Chapter 181
***
Only the sound of an owl’s cry echoed through the dawn.
A figure in black clothing, hidden by the darkness, landed atop a large tree.
It was a spot that gave a clear view of the main gate of Count Petier’s estate.
Moments later, as imperial knights on horseback escorted a carriage out of the estate, the figure slipped inside without a moment’s hesitation.
While the knights, unaware of the intruder’s presence, urged their horses toward the Imperial Palace…
‘…Found it!’
The person checking the contents of the box cheered inwardly.
It was Lia, perfectly disguised in black clothing and a mask.
She carefully replaced the original with a pre-prepared replica and secured the genuine item.
Then, erasing her presence once more, she slipped out of the carriage and only relaxed once she saw the knights fading into the distance.
‘If I can just make it back safely from here…’
She had achieved her primary goal in coming to the Empire.
Her mood naturally lifted, but just as she reminded herself not to let her guard down…
“…?!”
She suddenly felt someone’s gaze—something she hadn’t sensed in her previous life.
Her nerves instantly went on edge, her body stiffening with tension.
‘Were they watching me from the beginning?’
She hadn’t let her guard down for even a moment since leaving the marquis’s estate.
She hadn’t even used magic, to avoid leaving a trace for anyone, including the Emperor, to follow.
Her heart pounded so violently it felt like it would burst from her chest, as if the item she carried had already been discovered.
‘I can’t lose this. No matter what.’
It was her last hope.
She had risked her life to come to the Empire for Diana’s awakening. With that thought, Lia sprang from the ground.
The gaze that had been watching her grew more intense, then quickly started pursuing her.
The movement and aura of her pursuer were clearly not ordinary.
As the distance between them refused to grow, anxiety and fear started to consume her.
‘Could it be the Master? Or other agents?’
‘What if I lose the item?’
‘If it really is the Master, I’ll never escape.’
Am I going to die again, just like before…?
Terror pushed her thoughts into darker places.
Lia shook her head quickly.
She hadn’t shaken off her pursuer, but because she had fled so quickly, the marquis’s estate was still within reach.
‘They wouldn’t follow me all the way into the house… right?’
Still, she had to prepare for the worst.
Lia turned on a dime and threw a dagger hidden in her sleeve. Caught off guard by the surprise attack, the pursuer revealed themselves just as they tried to block the strike.
In that instant, Lia closed the gap and drove a powerful elbow into their abdomen.
They clearly hadn’t expected such force and stumbled back. Without missing the moment, Lia pulled another dagger from her waist and thrust it forward.
Thud.
Lia felt the blade sink into flesh.
She widened her eyes, surprised the attack had landed as the opponent’s aura had seemed too formidable.
Despite her shock, she turned to flee.
“Lia.”
A familiar voice reached her ears.
She froze and turned her head. In the faint darkness, their eyes met.
“…Lucio?”
She called his name without thinking, and only then did her mind snap back into focus.
“Why are you here?!”
“Wait.”
Lucio cut her off, took a slow breath, then leaned his head gently against her shoulder.
She flinched at the unexpected weight—and even more at the heat radiating from him.
“…!”
Lucio’s face was pale as a sheet, and his shirt was soaked in blood.
Only then did Lia fully grasp what had happened, her eyes went wide with horror.
***
“Why didn’t you block it?! You could’ve defended yourself! You could’ve dodged it!”
I shouted, clutching the hem of his blood-soaked shirt.
“…If I tried to block it and you got hurt instead, what then?”
His answer was so absurd, I couldn’t help but burst into tears.
“I’m sorry.”
Lucio, clearly flustered by my tears, apologized.
“Don’t cry.”
His gentle hand wiped the tears from my cheek, and for some reason, that made the sadness swell even more.
Just a little while ago, when I unexpectedly came face-to-face with Lucio, I’d gone into complete panic.
I had rushed him back to the marquis’s estate and frantically searched for bandages and medicine, trying to treat the stab wound in his side—and didn’t even think to use magic.
“Why were you just sitting there getting treated? You should’ve asked me to use magic from the start!”
I was upset that Lucio, who had foolishly endured the pain in silence, didn’t say anything even though I had frozen in panic and failed to think straight. He should’ve spoken up.
Even though I knew it wasn’t something to say to someone who was injured, I shouted in frustration. Lucio replied with an apologetic look.
“You pushed yourself too hard at the arena today. I thought you might be too tired…”
That was based on the average mana limits of ordinary mages! That didn’t apply to me at all!
“It wasn’t even that serious of a wound.”
“What?”
I stared at him in disbelief.
It might not have been fatal, but the blow had landed cleanly.
