexion.

    It was then.

    Gregory¡¯s breath drew closer to the crown of my head.

    It¡¯s like a kiss.

    ¡°What about me?¡±

    Gregory¡¯s voice trembled lightly.

    He held my shoulder with one hand.

    Gregory¡¯s actions made me stiff.

    Then Gregory relaxed his hands and whispered softly.

    ¡°Why do you feel sorry for Zion only?¡±

    It was a funny thing.

    The day has come for Gregory to show me his true face.

    Gregory did not want others to see him as pitiful.

    So he openly hated those who pretended to be pitiful.

    Because he thought it was nothing more than self-pity.

    Objectively, Gregory¡¯s life was unhappy.

    However, Gregory did not face it and only covered it up with bravado.

    His unfortunate childhood, his family¡¯s abuse, and the dark past and present surrounding Gregory were all things he always avoided.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°The prince has Seirin.¡±

    ¡°I, I¡­¡±

    Gregory hesitated, then spat out an afterword.

    ¡°I want you to be by my side.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible.¡±

    I dismissed Gregory¡¯s words and pulled away from him.

    ¡°I can only see Zion . .¡±

    ¡°Yes. I know there are many things between you two that I don¡¯t know about.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°But you don¡¯t know about the future. If there¡¯s even one empty spot next to you¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not going to happen.¡±

    I shook my head and said firmly.

    If the day comes when the seat next to me is empty, it will be my due date.

    If there is no way to save Lexion, I will gladly roll down into the mud with him.

    I did not tell Gregory of these many resolutions.

    For him to understand, my situation and Lexion¡¯s situation would be full of questions.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    At my answer, Gregory let out an airy laugh.

    He said, leaning back towards me quietly.

    ¡°All right.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°As expected, it must be too late to intervene between the two.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°But if you need any help later, ask me. I am ready to grant you any ridiculous request.¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡±

    ¡°It also means that you can use me as a shield.¡±

    Unlike before, it was a calm and clear voice.

    It seemed that he had been able to control his emotions.

    It was like trying to change the atmosphere.

    I playfully responded to his efforts.

    ¡°That¡¯s a little burdensome.¡±

    He laughed lightly at my bold answer.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you to feel pressured, so of course.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll decline¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Eyyy, can¡¯t you play a joke?¡±

    Gregory interrupted me saying I would refuse.

    After that, we didn¡¯t have the same conversation as before.

    TL/N: Team Lexion 4eva but I felt a twinge of second male lead syndrome here hahaha. Poor Gregory! I¡¯m glad he seems to have gotten it out of his system and accepted it though.

 Chapter 113

    It¡¯s been 15 days since I left for the subjugation.

    The more time passed, the more worried I was about Lexion¡¯s safety.

    So I didn¡¯t stop walking, but on the way to the Hawk Mountains, it was infested with beasts and I couldn¡¯t speed up.

    On the other hand, it was a contradiction to be relieved that the evil dragon was alive and well.

    ¡®Zion, are you all right?¡¯

    It¡¯s already been several days since I couldn¡¯t convey my regards back in my heart.

    We have finally reached the Hawk Mountains.

    We went straight to where the expedition was waiting and joined them.

    As the evil dragon absorbed Lexion, it seemed that the number of monsters also increased.

    The corpses of beasts that had not disappeared were strewn around.

    It seemed that they had confronted the Witchbeasts several times while waiting for us.

    Aiden bowed to us.

    ¡°Welcome, Prince.¡±

    ¡°You suffered alone.¡±

    When Gregory encouraged Aiden, Aiden responded with a salute.

    Aiden¡¯s face was gaunt.

    ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±

    Aiden smiled and greeted me, but he seemed to have suffered a lot.

    I said with a bitter smile.

    ¡°Sir Aiden, long time no see.¡±

    ¡°You worked hard to come, my lady.¡±

    Aiden smiled lightly as he greeted them as a courtesy.

    We talked a lot through our eyes.

    In order not to lower the morale of the knights, we couldn¡¯t mention Lexion.

    We were just encouraging each other with our eyes.

    ¡°First of all, we¡¯d better unpack in the barracks and discuss what happens later.¡±

    After Aiden finished speaking, an attendant guided us to a temporary shelter.

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    I went into the barracks, unpacked my luggage, and was resting for a while, and the servant came in.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety, the meeting is about to begin.¡±

    ¡°Am I participating?¡±

    When I blinked my eyes, the attendant replied yes.

    It was a meeting where the leaders of the ranks gathered.

    I wondered if I could attend, but then Violet came in.

    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m here to pick you up.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Sir Violet.¡±

    I was delighted with the Violet I haven¡¯t seen in a long time.

    He greeted me lightly with a courtesy and led me to the barracks where the meeting was to take place.

    When I arrived at the barracks, leaders were gathered in one place.

    And everyone here was aware of Lexion¡¯s condition.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    Alois, who was in the barracks, waved and pointed to the seat next to her.

    She was not a leader, but she seemed to have attended because she knew the inside story of the situation like me.

    I carefully sat next to Alois, then Gregory came in and sat in the top seat.

    Gregory, the person in charge of the subjugation force, said.

    ¡°The purpose of this subjugation externally is to subdue the evil dragon, but the Lords will know that there is something else behind it.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯m thinking of sending a spy to the Karaha Desert. We have to find out the exact location and try to purify it without the knights knowing.¡±

    He didn¡¯t mention what they were purifying, but everyone¡¯s expressions were grim.

    Gregory moistened his lips and continued.

    ¡°You lords must know that you have to save it no matter what.¡±

    All eyes were on Gregory.

    I watched the situation go back in silence.

    Then Aiden raised his hand and asked.

    ¡°Who do you anticipate to be the right person? If you¡¯re going to search in secret, you¡¯ll have to choose from the people here.¡±

    ¡°Your words are right. It would be nice to have someone who knows the inside story of this.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go.¡±

    Chris, who had been listening silently, made up his mind and raised his hand.

    Alois followed suit.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll follow you!¡±

    It was an act of concern that her brother would enter a dangerous enemy camp alone.

    Chris expressed disapproval.

    ¡°Currently, Karaha Desert is a place inhabited by evil dragons. It¡¯s dangerous, so it¡¯s easier for me to move alone.¡±

    ¡°You must have forgotten that I¡¯m a magician. It will never be a burden, so don¡¯t worry.¡±

    When Alois retorted, Chris shut his mouth.

    At that time, Gregory broke the commotion in the crowd and said.

    ¡°No. I am going as a spy.¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    My eyes widened at Gregory¡¯s unexpected declaration.

    ¡®Did you mean to use yourself as a shield?¡¯

    Perhaps I should participate as a spy.

    Currently, the number of purification stones was far from sufficient.

    Even though it had been stored in abundance, it was quickly consumed due to a series of incidents.

    Those who know that my power can purify evil will not be able to stop me if I go.

    ¡®You¡¯re trying to beat me in advance because you¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll be alone and act alone. You want to come with me.¡¯

    Not knowing how to look at Gregory, I shifted my gaze.

    At that time, Aiden protested with a firm face.

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that. I¡¯ve never heard of the person in charge coming forward himself.¡±

    ¡°But the opponent is a transcendent. I can¡¯t guarantee whether I¡¯ll be able to come back alive if I face him.¡±

    ¡°So even more, it means that the prince should remain here. Because you¡¯re in charge.¡±

    Chris added when Aiden held out stubbornly.

    ¡°Sir Aiden is right. If you don¡¯t trust me, I¡¯ll go with Sir Aiden.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not because I can¡¯t trust you. I was just trying to minimize the number of people so as not to lose valuable power.¡±

    In fact, Aiden and Gregory were right.

    When the person in charge is at stake, the subjugation party will be shaken.

    However, it was a waste of power if everyone else except for the person in charge went and got in danger.

    Besides, the current subjugation and expedition corps were more friendly to Aiden and Chris than to Gregory.

    For some reason, I understood why Gregory was stubborn.

    It would be easier to risk one¡¯s own life than to send Lexion¡¯s precious knights to death.

    Even if they die at the hands of Lexion, Lexion, who has come to his senses, will be greatly discouraged.

    But Gregory was overlooking it.

    To Lexion, he is also a precious friend.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡®It¡¯ll be easier to get to Lexion if we go with a small number of people.¡¯

    It was risky to run into Lexion in a situation where there were several knights.

    However, Alois and I alone did not have enough fighting power to go.

    In the end, I have to bring someone else with me¡­

    As I was thinking about this, the guide shouted just in time.

    ¨C The main episode is in progress. Convince Gregory to gather four spies and head to Karaha Desert. (Required list: Gregory Arden Werbel, Tiarozety Esol and two others available.)

    Four people?

    At the guide¡¯s voice, Alois and I exchanged gazes.

    It was strange that she heard the voice of the book again.

    In my previous life, she had never heard the voice of the book or seen the book.

    It was only natural that I did not take out the book in front of others before returning.

    According to Alois, she hadn¡¯t heard the book¡¯s voice from the beginning.

    She heard it after seeing the main body of the book when I was doing the lucid dreaming tutorial.

    ¡®I¡¯ll go too.¡¯

    Alois spoke with her mouth and pointed at herself.

    I nodded lightly and focused my gaze on him.

    ¡°Then how about this?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°If we go to the Karaha Desert with the entire Knights and run into the Duke, we will be in trouble.¡±

    ¡°I guess so, because the knights don¡¯t know yet.¡±

    ¡°So, as the prince said, it may be better to go find him with a spy and an elite soldier.¡±

    Everyone was silent on my argument.

    After a while, Gregory said.

    ¡°So who does the lady want to go with?¡±

    The thing that caused a fuss so far was about the members.

    I calmly expressed my opinion.

    ¡°I think about four people would be appropriate.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Gregory looked troubled.

    I continued to speak on my own.

    ¡°First of all, I¡¯ll have to go to purify him, and it¡¯s better for the prince to accompany me to lead and take control of the situation.¡±

    ¡°But¡­!¡±

    Aiden tried to stop me, but Gregory followed suit.

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°If Sir Chris and Alois join us, I think the overall harmony will be right.¡±

    ¡°The combination of Esol, a magician, and a knight is definitely appropriate.¡±

    Gregory gave me a soft look and agreed.

    Then Aiden jumped up and tried to dissuade me.

    ¡°We can¡¯t send Tiarozety there.¡±

    ¡°However, the amount of purification stones is far from enough. Are you going to leave the living crystal that can be used at any time?¡±

    Aiden licked his lips as I smiled softly.

    It was true that there was a shortage of purification stones, so he couldn¡¯t refute my words.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    After a while, he said.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll go, not the prince. I¡¯m the lady¡¯s escort in the first place¡­¡±

    ¡°No. Sir Aiden should be here.¡±

    ¡°Lady!¡±

    ¡°It was not something I said thoughtlessly. The prince is not a northerner, so he will not be able to deal with emergencies like Sir Aiden.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°In addition, in the absence of the Duke, all the knights are relying on Sir Aiden. Sir Aiden¡¯s absence is not good for the military camp.¡±

    Aiden bit his lower lip and was unable to speak.

    Although Gregory is externally the person in charge of the subjugation force, it is true that the actual leadership is centered on him and Chris.

    Chris had seen Lexion¡¯s condition firsthand, so he was qualified as a spy, but Aiden wasn¡¯t.

    The northern knights was best led by a northern knight.

    Aiden also sat down as if he could no longer refute my words.

    There was a moment of silence in the conference room.

    Gregory broke the silence and said.

    ¡°If everyone has no objections, I will form an elite army as Tiarozety said.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Aiden replied reluctantly.

    ¨C The members for the main episode have been decided. Subsequent changes are not possible. The episode will begin shortly.

    When everyone agreed, the guide disappeared after guiding.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s come up with a detailed strategy.¡±

    Based on Gregory¡¯s words, we started discussing specific plans.

 Chapter 114

    As time passed and the meeting ended, we returned to their respective positions one by one.

    I approached Aiden, who seemed to have a lot of thoughts, with his head bowed.

    ¡°Sir Aiden.¡±

    At my call, Aiden raised his head slowly.

    Aiden muttered with a mournful face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s really okay like this.¡±

    ¡°Everything will be fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If I hadn¡¯t sent the Duke alone that day, this wouldn¡¯t have happened¡­¡±

    Aiden frowned, unable to continue his words.

    It seemed that he blamed himself the whole time for letting Lexion start alone.

    I patted his shoulder and said.

    ¡°It¡¯s not Sir Aiden¡¯s fault. Don¡¯t feel guilty.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not even completely over yet. Let¡¯s not lose hope.¡±

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety¡­¡±

    Aiden looked somewhat moved when I expressed my hope with a smile.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    I spoke bravely on purpose.

    ¡°I will bring the duke by all means. So Sir Aiden, please protect this place.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°You know Sir Aiden is the most reliable here, right? To the extent that the Duke entrusted Sir to my escort.¡±

    ¡°I knew that too. It¡¯s a bit of a waste for me to be an escort knight.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re being too modest. It¡¯s not a little.¡±

    As I hesitated, he put on an embarrassed expression.

    ¡°It was a skill that I couldn¡¯t not know. Because you¡¯re so reliable and strong.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you trusted me.¡±

    He coughed and was embarrassed by the repeated praise.

    Aiden¡¯s expression softened before I knew it.

    The stiff atmosphere collapsed.

    ¡°Ah by the way, this.¡±

    I took out a handkerchief from my arms and held it out to Aiden.

    It was a handkerchief that Daisy requested.

    I said as Aiden just stared at me with his eyes wide open.

    ¡°Daisy asked me to give it to you.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Aiden accepted the handkerchief with a dazed look at the word Daisy.

    He fidgeted with the embroidery on his handkerchief and licked his lower lip.

    He seemed grim, but also seemed to be shy.

    Aiden asked cautiously.

    ¡°How¡¯s Daisy?¡±

    ¡°Well hmmm, maybe by now she¡¯s on the edge of worrying about the safety of Sir Aiden and myself.¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡±

    Aiden smiled as if he could see it.

    ¡°Of course, I think she¡¯ll be more worried about Sir Aiden than about me.¡±

    At my joke, Aiden blinked widely.

    Soon Aiden, whose face turned red, swept his face with his hands.

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety, that¡¯s a misunderstanding¡­ !¡±

    TL/N: ye shure boi shure whatever you say

    ¡°At least Sir Aiden¡¯s feelings don¡¯t seem to be a misunderstanding.¡±

    ¡°What the heck, did you catch me?¡±

    Aiden fiddled with the back of his head, probably feeling embarrassed.

