April 12, 2021
"Is it not the duke you hate?"
"I do. That is why I want him to feel the same pain of losing someone he loves."
"Then why did you hunt down the witches?"
"When I heard people describe them, they all reminded me of her. So I thought, why not brand her as a witch as well?"
"That’s quite an amusing thought."
Even if no one had hunted the witches, that woman would have been condemned as one eventually. Jerpeneus smirked as he imagined Hermann seething with rage over his plans falling apart. The false divine representative had ruined the High Priest’s grand scheme, but in turn, it had given Jerpeneus the perfect excuse to seize control of the temple’s affairs.
"I had no intention of accepting Your Majesty’s offer at first."
"Is that why you kept rejecting it?"
"Yes."
"And what made you change your mind now?"
"On my own, I can only kill that woman. But with Your Majesty’s help, I can completely destroy the duke."
There was a fierce determination in James’s eyes. Jerpeneus lazily traced the edge of his lips with a finger.
"Do you really think I would strike down my own brother?"
"If I were in Your Majesty’s position, I wouldn’t be able to help but despise him."
For a split second, the spoon Jerpeneus was stirring his tea with stilled. He had never once thought of hating Cabelenus. His younger brother was perfect—without flaw. The only problem was the woman involved. She was an inconvenience, not a reason for hatred.
"Unfortunately, I do not hate my brother."
"Yet despite that, Your Majesty still seems quite interested in my offer."
"Discipline is an act of love, after all."
Jerpeneus crossed his legs, nodding slightly. There was no need to drag this conversation out. The man in front of him had something useful—so he would use him, and when the time came, dispose of him.
"I will grant you a place in the imperial palace."
"That is not what I want."
"Then what is it you desire?"
"Assurance of my revenge. Your Majesty has yet to promise me that."
"You seem like a man who likes certainty."
Jerpeneus narrowed his snake-like eyes and ran his fingers along the armrest of his sofa.
"I have put everything on the line for this revenge. Without assurance, I cannot move forward."
"Then worry no more. As you wish, the Duke of Schwarhan will lose everything."
Of course, he would gain far more than he lost. But there was no need to mention that. Jerpeneus smiled to himself. His golden-eyed brother did not belong in the desolate snows of Schwarhan—he was meant for the golden throne. Once everything was over, Cabelenus would abandon his title as duke and rise as the Emperor of Blanche.
"Is that truly your intention?"
"You don’t seem convinced."
"You just told me a moment ago that you don’t hate the duke."
"Do you need more assurance?"
Jerpeneus smirked. He could see the sweat trailing down James’s neck. The man was trying his best to appear composed, but he lacked the finesse for true negotiations. People like him could always be controlled with just the right amount of pressure.
"Write it down. A written guarantee that Your Majesty will help me get my revenge."
"I could kill you right now and suffer no consequences."
"Everyone knows I entered the imperial palace today. If I die, they will all suspect Your Majesty."
Jerpeneus frowned.
The man in front of him was clearly unsettled. His eyes wavered, and his expression was far from steady. By now, he should have been frightened enough to fall to his knees and beg. But James wasn’t saying what Jerpeneus expected.
"The moment I stepped into the palace, rumors about our meeting have already begun spreading."
"......."
"The people expected Your Majesty to reject me, yet instead, you accepted me with open arms. They will find that... quite curious."
"...Are you threatening me?"
Jerpeneus’s voice dropped into a low, dangerous whisper.
"I am simply telling Your Majesty how far I am willing to go for my revenge."
"......."
"If I do not walk out of this palace unharmed and show my face to the people, it will put Your Majesty in an uncomfortable position."
For the first time, the casual smile disappeared from Jerpeneus’s face. He had underestimated this man.
"So even frauds can be intelligent. I suppose the saying is true."
"I’ll take that as a compliment."
"Fine. I’ll write what you want. And I’ll also assign you a place to stay and duties to fulfill."
Jerpeneus rang the bell, calling for Hans, the attendant waiting outside.
"From now on, this boy will serve you. If you need anything, tell him."
"I am grateful, Your Majesty."
"No need for gratitude. You must be exhausted from your long journey. Rest for today. You’ll have a very busy schedule starting tomorrow."
At his cue, Hans quickly escorted James out. Jerpeneus waited until the door had closed before raising a hand.
"Peltion."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Peltion emerged from behind the curtain, bowing. But Jerpeneus wasn’t looking at him. His gaze remained fixed on the door James had just exited through.
The young emperor was no longer smiling.
"Remember that fraud’s face. The moment everything is over, he will be the first to die."
***
"Think this through again. No matter how I look at it, this isn’t right."
"But we don’t have time."
"......."
"If I want to extend the time I have left, this is the only option."
"But—"
Cabelenus’s face twisted. He didn’t want Alicia to die, but neither could he bear the thought of her consuming poison. In her current condition, it could very well be the end of her.
