《The Tyrant’s Tranquilizer》 Chapter 1 The bird flew towards the window, crying out as it announced the morning¡¯s arrival. As Amelie gently opened her eyes, a wooden pir came into view. ¡®Ah, I can¡¯t get used to this.¡¯ She sat upright and turned her head towards the window. The morning sunlight glistened through the forest, streaming through the ss in an unfamiliar way. Her original name was Lee Sooyeon and she was an ordinary woman in her 20s, working in Seoul. Normally, she¡¯d open her eyes in her studio¡¯s building within a gray forest ¨C not in some cottage in the woods. ¡®Come to think of it¡­ it was all so sudden.¡¯ Two weeks ago, it was a normal day, just like any other. She went to work, worked, and left. As soon as she left work, Sooyeon read a novel. It was a fantasy novel about a woman¡¯s revenge. The main character was Renee Dheim, the daughter of a count. The Dheim territory was awfully peaceful. Although her sister had be the Emperor¡¯s lover and lived in the Imperial Pce, their family possessed little power. But one day, the Emperor killed her sister, annihted her family and destroyed their territory. Renee was the only survivor. She took advantage of her talent with the sword, concealed her identity and entered the Imperial House. When Renee saw how miserable her sister was, she realized the truth about the circumstances of the country. Whilst avenging her sister, she became the leader of the rebel army. The part Sooyeon was reading was the climax of the novel. It was the scene where Renee, the rebel leader, and the Emperor fought their final duel. The Emperor, a swordmaster, was not an easy opponent. After a brutal battle, Renee killed the Emperor. ¡®Yahoo! Now we¡¯re talking!¡¯ She didn¡¯t know how long she¡¯d been waiting for this. She couldn¡¯t wait to see this scene when she was reading the novel. Sooyeon grasped her cell phone in her hands and thoroughly appreciated the climax. ¡®Now the main character will walk on a flower road, right?¡¯ However, the story did not go as she expected. There was a sudden unexpected twist. In fact, the Emperor¡¯s body was sealed with a ¡®cmity¡¯. The moment Renee killed him, the seal was broken. As the ¡®cmity¡¯ was released, the world began to copse. The ground dried up and the rain stopped; the earth cracked and shook. A gue surged through the city, killing hundreds of people a day. The drinkable water was sullied with corpses and flocks of bugs streaked the sky. It was truly the end. ¡®Thinking about it makes me angry.¡¯ Sooyeon clenched her fist, crumpling her soft quilt. Renee was not at fault. She just wanted to avenge her family. In the process, she opened her eyes to the greater goal of saving the world. It was only natural to kill her enemy, the tyrant who was ruining the country. But all that trouble led to destruction. ¡®Do you know how much time and money I spent reading this novel¡­ only to find it had this kind of ending? Does the writer even know the difference between right and wrong? Huh?!¡¯ Absentmindedly, Sooyeon struggled with her phone. If you¡¯re going to do something like this, don¡¯t pretend that the Emperor is the final boss! Ending with a scene where disaster spreads¡­¡­¡­. ¡°It¡¯s annoying. When¡¯s the next episodeing out?¡± She felt like she was being choked and wanted to throw a tantrum[2]. Sooyeonunched her cell phone into a corner andy down on her bed. Then, she closed his eyes and muttered. ¡°I can write better than this, ugh.¡± Then, she heard someone¡¯s voice in her ear. [Then, why don¡¯t you try?] Someone else¡¯s voice, even though she lives alone? When she opened her eyes in astonishment, Sooyeon found herself in this body. The name of this body was Amelie Beauxbon. The main character¡¯s little sister ¨C the character who served as the trigger for Renee¡¯s trauma in the novel. The lover of the tyrant Emperor; the woman who was neglected and brutally murdered. A woman who was doomed from the beginning! A woman who didn¡¯t make an appearance! ¡°I only insulted a novel. Did you really have to do this? Huh?!¡± Sooyeon yelled at the air. She couldn¡¯t recall the amount of times she repeated those words, but she couldn¡¯t stop feeling the anger and resentment. If you¡¯re going to do this because of an insult, why are you leaving the viewers of soap operas from all over the world alone? Why only me?! Regardless of herints, nothing changed. It¡¯d already been two weeks since Sooyeon had originally possessed Amelie¡¯s body. She tried everything she could to get back to her original body, but everything stayed the same. ¡®I¡¯m screwed. It¡¯s all ruined.¡¯ Amelie¡¯s life was miserable in itself. By ident, the tyrant Emperor came to hunt in the forest of Fidelia and met Amelie, who lived there alone. He falls in love with her at first sight and takes her to the Imperial Pce. But ever since she came to the Imperial Pce, she was neglected by the Emperor. Even though he brought her there, he wasn¡¯t interested. Count Dheim asked for her back, but the Emperor refused. Amelie lived a sad and pathetic life and was bullied relentlessly to the point where even theundry maids ignored and ridiculed her. Eventually, she died at the hands of the Emperor. The Emperor then convicted Count Dheim with charges of rebellion, using Amelie. All the Dheims were executed, and the Emperor¡¯s knights ughtered everyone on theirnd. ¡®I¡¯m scared¡­.¡¯ Sooyeon couldn¡¯t stand it. How miserably Amelie lived in the Imperial Pce¡­ how detailed her death was in the novel. It was all a way to justify the hero¡¯s revenge. Sooyeon tangled herself in her nket. I don¡¯t want to die, I don¡¯t even want to go to the Imperial Pce and get tormented.Even if I¡¯m possessing a character, I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s a character who¡¯s about to die! After crying for a few days, Sooyeon started thinking realistically. ¡®What should I do from now on?¡¯ Since the day she started living as that character, Sooyeon was at a constant loss. ording to the original, the Emperor woulde visit her before the end of winter. And then they¡¯ll go to the Imperial Pce together. There were two things she could do at this moment: One, change the future using the knowledge she had of the novel. Two, screw up and don¡¯t look back. Of course, Sooyeon¡¯s choice was the second. There was nothing to think twice about; for her, the only option was to run away. And so she would. In a year, the fully-fledged story of the novel will begin. All the information she obtained from the novel was a year from now, so it was highly unlikely to help. There was no guarantee that the future would go ording to the novel. Moreover, Sooyeon was afraid of the Emperor. There was a big reason for that. The Emperor was well known as a fickle and cruel man who releases his ves, only to hunt them for sport, and performs sadistic actions upon the Empress. He only did what she could call ¡®the worst¡¯. A dense person like her could only run as soon as she got to the Imperial Pce. ¡®I want to live. I have to run.¡¯ A supporting character like Amelie, who had death gs everywhere, would hardly be able to live peacefully. She had to run away quickly before meeting the Emperor in the forest. Fortunately, Sooyeon had all of Amelie¡¯s memories. Amelie Beauxbon was a witch ¨C a priest that worships spirits. They used a special type of magic, passed on to girls only through their mothers. It was extremely rare for witches to be well-known, as they are unsociable in nature. Ordinary people would think of them as strange magic women. Twenty years ago, a witch hunt swept through the entire kingdom, so they went into hiding. Still, Sooyeon took the fact that she was a witch positively. She was living on her own, but possessed no basic skills. On the surface, witches were persecuted¡­ but underneath, their fortune-telling and magic potions were in demand. Since doctors were so expensive,moners were often left uncared for. They naturally had no choice but to rely on witches. Especially in the case of women, as most men were doctors, so they felt morefortable with witches. Having this ability meant Sooyeon thought she could settle down wherever she went. Soon after, she decided to leave the Fidelia forest. But it took time to practice moving objects. Even though she knew the world from the novel, practicing the actual magic was different. Amelie had never been outside the forest; since she didn¡¯t know what the world outside the forest was like, her memories had no use for Sooyeon. In this situation, it was too dangerous to travel alone. Not only money and food were needed to endure while finding a ce to settle, but also medicine and so on were essential. She needed to know how the world works. For two weeks, Sooyeon prepared to flee. She needed to find valuable things in her house and sell them one by one, buy some food¡­ and learn some magic. Amelie was a witch, but since she was an idiot, she didn¡¯t know how to properly use her magic. She only learned how to control it so that it wouldn¡¯t cause idental damage. Fortunately, there were magic books left by her grandmother, a witch, all over the house. The books were well organized in terms, so Sooyeon practiced magic simultaneously whilst reading. At first, she wondered what it would be like to read the book, but strangely enough, she was able to use her magic at the same time. The contents of the book were simr to, ¡®Clench your hand if you want to grab something¡¯, so it felt very natural to Sooyeon. Whilst reading, she wondered what to do; if she just followed the instructions, she¡¯d find magic simple. Well, for witches, magic was a natural act as if moving arms and legs. Due to herck of time, Sooyeon only learned the basics of magic. Psychokinesis; moving things without touching them; transforming into animals and making magical potions. In the meantime, Amelie¡¯s magic and memories became part of her. She somehow naturally epted that she was Amelie Beauxbon. And today ¨C the day of her long-awaited departure ¨C it was bright outside. Amelie got up slowly and, shortly after, cleaned and folded back her bedsheets. She also started her housework. Since she¡¯d packed her belongingsst night, cleaning the house would be easy. Amelie had the habit of carrying this and that around with her because she was so worried, mumbling, ¡®Just in case¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¯, and packing it. Because of that, the house was empty for a long time. If a stranger was to see it, they would have thought the owner moved away. After finishing the housework, she prepared a meal and went out to the garden. Upon her arrival, she was greeted by a family of deer. They walked around her slowly. She¡¯d seen them a few times in the past¡­ ah, being this close to nature. It was surreal. Amelia sat at the table, watching from a distance. Two loaves of white bread, a sausage full of thick, bursting gravy, a sd from the garden and a whole chicken¡­ Having leftovers for breakfast is too much. She took a bite of the soft bread, covered with fresh butter. It broke inside her mouth, blending with the salty vour of the butter. ¡®Delicious!¡¯ The taste was different from the fake butter made from vegetable oil she used to buy at the mart. The sausage was made on a farm nearby, so it was very good. It was a fact that if you experience the fresh taste of tea during a meal like this, it was only a matter of time before you¡¯ll empty your te. Enjoying the meal, Amelie recalled her troubles. ¡®Should I tell my family I¡¯m leaving?¡¯ She knew that, every minute, the Emperor was getting closer to the forest of Fidelia. ording to Amelie¡¯s calctions, the Emperor would be very nearby at this point. But it bothered her to disappear without saying a word, knowing her family was there. Moreover, she struggled to ignore the problem because she knew how much the main character, Renee, valued Amelie. When she was living as Sooyeon, she had no family. She didn¡¯t even know who her parents were. The police found a little girl wandering around, lost. Failing to find her parents, she was sent to a facility, where she was granted a name and an age. She grew up there. That¡¯s why throughout the novel, she used to sympathize deeply with Renee when the main character was longing for her family. ¡°Right. I¡¯m just going to talk to them a little and then leave as soon as possible.¡± Alright, you can do it! I can rest assured now that, soon, I¡¯ll be able to live alone, safe from the death g. I think it would be better to speak face to face rather than sending a letter saying that I¡¯m going on a trip. Amelie got up from her seat with the rest of the bread in her mouth. It was time to leave. [1] Living a good life [2] Originally described as ¡®baked potato¡¯, an expression used for aggravating situations. Chapter 2 The journey would take less than an hour to fly from where Amelie lived ¨C the Fidelia forest ¨C to the Count¡¯s mansion. It was an indefinite distance; not too far yet not too close. Sooyeon arrived at the mansion before the rough handle of the broomstick could chafe her skin. Right now, Count Dheim was just a rural count, but in the past, it was said that his territory was thriving. She recalled his mansion being veryrge and antique. In particr, the backyard was connected to the Fidelia forest and boasted a beautifulndscape. It looked as if it was covered by a green rug. Amelie¡¯s family consisted of her father ¨C the Count ¨C and her twin sister, Renee. Her mother was said to have died in an ident when she was a child. The two of them lived together in the Dheim mansion. Amelie also resided in the mansion when she was younger. But when her powers as a witch were awoken, she was sent to one of her own kind in the Fidelia forest. Although, since Amelie was an idiot, she couldn¡¯t control her powers. When she left the mansion, Amelie took on her mother¡¯sst name, Beauxbon. The twins, Renee and Amelie, ended up with differentst names. The Count and Renee continued to miss her. After her grandmother ¨C a witch ¨C died, the Count had wished to take Amelie back, but she refused. ¡®It¡¯s questionable as to why she would do that¡­ what an idiot. Notpletely but, should I just say we still have some who retained the instincts of animals?¡¯ Anyways, it was that kind of family. Ameliended lightly in the yard. The suitcase hanging from the end of her broom rattled, emitting a sound. She looked around. No one was in the yard. She could only see the knights guarding the front entrance on the other side. ¡®Let¡¯s hurry up, say goodbye and go.¡¯ Amelie straightened the hem of her skirt and knocked. Knock knock. When she knocked on the door, she heard hurried steps from inside. ¡°Your hi¨C huk¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m¡­¡­ huh?¡± Blonde hair and blue eyes. A middle-aged man who looked exactly like how Renee described him in the novel. His eyes opened so wide that they looked like they could pop out at the sight of Amelie. ¡°Ah, hey¡­¡­.¡± Perhaps it was Count Dheim, but his reaction was strange. He couldn¡¯t keep his mouth shut yet couldn¡¯t continue speaking. ¡®What¡¯s with his reaction? Did Ie to the wrong ce? Should I just not havee at all?¡¯ In a short moment, thousands of worries shed through Amelie¡¯s mind. But a voice hade to rescue them. ¡°Father, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s arrived yet¡­ Oh? Amelie?¡± It was Renee Dheim in a fresh, yellowish-green dress. Her dazzling blonde hair was braided beautifully; she looked like she came straight out of a novel. ¡®Wow, as expected of the main character.¡¯ Amelie admired her appearance. Both the Count and Renee looked at her in surprise. They¡¯d never imagined she would visit them there. Amelie inspected their faces carefully. ¡°Hello? I just wanted to say hi¡­.¡± ¡°O-Our Amelie greeted us¡­!¡± Tears sprung out from the Count¡¯s eyes. The middle-aged man¡¯s tears made Amelie stiffen up. ¡°Amelie!¡± The Count sped her on her shoulders. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you came home! I¡¯m so happy¡­¡­! Do you know how worried I was over leaving you all alone after your grandmother died?!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m noting back¡­¡­¡­.¡± The Count held her a bit too tightly. Sooyeon had never been held this way, in a father¡¯s embrace. ¡®W-What am I supposed to do in this type of situation?¡¯ She was suffocating, but she couldn¡¯t say it aloud. She couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. Renee, yet again, saved Amelie who was bing increasingly pale. ¡°Father. She can¡¯t breathe. Plus, we have to listen to her story.¡± ¡°Right. You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry, Amelie. I was just so happy to see you¡­.¡± His voice trembled with emotions, and his blue eyes filled with tears. ¡®H-How can he even make such a fuss?¡¯ Amelie rolled her eyes at the awkwardness. From what Renee described, the Count was a noble with dignity. Although he loved his daughters very much, he wasn¡¯t the type to be flippant. No matter how many rose-colored lenses her memories were seen in, wasn¡¯t this a bit too different? ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go in. Let¡¯s sit down and talk calmly.¡± The Count took Amelie¡¯s hand and entered the mansion. Renee followed and handed over the broom and baggage to the maid. ¡°Have you eaten yet? It¡¯s lunch time soon; I wish we could eat together¡­¡­ Of all times, a guest ising over.¡± ¡°Guest?¡± Come to think of it, she¡¯d heard something like that. She remembered the Count¡¯s letter saying something along the lines of them not being able toe over for the time being because something important happened to the family. They were both dressed up. Renee wore makeup and jewelry ¨C something she normally didn¡¯t bother with. The employees were also dressed in their neatest clothing. There was tension on their faces. It was such a tragic disharmonypared to greeting a guest. Like they were going to war. ¡®I think I came at the wrong time.¡¯ ¡°Then I¡¯ll just¡­¡­ I¡¯ll leave ande backter.¡± Amelie tried to step back quickly. Then, the Count took her hand. ¡°It¡¯s fine! You have nothing to worry about. You can just idle around in your room for a bit. The guest is only staying for a day; you won¡¯t run into them.¡± The Count was scared Amelie would leave because of the guest. ¡°You just came home after fourteen years. You can¡¯t just leave like this, okay?¡± The Count looked at her anxiously. Amelie was slightly shaken. ¡®It¡¯s been fourteen years and you just don¡¯t want to let her go, do you?¡¯ ¡°Who on earth is your guest?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­ I¡¯m afraid you¡¯d be scared if I told you¡­¡­.¡± Then, running in from the outside, a servant yelled with a tired and blue face. ¡°His Majesty is passing through the front gate!¡± At that moment, the hall went silent. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡®His Majesty? Like that ¡®His Majesty¡¯?¡¯ There¡¯s only one person here worthy of being called ¡®His Majesty¡¯. The man called the cruelest Emperor in history. Serwon Henesia. The worst viin in the novel. The man who was destined to kill Amelie in a year¡¯s time. ¡®Why is the Emperoring to the mansion instead of the forest?!¡¯ Amelie panicked. She left the forest to escape him, yet he appeared here. This is ridiculous! The first thing that awoke her from her state was the butler. ¡°Count! Miss Renee! Come on! Everyone, to your ces!¡± The employees began to line up in the hallway. The fact that the Emperor wasing made them all look half out of their minds. The feeble servants were already in a mild panic from hearing the word ¡®Emperor¡¯ and didn¡¯t know what to do. That¡¯s how infamous Serwon was. ¡°Miss Amelie, leave by that door! Come on!¡± The butler took care of the servants as he pointed at a small door at the back of the stairs. When Amelie left the mansion, the Count omitted her name. Although she was treated as ady, on paper, she was not. In short, that meant she was in an ambiguous position. It would have been a problem if Amelie were to be seen in the hallway for seemingly no reason. ¡°Let¡¯s talkter. Even though you came home after a long time, I¡¯m sorry, my daughter. But if the Emperor harms you, it¡¯ll be a big deal. We would never be ashamed of you¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I already know that. Go, quickly.¡± Amelie cut him off. They didn¡¯t have time; she needed to run. The Count hugged Amelie one more time before hurrying on, Renee stood besides him. Amelie ran towards the door the butler pointed at. The front door was opening. ¡®Quickly!¡¯ Fortunately, Amelie was good at running and was able to reach the door quickly. But when she grabbed the doorknob and twisted it, the door was locked. ¡°Ack, I¡¯m doomed.¡± Amelie looked at her surroundings. There were some potted nts, but they were too small for an adult woman to hide behind. While she was wandering about, the front door was opening. Tension hung in the hall. Slowly, the door opened. Light poured in and gradually, the silhouette of a person came into view. ¡®What am I going to do? I need to hide, anywhere¡­¡­¡­!¡¯ Instantly, an idea shed through her head. ¡®Right! This is it!¡¯ Amelie recited the spell. With a small ¡®pong¡¯, Amelie disappeared. Instead, there was a tiny bird left in her spot. The bird had soft pink feathers and round, mint eyes. Animals, turning into one was also a witch¡¯s spell. Amelie was so inexperienced that she only turned into a tiny one, but it was the most helpful force at her disposal at that moment. She ran and hid behind a pot. ¡®Phew, I lived.¡¯ Amelie used the pot as her shield, poking her head out. The door opened and a huge man came into the mansion. He looked strangely rxed despite his quick steps. His golden eyes observed the hall. When thinking of gold, you think of a pretty colour that shines. Serwon¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t shine. They looked cold, only possessing a metallic feel to them. He simply looked around the hall, yet everyone¡¯s faces were already turning pale. ¡°Count Dheim. This is a gift. I couldn¡¯t juste empty-handed.¡± Serwon threw what he was holding. Tok. Roll. Hair, eyes, nose, mouth. It was a human head. Dark red blood spilled across the swept and polished white marble. [T/N] just so yall know i love this man [P/N] i second that Chapter 3 ¡°H-Hak¡­¡­!¡± Everyone in the hall was horrified. ¡°T-This person is¡­¡­¡­.¡± The Count was so taken back that he stammered. But no one was able tough at him. Because it meant they would attract the attention of Serwon, who was well known for his ruthlessness. ¡°On the way here, I met some thieves. This is the head of their boss.¡± ¡°But why did you bring the head¡­¡­?¡± ¡°He resisted without a motive.¡± He spoke calmly. ¡°I caught the whole band. If it¡¯s too troublesome for you to dispose of them, I¡¯ll have the knights do it.¡± ¡°D-Dispose¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You have to obey thew.¡± ¡°ording to the imperialw, thieves are subject to the death penalty¡­¡­.¡± The Count grew paler and paler. Nevertheless, byw, you weren¡¯t obligated to kill someone for just a small act of theft. In a rural area like this, burrs were only required to pay a fee. In fact, they resembled hunters or sh-and-burn farmers rather than thieves. ¡°S-Since these thieves are in my territory, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± The Count spoke in a trembling voice. Serwon nodded, not paying much attention. He didn¡¯t care about what the Count had to say. Instead, he turned his head and inspected the hall. Meanwhile, Amelie set her wing on her chest and gasped. ¡®A-A person¡¯s¡­ human head¡­¡­..¡¯ With his clothes caked in blood, Serwon looked like a colossal and gruesome god of death. It was to be expected, looking at the condition of the bandits. Amelie¡¯s wings quivered. ¡®Serwon killed Amelie.¡¯ Her death was bing more and more like a reality. Thatrge hand suffocating Amelie. Her body trembled with instinctive fear. Then, she felt goosebumps all over herself. ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± She felt Serwon¡¯s golden eyes on her. ¡®Kyaa!¡¯ When their eyes met, she was startled by his piercing eyes. Amelie copsed before hurrying to hide behind a pot. Her round chest moved up and down rapidly. ¡®He might¡¯ve identally seen me on the way here, did he really? On the route here?¡¯ Amelie was positioned in a secluded part of the hall. There was nothing eye-catching about her location, and she was far from Serwon who stood by the entrance. Moreover, she was a different size ¨C at least as small as a fist. Even if you knew she was there, it¡¯d be hard to find her. ¡®It¡¯s fine; he won¡¯t be able to figure out I¡¯m actually a human, right?¡¯ Amelie struggled tofort herself. Currently, she was hiding behind the pot. She¡¯d only be able toe out when Serwon leaves. Run and don¡¯t look back. It was then. Serwon looked around the hall and suddenly moved. His actions startled everyone in the hall. What¡¯s the crazy Emperor doing again? ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Count Dheim was surprised to see what direction the Emperor was turning towards. It was where Amelie had made her hurried escape. ¡®There¡¯s no way he would¡¯ve seen our baby, right?¡¯ There was no one in that direction; it couldn¡¯t be that bad. If Serwon found Amelie running away, the worst that could happen was him catching her. ¡®No!¡¯ The Count hurriedly followed Serwon. Even if it means sacrificing myself, I have to protect my daughter! But before he could stop the Emperor, Serwon stopped in his tracks. Out of the blue, he kicked the pot. It flew back, hitting the wall. Kukwang! The flowerpot shattered to pieces, its soil and water scattering everywhere. Everyone in the hall gathered and stared at the flowerpot. ¡°Your Majesty? Why all of a sudden¡­¡­ Huk!¡± The count found it. A little shivering crow-tit[1] in the ce where the pot had been. Because of its small body, the bird looked like a ball of pink feathers. The count, who knew Amelie was a witch, immediately realized it was her. ¡®Amelie! My daughter!¡¯ The count screamed on the inside. He instantly panicked. If Renee hadn¡¯t grabbed his arm, he would¡¯ve screamed and attacked Serwon. Renee also noticed that the crow-tit was Amelie. Though she didn¡¯t really stand out, her behaviour provoked Serwon. She was afraid Amelie would get hurt. The count and Renee prayed internally that Serwon wouldn¡¯t be interested in the bird. Everyone held in their breath while watching him. Seeing the unexpected situation, Amelie blinked. A big dark shadow loomed over her, but she couldn¡¯t move. She raised her head slowly. Her neck was stiff with fear, seemingly making a creaking noise. Serwon resembled a huge wall rather than a man. Big and solid, he filled the house with a bloody odour. Even though he bent down, she was barely able to see his face. His golden eyes were like des of fire. When their eyes met, the hairs on her body stood up. ¡°Pyaa¡­.¡± I¡¯m scared. Amelie trembled. Serwon reached out for her. Hisrge, bloodstained hands were ready to strangle her. He grabbed her tightly. The blood on his hands soaked her feathers. Serwon sniffed her back. As he inhaled and exhaled, her feathers shook. Amelie was now on the verge of a heart attack. ¡°This isn¡¯t right. It definitely smells¡­¡­.¡± He muttered quietly. His voice was only heard by Amelie. A horrifying, deep voice that brought her to tears. ¡°Pyaa¡­¡­.¡± Her tears moistened her feathers. She was most definitely in danger. But why was she currently being held by Serwon? With her luck, she¡¯d probably fall and break her nose. ¡®Somehow, the ominous¡­¡­!¡¯ Her regret came a bitte. She realized that the ominous feeling followed her all the way to the mansion. Amelie¡¯s grandmother taught her many things when she was growing up. Regardless of whether Amelie, who was this close to being considered an idiot, was listening. She often said a witch¡¯s intuition should never be ignored. If you have a bad feeling, don¡¯t think twice and run away quickly. ¡®Run away¡­¡­ Yeah, I have to run¡­¡­!¡¯ She¡¯s not dead yet. This was a crisis. Her tiny head quickly turned. In order to survive in the harsh nature, small animals had to find a way to get out of situations like this. ¡®Pretend to be dead!¡¯ Amelie quickly rxed and let her body go. She put up a whole performance. Her eyelids flickered, looking like a real dead bird. The Count forgot how to breathe as he looked at her. If Renee hadn¡¯t noticed and held her father back, the count would¡¯ve lost all his reasoning and rushed in. Amelie slowly blinked as she stared at Serwon. If a healthy bird dies in his hands, he¡¯ll let go because it¡¯s dirty and gross. Her prediction was right. The fingers tightly holding onto her loosened. Amelie didn¡¯t miss the gap. She rapidly pped her wings. ¡®Escape¡­! Hok!¡¯ Amelie let out a scream that sounded like ¡®gyaaak¡¯. Serwon reacted quickly and caught her. Hisrge hand refused to budge. She couldn¡¯t move, feeling as if she was in a narrow prison. ¡®Why on earth are you doing this to me?¡¯ Amelie thought that it was unfair. Then, the count carefully stepped out. His forehead covered in sweat, hands clutched so tightly blood would stop circting. Serwon was scary, but he couldn¡¯t back down when it came to saving his daughter. ¡°Your Majesty. Let go of that bird.¡± Serwon¡¯s eyes turned to the count. He flinched. Everyone in the mansion paled as they watched the count. Tension enveloped the room, waiting for something to happen. ¡°My knights are very tired. Guide them to their room.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s a bird that is very dear to us. Please let it go.¡± Renee joined the count. Serwon¡¯s gaze switched over to her. ¡°Do you use a sword?¡± ¡°¡­.Pardon? Yes, I¡¯m able to use a sword.¡± His mouth pressed into a thin line. When his expression loosened, the tension eased. But Amelia was more nervous than ever. ording to the original novel, Serwon was dangerous when he did that. Everything got on his nerves, and he constantly felt unbearable irritation. Renee was an outstanding swordswoman, but to Serwon, that meant she was an excellent stress-relief toy. ¡®No! Absolutely not!¡¯ An immediate situation. Amelie recalled a part of the novel. The Count and Renee¡­ and Amelie. The three of them were forced apart, but they were definitely a family. They respected and wanted to protect each other. Just now, they risked their lives and stood up to Serwon. Amelie couldn¡¯t bear to see them in danger. So she pecked Serwon¡¯s hand with her beak. He looked down at her with an unaffected expression. During that time, she looked back and forth between the count and Renee. ¡®Never, don¡¯t even try toe closer.¡¯ She hoped that her thoughts would be conveyed to them. The Count faltered when he realized the meaning of her actions. Renee bowed deeply as she bit her lip. It was to hide her anger. ¡°I¡¯ll take it to my room.¡± ¡°The knights will follow the servants.¡± Serwon nodded. When she saw that his face had returned to that cold expression, Amelie sighed with relief. Serwon was guided to his room by the Count. Amelie rested like a cherished item in Serwon¡¯s hands, held captive by him. Behind him, his knights followed in a line. nk, the sound was like a chain binding her. [1] Crow-tit Chapter 4 Chapter 4 : The Tyrant¡¯s Tranquilizer Tranted by Tam Edited by Kio Serwin¡¯s room was the best room in the mansion. It was the size of an apartment. As soon as Serwin entered the room, he carefullyid Amelie down on the table. Amelie folded her wings. She checked her body by opening up and pping her wings. Her wings and legs trembled because of how nervous she was that her heart was about to explode. Still, she can¡¯t miss this opportunity. ¡®Let¡¯s try running away!¡¯ Amelie drew all her remaining strength and quickly flew high. She pped her wings with all her might and flew in the air at a speed that was iparable to the previous one. Just go through the open window and¡­! Then something grabbed Amelie¡¯s leg and pulled it down quickly. ¡°Pyaak!!¡± The bird¡¯s screams sharply cut through the air. Her body lost its bnce and fell on the table. Even people don¡¯t know what will happen if you fall to this height with your body. ¡®I-I¡¯m dying¡­!¡¯ Amelie closed her eyes tightly. But she settled down on a warm floor. ¡°Pyak?¡± Amelie looked around with her head. When she opened her eyes, she was in the hands of the Emperor. The dark red thread around her leg was connected to the Emperor¡¯s hand. This was obviously the Emperor¡¯s aura. Not to mention that in the novel, the Emperor is known for his level of swordsmanship with aura, in other words he is known for someone who handles things freely with his aura. She didn¡¯t know that she would be dragging her feet in such a person¡¯s way. Amelie looked up at Serwin with dissatisfied eyes. He closed the window using his aura. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous out there.¡± ¡°Pyak, Pyak.¡± You¡¯re more dangerous. Amelie protested fiercely, but Serwin only looked at her as a cute being. ¡°Stay calm.¡± He stroked Amelie¡¯s forehead with his thumb and disappeared into the room. ¡°¡­Pyak?¡± Amelie was dazed by the unexpected affectionate touch. ¡®What is it, now? Did Serwin stroke me? He didn¡¯t hit me and patted me? He¡¯s not looking at me like he¡¯s going to kill me? Huh? Huh?¡¯ Amelie sat down on the ground. Serwin¡¯s unusual behavior confused her. Come to think of it, there were more than one or two strange things. Ever since Amelie pretended to be dead, his grip became less powerful, and a while ago he even supported her with his hands. ¡°Pyak¡­¡± Only when Serwin waspletely invisible, Amelie sighed heavily. ¡®What the hell is going on?..¡¯ But it¡¯s too early to be surprised. Serwin brought a wet towel after washing his hands. Out of energy, Amelie put herself in Serwin¡¯s hands. ¡°Good.¡± Serwin wiped Amelie¡¯s body with a wet towel. The hands moving along the hairline were so delicate. His eyes on Amelie were also quite friendly. ¡®He¡¯s like a different person.¡¯ Amelie thought nkly. She can¡¯t believe that he didn¡¯t change his clothes and brought it to the birds first. This was not the emperor she knew. Serwin wiped Amelie to make her dry again with a towel. Then, Serwin put her in a box where he put the candles. It was a box with a tight iron window on the front and back so that the candle could burn well. When thetch was locked, the box became a great cage. Serwin went to his room to go wash. And Amelie copsed in relief as he left. ¡°Pyak..¡± Although she was tightly locked in the cage, it was morefortable than in Serwin¡¯s palm. Her body was drooping. ¡®I¡¯m not supposed to sleep¡­¡¯ But the body, which was in a state of extreme fear and tension, quickly fell asleep. **************************** Amelie, who fell asleep like she fainted because she used up all her energy, felt a touch of someone patting herself in her sleep. The hand tickled Amelie¡¯s forehead carefully, and swept her long from her head. ¡®Who is it?¡­¡¯ Amelie suddenly recalled her situation. She was captured by the Emperor and locked in a cage¡­ ¡®Oh my! The Emperor!¡¯ Amelie opened her eyes. That¡¯s right. Her eyes met with his golden eyes. It was softer than when they first met, but it was still sharp. ¡®Crazy. Where am I sleeping?¡¯ It was warm in Serwin¡¯s hand. It was also Serwin who stroked Amelie. Amelie rolled down from Serwin¡¯s palm. ¡°Be careful.¡± Serwin swept Amelie¡¯s forehead with his index finger. ¡°Pya!!¡± Amelie screamed. His touch was friendly but so big that it was threatening just to be close. Besides, isn¡¯t it Serwin, not anyone else? Amelie was anxious that he might suddenly turn and strangle her neck. And her small heart thumped like it was about to burst. ¡®I need to run away!¡¯ Amelie ran off and hid in the cage. She doesn¡¯t know, but Serwin seems quite pleased with Sooyeon, the bird. He observed Amelie, as if he were the owner of the new pet. ¡®You don¡¯t¡­ you don¡¯t mean to take and raise me, do you?¡¯ Like going to the Pce like this. Such anxiety flowed in like a tide. ¡®It¡¯s all right. Everything will be alright..¡¯ Amelie grasped the slightly shaken mind. Fortunately, she had a way out. Magic! When Serwin leaves the room, she just needs to use magic to open the window and leave. ¡®Calmly, I will look for a chance.¡¯ Amelie took a deep breath to calm down. Then someone knocked on the door. Knock, knock. ¡°Your Majesty, this is Ethan.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± A man came into the room when he was given permission. The man named Ethan was wearing a ck uniform, different than what the other knights wore. He seems to hold the highest rank of Knights. ¡°The Knights have been ordered to standby in their respective rooms.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Serwin sat in a chair and listened to Ethan¡¯s report. The cage was on the table, so Amelie had no choice but to listen to their conversation. ¡°I have also ordered Lord Chad to return. Are you going to leave after hearing his report?¡± Serwin raised his head. ¡°Because of his report, I didn¡¯t go straight to the forest. We¡¯ll wait.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Listening carefully to their conversation, Amelie was lost in thought. ¡®Did you send someone to investigate Dhaim?¡¯ As Amelie knows, Serwin¡¯s reason foring here was ¡°hunting¡±. But do you usually send an investigator to do a hunt? Of course, he could have done it just because he¡¯s Emperor, but she didn¡¯t feel that his reasons would be that simple. The ominous feeling that she felt whileing to the Count was revived. ¡°How was the Count?¡± ¡°He¡¯s doubting that we¡¯re here to hunt, but he doesn¡¯t know exactly what we¡¯re here for.¡± Serwin nodded. ¡°The Count should continue to be left in the dark. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± No matter how carefully she overheard their conversation, she couldn¡¯t understand what they were saying. ¡®The Emperor came to Dhaim for a different reason, not hunting.¡¯ It¡¯s different from the original. ¡®The original is from Renee¡¯s point of view. So she might not know why the Emperor really came here.¡¯ It¡¯s like amon narrative trick. ¡®It was weird, though. It¡¯s a long way to get here with all these frozen hunting grounds around the Capital¡­.¡¯ Dhaim is far from the Capital. It is enough to make a horse tired after traveling to and from Dhaim, using the magic circle. There is also no creature in the Fidelian Forest enough toe hunting here. ¡®So what¡¯s the real purpose of the Emperor?¡¯ Come to think of it, that wasn¡¯t the only strange thing. In the novel, Renee enters Serwin¡¯s territory to avenge her family. Renee and Serwin¡¯s first meeting was at the Knighting Ceremony. ¡®If the Emperor had stayed at the mansion, Renee wouldn¡¯t be meeting the Emperor for the first time at the ceremony, would she? Didn¡¯t Renee remember?¡¯ It was a year ago. Renee, who cares about Amelie very much, will never forget the Emperor¡¯s visit at this time of year. Is it because Amelie met the Emperor instead? ¡®Then the story is different from the original. Why?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t imagine even if she held on to her small head and whine. What can Serwin get in this quiet country town? ¡°Pyak¡­.¡± What do you do when you see something weird? I don¡¯t know why it¡¯s weird. Amelie scratched her wings with her beak in frustration. ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Pya¡­?¡± Amelie raised her head, which had been buried in her wings. Serwin was staring at her. In the eyes of the beast, she stepped back reflexively. Boom! The cage shook violently. Serwin stared at Amelie quietly and he opened his mouth. ¡°You seem scared of me, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ethan looked at Serwin with the expression, ¡®Don¡¯t you know that?¡¯ Serwin couldn¡¯t see the face because he was tormenting Amelie by putting his finger through the bars. Amelie pped her wings to avoid Serwin¡¯s fingers. Whether Amelie was desperate or not, Serwin continued to y. ¡°Pyaaak!!¡± ¡°Are you going to raise it? It¡¯ll be dead in any minute.¡± Ethan said. Serwin furrowed his brows. ¡°It looks fine. See, it looks healthy.¡± Inside the narrow cage, Amelie was dumbfounded and dodged Serwin¡¯s fingers. Eventually, Serwin put his hand in and took Amelie out. The warm feeling in his hands was as satisfying as she expected. ¡°Pyaak pyaak!¡± Amelie poured out a very harsh curse. She knew Serwin wouldn¡¯t understand, so she had no hesitation to do that. Either way, Serwin swept Amelie¡¯s forehead with his thumb. The corners of his mouth were slightly upward. Even his eyes softened a little. Amelie, who watched the change from the front, lost her nerve. ¡°Oh, my God, what¡¯s wrong with you, my heart is shaking-¡° Amelie closed her beak tightly. ¡°What can I do to not scare you?¡± The voice sounded so sweet that it gave her goosebumps. Ethan sighed silently. ¡°You like animals, but don¡¯t you know how to tame them?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all dead, so you should have raised them properly.¡± ¡°¡­animals are tame with food.¡± ¡°Feed her, then go get her something to eat.¡± ¡°¡­I understand.¡± Ethan looked at Serwin and the bird with a confused face then left the room. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 : The Tyrant¡¯s Tranquilizer Tranted by Tam Edited by Kio
Ethan came back faster than she thought. He was holding a big basket. Filled with dried grains, fruit-like food to feed the birds, thick chocte cakes, cow sizzles, and chicken soup, and no matter how hard you looked at it, it was not a bird¡¯s food. ¡°Did I ask you to pack me a pic bag?¡± Ethan smiled vaguely. ¡°I asked the maid to give me what the birds usually ate, and suddenly the butler came up and took care of it like this.¡± When she heard that, she peeked into the basket again, and it was all the food that Amelie liked. It wasn¡¯t food for birds. ¡°Looks like all the people seem to care about you.¡± This was food for more than one person. At Serwin¡¯s brazenness, Amelie lost her words. ¡®Renee, father¡­I¡¯m touched, it¡¯s impressive, but¡­ I don¡¯t think chicken soup is for birds¡­¡¯ Amelie was disturbed. Serwin took out a dagger. Look at that hideous thing! The de of the dagger was so sleek that it was easy to cut a bird¡¯s neck. ¡°Pyak!¡± Amelie rolled down from Serwin¡¯s palm. And quickly went into the cage. ¡°Is itfortable there?¡± Serwin took a red apple out of the basket. And cut the apple thinly with a small dagger. The sweet scent as the juice flowed down his thick fingers. The smell of apples, which became more sensitive for the birds, was an unbearable temptation. ¡®I¡¯m hungry..¡¯ Come to think of it, she hasn¡¯t eaten anything since breakfast. She lost all of her energy as she was shaken by the Emperor. It suddenly made her very sad to think how long its been since shest eaten. She wants to eat everything, but she can¡¯t even eat. She¡¯s hungry. But she¡¯s sad. She¡¯s really sad. ¡°Pya¡­.¡± Amelie bowed her head with a pathetic cry. As soon as she became aware, she started to feel the hunger like crazy. ¡°Come here.¡± Serwin said. He put a small piece of apple on the tip of his finger and slipped it through the bars. The pulp was crushed small and gave off a stronger scent. ¡®No, that¡¯s the Emperor¡¯s hand. If I peck his fingers while I¡¯m taking it, he¡¯ll kill me. But the Emperor¡¯s gonna kill me anyway, right? Wouldn¡¯t it be pointless to hold out?¡¯ On the other hand Amelie had an appetite. As she transformed into an animal, her instincts became stronger, so her appetite was already unbearable. ¡®Yes, the ghost who died after eating said it looked good, too!¡¯ Amelie ran and pecked the apple off Serwin¡¯s finger with her beak. Along with the small crushed pulp, the sweetness of the apple filled her mouth. ¡®It¡¯s delicious!¡¯ Maybe they choose only the good ones for the Emperor so the taste was iparable to the apples that she bought at the convenience store. Amelie¡¯sst reason copsed. He doesn¡¯t know she¡¯s a human anyway. With self-rationalization, she fell into a trance and ate what Serwin gave her. Because of the stress, the sweet fruit went straight into her. Serwin smiled and tickled Amelie¡¯s little cheek with his fingertips. By the time he came to his senses, she had already eaten the grapes on his palm. Amelie walked backwards, burying her neck. ¡®Scary¡­¡¯ She ate her food, but she still felt afraid of him. Big hands, fishy smell, and human head. This is the worst first meeting a future murderer and a victim can ever face. ¡°You¡¯re well fed, but why are you still scared?¡± Serwin¡¯s voice expressed frustration. ¡°It¡¯s only been a little over an hour since we met. Small animals usually have to spend time and get closer slowly.¡± Replied Ethan, standing next to him and quietly wiping fruit. ¡°I see. Take your time¡ª¡± ¡°Your Majesty must like the bird very much.¡± ¡°Yeah. I can¡¯t take my eyes off the little thing.¡± Amelie was startled by the words. ¡®Why do you like it? Scary¡ª¡¯ Knock knock. Then, she heard a sound of knock. Amelie took the gap and went back into the cage. She raised her tail feathers and buried her neck in her fur, as if guarding all directions. ¡°Your Majesty, Chad is back.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened, and a man named Chad came in. He was wearing old clothes that the herdsmen would wear. However, as he walked his posture was alike to Ethan standing next to him, it attracted andmanded attention. ¡®What¡¯s again this time?¡¯ Amelie looked around with her head. Chad, a man in a shepherd¡¯s robe, bowed deeply in front of the Emperor. ¡°While I was carrying out what you ordered, I heard the news that your Majesty hade and returned immediately.¡±, said Chad. He¡¯s a knight who was sent a few days ago to investigate the territory of Deheim. He returned after hearing that the Emperor had arrived. ¡°Did you find it?¡± Serwin looked at Chad. Although he was looking up, his dignity did not die. But there was impatience in his voice. Ethan also looked at Chad with a nervous expression. Amelie raised her ears up. What the hell are you looking for? Jewels? Ancient relics? Legendary herbs? Serwin asked again. ¡°Did you find the witch?¡± Boom- Amellie felt her heart sink for a moment. Amelie doubted her ears. Serwin was looking for a witch? She couldn¡¯t blink and waited for Chad¡¯s answer. Nervousness had made her mouth go dry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I failed ¡ªUgh!¡± Even before Chad was finished, Serwin threw a vase. The vase flew in the air and hit Chad¡¯s head. CRASSH! The vase was shattered. Chad¡¯s body shook greatly. Blood sshed to the floor. ¡®He threw a vase at a person¡ª¡¯ But Amelie was the only one who was surprised. Chad, Ethan, and the Emperor who threw the vase remained calm as if something like this is normal. Chad sat on one knee. He couldn¡¯t open his eyes because of the blood, but his posture was not disturbed at all. ¡°Sorry, but I have not fulfilled my duties. Please punish me.¡± ¡°Pay for it.¡± Serwin¡¯s eyes turned to the sword on Ethan¡¯s waist. ¡®Are you going to kill him? No way? Just because you didn¡¯t find me?¡¯ ¡°Pyaaak!¡± Amelie screamed without even knowing. No matter how bad you did what you were told to do, you just threw a vase at a person¡¯s head. He was too harsh on his subordinates. She recalled his nickname as a tyrant again. Serwin¡¯s eyes were on Amelie. When he saw a bird pping on the cage, he frowned. Then Ethan interrupted it. ¡°Sir Chad, please exin the situation first. The punishment coulde downter. Didn¡¯t you report that you found a witch in the castle?¡± ¡°On the first day I came here as I reported, I heard about a witch in the castle.¡± Chad disguised himself as a shepherd and came to the Dehaim territory. It was to find out where the witch lived by arriving at the territory before the Emperor. Until then, his goal was the Fidelia Forest. He stopped by the Castle to buy things he needed and listen to people¡¯s stories. The first day he arrived at Dehaim. He heard about the witch in the restaurant. It wasn¡¯t much of a story. ¡®I saw a witch on the way.¡¯ ¡®I want to get good medicine for arthritis. Will I be able to meet you if I go now?¡¯ The next day, Chad heard from people that they saw a witch while passing by. Unlike the Capital, Deheim was very favorable to witches. Then there was a possibility that the witch lived in a vige near the Castle, not in the Forest of Fidelia. Chad reported to Serwin that while Serwin¡¯s group turned their way to the Fidelian Forest and came to the Count¡¯s Mansion, he was scouting the Castle to find out the Witch¡¯s house. ¡®Argh¡ª! I didn¡¯t know the Emperor¡¯s knight was here! I never thought you¡¯d try to find me. Why are you looking for a witch, huh?¡± Amelie screamed inside. She was extremely shocked. For the past two weeks, she has frequently been in and out of the Castle, getting ready to run away. Some people must recognize her from time to time. But she wasn¡¯t worried. No one in Dehaim has ever tried grandmother¡¯s witch¡¯s medicine. So the people here were friendly to the witch, and Amelie wasn¡¯t too worried about showing her face. ¡®I didn¡¯t think it was a big deal¡ª¡¯ In Chad¡¯s words, Amelie realized another fact. ¡®That¡¯s why in the original novel, Renee never met the Emperor until he went to the Pce. In the original, Amelie wouldn¡¯t have been in and out of the Castle trying to escape.¡¯ In the end, her efforts to run away safely caused anger. If she prepared a little less thoroughly, then her identity as a witch would have stayed off the Emperor¡¯s radar. Even if it¡¯s family or not, she should just run away and never look back. And this means she will never be Serwin¡¯s new pet. ¡®As soon as I knew I was possessed, I should have run away¡ª¡¯ But then she got Renee and Count in her mind. ¡®No, but it¡¯s a good thing I came to see my father and Renee. I can¡¯t regret that.¡¯ Amelie whimpered and rubbed her eyes with her wings. While she was at fault for Chad¡¯s current condition, Chad continued. The people of Dehaim did not open their mouths easily. Twenty years ago, many people still remembered the ¡°witch hunt¡± that swept the entire continent. They could not trust outsiders. ¡°I was rejected because they couldn¡¯t tell outsiders where the witch lives.¡± ¡°After all, you haven¡¯t figured it out?¡± Serwin¡¯s voice sounded as horrible as a death sentence. Chad shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll ept any punishment.¡± Punishment again? She didn¡¯t know what to say when all the blood from his head covered his face. Amelie looked at Serwin uneasily. Serwin looked at Chad with cold eyes. ¡°Go back to the vige. If you look around like that, they¡¯ll tell you the location of the witch.¡± Oh, my God. She can¡¯t believe he can speak so harshly. It was a ferocious and cruel order to the extent that Amelie was also angry. However, Chad seemed to be grateful for such orders. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll repay your expectations. Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Chad lowered his head deeply and raised himself. It was a disciplined move like a knight, but he couldn¡¯t ovee his dizziness. Ethan secretly supported him on the back. ¡°Then I¡¯ll excuse myself to help Sir Chad.¡± After greeting, Ethan and Chad left the room. Amelie looked back at them. Chad was seen falling through the door¡¯s closing gap. On his red face, all kinds of evil deeds of Serwin came to mind. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 : The Tyrant¡¯s Tranquilizer Tranted by Tam Edited by Kio
Serwin in the novel did nothing more than this without hesitation. He was an attractive viin, and it was natural for him to do evil, so he never gave off a good impression. But when she faced him in real life, she realized, a viin is never an attractive person. ¡®Scary¡­¡¯ The fear she had forgotten for a while came back. She remembered the rogue¡¯s head, rolling over marble like a ball, like it was clear in front of her eyes. She was scared and couldn¡¯t stand so she cried. Amelie was peeping, peeping and crying sadly. ¡°Do birds shed tears?¡± Serwin approached her. He bent down to meet Amelie¡¯s eye level. His fierce eyes were looking at her in front of her nose. It was the same as the eyes of a beast on TV. ¡°Pyii¡­ Pyi. ¡° ¡®Don¡¯te near me, madman.¡¯ Amelie took a step back. ¡°Why are you crying? I fed you and stroked you.¡± Serwin looked confused, unable to understand. ¡°Piii¡­ Pyi¡­ Pyiii.¡± ¡®I¡¯m crying because you¡¯re crazy!¡¯ Amelie used whatever Serwin didn¡¯t understand to curse and swear. Serwin opened the cage and put his hand in. ¡®You¡¯re going to hit me for swearing! You devil! You tyrant!¡¯ Amelie pped her wings and avoided his hand. But the cage was so narrow that he quickly caught her. ¡°Pyiiii!¡± She struggled to get out of his hands. But the big, hard hands were more solid prisons than the cage. Amelie shut her mouth tight. Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t control her sorrow and her heart was shaken. ¡°Are you surprised by the loud noise?¡± Serwin stroked her chest with his thumb. He petted her carefully like trying to calm her down. He stroked her for a long time until her heartbeat returned to normal. ¡×¡×¡×¡×¡×¡×¡×¡×¡×¡×¡×¡× A few days have passed since Serwin arrived at Dehaim¡¯s mansion. Amelie was looking for a chance to escape every day, but she was still held by Serwin. ¡®¡­failed again today. Six wins and six losses.¡¯ It¡¯s a hopeless winning percentage. ¡°Hyu¡­¡± Amelie sighed. Serwin¡¯s new pet life is not hard. Rather, she enjoyed more luxury than she did when she was a human being. Serwin was very friendly to Amelie. Beyond just loving it, she was constantly trying to make herselffortable. Get arge gold cage, or put small nkets and cushions all over the room to make sure it isn¡¯t cold. Amelie¡¯s meal seemed to be particrly selectable. When the caterpir came out, she really wanted to faint, but she couldn¡¯t help but admit their sincerity. When he was in the mansion, he always kept Amelie within his reach. When Amelie wakes up, he finds her, looking at her with very sweet eyes. Sometimes he was a very good master, holding Amelie in his hand and holding her nose in her feathers. ¡®When I¡¯m sick of going to work, I thought I¡¯d like to be reborn as a rich family pet, but¡ª¡¯ She didn¡¯t expect that dream toe true like this. However contrary to her imagination, the reality was not easy. Serwin continued to look for the witch. Watching him and his knights getting closer little by little, Amelie¡¯s heart trembled every day. It was hard to watch the people who chased her or to see the knights that got hurt because they couldn¡¯t find her. The carpet still had Chad¡¯s bloodstains. Maybe the blood on the marble was wiped away. Every time she saw that, Amelie had a thought. ¡®He may be a good owner, but he¡¯s not a good man.¡¯ On the other hand, she¡¯s afraid they¡¯ll find out, because of her present state, she¡¯s deceiving people, and it¡¯s giving her a guilty feeling. ¡®Huh.. I need to run away soon so I don¡¯t feel this way.¡¯ Amelie goes to sleep and lies down on her head. Spreading her wings to the side and hanging, she couldn¡¯t be morefortable than this. Ethan looked at her, without bothering her that night. Ethan took care of Amelie while Serwin went ¡°hunting.¡± He gave her a meal or a bath. The knight of the Emperor is one of the most prominent elites in the Empire. Additionally, Ethan seemed to be a high man among the Emperor¡¯s knights. Even though he wasn¡¯t fully in charge of taking care of the pet bird, he took care of Amelie quietly and carefully. Of course, his attitude was because she¡¯s the Emperor¡¯s favorite bird. Amelie didn¡¯t like Ethan very much. Four of the six escape attempts failed because of Ethan. Once he opened the window and she tried to fly, Ethan jumped out of the window and caught Amelie. He fell from the second floor and was fine, and only Amelie was stunned and passed out. ¡®What are you looking at?¡¯ Amelie red at Ethan harshly. The half-closed mint-colored eyes were full ofints. When Serwin was around, Amelie was pretending to be pretty, but when she was with Ethan, she was different. ¡°You look like a human being at a time like this.¡± ¡°Pyak.¡± Amelie snorted. Ethan put the food down next to Amelie. ¡°Eat and sleep.¡± ¡°Pyak.¡± Amelie pushed him with her feet. Then turned andy down, ignoring Ethan. She was very tired because she couldn¡¯t sleep at night. During the day, she¡¯s unable to escape because of Serwin and Ethan. So Amelie was trying to escape when Serwin was asleep. But the problem is that Serwin doesn¡¯t sleep at all. Amelie didn¡¯t sleep every day and waited for the night, but she never saw Serwin sleeping. Rather, he used to deal with the work he had brought from the Pce every night. Eventually, tired Amelie was forced to fall asleep in the middle of the night. Because of that, she was always suffering from sleep deprivation without any results. ¡®If you have so much work, why are you looking for me?¡¯ Why is he looking for a witch? Was his prey a witch from the beginning? Her curiosity increased every day, and it was frustrating that she couldn¡¯t ask anything. ¡®I¡¯m going to sleep. Phew.¡¯ Sighing. Amelie closed her eyes and fell asleep quickly. ¡°Are you sleeping?¡± Ethan put down his sword as the night came, and looked at the colorful bird. ¡®What¡¯s so special about it¡­¡¯ It was cute though. The pink-haired body was cute, and the hair on her forehead was lovely. When she pped her small wings and looked angry, he wanted to bite it. (Editor note: Because she¡¯s cute, not like a drumstick) But it is an ordinary bird. The mint-eyes were a bit unusual, sometimes she behaved smartly like a human, the bird was a special and bird. ¡°Your Majesty doesn¡¯t like small and weak animals like you.¡± Ethan didn¡¯t know why Serwin especially cared about the bird. Ethan stood by the bird quietly. Even when he opened his eyes, there was always an ident, so that¡¯s the reason why he couldn¡¯t leave her side even when she was sleeping. After a while, Serwin returned to the room. The man who had been to the forest smelled of animal blood. He must have hunted with anger because he couldn¡¯t find the witch. Ethan jumped to his feet to be polite. ¡°What about the bird?¡± ¡°It¡¯s asleep.¡± Ethan pointed to Amelie. Serwin who forgot to change came to the table. ¡°Again?¡± Amelie was fast asleep. Every time she breathed, her chest fluttered, and her fluffy hair fluttered. It just looked like she¡¯s calming down. But Serwin was worried. ¡°I think it¡¯s losing energy.¡± ¡°Yes, they spend most of the day lying down or sleeping. The amount of food it eats has decreased.¡± Ethan agreed. The number of idents that urred 4 times decreased to 3 and 2 and now she doesn¡¯t think about getting up and just lies down. When he brought the caterpir to cheer her up, she fainted. Amelie was just saving energy during the day to escape, and the decline in food was due to stress from listening to her chasing story every day, but of course, they couldn¡¯t have known that. Serwin took the situation seriously and swept under Amelie¡¯s beak with the tip of his index finger. It was a careful touch. ¡°Are you being affected? How many days have you been feeling sick? It¡¯s so quiet these days.¡± Ethan nodded at once. That¡¯s why Serwin came all the way here after hunting the witch, but Amelie wouldn¡¯t have known that. ¡°Little animals are sensitive. It could be a good environment for humans, but not for birds. That¡¯s why it¡¯s difficult to judge an animal¡¯s needs. ¡°Yes, but¡ª¡± Serwin had an uncharacteristically blurry tongue. No living creature lived long beside him. He didn¡¯t raise an animal because he would not be able to see it die because of him. As he thought, Ethan didn¡¯t like Serwin¡¯s attempt to raise a bird from the beginning. ¡°I somehow thought this bird would be fine.¡±, Serwin said bitterly. ¡°¡­..It looks like a bird that the Count family loves very much. Even now, he asks me to return the bird every day. They have asked me several times to see how well I and the bird are doing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°The Count Dehaim is far from the capital and has no power in politics, but they have a long-standing reputation. There¡¯s nothing good about it.¡± Serwin frowned. He knows him well too. He was caught by a Dehaimdy a while ago. He didn¡¯t even do anything, but it was obviously her purpose. To tell him to return the bird. ¡°I¡¯ve grown so attached in a short time.¡± Finding the witch was not easier than he thought. His intestines seemed to burn with anxiety saying that the day was far away. It was this little bird that calmed him down. Even if he felt angry, when he saw those round eyes terrified, he would calm down. Serwin understood why Count Dehaim cared for birds. When he stays awake all night working, it¡¯s weird not to fall for a little bird that has eyes full of sleepiness and watch over it. The sleepy bird had a very calm face so he couldn¡¯t easily look at it. There was a deep sense of regret in his touch. However, it is better to let go than to watch it die. The next day, Ethan returned Amelie to Count Dehaim. With the golden cage and toys that Serwin had prepared for her. Chapter 7 - The Tyrant’s Tra Chapter 7 : The Tyrant¡¯s Tranquilizer Tranted by Tam Edited by Kio
Amelie was dumbfounded. There was no exnation. Serwin stroked Amelie and went out, as he had been doing so for days. She thought she would be ying with Ethan until he came back. But Ethan took Amelie to the Count¡¯s office. He left the office without a word, giving Amelie to the Count. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t something that had been said in advance, and the Count was also surprised. ¡®It¡¯s fishy¡­¡¯ Amelie was full of doubts, and she didn¡¯t change to her human form. The moment she returns to a human form, the Emperor maye in. ¡®Did you notice who I am?¡ª¡¯ She walked on the table in the form of a bird and agonized. Watching the little bird that often walks, the Count sped his heart because of her cuteness. Then, the door opened roughly. Boom! ¡°I heard they let Amelie go!¡± Renee came running from practice swordsmanship, she was covered with dirt and sweat. She knelt down in front of the table and looked into Amelie¡¯s eyes. ¡°Amelie, are you okay? The Emperor didn¡¯t bother you, did he?¡± Amelie shook her head. She was not subjected to any roughness. She just had a hard time seeing all the knights going through rough times. Renee shook her body and looked at Amelie¡¯s body. Breaking any of her feathers was the momentum to catch Serwin¡¯s counterattack. She sighed of relief when she saw that she¡¯s not getting hurt. ¡®You¡¯re all right, aren¡¯t you?¡± Seeing Renee act like that, at least it wasn¡¯t a trap. Amelie came back to her human form. ¡°Is anyone out there? The Emperor?¡± ¡°¡®The Emperor went hunting. Sir Ethan and everyone followed the Emperor.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Wasn¡¯t it a trap? Amelie wondering. ¡°Why did he just give me back?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know the details, but maybe it¡¯s because father asked him to return you every day?¡± ¡°Father?¡± When Amelie looked at the Count in surprise, he smiled embarrassed. ¡°Renee worked harder than I did. She visited Sir Ethan every day so she could see you. She even carried a sword before.¡± Amelie opened her mouth wide. ¡®What are these people? Did they have two lives?¡¯ Serwin¡¯s quickness and cruelty would have been better known by the Count and Renee. He killed a man without distinction of rank. But he keep asking for her back. It was a dangerous act for any aristocrat. ¡°Why did you go so far? That¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried about you, so I¡¯ll be able to stay still.¡± The Count nodded his head, agreeing with Renee. ¡°Even if we were to be in danger, would we be as good as you who was held by the Emperor?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been doing very well¡ª¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief. The Emperor and Knights¡¯ atmosphere is getting ugly, and I was so worried that it might affect you.¡± You may not know that trouble could arise from bothering the Emperor, but they acted as if it were nothing. If Amelie¡¯s safe, that¡¯s enough. ¡®Is this what a family is?¡¯ The tears rolled up. She felt sick at the strange feeling. Amelie bit her lips. The Count and Renee hugged Amelie. ¡°Good thing you¡¯re safe, Amelie.¡± The Count whispered in a low whisper. ¡°I¡¯m d Father and Renee are safe too.¡± Amelie shed tears. The warmth from both sides melted away the fears and worries she had felt. When Amelie stopped crying and calmed down, the butler came in with the refreshments as if she had been waiting. ¡°Congrattions on yourte return. Miss Amelie.¡± The butler greeted Amelie. He was an old butler who had worked in the Mansion since Renee and Amelie were born. Having watched their growth, he always felt sorry for Amelie, who left home when she was young. Even after Amelie returned home, she was unable to say hello and was anxious because she was afraid that she might offend the Emperor, and after that he rushed to her when he heard that Amelie was in the office. ¡°Thank you. Oh, thank you for the food basket. All the fruits were delicious.¡± Amelie¡¯s cheeks blushed. She knew the Count and Renee cherished Amelie, but she didn¡¯t expect to be weed by the people of the Mansion. The butler left the office with a gentle smile. ¡®They¡¯re all good people.¡¯ Amelie thought while eating cookies. The spirit of the Count was the same, as all the young people were simple and good. ¡®The cookies are delicious.¡¯ It was hard on the outside, but it broke gently in my mouth. The strong scent of butter spread through the mouth, and sweetness wrapped around the tongue. Amelie kept picking up the cookies. The Count and Renee looked pleased at Amelie. In the midst of their gaze, Amelie had a question. ¡®Why doesn¡¯t anyone think it¡¯s weird?¡¯ Amelie had a developmental disability. She wasn¡¯t diagnosed properly by a doctor, but she never doubted that she had one. She said Amelie barely responded to the stimuli around her, and she had no desire. When she was young, she barely spoke a babbling level ofnguage. But one day, she suddenly improved and came to the Mansion. Amelie herself knew that she had changed, but the Count and Renee were taking it for granted, even though they couldn¡¯t have known it. She felt so strange about it. After a moment, Amelie decided to ask straightforwardly. She couldn¡¯t answer this question because she was thinking about it alone. ¡°Isn¡¯t it weird?¡± At her words, the Count and Renee¡¯s eyes met each other. As attention was focused, Amelie slightly lowered her eyes due to embarrassment. ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve changed. I speak and move freely. I wasn¡¯t like this before.¡± Amelie¡¯s shoulders stiffened. ¡®These people know that Amelie is different from what she used to be. By any chance, you didn¡¯t realize that I was possessed, did you? Maybe they¡¯re trying to get me off my guard and kick me out of here!¡¯ Amelie sped her hands at the terrible thought. Just imagining it made her sad. If her guess is true, it means that their kindness is a lie. It was a short meeting, but Amelie was shaken by the affection they showed. ¡°Actually, a few days before the witch died, she called me for a short conversation. Amelie, it was about you.¡±, said the Count. It was unusual. The grandmother witch was reluctant to see Amelie with her family. Because of that, her rtionship with the Count also grew apart. She can¡¯t believe that she called the Count first. Is there a hidden motive? ¡°Grandmother the witch? About me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about magic, so I don¡¯t know if I understand it exactly, but if I organize it my way, I¡¯m going to put you back to the way it was.¡± ¡°The way it was?¡± Amelie tilted her head. ¡®Didn¡¯t this body have a developmental disability from birth? What does that mean?¡¯ The Count continued to talk. ¡°Looking at you today, I understand what she said. She made it possible for us to talk andugh together.¡± The Count was moved with tears. Amelie patted the Count on the shoulder awkwardly. ¡°She was once a great witch, so she must have found a way out there.¡± Renee continued to talk. ¡°Did Renee hear the story, too?¡± ¡°Yes, she said it would be a very difficult magic. She told me to take good care of you .¡± ¡°How is that possible?¡± ¡°Well, neither of us knows much about magic.¡± The Count looked apologetic. ¡®Did the Grandma witch put me in this body? What magic did she use to do that?¡¯ Amelie thought of many magic tricks, but she had no magic to make someone possess another body. It was the same when she recalled the memory of the body owner. Grandmother witch died because of old age about a year ago. There was no way to know what the difficult magic she was trying to write was and whether it was sessful. ***** There were two kinds of magic in the world. The first is magic used by wizards. They put the mana into their body into a magic trick to create magic, but even if one wasn¡¯t a wizard, they could use magic if they had a mana stone. The other is the magic of witches, who represented the Priests of the Demon. They were able to use a variety of magic, such as telekic power, foresight, transformation, and making magic drugs by using the special powers given by the demon. Unlike Wizards, witchcraft could only be used by Witches, and magic was a very natural act that did not require exnations, such as picking up objects with their hands. Of course, there was a magic book about witchcraft, but the average person could not understand it or copy it. Therefore, Amelie had to find another witch to find out what had happened to her. ¡°Other witches might know. I¡¯m going on a trip anyway, so I¡¯ll have to find the witch.¡± She doesn¡¯t want to go back to her body. Both Amelie and Lee Sooyeon just felt like her bodies. But she needed to know what had happened to her. ¡°Travel? So you¡¯re going out of Dehaim?¡±, Renee asked. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m actually here to say good-bye.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re leaving Dehim. That¡¯s not possible!¡± The Count shouted loudly. Amelie looked at the Count in surprise. His face turned white. He held Amelie¡¯s hand with his hand. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry, I screamed at you.¡± Amelie nodded vacantly. The Count¡¯s hands were trembling slightly. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him?¡¯ The Count¡¯s response was excessive. Just like Amelie going to die. ¡°Think about your trip slowly. It hasn¡¯t been long since you got home. It¡¯s too bad you¡¯re leaving right away like this soon. Okay?¡±, said the Count. It didn¡¯t seem to be just a disappointing response. ¡°But Your Majesty is in the mansion.¡± Amelie mumbled, unable to give a t refusal. ¡°Your Majesty is going to return soon. He can¡¯t afford to empty the Pce for a long time.¡± ¡°Right. If you don¡¯t have to leave in a hurry, stay a little longer. How can you go away like this when I didn¡¯t even take care of you properly?¡± Two pairs of blue eyes looked eagerly at Amelie. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 : The Tyrant¡¯s Tranquilizer
¡°The house is big, so you can avoid him as much as you want.¡± It wasn¡¯t wrong. Serwin and his Knights were engrossed in finding the Witch. They went out early in the morning and searched the forests of Fidelia and nearby viges untilte at night. Some of the Knights said they would leave their quarters outside the mansion to look for Witches. Naturally, the mansion had to be empty. Ethan, the only remaining man in the mansion, was also likely to participate in the search, as he no longer needed to take care of Amelie. ¡®Even if she flew in the sky, the Knights were watching both thend and above, so it would be difficult to secretly leave this yard.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t go far because she transformed into a small animal. She was worried if she could keep herself hidden if she travelled in her human form. It could be safer to hide in the mansion than to be seen by Serwin and his Knights while moving clumsily. ¡®We¡¯ve been in the same room, and you didn¡¯t know I was a witch. Besides, Serwin had often spent time with her during the night.¡¯ Moreover, she was worried about the rest of the people. ¡®He could harm father and Renee just because he couldn¡¯t find me, no?¡¯ Considering his cruel personality, he could have vented his anger on the Count¡¯s people. It was better for her to be taken to the Imperial Pce, rather than killing or hurting others on her behalf. ¡®Besides, the Emperor needs me, so even if he finds out who I am, he won¡¯t kill me easily.¡¯ After much consideration, Amelie made her decision. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll just stay in the mansion until His Majesty leaves.¡± The Count grinned widely at Amelie¡¯s answer. ¡°Yes! Good idea! I¡¯ll tell the chef to make your favourite food for dinner. When you¡¯re done eating, why don¡¯t you look around the mansion before the Emperor returns? ¡± You haven¡¯t lived here since you were a child, so your memory must be hazy .¡± The Count was as excited as a child. Looking at his excitement, Amelie realized she had been worried for nothing. ¡®I think it¡¯ll work out well this way.¡¯ Amelie was then escorted to her room. After she left the mansion, the Count had changed the furniture each year and kept it clean in her absence, so that it would be ready whenever she returned. The three spent time together in her room before Serwin and the Knights returned to the mansion. ***** The life of the mansion was peaceful. Serwin and the Knights departed at the same time each day, and did not return until several hourster. At first, Amelie was worried about keeping her bird-form in shape, butter rxed her transformation and walked around the mansionfortably. ***** Early in the morning, as soon as Serwin and the Knights left the mansion, Renee came into Amelie¡¯s room. She had been training for swordsmanship, and was dressed in a shirt and pants. ¡°Amelie, why don¡¯t you go for a walk? If you find a good spot on the way, we¡¯ll have lunch there.¡± ¡°Do you have a spot in mind?¡± ¡°I thought about going to the woods behind the mansion. It¡¯s not too far, so you don¡¯t have to worry about meeting the Emperor.¡± ¡°Okay, that¡¯s great.¡± Amelie replied happily. She went for a walk alone a few times before, but she never saw the Emperor¡¯s Knights near the house. If she didn¡¯t go far, she didn¡¯t have to worry about being caught. ¡°But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible to have lunch while taking a walk. I just had breakfast.¡± Renee smiled and wagged her finger. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything, Amelie. Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯ll take two hours to get there.¡± ¡°Huh?¡¯ Amelie blinked. ¡®I¡¯m just going for a walk. What are you nning?¡¯ Renee strode up and grasped Amelie¡¯s hand. ¡°Amelie, there¡¯s something I always wanted to do.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I want to y dress-up with my sister.¡± Renee made eye contact with Amelie. The sparkling blue eyes that looked at her slowly were so pretty. In her previous life, her wish was to hang out with her family¡­ ¡°Alright!¡±, Amelie nodded her head. With her permission, Renee went to the dress room while holding Amelie¡¯s arms. The maid came to help Renee. The dress room attached to Amelie¡¯s room was full of clothes. The clothes were ordered together to match Renee¡¯s closet. ¡°Let¡¯s get started!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get started!¡± With Renee¡¯s cheerful deration, an endless ¡®dress-up game¡¯ began. Amelie posed as Renee instructed, and made her try on this outfit and that outfit. She also carried props to match her dresses and changed her essories. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t yellow cute and nice?¡± Renee¡¯s words were followed by two maids who participated in the dress-up game. ¡°It looks too childish. Amelie is already 20 years old.¡± ¡°But she looks good in it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cute. But since Lady Amelie has a gentle atmosphere, wouldn¡¯t it be better for her to look a little stronger?¡± With her sharp eyes, Renee looked at Amelie and the dress. She sighed. ¡°I buy clothes all the time, but why can¡¯t I find anything I want? Later, we must call a stylist.¡± Renee mumbled seriously with her arms crossed. Renee selected clothes all the time, but even with a closet full of clothes, one would always want more. ¡°Try it on. I think I should bring more clothes from my closet.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I just wear this?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s our first time going out together, we can¡¯t just select anything!¡± Renee dered firmly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that¡­.¡± Amelie looked at Renee in desperation. Changing her dress was more work than she thought. Even though she only changed a couple outfits, Amelie was already exhausted. ¡°Dress? Style? None of that matters. As long as the clothes cover my body.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t take the joy of styling away from your older sister, Amelie.¡± Renee kissed her cheek while holding out a dress for her. Amelie epted her change of clothes with a weird look. ¡°Let¡¯s start another round then!¡± Renee stepped out of the room. After a while, the second round began. Renee moved the dresses as if she were going to bring her entire wardrobe. Some even didn¡¯t fit the season, so there were clothes that she brought solely because she thought it would be cute to wear. Amelie was discouraged. Not only the clothes, but also the hats, scarves, shoes, and jewelry have already filled the room. She eventually surrendered everything to the maid, and let Renee and the maids do as they pleased. After trying on countless clothes, the final outfit was an ivory dress. The dress wasn¡¯t shabby at all, it had a pearl-like glossiness to it, with a minimalist design. With a neat boat neckline, minimizing skin exposure, Amelie¡¯s long and slender neck revealed gracefully. After choosing an outfit, the makeover continued. Her pink hair came loose and she wore a ne with small ornaments. Then the maid put on light makeup. ¡°It¡¯s really over now.¡± The maid gently covered Amelie¡¯s eyebrows with mascara. ¡°Do you know how many times you¡¯ve said that?¡± Amelie grumbled. She was exhausted before she even went for a walk. In addition, they didn¡¯t give her the mirror once, so she had no idea what she looked like. Perhaps it was because it was fun to do these kinds of reveals at the end. ¡°It¡¯s really over now! You can look in the mirror.¡± ¡°Bring me the mirror.¡± At Renee¡¯smand, the maids brought arge full-body mirror. Renee covered Amelie¡¯s eyes and ced her close to the mirror. In exhaustion, Amelie followed Renee¡¯s steps. ¡°Now open.¡± When Renee removed her hand, Amelie finally saw herself. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Amelie was impressed. The figure in the mirror was definitely her, but it didn¡¯t look like herself. How her pink hair was curled, with glossy waves. The ornaments on her clothes were simple, and it matched perfectly with her hair loosened down. Amelie may not be as morous as Renee, but she was just as beautiful. Her big, gentle and clear mint eyes, and the round, smooth cheeks were flushed. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Amelie was nervous for nothing. The hem of her skirt swayed gently, and the elegant glow wavered. ¡°You look like a noblewoman.¡± Amelie was impressed. She heard that clothes are like wings. Who would think this girl was the witch who lived in the forest? Renee and the maids looked at the Amelie with delight. ¡°Since we¡¯ve started, how many more should we pick? Something that goes well with..¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s okay! Enough! Let¡¯s go for a walk! I want to go!¡± When Amelie strode out of the room in a hurry, Renee smiled, following her behind. ****** The back of the mansion was a forest. This is because the mansion was located at the edge of the Fidelia Forest, and the trail was created by the forest as it was. Massive trees with thick trunks, that if one tried to hug their arms would not be able to fit, stood side by side along the road. She was happy with the green sunlight reflecting off the leaves and the fluttering wind. Renee and Amelie walked arm in arm. The smell of trees and soil made Amelie excited. Maybe it¡¯s because she lived most of her life in the forest of Fidelia so she felt familiar andfortable in this type of setting. ¡°Shall we have lunch?¡± Renee suggested. Amelie nodded eagerly. She had already digested her breakfast to match Renee¡¯s doll game. The two walked for a while and sat next to an unknown flower vine. ¡°I said I was going for a walk, and the chef made us a separate meal.¡± Renee took some food out of the pic basket. Appetizers to boost their appetite, sandwiches and torn pork in lettuce, hot scones, cool fruit tea, Amelie¡¯s favourite cookies, and some fruits. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Amelie¡¯s eyes twinkled. All of them were Amelie¡¯s favorite foods. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up and eat.¡± Renee served Amelie some fruit tea. After Amelie wiped her hands with her handkerchief, she picked up the appetizer first. It was a dish with smoked ham, tomatoes, and fresh sauce on top of a thin flour pan. As soon as she put it in her mouth, the vour wrapped around her tongue with the smell of smoked ham, followed by tomatoes and sauce washing away the greasy taste of ham. ¡°This is delicious!¡± Amelie was overjoyed. This was the best lunch after a long game of dress-up. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 : The Tyrant¡¯s Tranquilizer Tranted by Tam Edited by Kio
Renee nced at Amelie¡¯s face happily and handed her a sandwich. Amelie ate the sandwich without hesitation. The sandwich tasted different from the appetizer. ¡®Huh?¡¯ A moment of confusion came to Amelie¡¯s mind, as the taste of the roasted pork with the sauce softened in her mouth. Vegetables, including onions, were catching the greasy part of the sandwich. Amelie shuddered. Delicious food is the best. ¡°Phew.¡± After eating all the sandwiches and satiating her appetite, it was time to dig into the scones and fruits. ¡°You must have been very hungry?¡±, asked Renee with a smile. Renee felt content because Amelie ate so deliciously. ¡°Of course! The number of clothes I changed into, were more thanany amountof clothes I had ever worn in my life.¡± Amelie took a bite of scone with cream and marmde. It was more delicious because it tasted familiar. She finished eating the scones and sipped the fruit tea. Renee looked carefully at Amelie, confirmed that her meal was over, and opened her mouth. ¡°The trip. Are you still nning to go?¡± It was an extension of yesterday¡¯s conversation. Amelie nodded her head. ¡°If you¡¯re going to leave because of His Majesty, I don¡¯t think you have to do that?¡±, said Renee. Amelie¡¯s eyes widened. The apple that she had just been bitten fell to the ground with a thud. ¡°How did you know I was running away from the Emperor?¡± Renee frowned, ¡°I know everything when I see you do it. Everytime you talk about His Majesty, you react oddly.¡± ¡°I-is that so?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we just avoid running into him like we do now? His Majesty won¡¯t be able to empty the Pce for long, so he¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Well wouldn¡¯t it be a good idea for me to search for other witches?¡± Renee¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Father and I are worried. It¡¯s tough and scary out there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know how to use magic. I can protect myself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you can¡¯t.¡± Amelie tilted her head. Renee exined with a serious face,, ¡°You know there was a witch hunt over 20 years ago, right? At a time when power was transferred from King Regent to the present His Majesty.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I think I heard it from grandmother.¡± Actually, she knew it because it was in the novel, but the details were still vague to Amelie. More than 20 years ago, before and after the birth of Amelie and Renee, the continent was engulfed by a wave of witch hunts. At that time, the continent was harder to live in than it was now. Infectious diseases frequently ured, and farming was difficult to maintain due to insect damage. Things were better in rural areas further from the Capital. Because there was something to eat, and there was a connection to themunity. However, there were many people who starved to death in the City¡¯s Capital. People med it all on the witches. Although the witches treated the disease with magic, people went on witch hunts. As if they had forgotten the efforts the witches had made to diminish the amount of those affected. In the process, countless women were tortured and burned to death. The surviving witches gradually hid in the forest and in the absence of people. Because of that, there is little contact between witches and humans now. The witch hunts, which stained the continent with blood, disappeared when the regent King died and Serwin took power. It was thanks to the Emperor¡¯s order to ban punishment. (Editor note: Idk what punishment it is so wait untilter chapters for an exnation.) ¡°In Deheim, there are several people who have been indebted to her, but those people are far from the Capital. But in other areas, especially, as we move closer to the Capital, there are still many people who are against witches.¡± ¡°But people need witches. Especially themon people!¡± ¡°They¡¯re blinded because they can¡¯t be treated by a doctor, but what do you think about the Nobles? Do powerful and rich people need witches?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we just avoid the Nobles?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like things willgo your way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­.¡± Amelie frowned. She had inherited all of the original Amelie¡¯s memories before she had possessed this body. Andbined with those memories of the information she gained from reading the novel, in her past life, she thought that she could naturally blend into this world. ¡®Is the situation worse than I thought?¡¯ Amelie¡¯s knowledge was heavily biased, as she had lived in the forest for the majority of her life. The situation was the same as it was in the novel. Though, the timeline and course of the novel would be different from this point on. Amelie pondered the possibility of events not going her way. ¡°So I¡¯m telling you. Why don¡¯t you take your time?¡± ¡°Take my time?¡± ¡°Studying the world here. If you think the same wayter on, you can leave then. You ran into His Majesty anyway, so you don¡¯t have to run away.¡± Renee¡¯s suggestions were reasonable. It would be safer to learn and gain a variety of knowledge than to leave without knowing anything. Especially if people have a strong antipathy toward witches. ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± But Amelie had difficulty agreeing. It was because of a sudden feeling she had that was hard to exin. ¡°This is strange¡­¡± Amelie folded her arms and focused on her inner self. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­ Uh¡­.¡± The ominous feeling became stronger. Amelie decided to trust her gut feeling. On the day she came to the Mansion, she ignored the sinister feeling and met Serwin. ¡°Renee, we need to clean up.¡± ¡°Why so suddenly?¡± ¡°The witch said you should never ignore your gut feeling.¡± As Amelie said, Renee put the dishes in the basket and stood up. As Amelie tried to get up from her seat following Renee, she got goosebumps all over her back. Something ising! Amelie quickly transformed. With the sound of a pop, a fist-sized bird emerged. ¡°Amelie? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Renee looked at Amelie as if she was confused. But her confusion didn¡¯tst long. ¡°Is the bird named Amelie?¡± Serwin looked at them as he rode a horse along the road. ¡°Pyii¡­¡± That was close. If she had hesitated she would¡¯ve revealed her true self to Serwin. Amelie breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, but what¡¯s going on here?¡±, asked Renee feigning normalcy, hiding her surprise. ¡°I was on my way back to the Mansion. This road is connected to a deep forest. And then the smell¡­¡± Serwin suddenly began to look around Renee. ¡®What are you looking for?¡¯ Amelie felt anxious. She didn¡¯t think he saw herself in person. Serwin, who was looking around, strode toward Amelie and stuck out his finger. As if to ask her toe to him. ¡°Pyaa?¡± He had a more dreadful face than thest time she saw it. His face was stiff, and he had harsh eyes that seemed to kill everyone around him. Amelie looked away and made a fuss. He had an even more dreadful face than thest time she saw him. His face was stiff, with a harsh expression and eyes that seemed to kill anyone he even looked at. ¡°Amelie,e here.¡± He clenched his teeth and she was so frightened that even her feathers stood up. Amelie was forced to p her wings and sit on Serwin¡¯s finger. Serwin put his nose on Amelie¡¯s back and began to smell it. Renee stared at Serwin¡¯s with a nervous look. If Amelie looked like she was having a hard time, Renee was willing to take her back from Serwin without hesitation. Amelie shook her wings and reassured Renee. ¡®If it¡¯s special, he will try to smell it.¡¯ ¡®This is bad.¡¯ In fact, Amelie had no idea what she smelled like, but she waited until Serwin calmed down. How long has it been since shest saw Serwin? ¡°Pya?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the scent came from you. Last time and this time, too. But once I get my hands on you, the scent is gone.¡± He spoke with a face that was hard to express. What¡¯s the significance of smelling behavior?¡¯ Amelie looked at his face nkly. Serwin stroked Amelie¡¯s head with his index finger. As she watched, his hardened expression began to crack, she held her body still. He looked so exhausted and tired that she felt sorry for him even though she was scared. ¡°You seem to be doing well. You¡¯ve be healthier.¡± It was a lonely tone. He took out a small pouch from his jacket and offered arge piece of walnut to Amelie¡¯s mouth. ¡®Serwin doesn¡¯t eat snacks. Are you carrying it around for me?¡¯ Amelie was full, but she took it gently. He watched Amelie until she pecked all of the walnut, then went back to his horse. ¡°What¡­.¡± Renee looked at Serwin¡¯s back with annoyance. She didn¡¯t like it very much to touch other people¡¯s precious sister and feed her freely. In addition, his attitude was strange, why was the crazy Emperor so caring towards Amelie? Renee looked at Serwin¡¯s retreating figure, with annoyance. She didn¡¯t like it when people just carelessly touched her precious sister and fed her freely. ¡°Why does he treat you like his pet?¡± ¡°Pya?¡± She didn¡¯t notice. Amelie felt strange. For a few days together, she recalled how well Serwin treated her. Perhaps Serwin intended to take her back to the Pce, since some part of him cared for her. ¡®Pets would be better off than the Emperor¡¯s lover right¡­.?¡¯ But unfortunately, Amelie was not a pet, but a person. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to travel home as a bird. Since the Emperor is back. What a waste of a trip!¡± As Renee vented out her frustration, she didn¡¯t notice Serwin approaching. Although it was impossible for her to notice his presence, as he was a swordmaster, she was still angry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Amelie¡­¡± ¡°Pyaak pyaak.¡± Amelie consoled Renee. ¡®By the way, why did I feel that way?¡¯ She felt a simr ominous feeling on the day she came to the Mansion. But it never became so intense or unpleasant. Is it because he is more on-guard than before? (Editor note: ¡°on-guard¡± was actually conscious and uh I have no idea how to fix that.) Amelie tilted her head. ¡®Whatever, it¡¯s okay.¡¯ She brushed off her unanswered question, andnded on Renee¡¯s shoulder. ****** After thest meeting of the day, Serwin suddenly shut himself in. He didn¡¯te out and nobody entered. It was because he wasn¡¯t feeling well. The Count, worried, went to Serwin with a doctor, but Serwin did not meet him. All the Emperor¡¯s Knights disappeared somewhere and did not return at night. Only a few of them stayed on guard in front of Serwin¡¯s room. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 : The Tyrant¡¯s Tranquilizer
Because Serwin had locked himself in his room, Amelie was allowed to roam the mansion. Amelie learned etiquette from Renee and spent time ying with Renee. Sometimes she read magic books, but she spent most of her time with her family. The time spent in the presence of family was reassuring andfortable no matter what she was doing. It was the first warm day of Amelie¡¯s life. ¡®Good, it¡¯s a good life.¡¯ Suyeon was always alone in her previous life. The facility where she grew up was a good ce, and the teachers took good care of her. She also had a close friend. Nevertheless, Suyeon could not erase the loneliness left in the corner of her heart. No one could fill her loneliness like that. She was always alone because of the loneliness she couldn¡¯t shake no matter what she did. However, during her days as part of Count Dhaim, Suyeon was able to forget her past life. Even though she didn¡¯t do anything in particr, she was just rxed and had a free time, but that alone filled her heart and she was not lonely even when she was alone. As a result, she naturally wondered. Does she have to leave this happiness behind? Serwin will leave when the timees, and the other witch can be found in Dhaim. An old saying goes, ¡°It¡¯s hard to leave home.¡± She didn¡¯t understand it before, but now she does. It¡¯s because she has a ce to call home. ¡®But it¡¯s still a bit ufortable.¡¯ And she¡¯s in desperate need to contact the witches. The reason why she can¡¯t give up on travelling easily was that anxiety remained in the corner of her mind. Speaking of her anxiety, Amelie had a dreamst night. In the dream, the Forest of Fidelia was burning. The scene of the huge greenery zing was like the ¡°end of Dhime¡± seen in the novel. This is definitely a dream. It doesn¡¯t make sense for her to suddenly stand in the middle of the forest after falling asleep in the mansion. She didn¡¯t feel cool, even though she knew it was a dream. The heat on her cheek was as hot as it would melt her, and the me was burning. ¡®Why, why¡ª? Is this the fall of Dhaim¡ª?¡¯ The fall of Dhaim was the first urrence of the original novel. With Amelie¡¯s death, the Emperor¡¯s Knights arrived at Dhaim, killing the Count and ughtering the people. Then they set fire to the Forest of Fidelia. The forest was in chaos. The mes grew wider and wider with the wind. The smoke clouded the front of her eyes, and the trees fell down, blocking the way. Animals running away from the fire were crushed by trees and screamed. The screams of animals burning alive filled the night sky. Amelie¡¯s house could not escape the mes. Her hometown, where she grew up and lived, burned like dry firewood. And under the heavy fire, the small front yard was littered with the bodies of the vigers. And there was a man in the middle of it. A killer with a sword dripping blood. ¡®This is horrible.¡¯ The man was sinister and creepy. She was just looking at him standing between the bodies, and she shuddered. Amelie who looked at the man¡¯s figure, hardened like a stone. ck hair fluttered in the wind. The sharp nose and fierce eyes were familiar to her eyes. ¡®You¡¯re the Emperor¡ª¡¯ Why is the Emperor here? Why the hell is he killing people? Isn¡¯t the future changed? Amelie was confused. What does this dream show? Then, he suddenly turned around. Amelie made eye contact with his ck eyes. They weren¡¯t golden coloured eyes, the symbol of the Emperor. His expression was different, too. Unlike him, who had always been wary of his surroundings with his eyes, the Emperor in front of her looked rxed. Amelie stepped back. Her instinct whispered in her ear. ¡®¡­This is not the Emperor.¡¯ It was a monster covered in Serwin¡¯s shell. It smiled at Amelie, and she cowered in fear. The tail of the red mouth was torn all the way to the cheek. Between its lips, a set of sounds leaked from its ck hole of a mouth. ¡°There you are.¡± Run. She has to run. Or else she¡¯ll die! Amelie turned around and ran. It was a zing fire in front of her. The mes roared violently to devour her. What was behind her was more terrible than being burned to death. She jumped into the fire like a log. As soon as her whole body was about to melt hot, someone grabbed Amelie¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Kyaa!¡¯ Amelie screamed and opened her eyes. Then the fire and the man disappeared. Instead, she saw Renee¡¯s face. ¡°Amelie are you okay?¡± ¡°Renee¡­¡± ¡°Because I can hear your screams¡ª¡± Amelie looked around frantically. Her sweaty hair stuck to her face. Her heartbeat so fast it pounded in her ears. ¡°Hah¡­.¡± It wasn¡¯t a forest. She¡¯s in her room, on her own bed. Perhaps because she had a realistic dream, she felt a sense of ipatibility at the scene in front of her. ¡°Amelie! what¡¯s going on? You shouted out saying ¡®go¡¯¡¯!¡± The Count ran into her room, ready to break the door. He rushed over after hearing her scream. ¡°She must have had a nightmare.¡± Renee answered instead. ¡®It¡¯s not just a nightmare.¡¯ Amelie shut her mouth. It was too horrible to express with the word ¡®nightmare¡¯. The terrible feeling she felt when she made eye contact with the monster was still vivid. ¡°It must have been a really scary dream.¡± The Count hugged Amelie¡¯s shoulder and wiped the sweat off. Renee hugged Amelie, too. The warmth was conveyed from both sides. Only then did Amelie realize that her body was cold and sweaty. ¡®It¡¯s just a dream. I¡¯m with my family right now.¡¯ Amelie leaned her head on the Count¡¯s shoulder. ¡®Why did I have such a dream?¡ª¡¯ The thought did notst long. Amelie fell asleep in the arms of the Count and Renee as if she had fainted. ******* Daytime the next day. Amelie snuck out of her room. Because she came up with the excuse of taking a nap, she moved carefully like a thief. Her destination, Serwin¡¯s room. She was worried about the nightmare she hadst night, so she was only going to see Serwin for a moment. Amelie thoughtst night¡¯s nightmare was a precognitive dream. Among the basic skills of witches was the ability to predict the future through divination. Sometimes there were cases where the future was seen without the medium of divination, which was called the ¡®witch¡¯s foresight.¡¯ At first, she thought that the scene she had seen was ¡®the random fall of Dhaim¡¯, but when she recalled it, it was definitely ¡®foresight¡¯. ¡®The household items she took out were burning with the house. Serwin¡¯s clothes were also seen a while ago¡­¡¯ (EN: I think Amelie is alluding to the fact that there are a lot of simrities from in her dream and outside of it. Serwins clothes could be a reference to the monster ¡®wearing Serwin¡¯s shell¡¯.) What the foresight showed was not one of a distant future. It was a near future that could happen in a few days. ¡®The eyes I saw in my dreams are suspicious, too.¡¯ ck eyes. A creepy smile. It was Serwin¡¯s figure, but it was clearly something else that moved his body. He was smilingnguidly, but he was full of malice toward the world. Doubts were transferred to the ¡°disaster¡± of Serwin¡¯s body being sealed. Having had such a dream, it was also unusual for Serwin to be sick. ¡®I¡¯m just going to sneak up and check. Just to make sure Serwin¡¯s okay.¡¯ It was said that Serwin won¡¯te out of his room even today. It¡¯s not easy to ess his room. ording to the servants, Knights stand guard from the stairs leading up to the floor where the Emperor¡¯s room is located. So Amelie decided to approach from the outside. Into a new transformation form outside the mansion and entering the window. Amelie stuck to the wall and looked around. She didn¡¯t see any rats. ¡°Okay, there¡¯s no one.¡± Amelie memorized the spell. Pop! Her point of view lowered with the sound. There was a brief rush of dizziness in the change, as she sessfully transformed into a bird. ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯ Amelie kicked off the ground and pped her wings. The grass fluttered from the gust of wind from her wings. Having checked the Emperor¡¯s guard, she flew straight to the window without hesitation. Amelie looked closely into the room. His room was the same, but also different as thest time she was here. The curtains were half torn and all the furniture was scattered on the floor. She assumed he broke it all because he was angry. In addition, the windows wereso meticulously blocked that the room was dark even in broad daylight. ¡®You¡¯re going to catch a disease if you live like this.¡¯ Amelie clicked her tongue. People should see the sunlight and let some fresh air in. But she found the Emperor with her eyes. Something was crouching on the bed. ¡®Is that him?¡¯ She narrowed her eyes and looked closely. It was a naked man¡¯s back. ¡°Pyak!¡± Amelie was surprised. But the back was too perfect to turn away. Her eyes darted along the nted line from his broad shoulders to his waist. The open back was full of muscles without any fat. The posture has made the bones and muscles stand out flex. She had never seen such a perfect figure in her life. As she basked in his figure, she found herself bing thirsty. ¡®Oh¡ª¡¯ Mint-colored eyes as big as beans strangely shone. She approached the window unconsciously. With her feathered chest, she pushed herself to the window. Her beak hit the window in the process. ¡®Oh, no. This isn¡¯t it.¡¯ Amelie shook her head wildly. She doesn¡¯t think she¡¯s supposed to be here to appreciate his physical appearance. Her opponent is the scary Emperor. If he knew she drooled over his body, she¡¯d be a dead man. ¡®I can¡¯t see the room because it¡¯s dark. I have to go in.¡¯ Amelie looked at the lock on the window. As she willed it, the lock came undone and the window opened. This superpower was also one of the witch¡¯s magic. With the window now open, Amelie flew into the room. And screamed. ¡°Pyiik pyiik!¡± It was a ck smoke that was filling the room. The room was unusually dark, not because it didn¡¯t have any light, but because it was full of smoke. ¡®What the hell is this?¡¯ Amelie frowned. As soon as she entered the room, her feathers stood up all over her body. She felt a sense of crisis like when she first saw the man in her dream. She thinks it¡¯s not just a normal smoke. ¡®You¡¯re not feeling well because you¡¯re breathing in something like this.¡¯ Amelie looked at Serwin. He was still lying on his back. Seeing that he, a swordmaster, who was sensitive to guests and hasn¡¯t even moved even with the window open, seems to have fallen into a deep sleep. ¡®Cause you¡¯re sleeping. Let¡¯s get you some fresh, fresh air.¡¯ Poof! Amelie came back as a human and opened all the windows. As the windows opened, a breeze drew fresh air into the room. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Clear air came rushing into the room, ruffling Amelie¡¯s hair. However, the ck smoke didn¡¯t budge. Especially around Serwin, there was smoke. The smoke was lighter, but there was a sticky feeling somewhere. ¡°This is so weird. Why isn¡¯t the smoke ventting?¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 : The Tyrant¡¯s Tranquilizer Tranted by Tam Edited by Genie
Amelie pushed the smoke harder. Then the ck smoke slowly backed away, and disappeared due to the wind. ¡®The smoke didn¡¯t fly out the window. This is weird, too.¡¯ Why is it like this? Amelie is lost in thought. It was around here that Serwin came to his senses. He was deep in consciousness. Twenty years ago, the seal of the ¡°disaster¡± was released. Serwin sealed it in his body to prevent it from spreading to the world. This ¡°disaster¡± had an ego like a human being, and sometimes targeted Serwin¡¯s body. They say they will control their bodies like evil spirits because they cannot unseal them. Since a few days ago, the disasters have made every effort to dominate his body. Serwin had fainted for a moment because he was exhausted from confronting it. Then at one point, a very good scent flew in the fresh wind. The scent awakened the man who was deeply unconscious. It was a scent that he had never smelled before he came to Dehaim. It was a soft andfortable smell, so it soothed the sharp nerves. The scent wrapped around Serwin¡¯s body like a big nket. After sealing the disaster, it led him to a calm feeling he had never felt. This is the third time he smelled the scent. The first was in the hall when he had just arrived at the Dhaim mansion. As soon as he smelled the scent, the sense of the battle began to subside. The intense need to kill had be quiet. But the scent disappeared too quickly. The second day was when he found the witch¡¯s house. The disaster was stronger than ever. Serwin felt it when he was on his way back. He smelled the scent on the road. Serwin initially suspected that the scent mighte from a bird. Because there was always a bird in the fragrant ce. However, when he grabbed the bird and smelled it, he couldn¡¯t smell anything. Only the reverberation remained vague. It was almost as if the scent was teasing him. It came out of nowhere, shook him up, and when he was in trouble, it disappeared like the avatar. ¡®¡­..I need to catch it.¡¯ The scent hovered closer than ever, and more intensely by his side. Serwin tried to wake up with all his might. He wanted to fall asleep with thefort of the scent, but he managed to endure it. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± A thin moan came out of his mouth. Amelie transformed and flew to Serwin. She watched Serwin wake up. A deep wrinkle was caught on his handsome forehead, and his eyelids trembled. As he opened his eyes, his eyes slowly showed. As the morning sun poured down through the thick curtain, it was a brilliant golden color. He stared at Amelie with hazy eyes. Aside from the unexpected drowsy look, the face she saw in her dream ovepped. Her heart began to flutter. She couldn¡¯t move her eyes from him because she was nervous. Amelie looked him in the eye. ¡®It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s not ck eyes.¡¯ It¡¯s different from the man in the dream. Amelie soothed her anxiety. Serwin slowly opened his eyes and woke up. He looked very tired. He was pale, and look at how much he sweated. Seeing him in pain because he was sick, she was worried even though he was a scary emperor, even if he¡¯s a terrible person. ¡®Do you have a fever?¡¯ Amelie carefully reached out to Serwin¡¯s forehead. Her wings were so dainty that she couldn¡¯t even reach his forehead. ¡°Pya!¡± Her body was staggering as she lost bnce. A cotton ball-like chest touched Serwin¡¯s forehead. Serwin frowned. The pain caused by the ¡®disaster¡¯ seemed to be stabbing the whole body with a needle. ¡°Pya.. Pya..¡± Amelie struggled to keep her bnce. However, it became more like rubbing her soft fur on Serwin¡¯s forehead. Serwin wrinkled his forehead. Compared to the pain that was like stabbing his whole body with needles, the soft touch was too strange. But he didn¡¯t hate it. Serwin casually raised his head and put his nose on the small body. Badump badump, a fast beating heartbeat was heard. The bird¡¯s temperature was surprisingly hot, so he felt better even without the scent. He really wanted to raise this dainty bird. He¡¯d love to build a big greenhouse in the pce and put a lot of toys and fruit trees in it. He thinks it would be fun just to see a bird ying around. But he couldn¡¯t do it as he wanted. Because this bird couldn¡¯t live by his side. When Serwin weakens, a gap forms in the seal. The energy of disaster will leak through the cracks and kill everything around him. A small bird like this would die in a blink of an eye. The bird¡¯s heart is beating so healthily now because he sent it away. ¡°What are you doing¡­ Why are you here¡­.¡± His voice was deeply locked. With a growling voice, he started to stand in her eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t be here.¡± Serwin¡¯s mind came to his senses. He caught Amelie. Amelie just blinked her eyes gently. She got used to his touch before he knew it. ¡®They¡¯ll be pounding again this time.¡¯ Amelie wascent. But Serwin threw Amelie out of the window. From his point of view, it was to get out of a room full of disaster, but it was too rough. Amelie screamed and flew away. ¡°Pyaaak!¡± How could you do this to someone who¡¯s worried about you! Amelie barely managed to bnce her wings by pping them. The sound of breathing became rough with the rush of betrayal. She cried loudly and protested. There was a flood of betrayal. ¡®I¡¯m going to get revenge. Do you think you can just throw anyone out?¡¯ But Serwin coldly closed the window. Amelie protested to open the window, but he closed the curtains. ¡®Really. Wow, that¡¯s inhumane.¡¯ Amelie poured out curses so that he could hear through the window. Then she got tired on her own and went back to her room. Serwin watched the bird leave. The bird was so small that it became as small as a dot in sight. His heart felt empty when the bird left. At that moment, the view shook. Pyaaaaak! He heard a bird¡¯s scream in his ear. Serwin looked around urgently. There was nothing there. ¡®Here we go again¡ª¡¯ The disaster bothered him every minute to make a gap in the seal. Hearing and seeing hallucinations are all acts of disaster. Disaster love Serwin¡¯s moment of weakness. The pain came as if it had waited. ¡°Ugh.¡± Serwin crouched down with his big body. The screams of birds rang as sharp as ss in the eardrums everywhere. When the auditory hallucination began, he was suffocated. The energy of disaster leaked out of his body and filled the room. Beyond his tightly closed eyelids, a dead bird could be seen. The twisted bird was in his hand. Her sparkling mint-colored eyes med him. It¡¯s his fault. All of them were hallucinations and it was the hallucinations that disaster showed. It was clear that it was trying to shake him and steal his body. ¡®Damn it, it¡¯s dangerous.¡¯ Disaster has been unusually persistent today. Twenty years ago, a witch taught him that the seal of disaster was being lifted. When she tried to eliminate the disaster but failed, she tried to seal it again instead. What is needed to seal the disaster is the body of the Emperor. Serwin, who was the only royal, simply epted that he was the vessel of the seal. The witch apologized and said, ¡°In 20 years.¡± Twenty years after the Day of Sealing, she said that when he came to the forest of Fidelia, a witch would appear to help him. Believing her word, Serwin waited for twenty full years. Twenty yearster, Serwin came to the Fidelia Forest on the appointed day. He found the witch¡¯s house, but it was empty. And he found the witch¡¯s grave not far from the house. ¡®She¡¯s dead.¡¯ When his only hope copsed, Serwin was ovee with despair. Although he was in a hurry, the disaster was more intense than ever. The disaster weed Serwin¡¯s despair and hoped that he would be more frustrated. He didn¡¯t know what the disaster that took his body would do, but Serwin¡¯s time now was limited. He could no longer control the disaster on his own. ¡®¡ªI have to go somewhere where there are no people.¡¯ He thought of a vaguely small house in his head. A witch¡¯s house hidden around a white tree. Wouldn¡¯t that ce be okay? He lifted himself up. ****** ¡®I was just worried.¡¯ Tears flow to her face. He doesn¡¯t know how surprised she was. She can¡¯t believe he threw her so recklessly. Of course, it¡¯s her fault to enter the room without permission, but she wanted to help him. She didn¡¯t want to go back to her room because she was upset. She settled on the firece. The warmth delivered through the bricks enveloped her. ¡®Throwing me¡­ Whatever you say it¡¯s petty, so petty..¡¯ As surprised as she was, she was also very sad. When she met him before, he was full of lingering feelings, so how could he change his attitude so fast? ¡®You¡¯re not gonna be nice to me! He¡¯s not a tyrant for nothing¡ª!¡¯ In the novel, Serwin was careless and had an unpredictable personality. It is worth nothing that he took Amelie and said that he loved her, and left her as soon as he arrived at the Imperial Pce. Even though she already knew it, she was so sad about the days they spent together. Then she remembered his pale face. ¡®You still looked very sick. Did you take any medicine? My magic pill, which works well¡ª. Oh, why am I worried about the emperor now? This is the real issue¡ª.¡± Amelie sniffed and wiped her eyes with her wings. How long has it been? The butler approached her carefully. ¡°Why are you crying, miss?¡± He took out a wrinkled handkerchief and wiped Amelie¡¯s face. ¡°You should have dinner.¡± The butler opened his palm. ¡®I¡­have to eat.¡¯ She got hungry because she was angry and cried. Amelie flew lightly andnded on the butler¡¯s palm. The butler cherished Amelie and headed to the restaurant. He began exining today¡¯s menu one by one to make Amelie feel better. But the hall was strangely noisy. ¡°Something must be going on.¡± The butler and Amelie went alone. There were knights of the emperor in the hall. They were the Knight that disappeared somewhere while Serwin was living in the room. They all had serious expressions. Amid a sense of urgency in the hall, the count was talking to Ethan. Serwin was away, and Ethan seemed to be leading the Knights. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± As the butler approached, the count weed the butler loudly. ¡°Butler, that¡¯s great. I was going to call you.¡± ¡°His Majesty is gone.¡± Ethan said in a hurry. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 : The Tyrant¡¯s Tranquilizer Tranted by Tam Edited by Genie
¡°The security guard found it strange that the room was so quiet that they went into the room. But His Majesty wasn¡¯t anywhere in the room, and only the window was open¡­ He called us and gathered in a hurry. We need to find him.¡± ¡°Is that a big deal? I¡¯ll ask my servants if they have seen His Majesty.¡± The butler called all the servants. ¡°I¡¯ll ask for your help. I am¡­ more concerned about the surrounding area than about His Majesty¡ª.¡± Ethan bowed and asked. At that appearance, Amelie felt a sense of something wrong. Serwin was a swordmaster. There was no one who beat him with a sword, and he was good at fighting with his bare hands. Moreover, there could not be a strong man in this country who could threaten such a swordmaster. However, Ethan and the knights were as serious as if the world had copsed. ¡®Why is it so serious?¡¯ Amelie forgot about food and watched them. Before she knew it, servants who were scattered all over the mansion gathered. One of them raised his hand and said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen His Majesty.¡± ¡°When, where, and how was his condition? Did he show any violent behavior?¡± Ethan pushed the servant. The servant stammered with a frightened look. ¡°I saw His Majesty go to the forest before. It¡¯s strange¡­ The Knights often go along with him to that road. Is there something wrong?¡± After hearing the servant¡¯s words, Ethan and the knights¡¯ expressions became noticeably stiff. ¡°Everyone¡¯s going to the forest! We need to find His Majesty! Even if you find him, keep your distance! You have to be careful as you approach!¡± ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± The knights checked their armament and left the hall in perfect order. They were determined as if they were about to face a big battle. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re in big trouble. But I don¡¯t know what it is.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t His Majesty the one who¡¯s going to hit someone? When he was abducted at the age of six, he caught the kidnapper and returned on his own.¡± The Butler and the Count did not understand the knights. ¡®The Emperor disappeared into the forest.¡¯ Amelie became as serious as the knights. She recalled her dream. The burning Fidelia forest and the bodies scattered in front of her house. And the man with the face of the Emperor. ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± Amelie wrapped her wings around each other. It was ominous. Her instinct shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t get close.¡± But if the dream was a precognitive dream, Dhaim and the Fidelia forest were in danger. The Fidelia forest was an indispensable ce in the lives of the people of the territory. The fruits and animals that grew there became good food, and herbs and trees made life richer. If the forest burned down, the lives of the people of the territory would be devastated. The Count and Renee will also have to suffer a lot. Amelie didn¡¯t want to see that. ¡°Amelie, are you okay?¡± The Count looked anxiously at Amelie. ¡®I don¡¯t want to see my father and Renee sad¡­ If it¡¯s my magic, wouldn¡¯t I be able to do something?¡¯ Furthermore, if it were to be foresight, it was Amelie¡¯s fault. The reason Serwin¡¯s stay was prolonged was because of her. She has made up her mind. Pong. Amelie came back as a human. She held the count¡¯s hand and said. ¡°Father¡­ we must stop the Emperor.¡± When the Count saw her pale face, he noticed the seriousness. ¡°What do you mean? Tell me more about it.¡± ¡°I saw the forest of Fidelia burning in my dreams. and¡ª¡± The Count¡¯s eyes widened. A witch¡¯s dream shows the future. If you were a Dhaimian who lived with the forest and respected the forest witch, you could not ignore the witch¡¯s foresight. Even the words of his daughter, who had been an idiot all her life. ¡°Father takes care of the people in the area. Just in case, please prepare for the fire.¡± ¡°Yeah, I got it. And you¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the forest. I¡¯m going to stop him.¡± ¡°But it would be dangerous.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m a witch, too! ¡°Amelie!¡± Amelie ran up to her room. She quickly found a broom and flew intothe sky. From behind the Count kept calling her, but Amelie did not stop. There was no time. ******** ¡®What should I do first?¡¯ Amelie thought while flying in the sky. There were two things she had to do. To prevent the fire and the massacre. ¡®I should try to control the fire first.¡¯ Amelie made a cool judgment. Serwin looks dangerous right now, but the scariest thing was the fire. It was clear that if the Fidelia forest was lost, countless people would die of hunger. Moreover, fire can be solved easily by magic if only the source of the fire is found. Grandmother witches have often protected the forest in that way. Amelie looked down under her feet. All the houses looked small like toys. Smoke was blooming from chimneys from house to house, and the quiet streets were red with the sunset. It was an evening so peaceful that she could not think that tragedy would happen like she saw in her dream. The same was true of the Fidelia forest. The forest was as calm as the surface of theke. The sunlight at sunset was red today, so it seemed like a fire had spread through the trees. Amelie recalled the zing forest of Fidelia. Her anxiety got worse and sweat dotted her forehead. ¡®Where is it? I can¡¯t see the fire. I think it¡¯s covered by a the canopy¨C¡¯ Amelie looked frantically at the forest. The sky she looked up at in her dream was a deep night. Byparison, now is the time when the sun is going down. If the fire was to spread throughout the entire forest in a matter of hours, it should be that the fire was spreading somewhere in the forest right now. ¡®Should I go down? No, it¡¯s better to look for it from the sky.¡¯ Fire can be hidden by branches, but smoke rises into the sky. It was still bright everywhere, so she couldn¡¯t see the white smoke well. ¡®There it is.¡¯ Sure enough, she could see smoke rising from far away. It was in the middle of the forest. Looking at the location of the smoke rising, she got a sense of the situation. ¡®Looks like the hunters started a fire. It¡¯s in the middle of the forest, so there¡¯s no one to help. That¡¯s why the fire spread to the forest in an instant.¡¯ Amelie clicked her tongue. She was worried that the disaster thing that took over Serwin¡¯s body caused the fire. This fire was enough to stop with her power. ¡®Good thing I¡¯m brave.¡¯ Amelie quickly flew toward the smoke, praising herself. ****** The scene of the fire was exactly what Amelie thought. Five hunters living near the forest went hunting as usual today. They were all experienced hunters who knew the rules of the forest well. Normally, they would never have done anything like starting a fire in the forest. But it was weird today. Far from a sessful hunt, not a single worm was seen. As if all the animals were hiding on purpose. The atmosphere of the forest was somewhat strange. There was a chaotic atmosphere. They¡¯ve wandered through the forest all day, so they were tired and hungry, but they have to walk for a long time to get back to the vige. The thought of the hardship made them feel gloomy. Normally, they would have gone straight back to town. It¡¯s dangerous to make a fire in the middle of the forest. However, the hunters lost their judgment in the chaotic atmosphere of the forest. They made a fire here and made stew impulsively. It was a stew with bread that they brought from home and a lucky rabbit. It was a simple food, but it tasted amazing as they were exhausted. As the feeling of satiety rose, the hunters began to rx, and while they were resting, the unextinguished embers fell on the dry leaves in the wind. The embers began to grow in an instant. The hunters tried to put out the fire in a hurry, but the fire spread faster than they could put out. ¡°Darn it. We can¡¯t handle the fire between us!¡± The mes were already burning higher than their heads. ¡°We need to get more people!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got a long way to go to the nearest vige. In the meantime, the forest will burn down!¡± ¡°So you¡¯re gonna burn yourself to death?¡± The hunters raised their voices and fought. They also vaguely knew that even if all the vigers came, they wouldn¡¯t be able to put out that fire. ¡°¡ªThen how about going to the witch?¡± One hunter said. ¡°Witch? Yeah! If you¡¯re a witch, you¡¯ll take care of this fire simply!¡± The Witch of the Fidelia Forest protected the forest even before the hunters were born. Wouldn¡¯t she be able to douse the fire? However, another hunter, who was well-versed in rumors, soon refuted. ¡°You idiot, it¡¯s been a long time since the witch died!¡± ¡°The grandmother is dead?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There was one more person. The little witch that grandma used to carry around! Is¡­.her name Amelie?¡± ¡°Not that witch. They said she can¡¯t do anything because she¡¯s an idiot.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be helpful for the witch¡ª?¡± ¡°I heard she can¡¯t even use magic¡ª¡± The hunters lost their words. Old hunters used to say that grandmother witches know everything that happens in the forest. If the grandmother witch were alive at this time, she would have appeared and scolded them before they even asked for help. Witches in the Fidelia forest have protected the forest for generations, and the vigers trusted and relied on them. But the new witch is an idiot. Do they have no choice but to watch the Fidelia forest burn? The hunters were in despair. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± At that time, a bright voice rang out from the sky. ¡°Huh? Who are you¡ª¡± The hunters looked up at the sky in unison. Water poured like a waterfall over their heads. Woah!!!! ¡°Eup, it¡¯s big, it¡¯s rain?¡± ¡°Water¡­¡± The hunters sank in the water. They were out of their mind. The sky is so sunny. It¡¯s not raining. What is it? They looked at the mes in the midst of the confusion. ¡°What¡ª?¡± ¡°Did the fire stop?¡± The mes that had burned frighteningly up until a while ago disappeared. There were only ck marks left on the spot. They looked at each other with stupid faces. They felt like they were going to melt in the fire, but now it was wet and chilly. ¡°Look!¡± The hunters looked at the sky at the same time. A woman on a broomstick was floating in the air. It was Amelie who came to put out the fire. She looked down at the hunters with an angry face. Amelie¡¯s face was gentle, so she wasn¡¯t threatening at all. But now in the eyes of hunters, Amelie looked scarier than a bear. It was because there was no sign of difficulty even after dousing the huge fire at once. To the hunters, Amelie seemed mysterious and absolute as if she were the guardian of the forest. ¡°W-witch¡­?¡± The old witch dies, and the young witch is an idiot. But she has excellent magic skills, and she doesn¡¯t look like an idiot. The vivid green eyes reproached them. The hunters¡¯ heads became so heavy. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 : The Tyrant¡¯s Tranquilizer Tranted by Tam Edited by Genie