‘His face was completely drained of color, and he was covered in blood… I was so terrified.’
Though I eventually came to my senses and healed the wound with magic, Lucio’s face was still pale from the blood loss.
Even if he had come back injured, I would’ve been heartbroken, but the fact that I had hurt him myself made it feel like a dagger was driven into my chest. It was excruciating.1Back from the monsters fight perhaps?
I was used to my own pain. But seeing him in pain was unbearable.
‘If only I had been the one who got hurt instead…’
“…Ah.”
At that moment, a tear that had been clinging to the corner of my eye dropped, and a realization struck me.
‘I think… I like Lucio.’
I stared blankly at him, not even thinking to wipe away the tears sliding down my cheeks and jaw.
His silver hair gleamed in the moonlight.
Beneath it, sharp eyes, a straight nose, and soft, full lips.
My heart started racing.
‘Since when?’
I tried to retrace my memories, but I couldn’t pinpoint the moment I started liking him.
Lucio had been someone special to me ever since we first met outside the academy.
I had never forgotten the chocolates, gold coins, and medicine he gave me.
Even after becoming an informant, whenever his name came up, I found myself instinctively listening more closely.
‘But I thought that was just gratitude…’
Now, I wasn’t so sure.
It was only recently that I realized I’m a bit slow when it comes to things like this.
“Are you really that mad? I didn’t mean to startle you…”
Lucio, noticing my silence, apologized again.
He must’ve thought my red face was from anger.
In truth, even the anxious tone of his voice made me shiver with affection, and I started fiddling with my ear just to distract myself.
Then, noticing Lucio had undone his shirt, I quickly looked away in a panic. I was the one who had insisted on treating his wound and taken off his shirt, but now my face was burning.
“Y-you should put your shirt back on first.”
“…My shirt?”
Lucio tilted his head at my words, then let out a small laugh.
He was quick to catch on, he must’ve realized I was embarrassed.
“This shirt is soaked in blood. Should I really put it back on?”
He whispered mischievously right by my ear, making every hair on my body stand on end.
I had just realized I liked him, and here he was, completely overwhelming. Just what did he think would happen to my poor heart?
“Then what, are you planning to stay half-naked? If it bothers you that much, then go!”
Flustered, I waved my hands, telling him to leave if it was really that uncomfortable.
He sighed lightly, then began buttoning up his shirt.
Just as I was finally starting to relax…
“Ah!”
I suddenly felt myself lifted off the ground. A large hand had pulled me close by the waist. And… I found myself sitting on Lucio’s lap.
“W-what are you doing?!”
“You looked cold.”
He answered shamelessly as I flailed in surprise.
I was about to yell again, but my hands—pressed against his shoulders—were trembling.
I hadn’t realized it before, but my whole body was shaking.
‘So I really was scared…’
Well, it had been a long, overwhelming day.
I had gone to the palace to meet the Emperor, faced off against the Master in the arena, and even learned that Jack had once killed me in the past.
Recognizing all that, exhaustion hit me like a tidal wave.
As I blinked my heavy eyelids, Lucio gently pressed the back of my head and leaned me against his chest. Then he started softly patting my back.
Separate from my racing heart, a soothing calmness spread through me.
In a more relaxed voice, I asked,
“Why did you follow me there?”
“I knew you’d go. There’s no way I could let you go alone.”
I sighed without realizing it.
Earlier today, after seeing Count Petier beg the Emperor, I had suspected the Emperor might send imperial knights to the count’s estate. So I formally requested Darel to notify me if the knights left for the palace late at night.
As soon as the communication orb lit up, I rushed to the estate.
I hadn’t expected Lucio to follow me.
I wasn’t used to him worrying about me. Even though I thought I had come to understand his feelings, clearly, I hadn’t fully accepted them yet.
‘I mean, it took me long enough to get used to my family’s affection… How am I supposed to believe someone unrelated by blood could love me?’
That thought made another question rise in my mind.
Why does Lucio like me?
‘I’m not even that attractive as a woman…’
I mumbled the thought, something that had come to me out of habit. Then I suddenly remembered something Lucio once said,
⟨I’m okay. I can wait.⟩
My drowsiness vanished.
I lifted my head from his chest and asked,
“You said you could wait. How long will you wait for me?”
“Huh?”
“How long are you planning to wait?”
Lucio tilted his head, as if trying to figure out the meaning of my question. Then, at my insistence, he answered,
“Until you’re ready to accept me.”
A gentle smile like spring sunlight bloomed on Lucio’s face as he spoke.
And when I saw it, I blurted something out impulsively.
Unfortunately, because Jean requested for rapid updates, I can’t leave you with this cliffhanger *sigh*.