    His face was still flushed.

    He fiddled with Daisy¡¯s handkerchief again.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not die and go back alive to see Daisy. There are a lot of things you haven¡¯t talked about yet, you two.¡±

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    At my words, Aiden lowered his head.

    ¡°I was going to confess when I went back.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s very late, but Daisy will probably accept it.¡±

    ¡°Does it look like that to you too?¡±

    Aiden gave a slightly expectant look.

    What is visible in the eyes of a third party seems uncertain to the person concerned.

    Seeing how he wants confirmation.

    I replied with a smile.

    ¡°I thought you two were already dating.¡±

    ¡°Lady¡­!¡±

    Aiden was startled and put his index finger to my mouth.

    I burst into laughter because Aiden¡¯s innocent look was cute.

    ¡°Don¡¯t laugh.¡±

    Aiden, who was blushing, was restless.

    I said, barely holding back a burst of laughter.

    ¡°Can I be the maid of honor?¡±

    ¡°Are you already thinking about us getting married already?¡±

    ¡°I think Sir Aiden is already thinking about his children and grandchildren.¡±

    ¡°Lady¡­ ¡­ please.¡±

    Aiden groaned as he rubbed his face again.

    At last, the true face was about to turn red again.

    I thought I should stop teasing and backed away.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back safely.¡±

    He responded to my greeting, by placing the handkerchief in his pocket.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting here praying for your safe return with the Duke.¡±

    * * *

    The four spies first set out for the Karaha Desert in the name of a secret mission.

    On the way to the Karaha Desert, an individual stronger than the monsters we encountered before was blocking our way.

    It was a sign that we were closer to the evil dragon.

    We stood in our respective positions and played our parts.

    With Gregory and Chris at the forefront, they grabbed the monsters blocking their way and cleared the way.

    Alois protected me by assisting me with magic.

    After so many days, it was when I got used to teamwork.

    In accordance with the time when there were few beasts, we took a break with Alois¡¯ concealment spell.

    Soon we will arrive at the Karaha Desert.

    I was nervous about getting close to Lexion.

    As I was fiddling with the book in my bag, Alois approached me.

    ¡°Are you nervous?¡±

    ¡°A little bit.¡±

    I answered lightly, scratching my cheeks awkwardly.

    Before going to the Karaha Desert, I was going to use lucid dreams to find out the location of Lexion.

    And if possible, I was going to go alone with Alois, avoiding Gregory and Chris.

    It was because there was not enough time to explain the situation to the two of them, and the risk of being caught by Kun was high.

    I looked behind me and asked.

    ¡°What about Sir Chris?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s standing guard in front of you. The prince went on patrol.¡±

    ¡°Maybe now is the right time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    After briefly exchanging glances with Alois, I took out the book.

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    While I was lucid dreaming to find the location of the book with Lexion, Alois also decided to peek into the dream.

    It was in preparation for any possible trickery of the book.

    Alois applied a spell directly to the book so that it would not recognize our conversation.

    Subsequently, a double magic formula was overlaid so that she could enter lucid dreaming.

    After finishing the work, Alois tilted her head while looking at the book.

    ¡°Eung? By the way, was the original cover color like this?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it was originally black, but it turned red after returning.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant,  but it feels like a newer book than before.¡±

    Alois tapped on the cover.

    ¡°It was originally a bit whiter. Like an old book.¡±

    I followed Alois¡¯ fingers and moved my gaze to the book.

    Of course, it felt more faded than before, but it was far from white.

    I felt something strange, but I couldn¡¯t pinpoint what it was.

    So, as I moved my lips and hesitated, Alois spoke.

    ¡°Well, I must have been mistaken at first glance.¡±

    It didn¡¯t seem important, so she let it go.

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    ¡°Then I will stay away. Just to distract Sir Chris.¡±

    When Alois got up from her seat, I nodded lightly.

    After a while, left alone in the tent, I spoke to the book.

    ¡°Guide.¡±

    ¨C Did you call, Traveler?

    The book flashed and answered.

    ¡°I want to use lucid dreaming.¡±

    ¨C Whose dream do you want to peek at?

    ¡°Lexion Sparrow.¡±

    ¨C All right. You go straight into the dream.

    Sleep came to me with the guide¡¯s cheerful guidance.

    * * *

    When I opened my eyes, it was a wasteland.

    The sandy wind pierced my ears harshly.

    ¡®Is it the Karaha Desert?¡¯

    I¡¯ve never been to the Karaha Desert, but the place that unfolded in front of me was definitely a desert.

    Soon after, I felt a gust of wind cutting through my skin.

    I flinched and fiddled with my fluttering silver hair.

    ¡®Oh, why am I like this?¡¯

    I was sure that I would enter Lexion¡¯s dream.

    However, it was embarrassing to enter the dream as it is.

    It was exactly like the first time I had a dream.

    Unlike then, there was a difference in that the body moved freely.

    I opened my mouth thinking that something was wrong.

    ¡°Guide.¡±

    ¨C ¡­ ¡­

    ¨C ¡­ ¡­

    There was no answer even though the book was floating.

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    I spoke again and again with an anxious heart.

    ¡°Guide, answer me.¡±

    But the guide didn¡¯t answer.

    It was as if my voice could not be heard.

    ¡®What happened?¡¯

    I looked around, wondering if I had fallen into a trap, but a voice pierced my ears.

    ¨C Can you hear me?¡­ my voice¡­ ¡­

    ¡°!!¡±

    I didn¡¯t know where the sound was coming from, so I kept circling the stretch.

    It was just me and the book in the desert.

    After a while, the voice was heard again.

    ¨C You can hear me, my voice.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¨C I¡¯m sorry to come so suddenly. I¡¯m in a hurry too¡­

    It was a monotonous voice.

    It was unclear whether it was a woman or a man, but it did not appear to be a man.

    In an instant, an unbelievable thought passed by.

    I wonder if it¡¯s Sullivan.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±

    ¨C You want to save Lexion Sparrow.

    ¡°!!¡±

    ¨C I¡¯ll show you the way. The only way to succeed.

    My mouth naturally opened at the sound that pierced my brain.

    Giving directions means knowing the way.

    And knowing the way was not simply a matter of geography.

    It was insight.

 Chapter 115

    ¡°Could it be you, Sullivan?¡±

    ¨C Yes, there was a time when I was called that name.

    Sullivan murmured sentimentally.

    I let out an indignant voice when I realized that it was Sullivan herself.

    ¡°As expected, the person who brought me here is you¡­!¡±

    ¨C I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t help it then. I was out of my mind.

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¨C To be precise, it was more like being dominated by Kun. Of course, whatever I say will sound like an excuse.

    There was an illusion that the voice seemed to sigh.

    Recognizing that it was her, her voice sounded clearer than before.

    Sullivan said soothingly in a gentle tone.

    ¨C I waited for you to appear in my dreams with him.

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    ¨C The Lexion Sparrow.

    She continued, with a low smile.

    ¨C He¡¯s a very strong person. He¡¯s holding up against Kun¡¯s curse.

    Sullivan acted as if she were with Lexion.

    I asked back in wonder.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really understand, didn¡¯t you sign a contract with me?¡±

    ¨C Strictly speaking, it¡¯s true that we signed a contract.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ Isn¡¯t that what it means?¡±

    -It¡¯s been a long time since the Awakener became a Traveler, and each Traveler was assigned a Contractor.

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    As Alois said, as the book was separated, the soul seemed to be divided into two.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Then Sullivan spoke in a monotonous tone.

    ¨C My current contractor is Lexion Sparrow.

    ¡°But you turned Lexion into an evil dragon.¡±

    ¨C That¡­

    ¡°How can I believe you¡¯re Sullivan? If you¡¯re a real Sullivan, there would be no way the evil dragon would be able to continue the lineage.¡±

    I asked in a wary voice.

    Sullivan was said to be a wise man.

    To stop Kun¡¯s tyranny, she sealed him in a book and was imprisoned herself.

    However, it didn¡¯t make sense for her to lead the way to succeed the generation of evil dragons that would wreak havoc in the world.

    Sullivan said, seeing through my doubts.

    ¨C As I said earlier, my mind was controlled by Kun.

    ¡°¡­¡­Then why are you all right now?¡±

    ¨C I came to my senses with the help of my descendants. After that, I tried to guide the best way I could.

    Sullivan seemed to be embarrassed the angrier I got.

    ¡¯This is unexpected¡­.¡¯

    Alois thought it was Sullivan who contracted me.

    It was because she thought that Lexion¡¯s contractor had manipulated him into becoming an evil dragon.

    I also did not disagree with her opinion.

    As a result, Lexion had become the evil dragon.

    And that too by tricking Lexion.

    But what if Sullivan was controlled by Kun and led her to the path he wanted?

    ¡®Come to think of it, Alois wasn¡¯t sure about Sullivan¡¯s condition.¡¯

    She only guessed that her eyes went dark*, but she was even being controlled by Kun.

    TL/N: Her insight not working.

    ¡®In the end, Kun was playing with three people. Going back and forth between the two books to turn the situation in his favor.¡¯

    Changing my ending was like trying to lead Lexion that way.

    I almost mistook Sullivan for Kun.

    There was no such mistake.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    My heart went cold, and I rubbed my chest for no reason.

    ¡®Maybe the book Alois said she saw was Lexion¡¯s.¡¯

    Unlike me, Lexion has been regressing for a long time.

    Naturally, I thought that the book would have been worn out together, so I was right about the events before and after.

    I hadn¡¯t noticed it right away when I talked to Alois.

    It seems that this is why I felt something was lacking at that time.

    ¡®Whether Alois intended it or not, it seems her spell awakened Sullivan¡¯s consciousness.¡¯

    I asked calmly.

    ¡°When you say descendants, do you mean Alois Beth?¡±

    ¨C That¡¯s right. She looks a lot like me. In my past life, I didn¡¯t recognize her and drove her to death.

    Sullivan murmured in an emotional tone.

    It sounded as cozy as the voice of a mother reading a fairy tale.

    She seemed to recall the many times she had returned with Lexion.

    During that time, Alois would have died and died.

    ¡°Zion¡­ Is he okay?¡±

    ¨C ¡­ ¡­ It¡¯s not a very hopeful situation. But there¡¯s plenty of room for change.

    Sullivan spat out the words decisively as if to comfort me.

    ¡°Then tell me the way. If you feel even a little sorry for me.¡±

    ¨C Of course. I¡¯m always on your side, Traveler.

    ¡°Please refrain from making comments like a guide. It¡¯s confusing.¡±

    ¡ª ¡­ ¡­

    Sullivan kept her mouth shut, probably at a loss for words.

    Even that was like the guide, so it felt strange, but I continued.

    ¡°Alois said that your main body is also needed to lift Kun¡¯s curse.¡±

    ¨C That¡¯s right. Because in order to destroy a book, both books must meet.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you want to live longer now.¡±

    ¨C It¡¯s been a long time since I gave up my life. Only regret remains.

    Sullivan calmly spoke of her death.

    It had been hundreds of years since Kun and Sullivan had become one.

    Now, even if separated, both souls will die when the ¡®book¡¯ eventually disappears.

    I was relieved as I didn¡¯t know what to do if she said she didn¡¯t want to die.

    -Don¡¯t worry. I know it¡¯s better for the world to have books gone.¡±

    ¡°Is that also insight?¡±

    ¨C Kun is breaking the laws of nature too many times. He doesn¡¯t seem to know yet that turning back the time that has passed is meaningless.

    Sullivan sighed sadly.

    It was probably referring to the time he turned around to use Lexion and me.

    ¡°Why does he keep obsessing over the ending of the book?¡±

    ¨C After completing the ending, he will be free. When he¡¯s free, he¡¯ll use me to fulfill his unfulfilled ambitions.

    ¡°Unfulfilled ambition¡­ ¡­?¡±

    ¨C He wants the glory of the past back. I¡¯ve met a lot of travelers, but few have endured like you.

    ¡°Many people besides me have been affected.¡±

    ¨C I¡¯m sorry.

    Sullivan murmured softly.

    If she materialized and was in front of me, I felt like she would have lowered her head for some reason.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    I sensed something strange about Sullivan¡¯s words.

    Obviously, both books and the evil dragon were Kun¡¯s means.

    But the ending that kills evil dragons before and now?

    It felt like something didn¡¯t add up.

    Then Sullivan asked a significant question.

    ¨C Didn¡¯t you think something was weird? In your previous life, you had too much ability to be a mere supporting actor.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¨C From the beginning, Kun wanted to make Lexion Sparrow into a new evil dragon. You were just the catalyst he needed.

    Sullivan¡¯s explanation left me speechless.

    In the end, he used me to attract Lexion.

    To make Lexion recognize the book from the start.

    Sullivan continued.

    -If you had tried to complete the ending of the first life safely from the beginning, he would have tried mind control on you. Like he did for others.

    ¡°He changed his strategy from before. It¡¯s not a doll that moves as he wants, but a person who is me.¡±

    ¨C Yes. All previous travelers were mind controlled. The result was a failure.

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¨C After many failures, it became difficult to find the possessor, and in your generation, he tried to manipulate it using a trick called ¡®travel¡¯.

    ¡°Why is he doing that?¡±

    ¨C He put a seal on the book, so people here don¡¯t recognize it.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¨C In order to attract Lexion Sparrow, it was necessary to have a presence from another world.

    ¡°Ha!¡±

    I was so out of breath that I couldn¡¯t speak.

    In the end, it means that the ¡®I¡¯ came in and changed the future of this world.

    My stomach felt stuffy.

    How many people¡¯s lives have I changed by being brought here?

    It was dizzying to think that the numerous choices I made because I was afraid of the penalty changed the future of the people around me.

    It was even more frustrating that the biggest victim was Lexion.

    Sullivan said as I looked distressed.

    ¨C Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll give it back to you.

    ¡°What should I do?¡±

    Sullivan answered calmly when I asked helplessly.

    ¨C Come and see me. And complete the ending.

    Sullivan made the same demands as Alois.

    To what extent did Alois¡¯ solution and Sullivan¡¯s solution match?

    I¡¯ve had enough of that ending.

    I asked in a trembling voice.

    ¡°Are you telling me to kill Lexion?¡±

    ¨C To be exact, it means to kill the ¡®evil dragon¡¯.

    After Sullivan calmly explained, a compass appeared in the air.

    When I looked at her incredulously, she continued.

    ¨C It¡¯s a compass that marks the location of the book.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Sullivan said as I quickly received the compass.

    ¨C Alois probably explained it roughly, but that¡¯s not enough.

