“Oh, so you’re saying she’s awake?”
“That’s the umpteenth time you’ve asked me that, Sir Ares.”
“That’s because it’s absurd! I haven’t seen that woman but…….”
Gulp.
Ares had been saying the same thing ever since he heard the whole story from me.
Part of me wanted to ditch him and go on my own, but I couldn’t.
I was being carried by him.
Julion wanted to come with me, but he had to check the situation in the palace, so he had no choice but to ask Ares to take care of me.
Even if I stubbornly refused, saying that I could walk on my own, it was useless.
‘But why does he have to express his dissatisfaction like that?’
As if he really didn’t like something, Julion twisted his expression harshly.
If there was something he didn’t like, he should either say it properly, or should have just let me walk on my own.
I shook my head briefly to clear my mind of the thoughts that were beginning to form.
“More importantly, are we going in the right direction?”
“Of course. What do you think I am?”
He may talk a lot, but there’s no use getting annoyed with him now.
Our destination is the garden maintenance office. Despite its name, it was actually an empty building, the place where Hemion Martin took refuge.
“We’re here.”
Ares, who was running fast, slowed down.
He quickly looked around and furrowed his brow.
“By the way, how come there’s a bunch of flies around……?”
“Flies?”
“Yes. One, two, three… I think.”
“What the……! Quick, put me down.”
I urgently got down from Ares’ arms and stepped on the ground.
The servants of Roxis must have surely been subdued or dealt with by Julion.
Those who fled outside the palace were pursued by Julion’s personal shadow knights.
Perhaps Roxis would be preoccupied dealing with them, but who else would….!
‘No way…’
I yanked the door open.
Ares hurriedly followed from behind, shouting.
“Oh, your highness! It’s dangerous to just rush in like that!”
However, Ares stopped in front of the entrance.
I gasped as I saw the situation inside.
“Oh my, Your Highness, what brings you here? You must be busy with official duties.”
Purple hair, lavishly adorned with pearls, eyes that always looked at me eerily and red lips that twisted upward in an odd way.
“Liliana Cassian.”
A person who shouldn’t be here was standing in front of Hemion Martin.
Liliana smiled deeply, as if she were seeing someone she was very happy to see.
It was the same smile she wore whenever she torments me in the duchy.
[Oh, look at you in pain. Then go ahead, bark. If you look like a puppy, I might pity you and spare your life.]
Liliana, who had her maids submerge me in water, refused to let me come up because I was dirty.
Despite the imminent threat of death, Liliana simply observed me, laughing as if thoroughly amused.
At the sight of the familiar smile, my fingertips trembled, and my breath caught in my throat.
‘Now, I can’t stay silent.’
I brushed aside the traces of the past and gestured to Hemion.
“Come here, Hemion.”
As if she had been waiting, Hemion quickly came to my side, like a fledgling seeing its mother.
“Your highness, why are you here now? This person is my dear friend, but I don’t remember; it hurts my heart.”
Hemion bowed her head truly apologetically.
She appeared to be doing a fine job of pretending to have amnesia.
Liliana smiled as she looked at me and Hemion.
Watching closely, examining intently.
“I never expected to see familiar faces in such an unexpected place. Surprising turn of events, wouldn’t you say, Hemion?”
Moreover, she called Hemion her friend and addressed her very familiarly.
I said in a bewildered tone,
“Shouldn’t you be at the banquet? I don’t understand why you’re here.”
“I heard there was a fire while touring the garden, I got scared and came inside. Then I saw Hemion here!”
“What are you doing to someone who hasn’t fully recovered yet?”
When I cautioned her not to play around, Liliana chuckled, covering her mouth.
“Don’t react so strongly, Your highness. After all, we are sisters. It’s disappointing.”
Joy peeked through Liliana’s eyes.
She then continued to laugh softly and took my hand.
“Stop that and, since we’ve met like this, wouldn’t it be nice to have a conversation? Why don’t you show me around?”
It was a request to send Hemion and Ares away.
Realizing that I couldn’t avoid a conversation with Liliana, I sighed.
“Everyone, leave.”
“No, Your Highness.”
“It’s an order. Take Hemion Martin and step back, Sir Ares.”
Without taking my eyes off Liliana, I gave the command again.
Ares hesitated but eventually took Hemion and left.
Creak. The door closed with a rough sound, and Liliana’s smiling face changed.
“You’ve caused quite a stir, Rohiriel.”
“What are you doing with my belongings, then?”
I deliberately used the word ‘belongings’ to refer to Hemion.
Naturally, it was the other word that Liliana took issue with.
“How amusing. ‘Your’ belongings. Since when can you claim ownership?”
“From the moment I took a breath. Don’t you know the Cassian rule? The last person to pick it up owns it.”
An implicit rule of the Cassian family. What everyone desires is owned by the last person who got their hands on it.
According to that rule, I can confidently claim Hemion as mine.
Liliana, aware of this, hardened.
“That’s not like you. You used to obey your father’s orders more than anyone else.”
“Oh, sister. Don’t get me wrong. The only thing I want is Roxis.”
“…Roxis?”
Liliana’s eyes narrowed.
I spoke irritably, giving off an unpleasant vibe.
“Anyway, isn’t this good for you? You wanted it, to be the next duke.”
My words hit home, and Liliana fell silent.
Instead, she loosened her stony expression and flashed me a coy smile.
“Fine, you’re welcome to take out the trash for me, but are you sure she lost her memory?”
“I’ve already confirmed everything.”
“But still, it’s too much. She didn’t know our family, or even her parents’ names. You should have at least told me, Rotty.”
There was a faint heat in Liliana’s eyes as she looked at me.
And an affectionate nickname that she rarely used.
‘Testing the waters, are you?’
I did not tell Hemion to pretend not to know her parents’ names.
Of course, I did not tell her to act like she knew either.
In the first place, we never had such a conversation.
I don’t know how Hemion responded to Liliana, but one thing was certain.
‘Whenever she tries to test me, she always responds oppositely.’
Perhaps she was subconsciously baiting me, hoping I would answer honestly and get caught.
I furrowed my brow slightly and replied bluntly.
“What are you talking about? I naturally informed her about that. If anything, you were the one who went too far, sister.”
When I pointed out that she deceived Hemion by calling her a dear friend, Liliana’s smile deepend.
“Why, I really wanted to be her friend. Well, if you don’t like it, I’ll refrain.”
Click. Along with the sound of her heels, Liliana moved away.
“I’d better get going. I’ll see you around, my sister.”
Liliana, who had approached, patted my shoulder with a compassionate smile, as if she were a benevolent sister.
There were many things I wanted to ask.
How did she know about this place? What was she going to do?
But asking directly was not a Cassian virtue.
Liliana wouldn’t give me a proper answer and would probably mock me instead.
I turned to face Liliana, hiding my frustration.
Though I wished to put an end to this now, Liliana, brushing past me, approached closely, her face near mine.
“An order from our father.”
Her dry voice whispered faintly in my ear.
“Don’t touch the Emperor.”
Simple and straightforward words.
However, the meaning contained within was far from light.
Fortunately, Liliana was already leaving, heading towards the door.
If not, my face, drenched in anger, would have been exposed.
Chirp.
Unpleasant sounds reached my ears, and then I grasped the table beside me.
My head became dizzy, making it difficult to regain balance.
‘After all, the Emperor’s illness was caused by my father…….’
A direct order telling me not to heal the emperor.
It seemed that the Cassians plunged in a deeper darkness than I had initially thought.
