Episode 68
Serena turned to look at Azaid, who had abruptly kicked Benjamin’s chair leg. From her expression, it was clear that the act was entirely intentional.
“Oh, ow…”
Benjamin groaned as he clutched his tailbone. Then, furrowing his brow, he turned around sharply.
“Who dares…!”
However, the moment his eyes met Azaid’s blue ones, Benjamin’s words got stuck in his throat.
In the Croten Empire, there was only one person with blond hair and blue eyes—the Emperor of Croten himself.
Realizing who he was, Benjamin’s face turned pale. Azaid nonchalantly extended a hand to him.
“My apologies. My legs are too long.”
“…”
“Did you get hurt badly?”
“N-no, not at all…”
The moment Benjamin recognized Azaid’s identity, he composed his expression and accepted Azaid’s hand to stand up.
Although it was evident to everyone that this was no accident, no one dared to object—except for Jack Gordon, who turned his back to them, shoulders shaking as he stifled laughter.
“You’re here,” Leonard greeted lightly. Azaid nodded in response and pulled a chair over to sit in the exact spot Benjamin had been occupying.
As Serena eyed him suspiciously, Azade asked, “What is it?”
“Nothing. I just thought you made quite a dramatic entrance.”
Serena glanced at Benjamin, who seemed slightly panicked by Azaid’s sudden appearance.
Apparently, Benjamin hadn’t been aware that Azaid was here, having arrived at the Temple of Pherianus only recently.
I should’ve sent him away earlier.
Just as Serena was about to step in and save Benjamin, Azaid reached out and gently tilted her chin toward him, redirecting her gaze.
Her eyes naturally settled on Azaid, his movement so seamless that it felt natural. Serena didn’t even notice how out of place it was.
“Your Majesty?”
His blue eyes were fixed on her, paired with a slightly sullen expression.
“You said you’d stay by my side all day…”
“Pardon?”
“Never mind.”
Out of nowhere, Azaid muttered something incomprehensible, sighed heavily, and then fell silent.
Serena was bewildered, unsure how to respond. She had assumed everything would be fine when he left with Jack earlier, but did he mean she should’ve gone with them instead? If so, she could handle that easily.
Just then, Benjamin regained his composure and hurriedly spoke up.
“My apologies. I have urgent matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now…”
“Sure. You won’t stray too far, will you?”
“N-no, of course not. Serena, see you next time.”
With a look that was a mix of a smile and a grimace, Benjamin gave her a nod of farewell.
“Oh, yes.”
Serena quickly waved him off, eager to see him gone. Benjamin fled so fast it was almost pitiful to watch.
Only after confirming he was out of sight did Serina turn her gaze forward again—only to meet Azaid’s icy expression.
Did Jack provoke him or something?
Azaid’s face was unusually stern, and Serena couldn’t help but wonder what had happened.
“Is there something you’d like to say?”
“…No. Nothing.”
Despite the ever-darkening scowl on his face, Azaid feigned indifference.
Serena tilted her head, puzzled, and glanced at Jack, who was still chuckling quietly to himself.
What could they have talked about to sour the Emperor’s mood like this?
It seemed likely that he and Jack had gotten into some kind of argument. Serena, determined to avoid any collateral damage, decided to speak calmly.
“I was just about to go find you since you hadn’t come.”
“Of course, I’d come on my own.”
“True, and here you are.”
When Serena flashed him a smile, Azaid opened his mouth slightly, as if to respond, but his expression turned oddly complicated, making her tilt her head again. At that moment, Jack changed the subject.
“Serena, I don’t think that outfit will be appropriate for the ceremony.”
“Oh, really? I thought as much.”
Serena looked down at her dress and gave an awkward laugh. The bright, vivid colors were indeed too gaudy for the occasion.
“If it’s ceremonial attire, there should be plenty of spares. There’s still time, so let’s go get you changed.”
“Thank you, Mr. Nocturne. I’ll be quick. Your Majesty?”
“You don’t need my permission…”
“Your opinion is the most important to me.”
“Only at times like this…”
When Serena replied with a cheerful grin, Azaid muttered something unintelligible, half-covering his mouth with his hand. Despite his grumbling, he didn’t seem particularly displeased.
Leaving Azaid behind, Serena followed Nocturne.
“Are you feeling better? I heard there was some trouble in Greenwood Territory.”
“Oh, yes. I’m fine. It wasn’t anything serious, but I ended up alarming everyone for no reason.”
“The Emperor seemed particularly surprised.”
“Did he?”
Serena scratched her cheek awkwardly for no apparent reason. Nocturne continued speaking.
