Chapter 63

The consciousness that had been wandering in the depths suddenly surfaced. Adel looked around, involuntarily searching for him.

‘Lionel!’

A person with such a unique and beautiful presence that he could be easily recognized in a crowd. But why can't I see him? Adel scanned the area again, calling out to him.

‘Lionel!’

When the expected soft voice did not return, Adel felt a sudden fear. Her heart, which had been brave even in the face of the black disaster, now tightened. Why isn't he responding to my call? You're the only one I can call by name here. You're the only one I can ask for help, so where are you? Like a lost child, Adel scanned the area, searching for him.

‘Lionel!!!’

Adel's eyes snapped open. When she opened her eyes, the one she had been searching for was there. Lionel was looking up at the sky, his head tilted back. Adel slowly blinked. Her body felt heavy, like a water-soaked sponge, making it difficult to lift her eyelids, but she opened her eyes and looked up at him. His face was etched with fatigue that had not yet been erased. She didn't know how much time had passed, but had he rested at all? As she gazed at his firm jawline, he suddenly stiffened his expression and turned around, walking away quickly. Adel felt a sudden unease. She mustered all her strength to call out to him.

“Lionel.”

A weak, almost inaudible voice escaped her lips. Fortunately, he stopped, turning to meet her gaze. Adel felt a sense of relief, like finding a landmark. But Lionel only turned to look at her, his eyes filled with a deep, poignant expression. Adel squeezed out the remaining strength to speak.

“Come here.”

At those words, he came. Her heart raced. ＊ ＊ ＊ With the help of the maids, Adel sat up against the headboard of the bed and moistened her parched lips with lukewarm water.

“Are you feeling better?”

When Lionel asked, checking her complexion, Adel nodded lightly.

“I want to have a private conversation with the minister, so everyone, please leave.”

As the maids and knights waiting in the room silently left, Adel asked.

“How much time has passed?”

“It hasn't even been a day yet.”

“Is that so?”

“……”

The indifferent tone of her question made Lionel frown and clench his jaw. As his expression hardened, Adel blinked and tilted her head.

“Why?”

At her innocent voice, Lionel sighed deeply inside.

“To use so much magic that you sustained internal injuries.”

“It's much better than I expected.”

“……”

“Anyway, how many casualties are there? What is the extent of the damage?”

Lionel, who had intended to scold her with a furrowed brow, was speechless in front of her calm face.

“If lying here can reduce the sacrifices of others, it's a good deal. Wouldn't you have done the same? It seems the minister always led from the front.”

“……”

“Tell me. What is the extent of the damage?”

“……Ten dead, twenty-three injured. The casualties among the Bueta knights have not been tallied.”

Lionel answered, his eyes fixed on Adel's pale face. A trace of compassion and guilt crept into her expression.

“I should have acted earlier.”

“Many knights survived thanks to Her Majesty the Empress.”

“Still, I should have acted earlier. If I had, at least one more person could have been saved.”

Lionel suddenly remembered the words she had said in the carriage.

‘Do not give up on saving the last person. Maintain your conscience and show respect to humans.’

‘Cain Knox, Ghibellin Ruhain, Theodore Siniac. They must be shedding tears of blood over this person.’

As thoughts of the three unknown faces flashed through his mind, a wicked beast hidden deep in Lionel's heart cautiously extended a red foot.

‘But I am with her.’

Fearing that someone might read his thoughts, Lionel quickly pushed them away. The golden sunlight began to mix with the pale morning air. Adel turned her head to look at the sunlight outside the window, then suddenly turned to look at Lionel.

“……Why?”

“You look like you haven't slept. Perhaps?”

Adel's question made Lionel nod.

“Yes. There was an assassination attempt last night.”

As soon as Lionel finished speaking, Adel's golden eyes sharpened.

“I told you that the incident at the tent was likely the work of Renox, but this time I suspect Duke Despina was behind it. The method was sophisticated and planned.”

“Was the assassin captured?”

At her question, Lionel shook his head with a solemn expression.

“I apologize. I couldn't prevent him from committing suicide. If Duke Despina was behind it, it will be difficult to obtain concrete evidence.”

Adel gave him a light smile, despite his tired face, which seemed to have never rested.

“Just stopping the assassination is a great effort. Thank you.”

Adel's face, illuminated by the transparent sunlight, shone brightly. Lionel, unable to meet her gaze, bowed his head. Adel, noticing his blushing face, turned her gaze away. ＊ ＊ ＊ Meanwhile, Karl was buried in the darkness, reflecting on the past. He had issued the order for the Empress to join the battle in a fit of anger but soon regretted it. So, he deliberately went to see off those who were leaving. It was something he never did. He only wanted to observe the Empress's expression. He thought she would be frozen with tension. After all, even as a magician, she was a princess raised in luxury. But when he saw her from a distance, her face was radiant with vitality. When she leaped onto the giant horse without a stirrup, he was speechless. Staring at her sitting majestically on the warhorse, Karl instinctively noticed another gaze directed at her. Lionel Valder. He, too, was hovering around the Empress, constantly observing her. With the same look as Karl. As Karl, frowning, slowly scanned the gathered crowd, he let out a deep sigh as if just realizing something. In that place, without a single maid or attendant, who would take care of the Empress? Would she, with her personality, be able to command the female magicians she had never met before? No, it seemed unlikely. She would definitely keep Lionel Valder by her side. And he would, under the title of advisor, observe and attend to every move of the Empress. With that very look.

