Chapter 88
“…So, you’ve ended up making it like this. I’ve shown you a lot of mercy and given you chances to come back.”
“If going back to you and having to watch my every move, losing my things, and losing myself is your idea of mercy and a chance… that’s sad.”
I let go of Belietta’s hand and quietly smiled.
“You’ve failed, fake.”
“Sierra…!”
Before Belietta could finish her sentence, Gilard grabbed her as she charged at me with wide eyes full of fury.
Gilard calmed his furious daughter and turned to glare at me.
“Alright, go back. We’re not in a position to sit face-to-face and have a friendly chat.”
“Sierra! How could you…!”
After leaving Belietta with the knights, Gilard walked away with his daughter.
Belietta’s voice calling my name faded into the distance.
Once the knights confirmed that Gillard had safely left, they stepped back.
The knights who filled the banquet hall started to withdraw.
The door through which Gilard and Belietta had exited moved slowly, accepting the last knight.
The long day and the dozens of days spent in thought were consumed as the door closed.
A hand was placed on my shoulder.
Turning my head, I saw Aden’s face.
“You did well, Sierra.”
I smiled faintly at Aden’s voice.
That was when I realized my face had been stiff.
The last footsteps faded away.
And then the door closed.
Bang!
At that moment, it marked the end of today’s play.
***
Bozbourne’s engagement ceremony caused quite a stir throughout the empire.
Contrary to expectations that it would establish an unassailable power through its alliance with Rippleton, Bozbourne’s true face was laid bare.
From the marriage with Rippleton to the relationship with the royal family.
Bozbourne managed to prevent the situation from escalating further by acknowledging enough of the events without digging deeper into the scandal, which they’d rather not admit.
“Bozbourne Duke is greedy, but he’s definitely not an ordinary man. He acknowledged the scandal he’d rather deny and prevented the incident from digging deeper.”
The monster contract with Rippleton was completely shut down to prevent any connection to dark magic.
It was a wise move if you want to call it wise, and an awful one if you want to call it disgusting.
“But this incident hasn’t hurt Bozbourne at all. While people aren’t speaking out loud, everyone already knows about the connections between Bozbourne and other families. Nothing’s going to change.”
Bozbourne hadn’t fallen from grace, nor had it lost the power of the council.
Bozbourne was still strong, and many nobles were still riding its coattails.
The tide of public criticism would persist for a while, but it wasn’t going to be a huge problem.
“What about Rippleton?”
I turned my body while gathering the reports.
Aden, who had been sitting and reviewing the documents, lowered his hands.
“Rippleton hasn’t changed much. The locals have never been sensitive to outside news, so they’re not going to be shaken.”
“Not that. I mean the council.”
I’d heard that Bozbourne had officially requested the council to strip Rippleton of its conscription authority.
For Rippleton, who had to protect Hermonia, it was a painful blow.
Because of that, there were plans to support mercenaries from Brilloxen to Rippleton for the time being.
“Well, the royal family stepped in. They put a stop to using the council as a tool for resolving disputes between territories. Regardless of how ineffective the royal family may be, once the emperor’s decree is issued, that matter isn’t going to be brought up for a while.”
Aden exhaled, then stood up.
He put down the documents he was holding and approached me, leaning his arms on the desk.
“More importantly, when are you thinking of doing it?”
“Doing what?”
“Our thing.”
My hand stopped flipping through the documents.
The fluttering papers slipped from my grasp, and a slow breath filled the silence.
Slowly lifting my head, I found his golden eyes fixed on me.
“It’s already been over a week since we wrapped things up, and it seems like there’s been no progress at all. I’m just curious how long I should keep waiting.”
Aden pushed his feelings toward me, honest yet cautious.
Gazing into his soft, sunset-colored eyes, I clasped my hands together.
“Sure.”
At my answer, Aden frowned in confusion.
After mulling over my response for a while, he tilted his head.
“What kind of answer is that?”
“You asked me a while back if you could misunderstand. That’s my answer to that question.”
“….”
Aden looked blank as if he hadn’t expected that at all.
After giving him a gentle smile, I picked up the papers I had set down.
“I prefer clear answers. You asked if you could misunderstand, and I said yes.”
“…You know that’s not what I meant.”
“What I know and what I answer are different things. Don’t you think? You should’ve asked more clearly. Not with a vague question but something more direct.”
Aden was left speechless by my smile, his expression filled with resignation as he pulled his arm away.
Unwilling to give up, Aden took a moment to collect his thoughts before speaking again.
“Well then, let’s do it again…”
“Opportunities come once a day. Let’s do it later.”
I cut him off and stood up from my seat.