¡°You¡¯re not supposed to start a fire in the woods, are you? No cooking! It¡¯s basic!¡± Amelie got angry. ¡°No, we¡¯re just¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say anything. ¡®Cause I¡¯ve seen the pot and thedle rolling behind you!¡¯ ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t do that again!¡± ¡°I have sinned!¡± ¡°I will never start a fire from now on!¡± The hunters apologized while kneeling and kept their heads down. ¡°Do you know I almost died today¡ª?¡± ¡°Ah, of course, I know. If you weren¡¯t a witch, you would have been burned to death.¡± ¡°Hah¡­¡± Amelie sighed. ¡®Do they know thattheyalmost died?¡¯ In the dream, they were dead in front of Amelie¡¯s house. They probably tried to ask the witch for help because they couldn¡¯t put out the fire with their power. They didn¡¯tknow that the person in the house is a murderer. Everyone who had rushed to Amelie¡¯s house died, however, people would have noticed only after the fire spread beyond their reach. That¡¯s why the fire grew even more in the dream. ¡°¡ªNext time if this happens, at least one person should go to the vige and let them know there¡¯s a fire so they can respond in advance.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be careful.¡± The hunters had realized their fault and apologized to Amelie. While they did that, she looked around ufortably. Unlike usual, today, she was exceptionally distracted. Meanwhile, a hunter that couldn¡¯t hold his curiosity asked. ¡°¡­¡­but you¡¯re different from the rumors?¡± ¡°Rumors?¡± Amelie asked. ¡°You¡¯re good at speaking¡ª Ugh!¡± Another hunter hit his elbow on that side. It was surprising that the young witch, who was known as an idiot suddenly became normal, but it was rude to ask her directly. ¡°Is it time to ask that?¡± The hunter next to him whispered and began to shout out loud with the other hunters. It was an act to cover up the mistake of a tactless friend. ¡°Witch! Thank you!¡± ¡°The witch has been in the woods for generations, so we can sleep rxed with our legs stretched out!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even want to imagine what would have happened without you! Please stay with us forever!¡± ¡°The witch is so beautiful!¡± It was ttery, but Amelie didn¡¯t hate it. Though exaggerated, their gratitude was sincere. Still, to maintain dignityraise awareness, Amelie turned her head coldly. ¡°Watch out for the fire! Go home quickly. Don¡¯t let the night watchmen enter the forest today.¡± While on patrol they may run intofor no reason, it was difficult to meet Serwin. The hunters nodded their heads. ¡°Then I¡¯ll get going.¡± Amelie turned her broom. She had stopped the fire, so it¡¯s time to find the Emperor. She flew toward the house. ¡°Witch! Thank you!¡± ¡°I love you!¡± The hunters shouted until they could not see her. ****** In her dream he was standing in front of her yard. Amelie recalled that and headed home. ¡®It¡¯s about time, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Amelie flew towards the general location of her house and flew around, searching. In preparation for the witch hunt, her house was not visible from above because the grandmother witch cast a spell to hide it from sight. ¡®It¡¯s hard to break her spell with my magic skills.¡¯ How much magic would she have learned if she learned it for only two weeks? The magic that Amelie could use was not beyond the level of a newly awakened witch. It would be nice and safe to watch from the sky, but she can¡¯t help it. Shended a short distance from her house. ¡®I don¡¯t know what¡¯s in the house, but I¡¯m going to approach it carefully.¡¯ Amelie walked carefully between the trees. The trees around the house were unusually white, so she couldn¡¯t see well. Besides, the forest was dark, and the view became narrower. ¡®It was still bright even though the sun was setting.¡¯ She looked up at the sky. It is hard to see because it is hidden by the leaves of the tree, but the sky, which can be seen from time to time, is still bright. It wasn¡¯t time for the forest to get dark like this. Also, the atmosphere in the forest was different from the usual. ¡®It¡¯s too quiet.¡¯ There was so much silence that she felt ufortable. It was like all living things were holding their breath. Amelie squeezed her broomstick with her hands. It was as if something was going to pop out of the tree. There was a sense of tension in the forest. Wussh. (T/n : How does it sound if the trees are shaking? HAHAHAHA) The trees in the forest shook, but the wind didn¡¯t blow anywhere. ¡®What the hell¡¯s going on?¡¯ Amelie swallowed her dry saliva. Should she just go back to the mansion? But she couldn¡¯t go back. At least she had to check what was going on so that she could deal with itter. As the house got closer, the rotten smell got stronger. It was simr to the smell of sulfur that she smelled one day. Amelie wrinkled her nose. She cleaned up before she left, so there was no reason for it to smell rotten like this. Her steps slowed down a little. ¡®It¡¯sing from the vacant lot.¡¯ Amelie stopped walking. ¡°Ah¡ª?¡± Between the trees. The vacant lot where her house was supposed to be was submerged in ck smoke. Amelie was stunned. She quickly hid behind a nearby tree. She just peeked and looked at the vacant lot again. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ She blinked her eyes. Looking closer, she saw a shadow that she believed to be her house far away. The vacant lot was full of ck smoke. As she got closer to her home, the ck smoke became thicker. It was clear that ck smoke wasing from the house. ¡®This is¡ª it¡¯s not dark.¡¯ The ck smoke was thickly spread, making it look dark. The vacant lot was in a state simr to Serwin¡¯s room. Earlier, she could move the smoke with wind magic, but seeing the thick and sticky smoke, it was unknown whether it would work. ¡®Where¡¯s the Emperor? I can¡¯t let him see the magic.¡¯ The smoke was so thick that she couldn¡¯t see properly in front of her. Only the vague silhouette of the house appeared. Then something wriggled over the fog. Is it a person? Amelie stepped backward reflexively. Tok. Something wet got stuck in her foot. Amelie fell heavily onto her back. ¡®Ugh. It hurts.¡¯ Shended hard with her hips and tailbone aching. Amelie frowned and looked forward. In front of her was the body of a young deer, whose body she stepped on and fell over. He was the cub of a family of deer who often visited the yard. He looked healthy on the day she left home, but now he was a rotting corpse and scattered. Unbelievable scenes continued. Thick ck smoke came like a swarm of locusts andnded on the body of a young deer. When the smoke touched, the body quickly rotted in. The smoke that ate the young deer stuck to the tree. Then the tree, which was standing firmly in the sky, quickly dried up. The ck smoke ate the forest creatures one by one. ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± Amelie groaned. It was a really terrible sight. What the hell is that ck smoke? She bit her lips. ¡®Was it like this in my dreams?¡¯ She doesn¡¯t remember it exactly. This is because she was distracted by the fire that was burning up the forest and the nasty grin on Serwin¡¯s face. ¡®Then what¡¯s that ck smoke?¡¯ A creature that eats all living things and leads the world to destruction. Perhaps the ¡°disaster¡± is spreading here now. ¡®No, that¡¯s right. There¡¯s nothing but disaster here¡ª¡¯ The deste forest was the same as what was described in the novel. Amelie tried to use her head desperately to figure out the situation. ¡®Why? Why is the disaster released already? No way¡­ Is the emperor dead? No, the disaster spread is still too slow. In the novel, it was said that it spread quickly and strongly.¡¯ That means it¡¯s a temporary phenomenon. ¡®Then why? Could the seal weaken? If the seal is weakened, the current situation can be exined¡ª¡¯ Amelie looked at the ck smoke. If left as it is, the Fidelia forest will be in danger. In some cases, it could have hurt the viges near the forest. When she thought of the people in the territory bing like the deer in front of her, she felt sick. ¡®Can I magically blow it away as I did in the Emperor¡¯s Room?¡¯ There was a risk that using magic would expose herself as a witch to Serwin, but it was not important now. The world is about to copse and she had to block it first. Amelie stood up with a broom in her hand. She looked at the vacant lot and began to use magic. The magic itself is simple, it¡¯s all about creating a strong wind. She needs a very big gale, a huge gust of wind to shake the forest. ¡°¡­..!¡± In an instant, there was a strong wind around Amelie. The wind spread in all directions. Wuuuuuuussh. The branches shook as if they weed the wind of Amelie. Then little by little, the ck smoke dissipated. Slowly, her vision brightened. However, it was not enough to get rid of everything at once. ¡®It¡¯s not easy.¡¯ Amelie stopped the wind. It¡¯s still dark, but the shape of the house was vaguely revealed. At least it¡¯s enough to recognize what¡¯s nearby. ¡°Uh¡­.¡± As the vacant lot was revealed, the tragedy caused by ck smoke was revealed. There were many bodies scattered in the vacant lot. Adult deer, small birds, wild dogs¡­ The degree of corruption was different, but it was a terrible sight. Amelie caused another wind. Then, she saw something in the yard. It is shaped like a human being, but ck smoke was wrapped from head to toe. In some ways, it looked like a shadow. ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s like the ce I saw in my dream¡­. Is it the Emperor?¡¯ Amelie looked carefully at its face. A thickyer of dirt flowed over the round head. She could see a face above it. Then, it turned around and grinned. The lips were torn up to the cheek, and the tail of the eyes and the cheeks had deepyers of wrinkles. It was the same smile she saw in her dream. ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± Amelie was startled and almost fell back. It began to approach Amelia slowly. [Ahh¡­] ¡°S-stay away!¡± When Amelie shouted, it really stopped walking. [So the little witch came to see me in person.] The ¡®disaster¡¯ spoke softly. At first nce, he looked friendly as if he were dealing with a child. Did the devil always say that he is kind to dazzle people? However, the voice was terrible as if it were scratching iron, and it sounded very vivid as if it were ringing in her head. Amelie rubbed her ears wildly. ¡°Ah, ugh¡­ Wh-who are you!¡± Amelie barely asked out loud. She felt stifled as if she was being suffocated. It tilted its head sideways. The head was strangely bent, making a sound like it was stuck. [I am a disaster upon the world. It¡¯s exactly what you know.] Kikikikikikikikikk. Whether it was the sound ofughter or a buzzing sound, the sound came from the disaster. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 : The Tyrant¡¯s Tranquilizer
Wusssh, the branch shook. The forest was screaming. The ck smoke surrounding the disaster became slime and fell to the ground. Dripping, ck masses crawled on the ground as if they were alive. Tears welled up in Amelie¡¯s eyes. She¡¯s got goosebumps all over her body. ¡°Huh, uh¡­¡± It¡¯s dangerous. Her animal instincts warned her. ¡®If you touch it, you¡¯ll die. My whole body will rot alive, I¡¯ll struggle in pain, and disappear without leaving a bone behind!¡¯ ¡°Argh¡ª¡± Amelie stepped back. Tok. The tree hit her back. Her retreat was blocked. In the meantime, the figure gradually shook off the ck smoke and showed itself. ck hair was seen, fierce eyes, and a manly face was revealed. It was Serwin¡¯s face. ¡®It¡¯s not the Emperor¡ª¡¯ Serwin has cold golden eyes. But the man in front of her had emotionless ck eyes. There was no tension or sadness at all. It wasn¡¯t Serwin, it was the killer she saw in her dreams. ¡°¡­..¡± Amelie didn¡¯t say anything. Her mouth was tied up in fear and couldn¡¯t open. [Witch, you¡¯re full of fear.] The ¡®disaster¡¯ looked disappointed. The exaggerated expression wasbined with the grandiose tone, making it even more creepy. Screams echoed throughout the forest with the smell of rotting bodies. There was ¡®disaster¡¯ at the center of the gradually decaying forest. Everything alive is dying, but it¡¯s speaking and looking so indifferent. Amelie couldn¡¯tugh. ck mucus was spreading widely. Wherever it touched the leaves burned ck. Like it was an epidemic. [You don¡¯t have to be afraid.] The disaster spoke kindly. [Your blood and flesh will soon be mine.] ¡°What are you talking about¡ª?¡± It came slowly. At the same time, ck smoke gathered as if to stifle Amelie¡¯s breathing. It got darker and darker in front of her and she couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡®I need to wake him up.¡¯ Amelie closed her eyes and opened them. ¡®I have magic.¡¯ It was only simple wind magic, but for some reason it worked to get rid of ck smoke. ¡®Like in Serwin¡¯s room. That¡¯s all I have to do. It¡¯s just a simple gust of wind.¡¯ Amelieforted herself and raised the wind into a gale with her trembling hands. It was a strong gust of wind that made it hard to even keep her eyes open. ck smoke was quickly caught up in the wind and disappeared. The ck mucus also dispersed. But the disaster stood indifferently, still in the body of the Emperor. [Oh, you know how to use your brain] Does it think she wanted apliment right now? ck smoke leaked from Serwin¡¯s body and wrapped around it. Then, a creepyugh rang out again. Amelie shuddered. It was simply a living disaster itself. She didn¡¯t know it could speak and think like a human being. Amelie raised a weak wind and wrapped it around her body. It was to protect herself. The ck smoke approaching Amelie hit the wind shroud and disappeared. ¡®Magic doesn¡¯t work! What should I do? What do we do now?¡¯ Being wary of the disaster, she agonized over how to stop it. ¡®¡ªIt¡¯s not enough to blow away the smoke. It¡¯sing out again. The priority is to return the weakened seal to its original state, but I don¡¯t know how! How did the seal be so weak?¡¯ At that time, she heard soundsing from behind her. They were the knights of the Emperor. They quickly formed an offensive formation. Amelie was startled. To someone who didn¡¯t know the situation it looked like Amelie was being hurt by Serwin. ¡°Take your time ande to us. It¡¯s dangerous if you get close.¡± Ethan said. ¡°Be as far away from His Majesty as possible. We¡¯ll attack and make a gap.¡± What the knights were after was Serwin, not Amelie. Amelie recalled that the knights reacted very seriously to the news that Serwin had disappeared. ¡®Did you know that Serwin was taken over by the disaster?¡¯ She carefully looked at its face. Serwin¡¯s face was hidden by ck smoke. Still, she could feel it was smiling. ¡®They found out the disaster is the Emperor. Does this happen often? They seem to be familiar and know how to respond.¡¯ Amelie first decided to follow Ethan¡¯s words. Looking at their familiar attitudes, there seemed to be a solution. ¡®Renee?¡¯ Renee was seen among the knights. Renee, who met the knights under the auspices of the house, had been forced to lead the way. She found Amelie in danger and wanted to run to her sister right away, but she was watching the situation and biting her lips hard because if she moved wrong she could make it more dangerous. The disaster followed Amelie¡¯s gaze to the knights and raised its arms to point at Renee. [Look carefully] Then, ck smoke billowed toward them. ¡°Renee, get away!¡± Amelie shouted, but the knights only turned to the air. Perhaps there was no ck smoke in their eyes. ¡®It¡¯s toote to avoid it!¡¯ Amelie used her wind shroud to create a huge barrier in front of them. The ck smoke was blocked by the barrier and made a roar. Only then did Renee notice that there was something invisible. But she didn¡¯t have time to think about it. It was because Serwin was seen approaching Amelie. She screamed. From the beginning, the disaster was aiming for Amelie and pretended to attack Renee. To get rid of the bad wind. The operation was sessful, and the disaster kicked Amelie over, her legs copsing and her head on the ground. ¡°Ugh!¡± She was dragged away by the disaster. It hurt as if her blood was going to explode from her. However, the ck mucus dripping from the head was more horrifying than the pain. The mucus crawled over Amelie¡¯s skin and fell onto her body on her neck. The mucus wrapped Amelie¡¯s arms and legs. ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± [Try it again. It¡¯s fun] The disaster shook Amelie¡¯s body as if it was mocking her. Amelie red at the disaster. With her arms and legs tied up, her eyes were the only things she could move freely. ¡®Knowing that I can¡¯t do it¡­!¡¯ Amelie was still a novice in the ways of magic. It is hard to use more than one magical effect at a time. If she tried to attack the disaster the wind shroud protecting Renee and the knights was likely to disappear. The disaster was still cleverly sending ck smoke towards Renee. The moment the wind shroud disappears, he will attack them. ¡®The knights may not know what¡¯s happening, but I must protect Renee.¡¯ Renee was part of her precious family that she only recently got. She couldn¡¯t give up easily. ¡°Amelie! Get this wind out of here! I¡¯ll save you now!¡± ¡°Don¡¯te!¡± The knights caught Renee who was attempting to run to Amelie. Renee resisted with tears in her eyes, but the emperor¡¯s knights were far stronger than her. ¡®Amelie, please¡ª!¡¯ Renee felt a keen sense of helplessness. The disaster stroked Amelie¡¯s face while holding her hair with one hand. It¡¯s rough touch messed up her hair. [The Emperor has been waiting for you for a long time. desperately] ¡°S-so?¡± [When the Emperor realizes that he has killed you with his own hands, how will he look?] It gave an odd smile. [I want to taste that despair.] Amelie got goosebumps. It was genuinely pleased with Serwin¡¯s despair. ¡®We need to get out of here. We¡¯ll all die at this rate.¡¯ The intense instinct for survival awakened her desperation. ¡®I can¡¯t beat you with my strength. I need magic.¡¯ However using magic to attack would mean the magic used to protect Renee and the knights was likely to disappear. While agonizing, Amelie made eye contact with Ethan. He pointed at the ck smoke and shook his sword. The ck smoke was gray and blurry like an afterimage. ¡®Can we stop the smoke with the sword? Then magic¡ª¡¯ ¡°Tk!¡± At that moment, the disaster grabbed her by the neck. Compared to its hands, Amelie¡¯s neck looked thin and fragile. Its hands began to tighten around Amelie¡¯s neck viciously. ¡°Tk!¡± ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± Amelie grabbed it by the wrist and struggled. ¡®M-magic¡ª!¡¯ Amelie didn¡¯t give up. She raised a gale of wind with all her might. A long wind blew. The ck mucus came off her body. However, the disaster did not budge. Only the strength of its hands had weakened for a while. He started strangling again. Amelie struggled in pain. She pushed its body and grabbed at its hand, but its strength was too strong that it remained unfazed. She was being strangled. She can¡¯t breath. And her throat ached. ¡®Is this how I¡¯m going to die¡ª?¡¯ She closed her eyes reflexively and tears ran through her cheeks. But then, a shift took ce. The ck wrist that she was holding began to disappear little by little. Like smoke scattered in the wind, the ck mucus surrounding Serwin¡¯s body began to gradually disappear. [Ugh, what is this¡ª!] The disaster threw Amelie down. ¡®I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on!¡¯ Amelie shrieked inwardly and held Serwin¡¯s arm. She judged that if she called out to Serwin he would help her. And Amelie¡¯s judgment was correct. [Arrgggggh] The disaster howled. ¡®No way!¡¯ Amelie took courage and reached out her hand. Her hand damaged the ck mucus where she touched and reached the Emperor¡¯s head. She stroked him on the head carefully. Her touch revealed his dark hair and eyes. ck eyes stared at her as if trying to stab her to death. [Argh, you¡ª!] ¡°Ugh!¡± Amelie held onto Serwin¡¯s shoulder and grabbed him by the head and pet him. Then all the ck things surrounding Serwin¡¯s body disappeared. As she caressed his head again, Serwin¡¯s eyes began to change. It was a mysterious sight to behold. In Serwin¡¯s eyes, the ck thing disappeared like smoke, and a brilliant golden color began to return. The golden eyes stared at Amelie. Amelie saw his eyes and realized. Serwin had returned and the crisis was over. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Amelie sighed and sat on the floor. She felt as if her legs had lost strength. As soon as Serwin came to his senses, he copsed helplessly toward her. She hugged him in surprise. When she patted him on the back, he slowly rxed. It was alreadyte into the night. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 : The Tyrant¡¯s Tranquilizer Tranted by Tam Edited by Genie
Serwin grabbed Amelie¡¯s hand and didn¡¯t want to let go. The knights lifted him and she almost dropped his hand but Amelie, unconsciously anxious about how the disaster might reappear, went to Serwin¡¯s room while holding his hand. As the knightsid Serwin on the bed, Amelie grabbed a chair next to the bed and sat down. Ha¡­ Amelie breathed deeply. She still didn¡¯t quite understand what happened. ¡®What the hell did I do? Does this man know what that was?¡¯ Amelie looked at Serwin. He was fast asleep with his eyes closed. His usual cold expression was nowhere to be seen, and his softened face was as still as a statue. Looking at him like this, she suddenly realized that he was handsome. Amelie thought this situation was very ironic. She¡¯s holding the hand of a man who was strangling her until just now, and she¡¯s enjoying his face with ease. ¡®What am I going to do now?¡ª¡¯ The reason Serwin has been searching for her so far was probably rted to the disaster sealed in his body. It¡¯s likely that as soon as he wakes up he will try to take her to the imperial pce. ¡®As originally written¡ª¡¯ Amelie tried to run away from him. Nevertheless, the fact that they met like this is a divergence from the original work. In novels, no matter how hard the main characters try to escape their fate, they often failed to prevent the original story. Then the only future ahead of her was death. ¡®I¡¯ve been socent.¡¯ Suyeon has been hoping for nothing from anyone her whole life. She eats with her family, takes a walk, and feelsforted. Abandoned as soon as she was born, she had always longed and dreamed of having a bright family. Perhaps that¡¯s why after possessing Amelie, Suyeon was so excited that she had a family that she couldn¡¯t judge the situation calmly. Despite knowing that she was in danger, she said she would be fine because she had magic so she didn¡¯t need to leave the mansion. At that time, the wrong choice created the current situation. ¡®Should I run away now?¡¯ Amelie stood up impulsively. She let go of Serwin¡¯s hand and walked to the window. Opening the window, a cold night breeze touched her cheek. The night was deep and the forest was dark. No matter how much the Emperor¡¯s knights fly and crawl, they will not be able to catch Amelie, the witch of the Fidelia Forest. ¡®If I run away, what happens to my father and Renee? What about the Emperor? What about the disaster?¡¯ When the disaster is unleashed the continent would be destroyed. The disaster she saw with her own eyes today was beyond what she imagined while reading the novel. Does it mean that she would be the only one who runs away alone? A world where her family and hometown are destroyed? Amelie hesitated. Then, Serwin hugged her from behind. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± When did he wake up? Serwin¡¯s body was hard and eerily cold. Amelie was embarrassed and tried to escape from his arms. ¡°Let me go!¡± He hugged her tighter as Amelie struggled. He wrapped his muscled, thick arms around Amelie¡¯s shoulder and rested his forehead on her shoulder. Amelie¡¯s back and his body met tightly. ¡®Uh,e on¡ª Did you try to catch me who tried to run away?¡¯ Amelie screamed inside. It is the first time that she has been held back so desperately by a man other than her father. But it¡¯s not exciting at all! Rather, it is heavy and suffocating as if she were stuck between rocks. ¡°Your Majesty, Your Majesty! I didn¡¯t mean to run away. I¡¯m serious. Ugh¡ª!¡± Amelie made a lot of excuses. She tried to open the window because it was hot, she saw something outside, etc. But Serwin did not answer back. As if he were asleep. Serwin was having a veryfortable and happy time. It was the first time in his 27 years of life that he rested so freely. He lived a disciplined life since he was young, but after sealing the disaster on his body, it got worse. In order not to be taken away by a disaster, he had to always be on guard as if he were in the middle of a battlefield at any time. As a result, insomnia became a part of life, and as time went by, his personality became cranky and sensitive. ¡®I need to get my head on straight¡ª¡¯ While thinking so, he was relieved by the special scent of Amelie filling his lungs when he breathed in. It¡¯s okay. If he¡¯s next to her, he doesn¡¯t have to worry about the disaster. Serwin fell into his first deep sleep in over two decades. At one point, however, the scent surrounding him faded away. He instinctively chased after her and hugged her tightly so she would no longer move away. ¡®It¡¯s nice.¡¯ When he buried his nose into the back of her neck, a deeper scent filled his senses. Aftering down to Dhaim, it was the scent that had been teasing him without being caught. He was the one hugging, but he felt like he was surrounded by a bigger version of Amelie¡¯s bird form. Serwin hugged her tighter as if he had missed her. The body that filled his arms was warm and satisfying. ¡°Finally, I caught you.¡± Serwin murmured quietly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been caught¡ª so please let me go.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Amelie sighed. Serwin seemed to be out of his mind anyway. Only then did she realize that wasn¡¯t listening to her at all and she gave up on running away. As she rxed, Serwin rxed his arms. It was only a little bit, but she was able to breathe. Then, the door opened and Ethan came in. He discovered Amelie and Serwon and froze. The knights who followed him were in no different condition. They froze as if they had seen a ghost, and only their eyes were wide open. ¡°Uh, uh¡ª We are sorry to disturb you!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡ª¡± Ethan closed the door quickly and went out. An excuse could not reverse the misunderstanding. Amelie sighed. ¡°Your Majesty, let me go now. This will be a dark historyter.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I warned you.¡± Amelie decided to give Serwin a bigger dark history. ***** Amelie left the room with Serwin attached to her back. It took a little while, but Serwin was not stubborn and followed well, so it was worth walking. When she opened the door, the Knight¡¯s eyes were on her. She felt how enthusiastic their eyes were and where they were looking. ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± There was silence in the living room. ¡®Look, look at this! Let¡¯s make more of a dark history!¡¯ It was Amelie¡¯s own timid revenge. Ethan noticed and quickly grasped Serwin¡¯s condition. He was so embarrassed earlier that he didn¡¯t know, but Serwin didn¡¯t look like he was opening his eyes. ¡°I am sorry on behalf of His Majesty.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay sir Ethan.¡± ¡°First, sit down.¡± Ethan pointed to the sofa. The knights jumped up and gave up their seats. When Amelie tried to sit on the sofa, Serwin instinctively sat next to her. His arms still held her, and his squinted eyes were fixed on Ethan. ¡°Your Majesty, are you awake?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°If I talk to you, will you answer me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Ethan looked at Serwin with a vague face. ¡°Your Majesty, all the scattered knights have gathered. Shall we get ready to go back to the pce?¡± The knights waited with impatience for Serwin¡¯s answer. Serwin was silent. It was his first time rxing in two decades, so he only had an instinct that he didn¡¯t want to miss thisfort. Perhaps that¡¯s why he only clings to Amelie, but he didn¡¯t even listen to other people¡¯s words. ¡°Your Majesty, Sir Ethan is asking.¡± Amelie, who couldn¡¯t stand to see it so she stepped in. But Serwin closed his eyes again and leaned his head on Amelie¡¯s shoulder. It seems that the sound of breathing is getting slower and he¡¯s about to fall asleep again. ¡°You don¡¯t listen at all.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. How can I do this¡­ It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever been like this. I wouldn¡¯t fall over even if you force me off of you¡­¡± Ethan couldn¡¯t hide his embarrassment. He would be the first to see Serwin¡¯s appearance. Serwin has never been distracted until now. As he grew up, he became very harsh and cruel, but he did not lose his dignity as an emperor. ¡®When his eyes are revealed¡­ The Emperor¡¯s appearance is so untouchable¡­¡¯ It was like a cat drunk on catnip. At a time when everyone was troubled, Renee appeared. She was justing out of the kitchen after making tea for Amelie when she saw Serwin and opened her eyes wide. Who is this crazy guy hugging right now! Renee put down the teacup and pulled out the sword. ¡°Get your hands off my sister!¡± Renee suddenly ran toward Serwin. However, she was caught by knights before he even got near him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,dy. This is not because His Majesty was being improper, there is a different meaning¡ª¡± ¡°Please calm down¡ª¡± The knights did not respond strongly because they knew how Renee felt. During the disturbance, Renee¡¯s liveliness roused Serwin from his drowsiness. Serwin¡¯s clear head quickly grasped the situation as soon as reason returned. Forests, disasters, the appearance of witches, fights, faints, and he who was chasing after Amelia. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Serwin was stunned by the memories that came to mind. Oh, my God. Serwon Hennia, no one else, showed people this stupidness. He felt like he was possessed by something. The first person that noticed Serwin¡¯s change was Amelie. She turned her head and looked up at Serwin. ¡°¡­Your Majesty?¡± At the moment of eye contact, Serwin looked at himself reflected in her clear eyes. It was a face that was more dim than he imagined. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Serwin jumped to his feet. ¡°Your Majesty, are you awake!¡± When Ethan shouted dly, all the knights eyes were on Serwin. Serwin felt embarrassed for the first time in his life. He wanted to run away like this, but he couldn¡¯t show embarrassment in front of the knights. Serwin created a shameless face as if nothing had happened. His poker face was excellent. ¡°We¡¯re going back to the pce. Get ready.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Looking around the knights, he looked at Amelie for thest time. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we have something else to talk about.¡± He said with a smile. Amelie looked like she had never seen it before. It was not azy and crazed smile made by the disaster, nor afortable smile like when he was looking at her as a bird. ¡®This is how you usually smile.¡¯ It was as smooth as a picture, but it was a smile with a sense of distance. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 : The Tyrant¡¯s Tranquilizer Tranted by Tam Edited by Genie
Amelie and Serwin returned to the room. For Amelie, it was a familiar scene, but she was with Serwin so she felt so awkward today that she only moved her eyes. It was Serwin who opened his mouth first, breaking the silence. ¡°First, I¡¯ll apologize.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± That was a word that she had never imagined woulde out of his mouth. Amelie opened her eyes wide and looked at Serwin. ¡°For your neck.¡± ¡°The stranglehold was because the disaster took over your body.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s what my body did. And just before this¡ª I hugged you as I wanted.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s an apology.¡± Amelie blushed and avoided eye contact. On second thought, it was embarrassing. Seeing her embarrassed, Serwin became embarrassed. As his gaze wandered it reached Amelie¡¯s neck. His fingerprints remained there. Seeing the handprint, he remembered what the disaster had done with his body. When wrapped around her neck, he clearly remembered her blood beating that ran hot, the fragile bones that he felt under her thin skin, and how she was struggling to live. The disaster tried to kill her from the bottom of its heart. It¡¯s terrible just imagining it. Serwin took a deep breath to calm himself. Then, the scent that had disappeared like a prank filled his lungs. ¡°It¡¯s strange. If I smell this scent¡ª.¡± Serwin¡¯s eyes became hazy. ¡°Scent?¡± Amelie asked again. She put her nose on her arm and sniffed, but all she could smell was dirt on her clothes. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? You smell good.¡± He approached her as if he were possessed by the smell. Then he bent down and inhaled deeply. His tension melted away. He wanted to be buried in this smell. And he could also sleepfortably because of it. ¡®Aaaa¡ª¡¯ Amelie swallowed a scream. The skin did not touch, but the hot breath tickled the neck. It¡¯s too close, but it¡¯s not touching. She was torn between whether to push Serwin away or not. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡± Serwin said. His low voice stimted Amelie¡¯s ears. Every time his breath touched her Amelie¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Your Majesty, stop¡ª.¡± Amelie whispered like she was crying. Serwin only then realized that he was too close. ¡®You¡¯re making a fool of yourself.¡¯ Serwin frowned. As soon as he smelled her scent, he couldn¡¯te to his senses as if he were drunk. He strode to open the window. As the wind came in from the outside, the scent of Amelie was gone. He was both relieved and sad. Serwin¡¯s face was more terrifying than ever. ¡®Look at his face. I should stay still¡ª¡± Amelie slipped away to the corner of the room. It was the same as when a bird looked at another person¡¯s eyes by lowering its head slightly so that the round top of its head could be seen well, and moving only its eyes. Even though the appearance changes, the inside remains the same. Serwinughed in vain. ¡°I never thought the witch I was looking for would be next to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry I lied to you. But I didn¡¯t know why Your Majesty was looking for me, and I can¡¯t just get caught.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you go there on your own for that? Where the hell does that recklessnesse from? You really almost died.¡± ¡°That¡ª I didn¡¯t know there was such a thing as a disaster. I thought you¡¯re just evil¡­¡± Amelie shuddered. ¡°Is it because of the same situation you were looking for me, Your Majesty? Because I can defeat the disaster?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s correct that first. You didn¡¯t make the disaster go away.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t go away. It¡¯s still sealed inside me. Your power only calms the disaster. Now¡­ You seem like you¡¯ll faint.¡± ¡°What is it about me that makes it possible?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Amelie asked back nkly. You don¡¯t know? No way! Serwin came to visit Amelie on purpose. And when the disaster was pulled back by her, she epted it calmly. Then he should have known its secrets to some extent. ¡°If it¡¯s hard to say, tell me it¡¯s hard.¡± ¡°No, I would have exined it right away if I knew.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know? So how did you know that you have toe here?¡± ¡°The person who sealed the disaster in my body told me. Find the Witch of the Fidelia Forest in 20 years.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Serwin nodded. ¡°You came to me without knowing what it was? This far?¡± ¡°Because I had no other choice.¡± Amelie was speechless. Isn¡¯t that too much of a pain? On the other hand, it urred that he must have been so desperate. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the details slowly. It¡¯s a long way to the pce.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I haven¡¯t said I¡¯m following you yet, Your Majesty. Would you mind not deciding on anything you want? And don¡¯t think everyone will absolutely follow your word.¡± Serwin giggled andughed. ¡°You were about to run away. Didn¡¯t you make up your mind then? ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about your family? You don¡¯t look very simr but they seem special to you.¡± Serwin knew everything. Amelie shut her mouth tight. ¡®How can you look into people like that, you¡¯re a jerk. When did you notice that my father is the Count?¡¯ It was as Serwin said. The moment she hesitated in front of the window, she had already made her decision. No matter what the disaster is, no matter how strong it is. She will follow Serwin to defeat the disaster. She still wanted to run away. Serwin is scary, and life in the pce is scary. The disaster is worse than she imagined, and she doesn¡¯t know how to deal with it. Nevertheless, Amelie could not run away. Amelie wanted to live happily. Before, she thought she could live happily even if she left alone, saying, ¡°It¡¯s a disaster or whatever.¡± But it wasn¡¯t true anymore. After epting Count Dehaim and Renee as her own family, Amelie learned that the happiness she hoped for was with them. So surviving alone was meaningless to her. It¡¯s scary to follow him. She didn¡¯t know what kind of misfortune would be waiting for her like in the original. However, if she turned a blind eye to the disaster and tried to avoid it, it was clear that this continent would soon be destroyed. It was better to face it herself. Amelie, who made up her mind, made eye contact with Serwin. His eyes were sharp as if they looked inside of Amelie. ¡°I¡¯ll help you defeat the Disaster. But I can¡¯t do it with just what you said. Please give me a fair reward and guarantee my anonymity and safety. Otherwise, I can¡¯t follow you to the pce.¡± Amelie looked at Serwin¡¯s hand. There was no guarantee that this hand would not strangle her again. Amelie still vividly saw Serwin strangling her. Still, Amelie reached out her hand. ¡°Come on, now we¡¯re in the same boat.¡± Serwin looked at her hand. The white hand trembled with fear and tension. ¡°I¡¯ll help you, and you have to protect me.¡± Amelie continued her words straightforwardly. ¡°I promise.¡± Serwin grabbed her hand carefully. The soft feeling that filled his hand was the same as holding a bird. He felt sleepy again, so he let go quickly, and felt disappointed. After a brief conversation about what was toe, Serwin prepared to return to the pce, and Amelie visited Renee and revealed the secret she had been hiding. There is a disaster in Serwin, and it was the disaster that manipted Serwin¡¯s body, and that she needed to prevent it. Amelie adapted the story into something like a dream and told Renee, and Renee¡¯s expression changed moment by moment when she heard her story. Renee shouted when Amelie told her that she had decided to follow Serwin to the pce. ¡°Following the Emperor to the Imperial Pce! That¡¯s not good! The pce is a tough ce. You¡¯ll never be left alone!¡± ¡°He has decided to be assured of my safety and anonymity. It won¡¯t go ording to the prophecy. That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to do that.¡± Amelie asked him to keep it a secret that she was the daughter of Count Dhaim to prevent it from going ording to the prophecy. And she asked for several additional safety measures. It may not be a big deal in a way, but it was an important matter for Amelie. Because she didn¡¯t want to see Dhaim destroyed by himself. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous..¡± ¡°Renee, I¡¯ve already made up my mind. And don¡¯t worry. I will be able to stop the crisis this time and get out of the way of the precognitive dream, right? It won¡¯t be like that in the future.¡± ¡°If you really want to go, I¡¯ll go too.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do that.¡± When Amelie tly refused, Renee bit her lips. She seemed to have made up her mind. Eventually, Renee was forced to agree to Amelie¡¯s decision. While the two were struggling, the preparations werepleted, and the knights began to get on their horses. Amelie, who got into the carriage, grabbed Renee¡¯s hand and couldn¡¯t let go easily. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not going to see father?¡± When asked several times already, Amelie nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to leave if I saw father.¡± Renee sighed. ¡°Please take care of father.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you can trust me.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Amelie patted Renee on the back. Finally, the two hugged each other tightly and released their hands. The carriage slowly began to move away. Renee looked quietly at the carriage that was moving away. ¡®You almost died because of me. So, this time, I¡¯ll do whatever you want. But I won¡¯t let you suffer alone. Hang in there.¡¯ Renee had decided. She¡¯ll follow Amelie as soon as things get sorted out here. It was obvious that Amelie would stop her, so she had to keep it secret. Renee went back to the mansion where her father was waiting alone, making promises for the future. ****** The Dhaim estate was far from the Empire, they had to pass through the space transport magic camp twice. In addition, the space transport magic camp was mainly installed in the middle of nowhere, so there was no vige to rest on the way. It was a hard journey. The party stopped for a while before passing through the first moving magic camp. It was to take a break and allow any stragglers to catch up. Even though the first break was only for a half day, the knights moved about busily. The movements of watering the horses and preparing them for meals were seen, and they seemed to be very familiar with long-distance travel. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 : The Tyrant¡¯s Tranquilizer
Amelie went outside, though the carriage was morefortable than expected, it still hurt to sit for a long time. She wished she could at least read a book about magic but, unfortunately, Amelie¡¯s luggage was still in the Dhaim residence. She told Renee to take care of it, so she¡¯s not worried. ¡®If I find more magic books, I should study magic.¡¯ Fighting the disaster, Amelie realized her severeck of knowledge. So as soon as she arrived at the pce, she was going to study magic separately. ¡®By the way, don¡¯t we eat?¡¯ She heard a growl from her stomach. Come to think of it, she hadn¡¯t had a single meal since dinner. She understood as things were so urgent and hectic, but isn¡¯t it time to eat now? ¡®Who should I ask? Sir Ethan and the Emperor are the only ones I know¡ª¡¯ Serwin was not someone she could question from the beginning and Ethan looked very busy. Amelie grabbed her hungry stomach and sat down on the steps of the carriage to watch the people bustle around. Then Serwin and her met eyes. ¡®Huh!¡¯ Serwin stared at Amelie. His expression was very fierce. ¡®Did I do something wrong?!¡¯ Amelie was on edge. But Serwin quickly turned his head and walked away. ¡®Is he just going to walk away?¡¯ Serwin¡¯s behavior was quite unexpected. Amelie knew he would try to be close to her, especially with the influence of the disaster. But he hasn¡¯t been near Amelie since they started moving. While moving, he rode a distance from the carriage. It was only at the house in the forest, when he was out of his mind, that he stayed close. However, his behavior now was very different to how he treated Amelie when she was a bird. ¡®He¡¯s so different with animals. That man has so much distrust.¡¯ Of course, from Amelie¡¯s point of view, the farther Serwin was the better. Although she had decided to be on the same boat, her first impression of him did not disappear easily, so she still felt ufortable with Serwin. ¡®I¡¯m hungry¡ª¡¯ Then, a man caught Amelie¡¯s eye. It was a middle-aged knight holding arge pot. He put the pot on the floor and set up a fire pit. ¡®You must be cooking!¡¯ Amelia¡¯s eyes sparkling. It was as she expected. His name is Maxim. He was a man who thought he had to eat well at any time. Amelie watched him seriously. He began preparing meals for a dozen people. He was very good at working with his hands, it was clearly a task he had done once or twice. He had a special magic bag that carried cooking utensils and ingredients. It was because he always had to be reassured to work under Serwin, who was hard on his knights. ¡®I guess they¡¯re going to boil the stew.¡¯ Arge pot was filled with water, and a magic stock was put in. Next to it was pre-cut vegetables. It¡¯s a convenient meal that you just have to boil gently after putting everything in. However, the fire was too weak because of the wind blowing in the field. The simple fire made by stacking stones did not properly stop the wind. Even firewood was a problem. The branches picked up nearby must have been wet and there was no big fire. ¡®Oh, I shouldn¡¯t do this.¡¯ They can¡¯t make stew unless the water boils. Maxim also knew that, so he tried to increase the intensity of the fire. But it didn¡¯t go the way he wanted. ¡°Sir Roen please help me protect it.¡± Maxim asked a nearby knight. ¡°If you cover it up too much, wouldn¡¯t the fire die?¡± Sir Roen responded. The two knights did their best to protect the embers. It was very funny and sad to see two bear-like men flying all over the small brazier trying to keep it lit. ¡®It¡¯s frustrating. It¡¯s so frustrating.¡¯ It¡¯s so hard to watch them struggle on a task that could end with just a wave of her finger. Then, Amelie approached them. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Sir Maxim asked. Amelie was slightly discouraged by his fierce and rugged face, but there was nopromise when food was so close to being made right in front of her. If the fire goes out, she may have to drink only water! She plucked up the courage to make a suggestion. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like the fire is burning well¡­ Can I take a look at it?¡± ¡°Ah, do you know how?¡± A smile bloomed on Maxim¡¯s face. As someone in charge of cooking, he wanted to feed the tired knights with delicious food as soon as possible. If they wanted to stand under Serwin, who treats people roughly, he had to feed them well. ¡°Yes! All I have to do is intensify the fire, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If you know how, please help me.¡± When Maxim politely asked for a favor, Amelie put her arms together and stepped forward. ¡°Both of you, please step back a little bit. I am a little immature with power control.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just take care of it ourselves? What will you do¡ª¡± Sir Roen was about to interject. ¡°It¡¯s too hard for us!¡± Saying so, Maxim grabbed Sir Roen by the back of his neck and dragged him back. Roen grumbled but allowed himself to be dragged back. After checking that they were at a safe distance, Amelie reached towards the firepit. It is difficult to build a huge pir of fire or control the mes of a raging fire. However, it is quite simple to make a fire suitable for cooking. She just had to pile up dry branches and start a small fire there. ¡®I¡¯m confident that I¡¯ve made a few fires.¡¯ Amelie snapped her fingers with confidence. A great fire erupted with the sound. The fire was so strong that it swallowed the entirety of the pot. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s too strong.¡± People were watching, so she was nervous and went a little overboard. Amelie hurriedly controlled the fire. ¡°This is enough, right?¡± Amelia looked back. However, Maxim¡¯s expression was stiff. He looked like an angry bear. His gaze did not stray from the mes created by Amelie. ¡®Did I do something wrong? Amelie was worried. Maxim strode up to Amelie. ¡°The fire¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, yes?¡± ¡°Can you control the intensity of the fire?¡± Is he afraid it¡¯ll ruin his cooking? Amelie answered quickly. ¡°Yes, now I¡¯m trying to make it boil fast, and I was going to reduce itter¡ª¡± ¡°This is¡ª¡± Maxim looked at the furnace. Amelie reduced her firepower as much as she could and adjusted the fire. ¡°Perfect! We can cook any dish at this rate! It¡¯s always been a hassle to control the fire!¡± Maxim eximed, smiling broadly. Just by looking at the fire he looked happy as if he was full already. ¡®Oh, this person is definitely the kind of person who will grab the tongs first at a dinner or something like that.¡¯ When many people gather, there is usually one person who acts like Maxim. Whatever the situation, they have to eat delicious food, and it¡¯s always the best to make grilled meat and hear that it is delicious! Maxim is severely like that. It is also true that he carried a pot and a simple furnace whileing to Dhaim. ¡°Thank you for using magic for this! Thanks to you, I think I can feed them properly. Everyone was exhausted and I wanted to feed them delicious food!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can¡¯t neglect a single meal. Eating poorly is a tragedy of life.¡± There was a time when she had no money, so she had to divide convenience store disposal lunch boxes into two meals and ate cup noodles. Perhaps because of that memory, Amelia hated having a deficient meal. ¡°Well, you¡¯re totally right about that.¡± Maxim totally agreed with her. ¡°I¡¯m going to go focus on the stew. I¡¯ll bring you a meal, so please rx until I¡¯m done cooking.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you. It¡¯d be nice to make it fast.¡± After she washed her hands in water, she helped Maxim. After a while, the stew waspleted with Amelie¡¯s help and Maxim¡¯s skilled cooking skills. When the stew was finished, the knights who were smelling the food gathered one by one. ¡°Come on, line up. Miss Amelie you cane forward.¡± Maxim first served Amelie the stew. He gave her arge bowl full of stew and put sliced bread on top of it to make a perfect meal. Amelie sat down near the brazier. The stew had a warm savory smell. It was such an appetizing smell. ¡®It looks delicious.¡¯ As she was holding a spoon with joy, she could feel a sharp look from somewhere. ¡®Is it the Emperor again?¡¯ Amelie raised her head reflexively. The owner of the gaze was an unexpected figure. ¡®Did he say it¡¯s Sir Roen¡ª?¡¯ He was the youngest knight to help Maxim cook. He was staring at Amelie. Amelie made eye contact with him from far away. Hisrge knightly physique and sharp eyes were intimidating, but not as much as Serwins. When their eyes met, Roen flinched and shook his hand. ¡®What is it? Do you have something to say? If you have something to say, you shoulde and say it.¡¯ But the meales first now. Amelie turned her eyes to the stew. As it is a meal made for the knights, the big pile is appetizing. She took a spoonful of stew to her mouth. ¡°Agh it¡¯s hot!¡± The stew was hotter than she thought. Amelie blew up and ate the stew carefully again. A little thick soup flowed in. Maybe it was the chicken stock, but the chicken taste was strong. It tasted deep andplexpared to the one made in a hurry with only water and vegetables. It was soft and delicious because the ingredients were cooked well in the chicken broth. As she ate the stew and bread, the bowl was emptied cleanly before she knew it. Maxim looked at her with a satisfied look. After eating, Amelie walked on the ins to digest for a while. Her stomach is full, and the weather is warm. Drenched in after-dinnerziness and satisfaction, an unexpected person approached her. ¡°Hey there.¡± It was Roen, a knight struggling to protect Maxim and the embers. Amelie was ufortable with him. Throughout the cooking process, he red at Amelie, and did not eat the finished stew. As he stood in front of her and stared at her as if they were about to fight, Amelie became nervous. ¡®What is this?¡¯ ¡°If you have a brain, you¡¯d better change your mind right now.¡± Roen sped his hands tightly. His palms were damp with nervousness and fear. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have said it like that.¡¯ He thought She was the one Serwin was looking for anxiously. He, a knight under his Lord, was not qualified to say this, but Roen was slightly out of his mind now. The Imperial capital was one of the ces most zealous about witch hunts. At that time, most of the victims were ordinary women who were framed, but there were real witches among them. Unlike ordinary people, real witches fiercely resisted death. They could use magic and cursed their pursuers. The fighting was left up to the knights, but the damage from the fighting was sustained mostly to themon people. People lost their homes overnight and were driven into the streets. Roen¡¯s family was one of those people. Since the house was the only property of the family, they had to suffer for several years before finding a new house. Fortunately, his life was stable by the time his sister was born. However, his parents, who suffered from the aftereffects of the fire, died before he became an adult. Of course, he knew that the witches who were being pursued only struggled to survive. But the vision of a huge fireball that was careening toward the house and a zing fire, the horror of that moment still remained a vivid memory for him. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 : The Tyrant¡¯s Tranquilizer
Actually, it was okay until he first saw her. Unlike the disrespectful and grim image that a witch conjures up, she was like a simple country girl. He also felt sympathy for her, who looked nice and gentle, as she seemed to have been unwillingly entangled with the Emperor. But as soon as Amelie created the fire, he was frightened. The fear from his past has enraptured him. ¡®If a witch decides to betray us and attack us¡ª can we stop it?¡¯ He knew how deadly a witch¡¯s magic was inbat. His fear quickly turned into hostility. ¡®You have to scare the witch in advance so that she won¡¯t even think of betraying us. Don¡¯t let the witch be free!¡¯ If he had been there when Amelie and the disaster were at odds, he would certainly have thought otherwise. He would have seen her take risks to save the knights and the forest. But Roen wasn¡¯t there then. He was in a different search party. ¡°Don¡¯t think all the knights are easy just because they and His Majesty favor you. I¡¯d like to take take you out right now, but¡ª¡± When Roen put his hand on the hilt of his sword, Amelie took a reflexive step back. Roen¡¯s eyes were shaking unsteadily. Amelie noticed that Roen was serious. ¡°You can¡¯t go against HisMajesty¡¯s orders. You have His Majesty to thank for your life so it would be better not to do anything bad.¡± As soon as Roen finished saying what he had to say, he turned away. Amelie gazed at his back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that person?¡± Amelie was dumbfounded. ***** The group took a break as soon as they passed the first magic circle. It was so stragglers could catch up while the rest of the procession could take a break. Amelie slowly got off the carriage. It was apletely different world after passing through the first magic circle. If the former site is lush green ins, then this side is brown fields filled with only dust. At first, she was speechless at the destendscape that she wondered how it could be this different. She realized that she had traveled a really long distance. How far is the Fidelian forest from here? Amelie already missed it. She was looking around, and she could feel a sharp look from somewhere. Looking back in surprise, she saw Sir Roen standing a short distance away. He was staring at Amelie like he was monitoring her again. As if he¡¯s not going to let her go if she did any nonsense. ¡®What the hell is wrong with him!¡¯ Amelie hid behind the carriage. She really didn¡¯t understand what was wrong with him. ¡®Even the Emperor doesn¡¯t say anything to me¡ª Is it wrong to use magic?¡¯ Serwin let Amelie use or not use magic as she pleased. No, to be exact, he didn¡¯te close to her whatever she did. ¡®Should I tell Sir Ethan that Sir Roen is threatening me?¡¯ Amelie was troubled, but then someone appeared behind the carriage. ¡°Witch, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± As Amelie looked back in surprise, she saw a bandage wrapped head. It was the knight who was ready for the day. ¡°Sir Chad?¡± He was no other than Chad, the knight who was hit by Serwin¡¯s vase because he could not find Amelie. ¡°Do you know me? Oh! I¡¯ve seen you in Your Majesty room a few times. Well, I¡¯ve shown you something shameful.¡± Chad smiled and said hello. His expression was bright, but his paleplexion wouldn¡¯t be strange if he copsed right away. ¡°I¡¯m here to bring you your luggage.¡± He brought a brown bag and a blue bag. The brown bag belonged to Amelie, but this was the first time she saw the blue bag. ¡°I don¡¯t think the blue bag is mine.¡± ¡°This is from thedy of Dhaim.¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Amelie¡¯s heart felt constricted. She never had anyone who felt like family before, but the Count and Renee were so good to her. She wanted to see them right away. If she was holding a broom she might have left for home right there. ¡°I¡¯ll put it in the carriage.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it. You¡¯re hurt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. If Amelie-nim appearedter, I would have disappeared. Thank you for sticking together with us. Haha.¡± Amelie froze for a moment. He said it with a smile, should sheugh too? Was dying funny? It¡¯s a bit¡­? ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m just kidding. I¡¯m kidding. But seriously, I like witches.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°There was a witch in my childhood vige. I was surprised when I first came up to the capital. I talked to my ssmates about magic potions, and they scolded me not to say that since I¡¯d get in trouble if I was caught.¡± ¡°¡­Is the capital still hostile to witches?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then a witch hunt¡ª?¡± ¡°Since His Majesty¡¯s ban, witch hunts have never happened. And the fact that you¡¯re a witch doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re persecuted. At best, people are abusive and ostracizing.¡± Amelie already missed Dehaim. The people there said ¡®thank you¡¯ for giving water when she suddenly showed up there. But she would get cursed at in the capital. At that moment, she remembered the hot-tempered Roen. ¡°So Sir Roen¡¯s threatening and spying on me?¡± ¡°Sir Roen¡ª Ah, I¡¯m sorry. I apologize for that.¡± When Chad bowed in apology, Amelie was a little embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s because Sir Roen is still immature. The Emperor¡¯s knights should not be swayed by personal feelings.¡± Chad clicked his tongue. ¡°That¡¯s okay. I must look suspicious. I¡¯m a witch, and I don¡¯t even know about what¡¯s following me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Even His Majesty¡¯s knights know very little about disaster and Amelie.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Amelie widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°There¡¯s a difference of rank in the knighthood. It hasn¡¯t been long since Sir Roen became a knight.¡± ¡°It means there are a lot of things he doesn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Chad smiled awkwardly. ¡°But there¡¯s nothing to worry about. There are only a few people like Sir Roen. It¡¯s still a bad thing, but everyone who knows the actual situation, like me, is grateful for Amelie-nim¡¯sing.¡± Chadforted Amelie. ¡°If Sir Roen continues to bother you, I¡¯ll talk to Sir Ethan about this. And next time, if he¡¯s being mean, you can just blow him up.¡± ¡°Can I?¡± ¡°Of course, then I¡¯ll leave you alone now. I have a lot of luggage to move.¡± ¡°Thank you. Oh, wait a minute!¡± Amelie hurriedly opened her brown bag. Then she took out two bottles of magic potions and presented them to Chad. ¡°It¡¯s a small reward. You can apply this one to your head, and you can drink this one.¡± ¡°I was still worried about how to follow the party in this state. Thank you!¡± Chad smiled broadly and received the magic potions. Then he unfastened the bandage on the spot. Even after a long time, the wound was still deep. He thought he was properly treated, but the wound seemed to have reopened because of all the constant moving and exercising. ¡°His Majesty is too hard on you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of the situation.¡± Chad drank one of the magic potions and poured the other onto his head. ¡°Uh¡ª.¡± Small bubbles sprang up from his wound, and white smoke rose. ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised. You¡¯re healing.¡± ¡°Yes, I know. But it doesn¡¯t hurt. The magic potions I used as a child were very painful.¡± ¡°Your friend is a witch?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was the first time she heard any stories about other witches so Amelie was interested. ¡°Is that witch still in town? I¡¯d like to meet her once. I don¡¯t know any witches.¡± ¡°No, that friend hid from people. That was a long time ago, so that friend is already gone.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Amelie didn¡¯t ask any more questions. If Chad was friends with that witch when he was young, it was about twenty years ago. It¡¯s obvious that it¡¯s not a good story to ask about in more detail. Shortly after, the bubbling reduced, revealing Chad¡¯s pristine head. There was no red mark left by the wound and the area was smoothed. Chad felt his head with his fingertips. ¡°Oh, this is great. It¡¯s the best magic medicine I¡¯ve ever used. You must be an outstanding witch.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s good because it¡¯s from someone else. My medicine is terrible.¡± There was a simple way to distinguish good magic potions. It was important to see how effective it was and how few side effects, like pain or fever, there were during the treatment process. ¡°Anyway, thank you very much.¡± Chad bowed politely, bendingpletely over. Amelie shook her hands trying to stop Chad¡¯s profuse praise. She was embarrassed because it seemed like she was taking credit for a medicine that her grandmother made. But Chad bowed down and thanked Amelie not knowing it was her grandmother that deserved the credit. Amelie was very grateful to Chad. She was depressed because of Roen but she felt better because helping Chad confirmed that being a witch was not a negative being. ****** Ethan was looking around observing the knights. He noticed Roen being wary of Amelie right away. ¡®Sir Roen is¡­ A little bit of trouble.¡¯ The Emperor¡¯s knights had to follow whatever the Emperor ordered. There is no need for individual value judgments here. At first, that part is more difficult than anything else. People are used to thinking and making their own decisions. Especially for a lone wolf type like Roen, it will be more difficult. Ethan thought it would be a problem that would be solved over time, so he was silently watching Roen. It was a waste of time to abandon highly talented swordsmen and loyal subjects. For now, even if he is so wary of Amelie, Roen will still risk his life to protect her regardless of his feelings. ¡®The problem is Amelie¡¯s side. It¡¯s a little difficult if she hates us because of Sir Roen.¡¯ At times like this, it would be nice if Serwin would ask for Amelie to join him. This journey was such good timing to win favor. At the witches forest house he wouldn¡¯t let Amelie out of his arms as if he had gone mad, but after leaving for the capital, he just lingers around Amelie and doesn¡¯t approach her. ¡®I told you to have a casual rtionship, all this time you¡¯ve been avoiding women.¡¯ Ethan clicked his tongue. Chad wandered over and found Ethan observing the knights and approached him. ¡°Sir, can I help with anything else?¡± ¡°No, you get some rest. Don¡¯t keep doing things with that head. I¡¯ll leave a loser like you behind. You know that right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine now!¡± ¡°What?¡± Ethan then turned to look at Chad. ¡°Your head! What happened?¡± Ethan was greatly surprised. Ethan took care of Chad, who was bleeding all the time. He deliberately put him in the back because he thought the wound would make it hard for him to keep up. He meant for Chad to take it slow so he could rest more through the journey. But the wound was fully healed? ¡°What the hell did you do to heal the wound?¡± Ethan¡¯s loud voice drew the attention of the Knights scattered around. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 ¡°Oh? Sir Chad, why did you untie the bandage? Huh huh?? There¡¯s no wound!¡± ¡°The wound wouldn¡¯t have healed yet. It was too deep when I changed the bandage yesterday. Huh? It¡¯s really gone.¡± ¡°Is there a witch nearby? Where is she? Ask her to look at my back too.¡± The knights made a fuss, touching Chad¡¯s head in amazement. ¡°I used the magic medicine that Miss Amelie gave me, and it healed like this.¡± ¡°Amelie? Oh, that witch. She was the bird in His Majesty¡¯s room, wasn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Amelie left a strong impression in the memories of the knights. Although not as a person, but a bird that was beloved to Serwin. ¡°It¡¯s amazing. Does she make medicine?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know the witch¡¯s medicine would work this well. Can you see this? Smooth without a single scar.¡± He swept a hand over his hair so that the wound could be seen clearly. The knights¡¯ eyes were focused on his forehead. ¡°That¡¯s what I mean. It¡¯s really smooth.¡± ¡°Somehow, hisplexion seems to have improved too.¡± The knights spoke in admiration. Until a few days ago, Chad was on the verge of death because of overwork and his injury. But now he is brighter than any of the 20 knights. ¡°I love that medicine.¡± The knights nodded to Ethan¡¯s admiration. When he was working on injuries, he was naturally interested in things like medicine and healthy food. The knights would often get injuries, but there are only a few witches who can heal them, and even they are on bad terms with the knights. In such a situation, Amelie¡¯s magic medicine seemed as if a new path had opened. The knights who were wrapped in action were already looking for Amelie. Amelie was walking around the carriage. Some knights were ready to run to Amelie. But then, Roen approached. ¡°Is that not a side effect? Are you sure it¡¯s getting better? I saw earlier that there was smoke and bubbles. What kind of medicine is that?¡± Roen was watching Chad use Amelie¡¯s medicine. A medicine that will heal your wounds in the blink of an eye. It¡¯s nothing suspicious. Roen¡¯s doubts deepened when he saw Chad. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be okay? Sir Chad is so fine.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not okay, Your Majesty would have told you to be careful.¡± ¡°But¡ª!¡± Roen shut his mouth. He didn¡¯t think the others would listen to him even if he talked more here. He red at Amelie in frustration. He gave her such a warning, but he didn¡¯t like it when she was just hanging around outside. ¡®Ah, what¡¯s wrong with you again¡ª!¡¯ Amelie was feeling the gaze of Roen for a moment. This time, another knight also nced at Amelie. Whether that means good or bad, it was a burden for Amelie. She was the person in the world who hated getting attention from others. ¡®I¡¯ll just go in and read.¡¯ Amelie quickly ran away into the carriage. ¡°Ah¡ª she went in.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll just go ahead and apany her to the carriage. I should have gotten the medicine!¡± ¡°That¡¯s little space in the carriage. Say something that makes sense.¡± Ethan clicked his tongue at the pathetic appearance of his men, and felt bitter look being aimed at his back. This feeling was definitely Serwin. Turning his head, Sure enough, Serwin was approaching this way. But his gaze was fixed on Roen. ¡®He must be very angry. His Majesty must have noticed Sir Roen¡¯s attitude too.¡¯ The pressure from Serwin¡¯s gaze stings his skin. All the knights showed signs of nervousness, whether they felt the same way as Ethan. The rxed atmosphere froze cold in an instant. The knights quickly backed away. Roen was nervous as he watched Serwin approaching. He knew himself that he was acting on his own, but it was all for the sake of his master¡¯s safety. He believed that Serwin would understand if he fully exined his position. ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m¡ªUgh!¡± The sword slightly pierced Roen¡¯s neck. The sword, which is as t as a double-edged sword and glows in gold, was a symbol of Serwin. Roen looked at the sword with unbelievable eyes. He thought he was really dead for a moment. Obviously, the sword stabbed his neck, and he felt pain. But strangely, no wounds were seen anywhere on the body. It was marvelous swordsmanship only possible because it was Swordmaster Serwin. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop me, huh?¡± Roen snapped. His vision was tinged with ck, it was not easy to breathe, let alone talk. He barely raised his head and looked up at Serwin. His heart beat fast. If Serwin decides to kill him, he would die right away. ¡°Your Majesty, ording to your will¡ª¡± He recalled his words desperately. Serwin smiled and shook his head slowly as he saw it. ¡°No. You¡¯re not following mymand right now.¡± Roen was relieved by his smile, but Serwin¡¯s words made him fall in despair again. Serwin¡¯s expression, and his every word, traveled between heaven and hell. ¡°Who told you to have an opinion? She¡¯s a very important person to me, so I told you to serve her politely.¡± ¡°U-ugh. I-I¡¯m Sorry¡ªUgh!¡± Serwin twisted the sword. Roen screamed at the pain in his throat. ¡°Ssh, you have to be quiet. You can hear the sound from the carriage.¡± Serwin whispered, lowering his voice. Serwin¡¯s quiet whisper still made Roen turn inside out. Roen clenched his teeth trying toe to his senses. He doesn¡¯t want to die. You have to butter up Serwin to do that. To do that, he must cate His Majesty. Ethan watched the situation quietly. ¡®If he was going to kill him, he would have killed him earlier, so he¡¯s only warning him. Then, shall I help him finish it?¡¯ As Ethan stepped forward, he sat with one knee on the ground and bowed his head. Ethan knew Serwin knew that he would stop at this point. Nevertheless, to be polite he was careful not to offend Serwin. ¡°Your Majesty, I will give Sir Roen a strict warning so that this will never happen again. It¡¯s my job to keep the knights in line. Please be merciful so that I may fulfill my calling.¡± Serwin looked down at Ethan. But when he let Roen go, he felt sorry that it would be fun to bother him a little more. Ethan read Serwin¡¯s hesitation. ¡°If Sir Roen disappears suddenly, Amelie will find it strange. She¡¯s not one who has no sense.¡± ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s right.¡± Serwin looked at the carriage. It was for her, so there¡¯s no point in her difort. ¡°It¡¯s only this time. Sir Roen.¡± Serwin¡¯s sword suddenly vanished. The golden light, which had been as hard as a de, was scattered like fog. ¡°U-ugh¡­ T-thank you.¡± Roen coughed blood, but he steadied his knees and bowed to Serwin. Serwin turned his back without even looking at Roen. ¡°Why doubt His Majesty¡¯s decision? How many times have I told you to be careful.¡± When Ethan rebuked him, Roen couldn¡¯t bear to raise his head. The Emperor¡¯s knights gave Serwin their life. Serwin knew about it, and he was easy on them. Because of this, new knights used to have such idents once in a while. Roen¡¯s obstinate attitude was famous, so it was only a matter of time before this happened. ¡°I thought, Sir Roen, would have an ident.¡± ¡°You could help me if you knew.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid of His Majesty. I can¡¯t.¡± Other knights helped each other out. Ethan patted Roen on the back and found Serwin. Serwin was heading towards Amelie¡¯s carriage. ¡®Will you go to Amelie? Right. It¡¯s not bad to go to Amelie, who would have been heartbroken at this point¡­No, you¡¯re not going.¡¯ Serwin stopped near the carriage. He looked at the carriage, but he didn¡¯t get any closer. ¡®No, why? Why are you stopping?¡¯ Ethan couldn¡¯t stand the frustration and stood up. He left Roen to another knight, and he approached Serwin. He was thinking of asking the reason why he kept hovering around Amelie and not saying anything. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go. Sounds like a good opportunity. Don¡¯t look so scary.¡± ¡°What opportunity.¡± Ethan quietlyughed at him. He would not make such a face, even if he had a lifelong enemy in front of him. A scared Amelia might see Serwin and cry and run away. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel this scent?¡± ¡°Yes? I have no idea about a scent, what do you smell?¡± Serwin frowned and thought of a way to express himself. He remembered a lot of smells he had smelled in his life, but he couldn¡¯t say it clearly. ¡°¡­I feel strange when I get closer to her. I feel like someone wrapped me in a nket andid me by the firece. It smells warm.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± ¡°My head gets dull, my body gets drowsy. I¡¯m so sleepy that I¡¯m distracted.¡± Serwin spoke with annoyance. His mind gets tired, and he quickly feels cozy. It feels like his body is melting. Is this what the average person calls a break? It was such a strange sensation for Serwin. It¡¯s awkward and he doesn¡¯t know what to do. It was simr to a newborn being afraid of sleepiness. Moreover, when Amelie was with him, he was bound to sleep and groan. Such a disorganized figure could not be seen by others. Sherwin was the emperor, and the pce was like a battlefield. If he shows weakness even for a short time, they will immediately rush to bite him and take advantage. People are incredible. It was the same with Amelie. ¡°You say you don¡¯t like it, but don¡¯t you keep going around it? That scent, you can probably smell it at this distance.¡± Ethan pointed out. In short, Serwin is wary while maintaining the distance he can afford. ¡°¡­That¡¯s true.¡± That was the reason why Serwin was most annoyed. It bothers him if he can¡¯t smell it, and when hees to his senses, he tries to approach her. His body, which has been overworked for a long time, instinctively follows rest. It¡¯s better than the disaster, but he didn¡¯t know how he felt following a woman around like this. ¡°Let¡¯s just go in. I¡¯m sure Amelie won¡¯t refuse either.¡± This was a very good sign for Ethan. He needed a break. People who are always tense easily fall apart. This is because there is a limit to a person¡¯s mental power. As proof of that, in thest few years, Serwin became more hot tempered and his patience disappeared. The frequency and power of the disaster taking over his body are increasing. He used to think that Serwin himself wasn¡¯t sure if he could survive for more than half a year. ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s a good idea to show your weakness.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like it because she¡¯s a human being, think of her as a pet bird. Didn¡¯t you save it? If you keep looking scary around her with that expression, wouldn¡¯t she be afraid?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Serwin looked silently at the carriage. After seeing that look, Ethan thought it would take him a long time to approach Amelie first. Chapter 20 Leaving a brief disturbance behind, the group start to move again. Without realizing, Amelie had fallen in love with the magic book. To be honest, it was not that interesting, but it was intriguing to think that she could use the magic in the book. ¡®It¡¯s hard to practice magic at the pce, right? I have to practice whenever I have time.¡¯ In the capital city, witchcraft must be hidden. However, it was not possible for her to give up her magic. No matter what anyone says a witch¡¯s greatest asset is magic. If she knows how to use various magics, she will be able to run away when it is dangerous. In the evening the party began to slow and prepare for camp. Since Amelie sleeps in the carriage, there was nothing else for her to prepare. She had dinner and waited for all the knights to fall asleep. Finally, it was quiet outside. Amelie carefully got off the carriage. At first, she tried to practice magic when they stopped moving. However, whenever she got off the carriage, the knight¡¯s attention was focused on her and she had to give up on practice. She thought Roen had said something bad, but he turned his head hurriedly when his eyes met hers. It was burdensome to get attention either good or bad, so Amelie decided to secretly practice magic far from the campsite. Amelie transformed and flew up into the air. She wanted to transform into a bird with bigger wings, but this time she was only as big as a fist. ¡®When will I be able to turn myself into the animals I want?¡¯ In the book, transformation techniques had a wide range. Old woman, child, man, animal. There¡¯s a lot of things avable. However, she could not transform into an animal of her choice, let alone transform into someone else. Fortunately, transforming into small animals was sessful, but it was unknown when she would be able to turn intorger animals. ¡®I want to be a big and cool animal. Like a bear.¡¯ It¡¯s not cool now because she¡¯s the size of a palm when she transforms. ¡®Practice! It¡¯s just practice!¡¯ Amelie flew up with great force. As the small wings fluttered hard, the body moved forward. Fluffy down feathers fluttered about against the resistance of the air. Sometimes this is good too. She enjoyed the sense of flying in the sky. But then, something grabbed Amelie by the ankle. ¡°Pyaak!¡± Amelie was dragged straight down to the floor. She closed her eyes because of the fast fall. ¡®I¡¯m going to crash!¡¯ But contrary to her worries, shended safely on something soft and warm. Somehow, she feels deja vu. Sure enough, she opened her eyes and saw Serwin¡¯s golden eyes. It was more brilliant than the moon. ¡®This man is really¡ª! He¡¯s pulling people with his sword again!¡¯ Amelie tried to protest properly. But Serwin¡¯s expression was too scary for that. He had the toughest expression she¡¯d ever seen on his face. Normally he had his Emperor-likeposure, but he now seemed urgent and nervous. So she was even more anxious. ¡®Why, I don¡¯t know why you are doing that¡ªbut I need to be a bird.¡¯ Since Serwin likes animals, wouldn¡¯t he be less angry when she¡¯s in the form of a bird? Although it was thoughtless, Amelie¡¯s calctions were correct. When Amelie sneaked out of the carriage. Serwin was working on paperwork. He thought he should work at that time because he couldn¡¯t sleep anyway. However, he was not particrly focused on whether it was because it was quiet outside or because of the conversation with Ethan. If he lets his guard down a little, his thoughts go to Amelie. He immediately noticed Amelie¡¯s transformation because he was always conscious of her. ¡®Are you running away?¡¯ Serwin rushed out of the barracks. Fortunately, he found her quickly and immediately grabbed her with his sword aura and pulled her down. When he saw a small bird trying to fly beyond human reach, his heart fluttered. If he let her go like this, he felt like he would never see her again. ¡®I tried to get angry because I told you not to move on your own¡­¡¯ When he saw the bird in his hand, he lost his motivation to be angry. What are you doing getting mad at this little thing? It didn¡¯t matter that technically she was a 20-year old witch, he couldn¡¯t overlook how lovely she looked with a cute tail huddled up close to him. Serwin casually stroked Amelie. The bird, ustomed to Serwin¡¯s stroking, tilted her head to let him touch it freely. A soft feather touched his fingertips. Focusing on that sensation quickly calmed his anxiety. ¡®Nice to see you again, even though I know you¡¯re human.¡¯ As he is stroking her, her face begins to loosen andughter begins to emerge. Serwin strengthened the eyebrows. No matter how cute she is, he should properly warn her. ¡°If you run away, I won¡¯t let you go. Be careful. You have a family.¡± Serwin deliberately spoke more like a viin. ¡°Pyak.¡± Amelie felt wronged. What¡¯s wrong with trying to practice magic and even hear these threats? She was out of Serwin¡¯s hands and released her transformation. With a ¡°Pong!¡± sound, she returned to her human form in the blink of an eye. Serwin was very surprised inside. He knew it was a transformation, but it was the first time he saw it in person. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to run away! I was going to go far away and practice magic because everyone was sleeping!¡± Serwin nced down at Amelie. Her round mint eyes were full of injustice. ¡®Even her expression and how she acts is the same.¡¯ When Serwin yed with her food, she would make that look and then p Serwin¡¯s finger with a small wing or peck at him with her beak. She is holding in her anger now, holding her hand with a clenched fist. It would be like a tickle even if she hit him, but she has a different form now. ¡®You¡¯re really the same person.¡¯ Serwin came to his senses. Come to think of it, it was the first time seeing the bird and Amelie in quick session. Pink hair, mint eyes, and a frequent change in facial expressions were the same. He suddenly thought of Ethan¡¯s words. Ethan had said that if Amelie was ufortable because she is a human, he should think of a new pet and how he would treat it. At that time, he wanted to keep warning her but when he saw her, there seemed to be a better way. Serwin slowly raised his hand, this time consciously, and patted her on the head. The riotous hair was simr to touching the soft feathers of the bird. She didn¡¯t feel as plump as a bird, but he liked the feeling of stroking her hair with his palm. ¡®It¡¯s a bird.¡¯ A bird, not a human. Wouldn¡¯t it be okay to show a little bit of weakness? ¡°Amelie.¡± Serwin carefully called her name. She was back in the form of the youngdy of Dehaim, and he didn¡¯t know how heartbroken he was. But right now she¡¯s his bird. Amelie looked up in surprise. Serwin¡¯s voice was a low whisper, but it was infinitely soft. Serwin¡¯s quietughter deepened when he met her eyes. ¡®Uhm¡­¡¯ The smile of a handsome man is no joke. Her heart was pounding as if what she had been scared of just now was a lie. ¡°You said you¡¯d help me, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes. Of course.¡± ¡°Then let me sleep.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Serwin hugged Amelie¡¯s shoulders. He buried his nose into her neck and took a deep breath. Slowly, his tension eased, and his mind became distant. ¡®¡­..?¡¯ Amelie stiffened while standing upright. When it became known that she was a person, he changed his attitudepletely. But now he smiles at her as if she is cute. It was like when he saw her transformed into a bird. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden?¡¯ Without knowing what Serwin thought, Amelie was just embarrassed by his sudden change. But there was something more urgent than that. She quickly noticed when Serwin fell asleep because his weight struck Amelie. ¡°Aah!¡± Amelie couldn¡¯t beat his weight and stumbled, and eventually fell. A short scream spread far away. ¡°What¡¯s wrong!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The knights popped out with their swords. Ready to fight, what they found were Amelie and Serwin entangled together. ¡°What are you two doing there?¡± Ethan asked. ¡®Ugh, I¡¯m embarrassed.¡¯ Amelie wanted to run away even if she turned into a mouse right away. Should she transform and run away? Amelie was genuinely troubled. ¡®But if I change now, I feel like I¡¯m going to fall onto Serwin¡¯s body¡ª¡¯ The knights were speechless in their own way at the unexpected scene. The cool-headed master is lying down hugging Amelie, who should they save first and who should they attack? The fallen master? Or Amelie who frowned at the master? ¡°Well¡ª¡± It was Amelie who broke the silence. With his whole body being supported by her, Serwin was heavier than expected. She feels like a pile of rocks is falling on her because his body is so hard and heavy. She spoke in a voice that sounded like she was unable to hold out anymore. ¡°Please help me. His Majesty, I¡¯m so¡ª¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The knights came to their senses and took Serwin¡¯s arms. They tried to lift him with force, but he wouldn¡¯t move. He struck out at the knights as if he didn¡¯t want to be apart from Amelie and clung back onto her. He acted like a sleepy kitten but was really as threatening as a giant leopard. Eventually, Amelie was assisted by the knights and moved to the barracks with Serwin hanging off of her. The knights left the barracks with Serwin and her alone in bed. The intruder was determined to disappear quickly. ¡°Ha..¡± Only Amelie sighed in the quietened barracks. She covered her face with one of her remaining hands. She¡¯s going to die of embarrassment. She clearly remembered the situation a while ago. Serwin and Amelie were unintentionally hugging each other. Amelie clearly saw Ethan¡¯s devastating look at the two of them saying: ¡°Is this it?¡± The knights were sneaking back, tucking in their swords. ¡®Aah! I¡¯m embarrassed! What the hell did he think!¡¯ Amelie trembled with embarrassment. The mistake was made by Serwin. Was there a warning that he would sleep in advance? Why couldn¡¯t they have moved to the barracks or carriage! Why did he hug and sleep on her with everyone there? You have to think about your own weight too! However, the real cause of the ident was asleep as if he had passed out. His face was so serene that it was like he had lost all his strength. Amelie sat down by the bed. Serwin kept sticking his body to her. As he tried to stay a little closer, hisrge body was pitifully curled up. Only heavy fatigue remained on his face where his usual somewhat haughty expression had disappeared. Clearly, Serwin is a cruel and scary man. He deserves notoriety as a tyrant. Nevertheless, she was not disappointed to see him like this. This is all because of the disaster. ¡®Phew,e to think of it, I feel sorry for him, too.¡¯ What would you do if you became an emperor and ruled over people? He can¡¯t sleep well because of the disaster. Ordinary people would die the next day if they can¡¯t sleep for even a day, and his insomnia hassted for twenty years. Is sleep the only thing he gave up? Amelie patted Serwin on the back. Between Serwin¡¯snguid breaths, the regr patting mixed with his steady heartbeat. Looking at Serwin quietly, Amelie also felt sleepy. Inside the lighted tent. The twoy side by side and fell asleep until morning. Chapter 21 In the morning, the knights began preparing to move, demolishing the tents, and preparing breakfast. The whole process went quietly as if it had been muted. They were even careful about breathing in case they woke Serwin up. Meanwhile, Amelie woke up busily. Her eyes opened by themselves because she was hungry. ¡®Oh, he¡¯s asleep.¡¯ Amelie rolled her eyes and looked at Serwin first. He was sleeping like a log. But, as if he was still conscious, he held her hands tightly. She was going to give him a punch if he kept hugging her. She sat up, regrettingst night. As she looked around, it seemed that nothing happened to him while she was sleeping. Still, just in case, Amelie stroked Serwin¡¯s head. ¡®Disaster, don¡¯te out.¡¯ Suddenly, Serwin¡¯s ck eyshes trembled. Amelie stared nkly at the sight. The long ck eyshes were slowly lifted. Below it, a long, thin gap slowly revealed golden eyes. His eyes stared silently at Amelie. He moved a little slower and the gold color looked softer because he was still sleepy. ¡°¡­.Good morning¡­.¡± Amelie whispered quietly. As if the phrase was a spell, Serwin lowered his eyes, like he was entranced, and leaned his forehead on Amelie. Looking at the slightly raised corners of his mouth and his downy eyshes, she felt nervous for some reason. ¡®You have a handsome face.¡¯ Amelie thought anew. Humans are visual animals. Even if the opponent is Serwin, the standards are congruent. Soon she started to hear regr breathing again. As she listened to hiszy breathing, Amelie¡¯s eyelids began to grow heavy as well. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s time to get up.¡± Amelie deliberately told Serwin to wake up. Serwin frowned at her, rubbing his forehead on the back of her hand. ¡°You can¡¯t. Everyone has been waiting. First of all, you can¡¯t miss your meal.¡± Serwin squinted his eyes. ¡°Is a meal more important than me?¡± ¡°Breakfast is important.¡± Why do you ask something obvious. Amelie urged Serwin with a nce. Serwin woke up with a sigh. ¡°Okay, okay. Eat well to listen well.¡± He stroked Amelie¡¯s head with his big hand. The hand gesture was not easy to ept. Amelie quickly realized that his attitude had changed. But not knowing the association of Amelie = pet bird in his head, she couldn¡¯t understand Serwin¡¯s change. ******* When the two left the barracks, the knights¡¯ eyes were drawn for a moment. However, Serwin¡¯s threatening re quickly turned their eyes away and they pretended to be working. ¡°Did you sleep wellst night?¡± Ethan, who was watching the scene, approached the two and talked to them. ¡°Yes, I slept well. How about Sir Ethan?¡± ¡°I was fine, too.¡± Ethan looked at Amelie with surprise. If it were him, he would never have fallen asleepfortably next to Serwin. ¡®You¡¯re unexpectedly bold.¡¯ It¡¯s a little impressive. Ethan raised his assessment of Amelie. Serwin leaned his head on Amelie¡¯s shoulder. He had to lean heavily because of their height difference, but he is likely to sleep with his eyes closed even if he is ufortable. Amelie quickly avoided him by dodging sideways. ¡°If you¡¯re sleepy, go to the carriage and sleep. We¡¯ll know as soon as there¡¯s a disaster, right?¡± Serwin looked at Amelie with discontent. But he didn¡¯t drag her away or interrupt her work. He followed her around while Amelia met Maxim and helped him cook. He was neither talking nor meddling. Just following her like he was glued to her back, and when Amelie wanted to stop, all she had to do was lean her head back onto his shoulder. ¡®How can I say this¡ª?¡¯ A little puppy that follows its owner? Baby bird? Either way, it¡¯s creepy enough to go with Serwin. The knights who had to see it nearly fainted from the sight. He¡¯s a bit rough around the edges, but he¡¯s always been a perfect and respectable lord. It was a shock to them to see him running around behind a woman who is smaller than himself with a nk face. This is the second time they¡¯ve seen this for a while. They first saw it at the witches¡¯ forest home, but it was too short then. As time went by, they rationalized it and forgot it by saying, ¡°Our Majesty can¡¯t do that.¡± But now they couldn¡¯t even do that much. They were in a state of confusion, going through stages of surprise, suspicion, denial, and doubt again. ¡®Ha¡­¡¯ Amelie sighed. Her skin is sore due to their surprised gazes. Serwin¡¯s appearance was so shocking, the knights weren¡¯t even looking secretly, they were fully staring. ¡®Now I don¡¯t know either.¡¯ Amelie was desperate. Using magic, she arranged the barracks and washed the dishes to dry them in an instant. Then tea was brewed and magic pills were mixed and distributed to the knights. Amelie did all that standing in one ce and settled all her tasks with only a gesture. The knights stared nkly at Amelie¡¯s hand gestures. In particr, Roen flinched his shoulders whenever Amelie did something. After drinking tea, the party started again. Serwin, of course, followed Amelie in the carriage, and soon fell asleep again. ****** After passing through the second transportation magic circle, another world unfolded. The in had turned into a mountainous area. This was a secret mobile magic camp that could only be used by Serwin and his troop. It is directly connected to the Imperial Pce, and it is a good location to avoid people¡¯s eyes, but the road was difficult because it was hidden in the mountains. In addition, it has been raining since yesterday, so the ground has been muddy and soft. It was the worst weather to have. However, the Emperor¡¯s knights quickly climbed down the mountain without hesitation. ¡®It¡¯s too fast.¡¯ Roen clenched his teeth and drove the horse. He must have been tired from a long journey, but the speed of going down was very fast. To be honest, it was too much to keep up with. However after looking around, he was the only one struggling. ¡®Is it because that tea¡ª¡¯ That was the only difference between his colleagues and himself. They drank Amelie¡¯s tea, and he didn¡¯t drink himself. ¡®But it¡¯s suspicious. How can a cup of tea energize them like that?¡¯ Despite his confrontation with Serwin, he couldn¡¯tpletely ignore his gut feeling. So he didn¡¯t drink the tea even though he received it. But as time went by, he started to regret not drinking it little by little. The ceaseless rain bogged down his movement and depleted the heat from his body. Roen¡¯s physical strength began to run out quickly. ¡®Shall I fall back? No. Everyone knows I didn¡¯t drink tea.¡¯ Roen began to hold on, not wanting to be derided. He was left out and didn¡¯t want to admit that he was wrong. He kept his head down and tightened his legs. Roen, who had good stamina, seemed to hold out well at first, but his limit came quickly. ¡°Ugh!¡± There was a cramp in his calf. It is because he used too much strength to stay upright on his horse. While he slowed, his horse stumbled and his body shook. It was a big issue, he was running in the front. If he fell now, there was a high possibility that he would get trampled by those on both sides of him as well as the knights behind him. The knights in front could encounter danger if they elerated too much and were apart from the group. ¡®Damn it! Why am I so stubborn!¡¯ For a short moment, Roen regretted it. If he admitted his limitations and sent the people behind him first, he would only fall over himself and it would be over. Or he could have offered to slow down. It was because hecked reason that all of them would fall together now. ¡®What¡¯s with that tea!¡¯ He wished he had drunk it with his eyes closed, instead of hurting hispanions he¡¯d rather take a risk himself. What would Serwin say when he found out Roen had refused to drink the tea even Serwin had faith in? ¡°Sir Roen! Open your eyes! If you¡¯re having a hard time, fall back!¡± At Ethan¡¯s voice, Roen opened his eyes wide. What the hell is going on here? Far from falling, he was running like his colleagues around him. No one seems to know that Roen almost fell. What¡¯s going on here¡ªHuh! My feet are floating.¡¯ His horse was kicking in the air. What the hell happened? Roen looked around his head. At that moment, pink hair was seen hiding in the carriage. It was Amelie¡¯s hair. Roen recalled Amelie moving her luggage with her fingertips. In this situation, Amelie was the only one who could levitate him and his horse in the air. As he expected, it was Amelie who saved Roen. She was looking out the window because she was bored, and when she saw Roen almost fall, she caught him with magic. ¡®The witch saved me¡ª?¡¯ Roen stared nkly at the carriage. He and the horse slowed down slowly, and only after the knights behind him had moved ahead did hee down to the ground. The knights only thought Roen was tired and slowed down, but they didn¡¯t seem to know that he almost fell. ¡®A big ident almost happened¡ª¡¯ He almost put all his colleagues in danger while trying to keep up. Just imagining it made his spine shudder. If it weren¡¯t for Amelie, a catastrophe would have happened. She not only prevented the disaster but also saved Roen¡¯s life twice. The first was to hold him so that he would not fall, and the second was to obscure that he almost fell. If Serwin had found out that he had made a mistake, he would not have let it go. Roen would have received the death penalty because of thest incident. ¡®I was suspicious of her and went so far as to say¡ª¡¯ Nevertheless, she did not hesitate to help him. Even though he has been like that back then. ¡®The witch¡­ No, Amelie is a good person.¡¯ When he realized the fact, he had a lot of regrets. Why did he think she would harm Serwin unconditionally when she was such a good person? As a Knight, it was natural to suspect a strange woman who had a great influence on the master. But his method was wrong. The power of the ¡°witch¡± was iprehensible, so it was not a good decision to conclude that it was only dangerous. He should have seen first what kind of person she is and how she uses that power. Amelia used magic only for helping people. Cooking, helping to pack, making a cheer-up-energizing tea, etc. Her magic was simple and kind. ¡®Did I really worry about His Majesty purely? If so, I would have changed my mind when His Majesty directly warned me.¡¯ He was preupied with prejudice. Serwin might have given him a chance to realize that. ¡®Don¡¯t do anything nonsensical, I shouldn¡¯t have said anything about it¡ª¡¯ Roen wanted to go back to the past and at least punch himself when he had been rude to her. But it was already past. He didn¡¯t even get a chance to apologize for his mistake. He trudged down the muddy slope, mulling over his many regrets. Chapter 22 With thegging Roen behind, the party finally arrived at the pce. When they came down the mountain, it was surprisingly rainy, and by the time they arrived at the pce, a sunny sky was revealed. Amelie looked around openly without hesitation. The description in the novel was the same. Inside the huge space called the Imperial Pce, there were numerous buildings. It¡¯s the ce where the royal family lives and takes care of state affairs. When she saw the ces where Renee in the novel would have been running around diligently, her heart was moved. The carriage went deep into the pce and stopped. The surrounding area was made up of trees and bushes, it was hard to tell if there was a building inside at first nce. Serwin stepped down first, escorting Amelie. Amelie took his hand. Perhaps thanks to the cup of her tea, he didn¡¯t copse from the exhaustion of the long journey. ¡°Congrattions on your safe return.¡± ¡°Congrattions.¡± In front of Serwin, knights knelt and greeted. The scene of dozens of knights shouting in unison was full of energy. But Serwin led Amelie by the hand without even looking at them. The two got off at the main gate and went inside. ¡°Where am I?¡± ¡°Where you will stay from now on.¡± The entrance, narrow enough to make it difficult for a carriage to enter, was like a path in the forest. ¡°I hope you like it.¡± ¡°I like it.¡± Because it is an imperial pce, she wondered if it was a square and breathtakingly colorful ce, but she liked the familiar scenery with many trees. After walking a little along the road, a wide space emerged and a white building appeared. The bell-shaped roof was decorated with engravings, so a different pattern was created based on the angle of the sunlight as the light changed. ¡°Wow.¡± Amelie admired. There were people in front of the building. There was one woman who looks like she is in her 30s and 40s, and two young women who are believed to be maid. They greeted Serwin and Amelie with stiff faces. Amelie felt a repressed fear from them. In particr, the two maids couldn¡¯t even raise their heads or hide their facial expressions. Their fear, of course, was directed at Serwin. ¡°It¡¯s a ce I prepared before I went to greet you. So, it might not suit your taste. Try to adapt slowly while living here.¡± ¡°Allright.¡± ¡°This is Mrs. Enard, the maid of honor. If you tell her anything, she¡¯ll listen.¡± ¡°Hello, Lady. I¡¯m Enard.¡± Mrs.Enard? Amelie thought she had heard the name somewhere. Where did I hear it? Somehow, I have a bad feeling about it.¡¯ Amelie gropes her memory and she could easilye up with the name. The maid of honor, Mrs. Enard. Shees from a fallen aristocratic family and is a veteran who has long worked in the Imperial Pce. In the novel, she was found to have abused Amelie, and she was beaten by Renee. ¡°¡­.Hello.¡± She was the first one she met at the pce. And so she doesn¡¯t have a good feeling about it. Amelie held Serwin¡¯s hand hard. Serwin swept the back of Amelie¡¯s hand, perhaps thinking she was nervous. He threatened her maid of honor. ¡°She¡¯s my guest. I¡¯d like you to serve her politely.¡± ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡± Mrs. Enard and her maids bowed deeply. ¡®I¡¯ll listen to Serwin¡¯s words well, so will it be okay for a while?¡¯ Unless Serwin neglects and ignores Amelie, Mrs. Enard will never bully her. Because it will be a waste of her life. That was just Amelie¡¯s hopeful prediction. Serwin turned to Amelie. ¡°I have to go to the Imperial Pce to deal with something.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, but¡ªright away? Why don¡¯t you take a break?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine because I slept well. I¡¯ll be backter at night, so you can stay calm.¡± Amelia nodded her head. Serwin looked down at her cutely, stroking her bangs slightly with his fingertips. It¡¯s the way he used to be when she was a bird. ¡®Don¡¯t you really think I¡¯m a pet bird?¡¯ Amelie, who was suspicious of Serwin, suddenly felt a strong gaze and turned her head. The maid of honor was watching Amelie and Serwin alternately with her eyes wide open. Mrs. Enard, who was skillfully hiding her face, also looked surprised. It was because she had never seen Serwin take care of others or be friendly before. The Hateful Tyrant Emperor and a woman! Receiving enthusiastic eyes from them, Amelie sighs. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± ¡°Yes. See youter.¡± Serwin firmly turned away. Walking slowly on long legs, suddenly strode toward Amelie. ¡°Would you be okay to be alone?¡± ¡°Pardon? I¡¯m not a child¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± It was Serwin who was anxious to be alone no matter how hard she looked at it. Amelie held Serwin¡¯s hand and patted him. ¡°I¡¯ll be here the whole time, so if you feel a little weird,e right away. That¡¯s enough, right?¡± (She was talking about the disaster.) ¡°Okay.¡± Serwin left the pce with a lightened step. Amelie looked on a little further from behind him and turned to Mrs. Enard. ¡°Shall we go in? I¡¯d like to show you around the pce and introduce you to some of the maids who will serve you.¡± Mrs. Enard suggested. Amelie replied with a slightly anxious look. ****** Contrary to her concerns, Mrs. Enard and her maids served Amelie perfectly. Amelie sat on the sofa in her bedroom, drinking warm tea they had prepared, and listened to their introductions. There were many employees at the pce, but there were three maids dedicated to Amelie. Mrs. Enard, maid of honor, Milena and Charlotte. In addition, there were other maids, who took care of menial chores, and chefs but they decided to be introducedter. ¡®I don¡¯t know about Milena and Charlotte but who else was like Mrs. Enard?¡¯ Before bing empress in the novel, Renia Manbus had bullied Amelie by bribing her maids. ¡°I¡¯ll serve you with all my heart.¡± The maids and maid of honor said in unison. Amelie was weighed down by a great deal of pressure when she saw it. When she thought these were all the people who bullied Amelie in the original, she could only see enemies. ¡°I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡± Please, don¡¯t bother me. Amelie begged inside. ****** ¡°You¡¯re tired ofing from far away, aren¡¯t you?¡± How about taking a bath?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have clothes ready to change in the meantime. What¡¯s your favorite color?¡± Unlike the original, the maids were very kind. They picked out exactly what she wanted, and asked her before she said it first. ¡°I want to take a bath first.¡± The bath was ready as soon as the words fell. Mrs. Enard showed Amelie to the bathroom. ¡®My eyes almost go out.¡¯ It was a splendid bathroom. The bath wasrge enough for four or five people, and hot water was constantly flowing out. Next to the bathtub, there were cool drinks and fruits to take a bath. The lights installed all over the ce showed yellow lights, softly illuminating the white bathtub. A maid was waiting in the bathroom with dozens of bottles of vour. Milena and Charlotte rolled up their sleeves and prepared to serve. ¡®I think these people and I are simr in status¡ª¡¯ Perhaps Amelie, who is using the surname of amoner, is lower. ¡°What kind of scent do you like?¡± The maid held out a bottle of vored milk. Mrs. Enard introduced them one by one. ¡°I¡¯ve only got the basics. If there¡¯s a scent you want, I¡¯ll buy it or ask for it.¡± ¡°Would you like to smell it one by one?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ I like the scent of flowers.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a flower scent, how about this? It¡¯s a mild scent of lc.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± When Amelie¡¯s permission was granted, the maid sprayed the tub with scented oil. The scent of flowers came up while it was hot. That alone made her feel drowsy. Amelie undressed and went into the bathtub. ¡®Ah, that¡¯s so nice!¡¯ Amelie dipped herself in the hot water and enjoyed the drowsy mood. Every time she took a long breath, a lc scent filled her body. Meanwhile, the maids gave her a massage with their perfumed hands. They gently rubbed the tight muscles of her back neck and shoulders, rubbing her soles and calves. The massage was so delicate, and it didn¡¯t hurt at all when they touched the tightly wound area. When the body heated up to some extent, Mrs. Enard poured a drink into a ss. Her ss was very cold. The drink was cold, so it was a tea with a fresh aroma. When she swallowed one or two sips, her stomach was refreshed and her breath opened. ¡®Heaven. It¡¯s heaven.¡¯ After taking a bath, Amelie sat on the sofa. Her whole body stretched like melted rice cake. ***** While Amelie had a ¡®hard¡¯ time, the Imperial Pce was crowded with people. Hearing the news of the return of the emperor, nobles flocked. It was the first time that Serwin had been away from the Imperial Pce for such a long time. Everyone guessed what was going on, and the big hall was cluttered like a market floor. ¡°Your Majesty The Emperor ising in!¡± Immediately the door opened, and Serwin came in. As soon as he was seen, there was tension in the hall. The nobles bowed their heads, terrified. Serwin was walking slowly along the dark red carpet, they could not see anything like the pet dog that was following Amelie around from before. He sat on the high throne and slowly looked down at the nobles, like a predator choosing food. It was the return of tyrant Serwin Henesia. ****** Serwin looked around at the nobles gathered in the hall. The empire¡¯s politics were finely bnced by various forces. There is no end to the branches, but it could be divided into four main categories. Viins hidden in the shadows, scumbags, youngpetent imperial bureaucrats, and loyalists who truly thought of their country. Each force had one representative figure leading the pack. Marquis Lewin, Count Manvers of the Rascal, Baron Everry, and Duke of Odorus, a decrepit loyalist. The empire was running as they helped and kept each other in check. This was not the n from the beginning. Serwin created this board through proper purges and a reign of terror. At first nce, it seems to have found stability, but the imperial nobles were stupid and arrogant. If he didn¡¯t step in regrly, they would keep climbing because they didn¡¯t know the sky was high. That¡¯s why Serwin called in the nobles as soon as he arrived at the pce. To reignite the fear in the minds of the aristocrats. When His fierce gaze washed over them, the nobles shook their shoulders unconsciously and swallowed dry saliva. There was more than one question, but they didn¡¯t dare open their mouths first. If Serwin was in a bad mood, their head could be taken off right away. Chapter 23 ¡°Raise your head.¡± At Serwin¡¯smand, the nobles looked up at him. Gold, the symbol of the emperor shed for a moment. The nobles were depressed when they made eye contact with him. ¡°I thought I was sick of your faces, but it¡¯s been nice to see it after a long time, isn¡¯t it, Count Eldona?¡± ¡°P-pardon? Yes. It¡¯s an honor. Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Hahaha, then are you sick of my face?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡± ¡°Or are you dissatisfied with my safe return to the pce?¡± Count Eldona¡¯s lips were blue. Serwin rolled his eyes and looked at the other nobles. All together, they were afraid that questions woulde back to them, so they acted indifferently. Serwin smirked andughed. ¡°I know there are people who didn¡¯t want me back.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± While Serwin was away from the pce, the imperial nobles were in a festive mood day after day. They indulged in freedoms, doing things they couldn¡¯t do because the emperor wasn¡¯t fond of it. The problem was that it was a little too much. They should have thought about what would happen after he came back and celebrated in moderation, but there were those who were relieved of their reins and were tasting freedom after a long time. ¡°The kidnapping of women, family murder, illegal gambling, bribery, and embezzlement. Comints areing out endlessly.¡± ¡°Y-your majesty¡­¡± ¡°Catch them all.¡± When the order was given, the emperor¡¯s knights came. After the trip, they didn¡¯t have time to change their clothes, and their clothes were still wet. Nevertheless, they were full of power, and quickly arrested the resisting aristocrats. Serwin drew his sword and came down from the throne. He liked to punish the aristocracy himself. Holding a trial would be meaningless. Even if they hadmitted a crime that wouldn¡¯t normally call for the death penalty, it was their payment for having offended him. ¡®Who should I behead first to be the most effective.¡¯ Serwin walked slowly in front of them. It didn¡¯t matter who he cut, it would have scared them in the end anyway. His heart started beating fast when he thought of seeing blood. The corners of his mouth kept going up without realizing it. But the moment he picked up the sword, he suddenly thought this: ¡®It¡¯ll smells like blood.¡¯ No matter how much he washes, the smell of blood on his hands doesn¡¯t go away easily. For someone as sensitive as Amelie, she may smell blood. She must be nervous toe to a strange ce, but she would be more scared if she was surrounded by the smell of blood from the first day. ¡®That¡¯s a tough one.¡¯ He wanted to avoid the smell of blood that would make her reluctant to be around him, he wanted to only create a good atmosphere. Seeing that little body terrified and trembling might be cute, but it didn¡¯t seem like she would feel very good. ¡°Take them.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Imperial knights dragged out the sinful nobles. Serwin looked back at the nobles, picking up the sword. The nobles trembled to see if his de would face them. ¡®How does the Emperor know what happened in the capital?¡¯ The fact that they don¡¯t even know how far the Emperor¡¯s eyes and ears could reach became a great horror. Today they didn¡¯t see blood in front of their eyes, but the Emperor had a reputation built up. At any time he could kill all of them. ¡°My eyes and ears are everywhere in this empire. If there¡¯s anything that hasn¡¯t been revealed, it¡¯lle to my ears in less than a day.¡± Serwin slowly looked back at them, driving fear into them. ¡®This should be enough.¡¯ Then, his eyes met with Marquis Lewin¡¯s eyes. Looking at the wickedly smiling face, Serwin felt like his stomach was twisted. The poison he felt suddenly in his veins was enough to fill a bottle. ¡®We¡¯ve achieved our goal.¡¯ Serwin gritted his teeth and endured the murderous feelings. Kkkkkkk. There was the sound of disaster¡¯sughter, whether it wasughter or cackling. A brief separation from Amelie allowed the disaster to be brought to life again. Serwin ignored the disaster and escaped into the hall. Behind his back, the nobles burst out in uproariousughter. It was an auditory hallucination created by the disaster. ¡®Shut up.¡¯ When Serwin ignored it, theughter disappeared in an instant. He was stronger than ever, mentally and physically. He was confident that no matter what kind of tricks the disaster yed, he wouldn¡¯t lose his body to it. As long as Amelie was there this fight would be his victory. ¡®I can¡¯t wait for the night toe.¡¯ Serwin smiled, recalling a small pink bird. ****** It was deep in the night when Serwin returned. At the news of his arrival, Amelie went to meet him with the maid. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Amelie tried to approach him, but stopped. He was only away for half a day and he was back looking like bloody Emperor Serwin. What the hell did he do, he looked very tired. When she saw him, she forgot everything she was going to say to him. Amelie reached out her hand carefully. Serwin held her hand, as if enchanted, leaning his head on her shoulder. The maids watching the two were surprised and looked as if their eyes were going to pop out. But in reality, Amelie was indifferent. On the way here, Serwin leaned on Amelie¡¯s shoulder or thumped on the back of her neck constantly. At first, she was nervous, but it was repeated so often that she now felt like she was dealing with a big dog that was a little annoying. ¡®You¡¯re doing this again. You must have been very tired.¡¯ Amelie plucked up her courage, gently sweeping Serwin¡¯s ck hair. Having been waiting for him outside, Amelie¡¯s hands were colder than usual. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be with me from now on.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just worried about you.¡± ¡®She must have been worried about the disaster¡¯, he admitted internally but Serwin was heartbroken for some reason. Leaning like this, Amelie¡¯s scent seemed to blow away the fatigue of the day. ****** Amelie washed herself and came out of the bathroom, getting herself ready for bed. She didn¡¯t have to move a bit because the maids cleaned her up without saying anything. ¡®What a luxury.¡¯ Amelie led her tired body back to the bedroom. And stopped by the door. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ The atmosphere in the bedroom was unusual. It was dark in the room, and there was only a small light next to the bed, a quaint orangemp. The bed was covered with opaque white cloth, and the narrow table also showed a beautiful bottle and ss. There are roses, too. ¡®Why does this really feel like ¡®first night¡¯ decorations¡ª?¡¯ Amelie looked at her maid Milena in bewilderment. Milena lowered her eyes shyly as she met Amelia¡¯s eyes. ¡®Why are you embarrassed¡ª?¡¯ Amelie¡¯s face turned red too. ¡®No wonder they wiped me so thoroughly. They give me a slippery dress, too.¡± Rejecting one-piece pajamas, Amelie sighed, changing into in pajamas. It was clear that the maids had misunderstood something firmly. Her sleeping with Serwin was an extremely tonic activity. It was just in case the disaster takes over his body while he sleeps. She has to stop it from the side. ¡®To put it mildly, it¡¯s medical practice. It sounds really weird to say this, uh¡ª¡¯ Amelie pondered how to solve this misunderstanding. Meanwhile, Serwin returned to the bedroom. The maids quickly left the room leaving no time to resolve the misunderstanding. Amelie looked at the disappearing backs of the women in a daze. ¡°Is there anything you want me to do?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Amelie nced at the bed. The bed, which couldn¡¯t look so cozy during the day, now felt strange. ¡®So, I¡¯m supposed to be lying on that bed with the Emperor soberly? This is my first time.¡¯ Yesterday she dozed off while looking at Serwin¡¯s face. So this was the first time they were going to bed together sober and unexhausted. ¡®Ugh¡­¡¯ Suddenly, in Amelie¡¯s head, Serwin¡¯s face that she saw this morning came to mind. A drowsy beast looked at her, and she really felt that he was handsome and her face be hot. Amelie fanned her hand at seemingly nothing. ¡°Amelie.¡± Serwin called Amelie. He was already on the bed. He looked calm about the situation. Rather, he seemed tired and wanted to go to bed quickly. ¡®I feel like I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s conscious.¡¯ Amelie¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Come here.¡± He said, reaching out his hand. ¡®I¡¯m not some kind of scented pillow or pet¡ª¡¯ As Amelie sighed and climbed onto the bed, Serwin pulled Amelie¡¯s arm. ¡°¡­..!¡± Heid Amelie down and looked down at her from above. In the shadow of Serwin¡¯s face, Amelia swallowed some dry saliva. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Did you use perfume?¡± ¡°Pardon? Ah, yes¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t use that from now on.¡± Serwin knitted his brow. Maybe because she applied something strange, the scent of Amelie was faint. It didn¡¯t smell if he didn¡¯t get close. He took his nose to the back of her neck. A hot, damp breath yed with the hairs on the back of her neck. Feeling dizzy, Amelie closed her eyes. ¡®Ugh, really¡ª¡± Even if she repeated it to herself that everything was a medical practice, she couldn¡¯t calm down easily. They were breathtakingly close with only thin pajamas on, and it was even stranger to be calm in this situation. Amelie gave Serwin a gentle push on his chest. ¡°Your Majesty¡­ Y-you¡¯re too close.¡± ¡°Ah¡ªI¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know.¡± Serwin was already in a sleepy voice. Amelie took his hand andid him down quietly next to her. Serwin looked up at Amelie with dazed eyes. ¡°Lie down a little further. Don¡¯t stick to me.¡± Only then did Amelie lie on the bed, as Serwiny aside a little. ¡°Good night.¡± ¡°You too.¡± Unlike Amelie, Serwin didn¡¯t immediately close his eyes. He quietly looked at Amelie¡¯s face. After a while, when Amelie fell asleeppletely, he snuggled himself up next to her. Anguid scent and body temperature were delivered. ¡®It feels nice.¡¯ He thinks he¡¯ll fall asleep right away, but strangely he didn¡¯t want to. He hoped that time would go a little slower. Serwin looked for a long time at Amelie¡¯s face, then closed his eyes. And not long after, he fell asleep. It was a quiet and cozy sleep, something he felt after a long time. Chapter 24 ****** The next day, Amelie woke up to a gentle touch on her hair. As she woke up, she could see Serwin sitting on the bed ready to go out. ¡°Are you awake?¡±He asked kindly. Amelie nodded with a nk face. Unlike Amelie in pajamas, Serwin was wearing very nice clothes. He was strong and fierce like an unparalleled man, yet his colorful clothes still seemed to work well with serious meetings. The dignity of an emperor was felt in his cold golden eyes. ¡®Cool. If you saw it on the screen, you¡¯d definitely be a fan¡ª.¡¯ But in reality, Serwin had too many personality ws for Amelie to be a fan. ¡°You can sleep more. Mrs. Enard will be there to protect you. Don¡¯t cry because I¡¯m not here, y well.¡± ¡°¡­Your Majesty, if there¡¯s a hint of disaster call me, okay?¡± Amelie was very worried that the disaster would pop out when she wasn¡¯t there. The energy of disaster was fatal to living creatures. If the disaster pops out in a crowded ce, it was terrible just to imagine what kind of catastrophe would happen. Amelie hesitated and held out her hand. She had already held him a few times, but she was still nervous when she held his hand. ¡®It¡¯s a prevention technique. It¡¯s better than the disastering out.