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    ¨C Please pass this on. She¡¯ll probably find out right away.

    Like before, something appeared in the air.

    It was a piece of paper with spells drawn on it.

    I quickly picked it up and put it in my pocket with what I received earlier.

    ¨C Listen carefully. Because I can only say it once¡­

    With those words, Sullivan informed us that there was only one way.

    And when I heard all of her story, the guide said.

    ¨C Let¡¯s start the lucid dream.

    It was an act of acting as if I had just entered here, but I proceeded with my dream casually.

    With the items Sullivan gave me in my bosom.

    TL/N: That was a heck lot of information! Seems like Kun made use of Tiarozety and Lexion¡¯s multiple regressions without Tiarozety to make him so desperate for her.

    Also, sweetpotato you guessed the part about Tiarozety and Lexion¡¯s contractors correctly!!!

 Chapter 116

    [Tiarozety¡¯s POV]

    When I woke up, I saw Alois looking at me anxiously.

    Alois said with a perplexed face.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I couldn¡¯t get a glimpse of your dream because the book noticed the spell I cast.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety?¡±

    When I didn¡¯t answer in a daze, Alois pushed her face in and called out.

    Only then did I come to my senses and stared at Alois.

    And I murmured quietly.

    ¡°I met Sullivan.¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    Alois¡¯ eyes widened.

    ¡°You met Sullivan? Did she look normal?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ she escaped Kun¡¯s rule with the help of Alois.¡±

    ¡°Then she¡¯s been dominated by Kun?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°But what do you mean, I¡¯ve never helped.¡±

    Alois tilted her head with a puzzled face.

    ¡°Sulivan¡¯s consciousness came to her senses when Alois used the spell to see the body of the book.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡°And it wasn¡¯t my book that Sullivan was in.¡±

    ¡°Then it was the Duke¡¯s book?¡±

    I nodded at Alois¡¯ question and continued.

    ¡°You said earlier that my book had a whiter, more faded feel before.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    Alois replied bewilderedly and made a foolish expression.

    She seemed to have no idea why I was bringing it up all of a sudden.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the Duke¡¯s book before. It was only once, but the book was definitely faded to white.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ !¡±

    ¡°I wish I had thought of it when Alois said it earlier.¡­.¡±

    I paused for a moment, stared at Alois, and continued.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I forgot that important thing¡­ .¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t think it was important information either. By the way, why did the Duke¡¯s book fade to white?¡±

    ¡°Actually, the Duke repeated his return for a long time due to the tyranny of the book. In the meantime, the book had faded.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ I see. I didn¡¯t think of that. Besides, Sullivan was being manipulated. We almost did something good for Kun, both of us.¡±

    TL/N: I¡¯m not too sure what the good is referring to too

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Alois then shook her head with an understanding face.

    After a while, she asked.

    ¡°Come to think of it, Miss Tiarozety also said she had returned.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then did you know that I had a younger brother?¡±

    At Alua¡¯s question, I silently nodded.

    It was because there was nothing to hide now.

    ¡°In the past, we went together to subdue evil dragons like this. At the time, Lexion was the commander.¡±

    I felt strange when I recalled the past.

    The given conditions are similar, but the circumstances are completely different.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°The situation was worse then than it is now. Except for the capital, it was almost wiped out.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s not very optimistic even now, but it was even worse.¡±

    Alois frowned and looked as if she didn¡¯t want to imagine it.

    After a while, she said with a smile.

    ¡°By the way, we must have been pretty close. To the point where I talked about my younger brother.¡±

    ¡°Because we¡¯ve been through several death crises together. I relied on you a lot.¡±

    ¡°Really? I don¡¯t think I was someone anyone could rely on.¡±

    ¡°Is that someone me?¡±

    Alois shrugged and at the same time,  I laughed bashfully.

    Maybe it¡¯s because she¡¯s shy.

    We started off with a bad relationship in this life, but I still liked Alois.

    Even if the relationship has been torn down by regression, it can be rebuilt.

    Because the Alois in front of me is still the Alois Beth I know.

    It was all thanks to Lexion that this trust was born.

    Because he didn¡¯t give up on me and came to see me, I was no longer separated from this world.

    Just like Lexion did to me, I will not hesitate to approach my precious person.

    In order to do that, there was a problem that had to be resolved first.

    I opened my mouth with a serious expression.

    ¡°Rather than that, I found the location of the book.¡±

    ¡°Where is it?¡±

    Alois followed suit and asked quietly, hardening her expression.

    I took a moment to catch my breath and said softly.

    ¡°The tomb of Agnes buried in the Karaha Desert.¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    Alois¡¯ mouth opened when she heard that it was Agnes¡¯ grave.

    Indeed, she said the body couldn¡¯t be found, but she seemed surprised that the tomb was here.

    Agnes¡¯ body was buried in the Karaha Desert.

    That means Arden dumped Agnes¡¯ body in the wasteland.

    ¡®Eventually, he couldn¡¯t tell Esol the location of the body. It¡¯s already buried in the sand, and there¡¯s no trace.¡¯

    ¡®However, as a result, the real evil dragon appeared and was in trouble.¡¯

    With the corpse as a catalyst, the evil dragon continued to resurrect.

    ¡°But how do you find the location of the remains in the vast desert?¡±

    ¡°I got this.¡±

    I opened my clutched hand.

    There was a very small compass.

    It was given to me by Sullivan to help me find my way through the desert.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°There¡¯s a spell prepared.¡±

    ¡°There will be a book where it guides me. And she asked me to give this to Alois.¡±

    I then carefully presented the drawing of the spell to Alois.

    I folded it tightly in case the book saw it.

    She asked as she received it.

    ¡°This¡­?¡±

    ¡°It would be difficult to accomplish the task with Alois¡¯ spell alone. She told me to use them together.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°You have only one chance. So please do your best.¡±

    Alois¡¯ eyes shone sharply on my request.

    She asked with a worried face.

    ¡°What are you going to do if you fail?¡±

    I looked at Alois without speaking.

    Failing means not being able to save Lexion.

    And this way was the last way that could only be done once.

    Even if I wanted to start over, a second time was absolutely impossible.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think about anything.¡±

    Alois added as if she had an ominous feeling.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave for where I belong.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ Do you mean going back to the original world?¡±

    I did not answer Alois¡¯ question.

    It¡¯s just a shrug of the shoulders.

    So the end was approaching.

    * * *

    [Gregory¡¯s POV]

    Meanwhile, Gregory stood in front of the tent with a stiff face.

    Inside, Tiarozety and Alois were in the middle of a conversation.

    Gregory¡¯s face was full of doubts about what the two were sharing.

    Inside, incomprehensible stories such as books and Agnes were exchanged.

    TL/N: Da heck Alois didn¡¯t put some privacy spell on their convo? LOL

    However, these words were not unfamiliar to Gregory.

    ¡®Is it about the book again?¡¯

    He had overheard Tiarozety talking about books with Lexion before.

    At that time, I thought they were just sharing the story of a novel I had read.

    But now, when I put it all together, it seemed to be talking about themselves.

    Of course, it could have been overkill.

    However, considering that there was already a strange bond between Lexion and Tiarozety from the south, the only conclusion was that the two had known each other for a long time.

    ¡®What on earth is there between Tiarozety and Lexion that I don¡¯t know?¡¯

    In fact, before the Esol disaster, Gregory felt something different when he reunited with Lexion after a long time.

    From his promise to go to the south to how he ran like a madman when Kronos kidnapped Tiarozety.

    At that time, I just let go of that feeling of alienation, thinking that it was nothing special if the great Lexion fell madly in love, but now it¡¯s starting to look a little different.

    ¡®What if she told her story by comparing it to a book?¡¯

    As the thought reached that point, I heard Tiarozety¡¯s voice from inside.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave for where I belong.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ Do you mean going back to the original world?¡±

    Tiarozety did not answer Alois¡¯s question.

    ¡°!!¡±

    At that moment. Gregory felt something that made his heart sink.

    ¡®Original world? Where the hell?¡¯

    I was standing still in confusion, and after a while, Alois came out.

    Alois¡¯ eyes widen when she spotted Gregory.

    She looked suspicious that he had overheard the conversation between the two.

    ¡°Prince? When did you get here?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve just came.¡±

    When Gregory lied without realizing it, Alois replied with a relieved face.

    ¡°You worked hard late at night.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then bye.¡±

    Gregory looked at Alois, who was moving away with strange eyes.

    Then Tiarozety came out and greeted Gregory.

    ¡°Are you here?¡±

    Gregory nodded slowly, staring at Tiarozety.

    For some reason, her eyes looked red.

    ¡®Did you cry?¡¯

    I was about to ask if she cried without realizing it, but I stopped.

    It was because I thought it was a presumptuous question.

    Gregory stared at the book Tiarozety cherished.

    It was a Bible that she kept in her bag at some point and opened it often.

    Seeing that even in the midst of this urgency, she had taken care of only that, it seemed that the ¡®book¡¯ was that.

    Gregory asked with the intention of taking a peek.

    ¡°Is that book a memento of your parents?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s just my favorite book.¡±

    Tiarozety hid it behind her back as if she was uncomfortable with the attention she received for her book.

    Soon she bowed and followed Alois.

    Gregory stared at Tiarozety, who was moving away, at the book in her hand for a while.

 Chapter 117

    Chapter 14. End of Story

    Somewhere in the Karaha Desert.

    A dragon, now completely unrecognizable from before, crouched down on its face.

    An ominous and gloomy black energy shimmered around the hard, glossy black leather.

    A tender grass that had barely settled in the desert withered as soon as it touched the black aura.

    The dragon¡¯s eyelids trembled as the life around him was extinguished due to his aura.

    At some point, the book was silent.

    Lexion gasped for hot breath while hiding the book in his arms.

    As if to protect himself, he created a large sphere of evil to protect the book.

    It was strange to think that the book should be protected.

    The bitter cold of the desert brushed through his skin as if it were cutting his skin, but his senses were dull and his emotions subsided.

    Strangely enough, a human bracelet was shining on his claws.

    The faintly sparkling black beads felt like Lexion¡¯s own consciousness.

    As the light faded, a sense of urgency overcame him that his consciousness would stop as well.

    Lexion was barely holding on by relying on the light as his consciousness gradually faded and only his instincts were left.

    ¡®Tiarozety.¡¯

    Just when that name was left in his mind, he heard voices in the distance.

    The dragon flinched and watched where the presences were.

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    At that time, the book that seemed to be sleeping was activated and said.

    ¨C The main episode¡¸End of the World¡¹ will begin shortly.

    At the same time, more black energy gathered around Lexion.

    After a while, Lexion¡¯s eyes flashed.

    * * *

    [Tiarozety¡¯s POV]

    After entering the Karaha desert, I walked for quite a long time.

    From some point on, the desert was still.

    The beasts, which had been appearing at any time, and the shady dark aura were no longer visible.

    Only the endless fields greeted us.

    It had been in this state ever since we came to the heart of the Karaha Desert.

    Gregory, who had been walking for a while, murmured.

    ¡°Did you get it wrong? I don¡¯t think there¡¯s Lexion here¡­¡±

    Then Alois said,

    ¡°Life cannot live in the place where the evil dragon originally took root. Witchcraft is no exception.¡±

    ¡°Then, isn¡¯t it even more unlikely that there is Lexion? He¡¯s just a member of the evil dragon¡¯s family¡­¡±

    Alois, who was speechless at Gregory¡¯s question, only licked her lips.

    His gaze became persistent and he shrugged as I tried to step forward.

    ¡°Well, Lexion¡¯s condition at that time was to the extent that it would be safe to say that he was an evil dragon. It might be different from other monsters.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Anyway, as long as it¡¯s going well, that¡¯s fine.¡±

    Gregory meekly acknowledged it, and Alois¡¯ and my eyes met.

    It was because his innocent attitude was unexpected.

    After a while, Alois added an explanation.

    ¡°There are probably ¡®spheres¡¯ that are concentrated with malice hiding all over the place. The bigger it is, the more dangerous it is, so watch your step.¡±

    ¡°Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡±

    As soon as Alois finished speaking, Chris pointed to something.

    Gregory¡¯s, Alois¡¯, and my gazes turned to Chris¡¯s fingertips.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    I saw a huge black orb in the distance.

    From this distance, it looked quite large, so it seemed terribly gigantic.

    The sphere grew bigger and bigger, encroaching as if it were eating away the surroundings.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it.¡±

    Alois sighed.

    Then she met my gaze.

    ¡®I think it¡¯s over there, right?¡¯

    ¡®Yes. Maybe.¡¯

    I sneakily took out the compass from my bosom.

    The direction it was pointing was exactly there.

    Then Gregory and Chris, who knew nothing, had a serious discussion.

    ¡°Can¡¯t we avoid it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not within range yet, so you¡¯d better be careful from here.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll wait here for now and look at the situation, then take a detour¡­ ¡­¡±

    Gregory seemed to be wary of any danger.

    It was only natural that we, the spies, had the top priority of shooting the Lexion.

    Fearing that they might ask to go back from here, Alois intervened like a pro.

    ¡°The presence of that means that we are closer to the evil dragon. There¡¯s a good chance that the Duke is there¡­¡±

    -Kieeeg!

    It was then.

    Alois¡¯s last words were buried in the screams.

    A familiar, chilling cry resounded in my ears.

    ¡°!!¡±

    Everyone flinched at the cry of the evil dragon and prepared for battle.

    After a while, the wings spread behind the black sphere, and then the evil dragon appeared.

    A huge body was flying here at a terrifying speed.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the evil dragon! Avoid it!¡±

    Gregory prepared to retreat as soon as the evil dragon appeared.

    It was risky to encounter the main body of the evil dragon before even rescuing Lexion.

    I stood motionless and faced the evil dragon.

    It was because the fact that his outward appearance had already changed that much meant that Lexion was in a very bad condition.

    ¡°Alois!¡±

    At my signal, Alois nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay! Not yet¡­!¡±

    Alois shouted as if comforting me.

    The evil dragon approaching right in front of me flapped its wings and made a threatening gesture.

    Chris and Gregory came out to cover Alois.

    ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s already here¡­ .¡±

    Gregory mumbled as if he were gritting his teeth.

    The look on Chris and Gregory¡¯s faces was tense.

    I blankly stared at the evil dragon.

    Then I saw something shiny near the claw of the evil dragon.

    ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯

    It was the bracelet I gave to Lexion.

    Bought from John.

    ¡®That¡¯s Lexion.¡¯

    After realizing that it was him, the tension was relieved.

