《I Grabbed The Leash Of The Blind Beast》 Chapter 1 There were so many people and carriages on the bustling shopping street. Among them, near the popular Cafe Cardinal, a woman with shining eyes was watching the people passing by. She had a striking appearance that could attract the attention of others. With blonde hair like a dark honey-colored, white skin, bright purple eyes, and thick pink lips. But when she dressed in her old, worn-out coat, braided her hair, and tucked it into her bonnet, she just looked like a lower-class member of society. Rona¡¯s eyes were sparkling as she watched only the young women. She started to feel nervous and impatient. ¡°Sigh. Meeting the real female lead is so tough.¡± Rona¡¯s real name is Won Yoon-Ji. She was a strong and warm social worker in Korea in her past life. Luckily, she got a good job in this life, so she was delighted that she was able to possess an extra of the novel she had been reading roughly. The more I tried to remember, the more I couldn¡¯t remember all the contents. Anyway, this is the world of the romance novel. This is because Grand Duke Eleon Clevent is the main character of the book, and head of the mansion where she works. And he is Rona¡¯s only hope of returning to her original world. ¡®You can return to the original world by looking at the ending.¡¯ It was the first memory that came to my mind when I first came to my senses after possessing here. It¡¯s a coincidence that I got to work for the Grand Duchess of Clevent, but Rona was delighted to be able to see the development of the novel up close. ¡°Why can¡¯t you two meet?¡± Rona¡¯s biggest concern these days was ¡®Why doesn¡¯t the female lead appear?¡¯ There¡¯s an herb in the corner of the garden of the large mansion that sprouted like weeds. The grass which didn¡¯t seem to fit at all in the large garden is a rare herb that would heal The Grand Duke¡¯s eyes. A flower that only blooms for ten days, once in ten years. Eleon became blind due to extreme poisoning, and if they brew the grass into an elixir, his eyes will be cured. For such an herb to bloom in the backyard of the mansion, it must be the writer¡¯s arrangement. In the original story, the female lead, Karina, appears and heals the male lead¡¯s eyes, and then, the two fall in love. Rona carefully tried not to mess up the original novel she knew. However, she was nervous as the female lead did not appear a week after the flower had already bloomed. During the night walk, I found a flower that exuded a slightly bright light, and as time passed, I started to feel anxious for reasons that no one in the world could sympathize with. Why does it bloom for only ten days? If possible, can it continue to bloom? Because of that reason, Rona has been struggling every day. Rona knew better than anyone why the male and female leads couldn¡¯t meet. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t you have to look at the sky to get the stars?¡¯ Since Eleon lost his sight, he always stuck in the mansion and never went out. Eleon could have been the best knight in the empire if not for being blind. As Rona¡¯s master, he was a terrible homebody. Today was the day when Eleon was summoned to the Imperial Palace under the order of the Emperor. Rona couldn¡¯t go as a servant to the Imperial Palace as she lost her memory and lacked identification. ¡®Thanks to this, I have free time to watch the moment where Eleon and Karina meet.¡¯ Although she knew his eyes would heal, she felt sorry for the present Eleon. And she felt sorry for herself, waiting for Eleon to heal quickly and meet the female lead to reach the right ending. ¡®Where the hell is the girl and what is she doing?¡¯ She tried to find out where she lived, but she couldn¡¯t do it because of Eleon, who was constantly looking for her. After that, I sent a letter to Karina, but she did not reply. [Miss Karina, excuse me in the first place. If you can spare your precious time, I hope to meet you at Cafe Cardinal because there is something important. Please reply.] Was it because it was suspicious? Karina must have thought it was spam. ¡®The two of you should have met in front of Cafe Cardinal.¡¯ Rona couldn¡¯t figure out what was wrong. Anyway, her mind was focused on Karina and Eleon¡¯s first meeting. I hope Karina appears before the flowers wither. Rona prayed and prayed earnestly in her heart. Rona came into the coffee shop, and a handsome middle-aged man welcomed her. ¡°Are you going to eat?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯d like to ask you something.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The cafe owner immediately lowered his voice when he answered that he wasn¡¯t a customer. ¡°Have you seen recently a young lady about my age, she¡¯s a beautiful woman with dazzling silver hair and green eyes.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± The cafe owner smiled widely. ¡°How can you find someone with just that? Let¡¯s say you¡¯re looking for someone with blonde hair and purple eyes like you? How are you going to find with just that?¡± ¡°HaHa. I guess so, right?¡± Rona was disappointed. ¡°Blonde hair and purple eyes.. isn¡¯t that person..?¡± At that moment, some thugs on the terrace were pointing with their hands, there was a wanted order from the temple. [Elysia Yuter, blonde, purple eyes, white skin, quite pretty. Please contact the nearest temple if you have seen this person. 9990 reward gold coins.] Rona shook her head when she saw the unrealistic reward. ¡°How can you find people by looking at flyers like that? There must be hundreds of people who look alike.¡± ¡°Did you think you could find someone by looking at that? Seriously?¡± ¡®It must have cost a lot of money for the temple to distribute the flyers, but Rona laughed without realizing it as she watched people look at that absurd portrait. Rona was about to return to the mansion without much result when suddenly a man called her up. ¡°Hey, lady. Wait a minute.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The thug asked Rona if she was the woman from the flyer. ¡°No matter how you look at it, you look like the woman on the flyer.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡®No way. How can I be that woman!¡¯ Rona wanted to protest, but before she knew it, three men surrounded her and her shoulders shrugged for no reason. ¡°Lady, what¡¯s your name? Where do you live? Do you have an identification card?¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°If you have time, go to the temple with us.¡± ¡°What right do you have to do this? Hey, let go of me!¡± When the man¡¯s hand was about to grab Rona¡¯s wrist, the thug¡¯s body flew through the air. BAM! At the same time, a strong man pulled Rona¡¯s slender body into his arms. ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys rude to the lady?¡± Suddenly she heard a familiar voice. ¡°What are you doing all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯re blind. Why are you meddling in our business?¡± They changed their posture and charged towards him, assuming Eleon was an easy opponent. BAM, BAM, BAM. And anyone could hear the three blows. ¡°I¡¯m blind but you¡¯re not as good as me.¡° They seemed to recognize who their opponent was. ¡°Gra¡­Grand Duke Clevent?¡± While he¡¯s holding Rona tightly, he was wielding the cane with the other hand. ¡°You touched my person, so you have to pay the price.¡° His cold voice changed in an instant and whispered in my ear. ¡°Is this why you stood me up? Rona.¡± ¡°Sir Eleon! What do you mean?¡± BAM. BAM. Eleon said calmly returning to the thugs who rushed again without giving up. ¡°Didn¡¯t we decide to have tea together in the afternoon after I returned from the Imperial Palace? But you weren¡¯t in the mansion. I heard you went to a cafe, so I came out to pick you up.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Aww.¡± The thugs were scattered on the road groaning in pain. They crawled away in anger. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°No.¡± He nodded. Rona¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she watched Eleon. She almost fainted. ¡°Why did you stand up for me?¡± ¡°Because I felt like it.¡± ¡°And I didn¡¯t ask you to drink tea together. I am serving tea to Sir Eleon.¡± If anyone had seen them, they would have thought that they had promised to have tea together. ¡°That¡¯s like a promise to drink tea together.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too harsh. I know I was wrong to disobey My Lord¡¯s order, but I did not expect you to come so early.¡± Isn¡¯t there a big difference between ¡®not obeying the master¡¯s orders and ¡®being casual with Eleon¡¯? Sometimes when Eleon gets friendly, she gets embarrassed. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re the Grand Duke. Aren¡¯t you behaving too friendly?¡¯ I decided to nag Eleon later after I chose carefully what to say. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say before, there was a coffee shop you wanted to go to?¡± ¡°Yes. Right here, Cafe Cardinal.¡± If Karina doesn¡¯t come, I¡¯d have to drag Eleon to come with me. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, should we have a cup of tea?¡± Rona¡¯s expressions suddenly changed. ¡°Yes? Really? I like it !¡± Heaven seemed to help her. The two of them went inside and sat down at the table. ¡°What would you like to order? Sir Eleon.¡± Eleon licked his lips when she lowered her voice. ¡°What can I order?¡± ¡°There¡¯s coffee, tea, juice. Cookies, cakes, and chocolate are also available.¡± ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± Rona looked closely at the menu and gave up soon after. ¡®I wonder if anything I order here will be more delicious than the dessert made by Chevalier, the Grand Duchess¡¯s chef.¡¯ Rona just picked anything. ¡°Coffee and chocolate.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have the same thing.¡± Rona looked around very meticulously while she was ordering and paying at the counter. ¡®Where is Karina and what is she doing? She¡¯s supposed to show up.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t get in contact with Karina. In her previous life, she thought ¡®SNS was a waste of time¡¯. Currently, she resented that there is no SNS in this world. If there was, I would have sent a DM. ¡°Wow.¡± Suddenly, Rona turned to where Eleon was sitting, admiring him out loud without realizing it. He was dressed in his uniform for the first time in a long time, which stands out. Also, it was the first time Eleon had left the mansion since Rona started working. I was surprised to see Eleon looking all grown up this morning. My heart was pounding so hard that I thought it would pop out of my chest. This is a place frequented by commoners, and here he is, a swan sitting in a chicken coop. Unfortunately, he can¡¯t see. ¡°Did you go to the Imperial Palace?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Eleon nodded. ¡°His Majesty told me he has something to say.¡± He stopped talking and laughing. Why did he stop? I¡¯m curious. ¡°What did his Majesty say?¡± I asked unable to contain my curiosity, but Eleon answered kindly. ¡°He told me to get married because I am too old.¡± My ticket to my original world is at stake if the female lead doesn¡¯t appear. Chapter 2 ¡°His Majesty told me to get married because I am too old.¡± Eleon¡¯s words caught her off guard. ¡®Wedding? Marriage? Nonsense!¡¯ The heroine hasn¡¯t appeared yet, and Eleon¡¯s eyes haven¡¯t even been cured. What the hell is going on? ¡°Is My Lord getting married?¡± ¡°Yes. His Majesty said that I¡¯m old.¡± It¡¯s common for nobles to get engaged from an early age, and to hold a wedding ceremony when they came of age. When the former Grand Duke died early, Eleon was already on the battlefield before he reached adulthood. After returning from the border, he took over the estate at his coming-of-age ceremony without carrying out any social activities. In our world, at this age, everyone is in the middle of their job hunting, but in this case, it¡¯s the age where they are already parents. Besides, Eleon is the son of Princess Liv and the Emperor¡¯s only nephew. ¡°He mentioned the Grand Duchy¡¯s succession.¡± The fact that he got blinded on the battlefield, his successor would never be born blind. So, if Eleon marries a Young Lady from a prestigious family and has children, their reputation will continue from generation to generation. But why does he have to get married now? ¡°Then who are you going to marry?¡± Contrary to her shock, she asked a good question. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Eleon replied very calmly while smelling the coffee. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you do think it would be a young lady, chosen by His Majesty?¡± ¡°No way!¡± She was astonished. ¡°Why?¡± Can¡¯t you just wait three days? The female lead will come and heal your eyes. ¡®Once your eyes are cured, you¡¯ll gain love. It¡¯s killing two birds with one stone. If I think about going back to my original world, I¡¯ll have to do my best.¡¯ Rona clenched her fits unable to give a simple and clear answer. ¡°Do you know how long life is? My lord! Shouldn¡¯t you at least marry someone you love? You¡¯ll spend the rest of your life with her¡± ¡°You talk like someone who knows how long life is.¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s right.¡± It¡¯s because I watched a lot of dramas. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m against it!¡± Of course, she has no right to oppose Eleon¡¯s marriage. Rona knew this very well. She thought she would have to wait a few days before the flower would wither. ¡°You should marry a woman you love.¡± ¡°Do you think so?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± ¡°But who will accept me?¡± ¡°Yes? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m blind. Even if the Emperor orders it, I will feel burdened.¡± Where in the world can you find such a good-looking match? Rona felt sorry for him, who seemed quite discouraged. ¡°That¡¯s not true, My Lord. You will meet a good woman.¡± ¡®And her name is Karina Drepain. So stop worrying about it.¡¯ Rona made up her mind once again. She would surely bring the female lead in front of Eleon within the remaining three days. ¡°By the way, everyone is looking this way.¡± Everyone sitting in the cafe glanced at Eleon. Even though he¡¯s blind, Eleon was the best knight in the Empire, a swordmaster. So, he¡¯s always been sensitive to people¡¯s stares. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m blind.¡± How could he think like that? Eleon is the typical male lead, who didn¡¯t have any idea that it was because of his attractive appearance. ¡°Is it wrong of me to drink tea in a place like this?¡± As he continued to care, Rona replied quickly. ¡°It¡¯s because I stand out.¡± ¡°Do you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rona was exhausted on her first outing in the capital, but the caffeine reached her veins, making her feel alive again. ¡°Come to think of it, what do you look like? I don¡¯t remember hearing about your appearance.¡± It doesn¡¯t matter how I look. How can I convince you that it¡¯s my fault people are staring this way. ¡°Well, my hair color is red and my eyes are blue. I¡¯m dark-skinned. And my face is unique.¡± Rona roughly explained her appearance with the idea of the South Korea Flag while she was busy looking for Lady Karina. That¡¯s why she missed Eleon smiling. ¡°You look weird. It must be a rare color.¡± ¡°Of course. I told you.¡± She answered half-heartedly. ¡°May I touch your face?¡± Eleon¡¯s words startled her. ¡°My face?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m curious how unique you look.¡± Eleon hasn¡¯t seen for a long time, so his fingertips become sensitive that it¡¯s replaced the role of the eyes. ¡®I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll figure it out just with your hands.¡¯ During the two years, he was blind, Eleon gave up on his life. ¡®Still, it¡¯s not like my face is going to wear out.¡¯ Rona had to satisfy Eleon¡¯s curiosity, given that Eleon was her employer. ¡°Yeah, just touch it.¡± Rona placed her face forward, and Eleon¡¯s hands reached out into the air. She took his hands, and guide them towards her face. His hands were big, a little cold, and hardened with calluses since he has been holding the sword for a long time. ¡®Is his body temperature low?¡¯ Rona closed her eyes, his fingertips touched her long eyelashes. Eleon paused for a moment, and slowly began to touch her face again. He soon withdrew his hands from her face. ¡°As you said, you have a strange-looking face.¡± Eleon smiled brightly, happy to touch her face. ¡®Ugh, it¡¯s so dazzling.¡¯ Even though he¡¯s blind, the main lead is the main lead. I suddenly got dizzy from the unexpected halo effect. ¡°Why are you not eating the dessert?¡± ¡°Sir Eleon should eat first.¡± Rona deliberately placed the plate in front of him. He reached out towards the sound of the plate and picked up the chocolate. It wasn¡¯t until Eleon put a piece of chocolate in her mouth that she was able to enjoy the sweet and bitter taste. Eleon took a sip of his coffee and sat back comfortably in his chair. It felt as if this space had been taken over by him with just that trivial move. ¡°How¡¯s the place? I think there are a lot of people.¡± Lorna looked around again. ¡®Well. To be honest, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll like it.¡¯ Caf¨¦ Cardinal is popular a shop known for its cheap prices and generous portions, frequented for young people who don¡¯t have much money. It¡¯s a shop for the commoners rather than for the nobles. The tables were old, and the curtains had some lace ripped in some places. The awning at the entrance was broken and showed signs of different fabric colors because it had not been repaired. ¡®The reason I came here in the first place is because of Karina.¡¯ The original female lead, Karina, was a young girl who grew up in a rural area on the outskirts of the mountains. When her parents died, suddenly a wealthy relative from the capital adopted her as a foster daughter. While Karina was wandering around the capital, making preparations for her debutante, drawn by the sweet smell of this cafe, she encountered an altercation with some bad guys. It was Eleon who helped her. He was an overwhelming knight who had no problem killing even with his eyes closed. After saving Karina, they became friends and she often visited the mansion to see the grass. ¡®I¡¯m sorry to the sacred herb for calling it grass, but I forgot its name.¡¯ Anyway, Karina is knowledgeable in herbs because she grew up in the mountains. She would have to make an elixir with the herb and give it to Eleon. ¡®After today, there are only two days left.¡¯ She looked at Eleon, who was waiting patiently for Rona to describe the cafe scene. ¡°First of all, the table is similar to the garden table in the Mansion.¡± The round shape is similar, but the price is about 100 times more. ¡°The curtains are white.¡± Rona bit her lips and lied. Maybe it¡¯s the reader¡¯s heart who wants to give only good things to our male lead. ¡°The awning is blue and there are also a few tables under it. The blue sky is beautiful and clear today.¡± In the original novel, there is no scene where Eleon is sitting in Caf¨¦ Cardinal. This was not a place for him to sit. I just had to find the female lead. The description of the place was upgraded to match Eleon¡¯s dignity, and Rona was proud of herself. ¡°I see. It¡¯s a pretty nice shop.¡± Eleon nodded and continued drinking his coffee. ¡°Hurry up and eat it. The chocolate tastes good.¡± ¡°Okey. I¡¯ll do what you say.¡± Rona shoved a piece of chocolate into her mouth. The chocolate was unexpectedly delicious. ¡°What does your name mean?¡± ¡°My name?¡± Rona scratched her head for a moment. It was the name of the main character of the drama that she was obsessed with before she came here. She wandered around like a beggar when she heard the news of job recruitment for the Grand Duke Beast. They were hiring regardless of their status and it was a perfect condition for her. The old couple who had saved Rona helped with some travel expenses, but she saved the money in case she might lose it. She had no choice but to starve. After not having a proper meal for several days, Rona went to the job agency. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Won Yoon¡­ ¡­ .¡± A westerner-like man with curly brown hair and abundant sideburns connected to his chin stared at her. ¡®I can¡¯t say it¡¯s Won Yoon-Ji!¡¯ Rona¡¯s instinct alerted her to use a name that fits this world. ¡°Ro, Rona.¡± So Won Yoon-Ji became Rona. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know. haha. You know that I have no memory.¡± In the last few months, Rona had been explaining and describing what Eleon had been curious about. ¡°The people who gave me my name know the meaning of my name. I¡¯m curious too.¡± After a bit of confusion, Eleon did not ask any more questions. And the scent of sweetness covered the two of them. When he returned to the mansion, the butler, Bernard, was in a commotion. ¡°Your Highness, why did you leave while I was away?¡± ¡°Why does it matter if you¡¯re here or not. I just went to the Imperial Palace, so I didn¡¯t need you to get ready to go out.¡± Bernard was disappointed. ¡°You are too much. It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve been to the Imperial Palace, I called in the painters and my Lord stopped them from leaving the painting. It¡¯s the first time you went out in years!¡± Eleon frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss, I just drank tea. Tell them to serve my dinner.¡± ¡°Yes. Your highness.¡± With a sullen expression on his face, Bernard quickly took Eleon¡¯s coat off and put a cane in his hand. As Bernard left, Eleon swept his cane across the floor. TAP, TAP, TAP. Eleon used his cane to find a bumpy tile on the floor. Soon, a long line of tiles hung on at the end of his cane. Eleon moved slowly to the bathroom, fumbling with his hand, and tilting the kettle on the sink. He washed his hands, face, and the back of his neck meticulously by himself, and as if he could see an invisible mirror, he tidied up his hair back. He went back to the large single-seater chair with a cane and sat in a straight position, suddenly his body lost strength. ¡°Sigh.¡± ¡°After all, it¡¯s too much to ask you to see me as a man.¡± Chapter 5 Rona was stunned for a moment. Eleon¡¯s straight chin touched her forehead, and the beautiful adams apple was in front of her. She touched his hard chest. A sculptural body could be seen despite the fact that he was wearing three layers of clothes, a shirt, vest, and jacket. The thigh that I felt between my legs gave me a sense of stability, as if I was riding on a saddle. His arms were nice and comfortable. The scent of sandalwood slowly emanates from his body. And the sound of birds chirping through the park. Rona almost closed her eyes without realizing it. ¡°Are you okay?¡± As soon as she heard his voice, she came back to reality. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± He frowned when she pressed against his abdomen with her hand while she was trying to get up quickly. ¡°Are you hurt? I think I hit you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s ok. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Eleon sat up, even though he looked uncomfortable. At the same time, Rona got depressed. ¡°My Lord, shall we go back to the mansion?¡± I guess she¡¯s very upset. He had to think about what to do. ¡°You haven¡¯t been here in a while, but you¡¯re going back?¡± Eleon turned to where she was sitting. His face remained as usual. And Rona felt relieved only then. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of food you like in this picnic basket.¡± ¡°What¡¯s in there? There¡¯s a lot of smells so I don¡¯t know.¡± Rona diligently took out something from the basket. ¡°It¡¯s inconvenient since there¡¯s no table.¡± Come to think of it, she had to arrange food on the floor, so Eleon couldn¡¯t eat by himself. ¡°If you stay still, I will take care of it.¡± Blushing. Suddenly, Eleon¡¯s face turned red. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him?¡¯ She tilted her head, then realized. We weren¡¯t at the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion. Eleon would be ashamed if others got to see an adult as big as him being fed like a baby. ¡°Ah, this would be enough.¡± Rona put roast beef and salad between the bread, wrapped it in a napkin, and handed it to Eleon. ¡°This way, you can eat alone.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a sandwich, I have put some food between the bread. It¡¯s something I ate a lot where I used to lived.¡± Rona also added ham and vegetables to her portion of bread. The sandwich taste which I hadn¡¯t eaten in a long time, awakened the memories of my previous life. * * * * * ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Rona asked for directions and arrived at Count Harrington¡¯s residence. Built with old-fashioned dark bricks, the manor looked luscious just by looking at it. Count Harrington and his wife were known for being quite good-natured people. So they have been willing to adopt the daughter of a distant relative. However, even such kindness must have been suffocating due to the capital lifestyle which she wasn¡¯t familiar with. If they were the bad people, she could have refused coldly. But it¡¯s hard to say ¡®I hate being dragged around¡¯ given that they do it with good intentions. Rona could understand that feeling. ¡®I hated it when my mom always told me to eat healthily.¡¯ Because I sympathized with it. Anyway, I even came to see her in person, so I was expecting to be able to meet Karina today. ¡°What if I don¡¯t meet her because it¡¯s late?¡± There was a problem on the way home from Trappel Park. It¡¯s because Eleon insisted on going with Rona. ¡°Go ahead with the butler first.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I have some business to do.¡± ¡°You have something to do? What¡¯s going on? We can go together.¡± Rona was a little embarrassed whenever Eleon acted like this. ¡°Ah, that¡­ My dress is a little small, so I thought I should make myself some clothes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the front of the store.¡± ¡°No. You can¡¯t. If you take a man to a women¡¯s dresser, everyone will misunderstands you¡¯re dating!¡± Then Bernard intervened quickly. ¡°That¡¯s right. Besides, you suddenly went out for two days in a row, so you need to rest.¡± Rona, who wants to go alone, and the butler who puts the Grand Duke¡¯s health first, both of them were on the same side. It had been quite a while since Eleon had separated from me like this. ¡°Sigh. What is this?¡± I¡¯m doing all of this in order to cure his eyes. It¡¯s all for you. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re trying to follow me without knowing that. You¡¯re not even a six-year-old. In front of the door, Rona neatly brushed off her clothes. Since I went to Trappel Park today, I was carefully wearing outdoor clothes and not my maid clothes, in case, I might run into the Count Harrington. ¡°Hello. My name is Rona Hera Palace. May I see Lady Karina?¡± T/N: Yes, ^^ I believe the author is a fan of Penthouse, a popular k-drama. ¡°Lady Karina?¡± There must not have been a single guest visiting Karina at the Count¡¯s House. Soon Rona was led to a small building close to the entrance. The reality was that guests with uncertain identities could not even go to the reception room of the main building. After a while, an elderly butler came in. ¡°What did you come here for?¡± ¡°I was indebted to Lady Karina.¡± The truth is, I want to be indebted to you from now on. ¡°I was trying to repay the favor, but I heard that Lady Karina lost her parents and she was staying at the Count Harrington¡¯s residence.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The butler nodded. ¡°Will I be able to meet her?¡± ¡°That seems difficult.¡± Rona rolled her eyes. ¡°How come? I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be happy if she sees me.¡± I thought about whether I wasn¡¯t very polite right now. I wasn¡¯t making any unreasonable requests. ¡°Lady Karina is not at the residence at the moment.¡± ¡°Yes? No, then where is she?¡± A look of pride appeared on the butler¡¯s face. ¡°She¡¯s at the Imperial Palace.¡± * * * * * The evening sunset gave off a uniquely elegant atmosphere to the palace garden. A white statue with a golden crown and a spear in its hands turned red as the sun went down. The garden was full of spring flowers and water drops from the fountain. A beautiful woman was standing in the middle of the garden. Her slender body, waving silver hair, and dark, vivid green eyes evoked a fairy-like aura of mystery. ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful.¡± As Karina admired the garden, the man next to her smiled. ¡°It not as beautiful as you.¡± Karina blushed out of embarrassment. The blue-eyed man with slightly black hair looked good in uniform. The almond-shaped eyes look good with the high nose bridge. And his soft lips look like they were sculpted by an artist. ¡°Your Majesty the Crown Prince, please don¡¯t say anything like that.¡± ¡°Do you not like it?¡± ¡°Are you saying that to other young girls?¡± ¡°I did.¡± Karina had a slightly disappointed expression on her face. ¡°I said it out of courtesy then, but I¡¯m sincere now.¡± Sabiel took Karina¡¯s hand and kissed the back of her hand. Her heart was pounding insanely to the point of fainting. ¡°Lies.¡± ¡°How can I convince you to trust me?¡± Karina didn¡¯t say anything, however Sabiel said. ¡°Call me by my name.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Sabiel. You can call me that.¡± ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t¡± Allowing someone to call him by his name was an entirely different matter. In the Empire, calling the members of the royal family by their names were limited to the parents and spouses. ¡°I don¡¯t dare to call Your Highness name¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Call me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Are you not following orders of the Royal Family?¡± As Sabiel made a playful and persistent request, Karina licked her lips. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Sabiel.¡± ¡°Good to hear.¡± Sabiel slowly lowered his head toward Karina. And she closed her eyes as if she had waited and accepted his kiss. ¡°Whenever it¡¯s just the two of you, call me by my name.¡± Karina blushed and nodded her head. She couldn¡¯t tell if her cheeks were red from the setting sun, or from embarrassment. ¡°His Majesty, Crown Prince.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ ¡­ .¡± Sabiel¡¯s face hardened when the lieutenant whispered something. He soon looked back at Karina casually. ¡°Karina. I have urgent work to do, so I have to go.¡± Karina made a sad face, but Sabiel kissed her once more. ¡°Come to the palace tomorrow as well.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t call me by my name tomorrow, I will have to punish you.¡± As Sabiel disappeared, Karina sat down and soon her legs relaxed. ¡°Ha¡­haha.¡± Karina Dreppain. She was the daughter of a baron in name only. She grew up like a normal village girl on the outskirts of a remote province. It felt like the sky was falling when her parents died suddenly. However, her distant relative, Count Harrington, adopted her and allowed her to come to the capital. She had a different lifestyle from the socialites of the capital. The Countess Harrington worked hard so that Karina could debut. However, for Karina, who had lived a free-spirited life, the aristocratic life was unbearable. She was trying to endure until her debutante. Countess Harrington and Karina entered the palace together to meet the Empress. And the Countess gifted expensive jewelry to the Empress, who said she would introduce Karina specifically to her social circle. At that time, Karina lost her way while she was trying to get out of the conversation between the Countess and The Empress. Accidentally she stumbled upon Crown Prince Sabiel. ¡°Ha ha.¡± Karina blushed, recalling the first time she met Sabiel. I had never seen such a wonderful man in the world, and¡­ ¡°That was my first kiss.¡± I heard a bell ringing in my ear. From the red sky, to the sound of splashing water from the fountain in the garden, and the fragrant smell of flowers. Everything was perfect. ¡°Sabiel.¡± Her face glowed, recalling the name of her lover. And the woman in love left the palace only after the sun went down. * * * * * Rona walked along the shabby path. I waited until almost ten o¡¯clock at night, but Karina never returned from the Imperial Palace. According to Harrington¡¯s butler, she goes to the Imperial Palace almost every day to meet the Crown Prince and doesn¡¯t return until late. ¡°The Count Harrington had only one descendant, without any daughter. When he adopted the beautiful Karina, his wife was satisfied, and she may marry the imperial family, so now she is a blessing to the family.¡± Rona couldn¡¯t process what the butler said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe she fell in love with the Crown Prince.¡± It deviated from the original novel. Karina should have come to the capital and met Eleon earlier. ¡°Then Eleon¡­ ¡­ What should I do?¡± Karina should make Eleon¡¯s medicine. Would she be able to make it without love? Will there be no problem in healing his eyes without the premise of falling in love? Rona felt at a loss because it was the first time she had encountered such a deviation from the original. CLANG CLANG The large iron gate of the Grand Duke¡¯s residence made a sound even if she opened and closed it carefully. By the time they had all gone to bed, she slyly opened the door and she went inside. SLAM. She had just entered the manor and had closed the front door. A black figure was sitting quietly on the stairs. ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± Chapter 6 ¡°Now you¡¯re coming.¡± Alone in the darkness, Eleon welcomed her. ¡°Sir Eleon.¡± Rona lowered her voice in shame when she called him out. She hurriedly approached me. It was time to turn off the candles. Rona shouldn¡¯t fall down while walking in a hurry in the dark. I had been waiting for her all this time, but I was glad to hear the sound of hasty footsteps. ¡°You haven¡¯t slept yet?¡± ¡°You said you¡¯d come early, but you¡¯re late.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I got lost.¡± Rona helped him get up. Her hand was a little cold, as if it wasn¡¯t a lie that she had been walking down the street at night. ¡°You should have ride a carriage.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. I need to save money.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the wage enough? I¡¯ll have to tell Bernard to raise your salary.¡± I could feel Rona being excited and happy. ¡°Oh, thank you. My lord.¡± Sometimes she uses a strange tone of voice, and Rona was either embarrassed or really happy. Eleon, who thought it was the latter, smiled. ¡°Want me to bring you to the bed?¡± Rona asked him in front of his bedroom door. ¡°Yes.¡± Rona arranged the blanquet as Eleon was lying. ¡°Then I¡¯ll get going now, good night. My Lord.¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Eleon had nothing to say. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring you some water.¡± She quickly returned with a cup of water. ¡°Is there anything else you want me to do?¡± Suddenly, impulsive words filled his throat. ¡®Sleep here.¡¯ That¡¯s crazy. Tired of himself, Eleon got his heart together. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep well. Read me a book.¡± ¡°Yes. What book do you like?¡± ¡°The history of the war in Palegara.¡± ¡°I¡¯m wearing my outdoor outfit, can I come after I change clothes?¡± ¡°Do whatever you like.¡± Eleon lay on a pillow comfortably. Soon, Rona returned , smelling like the sweet and fragrant flowers. It looked like she had changed into freshly washed clothes. ¡°It was the first time that so many people had gathered in a barren and uninhabited wilderness.¡± She read the book clearly. ¡°The troops that faced each other had similar forces. Palermo had about 11,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry. There were 600 cannons lined up in the battery, and 1,300 artillerymen to set fire in turns were waiting.¡± Her voice went lowered and lowered. ¡°After that, 3,500 people with shields¡­ ¡­ Lined up, ahhh. The arrow troops following the assault force were 2,000 men. But the bow of Palermo can fire two bows at a time¡­ ¡­ 4,000 arrows for one signal¡­ ¡­ 4,000¡­ ¡­ dog¡­ ¡­ .¡± There was the sound of something lightly falling onto the bed, and then the sound of Rona¡¯s breathing. It was a book with a reputation that would make you sleepy when you read it. Of course, when he was the commander of the knights, he could not relate. He thought it was an exciting war history. However, watching Rona fall asleep, I felt like paying gold coins to the author of the history of the war in Palegara. ¡°Rona.¡± Even when I called her name, I could only hear regular breathing. Eleon quietly got up from the bed. He moved around the bed and immediately caught the chair she was sitting on. Eleon grabbed Rona and laid her on his bed. She had been walking until late, so she fell asleep without knowing that she was tired. Eleon closed his eyes, focusing on her breathing. ¡°Go ahead with the butler first.¡± I haven¡¯t been feeling well since she told me to go home first. Eleon couldn¡¯t figure out why. ¡°If you take a man to a women¡¯s dresser, everyone will misunderstand that we¡¯re dating!¡± Every word she said made me feel guilty. ¡°Are you ashamed to go to such a place with me?¡± I couldn¡¯t bear to ask. Are you ashamed of me? After Rona had said that, I couldn¡¯t help but want to go with her. If only I could see, I would have been able to give an excuse as to choosing or giving it to her as a gift. But it was clear that even if Eleon followed her, he couldn¡¯t help her. The world is big and there are many decent men. Rona said she wasn¡¯t pretty but unusual. However, Eleon thought that wasn¡¯t the case. The reason was because people treated her kindly. Even if she doesn¡¯t look great, that¡¯s not all. If Rona was really ugly, it was obvious that she had other charms that made her more likable. Just like him who put her so deeply in his heart. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you look like, Rona.¡± Rona has always been and always will continue to be the same. ¡°Am I just a blind man you serve ? What should I do to get you?¡± Eleon didn¡¯t know what to do. He whispered what he couldn¡¯t tell her while she was sleeping. She said there was a big bee. At the end of the meal, Rona took a fruit jam and went to apologize to the other group. The three sisters, who came on an outing, said that the bee drowned in the ice bucket they had kept the wine in. If the bee were still alive, he would have appointed him as a loyal subject. Eleon lamented alone. He would never have had Rona in my arms if it hadn¡¯t been for the bee.. ¡°Sigh.¡± A long sigh came out. My chest was stuffy to the point of driving me crazy. In the end, my self-esteem was the problem. Rona just did her job. Even though I knew it was a relationship under a work contract. But I wanted her to let me into a corner of her heart. But was it impossible in the first place? There was a difference in status between them, so Rona didn¡¯t even know she regarded him as a person from another world. Even if he held her hand saying that he would escort her, even if he secretly put their arms together, Rona was devoted to her job. ¡°I expected a little something more than a marriage without love.¡± I resented the person who was lying on my bed, breathing comfortably, unable to reply to his words. Rona makes him feel alive and at the same time makes him suffer endlessly. KNOCK, KNOCK. Hearing the knocks on his door, Eleon pulled up the blanket that covered Lorna even more. ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened, and a familiar figure entered the room cautiously. It was Bernard. He clicked his tongue as soon as he saw Rona sleeping in Eleon¡¯s bed. ¡°Are you doing this again?¡± Eleon didn¡¯t answer. He didn¡¯t want to send Rona back to her room, so he¡¯d been using some shallow tricks. If it was another nobleman, there would already be rumors that the maid stayed overnight in the master¡¯s room, but fortunately, there was actually only one maid working in the Grand Duke¡¯s manor, ¡®Rona¡¯. ¡°What¡¯s going on at this hour?¡± Bernard was dumbfounded to hear him ask. ¡°Your highness couldn¡¯t sleep well and you asked me to bring you a cup of hot tea if you¡¯re still awake at midnight.¡± I definitely ordered that. Eleon rebuked himself for letting the butler do something worthless. Bernard said seriously in a sad tone while he was looking at him. ¡°You¡¯d rather have her as mistress.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± The voice of his most trusted butler was calm. ¡°She¡¯s a maid without identification. The work contract is different from the others maids.¡± The usefulness of a maid without identification was different. It was close to being bought and sold like a slave. That¡¯s why Rona came to work at the Grand Duke¡¯s Manor, where no one was willing to work. ¡°Your Highness is too gentle.¡± It was as Bernard said. According to rumors, it was common for noblemen to spend the night with a maid. Rather, there were many maids who secretly preferred to be in favor of the young and handsome noblemen for a chance to live a comfortable life. But Eleon was outraged by the loyal butler¡¯s words. ¡°Never again, don¡¯t talk about it. I won¡¯t forgive you no matter what.¡± Bernard left quietly without saying anything more. However, Eleon seemed to have a boiling fireball in his chest. ¡°Rona¡­ ¡­as my lover.¡± Eleon was aware that he had no reason to be angry with Bernard. He has been denying and suppressing his feeling for Rona. Eleon also didn¡¯t know how the nobles of this age, those who had everything they had, were living a life of debauchery. Before losing his sight, he lived on the battlefield for seven years. He didn¡¯t have much contact with the ladies. Before that, he attended the military academy. Nevertheless, he was invited to imperial ceremonies and balls, and even when accompanied by his mother, women approached him endlessly. Even though they were all talented noble young girls, the reason why Eleon¡¯s referred to them as ¡®women¡¯ is because no one made a big impression on him in a short meeting. Every day was a busy day. There were always a lot of things that the Imperial Knights Commander had to look out for and pay attention to. It was also his job to train the entire knights. Now, I was tired, just living my daily life like an ¡®ordinary person¡¯. It took an unimaginably large amount of effort to eat, wash, wear, and walk. It was only after Rona came to the Grand Duke¡¯s residence. Until then, I was stuck in a pit and couldn¡¯t get out of it. Even when he opened and closed his eyes, even when the sun rose and set, it was still dark. In the abyss, Eleon was afraid and didn¡¯t know what to do. The world he knew was a place where it shines when the sun brightens, and darkens when the sun sets. The world changed overnight for him. His mother was the sister of the current emperor. She was sick and tired of her life in the capital so shhe traveled around other countries for a long time. I also lived on the battlefield, so I couldn¡¯t afford to feel her mother¡¯s absence. There were only occasional letters to just to say hello. While he lost his sight and was stuck in his mansion, Bernard, sent letters to the Grand Duchess just to inform her of his condition. However, the reply that came back was also written by his mother¡¯s handmaiden, saying that there was an indigenous disease making it difficult for her to return home. Even a newborn child is well cared for. Eleon was left alone in the endless darkness, trembling in fear. Thankfully, Bernard didn¡¯t leave the family and stayed by Eleon¡¯s side, but the butler must have been pushed to the limit. He had to take care of everything from his treatment to the family¡¯s assets. He did everything he could for the recovery of his master, but also there was a time when Bernard was also frustrated when Eleon wasn¡¯t getting any better. It was Rona who reached out to him, offering to help so that he could come back to the world again. Eleon held her hand and learned everything from scratch. He was able to walk, eat, wash his face, and sleep alone. And just like a young beast blindly follows its mother, one day, he realized that he was obsessed with Rona. ¡°Umm.¡± I could hear Rona lying on my side and struggling in her sleep. ¡°It would be easier if I could resolve it by making you my lover.¡± Chapter 8 Rona hurriedly fixed her clothes and glanced at Eleon. He made her nervous without realizing it, because he is sensitive to the presence of people, and she sometimes thought he could see. ¡®You didn¡¯t see it, right?¡¯ Eleon looked drowsy, as if he was going to sleep again soon. He couldn¡¯t sleep because of her. He said. ¡°Good night.¡± Rona sneaked back into her room. ¡°What is that book?¡± Is it Palegara History War? If it had been published in Korea, it would have saved many people who suffered from insomnia. ¡°I have to be careful next time.¡± Next? Next time, Rorna pondered why those words sounded so awkward. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Eleon¡¯s eyes would heal sooner or later, either today or tomorrow. There were only two days left where someone else would help him read a book. ¡°Umm. What really happened to Karina.¡± She grabbed an extra pillow and laid in her bed. Perhaps because she had been hugging Leon¡¯s warm body a while ago, the coolness of her pillow, which she slept with every day, felt unfamiliar. ¡°Karina, if you sleep with Eleon just once, you would know.¡± It¡¯s just how good a body pillow he is. She really fell asleep without waking up or tossing around. It was a fascinating experience for Rona, who could hardly sleep when there was someone next to her. She yawned loudly. ¡°I should sleep more.¡± The second round was more cozy and sweet. At that time, Eleon was still unable to sleep. Perhaps due to the butler¡¯s rude remarks, he had a strange dream in which he kissed Rona. After waking up from the dream, Rona from real-life was even more problematic. ¡°Your sleeping habits are really bad.¡± Rona¡¯s bare shoulders touched my arms. ¡°It¡¯s the color of chocolate.¡± Eleon repeated it shyly. If your cheeks are blushing, it must mean that you are shy, or are you a little conscious of yourself? If nothing had happened, there would have been no need to blush. ¡°Phew.¡± Eleon was overcome by the urge to see her. Ironically, that was the only reason he wanted to regain his sight, although he was known as the war god who commanded within the borders of the empire. I wonder if the girl I like is shy of me. I wanted to see her nervous expression. I just want to see it with my own eyes without asking you. Even if the dream felt vivid, he was just a blind man. So he didn¡¯t have the confidence to see her. Eleon somehow felt miserable. The day he lost his sight, Eleon was riding a horse and battling the barbarians at the front line. The head of the Barbarian King had already fallen from his sword. Now he has to run wildly after the retreating barbarians. Eleon swung his sword, avoiding the subtle sound that cut through the air. He was a great knight who could stop even flying arrows by swinging his sword. However¡­ ¡­ . Grasp. A red dust was released into the air as his sword hit an oxidized arrow. The air felt awfully uncomfortable and it was clearly due to the red dust. At that moment, he stopped breathing. ¡°It¡¯s poison! Everyone be careful!¡± The soldiers around him avoided it in a flash. Eleon covered his nose and mouth, but his eyes sting a little. He later realized that he should have covered his eyes, not just his nose and mouth. However, it was too late. His horse was the first to lose sight that had been running by his side for 7 years. Hee, hee, hee, hee. Hee, hee, hee, hee. The warhorse never stopped running even after being wounded with arrows and swords, but he suddenly made a painful cry and ran around. Eleon¡¯s right hand, Cedric, rushed to the horse and tried to calm him. The enraged horse collapsed and foam came out of his mouth. ¡°Your highness! Grand Duke!¡± Thunderstorms began to fall from the dark sky. KURUNG. The blood-stained ground began to wet under the angry sky. Cedric looked at him in shock. Eleon¡¯s face turned pale, and soon it disappeared into the darkness. ¡°Your Majesty, Grand Duke!¡± That was the last memory Eleon had seen with his own eyes. He should have returned as a successful general from the war which lasted 7 years. But he returned as a retired blind knight. He did not return to the Clevent Estate, but instead came to the capital mansion to seek treatment. But no one knew about this poison. The emperor, concerned about his nephew, had searched through the barbarian¡¯s elixirs. However, there was no clue anywhere. At first the Emperor thought he would be fine. All kinds of things that are good for the eyes and the body have been brought to the Grand Duke¡¯s residence. None of them could bring back his sight. Then all kinds of people came in and out. They were Gypsies or elders of ethnic minorities who wandered the empire. Neither the doctors nor the people who dealt with drugs. So he desperately gave himself up to all kinds of folk remedies. After trying everything he could, he sought God. Religious people came and prayed to their gods to heal his eyes. But no god gave an answer. They all gave the same excuse, saying that it was because Eleon had no faith and wasn¡¯t sincere enough. The possibility of gaining back his sight seemed to be non-existent as of now. Cedric left in agony for not being able to protect his master. Eleon couldn¡¯t catch him as he set off to the East in search of medicine. Isn¡¯t it all my fault that I lost my sight? But it wasn¡¯t my fault. Swords and arrows flew countless times on the battlefield. And no matter how much I thought about it, even if I could go back a hundred thousand times, there was no way I could close my eyes. Keeping an eye on enemies was the basis of defense. I had been training for so long, so my body sometimes moved on its own. That agility saved his life in countless moments, but he couldn¡¯t even protect his eyes. When all hope was gone, Eleon thought it would have been better to die. But he couldn¡¯t die. The first reason was Bernard tying him up to the bed so that he could not die. And the second was because he felt sorry for Cedric, who had left to find medicine. Bernard released him when he stopped hurting himself. But he couldn¡¯t live like he used to. Eleon had fallen to the lowest of his life to a subhuman level. Rumors spread in the capital that the Grand Duke lost his sight and howled like a beast every night. Rumors followed that he became mad by killing too many people on the battlefield even after he receiving praises. When the war was over and peace was guaranteed, those who were jealous of him became proud and demeaned him. Even those times seemed far away like a dream. But Rona healed from all the hard times he had gone through. If she stays by his side, Eleon thinks he¡¯ll be able to keep going. There are many couples without love. Even if he¡¯s blind, he could respect and love her. Also, he¡¯s the Grand Duke. He would be able to live without worrying about money for the rest of his life. ¡°It¡¯s not the time yet.¡± I didn¡¯t want to propose to her under such conditions. Can¡¯t you give me a little bit of your heart? That was Eleon¡¯s pride, wanting to be seen as a man. So he couldn¡¯t asked her to stay by his side to enjoy the fortune as his Grand Duchess. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t rush.¡± Eleon blamed himself for being impatient. * * * * * Around lunch time, the butler called Rona. ¡°The Grand Duke is still not awake.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I went to greeted him, but I heard that he haven¡¯t slept all night.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve read some books to him until dawn.¡± However, I was the only who slept soundly. ¡°You skipped breakfast and lunch, and seeing you slept so far, I wonder if you will wake up in the afternoon. If you have something to do outside, you can go for a while.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Her eyes sparkled. ¡°Come to think of it, you haven¡¯t been paying attention to your clothes.¡± The delicate butler seems to have paid attention to what Rona said yesterday, that she was going to get some clothes. It was the first time Rona had gone out after she came to work in the Grand Duke¡¯s manor. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°Yes. And be sure to come back until the Grand Duke has dinner.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rona quickly got ready to go out and headed to Count Harrington¡¯s residence. She was thinking of meeting Karina today at any cost. * * * * * Rona got off the carriage. It was the same place she had been yesterday, so it felt a bit familiar. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m here to see Lady Karina.¡± The guard recognized her and immediately called the butler. ¡°Hello.¡± The old butler greeted her with a gentle smile. ¡°Is Lady Karina in the residence today by any chance?¡± ¡°Yes. She¡¯s busy getting ready to go out.¡± Rona asked quickly. ¡°Then can I see her for just a moment?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± As the old butler disappeared, Rona sighed briefly in frustration. ¡°I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s going out.¡± Karina had no friends in the capital, because she grew up in a rural village. So she should have made a special bond with Eleon. Instead, she caught the attention of the Crown Prince and went in and out of the Imperial Palace every day. Furthermore, if it¡¯s the Crown Prince in this original story¡­ ¡­ . ¡°Isn¡¯t the Crown Prince the villain?¡± I carefully read the first part of . In the original story, it was quite early when Karina healed Eleon¡¯s eyes. After that, it seems that the Crown Prince might be a wicked man. But I couldn¡¯t even remember how many episodes I had read, and I also stopped reading it. So I tried to recall the contents. ¡°Why does it have to be the Crown Prince? What happened to the original novel?¡± Rona frowned as she remembered the image of the wicked man. Even in the original novel, it seems that the Crown Prince and Eleon became rivals. That was certain because the cover had both the male lead and the second male lead. There must be something about the cover that emphasizes that it¡¯s a love triangle. In the original novel, Sabiel had a one-sided crush on Karina, but the heroine didn¡¯t respond to it. ¡°It¡¯s a real problem because i didn¡¯t read the end.¡± It¡¯s a different story if the Countess Harrington is willing to chaperone and support her. Count Harrington also belongs to a prestigious family very well-known in the capital. He refused to blink an eye even if he adopted a child from a distant relative. Because Count Harrington had several mines that produced iron. He had amassed many negotiations as an arms dealer during the war. Said he might have had more money than the imperial family. Abundance makes people¡¯s minds at ease. The Countess clearly was at the pinnacle of her wealth. Then the old butler who had gone to find Karina, returned. ¡°Follow me.¡± Rona followed him to the main building. KNOCK, KNOCK. The butler knocked on the door of the drawing room, decorated in a luxurious way that was incomparable to the place she had seen yesterday. Karina opened the door without hesitation. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°My Lady, you must not do this.¡± The old butler was serious. However Karina smiled brightly. ¡°Why? I also have hands and feet too.¡± ¡°And please feel free to talk to the servants.¡± Karina looked embarrassed. ¡°Everyone in the countryside is like this. I use honorifics to adults and I take care of people younger than me. I¡¯m more comfortable with this.¡± As the old butler sighed knowing he couldn¡¯t stop her, Karina¡¯s curious green eyes turned to Rona. ¡°What brings you here?¡± Rona took a short deep breath when she saw the heroine for the first time. Chapter 12 ¡°Can I ask where you went?¡± ¡°Well. That¡¯s¡­ ¡­ .¡± I felt that Rona hesitated to say something. ¡°I was looking for a way to heal My Lord¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± He laughed. ¡°Oh sorry. There¡¯s no cure. The emperor made every effort to repair his broken nephew, but I¡¯m still like this.¡± Rona¡¯s sigh sounded heavy. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to say anything because I was afraid you would think that way.¡± ¡°So, did you find a way?¡± ¡°Well¡­ just half.¡± He was curious about the ¡®half¡¯ that Rona had found. However, Eleon is already being stung by the bitterness of giving up. ¡°What¡¯s the cure?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an herb. They say it¡¯s a precious herb.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a medicine.¡± He had tasted everything that a human being would not be able to drink. Just thinking about that time made Eleon feel nauseous. Originally, Eleon didn¡¯t eat or drink anything that was given to him. Because the attempts to take his life had no end. Rumors circulated among the barbarians that if Eleon Clevent collapsed, they could have won the war. He had to drink what others gave him without resentment in order to heal his eyes. It was much more difficult and difficult for Eleon. It was useless to drink them, since there was no improvement. Eleon¡¯s heart sank as he vividly recalls his frustrations at the time. ¡°You can ask the butler, there must be a document that summarizes the medicines used for treatment. If I haven¡¯t tried it, I¡¯ll drink it.¡± If Rona is giving it to me, can I say refuse it no matter how much I don¡¯t want it? Eleon¡¯s desire to get his sight back grows stronger when he learns that Rona has been struggling to find a cure for him. ¡°Don¡¯t expect too much. I¡¯ll drink whatever you bring.¡± ¡°Sir Eleon.¡± She put her finger on the back of his hand. Her hand gently climbed over his arm and rested on his shoulder, gently pulling him towards her, hugging him and patting him on the back. Eleon was astonished as if he had been struck by lightning. Obviously, she approached with a sign so he wouldn¡¯t be surprised. Still, his heart was pounding so hard. It was a light hug that could be interpreted as a greeting. Eleon knows it all too well that this gentle hug is just a humane gesture of comfort and encouragement. But even with that light touch, he felt like his whole body was clamoring. ¡°You will surely regain your sight. I¡¯ll make sure it happens.¡± The sound of muttering dizzyingly echoed in his ears. For a moment, Eleon felt the urge to hug her .¡®¡­ ¡­ no.¡¯ He still didn¡¯t want to reveal his feelings to her. He didn¡¯t know that showing his inner self to someone who was uninterested and ignorant would be enough to break his heart. ¡®I don¡¯t have the confidence to let her go.¡¯ After hugging her at least once, what happens next? I¡¯ll probably want more. Eleon had to put all his strength into lowering his hand that was moving towards her again. He turned his head and Rona pulled away from him. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the dressing store. You¡¯d better hurry up.¡± Rona shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m really fine. I¡¯m receiving a higher salary on a better condition than other places. That is enough.¡± Eleon was disappointed. I felt like an idiot as I pondered every word she had said, wondered if she liked me or not. And whether I had a chance to win her heart. Conditions and salaries. Rona doesn¡¯t want to be by my side. Realizing that it was just an employment relationship, he was caught up in the dreadful feeling that it would remain the same. ¡®But if there¡¯s anything I can do for you, I¡¯d like to do anything.¡¯ I remembered the feel of the rough and cheap coat that had been drenched in the rain that was heavily draped over her small body. ¡°It¡¯s about my dignity. What would people think if you were dressed like that?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t be interested in me.¡± ¡°People will point finger if a servant of the Grand Duke is running around in shabby clothes, wondering if they are underpaid.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s possible. I¡¯m sorry, My Lord.¡± Eleon¡¯s heart ached hearing Rona¡¯s disappointed voice. But he was on the verge of winning. He will buy her a bunch of her new clothes. ¡°Go and get ready.¡± ¡°Yes. Sir Eleon.¡± CLANK. As the door closed, Eleon rubbed his flushed face violently. Every action and word has a meaning. Rona patted him like a child and greeted him politely, which would mean nothing. ¡°No doubts I like it.¡± Eleon stayed there for a while, pondering what he had just done. * * * * * ¡®Le Ballein¡¯, a dressing shop located on Luton Street. It was the most popular dressing shop in the Capital. The reason I had to go there was because the owner of the store greeted Eleon. And second, because the butler said, ¡®The Ladies who were in the park only wore Le Ballein clothes¡¯. ¡°Welcome, Your Highness. Thank you for coming back.¡± And the third reason was that the owner-shop treated Eleon like a normal guest, even when she saw the rumored, ill-fated blind Grand Duke. From her attitude, she didn¡¯t seem to gossip that the blind beast of the Empire had come to buy clothes. ¡°Yes. I wish I can get some clothes tailored for this lady¡± ¡°How many? I don¡¯t need that many clothes. Just one suit. The coat you tore yesterday¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? It¡¯s not even a single suit for each season of spring, summer, autumn, and winter.¡± ¡°This is a very expensive place, how can I buy clothes in a place like this? The clothes I wear now are enough.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget that clothes provided by the Grand Duke must be returned when you quit your job.¡± Eleon laughed alone. Rona came to the dressing shop in her maid uniform because she had no other proper clothes to wear. ¡°Then, lady. Would you like to follow me this way?¡± It was said to be the most popular store in the empire, and the owner¡¯s business skills were great. Emily, the owner of Le Ballein, guided them to a private room. ¡°Wow.¡± As soon as Rona set foot there, she was amazed. ¡°What did you see that made that sound?¡± Eleon got genuinely curious. Before his eyes went wrong, it was common for young ladies to see him pass by and faint. Although he lost his sight, he probably didn¡¯t lose his looks, but Rona never looked at him and complimented him. I was so curious about what she saw and admired so much. ¡°Well, first of all, it¡¯s a large circular room, with a hole in the top of the ceiling.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this. I think I¡¯ll look like an angel if I wear new clothes here.¡± Bernard helped out a bit. ¡°And pretty fabrics are decorated along the wall.¡± Eleon pictured the scene inwardly. He could vividly picture a dark-haired girl with red hair and blue eyes staring with her eyes gleaming. ¡°Grand Duke. I brought some fabric with me.¡± Emily really knew what was important. Knowing that Eleon¡¯s opinion would have the biggest impact on sales, she sat him on a large sofa. She, then, placed on his lap samples fabric cuts. Eleon touched them one by one with his hands. Fluffy, thin, and soft fabrics seemed cool to wear in summer. The thicker fabric was perfect for making autumn outings. No matter what I touched as I went through each one, they were much better fabrics than what Rona was wearing yesterday. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to order a coat for the winter. Is there any fabric for winter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s spring now, so it¡¯s in the warehouse. Instead, I have a few finished clothes, please check them out.¡± Emily diligently returned with her arms full of coats. Eleon touched them carefully, one by one. Things like the collar of a coat, draped lace on the sleeves, or buttons with a nice double button at the waist. ¡°Good. Can you match it to Rona¡¯s size?¡± ¡°Yes, if you purchase everything, I can fit them to her size.¡± ¡°Then I will buy all these coats.¡± Emily¡¯s voice lit up. ¡°Thank you.¡± In the meantime, Rona was changing clothes in the next room. She came back feeling awkward. ¡°Go up here, miss.¡± ¡°Like this?¡± The lace on the dress shimmered in the sunlight, falling from the round skylight. Rona was surprised when she looked at herself in the mirror. ¡°I know the secret of this room. It seems like you will buy everything you try on here.¡± Looking at Rona with her innocent eyes twinkling, Emily laughed out loud. ¡°What are you worried about? The Grand Duke has already bought more than twenty sets.¡± ¡°Yes? I beg your pardon? Excuse me, My Lord. I don¡¯t need so many clothes.¡± Eleon pretended not to hear, concentrating all his attention on choosing spring and fall clothes. He was very busy, even choosing summer clothes. ¡°Take them and put them on again, starting with spring clothes.¡± Emily faithfully followed the Grand Duke¡¯s instructions. It was then. ¡°Look who is this? There are times when I see blind people in places like this.¡± As soon as he heard that voice, Eleon¡¯s eyes became cold. There was only one person in the Empire who could say this to Eleon Clevent, the second in the line of succession to the Imperial throne. ¡°Sabiel.¡± Eleon also does not address him with honorifics, ¡®His Majesty the Crown Prince¡¯. ¡°What is going on in a place like this? I didn¡¯t know you were roaming outside the mansion.¡± ¡°Your knowledge is so short, there are a lot of things you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sabiel was furious. Rona was standing in her underwear in the changing room, and unknowingly she crossed her arms to cover her body when she heard the unfamiliar voice. She was frightened, but Emily smiled like it was ok. Then opened the curtains and went out to the private room. ¡°My greetings to the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°I wondered where you went and you were serving other guests.¡± ¡°There was a customer who came first, so I was in the middle of a consultation.¡± ¡°A blind beast choosing clothes? HaHa. It¡¯s one of the funniest jokes I¡¯ve ever heard.¡± Sabiel approached Eleon, who sat motionlessly. ¡°Don¡¯t make any trouble while wandering around, and go back to the mansion.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you pay attention to the trouble caused by your rude words and actions.¡± Then Sabiel¡¯s escort came forward. ¡°How dare you disrespect the Crown Prince.¡± Eleon turned his head toward the source of the sound. The gray eyes were out of focus, but the life in those eyes was so clear that the knight swallowed his saliva without realizing it. ¡°By the way, who did you bring? Do you have any hidden women?¡± Sabiel¡¯s eyes scanned the curtains of the changing room. ¡°I¡¯ll take a look instead of the Grand Duke who can¡¯t even see. Maybe the girl is aiming for your property.¡± It was when Sabiel had just touched the curtains when suddenly¡­. TAK Eleon grabbed his hand precisely. Chapter 13 ¡°I¡¯ll take a look instead of the Grand Duke who can¡¯t even see. Maybe the girl is aiming for your property.¡± It was when Sabiel had just touched the curtains when suddenly¡­. TAK Eleon grabbed his hand precisely. Sabiel¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You really¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t see her.¡± Eleon dropped Sabiel¡¯s hand violently. ¡°But I can stop your slow movements even with my eyes closed.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sabiel twitched. However, there were already quite a few people in the hallway. It was a riot as they peered inside with curious eyes. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m busy today, so I¡¯ll just go home.¡± Sabiel said to Emily. ¡°A man with no taste makes great effort to buy clothes. I hope you help him a lot.¡± No taste. Literally, it means to look. Emily bowed her head politely in response. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t have an eye for clothes, you have a lot of money, so there¡¯s no problem.¡± The people who were around became quiet. Eleon said back that he earned his own money and what¡¯s the use of doing this. ¡°Hahahaha. Yes, yes. You should earn as much as you can.¡± Sabiel laughed out loud. ¡°I¡¯ll be back next time.¡± ¡°Take care. Your Majesty the Crown Prince.¡± Sabiel glared at Eleon once more before leaving. ¡°Even if you¡¯re talented, the work must be difficult.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern. Grand Duke.¡± As if nothing had happened, Emily quickly took a bunch of summer laces fabrics and gave it to Eleon. ¡°These laces were brought by boat from the north.¡± The wide thin lace was embroidered with various patterns with a rough texture. ¡°What kind of pattern is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s white lace with purple grapes and vines.¡± ¡°Purple.¡± If you had red hair and blue eyes, this lace would suit you well. ¡°This will good on Rona.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s perfect for Miss Rona.¡± Eleon smiled. ¡°Make a summer dress with this as well.¡± Emily was overjoyed when he paid a huge amount in cash instead of bills. It was not long after that rumors began to spread about the wealth of the Grand Duke, who had not returned from the battlefield for the entire time after inheriting the Grand Duchy. * * * * * As they returned to the mansion, silence reigned in the carriage. Neither Eleon, Bernard nor Rona spoke. But Bernard and Rona were both cursing Sabiel, except for Eleon. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with that bastard?¡¯ ¡®Calling the Crown Prince, that bastard. Miss Rona, well said.¡¯ ¡®Ugh, I¡¯m really pissed off. How is the Crown Prince better than Eleon? Except that his father is the emperor.¡¯ Rona doesn¡¯t hesitate to make remarks that could be taken as blasphemy against the Imperial Family. ¡®He can¡¯t even compare to the Grand Duke. He¡¯s just a presence in the Imperial Palace.¡® Bernard participated in Rona¡¯s blasphemy without blinking an eye. The butler had a sad expression on his face. ¡®A fool, who couldn¡¯t even talk to him until His Highness was injured.¡¯ ¡®Is he crazy? How can he do that to a sick person?¡¯ ¡®If I think about the Empire¡¯s future, there have been many times when I thought that it would be better for the Grand Duke to become the emperor.¡¯ ¡°Stop. Be quiet.¡± Then Rona and Bernard kept their mouths shut. ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the medicine.¡± At Rona¡¯s gaze, Bernard replied. ¡°Miss Rona said there was an herb that could Your Highness¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡°Both of you treat me like an idiot.¡± Eleon smiled bitterly. ¡°It is not a good idea to slander Sabiel because of me. The crime of blasphemy against the Imperial Family is not light. So don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Eleon¡¯s calm expression was slightly worn. It¡¯s not the first time something like this has happened, and you can¡¯t be angry every time. The person who insults me has a higher status than you, so don¡¯t go against it. I¡¯m fine, so don¡¯t do it. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing.¡± Eleon and the butler turned to her at the same time. ¡°I am a servant of the Grand Duke. If I had put on some clothes, I could have won.¡± If she hadn¡¯t been in her underwear, she would have jumped out immediately and punched the crown prince with her fist. ¡°Yes. If Miss Rona hadn¡¯t been undressing, she would have definitely won.¡± What is it, butler? That weak remark. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t be able to use my fist? Despite his doubts, Rona was satisfied to see that Eleon¡¯s expression softened. Soon the carriage arrived at the Grand Duke¡¯s Mansion. Just like yesterday, it was raining continuously today. ¡°I¡¯ll bring an umbrella.¡± ¡°Rona, yesterday you got wet from the rain, so wait here.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± The butler ran towards the front door to get an umbrella. As Bernard moved away, Eleon¡¯s face darkened as if the lights had gone out. ¡°Sir Eleon. Are you feeling good?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Suddenly Eleon leaned towards her, who was sitting beside him. Eleon¡¯s forehead touched her shoulder. ¡°The floor is slippery because it rained.