¡¯ Amelie mustered up her courage, cing her hands over Serwin¡¯s. She felt the cold and hard hand. ¡°Alright.¡± Serwin, holding Amelie¡¯s hand, lingered for a while and then left the room. When he left, she fell asleep again. Serwin kept clinging, so she was still a little tired because he woke her again and again. ¡®I¡¯m sleepy¡ª¡¯ Amelie closed her eyes again. However, she couldn¡¯t sleep because she kept feeling a gaze. Stealthily squinting her eyes she noticed Mrs. Enard stood by the door watching her constantly. ¡°Huh.¡± Amelie, who made eye contact with Mrs. Enard, closed her eyes in surprise. ¡®What¡¯s going on? By any chance, did he mean that Mrs. Enard would be around?¡¯ Amelie pulled the nket over her head and made sure it covered the top of her head. She wanted to ignore the stare and go back to sleep. But maybe it¡¯s because she¡¯s already conscious of it. She couldn¡¯t sleep because her face stung even with a thick nket in the way. Even though Mrs. Enrad was just looking at her, it kept bothering Amelie. Unable to resist, Amelie jumped to her feet. ¡°Mrs. Enard?¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Amelie.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay there, so go out and rx. I¡¯m going to sleep more.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, so you can sleep tight. I¡¯ll be here all the time, so that I¡¯ll know as soon as you wake up.¡± Mrs. Enard answered politely. She couldn¡¯t say ¡®Please leave because I can¡¯t sleep because of Mrs.¡¯ to someone who wanted to work hard¡­ ¡®Phew, let¡¯s get up and stop sleeping.¡¯ Anyway, while tossing and turning, all of her sleepiness ran away. Amelie gave up her sleep and got up. ¡°Are you going to get up?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll bring you a morning tea and a meal.¡± ¡°May I just wash up and change first?¡± ¡°Are you going to be okay? His Majesty says that Amelia is reluctant to go on an empty stomach.¡± What the hell is this person talking about? When did she say that? It made it seem like she¡¯s a person with a huge appetite. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take you to the bathroom. I¡¯ve prepared a meal in advance, so feel free to ask.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amelie blushed with embarrassment. ****** Guided to the bathroom by Mrs. Enard, Amelie realized it was a different ce from where she went yesterday. Earlier was a ce to take a proper bath, and this room was a ce to simply wash up. She doesn¡¯t know why they have to have two bathrooms, but she decided to ept it because this is the luxury of the imperial pce. On the other side of the bathroom entrance was a powder room. Where maids could pick out clothes and essories to keep in the dressing room while Amelie was washing, she can then choose from among the outfits. The powder room was veryfortable, considering the circumstances ofdies and gentlemen who had to dress up for a long time. There was a chair where she could lie at an angle and rest, and there were many nts. In addition, it was optimized for getting dressed, with various beauty tools, dressing tables, and a four-sided full-body mirror. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where are the clothes?¡± As she washed up, she saw the maids bustling around in a hurry. She didn¡¯t even see the clothes they were bringing. At that moment, she heard Mrs. Enard admonishing the maids. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­ We couldn¡¯t use the clothes because of water leaking from the ceiling of the dressing room.¡± ¡°So many clothes?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know your size, so we had a variety of things in stock. When I met Amelie yesterday, I arranged things that would fit her well, but today I¡¯m looking at them all wet!¡± ¡°I asked the maids, and they said it was the ce where the water was leaking every morning. I left it there because there was an empty seat, but I didn¡¯t think that was the ce to repair it¡­¡± Mrs. Enard looked at her coldly. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s an excuse now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t have clothes prepared, you have to think about taking off your clothes as penance! Are you still in your right mind!¡± Mrs. Enard yelled. Amelie flinched her shoulder without even knowing, at the voice. ¡®Is this really a coincidence? Or a ploy to bully me?¡¯ Amelie looked out for Mrs. Enard and her maids. Mrs. Enard was furious, and the maids were in a daze. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m understanding this¡ª¡¯ Unfortunately, they nced at Amelie normally. ¡®It¡¯s strange that only my clothes are wet, it¡¯s just bullying with the clothes, isn¡¯t it a little bit of something?¡¯ If there was more solid evidence, she would have solved it by herself or told Serwin. However, it was ambiguous to do anything in a state of suspicion. Standing by herself, it seems like she¡¯s in trouble. But talking to Serwin, she¡¯s worried about a tsunami of blood. ¡°That¡¯s enough. I have clothes in my bag, so let¡¯s wear them today.¡± ¡°Go get Amelia¡¯s bag!¡± ¡°Yes, Mrs!¡± The maids ran out of the powder room. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. You brought some clothes,didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to make a new outfit soon. How about if Miss Amelie asks His Majesty? His Majesty will also want to present something to Miss Amelie, but that¡¯s a good excuse.¡± Milena and Charlotte chatted brightly next to Amelie.She felt that they were deliberately speaking more vigorously, in case she was offended. Amelie put a smile on her face to reassure them. Charlotte smiled ear to ear, and she nced at Mrs. Enard who smiled with a profound smile when her eyes met Charlotte. After a while, the maids returned with Amelie¡¯s bag. ¡°I didn¡¯t know where it was, so I brought everything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s in a blue bag, you don¡¯t have to bring it all.¡± ¡°This one?¡± The maid opened the bag and took out the dress. It contained a dress that was rated as the best fit to wear at Dehaim. Mrs Enard examined the dress carefully. ¡°The fabric is good though the style is not trendy. It¡¯s very thin to wear now, but it¡¯ll be okay indoors. It¡¯s hard to get other clothes right away, so¡ª¡± Eventually, Amelie decided to wear the clothes she had brought. The maids helped her dress up. Since there was no need to go out of the building, it was enough to tidy up her curly hair and lighten up the face with makeup. ¡°Miss Amelie, what should I do with the bag? Would you like me to organize your luggage?¡± Charlotte asked. ¡°Please take care of the blue bag. Leave the brown bag. I have something to check for myself.¡± Having brought the bag, Amelie decided for a moment to check on the things in the bag. Inside the brown bag were tools and precious herbs to make magic medicine. She was going to check if they went bad on the move. But everything inside is a witch¡¯s thing. It wasn¡¯t good to be seen by others. After dressing up, Amelie said to everyone. ¡°Everyone go out and work. I¡¯ll check my bag for a second and get out.¡± ¡°Are you going to clean up your bag? Let me help you.¡± ¡°Let us do it. I¡¯ll sort it out as you say.¡± Milena and Charlotte smiled and offered to help. Mrs Enard was also in her ce, not leaving the powder room. ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it.¡± When Amelie tly refused, Charlotte and Milena exchanged nces and sprang to their knees. The women bowed their heads deeply and begged for Amelie¡¯s forgiveness. ¡°Please forgive me, Miss Amelie!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t leave it to us because we made a mistake, right?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not¡ª¡± Amelie was very embarrassed. Why are they begging for this? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Amelie. I should have managed it properly.¡± Even Mrs Enard knelt before Amelie. In this situation, all the maids standing far away knelt and bowed their heads. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. There are some things in the bag that I¡¯m ashamed to have seen, so I¡¯m trying to sort them out myself¡ªand that¡¯s the reason why you can¡¯t help.¡± ¡°We are Amelia¡¯s hands. There¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of! Please let us know if you don¡¯t like us. That way, I can serve you better.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Please feel free to let us in. If we leave you alone, we¡¯ll be in trouble!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t get trouble for that. First of all, let¡¯s get up okay?¡± Amelie raised Mrs Enard with her own hands in a hurry. She was out of her mind. ¡®Is Serwin that scary?¡ªIt¡¯s true that he¡¯s scary. It¡¯s easy to kill people when he talk to them¡ª¡¯ In Dehaim, there was one victim who was attacked by Serwin. Serwin cut off the gardener¡¯s hand, saying he was a gardener who worked in the pce and almost tripped over the less-treated grass. He said he doesn¡¯t need a hand that can¡¯t work properly. Remember such a thing, it was natural for maids to be frightened. Eventually, Amelie gave up opening the bag and headed out to eat. ****** After the meal, Amelie followed Mrs Enard through the pce. Yesterday was the first time she¡¯d looked around properly, as she didn¡¯t go out of the bedroom to rx. Looking around the building, Amelia came out. The outer wall of the white building shone brightly in the sun. Trees surrounded it. Thanks to this, the air was clean and it was good to take a walk along the path. But Amelie couldn¡¯t enjoy the scenery. Chapter 25 ¡®Ah¡ªmy back hurts, it stings.¡¯ Mrs Enard and her maids were devoted to Amelia. With great tact, they gave Amelia what she wanted before she said anything. It meant they were focusing on Amelie that much. Even now, the maids were staring at her persistently, following her footsteps. When she slowed down, they walked slowly, and when she stopped, they stopped. ¡®I feel like I¡¯m a prisoner¡ª¡¯ She doesn¡¯t know what the others would be like, but it was a very burdensome interest in Amelie¡¯s timid personality. ¡®Haa¡ª I want to be alone. I can¡¯t wait to defeat the disaster and go back to Dehaim.¡¯ Amelie looked down at the forest. Even all the trees are different from the Fidelian forest. The long and thin trees grew white, and the small and thin leaves gathered up and covered the sky. Perhaps because of her mood, even the trees felt like bars locking her up. ¡®I¡¯vee a long way.¡¯ A cool wind blew in. Amelie shuddered and wrapped her arms around her. ¡°Why are you dressed like this when it¡¯s so cold?¡± At the same time Serwin¡¯s voice was heard, a heavy cape chipped over Amelie¡¯s shoulder. When she wore a cape tailored to Serwin¡¯s size, it looked like she was wearing a nket. ¡®The smell of blood¡ª¡¯ Amelie rubbed her nose. A faint smell of iron. It was clearly the smell of Serwin¡¯s cloak. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me the disaster hase out?¡¯ Amelie looked carefully at Serwin. The energy of disaster is nowhere to be seen. He just had a very tired face. He looks stressed out in half a day. ¡®It¡¯s none of my business unless there¡¯s a disaster.¡¯ Amelie was very bothered about the smell of blood, but decided not to ask. She decided it was simply her duty that she had intervened so far. She didn¡¯t even want to know. ¡°Did you bring it from Dehaim?¡± ¡°Yes, Renee picked it for me.¡± ¡°Dehaim is a warm ce every day. But the weather in the capital is fickle, so that won¡¯t do. Didn¡¯t the maids prepare their own clothes?¡± Serwin asked sharply. ¡°I want to wear this. Renee picked this outfit for me. I was going to wear a shawl if it was cold.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± But Serwin did not easily cast aside his doubt. The people who attended to Amelie were specially selected people, chosen before he went to Dehaim. However, it was the Imperial Pce. The Imperial Pce always suffered a chronic shortage of manpower due to the people who were frequently dying and the addition of Serwin¡¯s notoriety. The only courts that survived were the only ones that were either self-serving or had some pull with a high-ranking noble. Because of this, it was difficult just to select a person who was tight lipped, not rash, and wouldn¡¯t do anything nonsensical like assassinating anyone. It was also the result of Serwin¡¯s use of force to bnce the power of the court. Serwin, who ascended the throne at a young age and had difficulty attracting courtiers to his side due to the risk of the disaster, was the best way at the time; but now he has some regrets. Amelie came to the Imperial Pce suddenly. Given that rumors about her haven¡¯t spread yet, they seemed to be the right people. However, there was also a possibility that they secretly harassed Amelie. ¡°If anything happens, please tell me. I won¡¯t know if you don¡¯t tell me.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Amelie nodded obediently. But she didn¡¯t mean to tell him unless it was a big deal. If it had been before she smelled blood on his clothes, she might have talked a little about it. But smelling blood made her realize he was a tyrant. ¡®Even if they bully me, it¡¯s not bad enough to warrant death.¡¯ Amelie said nothing, and was afraid that Serwin would kill them. So she decided to do well on her own. ¡°More than that, Your Majesty. Are you busy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine for a moment. Why?¡± ¡°Come to the bedroom with me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Serwin looked puzzled, but he allowed it easily. Amelie dered to her maids. ¡°I¡¯ll be alone with His Majesty, so don¡¯t follow me, okay?¡± Amelie grabbed Serwin by the arm. The maids, who had been dogged after Amelie, dyed their cheeks red, and no longer followed. ¡®I have to take advantage of the misunderstanding.¡¯ Amelie burst intoughter and took quick steps toward the bedroom. ******* Amelie¡¯s bedroom was divided into several spaces. A space with a bed, a space that acts as a living room, a bathroom, etc. Amelie took Serwin out to the living room. There was arge table and sofa in the living room, so there was room for rxation. ¡®Here it is.¡¯ When there was a disturbance in the morning, Amelie told them to put the brown bag in the bedroom separately. It was because there was a lock magic that couldn¡¯t be opened without Amelie, but she felt morefortable keeping it close. Amelie hummed and opened the bag. Things got messed up on the move, but they were all in good condition. Serwin looked through his bag and smiled in vain at Amelie, who pulled out one by one. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, did you bring me to your room to see them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Serwin was dumbfounded. He thought they were going to be alone for a particr reason, but she was up to something wildly different. He can¡¯t believe she dragged the Emperor away and used him as a shield. The same girl who at times seemed to be overwhelmed by her timidity. ¡°You must have used me as a shield?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it. When I¡¯m not with you, the maids don¡¯t take their eyes off me at all.¡± Amelie talked about what happened in the morning while looking for gloves. ¡°I told them to go out for a moment to look at this bag, and they were begging for forgiveness while kneeling. They said they¡¯re sorry they couldn¡¯t serve me properly.¡± Amelie opened the herbs one by one. Everything was fine just as Amelie had kept it at the forest house. Amelie looked back at Serwin with relief and asked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Pce leave people alone?¡± Serwin set eyes on Amelie and guessed her thoughts. ¡®I don¡¯t doubt it.¡¯ The royal family is also human, but if they want to rest alone, they leave it alone. It¡¯s more convenient to leave maids alone than to stand next to her for nothing. The reason why Amelie¡¯s maids stood by her side was simple. It was because Serwin ordered Mrs Enard not to leave her alone for a single moment. Serwin recalled what had happened on his way to the Pce. It was still clear that she changed and flew freely into the sky. Then he realized he couldn¡¯t tie her feet just by burning a broom. Amelie¡¯s biggest weapon is magic, and her weapon could always be used to escape by herself. Amelie said she wouldn¡¯t run away, but Serwin couldn¡¯t easily believe what others said. People always changed their minds 12 times a day. People¡¯s thoughts and feelings change easily depending on the situation. It means that even though she was sincere then, it may not be true now or in the future. ¡®I¡¯d like to stay with you all day, but I can¡¯t, so¡ª¡¯ So Serwin put a maid of honor on her to watch all day. She doesn¡¯t want to expose to others that she is a witch, so it¡¯s hard to use magic easily if there¡¯s someone watching. ¡°¡­that¡¯s the way it is.¡± Serwin had the nerve to lie. ¡°Ugh.. So, when do we find a way to ovee the disaster? I have this personality, so let¡¯s say I¡¯m okay to be alone? Oh, how about Your Majesty tells them to leave me alone when I ask?¡± ¡°To find a way to fight the disaster?¡± ¡°Yes! We have to find it.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°First of all, I¡¯d like to walk around the pce and look for signs of a seal. Wouldn¡¯t it be helpful to know how the disaster was sealed and how it was broken? If we can¡¯t find a way to defeat it, we have to find a way to seal it again.¡± ¡°In twenty years, do you think I haven¡¯t done what you said?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m a witch. Not like Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Amelie, the pce is a dangerous ce.¡± ¡°Yes. I know.¡± Serwin shook his head seriously. Now here was a mind that didn¡¯t work a bit thinking about her own safety, maybe because she was confident in her magic. ¡°If they know I keep you close, the nobles will be after you. Some people will try to take your life. If you go around looking for clues, you might be in danger. I want you to stand by me rather than be in danger.¡± ¡°¡­I know it¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t. I was too busy dealing with the disaster to drive out a pack of weeds that have taken root in the pce. I have nothing to say even if others swear that I am an ipetent emperor.¡± Amelie shut her mouth. It was also a miracle that he had done this much with disaster in his body. She couldn¡¯t speak ill of him. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a way to defeat the disaster, so please be faithful to your role. Protecting me from my side.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°The rest of the time, just think about beingfortable, hm?¡± Only he could contain the disaster. Therefore, Serwin¡¯s desire not to lose himself was fully understood. ¡°I understand.¡± Amelia nodded her head. However, she was not able to shake off the irritation left in the corner of her chest. ****** Three days have passed since then. Amelie¡¯s days were usually simr. She wakes up in the morning, washes up, dresses up, and eats. She spends time doing something and then eats again and takes a walk. And then it¡¯s night time doing something again. Everything in the pce revolved around Amelie. The cleaning maids had to finish everything just in time for Amelie to wake up, and the cook served meals made from her favorite ingredients just in time for her to be hungry. The foods that Amelie showed a slight displeasure to did note back to the table again. The maids looked at Amelie¡¯s expression at every moment and matched her mood. She rmended ying an instrument when she was bored and taking a walk when she looked stuffy. There was no shortage of beautiful and clean houses, delicious meals, entertainments, etc. Amelie could enjoy it all without making any effort. ¡®In thest life, there was a time when I prayed, ¡®Please let me be born as a rich pet¡¯¡ª¡¯ Fortunately, she was living a life that she dreamed of as a person, not a pet. Chapter 26 Amelie nibbled on the opaque pink fruit that had been served as a snack. It was Serwin¡¯s second gift to her. It is said to be a fruit that is difficult to find in the capital due to its origins in much hotter regions. The one-of-a-kind scent was very good. The maids kept talking to Amelie while she was eating fruit. They talked about how well her new dress fit her, how beautiful the sun was, and how beautifully her hair shone in the sun. On sunny days, it was the ideal afternoon tea time with new clothes and delicious food. Despite this, Amelie¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t bright. ¡®I¡¯m bored,¡¯ For modern people, it was very boring. She wished she had a TV. Furthermore, Amelie had a very busy life before being reincarnated. Her body used to be stiff even when she took a single day off. As such habits persisted through the soul, Amelie felt uneasy because she felt like she wasying around wasting her time. Meanwhile, Serwin continued to send gifts, adding to Amelie¡¯s burden. They¡¯re also expensive and eye-catching gifts. Amelie had to listen to the maids squealing at Serwin¡¯s gifts every day. Serwin sent arge amount of high quality cloth with a seamstress the next day after seeing Amelie wearing Dehaim clothing. Amelie, who didn¡¯t know much about the fabric, only realized how wonderful it was after witnessing Mrs Enard¡¯s reaction to the huge amount. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen so much Sendel fabric in my life.¡± When Charlotte recalled that day, she still looked ecstatic. ording to her, having a dress made of Sendel Mountain fabric is every girl¡¯s dream. Clothes made of Sendelian fabric are said to stand out not only for their unique gloss, but also for their thinness, lightness, and thermal regtion effect. And because of their good venttion, they are warm in the winter and cool even when standing in the sun. ¡®It¡¯s nice and warm.¡¯ It was warmer than her clothes at least, though the difference in thickness between this fabric and the clothes she brought from Dehaim was just a little. Furthermore, she believed she understood why the fabric was referred to as high-quality fabric because it was not ufortable even when wrapped close the skin. ¡°Was it two years ago that there was a bigmotion about Sendel fabric? Isn¡¯t this the fabric that was used for the Young Lady of Count Manverse¡¯s debutante dress?¡± ¡°Yes, it was crazy. I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s wearing that priceless fabric for her debut dress. Count Manverse, as expected, is different.¡± ¡°No matter how wealthy the Manverse family is, they are no match for the Imperial family.¡± ¡°Of course, Miss Amelie¡¯s dress contains His Majesty¡¯s love as well. To whom would you make thatparison?¡± Amelie epted their conversation with an awkward smile. ¡®It isn¡¯t love¡ª¡¯ More than that, the name that came out of her mouth bothered her. Amelia was well acquainted with Count Manverse, a nobleman. This is due to the fact that in the original novel, Renia, Count Manverse¡¯s daughter, bes the empress. ****** ¡®Wasn¡¯t Count Manverse a typical scumbag? I believe this father and daughter are going to be entangled with me¡ª¡¯ Renia, who wanted to be empress, considered Amelie an eyesore. Perhaps it was annoying that Amelie had taken the title of Emperor¡¯s first lover. Renia would give Amelie small prizes whenever Mrs. Enard and Charlotte bullied her. Reniater became Empress, but died during the rebellion. It was because Count Manverse, who had given up hope on Serwin, had joined the rebels. But there was no guarantee that it would flow the same way as the novel. Renia couldn¡¯t even make an appearance to bother her at this point. Mrs Enard and Charlotte were also doing their best for Amelie. She was concerned that her clothes getting wet would be when the harassment would begin in earnest, but that was the end of it. It appeared that the time had not yete where they could think to touch Amelie. She is in a situation in which Serwin pays her daily visits and gives her gifts. Or perhaps they changed their minds by stealing away some of the gifts Serwin had given her. ¡®I have no idea what will happen in the future. I can¡¯t wait to return to Dehaim.¡¯ Amelie was ovee with sadness as she remembered her hometown. The maid then approached. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She asked Mrs Enard. ¡°His Majesty has sent you a gift.¡± ¡°Again?¡± Amelie asked again. ¡®How long has it been since you sent me the cloth?¡¯ The maids were overjoyed and she instructed them to bring it to the room. After a brief moment, servants from the Emperor¡¯s Pce appeared with several t boxes. It was a luxurious-looking box wrapped in a variety of velvet fabrics. ¡°When His Majesty learned that you had received new clothes he prepared this, you can see what you like first.¡± The servant opened the lid of a box. When he turned the box toward Amelie, a gleaming purple jewel appeared. ¡°These are the things that were kept in the Imperial treasury. They are very precious jewels, though they may not be fashionable.¡± Mrs Enard recognized the jewels and exined what they were. Amelia examined the earrings. The jewels glistened blindingly in the afternoon sun. ¡°I only heard about purple diamonds in rumors, but it¡¯s right here. Take a look at that color¡­.¡± a maid wondered softly. ¡°May I put it on?¡± She asked Mrs Enard. ¡°His Majesty has given everything to Miss Amelie. You are free to do whatever you want.¡± ¡°He¡¯s giving me all of this?¡± Amelie¡¯s eyes widened. The number of boxes alone is more than a dozen. ¡°Hurry up and try it on! Let me help you!¡± Amelie was hurried by the maids, who appeared to be excited. ¡°Mirror, get me a mirror!¡± The maid-of-honor retrieved makeup and hair styling tools. The other maids dashed into the building and emerged with a mirror. Amelie put on her new earrings and examined herself in the mirror. Her earrings shook with every movement of her head, emitting a brilliant purple color. It was a bright light that drew her attention the more she looked at her reflection. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. It goes very well with your hair color, Miss Amelie.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Amelie was also distracted by her appearance in the mirror. This is why they spend money on jewelry. It was just an earring, but the light of the jewel made her face feel noble. ¡°Let¡¯s look at the other one! Okay?¡± The jewels kept by the imperial family were known for their beauty and usage of precious gems and metals, and the maid of honor urged her while shaking her shoulders in excitement. Amelie couldn¡¯t beat the enthusiasm, so she wore the essories one by one. There were various types of ornaments, including earrings, nes, bracelets, and head ornaments, as well as metal and extra gems to be used in them. ¡°How do they all look so lovely? It¡¯s antique, but it¡¯s not tacky.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of beautiful jewelry, but I¡¯ve never seen anything like this. Especially the yellow diamond, which I saw for the third time. The enigmatic golden diamond is indeed¡ª¡± ¡°Miss Amelie must be feeling nice. Since His Majesty thought of Miss like this.¡± ¡°Yes, who knew His Majesty had such a caring side.¡± The maids were envious of Amelie. ¡®It¡¯s burdensome¡ª¡¯ Amelie secretly pressed her hands against her stomach. She¡¯ll get indigestion from the tea and snacks she just ate. No such thing as a free lunch exists. She must return as much as she receives. That was the world¡¯s logic. Serwin, what do you want to exchange for such expensive things? ¡®I have no idea about our rtionship. We don¡¯t have that kind of rtionship, do we?¡± Amelie might have been pleased to receive gifts if he truly loved her. But knowing it wasn¡¯t the case increased the pressure. ******* Amelie awoke the next day with the same feeling of being watched. Serwin was not in the room when she opened her eyes, and a maid was standing by the door. ¡°Today is Milena¡ª¡± Every morning, the maids who stood outside changed. But only the people change; they¡¯re still staring at Amelie, and what they said when she woke up remained the same. ¡®Did you get enough sleep? I¡¯ve got the tub ready for you to wash right away. May I apany you to the bathroom?¡¯ ¡°Did you get enough sleep?¡± Milena said as she approached. ¡®It¡¯s still the same today.¡¯ She¡¯ll find Charlotte if she goes to the bathroom with Milena. Mrs Enard will check her breakfast and return to assist with her dress choice while she is washing herself. And she¡¯ll have to spend time with her maids until night falls and Serwin arrives. ¡®Now¡­ Right now, I want to be alone.¡¯ Amelie desired some alone time. Although the presence of servants was physically convenient, it was more stressful than she thought. Amelie considered other people¡¯s eyes and attention to be poison. ¡°Miss Amelie, would you like to be alone?¡± ¡°Yes, indeed!! Please, even if it¡¯s only a little bit!¡± Amelie sobbed uncontrobly. ¡®Wait, what?¡¯ Milena had said something unusual, she realized. ¡°That¡¯s a shame; Because that¡¯spletely impossible.¡± ¡°I understand that¡¯s the case, but why can¡¯t you match it to me? Will you die if you don¡¯t keep it?¡± ¡°I will die, by His Majesty.¡± Milena smiled as she said this. Amelie, on the other hand, is no fool, so she immediately understood what she meant. ¡°Did His Majesty give you the order to keep an eye on me?¡± ¡°His Majesty instructed us to keep an eye on you. Whenever and whatever happens.¡± ¡°Ha¡ª I knew it was strange!¡± Then she suddenly remembered something strange from the day before. ¡°Did His Majesty instruct you to keep me out of the pce?¡± ¡°Yes. You have no idea how relieved I am that Miss Amelie didn¡¯t say she would go out.¡± No wonder everyone looked at her with concern as she approached the main gate. Amelie became both enlightened and depressed. Milena, on the other hand, became a very suspicious individual. ¡®Howe you¡¯re telling me this? Shouldn¡¯t you keep it hidden?¡¯ Amelie locked her gaze on Milena. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m suspicious?¡± ¡°¡­To be honest, yes.¡±Amelie wondered if she should be worried. ¡°Allow me to introduce myself properly. Milena Belfar is my name. I¡¯m Sir Roen¡¯s sister.¡± ¡°Um¡ª?¡± Amelie gave her a nk stare. ¡°Didn¡¯t Sir Roen have the surname Roen?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only a name. Emperor knights are initially addressed by name. It means that your family isn¡¯t important enough to be noted.¡± ¡°Ah, I see¡­¡± She vaguely remembered something like this in the original work. She had skipped it because it was a small, seemingly unimportant setting. Amelie fixed her gaze on Milena. In her mid-twenties, she was generally round and cute. Amelie especially liked her face because her short nose and chin reminded Amelie of a cute little squirrel. No matter how hard Milena tried, there was no resemnce to Roen except for her brown hair and brown eyes. ¡°Do we look alike as siblings? I have a simr appearance to my father. My brother resembles my mother.¡± ¡°Yes, honestly, I wouldn¡¯t have known until the end if you hadn¡¯t revealed it first.¡± ¡°However, can you put your trust in me?¡± ¡°Is there any reason for Milena to lie?¡± Milena gave Amelie a stern look when she asked again. She felt cute rather than intimidating when she put strength in her eyes with a round face like that. Chapter 27 But don¡¯t be too quick to believe it; it¡¯s the Imperial Pce! Now I see why His Majesty is concerned. I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on you, but you¡¯re a little tooid back! Okay, then! You should look into it first. The evidence that I am my brother¡¯s sister!¡± Milena unfolded the family rtionship certificate in front of Amelie. Roen and Milena¡¯s names were written on the paper. The names of the two people were written by themselves. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any other family members?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s just my brother and me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t apologize so easily! You look down on the Imperial Pce!¡± ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s a personality trait.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it if it¡¯s a personality trait then.¡± Milena quickly epted with a nod. Amelie was confused. They¡¯re siblings whose appearances and personalities bear no resemnce to each other. There isn¡¯t anything that resembles the other. ¡°Anyway, howe Milena told me you were Sir Roen¡¯s sister? Sir Roen despised me.¡± ¡°Oh, I knew this was going to happen, so I told you that I was his sister.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Milena neatly arranged her clothes, spread the hem of her skirt, and bowed deeply. Amelie was taken aback by the unexpectedly polite greeting. ¡°Milena?¡± ¡°First of all, thank you so much for saving my brother. My brother told me to say thank you. He¡¯s sorry he couldn¡¯t meet you in person, and he wants to apologize for saying bad things about you.¡± Milena began telling Amelie the entire story, recalling the events of the day. Roen, who had lost both of his parents as a child, did everything he could to protect his younger sister, who couldn¡¯t speak properly. Nheless, he practiced his sword in his spare time, eventually catching Serwin¡¯s eye and bing a knight. Roen worked hard to put his life in danger for his miraculously fulfilled dream. Milena was constantly concerned about Roen. Because he was so focused, she wondered if he¡¯d have an ident. Meanwhile, when she learned that the knights who had followed Serwin had returned, Milena went in search of her brother. However, there was no trace of Roen anywhere in the knighthood. She was terrified and sneaked out of the pcete at night to return home. It was to ensure that Roen returned safely. Roen, fortunately, was at home. He was sitting on the couch in the living room. Milena had anticipated that a witch would enter the pce via Ethan. Amelie needed someone to hide and cover her magic when she used it. Knowing this, Roen confessed without hesitation when Milena asked him what she wanted to know. He kept Amelie under control out of fear, spoke ill of her, but she still saved his life. Roen apologized and thanked Amelie, but there was no way to repay the favor. He said he couldn¡¯t do anything for her because he had given everything to the Emperor. Milena, who wanted to help her brother, who had always made sacrifices for her, made a decision as soon as she heard it. She stated that she would help her rather than him. ¡°That¡¯s why I decided to repay the favor.¡± Milena took her time approaching. She was quietly looking around, and when she had a chance to speak to her alone, she did so. ¡°I see. You don¡¯t have to pay me back.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll pay you back. That way, my brother will feel unburdened while being a knight.¡± She can¡¯t believe that there are such great siblings in this world. Amelie felt moved. ¡°And I¡¯ve been watching you so intently that I can¡¯t leave you alone! My brother and I will die of guilt if something happens to Miss Amelie.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The emotion was so sudden Amelie couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. ¡°Am I really that bad?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just one or two incidents to count.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! ¡®Cause now this Milena¡¯s gonna back you up, Miss Amelie!¡¯¡± Milena confidently dered with one hand at her waist. ****** Milena was the one who first exined Amelie¡¯s current situation and surroundings. She told Amelie everything she knew, including the orders Serwin had given her. Amelie discovered, thanks to Milena, that Serwin was keeping her in this pce on purpose, surrounded by maids and Mrs Enard. ¡°We couldn¡¯t get out of the way in that state, no matter how badly Miss Amelie wanted to be alone.¡± ¡°Somehow¡ª I thought it was strange¡ª.¡± Amelie frowned. She thought it was a little weird, because she wasn¡¯t too naive. Serwin, on the other hand, stated that imperial life was originally this privacy deficient so she cleared her doubts because she believed he had no reason to supervise her. ¡°Oh, You¡¯re not surprised, are you? I expected you to be surprised¡ª¡± ¡°If it¡¯s His Majesty the Emperor, I thought it might be possible.¡± Serwin was a viin in the first book, and the day she met him was the worst. Perhaps this is why she assumed ¡®Serwin would still do that¡¯ even if Serwin did something kind. But, aside from what she knew in her head, she didn¡¯t feel good. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m not angry. I¡¯m irritated and angry.¡± In fact, neither surveince nor confinement were required. If he had asked her what he was curious about what she had been doing all day, she would have told him truthfully, and if he had exined it convincingly, she would not have considered leaving the pce. ¡®This suspicious person¡ª!¡¯ She thought they were getting close, but she was disappointed to learn that her opponent didn¡¯t think so. ¡®No, don¡¯t act nice if you¡¯re going to do this.¡¯ Don¡¯t you lie calmly? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too much to be asking questions about my day as if you don¡¯t know after watching every move? Why don¡¯t you just say you¡¯re keeping an eye on things? ¡°It irritates me even more. I¡¯ve made my decision.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever I want.¡± ¡°But how?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to practice magic whether His Majesty is awake or asleep. I¡¯ll hold his hand, but I¡¯m not going to sleep with him.¡± ¡®After hearing your story, I thought you were a good person, but you¡¯re really a good person.¡¯ However, such a character could not be considered beneficial to the imperial court. Milena is determined to take a step forward and protect Amelie. ****** Amelie had tea in the garden that afternoon. It was always the same thing, but today she had a different goal in mind than just going for a walk. ¡®Should I call it naturally?¡¯ Amelie took a deep breath and turned to the side. Mrs. Enade was pouring tea into a teacup while maintaining a calm face. Her goal for today¡¯s tea time was to win Mrs. Enard over to her side. Milena taught Amelie how to spend time alone in the morning. Milena advised taking advantage of Mrs. Enard¡¯s habit of revealing money and subtly using it. ¡®I¡¯m surprised Mrs Enard wasn¡¯t Count Manverse¡¯s servant.¡¯ Amelie assumed Mrs Enard was Count Manverse¡¯s servant after reading the novel. Because she tormented Amelie at Count Manverse¡¯s request and was getting paid. Mrs Enard, on the other hand, did what Count Manverse told her to do because it was the most profitable option. She doesn¡¯t bother Amelie now because she determined that she had the most money to gain being on Amelie¡¯s side. Milena learned from the evidence that the nobles were unaware of Amelie¡¯s existence until now. The nobles have been looking for a reason for Serwin¡¯s daily visits to the pce since he returned, but no one has found one because Mrs. Enard kept it hidden. ¡®It¡¯splicated, it¡¯s difficult¡ªall I want is to get out of here quickly and go home.¡¯ Amelie missed the peaceful and pure Dehaim. ¡®Anyway, Milena told me to pay Mrs Enard money.¡¯ Amelie¡¯s problem was that she didn¡¯t have any money. Furthermore, she couldn¡¯t afford to defy Serwin¡¯s orders. Milena advised turning this problem into an opportunity. It is to request that Mrs. Enard assist her in disposing of some of the gifts that Serwin gave her. That way, she ims, she will be able to raise funds, and Mrs. Enard will remain silent because she will be able to profit from the process of creating slush funds indefinitely. She¡¯s confident she¡¯ll give Amelie some of what she wants. ¡®Milena, you¡¯re a scary child¡ª¡¯ Amelie, on the other hand, was not particrly interested. In today¡¯s values, it felt disheartening to inquire about whether it was slush funds or bribes. It was also difficult to obtain the funds to trick Serwin with the items he gave her. Milena persuaded Amelie, citing various reasons, saying that she should hold cash when she doesn¡¯t know what will happen to people, that it was the emperor who made her do this in the first ce, and that she would sell and use what she gave her. With her logical words and appealing persuasion, Amelie eventually fell for it. ¡®How can we raise slush funds¡ª? Do we have to go this far?¡¯ She had never experienced this before because she was having a normal work life. Maybe that¡¯s why she was so nervous that her hands were shaking that she couldn¡¯t even lift the teacup. ¡®I¡¯m sure I can do it! Fighting!¡¯ Milena¡¯s eyes twinkled as she cheered for Amelie. The amount of slush funds she created was insignificant. Having slush funds was the important part. At least the maid who worked in theundry had her own slush fund. She was forced to stay in the pce, where she had no idea when she would die, because she was paid that much. Amelie experienced a throbbing sensation in her stomach. ¡°Are you sick?¡± Mrs. Enard asked. It was due to Amelie¡¯s face turning blue. ¡°No.¡± Amelie dragged her words for a moment. Now is the time. ¡°I¡¯m actually thinking about something a little bit.¡± ¡°Oh, is there any inconvenience in your life?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not really. Well, I¡¯ve received a lot of gifts from His Majesty recently. So I want to repay him, but I don¡¯t have anything.¡± Milena instructed Amelie to speak in steps. ¡°I was wondering if it would be strange to get rid of some of His Majesty¡¯s things that I didn¡¯t use and get a present for His Majesty. What are your thoughts, Mrs. Enard?¡± Amelie examined Mrs Enard¡¯s response, barely speaking as Milena told me. ¡®Is this going to work?¡¯ It would have been easier to simply say, ¡®Can you help me make my own slush fund!¡¯ but Milena asked Amelie to speak vaguely so that there is a way to get out of itter, so everyone is at ease with each other. Chapter 28 ¡°¡­¡­If it¡¯s a meaningful gift, it¡¯ll be a little harder, but I think that¡¯s okay because His Majesty¡¯s gift is for your convenience. Because you won¡¯t be able to use all of the fabrics.¡± ¡°I see what you mean. I¡¯m d Mrs Enard said it. But I¡¯m also concerned about how to dispose of the product. Could you please help me?¡± The dice have been rolled! Amelie gambled with her final line. Will Mrs. Enard take or refuse the offer? And, as Milena suggested, will Mrs Enard ept this story to help create a slush fund? ¡®My stomach hurts.¡¯ Amelia clenched her fist. Because she was nervous, it was difficult for her to remain still. But she waited for Mrs Enard¡¯s response patiently. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you asked me to do something like that.¡± Mrs. Enard did not respond right away. Milena, on the other hand, predicted her reaction. Milena said that if Mrs Enard had correctly understood Amelie¡¯s intentions, she would have to reconsidered one more time. ¡°Because Mrs Enard knows everything about the Imperial court and appears to bepetent. I can trust you.¡± Amelie spoke calmly and clearly. Mrs Enard was with Amelie all over the ce all the time, her nervous expression was obvious. ¡®If His Majesty¡¯s affection stays this high, a lot of good things will happen in the future. It¡¯s always nice to have a steady source of ie.¡¯ Mrs Enrad was too afraid of Serwin to respond quickly. If she dies, it makes no sense to have money and doing so much extra work. She needed enough money to be worth putting her life in danger. Mrs Enard¡¯s brief agony came to an end when she tried to open her mouth. However, before she could, a knight dashed forward and shouted. ¡°His Majesty is on his way!¡± Amelie quickly looked at the door, surprised. She couldn¡¯t believe he arrived at this time! Amelie reached for the walls to steady herself. She was so taken aback that her stomach ached once more. ¡°Don¡¯t make a scene.¡± Serwin entered the garden as soon as the knight finished speaking. ¡°W-what are you doing at this hour, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter with your face?¡± Serwin took a step forward in front of Amelie. Amelie¡¯s exceptionally white face and her delicate hands on her face are visible to him. ¡°Is it painful? Does it hurt a lot?¡± ¡°What? Oh¡­ It was a little painful.¡± Amelie couldn¡¯t bring herself to look Serwin in the eyes. Amelie frowned as her eyes closed¡ªas if she were sick. She wasn¡¯t lying because she was suffering from a severe stomachache andcked the courage to face him. ¡°But you¡¯re drinking tea, right? What exactly were the maids doing? Didn¡¯t they realize their master was sick?¡± Amelie quickly grabbed Serwin¡¯s sleeve as his voice became more fierce. The garden was deafeningly quiet at the time. Everyone except Amelie was looking down and away. Amelie took Serwin¡¯s sleeve and lightly shook it. Serwin then looked down at Amelie with more concern in his eyes, looking at her and her hand. ¡°Shall I call a doctor?¡± ¡°No, I think it¡¯ll be better if I go to my room and rest.¡± Neither doctors nor drugs help with stress. The best way to rx is to lie down in afortable ce. Serwin wanted to call a doctor, but he respected Amelie¡¯s request. The two went into the bedroom. Serwin and Amelie¡¯s servants followed them to the door but did not go inside. As a result, the two were left alone. Amelie sat on the sofa, catching her breath and looking at Serwin¡¯s eyes. ¡®You didn¡¯t hear me talking to Mrs. Enard, did you?¡¯ He didn¡¯t seem to have heard the conversation from his response in the garden. ¡®I was surprised. It¡¯s so hard to do things that you don¡¯t usually do.¡¯ Amelie rubbed her stomach. It was hard enough to make a secret offer to Mrs Enard, but then Serwin also appeared. Fortunately, when she got out of the situation, her stomachache gradually decreased. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need to call a doctor?¡± Serwin looked down at Amelie, concerned. Her expression was a little shaky. However, it was only a stomachache¡­ Even if it hurt, it wasn¡¯t enough for her to be too concerned. ¡°I just have a stomach ache from stress.¡± ¡°Stress?¡± Serwin has a face he hadn¡¯t even considered it. ¡®What happened?¡¯ It was just another normal day, that¡¯s what was reported. But he never found out any specifics. The servant who reported may have lied, or she may have been bullied in secret. In situations like this, only he could help her. ¡°Who has been causing you harm?¡± Serwin¡¯s voice was hushed. Amelie flinched, he looked like a growling beast. Serwin noticed it and mistook it for her hiding something from him. ¡°Can you tell me who did it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Amelie frowned as well. ¡®What did I do to make you make a scary face and be angry?¡¯ Serwin was the root of the problem. But he waspletely unaware of this. Amelie cocked her head at Serwin. Then she let her true feelings out. ¡°It¡¯s Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Serwin made an expression that he didn¡¯t quite understand. ¡®He doesn¡¯t realize he¡¯s making a mistake. No at all¡¯ Amelie let out a sigh. Having this conversation about boundaries with him seemed pointless. She doesn¡¯t have the ability to teach an adult, and she doesn¡¯t have the ability to say a few words to instill morality. ¡®Serwin is free to do whatever he wants, but I am not.¡¯ Amelie ignored Serwin¡¯s response and instead used the power of transformation. Bbong The sounds and feeling of magical shifting blurred her senses. The transformation was sessful, but not in the way she expected. ¡®Is it bigger than the previous transformation?¡¯ Was she transformed into a peregrine falcon or something? She felt better just thinking about it. Amelie examined her reflection in the ss table, expecting to see her deft avian self. ¡®¡­¡­It¡¯s not a bird,¡¯ The n to transform and fly away failed miserably. She¡¯d turned into a pink rabbit with drooping ears. ¡®Oh, no. What¡¯s the point of transforming into an animal that can¡¯t fly right now?¡¯ It would have been nice if the same rabbit looked a little more deft, but her drooping ears made her look sullen. Amelie let out a sigh. A long breath escaped from the triangr mouth, tickling the front floof on her chest. Serwin bent down one knee and looked Amelie in the eyes. ¡°Why did you change all of a sudden? Amelie,e back to being a human.¡± Amelie snorted, ¡°Hum!¡± Then she jumped and hid under the bed. It was dark and narrow under the bed, but it was cozy because she couldn¡¯t be reached by other people¡¯s eyes. Serwin followed her from behind and pushed his face under the bed. ¡°Amelie? That¡¯s not where you¡¯re supposed to be. Come on out.¡± Amelie stated that she would not by stomping the ground with her feet. Because of the fluffy carpet, there was only a fuff, a poof, and a slight thud, but Serwin must have heard it. He knelt beside the bed and reached for the narrow gap. Amelie crawled to the other side after clipping Serwin¡¯s hand with her hind leg. ¡®Did you just hit me right now?¡¯ Serwin was taken aback and hardened. His hands tingle because her small hind feet were more powerful than they appeared. But it was her refusal to take his hand that was the most damaging. It was the first time she had refused Serwin¡¯s hand. ¡°I won¡¯t know if you don¡¯t tell me why.¡± Serwin walked around the bed to the other side. He knelt on the carpet to see Amelie. People would be speechless in the face of this version of the emperor, but he couldn¡¯t care less. ¡°How about we talk face to face, hmm?¡± He gently coaxed Amelie. Amelie, on the other hand, snorted and crawled to the other side. When she finally came out her fluffy silhouette was lovely to the point that Serwin¡¯s heart was burning from the warmth. In fact, forcibly yanking Amelie out from under the bed was simple. He could have used his sword aura to grab her, or he could have blown up the bed. But Serwin wasn¡¯t willing to. She already said it was his fault. When he thought he could be hated more, he couldn¡¯t do anything. Moreover, being rejected for the first time by Amelie, Serwin was very embarrassed by how shocked he felt. Serwin¡¯s only option now was to move to the other side of the bed and get closer to Amelia. Amelie, on the other hand, became stuck on the wall. Her t refusal discouraged him, but he didn¡¯t give up and remained near the bed. ¡®Wow, your repentant form is great!¡¯ Serwin¡¯s efforts were spective, but Amelie didn¡¯t want to see his face. ¡®Consider what you¡¯ve done wrong.¡¯ She would not have done this if he had asked and exined to Amelia ahead of time. Her stomachache gradually improved as she watched him fidget. Above all, the underside of this bed was cozier and more rxed than she had anticipated. When she was younger whenever she felt befuddled or ufortable she would hide under a closet or desk. Amelie blinked her eyes slowly. Serwin only looked at the round back for a long time. He intended to wait until Amelie came out on her own. But Serwin was a busy emperor anding to see her for a while was a burden. The servants waiting outside the door stamped their feet and waited for Serwin, before announcing that they had no time in dying strained voices. ¡°I¡¯ll be back at night. Make sure to show your face then. Okay?¡± Not getting even a stomp in return, Serwin sighed and lifted himself up. Amelie looked at Serwin¡¯s feet. His distant steps seemed unusually powerless. It was Milena who left, took over the maid duty and entered the room. Conscious that Amelie was in her transformed state, only Milena, who knew she was her witch, was sent in. ¡°Miss Amelie.¡± When she heard her voice, Amelie scuttled out from under the bed. Milena looked at Amelie and opened her eyes wide. ¡°Ah! Is that you, Miss Amelie? So cute!¡± The small body was round like a ball of fluffy fur, and the protruding front feet were dainty enough to pour kisses. It was unbearably cute that she looked lethargic because of her drooping ears. Milena clenched her fist and clucked. But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to touch her miss even as she looked at her passionately. Amelie red her V-shaped nose, awkwardly avoiding her gaze. Knock knock. Just in time, she heard a knock from outside the door. ¡°Miss Amelie, can Ie in?¡± It was Mrs. Enard. Milena and Amelie exchanged their eyes. ¡°Miss Amelie, let¡¯s get back to being human!¡± Amelie nodded and returned to her human form with a light poof. Milena was very surprised to see the magic of transformation for the first time, but soon came to her senses and quickly arranged Amelie¡¯s clothes. Chapter 29 ¡°Come in.¡± Mrs Enard walked into the room. Amelie felt she had to finish her conversation with her due to Serwin¡¯s previous interruption. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be natural to send Milena out?¡¯ ¡°Milena, can you get me a ss of warm water?¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± As Milena left the room, Amelie sat in a chair to appear nonchnce. Mrs Enard stood a short distance from Amelie. ¡®What should I say?¡¯ She came as soon as Serwin left, so should that be considered a positive meaning? Amelie swallowed despite her dry mouth. ¡°It¡¯s about what you said earlier.¡± ¡°Yes, Mrs Enard¡± ¡°What about an embroidered handkerchief as a gift for His Majesty? I think he¡¯ll prefer the feel of Miss Amelie¡¯s hand.¡± ¡°Is that so¡ª?¡± Do you mean ¡®no¡¯? Amelie worked tirelessly to gain ess to Mrs Enard¡¯s innermost thoughts. ¡°It would be better because using the gift His Majesty has given adds to the meaning of repaying. I¡¯ll do my best to keep the cost of purchasing gold or silver coins within the total of the items.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Amelie clenched her fist firmly. ¡®Good! Mrs Enard has said yes!¡¯ The pointlessments had almost overwhelmed her, but what matters is that Mrs Enard epted her offer. ¡°Is there anything else you need?¡± Mrs Enard asked. ¡®Didn¡¯t Milena tell me to check it out?¡¯ Things would go wrong if she took Amelie¡¯s words literally that she was only exchanging money for the sake of a gift. As Milena suggested, Amelie decided to take another look at Mrs Enard. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just want to rest quietly. Would you please leave?¡± Amelie gave the opposite order to what Serwin gave her. If she obeyed her orders, she would have epted her offer. Moreover, she was only good at financial gain, so if she had grasped her intentions, she would have followed her orders. Milena had predicted everything. Milena, despite her squirrel-cute appearance, was a clever and quick-witted girl. She imed that because she was recognized for her talent, she was able to prate Serwin¡¯s attention even at such a young age. ¡®I¡¯m not sure why it¡¯s soplicated, but I have to believe it because it¡¯s Milena¡¯s words.¡¯ Amelie just did as she was told and waited for Mrs Enard¡¯s reply. Mrs Enard just looked at Amelie without answering. The brief silence of a few seconds felt breathtaking. And at one point Mrs Enard opened her mouth. ¡°Yes, Miss Amelie. Then I¡¯ll go out.¡± Mrs Enard bowed her head gently. Is it really working? Amelie checked one more time in a dazed mood. ¡°What about the other maids?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be at the door, so if you need anything, you can call me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Then, please restfortably.¡± Mrs Enard exited the room with a bow. The bedroom door shut quietly, and the room was silent. The quiet room, devoid of any quiet shuffling or breathing sounds, felt strange. Amelie cast a nce around her. There were no eyes on Amelie, finally. In the bedroom, there was nothing but herself. Finally, for the first time since arriving at the pce, she was left alone. It was a time to herself that she had hoped for a lot. ¡°It¡¯s a sess.¡± Others may not have noticed, but it was Amelie¡¯s first taste of freedom since entering the pce. Milena¡¯s assistance was a wee change. She can¡¯t believe she got Mrs Enard¡¯s help, who was just picking on Amelie in the original. She won¡¯t die like the original if she does it like this, will she? Amelie¡¯s fist was clenched. She shuddered from head to toe. ****** ¡®It¡¯s perfect.¡¯ Amelie had some alone time in her room before dinner. It was short but satisfying inparison to the wait. She never imagined she¡¯d be so free, with no one watching her no matter what she did! She didn¡¯t mind that her skirt was rolled up and back on the sofa. She followed the steps while reading a magic book, and when it became boring, she opened her brown bag to see if the herbs were safe. Amelie took a bath after dinner. Milena moved in closer to help her take a bath. Milena turned on the water while Amelie soaked in the tub. The sound of water overflowing in the bathtub echoed a little. ¡°I¡¯m going to serve you today. It¡¯s fine for you to speak freely.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Amelie looked back to see who was there. The maids were standing near the wall, so if they were whispering, they could easily gossip. ¡°What about Charlotte?¡± Mrs Enard was so busy that she didn¡¯t follow her bath except for the first few days. But Charlotte¡¯s absence came as a surprise because she was always with Milena. ¡°I said I¡¯d take care of this, and I told Charlotte to clean up the powder room.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t she find it strange?¡± ¡°Charlotte doesn¡¯t like to help in the bath, her hands hurt when she massages. She went to the powder room because it¡¯s a simple thing to do with her hands.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Milena put a soft bubbly soap on Amelie¡¯s shoulder. And she massaged her shoulders and back and neck evenly using soap bubbles. The reason why they don¡¯t use fragrances was because they were worried that other scents would mix to reduce the effect of Amelie¡¯s stabilizing on Serwin. She exined to the maids that ¡°Serwin didn¡¯t like it,¡± and their expressions and reactions were still clear at that time. Women of simr or older age looked at each other with crab red cheeks, but she was embarrassed too and missed the right time to exin. It was toote to regret that she should have made another excuse upter. After that, they never used fragrant oil in her bath. ¡°You did an excellent job today!¡± Milena said with a cheerful smile. Amelie¡¯s fingers wriggled in embarrassment. ¡°I just said what Milena had nned. It¡¯s all thanks to Milena. I honestly didn¡¯t think Mrs Enard would help.¡± ¡°I told you to trust me. Are you going to believe me now?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Milena grinned triumphantly, sticking out her chest. As Amelieughed with her, she suddenly had a question. ¡°By the way, why does Mrs Enard want money like that? I don¡¯t think she was destitute enough to vite Serwin¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a story that everyone knows¡ª¡± Milena began to tell the story of Mrs Enard. ¡°Mrs. Enard has a daughter, who has a disease, so it seems that the price of the medicine is incredibly expensive.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Amelie let out a sigh. There was no medical insurance in this world. So if there is a sick person in the family, the house crumbles. ¡°But Mrs Enard¡¯s sry would be high.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know exactly what kind of disease it is. So they must be struggling no matter how much they earn because they bring doctors from afar to buy and feed her precious medicines. It¡¯s a tough life.¡± ¡°What about Mrs Enard¡¯s family?¡± ¡°Her husband died of an epidemic a long time ago. But since his wife works in the Imperial Pce, both families take care of her, but it¡¯s not even close.¡± ¡°I see. She must be having a hard time, too.¡± Amelie¡¯s heart sank. Mrs Enard was apetent maid who kept the pce in check. Standing in a straight position with her hands together all the time, she didn¡¯t know she was suffering from such hardships. That¡¯s how skillful Mrs Enard is at hiding herself. Milena added coolly, rather than agreeing with Amelie¡¯s expression. ¡°Because of that poor story, Mrs Enard will sell Amelie someday. So, don¡¯t pity her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡ª¡± Still, a mother who does anything for her child. She knew Mrs Enard wasn¡¯t a good person, but her heart was shaken. ¡°I wish there was a way to help¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. If Mrs Enard is on Amelie¡¯s side, you¡¯ll be free to walk through this pce.¡± Countless people are employed in the imperial pce every day, and quit and go out. A person who worked for a long time, like Mrs Enard, was influential. ¡°If Mrs Enard is risking her life for money because of her sick child, why don¡¯t I cure her child¡¯s illness?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought about that, but you can¡¯t. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡± A witch¡¯s magic pill had an amazing effect, so Milena initially thought of using it to treat Mrs Enard¡¯s child. But since Amelie could not go out of the pce, she needed Mrs Enard¡¯s help to meet the child, and she was in danger of being identified. There was no guarantee that Mrs Enard would continue to keep her secret if she revealed herself as a witch, even if she helped her daughter. ¡°She¡¯s a woman who does anything for her own sake.¡± ¡°But the purpose is the child¡¯s health, so¡ª¡± ¡°What about after the child gets better? Doesn¡¯t she want to give her jewelry and gold tableware?¡± Amelie was at a loss for words. Milena¡¯s opinion was reasonable. ¡°If you could make a magic potion other than that wouldn¡¯t it be better to make a medicine for Miss Amelie?¡± Milena smiled brightly and changed the subject. ¡°I still had a magic potion I wanted to make.¡± ¡°What kind of magic is it?¡± ¡°Flying! The broom I was riding on is broken and I need something new!¡± ¡°Oh, does a witch really ride on a broom?!¡± Milena was astounded. When she saw her exaggerated look, Amelie burst intoughter. ¡®Let¡¯s listen to Milena. I have to pay attention to the situation.¡¯ But a corner of her mind continued to feel ufortable. ****** Serwin entered the conference room, and familiar faces bowed. Serwin was so sick and tired of this sight he was beyond words. The step toward the Emperor¡¯s seat was heavier than ever. ¡®You¡¯re probably out by now, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ Serwin fell into a terrifyingly different train of thought as he sat for the meeting to begin. Her crouched back didn¡¯t leave his head. ¡®No matter how much you clean, it must be an unclean environment under there¡­¡¯ ¡®What if she catch a cold?¡¯ Serwin thought and clicked his tongue. Did she hate to see him so much that she would choose to crawl into such a ce? While Serwin was lost in thought, there was silence in the meeting. ¡°Y-Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Oh, go on. I¡¯m listening.¡± The meeting resumed, but everyone was busy keeping an eye on Serwin. ¡®A rabbit¡¯s hind paws are stronger than I thought.¡¯ When her soft feet struck his hand, his head instantly turned white and he couldn¡¯t do anything. ¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯ He began to wonder why Amelie rejected him. In fact, the answer was obvious. Chapter 30 ¡®I think she¡¯s noticed that I¡¯m watching her. But she won¡¯t be able to get past the guard.¡¯ He could tell she was stressed. But she was the one who told him to keep her safe. He was only trying to protect her with all his heart. No one among the nobles in this ce would be friendly to her. They will try to harm her as soon as she appears. ¡®I wish she was just a bird. Or a rabbit.¡¯ He thought rabbits were only prey, but now that he sees them, he can see why they are beloved animals. He honestly wanted to pat her round back. ¡®I was rejected but¡ª¡¯ Serwin sighed deeply once more. The meeting room¡¯s atmosphere was even colder. ¡°Your Majesty. The meeting is¡ª¡± Serwin was asked by Baron Avery, who couldn¡¯t see. Serwin said quietly, ¡°Keep going,¡± and then returned to his thoughts. The nobles couldn¡¯t focus on the meeting and instead focused on Serwin¡¯s eyes. As a result, the meeting ended as a mess. ******* Even after Serwin had left the room, the nobles were unable to leave for a while. They gathered in groups, discussing Serwin. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen His Majesty in such a state before.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t the only one who thought so! What in the world is going on?¡± ¡°Well, if His Majesty has to sigh¡ªit must be a serious matter.¡± Although he was overshadowed by his reputation as a tyrant, Serwin was passionate about managing state affairs. He was never shaken by any difficulties. Therefore, his sighing and contemtion confused the aristocracy. The aristocrats didn¡¯t know what the emperor was worried about, leading to a discussion that they should prepare in advance before something big happened. ¡°What the hell is going on¡­ Count Manverse, what do you know?¡± Count Manverse answered a close nobleman¡¯s question in silence. He was no longer able to participate in the frivolous conversation of the nobles. ¡®His Majesty has changed. It¡¯s strange.¡¯ Count Manverse¡¯s long-held ambition was to make his daughter, Renia, to the position of Empress. Amoner would say, ¡°How dare he pass the Empress throne to the Count family?¡± But the Emperor¡¯s name was Serwin. Many aristocrats were terrified of him and his terror politics. Furthermore, the Duke and Marquis held a grudge against him for killing the regent king, and the Young Lady of the Duke and Marquis despised even being mentioned as a candidate for the empress. Renia, the Count¡¯s daughter, had a great personality and was quick-witted, so she was also worthy of aiming for the position of Empress. Count Manverse was more interested in Serwin and the royal family for his own ambitions than anything else. Because of this, he was able to discover Serwin¡¯s change faster than anyone else. ¡®The Emperor stated that he was at the pce before the meeting. I¡¯m sure it was because he was there that he was distracted throughout the meeting. What the hell was going on¡ª¡¯ This information was obtained by holding arge number of gold coins in front of the Imperial servants. ¡®It means that something important is hidden in that pce¡­.¡¯ Serwin was keeping the information from leaking outpletely, even if he wanted to know what it was. ¡®What is it that can hold the Emperor in such a way¡ª?¡¯ A familiar voice cut through the gaps in his thoughts at that precise moment. ¡°Everyone appears to be excited because they are interested in His Majesty¡¯s prey. Is the Count so interested in that?¡± Marquis Lewin stood there with a shameless smile on his face. ¡®Howe this man is talking to me?¡¯ This man was never supposed to approach him first. Count Manverse gave him a pleasant smile. But in his mind, he was trying to figure out what Marquis Lewin was trying to tell him. ¡°Without a doubt. You might know if you¡¯re a Marquis! Aren¡¯t you the royal family, who inherited the blood of the imperial family, unlike ordinary nobles like me?¡± ¡°So, what are your thoughts?¡± Marquis Lewin had an odd smile on his face. Count Manverse realized he knew something at that moment. And now that he¡¯s said it, he¡¯s going to tell him that. ****** Count Manverse was having a good time. It was about his guess that the reason Serwin had to risk his long absence to go hunting was the same as what Serwin was hiding. Count Manverse was interested in the ¡®prey¡¯ mentioned by Marquis Lewin. ¡°You are, indeed, the Marquis. I can¡¯t hear this Manverse anywhere, but he¡¯s no match for the Marquis. So, what do you say? What about the prey?¡± ¡°That¡¯s too much. I¡¯m not the only one who knows. However¡ª¡± Marquis Lewin dragged a little. Count Manverse, with sweat on his hands, waited for him to speak. ¡°It sounds like the prey has long hair. Isn¡¯t the color unusual?¡± ¡°What are you saying¡ª a woman¡ª!¡± ¡°No way. I told you. It¡¯s called hunting. People can¡¯t be prey.¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± Count Manverse could not understand a single word of Marquis Lewin. Hair refers to human hair. It¡¯s probably not that Marquis Lewin used the wrong word. But if it¡¯s not a person, then he must be ying with words. ¡®Long hair would mean a woman.¡¯ Count Manverse was heartbroken. A woman. Serwin¡¯s woman! There hasn¡¯t been a female shadow around Serwin so far. Because he has harmed the women whoe to him for power. Rumors circted that he was gay, but he wasn¡¯t even close to being a man. Humans, in his opinion, were just prey that could be killed at any time, regardless of gender. ¡®A woman, it could be a woman. Howe I didn¡¯t think of that!¡¯ Serwin was a young man in his prime as well. Even a murderer who treats people like bugs can care about bugs. ¡®At that point, it¡¯s a big deal. I need to figure out what kind of woman she is at the moment. A woman who can push my daughter to the throne and be Empress! Mrs. Enard, I¡¯m going to take advantage of her. Damn it, it¡¯s going to cost a lot of money.¡¯ Count Manverse had contacted Mrs Enard several times. She, on the other hand, kept her mouth shut and said nothing. It¡¯s going to cost a lot of money to get her to speak. He¡¯ll have to pay her more money than Serwin does. The issue was that Count Manverse was no longer in as good financial shape. Serwin returned from his trip and began robbing even unrted nobles under the guise of an ident that the nobles had caused. In this situation, movingrge sums of money means ¡®catch me.¡¯ And it was as if he was poking his head in. Even if he squeezed it like that, he had no idea if the amount would be eptable to Mrs Enard. ¡®I have to find a way, a way¡ª She¡¯s a mother who will go to any length for her child. She can¡¯t even cure her child because she has no idea what the disease is.¡¯ Then, Count Manverse came up with a brilliant idea. ¡®I will pretend to heal the child and get information. I don¡¯t really need to make it better. She just has to look like she¡¯s getting better for a while. After all, once informationes out of your mouth, you can¡¯t get it back.¡¯ Mrs Enard, of course, will never be used again if this method is used. It was a waste of her hand, but she couldn¡¯t help herself. That¡¯s how important finding Serwin¡¯s woman was. ¡®Renia, my daughter, must be the Empress. Whatever it takes to get it done¡ª¡¯ Marquis Lewinughed and smirked. It was a smile that revealed exactly what he was thinking. The Count¡¯s eyes were clearly tense, but he couldn¡¯t say anything. He left on his own after Lewin, just as he did when he came to talk to him. Count Manverse stared at his back. ¡®Right, as long as my daughter bes Empress¡ª.¡¯ Everyone bowed to Count Manverse as he imagined his daughter Lenia bing Empress and her son bing Emperor. There was also the Marquis of Lewin, who looked down at him. Count Manverse burst outughing. He has no idea that Baron Avery was watching his shady appearance from afar. ******* Amelie, on the other hand, decided to create a ¡®flying potion.¡¯ It was easy to make and didn¡¯t take long toplete. It is the best to practice in private. The tools required in making a potion differed depending on the recipe. Braziers, pots, sks,dles, fairy-winged fans, and so on. Amelie, thankfully, had brought all of her tools from her forest house. Although shecked a few herbs, they weremon enough to be obtained through Milena. ¡®I have to make it less expensive so I don¡¯t get caught by anyone else. I¡¯ll have to do the order perfectly, right? Is it a good idea to do some illusion magic just in case? So anyone whoes in unexpectedly doesn¡¯t recognize the pot?¡¯ Amelie was walking around the garden, thinking about something or other. Throughout the evening, she was busy figuring out how to make magic pills without being discovered. ¡®If I have a broom, I can walk around! No matter how high the walls of the pce are, they can¡¯t block the sky.¡¯ Amelie was so focused on her work that she didn¡¯t notice Serwin enter the garden. Even though she was wary of her surroundings, it was difficult to recognize him approaching with determination. The maids were surprised to see him, but when he put his index finger around his mouth, they were speechless and tightened their jaws. He took a deep breath and approached Amelie, his golden eyes shing. Milena frowned, saying, ¡®Yes¡¯. Serwin¡¯s figure was like a beast seeking prey. Amelie was like a rabbit eating grass without knowing that a beast was approaching her. Even though it wasn¡¯t her job, Milena was difficult to breathe with tension Serwin approached her carefully. He couldn¡¯t get her round back out of his mind all day, so it was a disaster. She hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, but when he remembered her sagging back, he felt strangely bad. That could be the reason. He felt better when he saw Amelie, who had not looked like a human being in a long time. Until that day, he had hoped she would be a bird. He took slower steps. A distance where he can take her life if he so desires, with no chance of escape. Amelie was still deep in thought. ¡®What are you thinking about?¡¯ Serwin locked his gaze on her. Her pink hair was ruffled by the wind and tickled her cheeks, she had no idea. Whatever she was looking at, her eyes were wandering in the air. Serwin¡¯s heart sank as he focused on her green eyes. Chapter 31 ¡®What is this?¡¯ Serwin was annoyed and called towards Amelie. ¡°Amelie.¡± ¡°Huh! Your Majesty!¡± Amelie took a step back in surprise. Serwin appeared as she was seriously considering going around in secret. Her heart seemed to sink for a brief moment as she had been caught inside. Serwin grabbed her hand, but not so tightly that she felt pain. It was an unusually urgent gesture for him. The two made eye contact while holding hands. As a result, there was a brief period of silence. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Amelie was blinded by anger then and embarrassed by her daytime behavior, and her conscience was pierced by what she had done behind Serwin¡¯s back. She couldn¡¯t face him because of the guilt she felt. She lowered her gaze and focused solely on her hands. Amelie¡¯s hand was gripped tightly in hisrger, firmer hands. Serwin couldn¡¯t speak as fluently as he usually could. He tried to understand Amelie¡¯s condition as he looked down at her round head. It seems that she is feeling better, but it is difficult to see if her anger towards Serwin has resolved or not. ¡®There was no eye contact at all.¡¯ Serwin frowned his brow. He felt stuffy on the inside. It felt like he may need to do something more, but what? He had no idea what was going on. Serwin, on the other hand, was used to keeping his emotions hidden. He brought it up in a calm manner. ¡°Do you want to go outside?¡± Amelie raised her head and looked Serwin in the eyes. ¡°Outside?¡± ¡°Outside the Pce.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Amelie nodded in response to the unexpected question. Her hair swayed slightly as it tangled in the wind. Serwin casually tried to tuck her hair behind her ears and stopped. ¡®Touching a woman¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t think he would¡¯ve said something like that while stroking someone¡¯s hair as he pleased. Serwin quickly took a step back and lowered his hand. ¡°I haven¡¯t gone on an inspection of the capital in a long time. If you want, I can take you with me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Amelie was totally shocked. What happened all of a sudden? Why? What¡¯s the matter with him, who refuses to let her enter and exit the Imperial Pce whenever she pleases? Many questions have been raised. Serwin¡¯s response was a little subdued in front of the startled mint-colored eyes. ¡°You must change into an animal. Because we have no idea who is watching. However, once you arrive at the market, it is okay to go as a person. There won¡¯t be anything around because it¡¯s nighttime, but it¡¯s still a night in the capital city, so it¡¯s worth seeing.¡± He ims she can even walk around as a person. Amelie was very curious about his intentions. Serwin was aware of Amelie¡¯s question, but he had nothing to say. He could have irritated her even more if he had said something inappropriate. As a result, Serwin chose to ask first. ¡°Don¡¯t you like it? If you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll do it alone¡ª¡± ¡°No!¡± Amelie responded quickly. She couldn¡¯t pass up the chance to proudly tour the capital with Serwin¡¯s help. ¡°I¡¯d like to go. Let¡¯s go together. What should I be preparing? Do you want to go to the bedroom?¡± Amelie took a step forward, as if Serwin¡¯s words would change. Serwin appeared to be dragged by her as she held his hand. Amelie¡¯s grip on the hand opposite her was exceptionally strong. Her boundless energy was transmitted through her hands. Serwinughed because it was strangely funny. Many people who were watching both of them turned to stone. The Emperor burst outughing! He wasn¡¯tughing to mock or pretending tough, he justughed! As if he were a human being! People stood nkly for a while, trying to decide whether they could see clearly with their own eyes or not, they hurriedly followed after the two of them had moved away for a long time. ****** Amelie and Serwin are ready to go to bed separately. Because Serwin should not be known to have left the pce, the two nned to pretend to be asleep and sneak out. Milena spoke quietly to Mrs Enard and Charlotte, who were tidying up the bedroom and helped Amelie in putting on her pajamas. ¡°I brought clothes for you to wear in the bedroom and to go out. Because it¡¯s my clothes, it¡¯s just a regr dress, but I think it¡¯d be better for you if you went out. Nobody will notice if one of my clothes is missing.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Milena didn¡¯t overlook anything, so she was trustworthy. Amelie asked her questions honestly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with His Majesty all of a sudden?¡± Serwin had either double- or triple-blocked Amelie¡¯s leave from the pce. He had no idea Amelie had never tried to go out. But she wasn¡¯t expecting him to tell her to go outside first. It was unimaginable. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know because the opponent is His Majesty but¡ª¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s trying to cheer you up?¡± ¡°Ey, His Majesty wouldn¡¯t do that!¡± It¡¯s not anyone else, it¡¯s Serwin. ¡°Consider whether your opponent is not His Majesty. You stated that His Majesty would cause you stress during the day. So, in situations like this, a normal person would try to make you feel better. Especially if they feel sorry.¡± ¡°But it is His Majesty, not anyone else. Will he feel bad?¡± ¡°¡­.No, I don¡¯t think so. You¡¯re right.¡± Milena abruptly rescinded her im. ¡°Whatever the reason is, have fun. It¡¯s your first time looking around the capital.¡± Amelie agreed with a nod of her head. Serwin¡¯s motives didn¡¯t matter to her right now. She was ecstatic to be leaving the Pce. ****** Serwin and Amelie were the only ones in the parlor. The two went into the bedroom, turned off the lights, changed into outdoor clothes, and left the room. Amelie transformed into a rabbit and ran around in Serwin¡¯s arms. She wished she could turn into a rat small enough to fit in his pocket, but she couldn¡¯t. Serwin hugged the soft, hot rabbit and drove his horse to the edge of the pce. Thanks to a wide-bodied cape, no one knew he was hugging a pink rabbit while riding with such a scary face. When Serwin tied the horse to a deserted alley, Amelie immediately returned into human form. ¡°Shall we go?¡± Amelie dly held Serwin¡¯s hand as he reached out for hers. Apletely different environment emerged from the deadly quiet alley. It was in the shape of arge square. Yellow magic lights lit up the road, and people strolled leisurely along it. The buildings surrounding the square had a variety of styles, which gave a rough idea of when the building was constructed. The Imperial pce¡¯s history was reflected in the Empire¡¯s capital. There were no proper cities or countries on the continent until the first Emperor defeated the disaster. As a result, the capital was the continent¡¯s first city. People¡¯s lives have changed over time. The appearance of the capital has also changed, but there are still many traces of the past. The road from the square to the church building, in particr, felt like a historical site. ¡°It¡¯s night, but it¡¯s also crowded and bright! There are stores that are open.¡± Amelie cast a nce around her head. Business was brisk on the first floor of each building, and street vendors could be found in a variety of locations. ¡°I¡¯m telling them to keep the lights onte at night, even if no one is around. This is the capital¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°Aha, that¡¯s symbolic.¡± Amelie walked admiringly toward the square. She felt as if she were walking through a medieval European city. The pce was also gleaming, but the square was even more impressive because people¡¯s footprints were still visible. Amelia¡¯s mouth dropped open in admiration. ¡°Your Majesty, that man has blue hair.¡± What exactly do you mean, natural blue hair? Nobody in Dehaim has that color of hair. In Korea, it was the same. Amelie was reminded once more that she was in a fantasy world. ¡°I¡¯m guessing he¡¯s from the North. Blue hair ismon in the North.¡± Serwin replied with a sour face. Because he didn¡¯t like the way Amelie looked at another man. In any case, Amelie was distracted enough to look around. ¡°Look at that, Your Majesty! It¡¯s a wizard.¡± Following her gaze was a wizard who performed tricks. The stringed instrument he was ying made a cheerful sound, and small petals fluttered. It was amon sight for new wizards when they first started earning money. The people of the capital passed by him without a nce. But Amelie stopped walking and watched his magic. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen magic before.¡± ¡°You use it yourself.¡± ¡°What I use is witch magic. The wizard¡¯s magic is different! It¡¯s amazing that he can use such beautiful magic.¡± Is it amazing? Serwin saw the petals fluttering in a sour way. Whenpared to the Imperial wizards, who only demonstrated useful magic, such useless magic was refreshing. ¡°That¡¯s different.¡± ¡°Right? I think it¡¯s a good idea.¡± The two resumed their walk. Amelie waved Serwin¡¯s hand around, pointing to anything that piqued her interest. What was so strange and admirable about her was that she frequently stopped in her steps. She was able to see everything in the square because of him. Serwin was more interested in Amelie than in the scenery. She was amazed by the trash cans on the road as any tourist would be. Even if Serwin told her it was a trash can, all she could think was, ¡®the trash can is pretty!¡¯ Serwin was always in working spirit as he walked to and from the square. He¡¯d usually look around the square for any ominous signs, and he¡¯d asionally pass through the alleyways and into the pubs to hear the story of a strange drunkard. Is there any neglect in city management, whether people are livingfortably, or if anything absurd happened? Everything in his vision appeared to be a job. He had never considered this street to be beautiful or cool. But as he followed her gaze, the familiar cityscape began to change. ¡®Was there something like this here?¡¯ In keeping with Amelie¡¯s rhythm, he also looked at the city as a traveler, not as a manager. ¡°Let¡¯s go over there!¡± Amelie was excited when Serwin took it well. Amelie and Serwin walked as far as they could, watching or talking to each other. He smiled brightly despite the strange scenario. ****** The time to return came quickly. ¡®I¡¯m going to have to rebuild the broomstick. I can go as far as I want with it.¡¯ Amelie consoled herself in this way, but she felt bad. Because there was a significant difference between sneaking out and going out with Serwin. Amelie bravely asked, looking up at his side. ¡°Do you oftene out of the Pce, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Sometimes?¡± He looked down at Amelie with a sly grin. It was because the question¡¯s intent was obvious. ¡°Why do you ask? Do you want me to bring you back next time?¡± ¡®Anyway, he¡¯s a quick learner!¡¯ Amelie nodded sincerely. Chapter 32 ¡°I can¡¯t do my job if you¡¯re here. But I¡¯ll be right back with you next time.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you could work?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t work, but it¡¯s fun. Walking around with you.¡± ¡°Well, if you say so¡ª¡± Amelie replied calmly, but her cheeks were already flushed. She must have assumed he couldn¡¯t see because it was so dark, but even darkness couldn¡¯t keep Serwin¡¯s eyes from seeing. As he looked at Amelie, who was shy, he burst outughing. The sound of pleasantughter echoed lowly through the alleyway. Amelie¡¯s face flushed slightly. ¡°Do you want me to take you on a tour of the capital? Choose a location where you want to go. I¡¯m only able to go at night.¡± ¡°¡ªYour Majesty, why are you being so kind today?¡± Is this Serwin? Amelie raised her eyebrows at Serwin, suspicious. ¡°Am I nice?¡± ¡°Indeed. Really! It doesn¡¯t seem like Your Majesty!¡± ¡°¡­.Is this the timing to ask, ¡®What am I like?¡¯¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke around.¡± Serwin even cracks jokes. Amelie¡¯s vignce increased. Serwinughed as he ruffled Amelie¡¯s hair. ¡°If you¡¯re grateful then the next time you¡¯re upset, don¡¯t hide under the bed¡ª Make it under a dust-free table if possible.¡± ¡°What?¡± Serwin finished what he was saying and strode forward. ¡°No way, you¡¯re not trying to cheer me up, are you¡ª?¡± Serwin did not respond and continued walking straight ahead. Despite her embarrassment from recalling her tantrum, Amelie was convinced that Milena¡¯s guess was correct. ¡®Oh my, Oh my goodness! Serwin is concerned about other people¡¯s feelings!¡¯ Amelie felt like she just learned something huge. She was in shock until she went to bed. ****** The next day, the sun shone brightly as usual. Serwin and Amelie exchanged secret nces when the servants asked about the two secretly leaving the Pcest night. Amelie decided to spend the day making potions after Serwin left. Amelie made an excuse saying she needed to lie down after lunch because she was feeling ill. Recognizing her true intentions, Mrs Enard exited the room, bringing both maids with her, stating that she would be next to Amelie and telling her to rx. Amelie, who was alone in the room, shut the door. ¡®Feel so good!¡¯ Amelie was thrilled, banging on the window and whispering. ¡°Did you arrive?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Milena, who was squatting on the terrace, entered the room quickly. She had taken a leave of absence on purpose in order to get Amelie the ingredients for the magic pill. ¡°What should I do, I¡¯m sorry for interrupting your holiday?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine because there¡¯s nothing to do at home. Instead, I¡¯d like to watch you make magic pills.¡± ¡°Are you going to be alright?¡± Amelie was a little unsure. Amelie epted her request because she couldn¡¯t send her back with just the ingredients. Milena then excitedly took items from her bag. ¡°Like what you asked for. Lard, sunflower seed oil and plums.¡± ¡°You purchased everything. Thank you very much.¡± ¡°All of them are easy to get. I was surprised to discover that the ingredients were moremon than I had expected. I was under the impression you were going to use frog intestines.¡± ¡°I sometimes use that as well, but the basic medicine for flying in the sky is this. That is why I use materials that are readily avable.¡± Amelie took her brown bag from under the bed. Then she opened the bag and unlocked the lock. It contained materials for the creation of magical pills. She packed everything her grandmother used in her bag so she could make any magic medicines she wanted. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d make it next to the bed?¡± Amelie nodded her head. The bedside is the most sequestered part of the bedroom, and when the curtains were drawn, it wasn¡¯t easy to see from the door. Of course, there were issues like venttion being difficult because the window there was too small, and that a fire had to be made next to the cloth curtains, but she had to overlook it because not being detected was the top priority. ¡°Can I help you?¡± When Milena asked, Amelie shook her head. ¡°Milena, please sit there and watch.¡± ¡°I understand. ¡± Amelie confidently raised her hand as Milena sat in a chair by the other window. Her fingers gestured to the brown bag, and arge pot emerged from within. It appeared to be a hard and heavy pot that would be difficult for an adult man to hold onto, but Amelie was very stable. ¡®I told my brother not to exaggerate when I heard from him¡ª¡¯ It was exactly as Roen had described. As Amelie pointed, arge pot and a narrow, long table flew into the air andnded quietly. Ladles, herb boxes, and aprons all flew up andnded on the table one after the other. The preparations for the magic pill were finallypleted when Milena¡¯s purchases were ced on the table. ¡°Wow!¡± Milena gave a breathless round of apuse and admiration. ¡°Is this the start?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amelie magically poured water into the pot and set it on fire. ¡°Huh.¡± Milena, who was watching the scene, was so taken aback that she had to stop screaming. Instead, her eyes grew sorge that they looked like they were sticking out from her face. Despite theck of firewood, the fire is on the rise, and water is pouring from the air. It was amazing to be able to use magic without memorizing spells and to carry heavy objects, but it¡¯s nothing inparison to this. ¡°You really were a witch, Miss Amelie.¡± Milena murmured quietly to herself. Meanwhile, Amelie finished the book ¡®Making Magic Potions for the Little Witch.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t all that different from how she remembered it. ¡®I remember correctly.¡¯ That¡¯s great news. She could try again if she failed, but she didn¡¯t want to fail in front of Milena. ¡°What about the rest of the ingredients? Is everything ready?¡± Milena purposefully asked Amelie, trying to ease her tension. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s perfect.¡± ¡°That¡¯s incredible, by the way. I can¡¯t believe this is how flying potions are made.¡± ¡°In reality, the items Milena has been looking for are merely alternate ingredients. They strengthen the main ingredients or make them easier to eat or apply. I don¡¯t need to buy anything because I brought the main ingredients from home.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the main ingredient?¡± ¡°Flowers of Henbane and Wolf¡¯s Bane.¡± Amelie held a Henbane and a Wolf¡¯s Bane Flower in each hand, allowing Milena to see clearly. ¡°Both are poisonous nts¡ª¡± Milena¡¯s face looked pale and terrified. As Milena said, Henbane and Wolf¡¯s Bane were very well known poisonous nts. Henbane¡¯s toxicity distorts the senses, causing them to feel as if they are floating in the air and hallucinating. It was a terrible poison that, if consumed inrge quantities, would put them into aa and cause them to die. Wolf¡¯s Bane is a more poisonous herb than Henbane, and everything from the roots to the leaves to the flowers is poisonous. It was a nt that had long been used for poisoning due to its high toxicity. ¡°In the Imperial Pce, just carrying it is enough to get you executed.¡± ¡°Huh. Is that true?¡± ¡°Without a doubt! If they poison His Majesty with such a thing, they will be able to do so¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, I see¡ª¡± Amelie had a sad expression on her face. Poison must be used in witch¡¯s potion. Poisonous snake poison, white poison grass, poppy flower, poison frog eggs, and so on. Depending on how the magic pills were used, different poisons were required. In other words, it is not an exaggeration to say that poison is the core of the potion. First, witches prepare a poison by boiling it with various herbs and then casting a spell to purify the poison. Theponents of the poison are then purified and reborn as a drug with magical properties. When the poison was drained, it resembled nothing more than herbal water. It was all too natural for a witch, but it was not eptable to the general public. Poisoning the pills they¡¯ll consume ¡°Do you, for example, have any other poison?¡± ¡°Yes, the poison jars contain a lot of difficult-to-find ingredients, so I brought them from home.¡± ¡°Never tell anyone about it. You know what I mean? It¡¯s all over if you get caught.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Luckily, no one can open her bag but her. It was because there was magic protecting it. After being promised several times by Milena, Amelie started the herbal preparation. Cutting, crushing, and separating herbs is a simple process. However, if anything went wrong, the magic pill would not work properly, so attention to detail was required. The water in the pot was boiling by the end of the process. The stems of Henbane and Wolf¡¯s Bane were ced in the pot and stirred with adle. Now all she has to do is wait for the herbs toe out enough. Amelie found some time to catch her breath. ¡°Drink some tea and eat a snack.¡± Milena made tea on time and delivered it with a snack. Madeleine¡¯s with earl grey tea were today¡¯s menu. ¡°Thank you very much. Don¡¯te this way, it could be harmful if you consume the smoke.¡± Amelie appeared carrying the tea cups and madeleines. Mumbling while eating a fluffy madeleine and taking a sip of warm tea. Her appetite was stimted by the simultaneous sweetness and bitterness. ¡°Oh, yesterday,e to think of it. I was surprised as to why His Majesty was doing something he had never done before.¡± ¡°After all, what was it?¡± ¡°Milena was right. He exined that he was doing it to make me feel better.¡± Milena shook her head in disbelief. ¡°His Majesty¡ªWow, I thought it wasn¡¯t that! I wasn¡¯t expecting him to have such a human side.¡± ¡°Right? I was so surprised, I couldn¡¯t sleep at night.¡± She couldn¡¯t sleep at night because she was thinking about Serwin. She remembered the side face that was looking forward obstinately when she closed her eyes. She felt embarrassed as she looked at his side profile that could not be hidden by darkness. Her heart skipped a beat as she considered it, and she continued to toss and turn. Amelie drank the lukewarm cold tea. She then took thedle and stirred the magic potion. ¡®Let¡¯s concentrate on the potion. Focus!¡¯ Amelie focused harder on the potion to get rid of her useless thoughts. The liquid has moderately boiled down. The blue color and density are exactly as described in the book. It¡¯s going well. ¡®Now it¡¯s time to use magic!¡¯ The most important step in the creation of a magical potion was the use of magic to purify toxicity. If the magic works, it transforms into a flying medicine; if it fails, it remains a poison. Amelie concentrated her efforts, ced the flower petals in the pot, and sprinkled them with pollen. Amelie cast a spell when the toxicity of the Henbane and Wolf¡¯s Bane was at its peak. The fire then roared to life. ck water was spit out of the pot as the liquid simmered. Milena stood back simply observing. Amelie¡¯s form was barely visible as ck smoke filled the room like fog. Amelie¡¯s voice could be heard, speaking fast spells in an iprehensiblenguage. It made for a grim, yet mysterious scene. Chapter 33 The ck mist gradually turned gray, and it was soonpletely white. The mist was simply blown away by Amelie¡¯s gust of wind, and soon the white smoke wrapped around her body. Milena somehow looked unfamiliar to Amelie with her eyes looking down. ¡°Milena! Look at this. It¡¯s a sess!¡± Amelie said with a big smile. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Milena came to her senses, as if she had woken up from a dream. ¡°Did you seed?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s purple, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s a sess.¡± Milena approached the pot and peered inside. A clear, deep purple liquid was still slightly boiling in the pot. At first nce, the concoction appeared to be a magical potion with special powers entrancing anyone who looked at it. The procedure to bottle it was simple. The drug was divided into two jugs, one containingrd and the other containing sunflower seed oil. Then began the process of adjusting the liquid¡¯s concentration to make it easier to drink and apply. Then it was poured into medicine bottles after it had boiled a little more in that state. Each type had enough for 5 bottles, for a total of 10 bottles. It was satisfying to see a line of bottles full of clear purple liquid. After a small bit of testing in the room Amelie deemed the potion a sess. With just these 10 bottles the strict guards and not even the high walls of the pce could stop her. Amelie felt one step closer to true freedom. ****** Amelie gained confidence after sessfully creating the flying potions, and she challenged herself to make more magic potions whenever she was alone. She felt proud as the sessful potions piled up one by one, as if looking at a safe full of gold. Milena had already received some of the finished magic potions as a gift. If there was one thing that bothered her, it was the fact that she was deceiving Serwin. Since they had went out of the pce together, the two had grown closer. They would drink tea or wine before going to bed and talk about a variety of topics. Serwin returned with a stressed-out expression and fed Amelie a snack. The more at ease he felt with Amelie, the more guilty she felt. As a result, the newly made broomstick had not yet been able to look outside and be used. Other than the fact that Amelie was suffering from a guilty conscience, time was passing very peacefully. But the peace didn¡¯tst long. About a weekter, Amelie heard shocking news from Milena. ¡°Mrs Enard and Count Manverse came into contact.¡± Milena kept a close eye on Mrs Enard the entire time. She believed she could sell her information at any time. Milena, who was watching her every move, paid the owner of her neighbor¡¯s house to keep an eye on Mrs Enard¡¯s house. And not long ago, she got information that Count Manverse¡¯ butler had entered Mrs Enard¡¯s house. It was with a suspicious old woman. When they contacted the maid of Mrs. Enard¡¯s house through an elderly neighbor¡¯s house for more information, the maid stated that the old woman had repeatedly memorized strange spells while drugging the child. The child then stopped coughing as if cured, ate well, andughed. When the maid was surprised, the olddyughed and said she was a witch Milena said she would let Serwin know if Amelie would let her. But Amelie stopped Milena. If Serwin found out that Mrs Enard vited the order of silence, she would have died. But there was no way to leave her alone because she was bleeding just by pouring water. ¡®What if Mrs Enard dies? Who would want to take in a sick kid?¡¯ Amelie kept getting over the child. Milena said she shouldn¡¯t care because Mrs Enard was someone who wouldn¡¯t change, but in fact that was just spection. Who knows who Mrs Enard would be loyal to for the sake of her child. ¡®And that old woman. I mean, it¡¯s totally suspicious.¡¯ Amelie had never heard of any method of healing like that before. Normally when using a healing potion magic is needed for purification in the production stage, but there doesn¡¯t need to be additional chants once the potion isplete. ¡®It could be a scammer. Of course, I don¡¯t know all the magic in the world, so she could be a real witch.¡¯ If that old woman was a real witch, Amelie needed to meet her even more. If it¡¯s an older witch they might know about the disaster or about how Amelie¡¯s soul was exchanged. Even if the old woman doesn¡¯t know, she might have connections with other witches who know something. Amelie got Mrs Enard out of her room, got up and got ready to go out. She changed into the clothes she had brought from the house in the forest and took out her broom. In case of any unforeseen circumstances, she sprayed a potion at the entrance of the door. It only causes confusion for a short period of time, it is mainly used to drive away uninvited guests. The affected person forgets what they were trying to enter the room to do and goes off to do something else. After a while, Amelie opened the window, checking to see if anything or anyone was around, seeing nothing she quickly straddled her broom, readying herself to fly. Amelie kicked her foot, flying at full speed from the start, soaring rapidly into the sky. ****** Amelie flew at full speed. It wasn¡¯t hard to find Mrs Enard¡¯s house. In the tour of the city Serwin took her on, he had brought a map of the capital and showed Amelie some of the staff living quarters. It might have been difficult to remember if she had to walk to it, but there were no confusing streets in the sky. It would have been enough if she simply flew down to the same ce she saw on the map. Mrs Enard¡¯s house was a small two story house. Although it was old, it was a house that had a fairly good location in this area. ¡®She said the neighbors were watching, right?¡¯ Amelie deliberately approached the back of the house andnded on the ground. By now Mrs Enard would have been guarding the door in front of the bedroom. While Mrs Enard was away working, only a nanny, a maid and a child were left in the house. As soon as she got to the ground, Amelieid her broom in the corner and turned into an animal. This was why witches preferred broomsticks. No matter where they put it, it naturally melts in the background, so they don¡¯t have to worry about storage. Of course, it was a disadvantage that she could also forget where she put the broom if she was too careless, or even worse, someone might identally take it and use it. Amelie took a second to proudly look at her new broomstick, then jumped into the house. ¡®The house is a mess.¡¯ The outward appearance was clean. But in Amelie¡¯s eyes, the dirt was clearly visible. It was sticky under the table, and dust was rolling around in the corner of the room. She could see how roughly the maid of Mrs Enard was working. Sure enough, Amelie found Mrs Enard¡¯s maid lying on the living room sofa. She was flipping through magazines with a bored face. The child¡¯s room was on the second floor. Her room was clean, as if the maid was hired only for this one room only. The room was so clean that it could bepared to the Imperial Pce, and even then the numerous maids of the pce were on the verge of losing. In the middle of the room sat a child who looked just like Mrs Enard. She had a fairy tale book open, but it didn¡¯t look like she was reading it. Mrs Enard said her name was Ellie, right?¡¯ Amelie approached Ellie with care. Amelie heard she was 10, but she only looked about 8. Ellie was much smaller than children her age because of her long illness. Her small body was thin, and the face was pale. She had a very sickplexion on her face. While Amelie was watching Ellie, Ellie also looked at her nkly. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Amelie felt ufortable. Usually, when children see an animal, they react to it whether they like it or not. But Ellie just stared at her quietly. ¡®That¡¯s weird?¡¯ Amelie made eye contact with Ellie. Looking at the child¡¯srge pupils, her eyes were loosened. The child was not in a normal condition. Not only that, but the child¡¯s breath smelled of strange grass. Amelie felt a coldness tracing down her spine. ¡®The symptoms are simr to when someone takes a drug that¡¯s too strong. I bit her finger, but she stayed still. She doesn¡¯t feel pain, and the reaction rate is slow. What the hell did they feed this kid?¡¯ The old woman was obviously a fraud. The medicine that made the child in this state could not have been the right medicine. Mrs Enard must have been deceived by Count Manverse and the old woman. ¡®How can you pretend to be a witch and poison her¡ª!¡¯ Amelie was furious as hell. She thought she shouldn¡¯t leave this swindler alone. This was an important matter for witch safety and honor. ****** Amelie stood next to the child, waiting for the scammer toe, clenched the child¡¯s fingers, and hovered around to keep an eye on the condition. ¡®Hang in there. After I catch the scammer, I¡¯ll figure it out right away.¡¯ Purifying magic to get rid of the poison could not be used because the child¡¯s body could not stand it. Instead, there was an antidote among the magic potion she brought just in case. Amelie couldn¡¯t bear to watch Ellie in such a state and wanted to cure her right away, but then the swindler might notice the child¡¯s condition had changed and run away. After waiting for a while, she heard the voices of the maid and the old woman. The maid was delighted that the child had be very calm after the old woman came. Amelie hid in the corner of her room, holding back a thousand fires rising inside her. The old woman came into the child¡¯s room. The old woman was hunched over, fat, and covered in ck robes. Arge nose, protruding chin and gray hair were there as if she was a perfect stereotype of a witche. The old woman approached the child, nced at the child, and pulled out a ss bottle from the inside her robe. The ss bottle contained a dark green liquid. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s take the medicine.¡± The old woman brought a bottle of medicine to the child¡¯s mouth. Then, the child turned her head and resisted. It was the child¡¯s first violent reaction. Amelie couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. Amelie screamed and ran frantically towards the old woman and blew herself away. It¡¯s a little rabbit, but it¡¯s going to be a big shock if she hit it with her whole body. Kung! When Amelie¡¯s fluffy body hit the old woman¡¯s body, the old woman suddenly let the bottle slip. ¡®Evidence!¡¯ Amelie grabbed the vial with her telekinesis. At the same time, she dispelled her transformation and returned to human form. ¡°Hiik! What is this! Is there a person?¡± ¡°You swindler!¡± Amelie floated the fleeing old woman in the air and shook her hard. ¡°Kyaaak!¡± The old woman screamed. The old woman¡¯s robe came off, looked, and a gray wig fell to the floor in a shuddering heap. The old woman was a bald old man. ¡°He¡¯s not even a woman¡ª!¡± Amelie was astonished. Chapter 34 Amelie shook the swindler until she was relieved, then moved Ellie to bed, examined her condition, and gave her antidote. The con man cried and begged when Amelie looked at him after her treatment. ¡°S-save me! I did everything he ordered me to do!¡± The man trembled with fear when he realized she was a real witch. ¡°Order it?¡± ¡°Yes, indeed! I only did it because the Lord of the Nobility ordered me to! What authority do I have to refuse an order from a noble lord?¡± Jacob was the name of the con artist. An aristocrat came to him about eight days ago and said he would give him a lot of money if he did as he was told, and Jacob pretended to treat the child as he was told. Jacob¡¯s portrayal of the witch, as well as his drugging, appeared to be part of the aristocracy¡¯s n. The medicine the child was given was, as Amelie had predicted, made from a variety of narcotic drugs. The body¡¯s condition improves quickly after taking the medicine. The child¡¯s body temperature drops and there is no pain, giving the impression that she is healthy for a short time. However, as the medicine wears off, the senses be numb and dazed, as they are now. It was a dangerous drug that, if used too strongly here, could put her in aa. ¡°What a terrible human being you are!¡± Amelie was well aware of Count Manverse¡¯s intentions. He must have convinced Mrs. Enard that he could cure the child using scammers and fake potions. Mrs. Enard, who must have been exhausted by her long-term care, must have weed his potion. Did he obtain such information about her? ¡°To deceive someone who is desperate enough to put their life in danger. I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t forgive you.¡± Amelie couldn¡¯t help but be angry at Count Manverse. ¡°W-well, then I will¡ª¡± ¡°So are you! You should know that you¡¯ll spend the rest of your life in prison!¡± Amelie was troubled as to how to handle this. ¡°Ugh!¡± The child began toin of pain after the antidote was absorbed into the body and removed the drug¡¯s substance. Amelie ran over to the child and swept her back. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it hurt? Hang in there. I¡¯ll give you a medicine that won¡¯t hurt when the detox isplete. Good kid.¡± The first floor became noisy while she wasforting the child, and Mrs. Enard entered the child¡¯s room. Mrs Enard was taken aback when she saw the situation in the room. She left Milena with the back work after receiving a call that the child was dying, and when she returned home, she couldn¡¯t see where the maid had gone, and Amelie, who was supposed to be in her bedroom, was standing next to her daughter. ¡°What the hell is going on! You! What have you done to Ellie? Get off of her right now!¡± Mrs. Enard ran to Amelie. Amelie didn¡¯t want to fight with her, so she graciously backed out as Mrs. Enard requested. ¡°What the hell is this! Who the hell are you!¡± ¡°You should be angry with this scammer, not with me.¡± ¡°Scammer?¡± ¡°The witch whom Count Manverse introduced you to.¡± Amelie shook Jacob. Then he told Mrs. Enard what he had just said to her. Meanwhile, Amelie gave Ellie some energy-boosting medicine. When she checked on the sleeping child, she noticed that her breathing was steady and her temperature was normal. She didn¡¯t think she needed to be worried right now. Meanwhile, Jacob¡¯s story hase to an end. ¡°I-it can¡¯t be¡ª¡± Mrs. Enard was not easily convinced of anything. ¡°I-I¡­ I¡¯ve been careful enough¡ª¡± Mrs. Enard was famous for going to any length to cure her child¡¯s illness. There were plenty of con artists approaching her for this purpose. Mrs. Enard initially rejected Count Manverse¡¯s proposal, believing it to be a brazen tactic. Count Manverse, on the other hand, persisted in persuading her. He brought the doctor she trusted, cleverly increasing her anxiety. If it doesn¡¯t work normally, it¡¯s okay to try something a little strange. Will she pass up the opportunity to cure her child¡¯s illness because she is ufortable? She has tried every method avable to her in order to cure her child. All of the country¡¯s famous doctors were summoned to see her, and she even maderge donations to the church and was examined by priests. But no matter what she did, the child¡¯s condition worsened. Meanwhile all of her friends and family had turned away from her. It was difficult to spend every day in the bloody pce. Even with a strong back, it¡¯s difficult, and no one would hire her for anything with money. She was fine with being criticized, but she grew tired of it as her child¡¯s illness showed no signs of improvement. Hope grew further away with each passing day, year after year. The old woman who Count Manverse brought her was a new source of hope for her. The child¡¯s condition significantly improved after being treated. She didn¡¯t cough, and she wasn¡¯t in any pain. That day, the dinner was alsopletely empty. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t know it was poison¡ª The maid also said that the child is doing¡ª¡± No, it¡¯s not. The maid always said, ¡®The child is not crying and quiet. It¡¯s easy to take care of.¡¯ She was vaguely aware that the maid was bothered by the child. However, she pretended not to know because she could not get another maid at that price or leave the child alone. The child was in the same condition. Did she not notice that the child¡¯s hands remained icy and her face was pale? She wants to believe she¡¯s recovered, so perhaps she has. Finally, her indifference has resulted in this situation. She could have done better if she had paid more attention. If only she¡¯d shown more interest. Her heart was shattered by self-criticism and regret. Mrs Enard shed tears, and Amelie became weak-hearted. She couldn¡¯t say what she did was right, but she understood her position. Mrs Enard sank helplessly to the ground when Amelie ced her on it, like a doll with a broken strap. ¡°It¡¯s a potion made with the intention of deceiving. It¡¯s entirely the scammers¡¯s fault. Ellie will be fine now that she has been given the correct potion.¡± ¡°Ellie¡ª My Ellie!¡± Mrs. Enard rushed over to the child, terrified. As she stretched, she hugged her child and stroked her face. Her two eyes examined her child carefully to make sure she was not ill. However, the child¡¯s condition was better than she had expected. The colorful breathing was regr, and the face color was good. The body of her child was warm. It was nothing like when she took the medicine the scammers had given her. ¡°How¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m the real witch.¡± Mrs Enard looked at Amelie in surprise. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else to hide now that it¡¯s this way. From now on, I¡¯ll make a magic potion for Ellie. Magic potions aren¡¯t perfect, but they can help your child ovee the disease.¡± You¡¯re nning to help me? Mrs. Enard is in disbelief. ¡°I sold your information to help my child. Count Manverse now knows everything there is to know about you.¡± Amelie shrugged her shoulders. Amelie had a lot of thoughts after learning that Serwin was keeping her locked up. Is it better to obey his wishes, or is there no other option? ¡°My opinion is different from His Majesty¡¯s. It¡¯s not the best idea to keep me hidden all by myself.¡± Amelie came to the pce to fight disaster, not to fight power. Amelie came to the conclusion that she couldn¡¯t defeat the disaster by hiding behind Serwin and taking only what he gave her. If she thinks about it, she might prefer it this way. Given her timid personality, she would have quietly carried out Serwin¡¯s orders for the rest of her life. ¡°However, without shame¡ª¡± ¡°I have a lot of work to do. If you feel sorry for me, please help me a lot from now on.¡± Amelie spoke lightly. It was to ease the burden on Mrs Enard. ¡°Miss Amelie¡ª¡± Mrs Enard rose and knelt before Amelie. ¡®You ept people like me.¡¯ They would have mocked her for being stupid if it had been someone else¡¯s business when she said she would have someone who doesn¡¯t know how to sharpen a knife. When it came to her own story, however, her admiration for her kindness overflowed. Mrs. Enard raised her head to look at Amelie. The sunlight pouring in through her window shattered Amelie¡¯s cheek. It was as if Amelie had given her a halo. Mrs. Enard¡¯s eyes grew and her pupils shook slightly. The embers of hope that had been extinguished burned again. If she follows in her footsteps, the child and herself will be able to live properly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll follow only your lead, Miss Amelie.¡± Mrs. Enard bowed as deep as her head touched the ground, then kissed Amelie¡¯s robe. ******* Once things were over, Amelie climbed the broomstick to return to the Imperial Pce. As she kicked the ground hard with her two feet, her broom quickly soared into the sky. Taktak. The broomstick, which was attached to the broom¡¯s tip, mmed into the wind and made a noise. It was a tool used to keep the broom from rolling around on the ground. In fact, this broomstick was not designed to be a broomstick in the first ce. Amelie, who was considering how to punish the scammers Jacob, had turned him into a broomstick while casting a spell with her crystal magic skill. Originally, she intended to punish him by transforming him into a pig or a mouse, but if he truly repented of his sins, he could return to his original form, so Amelie decided to use him as a broomstick to her heart¡¯s content. As she climbed high enough to see a person the size of a little fingernail, Amelie turned her broom horizontally. The broom started flying towards the Imperial Pce. Her long hair fluttered in the wind as the cold wind pped her in the face. The tangled hair took a long time to untangle, but it didn¡¯t bother her at all. Everything was at her feet. The high wall did not stop her, nor did the people¡¯s gaze reach her as far as the sky. Amelie was flying alone at an altitude that most people could only dream of. It was a witch¡¯s privileges. ¡®That¡¯s right, I¡¯m a witch!¡¯ Amelie has always had good results with her magic. She rescued Sir Roen and got a reliable helper named Milena, and was able to punish a con artist who pretended to be a witch and rescue the mother and daughter from his conspiracy. And the woman who bullied her in the original book was on her side. It was all done on its own. Pride rose from the bottom of her heart. Not long ago, she thought she had to hide as a witch. However, as she went through this incident, she felt that no matter how much the Pce was ignored, she could ovee it with the power of a witch. Chapter 35 Amelie entered the room cautiously through the terrace. At this point, her confidence that surged through her heart while flying in the sky had shrunk to the size of a bean. Milena was standing by the bed when she entered the room. Because the curtains were drawn around the bed, it was difficult to notice that it was empty. Milena appeared to be guarding Amelie¡¯s side as she dozed off. ¡°Milena.¡± ¡°Miss Amelie!¡± Milena jumped on Amelie. She could tell what was going on when she saw Mrs Enard go home in a panic and Amelie was not in the room. She wanted to follow Amelie right away, but then she was forced to protect the bedroom because someone would notice her absence. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how the time flew by. My throat is thirsty¡ª¡± ¡°Has no one evere?¡± ¡°A maid came, but she said something strange in front of the door and then left.¡± ¡°It must have been the magic potion that causes confusion. It was a good idea to n ahead of time.¡± Despite the fact that she had been gone for quite some time, no one had any doubts about her absence because she had always been so quiet. Furthermore, the magic potion sprayed on the door proved useful. Amelie exined what happened at Mrs Enard¡¯s house in detail, as well as the identity of the swindler. Milena sighed sullenly after hearing the story. ¡°It¡¯s the best result yet, so much so that all the hard work has been worth it.¡± Milena believed Mrs Enard¡¯s oath was sincere. She kissed the hem of her robe while kneeling and lowering her body to the floor. It was the most solemn oath a servant could ever take to serve their master. Sir Roen, Milena¡¯s brother, made the same vow as Serwin¡¯s knight. Mrs Enard, who had spent her entire life working in her imperial pce, could not dismiss the significance of the act, even though she was not a knight. Milena had a rough idea as to why the selfish Mrs Enard suddenly swore allegiance to Amelie. Mrs Enard¡¯s dire circumstances made her wary of being exploited so she did not trust others easily.However, because she is still human once she has faith in her environment and her master she¡¯ll feel safe, and will give herplete trust. In exchange for a potion, Amelie was free to use Mrs Enard however she pleased. Mrs Enard would have done anything Amelie told her to do if the potion was proven to work. Amelie, on the other hand, refused to use her in exchange for her potion. Her heart was driving her to save the innocent child at any cost. As a result, she discovered the Count Manverse¡¯s evil plot and was able to save both the child and mother. Amelie¡¯s motivation was pure good faith, which would have given Mrs Enard confidence. Mrs Enard was also yed by Count Manverse. That anger wouldn¡¯t go away easily, and she¡¯d be wary of the nobles. As Mrs Enard felt that nobles were filthy and duplicitous, Amelie¡¯s good will became increasingly valuable in her eyes. ¡®I had no idea Count Manverse would do something like this¡ª but this time I was too narrow-minded.¡¯ Milena had only considered making a deal with Mrs Enard in exchange for the potion. She never considered helping a sick child. Is she now a noble who only resembles herself? Milena had ignored Mrs Enard¡¯s desperation and only sought to use it against her. Mrs Enard may have been influenced by Amelie¡¯s kindness, just as her brother¡¯s situation influenced her. Milena regretted her hasty decision. ¡°I won¡¯t stop Miss Amelie from doing anything from now on. But you have to mention it in advance, so I cane up with a solution! When I think about what really made me nervous today¡ª¡± Regret is regret, nagging is nagging. Milena had been nagging for quite some time. Because she was guilty, Amelie only nodded gently at her words. ****** Mrs Enard returned the next day. She mentioned that the antidote was sessful and that the child was fine. It was a peaceful day, as if yesterday¡¯s events had been a lie. After a more sumptuous lunch than usual, Amelie decided to create a secret location and began wandering around the pce trying to find a hiding ce. She couldn¡¯t possibly continue to make magic pills by the bed after all. However, the n was canceled shortly after noon when Serwin unexpectedly returned. In the garden, a tea table was set up. Amelie looked Serwin in the eyes quietly. Serwin had a dark expression on his face. Because he was under a lot of stress, he felt like he was going to explode right away. Amelie wasn¡¯t the only one who noticed he felt this way, and there was an odd tension in the garden. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with you?¡¯ Serwin had been the same as usual until this morning. She wondered if he knew about yesterday and his anger had suddenly risen to the top of his head so he came to visit her. ¡®I didn¡¯t get caught yesterday, did I?¡¯ Amelie wiggled her fingers beneath the table. Her stomach felt tense. She reminded herself that it was impossible for her to deceive people. Even when the other person didn¡¯t say anything, her feet were numb. She was skeptical at the same time. ¡®Why do I have to do this?¡¯ She said she¡¯d go where she wanted to go with her own feet, but she had to shake like a sinner. Isn¡¯t it Serwin who was actuallymitting a crime? Detention and surveince were a serious crime. Besides, she didn¡¯t promise Serwin that she would not leave the pce or use magic. This was, by any stretch of the imagination, far too absurd. ¡®Let¡¯s protest.