    It didn¡¯t look like a threatening evil dragon anymore.

    In fact, even though there was a moment of surprise, the evil dragon purposely sent a signal with a cry.

    Seeing that it didn¡¯t attack us even after coming here, it seemed that it had no intention of attacking us.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    A situation where it was only threatening.

    ¡®Are you warning us to run away? Or are you trying to send a message?¡¯

    My eyes met with the evil dragon.

    The golden eyes showed no emotion at all.

    Strangely, though, it seemed like I knew what it wanted to say.

    I bit my lower lip to hide my teary expression.

    ¡®As expected, seeing that he¡¯s still, it¡¯s clear that he¡¯s still conscious.¡¯

    He couldn¡¯t communicate, but it was reported that he was holding out.

    ¨C You have to go directly into the evil dragon¡¯s lair by yourself. Maybe the book is there.

    ¡®You mean by myself? Aren¡¯t I going with Alois?¡¯

    ¨C She has work to do outside. After all, you¡¯re the only one who can start and finish this job.

    Sullivan¡¯s request flashed through my mind.

    I wondered if I could go to the evil dragon¡¯s lair by myself now.

    ¡®No way, did he come to meet me? For the ending?¡¯

    The moment I thought of it, I shouted to Gregory.

    ¡°Don¡¯t attack!¡±

    At my cry, Gregory and Chris stared at me.

    Gregory frowned and said.

    ¡°Lady, now isn¡¯t the time to be so relaxed¡­.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not just saying it. Look over there! That¡¯s the bracelet I gave to the Duke a long time ago!¡±

    As I pointed his finger at the evil dragon¡¯s foot and explained it in frustration, Chris murmured.

    ¡°Certainly that¡­¡­That¡¯s what the duke always wore.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°Think about it. Why didn¡¯t the evil dragon attack us until now? It had plenty of time to attack.¡±

    It was clear that everyone was shaken by my words.

    ¡°It has no intention of attacking us in the first place¡­ ¡­ !¡±

    It was the moment when I opened my mouth to persuade them more.

    Suddenly the evil dragon rushed at me.

    ¡°Tiarozety!¡±

    Gregory called me out in a scream.

    The evil dragon that snatched me up in an instant began to fly like an arrow in the direction of the ¡®sphere¡¯.

    I saw Chris and Gregory come out with an aura wrapped around them and follow the evil dragon closely.

    I had almost persuaded them, but I looked vainly at Lexion, who showed unexpected behavior.

    But when I felt his feet tremble slightly, I felt choked up.

    ¡®What the hell are you thinking, you.¡¯

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    In the air, two books were activated and each started its own guidance.

    It was the first time that it was active because it was Lexion¡¯s book, which was always in invisible mode.

    The white faded book looked very old.

    ¡®As expected, what Alois saw was Lexion¡¯s book.¡¯

    Then a white book guided me.

    ¨C The penalty did not work because of the accepted relationship.

    From the guide¡¯s explanation, I understood why Lexion suddenly kidnapped me.

    ¡®You thought you would lose consciousness if you received more penalties here.¡¯

    With numerous penalties already, he was almost assimilated with the evil dragon.

    Now, the progress was so fast that he couldn¡¯t speak or express his intentions.

    But I wasn¡¯t afraid of him.

    Even though it tried to grab me and drag me somewhere, it was more affectionate than scary.

    The sharp claws seemed to be gripping me loosely, to prevent me from being injured.

    Such a trivial act was somehow reassuring and I was about to burst into tears.

    ¡®Yes, I was going to move to the sphere anyway. Maybe this is better.¡¯

    Of course, Gregory and Chris, who were below, must have been surprised because they didn¡¯t know anything.

    Alois will take care of the situation and take the next step.

    Then the flaming book said.

    ¨C The story changes. Use Asta to the Evil Dragon right now!

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¨C A penalty will be given for refusal! The countdown begins.

    The guide started the countdown more urgently than usual.

    It was as if it was taken aback by the sudden unexpected behavior on the other side.

    But I didn¡¯t do anything and was just taken away by the evil dragon.

    Not yet.

    After a while, when the countdown was all over, the guide muttered coolly.

    ¨C A penalty is awarded for Tiarozety Esol¡¯s refusal to play the role.

 Chapter 118

    [Tiarozety¡¯s POV]

    It was that moment.

    Bang-!

    I thought I heard a sound like an aura exploding, and then the evil dragon stumbled.

    Someone had attacked the evil dragon.

    ¡°!!¡±

    ¡°Let go of Tiarozety!¡±

    Gregory¡¯s sword, which approached before I knew it, cut the wing of the evil dragon.

    Following that, Chris also cut his sword into the remaining wing of the evil dragon.

    It seemed like an attempt to stop the flying.

    I shrieked as if screaming.

    ¡°No! Don¡¯t!¡±

    -Kieeeeg!

    But my cry was hidden by the evil dragon¡¯s cry.

    Gregory, without hesitation, raised his sword and tried to tear off the dragon¡¯s wings.

    ¨C The penalty effect has accelerated Gregory and Chris¡¯ pursuit.

    ¡®This is how it¡¯s going to come out, this!¡¯

    My eyes widened at the tyranny of the book.

    Somehow, it didn¡¯t make sense to catch up on this distance in such a short time.

    ¨C Keu, keuleu¡­ ¡­

    Lexion moaned in pain but did not stop flying.

    ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t! Don¡¯t do that!¡±

    I cried and cried out, but it did not reach Gregory.

    When the wings were broken, the evil dragon eventually lowered its flight.

    I shouted at the evil dragon without hesitation.

    ¡°[Ejis!]¡±

    As expected, Less than half of Ejis¡¯s power was transmitted to Lexion.

    Last time, I felt dizzy when I used my powers because I was overdoing it last time.

    But it wasn¡¯t to the point of fainting.

    After that day, I didn¡¯t use Asta because I was afraid that Lexion would be harmed.

    If I had used it, I would have used Ejis comfortably, but if I did, Lexion would have been in danger.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    At that time, the evil dragon roared loudly as if Ejis had worked.

    ¨C Kieeeg!

    Then, with all his might, he flapped his wings vigorously.

    In the aftermath, Chris and Gregory, who were clinging to the wing, slipped and fell.

    ¡°Why the hell¡­?!¡±

    Gregory, who met my eyes, shouted something at me.

    He thought he saw me healing the evil dragon.

    I laughed awkwardly.

    After a while, I was sucked into the sphere with the evil dragon.

    * * *

    [Third Person POV]

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    Gregory slammed his fist on the floor and vented his anger.

    The desert sand clung to his knuckles and made them rough.

    Alois, who followed him before he knew it, gasped and said.

    ¡°Ha, ha, listen to me¡­ !¡±

    ¡°Miss Tiarozety was dragged into the sphere. Is there any way to get in?¡±

    Chris asked urgently.

    Several attempts have already been made to enter the sphere, but due to the enormous barrier, he couldn¡¯t invade even a single fingertip.

    Obviously, it seemed to have prevented him from chasing the evil dragon after it entered.

    Alois calmly explained the situation.

    ¡°First of all, we have to trust Miss Tiarozety and do what we can here.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? You knew this would happen?¡±

    ¡°No! I didn¡¯t know! Don¡¯t hold me responsible because I¡¯m also very flustered!¡±

    Alois blocked Chris¡¯ rebuttal and drew something on the floor.

    This was unexpected.

    Not only did she not know the state of the duke was at that point, but she was also stunned by the sudden kidnapping of Tiarozety.

    ¡®Well, there¡¯s no way things will go smoothly like this!¡¯

    Alois continued to take a deep breath to relieve her nervous mind and body.

    It was done without time to explain the situation.

    Of course, it was something she couldn¡¯t explain, so she only discussed it with Tiarozety.

    Alois¡¯ spells drawn in the sand easily disappeared in a single blow from the wind.

    ¡°This won¡¯t work either.¡±

    Alois calmly took a large piece of parchment out of her bag.

    On top of that, there was a spell that had already been drawn.

    Alois, who spread the parchment in order, said.

    ¡°Help me with this!¡±

    It was necessary to secure it so that it would not blow away in the wind.

    Chris tried to help Alois in a daze but flinched at the handkerchief that fell next to Alois.

    Then Gregory said.

    ¡°What the hell are you hiding?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Alois looked up blankly, and Gregory snatched her by the wrist and growled.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking if this happened because of the book or something.¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    ¡°Explain, why on earth did Lexion become an evil dragon, and why did Tiarozety follow him on her own two feet?¡°

    Shocked, Alois slumped into her spot.

    * * *

    [Tiarozety¡¯s POV]

    It was hard to move my body as soon as I entered the sphere with concentrated malice.

    My body felt heavy, as if a heavy stone had been placed on it as if gravity had doubled.

    As soon as the evil dragon entered the sphere, it fell head-first to the ground as if fainting.

    He looked limp as if he had used up all his strength.

    In the meantime, the soles of his feet held in concave so as not to injure me from the impact of my landing, were still cool and cold.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    I crawled to the side where his head was.

    He breathed heavily and his golden eyes blinked.

    I put my hand to his face and whispered.

    ¡°Zion¡­ Can you hear me?¡±

    ¨C ¡­ ¡­

    ¡°Sorry, I made you like this.¡±

    Tears welled up and dropped on his cheeks.

    He purred, closing his golden eyes slowly.

    It¡¯s like you¡¯re telling me it¡¯s not my fault.

    I guess he doesn¡¯t know that makes me cry even more.

    ¡°Where is the book?¡±

    At my question, Lexion nodded with difficulty.

    A white book was lying where his gaze landed.

    Seeing that the activated book was still floating, it seemed to be the main body.

    I crawled again and put my hand on the white book.

    Synchronization was not done.

    If I did, Kun would try to erode Sullivan¡¯s consciousness again.

    Instead, I opened the book and opened the reward page.

    There, the terms and conditions of Lexion¡¯s compensation were written.

    [Reward content: Tiarozety Esol is with you without returning.

    Reward condition: Ruining Tiarozeety¡¯s world.]

    Then I took my book out of my bag and opened the reward page.

    [Reward content: Return to the original world.

    Reward condition: Complete the ending.]

    I stared blankly at the contents of the two rewards.

    As Sullivan said, it seemed that there was a way to reverse the situation.

    After a while, the red book said.

    ¨C You have entered the Lair of the Evil Dragon. To get out of here, you must kill the evil dragon.

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¨C Currently, the evil dragon is fatally injured. Take your chance and get rid of the evil dragon! The ending buff makes movement easier for a while.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    I slowly stood up holding the book at the cheerful voice of the book.

    As the ending is approaching, you¡¯re giving me such a precious buff with a lot of kindness.

    I was rather grateful.

    It meant that the book had no doubts at all.

    ¡®He¡¯s trying to kill Lexion¡¯s body and turn him into a real evil dragon. To make it belong to him.¡¯*

    TL/N: ¡®He¡¯ refers to Kun.

    I approached Lexion slowly.

    He blinked repeatedly to reassure me.

    I knelt down in front of him and whispered so that only he could hear.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Zion. I won¡¯t let you be alone.¡±

    ¨C Keuleu¡­ ¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it might hurt a little right now. Still, I have to do it.¡±

    ¨D¡­¡­.

    ¡°If I fail, I will follow you. So wait with peace of mind.¡±

    ¨D !!

    At my request, Lexion¡¯s eyes widened.

    I kissed him lightly.

    The pressed lips that swore a noble oath trembled.

    Lexion groaned as if trying to stand up.

    But in the end, he couldn¡¯t get up and sat down.

    ¡°Shhh, it¡¯s all right.¡±

    After lightly comforting him, I mustered up the courage to open my mouth.

    ¡°[Asta]¡±

    As soon as the word Asta came out of my mouth, a blue light appeared.

    The blue light that exploded enveloped both the evil dragon and me.

    ¨C Keu, keuleu¡­¡­!

    The evil dragon gritted his teeth and endured a groan.

    I shed tears as I hugged him tightly.

    My heart was broken beyond comparison to what I imagined.

    With my hands, with this power.

    It became difficult to breathe as the situation in which I had to kill him came to life in front of me.

    ¡°Heueug, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry, Lexion.¡±

    His body trembled.

    The stronger the blue light, the more full I became.

    My life was filled in exchange for killing him.

    I hated the feeling horribly, but I endured it.

    After a while.

    Just like that

    Tuk-

    Lexion drooped.

    ¡°Zion¡­?¡±

    I stared blankly at the golden eyes that had lost their light.

    No more blinking or growling.

    The eyes that lost focus just stared at me.

    ¡°¡­¡­Heub.¡±

    I killed Lexion.

    When the fact was etched in my bones, I was about to loathe myself.

    But there was no time to criticize myself.

    ¡®It¡¯s okay, from now on is what¡¯s important.¡¯

    I struggled to suppress the disgust that was creeping up on me.

    When the evil dragon died, the sphere was about to collapse.

    The book spoke cheerfully as the black orb was about to fade.

    TL/N: OMG CLIFFHANGERR!!

 Chapter 119

    ¨C Congratulations! You¡¯ve finally completed your mission. Proceed to the Rewards page!

    The guide noisily congratulated with a more excited voice than usual.

    After a while, the book was opened.

    Soon the book seemed to glow, and my body was sucked into it.

    In the blink of an eye, I was in a red carpet-like space.

    This was the reward page.

    Previously, due to Lexion¡¯s interference, I had not been able to enter.

    When I arrived at the reward page, a man greeted me.

    ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve seen me in this form. My name is Kun, the guide.¡±

    ¡°Did you have a name?¡±

    ¡°Originally, I was bound to the book, but I just finished it. I found my name thanks to Miss Tiarozety.¡±

    He lied skillfully and grinned.

    It was a face he never dreamed I had already held hands with Sullivan.

    Now the contract is over as long as he rewards me.

    After that, Kun would try to control the world at will.

    He came up to me and put his hand affectionately on my shoulder.

    ¡°Now, all I have to do is offer a reward.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°You did a good job. No traveler I¡¯ve ever met will be like you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve improved your flattery.¡±

    ¡°I just told you the truth. Now, then, as you wish, reward¡­ .¡±

    He gave me a hand and smiled softly.

    I asked in a dry voice.

    It was to make the time pass.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°What kind of reward are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? That, of course, is the reward we promised in the beginning.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need that reward. I don¡¯t want any more.¡±

    With those words, I patted his shoulder.