“Damn it……”

Karl exhaled a rough breath and wiped his face. If he could, he wanted to remove that smug and noble face from the Empress's surroundings forever. At that moment, a servant entered to announce a visitor.

“Diane?”

“Yes. She requests a meeting. What shall we do?”

Karl, already with a headache from thinking about the Empress and Lionel, exhaled a suppressed breath.

“Let her in.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

A moment later, Diane entered, wearing a thin outer garment. She gazed at Karl with gentle eyes and bowed.

“Your Majesty.”

“What is it?”

“I can't sleep.”

She carefully approached and sat beside him, her eyes shining transparently in the flickering light of the dark bedroom. Diane looked up at the Emperor with moist, deer-like eyes and asked coquettishly.

“Can I sleep by Your Majesty's side tonight?”

Diane's heart raced with the news that the Emperor had personally ordered the Empress to join the battle.

‘Yes. He doesn't love the Empress.’

But no matter how long she waited, the Emperor did not come to her. Tired of waiting, she went to find him. No matter how much she was thrown into hell or made miserable, Diane could not easily give up on Karl's love. With her curly golden hair, beautiful face, and eyes that yearned for love, Karl, for the first time, understood the feelings of the previous Emperor. He still vividly remembered the previous Emperor's face on the day his mother died. He looked very relieved. Karl's mother always pleaded with the previous Emperor not to abandon her. Karl found her appearance unbearably pitiful and miserable. If asked who the most pitiful person in the world was, he would have mentioned his mother without hesitation. On the day such a pitiful person left the world, why did the previous Emperor look so relieved? He thought the previous Emperor was a terribly wicked person, but why did he now understand his feelings? Charity is only joyful when one's circumstances are comfortable. Sympathy is only possible when one's emotions are full. As his own emotions hit rock bottom, the love built on sympathy and charity became too much to bear. Love based on sympathy was so light. Karl slowly pushed away Diane, who was leaning on his shoulder.

“……Your Majesty.”

“I want to be alone. Please leave.”

Her large eyes shimmered, and tears finally overflowed. But Karl, unmoved by her tears, coldly ordered again.

“Leave.”

＊ ＊ ＊ As Diane walked with heavy steps, she thought endlessly. How did I get his love? What did I do when we first fell in love? I always look at you from the same place, with the same heart…….

‘Love fades. It just fades.’

Suddenly, her brother's words came to mind. Diane took out Lady Beatrice's locket. When she opened the lid, a woman who looked just like her was smiling sadly.

‘……Is this not it?’

Diane bit her lip and tightened her grip on the locket. It felt like losing the universe, like the solid ground beneath her feet collapsing and the sky above her head pouring down, floating in the air like dust. If this is not the answer, what should I do now? What is the right answer? As her rationality began to blur, a figure passed by her like a mirage. Her sky-blue eyes, which had been distorted with pain, slowly widened as they followed the passing figure.

“Ah……”

The gently swaying golden hair, the light steps, the slender figure. The moment she saw it, the thin thread of rationality she had been holding onto snapped.

‘How many young women under twenty-nine with blonde hair and blue eyes are there?’

Lady Gix's curse shook Diane's heart. Lady Beatrice died at twenty-nine. Exactly Diane's age now.

‘So, are you going to abandon me and find another woman?’

Anger slowly rose in her eyes, which were filled with pain.

‘No! You can't do that. I won't die at twenty-nine.’

Diane hugged her stomach. For this child, she absolutely cannot. Her face, as she turned, looked like a warrior ready for battle. When Diane returned to the Ivory Palace, she gave a secret order to Lorraine.

“The maid I saw at the Imperial Palace earlier. Bring her here secretly, without anyone knowing. Without anyone knowing.”

“The maid from the Imperial Palace?”

“Yes.”

“……But, Lady. If we are caught……”

Diane handed a rather heavy bag to Lorraine, who looked troubled.

“It should be enough to silence them. Go and bring her here secretly.”

She felt she had to beat up that maid immediately. ＊ ＊ ＊ In the dead of night, Lorraine, wearing a cloak, secretly entered the Imperial Palace. She entered through the door used by the servants, gave money to a familiar attendant to call the blonde maid, and paid extra to keep him quiet. Following Diane's instructions, she secretly brought the maid to the Ivory Palace. The maid, who had been walking with Lorraine without knowing what was happening, realized something was wrong, but it was too late. She was dragged to the basement of the Ivory Palace and tied to a chair. The maid's breath, rough with fear, echoed in the basement.

“Why, why are you doing this?”

Lorraine looked at the maid with a sympathetic gaze but had no way to help.

“What did I do wrong? If you tell me what I did wrong, I'll fix it……”

“Can you fix it?”

“……What?”

The sound of heels echoed eerily. Diane, descending the stairs, approached the maid tied to the chair.

“P, Poitevin Lady……”

Smack! A chilling sound accompanied the maid's head tilting to one side. The maid, suddenly slapped, looked at Diane in shock. Diane grabbed the maid's chin tightly and growled.

“‘Lady.’”

“……”

“Call me ‘Lady.’”