After sending Stun ho, Lucas went to find Hasel.
"Ah, you've co."
Hasel's face, which he had seen after a long ti, was very gaunt despite being in a polymorphed state.
"Do sothing about your complexion. Did you polymorph into that appearance on purpose for to see?"
Lucas threw a word out of concern.
"Haha! Of course not."
While Hasel was making tea, Lucas calmly organized what he had to say.
"The scent is very nice."
"Yes. It's a tea made by the pixies, who picked the young leaves, dried them, and roasted them."
"Right..."
Hasel, who had noticed that Lucas was choosing his words while praising the scent of the tea, asked with a serious expression.
"Is it sothing serious?"
Lucas smirked at that question, as if he couldn't win.
"If it's sothing serious, isn't everything we're going through right now serious?"
"I know when you make that expression, Lord."
"Hasel... I'm confused these days. Very confused."
Lucas's eyes, who had put down his teacup, were calm.
"I have lived for over five thousand years, reigning as the strongest creature on the surface. I have made mistakes and committed wrongs while living for five thousand years, but it was not a night where I was tornted by guilt and couldn't sleep like now."
Lucas, who was confessing the feelings that had been weighing on his heart, was calm.
"...It's hard. It's hard because I feel like I've passed on all the sins of my past life to you. If only I could turn all of that back, I feel like I could live that life again and again."
"...Lord."
"But, but still...!"
Lucas bit his lip hard.
"I hate myself for hesitating, swayed by the trivial personal feelings of a re human, even though it's sothing I have to do."
Lucas, as if frustrated, washed his face with his dry hands and then buried his face in his hands.
"It's okay. It's okay even if you make a wrong decision, even if you're swayed by your feelings."
Hasel said.
"You were like that when I caused a big trouble in the past, and when my son did too. You said that since what has already happened can't be helped, it's important to solve it well."
"...Hasel."
"So it's okay. We just have to solve it well."
As Hasel smiled faintly, it felt as if everything had beco okay, like a lie.
"And it's not your fault, Lord. Because you had to protect us then. Wasn't the clan's egg, of all things, threatened? If that had gone wrong, there would be no Amarok or Aellas now."
"..."
"You protected us, Lord. We know what you did when our clan irresponsibly lost the egg and was wandering."
Hasel reached out and covered Lucas's hand.
"So it's okay. There is not a single fault of yours, Lord."
"Then tell . A child who is a new saintess has appeared in the Resurrection Cult. What should I do with that child?"
In fact, the reason he had co to find Hasel was to ask about Pala's disposal. He had gone to find Pala, determined to get rid of her with his own hands, but his determination had been shaken by the sudden appearance of Stun.
"You may do as you wish. If your heart refuses what your head tells you to do, you may follow that. I will follow that decision as always."
Hasel answered calmly. As if he knew his heart completely.
"Right. What great trouble would co from not getting rid of a re human right away? It would be good to watch the demon bastards run wild for a while."
"Yes. Let's let them run wild to their heart's content. Wouldn't it feel better to catch and kill them then?"
As Hasel raised one corner of his mouth and smiled, Lucas also raised the opposite corner of his mouth.
"Right. Let's do that."
***
Skir, who was staying at the Rodrigo Count's estate during the vacation, paced around the room anxiously.
'Why on earth aren't they answering my calls.'
Several days had already passed since he had been unable to contact his ho.
At first, he had thought it was just because they were busy with official duties, or because they had gone to a banquet or a party, but as ti passed, an anxious feeling grew.
'Why are the servants...'
And the crystal ball, which the servants of the ducal residence were supposed to answer, was also not being answered.
'Could it be from another noble family?'
The Arant Empire was currently searching for even distant imperial relatives to fill the vacant emperor's seat.
But since the previous emperor, Grad, had taken the imperial authority from the first prince and had even found and killed distant relatives with his own hands, it was not easy to find them.
Therefore, the other central nobles were keeping the ducal family, which had the most power in the empire, in check.
'No, that can't be it.'
But Duke Cirus had even made a declaration himself in the imperial court in advance to prevent such a check.
That he would never challenge the imperial authority.
It was an attitude he had deliberately taken because he knew that if the Duke broke that promise, no one would follow the ducal family.
'Then what on earth...'
Skir chewed on his already torn-off fingernails again.
"This won't do."
In the end, Skir kicked open the door and went out.
"I have to go ho right away."
And he asked a servant where Count Cibie was. He had decided to say goodbye before leaving.
Skir, who was standing in front of the door of Count Cibie's office, knocked on the door carefully.
-Knock, knock.
"Co in."
Count Cibie, as if he had already been inford, opened the door himself.
"Thank you."
Skir, who had entered the office, bowed his head.
"Right. Is sothing the matter?"
"I can't get in touch with my father and mother. Therefore..."
Count Cibie, who had heard Skir's words, nodded his head and said.
"Ah, I was going to tell you in the evening anyway. I just received a ssage from the Duke a little while ago."
"Pardon? Is that really true?"
Skir, who had heard Cibie's words, asked with wide eyes. No, he hadn't even answered his calls, but he had contacted Count Cibie?
"Right. I was worried because I hadn't been able to contact him for several days, so I was thinking of sending a servant. But then a ssage ca just in ti."
Cibie rummaged through his desk drawer and took out a letter.
"He seems to have left in a hurry. It seems he has gone out to find an imperial relative."
"Then why didn't he even take the crystal ball..."
"The reason for that was also written there."
Skir quickly unfolded the letter he had received.
-Cibie, it's ...
The handwriting on the letter was definitely that of his father, Duke Cirus.
-...So I didn't take the crystal ball or anything else with when I left. But I plan to stop by Sitata on my way back, so let's see each other then. Ah, and please tell my son, Skir, too.-
"Ah..."
"That's what he said. He said he didn't even take the crystal ball to avoid being tracked, so... but he said he took a few skilled knights and a mage with him, so it should be fine."
The seal stamped at the very end was also that of his Duke Cirus.
"I see. Thank you."
"Right. So you can just wait here until your father cos. I had just received the letter, so I was going to tell you in the evening. That kid, really. He's so impatient."
Count Cibie smiled as he put the letter back in the drawer.
"Haha..."
Skir, who scratched his head as if embarrassed at those words.
"Right. Then let's see each other again in the evening."
"Yes, Count."
Skir, who had left the room, let out a sigh of relief.
'Right. It's not like sothing has happened to my father and mother...'
He felt like he had worried for nothing, and a smile ca to his face.
' too, really...'
***
Not long after the Resurrection Cult changed its na to the Saintess's Society, Liwol began to change.
The him who had showered Pala with affection as if every mont was precious whenever he saw her was now gone.
"Hey! Co here and take this!"
He, who had been endlessly kind to the servants, now began to shout.
"Hey. Are you kidding right now?"
He even pushed the servants and threw things.
Pala, too, couldn't just stand by and watch such a Liwol, so she tried to stop him several tis, but the answer that ca back was even more ruthless.
"So. What do you want to do? No, then are you telling to just leave that bastard alone?!"
He even began to shout at Pala.
Pala was confused by Liwol's appearance, which had changed so quickly. All the happy days she had spent with him felt as distant as if she had dread them.
'No. It can't be.'
Is this what they an by changing like flipping the palm of your hand? Liwol had changed too quickly.
"Sob..."
Even at Liwol's appearance, she could do nothing but cry.
"No. It's just for a mont, just for a mont."
The image of Liwol smiling was vivid. His cheeks, which had blushed as if embarrassed as he caressed her hand and cheek. His appearance, trembling with fear lest she get hurt, was unforgettable. No, she couldn't forget it.
'Is it because he started getting money?'
Liwol had changed right after the na was changed to the Saintess's Society.
'Is he greedy for money?'
And since Liwol was managing that money, she had such thoughts. Was it all for money that he had approached her?
'No. It can't be.'
But Liwol was managing that money so faithfully and was building the finances of the Saintess's Society.
'Then has he gotten tired of ?'
She thought.
'Did I do sothing wrong by any chance?'
She thought again.
-Click.
Just then, the door opened and Liwol ca in.
"Pala."
A gentle voice.
"Are you crying?"
A few days ago, her heart would have pounded and fluttered when she heard that voice. But now her heart was pounding for a different reason.
'I'm scared.'
The image of him shouting at her ca to mind. The image of him shouting at the servants and throwing things ca to mind, and her heart pounded like crazy.
"What's wrong. Huh?"
As Pala trembled and couldn't even lift her head, Liwol approached and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
"Don't do that..."
She was scared. Of Liwol's touch.
"Pala. I'm sorry. I did that because I was angry."
Liwol, who gently stroked Pala's back.
"Because you were suffering so much alone, Pala... that's why I did that."
At that, Pala lifted her head.
"Don't cry. It hurts my heart so much when you cry."
Liwol carefully cupped Pala's face with his hands and wiped away her tears.
"...Liwol."
As she t Liwol's eyes, all the thoughts she had had until just a mont ago were forgotten as if by a lie.
'Right. This person couldn't have done that.'
At that, a surge of sorrow welled up.
"I'm sorry. You were very surprised, right?"
"Sob... sob..."
She cried her eyes out, buried in Liwol's arms.
"So don't make angry anymore. Okay?"
Pala nodded her head.
'I must not make this person angry again.'
The worry that Liwol might leave her subsided, and a sense of relief ca.
"You'll listen to well now, right? If you don't want to make worry."
Pala nodded her head again.
'I have to make it so that Liwol can't leave .'
It had been a life where she had never been welcod. Liwol, who had entered her life, was the first man who had been kind to her.
'Because Liwol is a good person.'
When such a kind person got angry, it must have been her fault.
'I was bad.'
Pala grabbed Liwol's collar tightly.
'I will never let him go.'
If she lost him again, she would be left alone in the world again. She thought that he was solely on her side, and her love.
"Right. My good Pala."
Liwol, who was holding Pala in his arms, smiled with satisfaction.
'Humans are easy. Very easy.'
[End of Chapter]
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