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t leaning, it was because I slipped.¡± Unexpectedly, Eleon began to cry. Her shoulders trembled lightly and wet with his tears. * * * * * After eating dinner, Eleon went to bed early. Thanks to him, Rona was able to leave work quickly. She sighed as she closed the door to his bedroom. ¡°Is he a Prince?¡± Where is that person who seems to have been shot in the head by mistake? She didn¡¯t know what to do in her underwear. She was surprised when he approached to open the curtains. How can such a rude and ignorant person be the heir of The Empire? How could I be so unlucky? Seeing the prince, the future of the empire was very bright. ¡°Sabiel. Sabiel must be the second male lead.¡± Also, they are said to be in the midst of a wedding with Karina, who is no longer the heroine. ¡°He must be such a playboy.¡± Rona was so upset that she started plotting revenge against Sabiel. After collecting all her salary, she will open a prosperous shop in the capital. She will use all her money to get the right to enter and leave the Imperial Palace, no matter if she buys a title or which house she enters as an adopted daughter. After that, she will go directly to the Imperial Palace, and will throw an envelope of money in the face of the Crown Prince and shout, ¡®Please don¡¯t appear in front of my child again.¡¯ ¡°Eleon. Hang in there. I¡¯ll heal your eyes for sure.¡± She made up her mind. Rona felt something strangely uncomfortable. What was it? She felt like she had forgotten something very important. ¡°Oh my gosh! I¡¯m going crazy.¡± I had completely forgotten about the herbs that were blooming in the garden. It was a lucky coincidence that the suspicious grass survived in the garden. Because it¡¯s normal for the gardener to remove unknown weeds. However, when the elderly gardener became immobile due to his old age, his wife Niel took care of her husband and also took care of the gardens alone. After all, guests stopped coming in and out, so only the garden in front of the main building was meticulously maintained and the other half neglected. ¡°Perhaps¡­ ¡­ Maybe this will help you. You were really lucky. It is said that this flower withers when it rains and blooms only in the dry season.¡± No matter how many times I thought about it, I couldn¡¯t remember the name of the grass. Aside from that, it would wither in the rain, but it rained yesterday and today. Rona came to the garden every night. But yesterday, she was locked up in the bathroom. And today they met the crown prince in the dressing shop that she had forgotten. Teary. She suddenly felt like she was about to cry. What if Eleon lost the chance to regain his sight because of her carelessness? She would suffer from guilt for the rest of her life. ¡®I¡¯m having a hard time.¡¯ They get insults they don¡¯t deserve, and they insist on trampling on those with bad hearts. Rona fell down in front of the overgrown bush. ¡°Uh, what should I do?¡± Tears welled up from Rona¡¯s eyes. The petals were falling from the coveted flower. Rona went crazy the moment she saw the half-wilted petals falling. The flower, which has a fading bright light as if it had some mysterious power, was half-flickering, as if it had been broken . She instinctively felt that the flower would lose its medicinal effect when the flower¡¯s light disappeared. She immediately grabbed the grass and pulled it out. Miraculously, the light did not disappear. She quickly picked up the petals that had fallen to the floor, and ran again through the rain and entered through the back door of the kitchen. ¡°A pot.¡± One big thing caught her eye. She soon found a small pot she used to heat milk in the corner. She put water in it, and tried to light the stove¡­ ¡­ . It was late, the kitchen was cold without a single fire. ¡°What should I do? What should I do?¡± Rona tried to remain calm and immediately remembered Eleon¡¯s room. It had been raining continuously yesterday and today, and the weather was suddenly cold, so she remembered that the fireplace in Eleon¡¯s bedroom was lit. She ran into Eleon¡¯s room, grabbing the pot of water and the grass she had dug up. Eleon, who had been sleeping on the bed, woke up as Rona opened the door loudly. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Rona?¡± Without time to answer, Rona put the pot into the fireplace and waited anxiously for the water to heat up. Soon, steam began to rise. The flower in her hand was almost dead, and the light was flickering. Rona¡¯s heart was pounding. She threw the grass from the roots to the fallen leaves into the water. She put the pot back in the fireplace and let it boil some more. ¡®What the hell am I worried about?¡¯ I was being paranoid, thinking about the temperature of the water, the parts that can be used for medicinal purposes, and how to care for the grass. POP! Suddenly, something exploded and Rona almost dropped the pot. ¡°This¡­ ¡­ What is this?¡± The herbs seemed to have melted without a trace. However, the color of the medicine was strange. When transferred to the cup, the black and thick-looking liquid dripped slowly. The suspicious herbal tea didn¡¯t look healthy at all, so Rona tried to sniff it. ¡°Ugh. cough.¡± Rona couldn¡¯t stand the pungent smell. She sneezed. ¡®Can he eat this?¡¯ She was terrified. It didn¡¯t seem like she had made the right medicine. Rona didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Eleon asked when he suddenly came up behind her back. ¡°I was going to make a medicinal tea.¡± Suddenly, Rona¡¯s eyes filled with tears. ¡°I think I messed it up¡­ ¡­ .¡± Rona felt like crying. She resented Karina for breaking out of the original plot. If Eleon¡¯s eyes don¡¯t heal, Rona will never be able to forgive her. However, Eleon sat down next to her. He carefully patted her arm. Feeling the heat emanating from the cup in Rona¡¯s hand, he placed his hand over her, which was holding her handle. Rona burst into tears while Eleon sniffed the cup. ¡®Don¡¯t drink it, it¡¯s a defective medicine.¡¯ It was then. Eleon put his mouth on the cup and began to drink it without breathing. ¡°No. Sir Eleon! Don¡¯t drink it!¡± Chapter 14 ¡°No. Sir Eleon! Don¡¯t drink it!¡± Gulp, gulp, gulp. Rona opened her mouth involuntarily. He drank to the last sip, took the cup from her hand, and placed it on the floor. He touched her hands, arms, and shoulders, reaching her face. He wiped Rona¡¯s tearful cheek with his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°How can you drink it?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you bring it to me?¡± Rona burst into tears again. ¡°Well, I think I made a mistake. I originally found someone who could make it, but because she couldn¡¯t help me. heh heh, I tried to do it myself¡­ ¡­ .¡± Rona was filled with sadness. He moved his finger to wipe away the tears from Rona¡¯s cheeks, and then went away. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I said I¡¯d try to drink whatever you brought.¡± ¡°still¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It¡¯s the thought that counts.¡± Eleon smiled happily. But Rona seemed to feel even more heartbroken. ¡°I¡¯ll find something better.¡± Wiping away her tears, Rona said bravely. ¡°Of course, there will be more.¡± Eleon nodded. ¡°I look forward to it.¡± I knew the medicine would end like that. * * * * * Returning to Crystal Palace, Sabiel was sipping a glass of wine. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that bastard?¡± A high-alcoholic drink was splattered around the glass when it was laid down harshly. Crown Prince Sabiel Oder Constance. He was not worthy of the name. The Empire Of Constance boasted a long history. Among them, an important story in founding history is that of the first emperor, Oder. A grand funeral was held after his death. It was a tribute to the first emperor. However, a year later, a revelation was issued at the temple. As Emperor Oder said during his lifetime, he would become a god after he died. After that, they returned to the tomb where the emperor was buried, and his body was missing. Strangely, on the day the emperor became a god, it rains every year. It was regarded as a message from the emperor, and left a few words through the temple. ¡®A child resembling him would be born in the Imperial Family.¡¯ Surprisingly, after that, one of the emperor¡¯s children was born a boy with dark hair and red eyes. Also, the child will have the qualities of a sword master. The Empire was ruled by the descendants of the gods. Two thousand years have passed since the founding of the country, and the world has changed so much. Being a descendant of God meant that the child appointed by God would eventually become the emperor. The child will inherit the throne regardless of birth order. But Sabiel was a child who had not been appointed by God. Although Lev Oder Constance was a princess and Eleon¡¯s mother, she was born with red eyes and dark hair. When Sabiel was three years old, he felt his whole world shake with the birth of Eleon. ¡¸¡°How could this happen?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°t¡¯s the first time that ¡®An Oder¡¯ has been born in the Empire.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Then what will happen to our Prince, Your Majesty?¡±¡¹ I was too young to know exactly what was going on. But I knew for sure that it wasn¡¯t going to be good for me. The cold eyes of his father, the emperor. The never-drying tears of the Empress, his mother. He liked his eye color every time he looked in the mirror, which was blue like the high sky. Because the sky is the highest in the world. It¡¯s a color that suits me, which everyone says is beautiful. However, it was a color that should not exist for an ¡®Oder¡¯. It wasn¡¯t Sabiel¡¯s fault. He was born that way. He was treated as a defective product. The first emperor Oder became a god? It was a funny story. Sabiel began to believe that the tomb had been robbed. He became close with a new group of aristocrats who regarded science as faith. They had wealth and were opposed to the existing nobility. The nobles, day after day, petitioned the emperor that he should adopt Eleon Clevent, the undefeated commander of the Knights Guard. Sabiel despised those who did not recognize him. He was the only heir and the official crown prince. The first to cross the line and violate the rules were the old nobles who worshiped ¡®Oder¡¯, a relic of the old days. So he plotted to destroy Eleon. It wasn¡¯t poison that took his eyes, but a curse close to magic. There was only one way to get his sight back. Even the antidote was in Sabiel¡¯s hands, so Eleon would live forever in darkness. He was satisfied with the result. Sabiel spent a large sum of money spreading rumors of the ¡®blind beast¡¯ throughout the empire. Rumors about the fallen hero were spreading day by day. He felt a sense of pleasure at changing Eleon from ¡®a being to be admired¡¯ to a ¡®poor bastard¡¯. Sabiel was delightful these days. ¡°But he¡¯s terribly annoying.¡± He had no intention of provoking Eleon. But he felt dirty when he saw Eleon¡¯s soft face stroking the fabrics in the bright sunlight. You¡¯ve been thrown into the mud, but you¡¯ve climbed up and managed to get your head out. He looked stable and happy. He was. Surprisingly, the emotions on his face were satisfaction and happiness. I¡¯ve never been happy. I¡¯ve never been satisfied with you yet. ¡°I should have seen her face.¡± It would have been the perfect source of gossip. Sabiel called his lieutenant. ¡°Did you call?¡± ¡°I heard that Eleon Clevent has a woman.¡± Even the lieutenant¡¯s eyes widened. Eleon was famous for keeping his distance from women. He was even called an impregnable fortress among the young girls of the capital. Because no one has ever succeeded in dating him. ¡°Do a background check. What kind of woman is she, her family? No, she could be a commoner.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll follow your orders.¡± Sabiel picked up the glass again. I felt my stomach twist every time I remembered Eleon¡¯s smiling face. That night, Sabiel could not get drunk no matter how much he drank. * * * * * It was in the middle of the night that an unexpected event occurred. ¡°Argh!¡± The people were awakened by Eleon¡¯s painful screams. The first thing Rona saw as she ran to his room was blood dripping from his eyes. The blood stains were clearly visible on the clean white comforter and pillow. ¡°Arghh! My eyes!¡± Eleon couldn¡¯t stand it. He scratched himself around his eyes. Rona couldn¡¯t pull herself together. It was the first time she had seen someone suffer so much. ¡°Get out of the way, Miss Rona.¡± The butler and several attendants stepped out in front of her, trembling in surprise. ¡°There will still be some cotton cloth left over. Go get it.¡± Bernard calmly tried to sedate him. ¡°Ugh.¡± However, the difference in strength was so great. Eleon bit Bernard¡¯s arm. Blood gushed over the sleeve of the butler¡¯s white shirt and immediately dripped onto the floor. The other servants who had gone to find the long cloth returned, and in an instant they tied Eleon with his limbs spread across the bed to prevent him from moving. It was a miserable sight. Shocked by the violent scene, Rona was crying while covering her mouth with her hands. ¡°Argh. Ugh. Ughh.¡± The butler skillfully shoved the towel into Eleon¡¯s mouth like a ball. ¡°Uh, uh, uh!¡± Every time Eleon twisted his body, it creaked as if the bed frame was about to break. The butler tore the rest of the white cloth and wrapped it around his arm to stop the bleeding. ¡°Let¡¯s talk for a moment, Miss Rona.¡± * * * * * There were a lot of things to take care in the Grand Duke¡¯s manor. Bernard, who had a short career at a fairly young age, became the butler only with his superior abilities. There was no mistress to look after the Grand Duchy, yet, so the household he had to take on was endless. In addition to his bedroom, he also had an office. ¡°You must have been very surprised.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Yes.¡± Rona rubbed her cold, stinging hands. ¡°Aren¡¯t you surprised?¡± He also looked pale, unlike usual. His sleeve was cut with scissors and his treated arm was bitten so hard that it didn¡¯t stop bleeding for a while. ¡°It happened quite often.¡± There was concern in the eyes of the butler, who spoke calmly. ¡°Something like this¡­ ¡­ does it happen often? It¡¯s my first time seeing it.¡± If Eleon had experienced it often, it could not have been the first time she had seen it. ¡°It happened before Miss Rona started working here. Long before that.¡± Bernard¡¯s eyes reddened as he recalled the past. ¡°The Grand Duke used to feel terrible pain whenever he treated his eyes.¡± Her eyes widened. Bernard seemed to have a hard time just thinking about this. The butler looked very distressed, unlike when he calmly tied the Grand Duke to the bed. When Eleon returned with an eye injury from the final battle, he wasn¡¯t running like a wild beast from the start. Rather, it is said that Ileon, who had a knight¡¯s soul to the bone, suffered from the fact that he, the commander of the knights, had extinguished the light of victory dedicated to the empire. So he tried drugs, food, and everything else to cure his eyes. Then the symptoms started. ¡°Your Highness says the pain felt like his eyeball being bitten from the inside, and there were times when he felt his eyes were set on fire.¡± A terrible pain struck Eleon. Despite suffering almost every day for months, he didn¡¯t give up trying to get his sight back. He had to do everything he could to get out of the endless pain. But it wasn¡¯t peaceful. Eleon was frustrated when he couldn¡¯t find a way back to the old days. ¡°It was more difficult to watch Grand Duke suffer so much that I want to tear his eyes apart with my own hands.¡± Besides, every day was torture. Will that medicine work? Will this treatment work? Maybe I should just be patient one more time. If only he could never experience this endless pain again. Tears fell from the butler¡¯s eyes, who served his master like God. Rona was so heartbroken that she felt like she was going to die. ¡¸¡°Ask the butler. There must be a document that summarizes the medicines used for treatment. If I haven¡¯t tried it, I¡¯ll drink it.¡±¡¹ I wouldn¡¯t dare to make the medicine again, knowing it would be terribly painful. I understood that there must have been such a reason why he had carefully recorded it. ¡¸¡°Don¡¯t expect too much. I¡¯ll drink whatever you bring.¡±¡¹ Didn¡¯t you say that you were going to drink whatever I gave you while you were having such a hard time? Do you know what I was going to feed you and you just trust me blindly? ¡°What kind of medicine did you give to Your Highness?¡± Chapter 15 ¡°What kind of medicine did you give to Your Highness?¡± Rona was in a difficult situation. Eleon told her to ask the butler because there was a record of the medicine he took. He said if he hasn¡¯t tried it, he will drink it. But when I saw the soft light emanating from the flower, I was surprised that I immediately made medicinal tea. I couldn¡¯t even think of asking Bernard. Anyway, it was clear that this flower was the one that healed Eleon¡¯s eyes in the original plot. So there was also something that I was careless about. It was killing me to tell Bernard, though. ¡°I¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± She felt irresponsible for her words. The butler¡¯s gaze became sharp. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t know if it was medicine!¡± It was the first time she heard Bernard raise his voice. Rona was even more scared. The words that came out of her mouth were just excuses. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure he hasn¡¯t tried it. I heard the herb¡¯s name, but I forgot. I kept thinking about it, but I can¡¯t remember¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Did you mean to give it to the Grand Duke?¡± ¡°Huhu.¡± Rona didn¡¯t know what to do. She kept crying. However, Bernard was just outraged. ¡°How did you get that herb? Where does the information come from? I¡¯ll have to check it myself.¡± The butler calmly changed his attitude. ¡°I.. I can¡¯t tell you.¡± I can¡¯t say that we are in the world of a novel. Much less that I learned from it. ¡°But there is something like seeing the future.¡± ¡°What does that mean Miss Rona? Didn¡¯t you say that you lost your memory and that you can¡¯t remember what happened in the past? If you are working under the guise of harming the Grand Duke¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°No! Absolutely not. Even if I tell you, you won¡¯t understand.¡± Bernard¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Once the Grand Duke returns to consciousness, we will discuss how to dispose of you.¡± She just nodded her head. He thought she deserved it. She fed the Grand Duke an unknown herb. When Eleon was on the battlefield back in the day, there were too many attempts to poison him. So, even the ingredients such as vegetables and meat were directly brought from a farm and that must have been chosen by a servant. ¡°I¡¯m prepared.¡± ¡°Until then, look after the Grand Duke.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She let out a long sigh after leaving the butler¡¯s room. ¡°I thought it was because I made the wrong medicine.¡± But that wasn¡¯t it. It was because Eleon suffered every time he received treatment. It¡¯s fortunate if they think it¡¯s not Rona¡¯s fault, but the word ¡®fortunate¡¯ didn¡¯t come out. She knew where the frustration of losing humanity and choosing to be a beast was coming from. Rona was a stranger. Less than ten servants were left. They were all comrades who were there during the most difficult times. Their tenacity came from the abyss of Eleon¡¯s despair. Rona quietly entered Eleon¡¯s bedroom. Now Eleon was only breathing as if the previous seizure was a lie. He looked miserable. His shirt was torn revealing his bare body. There was blood in his hands. And his face and body were messed up with sweat and bloodstains. ¡®Eleon.¡¯ I wanted to do anything for him. She dipped a towel in the lukewarm water and began to gently wipe his forehead and face. She was going to wipe it clean and give him some ointment. ¡°Ugh..um?¡± A sound came from his mouth. The butler had to put a towel on his mouth to prevent him from biting his tongue. ¡°Uahh?¡± It seemed that he was calling her by her name like usual. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Eleon nodded. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± Eleon nodded again as he understood her. But Rona was about to cry. She held back her tears and was forced to lower her voice. ¡°Are you uncomfortable? Do you want me to take the towel off?¡± He nodded quickly. Rona was afraid because she had seen Bernard get bitten earlier. But she removed the towel from his mouth. ¡°Ahhh.¡± Eleon took a deep breath. Rona was afraid that he might get sick again. There was nothing she could say to him. Because she heard that this kind of pain was normal for him. ¡°You were surprised, right?¡± It was Eleon who spoke first. ¡°I thought you were going to run away.¡± ¡°Why did you think that way?¡± ¡°Because there are not many people left in the mansion. Some people couldn¡¯t stand this kind of thing.¡± Turns out, the only two remaining female employees were a gardener and a cook, far from directly serving Eleon. ¡°Rona.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°Where do you think I¡¯m going to run away?¡± Eleon smiled faintly. ¡°I want to think it¡¯s not true. There is at least one maid who runs away even after seeing me. But if you run away, I will be disappointed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not running away.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking, I really mean it. This will be the first and last time you see something like this.¡± There¡¯s no treatment he hasn¡¯t tried. So, muttering that this pain had been a long time coming, his expression was calm and looked even sadder. ¡°You will get better.¡± ¡°I drank the medicine you gave me. If my eyes get better, I¡¯ll make you formally one of my people.¡± She was shocked. ¡°No. Don¡¯t say that. It¡¯s only natural for me to serve the master. How can I become one of your people? I¡¯ve never wanted to become a vassal.¡± ¡°Who is making you a vassal? I¡­ ¡­ Cough.¡± Eleon¡¯s straight lips were dry and wrinkled. ¡°My throat¡­ ¡­ I¡¯m thirsty¡­cough.¡± ¡°Stop talking. I will bring you water.¡± Rona went quickly to get a jar of water. ¡°But how will you give me water?¡± Eleon¡¯s arms and legs were all tied to the bed. ¡°Can I release those too?¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± Eleon shook his head. ¡°Because I might have a seizure again in the morning.¡± If she releases his hand and then injures himself again, everyone must be dispatched again. ¡°Then how do I give you water?¡± Should I pour it into your mouth? And what if it gets into your nose? Rona was pondering. ¡°With your mouth.¡± Rona¡¯s eyes widened with the feeling that her neck was stretched. ¡°Mo..Mouth to mouth? ¡­ .¡± She stuttered. However, Eleon said in an ironic tone. ¡°What are you thinking? I am a patient.¡± ¡°The butler did it for me before.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ ¡­ .¡± Rona looked at the jar of water in her hand. She thought there was nothing she couldn¡¯t do. ¡°If it¡¯s too much, wake up the butler¡­ ¡­ .¡± When Rona¡¯s hand touched his cheek, Eleon flinched and stopped speaking. Eleon¡¯s lips parted as Rona, who had water in her mouth, gently stroked his lips. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± At first, it was hard, but then it became easy. ¡®I am a mother bird.¡® Now in the nest is a hungry baby bird with its mouth open. She concluded that it was the logic of mother nature. If it weren¡¯t for that, she¡¯d focus on the touch of Eleon¡¯s lips and the smell of sandalwood at the tip of her nose the moment their lips touched. Regardless of her feelings, Eleon didn¡¯t hesitate to drink the water from her mouth. After she gave him water a few more times, Eleon let out a long sigh, as if he had come back to life. ¡°Ahhh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Rona brought back the lukewarm water and continued wiping Eleon¡¯s face. She wished she could clean his body and change his clothes, but she couldn¡¯t because his arms were tied. She applied ointment to his scratched forehead and around the eyes. Eleon frowned when he felt a stinging sensation. ¡°Now get some sleep.¡± Rona stood up after cleaning up the mess. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡± That¡¯s understandable. She thought maybe he was afraid to fall asleep. Wouldn¡¯t Eleon be anxious if he didn¡¯t know when he would get sick? ¡°Read me a book.¡± ¡°Should I? What book would you like?¡± ¡°The history of the war in Palegara.¡± Rona frowned. ¡°Do you not like any other books besides this one?¡± Didn¡¯t I fall asleep while reading it last time? ¡°I like that book.¡± She sighed and brought the thick book. The book had gold on the cover, and was made of leather. It was heavy and hard enough to be used as a weapon. ¡®I can¡¯t just fall asleep while reading again.¡¯ Rona was a little tired. Just watching Eleon have a seizure had put a lot of stress on her. She wanted to go to her room right away and lie down. But she felt so sorry for him that she wanted to do anything he asked for. ¡®Let¡¯s read it again and again.¡¯ If I try hard to focus, won¡¯t I fall asleep like last time? Rona tightened her eyes. ¡°The Trofalgaras didn¡¯t know how to fight. They do not covet others, and their martial arts are close to self-cultivation. It was the first time in history that Trofalgara had rebelled against Palermo.¡± She read the book over and over again. ¡°Palermo has denigrated Trofalgara¡¯s forces. It was a big mistake for Palermo. In World War II, Trofalgara had about 20,000 infantry and 8,000 cavalry. There were 500 cannons lined up in the battery, and 1,200 artillerymen to set fire in turns were waiting.¡± Rona was getting more and more confused. ¡°After that, 6,500 onslaughts with shields¡­ ¡­ Lined up, ahhh. The arrow troops following the assault force were 3,000 men. But Trofalgara was planning a two-way operation. 2,500 cavalry to the rear¡­ ¡­ The ranks of Palermo are lined up¡­ ¡­ I¡¯ll break it down from the side¡­ ¡­ to break¡­ ¡­ .¡± TAK Lorna dropped her head onto Eleon¡¯s bed. ¡°She fell asleep.¡± Eleon laughed. When I can get up from bed this time, I will promise to support the author of the History of the War of Palermo. Rona¡¯s messy hair reached under his tied arms. It was ticklish. Eleon didn¡¯t hate it, so he turned his head toward her. A faint scent of Rona wafted in. Beyond the darkness full of pain, he listened to Rona¡¯s breathing and found some comfort. It was strange to see himself smiling all of a sudden. Eleon has suffered endless pain every time he has treated his eyes. It was such a terrible experience. Sometimes it hurts like something is scratching and ripping from the inside of his eyes. He¡¯d rather not have his eyes open. He wishes his eyes were gone so he could end this torment. He started treatment with a skeptical mind, and the end of his struggles ended with terrifying pain. It was so strange that I was laughing like this during a seizure. I couldn¡¯t laugh during this kind of situation, but a smile came out in front of Rona. Is it ¡®hope¡¯? Why is her existence so powerful? Eleon was amazed at his own change. ¡°I¡¯m relying on you. Rona, I will never let you go for the rest of my life.¡± Chapter 16 ¡°I¡¯m relying on you. Rona, I will never let you go for the rest of my life.¡± Eleon thought that giving his heart to someone would make him weak. He was the knight commander. If the leader is killed, the entire army is destroyed. Eleon¡¯s life was not his own. It belonged to the Empire and to all soldiers. He was confident that he had no weakness. He also had clear thoughts about marriage and heirs. Eleon thought he was fine with a beneficial marriage. They would have a child to ensure his future wife of the position of Grand Duchess for the rest of her life. In fact, many aristocratic marriages were done that way for the sake of family benefits. He had no intention of having a particularly unusual marriage for himself. Growing up, he naturally understood that he could not live for himself as long as he was born as the head of a family. That was his value. He had spent many years on the battlefield and was educated as the heir to the family head from a young age. But after meeting Rona, he was more emotional than anyone else. Rona changed him. He was sincere enough. Eleon didn¡¯t believe that the power of love could work miracles. But now he can understand why people are pursuing such fantasies. His desire for Rona was intense, that he agrees to anything Rona asks. ¡°Rona, don¡¯t run away.¡± She was soft-hearted. Even though Eleon hesitated to say that he was thirsty, she finally gave him water when he told her that the butler had done it before. It was Eleon¡¯s first kiss, as she had never had a date with a woman. Of course, the butler never fed him water with his mouth. He thought she would pour water into a teapot with a small spout and bring it to his lips so that he could drink it little by little. It was impulsive because I was sure that Rona wouldn¡¯t ask the butler if he also gave Eleon water by mouth. I wished that Rona could not easily leave my pitiful self. I wanted her to be satisfied with the exceptionally high salary and not even think about moving to another place. So he could have her by his side for a long time. Also, he wants to occupy her heart, too. He thought that God should allow some selfishness to this extent. He lost his honor and bright future. I only had one happiness after so much frustration, but if I couldn¡¯t be greedy for even one of them, I would rather take my life. I can act outrageously just to keep her by my side. ¡°Good night, Rona.¡± Eleon closed his eyes comfortably. * * * * * Karina bit her nails. After a while, her nails became tattered and unsightly. But she kept tormenting the tips of her nails, with nothing more to bite. The door opened and a maid came in. ¡°What happened? Did you find out?¡± The maid nodded her head in embarrassment. ¡°The Crown Prince said it was difficult to find time because he was busy.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he say something else?¡± The maid nodded againAnd Karina¡¯s face was distorted. ¡°No way.¡± It was evident after that day, Sabiel¡¯s attitude changed. That day, Karina boldly gave herself to him and did not return from the Imperial Palace. Sabiel was with her all night long. It was a sweet and fantastic night. Karina was proud when Sabiel fell in love with her and showed her passion. The Crown Prince, the greatest man in the empire, spoke sweetly to her. The next day, Karina was full of regret when she had to go back home. ¡¸¡°I have to go, Sabiel.¡±¡¹ After sharing a passionate night, she called his name naturally. ¡¸¡°Sigh. You must leave?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°We are not officially married yet. If I do this, it won¡¯t be good for both me and Your Royal Highness.¡±¡¹ Sabiel clung to her. ¡¸¡°The Emperor should approve our marriage as soon as possible. I can¡¯t seem to sleep without you now.¡±¡¹ On the way back, the Crown Prince loaded the carriage full of yellow roses. When Countess Harrington saw the luscious flowers, she screamed with happiness. Because in the flower language, yellow roses mean ¡®eternal love¡¯. Karina was the first to know. The hidden meanings of the roses were so romantic and sweet. But that was the end of it. Since then, the Crown Prince has not sent her carriage to her to enter the palace. Although Karina sent a maid to the Imperial Palace, Sabiel did not go looking for her saying he was busy. After four days, she couldn¡¯t even see her prince¡¯s nose. ¡°How could you do this to me?¡± Karina was angry. The maid felt mixed feelings. Crown Prince Sabiel was known as a famous playboy. He was the only child of the current emperor and was given the Crown Prince¡¯s status and the name of ¡®Oder¡¯, but none of the people knew that he was not the real Oder. It was an annual event where noble families raised their voices that the Crown Prince should be dethroned because Eleon Clevent was born with exactly the characteristics of an Oder. And the qualities of a swordmaster. The prince couldn¡¯t become a swordmaster. Rumors circulated that Sabiel, who had grown crooked early, was crazy about alcohol, gambling, and women. As a commoner, the maid didn¡¯t dare to tell the noble lady about the rumor. Blasphemy against the Imperial Family was a felony. If she gets flogged, she would not be able to walk or stand normally. But, the innocent young lady, who had just arrived from the countryside, fell for the Crown Prince¡¯s charms in an instant. In the eyes of the maid, Karina wasn¡¯t weak. On the other hand, her beauty was fatal. The maid felt sorry to see her young lady heartbroken. She couldn¡¯t tell her about the rumor. It was better to be a stranger than another girl who fell for his charms. ¡°I¡¯m going to the Imperial Palace.¡± The maid just felt sad seeing the young lady biting her lips with a sad face. * * * * * Under the sunlight, the Crystal Palace shone like a jewel. It was located in a geometric garden decorated with green foliage. It looked like a huge jewel in the grass. Inside the dazzling building, Sabiel emanated a dark, gloomy air. ¡°Is this all?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The lieutenant bowed his head at his fierce gaze. ¡°There are few people working in the Grand Duke¡¯s residence, we can¡¯t send anyone, and since the Grand Duke doesn¡¯t go out, it¡¯s hard to keep an eye on him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so incompetent!¡± Sabiel saw the lieutenant¡¯s report and threw the paper at his head. It was written that the butler of the Grand Duke was introduced to a maid through an agency in the capital. It also said that the girl¡¯s name was ¡®Rona Hera Palace¡¯. She is twenty-seven years old, two years older than Eleon, and is staying in his mansion, and she is looking after him. Seeing this, Sabiel laughed. ¡°What time is it¡­ ¡­ It must be midnight.¡± The strangest thing was that there was no identification card at the agency. Usually, in the Empire, even commoners have identification cards when they reach adulthood. Not being able to provide identification meant that she had a shady past. Such cases like ex-convicts who committed an indelible crime, death row prisoners, war prisoners, and disrespectful gypsies. ¡°Blonde and purple eyes.¡± There was a person who immediately came to his mind. Elysia, the jewel of Hadunsha, was considered the most beautiful woman in the empire. He thought she was dead. But it was confirmed that she¡¯s not dead. Since then, Elysia hasn¡¯t returned to Handusha. If a person was alive, this wouldn¡¯t be possible. ¡¸¡°I¡¯ll take a look instead of the Grand Duke who can¡¯t even see. Maybe the girl is aiming for your property.¡±¡¹ Sabiel was genuinely curious about Eleon¡¯s woman. Eleon was 16 years old when he graduated from the military academy and went to war. He had never had any contact with a woman. While Sabiel was picking flowers with beautiful beauties in the capital, there were jokes that Eleon was picking enemies¡¯ heads on the battlefield. ¡°I should have seen her once.¡± I still had a bitter aftertaste. Because I was surprised that Eleon grabbed my hand. I keep thinking if I had only moved an inch of the curtains, I would have been able to see her. Then, all of a sudden, I had a mean idea. ¡°She is Eleon¡¯s woman. If I could make that woman mine, his face will be worth seeing.¡± Eleon¡¯s happy face strangely stimulated him. He wanted to spit on him and sprinkle some ashes. ¡°Rona, I want to see her.¡± Sabiel ordered the lieutenant. ¡°Bring her no matter what.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Royal Highness.¡± Sabiel briefly imagined ¡®Rona¡¯ whose face he didn¡¯t know. It was the same pleasure as when Eleon got poisoned and disappeared in his mansion. ¡°Taking Eleon¡¯s thing¡­ ¡­ .¡± Why is it so exciting and fantastic? Perhaps Eleon and himself didn¡¯t know that such a relationship was possible. From the time Eleon was born with Oder¡¯s characteristics, which it should have been his. Sabiel was anxious because he couldn¡¯t get what was from Eleon. He was in a dirty delusion on how to play with ¡®Rona¡¯ to make Eleon even more miserable. ¡°Your Royal Highness.¡± The chamberlain called him. ¡°Lady Karina asked for an audience.¡± ¡°Karina?¡± ¡°Karina Drepain Harrington. Count Harrington¡¯s daughter.¡± Who is Karina? Sabiel briefly tried to remember in his hazy memory. ¡°Ah.¡± A woman with pale silver hair and green eyes came to mind. She¡¯s pretty. She had a faded resemble to Elysia, who had melted gold and dark amethyst in her eyes. He never had an ugly woman in his crystal palace. She didn¡¯t impress him that much. Pretty, because she has the basic qualifications to set foot into the Crown Prince¡¯s bedroom. ¡°Besides, it was her first time.¡± A woman who doesn¡¯t know how to have fun is a pain in the ass. So I planned to spend a day together and never see her again. However, he knew she was going to come looking for him. ¡°Say I¡¯m not here.¡± ¡°Yes. Your Royal Highness.¡± Now, all of Sabiel¡¯s attention was on ¡®Rona¡¯. The fact that she had the same hair color and eyes as Elysia aroused him quite a bit. ¡°Rona. It¡¯s a cute name.¡± He didn¡¯t know if he would be able to satisfy both Eleon¡¯s torment and his desire for Elysia at the same time. Sabiel smacked his lips. ¡°I look forward to it.¡± Chapter 17 Rona¡¯s eyes were slightly wet. She was looking at Eleon, who had barely fallen asleep. ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± The butler had a serious expression. ¡°This seizure is going on too long. This never happened before.¡± The symptoms usually stop within a day or two. But this time, it continued for six days, even though he had only taken the medicine once. According to Bernard, the seizures stop within a day or two, even after taking medication several times. He had only eaten it once and had never been sick this long. The unusual outcome raised expectations as to whether it would be different this time from the previous medication and at the same time fueled the anxiety as to whether the pain would continue every day. As time went by, Rona was going crazy. She felt that she must have made it wrong, and felt guilty for making Eleon so sick. After being tied up in bed for almost a week, he couldn¡¯t eat or drink properly. Eleon lost weight and his face looked pale. Every time she saw him, tears kept coming out. She had learned the skill of quickly wiping away tears with a handkerchief without sniffing. Because when she cries, Eleon would worry and try to comfort her. ¡®If Karina had made the medicine herself, Eleon¡¯s eyes would have healed.¡¯ It¡¯s my fault for trying to make the medicine in a hurry without knowing how to make it. ¡°Eleon, I wanted to pay you back.¡± Maybe because the original plot didn¡¯t take place, Karina wasn¡¯t the lead anymore and Eleon¡¯s eyes won¡¯t be healed. She could only return to her original world if the ending was fulfilled. But it no longer seemed important anymore. ¡°I wish I was the main character.¡± If I was, I wouldn¡¯t have had to see Eleon suffer so much. I might have woken up with the female lead buff. After all, he drank what she made and it was very difficult for him. Rona burst into tears again and quickly pulled out her handkerchief. Then she tucked the handkerchief in her pocket. ¡°¡­ ¡­ Rona.¡± Eleon called her. Rona, who was sitting on the floor, jumped up and walked over to his bed. ¡°Sir Eleon, did you call me?¡± ¡°Why are you crying?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Rona took Eleon¡¯s hand. They couldn¡¯t have him tied up in one place. The butler tactfully loosened his wrist and this time tied Eleon¡¯s arm. His wrists were covered with bruises. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all because of me.¡± Eleon¡¯s heart ached a little when he heard her cry. He didn¡¯t want her to be sad, but he liked that she worried about him. Then he grabbed her hand, dragging her helplessly and sitting her on his bed. Eleon stroked her head. ¡°Everything¡¯s fine .¡± Sometimes there are patients with incurable diseases who even take poison in order to be cured. He was happy even if he was in pain. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty.¡± Rona got up and gave him water. He felt better for a while but turned pale again. Because she only feeds him water. ¡°Is there anything else uncomfortable¡± ¡°I want to lie on your lap.¡± Rona carefully climbed into the bed, pushed the pillow, and placed Eleon¡¯s head on her thigh. He closed his eyes, feeling good as she gently brushed his messy hair. Originally, she could not agree or listen to such a request. But she thought she would try to do everything since he was in a lot of pain. Eleon felt drowsy, he was about to fall asleep at Rona¡¯s gentle touch. ¡°Since you listen to everything I ask, I keep wanting you to do things for me.¡± ¡°Just tell me anything.¡± ¡°Really.. anything?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Eleon thought for a moment. What should I ask? Wouldn¡¯t there be something so rewarding to me and proud enough to leave it as an heirloom? His troubles have come to an end. ¡°It¡¯s enough for now.¡± It¡¯s painful and hard, but her comforting me was enough. It was a moment of joy. Flinch Suddenly, Eleon¡¯s body stiffened. Sweat began to form on his forehead. A seizure is about to begin. Rona leaned back, holding his head in her arms. ¡°Sir Eleon¡­¡± She burst into tears again. I¡¯m really fine. I¡¯m fine with only you. It¡¯s hard to see him suffering. He was looking at her. Eleon struggled to open his mouth. ¡°I want chocolate. The one sold at Caf¨¦ Cardinal.¡± ¡°Do you want something sweet? Should I tell the chef?¡± ¡°No, I want to eat that chocolate from that day. Buy it for me.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll buy it right away.¡± Her feet stopped when she was about to leave his room Eleon clenched his teeth. He didn¡¯t want to show her that he was in a lot of pain. ¡°I will go quickly. Sir Eleon.¡± CLACK Shortly after the door closed, the butler entered. ¡°Did you send Ms. Rona on an errand?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Ugh¡­ Is she gone?¡± He clenched his teeth when he asked again. ¡°Did she go?¡± ¡°Yes. I just ran into her getting ready to go out.¡± As soon as the butler finished answering, a painful sound escaped from Eleon¡¯s lips. She quickly stood up and wiped away the tears. ¡°Do you want something sweet? Should I tell the chef?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ ¡­ arghh!¡± While I was in pain, it was hard to see Rona crying like someone sicker than me. Even for a moment, I hope she doesn¡¯t feel sad when she sees me like this, even for a moment. Then I will wait for you, thinking about the taste of the sweet little chocolate you will buy. He lost his mind in a pain that seemed like it would never end. * * * * * Karina returned to Count Harrington¡¯s residence. She was upset and didn¡¯t know what to do. Since ¡®her¡¯ Sabiel was not looking for her, she went to the palace in person without an appointment. However, Karina couldn¡¯t even enter Crystal Palace. Her face flushed red when they told her to apply for an audience. An imperial palace official, who had never asked Karina to do such a thing before, stopped her by referring to the ¡®procedure¡¯. ¡¸¡°You must ask the Crown Prince for an audience before you can enter.¡±¡¹ Reluctantly, she asked for an audience and waited for a long time. Then, the chamberlain came back and said something ridiculous. ¡¸¡±The Crown Prince has refused the audience.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡±I beg your pardon? Did you tell him, I, Karina of Count Harrington wants to see him?¡±¡¹ His eyebrows lifted slightly, then fell back. ¡¸¡°Of course, I said that. I told the Crown Prince that Lady Karina was asking for an audience, but, he¡¯s not here.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°What, what did you say?¡±¡¹ Only then did Karina understand why the servants were ignoring her. The crown prince¡¯s attitude has changed. ¡°He¡¯s a bad person¡­ ¡­ .¡± Karina wept with sadness. However, she couldn¡¯t hate him. For the first time since she was born, she felt such excitement and love. Could it be something else? If not, there¡¯s no reason for him to do this. How can I meet the Crown Prince again? Karina was desperate. It seemed that she would never see such a wonderful person again if she lost the Crown Prince now. ¡°Ah, I thought I had met my destiny.¡± At that moment, Rona¡¯s words came to mind. ¡¸¡°Your fate is at a crossroads. There are two men who can make a big difference in your life. Both are noble. If you feel that something isn¡¯t going your way, be sure to look around. You can have everything you want.¡±¡¹ At that time, she pretended to hear her. As the old woman said, she would have a new life and meet her fated lover. And she believed that Sabiel was passionately in love with her. Rona told her she was going to repay her for her kindness. She had to go to the Imperial Palace every day to meet the Crown Prince, but suddenly she asked to meet someone. She refused because she thought it was unreasonable. However, Sabiel¡¯s aptitude became cold. And what Rona had said was stuck in her mouth as if they were grains of sand. Karina anxiously looked around the same spot. ¡°Oh, this can¡¯t be happening. I can¡¯t miss this perfect happiness.¡± I dreamt of a future with Sabiel. She dreamt that by his side she would become the Crown Princess. And she becomes the noblest woman in the Empire, and she lives happily ever after. She also dreamt that a cute boy is born, who resembles Sabiel and is half herself and is loved by everyone. Although Karina grew up innocently in the countryside, it doesn¡¯t mean that she has not yearned for a life in the capital or glamorous life. It was just that she was far from such a luxurious life. She had never once complained to her sick parents. But once she¡¯d put luxurious beef and expensive fruits in her mouth, it wasn¡¯t easy for her to give it up. She now wears soft, light clothes and jewels that sparkle when the light hits it. Large and coveted flowers were blooming in a manicured garden. Even the scent of those flowers was different from the wildflowers that bloomed in the mountains. ¡°Is there no other way?¡± She suddenly remembered a letter she had burned because she thought it was suspicious. [Miss Karina, excuse me in the first place. If you can spare your precious time, I hope to meet you at Cafe Cardinal because there is something important. Please reply.] Cafe Cardinal. She clearly remembered it. ¡°I should go to that cafe.¡± Then she might get a clue so she could meet Rona again. When she met Rona, she was going to get some serious advice about her fate this time around. Karina didn¡¯t want to believe that the Crown Prince¡¯s heart had changed quickly. She was ready to go out to try to solve her situation. * * * * * Rona was trembling. Her disappointment was evident in her powerless steps. ¡¸¡°I will go quickly, Sir Eleon.¡±¡¹ I said that, but the truth is, I didn¡¯t even have the heart to go quickly. For the past six days, Eleon has sent her out whenever a seizure is about to occur. One day, the gardener¡¯s wife, Niel, was struggling alone, so she asked her to help her remove the weeds from the garden. Another day, he asked me to check whether the high-quality liquors in the wine cellar match the ones listed on the books. I went into the basement wine cellar in the morning and was only able to get out in the late afternoon. Rona was Eleon¡¯s exclusive maid. So she usually had nothing to do with any of these chores. She only had to stay by Eleon¡¯s side and help him with his needs. But since he was bedridden, she was no longer serving him, so she thought of doing other household chores. It was only one day that I realized that it was an illusion. That day, she was helping Olivia in the kitchen, choosing dates for pickling. Thanks to Olivia, she returned to the mansion sooner than expected. I was just entering the hall on the first floor of the main building, when I heard Eleon¡¯s painful screams echoing through the grand mansion. A hundred emotions were contained in his screams. It wasn¡¯t because he was in pain. It was close to the sound of heartache. It wasn¡¯t because his eyes were painful. The fact that his eyes couldn¡¯t be healed was painful. ¡°Aaaargh!¡± He only screamed, but Rona felt his feelings as much as she knew him. Only then did she find out why he sent her to do chores she hadn¡¯t done before. ¡°It¡¯s okay to be next to you.¡± After realizing that fact, no matter what Eleon told her to do, her heart lingered around him, even if she could not hear his screams. ¡°You should have written down how to make the medicine, writer.¡± Rona sighed deeply. ¡®If Eleon does not recover, will there be no way to return to my original world?¡¯ But even if I couldn¡¯t go back now, I wanted to stop him from getting sick. ¡®The last time I came to Caf¨¦ Cardinal, I drank coffee with Eleon.¡¯ Looking at the old cafe sign with the paint peeling off, Rona was sad. ¡°Hello. I want to buy chocolate to go.¡± After getting the chocolate, she slowly started walking to the Grand Duke¡¯s manor. She was going to go somewhere to kill some time and then go back. ¡®Eleon¡­ Perhaps his seizures have already stopped?¡¯ Still, her mind was full of thoughts. GRASP Someone suddenly grabbed her wrist. Chapter 18 GRASP Someone suddenly grabbed her wrist. ¡°Ouch!¡± Rona let out a moan when someone grabbed her so violently. ¡°What?¡± She frowned and looked back. But she froze when she turned to the one who was holding her wrist tightly. The woman in a white robe was a beauty with mature eyes. Her red hair draped to the side of the worn hood, looked like she had bleached her hair tips white. Rona looked at her unusual and unfamiliar appearance. She tried to shake her off right away and yell at her why she was doing this. But the woman twisted her wrists with both hands, trembling so hard that her fingers turned white. Rona looked at her with a blank expression on her face. Because she could see in her face a complex swirl of longing and surprise, joy and sorrow. Perhaps? Maybe she knows the owner of this body? ¡°Hey, do you know me?¡± Why are you doing this? Rona stuttered and asked. Then the woman answered in a trembling voice, and tears fell from her eyes. ¡°Ah, Lady. I¡¯m Iris. me¡­ ¡­ me¡­ ¡­ .¡± Rona didn¡¯t know what to say. She was shocked and a little tired. She could neither empathize with her nor comfort her. Anyway, I have no memory of the borrowed body at all. Still, I was always curious and wanted to know. With no identification card, it was difficult for Rona to live here. And finding your family could give her strength to live here since she can¡¯t go back to her original world anymore. ¡°Oh, how did you forget me? me¡­ ¡­ .¡± The woman was in shock and disappointment. She was still holding her wrists as if Rona was going to run away. Iris stood there, crying as if she had become a pillar. Meanwhile, two men in white robes approached. One was a young man in his late twenties, who seemed to be a little older than Eleon. The other seemed to be about the same age as Iris. They had long brown hair, but like Iris, the tips of their hair were white. ¡°Elysia?¡± ¡°Elysia.¡± They, too, looked at Rona in great shock. They saw her standing there without a reaction, neither approaching her nor saying anything. Iris said with tears in her eyes. ¡°She had forgotten about me.¡± ¡°What?¡± The older man¡¯s expression hardened, and the younger man looked at Rona with an angry expression. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be doing this, let¡¯s move somewhere else.¡± One by one, eyes began to gather on the street. Rona nodded her head. * * * * * Hadunsha is the sanctuary of the Great Temple located in the capital. Only those who can hear the voice of God can become priests, and they are educated from a very young age. The Constance Empire was founded by knights with the backing of five gods to protect the first emperor and prevent catastrophe. After the death of Emperor Oder, the gods directly gave an oracle and influenced human lives in small and large ways. The children enrolled in Hadunsha were different from the moment they were born. It wasn¡¯t something parents could teach them. ¡®Because God exists, his voice is heard, and he guides you to Hadunsha.¡¯ You will enter Hadunsha under the guidance of God. Have you heard the voice of God? Emperor Oder is said to have left a secret as a testament to the first high priest, which has been passed down from generation to generation. Only the High Priests knew about it. The children who come to Hadunsha must say the passphrase that they heard from the gods, and it must match what the High Priest knows to enter Hadunsha. Elysia Yuter joined Hadunsha when she was three years old and had been selected as a strong candidate for the next high priest. She was a celebrity in many ways. She was, first of all, from a noble family, and was the only daughter of Duke Juter, and she was a great beauty. After she completed training and became a priest, the congregation burst into tears at every prayer she offered. But what was even more surprising than Elysia¡¯s beauty was her high holy sensitivity. Believers shed tears, repenting of their sins and misdeeds. People came to see her out of curiosity and left as faithful believers. It was rare for a child of a noble family to join Hadunsha. Even if God¡¯s voice was heard, that doesn¡¯t necessarily mean you have to become a priest. The fact that the duke¡¯s only daughter joined Hadunsha itself was a hot topic. ¡°Am I Elysia?¡± As soon as she blinked, Rona wanted to cancel the question. She understood that she might look like Elysia. But every time they saw her, tears fell from their eyes, then happiness and sometimes sadness. As if she were dead. They looked like they were all going to cry at the same time. Rona felt like a villain after making so many people cry. She felt sorry for nothing. Rona got up from where she was sitting, and everyone¡¯s eyes turned to her. ¡°I, um¡­ I¡¯m not Elysia, I have to go back.¡± Iris looked like she was about to faint. ¡°Where are you going! Lady, you¡¯re going to stay here.¡± ¡°I may not be Elysia.¡± The priest brothers, Roben and Esho, along with Iris were embarrassed. ¡°I bet my divine power that you are Elysia.¡± ¡°Me also.¡± Then something amazing happened. A small spark flashed like a halo behind the heads of the two brothers. Rona stared at them in surprise. While Iris sighed deeply when she saw Rona¡¯s expression as if it was the first time she had seen something like that. ¡°I really don¡¯t remember.¡± Rona nodded eagerly. Then she noticed that the sun was setting. ¡®Eleon must be worried.¡¯ His seizures should have stopped by now. She decided to go back home. ¡¸¡°I want chocolate. The one sold at Caf¨¦ Cardinal.¡±¡¹ The chocolate bag she was still holding was soggy from the sweat from her hands. Eleon said he wanted to eat it. ¡¸¡°I¡¯ll go quickly, Sir Eleon.¡±¡¹ I said I¡¯d buy it soon. I had a feeling that these people were not going to let me go easily. They kept the door closed because they were afraid she would run away. ¡°Then why don¡¯t I go back today and we meet again tomorrow to talk?¡± They were once again stunned and not sure what to do. ¡°Where are you going? This is where Lady Elysia should be!¡± Suddenly, Iris screamed as if she couldn¡¯t stand it. TANG! The door swung open and a middle-aged woman rushed into the room. She was a woman with golden hair and purple eyes. Rona felt an indescribable attraction to her. The woman¡¯s appearance was very similar to her. As soon as the woman saw her, she burst into tears and hugged her tightly. ¡°Oh, dear, my sweetheart!.. heh heh how do you¡­ ¡­ .¡± Her eyes met those of the sobbing woman, touching and examining her head, face, and body. Then a thought occurred to me. ¡®Am I the Elysia these people are looking for?¡¯ She felt a certain bond with that woman. Rona sighed. She came to this world without a place to lean on, or a single straw in her hand, let alone a rope. She felt a little sorry for her Eleon, who was waiting for her. But they didn¡¯t seem willing to let her go easily. It¡¯s not so bad to look for her family. On the contrary, it was good. ¡°Is there any proof that I am Elysia?¡± * * * * * The pain that was tormenting Eleon has subsided. He was screaming until his throat burst, but he caught his breath again. He really felt like he was going to die this time. He wondered if the pain was alive or had an ego. It was gnawing at Eleon¡¯s eyes, and when he felt the pain go away, it hurt again. He tried not to show it, but he was a little nervous because he had never been sick for this long. Wouldn¡¯t I always say that I¡¯d rather die in front of Rona? Rona blamed herself for making the medicine wrong just because he was in pain. If Eleon wanted to die because he was sick, he thought that Rona might die before him. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Bernard asked. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty.¡± Bernard took a small teapot with a short snout and brought it to his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s strange. You¡¯ve never been sick this long.¡± ¡°Is it because of that? Could this be the herb I¡¯ve been looking for?¡± A medicinal tea that makes the pain last for days. Since I drank it once, I have suffered for six days. So I focused on the difference from the other medicines. After taking a long breath, Eleon asked. ¡°And Rona?¡± Chapter 19 ¡°And Rona?¡± The butler seemed embarrassed. ¡°Where¡¯s Rona?¡± ¡°She hasn¡¯t come back yet.¡± Eleon calmly said. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s wasting time somewhere on purpose.¡± He was aware of it. At first, he sent her to do chores, and she went to do it. Then she comes in when his seizures have stopped. ¡°Send two or three knights to Cafe Cardinal. If she¡¯s not in the cafe, look around.¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Cafe Cardinal is only a 5-minute walk from the Grand Duke¡¯s residence. I thought that sending knights was a bit excessive, but there was no reason for the butler to disobey the master¡¯s orders. As Bernard disappeared out of the room to call knights, Eleon let out a long sigh. I¡¯m lonely. He was tossed alone in severe pain on his cozy bed. What an ironic loneliness. When I opened my eyes, I was very hungry for Rona, who always has comforted me. I didn¡¯t want her to be sad and afraid because I was in pain. What would you be like if you were in the past? If someone had felt sorry for him, he might have considered it an insult. But now, it was different. Such feelings are based on understanding and empathy. At some point, I wasn¡¯t satisfied with Rona just giving me the perfect service. I want to get closer to her. I want to reach her. He felt like something was missing. Eleon unconsciously licked his lips. A bitter taste of blood rose from his rough, cracked lips. He probably wouldn¡¯t look good enough. He believed Rona would give him water with her soft lips. Eleon sent her out because he didn¡¯t want her to suffer. But when he regained consciousness, he wanted her by his side right away. ¡°Rona is not a clock.¡± What¡¯s the point of knowing if he was sane or if he had lost his mind in a seizure? Still, I kept getting anxious about Rona¡¯s absence. It was then. RAGING Eleon¡¯s eyes were on fire. ¡°Argh!¡± A seizure caught me off guard. It was the first time I had suffered this outrageous pain. ¡°Bernard! Bernard! AHHHHH¡­ ¡­ .¡± Bernard rushed in. ¡°Your Highness! Are you all right?¡± ¡°Eyes¡­ ¡­ Are my eyes on fire?¡± ¡°The¡­ they¡¯re not.¡± Listening to the butler¡¯s embarrassed voice, Eleon thought there was no way his eyes weren¡¯t burning. He felt his eyes melting like candles in a blazing fire and flowed out of the snow. ¡°That can¡¯t be true. My eyes are melting and flowing.¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­ Your Highness¡­ They¡¯re not.¡± The butler cried. ¡°Your eyes are filled with tears.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Eleon was in pain. The butler swallowed a cry and placed a towel over his mouth. And so began another long seizure. * * * * * They moved Rona to a more secret room. She blinked. Only Duchess of Yuter and Iris remained with her in the room. Using the two large mirrors, Rona looked behind her back. She had her back uncovered, and there was a strange spot near her left shoulder. Five circles were arranged like petals, and a small pentagon was drawn in red in the center. ¡°What is this? Is it a tattoo?¡± When Rona asked, Iris took off her robe and showed her back. ¡°Oh!¡± The same thing that was on my body was on her back. Her skin color was a little darker, and it was closer to a reddish color than the pink patterns on Rona¡¯s body. ¡°It¡¯s a scar.¡± Iris put on the robe again. ¡°It¡¯s a priesthood¡¯s token. It means that you have become a servant of God and it appears close to the heart. A mark appeared on our backs.¡± ¡°It just appeared?¡± Iris nodded her head. ¡°You don¡¯t remember anything?¡± It was Rona¡¯s turn to nod. ¡°God engraved it when I finish training and become an official priest.¡± ¡°Did God engrave it?¡± ¡°Yes, it appears on its own after the ceremony.¡± ¡°Heee.¡± It was just amazing. Now I feel like I¡¯m in a novel. It¡¯s because I haven¡¯t had a chance to know this kind of setting since I¡¯ve only been at home with Eleon. I don¡¯t look at every corner of my naked body in front of the mirror. It¡¯s been about a year since I came here, but it was the first time I had to see something like this in my body. Duchess of Yuter and Iris felt sorry for themselves. They didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡®Then did the original Elysia die?¡¯ So, that¡¯s why she was able to possess her. And she keeps saying that Elysia is a priest, but she couldn¡¯t hear the voice of God at all. ¡°Excuse me, Iris.¡± Iris seemed happy when Rona called her, even though she was disappointed that she couldn¡¯t remember her. ¡°If you are a priest, do you also hear the voice of God?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s natural. If you can¡¯t hear God¡¯s voice, you can¡¯t even come to Hadunsha.¡± ¡°Ahhh. But what about it? I can¡¯t hear anything.¡± Iris and the Duchess of Yuter exchanged complex glances. ¡°And if I¡¯m Elysia, what happened? Why did I lose my memory and appeared somewhere?¡± Rona told them that she had woken up on the shores of Lake Laurel and that she was found by a couple of rangers forest. The two of them screamed when they heard that she was found out at Laurel Lake. ¡°Lake Laurel¡­ That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± ¡°Why?¡± According to them, Elysia disappeared on her way to Grerosa for a sabbatical. Grerosa is a place where priests go to commune with God, heal their minds, and rest. She was ambushed on her way to Grerosa. It is said that the escorts were slaughtered, and all the priests were also killed. Rona got goosebumps all over her body. What happened to Elysia? After confirming that she possessed Elysia¡¯s body through various shreds of evidence, it couldn¡¯t have anything to do with her. ¡®By the way, was there a scene like this in ?¡¯ It was completely unfamiliar. I don¡¯t remember seeing any talk about the temple or oracles. I didn¡¯t even know if something like that would come out later. ¡°Lake Laurel is a place where it takes a whole week by carriage from where you disappeared.¡± She said that the road was rough because there was a canyon. Roughly counting the time of Elysia¡¯s disappearance and the time Rona wakes up from the lake, moves to the city, the capital, and works at the Grand Duke¡¯s residence. It seems that it was only a day or two after Elysia¡¯s disappearance that she woke up in Laurel Lake. ¡°Then I¡¯m not Elysia, am I?¡± Iris was furious at Rona¡¯s question. ¡°You just saw the scar. Even after seeing the mark of the divine god, you said those words.¡± The problem was that I couldn¡¯t hear God¡¯s voice. I can¡¯t hear it at all. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s too late. If I don¡¯t go back, they will worry.¡± Duchess of Yuter and Iris¡¯ faces became weird at the same time. Suddenly the Duchess asked. ¡°By the way, where have you been staying? I dispatched people to search for you through the whole empire. I couldn¡¯t find a single hair, they said you must have been torn to pieces by the water of the canyon.¡± She was crying. ¡°I¡¯m working as a maid for the Grand Duke Clevent.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± Once again, seeing both of them startled at the same time, Rona felt bombarded. ¡°I¡¯m serving Sir Eleon. I made a lot of money.¡± ¡°Oh, please. Hey.¡± The Duchess put her hands on her head, dizzy. ¡°Today, I was just out on an errand for the Grand Duke for a while.¡± ¡°Did you mean you attended Grand Duke yourself?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rona answered honestly. She had no reason to lie. ¡°Maybe you and Grand Duke Clevent¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­Oh no.¡± She had a different predestined partner. I don¡¯t know what will happen in the future, though. There were times when I woke up from Eleon¡¯s bed, but it was never something the Duchess asked. Iris nodded when Rona denied it. ¡°If you are not pure, the scar will disappear.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Really.¡± Upon learning something new, Rona¡¯s eyes widened. However, they didn¡¯t seem to want to go into more detail. ¡°Anyway, you are Elysia Yuter, not Rona Hera Palace.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡± Iris affirmed vigorously. ¡°From this moment on, you must never go to the Grand Duke¡¯s house.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The Duchess declared firmly. ¡°You can¡¯t go back to the Grand Duke.¡± * * * * * The Butler was about to die. The Grand Duke¡¯s condition was unusual. The pain was divided into several types. However, it was the first time Eleon was making strange noises that he wondered if he was speaking psychotic nonsense. He says his eyes were on fire, and his eyeballs were melting and flowing out. He felt sorry for Eleon¡¯s situation. But I wondered if the pain had gone too far and if he had gone crazy because he never had seizures that lasted for such a long time. ¡®I didn¡¯t think the Grand Duke¡¯s mental power was that weak.¡¯ It was so much pain, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if someone went crazy. Many times, Bernard thought he was going crazy just by looking at him. Even after Eleon¡¯s wretched screams had stopped, somehow his voice remained in his head, and he thought he was hallucinating. Thinking that I might have gone crazy, I was afraid to venture into Eleon¡¯s bedroom for a long time, even after the bedroom was quiet. Besides, he couldn¡¯t find Rona. Before his seizure, he had sent knights to search for her on the Grand Duke¡¯s orders. But they couldn¡¯t find her and returned empty-handed. The last few days, the butler felt that the condition of his master was unusual. For half a year, Rona and Eleon have been keeping an appropriate line as employer and employee. But the past few days, it seems that something has been broken between the two of them. I saw my Lord drinking water from her mouth. I sneakily asked Rona about it, but she answered naively. ¡¸¡°Because the butler did it like that too.¡±¡¹ Bernard was stunned. Eleon sold him out as a loyal vassal to lure Rona. I couldn¡¯t believe that a well-groomed man would do such a thing, so I wondered if he was crazy. In the meantime, failing to find Rona was stuck in his neck, it was uncomfortable like a thorn. CLACK As he opened the door and entered, Eleon turned his head and looked at him. ¡°Release me.¡± His eyes were shining red in the dark. Chapter 20 ¡°Release me.¡± The surprised butler approached him. Bernard had a doubtful face. Eleon saw him. He was a little dizzy. Seeing Bernard¡¯s face for the first time in a few years caused a significant shock to his head. ¡°You.. Your Highness.¡± Bernard¡¯s voice trembled. Eleon closed his eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°Cut the ties.¡± Bernard hurriedly grabbed the scissors and cut the fabric tied to the bed. TAP TAP One arm, two, one leg, two. It was indescribable to feel the blood circulating in his body. Eleon looked at his hands. They were covered in bloodstains and bruises. It wasn¡¯t as bad as it looked. He was a trained knight, and a wound like that wasn¡¯t a big deal. In addition, among the characteristics of Oder¡¯s blood, he had a strong body and quick recovery. The bruises will heal in a few days without any medication. Eleon himself ripped the cloth knot tied around his body with great force. Bernard trembled excited to see Eleon. He knelt in front of him and cried out. ¡°Your highness! Your Highness! Congratulations.¡± The sobs had weighed heavily on him for the past three years, so Eleon got him up and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve done a great job. I have benefited from you during my short time.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t say such a thing. I just did my job.¡± Eleon slowly got up from the bed and stood up straight. When he lost his sight, he had to bend down a bit to walk. It was because he had to know where he was going with his cane. Now that he had regained his sight, he stood up naturally and looked bigger than when he was blind. The butler forgot about the pride of the man and burst into tears once again. ¡°It¡¯s a relief, it¡¯s really a relief.¡± Eleon asked him. ¡°But what about Rona? Where is Rona?¡± * * * * * Constance Avignon, capital of the Empire. Hadunsha was located in the northern annex of the Imperial Palace located in the center of the capital. A white stone building surrounded by a large forest created an antique atmosphere. It was a little noisy today. After Elysia¡¯s disappearance, they went to Grerosa to investigate the case, but the high priest who had been cultivating there returned to Hadunsha. ¡°That¡¯s Alejandro, the High Priest.¡± Iris told Rona and she saw him. The high priest was a middle-aged man with white hair and black eyes. He has smooth skin and young eyes. The High Priest looks quite young, but his hair is white like a grandfather¡¯s. ¡°Hello.¡± He smiled bitterly as he watched Rona bow awkwardly to greet him. He also bowed in front of her and greeted them. ¡°May the blessings of the Five Lords and Oder be with you.¡± ¡°May the blessings of the Five Lords and Oder be with you.¡± Iris and the Duchess greeted him naturally. Rona felt like a duck egg from the Nakdong River. She felt like she was all alone in their world. But she didn¡¯t want to force herself to follow what she didn¡¯t remember. ¡°I see that you forgot even the basics of greetings, it seems that you don¡¯t remember me.¡± High Priest Alejandro used a polite and respectful remark. His manner of speaking was so polite and intelligent, it sounded solemn and merciful. I felt like I had done something wrong. I had to confess everything. Is this the dignity of the high priest? Anyway, Rona nodded. ¡°When I was found in Lake Laurel, the forest rangers said they thought I was dead. When I woke up, I had no memory of anything before that.¡± ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t have a certain amount of memory?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything.¡± Rona said sternly. Alejandro looked at her, asked again. ¡°What happened to your hair?¡± ¡°Hair?¡± Alejandro looked at Iris. Iris answered on her behalf. ¡°Looking at the length, it appears to have been cut.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my hair?¡± When Rona asked, Iris quickly explained. ¡°When a priest bleaches the ends of the hair white, it means that he or she will become the mouth of God with a clean heart and no lies.¡± Rona saw her golden hair. Her long hair was in this state from the beginning, but it seems that Elysia was also bleaching the ends of her hair like them. ¡°This is very difficult.¡± Alejandro asked again. ¡°Can you hear God¡¯s voice right now?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You have the mark, but can¡¯t hear the calls.¡± As Alejandro spoke to himself, Duchess of Yuter asked frustrated. ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Even if she lost her memory, if she had heard God¡¯s voice, Elysia could have returned to Hadunsha. She lost her memory, but she must have known she was a servant of God.