Episode 142

“Is that why you were exchanging letters with Yurian Leonhardt?”

Yvonne couldn’t speak. Though the healers were tending to her, her mouth was full of blood, and her throat ached terribly. Even staying conscious was a struggle.

She lay sprawled on the bed, forcing her heavy eyelids to stay open.

“The princess…”

Hildebrandt wanted to kill Yvonne. But he couldn’t. Not now.

His powers were leaking out uncontrollably—as if the second awakening was beginning. This was the sign.

Hildebrandt’s awakening had been triggered by the shock of having his very existence denied. Powerful ability-users awakened when faced with overwhelming emotional trauma.

“Confine her in the western tower.”

“…Yes.”

Francis answered reluctantly, then gestured to others to carry out the emperor’s order.

That was the last thing Yvonne remembered from that day.

Yvonne had been locked in the tower for more than half a month.

She had barely taken any water since being confined, so healing ability-users had to look after her to ensure she didn’t die.

“You know, Yvonne?”

Even Hildebrandt now wore a blindfold. His power lay in hypnotizing whatever he saw.

“I heard Yurian Leonhardt has gathered knights stationed at the border.”

“…”

“Isn’t it funny?”

Hildebrandt was smiling. Even without looking, he could clearly envision this place. It was where he and Yvonne had once nurtured their love. And the place from which she had leapt, trying to escape him.

There were no windows in this room now. He’d had them all removed after that day. Only a single skylight remained. But even that was made of glass enchanted with teleportation spells—strengthened so much that even reinforcement-type ability-users couldn’t break it easily. If anyone did, she would be immediately relocated to a designated place.

“We can still turn this around, Yvonne.”

“…”

“Yurian Leonhardt will die the moment he arrives here. Unless you tell me you love me.”

Yvonne showed no reaction. She lay there like a corpse.

“Yvonne.”

‘I love you, Hilde.’

Hildebrandt smiled as he recalled the words she had once whispered in this place. He thought he was smiling, but tears were slipping silently from beneath his blindfold.

“I’ll bring you Yurian Leonhardt’s head.”

Yvonne didn’t move. If she reacted, he truly would kill him. Yurian.

She had to act like his words meant nothing.

“I’ll come again tomorrow. Think it over, Yvonne.”

When he finally left the tower and the sound of his footsteps faded, Yvonne closed her eyes again.

That night, just before dawn—

Knock knock.

“Your Highness. It’s me.”

It was Evony’s voice. Yvonne stirred as if waking from a dream. She had heard that all the servants in her palace had been killed.

Still, she wanted to know if the voice was real. She slowly rose from the bed. It had been so long since her feet had touched the ground that her legs immediately gave out, and she collapsed to the floor.

‘Your Highness.’

The voice didn’t sound like a hallucination. But her legs trembled uncontrollably and refused to move.

I have to get up.

Yvonne told herself that and pressed her hands to the floor. She forced her waist to hold her up. Just as she took a step forward—

“Ugh…”

She had no strength and crumpled again. Still, she tried once more. With trembling hands and legs, she forced her weakened body to move.

Her bitten tongue had fully healed, but after spending over two weeks like a corpse in bed, moving was no easy task.

Yvonne exhaled deeply and rose again. Her shaky legs made each step difficult, but she clung to her resolve, inching her way toward the door.

“Your Highness.”

“Evony… are you really alive?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Thank goodness…”

Only when she reached the door did she fully believe it. The voice she’d heard wasn’t a hallucination. And besides, Hildebrandt was wearing a blindfold now—he couldn’t project false images or sounds anymore.

“Your Highness. I’ve come to rescue you.”

“No. Don’t. I don’t want you to be in danger.”

“If Your Highness is in danger, then so am I. If you die, I die too.”

“Evony…”

Yvonne felt her sincerity. It always struck her as strange. She felt at ease when Evony was with her, and her doubts about Evony being Hildebrandt’s spy seemed to melt away.

Even though her letters with Yurian had been exposed and Evony had still survived—it could’ve meant she was the emperor’s pawn.