    ¡°Why are you doing this? It will only end when you receive a reward.¡±

    Perhaps he was taken aback, he came back to me and continued talking.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to go back to the world? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re hesitating about now.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to go back, to be exact.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You dragged me here in the first place.¡±

    ¡°No way. I¡¯m just a powerless guide who moves according to the will of the book¡­¡±

    When Kun spreads lies like a snarky snake, I let out a blank laugh.

    Then I stepped backward and picked up the book I was holding in my hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. You, actually, this is the main body.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°This book disappears only when the contract is completed, right? You become free.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about¡­.¡±

    Kun tried to pretend to the end.

    ¡°I finished the ending, but I don¡¯t need a reward.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not okay!¡±

    Kun jumped up and freaked out.

    I said with a meaningful smile.

    ¡°How about another reward?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Like this book, for example.¡±

    As soon as I lifted the white book, Kun¡¯s expression turned blue.

    TL/N; White book is Lexion¡¯s. Red book is Tiarozety¡¯s.

    It was as if he sensed something out of the ordinary in my eyes.

    I provoked Kun with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m more attracted to the rewards of this book.¡±

    When I shook the white book, Kun¡¯s face was severely distorted.

    ¡± But the book has already failed¡­ .¡±

    ¡°Who said that? Failed?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°This book was originally my book, too. Even if it was divided into two, it was originally one, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where the hell you heard that, but¡­ You¡¯d better just accept your reward.¡±

    Kuhn glared at me with a smile.

    I laughed at it outright, without a hint of fear at all.

    ¡°A pure swindler.¡±

    ¡°Yo, You¡­ Insect-like thing¡­!¡±

    He was furious at my provocation and spat out curse words.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Even though I had often said that he was a con artist, he was extremely incensed.

    ¡®I guess you were silent at that time because you were trying to calm your anger.¡¯

    TL/N: Rmb those ¡°¡­ ¡­¡± sometimes when Tiarozety talks to the guide?

    The meaning of the silence, which I learned belatedly, was unexpected.

    I gently fidgeted with something, pretending to touch my neck.

    It was a necklace that was supposed to give a signal when Alois was ready.

    ¡®Do I have to hold out a little longer time? Why is it so late?¡¯

    At that time, Kun threatened with a grim face.

    ¡°Do you think you can refuse a reward at will? With my strength, I can send it right now.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Would it be good to listen to it when I send it nicely?¡±

    Perhaps he thought he was scared when I didn¡¯t respond, so he let go of his anger.

    It was that moment.

    Finally, the necklace vibrated softly.

    ¡®It¡¯s a signal!¡¯

    There was a shout of joy inwardly.

    Fortunately, the plan seemed to have been carried out without a hitch.

    I shrugged my shoulders with a relaxed smile and sarcastically.

    To rekindle Kun¡¯s anger.

    ¡°Then send it. You¡¯re a slave trapped in a book anyway.¡±

    ¡°Sl, slave? It¡¯s not as good as this bug¡­.. !¡±

    Kun¡¯s face seemed to turn red and blue quickly, and he was about to cast a spell.

    It seemed that he was thinking of sending me back by tying me up.

    But he didn¡¯t know.

    That it¡¯s my chance when he uses his power.

    Kwaang¨D!

    The moment Kun used his power, the book was torn and the reward page was cut off.

    At the same time, Kun¡¯s mana began to restrain Kun¡¯s own body.

    More precisely, in the form of a chain.

    ¡®It¡¯s a success!¡¯

    It was a collaboration between Alois and Sullivan.

    Designed to contain Kun.

    ¡°What is this!¡±

    Kun shook his head, bewildered by the sudden powerful magic.

    The space was about to collapse due to the torn reward page.

    A situation in which the reward has not yet been given.

    If the reward page disappears like this, the ending will end in failure.

    Desperate, he used his strength to free himself from the chains.

    But the more he tried to use the power, the more the chain only clamped down on him.

    He let out a twisted groan and howled.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing!¡±

    I told him with a smile.

    ¡°What do you mean? What you did to Sullivan.¡±

    ¡°!!¡±

    Kun stopped at the name Sullivan.

    After a while, he muttered with a blank face.

    ¡°¡­¡­how do you know Sullivan¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°I just returned the restraint magic you cast on Sullivan to you, the original owner, so why are you angry?¡±

    His face turned ferocious as I raised one corner of my mouth in mockery.

    He growled as if threatening me.

    ¡°Ha! I don¡¯t know how you got to know Sullivan, but it¡¯s in vain.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll judge whether it¡¯s a waste of time or not.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, this chain can be undone in an hour!¡±

    He roared with anger.

    It may have been an attempt to intimidate, but it was a complete waste of effort.

    ¡°Omo, it takes an hour? There¡¯s more time than I thought. Thank you for telling me the time.¡±

    TL/N: LMAO Tiarozety is so savage with him.

    I covered my mouth with my hand and asked back like that.

    ¡°What? What is this?¡±

    He groaned and writhed.

    I read the white book with a relaxed face.

    ¡°[Destroy Tiarosetti¡¯s world]. Now, question. What kind of world is this world?¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s here! In this book you¡¯re stepping on!¡±

    ¡°Lie. It¡¯s not decided yet.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean¡­.¡±

    ¡°What if I judge this to be my ¡®original world¡¯, instead of this place?¡±

    TL/N: I think what she means is that she would see the novel as her ¡®original world¡¯ instead of the ¡®book¡¯s world¡¯.

    ¡°!!¡±

    ¡°The world has already been ruined by you dragging me here. What will happen if I refuse the reward like this?¡±

    When I asked grimly with a cold expression on my face, Kun gulped.

    He seems to have felt something unusual.

    ¡°You, how can you close that loophole¡­ ¡­ .¡±

    ¡°In the first place, you brought me back with just one word.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Kun was speechless.

    It was because he was the one who brought me back by using the word ¡®ending¡¯ in the first place.

    Thanks to Sullivan¡¯s clue, I was able to figure out the blind spot in the reward.

    About the standard of ¡®ending¡¯ and ¡®world¡¯.

    ¡°How does it feel to be fooled by your trick?¡±

    ¡°You, this child¡­ ¡­ !¡±

    Kun vented his anger with an angry face.

    I went on to say whether he did or not.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to go back to the original world. You just didn¡¯t let me go.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯m going to let you go now!¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m not going back anymore. It¡¯s been a long time since my world was ruined. I don¡¯t even remember the name.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a name. When you go back, I¡¯ll¡­!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±

    I firmly refused with cold eyes.

    ¡°You must have enjoyed playing with me.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m the one who wins at the end, not you.¡±

    At my declaration, Kun seemed to slightly move his lips, but then he abruptly spoke generously and servilely.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what Sullivan said, Miss Tiarozety, but listen to me.¡±

    He seemed to be trying to appease me when he belatedly noticed that the situation was going bad.

    It¡¯s ridiculous.

    ¡®I¡¯m completely in control in the first place so he can¡¯t be careless.¡¯

    I laughed inwardly and shouted while gripping the book domineeringly.

    ¡°No! That name wasn¡¯t mine. In the first place, my world has already been ruined.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°If I don¡¯t get rewarded, my world will be ruined.¡±

    ¡°But then you¡¯ll lose yourself forever!¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    When I coolly affirmed, Kun flinched.

    ¡°But just because my name disappears doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to disappear. Because I exist here.¡±

    I immediately pulled out the dagger from my waistband.

    The dagger was filled with the spell that Alois had engraved.

    It was a spell passed down from generation to generation by the magician¡¯s family.

    It was a spell to get rid of books.

    ¡°Th, that¡¯s¡­!¡±

    Kun recognized it belatedly and shouted.

    But there was no way his voice could stop me.

    I piled up the white book and the red book and put them on the floor.

    Then, I raised his dagger and bid farewell to Kun.

    ¡°Fall into hell.¡±

    ¡°No, stop it!¡±

    Kun cried as if screaming.

    Without hesitation, I thrust my dagger into the red and white books.

    And-

    ¡°[Asta!]

    I recited the starter words to the red book.

    With the aim of destroying his soul.

 Chapter 120

    ¡°Keuaag!¡±

    Kun let out a painful scream.

    Asta is a power directly related to life.

    Moreover, he was now in the main body of the book.

    He couldn¡¯t escape this power either.

    After I used my power, a spell was activated.

    Gradually, a blue light began to cover his entire body.

    Kun, who was in a feeble state with no core, would not be able to overcome Asta.

    ¡®What if Kun doesn¡¯t show up?¡¯

    ¨C It¡¯s okay. Kun used to be so conceited at the crucial moment and made mistakes.

    ¡®Ah.¡¯

    ¨C He¡¯ll probably break his boundaries and reveal himself in the thought that he will soon be free. Arrogance is his specialty.

    It was as Sullivan said.

    At the last moment, he revealed his secret without thinking.

    It¡¯s not really over until it¡¯s over.

    He was conceited about the result, and thus met his end.

    The book seemed to tremble, but a large spell flashed in the air.

    At the same time, Sullivan, who had been sealed in the white book, appeared.

    The contents of the compensation were completed, and the name was regained like Kun.

    TL/N: Just to recap, chapter 118,

    White Book=Sullivan (Lexion¡¯s)

    [Reward content: Tiarozety Esol is with you without returning.

    Reward condition: Ruining Tiarozeety¡¯s world.]

    Red Book=Kun (Tiarozety¡¯s)

    [Reward content: Return to the original world.

    Reward condition: Complete the ending.]

    The chain that was on her had already been transferred to Kun.

    ¡°Sullivan¡­!¡±

    Kun looked at Sullivan with bloodshot eyes.

    Sullivan ignored him and spoke in a gentle voice.

    ¡°Mission accomplished. Proceed to the rewards page.¡±

    ¡°No, no! No way!¡±

    Kun resisted strongly, but could not stop us under the spell of restraint.

    After a while, Kun¡¯s reward page forcibly disappeared.

    Unable to fulfill the contract, Kun could not return and was crumbled into sand by the magic.

    The red book was burnt away with his death.

    It was the moment when the book that I wanted to get rid of so much disappeared.

    TL/N: FINALLYYY!!

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    I felt relieved that I had accomplished it, and at the same time I was just dazed, my heart feeling empty.

    Then Sullivan came up to me and said,

    ¡°You worked hard.¡±

    Before I knew it, the color of the reward page had turned white.

    It meant that this space belonged to Sullivan.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Then Lexion appeared.

    In the first place, the contractors of this book are me and Lexion.

    As the books were separated, the souls of Sullivan and Kun were split in two, and even though the ending was divided, the essential contract was one.

    Lexion was a contractor who got in the way.

    In the end, the reason I was able to get my hands on Sullivan¡¯s ending was because I was aiming for that loophole.

    Lexion¡¯s eyes were tightly closed.

    He didn¡¯t seem to wake up easily because he had just experienced death.

    Like when I died on his behalf in the first life.

    As Sullivan reached out, Lexion¡¯s eyes slowly opened.

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    Lexion let out a shallow moan and raised his upper body.

    After that, he looked around with a puzzled expression.

    I only looked at him with an emotional expression.

    I was about to faint from the relief that I had saved him.

    After a while, he noticed me and his eyes widened.

    ¡°Titi?¡±

    It was like a face that saw me in a place he shouldn¡¯t have seen.

    He was speechless with a crestfallen look.

    He seemed to think I died after him.

    Then Sullivan stood in front of Lexion.

    ¡°Who are you¡­¡±

    ¡°Let me introduce myself first. I¡¯m your guide, Sullivan.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the guide?¡±

    ¡°Lexion Sparrow successfully finished the ending. Would you like to receive a reward?¡±

    Lexion asked, his face stiffened.

    ¡°Wait, I completed the ending¡­ But I just had Titi¡¯s hand¡­¡±

    Lexion blurted out his words with a confused face.

    To this, Sullivan slowly explained.

    ¡°Tiarozety Esol refused compensation after completing the ending, so Lexion Sparrow¡¯s ending was completed.¡±

    Lexion asked back with his eyes widened.

    ¡°Rejecting compensation? Is that possible?¡±

    ¡°It was possible because the compensation was not what Miss Tiarozety wanted.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean¡­.¡±

    ¡°Do you remember that I mentioned the other day that the content and conditions of compensation may vary depending on the traveler¡¯s desires?¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°What Miss Tiarozety wants is to live happily with Lexion. The contract was broken because Kun couldn¡¯t make it happen.¡±

    Sullivan continued, smiling softly.

    ¡°Kun was penalized for failing to faithfully fulfill the role of the guide, and he perished under his own curse.¡±

    ¡°How¡­¡±

    ¡°This is your victory, Lexion Sparrow. Tiarozety has completed your ending, so you can receive your reward.¡±

    In disbelief, Lexion only licked his lips.

    I cautiously approached him and hugged his back.

    Seeing that even the cold armor feels warm, it must be true that everything went well.

    ¡°I did it, Zion.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Now we are free.¡±

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    At my words, Lexion turned around and hugged me.

    The embrace was very warm.

    The skin of the evil dragon, which was hard and cold, was not there.

    There is only warm flesh.

    Sullivan followed suit.

    ¡°As a reward, Lexion Sparrow¡¯s settings will be destroyed. The evil dragon¡¯s soul disappeared with Kun.¡±

    As Kun¡¯s soul disappeared, the evil dragon¡¯s soul seemed to have been liberated.

    And in the aftermath of Asta, Sullivan will soon disappear like Kun.

    Just then, a white book unfolded before my eyes.

    The last chapter unfolded and the phrase [Complete] was engraved in it.

    Sullivan guided with a smile.

    ¡°¡ºThe Opponent of the Dragon¡» has been completed. Thank you to the travelers who have been with us all this time.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Soon I will return to where I was. Good bye.¡±

    Sullivan nodded in greeting.

    And before I could say anything, she turned into light and disappeared.

    When Sullivan disappeared, Lexion asked while holding my cheek lightly.

    ¡°What the hell were you doing?¡±

    Contrary to the words of blame, his face was full of worry.

    He seemed concerned that I had done something dangerous again.

    He didn¡¯t fully understand the current situation, but he seemed to check my safety first.

    I kissed the palm on my cheek and spoke lightly.

    ¡°Of course I saved Zion. As always.¡±

    After laughing bashfully, Lexion put on a blank expression.

    ¡°It was my will this time. Not the book, but my will.¡±

    When I think about it, it was hard to see my previous life as completely separate from mine.

    It¡¯s just that I acted pessimistically and mechanically towards everyone.

    But now I know.

    I can¡¯t blame the book for leading me like that.

    That was me, too.

    I felt at ease after admitting it.