“I’m planning to personally verify the stability of the artificial mana core.”
“Ah, yes. Since it concerns His Majesty’s body, we can’t use it without testing it first.”
“Verification would be difficult without a mana core, though.”
“That’s true, but…”
“If it’s alright, I can help you with that.”
“Hmm.”
Serena’s steps slowed slightly. Her pace naturally decreased as her mind lingered on a particular point that had been troubling her for some time. Noticing the faint sound of her footsteps growing softer, Nocturne, who was walking ahead, turned back.
“Miss Serena?”
“Mr. Nocturne, actually… there’s something I haven’t told you.”
It had been several months since they got to know each other. The more she relied on his help, the heavier the weight of hiding her condition grew on her conscience.
Moreover, keeping it a secret while discussing matters was causing more and more disagreements between them.
“The truth is…”
“Ah, just a moment.”
Just as Serena was about to confess, the communication crystal chimed. Nocturne excused himself to take the call.
He stepped behind a pillar and exchanged a few words with someone. His voice grew noticeably tense, but once the conversation ended, he returned.
“Is everything alright?”
“It’s nothing. Just a minor issue…”
Even as he spoke, Nocturne’s expression remained rigid. Something about his demeanor seemed off. Serena decided to postpone her confession, offering him a cheerful smile instead.
“It seems you have something urgent to attend to. Just give me the directions, and I’ll find my way.”
“But still…”
“It’s fine. I’m good with directions.”
“Then keep going straight, turn right, and head to the third room.”
“Alright, got it.”
“The ceremonial site is a bit hard to explain, so I’ll contact Leonard in advance to guide you.”
“Understood. Are you heading there right now, Mr. Nocturne?”
“No, I have to attend the ceremony as well. I’ll see you there later.”
Nocturne gave her a light nod before turning away. Seeing him immediately call someone again, it seemed the matter was urgent.
Following his directions, Serena arrived at the designated place, where someone who had been informed beforehand handed her ceremonial attire. The simple white outfit was less ornate than those worn by priests.
The skirt was just long enough to barely graze the floor, and the bishop sleeves, wide and flowing, gathered neatly. Every movement caused the soft fabric to rustle lightly. The collar, which partially encircled her neck, was loose enough not to feel restrictive.
“Your hair tie seems about to snap. Shall I replace it with a new one?”
The attendant helping her dress asked softly. It seemed they noticed how stretched out the tie, which she often used, had become.
“No, it’s fine.”
It was familiar in her hands, and she didn’t see the need to replace it. Despite its worn appearance, it was surprisingly sturdy and hadn’t snapped yet.
“Then I’ll place the veil on you.”
The attendant draped a delicately embroidered veil over her head.
“Miss Serena.”
Leonard, who had been contacted by Nocturne, arrived just in time.
“The ceremony will start soon. Please follow me.”
“Ah, yes.”
Serena quickly followed behind him.
***
Before Leonard went to fetch Serena, Nocturne headed straight to where his three friends were.
His face was even grimmer than before, all due to the message he had received earlier.
> [Tell your friend to stay out of trouble. Don’t cause unnecessary commotion.]
– “What’s this sudden call about, James?”
> [Exactly what I said. If he don’t want to lose his other eye, he better tread carefully.]
Since becoming a viscount, James had constantly provoked Nocturne, testing his patience at every turn. With newfound power in his hands, tormenting Nocturne had become an even easier pastime for him.
Of course, Nocturne’s lack of response to his antics only irritated James further.
But this time, the bombshell James had dropped was enough to shake Nocturne for the first time.
When Jack had returned with only one eye, Nocturne had asked what had happened.
Jack had brushed it off as an accident. The truth, however, was that it was the work of the Duke of Greenwood.
> [You’ve worked under the Duke before, so you should understand well enough.]
– “Don’t lump me in with the likes of you.”
> [Stop this at your level before it gets worse. Consider this a warning from me…]
Nocturne had ended the call before James could finish. It seemed James, too, had become privy to the Duke’s secrets. Considering how openly he was warning Nocturne, it was clear he wasn’t bluffing.
With a heavy heart, Nocturne entered the room. Azaid had left to prepare for the ceremony, leaving only Leonard and Jack.
“What’s this? Why are you alone?”
Jack looked puzzled as he questioned Nocturne. Without a word, Nocturne strode over and suddenly grabbed Jack by the collar.
Seeing Jack’s eyepatch, a surge of anger boiled up within him. Growling, Nocturne demanded:
“How long were you planning to keep this from me?”
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •