《The Man鈥檚 101st Bad Ending》 Chapter 1: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó I hated rainy days. Whenever I recalled the day I died, it was a day when the rain poured down as sorrowfully as could be. The sound of rain in that damp, humid, and suffocating space tended to stir up emotions I had forgotten. Listening to the raining from somewhere, I reflect on my situation.I tried but failed. The fact that I ultimately could not achieve the goals I set for myself does not change. How many times was it? I lower my head as I try to recall the number. I know well it¡¯s useless to count now. This life was a mess. How many times has it not been a mess? Suddenly, as I lean my hand against the wall, a cold chill assailed me. Caressing the stone floor that exhales all its winter chill upwards without concealing it, I soon realize I have lost feeling in my feet. Frostbite, I thought why didn¡¯t I get it, but it seems I already had it. Wincing from the stinging pain, I plopped down on the spot. It¡¯s been about a week since I was trapped in this cramped room, too small for even sitting and standing to befortable. Around this point, I gradually realized my fate. I thought maybe this time I would die here. With not a single window, it was quite difficult to keep track of time in this utterly dark room. If it weren¡¯t for the meal that came once a day, I wouldn¡¯t have known. Since the te came 6 times, it¡¯s been 6 days. If I get one more te, it will be exactly a week. Twisting my ufortable body this way and that, I let out a smallugh at the footsteps I eventually hear from above. ¡°You¡¯re finally here. I thought you were going to starve me for a day.¡± The creaking wooden nk sound stops for a moment. Having heard my voice, the two sets of footsteps gradually quicken until they reach right in front of me. ¡°How brazen of you. Or do you really not know the sin youmitted yourself?¡± A woman opened her mouth from the darkness. Even within the pitch-ck veil, her piercing blue eyes shone brilliantly with a sh, assailing my whole body like a winter gale. ¡°How about being grateful that I let you live for a whole week? Just facing a person like you is so repulsive, how grateful should you be for me being so generous?¡± An inexplicableugh escapes me at her look of utter disgust, as if viewing an insect. She really has never changed. No matter what I did, no matter how our rtionship changed. Her eyes always gave me that cold gaze when it came to the end. She tells me to be grateful that she didn¡¯t kill me right away, but that piercing look makes my shoulders flinch despite wanting to retort. ¡°¡­Your fianc¨¦e came to see you. Why don¡¯t you two exchange some greetings? It may be thest time, after all.¡± I still cannot see into that darkness. Only the other voice pouring towards me lets me know that the one standing before me was my former fianc¨¦e. ¡°Robert.¡± The sweet voice that once told me it loved me had transformed into a bleak tone thorned with malice. If asked where it all went wrong, it was probably due to my life of floundering in desperation to live. ¡°I regret every single day I spent with you.¡± It was a phrase I had heard dozens of times, so it no longer pained me. ¡°If only I could erase the memory of being with you. Do you know my life became a mess after meeting you¡­?¡± ¡°Well.¡± ¡°I melted down all the rings and nes you gave me. Why did youe to me, why did a person like youe to ruin me? Just why¡ª!¡± My heart had already frozen over, leaving no room for new wounds. I silently listened to her words, gazing at the small vial ced before me. Even in this darkness, the vial shone brilliantly. As if it were the antidote to end all this, the vial emanated a palpable presence that gradually put my mind at ease. Poison this time, huh? It would be better if it just killed me instantly, As I raised my head, my gaze met the cold stare of the Duke who held my sobbing fianc¨¦e. Seeing the look of hatred and loathing towards me, I slowly picked up the vial. ¡°This, will I die immediately if I drink it?¡± ¡°¡­So you know what it is. It¡¯s a pity to waste such precious poison on a vile being like you, but I hope you can at least atone through death.¡± Seeing he doesn¡¯t hide it, the Duke must be well aware of this too. He may be my father, but why would he care about a troublemaker like me? As I opened the vial¡¯s lid, a fragrant almond scent wafted out. I had experienced this before. Last time I took the antidote and didn¡¯t die, but this time my life will end by the poison. Am I relieved? No, how could I be. But now it¡¯s all pointless. Even if I try to go on living now, I¡¯ve realized my destined end is this wretched death. 100 times ¨C the number of times I¡¯ve died, the number of times I struggled to live. Feeling the drug coursing down my throat, I close my eyes. A warmth spreads through my chest. My heartbeat quickens, and I sense my circting blood advancing towards death. A searing sensation coils beneath my neck, and I cough it up. The substance on my hand is a viscous, sticky liquid. It was easy to recognize as blood. I suppose I¡¯ll die. Perhaps my body had already copsed, lying on the cold ground as death approached. The chilly, frosty sensation dulls my senses. And rather amusingly, the Reaper¡¯s voice that alwayses when facing death¡­had such a melodious tone. [You have met the 100th Bad Ending.] [What you wish for is improving all rtionships, and a life without a single regret.] [Before starting the 101st loop, I will ask you.] [Do you truly still wish for the same thing?] This Reaper who finds me before death has been quite kind to me. It rewinds time for me until I achieve what I so desperately desired. Even if my life was tainted by sin, after dying once, time would always revert to a point before I hadmitted any sin. Listening to that voice, I ponder. Do I want to live? Can I endure dozens more deaths, those cruel and ruthless gazes towards me? Am I prepared for that now? I¡¯m sick of it. I can¡¯t take it anymore. No matter what I do, to them, my existence will be lower than an insect. So what is the point of experiencing countless more lifetimes? Before starting the 101st life, the only request I made in my fading consciousness was for this tedious reincarnation to end. That the next thing toe would be eternal rest. [The 101st loop will begin.] That crisp voice in my ear felt crueler than any demon¡¯s. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 2: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Everything stemmed from a relic I had picked up. A jewel that was said to grant any wish ¨C who knew it would lead to such a dreadful life? I had merely wanted to undo one twist of fate. The rtionships, friends, and loved ones I had ruined with my own hands.But reality was not so kind. Those who treated me coldly remained the same, and I did not have many opportunities to atone for my misdeeds. I failed and died. I pushed too hard and died. Despite the relic¡¯s immense power that kept rewinding time, there was no hope in that endless cycle. When I first died, I thought acting differently from then on would change things. I believed if I showed remorse and repentance for my actions, things would return to normal and the people I loved would ept me again. Through the second, third, and dozens of deaths, my mind gradually became dpidated. At times, I tried to be a courteous gentleman and an expert in human rtions. I even became a master at seducing women, my name bing a symbol of a phnderer, once even sessfully luring a princess to be mine. But in the cycle where I went mad and killed everyone with my own hands, that princess beheaded me. In the end, each life culminated in a wretched demise, never changing. It was as if the world whispered to me that my destiny was only ruination, urging me to give up. So I gave up. After 100 deaths, I finally aimed for eternal rest¡­ ¡®How relieving.¡¯ The familiar ceiling, whose every pattern I remembered from seeing it over 100 times, came into view. I had seen this situation so many times that it was ingrained in me like a picture ¨C the clothes I was wearing, the bed I was lying on, and soon the servant who woulde to check if I had woken up. Remembering these endlessly repeating routines is agonizing. Especially knowing that no matter how humbly I acted, I would invariably die a miserable death. In any case, now that I had returned here, it was time to decide how to act. How should I act this time? Until now, I had acted to ¡®survive¡¯ ¨C or rather, to live together with everyone but myself. I endured insults for any possibility, even kneeling and begging at times. There were quite a few instances where I acted overly cautious to eliminate variables. Of course, after dying a few times, such obsessions faded. But looking back now, it was all pointless. Yet I no longer needed to live like that. It would be better to achieve my goal and then die, if possible. Giving up entirely and living solely for pleasure didn¡¯t seem so bad either. Though I had already tried that in one loop, so I wasn¡¯t particrly interested in it anymore. ¡°I suppose living by doing what I want isn¡¯t so bad.¡± There wasn¡¯t much I wanted to do, but I had wished to see the southern sea at least once. Being close to the north and spanning the central regions, there weren¡¯t many chances to see the ocean here. Seeing the sea and repaying a debt to a woman I had greatly benefited from in one life seemed fine. She wouldn¡¯t remember, but in what was likely my best life, I had greatly benefited from her kindness. My goal was the most perfect death. If the voice I remembered from thest loop was right¡­ This would likely be my final death. Knock knock ¨C As I was organizing my thoughts, there were a few knocks before the door swung open. The one who entered was an elderly servant. His name was Renold, I think. As I stared at him intently, a calm voice flowed from his mouth. ¡°You¡¯ve awoken¡­I thought you would sleep inte again today. I was soon ordered to have you-¡± ¡°Listen here, servant.¡± I was used to the servants acting this way towards me. My standing in the Taylor household was truly abysmal ¨C so pathetic that even a servant could dismiss me if he wished. But that didn¡¯t mean he should actually disrespect me. When I cut him off, the servant looked at me with seemingly flustered, wide eyes. As I always thought, I needed to fix this servant¡¯s habit. Previously I had let it go in my desperation to survive, but now there was no need for that. ¡°What is my name?¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself. I asked what my name is.¡± ¡°Robert Taylor, sir.¡± The servant slowly answered in a subdued voice. Right, my name is Robert Taylor. No matter how much of a scoundrel I¡¯m called, no matter how wretched my end, this household is not so lowly that a mere servant can disrespect me. ¡°And yet you seem to treat me as an equal. Was knocking too much trouble? If so, we might as well remove the door altogether. I¡¯m quite curious what nation determined it proper etiquette to barge in immediately after knocking.¡± It¡¯s not for a good-for-nothing, problem child like me who has disgraced the family¡¯s dignity enough to be executed two or three times to say, but the name Taylor has proven quite effective at subjugating others. The servant¡¯s body flinched at my sharp gaze. Yet his voice wasposed, even startlingly so to my ears. ¡°If word got out that a mere servant entered his master¡¯s quarters at his own discretion, what would be of the Taylor dignity? And who would take responsibility for that fallen dignity? You intend to take responsibility?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I -¡± ¡°Then correct yourself. If you make another mistake like this, I will report directly to Father.¡± The ashen-faced servant repeatedly bowed before promising in a far more courteous manner to bring my meal. As he scurried away with his tail between his legs, a thin smile unknowingly formed on my lips. ¡°¡­This is better, after all.¡± Keeping servants in line was the more convenient approach ¨C a lesson learned through several reincarnations. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó It seemed the rumor that I had harshly reprimanded a servant had already spread, as the stares piercing me on my way to dine were rather noisy. Their tant gossiping was almostughable. Just how meek did they think I was to act that way? Yet I no longer intended to let them look down on me. I had nothing to fear, so why should I hesitate? There was no need for me to struggle to live any longer. If someone tried to kill me, I would even be grateful. For me, who had no goals or ambitions left, wasn¡¯t life that worthless? ¡°You must have just made this.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. After your orders earlier, I instructed the kitchen staff to make everything anew.¡± It seemed the earlier incident had made Renold regain his senses, as his demeanor towards me was quite admirable. No, this was only natural. That I had lived so futilely was proof enough. Speaking of which, I hadn¡¯t ordered them to remake the food, so would they have served me cold leftovers? I already knew the answer, of course. The food I would have eaten would likely be frigid, inedible chunks of meat. But this time, the steak sliced through with remarkable ease. As I savored the food with a satisfied expression, I sensed Renold furtively watching me. ¡­What was he doing to spoil my appetite? I set down my fork and gave him a sidelong nce, prompting him to open his mouth as if he had been waiting. ¡°The Lady Yuria is on her way. How would you like to¡­proceed?¡± ¡°Well.¡± My elder sister and the one who would inherit our household from Father. In my past life, she was the one who gave me the poison, for which I was rather grateful. As far as I could recall, it was one of the least painful ways I had died. But would I even be able to properly swallow my meal if I saw her face in the middle of eating? Just as I was about to say I would see her afterward, the door once again swung open as Yuria strode briskly inside. It seems the people of this household have a habit of entering without permission. More urately, it was probably because they looked down on me. As I scrunched my face slightly, a chilling voice pierced my ears. ¡°Yourplexion looks good after that stunt yesterday. Have you stopped feeling any remorse at all?¡± ¡°¡­What did I do yesterday?¡± The ¡®act¡¯ from yesterday was vivid in my mind, but I pretended ignorance. In the end, my countless reincarnations had rendered such things meaningless. Nothing would change in the future whether I knew or not. Feigning a confused expression as I asked back, Yuria gave me an incredulous look. It might have been the first time she saw such an expression from me. Perhaps it was the first time I hadn¡¯t apologized, which was likely unfamiliar to her. My life had always involved apologizing for actions I didn¡¯t even remember and taking responsibility for things I didn¡¯t need to. But I no longer intended to live like that. Clunking her footsteps as she brushed past the servant to stand before me, Yuria¡¯s gaze was rather fierce. Her blue-tinged eyes always seemed to hold disdain and loathing on the verge of spilling out, so I could never easily meet Yuria¡¯s eyes. Of course, that was in the past. Though I had lived like a scoundrel, my current self hadmitted no major sins. Just minor transgressions deserving of a scolding at most ¨C too trifling to even call them sins. Thus, my demeanor was confident. Knife still in hand from cutting my steak, I met the eyes of Yuria standing before me. ¡°Have you be so brazen that you can¡¯t even apologize now? Just how unsightly do you n to be, Robert Taylor?¡± ¡°I have no intention of bing unsightly. I merely judged it appropriate to offer my apologies directly to the Duke .¡± ¡°Ha, since when have you ced such importance on etiquette? If you considered it so crucial, then why have you not-¡± ¡°Since today.¡± I answered coldly yet calmly. I realized it was better to have no feelings towards Yuria at all. I felt neither pity nor hatred for her. Neither fear nor dislike ¨C just aplete absence of emotion. To me, Yuria Taylor was simply my elder sister and thedy of the estate. Nothing more, nothing less. There was no possibility or room for her to be anything else. For a moment, Yuria stared at me nkly. Her usually piercing gaze seemed to flicker for an instant before returning to its original light. ¡°I intend to do so.¡± ¡°¡­I will assume your senses have be addled from sleeping in sote. You insulted and reprimanded the very servant dedicated to assisting you ¨C the only one who diligently works for your sake.¡± Diligently, she said. I doubted whether a servant who barged into his master¡¯s room and served cold leftovers was truly diligent. Renold¡¯s shoulders flinched as our eyes met. So at least a shred of conscience remained. But I felt no amusement. It was clear Yuria had not a speck of interest in me as a person. However, this time I could not act as brazenly as before. If I brought up the servant here, I would lose the one pawn I could still exploit. Instead of venting her anger at me, she mightsh out at the servant and tell him to leave. Then she would likely assign one of her own people to monitor me. I had experienced that enough times. So instead of retorting as I gazed at Yuria¡¯s re, I courteously bowed my head to her. ¡°My apologies for causing a disturbance.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I should have been more mindful of my actions, but I made the mistake of causing an early morning disturbance. I hope you can generously understand.¡± There was no inflection in my voice. Even as I spoke the words, I knew theycked sincerity, but these were not meant to be heartfelt words regardless. I was merely bowing once, a wordless gesture to let it go. Why was I the one apologizing for reprimanding her servant? As she looked at me nkly, I turned my back on her, adding one more line: ¡°¡­My Lady.¡± In the past, I might have called her sister, a term of familiarity. But such closeness no longer suited us. Our rtionship had already be too twisted to unravel. Yuria did not stop me as I left the dining area, my food unfinished. She only watched me with unsteady eyes, as my steps carried not a shred of hesitation. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 3: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Yuria¡¯s gaze remained fixed on one spot ¨C the ce where her brother Robert had just apologized and left. Robert was truly a pitiful existence ¨C a feeble fool who only knew how to act under the household¡¯s prestige. Thus, she had thought he did not suit the family.Whenever she saw the coward who could not even meet her eyes, it only worsened her mood. ¡°My Lady.¡± She almost felt annoyed when he referred to her as ¡°sister¡± ¨C a term she did not want to hear. But Robert avoided that option. Only his eyescking any emotion caught her attention. The eyes that used to waver when looking at her were nowhere to be seen. That meek demeanor had vanished, even seeming to confront her instead. But she soon brushed off that notion. It didn¡¯t matter if he had changed. To Yuria, the name Robert held no meaning at all. This change would likely notst more than a few days either. Those eyes would surely revert to their pitiful gaze soon enough. Yuria turned her back and began walking in the opposite direction from where Robert had disappeared. Apanied by a subtle, strange feeling in her chest. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Basically, I was being treated quite severely during this period. The Taylor household, being of high prestige as Duke s, likely did not look too favorably upon their feeble son. As the only son, expectations were high, and having failed to meet them, I was naturally neglected. So I drank. Indulging in intoxicants, Father caught me in a dazed state and beat me. Even with my hazy memory, I clearly recalled being beaten ¨C perhaps bad memories stick out the most. I first attempted reincarnation right before my death. More precisely, it was just before my first death when I was to be executed on charges of treason. The relic in my pocket reacted then. Dazzling lights enveloped me, followed by a soft voice in my ear that I still cannot forget. [What is it you truly desire?] And then the words that a second loop would begin. At first I saw it as an opportunity, butter it felt like a personal hell only I experienced. Recalling most of my lives until I decided to try again, I was insane in the majority of them. Coming this far, I have no desire to restore any rtionships. There are those I would thank, but they would not even remember my gratitude. However, if there is one fervent wish I have, it is to bring about the downfall of the Crown Prince Kaitel by my own hands. Previously, out of trepidation, I could not act against him ¨C but Kaitel, the Crown Prince who framed me as a traitor, I definitely wanted revenge against him. He was the catalyst for these 100 deaths, was he not? Just counting the times I died branded as a traitor by Kaitel after that first death amounts to dozens. The reason I received poison in the previous loop was also due to usations of treason. Although I had rified that I was not a traitor, the troubled rtionships from obsessing over the treason charges led to my death. Guillotine, gallows, poison¡­I realized I had died in quite varied ways. And the cause of those deaths ¨C Crown Prince Kaitel. Killing Kaitel was not my original goal. I had believed that if I gained everyone¡¯s trust, I would not die. But as the loops repeated, I realized one thing: My death always involved Kaitel¡¯s interference, no matter what happened. Unless Imitted suicide, Kaitel¡¯s name would definitelye up, so I took notice of this strange fact and had been tracking it for nearly 10 loops now. I had reincarnated 100 times, and excluding the fruitless ones, I think I had lived properly around 40 times or so. The sheer number seemed excessive, but it made me newly aware of my disdain for those who never changed despite such efforts. What was the point of all that struggle? As much as I had risked my life over Kaitel¡¯s actions, I had sufficient evidence. All that remained was waiting for the right moment to strike. Though I could not yet prove my innocence of treason, I still had about 2 years left, which was plenty of time. I had gathered all the evidence to prove I was not a traitor from previous loops. All that was left was how to bring about Kaitel¡¯s downfall. ¡°¡­I should exclude borrowing the family¡¯s power.¡± When I was used, the Taylor household disowned me as a ck sheep. I wonder what they thought, seeing me being led to the gallows with a despondent expression. Perhaps they inwardly grieved, but after several reincarnations, I now know they felt a sense of relief instead. To them, I was merely a good-for-nothing disgrace. It was a fact I had vaguely known already. I had only denied it and tried other methods. I reincarnated repeatedly to be loved again, and to love ¨C for I believed that was the value of my life. If I believed in them, they would believe in me too. If I somehow reformed my actions, they would change their hearts as well. Most of my past reincarnations must have been lived with such thoughts. But it turned out to be meaningless. The me reflected in the mirror was smiling. But it was not a true smile ¨C a bitterness lingered in my mouth, slowly spreading across my tongue to the surroundings. I brushed back my neatly groomed gray hair. There was a time when this hair had turnedpletely white. My skin became so coarse it cracked, and there were times when the nails on these hands were all torn out. But now I was unscathed. Reincarnation left no physical marks, naturally. Yet my soul still remembered those scars, so glimpsing the mirror would asionally trigger hallucinations. It was the same when seeing others. Recalling the cruel words they had said, no matter how they smiled, I could only see them differently. ¡®How did I endure it?¡¯ Didn¡¯t it seem strange, even to myself? That I remained so intact after enduring those countless deaths? Perhaps it was quite a relief thinking this would be thest time I went through this. What I desired was no longer improving rtionships or anything of the sort. Eternal rest ¨C a death where I could close my eyes once and be buried in the ground, never to open them again. Then suddenly, the scenery beyond the window caught my eye. Outside was a bright, sunny day. Not a single cloud marred the vivid blue and lush greenery of summer. The shrill cries of grasshoppers brought a sense of tranquility. Perhaps this peacefulness would notst long, but feeling such trivial emotions might be a privilege unique to this moment. So I cleared my mind of stray thoughts. Casting aside pointless notions of revenge and the like, I slowly brushed my face. This was one of the few moments of respite I could feel when I had just reincarnated. Come to think of it, this might finally be when I truly die. From now on, I wanted to take in the sights I had missed while struggling to live. Knock knock ¨C ¡°It¡¯s Renold, my lord.¡± Though my thoughts were interrupted, which was vexing, Renold¡¯s demeanor was quite satisfactory. It seemed my words from earlier had effectively taken hold. Recalling the servant who now admirably did not barge in, I spoke: ¡°Enter.¡± Renold entered with great caution, eventually ncing at my emptied teacup before bowing his head. His manner might have even seemed a tad servile, but I thought he had taken to heart that he could be dismissed from here. If dismissed, Renold would likely have nowhere else to go. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The Duke previously sought you out, my lord. When do you intend to meet with him?¡± I turned to ask, and Renold answered with his head bowed. The Duke , meaning Father had summoned me ¨C fortunately, I remembered that matter. The treatment I received for forgetting and failing to address it was so poor that I could not forget it if I tried. I supposed I should go see him. But not right now. Coincidentally, today happened to be a day I would see a rather wee face. Recalling that made me think I knew why Renold hade to me. It seemed someone would be arriving here soon to meet me. ¡°It must be my fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°¡­Indeed.¡± Renold¡¯s eyes narrowed briefly as if startled, but he soon nodded in affirmation. When I said fianc¨¦e, it referred to one woman across all my lives ¨C Theresa Violet, the woman I had loved, and who had loved me in return. But at this point, our rtionship had already be strained long ago. A rumor had spread that I had embraced another woman despite having a fianc¨¦e, so my current situation was dealing with that gossip. I wondered who had started that rumor. Theresa was the one who consoled me in my confusion. Saying there was no way I could do such a thing, that it was merely a misunderstanding. But as the rumors gradually spread, the way she looked at me changed. The scornful, loathing gaze was from the one who had loved me. Questioning if it was really untrue, demanding I prove my sincerity if that was the case. But how could I prove such a thing? That was what I had thought back then. ¡°Then prepare some tea. No, there¡¯s no need to prepare tea. Don¡¯t make any preparations at all. When the timees, I¡¯ll go out and greet her directly.¡± A faint hint ofughter tinged my words. The startled Renold stared at me intently but, realizing I spoke sincerely, he carefully parted his lips. ¡°But if you do that¡­will you be alright?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯ll be fine. They likely don¡¯t expect suchvish treatment anyway.¡± I vividly remember the expression I made when I realized Theresa had approached me with designs on the Taylor wealth from the start. The feeling of being betrayed is truly wretched. Realizing that the feelings I had harbored were one-sided, that they too were an illusion. It was enough to drive one mad. ¡°Very well, I shall do as you say. She should be arriving soon.¡± Renold seemed troubled by my intentions, no doubt thinking the affluent Violet household would take offense at such treatment. I too felt trepidation, but it was not unease. It was more akin to exhration at finally being able to voice words I had never uttered before. The Violet household was likely behind spreading the rumor that I had met another woman, and Theresa knew this yet said nothing to me. Naturally, I could no longer harbor any warm feelings. Eventually, when Renold had left, I let out a softugh as I gazed at the empty space. ¡°I wonder.¡± The reason Theresa came to see me today was to get my approval for the annulment. However, up until then, I had been clinging to Theresa for the slightest glimmer of hope. Because if I lost her, I might die. Even if she was using me, I acted that way to stay alive. But I had long known it was useless. I was just holding on in case, on the slim chance. ¡°I wonder what expression she¡¯ll make if I propose the annulment first.¡± The feeling of severing past ties one by one was more thrilling than anything else. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Theresa first got to know a man named Robert at a dance party. Unusually frail for someone from the prestigious Taylor family. Despite his tall stature, his pale skin made him look unbearably delicate. Indeed, his personalitycked boldness too, so Theresa eventually hatched a n to use him. She would have an engagement ceremony, anticipating he would fall for her, then spread a scandal. In that situation, if she alone understood Robert, he would likely depend on the only one who understood him. When his feelings reached their peak, wouldn¡¯t that be the best time to let him drop? Today was the day she would put that n into motion. Just days ago when she received his letter, how sheughed. Demanding jewelry and gems to prove his love for her. Foolishly working hard to send them allowed the Violet family to amass considerable wealth. Likely today too. Even if she demands an annulment, this pathetic man will offer her his fortune. But the moment Theresa entered the Taylor estate gates, her expression froze. ¡°Pleasee in.¡± Normally, multiple guards should have weed her. Yet the empty entrance held only one person ¨C the man she meant to meet today. The same man she had just mocked as pathetic. Theresa caught her breath, meaning to say something to that greeting. The moment their eyes met, a chill ran down her spine, making her body tremble. ¡°¡­Why such an expression, Theresa?¡± Though it was a soft, smiling expression, to Theresa it didn¡¯t look like a smile. Rather, it seemed like a snake finally revealing its true form, ready to devour her. ¡°On this wonderful day.¡± Robert let out a smallugh. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 4: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The kind impression remained unchanged even when Robert met Theresa again. The softly smiling face was the same as the man who had once vowed to prove his love to her. Didn¡¯t he foolishly bring her gems, asking if she could trust him now? She had mocked him for that¡­Yet while acknowledging this, Theresa did not miss Robert¡¯s somewhat changed demeanor. Though he still seemed gullible enough to fall for her words, she felt an odd chill for some reason. Moreover, shouldn¡¯t there have been preparations to wee her as usual? But this time there was nothing. Literally nothing, so Theresa¡¯s eyes narrowed at the strange atmosphere unlike usual. ¡°¡­Robert, did something happen to put you in a bad mood today?¡± ¡°Not at all. I was simply waiting for you. Pleasee inside, I¡¯ve brewed some tea.¡± Staring at Robert who extended his hand to escort her, she eventually took it and stepped down from the carriage. There was nothing strange about Robert¡¯s manner. Perhaps it was just her imagination. She had arrived unexpectedly without notice after all. Surely there was no time to prepare a wee, Theresa thought with a wry smile. ¡°The rumors are gradually disappearing now. Your name will be cleared soon. That¡¯s fortunate, Robert.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± With a swish, Robert withdrew the hand he had been holding and muttered. Still, Theresa¡¯s gaze was focused ahead. Her mind was filled only with the annulment she nned to request today, and the foolish expression Robert would likely make. ¡°By the way, your fashion seems more extravagant these days.¡± On the way to the garden where they often chatted, Robert casually spoke up. Though momentarily startled by the question, Theresa answered reassuringly after seeing Robert¡¯s still gentle expression. Of course, it was thanks to a certain fool that her wealth had recently increased. Normally she would have felt burdened buying such things with just an allowance. But Robert had directly supported it all, insisting she ept the gifts to prove his love. Dresses, essories, jewels and more. She had gained quite the poprity at society events with themtely. ¡°Father gifted them to me recently. It¡¯s almost my birthday after all. Surely you haven¡¯t forgotten?¡± ¡°How could I ever forget?¡± Inwardly mocking him, she outwardly smiled as if she truly loved him. Wearing masks was all too familiar to Theresa. Her past was already rife with such deceptions, so in the end this man Robert was just another fish caught in her. A rtionship that would end after today, at that. With this thought, Theresa smirked and quickened her pace. After requesting the annulment, she nned to move on to other schemes. Even if she didn¡¯t exploit men like this time, deceiving the various fools out there would be easy. An unusually pleasant breeze caressed her cheeks today. The Taylor estate gardens wereparable even to pce grounds, the vibrant greenery alone enough to soothe the heart. The butterflies flitting amid the flowers were like a living painting. She walked through that garden, surely towards the round table where her favorite chamomile tea would be set. Her umonly light steps today brought an unbidden smile to her face. The strange feeling from earlier was surely just her imagination. So absorbed in her thoughts, Theresa failed to notice Robert had stopped walking. After some distance, she finally turned back, realizing she was alone. About to ask why he didn¡¯t follow with a petnt look and pursed lips. That¡¯s when Robert spoke. ¡°Theresa.¡± ¡°Yes, Robert. Come on, your legs will get tired standing over there.¡± The gaze Robert fixed on her was different from before. His eyes, always carrying a gentle fluidity, were now frozen cold like the lord of this estate. His once warm and mild tone had ttened, devoid of any inflection, like speaking to a doll ¨C causing Theresa¡¯s eyes to narrow. ¡°¡­Robert. What are you doing?¡± ¡°There is something I wish to ask.¡± After that pause, Robert started walking again. Striding straight towards Theresa until their faces were just inches apart. An expression of pure puzzlement remained on the woman gently stroking her tousled golden locks. How brazen of him. Even knowing what she nned to say today, Robert showed not even a hint of amusement at her audacity. He no longer smiled. Perhaps he would not show Theresa many more smiles after today. Instead of tender smiles, he would offer her sneers. Instead of a warm voice, cold indifference. For the woman who had cultivated a field of flowers in her mind until today¡­a rather fitting gift was also prepared. ¡°Are you perhaps hiding something from me?¡± At Robert¡¯s question, Theresa¡¯s expression instantly contorted. It was the same look she always used to pressure Robert. The smiling woman from moments ago vanished as Theresa jabbed a finger into Robert¡¯s chest, her voice turning sharp. ¡°Are you suspecting me now? Have you already forgotten that I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s believed in you this whole time?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°How absurd. You said you loved me, kept insisting how much you loved me, yet the first thing you say is asking if I¡¯m hiding something. Yes, there is one thing I¡¯ve hidden ¨C just how hard I¡¯ve worked to find the person spreading rumors about you ¨C ¡± ¡°Lies.¡± The voice that cut through her words was cold. Enough to instantly chill the emotions that seemed about to erupt from Theresa, like her heart had frozen over. Theresa¡¯s body went stiff as she nkly stared at Robert. The finger jabbing his chest, the steps she had taken to push against him, all stopped. As if time itself had halted, leaving the woman motionless, a small smile crept across Robert¡¯s lips. ¡°How long did you think I would keep acting the fool, Theresa?¡± ¡°Wha¡­What are you saying?¡± Though she tried to sound self-assured, Theresa¡¯s tongue had long been tied. Lies? No, there was no way Robert could have found out. She had handled everything in total secrecy, hadn¡¯t she? Surely he was just bluffing, Theresa thought as she tried to regain her usualposure. How absurd. Just who was trying to bluff whom now¡­! ¡°I want an annulment. Lady Violet.¡± But Theresa¡¯s defiant thoughts ground to a halt there. As if he had anticipated everything, the man gave a slight smile, his eyes rounding. Annulment ¨C the very thing she hade to request today. She felt something drop in her chest with a thud. It was then that Theresa realized Robert had changed. The eyes looking at her no longer held any kindness. Just empty, emotionless pupils, like staring into the depths of ake. ¡°Do you understand? Annulment.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Theresa¡¯s expression was trulyughable. Her eyes were wide, the pupils trembling, clearly showing her dismay to any observer. She should have acted more convincingly. I had thought she wouldn¡¯t falter even if I brought up annulment. But seeing her so flustered drained my amusement. Didn¡¯t she serve me poison so smoothly before? Yet to be so shaken now. It seemed her true talent was deceiving me. ¡°The Millian Jewelers.¡± When I mentioned the name of the jewelers where she spent the riches extracted from me, the body that had been about to push me froze, slowly retreating backwards. ¡°Designer Roberta knew Lady Violet well too. How many dresses must you have bought to be remembered as a regr customer?¡± ¡°Tha¡­That can¡¯t be! Something must be mistaken ¨C !¡± ¡°What is mistaken?¡± There is no alibi. Given this brazen woman used the Taylor family¡¯s wealth to indulge her own greed, that alone is enough to pressure the family. No matter how foolish I may have acted, surely my father would not do nothing about such conduct. Not that I truly intended to inform my father of all the facts. Because¡­ ¡°Are you afraid?¡± I knew well that merely whispering thus would instantly terrify this foolish woman. I had little more to say. Only that we would annul the engagement, and be sensitive about what she may experience going forward. If something unfortunate befell the Violet family, then she would think it was my doing. Watching her face drain of color, I eventually reached out to gently stroke her jaw. As my fingers traced along her slender neck, her frail body trembled violently. I had hoped for a bit more audacity, but like this there was no fun in intimidating her. Just the kind of woman she was. To think I had been so thoroughly deceived by such a woman. I found my past lives increasingly regrettable. ¡°Ro¡­bert, please don¡¯t do this to me. You said you loved me, remember? Why are you suddenly acting this way¡­¡± A scoff escaped me as she blubbered those words. A woman who had never loved since her first death. She had simply wanted to survive, to continue this charade in case some unforeseen variable arose. My heart had long been torn and crumpled, had it not? All I would give her were cold looks. I had forced smiles in the past, but had no intention of doing so this life. I held no thoughts of revenge, but I did wish for her to experience at least a fragment of what I had felt. Three times ¨C the number I was directly killed by Theresa. Ten times ¨C the number my death was tied to Theresa. I had lived through madness upon realizing this. Though she was not worthy enough for true vengeance, I could not bear to see her¡­live happily before my eyes. Watching Theresa copse weakly to her knees, I crouched down to meet her eye level. The eyes staring back at me hopelessly alreadycked any spark of life. No doubt she had realized the full extent of her exposure. What thought must be going through her mind? Perhaps she feared I would do something heinous right here. That I might bring harm to her family. That she now regretted hiding her true nature from me this whole time. But she was entirely mistaken. I would take no action against her. That itself would be the shackles binding her, making her think of me whenever anything unfortunate urred. Whether her brother died, or a servant perished. While merely amusing from my perspective knowing the future¡­ I extended my hand to Theresa with feigned kindness as she remained crumpled there. It would raise suspicion for her to stay fallen in such an undignified state. After a momentary trembling of her lips, she quickly grasped my hand and rose when my eyes narrowed. ¡°Robert¡­I¡­¡± ¡°Do not call me by name. There is nothing between us.¡± ¡°Tay¡­Taylor, I was wrong. So please, forgive me just this once. I beg you, I¡¯ll do anything. I¡¯m yours, aren¡¯t I? Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°I never had any intention of possessing someone like you. Nor did I intend any harm against Lady Violet.¡± ¡°¡­Then?¡± Her eyes flickered momentarily with relief at my words of taking no action. A hint of color seemed to return to the pallidplexion mingled with her relieved expression. I had no intention of lying to her. Rather, would that not ce an even greater weight upon her after hearing this? ¡°Come to think of it, you had an elder brother, didn¡¯t you?¡± Having undergone a hundred regressions, I knew the future that would definitely ur. A future that did not change no matter what I did. Among the events included was my own death, but Theresa¡¯s brother¡¯s demise was there as well. The timing would be a few weeks from now, if I recalled correctly. He died of pneumonia, though from the outside it appeared quite sudden. The rumors said he had been healthy just days prior, then died abruptly. He definitely died of pneumonia. I had witnessed that death with my own eyes before. ¡°I would certainly like to meet him once. In good health, that is.¡± ¡°Wai¡­Wait, my brother, why my brother¡­?¡± But how would this loop¡¯s Theresa take that death? At my contextless words, Theresa¡¯splexion drained ghostly pale. Her already fair skin turned an ashen blue, her teeth cking audibly as her whole body trembled. There was no stopping her brother¡¯s death. No medicine existed then to treat acute pneumonia. Calling a physician would only make his final daysfortable, not cure the deep-rooted illness. So she would be suspicious going forward. That it was not pneumonia but my doing that killed her brother. Even if not me, that it was retaliation from the Taylor family for using their wealth so selfishly. I may deny it, but could she truly ept my words at face value? I gently stroked Theresa¡¯s shoulder as she lost strength in her legs, sinking to the ground. Donning the tender smile I had once feigned, I whispered to her softly. ¡°¡­We should annul the engagement, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± The nodding of her head, creaking like a winding puppet, was a truly pitiful sight. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 5: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Sitting alone at the round table with only a teacup ced on it, Robert gazed pensively at the empty garden. Theresa had fled this ce, insisting she would seek an annulment. Someone would likely say the rtionship between Robert and Theresa had be twisted. Just days ago they were lovers on good terms ¨C what rumors would spread about their abrupt falling out? Perhaps Theresa would skillfully handle it herself. If she wanted to save her brother, she would surely be cautious, even without Robert saying anything. Even so, her family would die¡­but that was no longer Robert¡¯s concern. After all, there was no reason for him to save someone destined to die, nor could he. ¡°Has your fianc¨¦e left already? She went home early.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not my fianc¨¦e anymore, you can call her Lady Violet or something casual now.¡± ¡°I¡­see?¡± Though the servant Renold who brought the tea looked bewildered, Robert simply smiled wryly and shook his head. News of the annulment would surely spread soon. But he had nothing to fear. Yuria would not meddle in his affairs, and this was a marriage their father had opposed from the start. Perhaps his father would even sincerely rejoice at the annulment, maybe even offer Robert a gift. Saying he had finallye to his senses about such frivolous emotions as love. A slightugh escaped him, prompting him to raise the teacup to his lips. The aroma of chamomile filled the garden. Among the many things he remembered, one was that Theresa had favored this chamomile tea. Slowly taking a sip, savoring the fragrant herbs filling his mouth. ¡°I likely won¡¯t being back here.¡± In a hundred lifetimes, the woman Theresa had always been present. Ever his fianc¨¦e, often there when he died. But not this life. In this 101st life, he no longer wished to see Theresa. She was the first thing that reminded him of his foolish past lives, best forgotten now. Lost in such contemtion, his hand slowly tilted until the tea spilled from the cup. ¡°Sir, your tea¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I did it intentionally.¡± Watching the chamomile tea trickle to the floor, he pondered. Wasn¡¯t chamomile¡¯s effect to aid sleep? Perhaps he would sleep quite deeply tonight. A very long time since hest could. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Whether due to the chamomile or severing that past tie, Robert¡¯s physical state upon waking was nothing short of superb. How long had it been since he slept so well? He always had nightmares whenever heid down. Reliving each death in turn, until the end where his most recent demise yed out. It was tormenting at first, buttely he had grown numb to it. Still, not having the dreams made his body feel light. If only it could always be this way. He stroked his disheveled hair, wiping his face with his calloused hands. The ¡®tomorrow¡¯ after a regression was not always a good day. There were times he died on the second day, so he could not rx until seeing the prince¡¯s face at least. But well, this was¡­ ¡°Manageable.¡± More than manageable, absolutely fine. While Yuria was family he could not easily cut ties with, Theresa was someone ultimately unnecessary in his life. His first thought starting this 101st life was that he no longer needed to cling to any attachment regarding Theresa. No more striving to survive. No more foolishly nurturing a wish, just in case some variable arose. The process was to cut what needed cutting, and take what needed taking. At the end would be his eternal rest. Thinking a bit more calmly now. With that thought, as he dipped his hands in the water brought by a servant, something urred to him. Just as on the day of regression, he had an appointment the next day too. But events would likely unfold quite differently than he remembered. ¡®Wasn¡¯t today Princess Miragen Juliet¡¯s birthday party?¡¯ Just recalling that name always contorted his expression, unlike with Yuria or Theresa. He was not bound by ill fate to her. Rather, theirs was a more wistful,plex rtionship. ¡®¡­Today, we shall pass judgment on a sinner. One who killed family, killed friends, killed the innocent. We shall judge such a heinous person.¡¯ The woman reciting that solemn deration had puffy, reddened eyes. Swollen enough to see even as she knelt. She must have cried immensely, he supposed. A memory from when he had lost his mind, living aimlessly. Entirely unrted to the present, a memory only he recalled. He had even considered using the princess once. There were lives where he loved her, but those were faded memories by now. He doubted he could embrace human emotions again from the start. What awoke him to his true nature was realizing why he could only meet such wretched deaths. The prince, and the woman who would link to him ¨C the princess. He wished to avoid that if possible, but was prepared to approach if necessary. ¡°Will you be taking meals separately again today?¡± Drying his face with a towel, Renold inquired. Come to think of it, he had avoided dining together recently. Seeing their faces triggered memories of his deaths, leaving him unable to eat properly. But now? There was likely no need to keep avoiding it. By this point, news of yesterday¡¯s annulment had probably reached his father too. Whether he would smile approvingly or rebuke Robert for acting alone remained to be seen. Shaking his head, Robert spoke up. ¡°No, I¡¯ll eat together today.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± Renold seemed surprised by Robert¡¯s abrupt change in behavior. It was only natural, for a person¡¯s demeanor to shift so drastically overnight. Of course, having witnessed such shifts too many times, it was not that surprising either. There were asional extremes where Renold even attempted to assassinate him upon such drastic changes. ¡®Still, Renold is the most suitable.¡¯ But those were truly exceptional circumstances, and in situations like this, Renold was ideal. He was Robert¡¯s dedicated servant after all. As a means to keep informed of any happenings in this estate, Robert did not intend to easily dismiss him. ¡°Will Father be there as well?¡± ¡°Yes, he has already started eating downstairs.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll likelyment that I¡¯mte. Or perhaps my te won¡¯t even be set anymore.¡± Heading down to the dining hall, his father and Yuria were already cutting into steaks. Spotting Robert, Yuria rolled her eyes as if unsurprised, but he simply shrugged nonchntly and took a seat. Fortunately, his te was present. But the servants hurriedly brought more food, clearly not expecting him to join. As he calmly observed the table, Yuria dabbed her lips with a napkin and nced at him. ¡°¡­Well well, so you¡¯ve decided to grace us directly. Didn¡¯t you say eating alone was morefortable?¡± ¡°I should dine together with family asionally, as I am part of the Taylor household.¡± ¡°I suppose you¡¯ve regained some sense, at least.¡± Tsk. Dissatisfied with his response, Yuria clicked her tongue and looked away. Her reaction was expected. Still, their father¡¯s continued silence was somewhat concerning. An ambiguous rtionship ¨C he had never directly killed Robert, but had always indirectly sanctioned his deaths as the Taylor patriarch, had he not? How this life¡¯s father would regard him was quite the curiosity. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve brought your meal.¡± As tes were set before him, just as he reached for the steak, a low voice came from nearby. ¡°Yesterday, there was contact from the Violet family.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Annulment, without even informing me first. What were you thinking?¡± He spoke directly instead of beating around the bush. But this was preferable. It meant this was his father¡¯s sole question for him. Yuria looked slightly startled at the words, ring at Robert, but he calmly sliced the meat as he responded. ¡°Our minds did not align. Human hearts cannot remain the same forever, can they?¡± ¡°When I said as much before, what was your reply?¡± ¡°¡­I believed the heart could be eternal, at times.¡± The words of the first loop¡¯s Robert held many contradictions. Unable to precisely recall them all, he answered vaguely, causing his father¡¯s eyes to narrow. The bushy beard always highlighted his formidable presence. Despite nearing sixty, that piercing gaze remained sharp as Robert met it, stilling his hand. ¡°Then your current words imply you believe that was wrong.¡± ¡°A foolish misspoken statement from my naive days.¡± ¡°I dislike word games.¡± Those blue eyes I inherited seemed to prate my very mind with an insight akin to physical dissection. As the man who single-handedly established this duchy, I had never sessfully deceived my father. Of course, I had no intention of lying now either. Father eventually blinked and swallowed audibly. There was a time I believed hearts could not change. But that was long ago. The very wish I harbored had since transformed, had it not? ¡°It¡¯s fortunate, if you think that way. You weren¡¯t entirely useless after all.¡± ¡°My apologies for acting without informing you first. I will be more cautious going forward.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It wasn¡¯t just a day or two you acted immaturely. Besides, I never took a liking to the Violet family. We are Taylors. Our noble blood cannot be scattered recklessly.¡± I nodded, and Father gestured for me to continue eating. Conversing with Father has always been rtively straightforward. Thinking only of the family¡¯s interests, I simply emphasize that all my actions are for the family¡¯s sake, which satisfied him. But in the past, my lingering attachments clouded such judgment. Causing me to fall out of Father¡¯s graces, and likely why he permitted my deaths. If asked if I resent him, no, I do not. I realize now that my past self was foolish. Not that I truly considered him a father either. If he could be utilized, I would utilize him. As the Taylor patriarch, there would surely be situations where using the family head¡¯s power under that name would prove useful. ¡°By the way, there is a pce party today, is there not?¡± ¡°Indeed. I was nning to attend¡­as was Robert, in fact.¡± Nearing the end of the meal, Father mentioned today¡¯s pce party to Yuria. It was an expected topic. Originally I would have attended with Theresa as my partner. Without her, I needed to find an alternative way to participate. Yuria nodded at Father¡¯s words, but he seemed to recall something and continued. ¡°Have you decided on a partner?¡± ¡°I need no partner. As the youngdy, I can attend alone without issue.¡± ¡°Then you could attend as Robert¡¯s partner.¡± Yuria¡¯s eyes widened at those words. So even she could make such an expression. As I watched the exchange with interest, Father turned his attention back to me and added, ¡°You have no partner now either, do you? As the youngdy is the family head, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to have you support her as a partner. Unless you object?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled, I won¡¯t hear any more about it. Understood?¡± Though Yuria gave me a frosty look, once Father had decided, there was no changing it. He was still the Taylor patriarch, and as the youngdy, Yuria had to obey. Besides, attending as Yuria¡¯s partner meant rtively more freedom for me. Perhaps I could meet someone else besides the princess. Another woman attending today¡¯s party, one I did not recall crossing as an ill fate among those women in my memories. I had a premonition I might encounter Adele Igrit, the Northern Duchess. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 6: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The crown prince had been absent from this banquet. While that one fact had indeed made me lose most of my interest, it did not mean it waspletely meaningless. The mere fact that I did not go with Theresa could be quite meaningful. Moreover, Yuria would not even consider me as her partner, so it was obvious that she would not say anything even if I mingled appropriately and then disappeared.Rather, she would probably find it convenient if I disappeared. In that case, the possibility opened up for me to meet someone at this point whom I had never encountered in my previous life. For instance, I might unexpectedly run into Miragen. Or if not, I might identallye across Adele. Either way, it would not be bad for me. Moreover, wasn¡¯t it quite interesting that the possibility had opened up? Something I had not experienced in my past 100 lives, for me, who had grown weary of this eternal life, a new experience was more intriguing than anything else. ¡°Do you intend to stop your preparations at that?¡± Renold¡¯s eyes had narrowed for a moment, but I had nodded in affirmation. The reflection in the mirror did not differ much from my usual appearance. If I had to point it out, perhaps it was just that I had put on an outer garment. The unmboyant, simple dark green outfit suited my circumstances quite well. Since it was better for me not to stand out today, it was probably better to make the shily dressed Yuria stand out. ¡°Even so, since you are not attending as a partner, it would be better if you paid a little more attention¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not the main character anyway.¡± Furthermore, if I had dressed up extravagantly, it could have be a problem in itself. Didn¡¯t someone immediatelye to mind who would scold me for not knowing my ce? There was no reason for me to listen to such words, and it was better for me to have a low profile. It was obvious that if someone had heard the news of Theresa¡¯s broken engagement with me, they would bother me. I had dressed up appropriately and groomed myself to look like a proper nobleman, and it had turned out quite stylish in its own way. I had smiled slightly to try to fix my slightly sharp impression, but it had ended up looking awkward, so I had returned to my original expression. It seemed that the more I repeated my regression, the more unnatural smiling had be for me, unlike before. Was it because there were not many reasons for me to smile? But it was not something I could me anyone else for. In the end, it was my own foolish choice that had led to this, wasn¡¯t it? As I leaned my head back on the chair, recalling Renold¡¯s perplexed gaze fixed on me, I had the feeling that I would often see that strange look in the future. But what could I do? Our rtionship had already be so twisted. She had chosen to live the life of a Viscountess heir from that time. It was predetermined that things would turn out like this ever since my futile attachment had tried to somehow undo that decision. Had I not resolved not to harbor such futile attachments anymore? I would never treat Yuria like a sister again. Perhaps¡­ Never. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó It was a little whileter that the lurching and shaking carriage finally came to a stop. The night had already fallen over the capital, but the only thing shining brilliantly amidst the darkness was undoubtedly the lights of the imperial pce. The stars that should have adorned the sky were nowhere to be seen. Only the lonely full moon emitted a pitiful glow, serving as proof that the pce¡¯s lights were more radiant than the stars. As the Taylor family¡¯s carriage entered, the eyes of the surrounding nobles instantly turned in our direction. Someone whispered as Yuria alighted from the carriage, while another murmured as I extended my hand to assist her. ¡°So it seems true that he broke off the engagement, despite all his promations of love for her.¡± As expected, the rumors had already spread, and the nobles added their ownments as they looked at me. Still, there were no outright negative remarks about me. There were somements that Theresa had done something strange or gone mad, but I suppose I had conducted myself properly. ¡°You did something unnecessary, causing such strange rumors to spread.¡± Yuria, who had taken my hand and stepped down from the carriage, opened her mouth in a cool tone. It seemed that she was not displeased that I was being insulted, but rather that the Taylor family¡¯s affairs were being discussed by others, which she found ufortable. With a resigned mindset, I nodded my head, and a cold voice immediately pierced my ear. ¡°It would be good for you to make the right judgment. If you act recklessly like before¡­¡± It was the indifferent expression of one looking not at a brother, but at an unruly vassal. ¡°This time, I will issue a disciplinary order.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand. I will be careful.¡± In any case, my role today was only to apany her to the entrance under the pretext of being her partner. Once we separated, it was likely that the nobles would approach me and bother me, so I nned to simply loiter in the garden. Yuria stared at me for a moment as I readily acquiesced, then extended her hand to me again. I grasped her fingers just enough that our hands did not fully touch, and only then could I take a step forward. ¡°Presenting Lady Yuria Taylor, Viscountess of the Taylor Duchy, and Lord Robert Taylor!¡± The noisy pce party fell into silence. Although I often forgot, the Taylor family was undoubtedly a family at the pinnacle of power. A family that no noble could easily dismiss due to their near-neutral stance. A family that had always walked a tightrope but never slipped. Was it not the Taylor family that even the crown prince could not easily meddle with? That was why I was all the more curious about what exactly the crown prince had seen in me that made him pin false usations on me. Of course, the crown prince was not present here. He was probably dealing with a small rebellion that had urred in the bordends at this time. Since it would take at least a year for the crown prince to return, I had toplete my minimum preparations before then. As I passed through the entrance, the sensation in my hand disappeared. Yuria had let go of the hand she had been holding, and before I knew it, she had walked away briskly on her own, leaving me in an awkward position. ¡®It¡¯s not that bad.¡¯ People¡¯s attention was focused on Yuria, the Viscountess of the Taylor family. The princess would probably appear soon and say something, but that was it. There were not many benefits for me to gain at this asion today. And even those would onlye if I had the chance to converse with the princess. Well, I could look for an opportunity after the princess appeared. Since there were so many people that it felt stuffy, I managed to squeeze my way out and headed toward the garden. Seeing the roses blooming among the grass that the gardeners had meticulously tended into a maze-like pattern, I turned my steps in that direction. It was merely aplex design, not an actual maze. It was a garden created on the vast grounds of the imperial pce,rger than any ordinaryrge farm. Of course, it could not be ordinary. It was a ce where one could find all the flowers that would bloom in summer. The wind carried a blend of countless fragrances, better than any ordinary perfume. With the full moon behind me, I strolled through the garden. Although the deserted garden was quiet, this very tranquility was what put my mind most at ease. The leisure that I could only feel right after a regression, perhaps I would not be able to experience it at any other time. If it had been like before, I would have rushed around trying to build my own connections. I had thought that if I could somehow gain even one more person on my side, they might be of help to meter. But the result had been disastrous. There was not a single person I could trust. When an unfavorable situation arose, they all turned their backs on me. Even the one who had imed to be my closest friend, the one who had said they truly loved me. In truth, had they not approached me to take advantage of the Taylor name behind me? ¡°Pathetic fool.¡± As I uttered those self-deprecating words, my heart felt a little more relieved. My resolution for this life was to never againmit the same foolishness I had in the past. If I killed the crown prince and died as well¡­ Well, perhaps then I could close my eyes without any lingering attachments. Gazing absentmindedly at the sky as I stood there, the pce lights had dimmed somewhat, and the faint lights of the stars were now visible in abundance. The points connected to form lines, and those lines gathered into clusters. As I was immersed in this celestial shower of light, where not even the smallest darkness could be found, a voice reached my ears. ¡°It is not good to insult oneself like that.¡± The feminine tone carried a peculiar chill to it. It was not born of the hostility towards me that Yuria had, but rather a rebuke ¨C no, a more urate assessment of my attitude. Startled for a moment, I turned my head, and my eyes widened at the attire that was so ill-suited for the imperial pce. ¡°It has been a long time since I visited the pce, but to have you be the first person I see. Perhaps I should consider myself fortunate.¡± While everyone else wore borate clothing, her outfit was an ashen ck. In contrast to her silvery white hair mingled with moonlight, the ck attire blended perfectly into the darkness. No, it was less of an outfit and more akin to a cloak. The cloak said to be worn by those living in the northern regions, with the fur of a wolf encircling the neck, fluttered in the wind as if confirming its authenticity. ¡°¡­Lady Adele.¡± The ruler of the north, one whom even the crown prince could not easily confront ¨C the possessor of absolute power granted by the empire. Called the Iron Fortress for guarding the bordends, but that title referred not to a man, but to a woman. I caught a glimpse of her snow-white hair, whipping about like falling snowkes. Yet her beautiful features did not pale inparison to the stars, and my gaze remained fixed on her face. Behind her was the round full moon, and even through the silhouette darkened by the backlight, her faint smile was evident. For a moment, I muttered in a daze. I had expected her toe, but I had not anticipated meeting her at this point. ¡°I didn¡¯t think¡­we would meet like this.¡± ¡°I feel the same way. Mying to the garden was mere coincidence.¡± Adele Igrit, the Grand Duchess of the North, smiled at me. ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you, Lord Taylor.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 7: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°You know who I am?¡± I had expected that she would likely know me. Even though she was entrenched in the north, she had consistently shown interest in the capital, so if she had heard rumors, she would have known about me to some extent. Rather, it would have been strange if she did not know. When it came to bad rumors, there were few more famous than me. As I asked with a perplexed expression, she stared at me for a moment before letting out a chuckle and opening her mouth.¡°People think I have little interest in politics. Since the north is always busy, they assume I¡¯m just someone skilled with a sword.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t think that way.¡± ¡°No, most people do think that way. But I¡¯m different ¨C I¡¯m quite interested in the capital.¡± The blue gemstone embedded in her ck waist sash exuded an unmistakable presence. After briefly ncing at her sword, as if sensing my gaze, she brought her hand to it. ¡°Are you interested in swords?¡± ¡°No, not really.¡± ¡°Well, these days, there are also people who find sess through schrship. Anyway, the reason I know you is because of that. The rumor that a man who dreamed of romance realized the harsh reality and broke off his engagement ¨C it even reached the north. Is it true?¡± Rather than the rumor having spread to the north, it meant that she already had her ws embedded within the capital. Understanding that meaning, I smiled faintly, and Adele followed suit with a slight smile as she drew her sword. With a smooth sound, the unsheathed sword emitted a clear radiance. It was no ordinary sword. I immediately realized this because of the transparent brilliance of the de shining in the moonlight. As Adele caressed the icy-transparent de, her gaze turned towards me. What should I say ¨C she still seemed as unfathomable as ever. In fact, the Grand Duchess of the North had many nicknames. At times, she was called a tyrant, while at other times, she was called the guardian deity protecting the empire¡¯s northern regions. Despite receiving both adtion and condemnation, she herself did not seem too concerned about her reputation. She simply wanted to live as she desired, and perhaps her attendance at today¡¯s party was for no particr reason. If I had to specte on a reason¡­ Perhaps she hade simply because she wanted to. ¡°Your eyes seem vacant. Quite different from what I had heard.¡± ¡°¡­What did you know about me?¡± ¡°It was just a rumor, but I heard you had a weak and pitiful personality, and that you were utterly useless. I heard that Lady Violet would be miserable marrying such a man¡­¡± In an instant, the atmosphere around Adele, standing before me, changed. A chilling sensation enveloped my body, and it felt as if my entire being wanted to scream and flee at that very moment. It was a sensation I remembered all too well. Indeed, I did not need much time to recall the feeling I had experienced just before dying. However, I did not evade her. Since I already knew how she would move, I realized that remaining still would be safer for me. Lowering my gaze slightly, I saw that Adele¡¯s sword was pressed against my neck. Although it did not touch me, a trickle of blood flowed as if drawn by the mana emanating from her. This was one of the reasons for Adele¡¯s notorious reputation. Due to her bad habit of acting solely as she pleased, few dared to approach her. I had expected to experience something like this upon meeting her, but the experience came sooner than I had anticipated, causing my eyes to narrow slightly. However, that was all ¨C my gaze returned to meet Adele¡¯s unwavering eyes. For a brief moment, a blue ripple passed through them. There was no need for me to be flustered. I already knew her well enough. The reason for her action towards me was likely a test. ¡°Well? Do I seem simr to the rumors?¡± Since death no longer held any fear for me, my expression remained perfectly calm. I had even been torn apart and devoured by beasts while still alive. Dying from a shed throat would almost be a luxury inparison. Adele seemed slightly surprised by my response. ¡°¡­Completely different from the rumors. I certainly understand now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite fortunate, then.¡± As she sheathed her sword, her gaze turned towards my neck. Blood trickled down, and as I moved to wipe it with my sleeve, she hurriedly grabbed my wrist. ¡°Wait. Don¡¯t wipe it with your sleeve.¡± She took out a handkerchief from her pocket and brought her hand to my neck. The menacing aura she had exuded when she had pointed her sword at me had long since dissipated. Instead of the rough hand that had gripped the sturdy sword, a soft, warm sensation touched me as she slowly began to wipe away the flowing blood. As I had guessed, she had merely tested me to see what kind of person I was. Whether I was the pitiful man described in the rumors, or someone worthy of her interest. If I had reacted as expected, she might have responded ordingly, but it seemed that showing her my true self had worked in my favor. In other words, it appeared that I had piqued her interest quite a bit. ¡°My apologies. I didn¡¯t intend to go that far.¡± ¡°Do you think an apology will suffice?¡± Thus, I retorted slightly. Ordinarily, I would not be able to speak this way to her, the Grand Duchess of the North. But was I not clearly the victim here? The handkerchief she had given me was soaked in the blood seeping from my neck. A sigh involuntarily escaped me as I thought about how poorly she had controlled her strength, cutting me so deeply. As my eyes narrowed, Adele averted her gaze and cleared her throat awkwardly. It seemed she realized her mistake. Meeting someone and immediately pointing a sword at them was something she should correct, but I knew well that it would not be easy for her to change that habit. Even the version of her I had met muchter would still suddenly point her sword at my neck. A chronic condition, perhaps? This was why I had hesitated to return to the capital. Adele¡¯s body flinched as she noticed the blood that had trickled down to the cor of my shirt. ¡°¡­What do you intend to do?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so frail. To bleed even without being touched¡­¡± ¡°What will people say if I return to the capital like this, with blood dripping from my neck? What could I possibly aplish in such a state?¡± My n to meet the princess had also been disrupted. For various reasons, a frown creased my brow, and Adele regarded me with a peculiar expression. Unlike her earlier apologetic demeanor, her golden eyes now held a distinct sense of perplexity, as if observing something wondrous. What was she so surprised about? However, that perplexed feeling soon vanished, at a speed that made me doubt whether it had been a mere momentary illusion. After briefly contemting something, Adele stepped closer and spoke. ¡°Come to the northter. Have a drink with me.¡± ¡°A drink, you say? You speak in earnest.¡± ¡°Yes, you know well that I don¡¯t extend such invitations to just anyone. Hmm, shall I be more direct?¡± I tilted my head slightly at the mention of being ¡°direct,¡± and a frown formed as a certain idea crossed my mind. And Adele continued, confirming that my assumption was correct. ¡°You¡¯ve piqued my interest.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± It was a remarkably candid response. And one that made her regret her earlier actions. While it was true that I was more well-disposed towards Adelepared to others, I did not wish to be deeply entangled with her. Thus, I disyed a somewhat insolent attitude, but that seemed to have the opposite effect. ¡°If I may be so bold, I am curious as to what aspect of me caught your interest.¡± I had assumed that myposure in the sudden situation had piqued her interest, but the response I received was quite unexpected. ¡°Your eyes intrigue me.¡± My parted lips froze. For a moment, I was at a loss for words, unable to find a response to what I had just heard. After a brief pause to contemte the meaning of those words, a somewhat cold voice flowed into my ear, as if denying me the opportunity to speak. ¡°The calmness you disyed just now was akin to someone epting their impending death. As if you knew the sword wasing, and death would simply be the end ¨C or even if you died, it would be more convenient for you.¡± ¡°¡­Haha.¡± ¡°So,e to the north next time. I would like to hear the reason behind that, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± The Grand Duchess of the North did not borate further. It seemed she had said all she wished to say, for she abruptly turned to leave, just as she had when she first appeared. As Adele turned her back, the wolf¡¯s fur glistened in the moonlight. While I gazed nkly at the silvery white hair cascading over her shoulders, she added one more remark. ¡°And don¡¯t die before then.¡± It felt like a direct hit, leaving me unable to offer any rebuttal. The figure of Adele walking through the garden soon vanished from sight in an instant. If the handkerchief around my neck had not remained, I might have mistaken our encounter for a mere dream. I had certainly understood her invitation to the north. She would likely extend a formal invitation, beckoning me toe as far as the hospitality offered under the name of the Grand Duchess of the North would allow. It was certainly an excessive reward for a mere scratch on the neck. However, there was still a reason why I did not wish to be too involved with her. For she was someone who would depart this world even earlier than I would die. Just as I had been falsely used, she too would be executed under false charges. ¡­Truly, it was a peculiar connection between us. I stood there, gazing at a secluded corner of the deserted garden. More precisely, I looked at the full moon hovering over the spot where she had vanished. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó I gazed at the moon. The pale, almost frozen light of the moon was no different here in the capital than in the north. That was why I had note to the capital. Unlike when I remained in the north, in the capital, I would face various restrictions. Yet the reason I hade for the princess¡¯s birthday celebration was simple. It was merely because I had wanted to. Or rather, I had felt a strong urge that I had toe here. Grrrr¡­ Instead of a carriage, I had ridden a dire wolfrger than a carriage, and the lone wolf left in the secluded spot let out a low howl as its master approached. ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve been waiting.¡± Owoo¡­ As I stroked the wolf, muchrger than myself, as if it were a dog, it merely shuddered. Having grown up together since childhood, this creature was a uniquepanion, so close that it would not be strange to call it my only friend. It wasmentable that animals seemed more trustworthy than humans, in reality. As Adele stroked the coarse fur, she recalled the earlier encounter. The man she had met by chance in the garden, where she had gone due to her dislike of crowds, had piqued her interest quite a bit for a chance meeting. Had there not been quite a few rumors about him circting in the capital? ¡°I had thought him an unremarkable man.¡± Weakness was one of the personality traits Adele disliked the most. She knew well the hardships of dealing with an indecisive superior, recalling the few such memories she had in her life. Even now, when she had no real superiors, the memories of her past struggles were not something she wished to relive. Thus, her initial impression upon meeting him had been one of displeasure. However, it did not take long for that feeling to turn into curiosity. The nobles who typically encountered her would invariably have a glint in their eyes. Whether it was reverence or fear, she was well-ustomed to the gaze of those looking upon something inhuman. But Robert Taylor had merely seemed slightly surprised upon seeing her. The emotion in his eyes was closer to nonchnce. No, it would be more urate to say they were vacant. Even when she brought her sword to his neck, his eyes did not change. The hazy blue hue reflected nothing, and within that murky color, only her own face was visible. Moreover, he had even brazenly demanded an apology from her. That aspect had piqued her interest. Or rather, it seemed more urate to say that his eyes had intrigued her. ¡°Perhaps I should have him hold a sword next time.¡± However, her interest did not extend beyond that. It was simply that his vacant eyes, devoid of fear towards her, were unsettling. Tobel it as any particr emotion might be too hasty. ¡°Let¡¯s head back. Home.¡± Adele murmured as she mounted the wolf. Originally, she had intended to find the reason for the urge that had brought her to the capital, but upon meeting Robert, the tightness in her chest had instantly dissipated. The cause of that feeling had been Robert. Why, she did not know. Pondering reasons before acting was something she had rarely done in her life. As she contemted the reason, the corners of Adele¡¯s lips curved into a slight smile. There was no need to ponder it urgently. Was not life about going with the blowing northern winds, following the drifting snow? She would likely meet him again soon. And even if not, she could make it so. That was the way of the north, and Adele¡¯s way. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 8: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó My clothes were in such a state that I could not go back. But if I were to return home like this, what would they say? Various thoughts came to mind, but no matter what, I could not choose the option of going back. If I went to the ball with my throat slit and bleeding, wouldn¡¯t people be terrified?When I took off the handkerchief I had received from Adele, I realized that the bleeding had stopped. However, the wound remained. With the blood still on the cor of my shirt, there was no other option but to go home. A chance to meet the princess¡­although today was a special opportunity, it was not like there would be no way to meet her again. Just from what I could remember, there were dozens of opportunities, and if fate allowed it, I would probably meet her again. So I let go of my reluctance. If I were to meet her someday, there was no need to be overly concerned about something as trivial as a ball. Even if my father asked what happened, wouldn¡¯t it suffice to say I met Adele? For the handkerchief in my hand would serve as proof of that encounter. For such a woman¡¯s character, it was quite a in handkerchief. Just a white handkerchief with the Igrit crest embroidered on it. I gazed intently at it, then began walking across the garden. ¡®¡­Come to think of it, did she really mean for me toe see her?¡¯ -Come to the northter. Have a drink with me. Given her nature, she would not have uttered an empty promise. Both telling me toe and inviting me for a drink were probably sincere. Then I can use this as an excuse to slip away. If I say I have a connection to the Northern Duchess, even a man of my father¡¯s character would have nothing to say. But perhaps it would be better to avoid getting too close to Adele Igrit. The reason I thought that was because of her future. In any future, in any situation. She too would be used of treason and purged, like me. It was not a memory I wanted to dwell on for long, so I let out a wry smile and shook my head. Being around a woman like Adele made many thingse to mind. For example, the regrets I had harbored before. Or sights I would never see again. Thud- ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°My apologies. I was lost in thought for a moment¡­¡­¡± My thoughts were interrupted when I bumped into someone. I bowed my head, ming myself for not looking ahead, but the other person merely stared past me and responded. As if unaware of my presence. It was then that I realized the person I had bumped into was a woman. Gold embroidery on a pure white dress, a spotless white garment that only one person in this country could wear. Saint Adriana, as soon as I recalled her name, I couldn¡¯t help butugh. So the saint was here too. ¡°I¡¯m over here, Your Holiness.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. I cannot sense what I cannot touch, my apologies.¡± Having lost her sight as the price for gaining holy powers, the saint had long been a symbol of this country. With authority greater even than the Pope of the Tigres faith, the state religion of the empire, and possessing immense holy powers capable of reviving those on the brink of death. In fact, there were some who praised the saint more than the emperor himself. Upon hearing my voice, she inclined her head with a gentle smile. Did she not have any attendants? It was quite unexpected to see her wandering alone in a ce like this, just as I was wondering, Adriana spoke first. ¡°You have not said a word. Is it because I am alone here?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, at first.¡± ¡°Miragen is my friend, you see. Although the Pope objected, I still managed toe out with some attendants. They should be here soon. I asked them to leave me alone for a while.¡± Then ¨C briefly cing her index finger on her lips, she turned her head and smiled faintly into the distance. ¡°There may also be some who have secretly followed me, so you need not worry.¡± ¡°If that is the case, then it is a relief.¡± She must be referring to the Pdins who guard the saint. I understood why she was here. What was a little surprising, however, was that this was the first time I had met her in all my lives. I had heard the name Saint Adriana many times, but I had never had the chance to meet her directly. It was only recently that I had even considered meeting her, as a means of approaching the crown prince. Why would I, who had hesitated even to recruit those around me,mit the foolish act of increasing the number of people involved? As the sole saint of this country, she was someone even the emperor only met asionally. Let alone me, a family disappointment with no standing. Her pure blonde hair seemed to glow with light. I had heard her hair color changed the moment she received her holy powers ¨C she was truly a mysterious woman in many ways. ¡°By the way, are you injured anywhere? I smell blood nearby.¡± ¡°I was slightly injured. It¡¯s a small wound, so please don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Sniffing intently, she looked at me with a concerned expression. The scent must be from the wound on my neck. After a moment¡¯s thought, when I nodded, Adriana looked slightly startled and turned in the direction of my injury. Although her eyes were closed, she was clearly looking at the wound. A strange feeling. Blind eyes that could not see were piercing through me, seeing right into my soul. Now I could not deny it. ¡°Did you¡­injure your neck?¡± ¡°It was just a small cut. Due to certain circumstances.¡± While I said it was due to ¡®certain circumstances¡¯, she would surely know that such a neck injury was no trivial matter. However, Adriana did not inquire further. Instead, she approached me and gently touched the wound on my neck. A warm sensation seemed to seep into my body. A yellow glow emanated, illuminating the surroundings, and then Adriana withdrew her hand and spoke in a calm voice. ¡°¡­The shallow wound should have healedpletely. But was your injury due to personal circumstances?¡± She seemed determined to know the reason for my injury. I did not understand why a stranger would be so concerned about my injury, but I supposed it was simply her nature. That was likely why she was called a saint ¨C a woman who healed others¡¯ wounds, embraced them, and felt empathy andpassion. I let out a wryugh and replied: ¡°Yes, personal circumstances.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± As if expecting such a reaction, Adriana¡¯s face rxed into an easy expression as she turned back towards me. When I tried to keep some distance given our proximity, her small hand sped my wrist and would not let go. ¡°Your Holiness?¡± ¡°May I make one request of you?¡± ¡°A request¡­well, since you healed my wound, I can certainly hear you out¡­¡± ¡°I would like to know your name. You may know me, but I do not know you.¡± A little taken aback by her sudden request, I soon regained myposure. Come to think of it, with her blindness, she would not know my face. Since we had never met before, she would not know my voice either. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, I slowly parted my lips. ¡°I am Robert Taylor of the House of Taylor . Saint Adriana.¡± ¡°I see? What a good name.¡± Chuckling, she stepped back slightly, then bowed her head and made the sign of the cross in the air. As if praying for someone, after tracing the cross, Adriana spoke again. ¡°The next time we meet, I hope you will not be injured.¡± A warm, gentle smile drifted away on the summer breeze. Yet its tenderness lingered, enveloping the surroundings in a serene aura, unlike when I had met Adele. As we gazed at each other for a moment, the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard in the distance. ¡°Ah, it seems I should get going now. I¡¯ll go on ahead.¡± ¡°If that is the case, please go first.¡± Adriana began walking away, saying her attendants seemed to being. Deftly making her way despite her blindness, until she disappeared into the distance. I quietly watched her retreating figure. The saint I had never met in a hundred lifetimes, the saint who always seemed to vanish whenever I sought to meet her, as if fate itself refused. What did it mean that I had met her in this life? Touching my neck, there was now only smooth, unblemished skin remaining, the woundpletely healed. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°My lord, did youe alone?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s nothing for me to do even if I go.¡± Renold looked at me with an expression he had been showing quite oftentely. What was there to be so surprised about? Even if I had attended the party, I would have only been a bystander. A partner was just a formality ¨C the one who had to stand out the most in the Taylor family was Yuria. Perhaps he was annoyed that I was absent, but it was clear that my absence would not cause any issues. Even when I had missed a few balls before, nothing happened, so it should be fine. Seeing the blood-stained shirt, Renold seemed to have a lot to say. But since there were no wounds, and I had simply returned alone from the ball¡­well, he would probably figure it out on his own. At least by tomorrow, word would spread among the nobles that I had met Adele. No matter how vast the ce, rumors spread faster than anything. Still, this time I do not intend to hold back. I¡¯m also curious to see what foolish expression Yuria will make when she hears the exaggerated rumor andes to confront me about meeting Adele. It will be quite amusing. She is a woman who believes I would never take any action that benefits the Taylor family. ¡°I¡¯ll be resting in my room today, so unless it¡¯s urgent, don¡¯te find me. If the youngdy is looking for me¡­just tell her I¡¯m sleeping. I have no intention of meeting her.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± Yuria¡¯s irritation would likely fall on Renold to bear instead. But I did not need to worry about such things. Today, I would rest and collect my thoughts, and from tomorrow, I would gradually start taking action. Click- As the door closed, the silence weed me. Not a single sound could be heard in the stillness, only the ticking of the clock¡¯s hands ringing out in the room. I trudged over to a chair and plopped down heavily. Perhaps due to the many events of the day, fatigue suddenly washed over me, making my eyelids feel heavy. I thought about taking a nap, and as I slowly closed my eyes¡­ -Robert, what I¡¯m most curious about is when you will finally take your own life. Yuria¡¯s voice began pouring into my ears. I knew it was an auditory hallucination. Likely a voice from a corner of my memory. Yuria was currently at the ball. There was no way I could actually hear her. However, no matter how I tried to convince myself, this memory seemed to choke my throat and rob me of my breath. With a creaking sound, one of my arms began to be cut open. My fingernails were crushed and fell out, my mangled fingers already missing a few. It must have been a memory of when I was being tortured. That torturer was quite cruel. He was very skilled at inflicting pain, rarely letting me lose consciousness. My head, fallen to the floor, was grasped by Yuria¡¯s hand. With that hideous touch, she raised my face and proceeded to hurl malicious words at me. -You should never have been born. If I had strangled you the moment your mother gave birth to you, nothing would have gone wrong. Not resentment, but an outright insult bordering on vulgarity. Those words felt more painful than having my chest ripped open. For at that time, I was a man who respected the woman named Yuria. Should I really never have been born? There was a time when I was consumed by such thoughts. My arms and legs were gone. Only my torso remained, still breathing, but what poured over my face was cold soil. Unable to scream properly with my teeth mostly gone, the shovel continued burying me in dirt. My vision grew obscured ¨C dark and cold, I could only desperately thrash about with my motionless body. Ah, I had no legs, did I? But no matter how hard I struggled, that was simply how one of my many lives ended. In the deafening silence, apanied only by the stillness of death. Thest thing I remembered were those frozen blue eyes watching me being buried in the ground. ¡°¡­Yuria.¡± It was only after uttering her name myself that I finally regained my senses. A cold wind brushed against my body. Instead of the dazed feeling, a damp sensation made me slowly open my narrowed eyes. When I opened my eyes, my body was drenched in cold sweat. Looking around the quiet surroundings, I realized quite some time must have passed, and what I had just experienced was a dream. It was because I had naively thought I would no longer have that dream if I did not have it for a day. I had let my guard down, thinking I would no longer see it. But this nightmare will never end. How long will it keep chasing me, branded like a scar, clinging to me until the moment I die? Wiping the sweat from my brow, I let out a faint sigh. My body was intact. So this pain I felt must have been a non-existent illusion. Just an illusion conjured by my own wed thoughts. In my many lives, Yuria was the person who had killed me the most times. And yet, how could I possibly think about it so indifferently? Perhaps¡­I had lied. That I no longer had any feelings left, that even if there was a past, it was in the past, and I could simply forget it all. I re into the empty space. The darkness offered no answers. It only told me to find the answers myself, keeping its eternal silence. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 9: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó When I looked in the mirror, a pale face stared back at me. My face already looked sickly, but like this, wouldn¡¯t I appear to be on the verge of death? I could understand why Adele had said I looked like someone about to die. If anyone saw this face, they would probably think the same thing at least once.Considering she was quite healthy herself, it was only natural for her to think I looked frail. Of course, her words seemed to cut right through my condition. The reflection in the mirror showed a face exactly as I remembered it ¨C eyes devoid of life. It made sense. While my mind may differ, my body had always reverted to that of a 20-year-old summer. They say the eyes are windows to the soul. Perhaps my appearance had changed slightly, as she said. Come to think of it, how long had it been since Ist smiled sincerely after beginning the regression? Any upturned lips felt unbearably awkward, forced. Shaking my head, I turned to see Renold standing there sheepishly. ¡­How long had he been here? ¡°I told you not to enter without my permission.¡± ¡°Ah, I had permission. Didn¡¯t I exin your schedule for today earlier?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Preupied with the mirror and my own thoughts, I hadpletely forgotten that Renold was in my room. As for today¡¯s schedule, truthfully, there was not much for me to do. My father and Yuria handled the family¡¯s affairs, while the servants took care of misceneous tasks. It wasn¡¯t that I was deliberately wandering about aimlessly. As if I were not a part of it, my name was always excluded from matters handled by this nobility. If there was any difference, it was that I had to meet my father directly today. ¡°Is he calling me because of yesterday¡¯s incident?¡± ¡°Probably¡­that must be the case. The rumors have spread quite far. That you harmed someone, yes. But surely that cannot be true.¡± ¡°If I had killed someone at the imperial party, I would be in prison, not here. Isn¡¯t that a rather impoverished imagination?¡± ¡°I, I did not spread those rumors. Some of the maids did-¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I get the picture.¡± With no injuries but returning covered in blood, and the young master shutting himself in his room ¨C that was one fact. I could roughly gauge the extent of exaggeration and distortion that had urred. In reality, there were quite a few among the servants who disliked me, so some malice was likely mixed in as well. I wondered which of Yuria¡¯s dogs had been yapping about this time. It irritated me, just a little. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°M-My lord?¡± As I always felt, an unusual amount of attention seemed to be drawn to my actions. Just the act of stepping out of my room caused so many to react. When I grasped the chin of the maid standing in front of my door, she flinched in surprise. An unfamiliar face. It seemed vaguely familiar, but still a face I had not seen much despite my many regressions. In other words, someone who had little direct dealings with me. So what did it mean for such a maid to be loitering right in front of my door? The possibilities narrowed down to two choices: Either she was genuinely a new maid, or someone¡¯s pawn. Moreover, what reason could she have for being in front of my door? Renold had just entered and was standing right behind me. The way she trembled like a frightened mouse was quite suspicious. If she had simply been passing by, she would have been carrying something, but this woman¡¯s hands were conspicuously empty. As it was, she only appeared to have business at my door. ¡°Who are you, standing in front of my room?¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m a maid of the Taylor household¡­?¡± ¡°Since when were you a maid? This is the first time I¡¯ve seen your face.¡± Gripping her chin tighter, I applied more pressure with my fingers. Gradually feeling the strain, the maid¡¯s brow furrowed slightly from the pain. ¡°I know every single maid in this household. I¡¯ve seen them too many times to count.¡± I could never forget faces I had seen dozens of times over. I knew where each of them lived, what tasks they performed ¨C everything. Memories remained of investigating them one by one, fearing they might help in my killing, or that one of them might try to kill me. I never expected such an obsession to prove useful now, but one thing was clear ¨C this maid was suspicious. With her strength failing, the maid whose chin I held sank to the floor. For the household to employ someone so spineless¡­ ¡°The youngdy certainly has a peculiar way of handling matters. To have a novice maid eavesdrop like this.¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s not-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t much care for lies. Just keep your mouth shut.¡± Pressing her lips tightly together, she gave a pained nod. ncing at Renold¡¯s expression, his eyes were widened in apparent shock. At the very least¡­it meant Renold still had some value to me. She was no assassin. At this point, there was no reason for anyone to try killing me, and it seemed she was simply an easy target, tasked with some menial duty. The maid did not say another word. Only her tear-brimmed eyes made it clear she was unustomed to such treatment. In that case, there was no point holding her any longer, only harming myself. Releasing her chin, I gave Renold a look to handle the rest. ¡°¡­Very well. There¡¯s no reason for me to take it out on you. The rumors from yesterday must have caused quite a disturbance.¡± ¡°Hic¡­hic¡­¡± Not just my early return, but surely the rumors of me being covered in blood had also spread. Naturally, she would suspect I had done something. Her reaction was hardly unexpected, prompting an amusedugh instead. Disappointment requires some expectation in the first ce ¨C with Yuria, well, her responsecked originality. After dealing with the maid, Renold bowed his head to me and left. As I had noticed since yesterday, Renold seemed to show me quite a respectful attitude. Whether because he felt I held his leash, I did not dislike such an attitude. As long as he kept it up, it only benefited me. ¡®Yuria moved too hastily.¡¯ No matter how lightly she may have regarded me, to spread such rumors and then gauge my reaction. Theughable part was that in my first turn, I would have beenpletely flustered by this. What she likely failed to consider was that I had experienced such situations dozens of times before. Then again, no one but me would know that. With those thoughts in mind, my steps towards where my father would be suddenly halted. The rapid footsteps approaching from behind were the reason. As if I were the target, the reckless sound slowly softened as I stopped. ¡°Robert Taylor.¡± As always, that icy voice sent a chill down my spine. For a moment, it felt like a biting wind was blowing. Despite the sweltering summer, Yuria¡¯s eyes always radiated a cold indifference. ¡°Why did you return to the manor alone yesterday? I told you not to cause any more trouble.¡± ¡°You did indeed say that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you now. Why did you return to the manor covered in blood?¡± Instantly, augh escaped my lips. How ridiculous, to interrogate someone without even properly confirming the facts. No matter how perfect a youngdy she imed to be, shecked refinement. Did she really think she could intimidate solely through her status? This was precisely one of those moments. ¡°You are mistaken, Young Lady. It seems the servants have ryed incorrect rumors.¡± ¡°I am mistaken? Ha, Robert. You still say that despite this evidence?¡± She produced a shirt stained with blood around the cor. Had she directly instructed theundry to find it? The blood stains were certainly there. But that was all. No one would describe such a shirt as being ¡®covered in blood¡¯. Yet Yuria¡¯s manner was quite self-assured. As if her words alone were the absolute truth, she seemed convinced of the ¡®hypothesis¡¯ she had constructed herself. ¡°Would you call that much blood ¡®covered¡¯, Young Lady? It seems a bit different from my understanding.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the important part right now. Where did you get that blood from? You have no wounds on your body, so for you to be stained with blood, it must be someone else¡¯s. Don¡¯t tell me you actually killed someone¡­¡± ¡°Hah¡­¡± Letting out an exasperated sigh, Yuria¡¯s expression hardened for a moment. I had intended to listen quietly and apologize a few times to end it, but her misunderstanding seemed greater than I thought. Murder? Surely she knew better than anyone that I had never so much as held a sword. This was simply absurd. Mere pretext to make a big deal out of me acting alone. With her authority, she could easily treat it as fact and bury me under it. Even if the truth came out and it dissipated, my father would have scolded me for disgracing the family honor upon hearing the rumor. In other words, her aim of casting me out from my father¡¯s graces would be admirably achieved. ¡°So you believed the words of some servants over me.¡± ¡°¡­I never said I heard it from the servants.¡± ¡°Then did you see it directly? Did you see where I was injured, who I met at the ball that got me bloodied? You didn¡¯t, did you? No, of course you didn¡¯t.¡± My previously calm voice had grown quite sharp. Likely because my mood was not particrly good. The old memories I had recalled as I slept seemed to ovep with her image. The hands that had strangled my neck, the face that had mocked me as I died, the cold eyes that had tortured me directly ¨C it was provoking me. ¡°In the end, you have no interest in me whatsoever, do you, Young Lady?¡± To Yuria, I was not a brother. Merely someone who shared her blood, perhaps a rival who could take the position of young master if she made a mistake. That was why she tried to keep me in check. Scolding me for mistakes, torturing me for wrongdoings ¨C it was all because she saw me not as family, but as a rival. My raised voice gradually lowered, eventually regaining its initial calm. It even seemed colder than before. My mind, stripped of what little emotion remained, was like a still pond without so much as a ripple. Yuria was still watching me. But unlike before, there were now cracks in that hardened expression. Her slightly trembling lips, her wavering eyes, were proof of that. ¡°You¡¯re saying you were injured¡­¡± ¡°I met Lady Igrit. She cut my neck.¡± At the mention of Igrit, Yuria¡¯s eyes narrowed. Igrit ¨C that name could only refer to one person. She seemed doubtful, but fell silent upon seeing the Igrit crest embroidered on the handkerchief I showed her. How ridiculous, that she still doubted the words of her own kin, yet firmly believed the crest of a duke she had never met. ¡°I was injured. Do you really think someone who has never even held a sword could kill another person?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Her tightly closed mouth seemed to admit defeat, unable to refute me further. The face that had red at me was gone. I looked at the small cracks that had formed. Seeming flustered, her wavering eyes prompted me to speak quietly. ¡°If you don¡¯t know, it¡¯s better not to say anything. If you wish for me to disappear, you should just tell me so.¡± To her continued silence, I added as I turned away: ¡°Then I will quietly disappear, Young Lady.¡± I started walking towards my father¡¯s room. My original goal had been to speak with him, the dy was merely that. But as I took a step forward, Yuria muttered softly. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not that I have no interest in you.¡± The words I had been about to refute caught in my throat. Because Yuria was looking at me. With an expression so distorted, it seemed it might shatter at any moment. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 10: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Robert thought to himself, ¡®Forget what I just said, Yuria.¡¯ He recalled the words Yuria had spoken ¨C they were perhaps the most nonsensical words he had ever heard in his life. She imed she wasn¡¯t uninterested in him. If her torturing and trying to kill him was her way of showing interest, then he didn¡¯t want that kind of interest.What had been her intent behind those words? What was the meaning behind that fragile expression she had briefly shown, as if she was about to crumble? He pondered this as he walked, but could not arrive at a satisfactory answer. There was no need to dwell on it deeply. It was clear she had merely said those words to defuse the situation. He had never imagined he would hear such an ugly excuse as ¡°I¡¯m not uninterested in you.¡± It was rare to see Yuria¡¯sposure break down like that. Perhaps the only other time was when he had killed her in a previous cycle. He had acted on the thought of killing everyone and being alone, but even with no one left in the estate, there was no one to acknowledge him as its master. There were a few other simr incidents, but in most situations, Yuria chose to be even more cold and dispassionate rather than break down. So what did that recent expression mean? Was she so affected just by him saying he wasn¡¯t interested in her? ¡°¡­Tch.¡± Regardless, there was no need for him to be interested. He knew very well that he and Yuria could no longer be as they once were. Even if she had intentions different from what he assumed, he could not view her favorably all the same. Knock knock ¨C Brushing those thoughts aside, he rapped on the door to his father¡¯s study. It was quite important that he inform his father about his encounter with Adele. There may be a few benefits to gain from this, perhaps even more fortuitous circumstances than he expected. ¡°It¡¯s Robert, my lord.¡± ¡°Enter.¡± At his father¡¯s permission, Robert entered and bowed his head. He checked his father¡¯s expression, but he simply stared Robert down without showing any discernible emotion. Only his slightly furrowed brow hinted that he had given this rumor a great deal of thought. Unlike Yuria, his father would not misunderstand. However, it was a fact that Robert had returned covered in blood, so his father was undoubtedly curious about the reason. It would be troublesome if this caused an uproar. As Robert expected, as soon as he fully entered the study, his father immediately asked about the previous day¡¯s events. ¡°Where did you go yesterday?¡± ¡°¡­If you ask where I went, I returned to the estate.¡± ¡°What was the reason?¡± ¡°I judged that I had no business being there.¡± His father surely knew that the ¡°partner¡± arrangement was just a pretext, meant to outwardly show the younger branch¡¯s cooperation and the family¡¯s unity. After a momentary silence, he asked in an indifferent tone: ¡°When I asked where you went, I was asking where you got that blood on you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s less that I got it on me, and more that I was cut.¡± At the mention of being cut, his father¡¯s eyes narrowed, as if to scrutinize whether Robert was lying. But he had only lived around 60 years. Measured in years lived, Robert had experienced several times more than him ¨C how could a mere look discern his true intentions? Of course, there was no need to feign anything since it was the truth. Taking out a handkerchief from his pocket, Robert continued: ¡°I met Lady Igrit.¡± ¡°¡­Adele?¡± ¡°Yes, I stepped into the gardens for a bit and happened to run into her. We exchanged some conversation.¡± It sounded a bit odd to say he got his throat cut after that, but his father was well aware of Adele¡¯s unrestrained personality. For a freespirited woman who did as she pleased¡­drawing a de to verify something was certainly within the realm of possibility. ¡°In the process, she lightly cut my throat and told me toe to the North.¡± His father¡¯s gaze changed in an instant. Muttering something under his breath in a gravelly voice, his expression was like that of a ravenous beast discovering delectable prey. He coveted it, seeking to derive some gain from the situation. For his father, the family¡¯s interests took the highest priority. He must have been considering what advantages could be obtained through this information I brought. And I knew better than anyone the answer he most desired to hear. ¡°So, you¡¯re considering going there yourself, I take it.¡± ¡°No, I am not.¡± With a dismissive tone, I shook my head firmly and let out a smallugh. There would likely be no need to actually go to the North. Since I had judged it best not to entangle myself with her, there was no reason to set foot in the North even if I ended up helping her at some point. ¡°It would be better not to go to the North. That way, she may be a bit impatient.¡± ¡°¡­Why do you think she would be impatient? Adele Igrit is the Grand Duchess of the North. Do you really think she would react that way just because she lightly cut your throat?¡± ¡°Yes, Adele Igrit is that type of person, is she not?¡± Adele was a woman well-suited to the northernnds. She did not forget promises. However, she also did not forget grudges. It was a habit of those often called barbarian tribes, but Adele respected and embraced that habit. Her actions inpletely repelling the northern invasions had be a source of pride, and criticisms of Adele had disappeared. She was a woman who had risen to the position of Duchess with just a sword. And I knew better than anyone that her personality would not change over time. ¡°She will surely not forget that I cut her throat. Since she told me toe, she will undoubtedly continue to harbor that thought.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I suppose so.¡± A faint smile briefly crossed his father¡¯s lips, indicating he agreed with Robert¡¯s reasoning. Now the main issue was how to take advantage of this, but he did not seem inclined to discuss it further with Robert, changing the subject instead. ¡°Well, at least you¡¯re showing some sense now. Have you finally decided to change?¡± ¡°In a way, yes.¡± ¡°As you should have. You can¡¯t keep living so shamefully forever. Well thought out.¡± Seeing his father¡¯s satisfied smile stirred some conflicted feelings within Robert. His father did not understand the meaning behind Robert saying he had changed. He did not know the mindset behind Robert¡¯s desire for change, nor the abandoned heart that had led to it. Despite hearing the praise he had once coveted so much, Robert felt nothing ¨C just a vague sense of mncholy. ¡­I have changed quite a bit, he realized. Despite all the efforts he had made to hear such praise before, these trivial words ofmendation no longer provoked any feelings in him. The him of the past was gone, perhaps never to return. Yet as his father continued to beam with satisfaction, Robert could only remain silent. ¡°You are the proud scion of the Taylor family. In any situation, you must keep the family¡¯s interests in mind.¡± ¡°¡­I will keep that in mind.¡± Robert wondered what expression his father would make if he knew Robert took no pride whatsoever in the name Taylor. A warm summer breeze blew. Even the sweltering wind felt pleasant. Thanks to his encounter with Adele, Robert¡¯s actions had be freer, and he could now go outside as he pleased. At the previous ball, he had been bound by the pretense of being her ¡°partner¡±, so going out alone like this was¡­quite a long timeing, if he thought about it. In fact, in his previous life, hadn¡¯t he been imprisoned in a basement before his death? Just walking these streets was a rarity in itself, leaving him with a sense of refreshing openness in his heart. Every sensation ¨C the wind ruffling his hair, the sunlight enveloping his skin ¨C felt wonderful. ¡®This came about quicker than usual, didn¡¯t it?¡¯ Typically, this level of freedom in his actions wouldn¡¯t arrive until muchter in the cycle. But thanks to a fortuitous series of coincidences this time around, events had unfolded rather smoothly so far. Just walking outside was enough to lighten his mood. There were those who wondered what awaited after death, were there not? Having experienced it dozens of times himself, Robert often found various emotions welling up after each revival. At times he doubted whether he was truly alive, unable to believe that what he was seeing was reality and nearly losing his mind as a result. So going outside like this helped him regain his bearings. Feeling the breeze, the warmth of light, the sensation of treading the earth ¨C these allowed him to sense that he was indeed alive. He was alive. And this time, he intended to seed. Up until now, that was the mindset he had lived with. But this time, he harbored the rather chilling desire for his permanent demise. That was why his reason for venturing outside was quite different. The information he sought to gather was not new ¨C he already knew everything, it just wasn¡¯t in physical form yet. He needed to collect tangible evidence. A proper informant would likely appearter, but¡­there was no harm in getting a head start. As he was heading toward the area where informants gathered, a child came running and identally collided with him, falling over with a thud. The child must not have been watching where they were going, as they let out pained groans while curled up clutching their head. ¡°O¡­¡± Robert briefly considered whether to help the fallen child up, then crouched down to check their condition. Their hands that had braced their fall were a bit scraped, with reddened skin visible. If left alone, they would likely start bleeding. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going next time. Who knows what could happen if you run into some shady character.¡± ¡°S-Sorry about that. Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the one who needs to be asked that ¨C you¡¯re the one who fell after crashing into me.¡± Robert took out a fresh handkerchief and wrapped it around the child¡¯s hand. Upon seeing the pattern on the handkerchief, the child¡¯s eyes went wide. After a momentary dumbfounded pause as they processed the situation, the child suddenly went pale and bowed their head deeply. ¡°I truly didn¡¯t realize you were of the Taylor family! Please forgive me just this on-¡± ¡°Shhh. There¡¯s no need for any of that. Just be on your way and it will be finished. You understand what I¡¯m saying, don¡¯t you?¡± As the child kept bowing repeatedly, Robert covered their mouth with his hand. The child blinked slowly, indicating they understood. He disliked this sort of thing ¨C how people¡¯s attitudes changed instantly just because he was the son of a famous noble family. His licentious behavior in his first life stemmed from this very feeling. Although it led to his demise without being understood, this mindset had not changed to this day. Taking the child¡¯s hand, Robert helped them up, and they immediately turned and scampered off down an alleyway. This area had many ill-mannered nobles. If it had been someone else the child collided with instead of Robert, there may have been those who would have used it as an excuse to torment them. After watching the child disappear into the back alley, Robert turned to resume walking. No, it was at the very moment he tried to turn his back that¡­ ¡°¡­That¡¯s her.¡± There was a woman looking around the surroundings, seemingly in search of someone. A person was standing right beside her, as if assisting the woman. It certainly appeared she was looking for someone specific. The instant he saw her white blonde hair, a name shed through his mind, and he found himself unconsciously muttering it aloud. ¡°Adriana.¡± Dressed not in her holy vestments but in ordinary clothing, she looked just like amoner at a nce. Her dust-stained attire made it seem usible she had just finished some sort of cleaning task. But why was she garbed in such a manner? With that question in mind, Robert¡¯s feet began striding forward of their own ord. He didn¡¯t know the reason, but the thought arose that he should meet with her. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 11: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The life of a saint was one of the most boring lives a human could possibly lead, and that was fine. Even if people adored her, that was all there was to it. What meaning was there if someone who couldn¡¯t even look her in the face adored her? She had lost her sight in exchange for gaining God¡¯s blessing. The only world she could remember since birth was one with merely differences between light and dark; she only learned what colors flowers were through learning. The name ¡°saint¡±, the position of standing at the summit of the church to bestow blessings upon the citizens of the empire. She had never doubted that, but the ¡°world¡± itself was always one of the things that piqued Adriana¡¯s curiosity ¨C the unknown realm of whaty ahead, though she had heard about it only through books and fairy tales. Adriana had always harbored the desire to talk to someone other than priests or the Pope. It was for that reason that she first escaped from the church at age 13. The world she set out into with the help of a close priest friend, being unable to see, was an extremely mysterious ce. The various sounds reaching her ears were different from the ringing of bells. Instead of the organ sounds she always heard, people were truly chattering and talking about something. Princess? Pce? She didn¡¯t know it at the time, but sheter learned that the first friend she made after leaving the outside world was a princess. If she hadn¡¯t happened to run into the princess¡¯s carriage by chance, what might she have been doing now? Perhaps she would have met some strange person and gotten caught up in some suspicious business ¨C Adriana let out a smallugh at the sudden memory. ¡°Your Holiness?¡± ¡°No, I was just reminiscing a bit about the old days.¡± Although she had been severely scolded after being caught escaping once, she was able to freely go outside after that. However, since she had to hide her status as a saint, she wore these in clothes. What Adriana did when she went outside was simple. Sometimes she would go up to the meadow and nkly gaze at the sun, and sometimes she would visit the slums where young children lived and keep thempany. While learning about what was happening in the world, there were often times when a child insulting Miragen would get severely scolded by her. Today was the day she visited the orphanage where those children lived. She had set out with some anticipation for the weekly outing, but Adriana was perplexed by the somewhat rowdy atmosphere. Although she couldn¡¯t see, she could sense the atmosphere. Normally the children would run up to her when she came, but today only a few children came over, and it was just noisy. ¡°Is something the matter, by any chance?¡± When Adriana, kneeling, asked that, one of the children fidgeting nearby answered. ¡°Hans got into a fight with Cato and ran away. He¡¯ll probably be back soon.¡± Ah. With a small sigh, Adriana stood up. Children fighting happened quite often, but since he had run away, she had to find him, didn¡¯t she? Moreover, Hans was a child who frequently got into trouble. If he went outside and happened to run into an ill-tempered noble, things could take an strange turn, so it was better to find him before that happened. ¡°Sister will go look for him for a bit, but is anyone hurt?¡± ¡°No, no one¡¯s hurt.¡± That¡¯s good then. Leaving the children behind, Adriana wandered the streets to look for Hans. However, the truth was that she couldn¡¯t move as quickly as she had imagined. It was not so easy to walk without someone by her side; she could use her holy power and it would be a bit better, but she couldn¡¯t use that power in a ce like this. ¡°I wonder where Hans is.¡± She had to find him before it got dark, and with that thought in mind as she listened to the sounds around her, Adriana flinched at the sudden voice that reached her ears. ¡°Um, excuse me. Are you perhaps looking for someone?¡± ¡°Hiyah!¡± After the shriek that came out of her mouth without her realizing it, silence fell. For the saint, who always maintained herposure and didn¡¯t raise her voice, it was just an extremely embarrassing ¡°ident.¡± Calming her pounding heart from the sudden surprise, Adriana carefully parted her lips. She had definitely heard that voice before. Searching her memory, the name that came to mind was quite unexpected. She had thought she might meet themter, but she truly hadn¡¯t expected to meet them this quickly. ¡°¡­It¡¯s you, Sir Taylor.¡± The voice she answered with, trying to remain asposed as possible, was slightly trembling. She probably thought she wouldn¡¯t be found out, and Adriana, waiting for a response with that expectation, soon saw her hopes shattered miserably. ¡°Ah¡­yes, that¡¯s me.¡± The voice tinged with a hint ofughter meant that even an idiot wouldn¡¯t fail to notice. At the voice that now seemed to be openlyughing, Adriana¡¯s expression crumpledpletely. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°So this is the child you were looking for.¡± The child Adriana had been looking for was the one who had just bumped into me. Remembering where they were, I brought them over, and she smiled brightly while stroking the child¡¯s head. Perhaps this was a child who caused a lot of trouble often. Seeing her more relieved that no ident had urred than happy to have found them, I couldn¡¯t help but let out augh. ¡°You¡¯reughing again.¡± At that, Adriana nced at me slightly. Her eyes were closed, but if her sight had been intact, she would probably have looked at me sidelong. Perhaps because I hadughed a bit after hearing her shriek earlier, she was reacting somewhat sensitively to myughter. ¡°It¡¯s because the scene was pleasing to look at. Isn¡¯t the picture quite nice?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what it is¡­I have nothing to say¡­¡± ¡°Well, I think people can let out a shriek when they¡¯re surprised.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never shrieked like that before.¡± She had clearly let out quite a shriek earlier ¨C the ¡°hiyah¡± sound she made was rather unexpected, it seemed to me. Wasn¡¯t she always dignified, rarely even raising her voice in public settings? Seeing this more casual side of her was a bit of a surprise. Who would have thought she would be working at an orphanage like this? Could she really be a saint? It probably wasn¡¯t easy for her to go out often, but the fact that she was using even those scarce opportunities for volunteer work made me admire her a little. I had never met anyone like her before. If there was someone like her, one could fully trust them. The thought suddenly urred to me that if I had built a connection with her in previous regressions, my ending might have been a little different. It wasn¡¯t that I had never tried to meet the saint before. It was just that, strangely enough, I was unable to meet her. Whenever I tried to meet her, the saint had already fled to another country. Or if it was finally a time when I could meet her, I would be ambushed and struck down. So I had almost given up on the expectation of meeting her, but in this turn, through a coincidence, I met the saint twice. ¡­It was a bit anticlimactic, but I didn¡¯t think negatively of it either. ¡°By the way, Sir Taylor, where were you headed?¡± ¡°I had some business to take care of. But, aren¡¯t you having trouble carrying that heavy load alone?¡± Seeing her struggling to carry the heavy load alone, I asked, and Adriana nodded, saying it was fine. It was probably bedding or something used by the children. But after seeing her stumble a few times on her own, I naturally couldn¡¯t just leave her be. ¡°Let me take that for you. I think I can move faster with it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to take the trouble ¨C ah.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s not okay with this.¡± Her movements looked precarious at a nce. It was quite impressive that she had been doing this until now, but on the other hand, I red at the servant who was just watching from the side. Even if she had to act like amoner outside, she was still a saint ¨C wasn¡¯t this too much? However, the servant just shook his head as if protesting his innocence. He probably knew the situation more or less. Perhaps it was Adriana¡¯s stubbornness that made her use her own strength in a ce like this. ¡°Really, you don¡¯t have to help me.¡± Adriana pouted her lips and grumbled. It seemed she couldn¡¯t stand that I was carrying the heavy load, and she finally quieted down only after taking the top item from the pile I was holding. She was quite an unusual woman. Normally, a noble would hesitate toe to a ce like this, but as a saint, she came here. Adriana moved with several children clinging to her as she carried the bedding. They would blurt out what they had to say, and she would respond with various remarks while listening to them. ¡°Kids, if you keep clinging to me like this, I won¡¯t be able to go any further.¡± ¡°Sister, Hans has been hitting Cato since earlier!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hit him, I just touched him!¡± ¡°Hans, if you keep doing that, Sister will leave early.¡± At that, the boy named Hans shut his mouth tightly. It seemed Adriana wielded quite a bit of influence at this orphanage. No matter how you looked at it, he was just a troublemaker, but he listened well to her words, at least. The person who seemed to be the director of the orphanage was just watching this scene with a pleased expression. Adriana blended in quite well among those children. I didn¡¯t know how long she had been doing this work, but there was no denying that she found joy in it. Just the thought of that made my expression darken, if only a little, just a bit. It was almost like looking at someone from another world. Despite being unable to see, herughing amidst the children was a sight befitting of her name as a saint. Different from me. The sunlight seemed to be shining and sparkling on her. In contrast, a shadow was cast over where I stood, and the light was only directed towards Adriana along with the children. I let out a bitter smile at the scene that made it seem like I was being discriminated against. Well, since she was the saint chosen by God, it was only natural that she would be treated differently from me. ¡°Sir Taylor, could you help me with this for a bit?¡± That¡¯s when Adriana spoke to me, standing in the shade. She hadn¡¯t made any noise, but her gaze was urately directed towards where I was standing. I flinched for a moment before answering nonchntly. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The children won¡¯t leave me alone. Could you watch over them for a bit¡­?¡± So many children were clinging to her clothes that she seemed to be in quite a predicament herself. And yet, she seemed apologetic about asking me, so I readily agreed and started peeling the children off her one by one. Perhaps the boy named Hans had already told them about me, as the children immediately let go of Adriana once I stepped in. It was a relief that they didn¡¯t outright disobey. I had never really experienced how to handle young children before. Adriana nodded slightly to me, then left with her servant. She seemed quite familiar with the surrounding terrain, walking away with ease. Come to think of it, if Adriana wasing, I should probably head out too. I had originally nned to go to the guild, so I figured I should go do my work once she arrived. ¡°Mister.¡± Then one of the children tugged at my sleeve. Mister, not a bad title. Considering my mental age, I was probably more like a corpse. So I nced over, and the startled child looked in the direction Adriana had left before carefully opening their mouth. ¡°Do you know Sister?¡± ¡°¡­I just know her name. Why ask that so suddenly?¡± ¡°I was wondering if you two were lovers. You¡¯re both adults, after all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, so you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± At that, several children let out a relieved ¡°phew¡± sigh. Perhaps they thought Adriana and I wouldn¡¯t make a good match. Of course, I had no intention of bing her lover, but their reaction still left me feeling rather uneasy. ¡°Are you still here?¡± My wandering thoughts were interrupted by a voiceing from elsewhere. Adriana and her servant were approaching, carrying full water bottles. Perhaps it was because it was summer, and some of the children were drenched in sweat. ¡°I¡¯m still here.¡± ¡°Ah, I was worried you might have left already. Thank you for your help earlier. Here, have some wat- ah?!¡± Adriana¡¯s body started leaning forward abruptly. It seemed she had failed to notice the protruding rock on the ground as she hurriedly approached me. Her previously serene expression crumpled, and the water bottle in her hand flew up into the air. Her flowing hair, like sunlight, fluttered in the air in a way that resembled fading light. If I hadn¡¯t caught her, she probably would have been seriously injured. ¡°Hergh.¡± Adriana, her body caught in my arms, let out a short breath. Since I had grabbed her just before she hit the ground, I had no choice but to pull her into a tight embrace. I could feel her warm breath on my ear. Draping her neck over my shoulder as I held her, her heart was pounding rapidly. For a brief moment, Adriana tightly gripped my shoulder before pulling her body away and slowly parting her lips. A faint blush tinged her cheeks, seemingly embarrassed to have been seen stumbling. ¡°You caught me, thank you¡­really.¡± ¡°Are you all right? I apologize for touching you. I did it to catch your fall.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It couldn¡¯t be helped, could it? Ugh, I don¡¯t usually trip like that.¡± As she tried to stand up with my support, Adriana eventually let out a groan and grabbed her ankle. It seemed she had sprained her ankle in the fall, as she muttered softly after using her servant¡¯s help to get to her feet,menting that she had a lot to do today. The look of disappointment on her face was so palpable that even the children could only gaze at Adriana with dejected expressions. Then, suddenly, the children¡¯s gazes turned to me. Their eyes held the tant intention of asking if I, the ¡°mister¡±, could help her instead. I probably would have ignored them under normal circumstances. If the woman with me wasn¡¯t the saint, I definitely would have ignored it and gone about my business. ¡°Hah.¡± My hand unconsciously touched my neck ¨C the scar from the wound Adriana had healedst time was nowpletely gone without a trace. So perhaps I should help her out this one time. ¡­Maybe this, too, was a way to build rapport with the saint. ¡°If it¡¯s not going to take too long, I think I can help you out a bit.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I¡¯ve received help from you before, haven¡¯t I?¡± I ended up nodding in agreement at the visibly brightening expression on the saint¡¯s face. That I hade outside today was a coincidence, and that I had met the saint again was also a coincidence. If these coincidental encounters repeated several times, wouldn¡¯t that be a fateful connection? It wasn¡¯t bad. In fact, I thought I could take a positive view of it ¨C though it might just be a convenient excuse. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 12?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó There are things that are cold and bitter. And there are things that are warm and gentle. If one had to describe this woman named Adriana, perhaps she leaned more towards the warm and gentle side. A woman who made it difficult for others to utter harsh words, instead making them smile. Innocent and guileless, yet not foolish.Despite embodying purity as a saint, she never swayed from misguided temptations. Thus, one could say she was noble. Through experiencing countless lives, that was the impression I had formed about the woman called a saint. So pure and noble that not a single w could be found¡­ Or so I had thought. ¡°Children, don¡¯t pull on my hair¡­ it hurts¡­¡± Surrounded by children, endlessly tormented ¨C it was quite different from the image I had held of a saint. How should I put it? Perhaps it was most fitting to call it trivial. Even as they tugged and yanked her hair this way and that, sheughed like a fool and seemed to enjoy being with the children. And yet, from moving various loads, her clothes were covered in dust, her cheeks and forehead smudged with grime. Perhaps I had been mistaken in thinking of her as a noble saint. However, I became convinced that no one suited the name of saint better than Adriana. It was not because she possessed holy powers that otherscked that she was called a saint, but perhaps it was precisely because of that personality that she had been chosen as one. Seeing that sight stirred quite a peculiar feeling in me, prompting me to avert my gaze from the saint mingling with the children. I was helping out in ce of her, as she had sprained her ankle and could not move freely, but I began to wonder if I should really continue staying here. Wouldn¡¯t my presence here somehow ruin the atmosphere? I was assisting her to repay the favor of healing my neck woundst time, but no particr connection seemed to form between the saint and me. At this rate, wasn¡¯t I just wasting time? Such a cold thought suddenly crossed my mind, but it soon dispersed at the voice that came from beside me. ¡°You were here alone.¡± In the setting sun, her hair was dyed red, the tinum-colored waves now tinged with a murky hue. And yet, it remained clear. Even with her eyes closed, a pristine aura seemed to envelop her. ¡°How did you know I was here?¡± ¡°The children told me you were under the tree.¡± I can get anywhere around here without looking ¨C she added with augh. Then she plopped down on the spot, hugging her knees. ncing around, I realized it was quite a pleasant scenery. As if paint had been sttered, the sky dyed red by the sunset disappeared beyond the horizon. An unusually not-so-hot breeze rustled the grass, with a lone willow tree towering overhead. Such a scene. The children were gathered together doing something, so it seemed Adriana had quite a struggle extricating herself from that group. As I stood there in a daze for a moment, Adriana parted her lips with a smallugh. ¡°How is it? I can¡¯t see, so I only feel the brightness.¡± ¡°¡­Well. It¡¯s just ordinary.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lie. Louis loves it here so much.¡± Pointing in the direction of the children¡¯sughter, she briefly reached out her hand towards the sky. As if trying to grasp something, she waved her hand in the air, then let it fall limply again with a thud. ¡°Children see so many things. Not only because I can¡¯t see, but sometimes they tell me in more detail than adults do. Even though they haven¡¯t learned much yet.¡± ¡°That does happen at times.¡± ¡°Louis always came here to watch the sunset. He said it was red, but I didn¡¯t know what red was, so I couldn¡¯t react. So I always wondered. Is the color red pretty?¡± Her closed eyes turned towards me. It was not that she wanted consideration. She seemed genuinely curious if it was pretty. There is a color that can only be seen at this time. The time when the sun sets and the moon rises, the brief moment when day and night ovep. Out of the 24 hours in a day, could this color be seen for even 10 minutes? The blue sky was dyed red at the edge of night. As if to pour out all its remaining light, the sun, brighter than at noon, emitted a final burst of crimson before vanishing into the night. Thus, only the twilight of day, visible atst, could be called the sunset. Unable to fully express in words the appreciation she desired, I merely muttered briefly. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. Very much so.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­ I want to see it too.¡± Adriana smiled with a look of relief. Then, after gazing at the sunset for a while, she opened her mouth as the light slowly faded. ¡°Actually, these children¡­ They¡¯re not the kind you¡¯d easily see around here.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°These children came from the south. Do you know of the existence of wizards, by any chance?¡± ¡°There are many magical items too. I¡¯m aware of them.¡± Wizards ¨C how could I not know of their existence? It was just a bit strange for the word wizard toe up while discussing children. Adriana added that she was not talking about ordinary wizards like that. ¡°The southern region is a ce where the empire¡¯s influence has not yet fully prated. Perhaps because of the great forests or different races that exist there, it remains undeveloped and is practically awless zone.¡± I was aware of that much. But the south and wizards ¨C they were quite mismatched words. Yet it was not that nothing came to mind. As she said, the south was a ce where the central empire¡¯s influence barely reached. As such, it was a ce overflowing with various folk beliefs, and thus asionally, there were those who engaged in acts that people might mistake for magic. To the empire¡¯s people, they may appear like wizards, but they held far more brutal ideologies. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, they were victimized by shamans¡­¡± Adriana seemed momentarily startled, then carefully nodded her head after confirming the children were not listening. ¡°As you know, being a saint, I can¡¯t help but be sensitive to things God does not permit. These children are the ones I rescued some time ago.¡± ¡°¡­So that¡¯s why they¡¯re here.¡± ¡°It operates under the name of an orphanage, but in reality, I¡¯m simply taking care of children who were victimized by shamans. Even though they¡¯re smiling now, each of them probably carries a scar, don¡¯t you think?¡± Shamans considered offering sacrifices to something as part of their rituals. They were carrying out the practice of offering sacrifices to summon the gods or spirits they believed in. In other words, they were kidnapping children, whom they considered the best sacrifices. ¡­If Adriana had not noticed, they all likely would have died. Perhaps aware of that, she gazed in the direction of the giggling children with a slightly gloomy expression. Then, as if recalling something, she smiled faintly to herself and moved her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone else that I talked about this. Actually, it¡¯s something I shouldn¡¯t tell just anyone. You understand, right?¡± ¡°I have no intention of telling. I¡¯ll just¡­ keep it in mind.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief, then. Actually, I told you knowing you¡¯d respond that way.¡± The sun had nearly set now, and the surroundings gradually began sinking into darkness. Adriana gazed at the empty air, hugging her drawn-up knees. She must have realized the sunset had disappeared by now. And that it was time for her to return. But as if still lingering with regret, she did not seem inclined to get up readily. Her ankle should have healedpletely by now, but she let out an ¡°Ow-¡± and nced at me. ¡°You¡¯re still there, right? I don¡¯t hear any sound.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here. I n to stay here until you get up and leave, at least.¡± Perhaps reassured by my gentle voice, Adriana gazed at me intently for a moment with a faint smile. In the dimly remaining light, her face was illuminated, and for a fleeting instant, the dust on her cheek caught my eye. It seemed to have been there for a while, but apparently the children had not particrly told her. Naturally, Adriana was unaware of that fact. She simplyunched into a lengthy exnation of how kind the children were, then, as if exhausted, plopped down and began describing the children one by one. Hans, Cato, Louis, Ellin¡­ After listing their names, Adriana caught her breath and continued. ¡°The children seem to have taken quite a liking to Lord Taylor. It¡¯s probably the first time a noble has helped them out.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, isn¡¯t the saint here too? They don¡¯t seem to realize that, though.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like being called a saint.¡± At that moment, thest remnant of light vanished, and night fell. Instead of the sunset, a pale moon; instead of the reddened clouds, stars took their ce and shone brilliantly. Her glistening hair had darkened a bit, but my eyes narrowed at the fleeting glow that passed by. It was around then that I realized she had opened her eyes. Gray eyes, their color faded, eyes that reflected nothing, were gazing at the sky. With a slightly sorrowful look in her eyes, she continued. ¡°I prefer the children remembering me as just a close sister or older friend, rather than as a saint. It¡¯s awkward for both of us. If they call me a saint, it bes ufortable, and there have been too many people like that.¡± ¡°A friend¡­¡± ¡°Miragen is my friend too, but because of our rtionship as saint and princess, we can¡¯t meet often. Thest time we met on her birthday was after a whole year.¡± The glow that had dazzled my eyes disappeared from her eyes, now closed again. Her expression had darkened a bit. As if she felt guilty for saying such things. ¡°Sometimes¡­ just sometimes. I wondered what it would have been like if I weren¡¯t a saint. If I could see, if I could have just lived as friends with peers my age. What it would have been like.¡± There was no answer I could give her. I would simply listen in silence until she had poured out all she wanted to say. What could I do for a woman called a saint? I did not know her well. We had only met by chance in this run, a mere coincidence. But¡­ I could understand that feeling. If I had not regressed, before that. Hadn¡¯t I imagined what it would have been like if I could have steered all my conduct in the right direction? ¡°It might seem a bit pathetic. For someone called a saint to be like this¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that way.¡± My tone was firm. There was someone else who deserved to be called pathetic. Compared to me, who had been trying to repeat endless regression, unable to let go of lingering attachments, couldn¡¯t one say Adriana was plenty admirable? I wanted to add something, but no words came to mind. I approached Adriana, deliberately making noise with my steps so she could fully sense my presence. Realizing I hade to her side, Adriana turned her head. ¡°Lord Taylor?¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go. Isn¡¯t it time for you to return?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As I grasped her hand that had been sitting still, Adriana flinched for a moment, then lightly sped my hand. I pulled her hand and helped her to her feet. Once standing, she let go of my hand and bowed her head to me. She seemed to have realized it was time to leave now. ¡°You¡¯re right. I should go now.¡± The children¡¯sughter had also ceased at some point. Her tone was clearly tinged with regret as she said that, prompting an unbidden smile from me. ¡°You smiled again.¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°I think you just smiled a little.¡± Was she sensitive to such things? I was a bit surprised she had noticed my smile, but I denied it and looked in the direction of the children. ¡°I think I should get going now, but shouldn¡¯t you say goodbye to the children before leaving, Saint? You go first. I¡¯ll head back as is.¡± ¡°The children will be disappointed.¡± ¡°¡­It will be difficult to see them often. I have my own matters to attend to.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be disappointed too.¡± For a moment, I did notprehend what she had said. By the time my expression had contorted strangely upon realizing the meaning of ¡°I¡¯ll be disappointed,¡± Adriana began moving away from me with a nonchnt expression. Taking a few steps back, she waved at me in farewell. ¡°See you next time. I don¡¯t know where we might meet, but I have a feeling.¡± Her tone sounded as if she was certain we could meet again next time. As if, since we met this time, we would definitely meet next time. I did not respond. I shook my head slightly, but she would not have seen my movement. Opportunities to meet the saint were rare. I could not be certain she woulde here again next time. ess to the cathedral and ascending the Moon Tower was limited to a select few. I could try to be among them, but it would likely take a long time. I thought it would be difficult to meet her. Unless this was truly fate. I merely watched nkly as Adriana headed across to where the children were. Only silence remained where the light had vanished. Even the moon that had been so bright just moments ago was now obscured by clouds, leaving only a cold shadow. Isn¡¯t it amazing? Just one person disappeared, yet the surroundings felt so empty. All that remained was the impression that she was a woman mysterious in many ways. Instead of the pure and noble saint I had imagined, the impression Adriana left was¡­ that of quite an enigmatic woman. ¡°¡­Shall we go?¡± After standing still in that spot for a while, I slowly began walking towards home. Erasing the lingering thoughts about a certain woman still in my mind. The dust that had remained on her cheek felt strangely irksome. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 13: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Several days after the regression, I thought quite a lot had happened. I met the saint, sent off Theresa, and encountered Adele. Meeting Saint Adriana, whom I would not have met under normal circumstances, was encouraging, but I felt a bit anxious about the future I was experiencing for the first time. However, the reason I still thought it would be alright was because I still had countless memories remaining.I could handle it. Even if it was something beyond my imagination, I had already experienced it beforehand. The only reason for regret was that I had harbored lingering attachments for far too long. ¡°Young Master, a letter has arrived.¡± Renold, whose attitude had be much more polite now, held out a single letter to me. Come to think of it, it had already been about two weeks since I returned to this summer day at age twenty. A letter that woulde to me at this time¡­ epting the letter with a puzzled feeling, my eyes narrowed upon seeing the emblem engraved on it. I had forgotten. That I had cast out Theresa. Was this all the significance Theresa held for me? How meaningless must it have been for me to forget her after not seeing her for a mere few days? This was why I couldn¡¯t help but think my past runs were pathetic. If I had given up on everything and made up my mind like now, I sometimes imagined that I could have concluded everything with just about ten regressions. Of course, I knew well that such imaginings were meaningless now. It was foolish to dwell on the past that had already passed. However, the scars that remained from that time still tormented my soul. Though my intact body bore no scars, the traces of torture, once engraved, showed no signs of fading even with the passage of time. Rustle ¨C Suddenly, the letter crumpled in my hand. Cold sweat trickled down and gathered on my forehead, my vision blurred and my head began to spin. The sensation of past memories flooding in like a deluge, shattering the dam and pouring out, the breath caught in my throat as I clutched my chest and dropped the letter in my hand. Such reactions often came when I thought deeply about the past. The illness that soldiers who returned from war were said to experience, but¡­ what I had was even more cruel than that. The poison I had drunk, the arms that had been severed, the legs that had been shattered ovepped on my body. The eyes that had disappeared without a trace sometimes lost their sight. The vocal cords ruined from screaming asionally forgot how to produce a voice, and very rarely¡­ I would forget my own name. I saw my trembling hands. Would these hands crumble to dust at any moment? No, there was a time when all my fingernails had been torn out. A minor torture. I had received that level of torture so many times that I could now ept it with a smile. There was a time when I had cut off my own arm, and a time when my arm had fallen off while swinging a sword. My vision turned bright red. Blue, green, yellow ¨C colors that should not be visible swirled all around. Countless memories entangled, and at the same time, the sound of rain piercing my ears made me grit my teeth. What I needed to remember now, I desperately moved my lips to calm my wildly pounding heart. My name, what was my name? ¡°¡­Robert Taylor.¡± Within my gradually returning consciousness, I slowly wiped the sweat from my forehead. The breath I had been holding returned, and my shrunken lungs regained their sticity. It was still alright for now. I thought, pressing my temples. I calmed the expanded blood vessels throbbing in my head, as if they would burst at any moment. Though there was a metallic taste in my tightly closed mouth¡­ it was fine. Such things happened often. Rather, I had been waiting for when such a reaction woulde. The specters of the past that tormented me. I wondered when they would let me go, but their intensity had been weakening recently. It was evident from the fact that the frequency of my nightmares had decreased. That I¡­ no longer thought so seriously about the past. Actually, out of the 100 times, I had not diligently lived through all of them. Perhaps about 30% of those times, I had taken my own life. It was when I was gripped by the delusion that if I died countless times, this regression would end, so I clearly remembered stabbing my own throat at least 3 times. ¡®¡­Pathetic.¡¯ The relic was not for nothing. Regardless of my will, life would repeat endlessly until the wish I desired was fulfilled. Now, didn¡¯t that wish itself long for eternal death? Afterpletely wiping away the sweat, I picked up the letter that had fallen to the floor. [To my dear Lord Robert Taylor.] ¡°Dear, huh.¡± What an absurd word. It was quite rare for her to add the modifier ¡®dear¡¯ when addressing me. Either she was truly in urgent need of something, or she wanted something from me. When I tore open the letter with a smirking face, inside was a single letter filled with quite earnestly written sentences. [Lord Taylor, have you been well? I would like to call you by name, but I am well aware of how hurt you must have been by my mistakest time.] ¡­At this point, I stopped reading the letter. If I read any further, I might be so enraged that I would vomit. If she knew well how hurt I was by her mistake, she would not have contacted me with this kind of letter. So it wasn¡¯t that urgent of a situation? What an arrogant woman. ¡°Renold, burn this letter.¡± As I said that, Renold, who had slipped through the door and entered, approached and ced the letter in his pocket. Normally, I would have suspected him of having other thoughts even in this situation, but the current Renold was performing quite well as a faithful butler. At least based on my evaluation of him over the past two weeks¡­ he was trustworthy. It was enough to say he was the only one in this ducal estate. If I appropriately employed the carrot and stick approach, he would not betray me. It was not that Ipletely ruled out the possibility, but I was confident that a mere betrayal from the likes of Renold would not hinder me. ¡°What is Father doing?¡± ¡°His Grace the Duke went up to the capital this morning, saying he had business there.¡± ¡°It was about time for that. So only Yuria remains here?¡± ¡°Yes, the Young Lady is staying here.¡± It was likely for the uing Full Moon Festival. As it was a major festival of the empire, Father needed to head to the capital for the festival that would span the entire empire. Perhaps the ducal estate would soon be noisy. Of course, I also had to move quite busily amidst that. There was one person I had to save, someone who had been my excellent coborator in almost every life. For me, who needed more information than what any decent information guild could provide, there was probably no one better than her. The alchemist Jay, saving her from death at this festival was the most important of my current concerns. ¡°How would you like your meal? Shall I have it brought to your room?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll eat in the dining room. There¡¯s no need to eat in my room anymore.¡± Before the regression, I often ate meals in my room, but after regressing, I deliberately went to the dining room to eat. Even though it was quite ufortable to eat with Father or Yuria, if I at least showed my face like this, they would remember me to some extent. Another reason was because of Yuria¡¯s face, which twisted in a bizarre way every time she saw me. Wasn¡¯t her reaction strange sincest time? She suddenly said it wasn¡¯t that she had no interest in me, as if she felt guilty for no reason. It was not even funny. If what she had done to me was truly just to show interest¡­ Then I would not have been able to consider her as even the same blood. Around the time I was thinking that, Yuria happened to be walking towards me from the corridor across. Perhaps she had been nning to eat, Yuria, who was momentarily startled upon seeing me, soon showed a calm expression. Then she passed by me and disappeared, but stopped and called out to me. ¡°¡­Robert Taylor.¡± ¡°Why are you calling me? I haven¡¯t done anything wrong, so is there something I need to apologize for without knowing?¡± I retorted sarcastically, but Yuria¡¯s eyes only turned a bit chilly, with no further reaction. After staring at me for a moment, she parted her lips in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯m not always telling you to apologize when I call you. Since when have I ever told you to do that?¡± ¡°Then tell me for what reason you called me, Young Lady.¡± Her pupils shook very slightly at the words ¡®Young Lady.¡¯ Such a reaction was amusing. Why would she even react? Since it was an emotion I could not understand, all I did was stare at the current Yuria as if she were a curiosity. She could find it strange that I had changed through the regression. However, I could not understand why she would be shaken by my current reaction. Because it was Yuria who had disliked it when I called her sister. So shouldn¡¯t she be happy if I did as she wished? Her current reaction seemed like nothing more than finding this form of address burdensome. After keeping her mouth shut for a moment, Yuria opened her mouth with a furrowed brow, as if annoyed. ¡°I just wanted to ask if you¡¯ll be attending the Full Moon Festival this time. I need to report to Father if you¡¯re attending. Don¡¯t have any strange misunderstandings and just answer.¡± ¡°I will attend. Because I have something I need to do.¡± ¡°Something you need to do¡­ No, never mind. I¡¯m busy, so I¡¯ll get going. Eat or do whatever you want.¡± Yuria, who had turned her head on her own as if to ask about that matter, closed her mouth again. And as if her business was finished, she spat out all she had to say and disappeared. Click, click. As Yuria walked away and disappeared down the corridor, I also turned my back with a peculiar expression. ¡®She¡¯s probably just acting like that for a bit.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t the first or second time I had seen such entricity. She was probably just acting like that for a moment. I soon erased Yuria from my mind and took a seat in the dining room. As Renold had the servants bring various dishes, I recalled the letter I had received from Theresa earlier. There was only one reason for her to send me such a letter now. It was probably because her brother¡¯s illness was slowly bing noticeable. But it wouldn¡¯t be that serious yet. It would be at the level of a mild cold that he asionally caught, sometimes coughing. Sensing something was up, she must have sent me a letter to apologize. Gauging my reaction and subtly bringing up her brother¡­ probably that level of approach. So I had absolutely no intention of epting this meeting. If she became desperate, she would contact me again. What I had nted in her was the seed of doubt. I wouldn¡¯t do anything, but her doubts would make her anxious about every situation if she took it to heart. At first, she would think it was just a coincidence. People tended to rely on luck when negative things happened. But if the situation changed even slightly, she would be fixated on what might be the cause. ¡®Right now, that would be me, but¡­¡¯ But what if I didn¡¯t respond? If I responded with silence without a single answer, how far would that doubt spread? I didn¡¯t think it would take long. At most two weeks, I would be able to witness that entire process before the Full Moon Festival began. ¡°I have brought your meal.¡± Around the time I moved my knife as I looked at the te ced before me, Renold approached and whispered something in my ear. ¡°¡­Consecutive letters have arrived from the Violet family. What would you like to do?¡± ¡°Burn them.¡± ¡°Will you not check them?¡± ¡°The contents are obvious. Burn them well so no one sees.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Consecutive letters. I let out a smallugh at those words. Perhaps another symptom had appeared right after she sent me the letter. But my response did not change. If she kept sending only letters, all I would have to do was painstakingly burn each letter one by one. Sss, the sensation of the knife cutting through the steak was transmitted. I picked up the tender flesh with a fork, put it in my mouth, and savored the delicious vor and sweetness of the sauce. Soon, the seed she had harbored would gradually bloom and blossom. That doubt would eat away at her and soon devour the Violet family. But it was not my fault. Everything was her fault for starting to doubt, her fault for ruining everything with suspicion. Let me say it again. I had no intention of doing anything. Absolutely nothing. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 14: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Cough- Suddenly, someone sneezed due to an itchy nose. The asional sound was nothing special. Just a sneeze, it was a sound that could be heard often enough in daily life.Theresa, who heard the sound her brother made, thought the same. Although it felt a little unpleasant. ¡°Do you have something on your mind?¡± ¡°¡­No, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s about the recent broken engagement, don¡¯t let it bother you. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll make an issue of it either.¡± ¡°I know that too.¡± -Let¡¯s break off the engagement. Lady Violet. The voice she never imagined, she never dreamed she would hear it directly with her own ears. Wasn¡¯t he the man who always smiled at her? Who would have thought he was hiding such a dagger? Even now, when she recalled that moment, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill down her spine. The face that had always smiled gently was no longer there. Only the frigid sneer and piercing eyes remained, seeming to rummage through all the feelings she had harbored. It would be apt to say he was apletely different person. For a brief moment, she was overwhelmed by Robert. Since when had he changed? The moment she heard the name Millian Jewelers, she barely managed to hold back from copsing. Didn¡¯t it mean he had known everything from the beginning? But even so, the fact that he had endured it made Theresa¡¯s shoulders tremble as she recalled Robert¡¯s gaze fixed on her. So she broke off the engagement. She returned that very day, put the engagement ring back in the envelope, and immediately proceeded with the annulment. She thought that would be the end of it. It did bother her that he had mentioned her brother, but that was probably just a bluff. No matter how prestigious the Taylor family was, the Violet family was also a renowned noble family. Although they could notpare, there was no way they would fall victim to something like poison. There was no pretext for them to crumble from within, so what could possibly happen just from using a foolish man? ¡®¡­He¡¯s not foolish.¡¯ Sighing as she corrected her thought. She felt like she had been properly hit. To think he had been putting on such a foolish ¡®act¡¯ despite knowing everything¡­ Even thinking about it now sent shivers down her spine. The n she had thought was thoroughly established and going well had crumbled in an instant. Even those words about breaking off the engagement seemed like he had uttered them afterpletely deciphering her intentions. Wasn¡¯t breaking off the engagement what she had nned to say to Robert that day? Although she had fled like she was running away, she had been anxious all day on the way home, wondering if she was being pursued. She had worried that by the time she returned, her home might already be in disarray, but even though time had passed like this, not even a minor issue had urred. ¡°You¡¯re not making that strange expression these days. You were acting like you had something to worry about.¡± ¡°¡­Something like that happened. There have been a few things recently.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s understandable. You liked each other so much, and then suddenly breaking off the engagement. It must have been shocking.¡± Cough- Arthur, who had coughed a bit more thickly than before, opened his mouth. That cough was irritating. Why was he coughing when he didn¡¯t usually do so? Theresa¡¯s eyes narrowed for a moment, then she spoke bluntly. ¡°Did you catch a cold? You keep coughing.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s not that, but my throat is itchy. It¡¯s nothing. It happens sometimes.¡± ¡°Drink some medicer. Don¡¯t go spitting everywhere.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll feel better after a nap.¡± For a moment, she found herself biting her lip in irritation that rose without her realizing it. Click, hearing the sound of her teeth shing, Theresa was startled and nkly stared into the air. There was no reason to be annoyed, but she had no idea why she suddenly felt this emotion. Her expression reflected in the teacup she was holding was quite eerie. It was an expression that anyone could see she was quite angry, so Theresa let out a small sigh and wiped her face. Perhaps it was because of her pathetic brother¡¯s behavior. She had thought it was nothing because she always saw it, but seeing it often must have triggered her anger. ¡°Just quietly take your medicine. Don¡¯t make me worry.¡± After clearing her throat for a moment and replying, she seemed to calm down a bit. It was just empty words or bluffing anyway. Wouldn¡¯t she also look foolish for being swayed by such things? Pressing her forehead once, she brought the chamomile tea to her lips. The moment she savored the fragrant aroma filling her mouth, it felt like she was freed from all worries. Watching her brother grumble and pour the medicine into his mouth was only momentary, as Theresa closed her eyes and relished the tea¡¯s scent. Didn¡¯t just drinking it put her mind at ease? It was merely an unfounded fear. There were worries that kepting to mind, but Theresa quickly erased those concerns from her head. Instead, she brought up another matter to think about. Since she had failed in her attempt to use Robert, wouldn¡¯t it be better to consider the possibility of being exposed elsewhere as well? ¡®How did he even find out?¡¯ She was certain she had handled it without anyone knowing. When purchasing something, she used apletely different name, and when seeking out a designer, she made sure no one but that person knew it was her. Theresa¡¯s eyes narrowed as she mentally deducted points for the designer Roberta. Perhaps he truly knew nothing and just stumbled upon those few things. She could have thought about it a bit more slowly, but in the moment, she was so startled that she immediately acknowledged her guilt on the spot. If she had responded brazenly there, the oue might have been a little different. Rather, if she had gotten angry, saying it wasn¡¯t her fault, even Robert would have been flustered. Tsk. Theresa clicked her tongue as she med her own foolishness. It seemed not a bad idea to try contacting him once. If she sent a letter apologizing appropriately, he would at least agree to meet. Theresa smirked as she gripped her pen while writing the letter. If this worked, what would she do then? She found Robert quite irksome for surprising her, so she had been contemting various forms of revenge. Until then, he had sent letters professing his love, so how could she have imagined he would insult her like that as soon as they met? Even now, when she recalled his mocking face, her brows furrowed involuntarily. It should have been a rtionship where she held the reins and shook him¡­ She had been shaken for a moment, and it ended up like this. Theresa, who had scribbled a letter with an appropriate apology and a mildly regretful content, stretched. Perhaps a response woulde soon. But it was alreadyte at night, so she thought she could send the letter when she woke up tomorrow. It wasn¡¯t such an important matter, so it was fine. Even if she forgot, she could send it when she remembered. To Theresa, Robert was still a truly easy target. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Cough- Rough and ragged breathing echoed. The one with aplexion so pale he seemed on the verge of copsing was Theresa¡¯s brother, Arthur. Staring nkly into the air with hazy eyes, he then squeezed his eyes shut and suppressed the erupting cough. He felt like ripping out his itchy lungs with his bare hands. The cough that escaped against his will stirred up many emotions just by itself. Who would have thought that what he had dismissed as just a cold a few days ago would grow this severe? For a moment, a cough that wed at his throat burst out with every movement. He wiped his mouth, tasting something metallic. Even without blood, he felt his body had already deteriorated to that extent. The cold he knew was not such a serious illness. Just a sickness that would cleanly disappear after a night¡¯s sleep. So he had been negligent in taking medicine, but this¡­ seemed like an illness that would not heal no matter how diligently he took medicine. Cough- His chest ached from coughing so much. It had already been three days since he lost his appetite andy idly in bed. How did ite to this? But what Arthur feared most was whether this illness would actually be cured. ¡°It must be poison.¡± Theresa, who had been wandering around restlessly beside him, muttered. Gnashing her innocent nails and fidgeting her feet, she looked quite anxious. Wasn¡¯t she bringing in doctors to search for poison ever since his condition had worsened? But Arthur himself knew best that it was not poison. Poison was originally created to harm someone. At least as far as he knew, there was no poison that produced symptoms simr to this cold. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll have to interrogate the servants. The food you ate is suspicious.¡± ¡°Theresa, you know that can¡¯t be true.¡± ¡°What do you know? Brother, what do you even know? No matter how you look at it, it¡¯s poison. Why would a healthy person suddenly fall ill¡­ This is poison. Brother, someone sent an assassin after us. It can¡¯t be the Taylor family, can it? No, it must be that person. That person, Robert, sent an assassin to us-!¡± Gasp- Theresa, who swallowed a false breath on her own, turned pale. She seemed to realize it now. That the words he had said to her were not empty threats, she finally realized it now. Wasn¡¯t this situation too strange? In the summer, not even winter, what had started as a mere cough¡­ It had driven a person to a state resembling a corpse. At first, she thought it was just a severe cold. If not that, she thought it would just pass, and that was the problem. This was a despicable ploy orchestrated by the Taylor family. Just as Robert had warned, it was clear he had done something to her brother Arthur. -I would very much like to meet him next time. In good health, that is. It felt like an electric current zapping through her head. Her breath stopped, and the chill that flowed from the top of her head seemed to escape through her fingertips. Her heart turned cold, and at the same time, her dazed mind made her body sway. Not even realizing her legs had given out and she had slumped to the floor, Theresa began to piece together the fragments of memory fitting together in her mind one by one. The reason her brother was sick, it was surely Robert¡¯s doing. Otherwise, there was no way Arthur would fall ill, was there? Just because a cold had be that severe? No, that couldn¡¯t be. From the beginning, Theresa had excluded the possibility of many other causes. epting Robert¡¯s words as a warning, her mind filled with that thought naturally clouded her judgment. There was no way she could make a level-headed assessment. If she had thought a bit more slowly, she would have realized there was no such possibility, but Theresa had already assumed Robert was the sole cause. ¡°Ned, summon all the servants right now and ask them. If anyone put something strange in the food.¡± ¡°Actually, the interrogation has already beenpleted.¡± The old man called Ned replied with a bowed head. Naturally, he had asked all the servants, but there was no one who would engage in such suspicious acts. Moreover, since they did not casually use anything brought in from outside, there was no way poison or the like could have gotten into the food. But he could not ignore the momentum of Theresa, who had her eyes wide open, so Ned carefully opened his mouth. ¡°There was no one who acted suspiciously. At least, within this mansion, there is no one who would do such a thing¡­ I believe.¡± ¡°Then the reason my brother has copsed like that is really just because he¡¯s bedridden with a mere cold?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you call for a doctor? The doctor will treat him soon, and he¡¯ll recover after taking medicine. I¡¯ve also called a priest for any unforeseen circumstances, so you can rest assured for now, can¡¯t you?¡± Upon hearing Ned¡¯s words, Theresa finally felt her blurred vision returning. Yes, there was no need to think so hastily right now. If she moved too quickly, the Taylor family might put even more pressure on her¡­ A thought suddenly urred to her, and Theresa¡¯s eyes narrowed as she looked around. Could it be that someone was monitoring this situation? It felt like the blood in her head was finally circting. With her vision spinning, Theresa finally realized she had copsed on the floor. ¡°¡­Yes, then we¡¯ll have to wait for a bit. Until that esteemed doctor arrives.¡± ¡°Yes, I will call you when the doctores. Please rest for a while.¡± Click, the door closed. Left alone beyond it, Theresa¡¯s body began to crumble towards the ground once again. She no longer even felt the desire to get up. Her mind was filled solely with thoughts about this situation. It might not have been the Taylor family¡¯s doing. Making a judgment right now would be hasty. Theresa, who had grasped the situation a bit more calmly, wiped her forehead. If it was truly a cold, medicine should be enough to cure it. If that was the case, the conclusion would be that it was simply a coincidence. ¡®Will it really be like that?¡¯ She was suddenly seized by fear. If this was an illness that even a doctor could not cure¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it mean the Taylor family had truly manipted her brother? Theresa¡¯s hand, clutching her chest with quickening breaths, trembled. With a pale face, Theresa stared into the air with shaking eyes. Nothing should have happened. This had to be a severe cold that would bepletely cured after sleeping a few nights. If it did not turn out that way, it would mean this was all retribution for the greed she had harbored. ¡°It will be alright.¡± So she muttered. To erase Robert¡¯s voice echoing in her ears like a chant. To not forget the hope that still remained, however faint. Theresa¡­ kept muttering like that for a long time. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 15: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó When a person breaks down, it happens in an instant, and sometimes they even forget how they ended up breaking down. What is the reason for it? What is the cause? The copsed Arthur may not be able to think, but Theresa should have clearly known the reason. ¡°¡­Where is Ned?¡±At the chilling voice, the servant trembled. In the room that had turned into a mess with various pieces of furniture broken, a woman with her hair disheveled parted her lips. It was also the woman¡¯s own actions that had made the room like that. Perhaps there was someone hiding and monitoring. Watching her actions, who knew what mischief they might do ¨C she had said. ¡°Uh, he¡¯s not here. He¡¯s in the basement right now.¡± ¡°Aha. Right. That¡¯s how it was.¡± Theresa burst intoughter, chuckling. Ned, who had been her butler, had finally lost her trust as well. Now that she thought about it, wasn¡¯t it indeed suspicious? With her brother copsed and groaning like that, there was no way there could be nothing wrong with the food. Perhaps it was Ned¡¯s order to put poison in the food. If only he would confess with his own mouth while being tortured now, this matter would be over. No matter how much her former fianc¨¦ had done such a thing, to use poison¡­ ¡­He was a more terrifying man than she thought. Since when had he been hiding such a dagger in his bosom? Theresa let out a small sigh and brushed her hair with her hand. The hair was matted and tangled with dried blood. She forcefully pulled it, applying strength until the hair was ripped out from her fingers. Even so, the servant¡¯s face turned deathly pale at her expressionless face. Theresa didn¡¯t even find this painful. It had already been a week since Arthur¡¯s condition had worsened. The doctors who came all failed to find the cause of the illness, and even the priest¡­ could not purify that poison. ¡°The guy who said he would call the saint.¡± ¡°Uh, we still can¡¯t get in touch-¡± ¡°How many times did I say she has toe by today!¡± Bang, Theresa, who mmed the desk that had remained intact with her hand, shouted. Even as she mmed the desk, causing wooden splinters to pierce her hand and drip blood, her mind was still filled with thoughts about that poison. It must have been a poison ingested through food. She wondered what kind of poison it was. Even the servant trembling in fear looked pathetic to her. Rather¡­ should she interrogate him like Ned? There was no need to be so frightened right now, was there? Had she gotten angry? No, she had merely asked. She must have asked quite kindly when the priest would bring the saint. Why was he reacting like that? In an instant, the frozen pupils melted again at the sound of coughinging from far away. It was a sound that could no longer be called a simple cough. With each cough, it expelled the vitality of the entire body, making it evident that he was gradually dying, didn¡¯t it? ¡°Just what is going on? For the Taylor family to use poison on us!¡± To Theo, the head of the Violet family, it was truly a bolt from the blue. They had not even been on bad terms, and until a few days ago, the children of both families had been engaged to each other. Why on earth would they use poison on them? He, too, did not know the exact truth. He had only heard what Theresa said, and even he could not make a level-headed judgment about this situation. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know either. Why they would do this to us.¡± ¡°It, it might not be poison, right? They never had any interest in us in the first ce. Why would they use poison on us¡­¡± Foolish. How could he suspect a person this sick of merely having an illness? She had heard of illnesses with simr symptoms, but just seeing that it didn¡¯t improve with medicine, one could tell it was not a simple illness. Pneumonia? No way. This was poison. The poison that Robert Taylor had personally used to destroy the Violet family that had exploited him. ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry too much. They can¡¯t do anything to us either.¡± It was too obvious a ploy. If only she could get her hands on the evidence by torturing Ned, she would be able to counterattack the Taylor familyter. That foolish Robert, did he think she would crumble with this kind of trick? Ha, a sneer burst out, twisting the corners of her mouth. It was such a bizarre and uncanny expression that Theo, who saw that smile, trembled slightly. The cold, frozen pupils reflected nothing. They merely gazed at her brother lying down, coughing up blood. There was no reason, no sense. How was it different from the state of fanatically believing that everything she judged was right? What Theo thought of was Ned. To calm his daughter even a little, wouldn¡¯t Ned, who had been with her since childhood, be of help? So Theo opened his mouth to call that name. ¡°Come to think of it, I don¡¯t see Ned. Where on earth is he at a time like this? Bring him here at once!¡±¡±You won¡¯t find him even if you look.¡± Thud, at the words thrown out, Theo turned his head. He won¡¯te, Theo was the only one in this room who did not understand those words. The servants each bowed their heads and squeezed their eyes shut, trying to avoid the words that would be heard next. ¡°He¡¯s downstairs, that traitor.¡± ¡°¡­I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. Traitor, are you referring to Ned?¡± ¡°That person hid the fact that he put poison in the food. He probably mistakenly thought we blindly trusted him. He¡¯ll probably open his mouth soon. Why, we have them in our family. The torture experts.¡± His mind turned nk in an instant. Unable to believe that the words his daughter uttered were reality, all he could do was nkly gaze at his daughter¡¯s smile. A traitor¡­ He knew better than anyone that it couldn¡¯t be true. And the basement. His face, which could no longer even force a smile, stiffened, but Theresa, not even noticing it, was muttering words he couldn¡¯t understand. Poison, at least in Theo¡¯s mind, it was hard to see his daughter¡¯s fianc¨¦ as such a wretched person. Moreover, there was no way Ned, who had worked the longest in this mansion, would be involved in putting such poison. Theresa, not even sensing the deste gaze directed at her, still had Robert in her mind. The poison he had secretly brought in, how to obtain the antidote for it. Her father had long disappeared from her mind. ¡®¡­Indeed, I need to kneel before him once.¡¯ She had sent several letters pretending to repent for her sins. She had just been waiting because there was no reply. But¡­ she felt the need to directly see that face. ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± She whispered to her father, who had slumped to the floor. It must have been the shock of her brother copsing that made him like this. How would he feel if he knew that it was all because of one person? Theresa still believed she could resolve this situation. No, wasn¡¯t it natural? What Robert wanted was probably for her to apologize. No matter how much he had found out, if she appropriately pleaded guilty and apologized, wouldn¡¯t he give her the antidote? If a situation arose where he didn¡¯t give it, that would be a bad move for Robert instead. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a bit. It won¡¯t take long.¡± The sun was still shining brightly outside. She hated even the sun. She was in such a serious situation, yet even the sky seemed to be mocking her. Crumpling the letter in her hand, Theresa rose to her feet. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°¡­So, I was told she is currently heading this way.¡± I nodded my head at Renold¡¯s words. I thought her reaction was quite slow, but was she lost in her own delusions? She was a more fragile woman than I thought. To imagine a poison I didn¡¯t even administer and demand an antidote¡­ ¡°Did she originally¡­ have delusional disorder?¡± ¡°No, she didn¡¯t have delusional disorder. Her mind probably just became strange because her family¡¯s health deteriorated.¡± I knew well that she didn¡¯t have delusional disorder. Perhaps my words had triggered her and drove her mad, or she genuinely suspected this situation. After burning a few letters, she was finallying. Renold, who had been looking at my slightly smiling expression with puzzlement, seemed to recall the previous incident and asked about the preparations. ¡°But, is it alright to not make any preparations likest time?¡± ¡°Well. This time, I think it might be better to prepare.¡± I couldn¡¯t easily imagine what Theresa¡¯s state of mind would be like when she came here. I thought she would probably be quite desperate, but somehow, I felt she would have a quite serious attitude. Seeing her say nonsensical things about poison and antidote, she would probably apologize for this matter. We were not in a rtionship to go back with just that. After a brief contemtion, I gestured slightly to Renold and opened my mouth. ¡°One tea will be enough. I¡¯ll go out first.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The entire time I was getting ready to go out, straightening my clothes, what came to my mind was the time I had spent with Theresa. The time I had lived, not missing even the slightest chance to survive, Forcibly embracing things that could be discarded. Things that could be discarded without much issue. Hadn¡¯t I lived with the thought that a single mistake would lead to my death? At every moment, in every situation, a slight mistake had brought about my demise. Recalling the times I had died merely for a slip of the tongue, I couldn¡¯t understand what this world wanted from me. ¡°Did it just want me to die?¡± There was a time when I had stubbornly tried to live, resisting that, but now I ironically wished for such a death. My steps heading towards the garden felt lighter than ever. Even though this meeting was not so pleasant, wasn¡¯t it rather sending off the 100 ties I had built towards the past? But it was enjoyable. To the point where I couldn¡¯t hold back a smile for a moment. I thought the weather was truly nice. The grass I stepped on, the swaying greenery of the garden seemed to be smiling at me. The warm sunshine soaked my body, the warmth of summer enveloping the surroundings. On the round table ced alone in the garden, there were two teacups, and a pot filled with chamomile tea in the center. Taking out a white chair and taking a seat, I began to wait for Theresa, who would soon arrive. Renold tried to stand beside me, but I shook my head, saying there was no need for that. ¡°There might be unforeseen circumstances, though.¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be such circumstances. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± The ways Theresa had tried to kill me were quite diverse. As such, I knew well how to handle it. And did you think I had spent those 100 lives just ying around? No matter how enraged a woman she was, she wouldn¡¯t be able toy a finger on me. Neigh- The sound of a horse¡¯s neighing from far away made my closed eyes open. Perhaps the woman I had been waiting for had arrived. Correcting my posture, like a gentleman waiting for his beloved. Recalling my past self, I showed a gentle smile. Click, click. The woman I had loved at one point, the woman I had loved. That was why I had smiled, and often suppressed the urge to cry and put on a mask. It was time to bid farewell to such a woman in my own way. The only parting gift I could give her was the most polite and warm attitude possible. I could guarantee that Theresa¡¯s appearance upon seeing me would probably be a mess. This smile would be the most harrowing poison for her, more than anything else. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 16: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Theresa¡¯s attitude was quite confident. Rather thaning to seek forgiveness for her sins, it seemed to contain a determination to uncover something from me. I did not know her true intentions. But I had a feeling those intentions would be quite absurd.¡­At the very least, it was clear she was not here to sincerely apologize to me. Watching the woman walking quite upright from afar, I quietly thought about what would happen next. Even as she approached me, stepping through the garden, Theresa¡¯s eyes did not waver in the slightest. Was she thinking about what to say in her mind? While waiting for what words she would utter first, Theresa walked up to me and stared intently at the round table. ¡°Where is the antidote?¡± ¡°What antidote are you referring to?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb and tell me quickly. What poison was my brother poisoned with? I¡¯ve never even heard of a poison that even a priest can¡¯t cure.¡± Of course. I had never used any poison in the first ce. However, it was true that there were no doctors skilled enough to cure acute pneumonia in reality. Could the saint have cured it if she were here? It was not that I had not considered that possibility, but I had never heard of the saint¡¯s holy power being able to heal illnesses. The eyes looking down at me as I sat were calm. The darkness was deep and cold, conveying to me that her mind was slowly twisting. Did she hate me, or resent me? I did not know which of the two was correct, but one thing was certain ¨C she hade with some sort of resolution. ¡­But still, she should not have lost her manners. ¡°You¡¯re talking about an antidote as soon as you arrive. I haven¡¯t heard anything about poison either. Is your brother perhaps unwell?¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t ask when you already know. My brother is dying, and you¡¯re well-!¡± ¡°How would I know that?¡± The voice that flowed from my mouth was colder than even I expected. But it was the truth. I may have known the future where her brother would fall ill, but I only learned that it had happened in this turn from the recent contact, didn¡¯t I? ¡°Are you going to pretend you didn¡¯t know about my brother¡¯s condition now?¡± ¡°Putting aside pretenses, this is quite the improper attitude. I received a message that you wanted to apologize, but it seems someone else must have written it?¡± ¡°I will apologize. But-¡± ¡°You should have apologized first. Instead ofing here and immediately demanding an antidote.¡± A sneer inadvertently escaped, twisting the corners of my mouth. My mood had be quite unpleasant. It may have been because of her face and the past that had surfaced, but my feelings towards my past self who had been swayed by a woman of this caliber were stronger. I could have discarded her long ago. If I had cast her out a little sooner. I wouldn¡¯t have had such regrets. I took no action towards Theresa¡¯s surroundings. I had done nothing to her, yet she hade all the way here, doubting my words. The misunderstanding could have been cleared. But that desire had disappeared. Perhaps the moment she came here, her fate had been twisted. The future that could have changed even slightly if she had sincerely knelt and apologized now began topletely disappear from my mind. Suddenly, Theresa¡¯s body trembled. The moment our eyes met, she took a step back, narrowing her eyes as if wary of me. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re looking at me like that. Are you afraid of me?¡± ¡°¡­If you just give me the antidote, everything will be over. My brother has copsed like that, how can a person do this?¡± ¡°As I said, I don¡¯t know anything about it.¡± Theresa¡¯s clenched fist trembled. Her attempt to suppress her own anger was quite amusing. Where did that confidencee from? There could be no clear evidence. Because it was not something I had done. And poison could not suddenly appear from somewhere. Naturally, there was no poison that produced effects simr to acute pneumonia. Even if there was, the illness of Theresa¡¯s brother Arthur was not caused by poison. Theresa was merely gripped by her own conviction. Using my words fromst time as evidence, she hade all the way here solely based on that one thing. What a remarkable woman. Despite being so foolish, she had her own beliefs. Could there be a more terrifying woman in this world? ¡°I said I wanted to meet your brother because of this Full Moon Festival.¡± ¡°What does my brother have to do with the Full Moon Festival¡­¡± ¡°Arthur Violet is one of the executive members of this Full Moon Festival, but perhaps you were unaware?¡± At that, as if at a loss for words, Theresa could only re at me, unable to utter a single word. Of course, that was not the meaning behind my words. It was something I had said in the hopes that she would act this way, but it was Theresa who had taken the bait splendidly. If asked if it was my fault, well. Wasn¡¯t it the fault of the one who fell for it? ¡°It¡¯s amusing to see youe here and cause amotion without even being interested in what your family is doing. And you said you would apologize, yet you¡¯re spouting nonsense about an antidote.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s-¡± ¡°Do you find the Taylor family amusing?¡± I retorted in a low voice. Her actions could be interpreted as sufficiently looking down on this family. It was as if she had tried to tarnish my honor with this kind of suspicion. Even though I had no attachment to the family at all, if I had the mind to, I could use it as much as I wanted. More cruelly than she could imagine. Wasn¡¯t it a great opportunity? The most prestigious family in this empire had be the most excellent weapon at this moment. Behind that chilling question of whether she found the Taylor family amusing, I opened my mouth again with an innocent smile. ¡°I hope that¡¯s not the case.¡± ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not it. I didn¡¯t look down on the Taylor family!¡± I did not know about the antidote. The Taylor family was not involved either. Mentioning her brother was simply because I wanted to discuss the Full Moon Festival that she was unaware of. Unable to utter a single word, Theresa gazed at me intently with a perplexed expression. ¡°Then the reason you came all the way here. Was it solely to apologize to me? About what happened before.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Growing tired of watching Theresa unable to answer for a long time, I raised the teacup. The effects of chamomile were quite good. It calmed the emotions that could be agitated and allowed me to look at Theresa with a solelyposed gaze. The past no longer bothered me much. Wasn¡¯t it just the past? The specters that were merely memories could not hinder what I had to do in the future. As I smiled faintly, Theresa gritted her teeth. But even so, as if she had nothing to say to me, her closed mouth still did not open. Should I just stay here quietly? Even if I stayed still like this, the fact that she would break down remained unchanged. A woman consumed by her own suspicions and crumbling, hadn¡¯t there been such cases often even in my own life? Because I had experienced it myself, I knew well that she had crossed that line. Even if the conversation ended here, I would probably rarely see Theresa again. Still, I had no intention of ending it here. My wish in this life was for Theresa to disappear from my sight. I would not directly kill her, but to not hear that name until I died. Wasn¡¯t it my desire to no longer have her influence in my life? So I decided to trample on her. I had nted the seed of doubt in her, and it had blossomed and reached this point¡­ There was not a single reason to stop. As I set down the teacup with a tter, a gentle smile was etched on my lips. It was a smile that welled up genuinely from my heart. The more I imagined the expression Theresa would show in the future, the more I could not suppress this feeling that bloomed under the name of exhration. ¡°You should have apologized as soon as you arrived. Then I might have forgiven you¡­ who knows.¡± It sounded regretful, but it was not true. I had no intention of forgiving her from the start, so Theresa¡¯s steadfast eyes wavered at my words. Biting her pale lips, all that remained was a nk gaze fixed on me. ¡°I knew all about your sins. Using the money you received from me to buy jewelry, get dresses made. Including such cute little antics, even the strange increase in the Violet family¡¯s wealth. I knew everything.¡± ¡°That was my fault. It was something I told my father and asked of him. It wasn¡¯t my brother¡¯s doing. I¡¯ll apologize. So please¡­!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not something you should apologize for. Didn¡¯t I already say I don¡¯t know anything about your brother¡¯s situation?¡± As I politely smiled and retorted, her expression was pitiful. Shaking her head as if it couldn¡¯t be true, she now grasped my hand and began to plead. Why was she doing this only now, despite having been so confident earlier? Perhaps she had be a bit desperate now. Coldly brushing off her hand, I continued. ¡°I had no intention of doing anything about this matter. I thought our rtionship would simply end with the broken engagement.¡± ¡°Robert, I was wrong. I¡¯ll apologize for my rudeness just now as well. Just give me the antidote. While we¡¯re doing this, my brother¡­ might die. Please, Robert!¡± I knew. Arthur would likely die tomorrow or the day after. He always died around the time the Full Moon Festival began, so there wasn¡¯t much time left. I felt regret about his death, but reversing what was already determined was something only God could do. I was not God, so I could not grant her wish. However¡­ I could further nurture the suspicion she harbored. Clearing my throat for a moment, I muttered softly as if whispering. ¡°He must be coughing up blood by now, so it¡¯s certain he¡¯s dying. It¡¯s truly unfortunate. With such a severe cough, he won¡¯t even be able to movefortably. Is he eating properly?¡± The eyes that had been looking at me widened, filled with confusion and bewilderment. It was natural. In none of the letters she had sent me was there any mention of her brother¡¯s symptoms. Stuttering, she copsed to the ground and weakly grasped my hand. As if asking what those words meant. Of course, she would never truly understand the meaning of my words in her lifetime. This was not because I had used poison or deliberately made him contract pneumonia. Who would believe that I knew the future after dying 100 times? ¡°Well, he must be having a hard time now, unable to even swallow porridge. With his condition rapidly deteriorating in just a few days, everyone must be busy one way or another. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°¡­I never informed you of such details.¡± What filled her eyes was conviction and destion. She must have been convinced that I had done something. The hand that had been clutching my cor slipped and slid down. Then sheughed quietly to herself and parted her lips, looking at me. ¡°It, it was your doing, wasn¡¯t it? Really¡­?¡± ¡°No. I have never done anything.¡± ¡°Then how do you know about my brother¡¯s condition? I¡­ never mentioned such things to you. Robert, did you really use poison?¡± ¡°If you ask how I know.¡± With a small smile, I shrugged and answered. ¡°Who knows? How do I know?¡± Theresa¡¯s body showed no signs of moving. She merely looked at me nkly, trying to retrace the meaning of my words. The face of the woman who had been so confident until now was filled with cracks. Her shattered and broken heart was reflected in her eyes, and the Theresa I had known was nowhere to be found. I got down from the chair to meet her at eye level. Kneeling to meet her gaze, I gently and lightly grasped the hand thaty on the ground. ¡°Theresa, I have no intention of saying anything about your suspicion towards me. And I have no intention of saying anything about youing here and being rude either.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Because there is no need for that. You seem to be under the illusion that you are something, but you are nothing to me. There is no need for you to apologize ore here begging for forgiveness.¡± It was time for me to bid farewell to Theresa Violet in my own way. Let¡¯s never see each other again, and if we happen to meet in the future. Let¡¯s not even pretend to know each other then. Theresa merely gazed at me destely as I gently held her hand like I had done when we were lovers. She seemed to have a lot to say. From how I knew about Arthur¡¯s condition to the existence of the antidote. But I could give nothing to this pitiful woman. I had done nothing, and knowing there was no doctor who could cure his condition, what could I do for her? All I could do for this woman was hold her hand like this. To the woman whose face had turned deathly pale as if she had seen a ghost, I whispered softly. ¡°I hope you won¡¯te to me like this next time. Because I know nothing about this matter. I would have given you the antidote if I had it, but unfortunately, I don¡¯t know much about such things.¡± ¡°¡­I was wrong, Robert. Just once, can¡¯t you forgive me just once? Please¡­¡± Thud- A hollowugh escaped me at the sight of her now kneeling and rubbing her hands. She banged her head several times, making a thudding sound. Her clothes were soiled with grass and dirt, not at all resembling a noble. She merely looked like a madwoman swayed by something. Thud- In this quiet garden, there was only one thing I could say to her. So, lifting Theresa¡¯s shoulders as she banged her head, I smiled gently. ¡°I believe I¡¯ve said it countless times.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I did nothing. Mydy.¡± Would Theresa ever realize that all of this was the truth? I thought she would never know. Even if she realized, by then, I would already be someone unrted to her. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 17: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó How did those words that I did nothing sound to her? Whether to believe it or not was up to Theresa herself. If she escaped from suspicion and realized it was truly the case, it would end with just her brother¡¯s death, but if that suspicion grew further¡­ Well, she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to live a normal life.I knew well how terrifying it was for suspicion to grow. No matter how sane a person was, if they lost their mind, they wouldn¡¯t be able to see anything properly. After watching Theresa slumped on the spot, sobbing nkly for a while, I let out a small sigh. ¡°Go now. The sun is setting.¡± The sky was gradually darkening. Obscured by clouds, even thest ray of light only illuminated this garden with a murky red glow. Thus, it was deste. The woman copsed on the ground merely looked more wretched than anything else. Even after calling out to her several times, Theresa, who had not answered, finally stood up from her spot, staggering. The moon briefly reflected in her eyes, but that light soon extinguished, leaving only empty pupils. Resentment was evident in the way she looked at me. Naturally, after doing this much, if she had any other emotion towards me, it would be rather suspicious. ¡°¡­I will curse you.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°I will pray more earnestly than anyone else for you to die more miserably than anyone else. For your family, your loved ones, all those people to hate you.¡± Resentment flowed from her widened eyes, then fell as tears. It was a downpour that fell only on her. Under this moon, it was raining for her, lingering with her forever. ¡°I will curse you. Robert Taylor.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± ¡°¡­You know you¡¯re really unlucky till the end? I never loved someone like you from the start.¡± ¡°I know. I knew that when I met you.¡± At first, I didn¡¯t know, but now I do. She would never understand the meaning of these words in her lifetime either. It wasn¡¯t the first or second time I had received such a curse. Words that I had heard dozens, hundreds of times, no longer even wounding me. As such, my expression was unfazed. It would be better if she directly stabbed me with a knife. A few mere words would pose no threat to me. Watching Theresa¡¯s retreating figure as she staggered away, I felt quite relieved. The expression looking at me as if I was iprehensible, and yet the mixed resentment and hatred. It should have been an unsettling expression, but what was I to feel exhration upon seeing such a face? Well, I had already been broken for a long time. How many people could live with a sound mind after dying dozens of times? If the day came when all the springs wound in my head came undone, I too would likely crumble like Theresa just now. I could only hope that day would be the day my eternal rest arrived. If I repeated the regression one more time, I might really go mad and kill everyone I saw then. Even now, it was precarious. My goal was to live this life well in my own way, so that the string I was holding onto would not break. ¡°¡­With this, Theresa will be quiet for a while.¡± Although it would be apt to describe Arthur¡¯s death as ¡®soon,¡¯ in her current mental state, she would likely rage for several months afterward. Even if she sought my life, it wouldn¡¯t be immediate. I didn¡¯t care even if an assassin came. Not only was I not foolish enough to be unprepared for such a thing, but I had experienced assassination to the point of being sick of it. Come at me once, and wouldn¡¯t it be a great opportunity to show how the Taylor family responds? Before I knew it, the garden was enveloped inplete darkness, and as I turned my head, I realized I was standing alone. Theresa had disappeared at some point, and it seemed I had been standing there nkly for a while. It had been well over half a month since I began my 101st life through regression. During that period, the only person I had sent away was Theresa, so wasn¡¯t it quite slow? But this relieved feeling in my heart was sincere. It was enough that I had severed the chains of fate I had forcibly tried to connect until now. I became convinced that even if I saw her face again, I would no longer be reminded of the past. Didn¡¯t she say she regretted having loved me? In the first ce, she had never loved me, yet she dared to utter such words. ¡°Tsk.¡± As I raised my head, suddenly feeling a surge of irritation, there was a refreshingly full moon in the sky. That pale light pierced through the darkness, swallowing the surrounding starlight and emitting a chilly glow. The moon shadow cast beneath it barely outlined me alone, making me feel strangely shabby. I had repeated time over 100 times, but the reality was that the moon remained the same. How much had I changed during that time? I closed my eyes for a moment and inhaled. Unlike the cold light, the air was surprisingly warm. That warmth soothed my body and splendidly erased even the dizzying thoughts. Even if I had changed, in the end, I was still me. Why was I thinking soplexly? I just needed to do my part properly. pping my cheek once with a smack, I moved my feet. On the night of the full moon, my footsteps following the moon shadow were light, unlike any other time. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°You¡¯ve been looking at the moon oftentely. Do you have something on your mind?¡± A man who seemed to be an adjutant spoke to the woman who was nkly gazing at the night sky alone. His tone was so yful that it seemed like he was teasing her. Adele clicked her tongue for a moment, then opened her mouth, looking at her adjutant Lothos. ¡°Nonsense. If you have time for that, go to sleep.¡± ¡°If I sleep now, I won¡¯t be able to make it in time. Hmm, don¡¯t we need to leave a bitter to arrive in time for the Full Moon Festival?¡± What puzzled Lothos was the reason for attending the Full Moon Festival. Why was she participating in the festival she always skipped, saying it was bothersome? There was no reason for her to have business with someone. The invasion of the barbarian tribes had not increased, and even the emperor would not care about such a thing. Unable to understand the reason why Adele suddenly said she would go to the Full Moon Festival, Lothos merely widened his eyes and waited for Adele¡¯s answer. Adele roughly knew what Lothos was curious about. Surely it would be the question of why she was going to the Full Moon Festival. But that answer was so simple that even she found it amusing. She just wanted to go. That was all. The reason she hadn¡¯t gone before was simply because she didn¡¯t want to, and the reason she was going this time was just because she suddenly felt like going. Doesn¡¯t that happen sometimes? When you suddenly don¡¯t feel like doing what you always do and want to try something you¡¯ve always disliked. It was a whim, but given Adele¡¯s position as a Grand Duchess, her subordinates thought she must have had a n. Of course, someone as close as Lothos could guess her true intentions to some extent. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going just because you want to?¡± ¡°Yes, I suddenly felt like going. There¡¯s also someone I want to find.¡± ¡°Someone to find? There haven¡¯t been any vicious criminals who recently fled to the capital.¡± ¡°¡­Do I look like someone who only goes around catching vicious criminals? I¡¯m just saying I¡¯m going to find a man. There was something I wanted to say, but I couldn¡¯t say it all back then.¡± At the mention of a man, Lothos¡¯ eyes widened. The same went for the subordinates who had been secretly hiding, and Zeek, who had been hiding under the leopard skin, poked his head out. ¡°Wait, a man?¡± ¡°A man!¡± ¡°She said a man! The duchess said a man!¡± The room instantly became noisy, and Adele ended up rubbing her forehead with a sigh. She thought they would be hiding, but if there were more than ten of them, could it even be called hiding? She had deliberately pretended not to notice, but seeing them appear so tantly made her head throb. ¡°So you¡¯re not even trying to hide now? Aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡± ¡°We are afraid. So please, yes. Please put away that sword.¡± Lothos gently pushed the sword at his neck, then answered with an awkward grin. Adele¡¯s face was always expressionless. Although there were rare times when she smiled because something caught her interest, when she pointed a sword with an indifferent face¡­ it was indeed a bit scary. As Adele put away her sword, Lothos and the group gathered in one ce and waited for Adele to speak. A man, it was quite an interesting thing to hear from someone who seemed like she would grow old and die swinging a sword all her life. Given theck of topics in the north, the eyes looking at Adele began to sparkle with eagerness. ¡°I think I made a mistake. Pretend you didn¡¯t hear what I just said.¡± ¡°I heard you say a man-¡± ¡°The duchess is embarrassed. Just keep quiet.¡± ¡°But doesn¡¯t that implicitly confirm it? That she¡¯s actually seeing a man.¡± Even though she answered in a monotone, a dozen words followed her single remark. They were already noisy fellows, but it seemed she had made a mistake. She should have been more careful with her words. She regretted that she should have contemted it when she was alone, and Adele¡¯s eyes narrowed. The quick-witted Lothos noticed the signs and kicked Zeek¡¯s shin. ¡°Ow!¡± ¡°Be quiet. Can¡¯t you see the duchess ring at you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m ring at you right now, Lothos.¡± Quite shamelessly, Adele¡¯s adjutant merely grinned. She couldn¡¯t point a sword at a smiling face, could she? Suppressing her anger for a moment and taking a deep breath, Adele opened her mouth with a slightly calmer expression. ¡°¡­Before, there was someone I told toe to the north.¡± At her emphasizing tone that it was not a man, the subordinates nodded their heads. In fact, they had been with Adele since the days when she led a mercenary group before bing a duchess. No one knew better than those present what she wanted to say. ¡°I even gave him my handkerchief.¡± Gasp- As someone swallowed a gasp, Lothos red at the culprit. On one hand, it felt like an rm was ringing in his head. Adjusting his sses, Lothos, who had various thoughts in mind, carefully opened his mouth. At least recently, there weren¡¯t many ¡®men¡¯ who had visited the north. Even more so for someone who hade to see Adele Igrit. Then that meant he didn¡¯t respond to that request. That man must have been quite something too. To have the courage to refuse the request of the Grand Duchess of the North¡­ Was his family perhaps a ducal house? After much contemtion, Lothos asked. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to find that person?¡± ¡°Something like that. I need to get my handkerchief back anyway.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t tell me your reason for going to the Full Moon Festival is also?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going because I want to. I suddenly felt like I had to go.¡± If that was the case¡­ it was still alright. Lothos let out a sigh of relief and wiped his forehead. If this trip to the capital was because of a single man, an emergency would have to be dered throughout the entire northern defense forces. He could envision the ridiculous alert that would sound, something like ¡®Catch the spiteful man who didn¡¯te even after borrowing a handkerchief.¡¯ In fact, hadn¡¯t that happened a few times before? The existence of Adele, the Grand Duchess of the North, was quite special in the north. Not only had she risen to the position of Grand Duchess as a woman, but her unique personality had many simrities to the habits of the people settled in the north. Didn¡¯t they say she resembled a wolf? Lothos, recalling the words of an elder of the northern immigrant tribe, furrowed his brow. If rumors spread about the man of the Grand Duchess, who was so widely supported? He felt cold sweat running down his back at the thought of what would happen immediately. ¡®As long as that doesn¡¯t happen, it¡¯ll be fine. I can handle the rest.¡¯ Just as Lothos was feeling relieved, thinking he had avoided that, Adele added. ¡°And while I¡¯m at it, I¡¯ll bring someone back too.¡± ¡°When you say bring back?¡± ¡°I told him toe, but he didn¡¯t, so this time I¡¯ll bring him. I took a liking to him, that man.¡± Adele¡¯s voice was quite serious. But what surprised Lothos was that Adele smiled, albeit faintly. It meant her words about taking a liking to him were not a lie. But he had no idea where she had met such a person. Adele¡¯s visit to the capital had been less than a day, but did that mean she had taken a liking to someone during that time? ¡­He would have to see for himself. Whether the person liked it or not, if Adele had made up her mind like this, she would likely stay in the capital until she met him. The light of the full moon entered through the window of the office, illuminating the surroundings. The moon emitting a mystical glow without a single cloud. What kind of fate would this full moon bring? Lothos rubbed his furrowed brow and let out a sigh. He had to believe she wouldn¡¯t really try to bring someone back by force. If she really did that? He would have to roll around. Roll around like a dung beetle. His duchess did the work, but he was the one who had to worry ¨C he could only resent this reality. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 18: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó To the people of the empire, the moon was the most important existence. There was even a theory that the person who received the power of the moon when the empire was founded was the emperor, and the name of the relic that started my regression was also the Moonstone. Especially the full moon was considered the most noble and sacred among the moons, and the empire held festivals to celebrate this full moon. That festival was called the Full Moon Festival.In the summer when the clearest sky could be seen, it was not an exaggeration to say it was a kind of founding day celebrating the birth of the empire while honoring the moon. Thus, the festival began throughout the empire. Naturally, even this ce not far from the capital was no exception, and although it was gradually getting darker, the lights on the streets were bing even brighter. ¡°From today, it¡¯s the Full Moon Festival. I heard you will be participating.¡± ¡°Yes. I never went, so I should participate this time.¡± Considering my father¡¯s mood was just a superficial reason. Didn¡¯t I have something else I wanted from this festival? What had always been important in my regression was, of course, information. In the beginning, I was caught off guard knowing nothing, but at some point, I collected information on my own and gathered the causes of my death. The information collected that way had continued until now. Whether it was assassination or a death instigated by someone, if it was death, it meant I could exclude the possibility myself. Of course, many things had changed since entering this run, but what I had gathered so far was not just scraps of paper. ¡°By the way, His Grace the Duke seems to have taken a liking to youtely.¡± ¡°As he should. I¡¯ve done something to deserve it.¡± Not only did I find a way to gain something from dealing with Adele, but I also sessfully cut ties with Violet. Considering the indecisive attitude I had shown before the regression¡­ it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say I had turned over a new leaf. Because of that reason, my actions had be freer, and I thought the connection I had gained with the saint in this turn was entirely because I had changed my mindset. How nice it would have been if I had done this from the beginning. Then I wouldn¡¯t be suffering like this now. ¡°When the festival starts, I¡¯ll go out right away. If anyone asks, tell them I¡¯m outside.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± As Renold bowed his head and went out, my gaze turned towards the distant streets. The alleys that had always been dark were now brightly lit with mes, and people were busy murmuring, waiting for the festival to begin soon. A city filled with only light, being close to the capital, its scale was considerable, so it was filled to the brim with people, leaving no gaps to be found. It was not for nothing that the capital¡¯s nickname was the City of Light. Whether it was day or night, it was the only ce that emitted a lofty light on this vast continent, thus earning that nickname. The city symbolizing the light of the full moon always radiated a dazzling light that obscured even the stars. When the pale light descended and touched that light, and at the same time, a curtain of light enveloped the city. The shadows lost their way and scattered, and only this day could truly be called the Festival of Light, the Full Moon Festival. ¡°Jay will probablye here too.¡± To be precise, she was someone who had been living in hiding from the beginning, but in this festival, she would be found as a corpse. Naturally, my goal was to prevent that. Although she presented herself as an alchemist, in fact, Jay possessed information-gathering abilities that even the guilds in this empire could not match. So much so that I regretted not discovering her sooner. Perhaps it was because I found hope in Jay¡¯s existence that my regression might end, which led me toe to my senses and live like this. Of course, I still had to die after that, but even so, that was no reason to let her die. So if I were to list what I had to do in this Full Moon Festival, it would be to save that person named Jay. I couldn¡¯t even enjoy this festival. Rather, I retreated from the light into the shadows, engaging in covert activities that no one knew about, and a bitter smile formed at the thought that this was my life. ¡­Even in this bright city, at this moment, someone was facing the threat of death. Even though it was so bright that even the shadows were dispelled, darkness still existed. Should I say the emotion I felt now was close to difort? Watching the full moon growing brighter and brighter, I quietly let out a sigh. I could only hope that the night woulde a littleter. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Yuria was assisting her father, who was hosting the Full Moon Festival. Knowing that I would be participating in the Full Moon Festival, she probably wouldn¡¯t say much even if I disappeared from the ducal estate. It meant that even if I wandered around alone at this dawn, no one would suspect me. Then the only thing I needed to bring was a weapon for self-defense. It would be difficult to obtain one from the ducal estate, but it would be sufficient to find one while wandering around. I considered wearing a robe but took it off and threw it away, thinking it would stand out too much. I could just dress like everyone else. Not many people knew my face since I didn¡¯t go out much. As I left the ducal estate, a warm heat touched my skin. The start of the Full Moon Festival was just a few minutes away, and fireworks would explode as the full moon obscured by clouds fully revealed itself. Only then could the prelude to the festival be considered open. ¡®It¡¯s better to have a lot of people.¡¯ It would be troublesome if I ran into someone I knew halfway. As far as I remembered, neither Adriana nor Adele had ever participated in this festival, but Yuria started patrolling around from the middle. If she discovered someone¡¯s death while doing so¡­ it could be said that my n would be disrupted. As such, my n was to hide well among the crowds and move to my target destination. Wasn¡¯t there plenty of time right now? Having saved him countless times, I could just move as I always did. Boom- Boom- Drums beat, and trumpeters blew their trumpets as they walked the streets. The mes created by magic, burning in various colors, became stars and the Milky Way, adorning the pitch-ck sky. But that light should not be brighter than the moon. Emitting only a humble light, expressing gratitude to the full moon that gave birth to the empire was the purpose of the Full Moon Festival. I thought I had seen this sight quite often. In the past, I would have been amazed and my eyes would have sparkled at this sight, but now it was just a tedious festival I had experienced hundreds of times. Didn¡¯t I remember everything that happened and what incidents urred? Walking down this street, I always encountered the same person. As I twisted my body to turn, a child hurriedly ran through that gap. It was a child who had always bumped into me from some point on. And if I lifted my foot here, there would be a piece of meat someone had dropped under it. Covered in blood, there was a time when I was suspected of being the culprit who killed Jay after seeing the blood on my shoes. They were all memories now. I couldn¡¯t say the process of being interrogated was a fond memory, though. I had seen it so many times that I was sick of it. The whispering couple next to me, the man staggering drunk. I had already seen them countless times. So there was no emotion. Perhaps my feelings had dried up. Some might think I was a strange person. Even though I was walking in the middle of this festival, I was looking for a weapons shop with only an expressionless face. Nevertheless, I sometimes found myself eerie for remaining indifferent. When was thest time I truly cried, even if I had smiled? If I couldn¡¯t even remember, I probably had to go back at least several dozen runs to find out. Even with those thoughts, my steps still did not stop. It was a familiar path, even if I walked without looking ahead while lost in thought. There was a time when I walked with my eyes closed, relying on my memory, but I arrived without bumping into anyone, right? Taking wide strides and then narrowing them, avoiding the protruding stones. Perhaps the moment I resigned myself to everything being the same, I bumped into someone with a thud and was pushed back. ¡°Ah¡­ I apologize. I was just thinking about something else for a mome-¡± As I tried to apologize, a familiar voice reached my ears. ¡°I found you here. I¡¯ve been looking for you for a while.¡± And upon seeing the face, I nkly opened my mouth for a moment. ording to my memory, she was not someone I could see at this Full Moon Festival. Why was the woman who should be minding her own business, not even paying attention to the capital around this time, here? Her silver hair, resembling moonlight, fluttered. The ruler of the north, the sole one in the empire, wearing the fur-lined cloak she always swung. Adele grinned at me. Like a predator eyeing its prey. A rather wicked smile hung on her noble face without a single scar. Did she have business with me? Around the time that question crossed my mind, a chilling sensation ran down my spine as I suddenly recalled something. ¡°I clearly remember telling you toe to the north. What courage made you ignore my words? You¡¯re just the son of a ducal family. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the Taylor family itself.¡± ¡°¡­Would you believe me if I said I had circumstances?¡± ¡°No, but I might believe you if you tell me directly.¡± I guess that was the problem. It seemed I had underestimated Adele too much. Among the rumors I had heard about her¡­ there was a time when she was called a ¡®dog¡¯ because she never let go once she was fixated on something. So was I bitten by a dog now? I was still looking at Adele with a calm expression, but I was quite flustered, to be honest. Why was Adele here? She had never participated in the Full Moon Festival. As my memories intertwined, my eyes narrowed at the same time. ¡°By the way, why did youe here?¡± ¡°Because I wanted to. Well, and to add one more reason to that.¡± Saying that, she soonughed softly and abruptly brought her face close to mine. It was a distance where our breaths could touch. Adele, who pulled me by the neck suddenly forward,pletely locking eyes with me, reflecting each other¡¯s pupils, smiled slightly. ¡°If I said I came to see you, what would you answer?¡± The face of the woman smiling seductively was simply beautiful, contrary to her notoriety. Fair skin, contrasting red lips. Judging by her attire, she was undoubtedly the guardian of the north, but her appearance alone could be called saintly. Such a woman was smiling yfully. I, who had been dazed for a moment, came to my senses and quietly retorted. ¡°¡­There¡¯s no way. Let me go.¡± ¡°Your reaction is too boring. I hoped you would at least blush.¡± She must not have meant those words sincerely either, as sheughed and distanced herself. Then, tilting her head askew, she looked at my attire and opened her mouth. ¡°A man enjoying the festival alone, does our Taylor prince have so few femalepanions?¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since I broke off my engagement, so what would people think if I were with another woman?¡± ¡°They would think he¡¯s a capable fellow. Isn¡¯t it strange to make a fuss about that?¡± ¡°You may think that way. Anyway, I¡¯ll be on my way now. I have something I need to do¡­¡± It was an attitude that didn¡¯t suit a noble after all. It wasn¡¯t that I disliked it, but how should I put it? Rather than her title as Grand Duchess, the mercenary leader Adele seemed more familiar. In fact, before bing Grand Duchess, she had led a mercenary group, so it must have been natural. Now, as I was about to leave to do my own thing, Adele stopped me. ¡°I never said you could go.¡± ¡°¡­I have my own urgent matters to attend to.¡± ¡°If you were really busy, you wouldn¡¯t havee here. The ce Yuria Taylor would be is on the opposite side, and the ducal estate is far away. What¡¯s so urgent?¡± Maybe it wasn¡¯t for nothing that she had risen to the position of Grand Duchess. Adele, who had swiftly invalidated my excuse, continued. ¡°By the way, do you know much about the Full Moon Festival, Prince?¡± ¡°I know it well. I¡¯ve seen it many times.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fortunate. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t know much about this festival.¡± ¡°Is that so? I thought you would be like that. Haven¡¯t you always been in the north?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been busy with work and war all the time. So today, I came all the way here to take a break in my own way.¡± She answered with a casual smile. But why was she telling me this? So I nodded and answered appropriately, but suddenly Adele held out her hand. As if telling me to ce my hand on top of it, showing her palm. ¡°¡­What is it?¡± ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t know much about the festival. You know the festival very well. Don¡¯t you intend to escort thedy? I¡¯m a bit disappointed.¡± ¡°You mean, I should escort you, Grand Duchess.¡± Then Adele nodded and waved her hand once. Saying her arm was tired, she urged me to hold it quickly, and I couldn¡¯t help butugh. It was more of a hollowugh, to be precise. Dumbfounded, I rubbed my face and asked again. ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t I say I¡¯m busy and need to go?¡± ¡°I know. But you can at least guide me through the festival, can¡¯t you? Or not?¡± ¡°What if I just leave? Do you n to go back?¡± ¡°No.¡± Was she going to kill me? I was inwardly tense, but Adele was just rolling her eyes, contemting her answer. After a brief moment, she showed a rather serious expression and opened her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll be disappointed.¡± Tremendously. Adding that, she waved her hand again. I looked at her hand moving like a leaf swaying in the wind. She had no intention of drawing her sword and would simply be disappointed. It made me doubt if she was really the Adele Igrit I knew. But I couldn¡¯t just stand there. Her face was starting to distort as she urged me to answer. Looking at her swaying hand, I finally held it, and Adele smiled slightly. ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s go enjoy this Full Moon Festival or whatever it¡¯s called.¡± What was this all about? While inwardly dumbfounded and exasperated, I gauged the time. There was still time until dawn. So¡­ it should be fine for a little while. I felt like a nanny taking care of a child. The problem might be that she was about 3 years older than me. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 19: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó There weren¡¯t many things to enjoy in the north. Even festivals merely involved roasting the meat of beasts or pitching tents to sleep for a night while singing. Adele¡¯s gaze turned towards the light filling the surroundings. Lanterns and light bulbs created by magic. Along with the torches people carried.Even the alleys between buildings were bright. When mes burn, shadows are bound to form. But light that filled everything without gaps, wasn¡¯t it quite convenient? She was not ustomed to such things, having never attended festivals, let alone the Full Moon Festival. ¡°You seem to know the way even without me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. You probably know too, but this is my first time at the Full Moon Festival.¡± ¡°That may be so¡­ but why me of all people?¡± ¡°Because I decided so.¡± Of course, she had no interest in festivals and such. Adele looked at the man grumbling beside her. He waspletely different from the rumors. From what she had heard in the rumors, she thought he would be dull and boring, but could someone who showed such an unruly attitude towards her be called weak? She had felt it when they metst time too, but he was quite an interesting man. There were few who piqued her interest, but Robert Taylor¡­ He fulfilled those conditions quite splendidly. ¡®What would Lothos say if he saw this?¡¯ She had spoken a bit harshly, but she had no real intention of taking him to the north. She had only thought of intimidating him, asking why he hadn¡¯te when she sought him out. But far from being intimidated, he showed signs of trying to slip away, saying he was busy¡­ so she felt a little rebellious, that was all. The result was the current situation. Adele chuckled at Robert, whose face was clearly filled with discontent. Did he dislike it that much? Usually, people would be busy forcing a smile when she was beside them. She had expected this reaction, but¡­ Now that it really happened, she felt strangely displeased. Should she tease him a bit? But there was no need to go out of her way to do that. Since this was her first time at such a festival, it wouldn¡¯t be bad to look around this Full Moon Festival now. Adele, who had been looking at Robert, shifted her gaze to the tower rising high into the sky. What was that again? She didn¡¯te to the capital often, so it was difficult to remember each building. As she furrowed her brow, Robert, who noticed her expression, opened his mouth. ¡°That¡¯s the Moon Tower. It¡¯s where the saint lives.¡± ¡°Aha, the saint lived there? I thought she lived in the cathedral.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not wrong, since the cathedral is right below the Moon Tower. But isn¡¯t the saint a special existence?¡± A special existence, Adele narrowed her eyes as she looked at the Moon Tower stretching high towards the sky. What was so special about living in such a stuffy ce? She had met her a few times, but she was not a woman whose personality matched well with her. If a person is too kind, they be sick. Sometimes they should move as their heart desires. But the way that woman lived¡­ was merely living as it was set. It was strange to ept that as good, but those who showered the saint with endless praise were also strange. She was a woman who suited pity rather than admiration. The woman called the saint. ¡°Have you ever seen the saint?¡± ¡°Yes, I have.¡± ¡°¡­You have?¡± Adele asked back, surprised that Robert answered readily when she was sure he would say he hadn¡¯t. Robert also had no reason to hide that fact. That she asionally went out for volunteer work was something people in the know were aware of. Feeling awkward for no reason, Adele coughed and pouted her lips. It was difficult even for her to meet the saint personally, so when did he meet her? But it was too ambiguous a rtionship to inquire about that. Robert looked at Adele with a strange expression as she shook her head a few times, as if shaking off her thoughts. ¡°You have an insolent expression. Is it strange to shake my head?¡± ¡°I just thought you were a peculiar person.¡± Adele smiled wryly at Robert, who didn¡¯t back down a single word. Why were the rumors about this man so bad? It seemed like someone was deliberately spreading malicious rumors. Even when meeting him directly, he wasn¡¯t so bad, but just hearing the rumors, one might think he was the worst scoundrel under the heavens. Whenever she looked at Robert, her gaze always turned to those eyes. Her eyes were also blue, but the essence was different. Robert¡¯s eyes were only shining blue without any reason. Didn¡¯t they not even reflect any emotion, making it impossible to glimpse into him? It was quite different from hiding one¡¯s emotions oneself. It seemed that they no longer reflected through his eyes because they had already worn out enough. But how could a man of merely twenty years have gone through such things? So whenever she saw this man, she always felt a strange emotion she didn¡¯t usually feel. Should she call it a sense of kinship or a feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu? As if¡­ she had met him somewhere before. She felt a sense of crisis that he would crumble just like this if left alone. Even though he seemed really fine in the moments he was grumbling beside her. ¡°¡­Do you have something to say to me?¡± At that question, Adeleughed for a moment, then shook her head in denial. She couldn¡¯t say she had the urge to always watch over him. So she said something else. Come to the north, so I can hear your story. Although she was tantly rejected. ¡°I just looked at you for a moment. Because you haven¡¯t changed.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Why did it feel like he would disappear like the wind if she didn¡¯t keep her eyes on him? The feeling that had always told her the right answer felt quite strange today. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó When she kept whining, I bought her a skewer to shut her up, and Adele quickly quieted down, munching on it. Looking around here and there, this festival must have been quite novel to her. Well, she had only been in the north, so thisrge-scale festival must have been a first for her. Although it was said to be held throughout the empire, the north followed its own way of holding festivals. ¡­In other words, it followed the way of the barbarian tribes. Catching wild beasts to offer as sacrifices and performing rituals in front of burning fires. Naturally,ing to the city after seeing only that, her eyes had to widen in surprise. Exining one by one the things she didn¡¯t know, and putting in my mouth the things she bought for me to eat, before I knew it, the time had approached midnight. ¡°This Full Moon Festival isn¡¯t as bad as I thought. Maybe I¡¯ll do it like thister too.¡± ¡°I think it would be better than offering beasts as sacrifices. Isn¡¯t it a bit gloomy?¡± ¡°The old fogeys will have to listen to me well. They can¡¯t kill me just because they don¡¯t like it.¡± It was a natural thing to say, but Adele seemed quite displeased with it. Come to think of it, it was the same when I was by her side. Although Adele¡¯s influence as the Grand Duchess of the North was strong, her authority didn¡¯t extend to all the tribes in the frontier. So once or twice a year, we would go out together to subjugate them. Now that I think about it, I wonder how I endured those forced marches. It wasn¡¯t just one tribe, but she would stir up dozens at a time. No matter how much she lived as she pleased¡­ I think it would be difficult even if I did it now. ¡°Is today¡¯s event already over? I thought it wouldst until dawn, but it only goes until midnight.¡± ¡°People need to sleep too. By the way, when do you n to return, Grand Duchess?¡± ¡°Whenever I feel like it.¡± ¡°¡­I thought you would say that.¡± We could part ways after midnight. With that thought in mind, as I was about to move, Adele pointed to one side and opened her mouth. Following the direction of her finger, I saw arge crowd of people gathered there. Given that location, there was only one possibility. It was one of the few famous spots of this Full Moon Festival where the fireworks disy would soon begin. ¡°What are fireworks?¡± I bought a sparkler and handed it to Adele, who genuinely seemed to have no idea. ¡°If you light the end, you¡¯ll know. Just don¡¯t hold it too close.¡± ¡°Hmm. Aha.¡± Sizzle- After trying to light it a few times, Adele¡¯s eyes sparkled as she lit the end. As the bright red sparks crackled and burned, a red line began to be drawn on the pitch-ck curtain where there was nothing. As her hand moved, as her heart desired. Adele, who seemed to be seeing this for the first time, swung it around several times with fascination, then muttered while gazing at the sparks. ¡°So this is what bursts in the sky.¡± ¡°It will be much more spectacr. Iparably so.¡± ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to see this before I go. But where are you trying to go?¡± As I tried to slip away, Adele¡¯s eyes narrowed, sensing my intention. I had tried to leave now to do my own thing. I felt I had to stay here until she disappeared first. Looking at Adele with a slightly dissatisfied expression for a moment, I opened my mouth with a slight hope. ¡°If I just leave like this, your feelings will be the same as before, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be disappointed. I¡¯ll remember it for a long time and torment you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t recall you saying you would torment me before.¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing it because I¡¯m displeased. A man who tries to leave a weak woman behind first.¡± Seeing Adele not yielding a single word, I felt like my head was throbbing. Since I had already taken on the role of a nanny, I had no choice. Thinking I would just watch this fireworks disy, I stood beside her, and Adele smiled softly and patted my shoulder. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s better.¡± ¡°It will probably burst soon. Probably¡­ when the moon is fully revealed from the clouds.¡± Come to think of it, I had never leisurely watched this fireworks disy either. The clouds, clinging like fog, slightly obscured the moonlight, enveloping this area. As the clouds moved, the light flowing through the gaps seemed to be dancing. When was thest time I simply watched this scene with a rxed mind on a night when the moonlight danced? ¡°You don¡¯t look well. Did you recall a bad memory?¡± ¡°Something like that¡­ It¡¯s nothing much.¡± Whenever this full moon rose, something always happened that determined my fate. It was also at this dawn that I saved the alchemist Jay, and whenever I died in my past life, such arge moon always rose. People might say this moon was simply beautiful, but for me, this night¡­ was not a good thing. So I couldn¡¯t even see this brilliant light as merely pretty. As always, I remained silent, quietly gazing at the moon that rose without a word. Before long, the clouds parted, and aplete moon was revealed in their ce. People¡¯s exmations were brief. Soon, fireworks began to shoot towards the sky from somewhere, making a thunderous sound. Whoosh- Drawing colorful trajectories, they reached the center of the moon and emitted a dazzling light once again. During the Full Moon Festival, it was not easy to see stars. So these fireworks were humans¡¯ attempt to imitate the moon with their own power. Bursting, bursting, and bursting again, the lights began to draw countless constetions like stars. Turning my head, I saw Adele nkly looking at the sky. What imagination would she have, seeing the various lights reflecting in her eyes and bing a star again? For me, it was now a light without any meaning, but for her in this turn, it would be quite an impressive scene. Perhaps it was the same for me. Things that had never happened in my previous lives were happening one after another, so those fireworks could be called a signal re. This time was different. I had built a personal friendship with the saint whom I had never met, and Adele hade to the Full Moon Festival for the sole reason of me. ¡®This time is different.¡¯ I could clearly see the difference. Despite going through countless lives, I had never experienced this before, so I cherished the hope, even if small, that I could fulfill my wish this time. I didn¡¯t know the probability of it being fulfilled, but I could at least make a wish, couldn¡¯t I? The fireworks went out, and silence settled over the square once again. Gazing at the extinguished fireworks, Adele muttered softly. ¡°¡­It¡¯s pretty.¡± As she said, the start of this Full Moon Festival was more beautiful than ever. It was only natural. How many times had I seen this beginning? The beginning had never been distorted even once. However, when that moon was veiled by clouds again¡­ People were unaware that the darkness would begin to squirm again. Darkness that only I knew. Because it was my job to step on that shadow, I could not smile at Adele like that. Wasn¡¯t it natural? Soon, it would be dawn. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 20: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Drip. I watched the water droplets falling onto the beaker. Colorful potions falling onto the green water, an alchemist¡¯s day was nothing special. Although the original intention of doing this was not for alchemy, making and selling these potions was quite profitable.¡°Yawn¡­ I¡¯m dying of sleepiness.¡± Unable to fall asleep until dawn, I eventually failed to lie in bed. The problem was that it was too noisy due to the Full Moon Festival and whatnot. Earlier, a firework exploded, causing me to spill a beaker. That one beaker could make several potions. Thinking I had wasted gold for no reason, my brows furrowed. With an unusually small physique, it was not easy to move. If someone else saw, they would probably think I had the build of a 12-year-old girl. Jay, who had tidied her hair tied back once more, jumped off the chair and picked up the ss pieces that had fallen on the floor. I thought I had picked them all up earlier, but one was still left. Through the open window, the moon was visible, and Jay rubbed her eyes and let out a sigh. Now it was time to go to sleep. Tomorrow, she would leave this city and head south. This life as a fugitive would soon end. While her mind was at ease, a sense of unease rose for no reason. Surely nothing would happen on thisst day. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it after waking up tomorrow. If they had found me, they would have killed me already.¡± If the pursuers chasing her had figured it out, she would have been ughtered long ago. But it meant she was still safe. Above all, with so many people around, if a suspicious person appeared, they would be caught by the patrol. Thud, as the festival lights slowly went out, the ce where Jay lived was also engulfed in darkness. Thus, silence arrived. Darkness where no sound could be heard, only the sound of snoring echoed. Jay, lying on the bed, soon surrendered to the approaching slumber. At dawn, when the once-bright light disappeared and the stars gradually revealed themselves. The moon was veiled by clouds, and only a hazy light spread like fog in the streets. ¡­In the midst of it, the shadows began to move. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Shaking off Adele was quite easy. As she was lost in the afterglow of the fireworks, I simply said I had a ce to stop by for a moment and quickly slipped away. In the process, I obtained a weapon and headed in the direction of where Jay lived, remembering the location. Swinging the sword in my hand, a heavy sensation was transmitted to my arm. As expected, this body was not ustomed to wielding a sword. Was it because I had never held a sword in this life? Although it was natural since it was a body that had never held one before, it wasn¡¯t a big deal. There were times when I had stopped it without a single weapon. It was close to being the same, but the engraved experience would be of great help in dealing with those assants. Couldn¡¯t I even confront them barehanded now? Although I didn¡¯t want to take such a gamble. ¡°She should still be alive.¡± The time Jay was attacked was always the same. After the fireworks ended and the lights werepletely extinguished as people dispersed. There were still a few streetmps left. If I had to estimate the time, it would be around 1 AM. As a few drunks were visible nearby, I had plenty of leeway. Walking through the alleys, I suddenly thought of Adele, whom I had left alone. Although I had tried to avoid going to the north as much as possible, it seemed necessary to visit at least once. I could go and warn her about the false usation of treason. Then the debt of gratitude I held would also be cleanly resolved. Come to think of it, she was quite different from the woman I knew. Previously, when we had lived together, she was just the Grand Duchess of the North herself, cold and asionally showing a cruel side. But in this life¡­ she was close to being capricious. Saying she would be disappointed if I just left. She really seemed to mean it, so I couldn¡¯t refuse. I had a sense of how she thought of me. It was probably a question about my conduct that waspletely different from the rumors. But that was all, it was obvious that her words about being interested in me stemmed from curiosity. I never expected to get involved with her not once, but twice, and even directlying here because I hadn¡¯t gone to the northst time. In other words, it would end with visiting her once. If I appropriately agreed with her words, her interest in me would also cease. The connection ends here. Getting deeply entangled with a woman who would lose her life due to a false usation of treason was never good. Didn¡¯t I have to dy my death until I cut off the Crown Prince¡¯s lifeline? Lost in thought for a while, I realized that the lights around me were disappearing one by one. Soon, when the lightpletely disappeared, this city would sink into darkness again. That was precisely the moment for me to move. So I hid myself. So that no one would notice my presence here. The ce where Jay lived was the building right above my head. It looked ordinary for a ce where an alchemist lived, but the inside would be filled with unusual items. Usually, selling potions or herbs at a general store was her job, but in reality¡­ She was a woman who could be called the best information dealer in this empire. No, perhaps it was ambiguous to even call her a woman. Because she would have the physique of a young child at most due to her twisted mana from birth. That was why she couldn¡¯t deal with this kind of attack. Her ability was purely nonbat, wasn¡¯t it? It was thanks to Jay¡¯s help that I had found out and collected information about what the Crown Prince had done. Using illusions to infiltrate¡­ it was an ability that was hard to understand even after hearing the exnation, but it was undeniable that she was important in every turn. I felt fortunate to have learned various things in my previous life. Wasn¡¯t it all thanks to the previous runs that I could wield a sword and fight, and calmly think about the situation of an attack? Others might see me as just an immature young man, but inside was a cunning old fox who had lived for hundreds of years. I could predict most actions, and if it was something I knew, I wouldn¡¯t make mistakes. So I could be confident this time as well. The alchemist Jay would live, and this time, for sure¡­ I would sever the Crown Prince¡¯s lifeline with my own hands. As I closed my eyes, the faint mana in my body began to resonate with the surroundings. Prating the darkness, drawing out faint threads to envelop the surroundings. Like a spider web, dominating the space and simultaneously grasping the movements around, an application of mana. The amount of mana in my body was not much, but if I wanted to utilize it, I could apply it better than anyone else. That was how time worked. Even if I didn¡¯t intend to, time naturally advanced these skills. I could sense presence even without touching these threads. Observing the surroundings for a moment, I only felt a few passersby who were still drunk and making a fuss. The assant was probably among them. As it had been in the past, my gaze was always directed towards those people. ¡­However, that concentration was soon shattered. It was because I felt a presence that should not have existed at this time. Cold mana flowed through the threads and was transmitted. As if angry at something, my body trembled at the intense and violent mana. ¡°Why on earth is this person here?¡± Adele Igrit. I had no idea why I could sense her presence. I also felt the presence of several people beside her. Scattering and gathering repeatedly around, as if they were looking for someone. When I sensed something strange and spread the threads, Adele¡¯s mana suddenly reacted strongly. ¡°I¡¯ve been caught.¡± She must have realized that someone was sensing the surroundings with mana. But she didn¡¯t know that this was my mana. Should I escape? After repeatedly contemting, I shook my head and epted the situation. Now that it hade to this, it would be difficult for me to even get away alone. But it was not the time to move recklessly, as the moment Jay would be attacked was approaching soon. So I stood there quietly and waited, and Adele approached from beyond. Seeing my face, she was slightly surprised, then began to re at me with furrowed brows. ¡°¡­So you were here. I wondered where you had run off to, leaving me behind. Why on earth are you in a ce like this?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you earlier? I said I have urgent business.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that urgent business was hiding in a ce like this. Robert, do you perhaps have a hobby of peeping into others¡¯ homes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± Shing, the eyes of the woman who drew her sword turned cold. She must have been displeased that I had lied to her and that she had been deceived. But she was not a woman to draw a sword for just that reason. It might be my hasty judgment, but it was certain that my existence was quite interesting to her. The reason she drew her sword was not simply because she was angry, but rather¡­ to demand an exnation for why I was here. The nature of a woman named Adele Igrit was simple. As she wanted, as her heart desired. But that animalistic instinct was unpredictable, so she must have realized that there was definitely something here. It was the first time someone other than me had learned about this matter. I had tried not to tell as much as possible. But if it was Adele¡­ I could trust her. Didn¡¯t she, even if she didn¡¯t remember, used to be arade-in-arms at one point? ¡°Someone will die here tonight.¡± Then her arm stopped right there. In the posture of pointing her sword at me, Adele, with narrowed eyes, asked back. ¡°Someone?¡± ¡°Yes. If we don¡¯t stop it, it will probably be an incident and be known to the surroundings tomorrow.¡± ¡°So you came to prevent that. I see¡­ I understand.¡± After contemting for a moment, she nodded and lowered her sword. It was quite an unexpected reaction that I was the one who was taken aback instead. I had been preparing, thinking she would ask how I knew and who would die. But seeing her sigh as if relieved, it seemed like the questioning was over. So I stared intently, and Adele, who chuckled, sheathed her sword and opened her mouth. ¡°Why are you making that expression? Were you moved that I didn¡¯t kill you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to ask anything?¡± ¡°Why should I ask?¡± As if it was natural, she answered nonchntly and continued. The man beside her justughed hollowly as if he had expected it. I knew who he was too. The bespectacled man was Adele¡¯s schr, surely the man named Lothos. ¡°Everyone has secrets. Judging from the fact that you didn¡¯t tell me right away, it¡¯s probably that kind of matter. I have no intention of finding out every little thing like that. For a woman like me to be left alone to do something¡­ it must be a very important matter. Lord Taylor.¡± Although her tone was close to an interrogation, it seemed certain that she was not taking it too seriously. Was I nervous for nothing? So I let out a sigh of relief, and Lothos beside me clicked his tongue and red at Adele. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just search for him out of worry? We don¡¯t even know who Robert is, but you made a fuss saying he disappeared and told us to find him- Phew. Anyway, I¡¯m d we found him.¡± ¡°Be quiet. Unless you want to die early.¡± As Adele rebuked him, Lothos tightly shut his mouth and grasped his neck. Nothing had changed at all. Well, I had experienced this situation dozens of times. Lothos would blurt out something inappropriate and nearly die, and Adele would draw her sword and cause amotion. I almostughed at that familiar situation, but I suppressed my expression and looked at Adele. Adele seemed quite bothered by what Lothos had just said. ncing at me, she averted her gaze slightly and added. ¡°¡­I wasn¡¯t worried. I just looked for you because you disappeared.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better not to listen to the words of this bbermouth beside me. There¡¯s nothing helpful even if you listen. Remember that when youe to the northter.¡± I realized it was her way of resolving her embarrassment. Nodding as if I understood, Adele looked at me silently and turned her head. Now that it hade to this, it would be far-fetched to say that I could avoid going to the north. So I nodded, and Adele nced around and opened her mouth. Come to think of it, I realized that only one light remained in the surroundings. Soon, the attack on Jay would begin. ¡°But if you¡¯re going to prevent someone¡¯s death, can you do it alone? If it¡¯s alright, we can help. We¡¯ve done that kind of thing many times.¡± ¡°I appreciate the sentiment, but this is something I have to resolve myself. If there¡¯s something I need¡­¡± Then I noticed Adele¡¯s sword. A sword far better than the one I currently had, one that wouldn¡¯t break no matter how much it was swung. If I received help, things might getplicated because of her presence. But borrowing one item should be fine. ¡°May I borrow the sword you have?¡± ¡°The sword¡­? I don¡¯t mind, but haven¡¯t you never wielded a sword?¡± ¡°I did say that.¡± After hesitating for a moment, Adele handed me the sword and spoke as if puzzled. Indeed, I had said I had no interest in swords when we metst time. In this turn, I had rarely held or swung a sword. ¡°But I never said I couldn¡¯t handle a sword, did I?¡± Crack, something I couldn¡¯t do with the old sword. Mana surging from my heart flowed through my arm and was transmitted to the sword. As a blue sh erupted in the darkness, Adele nkly watched the scene. Of course, it was nothing to me. The light that cut through the shadows was a natural thing for me, who had lived through a turn. There was a time when I lived solely relying on the sword. So even the me of the 101st run had no choice but to be familiar with the sword. Because I had swung it so many times that I was sick of it. Sword Saint was a title that had been attached to me in one of the runs. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 21: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°¡­You, that?¡± Recalling that Adele and Lothos, who were nkly staring at me, did not know about my previous runs, it reminded me that something like this had happened before. In that cold snowy field, the two who had witnessed this blue sh had also shown such expressions.Back then, I was quite arrogant, calling myself a genius and dismissing it. Should I say the same this time? But seeing their faces demanding an exnation, my heart strangely softened. There were many awkward aspects to simply calling it talent. ¡°There are many awkward aspects to calling it talent.¡± ¡°If you had wielded a sword without my knowledge, that could be the case. But your hands are soft.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s difficult to exin right now.¡± As my gaze turned upward, Adele¡¯s eyes also turned towards the building where Jay lived. She must have realized that the time was approaching soon. There were probably people moving towards that ce. ¡°We need to save a life, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Is what you¡¯re trying to tell me also a secret to you?¡± A secret. I wasn¡¯t particrly trying to hide it. It was just that I didn¡¯t find it pleasant to be treated as a mentally ill person. The absurd reality of a person dying 100 times and regressing. Always returning to a summer day at the age of twenty, repeating a miserable death. Even if I borrowed the power of a relic, who would believe that? ¡°Speak, don¡¯t just stare nkly.¡± The woman named Adele was someone who had been entangled with me through countless fates. If such a person saw me as a lunatic¡­ Well, it wouldn¡¯t feel very good. So I was hiding it. Because I wanted those eyes not to hold disgust and contempt towards me. I had no choice but to call my past a secret. ¡°It¡¯s a¡­ secret.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Although her face showed dissatisfaction, Adele, who understood, nodded and smiled brightly. I was grateful that she smiled like that. If any suspicion had remained, I might have made a mistake out of difort. ¡°Then I won¡¯t ask. Should we wait here?¡± ¡°You¡¯re nning to wait?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t leave until I tell you to.¡± After staring at me for a moment, she added with a faint smile. ¡°And don¡¯t run away alone again.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± I felt indebted to her in many ways. If she had asked about each detail, it would have been troublesome, but I never imagined she wouldn¡¯t ask just because it was a secret. I bowed my head to the woman gazing at me with as much courtesy as possible. Thinking that someday, I would definitely tell her about my past. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Tap, the footsteps climbing the building were light. I had be so ustomed to this covert activity that perhaps I could even climb with my eyes closed. Taking two steps here and one more step, I could reach the window. Indeed, the balcony was caught at my fingertips, so I pulled my arm and headed upward. I had experience wielding a sword, but my body was clumsy. Just climbing up made my arms ache like this. I always thought this, but wasn¡¯t this a terrible body? Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t ack of stamina. If I added the realm I had achieved to that, I would be able to splendidly subdue the assants who would soon arrive. Climbing onto the balcony and looking inside, I noticed Jay still asleep. Lying on the bed, wrapped in a nket, snoring softly¡­ Was it her original fate to be stabbed to death while sleeping like that? She was a woman with a truly strange destiny. Perhaps not as much as me, though. ¡°If I move one more step here, the rm will go off.¡± Her mana was specialized in barriers and illusions. Although each person had mana specialized in a certain field, I knew it was rare for it to be focused on such auxiliary abilities like hers. A barrier that would sound an evacuation rm to her if I stretched out my hand even a little. Since I had touched it and woken her up before, I needed to move carefully this time. Because Jay was not someone who could easily calm down once she realized her life was threatened. I didn¡¯t know how I saved herst time. Didn¡¯t I even knock her out and fight just because she made a fuss when I was only holding a sword? Waiting for a moment to sense any presence around, soon shadows began to squirm from below the building. It wasn¡¯t just a feeling. They were really moving, seeping into this building while squirming. No matter when I saw it, it was a truly mysterious movement. Although I could guess the employer because of that movement, it was quite tricky to deal with at first. ¡°¡­Four.¡± This number didn¡¯t change. Deploying four assassins just to kill one woman, they must have been asked to handle it definitively. None other than by the Crown Prince. I found out about this fact in the previous turn. When I investigated the people who could hire assassins one by one and didn¡¯t find an answer, I searched from the top and found the Crown Prince¡¯s name. Why did that namee up so many times? Adele, me, and this alchemist. We all died because of the Crown Prince. What would he gain by killing so many people? The Crown Prince held an absolute advantage in the session to the throne. Since the current emperor had only one son, there was only one heir. There were many possible reasons, but that wasn¡¯t enough to exin it¡­ Thud- ¡°I can think about itter.¡± Before beheading the Crown Prince, I could ask him then. No matter how much I pondered over it, nothing would change unless I did it directly. Wasn¡¯t that the lesson I had learned through countless lives? Pressing my forehead, I moved my steps to follow where the earlier shadows had gone. It was easy to remember the location of the barrier. Avoiding it, I took a position in the passageway leading to Jay¡¯s room. Click, click. Perhaps they had no intention of hiding even their own footsteps now. The moment I drew my sword, they must have noticed it too. That there was an uninvited guest here. I also had no intention of hiding, so the mes that burned the darkness flickered in the air. ¡°¡­¡­¡± What appeared in that darkness were three. Even as our eyes met, they still maintained their silence. I had always experienced such things. But if there was a difference from before, it was that this sword could withstand my mana. Swoosh- A line was drawn in the air in an instant. Like a butterflynding on a flower, the assassins couldn¡¯t react to the movement that was too natural. That was their mistake. Letting their guard down for a moment. When that fleeting moment passed, blood spurted from the neck of one assassin. As the assassin¡¯s body, staring at me with bloodshot eyes, crumbled like that, a sword surged towards me. Two swords pouring towards me¡­ no, three. I watched as even the assassin who had been hiding revealed himself and attacked. Chwaa- The sword on my wrist sprang out and sprayed poison. If it touched me even a little, my body would be paralyzed, so I twisted my body. As if spinning, my body rotated in the air, and the sword moved along with it. It was different from my prediction. My body reacted because it was an attack I already knew. If they had truly used an unpredictable attack, I might have reacted. However, even in the few rundI had repeated, the assassins always used the same moves. One dies, and three stab their swords simultaneously. I avoid that attack by twisting my body. Chwaaak-! Only after one assassin¡¯s arm was severed did their eyes turn serious. They must have let their guard down because they knew my face. Robert Taylor couldn¡¯t deflect their attacks. How did I know? The answer to that question was simple. ¡°Crown Prince.¡± I beheaded the assassin who momentarily flinched. Two remained, and I chuckled at the gaze that seemed to ask how I knew that name. They must not have liked that smile, as the assassins simultaneously lunged at my chest. I avoided it by dragging my foot back. Kicking off the ground, I simultaneously lowered my head to dodge the sword shing from behind. ¡®The same.¡¯ Whoosh! The sword drawing a circr trajectory headed downward. My gaze still lingered on the tip of the sword. Because I knew it would change its trajectory here too. The reaction wasn¡¯t much different from before. Kwashik-! I thrust upward before the sword touched. The sword imbued with mana pierced the heart, and the body of the assassin spitting out blood crumbled. Then silence fell. Only one person was left to point a sword at me, but even he had lost his fighting spirit and was just standing there nkly. Was there no difference this time too? As I turned around, scattering the blood on the sword, I saw the face of the masked assassin. ¡°Who the hell¡­ are you?¡± As I wiped the blood from my face, the assassin, who had been staring at me in a daze, asked back. Even if it was just a moment, three had died in that good timing. But I was not included in those three. It must be surprising. The Robert Taylor they knew was just a foolish young master. Sighing at the answer I had heard too many times, I opened my mouth. ¡°Robert Taylor.¡± ¡°¡­I know. But are you really Robert Taylor?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t believe me anyway. No matter what I answer.¡± Chwak- I knew the following dialogue. So there was no need to listen. As I approached, the assassin, momentarily startled, gripped his sword, but that was all. His head had already fallen to the ground. I looked at the head that had died with eyes wide open. I had already found out everything I needed to know from them in the previous run. Torturing directly wasn¡¯t a good experience in many ways. I was the one doing the torture, but wasn¡¯t it just as painful to recall the memories I had experienced? I didn¡¯t sense any more presence around. Those far away would be Lothos and Adele, so I could let my guard down. Just as I was about to back away, thinking of Jay who would wake up soon, I felt movement behind me. ¡°You, what¡­?¡± When I turned my head, I saw a woman who was no different from a child. I didn¡¯t expect her to wake up now. Frowning as if it was a blunder, I thought about my current situation for a moment. A hallway stained with blood, a man holding a severed head and a sword in one hand. I wasn¡¯t wearing a mask, but what would she think of me, who had entered without triggering the barrier? After observing those round, wide eyes and seeing her mouth open wide, I answered. ¡°I came to save you.¡± I didn¡¯t know if she would believe me, but if I didn¡¯t say at least this much, she would scream. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°Ahhh¡­ my room.¡± Jay sobbed as she looked at the hallway that was not just stained but drenched in blood. She did scream at Robert¡¯s words, but she only quieted down after seeing that man trying to swing his sword. If he were an assassin, he would have killed her long ago. But if he wasn¡¯t an assassin, how did he get in here? There were many strange aspects, but she didn¡¯t ask any further. That man had killed those assassins alone. It was a familiar face, but could it be that even that was actually concealed by magic¡­? Various delusions swirled in Jay¡¯s mind. Fortunately, the potion bottles were not damaged. Only this hallway was sttered with flesh. Of course, it wasn¡¯tforting, but the important thing was that she had been saved from the threat. And by¡­ Robert Taylor, no less. Jay knew about this man well too. She had definitely heard he was the ck sheep of the Taylor family, but was he really the same person? That suspicious face was quite strange, so Robert narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth. ¡°I am the Robert you know. The ck sheep, the troublemaker. You¡¯re not mistaken.¡± ¡°I, I see.¡± ¡°You should be able to clean this up quickly. Hurry and clean it up, someone ising.¡± Robert¡¯s gaze turned towards the window below. Adele and Lothos, who said they would wait, were seening up, unable to endure the wait. There was no need to show them this scene. It would be enough to have saved a person to a reasonable extent. ¡°¡­But why did you save me?¡± When Jay asked, Robert turned his head while wiping his blood-stained face with a wet towel. Although she flinched for a moment at those emotionless eyes, she couldn¡¯t help but be curious. ¡°An alchemist, but originally an intelligence agent.¡± Jay¡¯s eyes did not waver. She was better than anyone at telling lies, so it was not easy even for Robert to read her true intentions. But this was the truth. Her real past that she had directly told him and that he had as data. ¡°You used to belong to the imperial family, but you betrayed them and now you¡¯re a fugitive under the identity of the alchemist Jay, a runaway magician.¡± ¡°You, how do you-¡± ¡°Arwen, I need you.¡± Jay frowned at the eyes she was witnessing for the first time in her life. No emotions could be read from them. Not like her telling lies, but eyes that were simply empty and filled with only void. What on earth did he mean? She felt a sense of incongruity, as if he were apletely different person from the Robert Taylor she knew. When she answered the question that he needed her, Robert replied while wiping away thest remaining bloodstain. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill the Crown Prince.¡± And at that answer, Jay dropped the beaker she was holding. ng- Contrary to the noisy sound, only silence flowed between the two people. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 22: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°From the way you speak, it doesn¡¯t seem like¡­ you don¡¯t know the meaning of those words.¡± Jay, her real name was Arwen Tarsi. For her, who had betrayed the imperial family and was on the run, how would she interpret the meaning of saying I would kill the Crown Prince? I knew the answer to this question. If I were to name themon denominator between her and me, it would be the Crown Prince.Since it wasn¡¯t the first time I faced her, it was better to speak directly to the point from the beginning instead of beating around the bush. Although it might be quite surprising from her perspective, it was always easier to get to the main point faster when I spoke this way. Her rabbit-like red eyes unmistakably wavered. She seemed to want to probe my true intention, but she couldn¡¯t easily do so because of the appearance I had shown just now. ¡°¡­You said you would kill him, right? The Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how you found out about me, but I can¡¯t answer right away. Although I know you, this is the first time I¡¯ve met you in person.¡± Arwen, who had been staring at me intently, nodded once and continued. It seemed she needed time. It was always a sudden meeting, but this time was different, so it made sense. ¡°I need time to think. I¡¯m grateful that you saved me, but I can¡¯t make a decision lightly if it¡¯s rted to the Crown Prince. Above all, I¡¯m not sure if your true intention is really that.¡± ¡°I understand. When you change your mind, you can contact me where I am.¡± ncing sideways, I felt that Adele hade quite close now. I didn¡¯t expect this meeting to immediately lead to the main point anyway. The deal would likely be made a few monthster, or at least a monthter. Still, it was certain that I had saved Arwen in this run as well. Since the possibility was open, if I acted calmly, the harvest would follow. As footsteps were soon heard from below, Arwen, with narrowed eyes, looked at me. ¡°Are they yourpanions?¡± ¡°You can think of it that way. I told them to wait, but it seems the time has been dyed too much.¡± Looking around, the corpses and bloodstains hadpletely disappeared. There was a scent of blood, but this could hide the carnage to some extent, couldn¡¯t it? Then, when Adele burst through the door and entered, she made eye contact with me and thoroughly examined my body for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re here. I told you to wait.¡± ¡°Did you do well what you intended to do? It took so long that I came up thinking something might have happened¡­¡± Her eyes then turned to Arwen. ¡°Is that the person you were trying to save? What, a hidden lover?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have such tastes.¡± ¡°If that were really the case, I would have killed her here. The world doesn¡¯t need people like that.¡± Grinning mischievously, she then approached me with great strides. After staring at me nkly for a moment, Adele reached out and carefully felt my body. As if shaking off raindrops or smoothing out wrinkles, she checked every nook and cranny of my body, then stepped back and added. ¡°You¡¯re not hurt. It would be strange for you to get hurt somewhere with those skills.¡± ¡°¡­Did you check?¡± ¡°There was a guy who hid his wound and died from it getting worse. If you have a wound, don¡¯t hide it. It¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of.¡± As I stared at her nkly at those words, Adele turned her head and looked at Arwen. Arwen also seemed to know who Adele was. Of course, there was no one who didn¡¯t know Adele Igrit, but more precisely, she knew her ¡®past¡¯. The tyrant Adele who had killed countless people in a way close to a massacre. But there was no need for her to tremble like that. Seeing her body trembling so pitifully, I let out a small sigh. ¡°I think it¡¯s about time we left. She probably needs to rest too.¡± ¡°Is it already dawn? Yes, it can¡¯t be helped.¡± As Adele looked at Lothos, he nodded his head vigorously and disappeared alone. He probably intended to leave with the subordinates spread out beside him. Adele wouldn¡¯t stay long either, so we wouldn¡¯t meet again until I headed to the north. Arwen also nced around and hurriedly cleaned up the broken beaker, and I also had to return to the ducal estate. Arwen¡¯s gaze fell on me, then fell away again when our eyes met. It must have been because the image of me from earlier ovepped. I had no ill feelings towards her, but once she felt her life threatened, she would likely have that attitude for a while. If I wouldn¡¯t meet Arwen or Adele for a while¡­ Maybe I would asionally run into Yuria and Theresa. Just thinking about it made me feel bad. As I was about to wipe my haggard face, I realized that Adele, who was about to leave the room, had suddenly stopped. Then she looked at me and quietly moved her lips. ¡°Aren¡¯t youing?¡± ¡°I will. Just a moment, my head hurts.¡± It was refreshing. But it was also true that I felt conflicted. I had saved Arwen, but wasn¡¯t this always the first thing I did when regressing? I thought a lot of time had passed, but I had only taken the first step. If I couldn¡¯t finish it in this run either, I felt like I wouldn¡¯t be able to keep my sanity then. That was why I had tried apletely different route, but would this method work? Shaking my head for a moment, I moved to follow Adele, who was walking ahead. My head hurt. Frowning at the pain piercing my brain, I smiled bitterly. If time passed quickly, maybe this pain would disappear. My honest feeling was that I wanted this end to be seen before my eyes, so I could die as soon as possible. Forever. So that I could never think again. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó After saving Arwen, I always walked this alley to return to the ducal estate. I had no choice but to hide my appearance since I was always soaked in blood. I had prepared spare clothes, but this time things went well in various ways, so the outside was clean. I never expected Arwen to wake up from thatmotion. She had never woken up before¡­ it must have been because I used mana. ¡°You don¡¯t look well. Did something happen earlier?¡± ¡°Do I?¡± ¡°You look like you want to vomit. I think something must have happened, but¡­¡± Perhaps recalling what I had called a secret earlier, Adele swallowed her words and didn¡¯t continue. Come to think of it, I wasn¡¯t walking alone now. I had coincidentally met Adele and enjoyed the Full Moon Festival, and we ended up meeting just before saving Arwen anding here together. Who would have predicted that meeting at the ballst time would lead to this? I didn¡¯t particrly like the word coincidence, but it didn¡¯t seem like my connection with Adele in this turn would be easily broken. I felt conflicted. It was because I couldn¡¯t understand what this meeting meant. What I had seen while going through the previous runs was that those connected by fate always turned their backs on me. My family, my fianc¨¦e, even my close friends. The lover I found instead of my fianc¨¦e ended up stabbing me with a knife, and the one I thought was my close friend was actually the one who had ruined me the most. I remembered that twisted smile. I remembered the face that mocked me, saying there was no way they would sincerely consider me a close friend. How could I remain indifferent while recalling that? Betrayal was an emotion that one could never get used to. The sensation of one¡¯s heart shattering, blood vessels twisting, and all the blood in one¡¯s body draining down. All I could do was breathe out. That¡¯s why I hated it. Whenever I walked this street alone, I hated being tormented by those memories and used to run. ¡°I¡¯m fine now. Much better than usual.¡± Thanks to her, I was too embarrassed to say it was because of her. I didn¡¯t know that just having someone by my side could alleviate the symptoms. Although I had to hide it saying it was a secret, just her eyes not despising me were afort to me. Adele stared at me for a moment, then turned her gaze towards the sky. The night sky without lights always evoked admiration just by looking at it. I didn¡¯t know how much the sky here differed from the one in the north, but the starlight in this stillness always moved people¡¯s emotions. It was a littleter when Adele, who had been nkly looking at the sky for a while, opened her mouth. ¡°I will be returning soon. We probably won¡¯t meet again until youe to the north.¡± ¡°Probably. When autumnes, I will visit you then.¡± ¡°¡­I hope you do something about those eyes by then. They make me ufortable whenever I see them. You look like you¡¯ll die at any moment.¡± ¡°Is that why you were worried? That I might really die and disappear?¡± I thought she would naturally deny it, but Adele unexpectedly said nothing. Those blue eyes touched me, as if trying to pierce through my inner thoughts. After a while of looking into each other¡¯s eyes, Adele answered with a faint smile. ¡°I was for a moment. I thought you might really die.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°So don¡¯t die. I hate hearing that someone I know has died the most.¡± Adele¡¯s cloak fluttered as she turned her back. Mixing with the darkness, only her silver hair illuminated by the moonlight shone brilliantly. She looked at me like that. As if she had something to say, her mouth opened slightly after looking at me several times. ¡°¡­Make sure toe this time, don¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°I should. I have a debt to repay too.¡± Just the fact that she had let it go when I said it was a secret was a great debt. If I thought about my actions, it would just look suspicious from the perspective of someone who knew nothing. Nevertheless, I had to repay her somehow for believing in me. Recalling what she had said yesterday, I retorted by quoting her. ¡°Because you would be disappointed if I didn¡¯te.¡± Adeleughed at those words. It was just like the appearance I remembered from a certain run. Wasn¡¯t it fortunate that the only thing that had changed in this world was me? If everything had kept changing, I might not have been able to endure it until now. As if she had said everything she wanted to say, Adele disappeared into the night shadow. When I realized that I was the only one left on the empty street, there was an emotion that surged again. ¡­I walked to forget that. I walked through the pitch-ck alley without a single light, increasing my pace to erase my thoughts. Relying only on the moonlight in the sky, I walked forward. I wasn¡¯t even sure if the direction I was going was correct. I just walked, thinking my body would remember. After a long time passed like that, it seemed like calmness finally returned to its ce. Wiping the cold sweat running down my forehead, I slowly raised my head. The building that came into my sight was, quite absurdly, the main gate of the ducal estate. Many people must have fallen asleep. Under the many rooms with the lights off, there was only one room with the light on. It was probably where Yuria was. She must be quite busy in her own way. Since it was the first Full Moon Festival she was managing, she must have had a lot to do. That was better for me. It was mostfortable for me when she didn¡¯t pay attention to me. ¡®She won¡¯t notice.¡¯ It was rare for Yuria to be awake until now. Thinking there would be no chance of running into her, the moment I entered through the door, a low voice prated my ears. ¡°You¡¯re finally here. It¡¯s past 3 AM now, and the festival ended a long time ago.¡± There was a woman looking at me from the doorway. With her characteristically cold gaze, her eyes examining my appearance werepletely different from Adele¡¯s. A gaze filled with negative emotions like contempt. As I smiled bitterly, Yuria began to speak. ¡°I have no idea what you were doing until now toe back at this hour. Did you not know that I had been looking for you for a long time?¡± I thought my luck wasn¡¯t bad today. But was that my misconception? Seeing Yuria, who was still looking at me coldly, I let out a small sigh. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 23: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°Even though I heard you were participating in the festival, I thought you mighte backte. But isn¡¯ting back at this hour a bit too much?¡± She herself must know it too. This situation of finding fault with me just foring backte was quite ridiculous. I¡¯m not a child, what problem would arise froming back at dawn? There was no need to even discern Yuria¡¯s intention. She simply disliked me, felt irritated the moment our eyes met. If not that, she probably intended to find fault with me and say something to me. Although I knew this assumption was not ordinary, my sister Yuria¡¯s personality was originally like that. Arrogant and aloof. Thus, she looked down on those who could not meet her standards. Wasn¡¯t it natural that she wouldn¡¯t look kindly upon me, who had never been able to gain her favor since childhood? In the past, I tried to cater to her and endure somehow¡­ But now, not a shred of such feelings remained in me. If she wanted to hate me, it was better to fully ept that hatred. Through dying 100 times, what I realized was that Yuria and I could never coexist. ¡°Is that so.¡± ¡°Not ¡®is that so¡¯. I¡¯m asking if you have any sense of responsibility or not. Don¡¯t you know Father is in charge of today¡¯s Full Moon Festival? If Father is busy, you and I have to step up and-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand what you mean by stepping up. Didn¡¯t you revoke all my authority to do anything?¡± Directly, by the Young Lady. At my quietly uttered words, Yuria¡¯s eyes narrowed. Even though it was something I remembered, the reason she couldn¡¯t recall was probably because that was all I had said to her. The one who took away my authority to act as a member of the Taylor family was Yuria. That was why I was looked down upon even by servants in this ducal estate. I had forgotten because I never made an issue of it. As I stared at her expressionlessly, Yuria clicked her tongue and retorted. ¡°You don¡¯t really think you¡¯re not a member of the Taylors just because your authority was revoked, do you? And your authority was revoked because your mistakes were severe.¡± My mistakes, she said. Come to think of it, back then too, my authority disappeared because she found fault with meing backte. Then what would she say to me this time? I had no desire to listen either. If I just listened like this, it would only harm my emotions unnecessarily, so I wanted to simply apologize once and leave. ¡°You¡¯re right. I was wrong.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m apologizing foring backte. I¡¯m sorry for causing unnecessary concern. I¡¯ll be careful toe back early next time.¡± ¡°I never worried about you.¡± That¡¯s none of my business. I knew she wouldn¡¯t care, so I just wanted to go to my room and rest now. I was quite exhausted both physically and mentally from saving Arwen and dealing with Adele in the process. If my emotions were provoked, my sharp feelings might burst out. So I bowed my head and apologized as politely as possible, then turned around. There was no need for a long conversation with Yuria. Although I was quite surprised to run into her today, that was all. That¡¯s what I thought. ¡°As expected of the son Mother cherished.¡± ¡­If only I hadn¡¯t heard those words, I would have returned to my room. The fact that the name ¡°Mother¡± reached my ears made my steps abruptly halt. ¡°Always doting on you, not realizing your own role even now. Always minding your own business and never caring about the family. Is it true that love makes one resemble the other?¡± ¡°Young Lady.¡± I always tried to make rational judgments, but not this time. I knew Yuria was also aware of what the name ¡°Mother¡± meant to me. And she uttered it knowing it was taboo to me. At that moment, with a crunch, my teeth gnashed together. I knew it was a ploy to anger me. If I showed no reaction, she would simply look down on me as pathetic. I knew her words were intended to provoke me. Still, there was a line that humans must not cross. No matter how much one disliked or despised someone. There were names that should never be uttered. ¡°You were always like that. Whenever there was even a slight disadvantage, you would run away. That¡¯s why you¡¯re running away like this now too, aren¡¯t you?¡± Yuria had disliked Mother since long ago. She said Mother didn¡¯t suit her taste because she was too lighthearted and cheerfulpared to the Taylors¡¯ atmosphere. To her, the family was more important than the person who gave birth to her. Perhaps the reason she disliked me was also because I resembled Mother¡¯s personality. If that was really the reason, it would be extremely childish. When I turned my head, Yuria faced me with a slightly surprised expression. I didn¡¯t know what my current expression looked like. But it was surely quite ridiculous. It was probably the first time in this run that I showed her an angry expression. My lips curled up bitterly. If I looked in a mirror, my eyes would probably be bloodshot. The heat rising from my chest filled my head. If I spoke, quite vulgar curses might pour out. But I suppressed that. If I erupted with passion here, it would be like falling for her provocation. Suddenly, something my father had said came to mind. Nobles must be more polite the angrier they get. ¡°Does it make you feel better to say that?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I asked if insulting your own mother and disparaging your younger brother like that makes you feel a bit relieved.¡± ¡°Robert Tayl-¡± ¡°If that is what the Young Lady wishes for, I should follow it, shouldn¡¯t I?¡± I felt the temperature in this corridor gradually growing colder. As if warning me that if I made even the slightest misstep, frozen thorns would pierce each other and blood would flow. But it was fine. Bleeding was the one thing I was more confident in than anyone else. ¡°¡­I did not permit you to keep speaking to me.¡± Yuria answered in a low voice. Her eyes, cold as ice that seemed about to shatter at any moment, pierced through me. Those were the eyes I had feared the most. In the past, having those eyes re at me and berate me, saying I had insulted the Taylors, was what I dreaded the most. Now, it didn¡¯t matter. She was just a mere woman. She merely held the position of Young Lady, the name Taylor was no longer precious to me. So I did not avert my gaze. Rather, I met her eyes and opened my mouth as if mocking. ¡°Is that so? I had no idea.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had be so ill-mannered. Was the punishment you receivedst time not enough? Are you acting high and mighty just because you gained Father¡¯s favor for a moment? I¡¯m the one responsible for this ducal estate now.¡± ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m being so polite, am I not?¡± Even as Yuria drew the sword bestowed upon her when she was appointed as Young Lady, I still did not take my eyes off her. It was a truly familiar situation. No, it was a situation I had experienced several times before. When I was still foolish and had not given up the name Taylor. Even then, Yuria was looking at me with those eyes. -You are the shame of the Taylors. Robert Taylor. I knelt down and cried miserably, begging. I pleaded for my life, even bringing up our sibling bond, trying to survive pathetically. If I survived like that, I thought I would have a chance to somehow restore our rtionship. Like when we were young, a time I could no longer even remember, I tried to live believing we could be close again. -¡­Imprison Robert Taylor in the basement. Until his bad habits are corrected, his meals and water shall be withheld. But what was the result? Even though I survived, I was locked in a cold room and died without seeing another person¡¯s face until my death. I had tried to survive somehow, not giving up even when meals never came. I chewed on rats that slipped through the cracks and moistened my mouth with the blood of beasts. Nevertheless, I died. The moment I knelt before Yuria, my fate was already sealed. I died like that and lived the next run. What had I done so wrong? If it was wrong to beg because I wanted to live, that would be a truly ridiculous story. As my eyebrows distorted at the fleeting memory, Yuria looked at me with disbelief. She must not like this situation itself where I was saying something to her. To her, I was always someone beneath her, a coward who couldn¡¯t even make eye contact. ¡°With my authority as Young Lady, I can directly dispose of those who cause disturbances. You know that, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Is what I¡¯m doing now causing a disturbance?¡± ¡°You just said with your own mouth that you were stripped of all authority, yet you dare to defy me. If that¡¯s not a disturbance, then what is? I¡¯m serious, Robert Taylor.¡± Drawing the sword bestowed upon her when she was appointed as Young Lady, she strode towards me. Did she think I would be intimidated by that? At my unfazed attitude, the hand gripping the sword trembled. Yuria let out a small sigh. Her furrowed eyes were directed at me. Ignoring the emotion in those eyes, I merely waited for what she would say. What words would this foolish woman utter next? The words flowing from her tongue were all her karma. Karma that would one day return to her as swords and poison. After a long silence, Yuria parted her lips while looking at me. ¡°You¡­ seem to dislike the Taylors. Since childhood, you never once showed any affection for the family.¡± ¡°Is that what you think?¡± Augh escaped me inadvertently. Yuria frowned with displeasure at the sight of me chuckling. But it was aughable statement. I did not dislike the Taylors. If I truly hated this family, I would not have repeated the regressions until now. I had simply given up now. Knowing that nothing could be changed with my individual efforts, all I wished for was death, abandoning my longings. So Iughed. Because her question was ridiculous, because the delusion she herself held was amusing. ¡°So that¡¯s what you thought. You thought I disliked the Taylors?¡± Taking arge step forward, I stood in front of Yuria. She was much shorter than me, so it was the first time I looked down at her like this. When I knelt and looked up at her, she seemed quite tall, but thinking she was such a miserable woman made me inadvertently smile. ¡°¡­You¡¯re wrong. Young Lady.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I do not despise the Taylor family. However.¡± I paused for a moment, then looked at Yuria again. I never thought I would directly utter these words. Words I had always thought but could never say. If I did, the longings I held would be distorted, and I had no confidence to deal with the aftermath. But there was nothing to be wary of anymore. After casting out Theresa, there was nothing left for me to fear. To Yuria, who was nkly staring at me, I slowly continued. My voice was so quiet and calm that it was like a doll speaking. ¡°I only despise you.¡± This was my outcry. What I had wanted to scream out countless times while living my past lives, but could not utter and had buried in my heart. How would she respond to this silent outcry? The eyes that had always been frozen cold were not there. There was only a woman with a stiff face, wearing a merely stupid expression as she stared at me. No words came from her slightly parted lips. After looking at Yuria like that for a while, I turned my back and started walking. ¡°I¡¯ll be going now, Young Lady.¡± I no longer had any desire to maintain our sibling bond. Regardless of what she thought, even if she had a change of heart at these words, it had nothing to do with me. Just as spilled water cannot be gathered again, our rtionship was like that. Leaving Yuria behind, even as I walked forward, a voice rang in my ears, whining. It was a voice I had ignored in one of my lives. A voice I had never acknowledged, seized by foolish lingering attachments. ¡­I disliked Yuria. Realizing that only now made me feel like a fool. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 24: ?:.?. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Ill fate is not determined from birth. It¡¯s just that while living together, hearts be misaligned. There was a time when my rtionship with Yuria wasn¡¯t so bad. It¡¯s just that the period was so short, so long ago that I couldn¡¯t even remember it. We had both forgotten about it. A butterfly¡¯s fluttering could sometimes bring a north wind. Couldn¡¯t our rtionship also be viewed from that perspective? It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that a very trivial matter started it all, leading to my regression. My head ached. The headache that had been throbbing since I met Arwen was strangling my rationality as if it would shatter at any moment. Trying hard to suppress the urge to vomit, I squeezed my eyes shut at the spinning vision. Even as I bit my lips to endure the pain, I recalled the conversation from earlier. Perhaps this was the first time I had directly said such a thing to Yuria. Even throughout all my lives, I never thought of expressing such hostility. I should have said it and died in the previous run. Yuria¡¯s expression just now¡­ was quite amusing. Why was she shaken? Because I said I disliked her? If that was the extent of the reason, it was rather disappointing. If she was a woman who would be discouraged by that, why did she treat me like that? I knew she hadn¡¯t harmed me in this life. However, the way she had treated me since childhood remained unchanged. Part of the reason I had no choice but to be weak and cowardly like the rumors, trying to live miserably. It wouldn¡¯t be far-fetched to say Yuria was responsible for some of it. I didn¡¯t want to me anyone. I didn¡¯t want to attribute my own cowering to someone else¡¯s sin. But it was undeniable that what I had suffered in the past had influenced me. Although the pain in my head persisted, I gazed at the empty air with narrowed eyes. This room was also chosen because I didn¡¯t want to run into Yuria. If it was a room in the corner of the second floor, I wouldn¡¯t have to see her passing by in the corridor. I avoided eating meals together too. I had memories of being dragged away by Yuria and beaten if I made a mistake while eating. I was bound by my sister, four years older, for quite a long time. It was possible because Yuria took on the role of thedy of the house after Mother passed away. If I made a mistake, I was scolded, beaten, driven out to wander outside, then imprisoned again. It happened under Father¡¯s tacit approval, but it was clear Yuria¡¯s will was involved. Nevertheless, that was what I endured in the past. Rather, I med myself, constantly agonizing over why I was so foolish. ¡°¡­Stupid bastard.¡± In fact, there was no need for that. I should have felt wronged by what was done to me and realized something was odd about the situation. Certainly, I had realized that quite long ago. After dying the first few times, I noticed something about Yuria was twisted. But even so, I didn¡¯t give up hope. Because of the words I had heard when I was young, words I wanted to cherish for a lifetime. If I loved and did not give up, everything would return to the way it was. There was a time I believed that. Now I knew it was wrong. Inadvertently, a bitter smile escaped, and my gaze turned to a picture frame. It was a painting with half the face obscured. Quietly looking at the painting of a woman smiling at someone, drawn quite long ago, I recalled the past I had forgotten. The reason I was so obsessed with rtionships was because of a single phrase I held in my heart. If asked why I couldn¡¯t give up the Taylor family until the end, repeating 100 lives. ¡­It was simply because I couldn¡¯t forget thest words Mother left as she died. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Ilesia Taylor, the woman who was called thedy of the Taylor ducal family. Yuria knew her well too. Of course she would. She was the mother who gave birth to and raised her, how could she not know? But Yuria disliked Ilesia since childhood. She only expressed gratitude out of courtesy for giving birth to her, but she didn¡¯t particrly like the ever-smiling face. The Taylors were the empire¡¯s sword, they had to devote their all to fighting enemies that threatened the nation, always loyal to the emperor. Thus, they had to always remain cold. The fact that Yuria rarely smiled was part of the teachings she had learned as a child. Smiling meant letting one¡¯s guard down, so one must always remain vignt and prepared for emergencies. As the Taylors, who held the greatest and most glorious position in this empire, they had to be a model for all nobles. ¡°Yuria, did you bully Robert again?¡± ¡°I never bullied him. He just dropped his fork while eating, so I scolded him in ce of Father.¡± She could never like Robert, who always ran crying to Mother after being punished. He might have acted that way because he was only 3 years old, but Yuria found it foolish. She herself no longer did such things at the age of 3. When Robert was first born, she had felt quite sorry for him, but as he grew, he only resembled Ilesia more and more. The children of the Taylors must not be mischievous. They always had to hide their tears and even theirughter. Only being cold and rational, handling all situations flexibly, was the Taylors¡¯ spirit. But her younger brother did not fit that belief. Just how much punishment should she give him? At that time, Yuria thought that while looking at Robert. If he weren¡¯t her brother, she wouldn¡¯t even have this concern. She would have just let him live as he pleased and get ruined, not caring at all. Wasn¡¯t it a talent to make her pay attention like this? Ilesia was staring intently at her. Was the emotion in those eyes concern? It wasn¡¯t even funny. Concern was for those who werecking. She was not the target of that concern. Rather, it would be enough to direct it at her foolish brother. Yuria turned her back without answering that gaze. And that was thest time she saw her mother healthy. She remembered it as a sudden illness. One day, she suddenly felt sick and copsed. She lost her life within a few days. It was an unexpected death for someone who had always been healthy. A death that even doctors, priests, and even the young saint at the time could not heal. It was a strange death, butter she learned that it was a disease for which a cure had not been developed. ¡°Mom, Mom¡­!¡± She saw her brother crying while looking at the already cold corpse. What answer was he hoping for from a corpse that could no longer speak? Yuria could not understand that sight. She was aware that her mother had died, but she didn¡¯t feel sad. It was natural for people to die, so even if it was her own mother, it was something that would eventually happen. It just happened a bit earlier. Her thoughts on that matter remained unchanged, both back then and now. Perhaps she had hoped. That with her mother¡¯s death, her weak and foolish brother¡¯s attitude would change. But it didn¡¯t change. Rather, that behavior intensified. Around that time, she had been appointed as the Young Lady. In the end, she had no choice but to make a decision. Hoping her brother would improve a little, she tried to fix him into someone suitable for the Taylors. The most important thing for a noble is etiquette. So she tried to correct him even by using corporal punishment. After a few years passed, it was splendidly corrected, and next, she simply wanted to make him a person befitting the Taylors. She thought it was right, and even her father said nothing about what she did. She had lived until now believing it was right. Because a person of the Taylors should be like that. ¡°¡­Robert.¡± She muttered while looking at the now empty corridor. But there was no answer. He had already left, hadn¡¯t he? There was no possibility of her brother, who had gone to his room, returning here to answer. Her reason had already judged so, but Yuria was simply engulfed in a confused emotion for the first time. -I do not despise the Taylor family. However. It was eyes she had never seen before. Filled with hatred and disgust towards someone, as if those emotions would be mes at any moment and burn their surroundings. Eyes she never imagined seeing in her usually weak brother. But what was unexpected was that those emotions were directed at her. -I only despise you. It was an emotion she felt for the first time. Was this what they called confusion? It was certain that she had been shaken by those words. Despise. The meaning conveyed by that word was clearer than any other. She had known something was different since a few days ago. When their eyes met, he used to be terrified, but now he didn¡¯t directly meet her gaze, did he? The way he stubbornly called her sister became ¡°Young Lady¡± at some point, and when she got angry, he responded with a calm face instead. She felt it was strange but left it at that. Thinking the fundamental aspect hadn¡¯t changed, and with time, he would return to his original behavior. That¡¯s what she thought. But it didn¡¯t change at all. As time passed, those eyes gradually grew colder and more indifferent. Recalling the eyes that showed no emotion at all, it felt like her vision was swaying for no reason. In her dizzy vision, Yuria, who had staggered for a moment, leaned against the wall. -You have no interest in me anyway, Young Lady. ¡°¡­That¡¯s not true.¡± That wasn¡¯t it. If she had no interest, she wouldn¡¯t have even tried to make him a person suitable for the Taylors. That¡¯s not it. That¡¯s not it- She just¡­ Suddenly, she realized she was suffocating. Feeling a sensation of being strangled, she curled up her body, then exhaled while leaning against the wall. The eyes of the dying Ilesia came to mind. There was no other emotion in the eyes that had been looking at her. Rather, only pity remained, eyes that regarded her as pitiful. Why had she looked at her with such eyes? She had no shame whatsoever about her actions until now. It was because she had done what she learned from her father. Because the Taylors were not wrong, she believed everything would go well if she acted ording to that belief. But why, why did Robert say he disliked her? If he meant to say what she had been doing was wrong. No, that couldn¡¯t be. Hadn¡¯t she been taught that way since childhood? She had lived up to the name of the Taylors. Not smiling, not crying. She tried to always show a cold demeanor, hiding her own emotions. Even if it was family. To Yuria, their family was more important than anything else. There was something she had vowed as a girl. Words she had engraved in her heart when she became the Young Lady, a deration that she would follow her beliefs no matter what happened. She would be the empire¡¯s sword in the future, so she would adhere to her convictions in any situation. It was firm. It did not waver. Until now, to the extent that she could swear to that full moon. But if that was said to be wrong, wouldn¡¯t it mean her entire life was in vain? That couldn¡¯t be. Yuria, who had barely corrected her posture, stared at the empty corridor. Her eyes were still shaking, and her distorted expression remained the same. If someone saw her, they would surely be quite surprised. It was definitely the first time the face of the woman named Yuria Taylor had been so broken. ¡°¡­I am.¡± Unable to continue the sentence, she repeatedly muttered only those words. They were words no one could hear. On this night when the full moon bloomed, in this stillness, there was not a single person to hear the words that reached her ears alone. ¡°I am¡­¡± As her voice gradually faded, Yuria closed her eyes with her lips tightly shut. She had been certain, but now she wasn¡¯t confident calling it certainty. Weren¡¯t they just trivial words? The brother she had always disliked simply said he disliked her. But. But why was she so perturbed? In this dawn when her heart was stirring, Yuria nkly gazed at the corridor where Robert had disappeared. Until the dawn passed and morning arrived. Just like that, endlessly. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 25 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Whenever I opened my eyes in the morning, I always woke up with a body drenched in sweat. This time was no different. Cold sweat flowed and dampened my forehead, and I frowned at the mmy sensation. It was due to having a nightmare. More precisely, memories of my deaths. Wasn¡¯t it a feeling that was truly hard to get used to no matter how often I saw it? If I could be ustomed to dying, it might be a bit better, but that was an emotion that never changed no matter how much I tried. If I didn¡¯t fear such a thing, I wouldn¡¯t truly be human. After clenching and unclenching my hand a few times, I let out a small sigh and got out of bed. What unfailingly appeared in my nightmares were the faces of those who had killed me. There were times I chose death myself, but that didn¡¯t feel like a nightmare to me. Because it was really hard back then. It was just a time when I was struggling to end this regression by force, no matter what. ¡­I saw people everywhere who said they wanted to turn back time. Even those who said if they could turn back time to a moment they regretted, to the moment their loved one died, they could do anything. Although I also chose regression, not being much different from those people, it wasn¡¯t that I had a positive view of this regression. This was a curse. It was a life like an execution, tying a person to the guillotine of time and endlessly dropping the de on a neck that wouldn¡¯t be cut. Building rtionships with people was only once or twice. If I only umted repeated experiences with the same people in the same events, what would happen? The woman who said she loved me in the previous run saw me as her mortal enemy in the next run. The assassin who tried to kill me became my life-saver, and even if those twisted ties somehow changed back to how I first knew them. They couldn¡¯t be called the same person to me. It was only natural to go mad. There was a time when I prayed every time I died and time rewound. Begging them to remember me, going straight to them after time turned back and asking if they knew me, but I was treated as a lunatic. The only one who knew about the regression of time was me alone, the only one in this world who knew time had rewound countless times. So I was mad for a while¡­ I think that was the time I died the most. Killing myself, going crazy and beating people to death, getting caught and executed. That was the first time I saw Yuria die. I have various thoughts, but it was certain that about half of my deaths were experienced during that period. Then I came to my senses and spent a few more runs, which brings me to now. Having given up on many things, my honest feeling is that I want to end everything in this run. So I can¡¯t rest. I was curious what Yuria would say today. As the Full Moon Festival was still ongoing, Father was still not here. I suppose only Yuria and I were left in this ducal estate. We would run into each other during meals, so I¡¯d have to see for myself what she would say to me. After some time passed, Renold knocked on the door. When he said it was time to eat and I went out, I realized the ducal estate was strangely quiet. It was always quiet, but this was not just quiet but chillingly so. ncing at Renold, I opened my mouth. ¡°Did something happen? The atmosphere is a bit strange.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ well, the Young Lady is feeling unwell.¡± ¡°Unwell?¡± ¡°She appeared with a paleplexion in the morning and said not to bring her any meals today.¡± Is that why everyone is tense? When someone who usually doesn¡¯t act like that shows such capriciousness, those under them are bound to tremble in fear. Yuria, who had been diligently living her own life more than anyone else, did that, so they must all think they did something wrong. ¡­It seemed she wasn¡¯t entirely unresponsive. On one hand, it was also amusing. If she was shaken by just these words, with what state of mind did she intend to endure what was toe? Laughing so softly that no one would notice, I soon moved my steps with an indifferent expression. ¡°Tell everyone there¡¯s no need to be tense. It¡¯s just that she¡¯s really feeling unwell.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, since I confirmed it, she probably won¡¯t say anything else.¡± If she really reacted to my words, she would probably be quiet for a while. It was fortunate. Since I had many things to do separately for a while, it was better not to have her interference. Then I suppose there was only one thing to do today. I thought I should meet Arwen one more time. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°¡­As expected, the door is closed.¡± The house of Arwen, whom I went to see right after eating, waspletely blocked. There was a door, but the problem was that it was enclosed by a barrier she had made herself, so I couldn¡¯t see any reaction no matter what. Since she said she needed time to think, it might have been natural. The issue was that this barrier showed no signs of being lifted. I could undo it myself, but even if I touched it carefully, it seemed like it would take a full month. If I had known this situation woulde, I should have worked on magic. Unfortunately, I had only touched weapon types, so I didn¡¯t know much about magic. Then there was nothing much to do today. The next schedule came right after the Full Moon Festival ended, so I had some leeway until then. There was no movement from Theresa yet, and Yuria was holed up in her room. Thinking that, I realized this life was quite free. If it were like before, I would have followed Yuria around the Full Moon Festival, inspecting here and there. Just wandering around like this¡­ was something I couldn¡¯t even imagine in the past. The festival was still in full swing, so the streets were packed with people. I took back alleys to avoid mingling with those people, but it was still not easy to move with so many people. How would it have been if Adele were here at this time? She might have drawn her sword and swung it around. Or she might have pouted her lips but walked diligently. Thinking through a few such thoughts, I realized my impression of Adele was quite good. It was strange. It wasn¡¯t just meeting her once or twice, but I didn¡¯t have even a slightly bad impression of her. What I experienced through regression was the many hearts a person had. Like seeing someone I thought was only kind actually told lies all the time, or someone I thought was gentle killed children. The aspects of that person I encountered in different situations were bound to change countless times. But Adele Igrit. No matter what situation I saw her in, she wasn¡¯t very different. She always lived as she wanted and always moved as the wind blew. She was free-spirited, but rarely did it harm anyone. There was a time when I lived swayed by that. And that life¡­ I remember it as probably the most peaceful time I lived. Back then, I had the mindset of rather starting anew in the north, so it was possible. But in this life, I didn¡¯t want to live that way, at least. I had to wrap things up, didn¡¯t I? Unless the day came when I directly strangled the Crown Prince¡¯s neck with my own hands, there was no need to flee to the north. Walking like that, I soon reached the outskirts of the city. A ce far from the depths where the Full Moon Festival was held, unlike other ces, with many trees and flowers. I knew there was such a ce, but actuallying here, the scenery was quite nice. Instead of paved roads or buildings, a ce covered with grass and trees, standing in the midst of lush greenery with an unobstructed view and looking beyond. Flower petals fluttering in the wind fell gently, and small animals were moving among the rustling grass. Was it a ce created as a green space ording to the nned administrative district? Until now, I didn¡¯t have many asions toe here, but thinking about it, it seemed this was the first time I hade here during this period. Wouldn¡¯t this leisurely greenery be better than a city so crowded that there was no room to set foot? Following the path, I came across stone steps. Climbing those steps and then ascending a steep staircase for a while, there was arge tree visible to the eye. A willow tree with long branches drooping alone, surrendering its body to the wind, I caught my breath and moved to sit under it. The fluttering leaves tickled my hair, but my gaze was directed at the scenery visible below the willow tree. Since it was a high elevation, climbing up here allowed me to see the entire view below. Before I knew it, the sky was turning bright red, and the scenery of the city where I lived came into view at a nce. ¡­I was lost in thought for a moment. As if mocking my expectation that it would be just ordinary, the city in the midst of the Full Moon Festival was elegant as if painted. Light flowed. Not simply an appreciation, but the lights connected by people¡¯s hands filled the streets like flowing water. Sometimes emitting a red light, sometimes a blue light, the colorfulnterns swayed over people¡¯s hands. The true beginning of the Full Moon Festival could only be seen at night, but the daytime Full Moon Festival was different. It embodied this sunset, blessing the rising of the moon. Thus, the streets were gradually turning red. Preparing for theter time when night woulde, the color of thenterns also changed little by little, following the setting sun. Around the time I was nkly looking at it, the sky also began to sink into darkness. The name ¡°City of Light¡± only then revealed its true colors, and the city¡¯s light emitting a brilliant glow made the starlight lose its brilliance. Only a pale white light simr to moonlight remained in the city, drawing this night sky instead of the stars in the sky¡­ And only after that baptism of light disappeared did my mind finally return to reality. The wind that had be a little chilly brushed my cheeks. Summer wasing to an end now. The sky was rising, and the moon that had been closest was reaching the highest sky, far from anyone, and moving away from the empire. Autumn. My reason that had touched reality was in a slightly dazed state. The fact that time had passed and autumn was approaching was not well felt. Until now, there were always many things happening around this time, so I never had even a bit of leisure, and this was the first time I calmly thought about what was toe. Many things had changed. Theresa was no longer my fianc¨¦e, I met Adele again, and I formed a sort of connection with Saint Adriana. And didn¡¯t I bluntly tell Yuria I disliked her? The me of the previous run was now directly doing things I couldn¡¯t even imagine. ¡°The 101st, huh.¡± Since I had died 100 times, this time I must be living the 101st life. 100 times of foolish acts were enough. So this time, I decided to live differently. There was no need to hesitate or worry about anything. Because if I really died this time, it would be the end. Surely, eternal death woulde to me. ncing down for a moment, I slowly raised my head and closed my eyes tightly. Willow leaves fluttered in the wind and got caught between my fingers. Despite seeming like they would be blown away by the wind, they stubbornly clung between my fingers and wouldn¡¯t fall off, making me inadvertentlyugh. It felt just like seeing my past actions. If I just slightly parted my fingers, they would be blown away by the wind and disappear, but the sight of them trying to endure somehow was just like. It was like looking at myself. But I had to let go. It would be the natural way for them to be carried by the wind. I had to let go of the lingering attachment these leaves held. Whoosh- The leaves flew towards the sky with another gust of wind. They danced like that in the air for a while, carried by the wind, then disappeared towards a ce out of sight. Where would those leaves go? That was something no one knew. It was certain that it would be apletely different world from the branch they had always clung to. Wasn¡¯t I no different? Now was the time to let go of lingering attachments and move forward. The future of me, who had abandoned the ties of the past I cherished, was now unknown even to myself. It would be filled only with new things that I didn¡¯t know, and no one knew whether the end would be a tragedy or aedy. But what was amusing was that I still felt refreshed. I grabbed the leaf caught in my hand once more, then sent it flying towards the sky again with the wind. Like that, I sent away my lingering attachments as well. The wind blew again, brushing my forehead refreshingly. Summer was ending, and the day when that moon would thin out again was approaching. A faint smile appeared on my lips as I thought of the season that could be called the biggest variable in my life. Autumn wasing. An autumn that no one would know, and even I wouldn¡¯t know. The 101st autumn wasing. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 26 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Hooo- Hooo- At a time too early for anyone to be awake, Yuria slowly opened her eyes to the sorrowful cry of an owl. Her body was hungry from not eating for a day, but her mind, lost in thought, could not recall the hunger. She had faced Robert, and a day had passed like that.Shutting herself in her room was to have time alone. Did she really make a mistake, Yuria stared nkly at the wall that reflected nothing. To steady her shaking heart, to correct her own thoughts. She reflected on the fact that her heart had wavered, if only for a moment. For a very brief moment, she had shown an emotional side to Robert¡¯s words. There was no need to waver at all. Hadn¡¯t she always made the right judgment for the family? If she questioned her conviction, the reason was. Well. Yuria pondered while staring at the wall. Her long hair had be short at some point. Short hair barely reaching her shoulders, Yuria shook her head once and let out a faint sigh. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll admit it, I was wrong.¡± She thought she knew why Robert said he disliked her. It was because she had been too weak-hearted. Because she had held the words of herte mother in a corner of her heart, what she had done under the pretext of caring for her younger brother was wrong. What she had done, saying she would rehabilitate him into a suitable member of the family. Who would have known it would break Robert to this extent? She should have been harsher. She should have treated him so that his eyes would hold only reverence and loyalty towards the family, not emotions like resentment. Didn¡¯t she me her brother for being weak? But in the end, it was she who had been weak-hearted. Cutting her hair was to repent for this sin. She thought he had changed because he hadn¡¯t shown a pathetic sight recently, but he disliked her. Just saying such a thing to the Young Lady was a sin in itself. Should she punish him, Yuria pondered for a moment and shook her head. There was no need to punish him right away. Even if he hadmitted a sin, shouldn¡¯t he be given time to atone? ¡°Because I am the Young Lady.¡± A generous side towards a family member was also an aspect the Young Lady should possess. She closed her eyes for a moment, then slowly opened them again. The scene in the room illuminated by the faint moonlight was cleaner than before. On the night when the full moon had disappeared, blue eyes glowed in the distorted moonlight¡­. That light was so pale, it was cold and chilly as if frozen. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó After the Full Moon Festival ended, various events were lined up. There was the family head meeting where the heads of each family gathered, led by the Taylor ducal family, and there was the hunting festival where animals were caught and offered to thedies. I had no authority to not participate in those events. In the first ce, even if they told me not to, I had intended to participate, if I had to give a reason, it was because of the princess. ¡°The princess was closest to the Crown Prince.¡± Our rtionship was much better than mine and Yuria¡¯s, but it was still awkward between us. But to approach the Crown Prince, I needed her. What I needed was preparation to be close to the Crown Prince, and with the Taylor family behind me, it wasn¡¯t too difficult to approach him. But my goal was to be the Crown Prince¡¯s ¡®loyal subject¡¯. That way, I could see his every move. Watching him from the closest position, and when the time came, stabbing him in the back without hesitation would be the best. It was a thought close to treason, but in fact, the empire held little meaning to me. Rather, wouldn¡¯t it be better if the empire disappeared? But my individual power was not enough. I needed forces that would fully align with my will, at least. I did need those forces to assassinate the Crown Prince, so for now, starting with Arwen, I had to gather information first. ¡°Then thest ce I¡¯ll head to¡­is here.¡± On the map depicting the geography of the empire, my gaze turned to the imperial capital drawn in the center. The imperial capital Eden, the human paradise created by the descent of the moon god in ancient times. Since it had never been invaded by foreign enemies, the times the imperial pce had been stained with blood could be counted on one hand. Perhaps it could be called the city symbolizing the empire¡¯s prosperity. I had a strange feeling. If my wish was fulfilled, wouldn¡¯t it mean the imperial pce itself would disappear from the empire? The Crown Prince would die, and naturally, the imperial family that would be my enemy would not fare well either. With the quill pen in my hand, I drew a line at the location of the imperial pce. This map could be considered my own n. Since I had to gradually gather forces to deal with the Crown Prince, I had no intention whatsoever of marching straight to the imperial pce. At best, I would be no more than a mere moth to a me. I had the experience of the previous runs. The reason I wasn¡¯t particrly nervous despite making the grandiose n of overthrowing the imperial family was because of that. Even if it was difficult to fully recover my realm, if it returned to a certain level, it would be quite helpful. I had caught the assassins earlier because their level was low, but it was still too much for me to fight several knights at once. How many imperial soldiers had set out to subjugate me before? I remember it was easily 500. I killed them all, and the princess appeared and died, but this time I had no intention of fighting alone, so it should be fine. The only problem was who would align with this intention of treason. I couldn¡¯t do anything alone. I realized this fact only after going through several runs. But the more I thought hastily about such things, the bigger the problem tended to be. Perhaps, it was fine to think slowly now. Because a few names immediately came to mind. And the person I considered most important among them was Adele Igrit. My gaze, which had been on the map, turned to the handkerchief I hadn¡¯t returnedst time. As I had promised to go to the north, I intended to visit before the end of this year. If I didn¡¯t go this time either, given her personality, there was a high probability she would get angry, so it was natural. But what I was agonizing over was whether to warn her about what she would experience. My intention to save her remained unchanged, but if I wasn¡¯t careful, she might suspect me. Compared to a few days ago, my thoughts and attitude had changed quite a bit. It was because I had abandoned thoughts filled with indifference and neglect. Even though I was living my 101st life, after letting go of my lingering attachments, didn¡¯t I resolve to think of this life as my first life? In the first ce, so many things had changed that it wouldn¡¯t be far-fetched to say there were nomonalities with my past lives. Being bound by the past only made my thoughtsplicated. So I slightly modified the n. Rather than an assassination-like method, I decided to change everything by destroying it all instead. Thus, I resolved to save Adele. The false usation of treason against her was a certain future, and whether she would follow my will in that situation was unknown. It was better to think about this part when that situation arrived. Then what should I start with first? I had already sorted out my thoughts on this part to some extent. ¡°What I need to use are the princess and the Taylors.¡± I had no ill fate with the princess, but it was true that I had some doubts about her recently. Did the princess really know ¡®nothing¡¯ about the Crown Prince trying to kill me? If she knew, she had hidden that fact from me, and if she didn¡¯t know, that was strange in itself. So I had no guilt. Rather, if I approached her this way and found out her true colors, it would be a greater gain for me. It was better to bite my tongue than to be used by someone. It would be better for me to find out first and use her instead. As for the Taylors¡­ I had agonized over this quite a bit. Because I had never touched the Taylor family before. I had tried erasing the name Taylor by killing everyone, but I had never personally ascended to the position of family head. As if my ce was determined to be only here, I never even thought of moving up. But there was no need for that in this life too. Yuria no longer held any meaning to me. So there was no need to consider her, and my current position was a bit low to properly use the name Taylor. Thanks to our Young Lady revoking my authority, my status within the ducal estate was also ambiguous. Me bing the family head. Thinking about it suddenly, it was quite amusing. I was thinking of bringing down the imperial family with my own hands, and the family head who should be most loyal to the imperial family was taking the lead. Although it wasn¡¯t a definite future yet, if I made up my mind to do it, there was nothing I couldn¡¯t do. I no longer had any hesitation, so if I wanted to do it, I would do it. Yes, as Adele had said before. ¡°Because I decided so.¡± Thud, covering the map engraved with various markings with a board again, I surveyed the surroundings. It was a map that would be quite troublesome if someone saw it. Drawing a line straight at the imperial family, wouldn¡¯t anyone see it as nning treason? A smile inadvertently appeared. It was certain that my heartbeat, which I felt for the first time in quite a while, was beating faster than before. Afterpletely hiding the map and confirming there was no presence around, I plopped down on the chair. I seemed to be getting tired from using my head in various ways. Now that I had roughly made a n, there would be no problem moving forward, but what awaited me was a future I had no knowledge of at all. The variables that immediately came to mind were more than just one or two. At least it would be clearly different from the future I originally knew. The closest schedule was the family head meeting held in the imperial capital. I don¡¯t remember any particr incident happening there, but it was certain I could meet the princess. Meet her, gain her friendship, and be close to the Crown Prince. This could be considered my current goal. I nned to meet the Crown Prince before the end of autumn. ¡®That way, the n will proceed to some extent.¡¯ Of course, he might have bad feelings towards me at this point since he had falsely used me of treason, but it would be difficult for him to easily dismiss me, who appeared to be just a loyal subject on the outside. At least it was better to maintain my outward appearance as close to an incorruptible subject without a single w. While I was lost in such thoughts, the wind suddenly blew through the open window. Come to think of it, it was autumn now. When the Full Moon Festival ended, the weather always changed quite abruptly, and the wind that seemed like it would always be hot quickly turned chilly. I closed my eyes at the wind cooling the sweat on my forehead. Leaning my head on the backrest, I enjoyed the momentary leisure that hade. Only then did I recall a variable I had forgotten. I had forgotten for a moment, but it was what Saint Adriana had told mest time. Didn¡¯t she say Miragen and Adriana were friends? I knew that, but this time it might be quite effectively applied. Didn¡¯t she sayst time we met that we would meet again someday? If we were to meet again, wouldn¡¯t this trip to the imperial capital be the time? ¡°¡­If we meet again, maybe it will be fate this time.¡± Adriana was always someone I couldn¡¯t meet, as if something was twisted and we couldn¡¯t quite connect. It felt like our meeting was not allowed in that turn. Whenever I needed to find her, she was always absent. But this time was different. Even if I didn¡¯t particrly try to meet her, even if I had no intention of meeting her. As if it was meant to be this way, we naturally ran into each other. Adeleing to the Full Moon Festival, and running into the saint on the street again. I didn¡¯t know what these events were trying to tell me, but if it was an opportunity, I had no intention of letting it slip. If it was an opportunity. If this was really¡­ fate. This time, for sure, I would see it through to the end. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 27 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°Robert will also attend this family head meeting.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± I already knew this, so I nodded my head without surprise. There was no need to show a frivolous attitude in front of my father.As before, since I had to obtain the position of family head, I needed to be cautious of my behavior and attitude. There were many things that needed improvement. The only thing that bothered me was Yuria¡¯s change. Thest time I saw her, her hair seemed quite long. Now it had be so short, almost like a bob cut. The eyes that used to waver when looking at me had also disappeared, and Yuria, who briefly made eye contact with me, raised her head with an expressionless face. I had thought she was shaken for a moment, but perhaps that was my misconception. It was better that way. Since I had not yet attempted anything, I hoped Yuria¡¯s heart would remain steadfast. Come to think of it, I thought I could now understand Theresa¡¯s feelings. When one thinks they have reached the highest point, witnessing the fall of Icarus who has finally plummeted¡­ it must be quite an amusing pastime. Father¡¯s gaze turned to me, then soon shifted back to Yuria. Unlike previous meetings, the topic of this family head meeting was quite important. It was about the southern subjugation that the empire had been nning for a long time. The south had always been a territory where different races and barbarian tribes coexisted. It was conquered but not developed, likely for that reason. And filled with grass, forests, strange nts, and people. Come to think of it, the children Adriana had been taking care ofst time also had ties to the south. Children who had escaped from bing sacrifices and were rescued, the more I thought about it, the more I felt there was quite a significant connection between this family head meeting and the saint. Despite that, the reason I couldn¡¯t meet her until now was probably because she had directly heard the news through the princess. ¡°Robert, is this your first time attending the family head meeting?¡± ¡°Yes, I will not make any mistakes.¡± ¡°There is no room for mistakes. You won¡¯t have many opportunities to speak there anyway. But make sure to familiarize yourself with the faces present. Those attending that meeting are all influential figures leading the empire, so it won¡¯t hurt to know their faces.¡± ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± As I bowed my head, Father nodded as if he understood and ordered us to leave. I hade just to hear about attending the family head meeting anyway. Checking Yuria¡¯s condition was merely a part of that process. As I left the room, I felt Yuria¡¯s gaze on me. That gaze did not waver at all, only cold and indifferent. I was certain that Yuria¡¯s mindset had changed. However, that was all. Even if her mindset had changed, even if the cold-bloodedness she harbored had grown colder and turned into frostbite. She was a woman I would eventually break. ¡°Then, I shall take my leave first.¡± In the new future I would create, there was no ce for a woman named Yuria Taylor. That much was certain. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The location where the family head meeting was held was the imperial capital. Whether it was the ducal estate or the imperial capital, in fact, it was a distance that could be crossed by just passing a border. Nevertheless, the difference was quite significant. No matter how prestigious a duke¡¯s territory was, it seemed to fall short of the emperor¡¯s majesty. Simply passing through a gate, the visible scenery changed drastically. Beyond the gate made of gold and adorned with ivory and jewels, the Gate of the Sun, was the Gate of the Moon. This time, beyond the gate decorated with tinum, the final gate to enter the capital, Eclipse, finally came into view. Only after entering through it could one see the capital Eden, so upon seeing the abruptly changed scenery, the coachman let out a small gasp of admiration. The vibrancy of the capital was iparable to any other city. No matter how much it was called the City of Light, it could not match the vitality this city exuded. The Moon Tower I had seenst time was also located here. The ce where the saint lived, a peculiar feeling lingered, but it was not merely an impression. If my intuition was not mistaken¡­ we would surely encounter each other at this meeting. Whether it was of my own will or not. However, the main purpose was to meet the princess, so it was better to set aside thoughts about the saint for now. After riding the carriage for quite a while, we finally arrived at the venue where the family head meeting was held. From the outside, it looked like a forest, but it was a garden that only those with proven identities could enter. The vine of a tree that seemed alive wriggled and moved, eventually stopping the horse from proceeding further. Then, as if out of nowhere, a knight appeared and began verifying our identities. The knight, whose face waspletely covered by a helmet, looked at the crest engraved on the carriage and asked my father. ¡°Are you from the Taylor family?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Could you open the gate for us?¡± ¡°¡­Identity confirmed. May peace be with you.¡± Everything that appears in this garden changes every year. This year, that knight always appeared, but next year, a naked barbarian might appear, and the year after that, an archer might appear. This garden was a mystical garden that had existed since the founding of the empire. Thus, the beings that appeared within it were all entities subservient to the spirits. That was why even my father paid his respects. Except for the emperor, there was no one equal to these beings. As I stepped out of the carriage, a sensation different from ordinary grass was conveyed. A soft and cozy feeling, as if stepping on clouds. As water droplets floating in the air touched my body, they burst with a pop. Yuria stared at that scene with an expressionless face, then opened her mouth while looking at Father. ¡°Shall I infuse mana?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that this year. They will appear on their own soon.¡± With those words, the other side of the garden began to move. Trees, grass, and flowers slowly moved their roots, and the forest opened up like a gate. Literally opened up, the nobles on the opposite side were quite surprised to suddenly see each other. Amidst this, only our side maintainedposure, and Father looked at the other nobles with a contemptuous gaze. Among these numerous nobles, the only duke was the Taylor family. Thus, although it was called a family head meeting, the Taylor family undertook the role of presiding over it. However, the presiding officer of this meeting was not Father. Because the imperial family was also participating in today¡¯s meeting. ¡°Her Royal Highness the Princess is entering!¡± Following the shouts of the knights lined up in the empty space, gazes naturally shifted. At the end of it was a woman, but upon seeing her appearance, the nobles each bent their knees and bowed their heads. It was only natural. Fluttering ck hair that only the imperial family could possess, with eyes resembling the moon, that woman was indeed the most supreme being in this ce. ¡°Thank you all for gathering. I know you are all busy with official duties, but since the topic of this family head meeting is quite important, I have also decided to participate.¡± As the princess spoke, silence instantly fell upon the garden. It was a familiar voice. I had heard it dozens of times already, even heard that woman whisper words of love to me. Miragen de Artin. The woman with that name opened her mouth once more. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s begin. The meeting regarding how to deal with the south, that is.¡± As the princess raised her arm, a brilliant light immediately soared above the garden. It could be called the signal re announcing this imperial meeting. However, my attention was not on that light but elsewhere. It was on how to approach the princess. There was the method of secretly approaching her like before, but it seemed quite difficult this time. ¡®¡­It seems she has been staring this way for a while now.¡¯ Because Yuria was paying quite a bit of attention to me. I didn¡¯t know why she was looking at me like that, but it was clear that Yuria¡¯s attention was on me. However, that didn¡¯t mean there was no way to escape. Since I knew well how this garden moved, I could probably easily slip away during the meeting. Although the princess had convened this meeting, those leading the discussion were the ministers who hade with her. Obtaining the right to speak in the princess¡¯s name, the princess only needed to hear the conclusion of the meeting and report it to the emperor, thus ending her role. She always disappeared midway through the meeting and wandered around this vicinity. As I briefly made eye contact with Yuria, I smiled slightly at her gaze that soon fell. What could she be thinking? But that was not something for me to worry about. What Yuria wanted was for me to interpret her true intentions, so there was no need to engage in such things. ¡°My stance on the south has always been the same. There is no clear solution other than subjugation, is there?¡± ¡°I agree with that. We need to deal with the barbarian tribes and different races anyway, right? On this asion, we should drive out what needs to be driven out and develop the great forest to amodate the different races.¡± ¡°Will you also amodate the barbarian tribes?¡± ¡°No, they should be subjugated. In the first ce, they are not a group that reveres the sun. Shamanism, there must be children that the saint rescuedst time too.¡± The discussion on how to deal with the south, which began with Father¡¯s words, was progressing towards subjugation, just as I knew it would. The subjugation of the south was a foregone conclusion. It would only be blockedter. The shamans living in the south were not to be taken lightly. They used magic focused on ughter even more than ordinary wizards, so unless they were struck down at once, it would not even amount to a meaningful subjugation. Of course, I had no qualification to utter such words here. Rather, I would be reprimanded for being presumptuous. Thus, I quietly observed the progression of the discussion. As the heat of the meeting intensified, the ministers of the imperial pce and some nobles finally began raising their voices. ¡°Oh my, then doesn¡¯t that mean only the private armies of the nobles will be sacrificed!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the imperial pce say they would dispatch wizards? We believe that should be sufficient.¡± ¡°The main purpose of wizards is rear support. Isn¡¯t this an attempt to reduce the authority of the nobles on this asion!¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting!¡± It was always a pathetic quarrel no matter when I saw it, but there was no better opportunity than now for me to conceal myself in this meeting room. Yuria was also diligently representing the position of the nobles, so I briefly surveyed the surroundings and drew out mana. The mystical beings in this garden reacted to the mana possessed by those who were ¡°granted permission.¡± Since even the confirmation when the carriage entered was based on Father¡¯s mana, if I applied this, I could manipte this garden as much as I wanted. Quietly, the vine imbued with mana began to gradually conceal my body. If someone saw it, it would look like I was being devoured by a tree and disappearing. However, there was a ce I could reach only by hiding my body like this. The back of this mystical garden, where the princess was probably wandering around diligently. Conveniently, there was a paved path, so I followed that path and looked around. I was already prepared for what to say if I encountered her. I could say I tried using mana and coincidentally, truly coincidentally ended up here. This interpretation of the mystical garden was thanks to Arwen¡¯s help. So at this point, it was impossible for anyone other than me to freely utilize the garden. ¡®Arwen¡¯s reply should arrive soon too.¡¯ In that case, contact with the Crown Prince had to be made before then. I knew the kind of story that would pique the Crown Prince¡¯s interest, so if I met the princess and exchanged a few words, I would naturally meet him. So now I just needed to find the princess. Suddenly, what caught my eye was a butterfly wandering around this garden. Amidst this garden filled with green, my gaze was momentarily captivated by the lone, elegant pure white color it disyed. Whenever it flew through the air, a golden line danced as if it were painting. Realizing from that sight, the butterfly was not a being of this ce. ¡°Holy power¡­?¡± No living creature could exist within here. Even the knight I saw earlier and these trees were ultimately created by spirits. However, that butterfly was moving of its own will. As I gazed at the light embracing the sky, I then shot mana towards the butterfly. With a pop sound, the butterfly that collided with the mana staggered for a moment. Then the aimlessly wandering butterfly began to circle around me. As if trying to discern my identity, a sudden thought urred to me, and I muttered nkly. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­ Adriana. No way.¡± At that, the butterfly¡¯s movement stopped, and its fluttering body slowly dispersed. Transforming from something with form into light, and then into a light condensed with holy power, that light whispered to me. Literally, a familiar voice rang in my ears. ¡°Could it be¡­ Lord Taylor?¡± It was a well-known voice. Of course it was. It was such a gentle and soft voice that I could immediately identify it upon hearing it. It was just quite unexpected to hear it in this ce. Quickly regaining my senses, I opened my mouth towards the light lingering in the air. ¡°Is that you, Saint? I didn¡¯t hear that you would be participating in the meeting.¡± ¡°Actually, I was looking for Miragen. I thought she would be around here.¡± ¡°Is that so? I was also looking for Her Highness the Princess.¡± When I asked if she knew where the princess was, Adriana instead eximed in a delighted voice, saying it was perfect timing. ¡°Ah, is that so? Then I will separately inform Miragen, so could youe to the Moon Tower a bitter?¡± ¡°Am I allowed to enter the Moon Tower?¡± ¡°It should be fine if I say I¡¯m letting you in. And I also have something to say to Lord Taylor regarding the south.¡± I nodded my head at her slightly serious voice. The topic of the south was quite a sensitive one for Adriana. She would probably discuss it with me in private or in the presence of the princess. It was even better. There would be many opportunities to converse with the princess. As I turned my head, I saw arge tower visible beyond the garden. A tower that was noticeably closer than the one I had seen during thest full moon festival. Going there wasn¡¯t a problem, but wasn¡¯t it quite sudden? However, I couldn¡¯t refuse to go. I couldn¡¯t miss the opportunity to meet both the saint and the princess at the same time. I had considered various possibilities, but in the end, I met the saint again. Now that it hade to this, it would be better to slightly adjust my thoughts. It seemed certain that there was a connection between Saint Adriana and me. At least in this life. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 28 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The god worshipped by the empire was the god of the moon, so this tower closest to the moon was named the Moon Tower. There was a time when I wondered if one could really see the moon up close from the top, but now I was actually going to ascend to that highest floor. At the invitation of the saint, no less. Below the Moon Tower was the cathedral, and as I headed towards the entrance of the Moon Tower through the cathedral, a holy knight guarding the entrance was blocking the way. As I briefly made eye contact and smiled faintly, the holy knight who approached me quietly moved his lips. ¡°¡­Could you be Lord Robert Taylor?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been wandering around the vicinity. I was wondering if the moon had risen.¡± Upon hearing this inexplicable question, the holy knight eventually smiled slightly and answered while opening the way. ¡°Today is the full moon. Please go in.¡± It could be considered a kind of code phrase. Only those with permission could enter the Moon Tower, so only those who had received the saint¡¯s permission could question whether the moon had risen. The mention of a full moon meant the saint was present. I bowed my head and entered, and soon the interior of the Moon Tower came into view. In fact, despite the grandiose name of the Moon Tower, this interior was merely a part of the cathedral. There was nothing special about it, even though many people were curious. I had entered here a few times before, but the answer I received each time was consistently a waning moon. However, this time I could definitely meet her. As I ascended the spiral staircase to the top floor, there was a single door that looked quite special even at a nce. It was a door I was well acquainted with. I had often waited for the saint in front of this door for a long time before. After a moment of contemtion, I gently knocked on the door and opened my mouth. ¡°It¡¯s Robert. May Ie in?¡± Crash! ¡°Wait a moment, Yurika will open it for you¡­!¡± Instead of an answer, what I heard was the sound of something spilling inside. Hearing Adriana¡¯s voice, which sounded quite flustered as if startled by something, I could roughly understand the situation inside. One cannot be perfect in everything. No matter how much she was the symbol of nobility as a saint, I had learned from ourst encounter that she did not always act in a precise manner. This time too, she must have dropped something. So I waited calmly, and soon the door slowly opened and the saint peeked her head out. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to open it yourself.¡± ¡°Yurika is tidying up inside. It can¡¯t be helped since she¡¯s cleaning up ss shards.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± As if my expression could be read just by hearing my voice, Adriana, who smiled awkwardly, walked towards the sofa inside. Even if it was the saint¡¯s room, there was nothing special about it. It was simr to a room where a woman lived, and if there was anything unusual, it was that the moon could be seen quite close. And the fact that there were few windows. ¡°Do you live here?¡± ¡°Yes, this Moon Tower is my home.¡± ¡°I heard that Her Highness the Princess alsoes here, but it seems she hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡± ¡°I put a time gap. There¡¯s something I want to tell you privately.¡± The private matter she wanted to discuss was probably about the south, as she had mentioned earlier. However, there shouldn¡¯t have been any incident in the south during this period. Since the meeting had decided on subjugation, the south had no choice but to remain quiet for the time being. After hesitating for a moment, the saint eventually told me to sit on the sofa and took a seat. However, it didn¡¯t immediately lead to the main point. Since it was probably a heavy topic, Adriana began by bringing up the fact that I hade to see her. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve let a man in here. Usually, even the holy knights don¡¯te in.¡± ¡°Is it an imposition?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine since I permitted it. And if it¡¯s Lord Taylor, can I say that I know you well now? You helped me outst time too.¡± There was goodwill mixed in Adriana¡¯s gently smiling attitude. Perhaps our time together before had given her a positive impression of me. It was not a bad thing, but it was a bit burdensome to be unconditionally thought of as a good person. If asked if I was truly a kind person, I would have no choice but to answer negatively. By the way, she said she had never let a man in before. I wondered if it was alright for me toe to a ce like this. Didn¡¯t it mean this was a male-restricted area until I came? I was worried that some strange rumor might spread, so I looked at the saint, but there was not a hint of worry on her face, only joy that I hade to see her. ¡°By the way, Lord Taylor, do you have any ns for the winter?¡± Startled for a moment by that sudden question, Adriana soon showed a slightly serious expression and continued. With that smile, slightly different from the warm one a moment ago, I thought she was about to discuss the main topic. ¡°Is it about the south after all?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s rted to the children we sawst time. And it¡¯s also something I can¡¯t avoid as a saint.¡± Adriana¡¯splexion seemed a bit dark. As if the story she was about to tell was not a pleasant one, Adriana sighed softly and hesitantly moved her lips. ¡°You said you already know about the shamans in the south.¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t know the details, but¡­ I know they are different from wizards.¡± ¡°The sorcery used by shamans basically requires sacrifices. Animals, nts, anything imbued with life can be used in their rituals.¡± ¡°I know the children we sawst time were like that too. When you asked if I had something to do in the winter, is there perhaps something you want me to do?¡± Helping the saint was a good thing, but the problem was that I already had a schedule set for the winter. Even if it wasn¡¯t for the entire winter, I had already decided to visit Adele, so that wouldn¡¯t change. Adriana nodded her head, but I couldn¡¯t readily ask what it was. Honestly, I thought the winter would be quite busy. Not only approaching the Crown Prince, but I also nned to stay in the north for at least a month. Getting acquainted with the northern figures was something I had to do. That way, when Iter said I would strike the imperial family, wouldn¡¯t they respond? ¡°I decided to head to the south this winter. I¡¯m thinking of saving people in simr situations to the children we sawst time.¡± ¡°I see. I want to go too, but it seems difficult.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Come to think of it, the church had some movement during this period, and that was heading to the south. When I said I couldn¡¯t go, Adriana was startled and asked back. I did have a purpose for going to the south, but I couldn¡¯t postpone going to the north. If the schedules were different, I would make an effort, but this time, the trip to the north took priority. ¡°I have to go to the north in the winter. The schedule is already set.¡± ¡°When you say the north¡­ are you going to meet Lady Adele?¡± ¡°Yes, I have a personal debt of gratitude to repay.¡± In fact, the purpose was to return the handkerchief she had personally given me, but in my own way, I was grateful to her. Just for the fact that she didn¡¯t ask much about me, it could be considered the greatest favor to me. Upon hearing my words, Adriana¡¯s expression darkened even further, and she pouted her lips and bowed her head. ¡°Then it can¡¯t be helped. I didn¡¯t know you had a friendship with Lady Adele.¡± ¡°We were together during thest full moon festival too. It was just a brief encounter.¡± ¡°Lady Adele came to the full moon festival?¡± She seemed genuinely surprised by those words. Well, it would be surprising for anyone who heard it. The fact that she, who was always cooped up in the north and rarely came to the imperial capital even for events, suddenly attended the full moon festival was quite astonishing. ¡°Yes, she had some business with me, so we were together for a while. Going to the north is also rted to that.¡± ¡°You were¡­ together.¡± Her voice was a bit cold, and unlike before, her eyes narrowed with an expression devoid of any trace of a smile. Adriana, who stroked her shadowed face, continued with a slight smile. The shadow that had briefly passed was gone afterwards. ¡°Actually, I had met Lady Adele before. If you enjoyed the festival together to that extent, could it be considered a friendly rtionship?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not close friends. We¡¯ve just seen each other a few times, so this time I¡¯m going because something came up by chance.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± She smiled again. As if she had obtained some positive reaction from my answer, Adriana, who smiled softly once more, sipped her tea. That action was so natural that even I couldn¡¯t read any difort for a moment. What part of my answer saying we weren¡¯t friends was there to be happy about? Although her face was not much different from the beginning, it was clear that she was strangely delighted. Come to think of it, when Adele said she knew Adriana, she also had an unsettled expression. Perhaps the rtionship between the two was not very good. ¡°By the way, exactly when are you going?¡± ¡°Probably after the new year arrives. Since the subjugation will take ce in the summer, I¡¯m nning to go before then.¡± ¡­For some reason, it would be better to refrain from talking about Adele. I didn¡¯t want to create any unnecessary conflict. So when I brought up the topic of the south again, Adriana responded with a serious expression once more. ¡°I don¡¯t think it will be that dangerous. Last time, we didn¡¯t encounter any shamans or different races. And I will only be doing treatment from the rear, and Lord Taylor will probably apany me.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t need me?¡± Treatment would be done by the saint, and to the outside world, I was known as just an unremarkable son of a ducal family. When I asked in puzzlement why she readily asked me to join such a position, Adriana¡¯s cheeks flushed red. Her white cheeks turned crimson, and after hesitating several times to speak, it was a bitter when she opened her mouth. I waited, thinking she might say something embarrassing, but the words she uttered were quite unexpected even from my perspective. ¡°I wanted to repay you forst time. You didn¡¯t need to look after the children, but you stayed with me untilte because I was injured.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do it to receive repayment. Besides, it was also my way of repaying you for healing me.¡± ¡°Healing is something that doesn¡¯t bother me at all. I can¡¯t consider that a favor. Actually, I heard some rumors about Lord Taylor.¡± My gaze fell on Adriana. Even if they were rumors, there wouldn¡¯t be any good stories. If she heard such stories, would she harbor negative emotions towards me? However, there was not a single crack in her expression. Her flushed cheeks remained the same, and she was only embarrassed about the current topic. ¡°I heard the rumors about Lord Taylor. That you¡¯re weak, have a bad personality¡­ I know it¡¯s rude to say this in front of you, but what I want to say is that I¡¯vee to realize that Lord Taylor is a different person from these rumors.¡± Her voice gained strength. As if wanting to make sure I was still listening, Adriana, whose voice had risen slightly, made my lips move faintly. It was not a lie that I was a different person. Even if they were rumors, didn¡¯t I live apletely different life before and after those rumors spread? I wanted to dismiss it as a misunderstanding, but I couldn¡¯t readily open my mouth at the words that followed. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wanting to keep asking Lord Taylor. It was something I wanted to say if we met again, but I didn¡¯t know we would meet like this today, so I haven¡¯t been able to say it until now.¡± ¡°There¡¯s not much I can hear from you.¡± ¡°This is a simple request. Or maybe¡­ it might be a bit of a difficult request.¡± Even though she couldn¡¯t see, her gaze was urately directed at me. Perhaps it was due to her holy power. The ability to feel even without seeing, what did she see in me? So after waiting for a while, Adriana slowly continued. Her gentle and quiet voice, gradually bing softer as if embarrassed, reached my ears. ¡°Would it be alright if I¡­ met Lord Taylor againter? Not by chance like now, but I want to meet again and talk for longer. I, well¡­¡± As if struggling to find the words to continue, Adriana, who kept moving her lips, hesitated and opened her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking, what if Lord Taylor and I could be friends? So I want to see you a bit sooner. Today, Miragen wille, so I can¡¯t do that, but if there¡¯s an opportunityter.¡± ¡°¡­Friends, you say?¡± Augh inadvertently escaped. Was this the reason she asked me to go to the south together? It was quite a saint-like appearance. Who would have thought she would hesitate so much just to say she wanted to be close friends? The south. There was no reason not to go. There was something I wanted to find there too, and there was no reason to refuse the saint¡¯s help. Moreover, if it was after the new year, I would have already visited the north, so I had some leeway. Adriana¡¯s attitude as she waited for my answer seemed a bit anxious. As if worried that I might refuse, I gently grasped Adriana¡¯s slightly trembling hand and answered. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, I will do so.¡± I thought it was fate, so I decided to continue that connection. However, I didn¡¯t know it would be a friendly rtionship. As I smiled slightly, I noticed Adriana smiling as well. It was the brightest smile I had ever seen from her, to the point where I thought it was unexpected. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 29 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Giggle, giggle. asionally, seeing Adriana smiling to herself was quite peculiar. Although she wasn¡¯t looking in my direction, she seemed quite pleased with the earlier conversation. Come to think of it, she didn¡¯t say we would be friends, but merely that she would respond if I called for her.I wondered what was so great about that. However, it was quite unexpected that Adriana was showing interest in me. Since I had spent little time with her, I never imagined she would react this way towards me. Friends, considering she directly mentioned it, it was quite a valuable wording from her mouth. Although it was still unknown whether she and I would be that close. In many ways, Adriana¡¯s attitude seemed quite unusual. -¡­I just wanted to do it for you. I didn¡¯t know what Adriana saw in me. I had merely treated her ordinarily, and this was the first time I had formed a personal connection with her. If a situation arose where I had to use her, I would use her, and if a situation came where I had to abandon her, I might have to give up on the saint. My goal was ultimately the act of treason to kill the Crown Prince. Since I didn¡¯t know what the saint would think about that, I still needed to approach her carefully for now. Moreover, there was no possibility of the saint getting caught up in a false usation of treason and dying. As my intentions were not purely innocent, I felt strange whenever Adriana smiled. If we had been bound by ill fate, I would have used her mercilessly, but even that was not the case, so I smiled bitterly. ¡°Will Her Highness the Princess be arriving soon?¡± ¡°I told Miragen that you had something to say to her, right? She¡¯ll probably be here soon. I told her a slightly different time.¡± The reason for telling a different time in order to talk to me was quite amusing, but since Adriana seemed to be in such a good mood, I didn¡¯t mention it separately. Let¡¯s think about it a bit calmly. My main purpose foring here? It was none other than to talk to the princess. Although I had inadvertently increased my schedule for this winter, my main objective was still to meet the Crown Prince through the princess. Gaining friendship with the princess, and in the process, bringing up a topic that would pique the Crown Prince¡¯s interest. That was what I was aiming for, and it would probably be the flow of the conversation that would soon begin. ¡°By the way, how did youe to meet Lady Adele?¡± When I was lost in thought for a while, Adriana¡¯s question scattered my thoughts. How should I answer the question of how I met Adele? I had intended not to bring up Adele in front of her, but it was a bit unexpected that she kept asking about Adele. If they had an awkward rtionship, she wouldn¡¯t have asked, so it seemed there was something I didn¡¯t know. After pondering for a moment, I told her about meeting Adele by chance during the ball, excluding the part about getting injured on my neck. Just saying we met by chance while slipping out during the ball, this level of story should be fine. After nodding her head for a moment, Adriana answered with drooping shoulders. ¡°So you met her before me. I was relieved thinking otherwise.¡± ¡°Lady Adele also said she had met you before. Do you perhaps have a bad rtionship with her?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not that we have a bad rtionship. No, it¡¯s not bad.¡± It was a strange answer, but Adriana didn¡¯t stop there and continued. ¡°It¡¯s just that there are people who are hard to get along with even at first sight. While there are people whose personalities match well, like Miragen or Lord Taylor, Lady Adele¡¯s aura is something I find hard to endure.¡± ¡°Did our personalities match well?¡± ¡°Lord Taylor.¡± At my mischievous question, Adriana, with a flushed face, pouted her lips. Seeing her getting angry with her eyes closed, I chuckled slightly. Since when did I simply define this woman as a saint? Now, it seemed I needed to change that thought a bit. For a saint, her demeanor was not always solemn. Rather, she could show a light and even foolish side at times, but when it came to her own affairs, she disyed a saintly elegance, didn¡¯t she? As the image of Adriana I had drawn in my mind was gradually changing, she corrected her expression and began to speak again. ¡°Anyway, you can think of it that way. Lady Adele probably doesn¡¯t consider me veryfortable either, so we both have aspects that don¡¯t suit each other.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Even when Adele talked about the saint, her expression was also not quite settled. Although I couldn¡¯t fully understand what they meant by feeling something upon seeing each other, since what the two said matched, it was probably not a lie. So I didn¡¯t ask further. Now that the person I was waiting for would being soon, I spent time like that to calm my mind. How much time had passed? When a brief silence followed, the attendant named Yurika spoke up. ¡°Her Highness the Princess has arrived. Shall I open the door?¡± ¡°Open it. And don¡¯t forget to tell her we¡¯ve been waiting.¡± As I heard the sound of the attendant opening the door, soon the clear sound of heels approaching was heard. Since I was well acquainted with the owner of that sound, I quietly gazed in the direction where the woman would appear. ¡°Adriana, I heard there is someone who wants to meet me?¡± ¡°Here is Lord Taylor. He said he has something to say to you.¡± It was one of the few voices that remained in my memory. A voice I had heard sometimes in bed, sometimes on the executioner¡¯s tform, sometimes on horseback. A voice that always enchantingly enveloped one¡¯s ears, as if gently wrapping them, belonged to only one person I knew. When I raised my bowed head, I saw eyes filled with curiosity, a golden gaze. It was eyes I was not at all familiar with, looking at someone she was meeting for the first time today. This was the reason I disliked regression. I knew everything about that person, but the person in question knew nothing about me. However, this was an unavoidable process. There was always a greeting I used to give when meeting the princess after dying anding back to life. There was a woman who found the existence of a man in the Moon Tower curious. Her name was Miragen de Artin. To the woman who had been my former lover, my executioner, and my nemesis. ¡°Nice to meet you for the first time. My name is Robert Taylor.¡± Thus, I gave the 101st greeting. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°I heard you wanted to meet me. I didn¡¯t expect you to be acquainted with Adriana.¡± ¡°Originally, I should have sought you out separately, but it ended up like this due to circumstances. I apologize.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not ill-tempered enough to receive an apology for something like this. And since Adriana seems to view you quite favorably, you don¡¯t need to apologize.¡± As she said that, the princess¡¯s expression clearly showed a hint of surprise. Since I had seen such reactions enough to be sick of them by now, I could see through how Miragen viewed me to that extent. The reason she made such an expression was probably because of the rumors about me. Rumors¡­ I was curious to see how long these rumors would spread. Although I was trying to act differently, it would take quite some time for something that had already spread to disappear. Adriana left, saying we should talk alone, and only the princess and I remained in this situation. In this situation, what attitude should I take? The easiest way was, of course, to bring up a topic we could talk about inmon. Putting down the teacup, I opened my mouth towards Miragen, who was staring intently at me. ¡°Do you think the saint views me favorably?¡± ¡°Well, yes. If Adriana thought poorly of you, she wouldn¡¯t have called you to the Moon Tower. Come to think of it, it¡¯s the first time she¡¯s letting a man in¡­ You¡¯re not in a strange rtionship, are you?¡± ¡°How could that be? She just said she would observe me a bit more.¡± At those words, Miragen blinked her eyes and stared at me for a moment, then muttered. Adriana must have really viewed me favorably-she said, then soon moved her lips. The eyes that had shown surprise at first became even clearer, as if trying to discern whether Robert Taylor and I were really the same person. ¡­Nothing had changed at all. After regressing, the best way to confirm that time had turned back was to meet the princess. Since I knew her actions better than anyone else, I could tell from the expressions on her face that this was the first time she met me. The eyes that widened into circles, and the lips that trembled, about to ask who I was at any moment. Even the expression that suppressed that question. There was not a single thing that had changed, so I inadvertently felt a bitter taste in my mouth. Starting again from the beginning, I recalled those words in my mind and adjusted my expression. I thought it was better to consider this as meeting the princess for the first time. For a moment, Miragen looked at me with a puzzled expression, but soon cleared her throat and opened her mouth. ¡°So, may I ask what you wanted to say to me?¡± ¡°I wanted to talk to you about the content of this family head meeting.¡± At the mention of the family head meeting, her brows furrowed. It was a natural reaction. The topic discussed at this meeting was the ¡®subjugation¡¯ of the south. Since it was a matter my father had already decided, she would feel quite ufortable with me bringing up that topic again in many ways. At least in terms of political sensibility, Miragen was notcking. The eyes that had been indifferent until just now sparkled, and soon pierced through me coldly. As if trying to grasp my true intentions, but there was no need to deliberately show my inner thoughts. However, I had to make an effort to seriously bring up this topic. Correcting my posture, I took out a map of the south that I had been carrying and unfolded it on the table. ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t understand what this means.¡± It was a t and hard voice, but there was a faint hint of curiosity mixed in it. She would be curious about the ¡®south¡¯ that Robert Taylor, who was swayed by his father¡¯s words, was bringing up. It might seem like I would affirm the subjugation like my father, but that waspletely wrong. I said I would make an excuse to approach the Crown Prince. Wasn¡¯t the reason the imperial family had been opposing the subjugation of the south simple? The emperor, the Crown Prince, and Miragen. They all had negative thoughts about it. However, due to the strong opposition from the nobles, they had no choice but to order the subjugation. The Crown Prince and Miragen¡¯s thoughts on the matter were the exact opposite. ¡°Do you really think the subjugation of the south is right?¡± ¡°¡­Lord Robert Taylor. I am asking what this means.¡± As if deliberately angry, Miragen red at me, and I quietly looked at her. Given her personality, she must have already realized what this map meant long ago. A map that only marked the south, and the symbols marked throughout the map. If she had noticed that it was a distribution map of the ¡®different races¡¯ existing in the south, there was only one thing I could say with this map, wasn¡¯t there? After looking at Miragen for a moment, I slowly answered. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be right to say it¡¯s the grounds for opposing the subjugation of the south?¡± Where did I get this? It was information Arwen had provided me in the previous cycle. Using Miragen¡¯s friendship to approach the Crown Prince was a method I had thought of before. Although I failed to execute it due to being falsely used of treason. In this life, I thought I could make good use of it. Miragen¡¯s gaze was still fierce, but that intense light was slowly dissipating. The wariness towards me was disappearing, and only a soft gaze calcting gains remained. Eventually, when her lips drew a smile, Miragen quietly opened her mouth. ¡°Adriana has made a good friend.¡± ¡°Then, will you listen to me?¡± ¡°I will listen. And one more thing, before we start talking, let me tell you in advance.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± When I asked that, Miragen sighed and answered as if wiping her face. It was an expression as if amon sense she had known had been shattered. ¡°¡­That Robert Taylor ispletely different from the rumors.¡± What should I say in response to that? After pondering for a moment, I shrugged and retorted. The rumors were not entirely false. Weren¡¯t they just referring to me before the regression? However, the one Miragen was facing was Robert Taylor who had gone through regression. The rumors might not be entirely wrong. ¡°Well, the rumors might not be entirely false.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯s true.¡± Miragen merely looked at me with an absurd expression. Did it seem like I was lying? Of course, it didn¡¯t matter. From the moment she showed interest in this story, I could say I had definitely achieved my purpose in bringing it. The more I exined about the map, the more Miragen became absorbed in the story. I wondered what kind of rtionship we would have in this life. Sometimes we were bound by ill fate, sometimes we became lovers. But this time, I couldn¡¯t predict at all what kind of rtionship we would have. However, I hoped that she would remain in the future I would create. Only then would the imperial family of this empire not be cut off. After the Crown Prince died, Miragen had to be the empress of this empire. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The Moon Tower was the closest ce to the moon. When feeling the wind while in contact with the moon, Adriana was often caught in the illusion that she was seeing the moon with her own eyes. Of course, it was just an illusion and merely feeling a simple impression. But the sensation of the cold light brushing over her body always felt new to Adriana. Because she could only feel the brightness and darkness of light. Adriana thought tonight was particrly dark. Yet why was she here? Didn¡¯t a strange pull call her and lead her to the top of this Moon Tower? Adriana called this feeling the voice of God. The sense that led her towards her destiny, but tonight, she couldn¡¯t tell what that voice would guide her to. Could it be that Lord Taylor woulde here? Adriana, whoughed at the thought that it was ridiculous, listened intently to the clear footsteps she heard. ¡­It was quite a familiar footstep she had heard today. When she realized the owner was Robert Taylor, suddenly the wind blew. It was a cool but quite soft wind that held moonlight. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 30 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The reason the imperial family opposed the subjugation of the south was not only because everyone held opposing views, but also because there was something in the south that should not be disturbed. Development was fine, but subjugation was not. Although Miragen¡¯s reason for opposing the subjugation was slightly different, there was something only the Crown Prince and the Emperor knew. That was precisely what was marked on this map. Miragen probably thought it was simply a ce where different races lived.But in fact, there was a separate reason for marking the ces where the different races lived. ¡®Because the relics are there.¡¯ Originally, most of the continent was owned by the empire. Now, after going through decline, it only upied the northern part of the continent, but the relics that had been hidden throughout the empire in the past still existed. The Moonstone that started my regression was also one of them, and the Temple of the Moon that Adriana had mentioned was also a part of such relics. Miragen was unaware of this fact. Whether the Crown Prince or the Emperor had hidden it, or whether the Crown Prince had secretly found out, I didn¡¯t know. But it was certain that she did not know of the existence of the relics at this point. However, the reason she considered this a basis for opposing the subjugation was that the different races were distributed in quite arge area. ¡°Even if they dispatch the imperial army with this much, it would be difficult. That¡¯s why you showed this to me, right? To oppose it with this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one reason, but I also wanted to show you that I¡¯m on the side of the imperial family.¡± ¡°Is there a reason for that?¡± ¡°To show that the Taylors will change in the future.¡± When I smiled slightly, Miragen stared at me nkly. There was no puzzlement like before. Rather, she seemed to be searching for what my ulterior motive was, what I truly desired. Of course, these words were sincere. The Taylors until now had been the Taylors of my father and Yuria. But I couldn¡¯t say it would continue to be like that in the future. Since I had made up my mind to be the family head, I had to take the position of family head before striking the Crown Prince. So I chose to approach the princess in this way. It was a kind of expedient method using what I had obtained in the previous run, but there was no more effective way than this. Before Miragen could grasp my intention, I opened my mouth first. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of bing the family head.¡± ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t sound like you¡¯re joking.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s not a joke. I will take away the position of Young Lady held by Yuria Taylor, and the one to inherit the Taylors will be me.¡± Miragen seemed surprised by my quite assertive attitude. She would be curious about the basis for me saying this. To do something with just the map I had given her, the position of Young Lady that Yuria had solidified was too firm. However, there was no tree that would not fall when cut down. No matter how enormous an old tree was that it seemed to pierce the sky, if struck endlessly, wouldn¡¯t it eventually fall? The means to pull down Yuria from the position of Young Lady? I had plenty of them. However, I had no intention of using them. Even if I directly attacked and pulled her down, the probability of Yuria¡¯s heart crumbling was low. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like you can be the Young Master of the Taylors just by giving this one map to the imperial family.¡± ¡°I have ties with the north.¡± Adele Igrit, although it was not yet a confirmed matter, it was certain that I had a connection with her. Miragen¡¯s eyes narrowed as she understood what I meant. The word ¡°north¡± was another way to refer to the Grand Duchess, and just having ties with her was something that could not be ignored in terms of influence. When I showed her the handkerchief Adele had given me before, Miragenughed hollowly and held her forehead. I had to return it, but there would be no problem using it now. And she knew I was quite close with the saint. Although I couldn¡¯t call us close friends, we were about to be close friends soon. Adriana, the saint of the Sun Church that dominated 90% of the empire, and I had a friendship with Adele, the guardian of the north. On top of that, my position was already the eldest son of the only ducal family, the Taylors. Although my current position was unstable, could it be said to remain so in the future? ¡°And soon, I will also have ties with the imperial family.¡± Tapping the map and pushing it forward, Miragenughed and epted the map. The ownership of the map wasn¡¯t very important anyway. Since I had put it in my mind, how to utilize it would be her role. It was certain that it would flow to the Crown Prince, so I would soon receive contact from him. That was how the connection with the imperial family was formed. At this point, who was more suitable to be the head of the Taylors than me? At least from the imperial family¡¯s perspective, they would want me, who was friendly to their side unlike the current family head or Young Lady, to be the family head. Could they refuse? These words of mine saying I would be the family head, could they really dismiss it as a joke even now? As I looked at Miragen with that intention, she sighed deeply after wiping her face for a moment. As ifpletely defeated, she raised both hands wide open and smiled brightly. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll acknowledge it. It seems much better for the imperial family if you be the family head. So what you need is our support, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it right away. I will slowly start moving from next spring after finishing all my winter schedule.¡± ¡°¡­Okay, I never imagined I would hear such words today. Do you know what I thought when you said you wanted to meet me?¡± ¡°What did you think?¡± ¡°I thought the Taylors would pressure me again, and it would just give me a headache, so I was going to grab Adriana and talk to her all day. But now¡­¡± After gazing at me intently for a moment, unlike before, she added with a seductive smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind making you my lover. What do you think, are you interested?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I have to decline that. It hasn¡¯t been long since I broke off my engagement.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying not now.¡± Then Miragen nodded, saying she knew it would be like that. However, I felt that kind of talk would continue. Given her personality, there was no possibility of her saying such things as a joke. She got up from her seat and strode over to me, jabbing something into my chest. After examining it for a moment, I soon realized what it was andughed. A small artifact that allowed us to contact each other, I knew it was quite expensive. I wondered if it was okay for her to give me something like this. ¡°Contact me. Even if it¡¯s not about this kind of talk, I¡¯ll listen to your idle chatter since it¡¯s you.¡± Miragen said, lightly winking one eye. Even as I shrugged my shoulders at those words, my mind was filled with thoughts about the achievements I had made today. Although interpreting this goodwill would be a matter forter, one thing was certain. My n to approach the imperial family had achieved quite a splendid result. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó As I was about to leave the Moon Tower, I looked for Adriana and learned that she was on the rooftop. Even if I was leaving, I should at least say goodbye, shouldn¡¯t I? Climbing the spiral staircase again and heading to the rooftop where the sky was wide open, there was a woman nkly gazing at the sky. A white cloth fluttered in the cool breeze. The pure white robe she had worn when we metst time, I gazed at the golden hair dancing above it for a moment and carefully opened my mouth. ¡°The wind is cold.¡± It was alreadyte autumn, with the traces of summer slowly disappearing. When I asked, as the saint¡¯s clothing was quite thin, Adriana turned her head towards me and smiled slightly. ¡°It was you, Lord Taylor. I heard a sounding from below and wondered who it was.¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I finished talking with Her Highness the Princess well. I should express my gratitude.¡± ¡°No, originally you would have met in that garden, but I insisted on calling you to the Moon Tower.¡± She said that, and her gaze turned back to where the moon was. Was there a reason for her to keep looking at the moon she couldn¡¯t see? Around the time I had such a question, Adriana moved her lips. ¡°Is the moon still white?¡± ¡°¡­Are you suddenly asking that?¡± ¡°Thest moon I remember was white. Always rising sorge, a bright white that filled my eyes.¡± Come to think of it, Adriana had not been a saint since birth. When she reached a certain age, the church that realized her existence designated Adriana as a saint. And even God chose Adriana, so blessings poured in from all over the empire at the existence of a saint born after a very long time. So she would remember. Thest moonlight she had seen with her own eyes must have been thest moment she saw the world. After pondering what to answer, I eventually looked at the moon with her and replied. ¡°It will probably remain white. Since it was white when the empire was born, it will likely be that color until we die.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kind. Usually, people don¡¯t answer. Miragen would have answered. But people tend to treat me too specially.¡± ¡°Because you are special.¡± ¡°Lord Taylor doesn¡¯t seem to consider me that special. You even teased mest time.¡± If she meantst time, was it when she screamed in surprise? I had no intention of teasing her. I was just a bit surprised that a woman called a saint would make such a sound, that was all. It did make my attitude towards Adriana a bit more rxed. It made me think of her not simply as a noble saint, but as a woman of that age. ¡°I had no intention of teasing you. You may not believe me, though.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll believe you just this once. If you do it again next time¡­¡± ¡°Next time?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t particrly want to punish Lord Taylor.¡± Adriana, whoughed softly, took her gaze off the sky and looked at me. The faint moonlight shone, making her face look a bit pale. She had a gentle smile, but did I imagine that she still looked a bit sorrowful? After gazing at me quietly for a while, Adriana soon opened her mouth softly. ¡°I said I can see things even if I can¡¯t see with my eyes, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard that earlier.¡± ¡°Do you know what I see when I look at Lord Taylor?¡± After pondering for a moment, I answered that I didn¡¯t know, and Adriana slowly moved her steps towards me. The top of the Moon Tower was not very wide. Just a few steps and we would bepletely close to each other, so she was soon right in front of me. A distance where we would bump into each other if she took one more step, but she didn¡¯t touch me. As if she knew I was in front of her. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything. As if you¡¯re a dead person.¡± A voice that trembled gently, as if creating ripples, was heard. Even as her hand touched me and brushed over my chest, there was a faint uneasiness on Adriana¡¯s face. Adriana¡¯s hand touched my body. As if trying to confirm that I was still here, I watched her arm continue to move. ¡°¡­It¡¯s strange, a person can¡¯t disappear in an instant. Whenever I see Lord Taylor, I have that thought. Because I can¡¯t see anything, if I can¡¯t hear your voice, I wonder if you¡¯ve disappeared somewhere. Do you now know why I always say let¡¯s meet againter when we part ways?¡± ¡°I think I understand a little now.¡± -I hope you won¡¯t be injured the next time we meet. -See you next time. I don¡¯t know where we¡¯ll see each other, but I have a feeling. Come to think of it, Adriana always added that she would see me next time. I had thought it was just a polite remark to add at the time, but in fact, there was a deeper reason. The reason she couldn¡¯t see anything in me was surely because of the regression. Perhaps it was because I had lost the attachment to life that a person should naturally possess, bing empty like a dead person. Adriana, who had removed her hand that was touching me, mumbled softly when I didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°I believe you¡¯ll still be in front of me.¡± ¡°You can believe that. If I were to leave, I would tell you.¡± Then, as if she was a bit relieved, Adriana, who had moved a little farther away from me, looked in the direction of my face. She was looking a bit higher because she couldn¡¯t see, but it was clear that she wanted to make eye contact with me. Unlike a moment ago when she was pale, Adriana¡¯s cheeks were slightly flushed red. Waiting to see what she would say, when a long time passed again, her mouth opened. ¡°When we meet next time¡­ at that time.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead and say it.¡± ¡°At that time, please call me Adriana.¡± Adriana was her name. What was the true intention of the woman who asked me to call her by her name? But no matter how much I thought about it, her true intention was simply pure. Just asking me to call her by her name, if we meet next time. The intention of wanting to be friends. I faced the eyes that could see nothing, yet saw more than anything else. Unable to tell a lie to those transparent eyes, I answered readily with a smile. ¡°I will do so.¡± Perhaps if we meet next time, I may no longer be able to call her a saint. The smile in return had a brighter light than anything else. Although today was a day when the moon was barely visible, I faced the most brilliant light. None other than in the Moon Tower. It was quite a good harvest. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 31 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Not all of my 101 lives were wise. There was no purpose, and I merely wanted a future where I could smile and be with everyone. For such a vague and unclear wish, what exactly did I have to do? I never found that answer in the end. Because it was a wish I had already given up on. I no longer wanted to live for others.If asked if I did my best in the previous turns, I would definitely answer yes. At least it was certain that I had diligently lived for the goals I had set. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that I had never given up. I also regretted such lives, but I no longer cared about that. So when I thought about how to live this life, I could finally make one thing clear. That I would not hesitate this time. That I would not miss important opportunities by being attached to family. I thought I had already passed two turning points. Saving Arwen and meeting the princess at the family head meeting. How did I utilize these two turning points? In conclusion, I considered it personally sessful. Although Adele was involved in saving Arwen, she didn¡¯t know much about the matter, and through the family head meeting, I had grasped a sort of connection with Miragen and Adriana. Wasn¡¯t it a gain that exceeded expectations? Having passed these two turning points, what was my goal? ¡°Family head.¡± On the desk, there was something upying the highest position in the diagram depicting the hierarchy of the Taylors. Erasing my father¡¯s name written there, I wrote my name instead. The false usation of treason against me always urred 2-3 yearster. Variables? I had at least a year of leeway no matter what. So in that year of leeway, there was only one thing I would have. Driving out Yuria and gaining recognition from my father to ¡®legitimately¡¯ inherit. Creating my own force in that way could be considered my biggest goal at this point. Gazing at that diagram, I soon muttered softly. At least in this life¡­ ¡°I will be the family head.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Adriana said we could meet again next time and saw me off to the front of the Moon Tower. There was no need for that, but since the princess also came to see me off, it was a bit burdensome. Even including her adding that I should contact her again. After staring at the artifact inserted in my pocket for a moment, I soon put it in and let out a sigh. Truthfully, it was quiteplicated in many ways whenever I saw Miragen. If I had to name the woman with whom I had the closest rtionship in all the turns, I would definitely pick her alone. Theresa was my fianc¨¦e, but she was a woman who had tried to use my family, and with Adele, we only had a subordinate rtionship, so I couldn¡¯t say we had a meaningful rtionship. But Miragen was different. She had been my lover, and I had even risen to the position of her paramour. Although that turn had also failed, those memories still remained with me. That¡¯s why it wasplicated. The next time I met her, I was in the position of being chased by her, andter we had even be enemies. In the turn when I was called the Sword Saint, she was the leader of the subjugation army that pursued me. Perhaps because we were entangled in many rtionships, whenever I saw Miragen, I felt strangely uneasy in a corner of my heart. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that anymore.¡± It was true that Miragen had taken an interest in me, but that didn¡¯t mean I had to take her words at face value. Even calling me her paramour was just part of her tricks to draw me in. If I could only attract the attention of the Crown Prince, whom I had set as my target, Miragen was not such an important position. It might be a bit rude to say to her, but my only concern was the Crown Prince. Unless Miragen did something separately, it would be difficult for her to have a position beyond being a stepping stone to approach the Crown Prince. Of course, it would be different if she had been involved in my death in some way. Still, the current situation itself could be considered quite leisurely. When winter came, I would suddenly be very busy, but until then, I would only need to worry about Arwen and Yuria. I had ced quite a lot of importance on the family head meeting, but things had turned out surprisingly well. If I were to summarize what remained from now on, I would discuss with Arwen about future ns, receive contact from the princess again and meet the Crown Prince, and below that, I would startying the groundwork to obtain the position of Young Master. To exin that groundwork a bit, it would be making the servants of this ducal estate take my side. When I called his name, the door soon opened and Renold entered. The bundle of documents tucked under his arm was what I had asked him to prepare. Considering he had prepared more than I expected, he must have put in quite a bit of personal effort. It was a satisfactory result. If Renold cooperated like this on his own, there would be no problem continuing to work with him in the future. ¡°Are these the things I asked you to prepare?¡± ¡°Yes, I brought all the information rted to the families of the servants in the estate.¡± ¡°Well done. If you used any expenses, let me know. I¡¯ll handle it separately.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The reason I asked him to prepare information on the servants was simple. If I knew about their families or households in advance, I could approach them by using that. Of course, I didn¡¯t mean to use this to threaten them or anything like that. I intended to make them ¡®misunderstand¡¯ in a favorable way from their perspective. If there was a joyous asion in their family, but in fact, it happened with my help. If their family member was sick, but by chance, they received medical support and recovered. And if that medical support was by my instruction? The gratitude would likely be directed towards me. Human nature was amusing in that people were more grateful to the origin of the help rather than the person who directly helped them. Just as the emperor received praise even if a policy was made by a mere minister, what I intended to use was such a habit of people. If I put shackles on them by oppressing them, they would only struggle more. If I made my people in this way, I believed I would soon have quite reliable allies. However, it was uncertain whether those people would follow me even in an act of treason, but it was still better than having none. Bing the family head was also part of creating my own forces. If I somehow became the family head, the members would have to follow my orders whether they liked it or not. Of course, I was reluctant to give such forceful orders, but there might be situations where I had no choice but to do so. ¡°By the way, it seems the Young Lady has been looking for you for a while. What would you like to do?¡± ¡°¡­For me?¡± ¡°Yes, she asked the other servants if you were home.¡± I didn¡¯t know what she was looking for me for, but I had a rough idea. What happened in the Moon Tower had remained aplete secret, so she probably wanted to find fault with my disappearance during the meeting. She might have noticed to some extent what I had done based on the princess¡¯s actions. If it was the Miragen I knew, she would have likely made a move by now. Citing the map, she would have expressed concern about the bacsh from the different races and changed her stance to gradually educate them rather than subjugate them. Since it was a matter decided at the family head meeting, the rtionship between the nobles and the imperial family would be strained. It was time for the imperial family to think about tightening their discipline. Then how would Yuria react? She said she was looking for me, so it would be better for me to show myself first. Renold looked at me with a worried expression, but I said it was fine and stepped out into the corridor. And I went to the room where Yuria was staying and slowly knocked on the door. Knock knock- ¡°It¡¯s Robert. I heard you were looking for me.¡± ¡°¡­Come in.¡± When I entered the room, as expected, Yuria was ring at me with a chilly gaze. This time, she seemed quite angry, and Yuria, who had bitten her lip slightly, abruptly opened her mouth. ¡°What on earth are you doing? Why is the princess, who had been submitting to the subjugation until yesterday, now opposing it based on the different races she had never even heard of?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re asking me that.¡± ¡°Ha, did you really think I wouldn¡¯t know? Robert, it¡¯s better not to think that I¡¯m the only one watching you.¡± She tapped the table for a moment, then unfolded a copy of the map the princess was arguing for and opened her mouth. ¡°I knew you had recently obtained a map. A map that depicted the southern terrain in detail. Did you not know that the records remain even if you use your own money?¡± ¡°I know that. So, you think it was me who gave the map to the princess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use making excuses. I¡¯m telling you because I already know everything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that I gave her the map.¡± I wondered if she really knew everything when she said she already knew, but I nodded my head and readily answered. There was no need to hide everything from someone who came at me with such an attitude. However, Yuria¡¯s brow furrowed even more as if she was even angrier at my attitude. ¡°¡­Why on earth? You should know well how importantly Father regards this subjugation. Oh well, since it¡¯s not rted to the session, were you trying to find a way to survive for yourself?¡± ¡°Father probably knows too. Even if the Young Lady knows, there¡¯s no way Father would say nothing about it.¡± Rather, the moment he saw the map, he would have known my actions. Then, if we think about the reason he still hasn¡¯t said anything to me. He must have realized that it would benefit the Taylors. At this family head meeting, the positions were quite clearly divided. The imperial family opposed the subjugation, and the nobles insisted on carrying it out. Although it seemed the subjugation was approved for now due to the overwhelming power of the nobles, the imperial family was trying to dy it as much as possible and somehow appease the situation. In such a situation, if the Taylors stepped forward and opposed it, how would the imperial family react? They would almost see us as their life-savers. Of course, they wouldn¡¯t take active measures, but if we changed our attitude a bit regarding the subjugation, the imperial family would pay a corresponding price. The tug-of-war between the nobles and the imperial family was something only the Taylors could do. Yuria¡¯s face turned pale for a moment, then gradually regained its color. She must have realized that this matter was turning out quite strange. The wind was blowing in my favor. The one who unfurled the sails and set the boat toward the sea was also me. She must have also realized that I had intended and done all of this. ¡°What are you scheming?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to y word games with me. I¡¯m asking why you suddenly intervened when you had never done anything rted to the family until now.¡± Her trembling shoulders showed that she was quite enraged. When her tightly closed lips turned white, I slowly opened my mouth. In a monotonous tone, as if I was thinking lightly of what I was saying now. ¡°I¡¯m trying to be the family head.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°When I thought about it, I also still have a legitimate right to the session. Although it¡¯s true that the Young Lady was chosen in advance when we were young. The Taylors had one rule.¡± Unless chosen by the will of the dying family head, anyone still had the right to be the family head. This was the reason why the Taylor family had shed so much blood, but it was also the reason why they could maintain their prestige until now. Yuria¡¯s gaze grew even sharper. Those freezing eyes pierced through my brow, and the coldness in them seemed to assault my entire body. But that was all. She couldn¡¯t harm me here, so all she could do was get angry. ¡°I want to be the family head and lead the Taylors as I see fit. Until now, I had no interest in power, but¡­ there¡¯s no need to be like that forever.¡± Smiling once, I tilted my head slightly and added. ¡°Could it be that youck confidence?¡± ¡°¡­You crazy bastard.¡± ¡°I guess not.¡± Her eyes looked at me with contempt, but I couldn¡¯t help butugh. I didn¡¯t see any wariness in her eyes. She just looked at me as if asking what nonsense I was spouting, and that was it. Based on what had happened until now, she clearly thought there was no possibility of me bing the family head. ¡°Well, since it seems the conversation is over, I¡¯ll be going now.¡± But would she be able to maintain that expression even a year from now? I had always resented the flow of time, but this time was different. If time passed quickly and I witnessed a future where I had be the family head, and if I saw Yuria crumble. ¡°¡­Young Lady.¡± I wondered what emotions I would feel then, that was what I was most curious about. Thud- The door closed, and silence flowed for quite a long time. A stillness that seemed like it would explode at any moment. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 32 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó If I were to unravel the rtionship between Yuria and me, it was always closer to me being on the receiving end. To her, the family was everything. Even if shepared herself to the family, Yuria would choose the family. She said the choice to kill me was because my existence was detrimental to the family.-It¡¯s not because I hate you. I¡¯ve never disliked you. It¡¯s just that the name Taylor was too much for you. Because it didn¡¯t suit you, you had too many shorings to be called someone with the name Taylor. The most important factor I considered while going through the previous regressions was not only my survival but also trying to change the hearts of Yuria and Theresa. For Yuria to turn her eyes to family rather than the household, for Theresa to abandon her own greed and repent. Someone might call it foolish to wish for such things, but they were quite precious to me. Eventer when my feelings changed and they were no longer precious to me as before, I believed Yuria and Theresa would change. If I had targeted the Crown Prince, the cause of my death, by overthrowing my family, I probably would have finished it after a few regressions. But the reason I didn¡¯t do that was because I wanted to move forward while embracing everything. Even if I looked like a fool or an idiot, I thought that was right. I didn¡¯t think Yuria would change in this life. I had long since abandoned such assumptions, so it was right to think that Yuria would remain the same in the future. Since I had already given up on that possibility in the previous turn, let¡¯s think about how things would flow if she followed her true nature. She probably wouldn¡¯t do anything right away. Even if I dered my intention to be the family head, from her perspective, it was still a statement without much issue. My position in the ducal estate was truly miserable. There was no one to support me, and even Renold¡­ No, even Renold might be supporting Yuria. Let¡¯s think that I had absolutely no support base. Although I had the imperial family, it didn¡¯t have much meaning now without contact from the Crown Prince. Then what should I do right away? After confidently throwing out those words, what exactly should I do? The answer to this was simple. Go to the head of the Taylors and clearly state my position. They say to catch a wolf, you have to enter the wolf¡¯s den. It was time to meet the biggest wolf. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°What were you thinking, moving like that?¡± Those were the words that greeted me as soon as I entered the study. As if he had seen through the fact that I had been in contact with the princess, his voice was filled with certainty, making me ponder for a moment. Now that I had made up my mind to be the family head, my judgment had to be solely for the family in the eyes of others. The reason for contacting the princess was to create my own power, but the apparent reason was for the benefit of the family. After a moment of silence, I casually opened my mouth. ¡°I thought it would be advantageous for us. I didn¡¯t think the subjugation would seed anyway.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There are too many different races. If the elves and orcs unite to block us, even if we seed in the initial subjugation, it will definitely fail.¡± This could be considered a story already confirmed in the future. The subjugation that seemed sessful at first wouldter failpletely, and the imperial family that had opposed it from the beginning would gain the upper hand in power. Considering what was toe, it was definitely not good for the Taylors¡¯ power to diminish. So I thought about taking the initiative, and that was the result of this harvest. As a result, the Taylors would side with the imperial family, and the subjugation would be postponed for the time being. The benefits the family would gain here? Even if I didn¡¯t exin, wouldn¡¯t Father already know well enough? ¡°The reason you thought it would fail is because of the distribution of different races you independently investigated. I don¡¯t know where you got it from, but is it reliable?¡± ¡°I am confident. The subjugation will definitely fail.¡± ¡°¡­Then, what benefits will we gain from that?¡± ¡°The support of the imperial family, and the ability to maintain the highest position among the nobles in the future.¡± In reality, after the subjugation failed, the prestige of the Taylors was greatly shaken. Since the Taylors had been at the forefront of advocating for the subjugation, they had directly received the repercussions from it. Did Father really not anticipate this? He probably did. It was just a bit of a gamble. Those cold eyes were still staring at me, but it was clear that he was definitely intrigued. He wouldn¡¯t be able to find any ws in what I had said. Also, it was natural since it matched what Father himself had been thinking. Just when he was pondering a way, I had taken the initiative and said I had contacted the imperial family, so his evaluation of me must have been revised. From a foolish and weak ipetent son to someone who could think for himself after all. However, I had no intention of stopping here. That¡¯s why, without stopping my words, I added the next thing. ¡°And in order to be the next family head, I needed to gain the support of the imperial family in my own way.¡± ¡°¡­The next family head?¡± It must have been quite amusing, as heughed hollowly and red at me. His narrowed eyes, as if trying to determine if I was serious, soon returned to normal. He must have realized it was not a lie. He was probably thinking about why I had uttered those words now. I, who had never been interested in the position of family head until now, was saying I would be the family head. Wouldn¡¯t it be quite difficult to find the reason behind such actions? ¡°I won¡¯t ask why. You still have the right to be the family head. However, I¡¯m curious if you¡¯re capable of it.¡± ¡°I n to head to the north in the winter. Shouldn¡¯t I repay the favor for the handkerchief I receivedst time?¡± Originally, it was a card the Taylor family had intended to use to gain benefits, but as I changed my mind, I also changed my thoughts about it. It was better for me to go to the north directly. Not only did I have a reason to meet Adele, but above all, considering the future, there would be nothing more helpful to me than the military power of the north. ¡°And after that, I will go to the south with the saint.¡± ¡°The saint?¡± ¡°I have a personal friendship with her.¡± When I mentioned Adrianna, his slightly strange expression was briefly tinged with surprise. He must have thought it quite unexpected that I had a friendship with the saint. The weight carried by the name of the saint was quite immense. Her support meant the support of the church, and if the support of Adele and the imperial family were added to that, at least the way I was evaluated from the outside would change at once. The imperial family¡¯s support for me could be considered a coincidence. There must have been some deal between the Taylors and the imperial family, and it could be dismissed like that. But if the north and the saint supported me, from then on, his evaluation of me would have to change. ¡°¡­It seems a lot has happened without my knowledge.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been quite busy in my own way. The decision to be the family head was made quite recently.¡± ¡°This change of heart, was it your own choice?¡± I was momentarily at a loss for words at that question. My decision to be the family head was made after going through the previous runs, but Father would think it had suddenly changed in just a few days since he knew nothing about my regression. My own choice. Laughing at the thought that followed, I slowly opened my mouth. ¡°Someone once told me. When I was doing something pathetic, they came to me and said this.¡± This was a memory only I knew. When I first died, it was what Father, who hade to visit me in prison awaiting execution, had said. Those words stuck with me, and I began the regression. With the determination to never do that again, I kept the Moonstone in my body. ¡°In the end, everything is your own fault, and no matter how much you regret and repent, nothing will change. Even if you meet a miserable death, it¡¯s a mistake you made, so who will you me?¡± ¡°¡­Those are quite arrogant words for someone talking to a Taylor.¡± ¡°I realized something after hearing those words. So I want to prove it.¡± What I realized through my numerous regressions was that no matter who I med, nothing would change. The people around me did not change. Neither Yuria nor Theresa. In the end, their true nature was set, wasn¡¯t it? So in the end, it was I who had to change. Father stared at me for a moment, then leaned back on the sofa and looked into the void. Anguish was evident in his eyes as he endlessly pondered something. What was he agonizing over? For what purpose was that anguish? Before I could even guess that, Father soon muttered in a small voice. ¡°Then prove it.¡± Although the anguish in his eyes remained, his tone was firm, unlike before. The disdain for me had faded, and it was a serious gaze I was seeing for the first time since I was born. Finally facing those eyes that saw me not as a pathetic son, but as someone who might be the family head in the future, I slowly nodded. ¡°Prove to me that you can be the family head. Go to the north, and go to the south. If you gain the qualifications to be the Young Master over Yuria.¡± Piercing through the momentary silence, fierce eyes reached me. ¡°I will give you the Taylors.¡± Come to think of it, this was the first time I had received such recognition from Father. But I wasn¡¯t happy. Rather, a strange feeling filled my heart, and I nodded my head a bitte. Suddenly, a thought came to my mind. It was the imagination of what would happen after I inherited the Taylors ording to those words and became the family head. If I inherited the Taylors, what would Father say then? My Taylors, who would point their sword at the imperial family and sharply bare their fangs at the empire¡­ What expression would you look at them with? My heart raced for no reason. If I called this emotion welling up now exhration, what was I feeling exhrated about? Barely hiding my pounding heart, I managed to escape from the study. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°Young Master, is it true?¡± With this, rumors would spread throughout the ducal estate that I was trying to be the family head. The rumors spread so fast, as if they had wings, that even Renold, who had not heard the story, was surprised enough to ask me. He was so startled that he came running with his hair disheveled, and when Iughed, Renold opened his mouth with a serious expression. ¡°You know well that the position of family head is not so easy. Did you really mean it?¡± ¡°I have never lied to you while talking. The same still holds true.¡± Renold bit his lips as if frustrated for a moment, then soon let out a deep sigh. Seeing that, I wondered if he was really worried about me. Didn¡¯t he look down on me before? But it didn¡¯t seem like such actions were simply false, so I was just watching. I knew better than anyone the impact of what I had said. Just looking at the rumors, I could tell that public opinion of me was not good, so what would they say if I said I would enter thepetition for family head in this situation? They would probably say something like, ¡°That guy¡¯s head is filled with flowers again.¡± I think it will be like that until the winter is over. That¡¯s why winter was important to me. If I thought everything would go well in the winter, my forces and Yuria¡¯s supporting forces would soon be roughly equal. Then the problem was what I would do until then, but fortunately, there was one piece of good news. A letter brought by Renold, I smiled slightly upon seeing the name written at the end of the letter. ¡®J¡¯ It was the alias used by Arwen and the name of the only alchemist living in this area. The fact that a letter with no content had arrived now was proof that she had made up her mind in her own way, wasn¡¯t it? Now all that remained was to find her and finish the conversation about the Crown Prince that I had startedst time. The role Arwen yed in this run was quite simple. If the Taylor family was likened to a wolf, the Crown Prince was the tiger I had to catch. And what I needed to find out how to tighten that tiger¡¯s throat was none other than Arwen. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 33 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°I have a slightly strange feeling.¡± There were times when intuition made people feel uneasy. Suddenly arising when one had no thoughts, it often manipted people¡¯s emotions for no reason. It couldn¡¯t be.At least, as far as she knew, such uneasiness shouldn¡¯t arise. Adele rubbed her forehead and frowned. It had been nearly a month since she returned to the north, and the cold surrounding her was also bing fierce. It meant that winter wasing again, but unlike usual, she was a bit d to hear this news. Because a guest woulde this winter, unlike other winters. Since he said he woulde to her, he woulde. If he didn¡¯te? She was thinking of using slightly rough methods. Looting was a good culture in the north. Would it be a problem to loot a man from the Taylor ducal family? Recently, there had been rumors that he was saying he would be the family head, but none of that mattered to Adele. She only thought about whether Robert would keep his promise, and the head of the Taylors was someone she didn¡¯t meet often anyway. But it was certain that this strange feeling that had recently arisen was disrupting Adele¡¯s peace. Seeing Adele like that, Lothos muttered cautiously. ¡°Are you jealous?¡± ¡°¡­Have you gone crazy? Jealousy? For what reason would I¡­¡± ¡°No, it just looks like you¡¯re anxious that the man you like will meet another woman. That man named Robert, he didn¡¯t seem to have many women around him though.¡± ¡°I know that too. And I¡¯ve never worried about such things.¡± Adele answered with a frown. Why would she be jealous? In the first ce, they weren¡¯t in a rtionship to harbor such feelings, and the feeling she had now was slightly different from that. This strange feeling of something she had imed in advance being tainted¡­ How should she describe this feeling? As Adele clicked her tongue slightly and red at Lothos, Lothos bowed his head and closed his mouth. Come to think of it, it was a bit irritating for no reason. She didn¡¯t ask further because he said it was a secret, and she didn¡¯t say anything about the realm he had been hiding. She, the Grand Duchess of the North, if it were someone else, they would have trembled just hearing the name Adele Igrit. She didn¡¯t like this situation where she had given the upper hand to a mere man like this. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that she disliked Robert himself, but it was true that the situation was a bit irksome. But there was nothing she could say either way. What could she say to the man who would be staying near the capital around this time? Contacting him first felt like losing, but she couldn¡¯t just wait quietly until winter came either. ¡°¡­Come to think of it, didn¡¯t he say he was acquainted with the saint?¡± Adriana, she thought it was quite remarkable that he was well acquainted with that pure woman. Based on what he said, it didn¡¯t seem like they had just met eyes, and there was probably a personal friendship. She was a woman who stood on the opposite side of herself. She, who had led a mercenary group since childhood, and Adriana, who had led the church. Wasn¡¯t the difference in their nature stark? This uneasy feeling was especially frequent when she thought of the saint, so Adele was particrly suspicious of the saint. Given her personality, it didn¡¯t seem like she would do anything, but her intuition had rarely been wrong. Around the time Adele was lost in thought, Lothos suddenly opened his mouth. ¡°There¡¯s something I heard, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s true. It¡¯s about Lord Robert Taylor.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush and tell me quickly. Is there something else I don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°There are rumors that he will go to the south with the saint. This winter.¡± For a moment, Adele¡¯s body stiffened, and Lothos swallowed dryly as he watched her. How long had it been since he saw her so flustered? But knowing that the reaction that woulde next would not be kind, Lothos coughed and backed away slightly. Maintaining a safe distance was important in any situation. Especially when near Adele, who would ¡®soon¡¯ be angry. ¡°¡­Haha, going to the south, he says.¡± Adele slowly wiped her face as she chuckled. She didn¡¯t mind him going to the south with the saint. However, the timing was the problem. Didn¡¯t he say he woulde to the north in the winter? He had said that in front of her, yet he made another promise to go to the south. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think the timing will ovep. Since he said it would be after the new year, Lord Taylor will probablye and stay around the end of the year.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what¡¯s important.¡± ¡°Then what is important?¡± ¡°My mood has turned sour. Very, extremely, terribly so.¡± She had intended to make him stay in the north until the end of winter. Both his ability to handle mana and being with her would allow her to quickly end the sluggish subjugation of the minority tribes. She had thought of persuading him well and keeping him with her, but the saint had taken the initiative. Was this the ominous feeling she had been having all this time? Ha, Adeleughed hollowly and looked at Lothos. ¡°Find out exactly when he¡¯s going to the south and report it to me.¡± ¡°It will be difficult to cancel the schedule. Isn¡¯t it something the church is handling?¡± ¡°I have no intention of canceling the schedule. Even I have things I can¡¯t do.¡± Then, seeing Adele grinning, Lothos felt the tension rising in his head. Didn¡¯t she always bring up absurd things when she smiled like that? As he was anxiously waiting for what she would say, Adele continued. ¡°But there¡¯s no problem with going together.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Find out the schedule. I¡¯ll make the judgment. There¡¯s no schedule after the new year anyway.¡± If she went and met them in the south by chance, no one could say anything about it. Adele thought. Even if she luckily met the saint and Robert in the south, it would not be a situation she had intended. As Adele stroked the wolf lying beside her, a faint smile soon bloomed on her lips. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The barrier guarding Arwen¡¯s house had disappeared at some point. Now that the signboard of a general store was hung again, people asionally entering and leaving the store could also be seen. Perhaps she had made up her mind to return to her daily life. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t be hiding like before, but it was because she had something to do with me. I was about to enter the way I used to infiltrate before, but I headed back to the main entrance. I didn¡¯t want to see her faint again from being startled. If she screamed for no reason, it could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings. So I knocked on the door and waited for a while, and eventually Arwen peeked her head out. From the outside, her height was simr to a child who had just started growing. I had to look down quite a bit to make eye contact with her, and Arwen let out a sigh at that gap. ¡°You came after all.¡± ¡°You told me toe from your side. I had no reason to refuse.¡± ¡°Come in. Let¡¯s¡­ talk a bit first.¡± The interior had changed a little from before. This must also be one of her abilities with barriers, but she probably changed the internal environment every day after that. It was a good habit to always prepare a ce to hide. Especially for her, who was always under the threat of assassination, it was even more so. Arwen, who created a teacup out of thin air, moved her hand, and the teapot floating around began to fill the cup with tea on its own. It was an amazing sight no matter when I saw it. Ordinary wizards couldn¡¯t use mana so flexibly. So as I examined the tea, Arwen stared at me nkly and added. ¡°I didn¡¯t put any poison in it, so it¡¯s okay to drink. And someone like you should be able to tell if there¡¯s poison, right?¡± ¡°My level of mastery isn¡¯t that high yet, so I have to check it several times. I wasn¡¯t suspecting you. I was just a bit amazed.¡± ¡°The person I saw¡­ No, you came to see me because of what you mentionedst time, right? That you would kill the Crown Prince.¡± Arwen¡¯s voice was trembling, but it didn¡¯t seem to be out of fear. Rather, it would be more urate to say she wanted to confirm if that was really my main purpose. As I firmly nodded my head, Arwen, who had put down the teacup, quietly looked at me. ¡°You probably already know, but I originally belonged to ¡®Icarus,¡¯ which was in charge of gathering information in the imperial family.¡± An intelligence agency that collected information. Such organizations existed everywhere, but the one she belonged to was a bit closer to the underworld. If the country ordered it, they would jump in even if it was enemy territory. It was the perfect ce for Arwen, who specialized in illusions and barriers, to be active, and that¡¯s why Arwen had continued to be a part of that intelligence agency. The story that followed was also simr to what I knew. And the reason Arwen left Icarus and was being chased by the Crown Prince was the same as what I knew. ¡°While being a part of Icarus, I carried out various missions. There were simple intelligence missions and information gathering, but among them, there were also assassinations of civilians.¡± Arwen¡¯s expression was always dark when she brought up that story. In terms of Arwen¡¯s personality, she was definitely not someone who could be called evil. Rather, it was questionable how she belonged to an organization like Icarus to the point where I had doubted her Icarus affiliation before. Arwen, who had been staring at her clean hands for a moment, rubbed her cheek and continued. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a pleasant thing to kill someone who had a family. I even killed a mother in front of her daughter once, so at some point, I felt ufortable with what I was doing.¡± ¡°Is what I¡¯m doing really right?¡± ¡°Although it was for the sake of the country, I had my own sense of morality. One of the reasons I continued to work at Icarus in the beginning was that they didn¡¯t cross that line very often. But¡­ Kaitel finally started crossing the line.¡± The story she brought up was about an entire vige disappearing. An incident where they tried to erase an entire vige on the grounds that a dangerous person was hiding there. It was not known because it was carried out in secret, but the reason Arwen gave up the job and ran away was precisely that. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t informed them in advance, hundreds of people would have died just like that. Does that make sense? Hundreds of people died. And seeing him order such a thing without any hesitation, I felt it. The Crown Prince¡­ was no longer the brilliant person he used to be.¡± ¡°Are you saying the Crown Prince has changed?¡± It was a story Arwen often brought up in previous turns as well. The story that the Crown Prince¡¯s brilliance had dimmed, that unlike before, he had a glint of madness in his eyes. Of course, the Crown Prince I had met in person remained the same, so I couldn¡¯t feel any strangeness, but seeing it repeated, I thought there must be something to it. ¡°First of all, I have something I want to ask you. Why do you want to kill the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°The reason¡­¡± I stared at Arwen for a moment. I couldn¡¯t exin about the regression. I had brought it up once before, but even then, Arwen couldn¡¯t understand what regression was. The reason I wanted to kill the Crown Prince was simple. It was because the point where everything in my life had be twisted was when I was falsely used of treason and died. Before stopping this regression, I just wanted to destroy the starting point of my regression. Come to think of it, this was the first time I had said I would kill the Crown Prince first. I didn¡¯t know what answer woulde back. However, the answer that suddenly came to mind was quite vague. ¡°¡­Too many people have died.¡± Even excluding myself, quite a few of those I considered precious had also died. Even Adele was killed by the Crown Prince, wasn¡¯t she? I smiled bitterly. For a moment, my lips trembled as the emotion welled up, then soon tightly closed. No matter how much I wanted to forget, there were things I couldn¡¯t forget. Even if I forgot my own death, I couldn¡¯t forget others dying in front of me. So as I looked at Arwen, she rose her small body and drew letters in the air. I knew those letters well. Magic that could record and save something. As I stared at it intently, Arwen answered. ¡°This is magic that can record and save what I say. What I¡¯m about to tell you now is something I¡¯ve never told anyone before. It¡¯s a fact that I¡¯ve been investigating independently.¡± I had no memory of hearing such words before. This was exactly the 10th time I had met her, but Arwen had not given me much information. She always gave information only about what I had requested, and only after I paid the corresponding price. ¡°Independently?¡± ¡°The reason the Crown Prince is trying to kill me is simple. It¡¯s not only because I ran away from Icarus, but also because I know something I shouldn¡¯t know.¡± As I narrowed my eyes at the story I was hearing for the first time, Arwen continued with a rather serious expression. ¡°By any chance, do you know about the Dead Dragon?¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 34 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The Dead Dragon was a being from legends. An ancient dragon that appeared long ago and tried to steal the moon, the legendary dragon most feared by the empire, but I couldn¡¯t understand why Arwen was talking about it. Even if it existed in the past, it was a being from legends that had not been seen for a thousand years. Wasn¡¯t the mainstream atmosphere now that it was just fiction?Even after regressing many times, I had never heard that the Dead Dragon actually existed, so I looked at Arwen with a puzzled expression. What did the Crown Prince¡¯s blurred mind have to do with that? ¡°You seem to know about the Dead Dragon. Then the story might be a bit easier. Although they seempletely unrted, I actually think the connection between the two is quite deep.¡± ¡°¡­When you say there¡¯s a deep connection, do you mean the Crown Prince is rted to the Dead Dragon?¡± ¡°As I said earlier, this is a spection I¡¯m trying to make based on my investigation. It may not be urate, and it could be apletely absurd story different from reality. But¡­ I think the possibility is very high.¡± Arwen, who paused for a moment, then ced a piece of paper on the table. ncing through it, it seemed to contain the contents she had investigated. What stood out was the content of a mural located in a southern temple, and as I slowly examined it, Arwen continued. ¡°The moon of the empire is unique. The full moon that rises once a month in other ces sometimes rises twice a month in the empire. The Full Moon Festival is held to coincide with that period.¡± ¡°Since the empire was born with the blessing of the moon. I¡¯ve never thought it was strange.¡± ¡°¡­In the past, when the Dead Dragon tried to steal the moon, there was a time when Eden, the god of the moon, tricked the Dead Dragon into stealing darkness instead. As a result, one new moon disappeared, and a full moon took its ce. You probably know about that.¡± The legend of the Dead Dragon was a story that had spread quite widely like a fairy tale. Even young children must have heard it at least once, so I had no choice but to know the legend in detail as well. As I listened to Arwen¡¯s story and thought of the Full Moon Festival, I looked at the contents of the mural again. It was quite interesting. It was a mural depicting the legend of the Dead Dragon as it was, but there was a different story than the one in the legend. ¡°¡­Resentment?¡± ¡°The Dead Dragon is dead, but it hasn¡¯tpletely disappeared. The resentment held by the Dead Dragon ultimately grows stronger ording to its own will to survive.¡± ¡°Are you saying that now that it¡¯s dead, the remaining resentment has grown even stronger?¡± ¡°Perhaps to an uncontroble extent, I think now is the time when it has grown the most.¡± Arwen¡¯s words sounded like the Crown Prince was being swayed by resentment. However, the bloodline of the imperial family was not something that would be swayed by mere curses. The bloodline of the moon wasn¡¯t there for nothing. It was so pure and clean that it could purify ordinary curses just by breathing. Even if it was the resentment of the Dead Dragon, wouldn¡¯t the probability of him enduring it himself be higher? Arwen also nodded at my question. But it seemed she had already thought about it, as she soon pointed to another part of the mural and opened her mouth. ¡°Bear the shadow as you go, but never be swayed by the abyss.¡± ¡°Is that an interpretation of the text written on the mural?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s about resentment. The picture before this text is about the Dead Dragon dying. Perhaps it means that even if youe into contact with resentment, don¡¯t be swayed by the madness that resentment harbors¡­¡± If you think about it simply, you could think of it that way. But why was the Crown Prince, who had nothing to do with the Dead Dragon¡¯s resentment, exposed to it? Arwen provided an answer to the question I had this time. ¡°Kaitel¡¯s goal is quite different from the current emperor. Unlike trying to maintain an appropriate bnce between the nobles and the imperial family as it is now, he is trying to concentrate power in the imperial family.¡± ¡°Is that why he created Icarus? To build his own organization.¡± ¡°Icarus has existed for a long time. Kaitel just distorted its purpose. He probably tried to build his own power using Icarus. And up to that point, it was probably his own pure will.¡± Arwen let out a small sigh and then held her forehead as if her head hurt. To summarize the story so far, it was like this: The Crown Prince was being swayed by resentment. And that resentment,bined with the will the Crown Prince had, was causing things that didn¡¯t need to happen. Then the things that would happenter meant that the Crown Prince¡¯s mind was being devoured by resentment. But was that really the case? No, I remembered the look in the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes. Those eyes that were colder than anything else, showing nothing but reason and no emotion. There were such reasons, but it was a story that was not convincing in many ways. If he was being swayed by resentment, at least the saint would have noticed it first. If it was her, who had been directly granted holy power by God, she would have realized that a special energy was entangled with the Crown Prince. I knew she had met him recently, but if she still hadn¡¯t noticed it¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be more correct to think that the Crown Prince didn¡¯t have such resentment? So when I mentioned the saint, Arwen said she had also considered that possibility. Then what about the connection between the Crown Prince and resentment? When I asked, Arwen frowned as if she had a headache and answered. ¡°¡­Maybe it¡¯s not resentment. It¡¯s not that Kaitel¡¯s actions are being consumed by resentment, but he might be trying to use resentment.¡± After a brief pause, Arwen, who had her eyes tightly closed, added. ¡°For the resurrection of the Dead Dragon.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The Dead Dragon was an existence that stood at the opposite end of the empire. Since it was a being that originally tried to steal the moon, it could be said that it was an existence the empire could never ept. Especially since the imperial family had even tried to erase the name of the Dead Dragon from history, it was safe to say it was aplete enemy. ¡®¡­That¡¯s why it¡¯s even stranger.¡¯ Arwen, now alone in the space, narrowed her eyes and gazed into the void. Everything else was spection. Even if there was data, it was ultimately spection based on that data, so it could be wrong in any way. So she said she had excluded it, but there was still one ¡®fact¡¯ that remained, wasn¡¯t there? The Crown Prince was trying to use the existence of the Dead Dragon. The Crown Prince¡¯s secret that she had identally learned before leaving Icarus. It was the reason she had been pursued until now, and also the reason she had almost died. What would have happened if a person named Robert Taylor had not appeared in that situation? She probably would have died. Those assassins, who were now corpses, would have killed her and buried her somewhere no one would know. No matter how many times she thought about it, it was a chilling memory, but on the other hand, she also had doubts. How did Robert Taylor find out about that attack? ¡°It must have been top secret.¡± There was no way the Crown Prince would have leaked that assassination to anyone else. Even if he was a duke, it was something he couldn¡¯t have known, so how did he, who had been practically abandoned by his family, find out about this? And wasn¡¯t he quite different from the person she had known before? When she first saw him, she doubted he was a different person. The Robert Taylor she had known from investigating before could be said to be a gentle person in many ways. He could be called the epitome of a good person. He sympathized with the death of mere beasts and was known for taking special care of those around him. Despite receiving various ¡®punishments¡¯ in the family, his nature did not change easily. Although he was on the verge of falling into a twisted path a few times, it was only for a moment, and Arwen knew well that some of the rumors that had spread widely were quite exaggerated. He was known to be weak despite being rogue-like, but Robert Taylor was just a good person. The only problem was that he had such a gentle personality that he was used by others many times. So even when meeting the current Robert, she could only doubt if he was the same person. How could a person change so much? As if he had been hiding his true nature, unlike when she had seen him before, his empty eyes bothered her. It could have been an act. Wasn¡¯t he preparing topletely change his behavior when the time came? The ability to kill four assassins alone was not something that could be built overnight. For Robert, who had never held a sword since birth, to possess such martial arts¡­ just how much training did he have to go through? If he had really been secretly preparing everything, it was truly amazing. Wasn¡¯t it as if he had even predicted this entire situation? He had prevented his own assassination and even prepared to go south in advance. -The resurrection of the Dead Dragon. -We can¡¯t know for sure right now. I¡¯ll have to go to the south and investigate a bit more, but the Temple of the Moon is a ce only the saint can enter. -Then I¡¯ll go and find out. I¡¯ll be going to the south in the winter. To think he had a friendship with the saint. Last time, he was also with Grand Duchess Igrit of the North. But even so, the rumors about him were still going in a negative direction. With the background of the North Grand Duchess, the saint, and the Taylors. What was he aiming for? After striking down the Crown Prince¡¯s neck, what on earth was Robert Taylor thinking? If Robert Taylor was also the same kind as the Crown Prince, Arwen was willing to stop him even at the cost of her life. If she thought he would also cause bloodshed like Kaitel, she would have stopped him the moment he dered he would kill the Crown Prince again. That¡¯s why she asked the reason. What was the reason for wanting to kill the Crown Prince? She thought it was a simple rebellion for power, but the answer that came back was unexpected. -¡­Too many people have died. For a moment, Arwen¡¯s expression became strange as she recalled his blurred eyes. His eyes were calm even when he killed the assassins, even when he said he would kill the Crown Prince. They didn¡¯t waver at all, as if they were engraved there like a doll, empty eyes. But it was different when he said that. They wavered with countless emotions. As if they would crumble at any moment, as if they would shatter right away, she couldn¡¯t answer to that expression. Sorrow, hatred, regret, lingering attachment. Unable to find the words to describe the other emotions, she ended up telling him what she knew instead of answering¡­ The moment she saw those eyes, she had no choice but to believe him. As far as she knew, the only person who had died by Robert¡¯s side was his mother, but the feelings he held were genuine. What kind of wind would the words she had uttered today bring? Robert likened the Crown Prince to a tiger. Then he said he was someone who knew how to tighten the tiger¡¯s throat. What did he know to say that? As if he knew everything about her, as if he had known her for quite a long time. Arwen, who barely got down from the chair with a groan, moved her steps towards the window. The sky that should have been herst time. But she was saved and survived like this. What would this salvation mean to her? Arwen just nkly gazed at the sky. The wind blew. As winter approached, the wind flowing from the north grew stronger. That cold wind, so cool and chilly that all the warmth she had felt for a moment disappeared. After facing that wind for a while, she eventually closed and locked the window. ¡°Kaitel. Robert.¡± She didn¡¯t know what kind of ill fate existed between the two. But what was strange was that the two were aiming for each other¡¯s throats. Arwen, whoughed softly, stared into the darkness. Perhaps the reason Robert was starting to move now was also because of that. Because he realized that Kaitel was trying to kill him someday, he was also trying to take the initiative. But how did he know that? When she found out that the Crown Prince was trying to use the existence of the Dead Dragon, there was one thing she had been ordered to do at that time. To find out everything about Robert from the Taylor family. What she knew about him now was also from that investigation, so through that investigation, she realized that the Crown Prince¡¯s interest was in Robert Taylor. And that he would kill him someday. What on earth did Robert Taylor have? Arwen pondered for a moment, then shook her head as if she didn¡¯t know. It was something she didn¡¯t need to know. As Robert said, she just needed to focus on tightening the Crown Prince¡¯s throat. The breath she let out again was heavy. ¡°¡­Only the time of eons can endure theing dawn.¡± Recalling thest line of the mural, she gazed into the void like that. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 35 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°There are things that cannot be reversed.¡± When was it? When I had heard those words. Now it was such an old memory that I couldn¡¯t even remember the time, but it was a voice that still vividly came to mind. Looking at the object held in Yuria¡¯s hand, I was denying that it was me.Saying why would I do that, that there was no way. But the answer that came back was only too cold. All I could do was be dragged away to receive ¡®punishment¡¯. My feet dragging on the ground, my heels getting scraped, being dragged like that. ¡°You have lost trust, Robert.¡± I think it happened not long after Mother passed away. I denied the ridiculous usation that I had tried to sell Mother¡¯s keepsake, but no one took my side. Yuria was already the Young Lady at that time, and I was just a boy who had lost his mother. No one said that I was telling the truth. No one at all. Still, I tried to believe in people. Mother always said that if I approached first, they too would change. Wasn¡¯t herst wish simr too? To never give up on family, on people, on those around me. There were a few more things, but it was certain that what I had heard then had a great influence on me. Trust, hearing that word, I inadvertentlyughed. Had Yuria ever trusted me? She should have known that I would not treat Mother¡¯s keepsake like that. Now that I think about it, I could see that I had put in quite a lot of effort without realizing it. But why did she put in so much effort to exclude her young brother? I realizedter that Yuria had never thought of me as her brother in the first ce. Like the Taylor family¡¯s motto, everyone was apetitor until bing the family head. So I was waiting for the reaction after thest incident. How would Yuria react to my words that I would be the family head? And what came to mind was my brief thought about this situation. ¡­There are things that cannot be reversed. If I were to describe my rtionship with Yuria like that, wouldn¡¯t it be a truly fitting expression? My gaze that had been nkly staring into the void was obscured for a moment. After wiping my face with my hand for a moment, I soon let out a heavy sigh and rubbed my eyes. Perhaps because I had a lot on my mindtely, I suddenly started worrying about this and that. Before autumn came, I was content with just saving Arwen, but now I had to deal with directly facing the Crown Prince and Yuria, didn¡¯t I? And the Dead Dragon, although I didn¡¯t have the luxury to take Arwen¡¯s spection at face value, it was true that it bothered me. I had never considered the rtionship between the Dead Dragon and the Crown Prince. Naturally, it was because I had dismissed it as apletely absurd story. But if it was rted to the mural, the Temple of the Moon¡­now I needed to think about it a bit more seriously. It was fortunate that I had already decided to go to the south. If I didn¡¯t go with the saint, even if I went to the south, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to enter the Temple of the Moon. Putting aside thoughts about that for now, the contact I was waiting for from the princess was a bitte. It had already been a week since I met Arwen, and during that time, except forpletely mastering the investigation of the ducal estate¡¯s servants alone at home, I hadn¡¯t really done anything. I had received some more information about the Crown Prince through Arwen, but in fact, I already knew all of it. ¡°I thought it woulde soon.¡± There was nothing special even when I checked the letters through Renold. So I just fiddled with the artifact on my chest, but even that remained quiet, so it only drained my energy for nothing. There was no way the Crown Prince wouldn¡¯t react to that map. I thought the Crown Prince would be intrigued the moment Miragen made the announcement. Was my thought possibly wrong? While I was thinking of another method, a strong vibration was felt from the artifact I was holding. Zzzing- As I connected the mana flowing through my hand to the artifact, a voice soon came from the end of the long artifact. As they say even a tigeres when you talk about it, it was indeed Miragen¡¯s voice. -Have you been well? I originally intended to contact you a bit sooner, but I was a bitte because I was making a deal with the Duke. ¡°Are you referring to my father?¡± -Yes, fortunately, it seems things will go well as Lord Robert wants. And there¡¯s one more thing I want to tell you, but¡­ it would be better to listen and judge whether this is good news or not. Miragen was a bit ufortable with the Crown Prince, so what she would say was probably about the Crown Prince. Miragen pondered for a moment and continued. And what came out of her mouth was, as expected, exactly what I had anticipated. -His Highness the Crown Prince wants to meet you, um. Can youe to the pce urgently? ¡°If it¡¯s the pce, it seems he intends to see me directly.¡± -If it¡¯s burdensome, you don¡¯t have toe. Sometimes he calls like this and forgets about it himself. ¡°No, I¡¯ll go right away.¡± -¡­Will you reallye right away if I tell you toe like this? ¡°If it¡¯s an order, I have to go, don¡¯t I? If not, I¡¯ll have to consider it a bit. As you know, I¡¯m a bit busy these days.¡± The princess grumbled that she felt miserable, but there was a more important fact than that. The Crown Prince had called for me. Was this the first time in this life? But now it was the beginning. My goal was to be the Crown Prince¡¯s most loyal subject. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó It was almost evening now, but Father didn¡¯t say anything about me riding a carriage towards the pce. He seemed to have no intention of stopping any actions rted to the imperial family. It was a good thing for me. Since I had to move frequently, if there were restrictions, it would cause various setbacks. Despite passing through many gates to reach the pce, no one stopped me. Even the guards immediately opened the gate upon hearing the name Taylor. It seemed it was true that the Crown Prince had called for me. I was wary of unexpected situations, but after ncing at the sword ced in the corner of the carriage, I took my eyes off it. There was nothing special when I sensed the mana around me. Well, it was unlikely that Miragen would y a strange prank on me at this point, but wasn¡¯t it better to be wary of unexpected situations? As I got off the carriage, I straightened my clothes. My first meeting with the Crown Prince, although it was just a personal meeting, not an official one, it was better to give him a good impression. ¡°We will guide you.¡± As I followed the knights who approached me towards the pce, I suddenly saw a woman far away. I could immediately recognize her as her attire was not much different fromst time. Miragen, had she been waiting for me all this time? As soon as she made eye contact with me, she strode over and dismissed the knights, then looked at me askance. ¡°You seem to have dressed up quite diligently.¡± ¡°Do I? I just came out as I always do.¡± As she flipped her hair once, the scent on her hair began to spread thickly. It was clear that she hade out with intention. I didn¡¯t know what aspect of our conversationst time she liked so much, but it became certain that her attention was focused on me through this action. This had happened a few times before, so I wasn¡¯t flustered and just quietly looked at Miragen. She had put in quite a lot of effort in her own way, but to me, it was close to what I had always seen before. It really meant nothing to me. Perhaps she didn¡¯t like my indifferent reaction, Miragen tossed her hair a few times and then folded her arms and began to stare at me intently. After pondering for a moment at that sight, I let out a small sigh and opened my mouth. ¡°¡­It suits you well. It¡¯s the scent ofvender.¡± ¡°Right? Hmm, you¡¯re notpletely clueless after all. If you hadn¡¯t said anything, I was going to say something.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Miragen¡¯s eyes that were looking at me widened slightly, then narrowed, showing a strange expression. As if examining something about me, Miragen, who had been staring at my face for a while, smiled and distanced herself. ¡°I guess you have someone simr to me around you? Usually, people who talk to me are all surprised, so I was surprised that you weren¡¯t that surprised.¡± ¡°Someone simr¡­¡± It seemed my calm attitude was the problem. Miragen¡¯s personality was a bit light for a princess, so even people close to her mostly found it unexpected. But I had been watching her for a very long time. Perhaps there were parts she didn¡¯t know, but I might know them. So I wasn¡¯t surprised. After pondering what to answer, I just smiled slightly and replied. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, that. I¡¯m sorry.¡± There was a lover from a very long time ago, Miragen, but she was gone now, wasn¡¯t she? But Miragen misunderstood something from that answer and bit her lip, then gently tapped my shoulder. She seemed to have mistaken it for something else, looking embarrassed. Should I correct her thought? But it wasn¡¯t bad to see her feeling sorry like this, so I just left it. Let¡¯s say it was because I was upset that she didn¡¯t contact me. I was quite anxious, wondering if the contact would nevere, so she should taste at least a fragment of that emotion. Miragen, who said she would guide me and stayed by my side, remained silent for a moment and then opened her mouth. She looked much better than before when she was apologizing. ¡°I guess the map you gave me wasn¡¯t ordinary? His Highness the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes widened so much when he saw it, even though knowing the location of the different races wouldn¡¯t change anything.¡± ¡°Who knows? I¡¯m going to talk about what His Highness the Crown Prince saw now. Don¡¯t you know, Your Highness the Princess?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not very knowledgeable about these things. Well, as you know, I¡¯m not that extraordinary.¡± A faint anguish was evident in her yful smiling face. The power not being greatly distributed to her would always be a concern for Miragen at this time. Even if her older brother became the emperor, it was a problem that there was no room for her to be active in the era that followed as long as she was of imperial blood. In the previous run, I didn¡¯t meet the princess, but before that, I used to give Miragen various help. Because I judged that it would be helpful for me if her power grew. What about in this life, if I helped Miragen¡¯s power grow¡­ would it be helpful to me? I didn¡¯t know what she would think of me after the Crown Prince died, but it was certain that Miragen had to be the next emperor. As she had inherited the bloodline of the moon, any other legitimate heir besides her would only bring chaos. As I was lost in thought, I called out to Miragen, who was walking ahead alone, and she tilted her head at me. ¡°Do you have something to say?¡± ¡°It would be good to continue to have interest in the northwest. Aren¡¯t you doing a development project there now?¡± ¡°Oh, how did you know? I am doing it, but I¡¯ll probably give up soon. I guess the Taylors were interested in that area.¡± ¡°I rmend you don¡¯t give up on that. It will surely be helpful to you.¡± The northwest was full of mines that produced terranite used to create artifacts. Currently, the development had been temporarily suspended because the results were noting out, but as soon as next year, terranite would explode in abundance. It was advice I gave because I knew the future, but I didn¡¯t know how much she would listen to it. If she took it to heart, it would be a way to increase her power, and if not, wouldn¡¯t she just keep declining? Miragen, who had been listening to my words nkly for a moment, soon stared at me and muttered. ¡°Just now, you were concerned about me, right?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t concerned. Since we¡¯ve already joined hands, I just gave you a bit of advice-¡± Miragen abruptly grabbed my hand and sped her hands together. It was quite burdensome the way her eyes sparkled as if she was moved. I should have expected this reaction, but realizing it was a blunder, I smiled hollowly, and Miragen continued. ¡°Make sure toe see me next time. Okay?¡± ¡°As I said, I happen to be quite busytely.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an order, so juste. If that northwest thing really works out well, I¡¯ll repay you. Understand?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I understand. Should Ie once more next time?¡± I let out a sigh as she enthusiastically nodded her head. Did I say that for nothing? I didn¡¯t want to get excessive attention from her. As I turned my back to head towards where the Crown Prince was again, Miragen added once more. ¡°Make sure toe, definitely. Don¡¯t forget I said it was an order.¡± She was still bothersome as always. Well, if she changed, that would be even stranger. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 36 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó There was a time when I thought the reason for ruining everything about mey within myself. That I had made mistakes, that I had erred. I believed that if I corrected those, I could finally return to the starting point. But looking back, wasn¡¯t there something twisted from the beginning?The charge of treason was not something that could be simply imposed, as it was too heavy a crime. How difficult would it be to falsely use me, the eldest son of the empire¡¯s only ducal family, of treason? What was surprising was that the Crown Prince had splendidly seeded in that attempt no matter the situation. The number of times I had died, unable to ultimately avoid that usation, was several. Thus, what I had realized was that everything was not simply improvised. A meticulous scheme that even my own preparations could not ovee. Only then did I realize that the Crown Prince had intended to kill me from the beginning. But the question that arose was why he had targeted me of all people. I could understand why he killed Adele. As the ruler of the North, her power was so strong that if he nned to concentrate power in the imperial family, it made sense to cut her off, even if reluctantly. But I was just a pathetic person with no power, a mere good-for-nothing. So why did the Crown Prince target me? That¡¯s why I was trying to find that out. To show loyalty to someone with whom I could not live under the same sky. To drive a dagger into his heart from the closest position. *** I could feel I was a bit tense. Although I always tried to remain calm, now that I was told I would meet the Crown Prince, I couldn¡¯t help but tremble slightly. In a way, it was meeting a mortal enemy, and from another perspective, it was meeting the person to whom I would have to pledge my loyalty from now on. The princess grinned and pushed my back, tapping my shoulder and telling me not to be too nervous. I didn¡¯t feel nervous when I was with Miragen, but somehow the pressure the name Kaitel gave me seemed considerable. But what could I do? Now that I hade this far, I had no choice but to confront him. Even if he intended to kill me, he would have no choice but to keep me by his side since the Crown Prince was genuinely interested in me. Although the variable of the Dead Dragon¡¯s resentment existed, I was not so weak as to die easily. At least I could take him down with me, couldn¡¯t I? ¡°There¡¯s no need to be too nervous. If you treat him like you treat me¡­ he won¡¯t like it, but if you show proper courtesy, there¡¯s nothing to dislike. And in the first ce, you responded to his summons.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not nervous.¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go with that. Anyway, are you going to leave right away after you¡¯re done talking? If you want, you can spend some time with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± At that, Miragen frowned and pouted, saying I was mean. I couldn¡¯tugh at that reaction. My mind was too preupied. What should I start talking about first, and would I be able to manage my expression properly in front of the Crown Prince? After pondering that for a moment, I slowly took a step forward. Rather, as I passed through the door, my mind became at ease, and my expression softened considerably. Kaitel, that name was tied to me in many ill-fated ways. I didn¡¯t know how I would remember these steps I was taking now in the future, but by the time I exited this door again, I had to be a close associate of the Crown Prince. Of course, the probability of immediately bing a close associate was almost none, but it was always important to sow the seeds. To be an important person to him, to make it so that Robert Taylor could never be discarded by Kaitel. Exhaling softly, I moved forward like that. His room was quite different from other ces. A cold and solemn atmosphere had settled in, and although it wasn¡¯t as suffocating as my father¡¯s study, there was a strange tension in the air. An atmosphere where it wouldn¡¯t be strange if my throat was slit at any moment. As I closed my eyes and opened them again, I noticed a man sitting in front of me. Brushing back his ck hair, the same as the princess¡¯s, those indifferent golden eyes turned towards me. As our gazes met briefly, Kaitel, who smiled soon after, rose from his seat. ¡°Ah, was it Lord Robert Taylor? It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m also sorry for calling you at such ate hour.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Shouldn¡¯t Ie right away when you call for me?¡± ¡°I like that attitude. The Taylors are all good, but they¡¯re a bit difficult to deal with. I¡¯m d you¡¯re not like that.¡± This was the kind of person the Crown Prince was. On the outside, he seemed gentle and kind, but inside, he was coiled like a snake, hiding something. What was he hiding behind that warm expression? Someone who didn¡¯t know him well would not realize that he had issued orders close to massacres several times. Kaitel, who smiled brightly, tilted his head for a moment at my silence, then grinned and offered me a chair. ¡°Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t even tell you to sit down. I¡¯m sorry, let¡¯s sit and talk first.¡± As I sat down, I felt a gaze staring at me intently. As if examining something, the gaze contained a clear observation of me. I didn¡¯t know what he was curious about. At this point, it was certain he had made up his mind to kill me, so was he perhaps trying to probe my inner thoughts? But from Kaitel¡¯s perspective, I was just a prince whose behavior had recently changed. Even if he tried to find something special, there would be nothing in particr, so for now, he could only probe me. Thus, my attitude was quite confident. The tension I had felt earlier hadpletely disappeared, and I merely faced Kaitel¡¯s eyes that were staring at me. After a brief silence, Kaitel was the first to speak. ¡°¡­Actually, the reason I called you like this is to discuss the main point. There are many things I want to ask you, but what I¡¯m most curious about is the source of the map. You probably know what this map means, so where on earth did you obtain it from?¡± ¡°I found out about it personally.¡± ¡°If you found out about it personally, did you use your own informationwork or something? But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the situation. Don¡¯t you know your own position well?¡± His tone was still gentle, but the meaning contained in his words was not gentle at all. It was Kaitel¡¯s unique way of speaking, smiling while jabbing thorns. Although he seemed to consider it quite important where I had obtained the map from, there was no reason for me to answer that. And there was no way for him to find out either. This was information provided by Arwen from the previous run. Even if the Crown Prince tried his best to find out, it was information that only I could organize in this world. ¡°I just personally organized it. As you know, I have a lot of spare time these days, and I recently became acquainted with the saint as well.¡± ¡°¡­Well, if you say that much, I can¡¯t help it. I wanted to personally reward you. This information was of great help to me. Miragen simply considers it information about the different races, but I think you know.¡± Then Kaitel chuckled and shook his head. What he had just said flowed so smoothly that it could have been dangerous, but he was probing whether I knew about the relics. If I had simply said I knew, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to leave this ce. My gaze briefly turned to the sword ced in the corner of the room. Kaitel pondered for a moment, then pointed to the map and continued. ¡°The south was originally one of the most prosperous cities during the empire¡¯s heyday, to the point of being called the second capital. If the city of the moon is the current Eden, this ce is the city of the stars. It¡¯s a very old story.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the Temple of the Moon still remaining there? Someday, we will reim it. His Majesty the current emperor is a wise person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If I be the emperor, I n to recapture this southern region. It¡¯s already a widely known ambition, but people believe it to be a bit absurd and reckless¡­¡± Kaitel, who had been pacing with his hands behind his back, suddenly stopped and looked into the void. A glint appeared in his gentle eyes, and a slightly eerie smile was drawn. Then his gaze turned to me, and Kaitel spoke again. ¡°Do you also think that way?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure yet. I¡¯ve had many things to worry abouttely, so I haven¡¯t given it much thought.¡± ¡°Ha, if you really think that way, it would be a lie.¡± Tap, tap. Kaitel, who had walked right in front of me, narrowed his eyes. Eyes that shouted to tell the truth, as if looking at me. It was clear that he was probing me now. But what answer did he want from me? It seemed evident that what Kaitel was trying to say was that he would be the emperor and recapture the south, and he intended to exin the reason in connection with the relics. If he mentioned the relics, after that, he would probably talk about his own n to some extent. Then what attitude should I show? Should I submit and surrender? A sudden thought crossed my mind, and my brows furrowed. There was no need to go that far. Rather, if I took the initiative to back down in this situation, wouldn¡¯t it be too submissive an attitude for the eldest son of the only ducal family? ¡°What is a lie?¡± So I retorted with a bit more confidence. To make Kaitel more interested in me, not just as luck that had rolled into his hands. It was a move to make him think that there was no better card than me. ¡°You suddenly bring a map that I¡¯ve never heard of before, subtly throw your support for the imperial family, and recently said you would be the family head. And you¡¯re acquainted with Adele of the North and have a friendship with the saint. Can you really say you have no interest in my affairs?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Your connection to the imperial family was not aimed at Miragen. Lord, you actually needed my connection, didn¡¯t you? I hold the real authority, so if you want to obtain the Taylors, you would need my power the most.¡± Kaitel, who pointed to himself with his finger, smiled. That smile contained certainty. Thankfully, he hadn¡¯t realized what I had been thinking. ¡°¡­Hah.¡± There was no need to argue even in this situation. Sighing once, I showed a troubled expression as if my inner thoughts had beenpletely seen through. At my bitter smile, Kaitel chuckled softly. ¡°I can¡¯t hide it if you say that much. Yes, I was actually thinking that I needed Your Highness Kaitel¡¯s power. My forces are still weak. Until now, I had been keeping a low profile, but to make a leap, I need a solid connection.¡± ¡°So you chose me. But what were you going to do if I didn¡¯t show interest?¡± ¡°I would have thought it couldn¡¯t be helped. But I didn¡¯t consider that possibility.¡± My gaze turned to the map again. Although I had answered that I didn¡¯t know about the relics, not even being able to make a guess would be showing myself as a fool. I¡¯m not calling Miragen a fool, but at least as the eldest son of a ducal family, it was information I could deduce. If I connected the south with the Crown Prince, wouldn¡¯t it be natural to think that the Crown Prince would show interest in this map? ¡°The locations of the relics and the different races are probably rted.¡± ¡°¡­Did you consider even legends? I thought you were brilliant for a moment, but it seems I waspletely wrong.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you convinced it¡¯s not a legend?¡± I didn¡¯t miss his eyes shaking for a moment. What I said was just a guess after all. Of course, I said it knowing everything, but to the Crown Prince, my words had to be a guess. It was absurd for me to know the exact locations of the relics. As if pretending to be angry, I smiled slightly at his ring eyes. The moment he harbored such emotions, the advantage was mine, so the Crown Prince soon chuckled and shook his head, answering. ¡°Why do you think the relics exist?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the south the city of stars, as you mentioned earlier? The reason for wanting to recapture such a ce, the distribution of different races unusually clustered in one area, and the Temple of the Moon still remaining. Anyone could have guessed, but now I¡¯m convinced.¡± ¡°Indeed. Different from the rumors.¡± Shing- The Crown Prince, who drew his sword, swung it in the air a few times, then quietly approached me. What was contained in that silence was genuine murderous intent. Of course, I didn¡¯t tremble. Knowing this murderous intent was false, I merely waited until he opened his mouth. ¡°I ask, what would you do if I said I would behead you here?¡± ¡°Behead me.¡± ¡°¡­I ask, if I don¡¯t behead you here and let it pass. What do you think I will order after that?¡± ¡°You will order me to secure the relics in the south.¡± The smile on his lips deepened, and before I knew it, the sword that had been held in his hand was thrown to the floor carelessly. At the same time, I knelt down. An oath to be loyal to him, cing my hand on my heart, I closed my eyes and bowed my head. It was not humiliation. If the day came when I no longer had to kneel before him, that day would be the day when everything ended. Kaitel spoke, in a very gentle voice like the first time. ¡°Then, can you secure the relics?¡± ¡°If you wish. I will do so.¡± The moment I said I would go to the south, the gears that had started turning finally began to mesh. The south where I would go with the saint, the Temple of the Moon rted to the Dead Dragon, and the relics scattered everywhere. Kaitel, who had been smiling alone for a while, then held my hand, lifted me up, and answered. ¡°That was a good answer. Lord Robert Taylor. No¡­ I should call you differently.¡± With a smile even kinder than when we first met, he looked at me like that. ¡°Isn¡¯t it Lord Taylor?¡± It was truly a pleasant answer, so I also smiled and nodded. This was just the beginning. The first step of the rebellion to kill him had finally taken one step forward. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 37 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°How much do you know about the relics?¡± ¡°I only know that they exist. This was just a guess, but¡­ not anymore.¡± Kaitel, who had me sit again, nodded his head. It was absurd for me to know the details about the relics. Even I only knew about the Moonstone, but I didn¡¯t know what abilities each relic possessed. A question that suddenly came to mind was whether the Moonstone still remained. Since I had used it, it should have disappeared, but at this point in time, I had not used the Moonstone. Was it gone, or did it still remain? Around the time I was pondering that, Kaitel opened his mouth. ¡°The power possessed by the relics is enough to capture an entire city, ording to a book. I think it¡¯s necessary to obtain them to achieve my goal. What do you think?¡± ¡°If we can have them, it¡¯s better to take them. But the problem is whether we can bring them, wouldn¡¯t the church keep an eye on relics rted to the moon?¡± ¡°¡­If they were relics rted to the moon, that would be the case.¡± The Crown Prince, who chuckled slightly, soon nced around and fixed his gaze on me. Then, as if uttering a quite light topic, he opened his mouth in a cheerful tone. ¡°But the empire¡¯s relics were not rted to the moon. Rather, they might be the opposite.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean.¡± ¡°Think a bit deeper. If they were relics rted to the moon, why hasn¡¯t the church been searching for them all this time? They tried to protect the temple at all costs even during the process of the south being consumed, so why didn¡¯t they take any measures?¡± His words made some sense. If it was rted to the moon, the church would spare no effort, but considering that even now, with the saint appearing, they showed no interest in the relics, wasn¡¯t there definitely something? After pondering for a moment, I gasped at the word that suddenly crossed my mind. ¡­No way. ¡°If they are rted to the Dead Dragon¡­ they wouldn¡¯t want to find them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The empire¡¯s relics are like that. Because they are rted to the Dead Dragon, no matter how powerful they are, they weren¡¯t used.¡± The idea that the relics were rted to the Dead Dragon was something I had never thought of until now, so I could only nkly listen to Kaitel¡¯s words. Then did it mean that the Moonstone I had used was also a relic of the Dead Dragon? If I had regressed using the power of the Dead Dragon, why on earth did the Dead Dragon create such relics in the first ce? Before my questions were fully answered, Kaitel pointed to a part of the map and began to speak again. ¡°I n to use the resentment of the Dead Dragon. If we control it and contain it, we can use it in a beneficial way. It¡¯s still in the experimental stage, but if you bring just one relic, I think we can use it a bit more actively.¡± ¡°What happens after I bring the relic?¡± ¡°What do you mean what happens? It will happen as I call for it.¡± After a brief pause, Kaitel added with a small smile. ¡°Lord Taylor, should I call you that then?¡± *** Although it was a bit disturbing that the relics were rted to the Dead Dragon, it seemed there was no need to think deeply about it. If the regression of the Moonstone was rted to the Dead Dragon, wouldn¡¯t I have been affected by it long ago? Even putting that aside, if I thought about the immediate gains, it was that I had gained a connection with the Crown Prince. The humiliation of kneeling was nothing. Right now, he would be pleased that the son of the Taylors had bowed to the Crown Prince to that extent. But if the situation turned around, I would never have to bow my head before Kaitel. Now that I had finished my business and was about to leave, I noticed a figure standing in the corridor. I could recognize her immediately because she was wearing the same clothes as before. As I slightly bowed my head, Miragen smiled brightly and approached. ¡°I see you¡¯re done talking. I was just passing by, I didn¡¯t expect to run into you like this by chance.¡± ¡°Is it really by chance?¡± ¡°It is by chance. You didn¡¯t think I would wait here until you finished talking, did you?¡± I thought Miragen was capable of doing that, but I shrugged my shoulders and walked forward. Perhaps because the conversation with the Crown Prince had been quite long, the sky had already turnedpletely dark. Although the streets were still bright withnterns, there probably wasn¡¯t time to do anything. Miragen must have known that too, as she didn¡¯t repeat what she had said earlier. She tended to do anything if she thought it would benefit her, but she probably didn¡¯t want to hear rumors about socializing with a mante at night. So we walked for a long time. Neither Miragen nor I had much to say, so only silence flowed. Then, as if she found this quietness boring, Miragen¡¯s elbow nudged my side. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Your making me feel awkward, did you get scolded earlier or something?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that. But what can I say to Your Highness the Princess? The difference in status is clear when ites to making small talk.¡± ¡°Ugh, do I seem like someone who cares about that?¡± ¡°¡­No, you don¡¯t.¡± She would probably engage in small talk withmoners if they got along well. In the first ce, the reason she became close with Adriana was for that reason, so Miragen really disliked such formalities. But it was still better to draw a line. There were quite a few things to question about Miragen in many ways. ¡°You can just call me by my name. There¡¯s no one around now, so try calling me Miragen.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just call you Your Highness the Princess. We¡¯ve only met twice, haven¡¯t we?¡± ¡°You said you¡¯re friends with Adriana. I¡¯m not that strict with my friends¡¯ friends.¡± How could a person not change at all? Of course, it was Miragen at a point where she couldn¡¯t possibly change, but seeing her speak so familiarly as if it were natural made me feel strangely emotional. Our first meeting was in the Moon Towerst time, and this was the second time. Even if it was awkward to the point of being shy, it wouldn¡¯t be strange, but I kept my distance from Miragen, who kept approaching me. It was morefortable being with Adriana or Adele. Since she approached me so tantly, I couldn¡¯t easily brush her off, so I soon let out a small sigh and opened my mouth. ¡°I think I should get going. It¡¯ste, so you should go in first.¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯re not even at the main gate yet?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be good to set a precedent of the princessing out to see me off at the main gate. I don¡¯t mind, but someone might find fault, saying itcks dignity.¡± Perhaps she took my words as concern again, Miragen stared at me intently for a moment, then nodded slightly. But since the corners of her mouth couldn¡¯t help but twitch, Iughed bitterly at the sight. I knew she had an interest in me. But it wasn¡¯t romantic feelings between a man and a woman, so there was no need to think too deeply about it. So we walked for a long time again, and Miragen, who thought she should stop following me now, halted her steps. Then she tapped her chest and took out the artifact she had given mest time, adding. ¡°Keep that with you. I might request something of you next time. Adriana might call and contact you on my behalf, so don¡¯t ignore it.¡± ¡°Why would I ignore your message? If you contact me when you need to, I will always answer. But¡­ Please refrain from saying anything too difficult.¡± ¡°Di- difficult, what do you mean?¡± ¡°If you mention the word paramour again, it will be troublesome for me. Wouldn¡¯t the saint misunderstand as well?¡± Then Miragen waved her hand, telling me not to worry, and quietly said goodbye, telling me to leave now. Seeing her smiling face, I turned around, and the princess, who seemed to have no intention of following me anymore, was seen getting farther away. Then I should go now. There were many things to do even if I returned to the ducal estate. Now it was about time to start working on the servants¡¯ families as well. If this matter was over, it would be better to prepare to go to the north. After going to the north, it would be the south again. Only after visiting the south would my forces beplete, so only then would the preparations to bring down Yuria be finished. So I walked for a long time, and suddenly, hearing the sound of a carriageing from far away, I raised my head. The pattern on the carriage that had stopped near the one I was riding was truly familiar. After staring nkly at the Taylor family crest for a moment, I smirked upon seeing the woman who got out of that carriage. The reason our Young Lady hade all the way here was too obvious. ¡°¡­Robert, I hope you didn¡¯t cause a scene.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you toe out to see me off. Were you worried?¡± When I said that sarcastically, Yuria frowned as if displeased. Seeing her furrowed brows, the purpose of hering all the way here seemed clear. She probably heard that I had gone to the pce and came. Since I could make connections without her knowledge, it must be a part of her keeping me in check. ¡°I was worried you might have done something foolish again. Like you did before, do you know there are things you can¡¯t whine about like a child?¡± ¡°Whine? That¡¯s a ridiculous analogy.¡± ¡°Did you think the princess would listen if you did it like you did to Mother? I believe you wouldn¡¯t have done that. You were young then, but now you¡¯re a grown adult.¡± Even after experiencing what happenedst time, this attitude was simply to provoke me. My expression hardened for a moment, but Yuria sneered at that face and continued. ¡°I don¡¯t know what business you had at the pce today, but no matter how hard you try, nothing will change. Even the imperial family can¡¯t directly intervene in the session of the Taylor family head.¡± ¡°Then why did youe? If not to keep an eye on someone as insignificant as me?¡± ¡°I came to see Her Highness the Princess. To apologize for the foolish act youmitted regarding the subjugationst time, thinking she must have misunderstood.¡± ¡°¡­Do you think it was a foolish act?¡± There was a limit to foolishness. Seeing her caught up in the thought that what I had done was simply wrong, my brows furrowed. Where would I even start correcting her, and whether she would even listen to me in the first ce was questionable. I had to show her some evidence to pressure her, but there was nothing to show in the current situation. So as I was pondering, the ¡®evidence¡¯ to show her appeared in an unexpected form. ¡°Your tone sounds quite sharp, are you really siblings?¡± At the sudden voice, I turned my head to see Miragen walking towards us. I didn¡¯t know how she had heard this conversation. She would probably make an excuse that she just happened to overhear it while passing by. But with Miragen appearing here, the advantage had shifted. Seeing Miragen¡¯s expressionless face as she passed by me, I couldn¡¯t help but smile inwardly. Miragen only made that expression when she was quite angry. ¡°The Young Lady of the Taylors, may I call you Lady Yuria?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what this is about, but if it¡¯s about business, I¡¯ll go first-¡± ¡°I didn¡¯te to talk about that. But do you have some business with Lord Robert?¡± ¡°We were in the middle of discussing family matters. It will be over soon, so if you wait inside, I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Even though it was merely an interruption, Yuria bowed her head and replied without showing any such intention. Seeing this side of her was admirable, but unfortunately, her wish was unlikely toe true. Miragen, who grabbed my arm, narrowed her eyes and stared at Yuria. If she had heard the entire conversation earlier, she must have realized that it was quite an aggressive remark towards me. What Miragen, who was favorable to me, would say was too obvious. ¡°Unfortunately, there will be no discussion with you today.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± At the solemn and serious tone, Yuria looked at Miragen in surprise. Unlike the yful tone she had with me, the widely known voice of the princess filled the surrounding stillness. Yuria barely managed to answer, but Miragen pulled my arm, pressed it against her body, and continued. With dangerous words that could be quite misunderstood if someone saw. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of borrowing Lord Robert. Probably¡­¡± When her rolling eyes finally stopped, I couldn¡¯t help but let out a hollowugh at what she said. ¡°All day long.¡± I didn¡¯t know how she would handle these words. She probably just blurted out whatever came to mind. But Miragen seemed quite pleased with the fact that she had taken a jab, so I couldn¡¯t say anything about it. Of course, Yuria¡¯s expression as she nkly stared at Miragen was quite refreshing. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 38 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°Are you¡­ really going to do that?¡± Yuria, who had struggled to move her lips, asked back. It would be difficult for her to understand that answer. Putting off talking to her, the Young Lady, and choosing to go back with me.It sounded like she waspletely taking my side. Of course, Miragen had probably said it on a whim because she was feeling unpleasant. But it must have been quite a shocking statement for Yuria. ¡°Yes, I have something left to discuss with Lord Robert.¡± ¡°I thought you had something to discuss with me too.¡± ¡°We can do thatter. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s urgent enough that we have to do it right now.¡± Miragen, who seemed to have guessed what Yuria wanted to talk about, answered in an even lower voice. She probably thought it was quite awkward to talk about that matter too. The imperial family¡¯s position was on the opposing side regarding the southern subjugation, so wasn¡¯t it obvious what Yuria hade here to talk about? Yuria, who had bitten her lips tightly for a moment, red at me. She looked like she wanted to say something, but she couldn¡¯t do that in front of the princess. Moreover, since the princess also seemed to be taking my side, she would be confused in many ways. As I grinned and shrugged my shoulders, Yuria¡¯s fist trembled. ¡­Certainly, connections were good. I didn¡¯t expect the situation to be reversed like this, but when I made eye contact with Miragen, she winked at me and smiled slightly. In the end, the one who backed down first was Yuria. Since Miragen had refused, there was no more justification, so she would try to find another opportunityter. Yuria, who bowed her head to the princess, then made eye contact with me and opened her mouth. ¡°Then I will take my leave first. I hope my brother doesn¡¯t cause you any inconvenience.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Lord Robert is not that kind of person.¡± ¡°¡­I understand.¡± Her eye muscles, trying hard to feign calmness, trembled for a moment, then Yuria turned around and immediately disappeared, riding the carriage. By the time the sound of the horse grew distant and out of sight, Miragen stuck out her tongue and grinned at me. ¡°Hmm, how was it? I was quite helpful, right?¡± ¡°Can you handle it?¡± ¡°Yuria Taylor was probably desperate to talk to me in the first ce. She¡¯ll probably try to make a move to smooth things over regarding this subjugation. It seems she was on the opposite side from you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking about what you just said, not that.¡± She had dered that she would borrow an outsider man all day long. Any other time would be fine, but wasn¡¯t the current timepletely dark night? When I casually pointed at the moon, Miragen, who had been nkly staring at it, blushed slightly. ¡°Ah.¡± I knew this would happen. As I let out a small sigh, Miragen¡¯s wavering eyes met mine. What she was imagining¡­ even a fool could probably tell. *** Miragen¡¯s attitude as she reached out to me was quite bold. With a resolute expression and a resolute tone, Miragen, who had reached out her hand as if to touch my chest, opened her mouth. ¡°First of all, don¡¯t misunderstand. No matter how light-hearted I may be, I do have a line I know to keep.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that tone, as if I don¡¯t know anything? Anyway, when I said I would borrow Lord Robert, I didn¡¯t mean it that way. Hmm, you can think of it as me throwing you a lifeline.¡± A lifeline, it wasn¡¯t wrong. If it weren¡¯t for her, I might have argued with Yuria, and she might have said something that crossed the line. Moreover, it felt like she had taken a jab at Yuria. My feelings towards Miragen were purely gratitude. She, who was busy taking in what she had done, eventually asked me as if something was strange. ¡°But you don¡¯t seem to get along very well. I didn¡¯t hear everything, but it felt like she was deliberately getting on your nerves.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t pay much attention to that now. I was going to retort too, but thanks to Your Highness the Princess helping me, I was relieved of one worry.¡± At those words, Miragen seemed to be in a slightly better mood, staring at me with twitching lips. It was an expression that said it was okay to praise her more. If she made that expression, I should stop praising her now. As I stopped talking, Miragen¡¯s spirited face gradually turned sullen. ¡°¡­Well, I¡¯m d it was resolved well. So what are you going to do now?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°When I said I would borrow you, I meant to help you. I can¡¯t keep you with mete at night, are you going to go back to the ducal estate?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind staying outside. Anyway, there¡¯s no one who cares much whether I¡¯m there or not.¡± She looked like she wanted to refute something at those words, but Miragen, who knew my situation to some extent, soon shut her mouth tightly. My situation could be said to be quite unfortunate in a way, so from her perspective, she probably wouldn¡¯t want to bring it up readily. In fact, I didn¡¯t really care where I stayed. If she wanted, I could stay at the pce for a day, but it was better to avoid that. I didn¡¯t think Yuria would go around gossiping about what the princess said, but unnecessary rumors could arise. If I was going to return to the ducal estate anyway, it was better to go back early. There was no reason to avoid Yuria in the first ce. If asked who was more confident between Yuria and me in the current situation, wouldn¡¯t it be me who had shown the princess¡¯s support? ¡°I think it would be better to just go back.¡± ¡°I thought so too.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to go through the trouble because of me. If it¡¯s in return for the advice earlier, I¡¯ve received enough with what just happened.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do it with that intention¡­ but I have no choice. If you need a carriage, let me know. I can call one for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t I have the carriage I rode to the pce?¡± When I pointed to the carriage standing alone, Miragen finally nodded as if she realized. Yet she looked a bit curious about my affairs. Even though she knew my reputation was bad, she had probably seen for the first time that my rtionship with Yuria was not good. I had appeared with Yuria in public, but it was all just to apany her as her assistant. From others¡¯ perspective, it would have looked like a younger brother assisting his older sister who had be the Young Lady. Even though I was ipetent, there were rumors that we had a good sibling rtionship because I tried to assist my sister. From my point of view, there was no more absurd rumor than that. ¡°Will you be okay?¡± Miragen said, looking at me getting on the carriage. After pondering for a moment at the voice that contained many meanings, I smiled slightly and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s fine. And this.¡± I lightly tapped the artifact on my chest. Originally, I had no intention of contacting her privately, but I had received help in many ways. It would be fine to asionally give her advice about the northwest. Miragen, who understood my actions, waved her hand with a noticeably brightened expression. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for your contact. It¡¯s okay to chat sometimes, you can just do it asionally.¡± Bowing my head slightly to her brazen response, I entrusted my body to the carriage. As the carriage jolted and moved, I saw Miragen heading back to the pce. I had always thought that I often got entangled with Miragen in many ways. Our first connection was made when we met at the ball, and in this run, I couldn¡¯t meet her because I was busy meeting Adele and Adriana. I always met Miragen for the first time on her birthday. At first, I considered it an honor to have met her, andter, I tried to seduce her to use her. When I think of the time we became lovers, I don¡¯t think it was bad. Because I found somefort in the fact that she was the one who grieved the most when I died. If even she had betrayed me, my regression might have stopped there and been stuck forever. Even when I was insane, it was also Miragen who directly took up the sword, and she always had a sad expression then. As if she knew I was not someone who would do that. She had an expression that looked like she was about to cry at any moment. So in this run, I wondered what would happen if I avoided her. I had questioned what would happen if we becamepletely unknown to eachother and erased our connection. But in the end, we met like this, so that too could be considered a failure. I didn¡¯t believe in fate. But if connections were predetermined, I thought there was a high probability that Miragen and I were connected in that way. In the end, didn¡¯t we have quite an interesting rtionship in this life too? Fiddling with the artifact on my chest, I put it back in with a bitter smile. ¡°¡­Winter ising soon.¡± To be precise, there were not many days left until I headed to the north, but there were definitely things to finish before that. Raising my support within the ducal estate could be done slowly without any problem, but Yuria¡¯s attitude was an issue. She thought everything I did was wrong and was simply moving forward ording to her own will in the current situation. Even if she did that, she would stumble on her own mistakes, but that was not the ending I wanted. She had to think of me a bit more seriously. She had to feel like I was a seriouspetitor to her, enough to be bothered by the path I was taking. What I wanted was for her to fall from the highest ce. When she becamecent, thinking she had obtained everything on her own, when she thought she had finally reached the peak through the ns she had set up. The fall that happened then would be true despair. While I was away, she would prepare in her own way, but by the time spring arrived after winter ended, wouldn¡¯t I be preparing even more than that? I thought I would be able to finish the preparations to bring her down by then. I didn¡¯t think Yuria would regret her past actions. There was a high probability that she genuinely believed all her actions were right. Recalling her actions, my brows furrowed for no reason. When I was at an age where my feet didn¡¯t even reach the floor under the chair, I was locked in the basement and had my nails pulled out. They stuffed my mouth full of cotton, and I felt the pain fully while suffocating and coughing. The thick pliers grabbed my nails, and each moment they were pulled out was engraved in my mind. I had begged them to pull them out quickly. Even if I asked them to stop, I knew they wouldn¡¯t listen, so I thought it would be better to feel the pain quickly if possible. Even as they sprinkled salt water on the spots where my nails had been pulled out, I suppressed my screams, believing I could be forgiven next time. Blood flowed from my clenched teeth, and my teeth shattered, with fragments circling inside my mouth. I think I was probably 10 years old. I knew quite well how Yuria viewed that incident, so I never had the slightest thought that she would regret it. My aim to be the family head was just a preparation process for rebellion. But at the same time, one thought urred to me. What expression would Yuria look at Lord Robert Taylor with? If the family she cherished so much was taken away by the younger brother she always considered pathetic and tainted by rebellion. What kind of face would she make then? What I wanted was not for her to regret her own sins. I just wanted her arrogance and carelessness, which she had harbored herself, to ultimately grab her ankles and crumble everything into futility. Wouldn¡¯t that be a fitting end for a woman named Yuria Taylor? It was time to nt a seed in Yuria, just as I had done to Theresa. A seed that would someday sprout more brilliantly than anything else. [T/N: Wtf¡­] ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 39 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Revenge, what I wanted was probably quite a dirty and sticky emotion. Even if it wasn¡¯t something I felt from simply repeating the regression, my feelings towards Yuria could never be clean. Why did it be twisted? I didn¡¯t know the reason. Yuria¡¯s heart had been twisted since birth, so from the beginning, the world she saw was close to being monochrome. She did not distinguish between the blood shed by humans and the blood shed by animals, and if she thought she was right, she would simply push forward regardless of what was sacrificed. Even when Mother passed away, I felt a momentary chill upon seeing Yuria¡¯s expressionless face.It would be foolish to harbor resentment towards such a person. No matter how much I appealed to a woman who did not consider her own actions as sins, in the end, it would be no different from shouting at a wall with no one around. Yuria Taylor was an obstacle to me. The most awkward and long-faced opponent I would eventually sh with. How should I bring her down? In what way should I get rid of her so that she would crumble and never be able to stand up on her own again, cowering forever? The method that came to mind was quite simple. Even if I couldn¡¯t ssify the method itself as simple, it was one of the things I had experienced before. Just as the name Yuria Taylor was a nightmare to me, maybe I could make the name Robert Taylor feel like a nightmare to her. Tap, tap. I tapped the armrest of the chair, lost in thought. As my thoughts became organized, I felt a sense of refreshment in my heart. It was quite a strange feeling, considering I was looking forward to someone¡¯s downfall. *** Clop. As the horse stopped, I soon realized I had arrived at the ducal estate. At a time close to midnight, Yuria had probably arrived earlier, as her carriage was already parked. The lighting from inside would be hers. I had pondered quite a bit to avoid running into her at the entrance likest time, but what greeted me was an empty hallway. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Did the Young Lady say anything?¡± When I asked if she had said anything about my actions, Renold shook his head and answered. ¡°She just came in, but she didn¡¯t say anything in particr. Did something happen?¡± ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s fine if not.¡± She must have thought it would be a self-inflicted wound to mention the princess. No matter how much she was the Young Lady of the Taylors, since Father had tacitly approved of my actions, it would be difficult for her to say anything about the imperial family and me. I shook my head at Renold, who asked if I would return to my room. It was better to face Yuria when her thoughts about me wereplicated. If she faced me in a confusing situation, it would be difficult for her to make a rational judgment. When I said I should see the Young Lady, Renold hesitated for a moment and soon nodded, saying he understood. Perhaps Yuria was not in her room, as Renold led the way to the dining area, where I saw Yuria drinking tea alone. ¡°You¡¯ve seemed quite upset since earlier, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. There¡¯s nothing to be upset about.¡± Then, as I was about to move forward, I stopped for a moment and spoke again. ¡°Since the surroundings might be noisy, take measures to keep it quiet.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Even if he couldn¡¯t create a barrier, he could at least silence the servants who heard strange things. Renold disappeared, and I moved my steps inside again. As the door swung open with a creak, Yuria raised her head. Seeing me, she chuckled slightly, then quietly opened her mouth. ¡°You said you¡¯d be together all day long, did you get stood up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my taste. Were you jealo- oh my.¡± ng. I quietly looked at the teacup that flew and hit the wall beside me, then turned my gaze to Yuria. The face that had been smiling was now gone without a trace, leaving only cold and deste eyes. The dining table without a single light on, as even the precariously burning candle was extinguished, was covered in darkness where we could barely see each other¡¯s eyes. Yuria, who had thrown the teacup at me, continued as if nothing had happened. As if regretting that it didn¡¯t hit me, ncing at the fallen teacup. ¡°I never told you to avoid it.¡± ¡°You never told me to get hit either.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve be quite boldtely. I guess you have someone to rely on? Robert Taylor.¡± ¡°Someone to rely on, huh.¡± Shrugging my shoulders once, I grinned brazenly. Right now, it was only Miragen, but I nned to create more in the future. Moreover, wasn¡¯t this a matter Father had tacitly approved of? All Yuria could do to me was get angry like this. No matter how many teacups she threw, nothing would change. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see it earlier? The one I rely on.¡± ¡°Just because the princess takes your side doesn¡¯t mean much will change. I wonder how long the support you gained by opposing this subjugation as a condition willst.¡± ¡°I think about a year.¡± ¡°What can you do with just a year? With just a year, do you think you can bring down my position as the heir that I have built up all this time?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± For a moment, Yuria¡¯s brows furrowed deeply. A year would be around next winter. By then, I would probably be thinking about the false usation of treason, so I had to have ownership of the Taylors. That¡¯s why I nned to make my move this winter. I had to finish everything before next fall arrived. Perhaps because there were no more teacups to grasp, Yuria¡¯s hand trembled and shook in the air. Exhaling through her clenched teeth, her eyes ring at me as if to devour me were visible. Yet the one who remained calm was still me. Picking up a piece of the teacup that had fallen to the floor, I spoke like that. ¡°You said before. That there are things that cannot be reversed.¡± It was a saying about trust, but now it had a slightly different meaning. A broken teacup does not return. Because Yuria herself threw it, even if it was put back together, it would not return to the teacup it once was. Wouldn¡¯t her fate be simr to this teacup? Although it had not been thrown yet, by this time next year, it would surely be shattered miserably. So it was a warning. For her to have at least a little sense of caution, to be wary and afraid of me. To monitor my every move, so that she herself would be bound by my movements. ¡°I n to be away for a long time in the winter. I need to prepare to be the family head in my own way, don¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­Ha.¡± ¡°In the north with Adele Igrit, and in the south with Saint Adriana.¡± Yuria¡¯splexion, which had beenughing in disbelief, briefly turned cold. As if trying to see if what I had said was a bluff, her eyes that had been staring at me intently soon narrowed. ¡°It would be better not to utter such words even as a joke.¡± ¡°Who knows? You¡¯ll soon find out whether it¡¯s a joke or not. Aren¡¯t you always watching me?¡± ¡°Watching you? You¡¯re really good at saying things I¡¯ve never heard of. Are you perhaps delusional?¡± ¡°Delusional, huh.¡± Fiddling with the piece of teacup I had picked up, I then threw it towards the curtain. With a brief swoosh, the piece of teacup that cut through the air soon hit something and stuck. It was not the sound of hitting a wall. The sound of prating something soft, so as I quietly looked that way, the maid who had been hiding finally revealed herself. ¡°Yo- Young Lady¡­¡± The maid, who covered the piece stuck in her arm, opened her mouth. It was a familiar face. She was the maid who always brought me tea or snacks when Renold was not around, so I knew well from the beginning that she was watching me. So I paid a little attention when I was outside. I deliberately went to crowded ces and tried to shake off the tail whenever possible. So she probably didn¡¯t know I had gone to the Moon Tower. If she had known, she wouldn¡¯t have doubted my friendship with the saint. Seeing the maid who had revealed herself, I began to speak again. ¡°I pretended not to know about those who had been by my side all this time for the sake of the Young Lady. Isn¡¯t it embarrassing to be caught like this? Ignoring me like that, yet keeping an eye on me.¡± Yuria did not even answer. She merely stared at me coldly, silently listening to what I was saying. But the emotion she harbored would be close to humiliation. She must have been a little flustered, as she had never expected me to be aware of such things. I approached Yuria, who couldn¡¯t say a word. Step by step, much closer than when she threw the teacup at me, now at a distance where we could fully see each other¡¯s faces. Deftly lighting the candle, I ced the broken teacup piece in front of her and opened my mouth. Smiling softly, as if whispering. ¡°¡­Were you perhaps afraid of me?¡± ¡°Robert Taylor!¡± Yuria, who had jumped up from her seat, grabbed my cor, but that was all. Her wrist, trembling and shaking without any strength, fell off as I tapped it lightly. Brushing off her hand, I continued as I tidied my clothes. ¡°If you weren¡¯t, you could have just said so. There was no need for you to act so rough.¡± ¡°¡­I have never been afraid of you. I have always considered you pathetic, relying on Mother and unable to do anything on your own. I have only despised you.¡± As if she couldn¡¯t believe it, Yuria chuckled and red at me roughly. ¡°Be the family head? Try all you want. Whether you go to the north and gain the support of the Grand Duchess, or go to the south and gain the support of the saint, nothing will change.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I am Yuria Taylor. The Young Lady of the Taylors, and the one who has sought to be the family head before you could even speak properly. You, you can¡¯t do anything. Robert.¡± Looking at Yuria, who made eye contact with me, a strange feeling blossomed. Even looking at Yuria Taylor, I no longer felt any emotion, just an empty feeling as if looking at someone else. Yes, just like when I looked at Theresa. In the past, I was afraid. When I first started this run, I tried to be indifferent to Yuria, andter, I harbored hatred for a while. But now, I didn¡¯t feel anything at all. A woman who couldn¡¯t control her immediate anger and confusion and had lost her senses, I was convinced she could no longer be my match. ¡°Then we¡¯ll find out after the winter passes. Whether I¡¯m qualified to be the family head or not.¡± ¡°You¡­ can¡¯t be it, Robert.¡± ¡°No, I will be it.¡± Gaining the support of Adele, the support of the church. And gaining the support of the imperial family to make the Taylors mine. In the process, I nned to create my own forces to prepare for the future, and to regain my own realm to a certain level. When winter passed, when the bitter cold melted away and only warmth remained in the spring. Would I still call Yuria the Young Lady then? Smirking at Yuria, who had clenched her teeth, I slightly distanced myself and politely bowed my head. It was an etiquette I had never shown before, fully observing the rules. Yuria stared at me at the greeting. ¡°Before, you asked me if I was confident.¡± It must have been what she said before I went to the pce. It was something I said to provoke her. Wondering if she still remembered, as I looked at her, Yuria drew a dagger and cut her palm. Pressing her bleeding hand tightly, she red at me and moved her lips again. ¡°¡­I will definitely be the family head. And I will make you take responsibility for what you said.¡± Responsibility, I knew well what that word meant. How many times had I died entangled in that responsibility? But I was not afraid. I had long ago made up my mind to choose where I would die in this life. I had not lived carelessly enough to die by Yuria¡¯s hands. As such, there was no need to even harbor fear. ¡°Is that so?¡± But her wish would not be able to continue. Because I had made up my mind to be the family head, Yuria, who had only lived once, could not defeat Robert, who had lived 100 times. It was a predetermined story. In this fated y where the script, lines, and even the ending were set. The fate she would face was only one. Tragedy. Muttering softly as I recalled that word. My expression was now simply serene, as if I had nothing more to say. ¡°Then let¡¯s try it. When we meet next time, we¡¯ll roughly have that answer.¡± When I turned my back and left the dining room, the sound of something breaking loudly echoed from behind. For a long time, the sound that seemed to shatter everything inside finally stopped. Instead, only the roar of a woman screaming in agony remained. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 40 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Piiiii- She covered her ears at the rough tinnitus ringing out. Shattered teacups and tes were scattered all around, and she quietly looked at her bleeding hand for a moment. She felt no pain from the palm she had cut to make a vow.What really stung was her chest, stained with shame, so Yuria chuckled softly and put away the sword. ¡°Yo- Young Lady.¡± ¡­ Ah. Come to think of it, she wasn¡¯t alone. Yuria¡¯s gaze turned to the maid who had sunk to the floor. She had been assigned to monitor him, but she was a woman who couldn¡¯t even do that properly. Monitoring was only meaningful if it went unnoticed, so if he had noticed it long ago, didn¡¯t it mean she had failed to do her job properly? After pondering for a moment, Yuria soon rang the bell on the table. As the maids entered, startled by the sight of the table, Yuria ordered them. ¡°Clean it up. And this too.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°I said clean it up. Bury it somewhere appropriate, or divide it and throw it away.¡± Her answer flowed like water, and the maid was dazed for a moment, but she soon realized it was an answer regarding her treatment when her arm was grabbed. It is said that when one is too shocked, even words don¡¯te out. Ignoring the desperate gaze looking at her, Yuria sat on a chair as she looked around. The maid being dragged away was wailing. But it couldn¡¯t be heard. The tinnitus ringing in her ears drowned out the sound, and she was just staring nkly into the void with an expressionless face. Her passion from moments ago hadpletely disappeared. She had momentarily lost her senses due to her erupting emotions, but that was all. The sight of her instantly regaining herposure was quite chilling, but it was a familiar reaction to Yuria. Hiding her emotions was quite an easy task. How could she reveal her own anger and passion to just anyone? Yuria, who let out a small sigh, rubbed her brow. As the maid who had been dragged away disappeared, the tinnitus ringing in her ears seemed to vanish as well. And the thought that settled in her mind was, of course, Robert Taylor. Although she had let thest incident slide because he was her younger brother, she could no longer overlook his arrogant behavior. Did he ask if shecked confidence? Ha, Yuria let out a snort. She was already the Young Lady. If she wanted to be the family head, there was nothing she couldn¡¯t do. Whether he went to the north or the south, nothing had changed. It had been a lifetime of living for the family. To be the family head, she did not hesitate to stain her own hands with blood. In such a situation, for him to dare provoke her. No matter how much he had gained the support of the imperial family, if he thought something would change with that, it would be a miscalction¡­. Until the family head leaves a will, everyone has the right. Yuria, who recalled that family motto, chuckled softly. Depending on the circumstances, depending on the situation. By using that motto, she could be the family head first. As she thought of her father, Yuria¡¯s expression deliberately turned cold. She had lived for the family. Because that was what she had learned since childhood. She had learned the ¡®lessons¡¯ she had given to Robert first, and the purpose she had harbored while doing so was to be the family head. She had no intention of leaving those who interfered alone. Even if it was family. As long as the family remained, what did it matter if they were family? Yuria, who thought so,ughed coldly. Her eyes, which had been shining with a freezing light, soon turned hazy and lost their light. *** The autumn, which I had expected to be very long, ended, and now the winter when the north wind blew had arrived. The red-stained leaves touched the ground and withered, and only the bare trees shivered in the cold. But for me, it could be said to be the most important season, as this winter could be said to determine most of my current run. The first ce I had to go was the north, and I thought I would have to stay there for about one to two months at most. Even if it took longer, I had to return before the end of the year and go to the south, so that I could match the timing. Recalling the message I had received from Adriana a few days ago, I swallowed dryly. She said there was a high possibility we would move together while in the south. She was happy, saying it was fortunate, but I wondered if I should be happy about that. Time was tight. I needed to have as much personal time to move as possible. If necessary, it would be better to move alone using the early mornings. ¡°One month in the south.¡± One month, excluding the time to travel between the south and here. Within that time, I had to find and secure information about the relics, so I would have to move urgently. All information about the relics was managed by the imperial family and the church. However, the relics in the south were not even touched by the church, and the information was alsocking, so it was quite difficult to find unless one had a direct connection to the imperial family or the church. It could be said that it was truly a stroke of luck that I had obtained the Moonstone. Of course, I had found some information about the relics through Arwen. I would ask her to continue investigating even while I was in the north, so that was a matter forter. The issue I had to worry about now was purely how to move in the north. It was easy to belong to a group. I already had the experience of being with them many times, and Adele was lenient towards those she liked. But the problem was how to warn her about the treason. If she had sensed it, it would be fine, but if not, I was quite afraid of how she would view me. It was inevitable that Adele would be falsely used of treason. If I could prevent that and make her my ally, I could at least bring the north, which upied 3 out of 10 parts of this empire, under my power. It might be too optimistic, but I thought I could prevent it. If it was the Adele Igrit I knew, she would at least not ignore my words. What if I had warned her a bit more strongly before? Not just saying it might not be the case as a passing remark, but seriously warning her that it was dangerous. Would I have heard the news of the Crown Prince¡¯s death instead of Adele¡¯s? ¡­But it was a meaningless assumption. In the end, what mattered was this life, so I smiled bitterly and checked the sword at my waist. It was a sword I had asked the cksmith to make to withstand a considerable amount of mana. Although it wasn¡¯t as good as the sword I had borrowed from Adelest time, I thought I could use it quite well if it was of this level. As I was examining the sword this way and that, Renold, who had loaded all my luggage into the carriage, approached me. He seemed to find it quite strange that I had brought a sword. It was natural. Since I had never even held a sword in front of Renold, even if it was for self-defense, he probably thought something else would be better. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll have to use a sword, aren¡¯t you going to meet Lady Adele?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but I might have to wield a sword unexpectedly.¡± ¡°The north, protected by Lady Adele, won¡¯t be such a dangerous ce. In any case, have a safe trip.¡± ¡°¡­Well, I hope you haven¡¯t forgotten what I ordered you to do.¡± At those words, Renold¡¯s eyes became more serious. Renold¡¯s role while I was away was simple. To monitor Yuria¡¯s every move in case she went astray. Rather than closely monitoring her, it was more about reporting to me when there were suspicious actions, but with Yuria¡¯s current state, there was a high possibility she would head in a twisted direction. Rather, it would be better for her to move in that direction. It would make it easier for her to self-destruct, so I hoped she would take a few more drastic measures. Renold had now be the only trustworthy person in the ducal estate. Since he had constantly watched over me and had not done anything particrly troublesome, I could judge that he could continue to be trusted in the future. Tapping Renold¡¯s shoulder, I quietly opened my mouth. ¡°I trust you. While I¡¯m gone, you have to do well.¡± ¡°¡­I understand.¡± Renold, who took a deep breath, nodded with a slightly more solemn gaze. Perhaps it was okay to express trust asionally. If it made the work cleaner, there was nothing more I could ask for. Renold bowed his head politely to me as I got into the carriage. Smiling slightly at that sight, I turned my head and looked forward. The wind blowing through my hair was cold. I would probably have to live in the origin of this wind for the time being. But it didn¡¯t bother me. The north was the ce where I had lived mostfortably. The wind blows. The carriage, rattling and shaking, began to run against the wind. Soon, a snowy field covered in white snow woulde into view. A ce where fierce wolves live, a ce where numerous tribes and blood flow. That pure white hell was the warmest ce for me, so my eyes, which had been shining, soon closed tightly. My mind had already reached the north. *** ¡°From now on, we are issuing a state of emergency alert.¡± Not long after the letter arrived saying that Robert was heading north, Lothos took the opportunity while Adele was away to gather the defense forces. It was possible because Lothos held the highest position in Adele¡¯s absence. Upon hearing the news that an alert close to a state of emergency had been issued, the soldiers began to murmur among themselves. An alert when there wasn¡¯t much time left until the subjugation of the tribes, and there was no event that would cause someone to invade the territory, so they were puzzled. Amidst that, Lothos opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve all heard the news that Lord Robert Taylor ising to the north. And I think you¡¯ve also heard that our Grand Duchess is preparing to go out to greet him.¡± ¡°Gre- Greet him, you say?¡± As the soldiers became noisy at the mention of greeting, Lothos raised his hand to calm them down. Of course it would be surprising, he himself had been dazed for a moment upon hearing the news that the Grand Duchess was preparing to go out personally. But it was his job to make judgments faster than anyone else. Lothos, who tapped his temple once, narrowed his eyes. He had already thought that the rtionship between Robert and the Grand Duchess was unusual. He didn¡¯t know what kind of connection they had, but it was extremely rare for the Grand Duchess to easily forgive someone. She had even said a few times that she liked him, and she had even worried about him. That Grand Duchess¡­ directly worrying about a man, wasn¡¯t it obvious? Lothos swallowed dryly and scanned the crowd. Perhaps realizing the seriousness of the situation now, everyone¡¯s expressions were equally serious. ¡°Do you understand a little why I said the situation is urgent?¡± Yes! Lothos, who smiled satisfactorily at the energetic answer, nodded his head. Although it could not be considered a state of emergency, they could not show even the slightest disrespect to the guesting to this north. If the Grand Duchess started to find fault with him, she might order the subjugation of the tribes alone. If they refused that? They might have to fight the Grand Duchess directly with swords. Adele¡¯s military prowess had been considered something beyondmon sense since the days when she led a mercenary group. The girl who had snapped the neck of a troll alone, didn¡¯t that girl¡¯s mercenary group grow up to upy the north and gain recognition, rising to the position of Grand Duchess? Seeing that legendary journey, there was no one here who disregarded Adele, so they each had thoughts about the man named Robert Taylor. And after a brief silence, one soldier carefully opened his mouth. ¡°Is it alright to judge that he might be Her Excellency¡¯s lover?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I thought you would ask that.¡± With a slightly gloomy expression, but then with a serious face, Lothos looked ahead and answered. ¡°That¡¯s what I think. Perhaps¡­ the Grand Duchess seems to be trying to take a lover soon. So we¡¯ll have to be careful with our actions from now on.¡± Gasp- The soldiers, who gasped, became noisy again, but Lothos thought it was about time. The Grand Duchess was about to turn 24, and if she was 24, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for her to take a lover. But her situation was so harsh that she had never had a rtionship with a man. She used to slit the throats of the men who approached her, so it was rather surprising that her connection with this man named Robert hadsted this long. So Lothos thought. Perhaps Robert didn¡¯t think badly of the Grand Duchess either. Even if he seemed to be hiding many things, didn¡¯t he seem excellent in other aspects besides that? He recalled the swordsmanship he had seen that night. And Adele¡¯s gaze nkly looking at Robert. Lothos smirked. After all, feelings tended to bloom without one realizing it. His own wife had also been connected through such a meeting, so now it must be time for the Grand Duchess to experience that as well. Suddenly, a gust of wind tickled Lothos¡¯s cheek. The wind was always cold, but today it felt unusually warm, was it just an illusion? Lothos, who had been looking at the lined-up soldiers, soon began to exin how they should move forward. It was a story about Adele¡¯s lover, which only Adele didn¡¯t know in the north¡­ ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 41 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°¡­ Something doesn¡¯t seem right about this.¡± It was the cloak she always wore, but for some reason, it looked awkward on her today. Adele frowned with a dissatisfied expression. After pping the cloak several times, she eventually sighed and fiddled with the fur attached to her shoulders.The letter that had arrived earlier was from Robert Taylor, saying that he would soon arrive in the North. Although she found it irksome that he came in winter when she had told him toe in summer, she didn¡¯t think too badly of it. After all, there wasn¡¯t much to do this winter anyway. Using that as an excuse to keep him here would suffice. The reason for keeping him? Adele smiled slightly. She liked him, but she also knew that he was hiding many things. She had no intention of letting him go until she heard those things, so it could be said that he was walking into the wolf¡¯s mouth of his own ord. Woof- When the wolf beside her barked, Adele patted its head, saying she understood, and took a step forward. It wasn¡¯t often that she personally went out to greet someone like this. Lothos had disappeared, saying he had something to take care of alone, so she ended up going out by herself, but it shouldn¡¯t matter. Rather, it was something Robert should be grateful for. For her, the Grand Duchess, to personally move, wasn¡¯t it something she rarely did? Just as she was about to go outside, a sudden question urred to her, and Adele showed a strange expression. ¡­ Come to think of it, there was no need to go out to greet him, was there? Why was she preparing to go out? Whenever she got involved with Robert Taylor, she felt like she was being swayed. The same went for his secret, and there were too many things she didn¡¯t know about him. Feeling annoyed, she tried not to go, but in the end, she sighed and took a step. She thought this winter would be busy, and it would be better to be busy. That way, she wouldn¡¯t have these pointless thoughts. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó It was better not to ride a carriage in the North. Knowing this early on, he didn¡¯t bring much luggage, but even that was barely enough for the sled pulled by wolves. Would they be able to reach their destination before sunset at this slow speed? Recalling the contents of the letter he had sent earlier, he slowly began to worry. Although he had said he would arrive soon, it seemed like it would take a bit longer, didn¡¯t it? Knowing Adele¡¯s personality, there was a high possibility she would send someone to wait for him in advance. Surely he wouldn¡¯t bete. With that thought, he traveled for a long time, and before he knew it, the sun was beginning to set. In the distance, he could see a procession waiting for them, so he stopped the sled and began approaching them. Just as he was about to bow his head slightly, apologizing for beingte, he noticed a familiar face. For a moment, his footsteps stopped with a thud. The woman waiting on a wolf in the distance was indeed a very familiar face. As he stared nkly for a moment, the woman riding the wolf approached, opening her mouth. A slightly angry, sharp gaze fell upon him. ¡°You have some nerve. I always thought you weren¡¯t ordinary, but to make me wait like this.¡± ¡°¡­ I had no idea you woulde out personally.¡± ¡°I came out for a change. I was bored.¡± Adele, who replied nonchntly, shook her head as if dumbfounded. He wondered how long she had been waiting. As he smiled awkwardly and looked at her, Adele tapped the wolf¡¯s back and opened her mouth. ¡°You¡¯ll have to take responsibility for making me wait. So, I¡¯m curious, how long are you nning to stay?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll probably stay for about a month. Although it¡¯s an informal visit, as a member of the Taylors, there are things I need to tell you.¡± ¡°A member of the Taylors, that¡¯s none of my business though.¡± If the Grand Duchess said she had no interest in such things, what would be of my words? As if finding my words uninteresting, Adele clicked her tongue and nced at the sword on my waist, her eyes sparkling. As expected, she would be interested in this. Since I had shown herst time, I thought there would be at least one asion to fight, but her reaction came faster than anticipated. ¡°You brought a sword this time. Do you think you¡¯ll have a chance to use it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for self-defense. You never know when it mighte in handy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to run away this time, saying you can¡¯t handle it? Good, then get on. We can talk after we arrive.¡± Saying that, Adele tapped her saddle and gestured to me, turning her back. Did she want me to ride behind her? As I looked at her puzzled, Adele replied curtly as if frustrated. ¡°What are you doing, get on behind me. If I keep riding that sled, I feel like I¡¯ll die of suffocation first.¡± ¡°¡­ Should I ride it?¡± ¡°Then are you telling me to let someone else ride? Don¡¯t make me say it twice, just get on.¡± Then she tapped the saddle again, making me smile bitterly. I didn¡¯t expect her to tell me to ride behind her, so I got on and settled into ce. Adele, holding the reins, signaled to depart. I had ridden a wolf many times, but riding behind Adele was quite a peculiar experience. The swirling snow didn¡¯t touch me at all, so I absentmindedly felt the wind while looking at the fluttering cloak. Soon, we would enter Adele¡¯s territory, and sure enough, the huge winter castle was soon revealed before our eyes. The castle, built with ice magic, would always regenerate on its own no matter how much it was destroyed. The walls of the North that had blocked foreign enemies for over a thousand years, wasn¡¯t it one of the reasons the North wasn¡¯t frequently invaded by other races? Indeed, its majesty was considerable, making even the attendants, including myself, widen our eyes. ¡°These days, there aren¡¯t many instances of our territory being invaded, so those walls aren¡¯t being properly used. I don¡¯t think there will be such urrences while you¡¯re here either.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s fortunate.¡± There was another reason I had deliberately prepared a sword. Since she wouldn¡¯t postpone the subjugation of the tribes scheduled for winter just because I hade, I thought she would probably force it through. I nned to apany them. And in that process, my original n was to belong to this group in the North. Although Adele was the leader of the North, it was better to have an appropriate friendship with the likes of Lothos and other executives. If not Lothos, then Toby. If those who had been with Adele since her mercenary days acknowledged me, establishing my position in the North afterward would be a piece of cake. In fact, it was easiest to showcase my martial prowess. I still couldn¡¯t use mana for a long time, but I thought I could at least finish off a decent opponent in a few exchanges. If necessary, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem to demonstrate my skills to a certain extent. Moreover¡­ ncing at Adele, she didn¡¯t say anything further, concentrating on holding the reins. I thought Adele must have also considered my martial abilities to some extent. It was already thankful that she didn¡¯t pry into it, but someday, I would have to exin it to her. I believed there were no eternal secrets. Once I had made up my mind to save a woman named Adele Igrit, I believed it was right to tell her a bit about the secrets I held. Whether she believed in regression or not. Even if Adele¡¯s personality made it highly likely for her to dismiss it as nonsense, I thought it would be better to speak about it to feel a little more at ease being with her. Of course, there was no need to say it right away. After some time had passed, when she finally sensed the danger of treason. I would be able to talk about it only after that time came. The snowkes falling from the gloomy sky touched my forehead. Frowning at the sudden chill, I quietly looked at the sky with a small smile that had inadvertently escaped. Now I felt that I had arrived in the North. Realizing that my fur-d body was shivering from the cold, I smiled slightly at the faint scent of blood in my nose. A ce where I could feel most at ease, at least for a while, a ce where I had escaped from my family and barely reached to meet a woman named Adele. ¨C This is unexpected, to think that Lord Robert Taylor would be here. ¨C ¡­ Please spare my life. I couldn¡¯t even remember how many times it had been, but I had definitely been here. Quietly looking at the snow falling on my palm, I clenched my fist. I hade here again. This time, not to run away, but to return to that ce again and change everything. And for my eternal rest. The North was cold and deste. Corpses wandered around, unable to find their ce to die, and wolves dug through the snow piled up to their necks in search of prey. Blood always flowed between people, but such things were quite familiar to me. Buuu- Along with the sound of trumpets, the people weing me were all familiar faces. Adele¡¯s subordinates who had been with her since her mercenary days, and those who had subjugated the tribes with me. However, to them now, I was just a stranger. Briefly swallowing the bitter taste in my mouth, I got off the wolf and extended my hand for a handshake. Lothos, who was standing at the very front, looked slightly surprised when I offered my hand and grasped it. The greeting of sping each other¡¯s hands rather than bowing, this was one thing I clearly remembered. ¡°Oh, are you familiar with the greeting of the North?¡± When Lothos asked, I smiled and answered. ¡°I know it well. Very well.¡± This was probably the third time, Lothos¡¯ hand was still soft. A humane hand that didn¡¯t suit the North at all, but would be missed if absent. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°This is where you¡¯ll be staying. You won¡¯tin about being disappointed, will you?¡± ¡°¡­ Can I be honest?¡± ¡°As much as you want.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think I was such an important guest, but¡­¡± The room Adele showed me was more luxurious than I had imagined. I had been to Adele¡¯s room a few times before, so I knew, but it wasn¡¯t as extravagant as the room I would be staying in. The furid out everywhere, and even the bedding on the bed was of a high-quality material that could only be seen in the capital. Adele also seemed slightly surprised as she pressed down on the bed I would be sleeping on and opened her mouth. ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t prepare it myself. Lothos said he would take care of it. I let him do it since he was working hard for a change, but what on earth is he thinking?¡± Lothos always had a tendency to misunderstand in strange ways. I thought this case would be the same, but I couldn¡¯t easily guess what he was thinking. I had expected he would have felt something when he saw mest time, but I didn¡¯t know he would prepare so diligently. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be a big problem.¡± After thinking for a moment, Adele shrugged her shoulders, saying it didn¡¯t really matter. In fact, it wasn¡¯t a big deal. It was just burdensome, but if Adele said it was fine, that was the end of it. Adele, who seemed to be leaving now, strode towards the door and turned her head to me, opening her mouth. ¡°Come to think of it, there¡¯s something I didn¡¯t mention.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡­ You must have had a hard timeing all the way here, Lord Taylor. It¡¯s been a long time since a guest hase, so I forgot for a moment.¡± Perhaps she had recalled that I hade from the capital. After all, most people found it quite difficult toe to the North, so it was understandable for her to say that. However, what was awkward was the title she used to address me. I didn¡¯t want to be called ¡®Lord¡¯ here, even if it was fine in the capital. Gazing at Adele, who had turned her back, I quietly added. ¡°You can call me Robert. Aren¡¯t you the highest-ranking person here, Grand Duchess?¡± Although Adele might not remember, she had always called me Robert. I liked that she had called me that, considering me who disliked the name Taylor. Adele, who had been staring at me intently, smiled and nodded. ¡°Alright, Robert. I¡¯ll see you in a bit.¡± With those words, Adele, who had been leaning against the door, closed it and disappeared. I quietly looked at the gently closing door. For some reason, my heart fluttered at that name I hadn¡¯t been called in a long time. Blinking for a moment, I stood up and quietly looked around the room. Unlike the humble room in my memory, this room could be considered the epitome of luxury. A sight rarely seen in the impoverished North, it was quite enjoyable to imagine what Lothos had been thinking. Even though many things had changed from the room I had stayed in before, I felt strangelyfortable being here. Hanging the sword on the wall, a faint smile appeared on my lips as I looked around. ¡­ To be honest, I preferred this ce to home. Much, iparably more. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 42 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The culture of the North was more free-spiritedpared to other ces. Considering a mere mercenary group had swept through the region and gained recognition, it could be said to be worlds apart from the noble culture of the central region. If the central banquet was a ce for socializing and all sorts of schemes, the banquet in the North waspletely different. It was a small festival in itself, celebrating the fact that a new connection had been made.To put it simply, it meant there was no harm in emptying one¡¯s mind and just drinking. As I was putting on the clothes hanging in the room and heading out, a particrlyrge person caught my eye. Anyone could tell he wasn¡¯t an ordinary person, his body alone seemed twice as big as others. He was too big to ignore, so I approached him and greeted him. Slightly surprised by my greeting, he then grasped my hand and shook it gently. With his build, it was closer to me being swayed, but I was used to moving my body to barely avoid falling over. ¡°You have quite a strong grip.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ You¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve seen withstand this.¡± ¡°My name is Robert Taylor. If you¡¯re heading to the banquet hall, shall we go together?¡± ¡°Sure, call me Bunta.¡± Although I already knew his name, I shrugged my shoulders and greeted him happily. He could be said to be a rather unique hybrid with orc blood mixed in. If he went to the central region, he would face persecution, but he had joined Adele¡¯s mercenary group and put his unique brute strength to good use, rising to the position of a close aide. Of course, since his intelligence was low, Adele and Lothos handled most of the administrative tasks. Bunta¡¯s job was mainly to liven up the atmosphere at banquets. As Bunta asionally nced at me, I looked at him, curious about his gaze, and he awkwardly scratched his head with a smile. ¡­ When he did that, it meant he was hiding something. Judging from Lothos and Bunta¡¯s reactions, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess what it was. They probably thought I was someone close to Adele, and if the misunderstanding had deepened, they might think I was her lover. Since they had decorated the room like that, I had thought about it, but I wondered what they were trying to do if Adele found out. Knowing Adele¡¯s personality, she would quite sternly punish such misunderstandings. I thought it would be a light punishment if only the head was left and buried. If it got worse and Adele felt ufortable, she would personally take up the sword and deal with it. By the way, Adele¡¯s lover. Even before, Adele¡¯s subordinates had tried to connect me and Adele unusually. They must have found it quite interesting that I, as a foreigner, was close to Adele. However, getting close to Adele was not a difficult task. Especially if she showed interest herself, afterward, even if I just agreed with her words, I could maintain the rtionship. I remembered Lothos¡¯ dumbfounded expression when I asked what was so difficult about it. I thought I would see it at least once today. The reason I had brought a sword was because I had somewhat anticipated what Adele would do today. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Coincidentally, my seat was right next to Adele¡¯s. It was quite tant at this point, but Adele just stared at me with a curious expression, as if she didn¡¯t know or care. Well, since I was a guest, there wouldn¡¯t be any problem even if I sat next to Adele. The only problem was that the seating at this banquet was firste, first-served. Adele must have taken her seat first, but only the seat next to her was empty. Lothos, who was sitting next to me, smiled and offered his hand. His goat-like beard was the same, so I felt strangely unpleasant. ¡°I introduced myself earlier, but my name is Lothos. Is this your first time in the North?¡± ¡°Yes, I just know a bit about the greeting customs.¡± ¡°Usually, there are often people whoe here without knowing anything, but I¡¯m d that the perception of the North seems to be improving these days.¡± ¡°It seems there are people who havee to visit besides me.¡± Then Lothos, who had been smiling for a moment, pointed to the northwest and continued. ¡°Recently, Her Highness the Princess visited. She hasn¡¯t left yet. She said she would personally inspect the Terra Knight mine in the northwest. It was quite a sudden event, so I was a bit surprised.¡± ¡°¡­ Aha.¡± The northwest, it was too obvious what Miragen was thinking when she made a move, so a hollowugh escaped me. I told her to take an interest in the northwest, not to go directly and even inspect it. If she had just stayed still, there would definitely have been results around the new year. It was my fault for overestimating Miragen¡¯s intelligence. I should have added that she shouldn¡¯t go directly, and it would be better to observe the situation. If it was the northwest from here, would it barely ovep with Adele¡¯s territory? If I had some spare time, I thought it would be good to head towards the northwest as well. Adele¡¯s subjugation of the tribes would probably extend to the northwest as well. In addition, there was a possibility of the tribes upying the mines, so if I didn¡¯t warn her, she might be stuck there for a while. By now, she would be anxiously waiting to see when the Terra Knight ore would be discovered. As I let out a small sigh thinking about Miragen, Lothos looked at me with a puzzled expression. Well, Lothos probably had a high probability of not knowing about my connection with Miragen. Even if he knew, it would be a public rtionship. He wouldn¡¯t know exactly how close we were privately. ¡°Were you acquainted with Her Highness the Princess?¡± ¡°We know each other to some extent. I received help from her in various ways.¡± ¡°You know the Princess too.¡± Hearing Adele¡¯s voice, I turned my head to see her looking at me with quite an interesting expression. Come to think of it, she had a simr expression when I said I knew the Saint. Although she seemed to be smiling softly, her eyes contained a faint chill. Adele, who had drunk the alcohol ced in front of her, quietly moved her lips. ¡°You know the Saint, you know me, and you know the Princess. You have quite a widework, unlike what I know.¡± ¡°There were various circumstances. Since I¡¯ve spoken about bing the family head, I couldn¡¯t just stay still.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s understandable. But that¡¯s your situation. Do I have to pay attention to that as well?¡± Staring nkly at the empty ss, Adele then poked my shoulder with her finger and continued. ¡°The only thing I¡¯m concerned about right now is you. Since you¡¯re the only one I¡¯ll keep in the North, whether you¡¯re close to the Princess or the Saint. It¡¯s better not to talk about other people here.¡± ¡°¡­ Did you say you¡¯ll keep me?¡± ¡°Yes, isn¡¯t that the reason you came this time?¡± As Adele calmly drank her alcohol, a strange silence fell over the banquet hall. It was clear that what she had just said could lead to various misunderstandings, but what was more problematic was what she said next. She said she would keep me. Did she mean she was thinking of keeping me in the North? ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before that I like you? I was thinking of making you my deputy, didn¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°I think I just told you that I¡¯m going to be the family head.¡± ¡°Strictly speaking, I¡¯m the Grand Duchess. If I wanted to, I could make you my deputy.¡± Her words, spoken in a serious tone, seemed quite sincere. However, she wouldn¡¯t really say this. I was just a bit surprised that she brought up this topic so lightly. If someone in this ce were to spread it outside, it could spread widely. Did it mean she trusted the people here that much? ¡°I believe you¡¯re not saying this in earnest.¡± ¡°I am serious.¡± Staring at me, who was slightly taken aback, Adele then chuckled and poured the alcohol. She poured half in her ss and filled mine to the brim, then raised her ss and opened her mouth. The serious atmosphere from earlier had dispersed in an instant, leaving only a yful smile. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m just saying it. I know well why you came here, and I have no reason to interfere with that.¡± ¡°Is that so? I was about to be quite disappointed.¡± ¡°¡­ Just bring your ss closer. Don¡¯t say anything unnecessary.¡± ng- As the lightly colliding sses were emptied, Adele took a deep breath. It was puzzling that a hint of regret had passed by, but soon her eyes that had returned to normal turned to me. ¡°If I were to say your purpose foring here, wouldn¡¯t it be a trick to return the handkerchief and take various things with you?¡± ¡°Various things, you say.¡± ¡°You probably need my support too. Robert, didn¡¯t you say it yourself that you¡¯re going to be the family head?¡± She had indeed seen through it to some extent. Although I didn¡¯t think it would go unnoticed, I was a bit surprised that she had realized it faster than I thought. Saying this meant she had been certain since the moment I sent a letter saying I woulde to the North. Since it must have been known that the family headpetition had started here as well, she must have inferred it in her own way. As I didn¡¯t particrly deny it since it was true, Adele nced at my sword and continued. ¡°I think I¡¯ve already sufficiently repaid the debt between you and me. Although I feel sorry for slitting your throat, I ended it by not asking about the secret you mentioned.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, I remember.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say it¡¯s bad for you to seek my support, but to obtain such a thing, you¡¯ll have to pay a proper price. So I have a proposal for you. Are you willing to hear it?¡± Looking at Adele with a serious tone again, I nodded and answered. Actually, I had somewhat anticipated this conversation. Since Adele would realize my true purpose at some point, there was a high probability that she wouldn¡¯t think favorably of that purpose. If there was a chance she would set conditions, and if her interest was directed towards me right now. There was only one thing left that she would propose to me. ¡°During your stay in the North, be my deputy. Listen to and follow my orders, but I promise to treat you on par with other deputies. Depending on how you act during that period, I will decide whether to support you or not.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m a deputy, there will be times when I have to participate in battles.¡± ¡°Are you not confident? You don¡¯t seem to have such skills.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I¡¯m just curious about when you prepared this proposal.¡± Then Adele answered with a smallugh. It was quite a natural response, as if she knew I would ask this. ¡°From the moment I first saw you. Didn¡¯t I tell you that I would make you my deputy?¡± ¡°It¡­ wasn¡¯t a joke.¡± ¡°If you do too well, I won¡¯t let you go. So you¡¯ll have to behave well. Adequately, so that I can let you go, but well enough to gain support.¡± Isn¡¯t that too difficult a request? As Iughed slightly at the absurdity, Adele emptied her ss while drinking, unfazed. She must have meant it sincerely in her own way. She would set a standard and say she wouldn¡¯t support me if I couldn¡¯t surpass it. Making me her deputy meant she would take me to the uing subjugation of the tribes. However, the atmosphere around us was slightly chilly. Although theypletely followed Adele¡¯s decisions, her deputies had an air of not being able to ept me. From their perspective, I was just a rolling stone, so I could understand their reaction. What could a young master who had been living luxuriously in the central region do? There were even rumors about me that I had never held a sword since birth, so some openly expressed their difort. A typical example was Bunta. He had been smiling well until earlier, but now he was ring at me and panting heavily. Lothos, who had seen my sword energy, understood Adele¡¯s thoughts and remained still, but even he seemed to have noticed that the people around were feeling ufortable. Lothos, who had been making a troubled expression while looking at me, then let out a deep sigh and opened his mouth to Adele. ¡°Your Grace, I think there will be quite a few objections to this decision.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then what do we do?¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one thing, isn¡¯t there? We¡¯ll have to follow our way.¡± Then Adele¡¯s gaze turned to me. I smiled bitterly at the look in her eyes, as if asking what I was going to do now when she knew it would turn out this way the moment she said she would make me her deputy. Last time, I had shown a single sword energy and said it was a secret. This time, it seemed she wanted to properly see my skills. The gazes pouring on me were plentiful. The noisy banquet hall had be quiet in an instant, and a suffocating silence descended upon me. The overwhelming pressure weighing on my shoulders, the dismissive looks, and the wary attitudes. I had always received such gazes whenever I came to the North. However, the reason I had be quite close with them was simple. Because I had the skills. Standing up from my seat, I looked at Bunta and opened my mouth. Bunta snorted at my yfully moving finger. ¡°We just need to fight once?¡± ¡°Fight and win.¡± ¡°I see.¡± My attitude was still rxed. That was because it wasn¡¯t the first time I had experienced this situation. My first time was Bunta, the next time was Bunta. And this time, it¡¯s Bunta again? In fact, even if everyone here attacked me, I was confident I could survive. If Adele intervened, it would be a bit overwhelming, but I could still somehow endure it. I didn¡¯t wield a sword. I had little mana, andpared to before, my body was so pitiful that it could be called trash. However, I was still the one who was called the Sword Saint. If I had a sword, defeating someone was not that difficult. That was the Sword Saint, so was that title false? I smiled slightly. It was a more rxed smile than ever. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 43 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The situation continued to flow ording to Adele¡¯s thoughts, but Lothos, who was watching it, still felt ufortable. He wondered if this was right. Although he had seen the sword energyst time, it wasn¡¯t a level that Bunta could ignore. Even though his head was stupid, wasn¡¯t he the one closest to Adele in terms of skill?Choosing Bunta of all people might have been a mistake. Worried that he might be embarrassed for no reason, Lothos let out a small sigh. Then he quietly approached Robert and cleared his throat. ¡°Ahem, ahem.¡± Robert quietly looked at Lothos. He roughly knew what he was going to say. He smiled slightly as he heard words like, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be okay? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to choose someone else?¡± Although Lothos would normally find him quite ufortable, he would amodate him since he judged Robert to be Adele¡¯s lover. He knew that Bunta had the best skills here. Rather, that was why he had chosen him. If he chose someone else, it would drag on due to various tricks, so it was convenient in many ways to demonstrate the skill difference by fighting a simple-minded person like Bunta. His current self, with not much mana umted, couldn¡¯t fight for very long. So it was better to show it briefly and intensely if possible. Tricks¡­ If he used them, he could extend the time. However, it was difficult to leave a good impression on them. Fiercely like a wolf, sharply like the north wind¡ªthat was the strength that was easy for them to acknowledge. His heart pounded slightly as he left the banquet hall and headed towards the empty yard. Even though it was just the usual verification process, he always felt this emotion when this moment came. ¡°It will be fine.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°At least, I won¡¯t disappoint you. It means you can trust me and watch without worry.¡± Saying that, Robert drew his sword. A strange wind blew with his light and nimble sword. Lothos shook his head and sighed at his expression that was still rxed to the point of being nonchnt. Didn¡¯t he look just like the Grand Duchess when he saw that face? Although they must have been born in different ces and lived different lives, Lothos, who had narrowed his eyes at the strange d¨¦j¨¤ vu, eventually raised both hands as if he had lost. ¡°Do as you please. I clearly stopped you. It¡¯s not my fault if things get twistedter, right?¡± ¡°I understand. So, are we fighting here?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, Bunta will be here soon.¡± Robert looked around at the yard surrounded by people in a circle. The faces of those who had been enjoying the banquet until just now were filled with a strange delight. Since the foreigner who had arrived today was engaged in a fight like this, from their perspective, it would be seen as an enjoyable spectacle. If possible, they would hope for Bunta to crush the foreigner. Robert, who hadughed slightly at the sudden thought, then quietly began to draw out the mana within his body. A blue streak of light rose in the darkness. The people¡¯s eyes were filled with wonder for a moment, then they gasped again at the giant figure visible in the distance. The giant axe,rge enough to split a person in half with a single blow, was a symbol of terror in itself. Lothos, who had swallowed dryly, checked Robert¡¯splexion. He wondered if he might have gotten scared, but soon he just stepped back with a bitter smile. ¡°¡­ Are you really a young master?¡± To think he would be unfazed even after seeing that. Who should be called the young master now? Even as he stepped back and blended in with the people, Lothos¡¯ gaze was still directed at Robert. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The situation was very different from when he faced assassins. At that time, he had fought while properly controlling himself so as not to wake up Arwen, but this time, it would be right to fully demonstrate his skills. Of course, he nned to hide them to some extent depending on the situation. Even if he hid them, he was confident he could overwhelm, so he slowly injected mana into the sword and looked around. ¡®He still uses an axe.¡¯ Dozens of people died with each swing of that axe. I had directly watched that scene from the side, but that was why I was confident I could avoid that axe. My physical condition¡­ well, it wasn¡¯t bad at this level. At least it was much better than when I first regressed, wasn¡¯t it? Since I had been consistently exercising along with facing the assassins, my senses had returned a lotpared to before. Still, it was far from being as good as when I swung the sword all day long back then. Even throughout all my lives, it would be hard to find a time when my body was as good as it was then, so wasn¡¯t it unavoidable? Tuk tuk, I jumped into the air a few times and swung the sword. Horizontally, vertically, when mana was imbued in the thrusting sword, a blue trajectory was drawn, and a small exmation burst out. This was a movement I wanted to show Bunta. Be vignt, don¡¯t swing recklessly, but sh with all your might. Imbuing mana into the sword was not something anyone could do, so I noticed Bunta¡¯s gaze had be much more serious and stopped moving. ¡°I think we can start slowly.¡± ¡°Is that so? I guess I don¡¯t need to lend you a sword this time.¡± ¡°This one is quite useful too, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Adele, who had nodded, also checked Bunta¡¯s condition. He grabbed the axe, which was much taller than him, swung it a few times, and seeing that there was no problem, he began to return to his original position. In the round yard, Adele, who was sitting in the highest position, opened her mouth in a crooked posture. ¡°The fight ends when one side deres surrender or drops their weapon. In any case, I hope no one gets hurt. Then there shouldn¡¯t be any problem starting right away, right?¡± No one answered, but Adele soon signaled the start of the fight. Buuu- I grasped the sword again at the sound of the trumpet blowing once more. By the time the trumpet sound ended, the surroundings had be quiet, and only the sound of my own heartbeat could be heard. Rustle, the sound of feet moving and brushing the ground. The wind blew, and the feeling of it gently sweeping over my entire body was vividly felt. Tak. I could see Bunta kicking the ground, but it only seemed endlessly slow. The awakening of the brain due to mana, the sensitive senses showed the path of how Bunta, as a human, would move. There were things I could see even with my eyes closed. The weeds trampled and twisted by the feet, and even just the sight of them being torn and scattered, couldn¡¯t I read the ¡®direction¡¯? As I lowered my head, a huge gust of wind swept by. The axe swung by the 9-foot giant was close to destruction, so Bunta, who realized he had narrowly avoided it, snorted through his mouth. ¡°Hmph!¡± Thud! When the axe hit the ground, small cracks appeared. There was no need to put much effort into avoiding it. Moderately, barely. This gap, as if it would touch but not quite, was something that couldn¡¯t be faked. While preserving my strength, at the same time, it was a way to make the impatient Bunta a little anxious. Whenever the axe brushed past the surrounding air, my sword also tapped on Bunta¡¯s armor. I didn¡¯t cut. I could have cut if I imbued mana, but this was a spar in the first ce. Even if I took advantage of an opening and cut here, the others wouldn¡¯t look favorably upon it. And I didn¡¯t have overflowing mana. If I used mana and imbued it into the sword, it would be at the most certain moment. When I could seize the upper hand and press the attack, it would be sufficient. It was a littleter when I, who had only been avoiding attacks, began to mix in sword strikes. Partly because Bunta¡¯s attacks were a bit simple, but also because I had now grasped the sense of swinging appropriately to match Bunta¡¯s strength. ng, whenever the weapons collided with a roar, it was Bunta¡¯s body that was pushed back. One step, then another step. As I advanced, I could see Bunta¡¯s brow furrowing. ¡°Are you having a hard time?¡± ¡°Never!¡± Kang- Thrusting the sword towards Bunta¡¯s arm, I then smiled slightly. As time passed, it would be Bunta who would run out of strength. He had concentrated on trying to hit an opponent who narrowly avoided him, so it would have required much more attention than recklessly swinging on the battlefield. Buuung- It doesn¡¯t reach. Even though I was wearing a cumbersome cloak, Bunta¡¯s axe couldn¡¯t even graze the hem of that clothing. Whenever I moved my feet, Bunta¡¯s body was pushed back. As I thrust the sword towards his staggering body, Bunta, who had let out a small roar, greatly distanced himself from me. Looking around, they seemed to have realized that the tide of this fight itself had been greatly distorted. It was still quiet, but their faces no longer held the confidence to affirm Bunta¡¯s victory. Rather, they were looking at me, looking at the sword I was wielding. I stared intently at Bunta, who was panting and exhaling breaths filled with anger. ¡°Phew!¡± Exhaling the rough breathing once more, Bunta, who had shown a quite serious expression, corrected his stance. With one hand stretched forward, the axe held behind him savagely sliced through the air. It was a stance Bunta often used when fighting one-on-one. The mana rising from his body rose like steam, and soon mixed with sweat, emitting a blue vapor. ¡°Ooh¡­!¡± Like a living me, it was a moment¡¯s work for Bunta¡¯s body, exuding a fierce energy once again, to approach. ng-! Exmations burst from people¡¯s mouths at thepletely different strengthpared to earlier. Sparks flew whenever the sword and axe shed, and the ground where their feet moved was deeply gouged, creating pits. The ground, which had always been neatly arranged, was now dug up and made messy, so it was quite dizzying to see the surrounding soil flying whenever the sword was swung. Bunta¡¯s body no longer fell back. However, even that would be humiliating for him, so Bunta¡¯s body, which had always only thought of charging, hesitated for the first time. ¡°Keuugh!¡± Kik, the victory was decided in a moment. With a moment¡¯s hesitation, the body¡¯s bnce copses, and an attack with a copsed bnce cannot contain its full strength. A chuckle escaped me. Following the ¡®trajectory¡¯ that had briefly passed my eyes, I moved my arm in that direction. Swish, the armor cut from the chest was smoothly sliced off. Since I had cut it to the extent that no wounds were created, no blood flowed, but Bunta seemed quite surprised by that attack and swung his axe widely to push me away. The sound of panting breaths was all around. ¡­ However, it was solely Bunta¡¯s. Bunta¡¯s eyes, looking at me who hadn¡¯t shed a single drop of sweat, momentarily wavered. The appearance of a warrior who had lost confidence was truly pitiful. A primal instinct towards the unknown, which one was seeing for the first time, where the methods he had been using all this time didn¡¯t work. Bunta, who had gritted his teeth once more, grasped the axe again. People started cheering for him again at the sight, but that was all. Most of them, at least those who had some knowledge ofbat, would have realized it. The upper hand had already passed to me. Thus, I gripped the sword. Holding the sword that I had been fighting with both hands in one hand, I resonated the mana harbored in my heart. As I took a step, a blue sh soon enveloped my body. On the snowy field of pure white, a cluster of blue light began to rise. It was a sh paler than moonlight and bluer than the color of water. Originally, mana was such a pure thing. It was not mana to simply wrap around the sword. Sword energy was just one of the ways to use mana, so why focus only on that? The sword was a tool, just a means to aid the intention to cut, wasn¡¯t it? ¡°Then, I shall go.¡± At my murmur, Bunta corrected his stance. However, the next attack was not of the nature that could be blocked. The reason I had saved mana was for the sake of this single strike, so I took a step forward as it was. There was a time when I was obsessed with the sword. There was a time when I felt skeptical about everything I had pursued in life, abandoned everything, and lived only looking at the sword. What I had realized just before dying to Miragen, only at the moment when my life dependent on the sword was ending did I finally realize what the sword meant. If one wanted to cut, there was nothing one couldn¡¯t cut. Even if what was held in hand was just a branch, if one wanted to cut, one could even cut a mountain. Let alone if it was a sword, what could one not cut? Swish. The sword that drew through the air left a trail of light. Like a shooting star crossing the night sky, a brief silence fell upon the sword that drew a long and lonely trajectory. The cheers of people who had been rooting for Bunta, and even the sound of apuse for my performance, were all cut off and disappeared. Only the single line drawn by the sword remained. Only the result of cleanly slicing off the armor without a single wound, shattering the axe, remained. Silence flowed. In the stillness where no one could even exhale a breath, the one who finally opened her mouth was Adele. Slightly flushed and with a quite satisfied voice, she cut through the crowd. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Bunta, who had dropped his weapon, and me, still holding the sword. Even though the blue sh had been withdrawn, the result that remained unchanged caused the suppressed cheers to burst out. I lifted my head, which had be stiff from using mana, and looked at the sky. The stars had not changed. The fact that it was me standing there on that day I remembered had not changed either. When Bunta copsed with a thud, I exhaled with a faint smile. My eyes were filled with nothing but the pitch-ck night sky, no different from that day, so I could smile, even if only slightly, at the rising sense of satisfaction. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 44 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Although it was good to have defeated Bunta, the sense of exhaustion that came afterward was quite serious. Was it because it had been a long time since I had operated mana like this? Even though I thought it would be fine and used it, it seemed like it was quite a reckless move to even slice through the armor. So, when I was barely holding the sword and steadying my body, someone approached and supported me.¡°You must have overdone it. Did you want to impress me that much?¡± Adele asked yfully with a smile. I couldn¡¯t say I had no desire to impress her. At least, I thought I had to show enough to gain her support. As I smiled awkwardly, she tapped my shoulder and flowed a bit of mana towards my body. So that others wouldn¡¯t notice, I looked at Adele with the mana that was enough to steady my body. Adele lightly brought her index finger to her lips and moved away from me. As if telling me not to say anything, I just nodded at that gesture and silently gazed at her. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could defeat Bunta, but I still think he has the best skills among my deputies. The problem is that he sometimes gets excited.¡± ¡°It was a close call. If it had dragged on longer, I would have lost.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that in front of Bunta. It¡¯s better to tease him that he can¡¯t fight.¡± I knew Bunta¡¯s personality well. If I acted humbly, he would rather get angry, so it would be better to say he couldn¡¯t fight. His pride was so firmly established that it would be best to refrain from offering a hand to the seated Bunta unless absolutely necessary. Crack. Those thoughts were momentary as the sound of the sword in my hand breaking, unable to withstand the mana, was heard. I nkly watched the de crumble, dropped the sword with only the handle remaining, andughed slightly. I thought it would endure at least once, but at this rate, wouldn¡¯t I have to get a new sword? ¡°I remember my sword being intact.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an ordinary sword, is it? Anyway, I¡¯ll have to get a new sword.¡± Then Adele shook her head. Saying there was no need for that, she added with a faint smile. ¡°There¡¯s no need to get a new one. It¡¯s something you can just request from me.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Don¡¯t tell me-¡± ¡°Now that you have to serve as my deputy, do you think I can¡¯t even buy you a sword? Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± Adele, with her chest held high, approached me and whispered softly as if boasting. ¡°Although I may not look like it, I have quite a lot of money.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that so?¡± Unable to figure out what to say, all I could do was agree with her. Subtly bragging about having a lot of money was the same as before. Well, it would be strange if that changed. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Once things were roughly wrapped up, all I did was lie in my room and spend time. Although I had be Adele¡¯s deputy, the official appointment would be a bitter. If I were to make a move, it would be after the subjugation of the tribes, so I had some free time. ¡°¡­ Not answering the call.¡± I tried contacting Miragen, but she showed no sign of answering. I thought she would be busy in her own way, but I didn¡¯t expect her toe all the way to the northwest without a n. I told her not to act recklessly and to prioritize her safety in case of any unforeseen situations, so I thought she would at least take care of her own body to this extent. The tribes in the North were much more brutal beings. Adele had unified this ce, which had been close to awless zone, to establish this system. Originally, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for the tribes to be hanging people on pikes and walking around by now. Miragen must have known that this was such a ce, but I wondered if she was pondering more about her position than I had thought. Sigh. The sigh that inadvertently escaped was due to the helplessness lingering in my mind. That was the reason I didn¡¯t often wield a sword. When I believed I could do everything with a sword, there was a time when I repeated several regressions, ultimately unable to do anything. By the time I was called the Sword Saint and had even attained enlightenment, I had the confidence that I could do anything. Just by wielding a sword, I easily captured several decent knights, so didn¡¯t it establish the assumption that even if assassins came, they couldn¡¯t kill me? So I thought death was quite far from me. Around that time, I got along well with Yuria¡¯s temperament, and my rtionships with Theresa and the princess were also good. I thought I could ovee any crisis that came. The problem was that I thought too easily, even if I was falsely used of treason, I could just run away. As I repeated the regressions, there was one thing I felt. Things I didn¡¯t know kept appearing, and unexpected variables popped up. If it was simply because I was stupid and couldn¡¯t think of it, I wouldn¡¯t have found it strange, but even when I encountered the same situation several times, there were asionally special situations that urred. For example, Yuria¡¯s madness intensifying, or Theresa quickly revealing her true colors and engaging in unexpected schemes. The reason I got rid of Theresa a bit quickly in this life was to erase such variables. It no longer mattered what kind of variable it became. Since I wouldn¡¯t have any lingering attachment even if I killed Theresa now, I was just wary of my life that had been strangely entangled in each regression. 100 lives were by no means few. It was enough for someone without talent to be a Sword Saint, and for a fool to achieve great things and still have time to spare. 300 years, if I were to convert the life I had lived into time, wouldn¡¯t it be about that much? However, even so, I couldn¡¯t twist my fate. It wasn¡¯t even that I had lived to avoid death. It was a life lived simply to gain trust, with the thought that perhaps the already twisted people might change. At least until myst regression, I had the expectation that Yuria or Theresa might repent. Resolving the false usation of treason and surviving was secondary, so that feeling remained the same. Surviving was not my purpose. No matter how miserable, I simply lived to gain trust. Just as I believed in them, I wished for them to believe in me as well. All I wanted was for them to step forward for me when I was in the most dangerous situation. ¡­ Of course, now I hadpletely let go of such expectations. However, the question was why my death alone wouldn¡¯t change. As if it was predetermined, as if it was unavoidable. Whenever I thought sess was almost near, hope always crumbled in an instant, so throughout my lives, I could never let my guard down. It was the same now. Am I doing well now? Even if the path I¡¯m taking is different from before, can I really extend my sword towards the Crown Prince¡¯s neck? That alone could still be considered an unknown. Should I have lived for myself? A sudden question urred to me as I briefly looked at the ceiling. Perhaps that was the easiest way to avoid death. If I had proceeded by thinking of people as means and using them, discarding them if necessary, I could have stopped the regression long ago. But then, what would be the difference between me and Yuria? What I thought as I started the 101st regression was not to live for myself. I just wished for an eternal death, I just wanted to put an end to this regression I had started. So I wondered. Have I done well so far? Although I couldn¡¯t say I waspletely satisfied, it was certain that I was moving in the direction I had thought. I just needed to keep going like this. Although living to die wasn¡¯t very pleasant, death would be the best ending for me. As I closed my eyes again and was about to empty my mind, I suddenly felt a vibration from the artifact I had ced on my chest. Thinking it was Miragen, I answered the call, but the voice that came from it was unexpected. ¡°Ah¡­ Can you hear me? I was told Lord Taylor would answer.¡± The voice that asked cautiously was Adriana¡¯s. Wondering why I could hear her voice, it was momentary, and then Miragen¡¯s voice was heard loudly from the side. Maybe the two of them were together. If it was Miragen, she must havee out on an outing, but I didn¡¯t expect her toe all the way to the northwest. However, it seemed she wasn¡¯t in the northwest, as I heard Miragen talking about the Magic Tower in the background. The Magic Tower¡­ It made sense to hear Adriana¡¯s voice. Since the Moon Tower and the Magic Tower were close in distance, if she responded from the Magic Tower, she could use this artifact to transmit her voice remotely. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re in the northwest. It¡¯s been a while, greetings to you.¡± ¡°Ah, it is Lord Taylor! I was surprised when Miragen said she would connect the artifact, but since it¡¯s Lord Taylor.¡± ¡°Did Her Highness the Princess say that¡­? I was surprised to hear that she had gone all the way to the northwest, but it seems she keeps surprising me in various ways.¡± ¡°Ahaha, Miragen is a bit like that. Rather, I think it¡¯s good. Because of her personality, it¡¯s always fun when I¡¯m with her.¡± If we were to talk about fun, there was no woman like Miragen. She always turned people¡¯s minds upside down with ideas they had never thought of, so when I was with her as a lover, I smiled quite a lot. Adriana, who had been talking about Miragen for a moment, then asked about my well-being. ¡°Come to think of it, I heard you went to the North. If you had been near the capital and then went, it must have been difficult to adapt. Are you doing alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Fortunately, the Grand Duchess is taking good care of me, so I¡¯m staying well without any difort.¡± ¡°¡­ Aha, the Grand Duchess is taking good care of you. That¡¯s a relief.¡± Although her voice was a bit darker than before, Adrianaughed brightly and continued. ¡°Miragen is also in the northwest right now. Do you happen to know that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware, but aren¡¯t you together with her? I thought I heard her voice.¡± ¡°It¡¯sing from the crystal ball next to me. Miragen needs to teach me how to connect the artifact.¡± I see, so Adriana was in the capital. But Miragen was still in the northwest. If Adriana had alsoe to the northwest, it would have been a headache in many ways. I didn¡¯t know why, but the rtionship between Adriana and Adele was very bad, so if they were together, I didn¡¯t know what kind of discord would arise. ¡°By the way, I didn¡¯t expect you to contact me like this. Saint.¡± ¡°Ah, that. I told you to call me something else before. Did you perhaps forget¡­?¡± At that cautious question, I pondered and was able to recall what I had heardst time. She had told me to call her by her name now. However, calling the Saint by her name was quite a difficult task. Others might misunderstand if they found out. Still, I couldn¡¯t go against her request, so after a moment, I carefully opened my mouth. ¡°Then, is it alright if I call you Adriana?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like that. Can¡¯t we say we¡¯re a bit morefortable with each other now?¡± ¡°I think it would be fine for you to call me Robert as well. In fact, it¡¯s discourteous of me to call you like this in the first ce.¡± When I said that, a rather long silence flowed from the other side of the artifact. asionally, there were sounds of ¡°Ro- Ro-,¡± and when I called her name after a long silence, Adriana¡¯s voice continued again. ¡°Ah, yes. I¡¯m listening. Robe- No, Lord Taylor.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s difficult, just call mefortably. I didn¡¯t mean to force you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not used to calling someone else by their name.¡± It was natural for her to feel awkward with me, even though she had been close with Miragen since childhood. It was a strange situation where I called the Saint by her name, and she called me Lord Taylor. But what did it matter? The fact that the more progress this rtionship made, the better direction this regression was heading in remained unchanged. As I chuckled like that and was about to continue the conversation, a voice was heard from beyond the door. It was Adele¡¯s voice, who had disappeared earlier, leaving me in the room. ¡°Robert, it¡¯s about time for you toe now.¡± ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll be right out.¡± It was probably the finalization of my appointment as her deputy. Just as I answered Adele and was about to wrap things up, a chilling voice came from the artifact. ¡°¡­ Calling you by name, I see.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°No, I heard a woman¡¯s voice earlier. She called Lord Taylor by name. I was wondering if I might have misheard.¡± Adriana, who said that, thenughed slightly and moved her lips with an even colder voice. Although her voice was still gentle, for some reason, it made my back shiver. ¡°Would it be alright if I learned about the whole story?¡± Faced with that gentle threat, I had no choice but to open my mouth. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 45 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°So that¡¯s what happened. For the time being, I¡¯ll be working together as the Grand Duchess¡¯s deputy.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you perhaps angry?¡± ¡°No, why would I be angry?¡±Even as she smiled, she had some doubts about whether she was sincerelyughing. Even she thought her tone wasn¡¯t gentle just now, wasn¡¯t it just that another woman had called his name? It was too early to call it jealousy since their rtionship wasn¡¯t that close. Then what should she call this? ¡°Then I¡¯ll contact you againter when I have time. I¡¯m sorry if I bothered you today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I have plenty of time anyway.¡± Adriana, who had been pondering for a moment, opened her mouth with a smallugh. From a certain point, her mind had beplicated, so it was quite difficult to continue the conversation. As the contact with the artifact was cut off, Miragen¡¯s voice came from the crystal ball. ¡°You said you had something to say, but you just hung up?¡± ¡°¡­ Yeah, it¡¯s a bit hard to believe. It¡¯s just a bit difficult to talk about it right away.¡± ¡°Is it that prophecy-like thing you mentioned before? Don¡¯t worry too much, there was never any problem.¡± Could what she had seen be called a prophecy? It was too old to be called a prophecy, it was like something from a very long time ago. However, the timing was close to the present. She didn¡¯t know how to judge this confusion of time, but what was certain was that it was rted to Robert Taylor. ¡°Yeah, can I rest for a bit?¡± ¡°Okay, I was busy too anyway. I¡¯ll contact you again in a bit.¡± Tuk- The room became quiet as the connection with the crystal ball was cut off. The words that came to mind were the name Robert had said earlier. Adriana, that voice that sounded so gentle. She had no idea why she couldn¡¯t say that name in the end. Why was she acting like this alone? In the silence that followed, her lips parted slightly. Rober¡­ Adriana, who was about to murmur that name, shut her mouth with a bitter smile. Who knew calling someone¡¯s name would be this difficult? In fact, Lord Taylor was calling herfortably, wasn¡¯t she the only one making a fuss like this? Adriana, who had been touching the ce where her eyes should be, let out a small sigh. These eyes could no longer see light. Thest thing she had seen was the bright moonlight at a very young age, but with eyes that had lost color and light, she could face apletely different world. Looking not at the exterior, but at the interior. Adriana herself did not know whether this was a blessing or a curse. When people¡¯s intentions and words differed, it hurt her heart, but when she met someone who truly cared for her, her heart would feel warm. Of course, it wasn¡¯t all good things. Seeing someone¡¯s heart was always a chilling experience. If the person looking at her actually harbored different feelings, wouldn¡¯t it be most difficult to trust that person? And when she looked at the interior, she could also see things like that person¡¯s destiny. The future that person would live, their fate, their path. So she didn¡¯t look. Miragen was the only person close to her, and even with her, she had lived while deliberately avoiding looking at her interior. Adriana no longer used the eyes bestowed upon her by God. ¡­ If she hadn¡¯t looked at the interior of the man named Robert, could she have treated him normally? Adriana, whoughed slightly, wiped her cheek. A chance encounter, a connection that was reconnected by chance again. Even as she was startled by the chill she felt whenever he was by her side, on the other hand, she could see the gentleness in his voice. He wasn¡¯t a bad person. But why were the rumors so bad? As time passed and the intensity of the rumors increased, she wanted to see his interior. If he was truly a bad person, there was no way he would treat her so kindly. Yes, at the Moon Tower. The interior of Robert that she encountered there seemed almost empty. She couldn¡¯t feel anything, not even a ray of light or warmth. She was already familiar with people who had this, so she couldn¡¯t help but be surprised by his interior that was almost like a living corpse. When she reached out and touched his chest, she could finally feel relieved by the faint pulse at her fingertips. This man was alive ¨C but his heart was dead. Why? When he spoke to her, the gentleness in his voice remained the same. Warm and kind. The interior of such a person was simply empty, so she couldn¡¯t even guess what kind of past he had lived. And on top of that, what else these eyes showed her. Holding her throbbing head, Adriana slowly recalled what she had seen. She hadn¡¯t seen much. What she had seen was probably just a fragment. Memories that were too vast for one person to hold, and memories that were too cruel. ¡°There¡¯s no way¡­ one person can die multiple times.¡± Dying by his sister¡¯s hand, having his throat slit, being hanged. Being abandoned by the person he loved, and starving to death locked in an empty room. She thought it was an illusion, but she knew well that it was not just an illusion. But could it really be called reality? What should she think of these memories where one person remembered several deaths? It was neither the past nor the future. The Saint¡¯s ability was not to read prophecies or memories, but simply to see that person¡¯s destiny and interior. But this man named Robert had gone through several deaths alone. Rustle, cold sweat flowed from the forehead of Adriana, who had clenched the bedsheet. If the memories she had seen were true, was that emptiness a result of the several deaths? The anxiety that suddenly rose was one of the emotions that had been tormenting Adriana since then. If the man named Robert suddenly disappeared, if his existence was forgotten at some point. Even though she knew it wouldn¡¯t happen, this anxiety didn¡¯t go away and kept lingering around Adriana. When she suddenly turned her head, the direction Adriana¡¯s gaze was facing was where the North was. The cold north wind was tapping on Adriana¡¯s cheek through the slightly open window. ¡°¡­ Robert.¡± What were those deaths she had seen? She wanted to ask but couldn¡¯t. If she asked about this, what would Robert answer her? Her hazy gaze turned towards the void. Although she couldn¡¯t see anything, she slowly clenched her fist at the sensation felt at her fingertips. She could feel the faint pulse at the fingertips that had touched his chest that day. Perhaps this strange anxiety wouldn¡¯t go away unless she saw him in person. But she had to endure it. She was the Saint, the Saint of the church who shouldn¡¯t leave her ce carelessly. ¡°Ha.¡± Adriana smiled bitterly. The fact that she was the Saint made her feel resentful for the first time. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°You¡¯re unexpectedly calm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not too worried. I think they¡¯ll all be good people.¡± ¡°What made you judge that?¡± Adele¡¯s footsteps, which had been walking forward, stopped. She seemed to find it quite surprising that I was unexpectedly calm, as if she thought I would be scared thinking about the deputies I would meet this time. It was natural. I already knew them. Lothos, Toby, Bunta¡­ and Adele. In addition, there were several asions where I had been quite close with many people. They weren¡¯t bad people. They were people who had been serving Adele as their leader even though she was several years younger than them in the first ce. If one had good skills, they would wee them, not dislike them for that reason. However, since I couldn¡¯t answer that I already knew them, I pondered for a moment and carefully opened my mouth. ¡°Intuition¡­?¡± Adele clicked her tongue as if dumbfounded, but still had a convinced expression. Since she was the one who relied on intuition more than anyone else, it would be difficult for her to refute. Adele, who had been staring at me nkly for a moment, soon began walking forward. Then, as if she had remembered something again, she opened her mouth while still looking ahead. ¡°By the way, who were you talking to earlier? As far as I know, no one entered the room.¡± ¡°I had received an artifact from Her Highness the Princess before. It¡¯s an item that allows us to talk even when we¡¯re apart.¡± ¡°Hmm, was there such a thing?¡± ¡°Would you like to try using it?¡± When I asked, Adele stared nkly at the artifact in my hand. Normally, there should be one more artifact, but if I used a little mana, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible to have a short conversation. The artifact in the shape of a long rod, about the length of a fountain pen, Adele¡¯s eyes narrowed as she took it. ¡°How do you use it?¡± ¡°Just slightly bring the tip to your ear.¡± As I gestured appropriately with my hand, Adele then awkwardly brought the artifact to her ear. As I chuckled at her suspicious expression, she gestured to me as if telling me to do it quickly. The mana that rose from my hand began to vibrate slightly as it touched the artifact. When Adele operated the artifact as I had instructed her, I quietly whispered to the hand where the mana had risen. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± Twitch- Adele, who had hurriedly removed the artifact from her ear, blinked her eyes several times. If what I had just seen wasn¡¯t a mistake, did she tremble in surprise? Eventually, Adele, who had been staring intently at the artifact, carefully brought her hand to her ear again. ¡°It seems you can hear me properly.¡± Twitch. This time, she trembled a bit less than before, but she still seemed surprised. A faint blush appeared on her pale cheeks. She also seemed embarrassed about being surprised, as she returned the artifact to me and muttered softly. ¡°¡­ It seems like a useless toy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unexpectedly useful. Because it¡¯s faster than sending a letter.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just use a messenger pigeon. This doesn¡¯t suit me.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you just surprised?¡± ¡°Huh? No way.¡± As Iughed slightly at her unusually grumbling appearance, Adele nced at me and turned her head abruptly. Was she sulking? Even after calling her name a few times afterwards, she didn¡¯t answer, so it seemed she was angry. Still, the office where the deputies would gather soon was just ahead. Although they were subordinates of the group connected by her friendship rather than deputies, their influence in the North could never be ignored. Those who had belonged to the mercenary group led by Adele were all skilled enough to subdue a region. Even Bunta, who had lost to me, had been the leader of a mercenary group that had rivaled Adele. Their power was not limited to just martial prowess, so as soon as the door opened, their gazes poured onto me. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived? You came together.¡± Lothos, who smiled slightly at me after seeing Adele, and Bunta, who had a sullen expression. Toby, who was looking at me nkly, and others like Argos and Imanda were all at the top of the army she led. Adele, who had left me in one ce and walked alone, then plopped down on her chair and looked around. The Grand Duchess¡¯s throne made of wolf¡¯s head and bear¡¯s skin. It was a littleter when Adele, who had been keeping silent for a moment, opened her mouth. Unlike just now when she was sulking, a quite serious voice flowed out from her. ¡°As you all know, a temporary deputy has been appointed. The reason for appointing a deputy this time is¡­ well, even though I made excuses, you all must have noticed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because of the uing subjugation, right? But are you sure about this? Isn¡¯t he a nobleman?¡± Lothos, who nced at me, answered. He seemed to expect me to be surprised at the word ¡®subjugation,¡¯ but I already knew about it beforeing to the North. By the time I arrived here, the n for the subjugation would have been somewhat established. The reason for appointing me as a deputy would be simple. Didn¡¯t she think my skills would be helpful for her subjugation? So there was no reason to refuse. As I continued to show a calm expression, Adele stared at me intently and opened her mouth. ¡°I think it won¡¯t matter. From the looks of it, it seems you had already noticed to some extent. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°I had expected it. Why else would I havee in winter?¡± ¡°¡­ Clever, good. If you had already expected it, there¡¯s no need to hide it further.¡± Sling, Adele, who had drawn her sword, thrust it into the map ced in front of the throne. What was drawn on that map was the territories of the tribes that Adele, the Grand Duchess of the North, had not yet exerted her influence on, outside of the areas she had upied. ¡°The reason for trying to bring in a new deputy this time is simple. First, Robert Taylor¡¯s skills are outstanding. Second is-¡± As Adele spoke, the deputies waited for her words with serious expressions. Even when she led the mercenary group, Adele¡¯s speeches were short and concise. That hadn¡¯t changed even after she became the Grand Duchess, so when she gave orders, most of the time, only the main points were mentioned. Adele, who grasped the sword and cut the map, then quietly murmured. ¡°To subjugate the tribes.¡± Winter always brought a cold north wind. The winter in the North was the same. An even more severe and biting cold approached, a cruel season where they tore each other¡¯s throats to survive. So I came in winter. Participating in this subjugation was the optimal way to gain Adele¡¯s support. The cold wind blew in through the slightly open window. It was the north wind, whose chill reached the bones even with a slight touch, I nkly looked at the pale sky in that coldness. Soon, it was time for the hunt. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 46 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°Ah, I had something I wanted to say. I guess I should say it now.¡± I shook my head at the vaguely audible voice. A voice I had forgotten, yet couldn¡¯t forget. There was a moment when I tried to somehow cling to the fading breath while holding onto the limply hanging body.Tears filled the face caressing the cooling body. Even as my chest heaved with overwhelming breaths, there was a moment when I forcibly smiled while grasping the hand reaching out to my face. ¡­ I had experienced it. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s alright. You can do it, just. Please, live.¡± Passing through thirty deaths and then five more. Wouldn¡¯t it be one of the few memories I clearly remembered even the order of the runs? I smiled with a sobbing face. Desperately pulling up the corners of my mouth to hide the fact that I was crying, but my face was already drenched, unable to hold back the flowing tears. My body had been cut for a long time and was bleeding profusely, and my mind was hazy, seeming like it would fly away at any moment. Nevertheless, my gaze was solely directed at one woman. A woman who originally shouldn¡¯t have died, who absolutely shouldn¡¯t have died in my numerous lives. That woman was cradled in my arms, bleeding. I could see the sword embedded in her chest. Unable to even pull it out, she was looking at me with a small smile as I fidgeted anxiously. I didn¡¯t know why such a situation had urred. I thought everything had gotten twisted. I thought everything was going well and progressing sessfully, but the variable had exploded from an unexpected ce. No. It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t know. Even though I knew, my mind had turned nk due to the suddenness of the situation. The person I thought would be safer than anyone else had been ambushed, so how could I maintainposure in that situation? But for me who had lived through thirty lives, that was just an excuse. I could have been calm. If I had lived the previous lives a little more diligently, if I had resolved to live for myself even once. I would have been able to handle that situation. ¡°At first¡­ when we met, I should have said this, but the situation kept getting tangled, so I couldn¡¯t. So¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to say it. I can hear itter, so- just¡­ you don¡¯t need to say anything. It¡¯s enough to just focus on breathing. That¡¯s all that¡¯s needed.¡± ¡°No. If I don¡¯t say it now, I think I¡¯ll regret it so much.¡± Even as I felt the strength gradually loosening, I didn¡¯t give up hope. Because I believed she could live, I believed her death was not fate. But wasn¡¯t fate already twisted? I don¡¯t know what I was expecting. I was weak. The reason my twenty lives were wasted in madness was probably because I realized my own weakness. I closed my eyes at the voice that still remained vivid. The memory of that day when I heard it, when I vowed to hold a sword for the first time. I wiped my dry face and let go of the memory with a sigh. I thought I had let go of all lingering attachments, but it seemed I was still living in my memories. ¡°Can I¡­ love you, Robert?¡± The only thirty-fifth time when Miragen died, thest day when the full moon was full and pale without a single cloud. Theck of certainty remained the same. Even if I died a few more times and repeated the regression, even if my mind twisted again and I let go of everything. Could Ipletely forget this memory? The moonlight prating the thin curtain was cool. It dyed the dark room blue for a moment, but I gazed at the light that disappeared again with the shadows. I couldn¡¯t even tell why I had woken up at this early dawn. The suddenly rising anxiety was so abrupt that even after blinking for a moment, my remaining drowsiness disappeared. I didn¡¯t know why this memory had suddenly resurfaced. If the reason was hearing the news that Miragen was in the northwest¡­ wouldn¡¯t it make sense to understand this anxiety? The northwest, didn¡¯t I hear there were a few tribes there? I told her it was better to take care of herself, so I believed she would be careful on her own, but I was still worried all the same. She should have just stayed put in the imperial pce. If she was going to be like this, I should have told her about the mine after returning from the north. Now it only made me unnecessarily worried. What I had just recalled was my past memory. A memory that remained quite intense, instantly changing my attitude about regression. The thirty-fifth time when Miragen died. And after that, didn¡¯t I die at the hands of the fifty-fifth Miragen? Thus ended my madness. When I finally held a sword and reached the pinnacle, I regained my sanity by dying to Miragen. It was certainly a memory I didn¡¯t want to recall. Sighing softly, I rubbed my eyes and forcibly scattered the memories. Even though I was the one living in the past, I knew well how to dispel this emotion. Getting up from my ce, I grabbed the sword. At times like this, it was better to do something. Completely emptying my mind, it was better to somehow release the suffocating feeling inside. Otherwise, I would go crazy, so I started walking towards the dawn like that. Until the sun rose, I had to keep moving without rest. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó My whole body was drenched in sweat, and the flowing sweat hadpletely soaked the surrounding soil. I quietly looked at the soil that had turned ck from the melted snow. The melted snow surrounded me in a circle with me at the center. The sun that had risen at some point touched my sweat and sparkled, so I wiped my hair and put down the sword. Since I hade out and walked since dawn, I must have been walking for several hours. My stamina had already been pushed to the limit, so it was barely manageable to even stand, but I had no choice since this was how my stamina would increase. Being able to use mana for a long time was an important factor, so if I didn¡¯t increase my stamina like this, there was a high possibility I would be overwhelmedter. Wasn¡¯t my goal rebellion? Since rebellion was a race against time, it was better to prepare to finish everything within 24 hours at least. If I used mana now, I could probably move for about an hour. Even that was limited to just moving, so it was a bleak situation in many ways. That¡¯s how it was for now. I thought my stamina would be resolved in about a year. Since the climate and terrain of the North and South were quite harsh, if I moved around using the subjugation of the tribes as an excuse, wouldn¡¯t my stamina naturally increase? As I sheathed the sword and exhaled, I felt a presence nearby. Turning my head to the gaze nkly staring at me, I saw a giant figure. ¡°¡­ Greetings.¡± ¡°Do you always train like that?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I asked if you always train like that. I mean, um. I¡¯m not interrogating you. I¡¯m just curious.¡± As if he thought his way of speaking was a bit concerning, Bunta scratched his cheek and cautiously asked again. Indeed, there was no one with a bad heart. By the way, training. Rather than training, it was closer to an action to simply empty my mind. If I didn¡¯t move my body like this and empty my mind, it would be difficult toe to my senses, buried in the rushing memories. After pondering for a moment, I nodded, saying yes. It would be better to keep moving like this in the future. The time to increase mycking stamina was quite tight. Then Bunta looked at me nkly, as if slightly surprised. He must have been constantly worrying about losing to me. That¡¯s why he came all the way here to find me. ¡°You can join me if you¡¯d like. We¡¯re both deputies now anyway, right?¡± ¡°¡­ Is that okay? I thought you would be conscious of status since you¡¯re a nobleman.¡± Even though we¡¯re already speaking informally, what status, the North is quite different from the central region in the first ce. Unless it¡¯s someone from the imperial family, they¡¯re below the Grand Duchess, right? Even a high-ranking nobleman was just a hollow name here, so the fact that I was the eldest son of a ducal family wasn¡¯t of much use. ¡°I¡¯ve already told the Grand Duchess, but here, I¡¯m just Robert. If we¡¯re both deputies, what does status matter?¡± ¡°I like those words.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going now. I think it¡¯s about time I washed up. We need to prepare for the subjugation, don¡¯t we?¡± Bunta grinned and approached me, patting my back hard with hisrge hand. It was a habit he always had when he took a liking to someone. Bunta, whoughed with a ¡°Hahaha,¡± opened his mouth. Seeing the gaze full of goodwill looking at me, it seemed the words I had just said were to his liking. ¡°I thought you were just a mannerless young master, but you¡¯re more refreshing than I expected. Alright, will we see each other every morning from now on?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll probablye out around dawn every day. I¡¯m not one to sleep much.¡± ¡°Very good!¡± I was worried he might have had a different feeling about yesterday¡¯s incident, but as expected. Wasn¡¯t Bunta¡¯s reaction just as I predicted? There was no change in this, so I was half relieved, but now it seemed I could rx. As Bunta moved away from me and disappeared into the training ground like that, I could finally go wash up alone. Putting my head under the flowing warm water, I emptied my thoughts like that. Erasing my thoughts was the most important factor for myposure. It might have been a habit I developed at some point while repeating my regression, a natural response from my body. If I had lived withplicated thoughts, the madness might have hit me again at some point. Actually, my memories from that time were not very clear. In the first ce, it was a time when I ended my own life, so there was no need to remember it all, right? The only thing I remember is the run when I held a sword. I was d I held a sword then. If I had still been ignorant of the sword, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to find even a bit of connection with the North. The ce where I could feel most at ease was the North. There were the fewest bad memories here, so sometimes I could forget everything andughfortably. Shaking off the water on my body, I found some appropriate pants and put them on. As I walked down the corridor, casually drying my hair with a towel, I suddenly felt a presence in front of me. Looking up, there was a woman staring intently at me. It was Adele, with her hair tied up unlike usual. ¡°¡­ What is this behavior?¡± ¡°I just washed up. I was on my way to my room.¡± I answered calmly, thinking there was no problem, but Adele¡¯s eyes were clearly shaking. Tilting my head, wondering what the problem was, I soon realized I wasn¡¯t wearing anything on top. That was the reason for her wandering eyes. Fortunately, I hadn¡¯t neglected building my body, so there was no b to be found, but the scars all over my body were a problem. The burn marks Yuria had made or the self-inflicted scars would look strange on a young master¡¯s body. As I briefly covered myself with the towel, Adele¡¯s wandering eyes found their ce again. ¡°Ahem.¡± Adele, whose ears had turned slightly red, let out a fake cough. Then, ncing at me, she muttered in a chilly voice. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had exhibitionist tendencies. Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if I wrap mana around myself. And about the clothes¡­ I¡¯ll be careful.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget the fact that there¡¯s a woman here. It¡¯s embarrassing for me too.¡± Weren¡¯t most of the deputies men anyway? I was a bit puzzled by those words, but soon nodded and answered. A woman, it was a fact that could be forgotten when I was with Adele. But I was the one who was most aware of it. Even though she acted like that on the outside, wasn¡¯t she actually quite a sensitive person? ¡°You tied your hair up today.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re suddenly mentioning that.¡± As I asked with a smallugh, Adele stared at me intently. Her eyes were clearly filled with displeasure, probably due to my appearance. The way to appease Adele was simple. I had always been the one to resolve such situations before, so I answered her question again. Casually, as if just mentioning it in passing. ¡°I think it suits you well.¡± For a moment, Adele¡¯s eyes stopped. It might have been my imagination, but at least that¡¯s how I felt. Around the time I thought she might not like something due to the continuing silence, Adele, who had been staring at me intently, naturally retorted. ¡°¡­ Is that so? Anyway,e to my room after you put on clothes.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Adele, who answered nonchntly, turned her head with an indifferent expression. It was the reaction I had expected. Even when I praised her like this before, she always reacted dryly. As if she had nothing more to say to me, Adele, who had taken her gaze off me, passed by me again. I watched her disappearing figure like that. But if there was a slight difference from earlier, it was that her footsteps seemed a bit lighter. I think her mood had definitely improved. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 47 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°It seems you¡¯ve been tying your hair up often these days.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that so?¡± Adele touched her hair at Lothos¡¯ question. She hadn¡¯t been paying attention to that, but had she been tying it up quite often recently? She had just tied it because the hair tie was visible. Deliberately leaving the hair tie visible before going to bed was something only she knew, so Adele shook her head nonchntly and closed her mouth. It suits you well- He didn¡¯t say that out of concern. She really just tied it because she saw it. Adele¡¯s eyes blinked as she thought to herself. In fact, the person who said it suited her hadn¡¯t said anything else since then. Even as she slightly furrowed her brows, she soon organized the thoughts that had sprung up in her mind and focused on work again. It had already been a week since she had ordered the subjugation, and as progress had been made to a certain extent, it was about time to order the expedition. How much time should be spent on the subjugation of the tribes? Adele, who tapped her lips with a pen, began writing something on the paper. Even calcting the time appropriately, the northwestern and western regions to be subjugated this time were not very wide. Even considering the important strongholds, there was only the Terra Knight mine where the princess was staying. It would be better to clear it out first, even considering the possibility of the tribes moving and striking there. And the western tribes were the most troublesome, and she was hung up on not finishing themst year. Wouldn¡¯t it be right to say there were several reasons for going west? The only thing certain right now was that the expedition would begin in a few hours. When the deputies gathered and the army was assembled, that would be the start of the subjugation. As for the speech¡­ well, Lothos would prepare it. In fact, there wasn¡¯t much for Adele to prepare. She just needed to bring her sword and some meat to feed the wolves. ¡°It¡¯s about time for you to depart now.¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Adele¡¯s hand holding the sword reached for her hair. She thought it might be time to untie it now, but soon smiled bitterly and withdrew her hand. It would be better to just watch and see if he would say anything again today. If he didn¡¯t say anything? ¡­ Then he wouldn¡¯t say anything. What¡¯s the big deal? After tapping her waist for a moment to erase her thoughts, she began heading towards where the soldiers were gathered again. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó This was my second time participating in the subjugation of the tribes with Adele. The first time I was with Adele was when the subjugation of the tribes was being wrapped up, and the second time was when I went to the North and joined Adele early in the regression. Although I didn¡¯t feel this awkwardness then since I had been a deputy for a long time. How many people would act friendly to a deputy who had just joined a week ago? Fortunately, at least Bunta treated me quite well. Lothos¡¯ intentions were obvious, so he wasn¡¯t treating me well sincerely. From what I heard the deputies say, it sounded like I was the one who had chased after Adele. ¡®Come to think of it, it was Adele who asked me to be her partner for the Full Moon Festival.¡¯ Lothos wasn¡¯t there at that time, so he might not know. There were a few things I wanted to correct, but I didn¡¯t step up and say it. Anyway, if time passed, it would be revealed that we had no rtionship, so it was possible. Adele didn¡¯t seem to care much about it either. ¡°Robert, don¡¯t be too nervous. It will all be wrapped up in a week anyway.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not nervous. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t expect us to go to the west first.¡± I thought we would clear the area near the northwest where the princess was staying, but the west? Although I knew Adele¡¯s personality of living as she pleased, previously, she had cleared the south first and then moved counterclockwise, not the west. So I couldn¡¯t understand the reason for going clockwise this time. When I asked, Lothos shrugged his shoulders as if he understood and opened his mouth. ¡°Originally, we would have started from the south and left the west forst. But since Her Highness the Princess came¡­ the n got messed up.¡± ¡°I know we fought in the westst year. So I thought we would go to the northwest first.¡± ¡°She was quite irritated in many ways. The one who should have received attention was herself, but an unexpected person appeared, right?¡± Attention? For a moment, before I could even understand what he meant, Adele¡¯s voice was heard from behind. ¡°Is everyone gathered? You gathered quickly, even though there¡¯s still some time left before departure.¡± ¡°You¡¯re here, Grand Duchess.¡± Her tied-up hair fluttered in the wind. I quietly watched her silver hair swaying like a g. I knew she had been tying her hair up oftentely, but I didn¡¯t expect her toe out with it tied up today as well. What was the reason she was quietly staring at me? As I slightly avoided that gaze, finding it burdensome, Adele frowned and approached me. Swish, swish. A faint scent of roses was felt whenever her hair swayed. The presence of the wolf beside her was also huge, but the fact was that Adele¡¯s gaze on me was more concerning. Unable to endure her staring intently, I smiled bitterly. It seemed I had to find out why she was doing that. ¡°¡­ Did I do something wrong?¡± ¡°No, did I say anything to you?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you been staring at me all this time? I was in my room all day yesterday.¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so.¡± Adele answered nonchntly, but I realized she harbored a faint dissatisfaction. If there was something she wanted to say but couldn¡¯t, she would usually be like that, so the key was finding the reason. Then what did Adele want? For now, it would be best to naturally continue the conversation. ¡°It seems surprising that we¡¯re not going to the northwest first. Is there a reason?¡± ¡°Her Highness the Princess will have an escort army, so even if some tribes leak out, it won¡¯t be a big problem. And I n to finish clearing the west as quickly as possible. We¡¯re doing what we couldn¡¯t finishst year.¡± ¡°¡­ Well, if that¡¯s the case, I have nothing to say.¡± The reason Adele was particrly concerned about the west was because of the tribes there. To be precise, it would be her goal to clearly deal with the tribal chief Temuzin, who had escaped every time Adele subjugated and had to be dealt with this time. But fortunately, she would probably be able to catch him this year. And catching that guy was only possible when I helped her. I barely suppressed the urge to be impatient. It would be a lie to say I wasn¡¯t worried. I couldn¡¯t help but be concerned about Miragen in the northwest. I tried contacting her earlier, but she didn¡¯t answer, perhaps because she was busy. Right now, the only thing was to quickly clear the west. ¡°You should ride a wolf this time too. Did you receive the reins?¡± ¡°I did. I¡¯m probably borrowing it, but it listens to me well.¡± ¡°I see¡­ I see.¡± Seeing her drag out her words, it seemed she was about to leave, but a thought urred to me, so I moved my lips. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s this part, but just in case. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve been tying your hair up oftentely. Is it because of what I said?¡± ¡°Ha, what a joke.¡± Then Adele, who turned her head, narrowed her eyes and smirked. It was an expression asking if I really thought that way, so I could continue speaking while dispelling my suspicion. ¡°Well, I think having your hair down suits you well too. It¡¯s better to tie your hair when moving, but it looks morefortable when you have it down normally.¡± ¡°¡­ Choose one. Don¡¯t confuse people.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Nevermind. I¡¯ll take care of it myself.¡± As I asked again in a voice she couldn¡¯t hear, Adele shook her head and untied her hair tie. Her distinctive silver hair fluttered in the wind, and at the same time, the scent of roses spread around. Adele, who touched her hair a few times, then grasped the reins and began walking forward. ¡°Follow me, it¡¯s time to set out now.¡± Grrr, the wolf made a small sound as Adele smiled softly. Her lips sparkled in the setting sun. Her eyes, which always shone blue, looked likepiszuli, so I could barely nod my head after nkly looking at her. The fact was, her outfit was far from that of an ordinarydy. Because it was the attire of a monarch riding a wolf, wearing armor and carrying a sword. But would there be anyone else who suited this as well as her? I walked, watching the silver hair fluttering in the wind. By the time I rode the wolf and walked holding the reins, the distance between us had be quite close. I don¡¯t know how long we walked towards where the soldiers would be, but in the gently flowing silence, Adele was the first to speak. ¡°Are you worried about the princess? You¡¯ve been constantly checking the artifact.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m a bit worried. I think there won¡¯t be any problems, but it¡¯s still a dangerous area, isn¡¯t it?¡± As I answered like that, Adele, who had been staring at me nkly for a moment, showed a strange expression. Her gaze, which seemed slightly dissatisfied, bit her lips and met mine. A faint sigh escaped, and white mist lingered. Adele, who had been looking at the rising mist in the sky, muttered softly. As if whispering, in a small voice only I could hear. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t care at all, but¡­¡± Adele, whoughed self-deprecatingly for a moment, then shifted her gaze back to me. ¡°I don¡¯t know why your words bother me so much.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand what you mean.¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying don¡¯t show that you¡¯re worried about the princess in front of me. It¡¯s starting to annoy me a bit. I¡¯m here, but you keep worrying about someone else.¡± Tilting my head at her iprehensible words, Adele soon smiled and pulled the reins first. As the startled wolf suddenly leaped forward, the distance clearly began to widen. Pondering the meaning of her words that it would be annoying, I soon smiled bitterly. ¡­ Even in this turn, could it be? No, there¡¯s no need to think too deeply about it now. There wasn¡¯t enough time just looking at the end. Wasn¡¯t my wish in this life an eternal death? I thought there was no need to leave any lingering attachments by having unnecessary thoughts. Shaking my head vigorously a few times, I pulled the reins and moved forward like that. The wind blew and brushed my cheek. As the setting sun spread like sshing paint, when I closed my eyes, it felt like the wind of this field was embracing my body. I thought my stuck chest would be cleared, but it wasn¡¯t, so I closed my eyes for no reason. In many ways, it felt like my mind was gettingplicated. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°How is the Terra Knight mine? I hope there will be some results.¡± ¡°Well, there haven¡¯t been any significant results yet.¡± Miragen frowned at the magician¡¯s words. She had rushed all the way here as soon as she was told to focus on the northwest, but even after a long time, the results were still not appearing. Was it a misjudgment to proceed with the research first? Even though it was a dangerous zone, she had somehow obtained permission and rushed here, but even after several days, the unseen Terra Knight ore was only making her physically and mentally exhausted. Did Robert Taylor lie to her? She didn¡¯t think he would do that. He had even helped her when she was with that youngdy, so would he have lied then? Miragen¡¯s thoughts about Robert Taylor soon led to the fact that he was in the North. ording to what she heard recently, did he directly be Adele¡¯s deputy? As far as she knew, his military prowess wasn¡¯t outstanding, so she thought he would probably be in charge of administration like a person named Lothos. If he came this far, she might have been able to see him once. The fact was, she felt a bit regretful. She couldn¡¯t even contact him through the artifact if she was busy, so these days, she couldn¡¯t contact Robert at all due to the twisted timing. ¨C It¡¯s better to take care of yourself. No matter what situation arises, you should prioritize your own safety. Even if you have to abandon others. The voice recorded in the artifact was quite strange. It was worrying as if she had been injured before. Was he saying that because she was a princess, or was he really worried? Miragen, who had been pondering that, soon stretched out her arms and yawned. What did it matter now, when the Terra Knight ore wasn¡¯ting out? So she fiddled with the artifact nkly, hoping Robert would answer, or not. Beep- The ringing tone continued for a while, but soon it was cut off anticlimactically without any sound. She let out a small sigh. It didn¡¯t connect again. Until now, she couldn¡¯t answer, but now it seemed Robert was busy. ¡°Is it the other side not answering this time?¡± Miragen, who thought things had gotten twisted,y down on the bed like that too fall asleep. She was nning to stay here for about three more days. If no results came out during that time, she would have to return to the center again. Nevertheless, feeling regretful, Miragen fiddled with the artifact again. Until she threw it away in annoyance after it didn¡¯t connect several times. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 48 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó If the North were to be divided into regions, it could bergely split into 3 parts. Most of the North unified by Adele¡¯s mercenary group, the area people referred to as the ¡®North¡¯, could be said to be this region. In addition, there was the undeveloped area where people couldn¡¯t enter, and the remaining one was thend of the tribes they were going to subjugate now. ¡°Although the territory is very small, there¡¯s a reason I couldn¡¯t subjugate them all myself.¡±As Adele spoke, Bunta nodded in agreement. Thend where the tribes lived was a dangerous ce among dangerous ces. It was and where people couldn¡¯t easily set foot, and those without wolves couldn¡¯t even move. Looking at the tribes who had built their base under the mountain range, Adele recited in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯m nning to handle them all this time. Because at least the territory of the North should be controlled by our power.¡± Handling meant the surrender of the tribes. In the past, it was close to a massacre, but wasn¡¯t what Adele was leading now a proper army? There was no need to kill everyone by force. If only the warriors of the tribes were dealt with, the rest could be brought in and used as resources. The North was a ce that could never bepletely unified. Although it looked like Adele was somehow managing it now, there was no way this ce with so many minority races would be united as one. Wasn¡¯t it a characteristic of people that they couldn¡¯t be melted like a melting pot? Considering just Adele¡¯s deputies, they all had distinctive appearances, so it would be very difficult to govern everything as one. So what Adele chose was to move forward while acknowledging everything. Not to confine them within a fence and bind them as one, but to tolerate whatever they did as long as they operated within the stage of the North. However, the tribes they were trying to subjugate now refused even that, so they were a force that needed to be erased as quickly as possible. ¡°I think we could rush in tonight and end it right away.¡± ¡°I think they¡¯ll notice an ambush. It might be better to do it during the day.¡± As Adele answered Lothos¡¯ words, Lothos, who had been fiddling with his sses for a moment, opened his mouth. That gaze fell on me, as if tantly expecting my performance. ¡°I think it would be better tounch a surprise attack right now. Our mobility isn¡¯t reduced, and even if only a few of us go in, we can handle them except for the elite of the tribes, right?¡± ¡°If I handle the elite warriors, who will catch the chief?¡± ¡°We have a new deputy, so we should make use of him at times like this.¡± How could he say that so confidently? Although I had anticipated this situation when I came, I felt offended when Lothos said that. Was he still unpleasant, now and before? Realizing my expression was unusual, Lothos, whoughed awkwardly, added. ¡°No, your skills are good, right? I think you¡¯re the best force to use at times like this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but I think it would be better for me to take the lead this time too. If you get hurt again this time, there won¡¯t be a handkerchief to lend you.¡± ¡°¡­ Didn¡¯t you cut that yourself?¡± As I asked back, Adele avoided my gaze and pretended not to know, moving on with the conversation. Come to think of it, did I already receive an apology for that? I smiled slightly, recalling Adele who hade to see me before going to sleep on the first day I arrived in the North. I thought it would end with just returning the handkerchief, but perhaps it bothered her quite a bit. I thought it was a rather unique experience. It wasn¡¯t amon scene to see her apologize like that herself. Afterughing like that for a moment, I followed the others and looked down at the foot of this mountain range. With the wolves baring their teeth and growling, the first battle of the subjugation would probably begin soon. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The most important factor in the subjugation of the tribes was speed. Even if one couldn¡¯t wield a sword well, with the mobility of the wolves, destructive power could be produced as much as desired. To catch the tribes moving freely in this rough terrain, it was important to keep up with their movements. Swish- The tribal warrior cut by the sword fell. As the seamless strikes continued like flowing water, someone else fell again, and the wolves that seemed to be rampaging left and right were showing quite precise movements. It wasn¡¯t being done by another veteran deputy or Adele herself. It was the appearance of Robert, who was participating in his first battle today. The deputies, each engaged in battle, could only nkly watch that sight. It was certain that today was his first time taking the lead in battle, but what was it about his ability to freely control the wolves? It wasn¡¯t an easy task even for those who had grown up with wolves since birth. In the central region, he would even ride a horse instead of a wolf, so why did Robert¡­ seem familiar with this kind of battle? ¡°Isn¡¯t it amazing?¡± Around the time Adele was watching Robert and appropriately handling the remaining tribesmen, Lothos, who had approached from the side, asked. Lothos had been watching Robert since the start of the battle. Anyway, since his role here was to clean up afterwards, it was possible for him to have more leeway than others. The Robert Taylor that Lothos knew was a rather peculiar man. If judged only by rumors, no one would say anything even if he was expelled right away, but the person he actually met was rather firm and skilled. Look, even now, didn¡¯t he handle tribesmen at almost the same level as Adele? Especially the way he freely used mana as he wished was not something easily seen even among the knights of the central region. ¡°He seems familiar with fighting alongside us. It must be his first time fighting, but still.¡± ¡°It must be talent. There are asionally people like that.¡± Adele retorted as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal. From Adele¡¯s perspective, it was rather satisfying to see Robert fight like that. Why would she have made him her deputy for no reason? If he met her standards, she was going to bring him along and be with him somehow, and the appearance she had seen so far was excellently meeting that standard. ¡­ And, in many ways, ambiguous thoughts wereing to mind. She still wanted to watch him for some time. It was Adele who had judged that if Robert couldn¡¯t get along with the deputies, she would have to boldly kick him out. She thought the group¡¯s solidarity was more important than what drew her interest, but Robert so far had been treating them quite well. ¡°If it¡¯s talent, it must be that, but it¡¯s still amazing. Because he¡¯s apletely different person from who I thought he was. Is that why you like him?¡± ¡°What I saw was different, but it¡¯s simr.¡± The reason Adele took an interest in Robert was originally for a different reason. The somehow detached appearance, and the calm demeanor even when she held a sword to his throat. But the most annoying thing was his attitude of beingposed even in the face of imminent death. It wasn¡¯t ack of fear. It was the appearance of epting death. Eyes that were indifferent even if he died right away, as if he would dly ept death. Those hollow eyes had not changed at all even as time passed. What did he see to not harbor emotions in his eyes? What did he experience to be detached in the face of killing intent? It was an attitude that even Adele, who had lived in a rather rough ce, saw for the first time, so she naturally couldn¡¯t help but take an interest in the man named Robert Taylor. And fortunately, an opportunity arose. Meeting at the Full Moon Festival and spending time together, and evening to the North like this. In the course of those encounters, emotions were gradually emerging in her. Deeper than interest, but something she couldn¡¯t identify, She was concerned. The anxiety she felt whenever she saw Robert still remained with Adele. Even though he was clearly in front of her, it felt like his gaze was looking far away, not at her. As if he would disappear just like that if she didn¡¯t hold onto him, Adele deliberately gave him a room near where she stayed so that she could frequently run into Robert. He wouldn¡¯t disappear. Adele knew that too. Unless a person was wind or dust, there was no way they would disappear in an instant. She reassured herself like that several times. She didn¡¯t know why she was acting this way. He was just a guest who hade to the North, so why was her mind getting soplicated? Tying her hair often at his words that it suited her, and grumbling at his concern for the princess. It was not the behavior she usually showed, and confusion began to rise. What on earth¡­ did she want to hear from Robert? It caught her eye. Even when cutting down the tribes like this, her gaze turned to him, wondering if he might be hurt. Even when she tried to focus solely on shing in order to steady her mind, whenever she came to her senses, she found herself looking at Robert. Out of worry, out of concern. No, it wasn¡¯t for that reason. Then what was it? Adele knew Lothos was staring intently at her, but she let out a hollowugh at the rising emotion. It wasn¡¯t her business if Robert was interested in the princess or the saint. But she sulked for no reason and told him not to worry in front of her. The embarrassing memory that suddenly came to mind seemed to bring heat to her face. What kind of unseemly behavior was this? Adele¡¯s mind was just confused. Because she was overwhelmed by an emotion she felt for the first time in her life, she didn¡¯t even notice Robert approaching. ¡°I¡¯ve handled everything. If we keep going forward now-¡± She was startled. Adele¡¯s body trembled greatly when she heard Robert¡¯s voice. She was quite surprised herself, so Adele, who barely suppressed the voice that was trying to escape through her lips, closed her eyes tightly. She had been thinking about him until just now, so what was she supposed to do if he suddenly showed up like this? Fortunately,posure was Adele¡¯s specialty. When she opened her eyes again with a nonchnt expression, Robert was looking at her with a puzzled expression. He had a gentle face befitting a young master. To the point where it was unbelievable that he had single-handedly dealt with the tribesmen beyond. Killing people for the first time¡­ no, did he smell the scent of bloodst time too? ¡®How on earth did he live his life?¡¯ He was different from the typical nobles of the central region. That calmness, and maintainingposure even in this situation. Adele, who had been watching Robert, then slowly moved her lips. ¡°There¡¯s no way you handled everything. The tribes in the west are not few in number.¡± ¡°I know that, but this is all that¡¯s here.¡± Robert also felt something strange. Temuzin was nowhere to be seen, when normally he would have shown up and shed long ago. But he didn¡¯t appear even after handling all the tribal warriors, so he had asked Toby to scout. Looking around, there were no living tribesmen in sight. Why was that, the reason Temuzin, who usually treated his subordinates terribly, had not appeared until now? He thought Temuzin would definitely be waiting for a confrontation with him, but could it be that he appeared faster than expected and their paths got twisted? ¡­ No, that possibility was low. Their reason for movingter after dering the subjugation was to draw out Temuzin¡¯s reaction. He thought Temuzin would definitely respond in the west, but around the time he was thinking about where he had disappeared to, Lothos muttered something with a serious expression. ¡°The northwest.¡± The atmosphere changed at that word. Bunta, who had been boasting about the sess of the earlier subjugation, and Adele, who had been slightly confused, hardened their expressions coldly and stared intently at Lothos. The probability of them going to the northwest was extremely low. There were many directions to head from this west, so he judged that if Temuzin were to confront him, he would fight in the rough terrain further west rather than here. ¡°There¡¯s a possibility he went to the northwest.¡± ¡°That prideful guy went there? I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a high probability of that.¡± He was a guy who would grit his teeth and charge even if it was a losing battle. Even if he fought, was there a reason for him to fight so desperately to the point of taking the imperial family hostage? To Adele, who questioned like that, Lothos responded with a slightly gloomy expression. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s winter, isn¡¯t it? They¡¯ll be short on food. It must have been a rather desperate fight.¡± ¡°So he threw away his pride? Deciding to strike the northwest where the imperial army is stationed?¡± ¡°The number of imperial soldiers there is almost negligible. Didn¡¯t Her Highness the Princesse in a way simr to a secret expedition?¡± Lothos also thought the probability of that was low. He had no grudge against the imperial family, so he was just considering the worst-case scenario. If such a thing happened, they would have to change direction immediately. Considering the time they wasted here, there was a high possibility that Temuzin had already reached the northwest. Although soldiers were deployed in the northwest, wouldn¡¯t they definitely be broken through if Temuzin attacked with full force? Thump thump- Their anxiety gradually began to grow. The possibility of ¡®what if¡¯, but if that was true, the situation would turn worse. As Adele¡¯splexion turned serious upon seeing Toby rushing fiercely from afar, Lothos clicked his tongue and began to give out orders to the army. When Toby came with that expression, it could only point to a single situation. ¡°We need to change direction right away.¡± ¡°¡­ The reason is.¡± As Adele asked, Toby answered in a low voice. ¡°A request for salvation hase from the northwest.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 49 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The sun disappeared as a gloomy darkness nketed the sky, and only the crescent moon obscured by clouds pitifully emitted its light. A curtain of darkness without a single star covered the light, and only the light of hazy eyes wandered around like fireflies. I looked at the sky where twilight was spreading like that. Awooo-The sound of a wolf¡¯s howl rang out. Thend resounding in this silence, this wind rushing forward without even letting one breathe, revived a memory in me. That day was the same. The night Miragen died, the night when only the crescent moon emitted an eerie light without a single star in sight. On the night of my 35th regression, Temuzin ambushed us in the northwest. Was this really a coincidence, I ran while erasing the thoughts that came to mind. I had already moved far ahead from Adele, and I could no longer hear the voices of the others. They would probably tell me to join the ranks, but this time, I nned to move alone. Otherwise, I would bete like that time. A piece of regret I held in my heart fluttered. The words I had heard on thest day of my thirty-fifth run echoed in my ears, and my emotions from that time were trying to resurface. But I endured. There was nothing good about recalling those emotions. I thought nothing would happen. Muttering that to myself, a slightly dry expression appeared on my face. Nothing would change even if I immersed myself in these thoughts, so I turned my head slightly, feeling Adele¡¯s presence following me from behind. Adele¡¯s expression was no different from before. It was an indifferent face, neither angry nor serious. ¡°We¡¯ll be in the northwest soon. You¡­ n to move separately, right?¡± ¡°I suppose so. Securing Her Highness the Princess¡¯s safety is the top priority.¡± ¡°¡­ Other than that, is there another reason?¡± For a very brief moment, I saw Adele¡¯s eyes wavering. There was nothing particrly special about me trying to save Miragen first. It was just the thought that if I didn¡¯t save her, I would regret it again like in my previous life. She didn¡¯t know about my previous lives, so I couldn¡¯t say I would regret it. After pondering how to answer for a moment, I quietly replied. ¡°There isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Adele smiled slightly. Perhaps my answer was quite satisfactory, as Adele, who had been staring into the void for a moment, untied the sword she had and held it out to me. As I nkly looked at it for a moment, she plopped the sword on my waist and continued. ¡°Take it. There¡¯s nothing more dangerous than your sword breaking during a fight.¡± Adele, who said that, smiled slightly and tapped the back of my wolf to urge it to go faster. Surprised by the suddenly increased speed and the widening distance, Adele said to me as I grew distant. ¡°I¡¯m lending it to you. Don¡¯t get hurt, and don¡¯t die.¡± That gaze was still directed at me. Perhaps she was looking at the gradually rising twilight. But with a slightly disappointed expression, she slightly furrowed her brows and added. ¡°So go ahead and¡­ save Her Highness the Princess. I have to lead my soldiers.¡± Her lips that had been moving closed like that. The distance between us widened due to the increased speed, and soon the distance between Adele and me became quite far. A distance where her face was no longer visible, but Adele¡¯sst appearance I saw¡­ somehow looked extremely lonely. She had told me toe back safely. Recalling those words, it felt like the suffocating feeling in my chest was slightly relieved. I rode on the wind and moved forward. The ce where Miragen had died before was the imperial pce, this time it was the northwest. Because the location was different, I believed the oue would be different. Moreover, the timing was different too, right? I closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them again and beheld the moonlight in my eyes. It was different from the night of the thirty-fifth run. It would definitely, certainly be different. This time, the one going to save Miragen was the 100th Robert. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°What¡¯s our current situation?¡± ¡°We havepletely surrounded them. We have annihted all of the imperial soldiers, so if we deal with the soldiers hiding inside, we can secure the princess¡¯s safety.¡± ¡°Hmm, that cunning woman must still be in the west. Well, she probably didn¡¯t expect me to ambush this ce.¡± Temuzin, who thought of Adele Igrit, showed a faint smile. It was a despicable smile, but the situation was already smiling upon him. If it were his usual self, he would have confronted them in the west or retreated a bit further to respond. It was just a coincidence that he found out the princess was in the northwest. No, perhaps it was proof that God was wishing for his victory. ¡°Come to think of it, that woman¡­ did she leave right away?¡± ¡°She only provided us with information about the princess and disappeared. She said if we wanted to find her again, we shoulde to the south.¡± ¡°What was her name? Tere¡­ something like that.¡± ¡°She called herself Theresa. We didn¡¯t hear her surname.¡± Theresa, Temuzin, who pondered that name, nodded his head. He wouldn¡¯t forget a favor. Since providing information about the princess in this situation had yed a significant role, he thought he would be able to achieve results against Adele with this opportunity. The reason the princess hade to the northwest was because of the Terra Knight mine. He didn¡¯t know what she would do with it, but it was certain that it was quite important to the princess. So he targeted that. No matter how much Adele Igrit wanted to, she wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore the princess¡¯s safety and move towards the west. ¡°What will you do if you capture the princess?¡± To that question, Temuzin answered as if it were natural. ¡°Kill her, of course.¡± So that Adele Igrit would disappear from the North, he nned to capture the princess and kill her in front of Adele¡¯s eyes. What would that woman¡¯s face of despair look like? Temuzin, who had beenughing for a moment, then began to lead the tribal warriors. Since the soldiers remaining in the northwest were all stationed by Adele, it wouldn¡¯t take long to break through. As Temuzin reached out his hand, the tribal warriors charged forward. Squawk- And there was a bird watching this. Miragen, who heard Temuzin¡¯s voice, swallowed slightly. Although she had brought a few artifacts in case of unexpected situations, she didn¡¯t expect to hear such words. Kill? Her? Knowing that the tribes had invaded the northwest, she had concealed herself, but at this rate, it was only a matter of time before she was caught. She thought while pressing her temple. A way to ovee this situation, and furthermore, a way to get out of here safely. ¡°If it was going to be like this, I shouldn¡¯t havee. I should have listened to what Adriana said.¡± Miragen¡¯s eyes narrowed as she cut off her mind connection to the bird. What was the reason Robert¡¯s words came to mind in this situation? The words that were selfish but clearly showed concern for her, saying to think only of her own safety in any situation. Could it be that he had anticipated this would happen? Miragen, who let out a small sigh, stared into the void. There were only two artifacts left. Excluding the one to contact Robert, there was only one artifact left to protect herself. Even that could only conceal her body for a moment, so she could probably use it only when escaping from here. The soldiers stationed by Adele still remained, so themotion had not spread to where Miragen was staying yet. It should be fine for now. Wasn¡¯t there enough time to contact someone? So she carefully fiddled with the artifact, and then a buzzing vibration and a ringing sound followed. ¨C Your Highness the Princess, are you alright? Miragen¡¯s body trembled at the voice that immediately came through. She didn¡¯t expect him to answer right away like this. She was about to smile, feeling d, but realizing the current situation, she moved her lips again. ¡°I¡¯m fine. But didn¡¯t you say you were also in the north Lord Taylor? How is it there?¡± ¨C I¡¯m heading your way. Is anyone with you right now? ¡°¡­ Oh, wait a moment. This way?¡± Surprised by the unexpected answer for a moment, Miragen barely managed to speak aftering to her senses. He said he wasing this way, did he know how dangerous this ce was right now? ¡°No! You¡¯re noting alone, are you? You have to inform Lady Adele ande together-¡± ¨C I know how dangerous it is. And I know what situation Your Highness is in. ¡°¡­ Lord Taylor.¡± ¨C That¡¯s why I¡¯m going. Her Grace is gathering her soldiers and heading this way, so she¡¯ll probably be able to join me ande. In the end, those words meant he wasing alone. Miragen, who barely suppressed her mind turning nk for a moment, slightly parted her lips. With what confidence, before that, what was she to him¡­ Although she was a princess, she wasn¡¯t someone important enough for a person to risk their life and rush over. If it were Adele Igrit, it would be understandable. However, there was no need for Robert Taylor toe alone. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you toe. It wouldn¡¯t be toote toe with others, but the tribes are all over the ce here. Are you saying you¡¯ll break through here alone?¡± ¨C That¡¯s right. ¡°What kind of nonsense is that-!¡± Even the imperial soldiers had all fallen and died. The leader leading the tribes seemed far from ordinary no matter how you looked at it, so how could Robert Taylor, who had never held a sword, reach them? She was grateful for his intention, but Miragen judged it as a futile act of courage. She couldn¡¯t let another person lose their life, so she spoke in a low voice. ¡°Lord Taylor, I¡¯m speaking as a princess right now. I appreciate your willingness toe, but it¡¯s impossible to break through here alone. Her Grace probably didn¡¯t give you permission either¡­¡± ¨C I¡¯ve already received permission. That¡¯s why I¡¯m moving independently. ¡°You received permission, it sounds like you¡¯re saying the Grand Duchess allowed that.¡± As she said that, Robert¡¯s slightlyughing voice was heard. But why did thatughter make her feel at ease? After briefly grasping her chest, she carefully moved her lips. ¨C Even if you tell me not toe, I¡¯ll go. I¡¯m almost there, so I can¡¯t turn back now. ¡°¡­ Even if it¡¯s an order from the princess, will you still do that?¡± ¨C That won¡¯t be the order you¡¯ll give me. Robert¡¯s voice was gentle. For a moment, enough to forget about this situation, she nkly stared into the void at the voice that gently enveloped her body. When the tribes invaded, she thought for a moment that she might die. Didn¡¯t she just hear that if they caught her, they would kill her? Feeling strangely rxed, Miragen, who grasped her staggering legs, opened her mouth. ¡°Then what order should I give you?¡± ¨C Just ask for help. Just ask me to save you, tell me where you are, that¡¯s enough. ¡°¡­ I can¡¯t give that order. How can you say that in this situation? Do I seem like such a bad person, I would like to say that I¡¯m not.¡± She thought he was an amazing person. Even in such a dangerous situation, he warned her as if he knew she would be in danger. Wasn¡¯t he rushing over here alone like this? She didn¡¯t know what he felt towards her. She knew that the reason he approached her in the first ce was to meet the Crown Prince. They had hardly spent any time together. They had met by chance with Adriana¡¯s help and continued contact only because of her insistence. As heat rushed to her face, Miragen slowly covered her cheek. This wasn¡¯t the time to feel such an emotion¡­ Blinking her eyes, she let out a faint sigh at the sensation that didn¡¯t disappear nevertheless. ¡°There¡¯s a hidden entrance. I¡¯ll tell you where it is, so can youe from there?¡± Since it was made so that she, as a princess, coulde, there were several secret passages. Apart from other things, there would be many passages that could be moved in underground. Miragen, who thought about the location of the passage for a moment, continued. ¡°If you go east from the front of the building I¡¯m in, it should be there. If I say it¡¯s a ce with rough terrain, you¡¯ll know, right?¡± ¨C ¡­ Ah, I think I know where it is. ¡°If you¡¯re reallying this way, don¡¯t fight with others ande towards that direction. Probably no one else knows about that ce.¡± Around the time Miragen was puzzled by the voice that didn¡¯t continue for a moment, Robert quietly opened his mouth. ¨C Can you hold out until I get there? ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t worry about me, worry about how you¡¯ll arrive safely.¡± ¨C If you¡¯re alive, I¡¯ll save you. While smiling at those words, she couldn¡¯t understand what followed. A cold voice continued. But rather than being truly chilling, it felt like he was crying. ¨C This time, for sure. Robert muttered. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 50 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°Did Robert¡­ leave?¡± ¡°Yeah, he left.¡± Lothos showed aplicated expression as he looked at Adele, who had returned alone. He thought she seemed a bit shaken since she found out the princess was in danger.Although saving the princess was the top priority, it was hard to readily understand her decision to act alone. Her attitude was so serious that he couldn¡¯t stop her, and moreover, didn¡¯t Adele also acquiesce to it? However, what bothered him was Adele¡¯s expression. It was an expression even Lothos saw for the first time, so it was difficult to grasp Adele¡¯s mood. The only certain thing was that her mood was terrible. ¡°¡­ He left.¡± Adele, who answered like that, slightly bowed her head. She seemed a bit depressed, unlike usual. While she looked irritated, the light in her eyes was dimmer than ever. Lothos couldn¡¯t say anything to Adele. If he spoke to her now, it felt like Adele¡¯s emotions would explode. It was the first time he saw her showing a weak side. And only then did he realize that Adele was a woman before being the Grand Duchess. If she followed Robert and returned with that expression¡­ even if it was a misunderstanding, various rumors might arise. She was probably worried. Adele could have followed him, but leading these hundreds of soldiers was solely her authority. There might be a group that would ambush the scattered soldiers, so she couldn¡¯t easily leave her position. So the only method was to move as quickly as possible and join Robert. If he went alone, it would take a few hours, but if they all moved together, it would take a full day. ¡°I think moving quickly is our best option for now. Even if I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll lose to Temuzin, he¡¯s not an easy guy to catch alone, right?¡± ¡°What if we send the soldiers back from here and only a few of us gather and join him?¡± ¡°Are you nning to go without soldiers?¡± ¡°Even if theye together, you know they won¡¯t be of much help. The goal is just to rescue Her Highness the Princess, killing Temuzin can be postponed.¡± If the situation were like usual, killing Temuzin would have been their top priority. But now, the princess¡¯s life was being threatened. If they prioritized other things while ignoring the princess, who could be considered a hostage, there was a high probability they would lose everything. So was she saying she would strike with a small number? Lothos, who realized Adele¡¯s judgment wasn¡¯t bad, soon nodded and opened his mouth. ¡°Then let¡¯s do that. I think it would be better for Bunta to lead the soldiers and regroup with uster.¡± ¡°Yeah, then you and Bunta stay and lead the soldiers. I¡¯ll go ahead with the rest.¡± ¡°¡­ Wait, you¡¯re leaving me behind too?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re dissatisfied, learn to use a sword. It would be difficult to protect you there, do you want to die?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± It would be better to stay by her side and help her maintainposure if possible, but who would do that if not him? Lothos had no choice but to nod his head. If not him¡­ perhaps Robert would y that role instead. But the problem was if a situation arose where Robert was injured or died. If such a situation really happened¡­? Just imagining it, it didn¡¯t seem like something good would happen, so Lothos, who let out a small sigh, wiped his forehead. He hoped no one would get hurt. Even as he headed towards Bunta, he nced at Adele, who was preparing to leave with the other deputies. He hoped it was just a feeling, but somehow he had a bad premonition. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°Is there any sounding from outside?¡± ¨C No, there¡¯s none now. It was a bit noisy earlier, but now there¡¯s no sound at all. After riding the wolf for a long time, the Terra Knight mine in the northwest where the princess was staying finally came into view. The tribes surrounding the area were not very numerous. Perhaps the imperial army had handled them to some extent. Plus, there were soldiers stationed by Adele, so it would take quite some time before the tribal warriors rushed to Miragen. Not cutting off contact with Miragen was to reassure her. Hiding in a space with no one to talk to could be quite difficult, so her anxiety might be amplified if left alone. Even if it was pointless talk, in this situation, it would be better to at least keep herpany. The ce he was heading to now was the entrance to the secret passage that connected to where she was, and he had roughly grasped the location after hearing various exnations. Now he just needed to go there and join Miragen, but looking beyond the horizon, he could see a problem had arisen. ¡°I believe it¡¯s silent now due to the tribes and the soldiers shing.¡± ¨C Ah, are they fighting now? How¡¯s the situation? ¡°Of course they¡¯re being pushed back. They weren¡¯t stationed here in anticipation of this situation in the first ce.¡± ¨C ¡­ I guess so. They had stationed them just in case, but no one had expected Temuzin to decisivelyunch an attack, right? Even I had only considered the possibility. Since this was the first time such a situation had urred, no matter how much I thought about it, it was right to consider one assumption. Someone had helped Temuzin. The fact that the princess was staying in the northwest was top secret information known only to those above the rank of deputy in the North. Either someone in a high position in the imperial pce or one of Adele¡¯s deputies must have told Temuzin about it. But it wouldn¡¯t be a deputy, so who on earth had told Temuzin about the princess? Even after thinking about it a bit more, no distinct person came to mind. Although there was a possibility that the Crown Prince might have directly intervened, there was no reason for him to make a move on the princess now. In the first ce, Miragen¡¯s death had only urred once in all my runs. At that time, I already had a deep rtionship with Miragen, so the situation itself was different from now. Still, it was a bit awkward to exclude it¡­ Recalling the letter Renold had received, I shook my head. There was no sign of the Crown Prince making any moves. Even if I considered the possibility of Renold having a change of heart, there was no way the Crown Prince, who was focused on the relics, would have moved first in this situation. Finding out who he had contacted was a matter forter. For now, I had to focus on saving Miragen first. As I grasped the sword borrowed from Adele, I felt a cold chill. A sword forged of iron from the Tundra, a renowned sword that could handle my mana no matter how much I used it. I thought she wouldn¡¯t lend it to me, but I never imagined she would be so generous to the extent of lending me a sword. She must trust me in her own way. Responding to that trust was probably what I had to do today. Even if Adele chased after me again, the distance between us had already widened considerably. By the time she arrived here, the situation would likely already be over. The sight Adele would witness then would be one of two things. Either I saved Miragen, or we were both dead. As I slowly infused mana into my body, I thought. If I failed to save Miragen, there was a high probability that I would be pressured by various people. In that case, it would be better to die again and aim for regression. I was used to dying. I just wasn¡¯t used to others dying. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to talk for a while.¡± ¨C Are you near here? ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll contact you again once things are sorted out to some extent. Until then, please wait and examine the situation. If I don¡¯t contact you¡­¡± There was always the possibility of ¡®what if¡¯. Now that I hadn¡¯t fully recovered my previous level, with only 10% of my strength, it might be difficult to face dozens of people. If Temuzin joined too, I would definitely die. The best course of action I could think of was to defeat them one by one. If that failed, I would die, so I paused for a moment and slightly moved my lips. ¡°If a situation arises where I am unable to contact you, I¡¯ll fight to the death with the enemymander. So run away as far as you can, somehow. Find a way to survive.¡± ¨C You talk about dying so calmly. I smiled at her slightly angry voice. After listening to Miragen scolding me for a while, I muttered softly. ¡°Then I will stopmunicating with you now.¡± ¨C Oh¡­ was I speaking too harshly? ¡°That¡¯s not it. I think it¡¯s about time I moved.¡± What came into my sight was the movement of some of Temuzin¡¯s forces. After failing to break through the blocked main gate, they were trying to find another passage. I needed to stop them. If they discovered the eastern passage like that, Miragen would be in danger in many ways. ¨C ¡­ Don¡¯t get hurt. That¡¯s an imperial order. As I tried to answer the words that reached my ears, I quietly put the artifact in my pocket. It was better not to have a long conversation with Miragen. Especially in this situation, I might ruin things by being immersed in unnecessary thoughts. Thump. I closed my eyes tightly at my quietly beating heart. It was a kind of ritualistic action I did before devoting myself to something. There was a high probability that the luxury of hiding my strength like before wouldn¡¯t work. With full force, I had to squeeze out my strength to the limit if possible. As I grasped Adele¡¯s sword again, a blue light rippled. A brilliant light that could be seen at a nce even in this twilight spilled out, the tribes who discovered me soon changed direction and began charging towards me. Getting off the wolf, I shook the reins a few times and it ran away in the opposite direction from the oing tribes. After the wolf went far away and disappeared from sight, I let out a small sigh. It was morefortable to fight on foot than riding a wolf. And the wolf might get hurt, so I took a deep breath and stood in position. Whoosh- The wind blew. On this hill where I stood, my cloak fluttered like a g. At the same time, my shining mana would probably look like the biggest target among them. I pointed my sword at the tribes who had approached within close range. Swish-! The sound of swords shing was not heard. I focused solely on shing, unlike when I fought Bunta. It was not to confirm each other¡¯s skills, but simply to kill. Piercing through the heart, snatching the enemy¡¯s sword and thrusting it into another. The blue line flowing from my sword fiercely emitted light. The breath entering my lungs became vitality, and that vitality was connected to my muscles. I swung my sword while twisting my body and cut down three of them. Two, three. Again, one, two. As the battle flowed, my series of actions of swinging my sword and inhaling were all supposed to be connected as one. Even if I gained the upper hand, it would just be arrogance with this number. If my movements were disrupted even for a moment, wouldn¡¯t I be the one to suffer? I thrust my fist into the sr plexus of a charging enemy. Grabbing his head that coughed up blood with a groan, I mmed it into the ground and trampled it to widen the distance. I created a gap with my sword so that the enemy couldn¡¯t enter the circle drawn by my arm and sword. Just letting them feel this gap was enough to break their morale. My reputation as the Sword Saint was not with me now. It was just a fragment of the previous run, to them I was just Adele¡¯s deputy. But there was still something that didn¡¯t change. It was the eyes of those looking at me. Fear seeped into the eyes of those who had initially looked down on me, and that fear caused them to hesitate in their actions. That was the difference between them and formally trained knights. They harbored emotions during a fight thus allowing for them to be broken through in a single point. ¡°Retreat- Retreat!¡± ¡°Damn it, everyone run away!¡± At the point when they blew the retreat bugle against one person, the upper hand they showed was already broken and would not recover. I bit my lip at my gradually quickening breath. I couldn¡¯t show my weakness even for a moment. Rather than letting them notice my stamina was dropping, it was better to grit my teeth and overdo it. ¡°Argh!¡± I thrust my sword into the chest of the tribesman whose eyes met mine and tore it out. Turning my gaze from the one who had be a torn corpse, I swung my sword at the remaining ones. Arrows that were shot blindly embedded themselves in me, and their reckless sword swings hit my body, carving off flesh. I didn¡¯t stop. It was because I knew it would be better to forcibly hold them back and show that I still had leeway. Ptooey, as I spat out a lump of blood from my mouth and caught my breath, I realized there were no more enemies standing around. Had I cut down around thirty? Only after the eerie moonlight shone on me could I see that I was drenched in blood. Fortunately, not much of that blood was mine. If poison had been applied, it would have been troublesome, but for now it was fine, so there was no problem. Frowning at the gradually increasing stinging pain, I began to move my steps like that. Now that they knew I hade here, their attempt to attack the gate would be dyed. ¡°I bought time, I just need to join her.¡± Plop, as I pulled out the arrow stuck in my shoulder, blood gushed out. I roughly tied it with cloth to stop the bleeding, and suddenly, remembering Miragen¡¯s words, augh inadvertently escaped. I think she told me not to get hurt since it was an imperial order, but by doing this, I had already disobeyed her order as soon as I heard it. ¡°¡­ Will she be angry?¡± Frowning, I could clearly imagine her standing with her arms crossed, ready to say something. Whenever Miragen got angry at me, it was always like that. It would be quite difficult to appease the sulking Miragen. Laughing at my suddenly rising worry, I moved my steps again like that. This time, I hoped I could see her getting angry like that. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 51 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó I thought about contacting Miragen again, but decided against it as it seemed like I would be fighting again soon. Even though I had just dealt with the tribal warriors, they would probably gather again and challenge me to a fight if some time passed. I had fought them as an example earlier, but if their numbers increased further, it would be troublesome for me. I needed to respond calmly.My purpose now was not to fight, but to save Miragen. Saving her and safely escaping to join up with Adele would be the best course of action. I checked my physical condition, but there wasn¡¯t anything particrly bad. My stamina was depleted, but there would be no problem facing a few more opponents. Temuzin¡­ well, I had fought him before, and it was manageable. In the first ce, the reason Temuzin was tricky was because he would run away here and there using the wolf¡¯s mobility. The ce where the princess was staying was indoors, so even if I faced him, it would obviously be inside. There was nothing to fear. ¡°Phew.¡± Being ustomed to pain was helpful in many ways. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was thanks to Yuria or being stabbed so much all over my body, but these wounds weren¡¯t particrly painful. I roughly stopped the bleeding and walked slowly. Even as I exhaled breaths with white mist from the cold weather, my gaze was searching for a passage to enter this building. In fact, the distance from the building was quite far. I had deliberately circled around after fighting the tribes once, so they wouldn¡¯t have noticed that I hade here. Still, I needed to be careful. Looking around, I could only see snow-covered rocks. Rocks muchrger than humans were piled up, surrounding this area like a mountain range. This was the reason it was called rough terrain. If one were to enter such a ce, a single person would barely be able to move. After searching the surroundings for a moment, I discovered a rock in a strange location. That rock alone had shallow snow, and when I brushed it aside, a small hole leading inside appeared. If it was like this, it would be easy to find. When I covered the rock again, snow magically reappeared as if concealing it. Perhaps an illusion spell had been applied to it. Indeed, it would be difficult to examine each and every rock in this snowy field. If someone hadn¡¯t told me, it would have been impossible to even think of finding this area. After scanning my surroundings for a moment, I pushed my body into the hole like that. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not as narrow as I thought.¡± What was inside the hole could simply be called a building. As it was a building directly built by the princess, it was quite luxurious,parable to having slightly better facilities than a typical research facility. The magic stones embedded here and there lit up the interior likenterns. As I went straight down the corridor, I noticed stairs leading downward. The ce where Miragen was hiding was down there. I spread out mana to detect any possible presence, but there was nothing distinct. They were probably all dead. I felt sorry for those who had sacrificed themselves to protect the princess alone, but there was no need to waste time thinking about such things in this situation. Their sacrifice would bepleted by me saving Miragen. I started walking with slightly hastened steps. As soon as I went down, I felt the presence of countless ovepping barriers. It might take some time to break through. Since there had been no battles along the way, I took out the artifact again and called Miragen. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± ¨C Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? I felt slightly pricked by the question of whether I was hurt, but soon answered in a calm voice. There was no need to worry her in advance when we would see each other soon anyway. ¡°More importantly, I¡¯m in front of the barrier now. If I try to break through it, I think it will take quite a lot of time, so is there a way to operate it from your side?¡± ¨C Ah, the¡­ barrier. Wait a moment, I know how to dispel it. Even while waiting, Miragen kept asking about me. Am I injured, how many people did I fight? When I said I fought around thirty people, she was startled and persistently asked how much I was injured. She could just dispel the barrier and see for herself. Sighing softly, I spoke in a slightly hesitant manner. ¡°I think I¡¯m slightly injured.¡± ¨C You think you¡¯re slightly injured? How bad is the injury? Were you shot by arrows? ¡°I was hit a few times, but I think it¡¯s fine-¡± ¨C What do you mean it¡¯s fine if you were hit a few times-! Hearing her shouting through the artifact, I couldn¡¯t help butugh. Was she like this before? It was because my rtionship with Miragen wasn¡¯t limited to a single round. How many times had we met¡­ and in several instances, there had even been talk of marriage. Although it had never proceeded that way. Come to think of it, I had been involved in various rtionships with everyone except the Saint. Even with Adele¡­ strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t an ordinary rtionship. However, I didn¡¯t want to form any ties with anyone in this life. Even if the other person got hurt, I thought it would be better to reject them coldly. So the more I felt Miragen¡¯s familiar appearance, the darker my expression became. I could hear her grumbling and dispelling the barrier now. As the barriers disappeared one by one and Ipletely erased them with my hand, the door inside suddenly swung open. ¡°How badly are you injured- Oh my.¡± In fact, I hadn¡¯t expected her toe out so quickly, so I ended up showing her my blood-stained appearance as it was. My cloak would be a mess if I took it off midway. Miragen, who had been nkly staring at me for a moment, then approached me with a dismayed expression. ¡°Are you crazy, are you out of your mind? Really.¡± ¡°¡­I tried not to get hurt.¡± ¡°This, now¡­ it doesn¡¯t look like someone who tried not to get hurt. Am I stupid? Does a person who bled this much look uninjured to you?¡± ¡°Not all of this blood is mine. You could say just a very small amount of it is.¡± Miragen red at me as if frustrated, then examined my wounds while tapping her chest. When she counted them one by one like that, there were quite a lot. There was no way to win against thirty people without a single wound, right? Around the time I felt a bit disappointed in myself, Miragen, who had uncannily raised her head, poked my chest with her finger. ¡°Don¡¯t make a disappointed expression. I even gave you an order not to get hurt, so what were you going to do if you came back wounded like this? Do I seem like such an easy person to you?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re easy.¡± ¡°No¡­ Uh. Then what am I supposed to say to that?¡± When Iughed slightly at that reaction, Miragen shook her head with a sullen expression. If I were to pick the person I felt mostfortable with in this life, I think it would be Miragen. In fact, wouldn¡¯t it be the same across all the rounds? I don¡¯t know if this rtionship will continue in the future, but that¡¯s how it is right now. ¡°Even if I want to treat your wounds, I can¡¯t treat them now. Is that okay?¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t okay, I wouldn¡¯t have been able toe here. I stopped the bleeding with mana, so there will be no problem even if I fight a few more times.¡± Miragen looked at me with a gaze of suspicion, then nodded as if there was no choice. Actually, there was no problem staying here for a while. We could wait until Adele arrived, and when Adele reached here, we could join up with her then. The problem was that our opponent was Temuzin. If it was Temuzin, he mighte up with the idea of blowing up this entire ce, right? ¡°I¡¯ll go out through the passage I came in from. But, is there no other ce besides that?¡± ¡°Of course there is. But you¡¯re saying there¡¯s a possibility they discovered it too, right?¡± ¡°¡­Just in case, it would be good to consider the possibility of going that way. In the first ce, didn¡¯t you not expect the tribes toe all the way to the northwest?¡± ¡°But what happened to the other soldiers?¡± When I didn¡¯t answer that question, Miragen, who had understood the meaning to some extent, smiled bitterly. As Miragen had said several times that she sometimes disliked her position as a princess, she probably wouldn¡¯t like this situation either. However, she had to live. For the sacrifices of others to truly be sacrifices, she had to escape safely from here. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Miragen, who had stopped me from going forward, then put something on my chest and patted my back. When I asked what it was, she turned forward and opened her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s an artifact I brought in secret. It has the function to temporarily conceal the body. Wouldn¡¯t it be better for Lord Taylor, who will be fighting, to use it rather than me?¡± An artifact that conceals the body, I wonder how it should be used during a fight. If we consider unforeseen situations, it would be better for Miragen to have it. However, her expression was so serious that I couldn¡¯t refute it and could only express my gratitude. As we walked along the corridor for a while, I noticed the blood trail I had left while walking. Even though I had dragged my feet to erase it just in case, Miragen frowned when she discovered it at some point. I couldn¡¯t help but bleed when I was bleeding, right? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s my fault. If we must assign me, it would be the fault of the tribesmen who shot arrows at me. Miragen didn¡¯t say anything while walking. She only asionally furrowed her brows while ncing in the direction the soldiers had fought, as if she was concerned about the people who had died to protect her. There was no point in saying anything in this situation. It was better to just give her time to think on her own. In the meantime, what I was doing was spreading out mana to examine the presence around us. Since the tribes might discover the passage, it would be right to attack them first before they noticed us. Not in a hurry, but slowly we moved. A strange atmosphere flowed as we walked together through the quiet corridor. Was there something she wanted to say? I shrugged my shoulders at Miragen, who was staring at me intently. ¡°Do you have something to say?¡± ¡°¡­No, well. It¡¯s just something I¡¯ve been curious about.¡± Miragen hesitated for a moment, then nced at me and continued. ¡°Why did youe to save me? We barely know each other. There was no need for you toe alone, and it wouldn¡¯t have been strange for you toe together with the Grand Duchess. Wasn¡¯t there no need for you toe alone?¡± ¡°There was a need for that.¡± ¡°What did you just say-¡± However, Miragen¡¯s words didn¡¯t continue. As my expression hardened upon suddenly feeling a presence, Miragen covered her mouth and held her breath. Until just now, there was nothing, but a group had entered this building. Not just one or two, but several. Their purpose in heading this way must be to capture Miragen. ¡°¡­It seems the tribes have infiltrated. It looks like the defense line has been breached.¡± Miragen didn¡¯t answer. She just nodded her head, as if waiting for what I would say. The direction the tribes had infiltrated was coincidentally close to the passage we were trying to head towards. Then it meant we couldn¡¯t go that way. Fighting while protecting Miragen at the same time would be nearly impossible. We had to find another direction. However, the problem was that I couldn¡¯t go with Miragen now. Therge and powerful presence I felt must be Temuzin¡¯s. No matter how much I thought about it, our probability of escaping together was low. ¡°We have to go in a different direction.¡± ¡°Then we should change directions. Why are you standing there?¡± Miragen grabbed my wrist, but I politely released her hand and replied. ¡°I can¡¯t go. I have to stop them here for Your Highness to escape.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying right now. You¡¯re not thinking of stopping the tribes alone, are you? In your current state?¡± I didn¡¯t answer and just nodded my head. Miragen put on a deliberately angry expression. She said it was absurd not to go together and tried to go with me somehow. However, that was impossible. Even if we went together, the tribes would surely block the way and surround this ce. Even for me, it would be impossible to break through that while protecting Miragen. ¡°It¡¯s the only way. Don¡¯t you have to live?¡± ¡°What about you? Are you thinking of just ¡­dying here?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t die. I¡¯m confident I won¡¯t die, and in the first ce, I can fight the tribal chief.¡± It was half a bluff, but Miragen stared at me intently, hesitating. I thought the situation was the opposite of before. Miragen had opposed going together and died after going alone. Perhaps if I stopped the tribes here, Miragen would be able to escape safely. Temuzin alone wouldn¡¯t be able to handle me, so he would definitely gather his subordinates here. I gently grasped Miragen¡¯s hand as she stared at me intently. It was an act to reassure her and at the same time to hand her the artifact. ¡°You can use it when you¡¯re in danger. If you escape, go north and join up with the Grand Duchess. I¡¯ll take care of the tribes ande out on my own.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ha.¡± Miragen stared at me as if dumbfounded. Her eyes quickly turned red. Wouldn¡¯t it be a bit strange to stare at me like that? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to die. It wouldn¡¯t be that difficult to kill the tribes. I might get slightly injured. But I won¡¯t die. Tap tap. I tapped Miragen¡¯s shoulder to signal her. There was no more time to dy. If I drew attention, Miragen had to run in the opposite direction, and I had to stop Temuzin here. Miragen must have known that too, as she turned her back without saying anything. She looked like she had a lot to say, as she hesitated. However, Miragen didn¡¯t say anything more. She ran forward like that and disappeared from my sight. Only after confirming that Miragen had disappeared could I sigh and mutter. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll die.¡± There was a sense you got when it was time for you to die. I didn¡¯t feel that, and in the worst case, I had hidden measures. I¡¯ve lived a hundred times, so how could I die here? ¡­And this was why I had picked up the sword. If a situation like thest day of the thirty-fifth regression came. To finally be able to protect, to not regret. That¡¯s why I had picked up the sword. I deliberately drew out my mana to the maximum. As the blue mana emitted light, I felt Temuzin¡¯s presence heading this way, realizing I was here. There was something I had thought about when I picked up the sword. The reason I had picked up the sword and the goal I would reach in the future. My reason was to ovee my own weakness, even if I had to use force. In order not to lose the one I cherished before my eyes, in order not to easily sumb under the excuse of powerlessness. That was my goal. Sling- There were a few things I had done for someone. Memories that remained vivid even now, that came to mind intensely when I reminisced sometimes. However, one thing was certain: the reason I had picked up the sword. Miragen. The life in which I had picked up the sword was a life for you. Recalling the Miragen of the thirty-fifth regression, the Robert of the hundredth regression grasped his sword. There was a life I had lived for you. At least that much was an undeniable fact. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 52 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó She walked across the pure white snowy field. Her legs staggered from constantly running, and she shivered from the cold wind, but she endlessly walked searching for a group of people. Thanks to the artifact that concealed her body, her identity wasn¡¯t revealed, but at this rate, it was only a matter of time before the artifact¡¯s effect wore off, right? Miragen bit her lip slightly and sighed.Although she had escaped through the passage, problems still remained. The possibility of joining up with Adele Igrit, and the possibility of Robert Taylor surviving. No matter how much she thought about it, the probability of him breaking through all those tribesmen and surviving seemed nonexistent. She felt powerless. Miragen¡¯s brow furrowed at that fact. How many people had died trying to save just her? And even Robert Taylor. To think he would n to block dozens of tribesmen alone just to let her escape, even themander of the knights in the imperial pce wouldn¡¯t be able to say that. Someone with no particr ties to her had said that. He would buy time, so she should escape and live. Couldn¡¯t they have run away together? What was she, a princess who was just barely clinging to a precarious position while being pushed aside by the Crown Prince, to say? ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¨C There was a need for that. When she asked why he came alone to save her, Robert had answered like that. What need was there for him to say that? Miragen recalled Robert¡¯s eyes. Eyes that were a bit more affectionate and gentle than usual. Because he often had such eyes when looking at her, Miragen couldn¡¯t easily understand Robert¡¯s heart. ¨C Miragen, do you¡­ believe in regression? Was it really a coincidence that she thought of what Adriana had said? If Robert and she had a special rtionship in a time that no one knew about. If there was something that only Robert himself remembered because no one else remembered. Perhaps she could have understood his attitude. The cold wind seeped in. The reason she could still endure it was because she had received a cloak from Robert. She hugged the cloak that she had received when he said it would be inconvenient for fighting. Feeling the faint warmth remaining in it, she recalled the determination Robert must have had. Sacrifice. No, Robert wouldn¡¯t die. He had said he wouldn¡¯t die himself, so she would surely be able to meet him again alive. In the intensifying snowstorm, a faint figure began to appear. Seeing a group of ck wolves running, Miragen put away the artifact. As Miragen¡¯s appearance was revealed in the snowstorm, Adele, who had spotted her, led the group and ran straight towards Miragen. ¡°Your Highness the Princess.¡± While relieved that Miragen was alive, Adele¡¯s gaze confirmed that there was nothing beside Miragen. Miragen had arrived like this, but where had Robert gone? Perhaps he might join from the rear, so she waited, but Miragen spoke first. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to stay here like this right now. Lord Taylor is blocking the tribesmen alone. We need to support him as soon as possible-¡± ¡°¡­Robert is alone, you say.¡± Suddenly, such a chilling voice was heard that Miragen stopped speaking and nodded her head. Adele¡¯s expression was no different from before. It was still an expressionless face, and even maintaining herposure was the same. However, her eyes, the eyes staring at where Robert would be, were trembling endlessly. ck, Adele gritted her teeth and exhaled a faint breath. It was obvious that he wasn¡¯t facing Temuzin alone. Wasn¡¯t Temuzin a crafty and cunning person? He must be fighting against dozens of people. There was no time to waste like this. After briefly checking Miragen¡¯s condition, Adele opened her mouth upon seeing the cloak draped over her shoulders. Even if there was little of Robert¡¯s blood among the thoroughly stained blood, there was no way he didn¡¯t have any injuries. Adele¡¯s expression gradually darkened as she looked at the hole pierced in the shoulder. ¡°How was Robert¡¯s condition?¡± ¡°He was badly injured. I think¡­ it will be difficult for him to fight for long.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Since she had lent a sword to Robert, Adele drew the remaining sword and looked at Toby. There was no time for everyone to move together. From here, it would be faster for her to go alone. It would take about 10 minutes to reach where Robert was from here. After estimating that time, she moved her lips. ¡°Toby, escort Her Highness the Princess and join up with the troops. I¡¯ll go to Robert and bring him back right away.¡± ¡°Are you going to go alone?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adele, who had bowed her head to Miragen for a moment, grasped the reins. Miragen also didn¡¯t stop Adele, who was trying to leave in a hurry. At least the thought that they had to help Robert as quickly as possible was shared by both of them. The thought that filled Adele¡¯s mind was only one. Reaching Robert as quickly as possible. A cold wind blew. Unlike usual, it was chillingly cold, and Adele spurred her horse at that strange feeling. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Numerical superiority was something that always provided a sense of stability in any situation. Even if three were up against one, didn¡¯t it feel like they would win? Moreover, now there were a total of 50. Looking at his warriors surrounding one man, Temuzin slightly furrowed his brows. But why was no one able to approach? It was a fight that would end simply by subduing one person. Why couldn¡¯t they easily subdue him? Even Temuzin, who thought that way, couldn¡¯t step forward, so this tedious exchange continued to drag on. ¡°Maybe they got scared.¡± Robert mocked. There were already many wounds on his body, his shoulder was pierced by an arrow, and his once white shirt had long been dyed red. Wiping the blood flowing from his forehead, he thought. Perhaps the trick he had tried seemed to work well. Wasn¡¯t the situation of one against many something he had faced quite often? The number of knights Miragen had gathered to subjugate him alone was five hundred. Hispleted sword had reached the point of cutting down all five hundred, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t cut down Miragen. It was because he had hesitated that he couldn¡¯t cut her down. The name Miragen was still someone he couldn¡¯t help but hesitate about for his past self. As he cleanly beheaded a warrior whose head was grabbed, the body that fell with a thud copsed. There was only one way to gain the upper hand in a disadvantageous situation. Making it difficult to approach easily and leaving a strong impression. When he swung his sword with a whoosh, the startled warriors flinched and took a step back. ¡°What are you doing now? Are you afraid of just one person and taking a step back!¡± ¡°But, but he¡¯s not an easy opponent. Seven warriors have already died, it¡¯s not easy to surround him in such a narrow ce.¡± ¡°Then just shoot arrows, damn it.¡± Whenever arrows were shot, him cutting them down with a sword was like watching a disy of marvelous skill. Out of over 100 shots, only 3 hit him. Was this a level that a human could achieve? While harboring such doubts for a moment, Temuzin, who had made a decision, took a step forward. There was no use in sending his warriors who were already scared. Wasn¡¯t this the moment when he himself had to fight in this situation? There was a high probability of winning, in Temuzin¡¯s eyes, After all Robert¡¯s condition was critical. He must have already exhausted his strength close to his full power, so even if he just pretended, it seemed like he would easily copse. Look, he was already panting heavily, wasn¡¯t he? Seeing Robert, who was panting roughly, Temuzin grasped his stance. ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m tired, do you?¡± Of course, Temuzin¡¯s thoughts were inly visible to Robert as well. It was true that he was tired. In order to gain the upper hand at the beginning, he had to show a bit of an overwhelming difference, so he had consumed a lot of stamina and was currently enduring. ¡®¡­5 minutes.¡¯ The time he could use mana was so short that it made him want tough. If he dragged it out any longer than that, his body would crumble and he would die like that. It was a very short time. However, he didn¡¯t think he would die. Was it confidence? No. This should be called certainty, right? He hadn¡¯t lived a futile life to the point of dying in a ce like this. Hwarak, the mana rising like mes enveloped Robert¡¯s body. Unlike before, it burned the surroundings like fire and seemed to absorb the mana fluttering in the wind. In fact, it was. When he mastered how to handle mana, he finally learned to use the mana existing in nature. Temuzin, who realized that Robert still had no intention of swinging his sword, stomped on the ground. Kwang! The ground where his foot touched cracked and dust rose. He intended to end it in one blow. Temuzin¡¯s specialty was putting mana into his body at once, and the sword containing an enormous amount of mana swung and headed straight towards Robert. However, it didn¡¯t hit. Robert, who dodged it by slightly twisting his head, brought down his elbow like that. With a gasp and a groan, Temuzin frowned. Then he swung his body again, but even that attack didn¡¯t hit. Robert¡¯s movements were like the flow of the wind. Seemingly within reach but not quite. ¡°Ugh!¡± Whenever he failed tond an attack, a blow would unfailinglye to his vital points, and Robert¡¯s leg swung towards Temuzin¡¯s legs, which momentarily stumbled. Grabbing the cor of the falling Temuzin, he pulled him up. Falling would only give more time. What kind of situation would it be after knocking down Temuzin? Robert quickly scanned the area around Temuzin and smiled slightly. Perhaps those dozens of warriors would rush at him. As they valued honor more than the life of their chief, they would surely pounce on him in the name of avenging their chief. So he had to show them. Even after the chief was down, he was still overwhelming. He had to make them realize that even if dozens rushed at him, there was no chance of winning. That was the reason for conserving his mana. Robert¡¯s fist mmed into Temuzin¡¯s face. Even as his nose bone shattered and sank inward, he grabbed his cor again, pulled him up, and drove his fist in once more. Bang, even as he crashed into the ground and the ground shattered, Temuzin couldn¡¯t put up any resistance. The mana flowing through Robertpletely enveloped his body, so whenever he moved his body, it was immediately read and a counterattack came. The hand holding the sword trembled and shook. Kwaduk, Temuzin¡¯s body, which was mmed into the ground once more, writhed. Blood flowed from his nose and mouth, and rock fragments were chewed in his mouth. Nevertheless, Robert didn¡¯t stop. Even as the fragments of broken teeth pierced his fist, even as his side was cut by the sword Temuzin forcibly swung. The burning mana moved like a sh and headed towards Temuzin¡¯s body. When he swung his sword, he broke his arm. When he tried to move forcibly, he knocked him down by crushing his knees. When he tried to say something, he drove his fist in and crushed his nose. ¡°Tha¡­at¡¯s enough.¡± Kwang! Before he could finish his words, the crushed face screamed. In the midst of that, Robert felt his mana gradually disappearing. His reason for hitting him recklessly like this was simple. When he looked around, he saw the fighting spirit fading from the faces of the warriors. Some even wet themselves and ran away, and Robert¡¯s fists became even faster at the sight. There was nothing to find out. What Temuzin knew, Robert already knew everything. The only thing he was curious about was how he found out that the princess was in the northwest. Robert, who paused his fists for a moment, slowly drew his sword. Sling, the mana on his body flowed into the de. As the sword coated with mana pointed at Temuzin¡¯s neck, small drops of blood formed. ¡°Spa¡­spare me¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re still thinking about living?¡± The moment he targeted Miragen, he was already destined to die. In the first ce, he had no intention of sparing him at all. Robert, who scoffed slightly, pushed the sword in, and the blood that had been flowing a little gradually became faster. ¡°I have something to ask, and you can answer, right?¡± ¡°I can, I can, so please just spare my life¡­¡± ¡°Let me ask first. How did you know that the princess was in the northwest? Did someone perhaps tell you?¡± Then Temuzin vigorously nodded his head. Saying that was right, he eagerly affirmed, and Robert¡¯s expression turned coldly stiff. The thought he had suspected had be reality. Then who on earth had told him that the princess was here? ¡°A¡­a woman named Tere, Theresa told me. That the princess¡­was in the northwest¡­¡± ¡°Theresa?¡± Robert doubted his own ears. Why was that name mentioned here? Hearing that he didn¡¯t know the surname, he let out a small sigh. If that Theresa was really Theresa Violet, he couldn¡¯t just let her live anyway. However, that was something to think aboutter. Since she would head south anyway, he had to decide Temuzin¡¯s future first. ¡°She said if you want to receive help from her,e to the sou, south. It¡¯s true, so please just spare me¡­!¡± Temuzin begged to live. Knowing that the title of great chief was useless at this moment, he somehow dragged his unmoving body and knelt down. Kwang kwang, blood sttered every time he banged his head. Robert, who had been nkly looking at that sight, then only smiled bitterly. How would they have reacted when Miragen had asked them to spare her? ¡­They probably would have just scoffed. Thus, his sword didn¡¯t stop. When his sword that drew a clean line passed through Temuzin¡¯s neck, the head that had already rolled away was heading towards the feet of the other warriors. Robert¡¯s gaze reached the warriors. His face was still rxed as he looked at the dozens who had turned pale and were trembling. Although he thought there would be no warrior with the confidence to do so. Robert, who fixed his grip on the sword, moved his lips. ¡°If you want revenge,e.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [T/N: Oh shit this is getting good] Chapter 53 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡­ My mind was hazy. Whether I was holding a sword myself or even fighting was blurry. Plop. Only when the blood flowing from my forehead dripped down and touched my arm did I finally realize that I was sitting against a wall.It was fortunate that several people had run away during the fight, otherwise, if they had all pounced on me, it would have been quite difficult. I should have considered that my body was not yet in it¡¯splete form. Still, since Miragen had survived, I looked at the sky with a faint smile. In fact, there was no sky to speak of. It was just a gray ceiling, and looking down at the floor, it was all red with blood, so it was just better than that. ¡°Haa.¡± Even breathing was quite burdensome. Frowning at the stinging pain felt in my chest, I managed to exhale and wiped my forehead. My problem was using mana until I was almost exhausted. Killing Temuzin, and dealing with the guys who pounced afterwards. Since more pounced than expected, I used my mana to the limit. It could be said to be a self-inflicted wound. I should go out, but it seemed I wouldn¡¯t be able to move an inch until Adele arrived here. Looking at Adele¡¯s sword, it was clean without a single scratch. Even using it like this, it endured. Was it because a famous sword was a famous sword? Although I couldn¡¯t keep the promise not to get hurt, I was grateful that at least I could return the sword. And that I had properly saved Miragen too. While fighting, I kept detecting a presence. If the tribes had approached near Miragen, I would have noticed, but Miragen seemed to have escaped well through another passage. Since the tribes left outside would have alsoe in to catch me, she wouldn¡¯t have been caught if she had left. She had probably joined up with Adele by now. What I had to do now was simple. Preserving my stamina here and enduring until Adele arrived. Feeling the blood flowing from my shoulder, I tore my shirt and roughly stopped the bleeding. Quite a lot of wounds remained. Even after returning, I would have to avoid moving for a while. It might look serious on the outside, but in fact, I wasn¡¯t seriously injured. If I had to say, it would be more urate to say it was close to exhaustion. After panting for a moment, I slowly closed my eyes. The cold wind blew and touched my cheek several times. Then, I felt a presence approaching from far away. ¡°Robert, are you there?¡± Smiling slightly at Adele¡¯s voice, I gently tapped the wall with my head to make a sound. Thud, hearing the slightly echoing sound, Adele then ran towards me with hurried footsteps. As Adele appeared from the bending corridor and found me, she opened her mouth with a furrowed brow. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sure I told you.¡± ¡°I definitely did keep my promise not to die, cough.¡± ¡°And yet, you look like you might die at any moment, and you dare say that so well.¡± Unlike her tone, the touch wiping my cheek was gentle. Adele, who wiped the blood on my face, stared at me intently. Looking at the wounds that had appeared all over my body, she sighed softly and opened her mouth. ¡°Are there any symptoms of poison?¡± ¡°No. No one used poison, and Temuzin is dead.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t say you did well. With these injuries, you won¡¯t be of any use anywhere.¡± Adele, who was grumbling, then tore the hem of my shirt and slightly furrowed her brows. Especially the parts with many sword wounds. Seeing the wounds that were cut and torn, exposing the bones, Adele¡¯s gaze turned to me. I thought she would be angry, but the corners of my mouth, which had been smiling slightly at her trembling eyes, slowly fell. ¡°¡­ These aren¡¯t wounds to be calm about.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve been badly hurt before.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not fine with it.¡± Tsk, Adele took out bandages from her bosom, tore them appropriately, and began wrapping my arm. It couldn¡¯t be a proper treatment. She was just trying to stop the flowing blood, and Adele, who had been silently wrapping my arm, nced at me. After making eye contact several times, perhaps annoyed by my calm face, she moved her lips slightly. ¡°If it hurts, say it hurts. It¡¯s my first time doing this for someone else¡­ so I might be clumsy.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt. If you wrap it that gently, I don¡¯t think it will even stop the bleeding.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Hmm, Adele, who swallowed slightly, pulled the bandage, and a sudden pain poured out. When I told her to wrap it a bit harder since she was wrapping it too gently, Adele, who was startled as my expression twisted, removed her hand like that. I tried tough, finding her startled appearance funny, but the pain I felt this time was real, so I could only grit my teeth. ¡°Are, are you okay? I did it hard because you told me to do it hard.¡± The problem was that it was tied too tightly, and the wounds touched each other. Wasn¡¯t it natural for it to hurt when the cut parts rubbed against each other? Still, I couldn¡¯t say it was Adele¡¯s fault. When I said I was fine, even if forcibly, Adele, who had been staring at me for a while, began wrapping the bandage carefully. ¡°This should be enough. Isn¡¯t it enough to just stop the bleeding anyway?¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not usually this clumsy. It¡¯s just because it¡¯s my first time.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go with that.¡± Adele, who red at me for a moment at my words, slowly opened her mouth while rxing her eyes. Joining up with the princess, cutting down all the fleeing tribesmen whileing here, anding for me. Her expression, which had been gradually darkening, softened a bit when our eyes met. ¡°I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t die. And you did a reckless thing, thinking of fighting the tribesmen alone.¡± ¡°It was a choice to save Her Highness the Princess. Didn¡¯t Ie here for that?¡± ¡°¡­ Did you think of doing that even if you died?¡± After looking at Adele, who asked in a low voice, for a moment, I couldn¡¯t answer in the end. I would havee even if I knew I would die. Because thest day of the thirty-fifth regression was always a regret I held. Realizing that my silence meant yes, Adele¡¯s brow, who had been examining my wounds, slightly furrowed. She probably wouldn¡¯t understand. Why I, who had no rtionship with the princess and wasn¡¯t even strongly loyal to the imperial family, cared for Miragen so much. It would look quite awkward to anyone. It was a fact that only I could understand in this world. As Adele¡¯s eyes, which had been staring at me intently, faltered, she opened her mouth with a smallugh. ¡°I had received a favor from her before. Although Her Highness the Princess probably doesn¡¯t remember, it was an unforgettable favor for me.¡± I didn¡¯t want to hide anything from Adele. However, my regression was something I couldn¡¯t easily mention, so I exined it a bit differently. Wasn¡¯t it true that Miragen didn¡¯t remember and that it was an unforgettable memory for me? ¡°A favor, did something like that happen?¡± ¡°That incident changed many things for me. So I repaid it this time. Since there was an opportunity.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that so?¡± ¡°If Your Grace were in danger, I would go alone. Are you still disappointed?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say useless things.¡± When I jokingly retorted, Adele frowned and shook her head vigorously. When Iughed slightly, finding her serious expression funny, Adele, who had been staring at me intently, slowly got up from her seat. Now all my wounds were wrapped in bandages. When I tried to stand up together as my stamina had returned, Adele made me sit down again and opened her mouth. ¡°Stay seated. Everyone will probablye here soon.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s rest. It will take time for them toe anyway.¡± Then Adele nced at the spot next to me and rejected it, shaking her head slightly. The only spots without blood were the ones right next to me. It must be quite burdensome to sit closely together. When I said I understood, Adele looked at me and continued. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m burdened by being with you. It¡¯s just¡­ well, I need to check the surroundings. It¡¯s ufortable for you too, being with me.¡± ¡°¡­ Why is it ufortable? It¡¯s not like we¡¯ve only met a few times.¡± Saying that, I slightly moved myself, so that Adele could sit next to me, I tapped the empty spot with my hand, and Adele stared at that spot. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just sit.¡± What was so ufortable about being together when it wasn¡¯t just once or twice? As long as Adele was okay with it, I had no problem at all. Since there were times when we slept on the same bed while camping in the previous round, I wasn¡¯t in a state to feel any awkwardness. Adele, who hesitated for a moment, slowly approached me as I tapped the spot a few more times. Slide, Adele, who sat down smoothly, shuddered. Perhaps realizing that our arms were touching, she soon sat a little distance away. When Iughed slightly at that, Adele began to re at me with furrowed brows. Come to think of it, it was indeed a strange situation. Even though it was a gruesome ce with corpses scattered all around, she was actually feeling embarrassed about sitting like this. However, this was familiar to us. At least during the time we were together in the North, Adele and I were always together in ces like this. After Adele settled into her spot, silence flowed for a long time. Now that the blood had stopped, the dizziness had also disappeared. There weren¡¯t many sounds that could be heard in my clear mind. Only the sound of melted snow dripping towards the ground or our faint breathing could be heard. Then, when I turned my head, I realized Adele was looking at me. Even though our eyes met, Adele didn¡¯t avert her gaze. Rather, she was staring into my eyes, examining something. Blue eyes like mine, but her eyes were much clearer. Unlike me, who could no longer hold any emotions, the cool light felt rather refreshing. The wind of the North always made me think of Adele. Cold, yet on the other hand, a being freer than anything else. It was a littleter when she opened her mouth. ¡°¡­ I get strange thoughts when I see you.¡± ¡°What kind of thoughts?¡± ¡°Even when you¡¯re right next to me like this, it feels like you¡¯ll die soon. I can¡¯t take my eyes off you.¡± Was she badmouthing me? Around the time I tried tough awkwardly, thinking it was a joke. Adele¡¯s hand touched my forehead. A slight moisture was felt in her blue eyes. Like a gentle rippleing in, her eyes that softly swayed touched my face. ¡°Even when I touch you, it feels like an illusion. When you don¡¯t speak, it feels like I¡¯m touching a ghost, and I can¡¯t feel at ease.¡± Once again, I felt the sensation of her hand stroking my cheek. Wasn¡¯t it ridiculous? To think that the hand of a woman called the Grand Duchess of the North was this warm. Adele¡¯s lips moved as she quietly looked at the blood on her hand. As if trying to say something, Adele, who had been hesitating for a while, opened her mouth again. ¡°¡­ I saw the scars on your body. Not today, butst time.¡± ¡°If you mean my body, ah.¡± She must be referring to when we met after I had washed my body. I wondered if she had seen it by chance when I hadn¡¯t put on my clothes yet, but did she really see everything? The scars on my body were not ordinary ones. Some were inflicted by Yuria, and some were from punishments received from my father. They were natural wounds to me, so I didn¡¯t pay attention to them, but there must have been a clear difference in Adele¡¯s eyes. Unlike these sword marks, weren¡¯t they wounds that persistently dug into vital points? Adele¡¯s expression was dark. As if she had roughly grasped the origin of those wounds, she sighed softly and continued. ¡°Those wounds weren¡¯t received for ordinary reasons, right?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°I have no intention of asking how they happened. I always have to maintain neutrality, but if I found out about that, I think I would be hostile towards the Taylor family.¡± Adele, who said that, smiled bitterly. Such things weremon in noble families. Even if it wasn¡¯t as severe as mine, I had asionally heard of cases where families obsessed with their houses harmed their own members. Perhaps she knew the moment she saw the scars. That the Taylor family wasn¡¯t as noble as the rumors suggested. Adele no longer looked at me. Staring into the void, she quietly muttered like that. ¡°That must be the reason I feel anxious whenever I see you. And the feeling that you¡¯ll suddenly disappear.¡± ¡°Why would I disappear? I¡¯m not mist.¡± When Iughed and said that, Adele stared at me with a cold face. I couldn¡¯t say anything at her rather serious expression. I felt like she would get angry at any moment if I continued speaking. Around the time I was enveloped in that strange feeling, Adele whispered. ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t get hurt anymore from now on. In front of me, as far as I know. I don¡¯t want to see you getting hurt more.¡± Her eyes were sad. At least in the memories I knew, eyes that Adele Igrit had never shown. Eyes that seemed like they would burst into tears at any moment. After staring at me with such eyes for a while, she then muttered in a small voice. In a very soft voice that only I could hear. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be the one to say this, the one who hurt you.¡± Adele, who had a slightly confused expression for a moment, slowly removed her hand. Biting her lips until they turned white, she then sighed quietly. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m acting like this either. Really, I don¡¯t know.¡± Adele, who closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wall, didn¡¯t speak anymore. Until the troops joined with the other soldiers arrived, and until Miragen and I met. We stayed like that, for a long time. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 54 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°Now, say ah.¡± I stared nkly at Miragen, who brought a spoonful of soup to my mouth. As if telling me to open my mouth quickly, she furrowed her brows, and when I slightly parted my lips, the spoon entered my mouth and poured out the soup. Anyone seeing this would think I had be disabled.It¡¯s just that I had a lot of bandages wrapped around my body, but there was nowhere I couldn¡¯t move. ¡°I can eat by myself.¡± ¡°Your arm is injured. And¡­ I feel sorry. Because you got hurt because of me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never thought I got hurt because of Your Highness. Didn¡¯t I say I would block them in the first ce?¡± When I picked up the spoon in Miragen¡¯s hand, Miragen, who had been making a slightly sullen expression, stared at me intently. Still, I couldn¡¯t ept being fed one by one. It wasn¡¯t a serious injury, and it was just that I had bled a lot. Enough to pass out for about three days. Miragen and Adele were quite surprised by that. I didn¡¯t expect to pass out either, but perhaps my stamina was quitecking. I was receiving treatment from a priest dispatched from the church, and my physical condition was gradually recovering. They said I could move freely in two days, so from then on, I thought I should officially increase my stamina. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s okay for you to stay here. I heard someone ising from the imperial pce.¡± ¡°It will take them quite a while toe here. The distance between the North and the capital is quite far. The Grand Duchess is still engaged in the subjugation, so I should stay here.¡± ¡°¡­What does the Grand Duchess¡¯s subjugation have to do with Your Highness staying-¡± ¡°Then will I leave a sick person behind? If I seemed like such a heartless person, I would like to let you know that you saw me wrong.¡± I awkwardlyughed at her sulking and grumbling appearance. When I woke up, her eyes were swollen. I think she probably cried. Since my injury would have bothered her quite a bit with her personality, she must have been very concerned when she saw me pass out. Did I lose consciousness right after seeing Miragen arrive? Today was the first time I was in a clear state of mind since then. Perhaps because of that, it felt quite strange to see Miragen talking in front of me. Miragen was safe without a single wound, she was alive. Along with the impression that I had changed something, her voice that had been echoing in my ears began to blur. In fact, it was no different from an auditory hallucination. Hearing a voice I had heard more than 100 years ago again, wouldn¡¯t it be considered a mental illness? It was because it was a memory that remained in my mind so vividly. It was a memory I always regretted and firmly resolved not to repeat if such a situation came again. Did I seed this time? I smiled slightly at the question that suddenly came to mind. Didn¡¯t I seed splendidly? Both Miragen and I were still alive. Although I was quite injured, having a few more scars was nothing to me now. ¡°Ah, I have something to say. Can I say it?¡± ¨C Oh, I had something I wanted to say. I guess I should say it now. I turned my head at the voices that I heard simultaneously. One was clear,ing from right next to me, but the other voice was gradually bing blurry and slowly dispersing. It was a memory of the past. Something that couldn¡¯t be heard, that no longer existed. What the Miragen of the thirty-fifth regression had said. Blood was no longer flowing from Miragen¡¯s chest where the sword had been buried. Wasn¡¯t she just a hesitating woman now? When I blinked my eyes once, the illusion covering my eyes disappearedpletely. Only Miragen was visible. Seeing her constantly moving her lips, hesitating about what to say to me, I smiled slightly. ¡°You can speak.¡± There was no need to beg her to live anymore. If I said such a thing to her, who was already fine without a single wound, I would rather be treated strangely. I felt strangely happy. The suffocating feeling that had been blooming in a corner of my heart disappeared, and it seemed to be filled with something refreshing. ¡°I thought I should repay you for saving me. Next time. I¡¯m thinking of inviting you, Robert, to¡­ um.¡± ¨C Can I¡­ love you, Robert? Their ovepping voices were endlessly miniscule. Since only Miragen¡¯s voice was clearly heard, the buried voice soon disappeared with the blowing wind. Many things were different. Even if their words were simr, the content she was asking, what she wanted from me, even the situation in which I heard these words were different. Looking at Miragen, who was waiting for my answer, I finally nodded and answered. What I couldn¡¯t answer in the thirty-fifth regression, so I finally opened my mouth after living the hundredth. That answer was something I had always kept in my heart. It had formed a lump along with regret, an answer I had kept for decades. Even then, wouldn¡¯t I have conveyed such an answer? ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± When we first met, we ended without any rtionship. When we met for the thirty-fifth time, I let you go without bing lovers. In the fifty-fifth regression, I lived for you and died by your hand. And in the hundredth regression. Looking at you alive like this, I finally put the answer I couldn¡¯t give into words. Isn¡¯t it enough? It was enough to prove that my life wasn¡¯t in vain. Just the fact that you are still alive¡­ I can be content with that. Robert, who looked at Miragen smiling brightly, smiled slightly. Her voice that had been echoing in his ear was no longer heard. Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t be heard in the future either. His regret and lingering attachment had already disappeared with the north wind, and only the cool breeze tickled his cheek like that. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The subjugation of the tribes was expected to take a month, but after Robert directly killed Temuzin, it could be said to have ended quite ndly. One week, that was the time it took for Adele, who had fiercely driven the soldiers, toplete the subjugation. The tribes that had lost their great chief Temuzin copsed too easily, so Lothos showed a bitter expression upon seeing this achievementpleted in this short period. ¡°If it was going to be like this, we should have kidnapped and brought the young master.¡± ¡°I would have been fine alone. I just got injured unnecessarily.¡± ¡°¡­Anyway, now that we¡¯ve cleared almost everything except the undeveloped areas, there will be no need to waste resources in the name of subjugation for the time being.¡± When Robert¡¯s name was mentioned, Adele¡¯s eyes instantly sharpened, and Lothos¡¯ body trembled as he made eye contact with her. It had been like that since Robert passed out. In fact, he should have told her a few days ago that he had woken up, but he deliberately hid it because the subjugation wasn¡¯t finished. If he told her now? Lothos wiped his strangely chilling neck. Still, there was no deputy who had been with her as long as him, so she wouldn¡¯t cut him down, right? If there was one thing he had recently be certain of, it was that even if Robert wasn¡¯t Adele¡¯s lover, she definitely cherished him. Lothos, who recalled Adele¡¯s attitude when Robert passed out, smiled slightly. ¨C ¡­Contact the church. ¨C I will request the dispatch of a priest. ¨C Call the Saint. Don¡¯t forget to tell them that if they are even a littlete, I will turn everything upside down. He didn¡¯t know if she really meant it, but the murderous atmosphere she exuded all day long only calmed down after Robert¡¯s condition stabilized. The feeling he had felt before didn¡¯t seem to be just a misunderstanding. Robert Taylor¡­ no matter what he had said to the Grand Duchess, wouldn¡¯t he be the one to change the dynamics of the North in the future? Lothos¡¯ specialty was lining up, so he had already sent variousmunications to Robert. He had slightly mixed in information about Adele as well. After looking at Adele, who was advancing while holding the reins of the wolf, Lothos, who had made up his mind, slowly approached her and opened his mouth. ¡°A letter arrived from the main castle a few days ago.¡± ¡°A letter?¡± ¡°It says the young master has woken up. They say Her Highness the Princess is taking care of him now.¡± Thud. Adele, who had stopped like that, examined the letter Lothos handed her. Her eyes narrowed, and her furrowed brows were visible. It meant that her mood was gradually worsening. It only took him a moment to distance himself in case sparks flew, and Adele, who had crumpled the letter into her bosom, muttered softly. ¡°¡­He woke up.¡± There was a clear relief mixed in those words. She was surprised to feel relieved even after saying it herself, but it was true that she felt relieved to hear that Robert had woken up. Because she had been more flustered than ever when he passed out. To think he would pass out not just for a day, but for several days, wasn¡¯t it truly infuriating? ¡°Increase the speed a bit.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± However, contrary to her thoughts, a faint smile was drawn on her lips. There wasn¡¯t much distance left to the main castle now. As Adele grasped the reins again and spurred, the other deputies also began to go faster together. What she thought when Robert first copsed was simple. She was flustered, unable to understand the situation, and that fluster turned into anger, causing her to vent it in strange ces. Now that she thought about it, it was true that she couldn¡¯t judge the situation calmly. If she had thought a little more calmly, she would have known it was just exhaustion. She couldn¡¯t remainposed in the face of an emotion she had felt for the first time in her life. The anxiety that had bloomed in her mind must have been the cause. ¡­She always felt like he would disappear. The strange feeling and anxiety she felt whenever she saw Robert, not anyone else, didn¡¯t disappear even as time passed. Rather, it only amplified, so wouldn¡¯t she be caught up in these emotions? Feeling anxious when they were not together, feeling irritated by the fact that he was with someone other than herself. These iprehensible emotions. Adele, who arrived at the main castle, headed straight to where Robert was. The other deputies followed Lothos with puzzlement. Since Adele always moved as she pleased after the subjugation was over, most of them didn¡¯t have any doubts. Would he be with the princess now? Even though she had made up her mind not to care, Adele slightly furrowed her brows because of Robert¡¯s words that kept lingering in her mind. It bothered her that he had said he would throw his life away to repay a favor the princess didn¡¯t even know about. So she was in a bad mood. She was angry, and it would be fine to speak with him a little crudely. Knock knock, when she knocked on the door, the voiceing from inside was cut off. ¡°It¡¯s me, Robert.¡± When a moment of silence passed, Robert¡¯s face appeared beyond the door that had swung open. His face was still pale with a nose as sharp as a de, and gray hair simr to ash. However, the difference was that there was a glimmer in those eyes. What was the emotion dwelling in those eyes that had been empty? ¡°I heard the subjugation was over, but you came quickly.¡± Smiling slightly at the silly thought, she reached out her hand towards Robert¡¯s face like that. The sensation felt on her palm was still soft. Alive. Not dead, not vanished. He was alive like this in front of her. Why did that alone make her smile? She thought about touching his cheek likest time, but then lowered her hand and shrugged her shoulders. There was no need to be swayed by this nameless emotion. It wouldn¡¯t be unnatural if she didn¡¯t act the way she usually did. As Robert stared at that movement, Adele, whoughed slightly, opened her mouth. ¡°You woke up so quickly. I didn¡¯t know you had the talent to make people worry.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know I had pushed myself that hard either.¡± Adele, who felt the presence of the princess inside, then stared at Robert intently and moved her lips. She didn¡¯t really like the two of them being together. He had woken up anyway, and besides, didn¡¯t he have things to do in the future? She needed a way to separate the two. Adele, who thought of that, added. ¡°Change your clothes ande to the banquet hall. I¡¯ll hold a banquet in a bit.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t today a day of rest? What is the schedule¡­¡± A day of rest. Of course it was, but there would be no one to object to this decision. This might not be the case in the capital, but the North was Adele Igrit¡¯snd, a territory ruled solely by the Grand Duchess. Adele, who smiled slightly, then continued looking at Robert. ¡°I decided that way.¡± At least in the North, even the princess was no different. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 55 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó So far, I have not been able to find anything special about Theresa. The same goes for the investigation of the Violet family. It is true that Theresa Violet was briefly away from her position, but whether she had contact with someone still requires further investigation- ¡°Phew.¡±Supporting himself with one hand he slowly lowered himself to the ground. His sweat flowed down and drenched his body while dripping down. The muscles supporting his body weight swelled, and rising from the ground like that hepleted one repetition. It had already been three days since the bandages were removed. His body¡¯s bnce and stamina had roughly returned, and now he could do this exercise without difficulty. The letter he had read was what Renold had sent yesterday. Although he hadn¡¯t read it and just kept it in his mind, he thought he should think about Theresa¡¯s absence in various ways. If it was Theresa who had informed Temuzin of Miragen¡¯s location¡­ he had no intention of letting her go cleanly like before. It could be said that it was his own way of consideration to end his rtionship with Theresa, not the Violet family. He didn¡¯t think much of the Violet family, and didn¡¯t he think Theresa alone could ruin them splendidly? However, this matter was different. Not only could she not avoid responsibility for touching the princess, but it also stirred up his personal feelings. His mind became cold every time his arms bent. There wasn¡¯t much time left for him to stay in the North. There were things he had to tell Adele during that time. The rebellion, a time when her life would be in danger was gradually approaching, and only he knew that. Around the time the sweat falling towards the floor increased, his thoughts were dispersed by a voice that suddenly came from beside him. ¡°Wow¡­¡± However, Miragen¡¯s gaze nkly staring at him was quite burdensome. When he told her not to mind and kept going, didn¡¯t she keep staring at him? He couldn¡¯t ignore it like this. He knew she would probably return to the imperial pce soon. How long was she nning to stay in the North? When he rxed his posture and came down, Miragen approached and held out a towel to him. He wiped away his sweat and brushed back his hair. While wiping his body, he thought, was it really okay for Miragen to be here? I¡¯m not wearing anything on top. Doesn¡¯t she mind at all? ¡°You must exercise like that regrly. Seeing how familiar your movements are.¡± ¡°My stamina hasn¡¯t fully returned yet. I¡¯ll have to see when I wield a sword.¡± ¡°So this was you when not fully recovered.¡± Miragen, who nodded her head with a rather serious expression, then seemed to remember something and lightly pped her palms together. ¡°Come to think of it, the Grand Duchess called for you. I came to tell you that, but I forgot for a moment.¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re telling me that so quickly.¡± It had been 30 minutes since she came to find me. If Adele got angry, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for her toe right away. What was she thinking, telling me that now? If Adele got angry, she would take it out on me. When I stared at Miragen, she smiled awkwardly and muttered as if making an excuse. ¡°I forgot because the first thing I saw when I came in was this. Shouldn¡¯t you go now, even if it¡¯ste?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that will be necessary. She¡¯ll probablye here anyway.¡± Bang- As soon as he said that, the door opened. It was only for a moment that his eyes met Adele¡¯s, who was staring at him and Miragen with an ominous expression. Adele¡¯s eyes narrowed when she saw me not wearing anything. After a brief silence of mutual embarrassment, a blunt voice followed, as if displeased. ¡°I called for you a while ago, but you still haven¡¯te. I wondered what was going on, but it seems you were having fun.¡± ¡°I just heard about it. Her Highness had momentarily forgotten.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that so?¡± When Adele¡¯s gaze turned to her, Miragen, who had flinched for a moment, nodded her head with difficulty. Adele let out a deep sigh and pressed her forehead. If there was one thing Adele had overlooked, it was Miragen¡¯s memory. Since she tended to forget various things unexpectedly, it was better to write them down for her. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I asked Her Highness the Princess to do it when she said she was leaving, but I should have gone myself.¡± ¡°So, sorry?¡± ¡°Then can you please step away from Robert now? If you stick so close to a man who isn¡¯t even properly dressed, it might cause a scandal.¡± When Miragen distanced herself at those words, Adele, who had walked over with big strides, grabbed my wrist and pulled me. I was still not wearing anything, but Adele draped the cloak she was wearing over my body and tried to head outside like that. It was then that Miragen, who had been hesitating, opened her mouth. ¡°Wa, wait a moment. Shouldn¡¯t the Grand Duchess be careful too?¡± I thought it wasn¡¯t wrong. When I looked at her with an expression asking if it wasn¡¯t right since she was also a Grand Duchess, she smiled slightly and tapped the medal on her chest. ¡°This is the North. Your Highness, isn¡¯t the Grand Duchess who rules here me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine even like this.¡± If false rumors spread, I can just find the person who started them. Adele, who added that, headed forward again. She grabbed my wrist, in an attitude of not epting any more objections. When Miragen couldn¡¯t say anything, Adele proceeded without hesitation. Wasn¡¯t she going to ask for my opinion in the meantime? Sighing and removing my wrist, Adele, who had been walking, turned her head towards me. It was the middle of the corridor, and our distance from Miragen had already widened considerably. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I need to get dressed too, don¡¯t I? Besides, I haven¡¯t washed up, so I smell.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± It was such an obvious fact, but Adele seemed to have just remembered it and bit her lips slightly. It was a habit she showed when she was flustered. What was she so distracted by that she forgot I hadn¡¯t washed up? Adele, who felt my gaze, let out a small fake cough. Perhaps she was embarrassed even thinking about it herself, and a small voice was heard from her moving lips. ¡°Then wash up ande. I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Are you ufortable with me being with Her Highness the Princess?¡± It seemed that what Adele was concerned about was probably in that direction. When she looked displeased whenever I was with Miragen, I deliberately asked her directly, and Adele¡¯s brow furrowed. Even with a moment of silence, I kept looking at her without caring. Waiting for an answer like that for a long time. When a little more time passed, Adele shook her head and answered. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not ufortable.¡± ¡°Then-¡± ¡°I¡¯m just irritated.¡± Adele, with a ratherplicated expression, sighed. It was a heavy and thick sigh unlike her usual self, so I just waited for what she would say next without answering. Her answer that she was irritated was quite strange. It didn¡¯t sound like it was simply about me being with Miragen, but rather like irritation towards herself. ¡°I¡¯ll take the rest of your questions when youe back. I¡¯ll go ahead first.¡± As if she didn¡¯t want to say any more, Adele turned her back and moved her feet. However, those steps were not as light as before. Although I didn¡¯t know if it was concern about something, it was probably certain that she had something on her mind. And I wasn¡¯t stupid enough not to know that her concern was about me. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó This wasn¡¯t the first time Adele and I met. To be precise, we had met in the previous rounds. It wasn¡¯t like this time when I came with the name of the Taylor¡¯s behind me, but perhaps the process of our meeting was simr. Coming to the North, meeting Adele, bing her deputy, and subjugating the tribes. After that, I was with her until Adele died, so in a way, it could be said to be a little deeper than our current rtionship. Adele Igrit was a free woman. She always moved as her heart desired and moved only towards where her will aligned, like the wind. Perhaps the reason I particrly liked the North was because of that. Adele¡¯s North was special, so being here, I could enjoy a special freedom away from my family. Even if I made a mistake, they wouldugh it off, and we would consider and respect each other. Those who remembered me as Robert, not as a Taylor. That¡¯s why Adele was special to me, despite our few encounters. She made me forget the name Taylor and was the first person to consider me simply as Robert. If Miragen¡¯s death was my first regret, Adele became my second. ¡°Rebellion.¡± The fate that bound me, it wasn¡¯t limited to just me. It wasn¡¯t only me who died from the rebellion. An unnamed representative also died from the rebellion, and Adele also died from the rebellion. I already knew well that she had no interest in rebellion. Adele¡¯s territory was the North, wasn¡¯t this snowy field the onlynd she cherished? Even if she was told to be the emperess in the capital, she would remain here. That was Adele, and that was the meaning of the name Igrit. Igrit, the name of the highest mountain range in the North and the god called the guardian deity of the North. How could such a woman think of rebellion? I, who had watched over her for a long time, could deny it. However, I couldn¡¯t do it. I put on a shirt and draped Adele¡¯s cloak over it. It always felt like her warmth was seeping into me as she wore it. It was a warmth that didn¡¯t suit this cold snowy field. Closing my eyes for a moment, I then opened them and moved my feet. The main purpose of my trip to the North was to solidify my support base and warn Adele about the Crown Prince. I had achieved the first to some extent through the subjugation of the tribes, but I hadn¡¯t warned her about the Crown Prince. I needed to carefully consider the timing to bring up such a topic. I thought I might be able to tell her just before leaving, but whether she would believe me was also unknown. Knock knock- ¡°Come in.¡± When I cautiously knocked on the door, I heard Adele¡¯s voice. Unlike her low voice from earlier, it was the same as usual, so I could enter with a little relief. Adele was alone in the room. I thought there would be other deputies, but there was no one, so it felt quite unusual. As I looked around nkly like that, Adele opened her mouth while looking at me. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I had something to tell you? I¡¯m not nning to do another subjugation or anything, so why would I call all the deputies and have them stand here?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s what you have to say¡­¡± ¡°Sit down first. It¡¯s not something to talk about while standing.¡± I approached Adele and took a seat. I tried to guess what she wanted to talk about by looking at Adele¡¯s expression, but it wasn¡¯t easy to think of something she wanted to discuss alone at this time. Around the time I was pondering like that for a while, Adele, who had been examining myplexion, slowly opened her mouth. ¡°Thanks to your help, the subjugation that was originally nned ended quickly. As a result, the schedule itself has been brought forward quite a bit, so I can start various things a little faster.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°There was something I had been thinking about continuously after the subjugation ended, and I was able to find it out in my own way. Also about the name Theresa you had told me before.¡± My eyes narrowed at the name Theresa. As if Adele had also anticipated my reaction, she ced something on the table and continued. What was ced on the table was a familiar emblem. ¡°It¡¯s the Violet family¡¯s emblem.¡± ¡°Yes, it must be what the woman who was your fianc¨¦e had. If the woman named Theresa you mentioned was really involved in this matter. It¡¯s probably the case.¡± ¡°Did the tribes have it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s something the guymanding the tribes gave me during the subjugation.¡± It was the moment when the thought I had only as a guess became a certainty. Theresa Violet, the moment when her name that had been divided into two wasbined. To me, who was staring at the emblem with a coldly stiffened face, Adele moved her lips again. ¡°The woman who gave them this emblem and left said for them to go to the south and find her. And I think you will probably head to the south. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re right.¡± I had been thinking of it as a task to be solved in addition to going with Adriana. To find out how Theresa knew the princess¡¯s location, how she escaped from the capital and contacted Temuzin. To solve that question, I had to head to the south. Adele nodded her head as if she had expected that, then continued with a rather serious face. ¡°I knew you and the woman named Theresa had been engaged. And that your rtionship had be strained after breaking off the engagement, this is my guess, but I had somewhat guessed that this matter wasn¡¯t unrted to you. So now I need to know too.¡± Her gaze turned to me as she said that. Through her cold gaze, a faint heat rose, and her face seemed to be asking me for an answer. ¡°¡­ Can you tell me what happened between you and Theresa?¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 56 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¨C I believed that you loved me. Robert¡¯s voice echoed in her ears. With an indifferent expression, he exined his past as if it was nothing. It seemed like it no longer held any meaning to him.Even when he felt betrayed upon realizing it was a one-sided love, there were times heughed softly, saying it was now a matter of no concern. ¨C Now it¡¯s something that doesn¡¯t matter at all. Swish- Her sword sliced sharply through the air. It was a sword that emitted a fiercer and rougher spirit than usual, not hiding its savage energy. Grating, the sword that touched the ground drew a line in the air. Adele¡¯s sword always symbolized flow. Although born in the roughnds of the North, at least her sword always brought to mind gentleness. But today, she knew it was an unusually rough and violent sword. A sword stemming from emotion, what resided in her after hearing Robert¡¯s story was a little anger. Whoosh- From dawn until morning. During that time, she swung her sword to shake off her thoughts. Still, why was her mind getting moreplicated? ¡°¡­ Haa.¡± Looking at her sword that stopped abruptly in the air, Adele then slowly closed her eyes and tilted her head back. To put it simply, Robert¡¯s story could be called the tale of a man who was betrayed. The story of a man who fell for a woman who approached him when he longed for love. But the love she whispered to him was actually a lie, and he had been deceived by her approaching him to covet his family¡¯s wealth. In a way, it was a story heard quite often. The reason they grew distant and broke off the engagement was because of such circumstances. It was something she hadn¡¯t paid much attention to until now. She just thought it was someone else¡¯s business and didn¡¯t consider it particrly special. The reason she asked about the name Theresa was simply because she wanted to know if there was any connection with Robert, not because she was curious about that woman. Pressing her forehead, she then wiped her face. There was no reason to think seriously anywhere. It was the past of a man who had no connection to her at all. No, he was just her deputy now, nothing more. In the first ce, there was no reason for her to ask, and even if she did, there was no need to think so seriously about it. But. ¡­ But still. Adele, who slightly furrowed her brows, exhaled heavily. Anger was a passionate emotion. Once it exploded, it would burn up like a me and continue to burst out until it died down. But what she felt now was different. Could it be said that it was a cold state where one¡¯s hand would freeze upon touching it? She was surprised at herself for being so calm that she could see more clearly what kind of mind she was in. It was true that she was angry. The behavior shown by the woman named Theresa was one of the things she hated the most, so she was angry together with Robert for what he had experienced. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just anger that she felt now. This emotion was more sticky than that. Rather than what happened to Robert, she was bothered by the words he had uttered before that. Even thinking about it herself, it was quite ugly, so Adele put down her sword with a bitter smile. A crude sound of metal shing was heard, and the space was engulfed in silence again. No sound could be heard. Only the sound of her exhaling breath remained. ¨C ¡­ For a while, there was a woman I loved. Those words shook her. Even though she already knew they had been engaged before, she inwardly thought it was a political marriage. Didn¡¯t she think it was an engagement between families without any feelings for each other? Come to think of it, it was ridiculous to think that way. For what reason did she think that? Jealousy. At the word that prated through her vague thoughts, Adeleughed softly. It was an emotion she felt for the first time in her life, but Adele knew her own heart. If she wanted something, she got it. If she wanted to do something, she did it. If there was something she liked, she somehow made it her own. Even if it wasn¡¯t an object but a person, what Adele wanted was eventually achieved. However, there was one thing she wasn¡¯t sure about. He always looked at her with empty eyes and uttered words with unreadable emotions. But Robert¡¯s voice when he spoke about the woman named Theresa was quiteplicated. If there was one thing that opened her eyes after meeting the man named Robert Taylor, it was probably about her own emotions. ¡°It¡¯s ugly.¡± There was someone she became interested in and wanted to make her own. So she wanted to keep him by her side. She had always done that when she wanted something, so she thought it would be the same this time too. Nevertheless, there was something that didn¡¯t work out, and the woman who realized it for the first time smiled bitterly and picked up her sword. Perhaps this anxious feeling of hers stemmed from such an emotion. She had to shake it off. But could she do that? Adele¡¯s life had always been filled with certainty, but for the first time, she couldn¡¯t have that certainty. Whenever she saw Robert, Adele was always anxious. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó On the day Miragen was to return to the imperial pce, the people of this castle began moving quite busily. Perhaps it was to greet thoseing from the imperial pce. Both Adele and Miragen were busy with this and that, so I finally had some free time left alone. Although I was left alone in the room, the surroundings were still noisy. I would probably only meet Miragen right before she left, so until then, I had quite a lot of time to spend alone. There was only one thing to think about during this free time. Theresa. Looking at the emblem Adele had handed me, I furrowed my brows. ¡°Did she do this on purpose for me to see?¡± It was true that Theresa was foolish, but she wasn¡¯tcking in intelligence. Revealing her name or emblem while informing the enemy of the princess¡¯s location must have been something she did deliberately. She knew I was in the North. And she also knew I would go to the princess. How on earth? The question I was immediately faced with was the problem. How did Theresa know about my existence? Of course, she might have found out somehow that I was going to the North, but the fact that I became Adele¡¯s deputy and even took part in the subjugation of the tribes was far from the time it would be known to the central region. It took me ten days toe to the North and participate in the subjugation. To grasp the information and secretly slip away to inform them about the princess¡¯s location during those ten days. It would be impossible even for someone aspetent as Miragen, not to mention others. She must have received help from someone. Perhaps that someone knew the princess was in the northwest. If their goal from the beginning was to kill the princess, and Miragen, who found out I was in the North, used that fact to draw me in¡­ Perhaps that would be a sufficient exnation for this matter. The fact that the princess was in the northwest was only known to those above the rank of deputy or the main ministers of the imperial family. But the deputies here weren¡¯t such people. In the first ce, their power originated from Adele¡¯s mercenary group, so there was no one who would hold a grudge against the princess. Then the one who revealed information about the princess belonged to the imperial family. After thinking for a while, my gaze suddenly stopped in the air. ¡°¡­Kaitel.¡± The only person in the imperial family who could keep the princess in check and have the intention to kill her. The ministers had no reason to keep the princess in check. Their purpose was to be loyal to the person who would be the emperor, not to stick to Miragen, who had already be distant from the possibility of bing the empress. In the first ce, the core of power had all sided with the Crown Prince. Of course, Kaitel was also in that situation, but Kaitel¡¯s ideology was more extreme. If there was a sign of harm to his power, there was a possibility he would deal with it. This was the first time Miragen hade to the northwest. So he tried to kill her. The princess, who had shown no movement until now, moved to find her own ce. If that bothered him, he might have tried to kill her, even if indirectly. My mind wasplicated. If Kaitel¡¯s name was involved, it meant that things had started from the moment the princess decided to go to the northwest in the first ce. In such a situation, Theresa intervened, told the tribes about the princess¡¯s location, and that led to where we were now. ¡°Theresa, Violet.¡± Looking at the emblem I received from Adele, I then clenched my fist while crumpling it with my hand. I had judged that she would remain quiet for a while and wouldn¡¯t be able to rise again. But I realized that was a miscalction. This woman epted it as hatred, rose up again, and crossed the line. If she had just stayed within that line, we would have lived without crossing paths again, but Theresa reached out her hand towards me once more. And she touched Miragen. Although I had already revealed it, the danger to Miragen¡¯s life was a regret I had held close for nearly a hundred years. If there was a line that shouldn¡¯t be crossed for me, perhaps it was this incident. I had thought about staying in the North for a bit longer. I thought it would be fine to move a little more leisurely. But it seemed like it was time to move again now. She had told me toe to the south. No matter what she had prepared to wait for me, I wasn¡¯t afraid of it. I just wanted to sever my ties with the woman named Theresa. I had no intention of leaving her alone any longer. If she was an existence that didn¡¯t belong in the future I would create, wouldn¡¯t it be better to erase her? Knock knock- At the sudden sound, I turned my head and heard a familiar voice from beyond the door. Looking at the clock, I realized that quite some time had passed. It was probably time for Miragen to leave soon, so they called me to see her off. ¡°It¡¯s Lothos. Shouldn¡¯t you being out soon? Her Highness the Princess will be departing shortly.¡± ¡°I¡¯lle out.¡± When I heard Lothos¡¯ voice and went out, he adjusted his sses as neatly dressed as always. Perhaps he had shaved his goatee cleanly too, as he smiled slightly upon seeing my attire and opened his mouth. ¡°But you¡¯re quite well-dressed. Her Highness the Princess won¡¯t be disappointed.¡± ¡°Where is Her Grace?¡± When I asked, Lothos, who had been staring at me nkly for a moment, shrugged his shoulders. ¡°She¡¯ll probablye out soon, right? But if you¡¯re looking for her, you must have something to say to her.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I didn¡¯t like the strange smile he wore, but I nodded at his words that she woulde out soon. What I had to say to Adele was simple. That I think I need to leave the North earlier than nned. And the words I had intended to convey to her. I would probably return to the capital for a bit, but I nned to go straight to Adriana instead of the ducal residence. Since I was heading to the south, it would be good to establish ties with the church, and I would be moving alone with Adriana in the south anyway. I don¡¯t think we need to feel awkward with each other. It would be better to see each other often in advance to erase any awkwardness. Suddenly raising my head, the wind blew. In front of me was the carriage with the fluttering g of the imperial pce and numerous people. Lothos let out an exmation, but only for a moment. Then, the woman standing next to that carriage caught my eye. I thought it was Miragen, but that cold white hair belonged to only one woman. Adele Igrit. Around the time I recalled that name, she smiled slightly. As if she had been waiting for me toe, it was quite a pleasant smile. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 57 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Seeing Miragen off ended quickly. Miragen seemed to want to act familiar with me, but since it was an official asion rather than a private one, she couldn¡¯t casually strike up a conversation with someone. She was a princess. As someone of a status that others couldn¡¯t easily approach, we had already said our farewells beforehand.¡°Did you say goodbye?¡± ¡°I met herst night.¡± When Adele, who was next to me, asked, I nodded slightly and answered. Then, Adele¡¯s smile faded for a moment, but soon returned to her original expression as she moved her lips again. ¡°I see.¡± She looked like she had a lot to say. It seemed she wanted to say various things, but slowly closed her mouth, conscious of the situation. Didn¡¯t I also have something I wanted to say to Adele? Of course, it couldn¡¯t be considered good news for her, but my purpose foring to the North in the first ce was for what I had in mind. By the way, if there was something different about Adele today, it would be that she seemed to be in a strangely good mood. The fact that she kept smiling slightly whenever she looked at me, made it seem like something good had happened, so I cautiously opened my mouth. ¡°Did something good happen today?¡± ¡°Something good?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been smiling continuously since earlier.¡± When I pointed to her face with a faint smile, Adele was startled and touched the corner of her mouth. Adele, who had been touching the slightly raised corners of her mouth, then let out a fake cough. Was it my imagination that the tips of her ears had turned red? Adele, who covered her mouth, stared at me intently for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken.¡± When she removed the hand covering her mouth, her faint smile was erased and she had returned to her originally cold expression. To say I saw it wrong, it was an evesting smile that one couldn¡¯t forget. It was probably just embarrassment or something unrted to me. Since she was trying so hard to hide it, I just nodded and agreed, not knowing what to say. ¡°¡­ But was I smiling?¡± When our eyes met again, Adele hesitated and moved her lips. That cautious question was a slightly different attitude from her usual. Rather than her always confident demeanor, should I say she seemed embarrassed? Even if I didn¡¯t know what she was embarrassed about, it seemed clear that the smile from earlier had appeared regardless of her will. After pondering my answer for a moment, I then calmly opened my mouth. ¡°You were smiling. And smiling suits you well. Better than always wearing a cold expression.¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t add unnecessaryments.¡± It wasn¡¯t an unnecessaryment. It was something I often said during the many rounds I spent with Adele. As I said, smiling slightly like earlier suited Adele better than looking at her surroundings with those cold eyes. Whenever I thought about it, Adele¡¯s appearance wasn¡¯t as rough as the wolf guarding the North. Rather, she was closer to being elegant and delicate like the nobles of the central region. It was just that since her life began in the North, it would be awkward for her now. A woman who suited a cloak with wolf fur better than a dress, a sword better than flowers or tea. Such uniqueness could be said to be a charm that only a woman named Adele could possess. Perhaps annoyed by myment that smiling suited her better, Adele slightly furrowed her brows and walked forward with big strides. The North became quiet again after Miragen returned to the imperial pce. The imperial pce would be noisy about this incident, but no one would say anything to Adele. Maybe the Crown Prince, but the North would be quiet for a while. So I made up my mind. Leaving now would cause the least disturbance, and I needed some time to organize my thoughts about what I had to wrap up in the south. ¡°Your Grace, I have something to tell you. Do you have time?¡± Then Adele, who had stopped abruptly, stared at me nkly. After gazing at me with a rather strange expression, she soon shook her head and answered softly. ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Even as I tried to bring it up to Adele, I realized my attitude was quite cautious. Saying that I would leave the North and go back to the south, from Adele¡¯s perspective, not knowing I would join the Saint and go to the south, it would sound like I was going to find Theresa. Adele had warned me several times after hearing my story. ¨C If you do end up going, don¡¯t go alone. It¡¯s too dangerous. It was clear that Theresa was calling for me. Unless she was a fool, revealing her existence in the North where I was could only point to one thing. If I went to the south, I thought I would probably be able to face that reality. ¡°So, what did you want to tell me?¡± Adele, who put down her teacup, asked casually. When I nced over to see what kind of tea it was, what was ced in front of Adele was ck tea. Come to think of it, she often enjoyed drinking the ck tea that came from the central region. Smiling slightly at the old memory, I then erased my smile at the gaze staring intently at me and slowly opened my mouth. ¡°It¡¯s already been 3 weeks since I arrived in the North.¡± ¡°Has it already been that long? It doesn¡¯t feel like it¡¯s been that long.¡± ¡°Do you remember what you said at first? When you made me your deputy.¡± As if something came to mind at those words, Adele, who swallowed for a moment, nodded her head. I wondered how much I had satisfied her heart with that absurd suggestion of trying not to like me too much. I thought she probably didn¡¯t mean it sincerely. ¡°¡­ Yes, I said I would watch what you do.¡± ¡°Then how much did I please Your Grace? As a deputy, I mean.¡± ¡°As a deputy.¡± As her blue eyes swept over me, Adele, who then chuckled, opened her mouth. ¡°Unfortunately, if you hadn¡¯t gotten hurt, I would have kept you by my side. It would be problematic to value a deputy who returned wounded by the tribes.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± ¡°But why are you asking that? There should still be plenty of time left for you to stay in the North.¡± I closed my mouth for a moment at that suspicious question, but I couldn¡¯t hide it forever. There wasn¡¯t much time left. Two more days until the new year, and considering returning to the central region after that and joining Adriana, the leeway given to me was at most a week. It would be nice to have more time, but I had to say it now. Meeting Adele¡¯s eyes as she nkly stared at me, I carefully opened my mouth like that. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of going back now.¡± Silence flowed for a moment, and Adele, who had been staring at me with her mouth closed,ughed as if dumbfounded and answered. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to go to the central region and then back to the south. I was originally nning to go to the south, but due to Theresa¡¯s matter, I need to move a little faster.¡± ¡°The south.¡± Adele, who muttered like that, had a gradually darkeningplexion as she wiped her face with her hand and quietly looked at me. She was probably thinking about what I meant by saying this. When I waited for a long time after making eye contact, Adele moved her lips again. ¡°I must have told you not to go alone. No matter if she was your fianc¨¦e, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s obvious she¡¯ll be waiting for you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going alone.¡± ¡°Then who are you saying you¡¯re going with?¡± ¡°¡­ I think I¡¯ll probably be going with the Saint. Since my original purpose was to go to the Temple of the Moon.¡± Upon hearing the word ¡°Saint,¡± Adele narrowed her eyes for a moment and sipped her tea. The slightly raised corners of her mouth were drawing a sneer. It was a habit she showed when she was in a bad mood. Perhaps she reacted to the word ¡°Saint¡±, or was it that she didn¡¯t like the fact that I was going to the south? Around the time I guessed her thoughts, Adele¡¯s voice reached my ears. ¡°You have a talent for annoying people.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you anything. I had no intention of stopping you from going back. Because it would make you ufortable. Because I could see that you were reluctant to do such a thing.¡± Between her slightly furrowed brows, her forehead wrinkled. As if dumbfounded, Adele clicked her tongue and continued. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about you. Other than the fact that you¡¯re the eldest son of the Taylor family, that you¡¯re better with a sword than I thought, and that you received a favor from the princess that I don¡¯t know about. Yet, I kept being considerate of you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Her lips moved slightly and came down, followed by a moment of silence. Adele¡¯s expression as she tried to say something just looked frustrated. It seemed like she had a lot she wanted to say, but she was confused because it wasn¡¯t organized. So I waited until she could fully express what she finally wanted to say. She twisted the corners of her mouth slightly. ¡°But now you¡¯re saying you¡¯re going to the Saint? After making someone¡¯s heart so unsettled, you¡¯re just going to say what you want to do, what you want to say, and leave like that? I think it¡¯s too selfish.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not on purpose-¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not on purpose. Are you trying to y games with me now?¡± They were quite different from the reactions I had expected. I thought she would be suspicious about me leaving earlier than nned, but I didn¡¯t expect her to react so sharply. I was certainly surprised. The emotion mixed in Adele¡¯s voice was not anger towards me, but¡­ It seemed like she was disappointed. The emotions glimpsed between her wavering eyes wereplicated. Even as she expressed annoyance towards me, she was more disappointed than that feeling. About me bringing this up now, about me leaving the North and going somewhere else. This is just a guess, but about me going together with the Saint. Only then did I notice Adele¡¯s lips. Her bitten lips had already turned white. When the force of her trembling lips loosened for a moment, the bite marks remained exposed. ¡°¡­ Are you jealous?¡± The words that suddenly came to mind slipped out, and I was startled without realizing it. It was a thought that arose from her unusual reaction. Since she was acting like this at my words about going with the Saint, it was connected to her being sensitive about the Saint before. I was sure she would answer no. Just as I thought that and was about to open my mouth again, Adele, who had approached me, pushed me against the wall. Thud, my chest was pushed by her hand, and I stumbled back unexpectedly easily. With my back against the wall right behind me, I slightly furrowed my brows as I faced Adele. ¡°Did you say jealous?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it, but¡­¡± It was a distance close enough for our breaths to touch. Close enough to see even the tiny gaps between her pupils, Adele¡¯s eyes were slightly reddened. I faced her at that distance. Her scent was sweet. The rose scent I always felt close by filled my nose, and I blinked at the strange feeling that arose for a moment. ¡°It is jealousy.¡± I was dazed for a moment, wondering if I had heard correctly, but Adele continued speaking without even giving me a chance toe to my senses. ¡°You¡¯re right that I¡¯m saying this because I don¡¯t want you to leave the North. I haven¡¯t finished saying everything I want to say. Who gave you permission to leave here as you please when I haven¡¯t even allowed it?¡± ¡°¡­ Your Grace.¡± Her delicate hand gently grasped the cor of my shirt. Adele, who clenched it to the point of wrinkling the front of my shirt, leaned her face towards my neck and whispered. A small voice, barely audible to my ears alone, seeped into my ear like that. ¡°Two days, you¡¯re not in such a hurry that you can¡¯t even wait that long, right?¡± When I slightly nodded, Adele, who smiled satisfactorily, slowly released her hand. While smoothing out my cloak, she then sat back in her chair without saying a word to me, who couldn¡¯t say anything until then. She waved her hand and added. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to show you.¡± So stay. I smiled bitterly at those words, which could be called an order so typical of her. Because it was absurd, because it was hard to understand this situation. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 58 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¨C You always look at me with strange eyes. Do you have something to say? ¨C No. I¡¯m just a little worried about you. An iprehensible exchange. Words she had never heard nor said were clearly a conversation between herself and Robert.The Robert in her memories was someone who had blended more into the North. He had shed all semnce of a noble from the central region, to the point where one could believe he was a member of the mercenary group she led. ¡­However, Robert Taylor was a noble from the central region. Even if he wore a cloak, that nobility wouldn¡¯t disappear. His unique aura, his eyes that seemed like they would crumble at any moment. They were quite different from the Robert in her memories. Then what were these memories she was seeing? Ever since Robert came to the North, Adele realized that her emotions were gradually twisting with these fragments that often came to mind. They werepletely different from the feelings she had when they first met and at the Full Moon Festival. Should she say they were a little more affectionate? Whenever their eyes met, apletely different emotion blossomed, and she vaguely noticed that this memory was causing confusion for her. Hallucination. Auditory hallucination. ¨C How long are you nning to stay in the North? We can¡¯t be together forever. ¨C I will leave when Your Grace dies. Until then, I won¡¯t go to the central region. The way he looked at her was quite different from reality. Then did this mean it was her delusion? Adele smiled bitterly and got up. The pale moonlight shining through the curtains touched her snow-white hair, emitting a faint glow. This wasn¡¯t just an auditory hallucination. It was clearly her memory, but there were too many awkward points for it to be just that. Why was Robert, who said he was leaving for the south, still staying here? Why was he looking at her with those eyes? But even that was not clear, and only vague emotions lingered. Like the ck traces left when a painting was scorched by fire, only the voice and eyes remained in that ck illusion. It had been several days since she couldn¡¯t sleep properly due to the memories that naturally came to mind when she fell asleep. Was it her delusion, or had she unknowingly had a connection with Robert? Adele hugged her knees at the iprehensible thoughts. ¡°Haa.¡± What had been making Adele feelplicated recently was none other than Robert¡¯s existence. An existence that couldn¡¯t be controlled by her will, that easily slipped away even if she took an interest in him. Couldn¡¯t he be considered a particrly strange man in Adele¡¯s life? Even while leading the mercenary group and unifying the North, even while bing the Grand Duchess anding this far. To Adele, all beings were merely something she could ¡°control.¡± No matter how strong they were, if she directly led soldiers and cut them down, she could subjugate them. No matter what problems there were, if she called Lothos and told him to solve them, they would be solved. If there was something she wanted, she got it. If it was somewhere else, she didn¡¯t know, but the territory of the North was practically and where Adele could do anything. From the time she was a young child who had lost her parents and wandered around, as long as she had a single sword, even the neighborhood bullies couldn¡¯t use their strength in front of her. ¨C I¡¯m thinking of going back now. When Robert said he wasing to the North, Adele had really thought of keeping him by her side. He didn¡¯t seem like he would be very active in the central region, and his hidden skills were outstanding to the point where even calling them excellent would be an understatement. So she made him her deputy and intended to watch him y an active role in the subjugation of the tribes. It was during that time that this hallucination came to mind. A memory that couldn¡¯t possibly exist, but naturally settled as if it had definitely happened. It didn¡¯t take long for the faint anxiety she felt whenever she saw Robert to amplify. The moment the princess appeared alone, a ringing sound was heard in her ears. Without even properly preparing, she ran straight ahead. Why did she have to be in such a hurry? Why did she be so impatient and run without even making a proper judgment? What she felt when she heard that Robert was going to the south was annoyance. It was partly because her expectation that he would stay in the North for a few more days was shattered, but it was more because it was another unexpected situation. The fact that he showed no reaction even when she held a sword to his throat. His abrupt visit to the North in the winter, his decision to go alone to save the princess. And now his intention to go to the south earlier than nned. None of her predictions wereing true, were they? She seemed to have gotten angry for a moment at the thought that he was deliberately avoiding her grasp. There was no need to get angry. At the sudden embarrassment that came to mind, Adele rubbed her cheek. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know why I¡¯m acting like this.¡± It was excessive concern to show towards someone she had only met a few times and had only seen for a few weeks in the North. There was no need to care about what he did, was there? Although he shared several things inmon with her father, Robert wasn¡¯t so weak that he would suddenly die somewhere. He would do well on his own even if she left him alone. Even if she didn¡¯t care, even if she wasn¡¯t there. Haa. Her sighs were an appeal for the frustration she felt. She might have been slightly denying that when she looked at Robert, she was ovepping him with someone. The person whose wishes were never fully granted until the end, the person who eventually left andpletely disappeared no matter how much she tried to keep him by her side. Like her father. The reason she told him to stay for two days was to sort out theseplicated feelings. Affection? Adele scoffed and smiled bitterly. It wasn¡¯t such a feeling. Although she had never harbored affection, she didn¡¯t think her feelings towards Robert were close to affection. It was just that he bothered her, that she became concerned when he wasn¡¯t in sight. She was anxious. Afraid that he would disappear, that one day she would suddenly hear the news of his death like her father. So she was annoyed. It hadn¡¯t been long since he was badly injured by the tribes, but instead of staying here longer, he said he would go straight to the south. She wanted to avoid ominous thoughts as much as possible, but she couldn¡¯t help them from lingering in her mind. When she slightly furrowed her brows, a dim light was visible. Recalling her own actions, an involuntary smile formed. The actions she had taken swept up in momentary emotions, the embarrassment about them was onlying to her now, and a small heat touched her cheeks. Why did she have to grab his cor there, it would be fine to just consider him a strange person, wouldn¡¯t it? There was no need for that. She and Robert had no rtionship at all. He was a temporary deputy, a person she had met by chance. That was all there was to it. In her dream, she and Robert were quite close. They always went around together, and sometimes they would ride wolves and wander around the North, just the two of them. So it must have been a misunderstanding. She mistakenly believed that this iprehensible dream had really happened, that this memory was really something she didn¡¯t know about. That¡¯s all it was, a belief. Adele¡¯s eyes, which had been staring into the void for a moment, closed tightly. Her head slid down against the wall and touched the pillow, and a few minutes passed like that. When she opened her eyes again, they turned towards the ceiling. Until the pale moonlight faded and dawn arrived. ¡­ For a very long time, she just stared at the ceiling like that. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Two days wasn¡¯t a time so long that he couldn¡¯t ept it. Moreover, since Adele had said it, he couldn¡¯t refuse, and there was no justification to refuse, so he had no choice but to stay in the North. Two days. This much time wouldn¡¯t cause a disruption to his schedule. The only thing he was curious about was what she wanted to convey to make him wait two days. Even after a day passed, Adele didn¡¯t appear. And even today, on the second day, she still hadn¡¯t appeared. She wasn¡¯t seen in the office where she worked, so everyone was puzzled, and Lothos even asked me about Adele¡¯s condition. Even if he asked about Adele¡¯s condition, there wasn¡¯t much I could answer. I only knew that she seemed disappointed in me, but I didn¡¯t even know why she was disappointed. Most of the things I experienced in this round were things I was experiencing for the first time. It started from the moment I told Theresa about the broken engagement. There were no more variables or situations that I knew. Even this attitude of Adele¡¯s was quite awkward. Of course, it wasn¡¯t the first time she showed such an expression, but it was the third time I had met Adele. The first time I met her was when I was broken after dying to Miragen and dying a few more times, the second time I met her was when I decided to start anew in the North. And this was the third time. Out of those three encounters, we were together almost always for two of them, so during that time, I think we had a rather peculiar rtionship. Wasn¡¯t it a time when Adele seemed like a savior to me? And Adele also didn¡¯t see me as an ordinary deputy. She didn¡¯t easily reveal her past. Even Lothos, who had been with her the longest, didn¡¯t know about Adele¡¯s past. The reason I knew about her past, which she didn¡¯t reveal, was probably due to the feelings Adele had for me during that time. ¡°¡­ Lovers.¡± Although we didn¡¯t reach the same level as Miragen, there was a time when we vaguely harbored such feelings for each other. So it must have remained a regret. Because I couldn¡¯t stop Adele from leaving for the imperial pce, and moreover, I didn¡¯t even try to go with her. ¨C I won¡¯t die, Robert. So wait for me. I¡¯ll prove that your worries were wrong. Whenever I thought about going to find Adele, who hadn¡¯t shown up for the past few days, such thoughts woulde to mind and make me hesitate. What on earth was she doing that she hadn¡¯t appeared for two days? It was me who would be leaving tomorrow morning. As more time passed and night approached, I slowly began to worry about Adele, who still hadn¡¯t shown herself. But even if I went to find her, what should I say? After messing up my hair this way and that, I then wiped my face and lowered my head. It was frustrating. Just as Adele was annoyed with me, I was also frustrated. Living with memories and feelings that only I knew was bound to wear down a person¡¯s mind. There were more than a few times when I wanted to let go of everything when I saw the same actions over and over again and saw people showing the same actions as time passed. I briefly clenched my wrist tightly and let out a heavy sigh like that. It was me who actually wanted to stay in the North. Since there was no ce where I could be asfortable as here, if I had no purpose, I would have settled down here for good. But I couldn¡¯t stand still any longer. To end this regression and die, I had to move even if I didn¡¯t like it. Let¡¯s not have any lingering attachments, let¡¯s not have any regrets. Around the time I was calming my mind like that, I heard a knocking sound on the door. Knock knock- ¡°It¡¯s Lothos. Her Grace is calling for you, are you busy?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll go and see her.¡± The sound that had been heard in the quiet room was cut off like that again. After fixing my clothes and heading out the door, Lothos was staring at me with a bizarre expression. It was an expression that seemed to say, ¡°What on earth did you do?¡± I shrugged my shoulders and opened my mouth. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Hmm. No, not exactly. It¡¯s just that¡­ Her Grace has changed a bit. I thought there must have been some external influence.¡± When I tilted my head at the words that she had changed, Lothos smiled meaningfully and hurried his steps. The ce I went to after being told that Adele had called for me was naturally the office. Just as I was about to open the door, wondering what had changed, Lothos approached and spoke softly. ¡°Enjoy your intimate time.¡± ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± But Lothos disappeared with those words. With the thought of what intention he had said that with, I slowly opened the door. When the scene was finally revealed, I could understand Lothos¡¯ words to some extent. ¡°You¡¯re here. I wonder if I called for you toote.¡± The Grand Duchess, who always wore a cloak, was gone. The mercenary leader who wielded a sword and killed the tribes did not exist. She wasn¡¯t rough. She wasn¡¯t cold. Slightly shy, a little gentle. The woman who showed a faint blush on her cheeks was staring at me intently. Adele, wearing a blue dress the same color as her eyes, looked at me while slightly lifting her skirt with an awkward gesture. Hesitating, she moved her lips slightly like that. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve worn it, does it suit me?¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [T/N: 0_0 ] Chapter 59 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó It was a dress that flowed like water. Coupled with the cold moon, it emitted a slightly cold color, but it left an impression that wasn¡¯t so cold as it suited her face. The woman who was always dignified had a blush on her cheeks. As if embarrassed, she hesitated and pulled at her skirt.Was this the first time Adele had worn different clothes? The moment my breath caught in my throat and I couldn¡¯t open my mouth, Adele¡¯s eyes narrowed. As she moved her head, her naturally flowing hair was visible. Her snow-white hair touched the dress like that, as if it turned the surroundings monochrome for a moment. At the same time, what I felt was a sense of incongruity. I had already seen this dress somewhere, so even as I looked at it, I couldn¡¯t just call it beautiful. A voice pierced through those blurred thoughts. It was Adele¡¯s voice, with furrowed brows. ¡°Is it bad?¡± ¡°No, I mean¡­¡± What should I say? The sight captured in my eyes was something I had never imagined. Adele in a dress, if the social circles saw this, wouldn¡¯t they be truly shocked? But even though she was wearing a dress, her posture was still crooked, so I inadvertently let out augh. ¡°Then why are youughing? Don¡¯t make people frustrated. It¡¯s the first time¡­ yes, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve worn it. I just want to know how it looks.¡± ¡°Why haven¡¯t you worn it until now? It suits you so well.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Even as she snorted like that, she didn¡¯t seem to be in a bad mood as she slowly brushed her hair back. Even looking again, I couldn¡¯t believe this sight. Rather than being awkward, it suited her so well as if she had been wearing it from the beginning. Because of that, I lost my words. I didn¡¯t know what intention she had for taking out the dress, but if she wanted to surprise me, it could be considered sessful. ¡­ Honestly, she was pretty. I couldn¡¯t find any other words to express it besides that. She was always beautiful, but Adele in a dress particrly stood out in that aspect. After watching Adele awkwardly fiddle with her skirt for a while, I suddenly wondered why she wore the dress. So when I asked, she looked at me as if it was obvious. ¡°Did you forget there¡¯s a New Year¡¯s event at midnight today? That¡¯s why I told you to stay two more days, I was nning to show you before you left.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± I hadpletely forgotten, my mind preupied with the south. The new year woulde after midnight passed, but she wasn¡¯t the type to dress up in a dress for that. However, since her whims changed depending on the asion, I just epted it as it was. She probably just wanted to wear a dress. Even if I couldn¡¯t deny that the reason was me, I had no intention of saying anything since it suited her well. Butpared to her dress, my attire wasn¡¯t very neat. Since I hadn¡¯t expected this situation at all, when I tried to change clothes, Adele opened her mouth. ¡°You don¡¯t need to go. I didn¡¯t wear it to show it to anyone anyway.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s something called courtesy, isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°Who are you trying to show courtesy to? I said I don¡¯t mind, so just quietly be my escort.¡± Just like at the Full Moon Festival, she reached out her hand to me and waved it. When I lightly grasped it at her gesture telling me to hold it quickly, Adele chuckled and approached to stand next to me like that. It seemed I was the only one feeling awkward and fidgeting at the sight of Adele wearing a dress instead of armor or a cloak. Smiling awkwardly like that, I moved my steps to follow Adele. Perhaps towards the festival to decorate thest night of the year on myst day in the North. ¡°Let¡¯s go now. The festival in the North will be a bit novel.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The word ¡°novel¡± didn¡¯t seem to have a positive meaning. It was probably due to the cultural differences between the North and the central region. There were many things that were a bit intense for Adele to participate in while wearing a dress, and they were all bleak when it came to seeing something. Although it was a festival for the New Year, it had a strong shamanistic character. It was different from the shamans of the south. They simply worshipped beasts and nature and expressed gratitude to the god who let them pass this year safely as well. That¡¯s probably why the people from the church felt ufortable with the North. Since it was a gathering of people who revered nature more than the god of the moon, perhaps that was the reason Adriana and Adele felt ufortable with each other. While looking around aimlessly like that for a moment, Adele, who spotted Bunta running around with a barrel of alcohol, furrowed her brows. ¡°I told him to wander around quietly, but it seems hopeless.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I think it¡¯s fine. As long as he doesn¡¯t harm others.¡± My brow twitched when I saw him smash a street stall. Of course, there was no way Bunta wouldn¡¯t cause trouble. No matter how much of a deputy he was, Adele couldn¡¯t overlook even this. As a subordinate of the Grand Duchess, shouldn¡¯t he set an example? Just as Adele was about to move with a sigh, it happened. ¡°Hey, Bunta. Her Grace must have told you to stay put.¡± Lothos, who had walked over from somewhere with heavy steps, grabbed Bunta¡¯s cor. Pretending to be angry, he stared intently into Bunta¡¯s eyes, and the guy¡¯s head slightly tilted towards this direction. After making eye contact with me, he grinned and continued. ¡°Her Grace is busy today. She can¡¯t pay attention to you one by one. Grab the alcohol barrel and follow me. We need to fix this ce.¡± Lothos, who winked one eye disgustingly, bowed his head in our direction and then swiftly disappeared. Should I say he was quick-witted or not? Adele, who had been staring at Lothos with an astonished expression, shook her head and let out a hollowugh. ¡°He¡¯spletely crazy.¡± ¡°Then what will you do now?¡± I asked, ncing at Adele¡¯s dress. Her movements seemed quite awkward even as she walked with me. Her feet would probably start hurting soon, since high-heeled shoes would be quite difficult for her. I didn¡¯t quite understand why she was going through this trouble, but I didn¡¯t want to see her walking around ufortably. As if understanding my intention to some extent, Adele, who had been staring at me for a moment, nodded her head and answered. ¡°¡­ I should rest a bit after all.¡± ¡°I wonder if your feet are okay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. They won¡¯t hurt just from wearing shoes for a bit.¡± Then she shook her feet a few times and started walking briskly towards somewhere. The direction Adele was heading was clearly towards the forest. A quiet forest where there were no people, where the entire sky could be seen this winter. Even as we walked between the bare trees, I held onto Adele¡¯s body as she asionally slipped. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to hold me. I won¡¯t get hurt even if I fall.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to do that deliberately.¡± When I slowly lifted her up by the waist, Adele, who had been staring at me nkly, patted her waist and started walking again. If she was going to be like that, it would have been morefortable to wear her usual clothes. I thought she wore it to give a speech, but there was no speech by Adele at this New Year¡¯s festival. The reason was because it was bothersome. If Adele said so, it was an understandable reason. So in the remaining free time, she must have gone to find a dress and put it on. If asked why, I wasn¡¯t sure. In the forest that had now bepletely dark, a small me rose with a whoosh. The artifact held in Adele¡¯s hand emitted a small me, spreading into the forest and making a faint light rise around. So it wasn¡¯t very dark. We could reach our destination without much difficulty in the dim light like twilight. It was a familiar ce to me too. It was a ce Adele often brought me together with her. I wondered when we woulde here in this life, and today seemed to be that day. The only ce in this forest where the sky was wide open, where a fallen tree was ced like a chair. In the circr opening in the sky, only a full moon hung lonely. Countless stars dotted like dots next to it. After a moment of silence in the wind that seeped through the trees, my eyes met Adele¡¯s as she looked at me. It was a face that stood out even in the dim light. Was it because of her intensely dressed appearance, Adele seemed to havepletely escaped the name of Grand Duchess as I slowly parted my lips while looking at her. ¡°Is this the ce you wanted toe to?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a ce I oftene to. When I want to be alone.¡± ¡°But today there are two of us.¡± ¡°I know. I brought you here on purpose. Didn¡¯t I say there was something I wanted to show you?¡± I thought the thing she wanted to show me was the dress, but it seemed there was still something else left. I wonder what that could be. So when I quietly looked at Adele, she shrugged her shoulders upon realizing my gaze was on her. It was noticeable that her dress was thin. Although it seemed fine to some extent due to magic treatment, this was still the North, wasn¡¯t it? After staring nkly for a moment, I opened my mouth again. ¡°You look cold.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not cold.¡± Me, wearing a cloak, and Adele, wearing only a dress without any outerwear. If someone saw us, wouldn¡¯t it be fine to think I was doing something terrible to her? It bothered me. Even if she was okay with it, I was ufortable. I approached Adele, who was sitting at the base of a tree, with big strides. Adele, who was startled by my approach, then stared at me nkly as the cloak covered her shoulders. ¡°I told you I¡¯m not cold.¡± At the sight of her furrowing her brows as if asking what I was doing now, I inadvertently let out a smallugh. My shoulders felt empty without the cloak, but instead, my heart felt at ease looking at her. ¡°Just stay like that. I¡¯m worried you might be cold.¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t worry unnecessarily. You¡¯re leaving tomorrow anyway.¡± ¡°Why did you wear the dress? Wouldn¡¯t it have been morefortable to wear what you usually do if you were going toe all the way here?¡± She wasn¡¯t giving a speech, and if it was for the festival, she wouldn¡¯t be making an official appearance. When I asked, Adele moved her lips for a moment as if pondering her answer. After thinking for a long time like that, she slowly answered while making eye contact with me. It was different from her usual eyes. Softly, as if recalling a distant memory, with rippling pupils. ¡°I think I wanted to show you this a long time ago.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± When I asked back for a moment, wondering what she meant, Adele shook her head and didn¡¯t say anything more. A long time ago. I didn¡¯t know what time period she wanted to talk about, but it didn¡¯t feel like it was that long ago. A strange question arose and settled in my mind. Just now, her way of speaking seemed as if she was talking about the ¡®past¡¯ that only I knew. The dress Adele was wearing was something I had seen once before. The dress I had seen when I entered the room she was staying in after failing to prevent Adele¡¯s death due to the rebellion. The memory of looking at the ownerless dress was still vivid in my mind. Her saying that to me seemed to bring back the memories from that time. It was probably just something she said. It just happened to ovep, no one had ever recalled a previous round. So I turned my gaze again. When I escaped from the old memories and looked up at the sky like that, it happened. ¡°Robert. This is what I wanted to show you.¡± Swish- Along with Adele¡¯s voice, I saw something crossing the sky. The sound that I had heard at the Full Moon Festival, the sound that had awakened my consciousness when I was lost in thought like this. Bang-! The fireworks that crossed the sky exploded all at once, instantly painting the surroundings with noise. The sound was so loud that my ears felt muffled, and the light was so bright that the moonlight became obscured and no longer visible, dyeing the night sky. White, red, blue. A feast of colorful lights, each different, blinded my eyes. ¡°You liked what you saw at the Full Moon Festivalst time. So I directly brought it all the way to the North.¡± Bang-! The loud noise erased all sounds at once, but Adele¡¯s voice was heard clearly. Looking at the light in the middle of the wide open forest, I looked at Adele again like that. For a moment, a shadow appeared. Adele¡¯s face under the bright sky was obscured by darkness like that. Nevertheless, meeting the eyes that caught my gaze. A voice was heard from the lips that moved again. It was a slightly cautious voice. ¡°Isn¡¯t it pretty? Your expression¡­ seems a bitckluster though.¡± Old memories resurfaced. The woman who had told me to wait, saying she had something to show me, but never returned in the end, was here. This was the aftermath. To me, living in memories, it was like a curse, so in the end, I could only ovep it with Adele. When the blurry afterimage ovepped to form a single image, I finally saw a faint smile on the face I faced. Light, darkness. In the repeating scene, what remained in my eyes was not the light of the fireworks. It wasn¡¯t the moon hanging in the sky, nor the stars regaining their light. It was just a woman wearing a flowing dress. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s pretty.¡± I answered while looking at Adele, not the sky. Without adding that it was the fireworks, Adele slightly avoided my gaze that was just staring intently. Looking at her like that, I then added softly and smiled. ¡°Very much so.¡± The words I should have said before, but only uttered now. And then I realized. I was still living in the aftermath of my memories. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 60 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The fireworks exploded like that for a while, and then gradually disappeared, and the original night sky began to show again. Since the lingering feeling from earlier wouldn¡¯t disappear so easily, I slowly lowered my head, still lost in thought. I didn¡¯t expect to see fireworks here. It seemed the fireworks she saw at the Full Moon Festival left quite a strong impression on Adele.However, what I saw was not the fireworks, but Adele standing under the firework lights. There was no need to specifically tell her that. This round could be considered to havepletely passed the singrity since I started breaking off the engagement with Theresa. There were things I had already experienced, but wasn¡¯t this the first time my rtionships with Adele, Adriana, and Miragen were intertwined simultaneously? What if I had let go of my expectations for Yuria and Theresa from the beginning? If I hadn¡¯t expected things to change and only dug into the Crown Prince to tighten his breathing. Maybe I wouldn¡¯t have had to face the memories I¡¯m recalling now. ¡°You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re in a good mood. For saying it was pretty.¡± When I raised my head at the voice that suddenly reached my ears, Adele was looking at me with a strange expression. The words Adele had just uttered sounded meaningful to me as well. ¨C A long time ago, I think I wanted to show you this. Those words just now sounded as if she remembered the previous rounds. Even though I thought it couldn¡¯t be, I wanted to reveal my regression with a slight hope. If I told her about my 100 lives, about the 300 years. Would Adele understand that? When I looked at her face with that thought, I suddenly felt afraid upon seeing the faint smile lingering on the corners of her mouth. Afraid that she would see me as a strange person. With a sigh at that ever-present fear, I slowly parted my lips. ¡°My mood is fine. Just something came to mind.¡± ¡°Something came to mind?¡± ¡°Should I say it¡¯s something from the past?¡± If I were to put a timeline on it, it would probably be a few monthster, but to me, it was already something from decades ago. The North I had visited before Adele died, and after she died. The reason I was reluctant to be with Adele at first was because I didn¡¯t like the idea of this situation happening again. Of course, now I also knew it was something I couldn¡¯t turn back, so I just watched Adele with mixed feelings. Adele, who furrowed her brows at the words ¡°something from the past,¡± then twisted the corners of her mouth and spoke again. ¡°It seems there are too many things from the past that I don¡¯t know about. Come to think of it, aren¡¯t I older than you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. We have a 3-year age gap, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Yet you have so many secrets. How annoying.¡± Despite her words, she didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of asking me more. Although Adele seemed to live as she pleased, she had her own lines. The problem was that it only applied to those she liked, but fortunately, I met that standard. Adele quite liked me. I didn¡¯t know before, but now I knew the reason. It was probably because my attitude was quite simr to her father¡¯s. The reason Adele first formed a mercenary group was to find her father. To find news of her father who had left her behind when she was young, and to p his cheek. There were many who threatened the girl who held a single sword. However, Adele¡¯s talent was so brilliant that it only took 5 years for her to be themander of a mercenary group that couldn¡¯t find a match in the North. By the time Adele led the mercenary group and received the position of Grand Duchess, there was one thing Adele had lost while gaining many things. ¨C When I thought I had gained everything, I realized I hadn¡¯t found my father. Adele¡¯s expression as she said that looked indifferent. As if it was nothing, Adele¡¯s expression as she spoke of it as just an old story was expressionless. But that very indifferent expression was proof that she was agitated. She was ovepping her father with me. Because I had heard her say before that she felt like I would disappear one day without a word, just like her father. ¨C I was always afraid you would disappear. My father was like that too, with hazy eyes like you. It was the same scenery, but what Adele was saying now was quite different from back then. Perhaps it was a difference in timing. Because in the round when I was in the North, I always stayed here regardless of the season. But now I had to leave. I had to leave the North, go to the south, and finish the things I needed to wrap up now. Clearing the memories lingering in my head, I met Adele¡¯s eyes again. During these two days, I had thought about Theresa¡¯s matter, but also about how to bring up the topic of rebellion to Adele. However, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say it out loud. If I said it out loud, I was afraid I wouldn¡¯t be able to control my emotions due to the old memories. So I thought of writing it in a letter, although it might seem quite strange, it would be better to tell her to read itter. If I wanted to exin her death, it would take a long time. It was also strange to suddenly mention death in this atmosphere, so it would be better to give her time to think about it in her own way. If she read all the contents I had written in the letter, I thought she would at least be able to understand. Even if she didn¡¯t believe it, it didn¡¯t matter. If Adele still headed to the imperial pce despite that, I would stop her even if I had to modify the n. ¡°I also have something to give you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re giving me something?¡± ¡°Do you read letters?¡± When I took out a neatly wrapped letter from my bosom, Adele stared at me nkly. Reading the embarrassment in her wavering eyes, I smiled slightly and gently ced the letter in Adele¡¯s hand. ¡°Read it after I leave. I wrote down what I wanted to say.¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re doing unnecessary things. Do you think I¡¯ll read it if you give it to me like this?¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯ll read it. Definitely.¡± At my slightly desperate voice, Adele furrowed her brows. I thought she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse. Even if she didn¡¯t care when we first met, she wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore this letter now. Moreover, it was a letter from me. Adele, who had been examining the letter ced in her hand for a moment, then epted it preciously with a fake cough. ¡°Don¡¯t write things like letters next time. It¡¯s better to swing your sword more at times like this.¡± ¡°I probably won¡¯t be able to see you for a long time after I leave this time, so it¡¯s my way of saying goodbye.¡± ¡°For a long time? Hmm, yes. We won¡¯t be able to see each other for a long time.¡± Adele, who smiled meaningfully, slowly got up. The night sky where the fireworks had all exploded regained its silence. The light that had spread around had alsopletely faded now, and it was time for the forest to be darkly dyed in the night shadows again. Perhaps it was time to go back now, Adele must have had the same thought as she quietly moved her lips. ¡°Let¡¯s go back now. You need to sleep too.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Rustle. The sound of leaves being stepped on was heard whenever Adele moved. She, who had been walking briskly as if she had gotten used to the shoes, noticed that I wasgging behind and turned her head. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be slower than me. How can you be slower than a woman wearing heels?¡± ¡°I¡¯m deliberately going slow.¡± I took a big step, then another step to stand next to Adele. ¡°I have to catch you from behind if you fall.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t fall. I¡¯mpletely used to it now.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± If we walked a little more, we would see the castle. Realizing that we had walked quite a distance from the castle, I swallowed. Considering the time, it would be close to midnight now. People who would be waiting under the bell tower for the New Year that would start soon, although not visible, the bell tower standing tall in the distance definitely caught my eye. ¡°The New Year hasn¡¯te yet. You set off the fireworks a little earlier than the time.¡± ¡°Originally, the most important thing in weing the New Year is the bell. I think it¡¯s natural.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like the sound of the bell. It hurts my ears.¡± Yet, the reason she didn¡¯t remove it was probably because she cared about the people of the North in her own way. The bell would probably ring soon. I could see the priest who had climbed to the top of the bell tower offering prayers to the people and then preparing to ring the bell. When I stopped walking towards the castle for a moment and quietly looked at it, Adele quietly opened her mouth. ¡°¡­ Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t apologized to you yet. Since the New Year ising, it¡¯s better to say it now.¡± Her slender fingers tugged at my sleeve, and at that small touch, I turned my head. Adele, who hesitated and blinked her eyes several times as if slightly embarrassed, slightly bit her lips. The word ¡°apology¡± was puzzling. However, recalling that it might be about her getting angry at mest time, I just waited like that until Adele opened her mouth. Some time passed, and it was when the priest, who had almost finished ringing the bell, reached out his hand towards the bell. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. For getting angry at you.¡± The fingers that had slightly grasped my sleeve had now be a palm. Wrapping around my cor, as if telling me not to run away, she held it like that. My arm was caught in Adele¡¯s hand. Firmly grasping my wrist, Adele, who had been staring at me intently like that, continued. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for cutting your throat when we first met, and for acting a bit selfishly. I¡­ think that way.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you already apologize for that before?¡± ¡°I have a feeling that if I don¡¯t say it now, I won¡¯t be able to.¡± When I raised my head at the words that suddenly reached my ears, Adele was already looking at the bell. It was an expression as if she was recalling something. Yet, as if unsure about it, I could see her furrowing her brows. ¡°If I don¡¯t say it now, I feel like I won¡¯t be able to say it.¡± It was evident that she was anxious. However, not knowing what she was anxious about, I could only slowly grasp the hand holding my wrist. Her hand that had been applying force for a moment gradually loosened. And between that falling hand, my fingers dug in. Our body heat ovepped under the cold wind. Although it was only an area as small as a palm ovepping, it was enough contact to feel each other¡¯s warmth. It was closer to just holding rather than grasping. It was to reassure her anxiety even a little, but Adele¡¯s eyes widened in surprise instead. I met her wavering blue eyes. After a moment of silence like that, a moment that felt like a very long time. Ding- The sound of the bell announcing the New Year began to fill the surroundings. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°¡­ I know.¡± ¡°I was herest year, and I¡¯m here this year too, aren¡¯t I?¡± Since the bell had rung, hadn¡¯t the year changed? The 20-year-old Robert and the 21-year-old Robert being by Adele¡¯s side hadn¡¯t changed at all. Even if Adele¡¯s anxiety was a unique feeling to her, even if it was a premonition of her own death. That was no reason for her to be anxious. ¡°Do you dislike me leaving?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say unnecessary things. It¡¯s just a feeling I had.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s make a bet. About whether we can see the bell ringing together next year, or whether we won¡¯t be able to.¡± Although Adele, who didn¡¯t know what those words meant, looked at me with strange eyes, I knew what would happen to Adele next year. Adele wouldn¡¯t be here next year. Because in the rounds so far, Adele had always died this winter. Since it was a fact only I knew, the bet I mentioned was actually equivalent to me asking myself. ¡°Which side will you bet on?¡± But I asked without showing it. I believed Adele would bet that I would still be here next year. And as I thought, Adele answered without any hesitation. As if uttering something obvious, with an indifferent expression. ¡°I¡¯ll bet on the side where we see it together. Then what does the losing side do?¡± ¡°Who knows.¡± The answer to this bet would probably converge to one. The side Adele had chosen, where we would see the bell ringing together. Adele wouldn¡¯t die. Even if the future was set that way, it was natural because I wouldn¡¯t just watch it happen. ¡°Let¡¯s say the winner gets one wish granted.¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± I thought I should consider what wish she might make. Because in this life, Adele Igrit would definitely survive. Just like the catchphrase Adele always had on her lips, because I had decided so. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 61 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to see him off?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need. I¡¯ve already said everything I wanted to say.¡± Adele already knew the day Robert was leaving. If there was something she wanted to say before he left, she had already said everything she wanted to say at night.Adele, who recalled the way Robert looked at her at the moment the bell rang, let out a faint sigh. ¨C Will you make a bet? She still had questions about what that suddenly brought up word ¡°bet¡± meant. About whether they could see the bell ringing together next year. If she called him, he would have toe as he was. Didn¡¯t he know best that she would bring him even by force if he didn¡¯te? It was an obvious losing bet, yet he offered one wish. It was true that she couldn¡¯t quite understand the overly generous reward. Perhaps¡­ he had noticed that she was anxious. The feeling she had was an instinct she had since childhood. When she was anxious, when she was in danger. It could be called a sixth sense that informed her of all those situations almost like a premonition. She had always lived on the edge. Wasn¡¯t the North and where it wouldn¡¯t be strange to die at any moment, where people sought each other¡¯s lives? In such a ce, the way for a girl to survive with a single de was simple. Detect the threats that woulde to her in advance, nip them in the bud, and trample them so they couldn¡¯t crawl up. This feeling she had since birth was the driving force behind such a life, so Adele usually trusted this feeling. But what she felt now was different from before. It couldn¡¯t be called a bad feeling. Rather, as if whispering that nothing would happen, she only felt a peaceful premonition. ¡®Strange.¡¯ It was a sensation she had never felt even once before. Things would go well if they continued like this? Adele didn¡¯t believe in such peaceful thoughts. At every moment, in any situation, didn¡¯t an ominous feeling follow? What suddenly came to mind was the letter she had received from Robert. Upon recalling that, the peaceful feeling disappeared and an ominous premonition bloomed. ¡­ There was something. Adele, who thought so and tore open the letter, nkly stared at something that fell from the letter. It was a white handkerchief. The handkerchief with her emblem embroidered on it, which she had lent him when she cut Robert¡¯s throat. Chuckling, she picked up the handkerchief. It was a bit ridiculous that it had returned like this when she had forgotten about it, even though it was fine not to return it. Did he remember that she told him to return it? As she put away the handkerchief and picked up the letter, a neat handwriting unlike its appearance caught her eye. Being born a nobleman showed in such ces. Robert, was born in the central region unlike herself, so wouldn¡¯t he write well? I¡¯m worrying about what to write on the first line, so I¡¯ll write lightly. I wonder if you received the handkerchief well. She wanted to answer that she had received the handkerchief well, but this was just a letter. After staring intently at the paper for a moment, Adele¡¯s gaze turned downward. What was written in the letter was first a simple greeting. He said he had written what he wanted to say to her, but where did he write it? It was after a little more time had passed that Adele¡¯s eyes, which had been examining the letter, narrowed. I saw many things while in the North, but I think what I saw the most was the Grand Duchess. I spent the most time with you, had many conversations, and received a lot of help from you. ¡°Help.¡± Adele smiled bitterly. In fact, she didn¡¯t particrly remember giving any notable help to Robert. He adapted well on his own, and just lending him a sword was all, wasn¡¯t it? There was a sight she wanted to show him, but Robert¡¯s expression upon seeing it looked quiteplicated. She didn¡¯t know what memories he was recalling, but it was certain that it was something she didn¡¯t know. It was clear that there was a gap between herself and Robert. Something she didn¡¯t know but Robert knew. Would it be possible not to feel a sense of incongruity in that gap? Although she didn¡¯t like that fact, what dispersed her thoughts was the sentence written in the next part of the letter. I said I wrote what I wanted to say, but in fact, the biggest purpose was to warn you. Because the reason I came to the North and wanted to meet the Grand Duchess was not to return the handkerchief. While furrowing her brows at the word ¡°warning,¡± Adele soon read the next sentence and let out a smallugh. It was a statement that didn¡¯t fit the context at all. She was only filled with questions about the name that she hadn¡¯t been thinking about and hadn¡¯t been in her mind until then. Nevertheless, her gaze turned downward. Robert¡¯s words to her, the words that clearly had the character of a warning, were words that didn¡¯t make sense no matter how much she thought about it. Especially since she had been recognized by the imperial family and had risen to the position of Grand Duchess, and had directly received the title from the Crown Prince. Adele¡¯s mouth closed tightly. Her eyes, which were always cold, were dizzily wavering with a mixture of questions and confusion. What I want to convey first is. ¡°¡­ What on earth were you thinking when you wrote this, Robert?¡± I hope you won¡¯t respond to the Crown Prince¡¯s call. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Thump- When I left the North and rode a carriage instead of a sleigh, I finally felt that I had set foot in the central region again. It was a ce I didn¡¯t want toe to. Aside from seeing Yuria or Kaitel¡¯s faces, fragments of my memories remained in various parts of this region. Wherever I went, traces of what I had tried would remain. The only thing that was a relief was that I wouldn¡¯t have to visit the ducal residence. It seems she has started to move. My eyes narrowed as I read Renold¡¯s letter. The words that she had started to move meant, in short, that she was trying to finalize the preparations to secure the position of family head. Although I would have to wait and see how far she would go, she might even be able to threaten my father. It was better to take measures in advance for such parts. If I lost the initiative while being distracted, there would be disruptions to my n. The first thing to do was to ¡°secure¡± my father¡¯s person. My father was the first insurance against the unexpected situations Yuria might cause. Unless my father allowed it, the position of family head wouldn¡¯t be determined, so I had to have that authority first. While writing something to send to Renold, a thought suddenly came to mind and I raised my head. It was about the letter I had written to Adele. She had probably read it all by now. What was written in it was quite a tant warning, and I had added one more thing to it. ¡®Regression.¡¯ It was something I wrote inspired by what Adele had said, but it was nothing more than a hint. How Adele would interpret this was up to her. If she believed it, it would be in a slightly better direction, and even if she didn¡¯t believe it, it didn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll save her. Since I had decided that, there wouldn¡¯t be a situation where Adele died in this round. Perhaps because I had shed swords quite a lot in the North, my level had advanced a step further than I had thought. I wouldn¡¯t get tired quickly just by using a little mana like before, and I could consider using other weapons as well. Although I had wasted 20 lives after losing Miragen, I hadn¡¯tpletely wasted them. Hadn¡¯t I seen the extremes of all the weapons I could use? Even if I couldn¡¯t fully achieve those extremes, I believed there was nothing I couldn¡¯t do if I proceeded based on the understanding I had already achieved. ¡°It would be better to contact Adriana.¡± So the ce I was heading to this time was the church where Adriana would be, even though it felt a bit rushed to go there right after arriving in the central region. I had to see Adriana, but in this round, I also had to build a rtionship with the church, so it was natural. If there was something I had to finish before striking the Crown Prince, building my own forces came first. Going to the North, going to the south with Adriana, and building a friendship with Miragen were for that reason, right? And I had even directly met the Crown Prince. The progress on this was still going smoothly. The church could also be considered part of that. The church the Saint belonged to ounted for 90% of the empire¡¯s religion, so if I could gain even a little support from such a force, wouldn¡¯t it be sufficient preparation for the future? The only ufortable thing was that such forces were being prepared for after the rebellion. The rebellion had to be carried out secretly. To the point where even Miragen couldn¡¯t notice, only I, Arwen, and perhaps Adele had to kill the Crown Prince. There were many justifications to present after killing the Crown Prince. His strange behavior, and now even the Four Dragons. The problem was that the process was very, extremely, almost impossibly difficult. Although I waspletely unfolding fate in a new direction this time, I also had an experience which almost reached the point of killing the Crown Prince. I recalled failing that and my mind being briefly shattered, it would be quite regretful. With such thoughts, I fiddled with the artifact and sent a message to Miragen. I needed Miragen to contact Adriana. If she was a magician belonging to the imperial family, she would probably be able to extend amunication line to the Moon Tower. As the ringing tone that had been going on for a while was cut off, Miragen¡¯s voice was heard. ¨C Oh, is this Lord Robert? ¡°Yes, it is. Have you been well?¡± ¨C I¡¯m curious about the reason for your contact. I hope your wounds are okay, are you still in the North? ¡°I just left and arrived in the central region. Judging from your voice, it seems you have been restingfortably.¡± Miragen¡¯s voice was the same as always. Wondering if there was any problem, a faint smile bloomed at her voice mixed with her unique yfulness. I think she just had more difficulty moving aroundpared to before. Even if an investigation was conducted regarding the exposure of the northwest location, it would be difficult to reveal the results. Delighted by my words, Miragen let out a deep sigh along with an absolute no. As soon as she returned to the imperial pce, a confinement order was issued, and she revealed in a voice full of concern that she wouldn¡¯t be able to go out for a while. Well, even if I were the emperor, I think such an order would be a natural course of action. His cherished daughter almost suffered greatly in the North, so there was no way he would let it slide without any measures, right? When I consoled her a bit, Miragen grumbled and asked about me. ¨C The Grand Duchess must be disappointed. It¡¯s like you left right after I did. ¡°I don¡¯t think she would be like that. She must be a busy person.¡± ¨C Hmm, is that really so? Miragen, who uttered such a meaningful reply, then opened her mouth with a slightly brighter voice. She must have been waiting for a conversation with someone. If it was a confinement order, it would have been difficult for her to even talk to her own maid. ¨C Can youe to the imperial pce? I said I wanted to repay youst time. If youe to my side while you¡¯re in the central region, I¡¯ll treat you well. If it¡¯s the price for saving the life of a princess, well¡­ I can grant you one wish. ¡°You think I would ask you to grant a wish?¡± ¨C If you ask me to date you, I can allow that much. You should know how difficult it is to be the lover of a princess. I shrugged my shoulders at the word difficult. How many times had she and I be lovers? I think it was well over ten times. I know what¡¯s in Miragen¡¯s body better than she does. It was a ridiculous story, but if I said this, she would be so startled that she would try to avoid me. ¡°I¡¯m not particrly interested in such things. Rather, I contacted you to ask for a different favor.¡± ¨C ¡­ Oh, I didn¡¯t expect you to say you¡¯re not interested. But a favor? ¡°I want to contact the Saint, so can you connect me from your side?¡± Then there was a moment of silence. The sound of the artifact falling and being picked up again was heard, and a chilling voice was heard beyond the insincereughter. ¨C Aha, you mean Adriana, right? ¡°Yes, but¡­ your voice sounds dark.¡± ¨C Well, I¡¯ve just been deceived by someone. I hope people won¡¯t make me expect things for no reason. Be a little more careful next time, Lord Taylor. When I barely answered the stricter voice than before, Miragen snorted and disappeared to the sound of footsteps. She was probably going to call a magician. I couldn¡¯t help butugh a little at that reaction. You haven¡¯t changed since then until now. Just that alone made me feel at ease. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 62 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó I always thought that spending a day in the Moon Tower was extremely boring. Even if I couldn¡¯t see ahead, there were many things I could do. For example, if I could go out often, it would have been a little better. A life of not being able to go out freely and spending time only in prayer.Unless she had grown up as a saint since birth, Adriana, who had be a saint at a young age, was gradually feeling bored with these things. No matter how much she got used to it, it would be a lie to say she didn¡¯t feel bored with this repetitive life. A faint sigh escaped from Adriana¡¯s mouth as she prayed with her hands sped. What was the reason she couldn¡¯t focus on prayer recently? She already knew, but whenever she thought of that name, it seemed like her mind became moreplicated. For one person to live dozens of lives, was such a thing possible inmon sense? Robert Taylor, a name that she could now utter somewhat naturally, Adriana¡¯s brows furrowed. What she had seen was only a fragment. But even those fragments exceeded 10 times, so she couldn¡¯t even guess how many lives he had lived. Reading memories was always like looking at a monochrome world. Reading the story of the one with Robert¡¯s voice, reading the momentary ck and white memories. But the end of these connected memories was always heading towards death. Probably at the hands of his sister Yuria, if her memory was correct. There were cases where Miragen or the Grand Duchess who protected the North appeared in Robert¡¯s memories. But the fact that she wasn¡¯t there¡­ maybe she had only read the memories where she didn¡¯t exist. More than that, what bothered her was the point that one person had memories of multiple lives. ¡­There was no relic she knew of that could enable regression. And without contact with the church, the power of relics couldn¡¯t be used. Since there was no way to exin a person experiencing the same time period multiple times as something other than regression, Adriana thought Robert¡¯s regression was somewhat certain. ¡¯12 times.¡¯ Robert¡¯s appearance as he died, which she had seen. In those memories, Robert died in various ways. He died with his neck hanging from the gallows, and he died from poison given by a woman who appeared to be Yuria Taylor. What she keenly observed during that process was Robert¡¯s attitude. Like someone who had died many times, his calm appearance in the face of death was rather grotesque. No one is unafraid of death. No matter how heroic a person is, it is human nature to try to survive miserably in the face of death. How could he be soposed? But there was one time when Robert wavered in the face of death. ¨C You¡¯ve finallye to kill me. For a very long time¡­ I¡¯ve been waiting. ¨C Waiting for someone you¡¯re seeing for the first time since you were born, do you think saying that will make me spare your life? ¨C Was this life peaceful for you? The memory Adriana saw was very fragmentary. Miragen, holding a sword against Robert, whose body was covered in wounds and scars. The scene of countless knights¡¯ corpses scattered about, and only Miragen surviving and looking at Robert kneeling. That expression was expressionless. With anger mixed with wonder at losing all her knights and at him saying he had been watching her for a long time. Even Adriana herself was seeing that face for the first time, but the expression of the man who looked like Robert was even stranger. He was just smiling softly at Miragen as if he truly wished for death. There were severalrge wounds where bones could be seen, seeing him gasping for breath as if he would die at any moment, she felt strangely suffocated. ¨C What on earth are you talking about? Isn¡¯t this the first time you¡¯ve seen me? ¨C ¡­ I¡¯m d you¡¯re unharmed. That you¡¯re still alive, that you¡¯re healthy until this time. I really think I¡¯m fortunate. The iprehensible words continued. A memory that only belonged to Robert, which Miragen and herself couldn¡¯t understand. Adriana realized that it was one of the memories she hadn¡¯t seen. Then were Robert and Miragen in a special rtionship? But if Robert didn¡¯t tell her, she couldn¡¯t know anything. Now she was just making assumptions, and even that had many ws to say it was urate. Miragen, who had been listening to Robert¡¯s words silently, raised her sword and swung it like that. It was an expression that said it wasn¡¯t even worth listening to anymore. But Robert was still smiling. Until the moment the sword shed his neck and he arrived at death¡¯s door, he was just smiling, saying everything was fortunate. ¡°¡­ What kind of memories does he have?¡± How could he smile like that until the moment of death? And what kind of rtionship did he have with Miragen to harbor suchplicated emotions? It was something she couldn¡¯t easily understand with her current self. If they went to the south together this time, she thought she would be able to grasp that clue. The relics hidden in the south, if they were relics she had studied before, they would be able to exin Robert¡¯s regression. So her mind wasplicated. It was because she was bothered by the inexplicable memories Robert Taylor possessed and his empty heart. Come to think of it, he had said he was still in the North. Around the time Adriana, who recalled themunication she had with Miragen a few days ago, slowly rose from her seat. ¡°Your Holiness, there is a message from the imperial pce.¡± Hearing the pdin¡¯s voice from behind, she pondered for a moment and realized it was Miragen. It was a bit early to contact her, did something urgent happen? As she followed the pdin to the room like that, a humming vibration sound was heard from the crystal ball. ¡°Miragen? Did something urgent happen?¡± ¨C ¡­ Ah, you received it. It was a darker voice than usual. Even without seeing her face, it seemed like her gloomy expression was visible even outside the crystal ball. She wondered what on earth had happened to make her like this, but at Miragen¡¯s next words, Adriana¡¯s shoulders trembled. ¨C It seems Lord Taylor has something he wants to say to you, he contacted me. I wondered what it was. Does he not know I¡¯m not a crystal ball? ¡°To, to me?¡± ¨C Yes, anyway, I¡¯ll connect you, so receive it right away. I won¡¯t take Lord Taylor¡¯s calls anymore. Don¡¯t forget to tell him that. ¡°¡­ Oh, okay.¡± He had something he wanted to say to her. For a moment, the fact about regression came to mind, but there was no way he would talk to her about such a thing. If he had, he would have already told Miragen. But Miragen also seemed unaware of such a thing, so Adriana, who realized it was about a different matter, slowlyposed her voice. ¡­She had just been thinking about Robert, what a coincidence that a call came. Shaking her body with a strangely nervous feeling, she then calmly exhaled. Once, twice. It was at that moment that a voice was heard to Adriana, who was regaining her appearance as a saint. ¨C Adriana, it¡¯s been a while. ¡°Eek!¡± His voice that was heard at an unexpected moment was enough to make even Adriana¡¯s closed eyes open. This situation where she screamed in surprise¡­ hadn¡¯t she already experienced it once? Robert, who chuckled softly, quietly opened his mouth. ¨C It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve been so surprised. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó I had no intention of teasing her, but Adriana seemed to think I would tease her about being surprised. She said she wasn¡¯t surprised at all, and that she had just bitten her tongue because his voice came so suddenly. Come to think of it, wouldn¡¯t that be considered being surprised? I think Adriana showing such a side is even better, but she must be conscious of the name of a saint in her own way. Around the time the memory of her earlier scream faded, Adriana let out a fake cough and cautiously opened her mouth. ¨C By the way, what did you want to contact me for? I heard you were still in the North. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m already in the central region. To be precise, should I say the capital?¡± ¨C If it¡¯s the capital¡­ quite some time has passed since you left the North. ¡°It¡¯s because I have something to ask you. It would be more urate to say it¡¯s permission.¡± Adriana, who was puzzled by the word ¡°permission,¡± soon continued as if she guessed what I was trying to say. It wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to guess, since if I came to the capital at this time, it would probably be one thing. ¨C If you¡¯re thinking of meeting Miragen, you don¡¯t need my permission. You can meet her at the imperial pce, not the Moon Tower. ¡°Why would I go to the imperial pce? And if it¡¯s Her Highness, I¡¯ve already seen her too much in the North.¡± ¨C ¡­ Ah. Come to think of it, that¡¯s right. Why can¡¯t she think of the reason I want to meet her? It seemed her thoughts were heading in a slightly different direction, so I thought it would be better to say it a bit more directly. I had to be with Adriana anyway unless I was going back to the ducal residence. ¡°I¡¯ming to see you now.¡± ¨C What¡­? ¡°The reason I returned quickly from the North and the reason I came all the way to the capital was to see you in person. Isn¡¯t it the New Year now? Since we have to go to the south together, shouldn¡¯t we meet once before that?¡± Adriana didn¡¯t answer my question right away, as if pondering for a moment. After a moment of silence like that, a slightly flustered voice was heard in my ear. Did she get surprised by something? A chuckle escaped at her slightly raised voice. ¨C Oh, oh! That¡¯s right. I was going to talk to you about the south anyway, are you thinking ofing in person? ¡°That¡¯s why I was trying to get permission. There¡¯s a lot to do in the south, isn¡¯t there?¡± Retrieving the relics, and going to the Temple of the Moon. On top of that, I had to finish investigating Theresa and the Four Dragons. Would it be possible in a month? The reason I started preparing as much as possible in advance was to shorten this preparation period even a little. ¨C There¡¯s no need to receive permission. If you want, we can meet now, will youe to the Moon Tower right away? ¡°I will. Then let¡¯s save the rest of the conversation forter.¡± ¨C But um¡­ there was something I was going to say. Adriana, who hesitated for a moment, pondered for a long time and then spoke softly. It was a very small voice, barely captured by the artifact. ¨C Robe- Robe¡­ Robert. What was contained in her kind voice was my name. The words she had said before that it was difficult to call my name shed through my mind. It seemed she still had difficulty calling my name, but the sight of her struggling to say it seemed to be portrayed before my eyes. If her white cheeks turned red and she said that in front of me, what expression would I make? ¨C I can call you by your name now too. You also call me Adriana. ¡°We already decided to do that, didn¡¯t we?¡± ¨C I think the meaning is a bit different now. In a way, we could even say we¡¯re close friends, couldn¡¯t we? Close friends. When Iughed softly at those words, Adriana continued. ¨C Then shall we see each other in a bit? She seemed a bit embarrassed. As if it was really difficult for her to say my name, a small sigh was clearly heard in my ear. I didn¡¯t know what it meant for her to call my name, but I thought it would gradually get better. I never thought I would be close enough with the Saint to call each other by name, but if I ended this life in failure again, it seemed there would be many things to regret in many ways. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 63 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°You¡¯re nning to stay here?¡± ¡°For now, yes. Since we¡¯re not going to the south alone, it¡¯s better to familiarize ourselves with each other, isn¡¯t it?¡± When I asked if it was okay for me to stay at the church, Adriana looked at me as if surprised. Our conversation at the Moon Tower was simple.Hearing about the schedule for going to the south, and obtaining permission to stay here. Adriana, who hesitated for a moment, slowly picked up her teacup. ¡°Well. It¡¯s something I couldn¡¯t even imagine¡­ It¡¯s not that I dislike it. I just thought you would stop by briefly and return to the ducal residence.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not particrly fond of home.¡± It was a joke, but Adriana froze as she was drinking tea and quietly stared at me. Her expression as she sighed had darkened. I didn¡¯t know what she had imagined, but it was certain that she had interpreted my words very seriously. ¡°¡­I see. Then I can provide you with a ce to stay in the Moon Tower¡­ but.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s inconvenient for you, you can refuse. I can just go back to the ducal residence-¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not okay with me. You can stay in the Moon Tower.¡± At her resolute answer, I closed my mouth. With her transparent eyes gazing intently at me between her closed eyelids, I couldn¡¯t even utter a question about Adriana¡¯s iprehensible attitude. Why was she reacting like this to me going back to the ducal residence? But she showed that only for a moment, and soon Adriana, who had returned to her original expression, opened her mouth hesitantly. ¡°There is one problem though.¡± ¡°A problem?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time a man has been allowed in the Moon Tower. This space was used exclusively by me, so even if it¡¯s on the lower floor, His Holiness the Pope might find it strange. Or Cardinal Verod.¡± I tilted my head at her words that it was the first time a man had been allowed. I clearly saw pdins down there, didn¡¯t I? Since she wouldn¡¯t be unaware that pdins reside in the Moon Tower, it didn¡¯t make sense in many ways that she didn¡¯t know a man had never been allowed. So when I asked, Adriana rather answered as if it was obvious. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the pdins since they were young, so to think of them as men¡­ yes, it¡¯s a bit like that?¡± Did she mean she had never thought of them as men in the first ce? Suddenly, the faces of the pdins standing below came to mind, and I inadvertently smiled bitterly. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó It was not normally allowed for outsiders to stay in the Moon Tower, but it was a different story if they were acquainted with the saint. Since the princess also stayed asionally, I was able to see the interior of the Moon Tower in a bit more detail as I went downstairs with Adriana. As a ce to receive the moonlight at the highest point, a faint light sparkled from the crystals embedded here and there. The moonlight seeping in from the pir ced in the center turned into mana again and supplied mana throughout the tower, and that mana became light, illuminating the tower brightly even on dark nights. ¡°I heard the Moon Tower was built when I was young. Since His Holiness the Pope received a revtion and came to find me, it has been under construction.¡± ¡°It must have been about 15 years then.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I¡¯m a year older than you Robert. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. I just turned twenty.¡± Adriana, who chuckled for a moment, grabbed my arm for a moment to change direction. Even if she knew the terrain around here, it would be difficult to move alone. So she had no choice but to hold onto me. Although she held me, it was just to move with me, but I let out a small sigh at the gaze I suddenly felt. ¡°Ahem.¡± As I saw earlier, there were a ¡°significant number¡± of pdins in the Moon Tower for Adriana¡¯s protection. The gender of the pdins was mostly male, and since they had been with her since Adriana¡¯s childhood, they cherished her especially. They probably felt ufortable with me for that reason. Since I was a man they were seeing for the first time with Adriana, it would be strange in many ways. Adriana was also at the age of bing an adult now. But I wanted them to understand that I had no particr intentions. Even though I was holding her arm like this just to help her, the gazes of the pdins were all uniformly unsatisfactory. ¡°Robert? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you the room where you will stay. We can walk a little faster.¡± As if on purpose, a pdin passed by my side as Adriana¡¯s voice was slightly more excited than usual. I wondered what he was trying to do by tapping the hammer at his waist, but it wasn¡¯t that I couldn¡¯t understand their feelings at all. If I were to describe Adriana with something, wouldn¡¯t the word ¡°pure white¡± suit her well? A woman who had never been tainted anywhere, clean, and pure and innocent in every way. The fact that she was unable to see ahead evoked people¡¯s sympathy. So it made them want to protect her and be more considerate. Perhaps the pdins also saw Adriana with such feelings. Since I also couldn¡¯t help but feel my heart softening when I saw Adriana, I could understand even if they acted a bit fiercely. As we passed the pdins like that and reached a certain point, Adriana, who had been holding my arm for a while, released her hand and abruptly stopped. ¡°Wait a moment. I think we just passed it. Isn¡¯t there a door two steps back from here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That might be an empty room. I don¡¯t sense any presence inside.¡± When I opened the door following her words, it indeed opened and a cold wind seeped in. It was a room where no human warmth was felt at all. A room that seemed to have been unused by anyone for a very long time. However, the interior was decorated in a somewhat luxurious manner, so it seemed to be a room used for guests to stay. ¡°Miragen used to sleep here sometimes. Since there¡¯s no other room that can be called a guest room, would you like me to give you a different room if you¡¯re ufortable?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s been a long time, so it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll ask for your understanding separately.¡± ¡°Wait a moment. It¡¯s probably dirty since it¡¯s been empty for a long time.¡± Adriana, who said that, then sped her hands together and emitted holy power. A brilliant light began to swirl around. Like a small torch, the light gradually spread around, and tiny dust particles scattered and dispersed in the air. After a bit of time passed, the dust in the roompletely disappeared, revealing a room with only pure white color remaining. ¡°It¡¯s a bit better now, right?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you overexert yourself? You didn¡¯t have to do this.¡± ¡°Overexert? Even if I look like this, I¡¯m the saint, you know.¡± Iughed softly at her slightly proud face. It was a slightly different feeling from when I saw Adele. Should I say it felt like looking at a white puppy? I unconsciously reached out my hand towards her head, but then I realized she was the saint and withdrew my hand. If I had patted her head like that, I would have been treated strangely. Around the time I was staring at Adriana for a moment, Adriana, who turned her head towards me, secretly grabbed my arm. ¡°If you¡¯re going to unpack your luggage in the room, it would be better to do it a bitter. Today is the day Cardinal Verod is here, so I have to let him know that you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°When you say Cardinal Verod, do you mean the head of the pdins?¡± Verod Alistan, I had heard his name several times in some rounds as well. Although I didn¡¯t have many contact points with the church, he was known as the strongest within the church. When an order to subjugate me was issued, I had shed with him a few times, so he wasn¡¯t someone I couldn¡¯t say I had no connection with. He was old enough to be called an elder. However, his strong and upright personality and iparable military power made him stand at the peak of the pdins. Adriana, who nodded her head saying that was correct, then opened her mouth slightly as if she had remembered something. As if perplexed, she bit her lip slightly and opened her mouth. ¡°¡­ Come to think of it, I had a short prayer today, but he won¡¯t scold me for that, right?¡± ¡°Have you been scolded before?¡± ¡°Um, Cardinal Verod is like a father to me. He raised me almost on his own since I was young, and I met him much more often than other pdins. He still has the flower ring I made for him, you know.¡± I was surprised to hear that the fierce-looking old man had someone he cherished. When I fought him, it was like seeing a berserker. He swung a hammerrger than his height back and forth, and when he got slightly injured, he healed the wound with holy power and fought. His body wasn¡¯t easily cut, so it was very troublesome when he charged at me like that. Even while I was thinking that, Adriana continued to talk about Verod. She said that although he had a tendency to overprotect her a bit, he was a kind person, and she seemed to have a considerable friendship with him. As Adriana talked about him for a long time like that, she finally started talking about other pdins as well. ¡°The pdins always like me. The priests do too, but the pdins are particrly so.¡± ¡°It does seem that way.¡± ¡°Is that so? When I was young, they always followed me around, but when I said I disliked that, they said they wouldn¡¯t do it anymore.¡± ¡°¡­ Aha.¡± So that¡¯s why they¡¯re secretly following her. There were roughly five pdins following while hiding their presence. I smiled wryly and nced back. Even when they made eye contact with me, they didn¡¯t avert their gaze and instead sent me a sharp gaze. It was a look that said I wouldn¡¯t leave unscathed if I touched her. I didn¡¯t know what they thought of me. I hoped they were just mistaking me for some scoundrel trying to target Adriana. The way they looked at me was more like looking at a pagan than a scoundrel. There were some who gritted their teeth when Adriana¡¯s body touched mine. I was just holding her to help, but if they heard what happened on the roof of the Moon Tower, wouldn¡¯t they burst into tears? ¡°I think we¡¯re almost there. I can feel Cardinal Verod¡¯s presence.¡± As she said, when I walked further following Adriana, I felt a fierce and powerful presence. It was a pressure that made my body tingle just by getting close. Since he was my opponent when I was called the Sword Saint, this was probably natural. But perhaps because he was younger than I knew, his presence wasn¡¯t as mature as back then. ¡°Verod!¡± At Adriana¡¯s voice, that presence began to move, and soon, along with heavy footsteps, an old man revealed himself. His beard was not yet dyed white, but his physique was stillrge. Revealing heavy armor that seemed to burst with muscle, along with a bright red cross in the center of his chest, he exuded a tremendous presence. ¡°Your Holiness, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Verod. You seem healthier than before?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve been exercising diligently these days, haven¡¯t I?¡± Verod¡¯s eyes as he met Adriana¡¯s eyes were gentle. It was apletely different warmth from the eyes I had seen, so a smallugh escaped for a moment. He seemed to be gentle to people he really cherished. Adriana, who had moved away from me, approached Verod and examined his body. As a small amount of holy power seeped out and covered his body, Verod, who chuckled slightly, familiarly stroked Adriana¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m d to see you¡¯re doing well. But what brings you here?¡± ¡°It seems a guest will be staying in the Moon Tower starting today. I came to tell you about that.¡± ¡°Ah, a guest.¡± As he took his gaze off Adriana, those gentle eyes instantly returned to the eyes I remembered. A holy warrior who had gone berserk on the battlefield, meeting those eyes that seemed to be surging with deep twilight, my shoulders inadvertently trembled. ¡°A man?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my friend, Verod. You might have heard his name, Robert Taylor.¡± ¡°Haha, friend?¡± Even as heughed like that, the murderous intent in his eyes looking at me gradually grew. I knew he wouldn¡¯t rashly move in front of Adriana. The arm Adriana was holding was just trembling, but his body didn¡¯t move beyond that. But I could clearly tell that his attitude was different from the other pdins before. If the other pdins just sent an unpleasant gaze, this pdin named Verod¡­ I had a feeling that he would definitely be a threat to me. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 64 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°I¡¯ve heard your name before. Lord Taylor¡­ would be the right way to address you.¡± ¡°You can call mefortably. I¡¯ve already heard your name, Cardinal Verod.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t call you that. Haven¡¯t you already be a famous figure in the capital?¡± Verod answered while stroking his beard.A famous figure, I thought the news of rescuing the princess in the North had spread to some extent. Even if they couldn¡¯t proudly spread the fact that a princess of a nation was targeted by mere tribes, the high-ranking nobles would have already vaguely heard the news. Robert Taylor rescued the princess alone. How absurd would the rumor be that someone who had never held a sword since birth had aplished such a thing? Of course, no one would believe it as it was, but at least there would definitely be people who would take an interest in me. Perhaps the reason Yuria started to move was also because of this rumor. Even if she knew I had gone to the North, she couldn¡¯t ignore the achievements I had gained. If she interpreted it as me gaining the support of the imperial family by saving the princess, there was also a possibility that Yuria would move a little more urgently. ¡°Ick a lot to be called a famous figure. And you already know about my reputation to some extent, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing like seeing directly to know if a rumor is true or false.¡± ¡°Then what kind of person do I seem like to you?¡± ¡°¡­ In any case, that rumor seems to have been spread by someone quite malicious.¡± When Iughed at that answer, Verod also smiled slightly and stared at me. The hostility in his eyes was still there. He probably couldn¡¯t easily discern why I had approached Adriana. But I didn¡¯t approach Adriana. It was just a chance encounter that led to a connection and reached our current rtionship. I had no ulterior motive to gain something from Adriana. Even going to the south together was something she had proposed first. Although I was overwhelmed by his imposing presence, my expression was still dignified. It was a presence I had felt many times before. When I countered it by neatly gathering my energy, Verod clicked his tongue as if slightly surprised. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be an ordinary young master. I didn¡¯t know you had a de hidden.¡± ¡°The rumors are just about my past self. But I can¡¯t live like that forever.¡± ¡°So you approached Her Holiness?¡± Whoosh- Apletely different energy from before began to engulf my body. A strong energy that pressed down on my body and pressured me to reveal my intentions. Nevertheless, myposure didn¡¯t break. The mana exhaled with my breath enveloped the surroundings, scattering the energy pouring towards me. The use of mana was the area I was most confident in, and as the energy he had emitted disappeared, Verod¡¯s eyes narrowed for a moment. Pressuring me like this had little effect on me. If he charged at me with a weapon, that would be one thing, but he wouldn¡¯t act like that in the Moon Tower where Adriana was. So I silently stared at him without saying anything, then let out a small sigh and moved my lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t approach Her Holiness.¡± ¡°Then I don¡¯t know for what purpose you¡¯re staying in the Moon Tower.¡± First, I had to clear up the misunderstanding between him and me. I knew he cherished Adriana, but at least I had to exin that I didn¡¯t approach Adriana with any interest. As Adriana said, our rtionship was just that of close friends. Even that much, weren¡¯t we still awkward with each other? Moreover, since her status was that of a saint, the probability of forming a rtionship between a man and a woman was also low. It was just a hypothetical, but if I really fell in love with Adriana and became her lover, it would be fine even if I became the enemy of the church. The reason I wanted to stay in the Moon Tower was because of my rtionship with the church. If I wanted to gain support for the position of family head, it was better to bring the influence of the church as much as possible. ¡°Bing friends with Her Holiness wasn¡¯t for any purpose. So I hope you can calm your anger a little. If a little more time passes¡­ this ce will copse.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to do it until it copsed. I didn¡¯t know you could endure this.¡± As the energy disappeared like that, the vibration of the table that had been trembling for a while stopped. Just by applying strength, it could affect the surroundings to that extent. The peak of the pdins, it wouldn¡¯t be good for me either to stand against him. ¡°I remember Her Holiness calling someone a friend only twice in my life.¡± ¡°The first time would be when she became friends with Her Highness the Princess.¡± ¡°And I just heard the second time today. I dismissed it as Her Highness being a fellow woman, but I have some concerns about this incident.¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s a natural concern since men and women are different.¡± The gazes of the pdins earlier and Verod¡¯s attitude like this made me realize that Adriana¡¯s existence was not limited to being a saint. To them, Adriana was like a daughter. To be more precise¡­ wouldn¡¯t she be like the youngest daughter? When I spoke as if I understood, Verod, whose expression had softened slightlypared to before, unfolded his arms. It seemed like he was willing to have a conversation to some extent. However, that only meant he had let down his guard regarding my rtionship with Adriana, and his question about my staying in the Moon Tower still remained. ¡°Then I¡¯m curious about the reason you want to stay in the Moon Tower. I knew you were going to the south together, but there¡¯s no need for you to stay here, is there?¡± ¡°That¡¯s separate from Her Holiness, it¡¯s because I want to maintain a good rtionship with the church.¡± ¡°Rtionship.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the eldest son of the Taylor ducal family, and the current heir is Yuria Taylor. But the authority to be the family head still exists with me.¡± Verod¡¯s brow furrowed at the name of the family head. Unlike Adele¡¯s title of Grand Duchess bestowed upon her for unifying the North, the title of duke that had existed since the founding of the empire belonged only to the Taylors. The leader who presided over the aristocratic ss. Wasn¡¯t that the position of the Taylor family head? Verod, who was staring intently at me, seemed to have already understood my meaning. But saying that intention out loud would be a different story. After catching his breath for a moment, he muttered in a low voice. ¡°You need the church¡¯s support.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°I think you know what it means to have the church¡¯s support.¡± The religion that ounted for 90% of the empire, the existence of the saint couldn¡¯t be easily ignored even by the emperor, so the Full Moon Festival was also held under the leadership of the church. As such, in a way, the church held the same prestige as the ducal families. The imperial family, the nobility, and the church. Wouldn¡¯t it sound ridiculous to say that you would gain the support of one of these three pirs? ¡°And I think you also know that gaining that support is almost impossible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I heard that the daughter of the Taylor family has already started to make moves, so I think it¡¯s toote for you to seek support now.¡± ¡°I moved because I thought it wasn¡¯t toote. Every matter has its proper time and timing, doesn¡¯t it?¡± The timing of my repeated regressions was truly coincidental. Three years until I was framed for rebellion, two years until Adele died. It was a very short time to achieve something, but it was certain that important events would ur one after another during those three years. If time went back further than that, it might be better, but there was no better time than this period to create variables. The trip to the North, the trip to the South, and even the usurpation of the family head position. Wasn¡¯t this current period the only time when all of this could be wrapped up within a single year? It wasn¡¯t toote. Rather, I thought it was enough time to prepare everything. Bringing down Yuria and taking the Taylor family into my hands, I thought it would take about 3-4 months from now to finish it. Verod¡¯s gaze seemed to be trying to see through my inner thoughts. Perhaps he was trying to figure out how much of what I was saying was true and if I was really sincere. Since it was the truth, I had nothing to fear, but it seemed like he was suspicious, so I quietly opened my mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, I didn¡¯t approach Her Holiness to do anything to her. Rather, I feel it¡¯s more than I deserve to have be friends with her. I don¡¯t know what she saw in me, but I¡¯m just grateful that she see¡¯s me in a good light.¡± ¡°¡­ Her Holiness is someone who sees people¡¯s inner selves.¡± Verod replied quietly, but in a slightly gentler voice than before. His eyes that had been trying to discern my intentions also softened, and his eyes lost in thought as if recalling the past stood out. ¡°Although she lost her sight, she distinguishes the darkness and light in people¡¯s hearts more easily than anyone else. That¡¯s why the pdins prioritize training their inner selves. They must always maintain a pure heart so that they cannot dare to harbor impure thoughts.¡± ¡°I already knew that from hearing it from Adriana.¡± ¡°¡­Were you calling each other by name?¡± For a moment, I felt like I had made a mistake at the chilling voice, but Verod shook his head with a bitter smile. He had an expression as if he had given up, so I felt strangely sorry. There was no need to feel sorry, but I could somewhat understand what emotions he would have if he was like Adriana¡¯s father. ¡°As I said earlier, I believe you are well aware that men and women are different.¡± ¡°I understand and am being careful.¡± ¡°Understanding and being careful is not enough.¡± As I slightly raised my head at the voice that had be heavier, I saw Verod¡¯s serious expression. It was clear what it meant for Adriana to consider Verod as a father. Didn¡¯t this feel like meeting the emperor before? When I was Miragen¡¯s lover, he was sending a gaze simr to the emperor¡¯s when he looked at me. Such a gaze made me feel like I was being judged, making my shoulders shrink involuntarily. ¡°I can¡¯t be rude to Her Holiness¡¯s guest, but it¡¯s justmentable. I wanted to do my own ¡®verification¡¯ of what kind of person you are.¡± ¡°Other than me, has she ever met a man-¡± ¡°She has never even allowed them to approach. If I had stayed in the Moon Tower, it would have been very difficult for you to see Her Holiness.¡± Was I very lucky? When I smiled awkwardly, Verod closed his mouth with a slightly dissatisfied expression. Wasn¡¯t it because of this overprotection that she was unaware of the ways of the world? I had no intention of ming Verod, but I did have such thoughts when directly facing him. ¡°If you¡¯re worried that I¡¯ll do something strange, you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± ¡°I think so. But if you do anything improper to Her Holiness¡­¡± Screech- Verod, who ced his hammer dragged on the floor next to him, stared at me intently. ¡°Then you¡¯ll find out what the purpose of my hammer is.¡± ¡°¡­ Haha.¡± Anyone who saw this might mistakenly think I hade to get permission to take Adriana as a lover. If it were such a situation, Verod would be in the position of a father-inw, but would such a day reallye? I already knew that Verod would also apany us on the trip to the south. Maintaining a rtionship with him while also maintaining a close rtionship with Adrian. Just thinking about it made my head throb. Would it even be possible? I was sure I would have many asions to be alone with Adriana in the south, I just hoped he wouldn¡¯t have any strange misunderstandings. ¡°¡­A male friend.¡± He already seemed to view me as someone in that kind of rtionship with Adriana, I just hoped he wouldn¡¯t have any more misunderstandings like this. In the gaze I briefly met, the hostility was still there. Although not as sharp as before, it would be more intense if I tried to do anything with Adriana. As I watched Verod muttering words like ¡°male friend¡± to himself, I sighed and shook my head. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just be with Adrian? It seemed I would have to avoid him as much as possible while staying in this Moon Tower. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 65 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°It seems you¡¯re done talking. How was it?¡± As I left the room, leaving Verod behind, Adriana peeked her head out as if she had been waiting. I always thought it wasn¡¯t the movement of a woman who couldn¡¯t see ahead. But Adriana was a saint. There were things she could do with just holy power, and she could see things that ordinary people couldn¡¯t, right? I pondered for a moment at the question of how it was, but it was embarrassing to tell Adriana directly. Even though I knew she had feelings close to affection for me, our rtionship was far from being lovers. There was no need to say that I had been warned that I would be seriously hurt if I messed up. ¡°We didn¡¯t talk about much. He just asked a few questions about me.¡± ¡°Cardinal Verod seemed a bit suspicious of you. But it seems he didn¡¯t yell at you like before.¡± I smiled awkwardly as Adrianaughed as if she was relieved. He didn¡¯t yell at me, but I was pressured by his energy the whole time I was in that room. If I told her this, would she get angry? I was a bit curious to see Adriana get angry, but I nodded my head and agreed. Since she considered Verod as a father, there was no need to deliberately bring up bad things about him. However, I wanted to avoid meeting Verod often. Like the pdins here, I thought it would take quite a lot of time to gain their support, unlike the priests. With Verod right behind the door, I lightly grabbed Adriana¡¯s arm and hurried my steps. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together for now. We still have to finish the conversation we were having earlier, don¡¯t we?¡± It might be a bit rushed, but I thought Adriana would understand. If I talked with Verod for a long time¡­ I felt like my impression of the pdins would worsen in many ways. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Adriana chose the rooftop as the ce for our conversation, not the room. Like when I first came to the Moon Tower before, a refreshing breeze blew past my cheek. I liked this breeze. A cold and dry breeze that made my chest feel refreshed for no reason, without any sign of rain. Since it was the end of winter and the weather was cold, I naturally approached Adriana and draped an outer garment over her shoulders. ¡°You always seem to wear thin clothes. Is it because your holy power is warm?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s not it. It¡¯s just a habit.¡± ¡°No one will be happy if you catche a cold. You should pay a little more attention.¡± If she caught a cold while being with me, their opinion of me might worsen even more. There was also the problem that my heart felt ufortable when she was wearing thin clothes. When I covered her with my clothes for a moment, Adriana, who had been looking at me, smiled softly and answered. ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold? Is it because it¡¯s warmer herepared to the North?¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s part of it. It¡¯s much colder there after all.¡± ¡°What kind of ce is the North? I heard it¡¯s a ce where it snows a lot, but I¡¯ve never been there.¡± If I were to describe the North¡­ the first thing that came to mind was Adele¡¯s face. Of course. She was the first one I thought of whenever I thought of the North. We had a deep connection, and recently, I had been racking my brain in many ways to find a way to prevent Adele¡¯s death. Other than that, nothing else came to mind, but suddenly I remembered the bell that had rung to announce the New Year. It wasn¡¯t something that existed in the central region, so wouldn¡¯t it be considered a characteristic of the North? ¡°There was a big bell. It rang to announce the New Year.¡± ¡°Ah, if it¡¯s in the North, you must be talking about the New Moon Bell. I¡¯ve heard about it.¡± ¡°I think that left a deep impression on me. I was so busy during my time in the North after all.¡± Adriana, who tilted her head at the word ¡°busy,¡± soon stared at me nkly with a stiff expression. The outer garment I had draped over her emitted a pure white light, and soon it spread and began to envelop my entire body. I was puzzled by the warm energy covering me for a moment, but Adriana, who let out a small sigh, continued. ¡°I always think this, but whenever I see you, it seems like you return injured.¡± ¡°¡­ This time it couldn¡¯t be helped. Wasn¡¯t Her Highness the Princess in danger?¡± ¡°Still. You got more scars. Come here.¡± As I slowly approached at her slightly stern tone, Adriana, who had furrowed her brow, reached out her hand towards my chest. The holy power that had been spread throughout my body gathered in one ce, and along with a slight tingling sensation, an itchiness was felt in the wound. ¡°Stay still. I¡¯m erasing the wounds that haven¡¯t fully healed.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to do this¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not okay with it. When youe back injured like this, it makes me feel ufortable.¡± Smiling brightly, Adriana, who had raised her head to meet my eyes, added. ¡°Is it a bit better now?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, it¡¯s fine.¡± Whenever I faced such pure goodwill without any ulterior motives, I felt strangely ufortable. In fact, since I had the thought of being able to use my connection with the Saint from the beginning, it felt like my impurity waspletely exposed to her purity. Miragen was my lover in my previous life, and Adele had also reached a simr stage. But Adriana was different. In my previous lives, we had strangely never encountered each other, and this was the first time we had formed a friendship in this life, including the times I hadn¡¯t prioritized meeting her. This was the first time I had met a woman of this type, so there were many awkward aspects when dealing with Adriana. For example, when I saw her smile like this, I couldn¡¯t think of how to answer. I just smiled faintly and somehow replied. Her blonde hair flowed white in the wind as if dipped in moonlight. When it ovepped with the dark night sky, it was like looking at the Milky Way. Like the afterimage of the hazy moonlight, my gaze was captivated for a moment by the shattering white light. ¡°Miragen was very worried. She said you were unconscious for three days.¡± ¡°It was due to ack of stamina. I wasn¡¯t seriously injured, but.¡± ¡°For an ordinary person to faint for three days, how exhausted must they have been? That¡¯s why I also prayed. So that Robert could wake up a little faster.¡± She smiled softly as she sped her hands, and her face slightly blushed as if she was a bit embarrassed by what she had said. I thought Miragen would have told Adriana, but it seemed she had told her quite a lot. It was also a bit embarrassing to hear from someone else that I had been unconscious for three days. Fainting after fighting the tribes, if it were like before, I couldn¡¯t even have imagined it. ¡°I¡¯ll consider it as waking up early thanks to you. But didn¡¯t you mention the south earlier?¡± ¡°Ah, right. Did you bring me here to finish that conversation?¡± ¡°I know we¡¯re going together, but I still don¡¯t know the details.¡± Adriana, who swallowed for a moment as if pondering, then slowly continued. Her voice was slightly excited. ¡°We¡¯ll probably stay in the south for about a month or a month and a half. There¡¯s the matter of moving near the Temple of the Moon, but this time we n to seriously examine the issue of southern magicians.¡± ¡°It could be a bit dangerous.¡± ¡°If it were dangerous, I wouldn¡¯t have brought you along. This time, it¡¯s just an investigation, gathering solid evidence, and it¡¯s closer to sightseeing than anything else.¡± ¡°Sightseeing¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad idea.¡± Considering the free time that would arise under the pretext of sightseeing, it was better to move with such a purpose. I could also secure time to move independently, and above all, securing relics was also one of my goals. There was a possibility that it would be a problem to collect relics while avoiding the church¡¯s surveincework, but I was also confident in disguise. Adriana seemed to have quite a lot of expectations for this trip to the south. It was probably because it was the first time she had taken such a long trip far away, but she also seemed to quite like the fact that she was going with me. I didn¡¯t know what she liked about me so much. We hadn¡¯t done much together, and it was probably just that she had read my inner thoughts. As I stared at her nkly like that, I noticed Adriana¡¯s hair that had fallen over her cheek. I carefully grabbed the hair that was being sucked into her mouth at the corner of her lips, and brushed it behind her cheek like that. It was such a natural action that Adriana didn¡¯t say anything, but I also hurriedly removed my hand, feeling like I had made a mistake. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I saw your hair and unknowingly moved it.¡± ¡°I, I was a bit surprised. I never thought your hand would touch¡­¡± I used to do that naturally when it happened to Miragen, so I naturally reached out to Adriana as well. When I apologized with a smile, Adriana, who had been looking in the direction where my hand had left for a moment, moved her lips slightly. ¡°¡­ Did you do that to Miragen too?¡± I was puzzled for a moment at her slightly dark voice, and tilted my head at Miragen¡¯s name suddenlying up. It wasn¡¯t a context where Miragen¡¯s name woulde up. So when I tried to ask back, Adriana, who smiled brightly, shook her head and said it was nothing. ¡°But you seem to have changed a lotpared tost time. When I see you now, I¡¯m relieved that you don¡¯t look as dark as before.¡± ¡°Is that so? I don¡¯t think anything has changed.¡± ¡°No. A little more¡­ how should I say it? It would be better to say you look warmer. Rather than being dark and cold like before, it seems like you¡¯ve gained a bit of warmth.¡± Adriana said that when she looked at me, it was like looking at a dead person. As if I was someone who wished for death, she said she was strangely worried about my barren heart. Didn¡¯t she say that? It was true that my heart had be much more at ease after visiting the North. But looking warmer, well. I couldn¡¯t easily understand. ¡°Usually when your heart bes at ease or you harbor affection, it bes like this. Do you have someone you like?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case.¡± ¡°Hmm. I thought it wouldn¡¯t be strange for you to already have a lover.¡± ¡°I had one.¡± I said that while thinking of Miragen. The lover I had in the previous round, but now it was a life that had been extinguished by my death. Although my emotions had been worn down from repeating those many lives, it was thanks to rtionships like Miragen and Adele that I was still able to live as a person. But wasn¡¯t I living this life thinking it would be myst? Since liking someone was just a luxury, I didn¡¯t want to harbor affection anymore. So I tried to keep as much distance as possible. While maintaining a certain level of friendship, so that our hearts wouldn¡¯t be further connected. So that even if I suddenly disappeared one day, they wouldn¡¯t remember me. Adriana, who had flinched at the words that I had one, then stared at me intently. The corners of her mouth that had been smiling brightly seemed slightly distorted. With a darkened face, I carefully continued to her who was gazing at me like that. ¡°But not anymore. I probably won¡¯t have one anymore.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Adriana¡¯s hand, who had muttered like that, touched my chest, and in the ensuing silence, it remained in contact for a long time like that. Around the time when my heartbeat, beating at a steady pace, could be heard. Adriana, who looked at me again, muttered softly. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s cold.¡± Suddenly, the wind blew. Instead of the slightly refreshing wind, it felt like a cold and chilly knife-like wind was blowing, piercing through the flesh. Nevertheless, Adriana, who still had her hand on me, just stared at me without saying a word. Was she talking about the wind when she said it was cold? Or was she talking about my heart? Even as I vaguely realized the answer to that, I felt like avoiding the answer a little. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 66 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó I couldn¡¯t remember all 100 lives in detail. I couldn¡¯t remember everything I had experienced during my nearly 300 years, and what I carried in my heart and lived with were just fragmentary memories. Memories that were too intense or too brilliant to ever forget. In the midst of that, there were faces of people that vividly came to mind, and there were also people I couldn¡¯t even remember.But I knew for certain that there was one thing that had never happened in all those lives. Someone recalling memories of my previous rounds. Since these 100 lives were limited only to me, when I died, those memories remainedpletely with me alone. Did this regression really not affect anyone else? No matter how many times I thought about it, I believed that only I couldn¡¯t belong to the time that went back. The person who said they loved me until yesterday became a stranger when I regressed, and the one who had been like an enemy whispered to me that they loved me again. The question of whether I was the only one feeling this sense of discrepancy was something I had been pondering endlessly since the beginning of the regression. I had also investigated the moonstone before, but after the first round I experienced, I couldn¡¯t find any records of the moonstone, could I? The moonstone I had used seemed to not exist at all, as if it hadpletely disappeared. It was natural. Since the moonstone had disappeared because I used it, it was natural that it wouldn¡¯t exist in subsequent rounds, right? So I hadpletely given up on that. If it weren¡¯t for what Adele had said to me, I probably wouldn¡¯t have had any doubts about this at all. ¨C A long time ago, I think I wanted to show you this. ¡°¡­What did she mean by that?¡± I couldn¡¯t understand. Since this was the first time she had said such a thing to me, the more I thought deeply about it, the more my thoughts sank into a quagmire. Adriana¡¯s attitude was also unusual. She reacted particrly sensitively to the name of Miragen, who was just a close friend, and whenever she looked at me, she made an ufortable expression. Perhaps only Adriana herself knew the reason for that. It wasn¡¯t simply a matter of my inner self. I just felt a rather subtle feeling that there was something more than what she had told me. The room where Miragen had asionally stayed, and where I was now staying, unexpectedly had good sunlighting in. Staring nkly at the lighting in through the window, I then wiped my sleepy eyes and slowly got up from the bed. I always used to wake up around dawn, but today it was a bitte. Even so, I thought there was still a long time until noon. After washing up briefly and shaking the moisture from my hair, I heard a knocking sound from beyond the door. ¡°Robert, it¡¯s me, Adriana.¡± I was a bit surprised that Adriana hade to see me at this hour, but I wiped away the moisture appropriately and opened the door. She seemed to have woken up quite early, as she was already fully dressed. When I slightly opened the door, Adriana, who had a servant beside her, grabbed my arm and slowly entered. Adriana, who had been carefully touching my arm in a bathrobe, tilted her head and looked at me. ¡°You¡¯re not wearing your usual clothes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bathrobe. I just finished washing up.¡± ¡°¡­Ah. I didn¡¯t make a faux pas, did I?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Since I¡¯ve already washed up, I just need to change clothes.¡± Iughed softly as Adriana was startled at the words that I would change clothes. Would I change clothes in front of her? Even if she couldn¡¯t see, as Verod said, men and women were different. I tapped Adriana¡¯s nose, who was blushing as if imagining something, and then yfully opened my mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re expecting, but I¡¯ll change clothes a bitter.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not like I can see anyway. Expecting what?¡± ¡°But what brings you here? As far as I know, there¡¯s nothing special today.¡± Departing for the south was a matter of a few dayster. I had to receive a report from Arwen about what he had investigated so far, and this time I was thinking of having Renold procure about two swords. Today was rather leisurely in many ways. Didn¡¯t Adriana not even mention meeting today? So when I asked in puzzlement, Adriana, who had been hesitating slightly, carefully moved her lips. ¡°Um, you don¡¯t know much about the church below the Moon Tower, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much about the church.¡± I hadn¡¯t been there in this round, so it would have been awkward for me to know the inside in detail at this point. When I answered with that thought, she smiled brightly for a moment and continued. ¡°Then I¡¯ll guide you. I have a lot of free time today.¡± ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m fine with it, but wouldn¡¯t it be inconvenient for you on your day off?¡± ¡°I like going out of the Moon Tower no matter what. If you don¡¯t like going together, there¡¯s nothing I can do, but¡­ that¡¯s not the case, right?¡± ¡°Why would I dislike it?¡± Just being with Adriana was a gain for me. If she was someone the Saint cherished, what would the people of the church think? It wasn¡¯t that I was using Adriana. She directly said with her own mouth to be together, so even if the pdins said anything, I could be upright. I didn¡¯t really n to move today, but if Adriana was going to be with me, I would have to make time and move. When I permitted it, Adriana smiled happily. But there was one thing that was confusing. Was she happy to be with me, or was she happy to go out? Her unreasonable favor sometimes caused misunderstandings in people, so there were times when I had to be careful. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó There were two ways Adriana walked. If it was a ce she had perfectly memorized the terrain of, for example, her own room, she could move around sufficiently on her own without anyone¡¯s help. But if it was unfamiliar or the terrain was too wide, she needed the help of a servant. Even if walking while clinging to an arm might look a bit ridiculous, such help was necessary for Adriana to get around. Tightly, as if worried that she might fall, Adriana¡¯s body clinging to my arm slightly touched my side. When we first walked, it was just to the extent of supporting her, but after she almost fell earlier, she was nowpletely holding my arm. No matter how often she visited a ce, the positions of objects couldn¡¯t always be the same, especially since it was a church where many people came and went, it meant she had to rely on me a lot to walk. Adriana also seemed to know that she was excessively clinging to me, as she slightly blushed and lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Normally, it would be fine to just touch, but.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to mind it. Other people¡­ will probably understand, right?¡± I said that, but in fact, I couldn¡¯t help but be conscious of it. Iughed hollowly at the strange sensation of her touching my arm, but I smiled bitterly at the gazes of the priests ncing at me. The fact that I was staying in the Moon Tower must have already spread widely. Since it was a rumor circting in such a small ce, they would curiously look at me who had gained the qualification of being the Saint¡¯s friend. Although they were a bit more favorable than the pdins, there were sometimes those who expressed hostility towards me. I ignored such looks and walked. If I interpreted every malicious gaze one by one, it would only be tiring for me. Excluding such things, it would be enough to just focus on what I had to do today. As I walked with Adriana for a long time like that, at one point as we passed somewhere, Adriana abruptly stopped. ¡°This is where I stayed when I was young. Before the Moon Tower waspletely built, Cardinal Verod let me sleep here.¡± A faint holy power was flowing in the direction Adriana was looking. Fortunately, the door wasn¡¯t locked, and when we went inside, Adriana swept the surroundings with a slightly gentle smile. ¡°I wonder if the arrangement I remember will still be the same. Originally, there was a drawer right here.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to have changed much. Isn¡¯t it preserved just as it was when you stayed here?¡± ¡°Is there a bed in the left corner? That¡¯s the bed I used to sleep on.¡± As she said, there was indeed a bed, so I walked with her and carefully sat Adriana on the bed. Adriana tapped the bed andughed yfully. Her face as she recalled memories of her childhood and talked about her memories with Verod one by one looked very happy. ¡°Once, I jumped on the bed and fell down. So Verod scolded me a lot. He probably put something under here after that. Since I often stumble.¡± ¡°So the carpet was a bit thick. I thought it was awkward.¡± The floor was so soft that it sank when pressed with a finger, I couldn¡¯t help but agree with the words that Adriana often stumbled. I had seen it several times myself, and even today, I had caught her from falling. But that wasn¡¯t Adriana¡¯s fault. Wasn¡¯t it very ufortable to walk even though she couldn¡¯t see ahead? Adriana, who had been sitting on the bed for a while, got up from her seat while staring at me. ¡°Do you want to sit for a bit? You¡¯ve been quiet for a while.¡± ¡°¡­ Ah.¡± The reason I had been looking at Adriana was because of the thought that she often stumbled, but it seemed she thought I was interested in the bed. Since I didn¡¯t have anything to say to make an excuse, I carefully took a seat where Adriana had been sitting. Naturally, there was no particr difference. It made a slight creaking sound due to being old, but other than that, wasn¡¯t it no different from an ordinary bed? The holy power spread around here was probably left to spread for preservation. The room the Saint used when she was young, even if it wasn¡¯t kept for tourism, it would have a symbolic meaning to the believers. ¡°When I went to sleep, Cardinal Verod would read me a fairy tale. I could sleep veryfortably like that, but I¡¯ve already grown up so much.¡± ¡°Time always flows fast. It would be morefortable for you not to worry about it too much.¡± For example, if I urately counted the time I had passed, wouldn¡¯t my head start to ache? So I tended to calcte by rounds rather than time. Even that, I only recalled when necessary, and it was better for my mental health to live without dwelling on it as much as possible. I couldn¡¯t help butugh at herining that time seemed to pass too quickly. Perhaps it was because I had lived too long, but for her, who was only 21 years old, to say that time was fast. Wouldn¡¯t it be something I couldn¡¯t help butugh at? But she seemed to have mistaken myughter for ridicule, as she opened her mouth in a slightly grumpy voice. ¡°You¡¯re younger than me, so I don¡¯t know why you¡¯reughing like that. Have you had youring-of-age ceremony?¡± ¡°Even though I look like this, I¡¯m twenty-one years old. Haven¡¯t I already had it long ago?¡± ¡°That¡­ is true. I guess so.¡± If I felt like it, I had the intention to say I was a 300-year-old monster, but I didn¡¯t say it out loud since it would be something to brush off as a joke anyway. Like that, we spent time with small talk. Adriana searched each room, recalling her memories in her own way, and I sat on the bed and watched her. Being able to immerse oneself in memories is a good thing. And it¡¯s even better if you can smile in those recollections. With that thought, I was looking at her warmly for a moment, but then I hurriedly reached out my arm upon seeing her staggering body. ¡°Ah?¡± Perhaps there was something she didn¡¯t remember, as she staggered after tripping over something, I grabbed her body like that. But my body was already in a sitting position on the bed, so in the end, I, who had caught her in an unstable posture, had no choice but to fall while hugging her. I moved my body so as not to hit any furniture or the bed, and thud. A stinging pain was felt in my shoulder that hit the floor for a moment, and then her hair that fell down touched the tip of my nose. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I think there was something I didn¡¯t think of.¡± With our bodiespletely ovepping, Adriana slowly raised her head from my chest. Her white hair that fell down tickled my nose bridge. It took only a fleeting moment to realize that she was on top of my body. A faint blush bloomed on her pale cheeks, and when her fumbling hand finally touched my cheek, Adriana moved her lips slightly in a crawling voice. ¡°¡­Oh my.¡± And like that, her blush began to deepen even more. As if a flower was just blooming, it turned red like that. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 67 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Although she wasn¡¯t born as a saint, Adriana was the one who had grown up in this church and the Moon Tower since a very young age. She had grown up with the help of Verod and had gradually grown under the care of the pdins and priests. Perhaps due to that, the world Adriana knew was limited. The information obtained from books someone read to her, and the information she read through holy power was very few, so there weren¡¯t many opportunities to encounter things she hadn¡¯t learned.Not having sight meant learning everything through other senses. Hearing, smell, touch. Adriana¡¯s body trembled at the sensation suddenly felt on her palm. It was a sensation that was firmer and¡­ as if something had beenpressed,pared to the sensations she could normally feel. Along with the regr pulse she felt, a good scent was also transmitted through her nose. It was a faint scent for perfume, but it was such a good scent that she wanted to keep feeling it. For a moment, as if bewitched, Adriana, who nkly reached out her hand, slightly moved her lips. She remembered Robert catching her when she tripped over something. Then, was this sensation she had ced under her Robert¡¯s body? Only then did a faint reason flow into her mind. Realizing that what she had thought was only a good sensation was actually Robert, and that it belonged to a proper man, a chilling sensation began to flow down her spine. ¡°¡­Oh my.¡± As she tried to remove her hand for a moment, her body staggered and she ced her hand back down. Her cheeks began to feel hot from the heat rising from below. Grasping her dizzy mind, she momentarily lost the words to say and only moved her lips several times. She had never felt such emotions even when she was with the pdins. In a way, it could be said that it was just a difference in perspective. She had thought of the pdins as grateful people rather than men, but she had thought of Robert as a real man. Was it because she felt embarrassed just by the sensation felt on her palm? But Adriana couldn¡¯t think that deeply. It was just that the sensation felt on her fingertips was so intense that she momentarily lost theposure she had always maintained. Her fingers, which had fidgeted several times, crumpled Robert¡¯s clothes. Even though she could have just gotten up, Adriana¡¯s cheeks turned red for not being able to think of that. ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry. I- I mean. Please wait a moment.¡± ¡°You can get up slowly. It¡¯s alright.¡± Robert had a rough idea of why Adriana was reacting like that to something. Since this situation wasn¡¯t very ordinary, it wasn¡¯t unreasonable for her to be greatly surprised by the suddenness of it. Her reddened face was proof of that. Not only did she not see the pdins as men, but it was probably the first time she had touched a member of the opposite sex¡¯s body in this way. Robert was just as embarrassed, but he calmly tried to separate from Adriana. Robert, carefully reached out his hand so as not to startle her and gently grabbed Adriana¡¯s arm like that. Their ovepping bodies slowly returned to their original positions, entangled like that. Since the room where the Saint used to stay wasn¡¯t very spacious, it could be said to be a somewhat awkward situation. Realizing that her bnce was slowly returning, Adriana quickly erased the heat from her cheeks. What kind of unsightly behavior was this? In this situation, as a saint, she should have handled it a bit more calmly. ¡°Thank you. I was too surprised.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t scream. The priests might have misunderstood me otherwise.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never screamed. And it¡¯s¡­ true that it was a situation that could be misunderstood.¡± Adriana answered while lightly cupping her cheek. After taking a deep breath while stroking her chest for a moment, she quietly looked in Robert¡¯s direction with a face where the heat had now disappeared. The sound of her heart pounding seemed to be unusually loud. Afraid that this sound might be heard, she moved her lips while recalling Robert falling earlier. ¡°You didn¡¯t get hurt, did you? It seemed like you fell while catching me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s get up now.¡± Suddenly feeling warmth on her hand, she realized that sensation was Robert¡¯s. As she always felt, his hand was muchrger than hers. If she grasped it with one hand, her hand wouldpletely disappear, enough to be fully contained within that wide palm. Were all men¡¯s hands like this? In the past, it wouldn¡¯t have been like this. But after meeting Robert, such thoughts inadvertently bloomed. Perhaps, she thought it was since seeing his past. What she saw in that vivid afterimage was the rtionship between Robert and Miragen. They were both her friends, but she couldn¡¯t erase the ufortable feeling. When Miragen smiled, Robert held Miragen¡¯s hand. And again, he kissed Miragen and whispered love. It was a romantic story that might appear in the fairy tales Cardinal Verod read to her, but her heart felt suffocating just facing it. Miragen looked very happy. Whenever she was with Robert, she showed a smile she had never seen before, and Robert smiled like that too. Perhaps it was a misunderstanding. She had never seen or felt Robert¡¯s face, had she? But if Robert had Miragen¡¯s memories, they must have been his own memories. The man seen in the monochrome world was smiling at Miragen. Sometimes promising love, sometimes shedding tears, and sometimes smiling softly. Adriana couldn¡¯t see Robert¡¯s expression in reality. Since she couldn¡¯t see in the first ce, she just listened to his voice and grasped his emotions. But wasn¡¯t he smiling in the memories she faced? Whenever she saw that, her heart becameplicated. Like a tangled and twisted skein. The only thing she could directly face was his inner self. But even that, when she looked at his inner self with the power given by God, there was only emptiness, so that was all Adriana could guess. ¡°Do you have something on your mind?¡± As she sat on the bed, Robert checked Adriana¡¯s ankle and asked like that. The Saint¡¯s holy power couldn¡¯t heal herself. Since it was a blessing given directly by God, it could only be used on others, not on herself. Even if it could be said to be a power of a different level from the pdins and priests who could handle it on themselves, in the end, it was a power that couldn¡¯t heal her own wounds. Perhaps she had slightly sprained her ankle when she fell, as a stinging pain was transmitted when she moved her ankle. But such pain was familiar to Adriana. Since she fell so often, she could endure this much, couldn¡¯t she? But the reason Robert¡¯s gaze was directed at Adriana was different. Although her embarrassment was only for a moment, the shadowed expression on her face was concerning. There weren¡¯t many things he could guess at the moment about what she was thinking that suddenly changed the atmosphere. To that question, Adriana, who had taken a deep breath for a moment, smiled brightly again and opened her mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything on my mind. I just suddenly remembered something.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s something urgent, I¡¯ll take you there.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not something I have to go to right now. Since I can move now, shall we move again?¡± If she stayed in this room, her thoughts would beplicated. When she opened her mouth with that in mind, Robert grabbed Adriana¡¯s hand again. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The interior of the church was wide, but the time it took to exin it passed very quickly. As if she had blinked and opened her eyes, Adriana let out a hollowugh at the fact that it had suddenly be dawn. All she had done was exin the ces she visited every day while walking around together. And yet, to think time had passed like this. Robert had returned to his room, so Adriana, who was left alone, had to head to the Moon Tower. But she didn¡¯t go. The path she was taking now was a ce she could move sufficiently without anyone¡¯s help. There was a ce where only the Saint could enter. A ce where no one could even approach unless chosen by God. As she stepped on the hairline crack drawn on the floor, holy power began to drain from her body. If it weren¡¯t for her, one would have to use the power of relics to enter. Since the power possessed by relics and her own power werepletely identical, this power shrouded in secrecy was Adriana¡¯s origin. The holy power she had gained in exchange for losing her sight was the only key to ess this ce, so Adriana moved her steps like that and headed to the basement of the church. A chilly coldness pierced her body. If Robert had been here at this time, wouldn¡¯t he have covered her with his cloak? Although it was consideration she had only felt a few times, that emptiness seemed to feel unreasonablyrge. When a chilly wind blew, she could see the faint light scattering in her closed eyes. She wasn¡¯t afraid. She had already oftene here when she wanted to think, hadn¡¯t she? Leaning against the wall like that, taking one step, and then feeling the holy power entering her body again, Adriana stopped her steps. ¡°Was it here?¡± As she reached out her hand forward, arge rosary hanging on the wall was touched. This was also a type of relic. It was a relic that only the Saint could use. The reason she came here today. To put it simply about that reason, it was about a man she had recently met. ¡°¡­Robert.¡± It hadn¡¯t even been half a year since they met. They met at the imperial pce, they met on the streets. After that, exchanging a few calls was all. When they met at the Moon Tower, it might have been their longest meeting. She thought he was a bit unusual from the beginning. Because when she identally glimpsed into his heart, she faced an emptiness that was so empty that she couldn¡¯t feel any emotion. She became interested. When they met again, his attitude towards her was still the same. With a gentle tone, just by listening to his voice, she even thought he could be considered the warmest person she had met. But his heart was still empty. No matter how many times she saw it, it was the same. As if he was about to die at any moment, as if he would disappear before her eyes, she felt anxious. So she left a promise to meet him next time, but didn¡¯t he say he almost died in the North? Adriana, whoughed softly, let out a heavy sigh. When she first heard that story, she couldn¡¯t help but be very surprised. The person she had been in contact with until a few days ago was dying, and her heart even became impatient as she heard the Grand Duchess quietly scolding her. ¨C ¡­Whether youe in person or not. Send a clergyman to the North. Someone who can save even a dying person, right now. What was contained in the Grand Duchess¡¯s calm voice was anger. Rather, it was more terrifying than openly expressing anger, but Adriana seemed to vaguely understand that feeling. If someone she felt anxious about even when they were together got hurt like that, she would have acted like the Grand Duchess. But she couldn¡¯te forward. It was because of the name of the Saint. If she suddenly disappeared from the Moon Tower, it could cause confusion, so she slowly knelt on the floor, recalling the face of Cardinal Verod, who earnestly dissuaded her. A cold sensation touched her knees. Hard and rough, sping her hands and grasping the rosary around her neck like that, she raised her head towards the wall. A feeling of regret arose. If she hadn¡¯t been a saint, she could have gone to the North. If she had healed him, she could have watched over him without an anxious heart forever. What those emotions created was a subtle something towards the man named Robert. That emotion bloomed as she looked back on Robert¡¯s memories. As she watched Miragen smile at Robert, as she watched Robert die miserably at the hands of his sister. As she looked at Robert standing alone in the empty snowy field of the North, holding a masterless sword, an emotion arose. Whoosh- The rosary hanging on the wall and Adrian¡¯s holy power resonated, and a pure white light gushed out from her sped hands. She didn¡¯t know the name of this emotion that had arisen in her. She hade here to find out what it was. To dig into the memories of the fragments Robert had shown her, even though she could only see fragmentary scenes. ¡°If I see that¡­ wouldn¡¯t I be able to understand your heart a little?¡± Emotions were blooming again in Robert¡¯s inner self. Instead of the emptiness that was always vacant, there was definitely an emotion that peeked out its head and revealed itself. Adriana, who recalled the memory of him making excuses for it, smiled softly. ¨C I had one. But not anymore, probably never again¡­ I won¡¯t have one. Sadness, loneliness, destion. She tried to understand a little of his inner self where only negative emotions bloomed because it was cold and dark. What could I see in your memories? In the basement of the church, Adriana slowly surrendered herself to the blooming holy power. It was to face the memories Robert Taylor possessed. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 68 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó It was the first time she had carefully examined someone¡¯s memories. Adriana knew it was rude. It was something she didn¡¯t have permission for. She didn¡¯t know if he would want to reveal it or show it to her.But even so, the reason she tried to examine the memories was because she wanted to know why Robert¡¯s inner self had be like that. To understand a little and embrace his heart that had be as empty as a dying person¡¯s. She was attempting this, which only she could do, unlike others. She thought it was probablypassion. A person of a type she was seeing for the first time in her life, someone she inadvertently became interested in, someone her gaze was drawn to without realizing it. There was no need to feel anxious about someone she was seeing for the first time, but strangely, when she was with him, she feared he would disappear at any moment. That¡¯s why she tried to read his memories. Even if the memories she faced had little meaning, it would help satisfy this curiosity. As the light seeping from the rosary enveloped her body, her consciousness gradually began to fade. It was time to face Robert¡¯s memories of death. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Even when reading someone¡¯s memories, one couldn¡¯t read everything from birth to death. It was only to the extent that she could see a little more in detail a part of the memory she had seen fragmentarily. Since she was seeing with the power of God, not sight, she could see undistorted memories even if it was a monochrome world. As her consciousness faded for a moment, Adriana felt her sense of sight return and carefully opened her eyes. A sensation that reacted sensitively even to a small light, since she could see the memory until her holy power ran out, it was better to see the memories that looked important if possible. The space for viewing memories was Adriana¡¯s inner mindscape. Perhaps because of that, all that was visible around her was a winding path cutting through the center. What she saw while walking along that path were the fragments of memories Robert had shown her. As expected, it wasn¡¯t ordinary. All these memories contained Robert¡¯s deaths, the fact that one person had died multiple times. Indeed, there was no other exnation than regression. Then what was the reason for him repeating the same time? For what, for what purpose. It was true that it was difficult to understand the concept of regression, but she knew that it meant living a life that was endlessly repeated based on a certain point in time. This wasn¡¯t an exnation she had heard from someone. It was a concept she naturally understood the moment she saw Robert¡¯s life. As if such a thing had existed from the beginning, the concept that bloomed along with the holy power helped her understand Robert¡¯s many deaths a little. She reached out her hand towards the memory that floated in the air like a water droplet. Robert¡¯s first death. Feeling the memory that seeped into her mind, Adriana slowly closed her eyes. Reading memories was like surrendering one¡¯s body to flowing water. As if surrendering to the current, she quietly opened her eyes as her body flowed into the memory. The scenery that changed in an instant was visible, and when she looked up at the sky at the sound of pouring rain, the sky was filled with dark clouds. It was raining. In the cold and dark sky, a chilly wind blew, and the grass that had lost its light was only swaying aimlessly in the wind. Next to it was arge mansion, and Adriana quickly realized the identity of that mansion. This space was inside Robert¡¯s memory, so that huge mansion must be the Taylor ducal residence. But contrary to its grandeur, it was filled only with shadows. It had a dark and murky energy, and as the darkness touched by the holy power shattered slightly, a faint scent of blood was felt. Why on earth was the scent of blood felt here? ¡°Could you be here?¡± The only visible color was a dim light. As if her existence was excluded from the monochrome world, the falling rain avoided Adriana and fell below. She didn¡¯t get wet. Realizing that fact, Adriana slowly moved her steps. Didn¡¯t it feel like bing a ghost that might appear in a fairy tale? Even when touching the wall, her body passed through, and even other people didn¡¯t notice her presence. It must have been natural. Rather than going back in time to the past, she had just be a spectator of memories. Surprised for a moment when a butler passed through her body, she then stroked her chest and exhaled a deep breath. From being able to see to people passing through her, they were all sensations that were difficult to get used to. If she lost her sight again, wouldn¡¯t it be very inconvenient? Being able to see something was a veryfortable thing. Since she could directly see the expressions of those looking at her, wouldn¡¯t she also be able to directly see the smiles she had only imagined? As she walked through the dark corridor for a long time, there was one question that arose. Where were all the people in this spacious ducal residence? Although there were people asionally passing by, she couldn¡¯t see Robert¡¯s face. She clearly remembered the appearance she had glimpsed in the memories. That face that smiled softly at Miragen despite having cold eyes. ¨C I had one. Was the talk about the person he had in his heart referring to Miragen? They must have already faced each other several times in this life. So there was no way he wouldn¡¯t have any feelings. Then what thoughts would he have, with what gaze would he look at Miragen, who had already been his lover in his previous life? Adriana¡¯s brow furrowed at the question that suddenly came to mind. It was something she didn¡¯t need to care about. It was an emotion Robert would decide for himself, and even if she cared about it, nothing would change. Erasing the thoughts that were trying to fill her mind, she walked through the quiet corridor again like that. Even without the sound of footsteps, her sense of difort only grew in the silence. What she wanted to see were the memories of when Robert died, and wasn¡¯t it strange that the ce of such memories was the ducal residence? It was a littleter when Adriana, who had been walking through the spacious ducal residence, stopped her steps. At the faint voiceing from below, her steps abruptly halted. ¡°You¡¯ve always been like this. Always pathetic, useless, and foolish.¡± Realizing that the cold and dark female voice belonged to Robert¡¯s sister, Yuria Taylor, Adriana moved her steps again. It wasn¡¯t very difficult to head downstairs. When she infused holy power, her body floated lightly, and when she reached out her hand towards the floor like that, the basement scenery began to appear. Fully inserting her body into the basement, shended on the floor like that. Thud. Adriana, whose feet touched the ground, quietly looked around. This basement seemed to not only have a single room, but to continuously proceed downwards. An iron-made door, and the person locked inside, she frowned upon seeing them. She realized it was a secretive affair that was usually entangled in aristocratic families. In a way, it could be said to be a rumor that had spread like an urban legend. The prestigious noble families each hid something underground. Disposing of traitors and directly kidnapping dangerous elements. It was surprising to see that reality unfolding before her eyes, but she closed her mouth tightly for a moment and turned her head. The time she could remain in the memory wasn¡¯t very long. Wasn¡¯t finding Robert the priority now? After offering a prayer towards the fallen people, she began walking again in the direction where she heard Yuria¡¯s voice. The closer the voice got, the more sounds she heard. Someone was screaming. Screaming in pain, begging for forgiveness for something. A sound escaped through gritted teeth. It was a familiar voice. Robert Taylor, the person who always whispered softly to her, was screaming in pain, and Adriana¡¯splexion turned pale. Biting her trembling lips, Adriana carefully looked ahead. The scene before her was too gruesome. A man tied to a chair, vomiting blood, and a woman indifferently looking at such a man. Who would believe they were siblings? A scene of torturing one¡¯s own family, yet not feeling even a bit of guilt. ¡°Robert¡­¡± Adriana¡¯s voice didn¡¯t reach him. Screaming at the piercing de, screaming at the pain of heated iron burning his flesh, Robert¡¯s eyes rolled back white. Tears stained with blood were flowing from his eyes. His lips, which had been bitten to the point of being torn, were full of wounds that had been cut and torn, exposing the bones. ¡°Sister¡­ please, I¡­ was wrong. This time it¡¯s a misunderstanding- You know I don¡¯t even have the thought of rebelling¡­ Forgive me¡­ please.¡± ¡°How can I believe you don¡¯t even have the thought of it?¡± Poof. As the iron skewer pierced his thigh, a scream escaped from Robert¡¯s mouth again. But it seemed like he couldn¡¯t even scream anymore. A momentary struggle escaped, followed by a faint breath and his head drooping, that was all. ¡°¡­Why on earth. When you¡¯re family.¡± She couldn¡¯t understand the word rebellion, but no matter what, it was true that she couldn¡¯t understand. No matter what mistake he made, it wasn¡¯t a reason to be tortured like that. At least in Adriana¡¯smon sense, there was no sin that deserved torturing a person to that extent. She could see that his fingernails and toenails had all been pulled out. Blood dripped from him, and the blood that had pooled like a pond on the basement floor was flowing. Nevertheless, Robert was still begging for forgiveness. She didn¡¯t know what sin he hadmitted. But it wouldn¡¯t be a sin deserving of such punishment. His flesh was torn, and even while receiving torture that wouldn¡¯t be strange if he died at any moment. The words Robert kept repeating were always the same. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on youtely because your behavior has changed. I thought I saw the possibility of you not being a disgrace to the Taylor name. But¡­ to think you would do such a pathetic thing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry.¡± The sharp de cut into his thigh like that. The flowing blood showed no sign of stopping. A transparent liquid was sprayed on top of it, and Yuria smiled slightly as she watched Robert writhing in pain again. Adriana realized that smile was purely out of joy. At the fact that Robert was suffering, at this reality where he had fallen like this and was being subjected to her. She was genuinely happy, as if she had been hoping for this situation. Her legs lost strength and she couldn¡¯t even walk properly. If this reality she was witnessing was truly Robert¡¯s memory, it meant he had experienced this many times. It wasn¡¯t the first death he experienced, was it? Even though she had seen more than 10 memories, was it really possible for him to smile softly at her despite that? Her trembling hand reached out into the air. Although it didn¡¯t reach because she couldn¡¯t walk, the tip of Adriana¡¯s hand was directed towards Robert. To the man who was bowing his head in front of Yuria Taylor, barely clinging to his consciousness with a faint mind. Of course, it didn¡¯t reach. The hand reaching for his cheek passed through Robert like that. Even the blood pooled on the floor didn¡¯t stain Adriana. It was natural, wasn¡¯t it? She was just looking back on memories, so she couldn¡¯t provide any help to Robert. Nothing. She couldn¡¯t heal those wounds or punish Yuria Taylor. All she could do was watch. The death she would witness after this would probably be the same. No matter how many times she saw it, it was the same thing. No matter how many times she looked back, it was the same thing. She couldn¡¯t provide any help to Robert. Even though it was natural, why did she dislike that? She clenched her hand that had touched the floor tightly. Until her hand turned white, for a long time, Adriana, who had removed her trembling hand, raised her head, and Yuria Taylor had already disappeared. In the silence where only Adriana¡¯s breathing was heard, Robert¡¯s faint voice prated. ¡°¡­Even this time. It doesn¡¯t change.¡± His narrowly opened eyes weren¡¯t empty like she knew. Rather than anger or resentment at his own pain, they were filled with onlypassion for the disappeared Yuria. It was puzzling, but Robert¡¯s words continued. ¡°Even this time, you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Tears flowing down his cheeks fell below. Unlike when he was in pain, they were transparent in color. Regret for something, and upon hearing those words, Adriana realized that this life wasn¡¯t his first life. Even though he had already gone through several deaths, those eyes weren¡¯t empty, then the Robert she knew. Had he experienced even worse than this? It was a fact that was hard to believe and a truth she didn¡¯t want to believe. But before she could add any words, the scenery began to change slowly. nkly watching the scenery crumbling like smoke, she noticed that the pouring rain was still the same and turned her gaze. Swoosh- ¡°Now, we will begin the execution of the sinner Robert.¡± Adriana¡¯splexion turned pale again when she saw Robert tied to the execution tform, waiting for death. Numerous people were watching the execution, and in the middle of them, Robert was tied up and waiting for death. In this execution taking ce like a show in a circr arena, Adriana tightly closed her eyes. ¡°Robert, wait a moment¡­!¡± She shouted even though she knew her voice wouldn¡¯t reach him. There was no one who saw her even if she used her strength. Even if she tried to shatter the execution tform by emitting holy power, Robert¡¯s gaze was only directed at the void. It was an expression without any lingering attachment. As if sensing that everything was over now, his tightly closed eyes showed no sign of opening. Thud thud- Shouting a voice that wouldn¡¯t reach, Adriana, who ran through people, was finally able to reach in front of Robert. It was a distance close enough to clearly see Robert¡¯s face. After nkly watching his calm appearance even while witnessing his death for a moment, Adriana¡¯s eyes narrowed as she looked at his slightly open mouth. It seemed like he was trying to say something. As if making a vow to himself, Robert, who was watching the de approaching him, quietly moved his lips. ¡°¡­Next time, definitely.¡± Was it referring to the life that woulde after this? Adriana couldn¡¯t understand. She couldn¡¯t even understand this unexpected memory, but nevertheless, the memory continued. Like dust scattering in the wind, the world began to disperse like that. And then she realized. Robert¡¯s deaths were still far from over. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 69 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Witnessing someone¡¯s death can never be a pleasant thing. Even if it was aplete stranger dying, it was heartbreaking, let alone if it was someone you know. What if it was the death of someone you¡¯ve been particrly concerned abouttely? She couldn¡¯t peek into all of Robert¡¯s memories.It was only fragments of the memories he possessed, but were these really just fragments? At the point of observing Robert¡¯s death more than twenty times, Adriana¡¯s heart was gradually bing deste. Each death was equally painful. He was not trusted, not believed, and in the end, he was abandoned and betrayed, and died. He died at the hands of someone he loved, and he died without being able to protect the one he loved. It would probably be a lie to say that she could fully understand those feelings. She herself wouldn¡¯t be able to understand even a part of it. So was that why it was so empty? Having died dozens of times with feelings no one can understand, even the desire to do something had already worn out. ¡°Is there¡­ nothing I can do?¡± She had lived with the name of a saint. Taking it as a virtue to help and bless others, she had simply lived for others. But didn¡¯t Robert also fall into that category? No matter how much she tried to think of a way to help, nothing came to mind, and a futile light arose in Adriana¡¯s eyes. What was in front of her was Robert, who had fallen and died again. How was this death, Adriana¡¯s mouth twisted as she recalled it. She didn¡¯t know what feelings Yuria Taylor had when she looked at Robert. But it was certain that it was wrong. It was the first time she had seen a woman so twisted since birth. Even his fianc¨¦e Theresa, and the head of the Taylor family. Wouldn¡¯t it be rather strange that he didn¡¯t be twisted with such people around him? Adriana, who wiped Robert¡¯s cheek, smiled bitterly. Although her palm was still only caressing the void, she just wanted to share her warmth even a little. Perhaps in his previous lives, Miragen had yed that role. It had already been four times that she had faced a life where she became Robert¡¯s lover. There was even a time when he became the princess¡¯s lover and almost held a wedding. If Miragen hadn¡¯t died, wouldn¡¯t Robert have been happy in that life too? Her gloomy feeling didn¡¯t easily disappear as she had seen him take his own life several times. As soon as he started regressing, he stabbed his own throat with a knife and deliberately chose to drink poison to end his life. Watching him suffer, she also shed tears. Adriana, who stroked her reddened eyes, then carefully sat down next to Robert. ¡°This time, the world isn¡¯t scattering quickly.¡± When Robert experienced a death, the world in his memories scattered like dust, and she would face the next memory. Now with blurred vision, looking at the hazy front, she realized that this memory was thest. What kind of death of Robert would she face this time? It was frightening now. She resented herself for having set out to examine his memories. Just looking at these things would only be painful, and now her brows furrowed involuntarily at the stinging pain piercing her chest. ¡­But, that didn¡¯t mean she should run away. It was a memory only she knew. If not Robert, she was the only person in this world who could know about this memory. Even though she wanted to run away right now, even though she wanted to return to the Moon Tower and run to Robert. She endured and faced these deaths. She was the only one who could understand Robert¡¯s regression. Realizing only now that when he was truly tired and exhausted, when he was about to copse at the end of this life, there was only one person who could help him. If she didn¡¯t help, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for him to break down at any moment, so she had to step up before his empty heartpletely shattered. ¡°¡­It¡¯s cold.¡± The wind in the North was cold. Although she couldn¡¯t feel everything, Robert, who died alone here, must have faced this cold as it was. Adriana, who sat on that snowy field, muttered. Feeling the chill piercing through her thin clothes, she looked at Robert, who had now bepletely cold. As the wind blew, the memory slowly copsed. Scattering like burning pieces of paper, Robert also gradually began to disappear. Not the snowy field, but near the imperial pce, it was a tower she was seeing for the first time, but. Adriana realized it was the Moon Tower where she lived. But there was probably only one reason why it felt strange. If the Moon Tower was the background, she would have to see the woman staying at the top of this tower. Adriana stepped towards the memory. ¡°Cardinal Verod, you said there was someone who wanted to see me?¡± And, she saw herself. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó It was the first time she had appeared in Robert¡¯s memories. What kind of person would she remain as in Robert¡¯s memories? Was she a lover like Miragen, or a colleague like the Grand Duchess? Whileughing inwardly thinking it would be awkward if Robert was a pdin, Adriana slowly faced the memory with her anxiety that inadvertently bloomed. It seemed like Robert had tried to find her. She didn¡¯t know what business he had, but didn¡¯t he need some help from the church? With Robert¡¯s position, he must have met her, and Adriana¡¯s face soon filled with puzzlement as she quietly looked at the memory. Robert hade to see her many times. Day after day, year after year, month after month. But she never met Robert. The moment she headed inside the Moon Tower, curious about the reason, Adriana¡¯splexion turned pale upon hearing the words she uttered. ¨C Should I¡­ meet that person? Her own expression as she hesitantly answered was full of questions. She already knew that the rumors about a person named Robert Taylor were not good. But how could she say that without even directly meeting him face to face? Even if she wanted to me him, it was her own words. It was strange. No matter how much of a stranger he was, there was no way she would have said that. Whose words did she listen to and answer like that? That question was resolved in the following words. Perhaps it was also an answer she had already thought of in a corner of her heart. ¨C His Highness the Crown Prince saidst time. It¡¯s better to avoid people with bad rumors, and he said there¡¯s someone after my life these days¡­ Even Verod was agreeing with those words. She knew better than anyone that Robert wasn¡¯t that kind of person. But believing the Crown Prince¡¯s words without a doubt, she was suspecting a person she had never met. Ha, Adriana, who let out a hollowugh, plopped down like that. It was none other than her own words. No matter how she made excuses, no matter what other reasons there were. In the end, it was her who had abandoned Robert. The reason Robert sought her out was to make a move before the Crown Prince tried to kill her. The Crown Prince was always deeply involved in Robert¡¯s deaths, so didn¡¯t he gain some realization in the repeated deaths? ¡­And she had let that go. She had rejected the hand reaching out for help. Just because it might be dangerous. Adriana, who wiped her face, exhaled heavily. She couldn¡¯t bear the disgust at her own actions. What kind of saint was she? Even though she received the name of a saint with the power of God, she rejected a person in need of help like that. ¡°Haha¡­¡± That was how Robert died. He had hoped for the saint¡¯s help, but he died in vain without receiving it. Wasn¡¯t it her fault? She clenched the rosary in her hand tightly, and then it shattered, piercing the shards into her palm. Even the stinging pain felt like nothing. Becausepared to the pain Robert had experienced in that life, it was nothing. Drip, drip. The blood flowing from her palm dripped towards the floor. Although his memories had ended, thest memory she saw still remained vividly in Adriana. ¡°¡­ I, I.¡± If she had listened to Robert¡¯s words even once, could he have survived then? It was a life that had already passed. Even if Robert resented her, it wouldn¡¯t be strange. Even though blood flowed, the feeling of pain wasn¡¯t very severe. She just got up from her seat and moved her steps staggeringly, leaving the shattered rosary as it was. She had witnessed countless deaths. Sometimes she was angry together, sometimes she watched those deaths while crying together. She resented the fact that she couldn¡¯t help him, but she had even been directly involved in his death. Wasn¡¯t thepassion she harbored truly ridiculous? Unlike when she came here, Adriana¡¯s steps were just heavy. She staggered and walked with legs that had no strength at all. She couldn¡¯t see ahead anymore. The sight she had temporarily regained while reading the memories had now disappeared again, showing her only darkness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m¡­ sorry.¡± That apology probably couldn¡¯t be made to him. She couldn¡¯t honestly confess that she had seen Robert¡¯s memories, could she? She just wanted tofort him. About the loneliness he harbored, about the misery. She wanted to let him know that he wasn¡¯t alone anymore. Tears flowed down her cheeks. She knew better than anyone that the apology she had already muttered several times was meaningless. She also knew well that she could no longer apologize for that anymore. Since the Robert she should apologize to had died, what would be the point of apologizing to the current Robert? It was already, toote. The flowing wind was still cold. Even colder than the wind she had faced in that snowy field, and this wind would reach Robert too. She couldn¡¯t even imagine the sensations he felt. How cold would the wind flowing in that empty inner self be? So Adriana walked. Forward¡­ forward again. Towards the Moon Tower, where Robert would be alone. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó At the creaking sound, I briefly looked at the window and saw where the wind wasing in. Although it was time for everyone to be asleep now, I didn¡¯t realize it was toote because I was reading the documents Arwen had sent. The only light left in this room was a single candle, and I was lost in thought for a moment, looking at the moonlight dimly shining through the open window. ¡°In the past, I couldn¡¯t even enter.¡± I had tried several times, but each time I was blocked by various reasons and had never entered. But now I was in here like this and even sleeping. Wasn¡¯t fate a really curious thing? If I had met Adriana then, would I have already ended the regression? It was not that I didn¡¯t imagine such assumptions, but it was after I had somewhat let go of my lingering attachments to the past. Now¡­ well, I think it couldn¡¯t be helped. It would have been better to find a way out in something other than the church. Because there were aspects where I acted a bit foolishly. Those thoughts were dispersed by the presence heard from the corridor. Wondering who would be moving at this hour, I approached, and soon the door opened and a familiar face entered my sight. ¡°Robert, do you have a moment?¡± ¡°¡­Adriana, your eyes?¡± Did she cry until now? I hurriedly reached out my hand upon seeing her red and swollen eyes. There was nothing strange when we parted in the evening, what on earth happened at night? I gently caressed her cheek. I asked what had happened, but Adriana just shook her head and responded with silence. ¡°The night is cold. Come inside. I was surprised, wondering what had happened to you.¡± ¡°I have something I want to say. And something I want to ask of you.¡± Adriana, who stopped at the doorway, moved her lips. Her voice mixed with tears seemed like she would burst into tears at any moment, so I quietly looked at her for a moment. I didn¡¯t know what happened. But it was certain that she was agitated. Would she needfort? Hesitating for a moment, I gently opened my mouth to Adriana like that. ¡°If it¡¯s a request, I will dly listen.¡± ¡°¡­Will you hug me?¡± For a moment, my mouth stiffened at the words I heard. I didn¡¯t know how to answer, I didn¡¯t know what she meant by saying that. Adriana, who had been looking at me like that, then smiled slightly and continued. ¡°The wind is cold. More today than yesterday.¡± Thud- Adriana, who had buried herself in my arms like that, wrapped her arms around my waist. Burying her head in my chest, my body just froze coldly for a moment as she sobbed like that. A warm warmth was conveyed to me. Tears dripped on my chest, and her hands held my waist tighter and tighter. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± I didn¡¯t know the reason for her apology. I didn¡¯t know why she hade to me sobbing and hugging me, nor why she hade to me at this dawn. But if I asked about that in this situation, it wouldn¡¯t be polite. Right now, the best thing would be to justfort her. My hands, which had been unable to find a ce for a moment, gently wrapped around Adriana¡¯s back. Patting her,forting her as if saying it was alright. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re apologizing for, but there¡¯s nothing you need to apologize to me for.¡± Even if it was about a past life, that was still the case. I had never, not even once, resented the woman named Adriana. I gently hugged the woman who was sobbing like that without a word. Feeling the body temperature being conveyed, the chill of the winter wind touched that warmth and just scattered. ¡°So, you don¡¯t have to apologize.¡± Adriana¡¯s warmth was cozy. Enough to forget for a moment that the current season was winter. If her sincere intention was to hug me because she was cold, it must be clear that her feelings were conveyed. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 70 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Although I didn¡¯t know what she had seen to make her cry like that, Adriana, who had sobbed in my arms for a long time, fell asleep like that. After looking at the woman who had copsed in my arms for a while, I let out a small sigh. There wasn¡¯t really anything she had to apologize to me for. What was she feeling guilty about to apologize like this?Throughout the many lives I had lived, I had never been directly entangled with Adriana even once. Moreover, there was nothing to apologize for even while spending time together today, so regarding today¡¯s incident¡­ I thought I would have to ask about itter. Since she was a saint, I thought she might have seen something special. ¡°¡­If you sleep like this here, it will be troublesome for me.¡± Since she had fallen asleep while being held in my arms, it was difficult to wake Adriana up directly. In the meantime, she had fallen into a deep sleep, so I carefully lifted Adriana¡¯s body, which had fallen while hugging me. I thought if Verod saw this, he would explode for various reasons, but I couldn¡¯t just send Adriana back to her room in this state. I guess I won¡¯t be getting any sleep today. When Iid her on the bed and covered her with the nket, the strength of her arm that had been holding me loosened. Seeing her soon falling into a deep sleep, I slowly brushed away the hair that had fallen on her forehead. Why did she cry like that? No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn¡¯t think of a reason for her crying. Also apologizing to me, suddenly hugging me saying she was cold. Then suddenly, I noticed the wound on Adriana¡¯s hand. The wood splinters stuck in it looked quite painful, did shee all the way here with such a wound? It seemed like a rosary had been stuck in it. Since the one hanging around her neck had disappeared, when I carefully pulled out the splinters, blood flowed out. ¡­I think it must have hurt a lot. Nevertheless, the fact that she came to me meant there must have been an important reason toe this far. I didn¡¯t know what it was. But I could honestly feel a bit of gratitude. When was thest time I was held in someone¡¯s arms? Even when I was Miragen¡¯s lover, it was already decades ago. It had been a long time since I felt someone¡¯s warmth so close. For a moment, I could forget about this winter. Even while disinfecting the wound and wrapping it in a bandage, Adriana still didn¡¯t wake up from her sleep. She would probably stay in this bed all night. If Iid on the same bed, there would be various misunderstandings, and spending one night wasn¡¯t that difficult. I carefully covered the still sleeping Adriana with the nket. Blowing out the single remaining candle, I just slowly read Arwen¡¯s letter relying on the remaining moonlight like that. It had always been a dawn I spent alone, but today there were two of us. I couldn¡¯t help but feel quite a strange feeling. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Along with the gradually brightening sky, I was able to read all of Arwen¡¯s letters. To be precise, it took a bit of time to analyze the codes written in them. The sentences were written with mana, reorganizing them and interpreting them was probably something only Arwen and I could do. Writing in this way was necessary to eliminate any potential dangers. If someone else saw it, it would just be about asking each other¡¯s well-being, but if they interpreted the contents. Wasn¡¯t it about the connection between the Crown Prince and the Four Dragons? There wasn¡¯t much written in the letter. It was probably everything she had investigated while I was staying in the North, but most of it was already known to me. There aren¡¯t many connections between the Four Dragons and the Crown Prince yet. Unless you go to the south ande into contact with the relics, it will probably be difficult to grasp what the Four Dragons are. I also agreed with this statement. Unless I directly brought the relics in the south to the Crown Prince. Right now, those two were still unknown variables. It wasn¡¯t that I hadn¡¯t made assumptions, but this was the first round where it was directly mentioned. It was probably because I approached it from the perspective of ¡°how¡± the Crown Prince killed me rather than ¡°why.¡± In each round, strange variables appeared. Some were created in the name of the Crown Prince, but most of them appeared in unexpected ces, didn¡¯t they? If even those were rted to the Crown Prince. Perhaps this problem might not be simply my personal problem. The Four Dragons, if I ended up fighting them, what would happen? I had seen the end of the sword, but now I was at the stage of doubting whether it was really the end. Doubting enlightenment, and touching the next wall, wouldn¡¯t that be right? However, the problem was that physical growth was still necessary. If the all-out war with the Crown Prince was still a little over a year away, the extent to which I could raise this body would determine sess or failure. Rustle- Around the time I was looking at Arwen¡¯s letter for a long time, I turned my head at the sounding from behind. The quiet breathing that had been quietlying from behind was no longer audible. Perhaps she would soon wake up from her sleep. Now that the sun hadpletely risen, it seemed okay to send her back upstairs. Now was the right time to avoid being caught by Verod. Trying to recall what tea was good for relieving fatigue, suddenly rosemary came to mind. I thought I had some of those tea leaves among the ones I possessed. Boiling water and steeping the tea leaves, a fragrant aroma of tea began to fill the space. The winter morning wasn¡¯t very cold. Since it was when the sun that had just risen was most radiant, the warm light shining brightly on the white snow was perfect for waking up. As the aroma of tea spread and I took out the cookies I had bought before and put them on a te, a rustling sound was heard from the bed. ¡°Are you awake?¡± I approached the bed and handed her a teacup. Adriana, who had been rubbing her sleepy eyes, stretched alone and shivered. Perhaps she wasn¡¯t fully awake yet, she just carefully nodded her head while grasping the teacup I handed her. nkly sipping the tea like that, Adriana, who smacked her lips slightly, turned her gaze towards me. Her eyes, which had always been closed, were narrowly open. As her transparent eyes turned towards me, her hand that had been raising the teacup trembled. Little by little like that, a small voice was heard from her lips that were nkly parting. ¡°¡­Robert?¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯re a little more awake now.¡± ¡°Oh, when did youe to my room? Where is Emily-¡± ¡°She¡¯s naturally at the top of the Moon Tower. I sent her back when she came looking for you at dawn.¡± The expression of that servant who hade to me while I was reading the letter seemed to look at Adriana sleeping in my bed quite curiously. Didn¡¯t she say she couldn¡¯t easily fall asleep unless it was a ce she always slept? But I thought it was possible because the situation was different. Didn¡¯t she fall asleep exhausted from crying? ¨C It¡¯s toote to wake her up like this, since she¡¯s in a deep sleep, so I¡¯lle up together in the morning. ¨C That¡¯s a relief. I thought she had disappeared and was about to wake up the pdins. But still¡­ I trust you, but please take good care of her. ¨C I have no intention of doing anything rude. Moreover, isn¡¯t this the Moon Tower? Although I knew what they were worried about, I had no intention ofying a hand on Adriana¡¯s body. It was thanks to me only showing a good side to others sinceing here. At least they seemed to know for sure that I wasn¡¯t the kind of person to do strange things, since they entrusted Adriana to me. When I said I had sent the servant back, Adriana blushed and wiped her cheek like that. It took a while for that red color to disappear, and then perhaps recalling the memory of dawn, the tips of her ears turned red as if on fire again. ¡°Ahh¡­¡± ¡°There was nothing to be embarrassed about. Well, I am a bit curious about the reason you cried yesterday.¡± ¡°D-don¡¯t say such things. I know it too¡­¡± When Iughed at her crawling voice, Adriana tapped the bed with her feet. Now that I think about it, it was quite an embarrassing memory. She suddenly came to me and hugged me, then apologized for a long time and cried until she fell asleep. Even I felt my cheeks burning when I thought about it, so the emotions she felt must be even more. Adriana, who had been hugging her knees and keeping her mouth shut for a while, slowly turned her head towards me. Her cheeks, which had beenpletely red, had regained some of their color. As if ready to exin about yesterday¡¯s incident, her gaze directed at me didn¡¯t leave for a long time. ¡°You¡¯re still here, right?¡± ¡°Of course. Where would I go?¡± ¡°¡­Can you hold my hand for a bit? I¡¯m feeling a little anxious.¡± After looking at her shadowed expression, I nodded my head slightly with a small smile. I didn¡¯t know why she said she got anxious whenever she saw me. Both Adele and Adriana. They always said they were anxious that I would disappear. When I gently grasped her hand after pulling back the nket, Adriana shuddered but clenched my hand. Our fingers intertwined between each other, and I quietly looked at her hand that waspletely held. It seemed like she was telling me not to run away. As if she had foreseen a future where I disappeared somewhere, this attitude of hers was quite difficult to understand. But I didn¡¯t particrly open my mouth. Waiting for her to exin herself, I just held hands with her for a long time like that. The name of a saint seemed to shine in moments like this. Even though she had just woken up, her appearance wasn¡¯t disheveled at all, and her red lips moving against her pure white skin particrly stood out. Hesitating, she had an expression full of things she wanted to say to me. ¡°I will wait until you speak. So you can talk slowly. There¡¯s still plenty of time.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to waste a lot of time. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know how to exin what I saw.¡± I sat next to Adriana and waited for a long time. Sometimes looking at the window, sometimes looking at Adriana¡¯s face. It was true that I was captured by a strange feeling just by being by her side, but nevertheless, I didn¡¯t leave my seat. Wasn¡¯t I her close friend? If she had something to say, I was willing to wait as long as it took. How much more time had passed? The sun that had just risen was rising towards the sky again, and the birds that had been asleep were chirping. A soft voice flowed into my ears. ¡°Were you surprised when I suddenly came to you yesterday?¡± ¡°I was a bit surprised. I didn¡¯t expect you toe.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I came because I had something I wanted to say. I didn¡¯t think about the time.¡± ¡°What did you see? You were crying like that, but there was nothing you had to apologize to me for.¡± At my words, Adriana smiled bitterly for a moment, then exhaled slowly and looked at the void. It seemed like a process of organizing yesterday¡¯s memories. Since she said she didn¡¯t know how to exin it to me, maybe I could hear that story now. ¡°I had a dream.¡± I turned my gaze at the mention of a dream. Adriana¡¯s expression was slightly distorted. As if ming herself for something, it was a face that looked like she would burst into tears at any moment, just like the expression I had once made. ¡°¡­A dream where you died because of me.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t just dying once. Many times. I saw you taking your own life, and sometimes I saw you dying at the hands of a lover you loved. And even when I could have helped you, there were times when I just watched until the end.¡± Those words seemed like they were talking about my past. Each one resembled my deaths, so I thought maybe she had really read the past. ¡°So I wanted to apologize. For not being able to help you, for just watching you die. For ignoring you, even though I was a saint, for acting in a way unbing of a saint. That¡¯s why you died.¡± ¡°I see.¡± But my voice was still indifferent. Even if that dream was about reading my past, I had never thought I died because of Adriana. If I resented anyone, it was myself. I cursed myself for not being able to do better, for not being smarter. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize to me.¡± ¡°¡­Can you say that even though you died because of me?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s just a dream anyway, isn¡¯t it? And even if it were real, I wouldn¡¯t resent you. Because my death would be my own fault.¡± I died because I was weak. I died because I couldn¡¯t see my surroundings. Because I couldn¡¯t protect the person I loved, because I was caught up in my own madness and died. Who would I resent for these dozens of deaths? Killing the Crown Prince was just to mark the end point of this regression, and moreover, I had never once resented Adriana. There was a woman who looked at me in puzzlement. As if she was about to shed tears again, I slowly opened my mouth to the woman who was staring at me quietly. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡± I thought so even if she had seen my past. It was just my fault for approaching too hastily. If I had approached a little more calmly, if I had started from the bottom of the church, the oue would have been different. And if it was a dream, it was even more not her fault. I stroked Adriana¡¯s cheek. Stroking her soft cheek without a single blemish, I reassured her like that. The warmth was still being conveyed from the hand I was holding. It was warm enough to forget about the coldness flowing through the window for a moment. ¡°Aren¡¯t I still here?¡± ¡°¡­If you die, if my dream bes reality. I-¡± ¡°I probably won¡¯t die.¡± I knew that a saint¡¯s dreams were special. Whether it was foresight or reading the past. It was the same as seeing reality, not a dream. That was why she was anxious. Smiling slightly at her kind heart, I opened my mouth like that. ¡°I will live forever ande back to the Moon Tower.¡± To reassure Adriana, I quietly whispered a lie. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 71 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The Moonstone artifact could not be found. Records of artifacts rted to time remain, but even those are only records, and it is uncertain if they actually exist. ¡°¡­I see. That¡¯s because I used it.¡± The reason I requested another investigation about the Moonstone was because of what Adriana had said.Is it possible for someone to find out about my regression? If I knew whether the Moonstone caused regression or something else, I could think in a different direction. I hadn¡¯t pondered much about the regression itself. No one had ever mentioned my previous rounds, and no one had apologized to me like Adriana this time, so I thought it was natural and lived on. Wasn¡¯t there no evidence to make me think this regression could affect others, that only I remembered it? ¡°The possibility that Adriana could see it because it¡¯s her¡­ is worth considering.¡± What Adriana had said was clearly about my memories. The deaths I had experienced, and about my life. How did she know about them in such detail? It could be interpreted as the power of a saint, but a guess arose that this might be rted to the Moonstone. There wasn¡¯t enough time to find out anything right away. There were more than one or two things to do in the south, and there was very little time to worry about the background of my regression. Today was the day to head to the south. It meant that going to the south with Adriana and visiting the Temple of the Moon was the first thing to do. I would have to make time to move independently. I don¡¯t think it will be very difficult. If it¡¯s Verod, he would rather want Adriana and I to be separated and move separately. North, South. The ces I went to achieve my desired goals. In the North, things were resolved quite simply. By prioritizing strength, I made them realize that I wasn¡¯t just at a decent level by killing the leader of the tribes alone. It wasn¡¯t bad that Adele and my rtionship were misunderstood. If they took that as fact, at least there wouldn¡¯t be anyone among her adjutants who thought badly of me. Wasn¡¯t it the same in the past? I could definitely trust that part. During the week I stayed here, I tried to advance my rtionship with the pdins of the Moon Tower, even if only a little. Since there were so many people who thought of me as a ¡°bastard¡± in the first ce, Adriana also realized that my reputation was bad and helped me in various ways. So now I didn¡¯t receive tant res like before. It was because I trained together when the pdins were training, giving them the perception that I wasn¡¯t a fool with no abilities like the rumors said. Compared to the pdins, my body was weak, but my skills could be said to be simr to Verod¡¯s. When asked where I developed these skills¡­ I just answered with a smile. Wouldn¡¯t it be a bit strange to say I learned them while getting hit directly by Verod? Adriana fell asleep in my arms, and like that, another week passed. The gains I obtained during this short period were not few. Just being recognized as Adriana¡¯s friend and guest, not a stranger, was good enough. ¡°It should be about time.¡± Tucking the letter Arwen had sent into my bosom, I slowly emptied the thoughts that had filled my mind. Staring at the ticking clock for a moment, I picked up the luggage I had prepared in advance and moved my steps. Knock knock- As I opened the door where I heard the knocking sound, Adriana was waiting beyond it. My worry that our rtionship might be awkward after that was just my own concern. Rather, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that we had be a little closer, so Adriana, who naturally grabbed my arm, opened her mouth. ¡°Are you all ready?¡± ¡°Yes, but where is Cardinal Verod?¡± ¡°I sent him separately. We¡¯re taking the carriage with just the two of us anyway.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Verod would probably think Adriana would be disappointed by this, but Adriana had quite a lot of expectations about going to the south. Didn¡¯t she say it was the first time she was going this far? Although she had a heavy goal in mind, it was a schedule closer to sightseeing for a few days with the Temple of the Moon as a base. I also decided to take it lightly for now. Unless I encountered Theresa, there wouldn¡¯t be many asions to face each other until we went far from the Temple of the Moon. If she had sensibility, she wouldn¡¯t havee all the way to the Temple of the Moon. If Adriana was also put in danger. She wouldn¡¯t be able to die peacefully then. ¡°Robert?¡± ¡°¡­I forgot something for a moment. It¡¯s fine now.¡± Perhaps wondering why I wasn¡¯t saying anything for a while, Adriana asked while hugging my arm. I had a lot of thoughts about Theresa in many ways. I tried to just leave her alone, but didn¡¯t she directly step forward and create various incidents? It was time to see the end. The rtionship between Theresa and Robert Taylor had to end in the south. After putting Adriana in the carriage, Adriana grabbed my sleeve as I tried to sit across from her. ¡°Sit next to me. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°I think Cardinal Verod won¡¯t be okay with it, but I guess it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Surely he wouldn¡¯t say anything about what the saint had allowed. Iughed as I made eye contact with Verod, who was ying the role of the coachman for this carriage. At first, he was scary, but now he just seemed like an overprotective father who cherished Adriana like his own daughter. Even so, he couldn¡¯t do anything if Adriana got angry, should I say he was like that kind of grandfather? ¡°If Verod gets angry, tell me. You¡¯re my friend.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always grateful for that.¡± ¡°What. It¡¯s just¡­ because I feel sorry.¡± Adriana still felt quite sorry about the ¡®dream¡¯. Even if I said it was okay, she said she wasn¡¯t okay and took care of my convenience. While this was burdensome, in some ways, I thought there was nothing bad about it. Like that, I sat next to Adriana. Entrusting my body to the carriage that was slowly starting to move, I turned my gaze towards the window. ¡°Robert, have you contacted Miragen?¡± It was a momentter that I heard a voice directed at me like that. Laughing at the gesture of pulling my sleeve, I remembered that I hadn¡¯t contacted Miragen even once. I had intended to contact her, but I seemed to have forgotten for a moment because of what happened with Adriana. ¡°I haven¡¯t, but I guess I should.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t done it even once? I thought you would have done it at least once since it¡¯s the room Miragen stayed in.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t because of you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Because I was thinking about you all day. I was worried about you crying in front of me.¡± It was an excuse in its own way for not being able to contact Miragen, but when Adriana heard those words, she let go of the sleeve she was holding and coughed. Seeing her slightly reddened cheeks, I realized I had quite misspoken. They were words that could easily be misunderstood. Especially if it was between a man and a woman. ¡°¡­I, I see.¡± Adriana, whose ears had turned red, leaned against the opposite side of the carriage and quietly stared into the void. That appearance was funny, so Iughed for a moment, but I realized that even if I tried to talk to her, it would only have the opposite effect. It would be better to try contacting Miragen instead. As I took out the artifact and let mana flow through it, a signal sound was heard. Beep- And then again, with a short sound, a voice was heard from the other side. It was quite a blunt voice. As if she was sulking, with a voice that sounded like her lips were sticking out even without seeing, Iughed softly. -What¡¯s wrong? Why did you contact me? ¡°I was curious about what you were doing, so I contacted you.¡± -After forgetting about me for a week, I guess you¡¯re a little curious about what I¡¯m doing now. ¡°I didn¡¯t forget. Since I stayed in the room where Your Highness used to stay, I thought about you sometimes.¡± -¡­Oh, I guess you stayed in the Moon Tower? When I affirmed, Miragen was a little surprised that the other pdins had allowed it. The Moon Tower was called a forbidden area for men probably because their role was effective. If even Miragen reacted like this, just the fact that I entered it meant Adriana had shown me a lot of convenience. ¡°I received help from Adriana. We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we?¡± -Friends, I think it¡¯s a good excuse. I¡¯m curious about how you managed to trick the innocent Adriana, but I¡¯m busy right now, so I can¡¯t talk for long. ¡°I guess things are going well in the northwest?¡± By now, the Terranite mine should have exploded and there would still be leftovers. When I asked, Miragen was silent for a moment and then sighed. -Sometimes I think Lord Taylor has a bit of a strange side. How did you know when I didn¡¯t even say it? ¡°I just guessed. Because that¡¯s the only reason why Your Highness would be busy.¡± -The Terranite mine exploded properly. I want to say it¡¯s thanks to you, but¡­ strangely, when I think of the northwest, I feel bad. I just feel sorry. Your wounds have all healed, right? Her voice was a bit darkened, so I smiled brightly on purpose and answered. If it was about my wounds, it was fine to say my body condition was much better than before. Perhaps because Adriana had flowed holy power through it, my body had been strengthenedpared to before. Miragen opened her mouth as if she was relieved by my answer that I was fine. -I hope you don¡¯t overdo it like that next time. No matter how much danger I¡¯m in, you disregard your own life too much. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± -It¡¯s not about being careful, I heard you¡¯re going to the south this time too. I don¡¯t usually say this, but please, if you think of me even a little. Miragen hesitated for a moment, then whispered softly. What was contained in her voice was a faint tremble. Worry,passion, and sympathy for me spread gently. Unlike usual, it was quite a soft voice, so I just listened to her voice silently. -Come back safely. Answer that you understand. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± -Even if you say that, I can¡¯t believe you. Let me hear Adriana¡¯s voice next time you contact me. I guess she¡¯s not with you right now? ¡°She is with me, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯s in a state to talk.¡± -Is she sulking or something? Okay. Then contact meter, I¡¯m quite busy. Take care! Looking at Adriana, who was still staring into the void, I answered okay to Miragen, who was particrly emphasizing that she had be busy. I didn¡¯t know if I could keep the promise about not getting hurt this time. It would be nice if I could keep it, but the south wasn¡¯t such a generousnd. With a thud, I quietly looked at the artifact where contact was cut off. I thought it wouldn¡¯t be bad to contact her from time to time. Wasn¡¯t she a woman whose voice made me feel better just by hearing it when my thoughts becameplicated? My thoughts that had beplicated by my regression and the Moonstone had already disappeared. Putting the artifact in my bosom, I slowly approached Adriana, whose condition had be quite good now. ¡°Ro, Robert? Are you done with themunication?¡± ¡°Yes, it ended a while ago. But why are you so surprised? I just got closer.¡± ¡°Your arm touched me¡­¡± Didn¡¯t you hold my hand well, saying you were anxious? Seeing this reaction made me unknowinglyugh. Although going to the south had aplicated meaning for me, at least in this moment, I could forget all those thoughts. Adele, Adriana, and Miragen. In this life, I could say they were all such existences to me. Leaving behind Adriana¡¯s face that had turned red again, we quietly looked out the window like that, leaning against each other. The scenery changed rapidly, powered by the speed of the horse. As we got closer to the south, the lush forests and trees grew, and the sun was obscured by the trees stretching toward the sky, casting shadows. The sunlight was faintly hitting and shattering on each branch, darkness descended, and I realized that the south was approaching in that darkness. The dimly spread forest shadows devoured the road, and only the carriage¡¯sntern revealed the path beyond. This eerie atmosphere must be the warning the south was sending us. Dark and murky. Chaotic and violent, wasn¡¯t thisnd where the dragons once lived, trying to steal the sun? Clop clop- Only the noisily sounding horse hooves cut through this silence. Like that, we were moving forward. Towards where this forest shadow was getting deeper. To be precise, towards the south. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 72 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The four seasons were a term that applied no matter which region you went to, but it was different in the south. Thend without winter, where green foliage flourished all year round, the word winter didn¡¯t exist here. Unlike the central region or the north, the scenery of the south that maintained the appearance of summer as it was could be said to be like magic. ¡°If we¡¯re talking about the continent, this ce should also be considered central. The wind is so warm.¡±¡°It¡¯s because mana overflows in many ways. Isn¡¯t this where the Four Dragons died?¡± To be precise, it was sealed, but the fact that it was and where a ¡®dragon¡¯ slept had many meanings in itself. Even if that existence was brutal and evil, in the end, wasn¡¯t it an existence with iparable vitality? Such an existence was sleeping under here. The overflowing vitality seeped into the earth, and what we faced was ultimately the meaning of this south. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know much about the Four Dragons. It¡¯s a kind of taboo word.¡± Adriana quietly answered after checking if there were any other pdins around. The reason the Lunar Church rejected the Four Dragons was simple. They tried to take away the moon they served, so would they like such a dragon? The reason they didn¡¯t properly manage the relics in the south was also the same. They were reluctant just because the Four Dragons were involved. The Lunar Church¡¯s hatred for the Four Dragons, in a way, wasn¡¯t it even greater than the imperial family¡¯s? However, the current imperial family was more dangerous than the Lunar Church. Because of the Crown Prince who was trying to use the Four Dragons in earnest, but what I, who came to give him the relics, had to say¡­ I don¡¯t think so. ¡°The Temple of the Moon can be said to be thergest temple in the south. In a way, it could be seen as the form before the cathedral in Aden, right?¡± ¡°Since this ce used to be the capital of the empire in the past, it¡¯s probably correct to see it that way.¡± ¡°I feel a sense of familiarity. It¡¯s like I¡¯ve visited here before.¡± It was probably because her origin was in the moon. This Temple of the Moon was known as a ce where relics were sleeping, and it was also the ce that was closest to the moon, like the Moon Tower. If wepared it to the Moon Tower, wouldn¡¯t there be not much difference? As the ttering sound stopped, Adriana, who realized we had arrived, nced at me. For about a week from now, I had to stay alone with Adriana. It would take quite a long time for the other pdins to all arrive, and Verod and the other priests were very busy trying to make this area a base. Adriana was a saint, and I was a very free nobleman whose skills were recognized by the pdins. Moreover, I also had the status of being the saint¡¯s friend, so in this situation, the only ones who could be free were the two of us. ¡°¡­You two were sitting together.¡± ¡°Yes, I asked him to sit next to me.¡± Although Verod¡¯s brow furrowed grotesquely as he opened the carriage door, when Adriana said that, he could only groan without saying anything. From Adriana¡¯s perspective, it might not be a big deal, but how would Verod¡¯s heart feel seeing that? While feeling sorry for understanding his heart, thinking about what I had experienced, it was also a bit exhrating. If Adriana said this, he wouldn¡¯t have much to say either. Since he had an expression of feeling betrayed in many ways, I didn¡¯t forget to watch Verod¡¯s reaction while holding Adriana¡¯s hand to help her get down. Let¡¯s not forget that we also need to gain the support of the pdins. If possible, it would be better to get the help of the entire churchter. The decision to go to the north and south was made with the intention of directly challenging Yuria based on their support, but there was a high possibility that the n wouldn¡¯t go as I thought. Yuria¡¯s rampage was far beyond the expected range. Where would the woman consumed by her own madness point her de? Even if they were family, it would be impossible to stop Yuria now. Although I induced it, I was keeping an eye on her rather rough movements. The roles of Renold and Arwen were important. If they couldn¡¯t fulfill their roles, I could lose the most important legitimacy when I obtained the position of family head. The support of the church was even more important after I became the family head. Especially after killing the Crown Prince. Isn¡¯t whates after killing the Crown Prince the most important? As Verod drove the carriage away again, Adriana, who had grabbed my arm, hastened her steps. Perhaps she had high expectations for this area in her own way, as sheughed softly and nodded her head in a bright voice unlike usual. ¡°Shall we go for now? We still have a lot of time.¡± Although we had reached the south, I thought it would be fine to give it a day or so of leeway. Because after this night passed, from then on, I would have to spend my time quite busily in my own way. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The Temple of the Moon. In a way, it was a name that could easily give the impression that it didn¡¯t quite match the religious tone of the Lunar Church. Temples tended to give a sense of antiquity, as they usually were. Of course, it was a temple that had existed since ancient times, but the inside was even more splendid than a cathedral. ¡°Wow¡­¡± That splendor couldn¡¯t be seen with the eyes. If one could read the atmosphere, they could immediately realize, and Adriana¡¯s shoulders trembled at the holy power that filled the inside. Intoxicated with ecstasy and eximing in admiration, she carefully removed her hand from my arm and reached out towards the surroundings. Whoosh- A brilliant halo moved together whenever Adriana moved. Apletely different sight from when other pdins or priests moved, the inside of this temple was imbued with the mana of the moon. If wepared it to holy power, there would be some differences, but its essence was the same as the power bestowed directly by God. Was that why the light that moved ording to Adriana¡¯smand slowly seeped into me, following her fingers? As the gentle energy touched my heart, my chest, which had always felt stuffy, becamefortable for a moment. Rather than any change in the body, the main effect seemed to be mental healing. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s my first time doing this too, so what should I say? It¡¯s like¡­ it¡¯s telling me that I can handle holy power in this way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a kind of enlightenment.¡± Just as one gains enlightenment when wielding a sword or mana, the saint must also have her own realm. It was said that the saint who existed in ancient times turned day into night with her power alone, so if she progressed further, I might be able to see such a sight with my own eyes. ¡°Can you hold me for a moment? I feel a bit dizzy.¡± As I held Adriana¡¯s staggering body, she smiled brightly despite sweating from the difficulty. She seemed to like the fact that she had achieved such results. When I asked if she was okay, Adriana nodded and got up again. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to feel this as soon as I arrived at the temple. Somehow it feels good, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Because you are the saint. Perhaps you will gain many things in the south.¡± ¡°That would be fortunate, but rather than gaining something for myself, I hope I can help others. I hope there are people we can save this time too.¡± ¡°The best thing would be if there weren¡¯t such people.¡± The troublesome issue in the south was the people being sacrificed like the children we sawst time. The purpose of the church deciding to go to the south was to manage and protect such people. Helping them wasn¡¯t something Adriana and I could do alone. Wouldn¡¯t we be able to achieve the desired results only if the pdins and priests actively helped? Fortunately, the scene Adriana showed earlier seemed to have left quite an impression, as the expressions of the priests organizing the surroundings were filled with a sense of mission. We could tour the inside of the templeter. Even if we wanted to help those who were organizing, if Adriana helped, it would rather be burdensome. I lightly grabbed Adriana¡¯s arm and whispered softly. ¡°I think it would be better toe to the templeter. I won¡¯t stop you if you want to help.¡± ¡°¡­Hehe. It would be better to go out, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Adriana, who pondered for a moment at my words, nced at me and smiled brightly. It was a smile befitting her. Since she came out after a long time, it would be better to look around rather than helping. As I also thought that would be better, we left the temple with slightly quick steps. ¡°So where are we going now? I don¡¯t know anything about this area.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t know at all. If it¡¯s around the Temple of the Moon, I¡¯ve seen to some extent what¡¯s here.¡± Not every ce in the south is dangerous. Although there is a strong perception that it is a remote and rugged area, at least around the Temple of the Moon, it was definitely included in the empire¡¯s rule. If it weren¡¯t, it would have been destroyed by different races long ago. For that reason, there wasn¡¯t much difference between this area and the capital. Different races lived together, and it could be seen as a city where different races and humans mingled. There were also downtown areas, and it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say it was a city where different races and humans harmonized. As we walked through a small forest path and moved forward, Adriana let out a small exmation at the sight unfolding beyond it. Even without seeing, there was something that could be felt. This tingling sensation that reached the ears and skin. There were different races who were born with the spirit of the forest or lived eternally with this overflowing vitality. ¡°I think there are elves!¡± Adriana whispered softly, knowing that their pointed ears had much better hearing than humans. Actually, it wasn¡¯t very surprising for me, who could see the surroundings with my eyes. There were dozens of different races that existed around here. Not only elves but also nymphs, orcs, goblins, and centaurs existed. ¡°This is that kind of ce. Unlike the central region or the north, it can be said to be quite a free city.¡± Although they were simply known as brutal races, there were also those among them who sought harmony with humans. The ce where the different races who epted the end of the era of the Four Dragons and epted human rule stayed was around here. Hearing my words, Adriana clung even more tightly to my arm and carefully examined the surroundings. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to exin this, but it¡¯s rougher and¡­ more violent than I thought.¡± ¡°It will be different from the capital.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no exaggeration to say it¡¯s nature itself. It¡¯s so much purer that I feel like I¡¯m nothing.¡± The clothes she wore were so unique that some people whistled from time to time, seeing Adriana tightly clinging to my arm. It probably didn¡¯t look like an ordinary rtionship. If there was a woman whopletely clung to a man¡¯s arm and walked around, unless it was extreme, I think they would see it as a couple. Adriana also seemed to have noticed it to some extent, as her cheeks reddened, but still, she didn¡¯t leave my side. She also seemed a bit anxious. I didn¡¯t think it was because she was worried that I¡¯d disappear like before, but because of the different races that filled the surroundings. The inner selves of different races were clearly different from humans, so for Adriana, it could be said to be truly a glimpse into a new world. ¡°Sha, shall we walk a little slower?¡± ¡°Will you be alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine now. I was a bit startled earlier, but now I¡¯vepletely grasped it.¡± The holy power that enveloped her red up for a moment and began to disappear on its own. With a much morefortable expression, the strength of her hand that had been holding my arm loosened a little. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. For holding on to you all this time.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to mind it. I didn¡¯t mind you holding on like that.¡± ¡°¡­Really, don¡¯t say such things.¡± Laughing at the yful words I uttered, Adriana tapped my chest. As I turned my gaze slightly, my head abruptly stopped. There was a chilling energy running down my spine. To the extent that the warmth I felt from Adriana was momentarily forgotten, all my senses were on edge, pouring towards a single woman my gaze had reached. It was a woman wearing a robe. As if she hadn¡¯t seen me, she was just moving forward with some giants. Although her face was covered so I couldn¡¯t see it fully, my eyes gradually narrowed upon seeing the earrings on her ears. They were familiar earrings. As far as I knew, they were earrings that only one woman in this world wore. ¡°Robert?¡± ¡°Just a moment. Could you wait for a moment?¡± Ignoring the voice calling me worriedly, I watched the woman blending into the crowd. I couldn¡¯t chase after her. Since Adriana was beside me, if I chased after her with Adriana, it could rather invite danger. However, the thought of the woman I had just seen didn¡¯t disappear. She knew I was here and came. I was prepared and had already envisioned the end in my mind. Nevertheless, I didn¡¯t expect to encounter her so quickly. Theresa, my expression gradually turned cold as I muttered that name softly. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 73 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó I didn¡¯t want to ce great significance on revenge. It wasn¡¯t to vent what I had suffered, but I simply wanted to put an end to this rtionship. So I had let her live. Although I was betrayed many times, I didn¡¯t really want Theresa to die.Because she was someone I sincerely loved at one point, when she first approached me. Because I epted it as salvation. I had just tried to end it by excluding her from my life. But looking back now, doesn¡¯t it seem like a poor excuse? The room next to Adriana¡¯s room. The sight of myself nkly staring at the desk without doing anything was simply pathetic. I met Theresa. To be precise, I had discovered her unterally from my side, but it was true that I had confirmed Theresa¡¯s presence in the south. ¡­I had already prepared to meet her. But what I was thinking about now were the memories of Theresa. When I first met her, when I met her for the second time. The fact that the end point with that woman, who had always been my fianc¨¦e without leaving my life, was not far away evoked various strange emotions in me. ¡°Salvation.¡± If I were to remember when I first met her, couldn¡¯t I say that? It was simr when I met her again. She was the woman who first approached me warmly when I was hated by everyone. I thought that way without knowing it was a mask. If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have been hurt. My pouring sighs scattered in the wind. Theresa was different from Miragen or Adele. Her first impression was good, but as time passed, that emotion became twisted. Now I think it was a rtionship that didn¡¯t hold any meaning to me. She was just a woman who reminded me of my foolish past. My past where I tried to embrace everyone and move forward, where I tried to walk a path with no glimpse of hope. -Why are you crying here? What¡¯s your name? The lingering attachment I thought I had abandoned at some point bloomed again. As I always say, this regression makes a person unable to look only at reality. No matter what I see, the past is connected, and no matter what I do, memoriese to mind. Whatever action I took, it was no different from repeating what I had already done once. Living in memories. Living in the afterglow created by memories. I didn¡¯t know if there was anyone else besides me who repeated regression, but that life was simply terrible. Unable to see only reality, what could be more cruel than this? When I was with Adriana, I forgot about such things for a while, but not anymore. The moment I came to the south, I had no choice but to face the past. Now that I had seen Theresa, I could do nothing but put an end to this rtionship. -Call me Theresa. I¡¯ve heard a lot of rumors, can I call you Robert? I shook my head at the rushing memories. The memory of when I first met Theresa was already quite embellished. It was when I didn¡¯t even know about the existence of the Moonstone, so didn¡¯t I live for a while thinking it was the salvation that hade to me? Getting up from the desk, I approached the window. Along with the Moon Tower, this was the ce where the moon could be seen from the closest. It was not a tall tower, but a ce where the strangely tilted moon was close to the ground. The tree branches stretching towards the sky were intertwined like a, and the moon was barely hanging on that green curtain. Cold. As if it might shatter at any moment, the precariously frozen moon was carefully emitting its light. Is it an exaggeration to think that the moon and I are simr? In the midst of these repeated deaths, I thought that the one who might break soon could be me. If I couldn¡¯t endure a little longer, I might end this life without even knowing it. Holding my trembling hand with my other hand, I looked at the pale moon like that. I saw the cold moon. I saw the chilly moonlight, enough to shatter like this and dye the sky in darkness. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Revenge is a sticky emotion. No matter how many times it¡¯s repeated, the name of revenge cannot be justified as something good. The goddess is a viin. Never good, wasn¡¯t she born with the name of a viiness from the beginning? ¡°¡­Haha.¡± Theresa¡¯s lips twisted. The Violet family had long since copsed. Even that barely survived, and everything had already shattered the moment her brother died. Theresa, who wiped her cheek, muttered softly. ¡°Robert.¡± From the beginning, he was a man who she approached to use the Taylor family. Without a bit of emotion for that man, she only wanted to revive the Violet family by using his family¡¯s wealth and name. In the process, she didn¡¯t expect him to sincerely fall in love with her, but now she thought that feeling might also be a lie. If he had truly loved her, would he have brought up the dissolution of their engagement first? From the beginning, he knew everything. The reason she was trying to approach, and everything she did afterwards, he had only acquiesced to destroy the Violet family. Isn¡¯t it the Taylors? A ce where only psychopaths who would do anything for their family gather, so she shouldn¡¯t have let her guard down with someone who was called naive there. It was her own fault. If she hadn¡¯t approached, if she hadn¡¯t thought of using the Taylor name in the first ce. If she hadn¡¯t, everyone wouldn¡¯t have died like they did now. She killed the butler who had been serving her since childhood. She killed her parents who doubted her, and when she barely escaped from that madness, everything had already copsed. The world turned upside down, when she saw the crumbling cracks, if there was one thing she finally realized¡­ it would be the name Robert Taylor. Why did she think it was his fault? Actually, it was all his actions. It wasn¡¯t her who killed the butler. What was the butler¡¯s name? She couldn¡¯t even remember now. Maybe it was Robert¡¯s doing. Ahaha. ¡­That¡¯s right. It wasn¡¯t her fault. If anyone was at fault, it would be Robert Taylor. Why was she thinking it was her fault again? Because everyone was watching her, didn¡¯t she make her own decision? Thwack, Theresa hit her head that had been momentarily possessed by madness. Her disheveled hair was stained with blood, but it wasn¡¯t her own blood. The blood of those who were sacrificed, she was trying to gain power through those sacrifices. She needed a lot of people anyway. She cried a lot when she sacrificed her mother and father. They loved her so much, but how did they get fooled by Robert and try to kill their own daughter? The voice that denied it, saying what kind of nonsense that was, was kind. Theresa hated liars. Robert, who whispered that he had done nothing, was the liar she hated and feared the most. St. St. Lightly stepping on the puddle made of blood, she climbed the mountain of corpses. Her feet slipped and sank, and even when she stepped on someone¡¯s intestines and cut them, she didn¡¯t care anymore. All of this was for revenge. ¡°Lady Theresa, have youe to perform the ritual again today?¡± As she turned her head at the sudden voice, she saw a masked man bowing his head to her. Was his name Cain? He was the first one to approach her, introducing himself as a magician. Saying he knew her circumstances, he asked if she would attempt revenge. Of course she was suspicious, but that suspicion had to be dispelled surprisingly easily. He even gave her information that the princess was in the northwest, so would someone like that really harm her? Princess Miragen was indeed in the northwest. Thanks to Robert personally going to rescue her, she could quickly let him know that she was still alive. She spread her name to the tribes and scattered patterns containing her mark here and there. If he didn¡¯te to the south even after seeing that, he would probably be a fool or an idiot. But she thought Robert woulde. He had prepared everything to bring her down, so wouldn¡¯t hee all the way to the south to finally destroy Theresa Violet? ¡°Robert has arrived in the south. We will probably encounter him soon.¡± ¡°He came faster than I thought. I thought he woulde a bitter.¡± ¡°I heard he¡¯s with the church, but it would be dangerous to target the saint anyway.¡± Targeting the saint was almost impossible. How could they kill Cardinal Verod? Temuzin, the previous leader of the tribes, was also strong, but Verod was on a different level. He was someone who could single-handedly exert the power of dozens of knights. So she gave up on the saint and nned to only lure in Robert. ¡°Let¡¯s perform the ritual first. How much time did you say was left?¡± ¡°Three days will be enough. Besides that, we have our own troops, so wouldn¡¯t it be more than enough to subdue just Robert Taylor?¡± ¡°¡­I always wonder, but I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re helping me like this.¡± ¡°Everything is for the sun. Because the moon is too feeble an existence.¡± The masked man had the pattern of the sun engraved on him. Theresa, whoughed at the mention of the sun in this country that worshipped the moon, sat on top of the mountain of corpses like that. Now such things didn¡¯t matter at all. If it was for her revenge, for the sake of taking revenge on Robert Taylor who had destroyed her everything. Even if it was the Four Dragons, she would hold hands with them. As the flowing human blood soaked her body, Theresa¡¯s waist bent at the power flowing in through that blood. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Blood spewed from her mouth, and her eyes rolled back white, relishing the pain. Her mind still hadn¡¯t broken. This ritual was a process of breaking free from the human body and gaining new power. A piece of the power that the goddess of the moon once feared, Cain, who was watching Theresa embrace it, smiled slightly. ¡°It¡¯s going very well. Very smoothly, everything will go well.¡± Theresaughed softly at that voice. Even on a face distorted by pain, the smile that bloomed with difficulty made the viewer¡¯s body shudder. From the blood-stained face, a purple darkness seeped out. The pale and bony body twisted even more, and the disheveled hair fell out and dropped downwards. By the time this ritual was over, the ¡®woman¡¯ named Theresa would probably no longer exist in this world. Theresa herself wished for it, she only wanted to take revenge on Robert. A small flower bloomed on top of the mountain of corpses. It was such a small flower that no one noticed, so none of those watching the ritual noticed its existence. The flower, blown away by the wind and falling, scattered its petals one by one like that. Purple petals, sometimes white, sometimes yellow petals, flew in the air like that and fell into the pool of blood, turning red. Soaked. Disappeared. The existence of a flower that no longer remembered its own light disappeared so futilely like that. Even the woman who was once pure in her purpose was disappearing like that. Violet, the name symbolized the violet flower. The violet flower that no one could remember anymore disappeared like that. Even thest petal, futilely. Like that, it withered. When Theresa raised her head, what she saw was the moon visible above the wide open ceiling. An unusually chilly full moon was shining down on her. As if blessing her rebirth, that light felt rather refreshing. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 74 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó When I first heard the name Moonstone, there was a strange sensation I felt. Should I say it felt like something that existed at one point but hadpletely disappeared at some point? What I felt when I tried to read the memories rted to it was a sense of incongruity, even after repeated thoughts, it was strange that the memory waspletely empty as if it never existed at all. ¡°¡­It existed, but it doesn¡¯t exist.¡±The peculiarity possessed by artifacts, that was the problem I couldn¡¯t reach even after researching for over a decade. What characteristics did the artifacts created by the goddess of the moon and the Four Dragons have? The Moonstone that Robert Taylor had described was about ¡®regression¡¯. Turning back time and living while endlessly repeating a certain point. Even though I didn¡¯t know why he asked about such a terrible punishment, it was true that I had a strange feeling about the name Moonstone. The same feeling as what I had just muttered. It definitely existed in this world, but at some point, its existence hadpletely disappeared. [If that Moonstone really exists, what I¡¯m most curious about is its effect on the surroundings. Whether the people around can recall memories of the regression¡­¡­] Artifacts cannot simply affect only individuals. How could something with the power to reverse time and stop space only affect one person? Moreover, regression means turning back the time of not just one person, but everyone. If my prediction is correct. Arwen, who picked up a pen, began to write down the contents she had calcted herself on paper. Her hypothesis about regression had been somewhat established. It must have been because Robert Taylor brought up the story of the Moonstone that it gained substance. ¡°Resonance.¡± A phenomenon that urs when the power of an artifact can no longer endure after its effect has been manifested for a certain period of time, causing it to copse. I had already seen it a few times through other artifacts, so if regression through the Moonstone was possible, that artifact would also experience this effect. The stopped time could not stay in that ce forever. Since the nature of time is to flow originally, it is its essence to eventually move from its ce and try to return. Arwen, who tapped her temple, narrowed her eyes. If Robert Taylor had really repeated regression through something called the Moonstone. If it wasn¡¯t the first time, but he had already repeated it many times¡­ ¡°They would probably be able to recall it.¡± People other than Robert would slowly begin to recall those memories. Memories were like colors that gradually seeped in. Like slowly dyeing a white canvas, the memories that emerged were far froming all at once. They would probably return slowly. The memories would return so naturally that the person wouldn¡¯t even notice, and at some point, they would realize they had regained all their memories. ¡°¡­If regression is repeated, how many times will the memories return?¡± The form drawn in the air moved with mana, and a white line was drawn on the glowing pentagram. When the hand of Arwen, a woman who wouldn¡¯t be strange to be called the ¡®pinnacle¡¯ in the study of magic, stopped in the air. Her eyes were just narrowly open. To be precise, it was because she couldn¡¯t believe her own calctions. Because she didn¡¯t want to believe it. ¡°101 times.¡± Can a person endure 100 deaths? Even if they endured it, their mental state wouldn¡¯t be sound. It was just an inference. Based on the fact that he asked her about regression and the Moonstone artifact, she had only estimated the number by making her own hypothesis. But if this number was close to the truth. Arwen, who smiled bitterly for a moment, stared at the void. The Robert Taylor she met didn¡¯t show any signs of wavering. That was the problem. It meant that the inner self of a person who looked fine on the outside had already reached a state where it wouldn¡¯t be strange for it to copse. It seemed that a bit more investigation was needed regarding the Moonstone. If a little more time passed, even Robert¡¯s mere approach could revive past memories. If such a thing happened, at least it wouldn¡¯t matter if a few people in the empire broke down. The door of the general store run by her closed, and a bluish light began to swirl in the curtained space. A space filled with mana, it seemed that this general store wouldn¡¯t reopen for a few months anyway. For the time being, it would be better to live as the magician ¡®Arwen¡¯. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Although I saw Theresa, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll go find her first. There¡¯s no reason to move unless she sends some signal, and I came with Adriana at her request anyway. It was true that I had somehow be her guard. The reason Verod had tacitly allowed this role without saying anything was because my skills were decent. But if I left alone and disappeared somewhere, even those who thought well of me would be puzzled. If I met Theresa, there was no way I would return unscathed. I thought I might die or get severely injured. I wasn¡¯t afraid of dying. But what I was thinking about was after killing Theresa. I didn¡¯t know what emotions I would feel. When I try to kill Theresa, if she regrets the things she had repeatedly done herself, would I feel a little relieved? Even if that¡¯s the case, I think the emotions I would feel would be far from exhration or relief. It would beplicated. Enough that it wouldn¡¯t be strange if my head exploded right away. I sweated enough to soak my head and wiped the sweat with a towel. I had been in this state ever since I saw Theresa. I would swing my sword until I copsed from exhaustion, and when I was about to copse, I would finally lie on the ground and quietly look at the sky. This made me feel a little better. Not being able to do anything rather helped empty myplicated mind. After lying like that and looking at the sky for a long time, I suddenly raised my head at the sound of footsteps approaching. Under the dark sky, the brightly shining white light made me realize who it was right away. ¡°You were here. I heard a sound and came.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it dangerous? Don¡¯te alone next time, bring pdins with you.¡± ¡°The pdins are always secretly hiding behind me. I know everything.¡± I had long known that Adriana had been watching me for a while. To be precise, she had been constantly watching me since I saw Theresa and returned. Was my dark expression that obvious? Since what she saw was my inner self, it could be that I couldn¡¯t hide it even if I wanted to. As I got up from lying down, I tapped the spot next to me. I had already used mana to blow away the sweat I had shed. Normally, I would just let it flow, but it wasn¡¯t polite to do that next to Adriana. Adriana, who carefully sat down following the sound I made, soon realized she was right next to me and flinched her shoulders. ¡°Is it because I¡¯m too close?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s just that you seem to be having a hard time these days.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think I was showing it that much.¡± ¡°The world I see is a little different from what Robert sees. When we went out togetherst time, did something trouble you?¡± Iughed softly at that cautious question. It sounded like she was ming herself. From her perspective, since I had changed after going out with her, she must think there was a problem. It wasn¡¯t Adriana¡¯s fault. If I had to say, it was my fault for not being able to judge coldly. ¡°You don¡¯t need to me yourself. This is my personal problem.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°It will probably be resolved soon. So you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± If I kill Theresa with my own hands, I think this worry itself will be resolved. There was no need for Adriana to be concerned. This was the first time I had a connection with her, and it was too trivial a matter for her, who had done nothing wrong to me, to worry about. But Adriana quietly looked at me. Her slightly tightly closed mouth seemed to deny what I had said. The voice that came from her mouth that eventually opened was a bit loud. As if she was angry, a blunt voice unlike her usual self was heard. ¡°Even if it¡¯s a decision made by you, I don¡¯t think everything is right.¡± ¡°What-¡± ¡°Even if you try to take on everything alone, it can¡¯t always go in a good direction. You already know that, don¡¯t you? That not everything is achieved by not telling anyone and moving forward alone.¡± That voice was quite resolute, so I was momentarily taken aback by her unusual attitude. My lips, which were trying to answer something, didn¡¯t open as I thought. Because her words seemed to pierce right through my feelings. As if she knew everything and was pointing out me trying to do everything alone. ¡°Sometimes, really sometimes. I think it¡¯s okay to be honest and let it out. Even if it¡¯s such an absurd thing that others can¡¯t believe, wouldn¡¯t there be at least one person who would believe it?¡± It was a fundamental statement. Anyone can say it, but the first person to say this obvious thing to me was Adriana. I felt a strange surge of emotion. Looking at the woman who was the first to say these obvious words to me, I slowly wiped my face. My regression was too absurd. If one person was repeating the same time forever, moreover, who would believe that they repeated death just to gain the trust of those around them? But now I just wanted to put an end to this regression. Although I had the purpose of killing the Crown Prince, I had no regrets even if I died in the process. Rather, if death approached, I would just smile. Hoping that this would be myst death, I might smile at the rest that had finallye. In the past, I might have told Adriana about my regression after hearing these words. But not anymore. Because I wished for death, I didn¡¯t want anyone to have such lingering feelings. I smiled bitterly for a moment. The moon in the sky was always pale, so I quietly looked at it and slowly opened my mouth. ¡°There¡¯s not much to talk about. I¡¯ll bepletely honest with you, but it¡¯s not that big of a concern.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course. Why would I lie? I said we were friends before, so I hope I wasn¡¯t the only one thinking that.¡± ¡°N-no, that¡¯s not it.¡± It was a lie. Beingpletely honest was always a lie, as usual. It wasn¡¯t good to lie to someone. Even while smiling like this, I couldn¡¯t smilefortably, it was like wearing a mask. ¡°¡­Well, I think it¡¯s no big deal now. I think it¡¯s a concern I can just let out now.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s a relief.¡± It became heavier with each word I uttered. The shackles binding me would torment me until I died. The closer I got to someone, the more I moved towards my own death. These shackles ced on me would gradually add to their weight. But that was the path I had chosen. Even if the truth about this was revealed and I was hated, even if the person who had a connection with me turned their back on me. It meant I could endure it because I had chosen it. I stared at Adriana¡¯s face for a moment. Her face that had never frowned was always wearing a gentle smile. ¡°I believe in you. You¡¯re a good person.¡± ¡°Did you see my inner self?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. No matter how empty it is, I¡¯m a saint. I can know such things as much as I want.¡± When Iughed at Adriana¡¯s words, Adriana, whoughed along with me, stifled herughter with a chuckle. I wanted to correct that one thing she said about me being a good person. I looked at Adriana again. When she knew everything about what kind of person I was, thinking about how that smile would change, I felt a stinging pain in my chest for no reason. Very rarely, I sometimes thought it would have been better if I hadn¡¯t met Adriana at all. If that smile turned into contempt, if the voice that had softly whispered to me turned cold. I didn¡¯t have much confidence to endure it then. ¡°If. Really if.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If one day I suddenly disappear, even if I suddenly disappear without a word.¡± The day I would face Theresa was not far away. I didn¡¯t think the possibility of me dying there was very high, but my death was definitely a predetermined future. If that day came, I still only hoped that Adriana would smile softly at me. Without regret, without lingering feelings. I wanted her to forget me like that. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t hate me too much.¡± Adriana was puzzled by those words, but I didn¡¯t say anything more. I just nkly stared at the sky for a long time until the moon was hidden by the clouds again. The flowing wind was telling me that time was approaching me. It was telling me that the time for me to pluck the violet flower myself would soone when the violet flowers wither. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 75 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó As always, there were times when I became very depressed. I think when I was with Adriana was such a period for me. Should I say I was carried away by the mood, even though I shouldn¡¯t have said it? Sometimes I did want to tell someone everything about my regression, but maybe it was because such times ovepped¡­ I thought my heart had weakened.After sleeping for a night, those depressed feelings had all disappeared. I also knew well that it wasn¡¯t good to be caught up in such emotions, and if I thought about it a little more¡­ It was indeed thanks to Adriana. Miragen, Adele, and Adriana. The women I reconnected with in this life always gave me mental stability. The problem would be that all three were women. If someone saw us, they might misunderstand the rtionship between me and them. ¡­Well, it wouldn¡¯t be right to say I had no feelings at all. Smack, I tapped my cheek once and got up from the bed. Seeing that I was having such stray thoughts, it seemed my physical condition had improved quite a bit. Until yesterday, I felt like I would die several times, so if Adriana hadn¡¯t hugged me, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to endure it. If I were to pick the best choice in this life, it would indeed be meeting Adriana. It was the same foring to the south. If it weren¡¯t for Adriana, I wouldn¡¯t have been able toe so easily. Thinking about it, I seemed to be strangely drawn to her, but anyway, it meant she was no longer an ordinary existence to me. Thump thump. Laughing softly at the sound of footstepsing from the other side, I boiled tea for the guest who would probablye soon. Today, I felt quite refreshed. I was always in this state after escaping from a bout of depression. It was better to enjoy this current feeling. Because after this sun that was up now set, I would probably face terrible sights. ¡°Robert, are you there?¡± Knock knock= As I grasped the doorknob at the voice knocking on the door in a bit of a hurry, with a creaking sound, Adriana¡¯s body came forward. Since it was clear with what intention she hade to see me, I just quietly looked at Adriana while holding a teacup. What should I say first? After pondering for a moment, I opened my mouth like that. ¡°Good morning?¡± ¡°¡­How brazen of you to say that after what you said yesterday. Do you know how worried I was? You said not to hate you even if you disappear. Don¡¯t say such things even as a joke.¡± ¡°I understand. By the way, you seem quite angry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry. Just. Just¡­ I was just a little worried.¡± It was quite different from the feeling I had when I saw Adele. If I were to call this cute, that would be the right expression in its own way. Without realizing it, I tried to stroke her head, but I abruptly stopped and handed her a teacup. Adriana, who received the teacup from me, sighed deeply like that. It seemed she had thought a lot during the night. I felt sorry that it was because of me, but I had said it without much thought. ¡°But you look like you¡¯re in a good mood today?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing bad. I let out all the bad feelings, thanks to you.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s a relief.¡± The depression I asionally experienced didn¡¯te after informing me when it woulde. It just came without warning and stained my thoughts. Even so, once I let it out like this, wouldn¡¯t I be fine for a while? This time, the difficulty was probably because I saw Theresa. It might be a little harder after I kill Theresa, but that was forter. Right now, I want to enjoy my current leisure. This moment of facing each other with just a table between us was the time I could say was the happiest for me. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°You have a bit of leeway today.¡± ng ng- Verod, who lightly deflected my sword, said. I agreed with the statement that I had leeway. Actually, it wasn¡¯t very easy for me to show my skills as I had been mentally struggling for the past few days. Now that mental burden was gone, it was probably the right state to bring out my maximum potential. Regaining a realm I had once reached was not a difficult task. Since it was a path I had already taken, it wasn¡¯t for nothing that I set the deadline for my full recovery at 2 years. At this rate, I would soon reach a useful level. Of course, a useful level meant a level where I could sufficiently endure even against Verod. ¡°Having leeway doesn¡¯t mean you can win.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too greedy. Do you know there¡¯s no pdin who can rival me?¡± ¡°I know. However, the goal I envision is a bit higher.¡± ¡°You sound like you want to be a Sword Saint.¡± Sword Saint, it wasn¡¯t a name that interested me much. Why would I be interested in something I had already reached? I was aiming for a stage above what was called a Sword Saint. What should I call that? Maybe it wouldn¡¯t be limited to the sword. Come to think of it, what I was wielding now was a spear, wasn¡¯t it? Verod clicked his tongue briefly at the sight of me discarding the sword and holding a spear. It was a natural story, but a spear was always a tricky weapon in closebat. It was a much longer weapon that could cut or pierce like a sword. Some pdins even gave disgusted looks at the sight of me handling a spear as proficiently as a sword. ¡°Is it talent?¡± ¡°It¡¯s effort.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what geniuses often say.¡± I wonder what he would say if he knew it took me 100 years to reach this level. Anyway, to them, I would look like a young master who hadn¡¯t developed any calluses on his hands. I would just seem to do everything well with talent. I didn¡¯t mind this perception. In the future, even if I did something, wouldn¡¯t people say, ¡°If it¡¯s Robert, it¡¯s possible¡±? But in the end, as time passed, I was the one getting tired, so I barely dodged the heavily striking hammer and raised my hand. A direct confrontation with Verod was still too much. However, raising my condition to this level was a good achievement. If about three Temuzins fromst time came, I could kill them without difficulty. This was quite an encouraging achievement, so I gently stroked the newly acquired sword and slowly caught my breath. Since I had to move at dawn today, there was no need to overdo it in this state. Like that, as I sat down to rest for a moment, Verod¡¯s voice soon reached my ears. ¡°Is the saint alone?¡± ¡°She¡¯s probably with the priests. She usually does that when I¡¯m with the pdins.¡± ¡°¡­Even though you¡¯re usually stuck together, you pretend not to care at times like this.¡± Was he paying attention to that? As Iughed once, Verod¡¯s brow furrowed. I already knew well that he was particrly concerned about Adriana. To the extent that he really treated her like his own daughter. What he was probably worried about was that the rtionship between me and Adriana was getting too close. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much. We¡¯re just friends, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean, but the saint isn¡¯t someone with low standards.¡± ¡°You seem to think quite badly of me.¡± Objectively speaking, honestly, there wouldn¡¯t be many people as good as me. Even if it was the result of repeating countless regressions, wouldn¡¯t I be someone who had achieved quite a lot at a young age in others¡¯ eyes? Supported by the Grand Duchess, supported by the princess. Even a friend of the saint and a match for Pdin Verod. Yet, I was only twenty-one years old. If I were from a mediocre noble family, everyone would have passionately proposed marriage to me, but the problem was that I was a Taylor. Since I was a young master who had gained a bad reputation from the Taylors, even if the rumors improvedter, not much would change significantly. ¡°It¡¯s not that I think badly of you, but you¡¯ll have to be careful.¡± ¡°In what sense?¡± ¡°The saint isn¡¯t someone who can ept all your emotions.¡± I nodded at those words. I knew that too. The fact that it was not good to vent one¡¯s own emotions to someone. It was something I already knew well. I didn¡¯t know how he guessed, but I think he could probably tell just by looking at Adriana¡¯s expression. I said something unnecessary, and Adriana took those words to heart. So how could it be the same as usual? It was natural for him, who had been by her side for the longest time, to say that. Quietly nodding my head, I opened my mouth. ¡°I¡¯m reflecting on that point.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like you saying unnecessary things either. You know how worried the saint was.¡± ¡°She came to see me first thing in the morning. I think Iforted her well.¡± ¡°¡­In the morning?¡± As if hearing it for the first time, his eyes widened, and I gave an awkwardugh. He didn¡¯t know about that, so I wondered if I shouldn¡¯t have mentioned that. At least the name Adriana was like a taboo to Verod. As I carefully got up from my seat, a hand roughly grabbed my shoulder. As if telling me to stop, I smiled bitterly at the grip that had put all its strength, and Verod¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What do you think I think about you getting too close?¡± ¡°You would probably oppose. Quite fiercely.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious about your thoughts. Do you really think you can remain just friends with the saint without any feelings?¡± It was a valid concern. There had been quite a few men who had approached the saint before, and for him, who had driven them all away in advance, it was natural to have such worries. However, it wasn¡¯t that I lived without any thoughts about this rtionship. I was also worried about the rtionship with Adriana progressing beyond friendship to a higher level. Then I added with a smallugh. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± If there was a possibility of such a rtionship, I would rather avoid it from my side. Verod, who had been staring at me for a moment, swallowed and let go of his hand. I tapped my sore shoulder and walked again. One step, two steps. Verod didn¡¯t stop me anymore. He just stared at me as I walked away, and he disappeared without a word. Before I knew it, the moon hung in the darkened sky. A bluish shadow enveloped the surroundings, and in the gradually approaching silence, my breathing also slowly found stability. In my hand was a sword, what I saw was darkness. The ticking sound from an invisible clock slowly filled my ears. Like that, my steps didn¡¯t stop and moved straight ahead. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°Are you really going to go?¡± ¡°I told you. I¡¯m going to the south.¡± At Adele¡¯s words, Lothos frowned heavily. He understood that she had nothing to do. And he also understood that she was desperate to go because Robert was in the south. But what if she suddenly left like this? Although she had already set a schedule, if the Grand Duchess left overnight, it would cause confusion here and there. Even though he gave a somewhat earnest look, nothing changed. From the moment Adele read the letter Robert had given her, she had decided that going to the south was a confirmed matter. Adele, who roughly grasped the reins of the wolf, nced at the letter sticking out of her bosom. It was a letter from Robert. Since it had made her mind tooplicated, she was going toin directly to him. What was he thinking when he wrote that? Thanks to that, so many things hade to mind that her mind, which was already dizzy, became even moreplicated. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you stay here even just to see my face?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with your face that I should do that? I have no feelings whatsoever.¡± ¡°Your heart must be pounding when you see Lord Taylor. Yes, I understand.¡± However, that sarcasm didn¡¯tst long. Swallowing dry saliva again at the cold gaze looking at him, Lothos, unlike before, stared straight ahead with a stiff posture. Looking at him with such an expression meant that she had already made up her mindpletely. It was all over. The one who had to roll over was him, the one who had to stay up all night was also him. Sighing deeply at Lothos, Adele turned her back and opened her mouth. ¡°Then I should get going now. It will take about 3 days to reach the south, right?¡± ¡°I hope you go where there are no people if possible. People in the central region are afraid of wolves.¡± ¡°Do I look like a fool? I know better than you.¡± The north wind blowing made her cheeks cold. The feeling she felt in such a wind was a bit of excitement. The memories that had awakened from the letter she read. If this was true¡­ She had so many things to ask Robert. She thought it wouldn¡¯t be everything. What she had recalled was, at best, just a single memory. Awoo-! Adele began to run forward with the roughly howling wolf. Towards the south, to be precise, towards where Robert would be. On the lips of Adele, who was running, a faint smile bloomed like that. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 76 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°¡­It seems he¡¯sing.¡± In a small space barely illuminated by a dim light, as Theresa muttered softly, Cain, who had been watching her, nodded slightly. He had thought he woulde someday, but the timing was a bit early. Still, it didn¡¯t matter. Hadn¡¯t all the preparations already beenpleted anyway? Theresa¡¯splexion was much paler than before. It was possible because she had absorbed the power of the Four Dragons while maintaining her own personality. The evil thoughts possessed by the Four Dragons, the destructive power of having absorbed them as they were would be enough to call her a monster. However, Theresa¡¯s expression was still dark. The face that had been filled with ecstasy when she first received the power was shadowed, and it no longer looked asfortable as before. ¡°Do you have any worries?¡± ¡°Worries.¡± Theresa, who twisted the corners of her mouth,ughed slightly. She wasn¡¯t worried about anything. Since she wanted to take revenge on Robert, if she killed him who was nowing to her, wouldn¡¯t that be enough? However, the problem was the memories that were slowly blooming in her head. Memories that were not directly seen in reality, but felt like something someone else had heard. ¡°There¡¯s nothing like that.¡± ¡°Then I will send the other guys first. We¡¯ll have to test him to some extent.¡± As she nodded at those words, the memories that had taken root in her mind were gradually increasing in size. They weren¡¯t her memories. However, it was clear that they were her memories. -Robert, did you really trust me? You¡¯re such a fool. To be seduced by a woman and give her everything, even your heart. She wasughing. As she stroked Robert¡¯s cheek, who was nkly staring into the void, she was justughing as if she was in a good mood. She didn¡¯t know why she was in such a good mood, but Robert¡¯s expression resembled what she had imagined. As if he would crumble at any moment, the desperate expression was the face she had been picturing for a long time. -I never loved you, but thank you for loving someone like me? Even as she stabbed a dagger into his heart, Robert didn¡¯t move. His empty gaze only drew in the void. Even as blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, even as his heart was torn and he died. Those hollow eyes never looked at her until the end. Eventually, his body that had turned cold and stiff copsed. Theresa¡¯s memory of seeing the body that had be a corpse without even moving ended like that. ¡­But why did she feel pain from herself? It was just a memory. But as if a dagger had been stabbed into her own heart, blood was gushing and leaking out near her heart. ¡°It¡¯s not just a simple memory.¡± She didn¡¯t know what this meant. She also didn¡¯t know why the wounds she had inflicted in the memory were appearing identically on her body this time. In the first ce, she couldn¡¯t even be sure that this memory was her own, so when did Robert die? The blood that had been gushing and leaking out slowly began to stop. Since her body had already be a monster, this level of injury would naturally heal quickly. But the pain remained. As the pain grew greater with each memory that emerged, Theresa slowly got up from her seat and moved forward. The pain that would disappear if she killed Robert. From the beginning, it was Robert who had been tormenting her. No, was it her fault for approaching him in the first ce? She had approached him to extort some wealth, and this was the result in the end. As her face was reflected in the transparent window, the corners of Theresa¡¯s mouth trembled slightly as she looked at herself. The cracked skin could no longer look like the woman from before. It was already irreversible. Wouldn¡¯t it be the most beautiful ending to kill Robert and face death herself in the end? ¡°I wish he woulde quickly. I hate waiting.¡± As the wounds on her body increased, Theresa took one step forward at a time. Her memories of killing Robert, her memories of Robert dying. In all those memories, her actions were always the same, so she had always approached Robert to use him. Why did it fail this time? She had always betrayed Robert and siphoned off his wealth, so why was it exposed this time and ended up like this? She probably wouldn¡¯t know the answer unless she heard it directly from him. That was why she moved forward. To kill Robert. To erase these memories that were emerging and making her suffer. Theresa, who wrapped the scars engraved on her arm, slowly opened the door. Thud. The door closed, and the light in the empty room gradually faded. Only silence remained in the room. As thest ray of light on the chair disappeared, the space was engulfed inplete darkness and vanished. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó I had a rough idea of where Theresa was. There weren¡¯t many ces to hide in the south. Furthermore, if we went further south, it was the territory ofpletely different races, and the only remaining ce would be around this city where different races and humans were mixed. Since I hadpletely familiarized myself with the geography of this area, I could quickly find the ces where Theresa might be hiding. Moreover, she was spreading her energy as if telling me toe closer, so it would be stranger if I didn¡¯t know. This energy was something I felt for the first time. However, my body was reacting to this energy as if it was very familiar. I hope my guess is wrong, but if I react to this power, it¡¯s probably¡­ Yes, there¡¯s only one possibility. ¡°Is it the Four Dragons?¡± I already knew that the Crown Prince was interested in the evil thoughts of the Four Dragons. He ordered me to secure the relics to use them, and even informed Theresa of Miragen¡¯s location¡­ if it came to this, it would be the Crown Prince. It was a trulyplicated rtionship. The Crown Prince had always tried to kill me, and I had tried to take care of other people while ignoring that fact. What if I had decided to kill the Crown Prince from the beginning? It was a futile thought, but it might have been a solution to escape from this depression a little faster. I should have lived a bit more selfishly. Even as I grumbled like that, I knew well that I could never live that way. At first, I had vowed to die alone, but in the end, didn¡¯t Ie to care about someone again? If I had only wished for my own death, there would have been no need to save Adele. No need to get closer to Adriana, no need to go out alone to save Miragen. It was already irreversible. Since I had decided to save them, it was fine if I suffered a little. I was used to suffering. Being betrayed, suffering alone. Was there anyone in this world who could endure it as well as I could? I slowly walked, following the power that was gradually increasing as if beckoning me. Grasping the sword I had custom-made whileing here, I drew up mana. In the strangely quiet street, as I touched the wall with my hand flowing with mana, the space began to distort slowly. What was revealed in the street where the color changed in an instant was an empty estate. As I climbed over the cracks in the rusty iron fence, I saw grass that seemed to have been neglected for decades, growing taller than a person¡¯s height. I walked, cutting through the grass swaying in the wind. I heard the sound of rustling in my ears, and as the presence gradually approached, I tightened my grip on the sword. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± When I stood in front of an old mansion after passing through the grass, the one who greeted me was a masked man. I think I¡¯ve seen him once before. When I was investigating the south some time ago, I received a report that there were people wearing masks. As I was thinking whether they were the same as them, I sensed the group surrounding me andughed softly. ¡°¡­It seems there are too many people weing me.¡± ¡°I roughly guess why you came here, but you still need preparation before meeting my Lady.¡± ¡°About twenty people.¡± ¡°It will be quite different from the different races. I was a bit surprisedst time, but this time, you might copse here.¡± It was quite annoying that he spoke to me gently even though we were meeting for the first time. I couldn¡¯t feel his presence even when I tried to sense it. However, what bothered me was that the energy of the relic dwelling in my body was reacting strongly. The one inside the mansion was probably Theresa, but the fact that a simr energy was felt from the masked man¡­ It meant he had a connection with the Crown Prince. There was no need to be hostile towards him here. Before killing the Crown Prince, I had to be his closest aide. What I was trying to deal with here had to be seen as Theresa. I hid my hostility. Afterughing softly once, I slowly opened my mouth towards the masked man. ¡°Do I have to fight you too?¡± ¡°If my Lady wishes, I will, but unfortunately, I have something to do. I¡¯ll have to withdraw for today.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯d like you to pass a message to His Highness.¡± His eyes changed at the word ¡®His Highness¡¯. He must know better who I was referring to here. It was true that I was trying to be the Crown Prince¡¯s aide. However, I also knew well that he was wary of me. Then, in the repeated regressions, the Crown Prince wouldn¡¯t have always created variables. I know him. And the Crown Prince may also know about me to some extent. I won¡¯t show hostility, but I didn¡¯t want him to underestimate me too much. It wasn¡¯t pleasant to be on the receiving end of him openly showing his intentions and trying to test me like this. ¡°Next time, there¡¯s no need to send someone separately like this. I will definitely secure the relics for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I was the one smirking andughing, but the masked man didn¡¯t answer until the end. I don¡¯t think Kaitel will get angry after hearing these words either. He might be more wary of me, but I had already expected that. However, he couldn¡¯t drive me away. My actions would ultimately benefit Kaitel, and even so, driving me away would be a foolish thing to do, and he would know that well. Getting closer like that, and finally being able to stand by his side. That would be the day the Crown Prince dies. The masked man stared at me for a moment, then slowly turned his back. And what revealed themselves were the identities of the presences that had been approaching with him. They had a rather tant appearance, each with a sun drawn on their chests, so I unknowinglyughed. ¡°Are you not even hiding it now?¡± The sun symbolized the Four Dragons, and the one who appeared leading these beings was the Crown Prince¡¯s subordinate. I don¡¯t know if Kaitel expected that I wouldn¡¯t be able to guess about his subordinate, but still, appearing like this was too tant. It was an empire that worshipped the moon. Even though there was a Temple of the Moon nearby, he openly presented those who had drawn the symbol of the sun. I let out a snort at his intention that was more tant than I thought. The eyes of those approaching me had no focus. They were just empty, as if they only had the single-minded determination to kill me. In other words, they were failures. Those who couldn¡¯t fully endure the evil thoughts and were used as discards like this. ¡°Twenty people.¡± I muttered as I cut off the head of the approaching person. It was true that they were stronger than the different race warriors. Each person possessed much stronger mana, so if I made even a slight mistake, I would be at a disadvantage. But that was talking about me when I fought the different races. Three weeks in the North, one week in the church, and another week in the South. In just a month, I had been constantly advancing. ¡°You should have brought 200.¡± I only received the impression of a mere 20 people. With each swing of the sword, a person died along the drawn line. Blood sttered, and brains burst out, but my expression was calm. However, my mind becameplicated. The more I felt Theresa¡¯s presence, the closer I got to the mansion, my consciousness was being buried in memories. I myself felt that this regression waspletely different from before. Adele and Adriana. It was the first time in all my lives that they said something that seemed to recall the past. What would change if they remembered my past? Still, what I was thinking about was ultimately a small curiosity that I had brought up myself. If you found out about my past, saw the sins I hadmitted, and fully felt my pain. What kind of emotions would you harbor then? Regret for something irreversible. No matter how much you grieved now, the emotion you felt for something irreversible was regret. It was uncertain whether Theresa Violet would feel the emotion of regret. The probability of her repenting her own sins after seeing me die was even less. But what I hoped for was that I didn¡¯t want you to regret it. Rather, if you saw that andughed at me, I could kill you without any hesitation. Weren¡¯t we in such a rtionship from the beginning? A rtionship that started with lies and ended with lies, destined to end in tragedy from the start. Before I knew it, as I looked around the quiet surroundings, I realized that no one was standing anymore. The cold breath entered my lungs, and emptiness was embedded in the breath I exhaled next. Now it¡¯s time to meet you. It¡¯s time to erase you. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 77 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó I tried to recall when I first met Theresa. During a time when I didn¡¯t know the concept of regression yet, when I was trying to gain my father¡¯s approval. Yuria still disliked me. It was a time when I couldn¡¯t escape the shock of losing my mother, so I remembered it was a mentally difficult period in many ways.That was when Theresa approached me. The day I first met Theresa, who had spoken to me as I stood alone on the balcony at a social gathering. Creak- As the old hinge swayed and the door opened, dust scattered. There was only one person¡¯s presence in the old mansion. Theresa, recalling that name, I took a step forward. -This is too much. No matter what, how can you do this to a person¡­! She was the first to be angry at my wounds, the first to empathize with my situation. So I was drawn to her. Perhaps naturally, wasn¡¯t it natural for one¡¯s heart to be drawn to the person who embraced them for the first time since their mother? At least I think I was sincere. From the first death until the next few deaths. It was Theresa who became my support in enduring the continuous deaths. There were times when it was Miragen, but that was a bit of ater story, wasn¡¯t it? I remembered it was when I experienced my fifth death that the meaning of the name fianc¨¦e faded for me and I felt betrayed. When I first died, all I thought was to focus on my family. Although it was unfair to be used of treason by the Crown Prince, I judged that such suspicions would be quickly resolved if I gained the trust of my family. Weren¡¯t we the only ducal family in this empire? If they denied it, even if it was the Crown Prince, he would have no choice but to dismiss the treason charges. But it didn¡¯t change. When I gained trust within the family, things went wrong in strange ces. And the one I found to be the cause was Theresa. Surely it couldn¡¯t be. With the thought that it couldn¡¯t be, I searched and eventually found out what she had done through the Taylor name. -I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t expect to be caught like this, I was a bit surprised. Since when were you investigating me? A person¡¯s mask changed in an instant like that, and the woman who always smiled warmly showed a colder sneer than ever. There was no more affection in those eyes. The woman who had smiled at me, who had promised love and a future, was gone. I didn¡¯t believe it. I just thought it was only for this regression, and I repeated deaths that weren¡¯t even necessary. If Theresa manipted everyone, I died, and if she showed such intentions, I died, and when I saw her siphoning off wealth again, I hanged myself. What I realized in the lives that repeated countless times was that I had never been loved in the first ce. I think I wandered quite a bit from that period. I deliberately seduced Miragen while having a fianc¨¦e, and for a while, I made Miragen my ce offort. Even after Miragen died and the period when I held a sword again passed. I still kept Theresa as my fianc¨¦e. I didn¡¯t have any particr intention. I was just trying to explore all the variables to find the detailed reason why I was dying. I died even though I had the support of the family. Even though I condoned Theresa¡¯s actions and even progressed to marriage, nothing changed. So I turned my attention to the Crown Prince himself and reached the goal of killing the Crown Prince. I thought something was twisted. There were things that couldn¡¯t be done even with effort. No matter which direction I went, no matter what means I used, time always flowed in the direction of me dying. If, if. Even though I always had these words in my mouth, Theresa always had them. Now I was living in a time without Theresa. The floor that had been full of dust was gradually bing clean. As if someone had walked around here, I realized that Theresa was getting closer as the floor revealed its color. What should I say first if we meet? When I actually thought about it, I had nothing in particr to say to Theresa. It was natural since I never even thought we would meet again like this. What would I say to the person I was going to kill as I went to kill Theresa? -There was no letter today. I might be a little disappointed. As I climbed the spiral staircase, my memories also moved upward together. The memories I had with Theresa were not few. Perhaps even more than Yuria. I smiled bitterly at the thoughts that filled my mind, as the memories of when I believed her for a while always tormented me. -Next time, if the youngdy bullies you, tell me. I¡¯ll try to do something about it. Yuria, who heard Theresa¡¯s words, imprisoned me in the basement. I didn¡¯t know it was something Theresa had orchestrated. I just believed, so maybe I should only me myself for believing. Believing is a sin. Believing in people and thinking they would be good was a sin. -Isn¡¯t it the fault of the one who believed? I don¡¯t know why I thought I would love someone like you. Then was there no one in this world who was not a sinner? If it was a sin to want to be trusted, if it was a stupid and ipetent act to simply imagine a future where everyone survives. I wanted to be a fool instead. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve given up on now. Hasn¡¯t the man who tried to be a fool already died? Creak- When I reached the end of the stairs, I saw a huge door. Unlike this old and dpidated mansion, it was a clean and sophisticated door that looked like it had just been made. As if reading my movement, that door opened its cracks and approached me. Like that, the door slowly opened. Even though my hair fluttered in the wind that spread around, my gaze was always directed at the woman sitting beyond the door. When I first started the regression, there was a greeting I heard when I nkly looked at Theresa in the garden. -Good morning, Robert. ¡°Good morning, Robert.¡± Her voice was a bit colder and more ominous than then, but her words were the same. However, there were quite a few differences in what I saw. Because now I was hearing the words that I had always heard with the garden as the background inside a blood-stained room. I gripped the sword. Tightly grasping the hilt with a trembling hand, I looked at Theresa like that. The bloodstained woman was looking at me. Eyes that I thought would be filled only with hatred, but were filled with indescribable emotions, were directed at me. ¡°¡­It¡¯s been a really long time.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó By the time Robert came to find her, all her memories had already returned. Theresaughed softly. The wounds that filled her body were the ones she had inflicted on Robert, so she thought he had endured them well. Even though she had gained this much power, it was painful, so how did he endure this with the body of a mere human? She learned that he had lived 101 lives. Since she also belonged to Robert¡¯s 101st life in the end, she now knew that the Robert who hade to kill her waspletely different from the boy she had first met. If it wasn¡¯t for that reason, he wouldn¡¯t have brought up the dissolution of their engagement. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should say it¡¯s been a long time or that we¡¯ve met too many times. Actually, I¡¯m confused right now.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even call you human anymore. Did you want to take revenge on me that badly? While abandoning even your own identity and killing people.¡± Robert¡¯s gaze was directed at Theresa¡¯s body itself. Rather than a human form, it was closer to the appearance of a demon that the Four Dragons had once summoned. Skin that was not just pale but had a grayish tint, and eyes that were dyed ck. He knew she had been influenced by the Four Dragons, but the constantly regenerating flesh couldn¡¯t be called human no matter how you looked at it. ¡°I had no choice. Everything was ruined because of you.¡± Then she burst intoughter with a snort. Her mind, which had been confused as she regained her memories, had somewhat returned. She was the one who killed her family and the servants. Even her brother¡¯s death was just a coincidence in the end. Robert had seen her brother¡¯s death countless times, so in the end, he had sessfullypleted his revenge on Violet without touching anything. There was no revival. Once she hade into contact with the Four Dragons, there was no possibility for Violet to be revived in this empire. Rather, it was amazing that he didn¡¯t abandon her until he died 100 times. If she were Robert, she would have dealt with the person who betrayed her first. Sorry, Theresaughed softly. If she called this emotion she felt now sorry, it was too vicious an emotion even for her to think. Didn¡¯t she approach him without a hint of love in the first ce? Then she got caught, and in the end, it got twisted and turned out like this. There was no reason to be sorry. However, this disgusting thing wriggling in her heart. This was a moreplicated emotion. The emotion that had continued as the regression repeated, the emotion she had gained by killing Robert countless times and feeling that pain. The heart that had only wished for revenge had somewhat faded, and the eyes turned towards Robert slightly wavered. ¡°You¡¯re a pitiful person.¡± Should she call thispassion? It might be a ridiculous emotion for a man who had risked his life on foolish things and died 100 times, and for herself who had killed such a man countless times to harbor. However, now that she realized she was twisted herself and knew that not everything was Robert¡¯s doing. She was able to look at him from a slightly more objective perspective. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean by pitiful.¡± ¡°If a person dies 100 times and still lives like that, wouldn¡¯t anyone think so?¡± ¡°¡­What.¡± It was a face that showed the greatest emotion among the expressions she had seen so far. Sheughed softly as she saw his body tremble. Perhaps there was no one who had figured out the memories of his previous regressions until now. A gigglingughter leaked out from her torn mouth. Robert¡¯s eyes became a bit more serious, and his blue eyes without a hint of color were directed at Theresa. ¡°Did you recall it? The past.¡± ¡°I remember everything now. How I killed you, how you died.¡± She stared intently at the finger pressed against her temple, then added with a snort. ¡°I¡¯ve recalled it all.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you were so rxed. I thought you would be a little crazy.¡± ¡°Why would I go crazy when it¡¯s all my doing? And recalling memories won¡¯t change anything.¡± Rumble rumble- The ground began to vibrate. The abilities she had gained while receiving the power of the Four Dragons were special. Strength that ordinary people couldn¡¯t possess, there was power that only beings called magicians could obtain. Eventually, Theresa, who pulled out red tentacles from the ground, twisted the corners of her mouth. ¡°I can¡¯t die peacefully here.¡± Shing- Theresa¡¯s eyes took on a tinge of color as she saw the sword being pulled out cleanly. That sword was not ordinary. It must have been a sword wielded by someone who had mastered the sword at some point, not the powerless Robert. She didn¡¯t see all the lives he had lived. She had only glimpsed the lives in which she was involved in his death, in which she died by his hand. If she called this emotion regret, she thought it didn¡¯t fit. This was resignation. Simply because she had realized what she had done herself. Now she could let go of everything and not care. Wasn¡¯t there nowhere to return for herself who had killed her family? Even if she lived here, she would eventually die somewhere. If that was the case, it wouldn¡¯t be bad to die at the hands of the fianc¨¦ she had been with for a very long time. ¡°¡­Ah, there¡¯s one thing I want to tell you.¡± As she whispered in an alluring voice, Robert¡¯s body trembled again. It was just ridiculous how he reacted to her every word. What kind of heart was that man standing here with? The man who had sincerely loved her at one point andter realized he had been betrayed. What eyes was he looking at her with? ¡°I meant it when I said I never loved you. In all my lives, it¡¯s the same for all the words you heard from me.¡± Theresa couldn¡¯t understand Robert. Perhaps it was the same that they couldn¡¯t understand each other. However, it was certain that this would only end when one of the two died and disappeared. If that was the case, it didn¡¯t seem bad to die by Robert¡¯s hand. From the beginning, it was a rtionship bound by bad fate, so if he suffered by killing her¡­ wouldn¡¯t that be the cleanest ending? -Theresa. There was a man who had softly whispered to her. Yet there was a woman who had only tried to use him and even killed him. Theresa, who recalled the letters that had always been sent to her,ughed softly. Soon thatughter grew louder and louder, as if it had turned into theughter of a madman. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 78 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Crack, the moment the tentacle was cut, what I realized was. The gap between myself and Robert was considerable. I had never even thought about how strong he would be, but still¡­ I didn¡¯t know he would be stronger than borrowing the power of the Four Dragons. The pain umted in my body was constantly growing. The pain umted as I recalled memories was substantial. My heart was gouged out, my intestines were pulled out, and I couldn¡¯t concentrate on the fight itself due to the stinging pain choking my neck. It was the pain Robert had experienced. I didn¡¯t know why I was experiencing it. If I were to exin this, wouldn¡¯t the word karma be the most fitting? Karma, Theresa smiled bitterly as she recalled that word. The gap with Robert was gradually narrowing. Each time Robert swung his sword, the mana that bloomed cut off other tentacles, and the power that seemed to be always full was slowly disappearing. There was no hesitation in his swing. Maybe it was because of what I said. He had erased his hesitation at my words that I had never loved him even once, which had no meaning to me. Iughed with a snort as I briefly met his eyes. I didn¡¯t know why old memories came to mind in this situation. Whether it was especially memorable, or whether I longed for that time now. What I couldn¡¯t deny now was that Robert had sincerely loved me. So the thought that bloomed was the letter I had read before. The letter Robert had sent me when we first met, which could only be the same no matter what life he led. Wasn¡¯t it written before his regression began? Since it was also the first time I had received a letter, it might have been especially memorable. Writing a letter to someone for the first time, I¡¯m writing with a slightly trembling heart. To be honest, I¡¯m ashamed of ourst meeting. Because I didn¡¯t want to show you my crying like that. Crunch, Robert¡¯s eyes narrowed as he cut off the tentacles rising from the ground. Theresa¡¯s momentum had weakened a bit. Why? I didn¡¯t know the reason. However, it was certain that an opportunity to prate would soone. The mana dwelling in my body rotated and surged. Like mes, the burning mana slowly began to engulf the surrounding space. The abilities Theresa gained while absorbing the power of the Four Dragons were simr to the race called demons. I¡¯d have to look into how she absorbed the power of the Four Dragons, but for now, wasn¡¯t getting closer the priority? To be honest, you were the first person to empathize with my situation. Should I say you understood me rather than empathized? You smiled for me, approached me warmly, so for now. I want to say thank you first. There was no hesitation. I had no hesitation at all about putting an end to this rtionship. Even if she understood all the pain I had suffered, in the end, Theresa would die by my hand. I didn¡¯t wish for repentance or regret. Rather, it would be better if she disappeared cleanly. I thought it would be better if she disappeared now. Although it might be something only I was agonizing over, Theresa was an existence that made me recall the past. The time when I repeated foolish things, the time when I found faults in myself for every situation. Crunch, I ran while cutting off the tentacles digging into my arm. As mana seeped into the wound, it slowly began to heal. Although not as much as holy power, there was no problem stopping the bleeding. I ran. Forgetting about the pain, I bit off the tentacles trying to stop me with my teeth. Cutting with my sword, barely calming my heart that was beating as if it would burst, I kicked the ground and moved forward. You might beughing now as you read my letter. Actually, I don¡¯t know what to write either, so I¡¯m just rambling and writing anything. I¡¯ve learned a lot about this kind of refinement since I was young, but I guess practice is different. Suddenly, augh escaped. Theresa slowly wiped the corners of her mouth and reached out her hand towards Robert again. The tentacles that stretched out in the air strongly pushed Robert away. Although it was surprising that he blocked it again with his sword and charged, Theresa herself knew well that this was just buying time. But why was she blocking this? The futility that had bloomed in her chest at some point was a very subtle emotion. Until yesterday, she was burning with the desire for revenge. Saying she would definitely kill Robert, didn¡¯t she even sacrifice children as offerings without any hesitation? Crunch, a hollowugh escaped at the bones that broke even when she stayed still. ¡°¡­Ahaha.¡± The pain gained from facing Robert¡¯s memories didn¡¯t end. The pain that flowed in all day long, it got worse and more painful. Her clenched teeth began to shatter as they ground against each other. Humans are truly cunning, aren¡¯t they? Theresa knew well that she was just ordinary. That was why she used others and tried to revive her family by borrowing the Taylor name. But even knowing all these facts, was it possible to say that she still tried to love that person? She thought it was impossible unless one was a fool or an idiot. But even if Robert was such a person, that wouldn¡¯t be the case. Why would she have been deceived by a fool or an idiot? However, Robert thought that was the right thing to do. She couldn¡¯t understand. Even in the midst of this pain gradually worsening, it was the same that she couldn¡¯t fully understand Robert¡¯s thoughts. If it were her, she would have killed him long ago. Before it even came to this situation, she probably would have killed everyone. I¡¯m not someone who fits well with the Taylor name. I¡¯m a bit weak and more naive than others. I don¡¯t have a strong side like my sister, and I¡¯m not perfect in every aspect like my father. Even if you ask me to pick something I¡¯m good at, I wouldn¡¯t be able to easily pick one. I¡¯m that kind of person. I have many shorings, so if you¡¯re close to me, you might be disappointed a lot. I knew I had many shorings. It was the same when I first regressed. I was able to endure repeated deaths without getting tired in order to fill thosecking points and make up for the parts I thought were insufficient. Perhaps my strength was in this mental aspect. Enduring dozens of deaths, and the fact that all memories be those of one person. It was a lonely and miserable thing. So there were many times when I went a little crazy. It was not easy to cut off your own arm. There were times when I became so devastated that I couldn¡¯t do anything, even taking my own life. I endured it and came this far. It would be a lie to say I didn¡¯t think about the next regression. As my rtionship with Adriana deepened, as I met Adele again, as I became a little more intimate with Miragen. I made a vow to finally make this life the end point. This was the end. If I killed Theresa this time, I would never face her again. If we met, wouldn¡¯t it be in hell? Robert, who smiled bitterly, swung his sword towards the void again. It was not the void. As the tentacles losing momentum were cut off, the gap with Theresa had narrowed significantly. It wasn¡¯t far. Until the sword pierced that heart. Even so, the reason I¡¯m sending you this letter is because I want to continue our meetings. You may be surprised by my too straightforward words. However, I want you to know that this is not a letter I¡¯m writing on a momentary impulse. Haa- Robert¡¯s breathing was getting rough, but it was the same for Theresa. It was certain that she had little strength left to use force. Perhaps two more times, and if even that attack failed, her chest would probably be pierced by that sword. But why was she hesitating? In this situation where it wouldn¡¯t be enough to reach out and block the attack, why was she hesitating for a moment? As the content of the letter she had seen at some point came to mind, there was an emotion that slowly filled her heart. She was loved. With not a hint of falsehood or deception in that heart. She was simply loved purely when there was a time. So was she harboring these feelings? Now that she was sorry, now that the moment hade when her body that had felt all this pain was crumbling. Was she finally harboring a feeling of being sorry? ¡°Ha.¡± I heard the weather will be nice tomorrow. When I went directly to the Moon Tower and asked about the weather, they said it was the only day when it wouldn¡¯t rain no matter what. So I¡¯m sending this invitation. It¡¯s a garden that my mother and I have been tending since I was young. I nted violets especially, so I wanted to show you in person. Even thinking about it herself, it was absurd, so Theresa¡¯s hand slipped weakly as she snorted. The tentacles that had been heading towards Robert also crumbled weakly. Tap tap, the sound of footsteps running towards her without hesitation was heard. The mansion that had been affected by her power gradually disappeared, and then the sky was visible through thepletely open ceiling. If youe to my garden tomorrow, I hope we meet with different expressions from ourst meeting. I was crying then, and you pitied me. But next time. Whoosh. mes engulfed Robert¡¯s sword. The moonlight was obscured by clouds, so only dark shadows filled the space below the mansion. The mana that burned through the shadows rose and headed straight for her heart. Theresa¡¯s gaze was on the tip of the sword. What would Robert¡¯s expression be like as he thrust the sword towards her? Would he cry like when they first met, or would he be smiling like when they met again in the garden? I only hope that we can face each other with smiles. But it was just expressionless, and the corners of her mouth twisted at the futility that enveloped her body. Blood gushed from her mouth as the sword pierced her heart. The tentacles wriggling on the ground crumbled, and only her limply hanging body fell powerlessly towards the ground. What hung on Theresa¡¯s lips was a smile. The clear smile that no one could deny must have flowed from memories. To Theresa Violet, from Robert Taylor. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Theresa¡¯s body slowly began to disintegrate. The sword stuck in her heart also disintegrated, but another sword was already ready in case of unexpected situations. She would probably die and disappear soon. It was refreshing, but on the other hand, it was bitter. Because I didn¡¯t have a deep emotional grudge against Theresa to call it revenge, and this was just killing her to prevent any possible variables in the future. I hoped she would die in pain. However, it seemed she had already suffered that pain enough. The wounds that appeared on her body that repeated regeneration and injury were familiar. Because I had long realized that she was receiving the pain I had suffered in previous regressions like karma. What on earth was the Moonstone I possessed? I never thought it would not only repeat regression but also affect others and make them recall memories. Theresa¡¯s eyes, which had been vomiting blood, turned towards me. It was different from the first time. Her eyes that had been simply murky had a slightly clearer light, like when I first met her. ¡°¡­I wish you would kill me quickly, but that would be difficult.¡± ¡°Because you crossed the line too much.¡± Her regrown bones shattered again, and her intestines popped out and were torn apart on their own. It was terrible even to look at, but Theresa¡¯s expression was nonchnt. Although I could feel her flinch asionally, her gaze was still on me. She, who had vomited blood countless times, stopped vomiting for a moment and slowly moved her lips. ¡°I think you know, but you¡¯re a really foolish person. If you had killed me long ago, none of this would have happened. You¡­ know that too, right?¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°¡­If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t have died 100 times. There¡¯s a limit to being stupid, but 100 times-.¡± Cough. The blood that burst out from all directions flowed and formed a pool on the ground. As her power disappeared, the mansion also disappeared, leaving only an empty estate. Raindrops began to fall one by one from the heavily clouded sky. Plop. Plop- As I looked up at the sky, which seemed like it would rain at any moment, Theresa¡¯s voice reached my ears. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll regret it? What I did to you.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°Then do you think I¡¯ll be sorry?¡± ¡°¡­Not at all.¡± Then Theresa, who burst intoughter with a snort, smiled slightly. Afterughing for a while looking at the sky, she wiped her face like that and turned her gaze to me. The light in her eyes was dim. Transparent, as if it couldn¡¯t contain even a bit of light. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I turned my head at the sudden voice. Because it was an unexpected word, a word I never even thought I would hear from Theresa. For a moment, I nkly looked at her. ¡°I just¡­ felt like I had to say this.¡± Her lips, which were gradually turning pale, parted with difficulty. It was as if she was squeezing out herst strength. Her body, which scattered like dust, began to flutter in the air. Her body that had been constantly injured and regenerated stopped, and only her cold, stiffened flesh was visible. Her lips that had moved countless times stopped like that. Even the sound of her breathing that had been heard in this space for a while ceased. Eventually, only her empty eyes touched the void. ¡°Theresa.¡± There was no answer even when I called her name. She had closed her mouth after uttering words I had never expected. There was no way for an answer toe back again. Because she was dead. Only the sword stuck in her heart was left stuck in the ground. Her mouth that had been moving until just now, her eyes that had been looking at the void, had now scattered like dust and disappeared towards the sky. She was dead. Theresa was definitely dead. Since I had stabbed the sword into her heart myself, it was certain that she was dead. The woman who had recalled my regression was dead. I had killed the woman I loved in my first life with my own hands. That was the reality. Suddenly,ughter escaped me and I looked at the sky with my lips twisted. Swish- My body was drenched by the pouring rain. Her blood had pooled thickly on the ground and flowed with the rainwater, and before long, even the ce where Theresa had been lying became indistinguishable. Water dripped from my drenched hair, plop, and flowed down my chest. Touching my chest, touching my arm. The stream of water that flowed like that fell down my fingers. I couldn¡¯t find the moon in the gloomy sky. Only the dark clouds that poured down rain were plenty, and there was only a silence where no light could be found. I thought I would feel refreshed if I killed Theresa. Because I had never sent Theresa off like this in all my past. Thinking that everything would go well now, didn¡¯t I think I could celebrate in my own way after killing her like that? Strangely, my chest felt heavy. No matter how many times I tapped my chest, that heaviness didn¡¯t disappear. -The weather is nice today. I read in the letter, did you really go all the way to the Moon Tower to ask about the weather? -I thought if we met, it should be the day with the best weather. Iughed with a snort at the memory that briefly came to mind. It was different from that day. It was different from the day when the violets were in full bloom, the day when that summer was about to begin. The season when it rained at the end of winter. The season when the violets that had shone purple for a while withered and disappeared. Feeling the chill from the rain soaking my body, I looked at the void and closed my eyes quietly like that, holding my breath. I hated rainy days. Because whenever I recalled the day I died, it was a day when it rained miserably. The sound of rain heard in a damp, humid, and stuffy space evoked emotions I had forgotten. So I hated it. When I was getting rained on like this. Because it looked like I was crying. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 79 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°Robert.¡± After Theresa died, I tried to live as if nothing had happened. In fact, nothing would change much. It was a rtionship that only I remembered, something only I knew.If I suddenly changed, it would rather be more awkward. It was true that it wasplicated. It was also true that I tried to escape from such thoughts. I had already experienced many times that it was not good to be swayed by such things. It was just that Theresa died. Just that someone I loved in the past died. Someone who could no longer hold any meaning to me had just died. ¡­By my hand. ¡°Robert?¡± I didn¡¯t know how many times she had called me, but when I raised my head, Adriana was staring at me. This kind of thing had been happening often these days. Me spacing out alone and getting caught by Adriana. It was not something I really wanted to show when we were together, but things didn¡¯t always go as people wanted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was just thinking about something else for a moment.¡± ¡°We have to move from here tomorrow. Do you remember what I said I wanted to do for youst time?¡± ¡°Are you talking about imnting holy power?¡± Saying she would imnt holy power was not a light matter. Although we had a quite close rtionship as friends, having holy power imnted in a human body meant being connected to that person. What would happen if mentalmunion urred? I had been thinking about it since Theresa recalled memories of my previous rounds, but this round was indeed unusual. I didn¡¯t mind if someone knew about my memories, but I was just curious about how they would view me through those memories. I didn¡¯t want sympathy, nor did I want to receive a pathetic gaze. But it wasn¡¯t that there was no benefit for me either. If I received holy power and operated mana in a different way, or if the absolute amount increased¡­ honestly, it would be a hard offer to refuse. ¡°I think I need to think a bit more carefully. Can¡¯t we do it on the way back?¡± So it was better to postpone it. As I answered with a small smile, Adriana nodded as if she had no choice. It had already been a week since we stayed at the Temple of the Moon. Now that we had to move our base and head deeper into the south, we wouldn¡¯t have as much leisure as today. ¡°That¡¯s true. We¡¯ll be stopping by the temple on the way back anyway.¡± ¡°Then I think it¡¯s better to get up now. Don¡¯t we have to go see Cardinal Verod?¡± ¡°¡­Ah, is it already that time?¡± As we were heading deeper, the risk Adriana would be exposed to was also considerable. Of course, there were the pdins and Verod who arrivedter, and me. Wasn¡¯t protecting Adriana the top priority of this group? No matter how many times we were careful, it wasn¡¯t enough. As I reached out my hand, Adriana, who felt the movement, carefully grasped it. Now it seemed okay to have this level of contact. At first, she would blush just by touching, so it was more embarrassing for me in many ways. But when walking, she preferred to hug my arm rather than hold my hand. The gazes of the pdins had also improvedpared to before, so now we only asionally encountered the strange gazes of the priests looking at us. ¡°I feel much more refreshed while staying here. I feel like my body has be lighter too.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural to be influenced? This is the Temple of the Moon.¡± If asked if I was also unaffected by such influence, I could firmly answer no. I didn¡¯t know what rtionship the Moonstone had with this temple. It was uncertain whether the power of a mere artifact would continue even after being used, but I definitely felt something here. I think that was the reason Theresa regained her memories. If this power had no range, wouldn¡¯t it have also affected Adele? Suddenly thinking of Adele, I became curious about how she was doing. How she was doing, what reaction she would have after reading my letter. Given her personality, she would try to get an answer from me right away, but I still couldn¡¯t tell if she woulde all the way to the south. Since the new year had just passed, there must have been various administrative issues piled up, so would she reallye from the north, across the central region, to the south? Still, I thought it would be a bit wee if she came. There were things to check, and I also felt a bit more at ease when I saw Adele. She wouldn¡¯t have to go to the imperial pce while she was with me, right? I was thinking it would be better for her toe. I didn¡¯t know how long we walked, but after walking for a while with Adriana, we eventually reached the conference room where the high priests and Verod were. I didn¡¯t need to go inside, so I tried to send Adriana off, and soon the door swung open and Verod appeared. ¡°I came out because I felt a presence, but as expected, you were together.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be going now then. So-¡± ¡°No. I think it¡¯s better to listen to the story together today. It¡¯s about the deep south anyway, and above all¡­ it¡¯s rted to you.¡± His attitude was quite different from before, but his intention for me to attend the meeting was clearly conveyed. What on earth were they trying to talk about? As I entered with a slight puzzlement, I felt everyone inside looking at me. If there was one thing I realized at that moment, it was that today¡¯s topic was probably about me rather than the south. ¡°¡­Did some problem arise?¡± When I asked in that serious atmosphere, a priest sighed and shook his head. Judging by his slightly hesitant attitude, it didn¡¯t seem like I had done anything wrong. It was probably just a bit of a dilemma. But what this stiff atmosphere was about, the question was resolved by Verod¡¯s words. ¡°I heard you know the Grand Duchess who protects the North.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± I tilted my head for a moment at the mention of the Grand Duchess, but realizing it was about Adele, I quietly answered. I wondered why Adele was suddenly brought up. However, that question was starting to change into a thought of ¡°could it be¡± in my mind. Even that,bined with Verod¡¯s following words, was gradually bing a certainty. ¡°Are you perhaps in a close rtionship? For example, like how you¡¯re friends with the saint.¡± ¡°Calling us friends would be an exaggeration, but I don¡¯t think we¡¯re distant either.¡± ¡°Not a close rtionship. That¡¯s what you seem to be saying. Then I think an exnation is needed for this letter.¡± I quietly looked at the letter Verod held out. The handwriting seemed scribbled, but I soon realized it was written by Adele. This was her habit of writing carelessly. Seeing the contents written inside, a hollowugh escaped my mouth. I¡¯ming to see Robert. The rest of you can leave first, but leave Robert behind. The letter with the Grand Duchess¡¯s seal was neatly stamped. Seeing that, I unknowingly let out a sigh and slowly wiped my face with my dry hand. I didn¡¯t dislike her straightforward personality. Rather, I liked that aspect of her and kept her close. However, it was true that her personality made things difficult for me. As Verod¡¯s eyes, still attached to Adriana, became even sharper, the mana he emitted became so chilly that it wouldn¡¯t be strange if it froze. It was natural. If a letter was sent like this, it was enough to be misunderstood. I couldn¡¯t think of how to exin this, so I smiled bitterly as I looked at Adriana, who was curious about the contents of the letter. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°Robert is not an object.¡± Adriana, who heard the contents of the letter, muttered like that as if she was angry. If you heard Adriana¡¯s words for the first time, you might think that way. She probably didn¡¯t say this to treat me like an object, but to others, it was a letter that could sufficiently make them think she viewed me quite insignificantly. Unlike her usual self, Adriana, who was fuming and gripping my arm even tighter, looked at Verod. ¡°When did you say the Grand Duchess would arrive?¡± ¡°She said she would probably arrive at night, so I think she can join us before we depart.¡± ¡°¡­How does she think of you? I thought we were in the same situation before, but I guess not.¡± I didn¡¯t know what she meant by ¡°same situation,¡± but it seemed her opinion of Adele had turned negative. She didn¡¯t like her very much in the first ce. Since Adriana was strangely ufortable with Adele, I also had a negative view of Adele and Adriana meeting. In fact, their personalities were almost opposite. If Adele was rough and cold, Adriana could be said to be gentle and idealistic. If such ipatible women met, and if I was caught between them. Well, I didn¡¯t think it would be a pretty sight. ¡°Since she said she would meet Robert, Robert will have to go greet her, right?¡± ¡°Still, she said she¡¯sing to see me, so I have to go, don¡¯t I? It¡¯s not polite not to.¡± It was not just anyone, but the Grand Duchess. No matter how much the church focused on the religious aspect rather than status, they couldn¡¯t ignore Adele¡¯s status as the Grand Duchess. And since she was someone who didn¡¯t kneel to Verod in terms of military power, it would be very reassuring for the church if she joined them. However, what made them ufortable was Adele¡¯s usual attitude. She was such a free-spirited woman that even the imperial family couldn¡¯t properly control her, so how much more so for the church? I needed to clearly tell them about this part. ¡°Even if the Grand Duchesses, you can just act as usual. As written in the letter, she¡¯s probablying because she¡¯s interested in me.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s the problem, it¡¯s not certain. It would be a bit better if the saint was here.¡± They still looked anxious, but they seemed to find somefort in the fact that the saint was here. No matter how much it was Adele, she would be respectful to the saint. If we considered the probability of her acting arbitrarily in this situation, it would be very low. When Adele moved like that, she would have her own reasons to move that way. And if necessary, I could step in and say something. In the past, when it seemed like Adele would cause problems, I stepped in and stopped her. Since I was used to such things, even if she joined, there wouldn¡¯t be any unexpected situations. After sufficiently conveying that stance to the priests and pdins, the time had already approached the night when Adele was said to arrive. It was time to slowly go out and greet her since she said she would meet me. As I tried to go out, Adriana grabbed my arm again and asked if it would be better to go together. ¡°It would be better if I go with you. It makes me feel at ease.¡± ¡°She won¡¯t do anything to me. Will you be okay?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together. Thinking of you as an object is one thing, but I think it¡¯s better for me to say something.¡± I didn¡¯t know what difference it would make if Adriana said something, but it seemed better than going alone, so I readily epted. Verod¡¯s gaze was unusual, but I didn¡¯t pay attention. I was just a little excited by the fact that Adele wasing soon. Because if she wasing all the way here herself, it meant she was going to say what she thought after reading the letter I had left. If not, she might have recalled memories of the previous round. I left the meeting room with Adriana and walked along the only path that led to this Temple of the Moon. Although it was a bit embarrassing to have her tightly holding my arm, I didn¡¯t say much since it was her way of thinking of me. Still, the more we walked like this, the clearer the presence I felt from far away became. The sound of a wolf stepping on the dirt, the breathing of a woman riding while holding the reins. It was more distinct to me than ever before. ¡°I think we¡¯ll meet soon.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± The time it would take to get there would be but a moment. Hearing my words, Adriana hugged my arm with a determined expression. Clinging close enough to be unnecessary for simply walking, she stopped her steps at the sound that had now grown loud enough for ordinary people to hear. Like that, I looked into the darkness. I faced the white wolf that appeared, cutting through that darkness, and the woman holding the reins on top of it. Her pale blue eyes were still the same as the moonlight, so when our eyes met, augh unknowingly escaped. It seemed to be the same for Adele. Adele quietly smiled at me. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Robert.¡± Unlike before, her voice was just gentle, so it was clear that there had been some change in her. Probably for the better. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Chapter 80 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Adele¡¯s demeanor had changed a lot. To put it bluntly, should I say she had be simr to the Adele I had seen in the past? Of course, it couldn¡¯t be exactly the same as then. In the previous round, Adele and I had already spent a lot of time together, so unless she recalled all those memories¡­ I think it would be different.Adele¡¯s eyes, lightlynding from the wolf, turned towards me and Adriana. Adriana, who was still tightly hugging my arm, slightly trembled when she felt Adele approaching. Adele, who had been quietly watching such a sight, then opened her mouth with a snort as if it was absurd. ¡°Since when did you be close enough to hug like that?¡± ¡°Robert is helping me. As you know, I can¡¯t see ahead.¡± ¡°Then you can just hold him lightly. There¡¯s no need to hold his arm¡­ like lovers.¡± ¡°¡­It, it¡¯s because it¡¯s dark. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Adele, whoughed softly at the word dangerous, then narrowed her eyes while looking at me. It seemed like an expression of disliking something. And whenever she made such an expression, a troublesome situation always unfolded for me. If I left it like this, there was no way to know what she would say, so it seemed better for me to talk to Adele first. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. I never thought you woulde all the way here from the North.¡± ¡°Yeah, I thought you¡¯d be doing well. But it seems I¡¯m interrupting you doing too well.¡± ¡°Adriana and I are just friends. Holding her like this is just to help her walk.¡± ¡°Friends. What a good excuse.¡± Even though she said that sarcastically, she didn¡¯t seem to think negatively about meeting me again. I think the reason she came all the way here is probably about the letter I sent. However, she wasn¡¯t saying it because Adriana was here. Adriana¡¯s grip on my arm became a little stronger. As Iughed softly as if she didn¡¯t want to be taken away, Adele¡¯s eyebrows twitched as she stared at me nkly. ¡°But you don¡¯t necessarily have to be the one to help her. Right?¡± She quickly approached and lightly detached Adriana, who was holding me, and then gently smiled as she ced Adriana¡¯s hand on her own arm. It happened while Adriana was bewildered and stammering, so she opened her mouth nkly when she realized it was Adele¡¯s arm that was holding her hand. ¡°G-Grand Duchess?¡± ¡°I will help. It wouldn¡¯t be good for the saint to be so close to a man. Isn¡¯t it better for women to walk together?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± Although it was clear she didn¡¯t like it, it seemed she couldn¡¯t find a proper rebuttal. I also knew that Adriana found Adele burdensome. The earlier letter was like that too, and I knew she had a negative perception of her in many ways. But Adele wasn¡¯t as bad a person as she thought. Maybe if they stayed together like that, they could get along well. ¡°Robert, Robert?¡± Adriana called out pitifully, but she couldn¡¯t approach me due to Adele¡¯s sharp gaze staring at me. It was a look that said she wouldn¡¯t leave me alone if I intervened. Sorry, but it can¡¯t be helped. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to hope for them to get close to each other instead? ¡°Please take good care of her, Saint. You¡¯ll be together until the end of this southern expedition.¡± ¡°¡­What? No, wait a moment- Did I hear that wrong?¡± ¡°No. How could that be possible?¡± Adele, who was smiling brightly while walking with Adriana, seemed to be in a pretty good mood. Would it be fitting to say she had the expression of a young child who had obtained a new toy? That smile felt anxious yet strangely reassuring. It was a feeling I always had when I was with Adele. I thought it was something I felt when I was in the North, but maybe the cause of this feeling was Adele. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°You seem to have a talent for making people tired.¡± ¡°I often hear that.¡± ¡°¡­It wasn¡¯t apliment.¡± Adriana, who had barely separated from her, looked quite exhausted. Holding Robert¡¯s hand weakly, she stroked the back of her hand and let out a small sigh. Rather than being physically tired, she was probably just tired of that attitude. She had unexpectedly served Adriana excellently. From the pace to checking if she was ufortable, there was nothing to criticize, right? It was true that she had been a bit mischievous. It was an appropriate response for hugging him like that as soon as they met. Not only teasing someone, but showing such an appearance whening to greet him. She wanted to say something to Robert too, but it wasn¡¯t easy to talk to him with the memories she had in mind. What she had thought was just a dream turned out to be memories. She had a feeling that it was only a fragment, but the emotions she had in those memories were simr to now. Rather, it could be said to be even deeper, so it wasplicated in many ways. If Adriana hadn¡¯t been here, she would have talked about it right away. Adele¡¯s gaze turned to Adriana. She doubted whether it was okay for her to be so close to a man even though she was a saint. She knew Robert didn¡¯t have any particr feelings, but she couldn¡¯t help but have strange feelings. With a sickly and slender face, and a face that always had dark shadows, he wasn¡¯t bad-looking. No, rather it would be correct to say he was handsome. It wasn¡¯t that her heart was drawn to that appearance, but she knew that women had been frequently entangled with Roberttely. The princess, and now even the saint. Adele, who had counted the number, smiled bitterly. Although she didn¡¯t know her exact feelings yet, she still had a sense. There were already two fish caught in the Robert had spread. Adele didn¡¯t include herself in that. This wasn¡¯t being caught in a, but rather emotions that had bloomed from old memories. She hadn¡¯t recalled all the time she had spent with Robert. She only remembered a few major things, and even that, she didn¡¯t know everything in detail. Since it was a memory she had recalled while reading the letter, she had onlye here with a vague sense that she had to face Robert. ¡­But when she actually saw his face, she didn¡¯t know what to say first. It was good to meet him, but there were too many things to say. What memories she had recalled, what the contents of the letter meant, and what he meant by telling her not to meet the Crown Prince. From one to ten, it was a problem that it was all iprehensible. Robert had too many secrets that only he knew. It had always been like that, but even in her own memories, there were still many secrets. Couldn¡¯t he talk about it a little now? It wouldn¡¯t have been an ordinary rtionship. ¡°I heard you came all the way here because of Robert.¡± The voice of the saint, who had been particrly concerned about her from earlier, suddenly broke her thoughts. It was true that it was because of Robert. Still, she needed to make some excuses to some extent, Adele didn¡¯t forget Robert¡¯s expression when he looked at her earlier. Seeing him look a bit embarrassed, it seemed her letter was the problem after all. She thought it was straightforward while writing it, but there was no need to make him ufortable. She knew well why the saint hade here. She had heard it was to deal with the magicians in the south. Since the North was also paying attention to that issue, it would be difficult to say it had nothing to do with her. ¡°If I had to say, it¡¯s because I need to investigate the magicians. There are magicians in the North as well.¡± ¡°¡­Then the letter.¡± ¡°I also have something to see Robert about. I just didn¡¯t write both.¡± When she made a suitable excuse, Adriana, who had been staring nkly at Adele, soon nodded slightly as if she understood. In fact, there was no need for her to ask more. Even if she said she came to see Robert, there was no reason for her to be concerned about it. However¡­ she was curious. Why, out of so many people, did she specifically mention Robert? She was probably the only person who had read Robert¡¯s past. Seeing their rtionship in those memories, she also knew that the two of them were entangled in more ties than expected. It would have been nice if she could see their expressions, but there wasn¡¯t much she could know in detail just by looking at their inner selves. As she was lost in thought for a moment, Adele moved her lips towards Robert. ¡°Can I see you for a bitter? I have something to say.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to take long. I just have something to ask, so you cane to my room.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± The conversation flowed so naturally that she didn¡¯t notice, but Adriana didn¡¯t like Adele¡¯smanding attitude towards Robert. She understood the difference in status. However, both before and now, wasn¡¯t Robert with her? Nevertheless, was it right to treat him like her adjutant? This wasn¡¯t just a matter of a sense of justice, but a matter of right and wrong. She knew that Adele and Robert feltfortable with each other. Because while reading their hearts, she felt that the two of them felt at ease when talking to each other. Her brows furrowed unknowingly, and a blunt voice leaked out from those small lips. ¡°Robert is not an object.¡± It was enough to surprise herself when she uttered it. Because she had never spoken in such a voice since she was born. Her voice that had always been soft and kind to everyone was particrly sharply spat out at Adele. However, she had no desire to make amends. Because Robert was her friend. Adriana thought it was natural for anyone to step up like herself if they treated a friend like that. ¡°¡­Haha.¡± Of course, it was Adele who burst intoughter at those words. Robert looked at Adriana with a slightly perplexed expression, but it was clear from her serious expression that there had been some misunderstanding. She probably judged that there was a problem with Adele¡¯s attitude. The moment he was about to say something, Adele reached out her hand to stop Robert and slowly opened her mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t think of Robert as an object, but I¡¯m curious what made you say that.¡± ¡°I know you spoke to Robert in amanding tone since you sent the letter. Robert may have been your adjutant in the North, but here, he is my friend and a colleague of the pdins. I hope you understand that. No matter how much of a Grand Duchess you are, you can¡¯t treat the saint¡¯s friend so carelessly.¡± ¡°I see, friends.¡± When Adele nodded for a moment, Robert felt a strange uneasiness at the smile on her lips. What did that smile mean? Adele, whoughed with a snort, looked at Adriana. From earlier, it had been quite annoying to hear her say that she was close to Robert, that they were friends. Although she didn¡¯t think they were in a simr situation¡­ there was still a hierarchy between women, wasn¡¯t there? Friends, she didn¡¯t care what they called it. Because she and Robert were a bit closer than friends. Recalling her memories as proof, Adele moved her lips, reviving the memory of what Lothos had babbled a few days ago. ¡°It¡¯s true that Robert and I are not friends.¡± ¡°You know that well. To show more respect to Robert-¡± ¡°We¡¯re probably a bit closer than that. A while ago, my subordinates said something about my rtionship with Robert. What was it¡­ah.¡± The corners of her mouth drew a soft arc, and then formed a more alluring smile than ever. It was the expression she always made when she was about to say something troublesome. As if ying a prank, her mouth opened with a nonchnt smile. ¡°They said Robert was my lover, didn¡¯t they?¡± Click, the teacup Adriana was holding suddenly shook strongly on the saucer. Even her eyes, which were always closed, opened slightly, and a clear emotion settled in those transparent pupils that couldn¡¯t contain even a bit of light. That emotion was a clear bewilderment. Adele, who was also holding a teacup,ughed softly. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord [Recruitment Notice] ? We are recruiting Korean Trantors for more details please join our Discord Server PrevNext Chapter 81 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó No one present was foolish enough to not understand what the word ¡°lover¡± meant. Not me, not Adriana, and not Adele. We all inevitably grasped what that word implied. The immediate impression, naturally, was surprise, but on the other hand, it seemed Adele was rather enjoying this situation.The faint smile on her lips was exactly the expression she showed when she was ying a prank. ¡°Lover¡­ that would mean.¡± ¡°In other words, a fianc¨¦e, I suppose. I don¡¯t know why such a rumor is circting, but to my subordinates, Robert and I seemed that close. Wasn¡¯t lover a closer rtionship than friends?¡± ¡°Hah, it¡¯s just a rumor. I don¡¯t think they really thought that way.¡± Her question seemed desperate, so Iughed softly as our eyes met and let out a small sigh. Adele had clearly said that to tease Adriana. If I took Adele¡¯s side in this situation, it was obvious Adriana would be flustered, so I gently grasped her hand that was holding the trembling teacup. When the warmth of my hand touched hers, Adriana, who had calmed down a bit, exhaled lightly. I thought it wasn¡¯t something to react to this extent, but¡­ I suppose it would be surprising to have the title of lover attached to someone you have feelings for. It was probably a natural reaction, and something I could call my karma. ¡°She¡¯s just saying it as a joke. You don¡¯t need to mind it.¡± ¡°Right? It¡¯s not true, right?¡± ¡°How long has it been since my engagement was broken off? She¡¯s not someone with no thoughts like that.¡± Adriana seemed to think that statement made sense, as she frowned slightly while looking at Adele. Of course, from Adele¡¯s perspective, it wasn¡¯t a lie. Since she heard it from her adjutants, she must have heard it from somewhere too. Even with Adriana¡¯s gaze on her, Adele just smiled carelessly. As if it didn¡¯t matter either way, Adele shrugged her shoulders at me and opened her mouth. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just a rumor. But what I wanted to say is that I¡¯m not treating Robert like an object. You know how I think of Robert, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­I do know. I also heard about themunication from the North.¡± Was it about when I was injured? Even if Adele treated me a bit lightly, I didn¡¯t criticize her for it because that¡¯s just how she was. Rather than treating someone like an object, this way of treating me could be considered a closer rtionship, couldn¡¯t it? So I just let it be, but Adriana just misunderstood it a bit deeply. As I slowly exined, her expression gradually softened. Eventually, Adriana, who smiled slightly, let go of my hand and opened her lips. ¡°I think I misunderstood a bit, but¡­ it¡¯s a bit ufortable to hear you talk to Robert like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful. I¡¯ll keep that in mind in front of the saint.¡± When Adele said that, Adriana also smiled brightly at her and slowly got up from her seat. ¡°Then I think you two can talk now. Since the purpose of using out to greet you together has ended, I¡¯ll go in first. Ah, you don¡¯t have to follow me out. There¡¯s a priest waiting in front.¡± ¡°Will you be alright?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, and it¡¯s been a while since Robert saw the Grand Duchess too. We¡¯ll be together tomorrow anyway.¡± Adeleughed at the emphasis on the words ¡°together tomorrow¡±, but Adriana just bowed her head towards us and walked away like that. Her steps leaving without hesitation seemed quite light. I swallowed drily for a moment, looking at the door that closed with a thud. I was busy just dealing with Adele, but if Adriana acted like this too¡­ It felt like my head was starting to throb for no reason. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°You went a bit too far.¡± After Adriana disappeared into the room, I spoke to Adele who was silently looking at that spot. I thought she would refute Adriana¡¯s words, but to think she would blurt out such a thing. It was troublesome for me in many ways too. When did Lothos hear about that? Even if he had noticed, I deliberately tried to be careful in case Adele heard. ¡°You¡¯re the one who went too far. You even wrote a letter telling me toe out alone on purpose, but you were sticking with the saint like that. I thought you would know to some extent why I wasing.¡± ¡°¡­I had no choice. We¡¯ve always been like that while staying in the South.¡± Adele, who stared at me for a moment, then sat downughing with a snort. She probably separated me like this to ask about the contents of the letter. Although I had prepared to some extent, now that I was actually facing her, I was honestly nervous. Adele was still the same. Not only her personality, but her appearance hadn¡¯t changed at all since I left the North. In fact, how much could she have changed in just 2 weeks? But these past few days had been busy for me in many ways. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that 2 weeks felt like 2 months to me. Adele, who had been stroking her snow-white hair, just looked at me silently like that. She might have been choosing the words to say. What I wrote in the letter wasn¡¯t just one or two things, but issues that required deep thought. ¡°¡­When I see you.¡± When her red lips moved, Adele¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t meet mine directly. She looked a bit confused. Ovepping something with me, but at the same time, unable to have confidence in it. Adele, who was like that, quietly added while stroking her forehead. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say to you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind whatever you say. Sometimes, you can even get angry and I¡¯ll ept it.¡± ¡°Why would I get angry at someone who hasn¡¯t done anything wrong? No, I can¡¯t say you haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡± Maybe now it was okay to look me in the eye, as her blue eyes curved gently. But the shaking was still there. What was she thinking? What did shee all the way here to say to me, from that barren wilderness? After looking into my eyes for a moment, Adele opened her mouth like that. ¡°You¡¯ve made people confused, so it¡¯s a sin. And that too, to the Grand Duchess who protects the North. Do you have any idea how big of a sin this is?¡± ¡°Is it because of the letter I left?¡± ¡°Yes, because of that, strange memories came back to me.¡± The word ¡°memories¡± always elicited a response from me. If I had to pick the most unusual thing about this round, wouldn¡¯t it be the memories? Theresa also recalled all the memories of the previous rounds, and Adriana also mentioned my previous rounds through a dream. Didn¡¯t Adele say something simr too? Something that had never happened before, but was clearly happening in this 101st life. As my eyes became serious, Adele, who adjusted her posture, stared at me quietly. If it was her, she had probably noticed that I already knew about the ¡°memories¡±. But I didn¡¯t want to say it first. I wanted to hear it first, because if I talked too much about the memories, she might be confused. ¡°¡­I have memories of meeting you 2 years ago.¡± The moment I heard those words, what came to mind was the memory of when I first saw Adele in all my lives. When I had abandoned the name Taylor and ran away. Adele looked at me curiously as Iughed at the fact that I recalled that time. ¡°You were probably crying. Begging to be saved, asking to be taken away.¡± ¡°How do you know that? You¡¯ve never been like this to me.¡± ¡°Please continue talking for now.¡± It was too early to answer how I knew. It was too soon to exin my regression with just this level of memory. When I urged her to continue the story, Adele frowned for a moment and began to speak with a sigh. Her words didn¡¯t continue for very long. To begin with, the memory she recalled was short, and it was too fragmentary to be called a single life. However, the emotions in that memory seemed to be definitely influencing her. The way she looked at me had changed. I wasn¡¯t dull enough to not realize that. ¡°Is that the end of the memory?¡± ¡°Yes, thest thing was what happened in the forest where I was with you before.¡± She didn¡¯t seem to remember the death. She didn¡¯t remember the warning I had given her, nor the words I had spoken to stop her from going. It would be fortunate if she was just hiding it, but at this point, it didn¡¯t seem like Adele would hide anything from me. Her eyes gazing at me, who had been silent for a while, shone with peculiarity. They were eyes that held a question. It was a natural reaction since I had supplemented and exined her memory. After staring at me for a while, Adele opened her mouth with a serious expression. ¡°So now an exnation is needed. How do you know about this memory, and why did you warn me about the Crown Prince¡¯s death in the letter you wrote to me? I don¡¯t understand anything at all.¡± ¡°I thought you would ask me if you read my letter. That¡¯s why I wasn¡¯t particrly surprised that you came.¡± ¡°¡­I hope you don¡¯t just brush it off as a secret this time. If you do, I think I¡¯ll be very disappointed in you.¡± When Iughed at those words, Adele red at me with a frown. From the moment I wrote the letter, I had no intention of hiding it. If she didn¡¯t just have questions but came to me, I was going to tell her about my secret. I couldn¡¯t tell her about all my 100 regressions. To begin with, wouldn¡¯t it take a long time to talk about this 101st life? However, the time I spent with her, even if I said it was the happiest out of all my lives, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration. So I could exin it to her. ¡°The reason I know the Grand Duchess¡¯s memory is because I was there. Didn¡¯t you say it? That you saw me.¡± ¡°But as far as I remember,st winter was the first time you came to the North. Even if I don¡¯t remember-¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a memory from this life.¡± Adele¡¯s movement stopped. Maybe she needed time to understand my words, as she asked quietly after staring at me. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a memory from a time that only I remember, that the Grand Duchess can¡¯t remember. So it¡¯s natural that I know that memory, and that the Grand Duchess didn¡¯t know.¡± A strange emotion bloomed. It seemed to be because it was the first time I talked about my previous rounds myself. Because it was a memory and emotion that I had always remembered alone, that only I had possessed. I had many thoughts about how she would react to this. Would she see me as a strange person? Perhaps, would she think it was my nonsense? But it didn¡¯t matter. As long as she listened, as long as even one person recalled this memory that only I had remembered. That was enough. I took a breath for a moment and opened my mouth like that. The momentary silence felt like an eternity to me, and it felt like my voice opening to Adele had disappeared for a while. Nevertheless, the words were spoken. Words that may be irreversible, in this timeline of the 101st round. Words that would surely change many things. ¡°This isn¡¯t my first life.¡± It was only after starting the 101st life that I could finally utter it. ¡°Longer than the Grand Duchess thinks, much longer. I have been watching.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord [Recruitment Notice] ? We are recruiting Korean Trantors for more details please join our Discord Server PrevNext Chapter 82 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Memories could never always be trusted. As time passed, they became distorted, and changed with something unknown slipping in without one realizing. The same memory could not always be recalled. Unless it was an intense and shocking memory, perhaps memories themselves could not be trusted.-Adele, are you going tomorrow? -Didn¡¯t I tell you yesterday? I¡¯m nning to go in the morning and return at night. Just take Bunta and y around appropriately. -And yet, it seems you had something to say. Seeing as you called me here. It was a memory that always stopped at the same point. Finding Robert copsing and dying in the middle of the snowy field, and bringing him back as a subordinate. The Robert in the memory seemed desperate about something. He couldn¡¯t handle the name Taylor as flexibly as he did now. Rather, he avoided that name and tried to avoid going near the central region as much as possible. Many things were different, Adele thought. The Robert in the memory expressed more emotions than now, and wasn¡¯t as indifferent to everything as he was now. Sometimes he reacted intensely to her words, and sometimes he harbored different emotions on his own. Adele was no fool. She had noticed to some extent what emotions the person looking at her harbored. It was clear what she thought of Robert back then. She probably had simr feelings. Because he had been with her for a long time, and was someone who could understand her loneliness. Ovepping him with her father was the same back then too. It always seemed like he would disappear, so Adele didn¡¯t like Robert leaving her side and going far away. -You still won¡¯t let me go far. -Because I¡¯m anxious. -Well, I think it¡¯s good too. Being together is¡­ better, I think. In my own way. Regression. The lives of the previous rounds that only Robert fully remembered, not the life he was living now. It was still difficult to believe even after hearing the exnation. However, the question was whether Robert had really lived only as long as the time he had spent with her. Even at that time, Robert had already reached a mature level. Even then, he shouldn¡¯t have had time to hold a sword, but while dismissing it as talent, she had harbored doubts, and those doubts still hadn¡¯t disappeared. She now knew that in the life she had spent with him, his death was caused by the Crown Prince. So that¡¯s why he had warned her like that. Telling her not to meet the Crown Prince, writing those words in the letter. Adele smiled bitterly in the cold night wind. The words she heard from Robert delivered quite a unique shock. The past memories she held now were also her own emotions, so they were influencing her current self as well. They had spent 3 years together, and met again in this life and faced each other for a month. Robert looked even more precarious than in the memory. It bothered her that he smiled as if he could crumble at any moment, yet acted as if nothing was wrong. If he had said it was difficult, she would have helped, but it didn¡¯t sit well with her that he acted as if he didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s help. Honestly, it was annoying. The fact that he moved without considering her at all. What was her existence to Robert? She knew that he had harbored feelings for her at one point. It wasn¡¯t one-sided. They both knew they had feelings for each other, even if they didn¡¯t progress into a rtionship, didn¡¯t they? Yet secrets still existed. Even though she heard the iprehensible word regression, and that she and Robert had already been together in a previous life. She could quickly realize that wasn¡¯t all of it. If she had persistently asked, would he have told her about the other lives too? While thinking he probably would have, Adele didn¡¯t ask any further about it. ¡­It was a feeling. A feeling that she shouldn¡¯t ask any more, that Robert had a reason for only telling her this much. The ¡°unremembered favor¡± she had heard before was probably also derived from Robert¡¯s such regression. She wanted to know, but there was no way to know. The gap between Robert and herself was still there, a distance she couldn¡¯t reach no matter how much she reached out. Adele¡¯s heart, with past and present emotions mixed together, was quiteplicated. No matter how much she exhaled, the stuffiness didn¡¯t disappear. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Adele muttered. Even as the slowly brightening daybreak cast over the window, erasing the shadows that had darkly tinted the room, Adele still couldn¡¯t fall asleep. ¡°I don¡¯t know what scenery you¡¯re seeing as you live, what you¡¯re feeling. What kind of existence I am to you¡­ I don¡¯t know anything.¡± Why did she want to see him cry rather than always smiling? Adele¡¯s hand slowly stroked that face. She wished Robert would cry his heart out. Then she would feel more at ease. Because she could just hug him andfort him. But if he only showed a smiling face forever, it seemed this uneasiness wouldn¡¯t disappear. A ss doll that seemed like it would shatter at any moment, that was exactly how Robert felt to Adele. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó A day had passed. Although I had revealed ¡°some¡± of my regression to Adele, I didn¡¯t expect big changes from that. In fact, I hadn¡¯t told her about all 100 lives. I had only exined about the life Adele recalled memories of and that I had already died several times. I had no intention of being understood, nor did I want to gain sympathy. Honestly, to put it bluntly, it seemed to have been quite difficult. I thought I had been doing quite well after killing Theresa, but as expected, the heart wasn¡¯t something that could easily stabilize. I ended up spilling out what I had thought I would reveal someday. The more memories Adele recalled, the more detailed my story would be, but in the end, it was just a story about one life. If something changed with just that, it would be strange. Let¡¯s just not think about it. With that thought, when I stepped out of the room, I coincidentally ran into a familiar face. ¡°Ah.¡± When our eyes met, a voice inadvertently escaped, so I awkwardly scratched my cheek and greeted her. ¡°¡­Good morning.¡± ¡°Thanks to someone, I slept so well that I can¡¯t even say hello.¡± Adele¡¯splexion didn¡¯t look very good. She must have stayed up all night. As I smiled slightly, feeling sorry, Adele, who smiled back at me, approached me in strides. It was such a sudden approach that my back touched the wall. It was a gap that others might misunderstand if they saw, but Adele came close and stared at me intently. Due to the height difference, she had to look up at me, but the atmosphere was by no means trivial. After staring at each other silently for a while, Adele, who lightly caressed my cheek, snorted. ¡°Is this a dream?¡± And then she distanced herself again. She seemed to have wanted to confirm something. Seeing that I answered it wasn¡¯t a dream, she must have mistaken me for an illusion. As I touched the ce where her hand had brushed for a moment, Adele¡¯s gaze fell on me. ¡°I just touched you for a bit. I thought I might be dreaming again seeing you. I must have seen you often in my dreams.¡± ¡°Did I appear in your dream today too?¡± ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t sleep. I thought what I was seeing now was a dream.¡± Adele was unexpectedly calm. I thought she would be confused, but she seemed to have cleanly organized her thoughts in her own way. I couldn¡¯t help but be curious about what she thought of me when she looked at me. But I couldn¡¯t ask her directly. As I just silently looked at her, Adele slightly turned her body and made way for me. ¡°Let¡¯s walk for now. You were going to have a meal anyway, right?¡± The distance to the dining hall was quite far. Adriana was taken care of by the priests, and I always joined her in the afternoon. The morning was free, so I could spend it with Adele. But why did it feel awkward walking like this? Actually, it was my fault for talking about the regression, but I was pondering what to say first. The one who broke that silence was Adele. ¡°I decided not to think about what you said yesterday for the time being.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°In the end, it¡¯s a previous life anyway. Even if I remember now, nothing will change. It just sounded like you were saying that time was different from now.¡± There was nothing particrly wrong with Adele¡¯s words. They were correct. In the end, it was a previous life, and even if she remembered, nothing would change in this life. Just like no matter how much I recalled the past, I could only focus on the present in the end. It was just surprising that she had easily reached that conclusion. How long did it take me to reach such a conclusion? ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } As I looked at her with that thought, Adele opened her mouth with a frown. ¡°You look like you haveints or something?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that, I¡¯m just surprised.¡± ¡°You¡¯re more surprising to me. I can¡¯t even believe that you¡¯re repeating deaths, and it¡¯s more surprising that you¡¯re here like this now.¡± Worry was faintly forming in her eyes that were blue like water. Her voice was a bit curt, but I knew well that Adele was worried about me. From the moment we ran into each other earlier, she acted like that towards me because she was worried. I thought walking like this wasn¡¯t bad either. Come to think of it, it had been quite a while since we walked with just the two of us. We walked, maintaining a barely touching gap between our hands. Sometimes our steps matched, then fell out of sync again. For some reason, I was conscious of how Adele was walking. Matching her stride, matching the direction of her feet. I think we used to do this often when walking before too. Would Adele remember that now? It was a feeling from the past. Even if she recalled that memory, the feelings from then and now couldn¡¯t be the same. I had died dozens more times than then, and Adele wasn¡¯t fully ready to ept the memories yet. When our strides matched perfectly, I finally realized Adele had been quietly looking at me. ¡°¡­Since when were you watching?¡± ¡°From the beginning.¡± When I asked like that, Adele answered with a nonchnt expression. It might be a bit embarrassing. If Adele had recalled memories about this, that would be one thing, but if not, it was just me acting foolishly. To me like that, a clear voice was heard. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be embarrassed. I was also watching you walk since earlier.¡± ¡°That¡¯s-¡± ¡°It means you¡¯re not the only one who remembers now. I also remember now.¡± No matter how carelessly we walked, our footsteps ovepped perfectly. It wasn¡¯t just me matching them. Adele¡¯s foot stopped hesitantly, then stepped forward again following my steps. Adele was also matching my steps. Realizing that and looking at Adele, she turned her head again and moved her lips. ¡°Sometimes you cane to me and talk about other things too. You can talk about memories only you know, and if there¡¯s something I recalled, you can talk about that too.¡± ¡°It might be confusing for you though.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. In the end, I also recalled these memories. Just, when your head hurts, you cane find me. You can just silently look at me, and sometimes.¡± Our eyes met again. Our steps that had been walking like that stopped standing still, and before we knew it, we were just looking at each other with our backs to the temple. ¡°You can lean on me.¡± Adele, who snorted, continued speaking again. Her expression looked a bit refreshed. As if my thought that she might be confused was just my misconception, Adele, who hadpletely shed yesterday¡¯s appearance, opened her mouth. ¡°As I said earlier, I won¡¯t think about your situation for the time being, but there¡¯s one thing I should say.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°When it¡¯s just the two of us, call me by my name. Like¡­ before.¡± The ¡°before¡± she was talking about must have meant the memories from the past. I smiled for a moment and nodded. Calling her by name wasn¡¯t difficult. It was morefortable for me that way. At least more so than calling her Grand Duchess. ¡°Adele.¡± When I called that name for the first time in a long while, Adele smiled. It was such a warm smile unlike her usual self that somehow I felt like I could hear the sound of my heart beating louder than usual. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord [Recruitment Notice] ? We are recruiting Korean Trantors for more details please join our Discord Server PrevNext Chapter 83 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó As always, I loved the dawn. I loved the faint light that dimly bloomed before sunrise, and the gentle silence filled only with the sound of insects when everyone was asleep. I wondered if that was why my eyes always opened at dawn. As I saw the faint light upon waking, I smiled slightly.My body felt particrly light that day. It was probably because I hadpletely resolved the worry I had harbored about Adele¡¯s arrival. The method she chose was not understanding, but simply focusing on the present. After all, it was the past, wasn¡¯t it? No matter how much attention I paid to past events, there wouldn¡¯t be any immediate changes. When she, whom I had worried about the most, maintained such an attitude, my mind became at ease. I thought that was probably why my body felt light too. Originally, we were supposed to leave the temple and head south yesterday, but it seemed the schedule had been pushed back due to Adele¡¯s arrival. So departing from this ce was now today¡¯s task. What we would gain from entering deeper into the southern region¡­ wasn¡¯t muchpared to what I had expected. For the time being, it would probably be enough to pay attention to Adriana and Adele. Adriana¡¯s favor towards me was equivalent to the priests¡¯ favor, and the pdins¡­ led by Verod, were already thinking well of me. Even if something strange happened, they wouldn¡¯t blindly me me. At least now they knew for sure what kind of person I was. ¡°¡­Yuria.¡± After the southern journey ended, it would be time to officially tread the path. Although killing Theresa wasn¡¯t in the n, I already knew well who was unnecessary in my life. I was still in contact with Renold. Although I didn¡¯t know what methods he was using, Renold was excellently performing the role I had entrusted to him. In many ways, it seemed leaving him be had been a good choice. The task you entrusted of securing the target is progressing well without difficulties. The youngdy appears cold, but asionally she kills subordinates when things don¡¯t go as desired. Support for her is fading, and it can be said that the situation is bing fitting for her name ¡°Iron Blood¡±. I had thought it would be like that, but it seemed she was showing somewhat tyrannical movements. It was possible because she bore the Taylor name. Well, I wasn¡¯t sure if this would be beneficial for Yuria in the long run. If there were nopetitors, people would have no choice but to follow Yuria, but if an equalpetitor appeared, where would people turn? She wasn¡¯t foolish enough not to know that. She probably thought I couldn¡¯t rise to an equal position. If not that, then she would obtain the position of family head while I was in the south. I had mostly grasped the patterns of Yuria¡¯s likely actions. Unless she suddenly went mad andmitted suicide, her range of actions was in my hands. So what I had to do was¡­ just wait slowly in this position until the end. Yuria would eventually fall into my trap. Once that trap closed, I had no intention of letting go. Soon, the moment woulde when I could confirm the results with my own eyes. After briefly burning Renold¡¯s letter in the candlelight, I turned my gaze back to the window. It seemed to have been dawn when I woke up, but now I could see the sun rising. Morning, huh. I wondered who I should go see first. Since I had seen Adele yesterday, I thought I should go see Adriana today. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°It seems you slept inte yesterday?¡± Before Adele came, I often met Adriana in the mornings. Although the priests took care of her, the only person I could meet here was Adriana anyway. Yesterday? I had been with Adele until the afternoon. I could have told Adriana honestly, but somehow I had a strong feeling that I shouldn¡¯t. ¡°I suppose I was a bit tired.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad to rest sometimes. Robert, you¡¯re quite diligent, aren¡¯t you?¡± ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. `);} Although I felt a bit guilty, it couldn¡¯t be helped. The rtionship between Adriana and Adele was¡­ how should I put it? It was a rtionship with just that much distance, with me in the middle. If I wasn¡¯t there, they had no particr reason for them to be close, and even if they tried to get closer, it would just be awkward because of my presence. It was a bit frustrating, but I intended to try to coordinate it somehow. It¡¯s not like I could choose one person and discard the other, could I? If it were a romantic rtionship it would be different, but I thought friendship was fine. It might be a bit funny to think of Adele and me as friends, but still. When the priests who had been helping Adriana with her grooming left, Adriana naturally grasped my arm as she stood up. She didn¡¯t hold onto me as closely asst time. Maybe it was because Adele was here, but Adriana just lightly held my arm as we walked forward like that. ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving here today, right? How long did you say we¡¯d have to travel by carriage?¡± ¡°Even though it¡¯s called the deep south, we¡¯ll probably have to stop several times along the way. Because there are different races there.¡± We had stayed near the Temple of the Moon without much difficulty, but as we got closer to the deep south, we would inevitably have more contact with different races. The outskirts were fine. Mostly elves lived on the outskirts, and they were generally friendly to humans as long as nature wasn¡¯t harmed. We would probably stop a few times to ask their permission. Adriana seemed to have a bit of anticipation about moving deep into the south. It might be a little dangerous, and there would be magicians too, but in reality, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for her to get hurt as long as Adele and I were there. Not to mention Verod was also present. If she were to be in a dangerous situation, it would probably only be in a case likest time when the Crown Prince deliberately targeted her. I had no intention of lowering my guard. In Miragen¡¯s case, the Crown Prince had intervened, so it would be too naive to think he wouldn¡¯t intervene in Adriana¡¯s case. After walking for a while, we arrived at the ce where Verod and the pdins had gathered. Verod, who had been inspecting weapons, frowned grotesquely when he saw Adriana and me. ¡°¡­You¡¯vee.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look very pleased to see us.¡± ¡°Of course not. Just look at what I¡¯m seeing right now.¡± I wanted to tell him that it wasn¡¯t good to be too protective of Adriana. If it weren¡¯t for that massive hammer in his hand, I might have already said so several times. Adriana seemed to find Verod¡¯s attitude simply amusing. After chuckling for a moment, she furrowed her brow slightly and spoke to Verod. ¡°Still, don¡¯t scold Robert too much. I asked him for this, you know.¡± ¡°¡­I know, but I have a duty to protect the saint. I need to be vignt at all times.¡± ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re saying Robert is a dangerous person. Is that so?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± At her pressing voice, Verod¡¯s shoulders slumped as if dejected. He was particrly weak to Adriana, so whenever she took my side, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit sorry for him. For Verod, that is. Verod, whose eyes had softened considerably from earlier, let out a sigh as he looked at me. Then, pointing in one direction, he informed us that the carriage had arrived. ¡°The carriage is already prepared. I ordered one that shakes less thanst time, so there shouldn¡¯t be any major problems entering the deep south.¡± ¡°Thank you for your consideration.¡± ¡°This time, not only the saint but also the Grand Duchess will be joining us. Please take good care of both of them. The pdins will focus on guarding the surroundings.¡± Adriana reacted to the mention of the Grand Duchess also joining, but I didn¡¯t react much since I already knew Adele would be riding in the same carriage. We had talked about this topic just yesterday. About who I should travel with when going south. Adele had asked if she could ride her wolf alongside us, but the southern swamps were inconvenient for wolf travel. Even that carriage, which looked ordinary, actually had magical engineering applied to it. So Adele would also ride in the carriage. Adriana didn¡¯t seem to like that fact very much, and she started grumbling quietly. ¡°Weren¡¯t we supposed to travel together? This is different from what was nned.¡± ¡°Please understand. Now that the Grand Duchess has joined us, we can¡¯t go separately.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not that I dislike the Grand Duchess, but it¡¯s still awkward.¡± There was no way to change their different personalities. I could only hope that the two of them woulde to understand each other a little bit. Even Miragen and Adriana had differences in personality, didn¡¯t they? Yet they became best friends, so maybe Adele and Adriana could get along wellter too. As we approached the carriage, Adele was already seated inside. When the door opened, Adele patted the seat next to her and called my name. ¡°Robert,e over here. The three of us won¡¯t be able to sit together.¡± ¡°W-wait a moment. Where are you calling Robert to?¡± ¡°To the seat next to me. If you were originally sitting facing each other, it shouldn¡¯t be much different.¡± Adriana, who had clung to my arm again, shook her head. Seeing that reaction, Adele looked at me nkly, and feeling oddly guilty, I answered. ¡°We sat togetherst time. The seats were wide enough to sit side by side.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Adele¡¯s eyes turned cold as she smiled strangely. It was brief, but it was an expression she often made when she saw or heard something she didn¡¯t like. Seeing Adriana clinging tightly to my arm, that smile deepened, and finally Adele got out of the carriage, approached Adriana, and grasped her arm. ¡°It seems it would be better if the saint and I sit together. That would be fair, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± I didn¡¯t ask what was fair. The two women talking about me had quite an obvious purpose. If they couldn¡¯t have me, it was better that no one did. It was something Adele had often said before, so I quickly realized what she was talking about. ¡°What? No- Is there really a need for that? Robert and I have been sitting well together all along.¡± ¡°There is a need for it.¡± After saying that, Adele added as she removed Adriana¡¯s hand from my arm: ¡°Because I don¡¯t like seeing it.¡± ¡°Ah? Wait a moment- Grand Duchess!¡± What followed happened quite quickly. Before Adriana could offer any resistance, she was separated from me and seated in the carriage. Adele, who took the seat next to her, pointed to the empty seat across from them and smiled. When I tried to say something, Adele lightly covered her lips with her finger. It seemed there was no need to speak. I chuckled for a moment and entered the carriage. Adriana stared silently at Adele with an expression that suggested she had a lot to say. It was an expression I had never seen before. nk, and with trembling hands clutching her own cor. I worried they might be estranged like this, but I thought Adele would probably soothe her well. She would probably make excuses that it couldn¡¯t be helped. However, the more I saw this scene, the more ufortable I felt. So I briefly met Adele¡¯s eyes and slowly turned my head away. ¡°Are we departing now?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I suppose so.¡± Although it was just a matter of deciding seating in the carriage, I could feel that Adele¡¯s emotions were gradually bing simr to those in the past. Affection, the past where we briefly loved each other but ultimately couldn¡¯t express it. I now knew that being bound by the past wasn¡¯t very good. However, it was true that things became more difficult as her feelings grew closer to those of the past. I didn¡¯t want to form deep bonds with anyone. If someone tried to cross the line and get closer to me, I would have no choice but to reject them. It was different from before. I was no longer the person who tried to live happily with everyone. Wasn¡¯t this a life racing towards eternal rest? All humans were moving towards death, but sometimes they forgot this fact. However, I hadn¡¯t forgotten death. Because death was where I was heading, I didn¡¯t want to form deep bonds with anyone. If I failed this time too, I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it. I wanted to maintain just this level of rtionship with everyone until I killed the Crown Prince. After achieving all my goals, then I could discuss love without any worries. The carriage began to move forward. Beyond the outskirts of the south, towards the deep area where different races lived. Erasing theplicated thoughts arising in my mind, I decided to focus a bit on another objective. The relic. I had to secure it in the deep south, after all. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord [Recruitment Notice] ? We are recruiting Korean Trantors for more details please join our Discord Server PrevNext Chapter 84 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing. I just suddenly had a strange feeling.¡± When the carriage stopped for negotiations with the different races, I got out and silently gazed at the deep south. I wasn¡¯t one to rely heavily on intuition like Adele.Although my hunches were often wrong, it was true that my ominous feelings had never been incorrect. I didn¡¯t know why I was having this thought. It was as if I felt I might meet Miragen, to put it one way. When we departed for the south, I had heard that Miragen was under house arrest. If she was here now, it meant either her house arrest had been lifted sooner than expected, or she had simplye out on her own will. Surely she wouldn¡¯t have secretly left in defiance of the Emperor¡¯s orders. As I thought about what might interest Miragen in this southern region, I realized there was a possibility it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible. Miragen hade to the south before. If she traveled with magicians, she could move quickly through teleportation, but the different races didn¡¯t like that much, so they usually traveled secretly. The reason Miragen went to the south then was because of a relic. It was a relic known to the imperial family, and securing it would have benefited Miragen herself. It was different from the relic I was looking for. The one Miragen wanted to secure was created by the Moon God, while the one I was after was rted to the Four Dragons. Miragen¡¯s power had increased slightly after the recent Terranite mine incident. She now had enough influence to exert some authority, but it was still weakpared to Kaitel. If she was still concerned about that, maybe we could meet here. I hoped that wouldn¡¯t happen. ¡°You seem to be thinking about someone else.¡± ¡°Did you learn mind-reading in the North?¡± When I asked that, Adele shrugged and approached me. Negotiations with the different races were the job of Adriana and the pdins. As such, we had nothing to do, so we were inevitably quite leisurely until the task was finished. By the way, Adele¡¯s intuition was better than I thought. It might be what they call a woman¡¯s intuition, but she had urately guessed that I was thinking about Miragen. Though I had no intention of speaking honestly, I smiled awkwardly, and Adele silently looked at me as if she understood. In truth, I felt very apologetic towards Adele. For not being able to tell her more about myself, though there was actually a lot I could say. I thought that if I said more, it would only increase her confusion. If there was any constion, it was that she was now somewhat wary of the Crown Prince. If she was cautious on her own, she wouldn¡¯t die as futilely as I had seen before. If an unexpected situation arose, I could step in. If we could get through this year like that, I might be satisfied even if I lost the bet I had made with her. ¡°When this is over, do you n to go straight to the central region?¡± ¡°I suppose so. I should start preparing what I¡¯ve been nning.¡± Adele knew that I intended to be the family head. I thought she probably understood the meaning of this southern trip to some extent, but she didn¡¯t know my purpose after bing the family head. Rebellion, I wanted to tell her that I was nning to instigate it¡­ but somehow we hadn¡¯t been able to have that conversation. I would be busy for a while after bing the family head. I would have to absorb power in my own way and gain the support of the nobles to reign over them. At least to the point where mere nobles wouldn¡¯t be able to interfere with me. In that sense, Adele¡¯s support was quite powerful. If the Grand Duchess supported me, it meant that 30% of this empire supported me, didn¡¯t it? ¡°If you want, I could help. Considering what that sister of yours did to you.¡± Adele¡¯s mood didn¡¯t seem very good as she gritted her teeth. Perhaps it was because she had read my memories, or because of the memories I had told her about in the past. Having heard that all the wounds covering my body came from one person¡­ I suppose it was a natural reaction. ¡°¡­How could she do that to her brother? She really has an interesting way of thinking.¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the past. Well, it wasn¡¯t just once or twice.¡± ¡°I¡¯m seeing it now. So I can¡¯t help but be irritated. I¡¯ve had to hold myself back from attacking the Taylors several times after recalling these memories.¡± Adele hesitated for a moment, then added as she looked away from me. ¡°I couldn¡¯t ruin the n you had set up.¡± ¡°I should thank you then. You don¡¯t need to care about me that much.¡± ¡°As I always say, you have a talent for making people worry. I see you even when I don¡¯t want to.¡± Since we shared memories, it wasfortable that we couldmunicate on many levels. At this point, Adele was probably the only one I could talk to like this. Theresa, who knew my other memories, well¡­ she was dead. The parts of me that bothered her were always the same. The anxiety that came from feeling like I might disappear at any moment, and the mental state that seemed like it could crumble at any time. I was fine with it, but Adele seemed to care more about it after hearing that I had died several times. After watching Adele stare at me for a while, I finally chuckled and shrugged. ¡°If you¡¯re that worried, why don¡¯t you juste to the central region? Once I be the family head, no one will have anything to say about it anyway.¡± ¡°Not a bad idea. No, it¡¯s worth considering.¡± I had said it jokingly, but Adele seemed to be thinking about it quite seriously. When I asked if she was really thinking ofing, surprised, she opened her mouth as if it was obvious. ¡°Are you really thinking ofing? Don¡¯t you have things you need to do?¡± ¡°Lothos will handle it. He did it before anyway.¡± ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } It seemed I had brought up an unnecessary topic. As I looked at Adele seriously considering my words, I silently sent a prayer for Lothos. It seemed Lothos¡¯ unfair treatment wasn¡¯t much different in this life than in the past one. Perhaps that was his fate. It must be miserable for him. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Adele left, saying she was tired, and I was alone again. When I was with others, it was different, but when I was alone, my thoughts naturally multiplied. As I wanted to avoid my mind bing tooplicated, I tried contacting Miragen, whom I had briefly thought about earlier. Adele¡­ Adriana, and Miragen. They all had their own brilliant aspects, but they were people I wanted to take care of until the end in this life. Even if I died, it would be better if at least these people lived. It would be good if Miragen was in the imperial pce rather than the south, but I wasn¡¯t sure if things would go as I thought. It didn¡¯t take long for a voice to be heard again after the brief connection tone. When the familiar voice reached my ears, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Have you been well?¡± -I¡¯ve been fine. Thanks to someone. Was she still upset about thest incident? When Iughed out loud at her somewhat grumpy voice, Miragen opened her mouth as if displeased. -You¡¯ve been contacting me privately quite oftentely. I hope you remember the purpose of this artifact. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it given to me for casual conversation in the first ce? If you prefer, I¡¯ll only discuss official matters from now on.¡± -¡­That¡¯s not exactly what I meant. You can contact me often. Just don¡¯t talk about other people. ¡°I understand. Anyway, I contacted you today to talk with Your Highness the Princess.¡± After a brief cough, a much clearer voice than before came through. Even just from her voice, I could sense her expectation, so I grinned at Miragen¡¯s tone. -If what you just said is true, I might forgive your previous rudeness. Has your heart changed a little now? Do you think of me sometimes? ¡°It seems so.¡± -¡­Oh, really? Really? ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something to joke about, but did I offend you?¡± -Of course not. Hmm, it was just unexpected. Miragen¡¯s voice was full of emotion she couldn¡¯t hide. I smiled softly at her voice, which was trying to maintain the dignity of a princess while clearly pleased with what I said. When talking with Miragen, I couldn¡¯t help but think a lot about the old days. Her jealousy, her affection. Maybe because I had seen it so many times, I could tell what emotions she was feeling just from her voice. -So, what¡¯s the reason for this call? It¡¯s not really just to check on me, is it? ¡°I really did want to ask how you were doing. We¡¯re heading to the deep south now, so I had some free time.¡± -It seems you didn¡¯t travel with magicians. If you had, you would have arrived quickly. ¡°We want to avoid friction with the different races. It can¡¯t be helped.¡± As I said that, I focused on the soundsing from Miragen¡¯s end. Not just her voice, but including the surrounding sounds. When we had talked in her room before, the sound had echoed slightly, but this time there was no such reverberation. It meant she was in an open space. She could be talking from a garden, but using such an artifact in a ce like a garden wasn¡¯t Miragen¡¯s style. At least when talking to someone she was interested in, didn¡¯t she prefer ces without people? It wasn¡¯t the imperial pce. Then where could it be? The sound that resolved this question came from the other end. The chirping of birds flying in the sky, a sound that would never be heard indoors like the imperial pce. Chirp chirp-! I smiled bitterly as I realized it was the sound of birds native to the south, not the central region. I had hoped Miragen wouldn¡¯t be here, but it seemed this ominous feeling had been spot on. I squeezed my eyes shut. Just imagining it made my head hurt. ¡°I¡¯m asking just in case, but are you somewhere other than the imperial pce right now?¡± -W-What are you talking about? You know I¡¯m still under house arrest. ¡°You know what?¡± Miragen had a personality that couldn¡¯t lie. When she lied, her voice gave it away, so she often got caught trying to deceive Kaitel. Maybe it was because we had spent so much time together. Now I could tell what she was thinking just from her voice, so I realized Miragen was lying. ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re really not good at lying. I could hear the bird sounds just now too. I think you know what that means.¡± -¡­Are you saying I¡¯m in the south? ¡°Aren¡¯t you? I thought it might be the case, but you really are there.¡± Chirp chirp-! There was a timeg, but the chirping sound that had beening from Miragen¡¯s end now reached my ears too. This time, not from the artifact, but from right above my head. What could that mean? The direction the bird had flown from, that is, it meant Miragen was in the deep south. When I asked again, Miragen muttered in a small voice, as if resigned. -Please keep this a secret from Father¡­ If I get caught this time, I might have to stay in the pce for a whole year. ¡°What were you thinking- Hah.¡± There was only one thing I could say to Miragen who spoke like that. I didn¡¯t think she hade to the central region alone, but still, it was the deep south. It had happened before, and I remembered that Miragen had returned safely then too. But I couldn¡¯t help but worry. Wasn¡¯t Miragen like a sore thumb to me? I swallowed for a moment and then opened my mouth. Trying not to sound angry, in the gentlest voice possible. ¡°Stay right there. Don¡¯t move a single step until we find you.¡± I felt I would only be at ease if I could see her with my own eyes. By the way, if Miragen was here, did it mean all three of them would be gathered, including Adele and Adriana? Somehow my head started to ache, and I sighed while rubbing my forehead. It was a headache in many ways, indeed. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord [Recruitment Notice] ? We are recruiting Korean Trantors for more details please join our Discord Server PrevNext Chapter 85 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó I might have been a little angry. About hering all the way here in secret when she would have been safe in the imperial pce. Miragen was¡­plicated. If I were to exin my feelings about Miragen, it would probably take a long time.In addition to simply spending a long time together, it might be because I had watched her die by my side when I held the deepest emotions for her. Well, honestly, I wished Miragen would just stay in the imperial pce. I had regretted it so much when she was in danger in the North. Didn¡¯t I think it would have been better if I had died instead, feeling like I had said something unnecessary? I thought she paid a lot of attention to her position in many ways, and that was why she would act like this. But when faced with this situation again, my chest felt tight. I wanted to tell her that I was going to kill Kaitel myself. That if Kaitel disappeared, Miragen would be the Emperor, so couldn¡¯t she please just stay in the imperial pce? I wanted to ask her if she couldn¡¯t just be patient for a little while. But I couldn¡¯t do that. It was a future that only I should know, so I couldn¡¯t move hastily. I didn¡¯t know. I felt like I needed to see her face before I could say anything. Should I get angry? Or should I let it be? I probably wouldn¡¯t know until I met her¡­ but I couldn¡¯t meet her with a smile likest time. Even though I didn¡¯t think this area was particrly dangerous, it was clear that we needed to be careful. Even if she hade with magicians, it would still be dangerous if they encountered malicious different races, wouldn¡¯t it? I wished she would realize that she was a more precious existence. Miragen sometimes had a tendency to throw herself into things. Hadn¡¯t she done that a few times before? Of course, now only I remembered those things, but still, that personality probably hadn¡¯t changed. ¡°Robert, we need to depart now.¡± Adriana approached me as I was staring nkly into space. I answered her that I understood, and then let out a sigh while briefly looking in the direction where Miragen might be. I knew well that nothing would change by just standing here like this. Even if I wanted to make a change, wouldn¡¯t it only happen after meeting her? I had thought about many things after dying multiple times, but what I wished for in this life wasn¡¯t anything grand. Adele, Adriana, Miragen. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } I just wanted everyone to live happily. It would be even better if my goal was achieved and I was happy too. But the probability of that was probably low. ¡­I just hoped everyone except me could be happy. Without anyone getting hurt, without anyone being sad, just smiling. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°Miragen is in the south?¡± Adriana was greatly surprised to hear that Miragen was in the south. If she had moved without telling even Adriana, how secretly had she tried to move? She might have even left a doppelganger of herself in the imperial pce. Although she hade without such measuresst time when there was no house arrest, if she hade all this way with magicians, she probably would have taken such a risky step. ¡°I contacted her earlier, and she was in the south. We¡¯ll probably be able to meet her soon.¡± If the elves opened the way for us, travel would be easy after that. Their permission, as lovers of this forest, had the ability to make any rough terrain as smooth as t ground. The bumpy road became smooth, and the dense forest that had been blocking the horses¡¯ view straightened its branches towards the sky. It was magic too great for humans to handle, the reason there were many magicians in the south might be to imitate this magic. Adele silently looked at Adriana sitting next to me. It seemed she had sat like this because it would have been awkward to force her to sit elsewhere like before, but her expression was not ordinary. ¡°So the Princess is in the south. I wonder if there¡¯s any reason for her toe all the way here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a guess, but she probably needed something from here.¡± ¡°There are relics in the deep south. I think that¡¯s probably what she needs.¡± Adriana, who knew Miragen well, answered. As she would be able to understand Miragen¡¯s circumstances to some extent, I nodded slightly at her words that Miragen might need a relic. I didn¡¯t know the exact reason this time, but that was likely the case. There would be no reason for her toe all this way otherwise. As far as I remembered, the relic in the deep south didn¡¯t have a clear purpose. However, it was said to have been ¡®directly¡¯ created by the Moon Goddess, so both the church and the imperial family were strongly attached to it. I thought the church would have secured it long ago if it weren¡¯t in the deep south. However, the deep south was a ce full of many different races and dangers, Instead of dispatching their already scarce personnel, the church had given the name ¡®holynd¡¯ to the deep south. The ce where the moon slept, the ce where the moon shone more brilliantly than any night in the middle of the continent when the empire prospered. ¡®Sacrifice.¡¯ It was funny that this name ovepped with a word meaning sacrifice, but it meant that for the moon to shine, the light of those stars must be buried. Perhaps it was the most fitting word. ¡°So the Princess is there.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll probably be able to meet her soon. If we go this way, we should arrive in a few minutes.¡± When I spread my mana, Adele¡¯s brow twitched slightly. She probably felt my mana, but that mana was advancing towards the depths of that forest. When it reached the depths of the forest I felt what I thought was Miragen¡¯s faint mana, I frowned and opened my mouth. ¡°She¡¯s definitely there. I had hoped it was just my imagination.¡± ¡°She must have known it was dangerous, I wonder if the situation was that urgent.¡± ¡°Who knows, something might have happened while we were unaware.¡± Thud. The carriage stopped, and after helping Adriana down, I immediately tried to head down myself. A hand stopped me. When I turned my head, I saw Adele silently looking at me. ¡°You don¡¯t look happy. Are you displeased that the Princess is here?¡± ¡°¡­Something like that.¡± ¡°I wish you¡¯d be honest. Is it about memories I don¡¯t know?¡± At that question, I looked around for a moment, and after confirming that no one was there, I smiled bitterly. That seemed to be enough of an answer, as Adele released my arm and spoke. Her expression looked somewhatplicated. Maybe it was because there were still memories she didn¡¯t know about. ¡°Still, there¡¯s no need to get angry.¡± ¡°Why would I be angry?¡± ¡°Because it looked like you were going to get angry if you went out like that. I know you care about the Princess more than I realize, but still¡­ just.¡± Adele briefly touched her forehead and let out a deep sigh. She looked like she didn¡¯t understand why she was advising me herself. ¡°From the perspective of someone without memories, it would bepletely iprehensible why you¡¯re acting this way. It bes moreplicated than you think.¡± ¡°¡­Haha.¡± If her intention was to improve my mood, I think it worked perfectly. I had felt like I was going to say something to Miragen as soon as I saw her, but hearing Adele¡¯s words made me smile slightly. It would be strange to show too much concern for Miragen here. From Miragen¡¯s perspective, she and I weren¡¯t that close. If I had gotten angry, it might have made the rtionship awkward instead. When I smiled, Adele lightly pushed my back, telling me to go. That gesture seemed a bit cute. Was it jealousy? Last time, she had admitted it was jealousy herself, so maybe she didn¡¯t like me worrying about someone else. ¡°Would you like toe with me?¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°I thought you might not be too happy about me being alone with the Princess.¡± Adele flinched at my joking words, then quietly shook her head and turned her back. Was she not going to answer? She just went in the direction Adriana had disappeared, so I started walking towards where Miragen was. It seemed Adriana and Adele had deliberately gone in the opposite direction. They had been concerned about Miragen since we were in the carriage, so were they giving us space? What you saw when you reached the deep south was a tower rising towards the sky, simr to the Moon Tower. However, unlike the Moon Tower, it didn¡¯t just point upwards. Rather, I knew that the depth underground was deeper than the height above ground. Miragen seemed to be inside there. As I carefully entered the tower, I saw a womaning up the stairs. Unlike her usual attire in the imperial pce, she was dressed quite ordinarily, so I only recognized her by her unique eyes. Golden pupils that only the imperial family possessed. Her eyes, which met mine, wavered for a moment, then found their ce and sparkled slightly. A small voice escaped from her lips, which had been trembling. I didn¡¯t know what my expression looked like. Although Adele had advised me, I was still angry. ¡°¡­Oh, you came.¡± ¡°Someone came to this dangerous ce, so I rushed here.¡± ¡°Well, if I were to make an excuse, you know. You know I¡¯m always in a precarious position, right?¡± ¡°I know.¡± As I stepped closer, Miragen stepped back. I could see stairs behind her. If she kept backing up like that, she would fall. With that thought, I moved closer, and Miragen retreated further. I couldn¡¯t understand what she was thinking. Avoiding wasn¡¯t the best strategy. I thought it would be better to confront it. ¡°I came to find a relic. Once I find it? I think I probably won¡¯t have toe out like this again.¡± ¡°Adriana said so. That you probably came to find a relic.¡± Step. Miragen smiled slightly, seemingly a bit surprised by my answer. She smiled awkwardly a few times, but kept backing away as I approached. Then her foot caught on the stairs, and her body wobbled. I reached out my hand towards her swaying body. For a moment, I almost asked if she was an idiot, but barely held back. If she had been thinking, she would have known that what she had juste up was stairs. Thwack, my outstretched hand grabbed her waist and pulled. Her tilting body stopped in mid-air, and I pulled Miragen towards me and set her in front of me. It was a close distance. A distance where our eyes could almost touch, where our breaths intermingled and our scents mingled. Miragen¡¯s quivering lips closed tightly. As I looked at her unusually glossy lips, I heard a small voice in my ear. ¡°¡­Are you perhaps angry? That I came here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± I was angry. Despite what Adele had said earlier, when I saw Miragen, I wanted to question why she hade to such a dangerous ce. While I had encouraged her to go to the Terranite mine, there was no reason for her toe here at all. I thought I would probably get angry when I saw her face. Strangely, I didn¡¯t feel angry. ¡°I was angry earlier, but not now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, um. Next time I¡¯ll tell you before Ie.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s best if you just don¡¯te at all.¡± A small blush rose on Miragen¡¯s cheeks. It was natural. She was almost in my arms, leaning against the wall, facing me at quite a close distance. The waist I was holding trembled several times. Miragen took a deep breath as she supported her wobbling legs. It seemed to be hard for her to endure, and I grinned seeing her ear tips turning bright red. She had always been vulnerable to these things. I should let her go now. It seemed I wouldn¡¯t be able to get angry, and even if I warned her several times, it seemed like this kind of thing would happen again next time. As I released her waist, I lightly flicked my finger against Miragen¡¯s forehead. Thwack- ¡°Ouch.¡± ¡°Next time, please contact me first. Stop worrying His Majesty the Emperor.¡± I grinned as I watched Miragen ring at me while holding her forehead. It probably didn¡¯t hurt that much, I think I controlled my strength so it was just a slight sting. It was always like this. From the past that Miragen couldn¡¯t remember, I was always the one who gave in. There were times when I wanted to get angry, but in the end, I couldn¡¯t. Unlike other couples who fought a lot, we had never even raised our voices at each other. It might seem foolish to others, but I chose to give in this time too. Maybe I would do the same next time. Because when I saw Miragen, I always had no choice but to do so. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord [Recruitment Notice] ? We are recruiting Korean Trantors for more details please join our Discord Server PrevNext Chapter 86 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó When given a little space, Miragen seemed to have recovered from her earlier flush. She rubbed her face, then formed a triangle with her hands and peeked at me through the gap. It was something she used to do often in the past, but was it really that embarrassing? Miragen might not remember, but she tended to be quite forward with the person she loved.Of course, that was when they were officially a couple. Now that they were nothing to each other, she was probably just feeling shy. Anyway, seeing Miragen like this was a somewhat novel experience for me. Even though I had seen this scene more than ten times, Miragen always showed new reactions. When I smiled, Miragen frowned and red at me. Her rolling eyes paused for a moment, and then her mouth opened hesitantly. ¡°This might be an impertinent question, but have you had many rtionships with women?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that to be your first question, but I¡¯ve only been with one person in my life.¡± ¡°¡­I know you had a fianc¨¦e. Hah, I¡¯m just surprised.¡± I quickly understood what she was surprised about, so I just smiled without saying anything. What I had just done was slightly crossing the line. Maybe it was because I was remembering the past a little. Getting angry but then calming down when I saw her face. I wondered if I was a bit foolish too. ¡°I was just teasing a bit. Because I was a little angry.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t usually talk about this much, but I am a princess. You remember that, right?¡± ¡°I remember, but do you want me to treat you like a princess?¡± At that question, Miragen hesitated for a moment and then shook her head slightly. She probably thought this kind of rtionship wasn¡¯t bad. I felt the same way. I could treat Miragen with the formality due to a princess, but if I really did that, I thought it would just make me feel ufortable. Anyway, it was time to hear her reasons. What relic had shee to find, why had she secretly left the imperial pce? Thinking she wouldn¡¯t havee without any precautions, I asked, and fortunately, Miragen exined the various measures she had put in ce. ¡°First, I created a doppelganger of myself.¡± ¡°A doppelganger¡­?¡± ¡°As you know, I have many friends in the Magic Tower. If I ask the magicians, creating my doppelganger is simple. Since I¡¯m supposed to stay in my room during the house arrest period anyway. There¡¯s no need to make it move around much.¡± ¡°What do you think His Majesty the Emperor would do if he heard about this?¡± ¡°The others will handle that well. He doesn¡¯te to see me that often anyway, and he¡¯s been quite busytely.¡± Come to think of it, it was a busy time for the imperial pce. Was it when the Emperor and the Crown Prince were seriously discussing territorial expansion? Taking advantage of such a gap to personallye to the south, I couldn¡¯t understand where Miragen¡¯s courage came from. ¡°You won¡¯t tell me about the relic if I ask, will you?¡± ¡°No, I can tell you, but the problem is that I haven¡¯t fully grasped it yet.¡± ¡°Then why did youe here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of the candidate locations. I originally nned to keep moving with magicians, but¡­ I guess it would be difficult for me to move alone now.¡± I silently watched Miragen as she nced at me. It was an obvious point. I was already shocked that Miragen hade here, did she think I would let her move around alone? The magicians could be used when she returned, but at least while she was in the south, I felt I needed to keep an eye on her, if only for my peace of mind. When I stared at her, Miragen flinched slightly and then spoke while rubbing her arm. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of watching over me the whole time, are you?¡± ¡°It seems like everyone¡¯s learned mind-readingtely.¡± ¡°Everyone? Well, Adriana has always been good at reading people¡¯s hearts.¡± ¡°I was talking about Adele. We¡¯ll meet her soon anyway.¡± Miragen nodded at the mention of Adele, then paused and stared at me nkly. I wondered if there had been any problem in our conversation just now. As I pondered this, I realized the issue with Miragen¡¯s next words and let out a smallugh. ¡°You¡¯re calling the Grand Duchess by her name?¡± ¡°¡­Ah, it just happened that way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m envious that you¡¯ve made so many friends while I wasn¡¯t aware. Adriana, and now Adele too. They came here with you, right?¡± It was the same when I thought about it in my head, but now I was calling them by name even when we were alone, so it seemed to have slipped out. I didn¡¯t think I needed to make excuses. It wasn¡¯t something that needed to be hidden, and what was the big deal about calling someone by their name? It was just evidence that we had be closer. However, Miragen seemed to think it was somewhat special, as she stared at me intently for a moment and said, ¡°Will you call me by my name once?¡± ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­You won¡¯t call me by my name?¡± ¡°As you said earlier, you are a princess, aren¡¯t you?¡± Strictly speaking, Adriana was also a saint and Adele was even a Grand Duchess, but neither they nor I cared much about such positions. However, it was certainly a contradictory feeling. Trying to distance myself, yet feeling satisfied with getting closer to each other. Even though I knew it had to stop someday, I couldn¡¯t decide when that would be. ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s ufortable to keep calling you ¡®Lord¡¯ forever.¡± When I raised my head at the sudden voice, Miragen was saying that while trembling slightly as if embarrassed. Was she bothered by the fact that I was calling others by their names? Well, she had always been the type to make a big deal out of small things, but it seemed she was now starting to want to call me by my name too. ¡°From now on, it¡¯s okay to call me by my name. It might be different in the imperial pce, but isn¡¯t it ufortable for both of us to address each other as ¡®Lord¡¯ and ¡®Princess¡¯ when we¡¯re outside like this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t find it particrly ufortable.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, I thought it was ufortable.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile at her fumbling when she was at a loss for words. Calling Miragen by her name might be quite difficult for me. While calling someone by their name wasn¡¯t a difficult thing, Miragen was¡­ a special person in many ways. The problem was that I had often called her by name in the past. If I hadn¡¯t had much experience with that, I would have called her without hesitation, but the name ¡®Miragen¡¯ was a name that made me recall too many things. For example, memories I didn¡¯t want to remember. Anyway, I didn¡¯t want to call Miragen by her name right now. After a little more time passed, when my mind had calmed down somewhat. Then it might be okay to call her by her name. What was certain was that it wasn¡¯t now. When I kept calling her ¡®Your Highness¡¯ until the end, Miragen pouted her lips as if displeased. I was a bit curious about how she would react if I called her by nameter. Would she be embarrassed, or would she ept it naturally, saying it was about time I called her that? Of course, knowing Miragen, she would probably pretend to be fine on the outside while being extremely embarrassed on the inside. I think that was what I liked about her when we were together. Well, that was just how it was when she and I were lovers. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó When Adriana saw Miragen, she started pouring out her anger just as I had intended to do. As she asked if Miragen was in her right mind and why she hade to this dangerous ce, Adele looked slightly interested. ¡°It seems she gets angry sometimes too.¡± ¡°They¡¯re friends. She seems to be morefortable with friends.¡± ¡°Has she ever gotten angry at you?¡± ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t done anything to make her angry.¡± Adriana tended to be particrlyfortable with Miragen. I thought it was probably because they were friends from childhood, but seeing her angry was very unexpected even for me. I smiled slightly as I watched Miragen cowering before Adriana. The sight of a princess being scolded by a saint, where else could you see such a scene but here? ¡°So you really came for the relic? You knew it was dangerous, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But there were records, so I couldn¡¯t not try. Right?¡± ¡°Knowing I was here, you could have just asked me.¡± ¡°Would the church just sit by and watch? If the imperial family did it, they couldn¡¯t say much.¡± It was amusing to hear her say such things to the saint, who represented the church, but Adriana valued Miragen more than the church. It was admirable that she worried more about Miragen even after hearing such words. I thought that kind of heart was a big reason why she was the saint. Usually, when bing friends with Miragen, one would think about using her. In the past, when I was in a rtionship with Miragen, I had asked her to introduce me to Adriana. I thought meeting the saint might provide another solution, and I remember Miragen agonized quite a bit over that request. I learnedter that the main reason was that Adriana didn¡¯t want to, but I think Miragen and Adriana became friends like that because they were simr to each other. Adele just quietly watched the two of them. She didn¡¯t have friends in that kind of rtionship. Although she had subordinates like Bunta and Lothos, those were rtionships of colleagues and subordinates, not equal rtionships like this. She might be envious deep down. Since Adele¡¯s inner thoughts were always difficult to grasp urately, there was no way to know unless I asked her directly. ¡°So, do we have to stay here?¡± Adele turned her gaze towards the surrounding pdins. It was correct to set up a base here, but there was some free time while the other priests and pdins investigated the magicians. In other words, it meant we could move around this area a bit. I was also interested in the relic Miragen had mentioned. Although it wasn¡¯t the relic I needed to secure, I thought it was natural to be interested since I had used relics myself. ¡°I n to ride around in the carriage. There are various ces in the deep south besides this tower, aren¡¯t there?¡± ¡°Then I should go too. This is troublesome.¡± ¡°If you really feel that way, you don¡¯t have toe. I don¡¯t want to make you ufortable.¡± When I said that, Adeleughed as if exasperated for a moment, then shook her head and moved her lips. ¡°I told you earlier. I feel uneasy if I don¡¯t keep you in sight.¡± As she said that, her gaze still rested on Miragen and Adriana, who were together. Miragen, who had been one-sidedly scolded until just now, was now just smiling, probably talking about something else. Her gaze as she looked at them was a bit cold, so Adele blinked for a moment and muttered softly. ¡°¡­But I can¡¯t let you go alone either.¡± ¡°Then I guess we¡¯ll all go together.¡± Adriana was with us from the start since I had followed her. Of course, I had no intention of leaving Miragen alone, and since Adele had said she woulde too, the four of us would have to move together. As we walked towards the carriage like that, Adele suddenly opened her mouth looking at me. ¡°By the way, how will we sit in the carriage?¡± I thought it was a trivial question and was about to open my mouth, but I felt my words getting stuck in my throat at the gazes pouring on me. Miragen, who had been talking with Adriana, looked at me. Clearly Adriana, who couldn¡¯t see, and Adele too. They were all just staring at me nkly, as if waiting for my answer. In that subtle silence, as I blinked my eyes for a moment, Adele smiled gently and asked again. ¡°I¡¯m curious about your thoughts. How do you think we should sit?¡± Through many regressions, I thought I had found answers to many questions. I had figured out solutions to what were called difficult problems, and I thought I had reached a certain level of wisdom in my own way. But it seemed that might have been my misunderstanding. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } I couldn¡¯t easily open my mouth to this difficult problem in front of me. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord [Recruitment Notice] ? We are recruiting Korean Trantors for more details please join our Discord Server PrevNext Chapter 87 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°You seem to be deep in thought.¡± ¡°How can I not be? The person sitting in the driver¡¯s seat is ring at me so fiercely.¡± ¡°It seems he cares a lot about the saint.¡± When I nodded at Adele¡¯s words, Adriana in front of me seemed to be staring at me intently.I had no choice but to be cautious in many ways. It was just about deciding the seating in the carriage, but considering how these women thought of me¡­ I realized it was a much more important issue than I had expected. That was why it was difficult. Adele sitting next to me probably didn¡¯t think much of it, but I had rarely agonized this much in this life, at least. I thought I had lived longer than others. I had umted more experience than most people with considerable years, and the wisdom I had umted over time was not insignificant. Yet I never expected to be troubled by such a problem. I should push them away, I should reject them, but I wasn¡¯t sure if I could do it. Even though I didn¡¯t want to appear indecisive, each of them was precious to me. Perhaps it would be best if I just disappeared. If everything worked out well and concluded, maybe I would go on a journey without telling anyone. I was a bit curious about how others would react. Adele would probably try to chase after me somehow, but surely she wouldn¡¯te by ship. Anyway, I decided not to think about this situation. The more deeply I thought about it, the moreplicated it became only for me. It was a rtionship that would have to be sorted out someday, and even now it was precariously treading the line. But the moment to sort it out wasn¡¯t now, was it? No one had directly expressed affection for me, nor had any conflict arisen because of me. Miragen seemed to think it was rather fortunate that she wasn¡¯t sitting with me. When our eyes asionally met, she avoided my gaze with a strange expression, so she might be feeling embarrassed about what happened earlier. We were still in an awkward rtionship. It was the same with Adriana and Adele, but especially so with Miragen. We hadn¡¯t spent much time together, and the moments we had met were often short and intense. From her perspective, she might not understand why I was acting so devotedly. I hoped that when Miragen recalled her memoriester, she wouldn¡¯t me herself for killing me. That was just something that happened once. It was an ident, an unavoidable incident. At that time, didn¡¯t I rather wish for Miragen to kill me? As the people around me recalled more memories of the previous rounds, my feelings became moreplicated. While I hoped they wouldn¡¯t be sad seeing me die, I was afraid they might look at me with different emotions than now. ¡°¡­I used to sit there originally.¡± I smiled slightly at Adriana¡¯s murmur, just loud enough for only me to hear. So, I wanted to live hearing such words continuously. I didn¡¯t want sympathy or pity just because I had died a few times. Adele was a great help when I had such thoughts. Wasn¡¯t she the only one who could help me at this point? As I gazed out the window lost in thought for a moment, Adele tapped my shoulder lightly with her finger. ¡°It¡¯s better not to think too much. Especially you, you tend to think in negative ways.¡± ¡°Then I feel like I should say something. Are you willing to be my conversation partner?¡± ¡°I could lend you my shoulder. Don¡¯t you n to sleep?¡± Sleep. To be honest, I was a bit tired from worrying about Miragen. Adriana and Miragen had already fallen asleep leaning on each other¡¯s heads, so I rubbed my eyes slightly and looked at Adele. Adele grinned at my gaze, then swept her hair to the side and shrugged. ¡°You can just sleep.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t just sleep.¡± Adele pulled my head and buried my face in her shoulder. When I mumbled, unable to breathe for a moment, she released her grip with a smallugh. I thought this would make it harder to sleep, but contrary to my thoughts, my body must have been quite tired. With my vision gradually closing, I nced at Adele. There was a faint smile on her lips as she looked down at me, so I was able to fall asleep with some peace of mind. It seemed like I had fallen asleep like this before. In old memories that Adele would now remember too. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°¡­It¡¯s the same.¡± Adele muttered, looking at Robert sleeping on her shoulder. There was no particr need to act like this, but in the memories that had beening back more and moretely, there had been times like this. The suppression of different races in the middle of winter, which had already ended long ago in the present, but was still ongoing in the old memories. There had been a time when they relied on each other¡¯s body heat in a cave they had entered while fleeing from the different races. Taking off clothes soaked in blood, wrapped in cloaks with only underwear remaining. When she remembered all of that vividly, it was a bit embarrassing, but the lingering emotions from that time gave Adele a strange feeling. Like when Robert was sleeping on her shoulder, leaning against the rough cave wall, and herself silently watching him. She didn¡¯t mind his hair touching her, dirty and soaked in blood. Rather, she had only wished for that time tost a little longer. She had wondered why she felt that way then, and found it wasn¡¯t a bad experience. She thought he slept remarkably well on someone else¡¯s shoulder. If it had been her, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to fall asleep easily, being wary of others. Was it trust in her, or was he just the type to easily trust others? Given Robert¡¯s usual behavior, it was probably the former, but Adele found it difficult to judge Robert¡¯s heart urately. At first, his eyes had just been empty. They were eyes that didn¡¯t reflect any emotion, she had wanted to hold onto him because he looked like someone who might leave at any moment. These days he showed quite emotional sides, but because the change was so sudden, she couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking. Sometimes he smiled gently as if he was truly happy. Other times he wore a sad expression as if he had lost everything in the world. Robert¡¯s face didn¡¯t usually show much emotional change. It was always just a small smile or a furrowed brow. But his eyes couldn¡¯t tell lies. ¡®He must have other memories.¡¯ She didn¡¯t think that there were only memories of him being with her. There must have been times with that saint, and times when he had deep rtionships with the princess. But now he was by her side. It didn¡¯t seem like there was anyone else who had recalled any memories. It bothered her. The fact that there were things she didn¡¯t know, and that she couldn¡¯t pry into Robert¡¯s secrets. If it were anyone else it would be different, but she found herself strangely weak when it came to Robert. Whether it was because of the memories she used to hold or not, she just¡­ couldn¡¯t treat Robert the same way she treated Lothos or Bunta. She could have threatened him by swinging her sword around, or used her position as Grand Duchess to make him talk. She didn¡¯t do it simply because she didn¡¯t want to. Lothos had said her attitude towards Robert was unlike her usual self. That was why he had spread that ridiculous rumor about them being lovers. When she first heard it, she thought she should bury Lothos in a sunny spot, but thinking about it again, it wasn¡¯t that unpleasant. It was just a baseless rumor now, but her thoughts had changed along with recalling her memories. In her memories, hadn¡¯t she even been thinking of proposing to Robert? Of course, it was different from the feelings she held now. That might be why she was confused. She didn¡¯t want to be swayed by the past and present, even by this iprehensible past whose existence she hadn¡¯t known. Robert, sleeping on her shoulder, showed no small movements. He must have been sound asleep, as his steady breathing continued even with the slight shaking of the carriage. She stared nkly at Robert like that. His slightly long eyshes, unusually pale skin. Those eyes that had been looking at her, those lips that had been chattering until just now. As the gap between their faces gradually narrowed like that¡­ ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± Adele¡¯s brow furrowed deeply as she was intently gazing at Robert¡¯s face. Her concentration was broken. In that moment of conflicting emotions, Adele finally regained herposure and raised her head. Robert was still leaning on her shoulder, and Miragen quietly stared at Adele. She couldn¡¯t understand what had happened while she had briefly fallen asleep. She was sure Robert and the Grand Duchess had been sitting far apart, but when did they get so close? While looking at Robert sleeping on Adele¡¯s shoulder, she had clearly seen her approaching his face just now. What was she trying to do to someone who was asleep? Miragen narrowed her eyes, and Adele spoke. ¡°I was just looking for a moment.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t look like you were just looking. I don¡¯t know why Lord Taylor is sleeping like that, but were you close enough to stare at a sleeping person¡¯s face?¡± ¡°Yes, we were.¡± ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } From Adele¡¯s perspective, it was a natural thing to say. Although they weren¡¯t bound by the term ¡®friend¡¯ or any other title, she was the only one who knew Robert¡¯s memories. So what else was needed besides her saying they were close? Robert knew, and she remembered. At least in this carriage, there was no closer rtionship than between Robert and herself. Miragen was flustered by that confident answer, but then she calmed herself down. There was no reason to get angry. She was just a little surprised to see Adele and Robert so close. But if there was another question, it was about the basis for her iming they were close. She knew Robert was Adele¡¯s adjutant, but it didn¡¯t seem to fit with the rtionship she had seen between them in the North. ¡°¡­Was there something I didn¡¯t know about? You seem closer than before.¡± ¡°Many things happened.¡± When Adeleughed softly, Miragen nced at Adriana, who was still asleep. There was still a lot she didn¡¯t know about Robert. It was the same with how he had be friends with Adriana without her knowing, but she hadn¡¯t expected anything to happen with the Grand Duchess either. ¡°Well, we were even called lovers.¡± Miragen stiffened at those words. Lovers, if what she heard wasn¡¯t wrong, the meaning was clear. She didn¡¯t think it was a joke¡­ really? Unable to easily believe it, Miragen¡¯s eyes, which had maintainedposure, began to waver. Adele grinned at that reaction. Whether princess or saint, seeing them shaken by such words made their inner thoughts quite transparent. It would be different from herself. Knowing the memories of the past, they couldn¡¯t be like her, confused between past and present. Of course, even if their hearts were filled with love for Robert, even if her own heart was still confused. Adele had no intention of easily giving up Robert. Hadn¡¯t she been the one who showed interest first? She met him first, and was the first to tell him toe to the North. Although their first meeting wasn¡¯t exactly smooth, it was certain that Adele¡¯s feelings for Robert had gone beyond mere interest. She wouldn¡¯t let go. As she had said before, she didn¡¯t think of Robert as an object, but she still considered him hers. There was a saying in the North. If you want something, first get your hands on it. Although she couldn¡¯t say she hadpletely gotten her hands on Robert yet, well. Who knew how things would turn out in the future. If her feelings became the same as those women¡¯s, then she could im Robert in a different way when that time came. Whatever method it might be, it wasn¡¯t something Adele needed to consider deeply. She had always lived that way. Taking what she wanted, and if necessary, obtaining it by any means. That was Adele¡¯s way, and soon it would be the North¡¯s way. ¡°I hope we arrive soon.¡± Adele said, looking at the confused Miragen. Even if they weren¡¯t obstacles to her, it was better for herpetitors to disappear quickly if possible. Adele looked out the window as they headed towards their destination like that. There weren¡¯t many thoughts in her mind. Half of them were about Robert still sleeping on her shoulder, and a little about the two women sitting in front of her, and the rest was about the name of the relic they were going to see. The name ¡®Crown of Memories¡¯, which she had vaguely heard whileing to the South, was lingering in her mind. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord [Recruitment Notice] ? We are recruiting Korean Trantors for more details please join our Discord Server PrevNext Chapter 88 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The Moonstone did not exist in this world. Only a few records remained that such a thing had existed, but the name Moonstone and its power had not left even a trace. Originally, there should have been two relics in this deep area. The Moonstone I possessed and another one. The existence of the other one was uncertain, but after receiving Arwen¡¯s letter, I was able to know what it was. There is a relic called the Crown of Memories. Unlike others, wouldn¡¯t you say it¡¯s a somewhat unique relic? The Crown of Memories. I had heard the name before, but its abilities had not yet been known in detail. I knew it was there along with the Moonstone when I was looking for it, but at that time, I had to focus on the regression ability of the Moonstone. So I had cut off my interest, butter, while searching for relics, I gradually learned what power it had. The Crown of Memories had a simple power, as its name suggested. It was a relic that restored forgotten memories. I had tried using it before, just in case, but hadn¡¯t achieved any particr results. I had entered alone sometimes, and with Miragen other times. I did hear some hidden secrets of the empire, but that wasn¡¯t the effect I had originally wanted from it, so I couldn¡¯t help but be disappointed. I would probably go in this time too, but I didn¡¯t think anything would be different. It was better to give up expectations for these things. Even if it was something with sufficient possibility, I started thinking it would probably fail anyway. If there were expectations, wouldn¡¯t there be disappointment in the end? Even if it was impossible topletely avoid such feelings, it was better to let go than to be disappointed by something. The carriage was quiet. Probably because everyone knew we would arrive at our destination soon, they were each lost in their own thoughts. Miragen would be thinking about the relic, and Adriana probably the same, but Adele¡¯s thoughts were probably about me. I sighed, remembering that I had been leaning on Adele¡¯s shoulder until just now. It reminded me of the past. I had just fallen asleep because I was tired, but it was true that I had briefly recalled the past I had shared with Adele. Recently, the memories of the people around me had been gradually blooming. Like seeds waiting to sprout, they were finally blooming in my 101st life. I didn¡¯t know what this meant. Maybe I was just attributing meaning to it, and in fact, everything might just be coincidence. ¡­But, what if. If this really had some meaning. I was curious about what I would face in the Crown of Memories. Who I would go into that crown with, who would recall the forgotten memories through my regression. That was what I was most curious about. Clop-clop- The carriage moved. Even as I was lost in thought, even as Miragen looked at me with a strange gaze. Regardless of such thoughts, it continued to move towards our destination. I felt like the relic called the Crown of Memories kept circling in my head. Thoughts about the two relics, the Moonstone and the Crown of Memories, which seemed like a pair, also continued. If there was such a thing as fate, where would it lead me? No matter how much I thought about it, it seemed certain that I couldn¡¯t find an immediate answer. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°There was a tower here too?¡± ¡°This was originally the capital of the empire. Now there¡¯s only one saint, but before, weren¡¯t there several people with such abilities?¡± The deep south was one of the most prosperous ces in the empire if the national power hadn¡¯t declined, it would probably still be the capital. But now it was just thend of different races. A ce where the empire¡¯s power could no longer reach, the only constion being that such towers were well preserved. Yet they still couldn¡¯t find some of the relics, could they? Adele nodded as she saw the tower stretching towards the sky. It wasn¡¯t as tall as the Moon Tower. The Moon Tower was built tomemorate the saint who had reappeared after a very long time. Compared to the past when saints were abundant, it had to be built even more grandly. ¡°It seems certain that there¡¯s a relic here. If we go by the records, it should be in the tower, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s the Crown of Memories.¡± Miragen¡¯s eyes narrowed. The location of the relic would require us to examine the entire tower. It would have taken quite some time to examine the entire tower they first came to, so she was probably worrying about that. I thought it would take at least two days. The previous tower was a bit longer, but the space in this tower was very wide. If my memory was correct, the Crown of Memories was below here. I thought it probably wouldn¡¯t have much effect, but shouldn¡¯t we check it once anyway? Maybe this time it would be a little different. That was the possibility I wanted to confirm. If I had to exin why I was specifically heading towards the Crown of Memories. ¡°I¡¯ll go up. Last time it was downstairs.¡± I nodded at Miragen¡¯s words. I was nning to go straight down. Since I roughly knew where it was, there was no need to waste time. As I was about to stride towards the tower, I suddenly wondered how Adele and Adriana would move. Adele nodded slightly when our eyes met. Was she saying she would go up? It didn¡¯t seem like she would move with Miragen, so it looked like she was nning to move alone. Adriana naturally grabbed my arm. Miragen stared at that nkly, but unlikest time, she didn¡¯t cling to me, so there was nothing particrly embarrassing. ¡°I¡¯ll go down with Robert. That seems to bnce the numbers.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll take care of Adriana.¡± I had no intention of leaving her alone anyway. Adele surprisingly didn¡¯t seem to have any particr thoughts about me going with Adriana. Miragen¡¯s gaze briefly touched on us, but that was all. With no one particrly stopping us, I walked towards the tower again. I was the first to enter the tower. Miragen, who followed, took out a bundle of papers from her chest and headed upwards, after Miragen disappeared, I moved downwards, tracing my memories. ¡°There are more stairs than I expected.¡± ¡°Unlike the Moon Tower, it seems the depth underground is deeper. Probably because of the relic, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Do you know about the Crown of Memories?¡± After pondering that question for a moment, I decided there was no need to hide it and answered that I did. It was information managed by the imperial family and the church, but it wouldn¡¯t be strange for me, who was close to the Crown Prince and the church, to know about the relics. And the person asking was Adriana. It would prick my conscience to hide something from her. ¡°I know it¡¯s an object that helps find forgotten memories. That¡¯s probably why Her Highness the Princess wants to use it.¡± It wasn¡¯t just about securing it. There were secrets of the empire that could be glimpsed through the Crown of Memories, just knowing a little about this thousand-year empire could change many aspects of it. Perhaps it would even allow her to rival Kaitel who would be Emperor. The memories I had seen with Miragen before were like that too. Secrets the imperial family tried to hide, and various objects created by the Moon God. But that was what I heard from Miragen¡¯s exnation. At that time, I could only see part of the memories shown by the Crown of Memories. The voice saying Icked qualifications was vivid. While Miragen could see it clearly, I realized that only members of the imperial family could properly see it when I could hardly see anything. Of course, since I had found a way to break through thatter, I could use that method this time. Adriana looked at me with a strange expression as I strode forward towards the bottom. It might seem a bit strange. We could go slowly to look for the relic, but I was moving as if I knew the destination. If we found the Crown of Memories, I would have to forget everything. Anyway, since there were only stairs and walls blocking us all around here, Adriana, who had felt around with her hands, erased that doubt from her expression. ¡°How much further do we have to go?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I think not much further.¡± As I felt along the wall, one brick made a rattling sound when pressed by my hand. I remembered it was around here. If I pressed and turned the brick here, the mechanism would disappear and the relic stored in this tower would appear. Rumble- Adriana tightly grabbed my arm at the sudden vibration. The tower, which had been shaking roughly as if everything around was about to copse, suddenly became quiet. As if what had just happened was just an illusion, Adriana spoke in the tower that had be quiet again. ¡°¡­What was that just now? And the sensation is different. Could it be, did you find the relic?¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± Adriana¡¯s gaze moved slowly as she heard my words. I thought she would probably feel it by now too. The void beyond, and another void that had formed again inside it. The empty space was itself a relic. It was a room that revived forgotten memories, a space called the Crown of Memories. Adriana fumbled and slowly reached her hand towards the inside. The space where there had been a wall had disappeared, leaving only a path leading to the void beyond. Adriana opened her mouth nkly as she felt her hand brush through the air. Now clearly feeling the energy of the relic, a pure white light began to rise slightly from her body. ¡°It¡¯s reacting naturally. I couldn¡¯t feel it even though we came this close, I never thought it would be hidden in a ce like this.¡± ¡°The church couldn¡¯t pinpoint its location either?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly about the holynd either. I think His Holiness the Pope probably knows¡­ but it¡¯s my first time seeing a relic directly.¡± Usually, relics were known to be in the form of tools. The Moonstone I used was in the form of an hourss, and most were usable objects like swords or armor. But the Crown of Memories was different. This space itself was a relic, so Adriana, who stepped inside, let out an exmation. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve felt such pure divine power. It¡¯s like¡­ should I say it feels like there¡¯s another me here?¡± I empathized with that too. It was different from before when I couldn¡¯t feel anything. The Moonstone that still existed inside me was reacting. Just like when I killed Theresa, mana that kept resonating was slowly flowing around. ¡°¡­I see.¡± While muttering quietly, my eyes narrowed, immersed in a strange sensation. It was different. I couldn¡¯t judge exactly what it was, but my senses, which hade here many times, were clearly conveying something different to me in this round. My heart was pounding. I realized I was feeling anxious at the strong, thumping pulse. Just by stepping into this space, why was I feeling anxious? Feeling something was wrong, I tried to get out. I was about to grab Adriana¡¯s arm and tell her we should go out for a moment. Thud. That low rumble conveyed one fact to me. That the door of this space, which had been open until just now, had closed. Even when I hurriedly approached and felt the wall, there was no sign of it opening again. Was the anxiety I had just felt meant to inform me of this? As I touched the wall, my head shook quietly. ¡°No.¡± The anxiety I had felt still hadn¡¯t disappeared. It was as if it was warning me about what was about to happen. As I was thinking about what it could be, Adriana¡¯s voice reached my ears. ¡°Robert, can you look up for a moment? I feel like there¡¯s a strong energying from above.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing above-¡± When we looked up at the same time, I let out a hollowugh at the bright light trying to burst out from there. It was the light that appeared when the Crown of Memories was activated. It was moving without us doing anything, it had activated just by us stepping in. As I looked at it hopelessly, I saw the light slowly enveloping the surroundings. What could be seen in the Crown of Memories were memories made of illusions. What that light depicted was about the forgotten memories of the empire. However, the scenery visible from the light was different from what I knew. When it showed the secrets of the imperial family, I had seen the imperial pce, but this time it wasn¡¯t that ce. The scenery was so familiar that for a moment I thought the Crown of Memories had malfunctioned. A forest I had seen somewhere, faces I had seen somewhere. No, it was me who thought I had seen those faces somewhere. Not the me standing here now, but the me from the past that even I only vaguely remembered. Augh suddenly escaped me, and I watched that scenery nkly with my lips twisted. It seemed certain that this life was special, in this ce where things that had never happened before were happening consecutively, I might have been foolish to try to deny it. Now, atst, I felt like I could acknowledge it. It was certain that this life was different somehow. The scenery shown in the Crown of Memories was about my death. It was about forgotten memories. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } Indeed, it wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord [Recruitment Notice] ? We are recruiting Korean Trantors for more details please join our Discord Server PrevNext Chapter 89 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The sensation the Crown of Memories conveyed to Adriana was somewhat different. Unlike Robert, who could see with his eyes, when examining memories before, her sight had briefly returned, but this time, it was just divine power entering her mind and showing visions. As Robert caught Adriana¡¯s swaying body, she squeezed her eyes shut and exhaled softly. It was a different sensation from peeking at someone else¡¯s memories.It felt as if the memories were seeping in and enveloping her body. It was a floating feeling, as if she had just recalled something she had forgotten before. Adriana, who knew about Robert¡¯s regression, realized that these memories were part of the ¡°forgotten memories¡± that the Crown of Memories was trying to show. ¡°My head¡­ hurts. Is it okay if I lean on you for a moment?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. If we¡¯re seeing the same thing, you can keep doing that.¡± Robert¡¯s expression wasplex as he looked at the scene before him. He thought he would face it someday, but it hade sooner than expected. He wondered what Adriana would think about these memories. He really hadn¡¯t thought that the Crown of Memories, which revived forgotten memories, would show something like this. He felt afraid. Maybe that was why his hands were trembling. As he rubbed his face, which had be paler than usual, Robert sighed and grabbed Adriana¡¯s hand. Adriana turned her head at the feeling of his hand grabbing hers. Though he wasn¡¯t speaking, it felt as if Robert was telling her not to let go. The emotions rising in her heart were fear, confusion, sadness, and loneliness. Robert didn¡¯t know that she had seen the memories. Was he afraid that if she knew about these memories, her attitude towards him would change? The memories that had settled in her mind were ones Adriana already knew. They were memories of countless repeated deaths, and memories she had already grieved over, having directly seen Robert die before. Hadn¡¯t she already made a resolution? That if Robert ever fell into loneliness again, that would be the time for her to hold onto him. As Adriana gently wrapped her hand around his, Robert¡¯s expression became slightly more rxed. The scenery before their eyes kept changing. Although it didn¡¯t show all of his memories in their entirety, it was showing his actions without any filter. It felt like he was being punished. The past he wanted to hide, the past he didn¡¯t want to repeat. The more he saw these memories he thought he had forgotten and ovee repeating before his eyes, the more his alreadyplicated feelings felt like they were being sucked into a quagmire. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± When he saw himself facing his third death, Robert unconsciously gripped Adriana¡¯s hand tightly. He didn¡¯t have the presence of mind to care that Adriana was in pain. He just wanted to avoid what he was seeing somehow, but he knew he couldn¡¯t escape. Even when he closed his eyes, the memories piercing through his eyelids were constantly tormenting Robert. When he died with his throat cut, Robert touched his neck and smiled slightly. When his heart was pierced, Robert sighed and let go of Adriana¡¯s hand. While muttering apologies, his expression remained pale. As the woman beside him remained silent for longer, his mind grew hazy, and eventually he slumped down, leaning against the wall. Caw- He saw himself in a memory where he was on a field where crows were cawing. He was smiling like that, looking at the spear that had pierced his body. When was it? Probably when he was fleeing from the pursuit of the imperial army. When he was still far from being called a sword saint, still suffering from madness. It was evident that Adriana was seeing these memories. Robert grinned as he saw her face gradually turning pale. In reality, thatplexion was due to worry for Robert, but he had no way of knowing that. His voice that leaked out was subdued. As if resigned, he quietly moved his lips while watching the continuing deaths. ¡°I think you¡¯re probably seeing it.¡± The past he didn¡¯t want to tell anyone about. The past he didn¡¯t want to talk about, that he wished no one would remember. There were too many lives where he had died pathetically because he was ugly and weak. The sight of himself unable to protect even one precious person was too unsightly, so Robert didn¡¯t want to reveal his past to others like this. ¡°My deaths.¡± Adriana didn¡¯t say anything. Although he had let go of her hand, she could clearly feel Robert beside her. She could tell just from his voice. That his always precarious mind was on the verge of copsing. That how Robert would act would be determined by her reaction. Even though she wanted to say something, her mouth wouldn¡¯t open. Even though these were memories she had already seen, it was because she couldn¡¯t even imagine how Robert had lived with this heart. Despite dying countless times, he still sought the same people, and despite such despair, he moved forward towards his goal. It wasn¡¯t a goal of killing someone. He had simply moved forward with the one wish that people would believe in him. When seeing his memories before, she had just been sad about his deaths, but now his memories were entering her. The emotions Robert himself had harbored, the memories he had recalled while dying, were entering her. ¡°Robert¡­¡± Adriana¡¯s voice calling his name was choked. It was a voice that seemed like it might burst into tears at any moment. 100 deaths, and now his 101st life. It was impossible to fully understand and ept all those emotions, but still, one thing was clear. Not once had he med anyone else. The heart of the person who had shouldered all the guilt himself while dying 100 times¡­ what state must it be in now? Unable to even imagine, Adriana tightly closed her lips that had been quivering. If she uttered any words, it felt like her suppressed emotions would burst out. She shouldn¡¯t cry. She was supposed to be the one holding him, so how could she be swayed by such emotions? Saint. She thought that name didn¡¯t suit her. She felt too young and immature to shoulder such a heavy mission. She didn¡¯t have such a benevolent heart to be called a saint, and she knew she harbored her own desires to be called good. She just thought she had received one role from God. That if she could embrace even one person, she would do so. No matter howcking she was, if she could save even one person, she considered that her mission. Adriana thought that moment was now. In this space where only the two of them remained, wasn¡¯t she the only one who could reach out to the remaining person? Her feet, which had been frozen like a statue, began to move like that. She was the only one who could understand Robert¡¯s feelings. Adriana slowly took steps towards Robert. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Though it was just a moment of silence, Robert felt it was truly long. Since he had died 100 times, it inevitably took a long time to see all of it. He wondered how Adriana would react when she faced all of this. Sometimes she might consider him a murderer for having killed people. She might see him as a cruel person who had extended his ws to others while trying to escape his own fate, or perhaps she might think he was a coward. Would she feel pity? Would she think his goal was futile and tell him to look for a different path now? It was a negative thought, but that had been the life he had experienced. A life where he wasn¡¯t trusted, where even those who had trusted him turned their backs on him. Maybe it was so frightening because it was the first time. The memories Adele had recovered weren¡¯t all of his memories, were they? If she saw all of this, he didn¡¯t know what emotions even Adele would harbor towards him. He clutched his chest at the sensation of suffocation that overwhelmed him. Hisplexion was pale as he painfully exhaled breath after breath. ¡°Robert.¡± Even though he heard her voice, he didn¡¯t answer. He was afraid to respond. He didn¡¯t need sympathy or pity. He didn¡¯t want reproach for his actions either. He didn¡¯t want them to be sad about his deaths, just. Just. It would be good if they didn¡¯t say anything. Despite his turbulent emotions, his expression remained impassive. His eyes, staring at some unknown void, were empty. Unlike recently when he had asionally shown his emotions. Like a doll, they were eyes that didn¡¯t contain any emotion at all. ¡°Robert.¡± Adriana¡¯s lips moved. Unlike his impassive expression, his inner self was shaking more than anything. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if he crumbled and copsed at any moment. Did he wish for no one to know about these memories? Although guilt welled up, Adriana deliberately ignored it and slowly reached out her hand. Even though it was pitch dark, she could still hear his faint breathing. Finally, she felt Robert¡¯s body heat from the hand that touched him. As their bodies made contact, their inner anxiety became even more certain. After pondering several times what to say, finally, a voice slowly leaked from her quivering lips. ¡°I knew. Even before seeing these memories, I knew about the deaths you experienced.¡± Robert silently looked at Adriana. He couldn¡¯t quite grasp what the woman who had approached him was saying. That she had known about his deaths before seeing these memories, but before he could understand that, Adriana¡¯s mouth opened first. ¡°¡­Just, I have so much I want to say. Really so much, but I don¡¯t know what to say.¡± She wanted to tell him not to be sad. She wanted to say that Miragen¡¯s death wasn¡¯t Robert¡¯s fault. She wanted to tell him that she had grieved with him when he chose death alone, and that she had been angry when he died painfully, and about always ming everything on himself, she wanted to tell him he was wrong, but she knew those weren¡¯t the words Robert needed. He didn¡¯t wantfort. For the only one who fully knew Robert¡¯s memories to utter, it was too ordinary. Robert¡¯s gaze turned to Adriana. He couldn¡¯t understand why she was crying. Surely she was speaking after seeing his memories, but he couldn¡¯t understand why she was sad. If it had been Miragen or Adele, he could have understood. But hadn¡¯t he first be friends with Adriana in this life? He had almost no contact with Adriana in his previous lives. They might have exchanged greetings, but this was the first life where they had called each other by name and spent time together. So why¡­ was she crying like this? It was an unfamiliar emotion for Robert. Rather than crying, he thought she would be puzzled, or perhaps even pity him. Plop. He felt a clear warmth from the hand that touched his cheek. There was a hand gently wiping his wet eyes and softly embracing his body. Just like that day at the Moon Tower when the wind was particrly cold, Robert just nkly stared at Adriana embracing him. ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­ why you¡¯re crying. There¡¯s no reason for you to be this sad.¡± ¡°Because I only know now, I¡¯m sorry for that.¡± She reached out her hand, and then embraced Robert. It was a different feeling from the day she first glimpsed his memories. Back then, she experienced sadness from seeing his deaths. She had been sad because she learned about his deaths which no one knew about, empathizing with that pain, but this time, it was an emotion felt from knowing his sorrow. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± She wanted to tell him that his loneliness, his sadness, his regrets, were no longer his alone. She had resolved not to cry, but tears flowed unconsciously as she read his shaking inner self. ¡°So don¡¯t be sad alone. It¡¯s not your fault, it¡¯s not a sin for you to me yourself.¡± She hesitated, then moved her lips again. ¡°Just for a moment, can I hold you?¡± Robert¡¯s eyes looked somewhat hazy. He couldn¡¯t understand what emotions he felt at the words of the woman embracing him. But wasn¡¯t it warm? The negative emotions he had harbored until just now dissipated a little. He entrusted his body to that soft touch. The woman with whom he had first formed a bond, for the first time understood his emotions. Though it was still just a guess, Robert was certain that Adriana had seen all of his memories. If she said this even after that. If this was sincere. What words should he say to this woman? In that space where the thirty-fifth memory was flowing, Robert quietly embraced Adriana. For a long time, until their body heat waspletely transmitted to each other. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Damn dude the feels be good i like this arc] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 90 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Adriana was warm. Perhaps, I had been wishing for someone to approach me like this. Just being held in her arms made me feel like my anxious emotions were disappearing. Whether it was the saint¡¯s ability or not, I realized that the emotion she harbored for me wasn¡¯t simple pity.It was something closer to understanding, not pity or sympathy. Adriana was sobbing in my arms. I, who had actually experienced the deaths, was indifferent, but this person I had just met in this life was crying. What should I say? This was the first time I had felt this in my life. I didn¡¯t know what to say to Adriana. I hadn¡¯t known there would be someone who would be sad for me. I hadn¡¯t thought there would be someone who would understand the emotions from the deaths I had experienced, and be sad because of that. Not because they pitied me, but just. I didn¡¯t know what to say to a woman who was crying simply because she was truly sad. The sound of my heart beating loudly echoed. That pulse, which was gradually quickening, slowly created heat, and eventually warmth enveloped my flushed cheeks. I stroked Adriana¡¯s hair, which asionally twitched against my chest. I didn¡¯t know what emotion I was feeling now. It was so unfamiliar, wasn¡¯t this the first time I had experienced this in all my lives? Maybe I had just been scaring myself. I had never talked to others about my past, so perhaps I had just been frightened and afraid in advance. Of course, most people would probably have different emotions from Adriana, but what was certain was¡­ This incident had clearly had a positive effect on me. I slowly removed Adriana¡¯s head from my chest as she stopped crying. Carefully, so as not to be too rough, I just wanted to show her that I was alright now. I grinned and rubbed her cheeks around her reddened eyes. My fingers were soaked with tears. The fact alone that she had cried for me made many emotions cross my mind. Would there be anyone else who could cry like this for someone they had just formed a bond with in this life, and had only met a few times? It was possible because it was Adriana. I thought that meeting her in this life might have been something like fate for me. ¡°Raise your head. I need to wipe your face.¡± At my words, Adriana slowly raised her head. Perhaps because she had buried her face in my chest, I smiled at her thoroughly reddened face. The sight of her sniffling nose gave off a slightly different impression from before. If she had seemed more mature than anyone earlier, now she looked like a child. It wasn¡¯t bad. Rather, it was fine. Whenever I saw Adriana like this, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Adriana, who didn¡¯t resist at all as I wiped her face, briefly raised her head towards my face and moved her lips. ¡°Is it okay? That I¡­ saw your memories.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I thought I would have to tell you someday anyway. I was a bit surprised that it happened so soon, but I¡¯m okay now because you hugged me.¡± ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯te to hug you though.¡± As the tips of her ears turned slightly red, I shrugged and finished wiping away her tears. After I hadpletely wiped her face, Adriana, who was still looking at me, closed her mouth. As if pondering something, her lips that had moved several times closed again. It was probably about the memories being shown now. The thirty-fifth life was special to me in many ways. ¡°Can you see Miragen?¡± Adriana was slightly surprised that I called the princess by name, but soon nodded in affirmation. ¡°I can¡¯t see, but it¡¯s flowing into me as memories. That¡¯s how I could see your emotions. If it made you ufortable¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s you, even if I might mind with others.¡± I didn¡¯t really want Miragen or Adele to recall their memories. Especially Miragen, she might feel guilty about having killed me. If I hade to the Crown of Memories with Miragen, it probably would have been more serious than I thought. As Adriana hung her head at those words, I continued exining about this memory. ¡°I was a bit naive until then.¡± It might sound strange to say I was foolish after dying 34 times, but that was how it looked to me. It was a time when I had found my own wisdom. Considering that I had nearly married Miragen after gaining Yuria¡¯s approval without killing the Crown Prince. It was probably the closest I hade to sess, but Miragen had died. If not immature, how else could I describe myself for not considering that? I thought I had died a lot even then, but to the me of the 101st life, it just seemed stupid and foolish. ¡°Do you remember what I said before? About having someone I loved?¡± That was about Miragen. That Miragen was the first andst person I had truly loved since birth, and that I wouldn¡¯t love anyone else again. That feeling remained. Although I had formed many bonds in this life, I didn¡¯t wish for them to progress into closer rtionships. ¡°I remember. Could it be, that was Miragen?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Miragen was always myst lover.¡± Adriana, who made a strange expression for a moment, looked at me nkly. As if she finally understood those words, she hesitated before speaking. ¡°Then the one who killed you¡­ was Miragen too.¡± ¡°It was a death I had wished for in the first ce. I don¡¯t know how you read the memories, but if you saw my memories, you probably know.¡± The scenery shown by the crown was the image of me wailing while holding the dead Miragen. It was a rainy night, when I had tried not to let Miragen go alone due to an unusually anxious feeling. Although I had somewhat ovee such emotions now, it was true that unnecessary sentiments still arose when I saw it again. Miragen was alive now, wasn¡¯t she? As I rubbed my forehead and exhaled softly, Adriana approached me again and gently held my hand. I didn¡¯t mind talking about anything now, but I smiled slightly at her worried expression. It had been a long time since someone had worried about me in many ways. Her attitude was quite different from Adele¡¯s, and I was feeling that slight difference while talking about my memories. If Adele thought of memories simply as memories and valued the present, Adriana fully epted all of the emotions of the memories. The reason she reacted to every small action of mine was probably because of that. To Adriana, the current me probably seemed quite unstable. As I looked at Adriana, who was gripping my hand tightly as if she wouldn¡¯t let go, I quietly opened my mouth. It seemed I needed to reassure her. From now on, no matter what happened, I wouldn¡¯t be particrly shaken. ¡°Do I still look anxious to you?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I was a bit surprised earlier, but that was just momentary, wasn¡¯t it? If you¡¯re ufortable, you can let go of my hand.¡± Even though I loosened my grip, Adriana was still holding my hand. Though not as much as when she was hugging me, I could still fully feel that warmth. Soft without a single callus, and small enough to bepletely covered by one hand. I quickly realized that this was a desireing from her heart, but I decided to ept it this time. This was probably the only way to repay her kindness. Even if the day came when we revealed our hearts to each other, I just hoped she wouldn¡¯t get hurt. If, even after achieving my goal, I was still alive. Then I would give a different answer, but that was forter. My fingers moved in the hand she was holding, and our fingers intertwined. I quietly embraced her shoulders, which had flinched in surprise. Earlier we had been face to face, but this time I embraced her from behind as she faced forward. Thump thump. The sound of her heart beating rapidly reached my ears clearly. This was the only repayment I could offer, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. I thought I had been saved for a moment. If the saint reaching out her hand to me from the quagmire of inescapable emotions wasn¡¯t salvation, what was? Just because I was grateful. Just because I didn¡¯t want to forget this current feeling. I held her for a long time, until Adriana¡¯s ears turnedpletely red. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The memories continued to y. From the thirty-fifth night when Miragen had died, through the fifty-fifth life when I had died by Miragen¡¯s hand again. To the life when I had given up everything and left for the North. Adriana, sitting in my arms, silently watched those memories. It was a bit unsettling to watch it without saying anything, but through our earlier conversation, I realized she understood my emotions. There was no need to be anxious. I was just watching in case Adriana might cry again. ¡°Was this when you first met the Grand Duchess?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t the first time we met, but it was probably the first time we became close. I left like I was running away. Without telling my sister or fianc¨¦e, when I even abandoned my title.¡± Thinking about it, it was surprising that Adele had epted me like that. To readily ept someone who had fled without any connections. What would she have done if I had been sent to assassinate her? I was a bit worried, but my thoughts scattered as Adriana tightly gripped my arm. It was a strange position in many ways. She was leaning against my chest with my legs spread, watching the memories. Her hair, tied up in a ponytail, asionally tickled my nose, and my eyes narrowed at that sweet scent. If I had thought of Adriana as just a connection before, it seemed my emotions had changed a bit after this incident. Was it affection? I hoped it wasn¡¯t, but at this rate, I didn¡¯t know when my heart might change. With the person who had been my lover, the person who had tried to be my lover, and the woman who had been nothing to me. My feelings for them remained the same. It seemed that in thisplicated rtionship, I was probably the only one agonizing. ¡°Robert, are you going to tell others about your memories too?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure.¡± I thought that Adriana knew about these memories, and that someday Miragen would recall them too, just like Adele had. Should I tell her in advance? No matter how many times I pondered, it was a dilemma without a clear answer. The memories they recalled weren¡¯t all happy ones, so I thought it might be better if they lived without knowing for the rest of their lives. Even if they knew about the memories, I hoped they wouldn¡¯t be sad, but it would probably be too much to tell them right away. ¡°I think I¡¯ll have to keep it hidden for now. As you can see, not all my memories are good ones.¡± ¡°¡­I suppose that¡¯s true.¡± Adriana, who muttered like that, then smiled bitterly and sighed, looking straight ahead. My memories were slowlying to an end now. As she watched the memories heading towards my 100th death, there was one thing I needed to reveal to her. What was I wishing for to repeat the regression? Although the essence had be blurred, there was clearly a goal I harbored in a corner of my heart. Killing the Crown Prince. Shouldn¡¯t I tell the only woman in this world who knew my memories? After a long time had passed and all my deaths had ended, I quietly opened my mouth towards Adriana. ¡°I think you now know that I¡¯ve died 100 times and am living my 101st life.¡± ¡°I know. I¡­ saw it all here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how many more times this regression will repeat, but I¡¯m trying to end my regression in this life.¡± Adriana looked at me, surprised for a moment. Originally, I had chosen toe to the South to gain her support, so in the end, we had returned to the fundamental issue. After staring intently at Adriana, I carefully continued speaking. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } ¡°I¡­ intend to kill the Crown Prince.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [man this arc really hitting me in the feels, the onion slicing ninjas are striking again] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 91 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó It was the first time I had told someone close to me about the Crown Prince, but Adriana¡¯s reaction to my words was surprisingly calm. Was it because she had encountered it while reading my memories? Perhaps because I had already tried to kill the Crown Prince several times, Adriana didn¡¯t show much reaction even to the mention of killing him. What was certain was that her reaction wasn¡¯t negative.If she had thought negatively about it, she would have said something while watching the memories. After a brief silence, as the illusion of the Crown of Memories began to lift, Adriana, still in my arms, slowly moved her lips. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the right thing to do. Before judging someone¡¯s sins, I am the saint after all.¡± Adriana, who said that, swallowed slightly. She wasn¡¯t finished speaking. As Adriana opened her mouth again, her expression was full of hesitation, but her voice sounded resolute. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m defending Kaitel.¡± Adriana had no obligation to be loyal to the imperial family. She was the representative of the church and the saint of all people. Even the Emperor couldn¡¯t oppress her, and no one could interfere with her just because she was chosen by God. Although she couldn¡¯t take either side, Adriana¡¯s position was neutral if anything. So I had agonized a lot. Even though she knew about these memories, I wondered if I should tell her about my intention to kill the Crown Prince. By telling her, I might be putting pressure on her. I didn¡¯t want to shake the saint who maintained neutrality between the church and the imperial family. However, she had read my emotions. She knew the reason why I kept repeating the regression, and she was the only woman who knew all of my memories. It was inevitable for us to talk about this reason. A slight anger could be felt in her voice as she called him Kaitel instead of Crown Prince. Adriana knew that the Crown Prince had been involved in my deaths many times. Maybe because of that influence, her mood seemed quite ufortable when she mentioned his name. ¡°As the saint, I cannot understand your intention. Killing a country¡¯s Crown Prince is not a simple matter, and even mentioning it implies treason. Because I always have to remain neutral in everything, I¡¯m sorry if you were hoping for my support.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. But¡­ if you don¡¯t support it-¡± ¡°But I, Adriana, am different.¡± Adriana, who ced her hand on her chest, opened her mouth. When something settled in her expression, I finally realized that these words were her true feelings. She was sincerely appealing to me. She was trying to tell me that the positions of ¡®saint¡¯ and ¡®Adriana¡¯ were different. ¡°¡­I want to understand you. Although not everything you intend is right, I¡¯ve seen your memories. I¡¯ve seen what kind of heart you lived with, what thoughts you had while living.¡± She extended her hand from her chest and gently stroked my cheek. It seemed like an action to reassure me. Amusingly, it really did make me feel at ease, so I smiled and looked at her. ¡°Can I be honest?¡± ¡°¡­You can say anything you want.¡± ¡°If you have any sin, it¡¯s that you thought too little of yourself.¡± I couldn¡¯t refute her words about thinking too little of myself. Was it because it was mentally easier to consider it my fault rather than ming others as I repeated the regression? I had lived thinking that was right. If I considered it my fault that people around me died, that I died, I could just fix it in the next regression. But at some point, I couldn¡¯t tell what was wrong anymore. No matter what direction I took, no matter how wlessly I moved forward, death was waiting at the end. It took several lives for my lost sanity to return. ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s okay to say it¡¯s someone else¡¯s fault. Share your worries with others, get angry sometimes, even lie. I don¡¯t understand why you always try to shoulder everything alone¡­¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like something the saint would say.¡± I smiled slightly at those words about ming others or lying, and Adriana smiled back. The hand that had been caressing one of my cheeks was now cupping my face, and the warmth from her palm made my cheeks feel warm. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m Adriana. Not the saint, but Adriana.¡± We bothughed at those words, and then silence fell again. I couldn¡¯t just let what I had said pass. It was too serious a matter to just overlook. Her closed eyes opened slightly, and my blurry image was reflected in her transparent pupils. Her blue eyes touched those pupils and turned to me again. It was then that her hesitant lips moved and opened, breaking the silence. ¡°I can finally reach it.¡± ¡°Reach what?¡± ¡°I saw your face in the memories, and I wondered if you were really that kind of person.¡± Her touch was gentle as it passed over my eyes and nose. A kind hand that wouldn¡¯t inflict even the slightest wound passed over my entire face. Her world began at her fingertips and ended at her palm, so Adriana, who had stroked my cheek again, smiled slightly. ¡°Is it simr to what you saw in the memories?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure. But I think I know one thing.¡± The hand that had been on my cheek touched the corner of my mouth, and Adriana, who pulled at the corner of my mouth, burst intoughter. ¡°I think smiling suits you better. The face I saw was always suffering.¡± I didn¡¯t smile much. There were more memories of me crying than smiling, and more memories of me suffering than crying. The corners of my mouth that had been forcibly raised were now smiling naturally. I slowly answered as I grabbed Adriana¡¯s hands on both my cheeks and lowered them. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll try.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to try. What I wanted to say was.¡± Her hands that were on my cheeks came down and faced forward. As we looked at each other, Adriana grabbed my hands and spoke. ¡°I mean I¡¯ll be by your side. Until you can smilefortably, or if that¡¯s not possible, until you kill Kaitel and end the regression. I¡¯ll be by your side.¡± Her smiling face asking ¡°Is that okay?¡± made meugh involuntarily. It wasn¡¯t as if someone had forcibly pulled at the corners of my mouth, I was just smiling at a woman. Why had I only met someone like this now? If I had met her earlier, I probably wouldn¡¯t have repeated my regression so many times. What Adriana said was simple. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } Even after hearing what I said, she meant she would stay by my side. There was no way I could refuse such words. More precisely, I couldn¡¯t refuse, but there was only one thing I could say. ¡°You¡¯re scarier than I thought.¡± Perhaps it might be harder to understand Adriana¡¯s inner thoughts than Miragen¡¯s or Adele¡¯s. I nkly stared at thepletely empty void, the Crown of Memories that no longer held its power. Although I had thought there was nothing to gain here, I was able to gain quite a lot. But if I had to choose the most valuable thing I had gained in there¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be Adriana? When I offered my hand to leave, Adriana naturally took it and followed me. Things were going better than I had expected. Much better than I had thought. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°By the way, how do you n to exin this to Miragen? Once used, it will probably be difficult to use again.¡± Naturally, such powerful relics required a long time to be used again. If I recalled correctly from when I had researched the Crown of Memories before, it took about 10 years to reactivate. Even if magicians were mobilized to fill it with magical power, it would take that long, so it would probably need half a century to be used again naturally. The relic Miragen had wanted to secure was here, but now it was gone. ¡°I¡¯ll have to say it¡¯s not here. That will be more helpful for Miragen.¡± I felt sorry about hering up empty-handed, but I hoped Miragen would realize through this experience that things didn¡¯t always go as nned. How could everything always go her way? It was just an excuse, but Adriana, who knew that, chuckled and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. I wish Miragen would stop doing such dangerous things too.¡± ¡°I feel the same. I was always worried.¡± ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll pay more attention. You have a lot to worry about, after all.¡± As she said that, she swung our joined hands back and forth, and I could only quietly agree. After leaving the Crown of Memories, Adriana¡¯s attitude had be even more affectionate. If there had been a line drawn before, now she was trying to cross that line frequently. How would this rtionship be sorted out? She said she would stay by my side until I finished everything. Although she couldn¡¯t support me as the saint, she said that Adriana the woman would be on my side. I was grateful for that feeling, but I wasn¡¯t sure if it would be okay until I reached the end. ¡­But. The thing that had been constantly troubling me seemed to have lifted slightly. There was still a lot of time left before seeing that end. I still had to be the family head, and I hadn¡¯t be the Crown Prince¡¯s close aide yet. There was a lot to do. This rtionship wasn¡¯t progressing anywhere, and Adriana¡­ She wasn¡¯t trying to get closer to me either. I heard someone walking from afar. When I sensed Miragen and Adele, who had been examining upstairs, approaching, I let go of the hand I had been holding and offered my arm instead. At some point we had been holding hands, but there was no need to show that, was there? ¡°Ah, Lord Taylor. Was there a relic downstairs? We¡¯ve searched upstairs quite thoroughly, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be there.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a relic, it would be underground. So, did you find anything?¡± At Adele¡¯s words, I looked at Adriana, and Adriana also turned her gaze towards where my face was. As if matching our words, the answer we were about to give in that briefly crossing gaze was almost the same. ¡°It seems someone has used it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. My divine power didn¡¯t react.¡± ¡°¡­Someone used it? Does that mean it¡¯s not here?¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± I smiled as I watched Miragen¡¯s dejected expression. Perhaps there would never be a day when Miragen would know how the relic had been used. After all, this was something only Adriana and I knew. Now there was only one thing left. Securing the relic and moving forward. The time to face my sister was slowly approaching. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Bout time he overthrew that bitch] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 92 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°Is your schedule in the South almost over now?¡± ¡°I think so. The matter concerning the magicians has been postponed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit disappointing. Originally, the purpose ofing here was about the magicians.¡± When Adriana expressed her disappointment, I nodded in agreement.The original purpose of investigating the magicians was canceled due to the movement of the different races. The races that should have been quiet during this period suddenly moved, so the schedule that was originally nned for a month ended in 2 weeks. Miragen had returned to the imperial pce after hearing that someone had used the relic, and only Adele and Adriana remained here. Even that was now on the way back. Anyway, considering what we needed to gain in the South, I thought we had gained everything. I had sessfully secured the relic to give to the Crown Prince, and most importantly, I had gained Adriana¡¯s support. As long as Adele and Adriana were on my side, I could use the power of the church and the North to stabilize the Taylor family after bing the family head. The quick end to the schedule in the South was rather advantageous. It meant I could strike first at a point Yuria didn¡¯t expect. Although I thought she would probably notice soon, it was still certain that Yuria didn¡¯t know about my return. It was a time when spring wasn¡¯t that close yet to say winter had ended. Not long after the new year, when various matters were in disarray. If Yuria moved first in that situation, there was a high probability it would be a self-defeating move. The power Yuria held under the Taylor name was by no means small. Some ¡°move¡± was needed to overturn this entire situation at once, and even if that seeded, it didn¡¯t necessarily mean I could be the Taylor family head. That was why I had deliberately leaked information about my movements to Yuria. Hoping she would be caught up in the possibility, or if not,pletely ignore whatever move I made. I had hoped for thetter, but I learned through Renold¡¯s report that Yuria was paying quite a bit of attention to my movements. ¡®If ites to this, there¡¯s only one thing for me to do.¡¯ To the maximum extent possible, clearly show my intentions through my movements. The fact that the saint and the Grand Duchess were with me was enough to make her anxious. I would be able to judge more urately after seeing Renold¡¯s next report, but even with just these movements, wasn¡¯t the advantage slowly shifting to me? It was still okay to take it easy. At least until I set foot in the central region, there wasn¡¯t much I could do right away. It was enough to wait until the news I was waiting for arrived. As I was lost in thought for a moment, I felt a gaze on me and turned my head to see Adele silently watching me. ¡°¡­Do you have something to say?¡± ¡°No, I just looked for a moment. I have to return to the North now. When will youe next?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ll probably be quite busy until summer.¡± Bing the family head by defeating Yuria was one thing, but first I needed to gain support from others, and considering the time for stabilization¡­ it would take at least a few months. Delivering the relic to the Crown Prince and approaching him was also an issue. It had been quitefortable while in the South or North in many ways. There were so many headaches waiting in the central region, so I knew well that this leisure time wouldn¡¯tst much longer. Adele frowned at my uncertain answer, but swallowed at the mention of being busy until summer. I had to go to the North within this year anyway. Kaitel would call Adele sometime between autumn and winter. If I wasn¡¯t there at that time, she would be anxious herself. I intended to personally watch at least the events I knew about. ¡°Still, I¡¯ll visit once around autumn. By then, I won¡¯t be Robert Taylor, but Duke Taylor.¡± ¡°Are you confident? The young lord¡¯s umted power won¡¯t be insignificant.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not without confidence. Didn¡¯t I go to the North and South to gain that confidence?¡± If asked whether I had gained that confidence, I felt I could answer quite confidently that I had. It was doable. It wasn¡¯t an overwhelming difference like before, and the fact that I had gained more than expected in the North and South was significant. At least in terms of the names of those whose support I had gained, the advantage was probably mine. I had secured the Four Dragons¡¯ relic so I would have Kaitel¡¯s tacit approval, and I had the support of the saint and the Grand Duchess. As they were figures representing the church and the North respectively, it meant I had the power to deal with it if Yuria made any reckless moves. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it. You know better than anyone what Yuria Taylor might do.¡± ¡°I intend to move carefully. I¡¯m already receiving some reports, so I¡¯ll have to move immediately when I reach the central region.¡± ¡°Is there nothing I can help with?¡± ¡°At least until I be the family head, I must reach it alone.¡± Legitimacy was a particrly important factor. No matter how little importance I ced on it, legitimacy and perception were more important than anything in this noble society. Even if I forcibly became the family head, wouldn¡¯t I just be a nominal head if I didn¡¯t gain the recognition of the nobles? For me, who needed to use the Taylor name, this was something that couldn¡¯t happen, and I had to maintain at least my current status. Hearing my words, Adele grinned and nodded. Unless it was after bing the family head, the position of family head was something I had to reach solely through my own power until then. ¡­I used to have little interest in the name of family head, but it was quite amusing that I now thought of it as so important. Perhaps the values I considered important had changed over time. If I had been interested in the family headpetition from before, I wondered what would have changed. It was foolish to think about it now, but I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. If I had overthrown Yuria earlier. If I had excluded her from my life from the start. I now knew that it would have been a positive direction no matter how I thought about it. But it couldn¡¯t be helped. Like with Theresa, in the end, wasn¡¯t the path I chose one of embracing everyone and moving forward? Of course, this time was different. The purpose of this life was to move forward while discarding one by one the things that had no meaning to me. No matter how much I had thought of them as family before, in the end they were just stepping stones I had to tread on. Yuria was just one of them. An existence I would have to step on someday, to trample on so thoroughly that she could never rise again. The precedent of Theresa had left me many lessons. If I intended to exclude someone, I had to move quickly, and if I intended to step on them¡­ I had to step on them decisively. I turned my gaze towards the window for a moment in the rattling carriage. The trees that had been stretching towards the sky disappeared, and instead, wide ins and cities began toe into view. From the North to the South, and now from the South to the central region. It felt novel. This would probably be the first year I would face in all my lives. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó -What¡¯s your name? It was quite recent that the master he served had changed. Always showing a weak appearance and being swayed by others, Robert had been essentiallypletely ignored in the Taylor family. He had barely been alive because of the Taylor name, but even a mere butler like himself could ignore Robert without any repercussions. But suddenly one day, everything changed. The young master who had only been weak now had a coldness in his eyes, and hesitation disappeared from his actions. The dynamics within the Taylor family changed with his unhesitating movements. Even the steadfast Yuria Taylor wavered for a moment. The connection with the imperial family loosened, and Yuria Taylor¡¯s position, which had seemed certain to be the family head, was no longer the same as before. Although it was certain that there was still an overwhelming differencepared to Robert Taylor, rumors were circting within the duke¡¯s residence that anything might be possible. ¡®I spread those rumors though.¡¯ Renold, who had turned up his cor, smiled slightly. At first, he hadined a lot about being tied to Robert Taylor¡¯s circumstances. No matter how he thought about it, wasn¡¯t it a rotten lifeline? Although he had no choice because of his family, he had intended to betray him and join Yuria Taylor at any opportunity. But now? Was there any reason to join Yuria Taylor? Renold was not a fool. He knew that his ability to survive despite ignoring the only son of the Taylors stemmed from his unique abilities. He knew when to retreat and when to advance. At first it had seemed like a rotten lifeline, but Robert¡¯s moves exceeded both Yuria¡¯s and his own expectations. He had formed a friendship with the Grand Duchess, was already openly friends with the Saint, and now even had a rtionship with the Princess. So now he had no hesitation in reporting on Yuria Taylor¡¯s movements. When the rotten exterior was peeled away to reveal gold, why would he do the foolish thing of running away? ¡°And now public opinion isn¡¯t bad either.¡± The first thing Robert had done before leaving for the North was to send medical support to the territory. As if he had predicted that an epidemic would ur. In fact, an epidemic had spread in some areas, and thanks to the timely dispatch of medical support, it could be easily ovee. It was Robert Taylor who had ordered the medical support, although Yuria had tried to interfere. Renold had spread rumors in his own way beforehand to make it known that it was Robert Taylor who had done this. Spreading rumors was what Renold did best. It was natural since he was the one who had spread bad rumors when Robert was first ignored. He felt a bit sorry about that now, but back then it was a time when he couldn¡¯t have imagined that Robert was hiding his true self. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } Hmph- Meanwhile, Yuria Taylor¡¯s actions had also be strange. He had heard that she had argued with Robert before going to the North, but he couldn¡¯t understand why it had gotten this bad, whatever she had heard. When she heard the news that Robert had reached the South and was moving with the saint, what Yuria did was to call the nobles she had been friendly with to a social gathering. He only knew part of what had been discussed there. But what was certain was that she had dered she would soon be the family head, and at the same time, she had begun to check Robert Taylor. Renold, who had written down these two facts, swallowed slightly. In fact, there was one more thing he needed to report, but he had to be careful about this. It meant thepletion of a move that could overturn this unstable situation that was still disadvantageous to Robert Taylor. What would happen to him if this letter leaked? If Yuria found out, he would be as good as dead. Yuria¡¯s deration that she would be the family head herself had two meanings. One was that she would really be the family head, but the position of Taylor family head only had meaning if the current head acknowledged it. Now that the current head was interested in this family headpetition, would he easily give the position to Yuria? Renold shook his head and smiled bitterly. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead, and he shook off the sweat that had soaked his head. ¡°She¡¯s gone mad,pletely mad.¡± Things had been smooth so far, but from now on he couldn¡¯t think that way. It was like standing on a single log bridge. Yuria¡¯s n to ¡®forcibly¡¯ usurp the family head position from the current head had failed. It was Renold¡¯s independent action, but he had diverted the drug that would have been the starting point of that n. After taking a deep breath, Renold started writing again with the pen that had been stopped. He could only hope that the lifeline he had grabbed was really gold. The moment he sent this letter, he could clearly see a future where he would die if it failed. I have secured it. A simple letter, but one that implied more than anything else. Renold, who had enclosed a small vial of medicine, sighed. Now it was up to Robert. If he couldn¡¯t be the family head, he would have to die too. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Renold is lowkey underrated ngl] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 93 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó I have secured it. This short letter conveyed a significant meaning to me. When I shook the enclosed vial, a transparent liquid sloshed inside. I had expected it, but I didn¡¯t think she would actually try to harm Father.If she had seeded, it would have been troublesome in many ways. Although there might have been some methods, if Father had fallen along with everything else¡­ well, it would have been quite difficult. I had warned Renold about this before. Even though I had considered it the least likely possibility, if Yuria had moved like that and obtained the family head position first, things would have beplicated. Of course, now that this vial was in my possession, such a situation wouldn¡¯t ur. However, I had no intention of letting my guard down. I had only prevented the worst-case scenario. Since the vial had been secretly diverted, I couldn¡¯t use it as evidence, and it was just a preventive measure. What I confirmed through this incident was that Yuria was quite desperate. Although I would gradually understand why, it seemed things hadn¡¯t gone ording to her ns while I was away. By now, news of my heading to the central region would have reached her. I wondered what she was thinking and what decisions she would make. It was still time to observe. My response would change depending on Yuria¡¯s movements, and the day I would leave the Moon Tower would probably be decided. Although I had returned from the South, I was still postponing my return to the duke¡¯s residence. Renold¡¯s letter didn¡¯t just contain that short sentence. It included a summary of what Yuria had been doing and the reason why I couldn¡¯t head to the duke¡¯s residence right away. Yuria Taylor has summoned the nobles. It¡¯s an invitation to a social gathering, but the purpose is to announce her intentions. Political maneuvering will probably continue. Rumors are circting questioning whether there was an ulterior motive in going to the South with the church, so it might be better for you to hide for a while. An ulterior motive, I didn¡¯t think she would say that even knowing I had connections with the imperial family. I didn¡¯t understand why Kaitel didn¡¯t respond to such words. Perhaps he had no reason to kill me at this point, but why would he have a reason to kill me a yearter? I had thought he would use this since the reason for killing me was always rted to treason, but the imperial side didn¡¯t respond even knowing this. Miragen was ignoring it, saying it was nonsense. With the princess taking such an attitude, it would be difficult for me to do anything immediately. Even if the nobles raised an uproar, they wouldn¡¯t find evidence unless I made a move. That was why I hadn¡¯t headed to the duke¡¯s residence. If I went to the duke¡¯s residence¡­ it would probably be after everything had been sessfully concluded. Going to the duke¡¯s residence now would be like walking into a tiger¡¯s mouth. There was no need to enter Yuria¡¯s stronghold unless I was certain. I think His Grace the Duke will move soon. I¡¯ll enclose his schedule, so I rmend you contact him secretly if you have anything to say. Renold¡¯s abilities were quite unexpected. The reason I hadn¡¯t thought of utilizing them until now was because there hadn¡¯t been a situation that required it, but in this life, I was quite reevaluating Renold. I didn¡¯t know he would be this useful. Should I say I had stumbled upon this? I knew well what actions Renold had taken towards me. However, I really didn¡¯t know if it would be effective when those malicious actions were used in a slightly different direction, so Renold¡¯s help was significant in things progressing more smoothly than expected. The fact that I had even a small support base in the duke¡¯s residence was probably thanks to the rumors Renold had preemptively spread. Because of that, my reputation had improved much more than before. If I had been just a weak and ipetent young master before, now it was at least better than before. Although such a reputation would hold me back if I became the family head, I nned to work on it beforehand. The obvious task of spreading bad rumors about Yuria and raising my own reputation instead. I had no intention of bing the family head in a fair and square manner. Although I needed to secure legitimacy, that was ultimately just the result. I had no intention of bing a monster like Yuria. Who would sincerely follow someone who had risen to power by killing people? I put Renold¡¯s letter in my chest and quietly got up to prepare. From her perspective, I might look cowardly, but that was Yuria¡¯s circumstance. It wasn¡¯t for nothing that I had brought back a relic from the South. With Kaitel¡¯s help, the situation would certainly improve more than its current state. With the support of these three powers ¨C the imperial family, the North, and the church ¨C I wouldn¡¯tck legitimacy anymore. Once the fight started, it would be Yuria¡¯s side that would be in a hurry. So what I needed to do was prepare before the fight. To fight a battle that I would definitely win, I needed to meet the Crown Prince first. My steps leaving the Moon Tower were light. The preliminary skirmish might be starting now. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°So, this is the relic you brought from the South?¡± Arwen, who had received a small spherical relic from me, muttered. Her legs floating above the chair swayed back and forth, and her eyes narrowed as she adjusted the sses she was wearing. Although I had brought one of the relics from the list she had sent me, I thought it would be right to show it to her first. There might be functions of the relic that I didn¡¯t know about. It shouldn¡¯t be something that would hinder me in killing Kaitelter. Even if it had such functions, if it was something I could ovee, it would be different, but it was most certain to ask an expert once. Arwen, who had been examining the relic from various angles, shrugged and ced her hand on the table. When the magic that flowed out touched the relic, a small light appeared along with a me. ¡°Judging by its clear reaction, it¡¯s definitely a relic of the Four Dragons. Given this shape, it¡¯s probably the ¡®Eye¡¯, right?¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t bring the wrong one, it should be sufficient.¡± ¡°From what I know, it¡¯s a relic that nullifies magic-based attacks. I wonder if it¡¯s okay to give this.¡± ¡°I deliberately sought it out. It just means not using magic, right?¡± Nullifying magic didn¡¯t mean blocking magic. Even if I used magic when using a sword, what was nullified was only the sword aura. It was nonsense to say that I, who had seen the ultimate sword technique, couldn¡¯t kill Kaitel just because I couldn¡¯t use magic. If I couldn¡¯t kill him because the magic was nullified, it would mean I couldn¡¯t kill him alone in the first ce. At least as long as I held a sword, there was no one I couldn¡¯t kill. Even against Verod or Adele, killing them was possible. Kaitel¡¯s physical abilities weren¡¯t as excellent as one might think. Of course, they were above average, but it meant he wasn¡¯t an opponent I couldn¡¯t kill now. If I gave him such a relic, wouldn¡¯t it clearly convey that I wouldn¡¯t harm him? Logically, someone nning to kill him wouldn¡¯t give him such an object. Arwen nodded as if she understood my words, and the reason Kaitel needed the relic was to use the evil thoughts of the Four Dragons. When I asked about that, Arwen, who had been looking through some papers for a moment, carefully opened her mouth. ¡°The sure way to extract the evil thoughts is to destroy the relic, but research on extracting them without destroying it has probably progressed. If I found it in a few days, they¡¯re not fools, so they must have figured out that much.¡± ¡°So they intend to use the relic as it is, and use the evil thoughts separately?¡± ¡°The evil thoughts of the Four Dragons basically induce destructive impulses. Would it be easier to understand if I said it¡¯s a kind of adrenaline? It¡¯s simr to adrenaline, but it¡¯s superior in that the user remains rtively calm.¡± I tilted my head at the word ¡®calm¡¯, but soon I thought I understood what she meant. It means impulses arise, but one isn¡¯tpletely taken over by them. That was an even more dangerous state. If actions were impulsive, gaps would appear, but if reason remained in ce, only enhanced abilities would remain. Considering the power contained in the evil thoughts as well, the idea of using the evil thoughts itself was quite dangerous. It was also unknown what effect using the evil thoughts would have on the Four Dragons. Arwen, who had been staring at me for a moment, slightly moved her lips. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re trying to use the Four Dragons themselves. If it¡¯s resurrection, that would be a problem, but we can¡¯t know for sure yet. For now, giving away the relic is the priority.¡± ¡°Is it possible to resurrect the Four Dragons?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s not something I¡¯ve considered until now, so I¡¯d have to calcte based on the influence of the evil thoughts.¡± Arwen couldn¡¯t answer that question easily. The immediate conclusion I knew was ¡®impossible¡¯. Although there was a possibility that the Four Dragons¡¯ seal might loosen over time, the possibility of a seal ced directly by a god being broken was also extremely low. Even if one used the evil thoughts, it was just using them from a single relic. Not the whole, but just one. Even Arwen herself couldn¡¯t grasp whether that would have an effect. What could be done immediately was to deliver the relic to Kaitel. Through that, to more firmly establish the support of the imperial family, and further to challenge for the position of family head. Worrying about the future was less important than the immediate present. The possibility of the Four Dragons¡¯ resurrection? Of course, it should be considered, but there was nothing more foolish than stopping to consider such an almost fictional possibility. Calcting that was Arwen¡¯s job. When I handed over the payment for this job, Arwen¡¯s shoulders flinched. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ much more than I expected.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a difficult task after all, and I¡¯ll need more information in the future.¡± Renold alone wasn¡¯t enough. There had been enough time to find out about Yuria¡¯s movements and actions, but still, there was a need to push harder. Arwen, who was looking at the box full of gold coins, swallowed for a moment, then carefully hugged the box with her arms. I knew well that she was living in poverty. How much could she earn selling potions in a general store? Although my circumstances within the duke¡¯s residence weren¡¯t great in many ways, there was no problem in mobilizing funds. I could afford to pay this much. ¡°So, what do you want me to do? Should I proceed with research on the Four Dragons?¡± ¡°No, this time I¡¯d like you to watch Yuria Taylor a bit.¡± ¡°When you say watch, it sounds like you want me to monitor her.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯re best at? I think monitoring would be easier than gathering information.¡± Arwen smiled bitterly for a moment, but I could clearly read the confidence in her eyes. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } She was more skilled than anyone in magic rted to illusions and space. If Arwen could provide me with information that was uncertain from Renold, at least I wouldn¡¯t be caught off guard. It was time to move. Although I would probably have to move quite busily for a few days, I didn¡¯t feel any desire toin about it. Rather, I should say I was a bit excited. How Yuria would respond, and when all of that was thwarted and even the goal she had aimed for her whole life failed. I was most looking forward to seeing what reaction she would show me then. Yuria and downfall, I thought they were truly mismatched words. It was even more amusing that I would be the one to create that future. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [looks like shit is spicing up] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Please Rate and Review us on NovelUpdates Release Schedule is 1 Chapter every 2 Days for each novel. Score 9.8 Status: OngoingType:Korean NovelAuthor:AryatArtist:FusionXReleased: 2022Native Language: Korean ActionAdventureFantasyHaremPsychologicalRegressionRomance There were women approaching me, who had decided to die. Login Label {}[+] Email Disy Name Label {}[+] Email Disy Name 0 Comments Oldest NewestMost Voted Inline Feedbacks View allments Chapter 94 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°It¡¯s been quite a while, and you seem to have be a bit more radiant.¡± ¡°Not as much as Your Highness. It seems you¡¯ve already heard the news.¡± Kaitel¡¯s expression looked quite pleased. Perhaps because he had already heard that I had secured the relic, he didn¡¯t hide his delight as he stood there when I entered.Maybe it was natural. Securing the relic this early could be considered a great result. Moreover, it was a relic of the Four Dragons. Having secured the relic while moving with the church, Kaitel¡¯s eyes looking at me were much softer than before. However, he didn¡¯t let his guard down. The masked man who was with Theresa was probably one of Kaitel¡¯s subordinates. As I approached, Kaitel, who was seated, offered me a seat with a grin. Being favorable wasn¡¯t bad. However, I would have to think about why he was acting this way. It would be over once I handed him the relic. What I needed to gain was tacit approval for the uing family headpetition. Wouldn¡¯t that alone be considered support from the imperial family? I sat down and took out the relic from my chest. As the round relic emitting a mysterious light appeared, Kaitel carefully reached out his hand. ¡°¡­Is this the relic?¡± ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s called the Eye of the Moon. Is this what you were looking for?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a way to check. I was about to show you something, so this is perfect.¡± What Kaitel brought out was a small vial. When the lid of the vial containing sloshing pink liquid was opened, I realized that a strange magical power was flowing out from it. That magical power was quite familiar, and it seemed to be reacting with the Moonstone that resided in me. A relic that resonated with other relics, I wondered why the Moonstone relic still had power remaining. With such questions in mind, Kaitel carefully dropped the liquid onto the relic. Hiss- Just like when Arwen had infused it with magic, Kaitel smiled slightly as he saw the relic burst into mes again. Was it a liquid simr to the Moon¡¯s magic? That me was a rejection reaction to it, and as the me eventually disappeared, Kaitel, who held the relic again, looked at me. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d really secure it, you¡¯ve done well.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t that difficult. I could probably do it if you asked me to do it again.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think your confidence is a bit excessive? Well, I don¡¯t dislike it though.¡± Right now, anything I did would look good. He had said that this relic was the most important for securing the evil thoughts of the Four Dragons. It was part of what Arwen had spected, but they had probably found a definite way to use the evil thoughts. Kaitel, who smiled with satisfaction at my words, then quietly opened his mouth. ¡°Thanks to you bringing the relic, things seem like they¡¯ll progress much more smoothly. His Majesty will probably think positively about subjugating the South, and we might be able to start the expedition right away.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that why the different races moved? I understand you¡¯ve already moved to some extent.¡± ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re quite sharp, aren¡¯t you?¡± The reason the southern trip ended early was because the movements of the different races had be ominous. Wasn¡¯t that why we quickly left the area? There was only one reason why the different races would move at this time. They would have been quiet originally, but it was probably because the Crown Prince had moved the army in advance after hearing that I had sessfully secured the relic. In fact, news that imperial troops were stationed on the outskirts of the South was written in the newspaper. Although it was reported that they were stationed due to the movements of the different races, in reality, they had probably been stationed even before the different races moved. Kaitel, who grinned at my words, didn¡¯t deny it. Rather, he just looked at me with a somewhat interested gaze. The more favorable the impression he had of me, the better. He would be cautious, but at least if he felt ufortable without me, wouldn¡¯t I be able to try something? That¡¯s what bing a close aide meant from the start. It could only be considered a start when he became so ufortable without me that he would necessarily seek me out in any situation. ¡°Then, do you n to start the expedition within this year?¡± ¡°We should give it a bit of time. You¡¯ll be quite busy until this summer, won¡¯t you?¡± It didn¡¯t take long for me to understand the intention behind those words. What was happening this summer was determining the position of the Taylor family head. Kaitel quietly moved his lips at my calm gaze. ¡°You brought this relic because you had something to gain in your own way, didn¡¯t you? Wasn¡¯t it a deal from the start?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not someone who changes his words once spoken. Last time, things were a bit vague, but now we should decide clearly. What do you want from me?¡± I had already thought many times about what answer to give when asked such a question, so I opened my mouth without hesitation to answer. ¡°I want your tacit approval.¡± A strange light flickered in Kaitel¡¯s eyes. I knew that his one word in this situation would be beneficial to me. However, the family headpetition with Yuria wasn¡¯t just about fighting for the position of family head. If someone intervened in settling the bad blood that had umted over time, it wouldn¡¯t be a clean conclusion. Drawing in other forces was simply to maintain bnce. When I became the family head, there needed to be at least enough power befitting a family head so that no one would harbor impure thoughts. In that sense, direct support wasn¡¯t particrly necessary. It was enough if there was no noise regardless of what situation arose. The Crown Prince¡¯s tacit approval of the ducal family¡¯s headpetition meant that no one in this country could say anything about it. If the princess and the Crown Prince said nothing, the Emperor would have no reason to interfere. Understanding the meaning of my words, Kaitel smiled for a moment and then opened his mouth. ¡°Is that enough?¡± ¡°It¡¯s sufficient. If nothing is said from the imperial family, next time I¡¯ll visit you as Duke Taylor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pleasant thing to hear. It would be good if it really turned out that way.¡± Perhaps it sounded too unrealistic. At least in noble society, I was someone who hadn¡¯t shown myself making any moves, so me bing the family head was like a gamble that no one would bet on. Maybe I was the only one thinking about the odds of winning this fight, but still, I harbored confidence. Once I had made up my mind to be the family head, I didn¡¯t think about failure. After going through countless regressions, surely I could manage to be the family head just once. Although it was my first attempt, I was still envisioning a future where I became the family head. Because I had decided so myself. There would be no failure. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°¡­Yes, I heard that Robert went to the imperial pce.¡± Yuria, who had been quietly examining documents, exhaled softly. From the North to the South, when he returned to the central region, he had hidden somewhere and then went to the imperial pce again. She had thought he would do something immediately upon return, but his quieter-than-expected movements were gradually increasing her wariness. She hadn¡¯t thought he would be this quiet. That was why she had called all of the nobles and spoken about Robert first. If she became the family head, they would also gain considerable benefits. There were dozens of noble families united under the Taylor name, and if such nobles cooperated with her, she could easily deal with someone like Robert. Why did he go to the imperial pce in this situation? She knew that his purpose was either the princess or the Crown Prince, but Yuria guessed it was the princess. Hadn¡¯t it been the princess who helped Robertst time? It seemed he had helped the precarious princess and drawn her to his side, but that didn¡¯t change the situation. ¡°Is there still no reaction from the imperial family?¡± ¡°No¡­ I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s still no clear reaction.¡± Yuria frowned at the servant¡¯s words, but she couldn¡¯t know anything for certain. Rumors considering Robert¡¯s movements as impure would have already spread widely among the nobles. She had confirmed that rumors had spread to the imperial pce as well, so why was there still no reaction? Recently, things had been going awry in various ways. The poison she had nned to gradually administer to her father had disappeared due to some problem and because of that, she had also failed to obtain the family head position before Robert¡¯s return. Although her father didn¡¯t know yet, she thought he wouldn¡¯t give her the family head position right away. What methods should be used to usurp the position in a short time? In Yuria¡¯s eyes, her father was no longer that important. The position of family head now felt like it was hers, so she thought that whenever she wanted it¡­ her father should give up his position to her. Perhaps it was natural, since that was what she had learned from her father herself. As she tilted the wine ss, Yuria¡¯s eyes narrowed at the wine scent that spread. There had been a time when she was at ease, but not anymore. Although she was clearly in an advantageous position, she felt like Robert¡¯s movements were gradually tightening around her. Why? If he had returned directly to the duke¡¯s residence, she had nned to use people to confine him somewhere in the basement. She had intended to make him rethink his openly disyed greed for the family head position, but how did he know and keep avoiding it? She was the one in the hunting position. Robert was just a little mouse. Yuria, who had tried to erase the gradually rising anxiety, rubbed her face. ¡°So, what is His Grace the Duke doing now?¡± ¡°I heard he¡¯s out at the moment.¡± Out, huh. Then it meant he was away. She knew that her father¡¯s outings had be frequent recently. How to use this was up to her. Yuria, who had been fiddling with the wine ss for a moment, smiled slightly and then quietly stood up. ¡°Has there been any servant who hasn¡¯t been doing their job welltely?¡± ¡°Pardon? Why are you suddenly asking about servants¡­¡± ¡°Ah, it doesn¡¯t matter. There¡¯s one ipetent servant right here.¡± Crash. The wine ss that hit the table broke lightly. With only the handle and part of the ss remaining, Yuria, holding the sharply broken wine ss, strode towards the servant. For her to be the family head, the current head should rightfully disappear. Thirty years should be long enough. No matter if he was her father, wasn¡¯t it about time he vacated his position? ¡°Young Lady? Young La-¡± Thud. As the ss shard prated the soft neck, red blood began to flow from the throat of the servant who didn¡¯t even understand what was happening. It was truly a soft neck. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } The blood that seeped out as it tore through the blood vessels dyed the servant¡¯s pure white clothes red. ¡°It seems the Duke has be senile, to forget he killed a servant like this. Right?¡± The more Robert moved, the more things she had nned weren¡¯t working out properly. It was a bad omen. To think an unexpectedpetitor would arise and try to take her position. Wasn¡¯t the family head position hers since she received the name of youngdy in childhood? He had crossed the line far too much. Why didn¡¯t he understand that she hadn¡¯t killed him until now because he was her brother? Yuria¡¯s lips twisted as she nkly looked at the servant who had fallen, bleeding. She had heard someone mention a family headpetition before, but that was the wrong term. Because the family head position was hers from the start. Even if it was her father, if he became a hindrance, he had to be removed. If it was a senile family head who didn¡¯t even know he had killed his own servant, shouldn¡¯t he soon step down from his position? Yuria, who had naturally wiped off the blood, looked at the cold corpse of the servant. As if nothing had happened, only her frozen eyes were emitting a chilly light. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Welp ig this settles it hes definitely gonna kill her cuz she is a full blown unredeemable psychopath] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 95 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó It was already a well-known fact that when the children of the Taylor family came of age, a bloody wind would blow within the family. No one could be the family head without bloodshed. There were those who failed to be the head even as only children, and if there were siblings, someone was bound to die. This twisted family was the empire¡¯s only ducal house. The fact that it still maintained its status was likely the result of this cruel meritocracy. Of course, there were certainly those who thought negatively about it. But in the end, the problem was that they had failed to be the family head. If those with such thoughts had be the head, perhaps things would have been different, but the fact that this tradition had continued until now¡­ It meant that it was time for some change. Even if I became the family head, I didn¡¯t think that kind of chaos would be necessary for the Taylor family going forward. Thinking back on what I had experienced myself, could anyone else endure it? If a sibling like Yuria tormented someone again, it would simply result in one person¡¯s life being ruined. If I didn¡¯t put an end to it now, this vicious cycle would continue. Breaking this cycle would only beplete once I became the family head. What I had gained from meeting the Crown Prince was tacit approval. It meant that there would be no interference in my fight with Yuria, so at least I wouldn¡¯t need to worry about other factors. All that remained was ascending to the family head position. As I was lost in such thoughts while walking, a familiar voice called out from beside me. ¡°Oh, did youe all this way to see me?¡± When I looked up, I saw Miragen. She was leaning against the wall, waving her hand, and then approaching me with a smile. I shrugged my shoulders at the sight. It seemed her house arrest had been lifted. It had been over two weeks since we met in the South, so it was about time it was lifted. I slowly opened my mouth towards Miragen as she approached. ¡°It seems you were waiting. I¡¯m sorry the conversation took so long.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t waiting. We just happened to meet. I didn¡¯t wait in front likest time, this time it was really a coincidence.¡± So she was admitting that she had been waitingst time. Judging by how she spoke, it seemed this time really was a coincidence. I remembered she had said there was something she wanted to give me if I came to the imperial pce, but I was quite busy today. I didn¡¯t have much time to talk with Miragen. I smiled slightly at her expectant gaze, and carefully brushed away the hair that had fallen on my shoulder as I answered. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to stay with you today. I have someone I need to meet.¡± ¡°¡­Anyone listening would think I was the one expecting something. I knew this would happen.¡± ¡°That would be fortunate if you did, but your inner feelings don¡¯t seem to match that.¡± Her protruding lips clearly showed Miragen¡¯s true feelings. She still couldn¡¯t lie well, so I smiled slightly and walked forward. Miragen followed,ining but stilling along. Sheposed her expression and spoke again. ¡°So who are you meeting? I heard you met my brother today.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s no one special. Just someone I had to meet eventually.¡± My nonchnt answer seemed to pique Miragen¡¯s curiosity. Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if thinking about who this person could be. Before she could figure it out, I spoke first. ¡°I¡¯m going to meet my father. You know, the head of the Taylor family?¡± At those words, her footsteps stopped. Her eyes met mine above our simultaneously halted feet. She had a very different gaze from her usual smiling one. Of course, such a reaction was natural upon hearing that I was meeting my father. After all, meeting the family head at this time could only mean one thing. ¡°¡­So you¡¯re starting now. I had hoped the rumors I heard before were false.¡± ¡°It was inevitable. Well, at this point, telling the youngdy to be the family head¡­ hasn¡¯t she crossed the line too much?¡± Miragen was not a fool. She probably understood well the meaning of my father and I meeting, and what would happen this summer. That¡¯s what the name of family head meant in the Taylor family. When all the children born came of age, and the current head began to grow senile. At such times, the mention of the family head¡¯s name was certainly closely rted to blood. ¡°You¡¯re free to support or oppose me. His Highness the Crown Prince said he would turn a blind eye no matter what happens.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an easy thing to say. Do as you please, but you do know I¡¯m the princess, right?¡± ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I also know you¡¯ll have to think about our family.¡± I didn¡¯t want to force her to choose. At first, I had certainly approached her with a purpose, but at some point, our rtionship had continued with a different meaning than that purpose. There was no need to use this rtionship now. Miragen silently looked at me, then let out a deep sigh and walked forward. I followed her for a while. Without saying anything, we walked for quite some time until we reached the entrance to the imperial pce. Miragen stopped again. ¡°What would you like me to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°At times like this, if you just asked for help, I could help you. As I said before, you do know I¡¯m the princess, right?¡± I did know. I knew that if she openly supported me, it could cause a major shift in the current situation. However, now that the nobles had sided with Yuria, even Miragen¡¯s support for me could lead to the nobles taking some kind of offensive against her. After all, since Miragen was already isted within the imperial family, attacking her wouldn¡¯t give the nobles any meaningful damage anyway. I had created a connection with Miragen to receive help in situations like this, but somehow I hesitated. Perhaps many things had changed now. Yuria had moved more hastily than expected, and thus revealed many vulnerabilities. At this point, I could probably turn the tables without anyone¡¯s help. Receiving help would certainly make things easier. I could probably advance much more easily, gaining more benefits than I thought. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± I decided to be a fool once again. I didn¡¯t need Miragen¡¯s help anymore. Although that had been my initial intention, now I didn¡¯t want to cause her any harm. Even if others might see me as a fool for not taking the advantage right in front of me, even if they might be disappointed in me for hesitating again after saying I would use any means necessary. ¡°Your tacit approval is enough.¡± That was the path I had chosen to take. It was enough if only I got hurt and suffered, but others shouldn¡¯t have to. Even if it was difficult, there was still enough of a chance for sess. Miragen frowned at my carefree smile. She seemed quite frustrated by my persistent refusal, but I couldn¡¯t help it. Even if it were Adele or Adriana saying this now, tacit approval would be enough at this point. Haa. Miragen let out a small sigh and messed up her hair carelessly. She closed her eyes tightly, then opened them and looked at me intently as she moved her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t regret this. I¡¯ll really stay quiet.¡± ¡°Alright. When I be the duke, I¡¯ll visit the imperial pce.¡± ¡°Can you really do it?¡± I stared nkly at Miragen asking that, then grinned as I answered. ¡°Of course I can.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The reason I had sought support from the North, the imperial family, and the church was simple. It was to avoid suspicious gazes when I ascended to the position of family head. When someone with little power bes the head, those below are always bound to be skeptical and it was to make Yuria aware of my support base. When I had garnered the support of these three powers, even Yuria wouldn¡¯t be able to take me lightly, would she? That was probably why she was now trying to directly make a move against Father. But since that hadn¡¯t worked, Yuria might move even more hastily now. In any case, Father¡¯s position was indeed precarious. While the family head had turned a blind eye, Yuria had done quite a lot. She had drawn most of the central nobles to her side and taken control of every part of the Taylor mansion. It meant there was nowhere within this territory that she couldn¡¯t do as she pleased. Perhaps by now, the title of family head itself was nothing more than an empty shell at this point. It was a time when the youngdy¡¯s status had be almost equal to that of the family head. Of course, if Yuria simply became the head, it would be a natural progression, but I was herpetitor. I was no longer as weak as before, and in fact, I had the potential to pressure her with even greater power. Of course, I had no intention of making such moves openly. Intervening from elsewhere while using the Taylor name wasn¡¯t very favorable. It could blur our standing, and even if I obtained the title of family head, we might not be able to serve as the focal point for the nobles as before. ¡­Indeed, intervention wasn¡¯t necessary. That was why I had only asked for tacit approval from the imperial family. While their intervention would benefit me, it would set a precedent for future imperial interference in Taylor family matters. This was something I had to resolve on my own. As I straightened the crumpled cor of my shirt, I slowly walked forward. It had been quite a while since I had dressed so formally. Rather than clothes easy to move in, I wore refined attire befitting a noble. I wasn¡¯t meeting Father now as just a son. I was meeting the family head as a member of the Taylor family qualified to be the next head. The sound of my shoes clicking echoed on the street. As I passed by numerous people, I walked along the brilliantly lit streets under the darkening night sky. The Duke¡¯s schedule today isn¡¯t veryplicated. He¡¯ll attend to state affairs until the afternoon, then go out alone in the evening to the restaurant he always visits. I think you know, but there¡¯s a ce the Duke always frequents. The schedule Renold had sent me was something I already somewhat remembered. It was natural, since I had apanied him a few times in my previous lives. It was quite a humble ce for a duke to visit. I knew theyout in detail from having been there several times before. No one would expect the Taylor family head toe to such a ce. It was probably Father¡¯s own sanctuary of sorts, but I couldn¡¯t let him rest easy in this situation. Click- The sound of footsteps echoed in the empty hallway. As I took a step towards the dark basement, I saw a small tavern with just a couple of tables dimly lit. The bartender¡¯s gaze briefly met mine as he wiped a ss, but more noticeable than that was the gaze of an old man staring at me. ¡°¡­So this is where you were.¡± With each step, the old wooden floorboards creaked. With every step I took closer, I felt my heart pounding. I had met Father in many lives, but it was my first time meeting him in this position. He was the family head, and I was the usurper. No matter how nicely one tried to put it, in the end, parent-child etiquette disappeared in this situation. Father¡¯s gaze turned to me as he set down hisrge ss. I smirked at those cold eyes, so different from Mother¡¯s, more like Yuria¡¯s. The slight tension that had been presentpletely dissipated. If I was going to aplish something, wouldn¡¯t it be today? ¡°I have something to say. I came to talk about it today, but I¡¯m not sure if you have time.¡± I quietly added to the old man who was still silently looking at me. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } ¡°Father.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [ma boi boutta oust this hoe to the streets of hell] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 96 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó It seemed I had rarely ever truly considered Father as a father. At some point, I had even avoided conversing with him and did not wish to face him. Although I had spoken to him face-to-face in this life, seeing him like this felt strange. The man who had always insisted on maintaining a noble appearance was now drinking cheap liquor.I smirked, and a gaze fixed on me intently. ¡°How did you know toe here?¡± ¡°I already knew. Wouldn¡¯t it be stranger if I didn¡¯t know?¡± In this bizarre family where surveiling and checking each other was a family tradition, such a conversation was rather natural. It was perhaps inevitable that his information had leaked out. I wondered if Father was aware of how abnormal it was that such unnatural things were happening as if they were normal. He tilted the bottle and poured more liquor, filling the ss. As the cool sound of liquid flowing filled the silence, Father¡¯s eyes narrowed as he moistened his lips. He was probably deducing why I hade here. Although he would likely find out soon enough, I opened my mouth to get to the point a bit faster. ¡°I think you¡¯re not unaware of what Yuria has been doing recently.¡± He was already in the position of family head. He must have experienced power struggles to the point of nausea, and wasn¡¯t he someone who had been hurting family members since he was young? Rather than not knowing what Yuria was doing, he was probably just pretending not to know. That was what it meant to be a Taylor. After all, this cursed family would even kill their own parents if necessary. Father nodded slightly as he met my eyes. ¡°I knew she was trying to kill me.¡± ¡°You knew and still pretended not to?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to die for her, but since I didn¡¯t die, I didn¡¯t say anything in particr. Have you still not abandoned that weak thinking?¡± I chuckled slightly at the words ¡°weak thinking.¡± In the past, when I heard such words, I was filled with the desire to refute them. It might have been rebelliousness. There were actions I had taken to show that I wasn¡¯t weak. Now, no one would remember, but I thought there was no need to take such actions anymore. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to abandon it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been like that since before. It doesn¡¯t suit a Taylor.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because I take after Mother?¡± Father¡¯s hand stopped as I muttered while refilling the empty ss with liquor. The hand that had frozen in mid-air then moved downward. I saw the ss being set down with a thud. Above it were cold eyes staring at me. It seemed Father also reacted to the name ¡°Mother.¡± Yuria must be the strange one after all. At least it was certain that Mother¡¯s existence had meaning. I didn¡¯t know if Father had loved Mother. I only knew that it had been close to a political marriage, and that she had passed away when I was young after giving birth to me and Yuria. Had he grieved? I didn¡¯t even know that. He had always been someone who never revealed anything about his own emotions. In all my lives, Father had never directly killed me. However, it was true that Father¡¯s attitude had been consistent. He had never taken any particr action when I died, simply maintaining his stance of indifference and tacit approval towards everything. ¡°¡­If you¡¯re thinking of changing the subject with useless talk, stop it. Anyway, you¡¯vee for the position of family head¡­¡± The liquor burning down my throat was hot. I wasn¡¯t particrly fond of drinking. However, I felt that if I didn¡¯t drink in this situation, I might feel strangely suffocated. It had always been like this when conversing with Father. I didn¡¯t feel tense or pressured like before, but now memories of the past were surfacing. I recalled Father¡¯s gaze as he watched me dying, turning his back as if I were simply pathetic. ¡­Well, I didn¡¯t care much about it, but it was true that I harbored no good feelings towards Father or Yuria. That was why I hade here. In the end, I too hade to use Father. To fight a battle worthy of the Taylor name, I had to change my mindset from the beginning. ¡°The North, the South, and the Imperial Family.¡± I showed my fingers as I continued speaking. It wasn¡¯t about asking him to make any judgment on these support bases I had secured. It was to let him know that his era was nowing to an end. Originally, these would have been ces where the Taylor family head could exert direct influence, but Father¡¯s era was gradually fading. Yuria had already taken care of the interior of the duke¡¯s residence, and the exterior could be considered my sphere of influence. All Father had left was just the title of family head. Perhaps understanding the meaning of my words, Father¡¯s brow furrowed as he smiled slightly. ¡°So you¡¯re asking for the position of family head now? You¡¯ve be quite arrogant, the one who used to run from Yuria. Asking the family head himself for the position. Even Yuria hasn¡¯t done such a thing yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking for it. Why would I ask for a position I¡¯m going to obtain anyway? I¡¯m not foolish enough not to know that obtaining the position legitimately is most important.¡± ¡°Then, why did youe all the way here to see me?¡± ¡°To warn you. Perhaps by tomorrow, you might no longer be the family head.¡± I knew that Yuria¡¯s movements had momentarily stopped. She probably knew by now that I had gone to the imperial pce, so she would likely begin to act soon. I had visited the imperial pce despite the strange rumors the nobles were spreading. Didn¡¯t it mean that the imperial family trusted me if nothing had happened? I thought I knew what kind of action Yuria would take. Probably something close to an extreme direction, signaling the start of thispetition for family head. That was why I had sought out Father today. Perhaps if not today, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to have a conversation, so I had decided to make this a final greeting. I looked at the old man whose hair had now turned gray. Father himself must have realized by now. If he had any ability to think, he should quickly realize that Yuria was now aiming for his neck. ¡°You know that Yuria has be twisted, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­I know.¡± ¡°I came to warn you. You might want to step aside, as you don¡¯t know what Yuria might do. And I wanted to tell you about the thoughts I harbor.¡± The thoughts I harbored. They could be said to be directly opposite to the beliefs Father had upheld his entire life. A small glint appeared in the eyes that had been staring at me intently for a moment. In the spreading silence, the sound of liquor filling the ss was heard again. After a brief silence, Father opened his mouth. ¡°You¡¯ve always moved contrary to my thoughts since before. Do you intend to do so this time as well? Have you forgotten what I¡¯ve emphasized so many times?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not rebelling at that age, are you? You don¡¯t seem to realize how pathetic the thoughts you harbor are. Do you think the Taylor family can maintain its current status forever with such thoughts?¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®current status¡¯?¡± A smile leaked from my twisted lips. ¡®Current status¡¯ surely didn¡¯t just mean the Taylor family¡¯s standing. Was it right for family members to try to rise by killing each other? Was it right to raise a knife even against one¡¯s own parents if necessary? I couldn¡¯t understand. Although those who couldn¡¯t understand this had all died by now, it was certain that it was wrong. ¡°I¡¯m not rebelling. I¡¯m just trying to do what I think is right.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± ¡°The one who¡¯s wrong is you, Father.¡± The eyes that met mine were cold. They were eyes I used to fear and avoid, but now I felt not even a hint of fear. The blue eyes, frozen like Yuria¡¯s, were simply amusing. It felt like the words of a mere old man stubbornly insisting that what was wrong was right. What had I been afraid of? There was nothing to be afraid of. It was just that my past self had been scared prematurely, so I smiled quietly at those ring eyes. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t die. I hope you live long and watch me be the family head.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That way, you¡¯ll be able to see me tear down everything you¡¯ve built up with my own hands.¡± The tradition you¡¯ve built up, and all the cruel acts and customs done under the name of that tradition. What the House of Taylor needed now was no longer tradition and family precepts What I had endured from Yuria would not be repeated. The future I had envisioned for myself was markedly different from the Taylor family I had seen in my 100 lives. And at the end of it all, when you see the House of Taylor crumbling under the name of treason. I wondered what you would say to me then. I hoped you would live long and in good health. Because you had done nothing to me, I also intended to do nothing to you. Nothing at all. I wouldn¡¯t take any action whatsoever, so you could just watch. Father¡¯s eyes narrowed as he mmed his hand on the table with a thud. His hand, trembling as if in anger, turned white. ¡°¡­You¡¯re crossing the line, Robert Taylor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote to turn back now. Even if you were to capture me here and imprison me somewhere, the flow has already begun.¡± That was how the flow of things worked. Like a wave whose origin is unknown, it suddenly surges like a tidal wave and sweeps people away. The end of the life of a man who had valued the Taylor name more than family, who had lived solely for the family, was also such an event. It was already decided, even if I hadn¡¯t said I would be the family head. Wasn¡¯t his downfall predetermined from the moment he had given Yuria the position of youngdy? I had seen it enough times in my 100 lives. The only difference was that the Taylor family he had built up his entire life would crumble by my hand. ¡°So rest now. This is already out of your hands, Father.¡± The seal I had received from the North was on my chest. The divine power I had received from the saint was imbued in my body, and the imperial artifact I had received from Miragen was in my bosom. As long as those powers supported me, even if more time passed here, the generation would eventually change. Renold would be moving even at this hour, and my meeting with Father was simply to bid a final farewell. Father, who had been ring at me, slightly moved his lips. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re trying to do now?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I knew better than anyone what I was trying to do. It probably wasn¡¯t the answer Father wanted. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } No matter how much you think about it, you won¡¯t be able to understand my actions. I didn¡¯t want to be understood by you in the first ce, as I was trying to tear down the traditions built up over hundreds of years. I poured liquor into the ss until it was almost overflowing, then lifted the precariously full ss. Then, quietly, I opened my mouth towards Father. ¡°I¡¯m in the process of inheriting the family head position, Father.¡± The liquor flowing down my throat was no longer hot. Rather, my whole body felt as if it was about to freeze, and I shuddered from that coldness. Exhaling a cold breath, I smiled slightly as I looked at Father, who was staring at me nkly. The position of family head held no meaning for me. That was all. I was simply trying to be the family head, but to you, would I look like a viin trying to tear everything down? Thest image of Father I captured in my eyes was pathetic. More so than any moment I could remember. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [My satisfaction is through the roof, vengeance will be sweet] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 97 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó I had thought Yuria would make a move, but I was slightly surprised by how quickly she acted. The fact that rumors of Father¡¯s senility spread so easily showed how well Yuria had established her position. If the nobles hadn¡¯t spread the rumors so urately, they would have been quickly buried as false, but I was surprised they reached me in less than a day. I hadn¡¯t expected that the family head, who was still considered robust, could be turned into a senile old man overnight.It seemed Yuria was desperate to obtain the position of family head in various ways. She should have known it wouldn¡¯t go as nned, so I wondered what her reasons were. ¡°The situation probably won¡¯t change immediately. She¡¯ll likely be satisfied with acting as a proxy for now instead of directly inheriting the family head position,¡± Arwen said. I nodded at her words. Although she had turned the family head into a secluded old man under the pretext of senility, if she directly seeded the position, her intentions would be too obvious. It was probably Yuria who had killed the servant and carelessly disposed of the body, but the nobles who had already sided with her wouldn¡¯t look into it too closely. ¡°You¡¯ll know from meeting him directly, but there¡¯s almost no credibility to the rumors themselves.¡± ¡°I know. I met him yesterday.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to move now, you should take action little by little. Do you have any methods in mind?¡± Methods. I had already thought about situations like this, so I wasn¡¯t flustered by Yuria¡¯s actions. I just thought it was unexpected because it was a slightly rougher method. If my previous movements had been preliminary skirmishes, responding to the news Yuria announced today would be a more full-scale battle. ¡°I do have some ideas.¡± I could respond immediately. The preparations I had asked Renold to make wereplete, and given Yuria¡¯s current mental state, she would likely react quite strongly even to my slight movements. However, that wouldn¡¯t be the end of everything. After looking at Arwen for a moment, I shrugged and quietly opened my mouth. ¡°I¡¯m just curious about something.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Are there any drugs that induce hallucinations?¡± If what I wanted was simply to be the family head, I wouldn¡¯t have asked this. Above all, what I desired was to definitively end our rtionship, wasn¡¯t it? ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll probably leave again soon, though.¡± Having heard meing, Adriana, who had been walking near the Moon Tower, approached me. At this time, she had probably just returned from the cathedral. Although she had been staying at the Moon Tower, I hadn¡¯t seen her much recently. It was likely due to being busy with various matters. However, I now had to leave the Moon Tower again, and Adriana let out a small groan when she heard my words. ¡°Hmm, it seems you¡¯re quite busy with family matters.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to finish it by this summer if possible. But I¡¯m not sure if it will go well.¡± ¡°Is that so? I wish I could help, but there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± ¡°I appreciate the thought. However, I don¡¯t think there would be anything good about getting involved in Taylor family matters.¡± While the Taylor family¡¯s fame was widely known, its infamy was also considerable. The events that urred when the family head was being reced were already famous. Now that the imperial session was somewhat settled, the nobles were most focused on the Taylor family¡¯s session. Originally, many nobles had sided with Yuria, but recently, some perceptive nobles had sent messages of cooperation to me. Some had even turned neutral. So the situation wasn¡¯t quite the same as before, though subtle. If I had to exin the nobles¡¯ support in numbers, it would be about 7 for Yuria, 2 for me, and 1 neutral. Although the numbers might seem overwhelmingly in Yuria¡¯s favor, the situation wasn¡¯t entirely unfavorable. Considering Yuria¡¯s mental issues and including other forces besides the nobles, it was about even. The scales that had been clearly tipped towards Yuria until around this timest year were now probably bnced. As such, the fight would be rougher. In this situation, it would be good if Adriana could help me, but it was best if the church didn¡¯t intervene in this fight. Understanding my words, Adriana let out a small sigh, then looked at me again and moved her lips. ¡°Then are you nning to return today?¡± ¡°Not today, but I¡¯ll have to go back in a few days. And I have a ce to visit. I¡¯ll just stop by my room ande back.¡± ¡°If you need anythingter, please let me know. I¡¯ll help as much as I can.¡± ¡°Alright. Then, I¡¯ll see you when I have time next.¡± I was worried that I might look like I was moving too hastily, but Adriana just smiled brightly and waved her hand before quietly disappearing. The reason for me moving like this wasn¡¯t really for any grand purpose. It was a day that others might not think much of, but one that I alone considered important. I entered the empty room and headed for the desk. The room was dark with no lights on, but my gaze pierced through the shadows andnded on something definite. I carefully lifted the frame that had always been face down in the corner of the desk, revealing an old picture inside. A woman sitting alone in a chair with her hands folded, the part where her face was drawn was so worn it was almost unrecognizable. But I alone could clearly recognize who this woman was. ¡°¡­It¡¯s already been 15 years.¡± Exactly 15 years today, I realized how much time had passed and closed my eyes tightly. I hadn¡¯t thought this day would ovep with such a time. Whether it was fate¡¯s prank or not, I felt a bitter taste in my mouth at the fact that this anniversary hade around again. After looking at the frame for a moment, I ced it back on the desk and turned away. I had a ce to visit. It was a cemetery that probably no one else visited anymore, specifically where my mother rested. Today was the anniversary of my mother¡¯s death. The pdins were a bit surprised that I was leaving the Moon Tower again, but their reaction had be quite indifferent as my outings had be frequent. Perhaps they were relieved that I wasn¡¯t going with Adriana. When we were in the South, hadn¡¯t Verod and the others looked at me with suspicious eyes? Walking for a long time under the darkening night sky, I entered a cemetery that seemed too shabby for thedy of a ducal house to rest in. I didn¡¯t know why Mother had been ced in such a ce. Although it was a separate area, it was hard to consider it a ce befitting the only member of a ducal house to be buried there. At least the maintenance seemed to have been done diligently, as the area around the grave was clean without a speck of dust, which was somewhat reassuring. This hadn¡¯t changed even after repeated regressions. Although Father hadn¡¯t shown any reaction when Mother died, had he at least wanted to give her a final proper burial? I couldn¡¯t understand Father¡¯s thoughts about Mother. No matter how many times I asked, he never answered, so perhaps I would never know. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve visited. I should havee during the day, but I¡¯ve been busy.¡± The dead do not answer. She had been somewhat taciturn even when alive, so my faint memory of Mother still remained silent. I thought she probably wouldn¡¯t scold me foringte. Rather, she would probably worry if something had happened. ¡­In that sense, she wasn¡¯t really suited to the Taylors. The strange thing was why such a person had entered into a political marriage with the Taylors. She surely could have refused, so why did someone who wasn¡¯t from a humble family meet Father? It was something I thought about asionally, but I soon stopped as it was a premise where I wouldn¡¯t exist. Mother¡¯s name was engraved on the gray tombstone. After staring at that name for a moment, I then sat down in front of the grave, matching my eye level with the tombstone. When I was young, I always looked up at Mother. I remembered being about the same height when the tombstone was first erected, and sitting down now brought back those memories. I had been quite a crybaby when I was young. Compared to Yuria who was born first, I had no outstanding qualities, and I would grieve for days when an animal I was raising died. While hearing that I took after Mother¡¯s personality, on the other hand, I lived with thebel of being an heir unsuited to the Taylor name. Of course, there were a few who had been severely scolded for saying such things in front of Mother, so it was okay when I was young. Even Yuria, while prickly, didn¡¯t behave as severely as she didter. However, when Mother died, I was the only one who truly grieved. Fainting from crying, then waking up to cry again ¨C all that remained for me who repeated this cycle was just the Taylor name. My first life ended without me being able to adapt to that. ¡°You¡¯d probably feel I¡¯ve changed a lot. I must be quite different from the me who visitedst year.¡± Whenever I visited this ce after repeated regressions, I would realize how different I was from my past self of the previous year. Last year¡¯s me was still in his foolish first life, but now I was myself who had repeated the regression. I wasn¡¯t sure what she would think if she saw me. I was a bit afraid that she might be disappointed in how cold I had be, unlike back then. ¡°¡­This time, I¡¯ll be even more different.¡± It was different from my past lives. I had killed my fianc¨¦e, and now I was about to turn my sword towards my sister. As I was trying to seize the title of family head for the first time, even I didn¡¯t know how much blood would be shed. It was uncertain what feelings you, who wished for me to grow up rightly away from the Taylor name, would harbor, but it was clear that I would be very different from the son you had hoped for. Suddenly, a breeze blew, slightly ruffling the sparse grass growing on the grave. The rustling sound seemed just like an answer to me. Though I didn¡¯t know what kind of answer it was, I smiled slightly as if it had responded to my words. It felt just like I wasing to ask for forgiveness aftermitting a sin. It happened to be the day Yuria had made her move against Father, and the day I was about to move to be the family head. If Mother were here, she would probably ask me if I couldn¡¯t guide Yuria back to the right path. Even when we were young, she had made many efforts to correct Yuria¡¯s personality. If asked whether Yuria¡¯s nature had shown such madness from the beginning, I could answer no to that. While her personality had twisted dramatically after Mother passed away, stemming partly from fundamental issues, it was also born from jealousy towards me. Jealousy over the affection I received, perhaps it was an issue that could arise for any siblings with an age gap. But the feelings Yuria harbored were even more malicious than that. ¡°There are no bad people from the start. Everyone has their circumstances, and I think if you understand them, you can always reform them.¡± ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } The words I heard as a child had greatly influenced my regressions. I had thought that Yuria or Theresa could change. Even if I hated them, I couldn¡¯t hate everything about them. Of course, this life was different. Didn¡¯t I know that Yuria¡¯s fundamental nature was wed? Even if Mother had said those words, I had learned through death itself that they could be wrong. After staring at the dully shining tombstone for a while, I then stood up and quietly bowed my head. ¡°The next time Ie, I¡¯lle not as Robert, but as the Duke.¡± So I asked for forgiveness in advance. Because Mother had wanted our rtionship to be good more than anyone, I, who was trying to sever this rtionship, could only beg for forgiveness. I thought that either Yuria or I had to die for this to end. I remembered the saying that there are no bad dogs in this world. It was a phrase Mother always used to say, that there are no bad people from the start. Smiling bitterly at that memory, I then looked up at the empty sky with a small sigh. Most of what you said was right, but if there was one thing that was wrong, it would be that saying. There are bad dogs in this world. Clearly, definitely. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Shi boutta get wild GAWDAM] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 98 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Thinking back to my childhood, I couldn¡¯t deny that Mother had harbored something unusual. That was why I thought she didn¡¯t suit the Taylors. She prioritized family over the house, people over honor. While I had grown up influenced by such a mother, Yuria could be said to have been more influenced by Father than Mother.It might have been rebelliousness. I wasn¡¯t sure if affection was important to Yuria, but it was clear that she had sought Mother¡¯s attention. There were certainly times when she obediently listened, and it was true that her bullying of me intensified after Mother passed away. Although I couldn¡¯t fully understand human psychology to know the exact reason, I thought that Mother might have been part of the reason why her personality became even more twisted. However, thinking about it now, all of that was futile, wasn¡¯t it? She had been twisted from the beginning. Yuria¡¯s madness had been nted within her from the start. It was something that had been predetermined, not anyone¡¯s fault. Perhaps it was problematic that I had tried to resent Yuria in the first ce. While it was true that my feelings towards Yuria were negative, I now tried to forget such emotions. I didn¡¯t want to ruin things due to personal feelings. Shouldn¡¯t I be as cold as possible, at least until I saw the end with my own eyes? After staring at the tombstone alone, I let out a small breath. By the time I came here next year, everything would be over. I could only hope that things would unfold as I thought. I¡¯ll be waiting in a secluded ce. Probably somewhere quite high. When I unfolded thest letter from Renold, there was a description of the meeting ce. I thought it was probably the same ce where we had seen the willow tree before. Below the willow tree, in an alley in the high ground where buildings were clustered there was one wall with the Taylor family crest embedded in it, so I realized it meant that ce and turned my steps. It had been a while since I had met Renold. Although I had met him before going to the North, I needed to check how he was now. Whether he would continue to follow me as time passed, or if he was nning to side with Yuria. With someone like Renold, I could discern such intentions just by looking at his eyes. As I entered the alley, a figure caught my eye among the gloomy shadows. The figure, having spotted me, bowed politely and opened his mouth. ¡°You¡¯vee, young master.¡± Renold¡¯s appearance, which I hadn¡¯t seen in a long time, had changed quite a bit. He seemed to have be more diminutive, as if he had aged several years, perhaps having gone through many hardships. Nevertheless, the fact that he hade this far probably meant that I could fully trust him now. I could read many emotions in Renold¡¯s eyes. The most noticeable among them was his faith in me, which was simply unexpected. Whatever thoughts he had harbored while I was away, they probably weren¡¯t harmful. ¡°This is just the beginning. Now that Yuria Taylor has gotten her hands on the family head position.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do right away anyway. Did she put Father in the basement?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s taken any drastic measures yet. The family head probably knows how things are progressing, so he likely didn¡¯t say much about the temporary family head position.¡± After all, Father had known in advance that Yuria would do something. At least he wouldn¡¯t do anything to harm himself. If so, his body should still be intact, and it was confirmed that Yuria had seeded to the temporary family head position. Since she had taken control of the duke¡¯s residence, we couldn¡¯t enter from the inside. Then what should I target? Naturally, it would be the outskirts of the duke¡¯s residence, the surrounding areas where Yuria¡¯s influence hadn¡¯t fully spread yet. ¡°You¡¯ve done quite well in your own way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Since the center is so tightly controlled, there¡¯s nothing to aim for except the remaining areas, isn¡¯t there?¡± That¡¯s true. If we were to target something, we would choose the method of slowly eating away at power from the outskirts, but it was also true that we didn¡¯t have such leisure. The preliminary work to move as quickly as possible had been done quite well by Renold, so we could save as much time as possible. Although I wanted to see a bit more about how Yuria would move, I thought it was now time to start moving little by little. Rather, if I showed no movement at all, Yuria¡¯s side might move more boldly, so it would be better to make her be as wary of me as possible. Anyway, I needed Arwen¡¯s help for that. It wasn¡¯t for nothing that I had entrusted her with surveince. Since Arwen could observe Yuria¡¯s movements more secretly than anyone else, after waiting for a moment, I felt the magical power around us moving. A woman appeared through the blurred wall of the building. The face of the woman, who looked like a maid of the duke¡¯s residence, contorted, and then her appearance changed, and a girl who looked like a young child peeked her head out. ¡°So you were here. Are you noting to the general store today?¡± ¡°¡­Oh my, you had another helper?¡± ¡°If I mention the alchemist Jay, you¡¯d recognize her. I¡¯ve entrusted her with surveince of Yuria.¡± Renold, surprised by Arwen¡¯s sudden appearance, eventually nodded while carefully stroking his chin. He must have judged that she was trustworthy since I had entrusted her with a task. There was no need for them to know each other in detail. It was enough for me alone to know the name Arwen, so I called her Jay again and asked about her recent achievements. ¡°How are Yuria¡¯s movements?¡± ¡°She hasn¡¯t taken any notable actions yet. She asionally goes to the office where the duke would stay, and it seems the family head is in there. There¡¯s no blood scent, so it seems he¡¯s probably taking a submissive attitude.¡± If that was the case, it seemed that Father wasn¡¯t strongly resisting Yuria¡¯s words, as Renold had predicted. However, he wasn¡¯t someone who would be easily swayed in such a situation without any countermeasures, so I couldn¡¯t understand what he was thinking. As someone who knew Father quite well, he certainly wasn¡¯t a person who would easily give up the position of family head. At least within the constraints of the Taylor name, he was more unyielding than anyone. There must be something he was hiding. Yuria would be wary of that too, and I was also thinking about it. ¡°I think we should meet with the nobles who have sided with Yuria one by one first. Is there a better way?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll listen even if we meet them. Are you nning to try?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t necessarily need to meet and talk.¡± I smiled slightly, and Arwen¡¯s eyes narrowed as she looked at me. To rify, I didn¡¯t think we needed to limit ourmunication to just words. What I had learned from the Taylors was ckmail and scheming, so why not use that? In this situation, Adele¡¯s name was quite a good tool. -Use my name as you see fit. It¡¯s fine to say you¡¯ll poke them a bit if they don¡¯t listen. -¡­Aren¡¯t you telling me to use it too freely? -If it helps you, that much is fine. How you use it is up to you. You can use it however you like, juste to the Northter and tell me about it. I had permission from her, so I saw no reason not to use it. It wasn¡¯t like I had no experience with ckmail, so what remained was to face them in person. I wondered what expressions the nobles who had confidently let me in would make when they heard Adele¡¯s name. Smiling slightly, I moved on with Renold, who was looking at me suspiciously. Arwen, who had been eyeing me suspiciously, followed as well. Although she seemed to be seriously thinking about what I would do, she would probably know soon. I wasn¡¯t sure how she would react to it, though. The only sound in the empty room was his own breathing. The Duke smiled slightly at his breath, which was unlike before, somewhat rougher. He never thought he would be called senile. The feeling of hearing such words from his own daughter was quite peculiar. Although he had raised them for the family rather than for the children themselves from the beginning, he wondered if this was how his own father had felt. The position of family head was quite a hollow ce. It was only fierce when climbing up, but once at the top, one couldn¡¯t feel as much joy as expected. He had climbed up stepping on the corpses and blood of his siblings. Knowing that this tradition would repeat eternally, perhaps he had unconsciously chosen to give everything to one child. How could he have known that the son who seemed to have no interest in being family head would covet the position? He knew that Yuria¡¯s current actions stemmed from Robert¡¯s change of heart. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve grown old too.¡± To be caught up in such a scheme. Perhaps he had been somewhat shaken by Robert¡¯s words when they met at the bar. Who would have thought that the boy he hadn¡¯t even expected would rise this far? The Robert of a year ago and now werepletely different people. Had he been sharpening his knife in his heart all this time? For what purpose? The Duke thought it was because of the boy¡¯s mother. Serena Yugress. The woman he had married, who had given birth to Yuria and Robert. The child who was the spitting image of a woman who didn¡¯t fit the family, he had been optimistic that Yuria would eventually take everything, but reality was flowing in the opposite direction. He could only chuckle at this ridiculous reality. ¡°She must have thought she could easily take the family head position if she made me out to be a senile old man.¡± The position of Taylor family head was coveted by anyone who inherited the bloodline. Did she think he wouldn¡¯t have thought of such a scheme himself? Ha, it was obvious that she was underestimating him too much. In the past, he had even thought of just handing it over. But Yuria¡¯s recent actions had been quite disappointing, so what came to mind was the image of Taylor with Robert as the family head. To say he would tear down the Taylor family he had built with his own hands. Did he think he would really give him the position of family head if he uttered such nonsense? However¡­ there was nothing he couldn¡¯t give. If he showed the ability to be family head, even if he said he would tear down everything Taylor stood for, Robert was qualified enough to be family head. Did it suit him? That remained to be seen, but this suddenly protruding corner stone seemed quite interesting. How far would the knife harbored by the child who was the spitting image of Serena point? The Duke smirked as he saw the desk, usually piled with documents, nowpletely clear. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } ¡°Perhaps you were right.¡± He recalled the words of the idealistic woman. He remembered the woman he had been politically married to, but to whom he had briefly given his heart and thinking of his child who was theplete image of such a woman, he then smiled bitterly and closed his eyes tightly. ¡°He resembles you more than I thought.¡± Duke Arthur Taylor smiled slightly. He had already known how Yuria treated Robert after Serena¡¯s death. The reason he had just watched despite knowing was to see how Robert, who resembled Serena, would ovee it. Whether he would crumble unable to endure till the end, or whether he would struggle to gain everyone¡¯s trust or whether he would attempt something unimaginable, just as Serena had done. Whether by coincidence or not, in the end, it was Robert who was acting in a way that resembled his mother. So he intended to watch a bit more with a somewhat joyful heart. Until the day Robert woulde here again and demand the position of family head. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Man this family is fucked up goddamn] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 99 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The nobles¡¯ attitudes were quite submissive. The fact that many nobles were still contemting whether to side with Yuria yed a significant role. After all, by this point, there were a fair number of people contacting me as well, so those who couldn¡¯t clearly grasp the general trend would have a lot to consider. ¡°I hope Robert bes the family head.¡±¡°It¡¯s notmon to hear such words.¡± The noble who approached me whispered quietly, as if sharing a secret. ¡°In fact, many nobles besides me think the same. If Lady Yuria bes the family head, what follows is probably as clear as day.¡± ¡°In what sense?¡± ¡°We love peace. Actually, that¡¯s why we opposed the subjugation of the South. Many wars bring blood, so we hope this family headpetition ends as moderately as possible¡­ but that¡¯s probably difficult, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s uncertain. It might end more easily than expected.¡± Their talk of loving peace was nonsense. They simply didn¡¯t want tomit their private soldiers to war. It was already widely known that I had connections with the imperial family, so they probably wanted to dy the subjugation of the South as much as possible. Well, there was no need for me to answer that I wouldn¡¯t do it. I grasped the noble¡¯s hand and shook it firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll try to move in the direction you desire. Of course, that¡¯s if I be the family head.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help as much as I can. For the prosperity of the Taylors.¡± Whether they really meant it for prosperity or not, such words certainly gave me strength. Not everyone approached so submissively. Some were adamantly against cooperating with me until the end. There were times when I had to draw the sword at my waist. ¡°Are, are you threatening me with a sword?¡± ¡°No, I dislike threats. The Duke knows this well.¡± ¡°Then why are you holding a sword? Even the youngdy didn¡¯t go this far!¡± ¡°Yuria? Surely not.¡± Yuria was more intense than me, if anything she wasn¡¯t a woman to be taken lightly. The noble¡¯s face turned pale as I swung the sword around. As I smiled at his whiteningplexion as the distance closed, the noble finally lowered his tail and shouted his answer. ¡°Al-alright! I¡¯ll cooperate!¡± ¡°You should have said so earlier. There was no need for this to be so troublesome.¡± He tore up the contract he had signed with Yuria before my eyes and only gasped for breath after the sword disappeared. There was no need to be moderate with everyone. Among the nobles, there were malicious ones, and most of them tended not to follow obediently. They were people I would have to deal withter anyway, being kind to such people might be seen unfavorably by others. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you disliked threats?¡± When Arwen, who was staring at me nkly, asked this, I smiled slightly and shook my head. Dislike threats? Well, I thought it was better to use them if necessary. I had said that just to scare him, it didn¡¯t hold much meaning beyond that. ¡°I like them.¡± ¡°¡­Well, you were simr when we first met.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I made any particr threats then.¡± ¡°I wish you¡¯d consider the emotions I felt in that situation a bit more. Do you know how surprised I was?¡± When I first met Arwen, I remember it was after I killed some assassins and was covered in blood. She probably didn¡¯t think about it because Adele was below, but if I were in Arwen¡¯s position¡­ I would have been quite surprised. Come to think of it, she might have fainted once then. Looking back, it was a situation simr to a threat. Suddenly saying I was going to kill the Crown Prince, it would be natural to think I¡¯d kill her if she refused. I smiled awkwardly, and Arwen sighed deeply and turned her head abruptly. We were now heading towards thest noble. If we could recruit this one, many things would be resolved, but it was a ce I was reluctant to go. I looked at the paper with the name Yugress written on it and then quietly let out a sigh. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Renold¡¯s voice was heard. Renold probably knew why I was acting this way. As a butler who had been with me since childhood, he would know well why I reacted to this name. Arwen looked puzzled, but she wasn¡¯t insensitive and seemed to know there was something going on. ¡°This is the most important one anyway. I¡¯ll have to endure it.¡± At those words, Arwen¡¯s expression wavered slightly. She seemed uncertain about the name Yugress, but it looked like she had recalled what it meant. Wasn¡¯t Yugress the family my mother was born into? Perhaps it was a family that had to be recruited, and at the same time, could be considered the most important. Yugress wasn¡¯t a family with great power. They were far from the center in terms of distance, and couldn¡¯t be said to have much influence in politics. But that was only their current situation, during the time when Father became the family head, it had been quite prosperous. In the end, their fortunes had declined after Mother¡¯s death. ¡°This is it. The Yugress Count¡¯s residence.¡± As I raised my head at Renold¡¯s words, a building that looked somewhat shabbypared to the duke¡¯s residence came into view. It used to be prosperous and splendid, but now it had a slightly dull appearance. As I entered, a sigh escaped me involuntarily. It was a ce I had deliberately avoided visiting even through repeated regressions. Coming here weakened my heart as it reminded me of Mother. Now I had to ovee that. With that mindset, as I walked forward, someone even more aged than Renold approached and bowed his head. ¡°This is our first meeting, but may I ask why you¡¯vee here?¡± ¡°This person is-¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s enough.¡± I pushed Renold back as he tried to speak first. I wanted to enter alone from here at least. Even if I didn¡¯t want to attach meaning to it, it was a matter of courtesy, if anything. The butler staring at me seemed to have already guessed my identity to some extent, but he smiled quietly and moved his lips. ¡°Please inform the Count.¡± With a slightly nervous heart, I wondered how my maternal grandfather would think of me. Suddenly, such curiosity arose inside of me. ¡°Tell him his grandson hase to visit.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó It was my first time facing my maternal grandfather since birth, that was the meaning of a political marriage from the beginning. Once married, there wasn¡¯t much connection with the family anymore. I felt a small sense of guilt for only visiting now. I wondered if I should havee sooner. As I frowned with a trace of guilt in my heart, I sensed a faint presence nearby. ¡°¡­So you¡¯vee all the way here.¡± ¡°Are you disappointed it¡¯s not your granddaughter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that. I didn¡¯t want to see you if possible. Your purpose for visiting today isn¡¯t about Serena, is it?¡± The old man, who showed quite an obvious dislike of me, slowly sat down. Though neatly dressed, his desire to leave the seat soon was evident. After looking for a moment, I carefully opened my mouth. ¡°I have nothing to say. In many ways.¡± ¡°Then may I get up?¡± ¡°¡­Do you dislike me that much? To avoid even exchanging a few words.¡± ¡°The problem is that you resemble her too much. It¡¯s been almost 20 years since Ist saw my daughter. If someone iming to be her son suddenly visits, do you think that¡¯s a considerate action?¡± ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } Realizing I had been hasty, I shook my head with a bitter smile. The word ¡°resemble¡± didn¡¯t sound so bad. In fact, I wanted to resemble her. I didn¡¯t know what he saw in me, but the truth was that myplicated feelings had improved with his recent words. ¡°I came today to ask about your intentions. I heard you were cooperating with Yuria, but you don¡¯t seem like someone who would.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just the youngdy¡¯s assumption. I don¡¯t even want to participate in that family head fight, so if you¡¯re trying to gain something from me, you¡¯re just wasting time. Moreover.¡± A glint appeared in his green eyes. His aged eyes seemed to pierce my chest, as if trying to read the emotions I harbored, if only for a moment. The old man swallowed and opened his mouth. More precisely, Count Yugress moved his lips. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re fully prepared to be the family head. Do you think someone who had no power just a few months ago can challenge it now and seed?¡± ¡°I think I can.¡± ¡°On what basis?¡± ¡°Because I haven¡¯t spent these months idly.¡± The paper extended on the table bore the seal of the North. It was a personal letter received directly from Adele, and when I drew out magic, the divine power within it emitted a pure white light and seeing the artifact taken from my bosom, the artifact engraved with Miragen¡¯s seal, the Count let out a smallugh. ¡°¡­I see. But have you considered that if these powers intervene, there¡¯s a possibility of damaging the Taylor¡¯s reputation?¡± ¡°The reason I recruited these powers is to prepare for after I be the family head. To ensure that the House of Taylor won¡¯t be shaken after I be the family head.¡± ¡°Then what about now?¡± Instead of answering, I presented papers stamped with the nobles¡¯ seals, and the Count who had been looking at them closely looked at me again. The gaze that had been emptily staring into space had deepened a bit. As if interested, the Count¡¯s mouth opened with a small smile. ¡°You¡¯re better than I knew. Well, it would be natural if you learned from the Duke.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t learn from Father.¡± Father wouldn¡¯t have considered recruiting them like this. He had ruled from above, so he would have chosen to suppress rather than recruit. Yuria also moved in that way, so I was deliberately moving in the opposite direction of what Yuria did. Even if I asionally mixed in threats, I used dialogue as much as possible as a means, and moved towards recruiting instead of intimidating. If asked who I learned this from, there was only one person I could think of. ¡°I must have learned it from Mother.¡± Trusting people to the point where others might call me a fool was thanks to the teachings I learned from her. Not giving up until the end, and hesitating to do evil even while deciding to change my thoughts. All of these were things I learned from Mother. Although I didn¡¯t think everything was right, I knew that the foundation was close to the correct answer. I could willingly choose to be a fool. I was moving to bring out cooperation rather than promote division, embrace rather than force. I wondered if this old man knew that I was walking a path opposite to the one Yuria was walking. As I looked at the old man who had been silent for a moment, the Count quietly smiled. Unlike before, it was a gentle smile. As if he was watching a child¡¯s antics. ¡°I think I can listen for a bit longer.¡± ¡°It will be quite interesting.¡± As I smiled, the Count smiled along with me. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [I feel like this count is more powerful than he lets on like this dude is like some underground shadow assassin controlling dude or somethin or some big shot] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 100 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The Count wondered what emotions he should feel towards the grandson of a child he hadn¡¯t seen in 20 years. His daughter was someone he could only meet after hearing news of her death, so his feelings towards the Taylors were closer to negative. Therefore, when he heard the word ¡°grandson,¡± he felt no particr emotion. He just felt a bit of curiosity about the person his daughter had given birth to.¡°I must have learned it from Mother.¡± Although he was a bit surprised by the rather confident attitude, he felt a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. He must have known that the Count was trying to end this conversation. Yet, he didn¡¯t show any dislike and was instead trying to pique the Count¡¯s interest. He wondered what meaning the name ¡°Mother¡± held for his grandson sitting before him. After looking into his eyes for a moment, the Count inwardly smiled slightly. At least it didn¡¯t seem to have a negative meaning, which he thought was somewhat fortunate. His daughter had been sickly, but had lived more healthily than anyone else. It was Serena who had stepped forward to propose a political marriage when he hadn¡¯t even considered it, so he couldn¡¯t know if that had borne fruit. The rumors about her son Robert were terrible, and her daughter Yuria was showing behavior no different from her father. He had thought that what his daughter had envisioned hadn¡¯t been achieved. That was what he had thought until he met Robert. ¡°The North, the Church, and the Imperial Family. These three powers are already with me. After I be the family head, they will help stabilize us through their support.¡± ¡°Can you be certain? That the support they¡¯re sending will remain the same even after you be the family head?¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain.¡± The Count couldn¡¯t understand what Robert was so confident about. It was surprising enough that he had directly brought in the Duchess and the Saint, but to have not even a shred of doubt about what he believed in. It was just like seeing Serena. A face ovepped with his slightly upturned lips. Looking at that, the Count let out a small sigh and closed his eyes tightly. ¡­There was no resemnce at all. His eyes were the cold blue typical of the Taylors, and if there was any part that resembled Serena¡¯s features, it might be just a part of his face. Even that was barely visible due to his unusually dark expression. His empty eyes looked as if he had experienced all the hardships of the world, making the Count feel as if he was looking at an old man older than himself. It was probably just his imagination, but it seemed he had gone through a lot under the Taylor name. The reason he hade here was probably to gain the Count¡¯s support. Although he knew this, he didn¡¯t want to get involved with the Taylor family. It was the ce where Serena had died, and where he hadn¡¯t wanted to send her. There was no way he could have even a bit of affection for such a family. So he had intended to send Robert away immediately, but now he had be interested in Robert instead. The resemnce to his daughter was in something other than appearance. The things he said, and how he prepared and presented unexpected things. Everything was just like Serena he had seen before. -A political marriage? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s bad. I¡¯ve met Arthur Taylor before. Don¡¯t you think he could change enough? Just like when she had said Arthur Taylor, who had just be the family head and had a bad reputation, could change, and then secretly prepared for the marriage without his knowledge. It didn¡¯t seem much different from directly bringing the Duke¡¯s seal this time. Even to the point of achieving remarkably sessful results for reasons unknown, when most wouldn¡¯t even attempt it. Judging coolly, the n Robert had set up seemed quite usible. The Imperial Family, the North, and the South. And if he continued to recruit nobles, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to not only match but overwhelm the power Yuria Taylor held? Although direct intervention should be avoided, just having such names behind him had clearly changed the situation and the rumors that had changed recently. Good rumors began to attach one by one to the young lord who had always been followed by bad rumors, saying that Robert Taylor had be apletely different person. It was quite significant that the source of these rumors was not the center but the outskirts of the territory. It meant that the central forces couldn¡¯t fully control the outlying areas. It was doable. Objectively, it was clear that such an evaluation could be made, but the Count was interested in Robert himself as a person. Was he Robert Taylor? Or was he trying to move in a somewhat different direction? If he was the same as the current youngdy, it wouldn¡¯t matter who he supported. Rather, supporting Yuria, who took the same stance as the current family head, might bring stability a bit faster. However, when looking at Robert, he couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of encountering fragments of his daughter. From what he said to the thoughts reflected in his words. After pondering for a moment, the Count quietly moved his lips. ¡°What I¡¯m curious about is whates after you be the family head. How do you n to handle the aftermath?¡± Robert¡¯s expression darkened slightly at the mention of the aftermath. It was an issue he had been constantly worrying about. After he became the family head, he would certainly need to deal with the forces Yuria had held. A clean finish was important to prevent repetition. Cutting off the continuing ill fate. It was better to end everything in his generation so that this kind of tradition would never continue again. So, was he nning to erase the Taylor namepletely? If the family disappeared through the method of treason, that would indeed be the cleanest finish. Still, he would have to think somewhat coldly about Yuria¡¯s treatment. After hesitating, Robert slowly answered. ¡°As for Yuria, I n to end it with my own hands.¡± ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ll kill her?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the only method that can be concluded, then yes. I don¡¯t want to repeat what happens in every generation in the Taylor family. At least, I think we should be thest.¡± ¡°¡­It seems you¡¯re not leaving any possibility for reformation.¡± If it had been Serena, she probably would have considered the possibility of change in such a situation. Just as she had tried to do with Arthur Taylor before. As the small hope he had been harboring disappeared, Robert smiled slightly and opened his mouth. ¡°My mother used to say something.¡± ¡°You mean Serena.¡± ¡°She said there are no bad dogs in this world, that anyone can change. It was something she always said habitually, so I still remember it well. -There are no bad dogs in this world. If there¡¯s something bad from the start, that¡¯s just an excuse, and in the end, I think everyone can change. Maybe even Duke Taylor could change? If we live together for about 10 years, he might be apletely different person from now.¡± ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } What Serena always said was right. Saying that anyone could change, his daughter who pursued apletely different method from the Taylor way epted the marriage with those words. Surprised that Robert knew these words, the Count looked at him and smiled bitterly. Mother¡¯s words weren¡¯t all correct. Perhaps it might be truly right that there were no bad people from the start, but at least it didn¡¯t apply to Yuria. Was there anyone who had tried more than himself? Despite attempting to fundamentally change Yuria through dozens of regressions, she ultimately did not change. It meant there was no possibility for the twisted to return to normal. So he couldn¡¯t leave it be. If it were someone else, it might be different, but Yuria Taylor had to be dealt with in some way. ¡°But there are bad dogs. My sister was that kind of person from the start.¡± ¡°¡­It seems you¡¯ve tried, though.¡± ¡°I tried a lot. Perhaps I put in more effort than anyone else.¡± The Count swallowed for a moment and let out a small breath. Those words didn¡¯t sound like lies. The emotions tangled between his empty eyes were trulyplex. Although he didn¡¯t know what Robert was thinking, he looked troubled as he uttered those words. It didn¡¯t seem like he was lying. ¡°There are people who don¡¯t change. It could be seen positively as being consistent, but we can¡¯t say what Yuria does is good.¡± ¡°Then, what about others?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to see much bloodshed. I n to save as many people as possible and somehow bring them to my side. That¡¯s why I¡¯m moving like this, isn¡¯t it? I think you know well that this is an action I wouldn¡¯t have to take originally.¡± He couldn¡¯t deny that those words were true. It was unusual for someone bearing the Taylor name to move directly like this. Usually, the nobles would naturally attach themselves, so regardless of the method, Robert was approaching the nobles first. He was trying to recruit and embrace them. Coming here was likely part of that process. It seemed certain that Serena was the reason for this, after all. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think Mother¡¯s words werepletely wrong. Some people might change if you try. If they change their minds and join, I¡¯d be willing to ept them anytime, but not Yuria.¡± His expression was firm, but at the same time, a sense of bitterness was felt. The Count felt strange emotions as he looked at Robert. While resembling Serena, he also resembled aspects of Arthur Taylor. It wasn¡¯t surprising that he resembled his parents, but he hadn¡¯t thought it possible under the Taylor name. ¡°If you be the family head, and after the aftermath is dealt with, what do you n to do next?¡± Although this question might not be very relevant to the current matter, Robert answered quite willingly. It was something he always had in mind. Even as he would move forward to kill the Crown Prince after bing the family head, the family would still exist. ¡°¡­It won¡¯t be much different.¡± The time left was just over a year at most. He wouldn¡¯t stay in the duke¡¯s residence entirely during that period, and above all, he would be working to be the Crown Prince¡¯s close aide. Some might be disappointed with his actions after bing the family head, and some might turn their backs on him. If Father had discovered such behavior, he would have immediately gone to punish him. What would Mother have done? Although he thought it was okay to forget a little now, Robert didn¡¯t want to deny his mother¡¯s influence. He was in a state where he had given up on most things, tired of always following what she had taught him. Nevertheless, it was true that he still wanted to maintain her legacy. ¡°But things will certainly change. Whatever happens, it will be for the better.¡± ¡°Those are all vague words. Nothing specific, just abstract.¡± If it had been someone else, he might have rejected it outright. In fact, it wasn¡¯t a particrly appealing proposal, and even if he supported it, he might lose more if it failed. -I think things will change. If I go to live with that person, don¡¯t you think everything will change for the better? Just like Father did. But he just saw Serena. The image of the daughter he had lost 20 years ago appeared in the grandson who hade to him after 20 years. He was simply drawn to it. Even if his judgment had be clouded with age, wouldn¡¯t it be okay to believe just once? ¡°I hope it goes well this time.¡± Hoping that he wouldn¡¯t suddenly hear news of his death one day, the Count answered. Robert quietly smiled as he looked at the Count speaking those words. The emotion in his expression was a reminiscence of the past. Although he couldn¡¯t know exactly who the Count saw ovepping with him, if it was his mother, that alone was enough. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Good ol gramps to the rescue we finna cook with this one] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 101 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°What did you n to do if I hadn¡¯t responded favorably?¡± At the Count¡¯s words, I pondered for a moment, but the truth was that I hadn¡¯t paid much attention to failure from the beginning. Failing to persuade him? That could happen.I had judged that the very idea of turning those who had originally sided with Yuria to my side was difficult. Still, I had achieved quite sessful results, and above all, the Yugress family, where Mother was from, had responded favorably. What if Yugress hadn¡¯t responded favorably? Not much would have changed anyway. Even if it became a bit of a nuisance, it wouldn¡¯t have greatly hindered the n. When I smiled without saying anything, the Count seemed to understand the meaning and slowly nodded. In fact, his support didn¡¯t change much. It only meant that I had the support of my maternal grandfather. Even if I gained something, it was just a small justification that I had received recognition from Mother¡¯s forces. While it might matter for other noble families, it wasn¡¯t a very significant justification in the Taylors. However, it was quite important to me. Since Mother¡¯s father was ultimately the Count of Yugress, I thought it couldn¡¯t be said to be entirely meaningless. What remained now was either to talk with Yuria or to head directly to the duke¡¯s residence to obtain the family head position. Even if she tried to grasp my movements, it was likely toote. Arwen, who had transformed into a maid, was currently reporting to Yuria, but it would probably take at least a few more days to grasp the urate facts. ¡°I n to move quickly. Although I set the timeframe until summer, I suppose I should think of that as the period to stabilize after bing the family head. Bing the family head will be over in a few days.¡± ¡°It seems things will progress quite urgently. Is there a reason for you moving so quickly?¡± Specifically, it was to approach the Crown Prince after bing the family head, but I had no intention of telling others about that. The superficial reason was that this unstable state shouldn¡¯t be maintained for long. As I needed to move while suppressing the nobles using the Taylor family¡¯s prestige, the Crown Prince needed to see my forces as helpful, at the very least. For that reason, stabilization needed to happen quickly, and that was why I had moved so intensively in a short period. Of course, the hidden reason was ultimately because of Adele. Originally, charges of treason against Adele would be brought in the fall. As it had always been a repeating future, there was every possibility it would happen this time too, and even if it didn¡¯t, it was true that I needed to be cautious. After stabilizing the family, I nned to entrust the management to Arwen and Renold and head to the North. The Taylor family was ultimately just a consumable to me. The Count, having heard the superficial reason, nodded as if he understood to some extent. ¡°I said you resemble Serena, but it seems you only resemble half of her. My daughter was quitezy, do you remember?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much. I only have a few memories from when I was young.¡± The problem was that those few memories remained so intensely, but at least they didn¡¯t dominate my entire life like before. I couldn¡¯t deny that they were precious. It was also true that I would carry them with me forever, and that I would recall them even at the moment of my death when time had passed. However, this time I didn¡¯t intend to follow Mother¡¯s words. She might be sad if she was watching from somewhere, but it was true that Yuria wouldn¡¯t change, wasn¡¯t it? I couldn¡¯t undo it. At least, the end of this matter needed to be as clean as possible. I sighed for a moment and looked at Count Yugress. There was a lot to talk about, but it would be enough to talk about Mother next time. After bing the family head¡­ when I had time. There would be enough time then. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be going now.¡± As there was nothing to ask for right away, I stood up and bowed my head. I was facing him as a grandson now, but I didn¡¯t know in what capacity I woulde next time. I just hoped things would unfold as I thought. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Three days after meeting Count Yugress, Arwen informed me that Yuria had found out everything. It must have been thanks to information provided by servants other than Arwen. Arwen had managed to escape well, and what remained was just Yuria, full of anger. A considerable number of nobles she had held had turned their backs on her and sided with me. She might be pondering how to deal with this situation where she had been caught off guard. It seemed she had tried to consolidate her forces while I was away, but the problem was that my speed was too fast. In fact, I hadn¡¯t known at all whether Adele or Adriana would recall their memories. As those memories came to me as a definite advantage, I was able to consolidate forces at a time neither she nor I had expected. And it couldn¡¯t be denied that Miragen¡¯s assistance was part of the reason why nobles approached me. Although I had said I didn¡¯t need help, I hadn¡¯t expected her to deliberately take out an artifact like mine in an official setting. Some nobles had definitely found out about my connection with the Princess. Now the scales had definitely tipped in my favor, and Yuria¡¯s situation had clearly be disadvantageous. Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t take long for all of the nobles to know. ¡°But now I should start moving. They¡¯re probably desperate to catch my movements.¡± ¡°Are you thinking of heading to the duke¡¯s residence?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason to stay at the Moon Tower anymore. There shouldn¡¯t be any problem if I move now.¡± The reason I hadn¡¯t headed to the duke¡¯s residence was that the majority of nobles would remain silent even if something happened to me inside the residence. While there might be talk about my movements in the outskirts, would it have the same impact as in the center? So I hadn¡¯t moved. Even though I didn¡¯t intend to just endure Yuria¡¯s actions, such differences made a big difference in moving towards the position of family head. Now there shouldn¡¯t be any problem even if I went there alone. There were quite a few nobles who would move if I was touched. It was especially important that Yugress was among them. Recalling its past prosperity, there were hardly any noble familiesparable to Yugress. Moreover, Yuria¡¯s mother was ultimately the same as me. There was a moral issue. Even Yuria couldn¡¯t ignore this problempletely, and as long as there was no longer any need to be cautious about me heading to the duke¡¯s residence, there was no reason to stay here any longer. And wasn¡¯t it also a bother to Adriana? If an outsider continued to stay at the Moon Tower, it might cause trouble for her, so once I had made the decision, I started to move a bit quickly. There was no need for goodbyes¡­ well, probably not. We would meet again in a few days, so there was no need to waste time. As I left the Moon Tower, I felt Arwen¡¯s magic. She had been waiting until I came out, and the girl who had been in the form of a pdin returned to her original appearance and opened her mouth. ¡°The preparations arepletely finished now. Yuria Taylor has ordered to investigate your every move in the duke¡¯s residence, and some servants are spread around the Moon Tower. But other than that, there¡¯s almost nothing she can try immediately. If she tries anything, the nobles will check her.¡± ¡°The range where the current temporary family head can move is only around the duke¡¯s residence. We¡¯ve taken measures to immediately detect any movements she might show.¡± ¡°So there¡¯s no possibility of escape.¡± ¡°Rather, she¡¯s probably waiting. Since she can¡¯t do anything unless we move, if she¡¯s aiming for something, it would be now as we head to the duke¡¯s residence.¡± That was probably the case. She had almost lost the foundation she had built through the nobles, and the position she had obtained through Father was merely that of a pitiful temporary family head. The fact that the family head position hadn¡¯t been officially decided yet meant that things had gone wrong for Yuria in many ways, so this situation itself was advantageous to me. My expression remained cold throughout the carriage ride to the duke¡¯s residence. It was to sort out my feelings about what was about to happen. It was different from when I killed Theresa. If my feelings wereplicated then, now I was bing surprisingly calm even to myself. ¡­I had a prepared gift. I was curious about what expression Yuria would make when she received it, so I smiled slightly as I watched the duke¡¯s residence graduallye into view. ¡°How will you handle the escorts?¡± When Renold, who didn¡¯t know much about mybat abilities, asked this, Arwen made a strange expression as if he had asked something ridiculous. I knew better than anyone what kind of tricks Yuria might try and I also knew better that she wouldn¡¯t do such things in this situation. She wouldn¡¯t do anything foolish when all of the attention was focused on her. If I were to be in danger, it would be when I faced Yuria alone. I wasn¡¯tcking in confidence. If it came to that, the situation would flow even more favorably for me, and Yuria would probably definitely move that way. Clop-clop- As the hard-running horse stopped, Renold¡¯splexion turned pale. Despite all his talk until now, was he starting to realize what he had been doing now that he saw the duke¡¯s residence? Once we hade this far, there was no turning back. Even I was seeing for the first time the oue of this attempt, made for the first time in my 101st life. Click- Arwen stayed in the carriage, saying she would hide her appearance, and only Renold and I advanced towards the duke¡¯s residence. The garden where I had once seen Theresa off caught my eye. After walking briefly on the ground that showed a murky gray instead of lush greenery after passing winter, a maid facing the whistling wind approached and carefully bowed her head. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived, young master. The family head is waiting inside.¡± The maid who had conveyed that the family head was waiting inside turned her back, but I just stared at her silently without following. The maid looked at me curiously, then slightly frowned and opened her mouth again. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going in? The family head is waiting.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about time you realized the positions have changed. Are you being stubborn, or do you still think of me as your subordinate?¡± The situation had reversed. Everything Yuria had built up was nowing under my control in just a few months. The connections, power, status, and reputation she had built as the youngdy. The nobles no longer wanted to follow a woman suffering from madness, instead choosing to follow someone who had reformed, wasn¡¯t that so? The North, the Church, and even the Imperial Family were showing their support for me. There were things that couldn¡¯t be hidden even if one tried to cover them with their palm. And that could be said of the current situation between Yuria and me. I smiled slightly and moved my lips. ¡°Tell her toe out herself. I¡¯ll be waiting here.¡± Until now, she might have thought she was close to bing the family head herself, but now all that would be pointless talk. It was time for Yuria¡¯s childhood fantasies to be shattered. Time for everything she had built up to crumble, and for the things that should have been hers to return to my hands. The maid who had looked surprised for a moment hesitated, but when Renold shouted at her, she disappeared somewhere with hurried steps. I was curious about Yuria¡¯s expression as she woulde out to this garden herself. But that would only be the beginning. After today passes, and tomorrow passes again. Yuria¡¯s time would crumble. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } It¡¯s time for you to disappear, in my 101st life. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Your Text Here] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 102 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Silence hung in the air. It was likely the aftereffect of me summoning Yuria, but Renold, who was gauging the surroundings, seemed to find the situation quite unsettling. In contrast, I was rather calm, knowing that Yuria couldn¡¯t do anything. Even if she came out and expressed displeasure, nothing would change.Rather, it would be proof that she still hadn¡¯t grasped reality, essentially revealing a weakness to me. It would be even better if she showed such signs. However, wasn¡¯t the probability of that low? At the very least, Yuria would likely appearposed in this situation. So, I waited. She would probably appear only after she collected herself. As I spent a little more time, I sensed a presence in the distance. Any person would possess mana, but Yuria¡¯s was always cold and sharp. It was like an icy air that seemed to pierce through a person. I could easily recognize Yuria even from afar. The sound of footsteps reaching my ears was no different from usual and her expression as she looked at me was, if anything, even softer than usual. It was the reaction I expected. Wouldn¡¯t it be disappointing if she showed an emotional side in this situation? Yuria, who was walking slowly towards me, stopped when the distance closed enough for our voices to reach each other. She had perfectly concealed her emotions. Although I had provoked her slightly to see her reaction, I couldn¡¯t sense even a shred of anger from her. Looking at Yuria, I slowly opened my mouth. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Acting Head.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, it has been a while. A lot has changed. You¡¯re not the same as before.¡± ¡°I felt the need to change. If I hadn¡¯t, wouldn¡¯t you have tried to kill me by now?¡± I had already experienced the reality where I hadn¡¯t changed countless times. To Yuria, my existence was nothing more than an obstacle to her bing the head. A person who was better off dead, a mere hindrance to his sibling. That was why she had focused on destroying me since childhood, but in the end, I didn¡¯t break. I had lived, died, ande back to life again, eventually reaching this point. Nothing would change what Yuria did to me. Perhaps if fate existed, it was destined for me to eventually confront Yuria and in the end, only one of us would survive. ¡°I never thought you¡¯d grow the audacity to summon me. Are you that confident?¡± ¡°If someone like you woulde personally after hearing those words, I assume things aren¡¯t going well. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°Nonsense. I am the head of House Taylor. It doesn¡¯t matter if you covet this position now.¡± ¡°You were living in a delusion. I never thought you¡¯d be that kind of person.¡± Yuria¡¯s eyes narrowed at my words. I realized she was already shaken by me calling myself the head. She needed the title of head to maintain the support of the nobles she currently held. In reality, she was nothing more than an acting head, but if she couldn¡¯t even hold onto that, Yuria was in a precarious position. I smiled slightly. It was a small smile that Yuria would notice, and when she couldn¡¯t utter a word, I chuckled. It was different from before. Unlike those days when I lived cautiously, constantly being misunderstood and tortured to death, now, it was clear that I held the upper hand. However, I had no intention of pushing her further at this point. In the slightly chilly atmosphere, I was the one who raised both hands. There was no need to make the atmosphere here hostile. I thought we¡¯d have a proper conversation inside anyway. Besides, Renold was here, and there was no need for a useless fight. ¡°I apologize if that was disrespectful. I heard you were directly appointed by His Majesty, so you¡¯re the acting head for now, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Think what you want. That¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now. Won¡¯t Father make a decision soon?¡± I was a little surprised by herpliant response, but Yuria just smiled quietly and gestured to her attendant. It seemed she had no intention of talking in this garden. Perhaps she thought there were too many ears listening to a conversation about the head. Following her lead, I started walking, then grabbed Renold¡¯s arm as he followed behind. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going inside the mansion alone. You¡¯re not needed to decide the head.¡± ¡°Then what if it¡¯s dangerous?¡± Dangerous? Well, who knows what might happen? The reason I was sending Renold out was that I didn¡¯t know what was inside. I had decided to take him with me to the end because I deemed him useful. I patted Renold¡¯s shoulder and opened my mouth. ¡°It won¡¯t be as dangerous as what you did to me before.¡± ¡°¡­I understand.¡± I chuckled at his pale face, which was as pale as before. He may have found my words chilling, considering what happened in the past. I had no intention of holding it against him, but he wouldn¡¯t listen unless I said it like this. It was better for me to enter the mansion alone. In the end, only either Yuria or I would remain in the process of deciding the head. It would only be troublesome for Renold if Yuria somehow ended up staying. Although I thought the possibility was low, there was still a chance. I had always experienced failure when I didn¡¯t eliminate even the slightest possibility. If there was even a sliver of a chance, it was better to consider it. When I sent Renold away, Yuria looked at me curiously but it was brief. She turned and walked ahead, following her attendants. ¡°There are many new attendants. Did Father do this?¡± ¡°Either they were ipetent and let go, or Father killed them. One of the two.¡± ¡°How unfortunate. He was still quite sharp when Ist saw him.¡± Yuria didn¡¯t know I had met Father. I had met him without hesitation, expecting Father wouldn¡¯t mention it, but to think she would immediately frame him for senility. Logically, Father bing senile? That was absurd. Wouldn¡¯t the nobles notice as well? They would think it preposterous that Arthur Taylor, of all people, would be afflicted with senility, but the session of the Taylor family head had always been like this. An absurd justification, and sessors who would make that justification a reality. There might be reason for suspicion, but it was the sessors of the Taylor family who had always made such things possible. She must have thought it would happen again this time. He wasn¡¯t truly senile, but most people would believe that Yuria had driven Father to such a state and it was probably Yuria who had killed the servants in the mansion. That was the kind of madness Yuria possessed. She had probably killed them without hesitation and then came up with the idea of ming it all on Father. To put it nicely, it was just like Yuria. I had anticipated this kind of behavior and acted ordingly, but her move was bolder than I expected. She probably thought she could instill fear in others through such actions, but the problem was that she had crossed the line. Didn¡¯t she know that even a cornered rat will bite a cat? The more severe Yuria¡¯s madness became, the more resistance there would be, and that would lead to the copse of her power base. The back of Yuria walking ahead seemed even more pathetic than before. ¡°By the way, where is Father? I need to hear about the session from him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not in the right state of mind. It¡¯s pointless to talk to him now. I¡¯ll let you see him when the time is right, but not now.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Thump- I knew that this hallway led to the basement. Whether the structure of the mansion had changed significantly since my time or not, this hallway-like space had transformed into a passage to the basement. Yuria, who was staring at me as I looked around, slowly parted her lips. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy going to the North and South.¡± ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m going to be the head. I was expecting some kind of preparation, but this is disappointing.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t shown you everything yet. It¡¯s too early to be disappointed, don¡¯t you think?¡± She was right. She must have thought a lot about how to deal with me while I was away. Burying me politically was no longer an option, considering my current reputation, and framing me for something wouldn¡¯t work because the outer territories wouldn¡¯t be easily swayed. Didn¡¯t Yuria already know about my connection to the Princess? Spreading rumors wouldn¡¯t be effective, and the support of the North and the Saint was a power that even Yuria couldn¡¯t touch. The once good-for-nothing had be a formidable sessor who threatened her authority. Perhaps she couldn¡¯t do anything, even after securing the position of acting head from Father. That anxiety wasn¡¯t outwardly visible, but I could easily sense Yuria¡¯s inner turmoil. She was anxious. The more time passed, the more unfavorable the situation became, and she would want to see the end of this fight as soon as possible. As we got closer to the basement, I smelled a strange scent. I smiled slightly at the smell. It was a fragrance I had already encountered in a past life. It wasn¡¯t a poison that could kill instantly like when ingested, but it was potent enough to kill if exposed for long periods. Considering the people around us were fine, had she already taken an antidote? I noticed, but continued walking without any reaction. I coughed deliberately, rubbed my forehead, and let out a small breath. ¡°Are you ufortable somewhere? You look pale.¡± I saw a faint smile form on her lips. I knew exactly what she had decided to do with me. In short, she was going to kill me. It wasn¡¯t a bad idea. If I were in Yuria¡¯s shoes, the only way to get rid of me cleanly was to kill me. She would also know from the news from the North that I possessed mana, so weakening me with poison was an excellent method. If I were an ordinary person, my physical abilities would have deteriorated significantly with each breath. Soon, walking would be difficult, and I would be unable to dodge even Yuria¡¯s sword. I tilted my head slightly and looked at therge door that appeared. The basement door hadn¡¯t changed, and as I stared at it, Yuria, who had turned her back, spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve worked harding all the way here.¡± Thud. I heard the door behind me close. Did she eliminate even the possibility of escape? Even though the ce was already filled with attendants, I chuckled bitterly at how thoroughly she was handling this. Yuria didn¡¯t know. That she had yed right into my hands. That I wasn¡¯t an ordinary person, that I had died and lived a hundred times to see this end. ¡°I had the interior of the mansion magically remodeled before you arrived. The path you¡¯ve walked so far was all part of the stairs leading to the basement and this door¡­ well, you know it well, right? It¡¯s the ce you used to visit often as a child.¡± ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } With that, Yuria took a few steps towards me. Now she was smiling openly, chuckling as she looked at me faltering. Cold sweat ran down my pale face. It was also controlled by magic, but as the distance between us narrowed, I looked around. There were about ten attendants. I knew they were all armed with swords. I almost burst outughing at the thought of what Yuria was thinking. But I held it in and deliberately stepped back towards the wall as Yuria approached. The gap closed. Close enough to hear each other¡¯s breaths, Yuria, who hade close to me, whispered in my ear. ¡°Goodbye, Robert. You¡¯ve always been a fool, my dear brother.¡± Then she turned her back again and gestured to the attendants. Only then did I smile. Releasing the act of a sickly young man, Iughed out loud as I looked at Yuria. I had been waiting for this moment all along. The reason I sent Renold away was to create this situation. The bait had been taken. That much was certain. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Your Text Here] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 103 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Could she ever see Robert as a threat? There was a time when she truly believed so. No, back then, it was the only logical conclusion. He was always the ipetent sibling, wasn¡¯t he? She never entertained even the slightest possibility that he might be a rival. When he dered his intention to be the head of the family, she dismissed it as mere arrogance. What could he possibly change with hisst-minute struggles? The majority of the nobles had already pledged their allegiance to her, so Yuria never truly saw Robert as a threat. His trips to the North and South meant nothing. They wouldn¡¯t change a thing. She had personally ensured his reputation was in ruins. While she felt no guilt for spreading those rumors, she had mostly ignored him. How could she not? The emotions she felt towards her weak and fragile younger brother amounted to nothing but pity. He was loved without having to do anything, without excelling in anything. So after their mother¡¯s death, Yuria had decided to teach him a lesson. The world was a harsh ce, and whining wouldn¡¯t get him anywhere. She wanted him to experience that firsthand. Those ten fingernails were a small price to pay for such a valuable lesson. However, time passed, and he remained unchanged. She eventually gave up. His very core was rotten, she decided, and no amount of struggle could change that. Pathetic and fragile, he was a permanent blemish that she would have to eliminate once she ascended to the position of head. She believed his trips North and South would amount to nothing. He was far too insignificant to make any meaningful changes, and most importantly, her n to be the family head was wless. Or so she thought. Even Yuria couldn¡¯t deny the sudden shift in power. Her carefullyid ns began to unravel. First, she failed to secure the head position through her father. Then, the nobles started abandoning her, one by one, shattering the delicate bnce of power she had painstakingly built. The scales tipped drastically. It was now painfully obvious that she might not be the head. The realization that this could happen to her, of all people, was inconceivable. Why? Where did it all go wrong? She couldn¡¯t have predicted Robert gaining anything substantial from his trips North and South. Normally, securing the support of the Grand Duchess and the Saint wouldn¡¯t be so easy. It was almostughable how naturally they aligned themselves with Robert. Everything was falling apart, her meticulously crafted n, her carefully cultivated allies, nothing remained intact. ¡®What¡¯s the problem?¡¯ Yuria finally had to admit it. Robert was the reason for this catastrophic turn of events. He was far more capable than she had ever imagined, possessing the power topletely reverse the situation. She should have realized something was different when his demeanor changed months ago. To think he was sharpening his de all along¡­ A part of her was almost d. Once Robert¡¯s power crumbled, no one would oppose her ascension to the head position. She contemted how to bring about his downfall, but there was no immediate solution. She had spread rumors about him possibly harboring treasonous thoughts, but the Imperial Family remained unresponsive. Even the nobles had begun expressing doubts. With the Duke supporting Robert and the Saint on his side, the few nobles who still remained loyal were now hesitant. Attempting to politically cripple Robert was pointless, and even her father¡¯s mental state was being questioned. The only surefire way to regain control, she decided, was to eliminate him. If she killed him somewhere no one would find him, she would be the only remaining heir. ¡­She should have killed him long ago. If she had, none of this would be happening. Yuria acknowledged her owncency. To think she underestimated her own brother, despite being born into the Taylor family¡­ She had altered the structure of the mansion, magically concealing the path leading to the basement to prevent any suspicion. Forewarned by the news from the North, she had prepared for the possibility of Robert possessing somebat ability. The attendants she had chosen were each skilled enough to be knights, and she believed they could overpower even a knight captain if they worked together. ¡°Did you think ten would be enough? You were naive. You always choose the easiest path, even now.¡± Swoosh. Robert calmly wiped the blood that sttered across his face and smiled. Yuria couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. She had confirmed that each attendant was highly skilled. He supposedly subdued the leader of the tribes ording to the rumors, but how could he possibly¡­? Robert stood unscathed, having single-handedly defeated all ten. Even his body, which had been swaying from the poison moments ago, appearedpletely fine. It was as if he had taken an antidote beforehand, but only she and her attendants had ess to the antidote¡­ It had taken Robert mere minutes to disarm and ughter everyone in the room. ¡°It seems you were confident. Your reaction tells me I was right.¡± Yuria¡¯s eyes were trembling. She couldn¡¯t believe what she had witnessed, and her carefully constructed reality had crumbled before her. Fear gripped her. Was the man standing before her truly her brother? Or was he someone else? The Crown Prince, perhaps? Her thoughts raced in a frenzy. ¡°Robert never even held a sword, he couldn¡¯t possibly be this skilled. Ha, I thought those rumors were absurd, but were they true all along?¡± She knew better than anyone that Robert had never held a sword. Hecked the physical prowess even as a child. He couldn¡¯t run fast and had no talent for physical activities. Was he academically gifted then? No, he possessed nothing but sheer stubbornness. She had dismissed him as useless, but how could he wield a sword like that? The powerful mana emanating from Robert¡¯s body suffocated her. She couldn¡¯t breathe. She tried to back away, but her body refused to move. Only ragged breaths escaped her trembling lips. ¡°You asked who I am? You already know, don¡¯t you?¡± Dropping his blood-soaked sword, Robert slowly walked towards her. Even after he withdrew his mana, Yuria remained frozen in ce. Momentarily confused by his confident demeanor, she stared at Robert, her lips trembling. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are. If I did, I wouldn¡¯t have been so careless.¡± ¡°How bold of you. Do you still believe you hold the advantage?¡± Yuria¡¯s demeanor remained unchanged. She was still arrogant, her eyes filled with that same cold disdain that had always infuriated Robert. He chuckled, almost relieved by her unwavering attitude. Had she shown fear and weakness, he might have felt his heart grow cold. ¡°¡­Come any closer, and I¡¯ll cut you down.¡± Yuria drew her sword. She couldn¡¯t be certain that this man wasn¡¯t Robert, but he was clearly a skilled swordsman. He had easily defeated her highly trained attendants, but now that he had discarded his sword, she could at least threaten him. Her mind raced, desperately searching for a way out. She was cornered, but it wasn¡¯t over yet. There had to be a solution. Robert¡¯s expression hardened as he watched her draw her sword. After a moment of silence, he chuckled softly. ¡°I am Robert Taylor. Son of Arthur Taylor, son of Serena Yugress, and brother to Yuria Taylor.¡± ¡°Impossible-¡± ¡°But there¡¯s something you seem to have forgotten.¡± Blood dripped from Robert¡¯s hand as he gripped his sword. The de dug into his flesh, but his expression remained unchanged. The boy who used to cry at the smallest injury was long gone. A gap only he could remember, a chasm Yuria couldn¡¯tprehend. He watched her flinch, then snapped his sword in half. Crack. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } The broken de ttered to the ground, and Yuria frantically retreated. She tried to open the door behind her, to escape into the mansion, but her hand froze before reaching the handle. ¡°101 times,¡± Robert muttered. ¡°We¡¯ve finally arrived here, though you probably won¡¯t remember.¡± Drops of blood stained the floor as he walked towards her. He closed the basement door, sealing their fate. Click. The sound of the lock resonated through the room, and Yuria, backed into a corner, narrowed her eyes. Escape was impossible, but she hadn¡¯t given uppletely. She had stationed reinforcements nearby, just in case. If she could hold out until they arrived, there might be a chance. While it appeared the poison had no effect, it was likely a dyed reaction. Simply inhaling it was enough to kill. Without the antidote, he wouldn¡¯t be able to endure for long. As Yuria pondered this, Robert chuckled, seemingly realizing her thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re wondering why I¡¯m fine, aren¡¯t you? You used poison, but why am I unaffected?¡± He could exin it if she was curious. This particr poison couldn¡¯t be neutralized with mana. If that were possible, poison would be useless as a weapon. The reason he was immune in this lifetime was a matter of pure coincidence. White light emanated from Robert¡¯s body as he channeled his mana. An unfamiliar energy, distinct from his blue mana. Yuria frowned as she watched him. The warm and gentle energy was identical to the Saint¡¯s. ¡°The divine power neutralized the poison. I was fortunate enough to receive it from the Saint during my trip South.¡± ¡°The Saint, ha.¡± There was no such thing as coincidentally receiving divine power. He had anticipated this. The poison wouldn¡¯t work. What were her chances of survival now? She had to buy time. As long as she remained alive, there was still a chance. ¡°If you kill me, you¡¯ll be the prime suspect. You know my influence in the mansion is still strong. Rumors of you entering the basement with me have already spread. Can you handle the consequences if you kill me here? It¡¯ll be extremely disadvantageous for you.¡± Assassinations weremon urrences in the Taylor family, but they were never confirmed as such. However, it was undeniable that she and Robert had entered the basement together. He couldn¡¯t kill her here. Silence filled the room after she spoke. Convinced she had struck a nerve, Yuria smiled inwardly. ¡°You won¡¯t kill me. You wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the consequences. So-¡± ¡°I never intended to kill you.¡± Robert interrupted. He agreed that eliminating her cleanly was the best course of action. He knew, from experience with Theresa, that killing her was more efficient than rendering her permanently incapacitated. But that wouldn¡¯t be punishment enough for her crimes. There was a way to break herpletely, to ensure she could never harm anyone again. He had contemted it at length and finally found a solution. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not saying I¡¯ll let you live unscathed. You might even prefer death to what awaits you.¡± Hallucinations, illusions. But they wouldn¡¯t be entirely fictional. Memories forged from the pain he had endured. Could she possibly withstand the weight of his 100 lives? Robert stared at Yuria, a flicker of pity crossing his face as he watched the woman standing at the precipice of her downfall. How would she react to this descent into madness? Perhaps she wouldn¡¯t react at all. She would be broken. Inevitably, undeniably. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [YESSSSSSSSSS LET HER SUFFER!!!!!] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 104 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Sometimes, when caught in a vivid dream, one mistakes it for reality. Had everything she experienced been a dream? Though she refused to believe it, the drastic change in reality brought a sense of relief. Her flesh no longer stung, and the blood-soaked basement was gone. She looked around and saw the familiar sight of her bedroom. There was no sign of Robert approaching with a sword, no trace of the dead attendants. It couldn¡¯t be a dream. The sensations were far too real. Her body was unharmed. As she slowly sat up in bed, she noticed the cold sweat clinging to her forehead. It must have been a nightmare. However, she was annoyed by the absence of her attendants. What time was it? The sun seemed to have risen long ago, why hadn¡¯t anyonee to attend to her? She had heard Robert wasing to the mansion today. Were they busy preparing for his arrival? After waiting for what felt like an eternity, Yuria could stand it no longer. She flung open the door and stepped out. ¡°¡­Is anyone there?¡± Silence greeted her in the empty hallway. She walked down the familiar corridor, a growing sense of unease building with every step. She passed several attendants, but none were familiar. Of course, they wouldn¡¯t be. She had killed them all. Their gazes met, and they bowed respectfully. They didn¡¯t cower in fear as they used to. They simply walked past, going about their duties. Something was different. Everything felt wrong, as if she was trapped in a dream. A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she stumbled, reaching out to steady herself against the wall. Her eyes fell on a familiar figure. ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re awake.¡± Renold. Yuria¡¯s eyes narrowed as she remembered the butler. He bowed low, but his tone wasced with disdain. It wasn¡¯t just him. Every attendant she encountered seemed to harbor ill intentions. Skilled at reading emotions, Yuriaughed bitterly, pressing a hand to her forehead as she struggled to maintain herposure. What happened in a single day? The servants who trembled before her yesterday were now brazenly defying her. The faint smile ying on Renold¡¯s lips disgusted her. How dare he, a traitor who sided with Robert, stroll around so casually? ¡°Have you finally lost your mind? I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not sure what you mean. I¡¯m here because I¡¯m the head butler, am I not?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. The head butler isn¡¯t you-¡± Yuria¡¯s voice trailed off as she tried to remember the name of the current head butler. It wouldn¡¯te to mind, as if the person never existed. After Renold left with Robert, she had personally appointed a new head butler. Her father had already granted her a certain level of authority, making it possible. ¡°Was there someone else? I haven¡¯t heard anything about it.¡± Renold responded to her hesitation with a thinly veiled smirk. Yuria wanted to retort, but couldn¡¯t find the words. The surrounding attendants snickered. Her fist clenched, trembling with anger. She forced herself to calm down and exhale slowly. Showing her frustration here would only reveal her weakness. She could deal with themter. Memorizing the faces of the giggling attendants, she red at Renold. ¡°I must have been mistaken. So, why are you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here because of what you did when you were young. I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re acting like you¡¯ve never been here before.¡± ¡°¡­I clearly remember you siding with Robert. You even became the head butler, if I recall correctly. Where is Robert now?¡± Renold tilted his head, his expression a mixture of genuine confusion and amusement. ¡°The Young Master is in his office, of course. I can escort you if you wish to see him, but you seem to be still half-asleep.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Yuria was stunned. Sheughed incredulously, shaking her head. She was the Young Lady. Perhaps they were referring to Robert as the Young Master now that she was the acting head? She bit her lip and forced the words out. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Robert could never be called the Young Master. Even if she became the head, only her children would inherit that title. So much couldn¡¯t possibly change overnight. A sudden wave of pain pulsed through her head, and she stumbled, grasping the wall for support. She couldn¡¯tprehend Renold¡¯s words, couldn¡¯t ept this reality. She was still the Young Lady¡­ Acting Head, a title no one truly acknowledged. Robert was still under the Saint¡¯s protection, and the head butler wasn¡¯t Renold. Yet everyone treated this situation as normal, as if everything she had ever known was a lie. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sick¡­¡± She pinched her arm, and pain red. The cold sweat trickling down her back, the dread creeping through her veins, it was all real. Then was this reality? Impossible. She was the acting head, having secured most of the authority from her father. She was supposed to wee Robert today and kill- But Robert was already here, wasn¡¯t he? She couldn¡¯t discern what was real. Was the truth the memory of Robert arriving at the mansion and ughtering her attendants? Or was it what she was experiencing now? This had to be an illusion. She had to wake up. Yuria frantically scratched at her arms, ignoring the strange expressions of the surrounding attendants. Their lips stretched into grotesque smiles, blood trickling down their chins as they cackled. ¡°You seem unwell today. Should we inform the Young Master?¡± ¡°I am the Young Lady. Stop talking nonsense.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Didn¡¯t the Duke abdicate long ago? All the nobles already support the Young Master. Are you having second thoughts?¡± Renold¡¯s lips twisted into a cruel mockery. Yuria stopped scratching, a frown creasing her brow. She dabbed at the blood staining her arm with a handkerchief, trying to think rationally. This had to be an illusion. The faces of these attendants were strangely familiar. Of course, they would be. She had killed them. The dead couldn¡¯t possiblye back to life. The attendants continued to cackle, but Yuria¡¯s expression calmed. She wouldn¡¯t be swayed by this. Whatever Robert had done to her, this illusion wouldn¡¯tst. ¡°Get out of my way. I need to see this so-called Young Master.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± She hated his mocking tone, but it didn¡¯t matter. Once she escaped this illusion, everything would be fine. She would kill Renold before dealing with Robert. She would y him alive, sprinkle salt on his wounds, and leave him for the insects. That was the only way to appease her rage. Yuria shoved past Renold, ignoring the faces of the attendants trailing behind her. She refused to look at them. They were dead because they were ipetent. Because they had displeased her. There was no point in them ming her now. She had killed those who dared to defy her, those who vowed revenge. Death was the end of everything. These deceased figures were just a part of the illusion. Yuriaughed softly as she arrived at the Young Master¡¯s office. So Robert was now upying the space where she used to work. It was ridiculous. She wouldn¡¯t be shaken by this. It was infuriating, but ultimately just an illusion. Once she escaped, victory would be hers. She threw open the door without knocking. Robert sat behind her desk, his blue eyes devoid of emotion as they met hers. He ran a hand through his ash-grey hair, a small smile ying on his lips as he spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve finally arrived. Are you starting to understand this illusion?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve learned that I can escape this illusion by killing you. You should just die quietly.¡± Yuria drew a dagger from her cloak and walked towards him. Robert seemed unarmed. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } The de was coated with a deadly poison, powerful enough to kill with a single graze. Even if she couldn¡¯t stab him, she could still kill him. She found hisck of resistance strange, but attributed it to his arrogance. He would regret that confidence once she escaped. ¡°You¡¯re going to kill me?¡± Robert spoke, his voice stillced with that calm amusement. Yuria scoffed. Hisck of resistance wasughable. A few more steps, and she could plunge the dagger into his heart. Her hand trembled as she gripped the dagger, but she maintained herposure, approaching him casually. He didn¡¯t seem to suspect a thing. One more step. Just as she lunged forward, ready to strike, Robert¡¯s voice echoed in her ears. ¡°Unfortunately, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to die.¡± The voice came from behind her. The Robert who sat at the desk was gone. The office itself had vanished. Her outstretched arm was yanked back, bound tightly. She found herself strapped to a chair, staring nkly ahead. The basement. The cold, dark room where she used to torture and punish Robert. ¡°What¡­ sob!¡± Before she couldprehend how she ended up here, blood trickled down her chin. A sharp pain stabbed at her chest, then intensified, as if someone was squeezing her heart, trying to crush it. She arched her back, but the restraints held her in ce. A silent scream tore from her throat. She was familiar with inflicting pain, but had never experienced it herself. The agony was unbearable. She thrashed against the restraints, blood spilling from her lips as she screamed, but no one came to her rescue. Would death bring an end to this torment? She prayed for it, anything to escape this endless agony. No one could possibly endure this. Her hopes were dashed. Robert approached her, a cruel smile ying on his lips as he spoke. ¡°You¡¯ll die soon. I¡¯ve learned that this level of pain inevitably leads to death. How are you feeling? Does it hurt?¡± She thought she heard his voice, but couldn¡¯t respond. Her body was unharmed, yet the pain radiating through her was excruciating. She couldn¡¯t even scream. All she could do was pray for it to end. But when would it end? ¡°Then, I¡¯ll see you again.¡± Her consciousness faded, but his words pierced through the haze of pain. Words she didn¡¯t want to hear, couldn¡¯t bring herself to believe. For the first time, she realized how much she hated the word ¡°again.¡± Yuria¡¯s consciousness slipped away. But it wasn¡¯t the end. This was only the first death. Her bad ending would continue, ying out again and again, each time apanied by a resurrected memory she had desperately tried to forget. Thus, she journeyed towards the 101st time. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [honestly i didnt know how this would turn out when i first started reading the story but im pretty satisfied with the oue ngl] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 105 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°So this is why you needed the hallucinogen?¡± Arwen asked. ¡°Because there¡¯s no need to kill her.¡± Yuria sat motionless in the chair. While it was just an illusion conjured by Arwen¡¯s magic and the drug, it was quite effective. Her vacant eyes stared nkly ahead, unfocused and hazy. She didn¡¯t respond when I called her name. Arwen nced around and spoke. ¡°She¡¯ll probably wake up in a day. No matter how potent it is, the hallucinogen can only affect reality for so long.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. She¡¯ll experience years within her mind during that time.¡± ¡°I suppose so. I hope it works.¡± Arwen looked at me, a hint of concern in her eyes. I, too, hoped this would break Yuriapletely. It would be best if she lost all her memories and lived as a shell of her former self. Killing her wasn¡¯t ideal. Not only because her crimes couldn¡¯t be so easily erased, but because too many people knew we had entered the basement together. I needed to show them that I was different from the previous heads of the Taylor family. That I would spare even my rivals, choosing mercy over ruthlessness when possible. Demonstrating this change in behavior was crucial for gaining the nobles¡¯ trust. Unknown to Arwen, a part of my mana was infused within the hallucinogen. After dying 100 times and living through the 101st, I hade to realize that this life was a singrity. People around me were regaining memories of past regressions. While I wasn¡¯t certain this would work, it was a theory based on Theresa¡¯s recovered memories. If my assumption was correct, it meant there was a way to make Yuria experience fragments of my memories. Whether she perceived them as mere hallucinations or recognized them as reality was up to her. Within these illusions, I would always appear as the head or Young Master of the Taylor family. I wondered how she would react to witnessing her own downfall, to seeing me take her ce. It was a thought I entertained only briefly, as I had more pressing matters to attend to. Now that Yuria was incapacitated, it was time to solidify my position as the head. I intended toplete the session before she woke up, the only potential obstacle was my father¡¯s reaction. But Yuria was a bigger concern. For now, I wouldn¡¯t dwell on it. I nced at Yuria, then turned to Arwen, asking her to keep watch. I was curious about what memories she was experiencing, whether she could distinguish illusion from reality. I chuckled softly, dismissing the thought. I didn¡¯t want to imagine it. If my prediction was correct, Yuria was reliving my deaths. I couldn¡¯t fathom what state her mind would be in after experiencing 300 years of suffering in a single day. Therefore, I was certain of one thing. By sunrise, Yuria wouldn¡¯t be the same. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó At some point, she stopped keeping track of how many times she died. Had she counted until she needed all ten fingers? She smiled faintly as a sword pierced her chest, blood spilling from her lips. Her spine shattered, and her consciousness faded as excruciating pain consumed her. Then, she would open her eyes and see that damned bedroom. Yuria ran a hand over her face, exhaling shakily. ¡°Ugh, heh heh¡­¡± How many times had she woken up in this room? She couldn¡¯t recall. Years had passed since she was trapped in this illusion. Years she had already forgotten countless times. She would count the years, then die, only to start counting again. Each time, the cycle ended with her own agonizing death. Yuria touched her wounded chest, then began pulling at her hair. ¡°Rip, rip¡­¡± Blood trickled down her scalp, but she didn¡¯t stop. Her once sharp, calcting eyes were now clouded, her mind no longer capable of rational thought. She had to escape this illusion. Surely, much had changed in the real world. How long would she be imprisoned here? ¡°I¡¯ll kill him.¡± Once she escaped, she would tear his heart out. The woman who uttered those words, consumed by vengeance, where had she gone? Yuriaughed bitterly, her lips twisting into a cruel mockery. Yes, she would kill him. She would make him suffer, but first, she had to find a way out. As time passed, she realized this wasn¡¯t just an illusion. These were her memories, intertwined with Robert¡¯s. The deaths she experienced were his, reyed with their roles reversed. She could now anticipate how she would die next. This time, it would be fire. She would be falsely used of treason and used as a scapegoat. How ironic. To be discarded like a pawn in a preordained transaction. Had she been in Robert¡¯s shoes, she would have made the same choice. She had abandoned him, and he had abandoned her in return. Their actions were no different. No matter how hard she struggled, nothing would change. Despair gripped her as she realized this. But she gritted her teeth, ring at the empty air. She wasn¡¯t certain if he was watching, but if he was, she would make him fear her. She would escape this illusion. She would break free from this endless cycle of death. Robert couldn¡¯t, but that was because he was Robert. She could do it. Yuria rose from the bed and stared at her reflection in the mirror, pulling out strands of bloody hair as she exhaled slowly. She was 20, 80 deaths away from freedom. Each resurrected memory made her own demise even more vivid. She tried to avoid inevitable oues, but her attempts only led to more gruesome deaths. As she burned alive, she vowed to seed next time. ¡°This time will be different.¡± But she was killed by her own attendant, stabbed through the heart. As she died, she resolved to eliminate her attendants first. But next time, she was assassinated by a trusted noble. She vowed to only trust those she could truly rely on. Then, the Duke himself ordered her execution. She was imprisoned in the basement and left to starve. That was her twenty-third death. It was fine, she thought. This was bearablepared to her previous deaths. She had plenty of time to try again. This time, she decided to head North. Yuria attempted to be Adele¡¯s aide, but was caught trying to manipte her subordinates and beheaded by Adele herself. She never went North again. ¡°Damn her.¡± Twenty-nine, thirty. Exhausted, she took her own life, but realized she couldn¡¯t escape the illusion. She had only died a few more times. She just needed to break free before Robert did. She steeled her resolve, a determination thatsted less than three years. ¡°¡­I was wrong. Robert, I¡¯m sorry.¡± She was imprisoned in the basement, enduring a month of torture, barely kept alive. Every moment was agony, and she repeatedly wished for death. She muttered into the empty air, her sunken eyes hollow and lifeless. She copsed, sobbing, then knelt and begged. She prostrated herself, blood streaming from her broken knees, her forehead split open, bone visible as she mmed it against the ground. But no answer came, Robert was long gone. Only her desperate pleas echoed in the silence. ¡°If I be head, I won¡¯t kill you. Please let me out of this illusion. Thirty deaths is enough¡­ right? Isn¡¯t it, Robert? Don¡¯t you agree?¡± She babbled until she was dered insane and executed. That was her fiftieth death. At some point, Yuria gave up, living each life with resigned indifference. She was killed, she survived, it no longer mattered. She was used like a prostitute by homeless men, captured and tortured by demi-humans. Her confidence in surpassing Robert had long since evaporated. She was killed every time she tried. Nothing changed. The Crown Prince always sought to eliminate her, and Robert and her father abandoned her. The irony was that this mirrored her own actions in his memories. ¡°¡­Please, spare me.¡± Thud. She uttered those words and died. Later, she begged for death, but it wouldn¡¯te. This cruel illusion forced her to relive the pain of each death, reviving her in her room afterward. By her seventieth death, Yuria was no longer human. The attendants who had initially ignored her now avoided her. No one wanted to see a madwoman babbling and repenting alone in her room. The Duke frowned, and those who once admired her intelligence turned away. Robert told her she was useless, to find her own way out. So she turned to the church, but Verod, guarding the entrance, deemed her a heretic and bludgeoned her to death with a mace. Thus, she greeted her eighty-fifth life. ¡°Ahahaha¡­¡± As she hung from the gallows, a thought urred to her. Perhaps giving up the head position would bring peace¡­ It was aplete denial of everything she had ever believed in, but Yuria was willing to do anything to escape this torment. Should she give up? The thought gued her until, at the start of her nieth life, she finally spoke. Her hair had been torn out, and a faint voice escaped her chapped lips, her cheeks hollow, teeth marks visible on her torn lips. Even her voice had changed from years of screaming. Yuria spoke to the empty air. ¡°¡­I give up, Robert.¡± She had thought about it for a long time. 100 years? 200 years? Perhaps even longer. She had believed she could surpass him, but the world conspired against her. She was killed no matter what she did, trapped in an endless cycle of death. How could she possibly survive? A human being couldn¡¯t endure this. These memories shing before her eyes were likely manipted. How could anyone survive 100 deaths and remain sane? It was only natural to be broken like her. Yes¡­ it was inevitable. So she had to give up. She had to survive, if only to try something else. Yuria knelt and continued. ¡°You can be the head. I¡¯ll retreat to the outskirts and live a quiet life. You can have everything. Everything I¡¯ve built, I give it to you.¡± Silence. She waited for an answer, then screamed in frustration. ¡°Spare me! Robert, please spare me! I don¡¯t want to die¡­ I didn¡¯t know it would hurt this much. I¡¯m telling the truth. I sincerely apologize, please let me out of here.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Please¡­ ugh¡­ please. I¡¯m begging you. Duke Robert, please¡­ I¡­ I was wrong¡­¡± She begged until her hands and feet bled, but knew this wouldn¡¯t be her final death. The guillotine loomed. As she was ced beneath the de, she could onlyugh hysterically. ¡°¡­¡± At some point, Yuria stopped speaking. Those who defended her were killed by Robert, and even those she loved perished. Her shattered mind could no longer form words. Faced with another death, she was given a vial of poison. Yuria realized this would be her final death. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°¡­This is¡­ thest¡­ the 100th.¡± Robert had died from poison in his final regression. As she spoke, the Robert standing before her chuckled. She couldn¡¯t decipher the meaning behind thatughter, but for the first time, she truly desired death. She swallowed the poison without hesitation. Even as she vomited blood, feeling her life slipping away, Yuria smiled. This was the end. Once she endured this death, she would finally wake up. Her eyes fluttered closed as her consciousness faded. What would she do once she escaped this ce? Hope blossomed within her, and Yuria remembered her initial vow to be the head. He hadn¡¯t listened to her pleas, so she would make him suffer. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } But her fading consciousness didn¡¯t return to normal. She felt a sense of relief, like waking from a dream. Confident she wouldn¡¯t be revived, Yuria slowly opened her eyes. The illusion was over, the cold surface beneath her skin was familiar. She was strapped to a chair in the basement. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°¡­Haha.¡± Yuria¡¯s eyes hardened. The Robert standing before her had only changed his clothes. He had been waiting for her, watching her suffer. She was certain that no amount of torture could break her spirit now. ¡°I was going to release you, but I¡¯m curious. Have you changed your mind? Do you understand the gravity of your sins now?¡± ¡°¡­I was wrong. Now¡­ I think I understand.¡± It was a lie. If her restraints were loosened, she would strangle him with her bare hands. Suppressing her emotions, Yuria responded calmly. Robert approached her, intending to untie her. He stood directly in front of her, offering his unguarded neck. ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear that. To be honest, I was a bit worried. If you hadn¡¯t repented, I would have been forced to keep you bound forever.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ that¡¯s right.¡± The restraints would be loosened soon. As she held her breath, anticipation building, Robert smiled softly. ¡°Then I should properly introduce myself. The restraints are gone, so allow me to start anew.¡± His words seemed out of ce, but Yuria froze, noticing something on his chest. If it was real¡­ ¡°I am Robert Taylor. I was once just a member of this family, but from today onward, I will lead the Taylors.¡± The head¡¯s crest. Yuria¡¯s vision blurred as hope crumbled, reced by a crushing wave of despair. She wanted to believe this was an illusion. ¡°From now on, address me as Duke, Yuria.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Vengeance is sweet] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 106 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The illusion wasn¡¯t over yet. ¡­ At least, I wanted Yuria to believe that but perhaps it was working too well. Manipting illusions was simple. I twisted my mana, crafting a reality far more cruel than anything I had experienced.I was certain she was reliving forgotten memories. The Moonstone had clearly reached a singrity. Yuria¡¯s inner turmoil flowed into me, and I was astounded by her unwavering desire for the head position. What did it mean to her? I couldn¡¯tprehend it. The title of head held no real meaning for me. I almost wanted to apud her for clinging to it, even after experiencing countless regressions and deaths within the illusion. Of course, that made it all the easier to break her. ¡°¡­You¡¯re the Duke?¡± I nodded at Yuria¡¯s disbelieving question. The most effective way to shatter someone¡¯s spirit was to crush their hope. Even the strongest will faltered when faced with futility. I knew this better than anyone. It didn¡¯t take long for Yuria¡¯s eyes to lose their focus. I had released her restraints a while ago, but she swayed, copsing back into the chair. I hadn¡¯t officially inherited the head position yet. It was a bluff, but the crest on my chest symbolized the seat of power, didn¡¯t it? I would use everything at my disposal. If it helped me erase Yuriapletely, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to push the boundaries. ¡°Indeed. You seem surprised.¡± ¡°Impossible¡­ surely the nobles wouldn¡¯t just stand by-¡± ¡°Which nobles are you referring to? Do you still believe anyone supports you?¡± I had returned from the basement alone after Yuria and I entered together. The nobles¡¯ reaction was predictable. Wouldn¡¯t they assume I had be the head? Even those who initially supported Yuria had rushed to pledge their allegiance to me. Her power base had evaporated. ¡°There aren¡¯t any. Every noble who once supported you has dered their support for me.¡± I possessed the Northern seal, the divine power bestowed upon me by the Saint, and the artifact given to me by the Princess, a token only she and I shared. I touched the Yugress crest beside the head¡¯s crest and smiled. Yuria¡¯s foundation had crumbled. The woman who always possessed an icy, calcting gaze was now visibly shaken. Her eyes trembled, ready to shatter. Sheughed hysterically, stumbling and clutching her forehead. ¡°¡­You¡¯re lying.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°Someone like you¡­ you could never be Duke. It was predetermined. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s supposed to be the head. Right? Isn¡¯t that right, Robe- ugh!¡± Renold, who had been standing beside her, suddenly pricked her hand with a needle. Yuria winced in pain, ring at Renold. He calmly withdrew the needle and responded with a straight face. ¡°Address him as Duke. He¡¯s no longer the Young Master. It¡¯s best to show some respect.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± So he had chosen sides. I stifled augh and watched as Yuria red at Renold. The anger in her eyes gradually faded. She seemed to have found a perverse sense of certainty in his betrayal, her remaining emotions crumbling away as if something within her was breaking. I had assumed she would bepletely broken by the end of the illusion. I was starting to understand why I couldn¡¯t change her. How could I possibly change a woman who lived with such a mindset? She had lived with the unwavering conviction that she would be head. Even after being treated like a prostitute and enduring countless tortures, she had always clung to her ambition. While she had suffered mentally, her spirit hadn¡¯t been entirely broken. But now, even that seemed to be fading. I wanted to witness her downfall with my own eyes, to ensure she could never recover, to erase the name Yuria Taylor from existence. ¡°Jay, Renold, leave us for a moment.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Arwen looked at me, concerned, but I smiled softly and nodded. I wanted to finish this alone, just Yuria and me. We had both experienced 100 deaths. How would this cycle of death end? Would our ending be aedy or a tragedy? While I had a vague idea, one thing was certain. Today was her end. I watched the tragedy unfold, my eyes fixed on Yuria. Looking at her now, I realized howpletely our roles had reversed. I used to be the one sitting in that chair, staring up at her. Yuria¡¯s eyes were vacant, a strange moan escaping her slightly parted lips. But she didn¡¯t seem to care, her face devoid of any reaction. ¡°I spent a lot of time in this room when I was young.¡± After Mother died, Yuria had found my grief pathetic and tied me to this chair, ripping out my fingernails. The pain was unbearable, and I had fainted. Each time I regained consciousness, the torture resumed, until all my fingernails were gone. But no one cared about my condition. The person who looked after me had already been killed by Yuria. I had believed he had simply retired, but learnedter that she had murdered him. The dead don¡¯t return. There was no one tofort a 10-year-old child, and so my bond with this basement deepened. ¡°¡­Go ahead, rip out my fingernails. I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± I wasn¡¯t Yuria. I didn¡¯t want to be like her. I had no desire to cling to the title of head, to live my life for a single moment, to be a moth drawn to a me. I wouldn¡¯t kill or torture anyone, even my family, to achieve my goals. While I couldn¡¯t say I still considered her family, I refused to stoop to her level. Yuria¡¯s body was covered in wounds, scars from the torture I had endured in past regressions. It seemed that, like Theresa, the memories had manifested as physical wounds. They weren¡¯t healing, slowly wearing down her body. While they weren¡¯t severe, those wounds would likely shorten her lifespan. She wouldn¡¯t live as long as she had hoped. While I wished she would live a long life, the forced recollection of those memories through the illusion had taken a toll on her mental state. Yuria sat in the chair, staring at me, blood trickling from her wounds, staining her white shirt crimson. Perhaps she had resigned herself to her fate, epting that it was over, that she could never recover. The thought made meugh. There was no way Yuria would ever give up. She was probably still searching for a way to exploit my weaknesses. That was who she was. The woman I hated, resented, and wanted to erase. This was the true Yuria. I was almost relieved that she hadn¡¯t broken so easily. I would have been disappointed if 100 deaths had been enough to crush her. Could a woman who remained unchanged after 100 regressions truly be shattered by 100 deaths? I chuckled softly and approached her. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard. I¡¯ll never forget the lengths you went to in your pursuit of bing the head of the Taylor family.¡± ¡°¡­Just kill me already. That¡¯s why you¡¯re here, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I never said I would kill you. Why are you so eager to die? I¡¯m not as cruel as you. I prefer to save lives rather than take them, and I prefer to make use of what I have rather than discard it.¡± She didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of getting up, so I started tying her to the chair. The ropes, imbued with my mana, bound her limbs, and after a brief struggle, Yuria red at me. I wouldn¡¯t kill her. That much was true. ¡°I¡¯ll visit you every day from now on, so I hope you¡¯ll listen to what I have to say and give me your honest reactions.¡± I nned to tell her about everything I did after bing head. How I would lead the Taylors, use them to gather power, align myself with the Crown Prince, and be his closest confidante. That was why I wouldn¡¯t kill her. She had to witness it all with her own eyes. Wouldn¡¯t it be more painful than an eternal illusion, to watch her most hated brother walk the path that should have been hers? Could she withstand it? I had one concern. Would she break down and take her own life to escape the torment? ¡°Mmmf-!¡± I sealed her mouth with magic, allowing only food to pass through. I would release itter if she had something to say. I bound her arms and legs, but left the door unlocked. I wanted her to see the attendants going about their duties, to witness their newfound energy and wonder what she thought. ¡°Well, this is partly for my own satisfaction.¡± She had to see everything Robert Taylor, the Duke, would do. She had to watch as everything she built was used, discarded, and deemed useless. After much deliberation, I decided this would be her greatest punishment. To be trapped in that chair, forced to watch it all unfold. I wanted her to witness the downfall of the Taylor family, the family she clung to so desperately, to crumble under the weight of treason. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } What expression would she make? Her wide eyes seemed to hold a thousand unspoken words, but I chuckled softly and leaned close to her ear. ¡°I hope you live a long and healthy life.¡± Only then would everything beplete. 100. The number of times she had died within the illusion. Would this life be her 101st? If her life were a story, I desired only one thing. For her story to end inplete tragedy. For her 101st bad ending to be the cruelest of all. The light that once flickered in her blue eyes had vanished, reced by a hollow, emotionless gaze that stared into the void. A light that would never return. The thought crossed my mind. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Your Text Here] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 107 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó She knew something was wrong from the moment she was born. Anyone but a fool would realize they were different. She couldn¡¯t understand sadness. When an attendant cried, she thought they were simply ipetent. That was what her father taught her, and so Yuria disliked those who cried. That was why she rarely cried as a child. As she grew older and gained a semnce of understanding, she stopped crying altogether, following her father¡¯s teachings. A member of the Taylor family had to be perfect, meticulous in all things. Crying was a sign of weakness, so she strived to never shed a tear, no matter what. She didn¡¯t cry when she was beaten, she didn¡¯t cry when she was punished. While the world seemed to shift around her during those trials, Yuria had stopped caring. Everything unfolded ording to her father¡¯s words. That was why she became curious about the position of head. With a single word, she could make things happen, obtain whatever she desired. While she didn¡¯t believe in God, the head of the family was akin to a deity in its absolute authority. A position of omniscience and omnipotence. But her ambition wasn¡¯t overwhelming. She simply believed that one day, it would be hers. After all, she had no other siblings. If no one else was born, the title would naturally pass to her. Then, Robert was born. That was when she felt things shift. It was different now. The way the attendants looked at her had changed. This was the significance of being the firstborn. Within the rigid framework of a conservative noble family, the eldest child was the natural heir. Yuria wasn¡¯t a fool. She sensed that Robert¡¯s existence posed a ¡°threat,¡± and so she began observing him closely. She didn¡¯t intend to harm him. She wasn¡¯t nning to eliminate him. It was just observation. ¡°¡­You cry a lot.¡± It was understandable when he was a newborn, but Robert continued to cry even as he grew older. He waspletely different from her. He was ordinary, had no particr talents, and rather than oveing challenges, he would seek out their mother forfort. That was when she realized he wasn¡¯t broken like her. Yuria couldn¡¯t understand why people cried, so she wanted to learn from Robert. Did it mean he was in pain? But she never cried, even when she was hurt. Then why did he cry over the death of a pet? Curious, she had killed several of his pets, but still couldn¡¯tprehend his tears. She only ended up being scolded by their mother. It was during those experiments that she realized their mother¡¯s affection was shifting towards Robert. While in reality, she was simply paying more attention to the younger child, Yuria was deeply displeased. ¡°He took what was mine.¡± She couldn¡¯t understand affection, but the expression her mother wore when looking at Robert was once reserved for her. It belonged to her, it was hers alone. Something within her churned, a burning sensation building in her chest. Was this anger? Yuria smiled quietly, experiencing this unfamiliar emotion for the first time. It wasn¡¯t entirely unpleasant. While she had be aware of her own emotions, she instinctively understood that she couldn¡¯t express them freely. Hiding her feelings became second nature. Perhaps she would only reveal them once their mother was gone. Knowing her mother¡¯s health was deteriorating, Yuria decided to be a good daughter until her death. She stopped killing Robert¡¯s pets. She no longer needed to understand his tears. She didn¡¯t need to cry to be head. She wouldn¡¯t stoop to imitating the one who stole her affection. She would do the opposite of whatever Robert did. So she waited. She waited until their mother¡¯s death. Her illness worsened faster than expected. Struggling to control the strange impulses she felt whenever Robert cried, Yuria avoided witnessing their mother¡¯s death. What did it matter if someone lived or died? She might have cared if it had been someone she cherished, but her mother¡¯s affection had shifted to Robert. Sniffle¡­ Robert continued to cry even after their mother¡¯s death. The attendantsforting him were strange. She had been taught that crying was wrong, so why were they encouraging his behavior? Crying was for the weak, for those who couldn¡¯t do their duty. Yuria rationalized her own actions. If she could fix her weak brother, surely their deceased mother would approve. She took Robert¡¯s hand and led him to the basement. It amused her how excited he was to y with his older sister. ying? Enjoying such trivial things was the problem. ¡°Sister, what¡¯s this?¡± Robert¡¯s innocent question as she tied him to the chair made her chuckle. He screamed when she ripped out his fingernails, but it was necessary to make him a better person. Robert¡¯s behavior did improve somewhat. While he wasn¡¯tpletely fixed, he no longer cried at every little thing. ¡®He¡¯s getting better.¡¯ While he was still far from perfect, he wasn¡¯t as fragile as before. But his ipetence remained unchanged. As she pondered how to address this, she realized that Robert was always surrounded by people. They called themselves friends, but the attendants who approached him often pitied her brother. Pity was for the unfortunate, wasn¡¯t it? What was there to pity about Robert? He was simply being punished for failing to fulfill his duties. If he couldn¡¯t even endure that, how could he call himself a Taylor? He didn¡¯t need friends. They were all tools to be used in the future. What would happen if he let foolish emotions like friendship get in the way? So she deliberately drove them away, spreading rumors to iste Robert from his friends. ¡°You look upset. Did something happen?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing. Just¡­ things happened.¡± Whenever she saw Robert¡¯s downcast face, she knew her n was working. By this point, Yuria had fully adapted to her role as the Young Lady. What would happen to Robert if she became head? She had initially assumed he would be assigned a position under her, but as time passed, she began to see him as a potential threat. He was pathetic and ipetent, yet people gravitated towards him. He wasn¡¯t a skilled swordsman, nor was he a brilliant strategist. So why did he have friends? Why were people starting to sympathize with him? If those factions grew stronger, they might challenge her authority. Doubt crept into her heart, tainting her once unwavering certainty about bing head. What would Robert do to her if she failed? ¡°He might kill you. You¡¯ve given him plenty of reasons.¡± A noble had said those words. She couldn¡¯t see his face behind the mask, but Yuria focused on his words, not his identity. To think that the actions she took to ¡°help¡± Robert could be used as justification for her own execution¡­ Her attitude towards him changed. The concern she once felt for her younger brother vanished, reced by the fear that he would steal the head position and kill her. Should she kill him first? No, there was no need to act so hastily. Such a move would only weaken her support. It was better to simply restrict his movements. She forbade him from leaving the mansion and stripped him of his authority to prevent him from building his own power base. She felt a sense of relief as she watched him slowly crumble. Even without the noble¡¯s warning, she had begun to fear Robert. Even without her intervention, factions were forming around him. His once timid personality had hardened, and he now seemed like apletely different person. She heard he had even yelled at the butler. Robert¡¯s eyes, once so gentle, were now cold and emotionless. Yuria believed he was breaking, bing warped like her. She felt a sense of relief, believing he now understood the nature of theirpetition for the head position. Then, Robert spoke. ¡°I hate you.¡± His deration that he hated her, that he had never felt any affection for her, only elicited a bitterugh. His eyes were hollow as they met hers. What was he thinking? She pondered this briefly, then dismissed it. She had been too lenient with him because he was her brother. No more. It was then that her obsession with the head position truly began. If Robert became head, she would be killed. He had said so himself. He had even eliminated his own fianc¨¦e. He was different now. She finally realized the danger when he officially dered his intention to be head. Her weak, ipetent brother was now a rival, challenging her for the position she believed was rightfully hers. Of course, she would ultimately be victorious, but things didn¡¯t unfold as smoothly as she had anticipated. ¡°Sir Lewis has dered his support for the Young Lord-¡± ¡°There¡¯s strange activity in the North. It seems Robert Taylor has personally captured Temuzin-¡± ¡°The church appears to be supporting Robert Taylor.¡± It was ridiculous. She had been certain she had everything under control. She had believed everything was proceeding ording to her n. But somehow, Robert was now holding a knife to her throat. Everything she had built over the years was crumbling. ¡°You thought you could achieve something with a measly ten men?¡± Where did it all go wrong? The world, which she had once considered merely wed, was nowpletely upside down. The sky was below. Her world had been flipped. As her memories returned, she understood why Robert had suddenly changed. In her memories, she had sessfully suppressed him. While she was sometimes killed by a crazed Robert, it was always he who ultimately perished. Robert had failed to change himself in 100 lifetimes, but the 101st Robert had finally seeded, hadn¡¯t he? Yuria chuckled softly and looked up at the ceiling. Duke, Head. The title she coveted, the position she hade to desperately desire. The initial jealousy she felt when he stole her mother¡¯s affection had transformed into a ravenous greed. The tower she had spent years building was copsing. The edifice she believed would reach the heavens was crumbling before her eyes. ¡°Ha.¡± She felt something within her crack, then shatter. Something precious, now gone forever. She no longer wanted to witness the world from her prison, but her mana-bound body couldn¡¯t even choose death. -Yuria, my daughter. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } Her mother¡¯s voice echoed in her ears. She didn¡¯t know why she was only remembering it now, but she understood the root of her feelings for Robert. It was jealousy. 100 deaths, all stemming from something so trivial. She couldn¡¯t evenugh. She was nothing but a puppet now, unable even to smile. She had no desire to do anything. She simply wished for a swift death. She couldn¡¯t face the future that awaited her, couldn¡¯t bear to see someone else upying the ce that should have been hers. As darkness enveloped the empty basement, the woman tied to the chair continued to stare into the void. Her once relentless thoughts slowed, then stopped. Her sharp intellect dulled. She remembered an attendant she once dismissed. Ipetent, shedding useless tears. She had personally ended his life. Drip. Drip. Tears fell from her closed eyes, staining the floor. Yuria couldn¡¯t ept that she had be less than him. But time continued to flow. She closed her eyes, surrendering to the void. She would remain here, until death finally imed her. Her once active mind ground to a halt, her thoughts ceasing. But Yuria was still in the basement, and she would remain there, forever. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Your Text Here] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 108 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó While Yuria¡¯s situation was resolved for now, I still needed to finalize the session. Even though I knew my father couldn¡¯t interfere at this point, it was still crucial to officially secure the head position. There was no chance of Yuria recovering. Trapped within Arwen¡¯s barrier in the basement, she would live forever, unable to choose death.¡°All that remains is for you to officially assume the position of head.¡± Renold¡¯s tone was neutral, but I could sense the tion in his voice. He must have suffered greatly. While I didn¡¯t need to be concerned about his feelings, considering his past actions, it was still better to acknowledge his efforts. We hade this far together, and there was no need to dwell on the past. I didn¡¯t have time to waste on such trivial matters. It was time to move forward. It was a relief to finally stop worrying about Yuria. My mind, unburdened by that constant worry, felt strangely light, free to wander. ¡°Where¡¯s Father?¡± ¡°He¡¯s in his office, but it doesn¡¯t matter anymore, does it?¡± ording to Taylor tradition, if only one sessor remained, the head position automatically passed to them, regardless of the current head¡¯s wishes. While that tradition would soon be abolished, I would be thest to benefit from it. Renold stared at me for a moment, then bowed and left. He seemed to have realized I was going to visit my father. It was an unpleasant situation, and I could understand his desire to avoid it. As Renold disappeared, I walked past the attendants, their eyes lingering on me, and headed towards my father¡¯s office. Walking down this hallway brought back memories of my first regression. The same hallway I ran down in a panic, desperately searching for my father, unable to believe I was alive. My purpose and state of mind werepletely different now, and a strange mix of emotions stirred within me. Everything was different and it would remain different. Theresa was dead, and Yuria was no longer a threat. While I couldn¡¯t predict the future, I was certain of one thing. This path would lead to a brighter future than any of my past lives. Knock, knock. ¡°It¡¯s Robert.¡± There was no answer from inside. I opened the door and saw my father sitting in his chair. The Duke¡¯s seal, a symbol of the head position, rested on the desk. I stared at it for a moment, then chuckled softly. I didn¡¯t understand his intentions. Knowing his personality, I had expected resistance. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m simply following tradition.¡± ¡°I thought you would say it¡¯s tradition for the current head to refuse to step down.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided it¡¯s unnecessary. The majority of the empire already wants you to be the head, don¡¯t they? There isn¡¯t much of a future for me if I resist any further.¡± My father held up two fingers, his twisted smile mocking. The sharp intellect I once saw in his eyes was gone. Was he tired? Perhaps. It would have been nice if he had realized it sooner, but there was no point in dwelling on it. I looked at him and spoke. ¡°This will likely be thest time you set foot in these parts.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to kill me?¡± ¡°If there was anyone I needed to kill, I would have done so already. But I don¡¯t see the need.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too soft. That kind of attitude will hinder you in the future.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll manage. I¡¯m the Duke now.¡± My sharp tone made him chuckle. He ran a hand over his face, then nodded slowly. He was the one who handed me the crest when I went to see Yuria, as if he knew exactly what I would do to her, encouraging me to break herpletely. While seeing the crest had certainly broken Yuria, I couldn¡¯t understand why he had acted that way. Wasn¡¯t it the same as taking my side? The man who remained silent as I died was now helping me? I didn¡¯t understand, and I didn¡¯t want to understand. While I still called him Father, I had already distanced myself emotionally. I didn¡¯t want to prolong this conversation. I hade here to finalize the session. While I was curious about his suddenpliance, there was no need to question him further. ¡°I¡¯ll take this then. I¡¯ll inform you of your arrangements soon.¡± ¡°Did you kill Yuria?¡± His sudden question made me turn back to face him. He must have known. Knowing what I had endured as a child, he likely assumed my feelings toward her were less than favorable. I wanted to ask why he didn¡¯t intervene back then, but instead, I answered with something else. ¡°I spared her.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s unexpected. I thought you would kill her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more painful for her to watch. I¡¯ve made sure she can¡¯t kill herself, so she¡¯ll likely die of old age.¡± My father chuckled and nodded, but it didn¡¯t seem genuine. His expression was wistful, as if he was remembering something. I stared at him, waiting for him to speak. After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°You¡¯re not going to kill her even after everything she did to you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be like Yuria. The Taylor Household under my leadership will be very different from the one you led. I don¡¯t believe siblings should have to kill each other to inherit the position of head.¡± My words were meant to provoke him, but he simply nodded, unfazed. He stared nkly ahead, his lips sealed. I gathered the seal and turned to leave. I had said everything I needed to say. Continuing this conversation would only bring back unpleasant memories. As I walked towards the door, I heard his voice. ¡°You resemble Serena. You always have, and you haven¡¯t changed.¡± I frowned at the mention of my mother¡¯s name. My father chuckled, seemingly amused by my reaction. He didn¡¯t appear to be trying to anger me. It seemed like a genuine observation, but I didn¡¯t understand. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Why was heparing me to my mother, the woman he never even acknowledged when she was alive? My father paused, considering his response, then spoke quietly. A hint of warmth flickered in his normally cold eyes as if he was finally letting go. ¡°It¡¯s exactly what it sounds like.¡± He fell silent again, and I knew he wouldn¡¯t say anything more. What did Serena Yugress mean to Arthur Taylor? He hadn¡¯t even mourned her death, so why was he now seeing her in me? I was curious, but it didn¡¯t really matter. Even if I knew the reason, I would likely be disappointed. So I turned away. He was no longer relevant to my life. Arthur Taylor and Yuria Taylor no longer held any meaning for me. Dwelling on them would only bring me pain. Thud. I closed the door to his office and walked down the quiet hallway, my steps lighter than before. But my mind was filled with a strange mix of emotions. A future without my father and sister. It was a future I had never experienced, a path I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine. ¡°You don¡¯t seem happy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not. There¡¯s no reason to be.¡± The ceremonial attire felt awkward. The Duke¡¯s formal wear was simr to that of a king. Despite the title of Duke, the position was essentially that of a Grand Duke. It was no wonder the nobles were so concerned about the session. The bnce of power was shifting. The head of the Taylor House, a position that hadn¡¯t changed for decades, was now being passed on. The king who ruled the nobles was changing. I had witnessed many such asions, but this was the first time I was the one taking center stage. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, a pair of blue eyes staring back at me. I looked different now,pared to when I first regressed. The emptiness in my eyes had been reced by something else. Was I¡­ nervous? I chuckled softly, watching my hands tremble. I had thought myself immune to such feelings after countless regressions. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } But it was only natural to feel nervous today. To think that I, Robert Taylor, would be the Duke. It was something I couldn¡¯t have imagined when I first regressed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯m here with you today.¡± ¡°Thank you, but¡­ are you sure about this? There will be a lot of gossip if we appear together.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good way to show them that things are different now. There¡¯s no precedent for the Saint and the Duke appearing together. And we¡¯re friends, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Adriana, who hade from the Moon Tower, smiled softly. Arwen looked at us, a strange expression on her face. She was probably trying to figure out our rtionship. We couldn¡¯t simply call ourselves friends. There was a certain level of affection involved. It was a facade, but a necessary one. Her support was crucial. As Adriana had said, the Taylor family would change. While it was all for my goal a year from now, countless changes would ur within that year, aplete upheaval. Appearing with Adriana was a symbol of that change. It demonstrated the Taylor family¡¯s new alliance with the church, aplete reversal of their previous stance. ¡°It¡¯s time to go. Everyone is waiting.¡± ¡°¡­Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± I adjusted my attire and offered my hand to Adriana. ¡°Take my hand. We¡¯re almost there.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Our eyes met as our hands sped, then we walked forward. This was a new chapter. If my previous path was about erasing the past, this path was about building a new future. While I didn¡¯t know how my 101st life would end, it was undoubtedly going well so far. Perhaps everything would be alright. My past actions had been justified, and if I continued down this path, I would achieve my goal. This life was uncharted territory, and I couldn¡¯t be certain. But today, I allowed myself to feel at ease. It was the day I finally confirmed that everything I had done was right. We walked out of the dimly lit hallway, and a wave of sound washed over us as bright light flooded the room. Countless eyes turned towards us as we stood on the highest tform in the mansion. Renold¡¯s voice echoed through the hall, amplified by magic, announcing the new head of the Taylor family to the gathered crowd. ¡°Presenting the new Duke of Taylor, Robert Taylor!¡± Robert Taylor, the Duke. The thought filled me with a strange mix of emotions. I held Adriana¡¯s hand and gazed at the crowd. These weren¡¯t the mocking gazes I received when I stood on the execution tform. There was no trace of the Robert Taylor who had been ridiculed and scorned through countless deaths. Only the 101st Robert remained, ready to embark on a new path, to create a different future. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. My goal remained unfulfilled. I closed my eyes and whispered, amidst the cheers of the crowd, ¡°For eternal peace.¡± I still had work to do. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [My thirst for vengeance has been satiated for now] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 109 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó No one objected to my decision to send my father away. There was a designated ce for those who were ostracized from the Taylor family, likely somewhere in the East. The decision was made quickly, and his office was soon emptied. That was how I ended up sitting in the office that once belonged to my father.I had always sat across from him, listening to his instructions, but now I was the Duke, upying his seat. It would be a lie to say I felt nothing. Honestly, it still felt unreal. This was the first time I had actually attempted to be the head of the family. Was I happy? I wasn¡¯t sure. It wasn¡¯t so much happiness as a sense of responsibility, the weight of what was toe. I was still busy, still had people to take care of. And, fundamentally, there was still the matter of the Crown Prince. I had be Duke for a reason. It was a necessary step to get closer to Kaitel. Now that I had achieved that, it was time to proceed cautiously. I increased Arwen¡¯spensation and instructed her to closely monitor Kaitel¡¯s movements. While it was dangerous, our goals aligned in a strange way. We both wanted to prevent Kaitel from utilizing the Four Dragons. The worst-case scenario was their resurrection, something Arwen desperately wanted to prevent. I was still unsure about the Four Dragons. While I sensed there was something about the relics, I didn¡¯t know if they posed a real threat. Perhaps I was worrying about something too distant. What concerned me more than Kaitel¡¯s n was the masked figures and their intentions. They were clearly Kaitel¡¯s direct subordinates, and he knew I was aware of them. What did his silence mean? I should have investigated them more thoroughly when I had the chance. If Adele hadn¡¯t died back then, I would have continued my investigation. So I decided to focus on them now. I was the Duke now, and I would utilize all the authority at my disposal. ¡°Busy again today?¡± I would have been immersed in work, had Adriana not visited me. Her presence yed a significant role in stabilizing the Taylor House. When the Saint frequented a previously unstable house, people naturally assumed it was now safe. Moreover, the previous Duke hadn¡¯t had a good rtionship with the church, so this change in attitude was significant. While it was beneficial, I wasn¡¯t sure why Adriana was visiting me so often. ¡­ Well, perhaps I did. There were certain animals that marked their territory with their scent, iming ownership. It was a way of preventing others from encroaching. Of course, Adriana wasn¡¯t an animal. ¡°You¡¯ve been visiting quite frequentlytely.¡± ¡°I was worried. The session of the House of Taylor is a significant event.¡± She was being unusually attentive, and I couldn¡¯t deny her ulterior motives. I smiled along with her. I didn¡¯t mind. While her increasingly bold actions were causing me some concern, she still maintained a clear boundary. Our rtionship wasn¡¯t obvious to others. Normally, I would be grateful for the Saint¡¯s favor, but it wasn¡¯t just Adriana. Recently, I hade to realize that I was in a rather ridiculous situation. To be troubled by the affections of three women¡­ It was a situation I had never experienced in my past lives, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel conflicted. It wasn¡¯t intentional, but I couldn¡¯t ignore the sense of responsibility. I was pondering this at length. Polygamy? It wasn¡¯t impossible. It was even permissible, but would I ever consider marriage? ¡°Thank you for your concern, but I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m rather busy today.¡± ¡°Busy? I heard your schedule was clear.¡± I would normally chat with her when she visited, but I had something else to do today. Adriana tilted her head, confused. While I had many duties as Duke, this was a rather sudden addition to my schedule. It was understandable that she wouldn¡¯t know. ¡°Miragen invited me a while back. I have to visit the Imperial Pce today, so I must be on my way.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Her voice cooled slightly, and I chuckled. I was meeting Miragen while leaving Adriana behind. Even I had to admit it was a rather scummy move, but what could I do? She had scolded me a few days ago for not visiting, so I had to go. And then, after summer, I would head North again. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave then.¡± I had so much to do, so many people to meet. It was time to get to work. While I had frequently visited the Imperial Pce as ¡°Young Master¡± Robert Taylor, moving around as Duke was moreplicated. Even if I tried to be discreet, the news would eventually spread. What would the nobles think when they heard the Duke epted an invitation from the Princess? Things were different now. When I was just a Young Master, no one paid much attention to my visits to the Imperial Pce. But now that I was Duke, every action was scrutinized. Many nobles were easily rmed. It wasn¡¯t just the nobles. Verod had even sent me a letter, written in his neat handwriting, after noticing my frequent meetings with Adriana. It was a polite warning. He congratted me on bing Duke, but I could easily decipher his true intentions. He wanted me to limit my interactions with Adriana. But it wasn¡¯t my fault she kept visiting. Why should I stop her? ¡°You¡¯ve arrived.¡± I had arrived at the pce discreetly, so Miragen wasn¡¯t aware of my presence yet. While everyone would eventually know, maintaining this gap was important. How could I move freely if every action was monitored? Once the Taylor House was stabilized, I would need to be more active, so I decided to be mindful of my movements from now on. As I followed the soldiers through the pce, I chuckled softly, noticing how little had changed. I was curious about Miragen¡¯s reaction. She was always the one waiting for me, so I thought it would be nice to switch roles today. ¡°Would it be alright to inform Her Highness?¡± ¡°Just rying the message is enough. Please tell her that I¡¯ve arrived. I¡¯ll wait in the garden.¡± The maid attending Miragen nodded hesitantly. She seemed to be on edge, likely due to my status as the Duke of Taylor. The heads of the Taylor House had always been notorious for their vtile tempers, so I understood her reaction. Walking towards the garden felt awkward. I knew theyout of the pce better than the people who worked here. I had been here countless times. A strange sense of nostalgia washed over me as I looked at the familiar garden. ¡°I¡¯ll wait here then. Please ry Her Highness¡¯s response.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Knowing Miragen, she woulde herself. I took a sip of the tea the maid brought me and looked out at the quiet garden. The winter chill had vanished, and the garden was filled with the scent of spring. New blooms were slowly unfurling, a ssh of color returning to the once barrenndscape. A butterflynded on a flower, carried by the warm breeze. This garden held a special meaning for me. It was the ce where I confessed my feelings to Miragen for the first time. I started to develop feelings for her after realizing that Theresa¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t genuine. Wanting to escape my home, I had intentionally lived a debauched life, seducing Miragen when I first met her at the pce. I had chosen her as a way to avoid my own death, but what started as a simple seduction had blossomed into genuine affection. This was the ce where I apologized for my past actions and confessed my true feelings. Come to think of it, this was the first time I had visited this garden in this life. I had always met Miragen briefly on my way back from seeing Kaitel. We had never had a proper conversation here. I felt a pang of guilt. She knew I had been in the North and South, but she neverined. -When are youing? I know you¡¯re the Duke now, but surely you can visit the pce, right? When I received that message, I had told her it would be difficult for me to visit for a while. I wanted to surprise her, to make our reunion a little more dramatic. Whether it would go as nned, I didn¡¯t know. My feelings for Miragen were different from those I held for Adriana and Adele. Perhaps it was because we had been lovers multiple times, but our memories held a special significance. The wind reminded me of the moments we shared, and this garden brought back countless memories. ¡°I wonder if she¡¯sing now.¡± Our rtionship was different now, something entirely new. But Miragen, the woman herself, hadn¡¯t changed. She was still foolish at times, and at other times, the most trustworthy person I knew. My feelings for her remained unchanged, but they were a bit too much for me to handle, so I kept them hidden. I sat and waited, and after a while, I heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching. I watched the familiar figure rushing towards me, her unkempt hair and the precariously dangling ornament on her chest making me chuckle. I stood up as she approached. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°Um¡­ you said it would be difficult for you toe¡­ you¡¯re here on pce business and decided to visit me briefly, right?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Did Kaitel summon you? Is that why you have free time?¡± ¡°No.¡± ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } ¡°Then why¡­?¡± Miragen stammered, her eyes wide with confusion. I gently brushed her hair aside. I straightened out her tangled hair and reattached the ornament on her chest, then spoke. ¡°I came to see you, Miragen.¡± Perhaps it was time I called her by her name. It was a rather sudden decision, but I couldn¡¯t help but smile at her flushed cheeks. Bing Duke had changed my mindset. Just as I did with Adriana and Adele, I no longer wanted to be so formal with her. ¡°Do you mind?¡± I asked, a gentle smile ying on my lips. Miragen shook her head slowly. Teasing her like this asionally wasn¡¯t so bad. Today¡­ I would allow myself to rx. It was a day to spend with Miragen. Just the two of us, like old times. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [bros going for all of them goddamn] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 110 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Miragen knew her feelings for Robert weren¡¯t simple. Anyone but a fool would have realized it. His unusually kind attitude towards her, the strangelyplicated expression on his face whenever he looked at her. Miragen knew Robert harbored special feelings for her too.Yet, a line was always drawn, a tantalizingly close yet ultimately unreachable distance. She had even frowned at his seemingly yful behavior. While they weren¡¯t officially in a rtionship, his attitude sometimes angered her. What did he think of her, anyway? If someone asked her what she knew about this man named Robert, she wouldn¡¯t be able to answer confidently. They had simply met one day and somehow be quite close. She hadn¡¯t developed feelings for him for any particr reason. She wasn¡¯t even sure when it started. If he didn¡¯t contact her for a while, she would feel inexplicably upset, and if they hadn¡¯t seen each other for a long time, she would call him andin. She wasn¡¯t oblivious to the fact that her feelings had gradually deepened. Therefore, she assumed his visit to the Imperial Pce today was for another reason. He had told her it would be difficult for him toe when theyst spoke, even though she had invited him. So she had internally given up and resolved to focus on her work. She hadn¡¯t even imagined he would actually show up. ¡°I came to see Miragen.¡± He called her by her name, something he hadn¡¯t done before. What had changed his mind? She had heard he was with Adriana on the day he became Duke. While she knew they were close, the fact that she wasn¡¯t there had bothered her. She didn¡¯t intend to be jealous. She was simply¡­ bothered. It annoyed her that their rtionship was still awkward, unlike his interactions with others. She had optimistically assumed it would change eventually, but he had suddenly visited her and called her by her name. Caught off guard by these unexpected events, Miragen couldn¡¯t hide her emotions. Her usually yful face flushed crimson, and a wave of heat emanated from her flustered heart. Closing the distance seemed toe naturally to Robert. He approached her and gently brushed her hair aside, reattaching the brooch on her chest before smiling softly. To any observer, they would appear to be a couple who had been together for a long time. She had a lot to say, but Miragen wanted to create some distance first. It wasn¡¯t that she disliked it, but if she remained this close, she felt like her heart would explode. Her own behavior, so different from her usual interactions with other men, amused her, but it was Robert, after all. She had asked him previously if he had dated many women because she was genuinely curious. How could he be so skilled if he hadn¡¯t? While she secretly hoped that wasn¡¯t the case, Robert had answered that he had only been with one woman in his entire life. He hadn¡¯t wanted to include Theresa in that count. It had been a false love, after all. Even then, he had answered with Miragen in mind. ¡­Was that really true? A sudden doubt crossed her mind, and her expression darkened slightly. Robert didn¡¯t miss it. As if he had been waiting for it, he smiled faintly at Miragen, who had created some distance between them, and spoke in a gentle voice. ¡°It seems you¡¯re not pleased with my visit. Was it too sudden?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. Do you remember what I asked youst time?¡± Robert paused for a moment, considering her question. He likely knew she was referring to their encounter in the South. There was only one memorable question she had asked him then. ¡°Are you referring to your question about my experience with women?¡± ¡°Yes, that one.¡± ¡°As I mentioned before, I¡¯ve only been with one woman in my entire life.¡± He hadn¡¯t wanted to include Theresa in that count. It had been a false love, after all. Even then, he had answered with Miragen in mind but Robert smiled faintly when he saw her suspicious gaze. Well, if he had to count, it would be dozens of times. He wondered what expression she would make if she knew those dozens of times were all with the same person. Robert enjoyed spending time with Miragen. He found her reactions amusing. She often asked strange questions, acting aloof while secretly enjoying his teasing. She imed to be the princess, yet her actions were more like a child¡¯s. Being with Miragen always made Robert realize that hiding his emotions wasn¡¯t easy. He couldn¡¯t help but smile when he looked at her. What was he supposed to do about it? Miragen grumbled, telling him to stop teasing her, but her strange questions and flustered reactions amused him. She acted all high and mighty while being so easily flustered. ¡°It seems you had a good time with Adriana? I was surprised to hear you were together when you became Duke.¡± ¡°I would have invited you if I could. It would have been a clear way to show them that things are different now.¡± ¡°¡­You could have invited me.¡± He acknowledged her point. The church and the Imperial Family had always been somewhat opposed to the Taylor Dukedom. Wouldn¡¯t it be strange for him to appear with the princess on the day he became Duke? As if realizing how embarrassing her words were, Miragen fanned herself with her hand and pouted. ¡°There would have been unnecessary rumors if you were there. Don¡¯t you think so, Your Highness?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. I wasn¡¯t asking because I didn¡¯t know. I was just surprised that Adriana was there. But¡­¡± Miragen trailed off, ncing at him before continuing. ¡°Why are you calling me ¡®Your Highness¡¯ again? You were calling me by my name just fine earlier.¡± ¡°It was a slip of the tongue. Haven¡¯t I always addressed you that way?¡± He had called her by her name on purpose. He wanted to see if she remembered him doing so, and she had. Calling her Miragen was certainly morefortable. He found her enjoyment of being called by her name amusing, but his feelings toward her were a bitplicated. He wished he could treat her like before, but if he did, the consequences would be unbearable. So he deliberately drew a line, but he couldn¡¯t deny the asional desire to cross it. He was afraid of his own actions, of pushing the boundaries too far. But human emotions wereplex, weren¡¯t they? Several people were regaining memories of past regressions. Perhaps one day, Miragen would remember too but he hoped that day never came. Not all of her memories were pleasant. ¡°What are you thinking about? You said you didn¡¯t want toe earlier, but you actually didn¡¯t want to see me, did you?¡± ¡°What I was thinking about¡­ well¡­¡± He looked at Miragen for a moment. Any answer would be an excuse. He knew exactly what would fluster her. She always actedposed while being easily embarrassed when he teased her directly. He smiled faintly at Miragen, who was staring at him intently, and then answered softly. ¡°If I was thinking about the person in front of me, that would be the answer, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie, so he smiled gently. Miragen froze for a moment. Her shoulders trembled slightly, and her eyes fluttered closed as if trying to regain herposure. He knew why she had asked him about his experience with women, she must have assumed he was already skilled at handling women. ¡°I see¡­¡± She tried to act nonchnt, but her flushed face betrayed her. Even though she covered her face with her hands, her cheeks were still crimson. He chuckled at her frantic attempts to regain her breath. He wondered how she would react in the future. If everything went well, she would witness even more but that was a matter forter. Robert found himself imagining a future where everything was perfectly resolved. A future where his revenge on the Crown Prince was sessful, the cycle of regression ended, the Taylor House prospered without bearing the stain of treason, and he could simply wait for his death without any worries. Honestly, it was a future with little chance ofing true. But if it did, he might seriously consider love. If that day ever came¡­ he didn¡¯t know what expression he would make. He might even doubt it was real. After all, he still couldn¡¯t believe he had actually be the Duke. Miragen regained herposure and, taking his hand, walked forward. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } As if scolding him for his absentminded behavior, she went ahead on her own. He quickened his pace, following her lead. He needed to focus on the present. There was still much to see and experience with Miragen. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°Why are you asking me?¡± She looked at him incredulously when he asked. He had decided to let her choose their destination. Whether they went to the Imperial Pce or somewhere else, he was fine with either. ¡°You said you had something to show me. Are we going to the Imperial Pce?¡± Miragen considered his question, then shook her head. She probably thought it was a shame to go back to the pce right away. He agreed, so they turned away from the pce and headed in a different direction. It was a somewhat secretive outing, but it wouldn¡¯t be a problem as long as they weren¡¯t caught and so, the Duke and the Princess ventured out together. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 111 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°There are a lot of people here, aren¡¯t there?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s the weekend.¡± Coincidentally, today was Sunday, the end of the week. That was why I had the time to meet Miragen, and it was also a simple exnation for the crowds.It wouldn¡¯t be bad toe out like this asionally. While I couldn¡¯t walk around openly due to the possibility of being recognized, there was no need topletely hide my face with so many people around. Besides, even if we were seen together, it would only lead to brief gossip. This wasn¡¯t the first time we had been seen together and Miragen didn¡¯t seem to be ufortable with the situation either. Personally, I thought it would be better if my identity was revealed. With apologies to Miragen, but I had be quite conscious of how others perceived me since bing Duke. I wondered how our outing would be interpreted, and what the consequences would be. But one thing was certain, I was meeting Miragen with ulterior motives. My mind had been preupied with various thoughtstely, and I wanted to clear my head. While spending time with Adriana had been helpful, I couldn¡¯t shake Miragen¡¯s request for me to visit the Imperial Pce. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the first time we¡¯vee out like this? I don¡¯t recall doing so before.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We haven¡¯t had many opportunities to be together.¡± ¡°But why did youe out with me? There¡¯s nothing much for us to see, is there?¡± She wasn¡¯t wrong. There wasn¡¯t much for us to do outside together. We had decided toe out simply to escape the pce walls. I knew that, yet I still came. I smiled faintly and quickened my pace. It wasn¡¯t that there was nothing to see. There were many things to see. It would be even better if we could leave the capital and head towards my territory. Unfortunately, that wouldn¡¯t be possible. ¡°Do you have any rmendations? I haven¡¯t had the chance to visit the areas around the capital.¡± I knew the area quite well, but I deliberately asked Miragen. There were a few notable ces around here, and I nned to follow her suggestions. Miragen stared at me for a moment, then shrugged and looked around. ¡°Well, there¡¯s not much for us to see at this hour.¡± ¡°Then it would be fine to visit Adriana.¡± ¡°No. She¡¯s probably busy.¡± Her firm response made me chuckle. How would Miragen know if Adriana was busy? She was the one who had imed to be free today and had sought me out. It seemed she wanted to be alone with me, so I nodded, listening to her intently. ¡°That¡¯s right. She must be busy.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the Saint, you know. We can¡¯t even imagine how busy she is when we¡¯re not around.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± After staring at me for a moment, as if judging my nonchnt response, Miragen sighed deeply and shook her head. It seemed she didn¡¯t have anywhere specific in mind. There wasn¡¯t much for us to do in the capital. Or rather, there weren¡¯t many ces where our identities wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Most of the ces were meant for couples, so she was probably self-conscious about that. Then it was my turn to lead her. ¡°Then follow me. I know a suitable ce to spend some time.¡± ¡°¡­We didn¡¯te out just to kill time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I didn¡¯te out with that intention either.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll look forward to it. Should I call you Duke Robert now?¡± I hesitated for a moment at the title. It didn¡¯t make sense for us to address each other by name considering our current statuses. But I had already called her by her name once. Did it really matter? I shook my head and told her there was no need for formalities. ¡°Then I¡¯ll call you Princess Miragen.¡± Miragen smiled wryly at my suggestion. She didn¡¯t seem to like the title ¡°Princess.¡± It was probably because she was always dissatisfied with her precarious position. It seemed she was upset because I wasn¡¯t addressing her by her name this time. She was acting like a child. Come to think of it, Miragen was older than me, wasn¡¯t she? She was one year older, just like Adriana. Adriana and Miragen were the same age. It was somewhat amusing that there was no one younger than me around. Well, anyone younger would bemitting a crime, wouldn¡¯t they? They all seemed like children to me. It was probably because I had lived so long. If I converted all my lives into years, wouldn¡¯t I be about 300 years old? As I walked, lost in thought, Miragen, who had been staring at me, spoke. ¡°What are you thinking about that makes you smile like that while looking at me?¡± ¡°Well, are you curious about the reason?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you if you¡¯reughing at me. You suddenly visited me today, and now this. You¡¯re just trying to tease me, aren¡¯t you?¡± I just wanted to see her flustered. Thinking about the reason, I couldn¡¯t deny that I wanted to tease her a little. But I couldn¡¯t say that out loud, so I thought for a moment and then added softly. ¡°I was looking at you because you¡¯re cute.¡± ¡°¡­Who? Me?¡± ¡°Yes. You act like a child.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure how she would interpret those words, but Miragen reacted exactly as I expected. She blushed crimson, her lips pressed together in a futile attempt to hide her embarrassment. She let out an exasperated sigh and ran her hand through her hair, staring at me intently. It was as if she was asking if I was being serious. In a way, I was. Half of it was my desire to tease her, and the other half was what I was truly thinking. She was more childish than cute, but it wasn¡¯t a lie. ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that to just anyone. I was really surprised. You came here to tease me, didn¡¯t you? That¡¯s right, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It depends on your interpretation. I meant what I said. It seems you didn¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°¡­Regardless of whether I liked it or not, it¡¯s normal to be surprised when you hear something like that out of the blue¡­ right?¡± Miragen¡¯s ears turned red as she trailed off. That was why I couldn¡¯t stop teasing her. As in the past, Miragen was probably the only person I couldfortably tease. Even though she held the highest status among Adele, Adriana, and herself. I was walking with Miragen in a district on the outskirts of the capital. It was an area with deliberately created green spaces. The flowers were in full bloom now that spring had arrived. Simply walking among them brought a sense of peace. Miragen seemed to feel the same, and as they walked, the blush on her cheeks gradually faded. ¡°It¡¯s not bad. I thought it would be boring to just walk around.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because we have each other. It would be boring toe alone.¡± ¡°Have you been here alone before?¡± ¡°¡­Well, yes.¡± When was it? Lost in thought, I suddenly remembered when Miragen died. It was during my thirty-fifth life. After she died, I had wandered aimlessly, eventually finding myself on this very path. I didn¡¯t know what I was thinking at the time. Perhaps I was searching for a ce to die. I eventually died and regressed, but the memory of that day was still vivid. It was only natural. I had watched helplessly as a woman who had never died before perished so senselessly. That was why I couldn¡¯t easily approach her. I was afraid that if we became close, she would die again. That if I got closer, it would happen again. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Leaving a puzzled Miragen behind, I approached a street vendor in the middle of the path. The reason I came here again was simple. It was my way of preparing myself mentally and hoping that it wouldn¡¯t happen again. Among the items the street vendor was selling, a small hairpin caught my eye. It wasn¡¯t particrly expensive, but Miragen had oncemented on how pretty it was. I had tried to find it for her, but ultimately failed to buy it before I died watching her. So I had tried to forget about it, but by some coincidence, this street vendor was selling the same hairpin. Buying this held a significant meaning for me. It was the same item from my thirty-fifth life. I stared at the hairpin for a moment before approaching Miragen. ¡°What is that? You suddenly left me and bought that. Why did you buy-¡± ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } Thud. My hand was faster than her words. Her long, unkempt hair was difficult to manage, but with the hairpin in ce, it was neatly arranged. I couldn¡¯t give it to her in my previous life. But this time, I did. Whatever the oue, I was prepared to ept it. ¡°¡­Did you buy this for me?¡± I smiled faintly at Miragen, who asked with a surprised expression. It was a small gift, and the meaning I attached to it was far too grand, but it was my first gift to her. The thirty-fifth Robert was gone. The things I was oveing in this life were the unfortunate events that had repeated in the past. I had prevented Miragen from dying, and I had warned Adele about the Crown Prince. I hadn¡¯t met the Saint in my previous life, but this time, we had be friends. So, there was no reason for Miragen to die anymore. ¡°It¡¯s a gift. I have a lot to be grateful for.¡± ¡°You were just angry with me earlier¡­ Well, thank you anyway. Does it suit me?¡± Miragen seemed to like the hairpin, fiddling with it in her hair. She had said it was pretty in my previous life, so I assumed she would like it. I bought it with that in mind. When I confirmed it, she smiled faintly to herself and, with a determined expression, took my hand. ¡°Alright. I can¡¯t just keep receiving, can I?¡± ¡°Are we going to the Imperial Pce now?¡± ¡°You can look forward to it. I told you I had something prepared for you, didn¡¯t I? I think it¡¯s time to show you.¡± With those words, Miragen walked forward, holding my hand without a hint of embarrassment. People stared at us, but neither of us felt ashamed. I didn¡¯t know what she was thinking, but their gazes made me chuckle. I had received such looks countless times before. When we were lovers. She wouldn¡¯t remember, but it was true. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 112 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó If there was a ce where spring wasn¡¯t wee, it was the North, with its muddy ground and melting ice. Flowers didn¡¯t bloom here. Even in spring, only a few des of grass would sprout. It was still cold, and people preferred winter to spring or summer.Why would anyone be happy with a season that brought neither flowers nor lush greenery? But Adele had been waiting for spring, simply to hear the news that would arrive after it came. She had checked the letters that arrived every day countless times. Just as she was starting to feel tired of waiting, wondering if it was ever going to end, news finally arrived. ¡°He¡¯s be the Duke. It seems he¡¯s seeded.¡± Adele sighed softly after hearing Lothos¡¯s words. She wished he had contacted her directly. She had worried about whether things were going well and had considered sending troops several times. It didn¡¯t matter what the central nobles thought about her sending troops. She knew Yuria Taylor¡¯s personality all too well. Lothos had tried to reassure her, gathering information from various sources, but she couldn¡¯t shake her anxiety. She had even considered marching her army into Taylor territory. The news that finally arrived was enough to put her mind at ease. She closed her eyes, running a hand over her forehead. She had been thinking too muchtely, and her head was pounding. While one worry had been lifted, Robert still had a lot to do. She had warned him about the Crown Prince, so he had to be careful. But it seemed Robert intended to approach the Crown Prince directly. What was he nning? Perhaps she could figure something out if she remembered everything she had forgotten. ¡°You can finally sleep peacefully now. Weren¡¯t you losing sleep every night?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t losing sleep.¡± ¡°¡­Have you looked in the mirror?¡± She chuckled softly at her own reflection. She didn¡¯t remember looking this disheveled before. The dark circles under her eyes were undeniable proof that she hadn¡¯t been sleeping well. Was this the first time she had shown herself in such a state? She waved her hand dismissively at Lothos, who was looking at her with concern, and smiled faintly. ¡°I suppose I was a little worried.¡± ¡°It seems like more than a little.¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your concern. He¡¯s the Duke now. He¡¯lle here on his own eventually. Enough about Robert.¡± Lothos nodded slightly at her words. He had a lot to say, but Adele seemed to be embarrassed about revealing her feelings in front of others. However, Lothos seemed to think there was something else he needed to mention. He cleared his throat and spoke. ¡°But at the session ceremony¡­¡± ¡°I told you to stop talking about it.¡± ¡°I heard he appeared with the Saint. Did you know?¡± The atmosphere instantly turned icy, and Lothos flinched. It was the expected reaction, but Adele¡¯s mood had shifted a little too quickly. Her gaze turned cold, as if she was about to freeze Lothos solid. Lothos smiled wryly and looked at Adele. He had agonized over whether to tell her or not. He knew exactly how Adele would react, but what if Adele found out on her own? He might lose his head. So he decided to face the consequences and tell her, hoping to receive a lighter punishment. But Adele¡¯s reaction was colder than expected, and Lothos sighed softly. Adeleughed softly as she sat in her chair. It wasn¡¯t augh of amusement but a bitter chuckle of disapproval. He had spoken as if bing Duke was a life-or-death situation, but he had appeared with the Saint right after seeding. ¡­Was that why he hadn¡¯t contacted her? She ran a dry hand over her face, her thoughts even moreplicated than before. She had been the one who worried about him the most, despite being isted in the North. She had lost sleep wondering why he hadn¡¯t contacted her, and she had even considered visiting him personally. But he was apparently taking things very lightly. ¡°Are you going to the capital yourself?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not going. People would think I was desperate.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I thought you might go.¡± Adele usually rushed straight to Robert whenever she was dissatisfied with something he had done. She wanted to go to the capital and see what he was up to, but this time, she decided to try a different approach. She couldn¡¯t keep running after him. This time, she wanted him toe to her. ¡°Send this to the Taylor Dukedom.¡± After a moment of consideration, Adele wrote something on a letter and handed it to Lothos, telling him to send it to the Duke of Taylor. She assumed he woulde to the North once he received it. Well, if he didn¡¯t, she could always go to him. But she couldn¡¯t keep making the first move forever. While she wasn¡¯t simply upset that he hadn¡¯t contacted her, she hoped he would feel a bit conflicted, just as she had and she wanted him to visit the North before autumn arrived. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó A sudden chill brushed against my cheek, and I thought of Adele in the North. I hadn¡¯t been able to contact her because I had been so busy. I hoped she wasn¡¯t offended. It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t want to contact her, I simply hadn¡¯t had the time. If I had an artifact like Miragen¡¯s, I could have at least heard her voice, but I had been so caught up in work that I hadn¡¯t even thought about contacting her. I resolved to send her a short letter when I returned to the North. As I pondered this, Miragen¡¯s voice brought me back to the present. ¡°You know you¡¯ve been spacing out a lottely?¡± ¡°¡­Have I?¡± ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve been pushing yourself too hard since bing Duke. Taylor is a demanding house, after all.¡± I took a sip of warm tea, letting it soothe my throat, and looked at Miragen. I couldn¡¯t simply agree when she asked if I had been pushing myself since bing Duke. It felt like Yuria had self-destructed, and I had acquired the position rtively easily, even though the process was lengthy. But I had certainly been stressed. I had slept for an entire day after bing Duke, surprising Adriana when she visited. It was true that I had a lot on my mind. There were many things to consider now that I was Duke, and honestly, there was more to manage than when I was vying for the position. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Come to the Imperial Pce when you need a break. Looking at the garden here calms my mind.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. But my schedule is quite full this year, so it will be difficult for me to visit again.¡± Miragen stared at me at the mention of my schedule. I had immediate tasks to attend to, and I had to go to the North. I nned to stay there until next year if possible. There was Adele¡¯s situation, and I was quite concerned about what Kaitel might do to her. Moreover, the artifact Kaitel was likely targeting was also in the North. If I secured it and instructed Arwen to support the Southern subjugation, Kaitel would likely ease his concerns about me to some extent. Of course, my intention behind the support was to uncover the truth about the masked figures. ¡°I¡¯m nning to visit the North soon. I have some things to take care of.¡± ¡°The North¡­ You¡¯re going to see the Grand Duchess.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I have to pay my respects, and she¡¯s helped me a lot.¡± Miragen had a displeased expression, but she seemed to understand, considering what Adele had done. Adele had diligently helped me when I was searching for the artifact in the South. She was the first to support me, and perhaps she was the person I was most connected to in this life. ¡°Hmm, then shall we get going? I told you I had something to show you, didn¡¯t I?¡± We were already in Miragen¡¯s room, but she touched the wall and carefully pulled it. With a rumble, the wall opened, revealing a staircase leading down. I knew there was a secret passage here, but I hadn¡¯t been down there often. It was a separate area, after all. Perhaps she was surprised that I wasn¡¯t particrly shocked. Miragen chuckled awkwardly and looked at me. ¡°¡­You¡¯re not surprised? How disappointing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very surprised. I didn¡¯t know there was a secret room here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not really a secret room. It¡¯s more like a personal storage space.¡± It was a passage that could be used to escape to a safe ce in an emergency, but it was too vast to be considered a personal storage space. I couldn¡¯t help but be amazed by the sheer scale of it. The massive space was created with magic. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } The ceiling extended beyond what should have been possible, and it was evenrger than it appeared from the outside. A library filled with countless books, a storage room filled with countless objects. Miragen walked through the space and stopped at a particr spot, proceeding to rummage through it. If my memory served me right, this was where the Imperial treasures were stored. They were of lower rank than the Emperor¡¯s possessions, but they were still quite valuable. ¡°The artifact I gave you before was also from here. It¡¯s one of only five in the entire Imperial Family.¡± ¡°Are you sure I can keep it?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I wanted to give it to you. And you¡¯re using it well.¡± If it weren¡¯t for the artifact, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to go to the South when Miragen was there, nor could I have gone to the Northwest alone. It was one of the artifacts I treasured. As we entered the storage room, Miragen rummaged through a corner and eventually pulled out a small object. ¡°I think this might be useful for you.¡± It was something I had seen before. It was a device that produced a sword when infused with mana. I remembered it because it was said to be indestructible, and I had already received it as a gift in the past. -Think of me every time you use this. Remember that, alright? The memory made me chuckle. I didn¡¯t expect to receive it again. It was a good gift since I could use it well, but it was also a precious object because of the memories associated with it. I reached out to take it, but Miragen suddenly frowned and tightly gripped the sword¡¯s hilt. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She had a confused expression. Her gaze shifted between me and the sword¡¯s hilt. The silent exchange continued for a while before she finally opened her mouth, her lips trembling slightly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Miragen hesitated, then answered softly. ¡°¡­Did I ever give this to you, Robert?¡± My body stiffened at her confused question. I knew what it meant. If she was experiencing d¨¦j¨¤ vu, it meant she might be regaining her memories. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 114 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The session had gone smoothly, much more so than I had anticipated. It was mostly because I had alreadyid the groundwork beforehand. I had expected to face resistance from those who didn¡¯t acknowledge me as Duke, but the matter had been settled so cleanly that there was no controversy. Thanks to the help I received from Adriana and Miragen, I was able to stabilize the territory much faster than I had originally anticipated.It was a good thing, but the sheer ease of it all felt strange. I had expected it to be more challenging. Even Renold seemed puzzled by the rapid progress. I had assumed the nobles wouldn¡¯t ept me so readily. I couldn¡¯t understand their cooperation, but my questions were soon answered. One day, Count Yugress visited me and said, ¡°The Duke of Taylor has always held absolute authority, but this time, it¡¯s a bit more special.¡± ¡°You mean me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s even more significant because the previous Duke was Arthur Taylor. His lineage, with Arthur Taylor and Yuria Taylor, was quite infamous. Most nobles would have known.¡± Perhaps they supported me because I had broken that lineage. But technically, I was closer to being pro-Imperial than pro-nobility. I never imagined they would react this way, knowing that. It was probably because my father and Yuria¡¯s methods were too oppressive. Now that I, theirplete opposite, had be Duke, most nobles likely held expectations for change. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. They are the ones I¡¯ll be leading after all.¡± ¡°And my support must be helpful as well. Not to boast, but I am your maternal grandfather.¡± ¡°¡­Indeed, it¡¯s unprecedented.¡± There were many families who had formed political marriages with the Taylors, but none had ever directly supported a specific Duke after the marriage. They were usually either eradicated or destroyed because they chose the wrong side. Some families even chose not to support anyone to avoid such consequences. But Yugress, despite losing one of their own, was supporting me. It was an unprecedented event, and its implications were quite significant, prompting the nobles to think, ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± I smiled, knowing exactly what he meant. The Count smiled back and continued. ¡°I heard you¡¯re close to the Princess these days. I¡¯m curious if it¡¯s just a friendship or if you have other intentions.¡± ¡°There are no ulterior motives. If there were, I would have gotten closer to the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But I¡¯ve heard rumors that your rtionship with her is quite unusual. Holding hands, going out together.¡± ¡°¡­I consider her a close friend.¡± The Count cleared his throat at my answer and looked at me with a faint smile. His strange expression made me frown, and he spoke softly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it about time you found a wife?¡± ¡­I had a feeling this wasing. I sighed at his direct approach. It had only been yesterday that I visited the Imperial Pce to see Miragen. And the rumors had already spread? It was impossible unless they had been harboring these thoughts for a while. It seemed he had investigated me quite thoroughly. As I expected, the Count, who had been talking about the Princess, now mentioned Adriana. He seemed quite amused by the conversation, so I let him continue. It wasn¡¯t so bad to listen asionally. Perhaps my mother would have talked about these things with me if she were still alive. ¡°You¡¯ve formed a connection with the Saint recently, and now the Princess. I¡¯ve underestimated your abilities. Are you interested in polygamy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. The women you mentioned wouldn¡¯t agree to polygamy.¡± ¡°Well, there are ways. For example, if you achieve great feats and be a Grand Duke. You would gain a certain level of autonomy.¡± Grand Duke. It wasn¡¯t something I hadn¡¯t considered. But it was highly unlikely, so I had dismissed the idea. Besides, finding a wife wasn¡¯t a priority right now. I simply humored him. It would only make things moreplicated if I thought about it too deeply. If I had to seriously consider it¡­ It would have to be after I killed the Crown Prince. The Count, sensing myck of interest, dropped the subject of marriage. It wasn¡¯t that I was upset, I just had a lot on my mind. It was a topic I didn¡¯t want to dwell on at the moment. But I couldn¡¯t remain silent, so I decided to change the subject. ¡°If I have anything nned right now, it¡¯s to restructure the entire power system.¡± ¡°Restructure, you say? To what extent?¡± ¡°I intend topletely change Taylor¡¯s previous stance. We¡¯ve always acted as representatives of the nobles, but this time, I¡¯m going to support the Imperial Family.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The Count groaned softly, seemingly contemting my words. Supporting the Imperial Family over the nobles wasn¡¯t a simple matter. It would disrupt the delicate bnce of power that had been maintained for so long. He might even question my motives. My ultimate goal was to empower Kaitel, but the Count, still lost in thought, finally spoke. ¡°It seems you have something to gain from this.¡± ¡°I do. There would be no need to attempt this if I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then I suppose it¡¯s not my ce toment. I am merely the Count of Yugress. The final decision rests with you, Your Grace.¡± I smiled faintly as he took a step back, as if he wouldn¡¯t question me further. I had expected this, but I was surprised he didn¡¯t express any dissatisfaction. He had been like this since I first dered my intention to be Duke. I was grateful he wasn¡¯t asking. I would have exined if he had, but supporting the Imperial Family and empowering Kaitel might seem a bit strange. However, my rtionship with Kaitel was quite secretive. He and I were the only ones who could talk about the Four Dragons¡¯ artifacts, and only Kaitel knew I was supporting the Southern subjugation. I would eventually reveal it, but not now. It was still awkward to meet with the Count like this. No matter how hard I tried to be casual, I couldn¡¯t forget that he was my mother¡¯s father. Seeing him reminded me of my mother, and I wasn¡¯t sure what he thought of me. I hoped he thought well of me, but if my actions mirrored those of my father or Yuria¡­ I hoped Count Yugress would stop me and I wanted to get closer to him so that we could have such a rtionship. As I wasmenting that I should have continued the conversation about marriage, I noticed Renold approaching from across the garden. He wouldn¡¯t havee here knowing I was with the Count unless he had something important to report. ¡°Please excuse me for a moment. I need to take care of something.¡± I stood up and Renold approached, bowing his head. Renold, who had been much more rxed recently, sighed softly. If he had the time to sigh, it probably wasn¡¯t urgent. I was curious what kind of news warranted his presence here. But as I received the letter from Renold, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Renold smiled faintly. ¡°I knew you would react that way. I think it arrived a bit sooner than expected, but I suppose it was about time.¡± I stared at him as he smiled smugly, and he cleared his throat, averting his gaze. The letter was from the North and there was only one person who would send me a letter from the North. I rubbed my forehead for a moment before taking the letter. I knew I hadn¡¯t contacted her much, but I didn¡¯t expect her to send a letter already. I carefully checked the contents of the letter. It contained a single letter written in Adele¡¯s handwriting. As always, it was concise and to the point. I heard you¡¯re very busy and haven¡¯t been able to contact anyone. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re busy meeting with the Saint or the Princess, or if you¡¯re busy managing your territory, but you haven¡¯t even contacted the North once, so I assume you must be busy. I¡¯m not ming you. I simply offer my condolences for your hard work. Her blunt words made me chuckle. She didn¡¯t seem like the type to be so direct, but it seemed she was quite offended that I hadn¡¯t contacted her and she seemed to know about my meetings with the others. ¡°It seems to be from the North. Am I correct?¡± The Count, who could tell even from afar, asked me, and I nodded slowly. He would soon realize it was a letter from the Grand Duchess and when he realized the Grand Duchess was a woman¡­ ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± As expected, the Count looked at me with a strange expression. Perhaps the conversation about marriage was still fresh in his mind. So the candidates were the Grand Duchess, the Princess, and the Saint? It was an absurd thought, but I watched him seriously pondering it before turning away. ¡°Did we have any ns to visit the North?¡± Renold frowned at my question. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } It wasn¡¯t easy to suddenly change ns but we could manage a short visit, couldn¡¯t we? That was why I had brought Renold with me. We had plenty of time, thanks to the swift resolution of many matters. Renold, sensing my intentions, looked at me intently and spoke carefully. ¡°I think it¡¯s possible. Perhaps a week? Would that be alright?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± If you have some free time now, I would like to see you before I go there. I trust you won¡¯t refuse this request. She was trying to subtly convey her desire to see me. Surely that was enough reason to make time. It was something I couldn¡¯t postpone. It would be better to do it now. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 113 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Dissonance. Was that the right word to describe this sudden, unexpected feeling? Miragen looked at Robert. Why did she feel like she had seen this moment before, this moment where she was talking to him?D¨¦j¨¤ vu? No, it was more than that. Words that sounded familiar, words she felt like she had uttered herself. Overwhelmed by this strange, recurring sensation, she flinched slightly when she met Robert¡¯s gaze. His eyes, usually empty, but asionally filled with a gentle light, now held a chilling glint. ¡°¡­That¡¯s impossible. It never happened.¡± ¡°Of course. This is the first time I¡¯ve called for you.¡± Was this really the first time? A hazy memory surfaced through her confused thoughts. It was a jumbled, disjointed memory. She couldn¡¯t even remember what she was trying to give Robert. She had wanted to give him something, but there were too many things. ¡°Miragen.¡± A voice pierced through her confused mind. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and realized she was trembling. The memories flooding her mind made it difficult to focus on his voice. Robert was also present in those memories. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s alright. I think I was just mistaken. I was going to give this to you, brother.¡± ¡°I see.¡± She forced a smile at his indifferent response and shrugged nonchntly. Perhaps she had been mistaken. It was just a sudden delusion, wasn¡¯t it? The scenarios she had imagined were so ridiculous that she blushed, running a hand over her cheek. If anyone knew what she was thinking, they would surely tease her mercilessly. Robert whispering words of love to her? Even though she had feelings for him, this was crossing a line. She didn¡¯t want to tell anyone, and she certainly didn¡¯t want to say it to his face. The hand on her shoulder was quiterge. She hadn¡¯t been conscious of it before, buttely, she had be aware of every little detail. At first, he was simply a grateful person who had helped her. Then, he was a foolish person who had tried to save her. Then, he was someone who didn¡¯t contact her often, which made her feel a bit neglected and then? Well, Miragen hadn¡¯t thought about it seriously. He seemed like a different person every time they met. Sometimes he seemed like he would disappear if she looked away, and at other times, he approached her smoothly, as if he had charmed countless women. He often crossed the line and stood before her, even when she didn¡¯t allow it. She couldn¡¯t answer easily when she asked herself if she disliked it. She had been epting his advances naturally for a while now. It was Miragen who would feel awkward and check on his mood whenever Robert didn¡¯t approach her. She sometimes wondered if their rtionship as Princess and Duke¡¯s son held a different meaning. If he had always intended to be Duke, he could have excluded her. He was cooperating with the Crown Prince, so he could have pushed her aside and strengthened the Crown Prince¡¯s faction. But why had he helped her? Why had he approached her first, instead of her brother? She often pondered those questions. It wouldn¡¯t change anything now, but she knew there was something strange about Robert¡¯s behavior. He had nothing to gain from her. So he must have approached her out of pure goodwill, but Miragen couldn¡¯t understand what he saw in her. ¡°Robert.¡± She called out softly, and Robert, who had been walking ahead, turned his head. He looked much the same as in her fragmented memory. Only a little colder, a little less cheerful. He always seemed to wear a mncholic expression. If she had to ask him something, it would be if he had ever confessed his love for her. Robert had said those words in her brief memory, so he might have said it while she didn¡¯t remember. But the words wouldn¡¯te easily. A grateful person, a foolish person, someone who made her feel neglected. If her feelings for him developed into love, she wouldn¡¯t know how to face him. Perhaps those feelings had already blossomed, but Miragen decided to take a step back. It wasn¡¯t the right time yet. They had only known each other for a few days, and Adriana¡­ she didn¡¯t simply consider Robert a friend either. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡­I just called your name.¡± He had turned his head when she called him in her memory too. His expression was colder and more indifferent now, but Miragen once again saw her memories ovepping with Robert. She didn¡¯t know if it was a memory or her own embarrassing delusion. Perhaps¡­ it was a forgotten memory. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó I wasn¡¯t sure what triggered the memories. This had never happened before, despite all my regressions. Was it because they had prolonged contact with me? Were certain individuals more susceptible to regaining their memories? I didn¡¯t know for sure. But there were people I hoped would never remember. That was why I was so surprised. When Miragen asked if she had experienced something simr before, I desperately wanted to know everything she remembered. But it would be troublesome if I revealed that I had experienced simr things, so I simply told her I didn¡¯t know. I hoped she would never remember, but I knew it wasn¡¯t something I could control. If I could control it, I would have done everything in my power to prevent it. But these memories arrived without warning. It happened to Theresa, and it happened to Adele. I had forcefully triggered Yuria¡¯s memories using magic and hallucinogens, but the Moonstone seemed to awaken memories in those who were deeply connected to me. ¡­I started to regreting to see Miragen. Even if it was a memory she would eventually recall, I wished it had been dyed. Miragen¡¯s expression was different from before. She would stare at me and then blush, her reactions confusing me. ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing to be stared at like that.¡± I responded nonchntly, and Miragen opened her mouth in surprise. She seemed lost in thought. I hoped she wasn¡¯t thinking about the memories, but I was curious about how much she remembered. It would be convenient if I could read minds, but unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have that ability. ¡°Ah¡­ I was just thinking about what happened earlier.¡± ¡°You were saying it felt familiar?¡± ¡°Yes, I was wondering if I had brought you here before. But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible.¡± I paused for a moment at her words, then shook my head. She had never brought me here. Or rather, it had happened, but it shouldn¡¯t have. Miragen¡¯s memories weren¡¯t all pleasant. It would be best if she couldpletely erase them from her mind. Unlike Adele, who had very few memories, or Adriana, who had none, Miragen possessed a significant number of memories. I wished they were all happy memories, but she had even killed me in one of them. If she remembered that in our current situation¡­ I couldn¡¯t guarantee she wouldn¡¯t me herself. Miragen, confused by my denials, eventually sighed and nodded. She seemed suspicious but not entirely convinced. She blushed again when our eyes met, so I chuckled and spoke. ¡°Are you imagining something strange? You seem especially shy today.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s not it.¡± Her flustered response filled me with conflicting emotions. I hoped that if she regained her memories, they would all be positive. It wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing if she only remembered the good times. But if she only recalled the negative memories, I wasn¡¯t sure she could handle them. -I hated you. Those words, spoken by Miragen¡­ she probably didn¡¯t remember them, but¡­ If she remembered something like that, she would surely me herself. What would happen if she remembered beheading me? I didn¡¯t even want to imagine her recalling those memories while I wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll use the gift you gave me. Hopefully, I won¡¯t have to, though.¡± ¡°You can keep it as a decoration. I think it would be best if you didn¡¯t use it either.¡± ¡°Then you should have given me something else.¡± ¡°I know, but¡­¡± Miragen hesitated, ncing at me before continuing with a faint smile. ¡°I just¡­ I wanted you to be safe when you use that sword. I was quite worried because you were injured when you came to save me. I looked for something that could help, and I thought this would be the best choice.¡± Her words were different from before. Instead of the woman who told me to think of her whenever I used the sword, there was a woman who was embarrassed to acknowledge her own feelings. I nodded with a soft smile, grateful for her sentiment. It would be impossible for me to staypletely unharmed and it would be just as impossible to forget about her when I used that sword. I couldn¡¯t predict what would happen after today. Just as the current Miragen was a different person from the Miragen I knew in my past lives. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } ¡­Would Miragen regain her memories? Or would she fail to recall them and consider today a trivial event? I couldn¡¯t be certain. I hoped she wouldn¡¯t remember, but fate, like the wind, would likely blow her memories back to her. I didn¡¯t know for sure. After all, this life was the first time I had experienced something like this. If I wanted to know, I had to face it head-on. I would only know after living through tomorrow. If Duke Robert wanted to understand the 101st Miragen, he would have to spend more time with her. As I closed my eyes for a moment, a cool breeze blew from the darkened sky. It was a spring day, the winter long gone, the flowers in full bloom. The gentle breeze seemed to soothe my troubled heart. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Your Text Here] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 115 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó I had cleared my schedule. It meant I had more immediate tasks to attend to, but I would visit the North for a while after this was over. Perhaps looking forward to that brief respite would help me get through these busy days. I expected things to get hectic after my visit to the North. This trip might be one of the few chances I had to rx. While I had nned to visit eventually, it was sooner than expected. But there was a reason I had cleared my schedule to go to the North. ¡°The masked figure has appeared in the North.¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t confirmed it yet, but it seems likely.¡± We hadn¡¯t been able to identify the masked figures. We only knew that they followed the Crown Prince and were involved in something rted to the Four Dragons. Arwen had said she had a hunch and would investigate, so I needed to look into it when I visited the North. But the main purpose of my visit was to appease Adele. I hadn¡¯t expected her to be sulking because I had been a littlete in contacting her. I wasn¡¯t upset by her behavior, I was more surprised than anything. I was trying to figure out what to say to her when I saw her. My schedule for today was full, and tomorrow, I would depart for the North. I stretched for a moment and organized the documents on my desk, then picked up Adele¡¯s letter. As always, her handwriting wasn¡¯t particrly neat. Her hasty scribbles reflected her impatient personality, and her tone could be perceived as rude by those who weren¡¯t close to her. Perhaps others tolerated it because she was the Grand Duchess, but I thought I should help her improve itter. It was a bit surprising that Kaitel hadn¡¯t made a move against Adele yet. I had to wait and see what would trigger his actions. That was why I was going to the North, to check for any potential threats. If there were any, I would eliminate them. And if there weren¡¯t, I would take measures to ensure they never existed. I was confident Lothos would handle it well if I informed her. Anyway, what I was currently doing was investigating the disturbances in the outer territories. There had been an unusual increase in unresttely, and I was trying to find the cause. This wasn¡¯t a simple matter. If it was merely due to the change in leadership, it would have subsided by now. It was as if someone was deliberately stirring up trouble, gradually escting the situation. My primary goal was to find the source. Once I found it, my next objective was to figure out their motives. There was no need to rush. I could leave it to Renold or Arwen, they would find the reason eventually. However, this was the one thing that only I, the Duke, could resolve. Click, click. The sound of my shoes echoed coldly through the quiet hallway. The remodeled hallway was gone, revealing the path to the basement. There was no sound except for¡­ Faint, shallow breaths. I followed the sound, and a familiar face came into view. Yuria, still alive, hadn¡¯t spoken a word since that day. She wouldn¡¯t say anything even if she did, but I looked at her, her head always bowed, and finally spoke. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten again. I told you it wouldn¡¯t kill you.¡± Yuria¡¯s days were filled with hallucinations. The special drug Arwen had created induced nightmares, and whenever she grew ustomed to the fear, it reset her emotions, inflicting even greater terror. Drool trickled from her trembling lips. The elegant woman was gone, reced by a pathetic figure consumed by fear. I didn¡¯t think she would be able to speak coherently even if she tried. If there was a chance, I would prevent her frommunicating, but she seemed so broken that it wasn¡¯t necessary. The reason I came here was simple. To check on Yuria¡¯s condition and to maintain her consciousness, preventing her frompletely losing her mind. I infused her with divine power, and her clouded gaze cleared slightly. Her eyes met mine for a moment, then her head drooped again, drool dripping from her chin onto the floor. ¡°Not bad. I¡¯m d you¡¯re still alright.¡± I hoped she would live a long life. A healthy, long life, perhaps until I died. Of course, she couldn¡¯t be happy. She had killed so many people, there was no way I would let her off so easily. Unlike Theresa, I had no intention of letting her go. Yuria still had a long way to go before she atoned for her sins. Arwen would take over while I was in the North. Yuria wouldn¡¯t see the sunlight for a while. I hoped she wouldn¡¯t lose her mind during that time. I hoped the constant despair would gnaw at her, leaving her a lifeless doll, her hopes severed at the end. I felt a strange sense of satisfaction whenever I told Yuria about my aplishments as Duke. I didn¡¯t know what I would be thinking if our roles were reversed. Would I still be hoping for regression? Or would I be broken and defeated? Thankfully, reality had shown me favor. I would keep Yuria confined to prevent any further danger. I wondered what she would be like after my return from the North. I pondered this for a moment before stepping back. I disappeared from the basement, and once again, only the shallow sound of her breathing echoed through the empty room. It was a sound that would continue endlessly. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó News of Robert Taylor¡¯s departure for the North spread quickly. Adele, who had orchestrated it, already knew, but her subordinates, who viewed her rtionship with Robert as something special, reacted even more intensely. Lothos sighed longer than ever. Bunta sharpened his weapons, excited about the prospect of fighting again. The other officers also began to prepare themselves mentally. ¡°Don¡¯t you think they¡¯re a little too fired up?¡± Lothos¡¯s question made the officers look at each other. In truth, it was Lothos who was most invested in Robert¡¯s visit. He had been the one who prepared Robert¡¯s room. Lothos cleared his throat at hisrades¡¯ strange expressions and sighed, his lips trembling slightly. ¡°¡­This isn¡¯t a normal situation. I¡¯m not the only one who thinks so, right? Surely not.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need to worry about it. It¡¯s the Grand Duchess¡¯s business after all.¡± Bunta nodded in agreement with Ilona, the only woman present. He had always thought Lothos was overly concerned with Adele¡¯s personal life. At first, he had wondered if Lothos had a crush on her, but considering the age difference, that would be a crime. Perhaps he was trying to be a father figure to her. If Adele found out, she might try to kill him. That was how Bunta interpreted Lothos¡¯s actions. ¡°You worry too much.¡± ¡°Bunta, that¡¯s because you¡¯re oblivious. Have you seen the look on the Grand Duchess¡¯s face when she looks at him? She¡¯s different.¡± ¡°He¡¯s handsome. He¡¯s a good fighter. How many men like that has the Grand Duchess met? I think he¡¯s the first.¡± They were around the same age and had simr tastes. Ilona had never seen Adele interact so naturally with anyone before. She had been with Adele since she led the mercenary group, and she had often witnessed Adele crush men who were merely handsome. Ilona thought this encounter wasn¡¯t a bad thing. It would have been more natural if someone wasn¡¯t making such a fuss. Ilona smiled wryly, and Lothos flinched under her gaze. ¡°They¡¯ll figure it out on their own. We don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡± Those who remembered Adele¡¯s childhood always spoke of the loneliness she had carried as a young girl. She lost her father at a young age and learned of his death after achieving everything she had set out to do. She rarely smiled, preferred to be alone, and was obsessively fixated on anything that piqued her interest. Many pitied her. Now, she smiled more often and even showed jealousy at times. Robert Taylor might be a good person, but for those who had rarely seen Adele smile, they couldn¡¯t help but view their rtionship favorably. There was no need for fuss. She was simply meeting the person who should have been by her side all along. It was frustrating to see them holding back their feelings. But they couldn¡¯t force it, could they? It would happen naturally when the time was right. Bunta red at Lothos, and Lothos, snapping back to reality, smiled wryly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stay quiet this time. But you¡¯re not going to yell at me for doing so, are you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one who got beaten for making a fussst time.¡± ¡°I only found outter why you tried to drop me during the festival. You were trying to leave them alone, weren¡¯t you?¡± Bunta sighed in exasperation, and Ilona chuckled softly. She didn¡¯t understand why he was acting this way. They would meet eventually if left alone. It was fate. Just as the Grand Duchess had met them one day without any prior arrangements and taken an interest in them, Robert¡¯s visit was also part of that fate. ¡°Anyway, I think we should get going. They¡¯ll be arriving soon.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Ilona stood up, and Bunta followed, dragging Lothos along. There was no need to call Adele separately. She was already waiting outside, her preparationsplete. Ilona hoped Adele wouldn¡¯t bete this time. She chuckled, remembering Adele¡¯s expression when Robert visitedst time. She had never seen Adele so anxious before. Who would have thought the great Grand Duchess would be so flustered over a man? It was then that Ilona realized Adele¡¯s feelings went beyond simple interest. But if it happened again, she didn¡¯t think it would end well. They waited for a while, and then a pack of wolves approached, kicking up dust in their wake. Adele stirred, and Ilona stopped Lothos, who was about to follow her, cing a finger to her lips. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } There was no need to interrupt their meeting. It was enough to observe and witness the Grand Duchess, so different from before. Adele, who had rushed ahead of everyone else, had a smile on her face. She seemed to be trying to suppress it, but when her eyes met Robert¡¯s, the corners of her lips twitched, a sight that couldn¡¯t be missed by anyone present. ¡°Hmm, I knew it.¡± ¡°Right? I told you not to interrupt.¡± It was a rare sight in the North to see a man and a woman smiling at each other, especially when it was the usually stoic Grand Duchess. And amidst this special scene, she noticed something else. The wind was unusually warm. The usual north wind had disappeared, reced by a gentle south wind that caressed their cheeks. Spring. It was a season that felt out of ce here, a season she sometimes wished would just disappear. But today, it was the perfect season. Ilona watched them and murmured softly. ¡°It¡¯s spring.¡± Spring hade to the North. She could finally feel it. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 116 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The weather wasn¡¯t as cold as my previous visit, and the somewhat warm breeze felt strange. It had always been cold whenever I visited the North in this life. This inevitably brought back memories of the past. I stretched out my hand outside the carriage and felt the wind against my skin. We were almost there. I assumed Adele was waiting, but thankfully, I wasn¡¯tte this time.If I werete again, she would surely scold me. I urged the wolves to go faster, and a sharper wind blew against my face. After a while, as the white snow piled up outside, I heard a familiar wolf¡¯s howl. Wolf howls were diverse, but Adele¡¯s wolves were even more so. Their piercing howls, cold and ruthless like their master, instantly revealed their identity. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± The wolves stopped, and as I stepped onto the ground, I saw a woman running toward me. I had expected her usual expressionless face, but her unusually bright expression today made me chuckle. She didn¡¯t seem to realize it herself. She didn¡¯t seem to know she was smiling. I chuckled softly at the way her lips twitched unnaturally. ¡°¡­Hmm, did something good happen that makes you smile as soon as you see me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while. That¡¯s a good thing, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still smooth with your words. It seems you¡¯ve been doing well.¡± Her gaze scanned me from head to toe. She seemed to be checking for injuries, but I hadn¡¯t had many asions to use force since bing Duke. The faint traces of magic that had touched my body disappeared, and Adele nced at me before turning away. ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t been recklessly fighting. Yuria didn¡¯t cause any trouble, did she?¡± ¡°I subdued her before she could. I wouldn¡¯t have been defeated so easily.¡± Adele¡¯s expression darkened when she mentioned Yuria. Perhaps the negative emotions stemming from her recovered memories were still lingering. But honestly, how many people could think well of Yuria? It was a natural reaction for someone who had regained their memories. It was still a bit strange to me, but whenever I saw these reactions, I was reminded that there were others who remembered past regressions. I would have to talk to Adriana about the possibility of Miragen regaining her memories. It would be better to discuss how to handle it together. I pushed those thoughts aside and approached Adele. I had gotten off the wolf and was walking, but I realized her officers weren¡¯t around. Or rather, they were approaching, but deliberately slowing their pace. I chuckled when I realized their intentions, and Adele, noticing my amusement, tilted her head. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°Nothing. I was just thinking you have good officers.¡± They must have thought Adele and I had a special rtionship. They weren¡¯t wrong, but I didn¡¯t know how they nned to handle the consequences if they were caught. Lothos, whose eyes met mine, bowed his head. He seemed displeased, but Ilona pushed his head down and waved at me. ¡­It seemed Lothos wasn¡¯t the one leading the charge this time. Perhaps they had chosen to stay quiet instead of making a fuss like before. It wasn¡¯t a bad thing. I would have been ufortable if they had acted like Lothos. Adele was oblivious to these things, so she wouldn¡¯t notice, but I had been a bit worried she might realize something during myst visit. It seemed Ilona had stopped Lothos. She had always been quick-witted, so I was confident she would handle it well. I looked at the officers, and Adele¡¯s voice reached my ears. I turned my head and saw her staring at me. Her blue eyes narrowed slightly, annoyance shing through them. ¡°What are you looking at? We were talking.¡± ¡°I was just looking around. Don¡¯t mind me.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t even contacted me once, and now you¡¯re acting suspicious. Pay more attention to me. Don¡¯t look at anyone else.¡± I smiled faintly at her blunt words, and Adele frowned, as if she was serious. I didn¡¯t know what had happened while I was gone, but she wasn¡¯t usually this assertive. I was surprised by the shortened distance between us, a far cry from our previous interactions. Adele sighed and rubbed her forehead. ¡°I was worried sick, and you didn¡¯t even contact me once. Do you enjoy making people worry themselves to death?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to. I swear.¡± ¡°Of course you didn¡¯t mean to. If you had just sent a single letter, I wouldn¡¯t have said anything. I wouldn¡¯t have called you either.¡± I would have visited her even if she hadn¡¯t called me, but Adele, still dissatisfied with my behavior, began toin. She had said she was losing sleep, and her dark circles were evident. It was understandable that she was upset. I hadn¡¯t contacted her for over a month. But I had deliberately avoided contact because I was nning to visit her in person. Perhaps I was being too self-centered. I stared at Adele, and she sighed, shaking her head. I couldn¡¯t me her, so I looked at her cautiously. She spoke softly. ¡°It would be strange if I wasn¡¯t upset, honestly.¡± ¡°¡­I agree. I didn¡¯t expect you to be this worried about me.¡± ¡°I wanted to hit you¡­ but I can¡¯t.¡± She sighed softly and rubbed her cheek, continuing. ¡°It¡¯s strange. I wanted to be angry, but I¡¯m not anymore.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Seeing you makes my anger disappear. I can¡¯t stay mad at you. I¡¯ll have to take it out on Lothoster. He¡¯s guilty of upsetting me.¡± I stared at her nkly for a moment, unable toprehend her words, then I chuckled when I understood. Adele smiled faintly and pulled me by the wrist. Her hand was warm, and I didn¡¯t resist. It was fine for a moment. I could indulge in this game for a little while. ¡°Your room is still as extravagant as ever. Just likest time.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how you live in the capital. Lothos didn¡¯t do anything this time, so I took care of it myself.¡± ¡°You did it yourself?¡± I had wondered why Lothos looked so surprised when he saw the room. I was also surprised to hear that Adele had taken care of it herself. It didn¡¯t look much different from my previous visit. Perhaps she had tried to recreate the room from myst visit. But there was one difference. ¡°The bed is different.¡± The bed was arranged differently. The only difference was that¡­ it resembled Adele¡¯s bed. She replied casually that she had simply decorated it the same way because she wasfortable with it. Was that really her intention? I had my doubts, but I didn¡¯t ask any further. She had probably done it for a reason. It wouldn¡¯t do any good to question her about every little detail. I was here to appease her, so I shrugged and said I liked it. Adele nodded, satisfied with my response. We wouldn¡¯t be spending much time in the room anyway. When I told her I was going to unpack, the officers quietly left the room. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had a sense of style.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tter me. You know I have no taste in these things.¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s better to be in a familiar environment. We¡¯ve even slept together before.¡± I said it jokingly, and Adele frowned, clearing her throat. We had slept together. It was because we were both drunk, and nothing had actually happened¡­ Adele seemed to recall the memory as well, blushing slightly and looking away. Her reaction was different from when I teased Miragen or Adriana. She was embarrassed but trying to hide it. I found it endearing and almost teased her further, but then I shook my head and spoke. ¡°I¡¯m going to change. Are you going to stay here? You¡¯re wee to watch.¡± ¡°I should leave then. I don¡¯t have a habit of looking at other people¡¯s bodies.¡± I chuckled softly at her flustered reaction. Her embarrassment whenever she saw my body was somewhat amusing. She wasn¡¯t usually the type to get flustered, so I found her reaction endearing. Perhaps she only showed this side of herself to me. In a way, I liked it. As Adele left the room to change, the door creaked open again. I looked at the door, and Adele poked her head in, her eyes avoiding mine as she spoke. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } ¡°Come to my room when you¡¯re done changing.¡± ¡°Your room?¡± I had assumed we would all meet since it had been a while since myst visit. Was I supposed to go straight to her room instead of the banquet hall? Adele hesitated, then answered softly. ¡°¡­It¡¯s been a while, so it would be better if we saw each other alone. I¡¯ve prepared some drinks, soe to my room. I¡¯ll drag you there if you don¡¯t.¡± She closed the door with a bang, and I stared at it nkly. I nced at the window, noticing the sun was setting. Drinking alone in her room instead of the banquet hall¡­ It was a rather bold suggestion for Adele. Her words, ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± bothered me. It had been a little over two months since west saw each other in the South. I didn¡¯t know how her feelings had changed during that time, but the distance between us had certainly narrowed without me realizing it. Alcohol, nighttime, and a man and a woman. With those elementsbined, I would have to be very careful. It would be troublesome if something happened. I looked at the empty space where Adele had been and smiled wryly. I finished changing my clothes. I wondered what she wanted to talk about. If it were me, I would probably say I missed her. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 117 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Had I ever drunk with Adele before? The answer was, of course, yes. But if she asked if we had ever drunk together alone¡­ I would have to say no. In the past, we had realized our feelings for each other a little toote. This time, those feelings were present from the start, making it a slightly different experience. It was only natural that our gazes wavered when they met.Perhaps we were both seriously contemting what the other was thinking. In the past, our rtionship as Grand Duchess and subordinate had been quitefortable. But now, as Grand Duchess and Duke, we were almost equals. I wasn¡¯t her subordinate, and we hadn¡¯t spent much time together in this life. That was why this moment was special. It was a drinking session with just the two of us, no one else present. I took a deep breath and sat down. Adele, who had been staring at me intently, chuckled softly. She had neatly tied her long hair back and was holding a bottle of alcohol. It was a strong liquor, not often found in the capital but quitemon in the North. I had agreed to this meeting because Adele was a heavy drinker. I wouldn¡¯t have taken the risk ofing here if I couldn¡¯t hold my liquor. ¡°Can you handle your alcohol? You always seemed to drink in moderation at banquets.¡± ¡°I can drink moderately. I¡¯m not aplete lightweight.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s good to hear. I was going to take it easy on you if you couldn¡¯t.¡± It seemed she was trying to provoke me, but I wasn¡¯t so easily swayed by such taunts. Alcohol? I couldn¡¯t even get drunk when I drank alone. Moreover, I had received divine power from the Saint, making me immune to intoxication. How could I possibly get drunk? While I didn¡¯t dislike being drunk, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for me to be inebriated in my current position¡­ Adele poured alcohol into my ss. She was wearing afortable, thin outfit, different from her usual attire. Her corbone was slightly exposed, and I averted my gaze to avoid staring. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was more revealing than her usual clothes. Was she wearing pajamas? I wasn¡¯t sure if it was appropriate to wear such clothes in front of a man. While I wanted to say something, I hade here to simply spend time with her. I carefully lifted the ss Adele had given me and took a sip. I frowned for a moment at the burning sensation before exhaling softly and opening my eyes. The strong liquor made my body feel warm. Adele chuckled at my reaction and took a swig from the bottle. She emptied half of the bottle before taking a breath. She didn¡¯t seem affected at all. She looked at me for a moment and shrugged. ¡°Not bad. I haven¡¯t had many opportunities to drink in a quiet setting, so I was a bit concerned. But this isn¡¯t so bad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t hold a banquet. Did you do this on purpose?¡± ¡°I wanted to talk to you alone. There are things we can¡¯t discuss with other people around.¡± Her words made me realize she wanted to talk about ¡°memories.¡± Had she remembered something I didn¡¯t know? My expression hardened, and Adele waved her hand dismissively, pouring me another drink. ¡°But I¡¯m not going to talk about it now. It¡¯s fine to just drink quietly.¡± ¡°¡­How have you been?¡± I realized I hadn¡¯t asked Adele how she was doing since arriving. How had she been? What had she been up to? I had a vague idea, but I didn¡¯t know the details. Everything was diverging slightly from my memories. Hadn¡¯t a lot changed since I witnessed the start of the new year in the North? I had be Duke, the subjugation that should have been ongoing had ended cleanly, and¡­ I had assumed there would be changes in the North as well, but Adele didn¡¯t answer my question immediately. She simply stared at me. I noticed her lips, glistening with alcohol. Unlike her pale skin, they were a bright red. She shook her head slightly and took a sip of her drink. ¡°I haven¡¯t been well. Thanks to someone.¡± I smiled wryly at her tant usation. I resolved to contact her more often in the future. And I realized Adele cared about me more than I had thought. She continued when I didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Because of someone who promised to contact me often but didn¡¯t send a single letter for two months, who ims to be busy but meets with other people just fine, and who appears in my dreams constantly despite all that¡­ I haven¡¯t been well.¡± ¡°I apologize for that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve remembered more than what came back before. It¡¯s still hazy how I died, but I vaguely remember what I was thinking while I was with you.¡± If she could recall those emotions so vividly, it meant she had regained most of her memories. However, it was strange that she didn¡¯t remember the moment of her death. I thought she would have remembered that intense memory instantly, but perhaps it was thest thing she would recall. My appearances in her dreams meant the rest of her memories were returning. We had spent almost our entire lives together in those lifetimes, so I couldn¡¯t refute her words. It was my fault after all. I hadn¡¯t given much thought to the North. I had assumed Adele wouldn¡¯t mind if I didn¡¯t contact her for a while. Adele scoffed at my apology and emptied the rest of the bottle, grabbing a new one. Her face was slightly flushed, but she didn¡¯t seem drunk. I assumed she was simply morefortable expressing her emotions now. ¡°But I¡¯m not going to scold you for that. I figured you must have had your reasons. But I¡¯m curious¡­¡± Adele nced at me, then hesitantly spoke. ¡°Why were you with the Saint?¡± ¡°¡­Adriana? Are you talking about when I became Duke?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard you held hands and walked out together.¡± I nodded, realizing my mistake. I had acted that way to demonstrate that the Taylor House would change now that I was Duke. The nobles had interpreted it that way as well. No one except Count Yugress had questioned my rtionship with the Saint. But I hadn¡¯t considered how Adele, who had received no news, would feel. As I was trying to figure out how to exin it to her, Adele sighed and rubbed her forehead. Her furrowed brows seemed to urge me to exin myself. She looked like she was about to explode if I didn¡¯t give her a satisfactory answer, so I quickly spoke. ¡°I did that to demonstrate the House¡¯s renewal. There were no personal intentions or-¡± ¡°Your hand.¡± Her response was unexpected, and I tilted my head in confusion, looking at her. My hand? Adele sighed in exasperation and pulled my wrist, cing my hand over hers. ¡°I asked for your hand, didn¡¯t I?¡± I flinched at the warmth of her hand intertwined with mine. I wasn¡¯t resisting, but I was surprised by her sudden action. Adele stared at my hand in hers. She wiggled her fingers, tickling my palm, then wiped the back of my hand with her sleeve and chuckled softly. ¡°I can¡¯t let anyone else hold your hand when I¡¯m not looking.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you not to hold hands with anyone else. If you do, I¡­ I get ufortable. It makes me anxious, and I can¡¯t sleep.¡± Adele¡¯s cheeks were flushed as she chuckled. I noticed two empty bottles beside her and realized she was slightly drunk. She wasn¡¯tpletely intoxicated, she was simply being more honest. I had experienced this before, but it was the first time Adele had acted this way in this life. I was a bit flustered. ¡°We¡¯ve held hands before, haven¡¯t we?¡± If my memory served me right, we had held hands when the new year arrived. Didn¡¯t we hold hands when the bell rang? Adele nodded nonchntly and chuckled. She rested her chin on her hand, her elbow on her knee, and looked at me with amusement in her eyes. ¡°We did. I just held it this time because I want you to cherish yourself a little more.¡± ¡°I already cherish myself enough.¡± ¡°No, you wouldn¡¯t have tried to inherit the Dukedom without contacting me if you did. Didn¡¯t I tell you? I¡¯ll help you if you ask for it.¡± Adele stood up and strode toward me, poking my chest with her finger. Her hair, cascading down her shoulders, brushed against my cheek. Her scent clouded my mind, and I bit my lip, speaking softly. ¡°I thought it would be a burden.¡± ¡°If you had made even the slightest mistake, you would be dead. You said Yuria is still alive? Why didn¡¯t you consider the possibility that it could have been you?¡± Adele smiled wryly, seemingly annoyed. But her anger was closer to concern. She was finally expressing the anxiety she felt while I was gone, the sleepless nights she endured because of me. She pushed me down onto the bed. ¡°¡­I was upset.¡± I didn¡¯t ask what she was upset about. Adele straddled me, looking down at me. Her flushed face revealed her slight intoxication, but her words were sincere. I listened quietly, and she continued, poking my forehead. ¡°Did you think I would consider it a burden if you asked for help? Was I that insignificant to you?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s not-¡± ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } ¡°Then¡­ what am I to you?¡± I couldn¡¯t answer easily, so I looked at her silently. Her usually cold eyes were wavering slightly. I didn¡¯t know what the right answer was. Even after dying 100 times and living through 101 lives¡­ A woman¡¯s heart was difficult to understand. Adele spoke when I remained silent. ¡°Answer me. What am I to you?¡± She leaned closer, her shoulder exposed as her clothes shifted. As the distance between us narrowed, our breaths mingling, Adele whispered in my ear. ¡°I won¡¯t let you go until you answer me.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Your Text Here] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? ? Main Quest [God¡¯s Apprentice] Unlocked! ? You have been granted an opportunity by the Arcane God¡¯s to be a Korean Trantor for Arcane Trantions. ? Do you ept? ? YES/ NO PrevNext Chapter 118 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó It was a situation that would be easily misinterpreted, but I had to remainposed. The reason for Adele¡¯s behavior was simple. She was tipsy, and she had a lot to say to me. She had been suppressing her feelings, and now they were finally bursting forth. I smiled awkwardly, looking at her slender hand resting on my chest. What did I think of Adele? It was a tricky question to answer.Our feelings for each other were precariously bnced. My answer could change everything. I didn¡¯t need to contemte for long. I had already anticipated this situation, so I didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± ¡°¡­That wasn¡¯t what I wanted to hear.¡± Adele¡¯s eyes clouded for a moment, then her hair, which had been tied back, came loose, cascading down around my face. Our eyes met through the curtain of her hair. We stared at each other in silence for a moment, then Adele smiled wryly and pulled away. She seemed to have realized I wasn¡¯t going to answer immediately. But her determination to hear my answer tonight hadn¡¯t wavered. She pressed her finger against my lips and continued. ¡°Don¡¯t you already know? How you felt about me, how I felt about you.¡± ¡°Those were feelings from the past, weren¡¯t they?¡± Past feelings were just that, past feelings. They could influence our current emotions, but they weren¡¯t the same. Neither Adele nor I were particrly attached to the past, so I knew she was just making excuses. She was upset that I hadn¡¯t contacted her. She was disappointed that I didn¡¯t ask how she was doing, even though it had been a while since ourst meeting. What did this woman, who was trying to redefine our rtionship, truly desire? It wasn¡¯t a confession. I had a feeling it was something simple. I looked at her, her face even redder than before, and her eyes flickered when they met mine. ¡°Do you want me to say that I like you?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Then do you want me to whisper that I love you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not-¡± I wasn¡¯t the one lying down anymore. I pushed Adele¡¯s shoulder,ying her down on the bed and looking down at her. I calmed my ragged breathing and frowned slightly. ¡°Then please tell me what you want. What should I say to satisfy you, Adele?¡± I wanted her to calm down a little. She might regret her wordster if she said them while drunk. She might be slightly tipsy, but we might not even be able to face each other tomorrow. I could hold her hand. We weren¡¯t so distant that I couldn¡¯t do something like that. Her roundabout words meant she was hesitant. She was stalling, saying anything but what she truly wanted to say. I held Adele¡¯s hand as she tried to get up, and she frowned, looking at my face as it drew closer. ¡°¡­You¡¯re being disrespectful. I¡¯m the Grand Duchess. Someone might think you outrank me.¡± ¡°Do you still consider yourself the Grand Duchess here? You¡¯re acting like you don¡¯t know who¡¯s in charge.¡± ¡°Ha. Have you lost your fear now that you¡¯re Duke?¡± She said it angrily, but there was a faint smile ying on her lips. She didn¡¯t resist. Her body was almost limp, as if she had been waiting for this. She called me disrespectful but did nothing. What did that mean? I knew the answer all too well, and it was me who was hesitating. ¡°I haven¡¯t lost it. I¡¯ve never been afraid of what you do.¡± I hadn¡¯t been afraid, even when a sword was at my throat. Wasn¡¯t that why she was interested in me? Adele seemed to recall that memory as well. She smiled wryly, looking at me. It had been almost a year since we first met. It was summer then, but now it was spring. How much had our rtionship changed during that time? It was simple to answer. A lot. It had changed for the better. Adele fidgeted with her hands. She seemed to want to get up. Perhaps she realized how embarrassing her actions were, as her ears turned red. She pushed against my chest. ¡°¡­Get off me. I¡¯m getting up.¡± ¡°Do you understand now? How I felt just now?¡± ¡°Well, I only feel regret.¡± Adele chuckled softly and stroked my cheek. ¡°A man who doesn¡¯t do anything when he has a woman beneath him? How disappointing.¡± I chuckled softly at her yful response. She seemed confident that nothing would happen. But I had no intention of doing anything either. I simply got up carefully without a word. Adele also got up, watching me intently. She looked at me for a moment, then took a swig from the remaining bottle and sighed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a little embarrassing.¡± ¡°Just a little?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be doing more embarrassing thingster, so there¡¯s no need to be so shy.¡± I smiled awkwardly at her words, and Adele chuckled, finding my reaction amusing. She closed her eyes, cing the empty bottle on the table. When she opened her eyes again, she looked at me and spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to live honestly. I realized I might miss out on the most important things if I¡¯m always considering and worrying about other things.¡± ¡°What made you think that?¡± ¡°Seeing you with the Saint.¡± Perhaps those blunt words were her way of proving her point about living honestly. I should stop being flustered by her unexpected remarks. I had a feeling I understood why she said those things. She was done being passive. She wasn¡¯t going to be the Adele I remembered from the past. She was going to be more assertive¡­ and more direct. Adele continued speaking, her pace quickening as if she was dissatisfied with my silence. ¡°Thinking about it, I was the first to meet you in this life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°If my memory is correct, you met the Princessst.¡± I nodded, and Adele narrowed her eyes, staring at me. She seemed to have a lot to say. Her lips twitched several times before she finally spoke, her thoughts seemingly organized. ¡°But I always feel like I¡¯m a step behind.¡± A fleeting loneliness crossed her sky-blue eyes. The north wind symbolized solitude. People often said they felt lonely when the north wind blew, so they didn¡¯t like winter. But this ce was winter even in spring and summer. What was it like for Adele, who lived in eternal winter? A bitter smile touched Adele¡¯s lips. Her gaze held a mixture of emotions, more intense than in the past. Love, loneliness, solitude. ¡°That¡¯s why I asked. What you think of me.¡± My feelings for Adele remained unchanged. I didn¡¯t dislike her. I even had affection for her. But I didn¡¯t want to go further. If we became involved before everything was over, we would return to square one if I failed. Someone would be heartbroken, even if this was myst life. That was why I was holding onto this precarious line. Some might call me cowardly, but I had no intention of changing my approach. I would act this way until I was certain I could kill the Crown Prince. It wasn¡¯t that I wanted to avoid her question. I knew I could resolve this frustrating situation with a single word. If I wanted to, I could win her heart in a day and return to my previous rtionship with Miragen. The reason I wasn¡¯t doing so was simply because I was afraid. I was still hesitant. Adele seemed to understand, but she was also frustrated. The distance between us had narrowed. Adele¡¯s face was even redder than before, and her shallow breaths tickled my skin. Her hand touched my leg, our faces drawing closer. Adele continued. ¡°You won¡¯t answer my question, will you? Not until you achieve your goal.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You¡­ You have a talent for frustrating people.¡± Adele gripped my shoulder and lowered her head. She sighed again, then looked up, meeting my gaze. She seemed angry, or perhaps simply drunk. But one thing was certain, she wasn¡¯t teasing me. When her unwavering blue eyes met mine, Adele spoke. ¡°It would be nice if you just stayed still, but you¡¯re always moving, trying to go to someone else. You never contact me when you go to them. Sometimes I feel like you¡¯re going to disappear, and sometimes I feel like you¡¯re wandering around, searching for a ce to die.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You never say anything to me. I never allowed it. I never wanted it.¡± I was about to apologize, but the distance between us narrowed further, silencing me. I could feel her warm breath on my skin, the soft touch of her hands on my cheeks. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } ¡°I¡¯m jealous, Robert.¡± ¡°You said that before.¡± ¡°I was the first to meet you, the first to be interested in you, and probably the first to hold your hand¡­ in this life.¡± Adele chuckled, as if finding her own words amusing, and looked at me. The distance between us closed again. This time, it happened so quickly that I flinched at the strange sensation against my forehead. Something soft and warm touched my skin before disappearing. It wasn¡¯t a hand. I stared at Adele in confusion, and she chuckled softly, answering my unspoken question. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to have you. So be careful from now on.¡± Don¡¯t cross the line. Her smile was so alluring that I couldn¡¯t utter a word. Perhaps¡­ for a very long time. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Your Text Here] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? Chapter 119 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Alcohol sometimes revealed one¡¯s true feelings, but it could also expose emotions one wished to keep hidden. Had she been upset with Robert? She had already decided to tell him that much, but she didn¡¯t intend to im ownership of him. It would have been fine to simply say she missed him¡­Adele clutched her throbbing head, her expression troubled. She wasn¡¯t the type to get easily drunk, but strangely, she had be intoxicated after three bottles. It had happened earlier this morning. Adele touched her lips and looked to the side. The missing memories were causing her a lot of trouble. Why was Robert here? And why was he sleeping? Adele tried to piece together the fragmented memories, starting from thest thing she remembered. She desperately hoped that the ¡°ident¡± she was imagining hadn¡¯t actually urred. Sigh¡­ ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó When Robert realized Adele¡¯s lips were against his forehead, he chuckled softly, touching his forehead. It was a first for him. Adele had gone beyond holding his hand and had initiated physical contact. It was something she normally wouldn¡¯t do. ¡°You¡¯ve be bold.¡± Robert was also embarrassed. He hadn¡¯t expected her to act this way. Who would have imagined Adele would be so forward with him? He would need to regress several more times to predict something like this. He was so flustered that he tried to make a joke to ease the awkwardness, even though his cheeks were already slightly flushed. Perhaps he was drunk, not from the alcohol, but from the atmosphere. He cleared his throat, looking at Adele, who was still silent. He couldn¡¯t understand how she could be so calm after making him feel so flustered. He was about to explode from the close proximity, but she was acting as if nothing had happened. Well, Adele wasn¡¯t actually calm, but Robert, seeing her indifferent expression, assumed she wasposed. Of course, Adele¡¯s mind was racing even more than his. ¡°¡­Remember what I just said.¡± Adele¡¯s ears turned bright red as she spoke. Bold? Never. It had been an impulsive decision to kiss his forehead. After all, this was the first time she had experienced such feelings. Feeling possessive of a person, not an object¡­ it was all new to her. She had even dered that she would take all his firsts. She wouldn¡¯t have said that, even in front of Robert, if she had been sober. It was the alcohol¡¯s fault. But before she could try to regain control, the alcohol had already taken over, clouding her mind. She tried to pull away, but her body swayed, making it difficult to move. She felt dizzy, her vision blurring. Adele leaned forward, copsing against Robert. He caught her effortlessly and smiled wryly. He could feel her warmth against him. She was wearing a thin outfit, different from her usual clothes, and he could feel the curves of her body. He sighed softly, overwhelmed by the heat that was already building within him. Perhaps she had said those things because she was drunk. She had already emptied four bottles on her own. It was only natural that a normal person couldn¡¯t handle that much. Even Adele, who usually couldn¡¯t drink this much without losing control¡­ she hadn¡¯t received divine power like him, so how could she possibly be fine after four bottles? He tried to forget what she had said, but Adele, clinging to him, spoke softly. Her words seemed to refute his thoughts, as if she had read his mind. ¡°You think I said those things because I¡¯m drunk.¡± ¡°I never thought that.¡± ¡°Your expression tells me everything. Did you think I was taking you lightly? Absolutely not.¡± Her embrace tightened, and he flinched when she exhaled against his neck. Her warm breath tickled his skin. He was afraid he might lose his strength and copse with her if this continued, so he held her tightly, simply listening to her voice. Adele continued, regardless of whether he listened or not. She might have said those words while drunk, but her feelings were genuine. She had held back from being more honest because she was still unsure. She had been truly upset. She clung to him even tighter and spoke again. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you, even when you don¡¯t know, even when you¡¯re looking elsewhere. My gaze has always been on you, even when you¡¯re focused on something else. You¡¯re the only one who doesn¡¯t know. I know.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you have to be so oblivious?¡± Her words made him chuckle. He gently pushed her away. He understood what she was trying to say. He now knew what had upset her, what she desired. He couldn¡¯t fulfill all her desires. He had a line he wouldn¡¯t cross. Even the kiss on his forehead had been beyond that line. But he couldn¡¯t get angry at her, could he? Come to think of it, it was probably the first time something like this had happened in this life. He didn¡¯t know what other firsts he would lose¡­ but this was enough for today. Adele, released from his embrace, stumbled and sat down on a chair. She knew she was quite drunk, and she was annoyed that Robert wasn¡¯t as intoxicated. She had made him drink a lot¡­ why was she the only one in this state? Her vision was blurry, her head spinning. The world seemed to be tilting with every passing moment. She should be lying in bed, sleeping. ¡­But if she did, Robert would leave. She couldn¡¯t fall asleep so easily. Her attempts to stay awake were obvious. Robert smiled softly, watching her struggling to sit upright. Did she want to continue this so badly? But time was limited, and Adele had to fall asleep before dawn. She was the Grand Duchess who ruled thisnd. It wouldn¡¯t be good for everyone to see her drunk, especially since she had been drinking alone with him. It would be better to get her to bed as soon as possible. Robert approached her and offered his arm, and Adele frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not sleeping. I¡¯m not even that drunk.¡± ¡°You seem quite drunk to me. You even kissed me.¡± ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t count if I didn¡¯t kiss your lips. I¡¯ll do that next time when I¡¯m sober. When I¡¯m not drunk, when you¡¯re thinking about something else. Perhaps I¡¯ll do it in front of the Saint or the Princess. Hehe.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how to react to her tant words, but he was relieved she didn¡¯t seem as upset as before. When he offered his arm, Adele stood up obediently. She had been thinking about getting up anyway. She knew Robert wouldn¡¯t budge if she resisted. And she didn¡¯t want to upset him by staying seated any longer. She stumbled towards the bed and copsed onto it. She hadn¡¯t even ced her head on the pillow, but she was too weak to get up again. Was this what it felt like to be swallowed whole by a bed? The soft mattress enveloped her, pulling her into its depths. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to resist the sensation, then opened them again. Robert¡¯s face came into view, and Adele smiled brightly, reaching out her arm. Her hand iled in the air, missing him. Her cat-like gesture, reaching out as if trying to catch something, seemed quite threatening to Robert. He leaned closer, wondering if she was calling for him, and Adele¡¯s hand grabbed his arm, pulling him towards her. ¡°Gotcha.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not an object.¡± ¡°You would have left if I hadn¡¯t caught you, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Despite all the alcohol she had consumed, the sweet scent of her perfume was stronger than the smell of liquor. The fragrance was so intoxicating that he almost lost his mind. Robert lifted his head slightly to escape it. He would have buried his face in her chest if he hadn¡¯t used his strength to resist. That would be quite dangerous in this situation. Adele chuckled when she saw his narrowed eyes and loosened her grip on his arm. She wouldn¡¯t stop him if he left now. She was simply being selfish. It was normal for him to leave, wasn¡¯t it? She hadn¡¯t let gopletely because of that. Because she was reluctant to let him go. Because she wanted him to stay a little longer. So she held onto his sleeve with her fingertips. Robert, whose sleeve was caught, looked at her. He couldn¡¯t leave because of her hand. Was she trying to hold him back or let him go? Whenever he tried to move, her fingers tugged at his sleeve. He chuckled softly, then approached Adele and sat down on the empty space on the bed. ¡°What do you want?¡± Honestly, he didn¡¯t really want to leave. If he did, he would have left already. He had stayed, despite her attempts to hold him back, because he was enjoying himself. It had been a while since they were alone together. He was troubled by what Adele had said to him. He was wondering if he should stay a little longer. Adele hesitated for a moment at his question. If she said, ¡°I want you,¡± he would likely dismiss it as a joke. She hesitated for a moment, then spoke softly. ¡°I want you to¡­ hold me.¡± Until I fall asleep, so I don¡¯t forget you¡¯re here. She opened her arms slightly, and Robert chuckled, moving carefully. They embraced, feeling each other¡¯s warmth. Adele, reassured by his presence, drifted into sleep. She didn¡¯t want to fall asleep. She wanted to savor this moment a little longer. But she had drunk too much. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } Even as her consciousness faded, she clung to Robert. Just before she fell asleeppletely, Adele whispered in his ear. ¡°I missed you.¡± More than you know. She could even praise herself for not going to the capital. Robert was surprised for a moment, then smiled softly. ¡°Me too.¡± That was why he stayed and slept beside her. Even as he slept, he didn¡¯t let go of her hand. It was a truth of that night that only Adele would never remember. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Your Text Here] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? Chapter 120 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°¡­Why are you sleeping here?¡± Her flustered expression was so rare that I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as soon as I opened my eyes. Was it really that surprising? I thought about it for a moment, then recalled how drunk Adele had beenst night.Had she lost her memories? She had said all those things to me, and now she couldn¡¯t remember? I felt a bit cheated. I didn¡¯t know how to react. I looked at Adele and pondered. Should I exin it to her? Or should I let her continue to be flustered? But I couldn¡¯t stay silent. Her expression would only darken if I did. I decided it was fine to tease her a little. I pulled the nket up to my chest and looked at her. Her lips moved silently several times before she answered cautiously. ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± ¡°My head hurts¡­ I think I remember some things, but it¡¯s hazy. I remember kissing you. But I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m sleeping here.¡± So she remembered the kiss. She had drunk a couple more bottles after that, so it was understandable that her memory was fragmented. She had be more honest because the alcohol had hit her all at once. It was only natural, considering she had been drinking that strong liquor like water. Adele ran her hand over her forehead and sighed softly. Her attempts to grasp the situation were amusing. Did she really not remember? Well, it was possible. Anyway, I had to leave this room. The sun had risen. Adele had clung to me so tightly that I had fallen asleep beside her. But it would be better to leave before anyone saw us and got the wrong idea. I chuckled softly at her gaze and straightened my clothes, slowly getting out of bed. I assumed she would remember eventually, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to tease her while she still couldn¡¯t remember. ¡°Didn¡¯t you do all sorts of things to mest night? You were quite strong, so I couldn¡¯t resist.¡± ¡°Me, to you?¡± ¡°Yes, it was my first time. You don¡¯t seem to remember.¡± It was her first time. It was the first time Adele had told me she missed me, and technically, she was the first to kiss me on the forehead. I chuckled softly at her flustered reaction and walked towards the door. It was still early in the morning, so it should be fine if I left now. As I opened the door to leave, I saw someone standing there. Startled by my appearance, Lothos¡¯s eyes narrowed as he looked at the namete on the door. His usually dark skin turned pale, and his finger, trembling, pointed at me. The first thing that came to mind was that Lothos would misunderstand. And then I realized¡­ This was going to be troublesome. ¡°This is the Grand Duchess¡¯s room. At this hour¡­ did you sleep together?¡± He asked, flustered, but there was a faint smile on his lips. He probably thought he had hit the jackpot. I didn¡¯t answer. The scene behind me was answer enough. Adele¡¯s usually neat pajamas were disheveled, empty bottles and tes scattered around the room. And me, emerging from that room at this hour¡­ It could only mean one thing. I smiled wryly. I couldn¡¯t deny it. We had definitely slept together. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect your rtionship to progress so quickly.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me even if I told you. I¡¯m not going to bother making excuses.¡± ¡°Who would believe that a man and a woman drank together and just slept? Well, I suppose it¡¯s possible for the Grand Duchess.¡± Lothos chuckled to himself and shrugged. I had asked him to tidy up the room and was dealing with Lothos alone instead of showing him Adele¡¯s disheveled state. Misunderstandings? I didn¡¯t really care if they arose. Judging from Ilona¡¯s attitude, no one seemed interested in pushing the issue. Besides, if we had slept together, people could think whatever they wanted. That was why I was regretting it. Perhaps I should have kept a bit more distance. We weren¡¯t lovers yet, but our rtionship was practically the same, wasn¡¯t it? ¡­I had a lot on my mind. I was confident Adele would maintain the invisible line between us, but¡­ Lothos seemed amused by the situation. He grinned for a while before clearing his throat and looking at me. ¡°Anyway, I was quite surprised. I knew you were meeting with her privately, but I thought you would leave after drinking.¡± ¡°Things happened. Do you have any more questions?¡± ¡°May I ask just one thing?¡± I told him to ask, and Lothos hesitated for a moment before answering. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you see in the Grand Duchess.¡± ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± Anyone listening would think we were already lovers. Even if that were true, our rtionship wasn¡¯t as developed as it had been in the past. I hadn¡¯te here to have this conversation with Lothos. I had other objectives in mind. I was hoping for a more productive discussion. I frowned and sighed, staring at Lothos before shaking my head. I didn¡¯t need to answer every single question. I was more concerned about Adele, who was alone in her room, so I decided to change the subject. ¡°I¡¯m here because of the Grand Duchess¡¯s letter, but I also need your help with something I¡¯m investigating.¡± ¡°You need my help?¡± ¡°If I want to obtain information from the North, you¡¯re the best person to ask, aren¡¯t you?¡± Perhaps he realized I wasn¡¯t interested in idle chatter. The smile on his face faded as he adopted his usual serious expression for ¡°work.¡± He offered me a chair and spoke. ¡°I already know what you¡¯re looking for. I¡¯ve been investigating the capital as well. Are you looking for the masked figures?¡± ¡°You¡¯re well-informed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to find information about them, but I haven¡¯t been able to get anything concrete. I only know that they¡¯ve been sighted near the Northwest and the uncharted territory.¡± The uncharted territory. That made me even more suspicious. The uncharted territory was an areapletely sealed off by ancient magic. It was a ce where no one could reach, and even the Four Dragons couldn¡¯t detect it, meaning it was protected by a powerful seal. I would have to investigate why Kaitel was interested in such a ce. Even after countless regressions, Kaitel remained an enigma. I didn¡¯t know why he killed me, why he didn¡¯t eradicate the Taylor House even after framing me for treason. ¡°Are you going to continue investigating them?¡± I nodded at Lothos¡¯s question. It was just as important as meeting with Adele. I didn¡¯t have much time here, so I hoped to find some clues. But I didn¡¯t expect it to be easy. Lothos seemed to share my thoughts. He frowned and answered. ¡°I know you¡¯re not staying long, but it won¡¯t be easy to find anything.¡± ¡°I know. It would be a stroke of luck if we found even a single clue.¡± ¡°The Grand Duchess will be disappointed. She seemed quite excited to spend time with you.¡± His words piqued my interest. What had Adele been doing while I was gone that made everyone in the North curious about our rtionship? I hadn¡¯t given much thought to Adele¡¯s actions while I was away. I had only assumed she hadn¡¯t been sleeping well. I wondered if it was okay to ask. But it was better to know than to bepletely oblivious. Lothos answered readily when I asked, as if he had been waiting for it. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } He had more to say than I had expected. Things that would make anyone blush. ¡°She was actually going to order an expedition. I had a hard time convincing her that things would escte if she went to the capital.¡± ¡°I heard she wasn¡¯t sleeping well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. When we gathered in the morning, we always talked about when the Duke would finally change.¡± Lothos wiped the sweat off his forehead and sighed. He looked as haggard as Adele. Had she really been that worried about me? I alsoughed when he told me she had deliberately changed the bed in my room. I thought she had be much more honest. She hadn¡¯t been very expressive in the past, even when she had feelings for me. I couldn¡¯t understand why she would get angry sometimes. Now, she acted like a cat. I had oncepared her to a wolf. She had been Adele Igrit, the cold and calcting woman who stood alone in solitude. But her softened personality and behavior were new to me in this life. I smiled as I pondered Adele¡¯s actions, and Lothos, who had been staring at me, cleared his throat and spoke cautiously. ¡°Since I¡¯ve told you all this, I would appreciate it if you answered my question. The one I asked earlier.¡± ¡°Well, if you¡¯re asking what I find appealing about her¡­¡± I felt like answering for a split second. I sensed someone outside the door, and it was easy to answer. I chuckled softly and spoke loudly enough for the person outside to hear. ¡°Let¡¯s just say she¡¯s beautiful.¡± Thump. The sound from outside the door was so loud that I could only smile. Why were they eavesdropping? It was their own fault. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? Chapter 121 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó I had sensed someone outside the door a while ago. I was talking to Lothos when I suddenly felt a presence. I quickly realized it was Adele. She was probably here to talk to me or to eavesdrop on our conversation. But I had simply given her a taste of her own medicine for forgetting what she had saidst night. While I wasn¡¯t particrly upset, it was a bit much for her to say those things and then not remember anything.I thought it was a sufficient punishment. Lothos seemed surprised by my blunt words, but he chuckled softly when he heard the sound from outside the door. He must have sensed someone was listening to our conversation. He seemed to have figured out who it was. He shrugged and looked at me. Lothos was quite perceptive. He would have realized by now that I wouldn¡¯t normally say such things. His gaze flickered between me and the door before settling on me again. Lothos smiled faintly and spoke softly. ¡°Hmm, I thought you would say something like that. You wouldn¡¯t lie about something like this.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to lie about something like this.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie. I had always thought Adele was beautiful, I just hadn¡¯t said it out loud. It wasn¡¯t my concern how others interpreted it. I realized how much my mindset had changed since my first regression. Back then, I was searching for a ce to die, desperately seeking a quick end. But now, my heart, which I had thought was empty, was filled with unfamiliar emotions. Should I view this as a positive change or a negative one? Lost in thought, Lothos suddenly appeared in front of me, covering his mouth with his hand as he whispered. ¡°You¡¯re surprisingly mischievous. Did you say that on purpose?¡± ¡°¡­Half of it was intentional.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± He grinned, seemingly intrigued, and gave me a thumbs-up. He seemed quite pleased with my actions. When nobles did that, it was usually because they had witnessed a satisfying performance. Was he that satisfied with what I had just done? Well, it was obvious how Adele and I would appear to an outsider. A love story straight out of a novel. If they didn¡¯t know about the regressions and deaths, they would think spring had arrived in the North. If my life were a y, I couldn¡¯t be sure what kind of ending my current mindset was leading towards. Was death aedy, or was my desire to survive a tragedy? I would soon find out how my 101st life would end. It was ironic. My desire to live could lead to my own misfortune. It was a story that would be met with ridicule. But it wasn¡¯t something I could confide in anyone. I looked at Lothos, who had a sly expression on his face, and chuckled wryly before walking towards the door. I suddenly flung open the door, which had been radiating a presence for a while now, and saw a woman standing there. As expected, she was looking at me with a strange expression. ¡°Were you here all along?¡± ¡°It seems like you knew.¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t. Perhaps Lothos did.¡± But I decided to put those thoughts about endings aside for now. Hadn¡¯t Ie to the North to clear my head? Trouble would find me even if I didn¡¯t seek it out. For now, I wanted to rx. ¡°Is that the attitude you learned from bing Duke?¡± ¡°Attitude?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve be more cunning. You used to avoid my gaze, but now you¡¯re teasing me.¡± The difference stemmed from my changed mindset. I had initially avoided Adele to prevent getting involved with her, but now I was envisioning a future where she wouldn¡¯t die. I was quite exhausted when I first regressed. I desperately wanted to end the cycle, and my final wish had been for someone to kill me. ¡°I¡¯m morefortable now. Compared to before.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be staging a rebellion if you get any morefortable.¡± ¡°Who knows? I might even be the Grand Duke someday.¡± There was no need to be awkward. Adele was alive and well, and there were no problems at this time. Trouble would arise in autumn, but for now, it was still spring. Adele watched me with a faint smile, then burst intoughter and shook her head. Lothos had disappeared, and a strange silence filled the room, now only upied by the two of us. I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to leave until tomorrow, so it was fine to stay with Adele until then. But she seemed hesitant to talk to me, perhaps because of what had happenedst night. I was wondering if I should initiate the conversation when Adele finally spoke. ¡°I¡­ I remember everything fromst night. I thought about it earlier, and it seems I said a lot of strange things.¡± ¡°You remember everything now? I was a bit upset that you might not.¡± I chuckled softly when she flinched at my words. It wasn¡¯t a big deal. I just enjoyed teasing her. And it was hard to stop when she reacted so amusingly to every word. But I knew she was being sincere. She had said she was upset and that she missed me. There was a reason for the saying, ¡°Drunken words are sober thoughts.¡± She must have said those things because she truly wanted to. But it was her responsibility to deal with the embarrassment. Adele¡¯s cheeks flushed as she looked at her hands, realizing she had clung to me until I fell asleep. ¡°I think I should avoid drinking with you in the future. You wouldn¡¯t befortable with me being too honest, would you?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t ufortable. It¡¯s better than hiding it. You came here because you wanted to apologize, so I would have said the same things.¡± I smiled brightly at Adele, who was still looking at me, and continued. ¡°I missed you too.¡± I hadn¡¯t contacted her mostly because I was busy. It was an excuse, but I had assumed she would forget about it eventually. And I had thought the North would be busy at this time of year. But her feelings had deepened more than I had expected. It was my fault in the end. Adele cleared her throat, frowning at me. She always made that expression when she was embarrassed. She disliked showing her embarrassment to others, so I changed the subject. We couldn¡¯t stay like this forever. She couldn¡¯t keep being embarrassed about what happenedst night. Adele seemed relieved by the change in topic. When I asked about the current situation in the North, she thought for a moment and replied briefly, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± If she said it was fine, it was probably fine. But it wasn¡¯t apletely positive answer, so I tilted my head slightly. What could be wrong now that the subjugation of the barbarian tribes wasplete? Adele seemed to have noticed my confusion and continued. ¡°The uncharted territory has been acting strangetely. Things that shouldn¡¯t be there have appeared.¡± ¡°The uncharted territory¡­ Are you talking about the masked figures?¡± Adele¡¯s eyes narrowed at my question. She seemed to be asking if I knew about them. I nodded, and she touched her forehead, her lips moving silently. She seemed troubled by their presence. They were bothersome even if they weren¡¯t actively doing anything. ¡°You knew about them too? They don¡¯t seem to be doing anything, but they keep appearing. They shouldn¡¯t be able to enter the uncharted territory, so I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re up to.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been investigating them as well. I was nning to continue my investigation after arriving in the North.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s what you were discussing with Lothos earlier.¡± I nodded. I had a feeling the unrest urring near the Taylor Dukedom might be rted to the masked figures. We still didn¡¯t have any concrete information, so we could only rely on spection for now. We knew for sure that they were connected to Kaitel and the Four Dragons. But it was unlikely they were trying to resurrect the Four Dragons. Even Arwen had said it was highly improbable. It would be impossible without a mage more powerful than her. ¡°I¡¯m still considering it. It would be easier if we had some clues, but right now, we can only search blindly.¡± ¡°Lothos didn¡¯t seem to know much either. Do you need my help?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I can handle it alone. You have things to do, don¡¯t you?¡± Adele sighed again and frowned, looking at me in frustration. I was puzzled by her reaction, but then she touched her forehead and spoke. ¡°Are you nning to leave me alone again? You said you remembered everything I saidst night, but it seems like you¡¯ve forgotten it all.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m just saying you don¡¯t have to help me. You don¡¯t need to misunderstand-¡± ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } ¡°I anticipated this, so I already took care of it. You seem to have forgotten, but I also remember the time I spent with you.¡± Adele tapped her head and smiled, pulling out a piece of paper from her pocket. It was a tightly sealed scroll. It had the Grand Duchess¡¯s seal on it. It was one of the documents ssified as top secret, if I remembered correctly. ¡°I thought about why you came to the North. I didn¡¯t think you woulde here just to see me, so I looked into what you¡¯ve been investigatingtely.¡± ¡°¡­And you found out that I¡¯m interested in the masked figures.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I also found something rted to them in my archives.¡± Adele touched her smooth lips with her finger and smiled seductively, seeing my stunned expression. She seemed to have been waiting for this reaction. She smiled softly and added, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I won¡¯t let you go.¡± ¡°¡­Haha.¡± ¡°At least not while you¡¯re in the North. I¡¯m not letting you go alone. Regardless of your wishes.¡± Adele seemed to be in a good mood. Perhaps I had taken the bait. But it wasn¡¯t entirely bad for me either. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? Chapter 122 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°The Four Dragons.¡± When Adele spoke those words, I flinched and narrowed my eyes. I hadn¡¯t expected to hear about the Four Dragons here. I asked if she knew about them, and Adele, shaking her head, mentioned Lothos and continued. ¡°If they¡¯re appearing in the uncharted territory, it¡¯s only natural to be interested in the Four Dragons. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±¡°¡­That¡¯s true. If it¡¯s the uncharted territory, there¡¯s only one being rted to it.¡± ¡°You were also interested in the artifacts when you visited the South. I assumed it had something to do with the Four Dragons. And if it¡¯s the Four Dragons¡­ there¡¯s something rted to them in the North as well.¡± I tilted my head at her words. There couldn¡¯t be any artifacts in this deste wastnd. While it was a region associated with the Four Dragons, I had never heard of them hiding artifacts or any ruins here. I had investigated the artifacts thoroughly; surely, I would have looked into the North? While I hadn¡¯t visited the North often, I had assumed it wasn¡¯t relevant. That assumption was shattered by the document Adele showed me. One of the Four Dragons¡¯ ruins, a ce secretly built by those who worshipped them long ago, inheriting their will¡­ Why hadn¡¯t it been discovered until now? Adele said she hadn¡¯t investigated it because she wasn¡¯t interested, but there were too many suspicious details for that to be the only reason. I had a hunch, a terrifying one. If Kaitel had killed Adele for this¡­ If his objective wasn¡¯t Adele¡¯s power, but the uncharted territory and the ruins rted to the Four Dragons¡­ Perhaps that would exin why Adele died. ¡°Are you suggesting we investigate this together?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not far from here. We should arrive in a few dozen minutes by wolf. I¡¯m not letting you go alone. If you¡¯re going, you¡¯re going with me. And if you don¡¯t want to, I won¡¯t let you go.¡± ¡°¡­Someone might think you¡¯re obsessed with me.¡± ¡°Anyone would be if they saw the man they cared about constantly getting injured or in danger. Consider it your fault.¡± I wished she wouldn¡¯t do anything that would attract Kaitel¡¯s attention, but I didn¡¯t think anything would change just because she didn¡¯t apany me. She had died even when she focused solely on the subjugation and avoided any other activities. I considered it for a moment and nodded. Her face brightened instantly, and I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, running a hand over my face. I had thought I was the one in control of this rtionship, but perhaps I was the one being led. Adele remained silent as we rode the wolves. Perhaps she was still processing the mention of the Four Dragons. Even I was skeptical about their existence. It was understandable that Adele would feel the same. The Four Dragons, ancient beings¡­ if they reappeared, there was no guarantee we could defeat them. Adele nced at me after a while and spoke hesitantly. She seemed to have something to say, so I looked at her intently, and she finally spoke. ¡°Have you known about the Four Dragons for a long time?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like you suddenly became interested in them. You know the masked figures are searching for the Four Dragons. I thought you might have been investigating them for a while.¡± I was more interested in Kaitel than the Four Dragons, but I had helped him use his precognitive abilities, so¡­ Adele sighed and smiled wryly when I nodded. She seemed displeased, and I tilted my head in confusion. She answered. ¡°You always seem to be looking for trouble. Even if you had multiple lives¡­ sigh, is that why you live like that?¡± ¡°I only take risks I can handle. Who would live wanting to die?¡± ¡°If anyone did, it would be you. You have a talent for making people worry. I almost want tomend you for it.¡± Her tone was sarcastic, but her words, clearly criticizing my behavior, stung. I had asked who would live wanting to die, but wasn¡¯t my life dedicated to death? I had simply made an excuse because I couldn¡¯t be honest with Adele. There was no need to tell her the truth. The conversation lulled, and Adele, who had been staring at me, looked away. We continued forward, the wind cool but not as cold as before. We arrived at an empty area near the eastern part of the North, not far from the main castle. Adele drew her sword and plunged it into the ground. ¡°You know this sword isn¡¯t ordinary, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a legendary sword. A symbol of the North.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also a sword that consumes a tremendous amount of magic, enough to make an ordinary person explode. So¡­ if you can channel magic into it, it means you¡¯ve already surpassed a certain level.¡± That was why Adele had lent me her sword. I could withstand the sword¡¯s magic and wield it freely. Adele¡¯s magic flowed from her body into the sword embedded in the ground. The magic, flowing into the earth, became a key. The area around the uncharted territory was already saturated with magic, and the ground, tinged with blue, began to vibrate. Adele pulled out her sword as she felt the ground shaking beneath her feet. ¡°It can be used as a key. If there¡¯s a sealed ce like this, we can force it open.¡± ¡°My sword won¡¯t work. It¡¯s not a legendary sword yet.¡± ¡°I can lend it to you. On the condition that you return it safely, of course.¡± Adele smiled faintly and looked at the ground, nowpletely open. There was a staircase leading down, but the energy emanating from within made me frown. Had the Moonstone ever reacted this strongly before? I knew it reacted to artifacts, but this reaction was like a resonance, as if it had found its other half. My heart pounded, and I swayed, my vision blurring for a moment. Adele approached me and steadied me, holding my shoulder. ¡°¡­Are you alright? You suddenly look pale.¡± ¡°There¡¯s definitely something down there. I can feel it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t scare me like that. It makes things harder for me.¡± Everything about the Moonstone was a mystery. An artifact I had obtained one day as if by fate, an artifact whose origins I couldn¡¯t recall¡­ I only remembered that it had triggered my regressions, as if it had been programmed into my mind. It wasn¡¯t mentioned in any books, and any records of its existence had beenpletely destroyed. There was something there. But I couldn¡¯t grasp it. Perhaps I would find out today. I nodded, my condition now stable, and Adele sighed, stepping away. ¡°Then let¡¯s go in. We need to see what¡¯s inside.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not feeling well, we can checkter-¡± ¡°We have to check now.¡± Her firm response stemmed from her desire to resolve this mystery. What was the Moonstone? Why was it reacting so strongly to this ce, a mere ruin of the Four Dragons? Adele frowned, realizing she couldn¡¯t change my mind, and nodded slowly. ¡°¡­Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± As we descended the stairs, the Moonstone¡¯s reaction intensified. It was deep. We continued down into the darkness, but there was no end in sight. The structure seemed simr to the tower in the South. Perhaps there was arge chamber below. I ran my hand along the damp, moss-covered walls as we walked, then paused, frowning at a section covered in an unusual amount of moss. Moss thrived in areas with high concentrations of magic. Adele also sensed something and swung her sword. Magic-infused mes erupted, consuming the moss and illuminating the path ahead. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } The mes, like a burning fuse, lit the way forward. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a ce like this. The magic feels¡­ suppressed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ruin of the Four Dragons. It was built by those who inherited their will, but ruins are mysterious things, aren¡¯t they?¡± Adele nodded and withdrew her magic as a massive door appeared. The faint remaining mes illuminated the single door. It opened easily when I pushed it, and Adele, who was walking ahead, stopped abruptly as she saw what was inside. And so did I. The chamber wasrger than expected, unlike the narrow staircase, but what caught our attention first was the massive statue in the center. One of the Four Dragons, roaring, baring its fangs. A being that tore apart humans, shattered mountains, and heralded the end. The majesty of the Four Dragons, who tried to plunge the world into eternal daylight by destroying the moon, was still present. Adele chuckled softly and took a step forward. ¡°So this was in the North. It seems I¡¯ve been neglecting it.¡± Unlike Adele, who was focused on the statue, my gaze wandered to the surrounding area. Something was densely inscribed around the statue. I recognized the characters, they were part of an ancientnguage I had learned while studying the artifacts. They were different from the ones I had seen in Arwen¡¯sboratory. These characters were probably written a thousand years ago. I slowly read the inscription directly in front of the statue¡¯s eyes. It was about the Four Dragons. ¡°¡­The dragon who tried to steal the moon has been sealed. Here, the great dragon who spoke of humanity¡¯s end disappears.¡± The words, written like a fairy tale, seemed to hold an enchanting power. I traced each character with my finger as I read, then paused at the part describing what happened after the Four Dragons were sealed. No one could attain eternal rest. The curse that binds the great dragon is merely a seal, a curse that will eventually be broken. But the dragon never gave up. It would eventually be broken. That was why Arwen was so worried. But the inscription didn¡¯t end there. My hand stopped at a particr sentence. My eyes narrowed, and I couldn¡¯t believe what I was reading. I chuckled softly, realizing how foolish my actions had been. The clue was right here, so close. Why had I hesitated for so long? The dragon could turn back time. Eternally, if it so desired. The key to regression¡­ was with the Four Dragons. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Your Text Here] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? Chapter 123 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó Clues about regression. I hadn¡¯t given it much thought, hadn¡¯t formed many theories. I hadn¡¯t delved deeply into it. I had simply epted it as a miracle, a chance to turn back time and retry everything. Why did I regress? Why did time always revert to the summer of my twentieth year?I could have returned to the moment before my death, or perhaps to my childhood, before everything began. If that were the case, I would have had more time to contemte and could have resolved everything in fewer regressions. It wasn¡¯t long ago that I started questioning why I always returned to the summer of my twentieth year, a difficult period with limited options. I couldn¡¯t find any information about the Moonstone, even when searching for the artifacts. It was as if it never existed, its traces erased from the world. That question led to more questions, a series of inconsistencies that brought me here. The meaning of the inscription on the wall of this ruin was simple. It was a simple answer, but it resolved some of the questions I had been pondering. The ipetent goddess couldn¡¯t interfere with time, so she was helpless against the great dragon hidden within its distorted flow. ¡°So, what remained was precognition.¡± While it was known as a seal, the mural depicted the Four Dragons split into two. To be precise, they were divided into mind and body, and it was the body of the Four Dragons that was sealed. The precognitive abilities, weakened by time, were considered nonexistent. It was a misconception. The precognitive abilities still remained, retaining their power. My hand traced the mural, moving quickly. My reading speed increased, as did myprehension. I needed a lot of knowledge to understand and process all of this. It took only a moment tobine this information with what I had learned about the Four Dragons from Arwen. My eyes narrowed as I continued reading the mural. I already knew that turning back time was one of the Four Dragons¡¯ abilities. But I hadn¡¯t given it much thought. I had assumed that the Moon Goddess could also manipte time if the artifact contained her power. But the mural clearly refuted that assumption. The Moon Goddess couldn¡¯t interfere with time. The only being capable of manipting and utilizing its distorted flow was the Four Dragons. In other words, the artifact known as the Moonstone wasn¡¯t created by the Moon Goddess. ¡°¡­Then.¡± My outstretched hand pointed to a mural depicting a dragon hidden within time. The dragon¡¯s objective was simple: to reim its body. It had to reim its body and destroy this world created by the Moon Goddess. But finding its body within the distorted flow of time wasn¡¯t easy. Time was aplex concept, so the great dragon, hidden within it, sought a way to reim its body. A body capable of epting its destructive nature, a body that could withstand its power. Preferably, a sentient being. The sentient beings in this world were the demi-humans and humans. Had the dragon tried to contact the demi-humans? The next mural answered that question. It depicted the demi-humans fighting against the dragon that emerged from time, all of them perishing. The survivors fled to a vast forest. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle when I saw the image of the vast forest. The forest where the demi-humans resided, the Southern region of the Empire¡­ The vast forest, located in the center of the continent, was known as the demi-humans¡¯ territory. The dragon killed all who opposed it. The terrified demi-humans fled to the forest seeking refuge, and the great forest would be their home for a long time. It was a statement that seemed to predict the future, but it was close to the truth. The demi-humans still resided there, even a thousand years after the disappearance of the Four Dragons. While they had been briefly disced during the Empire¡¯s rise, the forest had always belonged to them. The demi-humans had rejected the dragon, so I assumed the next vessel it sought was a human. There was only one sentient being capable of epting the dragon¡¯s time-traveling consciousness. I paused, running a hand over my face. Adele, who had approached me, was staring intently. She seemed to have noticed I was reading the inscription. While she couldn¡¯t understand the content, she must have realized it was something serious. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ read a little more.¡± ¡°Do as you please. It seems serious.¡± My hand moved to another mural. The inscription was slightly faded, but the image and text clearly depicted the dragon making contact with humans. Humans found the dragon intriguing, and not all rejected the being that had defied the gods. After all, a tenth of the Empire didn¡¯t worship the Moon Goddess. Adele looked at the human interacting with the dragon and spoke hesitantly. ¡°Is he with the dragon?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have enough information to exin it in detail, but yes. It¡¯s about regression.¡± Adele frowned at the mention of regression. She knew that time reversed when I died. She seemed to find it difficult to talk about, clearing her throat several times before continuing cautiously. ¡°Regression¡­ you mean what you¡¯re experiencing?¡± ¡°I suppose it¡¯s an exnation¡­ but a lot of things are different.¡± The source of the regression wasn¡¯t the Moon Goddess, nor was it me. Then who had created the Moonstone? The answer could only be the Four Dragons. The only being capable of interfering with time. If the mural wasn¡¯t misleading, and the Moonstone was still resonating with this ruin¡­ there was only one conclusion I could draw. The Moonstone was created by the Four Dragons. I was living within a repeating time loop created by them. But why? I pondered this for a moment, then realized the mural ended there. Or rather, it had been erased. Not deliberately erased by someone, but faded with time. The faint remaining characters clearly mentioned time, but the information was iplete. I would probably need the Church¡¯s help to find more information about this ce. Or perhaps I should ask Arwen for help. She was the foremost expert on the Four Dragons at this point. She wouldn¡¯t have visited this ruin in the North, so perhaps this ce would be helpful for her research. ¡°Did you find anything?¡± I shrugged at her gaze. I had found something, but it only raised more questions. The only thing I had discovered was that the Moonstone might belong to the Four Dragons. My regression was intentional. It wasn¡¯t solely for my benefit, it was intertwined with the Four Dragons¡¯ intention to reim their bodies within the distorted flow of time. I tried to be optimistic, but there was nothing positive about this. I forced a smile. I didn¡¯t want to show my confusion in front of Adele. ¡°Do you think you look fine just because you¡¯re smiling?¡± Her words, seeing through my facade, made my smile falter. I had tried to hide it, but was it that obvious? Adele looked at me, blinking slowly. She muttered that it was a mistake toe to this ruin, then approached me, taking my hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. For bringing you here.¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s no need to apologize. It¡¯s something I need to consider.¡± ¡°Then I should apologize even more. If it¡¯s something you need to consider, then I need to consider it as well.¡± I didn¡¯t understand her words at first, but then I did, and I looked at her. She didn¡¯t seem embarrassed at all. Her confident, almost defiant attitude flustered me. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear you say it¡¯s a secret anymore. I¡¯ve been thinking about this since I remembered our past together, but we¡¯re not the type to keep secrets from each other. You and I.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m trying to keep secrets-¡± ¡°You¡¯re trying to protect me by keeping it to yourself, aren¡¯t you? Do you think I don¡¯t know you? I know. I know what you¡¯re thinking, why you¡¯re hiding things from me.¡± Adele approached me, and I didn¡¯t back away. I stood still, almost inviting her closer, and she stopped right in front of me, her lips inches from mine. I could feel her sweet scent, and I smiled wryly. She chuckled softly and continued. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for something, I¡¯m going with you this time. That won¡¯t change, no matter what you say. Try to stop me if you want. Try to tie me down somewhere.¡± ¡°Why would I do that to you, Adele? It¡¯s just¡­ it¡¯s dangerous. You know what the Four Dragons represent.¡± ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } The Four Dragons weren¡¯t simply rted to me. They were connected to the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince was involved in Adele¡¯s death. That was why I wanted to keep Adele out of it as much as possible. Even if this was a first, it was painful to even consider that small possibility. Should I consider her actions stubborn, knowing she had died at the Crown Prince¡¯s hands? No, I thought about it differently. It wasn¡¯t stubbornness but affection. I understood her feelings because I hade to understand her through my past lives. ¡°You¡¯ve always prioritized others over yourself. You said you didn¡¯t want to tell me because it was dangerous? I hate that even more. It¡¯s frustrating to simply know that you¡¯re doing something dangerous. So, I¡¯m going with you this time. No matter what you say, no matter how you try to stop me.¡± With an unwavering gaze, the woman who resembled the cold winter continued. ¡°I¡¯ve decided.¡± ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Your Text Here] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? Chapter 124 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó There was no such thing as an unbeatable opponent. At least, I was confident I could gain the upper hand against anyone if I set my mind to it. But¡­ Adele¡¯s words shook that very foundation. I had been so sure I could leave her behind and move on my own, but now, it seemed impossible.Priorities. Honestly, there wasn¡¯t much I could argue with in Adele¡¯s words. It was true that I always prioritized others over myself. I had never considered how it appeared to others. I slowly averted my gaze from Adele. Or rather, I tried to. When Adele, sensing my attempt to escape her gaze, held me back¡­ I didn¡¯t know what to say. It was definitely dangerous. No matter what I did, Kaitel would surely notice Adele because of this. I couldn¡¯t predict how things would unfold. ¡°Was this what you meant when you said you wouldn¡¯t let me go?¡± ¡°This is what I meant. You tend to undervalue yourself. I don¡¯t like seeing that.¡± ¡°Even though you know it¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better for both of us to be in danger than for you to be alone. And you¡¯re close to the Princess, aren¡¯t you? You can save me if anything happens. Surely¡­¡± Adele poked my chest yfully and smiled. She seemed to be trying to lighten the mood, but her words felt like a jab at my insecurities. I tried to smile back, but my lips twitched awkwardly. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking about what happened before and assuming it will happen again, are you?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say it won¡¯t.¡± Kaitel had always been involved in my death, and that was something Adele and I had inmon. If Adele got involved in something that directly concerned Kaitel, what kind of variable would that introduce? Could I stop it if I had to? I pondered this for a moment, then realized how foolish my thoughts were. Almost everything was different. As Adele had said, it wasn¡¯t the same as before. I was a Duke with far more authority, and Adele knew that her death was connected to Kaitel. She could avoid it if she wanted to. Perhaps Adele was right. I always had a tendency to project the past onto the present. I rubbed my forehead and sighed softly. I hoped I was just worrying over nothing. I hoped Kaitel had no interest in Adele and that she wouldn¡¯t be harmed in this life. ¡°¡­I give up.¡± It was something I had never said before, despite all my regressions, but her words had swayed me. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to stop her froming with me. It was true that having Adele with me would be helpful. I would have to keep testing Kaitel¡¯s thoughts on her. ¡°So, what¡¯s your answer?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together. You¡¯re going to follow me no matter what I say, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It seems you finally understand me a little.¡± I just had to try harder. Even if something unexpected happened, I could protect her. A future where Adele survived was the future I had envisioned from the start. I just hoped she would still be alive when this year ended. ¡°I can¡¯t analyze the information we gathered from the ruins myself. I¡¯ll have to send it to someone who can and wait for the results.¡± ¡°Someone who can analyze it?¡± ¡°There was someone I saved during the Full Moon Festival. I hired her. She¡¯s been helping me gather information in exchange for appropriatepensation. She was also quite helpful when I became Duke.¡± Adele would clearly remember the events of the Full Moon Festival, and her eyes narrowed as she recalled Arwen. She was probably reacting this way for one reason. Arwen was a woman, so Adele was likely questioning my intentions. ¡°She was a woman.¡± ¡°She is, but I¡¯m not interested in her.¡± ¡°That sounds like something someone who is interested would say. You¡¯re surprisingly honest.¡± I sighed at her teasing smile, and Adele chuckled, finding my reaction amusing. I didn¡¯t consider Arwen a woman. She was more like a transcendental being. Her strange obsession with the Four Dragons, her ability to easily manipte lunar magic¡­ She had reached the pinnacle of magic, surpassing everyone else. Her lifespan would likely be different as well. Adele, surprisingly perceptive in these matters, quickly dismissed her suspicions and changed the subject. ¡°So, we can¡¯t do anything until we get the results? How long will it take?¡± ¡°I think it will take about a week.¡± My n to stay here for only a week had beenpletely derailed, and I had postponed all non-essential tasks. I had plenty of time now. Renoldined, but I had decided it was best to focus on this matter for now. Adele nced at me when I mentioned my schedule, and the corners of her lips twitched. It was barely noticeable, but she seemed quite pleased. I also enjoyed staying in the North. It would have been even better if it weren¡¯t for this serious matter. It was better to be optimistic. ¡°So you¡¯re nning to stay for about a month?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But you seem veryfortable.¡± I said it to Adele, who was sitting on my bed, and she chuckled, seemingly unbothered by the fact that I had casually sat down on the nket. It seemed like she had nned this. There was no reason to make the beds in our rooms identical otherwise. While I appreciated her honesty, it made my heart skip a beat. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter now, does it? We¡¯ve already slept together.¡± ¡°Someone might misunderstand. We just slept.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same thing to others. Should I tell the Saint and the Princess?¡± ¡®That we slept together? ¡® Adele grinned, then casuallyy down on my pillow and patted the space beside her, inviting me to join her. I sighed at her invitation, but I thought this kind of rtionship wasn¡¯t so bad. It was much better than the awkwardness we had when we first met in this life. It was just a drunken night together, but I wondered how Adriana and Miragen would react if they found out. I didn¡¯t want to think about it. It wasn¡¯t something to joke about, and it could easily lead to misunderstandings. Adriana, in particr, had simr feelings to mine. She understood my past lives, so her attachment to me might be strangely strong. It would be better to be careful. I would have to warn Lothos in particr. ¡°It¡¯s nice to have some free time. I would have been busy right now otherwise.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I helped you. Didn¡¯t I tell you? Things would go faster if you were with me.¡± ¡°¡­Well, considering what we saw in the ruins, that¡¯s true.¡± The title of Grand Duchess wasn¡¯t just a name. Her words held considerable influence in the Empire. Most matters could be easily resolved with her approval. While I had tried to avoid involving her, I had to admit that things were much easier when I was with Adele. I couldn¡¯t shake my concerns about the danger, but I would just have to be careful. Since things had turned out this way, I intended to resolve the matter of the masked figures while I was in the North. There would likely be asions where I had to use force, and it was time to put my almost fully recovered skills to the test. The fact that the Four Dragons¡¯ consciousness was still alive was a definite threat. I couldn¡¯t ignore the possibility of their resurrection, something I had previously considered impossible. If the Four Dragons were resurrected and tried to destroy the world, could I defeat them in my current state? ¡­I wasn¡¯t sure. Perhaps if I fully recovered my original strength, but otherwise, I needed to be more proactive. That was why I needed more experience wielding a sword. I intended to utilize force whenever possible. ¡°I¡¯ll be busy again starting tomorrow. You¡¯ll have to work too, so I won¡¯t be the only one busy anymore. But is your schedule alright?¡± ¡°Schedule?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have things to do? It¡¯s almost summer, so you¡¯ll be busy soon.¡± Summer in the North was a time for preparing for theing winter. ¡°Winter ising¡± was amon saying here. The winters in the North were harsh and unforgiving, so preparations during summer and autumn were crucial. Repairing damaged houses, stocking up on food¡­ Adele, who had to manage all of this on a regional level, would be extremely busy. Adele seemed to understand my question. She groaned softly, then shrugged nonchntly. ¡°Lothos will take care of it. He¡¯ll handle it if I tell him I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°¡­So Lothos is in charge of that.¡± Adele hadn¡¯t personally handled such matters often. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } It was mostly Lothos and his subordinates¡¯ responsibility. I chuckled, realizing some things hadn¡¯t changed at all, then I suddenly remembered there was someone else I needed to call to the North. Arwen wasn¡¯t the only one who needed to know about the Four Dragons. While Arwen possessed a wealth of information, any information about the Four Dragons had been erased throughout the Empire, making it difficult to find anything. If there was anyone who could easily obtain such information, it would be someone connected to the Church. And there was one person I knew who fit that description. I stood up, and Adele looked at me intently. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I think I need to call someone else to the North. I¡¯m going to contact them.¡± ¡°Who are you talking about? Do I know them?¡± ¡°You know her. The Saint.¡± Adele¡¯s expression hardened at the mention of Adriana. She made it quite clear that she didn¡¯t like it. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Your Text Here] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? Chapter 125 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°Reason.¡± ¡°The Church would have information about the Four Dragons, and Adriana¡­ is probably free right now.¡± While she was the head of the Church and had many responsibilities, her role was mostly symbolic. Even if there were administrative tasks, the Pope handled most of them.I thought there was a high probability Adriana woulde to the North if I called for her. Besides, hadn¡¯t she said she was free for a while? It would be faster for Adriana toe to the North than for us to go to the capital. The Saint, residing in the Moon Tower, could teleport to the Church in the North. But we couldn¡¯t go to the Moon Tower, so we had to resolve this matter here. I had no choice but to call for Adriana. Adele seemed to be thinking deeply, her tone almost usatory. It couldn¡¯t be helped. Since we were staying here for a while, we had to find something concrete, and Adriana¡¯s help was essential. ¡°So you¡¯re going to call her and extract information from the Church. I understand.¡± She said it and then, ncing at me, added, ¡°I just don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°¡­Would it be enough if I apologized?¡± ¡°Do you think that¡¯s enough? I hate empty apologies more than anything. If you know you¡¯ve done something wrong, show it through your actions.¡± She tapped my cheek with her finger, then gently stroked it, her lips moving silently. I understood what she meant by ¡°show it,¡± but I couldn¡¯t refuse, given my current situation. I smiled wryly. It was her foreheadst time, so should I kiss her cheek this time? ¡°Then I¡¯ll assume you¡¯ve given me permission.¡± ¡°Your confidence is infuriating. I thought we would finally be alone, but now there¡¯s another uninvited guest.¡± Another uninvited guest. From Adele¡¯s perspective, Adriana was probably another unwee presence. Perhaps they would view each other with hostility. But in this situation, I could only hope they would cooperate. I thought I could control the situation for now, so there wouldn¡¯t be any conflict. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó I left the room to contact Adriana and saw Lothos. He looked exhausted from his recent workload. He startedining as soon as our eyes met, as if he had been waiting for me. Adele would have scolded him if she had seen it, but I tended to listen to hisints. ¡­After all, nothing in the North would function properly without Lothos. ¡°Just kill me.¡± ¡°Did you hear that?¡± ¡°No, but being in the same room with you two was enough for me to understand. There will be more work, and you¡¯ll probably end up staying here longer. The Grand Duchess will only focus on you, so naturally, the umted work will be mine. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± The price of understanding too much in such a short time was cruel. He rubbed his eyes, which were red and on the verge of tears, then ran a hand over his forehead, which seemed wider than before, and sighed. Perhaps he would be bald by the time I saw him again. ¡°I¡¯ve started losing hair.¡± ¡°Oh dear.¡± ¡°My wife asked me why I nevere home. She asked if I was doing something else under the guise of work. She cried when she saw how I looked. It seems my wife is the only one who understands me.¡± ¡°I understand too. The problem is that I can¡¯t stop the Grand Duchess.¡± ¡°How thoughtful of you. But¡­ it seems you¡¯ll be staying longer than expected?¡± I hesitated for a moment, then nodded slowly. Lothos chuckled wryly. He seemed to have given up, and I felt a pang of guilt. He smiled calmly and stroked his newly grown gray beard. ¡°I see. You¡¯re staying for about a month?¡± ¡°I might stay longer.¡± ¡°Hmm, a month. Or perhaps longer. Hmm¡­ alright. I suppose I have to ept it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem very surprised. I thought it was a rather serious matter.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been home for about three months, so what¡¯s another month? I pity my subordinates.¡± Four months. His words made me feel even more guilty. Perhaps I should talk to Adele. If I had the time, I should help her with her work. I smiled wryly at his resigned expression, and Lothos chuckled heartily, giving me a thumbs-up before turning away. ¡°Then I hope you enjoy your stay. I think I should¡­ head back to my office.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help if there¡¯s anything I can do.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s alright.¡± Lothos turned his head slightly, then smiled gently. ¡°I can handle a few all-nighters.¡± His retreating figure looked pathetic. A father who couldn¡¯t see his family, a veteran losing his hair from months of overwork. A lot had changed, but it seemed to have only negatively affected Lothos, and I felt a pang of guilt. Adriana readily agreed toe when I contacted her. Lothos was once again devastated by the news, and Ilona nced at me with a strange expression. Bunta was indifferent to such news. The Saint and I were quite close, so Ilona approached me and asked if I was alright. ¡°Are you sure about this? The Grand Duchess will be very upset.¡± ¡°I already got her permission. She¡¯sing because I need her help, so what¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that, but¡­ I¡¯m a bit worried.¡± Ilona smiled faintly, her usualnguid expression reced by concern. I knew what she was worried about, but I didn¡¯t think there was a need to be concerned beforehand. There hadn¡¯t been much difference in their attitudes when we met in the South. Given Adriana¡¯s personality, it was unlikely there would be any friction with Adele. They hadn¡¯t seemed particrly ufortable with each other when they met before. It would be fine. I could separate them if they showed any signs of conflict. They would be too busy with the investigation anyway. There wouldn¡¯t be time for any disagreements. It wouldn¡¯t take long for Adriana to arrive since she was teleporting. Adele and I had made preparations to wee the Saint, and we hadn¡¯t brought any other subordinates with us since we had to proceed quickly. ¡°Did she say she¡¯s arriving soon?¡± Adele, who was on a wolf, asked. She wasn¡¯t dressed borately for this unofficial meeting, but she had tied her hair back and was wearing a thin coat, giving her a different aura. I nodded, and she paused, looking up at the sky. Adriana might bring several pdins with her. It was highly likely Verod would be among them, so I wanted to conclude this meeting quickly. We rode the wolves for a while, then I noticed a distant light, recognizing it as divine power, and looked at Adele. I had asked her to send a signal so we could easily find her, and she had created a pir of divine power. It was a level I couldn¡¯t even imitate. Perhaps it was possible because pdins lived with abundant divine power instead of magic, but Verod¡¯s power was still formidable. ¡°¡­As I feltst time, that pdin is quite powerful.¡± ¡°He¡¯s considered the pinnacle of pdins. It¡¯s only natural.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still stronger than him. Don¡¯t rely on someone weaker than you.¡± I chuckled softly at her out-of-context remark, but Adele, who had said those words, rode forward and bowed her head to the Saint. Adriana, dressed in her usual white attire, smiled brightly when she saw me. Verod, surprisingly, remained expressionless, but his hammer trembled slightly, and I smiled awkwardly. ¡°Robert, I came because you asked for help.¡± ¡°I¡¯m truly grateful you came. We should have gone to the Moon Tower, but it¡¯s not easy for us to travel there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s quite easy to travel from the capital to the North. Was everything alright in the North? I heard you two were together¡­¡± Adele moved closer to me, and Adriana, sensing her presence, added cautiously, ¡°You seem to have gotten closer.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve spent a lot of time together, so it¡¯s only natural. I apologize for not weing you properly, but we need to return to the castle. The matter is urgent.¡± Adriana nodded slightly at Adele¡¯s response. She seemed to be thinking about Adele¡¯s words, but it was only for a moment. Adriana, along with Verod, started moving again, approaching me. When she was close enough, Adriana touched my hand, confirming my presence, and whispered, ¡°How have you been?¡± ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } Her voice was so soft that no one else could hear. Adriana, as always, wore a gentle smile. I had been meaning to thank her for helping me be Duke, but I hadn¡¯t properly expressed my gratitude. As I was about to speak, Adele stepped between us and frowned at me. She also whispered, her voice just as soft, but her words made me chuckle. ¡°I don¡¯t recall giving you permission to talk to anyone else.¡± ¡°¡­She¡¯s the Saint. I was just trying to thank her for her help. And it¡¯s been a while; I can¡¯t even greet her?¡± ¡°Greet herter, when I¡¯m not looking.¡± Adele said it and then, taking the reins of my wolf, added, ¡°I get very upset when you¡¯re with someone else.¡± Her voice was loud enough for Adriana to hear, and Adriana¡¯s expression turned strange. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Your Text Here] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? Chapter 126 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Tranted By Arcane Trantions Trantor: FusionX ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó The Four Dragons. It was a subject Arwen had been researching for a long time, but the more she studied, the more her doubts grew. Why had they appeared? And why hadn¡¯t anything happened yet? The Four Dragons¡¯ followers still existed, even after a thousand years.So why had there been no attempts to break the seal? The Four Dragons were the antithesis of the Moon Goddess, ancient beings who symbolized the sun. They had tried to steal the night and escape, but the goddess stopped them and sealed them away. Arwen didn¡¯t worship the Four Dragons, but if she did, she would have considered trying to break the seal. But there hadn¡¯t been any attempts. It felt strange, no matter how she thought about it. ¡°¡­The erased parts.¡± She had explored many ruins, but she didn¡¯t have all the information about the Four Dragons. Perhaps if she regressed repeatedly like Robert¡­ But within a limited time, there was only so much information she could find. What she found strange was that all the information in the ruins hinted at the Four Dragons¡¯ resurrection. A seal created by a goddess was practically permanent. It might be broken someday, but it hadn¡¯t happened yet. And it wasn¡¯t something that could be easily broken, considering it was infused with divine power. If someone wanted to break it, they would have to weaken the goddess¡¯s power or utilize the Four Dragons¡¯ precognitive abilities. But there was no way the Four Dragons would awaken with the method Kaitel was trying to use. More precognitive abilities had to be utilized, and more people had to support the resurrection. That was why she had assumed the followers would attempt a resurrection. But the followers Arwen had infiltrated didn¡¯t seem particrly interested in resurrection. -If the dayes when the great dragon is resurrected¡­ -Resurrection? Well, some people talk about it, but those in higher positions don¡¯t seem to like the idea. -Why is that? When she asked why they didn¡¯t support the resurrection, something they should have been hoping for, the old man smiled faintly and spoke slowly. -Because they believe he¡¯s already alive. They believe the seal is meaningless. What did that mean? Had the leaders of the followers already given up on breaking the seal and were leading a pseudo-religious organization? She couldn¡¯t understand it with the information she had gathered, so she could only form hypotheses. The great dragon will appear on the day the moon disappears. When the world is filled with the sun, when the night ceases to exist. She had never seen the moon disappear, only the sun being eclipsed by it. Was it even possible to conceal the moon with magic? She couldn¡¯t imagine it, but she thought of the pr night phenomenon that urred in cold regions and continued reading. The world will crumble, and the screaming goddess¡¯s body will be torn to shreds. The great dragon harbors burning wrath, fury, and punishment for the sinful humans. Only those who serve the dragon will survive and live in the new world. So, like most gods, the Four Dragons wanted to recreate the world. While she didn¡¯t take it too seriously, she was curious about the world the Four Dragons desired. And she wondered if there was any chance of stopping them if they were resurrected. But when she considered that possibility, she couldn¡¯t help but refer to the inscription on one particr mural. What did it mean that only someone who had lived for eons could kill the Four Dragons? Someone who repeated fate, someone who had lived for an eternity¡­ Arwen suddenly thought of Robert and groaned softly. It had been found in a ruin rted to the Four Dragons, so it was likely written by a follower, but she couldn¡¯t be sure if it reflected the Four Dragons¡¯ will. It didn¡¯t make sense for them to openly reveal the existence of someone who could defeat them. It would be humiliating to be defeated by someone they had warned about. Arwen projected the mural with the inscription using magic and carefully examined the characters. ¡°If he¡¯s regressed repeatedly, he¡¯s practically lived for an eternity.¡± She hadn¡¯t asked him directly, but Arwen hade to the conclusion that Robert was experiencing regressions. Judging from the cycle, he had regressed over a hundred times. The phrase ¡°repeating fate¡± also aligned with the concept of regression. If his regressions were real, perhaps Robert was the ¡°adversary¡± mentioned in the inscription. But wasn¡¯t it strange? So many things were coincidentally intertwined. Kaitel, who was trying to utilize the Four Dragons¡¯ precognitive abilities, was destined to repeatedly kill Robert, the regressor. And yet, Robert¡¯s actions were leading him towards the Four Dragons. He had sent her information about the Four Dragons again, so perhaps she would find some clues if she examined it. The fact that she was constantly involved in his regressions might be a sign that she was destined to uncover the truth about the Four Dragons. Then she would have to do her best. Besides, thepensation was quite generous. Arwen was much more satisfied with her current life than when she had been struggling as the alchemist Jay. She could enjoy fried eggs, two slices of bacon, and a perfectly cooked sausage with mustard every morning. Moreover, she could use that money to strengthen her barriers, eliminating her worries about assassination attempts. It was the mostfortable and peaceful period of her life. She was also less concerned about the Four Dragons¡¯ resurrection. Based on the information she had gathered so far, it seemed like it would be a long time before the seal was broken. Thump, thump- She heard something winged crashing against her window. It was the headless homing pigeon she had created with magic, its legs carrying a bundle of documents as it repeatedly mmed its head against the ss. She checked her surroundings and opened the window. The pigeon exploded with a pop, scattering its feathers, then dropped the documents on the table and flew away. ¡°Did Robert send this?¡± He was a Duke now, but there was no need for formalities when they weren¡¯t face to face. Arwen took the documents, organized them, and began to read. She didn¡¯t expect anything groundbreaking, but she had to be sure. As she read through the documents, her eyes narrowed, stopping at a particr mural. A dragon attacking demi-humans, a dragon being sucked into a distorted flow of time, a dragon whose mind and body were separated and sealed¡­ ng- When she saw the final mention of time, Arwen ced the documents on the table andughed hollowly. The teacup she had been holding shattered, scattering fragments across the floor, but that didn¡¯t matter now. The most important thing was that the mural Robert had sent her, a mural from a ruin rted to the Four Dragons, was shattering all her previous hypotheses. Everything was changing. Many things would be destroyed. If this was true, it meant everything had originated from those who worshipped the moon. Arwen rushed towards her archives. The possibility of the Four Dragons¡¯ resurrection, something she had unconsciously tried to dismiss, was resurfacing. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot, haven¡¯t you?¡± Robert nodded slightly at Adriana¡¯s words, and Adele, ring at him, took a sip of her tea. She hadn¡¯t given them a chance to talk during their journey to the castle, so she had to speak up now. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have any opportunity to talk to him. She couldn¡¯t understand his sudden change in attitude. They had seemed to get along fine when they met in the South, so why was he so reluctant to let go of Robert now? Anyone would think they were lovers. Adriana was also aware of the rumors circting in the North. But she had assumed they were just rumors, nothing more. She frowned, seeing Robert¡¯s hand lightly touching Adele¡¯s. ¡°Hmph.¡± She heard a soft chuckle and turned her head, noticing the faint smile on the Grand Duchess¡¯s lips. Was she trying to provoke her? She wouldn¡¯t normally think this way, but Adele¡¯s deliberate smile annoyed her. But that feeling was fleeting. Adriana smiled softly, remembering that she was the only one who knew about Robert¡¯s past. Only she knew the truth¡­ Even though the Grand Duchess was close to him now, Adriana was the one who had empathized with and grieved over his memories. The memories she had witnessed in the Hall of Memories were still vivid, and Robert knew how she had reacted to them. ?? Important Notice ?? ? This text was ripped off from . ? Please only read it on the official website. ); } Perhaps something had happened between them while she didn¡¯t know. But ultimately, wasn¡¯t it more important that she knew about his memories? Her mood slightly improved, and her gaze softened as she looked at Adele. Robert smiled wryly, watching the two women facing each other. He was well aware that the exchange of emotions between them wasn¡¯t ordinary. But he was ufortable with the fact that he was the cause. It was time to change the subject. It was the reason Adriana hade here, and he needed to resolve this matter as soon as possible. ¡°I¡¯m grateful you came all this way, but unfortunately, we need to get straight to the point.¡± ¡°You said you needed help, but I haven¡¯t heard anything yet. What is it that I need to know?¡± Robert hesitated for a moment, then spoke slowly. He wasn¡¯t sure how Adriana would react to this, but it was a subject he couldn¡¯t even begin to discuss without her. ¡°We discovered a ruin in the North with the Grand Duchess¡¯s help.¡± ¡°A ruin¡­ is it rted to the artifact we sawst time?¡± ¡°No. I wouldn¡¯t have called you here for something like that.¡± Adriana¡¯s expression was filled with confusion, but then she seemed to realize something, and her face hardened. A ruin, and a matter that required the Saint¡¯s help¡­ It was a topic that would make even Verod, who was ring at Robert, flinch. Adriana touched her forehead and spoke slowly. ¡°¡­It¡¯s about the Four Dragons, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes. And perhaps¡­¡± Robert¡¯s eyes always darkened whenever he was about to say something serious. Adriana, who couldn¡¯t see, could only sense it through his divine power. That reaction was especially strong when he talked about the Four Dragons. It didn¡¯t take long for her to realize what he was about to say. ¡°We need to consider the possibility¡­ of their resurrection.¡± His words weren¡¯t something to be taken lightly, and the atmosphere instantly turned cold. The Saint, who had been happy to be with him, was gone. Adriana, regaining herposure, looked at Robert as the Saint. Her usually empty eyes now glowed with a white light. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ô¡ó¡ó¡ó [Trantor Notes] [Your Text Here] For Illustrations and Release Notifications join our Discord ? System Notification ? The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!