    ¡°Titi.¡±

    ¡°Were you going to fall alone in the mud? Leaving me alone?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Lexion looked distressed.

    I was guessing from the fact that he had gone far away to try to protect the North and me.

    So I thumped his chest and whined.

    ¡°You said let¡¯s roll together once. You idiot.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    He muttered with a sorrowful face.

    ¡°Why are you sorry? I¡¯m the one who¡¯s sorry.¡­ I killed you.¡±

    ¡°I know you didn¡¯t mean to do that.

    With those words, Lexion carefully kissed my lips.

    ¡°I was counting on you. As always.¡±

    He returned my words with a faint smile.

    ¡°Yes, I know.¡±

    I laughed too.

    Moments later, as Sullivan had predicted, the rewards page was about to disappear.

    I reached out my hand to Lexion.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    The moment Lexion grabbed my hand, the page disappeared, and before we knew it, we were in the middle of the Karaha desert.

    * * *

    Meanwhile, Alois was relieved that the spell was successful on time.

    Judging by the energy of Sullivan on the inside, it seemed that Tiarozety had dragged the time well.

    ¡®Now my role is all over.¡¯

    Alois slumped into her spot with relief.

    Chris came over and asked.

    ¡°Are you done?¡±

    ¡°For now. The rest depends on how she does it in there.¡±

    Alois shrugged and glanced at Gregory over her gaze.

    After hearing the explanation earlier, it was quiet the whole time.

    She was worried that he would pry, but it was an unexpected reaction.

    ¡®Was it that shocking?¡¯

    She didn¡¯t just throw up all the facts straight away.

    She didn¡¯t have time to explain it properly, so she only briefly mentioned the story of Sullivan and her four disciples.

    She did not say that Tiarozety was a possessed person and had regressed with Lexion.

    She just blurted out that the two were trying to lift Kun¡¯s curse.

    At the point where the Arden Empire made the ¡®evil dragon¡¯, Gregory endured it.

    ¡®Indeed. There¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t be surprised when he learned his ancestors were trash.¡¯

    Alois clicked her tongue and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

    How long has it been?

    The sphere, which used to look solid, gradually began to crumble.

    Kukung-!

    Suddenly, the ground seemed to shake, and then a strong sandstorm blew up.

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    At the sudden strange phenomenon, everyone uttered a shallow moan without opening their eyes.

    Alois waited for the wind to stop with a rather nervous face.

    After a while, when the wind stopped and Alois slowly opened her eyes-

    ¡°I¡¯m back, with the Duke.¡±

    Tiarozety was looking at the three with a big smile.

    While holding hands with Lexion tightly.

    TL/N: AHHHH FINALLY!!!!!!

 Chapter 121

    15. The World After the Ending

    TL/N: Last novel chapter!!!!!!

    The moment the book disappeared, the world sensed that the evil dragon was gone.

    The evil dragon that plagued the empire for a long time passed away.

    There was no need to announce the news.

    As the evil dragon disappeared, the thoughts of the evil dragon that had been infesting the continent disappeared all at once.

    As the evil dragon¡¯s thoughts disappeared, the invasion of the beasts also decreased.

    Animals and people who were attacked by evil thoughts passed out all at once, and the monsters stopped attacking and returned.

    Those who barely survived saw the phenomenon and knew it intuitively.

    The evil dragon is finally dead.

    The dreaded war between the evil dragon and the empire ended like this.

    After that, people¡¯s cries were heard everywhere.

    There were also those who cried from thrilled tears to bitter tears due to the death of people around them.

    Nevertheless, everyone was happy.

    It was thanks to the thought that it was safe now.

    That¡¯s how peace came to the continent.

    * * *

    Saving Lexion didn¡¯t mean everything was over.

    There remained a problem of explaining and reporting on this matter step by step.

    Fortunately, neither of them was embarrassed by Lexion¡¯s appearance as Alois had told Gregory and Chris.

    Rather, it seemed that they were happy that I had brought him back.

    I worried about how to explain that part, but it saved me a lot of trouble.

    Gregory looked rather dazed, but first, we had to discuss the next thing.

    The moment the evil dragon disappeared, all the evil thoughts of the evil dragon around them disappeared.

    I¡¯m sure Aiden, who was in the Hawk Mountains, felt this.

    In addition to explaining to them, the people of the empire and the northerners also needed an explanation.

    I¡¯m sure everyone will be happy, but half doubtful.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Gregory asked.

    ¡°What are you going to do if there¡¯s no evil dragon¡¯s body?¡±

    ¡°In the first place, evil dragons were magical creatures made out of malice. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem if it disappeared as it is.¡±

    The body of a magical creature, such as a demon, had the property of disappearing over time.

    Occasionally, rare stones are left behind and sold at high prices, but that was not common.

    I went on talking.

    ¡°Anyway, all the evil energy around us has disappeared. There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t believe.¡±

    ¡°But there a great war broke out when we were so careless. If there is no evidence, there will be people who¡¯ll get anxious.¡±

    Gregory had a troubled look.

    Even during the Great War 100 years ago, people believed in the safety net called ¡°seal¡± and behaved complacently.

    As a result, it was not known how many were killed or injured.

    Some of the older people still remembered the nightmare of that time.

    Therefore, something symbolic was needed to calm the people¡¯s anxiety.

    Then Alois said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do this. Why don¡¯t you enlist Miss Tiarozety as a hero?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    When I asked in surprise, Alois nodded and continued.

    ¡°If we make the dagger used by Miss Tiarozety into a holy sword, there will be no problem.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°It explains that the hero who was chosen by the holy sword defeated the villain.¡±

    ¡°You want to create symbolism with the existence of the dagger with me.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. People will be busy admiring it when it is accompanied by a plausible hero story.¡±

    Alois grinned and accepted the words.

    Then Gregory showed reluctance.

    ¡°But to falsely mislead the people of the Empire¡­.¡±

    Gregory couldn¡¯t finish his sentence and looked troubled.

    He seemed to have decided that it was not something for the Arden Royal Family to say.

    Because in the beginning, they were the ones who first tried to kill the hero who sealed the evil dragon and changed it to the credit of the empire.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Alois said to Gregory.

    ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily a lie. Anyway, it¡¯s true that Miss Tiarozety got rid of the evil dragon.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I just exaggerated a little and gave it meaning. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a problem¡±

    Then Chris, who was by his side, gave his opinion.

    ¡°I feel the same way as Alois. If you need evidence, you have no choice but to make it and show it, right? ¡°

    ¡°Sir Chris is talking my language.¡±

    Alois grinned and tapped Chris on the shoulder.

    However, when Chris looked at her expressionlessly, she scratched her cheek shyly.

    At that time, Lexion, who had been listening quietly, opened his mouth.

    TL/N: LMAO I GOT A MINI SHOCK WHEN I SAW HIS NAME CAUSE I FORGOT HE WAS SAVED.

    ¡°Maybe we can use this opportunity to raise the status of Esol.¡±

    ¡°Lexion.¡±

    ¡°You know, Greg. Politics cannot be led by honesty alone.¡±

    At Lexion¡¯s advice, Gregory bit his lower lip.

    It was because there was nothing to refute.

    The war had just ended.

    The people of the empire were in extreme exhaustion and sorrow to be convinced of the whole truth.

    TL/N: Too tired/sad to comprehend the full story

    In a situation where emotions were at their peak, telling the origins of the evil dragon or Lexion¡¯s work would only backfire.

    If you can¡¯t tell the truth, it¡¯s better to reveal only the necessary truth.

    At least it¡¯s not meant to harm or benefit the other party.

    Moreover, he was now one of the few remaining direct lineages of the imperial family.

    He could no longer decide his opinion with his personal beliefs and pride.

    Because his decision changed the future of the empire and represented the position of the imperial family.

    I spoke to Gregory, who hesitated.

    ¡°I think there should be some compromise if it is something that cannot be explained or understood anyway.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­Yes, you¡¯re right, lady.¡±

    Gregory answered slowly and tousled his hair.

    ¡°Instead, you may be tired from this incident.¡± (G)

    ¡°I would be happy if I could calm the chaotic atmosphere of the continent.¡± (T)

    I answered with a confident look.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Now, this was my world is my hometown, and my home.

    If there was a collapsed place, it was natural to use the necessary resources and repair it

    If you want to clean up a messy room, you shouldn¡¯t put off picking up trash, sweeping, and wiping it.

    Having roughly arranged our position, we headed to the Hawks Mountains to join Aiden¡¯s group.

    Lexion moved in front and Gregory and Chris covered behind.

    It was roughly shaped.

    Because there might be a beast who escaped by any chance.

    How long did we walk?

    Alois, who was on the move, groped here and there with a puzzled face.

    It seemed that something had been lost.

    I approached her and asked her implicitly.

    ¡°Did you lose something?¡±

    ¡°What should I do? I don¡¯t have the handkerchief.¡±

    Alois murmured in contemplation.

    She asked for help in a low voice in case Chris would hear it.

    If it was a handkerchief, it seemed to be a token of the family she shared with Chris.

    ¡°Since when has it been gone?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just felt my arms like a habit, but I don¡¯t have it.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°It must have fallen from my arms in the sandstorm. What do I do about this?¡±

    Alois looked back and was confused.

    She seemed hesitant about going back.

    Of course, even if she went, it was obvious that it would have already been swept away by the sandstorm and buried in the sand.

    Even if you go, it will be difficult to find.

    Alois was flustered and rubbed her face repeatedly.

    ¡°Without it, I can¡¯t explain it to Alec¡­ ¡­¡±

    It was then.

    ¡°Are you looking for this?¡±

    Chris approached at some point and held out a handkerchief to Alois.

    Alois opened her eyes as soon as she saw the handkerchief.

    ¡°Th, this is¡­.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know that Chris would have taken it, so she made an even more foolish expression.

    I was looking at Chris in surprise too.

    Chris wouldn¡¯t not know the meaning of the handkerchief.

    ¡®You look calmer than I thought.¡¯

    There was no confusion on Chris¡¯ face, as if he had already organized his thoughts.

    Rather, only Alois seemed to be in a state of confusion.

    ¡®I thought Sir Chris was more relaxed with Alois¡­.¡¯

    I glanced at Alois.

    Before I knew it, her face was completely white.

    Chris said with a stiff face.

    ¡°I took it because you dropped it when you were performing the spell in front of the sphere.¡±

    ¡°Th, that¡¯s¡­.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I couldn¡¯t give it to you immediately because you seemed nervous.¡±

    Chris handed her the handkerchief and tried to go back.

    It was a reaction too casual to have noticed the family.

    I glanced at Chris.

    At first glance, his earlobes twitched shallowly.

    It was a reaction that comes out when he was awkward or shy.

    ¡®Sir Chris must be at a loss as well, the situation right now.¡¯

    Indeed, he couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at the fact that the comrades who had been fighting together during the war were a family that had been separated a long time ago.

    That¡¯s why there¡¯s a more rigid reaction.

    ¡®Sir Chris has a poker face in this situation. Well, it did make it easy to lash people with words in the past.¡¯

    I shook my head thinking about how Chris gave me a hard time before my regression.

    He used to make bloody threats with an expressionless face, so it was all the more convincing.

    Chris seemed sufficiently surprised, It¡¯s just that it doesn¡¯t show.

    On the other hand, Alois, who was unfamiliar with Chris¡¯ personality, seemed to misunderstand his reaction.

    Alois urgently grabbed his arm.

    ¡°Chr, Sir Chris!¡±

    Chris looked at Alois with a puzzled face.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡­¡±

    Chris was about to speak.

    ¡°Sorry for hiding it! Don¡¯t be mad!¡±

    Alois apologized in a shrill voice.

    All of a sudden, tears were flowing.

    Lexion, who was in front of me, heard the sound and stopped and turned around.

    ¡®Sir Chris found out.¡¯

    When I tipped off by forming the words with the shape of my mouth, Lexion nodded as if he understood.

    Then he stopped moving and waited.

    Gregory, who was behind him, had a puzzled look on his face.

    However, he just watched the two of them as if he knew it was not an atmosphere to step up.

    Chris was flustered and said as he supported Alois.

    TL/N: Cat¡¯s finally out of the bag!

 Chapter 122

    [Tiarozety¡¯s POV]

    ¡°Wh, why are you crying all of a sudden?¡±

    Alois answered Chris¡¯s question with tears in her eyes.

    ¡°Heub¡­! Because I think you¡¯re mad at me¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡±

    ¡°Lie. Your face is completely stiff.¡±

    Chris was at a loss and explained, but Alois refused to believe it.

    To those who didn¡¯t know, Chris¡¯ face resembled an angry expression.

    Chris said while sweeping his face with his hands.

    ¡°This is how I look. It¡¯s a little far from that¡­¡±

    Then, as if he was uneasy about the gazes around him, he looked embarrassed.

    When she burst into tears while on the move, he seemed to have no idea how to soothe her.

    Chris said to stay away, but steadily held onto Alois.

    It seemed that if he let go of her hand, Alois would collapse immediately, so he couldn¡¯t take it off.

    Alois asked sadly after hearing that he was not angry repeatedly.

    ¡°Really? You really don¡¯t hate me? Isn¡¯t it disappointing that I¡¯m the only family?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡­..how far do you imagine it!¡±

    Chris freaked out and yelled at Alois.

    TL/N: LOL this looked quite funny in my head, stoic Chris losing his calm.

    Gregory¡¯s eyes widened at the word ¡®only family¡¯.

    And he seemed to understand the situation quickly.

    Alois sniffed and said.

    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯ve been hiding it even though I know it. And you think we abandoned you¡­¡±

    ¡°Did you really throw me away?¡±

    ¡°No! Never! How can we abandon you? It really isn¡¯t. Our father was burned to death trying to save you.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I came too late. Our mother is already dead, and all I have left is this handkerchief¡­.¡±

    Alois held out the handkerchief she received from Chris and sniffled.

    When Chris heard that his father had died trying to save him, his face hardened.

    Then, his lips moved at the fact that his mother had already died and that Alois was the only one left.

    Alois was rambling on about shocking facts, thinking she had to explain the situation.

    ¡®No matter how much his expression doesn¡¯t change, he¡¯ll be shocked¡­ ¡­.¡¯

    I was slightly worried about Chris, but fortunately, he managed to keep his emotions under control.

    After a while, he tried to soften his expression and comforted Alois.

    ¡°Yes. I see, so please give me some strength in your feet now. The floor is sand, so it¡¯s hard to support you.¡±

    In fact, it didn¡¯t look like a moving scene to call it a family reunion after a few decades.