But Yvonne didn’t believe that. Her mind tried to be cautious, but her heart believed in Evony.

“I broke all the doors in the back. But this one… it seems only Your Highness can open it.”

In this place, only Hildebrandt and Yvonne could open the doors.

Hildebrandt believed that, someday, Yvonne would leave the tower on her own and return to him.

“Evony.”

Yvonne said softly, then exhaled and pulled the door open.

Click.

Behind the sound of the lock releasing stood Evony, dressed in a maid’s uniform soiled with dirt and dust. Scratches marked her body, and spots of blood stained her clothes.

“Are you hurt?”

“I’m a physical enhancement user, remember? It’s unavoidable in battle.”

Yvonne sighed in relief when she realized the blood wasn’t Evony’s.

“Let’s go, Your Highness.”

“To where?”

“To where Duke Yurian Leonhardt is.”

“Where is Yurian?”

“He’s gone to…”

Evony hesitated, unsure if she should say it aloud. But then she realized it was something that couldn’t be hidden and spoke slowly.

“He’s gone to confront His Majesty.”

“What?”

“He said… unless the emperor disappears, the two of you can never be together.”

It was true. But Yvonne grew anxious. She didn’t yet know that Yurian had undergone his second awakening. In her mind, Yurian was bound to lose to Hildebrandt.

“Where is Yurian?”

“He’s gone to the Imperial Palace.”

“Then I’m going too.”

“Your Highness!”

Yvonne believed that Yurian would die. Hildebrandt’s symptoms—his second awakening must have already begun.

Even if Yurian had undergone a second awakening, there was no guarantee he could defeat Hildebrandt. And if Hildebrandt, having awakened, faced Yurian in battle…

Then Yurian would surely die.

“Then at least you have to survive, Your Highness!”

Evony gripped Yvonne’s arm tightly, trying to stop her. But Yvonne, as if her mind had cleared, looked her straight in the eyes and said,

“If he dies, I’ll die with him.”

“Ivon…”

Evony unconsciously called her by her nickname. She couldn’t stand by and watch her daughter march toward death.

“I’m sorry, Ivon. I’m sorry, my daughter.”

“Evony? What are you… Ugh…!”

Evony struck the back of her neck, knocking her out. Then she hoisted Yvonne onto her back.

Evony was determined to take Yvonne somewhere safe. It was not only Yurian Leonhardt’s wish—it was also the deepest wish of her own heart.

Hildebrandt was trembling with anxiety.

His second awakening had begun, and there was no stopping it. For some people, the process was gradual. For others, it happened slowly over time. The speed of awakening varied from person to person.

But his was happening fast. Because his entire world had collapsed in an instant.

He feared the torrents of mana pouring out of him—but more than that, he feared what he might do to Yvonne if he lost control of his mind.

He wanted to shout at her, to demand answers. She said she loved him—how could she possibly love Yurian Leonhardt?

But he couldn’t. If he lost his temper, there was no telling what his powers would do. And in his mind’s eye, he kept seeing Yvonne again—biting her tongue, covered in blood, collapsing before him.

“Hhgh….”

The pain in his chest returned. Clutching his shirt, Hildebrandt collapsed forward.

“Yvonne…”

Even through the agony, he longed to see her. He missed the way she used to smile at him.

Everything had been his fault.

He was never going to kill her, never going to stop loving her.

If only he hadn’t kept her at his side to torment her, trying to erase her memories.

If only he had begged for forgiveness the moment she came back from the dead.

“…Ah.”

Only now did he realize it. With all his self-inflicted hypnosis gone, his mind could finally process thoughts he’d buried deep.

“So… you were…”

At that moment, he took off his blindfold. Clutching his chest, he looked into the mirror to cast his power.

He hadn’t been the only one victimized by the late emperor. Yvonne might have been just like him—trapped under hypnosis.

“I love you, Hilde.”

And then… Yvonne appeared before him.

Hildebrandt’s second awakening was a power that brought illusions into reality. What could once only be seen in the mind was now made real.