I Grabbed The Leash Of The Blind Beast

“Yes, Your Highness. The order cancellation and refund have been completed.”

“What?”

Eleon doubted if he had heard correctly. 

Emily came out with a large, heavy-looking wooden box.

“Since you paid in cash, we prepared a refund in gold coins.”

“Wait. What does this mean?”

“Yes?”

“Refund? What do you mean by refund?”

Emily seemed puzzled by Eleon’s reaction.

“Miss Rona came and canceled the order, and told me to hand over the refund when someone came from the Grand Duke’s residence.”

“…Did Rona come here herself?”

“Yes.”

“When? When did she come?”

“That was… about ten days ago.”

“Ten days ago?”

At that time, Rona was still staying in the manor.

     Did she stop by when she went out?

Those are the clothes Eleon picked.

He was annoyed that Rona had canceled the order.

It felt as if his heart had been rejected because his favor was a burden.

     Who asked you to accept my heart?

It wasn’t even a proper confession.

He got a refund without his knowledge.

These past few days, Eleon was full of anguish.

It seemed that everything would be perfect if he got back his sight. He thought he would be able to sell his soul to the devil if he could get back to a time when his eyes were fine.

Originally, it was a life where Eleon didn’t know what was missing.

He felt insanely empty when his eyes healed. And the reason was that Rona canceled the order.

Everything in the world must have an equivalent exchange.

If there is nothing to lose, there is also nothing to gain.

“You got your sight back and lost her?”

     That’s absurd.

No one had ever informed Eleon of such a precondition.

He couldn’t accept such unfairness.

The place where Rona was supposed to be was by his side.

Then Eleon left the dressing shop as if there was nothing else to see.

Emily placed her hand on her pounding chest.

“Teacher, are you alright?”

The apprentice seamstress approached Emily worriedly.

Emily nodded.

“Bring me some water.”

Emily went into the sewing room and staggered into her chair.

“Oh my gosh.”

She was very satisfied with her success and wealth. She also had a lot of pride in her work.

However, every day is a repeating pattern without major ups and downs.

She was slowly aging, going from home to work.

Then there was a big stir in her life.

It was precisely because the Duchess of Yuter and her daughter had come to visit her a few hours earlier.

Mother and daughter looked exactly alike in hair, eye color, and appearance, like cookies made from the same mold.

And, surprisingly, the daughter was someone she already knew.

The Duchess of Yuter was always a hot topic.

She was praised for her beauty, and the fact that her only daughter joined Hadunsha was also unusual.

Such a Duchess was even famous for being frugal and seldom set foot into a dress shop on her own.

Of course, it was the first time Emily had ever seen the Duchess of Yuter in person, but the one who came with her as her daughter was the blind beast maiden brought by Grand Duke Clevent to tailor her clothes.

「“I know it’s a difficult request. But as a woman, you understand, don’t you?”」　

The Duchess asked earnestly.

Emily couldn’t believe a gentle but determined and graceful lady would bow down for such a favor.

Emily was at a loss.

“I thought my daughter was dead, she came back after half a year. What would Elysia’s life be like if it became known that she stayed with the Grand Duke? She is excommunicated from Hadunsha and what if she loses her honor as a woman, she would have to live an unhappy life.”

“Lady Elysia. Have you lost your memory?”　

To Emily, who couldn’t contain her curiosity, Elysia gave a weak smile with a helpless, troubled face.

“Yes.”　

Her sad face was so beautiful that Emily decided to accept her request.

The duchess bought all the clothes that the Grand Duke had ordered, and asked him to return the money, apart from telling him that she had asked for the refund long before.

     What if such a young and beautiful lady is caught up in a scandal and the path to marriage is blocked?

In addition, sales are fully guaranteed.  

Emily received a pre-order confirmation that the Duchess would order the wedding dress from ‘Le Ballein‘ if Elysia were to get married.

The Duchess’ face brightened as she signed the contract and handed it to Emily.

If Emily had offered to keep her mouth shut for nothing, she would have felt uncomfortable, too.

They stood up from their seats and left.

“Sigh. I almost told him all about it.”

Eleon came so suddenly, and Emily was very shocked that he could see already.

He was an incomparably different person.

At that time, Emily’s eyes were unfocused and she moved according to Rona’s guidance.

Eleon was meant to rule over people.

She felt overwhelmed, and intimidated with every step Eleon took.

“Is that the power of Oder?”

     Black hair and red eyes.

Eleon had the same characteristics as the first emperor who founded the empire, and there was only one descendant per generation.

Although, it is a bit strange that he had them because he didn’t have Oder’s name.

“Come to think of it, I have never felt that way around the Crown Prince.”

     So, didn’t the Crown Prince try to ‘turn the tables’ on him by arguing at my workplace?

Emily pulled out an envelope from her desk drawer.

She regained her composure when she saw the Duchess of Yuter’s signature.

“I need to keep it safe.”

Emily, who had been breaking out in a cold sweat in fear of being caught lying to the Grand Duke, smiled happily as she imagined the wedding dress of Elysia Yuter that she would have to make one day.