¡± Alejandro asked Rona again. ¡°Do you remember the passphrase?¡± Rona has been staying in Hadunsha for the past few days and has heard many stories. The priests were said to have heard the voice of God. And they came to Hadunsha after hearing a certain passphrase from God. The passphrase is kept as a secret. Elysia came to Hadunsha when she was three years old. ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t hear the voice of God and don¡¯t remember the passphrase, it means you no longer have the qualifications to be a priest.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± The Duchess of Yuter turned a little pale. ¡°This child¡­ ¡­ She was going to be the High Priest.¡± ¡°It used to be, but now it seems like God has retrieved his blessing.¡± Alejandro was embarrassed because it was the first time something like this had happened. ¡°She still has the mark, right? God hasn¡¯t removed it from Elysia yet.¡± ¡°Elysia will be excommunicated.¡± The Duchess of Yuter¡¯s eyes twitched at the high priest¡¯s declaration. Rona was worried. The high priest looked like someone who was about to do something very terrifying. Is the High Priesthood such an honorable profession? Isn¡¯t the path of a priest usually arduous? They lead a life that is ascetic, moral, and an example to others. The Duchess was trembling as if she had been sentenced to death. She said that Elysia¡¯s age was just twenty years old. And because of her early marriage and childbirth, the Duchess was only thirty-eight years old. They¡¯re both still young, but aren¡¯t they too young? Rona felt her world collapse, memories were gone, and she felt like a sinner. ¡°It¡¯s not possible. Please think again, Alejandro. Elysia is a child that must be in Hadunsha.¡± The fervent appeal of the beautiful and slender Duchess aroused sympathy and protective instincts. However, Alejandro didn¡¯t flinch even an eyebrow. He was also a high-ranking official. ¡°The ex-communication of Elysia is a matter for the Temple to decide.¡± ¡°Ahhh.¡± Duchess of Yuter finally burst into tears like a painting. ¡°The property donated by Duke of Yuter will be returned if you desired.¡± ¡°No! No! It¡¯s our sincerity to the five gods and Oder. It doesn¡¯t make sense to get it back.¡± The Duchess wiped her tears. ¡°Then promise me one thing.¡± ¡°What do you mean? ¡°If Elysia regains her memory, please withdraw the ex-communication.¡± There was silence. ¡°I am afraid to tell the Duchess, but that too is for the Temple to decide.¡± Alejandro barely opened his mouth. ¡°I cannot guarantee that she will hear God¡¯s call again, this is the first time someone has the mark and can¡¯t hear the call. We¡¯ll see how it goes, we just wait until we realize what the Five Lords and Oder want.¡± The Duchess nodded as if it was comforting to hear that it wasn¡¯t a firm refusal. ¡°Priest Elysia is excommunicated. Elysia Yuter has to leave Hadunsha today.¡± The Duchess burst into tears once more. * * * * * The duke¡¯s carriage was very comfortable and pleasant. Even if the carriage rolled on stone paths there was no shaking at all. It didn¡¯t seem to be much different from the Grand Duke¡¯s carriage. During her return to the duchy, the Duchess had a sad face. Rona didn¡¯t know what to say to her. Is this how parents feel when they send their children to Seoul National University and drop out to start a business?¡¯ I tried to understand her as much as possible. Even more so if you know she had donated a large amount of money. Seeing her heartbroken and distressed, Rona felt guilty for doing nothing wrong. What happened to the real Elysia¡¯s soul? It broke my heart to see the Duchess so grieved. I wish I could bring back the real Elysia. But Rona didn¡¯t know for what reason she came here, so there was nothing she could do for the Duchess. She wanted her to give the Duchess some comfort. ¡°Mother.¡± The Duchess opened her eyes wide. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t remember.¡± Rona tried to keep her emotions out of the way and spoke calmly. ¡°Still, I believe that I will be able to live a happy life. I am the one living my life.¡± ¡°Elysia.¡± ¡°I will do my best to fill the forgotten memories. If you teach me, I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°Ah, Elysia.¡± The Duchess hugged her tightly. ¡°My darling My dear baby. Just trust your mother. I will do anything for you.¡± Rona felt like she was about to cry. What happened to my body? Is our Mrs. Kim eating well? My mother is very sensitive to stress if something happens to me. I suddenly thought about what my situation would be like in reality, but I gave up soon. This world in which her consciousness lived now became real to her. The Duchess hugged Rona tightly and didn¡¯t let go until they reached the duchy. * * * * * Eleon looked at every inch of his room. He was thirteen when he left for Jane Knights Academy. Upon graduating at the age of sixteen, he became a knight commander and left for the battlefield, wandering for seven years. He was twenty-three years old when he returned home with an eye injury. And two years have passed, and he is now a young man of twenty-five years old. It was the first time in a decade since he came back to this house. It felt unfamiliar and awkward as if he had been in this room for the first time. However, I felt more comfortable when I closed my eyes. ¡°I have to adapt.¡± That gap will be filled quickly. KNOCK KNOCK The butler came inside. ¡°Grand Duke, did you call?¡± ¡°I need to go out for a bit.¡± ¡°Where are you going? Shall we prepare the carriage?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s ok. I will walk.¡± I was thinking of going to Caf¨¦ Cardinal. To the place where Rona disappeared. Chapter 21 Caf¨¦ Cardinal was not far from the Grand Duke¡¯s residence. ¡°It was really close.¡± He seemed to hear Rona¡¯s chatty voice. Eleon walked alone to the cafe where the two of them once had tea together. The streets of the capital were unfamiliar. I¡¯ve never been able to walk like this. He sometimes used a carriage, and most of the time he rode a horse. If the height is different, the view is also different. ¡°Have you always seen a scene like this?¡± Eleon looked down at the street. When he rides a horse, he concentrates on the path. It¡¯s a habit, but he always focused on passing these streets quickly. At some point, he would have passed through these cityscapes, but they were new to him as if it were the first time he had seen them. Eleon deliberately walked slowly. He wanted to see the scenery that Rona had seen while walking back and forth. When he was blind, he wanted to see it with his own eyes instead of having Rona explain it to him. Eleon sat down at a table in Caf¨¦ Cardinal and ordered coffee and chocolate. The waiter, wearing a neat white apron, spilled some coffee as she placed his order in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± The woman crouched and wiped away the spilled coffee. Her hand that was cleaning the table gradually slowed down. From a short distance, through his black hair and beautiful red eyes, the high nose bridge, and beautiful lips, the waiter meticulously scanned them. Her eyes were filled with admiration and surprise. Eleon drove her out without hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s fine, you can go.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry.¡± The sullen attitude of the waiter who left with the dishcloth was full of regrets. Soon, the two female waitresses have their hands on their chests and are pointing at Eleon. They were blushing and screaming incomprehensible. ¡°Hmm.¡± This happened every day. There were so many women in the world who acted strange whenever they saw him. Eleon wasn¡¯t very interested in women. How am I supposed to respond to such an act? I can¡¯t do the same little jumps, the same blushing, and the giggling sound. It was good to be able to talk to Rona. She had no ulterior motive. As time passed, Eleon became more comfortable, and then he became selfish. Eleon looked around Caf¨¦ Cardinal. Rona said that the wooden table resembled the garden table in the Grand Duke¡¯s house, but the table¡¯s legs were dirty. The napkin¡¯s original color was unrecognizable and stiff. ¡¸¡°The awning is blue and there are also a few tables under it. The blue sky is beautiful and clear today.¡±¡¹ The awning was broken and wasn¡¯t even repaired. Eleon laughed. ¡°She lied.¡± If I had to choose the most beautiful thing here, it would be Rona¡¯s voice that remained in my memory. TOCK TOCK TOCK Eleon stayed there for a while, rolling the square of truffle chocolate around without eating it. After a while, he approached the cafe owner at the counter and asked. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a customer who ordered chocolates here three days ago.¡± ¡°Chocolate is our specialty. It¡¯s very popular as a gift, so many customers order them.¡± ¡°She is a woman with a weird appearance. She had red hair, blue eyes, and dark skin, her face is very small. About this much!¡± Eleon clenched his fist lightly. The cafe¡¯s owner looked at it and tilted his head. ¡°I may have seen someone like that, but I don¡¯t really remember a customer with red hair and blue eyes¡­ ¡­ . Sorry. There are so many customers coming and going.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Eleon nodded. ¡°Thank you. Here!¡± ¡°Oh no, you¡¯re welcome.¡± Eleon tossed a gold coin at the reluctant owner and stepped out onto the paved street of the bustling commercial district. ¡°Did I come too late?¡± He was able to see after two and a half years. It was Bernard who stopped him from running out to find Rona. ¡¸Ro..Rona will not be upset if Your Majesty goes out to find her and finds out that your eyesight has deteriorated.¡¹ Cunning butler. Eleon quietly went back to bed. He was able to go outside after several doctors examined him, and only after hearing that there was nothing wrong with his eyes. ¡°Cedric.¡± ¡°Yes, Grand Duke.¡± His aide appeared behind Eleon¡¯s back. ¡°Guide me to where the information guild is.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cedric, who had wandered quite far to find medicine, returned. After receiving a letter from the butler stating that His Highness the Grand Duke had regained his sight, Cedric quickly returned, changing horses for two days without being able to eat or sleep. His right hand became stronger since the last image he had in his last memory. Cedric, expressionless, led him to the back alley of the capital. Shortly after arriving at a dead-end between the buildings, Cedric knocked on the wall. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK After knocking three times, a portion of the plank wall opened like a door. ¡°Come in.¡± A man dressed in black led them into a narrow alley on the other side. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°I want to find someone.¡± ¡°Hmm. If it¡¯s within the capital, it¡¯s 100 gold coins. If other areas, there¡¯s an extra fee¡­ ¡­ .¡± Eleon took out a heavy pocket in front of the man. ¡°It¡¯s 1000 gold coins.¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± The attitude of the man changed to being polite. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a woman. Her name is Rona Hera Palace. She is twenty-seven. Her appearance is red hair, blue eyes, dark skin, her face is small and she is this tall.¡± ¡°Hey. Is your wife the one who ran away from home?¡± ¡°Is that important?¡± ¡°Our guild can find people, but we don¡¯t force people to come back.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not.¡± Eleon immediately denied it. She indeed left the house, but she was not yet ¡®his wife¡¯. ¡°Yes. If that¡¯s the case, then there shouldn¡¯t be any problem. We¡¯ll try our best. I will do my best for this large sum.¡± Eleon got up and said. ¡°It¡¯s a down payment.¡± ¡°Huh!¡± When leaving the guild, all the remaining members came out and bowed 90 degrees to greet him. ¡°Cedric. You have some work to do.¡± ¡°Just order anything.¡± The downtown area was so crowded, that the two men soon disappeared. * * * * * CRASH Sabiel tossed at his aide a silver tray with grapes and cheese on it. ¡°What? Rona, she¡¯s gone?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. That¡­ that¡¯s right. Your Majesty the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Sabiel was furious and threw the glass he had been drinking and the cushion he was holding at him. ¡°Did you leak the information?¡± The lieutenant was scared and put his head on the floor. ¡°No. It never happened.¡± ¡°But where and why did she disappear?¡± ¡°At first, she didn¡¯t leave the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion. So I went last night to capture her but.. ¡­ .¡± The lieutenant explained that he had attempted to kidnap her at night. ¡°Very few people stay in the Grand Duke¡¯s residence, so the security is very poor. I checked in advance, I searched the place where the maids were staying on the 3rd floor, but there was none.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t she staying in Eleon¡¯s bedroom?¡± It makes sense if she takes care of him. ¡°It is said that she¡¯s not the Grand Duke¡¯s woman.¡± ¡°How did you know that if you don¡¯t even have a spy in the mansion?¡± ¡°After the Grand Duke lost his sight due to poison, he became very suspicious, so he bought a farm himself to get the ingredients. He hired an errand boy and bribed the farmer, but she was not a woman who spent the night in the Grand Duke¡¯s room, she only served him meals, cleaned and talked to him.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± From Sabiel¡¯s point of view, it was incomprehensible. Eleon bought clothes worth a whole year¡¯s rent for a small house to a woman who¡¯s not even in a relationship. Besides, she was a servant, who was not a noble, a commoner, a friend, or lover. ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡± When Sabiel tried to open the curtain, Eleon grabbed his wrist. At that time, his eyes were full of anger and possessiveness. Isn¡¯t that an implicit response to not touch his girl? Eleon held his wrist very tightly, it throbbed for days as if it had cracked. ¡°Rona, find that woman.¡± Sabiel swallowed hard. ¡°If it¡¯s something Eleon hasn¡¯t touched, I¡¯ll have to take it first.¡± His aide kept his mouth shut. He was happy as if he had found an interesting toy. * * * * * Three days have gone since she came to the Duke of Yuter¡¯s residence. Rona has been quite busy. The Duchess Mariela Yuter was a beautiful and virtuous woman. She and her husband, the Duke of Yuter, made a very good couple of lovebirds. The couple cared for each other. They were friendly and very polite. Thanks to this, the atmosphere was so warm that it couldn¡¯t get any better than this. ¡°Good morning Elysia.¡± ¡°Good morning, father.¡± Duke Gillian Yuter was an intelligent man with brown hair and brown eyes. Having compiled several Imperial histories, he exudes an academic look, especially with his glasses. Rona was confident that she could choose her father as the most handsome man in the Empire. ¡°Did you sleep well yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes. Mother, did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Yes, I always sleep well. The food will get cold, let¡¯s eat.¡± They had breakfast together. One thing that puzzled Rona was that no one except Mariela knew that she had been excommunicated from Hadunsha. Is it because she got involved? Was it because of Mariela that Elysia went to Hadunsha? Mariella hugged her and cried all the time on her way home. Since then, Rona has treated her with a bright and positive attitude. Gillian, the Duchess, and the servants welcomed Elysia¡¯s return with open arms. ¡°Starting today, teachers will be coming.¡± ¡°Already?¡± Gillian raised an eyebrow. ¡°Not already. Even if it¡¯s late, if you want to make your debut, you have to hurry.¡± Mariela seemed to have decided to replenish forgotten etiquette and imperial history. ¡¸¡°I will do my best to fill the forgotten memories. If you teach me, I¡¯ll do my best.¡±¡¹ Rona, who couldn¡¯t say anything to comfort her unfamiliar mother for three days, cried and nodded in desperation. Damn it. I thought I wouldn¡¯t have to study again. Human affairs are so unpredictable. After breakfast, she returned to her room. A young maid quickly followed her inside. ¡°What happened to what I told you to find out?¡± The maid said proudly. ¡°The Grand Duke¡¯s eyes are healed.¡± Chapter 22 ¡°The Grand Duke¡¯s eyes are healed.¡± ¡°Ah! That¡¯s a relief. I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± Rona clasped her hands tightly and was excited for a moment. ¡°How did you find out?¡± ¡°The Grand Duke¡¯s health improved. He¡¯s not going to return to the social world or politics anymore. They are hiring a lot of people.¡± Laurie said that her friend¡¯s boss is very picky and she wants to go to work at the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion. She also said that the salary was quite high. ¡°But how did my Lady know about this? My Lady was always in Hadunsha.¡± Laurie, who had just turned 17, was still an innocent maid. Rona chose a relatively young Laurie from among the more experienced maids. Laurie wanted to attend Lady Elysia. She was lucky and honored that she was chosen. She was a girl who would cry if Elysia cried, laugh if she laughed, and roll if she rolled. ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain.¡± Rona laughed awkwardly. Laurie was euphoric to see her face. ¡°Ah, my Lady. Does it have anything to do with the revelations of the Five Lords?¡± ¡°Well¡­ That¡¯s a little too much for me to say.¡± As she laughed in embarrassment once more, Laurie said passionately. ¡°My Lady, can¡¯t you just do that expression one more time?¡± Rona looked embarrassed and vaguely convinced. She smiled with a complicated expression but was unwilling to speak. Laurie let out a scream. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m glad to be your maid.¡± Laurie exclaimed that she was so pretty, no matter what expression she made, when Rona let Laurie out of the room, there was finally silence. ¡°Phew. Eleon¡­ Eleon can see now.¡± I suddenly left without leaving a single word. ¡¸¡°I will go quickly. Sir Eleon.¡±¡¹ What would he think of me when I disappeared after saying that? ¡°What do you think? You might have no idea.¡± Rona muttered to herself. Eleon relied on her because he couldn¡¯t see. If he were the Eleon from before, he would be second in the line of succession to the Imperial throne. Besides, the best knight of the Empire. He is a person who has nothing to regret. Eleon no longer needs to listen to her read a book and wonder about the scenery she describes. Now he can read it with his own eyes and see for himself. ¡°I wanted to see Eleon get his sight back.¡± The last image of Eleon in Rona¡¯s memory was of a miserable man who had been forcibly tied to the bed, groaning in pain and running wild like a wounded beast. Perhaps it was her greed to see him again in his most glorious and splendid appearance. She stayed by his side through his darkest days. Is it her stubbornness to think that she might be a little special to him, that made Eleon, who fell into the abyss, live like a human? ¡°Maybe you never want to see me again.¡± Eleon showed his buttocks too much in front of ¡®Rona¡¯. As if she had tamed a beast whose shame had been castrated, she always said to him, ¡®It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to be shy.¡¯ She also told him that she was hired for that. ¡°If you meet me, you may feel bad if you remember about that time.¡± Rona looked in the mirror. Her hair was shiny and her eyes looked deeper. She always wore maid clothes and often tied her hair, and although she was only wearing soft clothes made of muslin, she was a graceful beauty. Her beauty seemed to have been inherited from her mother, Mariela. ¡°I¡¯m glad you don¡¯t know what I look like.¡± Because he¡¯s never seen her once. KNOCK KNOCK Laurie called her with a wobbly smile. ¡°Lady Elysia. The Duchess is looking for you. The etiquette teacher is here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡± Rona was a person who didn¡¯t exist in this world. ¡°From now on, I have to live as Elysia.¡± Looking in the mirror once more, she fixed her hair and straightened her back. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Thus, Elysia returned the name of Rona to the drama. * * * * * Karina stared at the tasteless, burnt coffee. It¡¯s been three days since she started marking her daily attendance at Cafe Cardinal. She came here just in case, but she couldn¡¯t even see Rona¡¯s nose. What! It was she who first asked me to meet at Caf¨¦ Cardinal. She couldn¡¯t remember when that happened, but Karina blamed Rona for nothing. Karina burned the letter and couldn¡¯t remember the date Rona was going to wait for her. There was no other way for her to find her than to endure suffering like this. It¡¯s difficult for a lady of a noble family to walk around in person. There are errand boys who do it for them for a little bit of money, but Karina had not yet received her personal funds. Count Harrington was worried she would be swindled because she grew up with commoners in the countryside. Instead, if Karina needed anything, the Countess would follow her, choose what they wanted together, and pay for her. Karina had no complaints when she received dresses, hats, parasols, perfumes, and even small jewelry, but in this case, she didn¡¯t have enough money to maintain her dignity. She had to wait for Rona herself, who might or may not have come. Karina didn¡¯t feel very good. ¡°I thought a happy future was waiting for me.¡± It was. Karina wasn¡¯t pleased right now. ¡¸¡°You will soon start a new life. A strong fate awaits you. You are going to have a very fateful and passionate love. The man was tall and had dark hair. His eyes¡­ ¡­ cough cough cough.¡±¡¹ She thought that she had met a person who was guided by a strong destiny while living a new life. But her fated lover betrayed her. Sabiel. The thought of him made Karina grind her teeth. She couldn¡¯t believe that a few sweet words had fooled her. In the Empire, aristocratic marriages were divided into arranged marriages and love marriages. In general, nobles had wide networks and were revered as role models, and noblewomen would take the lead. In addition to the circumstances of both families, is to build a relationship that can be beneficial to each other. In love marriage is to ask both families to meet each other in order to get married. It usually leads to good results if the intentions of both parties are firm unless there is a strong reason to oppose them. The problem was that women¡¯s chastity was very important in arranged marriages. If the bride was not pure on the first night, it would be a reason to break up the marriage. In a love marriage, if the parties understand and remain silent, that is the end of it. Karina couldn¡¯t believe she had made such a reckless and foolish choice a few weeks ago. She went crazy just thinking about Count Harrington and his wife, who had a beautiful foster daughter, and expected to receive a bunch of courtship letters from good families. ¡¸¡°Your destiny has two routes. Two men can make a big difference in your life. Both are noble. If you feel that something isn¡¯t going your way, be sure to look around. You can have everything you want.¡±¡¹ Karina wanted to ask Rona one thing. Looking back, her prediction was right, but she was seduced by the Crown Prince. And now all she had left were regrets. Then, who was the second man? Didn¡¯t she say that if I looked around I could have everything I wanted? Karina was lost. Whenever she thinks of Sabiel, she gets angry. She doesn¡¯t know where she will find a good relationship, so she wants to meet Rona again and get a hint from her. ¡°Hah ha ha ha!¡± ¡°If you say it like that¡­ ¡­ .¡± Seeing the people talking loudly, Karina frowned slightly. It¡¯s noisy. Caf¨¦ Cardinal was a low-quality shop. Most of the customers are commoners or poor aristocrats, aside from the fact that their tea tastes bad because they use cheap tea. The shop was also messy and dirty. If the seats were so dirty, it was good not to see how filthy the kitchen was that was hidden by the curtains. If I couldn¡¯t meet Rona today, the thought of coming back tomorrow annoyed me. Karina was originally a bold and free spirit. She went to the mountains to gather edible wild berries. She could sit comfortably on the ground, kicking her feet, even if there were centipedes or spiders. But the luxury lifestyle and her shocking dating experience changed her completely. When Karina first came to the capital, she felt stuffy. She thought if she had encountered such a crowded and lively cafe at that time, she would have been happy to have a cup of tea while resting her legs. Karina¡¯s big problem now is that she didn¡¯t know how mundane she had become. She was drifting away, not knowing that her own change would change the course of her destiny. It was then. ¡°Hey, lady.¡± Three strangers approached her, touching her. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you ever since you came. Did you come alone?¡± ¡°A friend is coming.¡± ¡°Friend? You don¡¯t seem to have any friends.¡± Karina got angry. She was offended, by pointing at them. ¡°What are you guys? You better get lost.¡± ¡°What? You? How can you talk so rude?¡± ¡°Do you know who I am? Just go quietly.¡± The men¡¯s eyes changed. ¡°I was trying to be friendly with you because you are so pretty.¡± ¡°Come here.¡± Karina, who was sitting on the terrace waiting for Rona, was half-drowned by the men¡¯s hands. ¡°Let me go.¡± ¡°Stop Arguing.¡± ¡°He..help!¡± However, the customers who had been listening to Karina all the time, unintentionally disparaging the level of the cafe like she was talking to herself, turned away from her. Karina trembled in fear. ¡°Put that hand away.¡± ¡°What else are you¡­ ¡­ .¡± The men who looked back widened their eyes. At the same time, Karina¡¯s eyes widened. It was the first time she had seen such a handsome man. He was very tall and had a great physique. Red eyes were set under his dark hair, like Oder, the myth¡¯s hero. ¡°You guys are being rude to the lady.¡± The men were outraged. ¡°This woman started first!¡± ¡°Yes. We were just wanted to invite her to have a cup of tea together.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± One of the men said. ¡°But if she says she doesn¡¯t like it, you have to step back like a real man.¡± He was dignified, and every word he spoke was intimidating. The thugs eventually let go of Karina¡¯s arm and backed away. ¡°I¡¯ll cut you some slack this time.¡± ¡°Wretched b*tch.¡± Karina internally cursed that they were cowardly bastards. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The moment she raised her head and met the man¡¯s eyes. BA-THUMP BA-THUMP. Karina¡¯s heart began to pound. Chapter 23 A strange illusion took hold of her. Karina heard something in her head. Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle. She felt like the wheels of her lost fate were coming together. The noise got lower until she couldn¡¯t hear anything. She and the black-haired and red-eyed man could not take their eyes off each other and fell into a world of their own. A bright light radiated from behind the man. There was like a rain of flower petals. Karina saw a bright night shadow fall behind the beautiful man. Shining Stars and the Milky Way. Everything in the world was below man¡¯s beauty. He was a vicious and destructive existence. Karina became unable to think of anything the moment she saw him. The old woman¡¯s prediction came to her confused mind. ¡¸¡°You will soon start a new life. A strong fate awaits you. You will fall in love with a very fateful and passionate love. The man was tall and had dark hair. His eyes¡­ ¡­ Cough cough cough.¡±¡¹ A tall man with dark hair. And his eyes¡­ ¡­ She didn¡¯t hear the color. Sabiel was also tall and had curly black hair, but his eyes were blue. And the man in front of her had red eyes. Karina¡¯s heart pounded. A great destiny led her to Caf¨¦ Cardinal to meet this person. Karina felt like crying. Her heart was full of emotions. She was reflecting on what Rona said. It seemed that fate was giving her back what she always wanted. A sense of having found a place to live as the protagonist of her life came over her. It was then. The man¡¯s lips, which had been closed the whole time, moved. Karina felt like she already knew what he was going to say. It¡¯s an honor to be able to save a beautiful woman. That phrase popped into her mind. She believed that a clear future was flowing into her hands from somewhere. But the words that came out of the man¡¯s mouth were completely different. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Then bye.¡± Suddenly, the noise from the street rushed into her ears. The thugs were still cursing her from a distance as they walked away. What happened just now¡­ ¡­. It was as if her soul was connected to his. A dizzyingly deep and sweet connection. It was her first time. Am I the only one who felt this great feeling? Karina couldn¡¯t believe it. Clearly, our eyes met. But within those seconds he was already quite far away. ¡°Hey, excuse me! Wait!¡± Karina¡¯s voice did not reach him. The man¡¯s back soon disappeared into the crowd. * * * * * The gardens of the Duke of Yuter¡¯s mansion were famous for their beauty. Duchess Mariela had a hobby of gardening herself, and Gillian, who loved his wife, did a special big project for her. A shallow moat was dug in a wide plot of land. Some ground was raised, and everything from flowers blooming along the water to plants growing in mountains and streams looked like a miniature version of nature itself. Yuter¡¯s paradise. There was a small music hall in the middle of the garden where Mariela often spent her time. But today, her face was gloomy and full of worry. ¡°Mother.¡± Elysia walked up to her, smiling. ¡°Elysia.¡± Mariela smiled kindly. ¡°What did you call me here?¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Mariella let out a sigh before she even started talking. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Elysia thought it wouldn¡¯t be too serious. Mariela¡¯s biggest concern was that Elysia was excommunicated from Hadunsha. But in comparison, nothing mattered too much. However, sighing for a long time over something related to her didn¡¯t bother Elysia. ¡°Her Majesty, The Empress wants to see you.¡± ¡°The Empress?¡± Mariela nodded very worriedly. ¡°Is it because I lack manners?¡± Elysia took Mariela¡¯s hand. ¡°Until then, I will work hard and learn more. It may not be perfect, but I¡¯ll try my best to make sure I don¡¯t embarrass Mother.¡± A little while ago, Elysia had been attending an etiquette class for over three hours. Tears welled up from her. A corset squeezed her waist, and she had to sit very straight for a long time. She was so frustrated that she nearly passed out. There is no more place to tighten. Elysia¡¯s body was already perfect. Her face was small and her body was slender without any fat. She had to tighten her waist with a corset to make her look slimmer. During all this time, she worked as a maid at the Grand Duke¡¯s residence, so it was her first time wearing a corset. What a monstrous thing! She felt the blood flowing through her lower body and her upper body was cut off from the middle. She wanted to take it off as soon as class was over, but Mariela had been waiting for a long time. Mariela looked at Elysia and shook her head. She had an unknown sadness in her deep eyes. ¡°Is fate inevitable?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Unable to comprehend the helpless mumble, Elysia stared at her, raised her head, and smiled. ¡°Nothing. Just saying.¡± Mariela picked up a letter with a large golden imperial coat of arms. ¡°The Empress wants to see you in five days.¡± ¡°So fast?¡± ¡°She must have heard that you were excommunicated from Hadunsha. The Empress is very fond of you.¡± Elysia couldn¡¯t comprehend which part of this sympathetic letter was worrying Mariela. So she asked. ¡°Mother. I don¡¯t remember. Please tell me anything.¡± Elysia became impatient thinking that she might make a big mistake. ¡°Ahhh. Elysia. The Empress wants you to become the Crown Princess.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Elysia opened her eyes wide. ¡°The Crown Princess¡­ ¡­ .¡± She stared at Mariela. Mariela¡¯s reaction was strange. When she was excommunicated from Hadunsha, Elysia tried to understand that Mariela¡¯s behavior was similar to ¡®the reaction of a parent who sends their children to Seoul National University and then drops out of school¡¯. But right now, she was like, ¡®The child who quit Seoul National University was admitted to Harvard, but the parent didn¡¯t want the child to study abroad¡®. Could it be that the Crown Princess¡¯ position is lower than being a candidate for High Priest? No matter how little she read the original, she could not understand all of these parts, so Elysia said cautiously. ¡°Uh, um. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m good enough to be the Crown Princess.¡± Also, the Crown Prince is Karina¡¯s second male lead. Karina even said that she was having an affair with the Crown Prince. But, what the hell is wrong with the Empress, wanting to make her the Crown Princess? ¡°Not enough? It¡¯s not because you¡¯re lacking. It¡¯s all because I¡¯m a useless mother.¡± Mariela smiled sadly. Oh, if Laurie had seen Mariela¡¯s face, she would have become her fan instead of mine. Elysia became serious. ¡°There is no noble who would refuse to marry to the imperial family but as your mother, I don¡¯t like it.¡± She looked around the paradise surrounding the Music Hall. ¡°The Yuters have been exceptional from generation to generation. They made a great fortune. But your dad likes to study history and travel abroad. I¡¯m from a humble family, so I¡¯m not interested in politics. I¡¯m just quietly taking care of the garden.¡± The problem was that the Duke of Yuter was very powerful. ¡°If you became the Crown Princess, you would have to live in the Imperial Palace, and that is happiness for those who want it, but for those who don¡¯t, it may be unfortunate.¡± Elysia almost said something but preferred to keep her mouth shut. I was wrong to think poorly of Mariela. She was an ideal mother who put the happiness of her child first. ¡°What do you want to do? If you are interested in that position, I will discuss it with your father.¡± ¡°Well. I don¡¯t think I want to be the Crown Princess.¡± Elysia was curious about what happened to Karina¡¯s marriage. ¡°Maybe I have forgotten everything. But from now on, I will learn from scratch. I know Mother is worried about my ex-communication. But I¡¯m going to figure out what I want to do. Please believe in me.¡± Elysia thought that if she succeeded in finding a job, she would never have to worry about her future. She suddenly fell into this world and worked as a maid to survive, but Elysia questioned herself. If I wasn¡¯t living a different life here, wouldn¡¯t I have thought about my life course in reality? She knew, in fact, that¡¯s not true. After graduating from school, getting a job, then getting a promotion, then getting married, and after getting married, you have to have a child. She wanted to get out of the cycle of endless worries and be happy for a while. ¡°I¡¯m sure I can make a good choice.¡± The only thing she could believe in was herself. Elysia was sure she was strong and lucky. At first, she almost died on the shore of a cold lake, but in the end, she lived on her own for half a year, and she was lucky enough to find her family. ¡°Thank you for saying that, Elysia.¡± Only then did Mariela pat her on the head, a little relieved. She treated her eldest daughter, who was twenty, like a little child. Perhaps it was because Elysia went to Hadunsha at a very young age. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m worried. I have to get a dress all of a sudden.¡± ¡°Dress?¡± Mariela nodded. ¡°You can¡¯t wear clothes that are inferior to the Royal Palace. I can¡¯t get a dress this quickly.¡± Mariela sighed, saying that even a simple dress would take weeks to make. At that moment, a brilliant idea flashed through Elysia¡¯s head. ¡°I have a good idea.¡± * * * * * ¡®Le Ballein¡®, a dressing shop located on Luton Street. Eleon murmured as he looked up at the signboard with golden letters. ¡°This is the place.¡± It seemed to him that it would be difficult for commoners and maids to come and go. It was the first time Eleon had come to the dressing room with Rona. This is because the Grand Duke¡¯s residence has contracts with several famous clothing stores. And if he needed clothes, they would come directly to the mansion. The reason Eleon brought her here was that he thought Rona liked going out since she couldn¡¯t go out for six months. He had quite a good time before Sabiel appeared. The texture of the clothes he touched that day still remains on his fingertips. The woman who was supposed to wear those clothes disappeared. ¡°Welcome. Grand Duke. It¡¯s an honor to meet you again.¡± Seeing his red eyes, Emily could not hide her surprised face and quickly bowed. ¡°I¡¯m here for the clothes I had ordered before.¡± Emily nodded and answered quickly. ¡°Yes, Your Highness. The order cancellation and refund have been completed.¡± Chapter 24 ¡°Yes, Your Highness. The order cancellation and refund have been completed.¡± ¡°What?¡± Eleon doubted if he had heard correctly. Emily came out with a large, heavy-looking wooden box. ¡°Since you paid in cash, we prepared a refund in gold coins.¡± ¡°Wait. What does this mean?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Refund? What do you mean by refund?¡± Emily seemed puzzled by Eleon¡¯s reaction. ¡°Miss Rona came and canceled the order, and told me to hand over the refund when someone came from the Grand Duke¡¯s residence.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ Did Rona come here herself?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°When? When did she come?¡± ¡°That was ¡­ about ten days ago.¡± ¡°Ten days ago?¡± At that time, Rona was still staying in the manor. Did she stop by when she went out? Those are the clothes Eleon picked. He was annoyed that Rona had canceled the order. It felt as if his heart had been rejected because his favor was a burden. Who asked you to accept my heart? It wasn¡¯t even a proper confession. He got a refund without his knowledge. These past few days, Eleon was full of anguish. It seemed that everything would be perfect if he got back his sight. He thought he would be able to sell his soul to the devil if he could get back to a time when his eyes were fine. Originally, it was a life where Eleon didn¡¯t know what was missing. He felt insanely empty when his eyes healed. And the reason was that Rona canceled the order. Everything in the world must have an equivalent exchange. If there is nothing to lose, there is also nothing to gain. ¡°You got your sight back and lost her?¡± That¡¯s absurd. No one had ever informed Eleon of such a precondition. He couldn¡¯t accept such unfairness. The place where Rona was supposed to be was by his side. Then Eleon left the dressing shop as if there was nothing else to see. Emily placed her hand on her pounding chest. ¡°Teacher, are you alright?¡± The apprentice seamstress approached Emily worriedly. Emily nodded. ¡°Bring me some water.¡± Emily went into the sewing room and staggered into her chair. ¡°Oh my gosh.¡± She was very satisfied with her success and wealth. She also had a lot of pride in her work. However, every day is a repeating pattern without major ups and downs. She was slowly aging, going from home to work. Then there was a big stir in her life. It was precisely because the Duchess of Yuter and her daughter had come to visit her a few hours earlier. Mother and daughter looked exactly alike in hair, eye color, and appearance, like cookies made from the same mold. And, surprisingly, the daughter was someone she already knew. The Duchess of Yuter was always a hot topic. She was praised for her beauty, and the fact that her only daughter joined Hadunsha was also unusual. Such a Duchess was even famous for being frugal and seldom set foot into a dress shop on her own. Of course, it was the first time Emily had ever seen the Duchess of Yuter in person, but the one who came with her as her daughter was the blind beast maiden brought by Grand Duke Clevent to tailor her clothes. ¡¸¡°I know it¡¯s a difficult request. But as a woman, you understand, don¡¯t you?¡±¡¹ The Duchess asked earnestly. Emily couldn¡¯t believe a gentle but determined and graceful lady would bow down for such a favor. Emily was at a loss. ¡°I thought my daughter was dead, she came back after half a year. What would Elysia¡¯s life be like if it became known that she stayed with the Grand Duke? She is excommunicated from Hadunsha and what if she loses her honor as a woman, she would have to live an unhappy life.¡± ¡°Lady Elysia. Have you lost your memory?¡± To Emily, who couldn¡¯t contain her curiosity, Elysia gave a weak smile with a helpless, troubled face. ¡°Yes.¡± Her sad face was so beautiful that Emily decided to accept her request. The duchess bought all the clothes that the Grand Duke had ordered, and asked him to return the money, apart from telling him that she had asked for the refund long before. What if such a young and beautiful lady is caught up in a scandal and the path to marriage is blocked? In addition, sales are fully guaranteed. Emily received a pre-order confirmation that the Duchess would order the wedding dress from ¡®Le Ballein¡® if Elysia were to get married. The Duchess¡¯ face brightened as she signed the contract and handed it to Emily. If Emily had offered to keep her mouth shut for nothing, she would have felt uncomfortable, too. They stood up from their seats and left. ¡°Sigh. I almost told him all about it.¡± Eleon came so suddenly, and Emily was very shocked that he could see already. He was an incomparably different person. At that time, Emily¡¯s eyes were unfocused and she moved according to Rona¡¯s guidance. Eleon was meant to rule over people. She felt overwhelmed, and intimidated with every step Eleon took. ¡°Is that the power of Oder?¡± Black hair and red eyes. Eleon had the same characteristics as the first emperor who founded the empire, and there was only one descendant per generation. Although, it is a bit strange that he had them because he didn¡¯t have Oder¡¯s name. ¡°Come to think of it, I have never felt that way around the Crown Prince.¡± So, didn¡¯t the Crown Prince try to ¡®turn the tables¡¯ on him by arguing at my workplace? Emily pulled out an envelope from her desk drawer. She regained her composure when she saw the Duchess of Yuter¡¯s signature. ¡°I need to keep it safe.¡± Emily, who had been breaking out in a cold sweat in fear of being caught lying to the Grand Duke, smiled happily as she imagined the wedding dress of Elysia Yuter that she would have to make one day. * * * * * As Sabiel entered the Empress¡¯s private chamber, Empress Seraphina greeted him with a smile. ¡°Sabiel.¡± ¡°Long time no see, Your Majesty the Empress.¡± ¡°What are you so busy with, Your Highness? It makes me sad that you never come every time I call you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve had a lot of work to do lately.¡± Empress Seraphina gently seated Sabiel at the tea table prepared in advance. ¡°Today, I have an urgent matter to discuss with you.¡± ¡°What is the problem?¡± ¡°It¡¯s time for the Crown Princess to pay her respects.¡± Sabiel wore an apathetic expression. Empress Seraphina frantically grabbed his hand. ¡°I think it¡¯s too early for me to get married.¡± ¡°Your Highness must produce descendants. What will happen if the only heir of the Imperial Family is so carefree?¡± Empress Seraphina looked at him. ¡°I thought you were interested in Count Harrington¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°Count Harrington¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°I know Lady Karina stayed in the Crystal Palace, this mother also has ears and eyes.¡± Karina? Who is Karina? Then Sabiel remembered who Karina was. ¡°It would be unfair if Count Harrington was second in terms of wealth. They lack a bit of elegance.¡± It was only then that he remembered it because of Empress Seraphina¡¯s words. A woman with silver hair, green eyes, and a hazy look. Sabiel shrugged and replied. ¡°It would be better than the old nobles. The new aristocrats are much more favorable to me.¡± Empress Seraphina had a bitter taste. She was also the daughter of a high-ranking family of old nobles. However, she was upset because her son didn¡¯t get their support and was attached to powers that were not aristocratic. The old nobles who had supported her rise to the position of Empress also frustrated her. Empress Seraphina had a headache due to the old nobles requesting an audience these days. Then she heard good news. It is said that Elysia, the jewel of Hadunsha, has returned. The Duke of Yuter was one of the few venerable families that could create a good public opinion at the center of the old aristocracy, not to mention his wealth. The Duke was not interested in politics, so he wasn¡¯t very active in his current generation. But if the Crown Prince became his son-in-law, the Duke of Yuter would be a strong supporter more than anyone else. There were no parents who would have put their daughter¡¯s happiness as collateral. ¡°Still, you have to win the support of the old nobles. No matter how hard the new aristocrats struggle, will they get even half of the territory owned by the old nobles?¡± That was the problem with the emerging aristocrats. They were newly appointed as nobles with extraordinary abilities or financial resources, but they did not have any territories. The territory includes people, land, and everything that comes from that land. It is true that no matter how much money the new nobility has, it becomes shabby compared to the estates owned by the old nobility. Since this leads to political funds, the Empress will not side with the emerging aristocrats. The Empress was saddened by Sabiel¡¯s constant contact with the new aristocrats. ¡°Anyway, if I become emperor, there will be no problem.¡± The son, who knew only one thing and did not know ten, was frustrated, but Empress Seraphina brought up the main point. ¡°Do you know Lady Elysia Yuter?¡± ¡°Elysia Yuter?¡± Yes, I know her. Sabiel thought of her for a moment. Sabiel has developed a strange hobby of collecting pure gold and amethyst. It was because Elysia was out of his hands. ¡°Lady Elysia was excommunicated from Hadunsha and returned to the Duke¡¯s family.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Sabiel was happily interested in this story, and Empress Seraphina laughed and repeated what she had said. ¡°It is said that Lady Elysia was excommunicated from Hadunsha and returned to the Duke¡¯s family.¡± Elysia Yuter was mentioned as a candidate for the Crown Princess position as soon as she was born. However, when she was only three years old, she joined Hadunsha and became a priest. The Empress thought that the relationship between Elysia and Sabiel had ended there. ¡°Excommunicated from Hadunsha? Wasn¡¯t she a candidate for the next High Priest position?¡± Empress Seraphina nodded. ¡°It is said that the reason was that she was seriously ill. Thanks to her memory loss.¡± ¡°Memory.. loss?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Your Highness. That doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s not healthy.¡± Has Elysia lost her memory? At that moment, Sabiel¡¯s eyes sparkled with mad excitement. Hadunsha was a sanctuary. It was a place that was difficult for anyone to get in and out of. The residence of the priests was nearby, and Elysia could only be seen from a distant place at the prayer assembly. But Sabiel had cared for her for a long time and had developed a curiosity. It was a coincidence that Elysia had left for Grerosa, and would not return to the capital for several years. Sabiel turned it into an opportunity. He hired assassins to annihilate the Temple¡¯s knights and priests and bring Elysia back. Sabiel cut Elysia¡¯s hair himself. She is a symbol of God¡¯s servant and seeing the tip of her bleached hair, Sabiel was hesitant to treat her badly as a descendant of Oder. ¡°You crazy bastard!¡± He couldn¡¯t forget Elysia¡¯s angry face, who was clearly swearing through her lips when he was about to take off her clothes. Elysia stabbed Sabiel and threw her own body into Lake Laurel. The woman he thought was dead is still alive, and has lost her memory. Sabiel smiled brightly. ¡°Great. I¡¯ll get married if it is her.¡± Chapter 25 The midday light fell through the center of the ceiling of the Sun Palace. A large lunch was set up in the place slightly away from the glare of the sun. The Emperor spoke while looking at Eleon. ¡°It¡¯s like a miracle.¡± Emperor Markis Oder Constance was over sixty years old. The emperor¡¯s eyes were filled with emotions he could not control. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come to the palace earlier?¡± ¡°My eyes have been healed recently and it could be very dangerous if I see the light.¡± The Emperor looked very disappointed. ¡°Still, I would be the last to know that my only nephew¡¯s eyes are healed. ¡± ¡°I am sorry.¡± ¡°By the way, what about Sabiel?¡± When the Emperor asked this, Empress Seraphina wiped her lips with a napkin. ¡°The Crown Prince said it was difficult to come because he was busy.¡± ¡°He is always busy.¡± Empress Seraphina¡¯s face hardened as the emperor murmured as if it was unreasonable. ¡°The Knight Commander of the Empire is back. It¡¯s been bothering me all this time that I couldn¡¯t properly congratulate you on your victory in the Seven Years¡¯ War.¡± ¡°That is in the past. Don¡¯t worry about it, Your Majesty.¡± The Emperor smiled generously at him. ¡°Ask me whatever you want. The Seven Years¡¯ war is the Seven Years¡¯ war, and the Grand Duke¡¯s recovery from his illness will be celebrated separately.¡± As if he had been waiting for these words, Eleon spoke. ¡°Please allow me to marry.¡± ¡°What?¡± The eyes of the Emperor and the Empress widened at the same time. ¡°A man who has returned from the battlefield and stayed in his residence all this time. Are you saying that there is a woman to discuss marriage with?¡± Empress Seraphina asked, unable to contain her curiosity. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± The Emperor smiled even more insistently at Eleon, who seemed to have lost his mind. ¡°Ho ho. I will allow it.¡± ¡°If I want to marry any woman, Your Majesty, don¡¯t object, just give me your permission. Promise me.¡± ¡°I will do anything for you.¡± Then Eleon could sit comfortably in front of the Emperor, who was smiling so joyfully, and the Empress, who was sitting next to him, made a grim expression. Black hair and red eyes. I can¡¯t believe his eyes are healed. Seraphina clutched at the hem of her dress under her table. It is an ominous eye color that threatens the place of my son Sabiel. When Sabiel was first born with blue eyes, people were not so resentful. Even when she gave birth to the second and third princes, she thought that she only had to give birth to an ¡®Oder¡¯. But, a few years later, Princess Lev, the Emperor¡¯s sister, gave birth to Eleon. It was the first time that a child with the characteristics of an ¡®Oder¡¯ was born outside the immediate family of the Imperial Family. After that, Seraphina¡¯s hell began. The misfortune she had forgotten while Eleon lost his sight seemed to creep into her body. ¡°Please make this an imperial edict.¡± Eleon spoke again. ¡°Imperial edict? What do you mean by that¡± ¡°It means that I want you to write down exactly what you just said about my marriage and make it an imperial edict.¡± Empress Seraphina shook her head while the Emperor laughed. Is she a foreign slave or a prisoner of war? Otherwise, it is necessary to ask for permission without objecting to ¡®any woman he wants¡¯. It¡¯s fine if a lady from a humble family or any woman becomes the Grand Duchess. Sabiel is also preparing for an important wedding. She hadn¡¯t even spoken to the emperor yet, but since Eleon spoke first, that was also a good thing. ¡°Do whatever you want to do right now.¡± Empress Seraphina smiled. ¡°Ho ho ho. It looks like we will be making a decree instead of having lunch.¡± As soon as lunch was over, Eleon followed the Emperor to his office and obtained the edict he wanted. ¡°This is enough.¡± It might be difficult to make her legally his Grand Duchess. Eleon hasn¡¯t been able to confess to her yet, but before he finds her, he intends to prepare everything he can. ¡°Now I only have one chance left in my hand.¡± The achievements of the Seven Years¡¯ War deserve high praise. The territories that he conquered for the Empire now amounted to 1/3 of the entire Empire. Even before Eleon returned to the capital, the prevailing opinion was that he should be awarded half of the territory acquired in the Seven Years¡¯ War. When he lost his sight and was unable to attend victory celebrations, everything got out of hand. But Eleon wasn¡¯t disappointed at all. And it was because of this one edict, that will resolve Rona¡¯s unclear status. It was more valuable to him than the vast territory where he now had to work and where foreign people lived. Eleon remembered that Rona had to work for him because she couldn¡¯t provide an identification card. After thinking about Rona for a moment, Eleon sighed briefly. ¡°How can she not have one?¡± A lot happened in the meantime. First, he sent Bernard to the estate. Eleon should have gone instead, but he was who managed the estate all the time when he lost his sight. And Bernard solved the Grand Duke¡¯s tasks, one by one. There were important matters that Bernard could not decide on behalf of the owner. On the other hand, Cedric commissioned an errand guild to find Rona. But no one had ever seen such a woman as if she had evaporated and disappeared. There is no maid with her hair color. Rona used to meticulously tuck her hair into bonnets commonly worn by maids. it would be difficult to find someone with only one particular hair color. But Eleon couldn¡¯t put up a flyer. That was because of Rona¡¯s unclear identity. Eleon did not know if she was in danger somewhere if it became known that he was looking for an unknown woman. Rona will be treated like prey with a bounty on her head. Something kept bothering him. Maybe there is something wrong with the preconditions, he couldn¡¯t find Rona. Eleon was walking down the long corridor from the Sun Palace to the main castle, thinking about various things. On the other side, he saw women walking to the Sun Palace, accompanied by maids. * * * * * Eleon! Elysia felt her heart pounding. The sun shone through the majestic marble columns. Eleon who was walking in the center looked much bigger than she remembered. Standing tall with his shoulders extended, he walks proudly through the lights. In the front room of the Sun Palace, which was lavishly decorated with gold decorations on white marble, nothing seemed to shine brighter than Eleon. He no longer bends down and waits for Elysia¡¯s touch. As perfect as he was born, he no longer needed any assistance or help. God¡¯s most perfect creation. The most outstanding human who inherited the blood of the legend, who became a god. With each step Eleon drew closer, the sound of his footsteps felt like a spike in her heart. ¡¸¡°I wanted to see Eleon regain his sight.¡±¡¹ Elysia imagined Eleon represented in . However, the image of Eleon that was portrayed in writing was very different from reality. What should I use to properly express the bright red eyes when the sunlight shines through? Eleon, who had regained his eyes, was so beautiful that Elysia was about to cry. The uniform he was wearing suited him very well. Who would have taken care of the buttons and the way they looked without a single twist? Was it Bernard? Or did he hire another maid? It is said that he was hiring a lot of people, so someone must have taken care of him. When Karina didn¡¯t choose Eleon, she was afraid his eyes wouldn¡¯t heal. There were times when she cried, seeing him suffering from seizures. Elysia prayed a hundred or a thousand times and hoped that the future would come like a miracle that time. I¡¯m happy that Eleon¡¯s eyes have healed, but what is this feeling? Heartbreaking emotions quickly receded like an ebb and flow, and emptiness rushed in instead. Elysia seeing that he no longer needed ¡®Rona¡® was both happy and sad at the same time. Maybe the reason why I found my family now is that he doesn¡¯t need Rona anymore? That¡¯s what she thought. The plot corrects what inconveniences the male lead. She wondered if it was the plot that led her to leave naturally. Eleon walked past her without changing his expression. The sound of his footsteps disappears behind her back. He doesn¡¯t need me anymore. At that moment, her heart pounded. The sudden pain made Elysia stumble for a moment. ¡°Elysia.¡± Mariela caught her. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry. I am not used to the new shoes.¡± Elysia quickly straightened her posture. She had an invitation with the Emperor and the Empress. * * * * * The Emperor and the Empress made a worthy couple. Matching up with the character of the Duchess of Yuter, the event went smoothly throughout tea time. Empress Serafina, as Mariela said, was very interested in Elysia. ¡°I always attended every prayer assembly held by you. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.¡± ¡°After the prayer assembly, when I asked you for a private prayer, you said that even the Empress was the same in front of God, so I waited two or three hours. Don¡¯t you remember this too?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty.¡± It is said that Elysia had made a holy relic only when they donated a large amount of money to Hadunsha. But she could only apologize because she couldn¡¯t remember anything. ¡°Even if you lost your memory, I knew it would be like this.¡± ¡°I am sorry.¡± The Empress seemed to be disappointed. Clatter Elysia put down the teacup and inadvertently made a noise. She should have put it down quietly without making a sound, which was against etiquette. ¡°I apologized.¡± Mariela smiled embarrassedly. ¡°I forgot all the etiquette, so I¡¯m learning from the beginning.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why. I thought Lady Elysia had a bad attitude unlike before.¡± The empress looked as if her curiosity had finally been resolved. ¡°It¡¯s so serious that you even forgot all the etiquette you¡¯ve learned.¡± ¡°Still, I am grateful to God that there is nothing wrong with my health.¡± ¡°How are your preparations going for your debutante?¡± Ever since the Emperor congratulated her on her recovery, Empress Seraphina was leading the conversation the whole time. ¡°I missed the timing due to circumstances, I plan to do it within this year.¡± ¡°We will have a ball at the Imperial Palace next week.¡± ¡°Yours Majesties, that would be difficult because the time is very tight.¡± ¡°The young daughter of Count Harrington also decided to make her debut that day. Lady Karina is also a late debutante, so please allow it.¡± ¡°Ahh.¡± When Mariela nodded in dismay, she smiled as if Empress Seraphina had taken great care of Elysia. ¡°May Lady Elysia join us that day.¡± ¡°Thank you for your unlimited grace.¡± As Mariela bowed her head, Seraphina looked at them in delight. Elysia came out after a series of ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡® and her head seemed to be empty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mother.¡± ¡°No need. It¡¯s a place where everyone gets nervous.¡± Then the Empress¡¯s maid came and whispered something to Mariela. ¡°Her Majesty the Empress has something to say.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a resting place in the garden for Lady Elysia. Please, come this way.¡± When Mariela left, Elysia tried to look around the garden slowly by herself. To her surprise, she had no idea. Only the afterimage of Eleon that she had encountered a while ago filled her head. Elysia stared blankly in the air, wandering aimlessly through the garden. ¡°Ouch!¡± Elysia slipped over the edge of the decorative stone embedded in the garden floor. She stumbled and almost fell. Snap Someone quickly grabbed her waist and hugged her. The familiar scent of sandalwood wafted into Elysia¡¯s nose. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Chapter 26 ¡°Are you all right?¡± Eleon¡¯s soft voice was heard from above. There were always times like these. When I fell asleep next to Eleon while reading him a book. When I fell on top of him while shooing a bee in the park. Tearful Elysia tried to hide her feelings. ¡°El¡­..¡± Elysia was so surprised that she almost called out his name without realizing it. He doesn¡¯t know me. And supposedly she shouldn¡¯t know him either. Elysia barely raised her head. ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± Elysia¡¯s eyes met his piercing red eyes. Eleon tilted his head and looked down at his arms. Since when have you been watching? She got goosebumps. A vivid primary color shone in the place of gray eyes. Elysia looked him in the eyes for a moment, enchanted. I thought his red eyes would be scary or strange. It¡¯s a different color from the average human. She used to wonder what it would be like to actually see it. Eleon¡¯s real eyes were very beautiful. It was a mysteriously beautiful red. At that moment, she heard someone approaching through the trees. Elysia, who suddenly came to her senses, was bewildered. Eleon¡¯s arms still held her waist. Their bodies were so close that anyone who saw them, would misinterpret this as a meeting between lovers. ¡°Tha¡­ thank you.¡± ¡°It was nothing.¡± Words were exchanged, but Elysia was still confused. Yes? She wanted him to let her go, but strangely, it felt as if Eleon was holding her tighter. ¡°Uh¡­¡­. Grand Duke.¡± Elysia called him this time by his title, and not by Sir Eleon. ¡°I, I am fine. You can let me go.¡± The familiar scent of Eleon made her heart ache. Besides, she was worried because someone was getting closer and closer. ¡°Your Highness? Let me go before someone sees us.¡± ¡°They will be jealous.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Yes?¡± Elysia foolishly opened her mouth, then quickly closed it. There were occasions when she was speechless, even when he couldn¡¯t see, she thought it was because of their master-servant relationship. Apparently, it was not that. ¡°That was just a joke. I said it to make you laugh, but My Lady didn¡¯t laugh.¡± Eleon helped her get back on her feet. Elysia carefully stood upright because of the voluminous skirt. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°My name is Elysia Yuter.¡± Elysia quickly grabbed her skirt and bowed to greet him. She had only practiced this in front of Gillian and Mariela, but he was Eleon. You should know that, apart from my family, you are the first. Elysia was embarrassed for nothing. ¡°Your name is Elysia Yuter. Elysia¡­ Elysia.¡± Eleon mumbled over and over again as if trying to memorize her name. Why? She couldn¡¯t figure out why. ¡°By the way, how did you know I was the Grand Duke?¡± ¡°I¡­¡­I have heard the rumors ¡­. .¡± ¡°What rumors?¡± ¡°I heard that the Grand Duke Clevent¡¯s eyes were healed.¡± ¡°Ahh, I see. That¡¯s the rumor going around.¡± Strangely, Elysia kept finding fault with his words. Ugh, it¡¯s uncomfortable. Suddenly, Mariella¡¯s serious face came to her mind. ¡¸¡°If you lose your honor, it¡¯s not only your problem, it would be a disgrace to the Duchy of Yuter.¡±¡¹ She made Elysia promise several times. ¡¸¡±Never! It must never be known that you worked as the Grand Duke¡¯s maid. Even if nothing happened to you, that¡¯s what a scandal is. It has nothing to do with the truth. If it was provocative, it would be everything.¡±¡¹ Elysia just vaguely thought that she wanted to see Eleon open his eyes. When she ran into Eleon, she had a lot of questions. I want to ask you, how do you feel? Do you feel any pain? Are you eating well? But maybe Mariela would turn pale if she saw her face to face with Eleon like this. Her mother, who gave birth to Elysia, was very concerned about her. ¡°Then I¡¯d better go.¡± It was best to avoid it for now. Elysia hid her disappointment. She doesn¡¯t know when she will see Eleon again. But he shouldn¡¯t have found out that she was Rona. She was going to turn around at that tense moment when suddenly Eleon called her. ¡°Lady Elysia.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°This is destiny, so let¡¯s have a cup of tea together¡± ¡°Wi¡­With me?¡± Elysia tilted her head in puzzlement. She heard from Bernard that Eleon was not interested in any women and that he had never dated. Especially he never invited them to drink tea. ¡¸¡°His Highness, who has never drank a cup of tea with a woman, let alone grabbed a Lady¡¯s wrist, has to live like this now!¡±¡¹ But why does he want to drink tea now? And with me? When Elysia did not answer, Eleon stared at her. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°N.. no.¡± Come to think of it, there was a tea table in a secluded spot among the trees in the garden. A while ago, a maid had told her where she could rest while waiting for Mariela. But why are there two teacups? Was it for Mariela before she was summoned to the Empress¡¯s palace? Bewildered, Elysia walked over as Eleon sat down first. There were three types of tea on the table. ¡°There are three kinds of tea. Dried orange tea, black tea. Black tea is so strong that the color appears black. And the other one is ginger tea pickled in honey.¡± Elysia explained in detail to him. Without realizing it, Elysia, who naturally stood next to Eleon, blushed. OMG! Why am I explaining this! When Eleon was still blind, Elysia would explain everything one by one in this way. He would wait for her to finish explaining and then pick up a tea. Habits are really scary. Elysia raised her head in embarrassment, and Eleon had his eyes closed while he listened to her explanation. When the explanation was interrupted he opened his eyes. ¡°Why? Go on.¡± ¡°Ahh. Ha ha ha. It¡¯s because I like tea¡­ so¡­.¡± Elysia picked up the dried orange tea with the tongs and put it into Eleon¡¯s teacup. She lifted the teapot and poured hot water into the teacup. ¡°I never said I would drink orange tea.¡± Her eyes widened. Eleon didn¡¯t like the sweetness very much. So, ginger tea pickled with honey is eliminated. And she didn¡¯t like the black tea that was roasted so dark that it looked black. The black tea, which was brewed slowly and thickly, was a luxury hobby for aristocrats. And Eleon, who was always on the battlefield from a young age, did not like the bitter taste of the black tea that was brewed for a long time. She chose it without thinking. ¡°Why did you give me orange tea?¡± She felt the cold sweat running down her back. ¡°I think it goes well with the color of your eyes.¡± ¡°Does it suit me?¡± ¡°Yes. After red comes orange. It.. It¡¯s beautiful.¡± ¡°Really? You think it¡¯s beautiful.¡± I¡¯m crazy. What the hell are you talking about, Won Yun-Ji? Elysia wanted to pull out her neatly combed hair. ¡°Lady Elysia.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± She looked at Eleon and felt like her soul was being ripped off with a thresher. ¡°My Lady. Have we met before?¡± Red eyes. Are they a gift from the First Emperor, who became a god? Looking him in the eyes, Eleon seemed to see right through her for some reason. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I have met you, Your Highness.¡± But Elysia still had reason to feign innocence. ¡°Yes, the first time.¡± He drank the orange tea that Elysia had prepared. After emptying the teacup, he rose from his seat. ¡°Thank you for the tea. You have good skills.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I am glad my bad skills did not bother you.¡± ¡°See you again, Lady Elysia.¡± Elysia stared blankly at Eleon as he disappeared through the garden trees. ¡°Will I see you again?¡± Nothing went through her mind. CRACK Sabiel gritted his teeth as he watched the scene through the trees. The branch he held in his hands was broken. ¡°Eleon Clevent, how dare you.. to my woman.¡± His eyes gleamed fiercely. * * * * * Empress Seraphina was in a good mood. She kept Mariela in her palace, talking nonsense about the debutante, and planning to send her away later. Sabiel must be with Lady Elysia, right? Marriages of noble families are not common marriages. It is not different from signing a contract and doing business. It¡¯s a give-and-take marriage. However, it was common for young aristocratic ladies to fantasize about ¡®seeking a natural encounter¡®. If it is an arranged marriage is the beginning of an unhappy marriage and a love marriage is the beginning of an ideal marriage full of love. Seraphina was also raised as a young lady of a noble family, so it wasn¡¯t something she couldn¡¯t understand. Instead of having tea with the Emperor and Empress, Sabiel and Elysia were allowed to spend time, avoiding audiences. She immediately sent word to Sabiel to come to her garden on time. ¡°That way they will get to know each other without any prejudice.¡± Empress Seraphina smiled with satisfaction. Sabiel is not a bad-tempered child, but due to his good looks, it is rumored that he had several relationships with noblewomen. It was very rare in social circles to talk about marriage with the first person they went out with. Seraphina had no doubts that if she could provide time for the two of them to spend together, they would be able to develop feelings for each other. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°All right. How is it going?¡± The maid, who was sent to inspect the two of them, returned. ¡°The Crown Prince did not come to the garden.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡­¡­.So, how long was Lady Elysia alone in the garden?¡± ¡°No. It is said that the Grand Duke Clevent happened to pass by and saw the young lady and had tea with her.¡± ¡°What? Eleon?¡± Seraphina felt blood rushing. ¡°How dare he¡­ in my palace.¡± The Imperial Palace was Seraphina¡¯s domain. An annoying fly roamed around the flower she cherished. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he regained his sight¡­¡­ .¡± A cold energy emanated from the Empress. * * * * * Eleon welcomed the guests after returning to his manor. ¡°I investigated everything about Lady Elysia Yuter as you instructed me.¡± Eleon asked the guild, instead of finding ¡®Rona¡¯ to investigate everything about Elysia. The information guild, which seemed incompetent when looking for people who did not exist in the world, was adept at collecting data about women who did exist. ¡°Do you need anything else?¡± ¡°Yes. I will call you later.¡± Eleon couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the thick report. He carefully looked into the life of Elysia Yuter. ¡°Elysia who was seriously injured in a raid half a year ago barely recovered her health.¡± It is said that it was only two weeks ago that Elysia returned to her home after being excommunicated from Hadunsha due to her memory loss. A woman disappeared and another one appeared. A smile appeared on Eleon¡¯s lips. ¡°I found her.¡± Chapter 27 ¡°I found her.