Until The Real One Shows Up​

It was a week later that Lyell visited the Imperial Palace after the news that he had woken up.

“Greetings to the sun and moon of the empire. Have you been well?”

He had been in a coma for over half a year, and compared to the last time they saw him, he had lost weight and looked leaner.

However, the eyes were still shining intelligently as usual.

Wilhelm opened his mouth in a concerned voice.

“You must have needed more time to take care of yourself because you were sleeping for a long time. You came to the palace too early. Is your body okay now?”

“Thanks for your concern, I am safe, Your Majesty.”

Then Lyell also spoke to Anastasia.

“Above all, to Her Majesty… … I wanted to thank you, so I entered the palace as quickly as possible.”

“To me?”

“Yes. I heard from the priests that you saved me with the kiss of life.”

As a token of appreciation, Lyell knelt down in front of Anastasia and bowed his head.

“Thank you for saving my humble life.”

“I’m glad you woke up safely.”

Anastasia responded with a light smile.

“I was worried about what would happen if something unpleasant happened due to the long time I was sleeping, but it’s a relief.”

“Thanks to Her Majesty’s concern, I think I was able to wake up not too late.”

Lyell, who politely thanked her, expressed his purpose of coming to the palace in earnest.

“Actually, I came to see the Goddess’ memorial service, which will be held this month.”

The Goddess’ memorial service, which was held every odd month, was carried out by Herod, the chief priest, after Lyell’s fall.

“Next week, I am thinking of returning to the role of priest again.”

“Isn’t it too early? I think I’ll have too much time next week.”

“There are things that the Brother Herod have prepared, and I’ve been focusing on recovery for the past week, so it’s okay.”

Lyell replied as if there was nothing wrong.

“More than anything else, I want to offer a prayer of thanks to the Goddess for waking up like this as soon as possible. That seems to be the duty of one who worships the goddess.”

“The faithfulness of the High Priest is so touching.”

Wilhelm nodded with a smile.

“Then there is no reason for the imperial family to oppose it. In the first place, the Goddess’ memorial service is entirely the domain of the temple.”

“But it’s right to visit your majesties and talk about it.”

At that time, Lyell looked back at Anastasia and said, as if he had almost forgotten.

“Oh, and I have a special gift for the Empress at this memorial service.”

“Gift?”

“Yes, it is in return for the grace that saved my life. I’d like to express my appreciation publicly, but I’m not sure if you’ll mind.”

“I just did what I had to do, and it’s embarrassing to be treated as such.”

“You don’t have to think so at all. Everyone in the temple regards Her Majesty as a benefactor.”

“Then do it.”

Anastasia nodded willingly, and Lyell bowed politely.

“The memorial service will be held on the upcoming Fire Day. I’ll see you then.”

After saying goodbye, he left, and Anastasia was lost in thought.

“What’s wrong?”

Anastasia turned her head in surprise at the sudden voice from the side.

“You don’t look so happy.”

He was staring at her with his brows narrowed slightly.

‘Since when have you been watching?’

Trying to ignore the fastening heartbeat without realizing it, Anastasia pretended to be innocent.

“Me?”

“Yeah. You didn’t look good since the High Priest came in.”

“…”

“Is there anything on your mind?”

  … sharp. Anastasia flinched, but she soon lied to him with a casual smile.

“How can that be? I’m glad he woke up safely.”

It was true. Now the time to really see the end was coming. but… 

‘Now I must prepare to part with you.’

She should have finished it right away, but it was a problem she had been ignoring for too long because she was in a rush to solve the situation before her eyes.

‘Now that there’s not much left, let’s keep him in our eyes as much as we can.’

Anastasia, who looked at Wilhelm with that thought, tried to pretend nothing was wrong, and she forced a smile.

“…”

But Wilhelm did not respond with an equal smile to Anastasia’s smile.

