Edited by “Freya”
Chapter 09
Luna shook her head and spoke in a trembling voice.
“But today, Aira seemed like a completely different person. I only followed her to help, but in front of His Highness, she pointed out my flaws as if trying to put me down…”
Her eyes welled up with sadness as she lowered her gaze.
“I feel so hurt, I can hardly stand it. I like Aira, but it feels like she no longer considers me a friend.”
Luna expected Aira to respond with something like, ‘I think I made a mistake. I’m sorry. How can I make it up to you?’
She had even prepared her own reply in advance.
Luna always kept naive girls like Aira under her thumb. Though today she had acted out of line, thinking of herself as the future empress, Luna figured this was the perfect chance to correct her behavior.
“What do you mean by ‘flaws,’ Luna?”
“Huh?”
Aira’s reaction was different from what Luna expected. With wide eyes, Aira looked as if Luna had misunderstood something, her tone filled with mild disappointment.
Aira looked at Luna with wide eyes, seeming surprised and hurt. “I would never speak badly of you, Luna. I only mentioned your relationship in front of His Highness because if you marry your lover someday, earning His Highness’s favor in advance could benefit him—maybe a promotion or other advantages. I said it all for your sake.”
Luna’s expression stiffened. Aira, instead of apologizing, was gently scolding her, as if confused by Luna’s upset reaction.
“Th-that’s not… Aira!”
Luna, both angry and flustered, couldn’t find the right words.
What Aira didn’t know was that Luna’s lover was a married man, and revealing details about their relationship would cause scandal.
“Actually, I don’t even plan on marrying him.”
“What?”
Aira was shocked as Luna raised her eyebrows. In noble society, it was taboo for a young couple to date without intending to marry.
“You’re saying you don’t plan to marry the person you’re seeing? What do you mean?”
Luna sighed and continued, “He… he’s not the right match for me, so I don’t plan to marry him. But you went and told the Crown Prince I’m seeing someone…” Luna’s tears had dried up, and all that remained in her eyes was anger.
Meanwhile, Aira maintained her calm and innocent demeanor, though inwardly she was laughing. She knew exactly why Luna was angry. Luna wanted to impress Xavier, and Aira had ruined her plans.
“Luna,” Aira said calmly, reaching out to take Luna’s hand like in prayer. “Meeting someone without the intention to marry could harm the Marcelline name.”
“Aira!”
“Perhaps today, the person who made you reveal your secret to the Crown Prince was the goddess Ermedia, who watches over Kalanta. I’ll pray for you to embrace pure intentions and seek a virtuous relationship.”
Aira’s red eyes radiated kindness, filled with sincere devotion.
Luna’s eyebrows twitched with frustration. Aira’s words, though infuriating, left no room for argument because they were technically correct.
‘How does it feel now, Luna?’
Aira remembered how Luna used to mention Aira’s male acquaintances in front of Xavier, irritating him. Luna would then suggest that perhaps the god of purity was guiding Aira to a more virtuous life and offer to pray together. Back then, Aira truly believed Luna was a kind and devout friend.
With that same serene look, Aira muttered a brief prayer while holding Luna’s hands. She then smiled brightly, as though all misunderstandings had been resolved.
Luna, meanwhile, was left dumbfounded and pale, staring at Aira in disbelief.
By then, the carriage had arrived at the Marcellin estate.
“Let’s get out, my dear sister,” Aira said cheerfully, seemingly oblivious to Luna’s frozen expression.
Aira immediately went to Count Marcelline, telling him she had just visited Empress Julius and brought a gift from the warehouse, which Count Marcelline had prepared.
Count Marcelline was pleased and praised Aira, but he reminded her to ask permission before taking anything next time, as the treasures in the warehouse were very precious.
Luna, still feeling dizzy and upset from her confrontation with Aira, forced a smile at Count Marcelline before quickly retreating to her room.
With still time to spare before dinner, Aira lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
If only the power of the relic inside me could manifest outward.
She remembered how, during a moment of rage against Xavier, a chandelier had suddenly shattered. While everyone thought it was an accident, Aira knew better.
At that moment, she had felt an unfamiliar force escape her body. The incident made her suspect that she had been the one to break the chandelier.
Perhaps this power could become a weapon to protect me in the future.
“Foolish Aira,” she muttered. “Did you really think you could absorb a relic into a human body and survive?”
She scoffed at her past self, who had blindly trusted the reassurances of Empress Julienne and Xavier, believing that nothing would happen. That naivety had turned her into a sacrificial pawn to help Xavier gain the power of a dragonslayer.
The bitterness of being betrayed and killed by them was etched deep in Aira’s bones, an unforgettable torment. To gain power, they had betrayed her in the most brutal way possible. Yet, before her death, the sacred artifact granted her a miracle, sending her back in time to correct her fate.
“The ones who killed me.”
Aira clenched her hands tightly. The power she held, obtained through the sacred object, felt like the magic she had once read about in fairy tales. It allowed her to do things beyond the capability of a human. Of course, she knew this wasn’t the full extent of the sacred object’s power. As she returned to the past, only a fraction of the sacred energy remained in her body.
“The moment I entered the palace, I felt it.” The strength of the sacred object overwhelmed her, and she realized how reckless and naïve she had been to try absorbing it with just her bare body.
“This is just a little amount of its power.”
Closing her eyes, Aira slowly drew out the crimson energy within her.
“……”
The force, akin to blood cells surging uncontrollably through her veins, was tiny compared to the storm-like energy that had destroyed her body in her final moments. Yet, it was still powerful enough. Despite her regression, the residual strength left within her body wasn’t a disadvantage—it might even work in her favor.
Whether due to the artifact’s influence or not, Aira could sense that her ability to assess situations had dramatically improved. She felt sharper, more calculating than ever before.
When she opened her eyes again, a loud crash echoed as a lightbulb shattered. Aira’s crimson gaze flickered vividly.
“Miss, are you ready for dinner?” came Gemma’s voice from outside the door.
Tonight, she would have dinner with Count Marcelline and Luna. Aira was curious about what Luna, who had been in such a bad mood earlier, would think when she joined the dinner. A sly smile tugged at Aira’s lips.
Separately, she also had a request for Count Marcelline in mind, and with that, she walked eagerly toward the door.
Nothing scared her anymore.
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