¡± Eleon recalled the moment he saw Elysia in the Imperial Palace. The Imperial Family and Eleon had a delicate relationship. Originally, there was no second in the line of succession to the throne in the Empire of Constance. This is because only one child with the characteristics of an ¡®Oder¡® is born in each generation. And unconditionally he would become Emperor. Even an ¡®Oder¡® had some divine ability by nature, so his physical ability was different from ordinary people¡¯s, including becoming a swordmaster. Thus, there has never been a case in over a thousand years when an Oder, the successor and sole heir, went wrong. And it has never been necessary to create a meaningless hierarchical order. The reason that Eleon became second in the line of succession to the throne was that he was born with the characteristics of an ¡®Oder¡®, not Sabiel. Eleon was able to fully use the ¡®Oder¡® power, though it was never revealed due to repression from her mother, Lev. The reason why he is careful despite knowing this is because he understood early on that his very existence could be the cause of a political conflict. At a very young age, Sabiel was a good cousin, with moderate fights and pranks. He was a rather friendly cousin who took young Eleon and showed him every corner of the Imperial Palace. However, when Sabiel was just beginning his teenage years, at some point, he looked at Eleon with jealousy and began to avoid him like he was a monster. In the end, Eleon watched one after another, wanting to ruin him. It¡¯s not Sabiel¡¯s fault. It¡¯s not my fault either. It was a problem of those who clung to old-fashioned customs, who gave meaning to traditions and the will of the gods, asking for the Crown Prince to be replaced. As a result, he couldn¡¯t feel comfortable going back and forth to the Imperial Palace. One of the good things about being on the battlefield all the time was that he didn¡¯t have to go to an audience with the Emperor. Go from this side to another side, from that side to that other side. The order to move the battlefield was reduced to a single decree. While he was away from the capital and the Imperial Palace, Eleon could not be more comfortable. There was only one thing that Eleon needed, and that was why he deliberately went to the Imperial Palace today. Because he didn¡¯t want Rona¡¯s unclear identity to get in the way of their marriage. A marriage license is issued by the Emperor¡¯s special order. The Seven Years¡¯ War is a thing of the past. The land that the blind man could neither rule nor manage had been properly distributed long ago. The Emperor couldn¡¯t give the land back to Eleon, and he did not want it either. Instead, he would get what he wanted. If he kept putting it off, there was a chance he¡¯d get something worse than he wanted. Eleon walked out, holding in his hands what he wanted so much. From the opposite side, he saw two noblewomen walking towards the Sun Palace. They were very similar as if they were mother and daughter. However, it was the young lady who caught his attention. Her golden hair, thick as honey, and slightly wavy, flowed over her white skin. The purple eyes beneath the long golden eyelashes were as clear and dark as a high-quality amethyst. She was beautiful. She was a beauty that would steal all hearts. But that wasn¡¯t what caught Eleon¡¯s attention. He had never been interested in a woman. Even after greeting Eleon several times, the ladies were trying to win his affection, and since he couldn¡¯t remember their faces or even their names, they ran out of the ballroom crying. It was the dress that caught Eleon¡¯s attention. A silky purple satin ribbon tied the waist of a white chiffon dress, which looked fluffy. And an unusual lace draped over her shoulders. ¡¸¡°These laces were brought by boat from the north.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°What kind of pattern is this?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°It is white lace with purple grapes and vines.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Purple.¡±¡¹ It was an unusual lace with purple decorations that seemed to suit a woman with red hair and blue eyes. ¡¸¡°This will look good on her.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s perfect for Miss Rona.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Make a summer dress with this as well.¡±¡¹ It was a dress Eleon picked and ordered because he thought it would suit Rona, but it was canceled. It was just as he had imagined. It was a dress that he wanted Rona to wear, even his fingertips still tingled from the fabrics ¡­¡­. It must be a coincidence. Eleon tried to pull himself together as he saw grapes and vine-patterned embroidery hanging from the ends that fluttered every time the woman walked. There was no way to know if the owner of Le Ballein had sold the dress design to someone else. Where is Rona now? He had the Emperor¡¯s decree in his hand that would solve all of Rona¡¯s problems. But Rona wasn¡¯t there. His memories with Rona took over Eleon¡¯s consciousness. Until the woman who had just walked past him, spoke. ¡¸¡°Elysia, are you alright?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡±Yes. I¡¯m sorry. I am not used to the new shoes¡±¡¹ Eleon who had been walking indifferently, stopped. All his attention was focused on the sound of her footsteps that disappeared into the Sun Palace. Rona It was the voice that woke him up every day. Eleon¡¯s day started with Rona¡¯s voice and ended with Rona¡¯s voice. A familiar and nostalgic voice. It was a voice that drove him crazy after not being able to hear it for a long time. Grasp Eleon who almost dropped the decree, grabbed it tightly. I need to confirm it. He wanted to leave the Imperial Palace right away, but Eleon waited for her to leave the Sun Palace. Since I came in for lunch, it must be tea time. It should take at most two hours or an hour. He knew how the Emperor¡¯s audience worked. However, he had to look at the watch over and over without noticing that even that hour passed slower than usual. In order to leave the carriage in the main castle and go to an audience, you need to go through this corridor. Eleon stood in the shade of a nearby tree, waiting for her to come out. Soon the woman was guided by a maid and led to the garden where Eleon was. He walked slowly behind her, looking for a chance to talk to her. ¡¸¡°Ouch!¡±¡¹ Eleon embraced her slender body when she almost fell over. There was an answer in Elysia¡¯s eyes when she raised her head and looked at him. Are you in pain, are your eyes good, and how are you doing? Eleon did not have anyone to care about him, except Rona. For a blind beast like him. Eleon unknowingly lowered his head and almost kissed her. How did I resist that temptation? He barely suppressed his desire to have her right away with the thought that he couldn¡¯t be a beast after being blind. ¡°Elysia Yuter.¡± Her name is pretty, too. If there were no class differences, there would be no problem in bringing her to the Grand Duchy. ¡°This has become useless.¡± It¡¯s not useless at all. I went to the Imperial Palace to get this useless thing and found her, so maybe I should make it a family heirloom. KNOCK KNOCK Bernard walked in. Having just returned from Clevent Estate, he brought a lot of specialties and was motivated to prepare a meal today. ¡°Your Highness, when are you going to have dinner tonight? Didn¡¯t you come back late from the Imperial Palace today?¡± Bernard asked him to fill his stomach with anything. Instead of answering the butler¡¯s question, Eleon asked something else. ¡°What does Rona look like?¡± ¡°You mean Miss Rona?¡± Bernard sighed. ¡°Her hair is blonde, but it must be a bit unusual. It¡¯s not a crumbly color, it¡¯s like a well-brewed tea. And her eye color is purple, but this is not a very common purple. The color is deep and every time she smiles, it gives off a dazzling light, she gives the impression of being pure and cute.¡± ¡°Did you see that?¡± Eleon felt uncomfortable. The butler, who did not notice, worked hard on her portrayal to appease the master¡¯s heart, who was depressed because he couldn¡¯t find Rona. ¡°Rona said she was twenty-seven years old, but she looked much younger than me. Her skin is white. There were a few people who were interested in Miss Rona, but they seemed to have lost interest because she didn¡¯t have an identification card.¡± ¡°Bring the documents you got from the agency.¡± The butler soon picked up a simple piece of paperwork from his room. ¡°I should have taken the butler with me when I went to the information guild.¡± If that were the case, he would have corrected Eleon when he was looking for a woman with red hair and blue eyes. Cedric had never seen Rona, so he couldn¡¯t help at all. ¡°Why did you lie?¡± Eleon was speechless. ¡°Besides, why did you lie about your identity?¡± Did she think I would never open my eyes? But Eleon didn¡¯t think so. He drank the medicinal tea she gave him, and his eyes improved. If she didn¡¯t want his eyes to be healed, she wouldn¡¯t have brought him the medicine. Rona had no other intentions and treated Eleon with sincerity. If this really goes wrong, there is no going back. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. After we get married, we will have plenty of time to talk.¡± The butler¡¯s eyes widened as he heard Eleon speak to himself. ¡°Yes? Grand Duke? What are you saying now¡­ ¡­ Are you getting married? With whom?¡± Eleon looked over Elysia¡¯s report handed over by the Information Guild and said. ¡°Dinner. Bring it now.¡± ¡°Your Highness?¡± That night, the cry of the butler, who was hurt by his alienation, resounded in the Grand Duke¡¯s residence. * * * * * The next day, Elysia was smiling awkwardly in front of Crown Prince Sabiel, who suddenly came to the Duke¡¯s residence. ¡°Yesterday, Her Majesty said that Lady Elysia will be waiting in the garden. Her Majesty had something to discuss with the Duchess and told me to speak with you but since I was so busy with work, I forgot about it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The question about the two cups of tea prepared on the table was solved. Yesterday¡¯s work in the garden seems to have been prepared by the Empress. I think Eleon is doing well. Did something happen to him when he came to the Imperial Palace? Will he go somewhere far away? He had been on the battlefield for 7 years before he suffered an eye injury. There was no war at the time, but the borders of a huge empire were always in turmoil. There were still many places where a strong knight was needed. ¡°I heard you lost your memory by the way.¡± ¡°¡­..Yes.¡± Sabiel is Eleon¡¯s cousin. He¡¯s tall and has dark hair or something similar. She didn¡¯t think they looked alike because of his blue eyes, wavy hair, and the impression on his face. He was certainly a handsome man who stole Karina¡¯s heart. Elysia, who had already given a rough evaluation of Sabiel due to Karina¡¯s bragging, though she was not curious about it, only wondered why he had come to her. ¡°The Empress wants me to get along with you.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°She wants to welcome the little fairy born in Yuter¡¯s paradise as my Crown Princess.¡± At that moment, Elysia felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. A little fairy born in Yuter¡¯s paradise. This person is¡­¡­. Elysia realized the role given to the body she possessed. Chapter 28 There are quite a few characters in the novel. While there are characters who appear in a significant way, even those who do not appear in the novel are included in this world. But there was a really ironic tragedy, and it was a character who didn¡¯t appear after being described in a few lines. Yuter¡¯s paradise. A beautiful garden that symbolizes the true love of the Yuter lovebirds. Elysia was the fruit of love between Gillian and Mariela, who was called the little fairy of Yuter¡¯s Paradise. There is no scene in which she appears directly, but there are only two stories about Elysia. The first scene is mentioned in the early portrayal of Sabiel and Karina¡¯s relationship, where Elysia as a crown princess candidate, who commits suicide after becoming frenziedly obsessed with Sabiel. In the original novel, when Karina, Sabiel, and Eleon were in a love triangle, Elysia was already dead. The second scene appeared later in the novel when Karina and Sabiel¡¯s relationship came to an end. And it was confirmed that Karina and Eleon were a couple. Elysia¡¯s face turned pale. What the nanny said was shocking. Thi..this can¡¯t be. I thought I only read the first part of the novel, didn¡¯t I? If not, how did I know about this, that it would have come out a little later? Do I remember it so clearly because it¡¯s something about the person I possessed? After getting a job, she couldn¡¯t get into the app. She tried to recall when she had read it, her memory was hazy as if a mist had entered her head. Her head started hurting when she tried to concentrate. ¡°Lady Elysia. Are you all right?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m..I¡¯m fine.¡± Her hands were shaking. ¡¸¡°She wants to welcome the little fairy born in Yuter¡¯s paradise as my Crown Princess.¡±¡¹ The contents of the book came to mind as if a single word from the Crown Prince was a catalyst. Is it right to sit in front of a cruel person who made Karina fall in love and threw her out after promising her the position of crown princess? Elysia was confused. Sabiel seemed like a gentleman and a wonderful person no matter how much she looked at him. He was so flawless, at least in his outward appearance. The etiquette teacher Mrs. Oze, who was chaperoning, was sitting some distance away. She saw Elysia and signaled to her to correct her posture. But when Elysia was not getting better, Mrs. Oze, who felt she was too nervous, eventually got up and came over. ¡°Your Highness. With all due respect, it seems that Lady Elysia is not feeling well today.¡± ¡°Oh yes. I came all of a sudden.¡± ¡°It has not been long since Lady Elysia recovered. My apologies.¡± When the chaperone stepped forward and covered up for Elysia, the Crown Prince nodded and put down the teacup he was drinking. ¡°Next time, I will send a carriage, so I hope we can talk more while we walk through the garden of the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°Thank you so much.¡± After Sabiel left, Mrs. Oze was startled to see Elysia. ¡°Lady, lady Elysia!¡± Elysia passed out covered in a cold sweat. After, leaving the duke¡¯s residence, Sabiel felt the thrill after a long time. ¡°You really lost your memory. The rumors are true.¡± The reason why he suddenly came to the Duke¡¯s residence was to find out if Elysia had really lost her memory. Maybe she remembers a little bit? He painstakingly kidnapped her on the way to Grerosa. Sabiel seemed to have erased his previous failure upon seeing Elysia, who treated him as if she had never seen him before. Isn¡¯t Elysia, who was sitting in front of me as if she was fine? She neither feared nor despised him. If she can remember Sabiel and yet turn a blind eye to him, he should praise her excellent acting skills. After losing the chance to talk with Elysia to Eleon, he ran to the residence of the Duke like a madman. And he accomplished his purpose. Elysia really forgot about him and what had happened to her. He also wondered where she had been hiding during the half-year he had been tracking her. ¡°It¡¯s fun. It¡¯s really fun.¡± He did not know that he would see again the woman who cursed at him and then greeted him politely. This time, I am going to tame her properly. So you don¡¯t run away. So that you don¡¯t do anything stupid. Throbbing The back of his neck ached, Elysia had stabbed him with a small concealed knife. Sabiel rubbed his neck. The pain that had always bothered him, today, that pain pleased him. * * * * * On the day of the debutante ball, Mariela was restless inside the carriage that had arrived at the Palace. Gillian, unaware of his wife¡¯s condition, was worried about Elysia. ¡°You don¡¯t have to overdo it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m much better now.¡± Elysia smiled at Mariela, but she wasn¡¯t happy. As long as you don¡¯t get involved with the crown prince. Elysia couldn¡¯t figure out why she felt so nervous, frustrated, and uncomfortable. As if this isn¡¯t everything. Karina and Eleon have already deviated from the original. Karina seemed to have become quite close to the Crown Prince, and she had never even met Eleon. Eleon had never even seen Karina. Eleon¡¯s eyes that should have been healed by Karina, have been healed by Elysia. I need to avoid the Crown Prince, so I won¡¯t die miserably. The tragic death of Elysia is a setup story for Karina to learn the true colors of the Crown Prince and for her to choose Eleon. Now that the three of them are not in a love triangle, her death may have been unnecessary. Then why did that happen to me? After meeting Sabiel, Elysia was sick for three days with a fever and sweat. The doctor who came to visit her asked, ¡®Have you seen anything terrifying or anything that surprised you?¡¯ The doctor was puzzled when Mrs. Oze explained that she collapsed while she was having tea. ¡°I think I came here for nothing. The dress is too loose, I can¡¯t believe it. I wish I had more rest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an opportunity given by the Empress. Mother, do not worry too much. I won¡¯t do anything that will bother you.¡± Elysia thought that she looked paler because of the white dress. Those who helped her get ready worked diligently, but there was a limit. Would I be compared if I stand next to Karina? That¡¯s good. If Karina was the prettiest, it would be great. Damn prince, you better be nice to Karina. Come to think of it, maybe their marriage discussion didn¡¯t go well. She didn¡¯t know why he suddenly visited her and started talking about being his crown princess. Neither the Empress nor the Crown Prince. Sabiel you¡­ are you cheating on her? Elysia unconsciously clenched her fist. However, she tried to ease the tension of the death flag. It was something she had to get over it. T/N: death flag ¡¤ where a person¡¯s death becomes highly probable or unavoidable. As she entered the large hall, another world opened up. ¡°Wow.¡± Elysia soon forgot the melancholy feelings and admired the hall without realizing it. Real stones and real gold. Countless candles in a large chandelier lit up brightly. There seemed to be no shadow anywhere as people stood below them, adorned in glittering jewels and dressed in shimmering silks. Elysia watched the scene for a moment. At least there is some joy in this difficult life of possession. After working hard as a maid, she thought that a day like this would finally come. Soon, the Emperor, Empress, and Crown Prince Sabiel appeared one after another. Long congratulations and tributes followed. It was said for a long time that today¡¯s ball was being held for some good reason. But because of the debutante, Elysia only took etiquette and dance classes, so she couldn¡¯t understand anything because she didn¡¯t take any of the Imperial History classes. Suddenly, Sabiel made eye contact, but Elysia quickly averted her eyes. Ba-dum Ba-dum Her heart raced. But it wasn¡¯t because she was excited and expectant. Elysia felt anxious as if she had seen an enemy stab her heart with a sword. She felt sweat dripping down her back, but she couldn¡¯t pass out here. She struggled, then she looked at Gillian and Mariela standing next to her. Eventually, the Empress called Karina and Elysia to her side. Exclamations could be heard from here and there as the two beautiful ladies wore striking white dresses and bowed side by side in front of the empress. ¡°Tonight, I present them for the first time. Elysia, daughter of the Duke of Yuter, and Karina, daughter of Count Harrington.¡± Everyone applauded and congratulated the grown-up girls on their belated social debut. ¡°Then someone must do the first dance¡­¡­.¡± The Empress quickly gave Sabiel a signal with her eyes. But Sabiel did not notice it. It was because he was in a staring fight with Karina, who looked at him with resentful eyes as if she was about to eat him. ¡°I will dance with Lady Yuter.¡± Suddenly someone intervened. ¡°Grand, Grand Duke.¡± The Empress made a sound of surprise. However, the Empress was stunned for an instant when she saw Eleon¡¯s attire. His dark hair was neatly pulled back to reveal a wide forehead. The white uniform decorated with gold embroidery made his hair and red eyes stand out even more. The Empress, who came to her senses, spoke. ¡°What brings you here, Grand Duke?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be here? Your Majesty the Empress.¡± ¡°No, that.. that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°I only came because I received an invitation.¡± Eleon¡¯s eyes turned to Elysia. ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was such a beautiful sight.¡± ¡°The first dance was Sabiel¡­¡­¡± Eleon pulled Elysia¡¯s waist toward him before the Empress could finish speaking. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He didn¡¯t come to wait for anyone¡¯s permission. Chapter 29 ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± With Eleon¡¯s skillful escort, she found herself standing on the edge of the dance floor. What¡¯s missing? Usually, when a man requests a dance, the woman can nod or accept it. Then, they greet each other and move onto the dance floor. Eleon skipped a lot of etiquette rules. ¡°Here.¡± Eleon waved his arm to the side, put it across his chest, and bowed slightly. ¡°Wow.¡± It was so cool that Elysia uttered an exclamation. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Eleon asked when she didn¡¯t hold his outstretched hand. ¡°It¡¯s very ¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to compliment me, I hope you do it clearly.¡± ¡°I was going to say it was so cool, but I better not say it.¡± The Grand Duke extended his hand again. Elysia took his hand. Ba-dum ba-dum Her heart raced. It was her first dance. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m dancing with Eleon for the first time. If I¡¯m happy to be able to dance with him for the first time, does it mean a lot? Just a little while ago, she was nervous about Sabiel, but it didn¡¯t matter when she held Eleon¡¯s hand. ¡°Shall we go?¡± ¡°Ummm.¡± Elysia hesitated for a moment about whether to say it or not. ¡°This is my first time I dance.¡± Groan Maybe I shouldn¡¯t say it. Usually, after saying something like this, she thought she might step on his feet, then kick herself in the shin, and trip over the skirt of the dress. Have I watched too many foreign movies? However, it¡¯s her first time. Elysia hesitated and looked up at Eleon. He smiled brightly. ¡°It¡¯s an honor.¡± Ugh! It¡¯s so dazzling. Even if she couldn¡¯t see it, she thought that it would be because of the male lead buff if he smiled like this. Eleon¡¯s smile was so bright it could burn her bangs. But, why do you like it so much? Eleon, I could step on your foot thirty times. Did you know? When Elysia grew impatient, the dance began. Dance.. both. The other people who filled the dance floor like a flower garden suddenly ceased to exist. His arms wrapped around her body. She felt a sense of stability as she placed a hand on his firm shoulder. It felt strange when their slightly clasped hands were of different sizes. Were Eleon¡¯s hands that big? She knew his hands were big when he touched her face, but Elysia¡¯s hand on his was almost like the foot of a chick. When she worked for him, there were many occasions when she would hold his hand when he needed her help. She didn¡¯t know it then, but she couldn¡¯t understand why his hand felt so big now. Eleon, who naturally leads the dance, was skillful. Whenever Elysia slipped, he slowed down his steps and quickly regained the tempo. She was dancing while holding the hand of such a man, to the point of thinking that she was dancing quite well. ¡°Ahh.¡± When the first song ended, Elysia was out of breath. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± It was time to change partners. Too bad. She really enjoyed dancing with Eleon. She had never done anything with him, who always looked after him like a baby, like a puppy. Elysia tried to withdraw from his arms. ¡°Not yet.¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s not enough.¡± Eleon led her back to the dance floor. Elysia looked around her in bewilderment. ¡°Oh my god. Look over there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen the Grand Duke in a white uniform.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t they look like a bride and a groom? Ho ho ho.¡± Some elderly ladies and men were gossiping. Others were busy peeping at them, whispering, covering their mouths with their fans. Groom and bride? She wore a white dress for the debutante, but she did not know Eleon had such clothes. Eleon appeared wearing clothes she had never seen before when she was working for the Grand Duchy, and he looked like a groom who was about to get married. ¡°Uh, Your Highness. This..this against the rules. Dancing with the same person in a row.¡± ¡°I have been breaking the etiquette since I started dancing.¡± ¡°Others are looking.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like it then?¡± Elysia lifted her head and looked at him. Red eyes and purple eyes met. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, we can stop dancing right now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t hate it.¡± Elysia hesitated to answer, and Eleon began to lead her again. She was always with Eleon during the time she lived as ¡®Rona¡®. The Grand Duchy was her home, and Eleon was the only one who needed her in this unfamiliar world. She became his hands, his eyes, and his feet. Rona, who was a part of Eleon, is now gone. As Rona, whatever she did, she had to think and act upon. She had to learn a lot to get used to it. And after I became Elysia? She had to learn what kind of person ¡®Elysia¡® was, and she had to match her thoughts and actions. So, she was not content with that sense of stability. She felt better and more at ease when she was by Eleon¡¯s side. Did I make the wrong decision? At that time, neither Hadunsha nor the Duke of Yuter could let ¡®Elysia¡® go. That¡¯s normal. Even if you don¡¯t remember, and you find your missing family, it¡¯s common sense to try to go back. If she said she couldn¡¯t remember anything and said she would continue working as a maid, would her parents let her go? But she remembered because she became Elysia. Elysia played an insignificant role in the original novel. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Eleon, who was watching her carefully, reacts like this again whether it was before or now. Elysia answered with a short sigh. ¡°I was thinking of what to say.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I remember now. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d hate it. If I didn¡¯t like it, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to finish my first dance with Your Highness.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha.¡± When Eleon laughed out loud, some of those who were dancing staggered. And the whispering grew louder. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Ask me whatever you want.¡± Elysia asked, holding his hand again. ¡°Can you see well now?¡± Eleon¡¯s eyebrows went up. ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything else. I heard that you have been sick for a long time. Then I thought you might be uncomfortable.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Eleon answered kindly. ¡°I¡¯m fine, but my butler is more annoying. He called all of the doctors in the capital saying that if I saw the light it would hurt my eyes more. Thanks to him, I¡¯ve been locked up in my bedroom for three days.¡± ¡°Pfft. Ha ha ha.¡± If it was Bernard, he was capable enough. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s funny that Your Highness listened to the butler. It seems like you are the kind of person who will do whatever you set your mind to. Like when you danced with me twice.¡± Besides, Eleon took her to the dance floor before the Empress could finish speaking. She was very uncomfortable upon learning that the Empress¡¯s true intentions were to bring her and Sabiel together. ¡°Hmm. That can¡¯t be said.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t listen to the butler.¡± Elysia¡¯s body rotated to the other side. ¡°I was threatened.¡± ¡°Yes? You were threatened?¡± Bernard, who became his butler because he admired him, threatened him. It was impossible. ¡°There is a woman I am looking for.¡± Thud For a moment, Elysia stopped. But Eleon skillfully put his arms around her waist and pulled her into his arms, as if embracing her, lifted her, and moved her to the other side. Elysia hurriedly started dancing again. ¡°If I don¡¯t do as the butler says, when I find her, he will tell her that I left the house without being diagnosed. If she knew, she would be mad and worried that I went around as soon as I opened my eyes.¡± Elysia felt the inside of her throat itch. I thought everyone would forget me soon. The butler still remembered Rona. Besides, Eleon is looking for her too. I thought we¡¯d just get along. Do I still mean that much to him? Am I so important to him that he¡¯s afraid I¡¯ll get mad because he didn¡¯t take care of his eyes? She felt a warmth inside her for not being able to be honest with him. The heat, which seemed to be subtle as if a lump of charcoal was on fire, was pressing down on one spot, making her heart beat faster and faster. Before she knew it, the second song was over. Eleon held out his hand again. ¡°Since it¡¯s like this, why don¡¯t we create more trouble?¡± ¡°I like to live quietly.¡± ¡°Well. My Lady doesn¡¯t seem to know who she is. If you liked to live quietly, shouldn¡¯t you have kicked your shin out in the middle of the second dance?¡± A large hand awaited Elysia. If I take this hand now. She had a feeling that she could never go back. Still¡­¡­¡­ At the same time, she heard a voice calling out to her. ¡°Elysia.¡± It was Mariela with a puzzled face. ¡°Lady Elysia!¡± When suddenly, Crown Prince Sabiel urgently approached, trying to ask her for a dance. The next moment, Elysia grabbed Eleon¡¯s hand again and headed to the dance floor. ¡°That¡¯s unexpected.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you wanted?¡± They stood side by side, arm in arm, and joined the group dance. ¡°I hoped for it, but I didn¡¯t know you were this bold. I thought you would be shy because you had been a priest for a long time.¡± ¡°How did you know that?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know about Priest Elysia, you¡¯re a barbarian.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a name that has already been excommunicated.¡± Is Eleon interested in Elysia? It occurred to her. Karina deviated from the fate set in the original novel. She should have heal Eleon¡¯s eyes, and her role as Karina, who she should have fallen in love with him, was partly transferred to Rona. But Rona, who healed his eyes, is irrelevant. She simply disappeared from the story. She wondered if Eleon would live in a world without romance. ¡°By the way, why are you talking about another woman?¡± Her voice trembled a bit, perhaps because of her selfishness. ¡°Am I talking about another woman?¡± ¡°You said you were looking for a woman.¡± Elysia suddenly thought that she was jealous of herself as Rona. It made no sense to her, but it was a feeling that could only be explained like this. ¡°Did you find that woman?¡± ¡°Only half.¡± Half? If you are looking for her, you find her or not. What does half mean? He found Rona? Elysia asked again puzzled. ¡°What kind of person is Your Highness looking for?¡± Eleon smiled softly. ¡°Someone who will marry me.¡± Chapter 30 ¡°Someone who will marry me.¡± Elysia froze. Those who formed a line in pairs and circled the center of the dance floor began to be pushed because of Eleon, who stood next to Elysia. They wondered what had happened, and looked at Eleon and Elysia, who were just looking at each other. The dance floor turned into a mess. Even the music band stopped playing, and it became quiet in an instant. I have to say something. She should have acted it naturally, but she had already missed the timing. She didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Con¡­congratulations.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Elysia looked around her hastily. All the confused eyes were focused on the two of them. ¡°I danced for too long. Then I will¡­¡­.¡± Suddenly, her heart felt heavy. Feeling out of breath, Elysia ran away from the venue. Elysia ran to a quiet terrace and closed the door. ¡°Huff, huff.¡± Her heart was pounding wildly. ¡°What did Eleon say just now?¡± She couldn¡¯t believe it. The woman he was looking for was obviously ¡®Rona¡®. ¡¸¡°Someone who will marry me.¡±¡¹ Are you going to get married? With Rona? No way. Eleon and Rona had nothing to do with each other. They were nothing more than master and servant. ¡°There¡¯s no way.¡± She had realized that Eleon was looking for her¡­¡­ Could it be Karina? After she left the Grand Duchy, several days passed before Eleon regained his sight. Perhaps during those days, he had met Karina? She thought it was reasonable. But then why did he tell me that? Why did he dance with me? Karina was also by her side. She was barely able to recover after Sabiel suddenly came to visit her. And she still felt weak. She danced three songs in a row with Eleon in an unfamiliar dress and felt like she was running out of oxygen. Elysia tried to take a deep breath. It took time for her to reorganize her thoughts. It was then. The door opened. ¡°Miss Rona?¡± When she turned around, Karina was standing there. ¡°Let¡¯s talk, shall we? * * * * * Karina thought that she would get all the limelight. She learned that she and another lady would be introduced to the debutante after she arrived at the Imperial Palace. ¡°You should know that in advance. The Empress was so mean.¡± Countess Harrington expressed her displeasure. If she were presented alone, she would be the only flower wearing only a white dress. But she couldn¡¯t relax and carefully examined her dress several times thinking that she should not be as careless as her competitor. Until that moment, Karina was not very concerned. The purpose of the young ladies when being presented in society is to receive several marriage proposals. However, she became deeply acquainted with Sabiel, and it could become a big problem if her flaws were revealed. The prestige of the family, the honor of the family. She has never been asked to do anything as she grew up a free spirit as a baron¡¯s daughter Everything she wore, ate, and enjoyed came from Count Harrington, and obviously, she knew she should behave according to her family¡¯s class. Since it¡¯s the Imperial Ball, Sabiel will come. She was so engrossed in arguing with him, who kept avoiding her, that she didn¡¯t care if there was ¡®another lady¡¯. She is the daughter of the Duke of Yuter? Rona Hera Palace. Before coming to the capital, she said that she was the old woman¡¯s granddaughter of the old woman who came to repay her kindness. Am I seeing wrong? She doubted. However, Karina, who grew up in a mountain village with good air, had very good eyesight. She looked exactly the same as that woman. Moreover, she heard from Countess Harrington that the daughter of the Duke of Yuter, Elysia, was a famous priestess in the capital. She joined Hadunsha at a young age. She became a priest at the age of 13 years old and she turned 20 years old this year. But she was excommunicated not long ago due to memory loss caused by an accident and returned home. When Karina heard her story, she really thought that she lived only to serve God. She lived faithfully enough to become the next high priest, but lost her divine power, and returned to being the only daughter of the Duke of Yuter. ¡°You, don¡¯t you have something to say to me?¡± Karina resented her. She had been anxiously waiting for days at Cafe Cardinal to meet Rona. Nevertheless, Karina was tearfully glad to meet her again. Because she had something to ask, she desperately wanted to see her again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for lying.¡± ¡°I see, it was a lie.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t on purpose. I lost my memory. At the time, I was living as Rona. I remembered something about you, so I went to see you. After that, I met some priests and my family by chance.¡± ¡°Then¡­.. You still don¡¯t remember? Are you Elysia?¡± Elysia nodded. It just didn¡¯t seem like a lie. At that moment, a certain joy flashed in Karina¡¯s heart. ¡®Then the prediction Priestess Elysia gave must be true. A prediction about her future. Although she doesn¡¯t know much about the Great Temple. If Elysia remembered Karina¡¯s circumstances even though she had lost the memory of her own life, it was most likely a true oracle bestowed upon her by the Five Gods and Oder. ¡°You told me before that my destiny has two routes and that I might regret it.¡± ¡°Right. That¡¯s what I said.¡± Karina asked Elysia impatiently. ¡°It was as you said. Now I regret it.¡± Elysia just stared at her without saying a word. ¡°I ignored what you said before because I thought it was unreasonable. I¡­I thought I made the right choice because you haven¡¯t met him in person.¡± Thinking of Sabiel, Karina almost sobbed in anger. Karina looked at Elysia with teary eyes. ¡°Please, please. Will I have a chance to turn my destiny around? I want to know if I can start over.¡± Karina wiped the tears from her eyes with her fingertips. ¡°Actually, something strange happened when I went to the Cafe Cardinal to find you.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I met a man there. He was a tall, handsome man.¡± Elysia¡¯s expression changed strangely. ¡°I didn¡¯t know him at the time¡­¡­ I know who is he now. He is Grand Duke Clevent. The man who danced with you a while ago.¡± Elysia licked her lips and asked. ¡°Something strange?¡± ¡°Yes. Bad guys were arguing with me, then he saved me. But I had a weird feeling.¡± Karina remembered that moment. ¡°It was as if time had stopped. It felt like we were the only two left in the world. I didn¡¯t know him, and we only met for a few minutes, and I had the feeling that destiny was whispering to me that he is my¡­¡­¡± Karina was startled when she saw Elysia stumble. ¡°Oh my, are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes. Actually, I¡¯m feeling well. I must have been dancing too much.¡± Her face was so pale that Karina hesitated. Karina felt like she had to do something, so she took off her shawl and handed it to her, but Elysia refused. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Lady Karina, your destiny will find its place.¡± Karina¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Oh, thank you. Thank you so much. I¡¯m glad to hear those words.¡± ¡°You have nothing to thank me for. Your fate must have guided you here.¡± Karina asked, feeling better. ¡°If you are not feeling well, do you want to lean on me? I¡¯ll walk you to the carriage.¡± * * * * * Elysia was mentally exhausted and didn¡¯t know how she got back home. ¡°Elysia. Let¡¯s talk for a second.¡± ¡°Tomorrow. Let¡¯s talk tomorrow please.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a moment.¡± She could hear the sound of concern from Mariela from outside the locked door. But she didn¡¯t want to hear anything today. ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m sorry.¡± When the door was not opened, Mariela sighed. ¡°Sob sob.¡± Tears began to fall down her cheeks. Why am I crying? Why am I sad? She had so many questions in her head. It was nothing surprising. Just before Karina appeared, Elysia thought that there was a possibility that the two had met. She doesn¡¯t need to be surprised or shocked if they meet. The original plot is really great. It happened as it should have happened. Then I will soon¡­¡­. Her hands and feet became cold at the thought that Sabiel might do something bad to her. She was happy when she danced with Eleon. It was a joy and a rewarding to see him with his eyes healed. She prayed every day for his sight to come back. They held hands and danced for a long time under a dazzling light. Her first dance was a good memory that she will always keep in her heart. But Elysia thought that he only wanted to arouse Karina¡¯s jealousy. As soon as the dance was over, Karina ran towards her wanting to check out her ¡®destiny¡¯. ¡°I thought maybe he knew I was Rona. That he was looking for me.¡± Can it be a little bit? After Eleon regained his sight, she thought it was no longer necessary to be by his side, but maybe it¡¯s not like that. She earnestly saved money in case she might lose her job and hoped she would never spend the money. She hoped to work for a long time in the Grand Duke¡¯s residence. She hoped to stay by Eleon¡¯s side. She wished he desperately needed her. So, in this strange world, Won Yoon-Ji hoped to be the reason to live as ¡®Rona¡¯. ¡°I disappeared without saying a word.¡± She also wished for that. ¡°Then why am I crying?¡± She desperately tried to get the two of them to meet each other. What she wanted so much became reality, but she felt something burning inside her. The next day, Mariela called Elysia She had to listen to her nagging for a long time. In Yuter¡¯s paradise, where her destiny was enslaved like a curse. ¡°What happened yesterday?¡± ¡°I was so nervous that I couldn¡¯t remember any rules of etiquette. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Mariela seemed to want to say something. She looked at Elysia¡¯s face for a long time, and couldn¡¯t easily bring it up. ¡°Excuse me, Duchess. A guest has arrived.¡± ¡°What for?¡± ¡°He¡¯s looking for Lady Elysia.¡± ¡°No one would come to visit Elysia. If he is from Hadunsha, just send him back.¡± ¡°Grand Duke Clevent asks to see Lady Elysia. I led him into the living room.¡± ¡°What? Your Highness the Grand Duke?¡± After a while, Elysia quickly changed her dress and headed to the living room with Mrs. Oze. Eleon waved his hand warmly when he saw Elysia. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°¡­.. I just saw you at the Palace yesterday. What did you come here for?¡± Eleon¡¯s response left her speechless. ¡°I¡¯m here for tea.¡± Chapter 31 ¡°I¡¯m here for tea.¡± Eleon seemed very happy. Elysia could feel it even if it didn¡¯t seem to be noticeable. When Eleon felt good, he used to raise the corner of his mouth, but the right side was slightly higher than the left. After working for him for half a year, she could tell his mood and discomfort. It seemed like something good was going on. ¡°This is not a tea shop.¡± Her mood was the opposite of his, since the night before she couldn¡¯t sleep well because she was crying all night. Elysia did not want to see Eleon, so she spoke bluntly. ¡°I know. I can see too.¡± But when he was about to ask the reason why he had come, suddenly some maids put a tea set on the table. Then Eleon pulled something out. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± It was a brown paper bag with a small Cafe Cardinal logo on it. Elysia was familiar with the packaging. Because the last day she left the Grand Duchy, she bought chocolate for Eleon. ¡¸¡°I want chocolate. The one sold at Cafe Cardinal.¡±¡¹ She was going to give the chocolate to Eleon. But she was taken to Hadunsha, and she held the envelope with her hands all day long, until it became soggy. She still bought it for him. But since she couldn¡¯t throw it away because of her feelings, she kept it in the corner of the drawer in her bedroom. Elysia, who was suddenly given a bag of chocolate, didn¡¯t know what to do. She doesn¡¯t even know what kind of expression to make. Can¡¯t I pretend I don¡¯t know about this? Elysia was a priestess who had lived in Hadunsha for a long time. Thanks to this, she could pretend not to know about the desserts of this famous cafe. Eleon spoke when she showed a naturally bewildered expression. ¡°It¡¯s a chocolate that is sold at Cafe Cardinal.¡± ¡°Why are you giving me this?¡± ¡°I thought you would like it.¡± Elysia stared blankly at the chocolate. ¡°A woman said before that she liked it.¡± ¡°Then give it to her.¡± Eleon seemed a little embarrassed when Elysia got upset. Suddenly, she sits up straight and looks him in the face. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare you a cup of tea. What would you like? She wanted to send Eleon back, who sat down saying that he had come to drink tea. Eleon rubbed his chin. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to explain it to me?¡± ¡°Choose for yourself. All this tea is valuable, so anything tastes good.¡± She thought that she could not repeat the same mistakes. Elysia was conscious of her actions and decided to think before she spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll drink whatever you choose.¡± Elysia carefully looked at the teas. The deep-roasted black tea, which Eleon didn¡¯t seem to like, caught her attention. Elysia poured a scoop of it into the teapot. When the tea was poured into the teacups, the tea, which looked red and black, came out thick. ¡°Please enjoy.¡± ¡°This?¡± ¡°It¡¯s black tea. It¡¯s very popular. It¡¯s good for your health. I also drink it every day.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± It was unexpected that Eleon extended his hand. His broad shoulders and long arms were able to grab Elysia¡¯s chin without getting up. Elysia was taken aback by the sudden contact. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Your Highness.¡± Mrs. Oze, who had been sitting with them, was startled and jumped up. The only person who didn¡¯t care was Eleon. He asked politely. ¡°Are you angry?¡± ¡°What do you mean by angry? Me? Why should I be angry? ¡°You¡¯re angry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Elysia was speechless. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you didn¡¯t hate dancing with me three times yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± However, that was not the problem. You, Eleon, deceiver. If you wanted to drink tea, you should have gone to Karina¡¯s house. Do you mean you should drink what I used to make for you when I was your maid? Elysia struggled to calm down. ¡°I don¡¯t feel well, so please excuse me. Goodbye.¡± Then, she got up from her seat and left the living room. She had nothing more to say. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to see you.¡± It was then that she entered her room muttering. ¡°Elysia.¡± ¡°Mother, what brings you here at this hour?¡± Mariela never came to her bedroom without sending a maid. ¡°Has the Grand Duke Clevent gone?¡± ¡°Yes. He left a moment ago.¡± She seemed to have something to say. ¡°What did the Grand Duke tell you?¡± ¡°It was nothing. We talked about tea and Cafe Cardinal.¡± The meeting time was short, so nothing special happened. ¡°Really?¡± Seeing Mariela pondering over such a trivial matter, Elysia became suspicious. Why is she asking this? In Elysia¡¯s eyes, Mariella was one of those who cared. ¡°I never broke any rules of etiquette or made a mistake.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t worried about that.¡± Mariela smiled. However, she looked worried. * * * * * Back in the Grand Duchy, Eleon was deep in doubt. ¡°She definitely said she liked it.¡± When he was blind, he used to remember more details. He had to redeem himself with other senses since he couldn¡¯t see. ¡¸¡°What would you like to order? Sir Eleon.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°What can I order?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°There¡¯s coffee, tea, juice. Cookies, cakes, and chocolate are also available.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°What would you like to eat?¡±¡¹ When they went to Cafe Cardinal together, he asked her. ¡¸¡°Coffee and chocolate.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°I¡¯ll have the same thing.¡±¡¹ He was sure she didn¡¯t pick what she liked with her mouth alone. He was very attentive to her but nothing interested her. ¡°So what does she like?¡± She didn¡¯t seem to like it very much when he bought her clothes. ¡¸¡°I know the secret of this room. It seems like you will buy everything you try on here.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°What are you worried about? The Grand Duke has already bought more than twenty sets.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡±Yes? I beg your pardon? Excuse me, My Lord. I don¡¯t need so many clothes¡±¡¹ If she had liked it, likely, she would not have refused it. Eleon thought for a long time. ¡°¡­.Is it money?¡± Come to think of it, Rona gets happy every time he raises her salary or when the butler would give her more gold coins. ¡°I think the duke has more money¡­¡± No matter how much he thought about it, there was no answer. Besides, the more he thought about it, the more certain it became. He knew very little about Elysia. While he was lost in thought, the butler entered his office. After seeing Eleon in his office for the first time in several years, the butler gets emotional every time he walks into his office. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°This is a list of taxes and specialties collected from the estate. Up until now, I¡¯ve only been organizing things, but I think your Majesty should take a look.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Not a problem. I just did what I had to do. But do you have any concerns?¡± ¡°I went to the Duke of Yuter today.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right you went out. But why did you go to that house?¡± The Yuters were not particularly acquainted with Grand Duke Clevent. ¡°I went to see a lady.¡± ¡°What? No, then when you suddenly said you wanted to get married¡­¡± Eleon nodded slightly. ¡°If you had told me earlier, I would have prepared a nice present.¡± ¡°There was something that the Lady said she liked, but it seems she didn¡¯t like it.¡± Unlike Eleon, who spoke seriously, the butler answered indifferently. ¡°That¡¯s how the human heart is. Trends change very quickly.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Eleon sighed. ¡°Then what do I have to do to win her affection?¡± ¡°Your Highness! Win her affection! What are you saying¡­..¡± Seeing that Bernard was surprised, the corners of his mouth raised. ¡°Why? Is it strange that I say it?¡± ¡°Anyone would fall in love with Your Highness even if you standstill. That¡¯s nonsense.¡± Our Grand Duke is the best. The most wonderful Grand Duke in the world. The butler was suddenly furious with the lady who rejected the Grand Duke. ¡°Who is that Lady? What kind of person is she that made your Highness think that way?¡± A sincere smile appeared on Eleon¡¯s lips, thinking of Elysia. ¡°She is so lovely.¡± When Bernard looked at him, he opened his mouth as if his jaw was about to fall out. ¡°I thought that appearance was not important. I was curious though. But seeing with my own eyes and feeling how beautiful she is, is another matter.¡± ¡°How beautiful is she that made Your Highness say that?¡± ¡°I asked her for a cup of tea today and she served me black tea.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s not the kind of tea you enjoy.¡± The butler turned around as he said so. Eleon hated the bitter taste of black tea. ¡°But I just laughed when she served me the tea.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°She was so cute.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t imagine her. She probably would have a very beautiful smile.¡± Eleon shook his head as he looked at the butler, who replied to his love counseling with a slightly relieved face. ¡°No, she looked angry.¡± ¡°¡­. Then why did you say she was cute?¡± ¡°Just because.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Then I will leave.¡± The butler gave up the conversation and left. I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s a woman who treats our Grand Duke so recklessly. It was unforgivable. Bernard said that he would see the lady someday. He thought if she sets foot in the Grand Duke¡¯s residence as a guest, he would serve her a tea that is ten times bitterer than the black tea she had served to the Grand Duke. While the butler was debating what he was going to do or not do outside the office, Eleon murmured. ¡°I want to see you again.¡± * * * * * The next day, Eleon visited the Duke¡¯s residence again. ¡°Can you show me the Yuter¡¯s paradise?¡± Elysia was thinking when Eleon spoke. I guess I can¡¯t serve him black tea again, can I? She thought he was making an excuse to see the garden so she wouldn¡¯t give him black tea again. Elysia asked Mrs. Oze, who was standing far back. ¡°Ma¡¯am. I¡¯m curious about something, can I decline a visit when a guest comes?¡± ¡°Yes? Oh, My Lady.¡± ¡°I was wondering if it was necessary to go out and greet him.¡± Seeing Elysia breaking etiquette rules in front of the Grand Duke, Mrs. Oze seemed to want to grab her by the neck. ¡°Please pretend you didn¡¯t hear that.¡± ¡°I heard it, but if you want to do it, you can.¡± Elysia and Eleon began to look around the garden, slowly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to explain the garden to me? You have a beautiful voice.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know this place either.¡± It¡¯s because she possessed this body, but it fits perfectly with the concept of amnesia. ¡°Can¡¯t you remember anything?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Not being able to remember is not necessarily a bad thing.¡± It came out of Elysia¡¯s mouth. ¡°Thanks to you, I can start all over again. Because I can¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°Maybe you forgot something you regretted?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. If there was something I regretted, I would not have forgotten it.¡± It felt strange. Does Elysia have such thoughts? It wasn¡¯t Won Yoon-Ji¡¯s thoughts, but as Elysia thought, the words came out naturally. Were you called the next high priest because you had an extraordinary appearance, or because of your wealthy and loving parents? Elysia had everything. She thought that the real Elysia would never think this way. Still, the words that came out of nowhere subtly touched Elysia¡¯s nerves. I guess it¡¯s because I put too much effort into becoming Elysia. She even thought about running away for a long time. Suddenly, Eleon was moving his mouth and that caught her attention. ¡°What are you eating?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little candy.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like sweets¡­. You like sweets¡± Eleon hated sweets. He smiled as he looked at Elysia, who was taken aback. ¡°If I didn¡¯t suck on the candy, I wouldn¡¯t know either.¡± His gaze fell on Elysia¡¯s lips. Chapter 32 ¡°If I didn¡¯t suck on the candy, I wouldn¡¯t know either.¡± Seeing Elysia¡¯s lips swollen with the color of rose petals, Eleon¡¯s mouth felt dry. His neck stiffened, He wanted to untie everything that bound his suit. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Well.¡± He wondered if Elysia would be able to stand in front of him if she knew what he wanted to do. Eleon could have bet on the Grand Duchy Mansion and its territories that she would have fled if she had known what was inside his heart. I thought this is the lowest I could go.. Eleon had fallen to the most miserable point in his life. He was struggling, lying on the floor. He witnessed for himself that a person named ¡®Eleon¡¯ fell to the very bottom of humanity. It was a muddy day. Desperate for abandoning his humanity, Eleon ridiculed himself as a mere beast. But his life had no end. He was slowly dying. He thought the pain was endless. Holding Rona¡¯s hand and slowly returning to daily life, he was able to control himself day by day, saying that he was getting better. But he felt that love was so antagonistic. His desire to gently touch Elysia¡¯s lips and the desire to bite her lips until they swelled co-existed. He couldn¡¯t even see her smile properly, but he wants to see her cry because of him. He wanted to hold her in his arms and give her the most secure place to rest, but he also wanted to hold her tight before he could break her. That was as low as he could go. Even though his eyes are fine, his head feels strange. I¡¯ve never been like this before. He never had a crush on a woman. Even at 16 years old, already having a coming-of-age ceremony, Eleon possessed a physique that surpassed that of an adult. As a result, curious and seductive gazes fell on him, who was young and outstanding. But he could not remember any of those women. He doubted himself several times. For him, the existence of a woman was just a feeling of appreciation. But the day he saw Elysia in the Imperial Palace, he realized that she was his Rona. Something seemed to have gone through his head. It¡¯s too hard to bear. Although he was a trained knight, he became a living sword for the Empire. But every time he faced Elysia, his heart raced like crazy, and he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to keep her within his reach. I want to keep her where my hands can reach. Eleon pondered the gentle expression of his inner feelings. I want to take her to the Grand Duchy right away. He wanted to skip all the rules of etiquette and procedures. However, marriage between nobles cannot be treated as the marriage of a barbarian tribe. For Elysia¡¯s honor, and to gain the recognition of her parents, Eleon preferred to act like a Grand Duke rather than a beastly animal. Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t seen her smile. The butler mentioned it once. ¡¸¡°Her hair is blonde, but it must be a bit unusual. It¡¯s not a crumbly color. It¡¯s like a well-brewed tea. And her eye color is purple, but this is not a very common purple. The color is deep and every time she smiles, it gives off a dazzling light. She gives the impression of being pure and cute.¡±¡¹ As Bernard had said, he had yet to see the bright, twinkling lights of her smile. Eleon thought he couldn¡¯t be more pathetic as his situation was worse than a butler¡¯s. ¡°If you want to do something, do it.¡± Not knowing the thoughts that filled Eleon¡¯s head, Elysia provoked him. ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t it better than regretting it later? You have to do it.¡± Before he knew it, the candy that filled his mouth sweetly melted and disappeared a long time ago. Eleon looked at Elysia. As long as you let me. I couldn¡¯t ask for more. The chaperone, who felt his eyes were unusual, coughed from afar. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it some more. There is still a big chance that I will regret it.¡± Eleon took a small candy from his pocket, handed one to Elysia, and popped it into her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s delicious. It must have been made by Chevalier.¡± Elysia didn¡¯t seem to notice the mistake, as she inadvertently mentioned the name of the Grand Duke¡¯s chef. ¡°My chef is very skillful.¡± ¡°Oh, wow. I didn¡¯t know there was such a place here.¡± Elysia exclaimed when she saw small water lilies blooming in a shallow water flow. ¡°It¡¯s so big here, there are many things I¡¯ve never seen before. Oh, let¡¯s go and see that.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When Elysia said ¡®let¡¯s go¡¯, the corners of her eyes curved up gently. Her golden hair fluttered as she grabbed the hem of her dress. And Eleon followed her. * * * * * After Eleon left, Elysia¡¯s head throbbed with complicated thoughts. ¡°I feel weird. What was it earlier?¡± The words that came out of her mouth while she was with him caught her attention. ¡¸¡°Not being able to remember is not necessarily a bad thing.¡±¡¹ It seemed sincere. ¡¸¡°Thanks to you, I can start all over again. Because I can¡¯t remember.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Maybe you forgot something you regretted?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°I¡¯m not sure. If there was something I regretted, I would not have forgotten it.¡±¡¹ It was the sincerity of Elysia Yuter. ¡°Sigh.¡± Elysia sighed and put her hands on her chest and looked up. Ba-thump ba-thump She could feel her heart beating. ¡°Elysia¡­.. Perhaps she knew what was going to happen to her?¡± If she was a priestess, she might have had some special power. ¡°But why did Elysia become a priestess?¡± In this world, priests were monks who could not marry for the rest of their lives. However, it¡¯s a different matter when it comes to gathering enough divine power to communicate with the Gods, so most of them remain as priests-in-training, and there are very few people who are officially chosen by the Gods to become High Priests. Even if they are priests-in-training, they will not be able to marry unless they are registered priests. However, there is one side that is not subject to discipline, if they ever decide to leave the temple, they could leave Hadunsha with some support as if they had retired. It was a fact she learned when she stayed in Hadunsha for a few days. ¡°But priests don¡¯t get married, do they?¡± She could not understand the original story. How could she, a priestess, be the crown prince¡¯s fiancee? Besides, she even had a child. ¡°Maybe it happened around this time. Is it now?¡± Suddenly, she got goosebumps. It happened at the same time that Eleon regained his sight. And Karina wanted to win Eleon¡¯s heart. The point of their fateful meeting at Caf¨¦ Cardinal has also passed. From now on, if she gets entangled with Sabiel and suffers a terrible death according to the original story, she wondered if that would put Eleon and Karina together. Elysia trembled as she rubbed the goosebumps on her arms with her cold hands. ¡°That can¡¯t happen. I absolutely hate that. I desperately survived until now.¡± It¡¯s just her desire to return to the original world. Then, suddenly, her mind felt clear. ¡°What the hell was I thinking about?¡± All the sad and complicated thoughts about Eleon became clear to her when she returned to her role as a reader. ¡°Eleon said he was looking for Karina.¡± The reason why he danced three times with her during her debut was also to provoke her jealousy. ¡°And Karina was also hoping for the best with Eleon.¡± It was as if time had stopped. It felt like we were the only two left in the world. Elysia attributed the reason for the cringe-worthy expression to why she is so upset when she is in a position to support Karina¡¯s love. ¡°Anyway, if the two of them go well, after that, they will fall in love with each other and it will continue as the original story, and I can return to my original world.¡± Before that, she needed to avoid becoming a sacrificial lamb for their relationship. Suddenly, it seemed that all the complicated thoughts that had been bothering her had been resolved at once. ¡°So why did he come to me?¡± There¡¯s no way he knows I¡¯m Rona. ¡°Is he really here for tea?¡± Was the taste of the tea I made at the palace that impressive? He may have felt the taste by Rona¡¯s hand, who made him tea every day. Elysia¡¯s question was surprisingly answered in the wrong place. ¡°Lady Elysia. A guest has arrived.¡± ¡°Yes? For me?¡± Today, another visit came after Eleon left. When Elysia opened her eyes wide, Laurie smiled broadly. ¡°Ah, My Lady. You¡¯re so lovely. The guest is a very pretty lady. Her name is Karina, the daughter of Count Harrington.¡± ¡°What? Karina?¡± Elysia jumped without realizing it. ¡°Is¡­. is there a problem?¡± ¡°No, there is no problem at all. Can you guide me to the living room?¡± The young maid, reassured by those words, quickly nodded. ¡°Oh my gosh, My Lady. I¡¯m surprised you made a mistake. I¡¯ve already shown you around.¡± ¡°Yes, thanks.¡± Feeling apologetic for nothing, Elysia gave Laurie a soft smile and headed into the living room. ¡°Hello. Lady Elysia.¡± The woman with silver hair, who was sitting like a painting, got up from the sofa as soon as she saw Elysia. ¡°Hello. Lady Karina, you can sit down comfortably.¡± The two girls sitting next to each other were silent for a moment. Elysia lost her appetite, just looking at the dessert in front of her. Maybe it was because she had tea with Eleon earlier. ¡°Uh¡­¡­¡± ¡°By the way¡­..¡± They spoke at the same time. Karina smiled mischievously, and she gestured to Elysia to speak first. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Yes. No, I mean, what did you come here for?¡± ¡°Ahh.¡± Karina was silent again for a moment, then touched the teacup. What¡¯s going on? There was nothing she couldn¡¯t tell her. Because the two weren¡¯t that close. After a while, Karina raised her head as if she had made a big decision. ¡°I heard that Grand Duke Clevent has been coming to your house every day for the past few days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± At that moment, suddenly, something flashed through Elysia¡¯s mind. Oh, this can¡¯t be happening. She still doesn¡¯t know why Eleon comes every day or why he comes to see her without saying much. ¡°Well, can¡¯t Lady Elysia help me?¡± Karina¡¯s green eyes lit up. ¡°So that the Grand Duke and I can get closer.¡± At the ball, Eleon said that there was a woman he was looking for and that he had only found half. Although Eleon and Karina ran into each other at Cafe Cardinal, it must be hard for him to get close to her. Because Eleon never had a dating experience. Is she asking me to set her up with Eleon? It occurred to her. Not accepting her request right away, Karina looked into Elysia¡¯s eyes and asked again. ¡°Is this too much to ask?¡± Chapter 33 ¡°Is this too much to ask?¡± ¡°No, what do you mean it¡¯s too much. I would love to help you.¡± Elysia smiled broadly. Looking at her face, Karina let out a small sigh of relief. ¡°I thought you might say no.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Karina showed a subdued expression. ¡°Because I don¡¯t know anyone in the capital.¡± In fact, it was the same with Elysia. ¡°The last time we met at the Imperial Palace, you may have offended me, you lied to me.¡± ¡°You can feel bad enough. I also was sad. I felt like I had caused trouble due to my imperfect memories.¡± She did not know what Elysia did or how she lived. She rarely left Hadunsha, and her parents could only visit her in the temple as regular believers. She couldn¡¯t even imagine such a life, and now she has to act like the real Elysia. ¡°Then I will forgive you for lying to me if you help me. What do you think?¡± ¡°Great.¡± Elysia nodded. ¡°Well, can I call you by your name?¡± ¡°Yes, you can. Karina, let¡¯s be comfortable with each other.¡± Karina drank tea with a softer face, unlike before, as if she felt more comfortable after everything she said. Is this the female lead buff? According to the story, she grew up in a rural area far from the capital and grew up as a baron¡¯s daughter in name only. Karina would be praised only for the impeccable way she drank tea. If Mrs. Oze had seen it, she would have been bugging me for hours. But, a chaperone was not required for the meeting between the girls. She was learning etiquette from Mrs. Oze. Karina looked perfect like a textbook in Elysia¡¯s eyes, who was scolded every day for her poor posture, and she was able to memorize the standard of the desirable lady¡¯s flawless figure more than anyone else. Still, it worked really well. How could the timing be so good? As Bernard said, the Grand Duke, who was like a raging beast on the battlefield soaked in blood, would be like a withering twig in front of high-society ladies. He¡¯s still green and he looks pitiful. He was not progressing. He¡¯s quiet, and he doesn¡¯t see any hope. It was ¡®Rona¡® that healed Eleon¡¯s eyes, but she was the wrong person to intervene. In addition, she can¡¯t come forward, saying she¡¯s Rona. And the real Elysia has a death flag. However, if Eleon and Karina became a couple and fulfilled the original ending, she could return to her original world. Bustling streets with artificial stars spread out with bright lights as if the Milky Way could be seen in the night sky, and the days before the Black Friday sale, everyone was busy with shopping carts. This was Won Yun-Ji¡¯s daily life. What¡¯s important here is that I have to live to see the ending. There¡¯s a lack of information at the moment, so she wondered what would happen if she avoided Sabiel as much as possible. Fortunately, Sabiel would not be chosen by Karina even if she did not die. Frost can fall even in May and June if a woman bears a grudge. T/N: it¡¯s a korean proverb that means If you treat a woman recklessly, you will get in trouble. (A woman¡¯s vengeance knows no limits.) Karina talked about Eleon when she clung to her in the Imperial Palace. Sabiel no longer seemed to matter to Karina. ¡¸¡°It was as you said. Now I regret it.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°I ignored what you said before because I thought it was unreasonable. I¡­I thought I made the right choice because you haven¡¯t met him in person.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Please, please. Will I have a chance to turn my destiny around? I want to know if I can start over.¡±¡¹ She even seemed a little desperate. She regretted meeting Sabiel and seems anxious to continue her relationship with Eleon. It¡¯s a good thing for me anyway. In the original story, Elysia¡¯s death was used to prevent Karina from choosing Crown Prince Sabiel. As long as the two of them eat well and live well, and reach the end of him becoming emperor, she will have a precious return ticket. ¡°Then please take care of me. Elysia.¡± ¡°All right, Karina.¡± Elysia pulled herself together, smiling at Karina. After tea, she saw Karina off. ¡°Elysia.¡± When she went back to her room to get some rest, Mariela again came without notice. ¡°Mother, why didn¡¯t you call me? I would have come to see you right away.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I just have a lot on my mind.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Mariela frowned and bit her lower lip. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°¡­..That woman. No, no matter what Lady Karina tells you?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Why did she look for you all of a sudden? There is no reason for her to come to you.¡± Elysia had a strange feeling. When Eleon visited her recently, Mariela acted the same way. ¡°What did you two talk about?¡± Elysia held in a short sigh as she saw Mariela persistently question her daughter¡¯s every move as if she needed to know. * * * * * Eleon Clevent, the only Grand Duke of Constance Empire. It had been several days since he started visiting the Duke of Yuter¡¯s mansion every day. He would come to the duke¡¯s house and ask to meet Elysia. They would drink tea, read a book together, or take a walk in the garden. After the Grand Duke left, Mrs. Oze visited Mariela¡¯s room. ¡°What do you think?¡± Mrs. Oze, who responded to Mariela¡¯s question, looked a little flushed. ¡°The Grand Duke seems to be in love with Lady Elysia. Duchess, you know. It¡¯s obvious what a man would do to win a woman¡¯s heart.¡± She owned a large jewelry shop frequented by many nobles. She was specially asked to teach Elysia etiquette. She was also the most reliable matchmaker in the capital. ¡°The Grand Duke is so in love with Lady Elysia. It makes me want to step aside.¡± Mrs. Oze looked at Mariela. The role of the chaperone is to protect the honor of the unmarried lady, but she implicitly stepped aside for certain progress if the adult in the family permitted it. Grand Duke Clevent is the best bridegroom in the Empire. But Mariella shook her head. ¡°No. That can¡¯t be. Never, never.¡± ¡°I understand your concerns since Lady Elysia has been a priestess for a long time, but these days, young people in the capital¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Elysia is still young. Didn¡¯t I say it clearly when I requested you?¡± At Mariella¡¯s determined attitude, she quickly bowed her head. ¡°Yes, Duchess. I will do as you say.¡± Mrs. Oze looked disappointed. The nobles were give and take even in love. He comes to see the woman he loves every day, but she has to give her permission to take off her gloves, hug her, or even kiss her on the cheek. Grand Duke Clevent is a great fish not to be missed. Wouldn¡¯t she regret it if he proposed to another young noble lady, who¡¯s been in a ¡°nothing¡± relationship and has deepened her relationship all of a sudden? Such a thing was rare. It was like having a chaperone attached to watch over and advise her instead of a young and quiet lady. The timing was important for push-and-pull. Mrs. Oze felt that the Grand Duke should have been allowed to kiss her earlier. It¡¯s not like he comes every day. There was no nobleman with a higher status than Eleon in the Empire except for the Emperor and his wife, the Crown Prince, and the princess who gave birth to Eleon. Eleon comes in and out of the Duke of Yuter¡¯s estate, even when he is of a lower rank than him. Grand Duke Clevent was not a successor or a minor, but a full-fledged master at that age. It was a huge thing when a person who had already inherited the title was allowed to visit the duke¡¯s residence without sending a messenger. To that extent, he was conveying his intentions to the Duke and Duchess. ¡°Our Elysia is still in poor health. Marriage is¡­¡­. I haven¡¯t even thought about it yet.¡± When her advice didn¡¯t work, Mrs. Oze became sharp. ¡°The courtship occurs after the lady has debuted. There is no such thing as making a debut at the age of 20. Duchess, it is usually held at the age of sixteen or seventeen at the latest.¡± That was true. Marriages between nobles were often decided at a very young age. Then, there were many cases of being engaged for a long time and then having a wedding ceremony as soon as they become adults. The fact that she made her debut at that age meant that there were unavoidable circumstances, and the circumstances themselves were highly likely to be flawed. Whether for health or financial issues. It was common to greet people past her age and be treated as problematic in marriage. ¡°Didn¡¯t you also marry early? You got engaged at 16, and you gave birth to Elysia at 18, right after you got married¡± ¡°Still¡­¡­Still, this is different. Never.