¡¯ Amelie tried to bring it up. But Serwin was a step faster. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Amelie¡¯s eyes widened in response to Serwin¡¯s unexpected question. Serwin directed his finger to the dishes on the table. There were some unusual items on the table. It was a concave te, but it was made of ss, so she could see right through it. They covered the bottom with finely ground ice and cut raw yellow fruit into small pieces. Then they thered cold cream on top of the fruit, and the cold ice caused the golden syrup on top of the cream to harden and sparkle. For some more color, a small amount of gold powder was sprinkled on top of the white cream, and an unknown green grass decoration was hung. Despite the fact that it was the first time this dessert was presented, Amelie recognized it right away. It was the dessert she was talking about thest time she went out to the Imperial Pce with Serwin. It was something she said as someone carrying fruit passed by, as she seemed to recall. It was more luxurious than the one in her memory, it was certainly made by the chef of the Imperial Pce after Serwin remembered her words. ¡®Ugh. This makes me feel more guilty¡ª!¡¯ Amelie couldn¡¯t pick up the spoon because she felt guilty. Serwin picked up a spoon and scooped some fruit and cream and took it to Amelie¡¯s mouth, apparently misunderstanding the look on her face. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Amelie epted it hesitantly. The inside of her mouth quickly cooled, and the cream quickly melted. The soft sweetness of cream wrapped around her tongue. When she bit into the flesh of the fruit the strong scent and sweetness mingled with the cream¡¯s vors. ¡®It¡¯s delicious!¡¯ Amelie¡¯s expression brightened. Serwin scooped up another spoonful of dessert and ced it in front of Amelie¡¯s mouth. Amelie tried to im that she, too, had her hand, but when she saw Serwin¡¯s expression soften slightly more than the first time, she quietly opened her mouth. One bite, two bites, three bites. The more Amelie ate, the more Serwin¡¯s face began to rx gradually. The earlier tension had calmed down by the time she had finished her bowl. ¡®You¡¯re not mad at me, you¡¯re just here to relieve your stress?¡¯ Serwin would frequently appear with an expression that looked close to exploding in anger, and then would randomly feed Amelie snacks and return to the pce. This time was no exception. She felt numb for no apparent reason. ¡®Phew, people can¡¯t live with sin.¡¯ She was nervous for no reason and felt relieved that it hadn¡¯t devolved into chaos. ¡®That¡¯s what lying people feel.¡¯ Serwin returned to the Imperial Pce after the dessert bowl had been emptied. Amelie, on the other hand, remained and didn¡¯t know how to leave. ¡®Do I have to stay this anxious?¡¯ Lying and deceiving others waspletely out of character for her. Furthermore, she came to the pce to fight the disaster, not to be kept in a cage like a pet bird. ¡®I¡¯m busy trying to figure out a way to defeat the disaster and I can¡¯t even go out by my own will¡­ It¡¯s my duty to defeat it.¡¯ However, Serwin refused to let her go out, no matter what she said. It was due to the fact that it was dangerous outside. She is aware that he appreciates her. He does a lot of things to show that. Amelie, on the other hand, was unable to fulfill her original purpose of visiting the Imperial Pce as a result of this overprotection. Of course, Amelie was well aware that she had acted untrustworthy in the past, hiding from him in her bird form and running away. However, detention and surveince could not be justified. Amelie sat back and waited for Serwin to exin the situation. She was aware she was locked up, but she had trusted his judgment for everything he kept secret from her. ¡®I¡¯m not going to do that anymore.¡¯ Amelie has decided. ¡®You¡¯ll believe me if I show you what I¡¯m capable of! I haven¡¯t been simply standing still in the meantime!¡¯ ¡°Mrs Enard, Milena. Please get ready to go out. I¡¯m going to run away.¡± ¡°Run away?¡± ¡°To where?¡± ¡°To Serwin¡¯s office!¡± Amelie eximed bitterly. The reaction to Amelie¡¯s deration was different. Mrs Enard opened her eyes round, and Milena touched her forehead. ¡°Then His Majesty will know everything!¡± Running to the man who locked her up and saying,¡®I can escape!¡¯It was a decision that made no sense to the two people who knew that the work behind the scenes was unknown to their King. ¡°I¡¯ve made my decision. I don¡¯t want to deceive His Majesty any longer, and I don¡¯t want to be cruel to Him.¡± Amelie was unwavering in her belief. ¡°If Miss Amelie means that, I¡¯ll help you.¡± The two agreed quickly. Amelie is different from them. And because of that they made the decision to move for her. ¡°So, why His Majesty¡¯s office in the first ce? The Imperial Pce must be overflowing with peopleing and going.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m aiming for.¡± The quick-witted Millena and Mrs Enard quickly noticed what Amelie was after. ¡°Your Majesty is only trying to hide Miss Amelie¡¯s existence, so you¡¯re saying that you¡¯re not going to hide it anymore?¡± Amelie nodded her head. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Serwin wished to keep Amelie¡¯s existence hidden from the nobles. That¡¯s why he had her locked up here. But what if Amelie shows up at Serwin¡¯s office and shows her presence? Everyone who visits the Pce will know Amelie, and Serwin will no longer be able to hide her. Showing Serwin what she¡¯s capable of, making him unable to hide her, and getting revenge on him for deceiving her. It was a n aimed at many things. ¡°So you have to decorate me so that I can be seen from 100 meters away.¡± So when people get home after working three days overtime, they¡¯re like,¡®Huh? Who is that woman?¡¯It should be enough to make them turn around. ¡°Leave it to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make them see Miss Amelie.¡± Mrs Enard and Milena went right to work. They took out all of Amelie¡¯s best clothes, matched the essories, and had a heated discussion about makeup and hairstyles. She doesn¡¯t have to be concerned if she simply aims for something that stands out. All she has to do is keep her chin up and put on some sparkling jewels. ¡°This is the first time Miss Amelie appears in public. It should be eye-catching and colorful, but not tacky or vulgar.¡± ¡°Besides, Miss Amelie is stunning. Then it may appear to be a simple task.¡± The two veterans did their best to meet all of these requirements. Amelie became a cid doll in the face of their passion. If they tell her to wear it, she would. And if they want to take it off, she would take it off. All of the decorations are finally finished after a long andborious process. ¡°Perfect.¡± ¡°When the main ne and the color of the makeup didn¡¯t match, I thought it was ruined, but Mrs Enard¡¯s skill in fixing it impressed me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve learned a lot from Milena¡¯s young sense.¡± Mrs Enard and Milena sped hands as they observed their work. Amelie smiled awkwardly between the two of them. ¡®Have I been doing it wisely¡ª?¡¯ She was getting tired of their attention to detail and enthusiasm, but when she looked in the mirror, she couldn¡¯t help but admire herself. It was morous but not overdone, and it didn¡¯t appear light. It was ideal for dealing with difficult situations. Every time she moved, her white dress, which came up to her cor, fluttered. The elegant gleam of the Sendelian fabric wrapped around Amelie¡¯s slim figure. Amelie¡¯s fresh and lovely look waspleted with smallced ribbons and red flower embroidery the size of pinky nails. Her pink hair was styled in a variety of ways, and her ears were adorned with finger-sized yellow jewelry that revealed a dainty earlobe. The preparation is nowplete. Mrs Enard and Milena were on either side of Amelie as she walked proudly toward the front door. ******* Charlotte and the maids were confused as Amelie, who had never left the pce, made her way to the main gate with a determined expression. Mrs Enard was supervising the pce and taking orders directly from Serwin. Her staying still meant that Serwin¡¯s orders came unknown to them. Everyone agreed with Charlotte and began to quietly follow in Amelie¡¯s footsteps. Amelie¡¯s appearance stunned the knights guarding the main gate, who blocked the door. ¡°I¡¯m going to see His Majesty!¡± Amelie dered proudly. The knights were perplexed to see both maids following in Amelie¡¯s footsteps. Taking advantage of the pause, Milena and Mrs Enard persuaded them by saying that they couldn¡¯t allow His Majesty to wait. Amelie passed by the knights as they couldn¡¯t get in the way any longer. However, just in case, half of the knights guarding the pce joined Amelie¡¯s group. It was mostly for surveince and confirmation, but to those who were unaware of the situation, Amelie appeared to be escorted by the knights. Amelie¡¯s outing became more legitimate after her entourage was joined by the Knights. Charlotte and a few others escaped from the group in the middle to share the news, but no one knew. ¡®Who, ha, hoo, ha. It¡¯s all right. He¡¯s not going to kill me right?¡¯ Amelie¡¯s heartbeat quickened as she approached the Imperial Pce. Because the Imperial Pce is the Imperial Estate¡¯s focal point, more and more people were being encountered. As Amelie had hoped, everyone was paying attention to her. Amelie stood out brightly between the servants and the Knight¡¯s. There was no separate preparation because there were so many people roaming the Imperial Pce. As Amelie entered the lobby, everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to her. ¡°Which family is this Lady from?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. This is my first time seeing her.¡± ¡°Me, too. I wouldn¡¯t have forgotten if I¡¯d ever met such a Young Lady.¡± Amelie was lovely enough to talk to about at least once. There are people who don¡¯t know who she is, and there are people who do. It was the people who knew that the pce where Mrs Enard worked was the pce Serwin visited every night. ¡°She¡¯s with Mrs Enard.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t she work at the pce? Do you mean she¡¯s the one who lives there?¡± ¡°Is she the one His Majesty has been keeping hidden behind his back?¡± ¡°A woman? His Majesty¡¯s woman? Not a monster but a woman?¡± They were dumbfounded. Serwin, who despises all humans equally regardless of gender, had a woman by his side, which was surprising. Furthermore, Amelie did not fit the stereotype of a Tyrant¡¯s lover. A woman who has melted the heart of a tyrant, shouldn¡¯t she have a fatal charm like she is so beautiful that she will p them and make them want to waste their life? Amelie appeared to be kind and sweet, but she was far from a fatal beauty. ¡°Would it be different if I looked closer? I want to see it up close!¡± ¡°Someone talk to me.¡± The buzz grew louder and louder. The atmosphere gradually drew people into the lobby. The greater the number of people who saw her, the better. Amelie adjusted her pace as she nced past them. On the outside, she exuded toughness, but on the inside, she remained silent. Her heart was pounding as it jumped excitedly, but her natural timid personality wasn¡¯t going anywhere. Serwin appeared at the end of the stairs to the second floor, which relieved her tension. ¡®Ugh, that¡¯s Serwin.¡¯ His appearance brought back memories of the first time they met. He resembled the God of Death. Serwin was working in his office when Amelie arrived at the Imperial Pce. He wasn¡¯t paying attention because he was holding his pen and a document. In the morning, Baron Avery carefully reported. Since the Marquis Lewin mentioned Count Manverse and that Count Manverse had been making suspicious moves. Baron Avery expected it to be about the tax Count Manverse embezzled while Serwin was away. Looking back on the situation, Baron Avery was correct. ¡®What is Amelie doing?¡¯ Serwin was worried about her. She seemed to be doing well, but she also seems to be losing energy these days. ¡®Should we go out of the pce together like we didst time?¡¯ That night, he remembered her bright smile. Serwin, on the other hand, drew a frown on his brow. Recently, there has been a persistent move for others trying to pry into Amelie. Going out was not a good idea in this situation. ¡®I have to be more cautious, especially if Marquis Lewin is involved.¡¯ The Marquis Lewin will try to harm what he values. Serwin was gripped by a strong sense of unease. This morning¡¯s unnned meeting between Serwin and Amelie was also a relief. He was relieved to see her doing well in the pce. When he returned to the Imperial Pce, however, there was a new sense of anxiety. He wanted to make sure she was safe in front of him by holding her hand. But he wasn¡¯t able to do that. Serwin¡¯s great empire would be destroyed if he does not take care of it every second of every minute. Work umtes as other work is processed, and if he even slightly deviates from the schedule, something goes wrong. Serwin felt as if he had been stuck on a chain for the first time in a really long time. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ As if in response to a swear word,ughter echoed in his ears. Serwin raised his head and took a look around the office. His aides were working hard. These cowards who couldn¡¯t evenugh at him because they couldn¡¯t even breathe. It was theugh of the disaster. [Grab your sword.] The disaster whispered in his ear during that time. Serwin¡¯s hand turned to the hilt. [Kill them all. Simple, right?] The hilt was cold and hard. The touch was so unfamiliar. It was because he got used to Amelie¡¯s small, warm hands. ¡®I almost got swayed again.¡¯ Upon returning to the pce, the disaster began to perk up again, as if it had been quiet. His territory was the Imperial Pce, where disaster had lived for a thousand years. He didn¡¯t lose himself to it only because of Amelie, but if he doesn¡¯t get his act together, the disaster¡¯s words will sway him. [Oh, you¡¯re so naive. If you truly care about that little witch, you must punish them right away to avoid danger. Howe you don¡¯t realize it¡¯ll be toote when you wake up?] His ears were scratched by augh. ¡®Shut your mouth.¡¯ He¡¯s been swayed by disaster a few times when he couldn¡¯t stand provocation. Even so, it was a close call. ¡®How can I hide her from the nobles more perfectly?¡¯ It was terrifying to think that the despicable nobles were after Amelie. He couldn¡¯t bear the thought of bringing her to the pce. The sound of disasterughter rang out in the air. Then a servant entered the office. ¡°Miss Amelie hase to the Imperial Pce.¡± ¡°What?¡± He rushed out of the office. It was easy to find her. Because a girl in a white dress with red embroidered clothes was right in front of him. Amelie was so adorable that anyone would be caught off guard. ¡®Who sent her here? Dressed like that, what are they trying to achieve?¡¯ Anger erupted the moment Amelie was discovered. Dressed to stand out. She made it clear that she intended to inform the Imperial Pce of her existence. It was clear who she was aiming her message at. The lobby fell silent when Serwin appeared, the many people gathered in the lobby all looked at him at the same time. ¡®Everyone¡¯s afraid of Serwin.¡¯ He was the only one who stood without saying anything. Amelie stared at Serwin with her eyes wide open. His dissatisfaction was visible on his face. She paused for a moment before cing her feet on the steps, as if she had made up her mind. Chapter 37 ¡®Do you realize people will be scared to see you like that?¡¯ Even she was scared, she had even forgotten to breathe. However, if she retreated from here, she could only back into the people who followed her. One step, two steps. Little by little, the two grew closer. Serwin opened his mouth and reached out as they became close to each other. ¡°What is this all about?¡± Amelie made eye contact with Serwin as he growled. It was frightening enough to make her choke, but there was also a strange defiant feeling that made her obstinate. It can¡¯t be this way. ¡°I¡¯m running away.¡± ¡°Running away?¡± Serwin was dumbfounded. ¡®You came out on your own two feet? Not dragged out, or by a conspiracy?¡¯ The pce where Amelie stayed was the safest ce to be for her. She only needs to be still. Why is sheing out here? What is it that she is so dissatisfied with? Serwin had no idea what was going on. ¡°Your Majesty has been watching me and locking me up! I can¡¯t take it any longer! That¡¯s why I¡¯m running away!¡± ¡°So you¡¯re leaving me?¡± With a non-sound, the audience froze. Those who knew of Serwin¡¯s cruelty were terrified before he even lifted his sword. Amelie, on the other hand, did not seem to be scared. It was because she was certain Serwin would not harm her. She corrected Serwin¡¯s misunderstanding by widening her eyes. ¡°Of course I¡¯m not! Why am I leaving? Get out of the way. I have to go to Your Majesty¡¯s office.¡± ¡°Office?¡± ¡°Yes, my runaway ce is Your Majesty¡¯s office!¡± What are you talking about? ¡°Are you running away to my office?¡± Serwin was dumbfounded. He did not be angry when faced with bewildering situations that he could not understand. His anger subsided quickly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Huh¡ª¡± ¡°I ran away to protest the absurd treatment from arade who is in the same boat as me. Can you please move out of the way? Your office is where I¡¯m going to!¡± Serwin was dumbfounded. What exactly does this mean? Are there any humans that try to escape the tiger¡¯s den by walking into the tiger¡¯s mouth? ¡®What on earth is she thinking?¡¯ He doesn¡¯t remember thest time he was caught off guard like this. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to catch me by surprise, it was a sess. That¡¯s amazing.¡± Serwin burst outughing. The audience held their breath and widened their eyes as if they were witnessing a ghost. ¡®His Majesty isughing.¡¯ ¡®Oh, my God, the day I live to see the Emperorugh.¡¯ Hisugh was more despondent or sarcastic than joyful. But the fact that heughed was too much for the onlookers or Amelie to bear. Amelie¡¯s shoulders tensed as she noticed his smile. But she wasn¡¯t the one to back down in this situation. ¡®I must do something.¡¯ ¡°Wow, I¡¯m d I seeded.¡± Amelie shed a bright smile, pretending to show off. Serwin¡¯s brow now became severely distorted. ¡°Amelie!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t shout. Your Majesty, don¡¯t you think there are a lot of eyes? We still have a long talk ahead.¡± Amelie walked up the stairs, past him. Serwin¡¯s eyes were drawn to the crowds of onlookers swarming in the lobby as she stepped behind him. Serwin¡¯s stomach twisted. News of Amelia¡¯s presence will spread through the pce from this point forward. He wanted to cut out all of those eyes. Who do you dare to look at? In ordance with his murderous instincts, he searched for a sword. Amelie turned her head at that point. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± It was a soft call, but it was enough to wake him up. Serwin regained hisposure. However, the murderous feeling did not go away. ¡®Not yet.¡¯ The conversation with Ameliees first. Serwin followed Amelie to the office. ******* Serwin¡¯s office was ced in the middle of the second floor. When Amelie and Serwin arrived, the aides on duty looked at her with curious eyes. Kwang! Serwin kicked the desk. ¡°Get out.¡± The aides shivered as they stood up. The room was filled with the fear that began to exude from them. Amelie looked back at the aides, unable to breathe from nerves and ebbing away as swift as a tide. Amelie, like them, wanted to leave the room. ¡°Sit down.¡± Serwin gave the order. She wanted to argue about how the order was given, but Amelie sat still. It was because Serwin¡¯s voice sounded like hell. ¡°You drew people¡¯s attention. All the nobles will now dig up your history and try to get rid of you. That¡¯s the kind of situation I wanted to avoid at all costs.¡± Serwin gave a wry smile. He didn¡¯t hide the fact that he was both angry and impatiently waiting for her exnation. ¡°You¡¯ll have to have a good reason to disobey my orders.¡± Amelie clenched her fists on her knees. Amelie¡¯s neck was shed by his sharp de-like gaze. She remembered the first time she met him in the Deheim mansion. Cold golden eyes that cause her to lose her fighting spirit just by looking at them. Serwin had been very gentle with Amelie, she had noticed. In the face of his anger, his dignity and judiciousness as the Emperor in the Imperial Pce quickly faded. However, backing down was not an option for Amelie. Amelie looked Serwin in the eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to do this from the start. When it came to Milena, I kept my mouth shut because I was afraid His Majesty would hurt her.¡± So far, Amelie has exined everything. Milena¡¯s story and Mrs Enard¡¯s story. And her feelings about going to the Imperial Pce. Serwin¡¯s expression darkened as her story progressed. It waspletely unexpected. Thinking about Milena who was always by her side, and Mrs Enard who the two worked together to win over. And he hadn¡¯t expected Count Manverse to pull such a stunt so soon either. ¡®How did the Count know about her?¡¯ If Count Manverse discovered Amelie¡¯s existence, it was expected that he would make such deals. He would choose people, arrange them around Amelie, and would probably have been able to get away with almost anything. ¡®Where did the informatione from? No, for now, let¡¯s focus on this¡ª¡¯ Serwin looked at Amelie. ¡®I mean, she did things like that without my knowledge. I thought she was reckless, but¡ª¡¯ Serwin waspletely unaware of what was going on. Every night, he couldn¡¯t find any trace of disobedience in her face. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that all this was happening, but I could have helped the child for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for deceiving you, but I couldn¡¯t keep quiet and stay in that room as Your Majesty ordered. I have a lot of work to do.¡± Amelie has repeatedly expressed her opinion. Give her something to do to help her ovee or learn about the disaster. Serwin was the one who didn¡¯t even pretend to listen. ¡°As you can see, I can go wherever I want. Your Majesty wouldn¡¯t know unless I decided to tell you. But, instead I came to your office. I¡¯m telling you everything because I don¡¯t want to lose your trust.¡± ¡°Huh? What the hell does it mean to deceive me, disobey my orders and then try to gain my trust after all that?¡± ¡°Your Majesty doesn¡¯t trust me. It seems that you think I will not be able to protect myself, I will be fooled by the nobles, and I will easily fall for temptation. That¡¯s why you locked me up and monitored me.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°So this is the method I¡¯ve chosen to prove that I am not weak enough to rely on Your Majesty¡¯s one-sided protection, and that I will also not deceive you, Your Majesty.¡± Amelie didn¡¯t have to say anything about wanting to annoy Serwin. Serwin, on the other hand, seemed to know everything. ¡°I¡¯m in the same boat as you. I don¡¯t need to be one-sidedly protected and I won¡¯t be easily swayed. I want to learn about the disaster on my own as well.¡± ¡°I told you. It¡¯s for your own safety. You don¡¯t know the Pce.¡± Amelie was annoyed by his condescending tone. ¡®You don¡¯t know the future.¡¯ ¡°I know, I saw it all in a prophecy.¡± ¡°Prophecy?¡± ¡°Yes, prophecy. I saw the future. It was the same as it was now. I was locked up, and the nobles wouldn¡¯t let me go. Mrs Enard was being threatened by Count Manverse, and she tormented me while you ignored me. Then I died miserable.¡± Amelie was upset. ¡°But I¡¯m going to make a big change. No, I¡¯m already changing it.¡± It hasn¡¯t been long since she arrived at the Imperial Pce, but a lot has changed since then. Mrs Enard¡¯s and Milena¡¯s loyalty was earned and her mistreatment at the hands of the maids was already handled all due to her own strength. ¡°¡ªDid you say you died?¡± Serwin¡¯s face became distorted. Amelie didn¡¯t say anything but her expression clearly said, ¡°Oops.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t the point, but you should know I am capable and determined.¡± Amelie said casually. That¡¯s enough; she has no idea if Serwin was the one who killed her. Serwin, on the other hand, took her prophecy more seriously than she realized. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about the prophecy?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of saying it? It¡¯s already changed a lot, so it doesn¡¯t even help.¡± Amelie purposefully avoided mentioning the original. She wanted to hide the fact that the person who killed her was likely Serwin, and that Renee, her sister, was the one who killed Serwin to avenge her. ¡®You¡¯re hiding something from me. You¡¯re not saying everything about the prophecy.¡¯ Serwin noticed that Amelie purposely omitted part of the prophecy. ¡®Why are you hiding your prophecy? What are you trying to hide?¡¯ Serwin stared into Amelie¡¯s eyes. He thought he could read her mind, but now he felt he couldn¡¯t tell what she was thinking at all. ¡®You don¡¯t believe in me either.¡¯ He first met her as a bird, and then as a human, and he was already attached to her before he found out who she really was. Serwin, who is wary of people, felt more at ease thinking of her as a pet bird. As a result, Serwin regarded Amelie as a small pet bird. ¡®I thought I could protect and control you as much as possible, but¡ª¡¯ Amelie was much more capable and able to act than he thought. Amelie seemed more distant and unfamiliar to him than ever before. ¡°I¡¯m very capable. Believe in me.¡± Amelie¡¯s gloomy voice reached his ears. Serwin then came to a realization. Anyway, if Amelie tried to hide her whereabouts, he wouldn¡¯t know anything until it was toote. And it was uneptable for an incident to happen where he couldn¡¯t find her. He¡¯d rather give Amelie her freedom to do whatever she wanted while keeping a close eye on her. If she does as she pleases, she will realize that there is nothing she can do in this Imperial pce. Amelie will then be obedient. Nothing is safer for her than obeying hismands. ¡®¡­and make her realize that it¡¯s much better to be under my protection.¡¯ Chapter 38 ¡°All right, do whatever you want. I¡¯ll let you do anything.¡± Serwin finally said. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a condition instead. I¡¯ll throw a party to officially introduce you as my guest. You said you could be on your own, correct? I¡¯m hoping you don¡¯t disappoint me at the party.¡± ¡°Yes. I like that!¡± Amelie answered without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯m not going to help.¡± Serwin said grumpyly. ¡°Yes! Don¡¯t worry!¡± Amelie smiled brightly. Serwin was confident that her smile would notst long. He thought of the future where Amelie would cry and ask for help, he expected it to be pleasant, but it didn¡¯t make him feel any better. ******* People followed her persistently until she disappeared into her pce. As if to make sure she¡¯s really going into this building. They were about to follow her inside if the knights didn¡¯t stop them at the main gate. Amelie didn¡¯t sigh until she waspletely inside the pce. ¡°Miss Amelie, please have some tea.¡± Milena brought her a cup of tea. She received a cup of tea because she was thirsty. ¡°Ugh, they¡¯re following me like crazy.¡± ¡°Things are only going to get worse in the future.¡± Mrs Enard mentioned. Amelie hated it. But she couldn¡¯t curse because she had dug her own grave. ¡°Miss Amelie, all eyes will be on you. They¡¯ll be watching everything you do. We need to find a teacher as soon as possible.¡± ¡°An etiquette teacher?¡± Amelie tilted her head. ¡°Yes, you must learn the etiquette and culture of the Imperial family from now on.¡± ¡°Do I have to do that?¡± ¡°Without a doubt! It¡¯s basic! The nobles are gossip-crazed hyenas. They¡¯ll try to bite anything. You¡¯ll be easy prey if you don¡¯t know basic manners!¡± Mrs Enard spoke passionately. ¡®There will be less time to look for information about the disaster¡ª¡¯ She wondered if she had dug her own grave too deeply this time. ¡°I¡¯ll look into the teachers. I know who the best teachers are.¡± ¡°Then please look after me.¡± Milena loosened her hair and removed her shoes while Amelie sipped her tea. ¡°We need to get ready for bed¡ª Where has Charlotte gone?¡± Mrs Enard made the maid prepare her bed. ¡°Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t seen Charlotte for a while.¡± ¡°I know. We were together until we left earlier, but she disappeared at some point, so I don¡¯t remember what happened.¡± Mrs Enard said. ¡°She must be hanging out with the knights somewhere else. That is frequently the case.¡± Milena exined. Mrs Enard agreed with her nod. ¡°I¡¯m concerned that we¡¯ll have more visitors starting tomorrow. We need to hire more maids.¡± ¡°May I also leave that to Mrs Enard?¡± ¡°Sure. Just leave it to me. I know a lot of kids who are hardworking and friendly.¡± Mrs Enard said with confidence. ****** Inside a fast-running carriage Charlotte nervously bit her lower lip. She was in a rush, was Count Manverse really that far away? She appears to have been traveling for some time, but she is only halfway there. ¡®I¡¯m not ignoring contact from Young Lady Renia!¡¯ The next empress was Renia Manverse. Count Manverse backed her wholeheartedly, and thedy, too, was trying her utmost to be Empress. Charlotte was able to get close to Renia because of her work at the Emperor¡¯s pce before serving Amelie, and she was watching Serwin¡¯s every move with interest in order to provide information for Renia well. Charlotte provided Renia with information about the Emperor, and Renia provided her with a connection to the Count. Renia¡¯s connection was greatly useful to Charlotte, a local aristocrat. However, as the workce changed, things changed. Charlotte has been ignoring Renia¡¯s contact since her workce changed. She thought Reina would ask what was in the Pce the Emperor visited every night and who he was looking after. ¡®It was the Emperor himself who ordered us to silence! We¡¯ll all die together the day Amelie¡¯s identity is revealed. I can¡¯t answer her directly, so I¡¯m forced to avoid her.¡¯ She would not have ignored Renia¡¯s contact if she had known Amelie would leave the pce on her own and reveal herself. With bted regret, Charlotte dashed to pick up the pieces. ¡®Before anything else, we need to talk about Amelie. That way, I¡¯ll be able to cover up what I¡¯ve been hiding!¡¯ Her family was aristocratic, but her father was only the second son. After her father died, she was unable to enjoy even half of what she did. As a result, she desired to marry a wealthy aristocratic man such as Count Manverse. She was also working as a maid in the Imperial pce in preparation for her marriage. Because they were well-dressed and had connections with high aristocrats and Imperial families, imperial pce maids were popr bridesmaids. If Renia¡¯swork had been included, Charlotte could have married into a better family than her own. She arrived at Manverse County after Charlotte hurried the coachman a few more times. Charlotte threw herself out and dashed to the mansion. Charlotte was led to Renia¡¯s bedroom by the Count¡¯s maid. ¡®I guess no one came before me? I¡¯m d.¡¯ Charlotte followed the maid, organizing her dress. Renia was sitting with a bored expression when she entered the room. Renia had as many as five handmaidens following her. The maid used scissors to carefully cut the ends of her hair, while another two maids, one for each hand, trimmed her nails smoothly. Charlotte looked at her longingly. Renia was adorned in the room of her mansion like a piece of ivory. She was like a finely crafted ornament that had been meticulously ground and polished. ¡°Sit down, Charlotte.¡± ¡°Yes, Young Lady Renia.¡± Despite their strict hierarchical rtionship, the two appeared to be friends. Charlotte quickly sat in the seat that Renia had been given permission to take. Renia sat across from it. ¡°Young Lady. I¡¯m here to tell you a very important story.¡± Charlotte rushed out carefully. She pondered how she would say something without hurting her feelings. ¡°Is this the story?¡± Renia smacked a small folded piece of paper in Charlotte¡¯s face. The papernded on Charlotte¡¯sp after being pped on the cheek. An ominous story passed by. Charlotte quickly opened the paper. [What the Emperor had hidden, a young woman, appeared in the Pce, assumed to be very close, and His Majesty smiled at her] ¡°This¡ª¡± ¡°You arrived here on short notice a while ago. Isn¡¯t His Majesty¡¯s lover in the pce where you work?¡± Renia appeared to have been informed of Amelie¡¯s existence before her. Charlotte was already a step behind. ¡°Young Lady, that¡¯s why I¡ª¡± p! Renia pped Charlotte across the face with her acrimonious hand. ¡°How dare you ignore me?¡± Renia¡¯s beautiful face had turned terrifying. Her green eyes were aze with rage. Charlotte was terrified of the momentum. ¡°No, not at all. What do you mean I¡¯m ignoring the Young Lady? There¡¯s no way.¡± She quickly made an excuse. ¡°His Majesty was very strict. Young Lady is well aware of what will ur if I speak with my mouth. I¡¯ve waited until I¡¯m in a position to speak, not to ignore you or anything.¡± ¡°Is that true? You¡¯ve been meaning to tell me? ¡°Of course, yes. That¡¯s why I rushed over to see Young Lady. Who dares to ignore the future Empress?¡± Charlotte added a little ttery. ¡°So now I can tell you everything without hiding it.¡± Renia smiled sweetly, as if she had never been angry. It was a quick change in facial expression, as if he were changing masks. Charlotte realized she had a chance. ¡®I can¡¯t release all the information from the beginning¡ª This is why I have to tell you everything. Whew.¡¯ Charlotte sighed inside and spilled everything she knew about Amelie. Charlotte¡¯s story ended abruptly. She only had little knowledge of Amelie, due to Milena¡¯s determination to keep everyone away. ¡°What, it¡¯s nothing like a gorgeous lover.¡± Renia defined Amelie in one word. ¡°I thought she was stunning because she was the first woman in His Majesty¡¯s eyes. Not the daughter of a local government official.¡± ¡°But His Majesty is the most sincere to her. You see, it¡¯s not just nobles who be Empress.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s not something to sit still about. My seat is next to His Majesty.¡± Renia has lived to be Empress. As a result, she was the sole candidate for Empress. It was unthinkable for an unrivaled woman to get in her way. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Charlotte asked carefully. ¡°Let us know that the social world of the Empire is not an easy ce. She had the guts to put her foot in it. She doesn¡¯t even know what her ce is, and she¡¯s stepping over into my territory? I¡¯m not going to let her get back on her feet.¡± Renia¡¯s eyes were filled with mes once more. Her lovely face had turned creepy. ¡®Oh, please don¡¯t give me a task.¡¯ Charlotte¡¯s tongue felt numb. ****** The next morning Amelie was woken up by a buzzing noise. When she opened her eyes, she was in her pajamas, lying in bed. Perhaps the maids washed her and moved her to bed while she slept. ¡®I like it. Like this.¡¯ Amelie woke up feeling extravagant. ¡°Are you up? Good morning.¡± Milena smiled and greeted her. ¡°Did you sleep well, Milena? Why is it so noisy out there?¡± ¡°Do you want to see for yourself?¡± Milena turned her eyes out of the window. Amelie stood by the window with curiosity. And she opened her mouth wide. Her pce¡¯s front yard was busier than ever. Goods were transported fromrge carts that were lined up. She couldn¡¯t see the supplies she ordered because they were packed, but the box¡¯s size and packaging were different. But they all appeared to be expensive. That wasn¡¯t the only thing. There were a lot ofdies in fancy dresses. Mrs. Enard was surrounded by them and seemed uninterested in listening to their words or managing their numerous belongings. ¡°What exactly is all of this?¡± ¡°They¡¯vee to impress you.¡± Milena exined. What happened yesterday at the Emperor¡¯s pce spread quickly by word of mouth. The Emperor¡¯s woman appeared. That¡¯s why the Empire¡¯s aristocrats flocked here at dawn to meet Amelie. Normally, knights would have blocked them from the front door, but Serwin had not stopped them and insteadmanded the knights to obey Amelie starting today. As a result, people began to gather even before Amelie awoke, and Mrs Enard arbitrarily judged them and brought them inside. It was impolite to refuse a person who had brought a gift all the way afterall. Chapter 39 ¡°No way, I don¡¯t have to meet every single one of these people, do I?¡± ¡°Yes, these are rude people that showed up without an appointment. They¡¯ll simply leave the present and return.¡± Amelie breathed a sigh of relief. She had expected this day, but she was not yet ready. Amelie decided to make a ce for making potions while Mrs. Enard dealt with the aristocrats. ¡®I can¡¯t keep making magic potions in my bedroom forever.¡¯ Magic potions had a variety of effects, including the ability to fly through the sky and the ability to heal diseases and wounds. Magic potions were imed to be the greatest witch magic in some books. The location where magic potions are prepared is just as important as the potions themselves. Every witch had enough room in their home to create magic potions. This area is referred to as the Witch¡¯s Kitchen by witches who handle it specifically. At the start of the magic book, the value of the witch¡¯s kitchen is clearly proven. The mysterious abilities of magic potions are based on their toxicity. The witch¡¯s kitchen, for example, was a testing ground for poison handling. Amelie, who lives in the pce, did not feel the need to make a Witch¡¯s kitchen. Rather, she created such a space. She was afraid of getting into trouble if she was discovered, so she packed all of the tools she had taken from home in her suitcase. However, it was now necessary to create a proper kitchen at risk. She had to keep making magic potions to keep her promise to Mrs. Enard. Grandma¡¯s witch¡¯s magic potions remained in a few bottles, which she had to save just in case. ¡®Is it here?¡¯ On the third floor, Amelie entered a room in the middle of the hallway. Because it was an empty room, all of the furniture was covered in white cloth. The amount of dust drifting in the air showed how long the room had been empty. ¡®Isn¡¯t that the stairs to the attic?¡¯ There was a narrow wooden stairway in the room¡¯s corner. Amelie found out about the attic the day after she caught the swindler. Mrs. Enard provided her with the ideal location for making magic potions. The third-floor rooms were used as storage facilities for out-of-season furniture, bedding, and essories. As a result, the loft, which had to be essed via the center room on the third floor, was out of everyone¡¯s interest. Amelie climbed all the way to the top of the stairs. Her attic was shown as she opened the little wooden door. Therge window was the first thing that attracted her eye. With a round ceiling, four arched windows are lined up side by side. Stainless steel ss, in the form of a pure purple flower, was used to embellish the windows. Outside, the sunlight shone brightly through colorful windows and lofts. ¡®It¡¯s fancy for an attic.¡¯ It¡¯s most likely the result of being aware of what¡¯s going on outside. She hadn¡¯t expected it because the location isn¡¯t even used as a warehouse, but it was a pleasant surprise. The room was the perfect size, and there was no issue with venttion. She doesn¡¯t have to worry about fire because it¡¯s an area where people don¡¯t use it. ¡®More than anything else, it¡¯s pretty!¡¯ Amelie was very satisfied with the room, and began to clean it up in earnest. She magically blew up the old dust, walked around the rooms on the third floor, and brought furniture of the right size. Starting with the necessary furniture such as shelves and bookshelves, she made magic potions and carried them with her, a fluffy sofa to breathe on, and a small, pretty tea table. She then had Milena bring a brown bag, which she filled with the tools and herbs she had prepared. Milena was enthralled by the tes strewn over the room. ¡°It¡¯s amazing how magic it is.¡± Milena admired it. She had to bite her teeth fiercely to keep her mouth open after returning all of the guests to join her. ¡°Oh my.¡± Her eyes shook uncontrobly as well. She was even more startled because she was familiar with the attic¡¯s previous appearance. ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been a few hours, and it¡¯s changed so much!¡± Mrs Enard admired the smooth floor. ¡®If there was this magic, I could keep the house clean without a maid.¡¯ The maid was also fired the day Mrs. Enard caught the swindler. It was because the house was a mess that she came to her senses. As a result, she had to do all of the housework alone until she could hire a new maid. She couldn¡¯t stand it because she was so envious of the witches right now. ¡°I envy you so much.¡± At her sincere words, Amelie burst intoughter. The chaotic herb was eventually hung on the doorknob toplete the witch¡¯s kitchen. To the lock, to the chaos, to Milena and Mrs. Enard¡¯s surveince. Even with the double-triple shield, Amelie felt uneasy, so she was determined to locate a good spell to use. ****** After lunch, Amelie visited Mrs. Enard¡¯s house. It was to examine the condition of the child. Amelie transformed into a rabbit and went into a small pic basket. Serwin told her she may go out as much as she liked, but she should keep her appearance hidden when she left the pce. Mrs. Enard left the pce by covering the basket with a cloth. Soldiers guarding the gate inspected the basket with fearful expressions for a brief moment, but they discovered a fluffy bundle of fur and smiled as they released it. Ellie, Mrs Enard¡¯s daughter, was reading in her room today. When Ellie saw Mrs. Enard, she smiled brightly. Amelie examined Ellie¡¯s face. The child was in better shape than when they had met a few days ago. Her eyes were bright, and she had a lively expression on her face. It was nothing like sitting like a doll after swallowing a swindler¡¯s drug. However, the sickness was severe, and the body was too frail to fight it. ¡°Ellie, she¡¯s going to see you today. Let¡¯s say hi?¡± ¡°Hello.¡± Ellie was not at all afraid of strangers. It was due to the fact that she had met so many doctors. Amelie drew medical supplies from her bag. The items she took were strange. A human body on parchment, a little awl, and a flower with a bright yet ominous shape. Mrs. Enard¡¯s anxiousness was revealed by a tool so unlike the typical doctor¡¯s. ¡°What is it all about?¡± With a troubled expression, Mrs Enard inquired. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a little strange, isn¡¯t it? But it¡¯s not strange in the least. I don¡¯t normally use this method, but I believe it is better to be sure.¡± Amelie patiently exined in order to calm her nerves. These tools were suspicious even to her, who was once a regr person. Witches are different from typical doctors in a few ways. ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡± Mrs. Enard hesitantly nodded when asked by Amelie. The flowers had been lit by Amelie. The mes blew up even though it wasn¡¯t even dry. The flower fluttered away from Amelie¡¯s hand, as if it had been caught in the mes. Smoke rose, both sweet and bitter. ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt.¡± Amelie pricked the tip of the child¡¯s finger with her awl. ¡°Write your name here.¡± Amelie turned the child¡¯s attention to the parchment. Despite her fear, the child wrote her names down. In the meantime, the room was thick with smoke. Amelie began chanting strange spells while floating parchment in the air. Mrs. Enard wrapped her arms around her in an unidentified chill. Her heart was filled with anxiety and fear. Amelie¡¯s body began to tremble as the chanting became louder. Fire burned the parchment at a time when the atmosphere was particrly heightened. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ck stains were left on the parchment as the mes died down. Most of the ces where the child frequentlyined of pain. ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± She checked the child¡¯s condition while she looked at the parchment. She then remembered the medical report that had been left by the doctors. Each report expressed a different perspective on the illness that the child was suffering with. Pneumonia, measles, an unknown fever, and an infectious disease. As a result, prescriptions had to be varied. It wasn¡¯t all in Amelie¡¯s eyes, though. ¡°It¡¯s Lekouf¡¯s disease.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°To put it simply, it¡¯s a disease caused by being too weak.¡± Ellie was born with Lekouf disease. The child¡¯s body was weak and often contracted other diseases. Each time, the parents brought in a famous doctor for treatment. Usually, the child can be healed of the disease and be healthy again on their own. But Ellie couldn¡¯t do that. No matter how well-known doctors were called, and no matter how good medicines were taken, they could not be healthy unless Lekouf¡¯s disease was treated. If they ignore the true cause and merely treat the symptoms, she will get another illness. And because it was difficult for a weak child¡¯s body to cope with treatment, her body had no choice but to weaken. This vicious circle repeated itself again and over. Not every one of those doctors was a fraud. The doctors¡¯ treatment was correct, and the sickness was cured as a result of their prescription. They simply didn¡¯t realize Lekouf¡¯s condition was to me for the child¡¯s illness. ¡®She would not havested long if she had left it alone.¡¯ Amelie didn¡¯t have to say what she was thinking. Mrs Enard was already giving herself a hard time. He had a pale look on her face, which she could tell. ¡°I, I don¡¯t know that. I should have paid more attention to Ellie. If so, a little faster¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s an illness that¡¯s difficult to spot. It¡¯s easy to pass by a sick child without realizing it¡¯s Lekouf¡¯s sickness. They die after that.¡¯ ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Ellie has buttered her up to this age because Mrs. Enard, you put your heart and soul into it.¡± Amelie hugged Mrs Enard and patted her on the back. ¡°Well done. Don¡¯t be so hard on yourself. It¡¯s actually better than a serious illness. I just need to make Ellie healthy.¡± ¡°Miss Amelie¡ª I, really¡ª If it¡¯s not Miss Amelie¡ª¡± Mrs. Enard couldn¡¯t say anything. She would have lost her child if she hadn¡¯t met her. She had no idea what had taken the child away from her. ¡°She¡¯ll get better quickly if you give her medicine to refill her energy and follow her treatment n. I promise. I¡¯m going to give some medicine to her.¡± ¡°Thank you, really, how can I repay this favor¡ª?¡± Mrs. Enard shed tears. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

On the way back, she could see the scenery outside the carriage that she hadn¡¯t seen before, maybe because she hadpleted an important task. It wasn¡¯t the square she visited with Serwin, but it was close to the route they were on. Amelie, of course, recalled that night. ¡®When are we going to be able to go out together again?¡¯ I¡¯ll have to askter tonight.¡¯ Amelie suddenly remembered she hadn¡¯t seen Serwin¡¯s face the night before. Maybe she felt empty since they slept face to face for a time. ¡®Didn¡¯t he get up earlier than usual?¡¯ I¡¯m not going to sleep tonight. I have to tell him what happened today. Now that I have nothing to hide, I can speak more confidently. It felt nice to be honest.¡¯ Amelie was anxious about meeting Serwin. One of her favorite things to do before going asleep was to have a little discussion with Serwin. She lived up to expectations. But Serwin didn¡¯t show there that night, and she fell asleep tired from waiting. ****** The next day, Charlotte said that Serwin had stopped by at dawn to close his eyes. As she conveyed this misunderstanding, she emphasized that Serwin is a very busy person and thating here every night is very romantic. She probably thought she was heartbroken that she didn¡¯t see Serwin. Amelie struggled as she let Charlotte¡¯s words slide through one ear. She wonders if Serwin is truly busy or if he is avoiding her because he is still upset over thest time she ran away. Both the former andter scenarios were usible. Serwin, contrary to what she observed in the original, was quite busy. In the original story, he was only shown enjoying parties, hunting, and the nightlife on a daily basis, but in fact, Serwin was a workaholic who worked hard. He said that he was busier since he had had more sleep since meeting Amelie. Even so, the busy timing was important. ¡®Come on, you¡¯re not going to avoid me for that¡ª¡¯ No one who wasn¡¯t a kid could have been as childish as the Emperor. Furthermore, there is a high danger of disaster. Milena then entered the room. As Charlotteforted Amelie, she burst outughing. People think Amelie is Serwin¡¯s lover, but the truth is that she sleeps with him for treatment. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± Charlotte talked to Milena clearly. ¡°I felt like I was about to sneeze.¡± Milena responded casually. ¡°Miss Amelie, we have visitorsing in the morning. I¡¯ll assist you in getting ready.¡± ¡°Guest? Who is it? Is it any different from yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes, His Majesty¡¯s Knights are here.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Amelie jumped out of bed. When Amelie requested Serwin to share his disaster research, Serwin said he would send the investigation to Ethan¡¯s side. He seemed to be bringing that stuff with him. ¡°I need to be ready as quickly as possible.¡± Amelie was in a hurry. She jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. Finally, she was excited because she realized she was taking a step toward defeating the disaster. ******* Amelie went to the drawing-room when she heard the knights had arrived. Meanwhile, she was using a drawing room for the first time because no one else had visited except Serwin. Fortunately for her, Mrs. Enard took good care of her, and she was not embarrassed by the unexpected visit. The knights on the sofa rose as Amelie entered the drawing-room. Amelie saw that both of them seemed to be familiar. ¡°Sir Ethan, Sir Chad! Long time no see!¡± Amelie smiled brightly and approached them. The two Knights were the most familiar with Amelie among the Emperor¡¯s Knights. When Amelie was a bird, Ethan looked after her, and Chad was a knight who told a nice story about the witch. The two knights bowed respectfully and took their seats on the sofa. When Mrs. Enard¡¯s gaze fell on the maids, only the two knights, Amelie and Milena, who would serve, remained in the drawing-room, and they were able to start a conversation with ease. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time for both of you. Have you been doing okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been fine.¡± ¡°What about Sir Chad? Is your forehead okay?¡± ¡°Yes, thanks to you, Miss Amelie, I¡¯ve recovered without a scar.¡± Amelie found a small briefcase on Ethan¡¯sp. ¡°Is this what it is?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Ethan handed her the briefcase. When she received it and opened it, there was a notebook inside. ¡°Is this all?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was less than she thought. She can¡¯t believe it¡¯s just one notebook. Didn¡¯t they find out much? ¡°We don¡¯t have the document of the disaster. Because it is a secret of the Imperial family.¡± Ethan exined. ¡°The notebook contains the titles of books and resources that contain information about the disaster. The idea is that reading the original and understanding it yourself is preferable to having ess to processed information.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Amelie was convinced. Obviously, if the world is getting know of the disaster, there would be widespread bewilderment. Because the first Emperor conquered the disaster in this area, the Empire was able to survive a thousand years. To put it another way, all countries had light in their empires. ¡®Well, it¡¯s wise not to leave anything to keep a secret.¡¯ She also believes that reading the original is better. As a witch, she would be able to think about disasters from a different viewpoint than ordinary people. Amelia took out her notebook. Along with a letter, the name and location of the material to be read, as well as which section to read carefully, were written. Serwin¡¯s thoughtfulness towards her stood out. ¡°How about the notebook, this is His Majesty¡¯s?¡± ¡°Yes, he wrote it by himself.¡± Ethan pointed to Chad. ¡°If you have any questions, just ask Sir Chad. He will be with Amelie¡¯s escort knight from today, so feel free to use him.¡± ¡°Is he an escort knight?¡± Amelie looked at Chad. ¡°Yes, as of today, I¡¯ve been ordered to be your escort knight. I know as well as you know about disasters. I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡± ¡°I look forward to your kind cooperation too.¡± She¡¯s d it¡¯s not someone she didn¡¯t know at all. If Sir Roen had be an escort knight, she would not want to imagine¡ª. The only thing to do was deliver the notebook, and Ethan quickly rose from his seat. Amelie saw him off and left the drawing-room with Chad in the back. While walking down the hall with her notebook preciously, she suddenly thought. ¡®You look busy. If he had been dissatisfied with office work, he wouldn¡¯t have been so concerned about it.¡¯ Amelie recalled the scenery from his office. Tired aides and documents piled up like sand dumps. Serwin looked very busy. ¡®Don¡¯t interfere with his hard work and do my job well!¡¯ She was a little worried about Serwin¡¯s condition, but he knew better than anyone about the disaster. He¡¯ll take care of himself. Amelie quickly let go of her worries. It is hardly an exaggeration to suggest that the Imperial Pce Library includes every book ever written. Serwin¡¯s notebook was quite helpful in locating the information that was required. Amelie was spending the majority of her time these days in the library. Today, after lunch, Amelie headed straight to the Imperial Library. ¡°Is she ¡®that person¡¯?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s right. The Emperor¡¯s Knight escorted her. I¡¯m sure.¡± Everyone who passed by looked at her when she walked out. She hopes she could shut it off. She could sense every nce. The library¡¯s front entrance was considerably worse. People came to a halt in front of the library when they noticed Amelie was a frequent visitor. As a result, the front of the Imperial Library was crowded than ever. Amelie avoided her eyes and dashed inside the library to speak with someone. ¡®I don¡¯t think I can concentrate now.¡¯ It would have been wonderful if she could borrow a book, but the imperial library was not avable for rent, so she had to see it there. Of course, power can do anything, but she didn¡¯t want to be so forced. Fortunately, the librarians at the library were uninterested in Amelie¡¯s identity. They merely examined Amelie¡¯s admission permission and directed her to the right ces for her security rating. The librarians brought the books after she waited a bit. Amelie took out her notebook and began reading one by one. The first was the first emperor¡¯s record. It is hardly an exaggeration to im that the continent¡¯s history began with the establishment of an empire. There were many nomads living in wandering ces in the early days when it was difficult for people to survive due to disasters, therefore there was no record of that time. As a result, no one knew when or why the disaster happened on the continent. ¡®It got its name because the first emperorbeled it a disaster. Is it the same title that they were given as nomads on the continent that the first emperor was given? There were numerous abstract phrases, as is generally the case with the origin story. That was something Amelie agreed on. Because the disaster Amelie encountered was simr to an evil spirit. ¡®People in those days may have known something about the disaster. That¡¯s why he told me to read the records of the nomads next time.¡¯ Amelie reached out to another source. Having been reading the material for so long, Amelie was able to wake up to Milena¡¯s call. ¡°Miss Amelie, it¡¯s time to go back.¡± At Milena¡¯s call, Amelia looked up. ¡°Already? I¡¯ve only read two books.¡± Milena shook her head, a worried expression on her face. Unfortunately, she was unable to dedicate time to reading. Amelie was the emperor¡¯s lover, therefore she was in the spotlight. Amelie¡¯s pce was flooded with requests from nobles to meet her every day at her door at the time. Some approached her out of curiosity, but the majority were eager to criticize her. Perhaps Amelie, whose origins are unknown, stepped on them just because she was Serwin¡¯s lover. Mrs. Enard told Amelie that she needed to study a lot of things in order to live in the middle of the nobility. The same may be said of imperial etiquette,nguage, and social power. However, finding a teacher to teach Amelie has proven to be difficult. Mrs. Enard was finally able to find the teacher through an old acquaintance after a long period of search. Today was the first day Amelie was met by the teacher who will be teaching her. Although there was still time for the appointment, she decided to return a little early and prepare to create a good first impression. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I have to pay attention to this. Sigh.¡¯ A sigh came out automatically. If she could, she¡¯d like to keep reading books, regardless of whether the nobles ignored her for being stupid, but she had no choice but to do it herself. She even shouted at Serwin that she could do well. Amelie left the book and left the room. Chapter 41 The hands of the clock are getting closer to the appointed time, and no one hase. ¡®I guess she¡¯s a littlete.¡¯ Unlike Amelie, who didn¡¯t care much, Mrs Enard paced around the window with a nervous look on her face. It wasn¡¯t like she was always calm. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± asked Amelie. ¡°No. It¡¯s just¡ª¡± Mrs. Enard clouded her words. She seemed to have something on her mind. ¡°Miss Amelie, Mrs.¡± Just in time, the maid came into the room. ¡°Mrs. Anderson¡¯s maid brought a letter.¡± Mrs. Anderson was supposed to teach Amelie from today. It¡¯s almost time for an appointment, but she¡¯s noting, and she¡¯s sending a letter. ¡°What? Give it to me.¡± Mrs. Enard picked up the letter and read it down. Her face grew stiffer. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Amelie. ¡°She can¡¯te because she suddenly has a fever.¡± Amelie tilted her head. ¡°Didn¡¯t Mrs. Lance, who was supposed to be herest time, say fever? Fever must be in vogue.¡± No way, is it an epidemic? Amelie was worried. ¡°Miss Amelie, it¡¯s obviously an excuse.¡± Milena poured the tea and pointed out. ¡°Really?¡± When asked back, Milena smiled and nodded. ¡°If they were really sick, they would have contacted us earlier. It¡¯s intentional to send a letter just before the appointment.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Amelie.¡± Mrs Enard apologized. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We can find someone new.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Mrs. Enard paused her words. She agonized, and then she knelt slightly in front of Amelie. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to say this myself, but¡ª I don¡¯t think I can find a teacher by myself.¡± She began to talk about her troubles. It wasn¡¯t easy to find Amelie¡¯s teacher. This was because most of the wives, who were famous as teachers of etiquette, rejected the proposal. Some of them were positive at first, but changed their minds overnight. Mrs. Enard then lowered her eyes a little more, recognizing the wives who could afford to do anything right away. They were willing to ept Mrs Enard¡¯s offer but stood up instead. It was not until just before the appointment time that she had already rejected it with an excuse like a fever. It was not a coincidence. ¡°Someone is deliberately interrupting. Why don¡¯t you ask His Majesty? No one dares to refuse his order.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already told His Majesty that I can do well on my own. Besides, I don¡¯t want to give him my job when he¡¯s busy enough to sleep less.¡± Amelie was stubborn. Milena was quietly lost in thought. Then she confessed a shocking fact. ¡°That interrupter. It looks like Manvers¡¯ Young Lady.¡¯ ¡°What?¡± ¡°Manvers Young Lady? Renia?¡± Why does that namee out of nowhere? Amelie opened her eyes wide. ¡°I figured it out because it was a little weird. But a few days ago, Count Manvers butler paid off Mrs. Lance¡¯s personal debt. Some people say they saw Count Manvers carriageing out of Mrs. Anderson¡¯s house. I couldn¡¯t tell you because I wasn¡¯t sure. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Milena¡¯s shoulders drooped. Amelieforted her by patting her arm. ¡°I still said it was strange. Didn¡¯t I sayst time that I am adding more maids to Miss Amelie?¡± Mrs Enard said. ¡°You did.¡± ¡°I made offers to suitable children, but they all turned down one by one.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that because they¡¯re afraid of His Majesty?¡± ¡°If that were the case, I would have quit the pce maid! The children I suggested were ambitious children.¡± The maids who received the offer refused without even thinking about it. It¡¯s like having an answer ready in advance. ¡°For some reason¡ª It¡¯s like they¡¯re always looking out for someone. If it¡¯s the Manvers Young Lady, it¡¯s fit perfectly!¡± ¡°Is Manvers Young Lady so influential?¡± ¡°Yes. No one who works in the Imperial Pce has not received Count Manvers¡¯ money, and Young Lady of Manvers is the most powerful candidate for the Empress. Everyone doesn¡¯t want to look hateful to her.¡± Amelie nodded her head. ¡°But I believed Mrs. Anderson would keep her faith.¡± Mrs Enard sighed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Amelie. I¡¯m not good enough. You¡¯re not even properly assisted.¡± ¡®When I think of the original Renia, Mrs. Enard is no match for it. Well, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s easy to get a maid or a teacher.¡¯ But Amelie was fine. Knowing the contents of the original book, she was determined that this would happen. In addition, she had a strong ally named Milena and Mrs. Enard. Compared to the original, it was this cute. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Amelieforted Mrs Enard. ¡°It¡¯s not okay! The nobles are not easy. A small mistake without knowing it will follow you forever. If you be an Empress, you should rule over the nobles, but you shouldn¡¯t make peopleugh.¡± Amelie¡¯s words, ¡°But I¡¯m not going to do something like the Empress?¡± ran up to her throat, but she couldn¡¯t get it out of her mouth. It was because Mrs. Enard¡¯s expression was very serious. ¡°What do we do, then?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Amelie was lost in thought for a moment. ¡°Then why don¡¯t Mrs. Enard teach me?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Mrs. Enard¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected suggestion. ¡°That¡¯s fine, Mrs. Enard has taught the maids how to behave, and she¡¯s like a living textbook.¡± Milena pped back. ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll be alright? Still, having famous wives would be good for your reputation.¡± ¡°All those famous wives in the hand of Manvers Young Lady. It¡¯s better to have a trusted Mrs. Enard than to have someone like that by my side.¡± ¡°Miss Amelie¡ª¡± Ameliale¡¯s big eyes were full of faith. Mrs. Enard was moved by how warm the eyes was. Until just a while ago, she had no idea that she would be able to receive such trust. For a long time, her position was nothing but a money-making tool. She didn¡¯t want any professional satisfaction. But when she heard what she said, she felt that being trusted by her master was her greatest aplishment and satisfaction as a maid. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me, I¡¯ll do my best to make you a perfectdy, Miss Amelie.¡± ¡°I look forward to your kind cooperation. Teacher.¡± Amelie made a light salute to Mrs Enard. ¡°But what about the maid? I¡¯m short of hands.¡± ¡°For the time being, I think we have no choice but to do well with each other. Instead, let¡¯s make it a little more generous.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to. We have enough money.¡± So this problem was solved simply, but she couldn¡¯t be relieved. It was because Renia Manvers was able to hold back Amelie¡¯s work. ¡®Watch out for suspicious behavior in the pce. In secret, without worrying about Amelie.¡¯ ¡®Yes. Mrs.¡¯ Mrs Enard and Milena exchanged nces. ******* Amelie¡¯s life has be very busy. At first nce, she seemed to enjoy their daily lives and have a peaceful life, but in reality, it was so tight that she could live separately. Investigating disasters, making magic pills, studying magic, studying etiquette, etc. Nothing could be neglected, nothing could be left to others. Therefore, Amelie split her time into small pieces and did it little by little. Although the body was tired, the mind was full. It was because she felt a sense of aplishment that she was doing what she had to do properly. Plus Mrs Enard, Milena, Chad, etc. Everyone around her was more supportive of Amelie. But there was one problem that was not solved. It was Renia. She tried to bully Amelie as in the original. Amelie was inwardly worried that it might flow like the original, but she was not alone. She was able to keep Renia in check with the help of people around her, and so Renia repeatedly failed. But even so, Renia was not an easygoing enemy. She had great influence in society, and used it to continue to interfere with Amelie. ¡°It¡¯s a refusal again.¡± Mrs. Enard sighed. She couldn¡¯t stand the frustration. The job was to hire a designer for thete private dressing room, and she was having a hard time. It was all because of Renia. Mrs. Enard, who was unable to hire a maid due to Renia¡¯s obstruction, signed a private dressing room and tried to take charge of the costume and decoration. She had to teach Amelie, and Milena was in charge of monitoring the maids, so she needed to share the heavy workload. It was impossible because there was something only maids could do, leaving it to all the maids. ¡°I was going to sign a contract with the dressing room but because of Manvers Young Lady, she¡¯s disturbing it again this time.¡± Mrs. Enard sighed. Renia has been gaining influence in society for years as she has been named the next Empress. It was difficult to refuse Renia¡¯s orders in the dressing room, which mainly deals with aristocrats. ¡°What do we do, then? Should I ask His Majesty?¡± Amelia had a troubled look on her face. It was ufortable to see two people struggling for her. ¡°No, I¡¯ll do something about it. Don¡¯t worry about it. If it¡¯s not a dressing room in the capital, we can look for a dressing room in another area.¡± In fact, asking Serwin was the simplest solution. But Mrs. Enard respected Amelie¡¯s intention. She didn¡¯t want to be a maid and make her master do anything she didn¡¯t like. ¡°I don¡¯t want Mrs. Enard to suffer more. You must be busy taking care of the pce, teach me, and find a dressing room. It¡¯s too hard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Miss Amelie don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± ¡°How can you do that? Your face has be so rough in just a few days.¡± Amelie¡¯s big eyes were full of worry. Mrs Enard gained strength as she looked into the eyes. She might be annoyed that she couldn¡¯t do what she was asked to do, but Amelie was very kind. ¡°Please let me know if you can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Should I?¡± Mrs Enard nodded, but she had no intention of receiving Serwin¡¯s help. She wanted to help Amelie with her own strength somehow. ¡®I can¡¯t be called Miss Amelie¡¯s maid if I can¡¯t ovee one Manvers Young Lady. Mrs. Enard was motivated. Despite the small problems, Amelie was living a stable and faithful life. But by contrast, Serwin became violent day by day. Chapter 42 Serwin had a habit of breaking things and sarcastically criticizing the aristocrats¡¯ mistakes. However, he did not abandon his work. He handled his daily routine mechanically as usual. It was only that there were a lot of violent tendencies. Serwin used to show sudden violence. He was merciless, and he did not tolerate even the slightest mistake. He got angry easily and drew his sword. It was not umon for him to break things or hurt people. ¡®I expected him to be gentle, but now he¡¯s back to the old His Majesty!¡¯ The Pce was afraid once more. ¡®Now is the time for anyone to go on the path to the afterlife¡ª¡¯ Serwin used to kill people when he felt uneasy. When the victim urred, it was quiet for a while, so among the people of the imperial pce, it was only necessary to avoid the moment when Serwin exploded. Regardless of their status, everyone in the pce was anxious to keep an eye on Serwin. Under the pretense of illness, several aristocrats did not enter the pce at all, while aides left work without saying anything. Even the sound of breathing was carefully monitored by the servants, who did not take sick days or leave work. Serwin¡¯s office was in silence. It was originally a quiet ce because Serwin hated noise, but it has been severetely. In particr, after Chad returned from reporting, there was no sound of flipping the paper or pping the pen. It was because everyone in the room was desperately trying not to provoke Serwin. Serwin, who is actually leading this atmosphere, was lost in thought. ¡®Count Manvers¡ª¡¯ Count Manvers was a problematic man with a quick wit and good skill, but he was a wonderful hand to have because he was open about his desire to make his daughter Empress. Serwin did not aggressively reject Renia since he acted as if he were a son-inw and helped him. But it was thest word. As he tried to bother Amelie, he couldn¡¯t spare any more. ¡®If Baron Avery discovers the slush fund¡¯s whereabouts, I¡¯ll have to deal with it right away.¡¯ He was both sad and excited at the thought of seeing blood for the first time in a long time. It wasn¡¯t his emotions that were bothering him; rather, it was the disaster. Serwin¡¯s ear was filled with the sound of disaster. His voice sounded like it was being said by numerous people at the same time. ¡®Shut up.¡¯ Serwin frowned. The number of disastersing has been increasing since he began to distance himself from Amelie. That wasn¡¯t the only thing. His patience was getting thin, and he was often thirsty. ¡®I¡¯ve only been keeping my distance for a short time, but I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s actually happening.¡¯ Serwin was purposely putting distance between himself and Amelie. He was going to sit quietly and wait for her to ask for help. The n was that if she suffered, she would understand how difficult living in the Pce was and ask his help. The situation turned out to be what Serwin expected. Amelie was struggling with an obstacle called Renia Manvers. But Amelie didn¡¯t visit him. She just works with the maid. It was Serwin who looked like a child. The more he kept away from her, the more he realized how much influence she had on him. It¡¯s not like he didn¡¯t meet her at all. He still sleeps next to her every night. He simply stopped speaking to me face to face. How could it be so difficult just for that? The physical condition was stable but the problem was with the mind. ¡®What if she decides to leave at this rate?¡¯ Anxiety washed over him now and then. ¡®I have to get used to keeping my distance. I¡¯m too dependent on her right now.¡¯ He seemed to take it for granted that she was by his side at some point. ¡®No, but howe you didn¡¯te to me first?¡¯ Cling. When he mistakenly added strength to his hand, the pen broke. Serwin¡¯s palm was soaked with ink, which dripped onto the desk. His servants were frozen without the thought of cleaning the ink because his expression was frightening. Even if he told her not toe out when there was something she wanted, she woulde to the Imperial Pce, but when he gave me permission to go around the pce freely, she wouldn¡¯t evene near the Imperial Pce. Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to stop by the Imperial Pce at least once on the way? After entering the Imperial Pce, it is okay toe and visit the office for a moment! ¡®If you say a word to me, everything will be solved¡ª¡¯ The more he thought about it, the more fierce Serwin¡¯s eyes became. The room was cool because of the increasingly brutal atmosphere. ¡°Hukk¡ª¡± A servant let out a groan without realizing it. ¡®Things that have worked for me for several years¡ª¡¯ Isn¡¯t it like his aides, who are his direct servants, who are only keeping an eye on them to make sure they don¡¯t go too far? He became angry when he noticed him rolling his eyes. Kwang! The aides all shook their shoulders at the same time when the desk was kicked. It was the result of a conflict between the animal instinct to escape out of this ce and the social instinct to continue in order to survive. Serwin frowned and clicked his tongue in displeasure. There was nothing about this or that that he liked. ¡®Amelie wouldn¡¯t do that.¡¯ With a nce and fear, Amelie is not going to go lost. Her stiffening and rolling eyes were no different than his aides¡¯, yet Serwin thought she was cute. Is it because of the first impression? The little bird, resembling a rolling cotton ball, was just cute no matter how frightened and looked at. That impression remained in his mind to this day. Serwin first recalled the day she visited the Imperial Pce. She firmly said that she had run away from home after doing something foolish by Serwin¡¯s standards. Her green eyes were tense and mischievous at the same time. Her dress was also embellished with red flowers. But the flowers could not bepared to her brilliance. ¡®Was she always that pretty?¡¯ Serwin was able to recall Amelie¡¯s appearance after some time had passed and themotion had disappeared. She is a beautiful woman who stands firm in her opinions. Serwin was purely admiring. It wasn¡¯t like anything he¡¯d ever experienced before. Amelie thought Serwin was busy enough to sleep less, so she would note to the Emperor¡¯s pce, so if he abandoned her, the rtionship would naturally unravel. However, the Emperor¡¯s pride blocked Serwin. He didn¡¯t want to admit he was being swayed by her. Even though he was already being swayed by the fact that he was thinking about Amelie with his mind. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a break to clear my head.¡± Serwin got up from his chair. Swinging a sword felt like a good way to get away from thinking about her. When Serwin left the office, a sigh broke out at the same time. ¡°Haa.¡± ¡°Haa, I really thought I was going to die today.¡± The people of the Imperial Pce were having a warlike day today. ******* Serwin announced a few dayster that he would throw a celebration for the Imperial Family. This information quickly spread throughout the country. It was a celebration of Serwin¡¯s return, but everyone knew it was actually a ce for the Emperor¡¯s lover to be presented. Even before receiving the invitation, the nobles began to prepare for the party. It was because it would be toote to start after receiving an invitation. The capital was buzzing with excitement. Unlike the previous emperors, Serwin hated parties, so it had been a long time since a party hosted by the Imperial family had been held. Nobles began to dress up in order to stand out. They spent a lot of money on new banquet gowns and essories using the Imperial celebration as an excuse. The rted vendors yelled with delight at the rush of orders. Popr shops have had to hire a separate employee to write rejection letters. Mrs Enard¡¯s party preparation lecture began the afternoon of the day when the party was decided. It was not like having tea with somedies at the party. More people would be required, and many of them would be interested in Amelie. ¡°They won¡¯t be able to disturb you openly, even if they are afraid of His Majesty. But I¡¯ve been telling you right from the beginning, haven¡¯t I? The knife thates from their mouth is much more scary. It¡¯s quite simple to make a fool of one person at a time.¡± ¡°Yes. Mrs. I know.¡± ¡°Really! What was His Majesty¡¯s idea of throwing a party in such a hurry¡ª¡± Mrs. Enard sighed. The n to grind Amelie step by step has all been distorted. What she needed to teach was a pile of mountains, but she didn¡¯t have much time. It was a tight time to learn to dance properly. ¡°Your feet are in the wrong position! Right foot first! Then left foot towards two o¡¯clock! Mrs. Enard instructed Amelie to change the posture of her feet. While performing the piano apaniment, Milena burst outughing. ¡°You have no talent for dancing, Miss Amelie!¡± ¡°Yes, absolutely not.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing tough about!¡± Mrs. Enard was strict. Without even having time to chat with her, Amelie stepped on her steps again and again. ¡°Okay, I believe you¡¯ve learned it, so let¡¯s practice. Can you help me, Sir Chad?¡± Mrs. Enard pointed to Chad. He stood on the wall, watching as if he were watching other people¡¯s business, and stood up straight in embarrassment. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes, please be her dancing partner. Me and Milena are smaller than His Majesty, so we can¡¯t be practitioners.¡± Ugh. Does she want her to dance more here? Amelie stuck her tongue out. Dance lessons have already been going on for hours. Her feet hurt from taking steps, and her body felt heavy because of unfamiliar posture. She thought she could rest if she memorized the steps. ¡°I¡¯m a little¡ª His Majesty¡¯s sense is more stands out.¡± Chad said no at once. ¡°That¡¯s true. Sir is on duty right now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily like that¡ª Haha. It would be great if His Majesty could help.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t. I think he¡¯s still busy these days, so I can¡¯t interrupt him.¡± At Amelie¡¯s words, Chad made a sad expression. ¡®Your Majesty will always be happy to see Miss Amelie¡ª¡¯ Serwin was getting a daily update from Chad about Amelie¡¯s activities. It was the part where Amelie realized everything was fine and went on. Serwin¡¯s eyes grew bloodier by the day, and he met him every day. When he asked a close aide about it, he said that his eyes were particrly harsh when he looked at him. He was concerned at first because he couldn¡¯t figure out what he was doing wrong, but he soon learned why. He was annoyed because he had spent the entire day with Amelie. He couldn¡¯t help but notice because he had a look of dissatisfaction and jealousy on his face every time he gave a report. He wasn¡¯t sure what would happen if he practiced dancing with Amelie in this situation. He couldn¡¯t report having dance practice with her to him because it wouldn¡¯t be her kill. Chapter 43 ¡®I don¡¯t think it¡¯s just a matter of cherishing it¡ª¡¯ But Serwin himself waspletely unaware. Even Amelie wasn¡¯t quick enough to notice Serwin¡¯s change. She even promised to return to her hometown after they defeated the disaster. The future seemed dark. ¡°Anyway, if His Majesty and Sir Chad can¡¯t stand in then I¡¯ll have to do it.¡± Amelie was devastated by the fact that she had to dance again. Then, Charlotte came into the room. ¡°Miss Amelie, Caroline is waiting in the drawing room.¡± ¡°Caroline? Oh, the owner of M¡¯s dressing room who¡¯s supposed to be here today.¡± Mrs Enard smiled with pride. She contacted every dressing room in the capital. And it was all rejected in a row. It was because the owners of the dressing room didn¡¯t want to get on the wrong side of Renia. The only positive answer came from M¡¯s dressing room. ¡®If it¡¯s M¡¯s dressing room, the owner is a bit entric, but it¡¯s a ce where you can trust the skills.¡¯ M¡¯s dressing room did not just make clothes, but also provided a unique service. From hairstyles, jewelry, clothes to perfumes. In order to bring out the beauty of the guests to the maximum, all essories were also provided. There was no better dressing room than this for the women whockedbor. ¡°I¡¯ll have to put off your dance practice for a while. Hurry up and go to the drawing room, Miss Amelie.¡± Mrs Enard was greatly delighted. Amelie headed to the drawing room, relieved that her dance practice was over. ****** Caroline couldn¡¯t control her nervousness. She held it in because she could see the imperial pce people¡¯s senses, but her shoulders kept shaking. She had not slept a wink since Mrs Enard contacted her to monopolize M¡¯s wardrobe and Caroline until the day of the party. ¡®When I saw Mrs Enard¡¯s name, I was wondering if that was right. This time I might get to see the beautiful woman who captured the tyrant at a nce!¡¯ Everyone who could read already knew that the emperor had a lover. She can¡¯t believe that little tyrant is in love. Everyone¡¯s attention was now on his lover. What kind of woman melted the frozen emperor¡¯s heart? He is an emperor who never even blinked at the beauties of the Empire. Are the beauties he has seen so far not a match for her? As spection was added to the rumor, the new emperor¡¯s lover had be a once in a millenia beauty. ¡®Oh, I¡¯m looking forward to it. What kind of beauty is it? I can¡¯t believe I can show my work to the best beauty on the continent. It¡¯s like a dream.¡¯ Caroline has devoted her life to beauty. Her goal was to create the best beauty with her own hands. To her, meeting with Amelie was like a priest weing God. ¡®I¡¯m a little scared of being hated by Young Lady Manvers, but I can¡¯t miss this opportunity.¡¯ It has already been known by everyone in the industry that Renia is tunnel visioned on bing Empress and holds grudges. Because of that, most boutiques objected to being hired by Amelie. But Caroline was willing to take such a threat for the sake of her own pursuit of beauty. ¡®Whoo, ha. Let¡¯s calm down. Calm down.¡¯ Caroline took a deep breath. Then, a woman with pink hair came through the door of the drawing room as it opened. It was Amelie. ¡®Oh, you have pink hair. I think she¡¯s my client because other people are wearing maid¡¯s clothes¡ª¡¯ Caroline jumped to her feet. Amelie stood in front of her. ¡°You¡¯re Caroline, right? Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Amelie Bourbon.¡± ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Caroline from M¡¯s dressing room.¡± Caroline looked at Amelie. She was so different from what Caroline thought. She wasn¡¯t ugly. The big round, mint-colored eyes looked clear and good, and she had fine features that were lovely. She was attractive enough. ¡®But she¡¯s not the greatest beauty of the century, is she?¡¯ Caroline was greatly disappointed. It didn¡¯t show on the outside, but Caroline¡¯s detion was visible to Amelie. She seemed to have believed in false rumors about her. ¡°You¡¯re disappointed, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No! Not at all!¡± Caroline jumped up and down. At the sight, Amelie burst intoughter. Amelie also heard the rumors about herself, so she knew. Rumors are just rumors, but it didn¡¯t feel very good to think people were disappointed to see her. In addition, she was not good at rtionships, so she was worried about how to ovee awkward moments. What to do with this? Let¡¯s think of what Milena would say; she¡¯d advised her to be bolder in times like this. ¡°Ahaha, everyone who sees me for the first time thinks the same thing. When I ask, they are surprised like Caroline.¡± It wasn¡¯t easy to say that so shamelessly with Amelie¡¯s personality, but she forced herself to get used to it. Caroline smiled awkwardly after Amelie¡¯s lightment to hide her embarrassment. Thanks to this, the atmosphere continued to be friendly. ¡°You heard what I would need, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. You asked me to help you get ready for the imperial party. The capital isn¡¯t too fussy about it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very important party for me. So I really want Caroline to help me.¡± Amelie let out a small sigh. Her frowned eyebrows looked like they were in trouble. Caroline understood Amelie¡¯s burden. She pays only for the imperial party, and rumors have spread that she is the beauty of the century. ¡®I¡¯m sorry to hear that¡ªI¡¯m a little overwhelmed to be hated by Young Lady Manvers¡ª.¡¯ Caroline had lost her motivation. She said that Amelie was very different from what she expected her to be. ¡°It¡¯s a matter of fact, I know¡ª I¡¯m really sorry, but I don¡¯t think our dressing room will be able to be with you. I¡¯m here to tell you this today.¡± ¡°Ah, I see¡ª¡± Amelie¡¯s face went dark in an instant. Caroline was stabbed in the conscience as if she hadmitted a crime. She felt like she was doing something bad to a person good enough to smile even though she had been rude in public. It ismon to reject a proposal, even if it was as serious as a matter of marriage, so not making a dress should be fine. ¡®Oh, no. I need to get out of here quickly. I feel like I have to listen to her because I¡¯m looking at her face.¡¯ That face was the problem. Her heart was weakening because of that small animal-like face. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back now.¡± Caroline got up in a hurry. Fortunately, Amelie let her go without holding her back. While leaving the pce, Caroline thought about Amelia. Her first impression was that she had a face that would soon be forgotten because it was in and not shy. But surprisingly, it left a strong impression. ¡®It was a little different from what I thought, but I think I can understand why the Emperor is in trouble¡ª¡¯ It seemed like Amelia¡¯s look might change a lot if she added makeup or essories. ¡®Or it¡¯s okay to boldly use the color of the dress¡ª No, no, no. I refused. Let¡¯s stop thinking.¡¯ She can find that kind of beauty again! Caroline tried to correct her faltering mind. ****** After Caroline went back, Amelie was lost in thought. Mrs Enard and the maids tried tofort such a forlorn Amelie thinking that she was heartbroken by Caroline¡¯s rejection. The maids set up a table in a sunny garden and served sweet food. But what Amelia was thinking wasn¡¯t about Caroline. ¡®The Library information still doesn¡¯t tell me how to fight off the disaster.¡¯ People thought there would be no country on the continent before the Empire. However, the discovery of ancient artifacts seemed to have proven that there was an advanced state in ancient times. However, at some point, disaster fell and all of them were destroyed. ¡°I wish I had a record then¡ª but even if I had one, I wouldn¡¯t be able to read it.¡± Amelia sighed. What¡¯s the point of a smooth investigation? She hasn¡¯t found a way to seal the disaster yet. ¡®Maybe that¡¯s why Serwin said she didn¡¯t need to see it.¡¯ All the materials she encountered were all seen by Serwin. Therefore, a new clue would not pop out just because she looked through it again. ¡®Maybe I need to change my approach. Because it was the witch who sealed the disaster back into Serwin¡¯s body. There may be some magic about sealing.¡¯ Of course, Amelie has read magic books with that thought in mind before. But there was nothing to do with the disaster in her book. ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask Renee to check out the forest house again just in case.¡¯ Amelie looked up to call Milena to write a letter. Only then did she notice someone looking at her. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Serwin stood with his back against the sun. Amelie blinked her eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re here, you should call me.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s been so long since I saw you.¡± Serwin¡¯s gaze followed more earnestly than before. He looked over Amelie¡¯s features one by one. The round green eyes were lovely. His lips drew a line. ¡®Why are you looking at me like that!¡¯ Amelie blushed her cheeks. ¡°Sit down. Don¡¯t stare at me embarrassingly.¡± Serwin sat on Amelie¡¯s diagonal seat. ¡°What are you thinking so deeply about that you don¡¯t even know if someone¡¯s here?¡± ¡°Just this and that.¡± Amelie made an appropriate excuse. It was because she couldn¡¯t talk about the disaster with her servants around her. ¡®You must be thinking a lot about the party.¡¯ Serwin distorted Amelie¡¯s answer. He had mistook Amelie for worrying about the party. ¡®It must be burdensome just having an imperial pce party, but how difficult it is when Manvers¡¯s daughter interferes.¡¯ He broke the cookie into small pieces and fed Amelie. Amelie took it and ate it. He used to hand-feed sweets to Amelie when she was under a lot of stress. ¡®Serwin looks so tired, too.¡¯ Amelie looked into Serwin¡¯s face as she ate the cookie. Maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s been so long since she has seen him in the sun. Serwin¡¯s face felt new to her. ¡®Handsome, he¡¯s handsome.¡¯ Amelie was amazed at Serwin¡¯s face. Perhaps because of his busy schedule, he¡¯s a little emaciated, but even that makes Serwin look more handsome. There¡¯s a sexy look thates from a slightly tired look. Serwin has a manly face, but if she looks at him, there are delicate parts. The eyshes and mouth lines hanging long over the golden eyes were fine and detailed. ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± Serwin asked. Amelie sighed and took her finger to his cheek. Without realizing it, the corners of her lips soared high. She wanted to say that she couldn¡¯t help but smile when she saw his handsome face. ¡°Just because. Is it because I haven¡¯t seen Your Majesty after so long?¡± Amelie grinned. It was scary before, but not at all now. His eyes were not as cold as metal. She seemed to be feeling that Serwin was finally close. When she realized that, she realized just how happy she was to meet Serwin after a long time. Chapter 44 ¡°I heard you¡¯re busy. Are you free at this time?¡± ¡°It¡¯s always simr. But we saw each other every night.¡± ¡°I was sleeping. It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve seen each other.¡± Amelie grabbed Serwin¡¯s hand. She patted Serwin on the back of his wide hand with her thumb. It was only a minor act, but Serwin could see that she was intimate with him. Suddenly, his heart tickled and his frustration quickly disappeared. He thought, ¡°Is this such a good thing?¡± but on the other hand, he felt very satisfied. ¡°What about you? How¡¯s the preparation going for the party?¡± Amelie¡¯s current situation was known from the report from Chad. The fact that she¡¯s suffering from the disturbances fron Renia. When he heard the news, he hade all the way here on purpose. He wondered if it would be easier for him to ask her more if he asked her about her current situation. ¡°Uhm, yes. It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay?¡± Amelie smiled and nodded. Serwin was taken aback by the reaction different from what he expected. He knew she needed his help. ¡°If there¡¯s anything I can do for you¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay! Mrs. Enard and Milena will help me. There¡¯s Sir Chad too.¡± Amelie tly refused. She was considerate of Serwin so that he would not feel pressured for no reason, but Serwin, who wanted her to rely on him, was upset for a moment. ¡®No, why not? I¡¯d be more helpful than a knight or a maid. Why are you saying no?¡¯ Serwin looked at the distant servants. They were lowering their heads with pale faces. ¡®You¡¯re saying I¡¯m not as reliable as those things?¡¯ He was annoyed at the thought that he was not among the people she depended on. He was so dependent on Amelie, but it didn¡¯t seem like she reciprocated at all. He knew it was narrow-minded to feel bad about something like this, but his feelings weren¡¯t going his way. ¡°Well, you said you could do it on your own, didn¡¯t you?¡± Serwin¡¯s tone became harsh. But Amelie didn¡¯t notice it at all. ¡°Yes! I can do it! Please trust me.¡± Serwin¡¯s face was noticeably darkened by a bright answer. Amelie was embarrassed that she figured it outte. ¡®Oh, are you that nervous for me? Well, I¡¯m a little nervous, too.¡¯ Amelie agreed. After studying, it was understandable that other people treated her as a child who had just been put in the water. ¡®If I do well this time, Serwin will be relieved too! The most important thing is Serwin¡¯s mental health, so I have to get his trust.¡¯ Amelie felt determined but she never dreamed that this very independent side of her would make Serwin the most anxious. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Your Majesty. I¡¯ll make sure to not make you worry.¡± If he stays here any longer, he will explode. Serwin jumped up. Naturally, Amelie¡¯s hand fell. He was hesitant to go, but on the other hand, he felt sorry for himself. It hurt his pride. Amelie must have thought nothing of it. ¡®I came here for nothing. I¡¯ll do whatever I want.¡¯ Serwin turned and left the garden. He walked faster and faster because he felt stuffy inside. He felt worse than before he met her. His servants chased after Serwin. ****** Mrs Enard chased after Serwin. His pace was so fast that it was hard to keep up with him even if she ran. ¡°Your Majesty, Your Majesty!¡± Serwin stopped at her call. He looked at Mrs Enard with cold eyes. It was different from when he looked at her. Mrs Enard was suddenly frightened. She had forgotten for a while because she saw Serwin with Amelie, but he¡¯s still scary. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to talk about Miss Amelie for a moment.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Serwin asked back. ¡°As you have already heard from reports, there is a setback in the party preparations. I hope Your Majesty would like to help.¡± ¡°It was Amelie who said she could do well on her own.¡± ¡°I know that too.¡± Mrs Enard swallowed her dry saliva. When she stood in front of Serwin, her mouth dried up with tension. ¡°But the opponent is Manvers¡¯ Young Lady. If we keep going like this, we won¡¯t be able to prepare for the party properly. Your Majesty doesn¡¯t want Miss Amelie to be ignored by the nobles, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re arrogant.¡± Mrs Enard shook her shoulders and bowed her head. Serwin frowned. Of course, he doesn¡¯t want her to be ignored by the nobles. The problem, however, was that Amelie did not want Serwin to help. ¡°¡ªAmelie doesn¡¯t want me to step up. Though I¡¯d be more helpful than you guys are.¡± Serwin said irritably. As he sounded jealous, Mrs Enard doubted her ears. ¡°Miss Amelie is doing this because she¡¯s worried about Your Majesty. Your Majesty is busy, so she doesn¡¯t want to make you worry about anything. If Your Majesty doesn¡¯t step in and help out, Miss Amelie won¡¯t say much either.¡± ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°If only I could use the budget for the party to my heart¡¯s content¡ª¡± ¡°Ha, give money?¡± Serwin snorted. It was so rude that he had nothing to say even if she ran away right away. But Mrs Enard did not back down. Even if she went wrong, she showed her firm will to do anything for Amelie. ¡°¡­Tell the chief. Ask for anything you want, whether it¡¯s money or something else.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡± Mrs Enard bowed deeply and thanked. She seemed very happy to help Amelie. ¡®How the hell did a woman who only thought about her own stomach change like this?¡¯ Serwin swallowed his admiration inside. Despite the clumsy and anxious appearance in his eyes, Amelie was doing much better than he had thought. It might have been a vain expectation to want her to rely only on him, as he wished. He couldn¡¯t have done it without Amelia, but she isn¡¯t like him. When he reached that thought, Serwin was somewhat disappointed. At the same time he felt childish and ashamed. ****** A few dayster, Caroline received a letter from Mrs Enard. It was about asking her toe to the pce again. ¡®Why are you calling me again when I refuse¡ª?¡® The dressing room staff told Caroline not to go. She threatened to go there, saying that the knights of the emperor would be waiting with swords. However, Caroline resisted the disapproval of her staff and went to see Amelie. It was because thest time she saw Amelie¡¯s sullen face it kept bothering her. ¡®Maybe if I refuse twice, she¡¯ll give up.¡¯ While on her way, Caroline also picked up the contact information for a famous dressing room in another city. The capital city was held tightly by Renia, so it would be difficult to hire a dressing room, so she hoped it would be of little help. ¡°Caroline, thank you foring today.¡± Amelie weed Caroline. She didn¡¯t seem to mind being rejected by her at all. Caroline became veryfortable. ¡°Actually, Mrs Enard invited Caroline because she had something to say.¡± ¡°Mrs Enard?¡± Caroline looked at Mrs Enard who was bowing slightly. ¡°I want to show you something, Miss Caroline.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t take long. Please wait here.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s nothing.¡± Caroline readily epted her offer. Thanks to Amelie, she feels better and less anxious. ¡°Thank you for your time.¡± Amelie smiled softly. Caroline smiled along with a pleasant smile. ****** Caroline followed Mrs Enard to Amelie¡¯s dress room. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s good?¡¯ There were so many good things in her dress room, even though she was fed up with thedies¡¯ collections. There were fabrics that were all of the finest and difficult to get. The embroidery of the imperial bedmaid was also very beautiful. The dresses were all great, but since they were imperial style, there was no ssical feeling. ¡®Even if ssics have their own charm, I don¡¯t think it would suit Miss Amelie a little. It would be lively and cute if I added something like a ribbon decoration.¡¯ Caroline unconsciously assessed the items in the dress room and thought about how to suit her. ¡°These are the jewels that you own.¡± There was a ss disy case in the center of the room. A bright light glistened under a clean window without a grain of dust. ¡°Oh my.¡± Caroline unknowingly eximed in admiration. All the jewels here were treasures. It wasn¡¯t just big and shiny, each one was a piece of art that went through the hands of a craftsman. ¡°It¡¯s all a gift from His Majesty to Amelie. She¡¯s not going to use it for the party.¡± ¡°I mean, why not? Why don¡¯t you use this pretty one?¡± Caroline asked back. Doesn¡¯t she know how fantastic those yellow diamond earrings are if they¡¯re fluttering under a chandelier light? ¡°His Majesty is going to give her a new jewel. It¡¯s Miss Amelie¡¯s first party and it¡¯s an important day. She can¡¯t go out doing what others have used.¡± ¡°¡ªHave you decided what kind of thing it is?¡± ¡°Not yet. The essories should look good on that day¡¯s outfit, right? I¡¯ve been waiting for Caroline toe.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°I think Caroline can give you some advice on making jewelry that suits Miss Amelie. For reference, the budget allocated is about this much¡ª¡± Mrs Enard wrote a number over the ss disy case. Her fingers seemed to glow brilliantly because of the light emitted from the jewels. It was an overwhelming amount. ¡°¡ªThat much?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the entire budget, right?¡± Mrs Enard shook her head. Her expression seemed to take Caroline¡¯s timidity lightly. ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± ¡°This is the overall budget.¡± Mrs Enard wrote a number on Caroline¡¯s palm. Caroline couldn¡¯t keep her mouth shut at the endless circles. ¡®For this amount of money¡ª I can do anything I really want to do! I can take a bath with a perfume made from roselle flowers, which bloom once every five years!¡¯ Mrs Enard then asked with a smile,¡±how is it? It¡¯s notcking, is it?¡± ¡°Of course! There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do with this money! There¡¯s something I¡¯ve always wanted to do. Weave thin cloths like dragonflies¡¯ wings andy them on top of each other, embroidered with gold and silver, and every time the hem of the skirt shakes, it glitters brightly¡ª!¡± Caroline was so excited that she became talkative. Chapter 45 Caroline struggled to realize the ultimate beauty in the world, it was repeatedly blocked by a budget wall. That¡¯s because no matter how wealthy a family was, the amount that could be spent on a single suit was predetermined. In addition, the more the amount spent, the more severe the interference and requests. ¡®That was exactly what happened when I made Manvers Lady¡¯s socialite debut outfit. Even with a huge budget when Count sticks right next to her, he¡¯d says she¡¯s wasting too much cloth, and h h¡ª¡¯ Will he interfere as much this time? Caroline was worried. If the tyrant Emperor¡¯s cotton fabric was cut the wrong way, it seemed like it would blow her neck. But it was toorge an amount to refuse. She clenched her hand and trembled. The feel of Mrs Enard¡¯s number was still clear on her palm. ¡°His Majesty values Amelie very much. He hopes she can shine the most among the nobles so that she will not be discouraged. For that, well, money is nothing¡ª¡± Mrs Enard smiled as she looked at Caroline. It was because Caroline was shaking. Well, if anyone was about to get this much money they would be nervous. ¡°As you know, His Majesty is the richest man in the Empire.¡± Mrs Enard blew away all Caroline¡¯s concerns. Caroline nodded her head as if possessed. ¡°I-I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯ll work for Miss Amelie.¡± Mrs Enard smiled. ¡°Oh my. I¡¯ve made Miss Amelie wait for too long. Shall we go back?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Caroline nodded and left the dressing room with a bewitched look and returned to the drawing room. Amelie, who was reclining on the sofa, sat up straight. ¡°Caroline has decided to ept our offer.¡± Mrs Enard said. ¡°Wow, really?¡± Amelie smiled at Caroline. As the tail of her eyes folded gently she gave a gentle expression. As Caroline admired, a halo seemed to shine over Amelie¡¯s head. ¡®Beauty of the century? What¡¯s so important about that?¡¯ The amount set for her dress at this party was that huge. ¡®With this amount of money, I can make her a goddess! Yeah! The original beauty is what you create!¡¯ Looking back, Amelie¡¯s appearance was great. She was not a beautiful woman who captivated her heart at first sight, but her face with a clear atmosphere was more attractive the more she saw it. In addition, it had the advantage of being able to decorate the non-mboyant features freely. Come to think of it, it was too easy to make a beautiful person beautiful. It was something she could do even if she wasn¡¯t skilled. There was another case where her talent could really shine: to discover the charm of an ordinary person who doesn¡¯t know their own charm andmakethem beautiful. ¡°Amelie. I¡¯ll make you a goddess. You¡¯ll be the beauty of the century!¡± ¡°What? Ah¡ª Yes. Thank you.¡± Whether Amelie thought of Caroline as strange or not, Caroline felt motivated. ****** That afternoon, the news that Caroline had been hired by Amelie reached Renia through Charlotte. Upon hearing the news, Renia was outraged. ¡®I can¡¯t believe you rejected my request and took her side!¡¯ Only one dressing room in the capital was hired by Amelie, but it meant something different for Renia. Renia was almost confirmed as the future Empress. However, a woman named the Emperor¡¯s lover appeared. No matter how uncertain a woman was, she could be the Empress if Serwin wanted it. For Renia, Amelie is a rival topete for the Empress position. Caroline chose Amelie, not herself. In other words, it was clear that she thought Amelie was more likely to be Empress than she was. ¡°Aaah!¡± Renia turned the table upside down. The sd she was eating was scattered everywhere. Fortunately, no sauce was sprayed, so the carpet and clothes did not get dirty. Renia¡¯s maids were ustomed to this, so they silently cleaned up the sd. ¡®I¡¯m nervous. What should I do? If it¡¯s Caroline, that woman must have a pretty face and she can¡¯t get enough of it¡ª.¡¯ Renia also heard that Amelie was the beauty of the century. But she said, ording to Charlotte, the rumors are all exaggerated and she¡¯s not ugly, but she can¡¯t be called the beauty of the century, like they said. Charlotte added that, in terms of appearance alone, Renia is overwhelmingly the winner. ¡®But the fact that Caroline epted the proposal despite my pressure means that she is as beautiful as that.¡¯ Renia frowned. Even if she frowned, her face reflected in the ss was beautiful. Renia was risking her life to stand out at the imperial party. She always tried to make herself look more beautiful than the other girls, but this time was different. She should be supremely beautiful and the most conspicuous. She¡¯s on a bloody diet for that reason alone. ¡®But wouldn¡¯t it be difficult if that woman was actually like the rumors? I¡¯d like to check it out¡ª It¡¯s not easy to see that face¡ª.¡¯ Renia clicked her tongue. She made several attempts to meet Amelie. She not only sent Amelie a present and wrote her letters, but also asked someone to take her to the pce to meet her. But Mrs Enard¡¯s blocks were so great that she never seeded. ¡®But I can¡¯t just stand on to the side without dignity and wait for everything to pass by.¡¯ Such a thing was done only by maids, not by a noble like her. Renia lowered her eyes and touched her temple with her fingers. When she extremely limited the amount of meals, she used to feel dizzy even if she got a little excited. ¡®I¡¯m tired.¡¯ How great would it be to roll around on the bed in pajamas and eat sweets with her bare hands? It had never been done since her fathermanded that women shouldn¡¯t get messy, but she seemed to be happy just by imagining it. ¡®No. Let¡¯s not think weakly. I must be the Empress. That¡¯s the only way for me.¡¯ Renia shook her head lightly. Rich hair fluttered and caused a red wave. As she shook off her thoughts, what she had to do became clear. ¡°Bring Charlotte.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady.¡± Did she say Amelie? She should check with her own eyes what kind of person she is and whether she is a beauty as rumored. ****** Charlotte carefully escaped the imperial pce. She, working as Amelie¡¯s maid, proudly went out with permission from Mrs Enard. However, her movements became cautious on their own because she was in a position where she could not reveal where she was going. The ce she headed to was the mansion of Count Manvers. As she headed to the back door, Renia¡¯s maid took her inside the house as if she was waiting. ¡®I¡¯m a maid of the imperial pce, but she told me toe through the back door like a servant.¡¯ Charlotte¡¯s pride was hurt. But as soon as she entered the house, everything got better. ¡®Oh my gosh. Haven¡¯t I seen that statue? It¡¯s just a piece of ivorycquered on the decorations of the house. After all, the wealth of Count Manvers is great.¡¯ No matter how many times she visits, she admires this luxurious scenery. How she wishes she could live in such a colorful mansion. ¡®Yeah. It doesn¡¯t matter if my pride is hurt. When Young Lady Renia bes Empress, I will be a close aide to the Empress, so no one will ignore me. And do you happen to know? Whether I¡¯ll be the hostess of this mansion.¡¯ Charlotte wanted to marry Gilbert, the son of Count Manvers. Although Gilbert was attractive, she coveted this extravagant mansion. How perfect would life be as a mistress of a wealthy and prestigious family. Thinking of her golden future made her feel good. Renia was standing by the window. Her red hair was lit up as if it was aze in the light of the sunset. The pupils seen between the red shadows were sharp. Charlotte somehow had an ominous feeling. ¡°Charlotte, sit down.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady Renia.¡± Although the two had a strict hierarchical rtionship, on the surface they were friends. Charlotte quickly sat down in the seat that Renia authorized her to take. Renia bid the maids out of the room and sat across from her. ¡°How did she convince Caroline?¡± Skipping the ceremonial greetings, Renia talked about the business. ¡®You must be really angry.¡¯ Charlotte waved her tongue inside. ¡°It looks like Mrs Enard has put her hand on it.¡± ¡°Mrs Enard?¡± Renia frowned. Mrs Enard had a poor reputation because she was money hungry, but she was actually quite good. Amelie wasn¡¯t really a threat to her, but when Mrs Enard sided with her, she became difficult to deal with. Even so, how did she persuade Caroline? ¡°Exin it in detail.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª I also don¡¯t know about that¡ª¡± ¡°What?¡± Renia¡¯s red eyebrows rose high. Charlotte was discouraged by the overbearing appearance. ¡®I should tell her something useful¡ª¡¯ But she really didn¡¯t know. When she came to her senses, she was the only one turning around in the pce. It is because she expected that she should pay a lot of attention to Amelie, not Mrs Enard, and didn¡¯t check her in advance. She already said everything she knew, so there was nothing more to say. ¡°Oh, yes. That¡¯s right. Come to think of it, His Majesty has been out for businesstely!¡± ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°Yes. From my point of view, it¡¯s clear that His Majesty¡¯s side is avoiding her on purpose. When he has spare time, the person that has been visiting doesn¡¯t show his face once during the day. In the past, he came here before the sun went down, but these days, he onlyes at dawn.¡± Charlotte continued her rambling story. As she talked, there was something new that came to mind. ¡°Come to think of it, he came shortly during the day around three days ago. I don¡¯t know what they were talking about, but somehow His Majesty seemed angry.¡± ¡°Three days ago¡ª the day His Majesty wielded his sword for half a day.¡± It was a story heard directly from the maids of the Imperial Pce. They said that he was so scary wielding a sword that the people watching inadvertently felt their necks tighten. Charlotte frowned at Rania¡¯s intelligence. ¡®The quarrel between lovers is not a big deal, but the opponent is His Majesty. His Majesty is merciless¡ª¡¯ Renia guessed that Amelie¡¯s life would not be long. The Serwin she had seen up until now was such a cruel person. He is bad enough to hitevenhis lover over a single fight. ¡°Charlotte, I have a favor to ask of you.¡± Renia said with a smile. ¡°Favor?¡± ¡°I need to meet that woman.¡± Chapter 46 ¡°Pardon?¡± Charlotte was flustered. ¡°That¡¯s not good. I¡¯m still getting their trust. Moreover, I don¡¯t have the power to schedule that.¡± Amelie¡¯s schedule was managed exclusively by Mrs Enard. There was no way she could ask for a favor that seemed hateful. ¡°You promised to help me, right?¡± Renia¡¯s voice grew sharp. Charlotte was slightly pressed by the force, but she went out. ¡°What can I do if there are many people who want to meet her? If the Count had not made a mistake in the first ce, Mrs Enard wouldn¡¯t have stopped Young Lady Riena from visiting, right? Someone made things difficult¡ª Argh!¡± p. Charlotte¡¯s face turned around with the sound. ¡°Y-Young Lady! Argh!¡± This time, the other cheek pped and made a sound. Renia¡¯s maids grabbed Charlotte¡¯s arms to prevent her from rebelling. ¡°What is this¡ª¡± ¡°If it is difficult to meet in a normal way, you should use a different method.¡± ¡°What?¡± Charlotte asked, but there was no answer. Renia nced at her Charlotte, she turned and went back to the chair she had been sitting in the first time. Charlotte twisted her body at her ominous feeling. Renia¡¯s maids came to Charlotte. ¡°W-wait! You know who I¡¯m serving¡ª!¡± ¡°You said she was so nice that she looked like a fool. If her maid is beaten by others, she will meet me even if she doesn¡¯t like it. Hang in there. I¡¯m trying to help you keep your promise with me.¡± Reniaughed out loud. Her red hair fluttered in waves. Shortly thereafter, the beatings began. The sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed through the room. ¡®I don¡¯t have time to dy it.¡¯ Renia was nervous. But a well-educateddy doesn¡¯t show her emotions. She calmed her nerves, licking her lips out of habit. ¡®I have to make results. A satisfactory achievement for my father.¡¯ Count Manvers spare money for Renia. What she ate, what she wore, and what she put on were high-end items that could only be used in the Imperial family. It was thanks to the Count¡¯s full support that she had an influence equal to that of the Duke¡¯s Young Lady or the Marquis¡¯ Young Lady in the social world. People believe Count Manvers is wealthy and spends a lot of money, yet he was a rascal who only cared about himself. Because he needed to have a good reason for spending money on others. His own children were in the same boat. He spared no expense on Renia because he thinks that one day she will be Empress and her son will be Emperor, raising Count Manvers¡¯ status. For his status, she is a long-term investment. Everything has been going smoothly so far. Serwin did not get close to women, and the noble girls were afraid of Serwin. Because of that, Renia did not doubt that she would be the Empress in the future, and the Count Manvers was always fond of her. However, everything was ruined by Amelie¡¯s appearance. The day she first appeared in front of people. Renia was severely scolded by Count Manvers. ¡°What the hell have you done so far! Even a woman who nobody knows anything about is seducing His Majesty! What have you been doing in the meantime! Do you know how much money I¡¯ve poured into you? That jewel! That dress! All to please His Majesty!¡± Count Manvers ran wild in the house. Renia stood still and heard all the insults. She is famous for her fiery temper in society, but she couldn¡¯t even talk in front of her father. ¡°I mean, you have to be the Empress. That way, I will be the Emperor¡¯s father-inw and the next Emperor¡¯s maternal grandfather! What must I do? It can¡¯t be like this. You should beat that girl! What¡¯s wrong with you that you¡¯re being pushed by a woman like that?¡± How could he humiliate her in front of the staff? Even a few dayster, her hands trembled with anger when she thought of the moment. ¡°Stop.¡± The beating stopped at Renia¡¯s order. She approached Charlotte. Charlotte¡¯s cheeks were just red, so by the time she arrived at the imperial pce, it seemed to be swollen enough to recognize. ¡°Now, Charlotte.¡± Renia gently caressed Charlotte¡¯s red cheek. Charlotte shuddered, trembling her body and leaning her upper body back. ¡°Go. I believe you won¡¯t disappoint me this time. Make her have no choice but to call me. Do you get it?¡± ¡°¡ªY-yes, Lady.¡± Charlotte hurriedly got up and left the room. Watching the running back, Renia was convinced that she would be able to meet Amelie by tomorrow. ***** By the time Charlotte returned to the Imperial Pce. Amelie was writing a letter to her home. ¡®Will it be weird if I say I miss you twice?¡¯ Amelie lifted her pen as she pondered. Dehaim is far from the capital. Once she sent a letter, she had to wait a long time until she got a reply. As a result, it was not easy to decide what to write in the letter. ¡®I asked how they are doing. I took out all the things to worry about in my story, and asked Renee to check out the house in the forest¡ª.¡¯ Amelie wrote in a letter asking Renee to check if she had left a book or something she hadn¡¯t found. It was because there could have been clues about disasters or other witches¡¯ whereabouts at home. ¡®Let¡¯s have a cup of coffee and work out.¡¯ Amelie pulled the string to call the maid. After getting permission from Serwin, she could spend as much time alone as she wanted. So whenever she needed something, she had to call a maid separately. ¡°Did you call me?¡± It was Charlotte who entered the room. ¡°Charlotte? Didn¡¯t you go out¡ª¡± Amelie, looking back at Charlotte, was surprised. Charlotte¡¯s cheeks were seriously swollen. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your face? Didn¡¯t you say you were going home?¡± Amelie stood in front of Charlotte and looked at her face. Looking closely, Charlotte was a mess. How much she cried because her eyes were red and she looked severely unstable. ¡°What happened outside?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I¡¯m having a bit of an argument with my friends¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an argument!¡± ¡°Miss Amelie¡ª¡± Charlotte shed tears. ¡°You didn¡¯t argue with your friend, did you? It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t cry and speak slowly.¡± Amelie grabbed Charlotte¡¯s hand and sat her on the sofa. And patted her hand. ¡®Milena told me to be careful about Charlotte but¡ª¡¯ But she couldn¡¯t pretend she didn¡¯t know when someone was crying with a swollen face. She¡¯s worried if a stranger is crying with a face like this¡ª. ¡°Honestly¡ªthere was someone who asked me a difficult favor even before.¡± Charlotte brought it up with difficulty. ¡°Favor?¡± ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s probably¡ªbecause she knows I¡¯m Miss Amelie¡¯s maid.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°She¡¯s angry because I didn¡¯t tell her about you¡ª¡± ¡°I mean, but she hit people?¡± ¡°That¡¯s understandable.¡± ¡°Who is it? She¡¯s such a terrible person!¡± ¡°¡ªYoung Lady Renia Manvers.¡± Why is that name suddenlying out? Amelie was flustered at the moment. Milena said Charlotte was very close to Renia. She was also told not to get close because she would never be on Amelie¡¯s side. ¡®Aren¡¯t you two close? Why did she hit her?¡¯ Amelie didn¡¯t understand Renia who hit Charlotte or Charlotte who said he deserved to be hit. ¡°Does Manvers Young Lady often use her hand to hit people?¡± ¡°¡ªNo. I shouldn¡¯t have said that. Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t want Amelie¡¯s face to be embarrassed in front of Young Lady Renia because of me..¡± Charlotte said. ¡°How can I do that? I saw you hurt like this.¡± Charlotte was Amelie¡¯s maid. No matter what she thinks inside her, the fact that she is her own person doesn¡¯t change. If she was being bullied because of her, she had to stop it. She also had a purpose to protect others, but she was ignored because she felt like she was being ignored. Of course, regardless of the justification or whatever, the most concern was the fact that Charlotte was beaten because of her. ¡°I¡¯ll meet Young Lady Manvers.¡± She thought they would meet someday anyway. It was an unavoidable encounter with this statue she herself was in the Imperial Pce. Of course, she wanted to avoid it as much as possible, but when the opponent came out like this, it wasn¡¯t just a matter of avoiding it. Momentster, Amelieforted Charlotte and sent her back. She then called Milena and Mrs Enard and exined the story about Charlotte and Renia. She thought she would be scolded for making the decision without consulting, but surprisingly, the two of them were calm. ¡°Because we were going to meet one day anyway. We can¡¯t stay still when the opponent is so strong.¡± ¡°Young Lady Manvers is also in a hurry, so it must be urgent. I hope you see her after Miss Amelie is ready a little more.¡± ¡°Young Lady Manvers will observe and analyze Miss Amelie from head to toe. If any ws are found, Miss Amelie will be a mess who has no control over the social world on that day.¡± ¡°Is it that bad?¡± ¡°Why would she stand shoulder to shoulder with the Lady of Duke and Marquis? It¡¯s because her personality is also not a joke¡ª¡± Amelie¡¯s face turned pale as the exnation about Renia continued.Didn¡¯t I say I was going to meet a dangerous person?Come to think of it, Renia was like her natural enemy. In the original novel, Amelie faced a miserable life because of Renia. In addition, Reinater became the Empress as she wishes. ¡®It¡¯s very different from the original novel, but she¡¯s not an easy opponent.¡¯ Amelie began to worry. Mrs Enard said she would give a special lecture about Renia starting tomorrow to prepare, but it was notforting at all. ****** Amelie sent Renia an invitation for tea time, and that afternoon, Renia replied that she would ept the invitation. And two dayster, it was finally the day Renia decided toe. Amelie¡¯s Pce was not much different from usual, but there was abative atmosphere. Renia Manvers is openly said to have been nominated as the Empress. As it was a visit by a rival, everyone was nervous. ¡®I¡¯m starting to get nervous. Ah. Renia is scary.¡¯ At first, one of the reasons Amelie avoided Serwin was Renia. She bought the people of the imperial pce and bothered Amelie and made her suffer. The content described in the original was so miserable that Amelie was reluctant to give Reina more reasons to dislike her. Moreover, the Count Manvers tricked and give Mrs. Enard¡¯s daughter with a strange drug. He was a man without the slightest conscience or morals to protect young children. It was obvious that Renia, who was on the other side of that person, would not be much different from him. ¡®It would be nice if Renia gave up on being the Empress. That won¡¯t happen, will it?¡¯ It was a well-known story that Renia was the most infatuated with Serwin. It was clear that she would not give up easily. Amelie just wished Reina could just wait a few years since Amelie intended to return to her hometown as soon as she defeated the disaster. She had no intention of bing the empress. However, she was frustrated because she couldn¡¯t exin such a situation. ¡®By the way, when can I go back home? Because of stuff like this there¡¯s no progress¡ª¡¯ Amelie sighed deeply. Chapter 47 Momentster, Renia arrived at the drawing room exactly on time. Amelie made her way to the drawing room, remembering Mrs Enard¡¯s special lecture. ¡°Miss Amelie is here.¡± At the maid¡¯s words, Renia looked at Amelie and Amelie looked at Reina. She was so perfect. Her vivid red hair slid down her shoulders in waves, and her skin was as radiant as a lustrous pearl. Besides, there was no w in her features. She looked expensive, and precious, like a doll that was carefully cared for. ¡®If I¡¯m next to someone like that, I¡¯ll just look like amoner.¡¯ She didn¡¯t feel inferior. Up until now, she had been living as amoner, so of course she couldn¡¯t look like a noble. Besides, she herself was a witch. From her birth, she was far from noble. However, when she thought that Serwin and Reina would be a well-matched couple when they got married, she felt a little ufortable in her stomach. ¡°Thank you for the invitation, Amelie.¡± ¡°Thank you foring. Lady Manvers.¡± While the two exchanged simple greetings, tea and simple refreshments were prepared at the table. In fact, Amelie imagined and worried about numerous situationsst night. What if she poured water on her like typical evil women in the drama? pping in the face? Even if it wasn¡¯t a crazy drama-like situation, Reina could have done as much as possible to find fault with Amelie and ruin the atmosphere. She was not confident that she could cope well with it if Reina was sarcastic or insulting. Of course, she couldn¡¯t do it openly because she had to be wary of Serwin, but Amelie couldn¡¯t shake off her worries. But, contrary to Amelie¡¯s concerns, Renia didn¡¯t try to find fault and wasn¡¯t sarcastic. She was a truly exemry guest. While praising her tea and refreshments, she quietly asked about her current situation so that Amelie would not feel burdened. She was the perfect example of conversational manners as Mrs Enard taught her. ¡®They said she has a fiery personality¡ª or no? Rather, she seems calmer than me and has a good personality.¡¯ She was relieved because she wasn¡¯t as bad as she was worried about. As Amelie drank her tea, Renia¡¯s sharp eyes scattered Amelie¡¯s whole body. Caring for the angle of her fingers, Amelie didn¡¯t even notice that she was being observed as closely as a farmer graded her cattle. ¡®Big eyes and clear skin. The hair color is unique. The face has a cute axis. If I were to rate it, would it be a little above the middle?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t bad, but it wasn¡¯t beautiful enough to fascinate Serwin at first sight. ¡®What kind of charm does she have?¡¯ Renia thought seriously. It was to learn about an effective strategy for Serwin¡¯s through Amelie. But she has no idea if she sees it. Is it true that Gilbert has the advantage of not being visible on the outside while giggling? Renia recalled her shallow brother and raised her brows slightly. ¡°Young Lady Manvers. Do you know why I invited Young Lady today?¡± Amelie finally brought up the subject. ¡°The invitation said that you wanted to thank me for the gift I sent you. Is there any other reason?¡± Renia pretended to be innocent. ¡°I heard you hit Charlotte. Because she doesn¡¯t tell you anything about me.¡± ¡°Really Charlotte?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Manvers Young Lady like that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that I hit Charlotte.¡± ¡°Charlotte is my maid. If you hit her for something about me, I can¡¯t stay still.¡± ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re misunderstanding.¡± Renia smiled and looked as if she had heard a ridiculous story. At that moment, anxiety passed by Amelie¡¯s face. Amelie seemed to find herself difficult for some reason. There would be nothing more scary in the world than carrying Serwin on her back. ¡®Are you naive or stupid?¡¯ Reniaughed inside. She doesn¡¯t know what Amelie¡¯s charm is, but she knew for sure that she was an easy opponent. ¡°I had a misunderstanding with Charlotte, so I fought with her. It got a little intense, but it¡¯s amon fight between friends. It¡¯s desirable for Miss Amelie to take care of your maid, but I don¡¯t think you should be intruding into her private life. I think it¡¯s because you just want to take care of your maids, but she would be offended.¡± Renia was confident. She wouldn¡¯t even touch Charlotte if there was no way out. ¡°No, I¡¯m offended by this. Charlotte is my maid. No matter how close my maid and Young Lady Renia may be, and if you hit her in an argument, that¡¯s an insult to me. And others won¡¯t ept it like that.¡± Amelie was expecting Renia toe out this way. It was all thanks to Mrs Enard and Milena¡¯s advice. ¡°No way, you didn¡¯t think other people would believe what Young Lady said, did you?¡± Amelie brought the prepared sentence out of her mouth. But she¡¯s the one who wants others to believe her as she is, so she said it, but she broke her heart. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel good because it seems like I¡¯m getting into a fight between friends, but I wanted to give you advice to be careful in the future, for the sake of Young Lady Manvers. There¡¯s no point in making gossip for nothing.¡± ¡°¡ªYes, I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Renia readily epted. Charlotte was just an excuse to meet Amelie, so it didn¡¯t matter how the conclusion was made. There was also confidence that Amelie would not be able to punish her. But when she heard the admonition from Amelie, she didn¡¯t feel good. ¡®Well, because there¡¯s Mrs Enard.¡¯ She let her guard down because she didn¡¯t think that a woman who only revealed that money would sincerely help someone. The goal of meeting Amelie was fulfilled, but her pride was hurt. Suddenly, the smile disappeared from Renia¡¯s face. Her ssy eyes became hot as if they were breathing fire. Amelie stuck out her tongue as she drank her tea. Despite her appearance, she was a force not inferior to Serwin. ¡®¡ªIsn¡¯t that just provoking me? It¡¯s difficult if you make me kick you out.¡¯ Amelie had no desire to be involved in a love fight. Her purpose is to defeat disaster only. She couldn¡¯t afford to deal with Renia. ¡°Excuse me, Lady Manvers. I don¡¯t know how I sound, but I want to get along with you.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be in the Imperial Pce for a long time, but I don¡¯t want to make my face red for nothing.¡± ¡°What do you mean you won¡¯t be here for a long time?¡± Renia looked into Amelie¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t know her subject, and she followed Serwin to the imperial pce, so she thought she would hold on until she was kicked out. ¡°Somehow, I came to the Imperial Pce, but this ce doesn¡¯t suit me. I¡¯m going back to my hometown when things are sorted out.¡± ¡°¡ªAre you serious? Does His Majesty know that?¡± ¡°Yes, he knows.¡± She once told Serwin that she would return to her hometown if the disaster was defeated. ¡®Or not? Is it not?¡¯ Her memory is hazy, but since she has always said it in such a nuance, Serwin must have known that she was going back to her hometown. Renia didn¡¯t say anything more about what she was thinking. ¡®Did I say something wrong?¡¯ She guesses she¡¯s kind of angry. Is it a mistake? Amelie was a little nervous, but fortunately, Renia smiled brightly. ¡°I also want to get along well. If we were close, there would be no misunderstandings like today.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Amelie nodded. ¡°The timing is good. I¡¯m nning to hold a small tea party with my friends soon. I¡¯ll be happy if youe, too.¡± ¡°Tea party?¡± ¡°Will youe? I¡¯ll introduce you to my friends. Let¡¯s be close.¡± Amelie hesitated to answer for a moment. ¡®I think I need to get permission from Mrs Enard first?¡¯ But Mrs Enard was far away while Renia in front of her kept persuading Amelie. ¡°Well¡ª His Majesty will notice it right? His Majesty hates nobles.¡± Renia made a deep expression. ¡°That¡¯s not true. His Majesty is quite respectful.¡± Amelie waved her hand and defended Serwin. ¡®Respectful? Are you showing off that you¡¯re close to him?¡¯ Renia was angry inside, but she kept a smile on the outside. She couldn¡¯t do anything wrong with the emotions of the moment. ¡°Then, you¡¯lle, right?¡± ¡°Well, yes. If you send me an invitation, I¡¯ll go.¡± Amelie eventually had no choice but to ept it. Mrs Enard¡¯s voice seemed to have already been heard, but she couldn¡¯t refuse Renia¡¯s request to be close to her. ¡®It¡¯s nice to get close!¡¯ Amelie and Renia¡¯s first meeting ended like that. ****** ¡°Argh!¡± nk! Along with Renia¡¯s scream, the sound of the object breaking rang out. Renia¡¯s maids were all nervous and stuck to the wall and looked at her. The momentum of bushing things was so harsh that they couldn¡¯t even dare to stop her. ¡°Ha! How dare you discipline this Renia Manvers? This girl who no one even knows where shees from!¡± Renia threw things as soon as she could. The perfume bottle quickly flew away and was stuck in a full-body mirror. Crash! The maids trembled at the sharp rupture. ¡®You¡¯re leaving? Do you think I will fall for such amon trick? You thought you could distract me with a few words like that, but you¡¯re mistaken!¡¯ Renia gasped and became angry. ¡°Will this mansion break down?¡± A cheerful voice was heard from the side. It was Gilbert, Renia¡¯s half-brother and sessor to Count Manvers. Heughed at Renia¡¯s figure. ¡°You pretended to be elegant by yourself, but what¡¯s wrong with you? Guys will run away without looking back.¡± ¡°Get out.¡± Renia immediately issued a congrattory order. She hated Gilbert, who was an ipetentmb and condescending sessor. Gilbert was shamelessly snickering at Renia as Gilbert normally did. ¡°How did you break all of this? If you buy it again, it¡¯ll cost a lot of money.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your business.¡± ¡°No way, I¡¯m going to be a Count in the future. I can¡¯t see you wasting the Count¡¯s fortune.¡± ¡°Are you talking as if you were the Count?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to happen someday. Just don¡¯t buy anything right now. Who knows if walking around naked would work better. His Majesty must be a man too.¡± Gilbert grumbled. Renia trembled with insults. ¡°Don¡¯t do it by any means. Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m different from my father. If you don¡¯t catch the Emperor, I¡¯ll marry you off immediately. A man who can pay back all the money you wasted.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Take my advice carefully.¡± Gilbert scratched Renia¡¯s insides with his words until the end and disappeared. Renia¡¯s face turned white, and she held back her anger. She would have thrown a chair at Gilbert¡¯s head, but she had to endure. It was because he was the heir to the Count Manvers, even if he was a fool. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