"It’s alright. You’ll be with me the whole time, won’t you?"
"......."
Alicia rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. It was such a comforting sound.
"I kept thinking about it. Did my mother really want to kill me?"
"......."
"But in the end, I don’t want to believe that she did."
Her gaze landed on the pot where the soup was boiling. The strange, green-tinted broth didn’t look appetizing, but it brought back old memories.
"I still remember my mother telling me to survive. And the monster said I would die even without using my power."
"......."
"I will believe that my mother knew my condition when she made this soup."
"......."
"She is gone, and she can no longer tell me herself. But the mother I remember was kind and loved me very much."
Hearing only the monster’s words, she would never have dared to take the poison. But when she thought of her mother, the fear faded.
"Thinking back, I only ever had this soup on days when I was particularly ill."
"......."
"It will be alright. Everything."
"......."
"No matter how painful or difficult it is, as long as I am alive, there will always be a chance. In the end, opportunities belong to the living."
Alicia tightened her grip.
She was no longer alone.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
***
"How’s your body? Are you feeling alright?"
"Yes, I feel much better than before."
Even without asking, Cabelenus could see that Alicia’s condition had improved. But out of habit, he still checked. Anyone else would have died instantly from consuming such a deadly poison, yet Alicia had only suffered a brief illness before recovering. In fact, her complexion was healthier than before. Still, he couldn't bring himself to fully relax.
[This is temporary. It is not a perfect solution.]
The monster suddenly wedged itself between Alicia and Cabelenus. Cabelenus frowned at the forced distance but said nothing. The creature, uninterested in him, simply rubbed its face against Alicia’s hand.
"This is the first time I’ve seen a monster acting so docile."
Gajev adjusted his glasses several times, still unable to believe what he was seeing. He had thought it impossible, yet Alicia had truly tamed the creatures. No matter how many times he looked, it was fascinating.
"They’ve agreed to help us."
A low growl rumbled from the monster.
"Of course, without Alicia’s help, we wouldn’t be able to understand a word they say."
"Only my lady can hear them?"
"It seems ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ that way."
The monster’s tail swayed as if pleased by Alicia’s attention.
"What about the young master?"
"I don’t know why, but Mikael can’t hear them either."
[Because he carries mixed blood.]
The monster lifted its head toward Alicia. She hesitated for a moment before cautiously reaching out her hand. The creature, which had taken the form of Rex, looked like nothing more than a large dog.
"What do you mean by mixed blood?"
[The child. He carries the blood of ‘that one.’]
The monster pressed its face into her palm, almost playfully.
"‘That one’? Who are you referring to?"
[I cannot say.]
"Why not?"
[A criminal. A name that must not be spoken.]
The monster shook its head.
"A criminal? What crime did they commit?"
[They took everything from you. That is why they were cast out.]
The creature turned its gaze toward Cabelenus, eyes filled with hostility. Instinctively, Cabelenus narrowed his own golden eyes.
[One day, he appeared. The one with that blood.]
"You mean—"
[I know. He is not the same one.]
"......."
[But the scent lingers in his blood. The child as well.]
The monster’s gaze wavered.
"I don’t want you to misunderstand. He didn’t choose to have this power."
[That is why it is incomplete.]
"Incomplete?"
[He can become stronger.]
"He’s already strong enough."
[No. He is still lacking.]
"Can someone tell me what this conversation is about?"
Cabelenus finally cut in, unable to hold back any longer. He could hear Alicia’s voice, but it wasn’t enough to fully grasp the conversation.
"Well..."
"Is it difficult to explain?"
"Not exactly, but... There’s a lot I still don’t understand myself. I don’t even know where to begin."
Alicia’s hand stroked the monster’s neck again. At first, the sensation had felt strange, but the soft fur was pleasant to the touch.
"But if I try to summarize what I do understand, I think the creature you used in your experiments was special."
"Special? Who was it?"
"They called it a criminal... But..."
"But?"
"This is just my guess, but..."
Her gaze flickered toward the monster. The moment she had heard the word criminal, one name had come to mind.
[Ask anything. I will answer.]
"...This criminal you speak of. Was their name Prime?"
[That name cannot be spoken.]
"So I was right."
A faint breath escaped Alicia’s lips.
"...Prime?"
"Did the monster say that?"
"No. It was just my guess."
Alicia let out an awkward laugh at the twin stares directed at her.
"Can I ask why you think that?"
"You once told me that the temple refers to your power as sacred, remember?"
"...You remembered that?"
"I remember most of what you say."
A faint smile played at Alicia’s lips.
Back then, she had always been anxious. She had depended on Cabelenus’s fleeting interest, unable to do anything for herself. Every moment had felt desperate and precious. She hadn’t wanted to forget anything, so she had committed everything to memory.
But that was the past.
There was no longer a reason to feel anxious.
Alicia slowly lifted her head.