¡± ¡°Think about it slowly. Lady Elysia made her debut, and so far has not received a single courtship. It¡¯s also my role to advise so you don¡¯t regret it later.¡± Mrs. Oze withdrew, looking at her with disappointed eyes. As soon as Mrs. Oze disappeared from the room, Mariela let out a long sigh that she had been holding. ¡°Sigh.¡± Even though she was breathing, it didn¡¯t feel like she was breathing. Her heart was pounding as if her stomach was on fire. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me.¡± Eleon, the Grand Duke Clevent has Elysia in mind. Mariela, who has been watching it for the past few days, couldn¡¯t deny it. There¡¯s no way. She was frustrated. She felt that she had something hot stuck in her chest. It was painful without any medicine or answer. The Grand Duke and my daughter¡­.. Did he fall in love with my Elysia? That was impossible. It should never have happened. No, maybe it wasn¡¯t Elysia, but Rona, did he realize she was Rona? It was obvious that it was troublesome either way. ¡°I should have not sent her to the debutante.¡± Mariela murmured with regret. The joy of finding Elysia was brief, and Mariela was confused about her future. She should have been hidden under the protection of the Five Gods and Oder. It was Mariela¡¯s cherished desire to push her little daughter to the temple and make her a priestess. But she couldn¡¯t prevent Elysia from being excommunicated from Hadunsha because she did not remember her believers, her family, or even herself. And just in time, the Empress invited her to a debutante¡¯s, so she had no choice but to accept it. She was trying to take her time and tried to live without defying the rules. On the day of the ball, Mariela got goosebumps when she watched Grand Duke Clevent drag Elysia onto the dance floor. Mariela could tell the unhidden obsession in the strength and determined touch of pulling her daughter onto the dance floor. Eleon Clevent is a beast that never lets go of its prey once it bites. ¡°As long as Elysia is not with that man.¡± Among all the men in the Empire, Eleon is the only man who could not be Elysia¡¯s husband. ¡°It¡¯s still fine. Not yet.¡± Mariela took a deep breath and beat her chest. She was the one who needed to get her act together more than anyone else. * * * * * The next day, as expected, Eleon arrived at the duke¡¯s residence. ¡°Welcome, Grand Duke.¡± Elysia could smile at him for the first time. ¡°I want to introduce you to someone today.¡± Eleon seemed to be somewhat bewildered. What¡¯s wrong with Eleon¡¯s face? Is he embarrassed to meet Karina? He looked a bit dazed. Of course, Eleon was a very handsome man, so even his appearance had a unique charm. ¡°Hello. Grand Duke. My name is Karina Harrington.¡± Karina was wearing a sky blue chiffon dress. The sky was blue and clear, so she was as lovely as an angel. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Eleon¡¯s short greeting made Karina¡¯s cheeks turn red. Have a good time. No, you have to have fun so I can get out of the way. It was the first time in her life that she had played this role. A little nervous, Elysia served the tea her maids had brought in, and spoke modestly about the weather, before praising Karina¡¯s dress and the gold buttons on Eleon¡¯s robe. ¡°Lady Elysia.¡± At that moment, Laurie called her name, causing Elysia to get up from her seat. ¡°Oh, my mother is calling me for a moment. You two can talk.¡± Great! Was it natural? Chapter 34 ¡°Oh, my mother is calling me for a moment. You two can talk.¡± It was at that moment that Eleon came to his senses, who looked at Elysia, bewitched. ¡°Your Highness. Would you like to try this dessert?¡± Karina spoke to him with a smile, but Eleon was busy thinking about Elysia, who had just left. Elysia seemed to be in a good mood. No wonder she was like Rona. Rona was always lively and cheerful. She was so energetic and positive that every time she spoke it made his dark world light up. But Elysia was different. Still, his sensitive feelings were speaking. Rona and Elysia are the same person. They have the same voice, the same light steps, and the same scent of cherry blossom flowers that are fragrant every time she moves when he stays close to her. But when he opened his eyes, she felt like a different person. Why don¡¯t you look happy? In Eleon¡¯s memory, Rona used to be happy over little things. She was happy whenever the meal was delicious, when she got cookies as a snack, or when Bernard gave her a bonus for working hard. The world she saw and heard instead of him was full of beautiful things. They were the only words that warmed and brightened up the world of a blind man. I think it¡¯s a good thing that she found her family. Rona disappeared on her way to Cafe Cardinal. She left no trace. She left all her things and money at the Grand Duke¡¯s residence. He was stunned when he couldn¡¯t find Rona, but now he understood her position. The mere fact of having worked as a maid was something she didn¡¯t want to talk about now that she had regained her status. Rather than salute a place where she has worked, she is better off cutting it all off. A scandal arises from an additional delusion rather than a fact. But Eleon came to see Elysia every day. She looked like a weak herbivore. Elysia reminded him of a calm rabbit. When he tried to reach her, she would jump up and run away, looking at him with surprise. Her eyes seemed to come back to life only when she met Eleon. I wanted to see you smile. Even the butler had seen her smiling face before him. And the thought of it made him want to send the competent Bernard to look after the estate so he couldn¡¯t come back. Bernard¡¯s detailed explanation of Rona¡¯s smiling face was a habit from his blind days. Even after Eleon regained his sight, he couldn¡¯t easily give up his habit of having people describe details to him. Eleon was jealous to the point of wanting to expel those who had seen Rona before him. He became obsessed with Elysia¡¯s smiling face, just as Bernard had described it. When will I be able to see her bright smile? However, seeing Elysia, who was not very welcoming to his visit, made him nervous. Should I tell Elysia that I know she is Rona? Will our relationship change? But Elysia pretended not to know me. Do you remember the blind man who looked at the sunrise in the morning and the moonlight when he took a walk at night, as you asked him? I wonder if you have forgotten the scenery of the old Cafe Cardinal, as you described it to me. There were years when I relied on you, but without you, my heart would feel empty. Would that make a difference? Every time I saw Elysia, she would draw a line between us like I was a stranger, and my head would fill with all sorts of thoughts. But seeing Elysia¡¯s smile for the first time made me forget all my worries and thoughts. Eleon barely pushed his thoughts aside. As Karina looked at him sitting, she smiled warmly. ¡°You don¡¯t like sweet desserts?¡± When there was no answer, she looked around and pushed a bowl over to where Eleon was sitting. ¡°Then try this. It¡¯s a pickled fruit from the east, it has a unique taste because it¡¯s sprinkled with salt.¡± As if waiting for Elysia to go away, Karina actively spoke to him when they were alone. What¡¯s going on here? Eleon narrowed his eyes. ¡¸¡°Lady Elysia.¡±¡¹ Maybe the maid who came looking for her up a while ago was just looking for her master. But what about Elysia¡¯s attitude? ¡¸¡°Oh, my mother is calling me for a moment. You two can talk.¡±¡¹ But Elysia disappeared before the maid could tell why her mother was calling her. ¡­¡­. No way. The sudden thought disgusted him. When Eleon didn¡¯t answer her question properly, Karina got depressed. ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Please, speak.¡± ¡°Actually, I asked Lady Elysia to let us meet, Your Highness.¡± Eleon raised his eyebrows. Ah, that was it? Unable to read his mind, which was as crooked as his slanted eyebrows, Karina hurriedly said what she had prepared. ¡°You helped me when I was in trouble before, so I wanted to thank you properly.¡± ¡°I helped you?¡± He didn¡¯t remember anything. Eleon tried to recall, but nothing came to mind. ¡°At Cafe Cardinal. Some bad guys were arguing with me, and you helped me.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Then a scene came to mind. He remembered that when he was blind he followed Rona to Cafe Cardinal and remembered another young lady. She reminded him of Rona, so that¡¯s why he chased them away. However, he only helped her because she was in a similar situation as Rona. It meant nothing to him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, you don¡¯t have to thank me.¡± ¡°But it is thanks to your help that I was able to get out of the problem, Your Highness.¡± Karina¡¯s green eyes sparkled with vitality. He felt a familiar sensation. It was definitely a look that showed interest in him. But it was none other than Elysia who prepared this place. ¡¸¡°Actually, I asked Lady Elysia to let us meet, Your Highness.¡±¡¹ Suddenly his accumulated nervousness had been cut when he heard her speak. Eleon was very offended. There were times when he had to resist the urge to hold Rona while feeling the warmth of her tiny hands, and when he carefully covered her with a blanket without touching a single hair of hers. How lovely would it be to see you when I opened my eyes and saw you? He used to imagine himself caring for her so much without looking at her. He would never be able to change his feelings for her. And at the end of his delusion, won¡¯t Rona look at him like a man considering they call him a blind beast? That was it. Now, he has fully recovered the symbol of Oder, the red eyes. He was able to go to the old days when he had everything, but Rona was not by his side. And still, she doesn¡¯t see Eleon as a man. I thought you would know even if I didn¡¯t tell you. Rona didn¡¯t have to say anything. She used to notice what he wanted as if she could read his mind. Oddly enough, Rona didn¡¯t realize that he liked her. ¡°May I invite you to dinner to thank you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to help you.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Karina¡¯s eyes widened at the unflattering remark. ¡°There was someone who went through something similar at the cafe. I was just thinking about the past.¡± ¡°You still helped me. I really want to repay you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± Eleon got up from his seat. Karina was startled and stood up at the same time. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Oh, my mother called me for a moment. Lady Karina should enjoy tea here.¡± He waved his hands with a disdainful expression. Karina sat back spellbound as he waved his hand with a sneer. ¡°I should get going now.¡± As Eleon disappeared, she wondered what she had just heard. ¡°This is the Duke of Yuter¡¯s Mansion.¡± Isn¡¯t his mother Princess Lev? ¡°Nobody came to call him.¡± She couldn¡¯t believe that he was leaving all of a sudden. Only then did she suddenly realize that Eleon had expressed his displeasure. ¡°What should I do?¡± Karina cried. It was not easy for her to come to her and ask Elysia for a favor. However, she wondered after hearing the rumors that Grand Duke Clevent was a bit crazy, going to the Duke of Yuter¡¯s mansion every day. Will Grand Duke Clevent send Elysia a courtship letter soon? According to what she found out, Elysia was a priestess with great divine power, enough to receive oracles from all five gods. Karina thought that it would be a very important oracle when Elysia could only remember her. It¡¯s important. Karina believed that she would influence the fate of the Empire, whether she was connected to Sabiel or to the only Grand Duke of the Empire. If she married Crown Prince Sabiel, she would become the Empress, and if she married Eleon, who was born with Oder¡¯s blood, she might become the next Oder¡¯s mother. Isn¡¯t that what the old woman fortune teller says? ¡°She told me that first I was going to have children. She said that I would be blessed.¡± However, she became distant from Sabiel, and it was difficult to even sit face to face with Eleon. She did not know what to do. Karina thought it was humiliating, but she had no choice but to ask Elysia for help to make the Grand Duke fall in love with her. ¡°She didn¡¯t seem to have any feelings for the Grand Duke.¡± So why did she foolishly say she was going to help me? It seemed like she was not even aware of the basics of courtship with a marriage proposal in mind when a nobleman came to visit every day. The chaperone must have a clue, but Elysia didn¡¯t seem to care at all. Elysia said she would help me. She lost her memory and was originally a priestess. Karina thought that Elysia was a sloppy woman. ¡°That¡¯s great. I must have the Grand Duke.¡± Karina clenched her fists. * * * * * Elysia looked up at the blue sky. ¡°You two must be having a good conversation, right?¡± Instead of granting her request, Elysia had nowhere to go at home. ¡°I feel uncomfortable seeing Mariela these days.¡± Elysia¡¯s mother had been sensitive ever since the debutante ball. She had no idea why. It seems that Mariela regrets making her debut. She hoped that when her daughter regained her memories, she would return to Hadunsha. ¡°There is no place for me to lie down in such a nice place.¡± Elysia wandered around, finally finding a spot, sitting under the camellia trees planted in rows to separate the gardens. She picked up a fresh camellia flower and fiddled with it. ¡°Phew.¡± She let out a long sigh. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± The image of Eleon and Karina sitting alone next to each other stuck in her mind. ¡°This makes me feel like I¡¯m jealous.¡± Chapter 35 ¡°This makes me feel like I¡¯m jealous.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be jealousy. To be jealous, I must have feelings for him first. I swear to heaven that I had no ulterior motive towards Eleon. Of course, I always treated Eleon with sincerity. She didn¡¯t pretentiously treat him like he wasn¡¯t a real person in the book. I hoped that soon he would meet Karina, his destiny partner, and cure his eyes to be happy. Won Yun-Ji will capture that image with her eyes and happily return to the original world. Although Eleon was handsome, cool, and sometimes pitiful and sad, it was in the heart of the reader to see the main character. At least that¡¯s what I thought until now. ¡°When Karina came and asked for help, I thought it was great.¡± Wasn¡¯t I happy to help her and set up a meeting with Eleon? But why was I sad so suddenly. Why? Why? Yet at the same time, I felt a sense of refusal that I should not focus on those feelings. ¡°It¡¯s only natural that he and I live in different worlds.¡± However, it was an uncomfortable feeling that could not be explained by that alone. ¡°No, stop thinking.¡± That¡¯s right. I¡¯m just sad. It is the kind of feeling a mother-in-law would have when her well-raised son gets married. Elysia found a similar feeling. And she forced herself to think that¡¯s what she was feeling right now. Is it almost time? Elysia watched the sunset a little to the side, then stood up and brushed the dirt off her skirt. She returned to the garden where Karina was sitting alone, drinking tea. ¡°Where¡¯s the Grand Duke?¡± ¡°He left first because he was busy.¡± Seeing Karina¡¯s fresh smile, Elysia thought something had gone wrong. Elysia asked, trying to hide her bitter feelings. ¡°Did you speak with His Highness?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Karina blushed a little. ¡°I can¡¯t go into detail, though.¡± I see. That¡¯s right, you two had a good conversation. Elysia swallowed a sigh and forced a smile. * * * * * Returning to Count Harrington¡¯s mansion, Karina nervously took off her hat and her dress. ¡°Did you have a good trip, my lady? Wait, I¡¯ll help you right away. Ouch.¡± When she reach out to help, Karina slapped the maid¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s faster to do it with my own hands.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡­.¡± The maid lamented for a moment that Karina¡¯s rough touch caused the silk ribbon, which had zigzagged behind her back, to break. However, she started to pick up the clothes and underskirt that Karina was throwing off trying to please her. ¡°Did you enjoy tea time today?¡± ¡°Enjoy?¡± The maid fell silent when she saw that Karina looked at her with disdain. ¡°Stop, leave now.¡± ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± The maid didn¡¯t know what to do when Karina reacted sensitively to everything she said, so she quickly disappeared, carrying the dress. ¡°Huh.¡± When she was alone, anger welled up. Karina was eager to see Eleon again after bumping into him in front of Cafe Cardinal. But there was no contact. Even after seeing his beautiful appearance, the symbol of imperial mythology, and Oder¡¯s red eyes, she was not aware that he was the famous blind beast, Grand Duke Clevent. When the Empress suggested the first dance at the Imperial Ball, Eleon took Elysia to the dance floor in an instant. I wish I could dance with him then. Unfortunately, she missed the chance when she glared so furiously at Sabiel. ¡¸¡°Then Karina will do her first dance with the Crown Prince.¡±¡¹ She made her social debut under the supervision of the Empress, for which she had to dance with Sabiel as Empress Seraphina told her to do. It¡¯s the ¡®first dance¡®. ¡¸¡°Congratulations on your social debut. Karina.¡±¡¹ Karina laughed when Sabiel danced and talked to her. ¡¸¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince is truly a wonderful person. I thought you¡¯d at least apologize.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Apologize? What do you mean? Did I do anything wrong to you?¡±¡¹ She felt her stomach boil at his casual attitude. She wanted to step on his feet and shake off her hands, but she thought she should save her face while greeting the cr¨¦me de la cr¨¦me, as it might damage her reputation. ¡¸¡°You seduced the innocent me. Your Highness¡¯ love is really cheap. Even a hot oath cools after one night and the sun rises.¡±¡¹ Sabiel laughed out loud like it was hilarious. The people dancing around glanced at her and Sabiel. ¡¸¡°Are you naive? Wasn¡¯t it you who asked to spend the night?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°What did you say?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Didn¡¯t you express your intention not to send you back?¡±¡¹ Karina¡¯s face flushed. ¡¸¡°And my love is not cheap. It is quite the opposite. You¡¯re the cheap one. I guess I was sick and tired of your love.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ Karina was speechless at the overly abusive language. Until then, the idea of forgiving Sabiel if he clung to her asking for forgiveness for doing something wrong, remained in the corner of her mind. She didn¡¯t lie even once when they were having a love affair. However, the insult she heard while dancing in his arms burned down even the lingering feelings she had for him. After that, she became more obsessed with Eleon. Elysia said she had two men, and that meant two chances. I¡¯m lucky. It will be difficult for others to seize this opportunity once in a lifetime. But I have two choices. But I can¡¯t be an idiot who misses both. ¡°I will never back down.¡± Karina¡¯s eyes were filled with poison. Eleon was her last chance. * * * * * Mrs. Oze made a fuss as soon as she entered the room. ¡°Oh, my lady. Something big happened. Big problem!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to lose the marriage that I¡¯ve got in the front yard of my house.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mrs. Oze spoke rapidly of what she had seen and heard, taking in a gasp that seemed to take her breath away. ¡°The Grand Duke Clevent came to visit today, and, well, Lady Elysia and.. the Lady Karina, the Harringtons¡¯ the adopted daughter. She told the Grand Duke to talk to her, and she left!¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± ¡°Madam!¡± Mrs. Oze kicked her feet as she looked at Mariela, who answered calmly as if she was really happy. ¡°I should have sat down earlier. I didn¡¯t think the Grand Duke would come because the two ladies were going to have tea. I¡¯m sorry, Duchess.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Elysia¡¯s chaperone, so unless the Harrington daughter came with her own chaperone, there is no obligation to protect her as well. She¡¯s lucky if she doesn¡¯t do anything bad to Elysia.¡± ¡°But it is clear that the Grand Duke loves Lady Elysia.¡± Mrs. Oze was completely sure that Elysia had been chosen by the Grand Duke. ¡°I went to see them, but when he was alone with Lady Karina, his attitude changed.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°It seemed like he wasn¡¯t interested in her. He responded to her curtly.¡± Mrs. Oze answered excitedly when Mariela asked her. ¡°Isn¡¯t he the best groom in the Empire right now? It could be much better than the Crown Princess position which has many duties and restrictions.¡± ¡°Madame Oze.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I know. You wish for her memories and divine power to return.¡± Mrs. Oze lost strength, as Mariela said strictly without keeping up with the excitement. ¡°But such a strict life may not necessarily lead to happiness for your daughter. It is unclear if she will get her memories back or not. Please think again.¡± Mrs. Oze left Mariela¡¯s room with an expression of regret at the end of the day. After a long sigh, Mariela looked at herself in the mirror. Soon, a beautiful woman was seen who was about to turn 40 years old. Her white, wrinkle-free skin was as clear and transparent as a fairy¡¯s. Her big purple eyes and thick honey blonde hair were the same as Elysia¡¯s. But her face was full of sadness and anguish. ¡°I can¡¯t stay like this. There must be some other way.¡± Mariela tightened her grip as if she had made a big decision. That night, Mariela left the Duke¡¯s residence through a small door that allowed late-hour workers to enter and exit. A carriage was waiting for her at the gate and took her to the outskirts of the capital. Mariela quietly entered a small house she had on the outskirts of the capital, where she could change her clothes. She wore a simple, unadorned dress. It was the kind of clothes common people would wear when doing business in the market. Mariela then put on a brown hair wig after carefully braiding her hair. Then the Duchess just disappeared and looked like an ordinary woman. Leaving the house again, she climbed back into the carriage with her hood tightly closed and headed for Hadunsha. ¡°Madam.¡± ¡°Shh.¡± A large forest that surrounds Hadunsha connects to the northern gate of the Imperial Palace. A woman in a priest¡¯s uniform, who had been waiting impatiently in the depths of the forest, looked at Mariela with delight. It was Iris, the priestess, who dyed the ends of her red hair white. ¡°You¡¯re late. We don¡¯t have much time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Iris handed her an extra pair of clothes that she had secretly brought. Mariela took off her clothes. She began to put on the priest¡¯s robe and lowered the hood. She looked like a priest when she loosened the white ends of her wig. ¡°Go to the front gate. Roben and Esho are waiting for you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Hurry up.¡± Mariela took a deep breath and casually walked towards Hadunsha¡¯s front gate. ¡°May the blessings of the Five Gods and Oder be with you.¡± Mariela bowed her head. The gatekeepers who were guarding the main gate raised their spears to block her. ¡°You are late for your return. Where you come from?¡± ¡°I went to a funeral. I arrived too late because I was consoling the family of the deceased.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Mariela showed them a sewn black cloth bag. It contained donations that are received when a priest goes to a funeral and prays. Looking down at something quite heavy, the gatekeepers raised the spears and cleared the way. ¡°May the night be full of glory to those who serve as the eyes of the Lord.¡± After saying goodbye, Mariela entered. When Roben and Esho saw her, they greeted her and immediately turned around. ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She heard a voice coming and going as she walked. ¡°Alejandro attended the all-night prayer meeting, he won¡¯t come out for about three hours.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Mariela pressed the watch she was wearing like a necklace. The inside of Hadunsha was like a maze. After passing through the area where the outside believers came and went, there was a large space where people could get lost except for the priests who had lived for a long time. Deep inside, there was the residence of the priests, and there was a secret space below it. Mariela followed Roben and Esho into the deep underground. She¡¯s been here a few times, but every time she comes, she couldn¡¯t get used to it. ¡°You must be out in an hour.¡± I had to take into account the time to return. Mariela nodded and went inside. Even though it was a basement, the room was bright. A huge altar was placed in the round stone-carved room, and a thick, large book was placed on top of it. In order to approach the altar, she had to memorize the secret passphrase that only Hadunsha¡¯s priests knew. Mariela took a short deep breath and words began to come out of her mouth. ¡°I know this is the world from the book Flower of the Blind Beast.¡± Chapter 36 ¡°I know this is the world from the book Flower of the Blind Beast.¡± The light surrounding the altar to protect it disappeared. Mariela approached the altar. On the cover of the book, the title was written as if someone had written it by hand. Mariela¡¯s eyes seemed determined as she looked at the book. I will find a way to save my daughter. Mariela carefully opened the book. The writer¡¯s handwriting on each page was different. She turned the pages. Shortly after, the eyes of Mariela, who found the name ¡®Elysia Yuter¡¯, were wet and red. Mariela looked at the letters full of despair. However, there was no way to save Elysia easily, so her shoulders lost strength. In the end, Mariela had to return without much result. It was then. As Mariela¡¯s carriage began to run down the dark road, the shadowy corner of the house looked like a hiding place and a human figure appeared. The man who was looking at Mariela was a tall, thin man. A white mask covering his entire face rose like a cold moon above the black shadow. The smooth and bright white mask that did not reveal emotions was an object that gave off a bizarre feeling as it seemed as if it was smiling or crying. The man with his face covered, muttered in a low voice as he watched the carriage drive away. ¡°It will not go your way.¡± Then he put on his black hood and disappeared into the darkness between the alleys. * * * * * It¡¯s a terrible dream. Sabiel grabbed Elysia¡¯s wrists and pressed them above her head. Although she fought with all her strength, she could not hold out against the man¡¯s single hand. ¡¸¡°You crazy bastard!¡±¡¹ When she cried out, Sabiel put his lips on her cheek. ¡¸¡°It would be nice if you stayed still obediently.¡±¡¹ Sabiel released her wrist as he tried to undress her with one hand. ¡¸¡°This is nothing, should I tear your clothes up?¡±¡¹ He muttered irritably as he unbuttoned the priest¡¯s uniform buttons. THUD Sabiel¡¯s eyes widened and distorted when a short, two-finger-sized knife that she had hidden on her body plunged into his neck. ¡¸¡°How..how dare you¡­¡­¡±¡¹ Sabiel¡¯s blood fell on her face. The bloodstains that had fallen on the white priest¡¯s uniform spread more and more. Elysia, who had escaped his grasp, was still holding the knife, and her hands were stained with his blood. Elysia ran desperately out of the cabin. But the run was short. ¡¸¡°He will not die.¡±¡¹ Sabiel will not die. Because it was decided by her destiny. Standing on the edge of the railing, Elysia watched the turbulent waters of the lake swirl beneath the boat. She was very tired. Nevertheless, she could not kill herself with the knife she had in her hand. I don¡¯t want even a single drop of the enemy¡¯s dirty blood to mix in my body. A blood-soaked knife fell first. Elysia felt hope when she saw the knife disappear into the water. If I fall from here, I will disappear through the turbulent stream of water. Away from my wretched fate¡­¡­ Then Elysia threw herself. If there is a next life, I want to be happy. * * * * * Groan groan Her entire body was drenched in sweat. Elysia was so shocked that she couldn¡¯t even get out of bed. ¡°¡­¡­That was just a dream.¡± It was a dream. But it was so vivid that it made her sick and nauseous. ¡°Ah¡­ah¡­ Ugh¡­ Crying.¡± She felt like she was running out of oxygen like a drowning person, so she took a deep breath but cried. ¡°Sobbing.¡± She couldn¡¯t calm down. Elysia tried her best to calm down. She felt the emotions of the real Elysia thanks to the dream. How can it be so tragic and sad even though I wasn¡¯t the one to experience it? How could he be so desperately miserable? Elysia curled up for a long time and continued to cry. Suddenly, she thought that it might be Elysia¡¯s memory. Then something occurred to her. Did Elysia really make that choice? It was just a dream, but she couldn¡¯t forget it. Emotions came to life as she recalled the memories left in her body. Could it be that Elysia was not happy? She thought about it a few times. What made the girl who seemed to have everything unhappy? If she was a priest, shouldn¡¯t she have forgotten all the troubles and worries of the world and had a peaceful mind? Elysia felt guilty that she had peeped into something she shouldn¡¯t have. She didn¡¯t feel well, maybe because of the dream. In the dream, he pressed so hard on Elysia¡¯s body that even her shoulders, arms, and muscles ached in real life. Sigh, I really want to rest. I was unmotivated and didn¡¯t have the energy to deal with anyone today. However, looking at Karina and Eleon sitting next to each other, it felt like anger was welling up from within. Eleon and Karina were destined to be together. I can¡¯t believe I have to suffer these kinds of feelings for people who look good together. If I close my eyes and open them, I hope it¡¯s after the two of them get married, then Eleon will become emperor. Then I can go back to my world. Why on earth do you two have to meet here? It was clear that Karina had a good talk with Eleon, but I could not understand why they had to come to Yuter¡¯s residence, as if they had promised. Ah, you two must have made a promise. To avoid the public eye, they meet here, not at the Grand Duke¡¯s or Count Harrington¡¯s. The answer was hidden in the muffled whispers. But today, there was another uninvited guest. ¡°I like the taste of the tea My Lady serves. I could come every day.¡± Sabiel naturally raised the teacup. Sigh Elysia sighed inwardly. It was enough having to deal with Eleon and Karina. Now she had to deal with Sabiel on top of that. Especially since she dreamt of him, she couldn¡¯t even make eye contact with Sabiel, unlike when she only vaguely thought that he was the enemy that brought Elysia to her death. ¡°Last time, I couldn¡¯t have a proper conversation with you, so I came with great effort to meet you here.¡± ¡°Sabiel. Have some tea.¡± Eleon who put on a defiant attitude did not seem to have the intention of dealing with Sabiel. And every time Sabiel said a word, Karina¡¯s expression hardened as much as Elysia¡¯s. What¡¯s up with this atmosphere? Elysia felt a cold sweat run down the back of her neck. If I pretend to pass out, maybe I can get out of here. She had an extreme thought. ¡°Lady Elysia.¡± When Laurie naturally called out to her, Elysia stood up with delight. ¡°Oh, my mother called me. I¡¯ll be right back. You three take your time talking.¡± She said she¡¯d be right back, but Elysia had no intention of coming back like yesterday. Just¡­.. for some reason, I don¡¯t want to see the two of you together. And she felt strange and uncomfortable with herself. Besides, she didn¡¯t want to get close to Sabiel¡¯s in real life after what she had seen in the terrible dream. She didn¡¯t feel that it mattered why she had such a dream, or if it really happened before Elysia fell into the lake. It was Sabiel who led Elysia to her death. Elysia intended on going back to her room and getting into her bed. Outside the bed is also dangerous. She was terrified of having to meet Sabiel. She regarded Sabiel, who was in her garden, as her enemy. ¡°Oh, why is it too far?¡± Mariela¡¯s dream garden, which was named Yuter¡¯s Paradise, is so large that until today it was difficult for her to walk to the mansion. But it was nothing compared to the servants who always came and went carrying trays of teapots. Elysia gradually lost her strength as she walked toward the mansion. She headed under the camellia trees again today. ¡°Why it is so hard today?¡± The ground was dirty, but she didn¡¯t care. She was finally able to breathe when she leaned against a tree. The bunch of flowers around her made her look like she was sitting on a red carpet. Elysia stared blankly at it. Today the flowers seemed pathetic to her, so she was going to pick up the flowers that fell on her. ¡°What are you doing in this place?¡± Eleon¡¯s voice was heard from above, and Elysia raised her head in surprise. ¡°Your Highness.¡± She quickly got up. Even though she is the only daughter of the Duke of Yuter, his face was burning for no reason at the sight of her sitting on the dirty ground and playing with the flowers she had picked. ¡°Your Highness, what are you doing here?¡± What about Karina? I couldn¡¯t ask him that. Eleon looked at her with concern, unlike the slightly smiling corners of his lips. ¡°My mother also called me to come.¡± Elysia said opps in her mind when she heard those words. You realized. She purposely left the room yesterday to give Karina a chance to talk to him. Elysia hesitated, not knowing what to say. ¡°¡­¡­Are you angry?¡± She could hardly say it with difficulty. He was upset, so he made it obvious. He wanted to let her know that he felt uncomfortable. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m angry?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Ah, so you don¡¯t know that?¡± Elysia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What? Are you really offended?¡± Eleon didn¡¯t answer and started walking along the path of the camellia trees. When he showed his back, he somehow felt as if he had done something wrong. ¡°Lady Karina is a beautiful and virtuous person.¡± Elysia hurriedly followed him and said. ¡°Your Highness said before that you are looking for someone. You said you found only half. I thought that someone would be Lady Karina. I thought you might like her if I gave you two time to talk¡­¡­.¡± Eleon, who was walking ahead of her, suddenly stopped. ¡°Rona.¡± The sudden name made her feel as if her heart had plummeted. Ba-thump bath ump ba-thump Her heart was pounding like a drum. As Eleon turned slowly, her eyes met his bright red eyes. He looked at Elysia tenaciously, as if he wanted to know in detail what she was thinking. ¡°It¡¯s the name of the woman I am looking for.¡± Only then did she relax. But what? Rona? ¡¸¡°Did you find that woman?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Only half.¡±¡¹ He replied that he was only able to find half. ¡¸¡°What kind of person is Your Highness looking for?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Someone who will marry me.¡±¡¹ Eleon said he would marry that woman! After hearing Karina¡¯s story, she wondered if Karina and Eleon, who met like in the original story, would walk along the path of flowers. Rona. What do you mean Rona? ¡°I¡¯ll just go back today.¡± Eleon looked at her once again with an inexplicable, sullen look, and turned away. ¡°What did I hear just now?¡± Is he going to marry Rona? Elysia stood there blankly for a long time. Someone was watching them just a few steps away. Karina muttered dumbfounded. ¡°What the hell did he mean by that?¡± The conversation between Eleon and Elysia was very strange. Just like yesterday, as soon as Elysia left, Eleon followed her. I couldn¡¯t let Eleon go first like yesterday. I had to talk to him properly. Because no man clings to a woman who does not accept him forever. Karina was confident in her charm. It was rare that very few young men did not fall in love with her when they arrived in the capital. And Eleon Clevent was at the top of that oddity. ¡°Why is Lady Elysia acting like she¡¯s not Rona?¡± And Eleon seemed to have deliberately twisted his words, knowing that Elysia was Rona. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Karina frowned at Sabiel¡¯s voice. ¡°Why did you follow me?¡± ¡°Just answer the question.¡± Sabiel gritted his teeth. ¡°Who is Elysia?¡± Chapter 37 ¡°Who is Elysia?¡± When Sabiel glared at her, Karina shrugged. She wanted to say oops. It must be a secret that Lady Elysia worked for the Grand Duke while she lost her memory. The most stressful part for Karina these days was the ¡®social manners¡®. She¡¯s in awkward situations getting matchmaking or courtship because of Sabiel. Another big challenge was the scandal. It was common knowledge that a person who became a priest or priestess would live in a pure body for the rest of their life. With the blessing of the Five Gods and Oder. It would be scandalous even if a female priest who had lost her memory spent a considerable amount of time in the house of an unmarried male aristocrat. However, if the priestess was the daughter of the Duke of Yuter and the nobleman was Grand Duke Clevent, it would be even more chaotic. This was a problem for Elysia, but it was also a problem for Karina herself. And there is only one way to end a scandal, cover it up with marriage. Since the relationship will be officially recognized and established, there is an implicit pressure to keep quiet about this matter, and after that, no one will speak openly about it. Moreover, Eleon¡¯s mother was the only princess of the Empire. Emperor Markis, who is fond of his sister, would do so for his nephew¡¯s honor and loyal Grand Duke. Then what about me? Karina is in trouble. With her eyes on the top, she could no longer think of anyone but Eleon, whom she could swear to be with for the rest of her life. Sabiel and Eleon were cousins. Tall and black hair. Long legs and good physical appearance. Fair skin, almond-shaped eyes, a straight nose, and soft, thin lips. Although Sabiel was a piece of trash, he was also a handsome man. Two men. Two chances. What would become of me if I lost Eleon here? At this rate, my anxiety spiked at the thought that Count Harrington and the Countess would kick me out for dishonoring the family. I did nothing wrong. When I met Elysia at the Imperial Palace on the day of our debut, Elysia tricked me and apologized for lying. And she said the reason was that she lost her memory and still can¡¯t remember anything. Elysia never asked me to keep it a secret that she was Rona, so it wasn¡¯t my fault anyway. However, for my own benefit, I decided to cover up that secret. I can¡¯t make Eleon the victim of a scandal because of my momentary slip of the tongue. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You just said Elysia was Rona.¡± It was unsightly seeing Sabiel leaning towards me and speaking to me with a temper. Are you here to insult me or to woo Elysia? I had no intention of giving Sabiel an honest answer. She had no desire for a petty little revenge. ¡°I never said that.¡± However, the exhilaration was also brief and seeing Sabiel, whose blue eyes looked darker than usual due to blood in his eyes, she came to regret that she had done something wrong. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go now.¡± It was then that Karina was about to turn around. Her body was dragged away by Sabiel. ¡°Ugh¡­ Ugh.¡± Sabiel placed his lips on hers making her gasp in surprise. Karina¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. Sabiel coveted her lips and didn¡¯t let Karina escape from his arms. ¡°Sobbing.¡± Karina resisted and bit Sabiel¡¯s lip. Only then did Sabiel release Karina, look at her, and rubbed his lips with his fingertips. He saw bloodstains on his fingers. ¡°Just because I threw you away didn¡¯t mean you could go to Eleon.¡± ¡°What¡­..what¡­.did¡­.¡± ¡°Did you do it to make me jealous or to get my attention? If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯d say it was kind of successful.¡± Karina turned white from shock and trembled. Sabiel got close to her and whispered in her ear. ¡°Wait patiently. I¡¯ll call you back to the palace for one night.¡± Sabiel, who showed favor to Karina by his own standards, turned around and walked towards the carriage. ¡°Elysia is Rona?¡± The woman who served alongside Eleon. He did not know how Elysia, who appeared near Lake Laurel, had come to work in the capital, which is three days away by carriage. ¡°Now that I remember, the rangers said they took her to a castle.¡± Regardless, Sabiel wanted to kill him. Elysia is my woman. She was a woman who had not been within Eleon¡¯s reach since she was born. It was Empress Seraphina who fostered Sabiel¡¯s obsession with Elysia. ¡¸¡°A baby girl was born into the Duke¡¯s family. I¡¯m thinking of making her the prince¡¯s wife.¡±¡¹ It¡¯s a phrase he¡¯s been hearing since he was little. She was a precious young lady with high social status, and as soon as she was born, instead of becoming his wife, she became a priestess. Attending the Hadunsha prayer meeting with Empress Seraphina was simple curiosity. Elysia Yuter. The woman who joined the Temple and trained for 10 years finally became a priestess and was able to appear in front of people. He wondered what kind of person ¡®Elysia¡® was that made Empress Seraphina talk about her until her mouth grew tired. ¡¸¡°May the blessings of the five gods and Oder be with you.¡±¡¹ The moment he saw Elysia in a new white uniform and wearing a white hood with the ends of her long blond hair dyed white. Sabiel felt something twist in his head. That woman should have come to me in a white dress and a white veil. She should have been mine. But with the divine mark on her body, she becomes a priestess and remains at a distance. The next moment, Sabiel felt an unknown anger, and even he couldn¡¯t understand why. However, those feelings were enough to ignite his endless obsession. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± The carriage door was closing. ¡°Ah. I need you to prepare something.¡± ¡°Please order.¡± ¡°Get a cage that can hold an animal.¡± ¡°A cage?¡± The lieutenant raised his head as if he did not understand what Sabiel said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be that big. I will often release it in my room. It¡¯s just to lock it up for a while when it¡¯s not listening. But I don¡¯t like it when it¡¯s too ugly.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I¡¯ll do as you wish.¡± Sabiel lifted the corner of his mouth as the carriage door closed. Hunting was an activity that he enjoyed very much. * * * * * It was at dawn the next day that an invitation from Sabiel to the Imperial Palace arrived. ¡°What..what is this?¡± Mariela turned pale when she saw it. ¡°Sabiel inviting our Elysia¡­¡­ Oh, this is so absurd!¡± There was nothing written about where she was invited or for what purpose. Somehow, she felt that he had no intention of returning her. If I am called to the Imperial Palace like this¡­.. Will it really be like the original story? Will it be in keeping with Elysia¡¯s role to have Sabiel¡¯s child, abandoned and killed by him? Elysia was afraid. They change the original story well when others are possessed, but why is it so hard for me? Elysia felt like crying. But she cannot trust or depend on anyone. ¡°Never. No way! Absolutely not!¡± Mariela stumbled and collapsed as if she knew what the suspicious invitation meant. They took her directly to her bedroom. ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong with Mariela?¡± She wanted to know the conversation between Elysia and the main characters, but she fainted first at an invitation like it was the start of her death flag. ¡°This is really suspicious.¡± The one who really wants to cry is me, but because of Mariela, I couldn¡¯t even cry because of embarrassment. Karina and Sabiel did not show up today, perhaps because of the aftermath that the four faced yesterday. However, Eleon, who came back today, looked at her face and asked with concern. ¡°Are you sick?¡± ¡°¡­¡­No.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look well.¡± ¡°Then please go early.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eleon didn¡¯t like it, so he didn¡¯t answer. As he headed under the tree for some shade, Elysia followed. Eleon and Elysia sat next to each other on a bench. ¡°Why do you come here every day?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking because you don¡¯t know, right?¡± Eleon is looking for Rona. And wants to marry her. But again, he doesn¡¯t openly try to confirm that Rona is her. Is that how certain you are? But it had nothing to do with me. Was it because of what Elysia went through that I dreamt of Sabiel? I didn¡¯t want to admit it. I wanted to separate myself from what the owner of the body suffered. However, it came to a halt the moment the original progress was reached. It felt like being caught in a dense web and trapped in a thin thread. Her motivation was gone, and a feeling of helplessness that she couldn¡¯t resist dominated her mind. She had never imagined that Elysia could be unhappy, but did she live with those feelings all her life? It¡¯s so¡­ so terrible. Even for a brief moment, Eleon didn¡¯t take his eyes off her as if forcing her to answer. Elysia, who sighed briefly, barely responded. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t want to know.¡± Eleon was caught off guard. ¡°I think Mrs. Oze over there knows.¡± Elysia saw Mrs. Oze standing in the distance in the blazing sun. She opened her fan and pretended to fan herself, looking up at the distant sky. Elysia raised her hand and called out to her. ¡°Madam, I have a question.¡± ¡°Wait. It¡¯s cheating if you ask her.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know what fairness is? You have to figure it out yourself.¡± Eleon frowned slightly. It was not easy to see an enormous handsome man frowning, so he evoked a heart-pounding charm. ¡°Don¡¯t you have to go somewhere else instead of coming here?¡± To Karina, Karina¡¯s house, or Count Harrington. The fate of this world, to the place where the original story leads. Or maybe you should look for Rona somewhere else. He wouldn¡¯t be able to know that I was Rona. ¡°It¡¯s strange. You act like you don¡¯t really know why I¡¯m here every day.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know and I don¡¯t want to know.¡± Elysia grumbled annoyed at Eleon. ¡°You should know.¡± ¡°Your Highness, do you believe in fate?¡± It was impulsive to ask. ¡°Is this a test? Do I have to give the correct answer?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m just curious what Your Highness thinks.¡± Eleon¡¯s eyebrows fell a little. ¡°I believe in fate.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I meet you?¡± Elysia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Do you say that to anyone?¡± ¡°Do I look like such a person?¡± Actually, I wasn¡¯t quite sure what the situation was right now. Eleon is looking for Rona. But Karina felt her destiny when she ran into him and said something to her at the debutante ball. And I wanted to go back to my world where Won Yoon-Ji lived. I could have avoided it without getting involved with Sabiel. But when Eleon circled around me, Karina followed him to the Duke¡¯s residence, and Sabiel appeared like an ant chasing sugar. I don¡¯t see a way out. Feeling frustrated, Elysia even wanted to blame the innocent Eleon for nothing. Eleon tilted his head. ¡°I guess you really don¡¯t know why I come to see you every day.¡± ¡°Your Highness has never been in a relationship. I thought you were trying to ask for help.¡± It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s Rona or Karina. This is enough for me to get away with it, right? ¡°How can you believe that I am here to see you for that? Will you think I¡¯m serious if I propose to you?¡± ¡°Pro¡­propose?¡± Eleon found it funny and laughed seeing Elysia surprised. ¡°I heard that most young people like to date before exchanging a formal courtship letter. You¡¯re so special.¡± ¡°What? Are you saying you like me now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh my gosh.¡± Elysia covered her mouth. Rona! You said you were looking for Rona! You said you¡¯d marry that woman, so why me? I couldn¡¯t keep up with what Eleon was saying. ¡°Why are you surprised? I¡¯m the one who should be surprised. For some reason, I thought it was strange that I wasn¡¯t allowed to hold your hand even when I came every day for over a week.¡± ¡°Fate is decided.¡± Elysia said. ¡°It can never be changed. What¡¯s decided will happen.¡± Chapter 38 ¡°It can never be changed. What¡¯s decided will happen.¡± She felt the words slip out of her mouth again. Again? It was as if it was not herself, but Elysia, the owner of the body, who had thought of and said it. ¡°Then I must have been destined to meet you. I¡¯m lucky.¡± Eleon smiled mischievously. Seeing his brightly smiling face without concern, the unknown shadow that had been cast in her mind seemed to vanish. Suddenly, Elysia wanted to hug him. She wants to rest her head on Eleon¡¯s hard chest. Ah! whatever. The only thing I do every day is eat and sleep. She felt like she wanted to take a break. Where does this vague feeling of fatigue come from? Did Elysia suffer from it originally? She sighed in frustration without realizing it. ¡°Do you have any concerns?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t have any worries.¡± ¡°Hmm. You haven¡¯t received a single marriage proposal since your debut.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Mrs. Oze scolded her for it, but she was in trouble because she didn¡¯t have any desire to go to tea parties to be introduced to men in the unfamiliar society. ¡°I found out by chance. Am I the only one who comes into this house?¡± ¡°I wish you were the only one.¡± ¡°If my lady wants it, I can send a marriage proposal tomorrow.¡± ¡°Then send it. Just because I receive it doesn¡¯t mean I have to get married.¡± Eleon looked at Elysia with a serious face. ¡°I have a condition.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I want you to consider me seriously as I have you in my heart.¡± In an instant, the sounds of birds and insects disappeared. She could not feel the coolness of the tree¡¯s shade, nor the wind blowing slowly. Elysia¡¯s heart was pounding. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to love me as much as I love you. Even if you like me a little it¡¯s good, so I hope you are sincere to me as well.¡± Even if she didn¡¯t say anything at that moment, she could definitely feel it. This man¡­..knows who I am. ¡­¡­. You know I¡¯m Rona. That¡¯s why he said he only found half. The rushed emotions were beyond description. Among those who knew the real Elysia, only she herself did not know her. She saw herself as more of a Rona in the shell of Elysia. Eleon knows Rona. The fact that he knew that Elysia was Rona comforted her clumsy heart. ¡°¡­¡­.Your Highness.¡± Eleon looked over to where Mrs. Oze was. But Mrs. Oze disappeared without them noticing. ¡°Apparently I have the approval of Mrs. Oze.¡± Eleon lightly grasped Elysia¡¯s shoulders with his large hands. Then Eleon lowered his head to her and closed his eyes. Is he nervous too? His long eyelashes seemed to tremble a little. Then Elysia slowly closed her eyes. Eleon¡¯s lips touched her forehead. Phew When she was about to open her eyes after the light touch ended. His breath reached Elysia again. On her still closed eyelids. At the tip of her nose, she was holding her breath. And on her lips. He stayed a little longer on her lips. The scent of sandalwood lingered on the tip of her nose the moment their lips stopped touching. ¡°I wanted you to give me a real kiss first.¡± Hearing Eleon¡¯s words, Elysia blushed. He seemed pleased. ¡°Now do you know why I come here every day?¡± Elysia nodded her frozen head. * * * * * The busiest street in Constance Avignon, the capital, was Blanc Avenue. In the middle of the wide street that led directly to the Imperial Palace, there were carriages and a sidewalk. Trees and flower decorations were neatly arranged on the side of the road. Along the busiest street, colorful signboards lined up. They were all luxury shops with glass show windows. Beyond the clear glass, colossal luxury items were flaunted enough to make even ordinary aristocrats buy them. A shop with the sign ¡®Auge¡® written on a black background in bright golden letters occupied the top spot among high-end stores. Eleon left his horse with a servant and strode into the store. Upon seeing him, the manager quickly escorted him inside with a respectful attitude. The store owner, Mrs. Oze, smiled and bowed her head. ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Sit down.¡± Eleon¡¯s attitude of omitting greetings and treating her casually was an expression of trust and intimacy. As a result, Mrs. Oze¡¯s affection for Eleon deepened. Eleon put the envelope in front of her. ¡°Your Highness, what is this?¡± ¡°Check it out.¡± What came out of the envelope was a contract to exclusively supply a year¡¯s worth of mining of high-end diamond mines owned by the Clevent family to Mrs. Oze¡¯s store. ¡°Why¡­why is Your Highness giving me this?¡± ¡°I was able to hold Lady Elysia¡¯s hand once thanks to your hard work.¡± ¡°Thank..Thank you.¡± Mrs. Oze quickly bowed her head. ¡°Is the Duchess still stubborn?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Mrs. Oze looked embarrassed. ¡°But the Duchess values procedure and dignity, so if you send a formal marriage proposal letter, there will be no reason to object. It¡¯s the decision of the Duke of Yuter after all.¡± ¡°I see.¡± As Eleon let out a small sigh, Mrs. Oze felt a cool breeze pass through her heart. Beneath the shiny black hair like a healthy wild horse, the eyes are redder and more beautiful than ruby. Mrs. Oze was upset and resentful towards the Duchess of Yuter for hurting Eleon. ¡°She doesn¡¯t like me.¡± ¡°Oh no! That is not true¡± Mrs. Oze jumped, forgetting the pride and dignity of being the best matchmaker in the Empire. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. It is that the young lady has many flaws, that she is ashamed of showing her to the world¡± ¡°I can¡¯t admit that. She¡¯s flawless.¡± ¡°Oh, I made a mistake. It¡¯s not that Lady Elysia has flaws, I just meant that she is in a subtle situation. She¡¯s the perfect bridesmaid. She is indeed a beautiful and virtuous lady, and that it¡¯s rare in the capital. She is probably the most beautiful bride of the year.¡± Eleon¡¯s eyebrows, which had risen in disgust at the word ¡®flaw¡¯, regained his composure when she said ¡®Bride of the Year¡¯. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± As Eleon smiled sweetly, Mrs. Oze felt like she was about to stop breathing. Ah, I should have called the painters to paint his expression and left this as a painting. If Elysia made Eleon smile like that, she somehow wanted this marriage to happen so no one in the capital would miss seeing him smile. ¡°What about marriage?¡± ¡°Everyone is ignoring my opinion.¡± ¡°Has someone else come to visit her?¡± Mrs. Oze nodded. ¡°Aside from your courtship, rumors have spread that the Grand Duke visits the Duke¡¯s residence every day. Is there any family that dares to compete with the Grand Duke?¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. It was a good thing I asked you, you¡¯re very competent.¡± ¡°Oh my, Grand Duke. Ho ho ho.¡± Mrs. Oze, who had forgotten her dignity, laughed and barely came to her senses. ¡°What Your Highness requested has been completed.¡± The large velvet box she brought out seemed quite heavy. Eleon opened the box lid. What was inside was a tiara and necklace set. She set diamonds in a white gold frame and a large pink diamond in the center. The necklace also gave off a cold and dazzling light, as if it had been inspired by pure white moonlight. ¡°You did a good job in a short time.¡± ¡°It was an honor to work for Your Highness the Grand Duke.¡± Mrs. Oze¡¯s eyes also sparkled, looking at the beautiful set of jewelry. With this amount of money and jewelry, the opportunity to make such a huge treasure is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a jeweler. ¡°It suits her.¡± A satisfied smile appeared on Eleon¡¯s lips as he stroked the dazzling tiara with his fingertips. The golden color didn¡¯t seem to match Elicia¡¯s thick, honey-colored hair. But a white gold tiara would make her shine like a goddess. Just imagining it, Eleon¡¯s heart pounded. When he thought of the white veil that would be put over her head with this tiara, his heart ached because he wanted to see it as soon as possible. ¡°Where should I send it?¡± ¡°Send it to my residence right away.¡± It took him quite some time to check out the diamond ring for the proposal. When Eleon signed the payment contract, Mrs. Oze was so moved that she almost cried. ¡°Farewell Your Highness.¡± After leaving the store, Eleon mounted his horse and headed to the Grand Duchy. The street, where the sun had just set and the lights were beginning to come on, was quite spectacular. ¡°Come to think of it, she never looked around the capital.¡± Eleon thought it might be because she lost her memory and couldn¡¯t remember, or because she was a priestess. ¡°I¡¯ll have to come with you next time.¡± Thinking of how Elysia would be happy to see the capital, Eleon thought it was a good idea with a happy expression on his face. Although he was alone on his way back to the Grand Duchy, his heart pounded as he imagined the day when the two of them would soon be together. * * * * * After Eleon returned, Elysia went back to her room a bit excited. ¡°Oh my gosh. Does he really like me?¡± She was embarrassed because the pitch of her tone was high when she talked to herself. There was something Karina had said to her, but it wasn¡¯t about Eleon. That is now out of her mind. ¡°I guess I like Eleon.¡± It wasn¡¯t the male lead buff. She just had a good time spending time with him. She wondered how many times she thought she would have liked to stay with him more than stay here. ¡°Ah.¡± It wasn¡¯t even a proper kiss, but just having one kiss on the lips made her heart race. Elysia, who was in a bad mood, suddenly felt as if she had it all. ¡°Maybe¡­¡­It¡¯ll be fine if I don¡¯t go back.¡± The first memory that came to mind when she first woke up was on the lakeshore. You could only return to your original world only by seeing the original ending. But if you can find the meaning of life here too, it would be okay if you didn¡¯t have to go back. ¡°A lot of things happened that changed the original story.¡± It¡¯s not a common clich¨¦ either. Until yesterday, she was even lamenting why the original story had deviated, but a few words from Eleon made her change her mind. Elysia thought that she could avoid death if she held Eleon¡¯s hand. She wandered into her room excitedly. ¡°Elysia.¡± Outside the door, she heard Mariela call out to her. ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± She smiled brightly and opened the door. Mariela paused for a moment when she saw her face, but soon came inside and closed the door. ¡°Do you have something to say?¡± Even after entering the room, Mariela seemed to hesitate about something. ¡°What did the Grand Duke tell you?¡± ¡°A marriage proposal letter¡­¡­.He said he will send it.¡± She was a little shy to say it herself. ¡°Sigh.¡± Mariela let out a long sigh. For some reason, Elysia had a feeling she wasn¡¯t going to say anything nice. ¡°Elysia. You can¡¯t marry him.¡± She expected it. ¡°Why?¡± Elysia reacted immediately like a stranger. ¡°Even Mrs. Oze said that the Grand Duke is the number one groom in the capital.¡± ¡°He¡­.He¡­.¡± Mariela was speechless. What should I say to my daughter, who seems to have fallen in love with him and can¡¯t even listen? ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°He¡­..¡± It was when she couldn¡¯t keep up with the conversation. ¡°¡­..Is it because he¡¯s the male lead?¡± Chapter 39 ¡°¡­..Is it because he¡¯s the male lead?¡± At Elysia¡¯s sudden words, Mariela froze. Elysia¡¯s face looking at her was clearly that of a daughter born from her womb, but with an unknown expression. As if she wasn¡¯t her daughter. ¡°You¡­. how do you¡­..¡± In response to Elysia¡¯s confident attitude, Mariela trembled terribly, unable to say ¡®no¡®. Elysia¡¯s eyes, whom she had unintentionally affirmed, were cold without any bond or affection between mother and daughter. Before the heartless eyes of her beloved daughter, Mariela had the ominous feeling that something had gone wrong with her. ¡°E¡­Elysia. Did¡­.did your memories come back?¡± ¡°Mother, you possessed someone in this world, right?¡± Before losing her memory, Elysia knew very well that Mariela was a possessor. However, Elysia¡¯s next words were even more shocking. ¡°I am also a possessor.¡± ¡°What¡­.what did you say?¡± Elysia kept talking, avoiding her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I became your daughter. I thought you¡¯d be shocked if you find out.¡± Mariela was dumbfounded. What the hell does this mean? I can¡¯t believe Elysia is possessed. That¡¯s nonsense. She was so startled that she felt like her head was in a mess. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault. You also possessed the body of someone¡¯s precious daughter. So I thought you would understand me.¡± ¡°What¡­..what does that mean? Elysia! Explain to me so I can understand!¡± Mariela screamed involuntarily. ¡°My real name is Won Yoon-Ji. It¡¯s been about half a year since I came here.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to your daughter¡¯s soul. Like you don¡¯t know where the real Mariela¡¯s soul went.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­ah¡­¡± Mariela began to cry while screaming. ¡°Oh, oh, my daughter¡­¡­ Elysia! Elysia!¡± She fell to the floor and began to weep. But Elysia couldn¡¯t comfort her. She had no right to comfort Mariela. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± It¡¯s not my fault, but I¡¯m really sorry. ¡°El¡­.Elysia¡­. you¡­..¡± When she heard Mariela¡¯s sorrowful cry, Elysia burst into tears. What defines human existence? It¡¯s the memories. My memories of myself. And the memories of others who remember me. Surrounded by Won Yoon-Ji¡¯s ego, which possessed Elysia¡¯s body without any of her memories, and unable to act like the real Elysia to those who remember her. Meanwhile, Elysia thought that Mariela¡¯s actions were dubious. What makes her, the Duchess of the Empire, so fearful and challenging? Why does she treat Elysia like a child, and why is she so terrified? Like someone who knows the future. Elysia Yuter is an obstacle for the main couple who, when their love comes true, will become a dead person who doesn¡¯t exist. Mariela¡¯s actions fit perfectly with those of a possessor. ¡°I won¡¯t live as Elysia.¡± She told Mariela. ¡°And I have no intention of dying just like in the original story.¡± Tears of pain fell from Mariela¡¯s eyes as she looked at Elysia. ¡°¡­¡­ I can¡¯t be your daughter. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­ugh.¡± Mariela beat her chest and cried. Elysia looked at her for a long time. * * * * * KNOCK KNOCK There was a knock on the door of the Grand Duke¡¯s office. Eleon replied without taking his eyes off the document he was looking at. ¡°Come in.¡± Cedric entered with his characteristic angled footsteps and stood up straight. ¡°I have investigated what Your Highness ordered.¡± Eleon asked, leaving what he was looking at on the desk. ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°There is no sign that Her Royal Highness has used her expenses. In the accounts of the Imperial Bank, for the past four years, Her Royal Highness¡¯s private property has not been spent.¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange. My mother is not a person who spends very little.¡± It was five years ago, when Eleon was still on the battlefield, when his mother, the former Grand Duchess Lev, went abroad. Eleon¡¯s father, Grand Duke Desar Clevent, died of an illness at the young age of 40. It was a shame he died young. No matter how vacant the seat of the head of state was, under Imperial Law, a minor could not inherit the title. The large estate was guarded by his vassals on behalf of the young heir. They swore allegiance to the late Grand Duke Desar and waited for their master to grow. Meanwhile, Eleon went to the military academy and polished himself up. As soon as he celebrated his coming of age at the age of 16, he immediately inherited the Grand Duchy. When her son officially inherited the title and became the Grand Duke, the Grand Duchess Lev announced that her official title should no longer be Grand Duchess Clevent, but Princess Lev like before her marriage. The Emperor had no reason to oppose his younger sister, who married early. As soon as her official title was approved by the Emperor, Princess Lev didn¡¯t want to stay in an empty house without her son, so she left the capital and went down to the Clevent estate. At first, it seemed that she was trying to manage the estate on behalf of her son, who had gone to war. However, she soon began to leisurely tour around her estate. She wasn¡¯t too worried about her son. Then she went on a trip to a foreign country. Of course, she traveled to another foreign country due to her status as a princess and seemed to have enjoyed the luxury while being treated as a guest of the state. At first, she often sent letters and gifts. But since 4 years ago only short letters have been received. And two years ago, when her son went blind, she finally contacted him to tell him she couldn¡¯t return. ¡°My mother said that she caught an indigenous disease. If she had died, or her condition had worsened since then, she would have contacted me. It¡¯s strange.¡± The Emperor¡¯s sister had disappeared. It seemed strange to him that there were no expenses in the account in the name of House Clevent, which should have been used if they had traveled. Furthermore, it was highly doubtful that Princess Lev would contract the disease because she was also a successor to Oder¡¯s blood. One of the characteristics of Oder¡¯s blood is physical strength and health, which is different from that of ordinary people. ¡°Didn¡¯t His Majesty the Emperor look for my mother all this time?¡± ¡°The Imperial Family seems to have sent several letters asking her to return to the country, but it is said that the Emperor has not been able to get a response because she travels so fast.¡± His mother disappeared while Eleon wandered on the battlefield where he lost his sight and was unable to properly function as a human being. He had previously talked to Bernard half-jokingly about whether or not to find his mother. Princess Lev was also a mother, whose affection for her well-grown son was above average. It could be a big disappointment if the Duke of Yuter didn¡¯t like him. However, it was strange that no traces of his mother could be found. ¡°Find out where my mother is.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± After reporting, Cedric bowed his head and left. ¡°Sigh.¡± Eleon saw a large velvet box on one side of the desk. It contained the tiara and necklace sent from Mrs. Oze¡¯s jewelry. ¡°I hope my mother appears.¡± When Eleon talked to Bernard about his mother¡¯s whereabouts, he had no idea that the wedding would proceed so quickly. All of this is because of Elysia. Every time Eleon looked at her, he felt a longing that seemed to be unable to bear it any longer. ¡¸¡°What? Are you saying you like me now?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Yes.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Oh my gosh.¡±¡¹ Eleon smiled automatically when he recalled her wide-eyed face. ¡°Haha.¡± He didn¡¯t know his confession would be so blunt. No, I always had a lot of moments like this when I spent time with Elysia. He discovered many sides of himself he didn¡¯t know he had. ¡°I never thought I would want someone so much.¡± You ask me if I believe in fate. That was a silly question. How could I not believe it? Eleon¡¯s fate brought Elysia to him like a surprise gift. She was a woman who would serve God all her life. Elysia lost her memory in an accident on her way to Grerosa. There was no way that she had come to the Grand Duchy by accident. The probability was so absurd that it was only considered a miracle. When he looked out the window, it was dark outside. ¡°I guess I won¡¯t be able to sleep well tonight.¡± He can¡¯t see Elysia until the sun comes up. After Rona¡¯s disappearance, Eleon never slept peacefully. Even after finding her, he couldn¡¯t fall asleep at the thought that he would only be able to meet her when the night passed. The night deepened with Eleon¡¯s heartbreaking sigh. * * * * * The next day, Eleon went to the Duke of Yuter with a marriage proposal. It was so early that he broke social etiquette. Eleon, who was led into the drawing room, tried to relax. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m nervous.¡± This is very funny. I had never felt like this in my life. An Oder was physically superior that he had nothing to be nervous about. Isn¡¯t this the blood that God gave to rule over humans? But unlike usual, Eleon felt his shoulders tense due to the ring box in his pocket. ¡°Will she accept it?¡± What if she doesn¡¯t like it? The stories his men told whenever they had time on the battlefield were love stories. Some of these married couples used to emphasize the importance of the proposal ring. ¡¸¡°Unconditionally, the bigger the stone, the better.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°What are you talking about! It¡¯s important to choose a design that suits the lady well.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°You know nothing. Proposals are made with the face and body. You bastards.¡±¡¹ During the day, the men ran around the battlefield where blood flowed like a river, and at night they drank alcohol and talked nonsense. They consciously tried to escape from the madness of murder and the futility of war. He thought that those who told their love stories and how they attached a lot of meaning to trivial things were fools. But he didn¡¯t feel bad when he joined the fool¡¯s club. The ring that Mrs. Oze painstakingly worked hard on was thick and beautifully shaped. It was like a sparkling piece of art, so it satisfies Eleon¡¯s aesthetics. ¡°It bothers me that I only brought a ring.¡± He thought that he should have brought five or ten proposal rings so that she could choose and wear the one she liked best. ¡°Your Highness.¡± As soon as he heard the beautiful lady¡¯s welcoming voice, Eleon quickly stood up from his seat. He was ecstatic the moment he saw the woman he had been missing all night. He felt like he was dreaming. The fact is that he can see Elysia with his own eyes. Eleon greeted Elysia affectionately. ¡°Did you have a good dream?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Lovingly looking at the woman who gave him a skeptical reply, Eleon quickly walked over to her. Proposing to her was just the starting point of marriage preparations if it was a marriage between nobles. Since Eleon didn¡¯t want to delay it even for a moment, he was determined to simplify the rest by skipping Imperial etiquette. ¡°I¡¯m sincere, will you marry me?¡± Elysia stared at it. Her unresponsive face seemed confused with an expression of surprise. Eleon was puzzled to see that she did not willingly accept his marriage proposal. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness. I can¡¯t accept this.¡± Chapter 40 Eleon¡¯s hand, which was holding the marriage proposal letter, slowly lowered. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s too early to get married.¡± Eleon ran his hand through his combed hair. His hair, which had been carefully combed, was messed up by his rough hands in embarrassment. ¡°Just because you received a marriage proposal letter doesn¡¯t mean we have to get married right away. I¡¯m fine with the engagement¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No, we¡­¡­. I don¡¯t think I can.¡± ¡°Why do you decide that on your own?¡± Eleon looked directly at Elysia¡¯s face. Only then did Eleon frown when he saw her puffy, red eyes. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°No, nothing¡­..¡± ¡°Then why did you cry?¡± Elysia¡¯s eyes grew bigger. Her eyes quickly watered as if she was about to burst into tears at any moment. ¡°I¡­. I didn¡¯t cry.