¡®The Empress¡­ If I be the Empress¡­¡¯ If she bes the Empress, everyone will kneel before her. As well as her father and her half-brother who will be the count. No one would dare ignore her or see her easily. Even without her father¡¯s coercion, she wanted to be an Empress. Saying she was the daughter of a wealthy countess didn¡¯t do any good for her. She was only being swayed by her father, and by her brother, who would be her father¡¯s sessor. She wouldn¡¯t be any different if she got married. All noble men were like Gilbert. ¡®Come here¡¯, ¡®go there¡¯,¡¯do this¡¯, ¡®don¡¯t do that¡¯. She had to live her life under control. But when she bes Empress, she would be rtively free. No one will be able to control her demeanor and behavior. ¡®I can do anything for that. I won¡¯t lose my seat to a girl who doesn¡¯t know where she is and what she¡¯s doing.¡¯ Renia recalled Amelie¡¯s appearance. The first thing that came to mind was her round eyes. She is talking and acting as the maids tell her to, but really, she is just a girl who just came up from the countryside. ¡®I have to show that no one wees you.¡¯ She invited her to a tea party on purpose. Everything about introducing friends and getting close was a lie. There was only one position of the Empress, and there was no such thing as a wholesomepetition. ¡°I¡¯m going to write an invitation to the tea party. Bring some paper.¡± Renia called her maid and ordered her. The tea party guests would of course be filled with her faithful hands and feets. ¡®You know my subject.¡¯ Reniaughed. It¡¯s been a very long time since she was so excited about a tea party. ***** News that Amelia and Renia met was reported to Serwin through Chad. ¡°Unlike her worries, Amelie treated the Manvers Young Lady with determination, and her attitude was not bad. It was a friendly atmosphere until the end.¡± ¡°The Manvers Young Lady can¡¯t be obedient.¡± Serwin raised his eyebrows. He was well aware of Renia Manvers¡¯ fiery personality and her obsession with the position of Empress. Because she was the woman who came to fear him, yet she wanted to be the Empress. ¡°Regardless of what she thinks, she can¡¯t help but openly show hostility to Amelie. Your Majesty must stay aware of it. ¡°Right.¡± Serwin nodded. He reigned with fear, and the nobles feared his sword above all else. As long as he was confident, no one could harm Amelie. Besides, Amelie was a witch. She was able to protect her body without difficulty. Still, what made him uneasy was that he was worried that Manvers might break her heart. Whether she is magically powerful, no matter how great she is, she can¡¯t stop the emotional wounds she receives from people. And the nobles of the Empire had a special ability to throw daggers even when talking face to face. ¡°Be more wary of her surroundings. I¡¯m sure that girl is up to something.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand. However¡ª there is one thing I would like to ask you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Miss Amelie told the Manvers Young Lady that she would return to her hometown when the time was right¡ªbut wouldn¡¯t it be better to be careful about such stories?¡± Chad was worried about Amelie¡¯s position bing unstable. If the nobles find out that Amelie is leaving Serwin¡¯s side soon, will they treat Amelie as carefully as she is now? It wasn¡¯t. ¡°What should I do?¡± But Serwin did not answer. He was frozen with his eyes wide open. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Chad was confused. ¡°Amelie said Your Majesty knows this story. Is this your first time hearing this?¡± ¡°¡ªNo.¡± Serwin clicked his tongue. Amelie certainly expressed her intention to return to her hometown after defeating the disaster. The reason she came to the imperial pce was to protect the peace of her hometown. He knew and understood everything. Nevertheless, her words were very shocking. ¡®You¡¯re leaving? Then what about me?¡¯ Serwin was an Emperor. He had no rtives to inherit the throne, so he could not leave the Imperial pce until his child was born. In addition, the Imperial pce and Dhaim are so far away that it takes 10 days to even exchange letters. It was unknown when he would be able to see her again when she returned to Dhaim. ¡®Do I have to be alone in this terrible pce?¡¯ In fact, the imperial pce without Amelie was familiar to him. For the past 20 years, he has lived alone waiting for her here. ¡®It may not be so painful because it will be after defeating the disaster.¡¯ But he couldn¡¯t imagine the future without her. It¡¯s hard even now that he¡¯s keeping his distance on purpose, but he was just terrified of what it would be like if they couldn¡¯t see each other forever. ¡®How did he live before Amelie came?¡¯ Serwin recalled past memories. It was thergest and most splendid imperial pce in the empire, but in his memory, it was always just a barrenndscape. There was no way he could go back to that life. ¡°Your Majesty, are you okay?¡± ¡°No.¡± Serwin got up. ¡®I need to see Amelie.¡¯ He wanted to see her. In the Imperial pce, he seemed to have to see her within his own realm. A strong impulse took hold of him, and his body naturally turned to Amelie. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Chad hurriedly chased after him. However, it was not enough to catch up with the man who was running with all his might. ***** Serwin quickly arrived at Amelie¡¯s pce. The knights standing at the main gate were horrified to find Serwin. It was because Serwin appeared in front of them in a blink of an eye. ¡°Quiet.¡± The knights were puzzled by the fact that Serwin was alone without an attendant, but they kept their mouths shut. Their fear of him was greater than their little curiosity. He walked slowly along the road. He ran like crazy all the way here, but when he arrived, his steps slowed down by itself. A cold wind pped his cheek. This allowed him to calm down, at least a little. ¡®Is she in the garden?¡¯ Serwin headed in the direction of the sound of the instrument. He was convinced that Amelie would be there. His steps began to speed up again. Amelie was not alone. She was dancing with an imperial knight. Seeing it, a fire erupted in an instant. Serwin wanted to run right away and take the knight away from Amelie. If Mrs Enard had not stopped the music while screaming, the knight would surely have been killed. When the music stopped, the imperial knight took a step back. Only then could Serwin look around. There were more than two people in the garden. It looked like she was practicing dancing in the garden. ¡®If you watch a demonstration once or twice, you¡¯ll quickly learn how to dance. Why do you have to practice together like that?¡¯ He clicked his tongue. Even though he knew it was a dance practice, his stomach was still boiling with anger. ¡°Miss Amelie! Your expression! You have to smile softly. I can see that you¡¯re nervous.¡± When Mrs Enard pointed out, Amelie made a tearful face. ¡°I can¡¯t even pay attention to my face. It¡¯s hard to just follow the moves!¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re so nervous. Smile! Comfortably!¡± ¡°Aah. My face muscles are so stiff.¡± Amelie twitched her cheeks. Her face contorted in a funny way. Then, Milena burst outughing. She couldn¡¯t hide her smile, even the stern Mrs Enard. Eventually, when all her maids burst intoughter, Amelie said, ¡°Are youughing?¡± and made a crying face again. Serwin stood still and watched them. It was as if Amelie and her surroundings were not a part of the imperial pce. Thefortable and pleasant atmosphere was all unfamiliar to him. He inadvertently hid behind the wall. His entire body was engulfed in dark shadows. ¡®It¡ªseems that you are doing well.¡¯ She was bright and cheerful even though the pressure must have been severe right before the party. It was because the people around her supported her so firmly. ¡®Even without me.¡¯ Serwin smiled bitterly. His own vacancy was nowhere to be found. Come to think of it, Amelie didn¡¯t even need him. It was different from how he had been eagerly waiting for Amelie, and now he can¡¯t be without her. What Amelie wanted was a peaceful life in her hometown. It would be Amelie herself making it, not something he could give her. ¡®No, it would be more helpful if I wasn¡¯t there.¡¯ His chest was tight. He pressed the left part of his chest with his right hand. [¡­¡­¡­] Noise intervened between the sounds of music. The static noise was as creepy as scratching down his ears. The disaster did not miss any moment he was shaken. He tried to calm down, but negative thoughts continued endlessly. ¡®Amelie will be fine without me. While she was loved by those around her. She might even make a real lover.¡¯ It was terrible just to imagine. But when everything was over, there was no way to stop her if she said she was leaving. Confining her has already failed. There was also a way to threaten her using the people around her, but he didn¡¯t want to be hated by her for doing that. But he didn¡¯t want to be separated from her and he didn¡¯t want to be left alone in this imperial pce. ¡®Then what should I do? How can I keep her by my side?¡¯ When the disaster disappears, she leaves, too. If so, then¡ª. ¡®Yes, the disaster doesn¡¯t need to disappear and should just remain.¡¯ [Kiik, kikikikikikkkk, kiiiik] Theughter of disaster resonated loudly as if tearing up his eardrums. ¡®Just what was I thinking right now?¡¯ The disaster had to disappear from the world. The moment he can no longer prevent the disaster, the world would be destroyed. Thend would be devastated, disasters would keep sweeping the continent, and diseases would kill countless people. The thousand-year empire would crumble without a trace. He can¡¯t do that. It was his duty to prevent it. But he¡¯s blinded by momentary jealousy and loss, forgetting his obligations. As he came to his senses, deep self-hatred came. ¡°Ugh!¡± Serwin grabbed his chest while vomiting. [¡­¡­¡­] A ck lump burst out of his mouth. The ck lump fell to the ground and wriggled. It seemed to be a lump of ck ichor, and it seemed like a sticky old lump withrge knots and twisted limbs. It looked ominous and disgusting. It wriggled violently until it turned into hundreds of insects and scattered. When Serwin opened his eyes catching his breath, there was no ck lump left anywhere. The ground from which the lump fell rotted in, but it was hidden by the shadow and was hard to see. Chapter 49 ¡°Your Majesty, you were here. The servants were in a hurry to find Your Majesty.¡± Chad approached breathing harshly. He ran around the pce looking for Serwin, who disappeared. He found Serwin in Amelie¡¯s pce and ran in. But Serwin said nothing. His face filled with the shadows was different from usual. Should he say that Serwin looks like a person who has lost all their energy? What happened in such a short period of time? ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Chad called Serwin. Serwin¡¯s gaze turned to Chad. He looked down at the sky and then Amelie in the distance. He frowned. ¡°Are you sick? Should I call a doctor?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t make a useless fuss.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Chad looked into Serwin¡¯s eyes. ¡®From a distance, he looked like he was nauseous¡ª. Is he really okay?¡¯ Serwin was fine, as if nothing had happened. It happened a lot, so Chad was naturally relieved without any doubt. ¡°Let¡¯s stop.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re here, let¡¯s meet Miss Amelie.¡± ¡°No. Don¡¯t even say I¡¯m here.¡± Serwin turned back firmly. Chad thought his back was somehow powerless. ****** As she began preparing for the party in earnest, Amelie was so busy that her eyes began to roll. This was Amelie¡¯s first time attending the party. She had to learn to dance as well, and she had to memorize the tacit rules to watch out for at the party. Reluctantly, Amelie was forced to postpone her investigation into the disaster for a while. But she couldn¡¯t take a break from making potions. Because she had to heal Mrs. Enard¡¯s child. Amelie took her time and made a potion. It was hard on her, but it was only when she made potions that she was proud of the idea that she was doing something like a witch. But she couldn¡¯t show anyone else how pleased she was to see the purple poison simmering. ¡°Sir Chad.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Amelie.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a walk for a while.¡± ¡°When the weather like this?¡± Certainly, the fog was thick from the morning, and it did not clear up after noon. In addition, the air was very chilly. ¡°It¡¯s hard to stay indoors.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll pick you up. Wait a minute. I¡¯ll bring your coat.¡± But Amelie shook her head. ¡°When I go out, many eyes are focused on me again. I just want to walk around quietly. I don¡¯t need a coat because I can transform into an animal.¡± ¡°Then you can just go like this.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amelie used her magic to transform and with a ¡®pong¡¯ sound Amelie disappeared and a pink rabbit with drooping ears appeared. ¡°It¡¯s not a bird.¡± That¡¯s not up to her. She can learn other magic quickly as it is, but her transformation magic doesn¡¯t improve at all. ¡°Please be careful. It is said that strange things always happen on a foggy day like today.¡± Amelie nodded to Chad and left the room. ***** Because of the high humidity, the cold seeped in all the way through to the bones. In particr, it was colder because the Imperial pce was spacious and there were few people. It was absolutely not the weather to walk around in a thin muslin dress. But Renia couldn¡¯t put on her coat. It was because she had deliberately chosen her dress that was wrapped around her body. Today, with her innocent and fragile appearance, she had to stimte the Emperor¡¯s protective instincts. Today¡¯s n was that ¡®Renia, who is lost in the middle of the Imperial Pce and shivering in the cold, identally meets Serwin and gets help¡¯. It was Count Manvers who made this n. Renia thought it was a silly n, but she followed the Count¡¯s will. It was because she didn¡¯t want to hear words like, ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re like that!¡± The Count had a long memory for grudges, so it was better to do as he was told. ¡®Your Majesty seems to like the weak side more than the fancy side, so it¡¯s a good strategy.¡¯ However, she sincerely regretted following along this time. Thin muslin dresses and silk gloves did not protect the body from the temperature at all. It was so cold. Including the fact that she lost weight by overdoing it to prepare for the party, it was harder to withstand the cold than before. ¡®How long do I have to be like this? Is heing this way?¡¯ ording to her father, Serwin usually passes this road to swing a sword lightly after lunch. ¡®Seeing that the servants don¡¯t evene close, the path His Majesty will go is correct¡ª.¡¯ Renia waited for him for quite some time, but did not see a single human shadow. In addition, it happened to be a foggy day, so the field of view was narrow. It was so gloomy that she wondered if it was really a royal pce. ¡®I said that I would note to the Imperial Pce on a day like this.¡¯ A day of thick fog that doesn¡¯t even fly away by the wind. On such a day, it is said that even a normal person suddenly goes crazy and runs wild. It is said that most of the bizarre events that have urred in the imperial pce so far have urred on a foggy day. Renia thought it was a false rumor, but she was nervous to stand alone on the road. ¡®Ha¡ª¡¯ Renia swallowed a sigh. Her shoulders kept shrinking because of the cold. However, Serwin shouldn¡¯t have seen this, so Renia quickly spread her shoulders. If her maids were together with her, they could have endured by huddling andbining their body temperature but Renia had no choice but to endure the cold alone because Count Manvers did not let her bring them. ¡®It would be nice to wait in the lobby of the emperor¡¯s pce¡ª.¡¯ How long has it been? Serwin finally appeared from behind. ¡°¡­.!¡± Renia quickly fixed her clothes and rubbed her cheeks with her palm. It was to make herplexion a little lively. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Renia quickly approached Serwin. When she finally thought she could get out of this cold, she was happier than ever to see Serwin. The servants following Serwin were shocked to find her. ¡®Who¡¯s blocking His Majesty¡¯s path without fear!¡¯ ¡®His Majesty is feeling the worst these days!¡¯ As Renia stood in front of Serwin, Serwin also stopped and looked at her. ¡°I¡¯m really d that your Majesty just passed by! Actually, I¡¯m lost¡ª.¡± Renia dropped her eyebrows, creating a pitiful expression on her face. But the moment her eyes met him, she lost her words. Her body, which had not yielded to the cold, trembled less. She felt like a mouse in front of a snake. ¡®Why, why am I so nervous? There¡ª There has never been a time like this¡ª¡¯ His eyes were on Renia, but they were numb like he was seeing an inanimate object. Renia was terrified with just one look at him. Serwin usually had a brutal atmosphere, but it was the first time she was so scared. Serwin nodded his head small. The servants noticed his meaning and quickly pulled Renia¡¯s arm. ¡°Young Lady, this way.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say anything. You¡¯ll be in trouble.¡± Renia was suddenly taken away by the servants. Normally, she would have sharply beaten whoever dared to touch her body. But she couldn¡¯t do anything with the cold and fear that permeated through her. ¡®I¡¯ve been waiting for a long time¡ª¡¯ Serwin moved away without looking back. She woke up early in the morning, dressed up, shivering, and stood here alone for hours. She hasn¡¯t eaten anything sincest night to look vulnerable. It was all an effort for this moment. To get his attention at least once. But Serwin wasn¡¯t even worried about her. As if it was annoying to talk, he removed her with a single gesture. Renia vaguely looked at Serwin¡¯s back. ¡®What was I shaking in this cold for?¡¯ It was disgraceful and miserable. Tears welled up in Renia¡¯s eyes. The servants nced at her and walked away. It was clear that today¡¯s event was going to be gossip in social circles before the sun went down. Her hands trembled at her shame and resentment. ¡®Do you know what I wanted to do in this cold?¡¯ She just did what her father told her to do. It¡¯s obvious that it¡¯ll be harder if she doesn¡¯t do what she¡¯s told. It was clear that people wouldugh at her own circumstances. At the same time, they will react simrly like a Young Lady of their age. ¡®Do you have to do that?¡¯ ¡®You don¡¯t even have pride?¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s nothing good about bing an Empress, it just gets more work.¡¯ Reniaughed at each time, using love as an excuse. But her stomach was boiling up with anger. ¡®If I sit still, who will recognize me? You and I, who are protected by our families, are in a different situation!¡¯ Renia was desperate. She didn¡¯t want to be swayed by others. In order to do so, Renia¡¯s own power was needed, not others. ¡®Be the Empress at any cost¡ª As long as I be¡ª.¡¯ ck smoke filled under her feet. It stuck to Renia¡¯s leg like a snake. Renia didn¡¯t even notice that ck smoke was covering her legs because her mind was somewhere else. ck smoke passed through Renia¡¯s calves and climbed up to her thighs. But at that moment, something hit Renia¡¯s leg. At that moment, the ck smoke disappeared into the air. ¡°Uh.¡± Renia fell down in surprise. The touch on the leg was soft and warm, so it didn¡¯t hurt. ¡°What?¡± She looked down at her feet. There was a pink rabbit with drooping ears rolling around. ¡°Kyu!¡± Amelie stuttered her feet while falling backwards. ¡®Whoaa! Renia Manvers! Why are you in this kind of ce?¡¯ Amelie was on her way to see Serwin while taking a walk. She was going to see if he was doing well so that she wouldn¡¯t disturb him because he would be busy. However, on the way to the pond where Serwin was located, a hunting dog suddenly began to chase her. Amelie ran away frantically. The dog¡¯s teeth were so sharp that she, as a rabbit, couldn¡¯t even take a bite. When the hunting dog followed closely, she was in a state of confusion and ran at full speed, and bumped into Renia without seeing her in front. ¡°It¡¯s a rabbit. Dirty.¡± Renia pointed and pushed Amelie with her feet. She didn¡¯t want to touch any of the dirty wild animals. Moreover, her mood was the worst now. She wanted to get rid of everything around her, regardless of whether it was a rabbit or not. Cold, hungry, and dizzy. She didn¡¯t even want to go back home when she thought her father would be angry. ¡®What the hell, kicking someone like that.¡¯ Amelie grumbled and turned over with her own strength. ¡®Let¡¯s not get involved and go.¡¯ Amelie hurried her own way. However, it bothered her that Renia looked cold. Chapter 50 ¡®It¡¯d be a big trouble if you dressed that thin with this fog.¡¯ The weather today was very cold. Reina wouldn¡¯t know if she had fuzzy fur like her, but if she wore such a thin dress, something big could happen. Unsurprisingly, her face had turned blue as her body temperature had dropped a lot. ¡®Why are you alone in a ce like this without a maid?¡¯ Amelie lifted her front foot and ced it on Renia¡¯s shoulder. There was a possibility that she would throw her out because she was dirty, but she had to warm Renia first. Renia suddenly hugged Amelie. She stopped trying to throw Amelie away. Unexpectedly, this pink rabbit was very soft and warm. ¡®¡ªThe fur is clean and smells good. Who¡¯s growing it out? It¡¯ll be okay if I hold it, right?¡¯ Renia carelessly stroked the rabbit¡¯s body. As Amelie adjusted her body temperature with her magic, heat began to radiate through Renia¡¯s body. After a while, Renia regained her stability and began to feel her hunger little by little. ¡°¡ªI¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Kyu kyu!¡± You can¡¯t eat me! Amelie freaked out and struggled with her legs. Renia released Amelie and touched her forehead with one hand to see if she was dizzy. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with her? Is she okay?¡¯ Amelie couldn¡¯t leave and wandered around her for no reason. ¡®It seems like you¡¯ve lost more weight than before. Have you ever starved?¡¯ Amelie immediately recognized her condition. She felt dizzy because she went on a severe diet. There was no hypoglycemic shock* yet, but her body temperature dropped, so it was very dangerous. ¡®Should I call someone? I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone around here. What should I do?¡¯ If Renia had lost her mind or passed out, Amelie could transform into a human and take her back. However, Renia still had a clear mind. ¡®Didn¡¯t the vine I saw on the way here have fruits? Will she get better if she eats that?¡¯ It was as small as pinkie nails, but it tasted great. It will be of some help to Renia, whocks sugar because it is also very sweet. Amelie tapped Renia¡¯s foot with her front feet and ran to get the fruit. ¡®I¡¯m dizzy. I have no strength in my body.¡¯ When the rabbit disappeared, her body trembled. She was cold and hungry, and her mind became hazy. ¡®Who should I call¡ª my maid¡ª?¡¯ For a moment, Renia thought that her condition was very serious right now. But her body didn¡¯t listen. Every minute and every second felt very long. While slowly getting tired, something soft and warm touched Renia¡¯s hand. It was the rabbit¡¯s front paws. Renia slowly looked up. Earlier, the rabbit was biting a vine with red fruits. There were tooth marks on both sides of the stem, perhaps because it was bitten and brought directly. The rabbit put it down on Renia¡¯s palm. ¡°Do you want me to eat this?¡± Renia looked at the rabbit as if it were ridiculous. As the Young Lady of Count Manvers, she could not eat such dirty food. But her hands were shaking. She had a foreboding feeling that if she didn¡¯t eat anything right now, something bad would happen. And, above all, she couldn¡¯t ignore the rabbit¡¯s mint-colored eyes staring at her. The unidentified fruit was red and shiny and looked quite appetizing. Renia hesitated, and then she carefully plucked one of the berries. Her hands were trembling violently, but she was d she was able to move. The moment she puts the fruit in her mouth and bite it with her teeth, it spreads the juice through her mouth with a popping sound. Sweetness drenched her tongue. How long has it been since she tasted this sweet taste? In the meantime, it was difficult to eat only sds without dressing. Her brain was pounding and ringing at the sweet taste she hadn¡¯t tasted in a long time. Like a freshly picked fruit, the scent was excellent. A sour scent simr to strawberries could not spread throughout the mouth, so it was delivered to the nose. ¡®It¡¯s good!¡¯ Renia doubted her taste. It was just the fruit that the rabbit had picked up, and it tasted better than any fruit she had ever eaten. Renia frantically ate the fruit. Sweet and sour. She liked even the freshness of the fruits from the fields. The berries all disappeared with a few gestures, but during that short time, Renia was very happy. How long has it been since she ate whatever she wanted without looking at others? ¡®Ha¡ª What the hell is Serwin¡ª.¡¯ Amelie was surprised when Renia¡¯s face distorted as if she were about to burst into tears. ¡®Uh¡ª how should Ifort you? Do you want me to touch you even if it¡¯s just fur?¡¯ Amelie crawled under Renia¡¯s hand at the moment. Then, Renia slowly began petting her fur. ¡°So you¡¯re really smart?¡± Renia looked at Amelie and smiled. That smile was surprisingly soft and sweet. It was different from thest time she saw it. ¡®You¡¯re supposed to smile like this.¡¯ Amelie quietly blinked. How long has it been? Seeing that she had calmed down, Renia got up and called the maids. A whileter, when the maids came, Renia returned with them. ¡®Um, I feel like I¡¯ve seen something I shouldn¡¯t have seen¡ª¡¯ Why did she stand alone in a cold ce like this? Amelie, who was left feeling uneasy, stopped her walk and returned to her Pce. ***** At the pce, Caroline waited eagerly for Amelie to return. Caroline was very determined to the point where she had gone crazy perfecting everything. One day, she brought dozens of fabrics and tried them on Amelie¡¯s body, and the other day, she twisted and straightened Amelie¡¯s hair and fiddled. Amelie just looked up and down as she was told, but it was very hard to keep sitting still. ¡®What else are you going to do today¡ª¡¯ When she thought of meeting Caroline, Amelie was already exhausted. ¡°Good morning, Miss Amelie? Did you have a good breakfast?¡± Caroline came in with great momentum. Her condition has been the best these days. It was because she was obsessed with the feeling that she would soon create the masterpiece of her lifetime. ¡®This job, you did a good job.¡¯ Aristocratic Young Ladies the same age as Amelie decorate themselves from an early age. As a result, they were certain of their own ¡®good¡¯ taste, and were obsessed with stereotypes, such as¡®I don¡¯t like this kind of thing¡¯and¡®I have to wear something like this¡¯.It was unfortunate that Caroline knew her craft well, but always had her goal spoiled because most of them were strangely stubborn. But Amelie had no such stubbornness, and she followed Caroline¡¯s instructions. There was no other person who was thisfortable to work with. ¡®Even if you¡¯re not the beauty of the century, this ordinary face isfortable to work with.¡¯ Because it is a face with no distinct characteristics, the image changed rapidly depending on how Caroline decorated it. It was all the more rewarding for her to create beauty. Above all, it was the budget that pleased her. She was able to try various things because she had enough of a budget. She couldn¡¯t help but be motivated because she could use materials that she couldn¡¯t use because her hands were less shaking. Caroline was desperately realizing her teacher¡¯s words that artes from capital. ¡°As I saidst time, I¡¯ve brought ace sample.¡± Amelie couldn¡¯t remember what Caroline saidst time, but nodded like a machine. It was because she wanted the work to bepleted as soon as possible. For some reason, every time Caroline came to see her, she was very uplifted and spoke non-stop. Fortunately, Mrs Enard was writing down her words next to her, so Amelie was listening to Caroline in one ear and shedding it in one ear every time. ¡°Did you say that you¡¯re going to dye thece and ovep it?¡± ¡°Yes. The color will be slightly different depending on thece design, so we have to decide on the design first.¡± Mrs Enard looked at thece sample with a grim look. It was a huge booklet the size of an album, and each book seemed to be about an inch thick. ¡®When are we going to be done with all of that?¡¯ Amelie looked at the sample books with a little boredom. ***** After Caroline swept through, Amelie stretched out exhausted. Her eyes ached because she had to strain just to see the subtle differences in thece. ¡®I think my head is nk, too.¡¯ After suffering between Mrs Enard and Caroline, she was exhausted. Fortunately, Mrs Enard looked at her and allowed her a special break, so Amelie could sit in a chair and rest for a while. ¡®¡ªCome to think of it, what was it?¡¯ Amelie recalled the day she met Renia. ¡®I think I saw something ck before I hit Renia¡¯s leg¡ª¡¯ Her memory was not urate. Because she was being chased by a dog, she couldn¡¯t see properly, so she may have mistakenly thought it was Renia¡¯s shadow. ¡®Because of my worry about the disaster. Did I be too sensitive?¡¯ Amelie was sighing with a sound, and Chad approached her. There seemed to be something to ask of herself. ¡°Miss Amelie, are you avable now?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s break time. What happened?¡± ¡°I actually have a favor to ask of you.¡± When Amelie asked, Chad made a difficult look and spoke quietly. ¡°Can you go to the Imperial Pce now? It¡¯s about His Majesty.¡± ¡°What happened to His Majesty?¡± At that moment, Amelie remembered the ck shadow she saw a few days ago. It just happened that she was thinking about it. ¡®By the way, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen Serwin¡ª I had an ominous feeling, so I¡¯ll have to go and check the condition now.¡¯ Amelie jumped up from her seat. ¡°No, I shouldn¡¯t be like this here, let¡¯s go!¡± As Amelie moved quickly, Chad looked at her with a puzzled look behind her. ¡®It¡¯s not something to have to leave in such a hurry¡ª.¡¯ Serwin was very fine. The only problem is that his temper is getting worse and worse, and he is driving the people around him away in fright. In fact, what Chad tried to ask Amelie for was something else. ¡®I was going to ask you to practice dancing with His Majesty if possible¡ª¡¯ Mrs Enard wanted to make Amelie, who was poor at dancing, perfect. So she wanted Amelie to have enough dance practice with a man of simr physique to Serwin before attending the party. This was because subtle differences caused big mistakes in practice. Chad rejected the offer, but there were many other men. Mrs Enard asked imperial knights to find a knight of simr physique to Serwin. All of the imperial knights were from aristocrats and had excellent dance skills. Therefore, all of them were of great help to Amelie, and Amelie¡¯s dance skills were gradually improving. The problem was that Chad had to report that fact to Serwin. Every time Chad reported to Serwin, he had to look at the red eyes that looked as if they were bursting. ¡®This is how you die, you¡¯ll definitely die.¡¯ Serwin himself was unaware of his own change, so Chad decided to move to begging Amelie. But when Amelie didn¡¯t listen to everything and she headed to the pce, he began to worry about whether he should resolve this misunderstanding. However, when it came to clearing up the misunderstanding, the reason was toome. ¡®¡ªLet¡¯s just follow.¡¯ Isn¡¯t it the duty of a knight to protect his master¡¯s honor? Chad hurriedly followed Amelie. Chapter 51 There were implicit rules in the Imperial pce. On the second floor where the emperor¡¯s office is located, no one should ever run no matter what. A decade ago, a messenger who ran to the office to deliver urgent news died because of the noise. Since then, courtiers have also taken care to quiet their steps in the hallway on the second floor. Therefore, the sound of footsteps echoing in the hallway on the second floor felt very different. Tak, tak, tak. The sound of fast footsteps broke the silence and rang the hallway. ¡®Who the hell is running around on the second floor?¡¯ An aide screamed inside. Serwin also crumpled his forehead when he heard the sound. Baron Avery, who was reporting to Serwin in the midst of his change in expression, also stopped talking. ¡®Hiik, I¡¯m going to see blood.¡¯ At that moment, pink hair popped out as the door opened. ¡°Amelie?¡± ¡°Your Majesty! Are you okay?¡± Amelie rushed to Serwin¡¯s front and began to look around. She looked carefully, but there was no ck smoke anywhere. In addition, Serwin did not look much different than usual. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s¡ª¡± Amelie gasped. How fast did she run here? Her chest was constantly rising and falling, and her breathing was rough. Sweat was dripping from her forehead, and her well-groomed hair was in a mess. With one nce at her, he could tell that she had run frantically. ¡°Water.¡± ¡°Yes. Your Majesty.¡± The servants hurriedly took water and handed it to Serwin. Serwin patted Amelie on the back and gave her water. ¡°Ah, thank you. Phew¡ª Is Your Majesty okay? What about your body?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? Are you okay?¡± Serwin¡¯s voice was filled with worries. There must have been something going on if Amelie had to run in such a hurry. Chad who followed behind her came in. Serwin interrogated Chad with his eyes while looking at Amelie. ¡®It¡¯s nothing!¡¯ Chad shook his head violently. ¡®But what¡¯s wrong with her?¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s a little misunderstanding¡ª¡¯ Chad looked embarrassed. While the two people were talking, Amelie slowly began to figure out the situation. There was no trace of disaster, and Serwin was perfectly fine. The people around him just looked at her and Serwin with surprised faces, but their lives were well connected. ¡°I thought something bad happened to Your Majesty¡ª Sir Chad¡ª.¡± ¡°I just told Miss Amelie to go to the pce with me. Miss Amelie didn¡¯t listen and ran away¡ª¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Only then did Amelie realize what she had misunderstood. ¡®Well, If Serwin was in danger, Sir Chad wouldn¡¯t have waited around for me and then asked for a favor!¡¯ She misunderstood what the other person had said and barged into Serwin¡¯s office during work hours! Amelie looked around her with her bewildered look. His aides and attendants were looking at her with a puzzled face. Serwin had an absurd expression as well. Her face flushed with embarrassment. Amelie shook her head to hide her face. ¡®I mean, you came running like this for me. Without knowing what danger lurks¡ª only for me.¡¯ Serwin lowered her gaze to the top of her round head. The ears sticking out from between the strands of hair looked red. His heart was pounding as he stood there watching it. ¡°What were you worried about?¡± ¡°¡ªI should have listened to Sir Chad until the end.¡± Amelie said in a voice crawling with regret. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt your work. You must be busy¡ª¡± ¡°Amelie. Raise your head.¡± ¡°Now, it¡¯s a little¡ª¡± Serwin put his finger on Amelie¡¯s chin. Amelie¡¯s face easily followed even though he only raised it lightly. Her face was red as expected, and her eyes wandered vaguely in the air. ¡°Haha, is this something to be so shy about?¡± ¡°I really ran all the way here. I¡¯m sure there are a lot of people who watched it!¡± It was noticeable how much Mrs Enard would nag if she knew. Because she threw away all her dignity and elegance like that. ¡°Yeah? That¡¯s how you came running. To protect me.¡± ¡°¡ªDon¡¯t make fun of me. I promised to protect Your Majesty.¡± How can such few words make him so happy? As if there was magic in her words, Serwin was instantly immersed in joy. A smile leaked from his mouth. ¡°Cough¡ª¡± Someone was coughing. It was because they were so surprised by Serwin¡¯sughter that they couldn¡¯t breathe for a moment. Others were also unable to calm down their surprise and stood there with their mouths open. ¡®Is that the Emperor?¡¯ ¡®Is that tyrant also an ordinary man in front of his lover?¡¯ Ordinary. It was a word ten billion light years away from Serwin. They couldn¡¯t believe it at all. ¡°I took up too much time. If you¡¯re okay, I¡¯ll leave now!¡± Amelie tried to go back quickly. ¡®Oh, no!¡¯ The aides thought in unison. With her appearance, the tension waspletely eased. If she left, they might go back to that ice-like atmosphere. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just need to see and hear from the Baron. Wait.¡± When Serwin caught Amelie, Amelie was very ufortable here, but she decided to obey him. It was because he was happy, and it was kind of sad to go back aftering all this way. Besides, he also seemed to wee her. Amelie sat on a sofa on one side of the office. Even before her hips touched the sofa fabric, the servants quickly brought tea and refreshments. It was very sincere treatment. ***** The aides nced at Amelie while flipping through sheets of paper. The hottest potato in the capital right now was Amelie. Every day, stories about Amelie came and went, and rumors abounded. (T/n : hot potato means something like a hot issue. Something that is currently talked about by a lot of people.) ¡®I can¡¯t believe the rumors. What about the beauty of the century?¡¯ ¡®She looks normal, but how did she end up with Your Majesty?¡¯ ¡®Her life must be so hard¡ªI can¡¯t believe she has to see that tyrant every night.¡¯ People who didn¡¯t know the details envied Amelie, who is loved by Serwin, but they were not aides so they didn¡¯t know that there was no one else as poor as her to be in the position of having to see Serwin daily. ¡®Oh, why are you looking at me like that? Is it because I disturbed you?¡¯ Amelie sat with her back straight. She habitually tilted her teacup up, but the teacup never made it higher than her neck. ¡°So you couldn¡¯t find it?¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± Baron Avery bowed his head deeply. He was under Serwin¡¯s order to conduct a background investigation of Count Manvers. While Serwin was away, Count Manvers¡¯ gangmitted embezzlement, and Serwin was chasing a man who hadundered money, which the Baron had missed earlier. He closed his eyes waiting for Serwin¡¯s punishment. Serwin was a lord who never tolerated mistakes, so there was nothing strange if Serwin were to cut his neck here. Contrary to his expectations, however, Serwin did not get angry. Baron Avery raised his head wondering. Serwin was looking at Amelie, not him. ¡®I¡¯m nervous again when the momentum will strike again.¡¯ If he looks closely, the fingers that lift the teacup are very stiff. Every action she does is so insignificant and cute, it seemed the Emperor couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Baron Avery was perplexed. This was an issue that Serwin put a lot of thought and effort into. But now he wasn¡¯t interested at all. ¡®Is it because of that person?¡¯ From the moment Amelie entered the office, Serwin seemed to have be a different person. The cold eyes became friendly, and the voice that had had an edge sharper than a de softened. The aides who were experiencing this change for the first time seemed to be very confused. ¡°Your Majesty, maybe she should be waiting somewhere else¡ª¡± ¡°Baron Avery¡±. Serwin¡¯s golden eyes looked at Baron Avery. The way he was looking at him was as sharp as the tip of his sword. ¡°It will not end with apologies. We need him to destroy Count Manvers¡¯ group. Baron, you know it well.¡± Serwin suppressed his anger and spoke as if to me him. It pressured Baron Avery more. He tightened his throat to hide his shaking heart. Even he, who can be said to be Serwin¡¯s closest aide, was not well adapted to Serwin¡¯s brutality. ¡°I¡¯ll give you another chance. You¡¯re lucky today.¡± Originally, he thought of holding him responsible for the failure. However, Amelie was in the office, so he couldn¡¯t make a loud noise, punish him, or make her see blood. It¡¯s obvious that she¡¯ll be scared. ¡®How did they get close, he can¡¯t even make her feel a little scared.¡¯ Serwin got up from his seat and strode toward Amelie. When Serwin talked to her, Amelie also stood up smiling. There was an indescribable familiarity between the two. Baron Avery looked at the two without saying a word. Amelie seemed to have dug deeper into the Emperor¡¯s heart than expected. ¡®I don¡¯t want any trouble to happen.¡¯ Baron Avery sighed. ****** Serwin took Amelie to a room. It was a room connected to the stairs at the end of the hallway where the office was located. It has been the personal room for Emperors to rx or sleep near their office for generations. He didn¡¯t like anyone else entering this room, he even restricted the entry of servants. Amelie¡¯s eyes rolled and widened as she looked around the room. It was a very different atmosphere from her room. The interior was calm due to indirect lighting, and the dark wood and dark fire created a heavy atmosphere in the tapis tree. It was the antique and yet dignified room of an Emperor. ¡°Amelie.¡± Serwin pulled out a chair from under the table and called out to her. Amelie sat down, paying attention to how her dressyed. ¡®Do you feel happy?¡¯ She carefully looked at Serwin sitting across from her. He looked happier somehow even though he had the same expression as usual. In fact, Serwin felt very good. He had been annoyed and nervous for no reason, but now he felt surprisingly fine. He was about tough just by looking at Amelie¡¯s bouncy curly hair. The most changed thing aftering to the imperial pce was her hair. With the efforts of the maids, the fluffy head shrank and calmed down and silkier shinier hair flowed. Her hair, which had be bushy when she was running over, reminded him of the moment he met her in the forest. Serwin casually reached out. A hair, thin like a thread, touched his finger. Amelie opened her eyes a little wide in surprise, but didn¡¯t block Serwin¡¯s touch. Chapter 52 ¡°How¡¯s the preparation going for the party?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m doing great!¡± Her body was tired from being dragged around, but the preparation was smooth. If this continues, she doesn¡¯t think there will be anything embarrassing for Serwin. ¡°I heard you were struggling with dancing.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m still confused, so I¡¯m just stepping on people. Oh, but since other people are helping me, I¡¯ll get used to it by the day of the party.¡± ¡°I heard the knights will be your practice partner.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not good at dancing. Mrs Enard said that I can¡¯t improve my skills in a short period of time, and that I should look decent only when I dance with Your Majesty. So I¡¯m practicing with people of simr physique to Your Majesty.¡± Amelie added with confidence. ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll do my best not to step on Your Majesty¡¯s feet by mastering it perfectly!¡± Why is she making that effort with someone else? Serwin frowned. When he thought she was dancing holding hands with someone else, he felt emotional and his mood worsened slightly. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t it be best to match it with me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± As Amelie nodded and answered, Serwin stared into her eyes. ¡®Why are you looking at me like that?¡¯ His golden eyes seemed to be hoping for something. What is that? No matter how much she thought about it, there was nothing to point out. ¡®What Serwin needs of me¡ª disaster¡ª yes, that¡¯s it!¡¯ Amelie, who was enlightened, looked at Serwin and answered with confidence. ¡°The investigation into the disaster is going smoothly! The notes given by Your Majesty are very helpful.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Contrary to her expectations, however, a light of disappointment passed by Serwin¡¯s face. Is this not it? Amelie blinked her eyes. ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s slow-witted at all¡ª¡¯ Serwin sighed. The nagging he wanted to give her almost reached the end of his throat. But when he met Amelie¡¯s clear eyes he calmed down. Yeah, it¡¯s not her fault that she¡¯s not smart enough. Serwin decided to be generous. ¡°It helps, but that¡¯s it?¡± Serwin decided to match Amelie¡¯s rhythm. His notoriety would have been cut in half if he had shown the same understanding to others as he had given to Amelie. ¡°¡ªYes, actually. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to figure out the true nature of the disaster or how to seal it by continuing to investigate just this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so old, there are only these records. Because disasters are top secret, no one knows about it.¡± It wasn¡¯t like he had just been waiting for the witch for the past two decades. While searching for her he also anxiously searched for disaster-rted information. But it was all in vain. It was because the disaster had been sealed for too long, and it was a secret entity that should not have been recorded at all. ¡°So I¡¯m trying to approach it in a different way.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I want to go to the ce where the disaster was sealed. And I¡¯m going to find a witch.¡± It was the witch who sealed disaster into Serwin¡¯s body. In addition, the witch had even predicted the meeting between Amelie and Serwin. Judging from that, it was clear that there was a connection between the disaster and that witch. ¡°You can go there with meter. Can you find the witch?¡± Serwin had the same thoughts as Amelie, and had been looking for a witch for a while. However, in the aftermath of the witch hunt 20 years ago, most witches hid and cut offmunication with people for a long time. Of course, there were a few witches who interacted with people like Amelie, but those witches were mostly protected by theirmunities, so it was not easy to find them. ¡°I was reading a book a while ago and found out. There is a way to call witches among witches. It¡¯s a magic used for meetings¡ª¡± Amelie had never been to a meeting of witches because she was born after the witch hunt. ording to the words of her grandmother witch, witches originally gathered twice a year and had a big feast. At that time, this magic was the magic that informed attendees of the venue and time of the meeting. ¡°I left the tools I needed at my house in the forest.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send the Knights.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± After the party is over, she¡¯ll be free, so she¡¯ll be able to do her best to find the information about the disaster. At that time, she was thinking of using magic to call a witch meeting. ¡°Can you call the witch?¡± Serwin asked. Perhaps he meant the witch who sealed the disaster twenty years ago. ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t know anything about that person. What kind of person was she? What¡¯s her age or name?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know anything.¡± Serwin frowned. ¡°On the day that the seal of the disaster was released, she dragged me along, exined the disaster, and sealed it over my body. When I opened my eyes, she was already gone.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t know about what would happen if the seal of disaster was lifted?¡± Serwin nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was imprisoned right after I became Emperor, so I didn¡¯t know what was going on outside. The knowledge about that time is secondhand and I mostly remember the pain after the disaster came into my body. It¡¯s not too different from what you know.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Amelie¡¯s shoulders drooped down. She knew it was difficult to find a way to fight the disaster, but she didn¡¯t know there was no clue like this. ¡®Serwin doesn¡¯t know either¡ªWell, Serwin was only seven years old at the time, and if he had lived trapped, he wouldn¡¯t have known more about the world. Huh¡ª?¡¯ Suddenly Amelie found something strange in his words. ¡°Do you live imprisoned? Your Majesty?¡± ¡°In the past.¡± Serwin became emperor when he was 5 years old. His father, thete Emperor, died of an illness at a young age, and his only child became Emperor. At the age of 7, the seal of disaster was lifted and sealed again in Serwin¡¯s body. If so, that means he was imprisoned for two years. Serwin smiled. ¡°You can¡¯t believe it?¡± ¡°¡ªHonestly yes.¡± ¡°Because I was young at the time. On the other hand, the regent king ruled the Empire from the time of the Emperor. It waspletely in the palm of his hand.¡± ¡°Is it the regent king who locked up Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Amelie was very surprised. Amelie knew about the regent king. He was often mentioned in the original novel, and his name was often heard while learning the history of the Empire. The Regent King, Albert Henesia, is the younger brother of the previous Emperor and the man who had be Serwin¡¯s guardian. Since Serwin became Emperor at such a young age, Albert became regent, and people called him the Regent King. From generation to generation, the Emperors of the Empire were madmen, paraphiles, and fools. Albert led the Empire by correcting the mistakes of his predecessors, and received full support and love from the people. Many people still remember the regency period as the best time to live. Among the nobles, there were several followers of the regent king. In particr, Duke Odorus followed him so much that he entered a long seclusion after the death of the regent king. He was that well-known and respected a person. ¡°He¡¯s amon hypocrite. The man I¡¯d usually see was the most gloomy man in this pce. I¡¯ve only seen him twice in two years, and if I¡¯m alone with him, the surrounding area bes gloomy as if it would rain.¡± Serwin was fed up. Even now, after a long time, he couldn¡¯t get rid of the bad feelings for that man. ¡°Can¡¯t you trust me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just different from what I knew¡ª¡± ¡°Do you want me to tell you something interesting?¡± Serwin smiled grumpyly. His voice became even lower. ¡°It was the regent king who led the witch hunt 20 years ago. For your information, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s him who unsealed the disaster.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He needed more power? It seems like he wanted to be the real Emperor.¡± Serwin shrugged. Amelie opened her mouth wide. The regent king was a total trash, right? ¡°There¡¯s not much I can tell you. I¡¯m not hiding it, I actually don¡¯t know much.¡± At that time, Serwin was only seven years old, and no one exined to him what happened. All he knew was what he found out himself after everything was over or what disaster was in Serwin¡¯s ear. ¡°Your Majesty has been fighting a disaster. That¡¯s the greatest thing. We¡¯re winning as long as the disaster is sealed.¡± Amelie patted Serwin¡¯s hand. A glimmer of sympathy gleamed in her mint green eyes.How dare you sympathize with the Emperor. It¡¯s something to get angry about, but he¡¯s not angry. He felt very embarrassed by his desire to lean on her a little more. When Serwin held Amelie¡¯s hand, Amelie also held his hand. This isn¡¯t enough. He leaned his head still over Amelie¡¯s shoulder. Amelie covered Serwin¡¯s eyes with her other hand. As his vision was blocked, peace came to Serwin¡¯s world. ¡®I can¡¯t say no anymore.¡¯ Serwin had to admit it. He knew that the reason he was sharp and tense was because he didn¡¯t see Amelie. Meanwhile, Amelie felt sorry for Serwin. He was so strong and terrifying today that she had not been aware of it until now, but twenty years ago he was also a child. At an age where he should have grown up with the protection of adults, he was rejected and alone with the huge burden of disaster. He could not tell anyone that he was in pain, and about how he has been fighting alone until now to protect the world. ¡®I have to be a person he can rely on.¡¯ Amelie was determined once again. The fact that he had been waiting for her, waiting to meet her for the past twenty years came heavier than ever. The two didn¡¯t say anything for a while. Listening to each other¡¯s breaths and heartbeats, they leaned on each other and stayed still. How much time had passed? From outside the room came the servant¡¯s words that Milena hade to pick up Amelie. Serwin had work to do, and Amelie had a tight schedule with all the party preparations. The two of them were forced to get up from their seats. ¡°I¡¯ll go back first.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Your Majesty still has work to do.¡± As Amelie headed to the door, Serwin looked at Amelie¡¯s back, turning away. Then he couldn¡¯t stand it and asked. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask me to help you?¡± Serwin asked. Amelie replied with a face that she didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Your Majesty is busy enough to reduce sleep these days. How can I ask for more? The party was held because of me. I have a sense of shame, of course.¡± ¡°¡ªNo, the reason for reducing sleep is¡ª¡± Serwin was speechless. He couldn¡¯t say that he kept his distance from her because of her naive¡®I¡¯ll do my best on my own!¡¯ ¡°¡ªSo you didn¡¯te to me even if you¡¯re curious?¡± Amelie nodded her head. Serwin swallowed a sigh. She didn¡¯t know that he was deliberatelyingte, and rather than talking to her, he became arrogant and expected her to need his help. The disappointment that had umted so far quickly turned into shame. It¡¯s his own fault. He pretended to be busy. In the end, he was left staring at his own feet. Chapter 53 ¡°¡ªI¡¯m fine now, so let me know whenever you need any help.¡± ¡°Huh? Are you okay? Aren¡¯t you busier because of the party preparation?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Amelie smiled. Watching that smile, Serwin realized. He doesn¡¯t want Amelie to do something secretly, but rather to speak straightforwardly. ****** ¡®Didn¡¯t the Regent King know that the disaster is dangerous?¡¯ Even after returning to her pce, Amelie was reflecting on what Serwin said. It was because the story she heard from him was very shocking. And she had a hunch that an important clue would remain in those days. ¡°Mrs Enard. How long have you been working at the Imperial Pce?¡± ¡°Well, I became a training maid at the age of 15¡ª so it¡¯s been about 22 years.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked for a long time.¡± ¡°Yes. It has been a long time since I got married and had children in the meantime.¡± ¡°Have you seen the regent king?¡± ¡°Albert? Yes. I¡¯ve seen hime and go several times.¡± Mrs Enard traced her memory of the regent king. It was a long time ago, but she could think of it clearly. ¡°He was a very nice person. He was kind and remembered my name as a training maid. Not only for me, but for everyone, so everyone liked him.¡± ¡°Really? His Majesty¡ª said something different.¡± Serwin remembered the regent king as a depressed and gloomy hypocrite. ¡°What did His Majesty say?¡± ¡°When the Regent King appeared, it was gloomy like a cloud of rain.¡± ¡°His Majesty must have been afraid of Albert.¡± ¡°Huh. Why?¡± ¡°Children often mistakenly think they¡¯ve seen their feelings or their imaginations. My kids do too sometimes. By the way, I remember that Amelie was gorgeous, shining like a princess.¡± Mrs Enard smiled softly. In the past, when she thought of her child, she felt guilty first and her heart became heavy. However, thanks to Amelie, as the daughter¡¯s condition improved, she naturally smiled first. Mrs Enard was very grateful to Amelie. ¡°Um¡ª Then, there was, nothing special happened, or anything unusual like that? After His Majesty became emperor.¡± ¡°Uhm¡ª¡± Mrs Enard raised her eyebrows. As much as she wanted to answer Amelie¡¯s question honestly she didn¡¯t want to just say¡®I can¡¯t remember because it was a long time ago¡¯. ¡°There seems to be nothing like that¡ª. Oh, there was a time when the Imperial Pce was very noisy because of a rtionship problem.¡± Once she remembered it, she remembered what happened at that time. ¡°There was an incident where the former Marchioness Lewin grabbed the maid of the Imperial Pce by the hair. At that time, it was revealed that Sir Albert had an affair with the Marchioness, and had an affair with the maid.¡± ¡°Yes¡ª?¡± ¡°But it wasn¡¯t a bad thing. The previous Emperor did more than that, so the level of Sir Albert¡¯s flirtations were just a bit of a joke?¡± The more she heard, the more she didn¡¯t know who the Regent King really was. ¡°Have you ever seen a witch in the Imperial Pce at that time? Or rumors like that¡ª¡± ¡°There wasn¡¯t, but I don¡¯t know. When I see Miss Amelie, I don¡¯t think anyone would have known even if you had sneaked into the imperial pce.¡± Amelie nodded. She was confident in breaking into the imperial pce without being caught by anyone if she was determined. The witch from twenty years ago must have done the same and sealed the disaster in His Majesty¡¯s body. ¡®As expected, it¡¯s best to ask the witch about themselves. I have to hurry up and finish the party¡ª.¡¯ Amelie sighed. ****** A letter arrived from Renia inviting her to a tea party. Opinions were divided whether she was serious about saying she wanted to be close or whether she had other ns. Amelie hoped it was the former, but everyone stood up, saying it was clear that it was thetter. ¡°Next week is the party. How could she invite you at a time like this? I¡¯m sure she has an ulterior motive!¡± Especially Mrs Enard who strongly opposed it. However, Amelie, who couldn¡¯t refuse because a promise was a promise, headed to the Manvers mansion with Milena. When she arrived at the mansion, the butler came to meet her. Milena frowned. ¡°Where¡¯s Manvers Young Lady?¡± ¡°The Lady is in the greenhouse right now. Let me guide you.¡± Where will the person who is invited go? Milena stopped by and held back. This was because there could be misunderstandings about trying to establish authority over trivial things. The greenhouse was located a little away from the mansion¡¯s corridor. The sunlight reflected off therge ss wall, dazzling her eyes. As they entered the greenhouse, the warm air wrapped their chilled body. Not far away, Renia and the Young Ladies were chatting happily. The only vacant seat was Amelie¡¯s. ¡°Am Ite?¡± ¡°You¡¯re here, Miss Amelie! No, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen everyone, so I started a little early.¡± Renia approached Amelie, folded her arms naturally, and led her to the table. ¡°This is Amelie, who is living in the Imperial Pce as a guest of His Majesty. You all know who she is, right?¡± ¡°Of course. She¡¯s the most famous person in the capital city these days, isn¡¯t she?¡± The Young Ladies burst intoughter. Amelie sat down in her own seat, smiling at thedies at the table. Milena walked towards where the maids were standing. ¡°What have you all been talking about?¡± ¡°We¡¯re talking about my summer cottage.¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s right. I loved the ce we went togetherst summer.¡± ¡°Do you remember that time? Young Lady Serina¡¯s sister fell into the water.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Even if it was a grand party, a harmonious atmosphere continued because it was only a gathering of close people and drinking tea. In the meantime, Amelie sat down as if she were a barley. She couldn¡¯t put a word in the conversation. It was partly because they had been friends since they were young, but it was because they were deliberately telling unfamiliar things so as to tell Amelie not to be part of the conversation. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Young Lady Serina¡¯s sister got to work in the imperial pce. Time flies.¡± ¡°Did you say that it was the Ministry of Internal Affairs? It¡¯s the official department of the Imperial Pce. You should be proud of it.¡± Amelie sighed inside. No matter how tactless she was, she couldn¡¯t help but know that she was being bullied in this atmosphere. ¡®¡ªI was wondering if you would do such a childish thing.¡¯ She wondered how great it would be to be the daughters of nobles, but wherever people lived, they all looked simr. At that moment, Amelie made eye contact with Renia. She smiled brightly at Amelie. Seeing that smile, she couldn¡¯t help but admit it. That she hates herself extremely. It was clear that the words to get along with each other were also lies. ¡®I thought we¡¯d be able to get close¡ª¡¯ Renia¡¯s behavior was childish, but the effect was very good. Frustrated, Amelie couldn¡¯t raise her head easily. ¡®I knew it!¡¯ Milena, standing behind her, was angry. That¡¯s right. There was no way Renia Manvers had called Amelie with good intentions. She expected it to some extent, but when it actually happened, she was angry. She was even more upset because Amelie was looking forward to today. ¡®The people here, I¡¯m going to remember everything. I¡¯m not going to let you go.¡¯ Gathering information was Milena¡¯s specialty. They say that there is no one who does not live without a single grain of dirt. Nobility would have more, not less. She will take revenge instead of Amelie. Milena vowed to herself and bothered only the sleeves of her clothes. ¡®Should I say I¡¯ll go back first? I think it¡¯s a waste of time.¡¯ While Amelie was agonizing, Young Lady Serina¡¯s voice came to her ears. ¡°I think it¡¯s a big deal because the Imperial Pce is not maintained. A tree that used to be in good shape suddenly rots¡ªit¡¯s probably because there is no hostess to properly manage all of this.¡± ¡°A tree that used to be healthy rots? Suddenly?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the grass around the tree also rotten? Is there something like a bird or insect carcass nearby?¡± Amelie gently waited for Serina¡¯s answer. Her big eyes sparkled with interest. As if attracted by her, Serena opened her mouth. ¡°How did you know? There were dead birds everywhere¡ª¡± ¡°As expected¡ª¡± Amelie recalled the first moment she faced disaster in the Fidelia forest. All the ces where the energy of disaster reached were rotten and corrupt. ¡°Is that something that happened recently?¡± ¡°Probably. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s supposed to be that kind of ce in the first ce¡ª¡± ¡°Young Lady Serena.¡± Renia interrupted Serena¡¯s words. Serena sighed and bit her lip. They hadpletely ignore Amelie today. Then, suddenly, they mixed up her words. It was because Amelie, who was quiet, asked an unexpected question. ¡°Shall we take a look around the greenhouse?¡± Renia naturally changed the subject. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The Young Ladies get up busily. They paired up and began to look around the greenhouse. Amelie was left alone, but she was lost in thought and didn¡¯t notice. ¡®There must have been no disaster since I left Deheim, but what happened? Did the energy of disaster leak out as the seal weakened? Like Serwin¡¯s room in the Deheim mansion.¡¯ Amelie suddenly recalled a time when she helped Renia. At that time, she definitely remembered seeing something ck. ¡®At the time, I thought I was mistaken for a shadow¡ª but what if it wasn¡¯t a shadow? But can the energy of disaster move at its own will? When I saw it before, it just looked like smoke.¡¯ Amelie tilted her head. Just like gas leaking, the energy of disaster was also blown away by the wind. ¡®Is Renia okay? Huh, no way, didn¡¯t she almost copse because of the disaster that day? Then it¡¯s dangerous.¡¯ Amelie observed Renia the entire time she toured the greenhouse. The exotic nts and the Young Ladies who whispered at each other did not catch her eye at all. ¡®There is no sign of disaster. Was it because of the fact that she was embraced in the state of being transformed into an animal at that time? But in case I don¡¯t know, should I try to make a contact her again as a human?¡¯ But, under what pretext could shee into contact with Renia? She hates her. Amelie began to find an excuse to make direct contact with Renia. When the greenhouse tour was over, everyone returned to the tea table, and the atmosphere quickly flowed. This was because when Amelie did not show any significant reaction, the harassment also waned. The Young Ladies said goodbye one by one and left. Amelie kept her seat and sought opportunities. ¡°Amelie, aren¡¯t you going?¡± Milena whispered quietly in her ear. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Finally, the opportunity hase. The Young Ladies who were leaving gave Renia a light hug. She¡¯de close to it, say goodbye, and hug her naturally. Amelie quickly got up from her seat. Then someone entered the greenhouse. It was a man with curly red hair and very poor and disorganized clothes. Chapter 54 ¡°What? Is it over already?¡± ¡°Gilbert. What are you doing here?¡± Renia responded coldly. ¡®Ah, that¡¯s Gilbert!¡¯ Gilbert looked around the greenhouse. ¡°I heard that the Emperor¡¯s lover is here. Did she go somewhere else?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s your business?¡± ¡°I was going to take a look at that famous face. Am I a stepte? Who¡¯s the Lady behind you? It¡¯s my first time seeing her.¡± Gilbert looked at Amelie with shiny eyes. Amelie felt very unpleasant. ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing this face. Are you a local noble? How old are you? Where are you from?¡± When Gilbert put his hand on Amelie¡¯s shoulder, Amelie hit his hand away. ¡°Why don¡¯t you answer my question? Ah, did you learn that it¡¯s attractive to be coy? Cute.¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± Renia stood in front of her as if protecting Amelie. ¡°She¡¯s my guest. You can do stupid things while watching other people.¡± ¡°I¡¯m watching enough. Why?¡± Gilbert smiled. He deliberately aroused Renia¡¯s anger. ¡®This stupid jerk. How are you going to lead the Count when you¡¯re so ignorant?¡¯ Renia¡¯s face heated up red. She was angry with Gilbert, and on the other hand, she was embarrassed to let Amelie see this. She can¡¯t believe she found out that the sessor of Count Manvers is such a jerk. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to help, so will you just destroy the family reputation?¡± ¡°Even if I help, you can¡¯t receive it, right? You¡¯re having a tea party like this. If it were me, I would have kidnapped that woman and sold her away.¡± (t/n : TRASH) Gilbert giggled. Amelie and Milena frowned at his vulgarity at the same time. ¡°Can¡¯t you shut your mouth?¡± Does this stupid bastard have to talk like that in front of this guest? Only Renia¡¯s insides felt like bursting out. ¡°Did I say something I couldn¡¯t say? Are you afraid the Lady behind you will talk to anyone? What¡¯s wrong with you? No matter how much I do, would they be able to hurt the sessor of Count Manvers?¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t talk.¡± Is it because he really doesn¡¯t know that status and power have no meaning in front of the Emperor¡¯s blind sword? ¡°Okay. The beauty of the century can be seen in just a few days. Now, I¡¯m looking for a woman I can see easily, well.¡± Gilbert left the greenhouse with neither greeting nor parting. ¡®¡ªIf Gilbert bes Count, our family will be ruined.¡¯ Before that, she had to be Empress and leave the family quickly. Renia¡¯s chest became stuffy. ¡°Young Lady? Are you okay?¡± ¡°Miss Amelie was more surprised than I was. I apologize for my younger brother¡¯s disrespect. He¡¯s a poor brother, but he¡¯s the precious sessor to our family, so please don¡¯t tell His Majesty about today.¡± Renia bowed her head. It was clear how much her pride would have hurt at this moment. In the original work, she often struggled to deal with Gilbert¡¯s mistakes. Gilbert¡¯s evil deeds also yed a decisive role in Renia¡¯s loss. Renia was definitely a viin, but Amelie still felt very sorry seeing her suffering from her ugly family. ¡®It¡¯s interfering¡ª But still¡ª¡¯ Amelie hesitated and held Renia¡¯s hand. ¡°Young Lady, be strong. And let brother or father take care of your brother. He¡¯s not Young Lady¡¯s child, so why are you trying so hard?¡± Renia was greatly embarrassed. Why is she holding her hand all of a sudden? ¡°Excuse me, my hand¡ª¡± ¡°And thank you for earlier. You stopped Gilbert.¡± Amelie waved her hand up and down as if shaking hands. Renia and Amelie suddenly shook hands with each other. ¡®But can I just hold her hand like this? Even holding hands worked for Serwin.¡¯ There were no visible symptoms like ck smoke, so it was not known if it was helping. ¡°How do you feel now? Do you feelfortable? How¡¯s your health?¡± As soon as Amelie¡¯s words were finished, Renia¡¯s pretty face quickly distorted. ¡°How do I feel? Are you kidding me?¡± Renia rejects Amelie¡¯s hand. ¡°No, I¡¯m¡ª¡± ¡°I want to rest. Please forgive me for not seeing you off until the end. Then, bye.¡± Renia turned the guest away. ¡°Yes, then please take a rest. I¡¯m going back.¡± Amelie left Renia and left the greenhouse first. When Renia was alone, she lost all her energy. She sat weakly in a chair. Amelie¡¯s back gradually moved away. ¡®What? How do I feel? Now I have to beughed at by themoners¡ª. I was just trying to protect my family¡¯s honor.¡¯ Renia had taken sacrifice for granted so far. As the eldest daughter of the Count, she thought it was a good thing for her to do for the family and sessor. But, she doesn¡¯t have to clean up her brother¡¯s mess. ¡®That¡¯s whymoners don¡¯t know anything.¡¯ Reniaughed at Amelie, but felt a throb in her chest. Because in her heart she felt responsible for Gilbert¡¯s rudeness. Amelie¡¯s words lingered in her head for a long time. She has not forgotten the strength of the hand holding hers and the warmth of her soft hand for a long time. ***** Even after returning to the imperial pce, Amelie remained lost in thought. ¡®On a foggy day, what I saw wasn¡¯t a shadow, but the energy of disaster¡ª.¡¯ It bes clear that the corrupt garden that Serina said is also because of the disaster. ¡®But how? Does His Majesty know anything?¡¯ She thought she should talk to Serwin. ¡°Milena, I want to go to the Imperial Pce right away.¡± ¡°Are you going to see His Majesty?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Milena was very pleased. ¡°His Majesty should know how much Miss Amelie suffered today. Only then will they be properly punished!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell him about that. I have no intention of telling His Majesty about what happened today.¡± ¡°Huh? Why!¡± ¡°The party is only a week away, and I don¡¯t want to cause problems.¡± ¡°But! What kind of person is Miss Amelie! Those who treat you like that should get punished. That¡¯s how scary the world is!¡± Milena was outraged. ¡°But still no.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still depressed because of those people.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Anyway, don¡¯t say anything.¡± Amelie¡¯s will was firm, so Milena nodded while sulking. ¡®She meant don¡¯t tell His Majesty, but she didn¡¯t tell me to stay still.¡¯ The idea of not leaving them alone remained unchanged. ¡°Anyway, did you hear what Serina said earlier?¡±¡± ¡°Yes. Is it her brother who works for the Ministry of Internal Affairs?¡± Amelie nodded. ¡°I want to know where that ce is.¡± ¡°Yes, but is that weird?¡± Milena tilted her head. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange? It happened overnight? It¡¯s the same as when the energy of a disaster spreads.¡± Amelie exined what happened in the Fidelia forest. Milena looked puzzled. ¡°But the Imperial Pce is always like that, right?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Should I say the site is not good? There¡¯s a lot of fog and it¡¯s exceptionally cold. That¡¯s why I thought it was like that.¡± Milena frowned his forehead. ¡°Now that I think about it, it¡¯s strange. Why didn¡¯t I ever think it was strange?¡± Milena tilted her head. Come to think of it, none of the people in the imperial pce have raised an issue with such a phenomenon. It seemed like everyone was used to it, and they just passed by without thought. No matter how cold, shady, and humid a ce was, trees would not rot and animal corpses would not umte overnight. ¡°There¡¯s something else that bothers me.¡± Amelie hesitated and brought it up. ¡°Do you remember the foggy dayst time?¡±¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amelie began to talk slowly about the day. While turning into a rabbit and running, she bumped into Renia¡¯s leg, and at that time, she said she saw ck smoke at first nce. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I was running away from a hound, and there was a dark shadow on the bottom of her dress.¡± ¡°Why must it have been a foggy day? It makes people uneasy.¡¯ ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There is such a myth among the imperial pce people. On foggy days, strange things always happen, so everyone needs to take care of themselves.¡± ¡°¡ªIsn¡¯t that strange?¡± ¡°In fact, there were many incidents on such a day, but¡ª¡± Milena had never thought that it would be the disaster. Even when she didn¡¯t know about the existence of the disaster, or even after she knew about it. The imperial pce was a workce with strong work intensity and severe stress. People who had to work with their lives on the line couldn¡¯t be out of their minds everytime the weather was bad. Even if it usually looks lovely in the pce, the staff knew that on extremely bad days weird things happened. However, listening to Amelie, she couldn¡¯t say it was a conspiracy theory anymore. ¡°I¡¯ll find out. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amelie nodded. Does the site of the imperial pce really just have bad weather and luck? Or is it the disaster? Nothing has been known yet. ***** When Amelie arrived at the office, Serwin had a meeting and was away for a while. One of Serwin¡¯s aides sweated a lot and told Serwin¡¯s whereabouts to Amelie. ¡®Should I wait? No, I can¡¯t disturb him while he¡¯s working.¡¯ At night, he wille to Amelie¡¯s pce, so she can wait without sleeping and talk then. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just go.¡± ¡°N, no! You can¡¯t!¡± The aide hurriedly stopped her. Other assistants who pretended to look at their documents also raised their heads. Chapter 55

Chapter 55

¡®No, you can¡¯t let her go!¡¯ Serwin was the scariest after a meeting. The stress he received from dealing with the nobles became a living thing that spread out in all directions. Especially today, Marquis Lewin would be attending the meeting. On a day like this, they can honestly say that they are better off dead. ¡®Things would be different with her!¡¯ The aides clearly remembered how soft Serwin was when Amelie appeared. Half of them still trembled, often recalling Serwin¡¯s smile. If Amelie was there, Serwin was more likely to not be angry, and if they were lucky, he might leave the office with Amelie. ¡®Of course, I¡¯m not even asking for that much. I just want to be able to breathe!¡¯ The aide prayed earnestly in his mind. ¡°Please wait here. His Majesty will be back soon. Oh, do you want some tea? or something sweet¡ª. I hid some really good choctes in a drawer, and I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± ¡°What? But it will interfere with your work¡ª¡± ¡°No! You¡¯re not disturbing us at all. To us, Miss Amelie is our savior!¡± The aides all looked at Amelie with desperate eyes. ¡°Then¡ª excuse me for a moment.¡± Amelie was overwhelmed by the momentum and sat on the sofa. ¡®Yes, it¡¯s done! I¡¯m alive now!¡¯ The aides expressed their infinite gratitude to Amelie. They moved in unison to prevent Amelie from even thinking about returning. ¡°I¡¯ll make some tea¡±. ¡°This is northern chocte and it¡¯s delicious. You can eat it all.¡± ¡°You must be bored waiting, so you can read any of these novels.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s an extra cushion.¡± Amelie epted their favor with a puzzled look. She couldn¡¯t understand the actions of Serwin¡¯s aides, as she was used to Serwin¡¯sughter and his rxed look. After a while, Serwin returned to his office. The aides looked at each other with gaping nces. Serwin was smiling from the moment he entered his office. ¡®Look! It¡¯s different from usual!¡¯ Every other time, he would have appeared frowning and kicking the door. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing I told him in advance that Amelie is waiting for him.¡¯ ¡®What would I have done if I hadn¡¯t stopped her.¡¯ ¡®¡ªIsn¡¯t there anythingcking in serving her? It¡¯s a big deal if she¡¯s upset.¡¯ The aides were all anxious. Either way, Serwin approached Amelie. His gaze was fixed on Amelie and didn¡¯t move. ¡°Did you wait for a long time? I was going to finish it sooner, but Marquis Lewin was taking more time.¡± Serwin held Amelie¡¯s hand. Feeling his wee, Amelie was able to relieve some of her worries about the disaster. ¡°It¡¯s okay. The aides were so nice that I lost track of time and wasfortable.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Serwin found cushions, nkets and snacks scattered around Amelie. It was a trace of the effort of the aides. He didn¡¯t like his subordinates sucking up with shallow moves. But this time, he wasn¡¯t angry at all. ¡®As long as Amelie liked it, that¡¯s all it matters.¡¯ ¡°Today was the tea party with Manvers Young Lady, right? Did anything happen?¡± ¡°Yes, nothing happened. However, I heard about something there that I wanted to talk about.¡± ¡°About what?¡± Amelie nced around. Serwin noticed that the story she was trying to mention was about the disaster. ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere where we can be alone.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The two left the office. The remaining aides in the office cheered silently. Not only did she help them avoid Serwin¡¯s anger, but she also took him away! ¡®Miss Amelie, as expected Miss Amelie!¡¯ ¡®I hope youe often from now on. Should I bring a series of novels?¡¯ They exchanged nces. From the next day, it was natural for Amelie to have exclusive items and her own dedicated seat in the Emperor¡¯s office. ***** It wasn¡¯t until they were alone that Amelie told her story of meeting Renia by chance on a foggy day, and the rumor she heard from Serina today. ¡°¡ªSo, you were chased by a hound? But you can always transform into a person, right?¡± Amelie¡¯s cheeks flushed red as Serwin looked at her fondly like she was absurd. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of that back then! How big and sharp the dog¡¯s teeth were! Anyway, that¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now.¡± ¡°I know, I know.¡± Serwin chuckled. When he thought of Amelie, who must have run away in confusion, he couldn¡¯t stopughing. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Amelie ring with her eyes. Serwin shook his hand. ¡°Okay. I understand. I won¡¯tugh. You¡¯re curious if there¡¯s been any issues with the disaster recently, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been better.¡± Serwin shook his head. ¡°Sometimes when I¡¯m angry or stressed, I can hear its voice. The disaster has weakened a lot since I met you. All it can do is make noise.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Amelie nodded. ¡°And that corruption has been around for a long time.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It often happened even when the disaster was properly sealed. Maybe that¡¯s the kind ofnd it¡¯s built on.¡± ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m still concerned. Something¡¯s bothering me.¡± Amelie covered her head and grumbled. Serwin looked down at the top of her pink hair. His expression was exceptionally dark and gloomy. ¡°What about preparing for the party? Since there¡¯s only a week left, shouldn¡¯t we focus more on that?¡± Unlike his expression, Serwin¡¯s voice was full of yfulness. Amelie made a tearful face. ¡°I¡¯m still suffering a lot. Mrs Enard and Caroline get along so well.¡± Amelie shook her head. Serwin stroke Amelie¡¯s head. The soft texture of her hair made him feel good. Amelie stayed still while he gently touched her. ¡°Are you tired?¡± ¡°A little, but I still have time to help you.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Amelieughed. ****** As the party got closer, Amelie was getting busier. She mostly followed what Mrs Enard or Caroline told her to do, but with her one body she was quickly exhausted. Milena was also very busy, finding out about the strange phenomenon in the imperial pce had to be put off for a while. ****** ¡®Phew. Why do you keep calling me?¡¯ Charlotte grumbled and headed to Count Manvers¡¯ Mansion. As the party drew near, Amelie¡¯s courtiers were all busy. In the meantime, Charlotte was strangely free. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t do anything, but it was because she was taking on everything. ¡®That¡¯s understandable. I ruined the dress that I prepared on the first day. Amelie probably knows by now.¡¯ Charlotte was thinking of giving Amelie a little trouble. It was because Amelie was amoner and she did not like the fact that someone like that was proudly upying a seat in the Imperial pce and acting as her supervisor. Seeing Serwin¡¯s sincerity however, she quit troublemaking as much as she could, but it was already discovered by Mrs Enard. ¡®How did Mrs Enard who only likes money get so attached to Amelie? Wasn¡¯t she originally closer to Count Manvers? No matter how much I think about it, I can¡¯t understand.¡¯ She thought about this and that, but she couldn¡¯t find an answer. She didn¡¯t even know that Milena was stalking her, and a lot had happened during her time doing what she wasfortable doing. ¡®¡ªthe back door again.¡¯ Charlotte frowned and went into the mansion. It¡¯s a mansion that she had always coveted. She rolled her eyes left and right and followed the maid, and Gilbert walked from the other side. Charlotte quickly straightened her clothes. ¡°You, aren¡¯t you the maid from the Imperial Pce? Did Renia call you?¡± It was the first time Gilbert talked to her, so Charlotte was nervous. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here because the Young Lady called me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m working as Miss Amelie¡¯s maid. So¡ª.¡± ¡°Oh? The beauty of the century?¡± Gilbert showed great interest. ¡°What do you think? Is she really that pretty?¡± ¡°¡ªNo.¡± ¡°No way, it¡¯s a lie. There¡¯s rumors all over the capital. Isn¡¯t it because she¡¯s prettier than you?¡± He leered at her. ¡°¡ªIf you¡¯re going to ask me something like that, I¡¯ll leave. Young Lady was waiting for me.¡± Charlotte nodded sharply. She shouldn¡¯t expect anything. She was a fool to have thought he had any interest in her. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Seeing that she called you, I guess that girl is also very desperate. It¡¯s fortunate. We¡¯ve invested a lot in her so far, but it¡¯s not easy to find a marriage partner to pay that much.¡± What do you mean desperate? Charlotte couldn¡¯t stand her curiosity and finally asked. ¡°What happened to Young Lady Reina?¡± ¡°It seems that she followed my father to a meeting, but I heard that His Majesty didn¡¯t even deal with her. Because of that, my father became very angry and said something on the spot. After that, even if he went to the Imperial Pce, she didn¡¯t go, and has just been confined to her room.¡± Gilbert giggled andughed at Renia. He weed Renia¡¯s failure. And reveled in it without shame. The Count was filled with ambition to make her empress, but Gilbert hated it when his unlucky sister reigned above him. Whether she fails or not has nothing to do with him. Because he will be the Count even if she doesn¡¯t do anything. ¡°Then, good work. I¡¯m going to go get a drink.¡± As Gilbert passed Charlotte, Charlotte looked at his back with a keen look. This was because his confidence in himself bing the Count seemed very solid, bing a countess also seemed very attractive. ¡®I want to be the Countess.¡¯ Thinking so, Charlotte headed to Renia¡¯s room. ****** ¡°Lady, Charlotte is here.¡± When the maid spoke and opened the door, Charlotte walked inside. She found Renia crouching down on the bed. At that moment, the hair on the back of the back of her neck stood up. Who is that woman? Charlotte closed her eyes and opened them. Then Renia appeared the same as her usual doll-like appearance. Well, she had be a little more emaciated, her jawline seemed to stand out even more. ¡®Did I see it wrong?¡¯ The room is dark, so she must have been mistaken. Charlotte took it lightly and approached Renia. Chapter 56

Chapter 56

¡°You must have been eating. Please continue to eat.¡± Next to Renia was a sd that was barely touched. Is she abstaining from food and beverage as Gilbert said? However, Renia¡¯s skin was stic without any blemishes. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t feel hungry even if I don¡¯t eat. More than that, Charlotte. Can you guess why I called you here?¡± ¡°¡ªYes. It¡¯s because of the party right?¡± Charlotte came to her senses. Renia was expecting a scheme to humiliate Amelie at the party. Of course, she would do as instructed, but she wouldn¡¯t follow along easily. ¡®It will cost a lot. If I do it wrong, my life as a maid will end.¡¯ Renia took a small bottle out from the bedside table. It was about the size of a little finger, so it was easy to hide in sleeves or pockets. Inside the bottle was a clear yellow liquid. ¡°What is this?¡± Hopefully it¡¯s not poison. Charlotte swallowed despite her dry mouth. Bullying and killing are two different things. ¡°Why? Are you afraid of poison?¡± Renia burst intoughter. The cheerfulughter was beautiful, but somehow she felt creepy. As Gilbert said, Renia was a little strange. However, Charlotte faltered because of a vague ominous feeling she couldn¡¯t pinpoint. ¡°It¡¯s not poison. It¡¯s a slightly acidic liquid. Spray it on her skirt.¡± ¡°What will happen then?¡± ¡°The stitching will be weak and at just the right time. What if the skirt is identally pulled then?¡± ¡°¡ªThe bare legs will be exposed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a way not to hurt anyone.¡± Renia smiled broadly. She had such a beautiful smile that even women would feel their hearts flutter. ¡°¡­.¡± Her skirt would be torn in front of so many people who had gathered to evaluate her, revealing her bare legs. Is there another shame like that? Charlotte hesitated for a moment. Of course, it wasn¡¯t because she was worried about Amelie. She was afraid that Serwin would be angry over this. ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a mess. We have to show that the aristocracy isn¡¯t that easy.¡± ¡°But¡ª His Majesty will be angry.¡± ¡°Charlotte. Are you going to be so stupid?¡± Renia hardened her face. Charlotte was a little discouraged when the bright expression disappeared from her beautiful face. Somehow, she seemed to have an atmosphere simr to the Emperor. ¡°This is an opportunity for you, too.¡± ¡°Opportunity?¡± ¡°A chance to gain faith from me. If you want to be my family in the future, you must have that much faith.¡± ¡°¡ªFamily? It can¡¯t be, Gilbert and I¡ª¡± Renia smiled brightly. ¡°If you are close to the Empress, you have to be a Countess. Even my father understands that your role is that important.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Charlotte involuntarily clutched the bottle. Countess Charlotte Manvers! What a sweet sound, If Renia was pushed to be the Empress, she could be the Countess herself. This luxurious and beautiful mansion will be her own. The servants of the mansion will take care of her with the utmost respect, just as they did Renia. She was thrilled just by imagining it. ¡®Yeah. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m hurting or killing anyone. It¡¯s just a little disgraceful. In the first ce, amoner girl is able to step into an imperial pce party. She should be grateful that it ends with ridicule.¡¯ Charlotte looked into Renia¡¯s eyes and nodded. Her eyes were full of greed for the advancement of her status. ¡®What is so good about this house?¡¯ Renia sped her hands tightly. The shame of that day was still vivid. Not long ago, the Count took Renia while attending an imperial meeting. Although it was intended to impress Serwin, Renia was very happy. This was because the Count had always taken only Gilbert. However, in the meeting room she dreamed of, Renia tasted the greatest shame of her life. Upon hearing that Amelie was waiting, Serwin hurriedly ended the meeting, and Renia was ignored by Serwin. That alone was miserable, but Count Manvers scolded her on the spot. Everyone¡¯s eyes were on Renia. There was also a view that she was pitiful, but most of them wereughing at her misery. ¡®He¡¯s like that to his daughter. He will do more to a daughter-inw who doesn¡¯t have a backbone.¡¯ If it was a man she could trust, it would be fine, but Gilbert was a jerk. It was obvious that the luxurious life Charlotte hoped for would be difficult. ¡®I¡¯m struggling to get out of this house because it¡¯s terrible.¡¯ The decision to use the drug was retaliation for her misery. Had it not been for Amelie, she would not have suffered such humiliation. ¡®So, in front of everyone, I have to give the same disgrace to you.¡¯ Amelie seemed weak-minded, so if she is humiliated, she may not be able to stand it and leave the Imperial Pce. Even if not, it was enough to leave the worst first impression on the nobles. They will think this while looking at Amelie¡¯s ugliness. And they will think,¡®The only one that suits the Empress position is Renia Manvers!¡¯ ¡°All I have to do is be the Empress. As long as it works.¡± Renia muttered the same thing over and over again. ***** Time went by so quickly that the party was a day away. As the day of the party was just around the corner, Amelie¡¯s pce was already tense. Amelie, who had been receiving skin care and massage all morning, had herst checkup with Caroline during the remaining time. After finishing her day, Amelie went to bed earlier than usual. But she couldn¡¯t sleep. She couldn¡¯t fall asleep easily because she had put all her effort and time into the imperial pce party. After tossing and turning for a while, she gave up sleeping. Instead, she went up to the attic and opened her book. It was one of the things she had brought from her house in the forest. It¡¯s a light storybook about the adventures of a little witch, and it¡¯s a book she has never read properly until now. Amelie slowly turned the page. She was so nervous that she couldn¡¯t sleep, and her book couldn¡¯t catch her eye. Eventually she pushed her book aside and put it on the table. ¡°Why are you here?¡± It was Serwin¡¯s voice. Amelie raised her head. He looked around her room and approached her. ¡°This ce is simr to the house in the forest.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± It was the first time Serwin hade up to the attic. ¡°Is the security okay? The maids mighte in without you knowing.¡± ¡°That part is okay. I put a spell on people who I didn¡¯t allow to enter.¡± ¡°Was there such a thing?¡± ¡°I learned it not too long ago.¡± ¡°I see. Magic is amazing.¡± She didn¡¯t just y around all this time. Amelie became a little proud. ¡°How about your work, Your Majesty? I thought you¡¯d bete today.¡± ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡ªI can¡¯t sleep because I¡¯m worried. What if I make a mistake tomorrow?¡± Like suddenly she sprained her foot and fell over, or she said something strange and ruined the mood. She wasn¡¯t the only one worried. Serwin looked down at Amelie and stroked her hair. Her hair was tangled between his long fingers. The hand passing through her hair like he was brushing it was very rxing. ¡°Do you want to go out?¡± He eventually asked. ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it get better if you get some fresh air? Without others knowing.¡± The moment she heard him, Amelie suddenly wanted to go out very much. After taking in the cold night air, her stiffness seemed to ease a little. The night sky was dark today, so it looked perfect to fly on a broom. ¡°Your Majesty, have you ever fly in the sky?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you a good tour today.¡± Amelie smiled and pointed to a broom in the corner of the room. When he found her new broom, Serwin¡¯s forehead wrinkled. ¡°Ah, are you scared of heights?¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As long as you hold onto me well, you won¡¯t fall off. Then I¡¯ll change my clothes ande back. This is my pajamas¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Amelie jumped up and ran to the dressing room. Serwin stared still at the broom, waiting for her in the attic. ¡®I threw it away and I didn¡¯t expect her to make a new one.¡¯ When he brought Amelie¡¯s luggage from Dehaim, he intentionally threw away the broom. It was to prevent Amelie from changing her mind and running away. But he didn¡¯t know she could make a new one. He shouldn¡¯t have done that. He thought about destroying it again, but he soon shook his head. ¡®If she makes up her mind to leave, there¡¯s nothing I can do to stop her.¡¯ She was not someone who could be tied to his side by force. Even if she has a silly and kind face, once she makes a decision, she doesn¡¯t back down. ¡®Besides, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s good to forcefully hold her next to me.¡¯ Even though she can go anywhere, she¡¯s more than happy to run for him. Thest incident made him realize that fact. Serwin reluctantly turned away from the broom. If he waits, he will hear the sound of footsteps approaching him. It was just the sound of footsteps, but he liked the sound very much. But after a while, when he sat on the broomstick and soared into the sky, Serwin regretted not having shattered the broomstick when he had the chance. ****** A broom was more dangerous than he thought. He can¡¯t believe she¡¯s climbing as high as a cloud without a single safety device. If they fell, they died immediately. Looking down at the distant ground, he felt the distance under his feet. Serwin grabbed the broom stick tightly without realizing it. ¡®Just how far are you nning to go up?¡¯ Although they had already climbed much higher than the peak of Amelie¡¯s pce, the broom continued to point upwards. Even Serwin could not bear this height. It was the first time he had ever experienced it, and if he fell there was only the Imperial road to catch him. As a human being, there was no choice but to have an instinctive fear. ¡°The moon isn¡¯t bright tonight, so I think we can fly low. During the day, I have to go up a lot higher than this.¡± ¡°This is low?¡± How far does she usually go? Shouldn¡¯t she be banned from riding the broom for her safety? ¡°The wind is cool, too. I¡¯m d we came out!¡± Amelie hummed with excitement. Serwin looked at Amelie like that. Just as birds were not afraid of flying in the sky, she was not afraid of the sky either. Her long hair fluttered gently in the wind. As the blurry moonlight zed over her face, her familiar face looked mysterious and strange. ¡®I only thought her smiling face under the sun was the prettiest.¡¯ But then, she looked very good in the night sky. Chapter 57 ¡°You¡¯ve never looked down on the Imperial Pce from above?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Shall we take a bigp?¡± Serwin nodded involuntarily. For a moment, he had beenpletely mesmerized by Amelie and had forgotten that they had climbed too high. The two sat side by side on the broom and circled over the Imperial Pce. From the Pce to where Amelie lives to the Imperial pce, the library she often goes to, and the road she passed on the day she came to the Imperial Pce. There were familiar ces, but there were many unfamiliar ces. ¡°Looking like this, the Imperial Pce was close to where I live, didn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s too far away, it¡¯s hard to visit often. I didn¡¯t want to be far away from it either.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to be close because there can be an emergency.¡± Amelie agreed. Serwin had a trembling expression on his face, but she didn¡¯t notice. ¡°That¡¯s where the party is going to be tomorrow.¡± Serwin lifted one hand and pointed to the building. At first, he had to swallow his breath every time Amelie pointed at something under him, but he got used to it and got to the point where he would guide Amelie through the Imperial Pce. ¡°Shall we go down? If we go in and see it in advance, won¡¯t we be less nervous tomorrow?¡± ¡°Shall we?¡± Amelie turned the broom toward the party venue. As she flew across the sky, Amelie turned her head as if drawn to something from her. She could see theke not far from the party venue. It wasn¡¯t very big, but it seemed like the water was deep. ¡°Is there ake over there?¡± Serwin¡¯s face hardened quickly. He looked like he had seen something terrible. ¡°Don¡¯t ever go there.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Amelie asked back. However, Serwin did not say anything until he sat down in front of the party venue. The party was held in a building called Elique Pce. It is a mysterious building modeled after the appearance of an old temple and is said to be used only for royal ceremonies. In preparation for tomorrow¡¯s party, all the servants were mobilized to decorate the pce, but due to thete hour no one should be around Amelie followed Serwin into the building. ¡°Why is there a separate name for this building? Other buildings don¡¯t have names.¡± ¡°It was the first building built by the first Emperor. The name Elique is also the name of the first Emperor.¡± ¡°Huh, is this building a thousand-year-old?¡± ¡°Yes. Although there are few traces of those days due to a lot of repair work.¡± ¡°Is it okay to go in like this?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s my house, right?¡± The entire Imperial Pce was for Serwin, the Emperor. He lit a magicmp at the door of the party hall. ¡°Whoa.¡± The party hall sparkled with ecstasy. The marble shimmered as white as snow, and there were severalrge chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, a red cloth hung from the ceiling, and the arched window frames were all golden. She felt like she was surrounded by golden light. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Amelie constantly looked around and watched the party. The width was also so wide that if she stood at the end, she couldn¡¯t even see the other side entirely ¡°¡ªit¡¯s more burdensome to think that I¡¯m dancing in a ce like this.¡± In the center of this spectacr hall, she has to dance with Serwin while receiving people¡¯s attention. ¡°Is that so? Isn¡¯t it because you¡¯re just really scared?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t everyone be pressured by that? I¡¯m pretty bold I think.¡± ¡°Yeah. Yeah.¡± Serwinughed. ¡°Should we dance?¡± ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one watching. It¡¯s okay, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay but¡ª¡± If she knew they would dance, she would have dressed in something prettier, she felt somewhat disappointed. ¡°There¡¯s no music¡ª. Should I call someone to y it for us?¡± ¡°I can do that.¡± In one corner of the hall, there was a piano. Amelie walked to the piano with Serwin. ¡°Magic?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amelie put her hand on the piano keyboard and chanted a spell. Then, as if someone was at the bench, the piano keys began to be pressed down and the sound of music began to y. Serwin looked at the scene curiously. The fact that Amelie was a witch seemed to surprise him everytime. ¡°Your magic has improved a lot.¡± ¡°Right? I practiced so hard!¡± Amelie was in high spirits. Serwin looked at her cute expression and reached out his right hand. ¡°Here.¡± He ced his left hand on his chest and slightly bent his back. It was the posture of a man asking for a dance. Amelie bowed her knees slightly, as she had learned, to greet him and held Serwin¡¯s hand. One hand should be holding the partner¡¯s hand, and the other hand is ced on the partner¡¯s body. The man¡¯s hand goes to the woman¡¯s waist, and the woman¡¯s hand to the man¡¯s shoulder. Serwin¡¯s hand wrapped around Amelie¡¯s waist. Amelie put her hand on Serwin¡¯s shoulder, tightening her stomach. The knights who were her past dance partners all had a strong body, but there was no one who couldpare with Serwin. ¡®It¡¯s kind of embarrassing.¡¯ Amelie blushed without even realizing it. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you look at me?¡± ¡°If I have to raise my head to make eye contact with Your Majesty, then my neck will hurt.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just look at the floor.¡± Meanwhile, a new dance song began. As a familiar song yed, her feet naturally moved first. Amelie looked up at Serwin reluctantly. In fact, her neck aching was an excuse. She was embarrassed that she was conscious of the other person¡¯s body first, so she just avoided his gaze. The intro continued smoothly. Amelie¡¯s body also moved well ording to Serwin¡¯s lead. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re good?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only the beginning.¡± As soon as she heard thepliment, she began to get confused about the order of the steps. ¡®Left foot? No, the right foot came first, right?¡¯ She definitely memorized all the steps, but when she danced, her feet went out at will. The more she danced, the more her hair turned white from anxiety. ¡°Don¡¯t mind your feet and look at me. The more you are aware of it, the more you get wrong.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡ª¡± Amelie couldn¡¯t take her eyes off her feet. She knew he was right, but she was worried that she would keep stepping on his foot. Then eventually, she stumbled when she should have been spinning elegantly instead. ¡°Ack!¡± Amelie was prepared to fall. But Serwin pulled her waist and grabbed her tightly. Amelie¡¯s body leaned on his as if hugging him. Serwin¡¯s firm chest was just in front of her. ¡®Ugh¡ª It¡¯s too close¡ª¡¯ This is no different from hugging. She understood why Mrs Enard taught her to keep the right distance, standing upright like a knife. If men and women dance like this, everyone will misunderstand that they are lovers. Because they can¡¯t be this close to each other unless they¡¯re a couple. ¡°You can step on my feet as much as you want. It doesn¡¯t even hurt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m wearing t shoes now. The heels for tomorrow are so sharp.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll avoid it on my own, so rx and leave your body to me.¡± Amelie made a tearful face. If she could rx just because she wanted to rx, she wouldn¡¯t have worried like this. Serwin hugged Amelie close to him and deliberately spun her around. ¡°I¡¯m losing my mind.¡± She sighed. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re not looking at me.¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°Amelie.¡± Amelie looked into his eyes reluctantly. The moment their eyes met, he smiled. His eyebrows droop downward, creating a friendly impression. It was a pretty smile that was hard to imagine just looking at his usual bloody eyes. A golden light shone between the curved eyes. It was a very small light, but she couldn¡¯t close her eyes or look away. The splendid scenery of the party hall no longer caught her eye. Amelie¡¯s heart pounded. Serwin led Amelie at his own pace. Amelie stepped back and moved forward as he led. There was no time to get confused. When the thought of dancing properly disappeared, surprisingly, her movements continued more smoothly. ¡°Are you doing well?¡± ¡°Yeah, we just have to do this tomorrow too.¡± ¡°Tomorrow¡ª What if I make a mistake tomorrow? I could trip over your feet.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll catch you before other people see you.¡± ¡°¡ªWhat if I ruin the mood by saying weird things?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not going to happen. And since I¡¯m there, everyone will smile even if they don¡¯t like it.¡± They stood next to each other holding hands as the music continued on, then she spun around and was held in his arms. Serwin bent his body and put his face close to hers intimately. ¡°Why are you worried when I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s very reliable.¡± ¡°Right? I can win over everything.¡± At Serwin¡¯s shameless response, Amelie burst into a smallugh. Then Serwin alsoughed seeing Amelie. ****** While the two were having a romantic time, Amelie¡¯s pce was in silence. The servants, who did not know that Amelie and Serwin went outside secretly, thought the two fell asleep early and returned to their respective rooms. Everyone was in deep sleep except for a few people on duty. At that time, Charlotte, who came out of the room, was creeping down the hallway. The hallway, which she always walked through, felt long and dark today. ¡®I can¡¯t get caught.¡¯ Charlotte constantly looked around with her head like a rat being chased. It was not until she entered the dressing room that she breathed a sigh of relief. ¡®Haa, where are the clothes?¡¯ The party dress was hung in the most noticeable ce, so it was easy to find. Charlotte took out the medicine Renia gave her. ¡®Is this effective? It¡¯s not poison, right?¡¯ Manvers Young Lady was not a person to choose extreme and dangerous methods such as poisoning. Nevertheless, she felt somewhat reluctant. ¡®It was a little weird that day, right?¡¯ That day, Renia¡¯s condition was a little different from usual. She couldn¡¯t say that in any part, but Charlotte felt anxious. ¡®No, let¡¯s not get distracted by useless things. Charlotte, just remember what Renia promised. As long as you do this job well, you¡¯ll be the Countess of Manvers!¡¯ Sooner orter, like Renia, she will be able to livefortably by wrapping gold and silver treasures all over her body and calling out to her servants. She has endured in the Imperial pce so far, risking her life for it. ¡®Compared to that, it¡¯s nothing to ruin some clothes.¡¯ Charlotte opened the lid of the medicine. Renia told her to apply this medicine evenly between the hem of the upper body and the skirt. That way, when she pulls the skirt even lightly, it will fall apart neatly as if it were made like that. ¡®Did I have to turn the clothes inside out before I could apply the medicine? It¡¯s annoying because it¡¯s hanging so high, but there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡¯ Charlotte held the dress with one hand and reached out to the hanger with the other. At that moment, she felt an overwhelming sense of dizziness. Chapter 58 On the day of the party, the Imperial pce was engulfed in a strange tense atmosphere. It was an annual event, but this time it was different. All the people who were not present in prior years expressed their intention to attend the party, and even Serwin, who was not interested in the party, was very concerned, so the imperial pce was very busy from the morning. There was a solemn atmosphere in Amelie¡¯s pce. In the morning, Caroline and the person in the dressing room arrived and prepared, and Mrs Enard gathered the maids and vowed to prioritize party preparation. ¡°Miss Amelie, did you have a good night¡¯s sleep?¡± When Milena woke her, Amelie leaned against the headboard of the bed and nodded. ¡®No one must know that I went out secretly.¡¯ Amelie smiled. She had a lot of fun going outst night. At first, they danced together, andter they yed music and danced randomly. Thanks to this, her calves were aching, but the tension was relieved. She slept well and felt good. ¡°We will have a light meal and start preparing for the party. Everyone is waiting only for Miss Amelie.¡± Milena said. ¡°Already? The party is in the afternoon.¡± ¡°There are so many things to do.¡± When Milena rang the bell, the maid brought a light meal. Milena took it and set it down on her table. The soup on the table had almost no ingredients, and the amount was not even half the usual. ¡®Will I gain strength after eating this?¡¯ Amelie was very dissatisfied, but she finished the meal without a gloomy expression on her face. Soon after, Amelie was able to realize that Milena¡¯s judgment was correct. She couldn¡¯t sit to digest until the party started, as she was dragged around frantically. Today, Amelie¡¯s makeup was done by the staff of M¡¯s dressing room. They put a special pack on Amelie¡¯s face and hair to make it moist, and then they started putting on her makeup. Mrs Enard and Caroline took care of it. Milena chatted next to Amelie, and she brought drinks or snacks from time to time. ¡°Come to think of it, I don¡¯t see Charlotte?¡± Amelie asked. ¡°I couldn¡¯t see her since the morning. I thought she was sleeping, so I went to wake her up, but she wasn¡¯t there. Even if she doesn¡¯t want to work, she¡¯s not one to fall for on days like this. It¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it?¡± Milena narrowed her eyes. She looked suspicious of something. ¡°I don¡¯t know where they¡¯re plotting.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say anything unpleasant. I checked it thoroughly in advance. My dress is fine, too. There was nothing wrong with the food prepared either.¡± When Mrs Enard nagged Milena to cease her negativity, Caroline nodded and responded. Milena was still ufortable, but she didn¡¯t have any physical evidence, so she closed her mouth. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s done.¡± Her makeup and hair are finally done. Amelie looked in the mirror awkwardly. They had carefully done her eyeliner to clearly emphasize her eyes, her hazy impression became more vivid and lively. Because her eyebrows were raised moderately, she looked more robust than her original sweet but weak impression. Her hair was raised in an upstyle, but Caroline¡¯s team had intricately raised it to create a neat and uplicated style. ¡°Hurry up and bring a dress!¡± At Mrs Enard¡¯s words, the maids brought dresses. Amelie began to wear her dress with the help of Mrs Enard and Milena. Amelie had twoyers to her dress. She wore a simple white dress with a tube top first, thenyered it with ace and purple dress made of fabric that was as thin as a dragonfly¡¯s wings. The dress had different material for the upper body and the skirt, the upper body wasced with very thin thread, emphasizing Amelie¡¯s slender shoulders and arms. The skirt was elongated with elegant pleats made of light fabric. The color of the dress was dark rather than bright,plementing Amelie¡¯s gentle atmosphere while emphasizing her loveliness, and at first nce, the dress was as thin as dragonfly wings, allowing it to flow around her lightly giving her a pure feeling. She even wore shoes that matched the dress, and finally Caroline brought her essories. It was a hair essory and earrings made especially for today. The hair ornament was made of a branch made of tinum with pink and green jewels attached to it like flowers and leaves. Unlike the colorful headdress, the earrings were simple. Three yellow gems the size of a baby¡¯s fingernail were connected in a row. Every time Amelie moved her head, her earrings rattled, sprinkling bright light on Amelie¡¯s face. Caroline stood a little away and looked at Amelie with sharp eyes. It was not until the word perfect fell from her that the long decoration ended. ¡°Wow! You¡¯re so beautiful!¡± ¡°Really. I feel like I¡¯m looking at the night sky!¡± The staff in the dressing room looked at Amelie and admired her. She was sick and tired of all the attention during the preparation period, but it felt refreshing to see everythingplete. ¡°I was worried about the unique design, but it looks good on you.¡± Mrs Enard smiled satisfied. She had no doubt that Amelie would be the empress in the future, so she thought she should leave a strong first impression on the aristocrats at this party. ¡®You can¡¯t look easy in front of the aristocrats!¡¯ Fancy and beautiful clothes were not enough. It took something more than splendor to leave a strong first impression. However, heavy or loud clothes did not suit Amelie. Those clothes may look pretty, but they killed Amelie¡¯s cute and lovely charm. Caroline repeatedly agonized over Mrs Enard¡¯s demands and was able to produce a result in front of her. ¡®This is a masterpiece that marks a milestone in my craftsmanship.¡¯ Caroline looked at Amelie with an ecstatic expression. The more she looked at her, the more her heart was full and proud. Until now, there has been no dress that had such backing to pour so much money into every single piece. How many fabrics were torn apart and processed to give off the subtle gloss of the skirt hem¡ª. Because Caroline loved beauty, she chose the profession of a dressmaker. But until now, she has taken pretty people and created a uniform beauty that everyone thinks is pretty. Preparing for this party with Amelie, Caroline was able to realize one thing. That true beauty is to emphasize the other person¡¯s appearance no matter what others think it looks like. ¡®Really, I¡¯m d I epted this.¡¯ Through this experience, Caroline felt like she had grown to the next level as a dressmaker. ¡°Miss Amelie, do you like it?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s really pretty.¡± Amelie couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the mirror. Even though she had the same face, she looked different. She seemed to have be a more elegant and assertive person. ¡°Miss Amelie, His Majesty has arrived. He¡¯ll be here soon.¡± Just in time, the maid announced Serwin¡¯s arrival. ¡°Huh, am I going to see His Majesty today too?¡± Frightened by Amelie¡¯s words, the dressing room staff quickly moved into a corner. ¡°You should stick to the wall and not raise your head.¡± Unlike the afraid employees, Caroline did not hide. Serwin was not as scary as this moment at all. ¡®No matter how terrifying His Majesty may be, he will be blown away when he sees Miss Amelie!¡¯ Caroline was confident. Just in time, Serwin entered the room. His eyes wandered in search of soft pink hair like a habit, and soon he was able to find Amelie. Because she was the most sparkling thing in the room. Serwin froze on the spot for a moment. Amelie seeing Serwin was smiling. His round eyes drooped and her bright eyes sparkled. ¡®Why are you so dazzling? Is it because of the jewel?¡¯ Serwin stared nkly at her appearance. Her face looked a little unfamiliar. ¡®Was she always this pretty?¡¯ He thought she was cute before, but it was simr to how he felt when he saw a small animal. But this time it was a little different. Her face, matured by makeup, and her elegant attire made her look like a woman. Serwin¡¯s ears burned red. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Amelie tilted her head. Her yellow earrings were just dangling. Her long white neck under the glinting jewel caught his eye. Suddenly, he had an urge to touch her. His heart pounded fast. Instead of surrendering to the impulse, he took Amelie¡¯s hand. And he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. His yellow eyes were hazy, but he looked at her face with some tenacity. ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with these words, so I don¡¯t know what they¡¯ll sound like¡ª¡± Serwin said. Amelie looked up at him silently. Her cheeks were burning red because of his enthusiastic gaze, but somehow she couldn¡¯t turn her eyes away from him. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful today.¡± He bowed his head to the back of Amelie¡¯s hand. The feeling of his lips touching her softly was clear. Amelie¡¯s face turned red as if she were steaming. Amelie couldn¡¯t say anything and just smiled. She was so surprised that her head turned nk. Fortunately, Serwin quickly moved his face, but he still couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Amelie. ¡°Is the preparation finished?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! It¡¯s all over.¡± Caroline, who was watching the scene, blushed and replied to Serwin. ¡°Shall we go now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When Amelie nodded, Serwin held her hand and led her outside. As soon as the door closed, the remaining people exchanged nces. No one knew who went first but soon they were all squealing. ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± ¡°Did you see? Did you see that His Majesty couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her?¡± ¡°It seemed like there were only two of them in this room.¡± ¡°They werepletely in love. Ah, His Majesty is a man, too. Even a tyrant is an ordinary man in front of love.¡± As if they had seen a scene from a romance novel, they all made amotion as they blushed together. ¡°Oh, I want to be in a rtionship, too.¡± ¡°I would be so happy to be loved like that.¡± Mrs Enard, who was watching the scene, smiled with a proud look. ¡®Miss Amelie said she was not in that kind of rtionship with him, but His Majesty must have feelings for her.¡¯ At this moment, everyone envied Amelie. Chapter 59 As the time of the party approached, nobles began to gather one by one at the party venue. The aristocrats normally would have beente on purpose, but today they hurried their steps. This is because they had to arrive before the Emperor. The nobles gathered in twos and threes to talk while waiting for Serwin toe. Most of the conversation topics were about Amelie. Some people saw her in the imperial pce or library, but most did not even know what she looked like yet. Some people were a bit hostile, but they were still more curious about her. Many people also observed Renia since Renia was the main candidate for Empress for the past few years. But when Amelie suddenly appeared, her position was shaken. People were very interested in Renia¡¯s condition and behavior. There was a lot of spection whether she would be jealous, anxious, or ignore Amelie all together. ¡°Did you hear about that? The fact that Young Lady Manvers waspletely ignored by His Majestyst time.¡± ¡°What happened at the meeting? I only heard some rumors.¡± ¡°There is, too, and there were times when she was waiting on the road that His Majesty often passed, and then she was ignored. She tried to use a shallow trick and got frustrated.¡± ¡°I feel bad for her!¡± The nobles murmured. The incident was already famous enough that there was no one in the capital who didn¡¯t know that Renia was anxious. Renia was conscious of the surrounding gazes mixed with sympathy and ridicule. ¡®Anyway, when ites to other people¡¯s rumors it¡¯s like having four feet.¡¯(Means like an unnecessarily added remark or action.) While she cursed inside, she smiled brightly. As she heard them speak she could only straighten her back and smile as if nothing happened. ¡®It¡¯s only for a moment that they get tough at me.¡¯ Renia deliberately spread rumors that Amelie was as beautiful as a goddess. It was simple to use her connections. As the party drew closer, their curiosity and expectations for Amelie grew stronger. It was just as Renia intended. ¡®The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. I¡¯ve been spreading rumors, so as soon as everyone sees her, they¡¯ll be disappointed that she¡¯s not even close to the rumor.¡¯ As disappointment with Amelie grew, it was natural for Renia to be evaluated more highly. ¡®No matter how much His Majesty tries, he will not be able to cover up the disgraceful behavior from today.¡¯ Renia used Charlotte to put something on Amelie¡¯s dress without anyone knowing, and had also found someone to rip off her skirt while pretending to make a mistake. It was a n suggested by her father, but looking at the current atmosphere, she thought it was a good idea. ¡®Will she get hurt?¡¯ Renia suddenly remembered Amelie¡¯s round eyes. The mint-colored eyes were transparent enough to reflect her inner feelings. When she imagined those round eyes filled with tears, she felt somewhat ufortable in her stomach. ¡®But there is no other way. So you shouldn¡¯t have threatened my position without knowing what you were getting into.¡¯ Renia made up her mind. When the attendant announced that Serwin and Amelie had arrived, the room that had been buzzing quickly became quiet. Everyone held their breath and stared at the door. Soon after, Amelie walked inside, with Serwin¡¯s escort. Everyone gathered in the hall looked at her. Their gaze could have discouraged Amelie, but Amelie was confident. Every step she took, the hem of the dress shook. The color of the dress changed little by little due to the ovepping thin fabrics. The somewhat heavy-colored dress gave Amelie a bright smile while holding the appropriate weight. Her essories also yed their part. The hair ornaments glistened brightly above Amelie¡¯s head. The light emitted by the jewels created the illusion of a halo shining from Amelie. ¡®It¡¯s like being surrounded by stars.¡¯ ¡®As the rumors say, she¡¯s beautiful.¡¯ The nobles lost their sense of propriety for a while and openly stared at Amelie. They couldn¡¯t take their eyes off the dress that changed ording to the movements of her body. Meanwhile, Serwin finished his speech and stood in the center of the hall to perform his first dance. ¡®Ahhh¡ª Everyone is looking at me.¡¯ Amelie screamed inside. The people who filled the hall were only looking at the two in the center. She was nervous as if her heart would pop out of her throat. Serwin held her hand a little more firmly. ¡°Be careful. If you dance likest night, you will bump into people, right?¡± At Serwin¡¯s words, Amelie recalledst night, ying with him in this hall and dancing recklessly. Later, she went around stiffly holding only his hands and fell down in the middle of the hall because she was tired¡ª. Amelie smiled and replied. ¡°Be careful, Your Majesty. I could throw Your Majesty to the floor like yesterday.¡± ¡°I should take good care of you.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Amelieughed yfully. ¡®Like yesterday, I can leave it to Serwin.¡¯ When she thought that the ce where she danced with Serwin was the same ce, she felt less burdened. The music yed, and the two began to dance smoothly. Whenever Amelie made a big move, the hem of the skirt spread out. Embroidery glinted as the silver thread reflected the soft lights in the ballroom. She seemed to be surrounded by starlight. Serwin¡¯s golden eyes did not fall from Amelie. Following his gaze, Amelie was smiling lovingly. She revealed her strong belief that Serwin would not harm her. It also looked like the two were familiar with leaning on each other. ¡°Oh my, am I really seeing His Majesty?¡± The nobles doubted their own eyes. ¡°Honestly, I thought it was a political show to beat the Manvers family¡ª I guess it was real.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. There¡¯s no doubt.¡± ¡°Rumors of the beauty of the century seem exaggerated, but she is no less lovely than the Lady.¡¯ ¡°His Majesty¡¯s heart will be stolen by the end of this year.¡± The nobles began to praise the two, saying they were a perfect pair. Renia and the girls who followed her also looked at them and praised them. ¡°Was she always like that? She has the same face but lookspletely different, right?¡± ¡°I mean. Last time she felt friendly and approachable, but now it feels like there¡¯s a wall¡ª¡± ¡°I think I know why His Majesty brought her to the Imperial Pce.¡± ¡°Looking at it like this, His Majesty has a human-like side. I can¡¯t believe that tyrant sometimes looks like a person.¡± They were so startled by Amelie¡¯s change that they even forgot to look at Renia. Renia, like the others, stood nkly looking at the two. The stage where the two were dancing was so full that no one had time to squeeze in. Obviously, today¡¯s protagonist was Amelie. ¡®It was that woman who intervened, so why do I look like a hindrance?¡¯ Amelie was perfect in Renia¡¯s eyes too. She was very clumsy when she saw her at a tea party, but now she looks elegant and confident. The moment she entered the hall, she had even lost her childish gaze. At that moment, Renia realized. No matter how much she loses weight and polish her beauty, she can¡¯t be the main character of this party. ¡®Then, what should I do now?¡¯ How can she be an Empress? Renia¡¯s eyes roamed the party hall. Then she made eye contact with Count Manvers. Like Renia, the Count was in a very impatient state. He quickly grasped the atmosphere of the nobles. ¡®Tsk, everyone is already ready to tter that woman.¡¯ Most of the capital nobles survived lying down under Serwin¡¯s tyranny, so it was most important for them to follow Serwin¡¯s will. Wherever Amelie was from, it was best to win her favor if Serwin had such deep feelings for her. Count Manvers would have thought and acted the same way as others if it had not been for his ambition to make Renia the Empress. However, when the situation became like this, he could not give up his ambition. ¡®Let¡¯s do it right.¡¯ Count Manvers looked at Renia¡¯s eyes. ¡®Yeah, there was thest effort left.¡¯ If everything goes ording to her n, the friendly gaze of the nobles toward Amelie will also turn intoughter. Just like not so long ago, the same people who envied her would sneer at her. Renia waited for the right time. ***** Soon after, the first dance ended, and before the second dance began, the apaniment flowed out. People grabbed their partner¡¯s hand and flocked out to the center of the hall. Renia found Serina among the people. This was because Serina decided to pull Ameli¡¯s skirt in this chaotic moment. Because she was small and slender, she would be able to hide among people after doing things. People panicked more than usual because Renia used her influence to have the band y the interlude a little faster. ¡®Now.¡¯ Serina approached Amelie with an uneasy step. Amelie and Serwin were distracted by their conversation and were not aware of her. Renia nervously looked at Serina and found Gilbert standing in the corner. ¡®Gilbert? Why is he here?¡¯ He has never been to a party in the Imperial Pce. He said it was boring, but Renia knew that he was scared of Serwin. ¡®It was my father¡¯s n, so there¡¯s no way Gilbert didn¡¯t know. He¡¯s here to watch. He wants to see someone being humiliated.¡¯ Although he was her younger brother, he was pathetic. He giggled as he looked at Amelie. Seeing his sinister gleaming eyes, Renia¡¯s mind shed as if she had sshed the cold water. What does it mean to be no different from her younger brother, whom she has dismissed as vulgar? Goosebumps ran down Renia¡¯s arms. ¡®This isn¡¯t right. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m trying to humiliate her by taking off her clothes in front of so many people. That¡¯s something a person like him has to do.¡¯ Renia pushed people forward and stepped forward. People murmured as they watched her, but Renia called Amelie regardless. ¡°Hey!¡± Amelie looked at Renia. As soon as Renia was about to say something, Serina pretended to fall and pulled Amelie¡¯s skirt. ¡®It¡¯s toote!¡¯ Renia closed her eyes when she saw Amelie¡¯s skirt being torn off. Now Amelie will be greatly humiliated andughed at. However, the situation went against Renia¡¯s expectations. Despite Serina pulling the dress without circumstances, Amelie¡¯s clothes were fine. ¡°Huh?¡± At the unexpected development, Serina forgot to run away and stared nkly at Amelie instead. ¡°Be careful.¡± Amelie casually grabbed Serina and helped her up. Serina looked at Renia with a strange face, but Renia couldn¡¯t say anything. ¡®Now, what is this?¡¯ Apparently she was sure that her skirt hem would be torn, but it¡¯s holding up well. Chapter 60 ¡®What happened?¡¯ If she looks closely, she can see that the folds of the purple outer dress are slightly different from before. The connection part of the skirt was also awkward. It was a subtle difference that could only be seen through persistent observation. ¡®Did you sew back ripped clothes in such a short time? how?¡¯ Renia was confused. In the meantime, the interlude ended and a new dance song continued. Amelie and Serwin started dancing again as if nothing had happened. In the meantime, Renia was the only one who couldn¡¯te to her senses. She was the only one standing nkly alone in a party full ofughter and music. Then the Count Manvers approached her. ¡°Renia. What¡¯s going on! Why is she fine! Didn¡¯t you say you would humiliate her?¡± He spoke with a low voice, looking around him. Renia hesitated for a moment. Can she say exactly what she saw? ¡°¡ªI guess Charlotte betrayed me.¡± Renia lied skillfully. Looking at the torn skirt, Charlotte did her part. However, something different happened and ruined the n. But she thought she shouldn¡¯t tell the Count about this. ¡°What a fool! You can¡¯t even use one maid properly!¡± Count Manvers rebuked her harshly. No matter how much he lowered his voice, they¡¯re inside the party hall. People began to nce at them. Tsk, the sound of someone kicking their tongue stuck in Renia¡¯s ear. She wanted to hide in a rat hole. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at home!¡± The Count, who paid a lot of attention to other people¡¯s eyes, left in a hurry. Next up was Gilbert. Heughed at Renia as usual and threatened to marry her off to an old man. Renia was powerless to resist, and all she could do was listen to his insults. Meanwhile, the second dance song was also over, and Amelie quietly left the hall. ¡®Is she going to fix her clothes?¡¯ Renia tried to follow Amelie, but Serwin approached her. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s dance together.¡± When Serwin asked Renia to dance, the hall was very noisy. ¡°Seeing His Majesty ask Manvers Young Lady to dance, it seems that His Majesty has not made up his mind.¡± ¡°His Majesty must be thinking about many things.¡± The nobles looked at the new development with excitement and their mouths. ¡®It¡¯s not like that.¡¯ Renia wanted to shout at them. Serwin¡¯s eyes were overflowing with anger as if he was going to kill her right away. The cold gold eyes were as sharp as a de. ¡°Renia, Your Majesty is waiting for you.¡± Count Manvers came to her side and encouraged her. Renia was forced to hold Serwin¡¯s hand. Her hands trembled with fear. The two moved toward the center of the hall. Renia¡¯s body moved ording to habit. She was able to dance quite well while being stiff to the fingertips due to fear. ¡®Why did he ask me to dance?¡¯ Why did he have to do that at this time like this? Renia nervously waited for him to open his mouth. It was even scarier because he, who was hot-tempered, was dancing without pulling out a sword. ¡°Young Lady Manvers.¡± Serwin called her. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°What kind of trick did you do try to pull on her?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Renia bit her lips. ¡®He got me.¡¯ He, who was next to Amelie, must have seen what Renia also saw. Amelie¡¯s clothes were intentionally ruined, and at that moment, Renia stepped forward and tried to stop it. It was only natural for her that she would be used of being the culprit. ¡°Did you think I couldn¡¯t respond since I didn¡¯t hurt or kill you, when you pretended it was an ident?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Renia was caught. Even if she was caught by him, she had to pretend not to know until the end. ¡°Do you think I brought it up because I was curious about your opinion?¡± Serwin¡¯s lips rose sharply. Renia hardened her body. He used to smile just like that when he cut off the servant¡¯s arm. ¡°Then¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I¡¯m not doing anything now because I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m putting up with it for Amelie¡¯s sake. But be prepared. When the party¡¯s over, the Count and you will have to pay the price for touching my person.¡± It was only because of Amelie that Serwin didn¡¯t kill Renia on the spot. He didn¡¯t want to ruin this party that he held for her. He knew Amelie had worked hard to prepare for her party, so he didn¡¯t want her efforts to go to waste. ¡°There should be no more tricks. If you want to leave your family¡¯s name intact for much longer.¡± ¡°The Count Manvers is a prestigious family in the Empire. No matter how much you say to destroy it, you can¡¯t harm such a family without a cause.¡± Serwinughed. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m called a tyrant for no reason?¡± He meant it. If he could, he wanted to sweep the Count right away. But¡ª. ¡°Even if it¡¯s impossible to reach the Count, it¡¯s still enough to kill at least one of you.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m in danger, my family¡ª.¡± Renia was speechless. He held Renia¡¯s hand as strong as he could without outright breaking it. ¡°Do you think the Count will defend you?¡± As soon as she heard his words, Renia¡¯s heart seemed to thump and sink. He was right. Count Manvers will not save her. Rather, he will be delighted at the thought of receiving the price of killing her. Her chest hurt more than her crushed hand. ¡®¡ªIt¡¯s all over.¡¯ Not only was she unable to be an Empress, but also her life was at stake. ¡®What should I do now? My father wouldn¡¯t help me.¡¯ When the dance was over, Serwin turned his back and left, and when he was nowhere to be seen, people began to slowly gather around Renia. Count Manvers also smiled as if he was never angry. Everyone seemed to wonder what kind of conversation she and Serwin had. Renia couldn¡¯t say anything. ¡®What should I say to my father? No, I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t say it. I have to figure it out on my own.¡¯ The Count would be threatened more than enough to tell Serwin what she had done here. Because he was a person who would not hesitate to give up his children in order to survive. ¡®There are so many people, but there is no one to help me.¡¯ A sense of despair prevailed. Renia staggered out of the party hall, avoiding the Count. A long shadow fell behind her as she left. ¡®What should I do now?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t think of anything. Obviously, she did her best, but there was nothing left. Far from gaining the freedom she longed for, her life was in jeopardy. What has she lived for without anyone worrying about her? There was a lot of skepticism in life. ¡®Where should I go?¡¯ [Come closer. Come to me¡­] Someone whispered in her ear. The voice prated into her ear as if pouring sweet sticky syrup into the mouth of a starved man. Renia walked nkly. She walked toward theke as if she were attracted to something. As she reached theke, the sticky ck fog that had been stagnant under the water leaked under her clothes and swept her bare skin. Renia¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t see anything, but the sensation was so vivid that her body trembled. [You are full of despair. Give it to me. Then, don¡¯t tell me where to go] [You said you can do anything to be an Empress, right?] ¡®Yeah. I can do anything.¡¯ After bing the Empress, she would be able to set herself free. She doesn¡¯t have to follow the reckless Count, and she doesn¡¯t have to deal with Gilbert¡¯s humiliation anymore. ¡®I want a position that will not be shaken by anyone.¡¯ [It¡¯s simple. You can get rid of anything that bothers you] ¡®Get rid of it?¡¯ The disaster whispered. Renia raised her head. The sunsetke was as red as blood due to the sunset. The fishy smell poked her nose. A dark shadow cast over her. ¡®Ah, right. That¡¯s simple.¡¯ Reniaughed as if possessed. ¡®I just have to kill her.¡¯ As Reina nkly stared out over theke she suddenly felt the handle of a deadly knife in her hands. ***** Amelie went to another room and changed her dress. Just in case, she had made another dress with the same design, and Milena didn¡¯t forget to bring an extra dress so she could quickly change her clothes. The dress Amelie was wearing was torn apart at the sewing on her waist. She didn¡¯t know why the dress, which was fine when she wore it, suddenly became like this. When she looked closely at the torn part, there were no thread left in the part, so she suspected that some special drug had been used. Milena took away her dress separately because she had to report this situation to Mrs Enard right away. Milena left, Amelie checked her makeup, and then left the room to return to the party. Amelie was lost in thought as she walked alone through the hallway. ¡®What was it before?¡¯ Amelie recalled what happened a while ago. After sessfully finishing the first dance, she was talking to Serwin while waiting for the second dance. But Renia suddenly called out to her. Amelie was excited and couldn¡¯t look around, so only after hearing her call could she notice that Serina was trying to pull her skirt. ¡®What would have happened if you didn¡¯t notice it in advance¡ª?¡¯ It was like revealing her naked body in front of so many people. Just thinking about it made her dizzy. ¡®The only person who could have ruined the clothes is Charlotte.¡¯ With magic hanging on her clothes, Charlotte was likely to be a rat by now. ¡®I can understand the sudden disappearance. So was it Renia who ordered Charlotte to ruin my clothes?¡¯ Both Charlotte and Serina were friends with Renia. Crucially, Renia did not hide her confusion when her clothes were fine. It meant she knew what was going to happen to her. However, one question has not been solved. ¡®Why did you call out to me in that situation?¡¯ If she had stayed still, she would have been greatly disgraced as nned. She wouldn¡¯t have found out that Young Lady Serina pulled her skirt, and that it was Renia who ordered it. ¡®Did you change your mind at the end? Or was it part of the n?¡¯ Amelie tilted her head. A thin wind passed by her neck. ¡°Huh¡ª¡± Amelie stopped walking and looked around. The windows were all locked, so there was no ce for the wind to enter. ¡®What is it¡ª¡¯ Looking out the window, a woman stood in a redke. ¡®Renia? Why is Renia standing there alone?¡¯ Looking closely, there was a long shadow hanging behind Renia. Her red hair was as intense as the mes burning under the sunset. Somehow it was an ominous scene. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ She had to go back to the party, but Amelie didn¡¯t take a step to move away from the window. It was because she had an ominous feeling. ¡®I can¡¯t ignore this feeling, right?¡¯ Amelie turned toward theke. Chapter 61 Theke was located right next to the party hall. The road to theke was dark and gloomy, and it seemed to be the reason why it was not managed for a long time. As she approached theke, she felt sick. Suddenly, she became anxious, her breathing became short, and her heart beat fast. Amelie hurried her steps. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with me?¡¯ The moment she stood in front of Renia, Amelie realized the reason. ck smoke was seen around Renia. It was scattered around like fog, but wrapped around Renia¡¯s body as if it were hugging her. ¡®That¡¯s¡ªthe energy of disaster. But it¡¯s a little different from what I saw in the Fidelia Forest.¡¯ When the disaster took control of Serwin¡¯s body, the energy of the disaster was darker and more intense. The energy of disaster at that time had the destructive power to corrupt everything that it touched. ¡®It¡¯s not to that extent right now.¡¯ It was simr to what she saw in the mansion before the disaster took control of Serwin¡¯s body. Amelie nervously looked at Renia. Her condition was a little strange. Her eyes weren¡¯t focused, and her mouth was hanging open slightly. At the same time, her expression, which looked vacant yet joyful, added to the unpleasantness. ¡®She¡¯s holding a knife.¡¯ Amelie swallowed despite her very dry mouth. She couldn¡¯t guess at all how the situation would go. ¡°Young Lady Manvers¡ªRight?¡± Amelie asked carefully. ¡°You¡¯re asking something weird. If I¡¯m not Renia Manvers, who am I?¡± It was a little hoarse, but it was definitely Renia¡¯s voice. ¡°Why are you holding a knife? It¡¯s dangerous. Put it down.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t kill you without this.¡± At the moment, Amelie doubted her ears if she heard it wrong. Renia¡¯s tone was too in, as if mentioning the weather. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, I¡¯d be the Empress.¡± ¡°I wish I could be¡ª.¡± ¡°I can do anything to be the Empress.¡± Renia picked up a knife. The de shed red as if it had blood on it. ¡°So¡ªWhat are you going to do to me now¡ª?¡± When Renia smiled brightly, Amelie¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Think again. I¡¯m going to leave anyway, so I have nothing to do with Renia bing Empress.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie. You¡¯re going to leave that position!? How hard did I try to get it!? I¡¯ve dedicated my entire life to it!!!!!¡± Renia suddenly rushed at Amelie. She swung her knife recklessly. Amelie narrowly avoided the knife as she frantically backed away. ¡®At this rate, I think I¡¯m going to get stabbed?¡¯ It was a sharp attack for a woman who had never lifted anything heavier than a bread knife in her life. ¡°Do you think you can be the Empress if you kill me? You can¡¯t do that. Do you think His Majesty will keep you alive?¡± Amelie tried to stop her using logic. ¡°Then let¡¯s die together.¡± Amelie¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡®This woman is out of her mind right now! I need to use magic.¡¯ Fortunately, there was no one around. It would take a little while to stop Renia using magic, but there was no other way. Amelie called for the wind. The ck smoke surrounding Renia shook and shuddered but that was all. The ck smoke gathered around Renia and did not fly away in the wind. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Amelie was perplexed. The ck smoke that filled Serwin¡¯s room at the Dehaim mansion was easily swept away by her wind magic, but now the smoke was staying despite the intense gust Amelie created. Meanwhile, Renia continued her attack. ¡®Fine then!¡¯ Amelie ran towards Renia. Grasping her wrist that was holding the knife, Amelie hugged Renia tightly. It was the way she saved Serwin from the disaster in Fidelia Forest, it might work here too. ¡°Calm down for now. It¡¯s good to be ambitious. Yes, it¡¯s great to be the Empress and enjoy power. Everyone else is at your feet.¡± Amelie talked and put her hands on Renia¡¯s body, but the ck smoke only flowed around them and didn¡¯t disappear. Renia¡¯s rebellion grew stronger. ¡®There¡¯s no effect!¡¯ At that moment, Renia got enough space to lift the knife and stab towards Amelie¡¯s back. ¡®I can¡¯t avoid it!¡¯ With a softPongsound, Amelie transformed. As she turned into a small rabbit, she narrowly avoided the knife. ¡°Rabbit?¡± Renia¡¯s eyes widened. The rabbit with pink fur looked familiar. Thest time she copsed in the imperial pce, it was the rabbit who helped her. Amelie jumped and made it to a safe distance, she then returned to being human. ¡°Y, you. What is this? That rabbit is you?¡± Renia was shocked. Come to think of it, the pink fur or bright mint eyes were the same. ¡®Huh? The ck smoke is breaking?¡¯ Amelie¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡®If she lets go of the thoughts of bing an Empress, will her mind be a little more sane?¡¯ Amelie came up with a different strategy. ¡°Renia. It doesn¡¯t matter if you be the Empress. No matter what you do, you have to keep an eye on the Emperor, and the nobles will always try to bite you.¡± ¡°Still, the only way out is to be the Empress. To gain freedom. I¡¯m not going to let anyone control my life. Once I¡¯m the Empress, everything is¡ª¡± ¡°No! Then you won¡¯t be free at all any more! If you be the Empress, will your father or brother let you go? They¡¯ll be holding onto you just to use you more! It would be better if you just left the Count!¡± Amelie desperately persuaded Renia. ¡°Leave that kind of family and live freely alone! Renia has good skills and is smart, so you can live alone!¡± ¡°¡ªYou want me to abandon the Count? You want me to give up my status and privileges?¡± The ck smoke deepened, and Renia picked up the knife again. ¡°Ah, is that too much?¡± It would be unfair to leave behind a good family and wealth and run away to live in squalor. ¡°Then I guess you can be the Count. It seems that women can inherit the title too.¡± Even Renee was the sessor to the Count in her family. In most aristocratic families, the son seeds the heir, but in some cases, the daughter bes the heir. ¡°I¡¯ll be the Count of Manvers?¡± Renia was surprised and asked Amelie as if trying to confirm. It was something she had never thought of before. As Amelie said, Renia deserved the title of Count Manvers. She was the eldest daughter of Count Manvers and the child of his wife. She was, in a way, a more legitimate heir than Gilbert. However, she was taught from an early age that it was her duty to cultivate beauty and culture and marry the son of a famous family. The Count was greatly angered when she showed interest in her family affairs, and Renia saw that bing Empress was her only chance to prove her worth. ¡®It¡¯s opening up.¡¯ Amelie carefully approached her. ¡°Now, put down your knife. Think about your future.¡± Renia stepped back. Her hands trembled with a knife. She made eye contact with Amelie. ¡°His Majesty won¡¯t let me live.¡± ¡°I can stop that.¡± ¡°Do you think I will have a different future?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± It wasn¡¯t only because she¡¯s trying to escape the situation, Amelie was sincere. Even if Renia wasn¡¯t on the right path now, another path would always appear. ¡°So, don¡¯t make irreversible choices.¡± The tip of Renia¡¯s knife fell to the floor. Amelie took a step closer and stood in front of Renia. She was still captivated by the ck smoke, but at least her eyes were clear. ¡®I just need to get rid of the ck smoke.¡¯ Amelie reached out to Renia. But at that moment, Renia grabbed Amelie. ¡°¡­.!¡± Amelie¡¯s eyes widened. Renia¡¯s eyes were pure ck. And the ck smoke covered Renia¡¯s mouth. A murky voice that seemed to tear her vocal cords came out from Renia¡¯s mouth. [I can¡¯t control my heart until the end, so I¡¯m getting angry.] Amelie¡¯s face turned pale. It was a terrible voice that she will never forget. ¡°Disaster¡ª!¡± Kiiik, kik, kiik. The noise rang like nails scratching against chalkboard cutting through the air as Renia¡¯s mouth was forced to move in a mockery ofughter. Along with it, the ck smoke fluttered around them both. Stab. Renia stabbed Amelie with a knife and pushed her into theke. With the sudden pain, Amelie¡¯s body lurched heavily for a moment. ¡®No!¡¯ Renia ran again towards Amelie, who was barely holding on, and Amelie fell into theke along with Renia. Ssh! The water in theke was as cold as ice. Cold permeated every cell in Amelie¡¯s body. ck smoke spread widely in theke like ink falling into the water. ¡®Ugh, first I need to go up.¡¯ Renia was in danger of losing her mind, and Amelie was getting out of breath. They were both in danger if she didn¡¯t get out of theke quickly enough. Amelie struggled, kicking the water with her feet to rise above the water surface. Strangely, however, her body gradually sank below. It feels like something is pulling her from below. Amelie looked back. Theke was ck and dark enough that she couldn¡¯t see the bottom. The darkness held Amelie and didn¡¯t let her go. ¡®I have to go up.¡¯ There was also a limit to holding her breath. ¡°Uhh!¡± The water of theke flowed into her mouth. Goosebumps covered her whole body as she shuddered in revulsion. It felt simr to when she drank poison. ¡®The water tastes weird, too. Is it poison¡ª?¡¯ The sensation in her mouth was gradually disappearing. Amelie chanted the spell desperately as she slowly began to suffocate. As she opened her lips, more water entered her mouth. Her tongue was paralyzed and unable to move properly, but she managed toplete her spell. The calm waters of theke began to churn. Like when water boils, bubbles of air are formed and gushes toward the surface of the water. ¡®Ugh, a little bit more¡ª!¡¯ Amelie did her best to purify as much of the darkness as she could. ck smoke began to turn gray little by little as it was swept away. As the force that was pulling Amelie weakened, Amelie and Renia¡¯s bodies began to rise to the surface little by little. ¡®Ugh, just a little bit, hurry¡ª!¡¯ She felt a squeezing pain in her chest because she couldn¡¯t breathe properly. She was gradually losing her mind. The pulling force was weakening, but she could hardly move upwards. As the power of the magic that pushed her up weakened, her body began to sink again little by little. ¡®Ah, more¡ª¡¯ Amelie desperately reached out her hand, but there was nothing to hold. Her body began to sink, and her mind became distracted. ¡®Is this really the end?¡¯ At that moment, a strong force pulled her hand. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 ¡°Puah!¡± Amelie burst out of the water breathing hard and vomiting water. A big hand swept her back, helping her clear her lungs. She gasped loudly. Inhaling and exhaling to make up for herck of oxygen, her lungs swelled like they were going to explode. ¡®Did I make it?¡¯ She blinked and shook her head. She was out of her mind. ¡°Amelie, are you okay? Can you get a hold of yourself?¡± Serwin¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Amelie noticed that Serwin was holding onto her. He pulled her up from theke. Serwin looked at her with a stiff face. His eyes were full of anxiety. He wrapped around Amelie¡¯s cheek. At his warmth, Amelie realized that she was alive. ¡®So I¡¯m alive.¡¯ As she looked into his eyes, a sense of relief came. ¡°Your Majesty, Your Majesty.¡± Amelie hugged Serwin¡¯s shoulder and rested her head on his neck. She dug further into his arms like a child. Only then did she feel a terrible chill. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay now.¡± Serwin hugged her trembling body. Her body was as cold as ice. It was only natural seeing as she fell into theke in this kind of weather. His heart was broken because he felt sorry for her trembling body. He received a coat from the servant, wrapped it around Amelie¡¯s body, and slowly swept her back. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have moved away from Amelie.¡¯ Serwin regretted it. It was only an excuse to say that he didn¡¯t know this would happen. After dancing with Renia, Serwin talked moderately with the nobles and waited for Amelie to return. But no matter how long he waited, she didn¡¯te back to the party. When he felt that something was strange, a Young Lady, who had gone to rest in an empty room, screamed and entered the party hall. She said that Amelie and Renia were facing off with each other on the shore of theke. As soon as he heard that, he jumped out the window. It was at that moment that he watched Amelie fall into theke after being stabbed by Renia¡¯s knife. The worst memories of his life came back to haunt him. The shing des, the water sshing in all directions, and the blurry drops of blood were all the same as they were now. Only the person changed into Amelie. ¡®Why is it her? Not anyone else but Amelie.¡¯ Serwin was agitated, but quickly came to his senses and ran to theke to rescue her. When he thought he would have lost her if he was even a littlete, he felt dizzy. ¡°Huh, Young Lady Manvers! Are you awake!¡± Then Renia came to her senses also vomiting water. The maids who were administering first aid took care of her. ¡®I should¡¯ve killed her at the party hall.¡¯ He looked at Renia with cold eyes. But Amelie came first now. He had to move her quickly to a warm room. ¡°Sir Ethan. Detain all of Count Manvers¡¯ men and the Count and his daughter.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Your Majesty! We¡¯re innocent! You can¡¯t be like this!¡± Count Manvers protested, but Serwin didn¡¯t even deal with it. He held Amelie preciously and headed to Amelie¡¯s pce. ****** When Serwin appeared holding Amelie, Amelie¡¯s pce went into chaos. She was supposed to be showing off at her party, but she lost consciousness and returned. Apart from being surprised, the maids acted quickly. ¡°Bring as much as you can! Dry clothes and towels. And a thick nket, too!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go to the attic.¡± The maids wiped Amelie¡¯s body with warm towels, changed her clothes, andid her down on the bed. Serwin held her body and fed her medicine. Amelie woke up hourster. As soon as she opened her eyes, all she saw was Serwin¡¯s face. He stood by Amelie¡¯s side without changing his wet clothes. ¡°Your Majesty.¡¯ When the small voice called him, Serwin choked up. He couldn¡¯t find a word to say, so he swept Amelie¡¯s hair. ¡°Why am I in this room¡ª?¡± ¡°I brought you here. It¡¯s still midnight, so get some more sleep.¡± ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Do it slowly. You have to rest now.¡± Amelie shook her head slowly. She couldn¡¯t sleep because there was something bothering her. Serwin sighed briefly at her stubbornness. ¡°I¡¯ll ask them to bring warm tea. Your throat needs it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Serwin pulled the rope and called the maid. She had been waiting for Amelie to wake up, so Mrs Enard immediately entered the room. She had a lot to ask Amelie, but she left the room after making tea ording to Serwin¡¯s order. ¡°What happened was.¡± Amelie took a sip of tea and began to borate on what she had been through. Discovering Renia, the energy of disaster surrounding her, and the energy of disaster that was deeplyid in theke. After hearing all the stories, Serwin made a strange face. ¡°It seemed to me that Renia was being manipted by the energy of disaster.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way.¡± Serwin replied with a confident voice. Then he realized that he had spoken too firmly and added a reason. ¡°The seal is still valid. The Disaster is still trapped within me.¡± Serwin could feel that the Disaster was still there inside of him. ¡®And today should not be the day when the energy of disaster spreads.¡¯ Amelie felt a little strange in Serwin¡¯s appearance, but she thought it was an illusion, so she moved on lightly. ¡°Is that so? It seemed to me that it was a little different from His Majesty¡¯s case. Except when I was stabbed with a knife, my eyes were fine. Huh,e to think of it, there are no wounds?¡± Amelie touched her stomach. She felt no pain at all. ¡°You haven¡¯t been hurt since you got out of theke.¡± ¡°That¡¯s weird. I thought I was stabbed. Was it an illusion? ¡°No. Your clothes were torn, so it¡¯s true that you were stabbed. In the meantime, you probably healed yourself.¡± Amelie tilted her head. ¡®I just used the magic of purification.¡¯ The energy of disaster disappeared and the wound healed. ¡°Oh, but what happened to Renia? I remember being rescued together.¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡± Serwin had an unpleasant look on his face. ¡°I need to meet Renia and hear what happened.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be in jail in the Imperial Pce.¡± ¡°Did you lock her up?¡± ¡°Of course. She stabbed you with a knife.¡± ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t kill her. I can¡¯t easily take the life you saved because of your hard work.¡± Serwin was determined. However, Amelie felt differently. It was hard to say that it was because of her own will that Renia stabbed her. Obviously, Renia had no intention of attacking and wielding a knife until the disaster forced her. If she was manipted by disaster, she was also a victim. ¡°Your Majesty, please leave this to me.¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re going to forgive her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who suffered the damage. So I have to punish them. Okay?¡± Amelie nced up at Serwin. Serwin was not interested in Renia¡¯s sincerity. What was important to him was the fact that Amelie was in danger because of her. She dares to thrust a knife at Amelie. That fact alone made him want her dead. However, when he saw Amelie¡¯s pale face, he couldn¡¯t say no. Who can reject the mint-colored eyes that desperately look up at him? ¡°Haa, punishment must be done instead. I can¡¯t allow you to just move on as if nothing had happened.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amelie smiled. ¡°Now stop talking and lie down.¡± ¡°What about Your Majesty? Oh my, you didn¡¯t even change? You¡¯re all wet!¡± ¡°Oh, I forgot. I will change my clothes. So don¡¯t wait and go to sleep.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Serwinid Amelie in bed and covered her with a nket. Then, after standing by her for a long time, he checked that she had fallen asleep and stood up. ¡®¡ªI¡¯m nervous about leaving her alone for a while.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t take a step away easily. Even though he was only going to change his clothes, he became anxious the moment he took his eyes off her. Eventually, Serwin received clothes to change from the servant and changed in the bedroom. He himself felt that he was pathetic, but on the other hand, he was relieved that at least now he could continue to protect her. ****** The next day, Amelie headed to prison to see Renia. Serwin also apanied her. The prison was very different from what she imagined. It¡¯s in a remote ce. It was only a decent building, and the cells were spacious and clean. Being imprisoned in the imperial pce did not seem to be terrible for anyone. But the room where Renia was locked up was a rtively small and shabby roompared to the rest. Amelie went into the room alone. Serwin tried to follow, but Amelie firmly refused. This is because if he is there, she can¡¯t talk to Reniafortably. ¡°Young Lady Manvers.¡± Renia stood up hastily and stumbled heavily. Fortunately, she grabbed the wall and didn¡¯t fall. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Renia¡¯s condition was not good. Her face was red because of fever. Amelie noticed that she was wearing wet clothes. ¡°No way, did you get locked after being rescued from ake yesterday?¡± Amelie pointed at Renia¡¯s forehead. ¡°You have a fever. You don¡¯t have a cough or runny nose, do you? I think you¡¯re not feeling well because you¡¯re in a cold ce. It¡¯ll be better if you take medicine and rest.¡± Renia looked at Amelie with confused eyes. She transformed into a rabbit, caused torrents of wind, and even examined her illness this time. She couldn¡¯t figure out who she was. ¡°You¡ªWho are you?¡± ¡°Hmm, can I say this? Well, since you saw me use magic, you can figure it out even if it¡¯s a secret. It¡¯s meaningless to keep hiding it.¡± Amelie coolly revealed her identity. ¡°I¡¯m a witch.¡± Renia¡¯s eyes widened. She had only encountered the witch through rumors. There was a secret story among thedies, but she only thought they were caught by a skillful swindler, but never thought there would actually be a witch. ¡®What I saw yesterday, it wasn¡¯t a scam.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t believe it, but she had no choice but to believe it. ¡°Witch. That¡¯s why. Now I understand everything. And the reason why my n at the party failed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then was that also magic yesterday?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s¡ªI can¡¯t exin it to you, but I didn¡¯t do it. Do you have any memories of yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes, I remember it vividly.¡± Renia answered meekly. It was the opposite of Serwin¡¯s expectation that she woulde out aggressively. ¡°The reason why I came to the imperial pce is rted to what happened yesterday. If you cooperate, I¡¯ll help you get out of here. I decided to do this on my own.¡± ¡°With my disposition?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡ªYour Majesty really cares about you. I don¡¯t care about punishment. I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡± As soon as Renia was in despair, Amelie appeared without hesitation and reached out. ¡®I¡¯ve only done bad things to her.¡¯ Renia, who btedly regretted it, decided to follow Amelie¡¯s wishes. Renia started talking about everything that happened from the moment she left the party yesterday. She couldn¡¯t figure out where to go after leaving the party. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a clue. Someone seemed to whisper in my ear, but I just epted it as my idea.¡± ¡°What did you hear?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to theke, I will kill you. I heard that voice.¡± Something whispered in her ear, and she epted the sound as her own will without doubt and stabbed Amelie with a knife. The process felt so natural and there was no sense of ipatibility. ¡°But listening to you, I came to my senses. I realized that I followed that voice, not my own will.¡± At thest minute, Reniapletely abandoned the idea of harming Amelie. But her body moved on its own. Like a doll controlled by a string. ¡°¡ªI know that what I¡¯m saying will not be easily believed. After all, I stabbed you.¡± Renia lowered her head and wrung her hands together. ¡°I believe in you.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Renia raised her head. Amelie¡¯s eyes faced Renia without shaking. ¡°You believe me? Why? No, you can¡¯t believe it just like that! You should be suspicious!¡± Renia was furious. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it before, but don¡¯t you too easily trust people? That¡¯s why you¡¯ll only be used in the social world! If you want to be Empress¡ª¡± ¡°Calm down. I¡¯m not blindly believing you.¡± Amelie stopped Renia. Renia closed her mouth when she learned that she was too excited. ¡®Looking at that kind-hearted face makes me meddle without knowing it.¡¯ Reniained that this was all because Amelie looked so clueless. However, on the one hand, she felt like she was going to cry. Why does Amelie say she believes her when her father who gave birth doesn¡¯t trust her? ¡°ck smoke surrounded the Young Lady. That¡¯s what manipted you.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen things like that.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t see it, but I can see it. You weren¡¯t you the moment you stabbed me.¡± Amelie certainly heard the voice of disaster at that moment. ¡®The disaster manipted her.¡¯ Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Renia started talking from the moment she left the party yesterday. She couldn¡¯t figure out where to go after leaving the party. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a clue. Someone seemed to whisper in my ear, but I just epted it as my idea.¡± ¡°What did you hear?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to theke, I will kill you. I heard that voice.¡± Something whispered in her ear, and she epted the sound as her own without doubt and stabbed Amelie with a knife. The process was so natural that it didn¡¯t make any sense of ipatibility. ¡°But listening to your story, I came to my senses. I realized that I followed that voice, not my will.¡± At thest minute, Reniapletely abandoned the idea of harming Amelie. But the body moved on its own. Like a doll controlled by a string. ¡°¡ªI know that what I¡¯m saying will not be easily believed. After all, I stabbed you.¡± Renia bowed her head and touched her hand. ¡°I believe in you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Renia raised her head. Amelie¡¯s eyes faced Renia without shaking. ¡°You believe me? Why? No, you can¡¯t believe it like that! You should be suspicious!¡± Renia was furious. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it for a long time, but don¡¯t you trust people too easily? You¡¯re only going to get used by the socialmunity. If you¡¯re going to be an empress¡ª¡± ¡°Calm down. I¡¯m not blindly believing you.¡± Amelie stopped Renia. Renia shut up when she learned that she was too excited. ¡®Looking at that kind-hearted face makes me meddle in without knowing it.¡¯ Reniained that this was all because Amelie looked so clueless. However, on the one hand, she felt like she was going to cry. Why does she say she believes when her father who gave birth doesn¡¯t trust her? ¡°ck smoke surrounded Young Lady. That¡¯s what manipted you.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen things like that.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t see it, but I can see it. You weren¡¯t you the moment you stabbed me.¡± Amelie certainly heard the voice of disaster at that moment. ¡®The disaster manipted her.¡¯ On the day Renia copsed, Amelie saw ck smoke escape from Renia. The disaster tried to stick to her that day. ¡®They said strange things happen on foggy days. There will be crazy people.¡¯ Perhaps all the strange things that have happened in the imperial pce so far have been rted to disaster. ¡®I need to find out what happened in the imperial pce. Now that the party is over, I can spend more time on research.¡¯ Amelie sighed. ¡°Anyway, thank you for answering honestly. It was very helpful. Don¡¯t worry about yesterday. I¡¯ll tell His Majesty well.¡± ¡°Do as you please, Miss Amelie.¡± When Amelie got up from her seat, Renia followed and hurriedly grabbed Amelie¡¯s wrist. ¡°Wait¡ª!¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Renia hesitated and opened her mouth. ¡°Are you sincere about what you said yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes? Uhm. Yes.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re sincere.¡± Renia bit her lips. In fact, Renia had not slept a wink so far. This was because Amelie¡¯s words that led her to imagine a different future kept lingering in her ears. So far, she has only had the option of marriage. That¡¯s how she grew up, and how she was educated. Because an unmarried noble woman was a pain for the family. If she had a good rtionship with her family, she could continue to live in the mansion, but she couldn¡¯t do anything if she was kicked out. So, Renia hoped for freedom, but she couldn¡¯t think of another method other than marriage. ¡®Father always told me not to pay attention to the County. It belongs to Gilbert¡ª.¡¯ Come to think of it now, it was clear that he had restrained her for fear of her coveting the title of Count. Every time she tried to look into something that interested her about the Count¡¯s work, her father would get very angry. ¡®Count, if I became Count¡ª¡¯ Renia imagined herself as a Count. Gilbert will be kicked out naked, and her father will be locked up in a monastery. ¡®Then the whole house will be mine. I¡¯m not going to exploit the people in the territory like my father did. It will make it a good and prosperous ce.¡¯ She was able to officially attend the meetings held at the Imperial Pce and discuss the nation¡¯s affairs. How great would it be if she could develop her abilities in central politics? If she bes an Empress, she would be forced to continue to support the Count and fill their stomach. She couldn¡¯t get away from her father and Gilbert. But if she became the Count herself, no one else¡¯s power was needed. Because she has her own back. ¡®Then I can get rid of my father or my brother as much as I want!¡¯ Just thinking about it made her feel overwhelmed. It was iparable to when she imagined herself as an Empress. Her heart pounded with excitement and anticipation. ¡®This is what I really wanted.¡¯ Renia was btedly able to realize what she wanted. If it were not for Amelie, she would never have realized it. ¡°Miss Amelie.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Amelie was embarrassed by the sudden change of title. Renia was looking at her with eyes full of goodwill, not eyes full of hostility like before. ¡°Thanks to you, I realized what I want to do.¡± Renia smiled determinedly. It wasn¡¯t the doll-like smile she usually had, but a much more lively smile. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do right now, but I¡¯ll repay you properly soon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Amelie couldn¡¯t understand Renia¡¯s words, but she smiled back at her anyways. ¡®What did I say yesterday?¡¯ It was such an urgent situation that she couldn¡¯t remember anything she said. ¡®Well, it¡¯s probably a good thing, right?¡¯ She heard everything she was curious about, and it seems that Renia will never bother her in the future. ***** The party day ended with a small incident. It was because Amelie didn¡¯t want the problem to grow big. They also circted a different rumor to downy the situation. ording to their rumors, Renia, who was walking along the shore of herke, copsed from vertigo, and Amelie, who was passing by, found her and saved her. Not everyone believed the story, but they did not dare to question it. When the case was resolved, Renia and the Count Manvers were also spared from punishment. Count Manvers changed his tactics, sending expensive gifts and letters to Amelie, trying to impress her. Having confirmed Serwin¡¯s affection for Amelie, he changed his strategy to be seen well by Amelie. It was the most outstanding ttering attitude change in the imperial social circle. Rumors were openly circting among imperial nobles that Amelie was sure to be Empress. Renia¡¯s sudden departure to the County made the rumor more usible. But Amelie knew the truth. Renia wasn¡¯t kicked out, but she left on her own. On the day Renia left for Manvers County, Amelie received a letter from her. She was drinking tea with Serwin, so they read the letter together. The letter contained Renia¡¯s resolution. Renia went to the territory as if she were kicked out by her father, but wrote that she would take this opportunity to be the next Count Manvers with the recognition of the people. ¡®This is what you meant by listening to me and thinking of something to do.¡¯ Amelie then remembered that she had told Renia that day to be Count. The back page of the letter was to be sent to Serwin. There was aint against Count Manvers and the corruption of the current Manvers lords, which Serwin had been looking for all along. It was information that was hard to obtain unless you could persuade the people to divulge all the details. ¡°How clever she is now because she¡¯s no longer acting as the Count¡¯s daughter.¡± When he saw the letter, Serwin clicked his tongue. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°She sent you a letter to send me. Since she confessed, she added that she would leave her for her family estate.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°If I ignore this and punish the Count and Renia, you won¡¯t like it, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit¡ªright.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what she was aiming for.¡± Serwin knew that Amelie was being wielded against him without mercy, and he was somewhat displeased about it. Thanks to this, Serwin realized how weak he was to Amelie. Even after such a horrendous night, if Amelie says not to do anything, it makes him think that he should just move on. ¡°Wow, Young Lady Manvers is smart.¡± Amelie was amazed. She can¡¯t believe she didn¡¯t just send her a letter! As expected, not everyone can be the Empress! ¡°If it¡¯s Renia, she could be a Count.¡± ¡°If she has a head like that, she can easily be a Count.¡± ¡°Then what are you going to do now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it, but I will let the Count family go. When she bes the Count, it¡¯ll help you too.¡± In Serwin¡¯s view, Renia seemed to havepletely fallen for Amelie. Just as Ethan, Mrs. Enard, and Serwin did. ¡®The more friendly people there are, the more strength it will give her.¡¯ Serwin decided to support Renia from behind to be a Count. ¡°Ey, it will take more than 10 years for Renia to be Count, right? Before that, we have to fight the disaster!¡± ¡°¡ªAfter defeating the disaster?¡± ¡°Of course I have to go back to my hometown.¡± Amelie said without any hesitation. That made Serwin depressed. Serwin covered his frown by sipping from his teacup without replying. ***** A week after the party. ¡®I think Serwin has be strange.¡¯ Amelie came to her conclusion as she recalled her observations of Serwin over the past week. ¡®Look, he¡¯s in bed until I wake up.¡¯ Usually, Serwin woke up early in the morning and went to the Imperial Pce. Therefore, Amelie only saw Serwin¡¯s face if she caught him stroking her hair while she slept. But for the past week, she woke up in his arms every day. Even now, Serwin¡¯s chest was in front of Amelie¡¯s eyes. His bare skin could be seen through the disheveled cor of his shirt. Amelie awkwardly tried to roll away from him. But he was holding Amelie tightly in his arms, so she couldn¡¯t move. ¡®Didn¡¯t we just hold hands while sleeping? When did she hug him?¡¯ Amelie made a tearful face. She used to lean on his head, but she never hugged him like this. This was also a change that started a week ago. ¡®And when I look at Serwin¡¯s face like this¡ª¡¯ As she looked up, her eyes met Serwin¡¯s. His sharp eyes smiled and became a soft line. When he woke up, his eyes were clear. ¡®If you woke up, you should do something else, why are you staring at a sleeping person¡¯s face?¡¯ She knows he¡¯s handsome but why is he so handsome? Amelie¡¯s cheeks blushed bright red. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 ¡°Your Majesty, are you not going to the Imperial Pce again today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± ¡°Then the aides wille to you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Serwin said casually, but Amelie was bothered. It was because Serwin didn¡¯t go to the Imperial Pce and continued to spend time with Amelie, so some of his aides went to work at Amelie¡¯s pce. Sure enough, Serwin¡¯s aides were standing outside the bedroom today. At first, people waiting in the parlor were now waiting in front of the door mixed with the servants. When Amelie and Serwin left the room, they all said and shouted¡®Please, just for today!¡¯. ¡®It¡¯s increasing one by one every day.¡¯ It seemed urgent to get the job done right away rather than the fear of Serwin. But Serwin didn¡¯t deal with them at all. The facial expressions of the aides became desperate day by day. ¡°I think it¡¯s urgent, so please just listen to them first.¡± When Amelie suggested it to Serwin, Serwin frowned. ¡°Is this something that Miss Amelie can also listen to?¡± Milena slipped in. ¡°What? There¡¯s something that¡¯s okay to listen to, and there¡¯s something that¡¯s not¡ª¡± One of the aides replied. ¡°Then let¡¯s listen only to okay part.¡± At Serwin¡¯s words, there were mixed emotions among the aides. Those who received permission followed Serwin¡¯s back with their shoulders wide open. On the contrary, the assistants who brought confidential issues bowed their heads in their standing positions. The servants patted their backs next to them andforted them. While Amelie was having breakfast, Serwin heard reports from his aides. He sometimes turned his head to check Amelie. As if she would disappear if he took his eyes off her even for a moment. ¡®Serwin is weird.¡¯ He acted like a man who died when he fell apart from Amelie. He changed a week ago, from the day of the party. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him?¡¯ Amelie had no idea why. ***** As the aides returned, Amelie¡¯s pce fell into silence again. All of Serwin¡¯s servants disappeared from the pce. Amelie and Serwin spent time sitting in a sunny study alone. Amelie read a magic book, and Serwin looked up from time to time and stared at Amelie while reading the reports left by his aides. ¡®It bothers me.¡¯ Amelie swept her hair for no reason. She couldn¡¯t concentrate on the book. ¡®Let¡¯s ask them to bring us a tea.¡¯ As Amelie stood up to call the maid, Serwin also followed her. ¡°¡­.?¡± Amelie walked to the door where the bell was. Serwin followed her, and when she returned to the sofa he sat down next to her again. ¡®Are you a puppy or what?¡¯ He can¡¯t stand to be separate for a while, so he followed her around. Amelie smiled in vain. She was dumbfounded, but she didn¡¯t hate it. Knock, knock. ¡°Come in.¡± Mrs. Enard came into the study. ¡°Your Majesty, Miss Amelie. Sir Maxim and Sir Roen came and I took them to the drawing room.¡± ¡°What brings the two of them together? Are they here to see Your Majesty?¡± Amelie looked at Serwin. ¡°Last time, I said I was sending someone to Dehaim. I sent those two. They seem to havee to the pce as soon as they arrived to deliver the goods.¡± ¡°Really? Then we should get going now! Where are they?¡± Amelie put the book down and got up. It¡¯s been a long time since she had her heart raced at the thought that she could hear the news from Dehaim. ¡°Miss Amelie, you can¡¯t run in the hallway.¡± Amelie heard Mrs. Enard nagging, and only after arranging her hair and clothes, she could leave the study. Serwin followed Amelie as if it were natural. ***** Maxim and Roen were waiting for Amelie, served by the maids. ¡°Sir Maxim! Sir Roen!¡± When Amelie entered the room, the two stood up. While greeting Amelie, they were surprised to see Serwin following them and boiled one knee. ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m back frompleting my mission. I thought it would be better to deliver the goods to Miss Amelie quickly, so I came this way¡ªbut I didn¡¯t know Your Majesty was here.¡± Maxim said. Amelie awkwardly alternated between the two and Serwin. Serwin walked past them and sat on the sofa. ¡°Well done. Amelie has been waiting for you for a long time.¡± Serwin took Amelie¡¯s hand and sat her next to him. ¡°Sit down. Tell her the news about Dehaim.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Maxim and Roen sat opposite Amelie. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I saw you two, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Thest time I see you is when entered the Imperial Pce. Time seems to go by so quickly. It¡¯s that Miss Amelie has changed so much. Now anyone can see that you¡¯re a nobledy.¡± ¡°Ahaha, thank you. Anyway, how was Dehaim? How¡¯s my father and Renee? Are they doing well?¡± When she thought of the two, Amelie was heartbroken. It¡¯s been a long time since she left Dehaim, but the faces of the two came to mind vividly. ¡°The Count has been healthy and well. He was so busy that we only saw him once.¡± ¡°His expression was bright and his voice was full of energy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s harvest season for Dehaim. How about Renee?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, we didn¡¯t see Dehaim¡¯s Young Lady. It seemed that she had already left the estate before we arrived.¡± ¡°Leave the estate? Renee at a time like this?¡± Renee, as the Count¡¯s sessor, was helping the Count¡¯s work. She rarely vacated the mansion because she was also managing the mansion on behalf of the Countess. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°I think she¡¯s on a trip. But¡ªI didn¡¯t hear the details.¡± ¡°I see¡ª¡± Amelie¡¯s face became gloomy. ¡°Instead, you got a letter from Count!¡± Roen added urgently. Amelie opened her eyes wide and looked at him. ¡°Here it is¡ª. Wouldn¡¯t the letter have a detailed reason?¡± He takes a letter out of his pocket and handed it to him. Thanks to his very careful handling of the letter, there were no small wrinkles in spite of the long journey. In the envelope, the Count¡¯s handwriting said,¡®Dear Amelie, whom I always miss.¡¯ ¡®It always bothered me that I left without exining to my father or saying goodbye¡ª¡¯ ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it¡ª¡± Roen scrambled ufortably. Serwin¡¯s eyes narrowed as he looked at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t know I could get my father¡¯s letter so soon. Dehaim is too far away.¡± Serwin, who was watching the conversation between the two, suddenly intervened in the conversation. ¡°I¡¯ll attach a knight to you. Then you¡¯ll get a letter once a week.¡± ¡°Then I want to do that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not time for Sir Roen to receive his solo mission yet.¡± When the atmosphere suddenly became chilly, Maxim tactfully changed the subject to deal with the atmosphere. ¡°More than that, Miss Amelie, let¡¯s check if the items we brought are correct. We took everything as you wrote, but since these are things we are not familiar with, there may be mistakes.¡± ¡°Yes, we should.¡± Maxim put the box on the floor on the table. Amelie opened the lid to check the contents. ¡°There¡¯s everything I wrote down. You brought it well. It wouldn¡¯t have been easy to find because the house was messy.¡± What they brought was a tool used in magic to summon a witch. As soon as they bought her ingredients, she could immediately use the magic to summon a witch. Amelie had never met any other witch other than her grandmother witch, so she was very curious what the other witches would be like. ¡°But what¡¯s all this?¡± In addition to magic tools, the box contained flowers, cookies, and origami. ¡°These were ced in front of Miss Amelie¡¯s house. I thought the vigers had brought it, so I brought it with me.¡± ¡°It seems that Miss Amelie stopped the fire.¡± Amelie lifted a small note and opened it. The note contained the vigers¡¯ feeling to wait for her to return. ¡°I should hurry up and finish my work and go back. Since everyone is waiting.¡± Amelie was soaked in a longing mood. No matter how colorful andfortable the imperial pce was, the ce where she would live was also the Fidelia Forest of Dehaim. Next to her, Serwin stared at the presents full of boxes. ****** Maxim and Roen moved the box to the attic and left. Amelie couldn¡¯t wait until she went back to the room and opened the letter in the drawing room. The letter contained an update on Dehaim. Dehaim hasn¡¯t changed since Amelie left. During the harvest season, the entirend is noisy, and the people of territory are sad that they can¡¯t invite Amelie to the harvest festival. The letter also contained stories about Renee. Renee said she left the estate shortly after Amelie left. It was a trip without a destination, so he doesn¡¯t know where she went, but there was a saying not to worry. Throughout reading the letter, Amelie recalled the Count¡¯s voice. As such, the tone of the letter was friendly, and each sentence showed consideration for her. Although Amelie left with Serwin without a proper exnation, the Count only worried about Amelie. ¡®I miss everyone.¡¯ Amelie¡¯s eyes were filled with tears as the peaceful Dehaim and happy memories of the mansion came to mind. Serwin wrapped his arms around her shoulders and made her head rest in his arms. He was so careful with his hand stroking her hair. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Amelie smiled. ¡°When the busy things are sorted out, my father wille to the capital. Renee also promised toe to the capital city around that time.¡± ¡°If you wait, we can meet. I¡¯ll send the knight in time for the Count to depart. If they use the magic circle, you¡¯ll be able to meet faster.¡± ¡°That would be great. I was worried because it was so far away. I¡¯m sure my father will be very grateful. I need to hurry up and write back!¡± Amelie stood up to write back. She was going to do everything she could before she met her family. ¡®It¡¯s good to feel refreshed soon¡ª¡¯ The ce she left was empty. Serwin sped his hand as if regretfully. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Two dayster, Baron Avery visited Amelie¡¯s Pce. It was because today was an important noble meeting that Serwin must never miss. Amelieforted Serwin, who did not want to go, and then forced him to go. Amelie left the Imperial Pce with Milena and Chad on either side. She was going to buy materials to use for witch¡¯s summoning magic. ¡°What ingredients should we buy?¡± ¡°I need the unscented and uncolored goat blood, poppy flowers and seeds. Some parchment.¡± ¡°The ingredients are very unique. What kind of magic is it?¡± ¡°Originally, it is a magic used to call for a gathering of witches. It is a magic to inform the witches by writing the meeting ce and date on parchment.¡± ¡°Miss Amelie, are you using it to summon witches?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You use parchment instead of letter paper¡ª. What do you use poppies for?¡± ¡°Poppies are used to make oil.¡± ¡°Oil? It sounds kind of dangerous. The liquid from the seeds is opium.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m going to do it like I did when I made a potion, so it won¡¯t be like a drug, but it¡¯s said that it smells great after making it.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to get some easy-to-find parchment and candles first. You can buy candles together at a church that sells items, and you¡¯ll have to go to the parchment shop for parchment. Please follow me.¡± Milena knew the geography of the capital well. She went ahead of Amelie, finding the way. Had Amelie been alone, she would have wasted time by getting lost or by getting duped by sellers. Milena was good at bargaining, so she quickly bought things cheaply. Amelie followed Milena around and suddenly realized that this was the first time she came out of the main gate. ¡°Come to think of it, this is the first time I proudly came out of the main gate.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better toe out the front gate from now on. Because the security at Miss Amelie¡¯s pce has been strengthened, there are more eyes watching.¡± Chad said. ¡°But why did you suddenly increase the number of guards? If strangerse frequently, it will be difficult to be vignt.¡± Milena asked. ¡°That¡¯s His Majesty¡¯s orders. There were some unpleasant things at the party, so I guess he¡¯s being careful.¡± ¡°Well, His Majesty must be very worried about Miss Amelie.¡± ¡°There may be one more knight to escort Miss Amelie soon.¡± ¡°I wish someone I know woulde.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think Sir Roen will be able to do it.¡± Chad made a subtle expression. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I¡¯ve had enough of my brother. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing him from where I¡¯m work¡ª¡± Milena was disgusted and stopped. Amelie followed her and almost bumped into a passerby. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Be careful. There are a lot of people.¡± Chad skillfully stood in front of Amelie and protected her. Thanks to this, Amelie was able to walkfortably even on a crowded street. ¡®I think I¡¯ve be a very important person.¡¯ Amelie was rumored to be the Emperor¡¯s lover, and was the only one who could put an end to the disaster. But she was still unfamiliar with her position, which had been raised unintentionally. ¡°All that¡¯s left are the poisonous nts.¡± Milena sighed with an uneasy face. She got used to the fact that Amelie was a witch, but it was still awkward and ufortable to treat poisonous nts casually. She¡¯s worried about what if something bad happens like that. ¡°I will go and buy it. Miss Amelie, Sir Chad, please go to the Imperial Pce first. Buying poison in person would be easy to misunderstand.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s such a problem, I think it¡¯s better to stop by somewhere else and make an alibi rather than go back to the imperial pce right away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Well, why don¡¯t you go to M¡¯s dressing room? Caroline just said that she has something to deliver to Amelie.¡± ¡°I see. If it¡¯s a dressing room, it¡¯s a good ce to make an alibi. It¡¯s not weird to spend a long time, and it¡¯s good to have more witnesses.¡± Milena and Chad were in sync. ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the dressing room.¡± Amelie decided to follow the will of the two. ***** As Milena disappeared among the people, Amelie headed off with Chad to Caroline¡¯s M¡¯s dressing room. When Amelie arrived, Caroline greatly weed her. ¡°Wee Miss Amelie! It¡¯s my first time seeing you since the party. You must have had a hard time. Did you rest well?¡± ¡°Yes, Caroline, you worked hard, too.¡± ¡°I worked happily, so I¡¯m not tired at all. By the way, you don¡¯t know how worried I was when I heard that you fell into ake. If I knew this would happen, I would have made a waterproof outfit!¡± Caroline¡¯s chatter was starting so Amelie changed the subject quickly. ¡°You said you have something for me, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I forgot. I¡¯ll bring them right away. I prepared matching shoes that fit Amelie¡¯s size.¡± While Amelie was looking at the shoes, Caroline returned. ¡°The wet dress at that time was taken away by us to fix it. But it was in the clothes.¡± Caroline handed over a small box to Amelie. What was in the box was a locket-shaped pendant. Complex patterns were embossed on the surface of the locket. When she looked closely, small gold beads were molded to it artfully. ¡°I wondered if it was a gift from His Majesty, so I thought I should return it right away. Oh, I haven¡¯t opened the pendant so don¡¯t worry.¡± Amelie stared at the pendant from afar. It was her first time seeing the pendant. ¡®Why was this in my clothes?¡¯ She definitely didn¡¯t have anything like a pendant until she met Renia by theke. It seemed to have urred when or after entering theke. ¡®But after I got out of theke, I stayed with Serwin¡ª it was Mrs Enard and Milena who changed my clothes¡ª. Unless someone put it in my clothes, it¡¯s from theke¡ª.¡¯ However, it made no sense that such a precious pendant suddenly appeared. Wouldn¡¯t it be possible if the pendant found its way into her clothes when she fell into theke? ¡®Should I open it first?¡¯ Amelie opened the lock on the pendant. With a click, a ring fell from the inside of the pendant. ¡®Ring?¡¯ Amelie looked at the ring. There was a red jewel embedded in the tinum ring. Inside, there was a sentence in an unknownnguage and the initials H.B. ¡®I don¡¯t know what it is, but let¡¯s take it.¡¯ Amelie kept the pendant well. ¡°Have you seen all the shoes? Try on some more. There are essories that go with them. Recently, a very cute headdress has been released. Wait a minute.¡± Caroline made a fuss and asked the staff to bring everything they could. She said that once she started, she never stopped until she made the perfect outfit. Amelie wanted to leave the dressing room at once and hide in the attic of the imperial pce. ¡°Sir Chad, let¡¯s go to the Imperial Pce¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to stay in the dressing room for a long time.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± In response to Chad¡¯s firm answer, Amelie was forced to give herself up to Caroline. ***** Amelie was released after they put together five outfits that Caroline was satisfied with. Still, Caroline was suddenly struck with inspiration and let Amelie go on her way, so she was able to get out of the dressing room. ¡®I¡¯m not going to do anything else today. I¡¯ll soak in hot water as soon as I get back.¡¯ Amelie got off the carriage thinking of the bathroom. Somehow, the expressions of the knights guarding the entrance were strange. While greeting Amelie, they kept ncing around tensely. ¡°Oh, my. His Majesty must be waiting. Let¡¯se this way.¡± At Chad¡¯s words, the knights of the Imperial Pce took a step back, one step at a time, to save themselves. Serwin was seen approaching from afar. Of all things, he wore ck and in the midst of ckness, only his yellow eyes shone splendidly. When he found Amelie, he approached her faster. ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± Serwin¡¯s momentum was so terrifying that even Chad, who stood by her side, was speechless. Only Amelie looked at Serwin nkly, and she moved forward. ¡°Amelie!¡± He suddenly hugged Amelie. Amelie¡¯s ears turned red when their bodies touched tightly. ¡°Y, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Where have you been?¡± Serwin¡¯s deep voice sounded like a wild beast¡¯s growl. ¡°Outside the Imperial Pce. I told you where I was going¡ª¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Tell me first wherever you go. Don¡¯t ever go alone. I¡¯lle with you.¡± ¡°There is Sir Chad and Milena¡ª And I didn¡¯t go out alone¡ª.¡± Serwin is saying weird things! Amelie was embarrassed and patted Serwin on the back. ¡°Calm down. Did something happen?¡± ¡°You don¡¯te even if I wait for a long time.¡± Serwin bent his back and hugged her tighter. Then, Amelie took a deep breath and she wrapped her arms around his back. ¡®Is it okay to leave this alone?¡¯ Amelie patted Serwin¡¯s back lightly, waiting for him to calm down. ¡®It¡¯s somewhat simr to what he looked like in the Fidelia forest.¡¯ At that time, Serwin was just as hectic as he is now, clinging to her. The only difference was that he was not sane at that time, and that now he was at least aware of himself. ¡°Your Majesty! If you run out like that¡ªAh.¡± The servants followed Serwinte, found Amelie, and quietly walked backwards. ¡®Ugh, so we¡¯re just like a couple.¡¯ Amelie blushed because she was ashamed of the reactions of such servants. ¡°Let¡¯s stop and go in.¡± As Amelie slightly pushed Serwin¡¯s chest, Serwin took Amelie¡¯s hand instead of stepping back as he released his hug. Amelie held Serwin¡¯s hand and led him to the pce. ***** The next day, and the next day, Baron Avery came to pick up Serwin. Baron Avery had the opposite image of Serwin. With a dry and pale impression, he looked weak as if he had never held anything heavier than a book in his entire life. However, his tight mouth and unshakable eyes revealed his stubborn side. Although he was a low-ranking aristocrat, he skillfully used imperial court manners, and although he spoke very politely and did not behave rudely, Amelie felt scolded whenever she encountered him. As if what Serwin was doing was her fault. ¡®Serwin is the one not going!¡¯ However, Amelie felt pressured because it was true that Serwin neglected his work because he didn¡¯t want to be apart from her. ¡®Okay, okay. You just have bad habits. If you don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll kick you out!¡¯ In the end, even though Baron Avery didn¡¯te this morning, Amelie sent Serwin to the Imperial Pce. Serwin looked at her pitifully like an abandoned puppy, but she didn¡¯t care. It was a secret that some magic was used in the process. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 ¡°Phew, if it¡¯s a dog, I¡¯d rather keep it by my side.¡± She headed to the attic, imagining carrying a dog resembling Serwin. ¡®The things I bought yesterday are on the workbench.¡¯ Amelie went to the workbench and checked the goods. From the items she purchased herself to the poppy flowers and fruits Milena bought separately. ¡®The oil used for magic takes some time to be pressed, so in the meantime, I can prepare a letter and my tools.¡¯ The first thing to do was to extract oil from the poppy¡¯s flowers and fruits that still had seeds in them. Amelie boiled water in a pot and opened the bag. One bag contained colorful flowers that reminded her of a ruffle dress. ¡®It¡¯s as fresh as if they were freshly picked. I was worried if I could get it because this wasn¡¯t the right season.¡¯ She opened the bag and put it down near the pot. The other sack had a round fruit that looked like a lucky bag. It was a little unripepared to what she wanted. ¡®As expected the capital of the Empire.¡¯ After the flowers have faded, the fruit appears. Getting flowers and fruits at the same time showed they were getting things from different ces. They were able to preserve the two together since it is the capital of the empire, where everything on the continent gathers. Of course, Milena¡¯s resourcefulness had to have yed a role as well. Amelie cut the fruit and put it on the rack. A thick liquid flowed through the sheath and collected in a ss. By that time, the water was boiling and water vapor was spilling out. The method she was trying to use was an oil extraction method called the steam distition method. It was the most popr method of extracting oil from nts using hot steam. Amelie magically drained the water and trapped only water vapor in the pot. Then, poppy flowers were poured into the pot. It looked like a red waterfall pouring down. The petals were mixed in the boiling water. At this time, theponents of the flower are extracted and mixed with water vapor. Then, when the pot is rapidly cooled, water vapor bes water and umtes in the pot. At this time, the oil of the flower cannot be mixed in water and floats. ¡®It takes time until everything is ready, so let¡¯s write a letter.¡¯ The letter was intended to write down the date and ce of meeting and send it to the witches. Amelie left the pot for a while and moved to the workbench. It was written in her book that it must be written in goat¡¯s blood on parchment, not on paper. She dipped a pen in her goat¡¯s blood and wrote on parchment. [Grand Malt Hunting Area 3, midnight a weekter] Amelie, who wrote briefly, rolled up the parchment and tied it well with a leather strap. ¡®And thetex of the fruit is mixed with the oil¡ª¡¯ Amelie recalled the contents of the book and packed a ss with fluids. The ss contained a faint liquid. When diluted, it was used as a medicine or as a drug. It is effective forbor, fever, and could be used as an anesthesia, but the side effects were that it was easy to be addicted and had strong withdrawal symptoms. ¡®If I use it like this¡ª¡¯ Amelie poured the oil into the pot and used the magic of purification. The room was filled with a sweet smell with white smoke. Only the bright purple liquid remained in the pot. She moved it into a bottle, opened the window to ventte it, and Milena came into the room just in time. ¡°Miss Amelie, your meal is ready. If you¡¯re busy, should I bring it here?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll go to the dining room.¡± Amelie finished cleaning up and moved to the dining room. ***** After eating, Amelie prepared to go out. On the day she went to Renia¡¯s tea party, she asked Milena to investigate the anomalies in the Imperial Pce, but she had recently found out where the anomaly urred. ¡°When I asked the people of the Imperial Pce, there was a ce where an abnormality urred recently.¡± ¡°How recently?¡± ¡°About two years. I usually don¡¯t remember before that. The Ministry of Internal Affairs must have recorded everything, but I couldn¡¯t see it under my authority. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can ask His Majesty for that.¡± ¡°Instead, I knew exactly about people who did strange things.¡± ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll hear about it as we go.¡± Amelie tried to identify the ce where there was an abnormal phenomenon. It was to find out if it was really caused by the energy of disaster or if it was the same phenomenon as Renia. ¡°Miss Amelia too stands out, so I think it would be better for you to transform.¡± Amelie nodded at Milena¡¯s suggestion. Wherever she went, she caught their attention from the moment she stepped out of the water. The ces she often goes, the expressions she makes, and the things she shows interest in. Everything she did became a rumor and spread quickly. From others¡¯ perspective, it would be just going around the imperial pce, but there was nothing good about attracting attention. ¡°If possible, please transform into a rabbit. I¡¯ll hold you.¡± Milena¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°It would be nice if I could transform to my liking.¡± Amelie let out a sigh. No matter how much she practiced, she couldn¡¯t improve her transformation skills. In the book, it is said that if she makes a proper transformation, she can speak even in animal form. That was a long way off for Amelie. ¡®If I could change my hair color or eye color at the very least, it wouldn¡¯t stand out.¡¯ Unfortunately, it was a problem that she couldn¡¯t deal with right away. Amelie turned into an animal despite her disappointment. With a soft Pong sound, her sight went round and round. When she opened her eyes, she saw Milena¡¯s shoes. The toe of her shoe was at Amelie¡¯s eye level. That means she¡¯s as short as her shoes. ¡®What animal is it this time?¡¯ Amelie looked around and looked in the mirror. Everything was so big that she couldn¡¯t tell where it was. She felt as if she had just arrived in the giant country. ¡°Miss Amelie, oh my. It¡¯s a hamster.¡± Milena burst intoughter. Amelie flinched and trembled like a fur ball. ¡°Here¡¯s the mirror.¡± When she looked in the mirror that Milena held out, there was a hamster standing in the mirror. Mint eyes and pink nose that sparkled like beads were cute. The body was as small as a child¡¯s fist and had pink hairs that glowed like Amelie¡¯s hair. Heh, her open mouth looked somewhat foolish. ¡®A hamster is a bit too much, right?¡¯ At the very least, cap birds, although of simr size, were able to fly. Hamsters can¡¯t fly, and they don¡¯t jump like rabbits, so it didn¡¯t seem like it would be of much help. ¡®It¡¯s better to just go as a person. Take the broomstick and go¡ª¡¯ As soon as Amelie tried to use the transformation magic again, Milena screamed. ¡°It¡¯s so cute! I think it¡¯d be great if it could fit in my pocket. Wait a minute.¡± Milena tried to put Amelie in her apron pocket. ¡®No, no.¡¯ As Amelie swung her short arms forward, Milena¡¯s expression grew more passionate. Desperate gestures added to her dazed expression, she was suffocatingly cute. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Smaller ones are better. If you go into my pocket, no one will be able to see Amelie. What¡¯s wrong with a hamster? It¡¯s cute. As long as it¡¯s cute.¡± ¡®I, is that so?¡¯ ¡°Okay now, let¡¯s go into my pocket.¡± Amelie nodded without a choice. Milena put Amelie in her apron pocket and stepped outside. Even though she was walking well, she sometimes bowed her head and smiled happily as she saw Amelie in her pocket. ***** As Milena said, the pocket was a perfect hideout. While moving, the two encountered many people, but no one knew Amelie¡¯s existence. ¡®Hamster is good too, huh?¡¯ Hamsters seemed to be better than ambiguous sized rabbits at hiding. ¡°The ce we¡¯re going now is the ce where the most strange phenomenon has been discovered recently.¡± Milena said. ¡®Did Young Lady Serina say thatst time? After a foggy day, the garden suddenly rotted.¡¯ It was a story she heard by chance at a tea party with Renia. The garden, which had been intact overnight, had decayed, and the corpses of animals and insects were piled up on the ground. It was simr to what she saw in Fidelia Forest. Perhaps the expression¡®rotten¡¯was an exaggeration, but the strange smell became stronger as they approached the garden. It smelled like fishy water and the smell of spoiled food. ¡°It smells weird, doesn¡¯t it?¡± At Milena¡¯s words, Amelie nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a smell that you shouldn¡¯t keep smelling for some reason.¡± As she reached the garden, the smell became stronger. It was a strong smell that even a person with a good stomach could return. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± The garden was surrounded by high fences, with warnings in the middle to prevent people from essing. ¡®Milena better stay here.¡¯ Witches were resistant to some poison, but there was nothing good about ordinary people stepping into such a ce. Amelie frowned at the difort felt even with the fence in between. ¡°Will it be okay?¡± Amelie tapped Milena¡¯s hand meaning not to worry. Milena took out Amelie and carefully put her on the ground. ¡®It¡¯s far away over there.¡¯ Amelie waved her little hand. ¡°Will you call me if anything happens? You¡¯re so small that I¡¯m more anxious.¡± ¡®What are you saying?¡¯ Amelie pricked her ears as she shrugged her shoulders. Her small shoulders ruffled her hair. Milena stepped back, holding her heart at Amelie¡¯s cute appearance. ¡®Now let¡¯s go inside!¡¯ Amelie looked straight at the fence. There was a small gap between the fence and the ground. It wasn¡¯t of a generous size, but she thought it would be possible to squeeze through. ¡®I can go through over there.¡¯ As she entered a small gap between the ground and the fence, she could see the garden. ¡®Ugh.¡¯ It was an empty lot with nothing. It seemed to have been organized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The only clue to the fact that this ce was a garden was the grass that was being tangled and rotting. Amelie slowly walked inwards. Beyond the fence, it was exactly what Amelie thought. The dead grass and insects were tangled over the ck soil, giving off a bad smell. Dead animals and trees were removed, but traces of decay remained intact. ¡®Ugh, I can¡¯t go around.¡¯ As soon as she took a step, Ameli¡¯s small feet sank into the muddy soil. A sticky liquid protrudes from the rotten grass. At this rate, her fur would all wet. At least no one else could see, but she didn¡¯t want to bury this unidentified disgusting muck all over her body. ¡®Since there¡¯s no one watching, can¡¯t I just transform back into a human for a second?¡¯ Amelie quickly transformed into her normal self. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 ¡°Milena.¡± Amelie called over the fence. ¡°Yes, Miss Amelie.¡± ¡°Did all of this happen overnight?¡± ¡°Yes, ording to the knight patrolling the area, it was fine until the day before. He took a break from patrolling on a foggy day, and when he came the next day, it was like this.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Amelie touched the soil. The ck soil smelled of dirt but the soil itself waspletely dead, andcked nutrition. ¡®It¡¯snd that can¡¯t be used anymore.¡¯ Amelie looked around the empty lot in every nook and cranny and was then convinced. ¡°This is a sign of disaster. It can never be like this naturally.¡± ¡®On a foggy day, disaster failed to cling to Renia. Then the fog and disaster are closely rted¡ª¡¯ ¡°People go crazy every day when it is a foggy day, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It means that those people, like Renia, were manipted or badly affected by disaster¡ª¡± The disaster seemed to be able to affect the outside even while being sealed inside of Serwin. ¡®Does Serwin know about this? If he knew, he would have done something, right?¡¯ Amelie was convinced that Serwin was unaware of this. If he knew, he wouldn¡¯t have let innocent people be sacrificed. ¡®I should make sure there are no more victims.¡¯ Not knowing when the disaster would cause another incident, Amelie was lost in thought. ¡®Maybe there are days when the energy of disaster bes exceptionally strong? Nothing else happened the other day.¡¯ There were a lot of unusual phenomena only on foggy days. ¡°Milena, can I get a record of abnormalities in the imperial pce? I want to know when it started and how often it happened.¡± ¡°Well, there must be a record of that in the Ministry of Internal Affairs¡ª but I can¡¯t request data with my authority.¡± ¡°Oh, you said you don¡¯t have the authority. All right. I¡¯ll tell His Majesty.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Milena did her best. By the way¡ª.¡± ¡®Will the purification magic work again?¡¯ Thest time she fell into theke with Renia, the energy of disaster dragged them down to the bottom of theke. No matter how much she struggled, the energy of disaster did not let her out of the water like a ghost. At that time, the use of purification magic was purely coincidental. The water that entered her mouth tasted like poison and she used purification magic desperately trying to cling to life, and she was able to fight off the energy of disaster and escape theke. ¡®It was so chaotic that I couldn¡¯t tell what I was doing exactly.¡¯ The moment the magic was cast, it was as if she had seen a glimpse of the darkness that had been stagnant like the darkness of the deep sea disappearing and the red light of the sunset spreading beneath the surface of the water. A few dayster, she wanted to check in person whether theke was really purified, but Serwin strongly opposed it, so she couldn¡¯t go directly and had a maid check theke. As expected, the water was clean. In addition, ording to people around her, theke used to be so polluted that people could get sick if they fell in. ¡®It is clear that the magic of purification is effective in purifying the energy of disaster.¡¯ It was clear that if the energy of the disaster could be purified, it would be of great help to help Serwin deal with the disaster. ¡®Let¡¯s use this as a test!¡¯ Amelie made up her mind. ¡°Millena, is there anyone around you?¡± ¡°No. There¡¯s no one.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going to use magic, but let me know if someonees.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Amelie went to the center of the vacant lot and stood. It smelled disgusting, but she held it in. ¡®I can do what I usually do, right?¡¯ Fortunately, purification magic was the most natural magic for Amelie. It was because she improved her skills a lot by making medicine every day for Mrs Enard¡¯s daughter. ¡®My other magic skills don¡¯t improve even if I practice, but purification magic does. Is it the difference in the amount of practice?¡¯ Next time, she thought it would be good to set a date aside to practice transformation skills to death. ¡°Phew.¡± Amelie sighed briefly. She was slightly nervous. She stretched out her arms as she cast a spell. A much lower voice rang in the garden. Little by little, a ck haze rose from the soil, and ck smoke gathered in her hands, causing a small storm. It felt somewhat simr to when making magic potion. ¡°Hmm.¡± Amelie repeated the same order over and over again. ck smoke constantly rose from the ground. The amount was sorge that she couldn¡¯t tell if it was being purified. ¡®Until when do I have to do this? Is it working?¡¯ All the strength drained out of her body. Considering that the spell was memorized only once to make one potion, and now she was essentially making several potions in a row without rest. Eventually, Amelie stopped her spell. ¡°Ugh.¡± Amelie, who felt dizzy for a moment, staggered. The magic force she used was far greater than she thought. Amelie barely leaned her body against the fence. She was short of breath, as if she had run for a long time, and sweat was running down her forehead. ¡®What has changed¡ª¡¯ The garden was still ck, and there was a strange smell. It seemed to be a little better than before, but it didn¡¯t seem to make much of a difference. ¡°Miss Amelie? Are you okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s go for now.¡± Amelie turned into a hamster and escaped under the fence. ¡°Oh, my. Are you okay?¡± Milena quickly picked up Amelie and carefully put it in her pocket. Her fluffy hair was damp with sweat. ¡°Should we go back? Shouldn¡¯t you rest?¡± Amelie shook her head. In addition, it would be difficult to use purification magic, but she was able to look around the imperial pce in Milena¡¯s pocket. ¡°If you¡¯re having a hard time, tell me right away, okay?¡± Milena moved on to the next ce only after she had been promised many times. Milena continued to be worried, but Amelie looked around the ce with anomalies from her apron pocket. ¡®Hamsters aren¡¯t always bad either.¡¯ Amelie really liked the apron pockets. Because she was able to move without her strength. In the end, Amelie went back to the pce afterpleting onep in that state. ***** Upon returning to the pce, Amelie was the first to wash herself. Mrs Enard was freaked out and washed Amelie thoroughly to get rid of the smell of rot still clinging to her hair. After she had bathed, she was changing her clothes in the dressing room, when a quarrel was heard outside her room. ¡°What¡¯s going on¡±? ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Mrs Enard left the room for a while and returned. ¡°Baron Avery rushed in and said that he had to meet Miss Amelie, causing a fight. Miss Amelie, I think you should go to the Imperial Pce right now.¡± ¡°Has something happened to His Majesty?¡± Amelie jumped up. Did the disaster cause another problem? ¡°Let¡¯s listen to the Baron on the way.¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go.¡± As Amelie hurried out of the study, Chad and Milena quickly followed behind her. ***** Amelie went to the Imperial Pce and asked Baron Avery what happened. The reason he visited Amelie was, of course, because of Serwin. Serwin has been under a lot of pressure these days. He scared people by being restless when he came to the Imperial Pce. As if they had caused his work, his aides felt worse day by day because he were tied up here. Today, Serwin tried to quickly handle only urgent tasks and go back. But suddenly, a meeting was scheduled, and his n went wrong. ¡®No wonder he didn¡¯te even though it was past the time toe back.¡¯ Moreover, especially today, Marquis Lewin was arguing with Serwin¡¯s words one by one. The argument between the two grew fiercer, and Baron Avery thought that this would cause a sword fight. ¡°Other people may not know, but it¡¯s Marquis Lewin. His Majesty won¡¯t have to kill him, but even a small wound would be a mess. It¡¯s not a Marquis to miss that opportunity. The bnce of power that His Majesty has worked hard on may be broken.¡± But Serwin was not someone to stop arguing either. Once he was excited, he didn¡¯t listen to anyone. At that short moment, Baron Avery agonized like crazy. Then he thought of Amelie and ran straight to Amelie¡¯s Pce. ¡°I thought Miss Amelie could stop His Majesty. His Majesty is in a bad mood because he is separated from Miss Amelie.¡± Amelie¡¯s cheeks reddened at Baron Avery¡¯s calm words. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to me Miss Amelie. I¡¯m just saying that¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°We¡¯re here now. You can follow me to the meeting room.¡± He fiddled with the door even before the carriage opened, refuting his words that made him seem so calm earlier. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Marquis Lewin wrung his fingers, but in fact, he knew well that Serwin couldn¡¯t hurt him. This was because he was forming the greatest power among the imperial nobles, and he was essential to Serwin for the bnce of power. He had faith in that, and so he did not hesitate to provoke Serwin at every meeting, and he enjoyed watching Serwin, who had fallen for the provocation, take his anger out on others. Marquis Lewin and the nobles expected today¡¯s meeting to take ce simrly. ¡®Let¡¯s get out of sight from His Majesty for now.¡¯ The nobles closed their mouths and lowered their eyes so that they would not make eye contact with Serwin. Serwin¡¯s anger was mostly directed at the imperial servants, so it didn¡¯t matter how the meeting went unless they were caught by the Emperor. Besides, it was surprising that Serwin responded sp aggressively to Marquis Lewin¡¯s provocation today, but the nobles did not think too much about it. nk. The moment Serwin pulled out his sword, the conference room became deathly quiet. His de touched Marquis Lewin¡¯s neck. Marquis Lewin closed his little mouth. Serwin was the only one who could open his mouth in an atmosphere where no one else could even breathefortably. ¡°You seem to have a lot ofints about me.¡± Surprisingly, his voice was calm. It was more frightening because it was not the tone of a person who lost his reason in anger. ¡°There¡¯s no way. It¡¯s all for the Empire.¡± Marquis Lewin smiled brightly. Although he was surprised by Serwin for a moment, he was not a man to be discouraged. ¡°You have to take care of yourself while taking care of your heart. Huh?¡± Unable to tolerate it any longer, Serwin cut Marquis Lewin¡¯s neck with the tip of his sword. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 The tip of the sword barely touched the skin of Marquis Lewin and cut through. Though not life threatening, it was deep enough that blood could be seen immediately and caused many trembling hands. In fact, it didn¡¯t matter where the sword was pointing. If Serwin put his mind to it, he could have killed all the nobles gathered in the conference room in the blink of an eye. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Even so, it¡¯s because I¡¯m getting older these days and my body isn¡¯t what it used to be.¡± Marquis Lewin responded shamelessly. ¡°I¡¯m into making small models these days, and sometimes I make a mistake even when carving away a part I thought I needed to. Thanks to our inability to see its merit, we often ruin the model we made by cutting away too much. Your Majesty, who is still young, may not realize it.¡± Serwin really wanted to kill him. It was obvious that he was talking about himself and Serwin, treating him like a child is a bonus. To be honest, after touching Marquis Lewin, he wasn¡¯t confident he could handle the aftermath. Because the arrogant aristocrats are going to make a mess to take the vacant position of Marquis Lewin. It was the people of the Empire who suffered until the Empire was again stabilized. It was right to be patient standing here. However, looking at the confident face of Marquis Lewin, he had an urge to shatter expectations. At that moment, Serwin, who couldn¡¯t resist the urge, raised his sword high to fully sever his neck. ¡°W, wait, Your Majesty. Calm down¡ª¡± The nobles who followed Marquis Lewin were contemting and tried to stop Serwin. However, they could not speak properly because they were pressed by Serwin¡¯s thirst for blood. Serwin swung his sword down. ¡®No way, no way!¡¯ The nobles opened their mouths and looked only at Serwin¡¯s sword. The tip of the sword moved toward the neck of Marquis Lewin while drawing a parab, and the hearts of the nobles watching the scene beat as fast as they could burst. Just before the sword reached Marquis Lewin¡¯s neck, Serwin¡¯s sword suddenly stopped. At the same time, the door to the meeting room swung open and a woman appeared. ¡°Your Majesty! Lower your sword!¡± ¡°Huh!¡± As the woman shouted at Serwin, the weak nobles exhaled as if they were about to die. Is that an order to Serwin? Who would do such a crazy thing? In her sky-blue striped dress, she looked ordinary at first nce. Nobles did not have to struggle to recall her identity. Because Serwin called her name right away. ¡°Amelie.¡± Amelie walked in front of Serwin. The eyes of the nobles hurt her back, but stopping Serwin came first. ¡°How did you get here?¡± ¡°I brought her here.¡± The nobles then found Baron Avery standing next to Amelie. They thought he had disappeared during the meeting, but it seems that he had brought Amelie with him. ¡®Baron Avery is also an idiot. Where did he hear that a woman could stop His Majesty?¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s irritating. She¡¯s still young enough to die, but it¡¯s a pity. Still, thanks to her, Marquis Lewin will be fine. That¡¯s good.¡¯ The nobles had no expectations of Amelie surviving. They only thought it was fortunate that she would suffer Serwin¡¯s anger instead of Marquis Lewin. ¡°No matter how angry you are, you can¡¯t just swing your sword around like this.¡± Amelie nagged and took the sword from Serwin¡¯s hand. Serwin gently gave her the sword. ¡°I was just threatening him, I would have stopped it.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t it stop because I came?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Serwin was stunned at her appearance here. The nobles opened their mouths wide as if their jaws were falling off. They knew that Serwin was obsessed with a woman named Amelie. But they never imagined he would be held so tight. Oh my gosh. How can that tyrant, who is not interested in anyone else, be so clingy to his lover like an ordinary man! ¡°Ugh, that¡¯s an excuse. Then I¡¯ll be waiting in the office until the end of the meeting. The sword is confiscated.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together. The meeting is over.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Amelie looked at Baron Avery. ¡°Yes, the discussion on the agenda is over.¡± There was a follow-up, but it was his job. Baron Avery wanted to get Amelie and Serwin out of here quickly. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Amelie turned around. Although she rushed into the meeting in a hurry, she couldn¡¯t stand the gazes that were directed at her. Serwin followed her without a word. The appearance of their King following Amelie excitedly and being wary of the nobles was more like a dog protecting his master without fail. ¡®I did it just in case, but I didn¡¯t expect her to stop Your Majesty this simply.¡¯ It was clear that Serwin had fallen for Amelie more deeply than Baron Avery had thought. Fortunately, Serwin himself waspletely unaware, so it was this much. He was afraid to even imagine what he would be like after he came to his senses. ¡®I have to be careful.¡¯ Baron Avery sighed internally. ***** Amelie dragged Serwin past the office and entered the room where he rested. When she sat in a long chair, Serwin also sat next to her. ¡°Did you run?¡± He touched Ameli¡¯s forehead with his hands. The touch was very friendly. Amelie looked at him with an uneasy look. ¡®You¡¯re so kind to me¡ª¡¯ He draws swords in front of others, so people are calling him a tyrant. ¡°Why did you fight with Marquis Lewin?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t fight. As usual, I was bitten by that side.¡± ¡°It always happens. Why did you even pull out a sword today? If I hadn¡¯te, it would have been a disaster. Baron Avery said that killing Marquis Lewin would cause a lot of trouble.¡± Amelie made eye contact with Serwin and asked him to exin in detail. Serwin didn¡¯t want to talk, but he couldn¡¯t ovee her serious eyes. ¡°I have to go back to your ce, but the Marquis deliberately dragged the meeting and twisted my words.¡± ¡°So you pulled a sword out of anger?¡± Serwin nodded. He thought he was a little impulsive too, but when he heard that Amelie was wandering the pce alone, he couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡°That¡¯s¡ª Well.¡± Amelie didn¡¯t know what Serwin was worried about, but once she had to calm him down, she grabbed his hand. Then, Serwin rested his head on Amelie¡¯s shoulder. Although she must be ufortable because of the size difference, she felt sorry to see him bending his back to lean on her. ¡®Well, this is all because of the disaster.¡¯ It was all because of the disaster that he became violent and that he was called a tyrant. Amelie patted his back slowly. If he was anxious, she would stay with him until he calmed down. ****** That evening, Amelie decided to use magic to call the witches. After dinner, she headed to the attic. Serwin naturally followed her. ¡°Did you say you¡¯re going to use magic to summon witches? Now?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to do it now. The sooner, the better.¡± Amelie put the tools she had brought from Dehaim on the workbench. There were two silver candlesticks, a long brass bowl, and a small altar. ¡°Did you bring it from Dehaim?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It looks normal except for the altar.¡± The altar looked like a small cab, and it was all painted ck. On the ck background, colorful patterns were drawn in silver, and although it looked very old, it had a mysterious feeling and seemed almost new. ¡°If you look closely, it¡¯s a little different.¡± Even the silver candlesticks and brass bowls, which look ordinary at first nce, are different if they look closely. Both objects were engraved and full of verses from sutras. ¡°It¡¯s kind of like a holy relic. Even if it¡¯s the capital, you can¡¯t get it.¡± If she had it from Dehaim far away on purpose, he would have thought so. But now it was different. ¡®I don¡¯t think I can do it because I¡¯m bothered by someone.¡¯ Although she looked fine on the outside, she was very nervous. This was because it was her first time contacting a witch. She was worried about whether the magic would seed, what other witches would think after being contacted, and what to do if they met. ¡°Your Majesty,e here.¡± Amelie grabbed his hand and walked to the sofa. ¡°Please sit here and wait. Okay? ¡°I don¡¯t want to be apart for a second.¡± His golden eyes gently stared at Amelie. ¡®No, what are you saying that makes me misunderstand?¡¯ Amelie blushed. Despite his ferocious impression, Serwin was handsome. When such a handsome guy seriously asked to stay with her, her face burned hot even though she knew it wasn¡¯t meant like that. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± Amelie firmly said and pressed Serwin¡¯s shoulder hard and forced him to sit on the sofa. ¡®But these days, I lose on purpose. I¡¯ve be so soft on him.¡¯ Is this how the owner feels when they see a dog that has grown up after only making trouble? Amelie was slightly moved and stroked his head a couple of times. Serwin¡¯s hair was a little stiff, but it felt like petting a big dog, so sheughed. ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°You have to be quiet. I have to concentrate.¡± When Amelie returned to her workbench, Serwin fiddled with his hair with an awkward expression. His face reddened slowly. ¡®Now, like a witch, I have to use magic.¡¯ Amelie stood in front of the altar and poured the poppy potion into the brass bowl. ¡®It¡¯s okay. I just have to do what I read in the book.¡¯ Then, she put the letter of parchment down in a brass bowl. The parchment was slightly floating on the potion, and gradually wetted. As the parchment gradually turned dark gray, Amelie, who was watching the scene, ignited a fire. As the room became dark for a moment, the mes burned as if all the lights had gathered with silver candlesticks. At that moment, Amelie casts a spell. Then, in the candle, the mes rose into the air like soap bubbles and circled around the brass bowl. It was a gloomy, unfamiliar, yet mysterious sight. ¡®¡ªAmelie.¡¯ Serwin was looking at Amelie and was mesmerized before he knew it. The orange light cast a dark shadow on Amelie¡¯s face. Her concentrated eyes and serious expression were very different from the usual Amelie. ¡®Witches were said to be priests of evil spirits.¡¯ When he investigated witches, that passage came to mind again. In that context, it was highly likely that the current behavior was also a ritual with religious meaning. ¡®It is said that ancient priests devote everything to God.¡¯ He felt strangely nauseous. Anxiety as if his feet were turning off attacked him. ¡®I¡¯m seriously ill.¡¯ (I¡¯m not really sure about this;;) Now that it¡¯s in front of him, he can¡¯t stand it because he¡¯s anxious. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 This was the first time in 27 years of life that Serwin was sincerely afraid of losing someone. Even if he felt a little heartburn when he lost his beloved subordinates, that was all. He thought grieving and the sense of loss was an emotion long destroyed in his heart. Buttely, Serwin has been struggling to endure an unfamiliar fear. After the Imperial Pce party, he became uneasy when Amelie disappeared from his sight. He couldn¡¯t stand it because he was worried that she might be in danger if he wasn¡¯t watching. The same was true even if he was within yelling distance. His anxiety was so great that he had to hug her tightly or he would be unable to sleep. In such a state, he couldn¡¯t have left her alone to do anything. When he was apart from her, he couldn¡¯t even see the letters on the documents he was reading. Even if he was in the same space, even if he continued to feel her presence, if he couldn¡¯t keep her in his eyes, he was anxious and kept looking for her. Of course, he knows that Amelie is special. She wasn¡¯t as fragile as he thought. She had the power and the brain to protect not only her own body but others too. Nevertheless, it was Serwin¡¯s own problem so he suffered his anxiety alone. The disaster deliberately enticed Renia to attack Amelie and dragged her into theke. Serwin clearly saw Amelie¡¯s blood spreading through theke. It wasn¡¯t a coincidence or a whim that the disaster chose thatke and used Renia in a cumbersome way. Disaster, as always, this time, he wanted to bring utter despair to Serwin. ¡®That way the disaster would be able to break free.¡¯ It was clear that the disaster had deliberately touched on Serwin¡¯s deepest fear. He clenched his hand in disgust. ¡®I¡¯ll never lose Amelie that way. Never.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t only worried about Amelie¡¯s safety. ¡®Did you see it? Under theke? The corpses?¡¯ Pretending to ask what it was all about, Serwin wasn¡¯t confident enough to trick her skillfully. But he couldn¡¯t ever tell her frankly. If she knew the truth she would surely hate him. She was so bright and upright, it was clear that she wouldn¡¯t forgive the atrocities he hadmitted. While he was lost in thought, the mes in the metal bowl gradually subsided, and the room returned to its original brightness. All the parchment and potions were burned away, leaving only ashes in the brass bowl. ¡°It¡¯s a sess.¡± Amelie smiled brightly. Hermessage sent through magic should be delivered to any witches. No matter where the witches are, whether Amelie knows the ce or not. ¡°Good job.¡± Serwin looked at her and smiled. Anxiety had disappeared from his face in an instant. Because hiding emotions on his face was one of the things he was most familiar with. ***** The next day, Amelie did not rush Serwin to work. Instead, she expressed her intention to follow him. ¡°To the office? You¡¯re going to stay with me the whole time? People whoe and go will look at you.¡± Serwin seemed surprised. Amelie shrugged. ¡®If I¡¯m not there, you will be anxious, and you work, so I¡¯ll have to follow along.¡¯ However, she seemed to be wary of her just following him. She didn¡¯t want to hear that they were now dating in the sacred workce. So Amelie transformed into a hamster again. When he saw Amelie, he opened his eyes wide. ¡°Mouse?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a mouse, it¡¯s a hamster.¡± Milena corrected from next to them. Serwin reached out his finger to Amelie with curious eyes. Amelie wasn¡¯t a real hamster, so she didn¡¯t bite strangers hands, but she thumped his finger to meet Serwin¡¯s expectations. As the pink nose twitched, the long-stretched beard also shook. ¡°You always transform into something like yourself.¡± Amelie frowned hard. ¡®I¡¯m transforming into something small and timid? Is this an insult or apliment?¡¯ Serwin smiled and held Amelie in his hand. Cik, cik. ¡®Let go of me, let go!¡¯ Amelie struggled with her eyes wide open and her short arms outstretched. Aside from believing in Serwin, it felt bad to be gripped by his hard hands. Serwin tickled Amelie¡¯s chin with his index finger as if this was cute too. ¡®It¡¯s a crime to touch someone like that. I¡¯ll bite you!¡¯ Amelie¡¯s small but sharp teeth touched Serwin¡¯s finger. In Serwin¡¯s eyes, even threatening him seemed cute. ¡°I can¡¯t understand animals, but I think you behave more freely when you are an animal.¡± Oh, she got caught. Amelie smiled awkwardly. How does he know that? Is he a ghost? Anyway, he¡¯s very witty. Amelie rubbed the spot where her teeth touched out of slight guilt at being caught. ¡°Shall we go then?¡± As Amelie nodded, Serwin put her in the pocket of his jacket. The pocket on the chest was a little narrow, but the front was white and easy enough to see through. Amelie wriggled and positioned herselffortably. ¡®Let¡¯s go!¡¯ When Amelie stretched out her arms, Serwin set off for the Imperial Pce with light steps after a long time of being grumpy. ***** For the next few days, Amelie went to work with Serwin. On one side of Serwin¡¯s desk was a small, fluffy cushion for Amelie, and she couldy around and eat snacks whenever she wanted. The snacks changed little by little every day, from dried sweet potatoes to crispy snacks. ¡®It¡¯sfortable, but I¡¯m bored.¡¯ Amelie rolled around on the desk. It was good to bezy, but she was very bored. She couldn¡¯t read or chat while she was a hamster. She ate snacks, took naps, and becamezy. When she got tired of even that, she climb Serwin¡¯s body and yed. He was so huge that it was fun to climb to the top of his head. Despite Amelie¡¯s interruption, he worked hard with great concentration. It was thanks to having Amelie sit in front of him, which made him feel at ease. ¡®It¡¯s a relief that there are results.¡¯ Amelie climbed to Serwin¡¯s both shoulders and then came down to the desk. And for no reason, she wandered around near the paperwork Serwin was looking at. ¡®The event of the hunting day schedule?¡¯ Hunting Day was a celebration that involved staying up all night eating hunted meat and drinking alcohol once a year. It was an event made in the early days of the Empire, during the devastating days, and now it is a day to buy meat and eat it without hunting. However, the Imperial family used to hold a huntingpetition every year to celebrate the Hunting Day. The venue of thepetition was the mountains and forests in the imperial pce. In the past, it used to be done on an outside hunting ground, but Serwin changed the location of the hunt to the Imperial grounds. ¡®Do I have to go, too?¡¯ Amelie didn¡¯t like hunting. She didn¡¯t want to go unless she had a need to go, but she was pretending to be the Emperor¡¯s lover, and she didn¡¯t know if she might have to attend with Serwin. ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask youter while eating lunch.¡¯ As Amelie raised her head, she made eye contact with Serwin. He stroked Amelie¡¯s cheek with his index finger while holding a fountain pen. ¡®Ugh, my beard is pressed.¡¯ Amelie stepped back and leaned forward, and Serwin quickly caught her finger. The difference in size made it look like Amelie was holding his finger. Amelie hit Serwin¡¯s hand with all her might. Tuk, tuk, tuk. ¡®Hurry up and work.¡¯ The sooner Serwin finishes, the faster they could go back, so Amelie urged him with her eyes, but Serwin didn¡¯t want to finish his work quickly. With Amelie in front of him, things were going well and he felt good. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up and eat.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± On his orders, the aides put down their documents and got up from their seats. They left the room in a sh. After a while, the servants brought out the meal. The table was served with enough food that it seemed like too much for one man to eat alone. Amelie returned to her human form after all the servants left. ¡°Huh! How frustrating it was to not be able to speak!¡± Amelie enjoyed her meal the most. Today¡¯s lunch was sd with smoked salmon, fried rice with a lot of southern-style spices, and grilled mushrooms. She began to eat with a happy face. Serwin ate slowly as if he were full just by watching Amelie eat. ¡°About the Hunting Competition.¡± ¡°Hunting Competition?¡± Serwin¡¯s expression hardened slightly. Amelie couldn¡¯t see his expression closely because she was focused on eating. ¡°Do I have to go there?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, you don¡¯t have to go. You don¡¯t have to attend.