    In the first place, it was natural that Chris wasn¡¯t that type of personality.

    However, Alois still hugged him and wailed loudly, as if she wasn¡¯t sure about his reaction.

    ¡°Heueoeoeong! I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry I fooled you!¡±

    ¡°Ha, what the hell¡­!¡±

    Chris let out an annoyed voice and made eye contact with me.

    TL/N: LMAO

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    I smiled silently and averted my gaze and turned my back.

    Following me, Lexion and Gregory stood with their backs to the two of them.

    It looked like they were on the lookout.

    Chris let out a sigh as the three of us acted in unison.

    I tried to laugh a little, but felt ashamed of the sound of my breath, so I held it back.

    After a while, the sound of Chris patting Alois¡¯ back was heard.

    I sneaked around and glanced at them.

    Chris confessed his feelings in his own way.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being a blunt younger brother. It¡¯s because of my habit of surviving in the slums.¡±

    ¡°Heu, Heue, Alec¡­¡±

    ¡°My name was Alec. It¡¯s more manly and better than Chris, whom the Duke named.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Actually, my personality is dirty and rough. You may regret finding me in less than a month.¡±

    ¡°I have no regrets¡­ ¡­Never.¡±

    Alois replied repeatedly with a face full of tears and a runny nose.

    A small smile spread across Chris¡¯ face.

    ¡®Ah, he smiled.¡¯

    ¡¯

    I looked at him in surprise and Chris said.

    ¡°Yes, thank you for coming.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Sister.¡±

    ¡°Heueoeong! Sister, like this*¡­ !¡±

    TL/N: I think it¡¯s like she can¡¯t believe Chris calling her ¡®Sister¡¯ ¡®like this¡¯ (in this way). Am I confusing yall? hahaha

    Alois cried as if her tears had burst again at Chris¡¯ last words.

    I understood Alois¡¯ reaction.

    I¡¯ve witnessed her jokingly asking Chris to call her sister and then she was turned down like a knife.

    Chris tried to calm her down, but he made an absurd expression when he saw Alois crying again.

    However, he did not use harsh words such as ¡°Stop crying¡± or ¡°Don¡¯t be clingy¡± to Alois.

    He just kept patting Alois on the back with an awkward face.

    Alois¡¯ crying gradually stopped, as if Chris¡¯ effort had been conveyed.

    I raised the corner of my mouth at the sight of a friendly brother and sister.

    ¡°You can¡¯t peep, Titi.¡±

    At that time, Lexion, who approached me, looked away from me and smiled.

    ¡°Hehe. I couldn¡¯t stop myself.¡±

    I laughed with my cheek caught by Lexion.

    I was so happy that Lexion was in front of me, so I kept laughing.

    This time I saved all my precious people.

    I found Alois a family and became Lexion¡¯s lover.

    And now that the evil dragon¡¯s tyranny was gone, it was like saving the world.

    ¡°As expected, family is family. It¡¯s nice to see the two of them liking each other.¡±

    ¡°Do you miss your family?¡±

    The hand on my cheek trembled.

    I looked up at him in wonder, and he had a somewhat stiff face.

    ¡°Yes? Family?¡±

    ¡°The family in the other world.¡±

    ¡°All my memories had already disappeared when I gave up the world to get rid of Kun.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Even if I had a family, I probably would have died or ceased to exist.¡±

    ¡°Titi.¡±

    Lexion stared at me with an uneasy face.

    It was very lovely to see him worried that I might regret it.

    I put my hand on his and said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already decided to accept that I¡¯m Toarozety Esol.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°So I think I need a new family from now on.¡±

    Lexion¡¯s eyes widened.

    It was because he knew what I meant.

    Tiarozety Esol is an orphan.

    I don¡¯t know who her parents are.

    So when Tiarozety said she needed a family, it meant she wanted to start a new family

    ¡°Titi.¡±

    ¡°Be my family, Zion.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make you happy.¡±

    TL/N: OmG SHE PROPOSED KYAHHH

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Lexion¡¯s eyes shook as I declared with a big smile.

    The word ¡®happiness¡¯ was quite meaningful to me and Lexion.

    ¡®You have to be happy.¡¯

    That¡¯s what I said to Lexion before my regression-

    ¡®I can¡¯t be happy with anyone else.¡¯

    Lexion responded to my dying wishes like this.

    So I¡¯m the only one who can make Lexion happy.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make you happy as much as you want.¡±

    As I repeatedly declared, Lexion bowed his head.

    Then he covered it with his hands as if to hide his face.

    When I tilted my face to see his expression, he turned away.

    ¡°Zion.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to be a mess¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    I carefully pulled his hand down.

    He tried to avoid my gaze with a frown on his face.

    His face was very flushed, and he bit his lower lip trying to hold back something.

    Seeing him shy with his handsome face somehow made me feel full.

    TL/N: Halp they are so cute

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°You look happy already.¡±

    ¡°Eung. I¡¯m so happy that I¡¯m scared that this happiness will disappear.¡±

    Lexion barely met my gaze.

    I whispered while holding his cheek.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t disappear.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And you don¡¯t have to hide this from me. I just want to see you myself.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Lexion smiled faintly as if he was about to collapse.

    Feeling a strange impulse, I lightly kissed him.

    The feeling of wanting to be touched was seething, and now the fact that it was a relationship that I could touch as much as I wanted, made me active.

    Lexion did not shy away.

    Lexion grabbed me by the waist as I was about to fall off after enjoying the feeling for a while.

    Thanks to that, the body that was about to step back leaned forward, and the lips that were about to fall met again.

    ¡°Eum.¡±

    Surprised, a shallow moan flowed out and was quietly buried.

    His soft lips tickled my lower lip, causing them to part.

    The kiss that started lightly deepened in an instant, and the initiative passed to Lexion.

    His breath tickled the tip of his nose and the lips he touched became gradually warmer.

    Even though I knew there was someone around me, I couldn¡¯t stand the rising emotions.

    Uncontrollable emotions flowed from mouth to mouth, enjoying the joy of reunion.

    I felt my heart boiling with Lexion¡¯s kiss of consent to the proposal.

    My heart was full and I was so happy that I wondered if I could be this happy.

    A kiss after a proposal.

    The book has already been completed, but I had unexpectedly thought true completion would be at this time.

    Of course, life was better now, and I no longer had to be restricted or bound to the main character.

    I will not let go of this hard-won world and Lexion.

    After a while, Lexion parted his lips.

    Then, he looked at me intently.

    The reddish cheeks made him look very captivating.

    I swallowed my saliva without realizing it, and Lexion said.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Because you said so.¡±

    Lexion whispered softly with a light smile.

    So I opened my mouth.

    ¡°Then I¡¯m happy too¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Because you told me honestly.¡±

    Lexion burst into laughter at my bold reaction.

    ¡°Happy.¡±

    The word ¡°happy¡± was about to come out.

    It was a warm and sweet time now that I didn¡¯t have to be afraid of being taken away by someone.

    TL/N: So many good things happened in this chapter! Chris/Alec¡¯s reunion with Alois in this timeline, and TIAROZETY PROPOSING TO LEXION!!

    Did anyone expect that? Cause I DID NOT!

    *screAMINGG

    I just realised i inserted a lot of notes in this chapter! Sorry if it disrupts your reading! I just needed to share my feels with yall

 Chapter 123

    [Third Person POV]

    Before entering Bael, the subjugation party sent an official letter to Arnold saying that they had succeeded in subjugating the evil dragon.

    Immediately after hearing this fact, Arnold delivered the news to the lords of the north, and the whole area was in a festive mood.

    What surprised people, in particular, was that it was Esol, a minority race, who killed the evil dragon.

    It was marked on all official documents that she was chosen by the holy sword and punished the evil dragon as a hero.

    It was all the more so because the Esol race, which was thought to be the weakest and needed to be protected, defeated the strongest evil dragon.

    People enthusiastically cheered at the news of the hero and rejoiced that a peaceful era had arrived.

    They also praised Alois Beth, the magician who helped the hero and made a great contribution.

    Hundreds of years ago, from the beginning of the Arden Empire until the Great War, the magicians had sealed the evil dragon, but the royal family had stolen their hard work.

    In particular, after the Great War, they were even subjected to a witch hunt due to the imperial family¡¯s slander.

    But this time it was different. Alois Beth¡¯s hard work was neither covered nor stolen.

    Gregory even directly corrected false rumors about magicians spread by the imperial family a long time ago.

    It is said that their power was not a wicked power, but rather a wise power, and they made a great contribution during the Great War.

    Everyone was surprised because Gregory, who represented the imperial family, said it himself.

    This was all the more so because it was tantamount to admitting the fault of the imperial family.

    The atmosphere was heightened by the sincerity that had not been seen by the previous imperial family.

    Around the time when the north was excited by the news of the subjugation party.

    The subjugation party finally entered Bael.

    ¡°Long live Esol!¡±

    ¡°Long live the Black Knights!¡±

    People cheered for the subjugation team, which conquered the evil dragon and returned majestically.

    The colored paper was ripped apart and sprinkled with pollen, and they welcomed by waving branches with new sprouts.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    Gregory was cheered on as he took the lead alongside Lexion.

    ¡°Long live Wexler!¡±

    Gregory Aden Wexler was the only one who could be called Wexler in the Empire.

    Therefore, the meaning of this slogan was a tribute to Arden Wexler, not Arden Werbel.

    Gregory knew very well what that meant.

    At the same time as his stomach became hot, he felt painfully stuffy.

    It was because he did not know that the slogan revealed their antipathy towards Arden Werbel.

    At the time of Kronos¡¯ uprising, there were numerous northern nobles in Asher Castle.

    Many people also died.

    Those who survived this secretly spread what they saw and heard there.

    When it reached the ears of the common people, the ripple effect was enormous.

    Moreover, the capital of the empire was almost destroyed.

    Now, everyone is busy rejoicing that the evil dragon, which was everyone¡¯s enemy, has disappeared. But over time, neighboring countries will aim for imperial territories.

    Fortunately, the fact that Gregory, a member of the royal family, and Lexion co-led the subjugation force softened public sentiment.

    So everyone was shouting ¡®Wexler¡¯.

    The subjugation party continued their march to Sparrow Castle.

    The sound of military boots resounded loudly, and the beating of drums resounded.

    However, no one said it was noisy, and rather, they shouted even louder.

    That¡¯s how the subjugation party safely entered the castle.

    * * *

    Seirin waited for the subjugation party to arrive at Sparrow Castle.

    The shouts grew louder through the window.

    She peeked out and saw that the knights were entering Sparrow Castle.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go out?¡±

    Seirin lightly shook her head at Betty¡¯s question.

    ¡°What they want is not Werbel.¡±

    ¡°Princess¡­¡±

    ¡°The era of Werbel is over.¡±

    Betty bowed her head at Seirin¡¯s declaration, not knowing what to do.

    It was because she knew what it meant.

    Public sentiment turned to Gregory Wexler.

    Seirin, who has a higher order of succession to the throne than him, an illegitimate son, could not ignore the public sentiment.

    Especially when public sentiment is so chaotic and the empire is unstable.

    The cause of the capital city¡¯s destruction was Kronos, a Werbel.

    It is an obvious future that the aristocratic society will urge punishment for Kronos.

    At least, an intermediary role was needed to minimize Kronos¡¯ punishment.

    And Seirin knew that it was Gregory.

    ¡®If brother Gregory succeeds the throne, the nobles won¡¯t be able to easily demand harsh punishment. Perhaps it¡¯ll stop at exile.¡¯

    Seirin acknowledged Werbel¡¯s downfall.

    The worst outcome brought about by arrogance was ultimately the responsibility of  Seirin, who was sober*.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    TL/N: In her right mind.

    Seirin intended to follow Kronos if he was exiled.

    So that his servants wouldn¡¯t look down on him for being half-minded.*

    TL/N: Rmb his malice was with him for too long, and Tiarozety didn¡¯t purify him completely, so his mind and intelligence are permanently affected.

    She was planning on taking care of him for the rest of her life.

    It was a punishment to herself for stabbing Kronos.

    ¡°What about Kronos?¡±

    ¡°Playing hide-and-seek with the maid.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Seirin smiled lightly.

    She was rather envious of Kronos, who had let go of his mind.

    However, there was no more sense of inferiority or anger.

    After admitting it, she could see how useless she was.

    Then someone knocked.

    [Gregory¡¯s POV]

    ¡°Seirin.¡±

    It was Gregory.

    Betty was startled by Gregory¡¯s voice and looked at Seirin.

    It was a face asking if she could open it.

    Seirin slowly stepped away from the window and opened the door herself.

    ¡°I¡¯m in my room.¡± (S)

    ¡°Welcome.¡± (S)

    As Seirin stepped aside, Gregory entered.

    ¡°Why were you in the room, Seirin?¡±

    ¡°Just. It¡¯s high, so I can see it well from the inside.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going back to the capital right away. We can¡¯t stay any longer¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, we should. We have to deal with the situation in the capital.¡±

    Seirin replied as if she had been waiting.

    She had already packed all her belongings since she heard the news that the subjugation party would arrive.

    They loaded everything into the carriage, so they were able to go back straight away.

    Gregory gently held Seirin¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°You had a hard time waiting alone.¡±

    ¡°No, my brother had a harder time. More than that, the celebration will be held tomorrow, so are you going back without seeing it?¡±

    When Seirin responded resolutely, Gregory pursed his lips.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m just going.¡±

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do it.¡±

    Seirin shook her head.

    The engagement announcement of Lexion and Tiarozety was scheduled after the celebration.

    And even the declaration of independence from the Empire.

    ¡°I heard you signed it. I will recognize the North as an independent country.¡± (G)

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. The Arden Empire is now in dire need of their help.¡± (S)

    ¡°Yes, That¡¯s right.¡± (G)

    ¡°The empire survived well without the North anyway. There¡¯s no problem even if the land shrinks a little.¡± (S)

    Seirin continued to speak in a gentle tone.

    ¡°Rather, if we show that our alliance with them is strong, neighboring countries will not be able to act recklessly for the time being.¡± (S)

    ¡°Some of the northern allies decided to go back to the capital together and deal with the situation.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. The empire has a foundation, so it will be able to rise soon. Of course, my older brother¡¯s a little tired, but¡­¡±

    When Seirin spat out words as if giving advice, Gregory¡¯s face hardened.