Aden rolled his eyes as if to say, “What do you mean?” as I moved away.
I wasn’t clueless; I knew Aden’s feelings.
But I still had revenge against Belietta and Bozbourne to take care of.
And there was also that man, Layton Vladia, who had temporarily disappeared behind Belietta.
The one who betrayed me was still there.
Every time I wanted to take a step forward with Aden, I was pulled back to that place, the day I died.
“So, you want me to ask again tomorrow? Is that what you’re saying?”
As I moved, I noticed Aden trailing behind me, persistently questioning.
Just then, a small figure of Medea appeared from the opposite direction.
As soon as Medea saw me, she raised her eyebrows and hurriedly walked over.
Aden paused, clearly displeased by Medea’s arrival.
“Are you still here?”
“The Magic Association, including Medea, has decided to support Brilloxen. And Medea will be staying at the Brilloxen mansion.”
“Here? Why?”
“Well…”
“I’ll be here until that kid decides to become my apprentice. You got a problem with that?”
Since she was sticking to that position, there was no way I could kick her out.
Medea shoved the semiotic problem I’d solved that day in front of me, bragging about my talent.
She emphasized that if she learned from me, she could become a wizard even greater than the great sage Ezekiel Ross.
Becoming a grand wizard didn’t sound too bad, but to do that, I’d have to drop everything and study for at least 50 years.
After hearing that, I gave up on the idea of being a grand wizard.
What good is it to become a grand wizard after everyone else is dead? I need power now.
So I decided to change my direction: instead of gaining power myself, I’d have someone who could wield it.
“What about your mother? Aren’t you coming back from seeing her?”
Medea was a great wizard and someone who might have the ability to heal my mother.
Investing in her was definitely worth it.
“Looks like you were right. It seems like it’s dark magic.”
Medea pressed her temples and spoke in a tired voice.
Was it really dark magic?
I had learned about it while speculating various possibilities since nothing worked and she didn’t get better.
“Can you heal her?”
“Who do you think I am? I’m Medea Rodis.”
“That’s… reassuring.”
“But right now, it’s not possible. Dark magic operates differently from regular magic, and it’ll take time to figure out what kind of curse was placed.”
“Still, you can cure her, right?”
“I can’t guarantee that. Healing shouldn’t be too difficult.”
What mattered was whether she could be healed, not how long it would take.
I sighed in relief at Medea’s answer.
I was worried that Medea might not find the answer either, so I was glad.
As I let out a long sigh, Medea rolled her eyes at Aden and raised her eyebrows.
“By the way, why are you hanging around with that black wolf?”
“Wolf? You mean Aden?”
“Yeah. That guy who’s been staring at your neck with those creepy eyes.”
My neck?
Hearing Medea’s words, I quickly covered my neck with my palm and turned my body.
Aden wore a serious expression at my reaction.
“That’s a misunderstanding. I wasn’t looking at you with creepy eyes.”
“That just means you were looking at me.”
“…”
Aden fell silent, as if he wasn’t planning to lie.
“Could it be that the reason you’ve been following me is…”
“I only looked this time; I never… before.”
“Are you saying a knight who swore to the goddess Harmonia is planning to lie?”
Medea cut off Aden’s words and replied sharply.
Aden, who was about to continue speaking, glanced at me and cleared his throat.
“…I’ll be more careful from now on.”
“See? I was right.”
“Master, please stop…”
“Did I say anything wrong?”
“How long are you going to keep acting like a child? Just because you look young doesn’t mean you really are one… cough!”
“You really know how to say things that get you in trouble, huh?”
Medea grabbed Wilkins’ ear, which had provoked her, and dragged him off to the other side.
I quietly watched the two of them disappear like the wind and turned my head.
Aden was intentionally staring at the floor.
“You don’t need to worry about what she said. Just because you looked at my neck doesn’t mean anything, and it’s not like you’re looking at anything weird.”
“…Is that so?”
I swallowed a sigh at his strangely downcast voice and smiled.
By the time I raised my head, a small smile had appeared at the corner of Aden’s mouth, and suddenly I remembered something I’d forgotten.
“Oh, do you have time today? Should we go right away?”
“I don’t have anything planned until tomorrow, but why are you asking all of a sudden?”
“That’s good to hear. I have something really urgent to tell you today. It’s super important, but I can’t say it right now…”
As I trailed off, Aden narrowed his eyes in a strangely tense manner.
“So, can you stay with me tonight? Just the two of us.”
Aden’s eyes widened as if asking when they’d gotten furrowed.
His tightly closed lips slowly parted, and his previously stiff voice flowed out.
“…What?”