¡± She touched her eyes and turned around. ¡°Don¡¯t come looking for me anymore. I can¡¯t get married.¡± ¡°Elysia.¡± Elysia, who was called by her name, stopped in surprise. ¡°Elysia.¡± Eleon¡¯s low voice desperately called out to her. Then Elysia turned her head and looked back. ¡°We are not meant to be. You and I¡­¡­ It would have been better not to have met.¡± Her voice that seemed to drown in tears drove him crazy. Eleon grabbed Elysia by the arm and turned her around to face her. ¡°What are you doing? Let me go.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Eleon said coldly. ¡°I hate people who lie.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Rona.¡± Elysia turned pale. ¡°Sin¡­since when did you¡­¡± ¡°I knew from the beginning that you were Rona.¡± It was a woman he had never seen. He imagined what she would be like when he was plunged into darkness. He imagined how her hair would flutter if there was a wind, what her smile would look like, and if she had a habit of frowning or biting her lips. As soon as he saw her, he knew at a glance. In this world, Rona was the only one for Eleon. So he couldn¡¯t help noticing. ¡°You knew from the beginning?¡± ¡°I knew it from the first day we met at the Imperial Palace. Since that day.¡± Elysia trembled and covered her face with her hands. Eleon took her hand carefully. As she slowly withdrew her hand away, her purple eyes filled with complex emotions, were wet. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re Elysia or Rona.¡± Eleon said seriously. ¡°You. As long as it¡¯s you.¡± Tears welled up in Elysia¡¯s eyes. Even her tears were beautiful. Eleon wondered what those tears meant. Are they tears of joy at accepting my heart? Or is it the shame of rejecting me? Her tears were more dazzling than the diamond ring he had prepared. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Eleon¡¯s shoulders lost strength for a moment. Soon, intense emotions swept over him. ¡°What is the problem? Whatever¡­¡­I won¡¯t do anything you don¡¯t like. I can solve anything for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that.¡± ¡°Then was it too much?¡± Eleon asked sadly. ¡° I wish there was honesty between us. I will not ask you to love me as much as I love you, I will ask your permission even if it is a thousand times..¡± Elysia didn¡¯t answer. Accepting her silence as a yes, Eleon let go of the thin arm he was holding. ¡°Rona¡­ you said you wouldn¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°Sir Eleon.¡± She obviously said it before she came here. ¡¸¡°I thought you were going to run away.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Why did you think that way?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Because there are not many people left in the mansion. Some people couldn¡¯t stand this kind of thing.¡±¡¹ Didn¡¯t he warmly promise himself as if he would understand even such disgrace, since he was obsessed with Rona¡¯s every move? ¡¸¡°You didn¡¯t run away.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Where do you think I¡¯m going to run away?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°I want to think it¡¯s not true. There is at least one maid who runs away even after seeing me. But if you run away, I will be disappointed.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°I¡¯m not running away.¡±¡¹ Eleon¡¯s voice sounded sad. ¡°You promised me, I trusted you. Why¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°Do not apologize. Don¡¯t apologize like that and don¡¯t act like you¡¯ll never see me again.¡± Eleon rested his forehead on Elysia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Please, don¡¯t do this to me.¡± But then he could no longer feel the same comforting touch she gave him the time they were inside a carriage. * * * * * After that, Eleon stopped visiting the Duke¡¯s residence. ¡°Good job. Elysia, this is all for your own good.¡± Mariela looked relieved. ¡°It was very close.¡± She had been fully prepared. ¡°He came with a marriage proposal. I had no idea that the Grand Duke was such a reckless person. Something bad was about to happen to you.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Elysia replied soullessly to Mariela, who was happy. ¡°Everything is a matter of living. What¡¯s the use of dying? You did a good job for the Grand Duke. The original story hasn¡¯t changed.¡± Meanwhile, Mariela kept talking to her without caring how sad Elysia was. ¡°There¡¯s a force here to force it to happen. It would have been a bigger wound to the Grand Duke if he had been in a deeper relationship with you, and if you had a change of heart.¡± ¡°Yes, maybe.¡± Mariela¡¯s consolation, which for her was no consolation, did not help her wounded heart at all. It was a really big decision for her to tell Mariela that she was a possessor. Because she kept thinking that Mariela might as well be a possessor. She was in Elysia¡¯s body, but she wanted to choose what she wanted for herself rather than forcing herself to act according to the real Elysia¡¯s behavior. But when she confided her secret to her, Mariela also confided in her the secret of this world. ¡¸¡°Elysia. Yes, I know what you mean. But¡­ the original story doesn¡¯t change.¡±¡¹ It meant that the plot in this world cannot be changed. In other words, if someone tries to deviate from the original story, there is a force that makes it happen. Elysia thought she was the only one who knew the original story and the only possessor in this world. ¡¸¡°You¡¯re lying because I¡¯m not your daughter?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°No. Elysia. Please listen to me.¡±¡¹ Mariela tried to appease her. ¡¸¡°I want to marry Eleon. I like him very much. I want to be by his side.¡±¡¹ She swore in frustration. BLAZING Suddenly, a black flame broke out from one of the drawer of the dressing table. ¡¸¡°Elysia!¡±¡¹ Mariela screamed, pushing Elysia away, pulled out the drawer from the dressing table, and threw it over. It was the chocolate bag that Elysia bought at Cafe Cardinal. Every time the sudden black flame soared, it burned as if it had been eaten. The sight gave her goosebumps all over her body. ¡¸¡°It¡¯s because you said you wanted to be by his side. Your determination brings coercion.¡±¡¹ The bag of chocolate burned by the black flame turned to ashes as if it had never existed before. The scene was so shocking that she remembered what Mariela said next. Mariela cried when she made her young Elysia a priestess to avoid the death flag caused by Sabiel. But Elysia felt strange. She wondered if perhaps this was the ideal development she had hoped for. But, she struggled with the idea that she had to bring Eleon and Karina together. Moreover, while living as Rona, when he found out that she was Elysia Yuter, she thought that she had to find a way to escape from Sabiel. When the situation turned out like this, her motivation disappeared. She got a big confession. Although Eleon told her that he would not ask her to love him as much as he loved her, he still made a very detrimental confession to her. I can¡¯t believe I hurt him. Eleon never cried. But his world seemed to have collapsed again. Like the first time she saw Eleon. It reminded her of the time when he had no will or hope to live. And that continued to haunt her. Does it make any sense to live like this? She couldn¡¯t tell Mariela, who was happy for her survival even though she knew she wasn¡¯t her real daughter. Wasn¡¯t Elysia unhappy? I was thinking maybe it was because of this. She led a studded life so as not to die. An unstable life in which the biggest challenge is to avoid death. She lives her daily life as a beautiful noble lady, fooling everyone by being a false priestess like a mortgage. But it was inevitable as long as she remained in Elysia Yuter¡¯s body. ¡°When does the ship sail?¡± When Gillian asked, Mariela answered. ¡°In three days.¡± ¡°I think I need to dye her hair. Because Elysia stands out. Did you get any lenses to cover the color of her eyes?¡± ¡°Her eye color is purple, so it will be black.¡± Gillian smiled happily. ¡°It¡¯s a relief. Lenses are hard to get.¡± Elysia only had one chance to escape from the original story. In the original story, Elysia was never a priestess. Elysia Yuter was never mentioned in the original story until she reached marriageable age and became involved with Sabiel. And now that Sabiel had sent her an invitation to the Imperial Palace, Elysia was about to end just like in the original story. Elysia felt like a puppet. Just as the writer wrote her story, she must say and act in a certain way so as not to disturb the original plot. That way she can¡¯t die. But her end is set for death. ¡°What is this?¡± She found it ridiculous. In this world, with such a beautiful appearance and such a wonderful male lead, she wondered if there was anyone who lived so unhappily. Mariela and Gillian looked at her at the same time as Elysia spoke to herself. ¡°No. It¡¯s nothing. Keep doing what you are doing.¡± They were trying to save her. But she felt sorry because she didn¡¯t feel grateful at all. Elysia Yuter was scheduled to die of illness. Elysia, who had changed the color of her eyes and hair, was leaving the Empire by ship with a fake identification card. Her new identity would be a distant relative of the Duke of Yuter, and she would travel as an envoy to another country. She was planning to leave the Empire and start a new life. Mariela has done so much. And of course, her father, Gillian, helped too. ¡°You look depressed.¡± Gillian said to Elysia, who was nibbling on her dinner. ¡°I¡¯m not sad. I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment.¡± ¡°I know this new journey can be scary and overwhelming.¡± Gillian loved his wife. And he believed in her. There was a reason why he became aware of the ¡®prophecy¡¯. The oracle decided that the baby girl, who was named ¡®Zela¡®, should be renamed ¡®Elysia¡®. The first time Gillian visited the temple, he refused to change his child¡¯s name. But when they asked the Emperor to compel them with an Imperial Edict to change her name, it seemed that the source of Mariela¡¯s fears came true. ¡°As soon as we sorted this out, we¡¯ll be following you soon. There is nothing to worry about.¡± Elysia smiled at Gillian¡¯s kind words. ¡°Father and Mother are suffering because of me.¡± ¡°There is nothing to suffer for. I¡¯m not even a talent who does great things for the Empire. It¡¯s still a pleasure to wander around the ruins. My heart is pounding to be able to visit the land where the Palegara War was fought.¡± He seemed sincere. It would be a common parental mindset. Listening to him calmed her down. She confessed to Mariela, but her mouth didn¡¯t move when she tried to tell Gillian that she wasn¡¯t the real Elysia. Although she is not his daughter, Gillian is sorting out her status and her life. These facts were not within the range that Elysia could afford. Her newfound knowledge and her feelings for Eleon alone overwhelmed her. That night, Elysia was waiting for the effect of the dye she had dissolved in hot water to show up so she could dye her hair black. ¡°My lady, my lady. There is a big problem.¡± Laurie, who came to help, made a fuss as soon as she saw Elysia. ¡°Your Highness, The Grand Duke Clevent.¡± ¡°What happened to him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s blind again.¡± Chapter 41 ¡°Your Highness, The Grand Duke Clevent.¡± ¡°What happened to him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s blind again.¡± At Laurie¡¯s words, Elysia jumped up from her seat. ¡°What do you mean? He¡¯s blind again?¡± ¡°Remember the last time I said that the Grand Duchy was hiring people, right? My friend worked at the residence of the Grand Duke.¡± ¡°So?¡± For the past few days, Elysia seemed unmotivated, so Laurie¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at Elysia¡¯s violent reaction. ¡°My friend worked there for some time. She said that there was a lot of work to do, but she suddenly quit. When I asked her why she resigned, she said that His Highness could not see again. I guess that¡¯s why they sent the servants back like it used to be.¡± ¡°He can¡¯t see? Why? What¡¯s the reason?¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know about that either.¡± Elysia pressed her causing Laurie to get flustered. ¡°¡­¡­There¡¯s no way.¡± Elysia got tired of that. He was fine a few days ago. Why did this happen all of a sudden? She thought that the only reason he didn¡¯t come was because she turned down the marriage proposal. I can¡¯t believe Eleon is blind again. It was impossible. After regaining his sight, as the male lead, he should have walked down a path of flowers. Elysia looked out the window. Guards were seen coming and going. After a black flame broke out in Elysia¡¯s room, Mariela became extremely anxious and increased security. I have to go. But she couldn¡¯t find a way out. A way to escape from the Duke¡¯s mansion¡­.. ¡°Ah!¡± Laurie frowned as she stirred the dye and it splattered onto her apron. ¡°Ah. It splashed me. My lady, can I go change my clothes? I want to soak it in detergent.¡± ¡°Laurie.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Elysia looked at Laurie anxiously with a sad smile on her face. ¡°Do me a favor.¡± After a while, Elysia changed into the maid clothes Laurie lent her and walked out of the mansion with her hair tucked in a bonnet. It was late at night, and the gate where the servants entered and exited was not very guarded, so she hid behind a tree and avoided them a few times before she was able to get out. It was late at night, so Elysia ran down a road without a carriage. The development of the story has changed. Eleon went blind again. Such content was nowhere in the original story. It must be my fault. As she ran, she was out of breath, so she stopped. All this happened because I gave him the medicine. Because I waited anxiously for Karina to appear. And the moments that bothered me. When I saw the petals of the herb fall because of the rain. When I messed up Eleon¡¯s medicine and couldn¡¯t do anything about it. When I thought I couldn¡¯t give Eleon the medicine. Because, no matter how I looked at it, I didn¡¯t like the medicine that would make him get better. ¡¸¡°It¡¯s fine. I said I¡¯d try to drink whatever you brought.¡±¡¹ Tears welled up when I thought of Eleon. No, that¡¯s not it. It was really weird. I should have stopped him from drinking it. The color and smell were weird, so I think I should have thrown it away. I hesitated because his body temperature was warm, holding the cup and wrapping my helpless hand. ¡¸¡°It¡¯s the thought that counts.¡±¡¹ She cried again. Eleon drank the medicine because she had prepared it for him. Even though he knew it would be so painful and difficult. She did something she couldn¡¯t take responsibility for. She offered to stay by his side, but left, leaving Eleon in pain. He barely recovered but lost his sight again. ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡± If the female lead had healed him, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. She should have brought Karina to him. Elysia blamed herself and ran towards the Grand Duke¡¯s manor. Tears streamed nonstop down her cheeks as she ran without even blinking. Following her tracks, small drops of water remained on the stone floor instead of footprints. * * * * * At midnight, the Sun Palace was surrounded by silence. The Emperor was on his knees. His shadow was reflected in the dancing candlelight as if extinguished by the night wind. ¡°Five Gods and Oder.¡± The Emperor was praying. ¡°Lead us to the glory of Oder, who ascended the throne.¡± In the Empire of Constance, they served the founding myth. Like the Oder, who ascended as a God after his death, the ultimate pursuit of faith was to be reborn as a divine being at the end of his life. ¡°Take away all troubles and misdeeds.¡± The Emperor¡¯s expression seemed daunting. ¡°On the day of my death, arrange so that my soul may rest by the side where the Oder sits.¡± By the time the Emperor¡¯s prayer was finished, without a trace, someone had entered the Sun Palace. Another shadow was added to the shadow of the Emperor, flickering in the candlelight. ¡°It¡¯s really touching¡± The Emperor bowed at the voice of a man in a black cloak. It was an unwritten rule that those who came to preach the word of God should not see his face. It was a surprisingly young voice that made even the emperor bow his head. The man who covered his entire face with a white mask was arrogant even in front of the most dignified in the Empire. ¡°Do you have anything to ask? God¡¯s representative.¡± ¡°I came today because of the prophecy.¡± ¡°Tell me anything.¡± ¡°Announce Elysia Yuter as a candidate for Crown Princess.¡± ¡°Yes? Are you referring to the daughter of the Duke of Yuter?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Emperor thought for a moment. He was well aware that Empress Seraphina wanted Elysia as Sabiel¡¯s mate. But it bothered him that Elysia was excommunicated as a priestess. ¡°If Lady Elysia¡¯s memories come back, won¡¯t there be a problem with Hadunsha?¡± ¡°Elysia will not return to Hadunsha as a priestess.¡± God¡¯s will was unknown. Emperor Markis could not understand why. ¡°It is enough for her to be a candidate and not the Crown Princess?¡± ¡°If you do that, things will go smoothly.¡± ¡°I see. I understand.¡± As he obeyed, the representative of God disappeared without a trace as well. The emperor, who raised his head, looked lifeless as if he had aged during that short time. ¡°Grunt.¡± There was a sound of pain as he got up from the stone floor where he knelt and prayed. Oder¡¯s power. The blood of Oder, which is passed down only to one person per generation, was proof that they descended from the First Emperor. Many things were promised in the blood itself. They age slower than others, have long lifespans, sharp judgment, clear minds, superior strength, and are all swordmasters. Many people said that the first thing to manifest Oder¡¯s blood would be to be a swordmaster. Rather, it would be even stranger if he couldn¡¯t become a swordmaster even with superior physical condition and strength. An Oder could do anything. The Emperor walked slowly to his bedroom. He seemed lonely. Passing through the space and touching the device pulled on a wall, the hidden door opened and part of the wall moved. The Emperor entered. Inside there was some simple furniture. There were a few books piled on the bed, the desk, and the bookshelf. The Emperor took off his clothes and sighed. He was acting like an Oder. No matter how much he pretended, he couldn¡¯t reproduce the same dignified appearance of his father. Even the Emperor¡¯s robe, which was decorated with layers of leather and fur, was so heavy and burdensome. The Emperor looked at himself in the mirror and removed the lenses from his eyes. Click The emperor¡¯s eyes reflected in the mirror were not red but light blue. ¡°Sigh.¡± The Emperor let out a long sigh and lay down on the hard bed. Inside the splendid Imperial Palace, the only resting place allowed for the human Markis was a small room hidden behind a luxurious bedroom. * * * * * When Elysia arrived at the Grand Duchy, it was almost dawn. ¡°Ugh¡­ Ugh.¡± Leaning against the iron gate, Elysia caught her breath. She ran so hard that she looked terrible. She wiped away the sweat with her sleeve. As Laurie had said, he sent the servants back. She felt that the Grand Duchy was a familiar atmosphere. Before she left, it was the same. There was very little light. A quiet mansion with few permanent employees. And the main gate of the Grand Duke¡¯s residence was not locked nor protected. Elysia quietly opened the iron door. CLANK The gate slammed shut with a loud noise. Ba-thump ba-thump Elysia, nervous, headed to the mansion. ¡°Eleon. I have to see Eleon.¡± It seemed to be the only thought left in her mind. I need to check his safety. I also need to know what¡¯s going on. ¡¸¡°Do not apologize. Don¡¯t apologize like that and don¡¯t act like you¡¯ll never see me again.¡±¡¹ I hurt him. ¡¸ ¡°Please, don¡¯t do this to me¡­¡±¡¹ There was a lot of sadness in his bright red eyes. Throb Just thinking about it made her heart ache. The moment she first came to the Grand Duchy and saw Eleon, he was a crumpled mess in a dark room, Elysia felt that he and she were allies. She¡¯s frustrated with herself, possessing someone¡¯s body without any memory, and he¡¯s frustrated with a body he cannot move as he pleases. It was difficult for both of them to live their lives the way they wanted. Eleon needed hands and feet, and Elysia needed a place to exist. They leaned against each other like light and shadow, like sun and moon, like day and night. Bernard was surprised that Eleon had changed since Rona¡¯s arrival. However, Elysia thought that the reason Eleon changed after her appearance was that the two of them complement each other. So, the two gave each other something and received something. And she wished him to be happy. He meets Karina, gets his sight back, and lives a beautiful life. But when Karina didn¡¯t show up, everything went wrong from then on. She didn¡¯t hate it when Eleon came to visit her every day at the Duke¡¯s residence. When she saw him at her house, saying that he was looking for someone, she wondered if he knew she was Rona. Just because she lives in the Duke¡¯s residence, she wasn¡¯t the real Elysia. After all, she had no place to stay in this world. Eleon is happy, and I couldn¡¯t be happier either. Elysia was tormented the whole time, thinking that it would be difficult to find the correct answer. As she entered the quiet mansion, she made eye contact with Bernard, who was going up to the second floor. ¡°Miss Rona!¡± When the butler saw her, he ran downstairs in surprise. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re here at this hour. Where have you been? ¡°Where is Eleon?¡± ¡°He is in the bedroom. What happened? Do you know how surprised I was that you suddenly disappeared, leaving all your money behind?¡± ¡°Well, there was a situation. What happened to Eleon? His eyes¡­.. How could he not see again?¡± Bernard¡¯s face darkened. ¡°That¡­. I don¡¯t know why.¡± Suddenly, a twinkle flashed in his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s right. Miss Rona. What kind of medicine did you give His Highness before? We need it again.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°That is the only medicine that healed His Highness¡¯ eyes.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± She felt like something invisible was choking her. ¡°I¡¯ll see him first. Is he still awake?¡± ¡°Yes, he is.¡± Elysia headed to Eleon¡¯s bedroom. KNOCK KNOCK There was no answer. Elysia quietly opened the door. A candle was lit up next to the bed. ¡°Sir..sir Eleon.¡± As she approached slowly, she saw Eleon sitting on the bed. He kept his eyes open, but his eyes had lost their jewel-like red glow. As soon as she saw it, Elysia was heartbroken and tears fell down her cheeks. ¡°How come¡­¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t even finish speaking. ¡°Did you come?¡± She nodded and walked towards Eleon. Tears streamed down her face because she was sad that he couldn¡¯t see her nod. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Eleon muttered helplessly. ¡°You¡¯re going to abandon me again.¡± Chapter 42 ¡°You¡¯re going to abandon me again.¡± What do you mean by abandoning you? How can you say that to yourself? Eleon¡¯s words were like knives carved from the ice buried in the polar ice caps. They were very cold and sharp. Every word Elysia heard made a wound in her heart. ¡°You made the right choice. It was only when I went blind again that I realized it.¡± There was no energy in his voice. He spoke full of sadness instead of being confident and dignified like the color of his bright eyes. ¡°There was no way you could have accepted a marriage proposal of a man who could get sick again.¡± The misery Eleon felt came back doubled. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this. She had no intention of hurting him. Elysia didn¡¯t know what to do. She had no memory of the borrowed body. Besides, she didn¡¯t even know the original story very well. Mariela said that the chocolate bag she was going to give to Eleon burned and disappeared on its own as a side effect of going against the original story. Seeing it happening in front of her eyes was a completely different matter from listening to Mariela, understanding, accepting, or simply imagining. It was a vivid horror. Elysia was afraid that what happened to the bag of chocolate would happen to her, that she would disappear without even leaving any ashes. Eleon was the male lead. His existence should be at the center of the flow of the original story above everything else. And being around him was more dangerous than anything else. She will be the most directly influenced by the original plot more than anyone else. And the consequences were unpredictable. It hurts. It¡¯s so painful. Her heart ached. She wanted to protest and also wanted to deny what he was saying. But she couldn¡¯t say anything due to the sharp pain in her chest. ¡°Crying.¡± Tears began to run down her cheeks. Only then did Elysia realize the depth of her heart. If she loved him with a reader¡¯s heart just because he was the male lead, she shouldn¡¯t have been so frustrated with herself. She was unable to accept his marriage proposal. She couldn¡¯t face his red eyes that sparkled beautifully with a happy smile. It can¡¯t be that sad. ¡°Just go.¡± This is his second despair. She thought this situation would make Eleon feel more lethargic. He didn¡¯t just lie on the floor, bitter and frustrated like he used to be. He didn¡¯t even howl like a beast. He was more like a spoiled flower waiting to wither and rot. He looked pitiful staring into the air without moving a bit or blinking. ¡°Don¡¯t come back here again.¡± Each word that came out of his mouth was colder than the last. He wasn¡¯t being cold to Elysia. It was because of the endless darkness that Eleon was going through. She looked down, biting her lower lip. Then she saw his hand resting on the sheet he was trying to cover. He¡¯s shaking. The big hand of a big man. His large hand, which seemed to be able to cover her face in one hand, trembled, gripping the white sheet. Elysia carefully placed her hand on top of his. At that moment, Eleon¡¯s eyes grew bigger in surprise. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± Just like it was at Cafe Cardinal. Elysia took Eleon¡¯s hand and placed it on her cheek. ¡°Nowhere.¡± But he didn¡¯t caress her face as he used to before. That made Elysia even more anxious. She wanted to believe that his heart wasn¡¯t closed yet. The man who had promised her his whole life wouldn¡¯t have changed his mind in an instant. ¡°Sir Eleon.¡± When she blinked, tears ran down Eleon¡¯s palm. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡­ Rona.¡± As soon as she said ¡®Rona¡®, Eleon wavered. ¡°I will be your eyes and your hands as before.¡± Elysia grabbed his hands with both hands and rubbed them against her cheek as if a small animal was acting cute. ¡°But if you leave me again¡­¡± Emotions flashed across Eleon¡¯s face. His expressionless mask cracked for the first time since Elysia entered this room. ¡°I may not be able to live.¡± Elysia nodded, still pressing his hand against her cheek. ¡°I will do anything for you. Eleon.¡± There was only one truth. She doesn¡¯t think he¡¯d like it, but she thinks she could die for Eleon if he wanted to. She would give anything for him in return for his sight, even at the cost of her life. Elysia continued to cry and looked into his unfocused gray eyes. ¡°I will do anything you want.¡± At that moment, Eleon¡¯s hand, which was still wet with Elysia¡¯s tears, moved. He carefully tried to wipe away the tears from her cheeks. ¡°Stop crying.¡± ¡°Ah. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Before she knew it, Elysia was sitting on his lap. The sheet was damp from crying profusely. ¡°I¡¯m going to wipe my face, I¡¯ll be back.¡± Embarrassed, she was just about to get up when suddenly Eleon dragged her body. ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Sir Eleon.¡± ¡°I hate it even if you leave for a moment.¡± Her heart pounded at the sound of his deep voice. ¡°Just stay like this.¡± Eleon fumbled over the side table, picked up a handkerchief, and handed it to her. After running for several hours and crying for a long time, Elysia suddenly felt her energy drop. I can¡¯t. I should go to my room to sleep¡­¡­ What was it about Eleon¡¯s arms that seemed so familiar? His firm arms, the wide, soft bed, and the crisp feel of the sheets did not bother Elysia, and she felt her consciousness gradually fade. Eleon¡­.. She wanted to tell him not to let her sleep here, or to call another servant or Bernard to take her to her room, but she couldn¡¯t say a word as if her mouth was glued. ¡°¡­¡­¡± As soon as her eyes closed, Elysia fell asleep as if she had been forced to. Eleon looked at Elysia with unfocused eyes, who had been in his arms for a long time. ¡°Elysia.¡± When he called out her name softly, she wouldn¡¯t budge, so he slowly stood up. With Elysia in his arms, he lifted her slightly as if she weighed like a feather, and adjusted his posture, holding her tighter than before. Eleon caressed Elysia¡¯s swollen eyes with the tips of his fingers. Her cheeks were still wet even after he wiped away her tears. Eleon, who felt the vivid sensation of touch, looked at her sternly. ¡°You were wrong.¡± He was the blood and descendant of God. Eleon, who was born as an Oder and lived as a superior being, had never thought poorly of himself. Except when he went blind, he acted like a madman. However, he becomes an idiot in front of Elysia to the extent that he couldn¡¯t even understand himself. Elysia was indifferent to him in many ways. He felt betrayed when he found out that Elysia wanted to set him up with Karina. He was so upset. Eleon returned home without saying a word and feeling empty. Surprisingly, as soon as Eleon arrived at the Grand Duchy, he regretted it. He misses Elysia very much. ¡¸¡°Why do you think I¡¯m angry?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t know.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Ah, so you don¡¯t know that?¡±¡¹ He was so hurt that his feelings showed. ¡¸¡°Lady Karina is a beautiful and virtuous person.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Your Highness said before that you were looking for someone. You said you found only half. I thought that someone would be Lady Karina. I thought you might like her if I gave you two time to talk¡­¡­.¡±¡¹ Elysia aroused Eleon¡¯s anger by starting to talk about something he wasn¡¯t interested in. What he wanted to talk about was a future-oriented conversation between him and Elysia. She suggested that he meet another woman and even introduced her to him. He wondered the meaning behind all the actions she had done. ¡¸¡°How can you believe that I am here to see you for that? Will you think I¡¯m serious if I propose to you?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Pro¡­propose?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°I heard that most young people like to date before exchanging a formal courtship letter. You¡¯re so special.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°What? Are you saying you like me now?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Yes.¡±¡¹ In the end, the situation led to a ridiculous confession. He wanted to do it right. He wanted to make an impressive and wonderful confession that would remain a precious and beautiful memory for Elysia for a long time. He wanted to find a suitable place and time for such a precious occasion. The reason why Eleon couldn¡¯t confess to Elysia quickly was that he was so excited to think of such a thing. No, what¡¯s wrong with me? He thought he would become this kind of person. A kind and attentive man to the woman he loves. He just hasn¡¯t met his opponent yet. He often thinks of Elysia and does things that make her happy, not for him, but the magical thing that makes him happy in the end often makes his heart race. His heart fluctuated between his desire to legally bring her back to the Grand Duchy quickly and wanting to enjoy this moment a little longer. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you would turn me down.¡± Elysia¡¯s hands were very pretty. Her small, white hands were like small pretty flowers. Her fingers were thin, and even the color of her nails was pink. Is her hand half the size of mine? At the debutante ball, Eleon had a hard time holding on when they danced together. In the meantime, he was going crazy thinking that Elysia would feed him and wipe his lips with her hands. He put a lot of effort into getting a ring that would suit her hand. But the owner of the ring had not yet seen it. Eleon moved his hand around his eye carefully so as not to wake Elysia. Tak When he lightly touched his eyes, the lenses that were blocking the red light came off. ¡°I will not let you go.¡± Eleon was serious about capturing Elysia. To the point where he could act abominably. * * * * * Some dreams can be quickly recognized when they are dreams. Just like right now. After falling asleep in a chair in his office for a while, Eleon woke up and shook his heavy head from side to side. ¡¸¡°It¡¯s strange.¡±¡¹ As an Oder, he rarely felt tired. He occasionally felt tired during the time he got seriously wounded on the battlefield and when he suffered from excessive blood loss. ¡¸¡°I think I was dreaming of something.¡±¡¹ He dreamed of a younger version of himself asking ¡®what¡¯s wrong with me?¡¯, but he can¡¯t remember what kind of dream it was. He felt proud and excited. It was a feeling that he had never experienced. It stayed vivid in his heart. The desk was cluttered with work he had accumulated while he was blind. ¡¸¡°I¡¯d rather be more comfortable wielding a sword.¡±¡¹ He didn¡¯t have to look at each of them. Eleon took a sip of the water and tried to fix her eyes on the black letters. KNOCK KNOCK ¡¸¡°Come in.¡±¡¹ The faithful and capable butler, Bernard, entered. ¡¸¡°What is it?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°I think you should attend a funeral. Your Highness.¡±¡¹ Chapter 43 ¡¸¡°I think you should attend a funeral. Your Highness.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Funeral? Which family is it?¡±¡¹ Bernard sighed when Eleon asked nonchalantly. ¡¸¡°Duke of Yuter.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Duke of Yuter? Isn¡¯t the Duke still young?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the Duke, but the young lady from that family who died suddenly.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Mmmm. I see.¡±¡¹ Bernard looked into his eyes, who was busy concentrating on his work. ¡¸¡°Isn¡¯t he the only duke in the Empire? Even if you¡¯re busy, it would be nice if Your Highness went there.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Is His Majesty the Emperor going to attend as well?¡±¡¹ The competent butler quickly responded. ¡¸¡°It¡¯s the young lady. There are rumors that she died due to the Crown Prince¡¯s schemes¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°What?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°It seems that both the Emperor and Empress will attend the funeral of the Duke¡¯s only daughter, who is not even from the Royal Family.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°However?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°The Duke and Duchess of Yuter were so heartbroken that they offered to sell their estate and the residence that is located in the capital before their daughter¡¯s funeral.¡±¡¹ At that moment, Eleon, who seemed to be listening intently as he perused the documents, raised his head. It was as if the family of the Duke, one of the main contributors to the founding of the Empire, was protesting against the Imperial Family by renouncing their title. At that point, he became interested. ¡¸¡°Really? Sooner or later, the duke of the empire will be reduced to one.¡±¡¹ Grand Duke Clevent and the Duke of Yuter did not have much interaction with each other. The days when the former Duke of Yuter was at the center of the aristocracy had clearly faded over the years. Now, the head of the state of Yuter, Sir Gillian Yuter, who is not interested in politics, has a scholarly appearance and is an eccentric and reclusive person, so he is often confined to his mansion and does not usually attend social gatherings. It¡¯s been a while since the center of power started shifting to new aristocrats who are more knowledgeable about science and technology, investment, and the economy. But, that wasn¡¯t a big concern for Eleon, whose mother is a princess. ¡¸¡°It¡¯s so noisy in the capital. I can¡¯t wait to get back to the front line.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°I can¡¯t believe you said that! Didn¡¯t you just get your sight back?¡±¡¹ Eleon lifted the corners of his lips mischievously as the butler was in shock. ¡¸¡°¡­¡­ How worried would the miss be if she knew? You know how much effort Your Highness made to get your sight back.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°I know.¡±¡¹ After replying naturally, Eleon felt strange. How did I get my sight back? Who healed my eyes? The part was blurry as if it had been erased with something. ¡¸¡°I will prepare a carriage. Please change your clothes immediately.¡±¡¹ The butler hurriedly left after he finished speaking. Eleon felt a subtle sensation and scribbled his signature on the paperwork. The funeral was held at Hadunsha in the northern part of the Imperial Palace. Eleon looked around at the strange place when he first entered. The garden was decorated with perennial trees with green leaves and white stone everywhere, so it was a pleasant atmosphere even in the cold winter. However, since it was the funeral of a young lady, a heavy atmosphere surrounded Hadunsha. It was the weight of death. Funerals were a new thing for him, though he saw countless lives lost on the battlefield. Looking at the funeral decorated with luxurious flowers, he recalled his subordinates being buried on a sandy beach in the scorching sun, and others under the frozen ground. He remembered his people¡¯s funerals at someone else¡¯s funeral. ¡¸¡°Your Highness.¡±¡¹ The butler handed him a golden rose. It was his turn to pay tribute. Wearing a black uniform, Eleon sneered for a moment as he approached the coffin at the altar. Because of his outfit, he wondered if he would be seen as a blood-crazed beast, a reaper of the battlefield. Countless nobles had already visited, and golden flowers protruded from the young lady¡¯s coffin. Eleon tried to find a space to add another golden rose. When he got up, he saw the young lady lying inside. She was a very pretty woman. However, there were strange traces between the black lace up to the neck and the sleeves down to the wrist. It was as if someone had strangled her neck and tied a rope around her wrist. Her pale face looked more relaxed, more like a sleeping person than a dead person. Eleon¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at her¡­.. ¡­¡­Dead? Elysia? No way. ¡¸¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±¡¹ Elysia had promised not to leave him. ¡¸¡°I will do anything for you. Eleon.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°I will do anything you want.¡±¡¹ She promised over and over again that she would do whatever he wanted. But she is no longer in this world. * * * * * ¡°Hu hu.¡± Eleon¡¯s eyes scanned the bed. Not here. No. Elysia is not here again. ¡°Elysia!¡± It was when he was about to get up, screaming and kicking his bed. CLICK ¡°Sir Eleon.¡± The bedroom door opened and Elysia, with her eyes wide open, hurriedly approached him. ¡°Are you all right?¡± He desperately hugged Elysia. It felt so terrible that he couldn¡¯t bear it. Elysia looked at him in surprise, immediately patting his head and shoulders. ¡°Why are you so frightened? Look at the sweat.¡± Elysia took a handkerchief from the maid¡¯s apron pocket and wiped his forehead. But Eleon didn¡¯t know if he would fall, so he wrapped his arms around her waist. ¡°I had a bad dream.¡± ¡°What did you dream about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t remember. It was scary.¡± Eleon wanted to forget the last scene of the dream. ¡°I woke up and you weren¡¯t here. Where have you been?¡± Blaming the nonsense, Eleon clung closer to Elysia. ¡°It was just a moment. Really. I just washed and changed my clothes. I talked to the butler for a moment.¡± ¡°You said you¡¯re not going anywhere, didn¡¯t you?¡± Due to the aftermath of the nightmare, he was talking nonsense, but Elysia calmly comforted him. He was blind again and thought it was because of his sensitivity. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Sir Eleon.¡± Eleon hugged Elysia for a while. He loved the way she stroked his hair, but shame made him see reason. I¡¯m a disgrace. He didn¡¯t know how to look Elysia in the face. He was fortunate she didn¡¯t know he wasn¡¯t really blind. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you some new clothes.¡± She felt a shiver run down his back from his wet shirt from how much he had been sweating. The reason wasn¡¯t Eleon¡¯s body temperature, but Elysia seemed to be worried about the cold sensation she felt when caressing him. When he loosened his arms, Elysia was able to quickly fetch a new shirt. Elysia put the shirt in Eleon¡¯s hand and tried to leave the room, as she had always done before. Because he wanted him to do everything by himself as much as possible. But, Eleon was different than usual. He was burning for a reward from the woman who always pushed him away. ¡°Change me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Elysia opened her mouth in bewilderment. ¡­¡­ She¡¯s cute. ¡°I have no strength in my hands.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Elysia agreed even though it sounded like an excuse. ¡°Stay like this for a second. I¡¯ll unbutton it.¡± As Elysia lowered her head, the sweet scent of cherry blossom flowers washed over him. What? Are you shy? When he asked her, her cheeks turned red as soon as she responded as well as when she unbuttoned his shirt. I¡¯m going crazy. Eleon regretted his short judgment. It seemed like it would take Elysia five hours to undo just five buttons. ¡°Phew, it¡¯s done.¡± When she raised her head, their eyes met. Of course, the lenses masked the color of his eyes, so that Elysia wouldn¡¯t know that he pretended to go blind. ¡°Raise your arms.¡± ¡°Uh?¡± ¡°You have to take off your shirt to put on a new one.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± ¡°Wi..will you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll prepare dinner right away.¡± Elysia and Eleon were awkwardly nervous facing each other. As soon as she left the room, Eleon sighed, clutching his new shirt tightly. ¡°Anyone who has done this before can do it.¡± It was so awkward that he wondered if he could continue doing this for a few more days. However, his doubt soon disappeared. ¡°Please say ah!¡± Seeing Elysia trying to blow off the hot soup, Eleon forgot to open his mouth and stared at her. So cute. He wondered how many times he thought Elysia was so cute today. It was pathetic, but Eleon thought nothing of it. His eyes and his mind were busy looking at Elysia. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you like it?¡± When he didn¡¯t open his mouth, Elysia tilted her head and looked at Eleon¡¯s expression. It¡¯s cute when you tilt your head. It was as if his head had been hit by an arrow. He was fine until yesterday, but how can a person change like this in one day? He reflected on his condition self-sufficiently. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I think it was a little hot before.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s been a while.¡± Elysia laughed bashfully. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s something else. Sir Eleon.¡± Yes, I¡¯m here. ¡°I want to ask you a favor.¡± ¡°Favor?¡± I will do anything for you if I can. Eleon felt like he had sold his soul for the seven spoons of soup Elysia had fed him. ¡°Please treat me like Rona for a while.¡± ¡°What?¡± Her face darkened. ¡°I secretly left the house yesterday. My parents will be looking for me. The butler doesn¡¯t know who I am. And also the other servants.¡± Elysia was right. Marriage was a matter for both families. The head of the House of Clevent is Eleon himself, but marrying Elysia required permission from the Duke of Yuter. ¡°If they found out who I am, I won¡¯t¡­..I won¡¯t be able to stay by your side.¡± It was good that there were no rumors that could lead to a scandal. Fortunately, this was the place where ¡®Rona¡® had lived for over half a year. And a place where people know her as Rona. If she goes back to being his maid, she will be able to stay here like before. But that bothered Eleon. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Even when Elysia asked him, he seemed puzzled. As the Grand Duke, he seems to be dissatisfied with the etiquette of the nobles. Instead of answering yes or no, Eleon grabbed Elysia¡¯s hand. He gently kissed her hand. ¡°Sir¡­Sir Eleon.¡± ¡°Then I couldn¡¯t do this with Rona.¡± Elysia reluctantly withdrew her hand. ¡°No. never.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fair for me.¡± Elysia was restless. She didn¡¯t expect such a reaction from Eleon. ¡°It would be a big problem if someone sees us like this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± When he replied blatantly, Elysia looked at him upset. ¡°I want to be by your side. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you.¡± ¡°Is it just for my own good?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Eleon looked at Elysia and asked. ¡°I¡­.. I also want to be with you¡­Sir Eleon.¡± ¡°All right. For the time being, I will treat you as Rona.¡± Only then did Elysia¡¯s expression brighten up. ¡°Thank you for understanding.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a big deal.¡± It¡¯s a good thing for me anyway. Eleon was happy and excited. ¡°If you keep this secret well, I¡¯ll give you a reward.¡± ¡°What reward?¡± ¡­.. As soon as he asked, Elysia grabbed his face with both hands and pulled him. Chu~ Chapter 44 Eleon couldn¡¯t believe it. Elysia¡¯s lips touched his left cheek, and sparks erupted in front of him as if lightning had struck the spot. What¡¯s wrong with my heart? His broken heart was pounding hard as if it were going to bounce out of his body. ¡°This¡­ before you go to sleep.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°So if you keep this secret, I¡¯ll reward you before you go to bed.¡± ¡°Uh. O¡­okay¡± Eleon panicked, and the air quickly turned strange. He and Elysia were awkward. ¡°Then¡­then, I¡¯ll go to talk to the butler for a bit.¡± Elysia looked into his eyes. It seemed like he was nervous when she wasn¡¯t there earlier. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as he allowed it, Elysia ran out of the room, covering her cheeks with her hands in embarrassment. ¡°You want me to treat you as Rona?¡± It seemed like she had no idea that her actions were different from ¡®Rona¡¯. ¡°But why did I have that dream anyway?¡± Elysia¡¯s funeral. It was such a bad dream that he didn¡¯t even want to think about it. ¡°It was so vivid.¡± That¡¯s why he felt so bad. Everything seemed so real as if he had seen what really happened. ¡°Dreams are the opposite of reality.¡± Heard something like that somewhere. ¡°Does that mean that Elysia will live by my side for a long time?¡± Eleon tried to find the meaning of the nightmare. If he didn¡¯t, the afterimage would come to mind. He fought to distract himself. ¡°Think of something that will make you feel better.¡± Elysia. As soon as he thought of her, a smile appeared on his lips. ¡°But she¡¯s also Rona.¡± As soon as he thought about it, he felt depressed again. ¡°What should I ask her to do?¡± Asking her to change his clothes was unreasonable. He struggled as her fingertips touched his chest as she unbuttoned his shirt. He didn¡¯t know if he could meet her eyes, but it was hard for him to see Elysia, flushed and trying to unbutton his shirt. ¡°Sigh.¡± Eleon lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. ¡°This is the reality.¡± He did not want to have such a dream again in which he was aware that such a nightmare could become a reality. * * * * * Sabiel smiled with satisfaction for the first time in a long time. ¡°I like it.¡± In his bedroom was placed a beautiful object. The curved design was similar to a cage in general. It has hooks on the top like a real birdcage as if it could be hung from the ceiling. Perhaps it was made by a skilled craftsman, but the entire smooth surface seemed to be plated with gold. It looked so elegant and luxurious that it did not look like an iron cage. Even the part of the lock that opens and closes the cage door was decorated with a purple amethyst, which was also elegantly decorated. If anyone doesn¡¯t know the Crown Prince¡¯s impure intentions in bringing such a thing into his bedroom, it was an object that in itself would seem like a precious treasure. ¡°Good work. I will give you a generous reward.¡± ¡°I feel honored. Your Highness.¡± The lieutenant bowed his head. ¡°Is there any answer to my invitation yet?¡± ¡°Yes. There are none. Your Highness.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Sabiel frowned. ¡°Insolents.¡± An invitation was sent without the purpose and time of the visit. The Duke of Yuter wouldn¡¯t know the meaning of it. It was a method related to royal secrets, and it was often used when a prince or emperor, who had reached marriageable age, invited a woman he liked to the palace. Empress Seraphina had chosen Elysia as his mate from the moment she was born. It was a blessing to have a crown princess born to a prestigious family like the Yuters. However, before even officially discussing marriage and engagement, Elysia joined Hadunsha. The Empress lamented it during that time. And his mother¡¯s feelings were conveyed to him. Elysia Yuter was the woman who should have belonged to him. God took her from me. And now she was about to be taken by that bastard Eleon Clevent. ¡°How dare you touch what¡¯s mine?¡± Sabiel compared Eleon to a guy who rolled from the battlefield crashing into his flower garden with dirt. He grew impatient at the thought of Eleon. When he called, the lieutenant ran straight into his bedroom. ¡°Did you call? Your Highness.¡± ¡°Go to the Yuter Dukedom now.¡± ¡°Do you mean now?¡± ¡°Bring Elysia Yuter. Even if you have to use force.¡± ¡°What? But Your Highness, the Yuters are one of the founding families and the descendants of the five gods. If you go too far¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Are you disobeying my orders now!¡± The lieutenant kept his mouth shut as Sabiel yelled in annoyance. ¡°Do not forget who will be the emperor of this empire. Whose glory will your family, your wife, and children bear!¡± The lieutenant just kept his mouth shut and his face turned white as he spoke of his family. ¡°I¡¯ve committed a grave sin. Please forgive me. Your Highness.¡± ¡°Hurry up.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the lieutenant ran out. ¡°You¡¯re so slow.¡± This is a place where talented people were really valuable. Is he unable to understand what I just said once? Sabiel sighed as if he had to say it twice or three times. He took out his handkerchief and had an exciting time wiping the gold-plated iron bars. As much as Sabiel cared for her, he was going to hide her like a treasure. So that no one could see her except him. He was humming and fantasizing about Elysia being caged. ¡°Your Highness The Crown Prince.¡± The lieutenant returned empty-handed. Seeing this, Sabiel¡¯s face hardened. ¡°What about Elysia?¡± ¡°Your¡­Your Highness¡± The lieutenant got on his knees trembling. ¡°She disappeared.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°When I went to the Yuter Dukedom, the mansion was overturned. Lady Elysia is said to have run away from home last night.¡± ¡°What¡­.¡± ¡°The Duke sent people to find Lady Elysia.¡± ¡°She ran away? Does that make sense? Where did she go?¡± The lieutenant recalled what he had heard at the duke¡¯s residence. ¡¸¡°If only the Crown Prince hadn¡¯t sent such an invitation¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°I know right. Didn¡¯t the Duchess faint as soon as she saw it?¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Lady Elysia must have been so upset that she left the house. She is a precious and kind person.¡±¡¹ In the Yuter Dukedom, it seemed that Sabiel was the main culprit. However, if he told the Crown Prince the truth in jest, he didn¡¯t know if he would threaten his family. ¡°That¡¯s¡­. that¡¯s because she lost his memory.¡± ¡°Why did she lose her memory?¡± The lieutenant swallowed dry saliva. ¡°It is said that she had a hard time staying there because her memories did not return.¡± That¡¯s what Laurie said. It wasn¡¯t entirely a lie, as one of the young maids serving Elysia cried and said something similar. ¡°Find her.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Chase her now. Obviously, she couldn¡¯t go that far. Find her even if you have to search the entire capital.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± After the lieutenant left, Sabiel became furious and began breaking things in his bedroom. ¡°Alcohol! Bring me the alcohol!¡± Sabiel drank a lot of strong liquor and kept smashing precious things in the messy room. ¡°Huff¡­huff.¡± He collapsed from exhaustion after running rampantly because he could not overcome his anger and fell asleep as if passing out from drunkenness. Whoosh Late at night, the candle that had lit up Sabiel¡¯s room was blown out. Slide The dark shadows of the furniture stretched as if someone had pulled them. Soon, a black figure appeared in the prince¡¯s bedroom from the darkness. It was a man wearing a white mask and a black hooded robe. ¡°The time has come. Sabiel.¡± The man approached Sabiel, who was sleeping in a mess. As he waved his hands above his head, something moved like a flower blooming from the man¡¯s fingertips, and then flapped its wings and flew into the air. It was a little bird. The bird was so black that it was almost invisible as if it were made of total darkness. The bird fluttered around as the man beckoned to and fro. Soon the bird landed gently on Sabiel¡¯s forehead, and the man murmured grimly. ¡°Be faithful to the role imprinted on you.¡± To the emperor, the man who was a ¡®representative of God¡¯ hypnotized the sleeping Sabiel. ¡°Then Elysia Yuter will be yours.¡± The bird perched on Sabiel¡¯s forehead tilted its head from side to side before fluttering its wings again. ¡°¡­¡­ Elysia.¡± Suddenly, Sabiel opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling. ¡°Elysia.¡± Watching him persistently repeating her name, a satisfied laugh leaked out from under the mask that seeped into the darkness. * * * * * My Lord has changed. Elysia thought so. Once upon a time, Eleon wanted to do everything on his own. He spent a long time practicing and doing it over and over again, slowly improving on what he could do ¡®alone¡®. Not only that, he gets upset if he fails. She used to be exhausted trying to calm him down and comfort him. ¡°Wash my hair.¡± Before, the intensity of her work was not that high. From morning to late at night, she never felt exhausted, even though she waited for Eleon all day. But why did this happen? ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In these two days, Eleon started asking her to do everything. ¡°Haven¡¯t you been doing well on your own so far?¡± It wasn¡¯t something he couldn¡¯t do if he had to do it over again. ¡°I wasn¡¯t doing well. There was always soap left.¡± ¡°You said before that if you touch it with your hand, you rinse it until you can¡¯t feel the soap anymore. I even checked it out.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t work, so I was wiping it off with a towel.¡± Eleon thought that if he said in this way, ¡®Actually, I wasn¡¯t doing well¡®, she would have nothing to say and would end up helping him. Elysia sighed, leaving Eleon in the bathtub. ¡°Sigh.¡± Eleon sensitively reacted to the sound and became sad. ¡°As expected, it¡¯s a bit weird to ask you this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that. And it¡¯s definitely not difficult.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± When Eleon smiled, it was as if a spark lit up the Grand Duke¡¯s spacious bathroom. As soon as Elysia saw his smiling face, her mental energy boosted. ¡°Please tell me if it¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°Umm.¡± She began to gently massage his black hair with soap and bubbles began to foam around her fingers. Eleon, who is lying in the bathtub with his eyes closed, was still handsome. He tilted his head back, and his Adam¡¯s apple moved as he breathed. Elysia felt the urge to kiss him. I can¡¯t. Elysia reprimanded herself resolutely. Wasn¡¯t I too shameful to ask Eleon to treat her as ¡®Rona¡¯? I knew better than anyone what was wrong. If Mariela knew about it, she might drag me away by the hair. It¡¯s a bit unfair because she¡¯s not her real daughter, and she knows it too, but since she lives in Elysia¡¯s body, she wouldn¡¯t be able to break free of her status in this world. She sighed as she rinsed Eleon¡¯s hair. ¡°Ouch!¡± Eleon covered his eyes with his hand as the water splashed on him. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Elysia quickly knelt beside him. She covered his dripping head with a towel. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Does it hurt a lot? I thought it wasn¡¯t too much water.¡± Eleon embraced her hand that covered his eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t I treat you as Elysia for a moment?¡± Chapter 45 ¡°Can¡¯t I call you Elysia for a moment?¡± Elysia stiffened. The next moment, the back of her neck stiffened and her blood pressure increased. ¡°I beg your pardon? Didn¡¯t I tell you not to do this?¡± She was fine when he asked her to do this or that. However, the problem was that he kept trying to hug her like a carnivorous plant. ¡°Didn¡¯t you agree to fulfill my request from the beginning?¡± While calmly pushing Eleon away, he said dissatisfiedly. ¡°Rona is also unreasonable.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Rona is unreasonable.¡± Seeing Eleon grimly writing unrecognizable characters on the bathtub floor with his index finger, Elysia lifted him. ¡°I¡¯ll dry your hair. Go to bed early.¡± Eleon, who seemed to have become an inert mollusk, clung to her again. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep together.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Elysia sighed. ¡°Sir Eleon, do you want me to be taken back to the duke¡¯s residence?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why are you not helping me?¡± ¡°What do you mean I didn¡¯t help? I¡¯m hiding you in my house.¡± That¡¯s not the case, but a servant from the duke¡¯s residence came looking for Elysia, but he just sent him back empty-handed. ¡°The remaining servants in this house are the best. Do you want me to fire them and hire new ones?¡± It would be a big problem if someone saw us like this. ¡°Rona.¡± As Eleon¡¯s attitude changed to serious, Elysia¡¯s shoulders began to lose strength. ¡°Yes. Please, speak.¡± ¡°Would you like to go to my estate?¡± Why go there all of a sudden? Elysia only blinked at the problem of not being able to understand his intentions. ¡°Clevent Estate? Why go there all of a sudden?¡± ¡°The chef over there makes good bread.¡± Elysia suddenly felt herself aging. Do you want to eat ramen? Was it that? Eleon lowered his voice, stroking her hair determinedly. ¡°There¡¯s even a cat in the castle, in my room. Don¡¯t you want to see it?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a cat, I have one too.¡± Huh? Cat? Elysia was taken aback by the sudden words. What cat am I talking about if I don¡¯t have one! I¡¯ve never seen a cat since I got here. After having a pointless fight with Eleon, I was speechless and it was a problem. But I couldn¡¯t lose here. ¡°Hurry up and sit down. Or you¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± ¡°Ah! Ahh! It hurts. Be gentle. The service is a mess.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t hire me without knowing it.¡± Elysia then relaxed her hands and dried Eleon¡¯s hair with a towel more carefully than before. ¡°Rona. I hate not having you by my side when I wake up.¡± Eleon grabbed her hands. His gray eyes looked directly at her as if he could see right through her. ¡°Stay with me.¡± Elysia has a soft spot for him. And he might never know. Because I turned down his marriage proposal, he thinks he likes me more. But actually, Elysia had liked him better for a long time. She liked him long before he knew he existed. A long time ago? When was that? From the first time, I read . After convincing myself, another thought followed. Is there any way to heal Eleon again? Does the flower really bloom once every 10 years? Will there be another flower blooming tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, or at the end of this week? It would be nice if I could read the novel. Then a large, thick book came to mind. What memory is this? Won Yun-ji Won reading in her mobile phone app. So it doesn¡¯t make sense to think it was a book, but from some point on, I thought it was a book that existed. There can be no such thing. Even if there is, it¡¯s a story that the two of them venture together after Karina heals his blindness and goes to the end of the scene where Eleon takes the throne. But there was no way to deal with the second blindness. ¡°Sigh.¡± She sighed without realizing it. ¡°Are you uncomfortable?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°Shall we go for a walk?¡± ¡°Now?¡± Eleon nodded. ¡°Someone could spy on the mansion during the day. For the time being, I can only go for a walk at night.¡± Elysia had questions. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back after getting ready.¡± To be honest, I should wash my hair before going for a walk. I also wanted to check the spot where the grass that healed his eyes had grown. Eleon was so stubborn that she couldn¡¯t even take a step outside the mansion for two days. * * * * * The Duke of Yuter has forgotten it was night. Even after the sun had set and the moon had risen, the entire area around the dukedom was brilliantly illuminated. ¡°Wah wah¡­ Elysia.¡± Gillian was at a loss as he watched his sobbing wife in bed. ¡°She will be back soon. Where would our child go? She has no memory.¡± Mariela was furious at her husband¡¯s consolation. ¡°She lost her memory, but she¡¯s been living for over half a year doing chores at someone else¡¯s house. I thought she couldn¡¯t do anything because she grew up beautifully in Hadunsha.¡± Gillian realized that anything he said would only increase his wife¡¯s anger. ¡°Rest a bit. I will keep looking for Elysia.¡± Even after Gillian left, Mariela cried and beat her chest. ¡°I should have told you the truth.¡± It was still too early to tell Elysia everything. But she didn¡¯t know that she would run away. ¡°I thought you were just trying to be obedient.¡± After refusing to marry Eleon, Elysia became quiet. She seemed more unmotivated. She was silently doing what Mariela had asked her to do. She realized that it was a mistake and regretted it only after Elysia disappeared without leaving a letter or a note. Elysia said she was fine, but she wasn¡¯t. She couldn¡¯t understand or comprehend, but she was only momentarily frightened by the force of the ominous black flame. It was as if they were laughing at how much Mariela had worked so hard to save Elysia. Mariela¡¯s efforts were in vain. She didn¡¯t know what to do. Having to find Elysia was also a problem, but it was a bigger problem as to what to do from now on. As time passes, Sabiel will become more obsessed. She hoped the Crown Prince would forget about Elysia. She knows that Empress Seraphina isn¡¯t going to give up on her, but she wants him to forget about her daughter locked up in the temple. Rumors say he likes to play and is interested in women and entertainment. But when Mariela heard Sabiel sitting at her tea table in her own garden, she felt her blood pressure rise. She wondered if she had to meet her enemy in such a place. On a single wooden bridge, or at a dead end. It was the law of nature that only one of the two could survive. It was when Mariela was engulfed in ephemeral regret. Woosh A gentle breeze blew out the candles in the bedroom. Slide A black shadow rose vertically from the shadows. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Sonatek.¡± Mariela trembled at the sight of the man in the white mask who greeted her politely. ¡°How dare you come here!¡± ¡°Is there a place in the world I can¡¯t go to?¡± Sonatek came up to her. ¡°What do you think? How do you feel about the start?¡± ¡°How about what?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this the moment you¡¯ve been waiting for?¡± A mockery that could not be hidden even over the white mask. ¡°You dear daughter. Weren¡¯t you struggling to protect her?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a madman.¡± When Mariela cursed at him, Sonatek just laughed at her. ¡°What the hell did my child do wrong? Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°Why? Why am I doing this?¡± The black eyes hidden inside the mask looked at Mariela. ¡°Because I want you to suffer.¡± ¡°Ugh ugh.¡± Mariela was tired, so she just closed her mouth, but he came closer. ¡°If you want to save your daughter, you should pray now¡­¡­¡± SLAM Suddenly the door opened. Gillian¡¯s sword pierced through the man¡¯s body. ¡°What the heck! I tried to avoid it, but it was too late¡­.. What¡­..¡± In the next moment, the man¡¯s body turned gray, then cracked and collapsed. Then, in an instant, it turned to sand. ¡°Are you all right, Mariela?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ yes.¡± Gillian hugged his sobbing wife. It was the beginning of a long night of despair. * * * * * It¡¯s been a long time since he took a night walk with Elysia. Unlike when she was working, her long golden hair waved and swayed softly as she walked under the bright moonlight. While he admired her beauty, Eleon¡¯s heart gradually softened. The woman he loves was going to introduce him to another young girl. The woman who refused to marry him. The woman who said never to meet again. All the words that had caused a stir in his heart faded away, leaving only the blonde hair that curled gently between his fingers when he touched it. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I took a walk.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you go for a walk while I was gone?¡± ¡°Yes. I did it for my health because I didn¡¯t exercise enough, but after walking through the Yuter¡¯s paradise every day, I didn¡¯t need any extra exercise.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see. When I also had tea in the garden, I had a hard time going back to the mansion, I had to take a break in the middle. That¡¯s when I was embarrassed to sit on the dirt. Remember?¡± ¡°I remember.¡± A large white flower blooming on the carpet of red camellias. He had a strange feeling seeing how neat and beautiful Elysia was, wearing a white dress with little decorations. ¡°I was a little embarrassed back then.¡± ¡°Why were you embarrassed?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange that the Duke¡¯s daughter is sitting on the dirty ground?¡± ¡°No. I didn¡¯t care. I was more upset when you introduced me to another lady.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Eleon held back his laughter. Even though they were in the garden of a private mansion, the sound he made at night could carry a long way. Umm? What are you doing? Elysia began to act strangely. Slowly, she took a few steps from him. He followed her and saw her on her knees where the bushes were overgrown, apparently searching for something. ¡°E¡­Rona.¡± In confusion by the sight, Eleon almost called her Elysia. He pretended not to know and naturally called out to her. ¡°Rona. Where are you?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m here.¡± When he found her, she got up, quickly walked over to him, and grabbed his arm. ¡°I¡¯m anxious when I can¡¯t feel your presence.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I tried to find something I dropped.¡± ¡°What did you drop? What is it?¡± Embarrassed, Elysia opened her mouth. ¡°A coin. It¡¯s like a lucky coin.¡± That is obviously a lie. He was certain. But he couldn¡¯t pretend not to know. ¡°When the sun comes up, I¡¯ll make people find it.¡± ¡°No!¡± As expected, Elysia was startled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to send anyone. I¡¯m just looking for it just in case.¡± It was an unconvincing answer considering that she was kneeling in front of the bushes at night. ¡°Okay. I get it.¡± After he answered, Elysia felt relieved. However, from that moment on, he looked back in the direction of the bushes because something was bothering him unbearably. When Eleon looked at Elysia, a corner of his heart grew cold. Are you hiding something from me? Chapter 46 Are you hiding something from me? Elysia showed her emotions in front of him. Maybe it¡¯s because she thinks he can¡¯t see. She has no reason to pretend to be in front of him since Eleon acts like a blind man. He observes every natural movement and every daily gesture of the woman he longed for so much. He was supremely satisfied as his eyes followed her little habits. What expression are you making now? What color is your face? His memory of asking himself to see the face of the woman he loves and waiting for it tiringly faded away. He couldn¡¯t be more than happy to see her without having to wonder. To the point of forgetting for a moment that he foolishly deceived Elysia in order to have her by his side like this. Has this happened before? But Elysia¡¯s words were very different from her actions. The emotion she conveys through her voice is different from the expression on her face. She walked around him while doing something else. And without any mental preparation, his heart pounded at the sight of her. He always wanted to see Elysia with his own eyes, but the woman he met made him question it. His footsteps slowed down. Looking back at him, she asked Elysia. ¡°Sir Eleon. Are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m okay.¡± His belated reply made Elysia look at him. It seemed absurd to him that the moment he saw her eyes latch onto him like that, he felt as if something in his heart was disappearing. He casually turned his body in the direction he had been walking in, showing concern. ¡°The thing you dropped. It bothers me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a lucky coin. Do you just drop it in the overgrown garden and walk away? There must be a reason why you cherish it.¡± Elysia looked perplexed at Eleon¡¯s words. ¡°No. I will look for it by myself tomorrow when it¡¯s light.¡± ¡°If you tell me the size or shape, I tell the butler to find it.¡± If it was a meaningful and valuable item, it should have been. But, listening to Eleon, Elysia looked bewildered. ¡°The butler is busy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have the servants do it.¡± ¡°I can search for it. That¡¯s why I was hired.¡± ¡°You have to be by my side, Rona.¡± Eleon deliberately said her name ¡®Rona¡® with more strength. It was she who asked for him to call her Rona and not Elysia. Now she had the duty to play her role as a maid and obey Eleon, and not as the daughter of the Duke of Yuter, whom he was courting. Elysia¡¯s eyes widened at his euphemism. She bowed before disappearing like the moon hidden behind clouds. ¡°¡­..Yes. I get it. Sir Eleon.