Chapter 33
Leto was walking through the Imperial Garden, struggling to calm his excited heart.
Libia wouldn’t know the turmoil he felt after letting her go.
For him, kissing her all night wouldn't have sufficed. He could have gone even further.
‘But if I had, she would have run away completely. She already fled like this.’
It had been a long-awaited outing, filled with expectations and excitent. He had descended the stairs with these emotions.
Until he saw the scene in front of the chapel.
Libia standing so close to another man. It looked nothing less than a secret rendezvous, especially with a priest.
The priest's guilt was evident. Setting aside his emotions, Leto had ample reason to draw his sword.
But then, Libia had stopped him.
Please, I’m asking you.
“Please?” It was a word she hadn’t used even when begging for her own life.
What was even more despairing was Leto himself. How foolish he was to finally give in to that 'please.'
The betrayal and helplessness turned into sharp words. Yet at the sa ti, he had hoped for more explanations. Even if she had truly enjoyed a secret affair, he wanted her to give him a reason to overlook it.
But she chose silence. Her calm, composed gaze seed like she was ready to end things with him.
He had grabbed her.
He was desperately anxious. The gaze that had once pulled him out of despair, those firm yet warm eyes, was now looking away. How could he not hold on?
He knew he was in a pitiful position, endlessly waiting for her response. Yet that position mattered more to him than his pride or honor.
That waiting was the only link connecting him to her, like the sleeve he had grabbed so tightly.
Leto had tugged on that thread, and she had kissed him suddenly.
Why had she done that?
Leto didn’t know for certain. He could only guess it was so impulse.
But wasn’t that reason enough? She had felt an impulse towards him, after all.
Leto looked up at the Imperial Palace. Lights were just being turned on in Libia’s bedroom.
‘Yes, this is just the beginning.’
A smile spread across Leto's face.
“ril Iste.”
Baron Iste softly called out to Elisana.
“From now on, this is your na. Do you understand?”
In the inner room of the Iste mansion, shrouded in darkness, sat the Iste couple and Elisana. The Istes were elderly with white hair, lifelong servants of the Goddess.
Baroness Iste held Elisana—now ril’s—hand.
“ril, thank you for becoming our daughter. And your appearance is so precious… It’s all thanks to His Holiness and the Goddess's grace.”
It was the High Priest who introduced ril to them. The couple had fallen for ril at first sight.
And today, they had officially beco a family.
“Yes, Father, Mother.”
ril answered demurely. The elderly couple was overjoyed to have gained a daughter.
“You must have had a hard ti growing up as an orphan and serving as a saintess in a provincial temple.”
Of course, that was a lie fabricated by the High Priest. ril nodded. Baroness Iste spoke.
“ril, do you understand what His Holiness said? If people knew you were adopted, the nobles of the capital might look down on you… So, let’s keep that a secret, awkward as it might be. After all, we are now family.”
ril looked at the elderly couple.
An elderly couple who had inherited a house in the capital from a relative. They seed na??ve and simple-hearted.
Perfect for exploitation.
ril smiled sweetly.
“Yes, I understand. Father, Mother.”
The elderly couple looked at ril with faces filled with emotion. Adopting a saintess was the greatest joy they could imagine.
“Father.”
“Yes, child?”
“When can I visit the palace?”
“The palace?”
The elderly couple exchanged glances. Baron Iste thought to himself.
‘She’s young and beautiful. Naturally, she’d be interested in marriage. To find a good match, she must attend social gatherings.’
“Soon, very soon.”
“Thank you.”
ril bowed gracefully.
Later, in her room, ril lay down on her bed. It was a large and luxurious room she had never experienced before.
Not just the room, but also the clean, crimson dress and pristine shoes were new to her.
For the past few weeks, ril had received noble education. She had absorbed it all at an astonishing speed.
Now, everything felt natural and right, as if it had always belonged to her.
“Hmm…”
ril flopped onto the bed.
“Boring.”
‘Flattering those old folks is tireso. They’re not as wealthy as I hoped. And visiting the palace isn’t as easy as I thought? We can’t just go in?’
The Iste family didn’t have much money. They had rely kept their family na alive.
ril wasn’t interested in their money. But having more money might open doors to the palace.
‘I want to go to the palace soon.’
More specifically, she wanted to et the Emperor.
She rembered Leto from the ‘Forest of the Magician.’ In fact, she always rembered him.
His handso appearance. The sheer power with which he dispatched monsters. And most importantly… the way he looked at the Empress.
His gaze was unwavering. Absolute affection without any hesitation. That gaze. ril wanted that gaze. If it were food, she would have devoured it.
