Episode 119
Serena sat by the window, quietly listening to the chirping of birds.
The peaceful morning unfolded outside in a familiar scene, yet it felt strangely unfamiliar. Since returning in time, she had never spent a night in this house. In a way, it was her first time coming back in years.
— I’ll be staying outside the palace for a while.
— ……
— I just need some time to sort out my thoughts. But don’t worry, I’ll continue researching the matter with Colin.
— It’s you I’m worried about. Not those things.
— …Anyway. I’ll take a break at my old place. If you need anything, you can contact me.
Azaid hadn’t stopped her. Perhaps he felt he had no right to.
Serena stared blankly at the neatly hung coat on the rack.
If Azaid had clung to her and begged for forgiveness that day, maybe—just maybe—she would have reluctantly forgiven him.
But he hadn’t. And she knew it was his way of being considerate.
Even knowing that, she had still chosen to step away from his side.
And now, barely after leaving the palace, she was already regretting it. Her own heart was a mystery to her.
Growl.
Her stomach let out a loud protest, making Serina sigh deeply.
Come to think of it, all she had done since arriving was sleep. If she kept fasting any longer, her stomach might start wailing in earnest.
Just as she was about to get up to find something to eat—
Bang, bang.
A loud knocking echoed through the house.
She wasn’t expecting anyone.
Frowning in confusion, she opened the door to find Marie staring at her with wide eyes.
“Oh! It opened!”
“Marie? What are you doing here?”
“I was about to break the door down if you didn’t open it, but now I don’t have to worry about repairs.”
Marie breezed past her into the house, casually throwing out a rather violent remark as if it were a joke.
Her hands were full of various items, as if she were planning an overnight escape. She began neatly stacking the groceries she had brought on the kitchen table.
“You haven’t eaten, have you? From the looks of it, you’ve just been sleeping. Your stomach must be empty, so I’ll make you some light stew. If you’re too hungry, you can eat a banana first.”
“Wait, Marie. What are you doing?”
Her natural takeover of the kitchen left Serina flustered. But Marie responded nonchalantly.
“What do you think? I’m here to work as a housekeeper.”
“No, I mean—why are you here?”
“His Majesty told me to come.”
“……”
“A proper break means eating well and sleeping well. Just sleeping doesn’t count as rest. And from the looks of it, you’ve been sleeping the whole time.”
At the mention that Azaid had sent her, Serina stopped arguing and quietly took a seat.
Meanwhile, Marie finished surveying the kitchen, found a pot, and started cooking.
“I knew it. How is there no food in this house? Does anyone even live here?”
“I was about to go buy some…”
Ignoring Serena’s weak excuse, Marie swiftly prepared a meal.
The sight of freshly cooked food made Serina’s mouth water.
She took a bite of the golden-browned beef stew. Then another. Before she knew it, she had finished an entire bowl.
With some energy restored, her mind finally turned to the tasks she had been putting off. Serena quietly washed up and began getting ready to head out.
She still had things to take care of—she couldn’t just lie around indefinitely.
“I’m heading out for a bit. The key is in the basket under the shoe rack.”
“Where are you going?”
“Just for some fresh air. I’ll be back soon.”
Leaving only those words behind, Serena stepped outside.
***
Meanwhile, Leonard was tailing Ophelia on her outing.
His instincts had been correct. Right beside Ophelia was Pie.
Watching her stroke Pie’s fur, Leonard let out a deep sigh.
‘Why are you there?’
Pie purred in contentment, as if that spot had always belonged to him.
Leonard, however, was the only one feeling on edge.
‘If she knew what kind of cat that was, she’d be horrified.’
Leonard’s sharp gaze remained fixed on Ophelia, who was smiling as she lazily caressed Pie.
Pie wasn’t just any ordinary cat—he was practically Nocturne’s right-hand.
Not only that, but he was a rare hybrid with beast blood mixed in. Though intelligent and beautiful, hybrids were shunned because of their lineage.
Some hybrids were known to go berserk, making them difficult to keep as pets.
The irony of Ophelia, who placed great importance on bloodlines, unknowingly adopting a hybrid cat was almost amusing.
Perhaps she simply didn’t know about his origins.
Moreover, Pie’s adorable appearance was deceiving—beneath it lay a fierce and temperamental nature.