¡± Eleon clenched his fist. He didn¡¯t want this. He had no intention of making Elysia sad. However, the premonition guaranteed by Oder¡¯s blood aroused an uneasy feeling in his heart. This means that he should not ignore Elysia¡¯s absurd words and actions. Winning the heart of a human being begins with the little things. Just as his affection was manifested by the kind little things Elysia did for him. On the other hand, he wondered if that¡¯s the case when people become more distant and uncomfortable. It was the first time Eleon had fallen in love with a woman, and he knew nothing about human relationships. Rather, he belonged to the axis that had experienced all kinds of human arrogance, a position where he led the soldiers as the knight commander. It was also his job to deploy soldiers to defend the Empire. But Elysia was unlike any of his other relationships. Even those who were in a relationship hurt each other, the relationship can go wrong. Even after they liked each other and got married, they each get a lover and have fun. It was common to even go through a messy and expensive divorce. However, Eleon has feelings for Elysia that are beyond all such worldly definitions. It was something even he couldn¡¯t understand. He wondered if it was possible for a person she didn¡¯t even know existed to occupy his heart like that. If he let that person go, his world would end and he would crumble, so he didn¡¯t hesitate to do mischievous or cowardly things. Eleon had high self-esteem. Not that he acted aware of his own superiority. However, now everything was different. He was no longer the wild beast that ruled the battlefields, and she is no longer the small animal that fed him. The evidence of being a descendant of God, and many of the promises made by Oder¡¯s blood naturally place Eleon at the top of this world. ¡°Sir Eleon. The night wind is cold. Let¡¯s go in.¡± She was wearing a thin blouse that she wore in her old maid days. She took off her shawl and wrapped it around him. I think you need it more than me. He couldn¡¯t say it since he pretended to be blind. ¡°I will do as you say. I¡¯ll ask the butler. Come on, let¡¯s go, all right?¡± Elysia seemed to have a complex and sad expression. He wondered what made her feel this way. Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t hear why you refused to marry me. It wasn¡¯t a sudden proposal. Eleon was faithfully conveying his intentions to the Duke of Yuter without failing in etiquette. It was absurd for Elysia to act as a matchmaker between him and Karina. In the end, with Mrs. Oze¡¯s tacit consent, Elysia didn¡¯t push or reject Eleon when he lightly kissed her on the lips. Her lips closed shyly. Her rosy cheeks. Her purple eyes didn¡¯t hide her emotions when she was surprised or excited. He thought he had conveyed his sincerity to her with certainty. ¡¸¡°I think it¡¯s too early to get married.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Just because you received a marriage proposal letter doesn¡¯t mean we have to get married right away. I¡¯m fine with the engagement¡­¡­.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°No, we¡­¡­. I don¡¯t think I can.¡±¡¹ He didn¡¯t know it would be so painful to see Elysia ignoring him. ¡¸¡°Don¡¯t come looking for me anymore. I can¡¯t get married.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Elysia.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°We are not meant to be. You and I¡­¡­ It would have been better not to have met.¡±¡¹ A tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye. It wasn¡¯t just about revenge. Without any explanation, it¡¯s not like she didn¡¯t have feelings for him. For a woman who simply acted like she was going to push him away and cut him off, a vile lie worked better than sweet honesty. And as expected, Elysia was now standing in front of him. It worked out as he had hoped, but something went wrong. Eleon, who looked at Elysia¡¯s face, finally realized. Elysia still hasn¡¯t smiled brightly at him. The day she introduced Karina to him, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her possessed. She smiled as if everything was going well. But her face did not look happy. I want to know what you think of me. He thought it was good that Elysia came to him, but it was his trickery that quickened her steps. Eleon knew well what wall he had to overcome to find out the truth. If he wants her to be honest, he knows he must first apologize to Elysia and be honest. She stayed by his side trying to sympathize with him because he was blind. Elysia Yuter and Eleon Clevent were in a relationship where nothing could be promised. As long as she stays with him as ¡®Rona¡¯. I can¡¯t do anything with Rona. Rona was just a fantasy where Elysia, who had lost her memory, stayed for a while. She is a non-existent person to whom he could not show his love to the fullest or even advance his relationship with her. ¡°Rona.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Elysia, who was holding his arm and walking towards the mansion, looked up at him. ¡°I have a place to go with you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°You will know when we get there.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°Is it all right if you go out?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± If the day after tomorrow she is still sad, he had the intention of patting her head and comforting her saying that everything is fine. No matter what sadness lurks in your heart, I will take away all the shadows and tears. Eleon promised himself. * * * * * Elysia returned to her room on the third floor and locked the door. ¡°Phew.¡± Already alone, she let out a long sigh. The familiarity of the place that she considered her space for more than half a year relaxed her. Elysia quickly took off her clothes and put on her pajamas. The Grand Duke sprinkled rose perfume on her washed clothes. The scent was more to Duchess Mariel¡¯s liking. It¡¯s not strong, but a subtle scent wafted every time she took out a new change of clothes. She liked the unscented soap on her stiff pajamas better. She felt uncomfortable in Yuter Dukedom. Her small, low-ceilinged room feels cozy like home. Elysia turned off the lights and quickly lay down on the bed. She felt tired after a long time since she took care of Eleon again. After lying down, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep easily due to various thoughts. ¡°What should I do with Eleon?¡± She was able to check where the grass had grown thanks to Eleon wanting to go for a walk. As expected, no new grass sprouted just because he was blind again. ¡°Mariela said that there is a force in this world that makes the original story go where it should go.¡± If Eleon was in such a state again, there was no way the original story would continue. ¡°Come to think of it, hasn¡¯t the story already deviated?¡± Mariela also seemed to be a possessor, and it felt suspicious, so Elysia didn¡¯t tell her everything. She didn¡¯t tell her that she was the one who healed Eleon¡¯s eyes and not Karina, the female lead. ¡°I wondered if I could turn to ashes like the chocolates from before.¡± She came to a conclusion. ¡°Mariela didn¡¯t tell me everything either.¡± Mariela believed her to be her daughter Elysia until she revealed that she was a possessor. She must have thought she had just lost her memory in an accident. ¡°Does that mean she hid something without saying anything?¡± For what reason? I realized more than anyone that Elysia¡¯s life was not easy. Before the novel began, before the force of her death grew stronger, Mariela¡¯s goal was to save Elysia from the original story. ¡°Why did she have to do that?¡± Neither Mariela¡¯s actions nor Eleon¡¯s situation, who had gone blind again, were utterly incomprehensible. ¡°Does Mariela know the original story?¡± She didn¡¯t know much about it after reading only the first part of the novel. Then, could Mariela have a clue on how to solve Eleon¡¯s situation? ¡°Sigh. I don¡¯t think she would help me with that.¡± Elysia was lost in her thoughts and couldn¡¯t sleep well all night. It was only after dawn that she finally closed her heavy eyelids. ¡°Rona.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Rona. How many times do I have to wake you up?¡± Ugh, don¡¯t bother me. I want to sleep a little more. Elysia was about to fall asleep when a warm hand gently caressed her cheek. ¡°I didn¡¯t get the reward yesterday. Can I take it now? Elysia.¡± Chapter 47 ¡°I didn¡¯t get the reward yesterday. Can I have it now? Elysia.¡± Next to the pillow, the bed was pressed hard and she felt her body tilt. Elysia¡¯s eyes widened at the touch of his fingertips caressing her face and her lips. ¡°Sir¡­. Sir Eleon.¡± Sitting on the cramped bed, Eleon placed his hand next to her head and gently caressed her face and lips. ¡°Ahh!¡± The unfocused gray eyes that stared into the air followed her voice and turned to her. ¡°Why? Are you surprised?¡± ¡°Why¡­ why are you here¡­..¡± Elysia got up right away and flattened herself against the wall. ¡°We were supposed to go out. I knocked on your door for a while, but you didn¡¯t wake up.¡± ¡°I locked the door yesterday.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I couldn¡¯t help it.¡± She looked at the door and saw that the hinge on the lock had been mercilessly broken. ¡°Isn¡¯t time more precious than gold? I just need to put on a new lock.¡± Elysia was stunned and speechless. ¡°So this is your room.¡± Eleon focused on her nose. ¡°This room smells like you.¡± ¡°Really? I thought it smelled like that.¡± After fully waking up, Elysia became nervous again. He sat on her cramped bed, and Elysia squatted in the corner of the bed with nowhere to turn. She was so close to him that it felt so different from the Grand Duke¡¯s spacious bed. ¡°My reward?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t give me my reward last night.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Elysia had promised Eleon a reward before going to bed if he treated her as Rona. She forgot about that after her walk with Eleon, and for some reason, he became less talkative. After their walk, he told her to just go upstairs. Still, it¡¯s only been twice, and it¡¯s hard to keep up with this. Eleon seems like someone desperate to get a kiss on the cheek once a day. Elysia grabbed her loose pajama and approached him. While she lightly pressed her lips to Eleon¡¯s cheek, the man who had been waiting with his eyes closed smiled in satisfaction. His face was so beautiful that Elysia felt she was about to stop breathing. ¡°Get ready and come down.¡± Even after Eleon got up and left the room, Elysia couldn¡¯t easily escape the dreamy feeling. ¡°But it¡¯s the first time Eleon has come here.¡± His walk was so natural. Eleon could only walk comfortably in places where the objects were placed in fixed positions like his room, the lobby hall on the first floor, the entrance hall, and a part of the stairs where he used to walk. But a little while ago, he was walking comfortably, like a person who could see. ¡°Hey come on. It must have been because the room was so small that it only takes a few steps.¡± Elysia shook her head and quickly got out of bed. * * * * * It took them an hour to reach a fairly wide river. ¡°Wow. It¡¯s really beautiful!¡± Elysia didn¡¯t know much about the geography of this world. She knew that the place she first woke up was Laurel Lake, but the castle, to which the forest rangers had taken her, was not very clear to her. She boarded a wagon with little luggage, and recklessly headed for the capital. Usually, the center of the story has an emperor or nobleman, and the capital is the background. Nobody taught her that, but going to the capital recklessly was a rule of survival for the possessor. As a result, the idea of coming to the capital, Constance Avignon, was not so bad. She was able to find a job to avoid the snow, rain, and hunger. Plus, she ended up working for Eleon. She hoped to return to her world after seeing the ending. Wow, it¡¯s been a long time since I thought of this. Elysia was surprised at the thought she had just had. Her initial intention was to return to her world. But somehow, she felt like the possibility had completely disappeared from her mind as if she hadn¡¯t thought about it at all. Even though she just thought about it, she felt so strange. I guess I¡¯ve already changed everything. It was Elysia who healed Eleon¡¯s eyes. It was she who won his heart. And it was she who received the marriage proposal from him. At the same time, she was in a position where she could easily accept or admit the twists in the original story. Because of a few words from Mariela. I can¡¯t tell if she lied or told the truth. I had to figure out a way. How true is what Mariela said. ¡°Do you like the scenery?¡± Eleon¡¯s words snapped her out of her daze. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s very nice here. Today the weather is sunny and the sky is blue. The sky blue is reflected in the water, and there are trees with green leaves all around the river.¡± Elysia became his eyes and mouth. ¡°I think it¡¯s Acacia. The white flowers are coveted like clusters of grapes. It¡¯s very beautiful, it falls along the entire riverbank. and¡­.. this is.¡± Elysia stopped talking. The mood around her was strange. There were many couples. They seemed to be couples, walking along the riverbank with their arms crossed, holding hands and sharing a parasol, or enjoying a ride in small boats with ribbons and lace awnings. Although the awnings didn¡¯t block the sunlight properly, they looked as close as if they were kissing. What! It seems that everyone is on a date. Eleon asked when she fell silent, unable to honestly describe this scene. ¡°This is?¡± ¡°I mean¡­ umm¡­ date¡­¡­ There seems to be a lot of people going on dates.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Elysia was wearing the dress Eleon had prepared for her. He had some of the finished clothes tailored to Elysia¡¯s measurements, as she had her clothes made beforehand at the famous Le Ballein dressing store. Elysia glanced at Eleon. Perhaps because of the strong wind, Eleon¡¯s forehead was exposed. His eyebrows were well-groomed. Her heart ached the moment she saw his gray eyes, but Eleon¡¯s smiling lips full of happiness, made her forget her worries. Eleon was formally dressed in a suit. He wore a frock coat made of thin material with embroidery on the collar and sleeves. He looked very elegant and sophisticated. ¡°Do we look like them?¡± Eleon asked. Only then did Elysia realize why Eleon had brought her here. It¡¯s a date. It¡¯s our first date too. She never imagined that he would think of her as a woman since the day they spent time at Cafe Cardinal or Trappel Park. And the reason was that he already had a predestined partner. She was busy serving Eleon as his maid and also thinking about how he would meet Karina. The only other time she spent time with Eleon was when they chatted and drank tea in Yuter¡¯s paradise. The garden was as big as Gillian¡¯s love for Mariela, but it couldn¡¯t be considered a ¡®date¡®. That¡¯s why we rode in a carriage, and he insisted on escorting me. Eleon must have known what he was coming here for. Her heart pounded again and she felt relieved just thinking about it. ¡°It would seem that we are also dating¡± Elysia grabbed Eleon¡¯s arm and stroked the back of his hand, wrist, and arm with her fingertips so as not to surprise Eleon. ¡°This will look more natural.¡± Elysia wrapped her hand around Eleon¡¯s strong arm. But suddenly she felt her face heat up a bit. ¡°Should I remove my hand?¡± ¡°No.¡± Eleon pressed Elysia¡¯s hand to his arm with his hand. ¡°Shall we walk a bit like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡± Elysia got excited walking with Eleon arm in arm along the silvery ripples of the river. ¡°It¡¯s picturesque here.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that all the colors around here are very pretty.¡± The small boats decorated with pastel-colored ribbons and awnings, floating leisurely against the background of greenery under the blue sky, looked like flowers falling on the water. ¡°It would have been nice if we could watch it together.¡± She heard somewhere that lovers don¡¯t have to look at each other, but stand side by side and look at the same place. Somehow, she finally understood what that meant. Seeing Eleon listen to what she was explaining, her old memories became clearer and clearer. She recalled the dazzling red-eyed man smiling and following her as they walked through Yuter¡¯s paradise. There was silence between the two of them. Only the sound of flowing water mixed with laughter could be heard from afar. Neither Eleon nor Elysia could open their mouths. ¡­¡­I made a mistake. Elysia was embarrassed and didn¡¯t know what to do. She didn¡¯t mean to offend him. Also, she blames herself for Eleon¡¯s blindness. However, she said those words without realizing it as she was fascinated by the scenery and the atmosphere. The problem was that she was being honest. Even if they were just words, she couldn¡¯t cover them up. When Elysia did not know what to do, Eleon let go of her hand that was holding his arm. ¡°Sir¡­ Sir Eleon.¡± He pulled out his hand and embraced Elysia. Eleon¡¯s careful touch soothed her and assured her that he wasn¡¯t angry or blaming her. ¡°Let¡¯s get on the boat too.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elysia just gave a quick nod as he pretended not to know what she said. I have to be careful. I¡¯m an idiot. She must have been so excited about her first date. Rona wouldn¡¯t do this, but like Elysia, she was in trouble anyway. There are too many problems to just call it trouble. Elysia shuddered at the thought of all the problems she had to deal with. Stop. Focus on Eleon. He was a man who was more alert to presences than to being blind. Elysia grabbed Eleon¡¯s hand and boarded the boat at the dock. ¡°This boat is smaller than I thought.¡± From a distance, it looked like the boat had plenty of room for the two of them, but when they got on, they were very close. ¡°Are you uncomfortable?¡± ¡°No.¡± As Eleon rowed, the boat made its way towards the middle of the wide river. Elysia looked around. She had nothing to do, so she hummed and enjoyed the atmosphere. ¡°Elysia.¡± Eleon looked at her seriously. ¡°I originally wanted to do it here.¡± ¡°What did you want to do?¡± ¡°Marriage proposal.¡± As Elysia hesitated over what to say, he took her hand that was on her lap. ¡°But today I have to confess.¡± Suddenly her heart was pounding. A marriage proposal is good, but so is a confession. But the best was Eleon. She thought that he would propose to leave her with beautiful memories in a place like this. The man who sat across from her held her hand. ¡°I am not blind.¡± ¡°¡­..What?¡± Elysia didn¡¯t understand what Eleon said. I like you. I love you. She was excited to hear those words, but she felt as if cold water had been poured on her fluttering heart. His unfocused eyes looked at Elysia. ¡°I can see.¡± Chapter 48 ¡°I can see.¡± As Elysia stared blankly at him, Eleon extended his hand towards her head. Seeing Eleon remove the white acacia petals, Elysia jumped in surprise. ¡°You can see¡­ what does that mean¡­¡­ uh, uh.¡± In an instant, Elysia¡¯s body leaned over the small boat that was shaken by the waves. SPLASH ¡°Elysia!¡± Eleon¡¯s voice calling out for her was drowned out by the sound of the rushing water. Elysia sank as if she was being sucked into the water. Ugh. The river, which seemed warm and calm in the sunlight, hid its mighty claws beneath the water. Ugh¡­ Ah! She quickly suffocated as she fell into the water unable to take a deep breath. Elysia fought her way to the surface. But her body was dragged little by little by the water. She tried to move her legs, but the hem of her thick layered dress was soaked and wrapped heavily around her legs. Sa¡­ save me¡­¡­ It was painful when the water went through her nose and mouth instead of the air. She felt hot tears leaking from her eyes into the cold water. It was then. Eleon! She could see him swimming down towards her. Eleon¡­.. I¡¯m scared. Elysia hoped that he would rescue her quickly. She hurriedly extended her hand to him. She looked at him so earnestly. He moved as flexibly towards her as if he had turned into a water creature, and his eyes were trembling. For a moment, she appears to be looking double. Ah¡­.. His gray lenses fell off as if they had been ripped off by the current of water. She saw a red light. Their red eyes that are clearly visible as drops of blood, the source of life, even under water that was getting darker the further they went into the depths of the water. She felt a pain as if her lungs were being squeezed. Her mind was cloudy. In my world, red light means stop. Elysia lost consciousness at the end of the absurd thought that it was used to mean dangerous, and that she should have told Eleon at least once. * * * * * Emperor Markis was walking towards the Palace of the Empress. He was the Great Sun of the Empire for those who followed him. He was in a good mood. He received a prophecy from the so-called representative of God. There were times when he gave orders that he did not understand, and so there were times when he wondered if this was something the five gods wanted. The worry that comes down to the thought of whether he can understand God¡¯s arrangement as a mere human being has always been fleeting. But this time, when Emperor Markis prayed to God, the Crown Prince¡¯s marriage was mentioned. ¡°Sabiel and Elysia.¡± Both of them would be a good match as they are not lacking in status and families. Besides, they are at a suitable age for marriage. Empress Seraphina was overjoyed when a girl was born into the Yuter family. The Yuters were a traditional and excellent family that no one could dispute. However, when Elysia unexpectedly joined Hadunsha at a very young age, Empress Seraphina was furious as she thought there was no other lady worthy of Sabiel. ¡°All right. It is not common to serve the Five Gods, but straying from that path is also not under the will of man.¡± Considering the life of Elysia, who had to train hard to serve God for a long time, it would be difficult to say that it was fortunate, but he thought that this was also fate. ¡°The Empress will be delighted.¡± Empress Seraphina would be delighted to hear the news that Emperor Markis himself would personally deliver to the Empress Palace. ¡°Your Majesty the Emperor. What brings you here at a time like this?¡± Empress Seraphina greeted him with a surprised look on her face since he hadn¡¯t sent a message. ¡°Tea is fine. Take a seat.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Empress Seraphina¡¯s face had an expression of not knowing what was happening. She spoke first, expecting Emperor Markis to speak. ¡°Do you have something to say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since the Gods spoke to me.¡± ¡°You mean the Five Gods?¡± Empress Seraphina is also a member of the Imperial Family. His companion, the Empress, also knows the secret passed down only to those who ascended the throne. A country that worships the founding myth of the five gods and Oder as religions. The Constance Empire, a country ruled by proving that the descendants of Oder, who ascended as a God after death, are the children of God. From generation to generation, the emperors often had someone who preached the word of the Gods. It was a secret fact known only to the one who ascended the throne and the empress sitting next to him. It was recorded in an ancient book handed down from the previous emperors to the next generation, that it sometimes allowed them to avoid famine and prevented great disasters. There were times when it was difficult to convey the contents of the ¡®prophecy¡® on which the fourteen of the Empire depended. However, the prophecy he received was a bit different from what previous emperors had received. Prophecies are handed down because they are descendants of God. Empress Seraphina pressed the Emperor to talk. ¡°What is it that you even have to come here in person?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Sabiel¡¯s marriage.¡± ¡°What? Sa¡­ Sabiel¡¯s marriage?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No. What did the Gods say about our Crown Prince¡­..¡± Empress Seraphina¡¯s face hardened a bit. ¡°He said that I should make Elysia Yuter a candidate for Crown Princess.¡± ¡°Really? Your Majesty?¡± ¡°He really asked for that.¡± Then the Empress¡¯ face got better. ¡°Oh my gosh. That¡¯s good news. I think we should pay a tribute to the five gods and Oder as gratitude.¡± Seeing Empress Seraphina rejoicing, Emperor Markis smiled delightfully as well. ¡°It¡¯s not the kind of marriage the Empress wanted.¡± ¡°Of course, Your Majesty. I like it. When are you going to make the announcement?¡± ¡°I will speak with the Duke of Yuter first and try to make arrangements. By the way¡­¡­.¡± Emperor Markis stopped smiling. ¡°Isn¡¯t it time for Princess Lev to come home?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The Crown Prince is about to get married, but Princess Lev is not the only imperial adult.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Is Trofalgara the last place she had contact with?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Empress Seraphina nodded. ¡°Since then, I have not been able to trace where she has gone. I am not able to reach her.¡± ¡°I see. Still, try to send some more people. I will pay the expenses with my personal property.¡± ¡°I will comply, Your Majesty.¡± Empress Seraphina answered graciously. Emperor Markis could only sigh briefly. She didn¡¯t even take many people with her. There wasn¡¯t a day that he wasn¡¯t worried about her. Lev¡­ Where the hell are you and what are you doing? The Emperor left the palace of the Empress feeling lonely and thinking of his only sister. * * * * * Crackling, crackling. The sound of burning firewood was heard, which had almost been consumed. Elysia opened her eyes. ¡°Cough. Cough.¡± She coughed a little by the time she woke up. Her throat was sore. ¡°Here is¡­..¡± Familiar ceilings and furniture. It was Eleon¡¯s bedroom. ¡°Why am I here?¡± She was dazed, and her head felt heavy. She blinked a few times before remembering that she had fallen into the river while on a trip with Eleon. Also¡­. ¡¸¡°I am not blind.¡±¡¹ Said the man, who removed the white petals. ¡¸¡°I can see.¡±¡¹ His gray eyes that seemed to have lost focus were fixed on her. She recalls incident after incident in which she lost consciousness while looking at his red eyes that were exposed when the current of water removed his lenses. Then he lied to me on purpose¡­¡­. As she organized her thoughts, her heart ached. She felt suffocated. Why? Why did he do that? She couldn¡¯t understand. Eleon wouldn¡¯t have acted that way. He was more upright and fair than anyone else. He was far from all injustice in the world. Because he was the male lead of this world. It was unbelievable to think that he, who was a flawless being in , had deceived her. Maybe I heard it wrong. Elysia got up from the bed. She grabbed the doorknob but hesitated. If he isn¡¯t in the bedroom, he¡¯ll be in the room where he spends most of his time working. Elysia felt lost for no reason. Her sense of fear comes from ignorance. She was scared because she didn¡¯t know anything and couldn¡¯t understand either. She thought she knew this story and Eleon better than anyone else. Eleon, who seemed to deviate by acting inconsistent with his established personality, became an unexpected person for Elysia. So who is he? Unless it¡¯s the Eleon I read. That unknown side of him that had been attached to her like a limb for half a year, was a contraindication. Somehow, she felt cold. Elysia took a deep breath as she continued to feel that she shouldn¡¯t meet him now. To get out of Eleon¡¯s bedroom, she had to go through his drawing-room. Why did you bring me here instead of my room? A maid could not always occupy the Grand Duke¡¯s bedroom. He¡¯ll have to come to bed anyway, even if it¡¯s late. It would be nice if the butler came to call me. So that Eleon and I don¡¯t run into each other. So that I can leave this room naturally. I felt pity for myself for even thinking like that all of a sudden. What about Eleon? Although he acted inappropriately, he also rescued me from drowning. What¡¯s the point of scolding him who is only worried about whether to cross the forbidden line or not when he did nothing to harm me? After pacing around for a long time, she pulled the doorknob. CLACK. Elysia quietly opened the door. There were goosebumps on her arms from the temperature difference, probably because there was a fireplace in Eleon¡¯s bedroom. The room was dark with no lights on. As her eyes became familiar with the darkness, she saw him sitting in a chair with his back against the door. Elysia called out to him in a trembling voice. ¡°Sir¡­ Sir Eleon.¡± ¡°You¡¯re awake. How do you feel?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m fine.¡± His voice was calm. ¡°Did you lie to me?¡± Elysia, who was overwhelmed by his emotionless tone, couldn¡¯t even argue much and asked as if she was talking to herself. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± She waited for him to respond without being able to get closer to him. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re asking because you really don¡¯t know that.¡± Eleon quietly stood up from the chair. At that moment, Elysia felt a sense of ignorance. She has seen Eleon standing up in this room several times. But he looks strange and big like it¡¯s the first time she sees him. ¡°For you to stay by my side, I had to pretend I was blind.¡± Eleon¡¯s eyes glowed red as he stepped out of the darkness. ¡°Sir Eleon.¡± Elysia stared blankly into his eyes. She should be mad at him for deceiving her, but as she watched Eleon staring at her intensely, she couldn¡¯t say anything. ¡°You drive me crazy, Elysia.¡± Ba-thump ba-thump. Her heart was beating anxiously. When she heard that he had lost his sight again, she ran towards him like crazy. But, how could you tell such an absurd lie to me? She wanted to argue with him, but the atmosphere was different. ¡°You knew for sure¡­. How much I want you.¡± He wasn¡¯t the Eleon she used to know. His eyes were cold and ferocious. ¡°I felt like I was going to die every time you pushed me away and rejected me.¡± Taps Every time he took a step closer to Elysia, she took a step back in surprise. ¡°You didn¡¯t come back without knowing it. Elysia. What am I going to do with you?¡± The body moved first before thinking with the head. Eleon approached her. Elysia, who had widened her distance, stumbled as she turned her body and ran towards the door that led to the hallway. She never dreamed she would stimulate the instincts of a beast at the top of the food chain. ¡°Ah!¡± Eleon grabbed Elysia and knocked her down to the floor in an instant, trapping her under his arms. His red eyes shone dangerously. ¡°You came by yourself.¡± Chapter 49 ¡°You came by yourself.¡± ¡°E¡­Eleo¡­.¡± Before she could even say his name, her lips were taken. He had already kissed her when they took a walk in Yuter¡¯s paradise not long ago. His lips moved closer to hers after a clumsy confession. It was a tender, courteous kiss. Then his lips parted from hers as he begged her to tenderly open her heart to him. Her first kiss with him was pleasurably exciting like the summer sun penetrating through the shade of the trees. But now he was different. She felt her body melt as he kissed her. Eleon placed a hand on Elysia¡¯s head and another on Elysia¡¯s waist. He held her tightly, coveting her lips. She felt like her entire body was caught in a trap due to his immense strength. He was like a starving beast. He bit her lips over and over again, then dug between them. What was used to taste food lost its function and was wrapped around his. ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Even her sweet saliva was taken by Eleon. He stole from her. Eleon finally let her go a bit after violently tasting Elysia¡¯s lips. ¡°I always wanted to do this.¡± The thick scent of sandalwood hung on her lips and nose. It was her first kiss. Not a kiss, but a real kiss. She wondered if she would feel her heart being pulled out every time they hugged and kissed like this. Is this something lovers do every day? She felt her veins throb. Eleon¡¯s red eyes glowed in the dark as his hair shone like moonlight. Elysia stared into those eyes as if she were possessed. Due to her hair being scattered on the floor, she was like a shining star or a flower with spread yellow petals. At the moment when she calmly thought that her reflection in his eyes might seem quite mysterious, her hands lost strength as she tried to resist him. Neither Eleon nor Elysia said anything. Breathing harder than usual, a brief confrontation ensued as if a search battle was being waged. It was Eleon who moved first. He gently touched her thin white neck. Her heart began to pound wildly as he touched her with his fingertips. He then kisses her again. But this time it was a soft kiss, not as fierce as the previous one. It was different from when she felt like he was plundering her. She could clearly feel everything about Eleon. The scent of his body wrapped around her, and his possessiveness felt from his arms holding her tightly. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Both were clumsy at kissing. I don¡¯t know how to do it. Is this your first time? Like me? ¡¸¡°I wanted you to give me a real kiss first.¡±¡¹ Having said that, he crossed the line first. Elysia was amazed at what Eleon was doing. While she was distracted in thought, she bit Eleon¡¯s tongue. He groaned in pain, but it subsided a little. Tuk¡­Tuk¡­Tuk¡­Tuk¡­ Elysia was astonished when he put his hand behind her back and unbuttoned her clothes. ¡°¡­.¡± When Elysia leaned in and tried to resist, Eleon pressed her body against his shoulder and quickly pulled the dress down. ¡°Wa¡­ wait¡­.¡± Her body shivered as the cold air touched her bare shoulders. Laying under Eleon¡¯s eyes in a thin chemise and only a corset, her face burned with embarrassment. Eleon didn¡¯t look like the usual him. Eleon would have treated her with so much care. He was always courteous like a gentleman. He wouldn¡¯t be able to cross the line. He would never do anything Elysia hated. She didn¡¯t think that he was going to force her even if she asked him to quit. Now, Eleon slowly looked at her slender arms, exposed collarbone, and chest, thinking about where to start eating. Elysia was his prey. The prey that came to him on its own, as he said. Elysia felt like she was going to cry as the anxiety from before washed over her again. However, as if he had made up his mind, Eleon took Elysia¡¯s hand and pulled her towards him kissing her fingers first. One finger after another. Knuckle after Knuckle of her slender fingers. Elysia¡¯s body trembled as he kissed her between her fingers tasting every little thing about her. ¡°Uh.¡± Eleon pressed his lips against her palm. His lips, which lightly touched her hand even with her gloves on, stayed in her soft, callus-free palm for a while. Then he opened his mouth and bit her hand gently. He stared intently at her reaction. Seeing his red eyes that seemed to pierce through Elysia¡¯s soul, she seemed to sink into a far-off mud. He wasn¡¯t restraining her body like before, nor was she losing her mind as he kissed her frantically. But her body had no more strength. Although he was holding her hand, all her nerves were focused on the spot where Eleon was touching. Eleon¡¯s lips licked the soft white skin of her wrist, then he began to kiss her elbows, arms, and armpits. ¡°Ah, there.¡± Elysia¡¯s face turned red as Eleon started kissing her neck. ¡°That¡¯s¡­. That¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything yet.¡± ¡°What.¡± What do you mean you haven¡¯t done anything! Then, what have you done so far! Eleon kissed her again as if he was annoyed by her chattering. She was out of breath again. Elysia fluttered like a fish being pulled out of the water because of the lack of air. But Eleon ate her again. He seemed more relaxed, unlike his wild side which took her like a hungry beast that was slowly eating her as if she was a small animal that he didn¡¯t want to let go of, and rolled her from side to side. Elysia was the only one who was distracted as she was frantically on the defensive. She closed her eyes. Then Eleon seemed to fill her world. He was everywhere. She could feel him with her nose, ears, and fingertips. His hand traveled all over her body where the air touched her bare skin. As if something was missing, he moved up and down Elysia¡¯s curves. And as if on some kind of signal, their deeply entangled breath becomes hot and sweet. It was so sweet that she was confused as to whether it was the part of him she was biting into or the unripe sugar cane stem in early summer. ¡°Ahh.¡± Eleon¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at her, breathing heavily. It was Elysia¡¯s mistake for huddling to the side, covering herself with her arms as a way to avoid him. However, the beast, who had been trying to figure out where to start biting the prey, quickly moved his hand. Pop The corset lace was untied. It was a price for breaking one of the basic rules of defense, you must not show your back to the enemy. As the lace loosened, crushed by the corset, her naked body was disturbed by gravity. ¡°Ah.¡± As Elysia panicked in embarrassment, Eleon took off her corset and put it away. Her body was exposed under the thin chemise. Suddenly, where the corset was on her body felt empty. What had been covering her body as hard as an armor disappeared. She felt her stomach exposed in front of the beast that had bared its teeth at her. Eleon swept through Elysia like a big beast. Just like a wild beast digging up a pile of autumn leaves in a forest. Just like an animal looking for food hidden under a pile of white snow on a snowy winter field. Eleon looked so lewd as he rubbed his black hair under Elysia¡¯s chin, and with the tip of his nose and his lips, he caressed her soft skin hidden under her chemise. Elysia stared at him blankly. She felt a fire burning somewhere inside her. Every time Eleon¡¯s breath touched her skin, her body grew hotter. Since Eleon had found a part of her that he liked, he stayed there for a long time. A strange sound came out of her mouth. Elysia was startled and covered her mouth with her hand. As if he was displeased with it, Eleon bit Elysia¡¯s lips. Elysia narrowed her eyes when Eleon moved away from her. ¡°Look at me properly.¡± He said as he took off his shirt. He was completely packed with muscles from his slender waist to his firm chest. She closed her eyes trembling with confusion. Her tightly closed eyes were burning. Elysia was in tears. Once the emotions began to rise, there was no turning back and they flowed out of her body like tears. ¡°Why? Why are you crying?¡± Eleon lowered his voice. ¡°Do you hate me that much?¡± Elysia shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Eleon wiped away her tears. She wrapped her white arms around his neck. She put all her weight on him and accidentally pushed him towards herself. Eleon¡¯s body stiffened as Elysia suddenly hugged him. ¡°What..what a relief.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your¡­your eyes¡­they¡­they¡¯re fine.¡± Hot tears welled up in Elysia¡¯s eyes. ¡°Because of me. I thought you lost your sight because of me.¡± She wanted to protect him. She wanted to see Eleon happy. Surely, he will be happy because he is the main lead of the novel. She would be happy just watching him from the sidelines if he was happy. Elysia couldn¡¯t bear to see Eleon feel unhappy because of her. She couldn¡¯t tolerate a person¡¯s happiness deviating from the original path because of her. And yet, she was constantly tempted. She thought that holding his hand would make her happy. What on earth is that happiness? Was it really there somewhere? Do we have to worry so much about happiness that we don¡¯t know whether it exists somewhere or not, wrapped up in a prettier way to prevent people from giving up on life every day? Having hurt Eleon so much? She felt more at ease when she let him do as he pleases. She seemed willing to give in if that was what he wanted or if Eleon wanted her. Could this be Elysia¡¯s happiness? If she thinks she can give Eleon this much¡­.. Is it love? Elysia let go of him. His red eyes blinked in embarrassment. Elysia tried to smile despite her shyness. ¡°It¡¯s a relief.¡± She sincerely thought so. ¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s true that I came here on my own.¡± Her lips trembled a bit. ¡°I¡­. I mean¡­¡± As Eleon wishes. Just as he imagined. I¡¯m fine though. But why am I crying? Suddenly, my body shook. ¡­¡­. It¡¯s possible because it¡¯s my first time. ¡°Sob¡­..¡± It was cold. Even on a summer night, the floor was cold. Tears welled up in Elysia¡¯s eyes, and as she blinked, the tears streamed from her eyes to her ears. Eleon picked up his shirt from the floor and covered Elysia¡¯s body. He cautiously held her in his arms and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Sob sob.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault. Okay?¡± As he hugged her comfortably and caressed her back, Elysia cried even more. ¡°I¡­. I was just surprised.¡± ¡°I see. It¡¯s my fault.¡± Eleon whispered in her ear. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Elysia.¡± Chapter 50 ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Elysia.¡± When she barely stopped crying, Eleon muttered in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m your humble servant. So don¡¯t cry. Okay?¡± Elysia laughed at Eleon¡¯s soothing voice. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± He asked as if he was terrified. ¡°That¡¯s not how you say it.¡± ¡°Is that so? When you say it, it sounds like you¡¯re speaking a foreign language to me, so I thought I¡¯d put it like this.¡± ¡°Foreign language¡­.Did it sound like that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He smiled tenderly at Elysia, whose words were cut short due to her sobs. Eleon, who was stroking her back, suddenly felt that she had a chill. He asked. ¡°Are you cold?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m a little cold.¡± Eleon held her in his arms and flexibly stood up. It was a quick movement as if Elysia¡¯s weight wasn¡¯t a burden at all. Eleon went straight to his bed. He laid her down on his bed and covered her with a blanket. ¡°Phew.¡± Was I hurt when I fell into the water? Or was it because Eleon surprised me and made me nervous? Her body ached as if every bone in her body was groaning for help. ¡°Sleep quickly.¡± As soon as Eleon spoke, her eyes slowly closed. But Elysia suddenly came to her senses. This was Eleon¡¯s bedroom. Still, the thought that this wasn¡¯t right overcame her fatigue. ¡°Do you want me to sleep here?¡± ¡°Then where are you going to sleep?¡± ¡°My¡­ my room¡­..¡± ¡°Are you going to sleep in that room?¡± Eleon had a mischievous look on his face. ¡°I have no hobbies of touching a maid. I will live up to your expectations if you wish.¡± ¡°What¡­what does that mean?¡± ¡°It means that you will soon become the Grand Duchess, and you will sleep here anyway.¡± Elysia¡¯s face was flushed. What does he mean I will become the Grand Duchess! She wonders if he¡¯s going too far. Eleon is weird. He seemed like a total stranger as if she had never seen him when she saw him speak without hesitation. It was a different feeling than she had before when she felt a little fear. Lying side by side, making eye contact, brushing her hair to her ear, or stroking her arm with his large hand. He stroked his fingertips up and down her back over her chemise. You are mine. It felt like that. Since I said it was okay to do it before, it¡¯s not right to be picky now. The distance between him and Elysia suddenly narrowed and became awkward, but she didn¡¯t push away Eleon¡¯s hand. Doze. Even though Eleon caressed her endlessly, she couldn¡¯t stand it and fell asleep. ¡°Good night.¡± When Elysia fell asleep, Eleon sighed and hugged her tightly. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can sleep tonight.¡± Eleon¡¯s face filled with joy as he murmured to himself. He didn¡¯t really care that Elysia was lying, misleading about her identity, or pretending she wasn¡¯t Rona. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t ask or argue. Why did you disappear? Why did you pretend you didn¡¯t know me? Why did you work in the Grand Duchy as Rona when you were a priestess? It wasn¡¯t like he was very curious, but it wasn¡¯t essential to him. For Eleon, it was more important that she be by his side. There were moments when he got offended a couple of times by Elysia. Like when she deliberately introduced Karina to him. But that only happened once. Eleon desperately wanted to see Elysia. If he didn¡¯t see her for a day, he would go crazy and go straight to Yuter Dukedom. And after seeing Elysia, his anger immediately dissipated. He smiled again as if nothing had happened. ¡¸¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness. I can¡¯t accept this.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Don¡¯t come looking for me anymore. I can¡¯t get married.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°We are not meant to be. You and I¡­¡­ It would have been better not to have met.¡±¡¹ At that time, he was really angry. Eleon didn¡¯t like people who lied. It was unacceptable that she lied to get away from him. If only he knew Rona as he knows himself. If only she was the one to hug him and comfort him with tears in her eyes as she watched him struggle in pain. If he spread rumors that he had gone blind again, he was sure it wouldn¡¯t go unnoticed. She will have to come back. Stay with me even if I am the one who lacks. Please. He deceived her with a crooked heart. ¡¸¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s true that I came here on my own.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°I¡­. I mean¡­¡±¡¹ She was weak. After a few words, she walked into his arms of her own volition. ¡°I am grateful that it¡¯s me.¡± It would be a big problem if you go somewhere and meet a really bad guy. Well, I don¡¯t have to worry about that anymore. The worst person Elysia Yuter could meet was Eleon Clevent. ¡°Elysia, stay here by my side.¡± Eleon brushed the messy golden hair back from her face, then kissed her white forehead. * * * * * It was another dream. In the dream, Eleon scratched his eyes and was still in pain. ¡°I¡¯d rather die.¡± He was clearly healed, but why is he in so much pain? ¡®Does that mean that his eyes aren¡¯t completely healed yet?¡¯ It was painful to see Eleon¡¯s sorrowful face again, even in a dream. Elysia approached the sobbing Eleon. ¡®Don¡¯t be sick. I¡¯ll be by your side.¡¯ Elysia gently stroked Eleon, who was just out of reach of her transparent hand. Eleon, who was howling, asked as if he had sensed her presence. ¡¸¡°Who? Who is there?¡±¡¹ Eleon said in a trembling voice. ¡¸¡°Please, don¡¯t leave me alone.¡±¡¹ Elysia tried to hug him. ¡®What?¡¯ Suddenly, in the moonlight, Eleon could be seen more clearly, howling like an animal in the dark. His shoulders, which she had gently embraced and stroked, became smaller than before. His fine black hair became shaggy like an abandoned beast. ¡¸¡°¡­¡­Help me.¡±¡¹ Then a delicate voice came from within her arms. Elysia¡¯s eyes grew bigger. She thought it was obviously Eleon she was comforting, but it was someone else in her arms. ¡®A woman?¡¯ Where is Eleon? What happened to Eleon? Elysia was confused. ¡¸¡°Help me get out of here.¡±¡¹ Then she met her gaze as the woman raised her head a little. A pair of red eyes lightning up through her long, messy, flowing hair. ¡¸¡°A sword¡­ Just get me a sword if you can¡¯t take me with you.¡±¡¹ Elysia nodded. ¡®I came here to rescue you.¡¯ There was a ray of hope in her bright red eyes. ¡¸¡°You have to do it.. Please.¡±¡¹ When Elysia tried to touch Eleon, her hand went through him as if she had turned invisible. Even in her dreams, she felt sorry for him and couldn¡¯t help him. But the woman was different. As if she were visible, that woman answered her as if she could hear her. ¡¸¡°Please come and find me.¡±¡¹ ¡®I will. Wait, wait a minute.¡¯ Elysia nodded again and again. Familiar black hair and red eyes. She looked messy, but only her eyes were clear. She couldn¡¯t see her face, but she couldn¡¯t forget her eyes either, they were red as if they were on fire. They were stuck in Elysia¡¯s mind. ¡®Wait for me. I will definitely come back.¡¯ The next moment, Elysia was standing at the stern of the bouncing ship. The black water of the lake shook the ship violently like a whirlpool. ¡®¡­.. I¡¯m sorry, I couldn¡¯t keep my promise.¡¯ A small knife soaked in Sabiel¡¯s blood fell into the lake. And Elysia followed. * * * * * ¡°Ugh! Cough¡­.cough..cough¡± Elysia curled up and coughed violently. She had a strange dream. It was a messy dream that made no sense, but just the sense of despair she felt the moment she woke up from the dream was more vivid than anything else. She couldn¡¯t even imagine the fact that the water got into her nose and mouth. It choked her up. ¡°Elysia.¡± Surprised, Eleon approached her, picked her up, and held her in his arms. ¡°Huff¡­ huff.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Tears rolled down her eyes. Elysia. I think it¡¯s Elysia¡¯s memory. If not, how could this be engraved on her body? She could tell for sure. Elysia wanted to live more than anyone. At first, she thought the owner of the body, who was found dead by Lake Laurel, might have made a bad decision. Why did such a pretty young woman throw herself into the lake? There were times when she wondered. But Elysia jumped off the ship because that was her only way. She didn¡¯t jump to die. She had only a few options to escape from the ship. She only felt misery and frustration in that situation. But there was a determined will in her heart. But that didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t sad. She was sad about her fate. She felt sorry for herself and that made Elysia cry. Fate. She must have thought so when she first dreamed of her. She vowed to escape this cursed fate. But how did Elysia know of her fate? Mariela. Is it because of her? There was nothing she could do to save her daughter, but she thought that she would have told Elysia about . However, it was hard to understand why Elysia was so fed up with escaping that fate and even became a priestess. Did she think she couldn¡¯t change her fate? There can be no tomorrow with something certain. On the other hand, she was at a loss when she recalled the chocolate bag burning in black flames. When Elysia calmed down, Eleon released her. ¡°I can¡¯t even ask you if you slept well.¡± ¡°I.. I¡¯m sorry. Are you surprised? I¡­.. had a strange dream.¡± Eleon stared at her. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°You are more beautiful when you wake up.¡± Elysia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I¡¯m a mess. Don¡¯t look, sir Eleon.¡± Elysia pulled the blanket up below her eyes. ¡°No morning greetings? A light kiss would be nice. And from now on, call me by my first name and don¡¯t call me formally.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± He was part of the Imperial Family. Furthermore, it was a matter of caution between unmarried men and women, and calling each other by name implicitly implied a deep relationship. ¡°Are you going to avoid me again? I politely stepped back yesterday.¡± Elysia was stunned by his brazen words. You stepped back politely? Politely? She saw traces of bite marks under her arm and neck. ¡°¡­¡­ You have an excellent choice of words.¡± ¡°Thanks for the compliment. Get rid of that blanket.¡± ¡°No. Let me get dressed.¡± ¡°This is my room.¡± ¡°That¡­that¡¯s right.¡± A fight broke out over a thin blanket. However, Elysia, unable to overcome the difference in strength, was half-dragged into Eleon¡¯s arms along with the blanket she held tightly, and the blanket was also taken from her. ¡°Ah¡­..¡± Seeing Elysia blush and wear only a thin chemise, the playful smile on Eleon¡¯s face faded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He hurriedly wrapped Elysia in the blanket he had stolen from her. For a moment, Elysia froze as if she had turned to stone. She was shy to show her bare skin under his eyes in the bright sunlight. Elysia wants to run away. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. There are many dresses design that show off the arms, shoulders, and chest.¡± Eleon is the type of person who needs a beating. Elysia clenched her fists in anger and didn¡¯t know what to do. Then there was a polite knock on the bedroom door. ¡°What happens?¡± Outside the door, the butler said to Eleon. ¡°Your Highness. The Duchess of Yuter has arrived. She is asking to see you. What should I do?¡± Elysia looks at Eleon nervously. Eleon responds casually. ¡°I will go right now.¡± Chapter 51 ¡°Your Highness. The Duchess of Yuter has arrived. She is asking to see you. What should I do?¡± As Elysia looks at Eleon nervously, Eleon simply stokes her hair. ¡°I will go right now.¡± The Duke of Yuter sent someone to inquire about Elysia¡¯s whereabouts, so he consistently sent them back saying he didn¡¯t know anything. Still, he couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that the Duchess herself came personally as if she knew something. ¡°My mother¡­.¡± Her lovely face darkened. But Eleon leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. ¡°I¡¯m going to see her. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay? She must be very angry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s something I have to fix. It¡¯s my fault.¡± Eleon closed his eyes and leaned his face closer. ¡°Cheer me up.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be scared in front of the terrifying Duchess, and don¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°Cheer up.¡± Elysia grabbed the blanket and moved away from Eleon. ¡°You¡¯re so cold.¡± Eleon stood up sadly. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± When he left the bedroom, Elysia ran to the door and locked the bedroom door. ¡°Phew.¡± She was in such a mess that she couldn¡¯t even take a single step out of the room. ¡°I don¡¯t think Eleon can defeat Mariela.¡± She was impatient. She didn¡¯t want to let Eleon go alone, but she looked so bad that she had no choice but to. If Mariela had seen her in this state, she would have turned very pale to the point of fainting, since she was very sensitive to her daughter¡¯s behavior. ¡°This is really crazy.¡± It was a complete disaster. Her eyes were red and puffy. Also, her whole face was disheveled. Elysia looked at herself in the mirror and tugged at a dark red carpet thread that was tangled in her golden hair. It was a trophy from last night when they kissed lying on the floor. Besides, this is the Grand Duchy. If someone sees me now¡­¡­ Ugh, I can¡¯t even imagine. ¡°I need to wash up quickly.¡± Elysia headed to Eleon¡¯s bathroom with determination. * * * * * In the drawing-room of the Grand Duke. Mariela couldn¡¯t hide her nervousness. The timing to escape the original novel was extremely rare. This is the last chance. Priestess Elysia disappeared on her way to Grerosa. However, it was an accident, and the tragedy of all the deaths was so serious that the situation had to be resolved quietly. She almost fainted when she heard that her daughter had disappeared and she could not find her after searching for her for a long time. Elysia was Mariela¡¯s proof of life. Mariela found this world unrealistic after discovering that she transmigrated into the novel ¡®The Flower of the Blind Beast¡¯. She wondered if by blinking her eyes she would find herself back in her world. If I die, can I go back to where I used to live? When the hell does the original ending start so I can go back to my world, when not even the main characters are born yet? It was very strange. It was such an enjoyable romantic fantasy novel that it helped her forget about competition and the cold reality. Every night before going to bed, she used to lie in bed and read her favorite novels, forgetting the hardships of the day. It was her only way to escape reality. However, after transmigrating here, she just wanted to return to her world. Where she used to live, she was part of that place. She didn¡¯t see any sense in this world. She felt like a fragment that had been thrown in the wrong place by mistake. The moment when Mariela felt alive was when she became pregnant with Elysia. The seed of life that had grown in her body made her vividly feel that this place is also her home. And from then on, she was able to truly live here. She did everything she could to protect her child, but she wondered why all her efforts turned out this way. ¡°Your Highness the Grand Duke.¡± Soon after, Eleon appeared. A tall and sturdy body that overwhelms the average, black hair and red eyes, proof that he inherited the power of Oder. He had a handsome and elegant face. It was the first time Mariela had seen Eleon so closely. She looked at him from an observer¡¯s point of view. He was a wonderful man. But he can¡¯t be with Elysia. That¡¯s what storytelling is like. Even more so when there is an intervention that must unfold what is set. Eleon fixed his gaze on the teacup without saying a word for Mariela to look at him enough. Was he acting courteous and considerate of Elysia¡¯s mother? He was truly an impeccably perfect man. Mariela was somehow dumbfounded and laughed without realizing it. ¡°I¡¯m going to take Elysia.¡± ¡°Why do you think she is here?¡± ¡°Of course, she¡­..¡± Of course? Mariela found herself caught off guard. ¡°Of course. You thought she would be here.¡± Eleon smiled at Mariela. ¡°Then, if she stays here in the future, wouldn¡¯t it be natural?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself, Your Highness. She is not married yet. My husband is the one who decides if our daughter is going to marry or not.¡± ¡°But why did the Duchess come and not the Duke of Yuter?¡± ¡°That¡­that¡­¡­¡± Her husband, Gillian, knows that Mariela is a transmigrator. And she succeeded in convincing him that the ¡®prophecy¡¯ would cause their daughter to die. But he also belongs to this world. She couldn¡¯t even tell him that Eleon is the main character. It¡¯s not about who set the rules, but it was important to reduce variables. ¡°That¡¯s right. Duchess. Elysia is here. But she will never go back.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Perhaps you two¡­¡­¡± Mariela¡¯s voice trembled, doubting that her daughter had gone astray. ¡°Nothing happened.¡± ¡°Phew.¡± Mariela breathed a sigh of relief out loud. She won¡¯t let her daughter, who is an extra, and the main lead, be together, even if dirt gets into her eyes. But she seemed to faint at Eleon¡¯s next words. ¡°Actually, your daughter gave me permission.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon? Permission!¡± In front of an outraged Mariela, Eleon only said what he had to say seriously. ¡°But I didn¡¯t cross the line. Marriage is important to me, too. I will not do anything that will bring dishonor to my bride.¡± ¡°Unbelievable. What could be more disgraceful than this when my daughter, who just debuted, promises to stay with the Grand Duke without her parents¡¯ permission! Do you think we will allow Your Highness and Elysia to marry as you please?¡± ¡°Please allow it.¡± Then Eleon bowed his head to Mariela. ¡°I want to start a happy life with Elysia, with the blessing of her parents.¡± Ah, maybe Eleon is such an earnest main character. He is truly a desirable example of a potential son-in-law. That made Mariela even more upset. It was as if the sky was deceiving her. The fact that she has to reject this kind of son-in-law for the sheer absurd reason that it is not possible because of the original novel. Mariela was troubled in front of the immovable Eleon. KNOCK KNOCK The door opened, and Elysia entered. Mariela¡¯s face distorted when she saw Elysia wearing a dress she had never seen before. That is the reason why she took a bath and changed her clothes. Elysia walked in cautiously and sat down next to Eleon. Seeing that, Mariela¡¯s face hardened. ¡°Mother.¡± ¡°Do you still remember that I am your mother?¡± Elysia flinched at Mariela¡¯s cold tone for the first time. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Elysia avoided her gaze and looked at the teacup placed on the low table. ¡°I am not going back. I want to be here.¡± ¡°Elysia!¡± Mariela raised her voice. Elysia¡¯s shoulders shrugged and clung to Eleon¡¯s side. At the same time, he stands in front of Elysia as if he was protecting her. When Mariela saw it, she got dizzy and put her hand on her head. ¡°Just for a moment¡­ Elysia, let¡¯s both talk.¡± Eleon looked at Elysia. She seemed a bit nervous, but when Elysia nodded, Eleon left the room. CLICK He went out and the door closed, but Mariela didn¡¯t say anything right away. She cautiously approached the door and she gently opened the door to make sure nobody was eavesdropping. Then she returned. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Mariela was anxious. She lowered her voice to a whisper for fear that someone might hear her. ¡°If this goes wrong¡­..you will die.¡± ¡°I am not going to die.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°I can change the original story.¡± Mariela was about to collapse. ¡°It¡¯s because you don¡¯t know. The original novel can never be changed. Didn¡¯t I tell you that before?¡± The transmigrators claimed to be priests using the novel as a weapon. The manuscripts left by the five main transmigrators, who were the first transmigrators, were meant to share the original novel as each remembered. It was publicly called ¡®prophecy¡®. It has become a great book with a set of futures written on it. It became the faith of the people of Constance over the years, and fake priests held prayer meetings every day in Hadunsha. [Fate cannot be changed.] [Do you want to know the mission given to you and the will of God? Please pray.] No one in this world can go against the original plot that was disguised as God¡¯s will. [The reason that you were born and suffered is that you have the usefulness and mission as a tool that they have bestowed on you.] [Believe me. If you walk on the set path, you will be led to God¡¯s side.] Everyone lives only today for an unchanging tomorrow. ¡°Mariela. You¡¯re acting very strange.¡± After she revealed that she is a transmigrator, her daughter does not call her mother unless necessary. ¡°You were also trying to change the original novel. You tried to make Elysia look like dead and make her flee abroad.¡± Elysia said calmly. ¡°Your words and actions contradict each other. It doesn¡¯t add up.¡± ¡°That¡­¡­¡± ¡°Do you have any other secrets?¡± Mariela did not answer her question easily. What should I say? What should I explain first? No matter what she says, will Elysia understand Mariela¡¯s words? ¡­..Will she believe me? Elysia spoke first to the troubles Mariela could not find an answer to. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if I don¡¯t get an answer. I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not your daughter.¡± ¡°E¡­. Elysia.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do what you tell me to do like a soulless puppet. I have feelings. I¡¯m sorry I borrowed your daughter¡¯s body.¡± Mariela was frustrated by Elysia¡¯s words. ¡°Eleon is the Grand Duke Clevent. His family and his people are perfect. It¡¯s good to become in-laws with him.¡± Elysia hesitated for a moment whether to speak or not, then said. ¡°I love Eleon.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I think I will be able to live in this world with these feelings.¡± Elysia was shy. ¡°I haven¡¯t even told Eleon this yet. So it¡¯s awkward to say it out loud¡­..¡± ¡°E¡­ Elysia.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t allow it. Announce that I died as originally planned. Then I will live here as Rona. I think that would be better. I have no memory of Elysia anyway.¡± Elysia did not hesitate to speak as she had thought about it for a long time. ¡°I¡¯d rather live a new life than pretend to be Elysia.¡± For a moment, Mariela¡¯s face darkened. ¡°If¡­..If I can¡¯t escape from the original plot, I¡¯ll take my chances. That will be the price for my choices.¡± ¡°You will regret it.¡± Chapter 52 ¡°You will regret it.¡± Elysia did not avoid her gaze as she did in front of Eleon. Two pairs of identical purple eyes stared at each other. ¡°Yes. But it¡¯s my choice.¡± Mariela staggered back and began to cry. ¡°Sigh.¡± It was heartbreaking for Elysia to see her dispirited look. From the moment she saw Mariela for the first time, she felt a bond like no other. It may be because she resembles Mariela as she looks at herself in the mirror every day. But anyway, for Elysia, the mother of the owner of the body was exceptionally special. She might have been the only person who could understand her position and thoughts now that she found out that she is also a transmigrator. It was difficult for Elysia to act against her words and will since she relied on her. She didn¡¯t feel any better leaving Mariela crying like this. After Elysia left, she saw Eleon sitting helplessly. She came over and sat down next to him. ¡°I¡¯m hurt.¡± Elysia looked at Eleon. He simply thought that the Duchess of Yuter did not like him for some reason. It seemed that it was not easy for him to get over it. You¡¯ve never been treated like this in your entire life, wherever you go. Elysia was sorry and tried to comfort Eleon. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What are you sorry for?¡± ¡°She hurt your feelings.¡± ¡°Me? Hurt?¡± Eleon laughed happily. ¡°It may seem absurd to you, but I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you¡¯re hurt?¡± ¡°Not me, but you.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ve been doing for weeks. I wish I had kidnapped you sooner.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a crime, Your Highness.¡± Eleon hugged Elysia, who drew the line. ¡°I love it. The fact that you¡¯re here.¡± Her heart sank at the sincerity of his words. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Kiss. Can I kiss you now?¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why? We can only do it near the bed? You¡¯ve been stingy since you left the room.¡± Elysia hated seeing Eleon wrap his arms around her waist in earnest as if he was dragging her to bed at any moment. ¡°The butler is watching.¡± ¡°The butler?¡± Bernard had been watching them through the crack in the door since Eleon did not answer, no matter how much he knocked. ¡°You have to explain.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± Eleon¡¯s face lit up, very excited. * * * * * Moments later, in Eleon¡¯s office. With a stunned look on his face, Bernard listened to Eleon¡¯s bragging about his bride-to-be. ¡°Even when I couldn¡¯t see, I always thought she was an attractive woman. But when I saw her in person, I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I see.¡± Eleon was a little excited. He has never been able to show off Elysia to anyone until now. ¡°She is so beautiful, I can understand what you said. You said that some of the servants were interested in her.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Suddenly, Eleon frowned. ¡°What about you? Did you have any interest in Elysia¡­¡­¡± ¡°Oh, no. Absolutely not.¡± ¡°Liar. There¡¯s no way you wouldn¡¯t like her. Didn¡¯t you also enjoy talking to Elysia?¡± Like inside the carriage. Bernard broke out in a cold sweat at his master¡¯s suspicions. ¡°That¡­.. We only discussed the Crown Prince¡¯s atrocities, I never spoke with Lady Elysia out of my own interest.¡± ¡°I see. If it¡¯s as you say, I will trust you.¡± ¡°Apart from that, Cedric sent a message. I was going to give you a report on the matter of Her Highness Princess Lev.¡± ¡°Did he find out where my mother is?¡± ¡°Her whereabouts are still unknown. The most recent information is that she visited Trofalgara four years ago.¡± ¡°Four years ago¡­.¡± ¡°I have sent more people.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eleon shook his head after giving it some thought. ¡°I don¡¯t think it will get to that point. My mother is strong. If she¡¯s doing nothing and she¡¯s quiet, then she¡¯s fine. If something had happened, no one could bear her wrath.¡± ¡°That¡­that¡¯s true but¡­¡± ¡°Besides, the situation is not good at the moment. If only my mother had been here on a day like today.¡± Elysia is not the only precious daughter. Eleon is also a precious son. If his mother had seen Eleon, her only son, who was born as a member of the Imperial family, and who lived his whole life with pride, bowing his head to a mere duke¡¯s wife, it would have been a great disaster. ¡°Ahh.¡± The butler rubbed the goosebumps on his arm as if he was afraid to even imagine it. ¡°How can you say things like that? I really hate even thinking about it.¡± ¡°Right. So, I was wondering if we should increase the number of people to find her faster.¡± At first, he thought that his mother could not miss his wedding, but now the situation is unknown. ¡°Don¡¯t stop tracking, gather more information.¡± ¡°Then we will continue our investigation.¡± ¡°I will leave the matter in your hands.¡± Bernard was just about to leave Eleon¡¯s office. ¡°Butler. By the way, you should go to the hospital.¡± ¡°Huh? I don¡¯t have any particular pain.¡± Eleon said seriously. ¡°The fact that you didn¡¯t fall in love with Elysia is because you may have a problem with your eyes or with your head. Make sure to get treatment. I¡¯ll pay for your treatment.¡± ¡°Ha ha. Yes, Your Highness. Thank you.¡± Bernard was very surprised to learn that ¡®Rona¡® is the daughter of the Duke of Yuter, who had lost her memory in an accident. There was no one in the capital who did not know about the ¡®Priestess Elysia¡® and the rumors about the Duke of Yuter, who gave his only daughter to Hadunsha. He was surprised, but that¡¯s all. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks He has no reason to oppose Eleon¡¯s marriage. Eleon was the master he served, and he was only a servant. However, the butler¡¯s pride cracked a bit at the sight of his master making such silly comments. ¡°What¡¯s good is good.¡± The butler raised the corners of his mouth as he recalled that just half a year ago, Eleon was frustrated with pain. * * * * * Elysia¡¯s eyes lit up as she looked around the new room that the butler hastily prepared. ¡°Wow. I have never been here before.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It has been empty for a long time. I was having a bit of a hard time cleaning up.¡± It had been more than ten years since the Grand Duchess¡¯s room had been opened. It has been empty ever since Eleon¡¯s father, Sir Desar, passed away and his mother returned to the Imperial Palace. Nothing has been done officially yet, but Elysia has completely made up her mind about Eleon when she confronted Mariela. ¡¸¡°Choose. Do you want to share my bed or the Grand Duchess¡¯ bed?¡±¡¹ Eleon got stubborn with Elysia, who wanted to go to the maid¡¯s room she was originally using. She eventually moved her luggage to the Grand Duchess¡¯ room as he wished. A thick curtain made of heavy fabric hung over the bright window. Elysia¡¯s room in the Yuter Duchy had a girly style overall, but this room felt like a more mature woman¡¯s room. Each luxurious piece of furniture casts a lustrous shine. Elysia stroked the smooth wood grain with her hand. She figured that this would be the room she would continue to use if she continued to live here in the future, so she was able to attach meaning to each object. And for the first time, she felt like she owned something. ¡°What do you think? Do you like it?¡± Eleon gently knocked on the open door and entered the room. He took off the uniform he was wearing when he met Mariela and was only wearing a light shirt. Elysia¡¯s heart pounded at the sight of him. ¡°The room is so pretty and nice. Thanks.¡± ¡°It was nothing. Decorating the mansion is the job of the Grand Duchess. If there is something you don¡¯t like, buy everything and decorate as much as you want.¡± ¡°Oh. So this the smell of money and power.¡± Eleon burst out laughing as Elysia spread her arms wide and spun around. The quick-witted butler quickly closed the door and disappeared. ¡°You sound like Rona when you say that.¡± ¡°Re¡­really?¡± Elysia didn¡¯t act any different even when she was Rona. She thought about what he meant. Oh, I must have been acting a bit differently. As Elysia, she tried to act like a lady, and act in accordance with the people around her. ¡°Which one do you prefer?¡± ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°I mean Rona or Elysia. Which one do you like more?¡± ¡°Both are you.¡± ¡°Still. You must have a preference.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Eleon pondered for a moment, then answered seriously. ¡°I want a woman who kisses me better.¡± ¡°Oh gosh.¡± Elysia was dumbfounded, but Eleon was so handsome that she put up with it. Her lips almost fell instead of her fists at the unseemly words of a very handsome man. Elysia was embarrassed when Eleon stared at her lips. She turned around and headed for the window. The window overlooked the poorly maintained garden. Originally, this garden was used by the Grand Duchess to plant her favorite flowers. ¡°Plant flowers or whatever you want.¡± ¡°I need to think about it. I want to see pretty things throughout the spring, summer, autumn, and winter.