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Unlike his peaceful voice, Serwin¡¯s gaze moved uneasily. Amelie ate the grilled mushrooms with a fork. The aroma of the mushrooms spreading throughout her mouth was so rich that she allowed the vor to linger and fully savored it. ¡°Oh, right. I have a favor to ask of you.¡± ¡°Favor? Say what you need.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to receive data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs on abnormalities in the imperial pce.¡± Amelie took a big spoon of fried rice and ate it. Contrary to her expectation that spices would be burdensome, the savory taste was excellent. ¡°¡ªWhy?¡± Serwin explicitly hardened his face, but when Amelie raised her head, she responded back as if it was nothing serious. Amelie continued to talk without noticing his change in demeanour, focusing on her meal. ¡°There¡¯s no way to know if something like Renia couldn¡¯t happen again. Only this time, aimed at me, it would be big trouble if a person manipted by a disaster attacks you, Your Majesty. Before that, we should investigate in advance and figure out countermeasures.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± When Serwin replied in a confident tone, Amelie looked at him with a strange look. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª because I¡¯m strong.¡± Serwin blurted out urgently. ¡°But you can¡¯t let your guard down.¡± ¡°Is it worth spending time on this? It hasn¡¯t happened in a year or two.¡± ¡°So we need to find out more. It will be helpful in many ways to figure out when the energy of disaster is getting stronger.¡± It was clear that there would be no need to live in fear that a person controlled by disaster might suddenly attack, and understanding the mechanism by which the energy of disaster was strengthened would be of great help in defeating the disaster. Amelie eagerly exined her thoughts to Serwin. But Serwin was somewhat indifferent. ¡°Now that I think about it, did Your Majesty know that the abnormalities that ured in the imperial pce are due to the lingering effects of disaster?¡± ¡°No, why?¡± ¡°I hope you weren¡¯t too surprised when I first asked about it. You seemed very surprised.¡± ¡°Did it look like that? Well, I just thought it could be a dead end.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If you really want to find out, I will tell the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Are you getting ready to meet the witches?¡± Serwin secretly changed the subject. ¡°I¡¯m still thinking. What should I do to make a good first impression?¡± ¡°Does that bother you?¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯ve never seen anyone other than my grandma witch¡ª. I have a lot of questions.¡± Amelie took the paper out of her clothes pocket. Sbe wrote down what she wanted to ask when she met the witches. Serwin leaned toward Amelie and read the words on the paper over her shoulder. ¡°How can I be good at transformation? Can I practice it alone or do I need a teacher?¡± Serwin chuckled. ¡°If there¡¯s anything to learn, it¡¯s from a teacher. I want to transform into a bigger and cooler animal.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s going to be hard. Just imagine a pink bear.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be a pink bear! If I do it properly, I can change the color of my fur. But I always fail.¡± Amelie grumbled. ¡°What is this? Are you going to prepare a snack?¡± Serwin tapped a corner of the paper. Ginger cookies and cakes were drawn there. ¡°It¡¯s not like I will treat them poorly. It¡¯s like an invitation from my side. Speaking of which, how many servings are we preparing?¡± Amelie was very serious. It is not good tock food because more people came than expected, but it was not good to prepare too much food and have leftovers. ¡°You can meet them and bring them to the Imperial pce. The maids will take care of it.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll do!¡± Amelie wrote down what Serwin said on her paper. Serwin looked still at Amelie¡¯s lips, muttering along while writing letters. ¡®But no one mighte.¡¯ Serwin thought for a moment whether to lower her expectations so that she wouldn¡¯t be disappointed after expecting too much. He usually chose to lower expectations because he was cautious that nothing would happen and hoping for more was a useless and false expectation, but this time he chose not to. ¡°You¡¯re excited.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit obvious, right?¡± ¡°Very.¡± Amelie smiled brightly. She was so adorable that Serwin wanted to bite her cheeks seeing her eyes twinkling with anticipation. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Amelie began to prepare to meet the witches when she had time in between following Serwin. Her paragraphs of questions were refined to select questions to urately exin their situation. She also studied magic by cramming for fear of being ignored for being bad at magic. Soon it became the day of the appointment. ¡®Time goes by too quickly. If I had known it would be like this, I would have asked to meet a weekter!¡¯ Amelie was nervous since morning, so she couldn¡¯t even eat properly and stood around the pce. While she was restless, the time was getting closer to 11 pm. ¡°Mrs. Enard, are you ready for refreshments and tea? There must be no one in the Pce. Okay? Make sure the windows are open.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Milena and I will be waiting for you today.¡± Mrs. Enard replied by trimming Amelie¡¯s dress. Amelie wore a ck dress today. Because she had a ck dress code for witches¡¯ gatherings. She has a basic A-type dress with a sailor cor on her shoulder to increase the warmth. Her skirt was tailored to the length of her knee for activity. She decorated the hem of her skirt with a ruffle because otherwise it might feel in. In addition to her, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and holding a broomstick, the perfect witch¡¯s outfit waspleted. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back.¡± Amelie climbed on the broom. She didn¡¯t have anypany since she had decided to go alone because the witches could feel burdened otherwise. ¡°Please be careful.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Amelie soared into the sky as Milena and Mrs. Enard saw her off. ***** About 20 minutes before midnight, Amelie arrived at the meeting point, Grand Malt Hunting Area, Zone 3. The Grand Malt hunting ground was located outside the capital. Although it was a hunting ground for the royal family, it was a space that anyone could use if they applied for it in advance. Unlike Zones 1 and 2, which were wide, the site of Zone 3 was small. It was because they were using it for the purposes of setting up tents and resting while hunting. Instead, the environment was clean, and the hunting grounds were not usually crowded when not in use, so it was a perfect meeting ce. ¡®No one is here yet, right?¡¯ Amelie came down to the ground. The empty and dark hunting ground had a spooky atmosphere. The blowing wind was cold. However, Amelie didn¡¯t feel the cold at all. It was because she was excited by tension and expectations. She looked up at the sky, nervously waiting for midnight. The night sky was full of clouds and the moon was invisible. How long has it been? No one appeared even though the excitement subsided and the cold began to seep in through theyers of fabric. ¡°Haa¡ª¡± Amelie stamped her feet and waited for another witch toe. ¡®No way, is no oneing?¡¯ She endured the pain in her chest and looked up to the sky. Not a single flying bird was seen, let alone a witch. ¡®It¡¯s strange¡ª the magic was definitely sessful. Should I wait a little longer?¡¯ But as time passed, no one came. Slowly, her legs hurt, and her body was trembling. ¡®I was looking forward to it.¡¯ Amelie made a tearful face. Mrs. Enard and Milena must be preparing and waiting with snacks, but the thought of going back alone made her depressed. ¡°Phew. Well, it can¡¯t be that easy.¡± Amelie sighed and lowered her head. At that time, she heard someone¡¯s footsteps. It was the rustling sound of hard heels stepping on dry grass. ¡®They¡¯re here!¡¯ Amelie raised her head. Serwin stood in front of her. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Are you disappointed?¡± ¡°No, well¡ª¡± Was it that obvious? Amelie pretended as she pulled the corners of her mouth into a forced smile. ¡°Even if the appointment time has passed, if no onees, you will go back. What are you doing until now?¡± He took off his cloak and put it around Amelie¡¯s shoulders. That wasn¡¯t enough, so he wrapped her body tightly with it and fixed it so that it would not fall off. ¡°Your face is cold, too.¡± He wrapped his hands around Amelie¡¯s cheek. His big hand covered Amelie¡¯s face. His palms were rough and hard, but warm. Amelie¡¯s body, which had cooled down, quickly regained its heat. ¡°But why are you here?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let you go alone tonight. You¡¯re also going to meet a stranger.¡± ¡°Oh? Did you follow me from the beginning?¡± But she flew in a broomstick, so the time was not right. ¡°You came earlier, right?¡± ¡°I have to check in advance to see if it¡¯s safe.¡± Serwin was embarrassed to even say it himself, so he secretly avoided her gaze. Amelie then realized why he had not been seen all day. ¡®I was worried about it without knowing it.¡¯ She wondered if he had finallye to his senses because the person who was returning to the pce afterpleting urgent tasks at high speed didn¡¯te until night, or if his anger had not been resolvedst time, but it seemed to be in vain. ¡°Let¡¯s go back. If they don¡¯te by this time, there¡¯s no point in waiting any longer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡ª¡± Amelie hesitated. She was very disappointed as she was looking forward to today¡¯s meeting. ¡®Well, it¡¯s because I unterally set the ce and time.¡¯ Serwin grabbed Amelie¡¯s hand and pulled it. ¡°I¡¯ll send for a carriage. It should be here soon.¡± ¡°We can ride a broomstick.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cold.¡± Amelie followed him. She stared at his back. His overprotection was a little burdensome, but reassuring. If she had returned to the Imperial Pce alone on a day like this, she would have been very depressed. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± The moment Amelie tried to say thank you, an unknown force pulled her back. ¡°Ack!¡± When Amelie screamed, Serwin quickly grabbed her hand and swung a mana sword. A silver-blue sword flew from the sword and knocked down the entire tree. ¡°Kyaa!¡± Between the branches of the fallen tree, a ck shadow shot out toward the sky. ¡®What is it?¡¯ The shadow was a woman in a ck suit. She wore a hat with a wide brim simr to Amelie, and ck hair was tied together and pped like a horse¡¯s tail. ¡°Do you recognize me? You are indeed the Emperor.¡± She stopped in mid-air, standing skillfully on a broomstick. Her true identity was undoubtedly a witch. ¡°Who are you?¡± Amelie asked. ¡°Lira hose! Are you the witch who held the meeting?¡± ¡°Yes! That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Yeah¡ª¡± Lira smacked her lips. Then a snow storm engulfed Amelie and Serwin. ¡°Ugh, Amelie!¡± He turned against the storm, holding Amelie in his arms. Amelie tried to calm the snowstorm by raising her own winds, but it was only to keep the two from getting caught up. Amelie¡¯s hair fluttered wildly in the wind. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Serwin was the first to check Amelie. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m fine, but¡ª¡± Amelie looked at Lira. She couldn¡¯t see her well because of the blizzard, but she could feel her looking at them from the air. ¡®Why are you attacking me?¡¯ Amelie was very confused. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We can suppress her and interrogate her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s flying in the sky.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a problem.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Only protect yourself. Okay?¡± Serwin held his sword. If the opponent used magic, it was enough to use this. He lightly kicked the ground. A strong wind shook his body. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Serwin stomped in the air and jumped into the higher sky. He stepped on the storm caused by Lira and leaped into the sky. ¡®¡­Is that possible?¡¯ Amelie was momentarily stunned. The witch had magic, but in this case he waspletely ignoring thews of physics. He escaped the blizzard and swung his sword toward Lira. Lira, who was careless, avoided Serwin¡¯s sword. Amelie quickly raised the wind and floated Serwin¡¯s body up again. In the meantime, Serwin threw his sword at Lira. ¡°Tsk! Such a distraction.¡± Lira clicked her tongue. Amelie chased her with her eyes to counter the new magic, but at the moment Lira disappeared from her sight. ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Amelie!¡± At Serwin¡¯s cry, Amelie hurriedly looked back. Lira was trying to swing a dagger at her. ¡°Damn it!¡± Serwin couldn¡¯t go to save her. Lira caused a blizzard andpletely blocked him. He moved forward without giving in. However, the dagger was alreadying closer to her neck with an eerie glow. ¡°Ugh!¡± Amelie instinctively swung her arm. A strong me wrapped around the dagger and transferred it to Lira¡¯s hand. In the meantime, Serwin broke through the snowstorm and protected Amelie. He continued his attack quickly to prevent Lira from chanting a spell. Lira raised magic with a gesture to prevent his attack. Amelie tried to help Serwin, but backed away, remembering his words that her safety came first. ¡®It¡¯s amazing.¡¯ Amelie admired Lira¡¯s magic. She thought about it since the snowstorm started, but her magic skills were great. While protecting herself, Lira created another spell to tie Serwin¡¯s feet and slow down the attack. ¡®She¡¯s using three or four magic at the same time.¡¯ She was different from her, who could barely use one magic at a time. Moreover, she looked familiar with battle. However, the opponent was Serwin. No matter how great the witch¡¯s magic was, it was no match for Serwin, who reached the peak of swordsmanship. Even though Serwin was unable to use his skills due to magic, he pushed Lira little by little. He broke her broom in two and put a sword on her leg. It was only a matter of time before Lira lost. ¡°Why did you attack her?¡± When Serwin asked, Lira closed her mouth and stared at his golden eyes. ¡°You won¡¯t tell me? Well, okay. After all, if you¡¯re being questioned, you¡¯ll beg for everything while confessing.¡± Serwin put a knife around her neck. Lira bit her lips. When her magic stopped, the hunting ground quickly became silent. ¡®Tsk, if I knew this would happen, I would return as soon as I knew the Emperor was here.¡¯ As soon as Lira arrived at the hunting ground, she noticed Serwin¡¯s existence. At first, she thought he was apanying Amelie, but she seemed to have no idea that he was watching her. Lira didn¡¯t know the rtionship between the two, so at first, she thought Serwin was monitoring Amelie. So Lira was going to watch Ameli like this. However, when Serwin approached Amelie and talked affectionately like a lover, Lira was surprised and identally tripped over her own feet. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect you to find out that I¡¯m there with that small sound.¡¯ It was a famous story that the emperor was strong, but Lira btedly realized that he was this overbearingly powerful. ¡®What should I do now?¡¯ Not far away, she saw a broom that Amelie had dropped. ¡®I just need a little gap.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t think of how to make a gap. The moment she used any magic, it was clear that the emperor would blow her neck off. While Lira was struggling for a solution, Amelie¡¯s scream suddenly was heard. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 ¡®Just now.¡¯ When a surprised Serwin turned his head reflexively, Lira did not miss the chance and pushed Serwin away, quickly dragging the broom to her. Then she grabbed the broom and flew up to the sky. ¡°Damn it!¡± Serwin ran to her side to protect Amelie. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just a mouse biting its feet.¡± Lira saw a squeaky little mouse running away from Amelie. ¡®It¡¯s not just a mouse. It¡¯s cursed by someone.¡¯ Because an ordinary mouse doesn¡¯t bite someone who is standing still. Moreover, the witch, Lira, was able to recognize the curses of other witches. Lira took the mouse with her magic and flew high into the sky without looking back. ¡°I have to follow that person¡ª¡± However, her broom was stolen, and Lira¡¯s broom was split in two, so she couldn¡¯t ride on it. If she could transform into a bird, she would follow her even by flying, but it was obvious that she would turn into a hamster. ¡°It¡¯s impossible.¡± Serwin shook his head. Lira disappeared behind the clouds in a blink of an eye. ¡°Are your feet okay? Suddenly a mouse bites it?¡± ¡°It was Charlotte who turned into a mouse.¡± ¡°Charlotte is your maid, right? I heard she went missing after the party.¡± ¡°I put a curse on the dress. If someone approaches it with a bad heart, they¡¯ll turn into a mouse. Charlotte has turned into a mouse. I¡¯ve been looking for her ever since, and I never expected to see her again like this.¡± ¡°Is she colluding with a witch?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ª¡± Amelie¡¯s face turned dark. She was wondering if she had found another witch, but she was attacked out of nowhere. Her neck was shivering as she remembered Lira standing behind her back. Even if it was a littleter, she would have lost her life to that dagger. ¡°Why did she attack me? Did I do something wrong?¡± She became anxious when she thought that there were rules she didn¡¯t know and that she might have broken them. Looking back, she had never learned properly about the world of witches. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. If there was a problem, she would have moved out sooner rather than hiding and watching. She was hiding from behind and attacked because she was found out. There was a hidden intention from the beginning.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Amelie bowed her head deeply. ¡°What do you think he was up to? But she¡¯s still the same witch.¡± ¡°Everyone thinks differently.¡± Serwin hugged Amelie carefully. Amelie rested her head helplessly on his chest. ¡°I¡¯m so d Your Majesty followed me.¡± ¡°It would have been dangerous if you were alone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but if I were alone, I would have been really depressed.¡± Serwin lightly patted Amelie on the back, and Amelie hugged his waist. After a long time, the two returned to the Imperial pce. ****** It¡¯s already past midnight. As night fell early on the outskirts of the capital, the streets were silent. During this time, there was little chance of being caught no matter how low the sky was. Nevertheless, Lira flew through the sky, covering herself through the clouds. Then, she quickly came down to the rooftop of a tall building that had been seen in advance. Tak. As soon as she came down to the rooftop, she also put the mouse she brought down to the ground. The mouse trembled as if it were about to faint. Lira looked down at the mouse indifferently. ¡°What are you?¡± The mouse kept squeaking as if it wanted to say something. Lira said the spell with an annoyed expression. Then the skinny mouse¡¯s body began to change. The body hairs disappeared as the tail became shorter and the hair lengthened. Her body also grew in the blink of an eye, and she quickly took on a human form. The mouse, who was a woman, had been through a lot, but her cheeks were dry and filthy, and she was Charlotte. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m back as a human!¡± She was filled with joy. She doesn¡¯t know how scared she was of having to live as a rat. She constantly looked at her hands and feet and stroked her face. ¡°Who are you and why did you help me?¡± Lira asked again. Charlotte was surprised and flinched. Lira¡¯s gaze was indifferent and cold. ¡°I, I¡¯m Charlotte, the maid of the imperial pce.¡± ¡°The Imperial Pce¡¯s Maid? Why did the Imperial Pce¡¯s Maid be a mouse?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Charlotte was afraid of Lira. Wasn¡¯t even that terrifying Emperor pushed by Lira¡¯s magic for a moment? Moreover, she was a person who could turn Charlotte back into a mouse again at any time. ¡®Still, the only person who can help me is this person.¡¯ Charlotte began her story with a trembling voice. ¡°I was Miss Amelie¡¯s maid. I was threatened by a nobledy, and so I ruined Miss Amelie¡¯s dress, and at that moment I turned into a mouse.¡± She doesn¡¯t know how much pain she has been through since then. The maids just look at her and grab a broomstick. She couldn¡¯t even go to the kitchen, and she was very hungry, so she picked up any food that she could see and ate it and got very sick. Charlotte realized that Amelie was a witch only after she became a rat. Following the sweet smell, she went up to the attic, and Amelie was making magic pills. ¡®How dare a witche into the imperial pce!¡¯ Charlotte was furious, but all she could do was monitor Amelie. ¡°Why are you at the hunting ground?¡± ¡°I fell asleep among the broomsticks, and by chance¡ª I was lucky. I met such a merciful witch. I really don¡¯t know how to repay this favor.¡± Charlotte bent and cleverly hid her intentions. In fact, Charlotte followed Amelie to find her weaknesses to avenge her. She thought she was really dying when she was flying in the sky by hanging from a broom, but thanks to that, she met a witch hostile to Amelie, and she thought she would definitely help her, so she blew herself and bit Amelie¡¯s foot. ¡°If you want to repay the favor, tell me everything you know. You must know her well right?¡± Lira asked with high pressure. ¡®What¡¯s that? Even if you¡¯re a witch, you¡¯re still amoner.¡¯ Charlotte twisted inside, but made up a smile on the outside. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve always been with her.¡± ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± ¡°Amelie Bourbon.¡± ¡°Bourbon, it¡¯s bourbon. I¡¯ve never heard of it. Are you sure you know it well?¡± ¡°T, that¡¯s right. She said that with her own mouth.¡± ¡°Hmm, did she follow her father¡¯sst name? I can tell just by looking at her poor magic skills. She must have grown up without a mother.¡± ¡°Y, yes.¡± Charlotte didn¡¯t understand Lira¡¯s words, but she nodded reflexively. ¡°Tell me about the rtionship between her and the Emperor. What¡¯s their rtionship?¡± ¡°The two will die if they can¡¯t live together. They¡¯re so sweet. Everyone thinks Miss Amelie will be the Empress. His Majesty is especially in love with Miss Amelie.¡± ¡°The two are lovers?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lira¡¯s face hardened horribly. ¡®The Emperor and the witch live close together.¡¯ The Emperor of the empire was the enemy of witches. The witch hunts of twenty years ago only made the continuous persecution more intense, and even before that, witches had to suffer. ¡®The emperor is the enemy of the witch. The traitor who colluded with the emperor should not be left alive.¡¯ Twenty years ago, the witches had a history of being severely damaged by witch hunts while leaving the traitor of their kind alone. Lira, who was 10 years old at the time, was also greatly damaged by the incident, and in the aftermath, she was still wandering without settling down. At that time, she couldn¡¯t do anything as a child, but now she was an adult and had the power to do anything. ¡°Did you say you¡¯re Charlotte?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to keep helping me. If you refuse, I¡¯ll turn you into a rat again.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so grateful that you give me a chance to pay you back!¡± Charlotte shuddered. ¡®Just wait, Amelie. I¡¯ll reveal your whole identity soon.¡¯ Charlotte clenched her teeth. She will repay the humiliation of bing a mouse. For her revenge, she could bear the humiliation of being under a witch or whatever. ***** After returning from meeting the witch, Amelie fell ill with a fever. The fatigue umted from running from Dehaim to the party finally overcame her withst night¡¯s events triggering her fever. Since the cause of the disease was stress and fatigue, magic pills were useless. The doctor diagnosed that she would get better if she ate well for a day or two and rested well. It was at the level of mild body aches, but the reaction of those around her was more intense. Mrs. Enard told the chef to make food that was good for the body. While Milena felt sorry for Amelie because she thought it was because she did not properly assist her. ¡®People might think I have a deadly disease.¡¯ In fact, Amelie¡¯s problem was not the fever. After meeting Lira, Amelie often became depressed. It was shocking that she was attacked by her. As much as she had high expectations for meeting another witch, she was disappointed by it. ¡®What should I do now?¡¯ No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t find an answer in her head. While her body was drooping and she couldn¡¯t do anything, only worries lingered in her head. If she had been in good shape or had not been in mental shock, she would have gotten up quickly. However, since the two fatigues ovepped, it was difficult to get out of the depression. It wasforting to know that Serwin was by her side. He calmly cared for Amelie, contrary to expectations. ¡®You don¡¯t have to do this.¡¯ When she opened her eyes, he was looking at Amelie as if she were sick. Looking at that face, she couldn¡¯t tell him to go and do what he had to do. ¡®If not this time, when will I be served by Serwin?¡¯ Amelie liked it when he clumsily wiped her sweat. ***** On the third day after Amelie was sick, she woke up feeling a familiar hand. At first, she thought it was Serwin, but the hand on the forehead was much softer than that. Somehow she smelled something she missed. ¡®It smelled like a mansion¡ª¡¯ Amelie opened her eyes. Count Dehaim touched her forehead. ¡°Father?¡± ¡°Oh, no. I must have woken you up.¡± She jumped to her feet. ¡°Huh? Is this really a father? Huh? This is the imperial pce¡ª¡± Amelie was confused. The Count smiled and put Amelie¡¯s hair behind her ears to organize it. ¡°When did youe to the capital? It must have taken a week! Last time you sent me a letter, you said you woulde after the harvest season is over¡ª Huh, is the harvest season already over? Have I slept that long?¡± ¡°I think you slept for about three or four hours. Am I right?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been four and a half hours since Miss Amelie took medicine and fell asleep.¡± At Milena¡¯s words, Amelie was just puzzled. ¡°His Majesty sent a wizard. Thanks to that, I came to the Imperial pce in a blink of an eye.¡± ¡°Wizard?¡± ¡°Yeah, a wizard who can travel that long distance without a break. It¡¯s my first time seeing it, too.¡± A wizard¡¯s magic ispletely based on scientific calctions, unlike that of a witch. The magic power is also used by attracting external power with mana stones, etc. Therefore, there were limits in a direction and it¡¯s different from witch¡¯s magic. Wizards were rare, and it was even more difficult to find wizards with excellent skills. In particr, teleportation magic was not an easy magic to do because there were many variables to consider. ¡®There is one wizard who can use teleportation, but¡ª¡¯ At this point, he couldn¡¯t be in the Imperial Pce. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Anyway, I¡¯m so happy to see you like this. I thought I had to wait another month.¡± ¡°His Majesty seems to be very worried about you.¡± ¡°I see. His Majesty¡ª¡± Amelie looked around the room. However, Serwin was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Where did His Majesty go?¡± Where did the person who didn¡¯t want to be separate from her ever go? ¡°His Majesty went to the Imperial Pce so that the two of us can spend our happy time.¡± Milena revealed. ¡°I feel grateful for His Majesty¡¯s consideration.¡± The Count smiled and said at Milena¡¯s exnation. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Thanks to Serwin, Amelie had a good time with Count. Like a child, she confessed everything she had done in the imperial pce so far except for disaster-rted matters. As the sun went down, a man came to them. He was wearing a long robe and was holding a staff. It was a typical wizard¡¯s outfit. ¡°It¡¯s time to go back.¡± ¡°Time flies so fast. I can¡¯t believe you have to go back already.¡± Amelie was very disappointed, but there was no other way. Because thend was so busy during the harvest season, the Count could not leave thend for a long time. ¡°I know. I would have been a little more rxed if it wasn¡¯t for the harvest season.¡± It was a short meeting, so the two could not shake off their regret. ¡°Next time, I¡¯lle when there¡¯s a more rxed schedule. There are ces I want to visit.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s that?¡± ¡°The ce when I met your mother for the first time.¡± ¡°Huh, did you meet mother in the capital city? Not Dehaim?¡± ¡°The first meeting was in the capital city. Then our rtionship led her to Dehaim. I told your mother that my grandmother¡¯s a witch.¡± ¡°I see. Come to think of it, I don¡¯t know anything about my mother. Grandmother witch didn¡¯t say anything either.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t. Let¡¯s talk about the details slowly with Renee next time.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll see you in a month.¡± ¡°We never know. His Majesty might send a wizard again.¡± The Countughed at Amelie. ¡°I¡¯ll write you another letter.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The Count stroked Amelie¡¯s head. ¡°In the meantime, don¡¯t get sick. You don¡¯t know how surprised I was to hear that you were sick.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll stay healthy so that you don¡¯t have to worry from now on.¡± Amelie and Count hugged lightly. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± When the wizard held the Count¡¯s hand, the Count smiled brightly at Amelie and raised his hand. And in a blink of an eye, the two disappeared. ¡°Wow, the wizard¡¯s magic is amazing. How do I do that?¡± ¡°Miss Amelie, do you find his magic interesting, too?¡± Milena asked. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m just doing it, but that person must have calcted everything.¡± It seemed that there was no one besides her and Milena in the empty room from the beginning. Suddenly, Amelie missed Serwin. ¡°Where is His Majesty?¡± ¡°Well, actually, he came back a while ago, and he¡¯s in the attic.¡± At Milena¡¯s answer, Amelie opened her eyes wide. He should¡¯ve told her if he were here? ¡°In the attic?¡± ¡°He told me not to tell you because it would bother you. Oh, Miss Amelie, if you run¡ª!¡± Milena urgently called Amelie, but Amelie ran toward the attic without looking back. It was hard because she wasn¡¯t fully recovered yet, but she still missed him. Amelie climbed the stairs at once and opened the door to the attic. ¡®Whoa.¡¯ Serwin was sitting still in a chair. The brilliant light that passed through the stainless ss fell heavily on him. When it harmonized with his golden eyes, it looked like a living piece of jewelry. Serwin felt her presenceing, and he slowly turned his head to look at her without showing any signs of surprise. As his and her gaze met, Amelie felt her heart pounding for some reason. ¡°How did the goodbye with the Count go? You must have been sad because it was a short meeting.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± When Amelie suddenly jumped into Serwin¡¯s arms, Serwin was very embarrassed. ¡°Ah, Amelie?¡± She hugged Serwin¡¯s waist tightly. ¡°Thank you so much for today. Did you bring my father because I was depressed?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Serwin flinched as if it was his first hug. He had no idea where he was supposed to hold her or where to put his hands. The only thought he could think of was that she had hugged him first. ¡°Thank you very much. And also thank the wizard for me.¡± ¡°¡ªDid you know about him?¡± As Amelie nodded, Serwin smiled, sweeping down her tangled hair. ¡®Yeah. Let¡¯s work hard again.¡¯ Amelie got her mind together again. He was so worried about her that she couldn¡¯t stay down. ¡®My father and Renee will be waiting for me, too.¡¯ So what if the witches hate her? She will always have a family waiting behind her. And there was even Serwin who warmed her heart like this. ¡®I can do it like I did before. When did things work out just because everyone liked me? If I keep trying, I¡¯ll be able to do it!¡¯ Amelie was motivated again. The depression that tried to swallow her up disappeared. ***** The next day, Amelie got up from her bed neatly. As her body became lighter, her head, which had beenplicated, became clearer. Amelie got her mind together again. ¡®All I have to do here is fight the disaster.¡¯ Amelie headed straight to the study. Materials sent from the Ministry of Internal Affairs had arrived at the study. She sat straight at her desk and read down the records. ¡®It¡¯s been happening for a long time. It¡¯s not just a recent problem.¡¯ The anomaly in the Imperial Pce was not only a problem during Serwin¡¯s reign. It was a problem that had been going on since his predecessors, their predecessors, and even before that. It was about 200 years ago that the first thick fog hit the imperial pce. With the fog, the first lunatic appeared. He was the youngest son of the emperor at the time. And on the same day, the pond in the pce where the Prince lived rotted. ¡®It means that the energy of the disaster leaked out. Then, from this point on, the seal of disaster has weakened.¡¯ Since then, simr phenomena have been repeated asionally. As time passed the frequency of the freak idents became more and more frequent, and it peaked during the reign of King Regent. ¡®The seal was weakest during the reign of the Regent King. So, did it need to be sealed anew?¡¯ As proof of that, after the disaster was sealed in Serwin¡¯s body, the frequency of abnormalities decreased. Then again, the frequency has increased in recent years. ¡®It¡¯s happening irregrly, and there are no rules. Mm, this is hard.¡¯ ¡°Sir Chad.¡± Amelie called Chad, who was guarding by the door. He approached the desk and gave a light silent bow. ¡°Was His Majesty very unstable before I came?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How bad?¡± ¡°His Majesty himself said that the longest he essentially didn¡¯t sleep was a year.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The weaker the seal of disaster, the stronger the energy of disaster floating in the imperial pce. Amelie was sure. ¡®I need to pay more attention to Serwin¡¯s mental health!¡¯ Amelie decided to pay more attention to him. ¡®By the way, I¡¯m bothered about the regent king¡ª¡¯ He is a person who has appeared quite often since before. Regent King Albert Hennesia. ¡®The fact that a witch came to the imperial pce 20 years ago was probably for the same purpose as me. I want to know what she did. Is there anyone who knows well¡ª¡¯ Amelie thought of Renia at the moment. Of course, Renia is only three years older than Amelie, so she doesn¡¯t know the situation at the time, but she had so many connections that she thought she could introduce someone who knew the situation at the time. ¡®Let¡¯s ask Renia to introduce someone to me.¡¯ Amelie wrote a letter to Renia. ***** Amelie turned into a hamster and headed back to the garden she had visitedst time. As soon as she got up from her bed, Milena worried she was overdoing it, but Amelie raised her arm and patted Milena¡¯s finger. ¡®Don¡¯t worry. Trust me!¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s not trustworthy at all if you say it with a hamster¡¯s face.¡± Milena grumbled. Amelie patted her one more time and then went through the fence. ¡®Ugh, the smell is still the same.¡¯ Amelie returned into a person and walked through the garden. She was looking around to see if there was any effect from her earlier use of purification magic. ¡®Should I use the purification magic one more time? Well, I¡¯m in good condition, so I¡¯ll have to try it one more time.¡¯ As soon as Amelie tried to get into position and use magic, an unfamiliar voice came out. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Amelie looked back in surprise. ¡°I¡¯m Milena, the maid of the imperial pce. Then, who are you?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the maid. I didn¡¯t know you. I¡¯m an official of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Do you have any garden chores?¡± ¡°Have I seen you at Manvers¡¯ mansion before? I¡¯m Serina. I came to see my brother for a while, but I¡¯m meeting you like this.¡± Amelie remembered her voice. ¡®That¡¯s right. Lady Serina¡¯s younger brother was said to work in the Ministry of Internal Affairs.¡¯ Thanks to Serina, Amelie was able to see that abnormalities were urring in the Imperial pce. ¡®Huh? But why didn¡¯t Serwin tell me?¡¯ Amelie tilted her head. Meanwhile, the conversations outside continued. ¡°By any chance, is the reason why you¡¯re here because of the investigation of abnormalities?¡± ¡°What do you mean? It can¡¯t be, is it Miss Amelie?¡± ¡°Actually, His Majesty has given an order. To give the relevant materials to Miss Amelie.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. That¡¯s right. She was very interested at the tea partyst time too.¡± Amelie felt for a moment that she couldn¡¯t be too obvious here. The appearance of her showing too much interest in such a bad thing could provoke bad rumors. Whether Milena was aware of that or not she came up with another reason anyways. ¡°It has nothing to do with Miss Amelie. I lost my hamster around here. I was looking to see if it went in there.¡± At Milena¡¯s words, Amelie turned into a hamster. Then, her point of viewpletely changed, and she could see what she hadn¡¯t seen when she was a human. ¡®Huh? What¡¯s that?¡¯ A blue color could be seen under the ck stone. Amelie quickly walked over to it. ¡®A sprout! A sprout has grown!¡¯ The nt was inly taking root and growing, even if it was the sprout of an unknown weed. It was still just the size of a fingernail, but the color was bright green and the leaves were strong. ¡®My magic worked.¡¯ It was clear that purification magic could purify the energy of disaster. ¡®This will be a clue to defeat the disaster.¡¯ Amelie was filled with joy. She expressed joy by jumping with her small legs. ¡®I have to tell Milena, too!¡¯ But outside, the conversation was still in full swing. Amelie came near the rtively clean fence and waited for Serina and her siblings to disappear. As she sat still, a new concern came to mind. ¡®By the way, what should I do with Lira?¡¯ She was attacked, but she still wanted to have a proper conversation with her. She¡¯ll have to know why she attacked her to respond. ¡®Should I use notification magic again and call her?¡¯ But if another witches along, it would be dangerous if that witch also attacks Amelie. If it was one-on-one, she would somehow run away, but if there¡¯s more than one she had no chance of escaping. ¡®She even rode the broom sideways. I can only ride stradling it because I¡¯m scared.¡¯ Amelie recalled that night. A ck-haired witch leisurely floating in the cloud-filled night sky. She remained the same as the imaginary witch. ¡®There is no rm magic, and there is no way I can find a person.¡¯ She had no choice but to wait for Lira to approach her. ¡®I think it would be fine to deliberately go outside and dig traps.¡¯ Serwin would object, saying absolutely not, but in fact, the easiest way to meet Lira again was to be the bait. ¡®But, since Serwin¡¯s emotional stability is the most important thing, let¡¯s leave this as ast resort.¡¯ Chapter 73 Chapter 73 No matter how much Amelie waited, the quarrel did not end. Serina¡¯s younger brother, Kevin, did not believe Milena¡¯s words and continued to question her. ¡®I should go out.¡¯ As Amelie ran out, Milena picked up Amelie quickly. ¡°Oh? There¡¯s really a hamster.¡± ¡°I told you so.¡± Milena answered bluntly and put Amelie in her pocket very carefully. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I offended you.¡± ¡°Do you have anyints about Amelie?¡± Milena looked at Serina and Kevin and asked bluntly. For a moment, Serina was pricking. It was because she conspired with the other girls at Renia¡¯s tea party and in the Imperial Pce party. Nothing had happened to anyone but even so, she was a thorn cushion every day because of it. Renia, whom she believed was untouchable, was cast out of her estate, and now Serina did not know when she would die at the hands of a tyrant. It was also because she wanted to discuss all of this that she came all the way to the Imperial Pce to meet her brother, Kevin. ¡°What do you mean byints? I just follow my principles. Regardless of His Majesty¡¯s rtionship, outsiders can¡¯te in and out of this ce. And recently, Miss Amelie kept abusing her authority, so I just asked to confirm.¡± ¡°What do you mean abuse of authority?¡± ¡°She hasn¡¯t even be the Empress, and she already tried to manage the Ministry of the Internal Affairs!¡± ¡°Stop it!¡± Serena stopped Kevin, but Kevin did not know the word stop because he resembled his grandfather. ¡®That¡¯s right. Stop it.¡¯ Amelie also pulled Milena¡¯s sleeves. Milena was choked up by Serina¡¯s sharp attitude toward Kevin, but managed to hold back because she felt Amelie¡¯s touch to stop her. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back now. Since I found my hamster, too.¡± ¡°When you go back, watch the hamster¡¯s condition. Small animals die without making it obvious even if they are sick.¡± ¡°Kevin!¡± ¡°I was telling the truth. One of the seniors got skin disease while cleaning the inside.¡± ¡°Haha, thank you for worrying about me.¡± Even so, she was annoyed because she didn¡¯t like Serina, but Milena was even more angry at Kevin¡¯s attitude toward her. When Milena turned around without saying hello and left her seat, Serina grabbed Kevin¡¯s arm and shouted. ¡°What are you going to do! What if that maid runs to the Emperor!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± ¡°But it is.¡± Serina bit her lips. ¡°Sister, what¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Kevin was wondering. Serina looked anxious as if she were chased by something. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. What does that mean? She¡¯s trying to control the Ministry of Internal Affairs?¡± ¡°Sister, are you interested in that person a lot? Did you change your mind after hanging out with Lady Manvers for a while? It¡¯s not good to walk a tightrope like that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that, so hurry up and tell me. What is it?¡± ¡°¡ªShe asked for data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs through His Majesty.¡± Kevin frowned. ¡°Thanks to that, I couldn¡¯t even go home. I was organizing the records separately and correcting them one by one.¡± ¡°Correct them?¡± ¡°Yeah. After finding and collecting the data, the records are modified inconsistently.¡± ¡°Why would you do that?¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m the youngest, so I¡¯m just doing as I¡¯m told. It¡¯s not even my job, but I had a hard time.¡± Kevinined and realized that he was a little excessive. At other times, even if it was a family, he wouldn¡¯t have said this much. It seemed that he was sensitive due to being overworked. ¡°Sorry, just pretend you didn¡¯t hear that. I shouldn¡¯t tell you what¡¯s going on inside¡ª because I¡¯ve been overdoing it, I guess I was sensitive.¡± ¡°I understand, you look so tired these days.¡± Serinaforted Kevin. ¡°You said you had something to discuss today, right? What is it? Housework?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Whether to call it housework or personal affairs¡ª Serina licked her lips. Serina¡¯s family was originally an Odorus faction. Then recently, she joined the Manvers faction. Serina¡¯s position within the Manvers faction was narrow because she was involved in another faction. Serina had to do anything to get closer to Renia, so she joined the n to humiliate Amelie at the imperial pce party. ¡®I was just trying to do my best. How can I know it would be like this?¡¯ However, the n failed, and Renia was forced out to her territory and away from the capital. Fortunately, Serwin did not take much issue with Serina falling and holding Amelie¡¯s skirt, and he moved on as if it were a natural mistake. Serina was relieved that things seemed to have gone well, but the problem was that threatening letters began toe to Serina shortly after the party. It was not just a threatening letter. It was a letter containing minor mistakes made by Serina and illegalitiesmitted by the family. If it became known to the public, it would be hard to avoid criticism, and it would tarnish the family¡¯s honor, so she had to find out who the sender was somehow. Looking closely, Serina was not the only one who received such a letter. The Young Ladies, who were particrly close to Renia, who also belonged to the Manvers faction, all received the same letter. At the same time, corruption among the Manvers faction nobles was revealed and aristocrats began to be taken to prison one after another. Count Manvers, who should have protected the nobles under hismand, somehow crawled t in front of Serwin. ¡®Father said the Emperor¡¯s pruning had begun.¡¯ Serwin seemed to have pulled out a knife this time to reduce the power of the Manvers faction. Perhaps the threat letter was a message from the Emperor. It is said he likes to let fear grow on its own before purging¡ª. ¡®My family is in danger, too.¡¯ Even though she was ater, Serina¡¯s family was deeply involved in the Manvers faction. ¡®I received a threatening letter, the knights wille soon.¡¯ It was not known when the emperor¡¯s knights would attack the mansion. Her family¡¯s Integrity under the influence of her grandfather, who was an innocent prime minister, was cleaner than other noble families, but they were not so pure that no dust came out if searched. Moreover, Serina was properly hated by Amelie. It is not a crime to neglect her at a tea party or to publicly humiliate her at an imperial pce party, but Amelie¡¯s dislike couldpound with other crimes to make Serina guilty enough for a prison sentence. That¡¯s why Serina came to Kevin to find a way to live. It will be a little helpful because he¡¯s smart and knows the internal circumstances of the imperial pce well. But the moment she met Kevin, Serina changed her mind. Seeing his droopy cheeks and dark circles under his eyes, she couldn¡¯t quite tell him about her worries. ¡®What¡¯s the point of putting pressure on a kid who¡¯s busy working?¡¯ ¡°You didn¡¯te home, so I came because mother told me toe and see you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating¡±. He said, sighing. ¡°It¡¯s because the Imperial Pce is so hideous.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s fine these days. His Majesty is so stable that there is no need to remove any dead bodies.¡± Serina looked at Kevin who wasughing and sighed deeply. ¡®How can I tell this kid that our family is going to be ruined?¡¯ She had to somehow find a way out on her own. But there wasn¡¯t much Serina could do right now. ¡®By any chance, if Amelie¡ª¡¯ The fact that Serwin was stuck on Amelie was famous. During a recent meeting, Serwin, who couldn¡¯t hold back his anger, pointed a sword at the Marquis, and Amelie not only calmed Serwin down but also nagged him and took the sword away directly. It was different from Serwin in the past, who had to see blood once he pulled out his sword. It was unimaginable. ¡®Besides, there are even rumors that he released Wizard Ruben for Miss Amelie.¡¯ A few years ago, Serwin imprisoned the wizard Ruben in his home. The Duke of Odorus visited him several times and begged for Ruben¡¯s release, but Serwin didn¡¯t even pretend to listen. By the way, did he release Ruben for Amelie just because she asked? That was how great Amelie¡¯s influence on Serwin was. ¡®Yeah. Let¡¯s ask Amelie for a favor. Please save my family.¡¯ Amelie, whom she saw at the party, was gentle, unable to say hateful things to others, and weak-minded. ¡®She¡¯s so nice that she even forgave Lady Riena. She might help if I hang on her pitifully.¡¯ It was worth a try at least once. There was little she could do to save the family, so she had to do something like this. Serina made up her mind. ***** Amelie, who regained her energy, became a hamster again and followed Serwin. Serwin put Amelie on his desk and did his job, petting her to the fullest. The two were together all day, the only time they spent apart was to prepare for sleep. ¡®It¡¯s not ufortable even though we¡¯re together all day.¡¯ Amelie thought it was unexpected. Because she lived alone all this time, it was too much to be with others for a long time. No matter how close people were, she was the type that needed her own time. ¡®I feel relieved because we¡¯re together. Is it because I can see that the disaster is still calm?¡¯ Serwin came into the room and found Amelie. Amelie was so focused that she didn¡¯t even know Serwin had entered the room. ¡°Is the book that fun?¡± Serwin lowered himself and pulled the book down. ¡°Ohh!¡± Amelie was surprised by Serwin¡¯s sudden appearance. ¡®I¡¯m surprised when such a handsome face suddenly appears.¡¯ His moist skin after having just washed and his eyes looking up at her looked very strange. Amelie grabbed her pounding chest. ¡°Aren¡¯t you studying too hard?¡± ¡°No, I was thinking about something else.¡± ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Serwin stared Amelie in the eye. His golden eyes were sharp and prating as if to dig into her mind. ¡°Just random stuff.¡± It was not something shameful, but Amelie, who was embarrassed to speak in front of the person involved, hesitated. ¡°Mrs. Enard¡¯s daughter, do you remember? It¡¯s Elly.¡± Amelie quickly thought of another topic. Even if he wasn¡¯t that interested, it was a story she had to tell Serwin. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of prescribing another magic potion. If I¡¯ve focused on reinforcing her weakened body, I think I¡¯ll be able to start treating the disease sooner rather thanter.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s a new magic potion. You¡¯re working hard.¡± Amelie smiled shyly at Serwin¡¯spliment. She was happier because it was apliment she heard from him. ¡°Before I make a new magic potion, I want to check the child¡¯s condition myself. So I think I have to go outside the imperial pce.¡± Serwin frowned. ¡°What if the witch attacks you again?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a possibility but¡ª¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you bring that child to the Pce?¡± ¡°The child doesn¡¯t have the strength to move yet.¡± ¡°Then tell her toe into the imperial pce and live. If she¡¯s ufortable living here, build a new building. Put a person to take care of. Then Mrs. Enard can concentrate more on her work.¡± ¡°She¡¯s doing well enough even now.¡± Amelie hoped that Mrs. Enard would not be misunderstood. She regarded taking care of Amelie as her number one priority and was doing her best. It was entirely thanks to Mrs. Enard¡¯s outstanding skills and efforts that Amelie¡¯sck of employees wasn¡¯t obvious even in a situation where there were not enough people to work. ¡°It¡¯s not good to leave a familiar environment.¡± Serwin didn¡¯t seem pleased. In fact, there was no way someone who couldn¡¯t stand being apart for even a while would simply allow her to go out in a situation where there was unknown danger outside. However, Amelie, who expected Serwin to refuse, had prepared a n in advance. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 ¡°Your Majesty, let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°Together?¡± Amelie nodded. ¡°You made a promise before, right? You said you¡¯re going to take me out of the pce again. But you haven¡¯t kept it yet. So, let¡¯s go together this time.¡± When Amelie looked at him and begged, Serwin inadvertently tried to hold back his nod and grab at hisst shred of reason. ¡°There could be a witch¡¯s attack.¡± ¡°Your Majesty is the strongest in the empire. And I¡¯m going with Your Majesty. What¡¯s the problem?¡± Serwin was shaken once again. It wasn¡¯t easy to say no to that. ¡®I¡¯m there, and the knights will be mobilized if anything happens¡ª?¡¯ It was Amelie, who had never asked anything before. The opportunity to do her a favor was rare. In the end, Serwin had no choice but to nod. ¡°Wow! Then while we¡¯re out, please show me around the capital.¡± Amelie smiled with a big smile. Her mint-color eyes sparkled. ¡®I can¡¯t refuse the request just because it¡¯s dangerous¡ª.¡¯ Seeing her happy, his worries were overshadowed. The more dangerous it was, the stronger he had to be. Didn¡¯t he struggle to get strong for that reason? ¡°Yes, we went to the squarest time, so where should we go this time?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, I can¡¯t think of any specific ce¡ª. Oh, that¡¯s right. I have a tour booklet! I¡¯ll bring it over!¡± As Amelie jumped up, Serwin grabbed her shoulder and pressed her down. ¡°It¡¯ste. Go to bed and look for it tomorrow.¡± Heid Amelie on the bed, took the magic book from herp, and put it down on the bedside table. Then heid down close to her. ¡°Good night.¡± Amelie put her hands on his hands. ¡®Even if I sleep like this, I will wake up in his arms in the morning,¡¯ It was a little ufortable, but she didn¡¯t hate it or feel like it was unpleasant. This was because she knew well that he had no impure intentions. Amelie thought his behavior wasparable to a young child hugging a doll and sleeping. ¡°Good night.¡± Serwin closed his eyes as he held Amelie¡¯s hand. ¡®I can¡¯t sleep anyway.¡¯ Just having already disappeared from sight made his heart flutter. This anxiety stemmed from the fear that she would disappear. So he had to make sure that she was real by his own side to feel calm. So while she was asleep, Serwin hugged her as if it had happened in his sleep. The night was always long and endless. It got better thanks to her, but it was she who brought him long nights again. ***** The carriage carrying Amelie and Serwin passed through the gates of the Imperial Pce. In order not to attract attention, they rode discreet wagons, but when they came to Mrs. Enard¡¯s town, they still stood out. When Amelie and Serwin got off the carriage, they could feel the eyes of the people focused on them. ¡°It¡¯s okay because Milena has taken care of this area. Let¡¯s go inside.¡± Mrs. Enard flustered. It was a shabby house with nothing to treat. It was very embarrassing to have Serwin in such a house. ¡®How can I imagine that in my lifetime I would have to take His Majesty to my home.¡¯ If her husband was alive, he would have been d and thought it was a great honor. Mrs. Enard guided the two inside with a bitter heart. Yesterday, she gave money to her neighbors and cleaned the house, so she was able to raise her head and show the house. Serwin looked around the house with an indifferent look and looked at the stairs. There stood Mrs. Enard¡¯s daughter, Ellie. The child was looking this way, hiding her body behind the railing to see as if she was afraid of strangers. ¡°Ellie! Come here and say hello.¡± Mrs. Enard called the child. Ellie ran and hid behind Mrs. Enard. ¡°Because she¡¯s shy¡ª I apologize, Your Majesty.¡± Mrs. Enard was wary of Serwin. She was worried that her daughter might have offended him. He won¡¯t hurt Ellie because Amelie is here, but she had seen and heard of his evil deeds for many years. She couldn¡¯t rx easily. Serwin nced at Ellie. Then, as if frightened, Ellie slipped back, clenching Mrs. Enard¡¯s skirt. ¡°Your Majesty, if you look at her like that, she will be scared.¡± Amelie hit Serwin¡¯s arm slightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t threaten her.¡± ¡°If you look up at Ellie¡¯s height, Your Majesty looks like something really huge, like a tower. Your face is shaded, your eyes sh.¡± Amelie copied Serwin¡¯s expression. It was only cute to do that with her round eyes. Serwinughed. ¡°Then what should I do?¡± ¡°You need to make eye contact and introduce yourself first.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that¡ª!¡± Mrs. Enard hurriedly stopped Serwin, but Serwin waved his hand and said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± He lowered his body by putting one knee on the floor. Mrs. Enard¡¯s face turned pale as if she were about to faint. ¡°My name is Serwin Henesia. I¡¯m the Emperor of this country.¡± ¡°Smile.¡± Following Amelie¡¯s advice, Serwin smiled. Then Ellie looked at Serwin from behind with only her head out. It was better than before, but she still looked scared. ¡®They said that the Emperor was a scary person.¡¯ Ellie remembered the words of the adults. In particr, the nanny used to say that the Emperor would catch her if she cried. Amelie, who was watching Ellie¡¯s reaction, stepped up to help Serwin. ¡°Hello, Ellie. I met youst time, right? Do you remember?¡± When Amelie greeted her, Ellie opened her eyes wide. ¡°Rabbit!¡± Ellie pointed her finger at her and shouted. ¡°It¡¯s the rabbit warrior I¡¯ve seen before! She scolded a strange man!¡± Ellie looked at Amelie and said clearly. Ellie clearly remembered the moment Amelie saved her. After a cute little rabbit defeated the viin, she didn¡¯t have to take strange medicine and didn¡¯t get sick. The nanny who she hated disappeared, and her mother no longer had a hard time. Like a story from a fairy tale. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Amelie. She loves children¡¯s books so much! Mrs. Enard was embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It doesn¡¯t mean anything bad.¡± It was a little embarrassing, but it was cute because it was a childlike idea. Next to her, Serwin burst intoughter. ¡°She said rabbit warrior.¡± Her chubby body and round eyes didn¡¯t match the warrior wherever he looked. He couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter when he imagined a rabbit standing proudly in front of the viin while pping its ears that looked unfair. ¡°Ah, don¡¯tugh!¡± Amelie protested, but couldn¡¯t stop hisughter. Ellie looked at Serwin. The frightening yellow eyes that turned to Amelie had softened. ¡®His eyes are shining like a mother¡¯s ring. Even a scary Emperor bes kind in front of the Rabbit Warrior!¡¯ Ellie was a quick-witted child, so she noticed that Serwin kept caring about Amelie. ¡®Oh, the Emperor seems to be a subordinate of the Rabbit Warrior!¡¯ In fairy tales, there was always a scary-looking subordinate next to the rabbit warrior like a bear or wolf. ¡®Awesome! As expected, you¡¯re a warrior!¡¯ Ellie¡¯s respect for Amelie grew even more. The child ran and hugged Amelie. And patted Serwin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re working hard to serve the warrior.¡± ¡°Ellie!¡± The surprised Mrs. Enard quickly tried to cover Ellie¡¯s mouth, but Serwin raised his hand to mean it was okay. ¡°Our rabbit warrior wants to ask you something. Can you help me?¡± Serwin looked a little awkward dealing with the child. It was only natural when she said ¡°Rabbit Warrior.¡± Still, he didn¡¯t frighten the child and treated her well. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I want to know how healthy you are.¡± When Ellie looked at Amelie, Amelie smiled at her with her ears red. The child nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s go up.¡± When Serwin hugged Ellie, the child screamed and then burst intoughter. ¡°I guess it¡¯s fun to go higher.¡± Amelie said. ¡°Is this fun?¡± Serwin raised the child high, even though he was puzzled. The child¡¯sughter grew louder. ¡°Stop ying and go up.¡± When Amelie pushed his back, Serwin finally headed to the room with Ellie, and Amelie followed him. ¡°I¡¯ll make some tea and go up. You can go first.¡± Mrs. Enard hurried to the kitchen. Her eyes were slightly wet. She went to the kitchen and set up a chaotic table, but she was overwhelmed with emotions and buried her face in both hands. ¡®I can¡¯t believe my baby isughing so brightly like that.¡¯ She was a child who always smiled faintly as if not to worry. When she saw herughing out loud like a normal child after a long time, she realized that the child was really getting better. ¡®It¡¯s all thanks to Miss Amelie.¡¯ Without her, the child would have been addicted to strange drugs, stuck in a trance like daze. It would have been a miracle to even see a smile let alone to see herughing. She must have been relieved that she was no longer crying without knowing that the child was dying. Mrs. Enard raised her head and blinked several times. Because if Amelie knew she cried, she would be worried about her. ¡®She¡¯s so kind. To have met such a person is the greatest luck of my life.¡¯ Once again, she decided to do her best for Amelie. ***** An old man lived in Mrs. Enard¡¯s neighborhood. Watching people through his windows was his only hobby, so no one was suspicious of him peering out through the curtains. Even today, the old man was looking outside with his head sticking out through the curtains. What was different from usual was that there was a brown mouse sitting on the old man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°As you said, I don¡¯t even care about staring.¡± Charlotte showed off her pride as if she had been told to. ¡°You should have this kind of usefulness to make it worthwhile.¡± Lira gave Charlotte a finger flick on her forehead and began to observe the house in front of her again. Charlotte grumbled but failed to counterattack Lira. It was because she could return to being a human by showing her well. After confirming that Amelie was in the imperial pce, Lira tried to enter the imperial pce. However, even if she tried to hide in disguise, she couldn¡¯t enter the imperial pce. It was because there was magic hanging to prevent intruders from entering if she went near the imperial pce. ¡®Even the trusted Charlotte is useless.¡¯ Charlotte was unable to enter the imperial pce as she went missing on the day of the party, so the two had no choice but to wait for Amelie to leave the imperial pce. And after a long wait, Amelie finally came out of the imperial pce. Lira and Charlotte followed Amelie right away. And they aimed for a chance to attack Amelie. However, Serwin was by Amelie¡¯s side, and numerous knights were protecting her. She couldn¡¯t see any way for her to intervene. The moment Lira reached out to Amelie, it was clear that the knights would surround her. Then, Charlotte came up with a trick. Seeing Mrs. Enard going together with her, it was clear that she was going to her house. She was supposed to arrive first, disguise herself as her next-door neighbor, and get an opportunity to approach her. ¡®But I still can¡¯t see the gap.¡¯ Lira bit her lips. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Charlotte¡¯s prediction was correct, but the Emperor¡¯s knights were wary, encircling Mrs. Enard¡¯s house in a circle. ¡®The moment I step out of this house, their eyes will be focused. Shall I just blow them up with the house?¡¯ However, there was too much risk of getting caughtpared to the probability of sess. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I can¡¯t do anything aftering all the way here!¡¯ Then, Amelie was seen moving to another floor. Lira quickly went upstairs and looked in through the window where she could see the child¡¯s room. Amelie seemed to be examining the child, and Serwin was looking at Amelie like that. ¡®He¡¯s monitoring like that again. The damn Emperor¡ª¡¯ Lira gritted her teeth. Is there any way to kidnap Amelie like this? She began to ponder. At that time, Serwin looked out the window. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ Lira quickly hid. ¡®Did I get caught?¡¯ Judging from the fact that an attack has yet to fly, it seemed that she had not been caught. ¡®That damn ghost-like monster.¡¯ When she showed a hint of hostility, he noticed it immediately. ¡®I can¡¯t. It¡¯s impossible to take her.¡¯ It was impossible to find her because she couldn¡¯t enter the Imperial pce, and it was difficult to kidnap her now because of the emperor. ¡®What should I do? Can¡¯t I make Ameliee to me?¡¯ While contemting, Amelie and Serwin came out of the house. Lira immediately utilized a transformation spell. With the sound of ¡®Pong!¡¯, a cat appeared where she was standing. It was a cat with glossy ck fur that resembled Lira¡¯s hair. ¡°Let¡¯s follow them.¡± Lira started running with Charlotte in her mouth. ¡®T, the teeth are touching!¡¯ Charlotte struggled, but Lira neither waited for a response nor cared, and jumped out the window biting Charlotte. ¡®I want to get revenge and go back to being a person! I hate witches the most in the world!¡¯ Ciiiik! Charlotte¡¯s scream was mixed with the sound of the wind and was not heard by anyone. ****** After examining Ellie, Amelie handed Mrs. Enard some of the magic pills she brought. She decided to let her eat them one by one to make sure they worked well. ¡°Then we¡¯ll get going. See you again, Ellie.¡± Amelie got into the carriage and waved at Ellie. ¡°Maybe I should go with you¡ª¡± Amelie told Mrs. Enard to leave work and stay with Ellie today, but Mrs. Enard was unfamiliar with this kind of consideration. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to need someone to attend¡ª of course, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Mrs. Enard was ready to go, even hanging from the back of the carriage. Amelie nced at Ellie. ¡®She¡¯s at the age she wants to be with her mother.¡± Amelie decided to leave Mrs. Enard at her house. ¡®This is the only way to make Mrs. Enard give up.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s not good if Mrs. Enard follows us. It¡¯s been a long time since we had a date, so please let us be alone.¡± Serwin opened his eyes wide. Date? ¡®Please match the rhythm.¡¯ Amelie pulled Serwin¡¯s sleeve and gave him a hint. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. If Mrs. Enard follows us, you¡¯ll get in the way.¡± When Serwin agreed, Mrs. Enard sighed and epted, ¡®I can¡¯t interrupt a date.¡¯ Ellie smiled brightly as she held Mrs. Enard¡¯s hand. Amelie looked pleased at the child¡¯s happy appearance and left Mrs. Enard¡¯s house after being seen off by the two. ****** In the moving carriage, Amelie opened a tour book. The book was full of circles. In the past, when she was trapped in a pce, she checked where she wanted to go. ¡°Where should we go? Is there any ce you want to go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m from here, so I¡¯ll go where you want to go.¡± ¡°Uhm. Roman Bridge is said to be good, and Selice Church is also nearby! If we climb the clock tower here, we can see the capital at a nce. Can we see the Imperial Pce?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be able to see it. It¡¯s higher than the church, and we¡¯ve put magic on it to make it invisible.¡± ¡°There¡¯s magic on it?¡± ¡°Of course. That¡¯s why it¡¯s safe in the imperial pce. People without permission are not allowed in.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Then where should they go? It was difficult to choose because there were so many ces she wanted to go. Amelie decided where to go after much consideration. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the clock tower!¡± ¡°Clock tower? Yeah. It¡¯s good to see the capital at a nce.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± When Amelie nodded enthusiastically, Serwin ordered the coachman to head toward the clock tower. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the clock tower.¡± ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± The coachman drove the carriage to the right and began to turn the corner. And at that moment¡ª. ¡°Agh!¡± The coachman suddenly screamed and stopped the carriage. The carriage was greatly shaken by the sudden stop. Serwin quickly stretched out his arms and wrapped around Amelie. ¡°I, I apologize! I was turning the corner, and I was startled by something flying in mid-air¡ª. I tried to avoid it, but the woman¡ª! I didn¡¯t mean to, ugh, I apologize! Your Majesty, please forgive¡ª!¡± The coachman rambled. Amelie opened the carriage door and looked out. As the coachman said, the carriage was slightly off the road, and a woman copsed in front of the carriage. ¡°Did you hit this person?¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t get to the carriage¡ª she was walking staggering from the other side and nervous¡ª¡± The coachman went into a panic. He made this mistake while carrying the emperor, and he was as good as dead. ¡°Calm down. Let¡¯s take a look at the person first.¡± Amelie got off the carriage and ran to the woman. Serwin followed her, too. ¡°Excuse me, are you okay?¡± The woman was falling forward, but fortunately, she didn¡¯t seem to have been hit by a carriage. Amelie sat next to the woman and looked at her condition. ¡®She didn¡¯t fall because of the carriage. Her fingers are white and herplexion is pale. Does she have anemia?¡¯ Amelie opened the bag. She had several potions in addition to what she had brought to Ellie. ¡®It¡¯s not poison, it¡¯s not an antidote, it¡¯s not traumatic¡ª will this help?¡¯ Amelie¡¯s choice was a recovery pill. Originally, it was brought in preparation for the witch¡¯s attack, but even if the trauma was not serious, it had the effect of replenishing physical strength and enhancing resilience. Amelie held the woman¡¯s upper body and spilled the potion into her mouth. ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s medicine. You have to take it.¡± The woman seemed to have regained consciousness a little, and swallowed the medicine with difficulty. ¡°Your Majesty. Can I move this person to the carriage? It¡¯s cold, it¡¯s not good to lie down all the time.¡± ¡°No need, just send her home.¡± ¡°How do you know her house?¡± Serwin crumpled his face and looked down at the woman. ¡°Do you know her?¡± ¡°I know it well.¡± ¡°Who is she?¡± ¡°Marchioness Lewin.¡± Serwin reluctantly said, as if he didn¡¯t even want to say the name. ¡°Marchioness Lewin?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen her face at a wedding.¡± Serwin was very annoyed. I was very dissatisfied with the fact that Marquis Lewin¡¯s wife, no one else, intervened in the date with Amelie. If he had known he would run into Marchioness Lewin, he would never have taken this path. However, he couldn¡¯t ignore it because they had already met. ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to take her to the Marquis¡¯ mansion.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± When Amelie tried to hold Marchioness Lewin, Serwin stopped her. ¡°Stop it. Let the knights do that.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s no knight.¡± Amelie was about to ask Serwin if he didn¡¯t bring the knights out today, but when she saw the knights popping out from somewhere and quickly moving the Marchioness, she shut her mouth. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Just because you can¡¯t see it doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t have an escort.¡± The emperor¡¯s knights were guarding Amelie even before she left the pce. They only hid because Serwin had ordered them not to reveal themselves so that Amelie wouldn¡¯t mind it. ¡°Wow that was possible, huh.¡± Amelie was amazed. ¡°Now.¡± When Serwin reached out, Amelie stood up holding his hand. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just leave the Marchioness to the knights?¡± He can¡¯t believe he¡¯s going to visit the Marquis¡¯ mansion with his own feet¡ª. Serwin felt bad just thinking about it. ¡°¡ªI¡¯m worried about that. Then should I go by myself?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t. I know what is that ce to go alone.¡± Serwin never intended to let Amelie go alone. ¡®If only the Marchioness is sent, I¡¯ll take care of it all the time.¡¯ Here, he had no choice but to bend. ¡°Okay. Instead, we¡¯ll just drop off the Marchioness ande back right away. If we send the knight first and let the news go, they¡¯ll call the doctor in advance. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Yes! Then it¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Get in the carriage¡±. Amelie ran to the carriage and remembered that there was a basket. ¡®I should take care of that too!¡¯ The basket fell where the Marchioness had fallen. Amelie heard that it was very heavy. ¡®I guess there¡¯s a lot of stuff in there. I shouldn¡¯t have left it.¡¯ Amelie took the basket and ran to the carriage. ***** ¡®Marquis Lewin¡ª Marquis Lewin¡ª¡¯ Amelie recalled the information she got from the novel. Marquis Lewin has maintained a close rtionship with the emperor for generations. Sometimes he led the empire as a strong political partner and sometimes as a political opponent. ¡®Marquis Lewin and Serwin were not very on good terms.¡¯ There were many theories about why the rtionship between the two was bad. Marquis Lewin was quite an important position in the original work. Marquis Lewin was at the peak of various corruption and exploited the people. In particr, they weed Serwin¡¯s tyranny because the more chaos the country was, the better it was to fill their stomachs. Moreover, the ability to read and change the trend was so good that in the second half of the work, it was also the main pir of the rebellion. Renee could not tolerate such Marquis Lewin, so she often shed with him, and after the rebellion, the conflict intensified. ¡®Even though the disaster was solved and everything was ruined!¡¯ Anyway, Marquis Lewin must have been a character that Amelie should be careful of. ¡®But why was Marchioness Lewin alone in such a ce?¡¯ The ce where the Marchioness had fallen was an area famous for being poor. At least on the other side of Mrs. Enard¡¯s street, people with even shabby houses lived. Either way, it wasn¡¯t a ce for a Marchioness to roam alone. ¡°ording to a survey conducted in the past, it is her hobby to distribute food to children in slums.¡± ¡°She¡¯s doing good things.¡± A nobledy who secretly helps the poor. It was a pretty touching story. ¡°What good thing? Who do you think made them poor?¡± Serwin said it sarcastically, but Amelie didn¡¯t mind and looked at the Marchioness. Her slender chin and long, slender neck gave off a pitiful aura, making it seem as if she couldn¡¯t catch even a single insect. ¡®Well. Marquis Lewin has done something wrong for sure.¡¯ In the original story, Marquis Lewin once siphoned off the national treasury in the name of beginning construction in part of the capital for the sake of a local noble, then when the water was contaminated and many young people died, all the nobles who had to punish Lewin were busy covering up the case. Renee came forward and uncovered the truth, but only those involved were punished, and the main actor, Marquis Lewin, leisurely avoided punishment. Considering such a case, it was difficult to see the good deeds of the Marchioness as purely good. It could have been that she was acting falsely to change the image of the Marquis. ¡®As Serwin said, there¡¯s nothing wrong with being careful.¡¯ By the time Amelie came to her conclusion, the carriage had arrived at Marquis Lewin¡¯s mansion. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Marquis Lewin¡¯s mansion was not far from the Imperial Pce. Marquis Lewin is said to be the most powerful among the nobles of the Empire, but his mansion was surprisingly ordinary. The exterior wall, built with white bricks, was gray with traces of time left intact. Uniquely, the pirs of the mansion were dark red, and about half of the pirs were surrounded by ivy vines, giving off a unique impression. ¡®This is one of the oldest mansions in the Empire.¡¯ Since Marquis Lewin is a descendant of the coteral imperial family, the mansion is as old as the empire¡¯s history. Thanks to sending a knight in advance, they were able to enter the mansion right away without wasting time. ¡°Uhm¡ª¡± Just as the carriage stopped in front of the building, Marchioness Lewin started tossing and turning. ¡°We almost arrived. Can you walk?¡± The Marquis nodded as if it was still difficult for her to speak. Serwin got off first and opened the carriage door. Outside the carriage, the butlers and employees were waiting impatiently with their stretchers ready. They were greatly astonished to see the Marchioness, who was unable to control herself properly. ¡°Madam!¡± ¡°Are you alright? Hurry up and help!¡± The Marquis¡¯s maids hurriedly took the Marchioness with them. People who looked like doctors followed them hurriedly. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, because Madam went out without telling anyone¡ª it would have been a disaster if it weren¡¯t for Your Majesty.¡± The butler bowed deeply to express his gratitude. His voice was determined, but he couldn¡¯t hide his hand shaking in fear of Serwin. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who brought her here. If you want to show your gratitude, do it to her.¡± Serwin hurried into the carriage, wondering if it was always so unpleasant to receive a thank-you message. ¡°I hope she will get well soon.¡± Amelie also said goodbye, and she quickly got into the carriage. She promised only to drop off the marquis and leave immediately because her time was suddenly wasted. ¡®Date! You never know when it mighte out again!¡¯ Even before the butler could catch them, the carriage quickly escaped the Marquis mansion. ***** ¡°Then we¡¯re going to the clock tower now, right?¡± Looking at Amelie who was excited, it was unbearable to Serwin. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can go there anymore.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because the sun will set while you are up the clock tower. It¡¯s hard to be wary of the sky at night, so high ces are dangerous.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s true a witch can fly in the sky¡ª¡± ¡°Because we can¡¯t even go up to the tower with all the knights.¡± ¡°How many knights have you hidden?¡± Amelie looked at Serwin with a questioning look. He didn¡¯t drag them all out here, did he? Serwin justughed. ¡°Unfortunately, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. It happened because you were stubborn. Then where should we go?¡± Amelie quickly abandoned her wish to go to the clock tower. Actually, she wanted to go around outside, but the ce was not very important. ¡°How about this ce?¡± Serwin pointed to a street where handicraft craftsmen lived together. It was popr as a dating ce and as a ce to disy and sell goods made by artisans. ¡°Did you ask about good dating spots in advance?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ll like it here.¡± In response to Amelie¡¯s question, Serwin swept at his hair for no reason. ¡®Ah¡­ it¡¯s embarrassing.¡¯ Amelie felt her heart be tickled looking at Serwin like that. ***** The distance to the craftsmen was not far, so they were able to get there quickly. Serwin and Amelie worerge hoodies to cover their faces, but because winter was approaching, their outfits didn¡¯t stand out. ¡°Wow, there¡¯s a stand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what the craftsman¡¯s disciples do to earn pocket money. If you want to buy something from a craftsman, you¡¯d better go into the store.¡± ¡°Can I take a look?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we came here for.¡± Serwin held her hand. ¡°Instead, hand. No one should try to take you again.¡± ¡°Who would do that?¡± Amelie smiled and held his hand. She was so excited that she dragged Serwin to the stand. ¡®Don¡¯t you know that a witch tried to kidnap you?¡¯ It was clear that the witch had other purposes for Amelie. If she had intended to kill Amelie, she would have attacked before she was caught on her own. But she didn¡¯t. It was only after her failure to drag Amelie away that she began her attack. ¡®I¡¯d better leave it as she doesn¡¯t know.¡¯ Even now, she wants to meet Lira again, but if she finds out about this, she might run out of the imperial pce right away. ¡®If that happens, you could really be kidnapped. It¡¯s better to be careful until we know what the witch is up to.¡¯ Ameliecked her sense of crisis, which is sometimes surprisingly enough. As much as she was good, she had a tendency to expect others to be the same. Serwin thought he should protect Amelie even if he overprotected her. ¡°Your Majesty! Look at this. It¡¯s made of ss.¡± Amelie waved Serwin¡¯s hand and said. What she was looking at was covering the real flowers with thin ss. When the artificial light of ss was added to the natural beauty of the real flowers, it felt mysterious. ¡°Do you want to buy it?¡± ¡°What? No. What¡¯s the point of buying this?¡± Amelie had no interest in things that were merely pretty without use. ¡°Let¡¯s go over there.¡± She dragged Serwin to another stand. The owner, who was sitting in a daze, woke up from the chair. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°I made the tapestry small. We weave the fabric ourselves.¡± The owner showed me a loom the size of a palm. ¡°I made it with this.¡± ¡°Ah! I¡¯ve done this before. But¡­ It¡¯s very fascinating. I can¡¯t believe you put it in this detail.¡± Amelie admired the mini tapestry. At one time, it was trendy to do weaving or handloom, so she also tried it. ¡°I had so much fun back then.¡± I remember when I was forced to quit my job as I got busy with work. The damnpany. ¡°Do you like that? I will buy you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to buy it¡ª¡± ¡°Then what about that?¡± Serwin pointed to the loom. ¡°Nevermind. Thank you, I enjoy seeing it.¡± Amelie dragged Serwin out of the stand. She can¡¯t even look at it because he¡¯ll buy it for her whenever she sees something. ¡°You said it was fun to make? Why don¡¯t you buy it and try again?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have enough time to think about getting rid of the disaster. If I make it well, it can have a magical effect, but I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll finish tapestries, so that¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Can tapestries have magic?¡± ¡°Of course. We¡¯re going to make a line from the scriptures or the figure of a demon. If you hang it up, it protects the witch who lives in the house.¡± ¡°Then buy it. You can do itter when you have time.¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Serwin seemed to be disappointed as if he wanted to buy her something. Amelie, who was looking at him, sighed and said while looking at Serwin. ¡°If you want to buy me something, please buy me a thread.¡± ¡°Thread?¡± ¡°I want to make a small thread bracelet. This is also a type of magic, and if you make it with all your heart, it will be effective.¡± The bracelet had minor effects, such as bing slightly stronger to disease resistance and feeling less cold. ¡°I want to make some and give it as gifts.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll buy thread.¡± Serwin was going to buy every thread on this street. Amelie sweated and stopped him. ¡°Everything else is fine, so let¡¯s take a look around slowly, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Amelie was able to watchfortably only after hearing a few more definite answers from Serwin. **** When she returned to the carriage from her tour, Amelie found a basket lying on the floor. It was the Marchioness¡¯ basket. ¡°Oh, I forgot to give this.¡± ¡°Basket?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Marchioness¡¯. I took it because it was on the street but I forgot to give it to her.¡± Amelie picked up the basket. It was heavy. ¡°What¡¯s inside?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see it. Can we open it?¡± ¡°Open it. If you hear something strange, you should throw it away.¡± When I opened the basket, there was a ck cat inside the basket. ¡°Nyaa.¡± The cat cried softly. Amelie stared at the cat. ¡®Does this cat have a unique voice?¡¯ ¡°What did you hear inside?¡± ¡°Did you hear the cat? Is it the Marchioness¡¯ cat? Why is she carrying a cat?¡± ¡°I think she picked it up on the road when she came.¡± ¡°Tok!¡± No! Lira barely endured the moment she almost spoke to someone. ¡®I failed to n because that woman intervened!¡¯ Lira originally nned to approach Amelie disguised as a carriage ident. Up until Charlotte was thrown to the coachman, the n seemed to go smoothly. However, the woman walking around the area copsed in front of the carriage before Lira. The gaze was focused on the woman, and Lira entered the basket. The basket was moved to an unnoticed ce so that Amelie would not be suspected. ¡®I¡¯ve worked so hard¡­ I can¡¯t go back.¡¯ Lira grumbled and groaned. ¡°Are you sick? Did it fall and get hurt?¡± Amelie took Lira out of her basket and looked at her body. She had no injuries, and it didn¡¯t look like her bones were broken. But her cat was shedding tears, so she couldn¡¯t let it go. ¡°Let¡¯s take it to the imperial pce first. I¡¯ll have to go and take a good look.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The carriage began to run toward the imperial pce. Lira smiled wholeheartedly in the basket. ¡®Now I can aim for a time when there is no emperor.¡¯ However, contrary to Lira¡¯s expectations, Serwin never left Amelie¡¯s side. During the day, Amelie followed Serwin to the office, so she didn¡¯t even have a chance to see her face. ¡®If I wait, the opportunity wille.¡¯ She did not give up and instead sat down in Amelie Pce to seek opportunities. ****** Serwin¡¯s office was always quiet as if there were no one. This was because Serwin really disliked loudness. So she couldn¡¯t even hear the sound of a pen or a paper flip. The aides used their own writing if they had anything to say. But not long ago, strange noises began toe in. It was the sound of Amelie gnawing peanuts with her front teeth. ¡®I came all the way here to work!¡¯ She only ate and slept without doing anything special, but she still hated going to work. Amelie put a piece of peanut in her mouth and started peeling a new peanut. Tak. She grabbed the peanuts using four feet and grinded the hard shell with her front teeth. Then she took out the seed and held it in her hand. ¡®It¡¯s hard because my body gets smaller.¡¯ Why can¡¯t I transform into a big animal? Amelie grunted and opened her mouth wide. But then, Serwin tapped his finger. ¡®Oh!¡¯ The peanut that escaped Amelie¡¯s hand fell to the ground in front of her. ¡®What did you do now?¡¯ When Amelie red at Serwin, Serwin chuckled. Even though she had a nk face, it was easy to recognize that she was angry. But heughed because it was cute. ¡®Are youughing? Are youughing right now? Are you ying with food?¡¯ Amelie cupped her tiny arms in front of her chest. Her thin beard shook up and down. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 ¡°Are you bored?¡± Amelie nodded. Serwin stroked Amelie with his finger. ¡°What should I do to make you not bored?¡± ¡®Going home! Let me go home!¡¯ Amelie struggled with her short arms. When her arms were lifted, her body got longer. It was cute again, so Serwin burst intoughter. ¡®¡­Your Majesty must be crazy.¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s talking to a hamster¡ª¡¯ The aides nced at Serwin. From their position, only the back view of the hamster was seen. The fluffy pink hair and round ears somehow resembled Amelie. ¡®Is he even doing that just because that animal looks like Amelie?¡¯ The aides thought Serwin must be crazy. ¡°Your Majesty, Sir Ethan is here.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± When Serwin¡¯s permission was granted, Ethan entered the room. ¡®Sir Ethan!¡¯ When Amelie waved her arm dly, Ethan recognized Amelie and bowed. ¡®You always transform into a chubby thing.¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°The schedule for the Hunting Day¡¯s huntingpetition has been set. As in the previous year, the sinners¡ª¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Serwin hurriedly blocked Ethan¡¯s words and nced at Amelie. Amelie tilted her head. ¡®Is it something I shouldn¡¯t hear? It¡¯s about a huntingpetition.¡¯ Amelie used to listen to more important and confidential reports while working with Serwin, so Serwin¡¯s attitude of being cautious was strange. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about itter¡±. ¡°Yes. I apologize.¡± Ethan bent down and left the room with the documents he had brought. ¡®What is it? Is there anything Sir Ethan prepares before the hunting day?¡¯ Curious, Amelie grabbed Serwin¡¯s finger and asked, but Serwin shook his head and didn¡¯t say anything else. ¡®I guess it¡¯s something I shouldn¡¯t know, right?¡¯ Amelie didn¡¯t ask any more. She didn¡¯t need to know everything rted to Serwin. But after Ethan left, Serwin started to get stranger. He never joked with Amelie, and was often lost in thought while looking at the papers. ¡®It¡¯s strange.¡¯ Serwin was usually strange, but today he was exceptionally strange. ****** A deep night. Even though it was time for everyone to fall asleep, Serwin couldn¡¯t sleep. He only looked down at Amelie¡¯s face as she fell asleep. The gloomy face was surprisingly calm. The good scent from Amelie seduced him into sleep, but he couldn¡¯t sleep. Since meeting Lira, Serwin has suffered from insomnia. Usually, all he did was stay up all night with open eyes, and only when the sun was about to rise, he slept like he had fainted for a moment. ¡®I almost missed her.¡¯ Serwin hugged Amelie tighter. The feeling of his heart pounding was still vivid as an unknown power drew nearer to her. If he hadn¡¯t been holding Amelie¡¯s hand then, she would have been dragged along by Lira. After the incident, he felt uneasy even if he was holding her in his arms. He couldn¡¯t stand the anxiety of not seeing her nearby. No matter how much he endured, he could always feel the distance between them. Of course, he knew that this was nothing to worry about. So he tried to not think about it, but the results were disastrous for him. It was so painful that he couldn¡¯t even remember how he spent the whole day. Clearly, until recently, she was the one who gave him rest. However, from that day onwards, that specialness turned into obsession and pain. Is it because he likes her that much? ¡®What¡¯s wrong with me?¡¯ Serwin didn¡¯t understand his condition. Even though the imperial pce is safe, and she also has the power to protect herself, he still worried she¡¯d be taken away. ¡®But I can¡¯t sleep.¡¯ Serwin was depressed, fiddling with Amelie¡¯s hair. At that moment, he could feel a presence outside the room. He got up carefully so as not to wake Amelie and opened the door to the room. Ethan was standing outside. ¡°Your Majesty, I brought you the data I couldn¡¯t give you earlier. This is a list of sinners to be dealt with on hunting day¡¯s night. They are prisoners of death from all over the country like in previous years. They¡¯re all felons, and their crimes are listed next to them, so you can refer to it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Serwin looked at the files without receiving the list. Ethan noticed that he was hesitating. ¡°Why don¡¯t you spend a normal hunting day like everyone else this year?¡± For Ethan, who assists Serwin, the night of the hunting festival was just as painful as it was for Serwin. ¡°Isn¡¯t Miss Amelie here? You don¡¯t have to force yourself toply with the demands of the disaster.¡± ¡°¡ªAnd what if disasteres up? You know what he¡¯s going to do. He¡¯ll do worse because I broke the promise.¡± ¡°That may be, but it may not appear on the other hand, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Serwin hesitated. He, too, had a painful and terrible night every Hunting Day. However, the atrocities of Hunting Day were necessary to control the disaster. If the promise made to disaster was broken, a terrible thing could happen instead. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t quit even though he regrets it every year. ¡°I can¡¯t take a risk on the fate of the Empire. Prepare it likest year.¡± ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± When Ethan left the room after greeting, Serwin wandered around the room for a while. He couldn¡¯t bear to lie next to her. ¡®What do you mean the fate of the Empire, huh? When did I care about that?¡¯ It was just a usible reason. In fact, he is just afraid of Amelie knowing the truth. ¡®If she finds out who I really am¡ª will she care for me like she does now?¡¯ Serwin was skeptical. Amelie had a personality that couldn¡¯t overlook the suffering of others. So even though she always knew that she would have a hard time, she didn¡¯t hesitate at all to get into someone else¡¯s business. Moreover, he didn¡¯t want to tell her such a dark, self-disgracing story. He showed his darkest past and was also afraid of being rejected. The room was dark and quiet, and the sound of Amelie¡¯s breathing was all that could be heard. There was an illusion that only she and himself remained in the world. Amelie, who fell asleep, looked sofortable that his heart ached. ¡®Even though it¡¯s painful, I don¡¯t want to lose her.¡¯ Let¡¯s hide it thoroughly. He might give up everything if even Amelie saw him as a monster. Regardless of whether the world perishes or not. ****** A few dayster, Amelie was visited by Marchioness Lewin¡¯s maid. She delivered Marchioness Lewin¡¯s letter and went back. It was after Amelie, who followed Serwin to the office, opened the letter and was ready to sleep. The letter said thank you and wanted to meet and greet her in person. ¡°Do you think I should go?¡± Amelie asked Mrs. Enard. ¡°It¡¯s good to take this opportunity to make friends with the Marchioness.¡± Mrs. Enard was positive. ¡°Is that so? Well, but the Marquis has a bad rtionship with His Majesty, right? His Majesty was telling me to be careful of Marquis Lewin, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t have to have a bad rtionship with the Marchioness. I think it¡¯s better to get along with the Marchioness, because His Majesty has a bad rtionship with the Marquis.¡± Mrs. Enard¡¯s words were also convincing. ¡°Besides, the Marchioness is quiet and doesn¡¯t like trouble, so she¡¯ll get along well with Miss Amelie.¡± ¡°I think it would be good to see her once, after hearing that story.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s too much for the two of you to meet alone, how about inviting her to the Imperial Pce?¡± ¡°That sounds good, too.¡± Amelie decided to do as Mrs. Enard said, and replied to Marchioness¡¯ letter. Meanwhile, Serwin changed into pajamas and entered the room. ¡°Your Majesty! I got a letter from Marchioness Lewin.¡± ¡°Did she say she wanted to meet you because she wanted to say thank you?¡± ¡°How did you know that? Did you read the letter?¡± Amelie blinked in surprise. Serwin smiled andughed. ¡°It¡¯s obvious.¡± ¡°Is that so? Anyway, I wondered if I could invite her here. Going to the Marquis mansion is burdensome for me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Serwin unexpectedly allowed it pleasantly. ¡°When do you n to meet? It¡¯s difficult if the meeting oveps.¡± ¡°Am I going with Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Of course. Where else would I go?¡± ¡°Hmm, will it be okay? If Your Majesty was there, everyone would just be looking around. I want them to say what they want to say.¡± ¡°If they can¡¯t say it because I¡¯m there, it won¡¯t be possible for them to say it to you either.¡± Serwin didn¡¯t back down. He stayed up all night with his eyes wide open because he didn¡¯t want Amelie to disappear from sight. But she wants to be alone while meeting with Marchioness Lewin? That was impossible. ¡°Uhm¡ª¡± Suddenly Amelie came up with something interesting. ¡°Then, would you like to transform into an animal, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Transform?¡± Amelie nodded her head. Serwin had a questionable expression on his face. ¡°You say that you are still inexperienced in transformation?¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve never failed to transform others. If you promise to turn into an animal and stay still, I¡¯ll take you to meet the Marchioness.¡± Ameli expected Serwin to refuse, but contrary to her expectations, Serwin began to think seriously. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡®If I transform into a small animal, it will be easier to follow Amelie in the future.¡¯ Just as he puts Amelie in his jacket pocket and goes to work in the office, he will be able to follow Ameliefortably. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Uh, really? If I don¡¯t cancel the transformation you can¡¯t turn back into a human, you know that right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to cancel it, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s, of course¡ª¡± But isn¡¯t he allowing it too easily? When Serwin was too willing to give permission, Amelie was stunned. ¡°¡­What kind of animal do you want to transform into?¡± ¡°It would be better to be on the smaller side for me to hide. Just like you, like a bird.¡± Serwin, who had mistakenly transformed into a bird, came to mind for Amelie. Only his eyes sparkled, and his entire body was ck. A bird. It will be visible even from a distance. ¡®Hmm, that¡¯s not right.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s just do a dog. It¡¯s okay if dogs are a little scary.¡± ¡°Dog is fine.¡± Serwin was also convinced. If it was a dog, it wouldn¡¯t be awkward to follow her, and it¡¯s not bad because he can attack if he wants. ¡°Then did you give me permission? Do I really do it?¡± ¡°Do it.¡± However, Amelie hesitated because she was nervous to do it. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s really okay?¡± ¡°Are you not confident?¡± When Serwin smiled and asked back, Amelie shouted. ¡°No! I can do it! I¡¯ll show you my magic skills right now.¡± Amelie grabbed Serwin¡¯s wrist, put him in bed, and stood in front of him. ¡®This way, even if I fail, he will be less hurt.¡¯ She took a light and deep breath. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 ¡°I will do it.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± As Amelie chanted the spell, there was a popping sound and Serwin felt dizzy. As his field of vision lowered, he felt an unfamiliar sensation in his hips. He seemed to have developed a wiggly-tail. ¡°Wow.¡± Amelie was amazed. Transformation magic was a sess. Serwin became a very nice dog. He had the build and appearance of a German Shepherd or Doberman, and his fur was shiny, ck. ¡°Handsome people look handsome even when they transform into dogs.¡± Woof! Serwin¡¯s tail turned like crazy. ¡°Are you happy to hearpliments?¡± Amelie smiled and patted Serwin¡¯s back. His golden eyes were the same as when he was a human, but he was less intimidating because he was in the form of a dog. ¡®Or it could be because the tail is spinning like a windmill.¡¯ Serwin went round and round to look at his own body. When he transformed into an animal, he felt different senses than before too. His eyesight was getting a little dull and his color vision looked weird, but his sense of smell and hearing seemed to have be more sensitive. ¡®Amelie¡¯s scent has grown stronger.¡¯ Serwin pounded his nose against Amelie¡¯s body. He felt the urge to jump into her arms. ¡®I can¡¯t do such a shameful thing.¡¯ However, his body faithfully followed its instincts. He thumped against Amelie, moved up and down, and eventually fell into her arms. It looked like a real dog, so Amelie burst intoughter. ¡°This should be kept as a video. Ah, too bad.¡± Amelie hugged Serwin and stroked him. It felt good to hug him because he was big. Serwin blinked slowly. It was sofortable and cozy that he started to fall asleep. ¡®I can¡¯t sleep.¡¯ But his eyes were getting heavier. He hadn¡¯t slept well for several days, and the temptation to sleep was too strong for him. He stretched out his body. ¡°Are you sleepy?¡± He shook his head. ¡°If you¡¯re sleepy, you can sleep, why are you holding on?¡± Amelie stroked Serwin¡¯s neck. ¡®I, I can¡¯t¡ª¡¯ It would have been nice to get away from her, but it felt too good to do that. ¡°Okay, okay. Let¡¯s lie down.¡± Amelie lifted the spell whileying Serwin in bed. Serwin, now a human, identallyid in bed obediently like he still had some dog instincts. ¡°Amelie¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯m going to sleep, too.¡± Amelie alsoy down next to Serwin. Serwin turned to her and hugged her. Then he pressed his head against Amelie¡¯s. ¡®You¡¯re doing it again. Is it bing a sleeping habit?¡¯ It was a little ufortable, but she didn¡¯t hate it. Amelie moved into afortable position in his arms. Serwin¡¯s arms were wide, and he held her so often, she easily got used to it. ¡°Good night.¡± Serwin nodded instead of answering. Soon after, a calm breathing sound was heard. ¡®I have no choice but to write a letter to Marchioness Lewin tomorrow. Oh, I should add that the cat is doing well.¡¯ Amelie, who was thinking of what to write in the letter, quickly fell asleep. ****** When the Marchioness replied dly that she woulde to the imperial pce, Amelie¡¯s pce began to be busy preparing for a tea party. She couldn¡¯t prepare in a simple way just because she sent a letter saying that she wanted to have a conversation while drinking tea. The servants prepared harder because the opponent was the Marchioness and it shouldn¡¯t be said that the imperial pce wasgging behind a noble family. In order to create a natural look that doesn¡¯t seem too strong, they decorated everywhere with real flowers, and carefully chose matching tableware and linens. It is more difficult to show wealth secretly, so even Mrs. Enard suffered quite a bit. Caroline and M¡¯s dressing room staff came in the morning to decorate Amelie. Her hair was made fuller by emphasizing the curls, and her side hair was ponytailed into halves. A small flower-shaped hairpin was attached to fix it. The dress was light pink, and it was a cute style with a ribbon tied under the puff sleeves. The skirt was spread wide in an A-line, and a ribbon was tied at the waist to emphasize the slender waist. White flowers were embroidered on top of the clothes, adding to the loveliness. Amelie, dressed so sweetly, was with a ck dog all the time. ¡®No one knows that¡¯s Serwin.¡¯ Except for Amelie, Milena, and Mrs. Enard, no one else knew that Serwin had turned into a dog, but strangely, people feared Serwin even as a dog. It was such amotion that it was hard just to sit still. ¡®He¡¯s only cute in my eyes.¡¯ He sits quietly and wags his tail. What¡¯s scary about him? Amelie didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Amelie, the Marchioness has passed through the main gate.¡± The maid announced the news. She added with a very troubled face. ¡°But she¡¯sing together with Young Lady Serina.¡± ¡°Why did shee here?¡± Mrs. Enard and Milena made an expression at the same time. Amelie had been humiliated at Renia¡¯s tea party. Serina, who was there with her, was also hostile to Amelie. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear the details, but it seems that Lady Serina has forced her mother to let her follow. I could tell that the Marchioness was ufortable.¡± The maid¡¯s voice gradually became smaller in the intimidating atmosphere. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Young Lady Serina?¡± ¡°Does Marchioness Lewin really have no choice but to bring her? Could it be that the two of them nned something together?¡± Mrs. Enard and Milena made several spections to relieve some of their ambiguous unease. ¡°The Marchioness ising to say thank you, so what could happen?¡± Amelie smiled and spoke lightly, but inside was anxious that Serwin just might bite Serina¡¯s leg. ¡°Let¡¯s meet them first. Mrs.Enard please prepare a ce setting for Young Lady Serina, too.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hear what kind of trick it is.¡± Milena prepared herself as if she would not let go of anything. ***** When Amelie arrived at the parlor, Marchioness Lewin and Serina, who had been waiting, greeted her. ¡°Thank you for inviting me. It¡¯s only right for me to personally thank my benefactor.¡± Marchioness Lewin bowed her knees to greet Amelie. ¡°I invited you in a way I wasfortable with. I¡¯m sorry to call you out even though you weren¡¯t feeling well.¡± ¡°No, thanks to Miss Amelie¡¯s good treatment, I¡¯m in a very good condition now.¡± Marchioness Lewin said with a smile. Her cheeks were pale, and her expression hazy. She was a little better than when she fell, but she still looked sick. She was wearing a thick cloak and a fur scarf. Although it was very cold, she was a little overdressed. ¡®You must be a weak person from the beginning.¡¯ When she thought of Marchioness Lewin, she thought of a vicious and cunning person, but it¡¯s the exact opposite in reality. ¡°Excuse me, Marchioness, Miss Amelie.¡± Serina intervened cautiously. She was very careful as she was conscious that she wasn¡¯t in a position to intervene. ¡°Oh, you know Young Lady Serina well, right? I was going toe alone, but the Young Lady wanted toe with me¡ª¡± Marchioness Lewin looked up at Amelie. She looked very troubled. Serina continued to talk, reading the Marchioness¡¯ troubles. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interfere with the two of you meeting, I can¡¯t enter the Imperial Pce unless I¡¯m with my younger brother but I wanted to meet Miss Amelie somehow.¡± Serina forced herself to smile. She also seemed very ufortable and awkward in this situation. ¡®Why were you asking to meet me so much?¡¯ Amelie was wondering, but first she guided the two inside. The tea party was set up in the center hall on the second floor. nt pots and real flowers were brought there and used to create a greenhouse-like atmosphere. ordingly, it became afortable and luxurious space when wooden ornaments with living grain were brought and ceiling decorations made of ss were hung. ¡°Oh my, the view outside the window is really nice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the forest that¡¯s around here.¡± ¡°I like this natural forest more than the garden that was built.¡± ¡°Please sit down. Young Lady Serina too.¡± Amelie rmended that they sit, the round table was spacious enough for three people. She hurriedly prepared a ce for Serina, but fortunately, it was not obvious that it was ast minute addition. As the three of them sat down, Milena followed and brought the tea, the scent of tea spread softly. ¡°Last time, I couldn¡¯t even say hello because I wasn¡¯t in a good condition. My name is Esther Lewin.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m d the Marchioness is safe. I¡¯m Amelie Bourbon. Thank you foring today. Young Lady Serina, too.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The two of you must be close. Calling each other by their first names.¡± ¡°Ah? Young Lady Serina¡¯s name was Serina?¡± Amelie thought it was the family name. ¡°It¡¯s Serena Bowen. My father is Count Bowen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Everyone calls Young Lady Serina so¡ª.¡± Even the maid told Amelie that she was Young Lady Serina. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ As Amelie looked at Milena, Milena shrugged slightly. Milena wanted to one day get revenge on Serina for ignoring Amelie without introducing herself properly. That¡¯s why she made the servants call ¡®Young Lady Bowen¡¯ ¡®Young Lady Serina¡¯ on purpose. So that Amelie doesn¡¯t know her family name. Looking at Serina¡¯s embarrassed face and Marchioness Lewin¡¯s pitiful expression, Milena seemed to be losing her ten-year-old congestion. ¡°No, I¡¯m in a situation where I¡¯m more sorry¡ª¡± Serina¡¯s face got darker. It was toote to introduce herself, and when she didn¡¯t introduce herself properly the first time her name was left ambiguous. ¡®I didn¡¯t know what happened back then would be an obstacle in the future.¡¯ Serina regretted her childish behavior of trying to beat Ameliete, but it already happened. In addition, Serina decided to be more brazen because it was not something she could usually pretend to not be ashamed by. ¡®It¡¯s all to save the family. it¡¯s okay.¡¯ The moment Serina was about to talk to Amelie, the ck dog began to spit and snarl towards Serina. Grr. ¡®That¡¯s what happened.¡¯ Until now, Serwin had no idea how Amelie was treated at Renia¡¯s tea party. This was because Amelie kept Milena and anyone else who knew from telling him. Serwin, who only knew the situation through Serina¡¯s reaction and situation, had a hard time holding back his rising anger. Grrrrr. Serwin showed his teeth and growled. When the dog, who had been calm like a doll, behaved threateningly, Serina was terrified. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that dog! S, stop it!¡± Serina rose from her chair in a hurry. ¡°Calm down.¡± Amelie shushed him, but Serwin kept growling, revealing more sharp teeth. ¡°Or I¡¯ll kick you out.¡± As Amelie whispered while stroking Serwin¡¯s head, Serwin made a squeaky sound and lowered his ears. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay now.¡± Serina didn¡¯t take her eyes off Serwin as if anxious. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you tie it somewhere?¡± Amelie smiled awkwardly. No matter how much of a dog he became, she couldn¡¯t put a leash around the Emperor¡¯s neck. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 ¡°Ah right, I prepared something for you. Will you take it?¡± As if to change the awkward atmosphere, Marchioness Lewin pushed out the box brought by the maid. ¡°It¡¯s alright¡ª everyone would have helped the Marchioness in that situation.¡± ¡°But if you get help, you have to pay back. I hope you like it.¡± The Marchioness¡¯ maid opened the box and showed Amelie the contents of the box. Inside, there were pearls the size of her fingernails. Amelie was taken aback by the bright color. ¡°This is a bit too much. I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± How much are they? Amelie was very burdened. ¡°The Marquis family¡¯s specialty is pearls, right? The Marchioness¡¯ sincerity is also there, so take it.¡± Serina encouraged me from the side. ¡°No, but still¡ª¡± Amelie asked Serwin for help. ¡®Can I really take it?¡¯ ¡®You should take that. The Marchioness¡¯ is a person who knows etiquette.¡¯ Serwin bit Ameli¡¯s sleeve and shook it. If Amelie didn¡¯t answer, he was going to take the box himself. Amelie looked at Mrs. Enard and Milena, too. Both of them winked at me to receive it quickly. ¡°¡­Then I will be grateful to receive it.¡± Amelie reluctantly receives the box and hands it over to Milena. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it separately.¡± As Milena carried the box, Marchioness Lewin began to smile and talk. ¡°I want to take this opportunity to get close to Miss Amelie. The gift might have been a little excessive. I don¡¯t even go out to parties, so I don¡¯t have a chance to make friends.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I¡¯ve never seen you at a party.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not feeling well, so some ces where there are a lot of people are a bit¡ª.¡± Amelie nodded. If she¡¯s weak, it¡¯s better to be careful in crowded ces. After that, the tea party went smoothly. Marchioness Lewin was interested in herbs, so she had a good conversation with Amelie. Serina was a topic she wasn¡¯t interested in, but she worked hard to get into the conversation. Serwin was observing the two, with his ears pricked up. ¡®There must be a Marquis behind the Marchioness. What are you up to?¡¯ He was suspicious of the Marchioness. Is it really a coincidence that the Marchioness was lying there that day? Marquis Lewin was a man who could create coincidences like this. ¡®If I wait, I will know what the purpose is.¡¯ However, he just hoped that Amelie didn¡¯t get too close with the Marchioness. ¡®I can watch the Marchioness time by time. What¡¯s your n?¡¯ Serwin looked at Serena. She was eagerly participating in the conversation and responding, but from the constant nce at Amelie, it was clear that she had a different purpose. When he heard her nervous expression and trembling voice, it seemed as if she wanted to ask Amelie something. ¡®What happened with Count Bowen? It may be just a favor, though.¡¯ Unlike his predecessor, who was famous for his integrity and purity, the present Count Bowen has a slightly secr side, so it was a story that was likely enough. ¡®It¡¯s not a threat, so there¡¯s no need to worry in advance.¡¯ Then, let¡¯s take a leisurely look at Amelia. Serwin rxed andy down. When he crossed his front foot and put his chin on it, he felt veryfortable. In that state, he looked up at Amelie. He always looked down at her, and it felt new to look up. The sunlighting in from the window shone on Amelie. Amelie¡¯s mint-colored eyes were fresh like grass leaves in the morning. Amelie was good at speaking andughing. She was shy, but maybe because she didn¡¯t hate people, it seemed to suit her well. Serwin couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her. Unlike an anxious night, he kept smiling. ¡®I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d get along so well.¡¯ When he brought her to the Imperial pce, he didn¡¯t know she would adapt so well. He thought she would fluster because she was intimidated in front of the nobles, but she was doing better than he imagined. Contrary to her appearance, Amelie had a determined mind. Her foolishly good disposition was only possible because she was a strong and determined person. Serwin loved Amelie¡¯s point of view. ¡®That expression is cute, too.¡¯ Whatever Serina said, Amelie furrowed her eyebrows. Despite Mrs. Enard¡¯s rigorous education, Amelie often didn¡¯t hide her feelings like this, and Serwin liked even her clumsiness. He liked the trembling shoulders whenever sheughed out loud, and he also liked the habit of nodding her head when talking. She also loved the narrow corners of her lips and the eyes that looked up at him. It was cute to be quick-witted, and at the same time, it was also good to be relentless. Whenever he yed a joke, she cursed with her eyes, but when that happened, he didn¡¯t want to let go with a tight hug. ¡®I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever yed pranks when I was young.¡¯ Serwin, who has been a Crown Prince since birth and became an Emperor at a young age, has never yed childish pranks until now. There was no opponent who wasfortable enough to joke around. ¡®Why are you so special to me?¡¯ Serwin grumbled and groaned. Amelie smiled and looked at him. ¡°Are you bored?¡± Serwin shook his head. ¡®What should I say if I don¡¯t have time to get bored because I¡¯m looking at your face?¡¯ He could recall her reaction even with his eyes closed. ¡®Your face will turn red and you will roll your eyes to avoid staring. Then our eyes will meet and you will blink those big eyes nonstop.¡¯ In his imagination, she was very lovely. He impulsively wants to tell her all about it. ¡®Should I say that it¡¯s a relief that I¡¯m transforming into a dog?¡¯ ¡°Hang in there.¡± Amelie whispered softly and stroked the back of his neck. The smile she showed was different from the smile she showed to the Marchioness. It was more like the first time he met her in the Fidelia forest. It was afortable yet friendly smile that was closer to her original appearance. ¡®Only to me.¡¯ Serwin¡¯s heart beat faster. It¡¯s just a trivial act, but what makes his heart so happy? Is she giving it to him only? Did she save him from disaster? It wasn¡¯t. Now, this feeling was not like gratitude or relief. It was a more special feeling. Flowing from his chest and not from his head. ¡®This is the first time.¡¯ Serwin didn¡¯t know what to call this feeling, so he was very confused. ***** After the tea party, Amelie saw Serena and Marchioness Lewin off. Serina was restless and wanted to keep saying something, but she eventually returned after reading the countenance of Marchioness Lewin. ¡®What was it?¡¯ Amelie didn¡¯t know what the reason for Serina hade to her. ¡®If it¡¯s something she has to say, she¡¯lle back again.¡¯ Amelie cleared her thoughts on Serina and looked at Serwin. The dignified ck dog was looking up at her, wagging its tail. Amelie swept Serwin¡¯s forehead. It was very lovely to see his eyes narrowing as his ears lean back. ¡®That¡¯s why Serwin often pats me.¡¯ Amelie smiled and asked Serwin. ¡°Should we take a walk like this?¡± However, Serwin shook his head. It was better to be a person to hold hands and talk. ¡°Then let¡¯s go inside.¡± Amelie tried to enter the building with Serwin. But she heard someone running from behind her back. ¡°Young Lady Bowen?¡± Turning her head, Serina was running towards Amelie. She said to Amelie while gasping for her breath. ¡°Wait, I want to talk to you¡ª. Will it be okay? I won¡¯t take a lot of time.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine¡ª. Shall we take a walk?¡± Amelie began walking along the trail with Serina. Between the two, Serwin walked with his tail wagging. ¡°First of all, I wanted to say I¡¯m sorry. It was at a tea party. At that time, Young Lady Renia ordered me to do it, but I regret it forever.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I wanted to apologize properly, but I didn¡¯t have a chance¡ªI will apologize now. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Serina bowed her back deeply. Even with the polite apology, Amelie trembled. ¡®Are you trying to pretend you don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on at the Imperial Pce party?¡¯ Does she think that she doesn¡¯t know that Serina and Renia were involved? She shouldn¡¯t just move on like that. ¡°That¡¯s not the only thing that Young Lady should be sorry about.¡± Amelie pretended to be angry. ¡°Yes?¡± Serina was greatly embarrassed. Even when she was overtly ignored at the tea party, she didn¡¯t get angry and didn¡¯t even tell Serwin, so she thought that if she bowed a little like this, she would ept her apology. ¡®Why are you getting angry?¡¯ Angry Amelie was pretty scary. Serina shrank her shoulders. ¡°What¡ªif you exin in detail what you¡¯re talking about¡ª¡±. ¡°At the Imperial Pce party. You pulled my dress on purpose.¡± ¡°T, that¡¯s¡ª¡± Serina¡¯s eyes got bigger. She didn¡¯t know Amelie even knew about it. ¡°That¡¯s because Young Lady Renia ordered me to¡ª¡± Serina stuttered and made excuses. But Amelie didn¡¯t want to hear any excuses. ¡°Did you follow the Marchioness to say that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡ª¡± Serina hesitated for a moment. It wasn¡¯t in the mood to ask for a favor, but if it wasn¡¯t now, she might never see Amelie again. ¡°I actually want to ask you a favor.¡± Serina said with courage. ¡°All of a sudden?¡± Amelie opened her eyes wide and asked back, and Serina boiled her knees in front of Amelie. ¡°Please help my family. Please, Miss Amelie.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Amelie was taken aback. She couldn¡¯t understand why she asked her to do something to Count Bowen. ¡®Did Serwin take revenge?¡¯ Amelie looked at Serwin. He shook his head as if he didn¡¯t know anything. ¡°Actually, a letter has beening to me for a while. In the meantime, my father or I have made a few minor mistakes, and they¡¯re trying to threaten me.¡± Amelie noticed that their mistake was never trivial, but she listened to Serina without saying much. ¡°It must have been His Majesty¡¯s orders. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be able to know in detail.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that too spective?¡± ¡°No! There are Young Ladies who received simr threatening letters like me. They¡¯re all Young Ladies from a family close to Count Manvers.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°His Majesty, you are getting rid of the families of the Manvers faction. The families of the Young Ladies who received the letter are all being used of crimes and being detained or their property confiscated.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that because theymitted a crime worth it?¡± ¡°But our Count Bowen family is different from other Manvers factions¡¯ families. We didn¡¯t do anything bad. I swear on my grandfather¡¯s honor.¡± ¡°Then can¡¯t you just rx because you will be safe?¡± ¡°This is political retaliation. His Majesty is managing the aristocratic powers himself. Our family is only unfairly linked. Miss Amelie, please help us.¡± Amelie looked at Serwin. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 ¡®Is it true what Young Lady Serina is saying?¡¯ Serwin shook his head. ¡®Count Bowen has nothing to do with it.¡¯ ¡®Then why is Young Lady Serina like this?¡¯ ¡®I guess someone has a grudge. Let¡¯s just call the knights and kick her out.¡¯ Amelie grabbed Serena¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Get up for now. I will look into what you said and write a letter.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just looking into it. There¡¯s nothing else I can do. His Majesty is the one who will make the decision.¡± ¡°His Majesty will help Miss Amelie with anything you ask. Please speak well to him.¡± Amelie hardened her face. It urred to her that Serina¡¯s shamelessness was too much. ¡°You really have no shame. Are you hiding your faults and being rude to me and His Majesty?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­ I¡¯m sorry if it offended you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look into what you said and write to youter. Go back now.¡± Amelie turned coldly and took a step towards the pce. ¡°Ah, Miss Amelie!¡± Woof, woof! Serina tried to follow Amelie but couldn¡¯t out of fear of the big ck dog Serwin, who barked at her with his fangs showing, and began to sob from fear. ¡®Uh¡­ Why are you crying?¡¯ Amelie was very concerned about what was going on behind her, but she walked firmly looking forward. ***** Returning to the bedroom, Amelie turned Serwin back into a human. She was sad when his tail, which had been spinning around frantically, disappeared. ¡®It was cute though.¡¯ Amelie looked at Serwin¡¯s hair for no reason. It was really cute that every time she patted his head, his ears tilted back. ¡°As expected, it¡¯s good to be a human. How frustrated I was because I couldn¡¯t talk.¡± Serwin sat down on the sofa. ¡°Sit down.¡± He stared at Amelie. He returned as a person, but his golden eyes were not very different from when he was a dog. The sharp eyes somehow looked round. ¡®Cute.¡¯ Amelie was taken aback by the thought and was startled. He looks cute even with that size and those bloody eyes! There must be something wrong with her eyes! Amelie rubbed her eyes with her hand. ¡°Amelie?