Unless it was Nocturne, no one could even lay a hand on him.
Yet here it was, acting all affectionate.
‘Did Nocturne order this too?’
Leonard narrowed his eyes at Pie as if seeing something unnatural.
Pie rarely showed affection without Nocturne’s command.
That was why its current behavior—resting quietly on Ophelia’s lap—didn’t feel entirely genuine.
‘I have to take it away without her noticing… but how?’
Though he had confirmed Pie’s identity, actually removing him from Ophelia’s side was another matter entirely.
She wouldn’t let Pie out of her sight.
For now, all he could do was watch from the shadows, waiting for an opportunity.
But this approach was reaching its limits.
Perhaps it would be better to confront the situation head-on.
‘Yes. I’ll just send an official notice claiming it as my pet. If the real owner appears, she won’t have any reason to hold onto him.’
After all, she had only picked up a stray.
Once the owner came forward, there would be no justification for keeping him.
Just as Leonard was about to steel himself and leave—
“Meow.”
A cat’s cry echoed strangely close by.
Perplexed, he turned his head—only to be met with an even more unexpected sight.
“Sir Leonard?”
“Ah.”
“I thought it might be you. And I was right.”
Ophelia smiled brightly upon recognizing Leonard.
And from within her arms, Pie let out a sly, almost mocking meow, flashing an impish grin.
***
Serena’s destination was the Temple of Pherianus.
As soon as the priest saw her, he led her straight to where Raffaello was waiting, as if he had been expecting her.
Raffaello greeted her with a bandage wrapped around his forehead.
“You’ve come. I’ve been waiting.”
“You’re injured.”
“It’s nothing.”
Raffaello absentmindedly touched the bandage that failed to fully conceal his wound, waiting for Serena to take a seat.
But Serena remained standing as she asked,
“Did you tell His Majesty?”
“……Yes. His Majesty already knew when you visited me last time.”
There was no need to ask what had been said.
Both of them knew exactly what they were talking about.
Just as Serena was about to speak, Raffaello suddenly knelt before her.
“I’m sorry, Lady Serena. No words can excuse what I’ve done.”
“If you were truly sorry, you should have sought my forgiveness the moment we met again.”
At Serena’s cold response, Raffaello’s expression darkened.
She was right.
No matter how loyal his intentions had been, from her perspective, it was no different from being stabbed out of nowhere.
If he hadn’t confessed the truth when they first met, then he should have at least told her once she became Azaid’s lover.
But he hadn’t. That was his second mistake.
Serena gazed at Raffaello, who remained kneeling before her, and finally spoke with difficulty.
“If you don’t intend to make me uncomfortable, then stand up. I’m not going to forgive you just because you’re kneeling.”
“……”
“Hurry up.”
“I’m sorry.”
At Serena’s urging, Raffaello stood.
As she took her seat, she got straight to the point.
“I intend to seek proper compensation for what happened. If you truly feel even the slightest remorse toward me, then don’t just say it—prove it with your actions.”
“Of course. However Lady Serena wishes, I will atone for my wrongdoing.”
With a solemn face, Raffaello could only nod at her words.
In a confrontation between a perpetrator and a victim, saying the wrong thing—even unintentionally—could easily turn into a second offense.
He had learned this lesson the hard way—thanks to Azaid’s fury.
Seeing how readily Raffaello agreed, some of Serena’s anger subsided.
If he had tried to offer excuses, she would have left immediately.
The first time she confronted Azaid about the truth, she had been overwhelmed by emotions and lashed out in anger.
But now, she could think rationally.
Marie had made sure she ate properly, which helped even more.
As Serena reflected on the memories she had regained, she finally spoke.
“We have to talk about that day.”
“I know you acted for His Majesty’s sake, Raffaello. But in the end, you made a grave mistake.”
“Yes. After what I did to you, there’s no way I could claim otherwise……”
“No. What I mean is that your actions back then also harmed His Majesty.”
“What…?”
Raffaello blinked in confusion.
He had done it for Azaid.
Yet now he was being told that his actions had actually hurt him?
The idea was hard to grasp.
But that was because he didn’t yet know the full truth.
Serena continued in a calm voice.
“That’s when it all started—when His Majesty began to fall ill.”
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
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