‘It’s tempting… in a way that’s hard to explain.’
Elisana's parents were wandering magicians. Their magic was weak, so they mainly survived through theft.
One day, they had abandoned ril. Her appearance was too conspicuous.
That’s when ril realized she would have to hide her face forever. She knew she had to be strong to survive. From that mont, she fixated on ‘power.’
ril joined the guild. From the start, her goal was the forbidden magic stones.
She wasn’t afraid of losing her life. Nor of becoming a criminal. Her motivation wasn’t fear but blind ambition.
That ambition had always been right. Now, ril was stronger than anyone. She just hadn’t found a place to use it.
And now, a new ambition had taken hold of her.
It was an inescapable desire. As if it were her destiny.
ril pulled the covers over herself and smiled as she closed her eyes.
She was confident. She had always gotten what she wanted, by any ans necessary. That’s how she had survived.
Morning dawned on the day of the Council eting.
The palace was bustling from early morning, especially Leto’s secretaries, who were running around busily.
I stepped out onto my balcony. From there, I could see the central palace where the Great Hall was located. I watched as the ministers entered one by one.
It felt like it was going to be a long eting.
I had done my part for the eting. The rest was up to Leto. All I had to do now was wait.
Truthfully, I should have offered Leto so words of encouragent. We had prepared for this eting together, after all.
But today, I wanted to avoid him.
It had only been last night that we kissed. I wasn’t ready to face him yet.
‘It’s still so embarrassing. When will this feeling go away?’
As I gazed downward, I saw Leto and his secretaries walking. They were accompanied by pro-royal faction ministers, heading to the eting.
I leaned on the railing and watched him walk.
Soday, tell
the real reason.
Why did that line co to mind suddenly? How could I explain that he looked precious at that mont?
Just then, Leto stopped. He looked up at .
A smile spread across his face. I was so startled that I froze.
It didn’t seem like he felt my gaze. Maybe he looked back just in case, with so hopeful anticipation.
Wouldn’t he be disappointed if I wasn’t there? Wasn’t he afraid of that?
Leto waved his hand broadly. The secretaries and ministers all turned to look at .
They all bowed their heads at once. I couldn’t stay still any longer, so I nodded.
I also waved at Leto.
He smirked at my awkward gesture and mouthed the words.
‘See you later.’
He continued to gaze at
as if he wouldn’t leave until I responded.
I gave in. I had planned to avoid him.
I nodded. Only then did he smile and turn away.
Soon after, I heard that the eting had started.
Alright. I had my tasks to do as well.
I called for a servant.
“Go to the Matrion House and bring Marquis Louis here.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
A little while later, Louis arrived at the reception room. He already looked worried.
“What’s wrong, Libia? Calling
so urgently?”
“Sorry for the sudden call, brother. Please, have a seat.”
We sat across from each other on the sofa. I dismissed the maids. Louis’s expression grew more serious.
“Is everything alright?”
“There’s nothing to worry about. I just need to handle sothing discreetly.”
“What is it? Tell .”
“Do you know a woman nad Elisana?”
I planned to ask Louis to help find Elisana. I thought he would help without asking too many questions.
“Elisana?”
He looked puzzled, as if he might know or might not.
“What’s her last na?”
“I don’t know. I only know the na Elisana.”
“There’s one Elisana I know... But why are you looking for her so suddenly?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you the reason. But I must find her.”
Louis would believe
if I said the goddess told . But it would also worry him. It was better for him not to know right now.
“Alright. If you need to find her, you must have a good reason. The Elisana I know was a magician expelled from the guild recently.”
“Expelled?”
“Yes. She amplified her power using forbidden magic stones. No one truly knows how strong she is.”
I knew instantly. This was the Elisana the goddess ntioned.
“What’s her last na?”
“Lucy. Elisana Lucy.”
Good. Things seed to be moving smoothly.
“Where is she now? I’d like to et her.”
“What? No, it’s too dangerous. The guild gave up on her for a reason. And she’s completely disappeared.”
“Wouldn’t Master Luminous know?”
“He wouldn’t. Magicians are known for keeping to themselves. Besides, no one knows her face.”
“What? But she’s a guild mber.”
“Luminous said her face is badly scarred, so she wouldn’t show it.”
“Scarred…”
“Yes. She’s had many accidents, being a vagrant.”
So no one knows her face. This might be trickier than I thought.
“Brother, please find out about Elisana’s whereabouts. But don’t tell anyone.”
He looked puzzled but eventually nodded.
“Alright, Libia. I’ll look into it.”
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