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Amelie sat opposite Serwin. ¡°By the way, what does Young Lady Serina mean?¡± ¡°Ah, that thing.¡± Serwin began to exin the whole story to Amelie step by step. ¡°Last time, Young Lady Manvers¡¯ took the data on the Count¡¯s corruption as evidence, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There are also other aristocrats involved in the Manvers¡¯ faction. I am pruning based on that.¡± ¡°Pruning?¡± It was an unfamiliar word for Amelie. Serwin thought for a moment about how to exin. ¡°The nobles of the empire arergely divided into four factions. Bureaucratic factions centered on Marquis Lewin, Count Manvers, Duke Odorus, and Baron Avery.¡± ¡°Yes. I learned that from Mrs. Enard.¡± The four factions maintained their power by keeping each other in check and cooperating. It was the bnce that Serwin had built for his entire life as emperor. ¡°The power of each faction varies from time to time. If one side bes too strong, the other forces are threatened, that¡¯s why we need to reduce their power to an appropriate level, which is called pruning.¡± Serwin used to control the distribution of power by punishing people belonging to a particr faction, expelling them to their estates, or reducing their business. ¡°So that¡¯s why Young Lady Bowen was so stressed, because the pruning target is the factions supporting Count Manvers.¡± ¡°Yeah. Their power grew so much while I was away. As the Count Manvers¡¯ faction grows, the powers of Baron Avery and Duke of Odorus usually shrink. So I started pruning.¡± ¡°What about Count Bowen?¡± ¡°Not with Bowen. Recently, he has been lining up in the Manvers faction with his daughter, but he is originally from the Duke faction. His son is also a young bureaucrat working in the Ministry of the Internal Affair, and he is a part of the Duke Odorus faction.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like being half in and half out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Count Bowen was excluded from pruning because the Duke¡¯s power shouldn¡¯t decrease.¡± Moreover, Count Bowen¡¯s father, the former Count, was a respected schr. He was a difficult opponent to meddle with. ¡°But you¡¯re the one who sends threatening letters in the first ce on my behalf?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Amelie agreed. What would Serwin gain by doing so? He can just ask the heads to punish any young women who may have offended her. ¡°But I can¡¯t believe that the target of pruning is the same as the family of Young Lady who received the threat letter. It¡¯s not just a coincidence.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s ufortable to pass it off as an ident. I¡¯ll have to do some investigating. If the list leaked out it¡¯s a serious problem.¡± ¡°Who sent this letter?¡± Then, Milena carefully raised her hand. Serwin looked at Milena and nodded. It was a gesture to speak quickly. ¡°Milena?¡± Milena said, bowing her head. ¡°I sent that letter.¡± ¡°You did?¡± Amelie was startled. Milena walked to Amelie, shoulders hunched like a guilty child. ¡°Why did you send such a letter?¡± ¡°They ignored Miss Amelie at the tea party.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± ¡°What do you mean what¡¯s wrong with it? You have to get revenge! How can you stay still? Theypletely betrayed Amelie¡¯s favor! They have to taste the bitterness of life when ites to things like that!¡± Milena began to tell Amelie one by one of the things she had done in the meantime. As she watched Amelie get hurt, she was determined not to let everyone in the room sit still. As Amelie would not approve, the revenge took ce in secret. Using her specialty, she collected random information about the Young Ladies attending the tea party. About them, their friends, their surroundings, even family problems. Most of the people of the Manvers faction had simr values and personalities to Count Manvers, so the more she dug, the bigger the ws she found. ¡°They did a lot of things. Don¡¯t they have an affair with a maid¡¯s husband or steal things from a jewelry store? I didn¡¯t have enough space to write all their sins on the letter, so I had to choose a few evil deeds.¡± Milena sent her carefully selected threats in an anonymous letter, and the Young Ladies who received her letter went into panic. ¡°At first, I thought they would try to find out who sent the letter, and they would question where the information came from.¡± Since they mostly had rtionships for the benefit of their families, there was no such thing as loyalty to each other as friends. ¡°If they fight with each other like that, and uncover each other¡¯s faults, they think they will destroy themselves¡­¡± Meanwhile, Serwin¡¯s pruning began, and Milena had no choice but to stop her revenge before it wasplete. ¡°Then, did the families of those who received the threatening letter ovep with those that were pruned?¡± ¡°Young Lady Manvers only invited Young Ladies from families close to the Count. The people gathered at the tea party are naturally members of families deeply belonging to the Manvers faction. Your Majesties pruning targets and the tea party invitee¡¯s inevitably ovep.¡± ¡°So, of those who received the threatening letter, Count Bowen is not the only one to be eliminated.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°No matter how rude they were, it¡¯s a threatening letter. You can¡¯t send things like that.¡± ¡°They¡¯re asking for it. If they hadn¡¯t done bad things in the first ce, they wouldn¡¯t have been threatened¡­¡± ¡°Milena!¡± Amelie shouted at Milena, who wiggled her hands. If it wasn¡¯t for Serwin, the scolding would have been perfectly sessful. ¡°Why are you scolding her? She¡¯s doing a good job. Your maid is loyal. It¡¯s also the maid¡¯s job to deal with the person who insulted her master.¡± Serwin was very satisfied. He was worried that they had gone too far to the gentle Amelie, but he was d that her maid was so sharp. ¡°Your Majesty! You can¡¯t praise her! Don¡¯t do that again, Milena.¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident that I won¡¯t get caught.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not important whether you get caught or not. You can¡¯t threaten anyone in any situation!¡± Amelie opened her eyes wide. Milena bowed her head again. She was discouraged to see Amelie truly angry for the first time. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I have to write a letter to Young Lady Bowen so she doesn¡¯t have to worry, so please prepare it.¡± Milena left the room with a sullen face. It was the first time she was scolded by Amelie, so the shock was even greater. But afterwards she still didn¡¯t regret it. If they hadn¡¯t been ignoring Amelie from the start or ming her, she wouldn¡¯t have written a threatening letter. Serwin agreed with Milena¡¯s thoughts. ¡®They¡¯re asking for it.¡¯ But he kept his mouth shut. It was because he realized through experience that Amelie is quite scary when she¡¯s angry. Amelie started writing letters to Serina. There was no Count Bowen on Serwin¡¯s list, so it was meant to be reassuring. She tried to write frankly, but she couldn¡¯t bear to write that Milena had sent her a threatening letter. She did it to protect Milena and also not to be falsely used of ordering the letters herself. ¡®My conscience hurts¡­¡¯ Amelie struggled to deceive even when just writing a letter. Watching her figure, Milena vowed to protect Amelie more meticulously and thoroughly in her future. ***** On the other hand, Serina couldn¡¯t believe it when she received Amelie¡¯s letter. ¡®His Majesty won¡¯t touch Count Bowen? There¡¯s no way!¡¯ Then, what happened! Why is Count Bowen¡¯s business getting difficult! Serina remembered Amelie getting very angry at the end. ¡°That¡¯s true. There¡¯s something I¡¯ve done.¡± If she could help her after such a thing, she would be a real pushover. ¡®Because she¡¯s angry with me, I have to make up for it. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll help my family when her anger is relieved.¡¯ However, Serina was at a loss for how to get forgiveness from Amelie. ¡®What does Amelie need? I should give her what she wants.¡¯ Serina fell into trouble. She won¡¯t ept jewelry or money, and she won¡¯t need it. The emperor is giving away all his personal wealth. ¡®However, Amelie showed interest in¡­¡¯ Serina remembered that she had run into Amelie¡¯s maid a few days ago. ¡®Did she say she was interested in the anomalies of the Imperial Pce?¡¯ She also asked the emperor to receive rted data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. ¡®Should I collect some data on that? If I ask my grandfather¡¯s disciples, I can give her more detailed information than the Ministry of Internal Affairs¡­ If it is not satisfactory, it will at least be an expression of sincerity.¡¯ She wondered if this would work, but she couldn¡¯t think of anything that would suit Amelie¡¯s taste. ¡®Yeah, I have to do something!¡¯ Serina began to write letters to people who could help her. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 As the hunting day drew nearer, Serwin¡¯s face grew darker. Amelie was worried about him and asked Serwin what was going on, but he only replied that he was okay, so there was nothing she could do. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with you that you¡¯re not saying anything?¡¯ Amelie was worried, but also a little disappointed. Originally, she knew that Serwin wasn¡¯t the kind of person who talked about his thoughts and things to others, but she felt strangely ufortable. While she was holding herself together, she heard the news that a letter from Renia had arrived from her maid. After dinner, Amelie began to read her letter. The letter contained an answer to what she had asked Renia the other day. Renia said she stillmunicates with the olddy who worked in the imperial pce for a long time. The olddy was a woman who became an Imperial maid during Serwin¡¯s grandfather, and she retired more than a decade ago and spent the rest of her life traveling. Renia said she would never meet strangers, but she decided toe to the capital. ¡®The problem is that day is also Hunting Day¡­¡¯ The olddy returned to the capital¡¯s house only around hunting day. Because of Renia¡¯s schedule, it was difficult to take a ce unless it was a hunting day. ¡®I was going to follow Serwin around¡­ It gotplicated.¡¯ Amelie turned into a hamster that day and tried to follow him in the front pocket of his jacket. She didn¡¯t talk to Serwin, but she had been secretly trying to keep an eye on him because he seemed unusually unstable these days. ¡®And Serwin can¡¯t follow me either.¡¯ The Emperor was obliged to attend the huntingpetitions on Hunting Day every year. ¡°Your Majesty, Young Lady Renia ising to the capital for a while. We were supposed to meet then, but it¡¯s a hunting day. I was going to follow Your Majesty, but I¡¯m meeting with Young Lady Renia for something important¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Amelie doubted her ears. It¡¯s okay? About what? ¡°You don¡¯t like hunting. If you¡¯re next to me, you¡¯d have to watch everything about hunting. In that case, it¡¯s better to meet the Young Lady Manvers.¡± ¡°Will it be okay?¡± ¡°What else wouldn¡¯t be okay?¡± ¡°Being apart from me makes you feel anxious.¡± Serwin, who was writing down, stopped his hand for a moment. Serwin continued to talk, moving his hands again as if nothing had happened. ¡°I can¡¯t force and take you if you don¡¯t want to. The hunting ground is much more cruel and dangerous than you think. It¡¯smon to shoot arrows at someone you hate pretending to be a mistake. I¡¯m more relieved that you remain in the imperial pce.¡± ¡°Yes..¡± Amelie nodded her head. He was a person who put Amelie¡¯s safety first, and the anxiety he felt was also due to safety. There was no contradiction in his words. ¡®But I thought you stopped just now¡­¡¯ The appearance was strangely stuck in her mind. However, it was ambiguous to consider that part. Amelie decided to put off the ufortable feeling for a while. ¡°Then I should write a reply to Renia.¡± ¡°Do it. If she¡¯s behaving badly, be sure to tell me, and, oh, thest time I saw you, I might as well tell your maid. She¡¯s very reliable.¡± ¡°I told Milena never to do that again. Please don¡¯t praise her for strange things.¡± Amelie opened her green eyes. Serwin smiled and made eye contact with the ck cat staring at them. Lira did something else by licking her front paws. ¡°Are you going to keep that cat here?¡± ¡°Oddly enough, it is said that it¡¯s not the cat the Marchioness was raising. There don¡¯t seem to be any injuries¡­ But I don¡¯t want to release what I picked up again. It will get colder there.¡± ¡°Nyaah.¡± Lira acted cute as she passed between Amelie¡¯s legs. ¡°Can I raise it?¡± ¡°You can do that if you want.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll raise one.¡± Amelie stroked Lira¡¯s neck. Lira opened her eyes like a real cat and made a purring sound. In fact, Lira felt very good. ¡®It¡¯s hunting day. Whoops.¡¯ Lira smiled happily. Amelie, who doesn¡¯t even know what she was thinking, made a fuss that the cat seemed to like her. ***** A few dayster, Marchioness Lewin visited Amelie. On the day they had a tea party, she promised to hand out the herbs she had grown, but she remembered that and she brought her herbs herself. Amelie went out to the front door and greeted her. ¡°Wee. It¡¯s nice to see you again like this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m going to say. Thank you for weing me.¡± ¡°Should we go in?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Serwin looked at the friendly conversation between the two. ¡®She likes that woman enough to turn me into a dog.¡¯ Amelie turned Serwin into a dog, saying that the Marchioness would be ufortable with Serwin. He showed off his sulky face without shaking his tail. However, Amelie was more distracted by the Marchioness, so she didn¡¯t even look at Serwin. Amelie guided Marchioness into the same tea room asst time. The hastily prepared refreshments were served, and Marchioness Lewin took a sip of her tea. ¡°Is it a different tea fromst time?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a tea made of pickled ginger in honey. Ginger can warm your body.¡± ¡°You took care of it. Thank you.¡± Marchioness Lewin smiled with her eyes bent. ¡°I brought some herbs for Miss Amelie.¡± The Marchioness put the box, which she had brought with her own hands, down on the table. ¡°The more freshly picked, the better the scent, so I came to see you all of a sudden. If it¡¯s not now, it will pass the hunting season, and then the taste will go down.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thankful. But where are you going on hunting day?¡± ¡°The Hunting Day is not just an event for the nobility, it is an event for the whole country. I was thinking of giving a little meat to those in need. I¡¯m going to be busy for a few days.¡± ¡°You are doing a good thing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just self-satisfaction.¡± The Marchioness said as if it was nothing special. She looked embarrassed to be praised for what she had done. ¡®She¡¯s a really good person.¡¯ Amelie was amazed. Serwin was suspicious of the Marchioness, but Amelie liked her quite a bit. The conversation with the Marchioness wasfortable. It felt like she was hanging out with people without them ttering her as the Emperor¡¯s lover or ignoring her asmoners. She thought she would be a good friend. ¡°Actually, herbs are a bribe.¡± ¡°For me?¡± Amelie opened her eyes roundly. Serwin stared at the Marchioness, correcting his posture. He¡¯s going to bite her if she says nonsense. ¡°There is ake next to Enrique Hall. I wanted to go there.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Enrique Hall¡­ The ce where the imperial pce party is held?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why there?¡± It was a really strange request. No one tried to get close to theke. The water was strangely dirty and disgusting, and rumors abounded that if they fell into it they would get sick. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the rumor yet? I heard that theke water is so good for you.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Amelie asked back. ¡°Since a while ago, the water has suddenly be clean, and it is said that soaking in the body will cure skin diseases, and drinking it will make you feelfortable and boost your energy.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Yes. So I wanted to check it out.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Marchioness Lewin was weak, so when she heard such a story, she would want to check it out at least once. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you ask Marquis Lewin?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ my husband would say it¡¯s a little difficult. He¡¯s busy, but I don¡¯t want to be in the way.¡± The Marchioness face darkened. It felt like aplicated family life. ¡°I asked a silly question! So shall we go right now? Let¡¯s go quickly!¡± Amelie rose from her seat in a hurry. The Marchioness was very pleased, not knowing that Amelie would dly say yes. Only Serwin barked, saying he was against going to theke, but was lightly ignored. ***** Amelie was surprised when she arrived at theke. Theke waspletely different from what Amelie remembered. In her memory, theke was in a somewhat shady atmosphere. The water was a dull, dark green color that looked like it could get sick. She became even more reluctant when she found out there was a corpse underneath. ¡®This is theke I fell in?¡¯ It was definitely the sameke, but the atmosphere waspletely different. The wind shook the grass leaves gently. The sky was clear, and the sunlight shone as it broke over the water. It was a rxingndscape. Even the air was clear, so it was perfect for a walk. Some of the attendants were on the water of theke, and when they saw the arrival of Amelie and Marchioness Lewin, they quietly left. ¡°Let¡¯s go closer.¡± Amelie approached theke with the Marchioness. Serwin ran wildly around Amelie, wondering what she was worried about. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ Amelie put her hands together to theke water. When the coldke water touched her hand, she felt refreshed. ¡°Oh my. The water is very clear.¡± Amelie was amazed. Marchioness also followed Amelie to the water. ¡°Really. Wasn¡¯t thiske really dirty?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t theke change around the time of the Imperial Pce party?¡± ¡°Yes. I heard that.¡± When exiting theke, the experience of clearing it in front of her own eyes was not Amelie¡¯s illusion. ¡®I did use purification magic. I didn¡¯t know it would clean up theke. Or did theke be clean by purifying the energy of disaster that had been stuck in theke?¡¯ There was no way to know for now. ¡°Should we try to drink some?¡± The Marchioness suggested. Amelie pondered for a moment. ¡®I felt toxic, so I used purification magic, but¡­ No way, it doesn¡¯t have medicinal effects like a magic potion, right?¡¯ She wanted to drink it and test it. However, she couldn¡¯t dare to drink because she thought of what was at the bottom of theke. ¡°You¡¯ll get sick if you drink just anything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± The Marchioness also followed Amelie¡¯s lead to abandon the water. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a little water and take a look.¡± Amelie asked her maid to take some water, and she continued to watch theke. Then, Serwin grabbed Amelie¡¯s sleeve and pulled her away. ¡®Do you hate being around theke that much?¡¯ Since she almost drowned here, he could have overreacted. It was around the time she fell into theke that he began to change and behave strangely. Unavoidably, Amelie followed Serwin¡¯s lead. The Marchioness looked at theke and approached Amelie. ¡°Since we¡¯re here, shall we take a walk?¡± ¡°Right.¡± The two began walking slowly along theke. The weather was chilly, but the sun was shining so it was perfect for a walk. Serwin followed them with a little distance. He wanted to walk next to Amelie, but he couldn¡¯t help it because the Marchioness was afraid of him. ¡®Why do you like that woman?¡¯ He red at the Marchioness with jealousy. The more he did, the more the Marchioness distanced herself from Serwin. ¡°Even if he looks a little scary, he doesn¡¯t bite people.¡± If he wanted to kill, he would¡¯ve killed them. Amelie swallowed back her words to reassure the Marchioness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen a dog that big¡­¡± ¡°I understand. He¡¯s a little big.¡± She tried to make him smaller, but it was the size that was the best either because of therge body or because of that image. Amelie nced at Serwin. Serwin made an extremely unhappy expression on his face. ¡°It¡¯s amazing. That theke suddenly changed.¡± Marchioness Lewin continued to look out at theke. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the imperial pce dirty, but it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen it clean.¡± ¡°Huh? Do you know anything about the anomalies that happen in the Imperial Pce?¡± Amelie looked surprised when the Marchioness knew about the abnormality of the imperial pce. ¡°Even if you¡¯re not curious, I will tell you the story.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°In particr, there are many stories about thatke. For example¡­¡± The Marchioness dragged her words. Amelie waspletely focused on the words of Marchioness. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 ¡°Theke is a grave of those who died unfairly in the Imperial Pce.¡± ¡°A grave?¡± Amelie recalled the human bones buried beneath theke. ¡°It¡¯s just a rumor. It¡¯s a story that urred because there are many people who died unfairly in the Imperial Pce.¡± ¡°Did you drinkke water even though you knew the rumor?¡± ¡°Because rumors are rumors.¡± Marchioness Lewin smiled calmly. Unlike her, who doesn¡¯t take it seriously, Amelie becameplicated inside ¡®It¡¯s not a groundless rumor!¡¯ Amelie nced at Serwin. He was vigorously waving his tail as if he couldn¡¯t hear the two of them talking. ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t have said that. Miss Amelie must be bothered because you live in the Imperial Pce.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s fun because people around me don¡¯t tell me things like that.¡± In fact, Mrs. Enard or Milena never brought up a bad story first. ¡°I was more interested in that because I lived in the imperial pce. Do you know anything else?¡± ¡°Well, what else is there?¡± The Marchioness was lost in thought. ¡°Did you know that bad things happen on foggy days?¡± ¡°Yes. I heard about that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Hunting Day soon. There is a custom of hunting on hunting days and sharing alcohol and games at night.¡± Amelie learned something, too. So it was said that even the nobles went home after dawn. ¡°Originally, huntingpetitions were held at the Grand Malt Hunting Grounds, but about a decade ago, the location was changed to the Imperial Forest, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It is said that the reason is that the fog is too bad at dawn.¡± ¡°Fog?¡± ¡°Do you know what¡¯s more amazing?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°After changing the hunting venue to the Imperial Pce, the same fog will start to form again. Every year on Hunting Day.¡± ¡°Every hunting day?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s why people say that the souls of those who died on the Hunting Day roam there.¡± What fog? Amelie felt ufortable. The Marchioness apologized while looking at Amelie¡¯s expression. After all, it¡¯s fog. Amelie felt nauseous. ¡°Please don¡¯t take it seriously. It must have been an exaggeration when everyone went home drunk.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s a fun story.¡± Amelie turned back to the Marchioness with a smile and hid her internal panic. ¡°That¡¯s right. Is there anything I can do for you on Hunting Day?¡± She¡¯s helping people in need, but Amelie also wanted to add a little bit of strength to help the kind Marchioness. In an instant, the Marchioness¡¯ eyes fluttered. It was a feeling of guilt, but Amelie took it differently. ¡°Of course, because it¡¯s what the Marchioness does, so there¡¯s nothingcking.¡± ¡°No way! Thank you for your help. In fact, there are many times when I regret it because I do it secretly from my husband.¡± The Marchioness was delighted. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing, but I¡¯m d I could help. Just tell me what you need.¡± The two continued their friendly walk, talking about what they needed. Only Serwin, who was following from behind, noticed a subtle change in the expression of Marchioness. But he didn¡¯t hear her story and didn¡¯t know what she was aiming for, so he had no choice but to watch and be wary for now. After the walk, when Marchioness Lewin returned, Amelie went up to the attic. Woof woof! Serwin wagged his tail and followed Amelie. Contrary to his worries, nothing happened at theke. ¡®When the Marquis first said that she wanted to go to theke, I wondered if she had noticed something, but she was simply asking to go take a look.¡¯ So he felt very good now. ¡°Please bring me theke water.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Amelie.¡± Milena greeted her and left the attic. Serwin walked around the room sniffing. ¡°Be careful. There are things you shouldn¡¯t smell.¡± Amelie sat next to Serwin and blocked his nose with her palm. He looked down and eagerly smelled Amelie¡¯s scent. ¡°Now, let¡¯se back as a human.¡± Serwin shook his head as if displeased. He lifted his head and sniffed as he approached Amelie. Amelie hurriedly blocked his snout with her palm. If he does this, he might lick her face. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± However, Serwin was drunk on the scent and was reckless. ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re not even a real dog, so why are you like this!¡± Amelie quickly turned Serwin back into a person. Poof! Serwin, who turned into a human, fell forward and clutched Amelie¡¯s shoulder. Amelie¡¯s hand was still covering his mouth. As it was, the eyes of the two met. They were so close that she could even feel the opponent¡¯s breath. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± There was a short silence between the two. Amelie¡¯s face became redder. The touch of his lips, which seemed as hot to touch as his hot breath, tickled her palm. ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Amelie was at her loss for words. Click. At that time, Milena came into the room. ¡°Ah, I apologize.¡± ¡°No! We didn¡¯t do anything!¡± Amelie was surprised and pushed Serwin away, and hurriedly grabbed Milena, who was about to open the door and leave. She had a very bewildered face as she thought that Milena had interfered with the two of them together. ¡°Ah, shall we prepare to analyze theke water now?¡± Amelie was about to die of embarrassment, so she went to the workbench for nothing and looked at this and that. ¡°Should I go out now¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± When Milena noticed, Serwin stood up and said. He also swept up his hair, turning his eyes toward the wall for no reason. ¡®I was surprised.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the first time he had looked closely at Amelie¡¯s face. It was dark at night and looking at her face, he would unintentionally get closer. But this time, his heart was beating as fast as it was going to explode. Her eyes and the gaze he faced in a short moment kepting to mind. ¡°I apologize.¡± Milena hurriedly stood next to Amelie, apologizing. She felt like she was an uninvited guest. Amelie said nothing happened, but seeing the faces of the two close together, she must have ruined the atmosphere. ¡°I brought the water from theke.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Milena set the barrel ofke water down on her workbench. ¡®Hmm, let¡¯s focus.¡¯ Amelie tried to push all the thoughts out of her head. However, she couldn¡¯t easily erase his golden eyes that were too close and the nervous feelings they caused her. ¡®Serwin has very pretty eyes.¡¯ The mint-colored eyes reflected in it were very clear and beautiful. ¡®It¡¯s like a jewel¡­ No, what am I thinking right now? Ha ha!¡¯ Amelie shook her head and picked up a bottle ofke water. ¡®Is it about a liter?¡¯ At first nce, it was transparent and clean. There were no foreign substances, so it was to the extent that it was mistaken for drinking water. ¡®The effect of purification magic is wider than I thought.¡¯ Amelie divided water into three types in a ss bottle. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Serwin asked. ¡°The water seems to be clear, but I am going to test it for an urate analysis. If it¡¯s there really any medicinal effect.¡± ¡°You can make someone do this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡± Serwin didn¡¯t like that Amelie continued to care about theke, but he didn¡¯t decide to say anything more. He sat calmly on the sofa and watched what Amelie did. Ameliee continued her experiments by putting herbs in theke water or mixing them with reagents without caring about Serwin. And she carefully wrote down the changes on paper. After repeating simr experiments for a long time, she came to a conclusion. ¡°It has be very clear and clean water! It has an effect on the body like mineral water or hot spring water, but it is difficult to see it as medicine.¡± ¡°Then?¡± Milena asked. ¡°It¡¯s just like a health supplement.¡± ¡°I can see that! It¡¯s amazing! It¡¯s always mysterious what witches do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Amelie blushed at Milena¡¯s words. Her magic skills were not very good to be praised as being great. Thanks to her hard work, she was able to use the magic she used frequently, but it didn¡¯t work well even if she tried to use other magic because of the limitations of self-education. ¡®I want to use multiple spells at the same time¡ª¡¯ It would be nice if someone could teach her. Amelie felt bad that she couldn¡¯t meet another witch. ***** The Hunting Day has been held in the forest inside the Imperial Pce for ten years. However, the truth is that the forests of the Imperial Pce were not suitable for hunting. This was because the imperial knights periodically patrolled and removed dangerous animals, so there were not enough prey. So the knights had to deliberately release the animals in the forest a few days before the hunting contest. The assistants were especially passionate about the hunting contest. It was because Serwin liked to hunt. Before she knew it, time passed, and the hunting day was a day away. Amelie and Serwin decided to spend the day leisurely. He set a day aside for Amelie, who has had a hard time following Serwin. ¡°Navia, let¡¯s look here! There¡¯s a mouse.¡± Amelie is obsessed with ying with her new cat. It was a charming cat with yellow eyes and ck fur. It was not only clever, but how clever it seemed to understand humans. As Amelie was busy ying with the cat all morning, Serwin didn¡¯t like the cat. He was a little ufortable with it from the beginning, but he didn¡¯t like it more because it monopolized Amelie¡¯s attention. ¡®Isn¡¯t a dog better than a cat?¡¯ After thinking casually, Serwin fell into a sense of shame as he felt he was too petty. ¡°Amelie.¡± He called her for no reason. Only then did she look away from the cat and look at him. ¡°What time did you say you¡¯ll meet Young Lady Manvers tomorrow?¡± He found the right question. Amelie answered brightly whether she didn¡¯t know he intentionally asked questions to catch her eye. ¡°The ce I was supposed to meet with Young Lady Renia is a really famous pie restaurant. May I buy something for you, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Yes, pie is good.¡± Serwin lied calmly. He had never liked sweet food in his life. ¡°Meow, meow.¡± The cat tapped Amelie¡¯s hand. Amelie made an ecstatic expression at the touch of its paw, as thick as jelly. Then, Serwin¡¯s eyes burned with jealousy. He thought it would be morefortable to keep the cat and Amelie apart. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 ¡°Amelie. You said you wanted to go to the clock towerst time.¡± ¡°Huh? Yes!¡± ¡°Shall we go?¡± Amelie opened her eyes roundly. ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°No! I want to go.¡± ¡°We have to go before the sun goes down, so let¡¯s hurry up and leave.¡± ¡°Yes! Then I¡¯ll hurry up and get ready ande back.¡± Amelie left the cat to the maid and tried to move to the powder room. Serwin got up habitually to follow. ¡°I¡¯m changing clothes, do you want to follow me?¡± ¡°¡­No. I¡¯ll wait.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, you should get ready to go out too.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Meow¡­¡± The cat red bitterly at Serwin. Serwin smiled at victory and called the servant to prepare for going out. ¡®Hmph, you¡¯re pathetic. Without noticing at all that I¡¯m a witch¡ª you¡¯re just jealous. You¡¯re such a fool.¡¯ The cat, Lira,ughed at the sight. How perfect her own acting was, to make no one doubt her. ¡®No I mean, don¡¯t you still have to be suspicious as a witch? Well, but it¡¯s good for me.¡¯ The more rxed the opponent was, the more likely the attack was to seed. ¡®It¡¯s hunting day in a few days. Then Amelie will be alone¡ª¡¯ Moreover, on the day of the Hunting Day, the emperor¡¯s knights also had important duties, so many of them were absent. In other words, Amelie¡¯s escort was loosened. ¡®I¡¯m looking forward to it. Hunting Day. Until then, I¡¯ll stay as a cute cat as much as I can.¡¯ ****** The top of the clock tower is the tallest building in the capital of the empire, so the panoramic view of the capital is clearly visible. It was also considered an essential tourist destination that should be visited first if it is someone¡¯s first time in the capital. Amelie had asked Serwin to go to the clock tower because it was famous and the scenery was good, but she regretted saying thatter. It was because she realizedter that she had to walk up the tall building herself. ¡®Why did I ask him toe here?¡¯ She regretted it btedly, but there was nothing she could do about it now. When she arrived at the clock tower, Amelie was excited to go out to y and was eager to go up the stairs, but as she climbed the narrow and steep stairs she couldn¡¯t even see the end of her legs started to hurt. She was out of breath, and her thighs felt like they were being pulled tight. But it was already too much to go back. ¡®Ugh¡ª I¡¯ll do more exercise than usual.¡¯ It¡¯s a relief that there are no people. If there were other tourists, it would have been a great inconvenience. Amelie climbed the stairs with her hands on the wall. Serwin looked pitifully at Amelie suffering like that. ¡°Let me help you.¡± Amelie shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. How can I not be able to climb this one too?¡± ¡°Why are you so stubborn? Or do you want me to hold you?¡± Serwin teased Amelie. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± When Amelie said that¡¯s it, Serwin was rather embarrassed. He thought she would refuse to hug him because she was embarrassed. So Serwin was thinking of carrying Amelie on his back instead of holding her. ¡®Is it fine?¡¯ Of course, it was not difficult to climb the tower with Amelie¡¯s weight. However, thinking about Amelie, who was quietly entrusting her body to him during that time, his face was somehow bright. ¡°I will turn into a hamster, so please take me with you.¡± Serwin suddenly lost his strength. ¡°Hamster¡­ That¡¯s¡­a very good idea.¡± ¡°I want to climb while watching, so please put me on Your Majesty¡¯s shoulder.¡± Amelie admired her genius idea. ¡°Yeah.¡± Bing a hamster with the sound of Poof, she reached out under Serwin¡¯s feet. ¡®Hurry up!¡¯ She jumped and jumped as if to urge him. Serwin picked her up and ced it on his right shoulder. Amelie satfortably. ¡®Let¡¯s go!¡¯ She tapped Serwin¡¯s shoulder and stretched her arms forward. ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go.¡± Serwin climbed the stairs. His right shoulder was very light. It was much morefortable than hugging a person, but somehow it was disappointing. ¡®It goes up! It¡¯s like a monorail¡ª or a cable car.¡¯ Serwin climbed a few stairs at once with his long legs. It was a different speed than when Amelie walked up the stairs on her own. She was sitting on his shoulder without a single safety device, but it wasfortable because there was almost no shaking. ¡®Even if I fall, Serwin will catch me.¡¯ Amelie took it easy and looked around. The stairs are endless in a narrow spiral, and there are long and narrow windows in the middle, so it was fun to see the scenery changing little by little. As she stayed on Serwin¡¯s shoulder they reached the top quickly. Amelie turned into a human after jumping off his shoulder. The top floor of the clock tower was open on all sides, with only five pirs, it was possible to see the capital regardless of which direction they were looking. ¡°Wow, the capital was this big.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you see it often while flying in the sky?¡± ¡°The height is much higher when flying, so it¡¯s hard to see.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s that height¡ª¡± Serwin became pale when he recalled riding a broom with Amelie before. It was an experience he didn¡¯t want to do again. ¡°There are so many people on the street. That¡¯s the square, right? It was really fun before.¡± Amelie wandered around and enjoyed the scenery. She couldn¡¯t stop admiring what was so amazing. Serwin watched Amelie with his arms folded. After looking in all five directions and designatingndmarks in each direction, Amelie found Serwin standing nkly. ¡°Ah, Your Majesty must have seen it often, so it won¡¯t be fun.¡± Amelie smiled awkwardly. I guess I¡¯m the only one excited. ¡°No, I think this the third time for me too? Thest time it was almost ten years ago.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°There is no need toe. If I¡¯m curious about the geography of the capital, I can look at the map.¡± ¡°I see. When was the first time you came here then?¡± ¡°Maybe it was when I was crowned.¡± ¡°Huh, that was more than 20 years ago. When Your Majesty was six years old? It must have been meaningful for you toe here tomemorate the coronation.¡± Serwin made a subtle expression. ¡°It was the worst. I came out excited because it was my first outing, but they told me to go up here. I went through a lot and came up, but all I heard was nagging.¡± As if searching for a memory, Serwin¡¯s eyes lit up with a faint light. ¡°I don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re going to be a tyrant and that you shouldn¡¯t be a tyrant like your father. In this endless territory, the lives of countless imperial people depend on me, so I always live with that responsibility in my heart.¡± ¡°Who says that to a kid?¡± ¡°The regent king. Well, he has a worse reputation than my father, so in a sense he¡¯s following the will of the regent king.¡± Serwin spoke lightly, but Amelie was a little angry. ¡°They should have something to say and something not to say. Why does that person say that to a child? When you hear such a story, you want to be a tyrant.¡± The more she learned about the regent king, the more she hated him. Wasn¡¯t he the one who caused a witch-hunt behind the scenes while faking a good image in front of the people? ¡°He locked up Your Majesty, didn¡¯t he? Why does he bring you to ces like this, put pressure on you, and lock you up?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± Amelie pouted her lips. The amazing and beautiful view of the capital now felt heavy. ¡°This view must be a burden to Your Majesty.¡± ¡°If I thought it was a burden, I would have already died.¡± The lives of countless imperial people depended on him. The burden was too heavy, but he became an adult in no time after struggling to hold out. ¡°Sometimes, a sense of duty supports life.¡± Serwinughed bitterly. Amelie sometimes came to imagine his twenty years struggling when she saw loneliness in him. She felt even more sorry for him because she had also lived a life of loneliness without a ce to rely on. ¡°How about now?¡± ¡°Now? Now that I have you. Everything isn¡¯t the same as before.¡± Amelie gently stroked his hair. ¡®I like this touch.¡¯ Serwin bowed his head slightly and rested his head into her hand. It was a little joy for him. As the walls of his mind loosened, he was ovee by the urge to vomit everything. If it were her, wouldn¡¯t she tell him everything¡¯s okay? He hopes so. ¡°Amelie, I¡ª¡± He opened his mouth impulsively. ¡°Yes.¡± Amelie waited for Serwin to speak. But he eventually swallowed what he wanted to say. ¡®I¡¯m not the pitiful person you think I am¡¯ Instead of telling the truth, he kissed Amelie¡¯s hands. Soft lips pressed into her palm, exhaling a breath like a sigh. Amelie felt that somehow he was pouring out words he couldn¡¯t say into kisses instead. The words he was trying to rece were so heavy and difficult that he could barely breathe. It was strange and pitiful to see a powerful Emperor hanging like that from only one hand. ¡®Serwin seems very different from what he looks like. He has a lot of thoughts and is much more delicate.¡¯ Amelie decided not to ask what he hid. Instead, she smiled and called him. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I want to go down now. Let¡¯s go eat!¡± Serwin nodded. He was grateful that she noticed how he felt and returned her words on her own. On the other hand, he hated himself for choosing to avoid telling her. ***** Time passed quickly and it was hunting day. Amelie and Renia agreed to have lunch together. During her free time, Amelie watched Serwin as he prepared. He wore a ck shirt and pants, a style that was tighter than usual, streamlined for activity. Like a prosecutor, his strong body was exposed. The line from his broad shoulders to his waist was smooth and beautiful. ¡®Wow, you have a good body.¡¯ Amelie was amazed inside. He drew attention even though he was bending down to wear boots. Serwin stopped putting on his shoes and looked at Amelie. ¡®Ah, did I stare at it too much?¡¯ Amelie made ame excuse out of embarrassment. ¡°I think you¡¯re dressed simr to when you came to Dehaim. Haha.¡± She can¡¯t say she was appreciating others¡¯ bodies. Fortunately, Serwin had a different mind and was preupied with it, so he didn¡¯t notice Amelie¡¯s gaze. He quietly came and sat down next to Amelie. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just because.¡± ¡°It looks like you like hunting.¡± ¡°Who said that?¡± Serwin frowned hard. ¡°Everyone said Your Majesty¡¯s hobby is hunting.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡ª¡± Serwin blurred his words. ¡®Hmm, as expected it¡¯s weird.¡¯ Amelie was unsure of his condition. He¡¯s been acting strangetely. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Should I just follow you? I can be extra careful.¡± Serwin shook his head slowly. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s as dangerous as Your Majesty¡¯s worried.¡± Regardless of how dangerous the huntingpetition was, even married women went. It didn¡¯t make sense to her that someone who had been trying their best to not separate from each other for a second would simply walk away and put himself in so much danger. ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand.¡± Amelie wanted to hear his reason properly. Serwin¡¯s overprotection didn¡¯tst for a day or two, but his attitude now felt a bit ufortable and she couldn¡¯t ignore it. She met Serwin¡¯s eyes directly. ¡°Is there a reason why I can¡¯t follow you?¡± The brief moment of her waiting for his answer passed very slowly. His eyes shook with hesitation, and then stared at her again. Heughed helplessly. His mouth was smiling, but his cheeks were stiff. ¡®Uh¡­¡¯ It was the first time she had seen such a weak expression on his face, Amelie was speechless. She thought she just asked something she shouldn¡¯t have asked. ¡°Amelie.¡± Serwin stroked Amelie¡¯s head. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be able toe back today. Don¡¯t wait, go to bed early.¡± He spoke in a light voice as if ying a joke. ¡°Am I a kid?¡± Amelie smiled. ¡®I¡¯m more curious about that, but¡ªIt¡¯s kind of weird to ask if you don¡¯t want to talk this much.¡¯ Amelie decided to let it go. It¡¯s okay to ask what happened just now after Hunting Day was over. ¡°Be careful.¡± His hands slowly and carefully moved away as if they had lingering regrets. Amelie felt a little sorry for his hesitation because he didn¡¯t want to be separated from her. ¡°Can I really not go?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll go ande back.¡± He turned firmly. In contrast to his trembling hands, his steps were quick and cold. Amelie looked at his back and somehow felt that there was a wall between him and herself. ****** Serwin left for the huntingpetition first, and Amelie prepared to meet Renia. Since she had to leave the pce, today¡¯s outfit was simple. She wore a wine-colored dress with a belt decoration and a standing cor shirt. It was made of stiff fabric like a suit, and the neatly falling lines were neat and beautiful. Ace-cut ribbon was attached to her neck to add some ir. Her hair was carefully braided into a single braid, and she wore a beret-like hat. She preferred to dress in simple outfits in order to be unnoticeable, but Mrs. Enard and the maids don¡¯t think like that. ¡°If it¡¯s the Manvers Young Lady, she would definitelye here in a shy way¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not even going to fight.¡± ¡°How about putting on some earrings¡ª?¡± Mrs. Enard couldn¡¯t abandon her lingering feelings until the end. Eventually, Amelie yielded her ears to the eager maid. ¡°Enough right?¡± ¡°Um, one more ribbon¡ª!¡± ¡°I told you it¡¯s okay!¡± Amelie had a strong feeling that she wouldn¡¯t be able to leave forever. ¡°Please tie the ribbon to Butterfly. Oh? Where did Butterfly go?¡± Amelie looked around for the ck cat. Before getting ready to go out, she yed with her, but the cat seemed to have disappeared somewhere. ¡°She must be taking a nap somewhere in the sun. Butterfly goes around here and there andes back in the evening, and so on. She wille back today as well.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go! Milena, Sir Chad. Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Yeah. Go.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go. The carriage is ready.¡± Amelie hurried out of the room. Milena and Chad followed. And while the people were busy seeing Amelie off, the ck cat Lira got into the back of her carriage. She looked around with sharp eyes. ¡®There are so many knights.¡¯ The emperor¡¯s knights gathered at Amelie¡¯s pce at dawn, and before Serwin left, they already established a perfect security system. Chad was the only one that appeared outwardly, but attacking Amelie through the protection of dozens of knights was as difficult as squeezing through the eye of a needle. ¡®Not yet.¡¯ Anyway, the moment Lira was aiming for was not now. As a result of eavesdropping on the knights¡¯ conversations, she found that many of them will move to the Grand Malt hunting ground by sunset. ¡®Slowly. Let¡¯s wait. Not yet.¡¯ Lira held her breath. Anyway, the day was long. ****** The ce Amelie promised to meet with Renia was a street where luxurious shops were gathered. Because it is a ce where wealthy people flock, there are good tea houses and restaurants nearby. Among them, a tea house with an impressive green brick exterior was Amelie¡¯s meeting ce. It was famous for pastry egg tarts and pastry desserts. Amelie arrived a little earlier than their appointment time. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived. I¡¯ll get off first.¡± Chad got off the carriage and looked around. The knights who arrived before them had already scouted around the tea house and were seated around them. He reached out to Amelie while quickly locating the knights. ¡°Please go down.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Amelie was escorted by Chad and entered the store. It was a ce where so many nobles came, so Amelie was able to naturally melt into the noisy atmosphere of the store. ¡°Wee. Do you have a reservation?¡± A waitress came and asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure she made a reservation there. The name Renia Usher.¡± ¡°Usher. Yes, you¡¯ve been confirmed. This way, please.¡± The waitress guided them to the reserved table. ¡°Usher?¡± Milena asked. ¡°This time she came secretly without Count Manvers knowing. So she uses her mother¡¯s surname which is Usher.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s sit here.¡± Amelie sat down in a chair pulled out by the waitress. Milena and Chad naturally stood on either side of Amelie. ¡°Oh? You two should sit too.¡± Amelie looked back at Chad and Milena. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stand around. It¡¯s not right to sit with an employer.¡± ¡°Ah, I came with you, so how can you do that? Would you like to stand and eat the pie?¡± ¡°Are we eating too? It¡¯s okay if we don¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to order everything I want to try, so both of you have to help me.¡± Amelie dragged the two over and sat them on either side of her. She looked at the menu and ordered them one by one. After waiting for a while, the pie and drink came out. There were three bite-sized pies on arge te. The table filled up quickly because of therge tes. ¡°Wow, it smells so good.¡± The smell of butter and baked flour vibrated. Milena tried to refuse, but when she smelled this, she couldn¡¯t help but lift her fork. ¡®This is a bit¡ª¡¯ Chad looked away awkwardly. He could feel his colleagues around himining, saying, ¡®Are you the only one going to eat delicious food!¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not my fault, but I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ He felt sorry in his heart, but he steadily raised his hand with a fork. ¡®I haven¡¯t had time toe here because I was just working.¡¯ He was willing to enjoy the opportunity Amelie gave him. ¡°Thank you for the food.¡± ¡°Yes, eat it and order more if it¡¯s not enough.¡± Amelie was already on the verge of cing additional orders. All her nerves were focused on food, tables and forks. ¡®Ha, it¡¯s so good. Aroma is one thing, but look at that color.¡¯ The yellowish egg tarts and colorful fruit tarts distracted her eyes. Amelie was the first to pick up the egg tart. When egg tarts were bitten, soft custard cream spread throughout the mouth with a touching texture. Thebination of the taste of dalgona and subtle eggs and crispy pies was perfect. Even after swallowing the pie, there was a sweet vani aftertaste. ¡®Um, this is it!¡¯ Amelie sipped bitter tea with happiness. The sweetness has been washed away and a new tart is ready to be eaten. This time, it was a tart topped with green grapes. The fresh juice bursts out into the mouth, and it has a different taste from the egg tart, especiallybined with the greasy cream cheese filling. ¡®There¡¯s a reason this ce is famous! I want to keep eating. What should I eat next?¡¯ Eat, eat and eat again. Amelie¡¯s fork moved nonstop on a wave of emotion. ¡°I like the luxurious and delicate desserts of the Imperial Pce, but don¡¯t you like this simple taste?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a little different because it¡¯s a foreign food.¡± Milena was admiring it, and Chad didn¡¯t say it, but his hand movement with the fork was very fast. The tes were quickly emptied, and the waitress sneaked in the menu to receive additional orders. Hiiing. A horse¡¯s cries were heard, and the door swung open. As the entrance became noisy, Chad got up quickly and looked around the first floor. A woman with short hair wasing inside. Themotion seemed to have happened outside the store. ¡°There¡¯s a new customer, and she seems to be noisy because her words are out of control.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Milena was relieved. She also heard of Lira¡¯s attack on Amelie and was especially very careful because of Serwin¡¯s request to protect Amelie well. Chad looked more carefully at the new woman. She kept looking around to find someone. Her hair was messy from riding on horseback, and her clothes were also horseback riding clothes. Her brown horseback riding suit was luxurious, but there were wrinkles on the folded part of her arm and waist. Nothing can be said to be the problem, but her attire didn¡¯t match this luxurious street. But somehow the red hair and raised eyes felt familiar somewhere. The employees seemed at a loss how to deal with her. ¡°That person, I think she¡¯s Young Lady Manvers.¡¯ ¡°Is she Young Lady Manvers? With that person¡¯s personality, there¡¯s no way she would be loud in public like that.¡± She would have pped an employee in the face for not recognizing her, but she wasn¡¯t the type to yell. Milena stood up and looked out to the first floor. Amelie followed her and looked outside. Just in time, she made eye contact with a woman looking up at the second floor. ¡°Oh? It¡¯s really Renia?¡± Renia waved lightly and came up to the floor. ¡°I see you sooner than I thought. How have you been?¡± Renia was surprisingly different. Her hair was shorter and her clothes were rougher. She looked bright and healthy even though she wasn¡¯t like a refined noble. She was pretty before, but in a sharp and nervous way, but she looked rxed and healthy now. ¡°I¡¯m simr. Renia also has changed a lot. I almost didn¡¯t recognize you.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? I passed by Young Lady Serina earlier, but she didn¡¯t recognize me.¡± Renia shrugged. ¡°I had no choice but to dress up like this. I wasing out without my father knowing so I rode a horse from the estate and had no time to change.¡± Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Renia sat in a chair and ordered something to drink from the staff. Even though it was a simple movement, it felt dignified. Even if her appearance changed, she was still her. What happened to her in the territory that changed her like this? Amelie was very curious about herpletely different story. ¡°How¡¯s life on the territory?¡± Amelie asked Renia how she was doing. ¡°It¡¯s the worstpared to life in the capital. Since my father is only in the capital, it¡¯s a mess of embezzlement and corruption. It was so funny to keep so many issues hidden and only be wary when only one came to light. I¡¯ve been busy showing what kind of person Renia Manvers is.¡± ¡°Is that why you cut your hair?¡± ¡°Yes. My father gave up on me and cut off all my maids. And I cut it because I was too annoyed to take care of it by myself.¡± Renia¡¯s words were blunt, but Amelie noticed that she was very satisfied with her life. ¡°Short hair suits you well. I¡¯m really d that you¡¯re doing well in the territory. I was a little worried.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still worth doing. It seems like it¡¯s worth continuing in the future as people of high rank are still watching.¡± Renia shrugged her shoulders. ¡°High ranking people?¡± Those who were higher than Count Manvers were Marquis Lewin, Duke of Odorus, and Serwin. ¡°Obviously. Who else but His Majesty?¡± ¡°Ah! Come to think of it, you said that before.¡± The day she received Renia¡¯s letter, Amelie thought Reina was offering her help but wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°By the way, His Majesty is pruning the Manvers faction. Are you okay?¡± Renia was actually the whistleblower. The data she handed over was being used as the basis for punishing those in the Manvers faction. Amelie was worried that Count Manvers might have noticed Reina¡¯s betrayal or that the Emperor¡¯s pruning would cause bacsh for Reina. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not that clumsy. And His Majesty won¡¯t kill all of the Manvers factions if he thinks about the future. I have to be the Count and serve as the background support for Miss Amelie.¡± ¡°Thank you for saying that.¡± Amelie was embarrassed andughed. ¡°I must return to my hometown before Renia bes the Count.¡± It was dizzying to think that it would take more than 10 years to fight the disaster. Also, Serwin¡¯s body may not hold out until then. ¡°Are you serious about what you said before? I mean you don¡¯t want to be an Empress?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Amelie nodded, Renia opened her eyes wide. ¡®Then what is it? Was it because the Emperor alone was frantic and was trying to hold her?¡¯ The tyrant was a man, too. Renia smiled. ¡°His Majesty is a man who doesn¡¯t have much to see. I can¡¯t believe he hasn¡¯t changed Miss Amelie¡¯s feelings.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not like that in the first ce. Now I can be honest with you.¡± Amelie exined that she was not Serwin¡¯s lover and that she followed him to help him. She also talked about ck smoke and disaster. ¡°Phew, I feel better. All the while I was misunderstood a lot, but I couldn¡¯t exin. How frustrating it was!¡± Amelie smiled refreshingly. Renia won¡¯t misunderstand any more. However, Renia, who heard the whole story, reacted differently than Amelie expected. ¡°Hmm. Whatever the rtionship in the beginning, it is true that His Majesty is hanging around with you alone.¡± ¡®It¡¯s not very different from the rumors. Rather, not as mutual lovers, but that His Majesty has a one-sided crush on you.¡¯ That tyrant has unrequited love. Somehow, this story became more and more interesting. Renia urged Amelie to talk more. ¡°No¡ª I¡¯m talking about something really serious now. It¡¯s a disaster. The destruction of the world!¡± Amelie was frustrated. Now, huh? Is now a time when you¡¯re analyzing the signs of love? ¡°You¡¯re doing great, Miss Amelie. What are you worried about?¡± ¡°M, me?¡± ¡°Yes. You saved me and others, too. A lot has already changed, so it will continue to be like that.¡± Renia smiled brightly. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± She heardpliments! Amelie felt better. ¡°Young Lady Renia. Order whatever you want to eat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s His Majesty¡¯s money anyway, right? I¡¯m going to order something I don¡¯t normally eat either. Bring everything.¡± Renia smiled and handed the menu to the waiter. The waiter panicked, but Amelie had never eaten the entire menu before, so she quietly allowed Renia to ce her order. While slowly savoring the ordered tart, Amelie and Renia continued chatting. As Renia¡¯s hostility towards Amelie had disappeared long ago, the conversation went smoothly. Amelie recalled something she had forgotten only after finishing all thest remaining pecan pie. ¡°When will the person you introduce todaye?¡± She was distracted by Renia¡¯s change and the delicious tarts and forgot about it, but in fact, today¡¯s purpose was not to chat. The purpose was to introduce people who knew what happened in the old imperial pce. ¡°Oh right, the conversation was so fun that I forgot about it. Actually, I decided we should go to that person¡¯s house. Since the topic of conversation is such a sensitive subject, I think their house will be good. That person hated the imperial pce.¡± Renia checked her watch. ¡°We can get ready to leave now.¡± ¡°Huh? Then why did you ask me to meet you here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s, it¡ª I wanted to talk to Miss Amelie in a rxed way.¡± Renia blushed slightly and nced at Amelie. ¡°Last time, we didn¡¯t even have time to talk properly. I want to be closerr to Miss Amelie.¡± ¡°Oh, ah, thank you. I also wanted to get close to Young Lady Renia.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Reniaughed happily at Amelie¡¯s answer. Amelie was embarrassed at her reaction. At that time, Chad carefully intervened in the conversation. ¡°Excuse me, but are you meeting anyone other than Young Lady Manvers today?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time hearing that.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± Amelie pondered. It seems she didn¡¯t tell anyone that she was supposed to be introduced to the olddy. It was all because she had been hanging out with Serwin every day, so she thought Serwin would know. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Of course I thought I said it already.¡± ¡°It would have been nice if you told me in advance, but it can¡¯t be helped. Is the person you¡¯re going to meet someone you can trust?¡± ¡°Of course, she¡¯s a reliable person.¡± Renia replied. ¡°She is Olivia Willow, who has worked in the Imperial Pce for more than 40 years. She served the previous Empress, and from the time His Majesty took the throne, she was the head maid in charge of the Imperial Pce.¡± ¡°¡­Are you talking about head maid Willow?¡± Chad made a difficult face. ¡°Do you know her?¡± Amelie asked. ¡°I know that she¡¯s still in the Imperial Pce by the time I was about to be His Majesty¡¯s knight. Why do you want to meet that person?¡± ¡°I wanted to hear the story of the reign of the Regent King.¡± Amelie was curious about the story before the disaster was sealed to Serwin. She wondered if she could find a hint about the disaster if she heard the story of the witch who sealed the disaster to Serwin or the time when the regent king ordered a witch hunt. ¡°I don¡¯t have high expectations. It¡¯s like catching straw. Because there¡¯s no other clues.¡± In fact, Amelie had not even decided what to ask Mrs. Willow. ¡°Is that so?¡± Chad pondered whether to stop Amelie from meeting Mrs. Willow or not. ¡®She¡¯s not going to talk nonsense about His Majesty right¡ª.¡¯ Mrs. Willow was usually friendly to Serwin and quietly stepped down when she retired due to health reasons. ¡®She may not know everything. A lot of time has passed.¡¯ Chad decided not to stop Amelie after much consideration. She would have gone out for nothing and found out that he was hiding something. ¡°Can we leave now?¡± Renia lightly pped her hand to call attention. ¡°It¡¯s kind of weird to go empty-handed. Let¡¯s buy a pie here.¡± ¡°She will like that.¡± Reina replied. Amelie packed the pie and got in the carriage. Renia also wanted to talk more with Amelie so she left her horse at the store and rode the carriage with Amelie. ****** Mrs. Willow¡¯s house was not far from the tea house. Her house was an ordinary two-story house. A human shadow was cast on a nearby window and the curtain was seen shaking slightly. ¡°It¡¯s Mrs. Willow¡¯s daughter. She¡¯s traveling with her.¡± Renia took the lead, followed by Chad. He didn¡¯t forget to be wary of his surroundings while walking. Other knights had already entered the house to check their safety. Knock, knock. When she knocked on the front door, the door opened. An elderly woman came out. She wore a thick brown knitted shawl, and she had her back bent, making her look small. Still, her expression was bright and lively, so she didn¡¯t look intimidating. ¡°Young Lady Manvers! Wee! You don¡¯t know how nice it was to be contacted by you.¡± She weed Renia very much. ¡°Is this the person who said that she wanted to meet mother?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Miss Amelie, this is Mrs. Willow¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°Hello. I¡¯m sorry I came out of the blue.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s Young Lady Manvers¡¯ request. Pleasee in.¡± Mrs. Willow¡¯s daughter escorted them into the house. The house felt somewhat gloomy. ¡°We are always away from home and traveling, so there must be many things weck in weing guests. So, my mother is always nagging me not to invite guests, but it¡¯s the request of Young Lady Manvers, so I can¡¯t say no. How much help have I received?¡± She was talkative. In a way, she seemed to be trying to look good to Renia. ¡®Help¡ª so that¡¯s how they got close. As expected of Young Lady Renia.¡¯ Amelie was amazed. ¡°Please sit here. I¡¯ll go and make tea! Oh, my. I have to bring my mother, too.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°No, no. I can¡¯t ask the guest for a favor.¡± ¡°This is from Miss Amelie.¡± ¡°Oh my, thank you. I didn¡¯t have anything to treat you, so I was wondering what to do! You bought this at the green store, right? I sometimes thought of pie there. My mother doesn¡¯t like such ces¡ª¡± Mrs. Willow¡¯s daughter made a fuss epting the pie Amelie bought. ¡°Noisy! Why are you always so fussy!¡± ¡°Mother!¡± An olddy was standing on the stairs to the second floor. Her hair was white, but she felt toughness and stubbornness in her posture. She gave a strict impression that it would not tolerate untidiness. In a way, she seemed like an older version of Mrs. Enard. ¡°What are you doing? Bring out the tea! How many times have I told you that you need to be quick!¡± Mrs. Willow¡¯s yelling was so loud that the whole house rang loudly. ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re nagging again. Then I¡¯ll make tea, so you can talk with my mother.¡± The daughter entered the kitchen with Milena. It seemed to be the daily life of this mother and daughter. When her daughter disappeared, Mrs. Willow just came down the stairs. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 ¡°It¡¯s Olivia Willow.¡± Mrs. Willow greeted perfectly with imperial etiquette. ¡°I¡¯m Amelie Bourbon.¡± Amelie also hurriedly followed the greeting. ¡°Let¡¯s sit down¡±. Amelie and Renia sat side by side on the sofa in the living room, and Mrs. Willow sat opposite it. Chad naturally stood behind Amelie. ¡°Thank you for taking your time to talk with me.¡± Amelie smiled to cover the awkwardness. Mrs. Willow looked at Amelie¡¯s face. ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Have we met before?¡± ¡°Yes? No. It¡¯s my first time seeing you.¡± ¡°¡­You look strangely familiar.¡± Mrs. Willow was lost in thought. But she didn¡¯t seem to have any particr memory. ¡°You¡¯ve met so many different people while traveling. Maybe you met someone simr?¡± In the kitchen, her daughter shouted. ¡°That could¡¯ve happened.¡± Mrs. Willow epted what her daughter said. ¡®Is that why she looked at me like that? I was nervous for nothing.¡¯ Amelie was rxed and at ease. ¡°I read Manvers Young Lady¡¯s letter. Is there anything you want to ask me? Why are you curious about it?¡± Amelie thought about how much she should say. ¡°Miss Amelie is a victim. So, she wants to know the truth about the case and any other information.¡± Renia intervened. She told Mrs. Willow what had happened to her on the imperial party day. ¡°It often happened in the imperial pce. But I think it¡¯s the first time for someone who¡¯s not from the people of the imperial pce.¡± Mrs. Willow was not surprised. ¡°If it happens often¡ª have you ever seen people who were manipted like that?¡± Amelie asked. ¡°Everyone was simr. They were all covered in blood, and they murmured as if possessed by something.¡± ¡°Did that happen often?¡± ¡°Even when I just entered the Imperial Pce, there was a saying to be careful on foggy days, so it¡¯s been a ong time ago. I think it¡¯s been quiet since His Majesty took the throne, but it seems to be happening again.¡± ¡°I see.¡± That was what Amelie confirmed through the data. ¡°But why are you asking me this? His Majesty would know better¡ª¡± ¡°His Majesty? His Majesty said it¡¯s something that he doesn¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°Lady is so naive. To believe his word right away.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Amelie frowned. No one else knew, but Serwin had no reason to lie to her about the disaster. ¡®It¡¯s about someone who doesn¡¯t know the situation. Let¡¯s not worry too much about it.¡¯ Amelieforted her emotional heart well. But Mrs. Willow didn¡¯t stop there. ¡°If you want to learn something from me, give up. I have nothing to tell you. I have only one thing to say. If you don¡¯t want to waste your life, break up with that monster as soon as possible! Mrs. Willow shouted loudly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I have to say. The reason I decided to meet Miss Bourbon today is to tell this story.¡± Mrs. Willow turned her head with her mouth closed. It was an elegant expression that she didn¡¯t want to talk about anymore. ¡®Huh? Break up? Monster?¡¯ Amelie was perplexed. She did not understand why Mrs. Willow was saying this to her. Serwin isn¡¯t a good man¡ªbut should she listen to this old woman she never met? No, we¡¯re not even dating in the first ce! ¡°He may look shiny on the surface, but His Majesty is not. Stop seeing him before you see the terrible truth!¡± ¡°I think Mrs. Willow is misunderstanding something.¡± ¡°What do you mean by misunderstanding! If you know what he¡¯s doing on a day like today¡ª¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Amelie tried to continue the conversation somehow. However, Mrs. Willow even expressed with her whole body that she didn¡¯t want to talk. Eventually, she got up from her seat. ¡°I¡¯m done with this. I have to go upstairs. I¡¯m tired. Old people should sleep a lot.¡± Mrs. Willow went into the room after finishing only what she had to say. The sound of the door closing echoed around Amelie¡¯s ear. ¡®What? Did you really want to meet up just to tell me to break up?¡¯ It was absurd and ridiculous. How can there be such a person? ¡°Huh? Did mother go inside? Ugh¡ªI¡¯m sorry. My mother is a bit stubborn¡ª¡± Mrs. Willow¡¯s daughter jumped out of the kitchen in amazement. She was restless and knocked on Mrs. Willow¡¯s door, but there was no response. ¡°We can¡¯t talk anymore. Why don¡¯t you go back for today¡ª¡± She looked into Renia¡¯s eyes. ¡°What should we do, Miss Amelie?¡± Renia was perplexed. She didn¡¯t know that Mrs. Willow was going to meet Amelie to say that. She wasn¡¯t very excited when she made her appointment by letter, but she agreed to meet her anyway, so she knew she would at least give her an answer to Amelie¡¯s question. Amelie looked at the tightly closed door. No matter what she said, the door didn¡¯t seem to open. But she felt bad just going back like this. ¡®What do you mean a monster! All bad things are the disaster¡¯s fault! How could you say that? How hard was Serwin¡¯s life? He alone is lonely. Thanks to that, you¡¯re living afortable life right?¡¯ Mrs. Willow said it without knowing, but the more she thought about it, the more angry and upset she was. ¡°Let¡¯s go back. We can ask someone else.¡± Eventually, Amelie was forced to leave Mrs. Wollow¡¯s house without any result. ***** Chad was in trouble as he guarded the carriage. ¡®Fortunately or not, I don¡¯t know¡ª¡¯ Contrary to his worries, Mrs. Willow didn¡¯t tell Amelie about Serwin¡¯s secret. But instead, she said strange things to Amelie and told her to break up with Serwin. ¡®I have no idea what His Majesty will say if I report it to him.¡¯ If the reaction has to be expected to some extent, the report must be prepared mentally. Chad sighed. At that time, something ran quickly in their direction. ¡®A woman on a horse?¡¯ He didn¡¯t pull out the sword because the direction might have been the same by coincidence. Instead, he instructed the coachman to turn. Then, the woman on the horse also turned around and followed behind the carriage. Chad put his hand on his sword, preparing for an unexpected attack. The knights were also nervous about the approach of a stranger. ¡°Miss Amelie! Miss Amelie! Please let me talk for a second!¡± The woman screamed. She sounded so desperate that she screamed. ¡®What? Isn¡¯t that Count Bowen¡¯s Young Lady?¡¯ The person running was Serina Bowen. When he checked her, his tension was relieved. Chad turned his back and stopped her. Serina didn¡¯t seem like a dangerous person, but he didn¡¯t make it easy for her to get close to Amelie. ¡°Get off.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°First, get off of the horse.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± Chad stared at Serina, still faced and stern. That alone discouraged Serina, and Serina came down from her horse. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I really want to say to Miss Amelie. I thought she wasing to the hunting contest, but they said she wasn¡¯ting, so I went to the imperial pce and came back. I think I¡¯ve seen Young Lady Renia around here.¡± Serina gasped and spoke frantically. In the meantime, Amelie¡¯s carriage was moving away, so she was very nervous. ¡°It¡¯ll only take a moment. I have something to tell her today. Miss Amelie! Miss Amelie!¡± ¡°Please be quiet.¡± Amelie¡¯s carriage stopped, as if her desperate cry had reached. Renia came out as she opened the carriage door. ¡°Young Lady Serina?¡± ¡°As expected! There was also Young Lady Renia! Please, I just need a moment.¡± ¡°Huh? Why is Young Lady Serina here?¡± Amelie also found Serena. She ran past Chad and ran to Amelie. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for Amelie all day today. I went to a huntingpetition and waited there for a long time, but you didn¡¯te. So I went to the imperial pce, but I couldn¡¯t go into the pce¡ªI remembered seeing someone who looked like Young Lady Renia near the teahouse over there¡ª¡± Serina talked as if she was in a hurry. ¡°A, anyways, I wanted to give this to you¡ª¡± Serina showed a package of paper she had been wearing on her side. ¡°Do you have time? It¡¯ll really be only for a moment.¡± She looked very desperate. ¡°Let¡¯s get in first.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave.¡± Reina said, realizing that she had other business to take care of. With Amelie¡¯s permission, Serina entered the carriage, and Renia went out. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°You remember my requestst time, right? I¡¯d like to ask you to save my family.¡± Is it that again? Amelie¡¯s head began to ache. ¡°Young Lady. Didn¡¯t I tell you that I had nothing to do with His Majesty¡¯s work and Count Bowen? And it¡¯s twice now that I¡¯ve said it!¡± Amelie received Serina¡¯s request and sent a letter after confirming the facts to Serwin. However, Serina didn¡¯t believe what she said and came to see her again. ¡°To said that¡ª¡± ¡°This time, I¡¯m not asking you to do it as just a favor.¡± Whatever Amelie said, Serina¡¯s faith in her new card was strong. Amelie was on the verge of bursting into disbelief as to why she didn¡¯t admit that the Count Bowen¡¯s problem due to ipetence. ¡°I brought the information that you really need, Miss Amelie.¡± She stuck out a package of paper. It was a thick book. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s data on abnormalities in the imperial pce. It¡¯s the original copy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs¡¯ data, which has not been modified at all, and a renowned schr¡¯s study of abnormalities. Isn¡¯t that what you need?¡± Serina was confident. She doesn¡¯t know how hard she worked to make this material. She used her grandfather¡¯s connections to find the research data. It wasn¡¯t easy not to be caught by Serwin. Even after finding all that she could, the data was so scarce she even went to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and stole the data on the pretext of meeting her brother. Amelie was very surprised. ¡®Young Lady Bowen¡­ She really didn¡¯t hear a word from me.¡¯ She thinks she told her several times that it was not like that, but nothing worked. She had no idea how to make Serina give up. ¡°First of all, thank you for the data. Thank you so much¡ª but as I said, I had nothing to do with Count Bowen, and even if it does, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it!¡± ¡°I know! Miss Amelie, you have to say that, right?¡± ¡°No¡ª¡± ¡°Please look at the data first. I worked really hard on it. You¡¯ll like it.¡± It would be less frustrating to talk to a wall. Amelie sighed and untied the string that tied the paper package. Since she had prepared the data, she was going to send Serina back after finding the right way to broach the subject. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 ¡®What kind of help will this be¡ª?¡¯ It was merely a list of all the cases and their details. She quickly turned over the paper. Then, a case caught Amelie¡¯s attention. ¡®Oh? Is this what happenedst year on Hunting Day?¡¯ Amelie felt ufortable. Clearly, there was no record of this date in her documents, which she received from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. She hurriedly fliped through the paper, confirming the date of the incident. ¡®I think this also didn¡¯t exist? This too.¡¯ It was clearly different from the data she received. ¡°Young Lady Bowen. Did you get the data yourself?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I even went into hiding in the Ministry of Internal Affairs to find it.¡± Serina was proud. As she saw Amelie¡¯s enthusiastic response, it was clear that it was a gift that she liked. ¡®I¡¯m sure Miss Amelie will do me a favor now, right?¡¯ Serina raised her head to look at Amelie and to ask her again. But strangely, Amelie was not happy, instead, she had a hard expression on her face. ¡°¡­Miss Amelie?¡± ¡°You said a while ago that this is unmodified data, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Surely it was¡­¡± Amelie swallowed a sigh. ¡°Then it means that the data I received from the Ministry of Internal Affairsst time has been modified.¡± ¡°Oh. Yes. No. That¡¯s¡ª¡± Serina was nervous without realizing it. She instinctively felt that things were going in a different direction from her n. ¡°Why are you so nervous? I¡¯m trying to check how much the Young Lady has worked for me and how valuable it is.¡± Amelie smiled and spoke softly. It was to lower Serina¡¯s alertness. Serina smiled awkwardly because she couldn¡¯t figure out the situation. ¡°Young Lady¡¯s document is the original, right?¡± Amelie threw the bait. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s right. The previous data you received was modified. My brother said that. The data I gave you has not been modified at all.¡± Serina bit the bait. ¡°The data requested through His Majesty has been modified at will. Your younger brother can¡¯t avoid punishment. I¡¯ll let His Majesty know. He must have hated my interest in the affairs of the Imperial Pce?¡± ¡°What? That¡¯s a misunderstanding! It¡¯s what His Majesty ordered him to do! My brother isn¡¯t the kind of kid to go around deleting things randomly.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Serwin ordered it? Amelie seemed to nk out in shock. Her head tingled as if she had been stabbed in the back of her head. When she talked about the abnormalities of the imperial pce, Serwin¡¯s attitude came to mind. He used to change the subject on purpose, saying never mind. At that time, she passed it casually, but on second thought, it was strange. ¡®There¡¯s no way Serwin didn¡¯t know about the abnormalities. It¡¯s about the disaster.¡¯ The sense of difort that was ignored at that time was revived all at once. ¡®He hid it from me on purpose. Why? Why is that? Does he still not trust me? If not, why?¡¯ Her heart was tightened with shock and disappointment. She read the paper again and went down, holding her nervous mind. ¡®If Serwin modified it on purpose, there must be something in the deleted content.¡¯ The records of the past were no different from what Amelie saw. The problem started from Serwin¡¯s ession period. It was 12 years ago that the abnormalities of the Imperial Pce reappeared, and it coincided with Serwin¡¯s ession period. After that, abnormalities urred three or four times a year. ¡®The dates are all different, but an anomaly is urring on the same day only for one day a year.¡¯ The date was today, hunting day. ¡®What do we have today?¡¯ Amelie felt somewhat ufortable. There were more than one or two things on her mind. Serwin was depressed about the hunting day and readily agreed to let her go out of the imperial pce. A small sense of ipatibility that she previously ignored as nothing special broke out at once. ¡®Come to think of it, Mrs. Willow said. Do you know what that monster is doing on a day like today?¡¯ Come to think of it, it was 10 years ago that Mrs. Willow suddenly quit her job. It is exactly the same as the year when Serwin changed the hunting day from the Grand Malt hunting ground to the imperial pce. ¡°Young Lady Renia!¡± Amelie opened the carriage door and called Renia. Renia came at a rapid pace. ¡°About Mrs. Willow. You said she has been traveling and onlyes to the capital at this time of year, right?¡¯ ¡°Yes. Only on hunting day.¡± ¡°Do you know why she onlyes back on hunting day?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s just because Mrs. Willow wants to? I don¡¯t know why either.¡± Amelie bit her lip. Hunting Day was not a specially celebrated day like Harvest Day or National Day. It¡¯s been a long time sincemoners even had a little more delicious food at home to acknowledge it. There was a hunting day, but it was only an event for some nobles, and it had nothing to do with Mrs. Willow. Still, it was very strange for her to return to the capital every year, only on hunting days, not to meet anyone. ¡®Did Mrs. Willow see something?¡¯ When she met Mrs. Willow again, she had a story to hear. ******* As soon as the carriage stopped, Amelie ran out. Then she strode over and opened the door, and she went in at will. ¡°Miss Amelie? What are you going to do?¡± The party followed Amelie¡¯s unexpected behavior, flustered. Seeing Amelie¡¯s return, Mrs. Willow¡¯s daughter rushed out to the front door. ¡°You¡¯re back again?¡± ¡°I have something to ask Mrs. Willow.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but my mother won¡¯t meet you. I¡¯m really sorry. Please go back now. It¡¯s not polite to keep doing this even though you don¡¯t meet her.¡± Her daughter was very sorry and closed the door. Amelie suddenly felt her gaze and lifted her head. She saw Mrs. Willow, who was standing by the second-floor window, and her eyes met. ¡°Mrs. Willow! Let me talk for a moment¡ª¡± Amelie shouted. But Mrs. Willow heartily closed the curtain. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you listen to me? You¡¯re the one who asked me toe!¡± Milena was furious by the tant door. What¡¯s the point of calling someone toe over to talk and then kicking them out after just saying what they have to say! There¡¯s a degree of ignoring people! ¡®Since Miss Amelie can¡¯t say bad things to people, I have to do something!¡¯ She clenched her fist and tried to scream. But Amelie touched Milena¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Milena. Calm down.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t stop me. You have to be really angry at times like this.¡± ¡°If you yell, people wille and I can¡¯t use magic.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Milena looked back at Amelie. Amelie¡¯s expression was different from usual. The eyes staring at the window where Mrs. Willow was standing were quite sharp. ¡°Sir Chad! Please watch around!¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°If she doesn¡¯t want toe down, I can just jump in!¡± If it were another time, she would have made a promiseter, but now things were a little urgent. Amelie murmured the spell and rolled her feet. With a light noise, the ground under Amelie soared into the air. In a blink of an eye, a two-floor earthen pir was formed. ¡®Is a witch¡¯s magic really instantaneous?¡¯ Renia only blinked in surprise. It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d seen Amelie use her magic, but she was astonished every time she saw her. Even the wizards, who are considered to be the best in terms of skills, couldn¡¯t use magic as naturally as Amelie did. Amelie knocked on the window. At the sudden sound, Mrs. Willow opened the window. ¡°H, how can you be here!¡± She was surprised to find Amelie there. This is the 2nd floor, so how? ¡°Mrs. Willow, thank you for opening the window. Excuse me.¡± Amelie walked into the room. Mrs. Willow was so surprised that she couldn¡¯t kick Amelie out and stepped back. Amelie closed the door first. Bang. When the door was closed without touching it in front of her eyes, Mrs. Willow turned pale. ¡°Guard, I¡¯m going to report it to the guard!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I surprised you. There¡¯s something I have to ask you.¡± Amelie closed the window. Mrs. Willow shook her shoulders at the window that was closed even though she hadn¡¯t touched it. ¡°You don¡¯t look good, let¡¯s sit down first.¡± Amelie magically pulled a chair and let Mrs. Willow sit. After that, she brought a chair to sit on. ¡°What is this¡ª¡± Mrs. Willow doubted her eyes. She can¡¯t believe everythinges at once. She can¡¯t believe this magical situation. She knew women who performed magic with their fingertips. ¡°You¡¯re a witch, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You recognized me right away.¡± ¡°It¡¯s taboo now, but when I was young, I used to get help.¡± Mrs. Willow¡¯s mother also said that she was helped by a witch when giving birth to her. Growing up, she has been told that she¡¯s so healthy because the witch blessed her. It was unimaginable now, but it is said that witches weremon back then. ¡°Why is a witch by His Majesty¡¯s side? What is it that makes you so curious about this fuss?¡± Amelie was nervous about her question. When she asked the question, she felt strangely nervous. ¡°What did you see on hunting day 10 years ago?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing happened.¡± Mrs. Willow replied calmly. But Amelie saw her shaking for a short moment. ¡°Please be honest, I¡¯m here to get things done.¡± She shut her mouth and turned her head away. ¡°Have you never had a question while working at the Imperial Pce? Why do people suddenly get weird? Why is the ground rotting?¡± If she had worked in the imperial pce for 50 years, she couldn¡¯t help but know. ¡°You said His Majesty is a monster, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Do you have any idea about what happened to him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Mrs. Willow was speechless. Her wrinkled face was distorted into pain. She trembled, covering her mouth with her hands. After bing a maid of the imperial pce in her teens for decades. The painful memories from her heart came to mind one by one. When she first became a maid, the senior maid made a request. There is a monster living in the imperial pce, so she told him to keep her mind straight and not me anyone. At first, she thought it was just a way to scare the newbie. But before a year passed, she saw the monster. While she was sleeping, she suddenly woke up. Her surroundings were as quiet as dead, and there was a strange sense of uneasiness. She casually looked out her window. There stood someone who lived in the next room. ¡®Are you going to meet your lover again?¡¯ She didn¡¯t think it was strange, because her coworker used to secretly go out onte night dates with the knights. She was looking at the back of her roommate, thinking vaguely of how envious hse was, until she saw a thick ck mist clinging to the dark silhouette. At that moment, chills crawled all over her body and fear rushed in. As if running away, she returned to her bed and rolled her nket tightly around herself. ¡®W, what is that?¡¯ While shaking, the morning came. And she heard that someone killed several knightsst night when it was foggy. The memories were so scary and terrible that she wanted to run away, but she couldn¡¯t stop working due to family circumstances. She worked hard. On foggy days, she locked herself in the room and covered herself with a nket and didn¡¯t take a step out. The next day, the fog would surprisingly be cleared, and tragic news was delivered without fail. She struggled to forget the memory of the night. But strangely enough, it was gradually piled up and forgotten. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 ¡°I thought it was like a ghost. There¡¯s a story like that. The story is that where many people have died, resentment gathers and ghosts appear.¡± But ten years ago, Mrs. Willow encountered the monster. ¡°His Majesty was seventeen at the time. At that time, he wasn¡¯t quite as notorious as he is now. He was a little rough-tempered and cruel¡ªbut the previous Emperors were so noisy that it wasn¡¯t even controversial.¡± Although Serwin received no education, he led the Empire with remarkable skill. He himself marveled at his growth. She had served his mother and had been watching him since he was a newborn baby, so he had an unrivaled ce in her heart. She was a little anxious when he talked to nothing in the air, but she still trusted and watched him. ¡°One day, the ce of the Hunting Day was changed to the Imperial Pce Forest, and criminals to be executed were brought into the Imperial Pce.¡± She thought it was strange, but it wasn¡¯t something for a maid like herself to intervene in. This is because it was up to the Emperor¡¯s knights to bring in sinners and prepare for the hunting contest. ¡°That day was hectic. As the nobles flocked to the imperial pce, I had to pay extra attention.¡± Mrs. Willow¡¯s eyes, reminiscing the past, were already anxious. It was because the memory of that time still remained as a nightmare. ¡°I was barely relieved after midnight, and suddenly I thought I should bring a coat to His Majesty. I¡¯m not too stupid. Whatever it was, at that time, it¡¯s okay to have someone else do it.¡± Now that she thinks about it, she felt like she was possessed by something. Anyway, then she took his coat and headed for the imperial forest. While the nobles were eating, drinking and chatting, Serwin was nowhere to be seen. She suddenly felt anxious. ¡°I searched for His Majesty and went through the forest in a hurry. Then I bumped into a person running in a different direction and fell.¡± It was a man in ck robes worn by death row prisoners. He checked Mrs. Willow¡¯s maid¡¯s suit, and put a sharp dagger to her neck. He looked like he was going to survive by taking her as hostage, but he had already used all of his strength to cling to her. ¡°I still remember that person¡¯s breathing.¡± A breath mixed with a hissing sound. Her back was wet with the blood that had been dripping from his stomach. ¡°I should have turned away from there and ran away without looking back, but my legs didn¡¯t move. I just dropped there like that¡ª¡± Mrs. Willow paused for a moment. Just thinking about it was painful and frightening, so she ran out of breath. Amelie knelt down in front of her and held her hand. ¡°Then, then there was a monster.¡± Whoosh! The sound of the wind sounded just like a scream. As the sound of footsteps got closer, she could see the trees rotting from far away. When the ominous figure finally showed up, she almost copsed. The ck smoke she had seen for decades was wrapped around him. The sinner was threatening him by pressing her neck with a knife, but Serwin just smiled. Despite the threat of her life, she thought his drowsy smile was unfamiliar. [Not with Mrs. Willow.] When ck smoke wrapped around the sinner¡¯s body, his body quickly rotted. The sinner was alive until his bones were revealed to be as white as anyone else¡¯s. Watching the scene, her body trembled. What is this? What¡¯s happening right now? [It¡¯s still a waste] Serwin, or the thing that looked like him, left her alone and went back. The voices of sinners who still survived and ran away from the direction he disappeared were heard. Only then did the surrounding situation begin to be clear. It was a human hunt. She can¡¯t remember with what spirit to make her go home. She was just mesmerized until her daughter, who woke up in the morning, called her. ¡°I went to the Imperial Pce on the same day. I thought I should check what I saw. Then the Emperor¡¯s knights were throwing bones into theke¡ª¡± Mrs. Willow said she wanted to visit Serwin and quit her job. Serwin didn¡¯t ask anything, and allowed her to quit work right away. She noticed that Serwin rememberedst night when he didn¡¯t hold onto her. ¡°It felt like lightning hit my head, yes. On a foggy day, His Majesty seemed to be in a good mood, and his hands were getting rougher for a reason.¡± Mrs. Willow left the capital with her daughter. She was never going toe back. But every year on hunting day, she couldn¡¯t stay away without returning. It was to see if something like that night would happen this year or if Serwin was still a monster. Every year, the sinners disappear on hunting day. All Mrs. Willow could do was pray for their repose, which she did not even know their names. ¡°His Majesty is a monster. Now, even when it¡¯s not Hunting Day, he¡¯s killing innocent people, right?¡± ¡°Is that why you called me to tell me to break up with him?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah. If you stay there, Miss Bourbon will see something terrible.¡± It was not easy to make up her mind to meet Amelie. Who knows if she is a monster like Serwin? Even after sending a reply, she had countless nightmares because she was afraid of getting entangled with Serwin again. Still, if she was a good and ignorant woman, she had to help. If she could save one more innocent life like that. ¡°¡­all regretster.¡± Mrs. Willow smiled bitterly. Feeling the weight and regret of the past years, Amelie couldn¡¯t say anything for a while. ****** After a while, Amelie left the house. Mrs. Willow¡¯s daughter made a fuss when she saw hering down from the top floor, but headed to the front door without responding to a word. ¡®Serwin lied. Why did you do that?¡¯ Considering Mrs. Willow¡¯s words and Serwin¡¯s actions so far, it was clear that Serwin knew that the night of hunting day, disaster would swallow his body. ¡®Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡¯ Death row prisoners from all over the country are transferred to prisons near the capital. Again this year, a number of prisoners on death row had disappeared. ¡®Why did Serwin prepare the death row prisoners? Didn¡¯t disastere when the seal was weakened, regardless of Serwin¡¯s will?¡¯ Amelie was very confused. ording to what has been summarized so far, Serwin knew in advance that disaster would appear and prepared, and deliberately left her behind to sessfullyplete human hunting. ¡®Serwin can¡¯t do that to me¡ª. No, it was Serwin who gave me the fabricated data¡ª. Then why the hell?¡¯ Unmodified and Modified data. Whenparing the two, the biggest difference was that the hunting season and the urrence of the anomaly were periodic. ¡®The fact that abnormalities happen periodically ¡ª it bothers me.¡¯ Amelie became anxious. ¡®Maybe Serwin made some promises with the disaster¡ª no, let¡¯s not make a random guess.¡¯ Amelie shook her head. Even if she made a random guess by herself, she was just overwhelmed by negative emotions. The more important the problem was, the better it was to talk honestly with the other person than to think up conspiracies alone. ¡®Let¡¯s go to Serwin.¡¯ Amelie made up her mind and pushed her numerous questions to one side of her head. As she raised her head, she could see three people looking worried back at her. They couldn¡¯t talk to Amelie easily and waited because she was deep in thought while standing with a dark face. ¡°Everyone¡¯s been waiting for a long time. The conversation was longer than I thought.¡± When Amelie spoke first, Renia and Milena came at a rapid pace. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you hear something bad?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay. Mrs. Willow told me everything I wanted to hear about honestly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying this because you don¡¯t look okay.¡± said Renia. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up and get on the carriage. You don¡¯t look good. You¡¯d better go back and rest quickly.¡± Chad was also worried about Amelie. Amelie looked at Renia. ¡°Young Lady Renia. I¡¯m sorry, but can you go back alone?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine but¡ª¡± Renia was very worried about sending Amelie by herself. Even when she was stabbed and fell into theke, Amelie didn¡¯t look so anxious. She wondered how shocking Mrs. Willow¡¯s story was to make her like this. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everythingter.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. It¡¯s because Miss Amelie¡¯splexion doesn¡¯t look good.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Amelie smiled helplessly. ¡®If you look like that, I can¡¯t ask more questions.¡¯ Renia decided to follow Amelie¡¯s will. ¡°I¡¯ll bring a separate carriage for Young Lady Manvers to ride in. Miss Amelie please get on the carriage. It will go straight to the Imperial Pce.¡± Chad said. ¡°No. I¡¯m going to where His Majesty is. Where is His Majesty now?¡± Chad couldn¡¯t answer right away and hesitated. ¡°The hunting contest will be in full swing, so he will be in the Imperial Pce forest. It was written that way in the invitation.¡± Renia replied instead. ¡°A while ago, Young Lady Serina came to the hunting grounds to meet me and said that I was not there, so she went to the Imperial Pce. She couldn¡¯t even enter the pce, so she had to leave.¡± ¡°Huh? That¡¯s kind of weird.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If hunting day is in the Imperial Pce forest, there is no reason toe back from the Imperial Pce to find me.¡± ¡°The Imperial Pce won¡¯t block ess now because of the huntingpetition¡ªit doesn¡¯t make sense that she couldn¡¯t go in.¡± Amelie smiled at Chad. ¡°Where did the hunting grounds change to?¡± ¡°Miss Amelie, that¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°I can find it without Sir Chad telling me. I¡¯m asking because I¡¯m running out of time.¡± If she looks for it, she can find it quickly. She was just afraid that midnight woulde while she was wasting that time. ¡°I am only following His Majesty¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°Then are you going to not see His Majesty until midnight?¡± Chad hesitated. He was well aware that Serwin had been hesitating until this morning whether or not to inform Amelie and seek help. Frankly, Chad hoped Serwin would stop hunting humans with Amelie¡¯s help. ¡®If the hunting of the Hunting Day continues like this, I¡¯d feel so sorry for His Majesty.¡¯ Every year after hunting day, Serwin¡¯s mental health would severely drop. The more he knew about the disaster, the harder it was to pretend not to know his king¡¯s pain. ¡°¡­It¡¯s at Grand Malt hunting ground.¡± ¡°When did he change it?¡± ¡°He changed it in a hurry this morning.¡± ¡°This person really nned it! He even changed the location!¡± It was clear that he changed it urgently because he thought she would notice if he did something at the imperial pce. Amelie burst into anger. Just let her meet Serwin. She¡¯ll pour cold water on him! ¡°His Majesty kept hesitating. Please understand his position, mydy.¡± Chad bowed deeply. Though they were just following Amelie, the knights who were watching the situation a little away felt the need to intervene. ¡°Sir Chad. Are you disobeying orders?¡± Maxim and the other knights, who had been hiding, appeared. Chapter 89 Chapter 89 ¡°Sir Maxim, you know right? His Majesty also wants to stop.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s His Majesty who ordered you to hide it from thedy. If you are the Emperor¡¯s knight, you must obey him.¡± Maxim looked at Amelie. ¡°I apologize, Miss Amelie. We believe and follow His Majesty¡¯s choice is in the best interest of all. Please step back.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Amelie tly refused. ¡°Knowing that His Majesty is being swayed by disaster, you tell me to wait patiently?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because I¡¯m worried about Miss Amelie. Please, please. We don¡¯t want to fight Miss Amelie.¡± Maxim was sincere. The knights have developed a liking for Amelie while obtaining potions through Chad. There were no knights who wished to fight her. ¡®She needs to give up.¡¯ When he gave the signal, the knights broke the carriage. In an instant, the horses and wheels were dismantled, and the carriage was no longer able to function. ¡°There¡¯s no way to go to Grand Malt. Even if you get a carriage and go to the hunting ground, you won¡¯t be able to make it in time.¡± That¡¯s exactly what Maxim said. It was not easy to get a carriage to the Grand malt hunting ground, leaving all the knights behind. ¡®It would be easy to have a broom at times like this.¡¯ Amelie bit her lips. In many ways, it was against her. Then Milena popped out of the back of the carriage. ¡°That¡¯s not true! Miss Amelie can fly in the sky!¡± Milena threw a broom at Amelie. ¡°Why is thising from there?¡± Amelie¡¯s eyes widened. Why is the broom in the attic behind the wagon? ¡°You said before that you wanted to carry Manvers Young Lady on your broomstick. So I kept it in case you needed it.¡± When Maxim and the knights appeared, Milena noticed that she needed a broom.Milena took a moment to admire and appreciate her past self very much, and approached the carriage as Amelie and Sir Maxim confronted each other. When the knights broke the carriage, Milena had wondered if she was caught, but luckily she was not caught, and the broom was fine. ¡°Good job! I¡¯ll pay you backter!¡± ¡°Ugh, Milena! What would your brother say if he knew you were doing this!¡± ¡°Do I have to know that?¡± Maxim shook his head. Thanks to this, all of his persuasion was gone, and there was no answer other than to battle. Amelie clenched the broom tightly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight with you guys either. Don¡¯t worry. It won¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you underestimating us too much?¡± ¡°Please understand if it hurts a little. It¡¯s my first time using this magic.¡± The knights drew their swords and ran towards Amelie. The momentum of the dozens of knights running was tremendous, but Amelie cast the spell without even blinking her eyes. As she swung her broom, a blizzard swept over the knights. ¡°Ugh, are you going to be like this? Really!¡± ¡°So why are you blocking me!¡± The knights dashed forward through the blizzard. A strong wind blew against their body, and snow flew away, making her invisible. In the meantime, Serwin¡¯s elite troops did not copse and approached Amelie. But they couldn¡¯t beat Amelie¡¯s magic. The magic grew stronger, and in the meantime, she quickly climbed onto her broom. ¡°I was worried that you would step on the wind and jump like His Majesty, but I¡¯m d.¡± Amelie flew into the sky. She quickly became a dot and disappeared. As she moved away, she soon stopped her blizzard as well. ¡°What? Climb to the wind? That could have to be His Majesty¡ª¡± Maxim murmured, finding time to admire Serwin amidst themotion. ¡°Sir Maxim¡ª¡± Chad hesitated and approached. ¡°What are you doing! It¡¯s an emergency! Half of you go to Gran Malt first, and the rest follow Miss Amelie as she moves! We¡¯ll have to guard her even on the ground!¡± ¡°Yes! I understand!¡± The knights moved in perfect order. ****** ¡®Where is Serwin?¡¯ Arriving at Grand Malt, Amelie circled the hunting grounds. However, it was difficult to find him as the trees obstructed her view. Reluctantly, Amelie came down to Area 1. It said that Area 1 is the ce where game is the most abundant, so she thought that huntingpetitions would also be held in Area 1. ¡®It¡¯s very spacious¡ª¡¯ Amelie looked around with a broom in her hand. ¡°Oh? Isn¡¯t this Miss Amelie?¡± The noble young man recognized Amelie and came near. Amelie doesn¡¯t know that person. ¡°I heard you weren¡¯ting today, but you werete. Everyone was disappointed, but I¡¯m d.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to Area 3 now. Would you like toe with me? You might be mistaken for prey if you go around alone.¡± The noble young man was very kind to Amelie. ¡°I¡¯m looking for His Majesty. Have you seen His Majesty?¡± ¡°Oh, yes, I have seen him in the northwest. But I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s still there.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you.¡± Amelie ran in the direction the young man had indicated. The hunting ground was very wide, and Serwin was constantly moving, making it difficult to find him. She was moving as the unknown nobles informed her, but it was unlikely that she would be able to meet him until then. ¡°Where is he? I¡¯m going to waste all my time looking for him.¡± She thought there must have been some kind of magic that could be used in times like these. Amelie walked, remembering her spells one by one. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Then, with a strange feeling, she looked ahead. The bushes were blocking her eyes, and she saw Serwin when she removed it with her hand. He must have been hunting animals because he was riding a horse and holding a bow. Other nobles followed behind him. ¡°Why are you here, Amelie?¡± Serwin had a hard expression on his face as if he was angry. ¡®Now who should be angry with whom!¡¯ Without an answer, Amelie stared at Serwin. ¡°How are the knights? Why¡¯re you alone? Who told you about this ce?¡± Serwin¡¯s voice grew darker. He had a gut feeling that something was going wrong. The knights are nowhere to be seen, and she was so angry that it would be strange not to notice. ¡°You must have been surprised. You changed ces in a hurry to get rid of me, but I¡¯m here, right?¡± ¡°Why would I leave you?¡± ¡°Then why did you suddenly change the location of the huntingpetition?¡± Serwin kept his mouth shut with a stiff face. When he was angry, the nobles couldn¡¯t do this or that, but only looked at him. ¡°Let them go for now.¡± Serwin nodded his head. Then the nobles drove away on their own, giving the two privacy. Amelie thought about how she could get everything she needed to say out. However, Serwin was too good at evasion to conduct a guided interrogation. ¡®You¡¯ll pretend you don¡¯t know right?¡¯ In the first ce, she was not good at beating around the bush. Let¡¯s just do as she always has done. ¡°Your Majesty, you know that the abnormalities that ur in the Imperial Pce are due to disaster, don¡¯t you? You knew it, but you just let it go. Besides, when I talked about it, you pretended not to know.¡± Serwin didn¡¯t open his mouth. ¡®Yeah, if you were going to answer quickly, you wouldn¡¯t have hidden it in the first ce.¡¯ ¡°Why did you pretend you didn¡¯t know? What were you trying to hide by editing the data?¡± Doubts are bad, but Amelie couldn¡¯t think of any good reasons to behave like this. ¡°The dates are periodic. It¡¯s like they were ordered to do it.¡± ¡°Amelie. That¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°And what about the hunting days? You knew that disaster ruled your body. So you prepared to sacrifice sinners?¡± ¡°Where¡ª¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter where I heard it! What¡¯s important now is why you hid them!¡± The emotions she had been holding back, such as anger and betrayal, were revived, and her head was dizzy. ¡°I can¡¯t help but make bad guesses.¡± Amelie was so emotional that she messed up her hair. ¡°Tell me. Did you just ignore all of that? Or maybe¡ª¡± Did you do what the disaster told you to do? Amelie couldn¡¯t bring herself to continue. ¡°¡­Why are you so curious about that?¡± He maintained a defensive and strong attitude. However, unlike the outside, his inside was a mess. He thought maybe this could happen. Because Amelie continued to exceed his expectations of her, as always. However, just imagining this scenario and its reality was different. ¡®What should I do? Amelie is angry. An exnation, no, whatever I say is fine. Amelie is waiting for it. But what should I say?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t think of anything as if his mind had hardened. Meanwhile, Amelie¡¯s face grew darker and darker. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you don¡¯t need me, do you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything, I¡¯ll just leave.¡± Amelie sighed heavily, feeling her disappointment weigh her down. There was no other way than to open his mouth, which was grimaced in shame but still tightly closed. This was how much Amelie wanted to know what Serwin was thinking, she¡¯d even threaten to leave. Even though there must have been some circumstances she was unaware of, she was offended and felt this was intolerable. ¡°What do you mean leave? Don¡¯t say that.¡± Serwin took Amelie¡¯s hand in a hurry, as if in shock. He looked at her pitifully, as if Amelie had already abandoned him even though she had only spoken. ¡®Should I tell you everything? If you had known the truth, you would have left me anyway. Wouldn¡¯t it be better not to say it?¡¯ No matter which way he chose, he didn¡¯t see a good future. Serwin was torn between the two. ¡°I know. It¡¯s hard to say. Was this the story you were trying to tell at the clock tower? I won¡¯t me you when I hear it.¡± Amelie noticed Serwin hesitating and soothed him. ¡°Why is there a disaster every hunting day?¡± ¡°¡­is the result of an agreement.¡± Serwin¡¯s face distorted painfully. ****** As the seal weakened, disaster began to haunt him. Then, when he turned 15, it was Hunting Day. He was robbed of his body for the first time. And the next day, he woke up covered in blood. Fortunately, he only hunted animals, and he didn¡¯t hurt anyone. Since then, disaster has constantly demanded that Serwin give it freedom one day of the year, like the night of Hunting Day, it will remain calm. At first, he refused. What does he think disaster will do with his body if he epts it? However, the following year, Serwin lost his body again. The disaster knew him so well that he could simply push him into despair and take his control away. The day after Hunting Day, disaster whispered again. [I¡¯m so tired of dealing with animals. I like people who are a little smarter and can y tricks. I am very much looking forward to next year¡¯s Hunting Day.] Serwin became afraid. At this rate, the disaster might leave the hunting ground and ughter civilians who were truly innocent. So, first, he proposed a deal to the disaster. ¡®I will give up my body only on the night of Hunting Day. Hunting is allowed only for sinners. You must never leave the Imperial Pce forest.¡¯ When he heard Serwin¡¯s terms, disaster readily epted them. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 ¡°It was from the year I was seventeen, that hunting day. I remember everything. I can hear the raucous music of the party and the sounds ofughter from afar, but all I can remember is the smell of blood.¡± Even ten yearster, the memory is still vivid. Mrs. Willow was one of the few who had cared for him all his life. At the moment when her affectionate gaze turned into one filled with fear and hatred¡­ Serwin decided not to attach himself to anyone. ¡°Mrs. Willow looked at me and called me a monster.¡± Why is her voice at that time still not forgotten? ¡°Troubling the people of the imperial pce is a long-time hobby of disaster¡ª. It was not specifically promised, but I left it alone.¡± After all, the disaster has calmed down as promised. It didn¡¯tst long, but the break alone made Serwin feel like he could breathe. Hunting Day, which returns every year, was terrible, but on the other hand, it was nice to have a break. Only when he safely surrendered himself to disaster could he bepletely freed from the domination of disaster and rest. Ironically, it was only after giving up everything that he gained freedom. ¡®I can¡¯t tell her this.¡¯ Serwin spit out only the right words to say. ¡°How about this year? I¡¯m with you. Then you don¡¯t have to prepare for this.¡± ¡°What if you can¡¯t stop it even though you are there? Then there will be nowhere to hide.¡± Serwin had only one thing he worried about. He is afraid Amelie will hate him after learning the truth. He¡¯s afraid she¡¯ll leave. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to look innocent to you.¡± ¡°But this isn¡¯t right.¡± Serwin lowered his head. ¡°I thought you would say so.¡± ¡®What should I say?¡¯ He was afraid of what her answer would be. He was crouching like a child with hisrge body, but his mind kept getting weaker. However, it was not a matter of saying that she understood it. Her head was still confused, and her mind was not fully organized. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m going to cool off. I¡¯ll be back in the evening, so don¡¯t look for me.¡± ¡°Amelie¡ª¡± Serwin looked at Amelie. His earnest eyes expressed his desire to hold her. But Amelie had her heart set on her weakness. She needed to be determined. ¡°This is the punishment for deceiving me!¡± A stream of water poured down like a waterfall from the sky. Serwin couldn¡¯t avoid it and got drenched. ¡°You should be very grateful I¡¯m ending it like this.¡± Had it been someone else, she would have pped him in the face with water rather than a waterfall. He had to get a little wet as penance, then he could just change his clothes. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Amelie turned her back from Serwin and ran. Her mind was soplicated that it felt like it was about to explode. She needed to be alone somewhere and needed time to organize herself. But Amelie was too famous to be left alone in such a crowded venue. When people passing by found Amelie, they approached her unconditionally and talked to her. ¡°Oh? Aren¡¯t you Miss Amelie?¡± ¡°Have you met His Majesty?¡± ¡°Come to Area 3 with us.¡± ¡°Thank you, but that¡¯s enough!¡± It was already difficult to manage her facial expressions, but it was even more difficult to deal with people approaching with such obvious greed on their faces. ¡®Leave me alone!¡¯ However, she was too worried about Serwin¡¯s condition to leave the Grand Malt Hunting Grounds. She thought it would be safe to keep a distance so that she could quickly notice his change at any time. When she couldn¡¯t do this or that, or when she wanted to be alone, Amelie always used transformation magic. It was the same this time as well. Pong. She found a corner to hide in and quickly became a pink hamster. ¡°Oh, I think I saw Miss Amelie¡¯s pink hair around here?¡± A noble young man found Amelie¡¯s corner and tried to approach. But Amelie wentpletely unnoticed because she was covered by the bushes. ¡®Now let¡¯s get some rest!¡¯ She¡¯s finally alone! Amelie ran toward the sunny side. But at some point, a ck cat came out and snatched Amelie. ¡®Huh? Huh?¡¯ Amelie was confused. ¡®Am I bitten by a cat now?¡¯ No matter how much she transforms into a hamster, she¡¯s still human, but a cat bites her? ¡®Last time, I was chased by a dog. Ha.¡¯ Why does she have to transform into something like this? Amelie clicked her tongue. In the meantime, the cat walked somewhere with Amelie in its mouth. ¡®Why is there a cat in this ce? Oh what¡¯s that, it looks just like Butterfly. It¡¯s not Butterfly, is it?¡¯ The cat¡¯s teeth surprisingly didn¡¯t hurt, but its rough tongue tickled her stomach hair. ¡®Calm down¡­¡¯ Amelie cast a spell. With a Pong sound Amelie returned to her human self and the cat lost her prey. When back in her human body a stray cat was no longer a threat. ¡°Phew, I almost got eaten by a cat.¡± ¡°What day is it today? Why is my luck so bad? But that cat looks like Butterfly¡­ Why is Butterfly here? Wow, did I almost get eaten by my cat?¡± Amelie was exhausted and squatted down. ¡°Why would I eat you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The cat said. ¡°The cat can talk!¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t recognize me?¡± The cat tilted its head. ¡°You¡¯re really a fool, aren¡¯t you?¡± The cat quickly grew huge, and she became a woman with straight ck hair. ¡°Lira Hose! That witchst time! Then, was Butterfly you?¡± Amelie was surprised. Her cat is human! She didn¡¯t even know that and kissed her! ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve been waiting all the time for you to be alone.¡± Lira walked over to her, fluttering her ck dress. Amelie recalled the moment she swung her dagger at her. ¡®Why are you here today? What day is it that I¡¯m so unlucky?¡¯ Why, of all things, when Serwin and the Knights were away at this time? She also left her broom at the ce where she met Serwin. ¡®What if she attacks me? With my magic, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll even be able to handle it.¡¯ It was better to run away than to fight half-heartedly. Lira doesn¡¯t have a broom, so she just needs to find her broom before she gets caught. ¡®yer¡¯s Victory! Hit first before you get hit!¡¯ Amelie jumped up and threw soil up into the air. At the same time she created a gust of wind and blew the soil at Lira. ¡°Ugh!¡± Lira couldn¡¯t even open her eyes because of the dusty wind. ¡®Now!¡¯ Amelie started running without looking back. ¡°Seriously!¡± Lira fought through Amelie¡¯s wind and followed her. Regardless, Amelie ran looking forward. Her feet were unsteady, but thanks to living in the forest for a while before, she ran away well. Lira, who was in a hurry, immediately used magic. There was hail in front of Amelie. ¡®I¡¯m going to use magic, too!¡¯ Amelie started a fire, which melted all of the hail. But after a brief pause, Lira drew closer. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to stop?¡± Lira shouted. ¡®Ugh, I¡¯ll catch you.¡¯ Amelie quickly turned the soil upside down with magic. ¡°Ouch!¡± L lost her bnce and stumbled. ¡°Do you think anyone can¡¯t use magic?¡± She used magic even as she fell. As soon as Amelie took another step Lira manipted the grass to cling to her feet. ¡°Ack!¡± Amelie tripped perfectly and fell down as well. ¡®How could you use the grass that you can¡¯t even see, it¡¯s cheap!¡¯ Amelie stood up right away, although it was difficult for her to move her legs since she had hit her knee on a stone. ¡°I got you.¡± Lira grabbed Amelie¡¯s cor from behind. ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± Amelie¡¯s escape failed. Lira held Amelie to a tree with a vine. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s been a long time since I ran, and I¡¯m exhausted.¡± Lira looked down at Amelie. The shadow cast on her face was terrifying. ¡®I can¡¯t win even with magic, and I can¡¯t run away because I hurt my leg. Now what?¡¯ Amelie stepped back in fear. She couldn¡¯t escape because she was blocked by a tree. Lira came closer. ¡°Why do you run away?¡± ¡°You attacked me first, didn¡¯t you? Amelie red at L with tearful eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? What did I do wrong? Are you trying to kill me?¡± She didn¡¯t expect Lira to answer honestly. She meant to pass time by talking, hoping help or inspiration would arrive. However, Lira¡¯s reaction waspletely unexpected. ¡°Me? When?¡± Lira looked upset at the usation. ¡°Last time at the Grand Malt hunting ground! Why did you cast a spell all of a sudden? You tried to stab me with a dagger! You teamed up with Charlotte and attacked me!¡± ¡°Oh, that. Did it look like that?¡± Lira was perplexed. ¡°The dagger was testing the Emperor. I wondered how he would react if I attacked you. And I didn¡¯t attack first.¡± ¡°You made a huge blizzard first.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m trying to take you away, but I¡¯m a little tied up because the Emperor interrupted me.¡± ¡°You were trying to only take me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amelie recalled what had happened that night. Come to think of it, just before Lira appeared, an unknown force pulled her. Was she really trying to take her away? ¡°How can I believe you?¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t believe it. It¡¯s your loss.¡± said Lira coolly. Amelie seemed to believe Lira¡¯s story. ¡°What are you going to do with me?¡± ¡°I was trying to find out if you were a traitor or not.¡± After seeing the friendly appearance of Amelie and the Emperor in addition to Charlotte¡¯s statement, Lira was mostly sure Amelie was a traitor to witches. ¡°But you¡¯re a witch, and I can¡¯t kill you without hearing an exnation. You may be deceived by the Emperor.¡± So she waited to be alone with Amelie, looking for an opportunity to talk. Serwin didn¡¯t spare a moment away from Amelie though, so she unintentionally watched it for a long time. ¡°When I looked at it from the inside, it was a little strange. You¡¯re a diligent witch, and you¡¯re stupidly kind. Besides, you said that you and the emperor aren¡¯t even lovers?¡± And as of today, Lira hase to a conclusion about Amelie. ¡°You are being deceived by the Emperor.¡± ¡°No.¡± Amelie protested. ¡°Then what is it? Why did youe to the Imperial Pce and do such useless things?¡± Does she ask because she doesn¡¯t know? Amelie thought Lira¡¯s question was strange. ¡°We must defeat the disaster sealed in His Majesty¡¯s body. If His Majesty copses, disaster will be released to the world, so please help me to prevent that from happening.¡± ¡°Disaster? Seal?¡± Lira asked as if it was something she never heard of. Amelie was confused. ¡°You don¡¯t know? Why don¡¯t you know? Are you a real witch?¡± ¡°What does that have to do with us?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the witches who sealed the disaster in His Majesty¡¯s body! It¡¯s also the disaster that caused the witch hunt.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? The witch hunt was started by a witch who stuck together with the regent king. A traitor to her own people.¡± ¡°What? No, of course, the regent king has caused a witch hunt, but it is not without the effect of disaster.¡± Lira looked at Amelie suspiciously. ¡°You mean, the emperor has deceived you. He must have lied about witch-hunting to take advantage of you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡± ¡°How are you sure? He lied to you before, aren¡¯t you fighting about that right now with him?¡± ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± Amelie was at a loss for words. What¡¯s with the timing! ¡°Still, he¡¯s not the type of person to deceive me with this.¡± Amelie knew how much Serwin had suffered from the disaster. ¡°Today¡¯s event is not like he lied to me in a bad way. It¡¯s just¡­ people make stupid mistakes when they¡¯re too scared and anxious.¡± Amelie didn¡¯t think Serwin had done it out of malice. So she wasn¡¯t angry even if he hid this and deceived her. She was very surprised, but Serwin had a hard time, too. Lira narrowed her eyes. ¡®This child is too kind, she¡¯s used by the emperor.¡¯ No matter how she looked at it, she didn¡¯t have the personality to betray her people. Lira released her vines. ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± Amelie stood up, shaking off her skirt. ¡°But traitor? What do you mean? Are you referring to the person who sealed the disaster again?¡± ¡°I have no idea what you are talking about.¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯ll have to work on figuring out the full story.¡± Lira nodded her head. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!