Instead, he narrowed his eyebrows slightly and stared at her with his eyes that didn’t understand what was inside her.

~~~~

A few days later, Anastasia was ready early in the morning to attend the Goddess’ memorial service.

“Are you sure you want this dress?”

Selene stared at Anastasia’s chosen dress with a sad face.

It was a white dress that covered the shoulders and showed no sign of the Goddess.

“It’s hot now… Why don’t you wear something cooler.”

“It’s okay. Let’s go with this.”

 When Anastasia refused to budge, the maid had no choice but to follow Anastasia’s will.

‘I don’t want to show much.’

As was the case with others, especially with the goddess Rosenia. Anastasia sneered.

‘You didn’t even choose me anyway, but I’ll continue to hide the signs and live.’

She never hated the goddess Roshenia upon her return. This was because she was grateful enough just to be able to save Wilhelm.

However, as she slowly prepared to part ways with Wilhelm, Anastasia was forced to hate the Goddess no matter how hard she tried.

‘Why did you put down the wrong oracle?’

If Goddess Roshenia had made the oracle properly from the beginning, she would not have been tied up with Wilhelm and she would not have loved Wilhelm.

Then she wouldn’t have suffered twice like this.

She wouldn’t have to suffer twice as if her heart was being eaten alive by an eagle’s pointed beak…

“Your Majesty…”

Then, Selene called Anastasia in a bewildered voice.

“Are you alright…?”

“Ah…”

It was then that Anastasia realized that she was crying.

“Are you okay? Shall I call the palace doctor?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Anastasia kept wiping away tears and asked.

“Just, wait, leave me alone…”

“Oh, we’ll be out!”

Even after her maids hurried out, Anastasia held her face for a long time, silently weeping her tears.

‘I was too arrogant.’

It was a crazy idea. With what kind of courage was she confident that she would be able to leave him and live the rest of her life?

‘I don’t know anymore. It’s too hard…’

Her courageous determination at the beginning of her return to save him and to survive herself was absurd now. It was just her arrogance, who shouted at her that the moment would not come.

She was afraid. For the past year, she always followed after him, trying to push him away, but not completely out of her mind.

And how can she live without seeing him forever? Was that possible?

“What did I do so wrong…”

She resented the goddess. In the end, the creator would have known that she would collapse like this.

“What sins have I committed for you to torment me like this?…”

Anastasia, whose sorrow had filled her throat, began to sob with a sound.

After Olivia’s execution, her candid feelings, which she had been trying to ignore, were repressed and repressed and finally exploded.

“This, it hurts so much…”

  Anastasia squeezed her heart and shed tears. Seeing her pathetic appearance, no one would be able to help but to hug her.

Maybe that’s why.

“Ah…”

Anastasia was surprised and tried to raise her head by the warm warmth that suddenly enveloped her.

“It’s alright.”

Anastasia’s heart began to beat fast with a surprisingly familiar and low voice from above.

How come she didn’t notice? This familiar scent must be…

“Stay where you are.”

It was Wilhelm. The man she loved more than anyone who made her cry just now.

Anastasia forgot to cry more with a blank expression and hardened in his arms like a stone statue.

When the crying died down, the room became surprisingly quiet. Nevertheless, Wilhelm silently patted Anastasia’s back without opening his mouth.

“Ah.”

The situation was half miserable, half heartbroken.

She wanted to tell the man why she was crying, but she was miserable because she couldn’t, and she was sad to think that this warm man’s arms would soon become the exclusive property of another woman.

As expected, the goddess was cruel. To save her descendant Wilhelm, she must be trying to put Anastasia back in the fire pit of hell, who dared to drive him to death.

Anastasia was still in Wilhelm’s arms, exhausted, and Wilhelm only patted Anastasia silently for a long time after that.

It was around that time that Anastasia was so happy that it wouldn’t have been bad to just close her eyes in his arms like this.

“Are you okay?”

The question brought Anastasia back to reality.

But still he didn’t let her go, and Anastasia didn’t bother to escape.