Episode 55
Theo’s claim that he didn’t know was genuine.
Lillian probably asked him about the bracelet when they met on the bench yesterday. However, at that moment, Theo had no reason to think about such things. Lillian was crying in front of him, and… she was in his arms.
Since when? Theo and Lillian occasionally leaned on each other.
As a result, there were times when they held each other. It wasn’t frequent. Except for Swan, Lillian had always been like a hedgehog to everyone. Most of the time, it happened when Lillian cried, and Theo, who couldn’t stand seeing her like that, awkwardly consoled her, pulling her into a hug.
The children’s hugs didn’t hold any special meaning. It wasn’t that romantic, and sometimes, Theo found it tiring and bothersome.
‘When will this one grow up?’
It seemed strange that he ended up in this situation with Lillian. Theo couldn’t erase the thought that he was still inexperienced.
‘If I go to the temple… Will there be no more days like these?’
Would the everyday life of a common knight who embraced a lonely lady to comfort her from unknown loneliness never return?
No, even if he didn’t go to the temple, there would come a time when it would end anyway.
Sometimes, when he saw Lillian walking alone with Damian, he felt the emotion.
Lillian would eventually marry a nobleman, and there would be no place for him between them.
‘Thinking about it, it’s strange.”’
It’s not like I like Lillian.
As much as he thought about it, the feeling of being too close to her made him uncomfortable.
‘Anyone who sees me might think I like Lillian.’
She’s really just a kid, a kid. Just like a younger sister. Isn’t Rose in the orphanage more beautiful, to be honest?
‘….’
No, I thought about it, but it doesn’t seem like that.
Maybe it was because she was well-raised in a good house now? Lillian, who had grown up, was undeniably beautiful. She wasn’t particularly noticeable before, except for Swan, but now Lillian, apart from her upbringing, was beautiful. Her almond-shaped eyes that slightly rose at the ends were sharp and clear, and her nose, forming a gentle curve from her forehead, was lovely. Above all, her lips, tightly closed, added a slightly chic yet cute atmosphere. It wasn’t too romantic, but Theo couldn’t shake off the thought that Lillian was beautiful among the people he knew.
‘…Anyway, no matter how beautiful she is, she’s not the one.’
Theo shook his head vigorously, trying to shake off such thoughts, and opened the book.
‘Let’s find some information.’
Whether it was due to meeting someone from the temple or not, the books he had chosen were theological.
The clattering sound of flipping through pages was loud, and Lillian lifted her head.
“If you find anything about being able to change your face, let me know, Theo.”
“… Even if it’s just a little?”
“Yeah, what did you find?”
“I’m not sure if this will help, but…”
Theo mumbled uncertainly, offering the part he had been reading.
At the top was a table of contents.
[“Daughters of Moonlight”]
It was a story about a certain bloodline blessed by the gods.
* * *
Daughters of Moonlight.
The reason these kin, who receive divine love, are called ‘daughters’ is simple.
It was because the characteristics of their kin were passed down only to females in the matrilineal lineage.
Although records of their existence existed, they didn’t form any specific group, have a distinct culture, nor did they have a self-awareness of being a unique kin.
They mostly lived ordinary lives and died, sharing one common trait—they were all exceptionally beautiful.
And unfortunate.
The book describes them as follows:
[Among the daughters, there are those who became insane due to excessive exposure to moonlight. They were not mythical beings but actual individuals. What drove them mad was not moonlight but divine love. Therefore, we call them ‘Daughters of Moonlight.’]
They could be blessings or calamities.
Depending on the circumstances, they were either revered as holy maidens or condemned as witches and burned at the stake.
[Due to receiving divine love, their abilities were boundless, ranging from the most common holy power, divine power, to prophetic abilities, healing and purification powers, teleportation abilities, and even the ability to change one’s appearance.]
Despite having such extraordinary abilities, receiving divine love meant gaining attention from the world.
They were inherently destined to be unfortunate, leading to various incidents. They often faced betrayal from those they believed in. The ones they loved would leave them, their children would meet tragic ends, and some were even sold by their families for a few coins and forced to live their lives as beggars.
Unable to endure their hardships, the Daughters of Moonlight eventually gathered and decided to entrust themselves to a powerful force.
The place where they, who received divine love most warmly, could be welcomed.
That place was none other than the temple.
* * *
After Lilyan and Theo finally left the library with their fingers worn out, their efforts, unfortunately, only yielded information about the ‘Daughters of Moonlight.’
“To me, it seems impossible to find anything more. From here on, it’s more literature than records. I peeked a bit, but the recorded language is something we don’t know. It’s challenging to confirm with the level of searching we’ve done.”
“Yeah, it looks that way. Thanks for your help.”
In the end, Lilian had no choice but to give up. Lilian, guiding her weary body, walked back to the main building of the mansion.
‘Daughters of Moonlight, huh?’
Was this beneficial or not?
‘If the Daughters of Moonlight are really involved in this, it makes sense to say the temple is behind it.’
Lilian remembered the person who brought Odile, Kenneth’s daughter, to her, the devout believer and the matron of the charity business, Madame Kenneth. She wasn’t entirely unrelated to the temple, so it wasn’t an entirely baseless story.
However, why would the temple be involved in Meinerd?
It would make more sense if it were another noble family or even the royal family.
There was no reason for the temple to have anything to do with Meinerd.
‘… Or is there a reason for the deceased Duchess of Meinerd?’
Trying to include the deceased Duchess of Meinerd in the possibilities, in a situation where it wasn’t certain whether the ‘Daughters of Moonlight’ were involved, Lilian’s head began to hurt.
Lilian took a light deep breath, cleared her mind, and ascended the stairs.
However, the place she arrived at wasn’t her bedroom.
Knock, knock. When she knocked twice on the door, a voice came from inside.
“Come in.”
Inside was Cedric’s office.
* * *
As she entered, Cedric, who was looking at documents, glanced at Lilian with surprised eyes.
“What brings you here at this hour, my lady?”
“I heard you met Odile Kenis today.”
T/N: Hey guys my coffee page is no longer working and I won’t be able to use it. Until I find a solution I’ll keep posting new chapters on Moonligh novels.