    ¡°Seirin, I have no intention of becoming an emperor¡­.¡±

    ¡°No. My brother must become an emperor. You heard it, too, that everyone was praising Wexler, not Werbel.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°Be the emperor. And with brother¡¯s hand, come out and incarcerate Brother Kronos.¡±

    ¡°Seirin.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what will happen if you send brother Kronos alone. I¡¯d better take care of him by his side.¡±

    Gregory couldn¡¯t bear to speak.

    Seirin¡¯s eyes were so hard, and even her voice was so clear that he didn¡¯t know what to say to convince her.

    It seemed like it had already been decided in her heart.

    ¡®I guess I wasn¡¯t chosen by anyone after all.¡¯

    Gregory laughed bitterly.

    TL/N: OMG GREGORY NoOOoOO DON¡¯T MAAKE ME CRI

    Tiarozety chose Lexion and Seirin chose Kronos.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    He wondered who was left by his side, but suddenly someone knocked.

    ¡°It¡¯s Elencia Mamre.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Gregory tilted his head at the familiar name.

    If it was Elencia Mamre, she was the maid who witnessed when Lexion beat Kronos to death the other day.

    At that time, Gregory had spent the night with Elencia in exchange for silence.

    After that, he had several more encounters with Elencia, but it was not a deep relationship.

    Elencia stepped down unexpectedly plainly.

    She was not clingy, and she silently accepted the breakup notice.

    It was a neat farewell for a poor viscount family that sought to rise in status.

    She did, but now he is hearing the name of that family again.

    Seirin said to the perplexed Gregory.

    ¡°She called you.¡±

    ¡°Seirin.¡±

    ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t think about my older brother¡¯s feelings and decided on my own.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for leaving you alone. And the fact that I ignored my older brother implicitly.¡±

    Seirin put her hands together and continued talking.

    ¡°If it is Mamre, the family¡¯s support base is weak, but it cannot be ignored in terms of financial resources. As an emerging force, it would be perfect for setting the foundation for your brother.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Gregory was speechless and evasive.

    Then, Seirin bowed respectfully to Gregory.

    Politely, as if honoring a new emperor.

    Gregory stood awkwardly and dissuaded Seirin.

    ¡°Stop it. You don¡¯t have to¡­¡±

    ¡°Forgive me for my disloyal decision to run away like this.¡±

    Seirin bent over so that her forehead touched the floor.

    Gregory was frozen, unable to stand up or sit down.

    Outside, Elencia knocked once more without being able to come inside.

    Seirin stood up slowly and said.

    ¡°The Mamre family donated half of their wealth to the reconstruction of the capital and used it to fill the national treasury. So they were given the title of Marquis.¡±

    ¡°¡­ ¡­ Anyway, the rise from Viscount to Marquis is very unusual.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just because of the donation of property.¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    Seirin hesitated for a long time at Gregory¡¯s question.

    After a while, she calmly replied.

    ¡°Lady Mamre has a child.¡±

    TL/N: YOOOOOOO WHUTTT I GASPED LMAO. On one hand, I¡¯m surprised his past playboy ways didn¡¯t get him into any mess until now, BUT I¡¯M STILL IN SHOCK

 Chapter 124

    [Gregory¡¯s POV]

    ¡°!!¡±

    ¡°The child¡¯s father is said to be Your Majesty. She found out that she was pregnant shortly after being notified of the breakup.¡±

    Gregory was shocked at the news of Elencia¡¯s pregnancy, and was also shocked to hear that it was his child.

    Even if he was messy about women, he was thorough when it came to contraception.

    ¡®Was it then¡­¡­.¡¯

    On the day I announced we were breaking up, Elencia asked me to stay with her on that day because she wouldn¡¯t hold on to me.

    When I refused because it was the day I didn¡¯t take contraceptives, it was she who took contraceptives in front of me.

    ¡®The drug must have been fake.¡¯

    Gregory regretted not being able to shake it off coldly due to the moment¡¯s affection.

    ¡°It¡¯s better to accept the Mamre family so that there¡¯s no conflict in the succession issue. Even if the empress brings in another family.¡±

    Seirin glanced at Betty with the words.

    Betty opened the door cautiously.

    After a while, Elencia, who was waiting outside, entered the room.

    Gregory stared blankly at Elencia¡¯s raised stomach.

    Elencia greeted with a bow while being supported by the lady-in-waiting.

    ¡°Long time no see, Prince Gregory.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°Before the capital was occupied, she came to the north for recuperation. She came to see me when she heard the news that the evil dragon had died.¡±

    Seirin calmly explained, approached Elencia, and helped her to sit on a chair.

    It was because it was too much for her to stand still. After all, she was already pregnant.

    Gregory asked as soon as Elencia had just sat down.

    ¡°Did you have the idea to secretly give birth to a child?¡±

    Elencia trembled and looked up at him slowly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    She made no excuses.

    Because he was right.

    She deliberately deceived his eyes to spend the night to coincide with the day of ovulation, and as soon as she found out that she had carried a child, she left the capital to avoid rumors.

    In the first place, even if a daughter from a humble viscount family disappeared from the imperial palace, no one noticed.

    In other words, Elencia used the child to improve her status.

    It was also something she did after learning that Gregory Arden Wexler had a strong attachment to his family.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t misunderstand. It is the prince¡¯s child.¡±

    ¡°Ha¡­¡±

    Gregory swept his face with his hands.

    But I wasn¡¯t angry.

    Elencia bowed her head sadly.

    She considered herself lucky.

    If she hadn¡¯t moved from the capital to a villa in the north in advance, she might have become a corpse.

    She thought it was fate.

    He may not think so.

    Gregory stared at her swollen belly again.

    ¡®Is it the price of living like garbage?¡¯

    Then he laughed self-deprecatingly.

    He who was hated by the emperor, lived like a scoundrel, as if rebelling against a life where he could die at any moment.

    He was about to live properly now, but it seems that the sin of his body, which he had already rolled recklessly, remained.

    ¡®Yeah. She¡¯s not at fault. She just tried to survive.¡¯

    Of course, not everything she did was right.

    But it was Gregory himself who brought her into politics.

    And he was the first to use it.

    He was just getting back the seeds he had sown.

    ¡°Whoo.¡±

    Gregory exhaled a deep breath.

    If he had decided to live properly, it was also something he had to embrace.

    Elencia bit her lower lip as Gregory silently sighed.

    She knew she wouldn¡¯t be blessed.

    She thought he hated herself and might even hate the child.

    But nevertheless, she didn¡¯t erase the child.

    If they don¡¯t rise up in status like this, the Mamre family will forever remain only as a family name.

    Gregory¡¯s feet suddenly stopped in front of her as she was about to cry.

    After a while, Gregory got down on one knee and said.

    ¡°As a husband, I will do my duty as a father. I¡¯m responsible for it anyway.¡±

    Elencia¡¯s eyes widened at Gregory¡¯s remark.

    It was an unexpectedly simple response.

    But he spoke only of ¡°duty¡± and not of affection.

    After waiting in silence, Gregory continued.

    ¡°Even if you ask for affection, I may not be able to give it.¡±

    ¡°Does ¡®maybe not¡¯ mean the opposite is possible?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    Gregory could not readily answer.

    It was a heart that had already given everything to Tiarozety.

    Even after returning to the capital, he would probably be in frequent contact with Lexion in the north over political issues.

    And each time, he will hear about Tiarozety¡¯s well-being, he would repeat being happy and then sad.

    However, he should no longer hope for Tiarozety¡¯s affection.

    It was because he could no longer seek her love. In exchange for not loving oneself and living profligately, he did something that he could not dare dismiss as a momentary mistake.

    Elencia in front of him was the living witness.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    At that time, Elencia said.

    ¡°¡­¡­ Does that mean that I should not expect the prince¡¯s heart?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    ¡°That is enough. I¡¯ll try my best.¡± (E)

    Elencia brightened up and took Gregory¡¯s hand and placed it on her stomach.

    ¡°The baby just woke up.¡±

    Gregory flinched and couldn¡¯t get his hands off her stomach.

    After a while, the stomach bounced once and twice.

    It was a very powerful movement, kicking inside.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the gender, but they are growing up healthy.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Please take care of your child with love. That¡¯s enough for me.¡±

    Gregory did not respond to Elencia¡¯s words.

    He was just blankly feeling the movement of the child through his hands.

    That night, Gregory¡¯s party returned to the capital before the celebration.

    It was the next day that Tiarozety heard the news of their departure.

    * * *

    [Tiarozety¡¯s POV]

    From the day after the subjugation party arrived, the celebration continued for three days.

    Originally, the basic celebration was a week, but the budget for the banquet was used to relieve the poor in the affected area and distribute food to the residents of Bael.

    Thanks to that, everyone was able to spend the full three days, and the praise of the people did not stop.

    Finally, the last day of the banquet.

    I was in the waiting room with a rather nervous face.

    Soon, a simple engagement ceremony was to be held with an engagement announcement.

    The nobles of Bael wanted more time for a grand engagement, but I refused.

    It was because, at a time when we had just regained stability, a lavish engagement could be called a luxury.

    ¡®There¡¯s still a wedding left anyway.¡¯

    In fact, I was happy to be engaged with many people¡¯s congratulations at the banquet.

    When I couldn¡¯t relax, Daisy came over to my lap and said.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the dress uncomfortable?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s nothing uncomfortable, but I guess I was too nervous. I can¡¯t breathe.¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to loosen your corset?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s because of that. I¡¯m just so nervous.¡±

    Daisy grinned when I shook my head.

    ¡°Congratulations on your engagement.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there any good news for Daisy?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ready to be a bridesmaid.¡±

    Daisy¡¯s eyes widened as I brought up a joke to ease the tension.

    A moment later, Daisy¡¯s face burned.

    ¡°H, Ho, Ho, how did you know? When I was proposed to by Aiden?¡±

    ¡°Rumours were going around among the servants who knew it.¡±

    ¡°Eaugh! Who the hell¡­¡­!¡±

    Daisy didn¡¯t know what to do, fanning her hand as if a fever was rising.

    I was so happy to see that, I smiled.

    And I recalled the stories of servants chattering in the castle.

    The very thing Aiden did was publicly propose.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    ¡®Aiden is also in a hurry. As soon as he got back¡­¡­. Hmm.¡¯

    Daisy, did you see her flustered? Well, there¡¯s a new bride. Tut tut.¡¯

    ¡®Eyy, still, it¡¯s not like they¡¯re rubbing their lips in front of others.¡¯

    ¡®But I¡¯m still jealous. When will I ever love so passionately? It¡¯s good to be young.¡¯

    The servants who had seen Aiden and Daisy since childhood were happy that the two were connected.

    Of course, it seemed that they had more fun making fun of Aiden¡¯s bold confession and Daisy¡¯s unusually reddish appearance.

    Daisy was the one who kissed first.

    No, Aiden did.

    There was a lot of talk, but it was true that the two kissed in front of others anyway.

    Daisy cleared her throat.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me.¡±

    ¡°Hu hu.¡±

    ¡°Even when I get married, I¡¯ll stick with you. The marriage will be after the lady is married.¡±

    ¡°Then Sir Aiden would be disappointed. It¡¯s okay to do it first.¡±

    ¡°No, there are so many things to worry about preparing for the wedding. I¡¯ll do everything for you, including your parents¡¯ share.¡±

    I was moved by Daisy¡¯s thoughtful consideration.

    ¡°Daisy¡­¡±

    ¡°Aiden has already decided to do the same. It¡¯s up to you. I¡¯ve already checked¡­¡­.¡±

    Daisy rubbed her cheeks shyly.

    The figure was so lovely that I wanted to pick it up.

    But the prank didn¡¯t work.

    It was because Lexion came in afterwards.

    ¡°Titi.¡±

    He entered the waiting room wearing a suit in the same blue as mine.

    It was paired with my dress.

    Daisy slipped away from my lap and stepped aside.

    Then Lexion came over and kissed the back of my hand.

    ¡°Pretty.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Zion too.¡±

    Daisy didn¡¯t mind when I spoke informally to Lexion.

    She just took a step back and didn¡¯t want to interrupt our time together.

    Lexion lowered his upper body.

    As I raised my head, fresh lips touched and fell.

    ¡°Shall we go?¡±

    At Lexion¡¯s words, I got up from my seat.

    He escorted me alone.

    I remembered the first time I became his partner and went to Seirin¡¯s debutante.

    Even then, I thought it would be my last time as Lexion¡¯s partner.

    After that, I thought of handing him over to Seirin.

    But even now, I was by his side.

    When I remembered the meaning again, the fever rose and my heart felt full.

    Lexion stopped walking when he arrived at the door of the hall where the banquet was in full swing.

    The gatekeepers stood by, waiting for his signal.

    Lexion squeezed my hand tightly.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    When we cross this door, we will announce in front of everyone that we will be betrothed with a proclamation to the kingdom.

    And sooner or later, we will officially become a couple with a wedding ceremony.

    PLEASE Read only at PM Translations

    This was just the starting line.

    I answered after taking a deep breath.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m ready.¡±

    With those words, the gatekeeper received Lexion¡¯s signal and opened the door widely.

    The orchestra stopped playing and everyone¡¯s eyes turned to me and Lexion.

    They stepped aside and gave way for us to step on the red carpet.

    I walked lightly on the red carpet following Lexion¡¯s lead.

    Upon arriving at the center, Lexion declared.

    ¡°As of today, the North will become an independent kingdom from the Empire. And I, Lexion Sparrow, declare that I will become the new king with the support of the northern lords and the territorial people, and I declare my engagement to the hero Tiarozety Esol.¡±

    ¡°I, Tiarozety Esol, the fianc¨¦e of Lexion Sparrow, the King of the North, swear to contribute to the founding of the North.¡±

    After the oath, Lexion and I looked at each other and smiled.

    It became a signal-

    ¡°WAAHH!¡±

    The hall resounded with cheers and applause.

    The novel is over, but our story has just begun.

    <END OF MAIN STORY>

    TL/N: GUISE END OF MAIN STORY!!!! What a ride! Hope that yall enjoyed the story and hoping for more diabetes between Lexion and Tiarozety, Daisy and Aiden, Alois and Chris in the upcoming side stories!

    Gregory¡¯s ending was kinda bittersweet. It was a little sad that he didn¡¯t seem to end up with anyone whom he liked. The part where he thought no one chose him in the end made me SO SAD! But I would like to look at this positively! I thought this chapter showed his growth and how he matured.

    Even though Elencia had a questionable start with Gregory, I hope that they will grow to enjoy each other¡¯s company and appreciate each other. It kinda sucked that Elencia resorted to this but I appreciated that she didn¡¯t try to deny what she did. From what we read, I like that she doesn¡¯t over-expect from Gregory if that makes sense?