¡± After saying that, she felt overwhelmed. There was a time when she had no memories and lived in an unfamiliar place, but now she wonders if she could picture a future here. Eleon. Because you¡¯re here. The man who filled her heart came up behind her back, crouched down, and rested his chin on Elysia¡¯s shoulder. Elysia laughed out loud at his behavior. It looks like a large beast with his back leaning forward. ¡°Don¡¯t run away. Elysia.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not running away.¡± ¡°Then you will be loved more than Rona. She has a history of running away.¡± ¡°That¡­¡­At that time, when I went out, the Hadunsha¡¯s priests took me away.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same. You disappeared without a word.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Because I knew I would find you.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t happen again.¡± With his arms around her waist, he straightened up and turned her toward him. Elysia felt her face suddenly redden. Her humble dating experience didn¡¯t help her face him in broad daylight. Embarrassed, Elysia turned to the window and drew back the pitiful curtain. ¡°This¡­ this curtain. Why is it so thick? Aren¡¯t thin and light curtains better?¡± Eleon, who was watching her act awkwardly, chuckled. ¡°Why?¡± He stretched out his long arms and drew the curtains that seemed impractical because they were thick and heavy. Slide Thick curtains blocked out the light almost completely. ¡°This is the room of the Grand Duchess.¡± ¡°Yes, I heard the butler said it earlier, but¡­..¡± ¡°These curtains are very useful for this room.¡± The room was dark as if night had fallen in an instant. Eleon¡¯s red eyes shone like a beast, and a dim light shone through a gap between the curtains. ¡°I would be sad if you refused me again. Can I kiss you?¡± Elysia, who had thought it would be impossible to look at Eleon¡¯s face in broad daylight, said. ¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s broad daylight¡­.It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s better at night¡­. Uh, here too¡­.that sounds good¡­..¡± Her voice was accompanied by a tremor in her body. He reminded her of the excitement of the night before. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Eleon lowered himself to eye level. ¡°Then it¡¯s fine now.¡± ¡°Well, that¡­that¡¯s right.¡± Eleon¡¯s thumb pressed against her lower lip, and then her mouth fell open. Soon, his scent wafted through the gap. Chapter 53 Eleon filled the gap between her lips. ¡°Hmmm.¡± The finger that had been pressing on her lower lip a while ago ran over her cheek, ear, and neck. Elysia tried to back away, but she was facing a window with no way out. Eleon, seeing Elysia helplessly clutch the curtains with her hands, smiled through parted lips. ¡°You should touch me too.¡± She wanted to ask him what the hell he was talking about, but when Eleon took her right hand and placed it on the left side of his chest, Elysia froze. ¡°Why? Aren¡¯t you an opportunist?¡± She was. At least, ¡®Rona¡® lived in a shallow world where time is money, and a fool if you miss an opportunity. But now she couldn¡¯t do it. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so nervous.¡± Eleon, who seemed to be secretly longing for something, whispered as if he was seducing her. Just how I feel about you, you can have me. ¡°Eleon. Your heart is beating very hard.¡± She could feel Eleon¡¯s heartbeat under the palm of her hand. Is this how you know it? Although his shirt is thin. It was a strange experience. What was inside his body throbbed very strongly, and with her hand on his chest, she felt like she had reached a more secret place. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s because of you.¡± His hands gripped the ribbon behind the back of her dress and began to untie it. Slide Elysia¡¯s luxurious dress fell to her ankles. ¡°Ah!¡± Eleon went to bed with Elysia in his hands, who was wearing a lace chemise. ¡°E¡­ Eleon.¡± Elysia, who was suddenly lying in the cold bed, looked at him. It was only for a moment, and shortly after, Eleon pressed his lips to hers affectionately. It was an amazing experience. They were kissing while holding each other very tightly. She felt as if an empty space she didn¡¯t know was in her heart was being filled. It was then that curiosity began to rise in the heart of Elysia. She had unilaterally handed over what she had to Eleon. Tighter Elysia pulled away for a moment to catch her breath, then suddenly kissed him. Eleon was startled when Elysia kissed him out of the blue. Elysia remembered how Eleon had kissed her previously. She gently licked his upper lip and bit his lower lip with her lips. It was still too much for him, and he felt strange when he glanced at her. Then he groaned a bit like the growl of a beast, and suddenly released Elysia. He jumped up and sat up. Elysia gasped blankly and looked at his back muscles rising and falling. It¡¯s nice to see¡­¡­ What¡¯s wrong with him? Did I do something wrong? The kiss with Eleon was sweet. She was just learning that people can feel this good. His saliva is sweet, but when the ¡®sweet¡¯ that sat pleasantly in her mouth disappeared, Elysia felt like a child who had lost her delicious candy. ¡°What¡¯s¡­.what¡¯s wrong?¡± She got up and reached for Eleon¡¯s arm, but he avoided her. ¡°Wait. Just give me a minute.¡± ¡°Are you sick?¡± He shook his head as Elysia came over to him kneeling on the soft bed. ¡°No, I¡¯m not sick. Sigh. Don¡¯t come near. Just give me a minute.¡± He rubbed his face with both hands as if in pain, then lowered his head, and took a deep breath. Elysia looked at him frightened. Wasn¡¯t it Rona¡¯s job to take care of Eleon? She was used to watching over him. But she was nervous because he had never done anything like it. Suddenly she felt like he was having a hard time or that he was sick. ¡°Eleon¡­..¡± When Elysia called out to him as if she was about to cry, only then did Eleon look back at her. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± With a long sigh, Eleon hugged Elysia again and rubbed her cheek against his. ¡°Were you scared? I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s going on¡­¡­.¡± Elysia caressed Eleon¡¯s cheek. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can hold out any longer.¡± Eleon¡¯s ears were redder than his cheeks. ¡°What is it that you can¡¯t hold out any longer?¡± Why does he have to hold out? Elysia permitted him last night. Although the problem was that she fell asleep for various reasons. ¡°I promised the Duchess. I will not do anything that will disgrace my bride.¡± Elysia¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and then she slammed her fist into Eleon¡¯s chest. ¡°What. You scared me.¡± ¡°I was surprised too. I never knew a shy girl would act so boldly.¡± ¡°You told me to touch you.¡± Elysia thought he wanted that. She also wanted to touch Eleon as he wanted her so that both could feel the same happiness and satisfaction. At least she had the courage. ¡°Well. It¡¯s also my first time, so I didn¡¯t know it would be like this.¡± Elysia felt more proud knowing that it was also the first time for Eleon. He¡¯s cute, isn¡¯t he? She was surprised by his touch and thought she was the only one who was nervous. But she felt like teasing him even more when she saw him startled because of her. ¡°Isn¡¯t it okay if only my mother didn¡¯t know? About my disgrace.¡± ¡°E¡­Elysia.¡± Elysia caressed Eleon¡¯s neck with her fingertips. As if she was drawing a beautiful line on him, the line leading to his firm chest moved with a hasty gulp with just the tip of her finger. ¡°Sigh.¡± Eleon sighed in frustration, but firmly endured Elysia¡¯s provocation. ¡°I want to protect you.¡± ¡°You acted like you wanted to pick up where you left off last night.¡± Eleon hugged Elysia and kissed her forehead. ¡°People have two-faced.¡± When he thought that she pushed him away, he wanted to take her by force, even if she cried. He will never let her pretend she doesn¡¯t know him again. When Elysia agreed to stay by his side and allowed him to do whatever he wanted, he suddenly wanted to protect her. His desire to embrace her to his heart¡¯s content and his desire to see her a little more in this pure and beautiful moment were in conflict in Eleon¡¯s head. ¡°Elysia.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Run away if you think I¡¯m going to attack you. All right?¡± You once told me not to run away. You said you¡¯d love me more than Rona, who had a history of running away. Elysia asked because it sounded absurd. ¡°What. You just have to be careful, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing better than I think.¡± Elysia blushed and covered Eleon¡¯s mouth with her hand. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks He bit her hand until her palm turned red. * * * * * After dinner, Elysia soaked her body in the bathtub. ¡°It¡¯s really pretty here.¡± The bathroom attached to the Grand Duchess¡¯ room was quite spacious. It was decorated much more than in Eleon¡¯s room. A large bathtub decorated with milky white carved tiles was surrounded by white pillars. Perhaps because the Grand Duchess¡¯s room was located at the end of the building, the dome-shaped ceiling was raised in a round shape, so soaking in the hot water didn¡¯t feel cramped at all. Looking at the palace from the outside, it seemed like there was a private room protruding from one side only, but it was probably this bathroom. Thanks to that, there are several small windows at the top of the space, so it felt like she was in an open-air hot spring. ¡°Whew.¡± After soaking in the hot water for a while, she relaxed and felt drowsy. A lot has happened these days¡­ The Duke of Yuter was busy preparing to leave the Constance Empire soon. She was exhausted after running all night from the duke¡¯s residence to the grand duke¡¯s residence, and she went through a lot of emotions because of Eleon. Furthermore, she even fell into the water. Fortunately, she made it through the day because she slept soundly in his arms. ¡°Mariela¡­ Sigh. What should I do?¡± Elysia had no particular solution. She knew what Mariela was worried about, and as she said, it was not going to be easy. Mariela jumped up, saying that ¡®she doesn¡¯t know¡¯ what was going to happen, but Elysia believed that those who didn¡¯t know were fearless and brave. She wondered if Mariela¡¯s paranoid point of view was making things more complicated and twisted. ¡°It¡¯s because I survived.¡± Mariela seemed to believe that there was no other way than to escape. But Elysia thought she had to break through. It¡¯s a bad idea to avoid. She has the life of the real Elysia. She wondered what is the meaning of a life where she had to give up name, status, and life just to move to another country. She smirked as she thought about it. ¡°I¡¯m going to do it again.¡± Although she is not ¡®Elysia¡®, she will think about ¡®Elysia¡¯s life¡®. ¡°Even actors would do the same thing I did.. Maybe.¡± As if playing the character, she keeps reminding herself of Elysia¡¯s position. Even though she told Mariela that she wasn¡¯t Elysia. ¡°I have Eleon.¡± She believed that everything would be fine. After her bath, she put on her nightgown when suddenly. KNOCK KNOCK When she opened the door, Eleon was standing there in comfortable clothes. ¡°What are you doing here at this hour?¡± ¡°I miss you.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± Elysia laughed. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°How can you let a man into your room at this late hour?¡± Eleon said it very seriously, but Elysia thought it was okay. He¡¯s like a big puppy to her. She thought that her puppy was struggling alone to protect her honor, which she didn¡¯t even know existed until yesterday. ¡°Let¡¯s go to my room. Let¡¯s go play a game.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Elysia headed to Eleon¡¯s room. She played a few rounds of chess with Eleon while drinking warm milk the butler brought her. ¡°Hmm.¡± However, she felt drowsy, perhaps because of the bath. ¡°I have to go to bed.¡± ¡°Sleep here.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s sleep together.¡± Elysia frowned. ¡°Why did you give me a room if you were going to do this?¡± ¡°To protect the honor of my bride.¡± ¡°Oh really.¡± Elysia stood up from her seat with a smile as if she couldn¡¯t stop it. ¡°Are you really leaving?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m tired. See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Then read me a book.¡± ¡°Your eyes are fine now. Read on your own.¡± ¡°I like to hear your beautiful voice.¡± Eleon glumly lowered the corners of his eyes. ¡°¡­. Please?¡± Elysia felt a little tingle in her heart. Oh, my big puppy! Don¡¯t make me sad! ¡°All right. Oh, but no more Palegara War History.¡± Just reading it made her sleepy. If she reads that book, she will fall asleep in his room again. She could bet on her half a year¡¯s salary. ¡°Okay. Then read me another book.¡± Eleon gently held out a thick book. ¡°I¡¯m just going to read to you a bit before I go. I¡¯m so tired today.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Elysia began to read while Eleon propped himself up on a comfortable pillow. The prosperity of Hellas? It was the first time she saw this book. ¡°No one could have imagined that Hellas, a sparsely populated outlying territory, would become such a center of exchange in the middle of the Empire.¡± Elysia slowly read the book. ¡°Hellas was a small town with a population of 280 in the 420th year of the imperial calendar. When Palermo started a war in the year 770 of the imperial calendar and stockpiled armaments, it became a base for distribution networks as a border town, but after Palermo¡¯s defeat in the Palegara War, Hellas seemed to be in decline.¡± What? They were their ally? ¡°However, with the arrival of Beryl Tristan, who would later become a great lord in the 813th year, the future of Hellas began to change. Beryl¡¯s older brother, Cyril, was very well-known. The second son, Beryl¡­. driven by the battle for succession against Cyril¡­..he came to Hellas.¡± Ah, I can¡¯t fall asleep. ¡°Beryl¡¯s younger brother Daryl would later ¡­. act as a spy for Cyril¡­.. take the funds¡­ No¡­ Cyril¡­¡­¡± Tap The book fell from Elysia¡¯s hand. Eleon quickly put the book away and put her to bed comfortably as he was expecting. Is it because she has only been to the temple? Doesn¡¯t she know about this? Ah, she lost her memories. The Prosperity of Hellas is a book written by the same author as the Palegara War History, and it was one of the historical books that made a difference in the treatment of insomnia. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only He hugged Elysia and got into a comfortable position. It was the most comfortable he¡¯s been in since he was born. ¡°Good night, Elysia.¡± And on the other hand, he sighed. ¡°I have to behave like a Lord.¡± I don¡¯t want to be separated from Elysia even for a moment. Chapter 54 Elysia had a dream. It was a childhood dream. Elysia looked very small among the stone buildings of Hadunsha. Everything was so much bigger than her, often following in the footsteps of her priest brothers and sisters. Plants with large leaves that hang in the bright sunlight grow beautifully. Hadunsha doctrinal classes were often held in open spaces in a sunny garden. Also on that day, young Elysia listened to the priest¡¯s passionate doctrinal teaching. ¡¸¡°Fate is like a book. It¡¯s like a book in which everything is written and cannot be changed, and must be read as it is.¡±¡¹ The priest made eye contact with the still young priests one by one. ¡¸¡°We are nothing more than God¡¯s chess pieces. You must obey the destiny given to you.¡±¡¹ Elysia was skeptical upon hearing about it. Her mother taught Elysia about the ¡®book¡¯ from a very young age. Her mom was overjoyed when Elysia talked about the ¡®book¡®. And thanks to her mom, Elysia was able to memorize it fast. But the more she listened to the teachings of the priests in Hadunsha, the more she did not understand. ¡®I decide my own future.¡¯ Here, it is said that the future, tomorrow, and destiny are all decided. But Elysia thought it was different. ¡®I¡¯m the one who decides who to play with and what to say.¡¯ It was also Elysia herself who decided where she would go outside of doctrinal study and prayer time. Does fate really exist? Elysia couldn¡¯t believe that someone had determined how long she had left to live. But no one seemed to doubt it except little Elysia. All the priests knew that this is the world in the book . Among them, Elysia felt lonely. ¡®I want to go home.¡¯ She misses her kind mother, who always smelled good. She also misses the library, which was full of big books, where she always piled them up and played with them like stairs, and her father, who didn¡¯t leave the library all day. After the doctrinal study, everyone was hungry and screaming and running to the dining room, but Elysia was riding alone on a swing tied to a tree. ¡¸¡°Elysia.¡±¡¹ High Priest Alejandro, the only one who had all of his hair bleached white, approached her. ¡¸¡°Your Excellency. May the blessings of the five gods and Oder be with you.¡±¡¹ Alejandro nodded and smiled at the cute little child¡¯s greeting. ¡¸¡°Why didn¡¯t you go to the dining hall? What are you thinking?¡¹ ¡¸¡°I was thinking about what I learned in class.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Oh. that¡¯s very commendable. What is today¡¯s doctrine about?¡±¡¹ Elysia hesitated before speaking. ¡¸¡°Fate is like a book.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Looks like you¡¯ve finished learning the basic doctrine and moved on to the intermediate doctrine.¡±¡¹ As Alejandro said, it was the story of the first chapter of the new Intermediate Doctrine. ¡¸¡°But you must be hungry, what were you doing here alone?¡±¡¹ Elysia hesitated again before asking Alejandro. ¡¸¡°You see, the thing is, can¡¯t we really change our fate?¡±¡¹ It was a question that directly contradicted their beliefs. ¡¸¡°I decide whether to play with Baran or Ahel.¡±¡¹ Actually, this is something her mother said she should never say. She also said she would get kicked out of Hadunsha if she asked about it. But the child¡¯s curiosity exceeded her parents¡¯ request. ¡¸¡°I decide whether to play in the garden or go to the library.¡±¡¹ She missed her mom and dad that day. She also wanted to eat a big cake topped with cream made by a skilled chef at home. ¡®Isn¡¯t it nice to be able to go back home after being expelled?¡¯ She had that thought impulsively. Though her mother would be sad. She was happy when Elysia joined Hadunsha. ¡¸¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking.¡±¡¹ But Alejandro was not angry at all, contrary to what her mother had said. Instead, he stroked Elysia¡¯s hair once, then grabbed her hand and pulled her off the swing. ¡¸¡°It¡¯s easy for anyone to think that they are deciding their future.¡±¡¹ While holding Elysia¡¯s hand, Alejandro began to walk slowly towards the dining hall. ¡¸¡°But the truth is, fate is already decided. Just as you know that this is the world of a book.¡±¡¹ Elysia was reluctant, but she nodded. The doctrine is only learned for overseas missionary work that will maintain the legacy of Hadunsha. Since everyone who became a priest is a transmigrator, she accepted that this is a world where the ending will be met according to the prophecy of . Everyone was waiting for the ending, hoping to return to the real world. However, High Priest Alejandro who taught the doctrine seemed like someone who really believed it to be the truth. ¡¸What¡¯s on the menu for dinner tonight? I want tomato soup. But tonight¡¯s menu is potato stew.¡±¡¹ As they approached the dining hall, the smell of potato stew with sausages wafted through. ¡¸¡°This is what fate is. It¡¯s like a set menu. It is set in advance and cannot be changed.¡±¡¹ Alejandro grabbed a tray of food and seated Elysia at a quiet table. ¡¸¡°You and I are going to have potato stew for dinner tonight.¡±¡¹ He spoke clearly. ¡¸¡°Fate cannot be changed. It may still be a difficult story for Elysia.¡±¡¹ Elysia reluctantly nodded, holding a piece of bread and a spoon in her hand, and Alejandro smiled kindly, then turned around. ¡¸¡°¡­. cannot be changed?¡±¡¹ Little Elysia stared at her meal for a long time. After a moment she put down the spoon and lowered her hand holding the bread under the table, and began to smash it. Broken pieces of bread secretly began to fall onto the stone floor. ¡¸¡°I can change it.¡±¡¹ Alejandro said he would have potato stew for dinner, but she didn¡¯t. Contrary to the High Priest¡¯s words, Elysia changed her own destiny. That night, lying on the hard bed, Elysia cried. Why did she cry? She couldn¡¯t remember if it was because she missed her Mom and Dad, or if it was because of hunger. * * * * * Elysia was crying when she woke up in the morning. Children¡¯s emotions were pure, but they were not as clear as adults¡¯. She didn¡¯t know why she was crying. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Maybe it was because she felt sorry for the little girl. She had a hard time waking up after dreaming about Elysia and assimilating her feelings. ¡°Sob.¡± She tried to calm down. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± Eleon¡¯s voice could be heard from a distance. ¡°I had another dream.¡± Eleon hugged her tightly. As the warm body temperature enveloped her body, Elysia gradually calmed down. ¡°You said that yesterday. What was your dream today?¡± ¡°It was just a childhood dream, so I¡¯m not sure.¡± He gently brushed Elysia¡¯s hair. ¡°Didn¡¯t you lose your memory?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe I dreamed of something that really happened a long time ago, or maybe it¡¯s just a dream.¡± However, it seemed that Elysia was somehow dreaming of the ¡®memories of the real Elysia¡¯. She doesn¡¯t know the details other than this is the world in the book Flower of the Blind Beast. It¡¯s because, after transmigrating, she mostly stayed in the Grand Duchy. She was so happy to be able to earn money and live in a comfortable and warm place. But there were always real-life details in her dreams. In today¡¯s dream, it was as vivid as if she could trace the location of the plants and large trees planted in the garden. And the emotions. She used to feel a vague feeling as if water was filling up her chest. Aren¡¯t they all sad memories? Is it because those emotions are intense and impressive? Ever since she possessed Elysia¡¯s body, she had never dreamed of happy times. High Priest Alejandro. Why do I think that person looked after Elysia? In her dream, Elysia was confident that she would be expelled if she asked why fate was determined. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much about what you can¡¯t remember.¡± Seeing that Elysia couldn¡¯t get her hands off her throbbing head due to a headache, Eleon wrapped his hand around her. Eleon¡¯s fingers dug into her hair. As he slowly pressed his large hand to her head, the strange sensation of pain seemed to disappear. Elysia closed her eyes again happily. Come to think of it, last night, until she went to sleep, she was in pain as if her bones and muscles were pulling apart. ¡°You¡¯re my cure for everything.¡± Elysia rested her head on his chest and hugged his waist, Eleon frozen as if she had pressed the stop button. ¡°You¡¯re not afraid.¡± ¡°Should I be afraid? Afraid of you?¡± ¡°I told you to run away if you thought I was going to attack you.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re more than welcome.¡± Eleon was stunned seeing Elysia giggle and laugh in his arms. She was doing it on purpose, believing that he would never do it recklessly. It was really spiteful. To the extent that it seems that Eleon is the only one who yearns for the moment when the two become one. ¡°I want to turn back time. I shouldn¡¯t have said that to the Duchess.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t keep the promise you made to my mother, I¡¯ll keep it a secret.¡± ¡°Thank you for thinking about it.¡± Elysia¡¯s smile was dazzlingly beautiful. Eleon stopped breathing for a moment as his heart ached. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you breathing?¡± The provider of the cause asked. ¡°Because you¡¯re so beautiful.¡± ¡°Breathe. We must live together for a long time.¡± Together. Eleon was out of breath again. * * * * * In the afternoon, Elysia followed Eleon to the back garden. And she was amazed. The back of the Grand Duke¡¯s residence was directly connected to a small hill, so there were no fences or walls. There is a fairly dense forest between the palace and the mountain. It was a peaceful environment. ¡°Wow, what is all this?¡± A tent was modestly pitched among the tall trees. There is also a tent here. The tent, built of long wooden poles and ropes, was lit up by dotted lamps. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen something like this.¡± Eleon answered. ¡°It¡¯s a tent.¡± Ah, tent. The same classic word was used here as well. ¡°It¡¯s rare to see young aristocrats using them. It¡¯s rare to see tents like this, even at hunting festivals, where they use it to protect themselves from the sun.¡± ¡°I know, right. What about you? When did you use something like this?¡± ¡°On the battlefield.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± It was only then that it occurred to her that he had wandered the battlefield for seven years. He had to keep moving along the front line, so she wondered if he had been living in tents the whole time. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it uncomfortable?¡± ¡°I can not complain.¡± Eleon was an aristocratic man to the bone. His simple act of walking and shaking hands was so graceful. It was hard to imagine him wandering through the battlefield with his sword and in dust-covered armor. Oh, no. I saw him in a dream once. It was a dream in which she saw the moment he lost his sight. If it wasn¡¯t a dream, it would match his memory. However, Elysia¡¯s dream is said to be a memory that remains in her body, and she doesn¡¯t know what Eleon¡¯s loss of sight is about. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only I have never met him before. It¡¯s really strange to see him on the battlefield having him by my side. Elysia was lost in her thoughts. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Eleon¡¯s red eyes were right in front of her. ¡°You are having other thoughts in front of me.¡± Chapter 55 ¡°You are having other thoughts in front of me.¡± Elysia hid her regrets and covered Eleon¡¯s cheek with the hand that rested on her chin. His handsome face with narrowed eyes made him look very dissatisfied. The corners of his mouth turned up and his expression softened. Watching him from a distance, she wondered if there was some hidden power in her hands that made him happy. No, that is not. It¡¯s because he likes me so much. That¡¯s why. When she realized it again, her heart pounded on its own for no reason. ¡°Do you want to guess what I¡¯m thinking?¡± When Elysia asked feeling better, Eleon replied all excited. ¡°Will you give me a reward if I guess right?¡± ¡°I have nothing to offer you as a reward. I gave you everything I had.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange. Now that I think about it, I feel like I have only received words.¡± Meanwhile, Eleon was preparing dinner with the barbecue ingredients that the butler had brought. Elysia sat comfortably in a seat a little farther away and watched what he was doing. Eleon tied an apron around his waist and, in a familiar move, placed a large chunk of meat on the grill. Fizz He skillfully flipped the meat. When one side was cooked in an instant, Elysia clapped her hands in awe. ¡°Wow! You¡¯re so cool.¡± A man who knows how to cook is the best! Usually, the line from his broad, firm shoulders to his very sleek waist reveals his superiority when wearing a uniform or suit. However, Eleon with the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up and an apron around his waist looks dreamy. She hadn¡¯t even tasted a single piece of meat he was grilling, but she seemed to know what it tasted like. It tastes absolutely delicious. There¡¯s no way the meat he grilled doesn¡¯t taste good. Elysia slowly got up and walked up to him from behind. After hesitating for a moment, she carefully wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged Eleon from behind, feeling the muscles of his back touching her forehead. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m jealous of the apron.¡± Eleon looked back wondering what she meant by that absurd comment. ¡°I¡¯m holding on to you.¡± She hugged his waist. She left out a word, but Eleon laughed out loud as if he understood immediately. Elysia sulked and then loosened her arms. You have done it all. She wondered why he was laughing when she only tried to do something a bit. She pouted. Eleon lowered his head and kissed her gently on the forehead. When Elysia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, Eleon asked shamelessly. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°No.¡± She felt her face heat up. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, you have to get used to it.¡± That¡¯s right. What Eleon says is correct. Elysia nodded instead of answering. However, she could not raise her head because she was ashamed of herself since she was the first to come and disturb him when he was concentrating on cooking. Eleon kissed her cheek once more as if Elysia was cute. ¡°Stay behind. It¡¯s hot.¡± Elysia nodded again, stepped back, and continued admiring Eleon. I¡¯ve never had a date like this before. She has never been in a relationship in her previous life. After graduating from college and getting a job, she only went from home to the library so she could pass her English test. She thought that all students would be the same in the midst of a job crisis, but it saddened her to see her friends dating, going on trips, and working hard at the same time. Why couldn¡¯t I do that too? It was bittersweet to think that the abilities granted to each person would be different, and yet she struggled not to be cut out of other people¡¯s lives. The swan in the water is elegant, but the swan under the water has to stir the water desperately to float. This is how I met Eleon after transmigrating here? Won Yoon-Ji¡¯s life was absolutely superior when reading this book, but in reality, her life wasn¡¯t good either. That¡¯s the reason why she was able to decide to stay by Eleon¡¯s side. It¡¯s rude to fall into such thoughts with Eleon next to me. Elysia began to look around the tent as she cooled her hot cheeks with her hands. The inside of the tent was quite tall, so she was able to enter without too much trouble with her height. Suddenly, something like a pendant hanging from a large lamp caught her eye. ¡°Oh. Can I take a look at this?¡± Then Eleon, who had just taken the grilled meat off the grill, walked over, wiping his hands. He placed the pendant in Elysia¡¯s hand. The round, flat pendant was quite large. It was as light as an empty stomach, but she wanted to see the inside, but the lid didn¡¯t open. ¡°This is how it opens.¡± When Eleon pushed the hole in the middle, the lid swung away, revealing a compass. ¡°It¡¯s a compass.¡± ¡°Do you know about this?¡± Elysia nodded. ¡°It is a precious artifact. It will help you find a way.¡± ¡°Have you ever been lost?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve encountered a sandstorm on the battlefield.¡± Eleon told her that the sandstorm hurt. Just because the sandstorm didn¡¯t make him blind like the fog, the dense sand hurt his exposed skin and made him unable to breathe correctly. He was at the head of his troops, and eight thousand men followed behind him in a sandstorm that even covered the Asrai¡¯s sun. ¡°Then this saved us.¡± Eleon rubbed the bruised surface of the compass. ¡°If you know which way you are going, you can walk in that direction even if there is no path.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very meaningful artifact.¡± Eleon tucked Elysia¡¯s hair behind her ear, which had fallen forward as she watched the compass. ¡°You can have it.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because now we will always be together wherever we go.¡± Eleon knelt in the grass and looked at her. ¡°Wherever you go, I go. So you can have it.¡± ¡°Eleon.¡± His calm, casual words were so sincere that Elysia felt like crying. Do I deserve this kind of love? Is it okay to be with him? She had nothing she could give him. She had already given herself to him. She felt overwhelmed by Eleon¡¯s love for giving her a precious artifact that saved the lives of 8,000 people. It is said that soldiers and sailors are so sensitive to superstitions, regardless of their bravery. This is really meaningful and wonderful. Still, Elysia was overjoyed and carefully looked at what he had given her. Eleon took the compass from her hand and hung it around her neck like a necklace. Eleon let out a long sigh as Elysia smiled widely as she fiddled with the compass. ¡°I think I just came out for nothing.¡± ¡°Why? It¡¯s refreshing and nice here.¡± ¡°I want to kiss you, but there are no curtains.¡± It wasn¡¯t too dark yet as the sun was still hanging its red over the treetops. ¡°Then let¡¯s hurry up, eat dinner and go to the room.¡± The Grand Duchess¡¯ room with lots of curtains is a nice room to kiss. ¡°Haha.¡± Eleon smiled with pleasure and put the meat that had been served for a while back on the grill. ¡°Darn it. The knife used to cut meat is missing. Bernard!¡± Eleon called out to the butler. However, there was no sign of him. Eleon frowned as he belatedly recalled that he had warned everyone not to go near the back garden because he wanted to have a good time with Elysia. ¡°I¡¯ll go get a knife.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go get it.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m faster. Just rest here.¡± Eleon kissed Elysia¡¯s cheek, waved his hand, and headed towards the mansion. ¡°Huhu. So cute.¡± It was good to see him having fun. She¡¯s happy to see Eleon smiling so happily. The feeling of loving someone was strange. She¡¯s more satisfied with giving than in receiving. Eleon looked like a desperate man wanting to do everything for Elysia. When she was ¡®Rona¡¯, she worried and took care of Eleon, but it wasn¡¯t just goodwill and good feelings. She was working for a paycheck, and that¡¯s why she was just working hard. ¡°You must have been very frustrated when you were blind.¡± Because she knew of his painful and difficult days, it was so precious to be able to see those sides of him now. ¡°Elysia is 20 years old, but it¡¯s a bit weird if I think he¡¯s cute, right?¡± From 27-year-old Won Yoon-Ji¡¯s point of view, it was a trap to see a 25-year-old Eleon. In a way, she felt the charm of both a younger man and an older man. Sometimes he was cute like a big puppy, and sometimes he was like a hungry wolf that would bite her at any moment. Elysia stomped on the ground but stopped shortly after. ¡°I should have gone with him.¡± She got bored in these few minutes while waiting for Eleon. She thought she knew his heart who kept asking on reading him a book after begging her to sleep with him. ¡°Then, should I go find him?¡± It was then that she got up from her chair to look for Eleon. ¡°Ugh.¡± A hand reaching out from behind covered her nose and mouth with a handkerchief. Oh, no. Her world shook in a blur. The lights of the firewood surrounding the nicely cooked meat, and the small glass lamps in the tent that Eleon had decorated for her scattered as she struggled around, but her vision soon dimmed. After a while, Eleon came back with a sharp knife. ¡°Elysia.¡± However, the figure of her that he expected to welcome him was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Where did she go? Did she go wash her hands?¡± Eleon¡¯s gaze went back and forth from the mansion to the meat so it wouldn¡¯t burn. But when she didn¡¯t come back after a while, the expression on his face gradually disappeared. ¡°Elysia!¡± Eleon¡¯s expression running towards the mansion calling her name was the face of a ferocious beast. * * * * * The sun began to set. A man¡¯s shadow appeared beside the winged lion-shaped statue that adorned the roof of the old Clevent Palace. Sonatek, a man in a black priest¡¯s suit and a white mask, looked down at Eleon, who was running towards the mansion while calling Elysia¡¯s name with a stern look. Under the expressionless mask, a joyful laugh came out. ¡°You are one step late. God¡¯s chess piece.¡± As Eleon ran, the assailants carrying the fainted Elysia in a black sack managed to climb the ridge that had neither a fence nor wall. Sonatek understood as he stood looking over all of this. Just as an ant crawling on the surface of an apple cannot know the shape of the whole apple, so Eleon will never know or understand the law of causality that drives him. ¡°Although Elysia¡¯s death is too late.¡± Sonatek felt like the superior and great transcendent of this world. And that feeling temporarily covered the nervousness of waiting for the ending to come back to reality. ¡°No matter how hard you look, you won¡¯t find her.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only He would hear the news of Elysia again in the obituary. T/N: obituary is a notice of a death, especially in a newspaper, typically including a brief biography of the deceased person. ¡°Accept your fate, Eleon. That¡¯s your mission and God¡¯s will.¡± Then Sonatek murmured grimly. ¡°This time, Won Yun-Ji. I must deal with her.¡± Chapter 56 susybunbun11-14 minutes 25.07.2022 Torches were lit in all directions in the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion which was engulfed in darkness. Eleon, who scanned the mansion thoroughly, unintentionally suppressed his rumbling inside. Elysia is gone. He waited for Elysia, who did not return for a long time. Something stimulated his sense when she didn¡¯t come back. When he ran towards the residence, he didn¡¯t really think that Elysia was missing. He just needed to know why Elysia wasn¡¯t coming, if she had crossed paths with him just to get a knife, then why was she stranded in the mansion. Elysia was helpless after leaving the duke¡¯s residence. Eleon wanted her to stay with him at will until she became his bride. The reason he willingly gave her the Grand Duchess¡¯ room was because he was very confident in his future with Elysia. ¡°Why¡­¡­.¡± There was no reason for Elysia to hide in the Grand Duchy. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Looking at the ill-tempered Eleon, the butler nervously approached him. ¡°She¡¯s not even in the warehouse.¡± He searched with all his heart for all the places where she could be. And yet she was nowhere to be found. ¡°Search the hill behind.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness¡± ¡°Hurry up before we lose her on the way up the hill.¡± It was a daunting task to search the hill in the dark. But it wasn¡¯t until he knew for a fact that she wasn¡¯t in the residence that he thought he should have looked up at the hill earlier. The hill behind the mansion was small and nice to look at, but it wasn¡¯t that great. It was a natural fortress that blocked the rear of the residence. It¡¯s easy to fall down a 2-3 meters cliff that was hard to see due to the pile of fallen leaves. ¡°Sigh. Elysia. Where did you go without saying a word?¡± Eleon let out a long sigh of frustration. It never occurred to him that she would have left of her own volition. ¡¸¡°Don¡¯t run away. Elysia.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°I¡¯m not running away.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Then you will be loved more than Rona. She has a history of running away.¡±¡¹ She clearly promised him. ¡¸¡°That¡­¡­At that time, when I went out, the Hadunsha¡¯s priests took me away.¡¹ ¡¸¡°It¡¯s the same. You disappeared without a word.¡¹ ¡¸¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±¡¹ At that time, Elysia¡¯s apologetic eyes were sincere. She was at a loss for hurting him. ¡¸¡°It¡¯s okay. Because I knew I would find you.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°It won¡¯t happen again..¡±¡¹ He thought she had made up her mind. The first time Elysia disappeared was because she found her family after losing her memory. Due to her noble status, the Duchess, concerned about a scandal, prevented Elysia from returning even for a moment to the place where she did chores. Then what¡¯s the reason now? Elysia had already permitted him to touch her body. To a woman who has grown up to be virtuous, there is no sign of an oath more sure than that. It was unusual for a person to leave a lover in this way. She had no reason to leave, and the way she disappeared was wrong. Eleon doesn¡¯t want to admit it, but he was worried that something had happened to Elysia, so his nerves were taut and the back of his head ache. Finally, he slowly looked around the tent where he had last seen Elysia and saw something he hadn¡¯t noticed earlier. ¡°The branches are broken.¡± When he looked down, he saw several crushed spots as if dry leaves had been stepped on. ¡°Two or three?¡± It was only now that he could see the footprints of the three men approaching a place where there was no path. He felt his blood run cold. ¡°Your Highness.¡± One of the guards, who had climbed the hill first, ran toward him. ¡°I¡­I found this.¡± As soon as Eleon saw his trembling hand, his expression turned cold. It was a familiar women¡¯s shoe. It was a comfortable piece of black leather, soft and durable. The new shoes that matched the dress weren¡¯t suitable for today¡¯s excursion into the woods, so he deliberately chose flat, comfortable shoes for her to wear. That¡¯s right. Elysia wouldn¡¯t abandon me. With relief, the questions of who kidnapped her and why came to mind. And the anguish and indignation that a woman kidnapped without consent could suffer arose. ¡°Who dares do such a thing on my property.¡± It was impossible. Perhaps the Duke of Yuter did not. The Duchess, who went home crying, wouldn¡¯t have forced her to go home so harshly. Should I inform them that Elysia has disappeared? Leaving her daughter behind in the Grand Duchy meant that Eleon was implicitly obligated to ensure Elysia¡¯s safety. However, Elysia¡¯s absence was a very serious matter. Perhaps¡­¡­ Could it have something to do with what¡¯s been bothering me lately? It was very strange that the Duchess was opposed to marriage between him and her daughter. Eleon didn¡¯t really care much for the reason. Rumors spread in the capital that he was blind and that he was living a miserable life as a beast. And it wasn¡¯t long before his sight was restored. Elysia also had a memory loss, and from her parents¡¯ point of view, it was only a few days after they recovered their missing daughter that they thought it was all sudden. He was in a state of anxiety and emptiness when Elysia, who had been by his side every day for more than half a year, left. There was no way the marriage wouldn¡¯t have taken place in the end if Eleon had been patient. But what if that¡¯s not the case? What if the Duke was hiding something from me? Is there any other reason to oppose the marriage? If that¡¯s why Elysia was dragged away by someone like this¡­¡­. In Eleon¡¯s hand, the small shoe creaked and crumpled. ¡°I¡¯m going to the Duke of Yuter¡¯s residence. Prepare my horse.¡± His hasty steps were unstoppable. * * * * * Mariela sat absentmindedly in her room. Seeing her like this, Gillian calmed the sad expression on her face and put his arms around her shoulders. ¡°My dear. Don¡¯t blame yourself too much.¡± ¡°I think I did something wrong.¡± Tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°I think I was wrong from the start.¡± ¡°My dear.¡± Gillian put his arms around Mariela and hugged her. ¡°You did what you could. Still, it¡¯s our duty if the outcome is like this.¡± ¡°What kind of absurd duty is that just to sit back and watch our daughter go the wrong way?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My mistake.¡± Gillian sighed and comforted his wife, who is as sensitive as a wounded cat. ¡°I don¡¯t know what else to do.¡± In the meantime, she has been working hard to get Elysia out of the novel¡¯s original plot. Elysia spent time as a priestess in Hadunsha, trying to disguise her death at the right time. After missing the opportunity that she had barely taken advantage of, she became frustrated, and it seemed that Mariela herself was going to die first instead of Elysia. ¡°Isn¡¯t it better that she formally marry the Grand Duke Clevent?¡± ¡°That¡­ ¡­ That¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°Because of the prophecy?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Yes.¡± Gillian looked sadly at his wife¡¯s shoulders, which seemed to have thinned with stress. ¡°Everything written in the Prophecy has come true. Exactly as written.¡± Mariela told Gillian a few things about the Empire. Everything she saw in the Prophecy actually happened, and Gillian believed in her and supported her so that she could find a way to get Elysia out together until now. That was a great help to Mariela. She felt that she was not alone. Mariela was no longer alone in this strange world and worried about her daughter. At least she had a loving husband by her side. However, she couldn¡¯t even tell Gillian that Eleon is the male lead. As for why that was impossible, it was because she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that it was somehow taboo. Even Gillian doesn¡¯t even know that this world is a ¡®book¡®. He simply knew that Mariela was from another world and that a ¡®prophecy¡® existed here. Because the Five Gods and Oder are known to have also come from another world, and it was within the scope that Gillian, who was born in the Empire, could understand. She only told him that so far. She couldn¡¯t confide in her husband more than and be understood. Mariela, who was sobbing and tired, muttered under her breath. ¡°I want to be alone.¡± ¡°I would like to have dinner together.¡± Gillian said cautiously. ¡°If you¡¯re still feeling bad, I will bring our daughter back. Okay? Mariela.¡± She reluctantly agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll have dinner.¡± ¡°Okay. I will tell them to prepare something easy to digest.¡± Gillian disappeared from the room only after hearing a positive response from Mariela¡¯s mouth. ¡°Sigh.¡± Everything was a mess. However, it wasn¡¯t Gillian¡¯s fault. It could never be his fault. Nevertheless, he comforts her and stays by her side without complaining, even if Mariela is sensitive. Perhaps he is a man who has nothing but ¡®the sin of loving Mariela¡®. Mariela made her way to a cozy study area connected to her room. It was a place that Gillian, who loves books and research, painstakingly crafted for her. After closing the door and drawing the curtains, she touched the secret space under the study desk. She took out a thick notebook from inside. {The Flower of the Blind Beast}. She wrote it so as not to forget what she had read every time she visited Hadunsha. She also wrote down the remaining memories in her head. But everything became useless. ¡¸¡°Mariela. You¡¯re acting very strange..¡±¡¹ Mariela reflected on what her daughter had said. ¡¸¡°You were also trying to change the original novel. You tried to make Elysia look like dead and make her flee abroad.¡±¡¹ Elysia denounced her when her words and actions contradicted each other, as she said she couldn¡¯t change the plot when she tries to do so as well ¡¸¡°Your words and actions contradict each other. It doesn¡¯t add up.¡±¡¹ What could have been the problem? ¡¸¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if I don¡¯t get an answer. I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not your daughter.¡±¡¹ Mariela looked at the thick notebook. She looked at it for so long. Then, when she flipped the hand-stained cover over, she saw a child¡¯s drawing that she used as a bookmark. It was a drawing that Elysia made when she was young. ¡¸¡°Mom! Look at this!¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Oh my, you drew it so well. Is this my little girl?¡±¡¹ Perhaps she answered incorrectly, but there was a wrinkle on the bridge of Elysia¡¯s nose. ¡¸¡°It¡¯s mom! My mom is the most beautiful lady in the world. I also draw a crown on your head!¡±¡¹ Mariela murmured as she touched the crown drawn on the drawing her daughter had left her. ¡°It was so hard that I wished it wasn¡¯t my daughter.¡± It was for Elysia¡¯s sake. Was it all my greed to save my daughter? She didn¡¯t know what her daughter had in mind. She blamed the few days she was able to meet Elysia, whom she entrusted to the temple. But she feared that knowing her daughter¡¯s inner feelings would become a variable that could affect saving her life. She wanted to save her daughter, but she didn¡¯t want to know her heart. That¡¯s why Mariela felt distressed because it seemed that way. Then she heard a commotion outside the closed door. Mariela quickly put the notebook back in the secret place and wiped away her tears as she heard people scream. When she got back to her bedroom, someone slammed the door open. ¡°Ple¡­please calm down. If you want to see the Duchess, I will guide you to the drawing-room¡­¡­.¡± It was Eleon. The culprit of this commotion. The man who stole her daughter¡¯s heart. Seeing him suddenly barging in like a thug, Mariela inadvertently clenched her fists. However, the words that came out of Eleon¡¯s mouth caused her to lose all her strength. ¡°Elysia is gone.¡± Chapter 57 Mariela was stunned and stared at Eleon who was approaching her. ¡°Elysia is gone.¡± She was lost in thought as soon as she heard what Eleon said. ¡°She¡¯s gone? What does that mean?¡± ¡°She suddenly disappeared. In just a moment.¡± Mariela was about to faint. Eleon was the greatest swordmaster in the Empire. She believed that if her daughter stayed by his side, nothing would happen to her. But Elysia disappeared. ¡°Elysia¡­¡­.¡± Eleon was about to say something. Tap tap tap They turned their heads towards the window sound and saw a pigeon sitting there. It was a carrier pigeon. Not knowing what to do, Mariela ran as fast as she could, opened the window, and read the note tied to the bird¡¯s leg. [Elysia. Kidnapped. Crystal Palace.] Sabiel, that wretched prince took my daughter. ¡°¡­¡­ Crystal Palace.¡± Eleon, who understood her voice muttering softly like a ghost, questioned her. ¡°Crystal Palace? Is Elysia there now? Sabiel¡­ ¡­ why he¡­¡­.¡± Mariela shook her head. ¡°I cannot tell you, Grand Duke. But¡­¡­.¡± Mariela was fiercely conflicted. Elysia needed to avoid Eleon. But isn¡¯t it said that a cornered mouse bites even the cat? Mariela was at a dead end and had to do something for Elysia to survive. Will it be okay if I tell him? Can I tell Eleon the secret that I couldn¡¯t even tell my husband? Can he solve it just because I said so? All she wants is for Elysia to escape the death flag of the original plot, and until now it seemed impossible to achieve that wish. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± Mariela put her trembling hands together. She was afraid of what she would do from now on, and a vague fear arose from breaking the taboo. ¡°I¡¯m from a different world. And in the world I live in, there was a certain book.¡± ¡°A book?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a book about your life, and Eleon Clevent is the main character.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What does that mean?¡± The Grand Duke, who inherited the superior blood of Oder, had an expression that he did not understand at all. ¡°The priests of Hadunsha are all transmigrators. Just like the Five Gods and Oder. Everyone is waiting for the day to see the end of the story and return to their original world.¡± Mariela tried to speak calmly. ¡°You are the protagonist of this world. So they want you to live your life the way it¡¯s written. That way we can go back to our original world.¡± Eleon frowned. He will neither understand nor accept it. However, she wanted to succeed no matter what, so she couldn¡¯t let go of it easily, even if she wasn¡¯t expecting much. Mariela felt uneasy about Elysia¡¯s situation and focused only on how to save her daughter right away. ¡°In that book, Elysia¡­¡­ was going to die with the Crown Prince¡¯s child.¡± For a moment, it felt as if a cold wind had left Eleon¡¯s body and brushed against her cheeks. Mariela blinke in surprise. ¡°So, the Duchess means that Elysia is going to die soon, and my life will go on as if it was determined in the Prophecy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then Elysia and I ¡­¡­.¡± Mariela nodded. ¡°A different fate awaits you. And it¡¯s not Elysia.¡± Eleon, who had been frozen with an icy expression on his face, barely opened his mouth. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense. Do you think I would believe that?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t believe it? Elysia is going to die tonight.¡± Eleon was silent for a moment. ¡°Please save my daughter. Elysia¡­ ¡­ help me please.¡± Mariela pleaded with tears in her eyes. ¡°Where is Elysia?¡± * * * * * Darkness evokes dark memories. In the pitch black darkness, Elysia was beaten all over her body, gagged to prevent her from biting her tongue. Pitter-patter. Thump. Thump. Thump. Bang. Thump. Thump. Rattle. Thump. Thud. The sound was loud and inconsistent. Crouching in the narrow place, her head, shoulders, and body sank into a mess as if they were about to be crushed. I¡¯d rather pass out. Then it wouldn¡¯t be so painful. ¡¸¡°Uh¡­ ¡­ uh¡­ ¡­ Ah!¡±¡¹ Elysia wept bitterly. On her way to Grerosa, the road was a rocky mountain. Along the way, she mounted a small mare and slowly climbed up. Six years have passed since she became an official priest. Elysia felt like an outsider among those waiting for the end of the story and the day they would return to their original world. The transmigrators disguised themselves as priests of Hadunsha and sincerely preached that ¡®the future is set¡¯. It was a missionary message in which their true intention to return to the original world was hidden. The long training as a priest had worn her mind a bit. She didn¡¯t know if it was because she had to preach the doctrine she couldn¡¯t wholeheartedly accept, or because she was simply tired of fighting to escape the original plot. Grerosa was a quiet, contemplative place. Elysia was looking forward to going there and considered it an escape. Because sometimes she didn¡¯t even want to see her mom Mariela. She was thinking about the worries of the people she had left behind at the foot of the far mountain. ¡¸¡°Argh!¡±¡¹ Then a scream was heard from the rear of the line. ¡¸¡°What¡¯s the ruckus?¡±¡¹ The escorts, who were at the forefront, saw the rear guard under attack and quickly turned their horses around and ran back. And they would not even have thought that it was a trap for annihilation. Another group rushed towards the empty front. And a group of priests without weapons or armor were slaughtered in an instant by the swords they wielded. ¡¸¡°La..Lady Elysia. My soul¡­¡­.¡±¡¹ They were true servants of God. At the moment when they all die, the famous High Priest candidate Elysia prayed for their souls to go to the side of the Five Gods and Oder. Amid their despair, the fake priests seemed to really believe in the doctrine they had been forced to memorize. However, Elysia was trembling from the shocking sight. That¡¯s when the question arose. Why didn¡¯t they kill me? One after another, the younger priests, brothers, and sisters, with whom she had grown up together in the temple for a long time, fell, and no one pointed a sword at her until their robes were stained with blood. Shortly after everyone in her group died, those who approached her tightly gagged her mouth to prevent Elysia from biting her tongue. Then they put her in a large barrel. No way¡­¡­. She thought it was absurd, but after a while, they closed the lid tightly and pushed the barrel over the cliff. ¡¸¡°Ugh!¡±¡¹ With her mouth covered, Elysia screamed madly from the sensation of floating in the air. The canyon current was swift and fierce. Every time the barrel got hit and scratched here and there, Elysia wished the barrel would break like that. So she would rather sharp rocks and deep water takes her life. May I not be the only survivor in the face of the death of my brothers and sisters. ¡¸Oh! Ugh!¡¹ Elysia couldn¡¯t understand what had happened to her. She wonders why something like this has happened. She was going crazy. But there was something else that was more terrifying. When Elysia woke up, she was on the deck of a large ship. The crew pulled Elysia out of the barrel. ¡¸¡°Thank..thank you.¡±¡¹ Elysia, who had fainted and come to her senses, felt alive when she was given a bowl of water and drank it. But soon she was taken to the prison below the deck. She had been locked up there for three days when she breathed fresh air again. ¡°It would have been nice if the price hadn¡¯t been so expensive. Because of you, twenty-three promising young priests have lost their lives. Elysia.¡± She faced the wicked Crown Prince. The imperial scum, who had been obsessing over her as he haunted the prayer meetings in the temple, approached with a bright smile on his face. ¡¸¡°You crazy bastard!¡±¡¹ He looked more excited when Elysia cursed. ¡¸¡°It would be nice if you stayed still obediently.¡±¡¹ Then Mariela¡¯s words came to mind. ¡¸¡°This is nothing, should I tear your clothes up?¡±¡¹ Elysia¡¯s destined fate is ruined by Sabiel. I hate this. She refused such a fate. Thud Sabiel briefly released her wrists to strip her naked when she suddenly stabbed him with the short dagger she concealed. ¡¸¡°Ah¡­ ah.¡±¡¹ Tears welled up in her eyes. Could fate be so unavoidable? No matter how much I run away, fate wraps around my ankles like a shadow in the dark. I wanted to give up everything¡­¡­. * * * * * ¡°Ugh! Ugh!¡± Elysia finally came to her senses. She fell asleep, drugged, and when she woke up she was in an unknown place. Luxurious furnishings and unrivaled luxury. There were so many precious objects that she had never seen either in her own house or in Grand Duke Clevent¡¯s residence. What¡­ is this place¡­ And those precious and splendid things could be seen through the iron bars. Elysia staggered to her feet and shook the iron bars with both hands. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± The iron bars didn¡¯t even move with her force, so there wasn¡¯t even a rattling sound. She couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± A creepy voice came from a dark corner. CLOMP CLOMP Hearing footsteps approaching her, Elysia let go of the iron bars and walked away. ¡°The Crown Prince¡­¡­ Your Highness.¡± Sabiel put down the candle he was holding. A huge golden cage shone brightly. ¡°If it is you, I will allow you to call me by my name. You can call me Sabiel.¡± A wicked and despicable face overlapped with the horrible scene she saw in the dream she had recently. No way. What really happened to Elysia was¡­¡­. Before she could think about it¡­. CLANK Sabiel unlocked the caged door with a key and entered. ¡°You don¡¯t know how much I was looking forward to today.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± With an ominous premonition, Elysia barely asked, trembling. Even so, Sabiel slipped the key through a crack in the cage and locked the cage. Her eyes were on the golden key that he repeatedly tossed into the air. I have to take that key to get out of here. Sabiel threw it through the iron bars when he read her mind. Elysia paled as the key flew away from the cage. She is trapped. She and Sabiel are locked in this narrow cage. Elysia instinctively avoided him. ¡°What.. what are you going to do?¡± ¡°I think you know exactly what I¡¯m going to do.¡± Sabiel walked over to her, unbuttoning his shirt. ¡°Elysia!¡± ¡°Go..go away.¡± She was so scared that her voice didn¡¯t come out properly. Elysia¡¯s memories, Elysia¡¯s trauma. What she saw in the dream was not a dream. They were the memories that the owner of the body had gone through, and they were buried in her unconscious mind. Elysia wanted to run away, but her terrified body couldn¡¯t move. It¡¯s happening for the second time. She tried to avoid it, but she had to face this incident again. ¡°No¡­¡­.¡± Sabiel laughed at Elysia, pulled a small bag from his pocket, and tossed it onto the candle that illuminated the golden cage. Blazing fire A smoky smoke spread from the flame that turned into a bizarre green light. ¡°Cough.¡± Elysia tried to stay as far away as possible to avoid the approaching Sabiel, but she ended up inhaling the smoke. What¡¯s this? As she inhaled, her vision blurred, and her body slowly lost strength. Elysia, struggling to avoid Sabiel, leaned against the iron bars and collapsed. Sabiel slowly raised her chin. ¡°There are so many things that I have prepared this time. I can¡¯t lose my prey again.¡± Tears fell down Elysia¡¯s cheeks. ¡°No..no.¡± It was then. CLANG THUD A thin light seemed to pass by at an oblique angle, and the top part of the cage sheared off to one side and fell. It was an unrealistic sight. Thump Sabiel, who had just touched her, flew over the truncated cage with a loud sound. And then a large black shadow fell on her. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, say it out loud.¡± Chapter 58 ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, say it out loud.¡± Elysia barely turned her head at the sound of Eleon¡¯s voice. ¡°Eleon.¡± Standing in the gloomy darkness, he was the first she saw. Wearing thin and light armor on his shoulders and chest, and holding a sword in his hand, Eleon looked like a giant from below. ¡°How¡­how did you get here¡­¡­.¡± Instead of answering, he strapped the sheath around his waist and walked over to her. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Eleon held out his hand, but as if she had been beaten when she was kidnapped, her body ached as if her joints would give out every time she moved. Besides, she was dizzy from the smoke she had inhaled a while ago. When Elysia couldn¡¯t get up, Eleon sighed briefly and hugged her gently. His arms smelled familiar. ¡°Sob. Eleon.¡± The unrealistic sentiment brought Elysia to tears. ¡°You got hurt?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Are you sick?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± Eleon picked her up carefully. As if he knew every nook and cranny of the palace, he quickly escaped the surveillance net and exited the palace through a narrow passage whose purpose was unknown. The familiar forest in front of the northern wall of the Imperial Palace and Hadunsha was visible. Eleon walked effortlessly through the dense, pathless forest. Then, shortly after, a horse appeared tied to a tree. ¡°Sigh.¡± Elysia was nervous and tried not to breathe in case she made a mistake, but finally she was able to breathe the air. How did Eleon get here? Elysia was kidnapped by Sabiel. Today was the beginning of her death as mentioned in the original plot. Elysia¡¯s last moments were about to begin. Am I seeing an illusion? The familiar feeling and scent of sandalwood were too vivid to think of it that way. Eleon with her in his arms flung himself over the big black horse. ¡°Sleep if you are tired.¡± She has never ridden a horse with such instability. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to fall.¡± ¡°That will not happen.¡± As Eleon took the reins, the horse began to run slowly. Her head banged against Eleon¡¯s hard chest each time she jerked up and down to the same sound as a horse¡¯s hooves. There¡¯s no way I can sleep. Despite that though, Elysia immediately fell asleep as if she had passed out. * * * * * There was a commotion at Count Harrington¡¯s manor house. Countess Harrington, who was usually elegant and noble, jumped up with a face red and pointed her finger at Karina. ¡°How could you, how could you do this?¡± ¡°Countess, please calm down.¡± Karina¡¯s maid, who was perplexed, did not know what to do with the enraged Countess Harrington. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Karina only lowered her head and sobbed like a criminal in front of her. ¡°I was happy to have you as my adopted daughter. I tried so hard to be nice to you. How can you tarnish your family¡¯s honor?¡± ¡°My lady. Please calm down.¡± When Countess Harrington looked at the maid, she suddenly slapped her face. Smack With a tremendous sound, the maid¡¯s face swelled red in an instant. ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°Countess. I am terribly sorry.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me when this young lady who doesn¡¯t know anything about the capital do something so serious!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Countess.¡± Tears also fell from the eyes of the maid, who repeatedly apologized due to the fierce criticism. ¡°Who is the father of the child?¡± The trouble began when the maid who took care of Karina informed the Countess that she was not in good health. This is because Karina, who looks young and healthy, missed her period, and left irregular blood stains on her bed sheets. She wondered if her lady¡¯s hard days had begun, so she fetched a hot water bag and changed the sheet on her bed to a darker color. It was very important and basic for a maid to check the health of her master. For every aristocratic family, it is very important to have a healthy heir. The maid informed the Countess without delay. But the Countess, who expected many courtship letters to arrive for her beautiful Karina, accompanied her to the doctor. Until that moment, everything was fine. However, no one expected the results of the examination. ¡°I can¡¯t believe a virgin is having a child.¡± The Countess muttered in exasperation and pounded her chest. ¡°I¡¯m going to cut my own throat.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Karina could only whimper and cry. ¡°Who is the father of the child? Speak. Then we can find a way.¡± Karina, who had been crying, moved her lips a little. ¡°His..His Highness the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°What?¡± The face of the Countess, who had been fanning her reddened face with her hands, lit up in an instant. ¡°I see. I believed you wouldn¡¯t be the kind of kid to run and cause an accident.¡± ¡°Sob.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? I must tell the Count immediately. Don¡¯t we have to see His Majesty right now?¡± ¡°Sob sob sob.¡± Karina cried even sadder, seeing the countess act as if she had grabbed a lifesaver with a hopeful expression. That lifesaver is rotten. After spending a night with Sabiel, his attitude changed as if it had never happened. Karina tried to meet Sabiel for a while, but after learning that he was deliberately avoiding her as if he was making fun of her, she immediately stopped visiting the Crystal Palace. All she believed in was herself. She herself firmly believed that destiny would lead her to happiness. It will continue to be as it has been up to now. ¡¸¡°I¡¯m fine. Lady Karina, your destiny will find its place.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°Oh, thank you. Thank you so much. I¡¯m glad to hear those words.¡±¡¹ ¡¸¡°You have nothing to thank me for. Your fate must have guided you here.¡±¡¹ How reassured she was to hear that from Rona, no, Elysia. She didn¡¯t care if she was the granddaughter of the old lady fortune teller or the priestess Elysia. The future Elysia ¡°knows¡± about her was more accurate than anything else. And Karina clearly felt the unknown and intense flow of fate. Eleon Clevent. There was something about that man. He gave Karina new hope and the strength to live. First love doesn¡¯t always come true. After a while, she forgot about her first love, Sabiel, and waited to have a relationship with Eleon. But contrary to her hopes, meeting Eleon was difficult for her. Eleon had already disappeared when she returned to the ballroom after seeing off Elysia, who said that she was going back because she wasn¡¯t feeling well at that moment. And after that, she sent letters expressing that she wanted to meet Eleon, but none of them received a reply. Also, after a while, she heard that Eleon visited the Duke of Yuter¡¯s manor every day to meet Elysia. ¡¸¡°I didn¡¯t know him at the time¡­¡­ I know who he is now. He is Grand Duke Clevent. The man who danced with you a while ago.¡±¡¹ How lucky Karina felt when she found out who he was and his name. ¡¸¡°It was as if time had stopped. It felt like we were the only two left in the world. I didn¡¯t know him, and we only met for a few minutes, and I had the feeling that destiny was whispering to me that he is my¡­¡­¡±¡¹ It would have been better if he was the one to dance with her for the first time in her debut. Missing a chance due to a fight with Sabiel, Karina looked at him dancing with Elysia throughout with regret. She took Sabiel¡¯s hand for her first dance. Furthermore, Elysia confirmed that she felt the same way. However, when rumors spread that Eleon was passionately courting Elysia, Karina, who was waiting for her destiny mate, felt like a fool. A heat spread through her body, and then suddenly her spine went cold. She was angry with Elysia, and when she thought of Eleon, she cried because she was sad that he didn¡¯t recognize her. Karine then felt resentful when she thought of Sabiel. She holds a grudge against him. In the end, the reason why she was so terrified and anxious was that the Crown Prince lured her. Sabiel. I¡¯m not going to forgive you. A deep resentment towards Sabiel settled in Karina¡¯s heart. However, with Elysia¡¯s help, she had some tea and talked to Eleon. Elysia had no feelings for Eleon. Moreover, for unknown reasons, the Duke wasn¡¯t fond of Eleon¡¯s visit. Marriage was an important milestone for both families. No matter how passionate one side is, it cannot be done unilaterally. Karina felt more and more relieved every time she arrived at Duke Yuter¡¯s manor. Rather, she was convinced that she would be able to win Eleon¡¯s heart, even if it took a while. It was at that time that she found out she was pregnant. When her healthy body skipped her period, she felt an uncomfortable throbbing sensation as if something was clumping in her belly. No way¡­ No way, this can¡¯t be happening.¡­. Although anxious, Karina could not secretly call a doctor. It was because the Countess had never given her an allowance. After some time passed, she was confronted by her personal maid. ¡°The child is the precious blood of the royal family. Why didn¡¯t you tell me before? I don¡¯t know either. Ho ho ho.¡± The Countess seemed relieved, but Karina was not. She wouldn¡¯t have been so miserable if Sabiel loved her. But he was a cold and cruel man. He was a capricious man who whispered words of love at night and dumped the woman the next day. Although Karina was naive, having grown up in the countryside, she knew that such a man was a bad man. She couldn¡¯t entrust her happiness and well-being to this man. ¡°Stop crying. It¡¯s not good for the baby.¡± Even the soft voice of the Countess seemed to drag Karina into the depths of the abyss. * * * * * Elysia barely came to her senses. After a few blinks, she saw the room she was lying in. The low ceiling and neat but simple furniture. She was in a strange place. Eleon brought me here. She had no idea if this place belonged to the Duke or Eleon. CLACK The door opened and Eleon entered. ¡°¡­¡­ Eleon.¡± Her throat was sore. Then, Eleon handed her a cup of warm milk. ¡°Thank you.¡± As the hot milk passed down her throat, the cold air that had gathered from inside her body seemed to melt. At the same time, her head ached and she felt like throwing up even the sip of milk she had just drank. ¡°Eleon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡­¡­ How did you get there?¡± Seeing him blow away Sabiel with his sword, even before she passed out, was the first thing that came to her mind, even after she had only just regained consciousness. ¡°Uh.¡± Eleon¡¯s expression seemed heavy and complicated. Elysia felt unknown anxiety. ¡°That¡­¡­ You¡¯d better talk to the Duchess.¡± ¡°My mother?¡± Before Eleon could answer, Mariela entered the room crying. ¡°Oh, Elysia.¡± Elysia couldn¡¯t understand. Eleon looked at the mother and daughter with an expressionless face, and then quickly walked away. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Sob sob.¡± Mariela burst into tears. The handkerchief she held was so soaked that it did no good to wipe away her tears. ¡°I¡­ I have something to tell.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Rather, she felt uncomfortable seeing Mariela and Eleon on the same side, after disagreeing when Elysia said that she would not return to the duke¡¯s residence and would stay by Eleon¡¯s side. ¡°Elysia.¡± Tears welled up at the corners of Mariela¡¯s eyes as she looked at her. ¡°I¡­¡­ I am Won Yoon-Ji.¡±