    *

As Sabiel entered the Empress’s private chamber, Empress Seraphina greeted him with a smile.

“Sabiel.”

“Long time no see, Your Majesty the Empress.”

“What are you so busy with, Your Highness? It makes me sad that you never come every time  I call you.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve had a lot of work to do lately.”

Empress Seraphina gently seated Sabiel at the tea table prepared in advance.

“Today, I have an urgent matter to discuss with you.”

“What is the problem?”

“It’s time for the Crown Princess to pay her respects.”

Sabiel wore an apathetic expression.

Empress Seraphina frantically grabbed his hand.

“I think it’s too early for me to get married.”

“Your Highness must produce descendants. What will happen if the only heir of the Imperial Family is so carefree?”

Empress Seraphina looked at him.

“I thought you were interested in Count Harrington’s daughter.”

“Count Harrington’s daughter?”

“I know Lady Karina stayed in the Crystal Palace, this mother also has ears and eyes.”

     Karina? Who is Karina?

Then Sabiel remembered who Karina was.

“It would be unfair if Count Harrington was second in terms of wealth. They lack a bit of elegance.”

It was only then that he remembered it because of Empress Seraphina’s words.

     A woman with silver hair, green eyes, and a hazy look.

Sabiel shrugged and replied.

“It would be better than the old nobles. The new aristocrats are much more favorable to me.”

Empress Seraphina had a bitter taste.

She was also the daughter of a high-ranking family of old nobles.

However, she was upset because her son didn’t get their support and was attached to powers that were not aristocratic.

The old nobles who had supported her rise to the position of Empress also frustrated her.  

Empress Seraphina had a headache due to the old nobles requesting an audience these days.

Then she heard good news.

It is said that Elysia, the jewel of Hadunsha, has returned.

The Duke of Yuter was one of the few venerable families that could create a good public opinion at the center of the old aristocracy, not to mention his wealth.

The Duke was not interested in politics, so he wasn’t very active in his current generation.

But if the Crown Prince became his son-in-law, the Duke of Yuter would be a strong supporter more than anyone else.

There were no parents who would have put their daughter’s happiness as collateral.

“Still, you have to win the support of the old nobles. No matter how hard the new aristocrats struggle, will they get even half of the territory owned by the old nobles?”

That was the problem with the emerging aristocrats.

They were newly appointed as nobles with extraordinary abilities or financial resources, but they did not have any territories.

The territory includes people, land, and everything that comes from that land.

It is true that no matter how much money the new nobility has, it becomes shabby compared to the estates owned by the old nobility.

Since this leads to political funds, the Empress will not side with the emerging aristocrats.

The Empress was saddened by Sabiel’s constant contact with the new aristocrats.

“Anyway, if I become emperor, there will be no problem.”

The son, who knew only one thing and did not know ten, was frustrated, but Empress Seraphina brought up the main point.

“Do you know Lady Elysia Yuter?”

“Elysia Yuter?”

     Yes, I know her.

Sabiel thought of her for a moment.

Sabiel has developed a strange hobby of collecting pure gold and amethyst.

It was because Elysia was out of his hands.

“Lady Elysia was excommunicated from Hadunsha and returned to the Duke’s family.”

“What did you say?”

Sabiel was happily interested in this story, and Empress Seraphina laughed and repeated what she had said.

“It is said that Lady Elysia was excommunicated from Hadunsha and returned to the Duke’s family.”

Elysia Yuter was mentioned as a candidate for the Crown Princess position as soon as she was born.

However, when she was only three years old, she joined Hadunsha and became a priest.

The Empress thought that the relationship between Elysia and Sabiel had ended there.

“Excommunicated from Hadunsha? Wasn’t she a candidate for the next High Priest position?”

Empress Seraphina nodded.

“It is said that the reason was that she was seriously ill. Thanks to her memory loss.”

“Memory.. loss?”

“Yes, that’s right. Your Highness. That doesn’t mean she’s not healthy.”

     Has Elysia lost her memory?

At that moment, Sabiel’s eyes sparkled with mad excitement.

Hadunsha was a sanctuary.

It was a place that was difficult for anyone to get in and out of.

The residence of the priests was nearby, and Elysia could only be seen from a distant place at the prayer assembly.

But Sabiel had cared for her for a long time and had developed a curiosity.

It was a coincidence that Elysia had left for Grerosa, and would not return to the capital for several years.

Sabiel turned it into an opportunity.

He hired assassins to annihilate the Temple’s knights and priests and bring Elysia back.

Sabiel cut Elysia’s hair himself.

She is a symbol of God’s servant and seeing the tip of her bleached hair, Sabiel was hesitant to treat her badly as a descendant of Oder.

“You crazy bastard!”　

He couldn’t forget Elysia’s angry face, who was clearly swearing through her lips when he was about to take off her clothes.

Elysia stabbed Sabiel and threw her own body into Lake Laurel.

The woman he thought was dead is still alive, and has lost her memory.

Sabiel smiled brightly.

“Great. I’ll get married if it is her.”